Music idioms

If someone says something that you are very pleased to hear, you can say that it is music to your ears, as in ‘Their offer of help was music to my ears’ (=música celestial)

It would be quite a different matter however, should you be required to face the music,(=hacer frente a las consecuencias) as this would mean that you have to accept punishment or criticism for something you have done wrong. If that happens, it's probably better not to make a song and dance about it (= great fuss, exagerar; complain a lot about something in an annoying and unnecessary way).

Sometimes it's difficult to strike the right note (create a particular mood by the way you speak or behave) but, if you do so, you might touch or strike a chord with someone (produce a particular emotion in them), as in 'Her tale of woe struck a chord with Edward'.(=Tocar las fibras sensibles)

If you change your tune, you change your opinion or attitude, as in 'Is that your dog? You've changed your tune. You always used to hate dogs!’(=cambiar de opinión)

If you dance to someone’s tune, you do what they tell you to do and, in that situation, it's that person who calls the tune (is in control), as in ‘At the moment the money markets are not sure who is in charge and who is calling the tune (=mandar, tener la última palabra)’.

The expression to the tune of is used to emphasize how large a sum of money is, as in ‘The company is in debt to the tune of £1.2 billion’,(=nada más y nada menos que, por la friolera de ) and if something goes for a song, it is sold at a very cheap price, as in ‘Video recorders are going for a song these days’.(=baratisimo)

Music idioms

If someone says something that you are very pleased to hear, you can say that it is music to your ears, as in ‘Their offer of help was music to my ears’ (=música celestial)

It would be quite a different matter however, should you be required to face the music,(=hacer frente a las consecuencias) as this would mean that you have to accept punishment or criticism for something you have done wrong. If that happens, it's probably better not to make a song and dance about it (= great fuss, exagerar; complain a lot about something in an annoying and unnecessary way).

Sometimes it's difficult to strike the right note (create a particular mood by the way you speak or behave) but, if you do so, you might touch or strike a chord with someone (produce a particular emotion in them), as in 'Her tale of woe struck a chord with Edward'.(=Tocar las fibras sensibles)

If you change your tune, you change your opinion or attitude, as in 'Is that your dog? You've changed your tune. You always used to hate dogs!’(=cambiar de opinión)

If you dance to someone’s tune, you do what they tell you to do and, in that situation, it's that person who calls the tune (is in control), as in ‘At the moment the money markets are not sure who is in charge and who is calling the tune (=mandar, tener la última palabra)’.

The expression to the tune of is used to emphasize how large a sum of money is, as in ‘The company is in debt to the tune of £1.2 billion’,(=nada más y nada menos que, por la friolera de ) and if something goes for a song, it is sold at a very cheap price, as in ‘Video recorders are going for a song these days’.(=baratisimo)

Rephrasing2

   He only wants to join the Project because he thinks he´ll make some money out of it
Sole…………………………………………………………………………………..

2.       Our chances of finding someone to replace Mr Jones are incredibly slight

Virtually……………………………………….

3.       I cannot understand why you are unwilling to give Max a job

Baffled……………………………………..

4.       In some countries people under the age of 16 are not allowed to buy tobacco

Restricted……………………………

5.       Any correspondence from the London office must be dealt with before other matters

Priority………………………………………..

6.       I advise you not to believe what you read in thye papers about me

Reliance……………………………………………..

7.       Surely it was dangerous for you to hitch-hike all that way alone

Risk………………………………….

8.       There´s a chance that my secretary took the order book away

May……………………………………

9.       I´m trying to work out how much these dollars are worth in pounds

Convert……………………………………..

1.   He didn´t take any part in the conversation

Contribute…………………………………………………

Rephrasing2

   He only wants to join the Project because he thinks he´ll make some money out of it
Sole…………………………………………………………………………………..

2.       Our chances of finding someone to replace Mr Jones are incredibly slight

Virtually……………………………………….

3.       I cannot understand why you are unwilling to give Max a job

Baffled……………………………………..

4.       In some countries people under the age of 16 are not allowed to buy tobacco

Restricted……………………………

5.       Any correspondence from the London office must be dealt with before other matters

Priority………………………………………..

6.       I advise you not to believe what you read in thye papers about me

Reliance……………………………………………..

7.       Surely it was dangerous for you to hitch-hike all that way alone

Risk………………………………….

8.       There´s a chance that my secretary took the order book away

May……………………………………

9.       I´m trying to work out how much these dollars are worth in pounds

Convert……………………………………..

1.   He didn´t take any part in the conversation

Contribute…………………………………………………

Rephrasing2Keys

 He only wants to join the Project because he thinks he´ll make some money out of it

His sole purpose is to join the project because he thinks he´ll make some…..

2.       Our chances of finding someone to replace Mr Jones are incredibly slight

We have virtually no chances of finding someone to replace Mr. Jones

3.       I cannot understand why you are unwilling to give Max a job

I´m baffled by your unwillingness to give Max a job

4.       In some countries people under the age of 16 are not allowed to buy tobacco

In some countries people under the age of 16 are restricted from buying tobacco

5.       Any correspondence from the London office must be dealt with before other matters

Any correspondence from the London office must be dealt with priority/ has priority over other matters

6.       I advise you not to believe what you read in the papers about me

I advise you not to place much reliance on what you read in the papers about me

7.       Surely it was dangerous for you to hitch-hike all that way alone

Surely it was a risk for you to hitch-hike../ Surely you put yourself at risk hitch-hiking…

8.       There´s a chance that my secretary took the order book away

My secretary may have taken the order book away

9.       I´m trying to work out how much these dollars are worth in pounds

I am trying to convert these dollars into pounds

1.   He didn´t take any part in the conversation

He didn´t contribute to the conversation

Rephrasing2Keys

 He only wants to join the Project because he thinks he´ll make some money out of it

His sole purpose is to join the project because he thinks he´ll make some…..

2.       Our chances of finding someone to replace Mr Jones are incredibly slight

We have virtually no chances of finding someone to replace Mr. Jones

3.       I cannot understand why you are unwilling to give Max a job

I´m baffled by your unwillingness to give Max a job

4.       In some countries people under the age of 16 are not allowed to buy tobacco

In some countries people under the age of 16 are restricted from buying tobacco

5.       Any correspondence from the London office must be dealt with before other matters

Any correspondence from the London office must be dealt with priority/ has priority over other matters

6.       I advise you not to believe what you read in the papers about me

I advise you not to place much reliance on what you read in the papers about me

7.       Surely it was dangerous for you to hitch-hike all that way alone

Surely it was a risk for you to hitch-hike../ Surely you put yourself at risk hitch-hiking…

8.       There´s a chance that my secretary took the order book away

My secretary may have taken the order book away

9.       I´m trying to work out how much these dollars are worth in pounds

I am trying to convert these dollars into pounds

1.   He didn´t take any part in the conversation

He didn´t contribute to the conversation

Illness idioms

1. hoarse voice. When your ❛throat is sore and you cannot speak well due to illness❜, you have a hoarse voice. Hoarseness is a common symptom of a cold or flu, but can also be a warning sign for other conditions.
Example: I could hardly understand Luigi on the phone. He had a hoarse voice.

2. splitting headacheA splitting headache is ❛an extremely bad or severe headache❜.
Example: Could you please be quiet? I have a splitting headache.

3. Cold hands, warm heart.As someone who almost always has cold hands, I naturally thought that this English proverb was a nice one. It means that ❛people whose hands are usually cold have kind and loving personalities❜. Since people who are ill often have cold hands too, it makes a nice addition to this idiom list.Example: Oh, Louise, your hands are cold. You know what they say, don’t you? Cold hands, warm heart.

4. to be fit as a horse / to be fit as a fiddleThe English idioms to be as fit as a horse or to be as fit as a fiddle are expressions that you can use to say that someone is ❛very healthy❜.Example: I am not sick. In fact, I am as fit as a fiddle!

5. to be knocked outWhen you are ❛extremely tired and/or unable to do anything❜, you are knocked out.Example: I expected that I could return to work after a week, but this flu has really knocked me out. 

6. to be sick as a dogSomeone who is ❛extremely ill❜ is as sick as a dog.Example: When you called me last night, I could hardly get of out bed to answer the telephone. I was as sick as a dog!

7. to be on the road to recoverySomeone who is on the road to recovery is ❛recovering from an illness❜.Example: Good news! I am on the road to recovery and should be back at work by next Monday.