Idioms are structured expressions with concrete meanings. Although idioms and phrases hail from traditional patterns of writing or speaking English, we do use them in our contemporary styles to enrich the language. Even today whether you are an engineer or a management professional, public speaker or a teacher Idioms and their meanings have an unprecedented presence in our day to day life. However let us also be very clear that there has to be a right usage of the idiom conveying the right meaning referring to the context. Often it happens that the misuse of idioms in English language deteriorates the essence of its meaning and affects the contextual meaning as well. Although the usage of idioms in a sentence enriches the style and dictum of a language, one mistake of placing the idiom in a meaning opposing it will tarnish the sentence making it seem funny and irrelevant.
Let us take a look at some idioms which have been tagged along with their proper meanings and associated with an example each.
i. A leopard can't change his spots
Meaning: You will always remain what you are and cannot change
Example: I agree that a leopard can't change his spots but he can of course change his style of living.
ii. Devil's advocate
Meaning: Someone who defends an argument or a debate without believing it or knowing it
Example: The lady sitting next to that guy is a devil's advocate so be careful.
iii. A piece of cake
Meaning: An easy thing for a task
Example: Teaching younger children is not always a piece of cake.
iv. Against the clock
Meaning: Running against time
Example: Although the question paper was a simple one to solve I was still running against the clock.
v. Absence makes the heart grow fonder
Meaning: You miss a person more when he is far away
Example: It was only after he left that I discovered that absence makes the heart grow fonder.
vi. Ants in your pants
Meaning: To get up and move around and avoid being still at one place
Example: For how long would you sit idle like this and grow ants in your pants?
vii. Burn the midnight oil
Meaning: To work till late night doing some reading or writing
Example: I woke up late as I had burned the midnight oil doing some online writing.
viii. Hard nut to crack
Meaning: A difficult situation or a person to deal with
Example: My new boss was undoubtedly a hard nut to crack
ix. Hold your horses
Meaning: Be patient and wait for a while before giving out an action
Example: I was eager to begin for my presentation work but experiences told me to hold my horses that day.
x. Butter someone up
Meaning: Doing favours for someone with an interest to get your own work done
Example: I knew my boss was difficult in providing me that work assignment so I had to butter her up.
Thus, by making a modest use of idioms with their correct meanings we can surely bring out the enhancement in our English language.