Sample Sentences With Idioms...

The suffering Adam went through inlife was

actuallyablessing

in disguise,for it hastaught him to

beprudentandthriftywithhisfinances.
2.
Many obese Malaysians are actuallycouch
potatoes.Theyjustliketositandeatonacouchalldaylong
watchingmovieswithoutmovinganinch.
3.
Studentswholiketodragtheirfeetwillnotbeableto
finishtheirschoolprojectontime.
4.
Studentsneed towiden their horizonsin order to face
thechallengesofglobalisation.
5.
Peoplewholiketobemulesfordrugtraffickersmust
learntofacethemusicifcaughtbytheauthorities.
6.
Sam hasa gut feelingthat something bad is going to
happentoday.
7.
Parents need tohave a heart to heart talkwith their
teenagechildrenoften.Thiswillhelpthemtounderstandthe
emotional turmoil their teenage children are going through
better.
8.
Readinghelpsapersontobeknowledgeableabouthis
surroundingsandnotbeinthedark.
9.
Parents need tokeep an eyeon their children's after
schoolactivities.
10.
Wepackedourthingsandheadedtotheremotevillagein
Manjala.Thejourneywasquitechallenginganddangerous
but wemanaged tosteer clear of dangerand reached the
villagesafeandsound.

1.

Myfatherandmotherarealwaysatloggerheads,they
neveronceagreedonanything,alwayspointingfingersatone
anotheroversillymatters.
2.
Sandy wason cloud nineas shegot throughher SPM
examinationwithflyingcolours

.
3.
After waiting for six long years, Pat and Mandy
finallytiedtheknot.Theirparentsgavethemanoutofthis
worldweddingreceptionasaweddinggift.
4.
Henryisquitewrappedupwithhisconstructionwork.
Hejustcan'taffordtotakeabreakorputuphisfeetevenfor
asecond.
5.
Mirandahasputonweightaftergivingbirthtoherbaby
girl.Sheplanstoworkoutmoretoshedtheextrapounds.
6.
Startingfrom2013,everystudentmustpasstheirHistory
paper.Studentsareworriedthattheymightnotbeabletosail
throughitbecauseHistoryis
allGreektothem.
7.
The old house opposite my house has aghostly
presence,itgivesmegoosebumpsjustlookingatit.
8.
Thebankwasrobbedinbroaddaylight.Thepoliceare
notleaving any stones unturned,theyare working outa
gameplantocatchthemastermind.
9.
Peoplearoundtheworldmusthaveanattitudeofgive
andtakeinordertoenjoycontinuouspeace.Insensitivewords
orreligiousundertoneswillonlycreaterippleswhichcanturn
intoaviciouscycleofunnecessaryviolence.
10.
Thetwo opposing political parties are hoping for
alandslidevictorythiscomingelection.Workingcommittes
from both parties haverolled up their sleevesfor some
seriouscampaining.
1.

11.
12.

Positive

13.
14. get on like a house on fire = to get on really well with someone: "They get on like a house
on fire."
15.
16. have a soft spot for someone = to be very fond of someone: "She has a soft spot for her
youngest child."
17.
18. go back a long way = to know someone well for a long time: "Those two go back a long way.
They were at primary school together."
19.
20. be in with = to have favoured status with someone: "She's in with the management."
21.

22.

23.
24.

Negative

25.
26. get off on the wrong foot with someone = to start off badly with someone: "She really got
off on the wrong foot with her new boss."
27.
28. keep someone at arm's length = to keep someone at a distance: "I'm keeping her at arm's
length for the time being."
29.
30. they're like cat and dog = to often argue with someone: "Those two are like cat and dog."
31.
32. rub someone up the wrong way = to irritate someone: "She really rubs her sister up the
wrong way."
33.
34. be at loggerheads = to disagree strongly: "Charles and Henry are at loggerheads over the
new policy."
35.
36. sworn enemies = to hate someone: "Those two are sworn enemies."
37.

38.

39.
40.

Equality and inequality

41.
42. bend over backwards for someone = do everything possible to help someone: "She bent
over backwards for them when they first arrived in the town."
43.
44. be at someone's beck and call = to always be ready to do what someone wants: "As the
office junior, she was at his beck and call all day."
45.
46. pull your weight = to do the right amount of work: "The kids always pull their weight around
the house."
47.
48. do your fair share = to do your share of the work: "He never does his fair share!"
49.

50. take someone under your wing = to look after someone until they settle in: "He took her
under his wing for her first month at work."
51.
52. keep tabs on someone = to watch someone carefully to check what they are doing: "He's
keeping tabs on the sales team at the moment."
53.
54. wear the trousers = to be in control: "She wears the trousers in their relationship."
55.
56. be under the thumb = to be controlled by someone else: "He really keeps her under the
thumb."
57.

58.
59.
60.

61.

62.
63.

How you communicate

64.
65. get your wires crossed =to misunderstand someone because you think they are talking
about something else: "I think I've got my wires crossed. Were you talking about car or
personal insurance?"
66.
67. get the wrong end of the stick = to misunderstand someone and understand the opposite of
what they are saying: "You've got the wrong end of the stick. The fault was with the other
driver, not with me."
68.
69. be left in the dark = to be left without enough information: "We've been left in the dark over
this project. We haven't been told how to do it."
70.

71. talk at cross purposes = when two people don't understand each other because they are
talking about two different things (but don't realise it): "We're talking at cross purposes here."
72.
73. go round in circles = to say the same things over and again, so never resolving a problem:
"We always end up going round in circles in these meetings."
74.
75. leave things up in the air = to leave something undecided: "I hate leaving things up in the
air."
1.

Kick the bucket Euphemism for dying or death.

2.

Bite the dust Euphemism for dying or death.

3.

Pushing up daisies Euphemism for dying or death.

4.

Right as rain Needed, appropriate, essential, or hoped-for and has come to

mean perfect, well, absolutely right.

5.
6.
7.

A bitter pill A situation or information that is unpleasant but must be accepted.

Fit as a fiddle In good physical health.
By the seat of your pants To achieve through instinct or do something without
advance preparation.

8.

Off your trolley or Off your rocker Crazy, demented, out of ones mind, in a
confused or befuddled state of mind, senile.

9.

Basket case One made powerless or ineffective, as by nerves, panic or stress.

10. Piece of cake A job, task or other activity that is pleasant or, by extension,
easy or simple.
11. Beat around the bush To treat a topic, but omit its main points, often
intentionally or To delay or avoid talking about something difficult or unpleasant.
12.

Take the cake To be especially good or outstanding.

13. Bent out of shape Getting worked up, aggravated, or overly annoyed at
something that usually cant be helped.
14. Bite the bullet- To endure a painful or unpleasant situation that is unavoidable.
15. Break a leg A saying from the theatre which means good luck.
16. Burning the midnight oil To work late into the night, alluding to the time before
electric lighting.
17. Bite off more than you can chew To take on more responsibility than you can
manage.
18. Bust your chops To say things intended to harass.
19. By the skin of your teeth- Narrowly; barely. Usually used in regard to a narrow
escape from a disaster.

20. Call it a day To declare the end of a task.

21. Under the weather Feel sick or poorly
22. Cold shoulder- To pay no attention to or to disrespect.
23. Caught his/her eye To become aware of.
24.

Easy as pie An action that is considered very easy to accomplish

25. ON THE HORIZON = likely to happen soon

26. eg, There's trouble looming on the horizon.
27.
28. IT'S MY WAY , OR THE HIGHWAY = If you say to someone "it's my way or the
highway" you are telling that person that either they accept what you tell them to do or they
leave the project.
29.
30. TICKLED PINK = extremely amused or pleased.
31.
32. BURY THE HATCHET = Used when people who have had a disagreement decide to forget
their quarrel and become friends again.
33. EG, "I didn't agree with my colleague's decision, but for the sake of peace, I decided to bury
the hatchet."
34.
35. SILVER SPOON = To say that someone was born with a silver spoon in their
mouth means that their family is very rich and privileged
36. .
37. ANSWER THE CALL OF NATURE / NATURE'S CALL = Go to the toilet.
38. eg, I had to get up in the middle of the night to answer the call of nature
39.
40. CARROT AND STICK = you use the promise of reward and the threat of punishment to
make somebody work harder.
41. eg, "Some parents use a carrot-and-stick approach to obtain good results from their children."
42.
43. FIGHT A LOOSING BATTLE = trying to do something even when there is little chance of
succeeding.
44. eg, "The headmaster is fighting a losing battle trying to ban mobile phones at school."
45.
46. A TASTE OF THEIR OWN MEDICINE = You treat them in the same unpleasant way that
they have treated you.
47. eg, "People who always arrive late should be given a taste of their own medicine."
48.
49. A LEVEL AHEAD = Remain calm and sensible no matter how difficult or distressful the
situation may be. eg, "All through the hijacking the pilot kept a level head."

50.
51. KEEP ONE'S FINGER CROSSED = you hope that something will be successful.
52. eg, "I'm doing my driving test tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed for me.
53.
54. MOUSE POTATO = refers to a person who spends a lot of time in front of the computer.
"My son and his friends are all mouse potatoes - constantly glued to the computer!"
55.
56. STOLE ONE'S THUNDER = take another person's idea or plan, and draw attention and
praise away from the originator by presenting or using it first.
57. eg, "Bob had developed a plan to reduce production costs, but the manager stole his
thunder by announcing Bob's ideas at the regional meeting."
58.
59. SUGAR THE PILL = try to make some unpleasant news more acceptable by saying
something pleasant at the same time.
60. eg , "When Tim's parents announced that he was going to boarding school, they tried to sugar
the pill by telling him he'd be home at the weekends.'
61.
62. THROW TANTRUMS = ybecome very angry and behave in an unreasonable way.
63. eg, "My sister's little boy is always throwing tantrums - no wonder they don't have many
visitors!"
64.
65. TONGUES ARE WAGGING = people are beginning to gossip or spread rumours about
someone's private life.
66. eg, "The photograph of the couple that appeared in a magazine really set tongues wagging!"
67.
68. INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH = a humorous way of referring to something which is very
strong, powerful or concentrated.
69. eg, "I've got an industrial-strength headache this morning!"
70.
71. LAST WORD = the most recent or most fashionable in its category.
72. eg, "Steve's new computer is the last word in technology."
73.
74. IN MINT CONDITION = in such perfect condition that it looks new or as good as new.
75. eg, "The car is 10 years old but according to Tom it's in mint condition."
76.
77. RIGHT UP ONE'S RALLY = the sort of thing you like or have knowledge about.
78. eg, "You like cooking, don't you? This book will be right up your alley!"
79.

80. RUN-OF-THE-MILL = considered ordinary or uneventful.

81. eg, "I've got nothing extraordinary to tell; it was a run-of-the-mill sales meeting."
82.
83. STANDS THE TEST OF TIME = people continue to find it valuable or useful after many
years.
84. eg, "The teaching method has stood the test of time. It is still used in schools today."
85.
Monday, 27 April 2015

86.
ENHANCEMENT OF VOCABULARY..TRY
THESE...
87. TAKE A BREAK AND TRY THESE.
1. She is so ______ that it is easy to trick her.
(A) cunning
(B) sophisticated
(C) gullible
(D) sly
2. The convention center is filled with ______ who are waiting to see the rarest stamp from
the 6th century.
(A) philatelists
(B) ventriloquists
(C) philosophers
(D) cartoonists
3. His face was long and ______, exactly like a horse.
(A) feline
(B) avian
(C) bovine
(D) equine
4. Only the ______ few get to be invited for the sale.
(A) willing
(B) obliged
(C) privileged
(D) reluctant
5. There seemed to be ______ of poison in her drink.
(A) senses
(B) evidence
(C) traces
(D) marks
6. Delia was ______ as to why the school bully was willing to help her.
(A) puzzled
(B) liberated
(C) gracious
(D) annoyed
7. When he returned home, he was surprised to see his house badly ______.

(A) tattered
(B) trespassed
(C) ransacked
(D) investigated
8. I had to ______ his invitation to the sneak preview as I had another appointment.
(A) turn off
(B) turn away
(C) turn over
(D) turn down
9. Since the two movies are screened ______, we have no choice but to choose one.
(A) tardily
(B) concurrently
(C) punctually
(D) consecutively
10. The room was suddenly ______ by bright lights that we were somewhat blinded.
(A) illustrated
(B) alliterated
(C) disillusioned
(D) illuminated