How many Idioms do you know?

by Rod P 23 Replies latest jw friends

  • Pole
    Pole

    Narkissos,

    I'm copying this stuff for my Monday's cours de francais. :)

    Pole

  • Abaddon
    Abaddon

    Couldn't organise a piss-up in a brewery (incapable of acheiving/organising something)

    Couldn't get a blow-job in a whore-house (as above, my own one this)

    Stewed as a newt (very drunk)

    Off his/her/their face (to be very high on a drug, or very drunk)

    A nod is as good as a wink to a blind horse (it makes no difference)

    Bolting the stable door after the horse is gone (acting too late)

    Crying wolf (to falsely declare danger)

  • JAVA
    JAVA

    Not the sharpest knife in the drawer (mentally slow)

  • Fatfreek
    Fatfreek

    They're all wrapped up -- (Walmart's parking lot is full)

    They don't know whether they're pitchin' or catchin' -- (the local lawnmower repair center after the last and final time we left our rig there)

    My wife, an Arkansas gal, bears full responsibility for the above.

  • Robert K Stock
    Robert K Stock

    S**t or get off the pot, means do something!

    All hat and no cattle, means not being able to back up your claim, a liar.

    Running with the dry cows, from my grandparents generation means, staying out all night. Cows that need to be milked come home to the barn each night.

    Head for the barn, means go home.

    I worked with an Englishman in the late 70's and he had a very hard time understanding my idioms.

  • Rod P
    Rod P

    blind as a bat (can't see very well, or at all)

    do something right off the bat (do something immediately)

    go to bat for (to support someone who is having problems)

    like a bat out of hell (to leave a place very fast)

    grin and bear it (just accept the situation because there's nothing you can do about it)

    be loaded for bear (to be ready, eager and completely prepared to do something)

    get up on the wrong side of the bed (when someone seems to be angry or annoyed without any reason)

    you made your bed, so now you must lie in it (you chose to be in that situation, so now you must accept the consequences)

    be in bed with (to join or start working with someone or a corporation or a political group)

    no bed of roses ( a situation that is unpleasant or difficult. eg Our marriage is no bed of roses.)

    put something to bed (to finish making a decision, agreement or plan, or deal with a problem)

    don't have a cow (don't get so angry and upset about something someone has done or said)

    a sacred cow (a belief or institution people think is so important that they will not allow anyone to criticize it or change it.)

    till/unitl the cows come home (for a very long time)

    call off the dogs (stop criticizing, attacking or causing trouble for someone, especially in a legal case)

    a dog and pony show (when you disapprove of an event because you think it has only been organized in order to seem impressive to people)

    dog days (a period of time during which something is not very successful)

    also the dog days of summer (the hottest days of the summer in July & August)

    dog eat dog (descrbing a situation in which people who want to succeed are willing to do anything to get what they want- usually in business)

    (be) a dog in the manger (about someone who will not let other people use or have something that they cannot use or have themselves)

    be dog tired (to be very tired)

    (something) is going to the dogs (to say that a country, organization, etc. is not as successful as it was and is getting worse all the time)

    let sleeping dogs lie (to deliberately avoid mentioning a subject or problem because you know it will cause trouble if you do.)

    (as) sick as a dog (very sick, especially so that you bring up food from your stomache)

    throw (someone) to the dogs (to allow someone to be criticized or treated badly because you do not need them anymore, or becausse you want to protect yourself from criticism.)

    top dog (describes a person who has the highest or most important position)

    you can't teach an old dog new tricks (used to say that it is often difficult to make people try new ways of doing things)

    be in the doghouse (used to say that someone is annoyed with you because of something you have done.)

    Rod P.

  • bikerchic
    bikerchic

    Dang I lost my first reply so here is a cool site to check out more idioms:

    http://home.t-online.de/home/toni.goeller/idiom_wm/index.htm

    This was fun I didn't realize how many of these I use daily!

  • Rod P
    Rod P

    break a leg (a humorous way to wish someone good luck, such as before a performance)

    have (a) hollow leg(s) (saying that someone eats or drinks a lot)

    not have a leg to stand on (to be unable to win an argument, or being unable to prove your position)

    a leg up (the suggestion that you have an advantage in your job, education, etc. because you got help or money)

    be on his/her last leg (used to say something is old and no longer works well, or that someone is old, weak and very tired)

    be pulling (someone's) leg (someone telling you something that isn't true, such as a joke)

    shake a leg (to tell someone to hurry up)

    blow the lid off (to let people know the truth about a situation that had been a secret)

    flip your lid (wig) (to suddenly become very angry)

    keep the lid on (something) (to control a situation so that it doesn't become worse, or so that the secret or private information does not become known)

    as plain as the nose on your face (something is very easy to see or understand or realize)

    brown-nose (to try and make someone in a position of authority like you by being nice to them.

    can't see past his/her nose ( someone is too interested in themselves and their own life to understand or deal with other situations or other people's problems)

    cut off your nose to spite your face (to do something because you are angry or in a hurry, even though it will harm you or make a situation worse)

    do (something) with your nose in the air (to behave as if you are better than someone else)

    follow your nose (to behave in a way that you think is best or right, often in a situation where there are no rules.)

    keep your nose to the grindstone (to work very hard for a long time without thinking about anything else)

    have a nose for (something) (to be naturally good at noticing or finding a particular type of thing)

    hold your nose (to accept that you have to do something that you do not want to do because you feel you do not have a choice)

    keep your nose clean (to avoid getting into trouble and not do anything wrong or illegal.

    lead (someone) around by the nose (to control someone completely so that they do everything you want them to do, especially in a way that makes the person seem stupid)

    look down your nose (at) (to behave as if someone or something is not good enough for you)

    pay through the nose (to pay a lot or too much for something)

    powder your nose ((old-fashioned saying that women used to say that they want to go to the bathroom in order to avoid saying it directly)

    don't get your nose out of joint (don't get so annoyed, like you're not being shown enough respect)

    rub your nose in it (to keep being reminded of something you do not want to think about, especially if it makes you feel embarrassed or ashamed)

    stick your nose into it (to become too involved in, or show too much interest in someone else's private life or affairs so that they become annoyed or angry)

    thumb your nose at (to show that you do not respect rules, laws, or people in authority)

    Rod P.

  • OldSoul
    OldSoul

    The rabbit died (someone is pregnant)

    Go sit in the corner! (for children, this may not be idiomatic. for adults, conveys verbal censure for something you said or did)

    Curl up and die! (exclamation that means, "What you just did/said really raised my ire!")

    Go (fly a kite, jump in a lake, throw yourself in front of a train, play in traffic, etc.)! (obvious)

    This sucks! (the current situation is barely tolerable)

    Which base did you get to? (In baseball, not an idiom. It means "How far did the flirtation/physical contact go?")

    He was an octopus! (He didn't keep his hands to himself, he was groping.)

    Old flame (old boyfriend/girlfriend)

    stand-up guy (someone who is trustworthy and dependable, not a traitor)

  • Dan-O
    Dan-O

    I know lots of idioms.

    No, wait ... I know lots of idiots.

    Nevermind.

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