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

Item

Match

Comments

To be in a pickle.

To be in an uncomfortable situation.

That burned me up.

I became very angry.

What’s new?

Hello

An informal greeting.

I was up against it.

I was in a very unfortunate situation.

She gave me a date.

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

I gave him the slip.

I managed to escape from him.

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, ...

After going through a lot of red tape.

After many bureaucratic and confusing processes.

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.

Our eyes met.

We noticed each another.

I wrote a check and it bounced.

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

I threw myself at her feet.

I implored her for mercy and grace.

I heard it from the grapevine.

I heard a rumour.

I was beside myself with anger.

I was very very upset/crossed/angry.

Did you follow me?

Did you understand what I said?

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

Her clothes fit her like a glove.

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

It felt good to stretch my legs again.

It was nice to experience freedom again.

I died laughing.

I laughed a real lot, uncontrollably.

I walked out on her.

I left her presence, especially in a rude manner.

We chewed the rag awhile.

We had a little chat, a small talk.

She had good looking pins too.

She had attractive legs.

A tear ran down my cheek.

I cried softly.

I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth

I was born into a rich family

What’s cookin’?

Hello

An informal greeting.

She put on the dog.

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

The guy at the piano played by ear.

He played without the use of a sheet music.

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.

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

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

The judge tried to pump me.

The judge tried to get information out of me.

He was connected with the railroad.

He worked for a railroad company.

At the crack of dawn.

In the beginning of a new day.

The groom had his hands full too.

He was very busy.

She turned her back on me.

She ignored what I had to say.

He spent his money like water.

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

I felt a tug at my elbow.

Someone was pulling on my arm.

In no time the law was on my heels.

Soon the police were very close to catching me.

A beautiful girl stepped into the picture.

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

The proprietor drew a gun on me.

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

He gave me the gate.

I was fired/dismissed from my job.

I made a lot of dough.

I made a lot of money.

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 seemed to grow up overnight

My time as a child seemed to pass by quickly

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

I kept saying the wrong thing.

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.

I carried on.

I continued, I persevered

My little hole in the wall.

A small dingy room.

She let her hair down and ate like a horse.

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

I raised a big stink.

I protested vigorously.

I got a job slinging hash.

I got a job serving food in a restaurant.

Especially a cheap establishment.

I tried to chisel in.

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

We went around together for some time.

She was my girlfriend for a period of time.

The guy got in my hair.

He was a constant nuisance.

I went to pieces.

I became very upset/sad.

My breath came up short panted.

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

How’s tricks?

Hello

An informal greeting.

They sprung me.

I was released from prison.

I was feeling mighty blue.

I was very sad.

It was raining cats and dogs.

It was raining very hard.

My money was running out on me.

I was spending all my money quickly.

The cat had her tongue.

She didn't say anything.