Spring Idioms I
Mr. Wong is a tough teacher--you never know when he's going to spring an exam on us!
to spring something (on someone):
To surprise someone, especially with an unwelcome or unpleasant surprise
My dad sprang to his feet and shouted "What?!" when I told him I'd accidentally scratched his new car.
to spring to one's feet
Meaning: To stand up very quickly
Whenever someone mentions Hawaii, my family's vacation to Maui two years ago springs to mind.
to spring to mind
Meaning: This is another way of phrasing the idiom "to come to mind," meaning that something or someone makes you think immediately of something or someone else.
In 7th grade I had a lot of bad grades, but this year I'm going to turn over a new leaf by doing my homework every day.
To turn over a new leaf
Meaning: To act or behave in a better or more responsible way
I think I'm going to hit the hay, it's been an exhausting day.
Hit the hay
Meaning: go straight to bed
The small beach town is quiet most of the year, but it springs to life in the summer.
to spring to life
Meaning: To suddenly start moving or become very active or busy.
The actor decided to come out of hibernation and make his first movie in over five years.
To come out of hibernation
Meaning: To emerge from a period of inactivity or isolation, similar to how some animals come out of hibernation in the spring.
Joshua has had a spring in step ever since he met Maddy.
to have a spring in one's step
Meaning: If you have a spring in your step, you appear happy and energetic.
When I asked my parents for a new phone, they told me, "Your old one is fine. Money doesn't grow on trees."
money doesn’t grow on trees
Meaning: This saying means to be careful spending money, because--unlike gathering leaves from trees--it’s not that easy to get more of it.
The first time Daniel acted up in class, his teacher gave him after-school detention to nip it in the bud.
nip it in the bud
Meaning: This means to stop something at an early stage. If you remove, or “nip,” a bud from a plant, it prevents the flower from blooming.
My mom says that if I don't give my bedroom a good spring cleaning I can't play video games this weekend.
spring cleaning
Meaning: a very thorough cleaning
The new teacher's innovative approach to teaching Math was a breath of fresh air to her students, making the subject easier to understand.
A breath of fresh air
Meaning: Something that is new and refreshing, like the fresh air that arrives with the spring season.
Anita is a real social butterfly; she's in three different after-school clubs, plays volleyball, and is on student council.
social butterfly
Meaning: Someone who loves interacting with others and moves from one person to another easily, like a butterfly moves from flower to flower.
I hate Mr. Smith's History class; listening to his lectures is like watching grass grow.
like watching grass grow
Meaning: If something is described as "like watching grass grow," it is very boring.
I feel like everything in my life is coming up roses lately: I earned straight As, I just made the basketball team, and my parents said we're going to Disneyland for spring break!
Meaning:
coming up roses
If everything in your life is coming up roses, things are going very well for you! The exact origin of the phrase is unknown, but it became popular in the 1950s as a line in a song from the famous musical “Gypsy.”
Taking Music as an elective in school was the springboard for Carlos becoming a professional guitarist as an adult.
springboard Meaning: This means something that helps you start or improve something.
When I walked home from school today and felt the warm sun on my face and saw flowers blooming, I knew spring was in the air.
spring is in the air
Meaning: This idiom usually refers to physical signs of spring being perceived, such as the weather getting warmer, flowers blooming, and so on. It can also refer to a feeling of happiness during the spring season.
James wants to play in the NBA one day, but since he's only 5-foot-2, I think he's probably chasing rainbows.
chasing rainbows
Meaning: Since you can’t actually reach or touch rainbows, chasing rainbows means trying to achieve something that’s not possible or not practical.
My grandmother has green fingers. She always has the nicest garden in her neighborhood.
to have green fingers
Meaning: This decribes someone who is talented at gardening.
That famous, gorgeous model is rumored to have a terrible personality, but every rose has its thorns.
every rose has its thorns
Meaning: This ancient proverb means that even someone, or something, as beautiful and seemingly perfect as a rose is not without its flaws.
When I asked my grandpa to go for a run with me, he said, "I wish I could, but I'm no spring chicken."
no spring chicken
Meaning: Old (or at least not that young)
Starting in April or May, most of the students have a serious case of spring fever and can't wait for summer vacation.
spring fever
Trisha is such a busy bee - she doesn't ever have time to catch up with me!
a busy bee
Meaning: some who's extremely occupied with different tasks.
I warned my friend that the guy she met online could be just leading her down the garden path.
to lead down the garden path
Also phrased as “to lead someone on,” this idiom means to deceive or lie to someone.
I'm going to stop and smell the roses by going camping this weekend.
To stop and smell the roses
Meaning:
This means it’s time to stop stressing out and take a minute to enjoy the positive things in life, especially the beauty of nature. (There is some scientific truth behind this idiom, because spending time in nature has been shown to reduce anxiety and depression.)