Read Webster's New World American Idioms Handbook Online
Authors: Gail Brenner
Webster's New World American Idioms Handbook (9 page)
going around
(v)
circulating, as a virus, among a community, school, or workplace, causing a number of people to become sick; generally spoken in the continuous tense ♦
Something has been
going around,
but I haven’t caught it yet.
♦
There’s a virus
going around.
A lot of people from the office are sick at home.
[See also
come around
later in this chapter.]
Bedridden
Someone who must stay in bed is
bedridden,
or
sick in bed.
You could say “She’s been
sick in bed
all week. Poor thing; no one likes to be
bedridden.
” Occasionally people say that a sick person
took to his bed,
but a tired person simply
goes to bed.
Someone who’s home sick but not necessarily in bed might say “I’ve been
house-bound
all week with this cold!” (forced to remain inside the house)
runny nose
(n)
excessive mucus in the nasal passages, often a symptom of a cold; also phrased one’s
nose is running.
♦
You’ve been sniffling. Do you have a
runny nose? ♦
I told my doctor that my body aches, my
nose is running
, and I’m coughing.
take one’s temperature
(v)
to use a thermometer to check one’s body temperature for fever ♦
Let’s
take your temperature
to see if you have a fever.
♦
Your head feels hot. Have you
taken your temperature?
burning up
(v)
to be very hot from a high fever; to have a high fever; almost always said in the continuous tense ♦
Gee, you’re
burning up
! Let’s try to cool you down with some damp cloths.
♦
He was
burning up
with fever.
Come Around
and Related Idioms
When a sick or injured person begins to
get better
or improve, one of the following expressions is often used to describe the person or his or her condition.
Grammar Note:
These idioms are often in the continuous tense (verb +
-ing
) or are preceded by
starting to
, as in “He was very sick, but now he’s
starting to get better.”
come around
(v)
to improve, regain consciousness; generally used to describe a person ♦
After her long illness, she’s beginning to
come around. ♦ We prayed that he’d
come around,
but he never woke from his coma.
turn around
(v)
to show a positive change or reversing of one’s medical condition; to get better rather than worse. This idiom is used to describe a situation or condition; often phrased
turn things around.
♦
After his heart surgery, his critical situation began to
turn around. ♦
His doctors think that the new medication will
turn things around.
look up
(v)
to look hopeful, positive or better. This idiom is used to describe a situation or condition; almost always used in the continuous tense (verb +
-ing
). ♦
The situation is
looking up.
His condition is not as bad as we thought.
♦
At first her doctor’s prognosis was not good, but now it’s beginning
to look up.
out of trouble (
or
danger)
no longer in a critical or life-threatening condition, not going to die; generally said of a person ♦
As soon as we know she’s
out of trouble,
we’ll move her to a regular hospital room.
♦
He’s
out of danger
now, but he’ll have a long recovery from the accident.
The following expressions mean specifically that the person is going to recover and probably have a
full recovery
(complete recovery and return to normal health).
on the mend
healing, mending, going to recover ♦
The accident left him with some cuts and bruises but he’s
on the mend.
on the road to recovery
recovering, going to survive or recover ♦
I heard that you were sick. I’m glad to see you are
on the road to recovery.
Good as New
and Related Idioms
When people are completely well or mended, they can use one of these expressions suggesting they are restored to their original health.
I’m as good as new.
I’m better than ever.
I’m back in business.
I’m back to my old self again.
I’m back to the land of the living.
Here’s an example of how these idioms might be used:
- I broke my leg while I was skiing, but now
I’m back to my old self again.
Going Downhill
and Related Idioms
If a person doesn’t improve or begins to
get worse
(become more seriously ill or have other physical complications), one of following expressions can describe his or her situation:
go downhill
(v)
to get worse, to become serious; usually said of the person or the condition ♦
Her condition is
going downhill.
Now she can barely walk.
♦
If he begins to
go downhill,
we’ll call the specialists.
take a turn for the worse
(v)
to start to get worse, usually suddenly; said of the person or the condition. This idiom is often phrased in the continuous tense (verb +
-ing
). ♦
After the operation, he
took a turn for the worse. ♦
She had been improving well when suddenly she
took a turn for the worse.
at death’s door
close to death, likely will die; sometimes said as exaggeration; generally said of a person ♦
He was
at death’s door,
but then he began to recover.
♦
He wanted me to come in to work when I was
at death’s door
with the flu!
Meeting One’s Maker
and Related Idioms
People often prefer to speak indirectly and metaphorically about death, especially the death of someone they know or love. Rather than saying that someone has died, people might say that someone
has departed,
has left us,
or
is gone.
They might also use one of the expressions (presented in past tense form) in the following list:
Note:
Although the following idioms are all used to talk about death, you should be very careful when using them. The most acceptable and polite way to say that people have died is to say that they’ve
passed away.
The other idioms listed here can be very offensive if used inappropriately.
passed away
(v)
died; a general term that can be used in almost any situation; sometimes phrased
passed on, passed over,
or simply
passed.
The use of
passed,
rather than
passed away
and so on, is somewhat regional. ♦
She is going home to see her grandfather before he
passes away. ♦
I’m so sorry to hear that your mother has
passed on.
didn’t make it
(v)
didn’t survive, recover; often used to mean that a person died suddenly or traumatically. In this context, the affirmative form, to
make it,
means to survive. ♦
He’s very ill, and he probably
won’t make it. ♦
I may be sick, but I’m
going to make it.
I’m not ready to die yet!
met one’s Maker
(v)
died; a reference to meeting God after death to be judged ♦
The old guy finally
met his Maker
at the age of 103.
♦
Tell that surgeon to do his best. I’m not ready
to meet my Maker!
breathed one’s last
(v)
died; literally, to take one’s last breath ♦
Her family was with her when she
breathed her last. ♦
I’m not giving up until I
breathe my last.
gave up the ghost
(v)
died; a reference to one’s spirit or ghost leaving the body at death. This term is often used in a way that implies the person may hold on to life, choosing when and where to die. ♦
He was such a good old dog, but eventually he had to
give up the ghost. ♦
The old man was sick, but he was tough and didn’t plan to
give up the ghost.
These slang expressions meaning to die can be said casually in an impersonal way, but it would be extremely rude and insensitive to say any one of them to a dying person or his or her loved ones.
kicked the bucket
♦
In the final scene of the movie, the hero
kicked the bucket.
bought the farm
♦
He lost control of his car during the race. It hit the wall, and he
bought the farm.
punched out
♦
That wonderful old blues musician finally
punched out,
and we’re going to miss him.
Safety
Better safe than sorry
is a common and handy expression meaning that one should anticipate possible dangers or hazards and act safely rather than ignore them and regret it later. The following idiomatic expressions are often used to express this safety warning:
take precautions
(v)
to be careful, anticipate hazards, and try to prevent them; often phrased
take precautions against
♦
Reduce the possibility of a burglary by
taking
the simple
precaution
of locking your doors.
♦
We
take precautions against
sunburn by using sunscreen.
play it safe
(v)
to act safely to help prevent accidents, injury, or death ♦ Play it safe,
and wear your seatbelt.
♦
Most skateboarders don’t want to wear a helmet, but their parents make them
play it safe.
for safety’s sake
for the purpose of being safe and trying to prevent accidents ♦ For safety’s sake
we frequently check the smoke alarms in our house.
♦
Everyone must wear a life jacket in the boat
for safety’s sake.
be on the safe side
when faced with two options, to choose the safest, most cautious one; to act safely to avoid accidents ♦
This food still smells fresh, but let’s
be on the safe side
and toss it out.
♦
Our house has never been flooded, but to
be on the safe side,
we have flood insurance.
Note:
Expressions like
play it safe
and
be on the safe side
are also used in more general contexts where planning and forethought help to avoid troubles or inconvenience. For example:
- I
play it safe
and have backup disks for everything on my computer. - Just to be
on the safe side,
always pack some toilet paper when you travel.
Words of Warning
The following terms are often said when there is immediate and possibly serious danger:
watch out!
♦ Watch out!
There’s a lot of broken glass here.
look out!
♦ Look out!
A snake!
watch it!
♦ Watch it
with that golf club. You almost hit me!
hold it!
♦ Hold it!
There’s a car coming.
Heads up!
has a similar meaning but can imply that the danger is from above: “
Heads up!
Watch out for the baseball.”
These expressions are used as a general warning or for less-serious hazards:
take care
(v)
to be careful, to take care of oneself; often phrased
take care not to
or
take care with
♦
Any time you work with power tools, you have to
take care. ♦ Take care not to
burn your mouth on that hot soup.
♦ Take care with
that knife; it’s really sharp.
Note:
Said by itself,
take care
usually means goodbye.
watch your step
(v)
to pay attention to where you are walking because of a hazard; to be careful or wary, in general ♦ Watch your step.
There’s some water spilled on the floor here.
♦
The new supervisor wants to replace you, so
watch your step.
watch your head
(v)
to lower your head to avoid bumping it; to pay attention to a hazard above ♦ Watch your head.
This doorway is low.
♦
You have to
watch your head
on this sailboat so that you don’t get hit by the boom.
Bad Habits and Addictions
Most people have a bad habit or two, like biting their nails or not hanging up their clothes. They may even have a mild addiction, like watching too much TV or drinking too much coffee. Some bad habits, like smoking, are addictive and damaging to one’s health. Smoking, drinking, and drug use have inspired a host of slang terms and idiomatic expressions. This section includes some of the most common ones.
Smoking
Smoking any kind of tobacco has been proven to cause cancer. That’s why cigarettes are called
cancer sticks
(a “stick” that causes cancer) and also
coffin nails
(alluding to the long slender shape of cigarettes, and the fact that smoking can be deadly). Here are a few slang names for cigarettes:
