Zbliżają się coroczne Dni Języka Angielskiego. Z tej okazji proponujemy Wam poznanie angielskich idiomów. Może niektóre z nich już znacie? Czy znane są Wam ich polskie odpowiedniki?
Miłej zabawy!
I D I O M Y
- wyrażenie właściwe tylko danemu językowi, nie dające się dosłownie przetłumaczyć na inny język.
1. “be the apple of somebody’s eye”-być czyimś “oczkiem w głowie”
The youngest daughter has always been the apple of her dad’s eye.
Which of he students is the apple of your eye?
2. “spill the beans”- wygadać się, zdradzić sekret
Please don’t spill the beans about my plans to quit my job.
Our plan was meant to be a secret but Henry spilt the beans.
3. “give somebody (something) a wide berth”- omijać kogoś (coś) szerokim łukiem
Whenever Alice is in a bad mood, I give her a wide berth.
He gave all the big hotels a wide berth and found a small, quiet one.
4. “get blood out of a stone”- oczekiwać po kimś czegoś niemożliwego
You can’t get blood out of a stone, so stop trying to persuade her to stay.
I tried make him change his mind, but it was like a getting blood out of a stone.
5. “kick the bucket”- “kopnąć w kalendarz”, umrzeć
You’d better stop smoking so much or you’ll kick the bucket before you turn forty.
He suddenly fell ill and then just kicked the bucket within days.
6. “(not) beat about the bush”-“(nie) owijać w bawełnę”
After beating about the bush for half an hour, she finally told me the truth.
Let’s not beat about the bush – the film was simply horrible!
7. “burn the candle at both ends”-przepracowywać się, ślęczeć po nocach
When I was a student, I burnt the candle at both ends, studying for exams.
You look tired – have you been burning the candle at both ends again?
8. “put the cat among the pigeons”-“wetknąć kij w mrowisko”
Don’t put the cat among the pigeons by asking them to come to work on Sunday.
His remark was like putting the cat among the pigeons – everybody started quarrelling.
9. “take somebody to the cleaner’s”- “oskubać kogoś”; “puścić kogoś z torbami”
The taxi driver took me to the cleaner’s by charging almost forty pounds.
Check around for the best price or you’ll be taken to the cleaner’s.
10. “haul somebody over the coals”- “nie zostawić na kimś suchej nitki”
His first novel was so bad that the critics hauled him over the coals.
Did you have to haul me over the coals in front of everybody.
11. be (feel, look) “off colour”-czuć się “niewyraźnie”
I think I’ll go to bed early, I’ve been feeling off colour all day.
No, it was nothing serious, she was just feeling slightly off colour.
12. “force somebody into a corner”-przyprzeć kogoś do muru
The girl was forced into a corner and finally admitted she wasn’t telling the truth.
I’m sorry I told them everything – they forced me into a corner.
13. “look daggers at somebody”- “przeszyć kogoś wzrokiem”
When the boy ran across the street, the driver slammed the brakes and looked daggers at him.
Don’t look daggers at me, I’m really sorry I’m late.
14. “like a dog with two tails” – pełen radości
Whenever I bring the presents, my children are like a dogs with two tails.
The coach was like a dog with two tails when his team won the match.
15. “let sleeping dogs lie” – “nie wywołuj wilka z lasu”
The teacher forgot about the test and we didn’t remind her, preferring to let sleeping dogs lie.
16. “be all ears”- “zamieniać się w słuch”
I’m sorry I haven’t been listening to you, I’m all ears now.
The moment the neighbour started gossiping, the old lady was suddenly all ears.
17. “pull a face” (pull faces) – “stroić miny”
Behind her mother’s back, Lucy pulled a face and left the room.
The children sat at the window, pulling faces at the people outside.
18. “show the white feather”- stchórzyć
The moment I saw the big guy, I showed the white feather, apologised and backed down.
Come on, be a man – don’t show the white feather before you know for sure the case is lost.
19. “wipe the floor with somebody” – położyć kogoś na łopatki, sponiewierać kogoś
Don’t worry , you’re so good at chess that you’ll wipe the floor with the other contestants.
The boy asked a difficult question but soon the teacher was wiping the floor with him.
20. “jump out of the frying pan into the fire” – wpaść z deszczu pod rynnę
At my new school I realised that leaving the old was jumping out of the frying pan into the fire.
She just jumped out of the frying pan into the fire when she finished her essay early and got some extra writing to do.
21. “fly off the handle” – dostać białej gorączki
When we saw his red face we knew he was about to fly off the handle.
I flew off the handle when they announced that our flight was cancelled.
22. “have your head screwed on” – mieć głowę na karku
Jill won’t act silly, she has her heard screwed on the right way.
My uncle has always had his head screwed on and now, at fifty, he’s a rich man.
23. “wear your heart on your sleeve” – mieć serce na dłoni
If you always wear your heart on you sleeve, you risk rejection and pain.
He’s very reserved and has never worn his heart on his sleeve.
24. “to be shaking in your shoes” – trząść się ze strachu
Going to his boss, he was shaking in his shoes.
25. “to be up in the air” – stać pod znakiem zapytania
We may go on holidays in June, but it’s still up in the air.
26. “to cost (sb) an arm and a leg” – kosztować (kogoś) majątek
This house cost me an arm and a leg!
27. “to be like a bear with a sore head” – być złym jak osa
After the meeting, the manager was like a bear with a sore head.
28. “to be like chalk and cheese” – być jak ogień i woda
You are like chalk and cheese, how can you understand each other?
29. “to be like water off a duck’s back” – spływać (po kimś) jak woda po kaczce
He told her she was impolite, but it was like water off a duck’s back.
30. “to be over the moon” – szaleć ze szczęścia
When he finally came home, his children were over the moon.
31. “to be as ugly as sin”– być brzydkim jak noc
Joan is a real beauty, but her sister is as ugly as sin.
32. “to be a pain in the neck” – być nie do zniesienia
Kate is always causing trouble. She’s a real pain in the neck!
33. “the straw that breaks the camel’s back” – kropla, która przepełnia czarę
What you said was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
34. “a pack of lies”– stek kłamstw
All you’re saying is a pack of lies!
35. “in a nutshell” – w pigułce
We have little time, so I’ll put it in a nutshell…
36. keep sth unde rone's hat - trzymać coś w tajemnicy -
They tried to keep it under their hat but it soon became obvious that she is pregnant.
37. the other side of the coin - druga strona medalu
Fame has the other side of the coin as well.
38. make up one's mind - postanowić, zdecydować się
He finally made up his mind!
39. change a fly into an elephant - robić z igły widły
Gee! She doesn't have an evening dress?! It's just friends' party - why does she have to change a fly into an elephant!
40. easier said than done - łatwiej powiedzieć, niż zrobić
I know it's easier said than done but in my opinion you should challenge it.
41. on thin ice - na niepewnym gruncie
His rude answer put him on thin ice in the company.
42. hit the nail on the head - trafić w sedno
Right! Nothing to add! You've just hit the nail on the head!
43. it goes without saying - to oczywiste, nie ma dwóch zdań
Oh, Amy you should marry him! It goes without saying.
44. leave no stone unturned - poruszyć niebo i ziemię, zastosować wszystkie środki
I may need to leave no stone unturned but I will find this book!
45. put in jeopardy - narazić na niebezpieczeństwo
As the Ambassador didn't want to put the staff in jeopardy, they were all dismissed and sent home.
46. cry for the moon - chcieć gwiazdki z nieba
Oh, come on! Be realistic! It's like crying for the moon! We cannot afford it.
47. at all costs - za wszelką cenę
We must win at all costs.
48. the naked eye – gołym okiem
Bacteria are too small to be seen with the naked eye.