Idioms and phrases used in English language
Meaning: to behave in an ungrateful way with the person who one is dependent on
Examples:
(a) Sheela was angry with her boss, but she decided not to bite the hand that feeds her.
(b) John's not going to help Raman because Raman bites the hand that feeds him.
2. Keep a firm hand with someone or something
Meaning: to control someone or something firmly
Examples:
(a) Our principal keeps a firm hand on everything that goes on in the department.
(b) John keeps a firm hand on his wife at home.
3. Give someone a hand
Meaning: to help someone in doing something
Examples:
(a) John, could you please give me a hand with my homework?
(b) Raman gave Sheela a hand with her entrance preparation.
4. Get out of hand
Meaning: to get out of someone's control
Examples:
(a) If you're always lenient with your children, they get a little bit out of your hand.
(b) Some college going students get out of their parents' hand.
5. Hand in glove
Meaning: to have a very close relationship with someone in doing something against someone else
Examples:
(a) John, our classmate, was hand in glove with the teachers when all the students were protesting against them.
(b) Raman was arrested because he was hand in glove with the enemies.
6. Promise someone the moon
Meaning: to make a promise that can't be fulfilled
Examples:
(a) Network marketers fool their trainees by promising them the moon.
(b) I don't promise you the moon, but I'll certainly buy you a car this month.
7. Shoot from the hip
Meaning: to react or say something without thinking about it carefully
Examples:
(a) John has a habit of shooting from the hip, so don't take his words personally.
(b) Raman has got into trouble many times because of his shooting from the hip.
8. Get one's feet wet
Meaning: to start doing some new job or experiencing some new situation in a slow way to be familiar with it
Examples:
(a) John will get his feet wet at his new job if he works properly.
(b) Guest teachers get their feet wet by teaching the freshers.
9. Stand on one's two feet
Meaning: to be independent or to be able to provide all the things one needs for living without help from someone else
Examples:
(a) John will definitely stand on his own two feet once he gets a job.
(b) Raman needs to get a job to stand on his own two feet.
10. Drag one's feet
Meaning: to postpone or put off doing something intentionally
Examples:
(a) The country is dragging its feet concerning a single citizenship.
(b) The government is dragging its feet over the women empowerment act.
11. Put one's foot in the mouth
Meaning: to say or do something embarrassing or annoying
Examples:
(a) John put his foot in his mouth when he called his wife by his ex-girlfriend's name.
(b) Sheela put her foot in her mouth by calling her new husband by the name of the first.
12. Put one's foot down
Meaning: to use one's authority or power in order to stop something from happening
Examples:
(a) John is a person who will continue to use your clothes if you don't put your foot down.
(b) The students begged the principal to reconsider his decision, but he put his foot down.
13. Find one's feet
Meaning: to get used to a new situation or place and to deal with it confidently
Examples:
(a) After spending one whole month in the new country, I found my feet.
(b) John found his feet in the university after staying 2-3 months.
14. Get cold feet
Meaning: to be frightened to do something or feel nervousness to this extent that one tries to avoid doing it
Examples:
(a) John took part in the karate tournament 11, but he got cold feet.
(b) John's wedding is tomorrow, and he's getting cold feet now.
15. Jump in with one's both feet
Meaning: to start something enthusiastically and quickly without thinking about it first
Examples:
(a) John jumps in with both feet even before he knows the matter.
(b) Don't just jump in with both feet before you know well the girl you're going to marry.
16. Vote with one's feet
Meaning: to show disapproval by walking out, leaving the place or leaving the organisation
Examples:
(a) John's comment was so bad that everyone voted with their feet and left him alone where he was standing.
(b) Many citizens voted with their feet and left the country.
17. Get in someone's hair
Meaning: to make someone angry
Examples:
(a) Take your children away from me. They are just getting in my hair.
(b) John, stop talking nonsense! You're getting in my hair.
18. Make someone's mouth water
Meaning: to make someone want or long for something (food or dish)
Examples:
(a) The dish you've prepared today just makes my mouth water.
(b) This beautiful salad, which consists of tomatoes, cucumbers, and carrots, makes my mouth water.
19. Put one's money where one's mouth is
Meaning: to spend money to improve a bad situation or to take action to support what one says or opines.
Examples:
(a) We want the government to put its money where its mouth is so that it can prove its commitment.
(b) The mayor needs to put his money where his mouth is and increase funding for our schools.
20. Take the words right out of someone's mouth
Meaning: to say exactly what someone else was about to say or thinking about
Examples:
(a) Well, I was about to provide the same answer, but you took the words right out of my mouth.
(b) John, I was just going to say what you said, but you took the words right out of my mouth.
Exercise 1
Use the following idioms and phrases in your own sentences.
1. Get cold feet
2. Find one's feet
3. Put one's foot down
4. Put one's foot in the mouth
5. Drag one's feet
Exercise 2
Give the meanings of the below given idioms and phrases.
1. Vote with one's feet
2. Get in someone's hair
3. Make one's mouth water
4. Take the words right out of someone's mouth
5. Stand on one's two feet
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