Most Common American Idioms part 2 -

**محمود عبد المعطي** · 12-16-2010 09:29 AM

Most Common American Idioms part 2

Hit the books
= to study, prepare for class
Tonight I'm going to hit the books!
I can have my cake and eat it too
= I can have EVERYTHING I want in life!
A Poker face
= a face with no expression
This idiom originates from the card game of poker because no gambling poker player should have an expression that is easy to read! (that way, the other players in the game won't be able to guess how good/bad his/her cards are)
George has a poker face so you never know what he's thinking!

To look like a million dollars
= to look great, to be very well dressed!
Julia Roberts looked like a million dollars at the Oscars!

A dime a dozen
= very common, easy to find
(countable nouns in plural form)
In North America, shopping malls are a dime a dozen!
You have a one track mind !
= You always think about the same (one) thing! (we can also say he/she/we/they "has/have a one track mind")

To have the inside track
= To have an advantage because you know certain people or you have special information
Bob knows what the president is going to announce in his televised speech this evening because he has the inside track!
I would write an article about Julia Roberts' life if I could get the inside track!

On the wrong side of the tracks
= in a bad/poor/undesirable neighborhood
Sam grew up on the wrong side of the tracks.

Curiosity killed the cat!
= It's not good to be too curious!

The cat's out of the bag !
= The secret is not a secret anymore!

It's raining cats and dogs!
= It's raining hard (a lot)!

There is no time like the present!
= It is best to do it now!

Time heals all wounds
= With time, sadness will pass

Time out!
= Stop, calm down! (usually said in the middle of a discussion or argument)
= Let's take a break now!

A penny for your thoughts !
= A friendly way to say "What are you thinking about?"

What goes around comes around!
= If you treat people badly, something bad will happen to you and if you treat people well, something good will happen to you. This Common idiom proves that Americans are superstitious!

All that glitters isn't gold!
= Not everything is as wonderful as it seems (this can refer to material things and also situations)

You scratch my back and I will scratch you!
= If you do a favor for me, I will do a favor for you!

Rome wasn't built in a day
= It might take a long time to achieve something great.

Money talks
= Money has power/influence!

have a nice time