浙江宁波市镇海区仁爱中学王金素
LearninghowtouseEnglishidiomsmaybeadifficultbutbynomeansimpossibletask.Anidiomisdifferentfromotherliteralexpressionsinthatyoucouldnotguessitsmeaningjustbyunderstandingallthewordsinit.Youmightnotbeabletomakesenseofthefollowingsentenceifyouhaven’tcomeacrosstheidiom‘raincatsanddogs’.However,themeaningofsomeidiomsismoreobvious.Theactof‘takingthebullbythehorns’clearlypointstobraveryanddecisivenessinaction.Idiomsarethesaltofalanguage,sotospeak.Onecanhardlyappreciatethebeautyofalanguagewithoutknowingsomeoftheidiomsinthelanguage.AndIhopethatyouwillenjoyyourstudiesbypickinguptheidiomnowandthen.
Someidiomsareespeciallyinterestinginthattheyrefertodifferentpartsofhumanbody.Hereareafewofthemorecommonones.
AllEars(payingcompleteattention):Tellmeallaboutyourvacation;I’mallears.
BadTasteInOne’sMouth(badfeelingafterabadexperience):Bobwassuchaterriblepersonattheparty.Thepartyleavesmewithabadtasteinmymouth.
BehindOne’sBack(secretly,whenoneisabsent):Whentheteacherlefttheroom,thestudenttalkedaboutherbehindherback.
BigMouth(talkandtelltoomuch):Don’ttellFredanysecretsbecausehehasabigmouth.
BreakOne’sHeart(causetobesad):Itbrokehisheartwhenshemarriedanotherman.
ByEar(withoutdependenceonwrittenmusic):Susannevertookpianolessons.Shecanplaythepianobyear.
ByHeart(frommemory,wordforword):Ilearnedmyidiomsbyheart.
ChipOnOne’sShoulder(wantstofightorargue):Davehasachiponhisshoulder.Ithinkhewantsfight.
ColdFeet(afraid,lossofconfidence):Istudiedveryhard,butIgotcoldfeetbeforethetest.
ColdShoulder(unfriendlytreatment):Thestudentsgavethecoldshouldertothenewboyintheclass.
DragOne’sFeet(delayunnecessary):EveryonehasfinishedtheirhomeworkexceptJim.Helikestodraghisfeet.
FaceValue(apparentworth):Weacceptedthepromisesatfacevalue,buttheyprovedtobeworthless.
Firsthand(directlyfromtheoriginalsource):IheardaboutBecky’sweddingfirsthandfromBeckyherself.
Secondhand(notdirectlyfromtheoriginalsource):JanetoldmeaboutBecky’swedding.Iheardaboutitsecondhand.
FootTheBill(pay):Givemesomemoney.Ican’tfootthebillforthedinner.
GetOnOne’sNerves(irritate;bother;makenervous):Thatnoiseisterrible.Itisgettingonmynerves.
HeadsUp(Lookout!Becareful!):Hey!Headsup!Thereisatruckcoming!
InColdBlood(withintent;afterthinkingandplanning):Thekillershotthemanincoldblood.
InTheFaceOf(whenconfronted/facedwith):Eveninthefaceoflosingtheirhome,thefamilystayedclosetogether.
JumpDownOne’sThroat(yellat;scold):Youdon’tknowmystory,sodon’tjumpdownyourthroat.
KeepAnEyeOn(watch):Willyoukeepaneyeonmychildren?Ihavetogotothestore.
LetOne’sHairDown(relax):Afterclass,let’skickoffourshoes,letourhairdown,andhaveagoodtime.
LookDownOne’sNose(lookatwithcontemptordisdain):Sometimesrichpeoplelookdowntheirnoseatpoorpeople.
Mouthful(statementofgreatimportanceorlength):Whenhemadethatlongspeech,hereallysaidamouthful.
NeckAndNeck(veryclose,especiallyinarace):Thetwohorseswerebothveryfast.Theywereneckandneck.
OnOne’sToes(alertandready):You’vegottobeonyourtoesinclassandreadytoanswerquestions.
OnTheTipOfOne’sTongue(justoutofmemory;abouttobespoken,butcan’tremember):Iknowthisanswer.IknowIdo.Ican’tquiteremember.It’sonthetipofmytongue.
PainInTheNeck(nuisance;annoyance):Healwaysasksformoneyanddoesn’tgiveitback.Healwayswantshelpbutwon’thelpme.He’sapainintheneck.
PayThroughTheNose(payaveryhighprice):Smallexclusivedressshopsusuallymakeyoupaythroughthenose.
PullOne’sLeg(makesomeonebelievesomethingthatisn’ttrue;fool):Shemaybepullingyourleg;shelovestojokewithpeople.
PutOne’sHeadTogether(meetorconsultinordertodiscussordecide):Let’sputourheadstogetherandmakeadecision.
PutOne’sBestFootForward(trytomakeagoodimpression):Whenyoustartyournewjob,besuretoputyourbestfootforward.
RackOne’sBrains(straintothink,straininmentaleffort):IrackedmybrainstothinkofaclevergiftforMom’sbirthday,butIcouldn’tthinkofone.
SeeEyeToEye(agreecompletely):MyhusbandandIseeeyetoeyeinthemattersconcerningthechildren.
Short-handed(withoutenoughhelp):Halfoftheworkersaresick,sotheyareshort-handed.
ShowOfHands(voteorchoosebyraisinghands):Shouldwegototheparkorthebeach?Let’shaveashowofhandstodecide.
SlipOfTheTongue(accidentlytellsomething):Ididn’tmeantotellyoursecret.Itwasaslipofthetongue.
SplitHairs(argueaboutunimportantthings):Thisisnotimportant.Let’snotsplithairsanymore.
StretchOne’slegs(getexerciseaftersitting):Themoviewassolongweneededtostretchourlegshalfwaythroughit.
Two-Faced(deceitful):Don’tlistentoJack.He’stwo-faced;hesaysonethingtomeandanotherthingtoyou.
UpInArms(angry;readytofightorargue):Whenthestudentsgottheirtestsback,theywereupsetandupinarms.
WithOpenArms(warmly;inafriendlyway):Mymotherwassohappytoseemethatshewelcomedmewithopenarms.
WordOfMouth(spokencommunication;notwritten):Ididn’tgetaninvitationtotheparty.Iheardaboutitbywordofmouth.