Idioms are words, phrases, or expressions that are either grammatically unusual, as in, “Long
time, no see!”, or their meaning cannot be taken literally, as in, “It's raining cats and dogs!”
This expression does not mean that cats and dogs are falling from the sky, but it is a metaphorical
expression (word picture) that means that it is raining very heavily.
Idioms are connected to vocabulary and help student better comprehend passages and stories.
In the dog house- in trouble
Dad was in the doghouse after he forgot to buy a birthday gift for Mom.
Get up on the wrong side of the bed- be in a bad mood
Stan was grumpy, I knew he must have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed.
Heart of gold- kind and generous nature
The children all loved Mrs. Kader because she had a heart of gold.
Go out on a limb- take a chance
I'll go out on a limb and say that our team will win the championship this year.
Hold your horses- wait or stop
"Hold your horses!" said Mom as I reached for a cookie. "They are still too hot to eat."
Get off someone's back- stop nagging or reminding someone about something
Dad won't get off my back until I take out the trash.
Count on someone- depend on someone
You can count on me to bring cupcakes to the math club meeting.
On the back burner- delayed until later
I put baseball practice on the back burner while I studied for the test.
Break someone's heart- make someone feel very sad
It will break my heart if I don't get a puppy for my birthday!
Green thumb- good gardening skills
Mr. Tam's garden is very beautiful. He certainly has a green thumb!
Understanding Idioms
lakeshorelearning.com
Carson, CA 90895