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

Item

Match

Comments

I was feeling mighty blue.

I was very sad.

The guy got in my hair.

He was a constant nuisance.

She put on the dog.

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

After going through a lot of red tape.

After many bureaucratic and confusing processes.

I felt a tug at my elbow.

Someone was pulling on my arm.

The groom had his hands full too.

He was very busy.

She let her hair down and ate like a horse.

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

I tried to chisel in.

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

She turned her back on me.

She ignored what I had to say.

The cat had her tongue.

She didn't say anything.

I threw myself at her feet.

I implored her for mercy and grace.

The judge tried to pump me.

The judge tried to get information out of me.

He spent his money like water.

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

We went around together for some time.

She was my girlfriend for a period of time.

I died laughing.

I laughed a real lot, uncontrollably.

A beautiful girl stepped into the picture.

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

My breath came up short panted.

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

I dropped in on Mary.

I made her a surprise visit.

She gave me a date.

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

How’s tricks?

Hello

An informal greeting.

I seemed to grow up overnight

My time as a child seemed to pass by quickly

He gave me the gate.

I was fired/dismissed from my job.

I raised a big stink.

I protested vigorously.

I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth

I was born into a rich family

It felt good to stretch my legs again.

It was nice to experience freedom again.

I wrote a check and it bounced.

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

I put on my white tie and tails.

I dressed in a formal tuxedo.

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

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

In no time the law was on my heels.

Soon the police were very close to catching me.

We chewed the rag awhile.

We had a little chat, a small talk.

What’s cookin’?

Hello

An informal greeting.

A tear ran down my cheek.

I cried softly.

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, ...

I walked out on her.

I left her presence, especially in a rude manner.

I got a job slinging hash.

I got a job serving food in a restaurant.

Especially a cheap establishment.

I was up against it.

I was in a very unfortunate situation.

At the crack of dawn.

In the beginning of a new day.

That burned me up.

I became very angry.

They sprung me.

I was released from prison.

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.

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

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.

To be in a pickle.

To be in an uncomfortable situation.

Our eyes met.

We noticed each another.

I gave him the slip.

I managed to escape from him.

What’s new?

Hello

An informal greeting.

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 carried on.

I continued, I persevered

The guy at the piano played by ear.

He played without the use of a sheet music.

I was beside myself with anger.

I was very very upset/crossed/angry.

I heard it from the grapevine.

I heard a rumour.

My money was running out on me.

I was spending all my money quickly.

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

I kept saying the wrong thing.

I went to pieces.

I became very upset/sad.

It was raining cats and dogs.

It was raining very hard.

I couldn’t cut the mustard.

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

Did you follow me?

Did you understand what I said?

The proprietor drew a gun on me.

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

I made a lot of dough.

I made a lot of money.

My little hole in the wall.

A small dingy room.

We were painting the town red.

We were enjoying parties all over the city.

She had good looking pins too.

She had attractive legs.