Idiomatic Expression

Idioms have a special role in essay writing. They are like a tasty spice in a hot soup. They play an essential part in writing and many writers use idioms to make the readers understand a topic in a humorous way. The flipside of using idioms is the usage of idioms without understanding the context and making the writing too verbose. Here are some steps to use them properly. Understand the point of idioms before trying to use them. Idioms are a style of artistic expression characteristic of a particular individual, school, period, or medium. They convey that the current situation has a resemblance with the past history. They are the best tools to make the writing more enjoyable and impressive. Use idioms in writing to make your work more focused and impressive. For example: "White Elephant". It means "an unprofitable investment". This idiom is used frequently to refer non-responsive government institutions. So a sentence that reads "this institution has become a white elephant to the municipal corporation has clearly given the meaning that the institution has become a non-profitable institution for the municipal corporation. Such indirect reference in writing makes the article or essay lucid and convincing. Be aware that the use of idioms is given due importance Take care when using. Sometimes idioms are like a double-edged sword. Incorrect usage can result in a negative effect on your marks, so be sure to focus on learning the proper use of idioms .

Idiomatic Expressions: Do We Have To Use Them?

English is rich in idiomatic expressions, so if you want your English to be rich, make good use of the idiomatic expressions. My friend who lived in England told me that native speakers of English do not realize that their daily English usage consists of idiomatic expressions. They picked them up because idiomatic expressions are used every day. What are idiomatic expressions? According to a book entitled English Idioms and How To Use them by Jennifer Seidl and W McMordie published by Oxford University Press, an idiom is anumber of words which, taken together, mean something different from the individual words of the idiom when they stand alone. Idiomatic expressions can be formal or informal or even derogatory. To non English speakers, make sure you know how to use them. According to the book mentioned above, idioms may also consist of two word verbs. For example: a combination of verb and adverb or preposition. One of the best ways of learning English idioms is to listen to native speakers or read books or articles. Make sure you also have an English-English dictionary to check the definition of an idiom. A good dictionary usually gives markings formal and informal for every word or phrase to be defined. Unmarked idioms mean that you can use it in any situation. My friend suggested I should always consult a dictionary whenever I come across idiomatic expressions in a text I read.

Idiomatic expressions are not the only elements that enrich your articles; grammar also plays an important role. The use of only simple sentences and repetitive uses of the same words will make your articles dull and boring as well as unnatural. Quality writers are the ones who master grammar as well as idiomatic expressions. I hope this will be of a good tip for us all.

Noun 1. idiomatic expression - an expression whose meanings cannot be inferred from the meanings of the words that make it up phrasal idiom, set phrase, phrase, idiom locution, saying, expression - a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations; "pardon the expression" ruralism, rusticism - a rural idiom or expression in the lurch - in a difficult or vulnerable position; "he resigned and left me in the lurch" like clockwork - with regularity and precision; "the rocket launch went off like clockwork"

English Idioms: Add Color to Your Language

This article is about learning and using idioms. Idioms are special expressions that make your conversation more interesting. Instead of using a normal statement such as "I agree", you might say "I see what you mean". Or instead of saying "I'm very hungry", you might say "I could eat a horse". When you use idiomatic expressions, your language sounds much more colorful, more alive, more real. You can communicate your feeling much more forcefully, which is important when you are trying to sell something or trying to persuade somebody. If used correctly, these kinds of expressions can be very impressive. People will know that your English is truly fluent. However, there are some disadvantages to using idioms, so we have to be careful. First, it takes a long time to learn how to use an expression accurately. You can memorize some expressions in a short time, but that doesn't mean you know how to use them. Only after you see the expressions used under a variety of conditions can you really use them with confidence. In addition, we don't use idiomatic expressions every day, only when we really need them. If you use an expression at the wrong time, trying to sound good, it will sound very BAD instead. Even with these problems, it is worth it to try to learn natural, idiomatic expressions as soon as possible. The sooner you start to study them, the sooner you will know how to use them correctly. If you are patient, hard working, and pay attention to how expressions are used, your efforts will surely "pay off", so don't give up! The best way to learn idioms is "in context". That means you should look for interesting expressions whenever you read, or when you watch a movie or TV program in English. The story helps you in two ways. First, you can easily understand how the expression is used. The story shows you very clearly the relationships between people and how they feel. You will know that the situation in the story is a good time to use that expression, and you will be able to choose the same words when you are in a similar situation. Second, the strong, vivid pictures of a story will help you remember the expression. We always remember more when we use pictures than when we use words alone. In what contexts can we learn idiomatic expressions? There are a variety of possibilities. For one thing, you could listen to songs in English. You'll hear some interesting expressions in TV programs too, for example the popular "Friends" from the United States. You can also

read stories for young people, which you can buy in a large bookstore such as the Foreign Language Bookstore in Wangfujing, in Beijing. When you see interesting expressions, stop to notice the mood of the story. Who is speaking and who is listening? What is the feeling of the person speaking? These clues will help you understand the deeper meaning of the expression. After you've started to learn some idiomatic expressions, you can practice them in different ways, even if you're not 100 percent sure how to use them. One way is to ask questions of people. You could ask a direct question. For example, if someone is joking around, saying things that are obviously not true, you might ask, "Could we say that he is "pulling our leg"? By asking a question, you can find out if you've really understood the idiom. In this case, your friend might answer, "Yes, he's always joking around. I wish he would stop pulling my leg". If you chose the wrong expression, or if you didn't say it quite right, then your friend can correct it for you. On the other hand, if you try to use an expression directly, and you use it wrongly, people might not correct you for fear of embarrassing you. Besides asking questions, you can practice your expressions by making jokes. Most idiomatic expressions have a true or "literal" meaning. You can use this true meaning to help you. If someone asks you "What's up?" instead of "How are you?", you can look up to the ceiling and say, "I don't see anything - nothing's up!". Your friend might laugh at your joke, or maybe tell you what he meant, for example, he might tell you, "What's up just means 'how are you?'" If you weren't sure of the meaning before, now you are. In addition, your friends will see how funny you are. All students make mistakes with difficult expressions, but only a few, like you, can joke about them! Another example is if someone asks you to "give them a hand", which means to help someone. The literal meaning might lead you to say this: "I'd like to cut off my hand and give it to you, but I really need it myself"! To learn the most common idioms in English, go to Joe's Learn English Idioms page. Just remember, there's no magical, easy way to learn idiomatic expressions. You have to be patient and learn them one at a time. If you study in a slow but steady manner, while paying attention to how the words are used in context, your speaking will improve naturally.

How to Use Idioms

Idioms describe a situation in a vivid and descriptive way, imparting more beauty to English language. It is not a herculean task to use idiomatic expressions in your writing and conversations. All you need to do is to get a clear cut understanding of idioms. Idioms make English language funny, vibrant and enriching to learn. Many of us use idioms very often in our daily conversations, even without being aware of it. That is quite understandable from the fact that there are nearly 25,000 phrases in English language that are deemed to be idioms! In almost all languages, there are hundreds of thousands of idioms. In this article, we will restrict out discussion only about English idioms and phrases, with their meaning and usage. Using Idioms Smartly Idioms are phrases, expressions that are used very commonly in a language to express something whose meaning can't be taken literally. Many English language experts presume idioms to be a type of figure of speech or a metaphor, as they convey the same effect, in certain circumstances. Knowing about the history of idiomatic expressions is very interesting, as most of the idioms have been picked from human experiences. All idioms have an interesting story behind their origins. Idioms have become such an integral part of linguistics that avoiding their usage in English language would only render this funny language dry, dull and pedantic. So idioms are groups of words, phrases whose meaning can't be deduced apparently from the words used in the sentence. The sentence might have altogether different connotations. To quote a simple example of an

idiom, when we say that, 'it's raining cats and dogs', it doesn't mean that cats and dogs are actually falling from the sky! The idiom has a different meaning, that is, it is raining heavily. To a beginner English learner, idioms can be quite confusing to remember and memorize. So what is the best way to use idioms in English language? You can't attain perfection in using idioms overnight. It is not easy to learn all idioms and memorize their meaning in one go. Most of the idioms are used in daily life, so we get their meaning during our natural phase of learning. Some uncommon ones can be known by reading grammar books. . Reading diverse books of different authors helps us to strengthen our vocabulary and also learn about various cultures. Remember, idioms are mostly derived from cultural practices and traditions. Not all idioms will have grammatical and logical connectivity. So you have to be patient while learning idioms. You can't use idioms anywhere and in any sentence. If used improperly, idioms can sound idiotic! Unless you don't know the meaning and usage of idioms, it is not a smart work to use them. You needn't memorize hundreds of idioms in one go. Learning about idioms is a gradual process and takes time. You must also make it a habit to practice making sentences by using idioms. That will help you to remember the meaning of idioms properly. Television, newspapers, magazines, college books, ebooks, Internet and conversations with native people - all these are some vital sources of learning idioms

What is the definition of Idiomatic Expressions?

How do you define Idiomatic Expressions? What is an Idiomatic Expressions? The word idiom derives from the Greek words 'idiousthai meaning 'to make your own' and idios meaning own, personal, private. The definition of Idiomatic Expressions is as follows: English Grammar & Terminology Definition of Idiomatic Expressions - a poetic device Definition: An idiomatic expression are common phrases or sayings whose meanings cannot be understood by the individual words or elements. Examples of these idioms are "Baker's Dozen", "Funny Farm" and "Cold War". Idiomatic expressions are also non-standard speech, slang or dialect that are natural to native speakers of a language. Examples of these idioms are "Apples and Pears" for stairs and "Ruby Murray' for curry. Idiomatic Expressions-Word association to convey emotion and mood. " Between a rock and a hard place " Meaning - In a very difficult situation when any resolution will be unpleasant " Blow your top " Meaning - To lose your temper " Break a leg " Meaning - Used to wish good luck to stage performers before an opening " By the skin of your teeth " Meaning - Complete a task at the very last minute " Drop someone a line " Meaning - To write to someone " Excuse my French " Meaning - An apology for swearing

" Fire someone " Meaning - To end someone's your employment " Get your wires crossed " Meaning - A misunderstanding " Have an axe to grind " Meaning - To have an ulterior motive or a long term grudge against someone " Hit the sack " Meaning - To go to bed " Keep an eye out for " Meaning - To look after another Examples Help! Use of Idiomatic Expressions Examples of Idiomatic Expressions can be found in many examples of the poem, poems or poetry. Famous poets use this figure of speech to convey and emphasize unusual and vivid images. The use of strong word association changes the mode of thought and adds variation, embellishment and adornment to literary works. Examples Help - Figures of Speech - Idiomatic Expressions In Figurative Language we use words in such a way that they differ somewhat from ordinary every-day speech and convey meanings in a more vivid and impressive manner. Examples Help! Using Idiomatic Expressions Figures of speech such as Idiomatic Expressions add variation, embellishment, exaggeration, exclamation and irony to the English language.
An idiom, also known as idiomatic expression, is a phrase or sentence, whose meaning is completely different from the literal meaning of the words comprising the idiom or idiomatic expression. However idioms and idiomatic expressions have become widely used because they convey clear and meaningful messages in very few words that would otherwise be lengthy to explain in non-idiomatic manner. Idioms are previously considered informal expressions but because of their widespread use idiomatic expressions have found acceptance in formal communications as well.
Here are examples of idioms and the meaning behind these idiomatic expressions: Above and beyond more than what is normally required. The off-duty policeman chased and caught the bag snatcher; his action was above and beyond what was expected of him since he was not on duty at that time. Beyond the call of duty in addition to what is required in the normal course of performing ones job. The fireman went back to the burning house to rescue the cat; he acted beyond his call of duty. Above suspicion having a reputation for honesty that no one would suspect you of wrongdoing. The teacher was elected club treasurer because she is known to be completely above suspicion. Ace in a hole something or someone held in reserve to turn things around later. The new recruit is the teams ace in the hole to improve their standing in the sports competition this year.

Acid test a test whose result is considered to be conclusive or beyond doubt. The DNA result will be the acid test that will determine if the authorities caught the real culprit in the crime. Across the board Shared equally by everyone. The company management decided to give salary increases to the employees across the board. Act as someone to act or perform, temporarily or permanently, in the capacity of someone else. Ill act as your interim trainer until your regular trainer comes back from his business trip in the province. Act of God an event for which no person is responsible for; a natural event such as typhoon, earthquake, volcanic eruption, lightning, and similar acts of nature. The insurance company did not pay for the damage to their properties because it was caused by an act of God. Act of war an intentional act of hostility or violence so severe that war is considered to be an appropriate response. The attack on the Twin Towers in New York was considered by the Americans as an act of war by the terrorists. Add fuel to the fire to do something that makes a bad situation worse. The customer is already agitated so do not add fuel to the fire by ignoring his plea for help. Afraid of ones own shadow easily suspicious or frightened. Since you told him of the hair-raising urban legend above the jail escapee he has become afraid of his own shadow. . After all is said and done when everything is discussed and acted on. After all is said and done, everyone went home satisfied with the result of the town meeting. After hours after the regular or normal time. Jim and Tom hang around the cocktail lounge after hours. After the fact after an incident has occurred. Jake expressed remorse for his crime after the fact. Against someones will to do something without a persons agreement or consent. You cannot force him to join your activities against his will. Against the clock in a race with time; to get something done with urgency. The doctors operated on the accident victim against the clock.

What are idioms?

Idioms are non-literal expressions. This means that the meaning that you are expected to understand is different from what the words should mean. For example, someone can literally 'hit the roof' if they fall from somewhere high, and strike the top of a house. However, most English speakers will understand that 'hitting the roof' is an idiom for getting very angry very quickly. For example: 'What did Jim say when you told him that you had crashed his new car?' 'What do you expect? He hit the roof.' Why are idioms used? Idioms are a part of language (and not just a part of English). They give a meaning more vividly and often more briefly than a long literal explanation would do. For example, I have

just told you that an idiom gives you all information that you need but compresses it by giving you a mental picture that explains everything, but I could have told you that idioms give you the meaning 'in a nutshell'. Also because there is such a huge number of idioms to choose from, a person's choice of idioms tells you much about that person's character and origins. For example, if you hear the idiom 'raining cats and dogs' you are probably listening to someone elderly or a language student, since that idiom has mostly dropped out of everyday use (the modern expression is 'it's chucking it down'). However 'raining cats and dogs' is a favourite of EFL textbooks. Where do idioms come from? Idioms often come from jargon. 'Jargon' is the language that any group of people who work together in a particular subject develop for themselves. (For example the expression 'Reboot to clear the ram' does not mean much to someone who does not know computers.) Sometimes these expressions 'escape' into the general language, often with their meaning considerably changed. For example 'a steep learning curve' was considered a good thing when it was jargon among teachers, because it meant a large amount of learning in a short time. However, the modern idiom means almost the opposite - something which is very hard to get to understand. Many idioms come from sport e.g. 'Gone to ground', sea travel (the English used to do this a lot), e.g. 'taken aback' or from the body e.g. 'get cold feet'. No-one knows where some other idioms come from, but everyone has a theory! How do you recognize an idiom? Idioms have a fixed form. For example the idiom 'A bull in a china shop' describes a socially or literally very clumsy person. However, it must be a bull, and it must be a china shop. 'A calf in a porcelein shop' has nothing but its literal meaning. However, the English love playing with words, and often extend idioms or make up expressions which twist idioms to suit a particular situation. (Which is why British newspaper headlines are often incomprehensible to non-native speakers.) For example: Bill does not like Jane. He thinks she is tactless and annoying. An insulting idiom for a stupid female is a 'cow', so Bill insults Jane twice in one idiom by calling her 'A cow in a china shop.' Why should you learn idioms? Because you will not understand English until you do. There are thousands of idioms in English, from one word idioms to entire sentences. Most English speakers do not even realise when they use idioms. How many idioms are there is this declaration? 'I've had it up to here with battling with idioms. The language is awash with them, and you have to wade through a dictionary to get to grips with a simple sentence. Give it a rest!' The answer is six. And this statement is not even unusually rich in idiomatic language. Some British sports commentators seem to speak only in idioms. While learning idioms is difficult because of their non-literal meaning, it will give you a much richer understanding of the English language and culture

When should you use idioms? When you are sure that you are using them correctly. Idioms, like slang and swear words, are among the hardest parts of a language because your use must be exactly correct. You may use an idiom that is not right for the situation, and if you use an idiom wrongly, it sounds rather strange. You may use an idiom that means something different to your intended use. For example: 'To pass' means not to accept an offer. 'To pass out' is to become unconscious 'To make a pass' can get your face slapped it you do it to the wrong person! How do you learn idioms? Reading English texts or listening to native speakers will help you to find you a large number of idioms. After a while some idioms will become familiar, and you will learn the places and situations where you hear them. There are also many books that give you lists of idioms and these are useful if you discover an idiom and want to know what it means. Such a book could be a treasure trove (full of value) or a lemon (a disapointing failure.) And of course you can look for sites like this one on the internet. So lets roll up our sleeves (get ready to start work), then get our noses to the grindstone (start working hard) and learn idioms until the cows come home (for a long time). Idiomatic Expression
Idiomatic expressions are a type of informal English that have a meaning different from the meaning of the words in the expression.Here's an example of an idiomatic expression. Hold your tongue. This idiom does not actually mean that you should stick your fingers in your mouth and grab a hold of your tongue. It means that you should not talk.People "hold their tongues" when they are in situations where they want to talk, but it would be better if they didn't. So, while their tongue is ready to do some talking, they "hold" it and don't say anything.Every language has idioms, and they can be difficult to learn if you are not a native speaker of that language.The best thing to do is to have conversations with native speakers and ask them about phrases that you don't understand. Since idioms are influenced by the culture, learning the idioms of a language can be very interesting and enlightening!

20 Common Idiomatic Expressions & Their Meanings 1. She was tickled pink by the good news. Made very happy 2. You were hands down the best player on the team. There was no competition 3. I've been feeling pretty down in the dumps lately. Sad or depressed 4. I'm feeling sick as a dog!

Very sick 5. I've been feeling under the weather. Not well 6. Rise and shine! Wake up and be happy! 7. Close, but no cigar. You were very close, but you did not make it. 8. I could play outside till the cows come home. For a very long time 9. Wow! It's raining cats and dogs out there! Very hard rain 10. That sound is driving me up the wall! Making me very annoyed 11. This assignment is a piece of cake. Very easy 12. Although he broke the rules, he was only given a slap on the wrist. A mild punishment 13. Yikes! This shirt costs an arm and a leg. It is extremely expensive. 14. No, I was just pulling your leg. Just joking 15. It's Greek to me! I don't understand. 16. Keep your chin up. Be happy. 17. Hold your horses. Be patient. 18. We're all in the same boat. All of us are in the same position. 19. He's a bit of a loose cannon. Unpredictable 20. I will clean my room when pigs fly. Never