Idioms

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.