bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Some of you  may  get cold feet when you try to talk to native English speakers. And does most of what they say go over your head?

If you really want to understand a language, you need to know what the idioms in that language mean. Does the word idiom ring a bell?

The English language is full of idioms: expressions whose meaning is different from the meanings of the individual words.

You've probably heard many idioms used by native speakers.

But do you know what they mean or where they come from?

Many idioms are related to age-old customs. Here are a few examples that you can use

at school:

Idiom: Come through with flying colours

Meaning: To achieve a difficult objective

Example: 'The exam was tough, but I came through with flying colours.'

Origin: Ships sailing into harbour used to fly their colours (flags) at masthead to indicate that they had won a battle.

Idiom: A feather in one's cap

Meaning: An action that you can be proud of

Example: 'It's a definite feather in your cap if you pass the HKCEE.'

Origin: In many cultures, warriors and hunters used to add a feather to their headgear for each victory or kill.

Idiom: Get cold feet

Meaning: To become nervous or afraid

Example: 'I get cold feet every time I try to talk to her.'

Origin: In the old days, poor people who couldn't afford shoes got cold feet.

Idiom: Knuckle down

Meaning: To begin to work hard at something

Example: 'I've got to knuckle down to some serious work.'

Origin: When playing marbles, people used to place their knuckle exactly at the spot where their previous marble ended up. Those who didn't follow this rule were not considered serious players.

Idiom: Off the cuff

Meaning: To say something unrehearsed

Example: 'He made his speech off the cuff.'

Origin: In Britain, gentlemen used to make quick notes on the detachable cuffs of their shirts before making speeches.

Idiom: Put your thinking cap on

Meaning: To try to solve a problem by thinking about it

Example: 'I need to put my thinking cap on to solve this maths problem.'

Origin: At one time judges used to don a black cap before deciding on whether to give someone the death sentence.

Idiom: Over one's head

Meaning: Beyond one's comprehension

Example: 'Her question is over my head.'

Origin: This expression has been used in Britain since the 17th  century and refers to the head as the seat of intellect, memory and imagination.

Idiom: Read between the lines

Meaning: To listen to what is implied, not what is stated.

Example: 'He never says what he means, so you have to read between the lines.'

Origin: At one time, people used special pens to write secret messages between the lines of a letter. The recipient would  have to  read between the lines to get the real message.

Idiom: Rings a bell

Meaning: To sound familiar

Example: 'I don't remember meeting him, but the name Jimmy Wong rings a bell.

Origin: Long ago, church bells were rung to remind people of an event such as a celebration or the beginning of school.

Fluency in English may seem like an unattainable goal, but it isn't. If you learn a few idioms, you'll be well on your way to mastering the language. Before you know it, you'll be speaking off the cuff.



Do these idioms ring a bell?