... The English language is full of idioms. Native speakers of English use idioms all the time, often without realising that they are doing so. This means that communication with native speakers of English can be quite a confusing experience. We use idioms to express something that other words do not express as clearly or as cleverly. We often use an image or symbol to describe something as clearly as possible and thus make our point as effectively as possible. Sometimes idioms are very easy for learners to understand because there are similar expressions in the speakers' mother tongue. However, idioms can often be very difficult to understand. You may be able to guess the meaning from context but if not, it is not easy to know the meaning. We tend to think of colors as ideas which all humans agree on – grass is green, flames are orange, the sky is light blue – even if different languages have different names for these colors. As English speakers, we also tend to think of color names in terms of the "basic" ones and the more specific, secondary ones. Many people are surprised to learn, therefore, that different languages do not consider the basic colors to be the same. This research has inevitably led some linguists to surmise that the experience of seeing color may be relative for a person and may be influenced by his or her language. It follows, then, that colors are used in very different ways in different color idioms across languages. 2. Aims of report ...
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...idiom the best8/25/13 A - Z idioms list learning English idioms Learn English - Basic English lessons Easy learning English free Home All Lessons Exercises Forum Music English books Register Login Contact us English Chat Pictures Please like our Facebook page Lessons and exercises Basic lessons English basics level 1 English basics level 2 English level 3 English level 4 English Grammar Business lessons Exercises Exercises basics Exercise level 1 Exercise level 2 Tw eet 0 Share Like 1 0 StumbleUpon Large list of A - Z English idioms What will I learn from the English lesson A - Z List of English idioms? This lesson is following on from small list on English idioms, again you will be able to use the list below to learn any idioms that you read about or hear about you don't understand. List of Idioms A - Z A Idioms A big cheese- an important or a powerful person in a group or family A bird’s eye view- a view from a very high place which allows you to see a large area A bone of contention- something that people argue for a long time A cock and a bull story- a story or an explanation which is obviously not true. At the crack of the dawn- very early in morning A cuckoo in the nest- someone in a group of people but not liked by them. A litmus test- a method which clearly proves something As the crow flies- measuring distance between two places in a straight line. A dead letter- an...
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...A hot potato | A penny for your thoughts | Actions speak louder than words | Add insult to injury | An arm and a leg | At the drop of a hat | Back to the drawing board | Ball is in your court | Barking up the wrong tree | Be glad to see the back of | Beat around the bush | Best of both worlds | Best thing since sliced bread | Bite off more than you can chew | Blessing in disguise | Burn the midnight oil | Can't judge a book by its cover | Caught between two stools | Costs an arm and a leg | Cross that bridge when you come to it | Cry over spilt milk | Curiosity killed the cat | Cut corners | Cut the mustard | Devil's Advocate | Don't count your chickens before the eggs have hatched | Don't give up the day job | Don't put all your eggs in one basket | Drastic times call for drastic measures | Elvis has left the building | Every cloud has a silver lining | Far cry from | Feel a bit under the weather | Give the benefit of the doubt | A chip on your shoulder | A dime a dozen | A fool and his money are soon parted | A piece of cake | All Greek to me | Back to square one | Beating a dead horse | Between a rock and a hard place | Break the ice | Burst your bubble | A chip on your shoulder | Close but no cigar | Cry wolf | Curiosity killed the cat | Cut the mustard | Cut to the chase | A whale of time | Over the moon | In a nutshell | Flying colours...
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...English-Russian Idioms Last updated: March 3, 2003 Please take a look at the important information about the copyright. Do not remove it. © 2000-2003 Natalya Belinsky All Rights Reserved This copy of the document was provided by the author for Educational Project FluentEnglish ( http://www.fluent-english.ru ) You have the royalty–free right to use this document as you wish. You are free to quote, copy, distribute or publish this document, but please DO NOT REMOVE this copyright information. No warranties of any kind are made to you as to this document or any medium it may be on. No liability is assumed by the author or Fluent English project for anything including but not limited to indirect, consequential, punitive or incidental damages; incomplete, inaccurate or corrupt data; transcription errors; a computer virus; computer codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment. Please send your comments, corrections and contributions to the author: natalya.belinskaya@fluent-english.ru IDIOMS Natalya Belinsky 2 ИДИОМ Ы Наталья Белинская От составителя Думаю, любому человеку, сталкивавшемуся с необходимостью освоения иностранного языка в пределах, чуть превосходящий уровень школьной «тройки», приходилось иметь дело с выражениями, представляющими на первый взгляд полную абракадабру, хотя все слова вроде бы известны. Это кажущееся несоответствие значений слов смыслу фразы обуславливается, скорее всего, одной из двух причин: либо в данном выражении имеется какой-то...
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...Dictionary of English Idioms & Idiomatic Expressions Dictionary of English Idioms & Idiomatic Expressions .......................................... 1 ~ A ~ ..................................................................................................................... 1 ~ B ~ ..................................................................................................................... 3 ~ C ~ .................................................................................................................... 8 ~ D ~ .................................................................................................................. 11 ~ E ~ ................................................................................................................... 14 ~ F ~ ................................................................................................................... 15 ~ G ~ .................................................................................................................. 17 ~ H ~ .................................................................................................................. 19 ~ I ~ .................................................................................................................... 22 ~ J ~ ................................................................................................................... 24 ~ K ~ ...............................................................................................
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...FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE VERSUS LITERAL LANGUAGE STRAYER UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR CARLA THOMPSON PHI 210 WEEK 3 ASSIGNMENT TWO 10/25/2012 DEFINE THE MEANING AND FUNCTION OF EACH TERM Idiom is a set expression of two or more words that means something other than the literal meanings of its individual words. The meaning of idiom conveys is non-compositional. It implies that you cannot understand the meaning of the whole phrase putting the meaning of each word together. If you look at the individual words, it may not even make sense grammatically. Idiomatic expressions are integral units. It literally means that idioms possess indivisible completeness, so all the components are bound within one idiom ( [ (Nordquist, 2012) ]. Analogy in rhetoric is reasoning or explaining from parallel cases. Analogy, in biology functions as superficial resemblance of structures that have different origins. It is interesting to note the extensive use of analogy in the scientific works of Margaret Cavendish and Anne Conway, two contemporary women philosophers of the seventeenth century, who did not personally know each other as vitalists, they both perceived such infinite echoes in the world ( [ (Nordquist, 2012) ]. Metaphor is a figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between two unlike things that actually have something in common. A metaphor expresses the unfamiliar in terms of the familiar. “Metaphor the energy charge that leaps between images revealing their connections”...
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...MAKING HEADWAY Phrasal Verbs and Idioms Graham Workman Oxford University Press Making Headway Upper-Intermediate Phrasal Verbs and Idioms Graham Workman Oxford University Press Oxford University Press Great Clarendon Street. Oxford osz Acknowledgements ~ D P Oxford New York Athens Auckland Bangkok Bogota Bombay Buenos Aires Calcutta Cape Town Dar es Salaam Delhi Florence Hong Kong Istanbul Karachi Kuala Lumpur Madras Madrid Melbourne Mexico City Nairobi Paris Singapore Taipei Tokyo Toronto and associated companies in Berlin Ibadan OXFORD Illustrations by Kevin Baverstock Caroline Church David Murray Nigel Paige Bill Piggins Location photography by Rob Judges The publishers would like to thank the following for their permission to reproduce photographs: Barnaby's Picture Library Channel 4 News Format Partners Photo Library Impact Photos Ltd Network Photographers The Telegraph Colour Library Ltd and OXFORD ENGLISH are trade marks of Oxford University Press O Oxford University Press 1993 ISBN 0 19 435509 8 First published 199 3 Third impression 1996 No unauthorized photocopying All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system. or transmitted. in any form or by any means. electronic. mechanical. photocopying. recording, or otherwise. without the prior written permission of Oxford University Press. This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not. by way of trade or otherwise, be...
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...Time is money – understanding US business culture The US, the world’s third largest country both in size and population, is a multicultural mosaic of 300 million people of mixed race and heritage. Yet, despite this ethnic and cultural diversity the US still exhibits a distinct business culture. If you are planning business ventures in the US, a basic understanding of this business culture is essential to your success. Here are some insights that help you avoid common mistakes. Basic concepts An important aspect of US culture is the American Dream: the widespread belief that every individual can succeed and prosper financially by working hard. This idea contributes to a strong work ethic. In addition to a strong work ethic American business culture is also characterized by a heavy emphasis on individual initiative and achievement. Personal competence, professionalism and accountability for individual performance are highly valued Another striking character trait of US business culture is its well-known informality. Thus, titles are seldom used in business environments and most US business partners will offer to use first names almost immediately. Although this casual style can be misleading for people from other cultures. Communication style In their business communication Americans use a very direct style. The primary purpose of communication is to exchange information, facts, and opinions. Typical phrases are “let’s get to the point” and “what’s the bottom line”. If silent...
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...| Meaning | Money | | To laugh all the way to the bank. | To make lot of money very easily, often because someone else has been stupid. | A cash cow | A business or a part of a business that always makes a lot of profit. | A blank cheque | As much money to spend as is wanted or needed. | Blood money | Money that has been gained from the death of another person. | Money to burn | To have a lot of money to spend on things that are not necessary | Health | | get yourself back into shape | To get yourself back into shape, you need to take exercise in order to become fit and healthy again. | back on one's feet | If you are back on your feet, after an illness or an accident, you are physically healthy again. | hair of the dog that bit you | This expression means that you use as a remedy a small amount of what made you ill, for example a drink of alcohol when recovering from drinking too much. | look the picture of health | To look the picture of health means to look completely or extremely healthy. | go under the knife | If a person goes under the knife, they have surgery. | Knowledge/Success | | Put through their paces | If you put someone or something through their paces, you test their ability to do something by making them perform certain actions. | Ahead of the pack | If a person or organization is ahead of the pack, they are better or more successful than their rivals. | A pen pusher | To refer to someone as a "pen...
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...7 Recommendations for Writing Clearly in Multilanguage Business Environments Purpose: To Explain the seven recommendations for writing clearly in Multilanguage business environment and why they are important to have successful business communications. Introduction: I. In order to have successful business communications with business people from another culture, you must follow seven recommendations for writing clearly in Multilanguage business environments. II. The Seven Recommendations 1. Language 2. Format Details 3. Things to avoid Body: 1. Language a) Use simple, clear language * Use words that don’t have multiple meanings * For example, the word high has 20 meanings; the word expensive has only one meaning b) Be brief * Use simple sentences & short paragraphs * Break information into smaller chunks that are easy for the reader to grasp and translate c) Use transitional elements * Use transitional words and phrases * Precede related points with expressions 2. Format Details a) Address International correspondence properly * Different countries use different address elements & salutations * Discuss different address elements b) Cite dates & numbers carefully * The Canadian Standards Association has adopted the international standards of year-month-day for dates ( 2010-12-05) * Also many Canadian businesses follow U.S & British format; U.S (December5, 2010)...
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...Idiomatic Expressions Idiomatic expressions can be problems for non-native speakers because the meaning of the phrase is not literally what the words mean. Also known as "colloquialisms," the only true way to learn them is one by one. A poor man's _____: Something or someone not as good as others is "a poor man's version. A writer who uses exotic locations but is not very convincing would be a poor man's Ernest Hemmingway. About-face : One who changes his or her mind completely is said to have done an aboutface. Above board : If things are carried out legally and properly, they are said to be done "above board." Achilles' heel : A person's weak spot is his or her Achilles' heel, so-named because of the Greek hero Achilles, who was invulnerable everywhere on his body except his heels. Acid test : Proves whether something is good and effective or not. Across the board : Something that applies to everybody applies across the board. Albatross around your neck : An albatross around the neck refers to a problem resulting from a past action that continues to keep one from being successful. Alter ego : A very close and intimate friend, from the Latin phrase that literally means "'other self." An old flame : A person with whom one once had an emotional, usually passionate, relationship—a person still looked on with fondness and affection. Apple of your eye : Something or someone very special to you. Costs an arm and a leg : Something very expensive. As the crow flies...
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...UNIT 1. NEGOTIATIONS We met with representatives from the other company for over 4 hours yesterday. Jerry didn't waste any time. He took the bull by the horns and gave them our list of concerns right away. Then he asked for a list of their concerns and put both lists on the white board, so he could be sure we were all on the same page. He told the group that we were going to have to think out of the box and suggest creative solutions. We talked for over an hour. Jerry likes to shoot from the hip, which makes some people uncomfortable because he's very direct. Because we have such different corporate cultures, I didn’t think the two groups would ever see eye to eye on the goals. However, during the second hour, Jerry said he was willing to bend over backwards and work very hard to address their concerns. I think that impressed them. He talked about the advantages of the deal, and then he really laid it on the line and left the next move up to them. At one point, I thought the other company might back out and leave the table, but Jerry kept the discussion going. There was a lot of give and take; they finally met us halfway, and we cut the deal over dinner that night. I was surprised that our relationship as competitors didn’t get in the way. Jerry was able to convince them to look at those old conflicts as water under the bridge. He got them to focus on the future, and the result was clearly a win-win situation for both companies. 1. Take the bull by the horns: directly confront...
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...10 Lessons from Einstein 1. Follow Your Curiosity “I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.” 2. Perseverance is Priceless “It’s not that I’m so smart; it’s just that I stay with problems longer.” 3. Focus on the Present “Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.” 4. The Imagination is Powerful “Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions. Imagination is more important than knowledge.” 5. Make Mistakes “A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” 6. Live in the Moment “I never think of the future – it comes soon enough.” 7. Create Value “Strive not to be asuccess, but rather to be of value.” 8. Don’t be repetitive “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” 9. Knowledge Comes From Experience “Information is not knowledge. The only source of knowledge is experience.” 10. Learn the Rules and Then Play Better “You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.” GOOD / BEAUTIFUL WEATHER 1.The sun shone brilliantly and the water in the pond glittered invitingly. 2.The sun filtered through the clouds, signalling the end of the rain. 3.A golden glow spread across the sky as the sun chased the dark clouds away. 4.The whole landscape was bathed in the warm glow of the rising sun. 5.Palm trees swayed gently in the breeze in the warm tropical...
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...Running head: Vietnamese and English idioms related to the word “Dog”: Vietnamese and English idioms related to the word “Dog”: A contrastive Analysis Student: Nguyen Le Hoang Yen Class: 4A08 Ho Chi Minh City University of Pedagogy Contrastive Analysis Instructor: Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Vu December 31, 2011 Abstract One problem which makes a lot of people have difficulty in communicating with one another is to use idiomatic expressions. As far as you know, idiomatic expressions make English become colorful and full of vitality, so they are often used very much in the native speakers’ speech and in the writing such as news, songs, movies, etc. on the television. However, these idioms are sometimes are not easy to understand and study their meanings, so I decide to study them by studying Vietnamese and English idioms containing the word ‘dog’ and one another reason for this topic to study is that I really like lovely dogs. In my studying this topic, there are two parts such as theoretical background and Vietnamese and English idioms related to the word ‘dog’ which is the main part of my topic. Theoretical background Idioms versus proverbs Idioms and proverbs are frequently used in the daily speech, so we can not find the differences between them clearly. However, we can distinguish idioms and proverbs by basing on some criteria. Idioms * It is a fixed group of words. e.g. the idiom ‘chó chui gầm chạn’ has the same meaning of the word ‘hèn hạ’ (disgraced)....
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...IDIOMS:- Arranged Marriage Pendahuluan (just pilih satu je sebab paling banyak letak 2 perfect dah) 1. A hot potato – hangat dibicarakan, popular. (The topic discussed is a hot potato as it happens quite a number recently) 2. At the drop of a hat – semestinya, of course! (This statement is supported and accepted by public at the drop of a hat because of its relevancy) > kalau you sokong 3. Barking up the wrong tree – menyalahkan orang/situasi yang tidak sepatutnya. (Sensitive and sensational topic as it is, a person should not just jump into their own opinion without considering all the point of view as they could barking up the wrong tree) 4. Give the benefit without the doubt – percaya bulat-bulat, main ikut je. (Before anyone jump into their own conclusion and judgements, we surely should not give the benefit without the doubt) 5. Once in a blue moon – jarang-jarang. (At some’s awareness, arranged marriage is something that happens once in a blue moon, but believe it or not, it has quite a number recently) Penutup (just pilih satu je sebab paling banyak letak 2 perfect dah) 1. Take with a grain of salt – tak ambik serious kata orang. (Despite what comments people had on arranged marriage, everyone had their own two cents (ni pun idioms gak tapi sokay macam simpulan bahasa je bukan peribahasa) and are freely to support or oppose the practice. Therefore, people should not take with a grain of salt if someone are against their side) 2. Let it...
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