Number Idioms

1. at sixes and sevens

- in a state of confusion The workers were at sixes and sevens after the company announced that it was going out of business.

2. at the eleventh hour

- at the last possible moment At the eleventh hour the city and the garbage collectors settled their contract dispute.

3. back to square one

- back to where one started We were forced to go back to square one in our efforts to change the name of the company.

4. bat a thousand
- to be extremely successful at something Recently, I have been batting a thousand in my attempts to sell the new product.

5. cast the first stone

- to be the first to criticize or attack someone I told my friend that he should be careful not to cast the first stone in an argument.

6. catch-22
- a situation in which whatever decision is made the outcome will have negative consequences, a basically no-win situation

It is a catch-22 situation. If I go to work there will be problems but if I do not go to work there will also be problems.

7. catch forty winks

- to take a nap, to get some sleep I drove all night until I was very tired so I stopped to catch forty winks.

8. cut both ways

- to be capable of having two opposite effects, to produce advantages and disadvantages The decision by the company cut both ways. Some people were happy and some people were not happy.

9. deep-six (someone or something)

- to get rid of or dispose of someone or something I decided to deep-six some of the old comics that I had collected.

10. dressed to the nines

- to be dressed in one's best clothes The woman at the concert was dressed to the nines.

11. have two left feet

- to move in a very awkward way when you dance The man has two left feet and he is a very bad dancer. The golfer got a hole in one during his first round of golf.

12. in two minds about (something)

- to be undecided about something My niece is in two minds about whether or not she will visit me this summer.

13. kill two birds with one stone

- to achieve two aims with one effort or action

If I take the course now I may be able to kill two birds with one stone and not have to take it again.

14. like two peas in a pod

- very close or intimate, very similar The two girls are like two peas in a pod and are very good friends.

15. look after number one

- to only look after or think about oneself My neighbor only looks after number one and he will not help other people. There were a million and one things to do at the festival. I was a million miles away and I did not hear anything that the teacher said.

16. nine-day wonder

- someone or something who briefly attracts a lot of attention The man was a nine-day wonder and was soon forgotten by most people at his former company.

17. six feet under

- dead and buried My uncle has been six feet under for over five years now.

18. two-time (someone)

- to cheat on one's partner by seeing someone else The couple separated when the man began to two-time his wife.

19. two's company, three's a crowd

- two people (usually a couple on a date) are happier when nobody else is around My friend wanted to come with my girlfriend and myself but I told him that two's company and three's a crowd so he stayed home.

Idiom Quizzes - Numbers

Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets: 1. The company president was (dead and buried) before anyone knew that he was gone. (a) at sixes and sevens (b) on cloud nine (c) six feet under (d) all rolled up in one

2. After finding many problems with the engine design we decided to (go back and start over). (a) know a trick or two (b) take five (c) stand on our own two feet (d) go back to square one

3. I will return (very quickly). (a) in forty winks (b) all in one piece (c) one by one (d) in two shakes of a lamb's tail

4. I was (very happy) when I won a vacation trip during the winter. (a) on cloud nine (b) a nine-day wonder (c) dressed to the nines (d) one for the books

5. The girl is very selfish and is only concerned with (herself). (a) the three R's (b) the lesser of the two (c) number one (d) her opposite number

6. Our teacher makes sure that we have a good knowledge of (reading, writing, and arithmetic). (a) six of one and half a dozen of the other (b) the three R's (c) number one (d) two of a kind

7. Solving a difficult problem by yourself is not easy and usually (it is better to work with another person to solve the problem). (a) there are no two ways about it (b) two can play that game (c) two wrongs don't make a right (d) two heads are better than one

8. I tried hard to (add my comments) during the discussion between my father and my uncle. (a) put in my two cents worth (b) cut both ways (c) give three cheers (d) put two and two together

9. My friend has been (extremely successful) with all of his business ventures. (a) batting a thousand (b) six of one and half a dozen of the other (c) ten to one (d) like two peas in a pod

10. The actress was (wearing her best dress) at the charity concert. (a) all rolled up in one (b) a stitch in time (c) at sixes and sevens (d) dressed to the nines

11. The schedule of my boss is always changing but (almost always) he is in his office on Monday morning. (a) at one time (b) nine times out of ten (c) one by one (d) at the eleventh hour

12. We talked to the employees (individually) when we learned of the serious financial problems in the company. (a) on all fours (b) all in one (c) one by one (d) one and the same

13. Our supervisor is (a good member of the team) and he likes to spend time with the staff. (a) one of the boys (b) a quick one (c) a hundred to one shot (d) on cloud nine

14. The new sales manager is (attracting a lot of attention) and should rise quickly in our company.

(a) our opposite number (b) a one-night stand (c) at one with everyone (d) a nine-day wonder

15. I stopped work for an hour in order to (have a short sleep). (a) look like a million dollars (b) get forty winks (c) cut both ways (d) have a stitch in time

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