English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
SPORTS, GAMES and ATHLETICS, page 1
Idioms
from:
'the ball is in your court' to: 'give the game away'
- (the) ball is in your court
- If the ball is in your court,
it is your turn to speak or act next.
"We gave the manager a list of complaints, so the ball is in his court now."
- If the ball is in your court,
it is your turn to speak or act next.
- have a ball
- If you have a ball you enjoy yourself
immensely.
"The party was great. We all had a ball."
- If you have a ball you enjoy yourself
immensely.
- (be) on the ball
- If you are on the ball, you are aware of what is
happening and are able to deal with things quickly and intelligently.
"We need someone who is really on the ball to head the fund-raising campaign."
- If you are on the ball, you are aware of what is
happening and are able to deal with things quickly and intelligently.
- start the ball rolling
- If you start the ball rolling, you begin
an activity in which other people will join.
"Let's start the ball rolling by calling on our first speaker."
- If you start the ball rolling, you begin
an activity in which other people will join.
- that's the way the ball bounces
- Things don't always work out as planned,
and there's nothing we can do about it - that's life.
"He didn't get the prize he expected, but never mind - that's the way the ball bounces."
- Things don't always work out as planned,
and there's nothing we can do about it - that's life.
- (a) whole new ball game
- To refer to something as a whole new ball game
means that it is a completely different situation due to a new set of circumstances.
"Email and text messaging have made communication a whole new ball game."
- To refer to something as a whole new ball game
means that it is a completely different situation due to a new set of circumstances.
- dive in headfirst
- If you begin something enthusiastically,
without thinking about the possible consequences, you
dive in headfirst.
"Tony accepted the project without calculating the time it would take; he always dives in headfirst!"
- If you begin something enthusiastically,
without thinking about the possible consequences, you
dive in headfirst.
- fishing expedition
- If someone is on a fishing expedition,
they are trying to obtain information in any way possible.
"The lunch invitation was clearly a fishing expedition to obtain information about his private life."
- If someone is on a fishing expedition,
they are trying to obtain information in any way possible.
- fishing for compliments
- When someone is obviously waiting for you to say something
nice, they are fishing for compliments.
"I know why she invited us to her new house - she's just fishing for compliments."
- When someone is obviously waiting for you to say something
nice, they are fishing for compliments.
- at this stage of the game
- The expression 'at this stage of the game' refers to
the current point reached in a process, activity or developing situation.
"I think any further intervention would be unwise at this stage of the game. Let's wait and see how things develop."
- The expression 'at this stage of the game' refers to
the current point reached in a process, activity or developing situation.
- give the game away
- If you give the game away, you
reveal a secret or a plan, often unintentionally.
"He hoped nobody in the hotel would recognize him, but an employee gave the game away."
- If you give the game away, you
reveal a secret or a plan, often unintentionally.
More Idioms:
Sports - Games - Athletics ...
Alphabetical lists:
Please note that British English spelling is used on this website.