Feeling Fine (or Not)

Idioms About Health and Well-Being

TARGET IDIOM

"under the weather"

Meaning: To feel slightly ill or unwell.

Where it comes from: This expression may come from sailing, too. Sick sailors were sent below deck, away from the bad weather on the surface, to recover — literally placing them 'under the weather' that was affecting the ship.

Example: I think I'll skip the gym today; I've been feeling a little under the weather since yesterday.

Dialogue

Calling in Sick

Grace: Hi, this is Grace. I wanted to let you know I won't be in today.

Supervisor (Mr. Kim): Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Are you feeling okay?

Grace: I've been under the weather since last night — a sore throat and a bit of a fever.

Mr. Kim: Take the day off and rest. Don't come back until you're feeling better.

Grace: Thank you. I'm hoping I'll be on the mend by tomorrow.

Mr. Kim: No rush at all. Drink plenty of fluids and get some sleep.

Grace: I will. Thanks for understanding.

Idiom Bank — Related Expressions

Idiom

Meaning

feel like a million bucks

to feel wonderful, healthy, and full of energy

on the mend

recovering from an illness or injury

catch your breath

to rest for a moment after physical activity

in the pink

in excellent health

Practice Exercise

Fill in each blank with the best idiom from this unit (the target idiom or one from the Idiom Bank). Use each idiom only once. The answer follows each sentence.

1. After that run, I need a minute to ___________ before we keep going.

Answer: catch your breath

2. Grandpa broke his hip last month, but the doctor says he's ___________ now.

Answer: on the mend

3. I stayed home yesterday because I was ___________ — just a mild cold.

Answer: under the weather

4. After a full night's sleep and a good breakfast, I ___________ this morning!

Answer: feel like a million bucks

5. Despite being 80 years old, my aunt is ___________ and walks five miles a day.

Answer: in the pink

6. He looked ___________ at the meeting, so I told him to go home and rest.

Answer: under the weather

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Dollars and Sense

Idioms About Money and Finances

TARGET IDIOM

"bring home the bacon"

Meaning: To earn money for a family or household; to be the main financial provider.

Where it comes from: The phrase likely comes from country fairs, where a greased pig was a prize for winners of certain games — bringing the bacon home meant you had won something valuable. It became a common expression for earning a living in the early 20th century.

Example: Both parents work full-time to bring home the bacon and support their three children.

Dialogue

Planning the Family Budget

Lin: I've been thinking — now that I have the night shift too, I'm really bringing home the bacon this month.

Robert: I noticed! But are you sure it's worth it? You look exhausted.

Lin: It's temporary. We need to make ends meet until the car is paid off.

Robert: Fair enough. Maybe we should tighten our belts on other things instead, so you can cut back on hours.

Lin: That's a good idea. We could stop eating out so much.

Robert: Exactly. Between both of us bringing home the bacon and spending less, we'll be fine.

Idiom Bank — Related Expressions

Idiom

Meaning

tighten your belt

to spend less money; to live more frugally

cost an arm and a leg

to be very expensive

make ends meet

to have just enough money to cover basic expenses

save for a rainy day

to save money for a time when it might be needed unexpectedly

Practice Exercise

Fill in each blank with the best idiom from this unit (the target idiom or one from the Idiom Bank). Use each idiom only once. The answer follows each sentence.

1. That new laptop must have ___________ — it has every feature imaginable.

Answer: cost an arm and a leg

2. Since he lost his second job, the family has had to ___________.

Answer: tighten your belt

3. My grandmother always told me to ___________ instead of spending everything right away.

Answer: save for a rainy day

4. With rent this high, it's hard to ___________ every month.

Answer: make ends meet

5. Ever since she got promoted, she's really ___________ for her family.

Answer: bring home the bacon

6. We decided to ___________ and cancel our streaming subscriptions this year.

Answer: tighten your belt

https://americanenglishidioms.com

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