Useful idioms

A list of useful idioms with their Polish meaning and a sample sentence.

 

(with your) hands down - z palcem w nosie, z łatwością

The exam was so easy that everyone passed with their hands down.

 

a bone of contention - przedmiot sporu, kość niezgody

 Whether we will be living in the city or in the countryside turns out to be a real bone of contention in our relationship.

 

a flash in the pan - słomiany zapał; fiasko; klapa

Most pop stars today are a flash in the pan. Popular one year, gone the next.

 

a slowcoach - guzdrała

Because of Jenny being such a slowcoach we missed our bus.

 

an arm and a leg - mnóstwo pieniędzy

The new car he bought cost him an arm and a leg.

 

as hard as nails - twardy, nie okazujący emocji

The guy we met yesterday was as hard as nails.

 

at the crack of dawn - o brzasku, o świcie

I have to get up at the crack of dawn everyday to make sure I am not late for work.

 

be in the red - mieć debet (w banku)

if we buy this overpriced house we'll be in the red for the rest of our lives!

 

be on the crest of a wave - przeżywać dobry, pomyślny okres; być "na fali"

James Cameron with his latest hit 'Avatar' is on the crest of a wave.

 

be quits (with somebody) - być kwita

As soon as you give me my 100 zł back we're quits.

 

beat somebody black and blue - zbić kogoś na kwaśne jabłko

John beat Jack black and blue for kissing his girlfriend.

 

catch sb red-handed - złapać kogoś na gorącym uczynku

My daughter caught the neighbour's son red-handed stealing our apples.

 

chew something over - przemyśleć coś

I got a decent job proposal but I have to chew it over.

 

choose a soft option - pójść na łatwiznę

Instead of taking up a challenge, he always chooses a soft option.

 

donkey's years - całe wieki

I have been working here for donkey's years and I really feel at home.

 

good riddance (to bad rubbish) - baba z wozu, koniom lżej

I heard you laid John off? Good riddance! - he was nothing but trouble.

 

greasy spoon - speluna z tanim żarciem

Students often have to go to greasy spoons to get something to eat.

 

have a finger in every pie - wtrącać się we wszystko

I can't stand him any longer! He has to have a finger in every pie! Can't he just mind his own business?

 

have your cake and eat it - wilk syty i owca cała; mieć ciastko i zjeść ciastko

I am telling my father that he has to pay a lot if he wants a good car - you can't have your cake and eat it, right?

 

hit the nail on the head - trafić w sedno

The boss told me after the meeting that my suggestions were the perfect solution to the problem. I hit the nail on the head!

 

in black and white - na piśmie

I won't tell you a thing untill I have my pardon treaty in black and white!

 

leave no stone unturned - poruszyć niebo i ziemię, zastosować wszystkie środki

When I was looking for the wedding ring I left no stone unturned!

 

last but not least - rzecz równie ważna (mimo, że wymieniona na końcu)

And last but not least, I would like to thank my parents for all the support they have given me.

 

not my scene - nie moja "działka"

I don't like pop music, it's just not my scene.

 

on thin ice - na niepewnym gruncie

With mother-in-laws you have to watch what you're saying. One wrong word may put you on thin ice.

 

once in a blue moon - bardzo rzadko

Once in a blue moon I take a bike to work but usually I go by car.

 

pop the question - oświadczyć się

I was so worried that this will never happen, but last week Jason popped the question and I said 'yes'!

 

red tape - biurokracja

Because of all the red tape it is really hard to get any official documents quickly.

 

safe and sound - cały i zdrowy

My dog returned home safe and sound after being missing for two weeks!

 

square meal - porządny, solidny posiłek

With today's pace of living it's hard to get more than one square meal a day.

 

to be loaded - być nadzianym

Jack is really loaded - he just bought his second Ferrari!

 

to be well off - być dobrze sytuowanym, bogatym

They are pretty well off - both of their children study at Harvard and the tuition is sky high.

 

to burn the midnight oil - pracować lub uczyć się do późna w nocy

The day before the exam I had to burn the midnight oil.

 

to cost a bomb - kosztować fortunę, masę pieniędzy

I really wanted a new mp3 player but the one I liked best cost a bomb so I will have to wait a little bit longer.

 

to fly off the handle - wyjść z siebie, wściec się

When I told my boss he was no authority to me - he really flew off the handle!

 

to get cold feet - stchórzyć, rozmyślić się

The bride got cold feet minutes before the ceremony so the wedding was called off.

 

to go to pieces - załamywać się, tracić panowanie nad sobą

When his wife died, my uncle went to pieces.

 

to have a frog in your throat - nie móc nic powiedzieć (z powodu suchości w gardle lub ze zdenerwowania)

I was supposed to make a big speech today but I couldn't because I had a frog in my throat.

 

to have a stab at sth - próbować czegoś

Lately I had a stab at paragliding and it is truly something different!

 

to hold water - być sensownym, dać się udowodnić (pozytywnie)

His theories may be entartaining but if you look closer they don't hold water.

 

to keep one's nose to the grindstone - pracować bez wytchnienia

If you want to achieve something you either need a lots of luck or you just have to keep your nose to the grindstone.

 

to keep sb's ear to the ground - dowiadywać sie co w trawie piszczy

I'll keep my ear to the ground and see whether the rumours about laying off staff are true.

 

to kill two birds with one stone - upiec dwie pieczenie na jednym ogniu

By playing sports you can kill two birds with one stone - you're getting your shape back and weight down at the same time.

 

to lose heart - stracić wiarę w coś

Don't lose heart, I am sure your troubles will soon go away.

 

to miss the point - nie zrozumieć czegoś, spudłować

I hate people who seem intelligent at first but with every witty joke they just miss the whole point.

 

to play something by ear - robić coś spontanicznie, improwizować

I have no plans for the trip - we will just hop on our bikes and play it by ear.

 

to play second fiddle - grać drugorzędną rolę, pozostawać w cieniu

Gerry always played second fiddle in the company but after Don's stroke he will surely be promoted to boss.

 

to play truant - chodzić na wagary

As soon as spring comes more and more kids play truant.

 

to smell a rat - podejrzewać, że coś jest źle, nie tak

One of the accountants smelled a rat! Too much coffee was being consumed over too short a period. It turned out one of the emloyees was stealing the coffee!

 

to sleep like a log - spać jak zabity

It was almost impossible to wake me up - I slept like a log.

 

to spill the beans - wygadać się, wyjawić sekret

Oh, I hope I you don't spill the beans to my girlfriend about the present I bought her.

 

to tow the line - podporządkować się

With corporations you either tow the line or get sacked - it's that simple.

 

to work for peanuts - pracować za marne grosze

With the economic crisis more and more companies are looking for employees who will work for peanuts.

 

ups and downs - radości i smutki, zmienne koleje losu

When you look at the big picture - everyone's life has it's ups and downs.

 

white lie - niewinne kłamstewko

Even friends have to tell while lies now and then to protect each other's feelings.

 

wild horses wouldn't drag me - nic mnie nie przekona

Wild horses wouldn't drag me out of this party - it's great!

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