AT E K

matters DOD
53/2015

IDIOMS & SIMILES

 matters
Language Guide
poradnik językowy
Dear Readers!
Welcome to the summer English Matters’ language guide. Summer is definitely not the
time to be as sick as a dog. This is the season when everyone feels, or tries to be, as
fit as a fiddle and as happy as a clam. Some of us do our best to be as light as a feather
and as thin as a rake. In summer, each traveller or holiday maker makes new friends
with whom they immediately feel as thick as thieves. When the sunny season draws to
a close, though, it often turns out that those new pals and us are literally as different as
chalk and cheese. Fortunately, friends may come and go, but English Matters’ language
guide may be in your pocket, backpack or suitcase both in summer and in winter. What
is more, when you learn all the similes described in it you’ll definitely feel as proud as
a peacock.

to do one’s best | dawać z siebie wszystko literally | dosłownie

feather ˈfeðə(r) / ˈfeðər | piórko, pióro chalk | kreda
rake | grabie fortunately | na szczęście
holiday maker | urlopowicz to come and go | tu: przychodzić i odchodzić
thief | złodziej backpack | plecak
to draw to a close | zbliżać się ku końcowi suitcase | walizka
to turn out | okazywać się simile ˈsɪməli | porównanie
pal | pot. kumpel peacock | paw

Poradnik językowy jest bezpłatnym dodatkiem do English Matters nr 53/2015.

Opracowanie: Katarzyna Szpotakowska
Ilustracje: Adrian Jaworek
Korekta: Graham Crawford

Colorful Media ul. Lednicka 23, 60-413 Poznań

tel. 61 833 63 28, [email protected]

Ilustracja na okładce: moodboard

 English Matters 53|2015

as cunning as a fox
very smart, sly and clever; being able to get what you want often by tricking
others

l A
lthough the thief burgled two houses in the same night, he hasn’t been caught
yet. He must be as cunning as a fox.
Be
 careful! Mary seems very naive and fragile, but she is as cunning as a fox and
l 
will easily trick you into lending her your life savings.
It
is not easy to win an election. That’s why it is believed that a politician needs to
l 
be as cunning as a fox and as tough as nails.

cunning | chytry, przebiegły
sly | przebiegły, cwany
to trick sb | oszukiwać kogoś
to burgle sth | włamać się
fragile ˈfradʒʌɪl | delikatny, kruchy
easily | z łatwością
to lend sth to sb | pożyczyć komuś
coś
life savings | oszczędności życia
tough tʌf | twardy, wytrzymały
nail | gwóźdź

3
 English Matters 53|2015

as proud as a peacock
excessively proud; having very high self-esteem

l She
 strutted along the catwalk, proud as a peacock.
Don’t make a move on him. He is as dull as ditchwater and as proud as a peacock.
l 
In this photograph, you look as proud as a peacock.
l 
excessively | nadmiernie, przesadnie
self-esteem | samoocena
to strut | dumnie stąpać/kroczyć
catwalk | wybieg (dla modelek)
to make a move on sb | podrywać kogoś
dull | nudny, tępy
ditchwater | woda w rowie

4
 English Matters 53|2015

as tough as nails
very strong, unemotional, brave; being able to deal with difficulties

l A
lumberjack has to be as tough as nails.
l You
 should hire the first candidate. She seems as tough as nails. Surely, she will do
the business and win the Friday negotiations for you.
l You
 have to be as tough as nails to survive in a jungle.

lumberjack | drwal
to hire sb | zatrudniać
kogoś
to seem | wydawać się
to survive | przetrwać

5
 English Matters 53|2015

as different as chalk and cheese

completely different

l Although
 they are as different as chalk and cheese, we are keeping our fingers
crossed for their marriage.
l Dorian
 is Peter’s twin brother, but you’ll be surprised when you get to know him.
They are both as different as chalk and cheese.
l They
 are the same age, but they are as different as chalk and cheese.

to keep one’s fingers crossed for sb | trzymać za kogoś kciuki

twin brother | brat bliźniak

6
 English Matters 53|2015

as light as a feather
extremely light in terms of weight and texture

l This
 time your luggage is as light as a feather. That’s a surprise!
l This
 apple pie is as light as a feather.
Owing to my last diet, I’m as light as a feather.
l 

in terms of X | pod względem X

weight weɪt | waga
texture | tu: budowa
luggage | bagaż
apple pie | szarlotka, jabłecznik
owing to sth | z powodu czegoś

7
 English Matters 53|2015

to be as thick as thieves
to be close friends; to share secrets with each other

l You’ll
 never come between them. They are as thick as thieves.
l Why
 did you tell her about the merger? Janet and Joel have known each other for
years; they are as thick as thieves. No doubt, she’ll tell him everything she knows.
I’ll miss you. We’ve always been as thick as thieves.
l 

to share sth with sb | dzielić się z kimś czymś

merger | fuzja

8
 English Matters 53|2015

to be as thin as a rake
extremely thin

l She’s
 as thin as a rake from all the stress she’s been exposed to at her new school.
He must be ill. He’s constantly tired. His complexion is sallow and he’s as thin as
l 
a rake.
You can almost see through her. The girl is as thin as a rake.
l 

to be exposed to sth | być na coś

narażonym
constantly | ciągle, bezustannie
complexion | karnacja
sallow | ziemisty
to see through sth/sb | patrzeć przez
coś/kogoś (na wylot)

9
 English Matters 53|2015

as sick as a dog
very sick

l She
 is as sick as a dog. What did she eat yesterday?
If we eat in this dive, we’ll be as sick as a dog.
l 
I’ve been sick as a dog since I ate the lasagne.
l 
dive | pot. speluna

10
 English Matters 53|2015

as fit as a fiddle
very healthy; in good health

My son has always been as fit as a fiddle.

l 
After you take this medicine, you’ll feel as fit as a fiddle again.
l 
l Iwish I was as fit as a fiddle and not such a sickly creature.

fit | sprawny
fiddle | pot. skrzypce
medicine | lekarstwo
sickly | chorowity

11
 English Matters 53|2015

as drunk as a lord
completely drunk

l He
 mustn’t drive. He is as drunk as a lord.
Each Saturday, my neighbour comes home as drunk as a lord.
l 
I’m not going to put up with you being as drunk as a lord.
l 

neighbour | sąsiad
to put up with sb | znosić kogoś

12
 English Matters 53|2015

as dull as ditchwater
very boring and uninteresting

l My
 history teacher is as dull as ditchwater.
His presentation was as dull as ditchwater.
l 
No wonder no one talks to her. She is as dull as ditchwater.
l 

13
 English Matters 53|2015

as happy as a clam
very happy; delighted

l Iwas as happy as a clam when I learnt I had hit the jackpot.

The final decision hasn’t been announced yet. If I win, I’ll be as happy as a clam!
l 
He was as happy as a clam when he finally put aside enough money to buy a
l 
motorbike.

clam | małż
delighted | zachwycony
to hit the jackpot | wygrać na loterii
announced | ogłoszony, obwieszczony
to put aside | zaoszczędzić

14
 English Matters 53|2015

as cool as a cucumber
very calm; showing no emotions, surprise

l Although
 Chris was totally shocked when he heard the news, he remained as cool
as a cucumber and didn’t let anyone notice what he really felt.
l – How did she do at the interview?
– She was as cool as a cucumber.
l He pointed the gun at me – cool as a cucumber.
cucumber ˈkjuːkʌmbə | ogórek
to remain | pozostawać

15
 English Matters 53|2015

as scarce as hen’s teeth

exceptionally rare; almost impossible to find

l Such
 beautiful flats at such a low price are as scarce as hen’s teeth. How did you
find it?
Those spiders are as scarce as hen’s teeth. Did you bring them (spiders) from
l 
Australia?
This coin is as scarce as hen’s teeth. If you sell it, you’ll have enough money to pay
l 
off your debts.

scarce | znikomy, rzadki
rare rɛː | rzadki
flat | mieszkanie
coin | moneta
to pay off sth | spłacać coś
debt dɛt | dług

16
 English Matters 53|2015

English Polish
as cunning as a fox chytry/przebiegły jak lis
as proud as a peacock dumny jak paw
as tough/hard as nails twardy jak skała
as different as chalk and cheese jak niebo i ziemia; być podobnym jak
dzień do nocy
as light as a feather lekki jak piórko
to be as thick as thieves znać się jak łyse konie
to be as thin as a rake być chudym jak szczapa/patyk
as sick as a dog bardzo chory; być bardzo chorym
i wymiotować
as fit as a fiddle zdrów jak ryba
as drunk as a lord pijany jak bela; pijany jak szewc
as dull as ditchwater nudny jak flaki z olejem
as happy as a clam być bardzo szcześliwym; nie posiadać
się ze szczęścia/z radości
as cool as a cucumber zachowywać stoicki spokój
as scarce as hen’s teeth biały kruk

17
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