Lesson 34

Get cold feet... trade in… face-to-face… be with (someone)… be with it… fall for… it figures… fill (someone) in.. make (someone) tick… cover for… give (someone) a break… bow out
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To get cold feet: to become unable or afraid to do something
This idiom is usually used in the case of an important or dangerous action.
Ø Karl was supposed to marry Elaine this weekend, but at the last moment he got cold feet.
Ø Only one of the rock climbers got cold feet when the group reached the base of the hundred-meter cliff.
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To trade in: to receive credit for the value of an old item towards the purchase of a new item (S)
This idiom is used to form the noun trade-in.
Ø The car dealership offered me $1,000 for my old car if I traded it in for a new model.
Ø The appliance company was offering a $50 trade-in during the special promotion for its new line of refrigerators.
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Face-to-face: direct, personal, directly, personally (written without hyphens)
This idiom can be used both as an adjective (the first definition) and as an adverb (the second definition).
Ø The workers’ representatives had a face-to-face meeting with management to resolve the salary issue.
Ø The stepmother and her teenage soon talked face to face about his troubles in school.
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To be with (someone): to support, to back (also: to go along with), to understand or follow what someone is saying
Ø Although others thought that we shouldn’t go along with Jerry, I told Jerry that I was with him on his proposal for reorganizing the staff.
Ø After turning left at the traffic light, go two blocks and turn right on Madison. After three more blocks, turn right again. Are you still with me?
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To be with it: to be able to focus or concentrate on (also: to get with it)
To be with it in the negative has the same meaning as to feel out of it. The related form to get with it is used in commands.
Ø Jack’s really with it today. I’ve never seen him play such good soccer.
Ø You’ve done only a small amount of work in two hours. You’re not with it today, are you?
Ø It’s no excuse to say that you feel out of it. We need everyone’s help on this, so get with it!
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To fall for: to fall in love quickly, to be fooled or tricked by
Ø Samantha and Derek never expected to fall for each other like they did, but they got married within two weeks of having met.
Ø The Masons wanted to believe their son, but unfortunately they had fallen for his lies too many times to be deceived once again.
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It figures: it seems likely, reasonable, or typical
This idiom is either followed by a that-clause or by no other part of grammar.
Ø It figures that the children were willing to help with the yardwork only if they received a reward for doing so.
Ø When I told Evan that his secretary was unhappy about not getting a raise, he said that it figured.
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To fill (someone) in: to inform, to give background information to (also: to clue in) (S)
This idiom is often followed by the preposition on and a noun phrase containing the pertinent information.
Ø Could you fill me in on what is going to be discussed at tomorrow’s meeting?
Ø Not having been to the convention, my associate asked me to clue him in on the proceedings.
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To make (someone) tick: to motivate to behave or act in a certain way (S)
This idiom is used within a what-clause.
Ø If a salesperson knows what makes a customer tick, he will be able to sell a lot of merchandise.
Ø It’s been impossible for us to figure out what makes our new boss tick. One moment she seems pleasant and then the next moment she’s upset.
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To cover for: to take someone’s place temporarily, to substitute for, to protect someone by lying or deceiving
Ø Go ahead and take your coffee break. I’ll cover for you until you return.
Ø The criminal made his wife cover for him when the police asked if the man had been home all day. She swore that he had been there.
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To give (someone) a break: to provide a person with another opportunity or chance (S), not to expect too much work from (S), not to expect someone to believe (S)
Command forms are most common with this idiom. For the third definition, the pronoun me must be used.
Ø The driver pleaded with the police officer to give him a break and not issue him a ticket for speeding.
Ø When the students heard how much homework the teacher wanted them to do over the holiday, they begged, “Give us a break, Professor Doyle!”
Ø Oh, Jim, give me a break! That’s a terrible excuse for being late.
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To bow out: to stop doing as a regular activity, to remove oneself from a situation
The related idiom to want out indicates that someone desires to bow out.
Ø She bowed out as the school’s registrar after sixteen years of service.
Ø One of the two partners wanted out of the deal because they couldn’t agree on the terms of the contract.
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E X E R C I S E S
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Substitute an idiomatic expression for the word or words in italics, making any necessary grammatical changes as well. Then complete each sentence appropriately with your own idea. Also try to use idioms from previous lessons.
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At the amusement center, Sean was about to… when he became afraid to do it.
Leanne talked to her supervisor directly about…
The politician asked his friends if they supported him on…
Ted fell in love with the actress as soon as…
When Mrs. Garcia told her husband that their son…. Mr. Garcia responded, “That seems likely.”
Joseph’s roommate had been sick, so Joseph gave him information on…
I don’t understand what motivates Diana to behave that way, she…
The boss gave his employee another opportunity when…
When the teacher told the students that…, the students said, “Don’t expect too much work from us!”
One of the members of the committee removed herself from the situation because…
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Answer these questions orally by making use of the idiomatic expressions studied in this lesson.
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Have you ever been about to do something important or dangerous, and then gotten cold feet? What was it?
Besides a car, what items can be traded in for new purchases? Have you ever traded something in? What was it?
Why might a student need to have a face-to-face talk with a teacher?
For what reasons might you not be with it? Are you with it today? Why or why not?
Have you ever fallen for someone who was deceiving you? How did you feel? How did you resolve the situation?
It’s sometimes difficult to figure out what makes certain kinds of people tick. What kinds of people would you suggest?
In general, who would you feel compelled to cover for? Have you ever had to do this?
If you were a judge, under what condition might you give someone who had committed a serious crime a break?
What unbelievable statement might someone make that would cause you to respond, “Give me a break!” ?
Why might you choose to bow out of a situation?