Idioms Topic B part 1

Be/go back to square one

Return to the beginning ,to be forced to think of a new course of action because your first course of action failed.

Ex: The builders constructed a building that didn’t meet the city requirements. Now they wil have to tear it doen abd begin buidling again. They’re _____

Be/go back to the drawing board

Return to the planning stage of a project, means replanning or redesigning

Ex: Our plan to raise money for a new swimming pool didn’t work. Now we’re_____ and trying to think of a better plan

Have one’s back to the wall

To be in a difficult or desperate situation.

Ex: Gary lost his job over a month ago and he has spent all his savings paying his bills. Now he doesn’t have any more money, and his_____

Backhanded-compliment

A criticism that is phrased in such a way that it appears to be a compliment

Ex: Paul is not a very nice person. He is always giving people _____ that sound like he is being nice when he is really just insulting them.

Back-seat driver

A person who gives driving order when he/she is not the driver

→Wheb cars were first developed in the 1920s, wealthy car owners would often ride in the back seats, telling gheir driver where to go, where to turn, etc. Now such a practice by abyone is seen as intrusive and rude

Ex: Why must you tell me every time you see a red light ahead? I'm the one who is driving. Stop being a_____

Bad blood

Negative or ill feelings

Ex: The young man and woman knew their parents would not approve of their marriage because there was____ between the families

Bark up the wrong tree

To misdirect one’s effort or argument

→This expression stems from the 19th century American frontier practice of hunting racoons using hunting dogs. Then the racoons attempted to escape up a tree, barking until the hunters arrived. Howerever, the dogs go to wrong tree.

Ex: Janice is angry at me because she thinks I took her books, but she’s barking up the wrong tree. I had nothing to do with it

Have bats in one’s belfry

Harmlessly crazy or eccentric.

→A belfry is the tower of a church where the bell hangs, and its analogous to one’s head. If a person has room for bats in his head, his head is full of space rather than brains

Ex: Don’t listen to her, she doesn’t know what she ‘s talking about. She has_____

Beat a dead horse

To argue or pursue a point or topic without the possibility of success

Ex: They should give up trying to argue with the boss on that subject. They’re_____

Beat a hasty retreat

To run very fast in the opposite direction.

Ex: The cat wandered into the neighbor’s yard, but it ____ when it saw the dog

Beat someone to the punch

To do sth before someone else does it

Ex: Linda was going to invite hime out yo lunch but he ____. He invited ber before she had chance to ask him

beat the bushes = leave no stone unturned

to search exhaustively

Ex: We will have to ____ if we want to find another editor as good as Arthur was

behind the eight ball

in a difficult situation or position

→ The expression comes from the game of billiards, or pool, in which the eight ball is always pocketed last. If one accidentally sinks the eight ball before the others, one automatically loses the game. Trying to hit another ball that is too close to the eight ball is seen as a risky situation

Ex: Barbara’s parents have told her to study medicine but she really wants to study law. How is she going to explain this to them? She is ____

hit sb below the belt

to act unfairly

→This expression originates from the sport of boxing, in which it is against the rules to hits one’s opponent below his or her belt

Ex: John told Robert about the job he was planning to apply for and Robert went out and got it himself! Robert doesn’t play fair. He _____

bend sb’s ear

to talk to sb for a long time

→ This expression usually has a negative connotation

Ex: Don’t mention politics to Bill. He loves talking about politics and he’ll ____ about it for hours

beside oneself

distraught, very anxious and troubled

Ex: When the mother couldn’t find her young son in the crowd, she was ____ with worry

bet one’s boots

to be sure

→ ____is used only in the affirmative

Ex: I’ll ___ that the salesman will try to get us to buy a more expensive car. They always do

Bet one’s bottom dollar

to be sure

→ _____ can be used in both the affirmative and the negative.

between a rock and a hard place

facing two difficult outcomes for the same situation

Ex: Ralph found out that his brother cheated on an exam, and he knows he should tell the teacher, but he is hesitating because it’s his broter. He’s caught _____

beyond the pale

beyond or outside the limits of morally or socially acceptable behavior

→ In British history, the pale was the area in and around Dublin, Ireland, which was colonized and ruked by the English. ____was anything outside this area. To the english, this was synonymous with being outside law and order.

Ex: Ron received an invitation to dinner and didn’t have the decency to let his hosts know he wouldn’t be able to attend. I think that kind of behavior is ____