Illustrated american idioms
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STRIKE IT RICH
(to) STRIKE IT RICH
DEFINITION 1: To discover a rich deposit of minerals such as gold, silver, oil,
etc. that can be mined, or to find a buried treasure
ILLUSTRATIVE SENTENCES
After 20 years of prospecting for gold in the mountains, he finally struck It rich.
(Paraphrase: He found a rich deposit of gold after 20 years of searching.)
The divers found the sunken treasure ship at the mouth of the harbor and believed that they had
struck It rich.
(Paraphrase: They thought that they would find a lot of gold and silver on the sunken ship.)
SYNONYMOUS EXPRESSION
HIT PAY DIRT = To find gold-or silver-bearing ore
DEFINITION 2: To become rich or successful suddenly or without expecting
to
ILLUSTRATIVE SENTENCES
Ann's rich grandfather died and left her two million dollars. She felt that she had
struck It rich overnight.
(Paraphrase: When she heard she had Inherited two million dollars from her grandfather, Ann
realized that she had suddenly become wealthy.)
Because of the success of his Invention, the scientist struck it rich in six months. (Paraphrase: The
success of his Invention quickly made him rich.)
SYNONYMOUS EXPRESSION
STRIKE PAY DIRT = To make a valuable discovery
FUNCTIONAL ACTIVITY: Ask students to use the Idiom and synonymous
expressions to express the following:
1. A statement in a newspaper about the discovery of oil In the North Sea.
2. A statement by a radio announcer about a woman who has won a one million dollar lottery prize.
3. A statement by a man explaining his discovery of a rich vein of gold In his back yard.
4. A statement on TV by a young woman whose research led her to finding some valuable
paintings in her hometown library.
SWEAT OUT
(to) SWEAT OUT
DEFINITION: To wait anxiously; worry while waiting
ILLUSTRATIVE SENTENCES
• Wayne was sweating out the results of his final examination. (Paraphrase: He was waiting
anxiously to know how well he had done.)
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• Their car broke down five miles from town and they had to sweat It out while someone went
for help.
(Paraphrase: They worried while waiting for help to come.)
FUNCTIONAL ACTIVITY: Ask students to choose from the following situations
those that would probably be sweat out.
1. Parents waiting in a hospital while a doctor examines their child.
2. A young man in a car that has just been stopped by a police officer.
3. A woman who has entered a store to make a small purchase.
4. A husband at the airport waiting for his wife to arrive from a visit with her parents.
5. A truck driver whose vehicle begins to lose power as it descends a long hill.
6. A student waiting for the teacher to give him a copy of the final examination.
7. A young man who has proposed marriage to his girl friend and is waiting for her answer.
8. An elderly couple watching television while waiting for their grandson to come to take them
to church.
9. A wife watching her husband take his first bite of a special dish she has prepared for him.
10. Employees of a large company waiting for news of an expected increase In wages.
TAKE THINGS EASY
(to) TAKE IT EASY
or (to) TAKE THINGS EASY
DEFINITION 1: To act or go slowly, carefully, and gently (Often used with ON)
ILLUSTRATIVE SENTENCES
• Take it easy/ The street Is very Icy.
(Paraphrase: Drive slowly and carefully.)
• Take It easy on Carol and don't give her too much to do In one day.
(Paraphrase: Don't overwork Carol.)
SYNONYMOUS EXPRESSION
GO EASY (ON) = To act or go slowly, carefully, and gently; to treat with compassion
DEFINITION 2: To avoid hard work; to have an easy time; to live in comfort
ILLUSTRATIVE SENTENCES
• Dad likes to take things easy on wee/rends. (Paraphrase: He avoids hard work.)
• When he retires, Jim will have enough money to take things easy until he dies. (Paraphrase: He
won't have to work anymore because he has enough money.)
SYNONYMOUS EXPRESSION
(to) GOOF OFF = To loaf or be lazy; not want to work
FUNCTIONAL ACTIVITY: Ask students to complete the following with the correct
form of the Idioms or synonymous expressions.
1.______/ want to get there alive!
2. Tell him_____Frank. His mother just died yesterday.
3. They're going to fire Jeff. He_____- on the job and wastes time.
4. Helen Isn't going to graduate. She_____and didn't study.
5. On my vacation, I'm_____and just eat and sleep!
6. Let's sit down for awhile and_____.
7. My brother always______He never gets angry or uptight about anything.
8. _____on that cake. Don't eat It all or you'll get sick!
9. _____/ Don't get so excited. We have enough time to get there.
10. With one million dollars, I could_____the rest of my life!
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TAKE IT ON THE CHIN
(to) TAKE IT ON THE CHIN
DEFINITION 1: To be badly beaten or hurt
ILLUSTRATIVE SENTENCES
• Our soccer team realty took It on the chin yesterday. They lost 5-0.
(Paraphrase: The team was badly beaten.)
• Many Investors took it on the chin last week when the stock market fell twenty points.
(Paraphrase: They suffered heavy financial losses.)
DEFINITION 2: To accept without complaint discouragement, defeat, trouble,
etc., calmly
ILLUSTRATIVE SENTENCES
• A good sport Is one who can take It on the chin when he loses. (Paraphrase: A good sport
accepts defeat without complaining.)
• When they told him that he had lost the race, he took It on the chin with a smile. (Paraphrase:
He received the news of his defeat cheerfully.)
SYNONYMOUS EXPRESSIONS
TAKE ONE'S MEDICINE = To accept punishment without complaining
TAKE IT = To bear trouble, hard work, criticism, etc., and not give up or weaken easily
FACE THE MUSIC = To accept one's punishment
FACE UP TO = to accept (something hard or unpleasant)
FUNCTIONAL ACTIVITY: Ask students to give personal examples in which the
Idioms or synonymous expressions applied In their own lives or in the lives of
friends or relatives.
TAKE OFF
(to) TAKE OFF
DEFINITION: To leave fast; depart suddenly; to go away; to leave
ILLUSTRATIVE SENTENCES
• Joe didn't even wait for an answer but lumped In his car and took off. (Paraphrase: He departed
suddenly without waiting for a reply to his question.)
• We all got In the truck and took off for the mountains. (Paraphrase: We left to go to the mountains.)
SYNONYMOUS EXPRESSIONS
TAKE OFF IN HIGH GEAR = To /eave In a hurry LIGHT OUT = to go away
FUNCTIONAL ACTIVITY: Ask students which of the following situations might cause
one to take off in high gear or light out (in a hurry).
1. Seeing a bear while walking through the woods.
2. Finding gold In your backyard.
3. Discovering that one of your teeth is broken.
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4. Discovering that you have left the water running In the bathtub.
5. Hearing on the radio that a rainstorm Is coming.
6. Seeing a snake under your bed.
7. Suddenly realizing that your watch has stopped and that you are two hours late for an
appointment.
8. Finding a book that you thought you had lost.
9. Smelling smoke while you are sitting In bed reading a novel. 10. Discovering that the loud noise
that you heard was thunder.
TOO BIG FOR ONE'S BRITCHES
(BOOTS)
TOO BIG FOR ONE'S BRITCHES (BOOTS)
DEFINITION: Feeling more important than one really is; overly sure of one's own
importance
ILLUSTRATIVE SENTENCES
• After he was made captain of the team, Frank began to get too big for his britches.
(Paraphrase: He began to think that he was more important than he really was.)
• We need to take Al down a notch or two. He's gotten too big for his boots.
(Paraphrase: We'll have to make Al less proud of himself because he's overly sure of his own
importance.)
SYNONYMOUS EXPRESSIONS
SWELLED HEAD (SWELL HEADED ) Feeling more important than one
really is
BIG HEAD (BIG-HEADED)
FUNCTIONAL ACTIVITY: Ask students to give examples of persons they have
known who were too big for their britches, swell-headed, or big-headed and the
reasons the person felt so important.
FUNCTIONAL ACTIVITY: Ask students to describe the following in terms of the
idiom or synonymous expressions. In some cases the idioms do not apply.
1. A person who brags about his excellence In playing golf and imagines that some day he will
be national champion.
2. A woman who complains a lot about her inability to cook, to sew, and to keep house well.
3. A student who feels that she has learned more than her teachers and feels that it is time she
began to show her classmates how much she knows.
4. A doctor who has become so skilled in surgery that he feels that he has nothing more to
learn In the field and that he should establish his own medical school.
5. A shy man who is always apologizing for his mistakes— even when he has made none —
and whom his friends constantly have to encourage.
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TURN THUMBS DOWN
(to) TURN THUMBS DOWN
DEFINITION: To disapprove; reject; say no (Usually used with ON) [Note: To
turn thumbs up means the opposite]
ILLUSTRATIVE SENTENCES
• The company turned thumbs down on Aaron's proposal for a wage increase. (Paraphrase:
They rejected Aaron's proposal.)
• Jane wanted to go to the soccer game with Tom, but her mother turned thumbs down.
(Paraphrase: Jane's mother disapproved of her going with Tom.)
RELATED EXPRESSION
TURN DOWN = To refuse to accept; reject
FUNCTIONAL ACTIVITY: Ask students which of the following they would turn
thumbs down (on) or turn thumbs up.
1. An Invitation to visit the home of a famous movie star.
2. A request from a friend for a loan of money.
3. A proposal by a friend for a trip to the ocean to go fishing.
4. A plan by the government to increase taxes in order to build more schools.
5. A request by your boss that you change jobs at an Increase In salary.
6. A suggestion from your mother that you go back to school to learn a different trade or
profession.
7. An invitation from a new social club to Join as a member.
8. An invitation from the language department of the university to give a speech on "Language
Learning."
9. A request from your father to avoid the company of some friends you have recently made.
10. A proposal by your brother or sister to share the expenses of a new apartment.
UP IN THE AIR
UP IN THE AIR
DEFINITION 1: In great anger or excitement
ILLUSTRATIVE SENTENCES
When he saw the damage to the car, my father went straight up In the air. (Paraphrase: He was
greatly angered at me.)
The kids were all up In the air over the family trip to Disneyland. (Paraphrase: They
were excited about the upcoming trip.) DEFINITION 2: Not settled; undecided; uncertain
ILLUSTRATIVE SENTENCES
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Our plans for the new house are still up in the air. (Paraphrase: We are uncertain about the new
house.)
The fight had ended but the judges decision about the winner was still up In the air.
(Paraphrase: The winner of the fight was still undecided.)
RELATED EXPRESSION
LEAVE HANGING = To leave undecided or unsettled
FUNCTIONAL ACTIVITY: Ask students to determine if the following up in the air
situations illustrate (1) anger or excitement or (2) an undecided or uncertain
condition or state.
1. A father up in the air about a broken window in the house.
2. A doctor up in the air about the necessity of performing surgery.
3. A boss up In the air about the repeated tardiness of an employee.
4. A salesman up In the air about the possibility of a large and profitable sale.
5. A teacher up In the air about a student's disrespectful remark.
6. A lawyer up in the air about the failure of a client to pay his bill.
7. A store owner up in the air about a decision to enlarge the size of his store.
8. A movie actress up in the air about accepting an acting role offered to her.
9. A teen-ager up in the air about a chance to visit friends in Europe during the summer. 10.
A housewife up in the air about the food she will prepare for invited dinner guests.
UPTIGHT
DEFINITION: Worried, irritated, excessively eager or anxious
ILLUSTRATIVE SENTENCES
• Mike was so uptight about his job interview the next day that he couldn't sleep. (Paraphrase:
He was so eager to get the job that he couldn't sleep.)
• What are you so uptight about? You keep tapping your foot on the floor.
(Paraphrase: What has you so worried that you keep on tapping your foot?)
RELATED EXPRESSIONS ON EDGE
EDGY
Extremely tense or nervous; irritable; impatient
KEYED UP - Excited; nervous
FUNCTIONAL ACTIVITY: Ask students to deduce why each of the following might
be uptight, on edge, edgy, or keyed up.
1. A husband pacing up and down in the waiting room of a hospital.
2. A woman waiting in an airport
3. A clerk in a store after counting the day's cash receipts.
4. A bank teller facing a masked man.
5. A student who receives a telephone call from the principal of his or her school.
6. A visitor sitting on a chair in the White House.
7. An actor standing in the center of the stage.
8. A tax/ driver after stopping to pick up a passenger.
9. A young boy seated in a dentist's office.
10. An elderly woman who has just received a telegram from her sister in another state.
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