Read Webster's New World American Idioms Handbook Online
Authors: Gail Brenner
Webster's New World American Idioms Handbook (67 page)
Caution! Differences to Watch Out For
Heads up! Attention! Here are some idioms that could cause embarrassment or at least confusion and odd looks if you aren’t aware of the differences in meaning. In some cases, the British expression is considered vulgar or impolite in American English. In other cases, a crude or impolite British expression may have a perfectly acceptable and common usage in American English. In some cases, the same words have opposite meanings, like the word
bomb
, or they may have slightly different usage, like the word
fetch.
Same Meaning, Different Words
| American Idiom and Example | American and British Common Meaning | British Idiom |
| do it ♦The threat of AIDS has made people more cautious about doing it casually. | to have sex Note: In American English on the job is only used to mean while at work or working diligently. | on the job |
| give someone a call ♦I’ll give you a call tonight. | to telephone Note: In American English tinkle is a child’s word for urinate, as in “Mommy, I have to tinkle .” | give someone a tinkle |
| get it on ♦Movies show everything today, even people getting it on . | to have sex Note: In American English have it off means to have a day off from work, as in “Monday is a holiday; we have it off.” | have it off |
| horny ♦It’s one of those movies about a bunch of horny college guys at a party. | to be sexually excited or easily aroused Note: In American English Randy is only used as a man’s name. | randy |
| keep your chin up ♦Don’t get discouraged about it. Keep your chin up . | don’t get discouraged; keep hopeful Note: In American English pecker is slang for penis. | keep your pecker up |
| pouring down rain ♦It’s been pouring down rain all day. | raining very hard Note: In American English pissing is crude slang for urinating. | pissing down with rain |
| a screw up ♦Because of a screw up , the project went badly. | a mix-up, a big mistake Note: In American English cock is slang for penis. | a cock up |
| a smoke ♦Hey, can you give me a smoke? | slang for cigarette Note: In American English fag is a derogatory slang for homosexual. [See fag in the next section.] | a fag |
| tired out or tuckered out ♦The kids were really tuckered out after Little League practice. | exhausted, very tired | fagged out |
Same Idiom, Different Meaning
| American English Meaning | Idiom | British English Meaning |
| a failure, as a movie, a play or a plan ♦ The play was a bomb and got very poor reviews. Note: A modern slang expression in American English, “You’re the bomb,” means “You’re the best!” | a bomb | a success |
| derogatory slang for a gay man, homosexual ♦Many gay men have been harassed and called fag . | fag | cigarette |
| a command, usually to a dog, to go get something ♦I’ve trained the dog to fetch the newspaper for me. | fetch | a request to a person to go get something |
| an attractive and sexy man or woman ♦I met a great guy last week. He’s smart, interesting . . . and a hottie! | hottie | a hot water bottle |
| crude slang meaning to get someone pregnant unintentionally or carelessly ♦He married his high-school girlfriend at 17 because he knocked her up . | knock someone up | come to get or pick up someone |
| a condom ♦Using rubbers has helped decrease the incidence of AIDS. | rubber | an eraser |
| crude but often acceptable slang for angry, annoyed. Often said as pissed off . ♦I was really pissed when I saw the mess those kids made in the house. | pissed | drunk |
INDEX
10 (a)
12-step
15 minutes of fame
20/20
20-something
24-7 or 24/7
30-something
40-hour week
50-50
9 to 5 (nine to five)
90th percentile
AA (Alcoholics Anonymous)
above board
absolutely
ace the test
act of kindness
act one’s age
act right
action film
active voice, with phrasal verbs
add on
add up to
adventure film
afraid not
against all odds
age gracefully
air kiss
air out
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
alky
all at once
all decked out
all ears
all in
all in one go, British
all over the place
all over town
all right (awright)
all thumbs
allow for
Am I making myself clear?
American Dream
American English, idiom’s development
American versus British idioms
amount to something
an angel of mercy
an Einstein
an ethnic/racial/sexist joke
an eye for an eye
an honest Joe
an inside joke
an item
an old hand at
an old married couple
an open book
And your point is?
Angel
anytime
apple of your eye
Are you with me?
arm
arm candy
arm in arm
arm’s length
art lovers
as cool as a cucumber
as happy as a clam/lark
as luck would have it
as mad as hell
as old as the hills
as plain as the nose on one’s face
as pleased as punch
ask for
ask for a handout
ask for one’s hand (in marriage)
ask for someone’s hand
ask in
ask out
at breakneck speed
at death’s door
at first
at home
at one’s fingertips
at school
at sixes and sevens
at the eleventh hour
at the end of one’s patience
at the head of the class
at university, British
ATM
atta girl/boy
autumn of one’s life
avoid junk food
away
awesome
awkward age
Babe
babe in arms
Baby
Baby Boomers
baby fat
baby of the family
back
back off
back on one’s feet
back someone up
back to back
back to square one
back up
backbone
backstage
backup lights
bad hair day
bad luck
balanced meal
bambino
bang to rights, British
bank note, British
banquet
bar hopping
bar none
bare-faced lie
bathroom/restroom
be (right) under one’s nose
be a big/light/picky eater
be a one-off event, British
be ageless
be all ears
be as good as one’s word
be attracted to
be away
be back on one’s feet
be dead set on
be down on one’s luck
be eaten up with jealousy
be edgy
be fired
be fit
be full up, British
be given the ax/boot
be gutless
be gutsy
be had
be hard up
be head over heels in love
be hung up on
be in
be in good hands
be in luck
be in shape
be in someone’s hair
be in someone’s shoes
be interested (in)
be jittery
be kicked to the curb
be let go
be neck-and-neck
be on a diet
be on edge
be on one’s own
be on the safe side
be one one’s feet
be out in a second
be out like a light
be out of hand
be out of luck
be out of work
be out (asleep) the minute one’s head hits the pillow
be positive
be quiet
be ripped off
be someone’s right arm
be stuffed
be taken
be the one
be the spitting image of someone
be true to their word
be up to one’s neck (in something)
be without
be working
be/get canned/sacked
be/keep quiet about it
bean pole
bear with
beats me
bed head
bedridden
been snowed
beer belly
beginner’s luck
behave yourself
behind one’s back
behind someone’s back
behind the eight ball
being full
being in dreamland
being in love
being out of a job
believe it or not
bend someone’s ear
bend the truth
beside oneself
better be going
better half
better luck next time
better safe than sorry
big daddy
big eater
big five-oh
big four-oh
big spender
bill
biological parent
bitchy
bite one’s nails
bite the dust
bite to eat
black
black and blue
black and white
black eye
black gold
black hole
black mark
black mood
black sheep
blast off
Blaxploitation
blended family
blind date
blood
blood brother
blow a fuse
blow it
blow money
blow one’s top/stack
blow over
blue
blue hairs
blue-collar
blue-collar workers
blues
Bollywood
bomb
bomb the test
bombshell
Bon Appetit
bonehead
boo him/her off the stage
booking a ticket
bookstall, British
booze
boozer
born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth
borrow money
bosom buddy
bought the farm
bouncer
bouncing baby boy/girl
box office
box office hit/success
boy meets girl
boyfriend
brain
brainstorm
bravo
bread
breadwinner
break bread
break down
break in/into
break in/out
break it off
break one’s back
break one’s neck
break one’s (marriage) vows
break through
break up
breaking up
breakneck speed
breathe down someone’s neck
breathed one’s last
brew
bring around
bring down
bring ‘em on!
bring him/her on!
bring home the bacon
bring it on!
bring on
bring out (the food)
British versus American idioms
broke
broken heart
brokenhearted
brown-bag it
brownie points
brown-nose
bucks
buddy/pal
bum a cigarette
bummed (out)
bumped
bumper-to-bumper traffic
bundle of joy
bundle of nerves
burn out
burn the candle at both ends
burn the midnight oil
burned up
burning a hole in your pocket
burning the midnight oil
burning up
burst into tears
burst out laughing
bushed
business is booming
bust a gut
bust up
busy signal
but
butt
butt in/out
butt of jokes
butterflies in one’s stomach
butterfly kiss
bye
bye-bye
call for
call it a night
call it quits
call me up
call off
call on
call out
call someone up
called up
calm down
came down with
came up just short
can (toilet)
can do without
can/could I trouble you to
canned laughter
can’t stop laughing
Capeesh?
cards stacked against one
care for
carry on
carry the weight of the world on one’s shoulders
carry-on
case of the nerves
cash dispenser, British
cash point, British
cat/dog lovers
catch
catch a cold
catch one’s eye
catch red-handed
catch someone red-handed
catch up
caught short
c’est la vie
chain smoker
character
cheap
cheat
cheat behind someone’s back
cheat on
cheat out of
check in
check in/out
check out
check something off (a list)
cheer up
Cheer up!
chick-flick
child of the ’60s/’70s/’80s
child of the Depression
child of the twenty-first century
chill
chill (out)
chill pill
chip on his shoulder
chow
chow down
chow time
chronic condition
chronic illness
clam up
clan
clapping
classic couple
clean and sober
clean it off
clean out
clean up
cleaned from top to bottom
cleaning lady
clear off/away
clear (off) the table
climb on/off
climb over
cloakroom, British
close up
close/shut down
closed book
closed down
close-knit family
closest to home
clothes hound
clotheshorse
club/pub crawling
cock up, British
cock-and-bull story
cocktail
cocktail lounges
cocktail party
codger
cold
cold and flu season
cold feet
cold-hearted
college age
college dropout
colloquialism, defined
color
colorful
come, go versus
Come again?
come around
come back
come clean
come down on
come down to
come down with
come eat
come for
come hell or high water
come on
come out
come out with
come over
come round, British
come through
come to
come to anything
come to nothing
come under
come unglued
come up
come up in the world
come up short
come up to
come up with
come what may
come with
comedy
comes along
comes down
comes to a standstill
comes up with
coming-of-age story
common cold
consumed with guilt
cooked up
cool as a cucumber
cool-headed
cop
cost a fortune
cost a pretty penny
cost an arm and a leg
cost of living
couch potato
could be
could do without
could I ask you to
could use a hand
could/can I trouble you to
couldn’t sleep a wink
couldn’t/could care less
count for nothing
count me in
count sheep
couple
couples
cover charge
cover someone
crack a joke
crack of dawn
crack the books
crack up
crack you up
cram session
cranky
crash and burn
crash/crash out
crawl/climb into bed
crazy about/for
creep along
cross one’s fingers
crushed
cry like a baby
cry one’s eyes out
curtain call
curtain time
cut
cut class/school
cut down
cut in
cut in line
cut it out
cut off one’s nose to spite one’s face
cut someone off
cut the apron strings/umbilical cord
cut up
daddy’s girl
daily grind
Darling
date someone
dating
day job
day shift
dead drunk
dead to the world
dead-end job
deal with
decked out
declining years
deejay
definitely
desk job
Did you get that?
didn’t make it
die laughing
dieting
different from
different to, British
dig in
dig someone
dilly-dally
dine out
dirty deal
dirty joke
dirty money
disaster zone
disco
dishwashing detergent
dispense with
ditch
ditch class/school
dive in
do a good deed
do a number
do a performance
do a presentation
do a speech
do away with
do chores
do exercise
do for others
do housework
do it
do laundry
do not care for
do nothing
do okay
do one’s best
do one’s hair/make-up/nails/teeth
do over
do poorly
do something behind someone’s back
do something when one’s back is turned
do the cleaning up
do the dishes
do the dusting
do the floors
do the laundry
do the lawn
do the vacuuming
do time
do well
do with
do without
Do you get it?
Do you get my drift?
Do you get the picture?
do you mind
