8. Body Idioms

Question 1

Body Idioms:

a very annoying person, thing or task

All he does is complain all the time. He is a real ____.

Answer 1

a pain in the neck

All he does is complain all the time. He is a real pain in the neck.

Question 2

Body Idioms:

at the bottom of (a hill, mountain, the stairs, a tree, your bed, etc)

He fell asleep at ____ a tree.

Answer 2

at the foot of

He fell asleep at the foot of a tree.

Question 3

Body Idioms:

to be very expensive

Getting this roof fixed will cost us ____.

Answer 3

to cost an arm and a leg

Getting this roof fixed will cost us an arm and a leg.

Question 4

Body Idioms:

to cry a lot

It was a very sad film. I cried ____ all the way through it.

Answer 4

to cry your eyes out

It was a very sad film. I cried my eyes out all the way through it.

Question 5

Body Idioms:

to play against another team

If they win this match, they will have ____ Lazio in the next round.

Answer 5

to face a team

If they win this match, they will have to face Lazio in the next round.

Question 6

Body Idioms:

to fall madly and completely in love
(with sb)

He spotted her across a crowded room and ____ with her.

Answer 6

to fall head over heels In love
(with sb)

He spotted her across a crowded room and fell head over heels in love with her.

Question 7

Body Idioms:

to pay the bill at a restaurant or hotel

(used to emphasise that you thought sb else was going to pay)

Not only did I sit there waiting for him for over an hour but he left me ____!

Answer 7

to foot the bill

Not only did I sit there waiting for him for over an hour but he left me to foot the bill!

Question 8

Body Idioms:

to suddenly feel that you are not brave enough to do sth important

He ____ at the last minute and withdrew from the competition.

Answer 8

to get cold feet

He got cold feet at the last minute and withdrew from the competition.

Question 9

Body Idioms:

to tell sb sth that has been worrying you

He told them the secret to get it ____.

Answer 9

to get sth off your chest

He told them the secret to get it off his chest.

Question 10

Body Idioms:

to annoy sb

My neighbours deliberately play their radio at maximum volume to ____.

Answer 10

to get up sb’s nose

My neighbours deliberately play their radio at maximum volume to get up my nose.

Question 11

Body Idioms:

to help sb do sth

I’m sure Tim will give ____ to move the fridge.

Answer 11

to give sb a hand (with sth)

I’m sure Tim will give you a hand to move the fridge.

Question 12

Body Idioms:

to be happy when sb leaves or when sth is finished

She’s so irritating! I’d be glad to ____.

Answer 12

to be glad to see the back of sb/sth

She’s so irritating! I’d be glad to see the back of her.

Question 13

Body Idioms:

to be obsessed by sth and think about it all the time

He’s got motorbikes ____. It’s all he ever thinks about.

Answer 13

to have sth on the brain

He’s got motorbikes on the brain. It’s all he ever thinks about.

Question 14

Body Idioms:

to have seen sth (in a shop, for example) that you want to buy/have

I’ve had ____ a ring from Munn’s Stores forages.

Answer 14

to have your eye on sth

I’ve had my eye on a ring from Munn’s Stores forages.

Question 15

Body Idioms:

to have/give sb an advantage over a competitor (in business)/other people (in life)

We sent him to a private school to ____ in life.

Answer 15

to have/give sb a head start

We sent him to a private school to give him a head start in life.

Question 16

Body Idioms:

to leave somewhere in order to go home

I think we’d better ____. It’s getting late.

Answer 16

to head home

I think we’d better head home. It’s getting late.

Question 17

Body Idioms:

to know that sth is wrong or different, but be unable to say exactly what it is

I couldn’t ____ what it was, but there was something different about her appearance.

Answer 17

I can’t put my finger on

I couldn’t put my finger on what it was, but there was something different about her appearance.

Question 18

Body Idioms:

I couldn’t stop laughing

He couldn’t ____ during the interview.

Answer 18

I couldn’t keep a straight face

He couldn’t keep a straight face during the interview.

Question 19

Body Idioms:

(informal)
I can’t tell/answer until I have checked first

“What time do we land?”
“I don’t ____. I’ll have to check the tickets.”

Answer 19

I don’t know off-hand

“What time do we land?”
“I don’t know off-hand. I’ll have to check the tickets.”

Question 20

Body Idioms:

I would really like to

I’d give ____ have a fantastic job like his.

Answer 20

I’d give my right arm to

I’d give my right arm to have a fantastic job like his.

Question 21

Body Idioms:

legally, according to the laws of the land

You knowingly drove through a red light and in ____ that is a criminal offence.

Answer 21

in the eyes of the law

You knowingly drove through a red light and in the eyes of the law that is a criminal offence.

Question 22

Body Idioms:

to look after sth/sb

Could you keep ____ my plants while we are away?

Answer 22

to keep an eye on sth/sb

Could you keep an eye on my plants while we are away?

Question 23

Body Idioms:

to know a particular place very well
(not used for people)

I know Venice like ____.

Answer 23

to know somewhere like the back of your hand

I know Venice like the back of my hand.

Question 24

Body Idioms:

to learn not to depend on others
(e.g. one’s parents)

He’s 36, so it’s time he learned to ____.

Answer 24

to learn to stand on one’s own two feet

He’s 36, so it’s time he learned to stand on his own two feet.

Question 25

# Body Idioms: to rapidly make or lose large sums of money ## Footnote We had to close the business because we were losing money ____.

Answer 25

to make/lose money hand over fist ## Footnote We had to close the business because we were _losing money hand over fist_.

Question 26

# Body Idioms: information given immediately without full knowledge of the facts ## Footnote ____, I would say that it will cost about £2,000.

Answer 26

off the top of one's head ## Footnote _Off the top off my head_, I would say that it will cost about £2,000.

Question 27

# Body Idioms: sth (a car, a television, etc) is in very bad condition and will very soon stop working ## Footnote This car is ____. It's time we bought a new one.

Answer 27

sth is on its last legs ## Footnote This car _is on its last legs_. It's time we bought a new one.

Question 28

# Body Idioms: to play a joke on sb and make them believe sth that is not true ## Footnote He wasn't being serious. He was ____.

Answer 28

to pull sb's leg ## Footnote He wasn't being serious. He was _pulling your leg_.

Question 29

# Body Idioms: to become strict and tell sb (generally a child) that they must/can't do sth ## Footnote Well, you'll have to put ____ and tell him he can't do whatever he likes.

Answer 29

to put your foot down ## Footnote Well, you'll have _to put your foot down_ and tell him he can't do whatever he likes.

Question 30

# Body Idioms: to see sb, often for the first time ## Footnote The minute he ____ her, he knew she was the one.

Answer 30

to set eyes on sb ## Footnote The minute he _set eyes on_ her, he knew she was the one.

Question 31

# Body Idioms: to really want sth ## Footnote I'd set ____ that house and I was devastated when it was sold.

Answer 31

to set your heart on sth ## Footnote I'd _set my heart on_ that house and I was devastated when it was sold.

Question 32

# Body Idioms: sb is very close to sth when it happens/is happening and yet they do not notice it ## Footnote The children were copying from each other during the test, ____.

Answer 32

sth happens right under sb's nose ## Footnote The children were copying from each other during the test, _right under_ the teacher's _nose_.

Question 33

# Body Idioms: to interfere in a situation which does not concern you, with the result that you cause other people problems ## Footnote Now she hates you. That's what you get for ____ her affairs.

Answer 33

to stick your nose into other people's business/affairs ## Footnote Now she hates you. That's what you get for _sticking your nose into_ her affairs.

Question 34

# Body Idioms: to be able to give good answers to unexpected questions ## Footnote The ability to ____ is essential if you want to be a politician.

Answer 34

to think on your feet ## Footnote The ability _to think on your feet_ is essential if you want to be a politician.

Question 35

# Body Idioms: in order to (+ noun or -ing form) ## Footnote He married her with ____ getting his hands on her money.

Answer 35

with an eye to ## Footnote He married her _with an eye to_ getting his hands on her money.

Question 36

# Body Idioms: to show by the expression on your face how you really feel ## Footnote She said she wasn't angry, but clearly she was. It was ____.

Answer 36

(it's) written all over your face ## Footnote She said she wasn't angry, but clearly she was. It was _written all over her face_.

Question 37

# Body Idioms: you have to admire and respect sb (for sth they have done) ## Footnote You may not like the way Charles runs his business, but you ____ him, he gets results.

Answer 37

you have to hand it to sb ## Footnote You may not like the way Charles runs his business, but _you have to hand it to him_, he gets results.