Saturday, May 14, 2011

Today's Expression - March

IDIOM

MEANING

SENTENCE

once in a blue moon

to occur extremely rarely or only once in a life-time

My brother only rings home once in a blue moon. I wish he would ring our parents more often

grass is always greener on the other side

a place that is far away or different seems better than where we are now

He realized that the grass is always greener on the other side when he saw that his new job wasn’t perfect and had its own problems too

a golden opportunity

a great opportunity that might never come again

This is a golden opportunity to make a business deal with that big company.

to catch someone red-handed

to catch someone in the act of committing a crime, usually a theft

The manager caught the new employee red-handed taking money out of the box.

Pour your heart out

express one’s feelings and troubles freely

When she needs to pour her heart out to someone, she goes to visit her grandmother.

Have a soft spot

If you have a soft spot for someone or something, you particularly
like them.

My grandfather has always had a soft spot for fast cars.

On tenterhooks

A person who is on tenterhooks is in a state of anxious suspense
or excitement.

I have been on tenterhooks all week waiting for the results.

Over the moon

If you are over the moon, you are absolutely delighted

We were all over the moon when we heard the good news.

At one's wits' end

you are at your wits' end, you are very worried or anxious about something, and you don't know what to do.

When her son dropped out of school for the second time, Susan was at her wits' end.

Kill two birds with one stone.

If you kill two birds with one stone, you succeed in doing two things at the same time.

I killed two birds with one stone and picked the kids up on the way to the station.

Acid test

To refer to something as the acid test means that it will prove how effective or useful something is.

acid test of a good driver is whether he or she remains calm in an emergency.

Deliver the goods

If a person delivers the goods, they do what is expected of them or what they have promised to do.

We expected great things of the England team, but on the day they simply failed to deliver the goods.

Half the battle

expression refers to a significant part of the effort or work needed to achieve something.

We've already obtained a loan for the project - that's half the battle

Root and branch

If an action is performed thoroughly or completely, it is done 'root and branch'.

The government set up to Destroy the organization root and branch.

rain or shine

(describing something scheduled) no matter what the weather is.

We're leaving tomorrow, rain or shine

under the weather

Ill, sick, unwell

Ted was feeling under the weather yesterday, so he decided not to go to work.

pay the piper

face the consequences for something you've done

I stayed up too late tonight. Tomorrow I'll have to pay the piper

live from hand to mouth

survive on very little money; have only enough money to pay for basic needs.

Chuck and Alice are living from hand to mouth since Chuck lost his job.

hit the books

study

wish I could go to the movies, but I've got to hit the books

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