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1. Green with envy
Definition: Extremely jealous or envious of someone.
Example: “When she saw her friend’s new car, she turned green with envy.”
2. Pull someone’s leg
Definition: To tease or play a practical joke on someone.
Example: “I was just pulling your leg about winning the lottery; it was all a prank.”
3. Down to the wire
Definition: Until the last possible moment or deadline.
Example: “The game was intense, and the outcome was uncertain down to the wire.”
4. Leave no stone unturned
Definition: To search thoroughly or investigate every possible avenue.
Example: “In order to find the missing keys, we left no stone unturned and checked every room.”
5. Actions speak louder than words
Definition: What a person does is more important than what they say.
Example: “He promised to help, but actions speak louder than words, and he never showed up.”
6. Cutting corners
Definition: Taking shortcuts or neglecting proper procedures to save time or effort.
Example: “The company’s decision to cut corners on safety regulations resulted in an accident.”
7. Penny-wise and pound-foolish
Definition: Being frugal with small expenses but wasteful or unwise with larger ones.
Example: “He saved money by buying a cheap car, but it required frequent costly repairs. It was penny-wise and pound-foolish.”
8. Hold your own
Definition: To maintain one’s position, competence, or independence in a challenging situation.
Example: “She may be younger, but she can hold her own in a competitive debate.”
Exercise 2: Dialogue
Emily: Sarah, did you see the gorgeous vacation photos that Lisa posted on social media?
Sarah: Yes, I did. Her trip to the Maldives looked amazing. I have to admit; I was green with envy when I saw those crystal-clear waters and white sandy beaches.
Emily: Haha, I can understand why. But don’t worry, Sarah, we’ll plan a fantastic vacation of our own soon. By the way, did you hear about the prank Jake pulled on Tom last week?
Sarah: No, what happened?
Emily: Jake told Tom that he won the lottery and was buying everyone lunch. Tom was so excited, but then Jake revealed it was just a joke. He was really pulling Tom’s leg.
Sarah: Oh, poor Tom! That’s a classic example of teasing. Speaking of deadlines, our project is due next week, and it’s going to be down to the wire to get everything finished.
Emily: I know, it’s been a challenging project, but we can’t afford to make any mistakes. We have to leave no stone unturned in our final preparations.
Sarah: Absolutely. You know, actions always speak louder than words, so we need to demonstrate the quality of our work.
Emily: True, we can’t afford to cut corners at this stage; it could jeopardize the entire project. We need to be thorough.
Sarah: That’s right. We don’t want to end up being penny-wise and pound-foolish by skimping on important steps.
Emily: And we have to hold our own against any unexpected challenges that may arise during this crucial phase.
Sarah: Agreed, Emily. Let’s give it our all, and soon enough, our hard work will pay off.
Emily: Absolutely, Sarah. Bob’s your uncle, success will be ours.
Exercise 3: Fill in the blanks
Mark: Hey, Alex, have you seen the new car that Mike just bought?
Alex: Yeah, it’s a real beauty. I can’t help but feel ______________ when I look at it.
Mark: I know what you mean. We all have our moments of envy. By the way, did you hear about the prank Sarah pulled on Tom during the office party?
Alex: Oh, yes! She told Tom that he got a surprise promotion, and he was ecstatic. Turns out, she was just ______________.
Mark: Classic Sarah! She’s always up for a good laugh. Anyway, our project deadline is approaching, and it’s going to be ______________ to get everything completed on time.
Alex: No doubt about it. We need to ______________ to ensure we don’t miss any important details.
Mark: Agreed. It’s a crucial project, and ______________ is essential.
Alex: Absolutely, Mark. Let’s remember that ______________ in our field. We need to deliver top-notch work.
Mark: You’re right, Alex. We can’t afford to ______________ when it comes to quality.
Alex: And we must ______________ and overcome any challenges that come our way during this project.
Mark: Precisely. Let’s give it our all, and before you know it, ______________, and we’ll be celebrating our success.
Options:
1. green with envy
2. pulling someone’s leg
3. down to the wire
4. leave no stone unturned
5. actions speak louder than words
6. cut corners
7. penny-wise and pound-foolish
8. hold our own
9. Bob’s your uncle
Exercise 4: Discussion
- Create examples using the idioms above.
- If that is too easy, challenge yourself and create a dialogue with each idiom!
- Discuss which idioms you found interesting.
- Are any of the idioms similar or different compared to idioms in your language?
- Discuss where you think each idiom got its meaning.
