IDIOMS - a group of words which do not tell you what the overall meaning is!



sauterelle

sauterelle (43)

sauterelle
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An idiom is a group of words which mean something  different to what they say.

Here are a few:

Another string to your bow. This means that you have another way of making a living.

At the drop of a hat. To do something immediately without without any preparation or plan.

Caught red handed.  To be caught in the act of doing something wrong like stealing or cheating.

Fly off the handle.   To get angry and to lose control of yourself and start  shouting.

To feel the pinch.   You are finding it hard to survive on your income.

Between a rock and a hard place.  To be faced with two very bad choices or decisions.

Keep your nose clean.  To make sure  that you do not do anything wrong.

To have egg on your face.  If you have said or done anything which makes you look stupid or feel embarrassed.

All in the same boat.  Everyone is in the same difficult situation.

Get a word in edgeways.   You can't say anything because someone is talking too much.

To go the extra mile.  To do even more than you need to in  your efforts  to make sure  you have done something properly.

To let the cat out of the bag.  To let someone know something which should be a secret.

 

Can you tell us some idioms from your country?

laloheart

laloheart (15)

laloheart
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Hello June thank you so much , For idioms .

But if you could give me a sentences with these !? 

i'll understand it well and thank you again :) :)

Fly off the handle

Between a rock and a hard place

Keep your nose clean

To have egg on your face.

Get a word in edgeways

To let the cat out of the bag.

duelelaverdad2009

duelelaverdad2009 (41)

duelelaverdad2009
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Hi, in my country we have a way to say: immeadiately/at once/quickly

Como por entre un tubo.

Example: Mi salario se me fue este mes como por entre un tubo

which means: I have just ran out of my salary this month. It is because I have used up all my money before this month finished.

If I made any mistake in my writing  please correct it.

Thanks in advance.

sauterelle

sauterelle (43)

sauterelle
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Hello Luigi! :)

Hi, in my country we have a way of saying 'immediately /at once / quickly:

Como por entre un tubo

Example: Mi salario se me fue este como por entre un tuibo.

This means: *I have not got any of this month's salary left. This is because  I have spent it all.

*I have put this in itlalics  to show that this is a better way of saying this.

 

Luigi, this sounds like a common expression we use here when a lot of money has just 'gone' and we do

not know where!  :)

If we have overspent, and we cannot see where it has all gone we say : There's  no money left!  It's all  gone  down the tube!

Also if someone has made very detailed plans and something's happened to spoil these plans, again we say  'They  (the plans ) have all gone down the tube.'

Am I right?

Please do not ask me where the tube is because I don't know"! :))

I suppose it means that, like throwing something down a tube,   it's gone very quickly and we cannot see where !

Thank you for this Luigi"!

It is interesting how many sayings we have in common with other countries. (That is if I am right!) :))

duelelaverdad2009

duelelaverdad2009 (41)

duelelaverdad2009
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Thank you very much for your explanations and corrections.

Regards from Bogotá, Colombia.

КатяМ16

КатяМ16

КатяМ16
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In our country we say: наступить на те же грабли

that means to do the same errors) it could be translated as to step on the same rake)

sauterelle

sauterelle (43)

sauterelle
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Hello Kata!

A warm welcome to our group.. :)

I see what this is saying..everytime you step on a rake - you hit yourself in the face and it hurts, you should look out for the rake and avoid it!  If you keep making the same mistakes you ought to learn from the first time instead of repeating your error.

This is very good.

Thank you Kata!

June :)

Teorema08

Teorema08

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Hello) I live in Russia and I will write some russians idioms)

 

1) Лучше поздно, чем никогда

 

metaphrase translate: better late than never

meaning: If i will do something to late it will be better  than i won't do anything 

 

2) Белая ворона

 

White crown

 

White crown - it's a person, which release from another people

 

3) Вставлять палки в колеса

 

put sticks into the wheels

 

For example, james puts sticks into wheels to everyone.

It's mean, that James hinders everyone

 

 

sauterelle

sauterelle (43)

sauterelle
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Hello Sergay!

We have the same expressions as the first and the last of your examples. 

The last one 'to put a spoke in someones wheel' means to stop someone  from doing something.

The middle one about the white crown, that is very new - I do not understand this.

Can you write something in English using this  idion to help me see what it means!

Thank you Sergay

I am always amazed  at the way  many counties have similar idioms for the same siutations!

That means we all have situations in common with each other that we need to identify in an expression or idiom!

June :)

veronika60

veronika60 (62)

veronika60
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1.) Einem nackten Mann kann man nicht in die Tasche greifen.

This means : you cannot get something from someone who has nothing  -poor people-

I cannot find an idiom in English which means the same.

 

2.) Er ist eine Quasselstrippe.  / He is blabbermouth /chatterbox

3.)  sich den Mund fusselig reden   /   to talk oneself blue in the face.    ( always saying the same thing to someone and he is not willing to do it.

4.) Der kann mir mal  im Mondschein begegnen .  You will not have anything to do with a person.  English  ????????????????

 

5.) ein Jammerlappen   /  a moanbag      - a coward person