In today’s lesson we are going to talk about the Idioms. So, the first question is “What are Idioms?”

Idioms are those strange phrases that had been said once sometime in the past and we have been using it since then as it makes our conversation different, catchy and sometime, witty. They always have the meanings that cannot be predicted from the usual meanings of its constituent words. The meaning is usually derived from the way of its uses.

So as the world has seven interesting things to see, know as “The seven wonder of the world”, here we present seven very interesting idioms that will make you use them very frequently, if the chance comes.

1) Fall off the back of a lorry :-

This is a very humorous way of saying someone must have got something not by earning, but by stealing. You are not the real owner of that item.

Example: Although, I don’t know where you get this item from, but as you are in too much hurry to sell it out, I doubt it must have been fallen off the back of a lorry.

Example: Not everyone is as lucky as you are to get such an expensive ring fallen off the back of a lorry. But beware, if you do not do away with this habit of yours immediately, you may land into a big trouble very soon.

2) Do a runner :-

If you do a runner, you’ve got to leave a place in haste so that you may avoid paying for something or some bill. To run away from a difficult situation to avoid the forthcoming punishment if you’re caught.

Example: The only thing that you can do to escape the angry audience is to do a runner. We can’t calm them down anymore.

Example: We were stuck in a big trouble because of your carelessness, had we not done a runner at the right moment, our families could haven seen only dead bodies.

3) Born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth :-

If you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, you are in a very rich and wealthy family. It also means to have the opportunities that you did not earn yourself but that you have them because of your high financial status of the family.

Example: Star-kids, most of the times, don’t care much about their studies and jobs. They know that they were born with a silver spoon in their mouth.

Example: Ashish was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He struggled a lot in his life and whatever he owns now are from his sweat and blood.

4) All talk and no trousers :-

It refers to someone who talks a lot about doing big things or talks about accomplishing their dreams, but in reality, he does nothing to achieve them.

Example: I think you should think twice before lending him money for his business. The chances of him returning you the money are very less. He is all talk but no trousers.

Example: The time of election has come again. But don’t get fooled by any politicians. They all are the same. They are all mouth and no trousers.

5) More holes than a Swiss cheese :-

Have you seen a Swiss cheese? It is delicious but at the same time, it has many holes. Though the holes are the important part in the making of the cheese, in the rest of the context, if something has more holes than a Swiss cheese, it has a lot of problems or shortfalls. It demands for some more action to make it suitable for the desired requirement.

Example: I can’t proceed the file of your promotion based on this project. This project has more holes in it than a Swiss cheese.

Example: How can you even think that your article would qualify to be published in the very first edition of our magazine? It has more holes in it than in a Swiss cheese.

6) When pigs fly :-

Can pigs really fly? Well, no they can never. So this is a sarcastic idiom that means that whatever you think or plan is never going to happen. The dream is more likely to remain a dream forever.

Example: So you don’t even know how to sing even and think you will do a concert more expensive than than of Justine Bieber’s concert in Mumbai? Yea, right. It will happen the day pigs fly.

Example: I can’t lend you any money because I know your plans will work only on the day the pigs fly. So you’d better approach someone else for your help.

7) The ball is in your court :-

Suppose you are playing Tennis and the ball has bounced in your court, so it’s now your turn to hit the ball. The others will have to wait until you hit the ball. So, the ball is in your court means it is you who needs to react or answer to make any progress in the ongoing action or work.

Example: We have decided to settle down every matter from our end. Now the ball is in their court. If they want an out-of-court settlement, it would be very comforting for us.

Example: This is the moment I had been been waiting for long. Now the ball is in my court. I can turn the game whichever way I want to.