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American idioms
Bite the dust (to) = to fall ( on the ground, looking as if one is eating dust), to fail, to die.
Ex: As I was riding my bike, I lost my balance and bit the dust = As I was riding my bike, I lost my balance and fell.
Blind leading the blind( the) = said of situation where an inexperienced or incapable person is being instructed by someone equally inexperienced or incapable .
Ex: Jim is teaching Tom how to play tennis? That's a real case of the blind leading the blind .
= Jim is teaching Tom how to play tennis? That's a real case of an inexperienced person being taught by someone equally inexperienced.
Brush with the death ( to have a) = to have a near- death experience
Ex : I hear you almost got hit by the bus yesterday! You really had a brush with death
= I hear you almost got hit by the bus yesterday! You really had a near death- experience.
Don't hold your breath = don't anticipate that happening
Ex : I know she said she'd remember to take you to the airport, but don't hold your breath. She forgot everything!
= I know she said she'd remember to take you to the airport,but don't anticipate that happening. She forgot everything
Easy does it! = be careful and go slowly, calm down
Ex: Let's lift this couch on the count of three. But easy does it! I know you have a weak back
= Let's lift this couch on the count of three. But be careful ! know you have a weak back.
Feet wet( to get one's) = to try a new experience for the first time
Ex: I've never played goft before. I'm just getting my feet wet
= I've never played goft before. I'm just experiencing it for the first time.
Get the hang of something(to)= to learn how to do something
Ex: When I first went skiing, I kept falling down. But after a few hours, I started to get the hang of it!
= When I first went skiing, I kept falling down. But after a few hours, I started to learn how to ski better!
Get up enough nerve to do something ( to) = to summon the courage to do something
Ex: I couldn't get up enough nerve to tell him he was fired
= I couldn't summon enough courage to tell him he was fired
Hold one's own (to) = to be very capable at something ( without any assistance )
Ex: Lam holds his own as an airplane pilot. = Lam is very capable as an airplane pilot.
Second wind( to get one's)= to get a second burst energy
Ex: During the race, I started getting tired after about five minutes. Then all of a sudden, I got my second wind and won the race.
= During the race, I started getting tired after about five minutes. Then all of a sudden, I got a second burst energy and won the race.