Saturday, December 16, 2006

Idioms:



















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Carry Coals to Newcasle:To do something that is obviously superfluous; Newcastle is a city in northeast England where coal is mined:
"Karen wanted to give Dad a magazine subscription for his birthday, but I said that would be like carrying coals to Newcastle, since he already has fifteen or twenty subscriptions.
Carry the ball

1: to carry the ball in football The tailback carried the ball. to be responsible for a project, a business deal : Will you carry the ball this time? Fumi did it last time.

In our lab any of the assistants can carry the ball


Cash-and-carry

adj. Sold for cash, usually without delivery service. n. The policy of selling cash-and-carry goods.


We were able to get a good price on a sofa in a cash-and-carry deal at the furniture store.

"It is the second largest cash and carry operator in the UK"


Cast in the same mold to be very similar

.Bearing a close resemblance

All his detective stories are cast in the same mold.

The two sisters were cast in the same mold and were almost identical
Tag along with to go with someone, to follow along with someone.


to follow or go with a person or group when you were not invited . 

We don't want any kids to tag along with us today.




Every time we went out he'd tag along with us and it was starting to annoy me
Take a backseat to (someone or something) to accept a poorer or lower position than someone, to be second to someone or something

For many kids, homework takes a backseat to sports
.

Art and its role in education often take a backseat to fields like science .
Take a dim view of (something) to be against something, to disapprove of something

I take a dim view of meeting every single week .




Most bosses take a dim view of long lunches.

Take a leaf out of (someone's )book to behave or do something in the way that someone else would. Imitate or follow someone's example

Harriet took a leaf out of her mother's book and began to keep track of how much money she was spending on food.

I will take a leaf out of his book . It's clear to see how he learned to become a fluent English speaker
Take a shine to (some one) to have or show a quick liking for someone

I think Andrew has taken a bit of a shine to our new member of staff



Amy took a shine to Nick, but her friends weren't so sure he was the right guy for her
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