Perhaps one that the speaker doesn't even realize they say because it is so ingrained in the English language.
Perhaps one so outdated, only your Grandma uses it.
Better yet, one that the speaker got wrong... like "doggy-dog world."
2007-03-05 06:21:19 · 9 answers · asked by dbackbarb 4 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
I teach ELD, but I found last year that many of my regular students were stumped by some of my common idioms.
You're barking up the wrong tree.
Up a creek without a paddle.
Take a chill pill.
Driving me crazy, or driving me up the wall.
Many of my students have problems with the idiomatic phrasal verbs as well, like blow up, blow off, turn on (as in interests), white out, etc.
2007-03-05 06:28:27 · answer #1 · answered by omouse 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
don't know if it's an idiom or not, but, it really gets on my nerves when someone says "ideal" in place of "idea". Such as, "I have an ideal, I'll cook spaghetti today", when the appropriate word should be idea. I hate that!!!! I live in a rural community, so I hear it pretty often.
2007-03-05 15:03:41 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
My Grandma has one that ALWAYS cracks me up (wait... that's one too isn't it:)
She says, when really angry, "I could pinch their head off and throw it in a bar ditch!" I still have no idea what it means, but any one angry enough to pinch someone's head off and throw it anywhere get's my attention. :)
Others:
Crack the window - to roll down the window in a vehicle a little
slap the fool out of you
2007-03-05 14:54:36 · answer #3 · answered by Tonya in TX - Duck 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Miss Nevada said yesterday on national TV " everyone has skeletons "under " their closets"
2007-03-05 14:26:46 · answer #4 · answered by Georgie 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Someone once told me that, upon hearing distressing news they "Ran the gauntlet of emotions...."
I vomited in my mouth a little when I heard that.....
I don't talk to that person anymore...
2007-03-05 14:45:22 · answer #5 · answered by mufflerbearings1967 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ok, O.K., and okay
(it came from the campaign slogan old kinderhook or something like that, somewhere around president Van Buren)
2007-03-05 14:24:42 · answer #6 · answered by jtf7793 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was with my mom at a resturant once. She ordered crab and when it came she said, "This crab is so good it makes you wanna slap your mamma." Cracked me up!
2007-03-05 15:48:24 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I could care less as opposed to I couldn't care less.
2007-03-05 14:26:13 · answer #8 · answered by NakasEvilTwin 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
How about the basic, classic greeting "What's up?"?
2007-03-05 14:31:31 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋