Idioms are difficult, and there are lots of them in English! Today we are going to focus on 10 idioms that involve the 5 senses – sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. There are 2 idioms for each sense.
To See Sense or To Make Someone See Sense
If you show someone that they are wrong about something, or you persuade them to change their thoughts or actions to be more rational or sensible, this is to make them see sense.
Examples
My brother has been smoking for years, but I have finally made him see sense and now he’s trying to quit.
All she wants to do is party, and it’s not good for her, but I can’t make her see sense!
If the person realises their error or changes their thoughts without anyone persuading them, that is just seeing sense.
Example
She’s never going to see sense about this!
See (Something) Coming (From) a Mile Away
We use this idiom for when we can easily predict that something is going to happen well in advance of it actually happening. We can use from or leave it out – it’s personal preference.
Examples
That movie was supposed to have a surprise ending, but I could see it coming a mile away.
Why are you so shocked that Angela and John are breaking up? I could see it coming from a mile away.
Hear (Oneself) Think
To be able to think clearly and without distraction. This phrase is commonly used in the negative – when you cannot concentrate on anything because of overwhelming noise or some other distraction. You do need to have a reflexive verb in between hear and think.
Examples
Turn that music down. I’m trying to work and I can’t even hear myself think.
It’s good to get away to the country sometimes, away from the city noise. You can really hear yourself think.
Hear (Something) on the Jungle Telegraph (or on the Grapevine)
The jungle telegraph is what they call the way that animals communicate to each other in the wild.
Hearing something on the jungle telegraph is to hear or learn something informally, especially through gossip or these days, social media. In the UK we are more likely to say the jungle telegraph; in the United States, they would probably say on the grapevine, or through the grapevine, like the song, “I heard it through the grapevine”.
Examples
I heard on the jungle telegraph that you’re going to be promoted. Is it true?
A: “How did you know that Anna is having a baby?” B: “Oh, I just heard it on the grapevine”.
Smell the Roses
Sometimes if you’re working really hard or stressed, you need to stop and smell the roses. You need to take a break to enjoy the good things of life.
Example
These 80-hour work weeks are killing me. I think I need to stop and smell the roses.
Or you can also say wake up and smell the roses – this is more about paying attention to what’s happening around you, not getting lost in work and forgetting the good things you have.
Example
Your children need you. Your career isn’t everything. You need to wake up and smell the roses.
Smell a Rat
If you suspect that something is wrong or sense that someone has caused something to go wrong, you might smell a rat. It could be a small deception or something big like a betrayal, or corruption.
Examples
My kids are being too nice to me today. I smell a rat!
I smell a rat in that business. The figures don’t add up.
A Taste of (One’s) Own Medicine
This is when someone experiences the same harmful or unpleasant thing that they have done to other people. Or they are attacked in the same way that they have attacked others.
Examples
That bully likes to pick on people who can’t defend themselves. Let’s give him a taste of his own medicine.
You are very rude to everyone. But you don’t like to have a taste of your own medicine.
A Taste For (Something)
This can just be referring to a preference or desire for some kind of food or drink.
Example
Vegemite isn’t for everyone but growing up in Australia I got a taste for it.
Or it can be a strong preference or desire to do or have something, it doesn’t have to be food or drink, it could be anything!
Example
After a year in office, I think that politician has a taste for power.
Now, imagine that you’re in a dark room, and you have to move around carefully by touching walls and other objects. That is where we get our next idiom from!
To Feel Your Way
Literally you are using your touch to find your way.
But idiomatically, the expression has a different meaning.
This is when you do a task or a job slowly and carefully, maybe because you are just learning how to do it or you don’t have a lot of experience doing it. If you feel your way you use your intuition, or trial and error instead of expert knowledge.
Examples
I’ve never worked in management before, so I’ve had to feel my way but I’m getting there.
This technology is so new that we’ve just had to feel our way for the first few months.
Which brings me to our last idiom of the senses:
Touch and go
This is when you are extremely uncertain about the outcome of something. It’s often used to describe life threatening situations.
Examples
The surgeon said it was touch and go for a while, but the patient survived.
His business almost didn’t survive the COVID lockdowns. It was touch and go for a few months.
Comments and questions can be left under the video on YouTube.
Until next time!
