Funny Idioms You Cannot Miss
-Published on 03rd Feb 2022 by Oxford School of English-
An ordinary language conversation can be enriched with the use of idioms. In the English language, Idioms occupy a distinct place since time immemorial. Native speakers use it regularly in spoken and written English to add dynamism and character to otherwise stale writing
An idiom is an expression that adds depth to the communication not meant to be taken literally.
For example, if I say that I developed cold feet at the prospect of learning the new language, it does not necessarily mean that “ice grew on my feet”. It simply means that I feel jittery about the task. This is in direct contrast to the “spring in my gait”, meaning I feel happy and confident in the given moment.
Now, that I have developed some confidence in taking the “task on”, am I ready to “go the extra mile” in order to hone my linguistic skills? Does that mean I will now enroll myself in a marathon in order to be a prolific English writer? Not really, it simply means that I will make a special effort to achieve my goals.
Before starting a new job, human beings often have “butterflies in their stomach”. Ah… why are butterflies fluttering in the stomach when they should be hovering over flowers in the garden? Clearly, such butterflies cause a person to be nervous and anxious at the same time.
My next destination was enrolling myself with a renowned English learning institute like Oxford School of English. Once at the facility, my teacher “knocked my socks off’ with her instructional skills. When I looked at my socks they were still in place, it was just that I was delighted and tremendously impressed to learn from her. In the class, a student must try to be “all ears” for the teacher. Now, would that mean that my ears outgrow their normal size? Instead, it simply means that a student must be eager to hear or listen attentively.
As is evident, even ordinary statements can sound far more interesting once idioms are inserted judiciously. So let us “jump on the bandwagon” (join others in doing something) and “hit the books” (begin studying in a serious and determined way) without “burning the midnight oil” (rest is important, you see) to be an expert user of the language until we can call it “a piece of cake” (something that’s easily done)!
In the end, did you have fun with idioms? Let us “pull up our socks” and “tighten our seatbelts”, for it’s going to be an exhilarating ride together.