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Idiomatic expressions

Date: Nov 13 2007

Topic: Idioms and Slang

Author: ahmed helmy

Lesson

An idiom is a phrase where the words together have a meaning that is different from the dictionary definitions of the individual words, which can make idioms hard for ESL students and learners to understand. 

I think that idiomatic(proverbial) expressions aren't familiar to a vast segment of foreign people.

It's considered a type of slang.

Here are some idiomatic expressions:

A bit much
If something is excessive or annoying, it is a bit much.
A day late and a dollar short
(USA) If something is a day late and a dollar short, it is too little, too late.
A fool and his money are soon parted
This idiom means that people who aren't careful with their money spend it quickly. 'A fool and his money are easily parted' is an alternative form of the idiom.
A little bird told me
If someone doesn't want to say where they got some information from, they can say that a little bird told them.
A little learning is a dangerous thing
A small amount of knowledge can cause people to think they are more expert than they really are.eg. he said he'd done a course on home electrics, but when he tried to mend my table lamp, he fused all the lights! I think a little learning is a dangerous thing
A OK
If things are A OK, they are absolutely fine.
A penny for your thoughts
This idiom is used as a way of asking someone what they are thinking about.
A penny saved is a penny earned
This means that we shouldn't spend or waste money, but try to save it.
A picture is worth a thousand words
A picture can often get a message across much better than the best verbal description.
A poor man's something
Something or someone that can be compared to something or someone else, but is not as good is a poor man's version; a writer who uses lots of puns but isn't very funny would be a poor man's Oscar Wilde.

To give someone a cold shoulder: It means you ignore him.

"Every blue moon": rarely, ex:I see mohamed every blue moon (it means I see him rarely)

"every cloud has a silver lining": It means every problem has some good.

Note: cloud means a bad situation while silver means a good situation.

ex: rain is considered as a good thing by some people ,as it grows plants and increases the green area,while ohers consider it as a bad thing as it can be a flood and harm many people.

"like father like son"

"Birds of a feather flock together": It means that people, whose characteristics are similar to other people, can know each other and become friends.

"Jack of all trades,master of none": It means that if you aren't specialized in a specific field, you  don't know anything.

"You get what you pay for": any expensive thing has its value in itself.

 

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