Body Idioms J - N


Consider the following words and expressions that contain body parts. Can you guess what they mean?

1. The jaw-dropping scale of corruption has left many people wondering who to vote for.

   A: surprising or very shocking
   B: disappointing
   C: depressing

2. The girls went weak at the knees when the actor smiled and said hello to them.

   A: to have a sudden, very strong emotion about someone or something
   B: to feel inferior to someone
   C: to start jumping up and down in order to attract attention

3. Don't worry. My lips are sealed.

   A: to forgive someone for something they have done
   B: to promise not to reveal a secret
   C: to stop speaking

4. I think my mobile is on its last legs.

   A: to be old-fashioned
   B: soon to be unable to work
   C: to be complicated to use

5. I'm just pulling your leg. You should have seen your face.

   A: to make someone afraid
   B: to play a joke on someone by saying something that is not true
   C: to ask someone to do something that might be embarrassing

6. He has a big mouth.

   A: to have a huge appetite
   B: to always be the first person to give an opinion
   C: to tell others things that are meant to be secret

7. You took the words out of my mouth.

   A: to misinterpret what someone is saying
   B: to tell lies about someone
   C: to say exactly what someone else was going to say

8. She's just all mouth.

   A: to talk a lot about something but never do it
   B: to speak so loudly that it annoys everyone else
   C: to gossip about others

9. He's a real pain in the neck.

   A: someone who gets ill very easily
   B: someone who is over-ambitious
   C: an annoying person

10. The two parties are neck and neck.

   A: unable to reach an agreement
   B: have an equal chance of winning
   C: so similar that it is hard to tell the difference between them

11. Her behaviour often gets on my nerves.

   A: to annoy someone a lot
   B: to cause someone to worry
   C: to frighten someone

12. What a nosey, old woman!"

   A: someone who thinks they are superior
   B: a person who is critical of others
   C: someone who is too interested in other people's business


Check out Body Idioms A-E and F&H.

Comments

Belén said…
Hi Graham! These are my answers:
1- A
2- A
3- B
4- B
5- B
6- C
7- C
8- C
9- C
10- B
11- A
12- C
Graham said…
Hi Belén,

You got them all correct apart from Nº8. (The answer is A)

Which of the idioms do you think you will be able to use?
Cristina Jaurrieta said…
1. A
2. A
3. B
4. B
5. B
6. C
7. A
8. A
9. C
10. B
11. A
12. C

Cristina
Belén said…
Hi Graham!
I think that for me is going to be difficult to put in practice this kind of expressions but I´ll try it because will be a question to get used to.
I think I will be able to use: “You took the words out of my mouth”; “he/ she is a real pain in the neck”; “gets on my nerves” and “nosey person”.

Bye!
Unknown said…
1.A
2.A
3.B
4.B
5.B
6.C
7.C
8.A
9.C
10.B
11.A
12.C

Silvia.
Graham said…
Cristina and Silvia,

Well done! 100% right.

I wonder if you'll be able to use any of them now.
Graham said…
Hi Belén,

You are right. It's just a question of getting used to them.
Anonymous said…
Hi Graham! It's Inés. I hope you've enjoyed your holidays!
These are my answers:
1.A
2.A
3.B
4.B
5.B
6.C
7.C
8.A
9.C
10.B
11.A
12.C
Graham said…
Hi Inés,

As you might have guessed, I had a fantastic holiday. I think it's important to focus on the good times to make work/studies that bit easier.

Try to make a point of using some of the idioms from this post. They might be useful for the writing task.

You got 100% right. Well done!