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English idioms relating to |
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| Below the belt |
An action or remark described as below the belt means
that it is considered unfair or cruel. "Politicians sometimes use personal information to hit their rivals below the belt." |
| Tighten your belt | If you need to
tighten
your belt, you must spend your money carefully. "Another bill? I'll have to tighten my belt this month!" |
| Lick someone's boots | To
say that one person licks another person's boots means that they are trying to please that person, often in order to obtain something. |
| Get too big for your boots (or britches) | To
say that a person is getting too big for their boots means that you think they are behaving as if they were more important that they really are. "Tom's really getting too big for his boots since he got a promotion - he hardly says hello any more!" |
| Put on your thinking cap | If you tell someone to
put their thinking cap on, you ask
them to find an idea or solve a problem by thinking about it. "Now here's this week's quiz - it's time to put your thinking caps on!" |
| A feather in one's cap | To
describe someone's achievement as a
feather in their cap means that it is something they can be proud of. "The overwhelming victory of the team was a feather in the cap for the new manager." |
| Hot under the collar | If you get hot under the collar, you feel
annoyed, indignant or embarrassed. "If anyone criticizes his proposals, Joe immediately gets hot under the collar." |
| Off the cuff | If you speak off the cuff, you say something without any previous
thought or preparation. "He handles off-the-cuff interviews very well." |
| Fit like a glove | If something fits you like a glove, it fits you
perfectly. "I was lucky! The first skirt I tried on fitted me like a glove!" |
| Handle someone with kid gloves. |
If you handle someone with kid gloves, you treat them
very carefully or tactfully, either because they are very important or because they are easily upset. "He is so determined to obtain her agreement that he is handling her with kid gloves." |
| At the drop of a hat | If you do something at the drop of a hat, you do it
immediately and without hesitation "I've got great friends. They're ready to help out at the drop of a hat." |
| Keep something under one's hat | To keep something under one's hat
means to keep a secret. "My boss has promised me a promotion, but it's not official yet, so keep it under your hat." |
| Take one's hat off to somebody |
You say this to express admiration for something
someone has done. "I take my hat off to the chef. The meal was wonderful." |
| Get your knickers in a twist. |
If you get your knickers in twist, you are
angry, nervous or upset faced with a difficult situation "Don't get your knickers in a twist! Everything is under control." |
| Ants in one's pants |
People who
have ants in their pants are very restless or excited about something "I wish he'd relax. He's got ants in his pants about something today!" |
| Caught with your pants down | If you are
caught with your pants down, you are caught
doing something bad or forbidden. "Our neighbours were caught interfering with their electricity metre - caught with their pants down!" |
| Keep your shirt on! | If you tell somebody to keep their shirt on, you are asking them to calm down. |
| In someone's shoes |
To talk about being in someone's shoes
means to imagine how you would react if you were in a similar situation as that person. |
| Have an ace up one's sleeve |
If you have an ace up your sleeve, you have something in
reserve with which you can gain an advantage. "I'm well prepared for the negotiations. I've got an ace up my sleeve." |
| Roll up your sleeves | When you roll up your sleeves, you get ready for hard work. "To increase our market share we'll have to roll up our sleeves and find new customers." |
| Pull your socks up | If you tell someone to pull their socks
up, you are saying that they need to make an effort to improve their performance. |
| Black tie event | This expression refers to a formal event at which men are required to
wear a dinner jacket, or tuxedo, and a black bow tie. "I need to know if it's going to be a casual get-together or a black tie event." |
| Wear the trousers (or pants) | The
partner in a couple who wears the trousers is the one who makes the important decisions. |
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