An idiom is a group of words that doesn’t mean what it seems to mean. Like “up in the air” doesn’t have anything to do with altitude; it refers to being undecided. Different languages have different idioms, so familiarity with the idioms for the language you’re reading/speaking is important to comprehension. And frankly, idioms are a lot of fun. Let’s spend some time this summer learning idioms!
Action-related
Hang in there – Sometimes, things are so complicated or so bad or so worrisome that you feel like you just can’t take one more minute of it. When someone tells you to hang in there, they’re encouraging you to dig deeper and keep going.
Skating on thin ice – Picture it. You’ve made your way to the middle of a frozen lake. You’re having fun and not paying a lot of attention. If you had been, you’d have noticed that the ice has been growing thinner. Now, you’re skating on thin ice, meaning you’ve landed yourself in a precarious situation.
Pull someone’s leg – You’re not touching anyone. You’re not literally pulling someone’s leg. What you’re doing is teasing with them. You’re telling them something you made up. It’s not like you’re fibbing about something important, though. You pull someone’s leg when you people are joking around.
Hit the nail on the head – You can get a nail in position to be driven into a board, but untili you hit the nail on the head, you’re not making much progress. When you do finaly hit the nail on the head, you’re 100% correct.
Break the ice – No, you’re not making ice cubes. You’re not clearing the path after a sleet storm. You’re helping people to feel comfortable by breaking the ice so that they are less tense and feel more comfortable.
Hit the hay – A long time ago, most homes had horses and hay to feed them. If you hit the hay, it meant you cuddled up in a hay stack and took a nap. Today, it still means to get to bed.
So …
Idioms are a funny and useful part of a language. When you say, you’re skating on thin ice, it means you’ve realized you’re pas the point where you feel safe. When your friend says it’s time to hit the hay, they mean the day is over for them, and they’re heading for bed.
Bottom Line
Read our series about idioms this summer! Try to spot some idioms of your own each day. Put them in the comments, and we’ll be sure to write about them. While you’re at it, check out the Amelia Bedelia series by Peggy Parish to see the trouble idioms caused her!