BOAT&SAILINGIDIOMS

THIS MONTH WE’RE LOOKING AT SOME “BOAT” & “SAILING” IDIOMS.

IDIOMS

Be in the same boat (as someone) Rock the boat

TO BE IN THE SAME SITUATION AS SOMEONE; TO TO DO OR SAY SOMETHING THAT CAUSES PROBLEMS;
HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS AS SOMEONE. TO UPSET PEOPLE BY DOING OR SAYING SOMETHING.
Sam: Could you lend me a bit of money to get the bus? “I hate to rock the boat, but I really think we need to cut back on
Jessica: Sorry, mate. I’m in the same boat – I haven’t got a penny. our monthly expenses.”

Push the boat out

TO SPEND A LOT OF MONEY,
ESPECIALLY IN ORDER TO
CELEBRATE A SPECIAL EVENT.
“We had a piece of really good news, Miss the boat
so we pushed the boat out and got the TO BE TOO LATE FOR SOMETHING. Sail through something
most expensive bottles of Champagne I sent off my application at the last TO DO SOMETHING EASILY.
we could find.” minute. I hope I didn’t miss the boat. “She sailed through her exams.”

Take / knock the wind out of someone’s sails
TO MAKE SOMEONE FEEL LESS CONFIDENT / ANGRY /
AGGRESSIVE, ETC.
“I was really angry with her, but seeing those lovely
chocolates that she’d bought for me really took the wind
out of my sails.”
Sail close to the wind
TO TAKE RISKS; TO DO SOMETHING THAT IS
DANGEROUS. TO DO SOMETHING THAT COULD BE
CONSIDERED ILLEGAL. “They seemed to think it was all
perfectly legal, but I think we were sailing a bit too close to
the wind.”

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