IDIOMS for IELTS – Part 36

Dog-and-Pony Show: A flashy presentation, often in a marketing context.

Sentence – To help draw attention to the company’s new line of products, the manager took their dog and pony show on the road for a nationwide promotion.

Dog-Eat-Dog: Intensely competitive.

Sentence – its dog eat dog right now at school because all the top students are competing to be valedictorian.

Dressed Up to the Nines: Someone is wearing very smart or glamorous clothes.

Sentence – The doorbell rang and there was Chris, all dressed up to the nines.

Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover: Don’t be deceived by looks; don’t rely on looks when judging someone or something.

Sentence – This report may look dull, but don’t judge a book by its cover—I will have you riveted by the facts and figures in no time!

Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk: Don’t worry about minor things.

Sentence – Please calm down, you’re just crying over spilt milk. We already submitted the report, so we can’t fix it now.

Don’t Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth: Do not question the value of a gift. The expression comes from the practice of determining the age and health of a horse by looking at its teeth.

Sentence – I know Aunt Jean isn’t your favorite person, but she gave you that beautiful sweater as a present, so don’t look a gift horse in the mouth!

Double-Dip: Improperly get income from two different sources.

Sentence – They even hold the view that a double-dip is not avoidable. You said in your report on the work of the government that this year will be very complicated for the Chinese economy.

Double-Edged Sword: Something that can be helpful or harmful; something beneficial that also has a downside.

Sentence – The problem is that this is a double-edged sword: these animals’ natural habitats are increasingly threatened as well.

Down in the Dumps: Depressed, sad.

Sentence – She supposed she was feeling a bit down in the dumps, apprehensive too about celebrating Christmas Day at the Danbys.

Down the Road: In the future (in your lifetime).

Sentence – It might be a sign, much further down the road, of a change in policy.

Drag One’s Feet (or Heels): To do something reluctantly and slowly.

Sentence – Please stop dragging your feet, you’re going to wear out the soles of your shoes.

Drain the Lizard: Urinate.

Sentence – Be right back. Gotta go drain the lizard.

Draw a Blank: Be unable to remember something.

Sentence – I actually did know the answer to that question, I just drew a blank when the teacher called on me, OK?

Draw a Line in the Sand: Issue an ultimatum; specify an absolute limit in a conflict.

Sentence – I don’t mind my roommate being a bit messy, but leaving dirty dishes for me to clean up is where I draw a line in the sand!

Draw a Line Under (Something): To conclude something and move on to something else.

Sentence – I can’t think of anything else to add to this project, so let’s just draw a line under it and start working on the next one.

raw a Long Bow: Exaggerate, lie.

Sentence – He’s sure to draw the longbow on the size of his catch of fish.

Draw the Line: To set a limit to what one will accept.

Sentence – I swear quite a lot but even I draw the line at saying certain words.

Drink the Kool-Aid: Accept a set of ideas uncritically, often dangerous ones.

Sentence – ‘Her sin is that she refuses to drink the Kool-Aid and presses people to provide verifiable facts.