7y Idioms (super advanced) | Baamboozle - Baamboozle

To get the ball rolling

To start an activity

To play sports

To throw something

A phrase from 18th-century bowling games where the first roll determined the rest of the match

To play it by ear

To do something without a fixed plan

To play music loudly

To cover one’s ears

A phrase from classical music where skilled musicians could perform without reading sheet music

To make up for something

To compensate for a mistake

To create something

To tell a story

A term from medieval contracts where debts had to be "made up" with alternative payments

To take after someone

To resemble a relative in looks or behavior

To chase someone

To copy another’s work

A phrase from genetics studies where traits were observed in successive generations

To put up with something

To tolerate something unpleasant

To build a shelter

To store things away

A reference to medieval villages where people had to endure noisy, crowded communal houses

To look down on someone

To think someone is inferior

To stand on a tall object

To be physically taller

A phrase from aristocratic Europe where nobility literally stood above peasants on raised platforms

To get your wires crossed

To misunderstand something

To fix electrical wires

To be shocked by electricity

A phrase from early telephone switchboards where misconnected wires led to crossed conversations

To miss the boat

To lose an opportunity

To fail at swimming

To be late for a trip

A reference to 19th-century steamboats where missing departure meant waiting hours for the next ride

To be in the same boat

To be in the same difficult situation as others

To go sailing together

To share something

A term from ancient seafaring where passengers relied on each other for survival

To hit the nail on the head

To describe something exactly right

To build something

To hit something hard

A phrase from medieval carpentry where precise hammering was crucial for strong wooden joints

To bite the bullet

To endure a painful situation bravely

Eating metal

Fighting aggressively

A term from battlefield medicine where soldiers would bite on a bullet to endure surgery without anesthesia

To read between the lines

To understand a hidden meaning

Skipping words while reading

Writing in invisible ink

A phrase from secret wartime messages where hidden instructions were written in faint ink

Phone tag

A situation where two people keep missing each other’s calls

A game played on the phone

A way to label phone numbers

A phrase originating from corporate offices in the 1980s, where executives would leave messages without ever directly speaking

Kicking the can down the road

Delaying a problem instead of solving it

Playing with trash

Making a loud noise

A phrase from World War II where soldiers would kick empty food cans to avoid carrying them

Walking a tightrope

Taking extreme risks with little room for error

Balancing on a rope

A circus performance

A phrase from 19th-century politics about leaders making careful decisions under scrutiny

Mickey Mouse show

Something poorly organized or unprofessional

A Disney performance

A children's cartoon marathon

A phrase used by World War II soldiers to mock poorly planned military operations

Game of telephone

A situation where information gets distorted as it is passed along

Playing with a real telephone

A strategy game

A phrase originating from early parlor games in Victorian England where whispers changed meanings

Heard on the grapevine

Learning something through gossip or rumors

Listening to plants

Buying fruit at a market

A term from the American Civil War when messages were spread via an informal telegraph system

A stitch in time saves nine

Fixing a small problem early prevents a bigger issue

One person can save a lot of lives if they work hard

Making a strong knot

A reference to 18th-century tailoring where one missed stitch could ruin an entire garment

Rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic

Making small changes while ignoring a big disaster

Organizing furniture

A pointless cleaning task

A phrase derived from reports of stewards tidying furniture as the ship sank

Cutting corners

Doing something cheaply or carelessly

Making circular shapes

Avoiding sharp edges

A term from horse racing, where riders would take illegal shortcuts

Burning the candle at both ends

Overworking yourself

Holding something dangerously

A wasteful way to light a room

A phrase from the 17th century referring to people who used expensive candles excessively

Thrown in at the deep end

Given a difficult task with no help

Falling into a pool

Being trapped underwater

A phrase from swimming lessons where beginners were tested by being thrown into deep water

The apple of one’s eye

Someone cherished above all

A favorite fruit

A sign of intelligence

An old belief that the pupil of the eye was a solid apple-like object

Skating on thin ice

Taking a risky action

Learning to ice skate

Moving very carefully

A phrase from Dutch winters when frozen canals became unstable

Out of the woods

No longer in trouble

Lost in the forest

Unable to see trees

A reference to medieval travelers who feared robbers in forests

On tenterhooks

In suspense or anxiety

Hanging on hooks

Sitting uncomfortably

A term from fabric-making, where cloth was stretched tightly to dry

Like riding a bicycle

A skill that, once learned, is never forgotten

Moving very quickly

Cycling effortlessly

A reference to early circus performers balancing on tightropes

In a pickle

In a difficult situation

Holding too many pickles

Feeling sour

A reference to sailors preserving food in brine for long voyages

Down to the wire

A situation decided at the last moment

A dangerous electrical job

A close horse race

A term from 19th-century telegraph messages arriving late

Dead in the water

No longer able to succeed

A floating corpse

A fish that has stopped swimming

A sailing term for ships stuck without wind

Between a rock and a hard place

Having two equally bad choices

Being stuck in a cave

Choosing between two rewards

A phrase from mining, where tunnels could collapse

Barking up the wrong tree

Pursuing the wrong course of action

Talking too loudly

Chasing animals up trees

An old hunting term for dogs misidentifying prey

A wolf in sheep’s clothing

Someone who pretends to be good but is bad

A very confused person

A leader in disguise

A reference to an ancient Norse folktale about Loki

A fly on the wall

Someone who watches without being noticed

An insect stuck to a window

A hidden spy camera

A medieval punishment for nosy eavesdroppers

A feather in one’s cap

An achievement to be proud of

A sign of weakness

A hat decoration

A symbol of rank in 16th-century European duels

A flash in the pan

Something that starts well but fails quickly

A sudden explosion

A small but bright light

A chef's technique for igniting alcohol in a dish