Idioms

We've put together a small set of common words, phrases and expressions which we think will come in handy for those who follow fashion…
For those of you who aren’t that interested, we still hope this will help you have a conversation about the subject. You never know enough vocabulary, right?

Take a look at this email sent by a manager to his employees. Pay attention to the orange idioms which all relate to the body. Do you know what they mean?

Note: The tone of this email is informal for a business correspondence. I have used a lot more idioms than you would expect to find in an email. I would not recommend using so many in real-life!

Business Email to Staff

Colleagues,

Once in a blue moon

When something happens once in a blue moon, it very rarely happens.

"Since my daughter was born, I only go out with my friends once in a blue moon."

"My brother is so good at chess I only beat him once in a blue moon."

(Living) on another planet

When you say that someone is living on another planet, you are saying either they do not notice what is happening around them or they are not realistic.

Roses are plants that have large beautiful flowers. They are popular with gardeners and are traditionally given by romantics on Valentine's Day!

Here are three common idioms that use this plant.

No bed of roses

When a situation is no bed of roses, it is difficult or unpleasant.

"Having to share a bedroom with his younger brother was no bed of roses."

"She soon found out that working as a flight attendant was not always a bed of roses."

If I told you my brother eats like a horse, what would you think?

Would you think that he ate horse food, that he had a big appetite or that he was a horse?

Eats like a horse is an idiom. When someone eats like a horse, they always eat a lot of food.

"Although he eats like a horse, he never gets fat."

Have you ever felt that someone is telling you something that is not true? Perhaps they are trying to lie to you. In that case, you smell a rat!

When we feel that something someone or something is not honest, we smell a rat.

"I smell a rat. If John was off from work all week because he was sick, why has he got a suntan?"

What type of person do you go for (what kind of person are you attracted to)? If you hit it off with someone then you immediately like and become friendly with them. When you talk in a way that shows them that you are attracted to them and you try to make them attracted to you, you chat up that person. You pair off with someone when you start a relationship with them.

"Jemima is a tough cookie, she doesn't give up easily." When we describe someone as a tough cookie, we are saying they are a strong person.

8 Food Idioms

Here are eight idioms which include a type of food.