English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
WEATHER and ATMOSPHERE, page 2
Idioms
from:
'chasing rainbows' to: 'know which way the wind blows'
- chasing rainbows
- Someone who is chasing rainbows is trying
to get something they will never obtain.
"She's trying to get into Oxford, but I think she's chasing rainbows."
- Someone who is chasing rainbows is trying
to get something they will never obtain.
- waiting for a raindrop in the drought
- When someone is waiting for a raindrop in the drought,
they are waiting and hoping for something that has little chance of happening.
"For many people, finding a job these days is like waiting for a raindrop in the drought. "
- When someone is waiting for a raindrop in the drought,
they are waiting and hoping for something that has little chance of happening.
- raining cats and dogs
- If it's raining cats and dogs,
it is raining very heavily.
"We'll have to cancel the picnic I'm afraid - it's raining cats and dogs."
- If it's raining cats and dogs,
it is raining very heavily.
- (a) storm is brewing / there
is a storm brewing
- If you say that a storm is brewing,
you mean that the atmosphere indicates that there is going to be trouble,
probably with outbursts of anger or emotion.
"As soon as we saw Pete's face, we knew there was a storm brewing."
- If you say that a storm is brewing,
you mean that the atmosphere indicates that there is going to be trouble,
probably with outbursts of anger or emotion.
- (a) storm in a teacup
- To refer to something as a storm in a teacup
means that people are making a lot of unnecessary fuss or getting excited
about something unimportant.
"They were arguing about who should go to the supermarket, but it was just a storm in a teacup."
- To refer to something as a storm in a teacup
means that people are making a lot of unnecessary fuss or getting excited
about something unimportant.
- in the eye of the storm
- A person or organisation who is in the eye of the
storm is deeply involved in a difficult situation which affects
a lot of people.
"The Prime Minister was often in the eye of the storm during the debate on whether or not to intervene in Syria."
- A person or organisation who is in the eye of the
storm is deeply involved in a difficult situation which affects
a lot of people.
- (the) lull before the storm
- A period of unnatural calm before a difficult time
or excessive activity is called the lull before the storm.
"The sales start on January 1st. The quiet period before that is just the lull before the storm."
- A period of unnatural calm before a difficult time
or excessive activity is called the lull before the storm.
- weather the storm
- If you weather the storm, you succeed in
surviving a difficult period or situation.
"Given the current recession, the company is weathering the storm better than most."
- If you weather the storm, you succeed in
surviving a difficult period or situation.
- (a) stormy relationship
- If you have a stormy relationship
with someone, you have a lot of arguments and disagreements.
"After a very stormy relationship, they decided to separate."
- If you have a stormy relationship
with someone, you have a lot of arguments and disagreements.
- a place in the sun
- If you find a place in the sun, you reach a position
which provides you with wealth and happiness, or whatever you have been hoping
to obtain for a long time.
"The author finally found a place in the sun with the triumph of her latest book."
- If you find a place in the sun, you reach a position
which provides you with wealth and happiness, or whatever you have been hoping
to obtain for a long time.
- make hay while sun shines
- The expression may hay while the sun shines is used as
an encouragement to take advantage of a good situation which may not last.
"Successful athletes are advised to make hay while the sun shines."
- The expression may hay while the sun shines is used as
an encouragement to take advantage of a good situation which may not last.
- snowed under
- Someone who is snowed under has so many things to do,
usually work, that they unable to cope with it all.
"With the 'flu epidemic, doctors and nurses are completely snowed under."
- Someone who is snowed under has so many things to do,
usually work, that they unable to cope with it all.
- (a) face like thunder
- If someone has a face like thunder,
they look very angry.
"When Dad is really angry, he has a face like thunder!"
- If someone has a face like thunder,
they look very angry.
- (the) tide has turned
- When a trend has changed from one thing
to another, the tide has turned.
"Before, people wanted to live in residential suburbs; now the tide has turned and warehouses are being converted into fashionable loft apartments."
- When a trend has changed from one thing
to another, the tide has turned.
- under the weather
- If you are under the weather, you are
not feeling very well.
"You look a bit under the weather. What's the matter?"
- If you are under the weather, you are
not feeling very well.
- (the) chill wind of something
- If you face or feel the chill wind of something,
you are beginning to encounter the problems or trouble it causes.
"Many building companies are facing the chill wind of the recession."
- If you face or feel the chill wind of something,
you are beginning to encounter the problems or trouble it causes.
- get wind of something
- If you get wind of something, you hear about something
you were unaware of, usually a private or secret matter.
"The chairman didn't want the press to get wind of the takeover before the agreement was signed."
- If you get wind of something, you hear about something
you were unaware of, usually a private or secret matter.
- know which way wind blows
- This expression means that it is advisable to know how a
situation is developing, or what the tendency is, in order to be prepared for any changes.
"Before we decide on anything, we need to know which way the wind is blowing."
- This expression means that it is advisable to know how a
situation is developing, or what the tendency is, in order to be prepared for any changes.
Alphabetical lists: