IDOMS XXI

THREE-WORD IDIOMS V

Can you think of a three-word idiom that matches each of the descriptions below?  

Ex. Increase what is at stake - - -  UP THE ANTE

1. Child leaving home to live independently

2. Date more than one person at a time

3. The government of a country and its affairs

4. A big fuss over something or a long, untruthful story meant to distract 

5. Easy, comfortable circumstances

6. Spiel that tries to persuade someone to accept something untrue or undesirable

7. In close association or collusion

8. Unfair, disregarding the rules (as in boxing), crude or insulting - as a remark 

9. Risk everything in an all-out effort

10. Admit that what you said was wrong, retract it, and perhaps be embarrassed

11. Try something in a small way to gauge the situation 

12. Qualify, Come up to expectations, Meet the required standard 

13. Essential, an integral and inseparable piece of something else 

14. Set a limit on what one is willing to do or accept and stick to it

15. Pay for the essential things you need to live when you have limited money 

Answers:

1. Leave the nest/Fly the coop

2. Play the field

3. Ship of State

4. Song and dance

5. Bed of roses

6. Bill of goods

7. Hand in glove

8. Below the belt 

9. Go for broke

10. Eat your words

11. Test the waters

12. Make the cut/Cut the mustard

13. Part and parcel

14. Draw the line

15. Make ends meet 

IDIOMS XX

THREE-WORD IDIOMS IV

Can you think of a three-word idiom that matches each of the descriptions below?  

Ex: Full of mystery and suspense - CLOAK AND DAGGER 

1. Approach or extend the limits of what is accepted or possible

2. Make a mistake / Fail to complete a task

3. Be in charge, be the boss

4. Without preparation, unrehearsed

5. Increase what is at stake, especially in a dispute or conflict

6. Figure it out for yourself based on obvious facts 

7. Act before the proper time

8. Ecstatically happy

9. Comparison of two very different things

10. Bear the consequences at a later time for an activity one enjoyed - often an irresponsible one 

Answers:

1. Push the envelope

2. Drop the ball

3. Wear the pants

4. Off the cuff

5. Up the ante

6. Do the math

7. Jump the gun

8. Over the rainbow/On cloud nine

9. Apples and oranges

10. Pay the piper  

IDIOMS XIX

THREE-WORD IDIOMS III

Can you think of a three-word idiom that matches each of the descriptions below?

Ex: Not feeling well - UNDER THE WEATHER

1. Simple task

2. Enjoy life for the moment 

3. Full of mystery and suspense

4. The basic practical details of something

5. Confront the consequences of your actions 

6. A very insecure and unstable situation or plan   

7. Extremely angry - to the point of murder

8. Humbly asking for a favor

9. An exact reference or authority 

10. Ruthless, inhuman demand - though one is entitled to it 

 

Answers:

 

1. Piece of cake

2. Smell the roses

3. Cloak and dagger

4. Nuts and bolts/Meat and potatoes

5. Face the music

6. House of cards

7. Out for blood

8. Hat in hand

9. Chapter and verse

10. Pound of flesh  

IDIOMS XVIII

THREE-WORD IDIOMS II

Can you think of a three-word idiom that matches the descriptions below?

Example:

Grow bigger - get smaller - - -  Wax and wane

 

1. Die  

2. Make peace 

3. Not feeling well

4. Start a conversation 

5. Abstaining from alcohol 

6. Fulfill your responsibilities

7. Tell a completely different story 

8. Fail to take advantage of a opportunity 

9. Unfairly arrange things to your advantage 

10. Refuse to act and say it's someone else's job 

Answers:

 

1. Buy the farm/Kick the bucket

2. Bury the hatchet

3. Under the weather

4. Break the ice

5. On the wagon

6. Carry your weight

7. Change your tune 

8. Miss the boat

9. Stack the deck

10. Pass the buck

 

IDIOMS XVII

THREE-WORD IDIOMS I

Can you think of a three-word idiom that matches the descriptions below? 

For example:  

To do the difficult and critical part in a plan - Bell the cat

 

1. Blab - give away a secret 

2. Follow directions exactly

3. Grow bigger - get smaller

4. Undecided, un-committed  

5. Packed in, as in a crowded room 

6. Functioning while extremely tired 

7. Wait a moment, slow down, don't get angry 

8. Face up to a situation and take the consequences 

9. Make up your mind before having all the information 

10. Collect contributions of money from a number of people for a specific purpose

 

Answers:

 

1. Spill the beans

2. Toe the line

3. Wax and wane

4. On the fence

5. Cheek by jowl

6. Running on empty

7. Hold your horses

8. Bite the bullet

9. Jump to conclusions

10. Pass the hat   

 IDIOMS XVI

Can you think of an idiomatic expression to describe the following conditions?

1. Telling (ratting) on someone, giving information to the police about the criminal activities of others

2.  Publicly criticize someone to cast suspicion/aspersions on his/her character

3. "You might not be very good at this." - when considering changing fields

4. Perform a very difficult task that is crucial to the success of the plan 

5.You never for get how to do it

6. Immediately, without delay - unplanned

7. Do less than the best word to save time/money

8. Something (unpleasant) is inevitable, so just do it and get it over with 

9. Qualify - make the grade

10. Lost opportunity

11. The smallest things can undermine the whole plan 

12. Hold on to that thought

Answers:

1. Drop the dime on (from the days when a payphone call cost a dime)

2. Throw shade

3. Don't quit your day job

4. Bell the cat

5. Like riding a bike

6. At the drop of a hat (from the time a dropped hat would start a race)

7. Cut corners

8. Bite the bullet

9. Cut the mustard

10. That ship has sailed

11. The devil's in the details 

12. Put a pin in it

 

IDIOMS XV 

Answer each clue with an animal idiom. For example, Very slow would be Snail's pace.

1. Impossibility

2. Feeling of nervousness

3. Another subject entirely

4. Letters delivered by the Post Office

5. Office holder who has not been re-elected 

6. Useless, troublesome possession that you can't dispose of

7. One who hovers over her charges in an over-protective way 

8. A sure thing is better than the possibility of something better

9. Waste effort on something when there is no chance of success

10 Event that, when added to other stresses, pushes someone beyond their limit 

11. Inability to force someone to do something despite encouraging and supporting him to do so

 

Answers:

 

1. A mouse's nest in a cat's ear

2. Butterflies in your stomach

3. Horse of a different color

4. Snail mail

5. Lame duck

6. White elephant

7. Mother hen

8. A bird in the hand is better than two in the bush

9. Beat a dead horse

10. The straw that breaks the camel's back

11. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink 

IDIOMS XIV

Answer each clue with an animal idiom. For example, Feeling uncomfortable and out of place, would be Fish out of water.

1. Slow down

2. Regular at a bar

3. Final performance

4. Make up your mind  

5. Something you're obsessed with

6. Abruptly, as in quitting smoking

7 Conniving person who appears friendly

8. Big problem that nobody wants to talk about

9. Distance in a straight line, without any impediments

10. Someone plain or unattractive who will blossom into beauty

 

Answers:

 

1. Hold your horses

2. Lounge lizard

3. Swan song

4. Fish or cut bait

5. Bee in your bonnet

6. Cold turkey

7. Wolf in sheep's clothing

8. Elephant in the room

9. As the crow flies

10. Ugly duckling

 

 

 

 

Can you think of an idiomatic expression containing the name of an animal to answer the clues below?

Example: Ruthlessly competitive - Dog-eat-dog

1. Excited participant

2. Eat way too much

3. Strong embrace

4. Largest part

5. Good vision

6. String game

7. Mockery of a trial

8. Relax, calm down 

9 Unnoticed listener

10. Attractive older man

11. Treacherous, conniving person

12. Situation that needs immediate attention

13 Exceptionally excellent, highly admired person or thing

14. Unable to move because of extreme surprise, fear, or emotion

15. Situation that keeps getting more bizarre, confusing, and non-sensical from which it is difficult to extricate yourself 

 

Answers:

 

1. Eager beaver

2. Pig out

3. Bear hug

4. Lion's share

5. Eagle/Hawk - eyed

6. Cat's cradle

7. Kangaroo court

8. Don't have a cow

9. Fly on the wall

10. Silver fox

11. Snake in the grass

12. Ox in the mire

13. Cat's pajamas

14. Deer in the headlights

15. Rabbit hole  

HEAD TO TOE  II

GAMES/World of Puzzles

October, 2023

Stu Agler

 

Answer each clue with familiar idioms that include body parts from the neck down.

 

1. Like an extremely close horse race

2. Be a bit hoarse

3. Show of deliberate indifference

4. Recognition for a job well done

5. Shift to a different opinion

6. Instinctive response

7. Strong ambition

8. Attractive date

9. Hard effort

10. Exceptionally close, as friends

11. Without question

12. Clumsy

13. Theatrical "good luck"

14. Wait

15. Have a small start, as in business

16. Obey the rules 

Answers:

 

1. Neck and neck

2. Have a frog in your throat

3. Cold shoulder

4. Pat on the back

5. Change of heart

6. Gut feeling

7. Fire in the belly

8. Arm candy

9. Elbow grease

10. Joined at the hip

11. Hands down

12. All thumbs

13. Break a leg

14. Cool your heels

15. Get a foot in the door

16. Toe the line

HEAD TO TOE I

GAMES/World of Puzzles

October, 2023

Stu Agler

 

Answer each clue with familiar idioms that include a part of the head and face.

 

1. Daydreaming, impractical

2. Arguing over trivialities

3. Easy, obvious decision

4. Accept unpleasant consequences

5. Agree

6. Precisely

7. Don't let your disappointment show

8. Elderly

9. In an ironic or flippant way

10. Remain cheerful in difficult circumstances

11. Be well informed about events and trends

 

Answers:

 

1. Head in the clouds

2. Splitting hairs

3. No brainer

4. Face the music

5. See eye to eye

6. On the nose

7. Keep a stiff upper lip

8. Long in the tooth

9. Tongue-in-cheek

10. Keep your chin up 

11. Have an ear to the ground 

Can you think of three words that can follow WHOLE to make up idiomatic expressions meaning ........  well, the whole thing?

Answers:

The whole shebang

The whole megillah

The whole enchilada

IDIOMS XIII

Idioms are often colorful and unexpected ways to express common situations. For example, if a person has passed a critical point and is out of danger, we might say he's "out of the woods." Or, if there's still a possibility of difficulties, we might say, he's "not out of the woods yet."Can you think of an idiomatic expression that describes the following mundane situations in an interesting way?

1. Accept and deal with something difficult in a calm way

2. Enjoy the beauty of each day and don't worry about the future

3. Something or someone so superior to another that there is no comparison

4. Very comfortable and easy - often with "no" to emphasize that something is not easy. 

5. Start a conversation or otherwise ease a tense situation with some activity

6. Eliminate corruption and/or inefficiency, as in a company

7. Be in charge, make the decisions, as in a family

8. Skeptical, unwilling to accept something without proof

9. Make a living, earn enough money to live

10. Cause or mark the end of something, as a career

11. Evoke tumultuous, long-lasting applause, as an opera aria might do

12. Done or said spontaneously, informal, without preparation

13. Family loyalty will always be stronger than other relationships 

14. Arrange something so that the results will likely favor a certain outcome

15. Abandon someone at a critical moment, forcing them to be responsible for the situation

Answers:

1. Take in stride

2. Stop and smell the roses

3. Can't hold a candle to

4. Bed of roses

5. Break the ice

6. Clean house

7. Wear the pants

8. Be from Missouri

9. Bring home the bacon

10. Bring down the curtain

11. Bring down the house

12. Off the cuff

13. Blood is thicker than water

14. Stack the deck 

15. Leave holding the bag or Leave in the lurch

IDIOMS XII

Can you think of an idiom that answers the following situations?

1. Pontius Pilate did this to show he bore no responsibility for Jesus' death.

2. Avoid hurting someone who is helping  you.

3. Easily the winner, definitely the one that is preferred

4. Continue to defend a position, don't yield to pressure

5, Very confusing - sarcastically

6. Applying to all, as cutbacks in a company

7. A subject or issue over which there is continuing disagreement

8. Take charge, advance a cause - as in certain sports

9. To reject something because it's not good enough - according to you

10. To think of or treat something or someone as unimportant or unworthy of respect

Answers:

1. Wash your hands of

2. Don't bite the hand that feeds you.

3. Hands down

4. Hold the line 

5. Clear as mud

6. Across the board

7. Bone of contention

8. Carry the ball 

9. Turn up your nose

10. Look down your nose at

IDIOMS XI

Some idiomatic expressions are easy to understand. For example, a deceitful person is "a snake in the grass." But how do you explain "Take a shine to" as meaning to like someone?  It's all part of the richness and fluidity of our language. There is often an historical explanation for idioms, but in every-day use, sometimes you "just have to know them." Can you think of idioms that correspond to the situations below?

1. Challenge someone

2. Switch positions on an issue

3. Moving or working very slowly

4. Shift responsibility to someone else

5. Possible, but highly unlikely to happen  

6. Compete very well, even though you lose

7. Have an unwelcome responsibility placed on you because others flake out

8. Perform the most difficult and crucial parts of a task

9. Know how to act or treat others to get what you want

10. Be inconsistent, changing between two moods, attitudes, etc. 

Answers:

1. Throw down the gauntlet

2. Change you tune

3. At a snail's pace

4. Pass the buck

5. Long shot 

6. (give an opponent) A run for their money 

7. Be left holding the bag

8. Do the heavy lifting

9. Know which side your bread is buttered on

10. Blow hot and cold

 

IDIOMS X

Many idiomatic expressions seem to have little connection to the situations they describe. But on closer inspection, there is a connection, often an historical one, between the literal meaning of the words and those conditions. For example, the idiom To throw your hat in the ring - meaning to run for political office - comes from the sport of boxing. In early boxing matches, if someone wanted to challenge someone to a fight, he would literally throw his hat into the boxing ring.

Can you think of idioms that describe the situations below?

1. Quit

2. Not regard seriously

3. Begin to behave more responsibly

4. Have a flamboyant time

5. Talk foolishly or ignorantly

6. Abstaining from drinking alcohol 

7. In any way possible

8. Be very frugal - miserly

9. Stop something immediately before it becomes worse

10. Purchase or accept something without knowing its value or seeing it first

Answers:

 

1. Throw in the towel

2. Take with a grain of salt

3. Turn over a new leaf 

4. Paint the town red

5. Talk through your hat

6. On the wagon

7. By hook or crook

8. Pinch pennies

9. Nip in the bud

10. Buy a pig in a poke

 

IDIOMS IX

Can you name the cliche/idiom that describes the following situations?

 

1. Feeling of not being suited for something 

2. End a quarrel or conflict and resume being friends

3. Undecided, vacillating between two choices

4. Say or do something embarrassing or tactless

5. Closely resembling your parent in some way

6. Show you emotions

7. Not feeling well, ill

8. Get two things done by a single action

9. Appearing harmless or friendly, but really very treacherous and dangerous

10. Don't waste time regretting or being upset over something that has already happened and can't be changed 

Answers:

 

1. A square peg in a round hole

2. Bury the hatchet

3. On the fence

4. Put your foot in your mouth

5. Chip off the old block*

6. Wear you heart on your sleeve

7. Under the weather

8. Kill two birds with one stone

9. A wolf in sheep's clothing

10. Don't cry over spilled milk

 

*5: Especially said of sons and their fathers 

 

 

The idiomatic expression "in the pink" means to feel healthy and strong. But "out of the pink" doesn't mean to feel weak or ill. In fact, no says "out of the pink" when referring to their health. Can you think of any other phrases that are the opposites of well-known idioms, but are never used - as prompted by the hints below?

1. Sick

2. Young

3. Inattentive

4. A mean deed

5. Reach a pinnacle

6. Involved in a dispute

7. Be faithful to your spouse or partner

8. Two people loathe the same third person

 

Answers: 

1. Over the weather*

2. Short in the tooth

3. Off the ball

4. A bad turn

5. Hit the top

6. Below the fray

7. Work the field

8. Hate triangle

*"Over the weather" can be used in a literal sense - as in flying over the weather.

IDIOMS VIII

Cliches are insightful expressions, but ones that have been used so often that they have lost their impact. Many idiomatic expressions have become cliches. These overused phrases are often scoffed at as being unoriginal, but I think it's important to remember that their overuse demonstrates how precisely they capture the point they're intended to convey.

Can you name the cliche/idiom that describes the following situations?

1. Reveal a secret

2. Fake crying to get sympathy 

3. Stop talking and being so arrogant

4. Vision of hope at the end of an ordeal

5. Reverse the proper order or procedure

6. Person who's no fun or spoils the fun for others 

7. Beginning of a man's beard in the late afternoon

8. Decide to face up to and act on something difficult

9. Take something away form one person to pay another

10. Try to achieve something that is not possible or realistic

11. Over-extend yourself by trying to do too much at the same time

12. Find fault with  someone when you have the same or worse fault 

Answers:

 

1. Spill the beans

2. Crocodile tears

3. Come down off your high horse

4. Light at the end of the tunnel

5. Put the cart before the horse

6. Stick in the mud / Wet blanket

7. Five o/clock shadow

8. Bite the bullet

9. Rob Peter to pay Paul

10. Chase rainbows

11. Burn the candle at both ends

12. The pot calling the kettle black

IDIOMS VII

The Word's The Thing

Dr. Louis D. Appel 

Idioms have meanings that initially seem far removed from their literal words. But on reflection, you can often see there is a connection. For example, to "handle with kid gloves" means to be careful in dealing with a person who has a volatile personality. The expression doesn't seem to fit the meaning, but when you realize "kid" is a very soft goat leather, it makes more sense. Can you think of an idiom for the following situations that seems odd at first, but becomes more and more appropriate as you think about it?

 

1. In trouble

2. Unfair, cruel 

3. Sad and depressed

4. Survive, financially

5. Very nervous and fidgety

6. One who spoils all the fun

7. Overly confident, arrogant

8. Not to be publicly reported

9. Do a difficult, but critical task

10. Really get involved in something

11. Make up your mind one way or the other 

12. Don't back down from your convictions

13. Use your influence to get things done

14. Keep close watch or tight control over

15. Make someone feel less proud or important

16. An advantage or resource held back until needed 

17. Average, common, not outstanding in quality or rarity

18. Force someone (who has been avoiding you) to make a decision or tell you what his decision is

Answers:

 

1. In hot water / Up the creek without a paddle

2. Below the belt

3. Down in the mouth

4. Make ends meet

5. On pins and needles

6. Wet blanket

7. Too big for your britches

8. Off the record

9. Bell the cat

10. Sink your teeth into

11. Fish or cut bait

12. Stand your ground / Stick to your guns

13. Throw your weight around

14. Ride herd on

15. Bring down a peg or two

16. Ace-in-the-hole / Card up your sleeve

17. Run-of-the-mill

18. Pin down