Exercise

A. Study the following idioms. Use them in sentences.

1. have your heart in your throat – to be terrified
2. in an evil hour – at a bad time
3. in cahoots with – in cooperation with (for evil acts)
4. in one fell swoop – suddenly and completely
5. in the same boat – in the same situation
6. have the j itters – be extremely nervous
7. j oint – any place of entertainment
8. j ump at the chance – grasp an opportunity enthusiastically
9. keel over – collapse
10. keep the wolf from the door – resist hunger and poverty

B. Fill in the blanks with the correct idioms from the list given above.

One day, three wicked men decided to go to a .

They had no money. In fact, their families could hardly .
They saw some prosperous-looking men sitting at a table. They
to rob these men. They decided to hold up the .
They of getting easy money. they hatched
their plan. Soon another suspicious-looking man entered. He
sat with the three men. He was evidently them. A
waiter saw the men whispering together. They really looked
wicked. The waiter had the . He almost .
He was afraid that some disaster would happen. He
thought he was going . But he controlled himself. He
to be a hero. He called the police and the
suspicious-looking men were arrested.

2 Unit 1 • English Literature—From Its Beginnings to the Renaissance

 Interpreting and Using Idioms

Exercise
A. Study the following idiomatic expressions, and then use each in a
sentence.
1. eat humble pie – to be humiliated; to repent
2. eat one’s heart out – to feel envy, resentment, or shame
3. fair and square – to do things honestly
4. feather one’s nest – to improve one’s financial condition at the
expense of others
5. fit to be tied – wild with rage
6. get under one’s skin – to annoy one
7. squeeze blood from a stone – to do the impossible
8. happy hunting – an expression wishing one success or happi-
ness
9. hard as nails – physically tough, hard-hearted, cruel
10. has a good head on one’s shoulder – to be intelligent

B. Fill in each blank with the correct expression.

1. She is successful because she at the expense of
others.
2. She was very proud and I’m glad we had a chance to make
her .
3. She refuses to pay her debt; collecting from her is just like try-
ing to .
4. She glared at us; I tell you she .
5. You can depend on him; he .
6. You can’t do anything about it, so don’t become .
7. He is a born leader; he will .
8. He is looking for a job; all his friends wish him .
9. Some people when they attain power.
10. He feels no pity; he is .

Lesson 1 • The Beginnings of English Literature: The Old English Periods 11

 11. If you want to succeed, you must be .
12. If you want people to trust you, you must be .
13. He is very irritating; he easily .
14. Don’t be so proud; you might have to .
15. Control your temper. You look .

12 Unit 1 • English Literature—From Its Beginnings to the Renaissance

 Idioms
Study these idioms and use each in a sentence.
1. leave off – to stop; to put aside
2. leave out – to omit
3. leave to oneself – to leave alone
4. let down – to disappoint or fail someone
5. let in – to allow to enter
6. let off – to release; to allow to go free
7. let out – to lease
8. live down – to subdue or eradicate (a bad reputation or ru-
mor)
9. live for – to devote one’s life to
10. live within one’s means – not to spend more than one’s in-
come

Exercise

Using Idiomatic Expressions

Fill in the blank with an appropriate idiomatic expression from the
list above.
1. We our house to a foreigner and moved to an
apartment.
2. Ben was so ill-tempered that soon everyone
and went home.
3. A miser nothing else but to accumulate money.
4. The child stood at the door knocking and crying, “
me .”
5. After reading about cancer, Mona decided to
smoking.
6. I thought I could depend on you, but you me
.
7. He has a lot of debts because he does not .
8. In copying this document, be careful not to any
word.

20 Unit 1 • English Literature—From Its Beginnings to the Renaissance

 9. Mother said, “I should punish you but, I’ll you
this time.”
10. Her conduct was so unquestionable that she all
suspicions of her character.

Lesson 1 • The Beginnings of English Literature: The Old English Periods 21