To fall short (of)

Context #1:

Gabriel: Do you have any idea what this meeting is about today?

Katie: Apparently, we fell short of our monthly goal again.

Gabriel: Oh no! I thought sales were up this month.

Katie: Maybe in your department, but overall, our sales are down.

Meaning: The expression "to fall short (of)" means to fail to reach a target. It's often used with the preposition "of" when the target or goal is used as an object, as in the example above, where the company Gabriel and Katie work for failed to reach their monthly sales goal. It can also be used without "of," as in the next example:

Context #2

Monica: Did you watch the game?

Wayne: What a disaster!

Monica: I know! I had such high expectations for our team, and they were winning in the first half!

Wayne: Yeah, they really fell short in the second half.

Meaning: Wayne uses the expression "to fall short (of)" to say that the team failed to reach their target of winning. Notice that because he doesn't mention what the goal was, he does not use "of."

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Under the radar

Context #1

Deborah: What are you listening to?

Craig: It's this new band my little brother told me about.

Deborah: It's really good. Why haven't I ever heard this before?

Craig: They're kind of under the radar right now, but I think this song is going to be make them big.

Deborah: Can you send me a copy?

Craig: Sure!

Meaning: The expression "under the radar" is used to describe something that most people aren't aware of. It's often used as an adjective to describe music that is "underground" and not currently popular, such as in the example above. The expression comes from airplanes that fly so low, they can't be detected by radar. "Under the radar" can also be used as an adverb to describe something that was done in a secretive and potentially illegal manner, as in the next example:

Context #2

Sylvia: Did you hear about Kari?

Michael: I heard that she was arrested. Is that true?

Sylvia: Yeah! It's crazy.

Michael: What did she do? She always seemed so quiet and sweet.

Sylvia: I don't know all the details, but apparently she has been stealing from the company under the radar for years. I guess she just made small transactions to herself that no one noticed until the company was audited this year.

Meaning: Sylvia uses the expression "under the radar" to explain that Kari was stealing from the company in a secretive way. 

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To burn the midnight oil

Context #1: Ted and Wilma just finished an exam...

Ted: How was the exam?
Wilma: I think I did well, but I’m so tired, I don’t know for sure.
Ted: Really? What happened?
Wilma: I was getting ready for bed when I discovered that I didn’t read three chapters of the text book.
Ted: Oh no!
Wilma: Yes, chapters 16, 17, and 18! So I had to burn the midnight oil to catch up. I stayed up until 5am studying those chapters.
Ted: Uh, Wilma, I guess you were too tired to realize…those last chapters weren’t on the exam.

Context #2: Rhonda and William live in a dormitory.

Rhonda: I’m going to bed now. Goodnight, William.
William: Goodnight, Rhonda. Hey, where is your roommate?
Rhonda: Wendy? Oh, she’s at the library burning the midnight oil.
William: Wow! You mean she hasn’t finished her essay yet? That’s unfortunate.
Rhonda: Not for me! I’ll sleep well; I won’t have to hear her snore all night!

Meaning: To work all night. We use this idiom to emphasize the idea that a person is working hard after his or her normal work hours. In the old days (before electricity), people burned oil in lamps in order to light a room at night. If someone is “burning the midnight oil,” it means they need light in order to finish their work at night.

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To be glad to see the back of

Context #1: Kim and Derek are at work sitting in the break room. They begin talking about their co-worker, Fred.

Kim: You know - Fred was late again today.
Derek: I’m not surprised. I had to finish his last project because he wasn’t here to do it.
Kim: Does the boss know?
Derek: The boss knows now. He is pretty angry. I heard the boss tell Fred the next time he’s late or his work isn’t finished, he’ll be fired.
Kim: That’s fine by me. Fred’s lazy. Actually, I’ll be glad to see the back of him!

Context #2 : Joe is writing a post card about his experience at summer camp…

Dear Mom and Dad,

I can’t believe I’m still here. Every hour seems to take a week! I really miss you and I miss home. It’s cold here. The other kids are really mean. I can’t sleep in this uncomfortable bed. Also, the activities are boring. I’ll be glad to see the back of this place!

Love, Joe.

Meaning: We use this idiom when a person or thing is part of our life and is not liked. A similar idiom is “to be glad to get rid of.” When you “see the back of” a person, it means that person is leaving. In other words, if you are “glad” to “see the back of” someone, you are happy that person is leaving.

http://languagesystems.edu/ 

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. 

http://languagesystems.edu/ 

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.  

http://languagesystems.edu/ 

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.

http://languagesystems.edu/