Break Someone’s Heart

Example:

Hanna: Thank you for taking me to see the puppies.

Ceasar: I told you they were cute. I just didn’t think you would bring one home.

Hanna: Well, it broke my heart to leave such a cute puppy all alone in a cage. 

Ceasar: You’re breaking my heart with the thought of how much time we have to dedicate to this cute animal.

Meaning: The expression "to break someone’s heart" means to cause or create pain and anguish on anyone on a deep emotional level.  To make someone extremely sad.

Visit our website: languagesystems.edu

Keep me in the loop/ be in the loop

Example 1:

Seth: So what’s happening for Marty’s birthday on Friday?

John: We’re meeting at 6 pm for dinner at the new restaurant in downtown. Do you know which one it is?

Seth: Yes, I’ve seen it but I can’t remember the name. Anyway, I’ll be there! Keep me in the loop in case anything changes.

John: Sure thing. See you!

Example 2:

Marty: Hey, John! Thanks for organizing this awesome dinner for my birthday. I just wish Seth could have made it. I was hoping he would be here.

John: Oh, yeah. That’s totally my fault. I didn’t keep him in the loop once we changed locations. He didn’t know we moved the party. I’m sorry.

Marty: I’ll give him a call. We’re just starting, so there’s a chance he can still come.

Explanation:

To keep someone in the loop is to keep them informed/updated on a plan or project. In the first example, Seth asks John to keep him in the loop / keep him informed about Marty’s party. In example 2, John admits that he didn’t keep Seth in the loop, meaning he didn’t give him the updates on the party changes, so he missed it.

You can also use this expression with the be-verb instead of keep.

Sean is in the loop. He has all the updated information.

Seth wasn’t in the loop. He didn’t get the new address for the party.

Visit our website: languagesystems.edu

To be under fire

Idiom: to be under fire; used as a verb

First Example:

Jen: What's going on in the office? It seems like everyone is being really secretive.

Tom: I heard that Hank Silva is under fire for lying to clients.       

Jen: What?!

Tom: I don't know all the info, but a number of clients have complained that they were promised more than they received. Some of the clients and even other employees are demanding he be fired, but management is doing an internal investigation.

Meaning: The expression "the be under fire" means that a person is being criticized. In the above example, Tom says that Hank is "under fire" because he's being criticized by clients and other employees. The expression comes from warfare, where "under fire" means that a person is under attack. However, the expression is now also used when someone is just being attacked verbally with criticism. The word "come" is also often used with "under fire" when discussing a situation when someone has recently "come under fire," as in the next example.

Second Example:

The politician recently came under fire after she made a controversial statement about immigration. Party officials attacked her for her statement, and many voters in her district are demanding an apology.

Visit our website: languagesystems.edu