English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
BODY IDIOMS:
TOOTH - TEETH
Idioms
from: 'by the skin of one's teeth'
to: 'teething problems'
- by the skin of one's teeth
- If you manage to do something by the skin of your teeth,
you succeed in doing it but you almost fail.
"The traffic was so heavy I thought I'd miss the train, but I caught it by the skin of my teeth."
- If you manage to do something by the skin of your teeth,
you succeed in doing it but you almost fail.
- grit your teeth
- When you are determined to do something in spite of the
difficulties involved, you grit your teeth.
"To reach safety I had to grit my teeth and wade through the mud."
- When you are determined to do something in spite of the
difficulties involved, you grit your teeth.
- lie through your teeth
- If you lie through your teeth, you lie openly and brazenly,
knowing that what you are saying is completely false.
"I saw him breaking the window. If he denies it, he's lying through his teeth."
- If you lie through your teeth, you lie openly and brazenly,
knowing that what you are saying is completely false.
- like pulling teeth
- Something that is like pulling teeth
is extremely difficult to obtain, especially
if trying to extract information from someone.
"Getting him to talk about his job was like pulling teeth!"
- Something that is like pulling teeth
is extremely difficult to obtain, especially
if trying to extract information from someone.
- sink one's teeth into (something)
- If you sink your teeth into something, you do it
with a lot of energy and enthusiasm.
"When Julie got promoted, she immediately sank her teeth into her new job."
- If you sink your teeth into something, you do it
with a lot of energy and enthusiasm.
- (have a) sweet tooth
- Someone who has a sweet tooth enjoys eating sweet
things like sugar, pastries, chocolate, etc.
"My mother will be delighted if you bring her chocolates - she's got a sweet tooth."
- Someone who has a sweet tooth enjoys eating sweet
things like sugar, pastries, chocolate, etc.
- teeth chattering
- If your teeth are chattering, you are extremely cold.
"Was I cold? My teeth were chattering!"
- If your teeth are chattering, you are extremely cold.
- teething problems
- The difficulties encountered during the initial stage of an
activity or project are called teething problems.
"We had some teething problems when we first opened the bookshop, but now everything is okay."
- The difficulties encountered during the initial stage of an
activity or project are called teething problems.
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