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Idioms use language metaphorically rather than literally. If you have 'a sweet tooth' it means you like eating chocolate and other sweet things, not that you have a tooth that's made of sugar. Idioms are also fixed groups of words so you can't change the wording of an idiom. For example, you can say you 'make a meal of something' to mean take more time or energy doing something than is necessary but you can't say 'cook a meal of something' or 'make a cake of something'.
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to eat humble pie
to admit that you were wrong
She made a huge mistake a work and now she's going to have to eat humble pie and admit to the boss that she was wrong.
could eat a horse
am/is/are very hungry
I haven't had anything since breakfast time. I could eat a horse right now!
make a meal of it
take more time or energy doing something than is necessary
I only asked him to tidy up the sitting room but he made a right meal of it. It took him two hours just to clear up the room.
a second bite at the cherry
another try after you have failed the first time
He didn't get the job when he applied for it last year but another vacancy came up a few weeks ago and he got a second bite at the cherry. He's so please he got the job!
not my taste
I don't like it
She's happy with her new curtains but that bright colour isn't my taste at all.
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| not my cup of tea
similar to 'not my taste'. See above
She likes thrillers but films that frighten me just aren't my cup of tea.
there's no use crying over spilt milk
it is useless to regret something which has already happened
I know you're upset you failed your exam but there's no use crying over spilt milk. Just get over it and start studying so you'll be ready to take it again soon.
throw cold water on something
to be negative about someone's ideas or plans
I spent hours preparing that report and then the boss threw cold water on it. What a waste of my time!
a storm in a teacup
a lot of unnecessary anger and anxiety about something that's not important
He got really angry with us about being late for work. But it was a storm in a teacup. We were only 5 minutes late.
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a bust-up (informal):
a fight or disagreement
gave me the runaround:
deliberately behave in a way that is not helpful
I completely lost it
lost my temper completely
harsh
unkind, cruel or unnecessarily severe
eat some humble pie (idiom)
admit that you were wrong
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