Joy English
Joy English

C2 Vocabulary

C2Idioms25 min

Figurative idioms and fixed expressions

Use twelve vivid figurative expressions, from red herrings to the tip of the iceberg, with the right form and the right occasion.

Idioms add colour and economy to advanced English, but they are fixed: you cannot change a word without losing the effect. Many are metaphors that compress a whole situation into a few words. Learn the grammatical frame of each one (is it a noun phrase, or a verb phrase that needs a pronoun or possessive?) as well as its meaning.

a red herringnoun phrase
a clue or fact that distracts attention from the real issueThe anonymous letter proved to be a red herring.
the elephant in the roomnoun phrase
an obvious, uncomfortable problem that everyone avoids discussingFalling sales were the elephant in the room at the meeting.
grasp the nettleverb phrase
deal boldly with a difficult problem instead of avoiding itWe must grasp the nettle and renegotiate the contract.
a mixed blessingnoun phrase
something with both good and bad effectsFame proved a mixed blessing for the young violinist.
run out of steamverb phrase
lose energy or enthusiasm before finishing somethingThe campaign ran out of steam after the first month.
cut cornersverb phrase
do something in a cheaper or quicker way, usually lowering qualityThe builders cut corners and the roof leaked within a year.
a damp squibnoun phrase
an event that is much less impressive or exciting than people expectedAfter months of publicity, the festival turned out to be a damp squib.
a storm in a teacupnoun phrase
great fuss about something unimportantThe argument over the parking space was a storm in a teacup.
rest on your laurelsverb phrase
relax and stop trying because of past successHaving won twice, the team refused to rest on its laurels.
leave no stone unturnedverb phrase
search or try everything possible to find or achieve somethingThe inspector promised to leave no stone unturned.
the tip of the icebergnoun phrase
the small visible part of a much larger problemThose three complaints are only the tip of the iceberg.
read between the linesverb phrase
understand a hidden or unstated meaningIf you read between the lines, the letter is a warning.

Exercise 1 of 2

Which idiom fits?

Choose the idiom that best completes each sentence.

  1. The detective realised the muddy footprints were _____, laid to lead the search away from the real culprit.

  2. Everyone knew the company was losing money, but nobody dared mention it; it was _____ at every meeting.

  3. Working from home has been _____: I save two hours a day, but I miss my colleagues.

  4. The complaint about the late bus turned out to be _____; by lunchtime everyone had forgotten it.

  5. The three errors we found are only _____; the audit will probably reveal hundreds more.

  6. Do not _____ just because last year's sales were a record; the market is changing fast.

  7. Halfway through the long essay, Aiko began to _____ and could barely finish the paragraph.

  8. The contractor was accused of trying to _____ by using cheaper materials than those specified.

0 of 8 answered

Exercise 2 of 2

Complete the idiom

Complete each idiom with one word from this list: nettle, squib, stone, lines, steam, corners, laurels, teacup. Use each word once.

  1. After weeks of excited publicity, the grand reopening was a damp : hardly anyone came.

  2. The inspector promised to leave no unturned in her search for the cause of the leak.

  3. The sender was clearly angry, though you had to read between the to see it.

  4. Having put off the difficult conversation for months, she finally decided to grasp the .

  5. I would never cut on safety checks, however tight the deadline.

  6. The campaign started brightly, but after six weeks it began to run out of .

  7. The row over who should wash up was a storm in a ; they had forgotten it by morning.

  8. The former champion was warned not to rest on her .

0 of 8 answered

Source

Original lesson by Joy English.

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