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Tuesday, August 22, 2017

To talk one's ear off


Idiom: to talk one's ear off ; used as a verb

First Example:

Christine: How was the party last night?
Stanley: Ugh. It was horrible.
Christine: Really? What happened?
Stanley: Well, I went because I wanted to network. There were a bunch of industry people there. But I met this one guy named Prince, and he talked my ear off all night. I couldn't get away from him.
Christine: Couldn't you excuse yourself and just not go back to him?        
Stanley: I couldn't get a chance to talk! I even excused myself once to go to the restroom, and he followed me!

Meaning: The expression "to talk one's ear off " means to talk to someone excessively. In the above example, Stanley says Prince "talked his ear off" at a party, preventing Stanley from meeting other people.


Second Example:

George: Your phone is ringing.
Tracy: I know. It's my mom. I don't feel like answering.
George: Why not?
Tracy: We're hanging out. If I answer, she'll talk my ear off, and you'll eventually get bored listening to me say "Uh huh" and "Yeah" for an hour.
George: Can't you just tell her you'll call her back?
Tracy: Ha! No, then she'd be offended. It's better if she leaves a voicemail, and I'll call her back later.

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Thursday, August 17, 2017

Break Someone’s Heart



Example:

Hanna
: Thank you for taking me to see the puppies.
Ceasar: I told you they were cute. I just didn’t think you would bring one home.
Hanna: Well, it broke my heart to leave such a cute puppy all alone in a cage. 
Ceasar: You’re breaking my heart with the thought of how much time we have to dedicate to this cute animal.

Meaning: The expression "to break someone’s heart" means to cause or create pain and anguish on anyone on a deep emotional level.  To make someone extremely sad.


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Thursday, August 10, 2017

To stop dead n one's tracks


Idiom: to stop dead in one's tracks; used as a verb

Example:

Larry: How was your camping trip?
Vickie: It was awesome! Except for the bear.
Larry: The bear?!
Vickie: Yeah, we went out for a night hike, and when we returned, there was a bear in our campsite going through our food. We forgot to put everything away.
Larry: What did you do?
Vickie: When I first saw it, I stopped dead in my tracks; I was terrified. But then Christina suggested that we should try to scare it away. So we got in her car and turned it on. We honked the horn, revved the engine, and we yelled and clapped, and that scared it away.

Meaning: The expression "to stop dead in one's tracks" means to suddenly stop moving, usually when frightened. In the above example, Vickie says she "stopped dead in (her) tracks" when she saw a bear. The expression comes from hunting and can also be used in the more literal meaning. 


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Tuesday, August 8, 2017

To Scratch the surface


Example 1: 

Katya: Hey,​Yuko! What did you learn about in school today?

Yuko: Our professor talked about space. We learned about stars, planets, and black holes. It was so interesting!

Katya: Wow! I've always wondered if there could be life on other planets. Did you learn about that?

Yuko: No, our lesson was only one hour long. The professor only scratched the surface. I will have to learn a lot more about space before I can understand it completely.


Example 2: 

Amy: How was your trip to Los Angeles?

Jason: It was great, but I wish it had been​ longer. I was there for a week, and I got to see the Santa Monica Pier, the Hollywood sign, and the ​Dodger Stadium. But I feel like there is so much more to see and do in LA. I barely scratched the surface

Meaning: To ​talk about a topic on a superficial level; not go deeply into the subject; only deal with a small part of a problem or situation.

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Thursday, August 3, 2017

Stand over someone


Example 1: 

Lina: How was your math test?

Matthew: It was OK, but it was hard for me to focus. My teacher was standing over me during the whole test. I think she was watching me to see if I made any mistakes, but it was very distracting.

Lina: That's strange. When I took the test she stood over me the whole time too! Maybe she thinks that we are going to cheat, so she is watching us closely to make sure that we don't.


Example 2: 

Rafael: Why are you so tired?

Elena: I couldn't sleep last night. Every time I closed my eyes, I imagined that someone was standing over me, watching me sleep! I think it's because of the horror movie I watched last weekend.

Rafael: Creepy! 

Meaning: To stand next to someone and watch what they are doing

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Friday, July 28, 2017

To be a crybaby


Context #1

Steve: Man, our teacher gives us way too much homework. It's not fair.
Chris: Oh, it's not that much. Don't be a crybaby.

Context #2

Bethany: My little brother is such a crybaby.
Jody: My little brother is pretty tough. He never cries.
Bethany: My little brother cries over everything.


Meaning: "to be a cry baby" can be used for children or adults.  When used for children, it describes a child that cries a lot and even over small issues.  When used for adults, it describes someone who complains a lot, especially over little things. 

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Wednesday, July 26, 2017

To have a sweet tooth


Context #1

Sara: Would you like a piece of this chocolate cake? It's so good!
Jim: No thank. I really don't have much of a sweet tooth.


Context #2

Cathy: When I was a little I ate too much candy. I had a lot of cavities.
Tom: I think that's pretty normal. Kids usually have a sweet tooth.

Meaning: "to have a sweet tooth" is an expression that means someone likes to eat sweet things like cookies, candy, cake, and other desserts.

 Visit our website: languagesystems.edu