PROJECT IN ENGLISH II

Randall Matthew A. Lorayes

II – St. Benedict
1
Abangan, Richard A. Little Book of
Idioms (Idiomatic Expressions)
Part I. Manila: TCB Book Supply;
2003

A Compilation of Idioms
and Idiomatic
Expressions 2
“A language without idioms is like a man who cannot
smile”

1. a pretty penny
◦ a large sum of money

2. backfire
◦ to have a reverse, unexpected result or effect; misfire

3. born under a lucky star

◦ exceptionally lucky

4. chasing rainbows
◦ wasting time in worthless activities

5. “Cheese it”
◦ “Shut up” or, “Stop it” or, “Be quiet”

6. cry for the moon

◦ to hope for the unattainable

A Compilation of Idioms
and Idiomatic
Expressions 3
7. cry wolf
◦ to give a false alarm

8. cut the comedy

◦ to stop joking or acting foolish

9. haggling
◦ dispute over prices

10. hot under the collar

◦ very angry

11. horse of another color

◦ something absolutely different

12. judge one on one’s own merit

◦ to evaluate one on one’s own achievements and virtues,
not someone’s else’s

13. keep sweet

◦ stay fresh; not to get sour

14. not born yesterday

◦ not gullible; not easily fooled.

A Compilation of Idioms
and Idiomatic
Expressions 4
15. not broke but badly bent
◦ almost out of money

16. on and on
◦ without stopping to the point of exhaustion

17. on the Q. T.
◦ secretly ; without anyone’s knowing.

18. open secret

◦ something that is supposed to be a secret but that
everyone knows

19. pull a boner

◦ to do something stupid or silly

20. set the house straight

◦ put in order

21. single out

◦ to choose one from among many

22. small hours

◦ the hours after midnight up to 3 or 4 o’clock

A Compilation of Idioms
and Idiomatic
Expressions 5
24. walls have ears
◦ may be overheard

25. wear more than one hat

◦ to have more than one set of responsibilities

26. writer’s cramp

◦ cramp of the fingers due to excessive use in writing

more idioms
next page

A Compilation of Idioms
and Idiomatic
Expressions 6
1. a baker’s dozen
◦ thirteen (13)

2. a bitter pill
◦ an unpleasant experience that one has to endure

3. a dog’s age
◦ a long time

4. act your age

◦ to conduct yourself more maturely

5. affair of the heart

◦ a love affair

6. apple-pie order
◦ perfect orderly arrangement

A Compilation of Idioms
and Idiomatic
Expressions 7
7. at your discretion
◦ according to your judgment

8. at one’s elbow
◦ easy to reach

9. back number
◦ a person or thing that is out of date

10. between two fires

◦ criticized or pressured by both sides

11. beyond number

◦ too numerous to be counted

12. bite your lips

◦ to restrain or control anger or emotion

13. black and blue

◦ to be badly bruised

14. castles in the air

◦ daydreams.

A Compilation of Idioms
and Idiomatic
Expressions 8
15. double talk
◦ speech designed to confuse or deceive

16. dribs and drabs

◦ small portions

17. eat dirt

◦ to humble or put to shame

18. face the facts

◦ to be realistic

19. fishy
◦ suspicious; questionable

20. for all the world

◦ in every respect

21. from scratch

◦ from nothing

22. get off on the wrong foot

◦ to make a bad start

A Compilation of Idioms
and Idiomatic
Expressions 9
24. lady-killer
◦ a man who attracts women

25. nest egg

◦ money set aside as a reserve, etc.

26. “What’s eating you?”

◦ “What’s bothering you?”

*end*

A Compilation of Idioms
and Idiomatic
Expressions 10