English Idioms

Add fuel to the fire:

If you add fuel to the flames, you do or say something that makes a difficult situation even worse.He forgot their wedding anniversary, and his apologies only added fuel to the flames.

Bark up the wrong tree:

A person who is barking up the wrong tree is doing the wrong thing, because their beliefs or ideas are incorrect or mistaken. The police are barking up the wrong tree if they think Joey stole the car - he can't drive!

Get off my back:

If you tell someone to get off  your back, you are annoyed and ask them to stop finding faults or criticizing you.

Liz,please, get off my back! You've been making comments about my work all morning!

Clear the Air:

If you decide to clear the air, you try to remove the causes of fear, worry or suspicion by talking about the problem openly. The atmosphere had become so unpleasant that he decided it was time to clear the air.

Out of question:

Something which is out of the question is impossible and is therefore not worth discussing.Buying a new car is out of the question - we simply can't afford it.

Pick Holes:

If someone picks holes in something such as a plan, an idea or a proposal, they criticize it or try to find fault with it.Why don't you make a suggestion instead of picking holes in all my ideas!

Carry The Torch:

If you carry the torch, you have strong feelings for someone with whom you do not or cannot have a relationship.He's been carrying the torch for Julie since their college days, before she married Ted.