To Dig in (one's) Heels

Idiom: to dig in (one's) heels; used as a verb

First Example:

Jennifer: How is the wedding planning going?

James: Ugh.

Jennifer: That bad, huh? What's wrong now?

James: We can't agree on the music. I just want to have a DJ, but Natalie has dug in her heels on an expensive live band. She won't even consider any of the alternatives I suggested.

Jennifer: Just like she dug in her heels with that expensive hotel?

James: Yep, and I assumed she'll dig in her heels on some expensive flowers as well.

Jennifer: Well, it is her wedding day, so she wants it to be special.

James: It's my wedding day as well, and I don't want us spending the next ten years paying off loans!

Meaning: To "dig in (one's) heels" is a phrase that means to refuse to give in. This idiom is used when a person stubbornly refuses to change an opinion or action.  In the example, James says his fiancé Natalie is digging in her heels about wedding options that are too expensive.

Unusual for an English expression, the preposition in this idiom can be moved to the end without affecting the meaning. The expression to dig (one's) heels in (with the preposition at the end) is also correct and has the same meaning.

Here is an example of that usage:  

Michelle: How about sushi for dinner?

Greg: I don't want to go out. Can't we just order a pizza?   

Michelle: Well, I wanted something healthier than bread and cheese. How about that new salad place? That's not far?

Greg: Can't you get a salad from a pizza place?

Michelle: Not a good one. Let's go out.

Greg: There has to be a healthy delivery place. Let me look online.

Michelle: Wow, you're really digging your heels in on delivery, aren't you?

Greg: I just had a long day, and I'd rather stay home.

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To Chicken Out

Context #1 - 

Tim: Have you heard about the new ride and Magic Mountain called the Death Drop?

John:  Yeah, I heard it's super scary.  Have you been on it?

Tim:  Well, we went there this weekend and I was going to go on it with my friends, but I chickened out at the last minute.

John:  Really?  That must have been a little embarrassing.

Tim:  Yeah, it was!

Context #2 -

Christine: Did you hear about Steve and Carol's anniversary trip to Yosemite?

Stacy:  No, what happened?

Christine:  They agreed to go bungee jumping off this bridge, but Carol was ready to jump and then chickened out.

Stacy: Oh no!  How did Steve take it?

Christine:  He wasn't upset at all.  He actually thought it was kind of funny.

Meaning:  to chicken out is used when someone gets too scared or too afraid to do something so they back out or don't attempt it. 

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Dough

Context #1

Carl: You owe me $80 for the Lakers ticket I got you.

Tony: Oh yeah.  But I don't have any dough on me now.  Let's go by the bank ATM machine and I'll get that money I own you. 

Context #2

Bethany:  I heard the restaurant you work at was super busy last night.  Did you get a lot of good tips?

Chrissy: Yeah, I worked so hard, but I didn't mind because I need the extra dough.

Meaning: "dough" is an American slang expression used for "money."

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Big Guns

First Example:

Nick: Who’s going to play on your basketball team for the tournament?

Ben: We have Michael taking the lead.

Nick: Oh! You’re bringing out the big guns.  You really want to win.

Ben: What’s the point of playing if you don’t have a strong leader that plays well?

Nick: That’s true.  We don’t have big guns on our team, just good team players.

Ben: Hey, that’s not bad.  You can’t depend on one good player only.  The big guns should only complement the team.

Second Example:

Julia: Hey, are you hosting the party this Saturday?

Tom: Yes.  I’m going to bring out the big guns and have a live band.

Julia: Oh cool.  You mean no DJ?  Just live music?  Who’s playing?

Tom: My friend’s brother is the lead singer of Green Day.

Julia:  What? That’s definitely the big guns.  No one will forget your party.

Meaning: The expression "big guns" refers to an important person in an organization or something/someone that has strong influence or value.  For example, Nick said to Ben that because Michael is playing, he’s bringing in the big guns.  He recognizes that Michael will make a big difference in favor of Ben’s team.  He can add value or strong competition for the team.

By Carlos T. #NELA

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Puppy love (used as a noun)

First Example:

            Tom: Chris said your son is dating?

            Carol: That's what he's telling everyone.

            Tom: I thought he was only 13!

            Carol: He is. It's only puppy love. But he and his girlfriend are so cute together.

            Tom: I remember my first girlfriend. We were both 12, and her name was... actually, I don't remember her name.

            Carol: Don't tell my son that. He told me he's going to marry this girl one day.

Meaning: The expression "puppy love" refers to the strong feelings at the beginning of a relationship, often used for young people and implying that the relationship won't last. Here, Carol says that her 13-year-old son's relationship is only "puppy love," which Tom seems to agree with when he can't remember the name of his girlfriend when he was 12.

Second Example:

            Sheila met her husband in high school; they were both only 17. Their parents and friends said it was just puppy love, and that they'd never last. But they got married 3 years later, and they have been happily married for 20 years now.

Meaning: The expression "puppy love" is also often used in this context, referring to relationships that started at a young age but developed into something long term.

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Boo-boo/Booboo

Context #1

Chrissy (mother): What's wrong Billy?

Billy (Chrissy's 3-year old son): I fell down.

Chrissy: Awww! I see you've got a little boo-boo.

Context #2

Joe: Ouch! I just pinched my finger in my car door!

Sam: Oh no!  Did you get a little boo-boo? You want me to kiss it? (totally joking with his friend) 

Meaning: "a boo-boo" is a child's word for an injury.  It could be a cut, a scrape, a bruise, etc.  This word is only used with speaking with small children.  It is not used when speaking to adults.  For this reason, context #2 is two guys joking with each other.  Same is teasing Joe, as if he were a little boy, or weak.

Context #3

'The server made a boo-boo! We couldn't use our computer for hours '

or

'Josh gave you the wrong file, he made a boo-boo'

Meaning: A mistake

Context #4

'I love you BooBoo, miss you already'

Meaning: Someone dear to your heart: your babe/baby, your Boyfriend/Girlfriend. It is used for someone/something who needs to be kissed and cuddled every second of the day.

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Be/Get all wet

Context #1

Sara:  This weekend we went to Sea World in San Diego.

Tammy: Did you guys have fun?

Sara: Yeah we did!  But during the Shamu show the whale splashed water all over us and we got all wet. 

Context #2

Tim: Guess what!  Last night I left my car window down and it rained all night!

John: Oh man!  

Tim: Yeah, this morning when I got in my car, the inside was all wet! 

Meaning: "all wet" is an adjective phrase, so it is used with the verbs "be/get" just like other adjectives.  It means to become soaked with water, or to become really wet.

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to tighten one's belt

Idiom: to tighten one's belt (used as a verb)

                    
First Example:

            Tim: Do you want to go to lunch?

            Sally: I brought lunch, but thanks for the invite.

            Tim: Wow! You never bring lunch!

            Sally: Well, Justin lost his job, so we're gonna have to tighten our belts until he finds something new.

            Tim: That's too bad. I hope he finds a new job soon.

Meaning: The expression "to tighten one's belt" means to spend less money. The idiom is most often used when the person is spending less because he or she now has less many, as in the example. Here, Sally explains that her husband Justin lost her job, so she can't go out for lunch.

Second Example:

            Father: Kids, we've decided to buy a new house.

            Son 1: Awesome! Will I get my own room?

            Son 2: I want my own room too!

            Mother: Yes, you'll both get your own rooms.

            Father: But, the mortgage on the new house is more expensive, so we're going to have to tighten our belts. 

            Mother: That means no pizza or going to the movies for a while.

            Son 1: That's OK! I can't wait to see my new room! 

Meaning: In the second example, the father uses the example to explain that the family will have less money because of a larger mortgage payment (so they are making the same amount of money but have more expenses now). Notice that the idiom is commonly used with the modal "have to" (seen in both examples).

Heavy Hitter

Heavy Hitter

Example 1:

Oprah Winfrey is considered a heavy hitter in her field.

Example 2:

Carlos: I’m excited to have Wendy working with us!!

Hoyeon: Why?

Carols: Have you seen her resume? She’s a real heavy hitter!

Meaning: someone who has achieved a lot and is very powerful

head back to one’s hometown

Context #1

Gary: What are you doing for Thanksgiving this year?

Chris: Well, normally we go to my parents' place. But this year we're heading back to my wife's hometown in Nebraska.

Gary: Nebraska? I hope you have a nice warm jacket to take with you.

Context #2

Amanda: How do you celebrate the Chinese New Year in China?

Yi Fei: Well, a lot of people head back to their hometown to spend time with their family.

"head back to one's hometown" is a common American idiom that means "to return to one's hometown."

Off the grid

Example 1:

Jason: I think the most logical thing we could do is keep a low profile and stay off the grid.

James: That’s not my style Jason.  I know some people like to do that, but I need to be social.

Jason: I’m not saying that’s fun, but just to get away from things for some time.

James: Getting off the grid means my social life would be dead.  I’m sorry, but I need massive

human interaction.


Example 2:

Griz: I was thinking of a vacation to the Andes of South America.

Leslie: Would we be off the grid?

Griz:  That’s the idea.

Leslie:  Good luck with that.  I’m not giving up my comforts and friends to go climb some

mountains.  I don’t like camping.

Ted:  You should really reconsider.  I think it would be good to get away from all this technology

and from people in general.

Leslie:  You should do it.  That way you can be alone in the mountains and I can be alone at

home.  Yay!  It works for the both of us.  Have fun!


Meaning: to be away from anything relating to media, television, radio, electricity, etc.  To

get off the grid means to be in a remote outdoor place with no access to any services most

people depend on.  Some people who don’t depend on electric companies, grow their own food,

don’t use motorized vehicles that run on petroleum can be considered off the grid.


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to pal around (with)

Idiom: to pal around (with) (used as a verb)

First Example:
Christina: Have you seen Jackie lately?
Beatrice: No, she seems to spend all her time with Tim.

Christina: They do seem to spend a lot of time together. Do you think they're dating?       

Beatrice: No, they've been palling around together for years. They're best friends.

Christina: Ahh, that makes sense.

Meaning: The expression "to pal around (with)" means to spend time doing things you enjoy with a friend.  In the example above, Jackie and Tim are best friends according to Beatrice, saying they've been "palling around together for years" to emphasize that they often spend time together (and are not romantically involved). Notice that in this example, Beatrice did not use "with;" "with" is only used when a person is the object of the expression, as in the next example: 

Second Example:

Daniel: Hey, want to hang out this weekend

Jennifer: I can't; I have plans with Kelly.

Daniel: You've been palling around with her a lot lately.

Jennifer: Yeah, we just realized we have a lot in common. This weekend, we're going to a music festival. Want to go with?

Daniel: Nah, I can't stand being around that many people. But have fun! 

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friends in high places

Idiom: friends in high places (used as a noun)

First Example:

Sandra: Did you hear that Ben got the promotion?
Donald: No way! I thought for sure you'd get it!
Sandra: Well, I don't have as many friends in high places.
Donald: What do you mean?
Sandra: Well, he has a few friends in upper management. Something tells me that helped him more than his qualifications...

Meaning: The expression "friends in high places" means to know people in important positions who can help and support you.  In the example above, Sandra claims that Ben has friends in upper management positions, and that these friends in high places are what helped him get the promotion.

Second Example:

Ally: Want to go to a big movie premiere tonight?

Cameron: Sure, but how are we going to get in?

Ally: Let's just say that I've got a few friends in high places.

Cameron: Like who?

Ally: That's not your concern. 

Cameron: But seriously, who?

Ally: OK, fine. I used to babysit the producer of the film. His mom and my mom are friends, so when I heard he was making this movie, my mom called his mom, and she made him give me two tickets. Anyway, do you want to go with me? 

Cameron: Sure! Do you have any embarrassing stories you can share about him?

Meaning: In the second example, Ally doesn't actually have a friend in a traditional position of power; rather, her mother knows the film's producer's mother. Often, the expression "friends in high places" is used like this, in order to suggest a person knows someone important but wants to keep the identity of that person secret. 

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to just scrape by

Context #1:

Tom: Did you pass your physics class this semester?

Brian: Yeah, but I barely scraped by. I almost failed!

Context #2:

Jennifer: This Russian class I'm taking is so hard.

Whitney: Are you failing it?

Jennifer: I'm not failing, but I am just scraping by. It's super difficult.

Meaning: to just scrape by is used when you are barely passing a class. You are right on the border of passing or failing.

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Afraid of One's Own Shadow

Example 1: 

Mark: Are you OK, Sandra? You look worried about something.

Sandra: Oh, hey Mark. I didn't see you there. I've been a little more anxious these days. I can't seem to relax.

Mark: Did something happen?

Sandra: I had a car accident recently. It was pretty bad. Since then, everything scares me. I'm even afraid of my own shadow!

Mark: Well, it will take some time to feel normal again. At least you still have your sense of humor!

Example 2:

Betty: Hey, Jane. I heard you broke up with Steven. I thought you two were getting along. Did something happen?

Jane: No, nothing happened. We got along just fine, but it always bothered me that he was a little too wimpy. 

Betty: Wimpy? What do you mean?

Jane: He wasn't very strong or brave. Last week, someone took a parking spot from us when we were clearly next in line! He didn't do anything! Then, I needed help moving some furniture at home and he tried to help me, but he couldn't lift the dining chair. He's a nice guy, but honestly, he's afraid of his own shadow. I like scary movies, roller coasters, adventure, and excitement! I think he'll have a heart attack if he spends more time with me. 

Explanation:

If someone is described as being afraid of his/her/their own shadow,  it can be said that they get frightened very easily by things that wouldn't normally scare someone. Your shadow is generally something that doesn't frighten you because you understand that it is harmless.

In Example 1, Sandra is emotionally and mentally recovering from an accident. She's understandably still unsettled after her accident, but she jokes that her shadow even frightens her.

In Example 2, Jane felt that Steven was too afraid of things that, in her opinion, shouldn't scare a person. So she ended their relationship.

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Scare the Daylights Out of Someone

Example 1:

Jill: Hey Bill, did I tell you the story about the racoon?

Bill: No, but it sounds interesting! What happened?

Jill: Well, last week when I went to take out the garbage, a giant racoon hissed at me! I think I was interrupting his dinner!

Bill: Wow! That's pretty scary! I heard racoons can be pretty dangerous.

Jill: Yes, they can be. He scared the daylights out of me! Tom is taking out the trash next week.

Example 2:

Mom: Sean! Where have you been? You said you would be home at 6. It's almost 9! Why didn't you call?

Sean: Sorry, mom. I was playing video games with Frank and I lost track of time. My phone battery died and I didn't realize it until it was too late.

Mom: I was so worried. It scared the daylights out of me when I called your phone and it went straight to voicemail. Anything can happy and you know how much I worry about you!

Sean: I know mom, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you worry.

Explanation:

to scare the daylights out of someone means the same as frighten someone, usually unexpected and surprising.

In Example 1, the racoon surprised and scared Jill. The racoon scared the daylights out of Jill.

In Example 2. Sean frightened his mother. Sean scared the daylights out of his mother.

What is something that scares the daylights out of you?

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to study one’s brains out

Idiom: to study one’s brains out

Context #1:

Jim:  How did you do on the grammar test?
Sam: I got 100%.  I studied my brains out for that test.
Jim:  Nice job!

Context #2:

Chrissy: Are you preparing for the GRE exam?
Tammy: Yeah, I've been studying my brains out for the last 6 months.
Chrissy:  Well I'm sure you'll do great!

Meaning: to study one's brains out means to study extremely hard for something.

Curveball

Meaning: a difficult, strange or unusual situation (This idiom comes from baseball. The person responsible for throwing the ball towards the batter “the pitcher” has an array of different throws, one of them being the “curveball.”  It’s a particularly difficult throw to strike, as it can change direction.

Context #1 – At work

Clayton: Hey Zach, I’m not quite sure what’s going on with our manager; he really 

threw a curveball with those new company policies.

Zach: Tell me about it.  It’s unusual for changes to be made so suddenly.  It was 

definitely a curveball situation.

Clayton: I’m wondering if the new owners decided to implement the new policies as 

soon as they took over the company.

Zach: Either way, they should have warned us.  Now I’m just upset.

Context #2 – Dating

Sarah: Oh my goodness! The guy I went on a date with totally surprised me.

Leslie: Why? Was he strange?

Sarah: He hit me with a curveball.  Apparently he only likes to date for two weeks and then try to find a new girlfriend after.

Leslie: How strange.  It must be difficult dealing with a relationship like that;  Definitely a curveball.

Meaning: The idiom “curveball” means a tricky, difficult, unusual situation due to the change in direction into an unusual place.  In example #1, Clayton was upset at the unexpected and sudden new policies the company implemented.  In example #2, Sarah went on a date to meet a nice guy she could date, but the guy was unusual in his relationship expectations.  Sarah was not expecting to meet someone like that.