Idioms 101
"You can count on me."
"Don't worry about it. You can count on me!"
a. You can count to 10 on my fingers.
b. You can depend on me.
c. You can be my friend.
b. You can depend on me.
"Give it a shot"
I was afraid to answer the question out loud but my teacher told me to just give it a shot.
a. To fire a gun
b. To try something or make an attempt
c. To get a vaccine
b. To try something or make an attempt
"Spill the beans"
Don't tell Billy about Sarah's party because he will spill the beans.
a. To ruin a surprise by telling
b. To drop jelly beans on the floor
c. To learn a new language
a. To ruin a surprise by telling
"Take a chill pill"
The kids were jumping around and screaming and mom told them to take a chill pill.
a. Calm down
b. Take an aspirin
c. Drink some coffee
a. Calm down
"Zip your lip"
Aaliyah kept talking during the test. Finally, another student said, "Aaliyah, please zip your lip!"
a. To put a zipper on your mouth
b. To be quiet
c. To zip your coat
Be quiet; Silence yourself; Don't talk
"In the middle of nowhere"
I got scared when I was driving alone last night and my car stopped in the middle of nowhere.
a. In a quiet place with very few people, buildings, and lights.
b. In the basement of a haunted house.
c. In Sandwich, IL
a. In a quiet place with very few people, buildings, and lights.
"Through thick and thin"
We are best friends so I will be there for you through thick and thin.
a. Fat and skinny
b. In good times and bad times
c. Through thick hair and thin hair
b. In good times and bad times
"Up to no good"
Those men standing on the corner in a circle looked like they were up to no good.
a. To be a good person
b. Planning to do something bad
c. To play music on the radio
b. Planning to do something bad
"Have a heavy heart"
After losing her puppy, Nina couldn't help but to have a heavy heart.
a. To be really fat
b. To be really sad
c. To be really tired
b. To be really sad
"Neck and neck"
The people in Chicago were so nervous watching the Bulls play in the championship game. The teams were neck and neck, but Michael Jordan saved the day!
a. Two necks together
b. Tired
c. Close or tied scores
c. Close or tied scores
"Throw Shade"
I don't like people who throw shade at other people. It's not nice.
a. To protect someone from the sun
b. To play a game
c. To make someone feel bad on purpose
c. To make someone feel bad on purpose
"Turn over a new leaf"
I moved to Texas to escape my past and turn over a new leaf.
a. To take a spring leaf and flip it over
b. To plant flowers
c. To start over new and better than before
c. To start over new and better than before
"Hold your tongue"
Gabe loves to yell out answers in class before everyone else. Today the teacher said, " Gabe, hold your tongue!"
a. Don't say anything.
b. Grab your tongue and hold it with fingers or a clamp
c. Bite down hard on your tongue
a. Don't say anything.
"Off the hook"
After taking one spoonful of her chili, the kids said, "Oooooh Ms. Orr, this chili is off the hook!"
a. To take the phone off the hook
b. To get a fish off the hook
c. To be really good
c. To be really good
"Hang in there"
Mel wanted to join the track team, but once she made the team, she realized how much hard work she would have to do. Mel wanted to quit, but her coach told her to, "Hang in there."
a. Don't give up
b. Hang your clothes in the closet
c. Shake hands
a. Don't give up
"Wild goose chase"
Dad had everyone in the house on a wild goose chase looking for his tiny lucky earring.
a. To play Duck Duck Goose
b. Searching or chasing something that's impossible to find or catch
c. To chase a goose around the park
b. To look for something that's impossible to find
"Bigger fish to fry"
My friends wanted me to come outside and play but I couldn't because I hadn't finished my homework. I had bigger fish to fry.
a. More important things to do.
b. Frying catfish instead of goldfish
c. Fishing for sharks instead of tuna
a. More important things to do.
"Cat got your tongue?"
When the teacher asked Gabe a question, he did not say anything. The teacher asked, " What's going on, Gabe? Cat got your tongue?"
a. Is the cat holding your tongue?
b. Why is there a cat in your mouth?!
c. Why aren't you talking?
c. Why aren't you talking?
"On a silver platter"
The teacher told the students exactly which pages to study for the test and even allowed them to bring a cheat sheet. The teacher basically handed the students a guaranteed "A" on a silver platter.
a. A silver tray for serving food
b. Something given really easily
c. Something expensive
b. Something given really easily
"Shed Light"
Kyle was struggling with the math lesson so after class, he asked the teacher if he could "shed light" on it.
a. To turn the lights on
b. To explain something that is difficult to understand.
c. To open the curtains and let the sunlight in.
b. To explain something that is difficult to understand.
"Put your foot in your mouth"
You put your foot in your mouth when you told your mom that the new dress made her look fat.
a. To wish you could take back something you said that insulted someone.
b. To pick up your foot and put it inside of your mouth.
c. To smell your feet
a. To wish you could take back something you said that insulted someone.
"Throw under the bus"
My friend got caught stealing candy and told the police that I was stealing too. I can't believe she would throw me under the bus like that!
a. To throw a friend under a moving school bus
b. To have a fist fight
c. To get someone else in trouble to save yourself
c. To get someone else in trouble to save yourself
"Hit the nail on the head"
When Mike answered the tricky question after the other students tried, the teacher told him, " Mike, you hit the nail on the head!"
a. To hit a nail with a hammer
b. To give the perfectly correct answer
c. To hammer a nail on to someone's head
b. To give the perfectly correct answer
"By the skin of your teeth"
John went to a party with some friends. His mom told him to be home by 11:30. John was having so much fun at the party that he did not pay attention to the time. When he finally looked at the clock, he saw it was 11:15. John left the party quickly and ran all the way home. When he got home, it was 11:29 and he was out of breath. Mom was at the door waiting and said, "You made it by the skin of your teeth."
a. To put skin on your teeth
b. To just barely accomplish something
c. To bite your skin with your teeth
b. To just barely accomplish something
"Bite off more than you can chew"
Michelle was the student council president, editor of the school newspaper, a member of the Spanish club, and a peer tutor. Now Michelle wants to get a part-time job. Her mother told her, "If you get a job, you will bite off more than you can chew."b. To put too much food in your mouth.
c. To bite your tongue.
a. To take on too many things that are impossible to complete.