Barking Up the Wrong Tree

When you "bark up the wrong tree," you are accusing the wrong person for something or looking in the wrong place for something.

Example: Lola was barking up the wrong tree when she accused Manny of stealing her pencil case.

 
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An Axe to Grind

When you, "have an axe to grind" with someone, you have an issue or problem with someone.

For example: Madison has an axe to grind with Alex because Alex is consistently rude to her.


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To Be on Thin Ice

When you are "on thin ice," you are in a risky situation.

For example, Jessie was on thin ice when she asked her angry mother to borrow the car.


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To Talk Turkey

If you "talk turkey," you want to have a serious discussion.

Example: At the meeting, Jim wanted to talk turkey but Pam and Alex only wanted to joke around.


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Add Fuel to the Fire

When you add fuel to the fire, you make a bad situation even worse.

Example: Kristen and Julie were in a fight and Jessica added fuel to the fire by telling Kristen that Julie spoke rudely of her.


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A Slap on the Wrist

A "slap on the wrist" is a mild punishment.

Example: A police officer pulled Tony over for speeding but he got away with only a slap on the wrist. Instead of a ticket, tony got a warning.

Let The Cat Out Of The Bag

If you "let the cat out of the bag," you tell someone a secret they are not supposed to know.

Example: Max wasn't going to tell his parents that he was failing calculus, but Jenny let the cat out of the bag when she told his mom.


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A Piece of Cake

If something is "a piece of cake," it is a task that can be accomplished easily.

Example: Jessica believed the English test she studied all week for was a piece of cake.


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All Bark And No Bite

If you are "all bark and no bite," you are threatening and aggressive but unwilling to engage in a fight or follow through with your threats.

Example: The manager always threatens to fire Alex; however, he will never actually do it. He is all bark and no bite.


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Bite Off More Than You Can Chew

If you "bite off more than you can chew," you take on a task that is way too big or hard to accomplish.

Example: Kristen bit off more than she could chew when she agreed to plan Susan's wedding.

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WOLF DOWN

If you "wolf down" your food, you eat it very fast or ravenously.


Example: After the soccer match he was so hungry that he wolfed down a whole pizza.

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HAVE A BALL

If you had a ball, it means you had a great time.

The idiom most likely originates from the definition of ball as a large, social gathering where dancing is involved.

Ted: Did your dog enjoy himself in the dog park?
Vincent: Definitely. He had a ball! Literally and figuratively. 

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THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX

To think outside the box means to think freely without limiting structures or rules.

Example: The inventors at the company Apple really think outside the box. Their products are innovative. 

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CALL DIBS

If you "call dibs," on something you are informally claiming it as yours before someone else claims it.

For example, when people go for a ride in the car, someone might call (first) dibs on sitting in the front seat because it is more comfortable.

SAVED BY THE BELL

If you were "saved by the bell," you were saved by the last minute intervention of someone or something, such as a bell ringing. This idiom comes from the sport of boxing where a boxer who is down can be saved by the bell which rings at the end of a round.


Example: The teacher asked the student a surprise question, which the student couldn't answer. Luckily, the bell quickly rang, and the teacher was forced to dismiss the class. The student was literally saved by the bell.

AS COOL AS A CUCUMBER // GOT IT IN THE BAG

• If you are as cool as a cucumber, then you are calm and untroubled by stress. 

• If you've got it in the bag, then you are certain you can accomplish a task.

Example

Max: Is Marie worried abou her finals?
Jim: No. She's as cool as a cucumber. She's sure she's got it in the bag.

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FINE TUNING

If you "fine tune" something, you make small changes to improve it. This expression comes from the idea that we tune a musical instrument to make it sound on key.

Jack: Are you finished with your term paper?
Sue: Almost, but not quite. I still need to fine tune it before handing it in.

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KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF

If something "knocks your socks off," it surprises you immensely.

Example: We have a surprise party planned for Janet that's going to knock her socks off.

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WHEN PIGS FLY or WHEN HELL FREEZES OVER

The idioms "when pigs fly" and "when hell freezes over" are both a sarcastic way to say that something will never happen.

Example:
Max: Tom said he's finally going to sell that old car of his.
Sue: Oh yeah? When pigs fly! He loves that piece of junk too much to give it up.

SOCIAL BUTTERFLY

Someone who is a "social butterfly" is a very extroverted, charismatic, and sociable person who can easily "fly" from one social group to the next.

Example: 
Toni will not have any trouble fitting in at her new school. She's a real social butterfly. She's have friends in no time.

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BLOW HOT AND COLD ** SNAP AT ** STORM OFF

**Blow hot and cold - be changeable in his/her attitude or behavior.

**Snap at - speak angrily to someone

**Storm off - leave angrily 


Example

Mike: How do you like your new neighbor?
Samantha: It's hard to say. She blows hot and cold. On Monday, she was friendly and welcoming. She petted my dog, Sally. Then Tuesday, she snapped at me about Sally being on her lawn and she stormed off.

SEE EYE TO EYE

When two people "see eye to eye " on something, they agree. This idiom is often used in the negative form to show disagreement.

Example: Tom and Melissa just don't see eye to eye when it comes to planning their wedding. She wants to have a small wedding to save money  and he wants a big one that will cost a lot.

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OPEN A CAN OF WORMS

If you "open a can of worms," you are creating a situation that will cause more problems or be unpleasant for the people involved. 

Example: Don't ask Tom about why he has been angry with his brother. Don't get involved at all. You'd be opening a can of worms.



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KEEP UP WITH THE JONESES

Jones is a common English surname. Someone trying to keep up with the Joneses is trying to compete with his/her successful neighbors by having the same lifestyle or acquiring the same possessions, like a fancy car, to prove equal status.

Example: After their neighbors painted their house, Mrs. Smith insisted that they too paint their house. She was trying to keep up with the Joneses.

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LIKE TWO PEAS IN A POD

If two people are like two peas in a pod, then they are very similar, as if related.

For example: We couldn't tell the best friends apart. They dressed the same, wore their hair the same, even walked and talked the same. They were like two peas in a pod!

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TAKE IT WITH A GRAIN OF SALT

To take something with a grain of salt  means not to consider something too seriously because it may not be true.
(This idiom probably arrives from the idea that food tastes better with salt.)



Max: Don't be upset about what he said. Take it with a grain of salt.
Mary: You're right. It's probably not even true.

A FAT CHANCE

If you have a "fat chance," then you have very little or no possibility to accomplish something.

For example:
Ronda: Do you think our school soccer team will win the championship?
Meg: Fat chance! They have been on a losing streak this season.

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A SLICE OF LIFE

If a movie, a play, a book, a painting, or another artwork reflects the reality of everyday life, we say that it is "a slice of life."


Example: The short film was a slice of life reflecting the daily lives of Eskimo families.

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EVERY CLOUD HAS A SILVER LINING

The idiom "every cloud has a silver lining" means that we should think optimistically because even a bad situation will have a happy ending.

Example: "I'm sorry to hear you didn't get the job. But cheer up! Every cloud has a silver lining! You will find a better job."

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IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT

If something happens "in the dead of...," it occurs in the middle of that period, during its greatest intensity.

For example: 

The fire broke out in the dead of night.

or

January is the dead of winter.

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CHICKEN OUT

So apparently a chicken is not a brave animal.

If you "chicken out," you act in a cowardly/fearful manner.

I was going to dive into the pool from the diving board, but at the last second, I chickened out.

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COLD IDIOMS

There many idioms with the word cold. Here are just a few:

a cold snap - a period of unusually cold weather

catch a cold - get infected with the cold virus

give someone the cold shoulder - treat someone with a cool attitude, reject someone

go cold turkey - quit something suddenly

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APPLE IDIOMS

English has various food-related idioms and apples are no exception:

1. His granddaughter is the "apple of his eye" - She is his favorite. He loves her very much.

2. That test was "as easy as pie" - The test was very easy.

3. He is a "bad apple" - He is a bad person. He has bad behavior compared to the others.

4. That is like "comparing apples and oranges" - That is like comparing two very different things.

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