PELATIHAN BAHASA INGGRIS

Rabu, 17 Agustus 2011

idioms with c to F

Daft as a brush: (UK) Someone who is daft as a brush is rather stupid.
Damp squib: (UK) If something is expected to have a great effect or impact but doesn't, it is a damp squib.
Dancing on someone's grave: If you will dance on someone's grave, you will outlive or outlast them and will celebrate their demise.
Dark horse: If someone is a dark horse, they are a bit of a mystery.
Davey Jones' locker: Davey Jones' locker is the bottom of the sea or resting place of drowned sailors.('Davy Jones' locker' is an alternative spelling.)
Day in the sun: If you have your day in the sun, you get attention and are appreciated.
Daylight robbery: If you are overcharged or underpaid, it is a daylight robbery; open, unfair and hard to prevent. Rip-off has a similar meaning.
Days are numbered: When someone’s days are numbered, they are expected to die soon.
Dead air: When there is a period of total silence, there is dead air.
Dead and buried: If something is dead and buried, it has all long been settled and is not going to be reconsidered.
Dead as a dodo: If something's dead as a dodo, it is lifeless and dull. The dodo was a bird that lived the island of Mauritius. It couldn't fly and was hunted to extinction.
Dead as a doornail: This is used to indicate that something is lifeless.
Dead duck: If something is a dead duck, it is a failure.
Dead even: If people competing are dead even, they are at exactly the same stage or moving at exactly the same speed.
Dead from the neck up: Someone who's dead from the neck up is very stupid indeed.
Dead heat: If a race ends in a dead heat, two or more finish with exactly the same result.
Dead in the water: If something is dead in the water, it isn't going anywhere or making any progress.
Dead level best: If you try your dead level best, you try as hard as you possibly could to do something.
Dead man walking: A dead man walking is someone who is in great trouble and will certainly get punished, lose their job or position, etc, soon.
Dead meat: This is used as a way of threatening someone: You'll be dead meat if you don't go along.
Dead men's shoes: If promotion or success requires replacing somebody, then it can only be reached by dead men's shoes' by getting rid of them.
Dead right: This means that something or someone is absolutely correct, without doubt.
Dead to the world: If somebody's fast asleep and completely unaware of what if happening around them, he or she's dead to the world.
Dead wrong: If someone is dead wrong, they are absolutely in error, absolutely incorrect or of incorrect opinion.
Deaf as a post: Someone who is as deaf as a post is unable to hear at all.
Dear John letter: A letter written by a partner explaining why they are ending the relationship is a Dear John letter.
Death of a thousand cuts: If something is suffering the death of a thousand cuts, or death by a thousand cuts, lots of small bad things are happening, none of which are fatal in themselves, but which add up to a slow and painful demise.
Death warmed up: (UK) If someone looks like death warmed up, they look very ill indeed. ('death warmed over' is the American form)
Decorate the mahogany: (USA) When someone buys a round a pub or bar, they decorate the mahogany; putting cash on the bar.
Deep pockets: If someone has deep pockets, they are wealthy.
Deep pockets but short arms: Someone who has money but never puts his hand in his pocket to pay for anything has deep pockets but short arms.
Deer in the headlights: When one is caught offguard and needs to make a decision, but cannot react quickly.
Deliver the goods: Do what is required, come up to expectations. For example, Kate delivered the goods and got us the five votes we needed. This phrase alludes to delivering an order of groceries or other items. [Colloquial; second half of 1800s]
Demon weed: Tobacco is the demon weed.
Derring-do: If a person shows derring-do, they show great courage.
Devil finds work for idle hands: When people say that the devil finds work for idle hands, they mean that if people don't have anything to do with their time, they are more likely to get involved in trouble and criminality.
Devil is in the detail: When people say that the devil in the detail, they mean that small things in plans and schemes that are often overlooked can cause serious problems later on.
Devil may care: If you live a devil-may-care life it means you are willing to take more risks than most people.
Devil's advocate: If someone plays Devil's advocate in an argument, they adopt a position they don't believe in just for the sake of the argument
Diamond in the rough: A diamond in the rough is someone or something that has great potential, but isn't not refined and polished.
Die is cast: If the die is cast, a decision has been made that cannot be altered and fate will decide the consequences.
Different kettle of fish: If something is a different kettle of fish, it is very different from the other things referenced.
Different ropes for different folks: (USA) This idiom means that different people do things in different ways that suit them.
Different strokes for different folks: (USA) This idiom means that different people do things in different ways that suit them.
Dig way down deep: When someone digs way down deep, they look into their inner feelings to see how they feel about it.
Dig your heels in: If you dig your heels in, you start to resist something.
Dime a dozen: (USA) If something is a dime a dozen, it is extremely common, possibly too common.
Dine on ashes: I someone is dining on ashes he or she is excessively focusing attention on failures or regrets for past actions.
Dinosaur: A dinosaur is a person who is thought to be too old for their position.
Dip your toes in the water: If you dip your toes in the water, you try something tentatively because you are not sure whether it will work or no
Each to their own: Different people have different preferences. In American English, 'Each to his own' is more common.
Eager beaver: A person who is extremely keen is an eager beaver.
Eagle eyes: Someone who has eagle eyes sees everything; no detail is too small.
Early bath: (UK) If someone has or goes for an early bath, they quit or lose their job or position earlier than expected because things have gone wrong.
Early bird catches the worm: The early bird catches the worm means that if you start something early, you stand a better chance of success.
Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy wealthy and wise: It means that sleeping well and not staying up late will help you out physically and financially.
Earn a living: To make money Ex: We need to get a good job to earn a decent living.
Easier said than done: If something is easier said than done, it is much more difficult than it sounds. It is often used when someone advises you to do something difficult and tries to make it sound easy.
Easy as ABC: Something that is as easy as ABC is very easy or simple.
Easy as beans: Something that is so easy that anyone can do it is easy as beans.
Easy as falling off a log: Something very easy or simple to do is as easy as falling off a log.
Easy as pie: If something is easy as pie, it is very easy indeed.
Easy come, easy go: This idiom means that money or other material gains that come without much effort tend to get spent or consumed as easily.
Easy does it: 'Easy does it' is used to advise someone to approach a task carefully and slowly, especially in spoken English.
Easy peasy: (UK) If something is easy peasy, it is very easy indeed. ('Easy peasy, lemon squeezy' is also used.)
Eat crow: (USA) If you eat crow, you have to admit that you were wrong about something.
Eat humble pie: If someone apologises and shows a lot of contrition for something they have done, they eat humble pie.
Eat like a bird: If someone eats like a bird, they eat very little.
Eat like a horse: Someone who eats like a horse, eats a lot.
Eat like a pig: If some eats like a pig, they either eat too much or they have bad table manners.
Eat my hat: People say this when they don't believe that something is going to happen e.g. 'If he passes that exam, I'll eat my hat!'
Eat someone alive: If you eat someone alive, you defeat or beat them comprehensively.
Eat your heart out: If someone tells you to eat your heart out, they are saying they are better than you at something.
Eat your words: If you eat your words, you accept publicly that you were wrong about something you said.
Economical with the truth: (UK) If someone, especially a politician, is economical with the truth, they leave out information in order to create a false picture of a situation, without actually lying.
Egg on your face: If someone has egg on their face, they are made to look foolish or embarrassed.
Elbow grease: If something requires elbow grease, it involves a lot of hard physical work.
Elbow room: If you haven't got enough elbow room, you haven't got enough space.
Elephant in the room: An elephant in the room is a problem that everyone knows very well but no one talks about because it is taboo, embarrassing, etc.
Eleventh hour: If something happens at the eleventh hour, it happens right at the last minute.
Empty vessels make the most noise: The thoughtless often speak the most.
End in smoke: If something ends in smoke, it produces no concrete or positive result. This expression refers to the boasting by a person, of having put in a lot of efforts by him, for a particular cause or to attain a result which is very difficult to be done by any person. (This mainly refers to an investigation of a crime or solving a serious offence or a mystery). But at the end, when the desired result is not obtained, his claims are found to be false and not worth mentioning. So, he looses his credibility.
Etched in stone: Something, especially rules and customs, that cannot be changed at all is said to be etched in stone.
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while: This expression means that even if people are ineffective or misguided, sometimes they can still be correct just by being lucky.
Even a broken clock is right twice a day: This is used when people get lucky and are undeservedly successful.('Even a stopped clock is right twice a day' is also used.)
Even keel: If something is on an even keel, it is balanced.
Even Stevens: If everything is equal between people, they are even Stevens.
Even the dogs in the street know: (Irish) This idiom is used frequently in Ireland, and means something is so obvious that even the dogs in the street know it.
Every ass likes to hear himself bray: This means that people like the sound of their own voice.
Every cloud has a silver lining: People sometimes say that every cloud has a silver lining to comfort somebody who's having problems. They mean that it is always possible to get something positive out of a situation, no matter how unpleasant, difficult or even painful it might seem.
Every dog has its day: This idiom means that everyone gets their moment to shine.
Every man and his dog: A lot of people - as in sending out invitations to a large number of people
Every man for himself: If it's every man for himself, then people are trying to save themselves from a difficult situation without trying to help anyone else.
Every man has his price: Anyone's opinion or support can be bought, everyone's principles have a limit.
Every man jack: If every man jack was involved in something, it is an emphatic way of saying that absolutely everybody was involved.
Every nook and cranny: If you search every nook and cranny, you look everywhere for something.
Every Tom, Dick and Harry: If every Tom, Dick and Harry knows about something, then it is common knowledge.
Every trick in the book: If you try every trick in the book, you try every possible way, including dishonesty and deceit, to get what you want.
Everybody and their uncle: This basically means a lot of people or too many people; everybody and their uncle was there.
Everything but the kitchen sink: If people include everything but the kitchen sink, they include every possibility, regardless of whether they are useful.

Face like thunder: If someone has a face like thunder, they are clearly very angry or upset about something.
Face only a mother could love: When someone has a face only a mother could love, they are ugly.
Face the music: If you have to face the music, you have to accept the negative consequences of something you have done wrong.
Face value: If you take something at face value, you accept the appearance rather than looking deeper into the matter.
Face your demons: If you face your demons, you confront your fears or something that you have been trying hard to avoid.
Facts of life: When someone is taught the facts of life, they learn about sex and reproduction.
Failure is the mother of success: Failure is often a stepping stone towards success.
Faint heart never won fair lady: This means that you will not get the partner of your dreams if you lack the confidence to let them know how you feel.
Fair and square: If someone does something fair and square, they do it correctly, following any rules or laws.
Fair crack of the whip: (UK) If everybody has a fair crack of the whip, they all have equal opportunities to do something.
Fair game: If something or someone is fair game, then it is acceptable to target, criticise or attack them.
Fair shake of the whip: (USA) If everybody has a fair shake of the whip, they all have equal opportunities to do something.
Fair thee well: Meaning completely and fully: I am tied up today to a fair-thee-well.
Fairweather friend: A fairweather friend is the type who is always there when times are good but forgets about you when things get difficult or problems crop up.
Fall at the first fence: If something falls at the first fence, it goes wrong or fails at the first or an early stage.
Fall at the first hurdle: If something falls at the first hurdle, it goes wrong or fails at the first or an early stage.
Fall by the wayside: To fall by the wayside is to give up or fail before completion.
Fall from grace: If a person falls from grace, they lose favor with someone.
Fall off the back of a lorry: (UK) If someone tries to sell you something that has fallen of the back of a lorry, they are trying to sell you stolen goods.
Fall off the turnip truck: (USA) If someone has just fallen off the turnip truck, they are uninformed, naive and gullible. (Often used in the negative)
Fall off the wagon: If someone falls off the wagon, they start drinking after having given up completely for a time.
Fall on our feet: If you fall on your feet, you succeed in doing something where there was a risk of failure.
Fall on stony ground: If an idea or plan falls on stony ground, it is received negatively by people in positions of power or fails to take off.
Fall on your sword: If someone falls on their sword, they resign or accept the consequences of some wrongdoing.
Familiarity breeds contempt: This means that the more you know something or someone, the more you start to find faults and dislike things about it or them.
Famous last words: This expression is used as a way of showing disbelief, rejection or self-deprecation.'They said we had no chance of winning- famous last words!'
Far cry from: This means that something is very different from something.
Fast and furious: Things that happen fast and furious happen very quickly without stopping or pausing.
Fat cat: A fat cat is a person who makes a lot of money and enjoys a privileged position in society.
Fat chance!: This idiom is a way of telling someone they have no chance.
Fat head: A fat head is a dull, stupid person.
Fat hits the fire: When the fat hits the fire, trouble breaks out.
Fat of the land: Living off the fat of the land means having the best of everything in life.
Fate worse than death: Describing something as a fate worse than death is a fairly common way of implying that it is unpleasant.
Feast today, famine tomorrow: If you indulge yourself with all that you have today, you may have to go without tomorrow.
Feather in your cap: A success or achievement that may help you in the future is a feather in your cap.
Feather your own nest: If someone feathers their own nest, they use their position or job for personal gain.
Feathers fly: When people are fighting or arguing angrily, we can say that feathers are flying.
Fed up to the back teeth: When you are extremely irritated and fed up with something or someone, you are fed up to the back teeth.
Feel at home: If you feel relaxed and comfortable somewhere or with someone, you feel at home.
Feel free: If you ask for permission to do something and are told to feel free, the other person means that there is absolutely no problem
Feel like a million: If you feel like a million, you are feeling very well (healthy) and happy.
Feel the pinch: If someone is short of money or feeling restricted in some other way, they are feeling the pinch.
Feeling blue: If you feel blue, you are feeling unwell, mainly associated with depression or unhappiness.
Feet of clay: If someone has feet of clay, they have flaws that make them seem more human and like normal people.
Feet on the ground: A practical and realistic person has their feet on the ground.
Fence sitter: Someone that try to support both side of an argument without committing to either is a fence sitter.
Fever pitch: When a situation has reached fever pitch, people are extremely excited or agitated.
Few and far between: If things are few and far between, they happen very occasionally.
Fiddle while Rome burns: If people are fiddling while Rome burns, they are wasting their time on futile things while problems threaten to destroy them.

IDIOMS WITH THE ALPHABET "C"

Cake's not worth the candle: If someone says that the cake's not worth the candle, they mean that the result will not be worth the effort put in to achieve it.
Calf lick: A calf lick is the weird parting in your fringe where your hair grows in a different direction, usually to one side.
Call a spade a spade: A person who calls a spade a spade is one speaks frankly and makes little or no attempt to conceal their opinions or to spare the feelings of their audience.
Call it a day: If you call it a day, you stop doing something for a while, normally at least until the following day.
Call on the carpet: If you are called on the carpet, you are summoned for a reprimand by superiors or others in power.
Call the dogs off: If someone calls off their dogs, they stop attacking or criticising someone.
Call the shots: If you call the shots, you are in charge and tell people what to do.
Call the tune: The person who calls the tune makes the important decisions about something.
Calm before the storm: A calm time immediately before period of violent activity or argument is the calm before the storm.
Can of worms: If an action can create serious problems, it is opening a can of worms.
Can't dance and it's too wet to plow: (USA) When you can't dance and it's too wet to plow, you may as well do something because you can't or don't have the opportunity to do anything else.
Can't do it for toffee: If you can't so something for toffee, you are incapable of doing something properly or to any sort of standard.
Can't get a word in edgeways: If you can't get a word in edgeways, you don't have the chance to say anything because the person you are with is is talking all the time.
Can't get to 1st base: If you can't get to first base, you're having difficulties starting something.
Can't hack it: Unable to perform an act, duty, job etc. (example: I have to quit my job as a computer technician; I just can't hack it.)
Can't hold a candle: If something can't hold a candle to something else, it is much worse.
Can't see the forest for its trees: If someone can't see the forest for its trees, they are too focused on specific details to see the picture as a whole.
Canary in a coal mine: (UK) A canary in a coal mine is an early warning of danger.
Card up your sleeve: If you have a card up your sleeve, you have a surprise plan or idea that you are keeping back until the time is right.
Carpetbagger: A carpetbagger is an opportunist without any scruples or ethics, or a politican who wants to represent a place they have no connection with.
Carrot and stick: If someone offers a carrot and stick, they offer an incentive to do something combined with the threat of punishment.
Carry the can: If you carry the can, you take the blame for something, even though you didn't do it or are only partly at fault.
Carry the day: If something carries the day, it wins a battle (the sense is that the battle has been long and could have gone either way) or competition for supremacy.
Case by case: If things are done case by case, each situation or issue is handled separately on its own merits and demerits.
Case in point: Meaning an instance of something has just occurred that was previously discussed. For instance, a person may have told another that something always happens. Later that day, they see it happening, and the informer might say, 'case in point'.
Cash cow: A product, business, etc, that generates a continuous flow of money or a high proportion of overall profits is a cash cow.
Cash in your chips: If you cash in your chips, you sell something to get what profit you can because you think its value is going to fall. It can also mean 'to die'.
Cast a long shadow: Something or someone that casts a long shadow has considerable influence on other people or events.
Cast aspersion: If you cast aspersion, you try to blacken someone's name and make people think badly of them.
Cast doubt on: If you make other people not sure about a matter, then you have cast doubt on it.
Cast iron stomach: A person with a cast iron stomach can eat or drink anything without any ill effects.
Cast pearls before swine: If you cast pearls before swine, you offer something of value to someone who doesn't appreciate it- 'swine' are 'pigs'.
Cast sheep's eyes at: If you cast sheep's eyes at at someone, you look lovingly or with longing at them.
Cast your mind back: If somebody tells you to cast your mind back on something, they want you to think about something that happened in the past, but which you might not remember very well, and to try to remember as much as possible.
Cast your net widely: If you cast your net widely, you use a wide range of sources when trying to find something.
Casting vote: The casting vote is a vote given to a chairman or president that is used when there is a deadlock.
Castles in the air: Plans that are impractical and will never work out are castles in the air.
Cat among the pigeons: If something or someone puts, or sets or lets, the cat among the pigeons, they create a disturbance and cause trouble.
Cat and dog life: If people lead a cat and dog life, they are always arguing.
Cat burglar: A cat burglar is a skillful thief who breaks into places without disturbing people or setting off alarms.
Cat fur and kitty britches: (USA) When I used to ask my grandma what was for dinner, she would say 'cat fur and kitty britches'. This was her Ozark way of telling me that I would get what she cooked. (Ozark is a region in the center of the United States)
Cat got your tongue?: If someone asks if the cat has got your tongue, they want to know why you are not speaking when they think you should.
Cat nap: If you have a short sleep during the day, you are cat napping.
Cat's lick: (Scot) A cat's lick is a very quick wash.
Cat's pajamas: (USA) Something that is the cat's pajamas is excellent.
Cat's whiskers: Something excellent is the cat's whiskers.
Catch as catch can: This means that people should try to get something any way they can.
Catch hell: If you catch hell, you get into trouble or get scolded. ('Catch heck' is also used.)
Catch some z's: If you catch some z's, you get some sleep.
Catch someone red-handed: If someone is caught red-handed, they are found doing something wrong or illegal.

IDIOMS WITH THE ALPHABET "B"

Babe in arms: A babe in arms is a very young child, or a person who is very young to be holding a position.
Babe in the woods: A babe in the woods is a naive, defenceless, young person.
Baby boomer: (USA) A baby boomer is someone born in the years after the end of the Second World War, a period when the population was growing very fast.
Back burner: If an issue is on the back burner, it is being given low priority.
Back foot: (UK) If you are on your back foot, you are at a disadvantage and forced to be defensive of your position.
Back number: Something that's a back number is dated or out of fashion.
Back the wrong horse: If you back the wrong horse, you give your support to the losing side in something.
Back to back: If things happen back to back, they are directly one after another.
Back to square one: If you are back to square one, you have to start from the beginning again.
Back to the drawing board: If you have to go back to the drawing board, you have to go back to the beginning and start something again.
Back to the salt mine: If someone says they have to go back to the salt mine, they have to return to work.
Back to the wall: If you have your back to the wall, you are in a difficult situation with very little room for manoeuvre.
Backseat driver: A backseat driver is an annoying person who is fond of giving advice to the person performing a task or doing something, especially when the advice is either wrong or unwelcome.
Bad Apple: A person who is bad and makes other bad is a bad apple.
Bad blood: If people feel hate because of things that happened in the past, there is bad blood between them.
Bad egg: A person who cannot be trusted is a bad egg. Good egg is the opposite.
Bad hair day: If you're having a bad hair day, things are not going the way you would like or had planned.
Bad mouth: (UK) When you are bad mouthing,you are saying negative things about someone or something.('Bad-mouth' and 'badmouth' are also used.)
Bad shape: If something's in bad shape, it's in bad condition. If a person's in bad shape, they are unfit or unhealthy.
Bad taste in your mouth: If something leaves you with a bad taste in your mouth, you feel there is something wrong or bad about it.
Bad workers always blame their tools: "A bad worker always blames their tools" - If somebody does a job badly or loses in a game and claims that they were let down by their equipment, you can use this to imply that this was not the case.
Bag and baggage: Bag and baggage means all your possessions, especially if you are moving them or leaving a place.
Bag of bones: If someone is a bag of bones, they are very underweight.
Bag of nerves: If someone is a bag of nerves, they are very worried or nervous.
Baker's dozen: A Baker's dozen is 13 rather than 12.
Bald as a coot: A person who is completely bald is as bald as a coot.
Ball is in your court: If the ball is in your court, it is up to you to make the next decision or step.
Balloon goes up: When the balloon goes up, a situation turns unpleasant or serious.
Ballpark figure: A ballpark figure is a rough or approximate number (guesstimate) to give a general idea of something, like a rough estimate for a cost, etc.
Balls to the walls: (USA) If you do something balls to the wall, you apply full acceleration or exertion.
Banana republic: Banana republic is a term used for small countries that are dependent on a single crop or resource and governed badly by a corrupt elite.
Banana skin: (UK) A banana skin is something that is an embarrassment or causes problems.
Bandit territory: An area or an industry, profession, etc, where rules and laws are ignored or flouted is bandit territory.
Baptism of fire: A baptism of fire was a soldier's first experience of shooting. Any unpleasant experience undergone, usually where it is also a learning experience, is a baptism of fire.
Bar fly: A bar fly is a person who spends a lot of time drinking in different bars and pubs.
Bare your heart: If you bare your heart to someone, you tell them your personal and private feelings. ('Bare your soul' is an alternative form of the idiom.)
Barefaced liar: A barefaced liar is one who displays no shame about lying even if they are exposed.
Bark is worse than their bite: Someone who's bark is worse than their bite may well get angry and shout, but doesn't take action.
Barking up the wrong tree: If you are barking up the wrong tree, it means that you have completely misunderstood something or are totally wrong.
Barkus is willing: This idiom means that someone is willing to get married.
Barrack-room lawyer: (UK) A barrack-room lawyer is a person who gives opinions on things they are not qualified to speak about.
Barrel of laughs: If someone's a barrel of laughs, they are always joking and you find them funny.
Basket case: If something is a basket case, it is so bad that it cannot be helped.
Bat an eyelid: If someone doesn't bat an eyelid, they don't react or show any emotion when surprised, shocked, etc.
Bated breath: If someone says they're waiting with bated breath, they're very excited and find it difficult to be patient.('Baited breath' is a common mistake.)
Bats in the belfry: Someone with bats in the belfry is crazy or eccentric.
Batten down the hatches: If you batten down the hatches, you prepare for the worst that could happen to you.
Batting a thousand: (USA) (from baseball) It means to do something perfectly.
Battle of nerves: A battle of nerves is a situation where neither side in a conflict or dispute is willing to back down and is waiting for the other side to weaken. ('A war of nerves' is an alternative form.)
Be all ears: If you are all ears, you are very eager to hear what someone has to say.