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

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.

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.

She turned her back on me.

She ignored what I had to say.

She had good looking pins too.

She had attractive legs.

The proprietor drew a gun on me.

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

My breath came up short panted.

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

It felt good to stretch my legs again.

It was nice to experience freedom again.

I couldn’t cut the mustard.

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

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 was feeling mighty blue.

I was very sad.

It was raining cats and dogs.

It was raining very hard.

I dropped in on Mary.

I made her a surprise visit.

I wrote a check and it bounced.

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

Our eyes met.

We noticed each another.

I died laughing.

I laughed a real lot, uncontrollably.

My money was running out on me.

I was spending all my money quickly.

I carried on.

I continued, I persevered

He gave me the gate.

I was fired/dismissed from my job.

We were painting the town red.

We were enjoying parties all over the city.

He spent his money like water.

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

She put on the dog.

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

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.

I went to pieces.

I became very upset/sad.

The judge tried to pump me.

The judge tried to get information out of me.

What’s new?

Hello

An informal greeting.

I put on my white tie and tails.

I dressed in a formal tuxedo.

Her clothes fit her like a glove.

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

I walked out on her.

I left her presence, especially in a rude manner.

I gave him the slip.

I managed to escape from him.

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.

He was connected with the railroad.

He worked for a railroad company.

I seemed to grow up overnight

My time as a child seemed to pass by quickly

What’s cookin’?

Hello

An informal greeting.

The guy at the piano played by ear.

He played without the use of a sheet music.

After going through a lot of red tape.

After many bureaucratic and confusing processes.

That burned me up.

I became very angry.

I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth

I was born into a rich family

I heard it from the grapevine.

I heard a rumour.

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 up against it.

I was in a very unfortunate situation.

I threw myself at her feet.

I implored her for mercy and grace.

I raised a big stink.

I protested vigorously.

How’s tricks?

Hello

An informal greeting.

They sprung me.

I was released from prison.

The groom had his hands full too.

He was very busy.

Did you follow me?

Did you understand what I said?

I made a lot of dough.

I made a lot of money.

I tried to chisel in.

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

I got a job slinging hash.

I got a job serving food in a restaurant.

Especially a cheap establishment.

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, ...

At the crack of dawn.

In the beginning of a new day.

She gave me a date.

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

The cat had her tongue.

She didn't say anything.

We chewed the rag awhile.

We had a little chat, a small talk.

A tear ran down my cheek.

I cried softly.

I was beside myself with anger.

I was very very upset/crossed/angry.

In no time the law was on my heels.

Soon the police were very close to catching me.

I felt a tug at my elbow.

Someone was pulling on my arm.

My little hole in the wall.

A small dingy room.

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

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