Fruit and Veg Expressions
I know it'll be difficult but I'm going to give it a go.
I went to a vegetarian restaurant yesterday to see if I could get any ideas for recipes. I wasn't really impressed. Vegetarian meals, on the whole, don't look very appetising.
Here is a list of idioms that contain fruit or vegetables. Can you guess the meanings?
(a) His youngest daughter was the apple of his eye.
(b) I don't want to upset the apple cart now by asking you to change the date of the meeting.
(c) One bad apple spoils the barrel. Now we all have to suffer because of what he did.
(d) Your Dad is going to go bananas when he sees this mess.
(e) They're nice kids but they are so full of beans that it gets a bit tiring.
(f) Why did they suddenly break up? Come on! Spill the beans!
(g) He went beetroot/ went as red as a beetroot when he realized that he had said something stupid.
(h) Sometimes I just have to resort to the carrot and stick approach with my children.
(i) The politician was as cool as a cucumber throughout the interview despite the agressive questioning.
(j) Now he says that he doesn't care if he didn't get the job as it doesn't pay very well. I think it is just a case of sour grapes.
(k) By reducing military spending, the government is holding out an olive branch to rival countries.
(l) If you want to know anything about computing, ask Dave. He really knows his onions. (old fashioned expression) = He really knows his stuff.
(m) We'd planned to go away for the weekend but it all went pear-shaped.
(n) They are not twins but they are like two peas in a pod.
(o) I'm turning into a couch potato. I just get home after work and lie on the sofa watching telly.
(p) The issue of immigration is a political hot potato in the UK.
Vocabulary:
to give it a go -
on the whole -
to upset -
a cart -
to spoil -
a barrel -
a mess -
to break up -
to spill -
a bean -
a beetroot -
to resort to sth -
a stick -
an approach -
cool -
throughout -
despite -
to hold out
an olive -
a branch -
sour -
grapes -
computing -
stuff -
a shape -
a twin -
a pea-pod -
to turn into sth -
a couch -
to lie -
the telly -
Take a look at this post on Spanish Fruit and Veg Expressions.
Comments
My answers:
a) In Spanish "su ojito derecho", she is his favourite daughter; b) to annoy somebody?; c)In Spanish the same, "manzana podrida" a person who creates bad influences in the people around him; d) go bananas = to get annoyed?; e) full beans = they are retless?; f) spill the beans = to explain something; g) to blush; h) ?; i) he doesn,t care; j) he is jealous; k) to make peace; m) to spoil a plan?; n) they looks a lot in their apparence; o) couch potato= to be tired?; p) the same in Spanish "patata caliente" a trouble.
I hope I'll go tomorrow to the english class....
Hilde
a) Something or someone that is very special to you.
b) to cause trouble, especially by spoiling someone's plans
c) A single bad influence can ruin what would otherwise remain good
d) to become very angry
e) to have a lot of energy and enthusiasm
f) To disclose a secret
g) to become very red in the face, usually because you are embarrassed
h) to offer rewards and threaten punishments in order to someone do something.
i) extremely calm; imperturbable.
j) something that one cannot have and so disparages as if it were never desirable
k) to offer to end a dispute and be friendly; to offer reconciliation.
l) to know a lot about a particular subject.
m) if a plan goes pear-shaped, it mails.
n) to be very similar
o) a person who does not like physical activity and prefers to sit down, usually to watch televisión.
p) something that is difficult or dangerous to deal with.
I hope things go well!!!
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you.
a)"ojito derecho" is a new expression for me. Montse: the expression always refers to somebody (a son or a daughter).
b)Hilde: it's not really to annoy sb. It's more like what Montse suggests.
c) You both got it. It's probably an old-fashioned expression now.
d) Hilde: more than annoyed, I'd say angry or furious.
e) Hilde: I like the word "restless" - can't stay still, perhaps because of being nervous.
f) Montse has got it. If you spill the beans, you reveal some interesting news.
g) Hilde: "blush" - nice choice of word.
h) Montse's got it. Think of a donkey with a carrot dangling in front of it. It'll be easier to persuade to take a few steps forward.
i) Montse: "imperturbable" wow! As well as "calm", I'd say "with no outward sign of emotion"
j) Montse: in plain English please! :-)
k) You've both got it.
l) Montse's got it.
m) You've got it, Hilde. What do you mean by "mails", Montse?
n) as well as looking alike, they would have the same character too.
o) Montse's got it.
p) Yep, just like in Spanish.
Well done both of you!
"when you tray to convince yourself that something that you haven't been able to achieve wasn't as good as you expected". I think this idiom come from de fable "The fox and the grapes"
I hope I didn't bin your comment. I get quite a lot of spam (more spam than students' comments!) and so I might have deleted it by accident.
You got it! I didn't know that it came from a fable but I suppose it makes sense.