Improve your English

Idiom 190: bat a thousand

2009-12-09T08:36:00.000-08:00

완벽하다라는 뜻입니다.

bat a thousand = have a perfect record

He is so happy that everyone he invited to the party is coming. He's batting a thousand.

Idiom 189: have the heart to

2009-12-09T08:31:00.000-08:00

~을 할 용기가 있다란 뜻입니다.

have the heart to = keep secretly ready for the right time

I know there was just a death in her family. I don't have the heart to ask her when she is coming back to work.

Idiom 188: tip someone off

2009-12-08T08:43:00.000-08:00

알려주다, 경고하다라는 표현입니다.

tip someone off = warn = inform

The buglars were arrested because the police were tipped off.

Idiom 187: throw one's weight around

2009-12-08T08:38:00.000-08:00

권력을 휘두르다라는 뜻을 가지고 있습니다.

throw one's weight around = use one's influence in a showy manner

Because she was the boss's daughter, she liked throwing her weight around the office and tell everyone what to do.

Idiom 186: out of sorts

2009-12-05T14:40:00.000-08:00

활기가 없거나 풀죽은 언짢은 상태를 가리킬 때 사용합니다..

out of sorts = in a bad mood = irritable

I haven't been feeling very happy lately. I am out of sorts.

Idiom 185: bank on it

2009-12-04T14:30:00.000-08:00

누구를 기대하다라는 뜻입니다. count on을 더 많이 사용하기도 하지요.

bank on it = be sure of = count on

I'll be there to help you. You can bank on it.

Idiom 184: breathe a word

2009-12-04T14:27:00.000-08:00

무엇을 말하다 누설하다라는 표현이고 뒤에 against를 붙이면 불평을 하다란 뜻도 됩니다.

breathe a word = tell
breathe a word against = complain

Please don't breathe a word of this to anyone.

Idiom 183: make up one's mind

2009-12-03T16:13:00.000-08:00

많이 사용하는 표현이죠. 결심하다라는 뜻이구요..

make up one's mind = decide

She hasn't made up her mind as to what university she will be attending.

Idiom 182: in the bag

2009-12-03T16:10:00.000-08:00

확실시 되는 상황을 가리킬 때 쓰는 표현입니다.

in the bag = certain = sure = definite

The job interview went very well and I think I will be hired. I am confident that it's in the bag.

Idiom 181: think up

2009-12-02T08:59:00.000-08:00

새로운 계획을 생각해 내거나 발명하다라고 할 때 사용하는 표현입니다.

think up = invent = create

The theme for this year's party will not work. We need to think up a new idea.

Idiom 180: pitch in

2009-12-02T08:56:00.000-08:00

pitch in = help

Everyone needs to pitch in so that we can get the work done and go home.

Idiom 179: on the fritz

2009-11-25T12:20:00.000-08:00

못쓰게 만들거나 고장난 상태를 가리킬 사용합니다.

on the fritz = not working correctly = out of order

The ice is melting in our freezer. I think it is on the fritz.

Idiom 178: walk all over someone

2009-11-23T14:25:00.000-08:00

어떠한 좋은 의도를 나쁘게 이용하는 경우를 가리킬 사용합니다.

walk all over someone = take advantage of someone

He loves her so much and she walks all over him.

Idiom 177: twiddle one's thumbs

2009-11-23T14:21:00.000-08:00

일하지 않는 바쁘지 않는 상황을 가리킬 때 사용합니다. 직역을 하시면 의역이 되겠지요. 손가락을 빙빙 돌리는 상상을 하시면 어떤 때 그렇게 할까요... 할일없어서 빈들빈들 놀때.

twiddle one's thumbs = not busy = not working

Our department has gotten slow this season. All we are doing is twiddling our thumbs.

Idiom 176: will power

2009-11-21T11:09:00.000-08:00

마음의 힘..심력을 말할 때 쓰는 표현입니다. 교육에서는 심력은 12세 미만에 길러진다고 하네요.

will power or willpower = stength of mind

Some people say you need a lot of will power to quit smoking.

Idiom 175: floor someone

2009-11-20T14:23:00.000-08:00

당황하다라고 할 때 쓰는 표현입니다. 특히 수동태로 사용되구요.

floor someone = surprise = confuse

I was floored when I found out they had made me a surprise birthday party.

Idiom 174: set back

2009-11-20T14:20:00.000-08:00

누구에게 비용이 들다라는 뜻입니다.

set one back = cost

These new shoes set me back $200.

Idiom 173: odds and ends

2009-11-20T08:41:00.000-08:00

잡동사니란 뜻을 가진 표현입니다.

odds and ends = miscellaneous

You can refer to a disorganized group of things of various kinds as odds and ends.

I have some odds and ends around my house that I would like to sell.

Idiom 172: mean business

2009-11-20T08:37:00.000-08:00

진정이다...라는 표현으로 I'm serious라고 많이 쓰죠. 같은 뜻으로 많이 사용하는 표현입니다.

mean business = be serious

He told his son that he had to finish all of his homework before he went out to play and he meant business.

Idiom 171: pinch pennies

2009-11-19T15:29:00.000-08:00

지출을 극도로 줄이는 것을 가리킵니다. 특히 요즘같이 경기가 좋지 않을때 현명한 방법이겠지요.

pinch pennies = be thrifty, careful how you spend money

If you spend your time pinching pennies, eventually, you'll have a lot of money.

Common error 59: imply vs. infer

2009-11-19T14:35:00.000-08:00

imply: to hint at it 의미하다, 암시하다
She IMPLIED that there were strong moral objections to his appointment but didn’t say so in so many words.

infer: to draw a conclusion 추론하다, 추리하다
Am I to INFER from what you say that he is unsuitable for the post?

Common error 58: imaginary vs. imaginative

2009-11-19T14:31:00.000-08:00

imaginary: existing only in the imagination 상상의, 가공의

imaginative: showing or having a vivid imagination, being creative, origin 상상의, 상상력이 풍부한, 상상하기 좋아하는

Idiom 170: throw cold water on

2009-11-19T12:42:00.001-08:00

어떤 일을 하는데 격려하지 않는 경우에 사용하는 표현입니다. 찬물을 끼얹는 경우를 가리킬 때이지요.

throw cold water on = discourage

I really don't want to throw cold water on your business propsal, but I really don't think that it is a good idea.

Idiom 169: put up a good front

2009-11-19T11:39:00.000-08:00

어떤 상황에서 그렇지 않은데 그런것처럼 하는 때가 있으실 것입니다. 행복하지 않은데도 행복한 것처럼 할 때 쓰는 표현입니다.

put up a good front = pretend tp be happy = fool people about one's status

Even though she is upset about the fight she had with her friend, she put up a good front and smiled the whole time they were together.

Idiom 168: put down

2009-11-19T11:37:00.000-08:00

put down = make someone look bad = criticize

He embarrassed her by putting her down in front of her family.