IDIOMS AND OTHER EXPRESSIONS THAT RHYME OR ALLITERATE

CHECK YOUR ENGLISH VOCABULARY FOR PHRASAL VERBS AND IDIOMS

IDIOMS AND OTHER EXPRESSIONS THAT RHYME OR ALLITERATE

There are lots of English idioms and expressions in which the words alliterate or rhyme. When two or more words that make an idiom or expression alliterate, they begin with the same letter or letters (for example, double Dutch). When two or more words that make an idiom or other expression rhyme, they end with the same sound as each other (for example, higgledy-piggledy).

In dialogues 1 – 30 below, you will see the first letter of each of the main words from a rhyming or alliterative expression. The rest of the expression is in the table. Complete the sentences with these.

…eebie …eebies	…reepy …rawly	…itter …atter	…hick …hin	…ear …ear
…ull …ishwater	…ancy …ree	…ead …eels	…illy …illy	…ocus …ocus
…oity …oity	…old …orses	…unky …ory	…hilly …hally	…ven …tevens
…ittle …attle	…lap …rap	…hort …hrift	…oi …olloi	…ouble …utch
…ishy …ashy	…one …usted	…ook …rook	…ie …ky	…hyme …eason
…iggledy …iggledy	…o …um	…hock …lock	…urly …urly	…ager …outs

1	"Hi, Liz. How are things?" "Oh, the family's fine, work's good, everything's h_____ d_____."
2	"Did you understand what the manager's speech was about?" "No, not a word. It was all d_____ D_____."
3	"There's a rumour that Mrs White has left her husband for a man half her age!" "Hmm, I wouldn't listen to t_____-t_____ if I were you."
4	"Why did you get involved in their argument?" "I didn't intend to, but I got drawn into it w_____-n_____."
5	"Can we go home yet?" "No, there's still some work to do, but as soon as everything's d_____ and d_____ we can leave."
6	"Can we go home yet?" "No, there's still some work to do, but as soon as everything's d_____ and d_____ we can leave."
7	"Do you think his plan will work?" "Not really. His ideas are good in theory, but in reality they're just p_____ in the s_____."
8	"Did you manage to get a seat on the train?" "No, it was c_____-a-b_____ with commuters, so I had to stand."
9	"It's the middle of the night. What's that strange noise outside?" "I've no idea, but it's giving me the h_____-j_____."
10	"It's really peaceful here, isn't it? No cars going by, no aeroplanes flying over." "It certainly is. Nothing but the p_____-p_____ of rain on the window."
11	"Come on, let's go or we'll be late." "H_____ your h_____. I'm not quite ready yet."
12	"Do you think it's time we got a new computer?" "I think so. The one we've got now is really showing signs of w_____ and t_____."
13	"The city centre is terrible on a Friday and Saturday night." "I agree. The place is full of l_____ l_____, causing trouble and starting fights."
14	"I thought you were going to have a bath." "I was, but there's a big c_____-c_____ in the bathtub!"
15	"Do you think we'll get the contract?" "We certainly will, by h_____ or by c_____."
16	"What do you think of our new teacher?" "Well, he's good at explaining things, but he's as d_____ as d_____."
17	"How long have Mr and Mrs McCall been married?" "Fifty years. They've stayed with other through t_____ and t_____."
18	"Nigel always talks down to me and acts like he's better than me." "Don't worry. He's very h_____-t_____ with everyone. It's just his way."
19	"Have you got a girlfriend?" "Not at the moment. I'm footloose and f_____ f_____!"
20	"Shall we go somewhere this weekend?" "Good idea. Let's get out into the countryside, away from the h_____-b_____ of the city."
21	"I'm not ready to decide yet. Can I sleep on it?" "Yes, but don't s_____-s_____: there are several more people who are interested in the job."
22	"The new manager's nice, isn't he?" "Yes, but he seems a bit w_____-w_____."
23	"Do you agree that men are more intelligent than women?" "No, I don't. I've never heard such c_____-t_____!"
24	"Sandra seems to be in a world of her own at the moment, doesn't she?" "Yes, well, she's fallen h_____ over h_____ for that new accountant on the third floor."
25	"Marissa thinks she can communicate with dead people." "Yes, she's told me, but I don't believe in any of that h_____-p_____."
26	"Was the film as good as everyone says?" "Not really. In fact I thought it was very h_____-h_____."
27	"When I fly, I prefer to go business class." "Me too. I don't like mixing with the h_____-p_____ in economy class."
28	"Do you think I should ask Mr Searle if I can take Monday off work?" "Well, you can try, but I think he'll give you very s_____ s_____."
29	"Who do you think will win the match?" "Well, it's e_____ S_____ at the moment, so it could go either way."
30	"Do you know why she left the company without giving any notice?" "No, there was no r_____ or r_____ for her sudden departure."

ANSWER KEY

1. hunky-dory (pleasant because there are no problems) 2. double Dutch (speech or writing that is difficult to understand) 3. tittle-tattle (talk about what other people are doing, especially when it is not true or accurate. Gossip) 4. willy-nilly (Something that happens willy-nilly happens whether you want it to or not, or it happens in a careless way, without planning) 5. done and dusted (If something is done and dusted, you have finished dealing with it and it is not necessary to discuss it any more) 6. higgledy-piggledy (mixed together in a way that is not planned, organised or tidy) 7. pie in the sky (a plan, hope, idea or suggestion that will never happen) 8. chock-a-block (very full, so that there is not much room for anything or anyone else) 9. heebie-jeebies (Something that gives you the heebie-jeebies makes you feel very nervous) 10. pitter-patter (the noise that rain makes on a window or roof) 11. Hold your horses (an informal spoken expression which means wait) 12. wear and tear (Something that is showing signs of wear and tear is not in as good a condition as it once was) 13. lager louts (young men who drink too much alcohol and then start fights or damage property. Hooligans) 14. creepy-crawly (an insect or spider, used to show that you dislike or are afraid of them) 15. by hook or by crook (If you do something by hook or by crook, you try to achieve what you want in any way possible, either honestly or dishonestly) 16. as dull as dishwater (also as dull as ditchwater. Very boring)* 17. through thick and thin (People who stay with each other through thick and thin stay together despite all the bad things that happen to them) 18. hoity-toity (behaving in a rude way to other people because you think you are better then them. This is similar to high and mighty) 19. footloose and fancyfree (single, without a girlfriend or boyfriend. This expression suggests that the person is happy to be single. If they are unhappy about it, we would describe them as being on the shelf) 20. hurly-burly (a lot of noisy activity, usually involving large numbers of people) 21. shillyshally (to delay too long before making a decision. Similar to dilly dally: to do things very slowly) 22. wishy-washy (not strong or definite. We can also say airy-fairy to describe people who are like this and who are also not sensible or practical) 23. clap-trap (also written as one word: claptrap. Stupid talk that you do not believe) 24. head over heels (If you fall head over heels (in love) with someone, you start to love them very much) 25. hocus-pocus (an activity or a belief that you think has no value and is intended to trick people. This is similar to mumbo-jumbo) 26. ho-hum (not very good / nothing special. We can also say humdrum) 27. hoi polloi (an insulting expression for ordinary people who are not very rich or well-educated. It is similar to riff-raff) 28. short shrift (if you give someone short shrift, you give them a firm and immediate refusal to do something) 29. even Stevens (equal during a competition such as a football match, quiz, etc. For a race, we can say neck and neck) 30. rhyme or reason (If there is no rhyme or reason why something has happened, you are unable to explain why it happened) * A lot of idioms of emphasis (see page 19) use alliterations. These include: as thick as thieves; as right as rain; as pleased as Punch; as dead as a doornail / as dead as a dodo; as pretty as a picture; as mad as a March hare; as cool as a cucumber; as fit as a fiddle