Idioms, Oh how I love thee!
By: Ms. Brand
Afraid of your own shadow
• Meaning- very easily frightened, especially of small or imaginary things.
• Sometimes at night I am afraid of my own shadow, but then I realize its just me.
Bark up the wrong tree
• Meaning: to direct your attention or efforts toward the wrong person or thing; to have the wrong idea about something.
• You are barking up the wrong tree if you think I like video games.
Cat got your tongue
• Meaning: Is there a reason that you’re not speaking.
• Why do you ignore me? Cat got your tongue?
Draw the line at
• Meaning: to set a specific limit, especially about behavior.
• I draw the line at people using bad words.
Easy as pie
• Meaning: not difficult; requiring practically no effort.
• That test was easy as pie, I know I got and A!
Fair-weather friend
• Meaning: a person who is a faithful friend only when everything is going well but who desserts you in times of difficulty.
• David is a fair-weather friend, when I wrecked my car he stopped being my friend.
Get this show on the road
• Meaning: get going; move forward; get the work started; do it!
• Lets get this show on the road you have been stalling all day.
Hang in there
• Meaning: to continue without giving up; to not lose faith or courage.
• My friend told me to “hang in there, things will get better” and they did!
Ignorance is bliss
• Meaning: It is better not to know bad news sometimes, especially if you are happy.
• Ignorance is bliss when it comes to fighting.
Jump the gun
• Meaning: to do or say something before you should; to act prematurely or hastily.
• I jump the gun when it comes to Christmas gifts and always give them early.
Kill two birds with one stone
• Meaning: to do two things by one action; to get two results with just one effort.
• I can kill two birds with one stone if I clean my room and talk on the phone at the same time.
Leave no stone unturned
• Meaning: to make all possible efforts to carry out a task or search for someone or something.
• I will leave no stone unturned in searching for my car keys.
Make your mouth water
• Meaning: to look so attractive and desirable that it makes you want to have it very much; to want to eat or drink something that looks or smells delicious.
• The thought of chocolate makes my mouth water.
Need something like a hole in the head
• Meaning: to have no need for something at all.
• Ms. Strauss needs a new pair of shoes like she needs a hole in the head.
On pins a needles
• Meaning waiting anxiously for something; extremely nervous.
• I am on pins and needles waiting to hear if I got the job.
Play cat and mouse
• Meaning: to tease or fool someone.
• She plays cat and mouse with her little brother, pretending to hand him a lollipop, then taking it away when he reaches for it.
Quite as a mouse
• Meaning: silent or still; making very little noise; saying nothing; hushed, subdued.
• When the baby is sleeping I try to be as quite as a mouse.
Rock the boat
• Meaning: to make trouble and disrupt a stable situation; to risk spoiling a plan; to create a disturbance.
• Jimmy likes to rock the boat in English class always getting up to sharpen his pencil while the teacher is talking.
Salt of the earth
• Meaning: a person or group considered to be the finest, most admirable, and noble.
• Rachel is the salt of the earth, she sees good in all people.
Through the grapevine
• Meaning: through the informal spreading of messages, gossip, rumors, other confidential information from one person to another.
• I heard through the grapevine that Tom likes Sue.
Up a creek without a paddle
• Meaning: in deep trouble and unable to do anything about it; in serious trouble.
• When Todd cut class he was up a creek without a paddle.
Wear your heart on your sleeve
• Meaning: to show one’s emotions and feelings openly.
• When it comes to feelings Jackie wears her heart on her sleeve.
You can’t teach an old dog new tricks
• Meaning: people who find it difficult or impossible to change their ways or adjust to new ideas.
• I tried to teach my Uncle how to whistle, but you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.
All Idioms and meanings from
Scholastic Dictionary of Idioms
Copyright 1996
Scholastic Inc.
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