Idioms in context – 1

My Life in a Nutshell

Today I would like to tell the story of my life and my twin brother’s in a nutshell. Born into a family which lived on the breadline, my brother and I had to tolerate hardships. My dad, a mine worker who worked in an old mining town a thousand miles away from our hometown, visited the family once in a blue moon. Therefore, my mother had to shoulder all the responsibilities except earning money. While we were still in pre-school years, my dad died. Something which/might have been justified for some at that situation was out of the question for my mom: going to my loaded uncle who had not visited us for donkey’s years for help. She started looking for a job. It took her three weeks to find one. We were soon at school age and that put more pressure on my mom. Despite my interest in education, I couldn’t satisfy my mom because I had made friends with bullies and naughty school boys. She constantly asked me to stop hanging out with them but I turned a deaf ear to her advice. While I had turned into a couch potato, my brother showed a lot of interest and he studied the school subjects cover to cover. One day, I was caught red-handed cheating on a test, and I was temporarily expelled from school. That day when mom came home at 10 p.m. and found out what had happened got angry and didn’t allow me to go to school anymore. My brother entered business school while I was trying to settle myself in a well paying job. Once I even went to an audition, but I didn’t get any part. The director told me that I was not cut out for acting. Finally, I found a job in a company as a chauffeur. I had worked for that company for six years when I lost my only support: My mom. I still work for that company as a chauffeur, and my income is chicken feed compared to what my brother earns as managing director of a respected corporation

Idioms

In a nutshell به صورت مختصر

Meaning: used when you are stating the main facts about something in a short clear way Example: Okay, that’s our proposal in a nutshell. Any questions

On the breadline روی خط فقر

Meaning: a very low level of income that allows people to eat but not have any extra things Example: a family living on the breadline

Once in a blue moon به ندرت،سالی به دوازده ماه

Meaning: very rarely Example: It only happens like this once in a blue moon

Shoulder responsibility به دوش کشیدن مسئولیت

Meaning: to accept a difficult or unpleasant responsibility, duty, etc Example: The residents are being asked to shoulder the costs of the repairs

Out of the question محال

Meaning: if something is out of the question, it is definitely not possible or not allowed Example: You can’t go in that old shirt – it’s out of the question

For donkey’s years (عامیانه) مدت مدید

Meaning: a very long time Example: we’ve been close friends for donkey’s years

At school age سن مدرسه

Meaning: the age at which a child is old enough to go to school Example: children below school age

Turned a deaf ear/a blind eye to sth خود را به نشنیدن / ندیدن زدن

Meaning: to be unwilling to listen to/see what someone is saying or asking Example: The factory owners turned a deaf ear to the demands of the workers

A couch potato فرد که فعالی نیست و بیشتر وقتش را روبروی تلویزیون می نشیند و برنامه های تلویزیونی تماشا می کند و هیچ کار مفیدی انجام نمی دهد

Meaning: someone who spends a lot of time sitting and watching television

Cover to cover مو به مو

Meaning: read a book, magazine, etc very thoroughly Example: He read it from cover to cover in less than three hours

Catch sb red-handed مچ کسی را گرفتن

Meaning: to catch someone at the moment when they are doing something wrong Example: Earl was caught red-handed taking the money

Settle oneself in جا افتادن در خانه ،مدرسه و یا شغل جدید

Meaning: to become familiar with somewhere new, such as a new house, job, or school, and to feel comfortable and happy there Example: Once we’ve settled in, we’ll have you over for dinner

To be cut out for sth برای کاری ساخته شدن

Meaning: to have the qualities that you need for a particular job or activity Example: In the end, I decided I wasn’t cut out for the army

Chicken feed چندرغاز

Meaning: an amount of money that is so small that it is almost not worth having Example: The bank offered to lend us £۱,۰۰۰ but that’s chicken feed compared to what we need