To Wrap Your Head Around Something

Context #1

John: Can you believe that young Japanese pitcher Tanaka signed a $250 million contract with the Yankees?

Tom: I know!  That's a lot of money.  I can't imagine being 23 years old and making that much money.

John: Yeah, it's hard for me to wrap my head around that.

Context #2

Sally:  Did you hear that Justin Bieber got arrested for drunk driving again?

Jill: Man, he is so stupid!  If he doesn't change his behavior he's going to ruin his life with drugs and alcohol.

Sally:  Yeah, I know!  He can't seem to wrap his head around just how serious it is to drink and drive.  He might kill somebody someday.

Meaning: to wrap your head around something is an expression that started to appear in American English relatively recently.  It means to be able to truly understand or grasp something with your mind/thinking.  Practical idioms like this are taught at LSI in our Speaking and Conversation classes.  For more information please visit: www.languagesystems.edu

Have a song stuck in one's head

Context #1

Jim:  Have you heard the new Justin Timberlake song?

Tony:  Are you kidding?  They play it on the radio all the time.

Jim:  I know!  I heard it on my way to work this morning and the song is stuck in my head!

Context #2

Julie: Is that you humming?

Christine: Yeah, you know that song "Halo" by Beyoncé.

Julie: Sure!  I love that song.

Christine:  Me too! It is stuck in my head and I have been humming it all day.

Meaning:  To have a song stuck in your head means that you cannot get the song out of your consciousness.  This happens when a song is really popular and has a catchy tune or catchy lyrics.  Anytime you hear a song and then find yourself signing that song or thinking about that song when you are all by yourself, you can say that song is stuck in your head.  Practical idioms like this are taught at LSI in our Speaking and Listening classes.  For more information please visit: www.languagesystems.edu

An Arm and a Leg

An Arm and a Leg means really expensive

Use: I just bought a new 55 inch Smart TV. It cost me an arm and a leg!

A 55 inch Smart TV is really expensive

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A Dime a Dozen

A Dime a Dozen – very common; not special because it is so common.

Use: I grew up in a small farming town. Everyone drove big old trucks. The first time I saw a BMW, I was amazed. But now that I live in Los Angeles, BMWs are a dime a dozen.

BMWs are really common in Los Angeles, so seeing one is nothing special.

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To Have A Crush On Someone

Idiom: crush/to have a crush on someone; used as a verb

First Example:

Christina: Hey Sarah, welcome back from your vacation.

Sarah: Thanks.  It was great.  Any changes around here?

Christina: Well, they hired a new guy last week, Eric, and he's really sweet. Plus, he's kind of handsome.

Sarah: Yeah, I met him earlier.  Wait, you have a crush on him, don't you?

Christina: What? No. He's only been here a week.

Sarah: Then how do you explain the new dress? And the new hair style? And the makeup?

Christina: Well, OK, maybe I have a little crush, but I think he's married.

Sarah: I didn't see a ring when I shook his hand.  And don't look now, but he's looking at you right now. 

Christina: Really?

Sarah: I think I sense the beginning of an office romance.

Meaning: The expression "to have a crush on someone" means to have very strong feelings for someone.  However, when "crush" is used to describe attraction, it usually implies that the attraction is one way and that it likely won't last.  In the example above, Sarah thinks that Christina has a crush on their new coworker, Eric.  While Christina initially denies it, she finally admits that she does have a crush, but then she explains why it is only a crush: she thinks he's married.  However, Sarah says that he wasn't wearing a wedding ring, and then she notices that he is looking at Christina she suggests that Christina's crush could turn into an actual romance.

In addition, "crush" doesn't always have to be used with "have" or "on", as in the following example:

Timothy: I noticed you keep staring at Melissa. Are you interested in here?

Cole: Kind of.

Timothy: You should ask her out.

Cole: No.  It's just a little crush.  I'll be over it soon.

Timothy: Why not! If you like her, ask her out!

Cole: I don't think she would ever go out with me. Plus, she's a good friend.  If I asked her out, then it would be awkward when we hung out. 

In this case, Cole likes Melissa, but he says it's "just a little crush," meaning that he likes her, but it's not serious.  He has decided not to ask her out because he doesn't want to make their friendship awkward.

Note: this idiom is related to LSI's upcoming Valentine's Day party.  For more information, contact the Marketing Department or ask the front desk at your school.

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Those Three Little Words

Idiom: those three little words; used as a noun

First Example:

Rachel: How was your weekend?

Charlene: Fantastic! Tom took me to a really amazing restaurant, and then we went for a walk on the beach.

Rachel: Aww! That sounds so sweet!

Charlene: And then the best part - he finally said those three little words I've been waiting for.

Rachel: Wow! So you guys are really getting serious! 

Charlene: I think so.

Meaning: The expression "those three little words" refers to the phrase "I love you."  Since "I love you" is considered such a strong and powerful thing to say, we often use the phrase "those three little words" to refer to the phrase in conversation.  Usually, this is used when at least one person in a couple hasn't said it to the other, but it can also be used for the first time one partner says "I love you" to the other, as in the above example.  In this example, Charlene is excited because Tom finally told her that he loved her.  

Here is another example:

Dale: How are things going in your new relationship?

Colby: Pretty well.  I can't believe we met online.

Dale: How long have you guys been going out?

Colby: A little over a month.

Dale: Wow! If you don't watch out, someone's gonna slip up and say those three little words!

Colby: It wouldn't surprise me. I'm actually really happy

Dale: Glad to hear it.  You two seem like a really great match.

In this instance, Colby says that his new relationship is going really well, and Dale jokingly warns that someone is going to slip up (which means "make a mistake") and say "I love you" to the other.  This expression is often used in contexts such as this, when a relationship is getting serious but no one has said "I love you" to the other person yet.

Note: this idiom is related to LSI's upcoming Valentine's Day party.  For more information, contact the Marketing Department or ask the front desk at your school.

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Grab a Bite

Idiom:  Grab a Bite; used as a verb phrase.

Example 1:  

“I am SO hungry right now!  Which restaurant do you guys want to go to for lunch?  We could grab a bite at the Japanese Restaurant down the street.”

Meaning:  To Grab a Bite basically means to get something to eat.  In this example, the speaker was extremely hungry and wanted to find out where they would go for lunch.  The speaker then suggested that they get something to eat at the Japanese Restaurant that was nearby.  This idiom can be used in a casual way to suggest places to get something to eat.  Typically, this idiom implies a small amount of food, such as a snack, lunch item, or fast food.  It is NOT usually used to describe larger portions of food, like those eaten during dinner-time.

Example 2:

“I was in a hurry to meet my boss for the two o’clock meeting, so I grabbed a quick bite at the nearest fast-food restaurant that was along the way.”

Meaning:  In this example, to Grab a Bite is used to describe a small amount of food that would quickly satisfy the speaker’s hunger.

This idiom is from the book "The Slangman – Guide to Street Speak 1," which is used as supplementary Idioms material in LSI’s Intermediate Conversation classes.

For more information, please visit http://www.languagesystems.com/