Metaphorical Expressions

noun a frenzied or uncontrolled state

adverb in a frenzied or uncontrolled manner

• The gunman ran amok in the shopping mall, causing panic and chaos.
• When my little brother gets a sugar rush, he goes amok around the house.
• The party was so wild, people were going amok all night long.
• Her emotions were running amok after the breakup, making it hard for her to focus on anything else.

adverb describes the location or state of being in the open ocean, away from land

preposition indicates a location or position, in this case, being on the open ocean

• The ship encountered rough weather while at sea.
• I love the feeling of being out at sea, surrounded by nothing but water.
• We were totally lost at sea trying to find the party.
• She felt like she was at sea in the new job, unsure of which direction to take.

adjective moving or sloping downward

adverb in a direction or manner that descends or declines

• The mountain bikers navigated the steep downhill trail with skill and precision.
• I love coasting down the downhill section of this trail on my bike.
• The skateboarder shredded the gnarly downhill slope with ease.
• Ever since the company's stocks started plummeting, it feels like we've been on a downhill trajectory.

adjective relating to a condition in which it is difficult to see objects that are far away; myopic

• The optometrist diagnosed him as being nearsighted and prescribed him with corrective lenses.
• I can't see far away without my glasses, I'm so nearsighted.
• I'm blind as a bat without my contacts, I'm super nearsighted.
• She's so focused on the details, she's practically nearsighted when it comes to the big picture.

noun a type of food in the form of long, thin strips made from dough, typically served in soups or with sauce

• The chef prepared a delicious noodle dish with fresh vegetables and a savory broth.
• I'm craving some noodle soup for dinner tonight.
• Let's grab some noodles and chill at my place.
• His mind was a tangled noodle of thoughts, making it hard to focus.

noun a sudden sharp drop or rapid decline

verb to plummet or decline rapidly

• The stock market took a nose dive after the economic report was released.
• The team's performance took a nose dive in the second half of the game.
• His grades really took a nose dive after he stopped studying.
• Her confidence took a nose dive after the criticism from her peers.

noun a person, place, thing, or idea

verb a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence

• It is unwise to play with fire as it can lead to serious consequences.
• Hey, don't play with fire or you might get burned!
• Dude, you're really playing with fire by messing with her ex-boyfriend.
• Taking unnecessary risks in business is like playing with fire - it could end in disaster.

noun a long, narrow strap attached at one end to a horse's bit, typically used in pairs to guide or check a horse while riding

verb to guide or control with a rein

• The rider gently pulled on the rein to guide the horse in the right direction.
• Make sure you hold onto the rein tightly when riding the horse.
• I need to rein in my spending before I go broke.
• She had to rein in her emotions before speaking to her boss.

noun an instance of sailing, a voyage on water

verb to control the movement of a boat or ship by adjusting the sails

• The captain decided to sail the ship towards the horizon.
• Let's sail to that island for a day trip.
• I heard they're planning to sail down the coast next weekend.
• She knew she had to sail through the storm of challenges to reach her goals.

noun a long plank balanced in the middle on a stationary support, allowing one end to go up as the other goes down, used as a plaything by children in playgrounds.

verb to move up and down or back and forth on a seesaw.

• The children played on the seesaw in the park.
• Let's go on the seesaw, it'll be fun!
• Hey, wanna hop on the teeter-totter with me?
• Their relationship was like a seesaw, constantly shifting up and down.

noun A slang term for extinguishing or putting out a flame or light.

verb To extinguish or put out a flame or light abruptly.

• The firefighters were able to quickly snuff out the small blaze before it spread to the neighboring buildings.
• I saw a spider crawling on the wall and I snuffed it out with a tissue.
• I heard that rumor about him cheating on his girlfriend, but he managed to snuff it out before it caused any drama.
• Despite facing many obstacles, she refused to let anyone snuff out her dreams of becoming a successful entrepreneur.

verb to engulf or consume something completely

adverb used to modify the verb 'swallow' to indicate the manner in which something is consumed completely

• The massive sinkhole seemed to swallow up everything in its path.
• The big wave came and just swallowed up our sandcastle.
• I can't believe that new video game just swallowed up all my free time.
• Her fear of failure threatened to swallow up her confidence.

noun a frozen surface of water that is dangerously thin and likely to break under weight

• The skaters were warned to stay off the thin ice to avoid any accidents.
• You're treading on thin ice if you keep borrowing money without paying it back.
• Dude, you're on thin ice with your boss for showing up late every day.
• She knew she was on thin ice with her friends after canceling plans last minute.

verb to draw a sword or weapon from its sheath

• The knight unsheathed his sword before entering the battlefield.
• He quickly unsheathed his pocket knife to open the package.
• I saw him unsheathe his gun during the confrontation.
• She was hesitant to unsheathe her emotions and show vulnerability.

noun a person's physical body

verb to bring into existence or create

• The concept of divine love made flesh is a central belief in Christianity.
• I can't believe my favorite book character was made flesh in the movie adaptation.
• That new artist's music is like all my emotions made flesh, it's so relatable.
• Her determination to succeed was made flesh in the form of countless hours of hard work.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

verb a word that expresses an action or a state of being

adverb a word that modifies or describes a verb, adjective, or another adverb

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence

article a word that is used to specify a noun, such as 'the', 'a', or 'an'

• The task required precision and attention to detail, like minding mice at a crossroads.
• Trying to juggle all these different responsibilities is like minding mice at a crossroads.
• Balancing work, school, and social life is a bit like minding mice at a crossroads.
• Navigating through the crowded city streets felt like minding mice at a crossroads.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

verb a word that expresses an action or state of being

adverb a word that modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb

pronoun a word that takes the place of a noun

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

conjunction a word that connects words, phrases, or clauses

interjection a word or phrase that expresses strong emotion

article a word that is used to specify a noun

• It is advisable not to provoke the bear in any way.
• Hey, remember, don’t poke the bear or you might regret it!
• Dude, seriously, don’t poke the bear or you'll be in for trouble.
• In negotiations, it's important to maintain a calm demeanor and not poke the bear.

adjective describing the condition of the top storey as not strong or stable

preposition showing the relationship between 'weak' and 'in the top storey'

• The structural engineer noted that the building was weak in the top storey.
• The top floor of the building is a bit shaky, according to the architect.
• The highest level of the building is kind of flimsy, if you ask me.
• The uppermost part of the tower seemed fragile, like a house of cards.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

verb a word that expresses an action, occurrence, or state of being

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence

article a word that is used to specify a noun as definite or indefinite

• Many experts predict that if we do not take action, certain endangered species may go the way of the dodo.
• If we keep polluting the environment, some animals might just go the way of the dodo.
• If we don't start caring about conservation, those species will totally go the way of the dodo.
• Without proper protection, traditional bookstores may go the way of the dodo in the age of digital reading.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

adjective a word that describes or gives more information about a noun

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

conjunction a word that connects words, phrases, or clauses

• According to the Bible, a person's lifespan is typically considered to be three score and ten years.
• My great-grandma just turned three score and ten last week!
• I can't believe he's still kicking at three score and ten.
• Reaching three score and ten is often seen as a milestone in one's life.

noun a tool used for sweeping floors, typically consisting of stiff fibers or bristles attached to a long handle

• The new broom at the company has implemented several changes to improve efficiency.
• The new broom in town is shaking things up with their fresh ideas.
• The new broom is really turning heads with their innovative approach.
• With a new broom comes a fresh perspective on how things can be done differently.

noun a word (other than a pronoun) used to identify any of a class of people, places, or things

verb a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence

adjective a word naming an attribute of a noun, such as sweet, red, or technical

adverb a word or phrase that modifies or qualifies an adjective, verb, or other adverb

pronoun a word that can function by itself as a noun phrase and that refers either to the participants in the discourse

preposition a word governing, and usually preceding, a noun or pronoun and expressing a relation to another word or element

conjunction a word used to connect clauses or sentences or to coordinate words in the same clause

interjection an abrupt remark, made especially as an aside or interruption

article a word that is used with a noun to specify grammatical definiteness of the noun

• The situation has escalated to the point where the lunatics have taken over the asylum.
• It's chaos here, the inmates have taken over the asylum.
• Things have gone bonkers, the lunatics are running the asylum now.
• It feels like the lunatics have taken over the asylum with all this craziness going on.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

verb a word that expresses an action or state of being

adverb a word that modifies or describes a verb, adjective, or another adverb

pronoun a word that takes the place of a noun in a sentence

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

article a word that is used to specify a noun

• The CEO is known to have somebody for lunch if they make a mistake.
• Don't mess up or the boss will eat somebody for lunch.
• Watch out, the teacher will have somebody for lunch if you're late again.
• In the competitive business world, you need to be on top of your game or someone will eat you for lunch.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

verb a word that expresses an action or state of being

adjective a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

article a word that is used to specify a noun as definite or indefinite

• It is said that the property is not well-maintained, as the owner seems to have roos in the top paddock.
• I think he might have roos in the upper paddock if he believes that story.
• She must have roos in the top paddock if she thinks that plan will work.
• Having roos in the upper paddock means being a bit crazy or out of touch with reality.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

verb a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence, and forming the main part of the predicate of a sentence, such as hear, become, happen

adjective a word naming an attribute of a noun, such as sweet, red, or technical

adverb a word or phrase that modifies or qualifies an adjective, verb, or other adverb or a word group, expressing a relation of place, time, circumstance, manner, cause, degree, etc.

pronoun a word that can function by itself as a noun phrase and that refers either to the participants in the discourse (e.g., I, you) or to someone or something mentioned elsewhere in the discourse (e.g., she, it)

preposition a word governing, and usually preceding, a noun or pronoun and expressing a relation to another word or element in the clause

conjunction a word used to connect clauses or sentences or to coordinate words in the same clause

article a word that is used with a noun to specify grammatical definiteness of the noun, and in some languages extending to volume or numerical scope

• Despite the challenges we face, everything in the garden is rosy.
• Don't worry, everything in the garden is lovely right now.
• Hey, chill out, everything in the garden is rosy.
• Even when life gets tough, remember that everything in the garden is lovely.

noun a piece of string, cord, or fabric used for fastening or securing something

verb to fasten or secure something by binding or wrapping around it

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence, in this case indicating the connection or attachment between two objects

• It is important to tie the budget to the overall financial goals of the company.
• Don't forget to tie your shoes to avoid tripping.
• I'll tie this project to my success and make sure it gets done.
• She always finds a way to tie her emotions to her artwork.

verb to engage in a risky or dangerous activity in order to gain an advantage

• It is unethical for a business to fish in troubled waters by taking advantage of a competitor's misfortune.
• I don't want to fish in troubled waters by getting involved in their family drama.
• I heard he's trying to fish in troubled waters by spreading rumors about his ex-girlfriend.
• Instead of trying to fish in troubled waters, it's better to focus on finding solutions to the problem.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

adjective a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun

adverb a word that modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

conjunction a word that connects words, phrases, or clauses

article a word that specifies a noun as definite or indefinite

• She was as mad as a wet hen when she found out about the mistake.
• My mom was mad as a wet hen when she saw the mess we made in the kitchen.
• She was as mad as a wet hen when she caught her boyfriend cheating on her.
• The teacher was mad as a wet hen when the students kept talking during the lesson.

noun a round shape or figure

verb to gradually get closer to a negative outcome or failure

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence

article a word that is used with a noun to specify grammatical definiteness of the noun

• The company's financial situation is starting to circle the drain.
• My grades are circling the drain this semester.
• His relationship is circling the drain.
• The team's morale is circling the drain after the recent loss.

noun a phrase referring to a place of comfort or paradise in the afterlife, derived from a story in the Bible where the righteous are said to be in the bosom of Abraham

• In the biblical story of Lazarus and the rich man, it is said that Lazarus was carried to Abraham's bosom after he died.
• After he passed away, they said he went to Abraham's bosom, whatever that means.
• When he kicked the bucket, they said he went to Abraham's bosom, like he hit the jackpot or something.
• The cozy cabin by the lake felt like Abraham's bosom, providing comfort and security to all who visited.

noun a delayed or unexpected repercussion or sequel, typically an undesirable one

• The afterclap of the performance was met with thunderous applause from the audience.
• The afterclap of the party was everyone talking about it for days.
• The afterclap of the game was lit, everyone was hyped up.
• The afterclap of the scandal left a lasting impact on the company's reputation.

noun a period of time after nightfall; evening or night

adjective relating to or occurring in the period of time after nightfall

• The afternight research findings were presented at the conference.
• We had a great time at the afternight party.
• Let's hit up the afternight spot for some late-night fun.
• The afternight symbolized a new beginning for the city.