My dear friends! I managed to get sick and to lose my voice a few days ago. So, if I can't teach either my students or my band, I decided to teach you some American and British sayings, idioms and proverbs. My idea is the following. First, I will post a few expressions with the examples asking you to explain what they mean. I'd like to say there are so many English idioms that you can't know them all! So, the idea of speaking/listening any foreign language well is to be able to understand the general meaning of the phrase or episode. So, I will answer each reply trying to lead you all to the true meaning of each expression. If no one succeeds, I will tell you what it means, OK? So, let's start with a few expressions and see if you like it or not.
1. to have many irons in the fire.
I prefer not to have many irons in the fire to be rather successful in what I try to do.
2. to beat about/around the bush.
Instead of beating around the bush, he came straight to the point.
How long are you going to beat around the bush? Will you answer my question at last?
3. to take a grip on oneself.
She was very upset but she took a grip on herself.
When she was told her husband had been killed, she felt such despair and grief she couldn't do anything. But she realized she had to arrange his funeral and she took a grip on herself and started taking care of it.
4. to be taken aback.
He said something that made her be taken aback.
She didn't expect him to confess to love and when he did it, she was taken aback and didn't know what to say.
5. A proverb "Deep will call to deep".
It is not strange you like him. Deep always call to deep!
You are looking for the friends who are like you. Well, deep will call to deep!
Train your gray cells! Enjoy this challenge! And I would ask the native speakers not to tell the meanings of the idioms, OK? It is for learners to guess!
Well, guys! As I see some of you like thinking and experiencing, I will add a few more idioms. But I would ask you not to use dictionaries. If you look up the meanings, this discussion will be almost senseless. The idea is to guess, OK?
1. to look up to.
He/she is a person everyone looks up to. (I'd like to say that the meaning may be different).
Some political leadres, scientists, public people and others did so much that we will always look up to them.
2. between the devil and the deep sea.
It seems that all peacemakers are destined to get between the devil and the deep sea.
Being a married man he had a lover and he was always between the devil and the deep sea.
3. to be cut out for.
He seems not to be cut out for this position.
Some people are cut out for being teachers.
4. to have what it takes.
Because my lawyer didn't have what it takes, he lost my case.
I think you have what it takes to work this job.
5. A proverb. Diamond cut diamond.
You might have been wrong persisting in your opinion, but I realize that diamond cut diamond!
They couldn't arrange a settlement with each other for a long time as diamomd cut diamond.
6. As it is the first day of spring, I'd like to ask you the question. What do you think Americans mean saying "Do you have a gun in your pocket or you are just glad to see me?" when they see their smiling soul-mates? It is not an idiom, but try to guess its meaning, OK?
Good luck!
Comments
Dear Arunkumar! I will gladly give you a few more examples. Let's start with the first five expresssions.
1. If you have many irons in the fire, it is almost impossible to do anything well.
2. How long are you going to beat around the bush? Will you answer my question at last?
3. When she was told her husband had been killed, she felt such despair and grief she couldn't do anything. But she realized she had to arrange his funeral and she took a grip on herself and started taking care of it.
4. She didn't expect him to confess to love and when he did it, she was taken aback and didn't know what to say.
5. You are looking for the friends who are like you. Well, deep will call to deep!
Try now, my friend!
Dear Shoba! As I said yesterday, all your answers are correct, but I'd like to specify some details. No 1 means not only admiration, but also high respect (like to the outstanding people of the past or present: presidents, scientists, great public people, etc). It may mean either both or each of them. No 2 means what you said, but its meaning is much deeper. I will not explain, just give you an example which is supposed to make this idiom clear. Imagine that a married man has a mother and his mom and wife are always at war with each other. But he loves them both and takes his lumps from both. He is always guilty whatever he does although he tries to make peace. Now, No 5. It is a proverb. It may mean what you say but it may also mean there are a few (usually two) very strong/powerful parties, countries, people with strong characters who don't want to make concessions to each other or make a compromise. Each side wants to push its point of view.
Have a nice day, dear! Your English is good!
Okay, dear Danny, I'll wait for your comment. :)
Hello Mr.Danny I am very interested to do that but i regretfully inform you i didn't understand .could you please help me ,, give me a example. thank you
Dear Shoba! If I taught English, you would get the highest score! Thank you so much! I would comment, but my wife is about to come back home and I wouldn't like her to have a gun in her pocket (Big smile!). To be serious, she is a perfect shot! Ha-ha! I will comment tomorrow, OK?
Dear Noas! Excuse my kidding at your login, OK?! I usually do it and it is really funny when people chose such nicks. I hope, I am forgiven!
Well, about you comment. About No 5. First time you were much closer to the point. Ha-ha! I do think that the proverbs are the "worst" to understand if there are no analogs in your native language. As to my new task. No 3 and 4 are absolutely right. No 1 is right, too, but it may have different meaning. It may mean not only admiration, but also high respest. No 2 is very near the mark, but I would explain the situation differently. As to 5 and 6, I am sorry, you haven't got the idea. So, look, diamond is one of the hardest materials. It is not so easy to cut it. So, speaking about people, if diamond cut diamond, what can it may mean?
About the last expression. Sure, it is a joke but it means something. Just imagine, you come home and your husband is smilin' without any reason and he hasn't done it before. What will you think? It is a "male's" expression as our women are so independent and, in fact, they are our mistresses. Is it clear now, what we ask about? (BIG SMILE!)
Thank you so much for making my days!
Dear Danny,
Thank you for this interesting activity. Here are my guesses.
1. When we look up to someone we have admiration for them or think of them as a role model.
2. Between the devil and the deep sea - to be caught between two unpleasant things.
3. To be cut out for - to be ideal for something.
4. To have what it takes - to have the qualities that are needed
5. Diamond cut diamond - A hard situation can be solved by a similar approach.
6. Are you angry to see me that you want to shoot me or are you happy to see me?
Well Danny, it seems you're still in the teaching mode :D
You may call me Noas, like most my friends in here.
As for the fifth answer of your first idiom - deep will call to deep - can it means when we know each other? Like Alice knows A is the Mr Right for her. It's more like gut instinct rather than anything else.
Let me try to guess the second portion of the idioms
1. A person that people admire or aspire to be
2. stuck in very hard situation where there's no one wins
3. suitable for the post/designation/position
4. to be fully qualified for the job
5. sometimes it may takes a hard approach in order for your views to be heard
6. I thought the meaning of that saying is something like a joke. Like a leering from a guy to a guy. You know like the other guy family jewel is so happy to see the other person that he awakes. :D :D :D Don't laugh too hard if I got it wrong.
Well, guys! As I see some of you like thinking and experiencing, I will add a few more idioms. But I would ask you not to use dictionaries. If you look up the meanings, this discussion will be almost senseless. The idea is to guess, OK?
1. to look up to.
He/she is a person everyone looks up to. (I'd like to say that the meaning may be different).
2. between the devil and the deep sea.
It seems that all peacemakers are destined to get between the devil and the deep sea.
3. to be cut out for.
He seems not to be cut out for this position.
4. to have what it takes.
Because my lawyer didn't have what it takes, he lost my case.
5. A proverb. Diamond cut diamond.
You might have been been wrong persisting in your opinion, but I realize that diamond cut diamond!
6. As it is the first day of spring, I'd like to ask you the question. What do you think Americans mean saying "Do you have a gun in your pocket or you are just glad to see me?" when they see their smiling soul-mates? It is not an idiom, but try to guess its meaning, OK?
Good luck!
My dear ladies! Let me congratulate you on the first spring day! May you always be as wonderful and tender as these early flowers and as smart and thoughtful as you are! Thank you all and each of you for being my friends!
-
1
-
2
-
3
-
4
of 4 Next