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
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Arabic meaning
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1. Add fuel to the fire
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يصب الزيت على النار
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2. Be all ears
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كلي أذان صاغية
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3. Around the clock
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على مدار الساعة
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4. The ball is in your court
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الكرة في مضربك
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5. Vicious circle / cycle
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الحلقة المفرغة
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6. Be behind bars
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وراء القضبان
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7. Burn the midnight oil
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يسهر الليالي
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8. Calm before the storm
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الهدوء الذي يسبق العاصفة
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9. Carrots and sticks
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العصا و الجزرة
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10. Catch someone red-handed
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يضبطه متلبسا
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11. Tie the knot
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يعقد القران
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12. Blow off steam
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ينفجر غضبا
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13. Give a hand
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يمد يد المساعدة
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14. (have/take) the floor
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يأخذ الكلمة
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15. Now and then
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من حين لاخر
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16. In a nutshell
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بكل اختصار
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17. In dribs and drabs
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شيئا فشيئا/ قليلا قليلا
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18. In the bag
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مضمون
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19. Chase rainbows
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يجري وراء السراب
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20. Lion’s share
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حصة الأسد
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B. match the idioms with their English meaning
Idiom
|
English meaning
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1. Achilles’ heel
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A weak point
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2. keep at arm’s length
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To avoid becoming friendly with someone
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3. the sky is the limit
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There is no upper limit
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4. Bear the brunt
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To withstand the worst part of something
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5. Bet your bottom dollar
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To be quite certain about something
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6. Bone of contention
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The subject/point of disagreement
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7. Bury the hatchet
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Make peace again
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8. By dint of
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As a result or because of…
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9. Keep in touch
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Maintain communication with someone
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10. Cold turkey
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Immediately; without tapering off
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11. Tie the knot
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Get married
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12. Couch potato
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A lazy, TV addict person
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13. On good terms
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Friendly with someone
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14. Free rein
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Have complete freedom to…
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15. Turn a deaf ear
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Ignore what someone says
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16. Green fingers (UK)
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Be good at gardening
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17. With bated breath
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Nervously waiting
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18. Play havoc
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Damage something
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19. Ill at ease
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Worried and uncomfortable
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20. In the bag
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Certain of something
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C. Match the Idioms with their meaning in Darija*
Idiom
|
Darija
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1. Brown nose
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بلحاس / كايتبلحس
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2. Fall off the turnip truck
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عاد نزلو الكار
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3. Take a French leave
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سلت
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4. Here today, gone tomorrow
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الدوام لله
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5. In the same boat
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في الهوا سوا
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6. Jump the gun
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سبق العرس بليلة
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7. Laughing stock
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ضحكة
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8. Never darken my door again
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ضرق عليا كمارتك
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9. In two minds
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حاير: واحد الراس كيقول لي و واحد الراس كيقول لي
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10. A spoke in a wheel
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العصا ف الرويضة
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Darija: Moroccan Arabic
Idiom
|
A
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B
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1. Shed light on =
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Turn on the lights
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Explain to make clear
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2. Split the blanket =
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Divorce
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Tear a blanket
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3. Start from scratch =
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Start from the beginning
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Continue
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4. Have a sweet tooth =
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Like sweet food
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Have a toothache
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5. Down-to-earth =
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Poor
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Realistic
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6. Teacher's pet =
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Favorite student
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Favorite subject
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7. Throw a curve (ball) =
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Surprise with a problem
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Throw a sickle at
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8. Not up to scratch =
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Doesn’t meet the standards
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Not tall
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9. What's cooking? =
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What's for lunch?
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What's going on?
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10. Turn tail =
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Run away
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Go to bed
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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)
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.
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أضغاث لأحلام
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Senseless dreams
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2.
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سلاح ذو حدين
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A double edged sword
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3.
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لا يدخر جهدا
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Spare no effort
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4.
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ضمير حي
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A live conscience
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5.
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على نطاق واسع
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On a large scale
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6.
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كل يغني على ليلاه
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Each marching to the beat of their own drum
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7.
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حجر عثرة
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Stumbling block
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8.
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آن الأوان
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The time has come
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9.
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أبا عن جد
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It’s in the blood
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10.
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اختلط الحابل بالنابل
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It’s a total mess
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A] Fill in the blanks with ; tie the knoth, with bated breath, split the blanket, bone of contention, bury the hatchet, the last straw.
a/ Samir; haven’t you heard the latest news, Souad?
Souad; What’s up?
Samir; Karim and Soufia have finally tied the knoth.
Souad; Oh! That’s great, I know that they have been in love for years, and I know that Soufia has been waiting for that moment with bated breath.
2/ There is a long-running feud between the two families; I wish they would bury the hatchet soon.
3/ Souad; why did the couple split the blanket?
Samir; Because the wife was spendthrift and her unfaithfulness was the last straw.
B] Fill in the blanks with; blow off steam, burn the midnight oil, bone of contention, be on good term with, down-to-earth.
1/ The two companies failed to strike the deal and the bone of contentionwas purely financial.
2/ Do you think that you can learn English in a week? You ‘re just raving; be ……………………….
3/ The father blew of steam as soon as he had heard about his son’s poor grade
4/ The exam is getting closer and closer; I think I should start burning the midnight oil.
