List of Idioms.doc

8/14/2019 List of Idioms.doc

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List of Idioms

A Blessing In Disguise:Something good that isn't recognized at first.

A Chip On Your Shoulder:Being upset for something that happened in the past.

A Dime A Dozen:Anything that is common and easy to get.

A Doubting Thomas:A skeptic who needs physical or personal evidence in order to believesomething.

A Drop in the Bucket:A very small part of something big or whole.

A Fool And is !one" Are #asil" $arted:It's easy for a foolish person to lose his her money.

A ouse Di%ided Against Itsel& Cannot Stand:!veryone involved must unify and function together or it will not work out.

A 'eopard Can(t Change is Spots: "ou cannot change who you are.

A $enn" Sa%ed Is A $enn" #arned:By not spending money# you are saving money $little by little%.

A $icture $aints a Thousand )ords:A visual presentation is far more descriptive than words.

A $iece o& Cake:A task that can be accomplished very easily.

A Slap on the )rist:A very mild punishment.

A Taste O& Your O*n !edicine:&hen you are mistreated the same way you mistreat others.

A Toss+,p:A result that is still unclear and can go either way.

Actions Speak 'ouder Than )ords:It's better to actually do something than ust talk about it.

Add Fuel To The Fire:&henever something is done to make a bad situation even worse than it is.

Against The Clock:

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)ushed and short on time.

All Bark And -o Bite:&hen someone is threatening and or aggressive but not willing to engage in afight.

All .reek to me:*eaningless and incomprehensible like someone who cannot read# speak# orunderstand any of the +reek language would be.

All In The Same Boat:&hen everyone is facing the same challenges.

An Arm And A 'eg:,ery e-pensive. A large amount of money.

An A/e To .rind: o have a dispute with someone.

Apple o& !" #"e:Someone who is cherished above all others.

As igh As A 0ite:Anything that is high up in the sky.

At The Drop O& A at:&illing to do something immediately.

BBack Seat Dri%er:/eople who criticize from the sidelines# much like someone giving unwantedadvice from the back seat of a vehicle to the driver.

Back To S1uare One:0aving to start all over again.

Back To The Dra*ing Board:&hen an attempt fails and it's time to start all over.

Baker(s Dozen: hirteen.

Barking ,p The )rong Tree:A mistake made in something you are trying to achieve.

Beat A Dead orse: o force an issue that has already ended.

Beating Around The Bush:Avoiding the main topic. 1ot speaking directly about the issue.

Bend O%er Back*ards:2o whatever it takes to help. &illing to do anything.

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Bet*een A 2ock And A ard $lace:Stuck between two very bad options.

Bite O&& !ore Than You Can Che*: o take on a task that is way too big.

Bite Your Tongue: o avoid talking.

Blood Is Thicker Than )ater: he family bond is closer than anything else.

Blue !oon:A rare event or occurance.

Break A 'eg:A superstitious way to say 'good luck' without saying 'good luck'# but rather theopposite.

Bu" A 'emon: o purchase a vehicle that constantly gives problems or stops running after youdrive it away.

4Can(t Cut The !ustard :Someone who isn't ade5uate enough to compete or participate.

Cast Iron Stomach:

Someone who has no problems# complications or ill effects with eating anythingor drinking anything.

Charle" orse:Stiffness in the leg A leg cramp.Che* someone out:,erbally scold someone.

Chip on his Shoulder:Angry today about something that occured in the past.

Cho* Do*n: o eat.

Close but no Cigar: o be very near and almost accomplish a goal# but fall short.

Cock and Bull Stor":An unbelievable tale.

Come ell Or igh )ater:Any difficult situation or obstacle.

Crack Someone ,p: o make someone laugh.

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Cross Your Fingers: o hope that something happens the way you want it to.

Cr" O%er Spilt !ilk:

&hen you complain about a loss from the past.Cr" )ol&:Intentionally raise a false alarm.

Cup O& 3oe:A cup of coffee.

Curiosit" 0illed The Cat:Being In5uisitive can lead you into a dangerous situation.

Cut to the Chase:Leave out all the unnecessary details and ust get to the point.

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Dark orse:7ne who was previously unknown and is now prominent.

Dead 2inger:(889 identical. A duplicate.

De%il(s Ad%ocate:

Someone who takes a position for the sake of argument without believing inthat particular side of the argument. It can also mean one who presents acounter argument for a position they do believe in# to another debater.

Dog Da"s o& Summer: he hottest days of the summer season.

Don(t count "our chickens be&ore the" hatch:2on't rely on it until your sure of it.

Don(t 'ook A .i&t orse In The !outh:&hen someone gives you a gift# don't be ungrateful.

Don(t $ut All Your #ggs In One Basket:2o not put all your resources in one possibility.

Dooz":Something outstanding.

Do*n To The )ire:Something that ends at the last minute or last few seconds.

Drastic Times Call For Drastic !easures:&hen you are e-tremely desperate you need to take e-tremely desperate

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actions.

Drink like a &ish: o drink very heavily.

Dri%e someone up the *all: o irritate and or annoy very much.

Dropping 'ike Flies:A large number of people either falling ill or dying.

Dr" 2un:)ehearsal.

!

#ight" Si/:A certain item is no longer available. 7r this idiom can also mean# to throwaway.

#l%is has le&t the building: he show has come to an end. It's all over.

#thnic Cleansing:;illing of a certain ethnic or religious group on a massive scale.

#%er"thing But The 0itchen Sink:Almost everything and anything has been included.

#/cuse m" French:/lease forgive me for cussing.



&orking hours from about (3>88 am to >88 am. he time of the day when mostother people are sleeping.

.reat !inds Think Alike:Intelligent people think like each other.

.reen 2oom: he waiting room# especially for those who are about to go on a tv or radioshow.

.ut Feeling:

A personal intuition you get# especially when feel something may not be right.0aste !akes )aste:Cuickly doing things results in a poor ending.

at Trick:&hen one player scores three goals in the same hockey game. his idiom canalso mean three scores in any other sport# such as 6 homeruns# 6 touchdowns# 6soccer goals# etc.

0ave an A-e to +rind> o have a dispute with someone.

e 'ost is ead:Angry and overcome by emotions.

ead O%er eels:,ery e-cited and or oyful# especially when in love.

ell in a and basket:2eteriorating and headed for complete disaster.

igh Fi%e:Slapping palms above each otherDs heads as celebration gesture.

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igh on the og:Living in Lu-ury.

it The Books: o study# especially for a test or e-am.

it The a":+o to bed or go to sleep.

it The -ail on the ead:2o something e-actly right or say something e-actly right.

it The Sack:+o to bed or go to sleep.

ocus $ocus:In general# a term used in magic or trickery.

old Your orses:Be patient.

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Icing On The Cake:&hen you already have it good and get something on top of what you alreadyhave.

Idle ands Are The De%il(s Tools:

"ou are more likely to get in trouble if you have nothing to do.

I& It(s -ot One Thing4 It(s Another:&hen one thing goes wrong# then another# and another...

In 'ike Fl"nn: o be easily successful# especially when se-ual or romantic.

In The Bag: o have something secured.

In The Bu&&:1ude.

In The eat O& The !oment:7verwhelmed by what is happening in the moment.

In Your Face:An aggressive and bold confrontation.

It Takes T*o To Tango:A two person conflict where both people are at fault.It(s A Small )orld:

"ou fre5uently see the same people in different places.


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Its An"one(s Call:A competition where the outcome is difficult to udge or predict.

I%" 'eague:Since (F=: the Ivy League has been the following universities> 4olumbia# Brown#

4ornell# 2artmouth# "ale# /ennsylvania# /rinceton# and 0arvard.

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3a"*alk:4rossing the street $from the middle% without using the crosswalk.

3oshing !e: ricking me.

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0eep An #"e On im: "ou should carefully watch him.

0eep bod" and soul together: o earn a sufficient amount of money in order to keep yourself alive .

0eep "our chin up: o remain oyful in a tough situation.

0ick The Bucket:2ie.

0itt"+corner:2iagonally across. Sometimes called 4atty?4orner as well.

0nee 3erk 2eaction:A 5uick and automatic response.

0nock On )ood >;nuckle tapping on wood in order to avoid some bad luck.

0no* the 2opes: o understand the details.

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'ast but not least:An introduction phrase to let the audience know that the last person mentionedis no less important than those introduced before him her.

'end !e Your #ar: o politely ask for someone's full attention.

'et B"gones Be B"gones:

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o forget about a disagreement or argument.

'et Sleeping Dogs 'ie: o avoid restarting a conflict.

'et The Cat Out O& The Bag: o share a secret that wasn't supposed to be shared.

'e%el pla"ing &ield:A fair competition where no side has an advantage.

'ike a chicken *ith its head cut o&&: o act in a frenzied manner.

li1uor someone up: o get someone drunk.

'ong in the Tooth:7ld people $or horses%.

'oose Cannon:Someone who is unpredictable and can cause damage if not kept in check.

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!ake -o Bones About: o state a fact so there are no doubts or ob ections.

!ethod To !" !adness:Strange or crazy actions that appear meaningless but in the end are done for agood reason.

!umbo 3umbo:1onsense or meaningless speech.

!um(s the *ord: o keep 5uiet. o say nothing.

1-est #gg:Savings set aside for future use.

-e%er Bite The and That Feeds You: 2on't hurt anyone that helps you.

-e* kid on the block:Someone new to the group or area.

-e* York !inute:A minute that seems to go by 5uickly# especially in a fast paced environment.

-o Dice:

o not agree. o not accept a proposition.

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-o 2oom to S*ing a Cat:An unusually small or confined space.

-ot $la"ing )ith a Full Deck:Someone who lacks intelligence.

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O&& On The )rong Foot:+etting a bad start on a relationship or task.

O&& The ook:1o longer have to deal with a tough situation.

O&& the 2ecord:Something said in confidence that the one speaking doesn't want attributed tohim her.

On $ins And -eedles:An-ious or nervous# especially in anticipation of something.

On The Fence:Hndecided.

On The Same $age:&hen multiple people all agree on the same thing.

Out O& The Blue:Something that suddenly and une-pectedly occurs.

Out On A 'imb:&hen someone puts oneself in a risky situation.

Out On The To*n: o en oy yourself by going out.

O%er !" Dead Bod":&hen you absolutely will not allow something to happen.

O%er the Top:,ery e-cessive./

$ass The Buck:Avoid responsibility by giving it to someone else.

$edal to the metal: o go full speed# especially while driving a vehicle.

$eeping Tom:Someone who observes people in the nude or se-ually active people# mainly forhis own gratification.

$ick up "our ears:

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Saved at the last possible moment.

Scapegoat:Someone else who takes the blame.

Scot+&ree: o escape and not have to pay.

Sick As A Dog: o be very sick $with the flu or a cold%.

Sitting Shotgun:)iding in the front passenger seat of a car.

Si/th Sense:A paranormal sense that allows you to communicate with the dead.

Skid 2o*: he rundown area of a city where the homeless and drug users live.

Smell A 2at: o detect someone in the group is betraying the others.

Smell Something Fish":2etecting that something isn't right and there might be a reason for it.

Son o& a .un:A scamp.

Southpa*:Someone who is left?handed.

Spitting Image: he e-act likeness or kind.

Start From Scratch: o do it all over again from the beginning.

The Ball Is In Your Court:It is your decision this time.

The Best O& Both )orlds: here are two choices and you have them both.

The 'ast Stra*:&hen one small burden after another creates an unbearable situation# the laststraw is the last small burden that one can take.

The )hole -ine Yards:!verything. All of it.

Third time a charm:

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After no success the first two times# the third try is a lucky one.

Tie the knot: o get married.

Till the co*s come home:A long time.

To !ake A 'ong Stor" Short:Something someone would say during a long and boring story in order to keephis her audience from losing attention. Hsually the story isn't shortened.

To Steal Someone(s Thunder: o take the credit for something someone else did.

Tongue And Cheek:humor# not to be taken serious.

Turn A Blind #"e:)efuse to acknowledge something you know is real or legit.

T*ent" three skidoo: o be turned away.

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,nder the *eather:


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Since it rarely rains# when it does it will be a huge storm.

)hen $igs Fl" :Something that will never ever happen.

)ild and )ooll":Hncultured and without laws.

)ild and Dine:&hen somebody is treated to an e-pensive meal.

)ithout A Doubt:


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Balancing act

&hen you try to satisfy two or more people orgroups who have different needs# and keep everyonehappy# you perform a balancing act @*any people have to perform a balancing actbetween work and family.@

Bare "our heart ;or soul< tosomeone

If you bare "our heart or soul to someone # youreveal your innermost thoughts and feelings to them. @Gohn couldn't keep things to himself any longer. 0edecided to bare his soul to his best friend.@

Bark up the *rong tree . A person who barks up the *rong tree is doingthe wrong thing# because their beliefs or ideas areincorrect or mistaken.

One(s best bet he action most likely to succeed is called one(sbest bet @"our best bet would be to try calling him at home.@

Blot one(s cop" book

Someone who blots their cop"+book doessomething to spoil their good record or reputation. @0e blotted his copy?book when he was arrested for

speeding.@

Bide "our time

If you bide "our time # you wait for a goodopportunity to do something. @0e's not hesitating# he's ust biding his time. 0e'swaiting for the price to drop.@

Binge drinking

his term refers to heavy drinking where large5uantities of alcohol are drunk in a short space oftime# often among young people in rowdy groups @Binge drinking is becoming a ma or problem insome !uropean countries.@

Bite the hand that &eeds"ou

If you bite the hand that &eeds "ou # you areunfriendly or do harm to someone who is kind to you.

On the bottle A person who drinks alcoholic drinks often andregularly is on the bottle @Goe went on the bottle when he lost his ob.@

Break e%er" rule in thebook

If you behave in a completely unacceptable way#you break e%er" rule in the book @7ur competitors obtained the contract by breakingevery rule in the book.@

Breathe do*n someone(sneck

If somebody is breathing do*n "our neck # theyare watching you too closely and making you feeluncomfortable. @ he atmosphere at work isn't great the boss keepsbreathing down our necks all the time.@

Build bridges . If a person builds bridges between opposinggroups# they help them to cooperate and understandeach other better.

Burn "our bridges

If you burn "our bridges # you do something thatwill be impossible to rectify in the future. @If you refuse the offer# be careful not to burn yourbridges by insulting them. hey make make a betterproposal later.@

Burn the candle at bothends

If you burn the candle at both ends # you e-haustyourself by doing too much# especially going to bedlate and getting up early. @Scott looks e-hausted ? I'll bet he's been burningthe candle at both ends lately.@

Bur" one(s head in thesand If you bur" "our head in the sand # you refuse toface the unpleasant reality by pretending that thesituation doesn't e-ist.

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@It's no good burying your head in the sand. &e'vegot a problem on our hands.@

Bur" the hatchet

he e-pression @ bur" the hatchet @ is used whenpeople who have had a disagreement decide to forgettheir 5uarrel and become friends again. @I didn't agree with my colleague's decision# but forthe sake of peace# I decided to bury the hatchet.@

Butter someone up

&hen butter someone up # you flatter them or youare very nice to them# especially if you want to obtainsomething.

@0e was so keen to get the ob that he spent histime buttering up the boss.@

Cap in hand

If you do something cap in hand # you ask forsomething in a very respectful manner.@ hey went to the teacher# cap in hand# and asked

for more time to complete their pro ect.@

Carrot+and+stick

If you use a carrot+and+stick approach# you usethe promise of reward and the threat of punishment

to make somebody work harder. @Some parents use a carrot?and?stick approach toobtain good results from their children.@

Chime in

If you chime in4 you interrupt or oin aconversation# especially to repeat or agree withsomething.

@As I e-plained to the bus driver what had happened# the other passengers chimed in and gave theirversion. @

Clip someone(s *ings

If you clip someone(s *ings # you do something torestrict their freedom. @ aking away his credit card is a sure way to clip hiswingsK@

Come apart at the seams

o say that someone is coming apart at theseams means that they are e-tremely upset or undersevere mental stress. @Bob has had so many problems lately# he's comingapart at the seams.@

Come out o& the *ood*ork

&hen things# or people# come out o& the*ood*ork4 they appear or emerge une-pectedly# asif from nowhere# and usually in large numbers. @As soon as we added the swimming pool# ourchildren had @friends@ coming out of the woodwork.@

Couch potato

If you refer to someone as a couch potato # youcriticize them for spending a lot of time sitting and

watching television.@2on't be such a couch potato. here are betterways of spending your time than in front of the ,.@

Cramp someone(s st"le

If you cramp someone(s st"le # you limit them bypreventing them from behaving or e-pressingthemselves freely. @ he dress code imposed at school cramped herstyle.@

Cut the cackle

If you tell a group of people to cut the cackle # youask them to stop talking aimlessly and start dealingwith more important or serious matters. @7;. It's time to cut the cackle and get down tobusiness.@

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Dance attendance ;onsomebod"up the heat

If you turn on>up the heat on a person ororganization#

you put pressure on them in order to obtain whatyou want. @If the goods are not delivered this week# we'll haveto turn on the heat.@

Turn a dea& ear

If you turn a dea& ear to something# you refuse tolisten. @Sandy turned a deaf ear to the guide's advice and

got lost in the mountains.@

-ot turn a hair

If someone does not turn a hair # they show noemotion in circumstances when a reaction ise-pected. @&hen the police came to arrest him# he didn't turna hair.@

Turn on the *ater*orks

If someone turns on the *ater*orks # they startto cry# especially to obtain something.

@If he doesn't get what he wants# the childimmediately turns on the waterworks.@

Turn o%er a ne* lea&

If a person decides to turn o%er a ne* lea& # theydecide to change their behaviour and lead a betterlife. @&hen 4harlie left prison# he was determined to turnover a new leaf.@

T*ist somebod"(s arm

If you t*ist somebod"(s arm # you force orpersuade them to do something# without usingphysical force.

@0e didn't have to twist my arm to get me to go outfor dinner ? I was happy to acceptK@

,pset the applecart

o upset $or to overturn% the applecart means tospoil a satisfactory plan or situation. @I hope Gulie doesn't attend the meeting ? she couldupset the applecart !"

Be on the *agon

Someone who is on the *agon is no longer

drinking alcohol.@1o wine for me please. I'm on the wagon.@

)alk on eggshells

If you *alk on eggshells with someone# you arecareful not to hurt or offend them. @She's so sensitive# you have to walk on eggshellswith her all the time.@

)alk into the lion(s den If you *alk into the lion(s den # you find yourself ina difficult situation in which you have to faceunfriendly or aggressive people.

)alk a tightrope

If a person is *alking a tightrope # they are in adifficult or delicate situation where they must actcarefully. @ he management is walking a tightrope in theirefforts both to keep the costs down and satisfy thetrade unions. @

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)atch one(s step

If you tell someone to *atch their step4 you areadvising them to be careful how they behave orspeak in order to avoid getting into trouble.

@ here is zero tolerance in this school for badbehaviour so watch your stepK @

)atch someone like aha*k

If you *atch someone like a ha*k # you keep youreyes on them or watch them very carefully. @Sarah watches the children like a hawk when shetakes them swimming.@

)ear out one(s *elcome

If someone *ears out their *elcome # they staytoo long as a guest# causing inconvenience to theirhost. @Alan and Sue invited us to stay on for a few daysbut we didn't want to wear out our welcome.@

)eather the storm

If you *eather the storm # you succeed insurviving a difficult period or situation. @+iven the current recession# the company isweathering the storm better than some others.@

)eigh the pros and cons If you *eigh the pros and cons # you consider theadvantages and disadvantages# thearguments for or against something. @&e'd better weigh the pros and cons beforedeciding.@

)ipe that smile o&& "our&ace=

his e-pression is often used by parents# or peoplein authority# to indicate that the situation is notconsidered amusing at all. @ his is a very serious matter# so *ipe that smileo&& "our &ace=9

)ork the s"stem

/eople who *ork the s"stem learn how a state orpublic organization works in order to benefit as muchas possible from the system. @0e hasn't changed his lifestyle since he lost his ob? he must know how to work the systemK@

)orm one(s *a" into>out o&something

If a person *orms their *a" into or out o&something # they use artful or devious means inorder to participate or avoid participating insomething. @"ou're not going to worm yourself out of this. "oumust do your shareK@

Your *ish is m" command= his is a humoristic way of saying that you arewilling to do whatever the other person asks. @Breakfast in bedM Your *ish is m" command= @

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!nglish idioms > 0ealth!nglish idioms relating to

#A'T

in bad shape A person who is in bad shape is in poor physical condition. @I really am in bad shape. I need to get some e-ercise.@

get "oursel& back into shape

o get yourself back into shape # you need to take e-ercise in order to become fit and healthy again. @Se decided she'd have to get back into shape before looking

for a new ob.@

bag o& bones o say that someone is a bag o& bones means that they are e-tremely thin. @&hen he came home from the war he was a bag of bones.@

&ull o& beans A person who is &ull o& beans is lively# active and healthy. @"ou'd never guess his age. 0e's still full of beansK@

black out If you black out # you lose consciousness. @&hen ony saw the needle# he blacked out.@

as blind as a bat

Someone whose vision is very poor# or who is unable to see anything# is ;as< blind as a bat @&ithout his glasses the old man is as blind as a bat.@

blue around the gills $also green or pale around thegills%

If a person looks blue around the gills # they look unwell orsick. @"ou should sit down. "ou look a bit blue around the gills.@

&eel blue o &eel blue means to have feelings of deep sadness ordepression. @*y old neighbour has been feeling blue since her dog died.@

kick the bucket

o kick the bucket is a light?hearted way of talking about

death. @0e will inherit when his grandfather kicks the bucket.@

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land o& the li%ing his is a humorous way of saying that someone is still alive. @0i thereK It's good to see you're still in the land o& theli%ing K@

be on one(s last legs If you are on "our last legs # you are in a very weakcondition or about to die.

like death *armed up

If you look or feel like death *armed up # you look or feelvery ill or tired. @*y boss told me to go home. 0e said I looked like deathwarmed up.@

li%ing on borro*ed time

his e-pression refers to a period of time after an illness oraccident which could have caused death. @ After heart surgery# some patients say they're living onborrowed time.@

look the picture o& health o look the picture o& health means to look completely ore-tremely healthy.

on the mend

Someone who is on the mend is getting better after anillness. @*y grandmother has not been very well this last while but

she'son the mend now.@

ne* lease o& li&e

A person who has a ne* lease o& li&e has a chance to livelonger or with greater en oyment or satisfaction. @*oving closer to his children has given him a new lease oflife.@

go nuts o say that a person has gone nuts means that they havebecome completely foolish# eccentric or mad.

go under the kni&e

If a person goes under the kni&e # they have surgery. @I'm not worried about the anaesthetic. I've been under theknife

several times.@

o&& colour If you are o&& colour # you look or feel ill. @&hat's the matter with you omM "ou look a bit off colourtoday.@

one(s number is up

o say that one(s number is up means that a person iseither in

serious difficulty and something bad is going tohappen# or the time has come when they will die. @&hen he had a second heart attack# we thought his numberwas upK@

out o& sorts If someone is out o& sorts4 they are upset and irritable andnot feeling well. @ he baby is out of sorts today. /erhaps he's cutting a tooth.@

ha%e pins and needles o have pins and needles is to have a tingling sensation in apart of the body# for e-ample an arm or a leg# when it has beenin the same position for a long time.

in the pink o& health

If you are in the pink o& health # you are in e-cellentphysical

condition or e-tremely healthy. @4aroline looked in the pink of health after her holiday.@

in the prime o& one(s li&e

A time in one's life when a person is the most successful or intheir best physical condition is called the prime o& one(s li&e @At the age of E=# the singer is not e-actly in the prime of hislifeK@

pull through If you pull through # you recover from a serious illness. @*y grandmother got pneumonia but she pulled through.@

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List of Idioms.doc