Getting to the bottom of English idioms
Sep 24, 2024
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In the English language, there are around 25,000 idiomatic expressions, like “spill the beans” (which means to reveal a secret) or “shed crocodile tears” (which means to express insincere sorrow).
A frequently used English idiom is ‘How do we get to the bottom (of this, or that?)’ which means, how do we solve this (or that).
Getting to the bottom of English idioms!
The popular Swedish idiom “to slide in on a shrimp sandwich” refers to those individuals who seem to have effortlessly achieved their current status 'easy as pie!' I didn’t slide in on any shrimp sandwich! Ha ha! I had to climb the net and scale the harbourside in order to reach where I am today; didn't you?
The word idiom comes directly from the Latin word idioma, that meant “a peculiarity in language.” Maybe that’s why English idioms can seem cryptic, confusing or, impossible to explain: because they are often very 'peculiar'.
To test your knowledge of everyday English idioms try this short quiz:
1: What is a hot potato?
A: a controversial situation
B: a tasty piece of gossip
C: an unfortunate coincidence
2: What does it mean if a person is all thumbs?
A: they are good at playing the accordion
B: they often drop things because they’re clumsy
C: they have bigger hands than most
3: When does a person beat around the bush?
A: when they’re trying to find something they’ve lost
B: when they’re trying to delay or avoid talking about a crucial subject
C: when they’re not as good at gardening as they might think they are
4: What does it mean when a person has cold feet?
A: they are not very good at dancing
B: they take a long while to calm down
C: they are anxious about taking action because they’re not sure they can commit to things
5: What does it mean to cut the mustard?
A: to be fairly good at something
B: to dislike spicy food
C: to be quite naughty and a little frisky at times
6: When should a person get a wiggle on?
A: when they’re asked to dance
B: when they need to get going or hurry to a meeting
C: when they feel uncomfortable about all the pressure
7: What does it mean to push the envelope?
A: to go beyond expectations or extend oneself beyond ‘normal’ limits
B: to send too many email messages, texts, or whatsapps
C: to ‘gloss over’ something that ought to have been said
8: When something ‘takes the biscuit’ it’s:
A: very sweet
B: very flaky or crumbly
C: very bad
9: When something’s done willy-nilly, it’s done:
A: haphazardly, sloppily, or with a lazy attitude
B: over-and-over again, endlessly, on-and-on
C: impishly, playfully, teasingly
10: When someone gets your goat:
A: they get a welcome gift from you
B: they hear what you say
C: they irritate you
Visit the Staines ESOL Book Club Page to get the idiomatic answers!
www.facebook.com/group/esolbookclub
