People love to play and watch sports, from baseball to football to the Olympics. Also, people get emotional over sports. Think about the emotions of parents watching their children play baseball, or pro baseball players during the World Series.
From people’s love of sports come a variety of colorful idioms that we can use everywhere in our lives—not just for sports.
What does it mean if a colleague hits a home run in the office? Wouldn’t he break a window by hitting a baseball indoors? And if your teacher tells you that you are barking up the wrong tree, is your school in a forest?
Let's look at some of these idioms.
1. home run
Definition: n. phr., a great achievement. Often used with the verbs hit and score. From baseball, when a batter hits the ball far enough to run around the bases and score a run.
Examples
Future: Stacy hopes she’ll hit a home run at school with her history report.
Past: Amy scored a home run when she bought a house in this neighborhood. It was a great investment.
2. get to first base
Definition: v. phr., to succeed in the beginning; to succeed in the first part of something. From baseball, when a runner reaches first base.
Examples
Future Simple: Gerald won’t get to first base when he tries to get a job here; he’s too young.
Past Simple: Patricia and her coworkers didn’t get to first base when they planned the party; they only argued.
3. home free
Definition: adj. phr., to know you are OK or are going to succeed at something. Possibly from baseball, when a runner nears home plate and knows he or she will score a run.
Examples
Present: We will easily finish the project on time. With two hours left, we are home free.
Past: The thief thought he was home free when suddenly a police car appeared.
4. off base
Definition: adj. phr., (1) inaccurate, wrong; (2) inappropriate. From baseball, when a runner is not on a base.
Examples
Present: Mark’s explanation of this software is off base; it is incorrect.
Past: Phil suggested his teacher cancel the test because the weather was great; the teacher of course thought the suggestion was off base.
5. touch bases (with)
Definition: v. phr., to contact someone, to communicate. From baseball, when a batter touches the bases while running.
Examples
Future Simple: We'll touch bases after the meeting.
Present Simple: Be sure to touch bases regularly with colleagues who are also working on this project.
These idioms are from Targets in English's English Idioms 2: Sports—Hit a Home Run. The book teaches 50 common sports idioms. It is free this weekend (4/25-4/26).
A Kindle textbook, it can be read on any computer or phone. It has great features too. For instance, click on any word and get a definition in any language. The book also lets you make flashcards.
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