Learn English with English, baby!

Join for FREE!

Social_nav_masthead_logged_in
Swimming Idioms

Swimming Idioms

Date: Oct 05 2007

Topic: Idioms and Slang

Author: rhyme_reason

Lesson

If you are 'out of your depth', you don't have the necessary knowledge, experience or skill to deal with a particular situation or subject.
  • When she started talking about quantum physics, I felt completely out of my depth.
  • I'm an engineer. I feel out of my depth when we discuss accounting problems.
If you are on 'the crest of a wave', you are being extremely successful or popular. If something is popular, you can try to 'ride (on) the wave'.
  • James Blunt is on the crest of the wave in the UK at the moment. You can hear his music everywhere.
  • He became successful riding on the wave of using British actors as villains in Hollywood movies.
If you don't get any training before you start a job or activity, you are 'thrown in at the deep end'.
  • Everyone was off sick so I was thrown in at the deep end.
  • The best way to learn the job is to be thrown in at the deep end.
If you are struggling to spend less than you earn, you are trying to 'keep your head above water'.
  • Since they increased my rent, I've been struggling to keep my head above water.
  • With the new sponsorship, the team should be able to keep its head above water.
If a company has to stop business because of losses, it 'goes under'.
  • The company couldn't afford to pay its suppliers and it went under.
  • In this economic climate, a lot of businesses will go under.
If you are in a very difficult situation, you are 'in deep water'.
  • If the bank doesn't give us this loan, we could be in deep water.
  • He was caught stealing from his company and now he's in deep water.
If you 'make a splash', you get a lot of public attention.
  • We need to make a splash by holding a cocktail party for journalists.
  • She made quite a splash when she wore such a small dress to the film premiere.
If a noise is 'drowned out' , you cannot hear it because of other noises.
  • The sounds of the telephone were drowned out by the noise from upstairs.
  • His speech was drowned out by the chanting from the demonstrators.
If you 'test the water', you try to find out what people think about an idea or a situation before you take action.
  • Before you decide to sell your house in England and move to Spain, why not go there for a trial three months to test the water?
  • This is a big project. We should test the water before making such a large investment.
If a situation is 'sink or swim', it either fails or succeeds.
  • Either this works or we are all out of a job. It's sink or swim.
  • You'll get no training here. It's sink or swim.
If you 'dive into' something, you do it without really thinking about what you are doing.
  • He dived into the project with a lot of enthusiasm but not much thought.
  • Let's take our time. There's no point in diving into this without thinking.
If you are 'treading water', you are staying in the same place without making any progress.
  • I'm just treading water, waiting for a job with a better salary.
  • People lose motivation if they think they are just treading water in their careers.

Comments

Log in to Comment

puuui

Hong Kong

good. but actually it's hard to remember all of them

05:15 AM Aug 14 2008 |

MWang

MWang

China

Cool

useful

Thanks 

03:31 AM Feb 10 2008 |

djanlm

djanlm

Brazil

I learned a lot of new thing with this lesson!Smile

02:28 AM Feb 10 2008 |

wondering

wondering

China

very  good

11:19 PM Feb 08 2008 |

Abraham Adobu

Nigeria

That's very excellent of you!!!

11:06 PM Feb 08 2008 |

worldhome

worldhome

Canada

That's wonderful and useful. Thanks so much, dude. I really think that even those native speakers should work on this lesson too.

You are great.

06:29 PM Feb 08 2008 |

worldhome

worldhome

Canada

that’s wonderful and useful. thanks so much, dude. I really think that enen those native speaker should work on this lesson too.
You are great.

06:27 PM Feb 08 2008 |

zinabre

zinabre

Brazil

yeah guy you are so great !!!!!

03:07 AM Feb 08 2008 |

katrina058

Colombia

hey that is very usefull

¡thank you very much!

03:28 PM Feb 07 2008 |

beibofly

China

All of these are just too wonderful !

11:59 AM Feb 07 2008 |

beibofly

China

All of these are just too wonderful !I am extremly grateful to it’s help.

11:58 AM Feb 07 2008 |

simon.wangyong

China

thanks    i like

 

05:49 AM Feb 07 2008 |

zhangdede

zhangdede

China

Thank youIt’s my sweety to study slang

04:43 AM Feb 07 2008 |

Ange888

Ange888

Brazil

Excelent lesson

02:30 AM Feb 07 2008 |

mshare

mshare

Saudi Arabia

thanks alot i hope to remember all these 

09:55 PM Feb 06 2008 |

coolboy8800

Afghanistan

Quite Useful,
I recommend lessons like this Every time.

11:56 AM Feb 06 2008 |

tiffintime

tiffintime

Sri Lanka

Thanks. I like the one about the villains in Hollywood!

08:51 AM Feb 06 2008 |

luizalbertoalves

Brazil

q

01:39 PM Feb 04 2008 |

hlq1966

hlq1966

China

this is good text.

but,i didnt remEMber IT.

HOW IS I REMEMBER?THANKS

08:57 AM Jan 28 2008 |

Likes (59):

See all >

Share this lesson:

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Bebo
  • Share on Myspace
  • Share on Twitter
  • Email this to a friend
  • Share on Sina

Post Ebaby! lessons on your blog:

Ebaby! Cast