British Idioms.-2 Flashcards
Get (someone’s) act together
To organize yourself and improve your behavior.
Ex: You need to get your act together if you want to pass this class.
Alternative: “Put yourself together.” Port: recomponha-se. Ex: I was so angry about my boss, but I put myself together and managed to finish the meeting.
Argue the toss
To refuse to accept a decision and argue about it. Or to argue/disagree about something that is not important, that cannot be changed.
Ex: It doesn’t matter what you say, he’ll always argue the toss!
Ex: Arguing the toss over whether Sydney or Melbourne is a better place to live is an Australian pastime.
At a loose end
When you have spare time but don’t know what to do with it.
Ex: If you find yourself at a loose end, you could always clean the house.
Not by a long chalk
Not in any way
Ex: It wasn’t as good as his first book - not by a long chalk.
Canary in a coalmine / mine
Something that gives an early warning of danger or failure, in the way that, in the past, a canary taken into a mine would die if the air was not safe to breathe, warning the people working there.
Ex: The Arctic has been called the canary in a coalmine when it comes to global warming.
Ex: The canary in the mine is the airport. As long as its usage is down, hotel usage and the local economy will be down.
Carry/Take coals to Newcastle
Taking, bringing, or carrying coals to Newcastle is doing something that is completely unnecessary.
Ex: Exporting pine to Scandinavia seems like carrying coals to Newcastle.
Damp squib
If something is expected to have a great effect or impact but doesn’t, it is a damp squib.
Ex: After all that media attention, the whole event turned out to be a bit of a damp squib, with very few people attending.
Do a runner
To leave a place in order to avoid a difficult or unpleasant situation or to avoid paying for something.
Ex: They were arrested after doing a runner from an expensive restaurant.
Ex: Her dad did a runner soon after she was born.
Flog a dead horse
To waste effort on something when there is no chance of succeeding.
Ex: He keeps trying to get it published but I think he’s flogging a dead horse.
Get it in the neck
To be punished or severely criticized for something that you have done.
Ex: Poor old Bob got it in the neck for being late.
On the nod
If a suggestion is approved on the nod, it is accepted without discussion.
Ex: The new proposal went through on the nod.
Laugh up (someone’s) sleeve
To secretly find something funny.
Ex: The mayor’s critics were laughing up their sleeves when news of the scandal was first reported.
Leave the field open/clear
To stop competing with someone, making it possible for them to succeed.
Ex: Alice decided not to apply for the job, which left the field open/clear for Emma.
Money for old rope / Money for jam
Money you get for doing something very easy.
Ex: Babysitting is money for old rope if the children don’t wake up.
On the blink
If a machine goes on the blink, it stops working properly.
Ex: the TV is on the blink.
Quart into a pint pot
A large amount of something that will not fit into a small container or space.
Ex: In putting together the article, I was faced with the problem of fitting a quart into a pint pot, there being so much material available.
Ex: Writing a history of the world in a single volume is like putting a quart into a pint pot.
Shifting/Rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic
Used for saying that someone is wasting time dealing with things that are not important, and is ignoring a much more serious problem.
Ex: John is behind the schedule. He tends to shift/rearrange the deckchairs on the Titanic on every project.
Take the biscuit
To be especially annoying, surprising, etc. (especially in a bad way)
Ex: My life is incredibly boring, but today took the biscuit: absolutely nothing happened.
Bob is your uncle
Means: “and there it is”, or “and there you have it”, or “it’s done”.
It’s used to indicate that something is easy or straightforward.
Ex: Just complete the form, pay the fee, and Bob’s your uncle!
Make a mountain out of a molehill
To make a slight difficulty seem like a serious problem.
Ex: You’re making a mountain out of a molehill. You wrote one bad essay - it doesn’t mean you’re going to fail.
Swings and roundabouts
Said to mean that the positive and negative results of a situation or action balance each other.
Ex:
A: “The route through town would be shorter, but there’ll be more traffic.”
B: “Well, it’s just swings and roundabouts.”
Right pickle
To be in a difficult situation.
Ex: I was in a right pickle last week with my boss.
Bit of a lark
Means something is fun, but may also be a little bit dangerous.
Ex: That walk in the woods was a bit of a lark.
Over the top
Too extreme and not suitable, or demanding too much attention or effort, especially in an uncontrolled way.
Ex: I thought the decorations were way (= very) over the top.
Keep up with the Joneses
To always want to own the same expensive objects and do the same things as your friends or neighbours, because you are worried about seeming less important socially than they are.
Ex: My sister is always trying to Keep up with the Joneses. It’s so annoying!
Be on cloud nine
To be extremely happy and excited.
Ex:
A: “Was Helen pleased about getting that job?”
B: “Pleased? She was on cloud nine!”
Full of beans
To have a lot of energy and enthusiasm.
Ex: I’ve never known anyone to be so full of beans before breakfast than you.
