Read Webster's New World American Idioms Handbook Online
Authors: Gail Brenner
Webster's New World American Idioms Handbook (23 page)
Just a minute
♦ Just a minute.
I’m almost ready.
Wait a minute
♦ Wait a minute.
I’ll talk to you when I finish this math problem.
Hang on (a minute)
♦ Hang on a minute.
I’ll call her to the phone.
Hold on (a minute)
♦
If you
hold on a minute,
then I’ll be able to help you.
The two expressions that follow also mean to wait, but they are less polite:
What’s the (big) rush?
or
What’s the (big) hurry?
♦
Hey,
what’s the big rush?
There’s plenty of time.
Hold your horses
♦ Hold your horses!
I’ll be there in a minute.
Hurry Up and Wait
The expression
hurry up and wait
is often used when someone hurries to get somewhere, but after arriving, is forced to wait. An example is when someone hurries to get to the airport on time, but then must wait in the terminal because the plane is delayed, or one rushes to get to a doctor’s appointment, arrives on time, but then must wait for an hour to see the doctor.
Here’s another example: “I don’t know why I rush to get ready for work. It’s just
hurry up and wait
because when I get on the freeway, the traffic just crawls along at 10 miles per hour.”
Expressions That Mean
Hurry
These expressions are used to tell someone to go faster or to hurry, and are often used to show impatience. The tone of voice generally shows if the speaker is simply encouraging someone or is anxious or impatient.
Hurry up
♦ Hurry up!
You’ll be late for school.
♦
I wish they’d
hurry up
and finish that road construction.
Come on
♦ Come on.
We can’t wait for you any longer.
Step on it
♦
You’ll have to
step on it
if you don’t want to miss that train.
Speed it up
♦
Would you quit talking and
speed it up?
You’re holding up the line.
Pick up the pace
♦
If we don’t
pick up the pace
we won’t finish the project on time.
Get going
♦
Let’s
get going.
We have to be there by 6 p.m.
Get a move on
♦
You had better
get a move on.
It’s getting late.
Let’s go
♦ Let’s go!
They just announced the final boarding call.
The following expression also means to hurry, but it is less polite and implies that the speaker is becoming impatient:
I haven’t got all day
♦
Geez! What’s taking so long?
I haven’t got all day!
Stop Doing That!
Mostly short and to the point, these expressions are used to demand that someone behave appropriately, act differently, or stop doing something that’s annoying, abusive, or unacceptable.
Expressions That Mean
Be Quiet
Some of the expressions that follow are commonly used to tell someone to speak more quietly. Others are used to stop someone from talking about something unpleasant, rude, or private. Many of these idioms can be used in either context. They are generally said as imperatives (as shown in bold) and they can be rude or harsh:
Be quiet
♦ Be quiet.
I want to hear this program.
Quiet down
♦
Boys, time to
quiet down
and go to sleep.
Lower your voice
♦
Please
lower your voice
in the library.
Keep your voice down
♦ Keep your voice down.
The baby is sleeping.
Keep it down
(lower voices or music) ♦
Hey, you guys,
keep it down.
I’m trying to study.
The following expressions are considered impolite or rude, but people sometimes say them jokingly:
Shut up
♦
She never
shuts up.
She’s always talking.
Hush (up)
♦ Hush up,
Donny! We don’t want to hear about it.
Zip it
♦
Hey,
zip it!
We’ve all heard enough.
Put a cork in it
♦
Better
put a cork in it.
Here comes the boss.
Give it a rest
♦
You’ve complained about it for a week.
Give it a rest!
Keep Quiet about It
and Related Idioms
Use these expressions to request that someone
keep a secret
(not reveal or tell a secret or something private):
Be/keep quiet about it
♦ Be quiet about
the surprise party.
♦
I’ll tell you a secret, but please
keep quiet about it.
Keep it hushed up
♦
They just got engaged, but they want to
keep it hushed up
until their family reunion.
Keep it to yourself
♦
Don’t tell anyone about it. Just
keep it to yourself.
Keep a lid on it
♦
It’s top secret. So,
keep a lid on it.
Keep it under your hat
♦
I’ll tell you what I got him for his birthday if you’ll
keep it under your hat.
Don’t give it away
♦
It will be a great surprise if no one
gives it away.
Don’t tell (a soul)
♦ Don’t tell a soul
about your idea until you’re ready.
The following two expressions use colorful metaphors that mean to accidentally give clues that reveal a secret. These very common expressions are also said in the negative:
Spill the beans
♦
We tried to keep it a secret, but our little boy
spilled the beans.
Let the cat out of the bag
♦
She really
let the cat out of the bag
when she called to congratulate him. He didn’t know that he had won the award.
Behave Yourself
and Related Idioms
These expressions are usually said to children, but sometimes to others, too. People also say them jokingly or humorously to others or about themselves:
Behave yourself
♦
Calm down and
behave yourself. ♦
Now,
behave yourself
in the car.
Mind your manners
♦ Mind your manners
in the restaurant.
♦
I’ll really have to
mind my manners
when I attend the Governor’s dinner.
Mind your Ps and Qs
♦
I expect you to
mind your Ps and Qs
when you are at your friend’s house.
Act right
♦
If you can’t
act right,
I’ll take you home.
Knock It Off!
and Related Idioms
These short but efficient expressions are used to order people to stop doing something annoying or something that they shouldn’t be doing. The meaning is to immediately stop some behavior or action that is in progress.
The expressions that follow can be used seriously or as a threat, and are also used lightly or even playfully. Tone of voice and context generally make the meaning clear.
Note:
The idioms are listed with the pronoun
it,
but the word
that
can also be used.
Knock it off
♦ Knock it off!
That noise is annoying me.
Cut it out
♦ Cut it out!
It’s not okay to tease the dog.
Quit it
♦
Mom, tell Bobby to
quit it.
Stop it
♦
I’m not going to argue, so you can just
stop it!
The following expressions are a little more serious, and are less likely to be used jokingly:
I’m warning you
a threat; often the consequences aren’t named, although sometimes they are ♦ I’m warning you!
Stop that now!
♦ I’m warning you
that I’ll have to fire you if you don’t work harder.
Enough is enough
means “Stop, I’m losing my patience” ♦
No more arguing over the TV.
Enough is enough! ♦
My bank is always screwing up.
Enough is enough!
I’m switching to a different one.
Go Away!
and Related Idioms
These expressions can be said as a threat, a firm command, or jokingly. They all mean
Leave!
and are often rude:
Go away
Get lost
(the rudest of these expressions)
Scram
Beat it
Shoo
(somewhat playful; nonthreatening)
Get out of here
(also said
Get outta here!
)
Get Off My Back!
and Related Idioms
People use these expressions to describe being criticized or nagged about something:
on my back
♦
My wife has been
on my back
to quit smoking.
in my face
♦
Laura has been
in my face
about going to church with her.
in my business
♦
He’s always
in my business.
The expressions are sometimes said as
all up in my face
and
all up
in my business:
“Hey, I said I’m sorry, so don’t
get all up in my face
about it.”
If someone has been
on your back
or
in your face
, you may want to use one of the expressions in the following list to tell him or her to stop. These expressions are very strong and can be considered rude, but people say them when they are tired or receiving someone’s consistent anger, criticism, nagging comments, or complaints. Teenagers often say them in response to their parents’ questions and authority:
Back off
♦ Back off!
You’ve been nagging at me all day.
Lay off
♦
He really should
lay off.
The boy is doing the best he can.
Lighten up
♦
Come on,
lighten up!
Don’t be so serious.
Chill (out)
♦
Would you
chill out?
Why be so angry?
Get off my back
♦
As soon as we finish this report, we can
get our boss off our back.
Leave me alone
♦
His son said
“Leave me alone.”
Get out of my face
♦
Hey, it’s my business, so
get out of my face!
Here are a few expressions that are used to tell someone to stop interfering in someone else’s personal, private matters:
Mind your own business!
♦
His mother should
mind her own business
and stop interfering with her son and daughter-in-law’s life.
It’s none of your business!
♦ It’s none of your business
what she decides to do
.
Keep out of it!
♦
You had better
keep out of it.
Another common expression, which is generally rude but can be lighthearted, is
Get a life!
It means “Get more involved and interested in your own life, and stop interfering with other people’s lives; find things to interest you besides other people’s business!” It’s also used to imply that a person should change his or her boring and uneventful life, and go have some fun. Sometimes the expression is said as “Go get a life”. Here are some examples:
- He should quit bothering his son and daughter-in-law and
go get a life! - Jean:
Why was your phone busy all of the time? Tom: Why do you care?
Get a life! - I just sit around watching TV every night. I need to
get a life!
Good News, Bad News
The report of good or bad news always brings an expression of joy or condolence. People might say
I’m happy to hear that
for good news or
I’m sorry to hear that
for bad news. But commonly they’ll use one of the following expressions.
Expressions for Great News
People commonly say the following when they hear good or happy news. Sometimes these expressions are said sarcastically when the news is actually bad. Expressions of congratulation are included in the “Words of Encouragement” section.
All right (Awright)
♦ All right!
We get two days off next week!
Yes
♦ Yes!
Our team won again!
Awesome
♦
She was accepted at Yale.
Awesome!
Fantastic
♦
They signed the contract.
Fantastic!
Terrific
♦
I heard that you just bought a house. That’s
terrific!
Perfect
♦
She can go with us.
Perfect!
Right on
♦ Right on!
I got the job!
What luck
♦ What luck!
It’s a sunny day for our first sailing class.
It’s our lucky day
♦ It’s our lucky day!
I stood in line all night and got tickets to the Stones concert!
That makes my day
♦
When I heard that they had a new baby,
that made my day!
That’s the best news I’ve heard all day
♦
She said the operation went well.
That’s the best news I’ve heard all day!