Correct use of idioms??

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ESL forum > Ask for help > Correct use of idioms??

Correct use of idioms??

anlu79

Correct use of idioms??

Hi everyone,

who can help me out here - is the following use of idioms correct?

The team played so badly - letting them participate was like water off a duck �s back.

I was on the hop to the toilet when a guy asked me for my name.

For him, it �s money for old rope to get a pretty girlfriend.

Many thanks in advance!

Andrea

24 Jun 2010

Hi, well I don �t think that any of them are used correctly. Idioms are always difficult.
here are my own explanations:

water off a duck �s back means not emotionally affected by criticism

eg. The teacher warned the student that his attitude wasn �t acceptable but it was like water off a duck �s back - ie. the student didn �t care ( the water can �t penetrate a duck �s feathers)

the catch someone on the hop is to catch them by surprise doing something
to be on the hop means to be very busy doing lots of different things

money for old rope means to get money for doing more or less nothing
eg. it could be said that teaching elementary adults is money for old rope, ie it �s easy money.

I hope this helps.

24 Jun 2010

yanogator

I agree with Dawnmain on "like water off a duck �s back". That has always been my understanding of that idiom.

I �ve never heard of the other two. Maybe they �re British.

Bruce

24 Jun 2010

I would agree with Dawnmain and Bruce for "like water off a duck �s back".

In North American we do not use "to be on the hop", but we do use to be" on the run" when we are in a hurry or very busy. Like Bruce, I have never heard of "It �s money for old rope" being used in North America.

24 Jun 2010

Hi!
Yep, that �s the meaning of "like water off a duck �s back". Check out this link: http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/be+water+off+a+duck �s+back
As far as the other two are concerned, here �s what I �ve found:
be money for old rope
So, I guess Dawnmain is right on that one, too. You could say it �s a piece of cake, instead.
Here �s what I �ve found on be on the hop, so this one may be correctly used in your sentence, I think. Perhaps a native speaker would be a better source on that one, though.
Hope this helps a bit!

24 Jun 2010

ballycastle1

I agree with Dawn �s explanations but have only heard/used �on the hop � to mean caught unawares e.g. My sister called at my house early yesterday and caught me on the hop - I �d only just got out of bed. You learn something every day. On second thoughts, maybe anlu �s sentence is meant to be taken literally!

25 Jun 2010