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5 Fantastic Idioms!

Average: 4.3 (17 votes)
Fri, 12/04/2009 - 08:35 — Chris McCarthy

Let's a look at some natural English idioms. Can you guess what they mean from the context? Match the idioms to their definitions. Do you have similar idioms in your language? Tell us about them.

Idioms

He was beside himself when he heard he had been promoted.

If you have any ideas, I'm all ears.

We've only just started, don't throw the towel in yet.

Let's put our heads together and find the solution.

I'm late because my car died on the way here.

Meanings

  1. To plan something with someone else.
  2. To stop trying because you know that you cannot succeed.
  3. To be very interested to hear something.
  4. When a machine stops working.
  5. To have a very strong emotion.

See. They are fantastic, aren't they?

Link: Learn Idioms

 

  • beside yourself:






  • all ears:






  • throw in the towel:






  • put our heads together:






  • die:










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Comments

Fri, 12/04/2009 - 08:50 — grivna

Throw in the towel?

Chris,
Thanks for the lesson, it really was very interesting.

For me "throw in the towel" is the new and very interesting idiom.

I am just wondering what was the origin of this idiom?

Why "throw in the towel" means "to surrender"? Does it go from sports?

Thanks in advance.

Fri, 12/04/2009 - 08:54 — Chris McCarthy

RE: Throw in the towel

The idiom 'throw in the towel' comes from boxing. When a boxer is getting too badly beaten during a fight, his trainer throws a towel into the boxing ring. This is a sign that the trainer wants to end the fight for the safety of his boxer.

Chris

Fri, 12/04/2009 - 09:32 — grivna

Thanks, Chris

We must never throw in the towel.
Especially while studying English!

Have a nice day!

Fri, 12/04/2009 - 10:30 — papasforever

Oh yes!I must have seen such

Oh yes!I must have seen such kind of scenes on movies.

Fri, 12/04/2009 - 15:34 — Yura

answer, please

Thank you for the fantastic idioms. Smile
but - beside yourself - is it show the joyful emotion or vice versa? Worried
Answer, please

Fri, 12/04/2009 - 15:44 — Chris McCarthy

Good question. The idiom

Good question. The idiom 'beside yourself' is a neutral idiom. It can be used with any extreme emotion, positive or negative.

"I was beside myself with worry waiting for you to call."
"The bride was beside herself with happiness on her wedding day."

Chris

Fri, 12/04/2009 - 21:43 — Yura

I'm beside myself when I do

I'm beside myself when I do your tasks! Wink
Thank you for answer. Smile

Fri, 12/04/2009 - 16:13 — ynastia

Striking idioms!In my

Striking idioms!
In my language we have somewhat of similar idioms:

1) He was beside himself when he heard he had been promoted.
Sounds the same in my language.

2) If you have any ideas, I'm all ears.
Sounds: If you have any ideas, I'm all the attention.

3) We've only just started, don't throw the towel in yet.
I can't think of an analogy. Maybe, we've only just started, don't "drop" your hands yet. the analogy = lose heart.

4) Let's put our heads together and find the solution.
Sounds: One head is good, but two ones are better.

5) I'm late because my car died on the way here.
Sound much similarly.

Thank you, Chris

Fri, 12/04/2009 - 17:08 — omar-100

omar I have many similar

omar
I have many similar idioms in my languge except throw the towel in.

Sun, 12/06/2009 - 02:05 — geofatma

Marvillous Idioms

Applause

Sun, 12/06/2009 - 16:53 — Aboood

tell me about ec i am all ears :)

i was beside myself when i logged in ec learn English
and i am all ears about idioms

Wed, 02/24/2010 - 11:21 — mahabub2006

Very necessary idioms and hard to understand

Dear

If you write those hard idioms for us,we will be all ears to learn.

Mahabub

Wed, 02/24/2010 - 12:26 — rrosfel

all ears and thow the towel in

Hi Chris

100% correct. I´d like to note that two of these five idioms are being used in Spanish too and can be traslated almost literally

I´m all ears = Soy todo oídos
Don´t throw the towel in = no tires la toalla

I´m noticed that two languages can´t be traslated word by word but in some cases can be useful.

Thu, 03/11/2010 - 10:24 — wify

Television is currently the

Television is currently the main medium to advertise,prompting ad campaigns by everyone from cell-phone companies,political campaigns,fast food restaurants,to local businesses and small businesses,prompting longer commercial breaks.

Wed, 06/23/2010 - 10:06 — Rebbeca

Wow! outstanding explanation

Wow! outstanding explanation bout the idioms. I know even the native speakers may have lots of problem on this regard. For the international speakers English can be categorized into two different entities one is vocational English and the other is academic English. Anyway it is found idioms are used in literature rather than in pragmatical life.