Idioms are not understood by getting the meaning of each single word but their meaning sometimes, can be extracted by reading the whole sentence or knowing the background of that language i.e. their history and customs.
Idioms were made by what is going on and what is said on that particular time.
Americans use idioms in everyday speech without even being aware of that they are doing so and most of the Americans are unknown of the idioms’ origins. The important point here is that if we want to build the tendency of second speech in ourselves then we need to practice, practice and practice the idioms everyday and everywhere in the classroom or out of the classroom or in leisure times and day will come that you will realize that your conversation becomes better and you are being understood just “as clear as a bell”.
For example:
Get The Sack:
If we want to extract the meaning of this idioms word-by-word then it means to come and receive your sack however in idiomatic sense it means “To Get Fired”.
This idiom was made in back in 1500’s where tradesman carried all their belongings and tools around in a sack. When they were employed in a certain building they were able to leave their sack in a safe place or the boss’s office. When they were dismissed from office then said to “Get the Sack”.
In The Same boat:
This idiom means to experience the same situation as of someone else. It refers to the difficulties which are faced by all the passengers in a small boat at sea. This idiom was first used by ancient Greek and over the time the meaning came to include that all people facing the same problems on the sea, land or in the air.
There are about 4,000 idioms used in the American English and 2000 words of the vocabulary are needed to explain those idioms.
If you want to have a good command on idioms then you need to study the idioms from a book or a web site or through mobiles app like Android English Idioms World and mark those idioms that you think are relevant in your daily life and use them with your family and friends. If you’re in class room and your teacher uses idiom during lecture then think in what prospects the teacher uses that idiom and you can derive that idiom’s meaning in that way.
This idiom means to experience the same situation as of someone else. It refers to the difficulties which are faced by all the passengers in a small boat at sea. This idiom was first used by ancient Greek and over the time the meaning came to include that all people facing the same problems on the sea, land or in the air.
There are about 4,000 idioms used in the American English and 2000 words of the vocabulary are needed to explain those idioms.
If you want to have a good command on idioms then you need to study the idioms from a book or a web site or through mobiles app like Android English Idioms World and mark those idioms that you think are relevant in your daily life and use them with your family and friends. If you’re in class room and your teacher uses idiom during lecture then think in what prospects the teacher uses that idiom and you can derive that idiom’s meaning in that way.
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