Category: Vocabulary

Idioms and Phrases around Spring

4/12/2022

by Jennie Parker

If you know Georgia, you know that this is when the dogwoods are blooming and pollen covers every surface. No better time to learn some English idioms and phrases around spring.

When my children complain about all the rain this month, I tell them, "April showers, bring May flowers."

April showers bring May flowers - the rain of April brings flowers in May. Often used to say that bad things can lead to good things. I know it's been dreary out, but April showers bring May flowers!
bright eyed and bushy tailed - full of energy or youth (sometimes used in a slightly derisive way). All of the new recruits are bright eyed and bushy tailed!
to chase rainbows - to try to achieve something that's not possible or practical. His family can't pay rent, while he's chasing rainbows, trying to make a career out of his music.
Don't count your chickens before they hatch - don't make plans or get your hopes up based on assumptions. Don't think about how you're going to spend your extra salary - you haven't even gotten the promotion yet. Don't count your chickens before they hatch.
March comes in like a lion, out like a lamb - describes volatile weather in early March and calm weather in late March. It's been so cold and dreary, but, remember, March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb.
no spring chicken - not young anymore. I don't know if I have it in me to hike for a week. I'm no spring chicken!
to rain cats and dogs - to rain hard. We're going to play inside today. It's raining cats and dogs.
social butterfly - a person who loves to be around other people and moves easily from person to person like a butterfly among flowers. My mother is always busy with her friends. She's a social butterfly.
spring cleaning - used to describe tidying and freshening up one's home after winter. Often involves the purging of unused clothing and housewares. Sometimes used figuratively to describe a fresh start on one's life (e.g., setting goals, purging bad habits or toxic relationships, etc.). Could you help me with some spring cleaning? We'll need powerwash the outside of the house and the porch, shake out the rugs, and touch up the paint.
spring fever - feeling of restlessness at the end of winter. It's difficult sitting in class when the weather starts to get warm. Everyone has spring fever.
spring fling - any event held in the spring. Alternatively, also refers to a brief romantic relationship. Our neighborhood hosts an annual spring fling festival every May.
spring in one's step - a cheerful attitude. Justin left the job fair with a spring in his step, looking forward to calls from recruiters.
Spring is in the air - literally, the first signs of spring are showing. Also used to suggest something exciting will happen soon. Look! The flowers are blooming, buds are on the trees...Spring is in the air!
to spring to life - to suddenly start moving or to become active. The playgrounds spring to life when the snow melts.
to take a rain check - often used to turn down an invitation but leave the door open for future invitations. I'm sorry I can't make it to dinner with you. Rain check?
tempest in a teapot - used when a big deal is made of a small problem. Once this tempest in a teapot passes, we can focus on more important issues.

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Idioms and Vocabulary around Health and COVID

8/25/2021

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by Jennie Parker

It’s been a rough 19 months and counting with the COVID-19 pandemic. This month, I thought I’d switch gears and provide some ready-to-use practical information on idioms and vocabulary related to health and COVID. All are words and phrases you might have heard more of over the past year and a half. If you have questions about these or other idioms related to health and COVID, please leave a comment below.

to be alive and kicking – something that is (still) functioning well, often something that is old. At 102, his grandfather is still alive and kicking.
asymptomatic – describes a person who carries a virus but does not show symptoms. Even if you’re asymptomatic, you can spread COVID-19.
to be back on one’s feet – to feel well again. Jane is back on her feet after that bout with the flu.
to feel burnt out – to be exhausted, usually due to too much work, worry, or activity. Health care workers are feeling burnt out during this second wave.
to get/have a clean bill of health – a medical assurance that someone is in good physical health. Johnny got a clean bill of health from the doctor.
to come down with (an illness) – to start feeling ill. I feel like I’m coming down with a cold.
coronavirus – a family of viruses that can cause the common cold, as well as serious illnesses such as SARS and MERS. SARS CoV-2 is the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
endemic – describes a disease regularly found in a community, such as the flu or common cold. Some fear COVID-19 will become endemic though it might pose less danger over time.
epidemic – sudden increase in the number of cases of a disease. At times, measles epidemics surface in the U.S.
flattening the curve – slowing the spread of a virus. Let’s wear masks to help flatten the curve.
incubation period – the time between when a person is infected with a virus and when symptoms develop. Since the incubation period is five days, let’s quarantine for a week.
isolation v. quarantine – isolation refers to keeping people with confirmed cases of a disease separate from those who are not sick, whereas quarantine refers to separating individuals who were exposed to a contagious disease. In everyday English among laypeople, however, these terms are often used interchangeably. Her class had to quarantine because there was a confirmed case. The student with the confirmed case had to isolate.
pandemic – an epidemic that has spread over several countries or continents. COVID-19 became a pandemic in March 2020.
to pull through – to survive a life-threatening event or illness. Despite all odds, my uncle pulled through and fully recovered from the stroke.
to take a turn for the worse/better – to feel worse or better, often unexpectedly. I’m happy to say that my sister took a turn for the better last night, and she will be released from the hospital soon.
to feel/be under the weather – to feel ill. I can’t come into work today. I’m feeling under the weather.

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Idioms and Phrases around Spring

Idioms and Vocabulary around Health and COVID

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