To go overboard

Idiom: To go overboard – to be very enthusiastic; to do or say too much because a person is too enthusiastic about something; to do something in an extreme or excessive way.

Context #1 – Two friends are talking at a party

Tina: Did you see Maria? I mean, I know this is supposed to be a dressy party, but my goodness!

Sherri: I know! She really went overboard with all her makeup. No one wears that much makeup, not even models for a photoshoot!

Tina: True. She has so much makeup on, she doesn’t even look like herself!

Context #2 – Two roommates are talking

Susan:  Wow! Look at all this food! I thought we were inviting just Jim from next door, not the whole apartment complex!!!

Paul: Yes, I know. Do you think I went a little overboard?

Susan: A little? Paul, we have enough food to feed everyone in the neighborhood for the next week!

Paul: Sorry. Maybe we can take the extra food to a homeless shelter.

Susan: That sounds like a plan.

Paul:  Next time, I won’t go overboard!

Meaning: To go overboard means to do or say too much because of being overly enthusiastic about something. In the first dialogue, Maria put too much makeup on for the party. Even though it is a dress party, she should not have put on so much makeup. In the second context, Paul cooked too much food for the one guest they were having over to dinner. 

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To hit the nail on the head

Idiom: To hit the nail on the head - get it right, get it, guess correctly, speak (the) truth

Context #1 – Students are in English class

Teacher: OK. Can anyone tell me what the word “affluent” means?

Student 1: To be sick?

Teacher: No, that’s not what it means. Good try, though. Anyone else?

Student 2: To have a lot of money or to be rich. For example, the new US president is very affluent.

Teacher: That’s right! You hit the nail on the head! That is exactly what it means and you gave a good example.

Context #2 – Two friends talking about a couple they know

Sara: Did you hear what Jim said about Winnie and Bill?

Pat: No, what did Jim say?

Sara: He said that Winnie and Bill are getting a divorce!

Pat: What? Jim hit the nail on the head! How could he possibly know that? I didn’t think anyone else knew about it.

Sara: Well, Jim overheard them fighting on Saturday and they must have mentioned it.

Meaning: To hit the nail on the head means get an answer to something correct or to speak the truth. In context 1, the second student answers the teacher's question about what the word means. In context 2, Jim speaks truthfully about his friends getting a divorce.  

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Sick

Context #1:

Tom: Have you seen the new Star Wars movie yet?
Jim: Yeah, I saw it last night. It was so sick!
Tom: I know! I think it is the best one yet.

Context #2:

Sara: On Saturday we went to the street skateboarding championships, and it was so cool!
Kim: I bet! I can't believe so of the tricks that they can do now.
Sara: I know! We saw some really sick tricks.

Meaning: "sick" is an idiom/slang word that is used to describe something that is really cool.

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Cream of the crop

Context #1:

Joe: Have you decided who you're going to hire for the open position in the accounting department?

Sam: Well, I interviewed about 8 people and now I'm down to the cream of the crop. There are 2 people I am still considering, and need to make my final decision by Friday.

Context #2:

Christa: Do you know what you're going to cook for Valentine's Day dinner this year? 

Sally: Well, I had about 5 different recipes I was thinking about, and I've narrowed it down to just 2 of my recipes that are really the cream of the crop.

Meaning: "cream of the crop" is an expression that means "the best of the best."  It is used to describe the very best things out of a group of things that are all pretty good.

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Add Insult to Injury

Context #1

I had a boyfriend for nearly 2 months. He recently broke up with me. He claimed the relationship was not working because I was not his “type.” My hair is blonde, I have blue eyes, and I’m fairly athletic. When we first met, he said I was exactly his type! Recently, my friend told me she saw my ex-boyfriend at Del Amo Mall with his new girlfriend. His new girlfriend was a blonde, blue-eyed volleyball player! My friend also said she looks very similar to me! First I was upset about our break-up. It adds insult to injury that he lied about his reasons. I now know I’m better off without him.

Context #2

Tina: Hi, Billy. How was your first day of school?
Billy: It started out fine, but quickly turned horrible.
Tina: What happened?!
Billy: Well, it started when I tried to go to my first class. The teacher couldn’t find me on his class list. It was a little embarrassing because everyone was looking at me. That’s when I realized I was in the wrong room. One of the front desk staff gave me the wrong information.
Tina: That’s not so bad.
Billy: That’s only the beginning. After my classroom situation was worked out, I was running late to get to my real class and I wasn’t paying attention. There was a muddy puddle and I didn’t see it. I fell right on my butt and to add insult to injury, I dropped one of my brand new textbooks in the puddle. I have to let it dry out. I can’t afford to buy another one.
Tina: Oh no! That does sound terrible! Are you OK?
Billy: I’ve managed to recover! Hope tomorrow is better!

Explanation

The expression add insult to injury is used when talking about a situation that is already bad AND it gets worse. Use this expression AFTER the initial bad situation and BEFORE the thing that makes it worse.

In Example 1, the speaker is talking about her breakup- a bad situation. This bad situation becomes worse when she finds out her ex-boyfriend lied to her about the reasons. Her boyfriend broke up with her and to add insult to injury, he lied about the reasons.

In Example 2, Billy had a terrible day that continued to get worse. First, he went to the wrong room. Then he slipped in a muddy puddle. To add insult to injury, his book was also damaged by the water.

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Snowed In

Context #1 

A college student is talking to his dad on the phone

Tommy: Hello, Dad? 

Dad: Tommy! It’s so good to hear from you! We heard that you got snowed in at the airport and we were worried about you. Is everything OK?

Tommy: Yes, I’m fine, but I’ve been snowed in here for about two days. I don’t know if I’ll be able to fly home for Christmas.

Dad: That’s OK. We are just happy you are safe.

Tommy: It’s strange being at the airport so long, but I think things should open up soon. I’ll keep you posted.

Context #2 

A little girl is asking her Mom about going to school

Sarah: Look at all that snow! It hasn’t stopped all day.

Mom: Yes, it looks like it is getting too deep.

Sarah: Do you think we will get snowed in? That would be so much fun!

Mom: What do you mean? It’s not fun to just stay home and not be able to go anywhere.

Sarah: It’s fun when you don’t have to go to school because you are snowed in!

Meaning: To be snowed in means to be trapped somewhere because of too much snow. In the first context, the college student is snowed in at the airport, so he is not able to fly home for Christmas. In the second context, the little girl is hoping to be snowed in so that she doesn’t have to go to school.

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To slip (my, his, her) mind

Context #1:

Terrence dials a number on his cell phone. His friend, Will, answers.

Will: Hello?

Terrence: Will? Where are you?

Will: At home. What are you doing, Terrence?

Terrence: Waiting for you! We agreed to meet in Downtown, remember?

Will: I'm so sorry, Will. It totally slipped my mind. I'm on my way!

 

Context #2:

Linda and John arrive home to find dinner in the oven and ​it's ​burnt.

Linda: John, weren't you supposed to turn the oven off before we left?

John: I guess it slipped my mind.

Meaning: to forget. We use this idiom when we have a thought or intention and that thought or intention "slips away" before it becomes an action. 

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Be bent on doing something

Context #1:

Jean: Phillip! I'm so tired! Can't we finish tomorrow? The project isn't due until 5 pm. We have plenty of time in the morning. Let's go to sleep!

Phillip: No way, Jean. I told myself we'd finish this by tonight and we're not going to bed until we do. Sorry!

Jean: You're being really selfish, you know. You're so bent on finishing this project but you're not considering any one else's feelings. I'm tempted to just let you finish it on your own.

Context #2:

Mother: Son, why are your grades so low in your science class this semester?

Son: I don't know mom. I work really hard but the teacher is bent on making my life miserable. She hates me.

Mother: Why do you think that? I'm sure it's not true.

Son: It's true. She doesn't treat me the same as others.

Mother: I'll have to go and talk to her then.

Son: NO! Don't do that. It's really OK!

Explanation: 

To be bent on doing something means that you are obsessed with doing something and you MUST do it.

In example 1, Phillip MUST finish his project, even if it means that Jean and he will lose sleep. 

In example 2, the son claims that his teacher is obsessed with making his life difficult. 

Be sure to change the be verb to match your tense and always use an ing-verb following on

She is bent on preparing all of the appetizers by herself. She won't consider a caterer. 

Mr. Lee has been bent on learning English in less than two years. He studies every single day. 

When I was a kid, I was bent on reading all of the Harry Potter books.

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To play dumb

Context #1

Tony: Did you take my book?

Jack: What are you talking about? I didn't see any book.

Tony: Don't play dumb. I know you took it.

Context #2

Grace: So did you ask your boyfriend about that text he got from that girl Chrissy.

Amanda: Yeah, but he played dumb and said that she probably texted the wrong number.

Grace: So you think he was lying?

Amanda: Yeah, I could tell by the look on his face.

Meaning: "to play dumb" is used when someone pretends like they don't know something, when they really do know!

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To blow it

Context #1 

Jim: So how did you do on your driving test yesterday?

Harry: Oh man, I totally blew it!

Jim: What happened?

Harry: I accidentally ran through a stop sign, so I failed it.

 

Context #2 

Kathy: I have that big job interview later today.

Sara: Good luck!

Kathy: Thanks, but I'm so nervous! I hope I don't blow it

Sara: Relax. I'm sure you'll do fine.

Meaning: "to blow it" is used when someone makes a mistake that leads to failure.

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