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ENGLISH IDIOMS KEY



An idiom is a phrase whose words altogether have a different meaning from the individual meaning of the words in the dictionary.


 A. match the English idioms with their Arabic meaning

Idiom
Arabic meaning
1. Add fuel to the fire
يصب الزيت على النار
2. Be all ears
كلي أذان صاغية
3. Around the clock
على مدار الساعة
4. The ball is in your court
الكرة في مضربك
5. Vicious circle / cycle
الحلقة المفرغة
6. Be behind bars
وراء القضبان
7. Burn the midnight oil
يسهر الليالي
8. Calm before the storm
الهدوء الذي يسبق العاصفة
9. Carrots and sticks
العصا و الجزرة
10. Catch someone red-handed
يضبطه متلبسا
11. Tie the knot
يعقد القران
12. Blow off steam
ينفجر غضبا
13. Give a hand
يمد يد المساعدة
14. (have/take) the floor
يأخذ الكلمة
15. Now and then
من حين لاخر
16. In a nutshell
بكل اختصار
17. In dribs and drabs
شيئا فشيئا/ قليلا قليلا
18. In the bag
مضمون
19. Chase rainbows
يجري وراء السراب
20. Lion’s share
حصة الأسد



B. match the idioms with their English meaning

Idiom
English meaning
1. Achilles’ heel
A weak point
2. keep at arm’s length
To avoid becoming friendly with someone
3. the sky is the limit
There is no upper limit
4. Bear the brunt
To withstand the worst part of something
5. Bet your bottom dollar
To be quite certain about something
6. Bone of contention
The subject/point of disagreement
7. Bury the hatchet
Make peace again
8. By dint of
As a result or because of…
9. Keep in touch
Maintain communication with someone
10. Cold turkey
Immediately; without tapering off
11. Tie the knot
Get married
12. Couch potato
A lazy, TV addict person
13. On good terms
Friendly with someone
14. Free rein
Have complete freedom to…
15. Turn a deaf ear
Ignore what someone says
16. Green fingers (UK)
Be good at gardening
17. With bated breath
Nervously waiting
18. Play havoc
Damage something
19. Ill at ease
Worried and uncomfortable
20. In the bag
Certain of something



C. Match the Idioms with their meaning in Darija*
Idiom
Darija
1. Brown nose
بلحاس / كايتبلحس
2. Fall off the turnip truck
عاد نزلو الكار
3. Take a French leave
سلت
4. Here today, gone tomorrow
الدوام لله
5. In the same boat
في الهوا سوا
6. Jump the gun
سبق العرس بليلة
7. Laughing stock
ضحكة
8. Never darken my door again
ضرق عليا كمارتك
9. In two minds
حاير: واحد الراس كيقول لي و  واحد الراس كيقول لي
10. A spoke in a wheel 
العصا ف الرويضة



 Darija: Moroccan Arabic

D. Choose the right meaning of the idiom: Choose A or B       
Idiom
A
B
1. Shed light on =
Turn on the lights
Explain to make clear
2. Split the blanket =
Divorce
Tear a blanket
3. Start from scratch =
Start from the beginning
Continue
4. Have a sweet tooth =
Like sweet food
Have a toothache
5. Down-to-earth =
Poor
Realistic
6. Teacher's pet =
Favorite student
Favorite subject
7. Throw a curve (ball) =
Surprise with a problem
Throw a sickle at
8. Not up to scratch =
Doesn’t meet the standards
Not tall
9. What's cooking? =
What's for lunch?
What's going on?
10. Turn tail =
Run away
Go to bed
 
E. Fill in the blanks with appropriate expressions from the list: on behalf of,  at the expense of,  by the same token,  by dint of,  for all I know,  once and for all,  thanks to,  provided that,  let alone,   Apart from.  
                                  
1. Wafae passed with distinction by dint of hard work. (as a result of)
2. The teacher talked on behalf of her colleagues at the meeting.(representing)
3. All Maghreb countries were present at the meeting in Rabat apart from Libya. (except for)
4. My mom can’t use a cell phone, let alone a computer. (not to mention)
5. People believe the government is not working; by the same token, the government thinks people are ungrateful. (also true the other way around)
6. We cannot be permissive with kids at the expense of moral values. (to the harm of …)
7. I’ll take you out, provided that you behave yourself. (only if)
8. I hope the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will be settled soon once and for all. (finally and completely)
9. For all I know, teachers are well paid in Greece. (based on my knowledge)
10. Thanks to the winter rain, the harvest is good this year. (because of)

F. Complete the idioms in the following sentences:                                            
1. The new jump-drives sell like hotcakes.
2. On weekends, I like hanging around with friends.
3. If I pass the baccalaureate exam, I'll shoot an all-nighter party.
4. The first exercise was easy. It was a piece of cake.
5. The public gave the mayor a round of applause when he took the floor to talk about the new projects in town.
6. The newspapers jumped the gun by announcing the Mayer’s career over.
7. Wind and now played havoc with the soccer schedules.
8. Life threw auntie a curve ball that was unexpected. She lost her precious child.
9. Computers are collecting dust in many schools because of digital illiteracy.
10. The teacher caught Ali red-handed cheating from a note written on his hand.

G. Guess the meaning of the following idioms then click on the key bellow to check. 

1.     A yes-man is someone who agrees with everything.
2.     If someone is armed to the teeth, they have many weapons.
3.     To kick the bucket is to die
4.     ‘I won't do it for all the tea in China’ means I won't do it no matter what.
5.     A cry-babyy is someone who cries easily and too often
6.     If a shop is open around the clock, it is open 24 hours a day.
7.     Something witch costs an arm and a leg is very expensive.
8.     Someone who is asleep at the wheel is not doing their job.
9.     If you are not on good terms with someone, you interact well with them.
10.If people are at cross purposes they misunderstand each other or different objectives.
     11. Something which is on the back burner it is given low priority.
     12. If people make a beeline for a place, they head straight there.
     13. ‘You could hear a pin-drop’ means there is complete silence.
     14. ‘The bottom line is …’ means ‘the conclusion is…’
     15. To go above and beyond for someone is to do more than expected.

H. Match the Arabic idioms and expressions with their English meaning




1.
أضغاث لأحلام
Senseless dreams
2.
سلاح ذو حدين
A double edged sword
3.
لا يدخر جهدا
Spare no effort
4.
ضمير حي
A live conscience
5.
على نطاق واسع
On a large scale
6.
كل يغني على ليلاه
Each marching to the beat of their own drum
7.
حجر عثرة
Stumbling block
8.
آن الأوان
The time has come
9.
أبا عن جد
It’s in the blood
10.
اختلط الحابل بالنابل
It’s a total mess