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

Item

Match

Comments

I seemed to grow up overnight

My time as a child seemed to pass by quickly

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.

In no time the law was on my heels.

Soon the police were very close to catching me.

They sprung me.

I was released from prison.

After going through a lot of red tape.

After many bureaucratic and confusing processes.

I couldn’t cut the mustard.

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

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

I kept saying the wrong thing.

I raised a big stink.

I protested vigorously.

She had good looking pins too.

She had attractive legs.

I died laughing.

I laughed a real lot, uncontrollably.

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 was feeling mighty blue.

I was very sad.

It felt good to stretch my legs again.

It was nice to experience freedom again.

I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth

I was born into a rich family

She turned her back on me.

She ignored what I had to say.

She gave me a date.

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

I wrote a check and it bounced.

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

The guy got in my hair.

He was a constant nuisance.

She let her hair down and ate like a horse.

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

She put on the dog.

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

What’s cookin’?

Hello

An informal greeting.

The judge tried to pump me.

The judge tried to get information out of me.

A beautiful girl stepped into the picture.

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

To be in a pickle.

To be in an uncomfortable situation.

Did you follow me?

Did you understand what I said?

I gave him the slip.

I managed to escape from him.

A tear ran down my cheek.

I cried softly.

How’s tricks?

Hello

An informal greeting.

Our eyes met.

We noticed each another.

He gave me the gate.

I was fired/dismissed from my job.

I tried to chisel in.

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

I felt a tug at my elbow.

Someone was pulling on my arm.

The groom had his hands full too.

He was very busy.

We went around together for some time.

She was my girlfriend for a period of time.

I went to pieces.

I became very upset/sad.

Her clothes fit her like a glove.

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

I dropped in on Mary.

I made her a surprise visit.

I was up against it.

I was in a very unfortunate situation.

I walked out on her.

I left her presence, especially in a rude manner.

We were painting the town red.

We were enjoying parties all over the city.

I put on my white tie and tails.

I dressed in a formal tuxedo.

My little hole in the wall.

A small dingy room.

My money was running out on me.

I was spending all my money quickly.

At the crack of dawn.

In the beginning of a new day.

I made a lot of dough.

I made a lot of money.

I was beside myself with anger.

I was very very upset/crossed/angry.

I got a job slinging hash.

I got a job serving food in a restaurant.

Especially a cheap establishment.

That burned me up.

I became very angry.

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, ...

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.

I carried on.

I continued, I persevered

The guy at the piano played by ear.

He played without the use of a sheet music.

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

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

We chewed the rag awhile.

We had a little chat, a small talk.

What’s new?

Hello

An informal greeting.

I heard it from the grapevine.

I heard a rumour.

The proprietor drew a gun on me.

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

He was connected with the railroad.

He worked for a railroad company.

I threw myself at her feet.

I implored her for mercy and grace.

It was raining cats and dogs.

It was raining very hard.

My breath came up short panted.

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

The cat had her tongue.

She didn't say anything.

He spent his money like water.

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