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A. Grammar 1.3: Part A (American Idioms)

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1. The idiom "BREAKUP" used as a noun means ___________. .

someone whose ideas are old fashioned.

superficial, only on the surface
the end of a relationship
someone whose ideas are old
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A. Grammar 1.3: Part A (American Idioms)

WORLD ENGLISH INSTITUTE

Advanced English Grammar Lesson 1.3
LISTENING COMPREHENSION

INSTRUCTIONS FOR STUDENTS

All 8 lessons of the Advanced 1 Grammar are to be studied before you take the English quiz. Due to a
programming problem with the website, there is a single review question at the end of each lesson. When you
have studied Lesson 3 in this book, answer the question. Then study Lesson 3 in The New Birth and answer
the questions with that lesson.

Part A (Continued)

We now come to the fourth problem area that you will encounter while taking the TOEFL, that is, American
idioms.

American English Idioms

In the TOEFL, you will find idiomatic expressions that make no grammatical sense. These interesting and
colorful expressions are best learned by talking with native English speaking people. And, if possible, you
should study a dictionary of American idioms.

An idiom is a word or phrase used in a way that is peculiar to a certain region and whose meaning cannot be
deduced from its grammatical structure or its component parts. For example, a Chinese exchange student in
America is spinning a yarn (telling a fantastic story). His American host laughs, "Don't pull my leg," meaning,
"don't try to fool me with your ridiculous story." The Chinese student replies, "I'm not touching you."
Let us examine some of the most common American idioms.

Single and Compound Words

Some idioms are single words that carry an unexpected meaning.

For example, Marsha says, "I get bad vibes (vibrations) every time that showoff comes near me." "Vibes" are
psychic emanations or feelings coming from someone or something. A "showoff" is an egotistical person
who tries to impress others with his actions.

Example # 2: Joe remarks, "Mary is a knockout. Too bad she is so standoffish." "Knockout" is slang for a
beautiful woman. "Standoffish" means "aloof, distant, and reserved."

Other idioms are compound words connected by a hyphen.

Now, let's spin another yarn using compound-word idioms. "Senator Jones is known as an old fuddy-duddy.
He is a millionaire brown-bagger who lives as if he were stone-broke. His political convictions are only skin-
deep. It is not unusual for him to cop-out on unpopular issues and to double-cross his own party. His voting
record leaves his colleagues bug-eyed with amazement. With newcomers, Senator Jones is more than a little
stuck-up. The other day, he gave his junior senators a tongue-lashing, and called them pip-squeaks. They
called him a two-faced old buzzard. So he retaliated by filibustering against their bills. Yak-yak-yak. He went
on and on. I've never seen such a falling-out between senators! Somebody needs to break up this fight before
there is a breakup in the senate."

Vocabulary Study

FUDDY-DUDDY (noun): someone whose ideas are old fashioned.

BROWN-BAGGER (noun): someone who brings his lunch in a brown paper bag.
STONE-BROKE (adjective): penniless
SKIN-DEEP (adjective): superficial, only on the surface.
COP-OUT (verb): slang for a flimsy excuse made to avoid responsibility.
DOUBLE-CROSS (verb): to promise one thing and do another.
BUG-EYED (adjective): slang for wide eyed with amazement.
STUCK-UP (adj.): conceited, acting like you are better than others.
TONGUE-LASHING (noun): a strong rebuke; a sharp criticism.
PIP-SQUEAK (noun): a little, unimportant person.
TWO-FACED (adj.): insincere, deceitful, changeable.
YAK-YAK-YAK (noun): slang for a lot of talk about nothing.
FALLING-OUT (noun): a disagreement; an argument.
BREAK UP (verb): to terminate; to bring to an end.
BREAKUP (noun): the end of a relationship.

Two Word Idioms

Still other idioms consist of two words.

For example, Henry Jones says, "My business partner is a bad egg. One moment, he is an eager beaver. The
next, he is horsing around. The other day, I caught him doctoring up our account books. I freaked out. I
shouted, 'This time, you have really loused up. If these books are ever audited, we are dead ducks'! He tried to
weasel out of it and do a snow job on me. Now I am a basket case, and there is bad blood between us. I don't
like to make waves, but if something isn't done, our business is going belly up. I'm beside myself. I don't want
to raise a big stink, but this is a bitter pill to swallow. I need to clamp down on my partner, but he's a tough
cookie to deal with. He has given our company a black eye in the business world. If I don't chicken out, I'm
going to buy him out."

In your own words, can you explain what Henry Jones is saying about his business partner?

Vocabulary Study
BAD EGG (noun): slang for someone who is good for nothing.
BUTTER UP (verb): to try to gain someone's favor by flattery.
EAGER BEAVER (noun): slang for someone who works extra hard.
HORSE AROUND (verb): slang for playing instead of working.
DOCTOR UP (verb): to change, alter, or adulterate.
FREAK OUT (verb): slang for losing control of one's emotions.
LOUSE UP (verb): slang for making a mess of things.
DEAD DUCK (noun): someone in a hopeless situation.
WEASEL OUT (verb): to back out of an obligation without good reason.
SNOW JOB (noun): slang for insincere words used to persuade someone.
BASKET CASE (noun): slang for someone who has fallen apart emotionally or physically and is unable to take
care of himself.
BAD BLOOD (noun): anger and distrust due to broken relationships.
MAKE WAVES (verb): to cause a disturbance.
BELLY UP (adjective): bankrupt and financially ruined.
BESIDE ONESELF (adjective): going crazy; in a turmoil emotionally.
BIG STINK (noun): a scandal or a major upheaval.
BITTER PILL (noun): a big disappointment that is hard to accept.
CLAMP DOWN (verb): to bring someone under control.
TOUGH COOKIE (noun): someone who is hardheaded and extremely difficult to deal with.
BLACK EYE (noun): a bad reputation.
CHICKEN OUT (verb): to decide, because of fear, not to do something
BUY OUT (verb): to purchase ownership from someone.

Your Assignment

Congratulations! You have completed a lesson on American idioms. There are numerous idioms to learn, but
you can learn them if you keep working and studying hard.

Now answer the question of Advanced 1 Grammar, Lesson 3; then study Advanced 1, Reading Assignment 3
and answer the questions on it..

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