4th Year - Idioms 1

Idioms

¿Qué es un idiom?
Un "idiom" o "idiomatic expression" es una frase idiomática utilizada en lenguaje coloquial informal. En
general, el significado de la frase en sí es diferente al significado normal de cada palabra por separado. Por
ejemplo, "to let the cat out of the bag" significa "revelar un secreto". Si traducimos palabra por palabra, sería
"dejar salir al gato de la bolsa", lo cual es incorrecto. La dificultad para los estudiantes de inglés radica en que
no pueden traducirse literalmente y deben aprenderse de memoria, aunque en algunos casos existen
equivalentes muy similares en el idioma español.

Leé las explicaciones de cada idiom e intentá recordarlos.

FEELING HAPPY

 To be as pleased as Punch = to be really pleased.

 To be in seventh heaven = to be extremely happy.

 To be on top of the world = to be really happy.

 To be thrilled to bits = to be very happy and excited.

FEELING SAD / FED UP

 To be as miserable as sin = to be extremely sad.

 To be browned off = to be bored.

 To be downhearted = to feel sad.

 To have a long face = to look unhappy.

FEELING FRIGHTENED / SHOCKED

 To be in a cold sweat = to be in a state of shock or fear.

 To be rooted to the spot = to be unable to move through fear.

 To be scared to death = to be extremely frightened.

 To go white as a sheet = to go pale through fear or shock.

FEELING WORRIED / ANXIOUS / NERVOUS

 To be keyed up = to be excited, tense.

 To be like a cat on hot bricks = to feel nervous and unable to stand still.

 To be on tenterhooks = to be uncertain and anxious about what is going to happen.

 To have something on one's mind = to have a problem that is worrying you.

4th Year - Idioms 1

FEELING CONFUSED / UNCERTAIN

 To be all at sea = to be puzzled and bewildered.

 To be at sixes and sevens = to be uncertain and confused.

 To be out of one's depth = to be in a situation which is difficult for you to cope with.

FEELING ANGRY

 To be hopping mad = to be really angry.

 To be hot under the collar = to be annoyed or embarrassed.

 To go off at the deep end = to lose your temper, to become very angry.

 To go spare = to lose your temper.

FEELING SURPRISED

 To be gobsmacked = to be very surprised.

 That's a turn up for the books! = you say it when something surprising happens.

 You could have knocked me down with a feather! = you say it to emphasize how surprised you were
when you heard something.

FEELING QUARRELSOME / UNFRIENDLY

 To have a go at somebody = to criticize somebody angrily.

 To tear somebody off a strip = to speak angrily to somebody because they have done
something wrong.

 To avoid somebody like the plague = to avoid somebody completely.

 To cut somebody down to size = to reduce somebody's sense of their own importance.