365 American English Idioms by Michael DiGiacomo, MBA. Paperback Edition. Published in New York, USA January To Gloria thanks for editing

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2 365 American English Idioms by Michael DiGiacomo, MBA Paperback Edition Published in New York, USA January 2014 To Gloria thanks for editing PLEASE DO NOT MAKE ILLEGAL COPIES OF THIS BOOK COPYRIGHT 2013 MICHAEL DIGIACOMO ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form is prohibited. You may not, except with my express written permission, distribute or commercially exploit the content. Nor may you transmit it or store it on any other website or other form of electronic retrieval system. ISBN:

3 A Message From Michael Thank you for purchasing 365 American English Idioms. My name is Michael DiGiacomo, and I am a native New Yorker. I have been helping language students learn English since the early 1990 s. I began my formal language-teaching career in Sendai, Japan in Since then, I have worked in the ESL field as an instructor, a teacher trainer, an academic director, and a language school director. In 2004, I earned an MBA in Global Management. Now, I am the owner of Happy English, an English tutoring company in New York City. I teach students from all over the world here in New York, and online in their country. I believe that language study should be both enjoyable and practical. In 2010 I started a website to provide a variety of English lessons to students all over the world. I set out to create lessons that were practical, easy to understand, and useful for self-study. Many of my students have given me ideas and suggestions for lessons and this book grew out of some of those ideas. You can find my website at Idioms are commonly used in everyday, conversational English. Using idioms in your conversation will make your English more colorful and interesting. I encourage you to study the lessons in this book, and begin using these idioms in your conversations today! You will sound more natural when you do so. Please note that this book use American English idioms and American English spelling. As always, thanks for studying with me. 2

4 Table of Contents A Message From Michael... 2 Table of Contents... 3 Key Points About Idioms : a cup of joe : a dime a dozen : a pain in the neck : a piece of cake : a pipe dream : a screw up : absent- minded : add fuel to the fire : all heart : all over the map : all set : all thumbs : an arm and a leg : as quiet as a mouse : as sick as a dog : at the drop of a hat : back to square one : bark is worse than one's bite : bed head : bed of roses : bend over backwards : bent out of shape

5 23: big enough to swing a cat : bite one's tongue : bite the bullet : blow a fuse : blow one's top : break someone's heart : break the bank : break the news : break up with : breeze through : bring home the bacon : button one s lip : call the shots : calm someone down : cat got [someone's] tongue : catch some rays : catch Z's : caught red handed : change of heart : chase rainbows : chew the fat : chicken out : cold turkey : collect dust : come a long way : come clean : come down with a cold

6 50: come in handy : come like clockwork : crack open a cold one : crack someone up : dead from the neck up : dead in the water : dead quiet : dead- end job : dirt cheap : dish the dirt : do away with : the dog days of summer : dog eat dog world : dog tired : done to a turn : down to earth : down to the wire : drag one s feet : draw a blank : dressed to kill : drink like a fish : drive someone up a wall : ducks in a row : everything but the kitchen sink : face the music : fender bender : fight an uphill battle

7 77: fish or cut bait : fish out of water : fit as a fiddle : fit for a king : fit to be tied : flash in the pan : fly by the seat of one's pants : foot the bill : from the bottom of one s heart : from the get- go : full of hot air : get a second wind : get along with : get back to someone : get down to the nitty- gritty : get down to the nuts and bolts : get hitched : get off on the wrong foot : get on one's nerves : get one's feet wet : get out of hand : get pulled over : get something : get something for peanuts : get the boot : get the pink slip : get with it

8 104: gift of gab : give someone a hand : goes around in circles : go belly up : go bonkers : go down the tubes : go for broke : go out of one's way : go south : go through the roof : go to the dogs : go- to guy : goof off : goof up : graveyard shift : grease monkey : greased lightning : green around the gills : green thumb : guinea pig : half- baked : hang it up : hard sell : have a ball : have a crush on : have a ghost of a chance : have a memory like a sieve

9 131: have a screw loose : have a thing for : have an iron stomach : have no spine : have the time of one's life : have the upper hand : have time to kill : have two left feet : head over heels : heart of gold : high and dry : hit a nerve : hit it off : hit or bust : hit the books : hit the ceiling : hit the ground running : hit the mark : hit the sack : home stretch : hook, line and sinker : hop, skip and a jump : hopping mad : hot under the collar : in a jam : in a New York minute : in in full swing

10 158: in good shape : in hot water : in my book : in over one's head : in stitches : in the bag : in the boondocks : in the long run : in the middle of nowhere : in the pipeline : jump through hoops : just around the corner : kick back : kill time : know something like the back of one's hand : know the ropes : know zip : labor of love : leave someone in the dark : let the cat out of the bag : like there is no tomorrow : like two peas in a pod : lock horns : look on the bright side : lose one's temper : lose the plot : love at first sight

11 185: love handles : luck out : lucky break : made for each other : make a big stink : make a killing : make a mint : make a pit stop : make eyes at someone : make good time : make one's blood boil : make one's hair stand on end : make one's skin crawl : make out like a bandit : make racket : make waves : man's best friend : meat and potatoes : mickey mouse job : mind one's business : mint condition : money to burn : next to nothing : night owl : not all there : not my cup of tea : not playing with a full deck

12 212: now and then : null and void : number cruncher : off the beaten track : off the mark : off the top of one's head : on a roll : on cloud nine : on good terms : on hold : on pins and needles : on the ball : on the dot : on the fly : on the house : on the level : on the rocks : on the spur of the moment : on the wagon : on the warpath : on the wrong side of the bed : on top of the world : once in a blue moon : one off : open a can of worms : open twenty- four- seven : out like a light

13 239: out of the blue : out of the loop : out of the question : out of this world : out to lunch : over and over : over the top : paint the town red : party animal : pass the buck : pay a pretty penny : pay through the nose : penny pincher : pick up the tab : pie in the sky : pig out : pitch dark : plan B : play a mean guitar : play hardball : play hooky : play something by ear : play with fire : pop the question : pressed for time : prince charming : pull a fast one

14 266: put a sock in it : put one's foot in one's mouth : put our heads together : rack one's brain : rake someone over the coals : red tape : right up one's alley : rinky- dink : roll out the red carpet : rolling in it : rub someone the wrong way : run circles around : run into someone : run of the mill : run one's mouth off : run out of steam : run the show : safe and sound : scare the pants off someone : see eye to eye : seen better days : set in stone : set of wheels : set someone back : seventh heaven : shake a leg : sharp as a tack

15 293: shoestring budget : shoot hoops : shoot oneself in the foot : sick and tired : skate on thin ice : slap on the wrist : sleep in : sleep like a log : slim chance : slip of the tongue : smart cookie : smoke like a chimney : smooth sailing : snake in the grass : snow job : snowed in : spend money like water : spitting image : spread like wildfire : square meal : squeaky clean : state of the art : stay up until all hours of the night : steal one's heart : steamed up : step on it : sticking points

16 320: stone's throw away : stuffed to the gills : sweat bullets : take a dip : take a hike : take after : take one's breath away : take one's eye off the ball : take someone for a ride : take the floor : take the plunge : talk of the town : talk shop : tall story : tear one's hair out : test the waters : the boys in blue : the ins and outs : the munchies : the red carpet treatment : thick skinned : think outside the box : three sheets to the wind : thrilled to death : tickled pink : tie the knot : tighten one's belt

17 347: time and time again : too big for one's boots : top dog : top- notch : travel light : true blue : turn a place upside down : under fire : under the weather : under the wire : until the end of time : up in the air : up the creek : veg out : walk in the park : watering hole : wet behind the ears : work against the clock : work like a dog : worth one's salt : zip it : zonk out

18 Key Points About Idioms An idiom is a group of words that go together as a set phrase. It is usually not possible to guess the meaning of the phrase because the meaning of the phrase itself is generally quite different from the meaning of the words used in the phrase. For example, let s look at the idiom a pain in the neck. Looking at the words literally, the phrase a pain in the neck seems to mean a kind of medical problem. Let s see this idiom in use: Renewing my driver s license was a pain in the neck. I had to take time from work, because the office is not open on the weekend. Then, I needed to wait for almost three hours there! Can you guess the meaning of a pain in the neck from this example? It is not a medical problem A pain in the neck means bothersome or inconvenient. In this book, I am going to teach you 365 idioms. That s an idiom a day. I suggest you study and memorize one idiom every day. The best way to memorize the idioms here, or to memorize any vocabulary, is use that idiom in a sentence that is true in your life. So for example, if renewing a driver s license is a pain in the neck where you live, just memorize the sentence I wrote above. Otherwise, try to think of another situation (or person) that is bothersome or inconvenient for you and create your own sentence. Good luck, and thanks for studying with me! 17

19 1: a cup of joe How to use it: You can buy, drink, make, etc. a cup of joe. Explanation: Joe is a slang word for coffee and so a cup of joe means a cup of coffee. Example: I like to start my day with a cup of joe. 2: a dime a dozen How to use it: [something] is a dime a dozen Explanation: A dozen means twelve, and a dime is a ten-cent coin, so a dime a dozen literally means twelve costs ten cents. So if something costs a dime a dozen, it is inexpensive or easy to find. Example: Hot dog carts are a dime a dozen on the streets of NYC. 18

20 3: a pain in the neck How to use it: [something] or [someone] is a pain in the neck Explanation: Something that is a pain in the neck is troublesome and inconvenient. Example: Tom is a pain in the neck. He borrows my tools but never returns them on time. 4: a piece of cake How to use it: [something] is a piece of cake Explanation: Something that is a piece of cake is easy to do. Example: Using computers is a piece of cake for me. 19

21 5: a pipe dream How to use it: [something] is a pipe dream Explanation: A pipe dream is something unrealistic that you wish for or wish to do. Example: I know sailing a yacht in the South Pacific is a pipe dream, but someday I hope to do it! 6: a screw up How to use it: [someone] is a screw up Explanation: A screw up is a person who often makes careless mistakes, generally because they are not paying attention to what they are doing or because they are incompetent. Example: I hear Tom was fired because he is a screw up. 20

22 7: absent-minded How to use it: [someone] is absent-minded Explanation: Someone who is absent-minded easily forgets things. Example: Jack forgot his wife s birthday. He s so absentminded. 8: add fuel to the fire How to use it: [something] or [someone] adds fuel to the fire Explanation: Someone who adds fuel to the fire makes a bad situtaion much worse. Example: Bob added fuel to the fire by yelling at his boss. 21

23 9: all heart How to use it: [someone] is all heart Explanation: Someone who is all heart is a very kind person. Example: Ted is all heart, so everyone likes him. 10: all over the map How to use it: [something] or [someone] is all over the map Explanation: Something or someone that is all over the map is very disorganized. Example: The CEO s speech was all over the map. 22

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An Idiom a Day Will Help Keep the Boredom In Schooling Away #1. What are idioms?

An Idiom a Day Will Help Keep the Boredom In Schooling Away #1 What are idioms? Dictionary A- noun- form of expression peculiar to one language; dialect Dictionary B- noun- A form of expression whose understood