American Idioms

Idiom of the day :- Drink like a fish

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

To drink very heavily.

Idiom of the day :- A scandal sheet

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

Felix was telling Teddy about a time in his youth when he worked as a reporter for one of the town’s leading scandal sheets. ‘What’s a scandal sheet ?’ Teddy asked. Felix blushed. He was so embarassed that he didn’t want to explain. That’s understandable because a scandal sheet is a newspaper that features lots of gossip and sensationalism, but very little real news.

Idiom of the day :- Happy as the day is long

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

What joy ! What happiness ! At last school is over for the summer. No more books, no more studies ! Clark is happy as the day is long. When a person is content, cheerful and happy, he is happy as the day is long. ‘Oh, how I wish the summer would last forever,’ Clark smiled.

Idiom of the day :- Pay one’s respects

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

When Peggy was told that Grandmother would be coming to pay her respects, she immediately imagined that she would be coming to distribute money. Happily Grandmother did give her a coin when she arrived, but this expression actually means ‘to honor someone with a visit.’ ‘I’ve come to pay my respects to all of you,’ Grandmother smiled.

Idiom of the day :- A peeping Tom

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

When a little boy peeps through fences or windows he is probably just being curious. When a man does the same thing it’s often because he has indecent intentions. A man who snoops like that is called a peeping Tom. ‘The neighbors are convinced that we have a peeping Tom in the area.’

Idiom of the day :- Hands off

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

This is a command meaning ‘do not touch’. While you would probably never say this to your boss or to your teacher, I am sure you wouldn’t hesitate shouting it to a friend or a stranger. ‘Those are my books. Hands off !’ Dick cried. ‘hands off my bicycle !’ Dennis shouted.

Idiom of the day :- Sweat Bullets

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

‘I I have asked Bob and Ben to join me today to demonstrate an American idiom,’ Manfred said. ‘The idiom is sweat bullets, and here is an example of it : prior to an examination, a student might say he or she is sweating bullets. What does that mean ?’ ‘It means to be dreadfully worried about something,’ Bob mumbled. ‘That or scared silly !’ Ben stammered.

Idiom of the day :- Like a cat on hot bricks

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

‘Why’s Terry so nervous today ?’ Olive asked. ‘He’s like a cat on hot bricks.’ Looking at his tender toes, Terry replied : ‘If you had to walk on garden walls without shoes, you’d be like a cat on hot bricks too !’ A person described as acting like a cat on hot bricks is tense, excited, nervous or restless.

Idiom of the day :- Like the sound of one’s own voice

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

‘I have a pretty little bird that sings ail the time,’ Melissa said. ‘Maybe it likes the sound of its own voice,’ Patsy said. I don’t think Patsy is being sarcastic, but this idiom is often used in a sarcastic manner when referring to a person who talks on and on and doesn’t give others an opportunity to talk.

Idiom of the day :- After a fashion

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

Sara dresses after a fashion. She speaks French after a fashion and she cooks after a fashion. Most things she does are does after a fashion. This says that Sara dresses, speaks French, cooks and does things only so-so for after a fashion means only moderately well.