Idioms - Daily lesson openers

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 3-6

These slides are designed to be used individually as lesson openers for classes taking the CAE exams and not as a whole lesson.

What are idioms?

Idioms and meaning

Idioms are expressions which have a meaning that is not obvious from the individual words - For example the idiom drive someone round the bend means make someone angry or frustrated, but we cannot know this from just looking at the words. 

The best way to understand an idiom is to see it in context. If someone says: That noise is driving me round the bend!, It's so annoying! Then the context and common sense tells us that drive round the bend means something different from driving a car round a curve in the road. The context tells us the noise is really annoying and is having an effect on the person hearing it. 

1. Happiness 

Extreme Happiness

There are many informal idioms which mean extremely happy

I'm on cloud nine

I'm over the moon

I'm in seventh heaven

I'm thrilled to bits.

I am/feel on top of the world

1.1  happiness idioms?

Idiom: 

Get a (real) kick out of something 

Meaning

Very much enjoy doing something (informal)

Example:

I get a real kick out of going for a run first thing in the morning before anyone else is up

1.2 Other happiness idioms?

Idiom: 

Do something for kicks 

Meaning

Do something because it is exciting, usually something dangerous (informal)

Example:

Kate is keen to have a go at bungy jumping - just for kicks

1.3 Other happiness idioms?

Idiom: 

Jump for joy

Meaning

Be very happy and excited about something that has happened

Example:

Rowena jumped for joy when she heard she had won first prize

1.4 Other happiness idioms?

Idiom: 

be floating/walking on air

Meaning

Be very happy about something good that has happened

Example:

I've been walking in air ever since Chris and I started going out together. 

1.5 Other happiness idioms?

Idiom: 

something makes your day

Meaning

Something makes you feel very happy

Example:

It's great to hear from you. It has really made my day.  

2. sadness 

Sadness

There are many informal idioms which mean sad or unhappy

a misery guts

Meaning: Someone who complains all the time and is never happy

Just grin and bear it

Meaning: accept a situation you don't like because you can't change it.

down in the dumps

Meaning: unhappy (informal)

It's not the end of the world

Meaning: What has happend won't cause any serious problems

out of sorts

meaning: Slightly unhappy or slightly ill

2.1 Other sadness idioms?

Idiom: 

sour grapes

Meaning

Being jealous about something you can't have

Example:

Pat is also suffering from sour grapes because I got the role in the school play she wanted. 

2.2 Other sadness idioms?

Idiom: 

sour grapes

Meaning

Being jealous about something you can't have

Example:

Pat is also suffering from sour grapes because I got the role in the school play she wanted. 

2.3 Other sadness idioms?

Idiom: 

puts a damper on 

Meaning

stop an occasion from being enjoyable (sometimes dampner is used instead of damper)

Example:

Pat's unreasonable behaviour puts a damper on every meal, so I am really looking forward to staying with you at the weekend. 

Which idioms do these pictures make you think of? 

3. Anger 

Being angry

These informal idioms can be used either about yourself or about a third person.

I'm at my wits end trying to keep things in order (wits = intelligence, brains)

I'm fed up (to the back teeth) with trying to live on such a small wage.

I've had it up to hear with this organisation!

3. Anger 

Being angry

These informal idioms are generally used about other people. 

I'm at my wits end trying to keep things in order (wits = intelligence, brains)

Your boss will have /throw a fit when he finds out the you forgot to reply to those emails. 

(You can also say go off the deep end / go spare / do his nut / blow a fuse)

3. Anger 

Being angry

These  less informal idioms describe other people's anger and are based on the word blood.

If you are after someone's blood, you want to catch them in order to hurt or punish them. 

If  someone's blood is up, they are very angry and may react in a violent way.

If you are out for blood, you are determined to find someone to attack or blame for something bad that has happened. 

3.1 Angry relationships

Idiom: 

drive someone up the wall

Meaning

Make someone very angry (or sometimes very bored)

Example:

The neighbour's loud music is driving me up the wall.

3.2 Angry relationships

Idiom: 

drive/send someone round the bend/twist

Meaning

Make someone very angry (or sometimes very bored)

Example:

His lack of consideration is driving me round the twist.

3.3 Angry relationships

Idiom: 

rub someone up the wrong way

Meaning

Make someone annoyed

Example:

Jill always manages to say something to rub her sister up the wrong way.

3.4 Angry relationships

Idiom: 

get/put someone's back up

Meaning

Make someone annoyed

Example:

Roger put his brother's back up by saying he would never be a good driver. 

3.5 Angry relationships

Idiom: 

ruffle someone's feathers

Meaning

Make someone annoyed

Example:

Jo says what she thinks, without worrying about whether she might ruffle anyone's feathers. 

3.6 Angry relationships

Idiom: 

not be on speaking terms

Meaning

Be so angry with each other that they refuse to speak to each other.

Example:

They haven't been on speaking terms for years, although neither can remember what they first quarrelled about. 

3.7 Angry relationships

Idiom: 

put/send the cat among the pigeons

Meaning

Do or say something that makes a lot of people angry or worried.

Example:

Danny put the cat among the pigeons by suggesting that the company may have to make some redundancies.

3.8 Angry relationships

Idiom: 

to give someone an earful

Meaning

Tell someone how angry you are with them (informal)

Example:

The old lady gave the children an earful for nearly knocking her over. 

3.9 Angry relationships

Idiom: 

to give someone a piece of your mind

Meaning

Tell someone how angry you are with them 

Example:

He'll give the boys a piece of his mind if he catches them in his garden. 

Now you try

Complete each of these idioms.

1. Ethan has had it up to .................. with his work.
2. It's horrible living with two people who are not on speaking ........
3. It'll really put the ......... among the pigeons if you bring that up at the meeting.
4. My sister ............. spare when she found out I'd burnt her new top.
5. Joel is ........... your blood now he knows it was you who told the police.
6. The demonstrators are furious and ........for blood.

Source:

Adapted for LessonUp by Susan Corrigan from 

ENGLISH IDIOMS IN USE.

Cambridge University Press