Lesson 35

Pin on... get a rise out of… stick around…. pick up the tab… by the way… go to town… let slide… search me… get off one’s chest… live it up… liven up….have a voice in
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To pin on: to find guilty for a crime or offense (S) (also: to hang on)
This idiom is divided by a noun phrase containing the crime or offense. The accused person is mentioned after the preposition on.
Ø The prosecuting attorney tried to pin the murder on the victim’s husband, but the jury returned a verdict of “not guilty”.
Ø I wasn’t anywhere near the window when it got broken. You can’t pin that on me.
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To get a rise out of: to provoke a response from
This idiom is usually used when someone is teased into responding in anger or annoyance.
Ø You can kid me all day about my mistake, but you won’t get a rise out of me.
Ø I got a rise out of Marvin when I teased him about his weight. Marvin weighs over two hundred pounds.
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To stick around: to stay or remain where one is, to wait
This idiom is used when someone is waiting for something to happen or for someone to arrive.
Ø Todd had to stick around the house all day until the new furniture was finally delivered in the late afternoon.
Ø Why don’t you stick around for a while and see if Sarah eventually shows up?
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To pick up the tab: to pay the cost or bill
This idiom applies when someone pays for the cost of another person’s meal, tickets, etc.
Ø The advertising agency is flying to Puerto Rico for a conference, and her firm is picking up the tab.
Ø The government picked up the tab for the visiting dignitary. It paid for all of the lodging and meals, as well as transportation, during his stay.
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By the way: incidentally
This idiom is used when someone thinks of something further in the course of a conversation.
Ø Movies are my favorite form of entertainment. Oh, by the way, have you seen the new picture that’s playing at the Bijou?
Ø Vera’s been divorced for three years now. She told me, by the way, that she never plans to remarry.
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To go to town: to do something with enthusiasm and thoroughness
Ø Our interior decorator really went to town in remodeling our living room. I’m afraid to ask how much it’s going to cost.
Ø Charlie really went to town on his research project. He consulted over forty reference works and wrote a ninety-page report.
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To let slide: to neglect a duty (S), to ignore a situation (S)
Ø Terry knew that she should have paid the electric bill on time instead of letting it slide. Now the utility company has turned off her service.
Ø When he tried to get a rise out of me by mentioning my failure to receive a promotion at work, I just let it slide.
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Search me: I don’t know (also: beats me)
This idiom is used informally, usually as a command form.
Ø When Elmer asked his wife if she knew why the new neighbors left their garage door open all night, she responded, “Search me.”
Ø When I asked Derek why his girlfriend wasn’t at the party yet, he said, “Beats me. I expected her an hour ago.”
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To get off one’s chest: to express one’s true feelings (S)
This idiom is used when someone has long waited to express himself or herself.
Ø Ellen felt a lot better when she finally talked to a counselor and got the problem off her chest.
Ø Faye hasn’t shared her concern about her marriage with her husband yet. I think that she should get it off her chest soon.
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To live it up: to spend money freely, to live luxuriously
Ø Kyle and Eric saved up money for two years so that they could travel to Europe and live it up.
Ø After receiving a large inheritance from a rich aunt, I was able to live it up for years.
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To liven up: to energize, to make more active (also: to pick up) (S)
Ø The teacher occasionally took the class on field trips just to liven things up a bit.
Ø The animals in the zoo began to liven up when evening came and the temperatures dropped.
Ø Many people have to drink coffee every morning just to pick themselves up.
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To have a voice in: to share involvement in
Ø The new vice-president was promised that she would have a voice in developing the company’s international expansion.
Ø The students are trying to have a voice in college affairs by gaining representation on administrative committees.
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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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1. The police were successful in finding the criminal guilty of the robbery because…
2. My older brother is always able to provoke a response from me when he…
3. Why don’t you stay here for a while longer? We’re still…
4. The director paid the bill for the meal when he invited…
5. The neighbors really did something with enthusiasm when they worked together to…
6. I understand that Bill… because he neglected his responsibilities again and again.
7. In order to express their true feelings about a problem, some people…
8. On their honeymoon, the young couple lived luxuriously by…
9. In order to energize the party, the host and hostess…
10. The preferred candidate for the new position would not … until management agreed that she would share involvement in budget matters.
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Answer these questions orally by making use of the idiomatic expressions studied in this lesson.
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1. When you were a child, do you remember your brother, sister, or friend ever trying to pin something on you? What was it?
2. What kind of person is it easy to get a rise out of? What kind is it difficult to get a rise out of? Which are you?
3. If someone is late in meeting you, about how long would you stick around before leaving? Has this happened to you recently?
4. When was the last time that you pick up the tab for someone? Has anyone picked up the tab for you recently?
5. Are you the kind of person who is likely to make an issue out of a serious problem, or rather to let it slide? Why?
6. Can you think of a reason why the expression search me is used to mean I don’t know? (In other words, why is the verb search used in this way?)
7. Why do people sometimes hold problems inside instead of getting them off their chests right away? Which approach are you most likely to take?
8. Have you ever had a chance to live it up? Describe what you did.
9. What are some different ways of livening up an event such as a wedding?
10. In a democracy, how do citizens of a country have a voice in government affairs?