Webster's New World American Idioms Handbook (36 page)
Read Webster's New World American Idioms Handbook Online
Authors: Gail Brenner
give someone the shirt off one’s back
to do anything to help, be very generous ♦
She’s my best friend.
I’d
give her the shirt off my back
if she needed it.
♦
He just a real generous guy. He
’
d
give you the shirt off his back.
I’ve Got Your Back
When people say
I’ve got your back,
they mean, “I’m watching out for you and your interests.” It alludes to protecting someone’s back during a physical confrontation. It can still have this literal meaning, but today it’s more commonly used metaphorically.
Here are some examples:
- My big brother always told me, “Don’t worry about anything,
I’ve got your back.” - We watch each other’s backs
at the office; if one of us comes in late, the others cover for him.
pat someone on the back
to acknowledge someone’s good work; to congratulate or to encourage someone. Refers to literally patting someone on the shoulder or back to say “Good job.” Also said as
give someone a pat on the back.
♦
You really deserve
a pat on the back
for the way you handled that contract.
♦
They
gave us all a pat on the back
for increasing sales by 20 percent, but none of us got a raise or bonus.
Note:
Sometimes said sarcastically, when one believes that one should receive more than just a thank you and a pat.
Behind One’s Back
While the back provides support, it can also be something to hide behind. You can’t see what’s going on behind you. So, if people want to deceive you, they’ll do so
behind your back.
The following expressions refer to deception:
do something behind someone’s back
to act secretly or deceptively, often in violation of someone else’s expectations, wishes, or authority. This idiom implies betrayal. ♦
He was seeing other women
behind her back. ♦
I told my son not to get a body piercing, but he
went
behind my back
and did it anyway.
do something when one’s back is turned
to do something secretly when one isn’t paying attention, isn’t looking. This expression is not as strong as the preceding expression, and is sometimes used to refer to positive secrets or surprises. ♦
The girls grabbed a handful of cookies
when their mom’s back was turned. ♦ While my back was turned,
he planned the whole surprise party for me
.
stab someone in the back
to betray someone’s trust. Alludes to the most cowardly kind of attack, literally, stabbing someone in the back. ♦
Don’t become too friendly with Ted. He’ll
stab you in the back if you don’t watch him. ♦
I can’t believe
he stabbed me in the back
after I trusted him.
Note:
A
back stabber
is a person who stabs someone in the back: “What a
back stabber!
She offered to help with my project, and then sold the idea as her own.”
A Few More Unpleasant Things
have one’s back to (
or
against) the wall
to be trapped in a hard-pressed situation with no way to escape. Alludes to being forced back until one has reached the wall and has no escape. ♦
Okay, you win. I cannot argue any longer,
my back’s to the wall. ♦
Our troop tried to retreat, but there was nowhere to go.
Our backs were up against the wall.
get one’s (
or
someone’s) back up
to become upset or angry; to make someone angry. Alludes to a frightened or angry cat with its back arched. ♦
Don’t
get your back up
about it. It’s not a big deal.
♦
When you criticized his brother, you really
got his back up.
get off my back!
means “Leave me alone!” “Stop nagging me!” ♦
I wish my parents would
get off my back
about my room. I like it messy.
♦
Okay,
get off my back
about it! Nagging me to quit smoking won’t make me stop.
break one’s back
to work very hard; to put out much effort to accomplish something ♦
We’ve been
breaking our backs
trying to put our three kids through college.
♦
This project is going to
break my back.
I’m already exhausted, and I’m nowhere near the end
.
Note:
Back-breaking
is the adjective: “Harvesting the fields is
back-breaking
work. I want to find another job.”
A Few Other Back Idioms
back to back
1.
with backs touching ♦
Stand
back to back
so we can see who is taller.
♦
We put the bookshelves
back to back
and created two small office spaces
.
2.
things happening one right after another, in very close succession ♦
We had three weeks of rain
, back to back. ♦
They played Beatles songs
back to back
all afternoon on KUSP.
with one hand tied behind one’s back
very easily, seemingly effortlessly. Refers to doing a job with only one hand that normally requires two. ♦
I’ve been doing the same job for so long that I could do it
with one hand tied behind my back. ♦
Felix says that he’s built so many clocks, he could probably do it
with one hand tied behind his back.
Note:
a similar expression is
with one’s eyes closed.
The Stomach
The stomach is the place where digestion happens. If one is sick, or specifically,
sick to one’s stomach,
it’s the stomach that feels bad, upset, or nauseous. A number of expressions with
stomach
allude to digestion and how the stomach feels. They often mean to tolerate or not tolerate something unpleasant.
stomach something
to tolerate something unpleasant or unacceptable, often used in the negative ♦
He couldn’t
stomach the filthy conditions
in some of the field hospitals.
♦
I don’t know how you
stomach that person;
he’s dishonest and rude to everyone.
have a strong stomach
to have a high tolerance for something distasteful ♦
You need
to have a strong stomach
to watch all the violence on the news.
♦
Only those of us with
strong stomachs
were able to dissect frogs in biology class.
have no stomach for (
or
have a weak stomach)
to have low tolerance for something distasteful ♦
He wanted to be a surgeon, but he
had no stomach for
blood.
♦
I
have a weak stomach for
such violent movies.
turn one’s stomach
to make someone feel nauseated or disgusted ♦
It
turns my stomach
to think of how cruelly some animals are treated.
♦
I’m disgusted by the constant talk of war to solve every world problem. It just
turns my stomach.
have butterflies in one’s stomach
to be nervous or anxious about something ♦
The first day in front of a class, new teachers always
have butterflies in their stomachs. ♦
Before I went on stage, I
had butterflies in my stomach.
[See
one’s eyes are bigger than one’s stomach
earlier in this chapter.]
The Guts
Guts are literally a person’s entrails and stomach, the center of the body. The gut is often a metaphor for one’s innermost feelings or intuition. The following expressions allude to this idea:
gut reaction
have a gut feeling
feel something in one’s gut
These idioms all mean to know something by instinct or feeling. Here are some examples:
- I knew right away that she’d be perfect for the job. It was just a
gut reaction. - We can’t just rely on
gut feelings;
we also have to do some research to find evidence to prove we’re right. - Somehow I just know that he was hiding some serious problems. I just
felt it in my gut.
Guts are also a metaphor for courage. The following idioms allude to this:
have the guts
to have the courage to do something; to not be afraid to do something ♦
I didn’t think she’d
have the guts
to go skydiving and jump from an airplane, but she did.
♦
If you don’t
have the guts
to confront him and tell him he’s wrong, then I will. I’m not afraid of him.
be gutsy
to be courageous and daring, unafraid ♦
It
was
very
gutsy
to just walk right into the president’s office and give her your opinion. And she listened, too!
♦
My grandmother
was
so
gutsy.
She went bungee jumping at the age of 75!
be gutless
to be afraid, cowardly, without courage ♦
It
was gutless
of me to hide the truth about what happened, and I’m sorry.
♦
Don’t
be gutless.
You’ll never get a date if you’re afraid to talk to girls
.
Note:
Spineless
means the same thing.
Here is one other idiom with
gut:
hate someone’s guts
to loathe or detest someone; also said as an exaggeration or in jealousy over someone’s good fortune ♦
Mommy, that girl was so mean to me. I
hate her guts! ♦ What
?! You got on the team and I didn’t? Man, I
hate your guts!
Idioms with
Arms, Hands,
and
Fingers
In this section, you’ll find expressions that relate to the arms, hands, and fingers, including the thumbs. Almost all of the following expressions allude to the function and capabilities of these body parts, or the disadvantage of having any of these parts restrained.
The Arms
Arms are good for reaching or keeping things at a distance, and also for holding and hugging. The following few expressions with
arm
allude to these uses of the arms.
The Length of an Arm
Keeping someone
at arm’s length
means keeping him or her at an emotional or social distance to avoid intimacy or interaction. One might also keep people at arm’s length to avoid appearing to favor one person over another. Here are some examples:
- The boss keeps everyone
at arm’s length.
It’s hard to get close to the guy. - I like him, but he’s a married man, so I’m keeping him
at arm’s length.
Even longer than arm’s length is
the long arm of the law.
This expression refers to the ability of the police and other law enforcement agencies to capture criminals, no matter how far they run or where they hide. The following are some examples:
- The long arm of the law
finally caught up with him in Argentina. - He escaped from jail, but
the long arm of the law
will get him eventually.
Just the Right Arm
These expressions refer to the right arm as the essential arm, because most people are right-handed (they write, eat, and have more control with their right hand):
be someone’s right arm
be someone’s main supporter or helper, especially during difficulties. ♦
My assistant
has become my right arm.
I couldn’t function without him.
♦
Since I have a disability and use a wheelchair, my guide dog
is really my right arm.
give one’s right arm
to sacrifice something of value to alter a situation or to achieve something; typically said when something is unattainable ♦
He’d
give his right arm
for a chance to play in that band.
♦
I’d
give my right arm
to see her again, but she died last summer.
A Few Other Arm Idioms
arm in arm
(adj, adv)
literally to walk with arms joined; also to be supportive of one another; often said as
walk arm in arm
♦
It’s nice to see the old folks walking
arm in arm
through the park.
♦
My parents went through life
arm and arm;
they were
always there for each other.
twist someone’s arm
(v)
to try very hard to convince or persuade someone; to talk someone into something. ♦
We see you’re busy, but we’d like you to join us for dinner. Can we
twist your arm? ♦ I
didn’t have to
twist his arm
very hard to convince him that we should take a vacation.
with open arms
with warmth and welcome, in a very friendly way; gratefully embracing an idea or plan. Literally, to open one’s arms to welcome and hug someone. ♦
We met her at the airport
with open arms. ♦
The decision to reduce class size was
greeted
with open arms
by everyone involved with the school.
Note:
To
greet
and
to meet
are the verbs most often placed in front of
with open arms.
