Idiom: a common expression understood figuratively, as the literal definition makes no sense

Idioms Test 1

Directions: Determine the meaning of the bolded expression. Choose the best answer.

Idiom: A common expression understood figuratively, as the literal definition makes no sense.

1. 
   After going to the zoo, the mall, and the movies, Cassie was sick of bending over backwards to entertain her nieces.
   

Which best express the meaning of "bending over backwards" as used in the sentence?

1. 
   Cassie was doing very little to entertain her nieces.
   
2. 
   Cassie was making small efforts to entertain her nieces.
   
3. 
   Cassie was trying very hard to entertain her nieces.
   
4. 
   Cassie was not trying at all to entertain her nieces.
   

Correct Answer Choice c

Answer Explanation

When someone is "bending over backwards," they are trying very hard to please another person.

2. 
   Bobby would have been playing ball until the cows came home if it hadn't been for Suzie dragging him home for dinner.
   

Which best express the meaning of "until the cows come home" as used in the sentence?

1. 
   Bobby was just about to stop playing ball.
   
2. 
   Bobby didn't even want to play ball to begin with.
   
3. 
   Bobby prefers nature to athletics.
   
4. 
   Bobby would have continued playing ball for a long time.
   

Correct Answer Choice d

Answer Explanation

The expression "until the cows come home" means that something is likely to continue for a long time.

3. 
   Mr. Johnson was very particular about the arrangement of his classroom, so the thing he hated most was when his students caused a ruckus with their wild horseplay.
   

Which best express the meaning of "horseplay" as used in the sentence?

Answer Choices

1. 
   Mr. Johnson hated when his students pretended to be animals.
   
2. 
   Mr. Johnson hated when his students played sports.
   
3. 
   Mr. Johnson hated when his students wrestled around with each other.
   
4. 
   Mr. Johnson hated when his students made animal noises.
   

Correct Answer Choice c

Answer Explanation

"Horseplay" is when children wrestle around with one another. Generally it is referred to as such in areas where such activities might upset the environment.

4. 
   Eric wanted to fix his cousin's computer, but he was already having problems setting up his Aunt's Wi-Fi network and he didn't want to open a whole new can of worms.
   

Which best expresses the meaning of "open a can of worms" as used in the sentence?

1. 
   Eric was sick of spending his time helping his family.
   
2. 
   Eric wanted to go fishing instead of working on computers.
   
3. 
   Eric was having difficulties untangling the computer wires.
   
4. 
   Eric was not ready to begin working on a complicated new problem.
   

Correct Answer Choice d

Answer Explanation

To "open a can of worms" is to begin working on a complicated problem. This expression may refer to a fisherman opening a can of worms and having difficulties unraveling a single worm from the bunch.

5. 
   Even though Candace already had a new job, she submitted her two week notice and conducted herself in a professional way at her old job because she didn't want to burn bridges.
   

Which best express the meaning of "burn bridges" as used in the sentence?

1. 
   Candace didn't want to ruin her positive relationship with her old employer.
   
2. 
   Candace wasn't ready to start her new job.
   
3. 
   Candace was really going to miss her old job.
   
4. 
   Candace was waiting until her last day to rub it in everyone's face that she was leaving.
   

Correct Answer Choice d

Answer Explanation

To "burn bridges" is to ruin a relationship. If Candace did not want to burn bridges with her old employer, she wanted to maintain a good relationship with them.

6. 
   World renowned country western super group The Mountain Boys can sell out an arena at the drop of a hat.
   

Which best express the meaning of "at the drop of a hat" as used in the sentence?

1. 
   The Mountain Boys may be able to sell out an arena, but it will take a long time.
   
2. 
   The Mountain Boys can sell out an arena very quickly.
   
3. 
   The Mountain Boys are always willing to perform at charity events.
   
4. 
   The Mountain Boys enforce a dress code at all of their shows.
   

Correct Answer Choice b

Answer Explanation

"At the drop of a hat" means that something is likely to occur very quickly. This expression may have come from street performers, who were likely to perform amazing feats at the drop of a hat.

7. 
   Vivian expected Craig to sob uncontrollably when she broke up with him; however, Craig kept a stiff upper lip.
   

Which best express the meaning of "keeping a stiff upper lip" as used in the sentence?

1. 
   Craig cried even more than Vivian had expected.
   
2. 
   Craig cried about as much as Vivian had expected.
   
3. 
   Craig cried a little less than Vivian had expected.
   
4. 
   Craig did not cry.
   

Correct Answer Choice d

Answer Explanation

"Keeping a stiff upper lip" means that a person does not cry despite facing emotional turmoil. This expression probably refers to how when one cries, his or her upper lip tends to curl.

8. 
   Mrs. Robinson expects Cassie and my presentation to be good, but we have been working on it every night for the last week, so we are really going to knock her socks off.
   

Which best express the meaning of "knocking one’s socks off" as used in the sentence?

1. 
   Cassie and the speaker are not prepared to give a good presentation.
   
2. 
   Cassie and the speaker intend on hitting Mrs. Robinson rather than presenting.
   
3. 
   Cassie and the speaker's presentation will far exceed Mrs. Robinson's expectations.
   
4. 
   Cassie and the speaker's presentation will meet Mrs. Robison's expectations.
   

Correct Answer Choice d

Answer Explanation

To "knock someone’s socks off" is to impress them greatly with your efforts.

9. 
   Over the summer Brian was really excited about being placed in the advanced math class, but after getting his syllabus on the first day and seeing the workload, he was ready to jump ship.
   

Which best express the meaning of "jump ship" as used in the sentence?

1. 
   Brian was even more excited about the math class than he was over the summer.
   
2. 
   Brian wanted to start working on his math assignments right away.
   
3. 
   Brian did not want to be in the advance math class anymore.
   
4. 
   Brian wanted to cause some trouble in the advanced math class.
   

Correct Answer Choice c

Answer Explanation

To "jump ship" is to escape a commitment in which you are already engaged.

10. 
    Jose had a hard time comparing the iPhone to the Samsung phone because to him they were apples and oranges.
    

Which best express the meaning of "apples and oranges" as used in the sentence?

Answer Choices

1. 
   Jose can hardly tell the difference between the two phones because they are so similar.
   
2. 
   Jose believes that the phones are so different from one another that they cannot be compared.
   
3. 
   Jose doesn't know anything about phones so he may as well be thinking about fruits.
   
4. 
   Jose is too hungry to think about phones at this time.
   

Correct Answer Choice b

Answer Explanation

Jose believes that the phones are so different that they cannot be compared. The expression "apples and oranges" is applied when two things are so uniquely different from one another that comparisons either don't apply or are unfair.

11. 
    When Brian felt pretty good about getting the a pair of roller-skates for his birthday, until he saw his twin brother Ryan open up his GameBox X-9000, and then Brian felt like he got the short end of the stick.
    

Which best express the meaning of "short end of the stick" as used in the sentence?

1. 
   Brian felt like Ryan received a better gift than he.
   
2. 
   Brian was quite pleased with his roller skates.
   
3. 
   Brian wanted a long stick that he could use to support himself on hikes.
   
4. 
   Brian feels bad for Ryan because Ryan wanted roller-skates.
   

Correct Answer Choice a

Answer Explanation

The expression "short end of the stick" is used when someone feels like they got the worse part of a deal or situation.

12. 
    After Ms. Smith caught Darnisha chewing gum for the third time, Ms. Smith scheduled a parent teacher conference
    

with Darnisha's mother. When Darnisha's mother came into Ms. Smith's classroom to discuss her daughter's behavior, Darnisha's mother was chewing gum. Ms. Smith thought to herself, "the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree."

Which best express the meaning of "the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree" as used in the sentence?

1. 
   Ms. Smith thinks that Darnisha dresses like her mother.
   
2. 
   Ms. Smith thinks that Darnisha acts a lot like her mother.
   
3. 
   Ms. Smith is surprised to see that Darnisha's mother came.
   
4. 
   Ms. Smith thinks that Darnisha's mother lives very close to the school.
   

Correct Answer Choice b

Answer Explanation

The expression "the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree" is used when a person believes that a child acts in a way that is similar to their parent.

13. 
    Brad was accusing us of stealing his phone until he found it in his backpack, and now he's trying tosweep it under the rug.
    

Which best express the meaning of "sweep it under the rug" as used in the sentence?

1. 
   Brad thinks that his phone will be safer if he hides it under the rug.
   
2. 
   Brad wants to do something to make up for his mistake.
   
3. 
   Brad is trying to locate a signal for his phone so that he can use it.
   
4. 
   Brad wants to pretend that the incident never happened.
   

Correct Answer Choice d

Answer Explanation

Brad wants to pretend that the incident never happened. The expression "sweep it under the rug" is used when a person is trying to quickly move past a mistake without taking the time to correct it properly. .

14. 
    Keisha got up a started yelling at Ronnie and threatening him but Ronnie didn't even flinch because he knew that her bark was worse than her bite.
    

Which best express the meaning of "bark is worse than her bite" as used in the sentence?

1. 
   Ronnie thinks that Keisha will get in trouble for yelling.
   
2. 
   Ronnie thinks that Keisha has bad breath.
   
3. 
   Ronnie thinks that Keisha is loud but not dangerous.
   
4. 
   Ronnie thinks that Keisha has a crush on him.
   

Correct Answer Choice c

Answer Explanation

Ronnie thinks that Keisha is loud but not dangerous. When somebody says that "one’s bark is worse than one’s bite" they mean that the person makes a lot of noise but it is not a physical threat.

15. 
    You might think that Billy Parker is the kid who has everything, but if you saw the list of chores his parents give him, I guarantee that you wouldn't want to be in his shoes.
    

Which best express the meaning of "be in his shoes" as used in the sentence?

1. 
   You wouldn't want your shoes to get as dirty as Billy's when he's doing his chores.
   
2. 
   If you have to do as many chores as Billy, you'll want a pair of comfortable shoes.
   
3. 
   Billy shoes are so uncomfortable that doing his chores is really unpleasant.
   
4. 
   Billy has so many chores to do that it is unpleasant to imagine doing them all.
   

Correct Answer Choice d

Answer Explanation

Billy has so many chores to do that it would be unpleasant to be him. The expression "to be in one’s shoes" means to imagine what another person is going through.


1. Janet gushed over the sculpture in the antique shop, but Kevin thought that the craftsmanship was merely run of the mill.

a. He thinks that it is of exceptionally high quality.
b. He thinks that it is marked by creativity or originality.
c. He thinks that it is too expensive for the average person too afford.
d. He thinks that it is low quality, common or ordinary.

Correct Answer Choice
d

Answer Explanation
The expression "run of the mill" means that something is not distinguished by quality or originality. It refers to a factory or mill in which identical items are mass produced.

2. After Michael missed three shots in a row and passed the ball to a player on the other team, the boys were only up by two and they suspected that Michael would be the Achilles' heel of the team.

a. Michael performs well under pressure.
b. Michael is a valuable contributor to the team.
c. Michael is a weakness in an otherwise strong entity.
d. Michael inspires others to succeed.

Correct Answer Choice
c

Answer Explanation
Since Michael has performed poorly and the boys are still in the lead, a good reader might be able to infer that an Achilles' heel is a weakness in an otherwise strong entity.
3. Lyle chose Marco for his partner, thinking that it would be fun to work with his best friend, but now that the project was due tomorrow and the boys had nothing done, Lyle realized that he should have hitched his horse to a different wagon.

a. Lyle wishes he had chosen a different partner.
b. Lyle accepts responsibility for his part in their failure.
c. Lyle understands this project will require hard work.
d. Lyle believes that the best course of action is to tell the truth.

Correct Answer Choice
a

Answer Explanation
Lyle realizes that he should have chosen a different partner since he and Marco have done nothing but play.

4. The prosecutor knew that the councilman had stolen public funds, but she wanted to get all of her ducks in a row before she charged him with a crime.

a. She wanted to catch the councilman in the act
b. She wanted to take the time to properly prepare her case
c. She had other business to take care of before going after the councilman
d. She had to finish eating lunch before she went back to work

Correct Answer Choice
b

Answer Explanation
To get one's ducks in a row is to prepare oneself for an important undertaking.

5. Vince knew that if he wanted to get into college, he'd have to keep his nose to the grindstone all senior year.

a. Vince would have to apply for college.
b. Vince would have to work hard for a whole year.
c. Vince would have to wait patiently for an opportunity.
d. Vince would have to stay out of trouble for a whole year.

Correct Answer Choice
b

Answer Explanation
To keep one's nose to the grindstone is to work hard for a long period of time.

6. Mrs. March was afraid of leaving the student teacher with her third period class because she feared that the student teacher was a bit too green to be left alone with such a wild bunch.

a. Mrs. March felt that the student teacher was too inexperienced.
b. Mrs. March felt that the student teacher was too jealous of some of the students.
c. Mrs. March felt that the student teacher was too mean to be left alone with the children.
d. Mrs. March felt that the student teacher was too sick to handle the children.

Correct Answer Choice
a

Answer Explanation
Based on how it is used in the sentence, the expression "green" means inexperienced, though in different contexts it could also refer to envy and illness.

7. I know that Catherine has been really unpleasant toward you, Alvin, but take it with a grain of salt: she's mean to everyone.

a. Alvin should try hard to get on Catherine's good side.
b. Alvin should be worried that Catherine is not treating him kindly.
c. Alvin should go and get lunch and reflect on Catherine's attitude.
d. Alvin should not be concerned about how Catherine is treating him.

Correct Answer Choice
d

Answer Explanation
To "take it with a grain of salt" means to treat something as insignificant

8. Ever since country western super group The Mountain Boys started wearing stovepipe hats, those hats have been selling like hotcakes.

a. This means that stovepipe hats have been selling quickly.
b. This means that stovepipe hats have been selling slowly.
c. This means that stovepipe hats have been selling at an average pace.
d. This means that stovepipe hats have not been selling at all.

Correct Answer Choice
a

Answer Explanation
To "sell like hotcakes" means that something is selling very quickly. This expression comes to us from a time when hotcakes actually sold rapidly.


9. After promising to go to Beth's parent's cabin for the weekend, Molly got invited to the coolest party of the year and now Molly is really in a pickle.

a. This means that no matter what happens things are going to work out for Molly.
b. This means that Molly is stuck in a difficult situation.
c. This means that Molly has become really popular.
d. This means that Molly smells like vinegar.

Correct Answer Choice
b

Answer Explanation
To get "in a pickle" means to get stuck in a difficult situation. It comes from a position in baseball in which a runner gets trapped between two basemen who are throwing the ball back and forth attempting to trap the runner.

10. Even though Lucas had been bullying the new kid since the beginning of the year, Lucas shed his crocodile tears after the principal caught him and threatened him with suspension.

a. This means that Lucas genuinely feels sorry for his actions.
b. This means that Lucas's display of sorrow was insincere.
c. This means that Lucas was afraid of lizards.
d. This means that Lucas was afraid of the new kid.

Correct Answer Choice
b

Answer Explanation
To shed "crocodile tears" is to cry tears or display sadness that is not sincere. It comes from the observation that crocodiles secrete liquid from their eyes when they eat prey.
11. The researchers at the renowned UC Berkeley have a long history of pushing the envelope in regards to computer science.

a. This means that these researchers have long followed behind others in the field.
b. This means that these researchers have long led efforts in the field.
c. This means that these researchers have kept up with trends in the field.
d. This means that these researchers have long attempted to do away with paper record keeping.

Correct Answer Choice
b

Answer Explanation
To "push the envelope" is to go beyond what is normal or expected.

12. While Kristie's cake pops are both delicious and artistic, nobody can hold a candle to her pecan pie.

a. This means that Kristie's pecan pie is not visually pleasing.
b. This means that Kristie's pecan pie is very hot when it comes out of the oven.
c. This means that Kristie's pecan pie is better than all others.
d. This means that Kristie's pecan pie is in serious need of improvements.

Correct Answer Choice
c

Answer Explanation
This means that Kristie's pecan pie is better than all others. It is so good that other pecan pies would not be allowed to hold candles for Kristie's pecan pie.

13. After I told the client that we could give him a discount on the window repairs, the boss said that we couldn't and now I've got egg all over my face.

a. Someone who has egg all over his or her face is a person who is known to not tell the truth.
b. Someone who has egg all over his or her face is a person who profits from other's misfortunes.
c. Someone who has egg all over his or her face is a person who looks foolish or embarrassed.
d. Someone who has egg all over his or her face is a person who looks very hungry.

Correct Answer Choice
c

Answer Explanation
Someone with egg all over his or her face is a person in a situation who, usually through fault of their own, looks foolish or embarrassed.

14. When Angelo called Devon "stinky pants" on the playground, Devon wanted to call Angelo a mean name too, but Devon's mother had always taught him to turn the other cheek.

a. To forgive an act of aggression
b. To return an act of aggression with greater force
c. To return an act of aggression with equal force
d. To hide from aggression in order to protect oneself

Correct Answer Choice
a

Answer Explanation
To turn the other cheek is to forgive an act of aggression. It comes from a religious parable.

15. Although I hate green peppers, I ordered them on the pizza because everybody else wanted them and I didn't want to go against the grain.

a. To oppose or resist a strong force
b. To just go along with whatever is the easiest
c. To raise one's voice to an inappropriate level
d. To ignore something unpleasant

Correct Answer Choice
a

Answer Explanation
To go against the grain is to oppose or resist a strong force. It may have it's origins in woodworking, as it is much easier to sand a piece of when one sands in the direction of the wood grain.