Idioms and Phrases

 

The following idioms and phrases are to be found in The Farm at Lane's End 

To bump into someone - this means to meet someone by chance. To bump into someone - jemandem über den Weg laufen - das bedeutet, jemandem zufällig zu begegnen. 

To hint at something -   To hint at something means to indirectly suggest something without saying what it is.  To hint at something  -   bedeutet, etwas indirekt anzudeuten, ohne zu sagen, was es ist. 

To take pot luck means to take a chance on something. To take pot luck bedeutet, etwas zu riskieren. 

To improve one's ways -  Das eigene Verhalten verbessern

If the worst comes to the worst -  Wenn es zum Schlimmsten kommt (im schlimmsten Fall)

For the life of me is another way of saying "Oh, my god"

Perish the thought means this is a terrible idea.

Plain jane - A plain jane is a boring unexciting girl.

To read is a synonym for to study.  At Oxbridge one reads not studies. Both the same meaning.

to take up something means to start something.  I have decided to take up jogging.

a pretty penny - lots of money or very expensive.

When the penny drops is the moment you really understand something.

To bite off more than one can chew - to start something that is too big or too complicated to succeed in or with.

If you have a lose screw means you are a littl bit crazy.

Never count your chicks before they hatch - Don't talk too loudly about your successes before they have really happened.

To hit it off with someone is another way of saying you immediately get on well with them. You immediately understand them.

To drop by - This means to visit someone for a short time. 

Whilst you are at it - this means you could do something else that's similar at the same time.

Spill the beans - this means to tell all.  To tell everything about it.  To talk about it.

To put on one's thinking cap - this means you will think about it.

To cut a long story short - to bring a story to its point.

A peppercorn rent is a very cheap or low rent.

Of late means recently. There have been many price increases of late.

To make ends meat means to get by on very little money. It is very hard for vicars to make ends meet on their pay.

Every little counts means no matter how small the amount may be, it is still very important.

I must be getting on means I must continue my work, or, I  must be leaving.

I'll get going right away means I will start this job immediately.

I'm ready for off means I am ready to depart.

A dead heat - (idiom) Competition, race, comparison -  When two  players have the same chance.  The race was a dead heat between John and Simon.

The sky's the limit- no limits - you can do what you want.

How about you?  What would you like (to drink/eat/do, etc.)?

Elevenses - A short coffee break at around 11 a.m.  Usually with a biscuit.

A stick in the mud is a very boring and dull person.

Glued to the box.  People who are glued to the box spend all their time watching TV.

For some strange reason is the same as saying I don't understand the reason.

As poor as a church mouse talks about someone who is very, very poor.  (idiom)

Something has come up.  This is an excuse for saying one must cancel.

I'm sorry, something has come up, I must cancel our meeting this afternoon.

Time on one's hands.  This means that one has time to do something.  I had time on my hands, so I went to a museum.

Your Poison?   This means your prefered drink.  What's your poison?  I'll have a beer, please.

To fancy something - If you fancy something is something you want or something you want to do.  I fancy going out this evening.  I fancy  a yoghurt for breakfast.

At least - This is the minumum. We haven't seen Sally for at least a year.  To stay healthy, one must drink at least 2 litres of water a day.

At my place  means at my house or where I live.  Let's meet at my place at seven.

To bump into someone means to meet someone by chance (unplanned).  I bumped into Chris this morning.

Out of the blue - this means something happened unexpectedly (not planned)

To keep in touch - to stay in contact.

In this neck of the woods - in this area.  What's happening in your neck of the woods - what's going on where you live?

There is more than meets the eye - there is more to this story or situation than is obvious.

To take one's leave means to politely leave.

To drift apart - to gradually seperate or lose contact.

By the way - Another topic that is related, but not directly involved with the subjet being discussed.

To fancy something means to really want something.  I really fancy fish and chips for lunch!  

TO MAKE UP ONE´S MIND - To make up one's mind is to make a decision. To decide.  Please make up your mind!  Shall we go today or tomorrow??

I haven't a clue, this means I have no idea. I haven't a clue what she's talking about.

Worth a try means it would be a good idea to do it.  It might work.

According to - this tells us what someone has written or said.  According to Andy, tourism would be good for the village.  

A sly old fox is a clever or cunning old man.

To count us in mens to include us.  That's a great idea!  Count us in

Rolling in money, If you are rolling in money means you are very, very rich.

Rip off - When you rip someone off you cheat them financially.  You charge them too much for something. 

Every trick in the box.  If someone knows every  trick in the box they are bad.  They know many different ways of doing something bad or criminal.

Comeuppance - A Punishment or fate that someone deserves. He got his deserved comeuppance in the end.

To cut a long story short - When you cut a long story short, you come quickly to the point of the story.

Apparantly -  Apparantly means as far as one knows. 

To get the better of someone means to be better or smarter than them.

Down in the dumps - if you are down in the dumps, you are fedup or a little depressed.  I'm fed up with my job, I'm a little down in the dumps! 

Off the cuff -  If you do something off the cuff, you do it spontaneously, or without thinking about it.

To carp - If you carp a lot, you never stop complaning.

To ring a bell, if something rings a bell with you, it vaguely reminds you of something.

Well I never is a phrase that expresses surprise. Well I never! Tom gave me a gold ring for my birthday.

For the life of me is another way of saying "Oh, my god"

Perish the thought means this is a terrible idea.  Perish the thought! John wants to go swimming in the river in January.

Plain jane - A plain jane is a boring unexciting girl.

The bee's knees - This is an idiom.  It means an outstanding person or thing. 

Second to none is another was of saying the best.

Don't be so cocky means don't be so over confident (arrogant).

Over the moon.  If you are over the moon you are overly (very/very) happy.

A bone to pick . .  I have something to complain about.  I have a bone to pick with you! Why didn't you do what you promised?

to thank our lucky stars . . means to have something to be grateful about.

It  slipped my mind means  I completley forgot.

All's well that ends well - everything turned out just fine.

in the nick of time - at the last moment, just in time.

The thought that counts - This means the thinking  of someone is worth more than the present they gave you. 

Over the moon, Someone who is over the moon is very, very happy about something.

mum's the word  is an idiom. It means keep silent, or keep it a secret.

cheeky - showing a lack of respect in an amusing way.

A tall order - A tall order is an unreasonable request.  Wanting me to help him on Christmas day was a very tall order.

That's the way the cookie crumbles is something one must accept. I'm sad, my gold fish has died, but, that's the way the cookie crumbles.

To pull someone's leg means to play a trick on them.

On the strength of something means you believe them because of  what they said.

Down in the dumps - If you are down in the dumps, you are a little unhappy or even a little depressed.

I've got too much on my plate means I have very much to do at the moment. I'm sorry, I haven't time this afternoon, I have too much on my plate.

Crossed one's mind. If something has already crossed one's mind - means that one has already thought about it.

A penny for your thoughts - A penny for your thoughts means please tell me what you are thinking.

Warm hearted means kind and loving.  He was such a warm hearted man.

For the life of me - For the life of me is a phrase that means however hard I try.  However hard I try, I can't remember his name. For the life of me, I can't remember his name.

A chip off the old block means being the same - usually in character - as one's father. This phrase  normally speaks about boys.  Girls are "just like their mothers". 

To join in - To join in with something means to take part in something.  I joined in with the game.

To wrap up means to put on very warm clothes.

Brass monkey weather is a coloquial expression that means extremely cold weather.

Treacherous means conditions that hide hidden dangers.

It's bound to be means something that is certain.

To start the ball rolling means to start something.

The flicks is an alternative word for cinema - cinema/pictures/flicks/the movies

To comeby - to come by something means to obtain or get something.

after all - most importantly

to cope - to cope means to manage.  I can cope with very much hard work.

cut out - I have my work cut out  - I have something difficult to do, or, I have very much to do.

cut out - I'm cut out for the job - I was made for the job, I have a talent for the job.

The wrong end of the stick  - if you get hold of the wrong end of the stick you misunderstand something.

A good egg is a good man, a good sport, a helpful man. 

To go on - When someone goes on means they can't stop speaking.

To pop somewhere - to go somewhere quickly

I could eat a horse - I am very hungry

To ditch someone is to kick them out - to end a relationship

I'll be all ears - to give someone full attention.

to turn in - to go to bed

in a jiffy - in a very short time.  I'll be back in a jiffy.

 to nip - to go quickly - I'll just nip next door.

bangers and mash - sausages and mashed potatoes

sound asleep - fast asleep - sleeping deeply.

in the nick of time - at/ in  the very last moment

Do the honours - do the job

to burn daylight - take advantage of the light. Make use of daylight.

I could eat a horse.  I am very hungry.

It slipped my mind - I forgot.

Never mind - It's no problem.  Don't worry.

 Never mind -  don't worry - it's no problem

 

Grand - a thousand  -   5 grand = 5 thousand

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