| Idiom/Saying | Explanation |
|---|---|
To bite of more than you can chew. For example:- Sometimes Lynne thinks she has bitten off more than she can chew running the Network. |
To take on more than you are capable of doing. |
To bite your tongue. For example:- Barack Obama said he bit his tongue many times during his primary fight against Hillary Clinton. |
When you stop yourself from saying something because you realise it might cause offense or be hurtful. |
| Chew the fat For example: "I enjoy meeting my friends to chew the fat." |
To chat. |
To bite of more than you can chew. For example:- Sometimes Lynne thinks running the Network is more than she can chew. |
To take on more than you are capable of doing. |
| Coffee break For example: "I usually have a coffee break around 10.30 am." |
To take a short break from work to rest and drink coffee, smoke a cigarette etc.. |
Many a slip twixt cup and lip For example: "They thought they had the contract all sewn up, but the client didn't sign in the end. There's many a slip twixt cup and lip." |
Used to imply that even when the outcome of an event seems certain, things can still go wrong. |
| "Cup of tea." For example: "I really enjoyed the film, it was just my cup of tea." |
Used to describe something one enjoys or does well. |
Dish the dirt For example: "He offered to dish the dirt on her, but I told him I don't listen to gossip." |
To spread gossip about someone. |
Go Dutch For example:- "It's usually better to go Dutch on a first date." |
To share the bill for a meal or a night out. Each person pays for what they have eaten or the bill is simply split. |
| Eat dirt For example: "He bullied his employees and made them eat dirt." |
To act humble, accept another`s insult or bad treatment. |
| Eat humble pie For example: "She had to eat humble pie when he proved she was wrong." |
To be humbled, admit one`s error and apologize. |
| Eat like a pig For example: "He has terrible table manners, he eats like a pig." |
To have bad table manners. |
| Eat like a horse For example: "She has a very healthy appetite, she eats like a horse." |
To have a good appetite. |
| Eat one`s words For example: "I'd told him off but had to eat my words, when he proved I was wrong." |
To take back something one has said, admit something is not true. |
| To have one's cake and eat it For example: "He was never at home, but was surprised when she left him. He always wanted to have his cake and eat it." |
To do/eat/use something until it is gone and still not want to give it up. |
| Out to lunch For example: "I always thought she acted strangely, she was totally out to lunch." |
To behave crazily or madly. |
To have a full plate. or To have a lot on your plate. For example: "Between work and the web site I have a full plate." |
To have a lot to do. |
| To want someone's head on a platter. For example: "When he read his biography, he demanded the author's head on a platter." |
To be very angry with someone. |
To be spoon-fed. For example: She refused to be spoon-fed English vocabulary. She learnt to be an independent learner.
|
Can literally mean to be fed with a spoon. But... It can mean to be treated in a way that discourages independent thought or action, as by overindulgence or provided with knowledge or information in an oversimplified way. |
To stuff your face. For example: "He's always stuffing his face. No wonder he's so fat." |
To eat a lot, very quickly and greedily. (negative) |
Suck up For example: "I never liked her, she was always sucking up to the boss." |
To be really nice to someone in order to gain favour. |
| Tea break For example: "Do you want to come with me for a cigarette on our tea break?" |
To take a short break from work to rest and drink tea, smoke a cigarette etc.. |