執筆者 Modern English | 2014年09月10日 | Idioms
“I know the test is next week. You don’t have to harp on about it.” If someone keeps talking about a subject you don’t want to hear about, you can say they are “harping on”. Perhaps the talk is unnecessary, reminding you of something you haven’t forgotten, or perhaps...
執筆者 Modern English | 2014年09月03日 | Idioms
“Stop your yakking. I’m trying to watch this TV show.” “I wanted to have a nice quiet dinner, but he just kept going yak yak yak.” “I don’t have a clue what he’s yakking on about on the phone.” “Yak yak yak” is the sound of long, annoying speech. It can also be a...
執筆者 Modern English | 2014年08月27日 | Idioms
“I sold my first story!” “Wow, you’re really starting to go places!” “Going places” means succeeding and getting noticed. If you are an actor, you might go “places” such as Broadway or Hollywood. If you play classical music, the “place” you’ll most want to go might be...
執筆者 Modern English | 2014年08月20日 | Idioms
“You’d better start cleaning your room now. I want it spick and span by the time Grandma gets here!” “Spick and span” means very clean. Originally it may have meant “brand new” but now anything can be spick and span, so long as there is not a speck of visible dirt on...
執筆者 Modern English | 2014年08月06日 | Idioms
“Look at this place! Children making mud pies in the kitchen, dogs running through the hall, loud music playing in the living room and the adults are starting a fire in the yard. It’s a madhouse!” A madhouse is actually an insane asylum, but we sometimes use it to...
執筆者 Modern English | 2014年07月30日 | Idioms
“Here come the police!” “Oh no! We’re in hot water now!” “I’ll be in hot water with my boss if I don’t finish this report today.” “Hot water” means “trouble”. If you are in boiling hot water, you are in trouble, aren’t you? Imagine you have been captured by cannibals,...
