Phrases and idioms

Bored to death
"I have nothing to do. I'm bored to death."
"I hate it when I'm bored to death."
You've got to be kidding
A: "Hey Jared. Mom told me to tell you that you shouldn't stay out too late."
B: "You've got to be kidding me. I'm 30 years old."
A: "Patrick won the school election by two votes."
B: "He's not that oular how did this haen!"
A: ""obody voted because they e#ected Jason to win."
B: "You've got to be kidding me."
Sick and Tired
"I'm sick and tired o$ eating the same thing $or lunch everyday."
"I'm getting sick and tired o$ this song. %hey lay it way too o$ten at this club."
"I'm sick and tired o$ listening to him nag all the time."
Call it a day
"&et's call it a day. I'm too tired to continue working."
"'e can't continue working without Mike( so let's call it a day."
"It's already nine o'clock. &et's call it a day."
Get on one's nerves
")ou're beginning to get on my nerves."
"'ill you lease sto doing that! It's getting on my nerves."
"His whining is getting on my nerves."
*ther +ommon ,entences
")ou're beginning to annoy me."
"His comlaints are starting to bother
me."
Couch potato
"My husband is a couch potato. He sits in $ront o$ the %- all day long."
")ou have a huge belly because you're a couch potato."
"I should be more active and less o$ a couch potato."
Read one's mind
")ou read my mind."
"I was going to suggest that. )ou must have read my mind
asier said than done
"%hat's easier said than done."
"It's a lot tougher than that. It's one o$ those things that are easier said than done."
"Michael thinks everything is so easy. He doesn't reali.e it's easier said than done."
!eel blue
"'hat a gloomy day. It makes me feel blue."
"'henever I feel blue( I like to listen to ubeat music."
"Matt's $eeling a little blue right now. &et's go cheer him u."
!ender bender
"I got into a small accident. It was /ust a fender-bender."
"I got into a fender bender in the arking lot."
"I can0t believe the damage is going to cost me 100 bucks. It was /ust a fender bender."
Get "oot in the door
"It's not a great osition( but at least my foot is in the door."
"I need to $ind a way to get my foot in the door."
"I'm doing an internshi $or ,2 %elecom. It's an oortunity to get my foot in the door."
Chicken
"%here's nothing to be scared o$. 3on't be a chicken."
"4veryone thinks I'm a chicken because I didn't go bungee /uming with them."
",to being a chicken and /ust go."
A: "3id you ask Martha on a date!"
B: ""o. I was about to( but I got a little nervous."
A: ")ou're such a chicken."
Go #utch
")ou don't have to ay $or me. &et's go dutch today."
"I can't believe John didn't ay $or me. 'e ended u going dutch on the whole date."
"I actually re$er going dutch because I don't want to $eel indebt to anyone."
A: "How was your date with ,arah!"
B: "I'm not sure. It was /ust ok."
A: "'hy do you say that!"
B: ",he didn't let me ay $or her share. ,he insisted that we go dutch $or everything."
*ther +ommon ,entences
"I'll ay hal$ o$ it."
"&et's ay together."
"I didn't ay $or her. 'e aid our own share."
Thro$ in the to$el
"I was ready to throw in the towel( but I stayed with it."
"He's not a 5uitter( so he's not going to throw in the towel."
"I saw a $ight last almost two hours be$ore one guy threw in the towel."
A: "%he bo#ing match is great."
B: "*ne guy is really getting beat u."
A: "3o you think he's going to give u!"
B: "He's not going to throw in the towel( they rarely do that these days."
*ther +ommon ,entences
"%here's no chance $or me to win. I'm calling it 5uits."
"I don't think I can win( so I'm going to give u."
"I'd rather surrender than get the hell beaten out o$ me."
Goose bumps
"I was so touched by the movie that I started getting goose bumps all over my arms."
"'hen she told me that she loved me( I got goose bumps."
"I get goose bumps anytime I'm scared."
"John told us a story and everyone got goose bumps
A: "3id you watch the seech!"
B: ""o( I missed it. 'as it good!"
A: "It was so touching that I got goose bumps everywhere."
*ther +ommon ,entences
"I was so insired by the seech that I had a tingling sensation run across my body."
"I $elt a /olt o$ e#citement when I heard the good news."
"My arms were tingling when I heard that story."
Stay in touch
"+all me more o$ten man. 'e got to stay in touch."
"I hoe you stay in touch with me. I'll give you my contact in$ormation."
"&et's stay in touch. I'll email you whenever I can."
"6re you staying in touch with her( or are you guys not talking any more!"
%ave the guts
"I don't have the guts to go bungee /uming."
"He doesn't have the guts to ask her on a date."
"He has a lot of guts to be hunting by himsel$."
Rain or Shine
"'e're going caming this weekend rain or shine."
"Rain or shine( the rotesters are out there every day."
"I don't care about the weather. I'm going gol$ing rain or shine."
A: "I'm going hiking this ,aturday. 3o you want to come!"
B: "%hat sounds good. Rain or shine( count me in."
A: "I$ it's raining( looks like you're going by yoursel$( because I'm staying home."
*ther +ommon ,entences
"I'm going to go even i$ it's a downour."
"6re you still going to go even i$ it's raining cats and dogs!"
"7nless it's ouring out( let's meet at seven in the morning."
&'m beat
"I had a tough day today. I'm totally beat."
"I don't want to go out tonight. I'm beat."
"I'm beat so I'm going to slee early today."
A: "Hey ,teve( we're going to go to a club tonight. 'anna come!"
B: "I worked a 89 hour shi$t today. I'm beat so I'm going to /ust stay home tonight."
&t's about time
"It's about time."
"It's about time. I waited two hours $or you."
"It's about time I got a chance to lay."
'ump to conclusions
"I incorrectly blamed Je$$ $or breaking my hone. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions."
"I thought you took my book. I shouldn't have accused you. I jumped to conclusions."
"'ill you sto jumping to conclusions. )ou should get all the $acts be$ore you make any decisions."
(eep an eye on
"+an you keep an eye on my daughter while I go get the car!"
"3on't worry about your luggage. I'll keep an eye on it."
"My mom will keep an eye on our e5uiment while we go get the truck."
)ut o" the blue
"He's retty $unny because he will crack a $unny /oke out of the blue."
":race started crying $or no reason. It was totally out of the blue."
"I don't know why he started getting mad. It was out of the blue."
A: "3id you hear what haened with %i$$any!"
B: ",he broke u with her boy$riend last night."
A: "'hat! I thought they had a great relationshi."
B: ",o did I. It was totally out of the blue."
*ther +ommon ,entences
",he showed u out o$ no where."
"He ulled a rabbit out o$ nowhere. %hat's why it was so imressive."
(no$ something inside out
"6sk Mary to hel you with your homework. ,he knows calculus inside out."
"I$ you got the answer $rom Matt( I would trust it. He knows that stuff inside out."
A: "I'm having trouble with my car. I can't seem to $igure out what's wrong with it."
B: ")ou should ask James about it."
A: "3oes he know a lot about cars!"
B: "He's a mechanic. He knows the car engine inside out."
*ther +ommon ,entences
"I know that theory like the back o$ my hand."
"I can er$orm those stes with my eyes closed."
"I know each ste by heart."
Give someone a hand
"+an you give me a hand setting u the dining table!"
"I'm going to need a hand changing the tire on the car."
"6re you going to have time to give me a hand tomorrow!"
"&et me know i$ you need hel. I'll have time all day today to give you a hand."
A: "'hen are you going to move into your new aartment!"
B: "I want to( but I'm going to need some hel."
A: "I have time this weekend. 3o you want me to give you a hand!"
B: "%hat would be great."
*ther +ommon ,entences
"+an I get your hel on this!"
"+an you hel me out!"
"3o you need any hel!"
"&et me know i$ you need any hel."
*o$ and then
"I go on a hike every now and then."
"My mother calls me every now and then to see i$ I'm doing well."
"It's not something I can do all the time( but I do it every now and then."
A: "3o you like skiing!"
B: "I really en/oy skiing. It's one o$ my $avorite sorts."
A: ")ou must go very $re5uently then."
B: "I wish I could( but it's too e#ensive( so I only go every now and then."
*ther +ommon ,entences
"I like to go bowling once in a while."
"I can't go o$ten( but I go gol$ing with my $riends $rom time to time.
*uke + ,icro$ave
"3on't nuke an egg. It will e#lode in the microwave."
"I$ I can't $inish my dinner at a restaurant( I /ust take it home and nuke it when I want to eat it."
"%he best way to heat u $ood is to nuke it."
A: "'hat are you going to eat $or lunch!"
B: "I have some asta in the $ridge. )ou want some!"
A: ",ure. How are you going to cook it."
B: "It's already cooked. I'm /ust going to nuke it."
*ther +ommon ,entences
"%hrow it in the microwave."
"%he microwave will heat it u real $ast."
"3o you like microwavable $ood!"
)n the dot
"I don't want to be waiting $or you( so you'd better be there at three o'clock on the dot."
"He's suosed to show u at $our on the dot. I$ he is late even a minute( I'm taking o$$."
")ou'd better be here by 8;30( because we're leaving at two o'clock on the dot."
A: "'e have to go to &os 6ngeles tomorrow. 'hat time should we meet!"
B: "'e have to be at the airort at <;00 o'clock( so let's meet at two o'clock on the dot."
*ther +ommon ,entences
"Meet me at the bus station at si# o'clock shar."
"&et's meet at the book store e#actly at 8;00."
(eeping my "ingers crossed
"%heir team is not $avored to win. =ut I hoe they do. I'm keeping my fingers crossed."
"I have a one in ten chance o$ winning the television. I better keep my fingers crossed."
"I hoe it works. &et's cross our fingers."
A: "%he chamionshi game is tonight. 6re you going to watch it!"
B: ")eah. My $avorite team lost their best layer. I don't think they will win."
A: ")ou never know. %hey can get lucky."
B: "I'm keeping my fingers crossed."
)ut o" this $orld
"%hat's the coolest thing I've ever seen. It's really out of this world."
"It's totally out of this world. )ou're going to be imressed."
"%he concert was out of this world. It was an awesome e#erience."
A: "3id you see the new 33 movie at the IM6> theatre!"
B: ""o. 'as it any good!"
A: "It was better than good. It was out of this world."
*ther +ommon ,entences
"%he movie totally blew me away. It was awesome."
"%he essay was very creative and original. I was very imressed."
"I've never seen anything like that be$ore."
)ver one's head
"I don't know the answer to that roblem. %he sub/ect is over my head."
"3on't bother e#laining it to him. It's way over his head."
A: "I have to write a aer on the theory o$ relativity. 3o you know anything about it!"
B: "I won't be able to hel you. %he theory o$ relativity is way over my head."
*ther +ommon ,entences
"I don't understand the meaning. It might be too dee $or me."
"It's beyond my comrehension( so don't bother trying to e#lain it."
-iece o" cake
")ou won't have any roblems with it. It's a piece of cake."
"It's not that di$$icult. 6ctually( it's a piece of cake."
"&earning to tye is a piece of cake. It /ust takes ersistence."
",ociology 808 is a piece of cake. )ou should get an 6 in that class."
A: "I have an interview $or citi.enshi tomorrow. 3o you know what they ask!"
B: "%he only 5uestions they ask are in the manual they rovide."
A: "'as it di$$icult!"
B: ",ince all the 5uestions and answers are already rovided( it was a piece of cake."
Sooner or later
"3on't kee waiting $or him to con$ess. He'll tell you sooner or later."
"He'll come to his senses sooner or later."
",he'll reali.e that she's doing something wrong sooner or later."
A: "'hy does ,arah date so many guys. 3oesn't she know most o$ them are /erks!"
B: "I know. ,he needs to get hurt be$ore she'll reali.e what's going on."
A: "I guess she'll $igure it out sooner or later."
B: ")eah... but I'm hoing it is sooner than later."
*ther +ommon ,entences
"I'm not worried about it. He'll eventually return my +3."
"I'll graduate $rom school eventually."
-ull someone's leg
")ou e#ect me to believe that! ,to pulling my leg."
"I'm /ust kidding. I was /ust pulling your leg."
"I didn't know you believed me. I was /ust pulling your leg."
A: "I was eating at a restaurant and this lady ne#t to me started eating my $ood right in $ront o$ me."
B: "'hat! )ou can't be serious. "obody would ever do that."
A: )ou're not gullible at all. I was trying to pull your leg."
-ut onesel" in one's place
"'hat was I suose to do! %ry to put yourself in my place."
"It's easy to be understanding i$ you always put yourself in the other person's place."
"I$ you put yourself in my place( you would understand why I did that."
A: ")ou know I didn't mean to hurt you( but I had no choice."
B: "%hat's no e#cuse $or what you did to me."
A: "%ry to put yourself in my place. 'hat would you have done!"
B: "I see your oint."
& can eat a horse
"I'm so hungry that I can eat a horse."
"I $eel like I can eat a horse right now."
"I$ I didn't eat anything $or two days( I would $eel like I can eat a horse too."
A: "I didn't eat anything all day."
B: ")ou must be really hungry."
A: "I can eat a horse right now."
*ther +ommon ,entences
"I'm starving. I think I can eat a whale."
"I'm $amished. I could eat anything right now."
Read bet$een the lines
"I$ you read between the lines( you would have understood what he was imlying."
",teve isn't very good at reading between the lines. )ou have to tell him e#actly what you want."
"Martha can read between the lines very well. ,he icks u on everything."
A: "3id you read chater three $or our 4nglish class!"
B: ")eah. I think the author was indicating that he was suorting the war."
A: "4ven though he said one thing( he meant another. )ou have to read between the lines to $ully
understand his stance."
B: "%hat might be true. I should go read it again
& can eat a horse
"I'm so hungry that I can eat a horse."
"I $eel like I can eat a horse right now."
"I$ I didn't eat anything $or two days( I would $eel like I can eat a horse too."
A: "I didn't eat anything all day."
B: ")ou must be really hungry."
A: "I can eat a horse right now."
*ther +ommon ,entences
"I'm starving. I think I can eat a whale."
"I'm $amished. I could eat anything right now."
Read bet$een the lines
"I$ you read between the lines( you would have understood what he was imlying."
",teve isn't very good at reading between the lines. )ou have to tell him e#actly what you want."
"Martha can read between the lines very well. ,he icks u on everything."
A: "3id you read chater three $or our 4nglish class!"
B: ")eah. I think the author was indicating that he was suorting the war."
A: "4ven though he said one thing( he meant another. )ou have to read between the lines to $ully
understand his stance."
B: "%hat might be true. I should go read it again."
#on't s$eat it
")ou can't do anything about it( so don't sweat it."
")ou tried your best( so stop sweating it."
A: "I'm worried about my $inal e#amination."
B: ")ou didn't take it yet!"
A: "I took it yesterday. I'm not sure how I did."
B: "I$ you tried your best( there's nothing you can do about the results( so don't sweat it."
*ther +ommon ,entences
"3on't worry about it."
""othing you can do about it."
Rings a bell
"I can't ut my $inger on it( but it de$initely rings a bell."
"It rings a bell( but I'm not one hundred ercent sure."
"*h( oh( oh... that rings a bell. 'here did I see that $rom!"
A: "3id you go to Martha &ake High ,chool!"
B: ")eah. 'hy!"
A: "I met this girl. Her name is Jane ,ummerland. 3o you know her!"
B: "%hat name rings a bell( but I don't remember $or sure."
*ther +ommon ,entences
"%hat reminds me o$ something."
"%hat sounds so $amiliar."
"I know what you're talking about but I can't in oint it."
Bug
"I need to concentrate on this( so sto bugging me."
"I need to get out o$ the house. My little brother has been bugging me all day."
"&et's go bug John."
"I$ you bug me one more time( I'm going to kick your butt."
A: "Johnny( will you lay ,tar +ra$t with me!"
B: "I can't. I'm doing my homework."
A: "+ome on. I need someone to lay with."
B: ",to bugging me. I said I'm busy."
Sleep on it
"I've been thinking about this roblem $or two hours. I think I will sleep on it. It might come to me in the
morning."
"I don't think I can decide now. &et me sleep on it and I'll tell you my answer tomorrow."
"I'm going to need to sleep on it. I don't want to rush my answer right now."
A: "3o you know i$ you are going to buy the leather set or the cashmere set!"
B: "I've been thinking about it $or three hours. I really can't decide."
A: "'hy don't you sleep on it."
-lay it by ear
"I'll have to play it by ear because I don't know how long they want me to work."
"'e'll have to play it by ear $or ne#t ?riday because everything is uncertain."
",hould we lan something $or this ,aturday or should we play it by ear!"
A: "'hat are you doing ne#t weekend!"
B: ""othing. 3id you want to do something!"
A: ")eah( but I might have to give my dad a ride to the train station. I don't know the e#act time yet."
B: "&et's play it by ear then. Just call me when you $ind out $or sure."
*ther +ommon ,entences
"I don't have any reservations tonight so let's /ust wing it."
"'e'll /ust do things as they come along."
Speak o" the devil
"I was at a arty last night( and I saw Jake lay the guitar in $ront o$ an audience... speak of the devil(
there's Jake right now."
"Joanne did great on her resentation. Speak of the devil... Hi Joanne."
A: "6ndy was walking down the street and he tried over beggar."
B: "I was there too. It was so $unny. He /ust got u and retended nothing haened."
A: "Speak of the devil. %here's 6ndy now."
Grab a bite
"'hen do you want to go grab a bite!"
"I don't have much time( so let's grab a quick bite."
"I$ you didn't have lunch yet( let's grab a bite to eat."
A: "3id you have lunch yet!"
B: ""ot yet. I'm swamed with work."
A: ")ou have to eventually eat so let's /ust grab a bite somewhere close."
*ther +ommon ,entences
"&et's go eat."
"'here should we have lunch today!"
"&et's have lunch together."
Go $ith the "lo$
"'hy do you do everything di$$erently! )ou should /ust go with the flow."
"I$ you don't know where the shuttle is( /ust go with the flow. 4veryone is going in that direction."
"I$ you don't want to stand out( go with the flow."
A: "I got a seeding ticket. 3o you think I should go to court to $ight it!"
B: "'hat are you going to tell the /udge!"
A: "%hat I was basically going with the flow."
B: "%hat's not going to work. I would /ust ay the $ine."
*ther +ommon ,entences
"3o it like everyone else does it."
"I$ you're unsure how to do it( see how everyone else is doing it."
"%he best way not to stand out is to blend in with everyone."
T$enty+"our seven
"@A88 is a great store because they are oen twenty-four seven."
"I$ a business doesn't rovide twenty-four seven customer suort( they will not succeed."
")ou better be care$ul because I'm going to be watching you twenty-four seven."
"%hey're available twenty four hours a day( 3BC days a year."
A: "'hat web hosting lace do you recommend!"
B: "Most o$ them are retty good. Just make sure they have twentyA$our hour technical suort."
A: "6ll o$ them have twenty-four seven suort. It's a necessity these days."
*ther +ommon ,entences
"%he cos are watching this area allAday everyAday."
"%here's no way to cross the border because they're constantly monitoring all the assage ways."
.nder the $eather
"I'm going to stay home because I'm $eeling under the weather today."
"I told my boss that I was under the weather. ,he told me to stay home $or the day."
"My wi$e is $eeling under the weather( so I need to get home early today."
A: "'hy didn't you come to school today!"
B: "I was under the weather this morning. I need to get some rest."
A: "'ell( I hoe you start $eeling better."
*ther +ommon ,entences
"I'm $eeling a little sick today."
"I don't $eel too well."
"I'm not $eeling that great. I think I should get some rest."
You can say that again
A: "=ritney ,ears is so hotD"
B: "You can say that again."
A: "It was a long year. 'e accomlished 5uite a bit."
B: "I'm /ust glad that we're almost done."
A: "You can say that again."
*ther +ommon ,entences
"I hear ya."
")ou got that right."
"3amn right."
Broke
"I'm $lat broke."
"I can't a$$ord to buy that television. I'm totally broke."
"I can't ay my bills. I'm broke."
A: "&et's go see a movie."
B: "I can't. I barely have enough money $or $ood. I'm broke until my ne#t aycheck."
*ther +ommon ,entences
"I don't have any money."
"I don't even have a dime to sare."