ıÜüants in one`s pants

- nervous overactivity, restlessness

The teacher asked the little boy if he had ants in his pants when he kept moving around in his seat.

bee in one`s bonnet

- a fixed idea that seems crazy

She has a bee in her bonnet and she won`t stop talking about moving to a new apartment.

big fish in a small pond

- an important person in a small place

He wasn`t so important in the big city but in the small town he is a big fish in a small pond.

birds and bees

- facts about sex and birth

The girl`s mother told her daughter about the birds and the bees during the summer holidays.

bug-eyed

- wide-eyed with surprise

The little boy was bug-eyed when he got a new bicycle for a birthday present.

bug in one`s ear

- a hint, an idea

You put a bug in his ear about a holiday to France and he won`t stop talking about it.

bug someone

- annoy or irritate someone

My friend is beginning to bug me with his constant questions.

butterflies in one`s stomach

- feeling of fear or anxiety in the stomach

I had butterflies in my stomach on the day that I was to receive the award.

can of worms

- complex problem or complicated situation

It opened up a large can of worms when the company decided to talk about the union contract.

clam up

- stop talking

He had to clam up during the meeting so his boss wouldn`t become angry with him.

cold fish

- person who is unfriendly or doesn`t mix with others

He is a real cold fish and has no friends at his company at all.

crocodile tears

- a show of sorrow that is not really felt

He cried crocodile tears when he discovered that he couldn`t go to the meeting.

fish for

- try to find out some information or ask for a compliment

He has been fishing for a compliment about his new Italian suit.

fish out of water

- someone who does not fit in

She felt like a fish out of water when she went to the party in her formal dress while everyone else was wearing jeans.

flea in one`s ear

- an idea or answer that is not welcome

I think that I put a flea in his ear when I told him about the computer problems.

flea market

- place where antiques, secondhand things and cheap goods are sold

We go to the flea market every Sunday to look for old phonographs.

fly in the ointment

- something small that spoils one`s fun

His complaints about the food were a fly in the ointment and gave everyone a bad feeling about the gathering.

holy mackeral

- used to express a strong feeling of surprise

"Holy mackeral! Look at the size of that man`s motorcycle."

kettle of fish

- the way something is (often used when one is irritated)

That`s a fine kettle of fish. Now I will be late for the next meeting.

louse up

- make a mess of or spoil something

Please try not to louse up the computer again. It was working fine this morning.

mad as a hornet

- very angry, in a fighting mood

He was as mad as a hornet when he came to work this morning.

make a beeline for

- go in a straight line

Whenever he goes to a football game he always makes a beeline for the food stand.

neither fish nor fowl

- something or someone that does not belong to a definite group

I don`t know what you should call it. It is neither fish nor fowl.

snail`s pace

- very slow movement forward

We went away for the weekend but the cars were moving at a snail`s pace when we came home on Sunday.

stir up a hornet`s nest

- make many people angry

He really stirred up a hornet`s nest when he went to the meeting and started talking about the garbage problem.

world is one`s oyster

- one can get anything that one wants

When you graduate from university the world will be your oyster so don`t worry about the future.