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Common Idioms with Proper Usages - 5
20 Useful Idioms to Help you Get Band 8.0+ for IELTS Speaking (Part 5/5)
Hear on the grapevine - This idiom means ‘to hear rumors‘ about something or someone.
I heard on the grapevine that she was pregnant, but I don‘t know anything more.
Hit the nail on the head - To be right about something
Mike hit the nail on the head when he said most people can use a computer withou knowing how it works.
In the heat of the moment - say or do it without thinking because you are very angry or excited
She doesn‘t hate you. She just said that in the heat of the moment.
It takes two to tango - both people involved in a bad situation are responsible for it
She blames Tracy for stealing her husband. ‗Well, it takes two to tango.‘
Get/jump on the bandwagon - Join a popular trend or activity.
You jump on the bandwagon when all your friends begin eating at a new popular restaurant.
Keep something at bay - Keep something away
She fought to keep her unhappiness at bay.
Kill two birds with one stone - to accomplish two different things at the same time.
I killed two birds with one stone and saw some old friends while I was in Leeds visiting my parents.
Last straw - The final problem in a series of problems.
This is the last straw. I‘m calling the police.
Let sleeping dogs lie - to not talk about things which have caused problems in the past, or to not try to change a situation because you might cause problems
Jane knew she should report the accident but decided to let sleeping dogs lie.
Let the cat out of the bag - To reveal a secret or a surprise, often without an intention to do so
It‘s a secret. Try not to let the cat out of the bag.
Not playing with a full deck - Someone who lacks intelligence.
Jim‘s a nice guy, but with some of the foolish things he does, I wonder if he‘s not playing with a full deck.
Far cry from - Very different from
What you did was a far cry from what you said you were going to do.
Give the benefit of the doubt - to decide you will believe someone or something
I didn‘t know whether his story was true or not, but I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Pull the wool over someone’s eyes - Deceive someone into thinking well of them.
You can‘t pull the wool over my eyes. I know what‘s going on.
See eye to eye - two (or more people) agree on something.
My father and I see eye to eye on most things.
Take with a grain of salt - Consider something to be not completely true or right
I‘ve read the article, which I take with a grain of salt.
Taste of your own medicine - Means that something happens to you, or is done to you that you have done to someone else
Tom talks way too much – but last night he met someone who talked even more than he does, and he got frustrated. He finally got a taste of his own medicine.
Whole nine yards - Everything, the entire amount, as far as possible
When I was little, my family always had lots of pets – dogs, cats,hamsters, fish, rabbits – the whole nine yards.
Wouldn’t be caught dead - Would never like to do something
My father wouldn‘t have been caught dead in a white suit.
At the drop of a hat - immediately; instantly
If you need help, just call on me. I can come at the drop of a hat.
Common Idioms with Proper Usages - 4
25 Useful Idioms to Help You Score Band 8.0+ for IELTS Speaking (Part 4/5)
A Penny for Your Thoughts – ask someone who is being very quiet what they are thinking about
For several minutes they sat silently, then finally she looked at him and said, ―A penny for your thoughts, Walter.‖
Against the clock – do something as fast as possible and try to finish it before a certain time.
With her term paper due on Monday, she was racing against the clock to finish it
Lend an ear – to listen carefully and in a friendly way to someone
If you have any problems, go to Claire. She‘ll always lend a sympathetic ear.
on cloud nine – very happy; deliriously happy
She just bought her first new car and she‘s on cloud nine.
bushed – tired.
I am totally bushed after staying up so late.
hard feelings – the emotion of being upset or offended.
I am sorry I have to fire you. No hard feelings, okay?
hit the hay – go to bed
It‘s after 12 o‘clock. I think it‘s time to hit the hay.
be sick to death of something/doing something – to be angry and bored because something unpleasant has been happening for too long
I‘m sick to death of doing nothing but work. Let‘s go out tonight and have fun.
(come) rain or shine – means something will happen regardless of weather or other difficulties.
I will be on time for the class, rain or shine. Come rain or shine, she is always smiling.
be all ears – eager and ready to listen
I‘m all ears, waiting to hear your latest excuse for not getting this job done!
in the nick of time – not too late, but very close
I got to the drugstore just in the nick of time. It‘s a good thing, because I really need this medicine!
fresh/clean out of something – have sold or used up the last of something
I have to go buy some more milk. It seems we‘re fresh out now.
have/get mixed feelings about something – to be uncertain about something
I have mixed feelings about my trip to England. I love the people, but the climate upsets me.
Give it one’s best shot – do the best that one can
This test question is really tough! I‘ll give it my best shot, and I‘ll get some marks for doing my best.
In deep water – in difficulty; in trouble or in a dangerous situation
He has not submitted his dissertation so he‘s in deep water.
next to nothing – to cost very little
I went to the new discount store and bought these new shoes for only five dollars. That‘s next to nothing!
To be up in arms about something – upset or angry about something.
She has been up in arms about the rent increase.
Put yourself in somebody’s shoes – imagine that you are in somebody‘s position in order to understand his/her feelings
If you put yourself in my shoes, you would understand why I made that decision
At all costs – do everything you can to achieve/succeed something
My dream is to become a successful businessman and I will work hard for it at all costs.
Explore all avenues – investigate every possible means to find a solution to a given problem or to achieve a desired outcome.
We need to explore all avenues before doing something that is not very safe to a great number of people in order to minimize unfavourable consequences
On the ball – active and aware of things
Our staff is really on the ball to get projects done on time.
Throw in the towel – Give up on something
I‘ve spent too much time on this project to throw in the towel now.
Down to earth – practical and realistic; Back to reality
It‘s time we were brought down to earth to figure out difficult situation, and offer a good solution.
Full of beans – A person who is lively, active and healthy.
I really enjoy being with my best friend because he is always full of beans.
Get a head start – Start before all others.
This year we‘ll get a head start on the competition by running more advertisements.
Common Idioms with Proper Usages - 3
25 Common Idioms in IELTS Speaking (Part 3/5)
up-market – Relatively expensive and designed to appeal to wealthy consumers
an up-market restaurant that is quite pricey but also quite good
cram – to try to accomplish a lot quickly, also can mean to try to put a lot of items in a tight fit
The students are all cramming to get ready for the exams.
in high spirits – extremely happy
They‘d had a couple of drinks and were in high spirits.
keep one’s chin up – remain brave and keep on trying ; remain cheerful in difficult circumstances.
Keep your chin up. Don‘t take your troubles to bed with you
Keep your chin up. Things will get better sooner or later
read my/your/his mind– guess what somebody is thinking
I was surprised he knew what I was planning, like he could read my mind.
get the ball rolling – start doing something, especially something big
I decided to set the ball rolling and got up to dance.
You should get the ball rolling as soon as possible to be well-prepared for the IELTS test.
for ages – for a very long time
I waited for ages but he never showed up
fill in for someone – do someone‘s work while he is away; substitute for
Bill is going to be filling in for me while I‘m out on maternity leave.
antsy – getting restless.
The guys are getting antsy, we need to go somewhere else before they get too noisy.
(as) easy as pie – very easy
For Tom, getting a graphic design certificate was easy as pie –he seemed to have a natural talent for it.
under the weather – sick; not completely well
I noticed that the cat was looking a little under the weather.
fingers-crossed = keep one‘s fingers crossed (for someone or something) – to wish for luck for someone or something
fingers crossed for your driving test
We‘re keeping our fingers crossed that he‘ll be healthy again very soon
have a chin-wag – have a long conversation between friends; have a chat
We had a good chin-wag over a bottle of wine.
chicken scratch (n) – the handwriting that is crammed or illegible
His signature—an unforgeably idiosyncratic chicken scratch
the wee hours – after midnight
He was up until the wee hours trying to finish his work.
a blessing in a disguise – something that seems bad or unlucky at first, but results in something good happening later
Losing that job was a blessing in disguise really.
all in the same boat – in the same difficult situation as someone else
None of us has any money, so we‘re all in the same boat.
beating around the bush – avoid the main topic and not speaking directly about it
Let‘s stop beating about the bush and discuss this matter
early bird (someone who gets up early)
I never miss sunrise. I‘m an early bird.
a breath of fresh air – something that is new & refreshing
Selena was a talented and beautiful entertainer, a breath of fresh air in an industry full of people all trying to copy each other.
keep an eye on– to monitor a situation, not forget about it.
Keep an eye on the noodles, there almost done.
keep your nose to the grindstone – continue to put forward a good effort
If you keep your nose to the grindstone, you will finish this job tonight.
know something [it, this] inside out – to be totally familiar with
He knows that subject backwards and forwards.
leave well enough alone – to not try to change something that is good enough
This repair is not perfect, but let‘s leave well enough alone.
now and then– on an occasional basis, often "every" is used as the first word of this idiomatic phrase.
Every now and then I have a good idea.
