Lets learn English
Don’t waste these three: Time, Money and EnergyLets learn English
Don’t waste these three: Time, Money and Energyvocabulary
1. A large round thing in space that moves around the sun is called planet.
2. A light-year is the distance which light travels in one year.
3. The Milky Way, our galaxy, has roughly thirty billion stars like our sun.
4. More than hundreds of volcanoes still erupt today. These are called active volcanoes.
5. The
6. When the earth's shadow falls on the moon, this event is called an eclipse.
7. The degree of heat or cold in a body, room, country is called temperature.
8. It is a hard stone that is like a clear glass and is expensive. Most of them come from
9. Finding enough meat was a big problem for primitive man.
10. Earthworms dig tunnels that make it easy for air and water to reach the roots of the plants.
11. A person who studies or knows a lot about the sun, the moon and the stars, is called astronomer.
12. Earthworms drag dead leaves, grass and flowers into their burrows. When this plant material decays, it makes the soil more fertile.
13. It is soft white thing that falls from the sky when it is very cold. It is not rain. It is snow.
14. A long round tool that is used to see the stars, the moon and space is called telescope.
15. A violent storm which sucks up the air around houses. It is not hurricane. It is tornado.
Color Idioms
as black as a skillet
- very black
My hands were as black as a skillet when I finished working on the car engine.
as black as a stack of black cats
- very black
The little boy was as black as a stack of black cats after playing outside all day.
as black as a sweep
- very dirty/black (a chimney sweep cleans chimneys and becomes very black)
My friend was as black as a sweep after he finished cleaning the basement.
as black as coal
- very black
My friend's cat is as black as coal.
as black as night
- very dark and black
The old house was as black as night when we entered it.
as black as pitch
- very black
My face was as black as pitch after cleaning the stove all morning.
as black as the ace of spades
- very black
The horse in the parade was as black as the ace of spades.
as red as a cherry
- bright red
The car was as red as a cherry after its new paint job.
as red as a poppy
- bright red
The mark on my arm was as red as a poppy.
as red as a rose
- intensely red
The morning sunrise was as red as a rose.
as red as a ruby
- deep red
The office assistant was wearing lipstick that was as red as a ruby.
as red as blood
- deep red
The stain on the carpet was as red as blood.
as white as a ghost
- very pale because of fear/shock/illness
My sister became as white as a ghost when she saw the man at the window.
as white as a sheet
- very pale
I felt terrible this morning and in the mirror I looked as white as a sheet.
as white as the driven snow
- very white
The fur on the dog was as white as the driven snow.
black and blue
- bruised
My shoulder was black and blue after I fell down the stairs.
black and white
- either good or bad, either one way or the other way but not in between
Our boss sees everything in black and white although he knows this is impossible.
black box
- an electronic device such as a flight recorder that can be removed from an aircraft as a single package
The investigators searched for a long time in order to find the black box of the airplane.
black eye
- a bruise near one's eye which makes it appear black
The man received a black eye when he bumped into the closed door.
black market
- the place where goods/money are illegally bought and sold
We sold some cigarettes on the black market during our travels.
black out
- to darken a room or building by turning off the lights
During the war people in the cities were forced to black out their windows so nobody could see them.
black out
- to lose consciousness
The man blacked out during the parade and he had to sit down and rest.
black sheep (of a family)
- a person who is a disgrace to a family or group
The man is the black sheep in his family and has not made a success of his life.
blackball (someone)
- to exclude/ostracize someone socially, to reject someone
The businessman was blackballed in the industry because of his bad business practices.
blacklist (someone)
- to exclude/ostracize someone, to write someone's name on a list if they break some rules
The sports federation blacklisted the swimmer because he was using steroids.
blackmail (someone)
- to extort/take money from someone by threatening him or her
The photographer tried to blackmail the famous actress with some photographs that he had taken.
blackout
- a temporary situation where you do not release some information
The government decided to have a blackout regarding the information related to the political prisoner.
black-tie event/affair
- a formal event where guests wear semi-formal clothes with men wearing black bow ties with tuxedos or dinner jackets
The award ceremony for the movie awards was a black-tie affair.
blue blood
- the blood of a noble/aristocratic family
Many of the blue bloods of the town went to the opening of the opera.
blue in the face
- to be very angry or upset, to be excited and very emotional
I argued with my supervisor until I was blue in the face.
blue-ribbon
- of superior quality or distinction, the best of a group
A blue-ribbon panel of experts were asked to suggest a new policy for the city.
brown bag it
- to take a lunch to work
I must brown bag it this week because the company cafeteria is closed.
carte blanche
- the freedom or permission to do what you want (blanche/blanc means white in French)
The new manager was given carte blanche to change the policies in her department.
catch (someone) red-handed
- to catch someone in the middle of doing something wrong
The woman was caught red-handed when she tried to steal some cosmetics.
chase rainbows
- to try to get or achieve something that is difficult or impossible
My old school friend is always chasing rainbows and he never achieves anything.
dyed-in-the-wool
- permanent, always (like wool that is dyed a certain color)
My father is a dyed-in-the-wool conservative and he will probably never change.
ears are red
- one's ears are red from embarrassment
My ears were red after hearing what the teacher said about me.
get/have gray hair
- to have one's hair turn gray from stress
Our teacher is getting gray hair from all the stress.
get/have the blues
- to become sad or depressed
The dull cloudy weather has caused me to get the blues.
get/have the green light
- to receive a signal to start or continue something
We got the green light to begin a study of the security problems at our school.
give (someone) the green light
- to give someone permission to proceed with a project
We were given the green light to begin the new project.
grass is always greener on the other side
- a place that is far away or different seems better than where we are now
The man realized that the grass is greener on the other side when he saw that his new job had many problems too.
a gray area
- a question that is not clearly defined and may have a broad or more than one answer, neither black or white
The issue of the tax on children's toys was a gray area for the accountant.
gray matter
- brains, intelligence
I wish that my friend would use his gray matter more effectively when he is making his crazy plans.
green
- to be inexperienced or immature
The young man is rather green and does not have enough experience to drive the large piece of machinery.
green around the gills
- looking sick
My friend looked green around the gills after the long bus ride.
green belt
- an area of fields and trees around a town
Our city has a policy to increase the green belt around the city.
green-eyed monster
- jealousy
The woman was consumed by the green-eyed monster and it was affecting her life.
green thumb
- a talent for gardening, the ability to make things grow
My neighbor has a green thumb and she is able to grow one of the best gardens in our neighborhood.
green with envy
- to be very jealous, to be full of envy
I was green with envy when I heard that my cousin would be going to London for a week.
greenhorn
- an untrained/inexperienced/naive person
The young man was a greenhorn and he had much to learn about his new job.
have a yellow streak
- to be cowardly
The man has a yellow streak and he will not defend you if you are having a problem.
horse of a different color
- something totally separate and different
I know that our boss would like to discuss that issue now but it is a horse of a different color and we should discuss it at another time.
in black and white
- in writing, officially
I put down my complaint in black and white.
in (someone's) black books
- to be in disgrace or out of favor with someone
The boy is in his girlfriend's black books because he was late for their date.
in the black
- to be successful or profitable
Our company has been in the black since they began to cut costs.
in the pink (of condition)
- in very good health
My grandmother was in the pink of condition when I saw her.
in the red
- to be in debt, to be unprofitable
The company has been in the red for three years now.
lend color to (something)
- to provide something extra to accompany something
The music in the play helped to lend color to the performance of the actors.
like waving a red flag in front of a bull
- what you are doing will definitely make someone angry or upset
Talking about the city mayor with my father is like waving a red flag in front of a bull. He does not like the city mayor.
local color
- the traditional features of a place which give it its own character
The weekend vegetable market added much local color to the small town.
look at/see the world through rose-colored glasses
- to see only the good things about something, to be too optimistic
My friend always looks at the world through rose-colored glasses and he does not believe that some people are dishonest.
off-color
- in bad taste, rude
The man told an off-color joke at the party which made his wife very angry.
off-color
- not the exact color
We painted our kitchen in an off-color of white.
once in a blue moon
- very rarely
We only go out for Italian food once in a blue moon although we enjoy it very much.
out of the blue
- without any warning, by surprise (like coming out of a blue sky)
Out of the blue my friend decided to quit his job and go to Europe.
out of the red
- out of debt
Our company is finally out of the red and we are now making money.
paint the town red
- to go out and party and have a good time
When my cousin came to visit us we decided to go out and paint the town red.
pink slip
- a termination notice from a job
I received my pink slip last week and I am now looking for a new job.
pitch-black
- very black, as black as pitch
The road was pitch-black and we could not see anything.
pot calling the kettle black
- the person who criticizes/accuses someone else is as guilty as the person he or she criticizes/accuses
My friend criticized me for not changing jobs but that is like the pot calling the kettle black. She will not change jobs either.
put (something) down in black and white
- to write the details of a contract or something on paper
I asked the buyer to put the offer to buy my car down in black and white.
raise/wave a white flag
- to indicate that you have been defeated and you want to give up
The soldiers raised a white flag and gave themselves up to the enemy.
red-carpet treatment
- to receive special/royal treatment
I always receive the red-carpet treatment when I go and visit my aunt.
red-eye
- an airplane flight that leaves late at night and arrives early in the morning
We caught the red-eye flight last night and we are very tired today.
a red flag
- a signal that something is not working properly or correctly
The fallen trees along the road raised a red flag for the safety inspectors.
red herring
- an unimportant matter that draws attention away from the main subject
Talking about the other issue was a red herring and did not do anything to deal with today's problem.
red-hot
- very hot, creating much excitement or demand
The new video game is red-hot and many people are waiting to buy one.
red in the face
- embarrassed
I became red in the face when the teacher began talking about me.
red-letter day
- a day that is memorable because of some important event
It was a red-letter day when my sister received her graduation diploma.
red tape
- excessive formalities in official business
Many businesses complain about the red tape that they must deal with in order to get anything done with the government.
roll out the red carpet
- to greet a person with great respect, to give a big welcome to someone
The government rolled out the red carpet when the politician came to visit.
sail under false colors
- to pretend to be something that one is not (a pirate ship used to disguise itself as an ordinary ship by using a false flag)
The head of the company is sailing under false colors and he does not really know how the company operation works.
see pink elephants
- to see things which are not really there because they are only in your imagination
The man was seeing pink elephants according to those who listened to his story.
see red
- to become very angry
My boss saw red when I told him that I would not be coming to work today.
see the color of (someone's) money
- to prove that someone has enough money for something
The car dealer would not let me take the car until he saw the color of my money.
show one`s true colors
- to show what one is really like or really thinking
I thought that the woman likes me but she showed her true colors when she began yelling at me on the telephone.
talk a blue streak
- to talk very much and very rapidly
The woman beside me on the bus talked a blue streak for most of the journey.
talk until one is blue in the face
- to talk until one is exhausted
I talked until I was blue in the face but I could not change my teacher's mind about my essay.
tickled pink
- to be very pleased or delighted by someone or something
"My mother was tickled pink that you visited her when you were in town."
white elephant
- a useless possession (that often costs money to maintain)
The new airport is a white elephant and nobody wants to use it.
white lie
- a harmless or small lie told to be polite or to avoid hurting someone's feelings
I told my supervisor a white lie yesterday and said that I was sick when actually I was not.
white sale
- the selling of towels or sheets at a reduced price
We went to the white sale at the department store to buy some new sheets.
white-tie event/affair
- an event that requires guests to wear formal dress such as men wearing white bow ties with formal evening dress
I attended a white-tie dinner in honor of the president of our university.
whitewash (something)
- to cover up or gloss over faults/errors/wrongdoing
The government was accused of trying to whitewash the scandal about the illegal money.
with flying colors
- with great or total success
My friend passed the course with flying colors and she now wants to go out and celebrate.
yellow-bellied
- extremely timid, cowardly
The man is yellow-bellied and is never willing to fight for what is right.
black Idioms
as black as a skillet
- very black
My hands were as black as a skillet when I finished working on the car engine.
as black as a stack of black cats
- very black
The little boy was as black as a stack of black cats after playing outside all day.
as black as a sweep
- very dirty/black (a chimney sweep cleans chimneys and becomes very black)
My friend was as black as a sweep after he finished cleaning the basement.
as black as coal
- very black
My friend's cat is as black as coal.
as black as night
- very dark and black
The old house was as black as night when we entered it.
as black as pitch
- very black
My face was as black as pitch after cleaning the stove all morning.
as black as the ace of spades
- very black
The horse in the parade was as black as the ace of spades.
black and blue
- bruised
My shoulder was black and blue after I fell down the stairs.
black and white
- either good or bad, either one way or the other way but not in between
Our boss sees everything in black and white although he knows this is impossible.
black box
- an electronic device such as a flight recorder that can be removed from an aircraft as a single package
The investigators searched for a long time in order to find the black box of the airplane.
black eye
- a bruise near one's eye which makes it appear black
The man received a black eye when he bumped into the closed door.
black market
- the place where goods/money are illegally bought and sold
We sold some cigarettes on the black market during our travels.
black out
- to darken a room or building by turning off the lights
During the war people in the cities were forced to black out their windows so nobody could see them.
black out
- to lose consciousness
The man blacked out during the parade and he had to sit down and rest.
black sheep (of a family)
- a person who is a disgrace to a family or group
The man is the black sheep in his family and has not made a success of his life.
blackball (someone)
- to exclude/ostracize someone socially, to reject someone
The businessman was blackballed in the industry because of his bad business practices.
blacklist (someone)
- to exclude/ostracize someone, to write someone's name on a list if they break some rules
The sports federation blacklisted the swimmer because he was using steroids.
blackmail (someone)
- to extort/take money from someone by threatening him or her
The photographer tried to blackmail the famous actress with some photographs that he had taken.
blackout
- a temporary situation where you do not release some information
The government decided to have a blackout regarding the information related to the political prisoner.
black-tie event/affair
- a formal event where guests wear semi-formal clothes with men wearing black bow ties with tuxedos or dinner jackets
The award ceremony for the movie awards was a black-tie affair.
in black and white
- in writing, officially
I put down my complaint in black and white.
in (someone's) black books
- to be in disgrace or out of favor with someone
The boy is in his girlfriend's black books because he was late for their date.
in the black
- to be successful or profitable
Our company has been in the black since they began to cut costs.
pitch-black
- very black, as black as pitch
The road was pitch-black and we could not see anything.
pot calling the kettle black
- the person who criticizes/accuses someone else is as guilty as the person he or she criticizes/accuses
My friend criticized me for not changing jobs but that is like the pot calling the kettle black. She will not change jobs either.
put (something) down in black and white
- to write the details of a contract or something on paper
I asked the buyer to put the offer to buy my car down in black and white.
blue Idioms
black and blue
- bruised
My shoulder was black and blue after I fell down the stairs.
blue blood
- the blood of a noble/aristocratic family
Many of the blue bloods of the town went to the opening of the opera.
blue in the face
- to be very angry or upset, to be excited and very emotional
I argued with my supervisor until I was blue in the face.
blue-ribbon
- of superior quality or distinction, the best of a group
A blue-ribbon panel of experts were asked to suggest a new policy for the city.
get/have the blues
- to become sad or depressed
The dull cloudy weather has caused me to get the blues.
out of the blue
- without any warning, by surprise (like coming out of a blue sky)
Out of the blue my friend decided to quit his job and go to Europe.
talk a blue streak
- to talk very much and very rapidly
The woman beside me on the bus talked a blue streak for most of the journey.
talk until one is blue in the face
- to talk until one is exhausted
I talked until I was blue in the face but I could not change my teacher's mind about my essay.
gray Idioms
get/have gray hair
- to have one's hair turn gray from stress
Our teacher is getting gray hair from all the stress.
a gray area
- a question that is not clearly defined and may have a broad or more than one answer, neither black or white
The issue of the tax on children's toys was a gray area for the accountant.
gray matter
- brains, intelligence
I wish that my friend would use his gray matter more effectively when he is making his crazy plans.
green Idioms
get/have the green light
- to receive a signal to start or continue something
We got the green light to begin a study of the security problems at our school.
give (someone) the green light
- to give someone permission to proceed with a project
We were given the green light to begin the new project.
grass is always greener on the other side
- a place that is far away or different seems better than where we are now
The man realized that the grass is greener on the other side when he saw that his new job had many problems too.
green
- to be inexperienced or immature
The young man is rather green and does not have enough experience to drive the large piece of machinery.
green around the gills
- looking sick
My friend looked green around the gills after the long bus ride.
green belt
- an area of fields and trees around a town
Our city has a policy to increase the green belt around the city.
green-eyed monster
- jealousy
The woman was consumed by the green-eyed monster and it was affecting her life.
green thumb
- a talent for gardening, the ability to make things grow
My neighbor has a green thumb and she is able to grow one of the best gardens in our neighborhood.
green with envy
- to be very jealous, to be full of envy
I was green with envy when I heard that my cousin would be going to London for a week.
greenhorn
- an untrained/inexperienced/naive person
The young man was a greenhorn and he had much to learn about his new job.
pink Idioms
in the pink (of condition)
- in very good health
My grandmother was in the pink of condition when I saw her.
look at/see the world through rose-colored glasses
- to see only the good things about something, to be too optimistic
My friend always looks at the world through rose-colored glasses and he does not believe that some people are dishonest.
pink slip
- a termination notice from a job
I received my pink slip last week and I am now looking for a new job.
see pink elephants
- to see things which are not really there because they are only in your imagination
The man was seeing pink elephants according to those who listened to his story.
tickled pink
- to be very pleased or delighted by someone or something
"My mother was tickled pink that you visited her when you were in town."
red Idioms
as red as a cherry
- bright red
The car was as red as a cherry after its new paint job.
as red as a poppy
- bright red
The mark on my arm was as red as a poppy.
as red as a rose
- intensely red
The morning sunrise was as red as a rose.
as red as a ruby
- deep red
The office assistant was wearing lipstick that was as red as a ruby.
as red as blood
- deep red
The stain on the carpet was as red as blood.
catch (someone) red-handed
- to catch someone in the middle of doing something wrong
The woman was caught red-handed when she tried to steal some cosmetics.
ears are red
- one's ears are red from embarrassment
My ears were red after hearing what the teacher said about me.
in the red
- to be in debt, to be unprofitable
The company has been in the red for three years now.
like waving a red flag in front of a bull
- what you are doing will definitely make someone angry or upset
Talking about the city mayor with my father is like waving a red flag in front of a bull. He does not like the city mayor.
out of the red
- out of debt
Our company is finally out of the red and we are now making money.
paint the town red
- to go out and party and have a good time
When my cousin came to visit us we decided to go out and paint the town red.
red-carpet treatment
- to receive special/royal treatment
I always receive the red-carpet treatment when I go and visit my aunt.
red-eye
- an airplane flight that leaves late at night and arrives early in the morning
We caught the red-eye flight last night and we are very tired today.
a red flag
- a signal that something is not working properly or correctly
The fallen trees along the road raised a red flag for the safety inspectors.
red herring
- an unimportant matter that draws attention away from the main subject
Talking about the other issue was a red herring and did not do anything to deal with today's problem.
red-hot
- very hot, creating much excitement or demand
The new video game is red-hot and many people are waiting to buy one.
red in the face
- embarrassed
I became red in the face when the teacher began talking about me.
red-letter day
- a day that is memorable because of some important event
It was a red-letter day when my sister received her graduation diploma.
red tape
- excessive formalities in official business
Many businesses complain about the red tape that they must deal with in order to get anything done with the government.
roll out the red carpet
- to greet a person with great respect, to give a big welcome to someone
The government rolled out the red carpet when the politician came to visit.
see red
- to become very angry
My boss saw red when I told him that I would not be coming to work today.
white Idioms
as white as a ghost
- very pale because of fear/shock/illness
My sister became as white as a ghost when she saw the man at the window.
as white as a sheet
- very pale
I felt terrible this morning and in the mirror I looked as white as a sheet.
as white as the driven snow
- very white
The fur on the dog was as white as the driven snow.
black and white
- either good or bad, either one way or the other way but not in between
Our boss sees everything in black and white although he knows this is impossible.
carte blanche
- the freedom or permission to do what you want (blanche/blanc means white in French)
The new manager was given carte blanche to change the policies in her department.
in black and white
- in writing, officially
I put down my complaint in black and white.
put (something) down in black and white
- to write the details of a contract or something on paper
I asked the buyer to put the offer to buy my car down in black and white.
raise/wave a white flag
- to indicate that you have been defeated and you want to give up
The soldiers raised a white flag and gave themselves up to the enemy.
white elephant
- a useless possession (that often costs money to maintain)
The new airport is a white elephant and nobody wants to use it.
white lie
- a harmless or small lie told to be polite or to avoid hurting someone's feelings
I told my supervisor a white lie yesterday and said that I was sick when actually I was not.
white sale
- the selling of towels or sheets at a reduced price
We went to the white sale at the department store to buy some new sheets.
white-tie event/affair
- an event that requires guests to wear formal dress such as men wearing white bow ties with formal evening dress
I attended a white-tie dinner in honor of the president of our university.
whitewash (something)
- to cover up or gloss over faults/errors/wrongdoing
The government was accused of trying to whitewash the scandal about the illegal money.
yellow Idioms
have a yellow streak
- to be cowardly
The man has a yellow streak and he will not defend you if you are having a problem.
yellow-bellied
- extremely timid, cowardly
The man is yellow-bellied and is never willing to fight for what is right.
Most Frequent Idioms
Most Frequent Idioms
about to do something
- to be on the point of doing something
I was about to leave when the phone rang.
according to someone or something
- as said or told by someone, in agreement with something, in the order of something, in proportion to something
According to our teacher, there will be no class next week.
We did everything according to the terms of our agreement.
account for something
- to provide an explanation or answer for something
The bad weather accounts for the fact that few people came to the meeting.
after all
- considering the fact that something happened, something that is usually assumed
"You don't need to phone him. After all, he never phones you."
all of a sudden
- suddenly, without advance warning
All of a sudden it became cloudy and began to rain.
as a matter of fact
- actually
"As a matter of fact, we have been to the history museum many times."
as far as
- to the extent or degree of something
As far as I know the movie will start in a few minutes.
as for
- with regard to, concerning
"As for me, I think that I will return home now."
as if
- in the same way that something would be, that
The drink tastes as if it were made with orange juice.
It seemed as if the whole town came to the concert.
as long as
- provided that, on condition that
"As long as you promise to be careful you can borrow my car."
as soon as
- just after something, when
I phoned my friend as soon as I finished dinner.
as to
- with regard to, according to
"As to your question, I will answer it tomorrow."
The players were put into groups as to their ability.
as well
- in addition, also, too
I plan to take a computer course this summer as well.
as well as
- in addition to
"Please bring your swimming suit as well as your towel."
back and forth
- backwards and forwards, first one way and then the other way
The argument went back and forth before the judge made a decision.
better off
- to be in a better situation than before
My friend would be better off if he sold his old car and bought a new one.
break down something
- to divide something into parts, to separate something into simpler substances
We tried to break down the problem for further study.
The sugar began to break down soon after it was swallowed.
break up
- to separate, to divide into groups or pieces, to put an end to something
Nobody wanted to break up their groups.
We usually break up into small groups during our class.
by the way
- incidentally
"By the way, could you please bring your laptop computer tomorrow."
carry out something
- to put something into action, to accomplish something, to do something
The scientist wanted to carry out several experiments before discussing the new medicine.
come on
- please, hurry, go faster
"Come on, I only have a few minutes before I must go."
"Come on, stop doing that."
come up
- to happen unexpectedly
I will not be able to go to the party if something else comes up.
come up with something
- to produce or find a thought/idea/answer
I tried to come up with a name for the new magazine.
deal with something
- to be concerned with something, to take action about something
We will deal with the boxes tomorrow.
end up doing something or going somewhere
- to do something that one had not planned to do, to go somewhere one had not planned to go
We ended up going to a restaurant after the movie last night.
figure out someone or something
- to try to understand someone or something, to solve something
I finally figured out how to use the new DVD player.
fill (something) in
- to write words in blanks
"Please fill in this form and give it to the receptionist."
find out something
- to learn or discover something
My mother is angry at me because she found out that I had quit my French class.
first of all
- the very first thing
First of all we prepared the garden and then we planted the seeds.
for good
- permanently
The city will close the public swimming pool for good next week.
for sure
- without doubt, certainly, surely
"I will go to the movie with you for sure next week."
get back to (something
- to return to something
I was happy to get back to my work after my holiday.
get into something
- to enter something, to go into something
I do not want any water to get into my car.
get into somewhere
- to secure a place in a college or university or course
My friend wants to get into a good university.
get out of somewhere
- to leave somewhere, to escape from somewhere
I want to hurry and get out of my house.
get rid of something
- to give or throw something away, to sell or destroy something, to make a cold or fever disappear
I bought a new television set so I want to get rid of the old one.
get through something
- to complete something, to finish something
My friend is having trouble getting through her final exams.
I have much reading that I must get through before tomorrow.
go ahead
- to begin to do something
"Let`s go ahead and start now. We can`t wait any longer."
go on
- to continue
The game will probably go on for an hour after we leave.
go over something
- to examine or review something
The accountant will go over the books tomorrow.
We plan to go over that question tomorrow.
go through something
- to discuss something, to look at something, to do something
The teacher decided to go through the exercise before the test.
go with something
- to choose one thing rather than another
We decided to go with the small rental car rather than the large one.
hang out somewhere/with someone
- to spend one`s time with no great purpose, to spend leisure time with friends
Recently my friend has been hanging out with a group of people who are not a good influence on him.
have (something) to do with something
- to be about something, to be on the subject of something, to be related to something
"The book has something to do with cooking but I am not sure if you will like it."
That problem has nothing to do with me.
hold on
- to wait a minute, to stop, to wait and not hang up the phone
"Please hold on for a minute while I lock the window."
in a way
- to a certain extent, a little, somewhat
In a way I want to go to the new restaurant but in a way I don`t really care.
in case
- if, if something should happen
I will take my umbrella in case it rains.
in common
- shared together or equally, in use or ownership by all
I had nothing in common with the other members of the class.
in detail
- giving all the details, item by item
The saleswoman explained about the new product in detail.
in effect
- for practical purposes, basically
The man's silence was in effect a way of disagreeing with the other people in the meeting.
in fact
- actually, the truth is
The man has been to China before. In fact he has been there three times.
in favor of someone or something
- to approve or support someone or something
Everybody is in favor of the new police chief.
My company is not in favor of changing our holiday schedule.
in general
- in most situations or circumstances
In general, most of the people in our apartment are happy with the new manager.
in order to
- for the purpose of
They have decided to close down the school for the summer in order to do some major repairs.
in other words
- in a different (usually more direct) way
"In other words, if you do not finish the assignment by Wednesday you will not pass the course."
in place
- in the proper place or location
Everything in the room was in place when we arrived for the meeting.
in some ways
- in some unspecified way or manner, by some unspecified means
In some ways I know what my friend means but in some ways I do not.
in terms of something
- with regard to something
In terms of our agreement with the other company we were not allowed to sell the products online.
in time
- early enough
I did not come home in time to meet my cousin.
keep (someone or something) in mind
- to remember and think about someone or something
I told my co-workers to keep the new starting time for work in mind.
kind of
- somewhat, more or less, moderately
I was kind of tired when I arrived home last night.
look for something
- to try to find something, to hunt/search for something
My friend has been looking for her credit card all morning but she can`t find it.
look up something
- to search for something in a dictionary or other book
I will look up my friend's name in the telephone book.
I looked up the word in the dictionary.
make a difference
- to cause a change in a situation
It does not make a difference whether our boss comes to the meeting or not.
make sense
- to seem reasonable
His new proposal really does make sense.
make sure
- to make certain, to establish something without a doubt
I want to make sure that my friend is going to meet me tomorrow.
more or less
- somewhat, to some extent
I more or less have decided to study business next year.
no matter
- regardless
No matter how hard that I try, my piano teacher is never satisfied.
not at all
- certainly not
I am not at all happy with my new computer.
of course
- certainly, definitely, naturally
"Of course you can use my car if you want to."
on the other hand
- looking at the opposite side of a matter
He is very intelligent but on the other hand he is very lazy and always gets low marks at school.
on time
- to be at the scheduled time
Our train arrived exactly on time.
once again
- anew, again
I tried once again to phone my boss at his home .
open to something
- to be agreeable to learn or hear about new ideas or suggestions
Most members of the class were open to the teacher's ideas.
pick up something)
- to get or receive something
I will pick up my dry cleaning tomorrow.
I picked up a copy of the newspaper at the station.
point out someone or something
- to explain or call attention to someone or something
My teacher was very kind when she pointed out the mistakes that I had made.
put out something
- to produce or make something (a product/brochure/report/CD/movie/paper)
The company puts out a newsletter every month for the employees.
regardless of something
- without considering something, at any rate
Regardless of the weather we are going to go fishing tomorrow morning.
right away
- immediately
"I forgot to bring my book but I will go home and get it right away."
rule out someone or something
- to decide against or eliminate someone or something
The police ruled out the man as a possible bank robber.
We decided to rule out Monday as the day to have our meeting.
run into trouble/problems/difficulty/an issue
- to experience something, to encounter something
The mechanic ran into trouble when he was fixing my car.
I ran into some interesting facts when I was researching my essay.
set up (something)
- to establish something, to provide the money for something
The newspaper company provided the money to set up the new travel magazine.
The company set up a unique situation to test the new product.
show up
- to appear, to arrive, to be present
"What time did your friend show up for the party?"
so far
- until now
So far no one has entered the speech contest at the television station.
so to speak
- as one might or could say, this is one way to say something
We had a good time at the restaurant, so to speak, although the service was not very good.
sort of something
- to be almost something, to be similar to something, to be not quite something
"Did you finish cleaning the kitchen?"
"Sort of, but not really."
stick with something
- to continue doing something, to not quit something
My brother has been able to stick with his trumpet lessons since he was a child.
take advantage of someone or something
- to use someone or something for one's own benefit
We took advantage of the beautiful weather and went to the beach.
take care of someone or something
- to look after or give attention to someone or something
You should take care of your health or you will become sick.
take out ـ
- to remove something from somewhere, to extract something
The teacher told us to take out our books.
I took out some onions from the refridgerator.
take over ـsomething
- to take control of something, to take command of something
The large company wants to take over some of the small companies in our area.
take place
- to happen, to occur
The soccer game took place on the coldest day of the year.
to the extent that
- to the degree that, in so far as
I plan to provide information about the new company policy to the extent that I am familiar with it.
turn in ـsomething
- to give something to someone, to hand something to someone
I arrived at school early so that I could turn in my essay.
turn out
- to be found or known, to prove to be true
It turned out that more people came to the party than we expected.
up to
- until
Up to last week I had never been inside a bowling alley.
There were probably up to thirty people at the meeting.
up to (someone) to decide/do (something)
- to be responsible to choose or decide something
It is up to the company president to decide when the meeting will start.
used to
- accustomed to
My friend is not used to living in such a big city.
with respect toـ something
- referring to something, concerning something
I do not know what the company will do with respect to the old computer system.
work out ـ for the best
- to end successfully
I hope that everything will work out for my friend when she moves to London next week.
Find Treasure Today
Find something today for which you can sincerely grateful and show your appreciation. Find someone today whom you can encourage and lift them up. Find a task today that needs to be done and then take it upon yourself to do it.
Find something you can learn today and add it to your knowledge. Find something you can enjoy and take pure delight in it. Find a few moments of quiet peace and just let yourself be.
Find a challenge and let it energize you. Find something new and creative to wonder at and admire. Find something timeless and venerable to respect.
There is treasure in every moment, around every corner. Look for it. Find it. Live it. Be it. Fill today with special treasures, every chance you get. Ralph Martone
گنج را امروز بیاب
امروز در جستجوی آنی باش که ترا یارای سپاس باشد و نشانی از درک راستینش.
آنانی را بجوی که مشتاقشان نمایی و بر اوج نشانی.
رسالتی را دریاب که انجامش نیاز است و پذیرای اجرای آن باش.
آن چیزی را بجوی که امروزش بیاموزی و بر دانش خود افزایی.
چیزی را بیاب که از آن لذت بری و در آن مسرتی ناب یابی.
در خلوت خویشتن مجالی آرام بیاب و بگذار که فقط خودت باشی.
در پی چالشی باش که ترا نیرو بخشد و در پی نکته ای بدیع و خلاق باش که آنرا بستایی و حیران آن شوی. چیزی را دریاب در خور احترام و فراتر از حیطه زمان , و آن را به اوج رسان.
در هر لحظه از زمان گنجی است و در هر گوشه ایش. تو آنرا بجوی. همپای آن زیستن آغاز کن و آن را مایه بودن باش. امروز و هر فرصتی را سرشار از گنجی خاص کن.
INSIDE OUT
Much of what's on the outside comes from what's on the inside. External situations ultimately are the result of internal values and thoughts. Unfortunately, we too often allow the negative external circumstances to control our internal thoughts, which in return affect the external circumstances. The result is that we get stuck in a rut of negative thinking and negative reality.
Your internal thoughts are separate from the external world. Sure, you can internalize, comprehend and consider the external world in elaborate detail. Yet on the inside, you have the ability to be completely independent. You have control. Even people who are in physical bondage can control their own internal thoughts.
There is no reason for your thoughts to reinforce any negativity in the world outside. Perceive it for what it is, to be sure, but don't give your own power to it. Break the downward spiral. Take a positive initiative with your own thinking and experience what a difference it truly can make.
(Ralph Martone)
درونت را بنمای
هر آنچه در وجود آ دمی احساس می شود بی مهابا به دنیای بیرونی او می تراود .و آنچه در لحظه های دنیایی رخ می نماید حاصل اندیشه ها و ارزشهای درونی ا ست. اما افسوس که دنیا را آزاد گذاشته ایم تا اندیشه هایمان را احاطه کند, اگر چه انعکاس این سلطه بر رویدادهای بیرونی آشکار است; و سپس اینگونه است که در تنگنای اندیشه و ناواقعیتها گرفتار می شویم.
تفکرات درونت از دنیای بیرونت جداست . و به یقین خواهی توانست دنیای بیرونت را به تمامی درک نمایی, درونی اش سازی و در عین حال می توانی درونت را از قید وابستگی ها رها سازی. حتی همه آنهایی که در قید و بندهای ظاهری گرفتارند می توانند افکار درونی خود را برای خود داشته باشند .
به هیچگونه نمی توان پذیرفت که اندیشه های درونت یأسهای دنیایی را رنگ و جلای بیشتر بخشد.یأسهایی که بی گمان باید برا ی آن چیزی که هست در یابی اما تن بدو مسپار . سراشیبی ها را در هم شکن . اولین گامی را استوار و با اندیشه ا ی به رنگ امید همراه ساز تا نظاره گر تجربه متفاوتی باشی که برایت به ارمغان خواهد آورد
Useful capabilities
Why is it that, in a world where we're able to do so much, we have time to do so little? Perhaps this is because it is very easy for us to spend more time developing our capabilities than we spend actually using them.
Certainly you want to be capable and effective, but take care not to become a slave to mere capabilities. Don't put so much time and effort into being able to do something that there's no time or energy remaining to actually do it.
Preparation is vital. Yet at some point the preparation needs to end so the actual doing can begin. Being highly prepared means very little if nothing is ever attempted.
Learn by doing, not at the expense of doing. Rather than collecting empty, unused capabilities, develop your capabilities in response to the challenges you undertake.
Sure, it's enticing to be able to send e-mail while walking the dog. Just be certain you have something valuable to say. Be prepared, and be useful too. (Ralph Martone)
قابلیتهای سودمند
چرا باید چنین باشد که در دنیایی که می توان کوشید و باز کوشید تنها به اندک ها قناعت می کنیم؟ شاید به این دلیل که صرف وقت روی توسعه قابلیت ها و استعدادها سهل تر از وقت گذاشتن روی کار برد واقعی آنهاست.
یقینا می خواهی قابل و موثر باشی ولی مراقب باش که برده قابلیت های صرف نشوی. وقت و تلاشت راآنقدر صرف توانایی انجام کاری مکن که زمان و توان کافی برای انجام واقعی آن را نداشته باشی.
آمادگی حیاتی است. ولی آمادگی باید در نقطه ای تمام شده تا اقدام واقعی آغاز گردد. در صورتی که تلاش جهت شروع کار صورت نگیرد, آمادگی زیاد چندان ارزشی ندارد.
از انجام دادن بیاموز نه از هزینه ای که برای انجام می پردازی .به جای دستیابی به قابلیتهایی تهی و بی مصرف, استعداد خود را در پاسخ به چالشهایی که با آنها مواجه می شوی گسترش ده.
WELCOME LIFE
Welcome the day with open arms, with a grateful heart, and it will be a good and productive day. Welcome the challenges, the obstacles, as being necessary and they will strengthen rather than stop you. Welcome the opinions and the perspectives of others, specially if they differ from yours, and your own perspective will grow more valuable.
Accept what is, and you will increase your ability to do. Make or have whatever you wish. Live as though there is possibility for good in every circumstance, and you'll discover that there is indeed.
Welcome and celebrate life in all its ups and downs. Relish the cold, dark days just as enthusiastically as the bright, warm ones. Find as much value in the defeats and mistakes as in the victories and successes. The majesty of the sunrise would not occur without the darkness of the night. Effort would be impossible without rest, and likewise rest without effort. Seeking only a select portion of life serves to diminish it all.
Embrace the world in all its fullness and delight in the experience of being thoroughly alive. (Ralph Martone)
به پیشواز زندگی بشتاب
با آغوشی باز , سینه ای پر ناز و دلی پر سپاس به پیشواز روزی نیکو شتاب کن.
و به سوی چالشها بشتاب نه موانع, چنانچه ترا بدانها نیاز است.
چالشها و موانعی که ترا سعی اند و توان و نه سد و ملال.
زین پس تو اینان را و اندیشه دگران را پذیرا باش هر چند در تباین با تو باشند, و در آن دم است که ارزش نگاهت را به نظاره می نشینی.
آنچه را که هست بپذیر که بر توان تو برای انجام و داشتن و انچه را که در آرزوی آنی, افزاید.
آنگونه زندگی کن که نیکی در هر ذره آن هویدا باشد و نیکی در هر ذره برای تو ممکن .سر انجام براستی در می یابی که اینگونه بوده و هست.
به پیشواز زندگی رو با تمام فراز و نشیب هایش, پستی ها و بلندیهایش.
و جشنی به پا دار که سر خوش شوی از روزهای سرد و تاریک چونان که پر شور و سرور گردی از روزهای گرم و روشن.
و ارزنده دار خطاها و شکست ها را همچو پیروزی ها و کامیابی ها.
شکوه و جلال طلوع بدون تاریکی و غروب مقدور نخواهد بود چنان که سعی بی راحت و راحت بی سعی.
در پی جزئی از زندگی بودن , بر باد دادن همه آن است, پس در آغوش کش دنیا را با تمام و کمالش, و شادمان باش از تجربه زنده بودن.
REACHING FOR PERFECTION
The way to achieve excellence and perfection is through experience. And experience is filled with mistakes. If it were not, we would not learn very much from it.
It is admirable to aspire to perfection, but foolish indeed to expect that it will come quickly or without mistakes. It certainly pays to expect the best of yourself. It also pays to be realistic. And patient. Perfection in any endeavor is an aiming point, not a starting point. Let the desire for it push you, but don't let the absence of it stop you. If you're ever going to get anything done, you must start somewhere. More specifically, you must start where you are.
Even in our world of instant fortunes, instant communications and instant gratification, it is still true that anything of true and lasting value takes time and effort. Aim for perfection, and follow the less-than-perfect road that will get you there. Ralph Martone
دستیابی به کمال
تجر به راهی است سرشار از خطا به سر منزل تعا لی و کمال. چو آکنده از خطا نباشد باری از آن بر نخواهیم بست .
راه یابی به کمال در خور ستایش است ولی بس نا بخردانه است که بیندیشی ترا بدان راهی است بی وقفه و عاری از خطا.
چو خود را در قله پنداری پس یقین دار که پندارت ترا به عرش رهنمون می سازد, عرشی در بلندای قله شکیبایی و حقیقت جویی.
در هر تکاپویی کمال نقطه غایت است نه آغازین. چون آهنگ ان کردی از جایگاهی که درآنی آغاز کن.
حتی در دنیای ما, دنیایی مملو از خوشیها, روابط زود گذر, و کامیابیهای نا پایدار , هنوز بر این باوریم که دستیابی به هر چیز ارزشمند و ماندگار در گرو گذر زمان است و همت انسان . کمال را هدف گیر و راهی بر گزین کوتاهتر از مسیر کمال , که اینگونه به سر منزل مقصود خواهی رسید
as great as the love he bears ;
As great as the values he redeems,
And the happiness he shares .
A man is as great as the thoughts he thinks ,
As the worth he has attained ;
AS the fountains at which his spirit drinks ,
And the insight he has gained .
A man is as great as the truth he speaks ,
As great as the help he gives ,
As great as the truth he seeks ,
And as great as the life he lives
در عظمت عشقش ، در والایی ارزش هایش
و در شادی و سرور تقسیم شده اش نهفته است
بزرگی و شأن انسان در بزرگی و شأن افکارش
در ارزش تجسم یافته اش
در چشمه هایی که روحش از آنها سیراب می گردد
و در بینشی که بدان دست یافته ، نهفته است
بزرگی و شأن انسان در بزرگی و شأن
حقیقتی که بر لبان جاری می سازد
در یاری و مساعدتی که بذل می کند
در مقصدی که می جوید
و در چگونه زیستن او نهفته است .
جملات روز مره
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Conversation Questions
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What is the most dangerous thing in your home? How can it be made less dangerous
-
What is the most dangerous thing in your home for a child? How can it be made less dangerous
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What is the most dangerous thing in your home for an elderly person? How can it be made less dangerous
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What dangers can be found in the kitchen that can cause accidents
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What can be done to prevent kitchen accidents
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What can a parent do to childproof a kitchen
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What dangers can be found in bathrooms that can cause accidents
-
What can be done to prevent bathroom accidents
-
What can a parent do to childproof a bathroom
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What dangers can be found outside the home in the yard that can cause accidents
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What can be done to prevent yard accidents
-
What can a parent do to childproof the yard
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What other dangers can be found in a home in bedrooms, laundry rooms, garages, and living areas
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What can be done throughout the house to prevent accidents
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What can a parent do to childproof the different rooms of the home
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Where at home would you put your first aid kit? What would you have in it
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Where are these items found in a house, why could they be dangerous, to whom could they be dangerous, and what could someone do to lessen the danger they present
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hot pan/pot
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hot curling iron
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knife
-
window
-
iron
-
medicines
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gasoline
-
pool
-
insecticides
-
natural gas
-
balcony
-
toilets
-
staircase
-
stove/oven
-
stool/ladder
-
yard tools
-
fireplace
-
cellar /attic
-
bathtub
-
bad dog
-
tall pieces of furniture
-
swing set / playground
-
very clean glass sliding door
-
electronic equipment
-
cleaning supplies
-
lake/retention pond
-
loose carpet on slippery tile floor
-
glass table or sharp edged table
-
hairdryer
-
bric-a-brac
-
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What do you need to do if...
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you cut your finger preparing food
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you fall down and can not move a limb
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your child drinks a poisonous liquid? (discuss syrup of ipecac)
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the toilet is flooding the bathroom
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a pan on the stove is on fire
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a neighborneighbor's dog is growling at you
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our child falls off a chair and is bleeding
-
Bird Idioms
an albatross -around someone's neck
- a problem that prevents someone from succeeding
The man's lack of a university degree was an albatross around his neck and prevented him from being promoted.
as a duck takes to water
- easily and naturally
The little boy started to swim just as a duck takes to water.
as bald as a coot
- completely bald
The man in the gas station was as bald as a coot.
as crazy as a loon
- crazy
Our neighbor is as crazy as a loon.
as dead as a dodo
- dead, no longer in existence
The dog was as dead as a dodo after the accident.
as easy as duck soup
- very easy, requiring no effort
Convincing the man to buy the car was as easy as duck soup.
as free as a bird
- carefree, completely free
I was as free as a bird after I finished my last school exam.
as graceful as a swan
- very graceful
The figure skater was as graceful as a swan.
as happy as a lark
- very happy and cheerful
The boy was as happy as a lark when he received his birthday present.
as hoarse as a crow
- very hoarse
The professor was as hoarse as a crow when he finished the lecture.
as mad as a wet hen
- angry
The nurse was as mad as a wet hen when the patient tried to bite her.
as naked as a jaybird
- naked
The little boy was as naked as a jaybird when he finished his bath.
as proud as a peacock
- very proud, haughty
The father was as proud as a peacock of his young son.
as scarce as hen's teeth/scarcer than hen's teeth
- very scarce or nonexistent
Cheap hotels in this city are as scarce as hen's teeth.
as silly as a goose
- very foolish, very silly
My aunt acted as silly as a goose last evening.
as soft as down
- very soft to the touch (down is the soft/fine feathers from a goose or duck)
The fur on the little dog was as soft as down.
as the crow flies
- by the most direct way, along a straight line between two places
As the crow flies it is about six kilometers between my house and downtown.
as wise as an owl
- very wise
My grandfather is as wise as an owl and he seems to know everything.
a bat out of hell
- very fast (bats are not birds but are mammals that can fly)
The man left here like a bat out of hell. I do not know why he was in such a hurry.
bats in the belfry
- crazy, eccentric (bats are not birds but are mammals that can fly)
I think that my boss has bats in the belfry. His ideas are absolutely crazy.
bird brain
- someone who you think is stupid
The man is a bird brain and he is always making mistakes at work.
a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
- something that is certain is better than something that is not certain
"You should keep the prize money and not try to win more. Remember that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."
birds and the bees
- the facts about sex and birth and life
The boy learned about the birds and the bees in his health education class at school.
birds-eye view
- a general view from above
"Let`s go up to the roof and get a birds-eye view of the surrounding area."
birds of a feather flock together
- people who are similar become friends or join together
"Do not complain about your friends. Remember that birds of a feather flock together. They are just like you."
chicken and egg situation
- two things happen together and it is difficult to see which one of them caused the other
It was a chicken and egg situation and it was difficult to know who caused the problems with the computer.
chicken feed
- a small sum of money
The money that I spent last night was chicken feed and I am not worried about it at all.
chicken-livered
- cowardly, easily scared
The boy called his friend chicken-livered which made him very angry.
chicken out of (doing something)
- to stop doing something because of fear
My friend was planning to come with us but he chickened out at the last moment.
chickens come home to roost
- someone`s words or actions come back to cause trouble for him or her
The man was very mean to other people when he was supervisor. Now his chickens have come home to roost and people are very unkind to him.
clip (someone`s) wings
- to limit or hold someone back, to bring someone under control
We plan to clip the supervisor's wings as he is becoming too aggressive when dealing with other people.
cock-and-bull story
- a silly story that is not true
The student told her teacher a cock-and-bull story about why she was absent.
cock of the walk
- someone who thinks that he or she is more important than others in a group
The supervisor thinks that he is cock of the walk and can do anything that he wants.
cold turkey
- abruptly and without medical aid (used when someone stops taking addictive drugs or tries to stop a bad habit)
The government program helped the drug addicts stop using heroin cold turkey.
cook (someone`s) goose
- to destroy someone`s future chances or reputation
The woman cooked her goose when she fought against her employer and lost.
count one`s chickens before they`re hatched
- to depend or think that you will get something before you actually have it
"Don`t count your chickens before they`re hatched. Remember that you may not get the job that you expect and you should not spend too much money."
dead duck
- someone in a hopeless situation or condition
The man is a dead duck. When the police catch him he will have to go to jail.
duck soup
- a task that does not require much effort
The exam was duck soup. I am sure that I did very well.
eagle eye
- an intently watchful eye
The boy has an eagle eye and he never misses anything.
early bird
- someone who arrives someplace early or starts something early
I am an early bird and I like to arrive early at work every morning.
the early bird catches the worm
- a person who gets up early in the morning has the best chance of success
"Let`s leave at six o`clock in the morning. Remember, the early bird catches the worm."
eat crow
- to admit that you are mistaken or defeated
Our boss was forced to eat crow when he discovered that what he had said was totally wrong.
eat like a bird
- to eat very little
The boy must be sick. He has been eating like a bird recently.
feather in one`s cap
- something to be proud of, an honor
Winning the speech contest was a feather in my son's cap and we are very proud of him.
feather one`s nest
- to look after one`s own financial interests - especially while holding public office
The politician was feathering his nest for many years until he was replaced in the election.
fly the coop
- to escape, to leave (like a chicken escaping from a chicken coop)
The two boys wanted to fly the coop when the school bell rang.
for the birds
- not interesting, something that you do not like, worthless
The movie was for the birds so we left early and went to eat.
foul one's own nest
- to harm one's own interests, to bring discredit to one's family
I do not want to foul my own nest so I try to be very honest in all of my dealings with others.
get one's ducks in a row
- to put one's affairs or something in order
When I get my ducks in a row I will be able to make a decision about a new career.
go to bed with the chickens
- to go to bed as the sun is setting, to go to bed very early
My grandfather always goes to bed with the chickens because he works on a farm.
a gone goose
- someone or something that has departed or run away
The boy is a gone goose. He will not be returning today.
goose bumps
- a prickly or bumpy feeling on one's skin because of cold/fear/excitement (like the skin of a goose or chicken)
I got goose bumps as I watched the horror movie.
one's goose is cooked
- one has been discovered to have done something wrong and he or she is now in trouble
My goose is cooked. Soon my friend will discover that I lost her bicycle.
in fine feather
- in good humor
My friend is in fine feather today and he has been laughing all morning.
kill the goose that lays the golden egg
- to spoil/destroy something that is beneficial or makes a lot of money
My friends sold part of their business but it is the most profitable part. I think that they have killed the goose that lays the golden egg.
kill two birds with one stone
- to succeed in doing two things by only one action
"Let`s have the meeting when we come to town to go shopping so that we can kill two birds with one stone."
lame duck
- a politician who has little time left in office and therefore has little power
The politician is a lame-duck leader and he is not effective at all.
lay an egg
- to give a bad performance
The performer laid an egg at the concert last night.
like water off a duck`s back
- without any effect, easily
Criticism falls away from my father like water off a duck`s back and he never worries about anything.
a little bird told me
- something is learned from a mysterious and secret source who you do not want to name
A little bird told me that my friends will have a surprise party for me next week.
look like the cat that swallowed the canary
- to look very self-satisfied, to look as if you have just had a great success
The boy looked like the cat that swallowed the canary after he won the relay race.
lovely weather for ducks
- rainy weather
I commented to the wet letter carrier that it was lovely weather for ducks today.
neither fish nor fowl
- something that does not belong to a definite group
The manager's idea was neither fish nor fowl. Nobody knew what to do with it.
night owl
- someone who likes to stay up very late at night
My friend is a night owl and he loves to stay up late at night.
pecking order
- the way that people are ranked in relation to each other
I have not worked at my company very long so I do not understand the pecking order yet.
play chicken
- to do something dangerous in order to see who becomes frightened first and stops
The two boys were playing chicken in the schoolyard.
rare bird
- someone who is unusual
The woman is a rare bird and she has done many interesting things in her life.
ruffle its feathers
- a bird points its feathers outward
The bird sat in the tree and ruffled its feathers.
ruffle (someone's) feathers
- to upset or annoy someone
I am usually very careful not to ruffle my supervisor's feathers.
rule the roost
- to be the boss or manager somewhere but often at home (a roost is a place where birds can perch/sit)
My grandfather ruled the roost in his family.
run around like a chicken with its head cut off
- to run around frantically and with no aim or purpose
I ran around like a chicken with its head cut off all morning as I prepared for my trip.
sitting duck
- an unsuspecting person who is easily fooled - as if waiting to be attacked
The soldier should move away from the window. He is like a sitting duck for the enemy.
spread one's wings
- to begin to be independent and try new things
My uncle's friend is beginning to spread his wings and try many new things.
no spring chicken
- not young anymore
I do not know how old my aunt is but she is no spring chicken.
swan song
- the last work or performance by an artist before death or retirement
The actor's swan song was his magnificent performance in his recent movie.
take (someone) under one's wings
- to begin to look after and care for a person
The teacher took the young boy under her wings when he first came to the school.
talk turkey
- to talk frankly, to talk business
I went to see my friend because I knew that it was time to talk turkey with him.
try out one's wings
- to try to do something that you have recently learned or become qualified to do
I plan to try out my wings at golfing now that my lessons have finished.
ugly duckling
- an ugly or plain child (who grows up to be pretty)
The girl was an ugly duckling when she was a child but now she is quite beautiful.
under the wings of (someone)
- to be under the care/control/protection of someone
The new teacher is now under the wings of the principal of the school.
watch (someone or something) like a hawk
- to watch someone very carefully
The mother watched her young child like a hawk.
what's good/sauce for the goose is good/sauce for the gander
- what is good for one person should be good for another person as well
What's good for the goose is good for the gander and if the food is good enough for me, then it is good enough for the other members of the basketball team.
wild goose chase
- a chase that is futile or worthless
The motorcycle riders led the police on a wild goose chase.
wing it
- to do the best in a situation that one is not prepared for
I forgot to study so I had to wing it on the test.
Chicken Idioms
as mad as a wet hen
- angry
The nurse was as mad as a wet hen when the patient tried to bite her.
as scarce as hen's teeth/scarcer than hen's teeth
- very scarce or nonexistent
Cheap hotels in this city are as scarce as hen's teeth.
chicken and egg situation
- two things happen together and it is difficult to see which one of them caused the other
It was a chicken and egg situation and it was difficult to know who caused the problems with the computer.
chicken feed
- a small sum of money
The money that I spent last night was chicken feed and I am not worried about it at all.
chicken-livered
- cowardly, easily scared
The boy called his friend chicken-livered which made him very angry.
chicken out of (doing something)
- to stop doing something because of fear
My friend was planning to come with us but he chickened out at the last moment.
chickens come home to roost
- someone`s words or actions come back to cause trouble for him or her
The man was very mean to other people when he was supervisor. Now his chickens have come home to roost and people are very unkind to him.
count one`s chickens before they`re hatched
- to depend or think that you will get something before you actually have it
"Don`t count your chickens before they`re hatched. Remember that you may not get the job that you expect and you should not spend too much money."
go to bed with the chickens
- to go to bed as the sun is setting, to go to bed very early
My grandfather always goes to bed with the chickens because he works on a farm.
play chicken
- to do something dangerous in order to see who becomes frightened first and stops
The two boys were playing chicken in the schoolyard.
run around like a chicken with its head cut off
- to run around frantically and with no aim or purpose
I ran around like a chicken with its head cut off all morning as I prepared for my trip.
no spring chicken
- not young anymore
I do not know how old my aunt is but she is no spring chicken.
Crow Idioms
as hoarse as a crow
- very hoarse
The professor was as hoarse as a crow when he finished the lecture.
as the crow flies
- by the most direct way, along a straight line between two places
As the crow flies it is about six kilometers between my house and downtown.
eat crow
- to admit that you are mistaken or defeated
Our boss was forced to eat crow when he discovered that what he had said was totally wrong.
Duck Idioms
as a duck takes to water
- easily and naturally
The little boy started to swim just as a duck takes to water.
as easy as duck soup
- very easy, requiring no effort
Convincing the man to buy the car was as easy as duck soup.
dead duck
- someone in a hopeless situation or condition
The man is a dead duck. When the police catch him he will have to go to jail.
duck soup
- a task that does not require much effort
The exam was duck soup. I am sure that I did very well.
get one's ducks in a row
- to put one's affairs or something in order
When I get my ducks in a row I will be able to make a decision about a new career.
lame duck
- a politician who has little time left in office and therefore has little power
The politician is a lame-duck leader and he is not effective at all.
like water off a duck`s back
- without any effect, easily
Criticism falls away from my father like water off a duck`s back and he never worries about anything.
lovely weather for ducks
- rainy weather
I commented to the wet letter carrier that it was lovely weather for ducks today.
sitting duck
- an unsuspecting person who is easily fooled - as if waiting to be attacked
The soldier should move away from the window. He is like a sitting duck for the enemy.
ugly duckling
- an ugly or plain child (who grows up to be pretty)
The girl was an ugly duckling when she was a child but now she is quite beautiful.
Goose Idioms
as silly as a goose
- very foolish, very silly
My aunt acted as silly as a goose last evening.
cook (someone`s) goose
- to destroy someone`s future chances or reputation
The woman cooked her goose when she fought against her employer and lost.
a gone goose
- someone or something that has departed or run away
The boy is a gone goose. He will not be returning today.
goose bumps
- a prickly or bumpy feeling on one's skin because of cold/fear/excitement (like the skin of a goose or chicken)
I got goose bumps as I watched the horror movie.
one's goose is cooked
- one has been discovered to have done something wrong and he or she is now in trouble
My goose is cooked. Soon my friend will discover that I lost her bicycle.
kill the goose that lays the golden egg
- to spoil/destroy something that is beneficial or makes a lot of money
My friends sold part of their business but it is the most profitable part. I think that they have killed the goose that lays the golden egg.
what's good/sauce for the goose is good/sauce for the gander
- what is good for one person should be good for another person as well
What's good for the goose is good for the gander and if the food is good enough for me, then it is good enough for the other members of the basketball team.
wild goose chase
- a chase that is futile or worthless
The motorcycle riders led the police on a wild goose chase.
Owl Idioms
as wise as an owl
- very wise
My grandfather is as wise as an owl and he seems to know everything.
night owl
- someone who likes to stay up very late at night
My friend is a night owl and he loves to stay up late at night.
Swan Idioms
as graceful as a swan
- very graceful
The figure skater was as graceful as a swan.
swan song
- the last work or performance by an artist before death or retirement
The actor's swan song was his magnificent performance in his recent movie.
Animal Idioms
ahead of the pack
- to be more successful than other people who are doing the same thing as you (a pack is a group of animals like dogs or wolves who live together)
The girl studied hard all summer and was ahead of the pack when she returned to school in the autumn.
alley cat
- a stray cat
I began to feed the alley cat and now it comes to my house every day.
as awkward as a cow on roller skates
- very awkward
The little girl was as awkward as a cow on roller skates when she first began riding her bicycle.
as blind as a bat
- blind
The man is as blind as a bat and cannot see more than a small distance ahead.
as busy as a beaver
- very busy
I have been as busy as a beaver all morning trying to finish my work.
as clean as a hound's tooth
- very clean
The classroom was as clean as a hound's tooth when the students finished cleaning it.
as conceited as a barber's cat
- very conceited, vain
My friend became as conceited as a barber's cat after she won the award at school.
as crooked as a dog's hind leg
- dishonest
The politician is as crooked as a dog's hind leg and everybody dislikes him.
as drunk as a skunk
- very drunk
The man was as drunk as a skunk when he walked into the restaurant.
as fat as a pig
- very fat
The woman in the supermarket was as fat as a pig.
as gentle as a lamb
- very gentle
The girl is as gentle as a lamb when she is with her little sister.
as gruff as a bear
- gruff, unsociable
Our neighbor is as gruff as a bear when we meet him in the morning.
as hungry as a bear
- very hungry
I was as hungry as a bear when I arrived home from work.
as innocent as a lamb
- having no guilt, naive
The little girl is as innocent as a lamb and everybody loves her.
as meek as a lamb
- quiet, docile, meek
The secretary was as meek as a lamb when she went to ask her boss for a salary increase.
as nervous as a cat
- very nervous
The man was as nervous as a cat when he talked to the woman.
as poor as a church mouse
- very poor
My cousin is as poor as a church mouse and never has any money to spend.
as quiet as a mouse
- very quiet, shy
I was as quiet as a mouse when I left my house early this morning.
as scared as a rabbit
- very scared
I was as scared as a rabbit when I entered the empty room.
as sick as a dog
- very sick
My friend was as sick as a dog when he left the restaurant last night.
as sly as a fox
- smart and clever
The manager of our apartment is as sly as a fox.
as strong as a horse/lion/ox
- very strong
The man was as strong as an ox and easily helped us move the sofa.
as stubborn as a mule
- very stubborn
My friend is as stubborn as a mule and you can never make her change her mind.
as weak as a kitten
- weak, sickly
The girl is as weak as a kitten and cannot carry the pile of books.
as wild as a tiger
- very wild
The little boy was as wild as a tiger when we were trying to look after him.
back the wrong horse
- to support someone or something that cannot or does not win or succeed
We backed the wrong horse when we supported the new candidate for mayor.
badger (someone)
- to get someone to do something by repeated questions or by bothering them
I always have to badger my friend in order to make him return my computer games.
one's bark is worse than one's bite
- one's words are worse than one's actions
You should not worry about her. Her bark is worse than her bite and she is really a very nice person.
bark up the wrong tree
- to choose the wrong course of action, to ask the wrong person (a hunting dog may make a mistake when chasing an animal and bark up the wrong tree)
My boss is barking up the wrong tree. I did not cause the computer problem because I was away at the time.
the best-laid plans of mice and men
- the best thought-out plans that anyone can make
The best-laid plans of mice and men could not prevent the problems that we had with our travel plans.
bet on the wrong horse
- to misread the future, to not choose the winning person or solution
He is betting on the wrong horse if he supports the other city in their bid for the Olympic games.
the black sheep of the family
- the worst or the most unpopular/disliked member of a family
My cousin is the black sheep of the family and nobody likes to talk about him.
bright-eyed and bushy-tailed
- to be very cheerful and eager (like a squirrel with bright eyes and a bushy tail)
The children were bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when they got up in the morning.
a bull in a china shop
- a tactless person who upsets others or upsets plans, a very clumsy person
The boy is like a bull in a china shop so you should be careful if you invite him to your house.
buy a pig in a poke
- to buy something without seeing it or knowing if it will be satisfactory
You can buy the used computer but it will be like buying a pig in a poke if you do not look at it first.
by shank's mare
- by foot
I came to the meeting by shank's mare.
call the dogs off
- to stop threatening/chasing/hounding someone
The police decided to call the dogs off and stop hunting for the man.
a cash cow
- a product or service that makes much money
Our new business is a cash cow. We are making a lot of money now.
cast pearls before swine
- to waste something on someone who will not be thankful or care about it
Giving the jewellery to the woman will be casting pearls before swine. She will not appreciate it at all.
cat gets one`s tongue
- one cannot speak because of shyness
The cat got the woman's tongue and she could not say anything at all.
a cat nap
- a short sleep taken during the day
I had a cat nap in the afternoon so that I would feel refreshed in the evening.
a cat on a hot tin roof
- full of lively activity
The boy was jumping around like a cat on a hot tin roof and we could not make him be quiet.
champ/chomp at the bit
- to be ready and anxious to do something (a bit is put into a horse's mouth for control of the horse)
Everyone was chomping at the bit to get started on their holiday.
change horses in midstream
- to make new plans or choose a new leader in an activity that has already begun
They have decided to change lawyers but I told them that they should not change horses in midstream.
a cock-and-bull story
- a silly story that is not true
Our neighbor gave us a cock-and-bull story about how our window was broken.
a copycat
- someone who copies another person`s work etc.
The boy is a copycat according to the other students in the class.
cry wolf
- to give a false alarm, to warn of a danger that is not there
The man is crying wolf. There is no danger that the electrical system will cause a fire.
curiosity killed the cat
- being too nosy may lead a person into trouble
"You should not worry about what your friend is doing. Remember, curiosity killed the cat."
a dark horse
- a candidate who is little known to the general public
The candidate was a dark horse in the race to be the next mayor until he gave some good speeches on TV.
dog and pony show
- something that you disapprove of because you think that it has only been organized to impress you (like a dog and pony show in a circus)
We had serious questions about the project but we only got a dog and pony show when we asked for answers from our business partners.
dog-eat-dog
- ready or willing to fight and hurt others to get what one wants
It is a dog-eat-dog world in our company.
dog in the manger
- someone who prevents others from doing what they themselves do not want to do (in Aesop's Fables a dog that cannot eat hay lays in the hayrack and prevents the other animals from eating the hay)
My friend always acts like a dog in the manger and often tries to prevent us from enjoying ourselves.
donkey's years
- a very long time
I talked to my friend for a long time because I had not seen her in donkey's years.
a dumb bunny
- a stupid or gullible person
"He really is a dumb bunny. I cannot believe that he does such stupid things."
eager beaver
- a person who is always eager to work or do something extra
The woman is an eager beaver and I am sure that she will do very well in this company.
eat high on/off the hog
- to eat good or expensive food
We were eating high off the hog during our ocean cruise.
eat like a horse
- to eat a lot
My brother eats like a horse.
every dog has his day
- everyone will have his chance or turn, everyone will get what he deserves
"Don`t worry about him. Every dog has his day and he will eventually suffer for all the bad things that he is doing."
ferret (information or something) out of (someone)
- to get something from someone by being persistent
I worked hard to ferret the time and place of the party out of my friend.
fight like cats and dogs
- to argue and fight with someone (usually used for people who know each other)
The two children were fighting like cats and dogs when we entered the room.
flog/beat a dead horse
- to continue fighting a battle that has been won, to continue to argue a point that has been settled
My friend was flogging a dead horse when she would not stop arguing about the mistake on her paycheck.
a fraidy-cat
- someone who is easily frightened (usually used by children)
The little boy called his friend a fraidy-cat because his friend would not climb the tree.
get (someone`s) goat
- to annoy someone
My friend is always complaining about the way that I do things which gets my goat.
get off one`s high horse
- to begin to be humble and agreeable
I wish that she would get off her high horse and begin to think about how other people feel about things.
get on one`s high horse
- to behave with arrogance
My friend is always getting on her high horse and telling people what to do.
go ape (over someone or something)
- to become highly excited or angry about someone or something
Our teacher will go ape if he sees that you have not finished the work that was due today.
go hog-wild
- to behave wildly
The young soccer fans went hog-wild when they arrived in the city for the game.
go to the dogs
- to deteriorate, to become bad
Many things in our city have gone to the dogs during the last ten years.
go whole hog
- to do everything possible, to be extravagant
We went whole hog in our effort to make sure that the convention was a success.
the hair of the dog that bit one
- a drink of alcohol that one takes when recovering from a hangover
The man woke up and had the hair of the dog that bit him before he ate breakfast.
have a cow
- to become very angry and upset about something
Our teacher had a cow when he discovered that nobody had prepared for the class.
have a whale of a time
- to have an exciting and interesting time
We had a whale of a time at the party last night.
have bats in one's belfry
- to be a little bit crazy
I think that our neighbor has bats in her belfry.
hit the bulls-eye
- to reach the main point of something
I think that our manager hit the bulls-eye when he talked about the real problems in the company.
hold one`s horses
- to wait, to be patient
"Hold your horses for a moment while I make a phone call."
Holy cow
- used to express strong feelings of astonishment/pleasure/anger
"Holy cow," the man said when he saw the car that had hit the street lamp.
hoof it
- to walk or run (a hoof is the foot of a horse/sheep/cow etc.)
I decided to hoof it when I came downtown this morning.
horse around
- to play around (in a rough way)
The teacher told the children not to horse around while they were getting ready for class.
a horse of a different color
- something totally separate and different
Changing locations is a horse of a different color. It was never mentioned in any of our meetings.
horse sense
- common sense, practical thinking
The boy does not have much horse sense and sometimes he makes the wrong decision.
horse trade
- to bargain in a hard and skillful way
We had to do some horse trading but finally we reached a deal to buy the new house.
to hound (someone)
- to pursue/chase someone, to harass someone
The manager is always hounding the younger members of her staff to make sure that they work hard.
in a pig`s eye
- unlikely, not so, never
In a pig`s eye will my friend be able to save enough money to go to Mexico for the winter.
in the doghouse
- in disgrace or disfavor, in trouble
The man is in the doghouse with his wife because he came home late last night.
in two shakes of a lamb's tail
- very quickly
I promised that I would meet my friend in two shakes of a lamb's tail.
kangaroo court
- an illegal court formed by a group of people to settle a dispute among themselves
The military court in the small country was like a kangaroo court that permitted the military to do whatever they wanted.
keep the wolf from the door
- to maintain oneself at the most basic level
My friend's part-time job is enough for him to keep the wolf from the door.
keep the wolves at bay
- to fight against some kind of trouble
The university students were angry and the administration had to work hard to keep the wolves at bay.
kill the fatted calf
- to prepare an elaborate banquet for someone
We decided to kill the fatted calf and have a big feast for my parents.
lead a dog`s life
- to lead a miserable life
The man is leading a dog`s life since he married the woman who everyone told him not to.
a leopard can't change its spots
- you cannot change someone's basic human nature or bad qualities
The manager wrote a letter of apology to the customer but a leopard can't change its spots and I do not believe that the manager has changed and the letter does not mean anything.
let sleeping dogs lie
- to not make trouble if you do not have to
You should let sleeping dogs lie and not ask our boss any questions about the dispute.
let the cat out of the bag
- to tell something that is supposed to be a secret
The teacher let the cat out of the bag when she began talking about the plans for the new school.
like a bat out of hell
- with great speed and force
I ran like a bat out of hell to get the bus.
like a deer caught in the headlights
- like someone who is very confused and does not know what to do
The boy looked like a deer caught in the headlights when we discovered him in the room that was supposed to be locked.
like lambs to the slaughter
- quietly and without complaining about the dangers that may lie ahead
Our football team went like lambs to the slaughter to meet the best football team in the country.
lion's share of (something)
- the larger part/share of something
We found the lion's share of the lost tickets but some are still missing.
live high on/off the hog
- to have the best of everything
My friend has been living high on the hog since he changed jobs.
loaded for bear
- very angry
The man was loaded for bear when he went in to see the supervisor.
lock horns with (someone)
- to get into an argument with someone
I locked horns with my neighbor yesterday morning.
lock the barn door after the horse is gone
- to try to deal with something after it is too late
Now my friend wants to fix his house but it is like locking the barn door after the horse is gone. There was a flood and the damage is already done.
a lone wolf
- someone who prefers to spend time alone and has few friends
The boy was a lone wolf and spent most of his time alone.
look a gift horse in the mouth
- to complain if a gift is not perfect
The girl should not look a gift horse in the mouth and should be happy that she received a present from her friends.
look like something the cat dragged in
- to look tired/worn out/dirty
I was very tired and I am sure that I looked like something the cat dragged in.
look like the cat that swallowed/ate the canary
- to look smug and self-satisfied, to look as if you have just had a great success
"You look like the cat that swallowed the canary. What happened?"
make a monkey out of (someone)
- to make someone look foolish
My friend made a monkey out of me when he started arguing with me in front of my boss.
make a mountain out of a molehill
- to make something that is unimportant seem important
You are making a mountain out of a molehill when you talk about the mistake.
make a silk purse out of a sow's ear
- to create something of value from something of no value
You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear and there is no point in trying to teach the woman manners.
monkey around with (someone or something)
- to play with or waste time with someone or something
The father and son spent the morning monkeying around with the old radio.
monkey business
- unethical or illegal activity, mischief
The boy should stop the monkey business and try to do the job the correct way.
a monkey on one's back
- a serious problem that stops someone from being successful at something
The time without scoring a goal was a monkey on the back of the famous soccer player.
monkey see, monkey do
- someone copies something that someone else does
It is always monkey see, monkey do for the boy. He copies everything that his friend does.
more fun than a barrel of monkeys
- very funny, fun
The children love the man because he is more fun than a barrel of monkeys and makes everybody laugh.
not enough room to swing a cat
- not very much space
There was not enough room to swing a cat in the small apartment.
on horseback
- on the back of a horse
We rode out to the old red barn on horseback.
a paper tiger
- a person or organization that is supposed to have a lot of power but actually is very weak
The manager was a paper tiger and did not really have any power in the company.
piggy bank
- a small bank (sometimes in the shape of a pig) for saving money
The boy has been putting money into his piggy bank to save for a bicycle.
piggyback
- sitting or being carried on someone`s back and shoulders
The boy was riding piggyback on his father`s shoulders.
play cat and mouse with (someone)
- to tease or fool someone, to change between different types of behavior when dealing with someone
The man is playing cat and mouse with his company about his plans to quit or not.
play possum
- to pretend to be inactive/asleep/dead
I think that the man is playing possum and is not really sleeping.
put on the dog
- to dress or entertain in a luxurious and extravagant manner
We put on the dog for my parents when they came to visit us.
put (someone or something) out to pasture
- to retire someone or something (just as you would put a horse that is too old to work out to pasture)
We finally decided to put our old car out to pasture and buy a new one.
put the cart before the horse
- to do things in the wrong order
I think that buying a ticket before we make our holiday plans is putting the cart before the horse.
put the cat among the pigeons
- to cause trouble
Sending the bad supervisor to talk to the angry workers was like putting the cat among the pigeons.
rain cats and dogs
- to rain very hard
It has been raining cats and dogs all day.
rat on (someone)
- to report someone's bad behavior to someone
The little boy ratted on his friend at school.
rat out on (someone)
- to desert or betray someone
The boy ratted out on his friends and now they won`t talk to him.
rat race
- a rushed and confusing way of living that does not seem to have a purpose
My uncle is tired of being in the rat race every day and he plans to quit his job soon and do something else.
ride herd on (someone)
- to watch closely and strictly supervise someone (as a cowboy would supervise a herd of cattle)
The manager has been riding herd on his employees so that he can get the job done quickly.
a road hog
- a car driver who uses more than his share of the road
The person in front of me on the highway was a road hog but I tried not to get angry.
rub (someone/someone's fur) the wrong way
- to irritate someone (just as you would irritate a dog or cat if you rub their fur the wrong way)
The woman who I work with rubs me the wrong way when I speak to her.
a sacred cow
- a person or thing that is never criticized or changed even if it should be (from a cow which is sacred in India)
The school lunch program is a sacred cow which they will never change.
a scaredy-cat
- someone who is easily frightened (usually used by children)
The children called their friend a scaredy-cat because she would not go into the empty house.
see a man about a dog
- to leave for some unmentioned purpose (often to go to the washroom)
I left the table in the restaurant to go and see a man about a dog.
separate the sheep from the goats
- to divide people into two groups
We had to separate the sheep from the goats when we began to make selections for the school choir.
serve as a guinea pig
- to allow some kind of test to be performed on someone
I was not happy that I had to act as a guinea pig for the managers who were testing the new training material.
a shaggy dog story
- a long and often pointless story that is told as a joke and often ends in a very silly or unexpected way
My friend told me a shaggy dog story about how he lost his bicycle.
smell a rat
- to be suspicious, to feel that something is wrong
I smell a rat. There is something wrong with the offer of a free credit card.
squirrel (something) away
- to hide or store something
My niece likes to squirrel away as much money as possible from her part-time job.
straight from the horse`s mouth
- directly from the person who said something, directly from a dependable source
I heard it straight from the horse`s mouth that our supervisor will be leaving the company next week.
the straw that broke the camel`s back
- a small final trouble or problem which follows other troubles and causes everything to collapse or something to happen
The supervisor accusing me of not working hard enough was the straw that broke the camel`s back and I asked for a transfer to another section of the company.
one's tail between one`s legs
- feeling beaten or humiliated (like a frightened or defeated dog as it walks away)
The man left the meeting with his tail between his legs after he was criticized by the company president.
the tail wagging the dog
- a situation where a small part controls the whole thing
When the small group of managers began to run the large company, it was like the tail wagging the dog.
take the bull by the horns
- to take decisive and direct action
My aunt decided to take the bull by the horns and begin preparations for the family reunion.
there is more than one way to skin a cat
- there is more than one way to do something
I knew that there was more than one way to skin a cat so I did not worry about the rules and time limit of my project.
throw (someone) to the lions
- to permit someone to be blamed or criticized for something without trying to help or protect him or her
The company threw the manager to the lions and made him take responsibility for the problem that he had caused.
throw (someone) to the wolves
- to send someone into danger without protection, to sacrifice someone
The salesman decided to throw his co-worker to the wolves when he asked him to meet the angry customer.
top dog
- the most important person in an organization
My uncle is the top dog in his company.
turn tail
- to run away from trouble or danger
We decided to turn tail and leave the restaurant before there was an argument.
until the cows come home
- until very late, for a long time
We can talk until the cows come home this weekend.
weasel out of (something)
- to get out of something or not have to do something (like a weasel which can move through small openings)
My friend was able to weasel out of going to the store for his mother.
when the cat's away, the mice will play
- when you are not watching someone they may get into trouble
When the cat's away, the mice will play and when the teacher left the classroom the students began to move around.
a white elephant
- something that is not useful and costs a lot of money to maintain
The airport was a white elephant and nobody liked to use it.
wild horses could not drag (someone away)
- there is nothing that will force someone to go somewhere or do something
Wild horses could not drag me away from my favorite TV show last night.
a wildcat strike
- a strike spontaneously arranged by a group of workers
There was a wildcat strike at the factory and over 100 people stopped work.
wolf down (something)
- to gulp down something, to eat something quickly
I wolfed down my dinner and left the house for the movie.
a wolf in sheep`s clothing
- a person who pretends to be good but really is bad
"Be careful of that man. He is a wolf in sheep`s clothing."
work like a horse
- to work very hard
My grandfather worked like a horse when he was a young man.
you can lead a horse to water (but you can't make it drink)
- you can give someone the opportunity to do something but you cannot force him or her to do it if they do not want to
You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink and no matter how hard we try to help my cousin get a job he will not make any effort when we introduce him to someone who knows about a job.
you can't teach an old dog new tricks
- it is difficult for older people to learn new things
You can't teach an old dog new tricks and I don't think that my father will ever change his eating habits.
cat Idioms
alley cat
- a stray cat
I began to feed the alley cat and now it comes to my house every day.
as conceited as a barber's cat
- very conceited, vain
My friend became as conceited as a barber's cat after she won the award at school.
as weak as a kitten
- weak, sickly
The girl is as weak as a kitten and cannot carry the pile of books.
cat gets one`s tongue
- one cannot speak because of shyness
The cat got the woman's tongue and she could not say anything at all.
a cat nap
- a short sleep taken during the day
I had a cat nap during the afternoon so that I would feel refreshed in the evening.
a cat on a hot tin roof
- full of lively activity
The boy was jumping around like a cat on a hot tin roof and we could not make him be quiet.
a copycat
- someone who copies another person`s work etc.
The boy is a copycat according to the other students in the class.
curiosity killed the cat
- being too nosy may lead a person into trouble
"You should not worry about what your friend is doing. Remember, curiosity killed the cat."
fight like cats and dogs
- to argue and fight with someone (usually used for people who know each other)
The two children were fighting like cats and dogs when we entered the room.
a fraidy-cat
- someone who is easily frightened (usually used by children)
The little boy called his friend a fraidy-cat because his friend would not climb the tree.
let the cat out of the bag
- to tell something that is supposed to be a secret
The teacher let the cat out of the bag when she began talking about the plans for the new school.
look like something the cat dragged in
- to look tired/worn out/dirty
I was very tired and I am sure that I looked like something the cat dragged in.
look like the cat that swallowed/ate the canary
- to look smug and self-satisfied, to look as if you have just had a great success
"You look like the cat that swallowed the canary. What happened?"
not enough room to swing a cat
- not very much space
There was not enough room to swing a cat in the small apartment.
play cat and mouse with (someone)
- to tease or fool someone, to change between different types of behavior when dealing with someone
The man is playing cat and mouse with his company about his plans to quit or not.
put the cat among the pigeons
- to cause trouble
Sending the bad supervisor to talk to the angry workers was like putting the cat among the pigeons.
rain cats and dogs
- to rain very hard
It has been raining cats and dogs all day.
rub (someone/someone's fur) the wrong way
- to irritate someone (just as you would irritate a dog or cat if you rub their fur the wrong way)
The woman who I work with rubs me the wrong way when I speak to her.
a scaredy-cat
- someone who is easily frightened (usually used by children)
The children called their friend a scaredy-cat because she would not go into the empty house.
there is more than one way to skin a cat
- there is more than one way to do something
I knew that there was more than one way to skin a cat so I did not worry about the rules and time limit of my project.
when the cat's away, the mice will play
- when you are not watching someone they may get into trouble
When the cat's away, the mice will play and when the teacher left the classroom the students began to move around.
cow Idioms
as awkward as a cow on roller skates
- very awkward
The little girl was as awkward as a cow on roller skates when she first began riding her bicycle.
a bull in a china shop
- a tactless person who upsets others or upsets plans, a very clumsy person
The boy is like a bull in a china shop so you should be careful if you invite him to your house.
a cash cow
- a product or service that makes much money
Our new business is a cash cow. We are making a lot of money now.
have a cow
- to become very angry and upset about something
Our teacher had a cow when he discovered that nobody had prepared for the class.
hit the bulls-eye
- to reach the main point of something
I think that our manager hit the bulls-eye when he talked about the real problems in the company.
Holy cow
- used to express strong feelings of astonishment/pleasure/anger
"Holy cow," the man said when he saw the car that had hit the street lamp.
a sacred cow
- a person or thing that is never criticized or changed even if it should be (from a cow which is sacred in India)
The school lunch program is a sacred cow which they will never change.
take the bull by the horns
- to take decisive and direct action
My aunt decided to take the bull by the horns and begin preparations for the family reunion.
until the cows come home
- until very late, for a long time
We can talk until the cows come home this weekend.
dog Idioms
as clean as a hound's tooth
- very clean
The classroom was as clean as a hound's tooth when the students finished cleaning it.
as crooked as a dog's hind leg
- dishonest
The politician is as crooked as a dog's hind leg and everybody dislikes him.
as sick as a dog
- very sick
My friend was as sick as a dog when he left the restaurant last night.
one's bark is worse than one's bite
- one's words are worse than one's actions
You should not worry about her. Her bark is worse than her bite and she is really a very nice person.
bark up the wrong tree
- to choose the wrong course of action, to ask the wrong person (a hunting dog may make a mistake when chasing an animal and bark up the wrong tree)
My boss is barking up the wrong tree. I did not cause the computer problem because I was away at the time.
call the dogs off
- to stop threatening/chasing/hounding someone
The police decided to call the dogs off and stop hunting for the man.
dog and pony show
- something that you disapprove of because you think that it has only been organized to impress you (like a dog and pony show in a circus)
We had serious questions about the project but we only got a dog and pony show when we asked for answers from our business partners.
dog-eat-dog
- ready or willing to fight and hurt others to get what one wants
It is a dog-eat-dog world in our company.
dog in the manger
- someone who prevents others from doing what they themselves do not want to do (in Aesop's Fables a dog that cannot eat hay lays in the hayrack and prevents the other animals from eating the hay)
My friend always acts like a dog in the manger and often tries to prevent us from enjoying ourselves.
every dog has his day
- everyone will have his chance or turn, everyone will get what he deserves
"Don`t worry about him. Every dog has his day and he will eventually suffer for all the bad things that he is doing."
fight like cats and dogs
- to argue and fight with someone (usually used for people who know each other)
The two children were fighting like cats and dogs when we entered the room.
go to the dogs
- to deteriorate, to become bad
Many things in our city have gone to the dogs during the last ten years.
the hair of the dog that bit one
- a drink of alcohol that one takes when recovering from a hangover
The man woke up and had the hair of the dog that bit him before he ate breakfast.
to hound (someone)
- to pursue/chase someone, to harass someone
The manager is always hounding the younger members of her staff to make sure that they work hard.
in the doghouse
- in disgrace or disfavor, in trouble
The man is in the doghouse with his wife because he came home late last night.
lead a dog`s life
- to lead a miserable life
The man is leading a dog`s life since he married the woman who everyone told him not to.
let sleeping dogs lie
- to not make trouble if you do not have to
You should let sleeping dogs lie and not ask our boss any questions about the dispute.
put on the dog
- to dress or entertain in a luxurious and extravagant manner
We put on the dog for my parents when they came to visit us.
rub (someone/someone's fur) the wrong way
- to irritate someone (just as you would irritate a dog or cat if you rub their fur the wrong way)
The woman who I work with rubs me the wrong way when I speak to her.
see a man about a dog
- to leave for some unmentioned purpose (often to go to the washroom)
I left the table in the restaurant to go and see a man about a dog.
a shaggy dog story
- a long and often pointless story that is told as a joke and often ends in a very silly or unexpected way
My friend told me a shaggy dog story about how he lost his bicycle.
one's tail between one`s legs
- feeling beaten or humiliated (like a frightened or defeated dog as it walks away)
The man left the meeting with his tail between his legs after he was criticized by the company president.
the tail wagging the dog
- a situation where a small part controls the whole thing
When the small group of managers began to run the large company, it was like the tail wagging the dog.
top dog
- the most important person in an organization
My uncle is the top dog in his company.
turn tail
- to run away from trouble or danger
We decided to turn tail and leave the restaurant before there was an argument.
you can't teach an old dog new tricks
- it is difficult for older people to learn new things
You can't teach an old dog new tricks and I don't think that my father will ever change his eating habits.
horse Idioms
as strong as a horse/lion/ox
- very strong
The man was as strong as an ox and easily helped us move the sofa.
as stubborn as a mule
- very stubborn
My friend is as stubborn as a mule and you can never make her change her mind.
back the wrong horse
- to support someone or something that cannot or does not win or succeed
We backed the wrong horse when we supported the new candidate for mayor.
bet on the wrong horse
- to misread the future, to not choose the winning person or solution
He is betting on the wrong horse if he supports the other city in their bid for the Olympic games.
by shank's mare
- by foot
I came to the meeting by shank's mare.
champ/chomp at the bit
- to be ready and anxious to do something (a bit is put into a horse's mouth for control of the horse)
Everyone was chomping at the bit to get started on their holiday.
change horses in midstream
- to make new plans or choose a new leader in an activity that has already begun
They have decided to change lawyers but I told them that they should not change horses in midstream.
a dark horse
- a candidate who is little known to the general public
The candidate was a dark horse in the race to be the next mayor until he gave some good speeches on TV.
dog and pony show
- something that you disapprove of because you think that it has only been organized to impress you (like a dog and pony show in a circus)
We had serious questions about the project but we only got a dog and pony show when we asked for answers from our business partners.
donkey's years
- a very long time
I talked to my friend for a long time because I had not seen her in donkey's years.
eat like a horse
- to eat a lot
My brother eats like a horse.
flog/beat a dead horse
- to continue fighting a battle that has been won, to continue to argue a point that has been settled
My friend was flogging a dead horse when she would not stop arguing about the mistake on her paycheck.
get off one`s high horse
- to begin to be humble and agreeable
I wish that she would get off her high horse and begin to think about how other people feel about things.
get on one`s high horse
- to behave with arrogance
My friend is always getting on her high horse and telling people what to do.
hold one`s horses
- to wait, to be patient
"Hold your horses for a moment while I make a phone call."
hoof it
- to walk or run (a hoof is the foot of a horse/sheep/cow etc.)
I decided to hoof it when I came downtown this morning.
horse around
- to play around (in a rough way)
The teacher told the children not to horse around while they were getting ready for class.
a horse of a different color
- something totally separate and different
Changing locations is a horse of a different color. It was never mentioned in any of our meetings.
horse sense
- common sense, practical thinking
The boy does not have much horse sense and sometimes he makes the wrong decision.
horse trade
- to bargain in a hard and skillful way
We had to do some horse trading but finally we reached a deal to buy the new house.
lock the barn door after the horse is gone
- to try to deal with something after it is too late
Now my friend wants to fix his house but it is like locking the barn door after the horse is gone. There was a flood and the damage is already done.
look a gift horse in the mouth
- to complain if a gift is not perfect
The girl should not look a gift horse in the mouth and should be happy that she received a present from her friends.
on horseback
- on the back of a horse
We rode out to the old red barn on horseback.
put (someone or something) out to pasture
- to retire someone or something (just as you would put a horse that is too old to work out to pasture)
We finally decided to put our old car out to pasture and buy a new one.
put the cart before the horse
- to do things in the wrong order
I think that buying a ticket before we make our holiday plans is putting the cart before the horse.
ride herd on (someone)
- to watch closely and strictly supervise someone (as a cowboy would supervise a herd of cattle)
The manager has been riding herd on his employees so that he can get the job done quickly.
straight from the horse`s mouth
- directly from the person who said something, directly from a dependable source
I heard it straight from the horse`s mouth that our supervisor will be leaving the company next week.
wild horses could not drag (someone away)
- there is nothing that will force someone to go somewhere or do something
Wild horses could not drag me away from my favorite TV show last night.
work like a horse
- to work very hard
My grandfather worked like a horse when he was a young man.
you can lead a horse to water (but you can't make it drink)
- you can give someone the opportunity to do something but you cannot force him or her to do it if they do not want to
You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink and no matter how hard we try to help my cousin get a job he will not make any effort when we introduce him to someone who knows about a job.
monkey Idioms
go ape (over someone or something)
- to become highly excited or angry about someone or something
Our teacher will go ape if he sees that you have not finished the work that was due today.
make a monkey out of (someone)
- to make someone look foolish
My friend made a monkey out of me when he started arguing with me in front of my boss.
monkey around with (someone or something)
- to play with or waste time with someone or something
The father and son spent the morning monkeying around with the old radio.
monkey business
- unethical or illegal activity, mischief
The boy should stop the monkey business and try to do the job the correct way.
a monkey on one's back
- a serious problem that stops someone from being successful at something
The time without scoring a goal was a monkey on the back of the famous soccer player.
monkey see, monkey do
- someone copies something that someone else does
It is always monkey see, monkey do for the boy. He copies everything that his friend does.
more fun than a barrel of monkeys
- very funny, fun
The children love the man because he is more fun than a barrel of monkeys and makes everybody laugh.
mouse Idioms
as poor as a church mouse
- very poor
My cousin is as poor as a church mouse and never has any money to spend.
as quiet as a mouse
- very quiet, shy
I was as quiet as a mouse when I left my house early this morning.
the best-laid plans of mice and men
- the best thought-out plans that anyone can make
The best-laid plans of mice and men could not prevent the problems that we had with our travel plans.
play cat and mouse with (someone)
- to tease or fool someone, to change between different types of behavior when dealing with someone
The man is playing cat and mouse with his company about his plans to quit or not.
when the cat's away, the mice will play
- when you are not watching someone they may get into trouble
When the cat's away, the mice will play and when the teacher left the classroom the students began to move around.
pig/hog Idioms
as fat as a pig
- very fat
The woman in the supermarket was as fat as a pig.
buy a pig in a poke
- to buy something without seeing it or knowing if it will be satisfactory
You can buy the used computer but it will be like buying a pig in a poke if you do not look at it first.
cast pearls before swine
- to waste something on someone who will not be thankful or care about it
Giving the jewellery to the woman will be casting pearls before swine. She will not appreciate it at all.
eat high on/off the hog
- to eat good or expensive food
We were eating high off the hog during our ocean cruise.
go hog-wild
- to behave wildly
The young soccer fans went hog-wild when they arrived in the city for the game.
go whole hog
- to do everything possible, to be extravagant
We went whole hog in our effort to make sure that the convention was a success.
in a pig`s eye
- unlikely, not so, never
In a pig`s eye will my friend be able to save enough money to go to Mexico for the winter.
live high on/off the hog
- to have the best of everything
My friend has been living high on the hog since he changed jobs.
make a silk purse out of a sow's ear
- to create something of value from something of no value
You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear and there is no point in trying to teach the woman manners
piggy bank
- a small bank (sometimes in the shape of a pig) for saving money
The boy has been putting money into his piggy bank to save for a bicycle
piggyback
- sitting or being carried on someone`s back and shoulders
The boy was riding piggyback on his father`s shoulders
a road hog
- a car driver who uses more than his share of the road
The person in front of me on the highway was a road hog but I tried not to get angry
rat Idioms
rat on (someone)
- to report someone's bad behavior to someone
The little boy ratted on his friend at school
rat out on (someone)
- to desert or betray someone
The boy ratted out on his friends and now they won`t talk to him
rat race
- a rushed and confusing way of living that does not seem to have a purpose
My uncle is tired of being in the rat race every day and he plans to quit his job soon and do something else
smell a rat
- to be suspicious, to feel that something is wrong
I smell a rat. There is something wrong with the offer of a free credit card
sheep/goat Idioms
as gentle as a lamb
- very gentle
The girl is as gentle as a lamb when she is with her little sister
as innocent as a lamb
- having no guilt, naive
The little girl is as innocent as a lamb and everybody loves her
as meek as a lamb
- quiet, docile, meek
The secretary was as meek as a lamb when she went to ask her boss for a salary increase
the black sheep of the family
- the worst or the most unpopular/disliked member of a family
My cousin is the black sheep of the family and nobody likes to talk about him
get (someone`s) goat
- to annoy someone
My friend is always complaining about the way that I do things which gets my goat
in two shakes of a lamb's tail
- very quickly
I promised that I would meet my friend in two shakes of a lamb's tail
like lambs to the slaughter
- quietly and without complaining about the dangers that may lie ahead
Our football team went like lambs to the slaughter to meet the best football team in the country
separate the sheep from the goats
- to divide people into two groups
We had to separate the sheep from the goats when we began to make selections for the school choir
wolf Idioms
cry wolf
- to give a false alarm, to warn of a danger that is not there
The man is crying wolf. There is no danger that the electrical system will cause a fire
keep the wolf from the door
- to maintain oneself at the most basic level
My friend's part-time job is enough for him to keep the wolf from the door
keep the wolves at bay
- to fight against some kind of trouble
The university students were angry and the administration had to work hard to keep the wolves at bay
a lone wolf
- someone who prefers to spend time alone and has few friends
The boy was a lone wolf and spent most of his time alone
throw (someone) to the wolves
- to send someone into danger without protection, to sacrifice someone
The salesman decided to throw his co-worker to the wolves when he asked him to meet the angry customer
wolf down -something
- to gulp down something, to eat something quickly
I wolfed down my dinner and left the house for the movie
a wolf in sheep`s clothing
- a person who pretends to be good but really is bad
"Be careful of that man. He is a wolf in sheep`s clothing"
Structural parts of a paragraph
Topic Sentence -TS
The topic sentence provides the main idea or subject of the paragraph, and further
identifies a
controlling idea restricting the topic area of discussion. It is the firstsentence in the paragraph. Look at the topic sentence in the sample paragraph
Environmental pollution
is having a devastating effect on mankind.topic controlling idea
The topic of the paragraph is environmental pollution, but this topic is further limited
to a discussion of the devastating effects on mankind
S
Suuppppoorrttiningg s Senetnetnecnecse (sa s(S tShe) word ‘suppor t’ indicates) support the topic by providingpoints, which develop the idea with an explanation, illustration, reason etc. The two
supporting sentences, which explain the topic sentence about environmental
pollution are
•
Firstly, water pollution reduces valuable supplies of fresh, clean water neededfor daily consumption
•
Another devastating effect is brought about by air pollution, which turns fresh,clean air into smoggy, unpleasant smelling air
Developing Sentences-DS
Developing sentences further develop the points in the supporting sentences by
providing more information or an example, a reason, a clarification etc. For example,
the point about
water pollution is further developed in the following two developingsentences
•
Most of the pollutants, which enter the water come from industry, sewagesystems, and agriculture
•
These include chemicals and harmful wastes from animals and plantsThe point about
air pollution is further developed in the following sentences•
The result of air pollutants is the harm it has on human health.•
For example, the gases, which are released into the atmosphere can causesuch diseases as emphysema and cancer
Thus the paragraph on environmental pollu tion has the following structure
TS
Environmental pollution is having a devastating effect onmankind.
SS1 Firstly, water pollution reduces valuable supplies offresh, clean water needed for daily consumption.
DS1.1 Most ofthe pollutants, which enter the water come from industry, sewage
systems, and agriculture.
DS1.2 These include chemicals andharmful wastes from animals and plants.
SS2 Another devastatingeffect is brought about by air pollution, which turns fresh, clean air
into smoggy, unpleasant smelling air.
DS2.1 The result of airpollutants is the harm it has on human health.
DS2.2 For example,the gases, which are released into the atmosphere can cause such
diseases as emphysema and cancer
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PROVERB NOTEBOOK PROVERB |
EXAMPLE |
MEANING |
|
absence makes the heart grow fonder |
“You must be home sick by now, John. Isn’t it close to a year that you haven’t seen your partner? You know what they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder. “ |
being away from someone for a while will make you love them even more |
|
actions speak louder than words |
“Frankly, I’ll wait and see how management handles the impasse, but after all the promises I feel it’s reached a stage now where actions speak louder than words.” |
what someone does is more important than what they say they’ll do |
|
blood is thicker than water |
“Michael has always caused the family so much grief and sorrow with his actions, but we aren’t going to forsake him now. Blood is thicker than water.” |
family loyalty is far stronger than anything else could possibly be |
|
every cloud has a silver lining |
“Though she lost out on the IT job, the company did give her a promotion and salary increase. So every cloud has a silver lining.” |
you can find something good in every bad or difficult situation |
|
to err is human, (to forgive, divine) |
“You shouldn’t have been so hard on him. Don’t you know to err is human!” |
it’s only natural for people to make mistakes |
|
don’t count your chickens (before they’re hatched) |
A: “I have everything worked out. By buying the little café on the corner, I can make lots of money.” B: “Jill, don’t count your chickens (before they’re hatched).” |
you shouldn’t make plans prematurely thinking that you’ll be successful because things may still go wrong |
HOMONYMS — HOMOGRAPHS AND HOMOPHONES
Homonym
is generally used to describe a word, which has the same spelling andpronunciation as another, for example ‘the second
row of seats in the cinema’ and‘
row the boat to shore’. The context tells us that row has two different meanings
If the words have the same
spelling, but differ in pronunciation and meaning, theyare called
homographsFor example
The
Study English program was recorded before a live audiencelive
in this context is pronounced /laɪv/, and is an adjective describing‘audience’ and means ‘is being recorded while the program is happening, and
broadcast at a later time’
If the words are
pronounced the same, but differ in spelling and meaning, they arecalled
homophonesFor example
Your concert tickets are in the
mail.Only
male students participated in the survey.mail and male are pronounced the same /meɪl/, but mean two different
things, i.e. ‘the service that delivers letters’ and ‘the opposite of female’,
respectively
LEARN ENGLISH
Some football results
-
Team A: 3 Team B: 1
Team A beat Team B 3-1.
Team A won the match 3-1.
Team B lost the match 3-1 -
Team A: 1 Team B: 1
Team A and Team B drew 1-1.
The match ended in a 1-1 draw.
LEARN ENGLISH
Here are the names of some types of colours in English
salmon pink, milk white , blood red, cherry red, pitch black, chrome yellow, sunflower yellow, emerald green, olive green, ice blue, ocean blue, mushroom brown, walnut brown
A Nice Prayer
A Nice Prayer
You never know when God is going to bless you
Good things happen when you least expect them to
Dear Lord, I thank You for this day, I thank You for my being able to see and to hear this morning
I'm blessed because You are a forgiving God and an understanding God
You have done so much for me and You keep on blessing me
Forgive me this day for everything I have done, said or thought that was not pleasing to you
I ask now for Your forgiveness
Please keep me safe from all danger and harm
Help me to start this day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude
Let me make the best of each and every day to clear my mind so that I can hear from you
Please broaden my mind that I can accept all things
Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no control over
And give the best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits
I know that when I can't pray, You listen to my heart
Continue to use me to do Your will. Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others
Keep me strong that I may help the weak
Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for others
I pray for those that are lost and can't find their way
I pray for those that are misjudged and misunderstood
I pray for those who don't know You intimately
I pray for all my sisters and brothers. For each and every family member in their households
I pray for peace , love and joy in their homes that they are out of debt and all their needs are met
I pray that every eye that reads this knows there is no problem, circumstance, or situation greater than God. Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight
I pray that these words be received into the hearts of every eye that sees it
God I love you and I need you
funny thing
|
One day an employee sends a letter to Her boss asking for an increase in her salary!!! Dear Boss In thi$ life, we all need $ome thing mo$t de$perately. I think you $hould be under$tanding of the need$ of u$ worker$ who have given $o much $upport including $weat and $ervice to your company. I am $ure you will gue$$ what I mean and re$pond $oon. Your$ $incerely, The next day, the employee recieved this letter of reply: Dear NOrman I kNOw you have been working very hard. NOwadays, NOthing much has changed. You must have NOticed that our company is NOt doing NOticeably well as yet. NOw the newspaper are saying the world`s leading ecoNOmists are NOt sure if the United States may go into aNOther recession. After the NOvember presidential elections things may turn bad. I have NOthing more to add NOw. You kNOw what I mean. |
writing a letter 3
Phrasal Verbs
Informal (Phrasal Verb) Formal (Single Verb)
look into investigate
think about consider
look back reflect
pass on forward
go out exit
go in enter
get off alight
get on board
Modal Verbs
Informal Formal
I will be very happy if you can …. I would be very happy if you could….
I want to point out …. I would like to point out ….
Can you please …. Could you please ….
If you want …. If you would like ….
If you need …. Should you require ….
Why don’t you …. You might like to ….
You should take a train. It would be better for you to take a train.
Grammar
Active/Passive Voice
Informal (Active Voice) Formal (Passive Voice)
Unless you do something about …. Unless something is done about ….
If you don’t do something about … If something is not done about ….
I will have to take …. I will be forced to take ….
I would appreciate it if …. It would be appreciated if ….
This caused the fire to break out. The fire was caused by ….
. Instructions and Polite Requests
Informal (Direct Instruction) Formal (Indirect Request)
Please clean all the windows= I would like all the windows cleaned.
Please make a reservation in my
name
I would like a reservation made in my name
writing a letter ( formal - informal) 2
We write because we have a
purpose. It is important to indicate at the beginning of a
letter what its purpose is – exactly why you are writing:
Type of Letter Purpose Statement
Giving information I am writing to advise that ….
Requesting information I am writing to request information about ….
Giving instructions I am writing to explain how to ….
Relating an event I have been asked to give details of the accident ….
Giving good news I am very happy to tell you that….
Giving bad news I regret to inform ….
Complaining I am writing to complain about ….
Describing I am writing to describe what I remember of the ….
Advising or suggesting I would like to offer some suggestions about ….
Functions
Giving information
Structures
It gives me great pleasure to be able to…
I am pleased to be able to…
I am happy to announce…
Please be advised/informed that…
I would like to inform you that…
Here is the information you required/requested/asked for.
Attached please find the information you required/requested/asked for.
Giving good news
Structures
I am delighted to be able to advise/tell/inform you that…
I am pleased to advise/tell/inform you that…
It gives me great pleasure to advise/tell/inform you that…
It gives me great pleasure to be able to advise/tell/inform you that…
I have some great/good/happy news to share with/tell you.
Giving bad news
Structures
I am sorry to say that…
I regret to advise/tell/inform you that…
Giving a reason
This is due to…
This is owing to…
This is because of…
ادامه مطلب ...How are letters organised in English
How are letters organised in English
Letters in English are structured in a particular way. They consist of several parts:
-
-
. The Greeting, or salutation
-
. The Body
listless \LIST-lis\, adjective:
Having no desire or inclination; indifferent; heedless; spiritless.
--LISTLESSLY, adverb -- LISTLESSNESS, noun
I was listless, and desponding.
-- Swift
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If you say that something happens like clockwork you mean that it happens without any problems or delays, or happens regularly. | |||||||
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Example : He reorganized Standard Brands twice a year, like clockwork.
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