EAT OUT OF (SOMEONE’S) HAND The idiom is used using the phrase “to eat out of someone’s hand” to indicate that they are in control of the situation, they have everything under their jurisdiction. The person who has this power over someone is the one with their hand. They are figuratively feeding them, controlling them,…
GIVE (SOMEONE) A TASTE OF (HIS/HER) OWN MEDICINE Giving someone a taste of their own medicine is short for the phrase “to serve someone as they deserve.” This expression may refer to revenge, justice, or karma. For example, if someone bullies you and you make them feel the same way they made you feel, then…
Learn how to use American English idioms with confidence. 7 Steps to Learn American English Idioms In order to become fluent in English, you need to be able to use common English expressions correctly in your everyday conversation. This means knowing how to use common phrases and words in a different way from their usual…
CHANGE HORSES IN MIDSTREAM A common translation of this phrase is “changing one’s mind in the midst of a course of action.” However, this translation does not account for the nuances of the phrase and its usage. The original Greek proverb is “metaphorical and depicts a battle scene where a general would switch horses just…
Welcome to American English Idioms: Lesson 6. 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…
BRUSH-OFF, GET/GIVE (SOMEONE) THE Failing to give a person a sincere conversation is called the brush-off. The term is often used when someone is not interested in pursuing a romantic relationship with someone, but instead deflecting their attention so they can pursue another person. In the world of academia, when one person brushes off another…
If you’ve ever taught English to students from China or other countries, you know that learning English idioms is the most difficult thing for them to learn. Most students can’t even understand how to use an English idiom properly. The good news is, with the right approach, you can help your students to learn idioms…
FAR CRY FROM (SOMETHING) The phrase “far cry from” is an idiomatic expression meaning “very different.” For example, “the political climate in the US is a far cry from the stable democracy we want to emulate. A far cry from something idiom is a situation in which one thing is completely different from another, such…
CHIP ON (ONE’S) SHOULDER A chip on one’s shoulder is an expression for perceived or imaginary insult, often seen as the result of a person’s own insecurity. The term comes from the military metaphor meaning to carry (and protect) one’s weapon (the shoulder) higher than usual because of the feeling that one needs to be…
DO (SOMEONE) A GOOD TURN Doing someone a good turn is the act of helping someone out without expecting anything in return. While it sounds like a cliché, doing someone a good turn can actually be very beneficial for both parties involved. There is the psychological effect that the person who is helped feels good…