Lesson 8: English Idioms with Clothes
Introductory Quiz
Guess the correct meaning of each idiom from the context. It's OK if you get a lot of
answers incorrect - the important part is to do your best in trying to figure it out!
Question 1
I have a wife, two kids, and a job. I can't just take off for a month-long trip at the drop
of a hat.
"At the drop of a hat" means...
A going to a place that's far away from home
B suddenly and without warning or preparation
C when things in your life are too stressful
Question 2
That pair of jeans was too loose, but this one fits me like a glove!
If a piece of clothing "fits like a glove," it...
A it is the perfect color
B it is the perfect size
C it is the perfect price
Question 3
Criticizing his ideas is one thing… but calling him a fat, lazy pig is hitting below the
belt.
"Hitting below the belt" means...
A changing the topic completely
B making a comment that is especially cruel or unfair
C saying something that starts a physical fight
Question 4
I had a hard time finding my first job because most companies prefer to hire people with
a couple years' experience already under their belt.
If you have something "under your belt," it means...
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A you have already done it
B you know a lot about a specific area
C your skills are not useful in the real world
Question 5
My manager started getting hot under the collar after I corrected his mistakes
several times in front of the directors.
If someone is "hot under the collar," they are...
A afraid
B angry
C jealous
Question 6
I'm in charge of the publicity for the new product launch - I've never done anything like
this before, so I'm flying by the seat of my pants.
"Flying by the seat of your pants" means...
A asking for help from people in authority
B improvising rather than following a plan
C trying to get something done as quickly as possible
Question 7
If it rains tomorrow and we can't take the kids to the zoo, I've got a few more ideas up
my sleeve.
If you "have (something) up your sleeve," it means you...
A have a secret or surprise plan
B will delay the activity
C enjoy wearing nice clothes
Question 8
I wear jeans and t-shirts all the time, but my sister always leaves the house dressed to
kill.
If you're "dressed to kill," it means you are...
A looking great, wearing very nice clothes
B worried about what other people think of your style
C wearing all black
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Question 9
During business trips, my company pays for the hotel, but lunch and dinner are out of
my own pocket.
If you pay for something "out of your own pocket," it means...
A you pay more than you expected
B you split the cost with someone
C you pay from your money
Question 10
She's not a very talented actress, but she rose to fame on the coattails of her father,
who's an award-winning director.
If you do something "on someone's coat-tails," it means...
A accidentally, without wanting to do it
B you follow the same line of work as your family
C you only achieve it because of their help and influence
Question 11
The other team beat the pants off us at the soccer championship - the final score was
8-0.
To "beat the pants off of" someone means to beat them...
A completely
B in an important game
C surprisingly
Question 12
I know you think she's making the wrong decision, but you might see things differently
if you were in her shoes.
"If you were in her shoes" means...
A if you had only two options
B if you were in her situation
C if you were looking beyond appearances
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Question 13
The English school offers tailor-made courses for professionals working in the oil and
gas industry.
"Tailor-made" means...
A at night
B customized
C intensive
Question 14
I never have to wonder what my daughter is feeling because she wears her heart on
her sleeve.
If you "wear your heart on your sleeve," you...
A display your emotions openly
B like to talk about romance
C wear very feminine clothing
Video Explanation
#1 - at the drop of a hat = suddenly and without warning or preparation
In the past, there was a tradition of dropping a hat to signal the start
of a race, game, or duel. The competition would start at the exact
moment the hat hit the ground.
#2 - fits like a glove = when clothing is the perfect size
You wear gloves on your hands. They shouldn't be too tight
(too small) or too loose (too big). This idiom can be used to
talk about any piece of clothing (shirt, pants, a dress, etc.)
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#3 - hitting below the belt
= making a comment that is especially cruel or unfair
This expression comes from the fact that if you hit a man below
his belt (in his genital area), it will really hurt – and this type of
attack is considered unfair in most martial arts and other
fighting sports. So "hitting below the belt" describes a verbal
comment that is especially cruel.
#4 - have something under your belt = you have already done it
Don’t get the previous idiom confused with “have something under your belt,” which
refers to things you've already experienced or achieved. For example, if you're in the
middle of a series of 10 yoga classes, you could say, "I have 5 classes under my belt so
far."
#5 - hot under the collar = angry
The part of the shirt around your neck is called a collar. When
you get angry, your face/neck get hot – so the collar would
become uncomfortable.
#6 - flying by the seat of your pants = improvise, not follow a plan
In the early days of aviation, airplanes didn't have many instruments and the pilot had
to use his judgment to navigate. This "improvisation" of the flight plans came to be
called “flying by the seat of your pants.”
#7 - have something up your sleeve = have a secret or surprise plan
The part of your shirt that covers your arm is a sleeve.
Magicians often hide cards or other objects inside
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("up") their sleeve as part of the magic trick. So to have something up your sleeve is to
have a secret or surprise plan that you will reveal or use later.
#8 - dressed to kill = looking great, wearing very nice clothes
Two more idioms with the same meaning are dressed to the nines and looks like a
million dollars. We also use the phrasal verb dressed up to mean "wearing nicer
clothes than normal."
#9 - out of your own pocket = you pay with your money
The compartment in your pants (or shirt) where you keep
objects is called a pocket. So if you pay out of your own
pocket, you are using your own money, nobody else is
paying for you.
#10 - on someone's coattails
= because of someone else's help and influence
The word “coattails” refers to the back of a man's suit jacket (in the
past, this part of the jacket was much longer). If you hold onto
someone's coattails, you can follow them without much effort.
This idiom is often used when a less talented person reaches
success only because of a connection with a more talented person.
#11 - beat the pants off = beat (win) completely
This expression is often used in sports games when one team won a victory by a lot of
points. You can also use it when comparing two things and one is completely superior.
For example: “Delta Airlines beats the pants off American - their flights are more
comfortable AND cheaper!”
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“_______ the pants off” can be used after other verbs to emphasize them. We also have
the idiom “scare the pants off someone,” which means to scare the person completely;
for example, "That horror movie scared the pants off my sister. She couldn’t sleep for a
week after watching it."
#12 - if you were in her shoes = if you were in her situation
A similar idiom is “to fill someone’s shoes” (to replace someone and do
equal work). Here’s an example. Imagine a great teacher who was very
popular has just stopped working at a school. You can say: "It will be
hard to fill his shoes." This means it will be difficult to find someone to
take his place and do such good work.
#13 - tailor-made = customized
A tailor is a person who makes adjustments to your clothing, or who makes clothing
specifically for your body, in the perfect size for you. So something that is tailor-made is
customized. You can use this idiom with anything - not just clothing.
#14 - wear your heart on your sleeve = display your emotions openly
Remember that the sleeve is the part of your shirt that covers
your arm. If something is on your sleeve, everybody can see it.
The heart is the center of your emotions, so wearing your heart
on your sleeve means to display your emotions openly, so that
they are obvious to everyone.
You’ve finished Lesson 8!
Now, take the practice quiz and try the writing exercises – and log in tomorrow for
Lesson 9.
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Practice Quiz
Question 1
This chair is _____________ for people who have back problems and bad posture.
A up your sleeve
B on the coattails
C tailor-made
Question 2
I worked every summer while I was in college, so by the time I graduated, I already had
three internships _____________.
A at the drop of a hat
B under my collar
C under my belt
Question 3
My health insurance doesn't cover acupuncture, so I had to pay for the treatment
_____________.
A by the seat of my pants
B out of my own pocket
C with my heart on my sleeve
Question 4
My first attempt to fix your computer didn't work, but don't worry - I've got a few more
tricks ____________.
A up my sleeve
B tailor-made
C below the belt
Question 5
My girlfriend is much too sensitive. She often cries ___________________.
A at the drop of a hat
B out of her own pocket
C in her shoes
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Question 6
I know that sweater's expensive, but you should definitely buy it - _______________.
A it's dressed to kill
B it fits you like a glove
C it's on your coattails
Question 7
My bank has terrible customer service. I hate calling them and getting stuck in their
stupid voicemail system - it always makes me ______________.
A hit below the belt
B hot under the collar
C dress to kill
Question 8
I started my first business with some friends at university. We were just
__________________; we didn't know anything! Now that we have more
experience, we're a little more organized and deliberate.
A having something up our sleeves
B flying by the seat of our pants
C paying out of our own pocket
Question 9
Sarah ___________ all the other gymnasts at the competition and won the gold medal
easily.
A beat the pants off
B rode on the coattails of
C got hot under the collar
Question 10
If ___________, I would just tell him how I felt instead of hiding it.
A it fits me like a glove
B I were in your shoes
C I wore my heart on my sleeve
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Practice Quiz Answers
1) C
2) C
3) B
4) A
5) A
6) B
7) B
8) B
9) A
10) B
Speaking / Writing Exercises
1. Describe a situation when you started to get hot under the collar.
2. Have you ever done something "flying by the seat of your pants"?
3. What do you wear when you want to be "dressed to kill"?
4. Have you ever been in a situation where you expected someone else to pay for
something, but in the end you had to pay out of your own pocket?
5. Do you think it's better to "wear your heart on your sleeve" or to hide your
emotions - and why?
If you want correction / feedback, you can either e-mail me your writing at
help@[Link] or leave me a voice mail message:
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photostock, [Link]
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marin, [Link]
Ambro, [Link]
photostock, [Link]
Suat Eman, [Link]
Ambro, [Link]
Soap
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