EASY AMERICAN IDIOMS Hundreds of idiomatic expressions to give you an edge in English!

EASY AMERICAN IDIOMS Hundreds of idiomatic expressions to give you an edge in English! by Rachel Varra Edited by Christopher Warnasch ACKNOWLEDGMENTS CONTENTS Thanks to theLivingLanguagestaff:TomRussell,NicoleBenhabib, ChristopherWarnasch,SuzanneMcQuade,ShainaMalkin,Elham Shabahat,SophieChin,LindaSchmidt,AlisonSkrabek,CarolynRoth, andTomMarshall. Copyright ©2006byLivingLanguage, animprint ofRandomHouse,Inc. LivingLanguageisamemberof theRandomHouseInformationGroup LivingLanguageandcolophonareregisteredtrademarksof RandomHouse,Inc. Allrightsreserved. Publishedin theUnitedStatesbyLivingLanguage,animprint ofRandom House,Inc. LESSON 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 MyToeIsKillingMe! 4 Tying theKnot 6 That’saWeight offMyShoulders! 9 IHaveaBone toPickwithYou! 12 LikePullingTeeth 16 Honey,There’sSomethingonMyMind... 19 NowWe’reCooking! 21 FitsLikeaGlove! 25 I’mUp toMyEyeballsinWork! 28 www.livinglanguage.com Editor:ChristopherA.Warnasch ProductionEditor:CarolynRoth ProductionManager:TomMarshall InteriorDesign:SophieYeChin ISBN:978-1-4000-0659-5 LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationDataavailableuponrequest. Thisbookisavailableat specialdiscountsforbulkpurchasesforsales promotionsorpremiums.Specialeditions,includingpersonalizedcovers, excerptsofexistingbooks,andcorporateimprints,canbecreatedinlarge quantitiesforspecialneeds.Formoreinformation,write toSpecialMarkets/ PremiumSales,1745Broadway,MD6-2,NewYork,NewYork10019,ore-mail specialmarkets@randomhouse.com. PRINTEDINTHEUNITEDSTATESOFAMERICA 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 10 She’sGotYouWrappedaroundHerFinger. 3o 11 That’sPutting theCart before theHorse. 32 12 LikeaBat out ofHell 35 13 It’saSteal! 38 14 Off theBeatenTrack 4o 15 TurningOveraNewLeaf 44 16 Face theMusic! 47 17 Let’sCatchaFlick,ThenGrabaBite. 5o 18 Take theBullby theHorns. 52 19 Just CheckingIn... 55 20 Just Gowith theFlow! 58 1 My Toe Is Killing Me! Doctor: Yes.We’regoing towant to follow up on thisinabout twoweeks. Paul: I’llscheduleanappointment with thereceptionist. Thanks.Bye,Doc. Doctor: Sorryyouwaitedsolong,Paul;I’vebeentied up all afternoon.What seems tobe theproblem this time? Paul: Doc,my toe’s killing me.I thinkit’sbroken. Doctor: Hmm...Let’shavealook.Oh,yeah,that’s a beauty. Youreallydid a number on that toe.How’dit happen? Paul: Iwashelpingmybrothermove.Idroppedadeskon myfoot. Doctor: Well,that’sa surefire way tobreaksomebones.Paul, didn’t Iseeyoulast yearforsomesprainedfingers? Paul: Yeah...Iwas trying tofix the toilet andgot myhand stuck.Iyankedit out,andhurt myself.I’mstill trying to live that one down. Doctor: Well,Mr.Fix-it,you’vereallyoutdone yourself this time. Youwon’t bewalkingwith thisfoot foreight weeks. Paul: That’simpossible!Ihaveacamping tripscheduledfor sixweeksfromnow.Can’t it behealedby then? Doctor: That’sa tall order, Paul...But Isupposeit’snot out of the question.Withalot ofrest now...andintensive physical therapy,youjust maybeback in the saddle againinsixweeks.But the therapyrequiresalot of work,and time...andspecifically,following the doctor’sorders...Canyouhandle that? Paul: Piece of cake! Doctor: But listen,evenifyouarewalkingby then,you’vegot totake it easy during the trip.Noclimbing treesor jumpingacrossstreamsoranything.Youreallyneed to baby thislegforawhile! Paul: Sure thing. Doctor: Well,Paul...let’sget youbandagedup.We’llhaveyou hobblingout ofhereinno time.Now...Iwant youto keep an eye on theswellingin therest of thelegand foot.Andget in touch with Dr.Phillips... She’s the physical therapist. Paul: Okay,Doc.ShouldIdrop by hereanotherday? Doctor: You’rewelcome.AndPaul,takeit easy,wouldyou? Paul: Yes,Iwill.Ipromise. 1. Tobe tiedupwithsomethingorsomeone.Tobebusy. 2. Tobekillingsomeone.Tobeverypainful. 3. Abeauty.Averygoodorvividexampleofsomething;in this case,areallygoodexampleofabadinjury. 4. Todoanumberonsomething.Todamage,destroy,orhurt somethingbadly. 5. Asurefireway todosomething.Away that willdefinitelyhavea certainoutcomeorresult. 6. Tolivesomethingdown.Tobeallowed toforget about an embarrassingsituation.Thisisusedin thenegative—tonever ornot livesomethingdown.Acommonwayyou’llhear this expressionis thephrase“I’llneverlive thisdown!” 7. Tooutdoyourself.Todosomethingverywell.Todobetter than younormallydo.Note that thisexpressionisoftenusedina sarcasticway. 8. A tallorder.Anunusuallydifficult request. 9. Tobeout of thequestion.Tobeimpossible toaccomplish. 10. Tobebackin thesaddle.Toreturn toyournormalactivities, especiallyafteranillnessorinjury.Tobebackincontrolofyour normalactivities. 11. Tohandlesomething.Tocopewithormanageasituation. 12. Tobeapieceofcake.Tobeveryeasy. 13. To takeit easy.Todo thingsslowlyandcarefully,without tiring yourself. 14. Tobabysomeoneorsomething.To treat verycarefullyandwith great sensitivity. 15. Tokeepaneyeon.Towatchcarefully. 16. Toget in touchwith.Tocontact,to talk tosomeone. 17. Todropby.Tovisit someone. 18. Tofollowuponsomething.Toaddressorcheckonasituation later. 4 5 2 Tying the Knot Allison: Oh,Ijust sawmyaunt arrive.Sorryto bail onyouMike, right whenyouget here! Mike: No,noproblem;we’llcatchuplateron. Allison: Great.Seeyoubothinabit. Mike: Hmmm...What’s thiscard?“Joinus!Matt and Allisonaretying the knot!Take the plunge with themSaturday,June22nd,at theirEngagement/ BeachParty.There’llbenochance toget cold feet at thissizzlinghot summerparty!Takesplaceat TurtleBeach.Thispartyisnostuffy ceremony,so joininifyouwant tosee thecouplelet their hair down onelast timebeforethe walk down the aisle! RSVPbyFriday,June15th.It’llbeablast!”Wow.Matt andAllisonaregettingmarried!Didn’t see that coming. Allison: Mike!You’rehere!Sogladyoucouldmakeit! Mike: Wouldn’t missit for theworld! Matt: Hey,buddy!Howareya? Mike: Great!Congratulations,you two! Matt andAllison: Thanks! Mike: Lookslikeagoodturnout! Matt: Yeah,we’rehappysomanypeoplecouldcome. Mike: Soyou twoarefinallygonnaget hitched.Who popped the question?Wasit you,Matt,ordidyou propose tohim,Allison? Matt: Idecided tobe theromanticone.I tookAllison to theparkwherewehadourfive-yearanniversary picnic,andaskedher there...Shewasinabad mood that day...Ialmost lost my nerve—I thought shewasgonnaturn me down! Allison: He’sright...Ialmost left himin thepark.Ihada terriblemigraine.Stressat work.Andhe’dbeen actingsostrange,Iguessgettingreadyfor thebig question. Mike: Haveyouguyssettled on adateyet? Allison: We’reclose...Sometimenext July.You’llbe around,won’t you? Mike: Youcancount on it. 6 Mike: Okay,canIaskyousomethingdirect? Matt: Ha!It’snot likeyou’veeverbeenone tobeat around the bush. Mike: Fairenough.Give it to me straight.Didshebully you into this? Matt: No,seriously...Ireallywant this. Mike: I tellya,whenIgot theinvite,it reallythrew me for a loop.You’vedone a complete 180. Just acouplemonths ago,youwere tellingmehowyoukindofmissed playing the field. Matt: Iknow.But thingshavechanged.IguessI’vesettled down. Mike: Iguessso!What happened? Matt: Well,remember that caraccident Allisonhad?WhenI foundout,it wasarealwake-up call.Iremember thinkingIdidn’t knowhowIwouldlivewithout this woman.It hit me—shewas theoneforme.IdecidedI shouldeithermarryherorstopseeing her. Mike: Wow. Matt: Really,andsinceI’veproposed,everythinghasbeen perfect.Ifeellikeamillionbucks.It was theright decision. Mike: Ihaveto hand it to you.It seemslikeyou’rereally gettingyourlifeon track.You’realuckyman.She’sa great person.Youdeserveagreat woman. Matt: Thanks,Iappreciate that.But comeon,thisis supposed tobefun.Let’sgrababeerandjoin the party. Mike: Great idea. 1. To tie theknot.Toget married. 2. To take theplunge.Tofollow throughonabigorlife-changing decision.On theinvitation,it hasadoublemeaning.It refers 7 both toa“plunge”intowaterat thebeachpartyand to thefact that Matt andAllisonwillbegettingmarried. 3. Toget coldfeet.Tobeorbecomeafraid todosomething.To havesecond thoughts.Notice that youcanalsosay“havecold feet.” 4. Stuffy.Formal.Overlyconservativeinceremonyandstyle. 5. Tolet yourhairdown.Tocelebrateinafreeanduninhibitedway. 6. Towalkdown theaisle.Toget married. 7. Tonot seesomethingcoming.Tonot expect something.Tobe surprisedbysomething. Often,thisimpliesgrowingolderandmoreresponsible,orless fun-lovingandfree,dependingonhowyoulookat it! 23. Tobeawake-upcall.Tobesomething that changesyourviewof what isimportant orpossible. 24. Tobeseeingsomeone.Todatesomeoneinformally. 25. Tohandit tosomeone.Toacknowledgesomeone’s achievement. 26. Toget somethingon track.Tomakedecisionsand takeactions about something that willlead toafavorableoutcome. 8. A turnout.Thenumberofpeopleat anevent.Notice that there’s also theverb“to turnout.” 9. Toget hitched.Toget married.Thesedays,thisexpressionisan informal,humorous,andexaggeratedway tosay“toget married.” 3 That’s a Weight off My Shoulders! 10. Topop thequestion.Toproposemarriage tosomeone. 11. Toloseyournerve.Tolosecourage. 12. To turnsomeoneorsomethingdown.Tosay“no”tosomeoneor something. 13. Tosettleonsomething.Todecidesomethingafterdiscussion, consideration,ornegotiation. 14. Tocount onsomething.Todependonsomethinghappening.To besuresomethingwillhappen. 15. Tobail.Toleaveapersonorquit aproject earlier thanexpected. Youcanalsosay“tobailout onsomeoneorsomething.” 16. Tobeat around thebush.Tobeindirect inapproachinorder to avoidconfrontation. 17. Togiveit tosomeonestraight.Tobedirect andhonest with someone. 18. Tobullysomeoneintosomething.Toforcesomeone todo something. 19. To throwsomeoneforaloop.Tosurprisesomeone.Toconfuse someonewithsomethingunexpected. 20. Todoa180.Tochangeinadrasticway.To turncompletely around. 21. Toplay thefield.Todatemanydifferent people. 22. Tosettledown.Togrowcomfortableandcontent inaroutineor situation,especiallyinarelationshipwithanotherperson. 8 Giovanni: Hello? Briona: Hey,Giovanni.It’sBri. Giovanni: Hey. Briona: Youknow,Dad’sbirthdayiscoming up infourdays... Giovanni: Ohman,Ialmost forgot!It reallysneaked up on me thisyear. Briona: Yeah,I thought it might haveslipped your mind.So,I waswondering—doyouwannago in on agift forhim withme? Giovanni: Yeah,sure...but Idon’t have a clue what weshould get him. Briona: Meneither.Iwas thinkingwecouldgo to themalland look around.Maybesomethingwillturn up. Giovanni: Whendoyouwant togo? Briona: Fridaygood? Giovanni: Soundslikeaplan.Seeya then. Briona: What about anewgrill? Giovanni: Bri,I’mnot arichguy.Ican’t afford tobreak the bank with thisgift. Briona: Okay,howabout agift certificate toabookstore?Dad loves toread.He’sarealbookworm. Giovanni: Yeah,wealready thought of that,andAunt Lindais on the case. 9 ... - tailieumienphi.vn