english idioms

[Zauriel]

English idioms: What do these words mean?

"Face the music." means you prepare yourself for the punishment.

"An ace up one's sleeve." means one has a very important strategy or a trick to facilitate your victory.

"Tip of the iceberg." means it's only a basic or small part of a significant thing

"Icing on the cake." means a part of something is very satisfactory

"Chip on one's shoulder" means one has a problem with authority.

"a thorn in one's paw" means one has an antagonist pestering him/her.

"a pain in the butt." means a persistent annoyance.

"Hold your horses" means to be patient and to wait.

"Step on the gas" means to start the car or a vehicle.

"I'm all ears"- means I'm listening attentively.

"Something [name] ring any bells?"- means the mention of a word creates familiarity, refreshing one's memory.

"a penny for your thoughts."- is a greeting of some sort.

"Cat's got your tongue" means you are suddenly quiet or have clamped your mouth shut.

"Why the long face"- means why are you sad?

"Buy the farm" means you die, or you are dead. ("He bought the farm." means he's dead.")

"Rub it in one's nose."- means you are annoying someone by gloating about their bad luck.

"cool one`s heels"- one is forced to wait by someone in charge.

"have an eye for something"- means to be interested in it.

"wet behind the ears" means inexperienced, naive or new in one's position, occupation or place.

"turn a deaf ear to it" means- pretend not to hear it, not pay attention to it.

"bite off more than one can chew" means one gets a lot of more setbacks or failures than one wants to or can endure.

"cross one`s fingers" means cross two fingers of one hand to hope for good luck or to wish a lie would work.

"something under one`s nose" means it is very easily seen

"hit the books" means to start reading and doing homework.

"hit the road" means to go off or away.

"to have or to stick one's nose in others' business/affairs" means to have irritatingly unwelcome interest or impolite curiosity in others' affairs.

"with one's tail between one`s legs"- means feel beaten, ashamed

"smell a rat" means to be suspicious, to feel that something is wrong

"hit the jackpot" means to make a lot of money suddenly

"head over heels in love with someone" means be very much in love with someone

However I can hardly understand what this idiomatic expression "a gift's horse in one's mouth." mean.

[Tsuyoiko]

You have most of these exactly right, but a few are a bit off, IMHO.

"Icing on the cake." means that one more good thing has been added to an already good situation

"Chip on one's shoulder" means one feels bitter about one's situation

"a penny for your thoughts." means 'please tell me what you are thinking'

"have an eye for something"- means to easily see when something is good quality

The last one is "don't look a gift horse in the mouth". It means 'accept a gift graciously'. If someone is buying a horse they will look in its mouth to check if its teeth are good - but if someone gives you a horse you shouldn't check its teeth - just be grateful for the gift.

Hope this helps.

[Zauriel]

The last one is "don't look a gift horse in the mouth". It means 'accept a gift graciously'. If someone is buying a horse they will look in its mouth to check if its teeth are good - but if someone gives you a horse you shouldn't check its teeth - just be grateful for the gift.

Hope this helps.

Yes, "don't look a gift horse in the mouth" is exactly what I meant. I just couldn't remember this phrase completely .

Yes, your corrections are very helpful. Thank you

[Zauriel]

"Spill the beans" means To reveal too much information.

"Have someone on the ropes" means to be about to take your opponent down.

"Lose one's marbles" means one goes crazy/insane.

"to turn tail" means to retreat

"to take a powder" means to retreat, to run away.

"It fits like a glove" meaning that it is the right size.

[Kinsao]

I love expressions like that, and I wish people would use them more often in ordinary conversation! My personal favourite is "it's as black as the Earl of Hell's waistcoat" (i.e. very dark!)....

[Tsuyoiko]

My mum says one: "nipples like chapel hatpegs". That one cracks me up.

[Kinsao]

My mum says one: "nipples like chapel hatpegs". That one cracks me up.

rofl - That... is so cool!

Rather difficult to say, though...
*shuffles off muttering "nipples like chapel hatpegs... nipples like chapel hatpegs..."*

[Kara_Nari]

My friend and I were talking about this a few weeks ago, that Australians and New Zealanders dont really use idioms as much as Americans and people from the UK. I disagreed at first, thinking that I always say them, but then he proceeded to mention that he had never heard me use one. I tried to give him some examples, but yeah I too was stumped as to when I would use them. Of course I know what they mean, but I guess I just find other things to say? Strange... I thought it was a part of my everyday conversation. Seems I just curse and use profanity instead....
My boyfriend always liked to play with words, and bust out some strange old idioms, that we just dont use in everyday conversation in NZ... I would laugh and ask where he got them from. He just likes to think he's super intelligent and that I just had no idea. Typical. English isnt even his first language and he thinks he's better than me.

[innerfire]

hmm...very nice thread!

[Rich303]

rofl - That... is so cool!

Rather difficult to say, though...
*shuffles off muttering "nipples like chapel hatpegs... nipples like chapel hatpegs..."*

Scania wheel nuts, or JCB starter buttons, or......

[Rich303]

face like a bull dog chewing a wasp - ugly

face like a box of frogs - ugly

face like a blind cobbler's bench - ugly

face like a kicked in fridge door - ugly

[Mycernius]

About as good as a one legged man at an arse kicking contest - Useless
I like this one
Another one I heard was American in origin:
As dry as a dead dog in a desert - Thirsty

[Frank D. White]

Over the shoulder boulder holder --- bra


Frank

[Tsuyoiko]

face like a bull dog chewing a wasp - ugly

face like a box of frogs - ugly

face like a blind cobbler's bench - ugly

face like a kicked in fridge door - ugly

Face like the back end of a bus - ugly

Arse like a bobby's lantern - well-endowed in the rear portions

Built like a brick shithouse - big and muscly

[Mycernius]

Queens, I'm Going Slightly Mad is full of Idioms for going mad

See Lyrics below: (I've highlighted the relevant lines)
I'm Going Slightly Mad
Words and music by Queen

When the outside temperature rises
And the meaning is oh so clear
One thousand and one yellow daffodils
Begin to dance in front of you - oh dear
Are they trying to tell you something
You're missing that one final screw
You're simply not in the pink my dear
To be honest you haven't got a clue

I'm going slightly mad
I'm going slightly mad
It finally happened - happened
It finally happened - ooh oh
It finally happened
I'm slightly mad
Oh dear

I'm one card short of a full deck
I'm not quite the shilling
One wave short of a shipwreck
I'm not my usual top billing
I'm coming down with a fever
I'm really out to sea
This kettle is boiling over
I think I'm a banana tree
Oh dear

I'm going slightly mad
I'm going slightly mad
It finally happened - happened
It finally happened - uh huh
It finally happened
I'm slightly mad
Oh dear

Ooh ooh ah ah
Ooh ooh ah ah
I'm knitting with only one needle
Unravelling fast it's true
I'm driving only three wheels these days
But my dear how about you

I'm going slightly mad
I'm going slightly mad
It finally happened
It finally happened - oh yes
It finally happened
I'm slightly mad
Just very slightly mad

And there you have it

To be honest you haven't got a clue
This can also mean you don't really know what is going on around you ie: Clueless

[Zauriel]

"We are in the same boat"- meaning we have the same problems.

"To give someone a run for their money"- meaning, to compete with them in a fight or sports.

"To clean someone's clock" meaning, to beat someone or defeat someone..

[Tsuyoiko]

Queens, I'm Going Slightly Mad is full of Idioms for going mad

Other idioms for 'mad':
Nutty as a fruitcake
One sandwich short of a picnic

And one I use a lot at work:
Couldn't organise a piss-up in a brewery - disorganised.

[Kinsao]

The wheel's turning, but the hamster's dead - (errr... how to describe?) there seems to be activity, but the person's brain is not functioning. (Would that be right kind of thing? )

[Kara_Nari]

Face like a dogs arse.

Our science teacher loved using this one on us: Your brain is like a stone in an empty vessel. Meaning we are so stupid that whatever goes in rattles around. He was scottish and oh so fearful.

Cheap as Chips! Something that has been gotten for a good price.

[Tsuyoiko]

The wheel's turning, but the hamster's dead - (errr... how to describe?) there seems to be activity, but the person's brain is not functioning. (Would that be right kind of thing? )

I like that one, but it makes me think of my little hamster who is 2 next month - he's getting old!
It's a bit like "The lights are on but no-one's home"

[Sensuikan San]

OK ... I've got nothing better to do this evening, have been in construction for 40-odd years - I've got lots of these ... some are American/Canadian versions ... but, here we go with the ones I like ...

Ugly: "face like a bag of spanners"

Ugly: "face like the back of a bus"

Cheap and untrustworthy: " ...would sell his granny if he had the chance ...."

Cheap: "Cheap as borscht..."(N.America)

Someone you don't approve of being there: "Hanging a round like a fart in a phone booth" (I believe this is from Australia/NZ...?)

Someone not contributing as they should, or could: "hanging around like a spare pr1ck at a wedding"

Someone you simply cannot tolerate by any means: "I ... wouldn't piss on him/her if he/she was on fire!"

Physically of substantial weight/mass: "Heavy as a dead preacher..."(N.America)

Your opinion of a major problem: "I need this like two broken arms" (N.American)
also: "I need this like a hole in the head"

A total mess of mismanagement: "The biggest f**k-up since Dunkirk!" (this may have fallen into disuse, now...?)

And, of course ... my personal favourite ... which is self-explanatory: "... a load of bollocks!"

�W����

[Takakoo]

Sam Chambers on Living the Dream was always saying things like "smooth as a gravy sandwich".

[Tsuyoiko]

Face like a constipated arse - miserable.

Why are mine all concerned with body parts/functions? Maybe I should ask my therapist!

[Kara_Nari]

Doesnt cut the mustard. Something that is not right.

[Pararousia]

A disgusting one my mother used on me which I hadn't performed a job to her satisfaction, she'd say: "You're going to have to lick the calf over". Ewwwwww!

"Busy as a one-armed paper-hanger"=busier than you can possibly get done