1. Idioms, Proverbs, and Adages
An Apple a Day…
Idioms, Proverbs, and Adages
By Teachers Unleashed

2. Let’s begin by taking a look at idioms!
It’s important to be able to recognize and explain idioms, adages, and proverbs. We see and hear them
ALL the time!
Let’s begin by taking a look at idioms!

3. What is an idiom?
An idiom is an expression that is commonly used in speech. It means something totally different than what the actual words mean. They can be hard to understand unless you’ve heard them before.

4. Now, mom didn’t really have a cow.
Here’s an example.
My mom had a cow when she found my homework all crumpled up in my backpack.
Now, mom didn’t really have a cow.
She was just really, really upset with me because I didn’t take good care of
my work! This is an idiom.

5. Harold was a night owl. He never seemed to get to bed before midnight.
Here’s another example.
Harold was a night owl. He never seemed to get to bed before midnight.
Harold loves to stay up late. He finds it hard to go to bed early and wake up early.

6. Let’s see if you can explain some of these common idioms!
Think you’ve got it?
Let’s see if you can explain some of these common idioms!

7. Explain the idiom.
Can you believe the price of that big screen t.v.? It costs an arm and a leg!
It costs an arm and a leg means that
the price is really high! Too high.

8. Burning the midnight oil means you must stay up late and do your work.
Explain the idiom.
If I’m going to finish my project on time, I’ll have to burn the midnight oil.
Burning the midnight oil means you must stay up late and do your work.

9. Ronald was feeling a bit under the weather.
Explain the idiom.
Ronald was feeling a bit under the weather.
Ronald was not feeling well.

10. The two children were trying to come up with a solution and agree.
Explain the idiom.
Cheryl and Cliff tried to see eye to eye about which ice cream store they wanted to visit.
The two children were trying to come up with a solution and agree.

11. In his speech, Niko tried to make a long story short.
Explain the idiom.
In his speech, Niko tried to make a long story short.
Niko was trying to get to the point in his speech and not get off the topic.

12. We love to go to the beach, but we only do it once in a blue moon.
Explain the idiom.
We love to go to the beach, but we only do it once in a blue moon.
Once in a blue moon means that we rarely get to go to the beach. It doesn’t happen often.

13. Isabella sat anxiously on her chair. Her friend came by and said,
Explain the idiom.
Isabella sat anxiously on her chair. Her friend came by and said,
“A penny for your thoughts?”
A penny for your thoughts is a way of someone asking you what you are thinking.

14. Explain the idiom.
We’re going to Grandma’s house for the whole summer. I heard it straight from the horse’s mouth.
To hear some news straight from the horse’s mouth means that you’ve heard it from someone who really knows what is going on.

15. She nailed it! (another idiom)
Explain the idiom.
Cece really hit the nail on the head at yesterday’s audition for Cowgirls with Talent.
When you hit the nail on the head, it means that you’ve really gotten it perfect. Cece had an excellent audition.
She nailed it! (another idiom)

16. I passed that quiz by the skin of my teeth.
Explain the idiom.
I passed that quiz by the skin
of my teeth.
The test was tough, and I just barely passed it.

17. Adages and proverbs are wise sayings.
What are adages and proverbs?
Adages and proverbs are
wise sayings.
They are words of wisdom based on many people’s experience.

18. An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
Here’s an example!
An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
This proverb means exactly what it says. Apples are good for
your health.

19. Adages and proverbs have been used throughout history
Adages and proverbs have been used throughout history. They can teach some great life lessons.
Let’s play a game to see if you know some common adages and proverbs!
See if you can finish the proverb or adage.

20. The early bird catches the _______.
worm
The early bird catches the _______.
This means that when you arrive first,
you are more likely to succeed!

21. Sticks and ________ may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.
stones
Sticks and ________ may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.
This is something you might say to someone who has called you a name to show them
that they haven’t hurt your feelings.

22. You can’t have your cake and _____ it too.
eat
You can’t have your cake and _____ it too.
This means that you can’t have everything
the way you might want it.

23. Birds of a feather, ________ together.
flock
Birds of a feather, ________ together.
People who like the same things often hang
out together.

24. When the going gets tough, the tough get _______. going
Strong people work harder when they are
faced with a challenge.

25. If you want something done right, you have to do it __________.
yourself
It is better to do something yourself, than
to rely on others to do it well.

26. One man’s trash is another man’s ___________.
treasure
Different people have different ideas about what is valuable and what is not.

27. Don’t bite the ______ that feeds you.
hand
Don’t bite the ______ that feeds you.
You shouldn’t disrespect people who do
things for you.

28. A bird in the hand is worth two in the ________. bush
It is better to keep what you’ve got than to
risk losing it to get something better.

29. Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and ________.
wise
Going to bed early and waking early are good for you, and may even help you be successful.

30. The best things in life are ______.
free
The best things in life are ______.
Being healthy, having friends, and love are important, and don’t cost a thing.

31. blessings Count your __________.
Be grateful for what you have, and don’t
worry about problems. Worrying doesn’t
make problems go away.

32. Don’t throw the baby out with the __________.
bathwater
Make sure you don’t get rid of good things when you’re trying to get rid of bad things.

33. Two wrongs don’t make a ________.
right
Two wrongs don’t make a ________.
Doing something wrong cannot be fixed by doing something else that is also wrong.

34. Two heads are better than ______.
one
Two heads are better than ______.
Two people working together can come up
with a solution more easily sometimes.

35. Don’t judge a book by its ________.
cover
Don’t judge a book by its ________.
Don’t decide that something or someone is good or bad based on how it looks or
how they look.

36. Don’t count your chickens before they _________.
hatch
Don’t get your hopes up until you see that something is really going to happen.

37. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it _________. drink
This saying means that you cannot force someone to do something, only show
them what you’d like them to do.

38. The bigger they are, the harder they ______.
fall
When an enormous tree falls, it makes a huge crash. When a small tree falls, the crash is softer. This saying means that when something big happens, the bigger
the shock there is.

39. When it rains, it _______.
pours
When it rains, it _______.
Sometimes something starts out as a bit of
bad luck can turn into a big disaster.

40. Finally, let’s learn some interesting history about a few idioms, proverbs and adages!

41. The idiom barking up the wrong tree comes from hunting
The idiom barking up the wrong tree comes from hunting. It was a hunting dog’s job to chase a raccoon or other small animal up a tree. Then the hunter would
take it from there.
When you’re barking up the wrong tree, you’re not talking to the right person about a problem or you are simply in the wrong place to get your problem fixed.

42. The idiom getting the sack means to lose your job.
This phrase is said to come from the time when a worker would carry all of their belongings in a sack. They would keep the sack in their boss’ office. When they were cut from their job, they would take their belongings and leave.

43. (A horse’s teeth appear larger
The adage never look a gift horse in the mouth comes from long, long ago (the 1600’s). When you are given a horse for free, it is rude to check how old the horse is.
(A horse’s teeth appear larger
as they get older)
It means that when you get a gift, you should be grateful. Don’t inspect it for flaws.

44. The idiom hitting it out of the park comes from baseball.
This phrase is used to mean that something has been wildly successful. When you hit the ball out of the baseball park, you’ve done an
amazing thing!

45. much weight on a camel that they cannot move or stand.
The proverb the final straw, or the straw that broke the camel’s back comes from an Arabic proverb. A camel can carry a lot of weight, but it is possible to put so
much weight on a camel that
they cannot move or stand.
The final straw means that one has been given just a little too much for them to handle.

46. The idiom green-eyed monster means that someone is jealous.
This idiom was used by Shakespeare in It comes from the fact that unripe fruit will be green in color, and may make you sick if you eat it.

47. Let’s review to see if you have mastered idioms, proverbs, and adages.

48. An idiom is an expression that means…
something completely different than what it says.

49. An adage or a proverb try to give…
advice or words of wisdom

50. Can you explain the difference between idioms and adages/proverbs?
Idioms are when you say something that means something different than the words, but adages and
proverbs give advice.