C2-Unit1-Idioms

IDIOMS and expressions

IDIOMS AND EXPRESSIONS

• A slap in the face
• At arm's length
• To have a chip on your shoulder
• To get something off your chest
• To keep a cool head

• Behind someone's back
• To bite your tongue
• To put your foot in it
• To give someone the elbow
• To be a pain in the neck

-A slap in the face

-At arm's length

As far away from your body as possible: He's such a toxic person that I always try to keep him at arm's length.

An action that insults or upsets someone: It was a real slap in the face for the kid when his mum refused to give him his mobile phone back.

-To have a chip on your shoulder

-To get something off your chest

To seem angry all the time because you think you have been treated unfairly or feel you are not as good as other people: He's got a chip on his shoulder about not having been appointed as the head teacher.

To tell someone about something that has been worrying you or making you feel guilty for a long time: I'm glad I finally could get that secret off my chest.

-Behind someone's back

-To keep a cool head

If you do something behind someone's back, you do it without them knowing, in a way that is unfair: I know he's bitching about me behind my back.

To stay calm in a difficult situation: I don't know how you manage to keep such a cool head in such a hectic, stressful office!

-To put your foot in it

-To bite your tongue

To say something by accident that embarrasses or upsets someone: I really put my foot in it-I started to talk about Mary's surprise birthday party without realising she was behind me.

To stop yourself from saying something that you would really like to say: I wanted to tell him exactly what I thought of him, but I had to bite my tongue.

-To give someone the elbow

-A pain in the neck

A person who is constantly annoying: People who are always complaining are a pain in the neck.

To end your romantic relationship with someone: After only a few months of dating, she gave him the elbow because he wasn’t serious.