Saturday, May 17, 2014

Learn English Idioms ( List 'H' )

hale and hearty
in a good health.
In spite of her old age, she looks hale and hearty. 


handle someone with kid gloves
to be very careful and polite to a person because you don't want to hurt him or her, or you don't want to to make him or her angry or upset.
He has become so sensitive after his divorce. You need to handle him with kid gloves.  



have a card up your sleeve
to have a secret plan
She still has got something up her sleeve, and it should solve all her problems. 



have a cow
(also have kittens) to be very worried, upset or angry about something
My father had a cow when I stayed out late yesterday. 



have a leg up on somebody
to have an advantage over someone.
She probably has a leg up on the other students because she is more studious. 



have an axe to grind
to have a strong opinion about something.
The members of that association have no political axe to grind; they just want to help the street children. 



have big ears
to be nosy and listen to other people's private conversations.
Speak quietly. Nancy has big ears you. 



 have bigger fish to fry
(also have other fish to fry; have more important fish to fry) to have other things to do; to have more important things to do.
I can't answer your question. I have bigger fish to fry. 



have friends in high places
to know powerful people.
Don't worry about the problem. I have friends in high places. 



have kittens
(also have a cow) to be very worried, upset or angry about something.
My father had kittens when I stayed out late yesterday. 



have money to burn
to be very rich and spend a lot of money on unnecessary things.
He seems to have money to burn. He always buys his girlfriend extravagant things 



have one's wires crossed
(also get one's wires crossed) to be confused.
You've really got your wires crossed! You don't know what you are talking about. 



have other fish to fry
(Also have bigger fish to fry; have more important fish to fry)to have other things to do; to have more important things to do.
I can't answer your question. I have other fish to fry. 



have something down to a science
said when you are able to manage doing something very well.
They have the management of the concert down to a science. 



have the hots for someone
To be strongly sexually attracted to someone.
He has the hots for her but he can't tell her. He's so shy. 



have to face the music
accept or face the unpleasant consequences of one's actions.
Leila didn't manage to finish the job on time and had to face the music. 



he that would the daughter win, must with the mother first begin
This is a proverb which means that if you intend to marry a woman, first try to win her mother on your side.
Listen Joe, if you want to marry Nancy, try to impress her mother first and be sure that she is on your side. He that would the daughter win, must with the mother first begin. 



head over heels
completely in love.
They fell head over heels for one another at the very moment they met. 



help a lame dog over a stile
said about someone who helps people who are in difficulty or trouble.
You can trust him. He always helps a lame dog over a stile. 



high man on the totem pole
the most important person in a hierarchy or organization. (Opposite: low man on the totem pole)
I want to meet the hign man on the totem pole. 



highways and byways
major and minor roads.
They spent their holiday exploring the highways and byways of the country 



hit a home run
to be successful.
They hit a home run with their excellent performance in the new play. 



hit the ceiling
to become very angry and start shouting.
He hit the ceiling when he knew the truth. 



hit the nail on the head
said to describe exactly a situation or a problem.
I think you hit the nail on the head when you said that the Smiths lack a sense of cooperation in their family. 



hit the panic button
(also press or push the button)to panic suddenly.
Relax! Don't hit the button it's just the wind. 



hit the road
To begin traveling; to leave a place; to go away.
1. We've got a long way to go. Let's hit the road to make it by sunset.
2. It's time for me to hit the road; it is getting late.



hit the roof
to become angry and start shouting.
The teacher hit the roof when the student was very late again. 



hitch one's wagon to a star
aspire to do something great or aim high, follow a great ambition.
he urged his students to hitch their wagons to a star. 



hold someone accountable (for something)
to consider someone responsible for something.
I hold you accountable for whatever happens to my daughter. 



home away from home
(also home from home) a place where you are at ease as if you were at home.
When I used to visit her, it was really a real home away from home.



home free
to be certain of being successful because you have finished the most difficult part.
Once you hand in the last part of your dissertation, you're home free. 



horse of a different color
(also horse of another color) a different matter.
If you want to invest in the stock market, it's ok. Gambling, however, is a horse of a different color. 



Hot potato
An awkward or delicate problem with which nobody wants to be associated.
Gun control in the United States has always been a hot potato for politicians. 



how come?
used to ask how or why.
So how come you missed the train? 



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View the original article here                
  
See also
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiom
http://www.idiomsite.com  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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