21 English idioms most commonly used by foreigners
1.sock away
save money
You should sock away a certain amount each month.
You should save a sum of money every month.
2.live from hand to mouth
Earn from hand to mouth
Bob had a little money socked away, so he didn’t have to live from hand to mouth.
Bob saved a little money, so his life was passable.
3.live off the fat of the land
Live on the food produced by the land
How hard can it be to strike out on your own and live off the fat of the land?
How hard do you have to eat on the ground?
4.make hay while the sun is shining
Make money or save money at the first opportunity.
While he had been successful at his job, he had made plenty of hay while the sun was shining.
He succeeded in his work and saved a lot of money.
5.in the twinkling of an eye
In an instant, blink of an eye.
Things could go terribly wrong in the twinkling of an eye.
Things get messy in the blink of an eye.
6.as free as a bird
free and easy
I found the reasons for his decision to throw in the towel and become free as a bird compelling.
After I found out his reason for giving up, I was no longer free.
7.get one’s ducks in a row
Be fully prepared to accomplish something.
Bob was very careful not to let on what he was thinking to anyone until he got all his ducks in a row.
Bob was very careful. He didn’t tell anyone what he thought until he was fully prepared.
8.salt of the earth
Salt of the Earth
Bill was salt of the earth.
Bill is a social elite.
9.on the spur of the moment
act on impulse
He knew that such a decision couldn’t be made on the spur of a moment.
He knows that he can’t make a decision on impulse.
10.by the seat of one’s pants
By skill, by intuition
He did wonder if things might be a bit more interesting if he gave living by the seat of his pants a go.
He wondered if it would be more interesting if he had made a living by his skill.
11.money to burn
Money to burn
Sure, he never had money to burn, but he managed to get by.
Of course, he never ran out of money, but he succeeded.
12.the powers that be
Refers to the person in power
Certainly, he never questioned the powers that be.
Of course, he never questioned those in power.
13.tag along
Tail others
Bill repeatedly told Bob that tagging along with everyone else would eventually get boring.
Bill told Bob again and again that it was boring to follow others.
14.throw in the towel
give up
I found the reasons for his decision to throw in the towel and become free as a bird compelling.
After I found out his reason for giving up, I never had any worries again.
15.jack-of-all-trades
A person who wears many hats.
Bill made his living as a jack-of-all-trades.
Bill wears many hats in order to make a living.
16.not able to see the forest for the trees
| Too obsessed with details, leading to the neglect of more important parts.
The more he pondered the idea the more he came to realize that he wasn’t able to see the forest for the trees.
The more he thinks about it, the more he feels that he has neglected the really important part because he is obsessed with details.
17.tilt at windmills
Fight an imaginary enemy or threat
He still felt he was tilting at windmills.
He still feels that he is fighting an imaginary enemy.
18.get a new lease on life
Take a new attitude towards life.
These memories of Bill came flooding back as Bob began to to prepare to get a new lease on life.
When Bob decided to start his life again, those memories of Bill poured in again.
19.the prime of life
The heyday of life
However, Bob was in the the prime of life and he was ready for adventure.
However, Bob is now in his prime, and he is ready for the adventure.
20.throw something down the drain
waste
How can you throw all you’ve worked for down the drain?
How can you waste the fruits of your labor?
21.lose one’s marbles
Fall into madness
He’s lost his marbles.
He is really crazy.
practise
?He’s a smart man because he has ____________ a lot of money for his retirement.
?I’m sure you’l feel _________________ once you graduate from college.
?Ever since I got the new job, I feel like I’ve gotten _________________.
?You’ll be surprised how quickly your child will grow up. It sometimes seems that it happened ____________.
?My grandfather was a ______________________. He did everything!
?Too many people around the world have to ____________________. It’s horrible!
?Of course, ___________________ do nothing to help the truly needy.
?Sometimes it seems like I’m ________________ by trying to start a new business.
answer
?socked away
?as free as a bird
?a new lease on life
?in the twinkling of an eye
?jack-of-all-trades
?live from hand to mouth
?the powers that be
?tilting at windmills
(Source: Hujiang English Editor: Julie)