Phrases & Expressions

An opportunity has passed and it is now too late to do something.

• I wanted to apply for that job, but that ship has sailed.
• Sorry, that ship has sailed; the deadline was yesterday.

with two spoonfuls of sugar

• Tea with two sugars.
• Two sugars, please.

To be surrounded by or exposed to a lot of light.

• The stage was bathed in light.
• In the morning, the kitchen is bathed in warm light.

To make plans based on something good that you expect to happen in the future, before it actually happens.

• Don't count your chickens before they hatch.
• He's already planning his holiday, but he shouldn't count his chickens before they hatch.

A slogan promoting pet adoption over purchasing animals from breeders or stores.

• The campaign's motto is 'don't buy, adopt'.
• We need to spread the message: don't buy, adopt.

To start doing something new for the first time, often in a small or careful way.

• She got her feet wet by volunteering at a local animal shelter.
• Let's get our feet wet with a small project first.

A question asking about the clarity of a radio transmission.

• How do you read me?
• How do you read, over?

If you take to something like a duck to water, you learn it quickly and easily.

• She took to swimming like a duck to water.
• He's a natural leader and took to the new role like a duck to water.

To move a surfboard away from the shore into the sea using your arms.

• It takes effort to paddle out past the waves.
• He decided to paddle out to catch the bigger waves.

A children's game where players must freeze when the leader turns around.

• We played red light, green light at recess.
• Red light, green light is a fun game.