Idioms and Phrases Lesson Categories
Pain in the ass
👉Meaning/Usage: A source of trouble or annoyance; used to indicate that something bothers you very much. "Ass" can be seen as profanity, so another way of saying this would be "Pain in the butt" or "Pain in the neck."
👉Explanation: When something gives you trouble and bothers you a lot, it gives you pain. To look for more colorful ways to express this, people started saying "pain in the neck." Another variation came out when people started to say "Pain in the rear end." This later became "Pain in the butt" or "Pain in the ass."
👉"What a pain in the ass."
"👉I had a customer who kept asking easy questions. It was a total pain in the ass."
👉"I have a meeting at 7:00 in the morning. It's a pain in the ass waking up that early."
👉"Having to deal with traffic every day is a pain in the ass."
✅A: "I have to go to the post office."
✅B: "I thought you went yesterday?"
✅A: "They made a mistake on the postage so the package was returned."
✅B: "What a pain in the ass."
🌹Other Common Sentences
"🌹Going to get a health check up is a pain in the neck."
🌹"I hate mowing the lawn. It's a real drag."
🌹"I have to pick up my brother at the airport every week. It's a serious burden because I'm busy these days."
I can eat a horse
Meaning/Usage: To express the desire to eat a lot of food.
Explanation: One explanation is that there is a lot of meat on a horse. Also not many people eat horses, but they would if they are very hungry. Combining the willingness to eat a large quantity of meat, and the willingness to eat meat that is not normally eaten suggests that the person is extremely hungry.
"I'm so hungry that I can eat a horse."
"I feel like I can eat a horse right now."
"If I didn't eat anything for two days, I would feel like I can eat a horse too."
A: "I didn't eat anything all day."
B: "You must be really hungry."
A: "I can eat a horse right now."
🔹Other Common Sentences🔹
"I'm starving. I think I can eat a whale."
"I'm famished. I could eat anything right now."
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Idioms and Phrases Lesson Categories
Sleep on it
Meaning/Usage: To take time to think about something.
Explanation: Some people report that they think more clearly after a good night sleep. Also, some people say they often times regret a decision they have made. When something is important, making a decision after a good night sleep is a good practice.
"I've been thinking about this problem for two hours. I think I will sleep on it. It might come to me in the morning."
"I don't think I can decide now. Let me sleep on it and I'll tell you my answer tomorrow."
"I'm going to need to sleep on it. I don't want to rush my answer right now."
A: "Do you know if you are going to buy the leather set or the cashmere set?"
B: "I've been thinking about it for three hours. I really can't decide."
A: "Why don't you sleep on it."
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Idioms and Phrases Lesson Categories
Play it by ear
Meaning/Usage: To decide to do something as the situation develops; choosing to deal with a situation as more events unfold.
Explanation: The original meaning is to play music without using a score or music sheet to look at. Just as a musician will play something unplanned without looking at something, this idiom is to do something unplanned depending on the situation.
"I'll have to play it by ear because I don't know how long they want me to work."
"We'll have to play it by ear for next Friday because everything is uncertain."
"Should we plan something for this Saturday or should we play it by ear?"
A: "What are you doing next weekend?"
B: "Nothing. Did you want to do something?"
A: "Yeah, but I might have to give my dad a ride to the train station. I don't know the exact time yet."
B: "Let's play it by ear then. Just call me when you find out for sure."
Other Common Sentences
"I don't have any reservations tonight so let's just wing it."
"We'll just do things as they come along."
