Learning English: Idioms and Phrases

[songlover26]

Hi friends.

As everyone knows that English is the language of the world. And knowledge of English is a must in today’s scenarios. But learning English is not only about enriching your vocabulary.
Idioms and Phrases are a common part of English. In many idioms and phrases familiar words come together to make something that means something completely different.
In this thread I will be sharing with you some of these idioms and phrases along with their proper usage in sentences.

[songlover26]

Phrases

To be detrimental = to be harmful
Smoking is detrimental to health


To be taken aback = to be surprised
I was taken aback to see him behave like that


To be oneself again = to recover
Sam is himself again after the accident


To be above board = to be fair, honest
You need to be above board to succeed in life

To be adept in = to be expert in
A surgeon must be adept in his work.


To be in the same boat with = to be in the same situation
All poor people are in same boat.

[songlover26]

To be over head and ears in debt = To be under heavy debt
Prodigals are always over head and ears in debt

(Prodigal is a person who spends money wastefully and extravagantly)


To be in the dump = to be in melancholy (great sadness and depression) due to mental troubles
She was in the dump when she remembered the unhappy past


To be brewing = To be starting to develop
Discontentment was brewing among the workers


To be all ears = to listen carefully
Students were all ears to the teacher.


To be far from = not at all
Her account of accident was far from the truth.


To be lapped in luxury = to be brought up in luxury
The prince was lapped luxury.


To be one’s own man = to take one’s own decisions.
A wise man is his own man.

To be in vicinity = to be close to
He lives in vicinity of the income tax office.

[Carmen123]

so useful information. Hope you can go on doig this.

Aunes Oversettelser AS

[songlover26]

so useful information. Hope you can go on doig this.

Aunes Oversettelser AS

Of course I will

[songlover26]

To be the offing = likely to happen

A riot was in the offing.

to be in the throes = to be in the the grip of.

The town was in the throes of plague

To be in black and white = in writing

The agreement was in black and white

[VivaPalestina]

Nice thread Gagan!! Two words I like commonly used in idioms:

apt = suitable

It is more apt to do so

oft = often

As love is oft to do

[Carmen123]

So interesting!I learn something new. Thanks for your information.
Aunes Oversettelser AS

[Crisa]

I 'm not very good at idioms so this thread is very good .

[VivaPalestina]

Oh shall I get thinking then Crisa? Give me an idiom you like

[Crisa]

Yes think I don't have on in mind right now

[VivaPalestina]

Mmm I think these are self explanatory, if anyone wants me to explain any let me know!!

A bird in hand is better than two in the bush

Chip of the old block

A dime a dozen (i.e easy to get)

A doubting Thomas

**** and bull (unbelievable story)

Devils advocate

Loose canon (moody + unpredictable)

A leapard cant change his spots

Piece of cake (very easy)

All bark and no bite

In the same boat (bil hawa sawa in arabic, i.e we're all going through the same thing)

Apple of my/his eye

Bakers dozen (13 )

Beating around the bush

Once every blue moon

No room to swing a cat

[songlover26]

Hi
Nice job Viva
can u explain the last one

No room to swing a cat

[VivaPalestina]

Its used as a description for a small place, tight...

There was no room to swing a cat

[VivaPalestina]

I used this idiom the other day when talking to Layla, so I thought I'd put it here...

straight and narrow

you use it when you're promising to be a good boy/girl you'll walk on the straight and narrow, i.e there is not even the smallest leeway for you to go wrong

[LadyDiamond.дама диамант]

To be over head and ears in debt = To be under heavy debt
Prodigals are always over head and ears in debt

(Prodigal is a person who spends money wastefully and extravagantly)


To be in the dump = to be in melancholy (great sadness and depression) due to mental troubles
She was in the dump when she remembered the unhappy past


To be brewing = To be starting to develop
Discontentment was brewing among the workers


To be all ears = to listen carefully
Students were all ears to the teacher.


To be far from = not at all
Her account of accident was far from the truth.


To be lapped in luxury = to be brought up in luxury
The prince was lapped luxury.


To be one’s own man = to take one’s own decisions.
A wise man is his own man.

To be in vicinity = to be close to
He lives in vicinity of the income tax office.

actually this one is wrong 'Prodigals are always over head and ears in debt' it is actually 'Prodigals are always head over heels in debt'

[LadyDiamond.дама диамант]

easy peasy lemon squeezey --> it is extremly easy
to turn glass into salt --> to turn a arugement into a friendship/ to make hard things soft
there's a fork in the road --> there is something stopping you from getting somewhere or doing something
to throw the toys out of the pram --> to not get our own way/have a tanturm

[VivaPalestina]

actually this one is wrong 'Prodigals are always over head and ears in debt' it is actually 'Prodigals are always head over heals in debt'

And your spelling is wrong Its head over heels The heel is by the ankle, heal is a treatment

[LadyDiamond.дама диамант]

oopps i didn't even notice id done that hahahahha yes i know it is 'ee' hahaha silly me

[songlover26]

To be cocksure = to be very sure
I am cocksure of getting a first class.

To be acquitted of = to be freed of
He was acquitted from the charge of theft.

To be impertinent to = to be arrogant to
He is impertinent to his elders.

To be at one’s wit’s end = to be perplexed, to be confused
I was at my wit’s end when I got lost in Toronto

To be at sixes and sevens = to be in disorder.
When I opened the door, my stuff was lying at sixes and sevens.

To be at home in = to be strong in
Mr. John is at home in Physics.

To be at a low ebb = to be in a state of decline.
The popularity of the ruling party is at low ebb.

To be dog tired = to be very tired.
He is dog tired because of the hard work he did today.


To be the spearhead of = to be in the forefront
Bose was the spearhead of the revolt.