Preview - Interactive Activities – Symphony in slang (idioms)

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

Item

Match

Comments

I put on my white tie and tails.

I dressed in a formal tuxedo.

The cat had her tongue.

She didn't say anything.

My breath came up short panted.

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

Our eyes met.

We noticed each another.

I seemed to grow up overnight

My time as a child seemed to pass by quickly

The guy at the piano played by ear.

He played without the use of a sheet music.

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, ...

It felt good to stretch my legs again.

It was nice to experience freedom again.

I got a job slinging hash.

I got a job serving food in a restaurant.

Especially a cheap establishment.

She gave me a date.

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

I was up against it.

I was in a very unfortunate situation.

How’s tricks?

Hello

An informal greeting.

I walked out on her.

I left her presence, especially in a rude manner.

To be in a pickle.

To be in an uncomfortable situation.

I couldn’t cut the mustard.

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

My money was running out on me.

I was spending all my money quickly.

She had good looking pins too.

She had attractive legs.

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.

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

In no time the law was on my heels.

Soon the police were very close to catching me.

We were painting the town red.

We were enjoying parties all over the city.

I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth

I was born into a rich family

A tear ran down my cheek.

I cried softly.

They sprung me.

I was released from prison.

Did you follow me?

Did you understand what I said?

I wrote a check and it bounced.

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

I felt a tug at my elbow.

Someone was pulling on my arm.

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.

He spent his money like water.

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

I threw myself at her feet.

I implored her for mercy and grace.

I tried to chisel in.

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

I gave him the slip.

I managed to escape from him.

He was connected with the railroad.

He worked for a railroad company.

After going through a lot of red tape.

After many bureaucratic and confusing processes.

I dropped in on Mary.

I made her a surprise visit.

I was beside myself with anger.

I was very very upset/crossed/angry.

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

I kept saying the wrong thing.

She let her hair down and ate like a horse.

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

We chewed the rag awhile.

We had a little chat, a small talk.

I was feeling mighty blue.

I was very sad.

I carried on.

I continued, I persevered

She put on the dog.

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

My little hole in the wall.

A small dingy room.

The judge tried to pump me.

The judge tried to get information out of me.

Her clothes fit her like a glove.

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

She turned her back on me.

She ignored what I had to say.

What’s new?

Hello

An informal greeting.

At the crack of dawn.

In the beginning of a new day.

I went to pieces.

I became very upset/sad.

A beautiful girl stepped into the picture.

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

What’s cookin’?

Hello

An informal greeting.

The groom had his hands full too.

He was very busy.

I raised a big stink.

I protested vigorously.

The proprietor drew a gun on me.

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

That burned me up.

I became very angry.

It was raining cats and dogs.

It was raining very hard.

The guy got in my hair.

He was a constant nuisance.

I made a lot of dough.

I made a lot of money.

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.

I heard it from the grapevine.

I heard a rumour.

I died laughing.

I laughed a real lot, uncontrollably.

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

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