THE FLATMATES
Language point:
Idioms eating and drinking
BBC Learning English The Flatmates
The Flatmates Idioms: eating and drinking
You can see this language point online at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/flatmates/episode100/languagepoint.shtml
Background:
Idioms use language metaphorically rather than literally. If you have 'a sweet tooth' it
means you like eating chocolate and other sweet things, not that you have a tooth that's
made of sugar. Idioms are also fixed groups of words so you can't change the wording
of an idiom. For example, you can say you 'make a meal of something' to mean take
more time or energy doing something than is necessary but you cant say 'cook a meal
of something' or 'make a cake of something'.
Eating idioms:
eat humble pie: admit that you were wrong
She made a huge mistake a work and now she's going to have to eat humble pie and
admit to the boss that she was wrong.
could eat a horse: am/is/are very hungry
I haven't had anything since breakfast time. I could eat a horse right now!
make a meal of it: take more time or energy doing something than is necessary
I only asked him to tidy up the sitting room but he made a right meal of it. It took him
two hours just to clear up the room.
a second bite at the cherry: another try after you have failed the first time
He didn't get the job when he applied for it last year but another vacancy came up a
few weeks ago and he got a second bite at the cherry. He's so please he got the job!
not my taste: I don't like it
She's happy with her new curtains but that bright colour isn't my taste at all.
go pear-shaped: go badly wrong, fail
We were going to have a picnic but it all went pear-shaped when it started raining and
the food got ruined.
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Drinking idioms:
not my cup of tea: similar to 'not my taste'. See above
She likes thrillers but films that frighten me just aren't my cup of tea.
there's no use crying over spilt milk: it is useless to regret something which has
already happened
I know you're upset you failed your exam but there's no use crying over spilt milk.
Just get over it and start studying so you'll be ready to take it again soon.
throw cold water on something: to be negative about someone's ideas or plans
I spent hours preparing that report and then the boss threw cold water on it. What a
waste of my time!
a storm in a teacup: a lot of unnecessary anger and anxiety about something that's
not important
He got really angry with us about being late for work. But it was a storm in a teacup.
We were only 5 minutes late.
Vocabulary
a bust-up (informal):
a fight or disagreement
gave me the runaround:
deliberately behave in a way that is not helpful
I completely lost it
lost my temper completely
harsh
unkind, cruel or unnecessarily severe
eat some humble pie (idiom)
admit that you were wrong
Would you like to try an online quiz about this language point? Go to:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/flatmates/episode100/quiz.shtml
Or you can download the quiz from:
http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/flatmates/episode100/fm_quiz_070703.pdf
For information about this language point go to:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/learnit/learnitv211.shtml
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