meee Em «a Idioms that comment on people | Liking and disliking Juliet only has eyes for Romeo. [is only attracted to] Damian loves Anne to bits. [loves very much] She is the woman of his dreams. He is the man of her dreams. [the perfect partner] They immediately fell head over heels in love. [fell deeply in love] They hadn’t met before that holiday but they got on like a house on fire. [got on very well Thave a soft spot for Kevin — he was always very kind to my grandma. [am fond of] His rude behaviour really gets up my nose / gets on my wick / gets on my nerves / gets my back up. [informal: annoys me] Intelligence and knowledge Jack’s been in the business so long that he really knows what’s what. [is an expert] The new prof certainly knows his stuff. [is an expert in his field] Although Sam is the manager, his wife is really the brains behind the company. [the most intelligent person in the company] If you need help with the quiz, ask your grandfather. He’s a mine of information. (a rich source of information] You won't solve the problem if you don’t use your grey matter. [intelligence, brains} Milly is nobody’s fool ~ she'll never believe such a poor excuse. [is very clever] ‘We haven't a clue / the foggiest (idea) what the bosses are planning. [have no idea] I suspect Sue’s in the know but she won't tell us anything. [has inside knowledge] Pat has the gift of the gab. [talks well and persuasively] My grandma could talk the hind legs off a donkey. [could talk for hours} Tcan’t stand Mark — he’s such a know-all / smart aleck. [someone who shows off their cleverness in an irritating way] Although his parents are both very bright, Neil has got nothing between the ears / is as thick as two short planks. [is extremely stupid] Hugh is a bit slow on the uptake ~ you have to explain things to him several times Tim’s dad wasn’t born yesterday [is not stupid] - Tim won’t be able to pull the wool over his eyes. [deceive him] I can't make head or tail of what you're trying to say. [can’t understand] Rita is one sandwich short of a picnic. [stupid] _ You may come across other informal expressions following the same pattern and indicating stupidity: He’s one cell short of a battery / one slice short of a loaf / several bricks short of a load, Happiness and sadness expression meaning to be on top of the world / on cloud nine / to be extremely happy in seventh heaven / over the moon to be in (your) element / to be made for 10 be ideally suited for to rave about to be enthusiastic about | to look like the cat that got the cream 10 look irritatingly pleased with yourself to be down in the dumps / down in the mouth | to be depressed 198 English Vocabulary in Use (Advanced)90.1 90.2 90.3 90.4 90.5 Exercises Would you be pleased or displeased if someone said the following things to you? 1 You certainly know your stuff. 5 You're such a know-all. 2 You get on my wick. 6 You're as thick as two short planks. 3. You're nobody’s fool. 7 You're such a smart aleck. 4 You're two sandwiches short of a picnic. 8 You've got the gift of the gab. Correct the mistakes in the idioms in these sentences. It’s no fun spending time with Jez. and Sal as they only have an eye for each other. Try to solve these problems by using your pink matter. Most parents weren’t born today ~ they have a good idea of what their kids get up to. Maggie could talk the front legs off a donkey. Mary’s on cloud seven now she’s at university. They are head over feet in love. Thaven’t the cloudiest idea what we should do about this letter. Gilly has a soft place for Jim — she’s always talking about him. Ruth and Paul raved after the play. woNaueune Complete the idioms in this text by filling each of the gaps with one word. Sarah has met the man of her (1). She loves him (2) bits, Fortunately he gets on like a house on (3) with her parents. I've known Tony for years and also have a (4) spot for him. He is a (8) of information. He works in a library where he is in his (6). He certainly knows what's (7) in libraries and can help anyone, even those people who are as thick as two short (8). Tony and Sarah have both been on (9) of the world since they met. | haven't a (10) when they will get married, but 1am sure that they will marry as they are clearly head over (11) in love. Sarah's last boyfriend was very different. His behaviour really got her father’s (12) up and | must admit he got up my (13) as well. He was such a know-. (14) even though | actually thought he had (15) between the ears. | can't understand why Sarah was so down in the (16) when they split up. Never mind, she's in (17) heaven again now. Look up these idioms in your dictionary. Do they fit best into A, B or C opposite? 1 to put someone in the picture 4 to hic it off 2 to think the world of someone 5 to be walking on air 3 10 look as miserable as sin 6 to let the cat out of the bag, Choose one of the idioms in exercise 90.4 to replace the underlined phrases below. Amanda admires her father very much ‘When I met my penfriend, we immediately got on like a house on fire. 1 wanted to keep the present a secret but my little boy gave the game away. Why have the children had such unhappy faces all evening? If you come round this evening 'lLexplain everything to you. T've been on cloud nine ever since I heard your good news! Auawne English Vocabulary in Use (Advanced) 199Idioms that comment on people 2 People’s character A: So, what do you think of your new colleagues? 2: Well, Miranda always seems to be in a world of her own'. Joe is a rough diamond? but it’s worth putting up with his brusqueness. I quite like Sarah — she never minces her words’. Liz is her own worst enemy* ~ if she had a bit more confidence in herself, others would appreciate her more. Jill is very much her own person’ — although all the rest of the family are teachers, she is determined to make a career in business. And Ben’s a soft touch* ~ anyone can persuade him to lend them some cash. A: Well, you are a dark horse” —I never thought you'd get the measure of® us so fast! ' to be lost in a daydream 5 is not influenced by others 2 a good person with an abrupt manner © can easily be persuaded 3 always says exactly what she thinks 7 someone who hides their skills ® without trying to be diplomatic gain a full understanding of 4 behaves in a way that does not help her People’s feelings in particular situations idiom ‘meaning beifeel (all) at sea feel lost or confused want to curl up and die feel terribly ashamed and embarrassed turn (your) stomach make (you) feel sick be at a (complete) loss for words not know what to say be at the end of (your) tether feel unable to deal with something because you are too tired, worried or annoyed be full of beans be full of energy drive someone crazy / round the bend/ nuts | make someone angry or mad be dead on (your) feet feel exhausted put a brave face on it pretend to be happy about something react extremely angrily go ballistic / blow a fuse / hit the rooflc People’s relationships They had a terrible argument about their business plans and have been at loggerheads ever since [disagreed strongly]. I know there’s been a lot of bad blood between them in the past but I thought things had improved now. {negative feelings, disagreements] Susie can twist/wrap her father round her little finger — he’d do anything for her. In other words, she has him eating out of the palm of her hand. [can persuade him to do anything for her because she has so much control over him] Don’t trust him ~ he’s a snake in the grass. [someone who pretends to be friendly but may do things that will harm you] Tom has a knack of rubbing me up the wrong way. [irritating me without intending to] He always gives his son the benefit of the doubt. [believes good rather than bad about him] 200 English Vocabulary in Use (Advanced)91d 912 913 914 91.6 Exercises Look at A and answer these questions. 1 Which two idioms would you most like to have used about you? 2. Which two would you least like to have used about you? Look at B and then choose one of the idioms to complete cach of these sentences. 1 The teacher when he saw the mess the children had made. 2 The children today — it must be the fresh sea air. 31 when they rang up out of the blue and offered me a job. 4 Lfelt ‘on my first day at work but I soon got used to it. 5. After a whole day of sightseeing in London, I 6 Mel’s constant whingeing is 71 when I realised that Melissa had heard what I said. 8 I'll just have to and hope no one sees I’m upset. 9 Just thinking of hot milk with a skin on it : 10 Iwas when the children’s mother arrived home. I think 'd really have lost my temper with them if I'd been on my own much longer. Look at C and complete these idioms by adding a missing word. 1 He means well, but somehow he never fails to me up the wrong way. 2 Someone told me that the brothers have been at for over a year now. 3 Tess likes him but I wouldn’ trust him. I think he’s a in the grass. 4 You don’t know that it was Nick that stole the money ~ I really think you should give him the of the doubt. What idiom could you use to describe these people? Your Aunt Vicky, who can easily be persuaded to give you some money. Mike, who did not tell people of his plans to get married that afternoon. Maria, who pretends to be your friend but is really planning to cause trouble for you. A toddler, who is being very active and energetic. Your mother, who did not know what to say about something you told her. Yourself, on your first day in a new country where you do not know the language. Helena, who is preoccupied by a daydream rather than reality. Naueune Sometimes it can help you to learn and remember idioms if you know the literal meaning of all the words. What do the underlined words mean? Use a dictionary if necessary. Why do you think these idioms developed their meanings? 1 atthe end of my tether 3 to blow a fuse 5 to go ballisti 2 to curl up and die 4 a rough diamond Answer these questions. Can you name two things that drive you nuts? When did you last feel dead on your feet? Can you describe an occasion when someone you knew hit the ceiling? Have you ever been at loggerheads with anyone? If so, why? Can you wrap anyone round your little finger? Can you think of a situation when you had to give someone the benefit of the doubt? Auewne English Vocabulary in Use (Advanced) 201