与skin和bone(s)有关的短语及其用法--By Roger Woodham
Idiomatic
expressions are like vocabulary items in the sense that they
can only be learnt gradually and best of all in context
so that you will remember them. Of course, you don't have to use
idioms to communicate effectively, but it is useful to be able to
recognise them and work out what they mean.
There are dictionaries of idioms and reference
books but any good dictionary will list and illustrate
idiomatic usage of words after the literal meanings are given. If
you want to check to see how good your own dictionary is, look under
skin and see what it says.
The dictionary that I consulted listed these idiomatic expressions under skin:
1. skin
and bones
2. by
the skin of one's teeth
3. jump
out of one's skin
4. save
one's own skin
5. get
under one's skin
6. it's
no skin off my nose
See
if you can match the definitions below with the appropriate
idiomatic expression above. They are not in the correct sequence
as they appear:
A.
to save yourself from something unpleasant or dangerous
B. something
really irritates or annoys you
C. extremely
thin
D. you
just manage to do something
E. you
are saying how much it surprised or shocked you
F. it
doesn't matter to you at all if something happens
Now study these examples of use to see if you made the right connections:
- She never puts on any weight whatever she eats. She's a real bean pole. Nothing but skin and bones. (1C)
- I caught that train by the skin of my teeth. They were already closing the gates when I rushed through. (2D)
- I almost jumped out of my skin when the gun went off. It was such a loud bang. (3E)
- When I heard that the police had started arresting the demonstrators, my first instinct was to save my own skin and get away as quickly as possible. (4A)
- I know you don't get on very well with Jamie - you always seem to be arguing - but don't let him get under your skin. (5B)
- It's
no skin off my nose if Laura decides not to come to Mexico
with us. I couldn't care less! (6F)
We
have many idiomatic expressions relating to various parts
of the body. Let's try a similar activity with bone(s).
My dictionary lists the following 'bone' expressions:
1. bone
idle
2. bone
up on something
3. have
a bone to pick with someone
4. make
no bones about doing something
5. close
to the bone
6. the
bare bones of something
7.
work your fingers to the bone
Again,
match the definitions below with the appropriate idiomatic
expression above: Did
you make the right connections? Check to see if you were right:
A. you have something to complain about
B:
you are referring to the essential or main facts
C:
extremely lazy by nature
D:
extremely hard-working
E:
something that may be offensive because it is too vulgar or too
personal or too painful
F:
to do or say something frankly and without hesitation
G: revise or study hard an area of interest