IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS

An idiom (Latin: idioma, “special property”, f. Greek: idiōma, “special phrasing”, f. Greek: idi

os, “one’s own”) is an expression, word, or phrase that has figurative meaning — its implication comprehended only through common use; whereas the literal definition of the idiom, itself, does not communicate its meaning as a figurative usage.

In linguistics, idioms are usually presumed to be figures of speech contradicting the principle of compositionality; yet the matter remains debated. an “idiom” as words collocated that became affixed to each other until metamorphosing into a fossilized term. This collocation — words commonly used in a group — redefines each component word in the word-group and become an idiomatic expression. The words develop a specialized meaning as an entity, as an idiom. Moreover, an idiom is an expression, word, or phrase whose sense means something different from what the words literally imply. When a speaker uses an idiom, the listener might mistake its actual meaning, if he or she has not heard this figure of speech before.[3] Idioms usually do not translate well; in some cases, when an idiom is translated into another language, either its meaning is changed or it is meaningless. Idioms might be the most difficult language for a learner of a new language.

An idiom is generally a colloquial metaphor — a term requiring some foundational knowledge, information, or experience, to use only within a culture, where conversational parties must possess common cultural references. Therefore, idioms are not considered part of the language, but part of the culture. As culture typically is localized, idioms often are useless beyond their local context; nevertheless, some idioms can be more universal than others, can be easily translated, and the metaphoric meaning can be deduced.

SOME USEFUL IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS

AGREE TO - a proposal; a thing, or an action

BACK AWAY - retreat or go backwards

COME AROUND - become conscious, wake

DRIVE UP - make something increase.

EASE OFF - reduce pressure.

FALL FOR - be attracted to somebody, fall in love.

GIVE UP ON - lose faith in or stop believing in

something or someone.

HOLD UP - delay when traveling.

ON BEHALF OF - representing on the part of.

IRON OUT - remove small problems or

irregularities.

KEEP AT - continue with something difficult.

LIVE IT UP - have a good time by spending a

lot of money.

MAKE UP - stop being angry with someone

They are always arguing, but they MAKE UP

again very quickly.

OPEN UP - start to talk freely about something

She hates to OPEN UP and discuss her

feelings.

PULL OFF - manage to do something difficult

or tricky

RING OFF - finish a phone conversation

SHOOT UP - increase quickly

TAKE DOWN - make notes or write down in

full

ZIP BY - pass quickly

Business Idioms

Across the board (including everyone or

everything)

Bang for the buck (value for the money

spent)

Close out (sell the whole of something, sell all

the goods)

Deliver the goods (succeed in doing well

what is expected)

Face value (the official worth or trust of

something)

Gain ground (go forward, make progress)

Heads will roll (someone will be punished)

In the black (successful or making money)

Jack up (make a price higher)

Keep track of - (keep a count or record, stay

informed)

Make a go of (produce good results, succeed)

Number-cruncher (an accountant, someone

who works with numbers)

On hand (in one’s possession, ready)

Piece of the action (a share in the activity or

the profits of something)

Red ink (debt (red ink on a financial

statement)

Sell like hotcakes (sell very quickly)

Take a nosedive (collapse, fail, decrease in

value)

Write off (remove from a business record,

cancel a debt)

Colloquial Expressions

Be my guest (do as you wish)

Bend someone’s ear (talk about a matter at

tedious length)

Caught dead, wouldn’t be (would have

nothing to do with; detest)

Fair enough (that’s reasonable, I agree)

Fast track (a situation involving high pressure,

competition, and, especially, rapid success or

advancement)

Foot the bill (pay the bill, settle the accounts)

For crying out loud (an exclamation of anger

or exasperation)

Get the hang of it (learn the proper way of

doing, using or handling something; acquire

the knack of something)

The works (everything, the full range of

possibilities).

Think big (be ambitious)

Whole nine yards (everything that is relevant;

the whole thing)

You name it (everything one can think of)