IDIOM: back to the drawing board
MEANING: to start over
EXAMPLE: Well, this idea didn’t work, so I guess it’s back to the drawing board.
IDIOM: back to the salt mines
MEANING: to start working again after a break
EXAMPLE: Hey guys, break time is over. Back to the salt mines!
IDIOM: to bad-mouth
MEANING: say unkind, spiteful, (and probably untrue) things about someone
EXAMPLE: Steve is bad-mouthing Jack because he’s jealous of him, but Jack is really a nice guy.
RELATED: to talk trash about someone
IDIOM: (one’s) bark is worse than one’s bite
MEANING: someone sounds scarier than they really are.
EXAMPLE: Don’t be afraid of my father; his bark is worse than his bite. He’s really a big teddy bear!
IDIOM: bark up the wrong tree
MEANING: to look in the wrong place for a solution; to proceed under a misapprehension; to misdirect one’s efforts
EXAMPLE: I was trying to find my keys in the bedroom, but I was barking up the wrong tree. They were in the kitchen.
IDIOM: be a piece of cake
MEANING: be very easy
EXAMPLE: Our final exam was a piece of cake. I thought it would be more difficult than that.
RELATED: as easy as pie
IDIOM: be used to (+ -ing/noun)
MEANING: to be accustomed to something; something is normal for you
EXAMPLE: My Japanese students are used to eating soup for breakfast, but that seems strange to me because most Americans are used to eating cereal or eggs for breakfast.
IDIOM: (be) beat
MEANING: to be very tired, or exhausted
EXAMPLE: I’ve had a long day. I’m beat!
RELATED: (be) dead tired
IDIOM: to beat around the bush
MEANING: to avoid giving a direct answer, or evade something
EXAMPLE: Some people give bad news by beating around the bush, but I prefer the news directly.
RELATED: to dance around the issue
IDIOM: to beat (one’s) brains out
MEANING: to try very hard to understand or do something
EXAMPLE: Can you figure out the answer to this algebra problem? I’ve been beating my brains out
with it, but I just can’t find the correct answer! I’m really frustrated.
IDIOM: Beats me!
MEANING: I have no idea!
EXAMPLE: Lee: “What time’s the meeting?”
Jack: “Beats me! Let’s ask Susan.”
IDIOM: before long
MEANING: soon
EXAMPLE: Before long your English will be much better!
RELATED: in no time
IDIOM: (get) bent out of shape
MEANING: to be upset about something
EXAMPLE: “Hey, I know you’re angry about failing the test, but don’t get so bent out of shape. I’m
sure that your next test will be better.
IDIOM: bite off more than (one)can chew
MEANING: try to do more than (one) can manage
EXAMPLE: Sara’s work is behind schedule. I think she bit off more than she can chew.
IDIOM: blabbermouth (n)
MEANING: a very talkative person–especially one who gossips or tells secrets
EXAMPLE: My cousin is a big blabbermouth! She told my sister about my secret money.
IDIOM: to blow (one’s) stack
MEANING: to become extremely angry
EXAMPLE: Angie came in late to work three times this week. Her supervisor blew her stack and fired
her. I hope Angie learns to be more prompt!
IDIOM: to blow (one’s) top
MEANING: to become extremely angry
EXAMPLE: Angie came in late to work three times this week. Her supervisor blew her top and fired
her. I hope Angie learns to be more prompt!
RELATED: to have a cow
IDIOM: (be) blue / to feel blue
MEANING: to feel depressed and sad
EXAMPLE: When Nell’s dog died, she was blue for several weeks. She felt blue for a long time.
IDIOM: boom box (n)
MEANING: portable cassette/CD player
EXAMPLE: We brought our boom box to the party and everybody danced for three hours.
IDIOM: the bottom line
MEANING: the most important piece of information
EXAMPLE: “I’m sorry Peter, but the bottom line is that you are failing all of your classes because you
don’t study hard enough.”
RELATED: in a nutshell
IDIOM: Break a leg!
MEANING: Good luck!
EXAMPLE: I heard that your test is tomorrow. Break a leg!
ORIGIN: Dancers believed that it was bad luck to wish someone “Good luck” before a performance, so
they told the dancer, “Break a leg!” instead.
IDIOM: to break (one’s) heart
MEANING: to give (one) very bad news, or make (one) feel very bad, sad or disappointed
EXAMPLE: “Joe broke his mother’s heart when he dropped out of school.”
IDIOM: broke (adj)
MEANING: to have no money
EXAMPLE: “No, you can’t borrow ten dollars. I’m completely broke until Friday.”
IDIOM: buck(s)
MEANING: dollar(s), money
EXAMPLE: I need 10 bucks for my lab project.
IDIOM: to bug (one)
MEANING: to annoy; to bother; to pester
EXAMPLE: “Hey! I’m trying to finish this. Don’t bug me!”
IDIOM: (be) bull-headed
MEANING: to be stubborn; inflexible
EXAMPLE: Steve is very bull-headed. He won’t take anyone’s advice but his own.
IDIOM: a bundle (n)
MEANING: a lot of money
EXAMPLE: The university tuition in California costs a bundle! It’s far too expensive!
RELATED: cost (one) an arm and a leg
IDIOM: to burn the midnight oil
MEANING: to study or work until very late at night, or all night long
EXAMPLE: Jen: “Why has George been burning the midnight oil so often lately?”
Stan: “He needs the overtime pay. His car payment is overdue.”
IDIOM: (be) bushed
MEANING: to be very tired; exhausted
EXAMPLE: I’ve had a long day. I’m bushed!
RELATED: (be) beat
IDIOM: by (one)self
MEANING: without help; all alone
EXAMPLE: “Jennie made these cookies all by herself.”
IDIOM: by the skin of (one’s) teeth
MEANING: to barely succeed in doing something.
EXAMPLE: I finished my project by the skin of my teeth. I didn’t realize that it would take that long!
Share/Save
Santa Clause (Winter-grandfather) (Tel-apo or Mikulas) comes on the 6th of December. Children should clean and put their shoes outside next to the door or window before they go to sleep. The next day candies and/or small toys appear in them in red bags. For children, who don’t behave well, a golden birch placed next to the sweets, a symbol for spanking… (but don’t worry, it is just for fun, and not for actual punishment.)
Tell me about your Christmas traditions in your family. 
On November 11, especially, but also throughout the year, we have the opportunity to remember the efforts of these special Canadians. In remembering, we pay homage to those who respond to their country’s needs. On November 11, we pause for two minutes of silent tribute, and we attend commemorative ceremonies in memory of our war dead.
Nicaragua makes headlines!
Share/Save