Sunday, June 28, 2009

Word Differentiation 2

Page 1 --- Page 2 --- Page 3 --- Page 4 --- Page 5 --- Page 6 --- Page 7
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homework ---------- housework
homework - studies carried out at home in preparation for school


* She doesn't mind doing all housework but ironing.

* It is not fair to let Mother do all the housework, so we try to help her when we can


------


human ---------- humane


human - pertaining to man
* There is no finer musical instrument than the human voice.

* He decided to major in the Human Sciences.


humane - merciful, showing human kindness
* Society today tries to be more humane than in the past.

* Some argue that capital punishment is more humane than life imprisonment.


-----


lie ---------- lay

lie - to rest; to recline
* If I lie down in the afternoon, I soon fall asleep.

* There were many other people who were lying in the park.

* When I came in she was lying on the sofa fast asleep.

lay - to place; to put in a certain position
* If you lay the table, I shall make the tea.

* She laid her book on the bedside table and went to sleep.


------

lose ----------loose


lose - to fail to keep or find; to be deprived of
* If you lose your book you must get a new one.

* If we lose another match we will not qualify for the finals.


loose - free; untied; not fastened; not controlled
* They dared not go in because the dog was loose.

* When the birds were let loose they flew immediately to the nearest tree.

* She has a very loose tongue. She told everyone my secret.


------



mature ---------- matured

mature - fully grown and developed; ripe

* At sixteen he is not mature enough to live alone.

* University students are usually mature enough to manage their own lives.

* The picked the mature fruit from the tree and took it home.

matured - of wine, vinegar, etc; undergone the maturing process.

* The wine was matured in casks for six years.

* Before it is ready to drink the wine is matured in large barrels for several years.

------

misused ---------- disused

misused - treated badly or in an incorrect manner

* The calculator broke because it had been misused.

* The photocopying machine had been misused for so long that it finally broke down.


disused - no longer used

* After a search of two hours, they came across the disused tin-mine.

* The lost child was finally found in a disused warehouse near the river.

* Many learner drivers had their first lessons at a disused airport five minutes out of town.


------


moral ---------- morale


moral - concerning what is right and wrong, ethical, virtuous

* The moral lessons taught at school, guide our pupils in their life.

* From a moral point of view it is difficult to defend his actions.

* Our moral education begins from the day we are born.

morale - state of mind, spirit, attitude

* The victory over Manchester United boosted the morale of Chelsea team.

* The morale of the invading army was very high after a number of successful battles.


* He forgot to do his Maths homework.

* In addition to a full day's lessons. pupils have quite a lot of homework to do at night.

* She looks forward to the school holidays and a rest from lessons, teachers and homework.

housework - domestic work, household chores

Word Differentiation 1

Page 1 --- Page 2 --- Page 3 --- Page 4 --- Page 5 --- Page 6 --- Page 7
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Able---------- Capable


able - if someone or something is able to do something, they have skills or qualities which make it possible for them to do it.

capable - if a person or thing is capable of doing something, they have the ability, capacity, or potential to do it.

The different usage between able and capable is ' able ' has a broader meaning in one's ability but ' capable ' shows one's ability in a more specialized aspect.


* She is an able teacher. ( She is a teacher with quality )

* She is a capable teacher. ( She has the ability to be a teacher )


Capable also shows a sense of possibility whereas there is no such usage with able.

* The situation is capable of improvement.
In this situation, we can't replace capable with able to show the possibility for improvement.


Ability can be acquired through a series of training, but capability has nothing to do with training.
* I do not doubt his ability to do the work.
-----

eligible ----------illegible

eligible - suitable, worthy

* She is looking for an eligible bachelor for her daughter.

* All Malaysian citizens of twenty-one years and above are eligible to vote.

illegible - too unclear to be read

* He had to type his work since his writing was illegible.

* The signature on the medical certificate was illegible.
-----

eminent ----------imminent
eminent - prominent, distinguished, famous


.
* His operation was carried out by an eminent surgeon.

* An eminent scientist has made a breakthrough in the field of nuclear physics.

imminent - about to take place
.
* As the sky grew darker, a storm seemed imminent.

* The imminent arrival of the guest made everyone a little nervous.

* There was little hope of his living and his imminent death made everyone feel sad.
------

ensure---------- assure


ensure - to make sure; to make sure something will happen
.
* The medicine will ensure you a good night's rest.

* You must always ensure that all doors and grilles are locked before going to bed.

assure - to inform confidently, to promise, to persuade
.
* I assure you the medicine will work.

* He hastened to assure the hotel guests that the water shortage would not affect them.

------


formally ----------formerly


formally - ceremonially, according to custom
.
* She was formally crowned Miss World last night.

* The exhibition was formally opened by the Minister of Education.

formerly - previously, in earlier times

* He was formerly the Prime Minister of Russia.

*East Timor was formerly part of Indonesia.

* Muhammad Ali was formerly known as Cassius Clay.
-----

hanged ---------- hung

hanged - executed by hanging

* The prisoner was hanged at dawn today.

* In the days of the Wild West, men were hanged from the nearest tree by the lynch mob.


hung - suspended
.
* The picture was hung above the sideboard

* They hung the bags from the pegs on the wall of the changing room.

* The wet clothes were hung out to dry in the sun.
-----

historic ---------- historical

historic - important in history

* Welcome to historic Melaka.

* Independence Day is a historic day for any nation.

* When man first landed on the moon it was considered a feat of historic importance.

historical - concerning history as a subject

* He is a member of the National Historical Society.

* She really loves reading historical novels about 18th century Europe.

Saturday, June 27, 2009

PRONOUNS

The kinds of Pronouns
1. Pronouns is a word used instead of a noun.
2. Pronouns are divided into :--

a) Personal Pronouns. b) Interrogative Pronouns c) Relative Pronouns.
.
a) Personal Pronouns
The Personal Pronouns are used to distinguish the three persons.

a. The First Person denotes the person speaking .
I we
me us
myself ourselves

The second Person denoted the person spoken to
you you
yourself yourselves

The third Person denotes the person or thing spoken of
he she it they
him her it them
himself herself itself themselves
.
.
b) Interrogative Pronouns1. Interrogative Pronouns ask questions.

2. The interrogative pronouns are : -- who, whose, whom which and what.

a) Who, whose, and whom refer to person.

Examples : -
Who said so ?
Whose book is this ?
Whom do you love ?

b) Which refers to persons or things.

Examples :-
Which of these boys will win the prize ?
Which of these books do you like best ?

c) What refers to lower animals and things.

Examples :-
Q : What have you seen in the mountain?
A : I have seen a tiger.
Q : What did he buy ?
A : He bought a house.

Note -- All interrogative pronouns have the same form for the plural as for the singular
c) Relative PronounsA Relative Pronouns represents a preceding word.

This preceding word is called the Antecedent.

eg : The man who is in the garden is my uncle.

In this sentence, the word " who " is a relative pronoun, because it represents the preceding word " man ". Therefore, " man " is the Antecedent of " who ".

The relative Pronouns are : -- who , whose, whom , which that, and what.

Who and whom refer persons.

The man who came is a doctor.
The man whom you love is kind.

Whose refers both to persons and things.

The lady whose box is lost is her daughter.
The book whose cover is red is mine.

Which refers to lower animals and thing.

That is often used for " who, " " whom " or " which " but never for ' whose. "

The boy that ( or who ) won the prize is clever.
The man that ( or whom ) you saw is my brother.
This is the house that ( or which ) Chang bought.

What is equal to " that which " or " the thing which " . It contains the meaning of both the relative pronoun and its antecedent.

I do not know what ( that which ) he bought.
I do not know what ( the thing which ) he bought.

Note : - All relative pronouns have the singular and plural alike.

ADVERB

1. An Adverb qualifies any part of speech except a noun or pronoun, but it usually qualifies a verb, and adjective, or another adverb.

Examples : --

( a ) He runs fast .........
( b ) He runs very fast.
( c ) He is quite happy.


In ( a ) the adverb " fast " qualifies the verb " run " ;
In ( b ) the adverb " very " qualifies the adverb " fast " ; and
In ( c ) the adverb " quite " qualifies the adjective " happy ".

PREPOSITION

A Preposition is placed before a noun or pronoun to show the relation between this noun or pronoun and some other word in the sentence.

Examples : --

Put his book on the table.
Give this book to him.

Note - The noun or pronoun placed after the preposition is called its Object
In the above sentences, the noun " table " is the object of the preposition " on " ; and the pronoun " him " is the object of the preposition " to ".

The following list contains some other examples of the preposition : --

( a ) A lamp is hung above my head.
( b ) He sailed across the sea.
( c ) He returned after many days
( d ) He is not at home just now.
( e ) He stands before the door
( f ) The dog ran behind its master.
( g ) He stood below me in the class
( h ) I sat beside him.
( i ) There is nothing in the room besides a table.
( j ) You must be back by four o'clock.
( k ) He does this sum for his calssmate.
( l ) He came from school.
( m ) Go into the garden.
( n ) He sent me a box of books
( p ) He sat under the tree.
( q ) He killed the bird with a stone.

NOUNS

1. A noun is the name of a person, place, or thing.

2. Nouns are divided into five different kinds : --


Proper Nouns
Common Nouns
Collective nouns
Material Nouns
Abstract Nouns


A Proper Noun is the name of a particular person, place, or thing.
eg : John ( person ) ; Palm Beach County ( place ) ; The Chinese ( people );
Books ( thing )

A Common Noun is a name that can be given to any person or thing of the same kind.
eg : Man, boy, table, dog

A Collective Noun is singular in form though denoting more than one.
eg : Herd, army, flock.

A Material Noun is the name of a substance
eg : Milk, iron, wood.

An Abstract noun is the name of a quality.
eg : Love, truth, color.

Number of Nouns
1. Number shows whether one is meant, or more than one.

2. There are two Numbers : --

The Singular Number
The Plural Number

The Singular number denotes only one object.
boy, girl
The Plural number denotes more than one object.
boys, girls.
The Plural is generally formed by adding s to the Singular :
pen pens chair chairs
book books garden gardens


When the noun ends in s, x, ch, or sh, the Plural is formed by adding es to the Singular : -

glass glasses watch watches
box boxes dish dishes
If the noun ends in y, and the y has consonant going before it, the Plural is formed by changing y into ies : -

duty duties army armies
fly flies lady ladies

But if the y has vowel going before it, the Plural is formed by simply adding s : --

day days key keys
boy boys monkey monkeys

Most nouns ending in f or fe form the Plural by changing f or fe into ves

calf calves life lives
knife knives wife wives
leaf leaves thief thieves

If the noun ends in o, and the o is preceded by a consonant, the Plural is generally ( not always ) formed by adding es to the Singular : --

cargo cargoes negro negroes
hero heroes potato potatoes

But if the o is preceded by a vowel, the Plural is formed by simply adding s to the singular : --


bamboo bamboos curio curios
cuckoo cuckoos studio studios

Some nouns form their Plurals irregularly : -


man men tooth teeth
woman women mouse mice
foot feet ox oxen
goose geese child children

Some Nouns have the same form in the Plural as in the Singular : -


deer deer fish fish ( fishes )
sheep sheep dozen dozen ( dozens )

Friday, June 26, 2009

VERBS

1. A Verb says something about a person or thing.
2. Verbs are divided into three different kinds : --

a. Transitive Verbsb. Intransitive Verbs
c. Auxiliary Verbs

3. Tenses of Verbs


a. TRANSITIVE VERBS
A Transitive Verb requires an object to complete its meaning.

Examples : --
a. The hunter killed a bear.
b. The scholar learned his lesson.
In ( a ) " bear " is the object of " killed ".
In ( b ) " lesson " is the object of " learned ".

Transitive Verb has two voice : --
a. The Active voice
b. The Passive voice

Note : - An Intransitive verb from its nature cannot have voices.

b. INTRANSITIVE VERB
An Intransitive Verb does not require an object to complete its meaning.

Examples : --
( a ) He sleeps( b ) We go.

No object can come after such verbs as " sleep ", " go " etc

c. AUXILIARY VERB
An Auxiliary Verb is used to help an other verb.

( a ) I shall go.
( b ) We have come.

Note : A verb that is helped by an auxiliary verb is called a Principal verb

In a " shall " is an auxilizry verb used to help the verb " go " to form a future time.
In b. " have " is an auxiliary verb used to help the verb " come " to express a time partly past and partly present.


3. Tense of Verbs
1. Tense denotes the time of an action or its completeness.

2. There are three tenses : --

a. the Present Tense
b. the Past Tense
c. the Future Tense

The Present Tense denotes present time.

I walk -------- We walk
You walk. ---- You walk
He walks. --- They walk

The Past Tense denotes past time.

I walked. -------------- We walked.
You walked. ----------- You walked.
He walked. -----------They walked.

The Future Tense denotes future time.

I shall walk. ----------------- You shall walk.
You will walk. ---------------- You will walk.
He will walk. ---------------- They will walk.

ADJECTIVES

1. An Adjective qualifies a noun or a pronoun.

NounA noun is a word used to name a person, animal, place, thing, and abstract idea. Nouns are usually the first words which small children learn. The highlighted words in the following sentences are all nouns:

Late last year our neighbours bought a goat.
Portia White was an opera singer.
The bus inspector looked at all the passengers' passes.
According to Plutarch, the library at Alexandria was destroyed in 48 B.C.
Philosophy is of little comfort to the starving.

PronounYou always write a proper noun with a capital letter, since the noun represents the name of a specific person, place, or thing. The names of days of the week, months, historical documents, institutions, organisations, religions, their holy texts and their adherents are proper nouns. A proper noun is the opposite of a common noun
In each of the following sentences, the proper nouns are highlighted:

The Marroons were transported from Jamaica and forced to build the fortifications in Halifax.
Many people dread Monday mornings.
Beltane is celebrated on the first of May.
Abraham appears in the Talmud and in the Holy Koran.
Last year, I had a Baptist, a Buddhist, and a Gardnerian Witch as roommates.

2. Adjectives are divided into six different kinds : ---

1. Proper Adjectives
Proper Adjectives are derived from proper nouns.

For example :
a. Chinese soldiers fought bravely.
b.We are studying the English language.

In ( a ) the word " Chinese " is a proper adjective because it is derived from the proper noun " China "

In ( b ) the word " English " is a proper adjective because it is derived from the proper noun " England ".

Note -- Every proper adjective should begin with a capital letter.

2. Descriptive Adjectives
Descriptive Adjectives qualify a noun by adding some quality
or state to it.

eg : a. A brave soldier killed the enemy.
( quality )
b. There are some sick soldiers in the hospital
( state )

3. Quantitative Adjectives
Quantitative Adjectives indicate how much of a thing is meant.
He has much rice.
He has little rice.
He has no rice.
He has some rice.
He has not any rice.
He has enough rice.
He has sufficient rice.
He sold all the rice.

4. Numeral Adjectives
Numeral Adjectives express number.
Numeral Adjectives are subdivided into (a) Definite and (b) Indefinite
a) Definite Numeral Adjectives denote some exact number. Those which show how many things there are are called Cardinals; Those which show in what order things stand are called Ordinals.

Cardinals : one, two three, etc.
Ordinals : first, second, third, etc.

b) Indefinite Numeral Adjectives do not denote any exact number.
Examples : --

All men are mortal.
Some men died young
No men were present.
Many men are poor.
Few men are rich.
More men came today than yesterday.
Most men must work for their living.
Several men came.
Sunday men went away.

5. Demonstrative Adjective
Demonstrative Adjectives show which thing is meant.

This house is mine.
That house is your.

These adjective sare also subdivided into Definite and Indefinite.

a) Definite demonstrative Adjectives point out some particular objects.

He is in the house.
This book is mine.
That pen is yours.
These books are mine.
Those pens are yours.
I cannot do such a thing as that.
This is the same story as I heard the other day.

b) Indefinite Demonstrative Adjectives do not point out any particular object.

He has an horse.
He has not any brother.
He saw me one day in the theater.
A certain man came here.
Some man came here.
Give me any other box.
I have another box.
Other men would not do so.

6. Distributive Adjectives
Distributive Adjectives point out that the objects named are to
be taken separately.

There are only four distributive adjectives.

Examples : --
I will give a book to each scholar in this class.
Every person in the room was astonished.
You may have either book.
You may have neither book.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

IDIOMS >>>

A-D - E-H - I-N - O-T - U-Z

An idiom is a phrase whose meaning cannot be determined by the literal definition of the phrase itself, but refers instead to a figurative meaning that is known only through common use. In linguistics, idioms are widely assumed to be figures of speech that contradict the principle of compositionality; however, this has shown to be a subject of debate.

John Saeed defines an idiom as words collocated together happen to become fossilized, becoming fixed over time. This collocation -- words commonly used in a group -- changes the definition of each of the words that exist. As an expression, the word-group becomes a team, so to speak. That is, the collocated words develop a specialized meaning as a whole and an idiom is born. An idiom is a word or phrase that means something different than the words imply if interpreted literally. When a person uses an idiom, the listener might take the actual meaning wrong if he or she has not heard this figure of speech before.

Idioms don't usually cross language boundaries. In some cases, when an idiom is translated into another language, the meaning of the idiom is changed or does not make any sense as it once did in another language. Idioms are probably the hardest thing for a person to learn in the process of learning a new language. This is because most people grow up using idioms as if their true meanings actually make sense.
.
An idiom is generally a colloquial metaphor — a term which requires some foundational knowledge, information, or experience, to use only within a culture where parties must have common reference. Idioms are therefore not considered a part of the language, but rather a part of the culture. As cultures are typically localized, idioms are often not useful outside of that local context. However some idioms can be more universally used than others, and they can be easily translated, metaphorical meaning can be more easily deduced.

While many idioms are clearly based in conceptual metaphors such as "time as a substance", "time as a path", "love as war", or "up is more", the idioms themselves are often not particularly essential, even when the metaphors themselves are. For example, "spend time", "battle of the sexes", and "back in the day" are idiomatic and based in essential metaphors. These "deep metaphors" and their relationship to human cognition are discussed by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson in their 1980 book Metaphors We Live By.

In forms like "profits are up", the metaphor is carried by "up" itself. The phrase "profits are up" is not itself an idiom. Practically anything measurable can be used in place of "profits": "crime is up", "satisfaction is up", "complaints are up" etc. Truly essential idioms generally involve prepositions, for example "out of" or "turn into".

Interestingly, many Chinese characters are likewise idiomatic constructs, as their meanings are more often not traceable to a literal (i.e. pictographic) meaning of their assembled parts, or radicals. Because all characters are composed from a relatively small base of about 214 radicals, their assembled meanings follow several different modes of interpretation - from the pictographic to the metaphorical to those whose original meaning has been lost in history.

A - D

A-D - E-H - I-N - O-T - U-Z

A

A Bird In The Hand Is Worth Two In The Bush:
Having something that is certain is much better than taking a risk for more, because chances are you might lose everything.

A Blessing In Disguise:
Something good that isn't recognized at first.

A Chip On Your Shoulder:
Being upset for something that happened in the past.

A Dime A Dozen:
Anything that is common and easy to get.

A Doubting Thomas:
A skeptic who needs physical or personal evidence in order to believe something.

A Drop in the Bucket:
A very small part of something big or whole.

A Fool And His Money Are Easily Parted:
It's easy for a foolish person to lose his/her money.

A House Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand:
Everyone involved must unify and function together or it will not work out.

A Leopard Can't Change His Spots:
You cannot change who you are.

A Penny Saved Is A Penny Earned:
By not spending money, you are saving money (little by little).

A Picture Paints a Thousand Words:
A visual presentation is far more descriptive than words.

A Piece of Cake:
A task that can be accomplished very easily.

A Slap on the Wrist:
A very mild punishment.

A Taste Of Your Own Medicine:
When you are mistreated the same way you mistreat others.

A Toss-Up:
A result that is still unclear and can go either way.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words:
It's better to actually do something than just talk about it.

Add Fuel To The Fire:
Whenever something is done to make a bad situation even worse than it is.

Against The Clock:
Rushed and short on time.

All Bark And No Bite:
When someone is threatening and/or aggressive but not willing to engage in a fight.

All Greek to me:
Meaningless and incomprehensible like someone who cannot read, speak, or understand any of the Greek language would be.

All In The Same Boat:
When everyone is facing the same challenges.

An Arm And A Leg:
Very expensive. A large amount of money.

An Axe To Grind:
To have a dispute with someone.

Apple of My Eye:
Someone who is cherished above all others.

As High As A Kite:
Anything that is high up in the sky.

At The Drop Of A Hat:
Willing to do something immediately.

B

Back Seat Driver:
People who criticize from the sidelines, much like someone giving unwanted advice from the back seat of a vehicle to the driver.

Back To Square One:
Having to start all over again.

Back To The Drawing Board:
When an attempt fails and it's time to start all over.

Baker's Dozen:
Thirteen.

Barking Up The Wrong Tree:
A mistake made in something you are trying to achieve.

Beat A Dead Horse:
To force an issue that has already ended.

Beating Around The Bush:
Avoiding the main topic. Not speaking directly about the issue.

Bend Over Backwards:
Do whatever it takes to help. Willing to do anything.

Between A Rock And A Hard Place:
Stuck between two very bad options.

Bite Off More Than You Can Chew:
To take on a task that is way to big.

Bite Your Tongue:
To avoid talking.

Blood Is Thicker Than Water:
The family bond is closer than anything else.

Blue Moon:
A rare event or occurance.

Break A Leg:
A superstitious way to say 'good luck' without saying 'good luck', but rather the opposite.

Buy A Lemon:
To purchase a vehicle that constantly gives problems or stops running after you drive it away.

C

Can't Cut The Mustard :
Someone who isn't adequate enough to compete or participate.

Cast Iron Stomach:
Someone who has no problems, complications or ill effects with eating anything or drinking anything.

Charley Horse:
Stiffness in the leg / A leg cramp.

Chew someone out:
Verbally scold someone.

Chip on his Shoulder:
Angry today about something that occured in the past.

Chow Down:
To eat.

Close but no Cigar:
To be very near and almost accomplish a goal, but fall short.

Cock and Bull Story:
An unbelievable tale.

Come Hell Or High Water:
Any difficult situation or obstacle.

Crack Someone Up:
To make someone laugh.

Cross Your Fingers:
To hope that something happens the way you want it to.

Cry Over Spilt Milk:
When you complain about a loss from the past.

Cry Wolf:
Intentionally raise a false alarm.

Cup Of Joe:
A cup of coffee.

Curiosity Killed The Cat:
Being Inquisitive can lead you into a dangerous situation.

Cut to the Chase:
Leave out all the unnecessary details and just get to the point.

D

Dark Horse:
One who was previously unknown and is now prominent.

Dead Ringer:
100% identical. A duplicate.

Devil's Advocate:
Someone who takes a position for the sake of argument without believing in that particular side of the arguement. It can also mean one who presents a counter argument for a position they do believe in, to another debater.

Dog Days of Summer:
The hottest days of the summer season.

Don't count your chickens before they hatch:
Don't rely on it until your sure of it.

Don't Look A Gift Horse In The Mouth:
When someone gives you a gift, don't be ungrateful.Don't Put

All Your Eggs In One Basket:
Do not put all your resources in one possibility.

Doozy:
Something outstanding.

Down To The Wire:
Something that ends at the last minute or last few seconds.

Drastic Times Call For Drastic Measures:
When you are extremely desperate you need to take extremely desperate actions.

Drink like a fish:
To drink very heavily.

Drive someone up the wall:
To irritate and/or annoy very much.

Dropping Like Flies:
A large number of people either falling ill or dying.

Dry Run:
Rehearsal.

E - H

A-D - E-H - I-N - O-T - U-Z

E

Eighty Six:
A certain item is no longer available. Or this idiom can also mean, to throw away.

Elvis has left the building:
The show has come to an end. It's all over.

Ethnic Cleansing:
Killing of a certain ethnic or religious group on a massive scale.

Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining:
Be optomistic, even difficult times will lead to better days.

Everything But The Kitchen Sink:
Almost everything and anything has been included.

Excuse my French:
Please forgive me for cussing.

Cock and Bull Story:
An unbelievable tale.

Cock and Bull Story:
An unbelievable tale.

F

Feeding Frenzy:
An aggressive attack on someone by a group.

Field Day:
An enjoyable day or circumstance.

Finding Your Feet:
To become more comfortable in whatever you are doing.

Finger lickin' good:
A very tasty food or meal.

Fixed In Your Ways:
Not willing or wanting to change from your normal way of doing something.

Flash In The Pan:
Something that shows potential or looks promising in the beginning but fails to deliver anything in the end.

Flea Market:
A swap meet. A place where people gather to buy and sell inexpensive goods.

Flesh and Blood:
This idiom can mean living material of which people are made of, or it can refer to someone's family.

Flip The Bird:
To raise your middle finger at someone.

Foam at the Mouth:
To be enraged and show it.

Fools' Gold:
Iron pyrites, a worthless rock that resembles real gold.

French Kiss:
An open mouth kiss where tongues touch.

From Rags To Riches:
To go from being very poor to being very wealthy.

Fuddy-duddy:
An old-fashioned and foolish type of person.

Full Monty:
This idiom can mean either, "the whole thing" or "completely nude".

Funny Farm:
A mental institutional facility.

G

Get Down to Brass Tacks:
To become serious about something.

Get Over It:
To move beyond something that is bothering you.

Get Up On The Wrong Side Of The Bed:
Someone who is having a horrible day.

Get Your Walking Papers:
Get fired from a job.

Give Him The Slip:
To get away from. To escape.

Go Down Like A Lead Balloon:
To be received badly by an audience.

Go For Broke:
To gamble everything you have.

Go Out On A Limb:
Put yourself in a tough position in order to support someone/something.

Go The Extra Mile:
Going above and beyond whatever is required for the task at hand.

Good Samaritan:
Someone who helps others when they are in need, with no discussion for compensation, and no thought of a reward.

Graveyard Shift:
Working hours from about 12:00 am to 8:00 am. The time of the day when most other people are sleeping.

Great Minds Think Alike:
Intelligent people think like each other.

Green Room:
The waiting room, especially for those who are about to go on a tv or radio show.

Gut Feeling:
A personal intuition you get, especially when feel something may not be right.

H

Haste Makes Waste:
Quickly doing things results in a poor ending.

Hat Trick:
When one player scores three goals in the same hockey game. This idiom can also mean three scores in any other sport, such as 3 homeruns, 3 touchdowns, 3 soccer goals, etc.

Have an Axe to Grind:
To have a dispute with someone.

He Lost His Head:
Angry and overcome by emotions.

Head Over Heels:
Very excited and/or joyful, especially when in love.

Hell in a Handbasket:
Deteriorating and headed for complete disaster.

High Five:
Slapping palms above each others heads as celebration gesture.

High on the Hog:
Living in Luxury.

Hit The Books:
To study, especially for a test or exam.

Hit The Hay:
Go to bed or go to sleep.

Hit The Nail on the Head:
Do something exactly right or say something exactly right.

Hit The Sack:
Go to bed or go to sleep.

Hocus Pocus:
In general, a term used in magic or trickery.

Hold Your Horses:
Be patient.

I - N

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I

Icing On The Cake:
When you already have it good and get something on top of what you already have.

Idle Hands Are The Devil's Tools:
You are more likely to get in trouble if you have nothing to do.

If It's Not One Thing, It's Another:
When one thing goes wrong, then another, and another...

In Like Flynn:
To be easily successful, especially when sexual or romantic.

In The Bag:
To have something secured.

In The Buff:
Nude.

In The Heat Of The Moment:
Overwhelmed by what is happening in the moment.

In Your Face:
An aggressive and bold confrontation.

It Takes Two To Tango:
A two person conflict where both people are at fault.

It's A Small World:
You frequently see the same people in different places.

Its Anyone's Call:
A competition where the outcome is difficult to judge or predict.

Ivy League:
Since 1954 the Ivy League has been the following universities: Columbia, Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth, Yale, Pennsylvania, Princeton, and Harvard.

J

Jaywalk:
Crossing the street (from the middle) without using the crosswalk.

Joshing Me:
Tricking me.

K

Keep An Eye On Him:
You should carefully watch him.

Keep body and soul together:
To earn a sufficient amount of money in order to keep yourself alive .

Keep your chin up:
To remain joyful in a tough situation.

Kick The Bucket:
Die.

Kitty-corner:
Diagonally across. Sometimes called Catty-Corner as well.

Knee Jerk Reaction:
A quick and automatic response.

Knock On Wood:
Knuckle tapping on wood in order to avoid some bad luck.

Know the Ropes:
To understand the details.

L

Last but not least:
An introduction phrase to let the audience know that the last person mentioned is no less important than those introduced before him/her.

Lend Me Your Ear:
To politely ask for someone's full attention.

Let Bygones Be Bygones:
To forget about a disagreement or arguement.

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie:
To avoid restarting a conflict.

Let The Cat Out Of The Bag:
To share a secret that wasn't suppose to be shared.

Level playing field:
A fair competition where no side has an advantage.

Like a chicken with its head cut off:
To act in a frenzied manner.

liquor someone up:
To get someone drunk.

Long in the Tooth:
Old people (or horses).

Loose Cannon:
Someone who is unpredictable and can cause damage if not kept in check.

M

Make No Bones About:
To state a fact so there are no doubts or objections.

Method To My Madness:
Strange or crazy actions that appear meaningless but in the end are done for a good reason.

Mumbo Jumbo:
Nonsense or meaningless speech.

Mum's the word:
To keep quiet. To say nothing.

N

Nest Egg:
Savings set aside for future use.

Never Bite The Hand That Feeds You:
Don't hurt anyone that helps you.

New kid on the block:
Someone new to the group or area.

New York Minute:
A minute that seems to go by quickly, especially in a fast paced environment.

No Dice:
To not agree. To not accept a proposition.

No Room to Swing a Cat:
An unsually small or confined space.

Not Playing With a Full Deck:
Someone who lacks intelligence.

O - T

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O

Off On The Wrong Foot:
Getting a bad start on a relationship or task.

Off The Hook:
No longer have to deal with a tough situation.

Off the Record:
Something said in confidence that the one speaking doesn't want attributed to him/her.

On Pins And Needles:
Anxious or nervous, especially in anticipation of something.

On The Fence:
Undecided.

On The Same Page:
When multiple people all agree on the same thing.

Out Of The Blue:
Something that suddenly and unexpectedly occurs.

Out On A Limb:
When someone puts themself in a risky situation.

Out On The Town:
To enjoy yourself by going out.

Over My Dead Body:
When you absolutely will not allow something to happen.

Over the Top:
Very excessive.

P

Pass The Buck:
Avoid responsibility by giving it to someone else.

Pedal to the metal:
To go full speed, especially while driving a vehicle.

Peeping Tom:
Someone who observes people in the nude or sexually active people, mainly for his own gratification.

Pick up your ears:
To listen very carefully.

Pig In A Poke:
A deal that is made without first examining it.

Pig Out :
To eat alot and eat it quickly.

Pipe Down:
To shut-up or be quiet.

Practice Makes Perfect:
By constantly practicing, you will become better.

Pull the plug:
To stop something. To bring something to an end.

Pulling Your Leg:
Tricking someone as a joke.

Put a sock in it:
To tell noisy person or a group to be quiet.

Q

Queer the pitch:
Destroy or ruin a plan.

R

Raincheck:
An offer or deal that is declined right now but willing to accept later.

Raining Cats and Dogs:
A very loud and noisy rain storm.

Ring Fencing:
Seperated usual judgement to guarantee protection, especially project funds.

Rise and Shine:
Time to get out of bed and get ready for work/school.

Rome Was Not Built In One Day:
If you want something to be completely properly, then its going to take time.

Rule Of Thumb:
A rough estimate.

Run out of steam:
To be completely out of energy.

S

Saved By The Bell:
Saved at the last possible moment.

Scapegoat:
Someone else who takes the blame.

Scot-free:
To escape and not have to pay.

Sick As A Dog:
To be very sick (with the flu or a cold).

Sitting Shotgun:
Riding in the front passenger seat of a car.

Sixth Sense:
A paranormal sense that allows you to communicate with the dead.

Skid Row:
The rundown area of a city where the homeless and drug users live.

Smell A Rat:
To detect somone in the group is betraying the others.

Smell Something Fishy:
Detecting that something isn't right and there might be a reason for it.

Son of a Gun:
A scamp.

Southpaw:
Someone who is left-handed.

Spitting Image:
The exact likeness or kind.

Start From Scratch:
To do it all over again from the beginning.

T

The Ball Is In Your Court:
It is your decision this time.

The Best Of Both Worlds:
There are two choices and you have them both.

The Bigger They Are The Harder They Fall:
While the bigger and stronger opponent might be alot more difficult to beat, when you do they suffer a much bigger loss.

The Last Straw:
When one small burden after another creates an unbearable situation, the last straw is the last small burden that one can take.

The Whole Nine Yards:
Everything. All of it.

Third times a charm:
After no success the first two times, the third try is a lucky one.

Tie the knot:
To get married.

Til the cows come home:
A long time.

To Make A Long Story Short:
Something someone would say during a long and boring story in order to keep his/her audience from losing attention. Usually the story isn't shortened.

To Steal Someone's Thunder:
To take the credit for something someone else did.

Tongue And Cheek:
humor, not to be taken serious.

Turn A Blind Eye:
Refuse to acknowledge something you know is real or legit.

Twenty three skidoo:
To be turned away.

U - Z

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U

Under the weather:Feeling ill or sick.

Up a blind alley:
Going down a course of action that leads to a bad outcome.

Use Your Loaf:Use your head. Think smart.

V

Van Gogh's ear for music:
Tone deaf.

Variety Is The Spice Of Life:
The more experiences you try the more exciting life can be.

W

Wag the Dog:
A diversion away from something of greater importance.

Water Under The Bridge:
Anything from the past that isn't significant or important anymore.

Wear Your Heart On Your Sleeve:
To openly and freely express your emotions.

When It Rains, It Pours:
Since it rarely rains, when it does it will be a huge storm.

When Pigs Fly :
Something that will never ever happen.

Wild and Woolly:Uncultured and without laws.

Wine and Dine:When somebody is treated to an expensive meal.

Without A Doubt:For certain.

X

X marks the spot:
A phrase that is said when someone finds something he/she has been looking for.

Y

You Are What You Eat:In order to stay healthy you must eat healthy foods.

You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover:
Decisions shouldn't be made primarily on appearance.

You Can't Take it With You:Enjoy what you have and not what you don't have, since when you die you cannot take things (such as money) with you.

Your Guess Is As Good As Mine:
I have no idea.

Z
Zero Tolerance:
No crime or law breaking big or small will be overlooked.

Followers