Idioms(英文常用習(xí)語)

FinalExamReviewIDIOMSEnglishMajors“thecoastisclear”thereisnovisibledangerExample:Bob: Hastheteacherturnedherbacksowecansneakpasther?Jane:Yes,thecoastisclear.Gonow!“paintthetownred”togooutintheeveningandhaveagoodtimeExample:Emily:IamsogladitisFriday!Andrew:Metoo!Let’spaintthetownred!“tickledpink”Example1:TonywastickledpinkwhenhereceivedaValentinefromhissecretadmirer.Example2:Theteacherwastickledpinkbecauseallthestudentscompletedthehomeworkassignment.extremelyhappy“tietheknot”Example1:Afterdatingforfiveyears,DanandJennyfinallytiedtheknotlastyear.Example2:So,whenareyoutwogoingtotietheknot?togetmarried“thegoodolddays”usedwhenreferringtofondmemoriesfromthepastExample1:Peter:Doyourememberwhenweusedtogofishinginthesea?Paul:Ahhyes,theywere

thegoodolddays.Example2:

Backin

thegoodolddays

youcouldbuyabowlofriceforjustyimao.“theinthing”usedwhenreferringtothecurrentfashionorfadExample2:

Everyoneisplayingjianzi.

Rightnowit’s

theinthing.Example1:

AbouttwentyyearsagoIhadarubik’scube.

Backthenitwasthe

inthing.“whenpigsfly”nochanceatallofsomethinghappeningExample1:

Edward:DoyouthinkEstellawillgooutwithme?

William:Yeah,whenpigsfly!Example2:

Christina:OnedayI’mgoingtobethePresidentofNeusoft.

Kevin: Really?Whenpigsfly!“never/notinmywildestdreams”somethinghashappenedthatyouneverwouldhavebelievedwouldhappenExample1:

NotinmywildestdreamscouldIhaveimaginedthatChinawouldwintheworldcup!Example2:

Reporter:

Didyoueverthinkyouwouldbecomea

famousmoviestar?

Nancy:

No,neverinmywildestdreams.“dressedtokill”/“dressedtothenines”Example#1:Thestudentsbeinginterviewedwereyoung,energetic,anddressedtokill.

Example#2:DidyouseeSaraatthepartylastnight?

Shewasdressedtothenines!

Iwonderifshehasaboyfriend…wearingclothesthatareintendedtomakepeoplenoticeyou,finelyattired“outofthewoods”Example#1:Jessica’srecentcancerscreeningwasnegative,sothedoctorthinksshemaybeoutofthewoods.Example#2:Johnhastriedhardtostophisbusinessfromfailing,buthe'snotoutofthewoodsyet.toemergesafelyfromadangeroussituation“bloodisthickerthanwater”Example1:

BenandDanieldecidedtoputtheirdifferencesbehindthemaftertheirfatherremindedthemthatbloodisthickerthanwater.Example2:

Whydothosebrothersalwaysfight?Don'ttheyknowthatbloodisthickerthanwater?familyrelationshipsaremoreimportantthanotherrelationships“clearasmud”unclear;youdonotunderstandExample:“IenjoylearningEnglish,butsometimesit’saboutasclearasmud.”“wingit”todosomethingwithouthavingpreparedaheadoftime;toimproviseExample:“Theteachercalledonmetospeak,butI’mnotready!IguessI’llhaveto

wingit.”IwishIhaddonemyhomework!“dryspell”aperiodoftimewithoutsuccessExample1:

Ifwedon’tgetoutofthisdryspell,we’regoingtohavetocloseupshop.Example2:

Iinvestedallofmymoneyinthatcompany,andtheirdryspellleftmebroke.“overmydeadbody”Example:Sally:CanIcopyyourhomework?Tiffany:Overmydeadbody!Iwillneverallowthattohappen/allowyoutodothatExample:Father:Ifyouwanttobreakupwithmydaughteritwillbeovermydeadbody.“thirdwheel”Example1:Idon’twanttogoshoppingwithJefferyandRubybecauseIwillfeellikethethirdwheel.Example2:Youtwogoonaheadwithoutme.Idon'twanttobethethirdwheel.apersonwhofeelsliketheoutsiderinagroupofthree“wearyourheartonyoursleeve”toexpressyouremotionsfreelyandopenly,foralltoseeExample:"Somepeoplelovehimandsomepeoplehatehim,butmybrotheralwaysletsyouknowhowhefeels.Hewearshisheartonhissleeve."Example:"She'sashyperson.She'sneverbeenonetowearherheartonhersleeve."

“onthelam”toberunningawayfromorhidingfromthepoliceaftercommittingacrimeThey’llneverfindmehere!!Example:AfterbeatingamantodeathinCanada,Meganwasonthelamfromthelaw.ShedecidedtohideoutinChina.“myhandsaretied”Example1:Sorry,butmyhandsaretiedasMumsaidthatIcan'tgotoplayfootballwithyouasImusthelpherwiththehouseworkExample2:Iwouldliketostayandhelpyouwithyourhomework,howevermyhandsaretied.

Imustleaveforclassimmediatelyotherwise

Iwillbelate.unabletoactonasituation“outoftheblue”Example1:

Thedolphinsappearedoutoftheblue.Example2:

Thefightbetweenthebestfriendscamecompletelyoutoftheblue.somethingunexpectedorunforeseen,suddenlyExample1:

Tiffany: IwanttogoonholidaybutIamsobusy.

Leslie:

Weareallinthesameboat.

Butifweworkhardnowwecango.Example2:

Lisa:

Therearesomanyidiomsto rememberfortheexam!

Ican’trememberthemall.

Sarah:

We’reallinthesameboat,

perhapsweshouldstudy themtogether.“AllintheSameBoat”Tobeinthesamesituationasothers.

Tosharethesameproblemsasothers.“WheninRome(doastheRomansdo)”Whenyouarevisitinganewpl