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

Item

Match

Comments

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.

The guy got in my hair.

He was a constant nuisance.

I tried to chisel in.

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

The judge tried to pump me.

The judge tried to get information out of me.

I got a job slinging hash.

I got a job serving food in a restaurant.

Especially a cheap establishment.

I carried on.

I continued, I persevered

After going through a lot of red tape.

After many bureaucratic and confusing processes.

They sprung me.

I was released from prison.

How’s tricks?

Hello

An informal greeting.

I felt a tug at my elbow.

Someone was pulling on my arm.

My breath came up short panted.

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

A tear ran down my cheek.

I cried softly.

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

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

He gave me the gate.

I was fired/dismissed from my job.

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 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, ...

We went around together for some time.

She was my girlfriend for a period of time.

She had good looking pins too.

She had attractive legs.

Our eyes met.

We noticed each another.

I heard it from the grapevine.

I heard a rumour.

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

I kept saying the wrong thing.

I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth

I was born into a rich family

We were painting the town red.

We were enjoying parties all over the city.

That burned me up.

I became very angry.

We chewed the rag awhile.

We had a little chat, a small talk.

I put on my white tie and tails.

I dressed in a formal tuxedo.

It felt good to stretch my legs again.

It was nice to experience freedom again.

A beautiful girl stepped into the picture.

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

I went to pieces.

I became very upset/sad.

I couldn’t cut the mustard.

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

She gave me a date.

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

My money was running out on me.

I was spending all my money quickly.

The cat had her tongue.

She didn't say anything.

What’s new?

Hello

An informal greeting.

I dropped in on Mary.

I made her a surprise visit.

I died laughing.

I laughed a real lot, uncontrollably.

What’s cookin’?

Hello

An informal greeting.

The proprietor drew a gun on me.

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

I raised a big stink.

I protested vigorously.

I made a lot of dough.

I made a lot of money.

I wrote a check and it bounced.

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

The groom had his hands full too.

He was very busy.

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.

To be in a pickle.

To be in an uncomfortable situation.

Did you follow me?

Did you understand what I said?

At the crack of dawn.

In the beginning of a new day.

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.

She put on the dog.

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

I walked out on her.

I left her presence, especially in a rude manner.

In no time the law was on my heels.

Soon the police were very close to catching me.

It was raining cats and dogs.

It was raining very hard.

He was connected with the railroad.

He worked for a railroad company.

She turned her back on me.

She ignored what I had to say.

I was beside myself with anger.

I was very very upset/crossed/angry.

She let her hair down and ate like a horse.

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

The guy at the piano played by ear.

He played without the use of a sheet music.

I gave him the slip.

I managed to escape from him.

I was feeling mighty blue.

I was very sad.

My little hole in the wall.

A small dingy room.

I seemed to grow up overnight

My time as a child seemed to pass by quickly

He spent his money like water.

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