A Bull in a China Shop

Idiom: A bull in a china shop: behaving like a clumsy or careless person and causing damage in situations that require careful thinking or actions.

Context #1 – Two salespeople are discussing a wealthy client

Mitzi: Hey, Valerie! How did it go yesterday at Mrs. Christensen’s penthouse? I heard it’s really gorgeous and full of expensive furniture and art.

Valerie: It was an absolute disaster. I’ll be lucky if I still have a job when the boss finds out about my visit.

Mitzi: Why? What happened?

Valerie: Well, my babysitter was sick yesterday, so I had no choice but to take along Jason, my three-year-old son.

Mitzi: Oh, no!

Valerie: Oh, yes. As you know, he is a very active little boy. He was like a bull in a china shop. He caused so much damage by knocking stuff over and breaking her expensive things.

Mitzi: I’m so sorry, Valerie. Maybe the boss will understand. I’ve heard she has children, too.

Valerie: Well, I hope so. I’ve offered to pay for all the damage Jason caused.

Context #2: Two friends talking after class

Cassie: I can’t believe how Sherry acted during our class meeting!

Tabitha: I know! Didn’t anyone tell her that the situation was delicate and that we had to be careful with our complaints to the teacher?

Cassie: I told her that we needed to be careful. Mr. Johnson is a good teacher, but he just needs to talk slowly and write more on the board. We didn’t want to hurt his feelings.

Tabitha: Well, she obviously didn’t listen. Sherry was like a bull in a china shop and just went on and on complaining about every little thing Mr. Johnson does. I thought he was about to cry!

Cassie: She was careless with her words, and I think she messed everything up even more.

Tabitha: I’m going to go talk to Mr. Johnson now and tell him that Sherry doesn’t represent us.

Cassie: Good idea. I’ll go with you.

Explanation: “A bull in a china shop” is used for a person who breaks things or who often makes mistakes or causes damage in situations that require careful thinking or behavior. In the first context, Valerie’s 3-year old son caused a lot of damage in the penthouse apartment full of expensive things. In context 2, Sherry complained very carelessly about the teacher when everyone had agreed to be careful and respectful in their criticism. Therefore, Sherry behaved carelessly, or like a bull in a china shop.

A miss is as good as a mile

Idiom: A miss is as good as a mile - A near miss is still a miss and is no better than missing by a big margin. In other words, losing is still losing.

Context #1

Timothy: Hi, Samantha. What’s wrong?

Samantha: I feel so bad because my basketball team played for the championship last night and we lost. It was our big chance and we failed!

Timothy: What was the final score?

Samantha: It was 82-83 in overtime. We missed a free throw at the very end and the other team won by a point.

Timothy: Well, it sounds like the game was really close and your team played well.

Samantha: Does the score really matter? A miss is as good as a mile. Losing a game by one point is still losing.

Timothy: I see your point.

Context #2

Sal:  Good Morning, Mr. Smith. I’m so sorry I’m late.

Mr. Smith: This is the third time in a week, and we really needed you today in the meeting. Everyone else from the department was there.

Sal: I only missed the train by one minute! It was pulling out of the station just as I arrived. I almost made it. So then I had to wait another hour for the next train.

Mr. Smith: Well, a miss is as good as a mile. Being late for the train one minute is the same as being late an hour. You still missed it. You need to make a greater effort to be on time.

Sal: You are right. It won’t happen again.

Meaning: A close miss is still a miss, even if it’s only by a small margin. In context 1, Samantha’s basketball team lost the championship by 1 point, but they still lost, so the margin didn’t really matter. In context 2, Timothy only missed the train by one minute, but he had to wait one hour for the next train. Therefore, there was no difference in missing the train by one minute or one hour. He was still late.

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To Add Fuel to the Fire

Idiom: To add fuel to the fire - To do or say something to make a problem or bad situation worse; to further anger a person or group of people who are already angry

Context #1

Dan: Hey, Juan. Did you see the huge fight at the soccer match last night?

Juan: No, I didn’t. What happened?

Dan: Well, the home team was losing badly, but the visiting team was really playing dirty. The crowd was already angry.

Juan: Well, that’s understandable.

Dan: But then the fans from the visiting team started laughing and taunting the home team crowd by calling them names like “losers.” Of course, this only added fuel to the fire and the crowd got even angrier.

Juan: Wow! So the crowd attacked the visiting team’s fans?

Dan: Yep! The crowd started throwing things at the fans and then even punched some of them!

Juan: Well, I guess that is what happens when you add fuel to the fire, especially in front of a crowd of people!

Context #2

Samira: Did you see the president’s speech last night about the conflict going on right now?

Polly: Yes, I did. Unfortunately, I think the president only added fuel to the fire because now the situation is even worse and the countries in the conflict are even more hostile.

Samira: I agree. What was the president thinking? He needs to be more diplomatic in his words in order to calm the situation down.

Polly: Right! Hopefully, he will be more careful in his next speech and try to predict peace instead of war.

Samira: Well, we can only hope. It seems like this president enjoys adding fuel to the fire. It’s good for his ratings.

Meaning: To add fuel to the fire means to make a situation worse or to further anger a person or group of people. In context 1, the fans from the visiting team added fuel to the fire, or made the home team crowd even angrier, by calling the crowd names. In context 2, the president made the conflict even worse by not using diplomatic language or language that would make the situation calmer.








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Right Off The Bat

Idiom: Right off the bat – Immediately, Instantly, Without Hesitation

Context #1

Tanya: Hi, Suzy. What’s wrong?

Suzy: Oh, hi Tanya. I’m so disappointed in my new apartment.

Tanya: What do you mean?

Suzy: Well, I was told that is was a fully furnished, new apartment, but I noticed that the heated floors and the electric fireplace are not turned on yet. It’s just really upsetting.

Tanya: Are you serious? Suzy, it’s September and still hot outside. You don’t even need those things yet. Besides, you can’t expect everything to be ready right off the bat. It’s a new apartment and they are still finishing things off.

Suzy: I guess you’re right. It's just that I paid a lot of money for that apartment, so is it too much to ask for things to be done right off the bat?

Tanya: I see your point.

Context #2

Sam:  Hey, Patricia. You look like you are in pain. What happened?

Patricia: Oh, I just went to my first bicycle lesson yesterday. I fell off the bike and crashed right off the bat.

Sam: Bicycle lesson? Do they actually have those types of lessons? Didn’t you learn how to ride a bike when you were a child?

Patricia: No, Sam, I didn’t! I know it’s strange, but I never learned and it’s super scary for me, especially since I hurt myself yesterday.

Sam: I learned right off the bat when I was six years old. It’s so easy.

Patricia: Well, good for you, Sam. It’s easy for children to learn, but for adults, it is more challenging.

Sam: I guess you are right. Good luck and be careful!

Meaning: “Right off the bat” means instantly or without hesitation. In context 1, Suzy expected everything in her expensive new apartment to be ready instantly or right off the bat. In context 2, Patricia doesn’t know how to ride a bike, and when she tried, she fell off the bike right off the bat. Sam responded that as a child, he learned right off the bat. 

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Bite off more than you can chew

Example 1: 

Christina: What's wrong?​ You look so stressed out​!

Adam: I am. I have 4 homework assignments tonight, a math test tomorrow, and I have to memorize my lines for the school play this weekend. Plus, I told my neighbor I would help her paint her house tomorrow!

Christina: Wow, that is too much! I think you bit off more than you can chew. 

Adam: You're right. I shouldn't have accepted so much responsibility, there's no way that I can do it all by myself.

 

Example 2:

Chase: How is your new job?

Austin: It's OK, but I'm a little bit nervous. Today was my first day, and my boss already assigned me 3 important projects. 

Chase: Wow, does he know that you don't have any experience?

Austin: I was afraid to tell her because I wanted to impress her. I think I may have bitten off more than I can chew. 

Chase: Maybe you can ask one of your coworkers for help so you don't have to do all the work by yourself!

Meaning: To try to do more than you are able to do; To try to do something that is too difficult for you.

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Be a sitting duck

Example 1: 

Jin Young: How was your trip last weekend?

Dori: Not so good. Someone broke into my car and stole my bags!

Jin Young: Oh no! What happened?

Dori: Well, I was driving to my hotel, but somehow I got lost. I was in a bad neighborhood, I didn't know how to get around, and my cell phone had no service so I couldn't use my map!

Jin Young: Wow, it sounds like you would be an easy target for a robber.

Dori: Yeah, and then, my car broke down in the middle of the street! I was a sitting duck.  When I got out of the car to try to fix it, the burglar took my bags from my backseat. It was so easy for him!

Example 2: 

During the war, the two armies fought each other by firing weapons across an open field. One night, a soldier started sleepwalking toward the middle of the field. When the sun rose, he was a sitting duck, sitting alone with no weapons in the field!

Meaning: Something that is easy to attack; someone unprotected and vulnerable

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To Storm Something

Example:

Tony: It’s so hot. I really want a cold treat.

Sandra: Too late. I stormed the refrigerator earlier and ate all the ice cream.

Tony: Oh What?! That’s not cool. What am I supposed to enjoy now?

Sandra: Well, we can go to the supermarket and storm their ice cream section.

Tony: Tempting

Meaning: The expression "to storm something" means to take over or control something by force.   

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