We use the expression It pays to do sth or It pays smo to do sth when we mean that it is (always) a wise or advantageous idea to do the thing specified; doing this specific thing will (always) yield a positive effect. It pays to study different languages, as we live in a globalized society. It pays a person to start planning for … [Read more...]
Eat Your Heart Out!
We use "eat your heart out" to indicate that we think someone will feel great jealousy about something. If this is the case, we will use it with the name of a person who might be jealous. When it is followed by the name of a famous person, you are joking that you are even better than that person: My backhand is improving all the time: Federer, … [Read more...]
I can’t Make Head or Tail (out) of It
This idiom is used when we mean that we cannot understand someone or something at all, that is, we cannot make any sense of someone or something. It may also be used in plural: "Make heads or tails (out) of it", but this form is more frequently used in the US. I've been working with this program for hours, but I still can't make heads or … [Read more...]
Sink or Swim
We use this idiom 'Sink or Swim' when we are in a situation in which someone must either be successful right away or succumb to failure. We imply that succeeding or failing depends completely on their own efforts and abilities. After we've studied and learned all we can, we have to take the test and sink or swim. It's too late to help her … [Read more...]
Can you Splash Out?
Splash out is an informal term we use when we mean that someone spends an extravagant sum of money on something. It can be used alone, such as in this case: We splashed out last night and went to a very expensive restaurant. Can she afford to splash out a little? Is her budget unlimited? If we translated “splashed out” into … [Read more...]
He Has Money to Burn
When we say that someone has money to burn, we mean that they have more money than they need and so spend it freely and often unnecessarily. He bought that expensive car because he has money to burn. 'Be made of money' is another idiom we use to mean that someone has a lot of money, but normally, we use it in the negative as a denial to a … [Read more...]
Don’t Beat About/Around the Bush!
In Spanish, 'Beat around / about the bush' means 'Andarse por las ramas' or 'Andar con rodeos'. In English, we use this idiom: To speak vaguely or euphemistically so as to avoid talking directly about an unpleasant or sensitive topic. "Don't beat about the bush, just tell me how serious the problem is." 2. To discuss a matter without … [Read more...]
That’s a Different Ball Game…
If you describe a situation as a whole new ball game, or a different ball game, you mean that it is completely different from what came before. In Spanish we usually say "Esa es otra historia", to express this idea. I'd been working as a teacher for several years, but working with little kids was a different ball game. Note: `Ball game' is … [Read more...]
I am Under the Impression that….
These are some of the most frequent IDIOMS we may use with "IMPRESSION". Be UNDER the IMPRESSION that = Tener la impresión de que… She seemed to be under the impression that the service was improving, but it wasn't. GET the IMPRESSION that = Tener la impresión de que… I'm getting the impression that the election won’t really change … [Read more...]
You Hit the Nail on the Head!
We use this expression to say that we have done the right thing, normally in the most effective and efficient way. We also use it when we want to describe a situation or problem exactly. You hit the nail on the head when you said lack of money was the source of the problem. She realised the mistake. She hit the nail right on the head! In … [Read more...]
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