Sport Idioms — полезные выражения о спорте и не только — Секреты английского языка

To drop the ball

Origin: Probably baseball, American football or cricket, in which dropping a ball is a serious mistake.

When you drop the ball, it means you made a stupid mistake or forgot something really important. In some situations, it also means you have given up before reaching your goal…which is definitely a mistake! Can you think of one or two situations in your life where you dropped the ball?

Example: “You dropped the ball when you rejected that job offer.” 

. To keep the ball rolling

Origin: A presidential election!

General William Harrison became the 9th President of the United States of America in 1841. He ruled for 31 days only – he died one month after becoming president – but he had a strong marketing campaign at the time. His supporters helped him go from town to town by walking the streets while pushing big globes made of tin and leather called “Victory Balls”…all while chanting “Keep the ball rolling!”.

Example: “If we want to get that prize, we need to keep the ball rolling. Let’s meet again tomorrow!”

. To set the pace (for something)

Origin: Probably running.

When you set the pace for something, you are an example that others should follow if they want to be successful: you represent the best. If they want to be successful (at whatever we are talking about – sports, music, business), they should do what you are doing!

Example: “The moment she started working for us, she set the pace for the rest of the team. They had to sell as much as her if they wanted to stay in the company!”

. The ball’s in your court

Origin: Tennis.

As a tennis player, what happens when the ball gets in your part of the court? That’s right – you have to run after the ball and hit it with your racquet! This active, dynamic gesture inspired the expression “The ball is in your court”, which means “Now it’s your turn to do something, now it’s your turn to decide and make a move”.

Example: “I did all of the work for you. Now the ball’s in your court. You decide what to do next!”

. To call the shots

Origin: Believed to be the U.S. Military

Who calls the shots at your workplace? Probably your boss. Who calls the shots at home when you’re a teenager? Probably your parents. Who calls the shots in a country? A king, a president or a prime minister. See, the person who calls the shots is the authority figure in a situation. He or she is the person who makes the most important decisions!

Example: “I call the shots here. You do as I say, not what they tell you to do!” 

. To take time out

Origin: Any sport.

All of us need “a time out” once in a while: a short break in which we take time to think, reflect, get some rest or relax. When you take a time out, you stop what you are doing in order to pause and recollect your thoughts.

Example: “I plan on taking time out between college and getting a job to understand what I really like doing.”

. To take the bull by the horns

Origin: Bull fighting.

How do you deal with your problems? Are you the type of person who waits for a solution or do you take the bull by the horns and try to find a solution yourself? If you confront an unpleasant situation (or person) with courage rather than having a passive attitude, that means you have finally decided to take the bull by the horns!

Example: “It’s about time you stopped hiding. Take the bull by the horns and tell her how you really feel!”

Origin: Any group sport in which teams compete.

If you have strong opinions, you are probably a person who takes sides frequently. When you take sides, you are supporting one person or idea against another one. This means you are not unbiased – you are leaning toward one side of a debate or conflict.

. To be on target

Origin: Darts.

Have you ever tried playing darts? When you are on target, it means you have great aim! If you use this in English, it means you are correct, that a guess you’ve taken is accurate. In the context of business or a meeting, it means you are on schedule and everything is going as predicted…which is positive!

Example: “What you said yesterday was on target. We need more funds for our idea.”

To give your best shot

Origin: Shooting sports.

Sometimes we feel insecure and worried, but we want something so much that we still decide to go after it. It could be a job interview, an audition, getting a date or moving abroad. In those situations, we must “give our best shot” – this means trying your best.

Example: “Give this audition your best shot – you won’t regret it!”

To stay ahead of the game

Origin: Any strategic sports that involve competition.

A smart way to be professional is to be prepared. Sometimes we have to predict what our competitors will do and know what their next move is going to be. We should also know what to expect from a challenge, be organized and stay focused. Staying ahead of the game means having a competitive advantage by being prepared and doing something before others expect you to.

Example: “The deadline for the report is tomorrow, but I want to be ahead of the game, so I finished it yesterday.”

Out of someone’s league

The “league” here is in reference to baseball leagues, where teams are grouped by their performance. Obviously, teams who perform better are in a different league than those who perform poorly. When we talk about a person being out of someone’s league, we mean that the person is too good for them.

“Did you meet Tim’s new boyfriend? He’s so good-looking AND rich. He is way out of Tim’s league.”

To hit someone below the belt

Origin: Martial arts.

You hit someone below the belt when you do or say something unfair with the intention of hurting someone. By not looking the person in the face and fighting them directly, but rather being sneaky and “fighting dirty” with actions and words, you cause damage.

Example: “You hit her below the belt when you said she was ugly. You know she is very insecure!”

To meet (one’s) match

Origin: Any competitive sport.

Life can get pretty boring without some competition, right? When you “meet your match”, it means you have finally found somebody who is as intelligent, talented, fast, attractive, clever, rich or successful as you are. It means you have found your biggest competitor and will have to fight for something against them!

Example: “Oh, so you think you’re a better driver than I am? You’ve just met your match.” 

A long shot

Origin: Shooting sports.

When something is not likely to happen, we say it is “a long shot”. It makes sense, if you think about it. When the distance is very long, a physical shot is probably going to fail its target, as it is much more challenging. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible! That is exactly why we use this expression: something can happen, it’s just not very probable.

Example: “It’s a long shot, but I think we’ll be able to finish this project tonight.”

Don’t sweat it

Origin: Any sport – but let’s face it, probably crossfit!

Strike out

To strike out in baseball is to have three failed attempts at batting, which means you are then out. To strike out is to fail at something.

“Tim tried to ask the new guy on a date but he got turned down. Looks like he struck out.”

“But Tim already has a boyfriend. He’s pretty rich and good-looking, too.”

“Yeah, Tim is a jerk.”

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Down to the wire

Значение: ситуация, в которой ее исход решается в самом конце.

Происхождение: скачки. До того, как на скачках начали использовать камеры, на финишной линии был натянут провод (wire) для определения, какая лошадь пришла первой.

Пример: “Tonight’s pub quiz could go right down to the wire.”Зачастую, песни являются прекрасным подспорьем для обогащения словарного запаса. В песне «The Wire» группы HAIM неоднократно использована фраза: “When it came down to the wire”.

Home straight (uk)/ home stretch (us)

Значение: последняя/ завершающая часть задания или события

Происхождение: скачки. Home straight — это последний отрезок ипподрома, которая ведет к финишной линии.

Пример: “I’ve been practicing for my English test for weeks, but I’m finally on the home straight.”

Ideas for studying sports idioms

Reading and understanding definitions is helpful. But the key to improving your fluency is to keep these things in mind: exposure (how often you see and hear English), motivation and practice!

The more you are exposed to idioms by hearing them used, the more understanding and using them will come naturally to you.

Here are some sources to get you exposed to the right kind of language for recognizing sports idioms. Using fun sources will keep you motivated and help you keep practicing the phrases you hear.

If you are a sports fan, you may already be reading and watching sports news in English. But if you’re just starting, BBC Sport and other sports news websites can be good sources.

Jump the gun

Значение: начать делать что-то раньше времени/ преждевременно

Происхождение: гонки/ скачки/ забег. Эта фраза, скорее всего, происходит от спортивной ходьбы в атлетике, начало которой ассоциируется с выстрелом стартового пистолета (gun). Если вы «jump the gun», то вы спровоцируете фальстарт — начнете движение раньше поданной команды.

Пример: “We are still waiting for confirmation, so don’t jump the gun on this.”

Par for the course

Значение: ожидаемый результат

Происхождение: гольф. Par — это определенное количество ходов в гольфе, за которые игроку нужно завести шарик в лунку.  Например,  ‘par 4’ предполагает всего 4 ходов, чтобы закончить раунд.

Пример: “I can’t believe my coffee cost £4.” “That’s about par for the course.”

Saved by the bell

Значение: избежать чего-то плохого в самый последний момент

Происхождение: бокс. Если во время игры боксер оказывается в нокауте, у него есть возможность встать в течение 10 счетов судьи. Если во время того, как идет счет до 10, звонит гонг (bell), извещая об окончании раунда, у боксера есть время прийти в себя до начала следующего раунда. То есть он может избежать проигрыша благодаря колоколу (гонгу).

Пример: “I was in trouble with my girlfriend, but then she got a phone call.” “Saved by the bell!”

А вы знаете еще какие-нибудь спортивные идиомы в английском языке? Делитесь ими в комментариях!

Speak like a pro with these everyday sports idioms

These popular sports idioms are just a start, but there are quite a few more that you can add to your everyday vocabulary!

Whether it’s about food or the weather, speaking with these expressions can make you sound like a pro!

Sport idioms — полезные выражения о спорте и не только — секреты английского языка

Sports idioms | vocabulary | englishclub

The ball’s in your court now.

Here are some common idioms based on sport and sports. Each entry includes the meaning of the idiom and shows the idiom in context in an example sentence. At the end is a sports idioms quiz to check your understanding.

Sports idioms generally originate from a specific sport such as baseball or sailing. Over time these phrases have come to mean something that can be used in everyday life. While most sports idioms can still be used when discussing sports, they are even more common in other areas of life, especially the business world. Try using some at work, school and social events. You will sound like a pro!

idiom sport of origin	meaning	example sentence
across the board cards	equal for everyone	Ten percent raises were given across the board.
at this stage in the game any sport	at this time	Nobody knows who is going to win the election at this stage in the game.
the ball is in your court tennis	it’s your decision or responsibility to do something now	«Do you think I should accept the job offer?» «Don’t ask me. The ball is in your court now».
bark up the wrong tree hunting	you’ve got the wrong person or idea	I think you’re barking up the wrong tree by blaming Matt for the missing money.
blind-sided American football	to not see something coming	George blind-sided Eric with his fist at the bar.
blow the competition away any sport	win easily	If you wear that dress to the beauty pageant you are going to blow the competition away.
call the shots billiards	make the decisions	While our boss is on vacation, Bob will call the shots.
chip in gambling	help by donating money or time	The staff members chipped in 5 dollars each to buy Jody a birthday gift.
down to the wire horse racing	right at the end	It’s coming down to the wire to get these done on time.
front runner track	one of the people who is expected to win	Angela is a front runner for the new supervisor position.
get a head start horse racing	start before all others	They gave the walkers a head start in the run for cancer.
get into the full swing tennis	be comfortable doing something after some time	It will probably take a month of working at my new job before I get into the full swing of things.
get off the hook fishing	escape, have responsibility removed	The child got off the hook for stealing because the security camera was broken.
give something or someone a fair shake gambling	try for a while before giving up	You should give Nadine a fair shake before you decide she isn’t good enough for the job.
get a second wind sailing	have a burst of energy after tiring	I was exhausted after 3 kilometres of running, but I got a second wind after I passed the beach.
give it your best shot hunting	try your hardest	Give it your best shot and you may just make it to the finals.
give one a run for one’s money horseracing	try one’s hardest to defeat another person	I know the other team is expected to win, but let’s give them a run for their money tonight.
go overboard sailing	do or say more than you need to	You can’t believe everything Janice says about Rick. She tends to go overboard when she’s complaining about him.
go to bat for someone baseball	defend someone	Andy is asking for a salary increase, and I’m going to go to bat for him if the boss says no.
have the upper hand cards	have a better chance of winning or succeeding	The Blues have the upper hand in the tournament, because none of their players is injured.
hit below the belt martial arts	do or say something that is very unfair or cruel	Amanda was hitting below the belt when she called Adrian an unfit father.
hit a snag boating	come up against a problem	The renovations were going along great until we hit a snag with the carpet installation.
hold all the aces cards	expected to win or succeed	The children hold all the aces when it comes to the father-son baseball tournament.
the home stretch horse racing	almost the end	I think Alice’s pregnancy is in the home stretch.
hot shot (big shot) hunting	an important or very successful person	All the hot shots from Silicon Valley were invited to meet the president.

jump the gun track	start too early	I guess I jumped the gun by buying Pam and Steve a wedding gift. They called off the engagement.
keep one’s head above water swimming	try not to fall behind in work or other duties	We are so busy during the tourist season I can barely keep my head above water.
learn the ropes sailing	understand new things	The first week on the job you will just be learning the ropes.
let her rip boating	go ahead now	Okay, here are the keys to your new car. Let her rip!
level playing field any field sport	everyone has an equal chance	The spelling bee is a level playing field because all of the kids are in grade nine.
long shot hunting	a very difficult thing to accomplish	Jim thinks we can afford the house, but I think it’s a long shot.
make the cut any sport	be chosen to be part of a team or group	I didn’t get a second interview, so I’m pretty sure I won’t make the cut.
neck and neck horse racing	to be in a close tie with someone	George and Stan are neck and neck in the hockey pool. Either of them could win the money.
no sweat any sport	no problem	I told Lily it was no sweat for us to babysit next weekend.
not playing with a full deck (of cards) cards	not having full brain capacity	I think Jerry was still drunk at work on Sunday because he wasn’t playing with a full deck.
not up to par golf	not good enough for a job or position	I’m afraid your resume isn’t up to par for the engineering position.
to be off base baseball	not making a fair or true remark	You were way off base when you said Bill needed to lose weight.
on target darts	doing the right thing to succeed	We are on target to meet our budget this month.
on the ball baseball	ready and able	The new receptionist is really on the ball when it comes to answering the phone.
out in left field baseball	strange, very unconventional; completely wrong	All of the students laughed when Joe gave an answer that was out in left field.
out of someone’s league team sport	not as good as someone	I’d like to date Maria, but I’m afraid I’m out of her league.
par for the course golf	an expected circumstance	Waiting in line is par for the course at Christmas time.
plenty of other fish in the sea fishing	there are many other men and women to date	I know you still love Jack, but remember there are plenty of other fish in the sea.
race against time track	there is almost no time left to accomplish something	It’s a race against time to find a kidney donor for my cousin.
settle a score with someone any sport	get even with a person after a previous battle	My brother wants to settle the score with that guy who stole my wallet.
shot in the dark hunting	a guess	I was lucky to win the quiz. All my answers were shots in the dark.
skate on thin ice skating	do something risky, take a chance	You’re skating on thin ice by not sending in your college application before now.
start the ball rolling ball sports	begin something	Please can everyone be seated so we can start the ball rolling.
step up to the plate baseball	do the honourable thing, take responsibility	It’s time you stepped up to the plate and apologized for your mistake.
take a rain check baseball	accept at a later time	Sorry, I can’t go to the movies today, but I’d love to take a rain check.
take sides any sport	choose a person or group to support	I hate to take sides, but I think Jerry is right about the paint colour.
take the bull by the horns bull fighting	accept the challenge and try your hardest	Even though this new job will mean relocating, I think you should take the bull by the horns for once.
take the wind out of one’s sails sailing	make someone feel deflated	I think I took the wind out of Angela’s sails when I told her she was a terrible singer.
throw in the towel boxing	give up	If they don’t accept our offer this time we are going to throw in the towel and look at houses elsewhere.
time out any sport	break	Let’s take some time out and grab a coffee.
three strikes and you’re out baseball	you only get three chances	The school’s no smoking policy is three strikes and you’re out.
two strikes against baseball	you only have one chance remaining	Nancy is going to be fired in no time. She already has two strikes against her for coming in late.
under the table gambling	illegally	I don’t have a work visa, so they have to pay me under the table.
win hands down gambling	easy victory	The other team was missing half of its players. We won hands down.

Читайте также:  Strange Birds

The ball is in your court

Значение: вы несете ответственность за принятое решение/ решение за вами

Происхождение: теннис и другие спортивные игры с кортом (court). Когда мяч на вашей стороне корта, ваша очередь играть (совершать действие).

Пример: “I sent Walter the details, so the ball is in his court.”

The importance of idioms in english

Native English speakers use all kinds of idioms. Idioms are expressions that say things that aren’t literal. If you don’t know someone is using an idiom, it might sound like they’re talking about something else. Idioms are essential for those who wish to become more fluent.

It wasn’t until I was teaching in Korea that I realized how frequently we use them. A Korean colleague approached me, slightly confused, after watching some American TV shows in his spare time. He had noted down any phrases he didn’t fully understand.

When I looked through his list, I saw many of the idioms were relating to baseball. I did my best to explain the ones I knew. I admit I had to look a few up.

After all, even native speakers can’t know every single idiom in the English language. In my defense, I am from Britain. We love football, rugby and cricket, and we will watch tennis once a year when it’s Wimbledon. I have never seen a baseball game in my life.

This colleague of mine spoke English very well. But what is the difference between someone who can speak very well and someone who speaks like a native?

Often, it is the ability to understand idioms and cultural references and slip them into conversation. Read on and I will show you how.

To get you started, here are 10 very common sports idioms that you may hear in English.

Спортивные метафоры в английском языке | блог свободы слова

To jump to conclusions

Origin: Jumping! 

Humans can be impulsive, emotional and irrational sometimes. That’s why the idiom in English “jump to conclusions” exists. When you believe something is true without enough proof to support your idea, you are jumping to conclusions. Was there a time in your life when you jumped to conclusions and then discovered you were wrong?

Example: “You’re accusing him of stealing your wallet, but you still don’t have evidence that he did. Don’t jump to conclusions!”