English idioms

[kmus]

Idioms are short phrases that can not be interpreted literally but have
a common meaning. idioms are common in English. Here some examples:

I got to hit the books. Means I have to go study.

My tomorrow plan is up in the air . Means i did not decide or i am uncertain
about what i am gonna do.

rule of thumb is general principal that may be not accurate or incomplete.
e.g. there’s no written scientific rule that you must add oil to boiling water when coo-ki-ng pasta, but it’s a rule of thumb and is practiced by most people so the pasta won’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

a supportive friend might tell you to keep your chin up. When they tell you this, they’re showing their support for you, and it’s a way of saying “stay strong,” you’ll get through this. Don’t let these things affect you too badly.

Mathematics is over my head
More complex or confusing than one can understand; beyond one’s comprehension.


If you find yourself in a new situation, for example living in a new country and having to get used to a new college, you could say I’m still finding my feet. It means that you’re still adjusting and getting used to the new environment.

eg. “Lee, how’s your son doing in America?”

“He’s doing okay. He’s learned where the college is but is still finding his feet with everything else. I guess it’ll take time for him to get used to it all.”

This latter is almost the same idiom in Algerian dialect.

[nihad1992]

Thanks for the great lesson
my favorite idiom of all the time is "Actions speak louder than words"

[kmus]

that's good one. is it an idiom or a proverb?

idiom: an expression that cannot be understood from the meanings of its separate words but that has a separate meaning of its own

proverb a brief popular saying (such as “Too many co-oks spoil the broth”) that gives advice about how people should live(a wisedom) or that expresses a belief that is generally thought to be true.

maybe both?

[rush7]

About time:
Nearly time, high time. ex. "It's about time you bought a new car!"

Absence makes the heart grow fonder:
Proverb that means that our feeling for those we love increases when we are apart from them.

(To) act high and mighty:
To act proudly and arrogantly. ex. "He has been acting all high and mighty ever since he chased away that burglar."

Actions speak louder than words:
Proverb meaning that's it's better to do something about a problem than to talk about it.

(To) act one's age:
To behave in a more mature way. Frequently said to a child or teen. ex. "Bill, stop throwing rocks! Act your age!"

(To) add fuel to the fire:
To make a bad problem even worse. ex. "He added fuel to the fire by bringing up old grudges while they were arguing."

(To) add insult to injury:
To make a bad situation even worse.

Against the clock:
To attempt to do something "against the clock" is to attempt to do something as fast as possible, usually in order to make a deadline. ex. "They were working against the clock to finish the project."

All out (adj./adv.):
Full-scale; complete. ex: "They said it was only a few skirmishes, but it was an all-out war."

All set:
Ready (to go). ex. "All set?"

All thumbs:
Awkward. Clumsy.

A little bird told me:
When someone says "a little bird told me", it means they don't want you to know who told them.

All in a day's work:
Typical; normal; par for the course. ex. "Talking to famous celebrities is all in a day's work for some Hollywood reporters."

(From) all walks of life:
(From) all social, economic, and ethnic groups. ex. "People from all walks of life voted for him, but he still lost the presidential election."

Apple of someone's eye:
Someone's favorite person (and sometimes thing). ex. "Sarah was the apple of Tom's eye for quite a long time. He was very much in love with her."

Armed to the teeth:
Heavily armed. ex. "The rebels were armed to the teeth."

At all hours (of the night):
Very late at night, throughout the night. ex. "Her boyfriend would call her at all hours of the night."

At each other's throats:
Fighting or arguing hard. ex. "They were at each other's throats. The arguments never stopped."

At this stage:
At this point. ex. "At this stage, it's difficult to say who will win the election."

[kmus]

(continue)

I skip the explanation of easy or well-known idioms in Arabic and French.

1) I may have been born at night, but not last night.
2) From cradle to grave
3) To do something day in day out. Means for a long period especially if it is boring.
4) Bob asked the stranger her age and salary; he crossed the line.
5) To reinvent the wheel.
6) I spent the whole day cleaning the house and co-oking, i am dead on feet.
7) After the holiday we had to line up for bread.
8)You keep telling us to clean, but I wish you would practice what you preach.

[Chemsou B]

Yeah , cool post thank you

[Hillin]

very nice topic indeed
thumbs up (y)
Idoms 're much more common to use nowadays
english native speakers do use them to summerize their speech / to avoid lot of details/ to go straight to the point using just few words (phrases /expressions/st st 1 sentence)ie IDIOM
Many thx for sharing