Vocabulary Development: Idioms Week 10

Topic: Idioms

Idiomatic expressions are commonly used phrases or sayings that have a figurative meaning
rather than a literal one. They are an important part of natural, conversational English and can
be challenging for English language learners to understand and use correctly.

Some examples of common idiomatic expressions include:

- "It's raining cats and dogs" (meaning it's raining heavily)

- "Let's hit the sack" (meaning let's go to bed)
- "Break a leg" (meaning good luck)
- "A piece of cake" (meaning something is very easy)

Idiomatic expressions often cannot be directly translated word-for-word from English to other
languages, which is part of what makes them tricky to learn. The meaning is usually
metaphorical or culturally specific.

## Identifying and Understanding Idiomatic Expressions

The first step in using idiomatic expressions is being able to recognize them when you see or
hear them. Some clues that a phrase may be idiomatic include:

- The meaning is not literally what the individual words suggest

- The expression contains words that are used in a non-literal way
- The expression follows a common, fixed pattern or structure

When you encounter an idiomatic expression, it's important to try to understand the overall
figurative meaning, rather than trying to make sense of it literally. This often requires having
some cultural and contextual knowledge.

Common Categories of Idiomatic Expressions

Idiomatic expressions can be grouped into several broad categories:

1. **Expressions about body parts**: "give me a hand", "keep an eye out", "have a heart"

2. **Expressions about time and money**: "time is money", "kill two birds with one stone",
"penny-pinching"

3. **Expressions about animals**: "let the cat out of the bag", "like a bull in a china shop",
"curiosity killed the cat"
4. **Expressions about the weather**: "it's raining cats and dogs", "when hell freezes over",
"clear the air"

5. **Expressions about food**: "a piece of cake", "spill the beans", "tough cookie"

Understanding the common metaphors and associations in these categories can help you
recognize and interpret new idiomatic expressions.

## Practice with Idiomatic Expressions

To improve your mastery of idiomatic expressions, it's important to actively practice using them
in context. Some recommended activities include:

- Identifying idiomatic expressions in conversations, books, movies, etc. and trying to explain the
meaning.
- Completing fill-in-the-blank exercises to choose the correct idiomatic expression.
- Writing short stories or dialogues that incorporate a variety of idiomatic expressions.
- Keeping a vocabulary journal to record new idiomatic expressions you learn and practice using
them.

Regular practice with idiomatic expressions will help train your brain to recognize and use them
more naturally.

Idiomatic Expressions and Meanings

1.With a pinch of salt-
some doubt whether it is altogether true.
2.Keep an open door- to be ready to welcome guests at any time
3.Be/Keep abreast of something- to be always aware of the latest news or ideas
4.A chapter of accident-a series of unfortunate events
5.(Have) an ace up one’s sleeve- keep a useful plan, piece of information, etc
6. (Have) an ace in the hole-secret and ready to be used when necessary
6.Hold all the aces-have all the advantages
7.Once in a blue moon- rarely/seldom/occasionally
8.Smell a rat- be suspicious
9.A chip off the old block-a son who is very like his father
10.More haste, less speed-approach whatever you are doing carefully to avoid mistake
11.Play to the gallery-attempt to win cheap popularity
12.Living a cat-and-dog life-always quarreling with each other
13.Let the sleeping dog lie-not looking for trouble/give peace a chance
14.Act/Play fool-behave in a silly way to amuse others
15.Action speakers louder than words-what someone does means more than what he says he
will do
16.Swing into action-act quickly
17.Add fuel to the flames-to say something that makes people react more strongly
18.Add insult to injury-make something worse
19.A state of affairs-a situation or circumstance
20.Keep one at arm’s length-avoid being familiar with somebody
21.Be above board-open/without deception
22.Stand one’s ground-maintain one’s position
23.Develop cold feet-feel afraid or reluctant or unwilling to do something that is risky
24.Feather his own nest-make himself rich
25.Being led by the nose-being controlled completely
26.A bone of contention-a cause of dispute
27.Come to a head-reach a point where something has to be done or decided
28.Paid in one’s coin-Revenge
29.Pull the wool over one’s eye-Deceive
30.Talking with his tongue in his cheek-not sincere or saying something and meaning the
opposite
31.With malice aforethought-with the deliberate intention to commit a crime
32.To the altar-to marry
33.Be poles apart-be widely separated/have nothing in common
34.The apple of one’s eye-a person loved more than others
35.Argue the toss-disagree about a decision
36.In apple-pie order-very neat arrangement
37.Up in arms-protesting strongly
38.Under the auspices of-with the help or support of
39.Have an axe to grind-have a private reason for something
40.Have the ball at one’s feet-have a good chance of succeeding
41.A baptism of fire-a difficult introduction to an experience
42.Not to mince words-to speak plainly in condemnation of something
43.Beat about the bush-approach the subject without coming directly to the point
44.Kick the bucket-Die
45.To cross the Rubicon-to be irreversibly or irrevocably committed
46.Tarred with the same brush-had the same faults
47.To take the bull by the horns-to tackle problems boldly
48.Rain cats and dogs-rain heavily
49.Let the cat out of the bags-reveal the secret
50.Raise eyebrows or see red eyes-annoy or angry
51.From the bottom of one’s heart-sincerely, seriously
52.Have a thick skull-be stupid
53.Bite off more than one can chew-attempt to do something too much
54.The tip of the ice-bergvery little
55.A chip on one’s shoulder-feeling quarrelsome and being in a bad temper
56.Throw a new light on the matter-provide fresh information that makes the matter clear
57.Kill two birds with one stone-get two outcomes with one action or do two things at a time
58.Nipped in the bud-not successful or was aborted
59.Make a clear breast of-tell the whole truth about
60.Like a bat out of hell-very fast
Examiner’s Uses of Some of the Expressions

To Identify and know the meanings of idiomatic expressions is not enough, one also has to
know how they are used correctly in sentences. Using these expressions correctly will add to
your scores under expression in your essays or letters. Remember that some of them can be
used as a subject, a verb, an object or a complement, and an adjunct. Let us learn some of
them in the following sentences. Then make each of them in a sentence to convey the meaning
of the expression.

I tried to make a clear breach of the matter to the boss but he didn’t listen.

The General Manager makes them work like a bat out of hell.

Please, don’t let the cat out of the bag.

From the bottom of my heart, I love you.

The man killed the thief with malice aforethought.

The students are up in arms against the bad practices of their management.

Everybody disagreed on that state of affairs.

There are more chapters on accidents this year.

The boss and his employees are often living a cat-and-dog life.

Sade pulls the wool over my eyes often.

Evaluation
1. What are idiomatic expressions?
2. Provide five example of an idiomatic expression with their meanings.
3. Explain the figurative meaning of the following idiomatic expressions:
- "Let the cat out of the bag"
- "Kill two birds with one stone"
- "It's raining cats and dogs"
4. Create an original short dialogue or story that incorporates at least 3 different idiomatic
expressions.

Assignment

Complete the following fill-in-the-blank exercise, choosing the correct idiomatic expression:

a. The meeting was _____________ - we were able to get a lot done in a short amount of
time.
(a piece of cake / kill two birds with one stone)

b. Don't _____________ - I want to keep the surprise party a secret.

(let the cat out of the bag / have a heart)

c. The weather is so bad today, it's really _____________.

(raining cats and dogs / penny-pinching)

d. I'm _____________ after a long day at work - I'm ready for bed.
(beat / curiosity killed the cat)

3. After the sentence, a list of possible interpretations of all or part of the sentence is given.
Choose the interpretation that you consider most appropriate for the sentence.

i. It appears Sade's success at the last examination has gone to her head. This means that
Sade is

A. conceited

B. too happy

C. crazy

D. impudent

ii. Little Sheila is always as lively as a kitten. This means that Sheila is always
A. wearing bright dresses

B. very realistic in what she does

C. moving quickly like a kitten

D. gay and cheerful

iii. This masquerade appears once in a blue moon. This means that the masquerade appears

A. on very rare occasions

B. when the moon is blue

C. whenever a special request is made

D. once a month

iii. Okon is quite hardworking but his problem is that he has too many irons in the fire . This
means that Okon

A. is a blacksmith

B. takes on more problems than he can cope with

C. is very good at solving problem

D. is a very successful businessman

iv. It takes a great deal of stamina to run the marathon race

A. courage
B. determination

C. energy

D. intelligence

E. cleverness

4. Answer the following questions correctly.

Choose the word or a group of words that best completes each of the following sentences.

The police vehicle raced ______ full speed with its siren blaring.

(a) on (b) with (c) at (d) in

Stella wanted to show _______ with her necklace.

(a) off (b) on (c) over (d) back

The national essay competition came _____ on the 23rd of July, 1986.

(a) out (b) in (b) by (d) up

There was a lot of tension in the area and it was felt that a dispute might flare ______ any time.

(a) up (b) down (c) in (d) to

Please, look _______ my answers for me.

(a) over (b) across (c) after (d) on

Lekan has tried hard to live ______ to his parent’s expectations.

(a) over (b) on (c) through (d) up

There are ______ new employees at the headquarters of the factory.

(a) taking up (b) taking after (c) taking on (d) taking over

The celebrations were rounded ______ with a novelty match.

(a) off (b) up (c) down (d) out

Mary is a friendly sort of person. I _____ her the first time I met her.

(a) took on (b) took for (c) took after (d) took to

The boy was seen hitting the girl, but the teacher merely cautioned him and let him _____

(a) down (b) on (c) through (d) off

Many affidavits have been ______ as evidence in this case.

(a) sworn in (b) sworn with (c) sworn for (d) sworn to

The new bakery will _______ one thousand loaves of bread daily.

(a) turn over (b) turn out (c) turn up (d) turn in

Ahmadu would have arrived earlier but he was ______ in heavy traffic.

(a) held up (b) held down (c) held off (d) held about

Bola is a good friend of mine, but I am sometimes ______ by her careless attitude.

(a) blown off (b) forced out (c) turned out (d) put off

Luck ______ the robbers on that fateful day.

(a) came down (b) ran out on (c) ended up with (d) made away with

I tendered for that contrast, but my application _______.

(a) fell in (b) fell off (c) fell through (d) fell down

Janet could not attend the party because she _____ with flu over the weekend.

(a) came up (b) came down (c) came away (d) came in

The worker’s strike was ______ as a result of the Director’s intervention.

(a) called back (b) called in (c) called off (d) called out

Since we were not given everything we requested, we should ______ with what we have.

(a) makeup (b) make out (c) made do (d) makeover

The manager is leaving the company to ______ a new appointment elsewhere.

(a) take over (b) take on (c) take up (d) take off