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Everyday English expressions and idioms / High Intermediate

Average: 3.9 (16 votes)
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 07:11 — Chris McCarthy

Take a look at these ten well-known idioms. How many of them are you familiar with. Do you know what they mean?

  1. Don't count your chickens before they’re hatched.
  2. When in Rome do as the Romans do.
  3. When the cat's away the mice will play.
  4. The more the merrier.
  5. Actions speak louder than words.
  6. His bark is worse than his bite.
  7. No news is good news.
  8. Rome wasn't built in a day.
  9. Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill.
  10. Rather the devil you know.

Match the correct definition with each expression or idiom:

Do you have similar expressions in your language?

Today's lesson comes from Danica, EC Cape Town

Link: Running Vocabulary

  • A) You have to adapt to the culture and accept the habits of the place where you are.
  • B) It would be better and more fun if there are more people or things.
  • C) What you do is more important than what you say.
  • D) Don’t assume that something is successful before it is certain.
  • E) When a superior is absent the subordinates do whatever they want.
  • F) If there had been anything bad to report, you would’ve known of it by now.
  • G) He is not as bad as he seems.
  • H) It is better to stay in a difficult position when it is familiar than to change and find yourself in a new position that might be even worse.
  • I) Don’t exaggerate.
  • J) For something good to happen it requires patience.


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Comments

Mon, 01/18/2010 - 09:12 — iBurger

Rather the devil you know.

Hah. That one is obscure to me.

Mon, 01/18/2010 - 11:13 — ynastia

Everyday English expressions

I liked this lesson. Without mistakes. I'll add it to Favourites. We have similar idioms in my language.

They sound like the following:
1) Count chickens in autumn.
2) If you live with wolves, you should howl as they do.
3) Don't make an elephant out of a fly.

Thank you, Danica, Chris.

Mon, 01/18/2010 - 11:39 — abussi

Match

I don't understand the match for
G) with 6
H) with 10
In my opinion the match is cross, otherwise I would've need for explanation on these idioms.

Thanks for this lesson.
Antonio

Mon, 01/18/2010 - 12:47 — Lyulik

Lyulik

Thank you for the lesson.
1.Moscow wasn't build in a day.
2. No news is good news.
3. He is just barking and not biting.
4. You shouldn't go to the somebody's monastery with your rules.

Tue, 01/19/2010 - 14:09 — Yura

Well-known Idioms

Yes, these are well-known idioms, but it's not easy to find right answers at the first time. Worried
Very nice Lesson. Thank you very much!!! Smile

Wed, 01/20/2010 - 01:24 — pedroov36

Excellent well-known idioms.

Thanks for this funny lesson,
Number nine is similar ¨Do not make a storm into a glass with water¨
Another funny well-known idioms:
A) Do not ask for pears to the elm (Do not ask for the impossible)
Cool Breed ravens and they will take your eyes out (You could be betrayed by people who you most trust in)
C) Shrimp that falls asleep is swept downstream (You must be updated everyday or you will be over-taken)
And there is much more well-known idioms in Mexican customs, but is not easy to translate them or explain the meaning. Crying
Thanks Chris, this is my first time and you post funny and interesting lessons.

Thu, 01/21/2010 - 13:51 — Nino Mindiashvili

good and well-known

good and well-known idioms

we have similar idioms in my country:

,,prefer to eat today's egg then chichen tomorrow"

maybe I made horrible mistake, sorry