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Idioms have
their origins in various areas of life and sometimes knowledge of their
origin can help you to remember and understand the meaning of the idiom. For
example: “to be blinked” means to
have a narrow view. The idiom originates in the horse riding where blinkers
(which are leather squires) were fitted to the sides of a horse’s eyes to prevent
them from seeing sideways.
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1. A number of idioms have their origins in different
sports – riding, sailing, football, boxing, chess and archery. Match the idioms
on the left with a sport and definition.
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(A)
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To be out
for the count.
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___
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Sailing
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___
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To encourage someone.
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(B)
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To spur on.
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___
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Boxing
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___
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To be exhausted,
deeply asleep.
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(C)
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To give some
a free rein.
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___
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Horse Riding
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___
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To be in
charge.
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(D)
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To be at the
helm.
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___
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Horse Riding
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___
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To allow
someone to do what they want.
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(E)
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To rock the
boat.
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___
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Chess
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___
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To have an
alternative open to one.
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(F)
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To be
champing at the bit.
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___
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Archery
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___
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To be quick
an alert.
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(G)
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To take the
wind out of some ones sails.
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___
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Sailing
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___
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To disturb a
pleasant situation.
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(H)
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To have more
than one string to one’s bow.
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___
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Football
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___
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To get to a
stage in a dispute where no action can be taken by either side.
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(I)
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To be on the
ball.
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___
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Horse Riding
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___
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To be
impatient to get started.
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(J)
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To rock the
boat.
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___
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Sailing
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___
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To disturb someone’s
confidence.
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2. Put one of the possible idioms into the gaps in the sentences.
(A) It looks like Mariza is ________________________. She
has fallen asleep in her chair.
(i)
out for the count
(ii) rocking the boat (iii)
at the helm
(B)
Tim ____________________________________.
He spotted the problem before I did!
(i)
is champing at the bit
(ii) is taking the wind out of
my sails (iii) on the ball
(C) That new employee disagrees with everything! He has
been______________________
ever since he arrived. (i) at the helm (ii)
rocking the boat (iii) at a
stalemate
(D)
My boss has
been ________________________________ of the company for 20 years.
(i)
a free rein (ii) at the helm (iii) spurring on
ANSWERS: SPORTS IDIOMS
1. A number of idioms have their origins in different
sports – riding, sailing, football, boxing, chess and archery. Match the idioms
on the left with a sport and definition.
|
(A)
|
To be out
for the count.
|
(d)
|
Sailing
|
(b)
|
To encourage someone.
|
|
(B)
|
To spur on.
|
(a)
|
Boxing
|
(a)
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To be exhausted,
deeply asleep.
|
|
(C)
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To give some
a free rein.
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(b)
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Horse Riding
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(d)
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To be in
charge.
|
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(D)
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To be at the
helm.
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(e)
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Horse Riding
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(c)
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To allow
someone to do what they want.
|
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(E)
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To rock the
boat.
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(j)
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Chess
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(h)
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To have an
alternative open to one.
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(F)
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To be
champing at the bit.
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(h)
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Archery
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(i)
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To be quick
an alert.
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(G)
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To take the
wind out of some ones sails.
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(c)
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Sailing
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(e)
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To disturb a
pleasant situation.
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(H)
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To have more
than one string to one’s bow.
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(i)
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Football
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(j)
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To get to a
stage in a dispute where no action can be taken by either side.
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(I)
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To be on the
ball.
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(f)
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Horse Riding
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(f)
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To be
impatient to get started.
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(J)
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To reach a
stalemate.
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(g)
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Sailing
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(g)
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To disturb someone’s
confidence.
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2. Put one of the possible idioms into the gaps in the sentences.
(A) It looks like Mariza is out for the count. She
has fallen asleep in her chair.
(ii)
out for the count (ii) rocking the boat (iii)
at the helm
(B)
Tim on the
ball. He spotted the problem before I did!
(ii)
is champing at the bit
(ii) is taking the wind out of
my sails (iii) on the ball
(C) That new employee disagrees with everything! He has
been rocking the boat
ever since he arrived. (i) at the helm (ii) rocking
the boat (iii) at a stalemate
(D)
My boss has
been at the helm of the company for 20 years.
(ii)
a free rein (ii) at
the helm (iii) spurring on
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