Preview - Interactive Activities – Symphony in slang (idioms)

SmartMemo

Symphony in slang (idioms)
Video page	https://multimedia-english.com/videos/lesson/symphony-in-slang-idioms-3726
Focus	Expressions
Description	This activity will help you learn lots of colloquial idioms in English.
Instructions	1- Look at the words and think of its meaning (and maybe pronunciation) 2- Move your mouse over the black button to check your answer. 3- If you were right, click on the green button, if wrong, click on the red.

Item	Match	Comments
I wrote a check and it bounced.	There was not enough money in the bank to cover my expenses.
It was raining cats and dogs.	It was raining very hard.
I was up against it.	I was in a very unfortunate situation.
I went to pieces.	I became very upset/sad.
I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth	I was born into a rich family
I gave him the slip.	I managed to escape from him.
They sprung me.	I was released from prison.
At the crack of dawn.	In the beginning of a new day.
I raised a big stink.	I protested vigorously.
I got up with the chickens.	I rose up very early in the morning.	Roosters/cocks are known to crow at the sunrise, so this expression is synonymous with rising up early
I tried to chisel in.	I tried to interrupt their good times, get in the way.
I died laughing.	I laughed a real lot, uncontrollably.
My little hole in the wall.	A small dingy room.
The boss was short-handed.	The boss didn't have enough employees to do the necessary work.	Being short-handed means not having enough employees to do the necessary work because you need more "hands" to help you, more people.
My breath came up short panted.	I was breathing harder than normal due to my excitement or tiredness.
To be in a pickle.	To be in an uncomfortable situation.
What’s new?	Hello	An informal greeting.
He spent his money like water.	He was very generous with his money (or simply spent too much)
I carried on.	I continued, I persevered
A beautiful girl stepped into the picture.	I met an attractive woman and she became significant to me.
I got a job slinging hash.	I got a job serving food in a restaurant.	Especially a cheap establishment.
I made a lot of dough.	I made a lot of money.
A tear ran down my cheek.	I cried softly.
The cat had her tongue.	She didn't say anything.
Every time I opened my mouth, I put my foot into it.	I kept saying the wrong thing.
I was feeling mighty blue.	I was very sad.
I walked out on her.	I left her presence, especially in a rude manner.
I couldn’t cut the mustard.	I was not adequately skilled to do the work that was required.
I dropped in on Mary.	I made her a surprise visit.
The guy got in my hair.	He was a constant nuisance.
I felt a tug at my elbow.	Someone was pulling on my arm.
I put on my white tie and tails.	I dressed in a formal tuxedo.
We went around together for some time.	She was my girlfriend for a period of time.
He gave me the gate.	I was fired/dismissed from my job.
The judge tried to pump me.	The judge tried to get information out of me.
My money was running out on me.	I was spending all my money quickly.
I got goose pimples.	I got nervous.	Goose pimples are those little lumps you get all over your skin when you feel cold, or nervous, or afraid, ...
She turned her back on me.	She ignored what I had to say.
It felt good to stretch my legs again.	It was nice to experience freedom again.
The proprietor drew a gun on me.	The proprietor pulled out a pistol and pointed it at me.
She let her hair down and ate like a horse.	She acted in a relaxed manner and she ate a real lot.
Did you follow me?	Did you understand what I said?
I heard it from the grapevine.	I heard a rumour.
She put on the dog.	She wore a formal evening gown and looked very attractive in it.
That burned me up.	I became very angry.
She had good looking pins too.	She had attractive legs.
Our eyes met.	We noticed each another.
He sent me up the river to do a stretch in the jar.	He sent me to jail for a long period of time.
She gave me a date.	She agreee to spend time with me, to go out together.
After going through a lot of red tape.	After many bureaucratic and confusing processes.
How’s tricks?	Hello	An informal greeting.
In no time the law was on my heels.	Soon the police were very close to catching me.
I threw myself at her feet.	I implored her for mercy and grace.
We chewed the rag awhile.	We had a little chat, a small talk.
We were painting the town red.	We were enjoying parties all over the city.
I was beside myself with anger.	I was very very upset/crossed/angry.
He was connected with the railroad.	He worked for a railroad company.
Her clothes fit her like a glove.	Her dress was clinging tight on her body, the perfect size for her.
The groom had his hands full too.	He was very busy.
What’s cookin’?	Hello	An informal greeting.
I seemed to grow up overnight	My time as a child seemed to pass by quickly
He's all thumbs.	He's very clumsy.	As if all your fingers became thumbs, so you wouldn't be able to do things properly.
The guy at the piano played by ear.	He played without the use of a sheet music.

Item

Match

Comments

I wrote a check and it bounced.

There was not enough money in the bank to cover my expenses.

It was raining cats and dogs.

It was raining very hard.

I was up against it.

I was in a very unfortunate situation.

I went to pieces.

I became very upset/sad.

I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth

I was born into a rich family

I gave him the slip.

I managed to escape from him.

They sprung me.

I was released from prison.

At the crack of dawn.

In the beginning of a new day.

I raised a big stink.

I protested vigorously.

I got up with the chickens.

I rose up very early in the morning.

Roosters/cocks are known to crow at the sunrise, so this expression is synonymous with rising up early

I tried to chisel in.

I tried to interrupt their good times, get in the way.

I died laughing.

I laughed a real lot, uncontrollably.

My little hole in the wall.

A small dingy room.

The boss was short-handed.

The boss didn't have enough employees to do the necessary work.

Being short-handed means not having enough employees to do the necessary work because you need more "hands" to help you, more people.

My breath came up short panted.

I was breathing harder than normal due to my excitement or tiredness.

To be in a pickle.

To be in an uncomfortable situation.

What’s new?

Hello

An informal greeting.

He spent his money like water.

He was very generous with his money (or simply spent too much)

I carried on.

I continued, I persevered

A beautiful girl stepped into the picture.

I met an attractive woman and she became significant to me.

I got a job slinging hash.

I got a job serving food in a restaurant.

Especially a cheap establishment.

I made a lot of dough.

I made a lot of money.

A tear ran down my cheek.

I cried softly.

The cat had her tongue.

She didn't say anything.

Every time I opened my mouth, I put my foot into it.

I kept saying the wrong thing.

I was feeling mighty blue.

I was very sad.

I walked out on her.

I left her presence, especially in a rude manner.

I couldn’t cut the mustard.

I was not adequately skilled to do the work that was required.

I dropped in on Mary.

I made her a surprise visit.

The guy got in my hair.

He was a constant nuisance.

I felt a tug at my elbow.

Someone was pulling on my arm.

I put on my white tie and tails.

I dressed in a formal tuxedo.

We went around together for some time.

She was my girlfriend for a period of time.

He gave me the gate.

I was fired/dismissed from my job.

The judge tried to pump me.

The judge tried to get information out of me.

My money was running out on me.

I was spending all my money quickly.

I got goose pimples.

I got nervous.

Goose pimples are those little lumps you get all over your skin when you feel cold, or nervous, or afraid, ...

She turned her back on me.

She ignored what I had to say.

It felt good to stretch my legs again.

It was nice to experience freedom again.

The proprietor drew a gun on me.

The proprietor pulled out a pistol and pointed it at me.

She let her hair down and ate like a horse.

She acted in a relaxed manner and she ate a real lot.

Did you follow me?

Did you understand what I said?

I heard it from the grapevine.

I heard a rumour.

She put on the dog.

She wore a formal evening gown and looked very attractive in it.

That burned me up.

I became very angry.

She had good looking pins too.

She had attractive legs.

Our eyes met.

We noticed each another.

He sent me up the river to do a stretch in the jar.

He sent me to jail for a long period of time.

She gave me a date.

She agreee to spend time with me, to go out together.

After going through a lot of red tape.

After many bureaucratic and confusing processes.

How’s tricks?

Hello

An informal greeting.

In no time the law was on my heels.

Soon the police were very close to catching me.

I threw myself at her feet.

I implored her for mercy and grace.

We chewed the rag awhile.

We had a little chat, a small talk.

We were painting the town red.

We were enjoying parties all over the city.

I was beside myself with anger.

I was very very upset/crossed/angry.

He was connected with the railroad.

He worked for a railroad company.

Her clothes fit her like a glove.

Her dress was clinging tight on her body, the perfect size for her.

The groom had his hands full too.

He was very busy.

What’s cookin’?

Hello

An informal greeting.

I seemed to grow up overnight

My time as a child seemed to pass by quickly

He's all thumbs.

He's very clumsy.

As if all your fingers became thumbs, so you wouldn't be able to do things properly.

The guy at the piano played by ear.

He played without the use of a sheet music.