Idioms I
Christmas came early this year.
"My parents gave me a raise in my allowance, and it's not even my birthday. Christmas came early this year!"
Christmas came early this year:
This idiom is used when something very positive happens that is unexpected. This is because Christmas always falls on the same date--December 25th--so you would not expect it to come early.
To be left out in the cold.
"If you don't go to the school dance this Friday, you'll be left out in the cold while the rest of us have fun."
To be left out in the cold:
This idiom means to miss or be excluded from a fun or enjoyable experience or event.
Stocking stuffer
"My mom always buys us fun stocking stuffers for Christmas."
Stocking stuffer:
A small, usually inexpensive Christmas gift, especially one that is placed in a Christmas stocking.
The more the merrier
"When I asked Sharon if I could bring my best friend to her party, she said, 'Sure, the more the merrier!'"
The more the merrier:
This idiom means the more people there are, the more fun a situation will be. It's a polite thing to say if someone asks if they can join a group or activity or if they can bring another guest.
To give someone the cold shoulder.
"Cher has given Deanna the cold shoulder ever since Deanna didn't go to her birthday party."
To give someone the cold shoulder.
This idiom means to be deliberately rude or unfriendly to someone.
Good things come in small packages.
"I really wanted a large dog, but instead we adopted a chihuahua. I love this dog, though! I guess good things do come in small packages."
Good things come in small packages:
During the holidays, many people exchange a lot of gifts, both big and small. This idiom says that the size of something does not indicate its value.
A white Christmas.
"I love visiting my cousins in Wyoming for the holidays because it means a white Christmas."
A white Christmas:
This idiom simply means a Christmas when it is snowing.
To trim the tree
"Traditionally, many years ago, families did not trim the tree until Christmas Eve."
To trim the tree:
To decorate a Christmas tree.
Snowflake
You can't criticize Jill even though what she did was wrong; she's a snowflake, and she'll get really upset.
Snowflake
This means a person who is very easily hurt or offended by the statements or actions of others. It comes from the idea that snowflakes are very fragile and melt as soon as you touch them.
Snowball effect
"If you don't keep up with the daily reading for Mrs. Baker's class, it's going to have a snowball effect when it's time for the final."
Snowball effect:
To have a snowball effect means that something starts out small, but it keeps growing. This comes from the idea that as a snowball rolls down a snowy hill, it gathers more and more snow, getting bigger and bigger. This idiom generally has a negative connotation, i.e. that something will get out of control if you don't take care of it early on.
To deck the halls.
"Our neighbors across the street start to deck the halls for Christmas the day after Halloween!"
To deck the halls:
"To deck the halls" means to decorate one’s home with a lot of Christmas decorations. This idiom comes from a famous Christmas carol named (not surprisingly) "Deck the Halls."
Like turkeys voting for Christmas (or for Thanksgiving).
"It would be like turkeys voting for Christmas if we agree to work all weekend too."
Like turkeys voting for Christmas (or for Thanksgiving):
This idiom is used when someone creates or accepts a situation that will have a bad outcome for them. Turkeys are often eaten at Christmas, so if turkeys could actually vote, it would be silly for them to vote for Christmas, or for Thanksgiving.
The holiday (or Christmas) spirit
"I guess our English teacher isn't feeling the holiday spirit--he just gave us a huge essay to write over the winter break!"
The holiday spirit:
A feeling of excitement, happiness, or positivity during the winter holiday season. Often this idiom is used sarcastically, e.g. you might comment to someone who is being rude, "Wow, I can tell you're really feeling the Christmas spirit!"
Snow job
"The students tried to convince the principal they hadn't vandalized the restroom, but he thought their story was a snow job."
Snow job
This idiom means to try to deceive someone by making false or exaggerated claims.
To bundle up.
I need a new jacket, a scarf, and a hat so that I can bundle up when we visit my relatives in Minnesota for Christmas.
To bundle up:
This idiom means to dress warmly.
Tis the season.
"Tis the season, everyone! Try not to get stressed out about all the holiday errands you have to run."
Tis the season:
This is another idiom that comes from the popular Christmas carol "Deck the Halls." This simply means that it is the Christmas season. It is often written on Christmas cards, or someone might say it at a holiday party when addressing guests. It's also used a lot in advertising during the holidays, e.g. "Tis the season to save money on all your gift-giving needs!"
Eat, drink and be merry.
"Thank you all for coming to the party. Please eat, drink and be merry!"
Eat, drink and be merry
To eat, drink and be merry is used when telling others to enjoy themselves in the moment, especially on any festive occasion. It has an additional meaning of taking time to enjoy life while you can, sometimes stated as "Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die." (Nowadays, most people leave out the second half of this sentence, as it doesn't sound very merry!)
Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.
"I hate it when my grandma buys me clothes for my birthday, but I know I shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth."
Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth:
This idiom means you shouldn't be ungrateful for a gift you receive, even if you don't like it. It comes from the old practice of judging a horse's age by looking in its mouth to see its teeth and guessing the horse's age based on the teeth's condition. The idea is that even if a horse is old, if the horse is also a gift (that is, free), you shouldn't complain.
To skate on (or be on) thin ice.
"Tran was skating on thin ice when she cheated on the test during class."
To skate on (or be on) thin ice:
This idiom means you are putting yourself in a situation that may have disastrous consequences. Thin ice over a body of water is dangerous because if it breaks, someone may fall in and drown or freeze to death.
Jack Frost nipping at your nose:
"I really felt Jack Frost nipping at my nose the first time I went skiing."
Jack Frost nipping at your nose:
This idiom comes from a famous Christmas carol and means you feel a biting cold on your face. "Jack Frost" is a traditional personification of frost, ice, snow, sleet, winter, and freezing cold.
Lit up (or done up) like a Christmas tree.
"The band members were done up like a Christmas tree for their performance."
Lit up (or done up) like a Christmas tree:
If someone is lit up, or done up, like a Christmas tree, it means they are very dressed up, just like Christmas trees bedecked with lights and colorful ornaments. Although this idiom references Christmas, it can be used at any time.
The proof is in the pudding.
"If you think Tom is a bad student, then why does he have all As this semester? The proof is in the pudding."
The proof is in the pudding:
This idiom means that the success of something can only be judged by the evidence. You can only tell if a pudding is good by tasting it; in other words, the "proof" of the pudding is in its taste. Pudding is a popular dish during the Christmas season around the world. (In other countries, it is more like a cake than the pudding eaten in the United States.)
The holiday blues.
"Unlike most of my family, I tend to get the holiday blues during Christmastime."
The holiday blues:
The feelings of stress, frustration, or sadness some people feel during the winter holidays. "To have the blues" or "to feel blue" means to feel sad or depressed.
To be there with bells on.
"When I asked my grandpa to come to my music recital, he replied, 'Of course--I will be there with bells on.'"
To be there with bells on:
This response to an invitation means you will happily go to the event or activity. It comes from the idea that bells ringing is a sound often associated with happiness or joy.
To put something on ice.
"Our teacher said we can put the group project on ice until we return from our winter break."
To put something on ice:
This means delaying or pausing something until later. The idiom comes from the way you can put certain foods (like fish) on ice to keep them fresh until you want to eat them.