IV. Idioms

Refined and sanctified by long usage, idioms have been described as the crystallization of language. Without idioms our language would become dull and dry, whereas an appropriate use of them in our speech and writing will add to the strength and vividness posed of few words, contain an extremely profound and rich meaning; for another most idioms carry a vivid image.

An idiom is a fixed group of words with a special meaning which is different from the meanings of the words that form it. To “read a book”, for instance, is not an idiom, for the meaning of the phrase is the meanings of the three words put together, and “a book” can be replaced by other words like “a newspaper” or “a magazine”. To “read between the lines” is different. The four words that form the idiom give no hint as to what it means and none of the words can be changed to form another understandable phrase.

English is rich in idioms. The following types of idioms are most common:

1. Phrasal verbs

e.g. put up with: tolerate; live with

turn out: prove

look forward to: expect

carry on: conduct or transact

come across: be confronted with

2. N. + prep. + n.

e.g. a straw in the wind: a slight hint that shows which way things may develop the apple of one’s eye: sb. or sth. dearly loved

like a fish out of water: feel uncomfortable or awkward because of being in

unfamiliar surroundings

in a world of one’s own: live a life of fantasy without communicating with other

people; in private

3. Prep. + n.

e.g. in kind: (of payment) in goods or natural produce, not in money

on the air: broadcasting

at length: eventually, at last; in great detail

(come off/through) with flying colors: make a great success of sth.

4. V. + n.

e.g. won’t hold water: (of theories) to be not sound when tested

slip one’s mind: forget

kill two birds with one stone: get twice the result with half effort

go to the dogs: (of an organization, institution, etc.) change so that it is no longer

as efficient, productive, etc. as before

5. As… as…

e.g. as big as life: as big as the actual size of…

(Believe it or not, he was here yesterday ~.)

as easy as pie/ABC

as different as night and day/black and white

as poor as a church mouse

as innocent as an angel