CREAM OF THE CROP This idiom is used to describe the best of a group or category. It’s often used to demonstrate superiority, but can also be used to highlight quality in a variety of contexts. In the context of this idiom, a group is an organism’s population and a category is its hierarchical rank….
FOOL’S GOLD Fool’s gold is a term that can be defined as something that fools people into thinking it is something valuable. People use the term to describe things that they see as not worth what they are made out to be. Fool’s gold is a term that is used in the vernacular to describe…
DUTCH TREAT {GO DUTCH} The term “go dutch” is an idiomatic phrase meaning to divide the cost of a date between two people. This is usually done by one person offering to pay for half of the cost of the date before it commences, or alternatively, splitting the bill afterwards. The phrase is also used…
FIRST-RATE First-rate is typically used to indicate that something is of the highest quality. It can be used as an adjective or adverb and can also be used as a noun, meaning “one who is of the best quality.” As an adjective, first-rate indicates that something is excellent. For example, “a first rate school” means…
FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH, A A force to be reckoned with is a powerful and significant source of change. For a force to be a force to be reckoned with, it must have the power to affect large numbers of people or have an important influence on people’s lives. The following idiom, “a force…
FITS AND STARTS When someone is progressing in an erratic manner, they are making progress in fits and starts. This phrase describes periods of apparent progress followed by periods of stagnation. The expression “fits and starts” is used to describe periods of success where the person or company experiencing them will experience failure, stop for…
BOXED IN/BOX (SOMEONE) IN Boxing someone in is the process of restricting the movement of a person. It can be done by making their movements slow and ponderous, or by preventing their progress altogether. The process of boxing someone in can be achieved in one of two ways: slowing down and obstructing. Slowing down and…
Welcome to American English Idioms: Lesson 11. In this lesson you have 3 American English idioms to read, listen to, translate, and pronounce in English. Please focus and do your best so that you can learn and improve your knowledge of American English idioms. Don’t forget to use the comments section below to share your…
CORNERED A situation in which one is backed into a corner with no possible retreat is called ‘cornered’. This can be an idiom for when an individual has gone past the point of no return, or feels that they are in a position where they have nowhere to go. The phrase ‘cornered’ is an idiom…
Welcome to American English Idioms: Lesson 14. In this lesson you have 3 American English idioms to read, listen to, translate, and pronounce in English. Please focus and do your best so that you can learn and improve your knowledge of American English idioms. Don’t forget to use the comments section below to share your…