| Idiom | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Below someone | Refers to a person who holds a lower rank, status, or position compared to another. | the manager refused to take advice from anyone below her in the company hierarchy. |
| Beneath someone | Refers to actions or tasks considered inappropriate or demeaning for a person of certain status or dignity. | he felt that manual labour was beneath him, so he refused to participate in the project. |
| Below the weather | Refers to conditions or activities happening at ground level, especially in relation to the weather. | the plane flew below the weather to avoid turbulence caused by the storm. |
| Under the weather | Describes feeling unwell, either due to illness or, more colloquially, from drinking too much. | I decided to stay home from work today because I’ve been feeling a bit under the weather. |
| Bench warmer | A player who spends most of their time on the bench instead of actively participating in the game. | despite training hard all season, he remained a bench warmer and never got a chance to play. |
| Chair warmer | Refers to someone who occupies a position but does little to contribute or someone who lounges around for long periods. | my colleague is nothing but a chair warmer, doing the bare minimum at work each day. |
| Bend the ear of someone | To talk to someone at length, often about something uninteresting or in a nagging manner. | he bent my ear for hours about his new car, even though I wasn’t really interested. |
| Bend the ear to someone | To give attention and listen favourably to someone’s concerns or requests. | the politician always bends the ear to influential donors during election season. |
| Bent out of shape | To be upset, annoyed, or frustrated by something. | she got bent out of shape when she found out the meeting was rescheduled without her knowledge. |
| Out of shape | Describes someone who is not physically fit, usually due to lack of exercise or training. | after not exercising for months, he was completely out of shape and struggled with the simplest tasks. |
| Beside oneself | Overwhelmed with strong emotions like anger, joy, or grief. | she was beside herself with excitement when she heard the news about her promotion. |
| Out of oneself | Experiencing a mental state where one feels disconnected from normal behaviour or overwhelmed with emotions. | after hearing the tragic news, he was completely out of himself, barely able to focus on anything. |
| Idiom | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Beside the question | Refers to something irrelevant or unrelated to the main topic being discussed. | discussing the weather is beside the question when we’re trying to solve a financial issue. |
| Beyond question | Something that is unquestionably true or cannot be doubted. | her dedication to the project is beyond question, as she has consistently worked overtime to meet deadlines. |
| Best boy | In film production, the assistant to the head electrician or chief lighting technician. | the best boy ensured all the lighting equipment was ready for the next scene of the movie. |
| Best man | The groom’s chief aide at a wedding, responsible for assisting with the ceremony. | my brother asked me to be his best man, and I couldn’t be more honoured. |
| Best of British luck | A phrase used either sincerely or ironically to wish someone good luck, often implying tough odds. | good luck in your chess match—best of British luck, you’ll need it against a grandmaster. |
| Luck of the Irish | Refers to either great fortune or, ironically, a string of misfortune, depending on the context. | despite the challenges, he won the lottery, proving the luck of the Irish is real. |
| Bet on the wrong horse | To make a wrong decision or misjudge a situation, often with negative consequences. | she invested heavily in the startup, only to find out later that she had bet on the wrong horse. |
| Put the saddle on the wrong horse | To blame the wrong person for something, misplacing responsibility. | blaming your friend for the mistake is putting the saddle on the wrong horse; it was your own fault. |
| Between a rock and a hard place | Facing a difficult situation where both options are equally bad or undesirable. | he was between a rock and a hard place, having to choose between quitting his job or moving to another city. |
| Between wind and water | Refers to the most vulnerable or weakest point of something. | the business was hit between wind and water when the economy crashed, leaving them struggling to survive. |
| Between dog and wolf | Describes the time of twilight, when day transitions to night. | the atmosphere became eerie as the sky darkened between dog and wolf. |
| Between hawk and buzzard | Facing two equally undesirable choices or alternatives. | stuck between hawk and buzzard, he had to choose whether to follow his passion or take a safer career path. |
We hope this information has been valuable to you. If so, please consider a monetary donation to Lifestyle Training Centre via UPI. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Would you like to undergo training for OET, PTE, IELTS, Duolingo, Phonetics, or Spoken English with us? Kindly contact us now!
📱 Call/WhatsApp/Text: +91 9886926773
📧 Email: [email protected]
Visit us in person by following the directions on Google Maps. We look forward to welcoming you to the Lifestyle Training Centre.
Follow Lifestyle Training Centre on social media:
Thank you very much!