speak better English with Harry - Episode 295
Relationship Idioms in English
Harry
12 English Idioms about Relationships
Native speakers of English use idioms a lot in everyday conversation. Idioms not only add variety and spice to your spoken English but also make conversation more interesting. What are idioms? Idioms are phrases that do not mean exactly what the words say. I would recommend you learn and understand the meanings of English idioms before you are confident enough to use them.Β In today’s lesson we are going to learn 12 English idioms about relationships.
Intermediate to Advanced English Marathon
INSANITY: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
English Idioms about Relationshipsβ
get off on the wrong foot
Meaning: when you meet someone for the first time you do or say something to upset them
Example:
Kathleen brought Richard home to meet her parents. He tripped on the carpet and broke their favourite vase. The relationship got off on the wrong foot.
get on someone’s nerves
Meaning: to irritate someone because you say or do something annoying
Example:
Trevor always drums his fingers on the table when you are talking to him. It really gets on my nerves.
give someone the cold shoulder
Meaning: when you deliberately ignore someone because you are upset with them
Example:
Judy was so annoyed with her boyfriend because he had not called her in 5 days. When she saw him in the office she gave him the cold shoulder and did not speak to him all day.
give someone the cold shoulder meaning
give someone the cold shoulder - video lesson
on the rocks
Meaning: when something is not going well
Example:
Johnβs marriage was not going well. He constantly argued with his wife. He told his friend he thought their marriage was really on the rocks.
12 English Idioms about Relationships
go back a long way
Meaning: when you know a close friend for a very long time
Example:
Philip and Michael have been best friends since they were 7 years old. Their relationship goes back a long way.
your own flesh and blood
Meaning: your children or close relatives
Example:
Michael was stuck with a problem. He had two applicants for the job, his son Paul and a stranger called Peter. In the end, he chose his own flesh and blood and gave the job to Paul.
hit it off
Meaning: to get on well with someone you meet
Example:
Anthony met Miriam at the party and they talked all night. They really hit it off the first time.
give someone a hard time
Meaning: treat someone badly or unfairly, to make someone suffer
Example:
Mum always used to give me a hard time for not doing homework properly.
12 English Idioms about Relationships
meet someone halfwayΒ
Meaning: to reach an agreement with somebody by compromise
Example:
We agreed to meet halfwayΒ on the price.
treat someone like dirt
Meaning: to treat someone very badly
Example:
Why do bosses think that just because someone does a manual job, for low pay, that it’s somehow okay to treat them like dirt?
be on the same wavelength
Meaning: when you’re on the same wavelength with someone it means you share the same values, you are interested in the same things
Example:
There was some visual connection there, we were always on the same wavelength.
fight like cat and dog
Meaning: if two people often have angry fights, we say can say that they fight like cat and dog
Example:
My brothers fight like cat and dog all the time.
More Information
Now, you can understand the meanings of idioms about relationships. Are your friends learning English? Don’t keep your friends in the dark. Share this article with them!
For more information on English Expressions, English Phrasal Verbs and English Grammar, check out the following links:
How to use Phrasal Verbs with COME correctly
12 Idioms related to Happiness and Sadness You Need to Know
Important Idioms about Health and Illness
English idioms about relationships can be also find here
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