Idioms for IELTS
Lesson 9
Disagreement
- give someone a piece of your mind
If you give someone a piece of your mind, you speak angrily to them because they have done something to annoy you. [INFORMAL]
Example: You can’t let people get away with behaviour like that. You should have given her a piece of your mind!
- have a bone to pick with someone
If you say that you have a bone to pick with someone, you mean that you are annoyed with them about something, and you want to talk to them about it. [INFORMAL]
I NOTE I This expression may refer to the fact that dogs often fight over bones.
Example: ‘I have a bone to pick with you ‘. She wanted to bring up a matter that she had been afraid to discuss before.
- have a go at someone
If you have a go at someone, you criticize them strongly, often without good reason. [mainly BRITISH, INFORMAL]
Example: I was angry because I figured she was just having a go at me for the sake of it.
- in someone’s bad books
If you are in someone’s bad books, you have done something that has annoyed them. [BRITISH, INFORMAL]
Example: Thomas knew that having burnt the cakes, he would be in Mrs. Simpson ‘s bad books.
- jump down someone’s throat
If someone jumps down your throat, they react in a very angry way to something you have said or done. [INFORMAL]
Example: If I even asked her about her day, she’d jump down my throat, as if I were interrogating her.
- kiss and make up
If two people or groups kiss and make up, they become friends again after an argument or fight.
Example: I sent her a big bottle of champagne with a note saying, ‘Sorry, hope we can kiss and make up’.
7.not see eye to eye
If you do not see eye to eye with someone, you do not agree with them about something.
Example: The Prime Minister didn’t see eye to eye with him on this issue.
I NOTE I You can also say that you see eye to eye with someone, meaning that you agree with them about something.
Example: Yes, we argue about stuff but see eye to eye on the important issues.
- a shouting match
A shouting match is an angry and uncontrolled argument or discussion about something, usually involving shouting.
Example: For a moment I thought the meeting was going to become a shouting match.
- agree to differ or agree to disagree
If two people who are arguing about something agree to differ or agree to disagree, they decide to stop arguing because neither of them is going to change their opinion.
Example: I find some of his views very odd and we’ve agreed to differ on some things.
Example: You and I are going to have to agree to disagree on this issue.
- at each other’s throats or at one another’s throats
If two people or groups are at each other’s throats or at one another’s throats, they are arguing in a very angry way.
Example: The politicians are at one another’s throats all the time, and are not functioning as a very effective government.
11.a battle of wills
If an argument or conflict is a battle of wills, the person with the strongest beliefs or personality will win.
INOTE I Someone’s will is their determination to do something.
Example: It was a battle of wills, and Grace’s was the stronger.
12.a bone of contention
A bone of contention is an issue that people are arguing about.
Example: Pay, of course, is not the only bone of contention.
13.clear the air
If something such as an argument or a discussion clears the air, it makes bad feelings between people go away.
Example: I get angry with Hannah, but I’m a great believer in expressing my feelings to clear the air.
- cross swords
If you cross swords with someone, you disagree and argue with them or oppose them.
Example: He repeatedly crossed swords with the Prime Minister in the early 1970s.
- fight like cat and dog
If two people fight like cat and dog, they frequently have violent arguments or fights with each other.
Example: My brother and I are very close in age and we used to fight like cat and dog.
Exercise 1
Complete the sentences with the words in the box.
bone I shouting I throats I differ I pick I fight I air I kiss
- The argument began to develop into a noisy……………. match.
- The date of the wedding became a……………. of contention between the two families.
- They each felt strongly about the issue and finally agreed to…………….
- It’s common for brothers and sisters to……………. like cat and dog in their teens.
- They argue constantly but always manage to……………….and make up.
6.I’ve got a bone to……………. with you! Why have you been avoiding me?
- The children were constantly at each other’s…………………during the school holidays.
- I finally managed to explain what really happened and that cleared the………………