English
Idioms
An idiom is a phrase where the words together
have a meaning that is different from the dictionary definitions of the
individual words
Idiomatic
Expressions create a significant portion of our everyday communication. Why do
we often speak of “spilling the beans”
when we actually mean Revealing Secret, or “chewing the fat” when we actually mean Chatting
or Gossiping?
An idiomatic
unit comes into existence from a figurative expression describing situations,
phenomena, or human traits that usually exceed limits of neutral perceptions.
Here are some
examples:
 |
| Chasing tail |
1. Acid Test
Meaning – Acid test proves the effectiveness of something.
Example – I practiced hard at
the dance sessions but the acid test
will come when the master will assess our solo performances.
2. Cut the ground from under feet
Meaning – When you cut the ground from under someone’s feet, you do
something which weakens their position.
Example – When team India hit
more than 350 runs in the ODI, they cut
the ground from under the opponent’s feet.
 |
| Think on your feet |
3. Chase your tail
Meaning – Spending a lot of time and energy doing a lot of things
but actually achieving too little.
Example – He’s been chasing his tail all week collecting
data but the report is still not ready.
4. Whole bag of tricks
Meaning – Means trying all the clever means to achieve something
Example – It was really
difficult to find the information even after applying the whole bag of tricks.
5. Get ducks in a row
Meaning – Getting your things well organized.
Example – To ensure a
successful product launch, we must get
our ducks in a row.
6. Think on your feet
 |
| Not let grass grow under feet |
Example – A good sales man
must be able to think on his feet to
close the deal.
7. Tricks of the trade
Meaning – Clever or expert way of doing something.
Example – Being into the
construction business for last 10 years, I know all tricks of the trade.
8. Not let grass grow under feet
Meaning – Don’t delay in getting something done.
Example – As soon as he
finished all the registration formalities, he put the house on sale. He doesn’t let the grass grow under his feet.
9. Straight from the horse’s mouth (informal)
Meaning – On good
authority, from the original or a trustworthy source.
 |
| Straight fro the horse'e mouth |
Example – I have straight from the horse’s mouth that the boss is retiring.
10. Let the cat out of the bag
Meaning – To divulge a secret especially inadvertently or
carelessly.
Example – He let the cat out of the bag, and the
surprise party wasn’t a surprise after all.
11. Go to the dogs (informal)
Meaning – To deteriorate; degenerate morally or physically.
Example – This neighborhood
is going to the dogs.
 |
| Fish out of water |
12. Lead a dog’s life
Meaning – To have an unhappy or harassed existence.
Example – He complains that
he led the dog’s life in the army.
13. Fish out of water
Meaning – A person out of his or her proper or accustomed
environment.
Example – He felt like a fish out of water in an academy of
atmosphere.
14. Go in one ear and out the other
Meaning – To be heard but ignored; be put out of mind.
Example – My repeated
warnings to her went in one ear and out
the other.
 |
| All ears |
15. Be all ears (informal)
Meaning – To give all one’s attention; listen.
Example – We were all ears as the scandal was
revealed.
16. At hand
Meaning – Within reach; nearby; close by.
Near
in time; soon.
Ready
for use.
Example – We keep a supply of canned goods at hand.
17. Change hands
Meaning – To pass from one owner to another; change possession.
Example – The property has changed hands several times in
recent years.
18. Cry on someone’s shoulder
Meaning – To reveal one’s problems to another person in order to
obtain.
Example – Don’t cry on my shoulder – – this mess is
your own fault.
Answer the following questions
- Which idioms that is familiar and similar to Bahasa Indonesia's idioms?
- Find at least three English idioms that is similar to Bahasa Indonesia
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