Lesson 19: English Idioms with

Common Verbs – Part 1

For the last two lessons in the idioms course, we’re going to do a
“lightning round” – that means a lot of information in a short time – of
idioms with the common English verbs get, have, make, put, and take.
There are a large number of expressions using these verbs. In this
lesson, you’re going to learn 25 idioms – and then 25 more in the next
lesson.

There are five short videos that teach you the definitions with
examples, and then you can take the practice quizzes to test your understanding.

Ready? Let’s go!

Idioms with GET

get a kick out of something
get cracking
get the drift
get the hang of something
get even

“Get a kick out of” is an informal way to say you enjoy something. It’s not usually
used for general activities like reading or watching movies, but rather for a specific thing
that you thought was funny or particularly enjoyable. For example, you could say: “I
liked the movie – I especially got a kick out of the swimming pool scene.”

“Get cracking” means “start.” This idiom is only used in the present: “We have a lot of
work to do, so let’s get cracking!”

“Get the drift” or “get the picture” means you understand the general idea. For
example, if someone is explaining a complicated situation to you, you can say “I think I
get the drift” to express your understanding of the general idea, even if you don’t know
all the details.

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 “Getting the hang of something” means you’re succeeding in
learning how to do it. Imagine you’re taking surfing lessons, and after
a few months of lessons you feel like you’re starting to succeed in
learning how to surf. You could say “It was hard in the beginning, but
now I’m getting the hang of it.”

“Get even with someone” or “get back at someone” means to get revenge – after
the person does something bad to you, you do something bad to that person. For
example: “My brother humiliated me in front of my friends, so I posted some
embarrassing pictures of him online to get even.”

Practice Quiz 1 - GET

Question 1

A lot of students have difficulty understanding spoken English, but if you practice a lot
you'll _____________ it.

A get a kick out of

B get the hang of

Question 2

"Okay everyone, we have just 30 minutes to finish the decorations for this party. Let's
_____________!"

A get cracking
B get the drift

Question 3

My roommate is always eating my food, so I use her shampoo and conditioner to

_____________ her.

A get back at
B get a kick out of

Question 4

I haven't read the entire book, but I skimmed it to _____________.

A get cracking
B get the drift

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Question 5

I _____________ the cute birthday card my kids made for me.

A got the picture of

B got a kick out of

Idioms with HAVE

have a hunch
have a short fuse
have good taste
have seen better days
have bigger fish to fry

To “have a hunch” means you have an intuitive feeling about something. If your
young daughter is very interested in science, you can say “I have a hunch she’ll be a
scientist when she grows up.” Sometimes hunches turn out to be true, and sometimes
they turn out to be false.

If someone “has a short fuse,” it means they get angry

quickly and easily. The small string on a piece of dynamite is
called a fuse, and if the fuse is short, it will not be long before it
explodes.

If you say someone “has good taste,” you’re not talking about eating food. In this
expression, the word “taste” means a person’s preferences. If your friend has a painting
by Leonardo da Vinci in his house, you can say “I see you have good taste in art.” Of
course, “good taste” or “bad taste” is somewhat subjective.

If an object “has seen better days,” it means that in the past it was in good condition,
but now it’s in bad condition because it has been used so much over time. If you have a
DVD player that’s 10 years old and now frequently malfunctions, you can say “This DVD
player has seen better days.”

The expression “have bigger fish to fry” means “have more important things to do.”
This idiom is usually used in contrast with the thing you view as less important. For
example: “I don’t have time to play around on Facebook. I have bigger fish to fry.”

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Practice Quiz 2 – HAVE

Question 1

I'll lend you my boots - sorry about their appearance, I'm afraid
___________________.

A they have a hunch

B they've seen better days

Question 2

If you have some criticisms on her work, make sure to give them gently because she
_____________.

A has a short fuse

B has bigger fish to fry

Question 3

I'm glad you liked the book I recommended. I ____________ that you would.

A had a hunch
B had good taste

Question 4

Why are you worrying so much about your colleague's comments? We

______________ - like closing this contract with the client.

A have a short fuse

B have bigger fish to fry

Question 5

I love my sister, but she ____________ men - she always dates losers.

A has seen better days with

B has terrible taste in

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Idioms with MAKE
make a bundle / killing / fortune
make a comeback
make a mental note
make a mountain out of a molehill
make a pass at someone

“Make a bundle,” “make a killing,” and “make a fortune” all mean “make a LOT
of money.” For example: “Gary bought a house on the beach 20 years ago, and made a
killing when he sold it last month.”

“Make a comeback” refers to this situation: when something was popular or

successful in the past, then the popularity or success decreased for a time, and now the
popularity is growing again. When the thing is becoming successful for the second time,
we say it is “making a comeback.”

You can also use this idiom in sports: if a team is losing 2-0, they can “make a
comeback” and win 3-2.

“Make a metal note” means that you make a special effort to remember something –
as if you were “writing it down” inside your head – because the information will be
useful in the future. If you are driving somewhere and you pass by an interesting
restaurant that you would like to visit later, you can say “I made a mental note of the
new Italian restaurant on Main Street.”

To “make a mountain out of a molehill” means to treat something – usually a

problem – like it was bigger and much worse than it really is. If your company publishes
a magazine and your boss gets extremely angry because there is a small punctuation
error in one article, you can say he’s making a mountain out of a molehill because the
problem is really insignificant, but he is acting like it was huge.

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To “make a pass at” someone means to flirt or act in a way that implies you are
romantically or sexually interested. For example: “The professor was fired after he made
a pass at one of his students.”

Practice Quiz 3 – MAKE

Question 1

Samantha dropped out of college to start a very successful software company, and she
_____________.

A made a killing
B made a comeback

Question 2

Last time I had dinner with them, I ____________ that they didn't like seafood.

A made a bundle
B made a mental note

Question 3

I was flattered when the prettiest girl in the bar _____________ me.

A made a mountain out of

B made a pass at

Question 4

Wearing animal prints was out of style for a while, but now it's ________________.

A making a comeback
B making a mental note

Question 5

I'm sure she's not ignoring your phone calls; she's probably just busy. Stop
_______________.

A making a mountain out of a molehill

B making a pass at her

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Idioms with PUT
not put a lot of stock in
put a damper on
put your foot down
can’t put your finger on something
put in a good word for someone

If you “don’t put a lot of stock in” a piece of information, it means you don’t believe
it to be true or reliable. “I don’t put a lot of stock in horoscopes.”

To “put a damper on” something is to make it less fun or less enjoyable. “We got sick
during our vacation, which kind of put a damper on our trip.”

If you “put your foot down,” you take a strong and firm position on something (and
you probably won’t change your mind). “After I lent my friend money three times and he
didn’t pay me back, I put my foot down and said I wouldn’t give him anything more.”

If you “can’t put your finger on something,” it means you can’t quite identify it
specifically. For example, “There’s something strange about that guy, but I can’t put my
finger on it.”

To “put in a good word for someone” means to say good things about that person
to someone in authority. For example, “My professor put in a good word for me with the
academic director, and helped me get the internship.”

Practice Quiz 4 – PUT

Question 1

You really need to ____________ and stop letting your kids watch so much TV, no
matter how much they complain.

A put your finger on it

B put your foot down

Question 2

After the police told us to turn the music down, it ____________ the party.

A put a damper on
B didn't put a lot of stock in

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Question 3

The manager is looking to hire a freelance web designer, and I _____________ you -
hope you get the job!

A put in a good word for

B put a lot of stock in

Question 4

I ______________ exactly why I love Japan so much; I suppose it's a combination of

factors - the culture, the food, the history, etc.

A can't put my finger on

B can't put a damper on

Question 5

You shouldn't ______________ his comments; he really doesn't know what he's
talking about.

A put a lot of stock in

B put in a good word for

Idioms with TAKE

take a crack / swing / shot / stab at
take exception to / take issue with
take for granted
take the plunge
take someone under your wing

To “take a crack / swing / shot / stab at” something means to make an effort, to try
to do it. For example, if your friend can’t solve a difficult math problem, you can offer to
help by saying “I’ll take a stab at it.”

If you “take exception to” or “take issue with” something, it means you oppose or
object to it. If your boss wants to raise salaries for all the men in the company because
he says men work harder than women – and you disagree – you can say, “I take issue
with your assumption that women don’t work as hard.”

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If you “take something for granted,” it means you underestimate its value. For
example, “I’d always taken the ability to walk for granted – until I broke both legs and
was in a wheelchair for months.” It means that you never fully appreciated your ability
to walk before.

To “take the plunge” means to begin something new – especially after you have
hesitated for some time. For example: “I’ve wanted to take dance classes for years, but I
was nervous. Well, I finally took the plunge and signed up for lessons starting next
week.”

If you “take someone under your wing,” it means you help and protect a new or
inexperienced person. “I’m grateful to Fred for taking me under his wing during my first
few weeks at my new job.”

Practice Quiz 5 – TAKE

Question 1

I met my best friend in elementary school; she ______________ on the first day of
class and we've been friends ever since.

A took me for granted

B took me under her wing

Question 2

I don't know how to fix your computer, but I'll ask my brother to
________________.

A take a crack at it
B take issue with it

Question 3

They've been engaged for over five years; it's about time they ____________ and got
married!

A took the plunge

B took a swing at it

Question 4

I divorced my husband because I felt like he _____________ - he never appreciated

anything I did.

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 A took me for granted
B took a stab at me

Question 5

I _____________ the idea that government programs are the solution to everything. I
think history proves that this isn't the case.

A take it for granted that

B take exception to

Answers - Quiz 1
1) B

2) A

3) A

4) B

5) B

Answers - Quiz 2
1) B

2) A

3) A

4) B

5) B

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Answers - Quiz 3
1) A

2) B

3) B

4) A

5) A

Answers - Quiz 4
1) B

2) A

3) A

4) A

5) A

Answers - Quiz 5
1) B

2) A

3) A

4) A

5) B

Image Source: phil1950, FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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