Common Idioms and Expressions

r."
plastic: credit card(s).
"Oh, no! I forgot to get any cash! I hope this restaurant accepts plastic!"
pooped: very tired; exhausted.
"I went to bed really early last night. I was pooped!"
pop quiz: unannounced short test.
"You shouldn't have missed class yesterday. We had a pop quiz."
pretty (adv.): rather; somewhat.
"That car's pretty expensive. Are you sure you can afford it?"
pull an all-nighter: study or work all night without getting any sleep.
A: "You look really tired."
B: "I am. I pulled an all-nighter to get ready for the meeting this morning."
pull someone's leg: tease someone by trying to make her/him believe something
that's exaggerated or untrue.
A: "Wow! Carl has done some really amazing things!"
B: "Don't believe everything he tells you. He was probably pulling your leg."
quite a few: several; numerous.
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"I don't think I can meet you after work. I have quite a few errands that I have to do."
a quick study: someone who learns new things quickly and easily.
A: "Annie seems to be doing well at her new job."
B: "I'm not surprised. She's a quick study."
R and R: rest and relaxation (a vacation).
"I think you're working too hard, Dave. You need some R and R."
rain or shine: (describing something scheduled) no matter what the weather is.
"We're leaving tomorrow, rain or shine."
rain cats and dogs: rain very hard.
"You can't leave just now! It's raining cats and dogs
and you don't have an umbrella or raincoat!"
read someone's mind: know what someone is thinking.
A: "I'll be you're thinking of what you're going to have for dinner."
B: "Hey, did you read my mind?"
A: "No. I just know that you're always hungry and lunch was several hours ago!"
rub someone the wrong way: irritate someone; bother or annoy someone.
"All my little brother says is 'Why?' Usually I'm patient with him,
but sometimes all his questions rub me the wrong way."
run-down: (1) not well; weak; fatigued.
"Are you eating regularly and getting enough sleep? You look run-down."
run-down: (2) in poor condition; needing repair.
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"This must be a poor neighborhood. All the buildings look really run-down."
__ -savvy: knowledgeable about ___ .
"If you're having problems with your hard disk, talk to Jim.
He's very computer-savvy. "
schmooze: make relaxed, casual conversation.
"No, we weren't talking about anything important.
We were just schmoozing."
shoot the breeze: make relaxed, casual conversation.
"No, we weren't talking about anything important.
We were just shooting the breeze."
sleep on it: take at least a day to think about something before making a decision.
"The job that you're offering me sounds really good, but I'd like
to sleep on it before giving you my final decision."
a snap: something that's very easy to do.
A: "Is your job difficult?"
B: "No, actually it's a snap. In fact, it's so easy that it's a little bit boring."
Someone's made his/her own bed; now let him/her lie in it.: Someone has caused
his/her own problems; he/she will have to solve them himself/herself.
A: Jim upset everyone when he got angry at the meeting. Can we do anything
to make the situation better?
B: No. He's made his own bed; now let him lie in it."
sooner or later: eventually.
"You've been working too hard for too long. If you don't relax a little,
sooner or later you're going to get sick."
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Copyright © 2002 by MO Media. You have been licensed one copy of this document for personal use only. Any
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sort of: rather; somewhat.
"I think I'll lie down. I feel sort of dizzy."
so-so: fair; not particularly good.
A: "How're you doing?"
B: "So-so. I've been better, but I've also been worse."
state of the art: using the latest technology.
"The company is very proud of the equipment in its
computer room. It's state of the art."
Step on it!: Hurry up!
"Step on it! The taxi will be here at any time and you're not even dressed!"
take it easy: relax.
"I don't have any special vacation plans. I'm just going to take it easy."
tell a white lie: say something that isn't true in order not to hurt or offend someone.
"The cake that Susan made tasted terrible, but I knew that she
made it because she wanted to please me, so when she asked
if I liked it, I told a white lie and said it was good."
toss something: throw something away; put something in the trash.
"These shoes are worn out. I guess I'll have to toss them."
tough: difficult.
"Question number three is a tough one.Do you know the answer?"
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There, there.: expression of comfort.
"There, there. Everything's going to be OK."
tight-fisted: very frugal; unwilling to spend money unnecessarily.
A: Do you think Charlie will donate any money to the activities fund?
B: No way! He's too tight-fisted!
a tightwad: someone who is very frugal and unwilling to spend money unnecessarily.
A: Will Charlie donate any money to the activities fund?
B: Absolutely not! He's a real tightwad!"
tricky: easily confused or misunderstood.
"This problem is tricky. I don't really understand it."
two-faced: deceitful; disolyal; someone who pretends to be a friend but isn't.
"I thought he was my friend, but he's two-faced. He says nice things
to me when we're together, but makes jokes about me when we aren't.
under the weather: ill; sick; unwell.
"Ted was feeling under the weather yesterday, so he decided not to go to work."
until hell freezes over: forever.
"Chris can practice the piano until hell freezes over, but he'll never play
well because he's tone-deaf."
Note: This expression is used to describe something that will not
change, no matter how long or how often it's done.
until you're blue in the face: forever.
"You can talk until you're blue in the face, but I won't change my mind."
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Copyright © 2002 by MO Media. You have been licensed one copy of this document for personal use only. Any
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Note: This expression is used in the same way as "until hell freezes over."
update: make current; add information to show what has happened recently.
"I need to update my résumé. It doesn't show what I've done during the last year."
upside down: with the bottom part on top and the top part on bottom.
"Put the glasses upside down in the dishwasher. If you don't do that,
they'll fill with water and you'll have to dry them by hand."
used to (+ V): an action that was true in the past but is not true now.
"Jane used to live in Austin, Texas. She lives in San Francisco now."
Was my face red!: I was very embarrassed.
"When I got to the meeting I noticed that I was wearing one black sock
and one brown one. Was my face red!"
wear out one's welcome: make someone uncomfortable by visiting too long.
A: "Can't you stay two or three more days?"
B: "No. I don't want to wear out my welcome."
wet behind the ears: inexperienced and naive.
"Don't include Fred as part of the bargaining team.He's just started
working here and is still too wet behind the ears."
What for?: Why?
A: "Come here for a minute. I need you."
B: "What for?"
Note: "What" and "for" can be separated--with "for" at the end of the question:
B: "What do you need me for?"
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What's up?: What's new? What's happening?
"Hi, Dave. What's up?"
a white lie: a lie that is told to avoid offending someone or hurting his / her feelings.
"The cake that Susan made tasted terrible, but I knew that
she made it because she wanted to please me, so when she
asked if I liked it, I told a white lie and said it was good."
wishy-washy: uncommitted; without an opinion of one's own.
"Don't be so wishy-washy. Tell us how you really feel."
with bells on: very eagerly; with the feeling that one will have a very good time.
A: "Are you going to Sandra's party?"
B: "I'll be there with bells on!"
would ('d) just as soon: would ('d) rather; prefer.
"I know we have a lot of work to do, but I'm tired. I'd just as soon leave
and finish tomorrow. Is that OK with you?"
a yes-man: someone who tries to get approval by agreeing with everyone.
A: "Why does the boss think Arnold is so intelligent?"
B: "Because Arnold is a yes-man. He agrees with everything the boss says!"
You don't say!: Really? / Is that really true?
A: "Have you heard the news? Jessica got married!"
B: "You don't say!"
You've got to be kidding!: You can't be serious! (What you said can't be true.
What you said is very surprising/hard to believe.) "
A: "Did you know that Bob quit his job?"
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B: "You've got to be kidding!"
yucky: terrible; distasteful; very unpleasant.
"Don't eat the soup at the cafeteria. It's yucky!"
yummy: delicious.
"Have you tried the cookies that Jonathan baked? They're yummy!"
zilch: nothing.
A: "How much money do you have?"
B: "Zilch. I'm broke until payday."
Zip your lip!: keep something secret; promise not to tell what has just been said.
"What I told you is really important, so zip your lip!"
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