IDIOMS
Hit the nail on the head – To be right about something
Sentence- He hit the nail on the head, because management is nothing more than motivating other people.
In the heat of the moment – say or do it without thinking because you are very angry or excited
Sentence- In the heat of the moment it does not usually look as if there is anything to be done about the heat.
Get/jump on the bandwagon – Join a popular trend or activity.
Sentence-The success of the product led many firms to try to jump on the bandwagon.
Keep something at bay – Keep something away
Sentence- The overpowering despair that he’d fought so hard to keep at bay washed through the boy.
Last straw – The final problem in a series of problems.
Sentence- The last straw that breaks the camel’s back is indeed the proximate cause of that misfortune.
Not playing with a full deck – Someone who lacks intelligence.
Sentence- Jim‘s a nice guy, but with some of the foolish things he does, I wonder if he‘s not playing with a full deck.
Far cry from – Very different from
Sentence- That seems a far cry from just a few years ago when the only diesels were lorries, buses and the occasional taxi
Pull the wool over someone’s eyes – Deceive someone into thinking well of them.
Sentence- You can‘t pull the wool over my eyes. I know what‘s going on.
See eye to eye – two (or more people) agree on something.
Sentence- I don’t see eye to eye with Tod on all issues.
Take with a grain of salt – Consider something to be not completely true or right
Sentence- I‘ve read the article, which I take with a grain of salt.
Taste of your own medicine – Means that something happens to you, or is done to you that you have done to someone else
Sentence- Tom talks way too much – but last night he met someone who talked even more than he does, and he got frustrated. He finally got a taste of his own medicine.
Whole nine yards – Everything, the entire amount, as far as possible
Sentence- Our new apartment complex has a tennis court, swimming pool, playground – the whole nine yards.
Wouldn’t be caught dead – Would never like to do something
Sentence- My father wouldn‘t have been caught dead in a white suit.
At the drop of a hat – immediately; instantly
Sentence- At the drop of a hat , he would the of the road he wanted to build.
Steal someone’s thunder-Take the credit for a situation that someone else deserves.
Sentence- He stole his colleague’s thunder about doing an excellent job.
Best of both words – A person has all the advantages of a given situation.
Sentence- They have the best of both words as they spend half the year in England. And the rest of the year in Switzerland.
Your guess is as good as mine- A person does not know the answer
Sentence- We sent out a mayday, but your guess is as good as mine if anyone heard it.
Catch someone off guard- To catch someone by surprise.
Sentence- He was caught off guard when they asked him to be the new chairman.
Get down to business – To get the meeting started properly.
Sentence- Let’s get down to business right away-we’ll stop for coffee later.
Take the bull by the horns – Similar to the elephant in the room. Deal with the problem.
Sentence- He decided to take the bull by the horns and demand a raise even though he might get fired.
Word and mouth- News which spreads very fast as people tell other people the same news.
Sentence- The news spread by word and mouth that the new hotel was very successful.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder – Being away for a while from someone or something makes you miss/appreciate that person or situation.
Sentence- Absence made his heart grow fonder and he realised he missed her terribly.
