A drop in the bucket

First Example:

            Mary: Thanks for the donation for the Children's Hospital.

Conner: I wish I could give more. I know $100 is a drop in the bucket compared to what they need.

Mary: It's still generous of you. Yeah, we need to raise about $10 million, but if more people give, it'll really make a difference to a lot of sick kids.

Meaning: The expression "a drop in the bucket" means that something is very small when compared to what is necessary. In the example above, Conner has given Mary a donation for children's hospital, but he realizes that compared with the $10 million necessary, it seems almost worthless (which Mary denies).

Second Example:

When the employees found out how much money the company had made without giving any raises or bonuses, the employees were furious. They argued that a small raise for each employee would have been a drop in the bucket when compared with the record profits, but the company argued that they were investing the profits to ensure future growth.

Visit our website: languagesystems.edu

Mixed Feelings

Idiom: mixed feelings; used as a noun

First Example:

Harry: Did you hear about the policy new change?

Victoria: Yeah.

Harry: You don't sound happy about it.

Victoria: Well, I have mixed feelings. I mean, I can see how it'll make the experience better for our clients, so that's good.

Harry: Right.

Victoria: But it's going to make our jobs harder, and the company isn't going to be getting more money for our time from our clients. So sure, it's great for the clients, but I have enough work to do already.

Meaning: The expression "mixed feelings" means a reaction that is both positive and negative. In the above example, Victoria says she has "mixed feelings" about a policy change at work because it's better for the clients, but it's worse for the employees. Also, note that Victoria uses the expression after the verb "have;" "have mixed feelings" is probably the most common form when using this expression, but it's not the only one.

Second Example:

Dan: The Oscars were crazy this year!

Robin: I know! I watched that ending with so many mixed feelings.

Dan: What do you mean?

Robin: Well, I wanted Moonlight to win, but they said La La Land won, which didn't surprise me. But then they took it away from them! I was happy for the Moonlight people but sad at the same time for the La La Land people!

Dan: Yeah, that was a roller coaster of emotions.

         

Meaning: Note that Robin doesn't use the verb "have", instead saying she did something  "with mixed feelings". This is probably the second most common way of using this idiom.

Visit our website: languagesystems.edu

To draw a blank

Context #1: Faz and Tyler are eating at a restaurant.

Tyler: Faz, you are the most forgetful person I know.
Faz: No way! My memory is just fine.
Tyler: Oh, really? How long have we known each other?
Faz: Um… More than ten years!
Tyler: Okay, so what is my name?
Faz: It’s…ah… Give me a hint; I’m drawing a blank.

Context #2: Wilma has not been following Mr. Scott’s lecture in class.

Mr. Scott: Wilma, what’s the answer to question 7 (in the book).
Wilma: I’m not sure, Mr. Scott.
Mr. Scott: We just talked about this, Wilma. Why don’t you know? Were you doodling* in your notebook again?
Wilma: No, sir. My notebook is clean. All I have been doing is drawing blanks.

Meaning: to forget, to not know, or to not have information.  A blank is a space without information. We use this idiom to tell our listener that our brain cannot create a picture or cannot give the correct information.

Visit our website: languagesystems.edu

To be in hot water

Context #1: James is met at home by his angry mother

Mother: You are in hot water, young man!
James: Why? What did I do?
Mother: You took the car without asking. Now you come home – and it’s 2:00 am! You didn’t call or tell me where you were!
James: But, Mom, I couldn’t tell you; I went to a SURPRISE party!
Mother: Well, surprise! You’re grounded!

Context #2: Doreen and Tom are in school talking about their classmate, Gina

Doreen: Can you believe Gina? She’s not here again.
Tom: Do you think the teacher notices?
Doreen: Oh yeah! Mrs. Lynch told Gina that she’d be in hot water if she missed another class.

Meaning: to be in trouble. “Hot water” is a bad situation. We have many idioms that connect “hot” things with difficult situations: “out of the frying pan and into the fire” and “feel the heat” are two others.

Visit our website: languagesystems.edu

Fallen on deaf ears

Example 1:

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has been warning people for years: smoking cigarettes is bad for your health. Beginning in 1965, the CDC required that warning labels be placed in small letters on the side of every package of cigarettes sold in the U.S. These warning labels read, "Caution: Cigarette Smoking May Be Hazardous to Your Health." The CDC updated its policy steadily from then and by 1981 had announced to the public that cigarette smoking did indeed cause cancer and other terrible conditions. However, these warnings have largely fallen on deaf ears, as young people continue to try cigarettes and begin to smoke regularly despite the mounting evidence of its risk. 

Example 2:

Julia: Hey, Becky. I'm having a problem with my boyfriend. I need your advice. 

Becky: I don't think so, Julia. I would really love to help you, but we've been through this so many times with all of your past boyfriends. Every other time you've come to me for advice, it just falls on deaf ears. 

Julia: That's not true! I listen to your advice as take it but the same things keep happening with each new boyfriend I have. They are always so jealous of my ex-boyfriends even though we've broken up.

Becky: Well, if you can remember, my advice is usually to stay single for a while in between relationships. You need time to get over one guy before you get involved with the next one. That might help you avoid this recurring problem.

Julia: Hmm, maybe you're right. I think I have to break up with my boyfriend. It's not working out and there's this cute new guy in my physics class that I've been talking to....

Becky: See what I mean?! You can't be helped!

Explanation: 

 to fall on deaf ears is an expression that is used when warnings or advice are ignored by the person/people receiving it. 

In example 1, the advice from the CDC falls on deaf ears because people continue to smoke cigarettes despite scientific evidence of its harm.

In example 2, Becky does not want to give Julia advice anymore because Julia never takes it and continues making the same mistakes.

Visit our website: languagesystems.edu

To sit on the fence

Definition: Avoid making a decision or choice

Henry: Hi Vinicius! Have you decided what class you want to take next session?
Vinicius: No I'm still sitting on the fence.
Henry: Which class are you on the fence about?
Vinicius: I will either take Advanced Conversation or Level 7, but I'm trying to figure out which one would be better for me.

In this conversation, Vinicius has to decide between which two classes to take. Since he can't decide or is undecided we say that he is sitting on the fence.

Fillipe: What happened yesterday at the business meeting?
Yuka: Janice and Robert got into a large argument about how best to complete the project.
Fillipe: So did you voice your opinion?
Fillipe: Smart thinking.
Yuka: Oh I sat on the fence for this one

In this conversation, Yuka thought it best not to take sides in an argument and remain neutral so she sat on the fence.

Visit our website: languagesystems.edu

To be in someone's shoes

Context #1

Christine: I heard that Jane's going to break up with her boyfriend.

Veronica: Yeah, she caught him cheating on her. I would break up with him too if I were in her shoes.

Context #2

David: Due to the recent budget cuts, I have to lay off 2 people next month.

Steve: That's going to be hard because I know your employees all have families to care for. I wouldn't want to be in your shoes.

David: Gee, thanks!

Meaning: "to be in someone's shoes" means to be in their situation.  It is used to think about what your would do if you were facing the same things that they are facing.

 http://languagesystems.edu/