GREAT BRITIAN KEY

Taken from Collins, V. H. (1958). A Second Book of English idioms. London: Longmans, Green and Company.

applaud to the echo: to acclaim and clap loudly, so that one rouses echoes.

in bad odour: in disfavour, in disrepute.

to be on/off the beam: to be on or off the point, to be relevant or irrelevant.

chop and change: to be constantly changing, generally used derogatorily.

come to heel: to show humble and complete obedience.

feel like a giant refreshed: to feel physically or morally strong after something has happened.

as cold as charity: lacking in signs of warm emotion.

have a crow to pluck (Pick): to have a complaint or criticism to make.

die in harness: to die while still actively engaged in the course of one's regular work.

dree one's weird: to endure with philosophic resignation about what may happen in the future ("weird" is used here in place offate).

hang on a person's lips: to listen closely to; similar to hang on a person's every word

of the first water: of the most excellent kind.

go to one's account: to die.

not as green as he's cabbage-looking: not so simple as one might think; not such a fool as he looks.

help a lame dog over a stile: help a person deal with a difficulty with which he/she is incapable of coping.

a pretty pass: a serious state of affairs.

improve the occasion: to seize every advantage one can out of the circumstance.

have one's knife in a person: to be constantly finding occasions for complaining about or blaming a person.

late in the field.o late on the scene.

lose caste: to forfeit one's social position by doing something that is regarded as socially discreditable.

lose the day: to be defeated.

merry as a cricket: extremely cheerful.

with might and main: with all one's power.

grasp the nettle: to tackle a difficulty or danger boldly.

put in one's oar: to intervene in action or discussion.

shilly-shally: to vacillate, waver, be undecided, hesitate.

from pillar to post: to move from one place or resource to another.

pink of perfection: the highest degree of what is perfect of its kind.

to stump up: to pay money.

IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS IN ENGLISH

BAHAMIAN KEY

Taken from Holm, J. A. (1982). Dictionary of Bahamian English. New York: Lexik House Publishers.

bitch up: to ruin or spoil; to frustrate.

broad-speaking: plain-speaking, outspoken.

get burned up: to become exhausted through physical exertion.

butter-for-fat: like for like; similar to tit-for tat.

That's chalk: that's inevitable; a foregone conclusion; slang for that's great.

cheek somebody up: to be impertinent to somebody.

clap somebody up: to applaud somebody; similar to applaud to the echo.

cold in the arm, leg: an inflammation of the arm or leg.

curry-favor someone: give somebody an unfair advantage because of personal connections; curry somebody's favor.

cut-up with someone: to flirt.

cut your grass: to usurp someone else's prerogative or exclusive right or privilege.

decide your mind: to make a decision.

what the diggins: an exclamation of surprise.

dive up: to dive into the water and bring something up.

doggy after someone: to follow someone about constantly.

don 't-care-'f-I: not caring, especially about social norms.

draw hand: to make a leading or beckoning gesture.

eat off someone: to eat at someone else's expense.

fowled of doing something: engaged in doing something.

pick up gap seed: to gather information for gossip.

grind somebody up in your heart: to bear a grudge against somebody.

in quest: to admit defeat in playing cards or marbles.

keep somebody hot: to be at a person's heels, getting in his/her way.

land somebody off." to drop someone off from a car or boat.

lay on your chest/stomach: to cause indigestion or nightmares (of food eaten late at night).

make him know: to scold or punish.

make your break: to seize an opportunity to do what one has been wanting to do.

mix fool with sense: to attempt to deceive someone by interspersing lies with the truth.

one mind tell me: To have a vague contradictory feeling (that something would happen, etc.).

own something to somebody: to confess something to somebody.

pick somebody's mouth: to get information by engaging in seemingly casual conversation.

pick up for somebody: to take somebody's side of the argument.

pitch a stink: to object vehemently, cause a commotion.

poke death with a stick: to court danger, to tempt fate.

rap someone up: to applaud someone, especially for a generous donation to a church.

Possible discussion Questions following the exercise:

but now do? Could these idioms have been regionally based?

explanation, or was the meaning clear because of the context in which the idiom

was used?