My dear friends! I see you like such kind of my tests. So, today I am proposing you just opposite one. I will give you 15 American words and will ask you to find their British synonyms. I will add the pictures for you to realize what I mean. Again, all the words are nouns defining ordinary things. I believe, it will be some easier for you to find the correct answers as most of you studied/learned British.

So, here is the list.

1. Station wagon
2. Candy
3. Popsicle
4. Cookie
5. Pants
6. Pacifier
7. Faucet
8. Sweater
9. Vest
10. Zucchini
11. Trunk
12. Subway
13. Pharmacy
14. Stove
15. The Big Dipper

To see any picture better you can enlarge it by clicking on it.

The rules are the same as always: DON’T PLAGIARIZE!

The deadline for this test is May 23, OK?

Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Hi, my friends! As I see no activity here, I am posting the correct answers although you have already found them out.

So, here they are:

1. Station wagon – estate car.
2. Candy – sweet.
3. Popsicle –ice lolly.
4. Cookie – biscuit.
5. Pants – trousers.
6. Pacifier –dummy.
7. Faucet – tap.
8. Sweater –pullover/jumper.
9. Vest – waistcoat.
10. Zucchini – courgette.
11. Trunk – boot.
12. Subway – underground (tube).
13. Pharmacy – chemist’s.
14. Stove – cooker.
15. The Big Dipper – the Plough.

Thanks everyone for taking part and join my new blog on American synonyms I am postiong today! 

Have a great weekend!

My dear friends! Today I am going to present the task teaching the difference between British and American English. So, I will post 15 British words and your task is to find their American synonyms. Of course, if you don’t know some given word, you may look it up.

So, here is the list.

1. Trainers - sneakers.   
   
2. Braces - suspenders.
3. Lorry - truck.
4. Bin - trash/garbage can.
5. Mobil phone - cell (phone).
6. Nappy - diaper.
7. Chips - French fries.
8. Crisps - (potato) chips.
9. Lift - elevator.
10. Loo - bathroom/ restroom/ washroom/ men's (ladies') room/ lavatory/ WC/ john.
11. Aubergine - eggplant.
12. Bonnet - hood.
13. Rubber - eraser.
14. Timetable - schedule.
15. Torch - flashlight/ pocket light.

All the given words are nouns. They define the regular things we use in our everyday life. Sure, we will help you as usual and, as usual, you shouldn’t google or crib from each other.

How do you like this idea?

Let the deadline be May 16.

Have a great time!

My dear friends! Today I am posting one more blog related to the Phrasal Verbs. Your task is the same as in the previous test: you should fill in the blanks with the appropriate prepositions. I hope, you learned a little from the previous blog and Tanya's explanations of the prepositions of action. For those who haven't read either, I am attaching the file with my wife's comments and giving a link to the previous blog.

http://www.myenglishclub.com/profiles/blogs/back-to-phrasal-verbs?commentId=2524315%3AComment%3A5627178&xg_source=msg_com_blogpost

Prepositions%20of%20action.doc

And I'd like to believe you will attentively read all our comments before starting this test.

So, here is your new task.

1. She missed many classes and is trying to catch____.

2. First, he promised to help, but he backed ____ later.

3. He is very tall and always stands ____ in the crowd.

4. The match had gone ____ before I lit a cigarette.

5. That dude never misses an opportunity to show ____.

6. His life was not a piece of cake; he went ____ much.

7. Being a child he used to bite his nails, but then he grew ___ ___ it.

8. You are walking too fast. I can't keep ____ with you.

9.  The negotiations were put ____ until the next week.

10. My defence lawyer promissed to hold ____ the hearing.

11. That building was put ____ in no time.

12. We wanted to go to Europe, but our plans fell ____.

13.  She suddenly felt sleepy and put a book ____.

14. The riot was put ____ by the internal security troops.

15. I didn't put ____ the cigarette and it was smoking in the ashtray.

Well, as it is a test, you shouldn't use dictionaries or google. Use only your logic and common sense.

Let the deadline for this test be Monday, May 9.

And now, enjoy and have a great weekend!

Dear friends! As it is already a week after the deadline, i am posting the correct answers.

1. She missed many classes and is trying to catch up.

2. First, he promised to help, but he backed out later.

3. He is very tall and always stands out in the crowd.

4. The match had gone out before I lit a cigarette.

5. That dude never misses an opportunity to show off.

6. His life was not a piece of cake; he went through much.

7. Being a child he used to bite his nails, but then he grew out of it.

8. You are walking too fast. I can't keep up with you.

9.  The negotiations were put off until the next week.

10. My defence lawyer promised to hold off the hearing.

11. That building was put up in no time.

12. We wanted to go to Europe, but our plans fell through.

13.  She suddenly felt sleepy and put a book away.

14. The riot was put down by the internal security troops.

15. I didn't put out the cigarette and it was smoking in the ashtray.

Thank you very much for participating!

My dear friends! I decided to return to my favorite topic that is idioms and phrasal verbs. Today I am proposing you some new task. I am posting 15 sentences containting phrasal verbs with omited prepositions. So, your task is to find the correct prepositions without looking up your smart books and without googling. We have already considered some of these verbs in my previous blogs, but only some.

Yesterday Tanya added some information about the prepositions, in particular, the prepositions in the phrasal verbs in our group. Here is the link:

http://www.myenglishclub.com/group/improving-grammar-with-tanya-and-dan/forum/topics/daily-practice?page=6&commentId=2524315%3AComment%3A5621963&x=1#2524315Comment5621963

I recommend that you read about the prepositions of action before starting this test, OK?

So, here is the test:

1. The government decided to buy___ all grains.
2. My headache isn't serious. It will wear _____.
3. He has his jeans worn ____ on the knees.
4. The constant washing of the sea against the rocks wears them ____.
5. They bring ____ a new book each month.
6.  The flowers gave____ some strange odor.
7. When I told a funny story, nobody seemed to catch ____.
8. He is cut ____ for being a teacher.
9. The weather is going to clear ____ tomorrow after a long rainy period.
10. The shrill sound of an engine was dying____.
11. A shark bit____ a man’s foot.
12. The gun went ____ accidentally.
13. He is planning to buy___ his share.
14. After ten years of quarreling they finally broke ____.
15. This fashion died____ many years ago.

 Have a nice time guessing!

My friends! As I will be busy tomorrow, I decided to post the correct answers today. I think there is no great difference because the main idea of all my blogs is for you to learn something new.

You all were perfect in your desire to find the correct answers and I am proud of your calling me your teacher! Thanks everyone and I am waiting for your replies to our new blogs!

So, here are the correct answers:

1. The government decided to buy up all grains.
2. My headache isn't serious. It will wear off.
3. He has his jeans worn out/through on the knees.
4. The constant washing of the sea against the rocks wears them away.
5. They bring out a new book each month.
6.  The flowers gave off some strange odor.
7. When I told a funny story, nobody seemed to catch up.
8. He is cut out for being a teacher.
9. The weather is going to clear up tomorrow after a long rainy period.
10. The shrill sound of an engine was dying away.
11. A shark bit off a man’s foot.
12. The gun went off accidentally.
13. He is planning to buy out his share.
14. After ten years of quarreling they finally broke out/off/up.
15. This fashion died out many years ago.

Sure, if you have any questions, you can always ask me for more explanations.

My dear friends and wonderful students!  I see the tasks where you should choose the right option are too easy for you! So, I’ve decided to give you more creative task. In this test you should find two synonyms of the given words. I think your task is clear. Also, I hope you will not crib from the dictionaries and from each other. Of course, if you are not sure what some given word means, you should check it out, but you should try to find the synonyms yourself. However, if you even look them up and find the correct answers, I’ll be happy for you as a rich vocabulary will make your English more colorful and impressive.

So, here is your task.

1. defects (nouns)       ______   ______

2. desires (nouns)       ______   ______

3. true                       ______   ______

4. suitable                  ______   ______

5. luminous                ______   ______

6. loathing (nouns)       ______   ______

7. doubtful                  ______   ______

8. vulgar                    ______   ______

9. admiration              ______   ______

10. very                     ______   ______

Sure, I will help you as I usually do. The deadline is next Monday but we can change it for sure if you find this task to be interesting and useful.

Good luck, my friends!

Today I am posting the correct synonyms. Here they are:

(1)      shortcomings, imperfections, faults, weaknesses, deficiencies, blemishes

(2)      wishes, wants, longings, cravings, ap­petites

(3)      right, correct, truthful, genuine, straight, honest, faithful, veracious, pure

(4)      appropriate, consistent, fitting, fit, ap­plicable

(5)      bright, lustrous, radiant, brilliant, vivid, gleaming, shining, glowing, lucid

(6)      disgust, aversion, detestation, antipa­thy, repugnance, abhorrence

(7)      ambiguous, vague, obscure, indefinite, loose, uncertain, dubious, question­able, dubitable

(8)      rude, common, coarse, gross, ill-bred, low, obscene, ill-mannered, crass

(9)      praise, approval, commendation, es­teem, veneration, approbation

(10)     extremely, exceedingly, highly, enor­mously, immensely, abundantly, ter­ribly.

So, if you don't find the word you chose among the given synonyms, just check out its meaning in the dictionary. If English-Your Language dictionary gives you the translation you really meant, I sincerely recommend you to look up some good explanatory English dictionary. The matter is that many bilingual dictionaries are not good at all. I know it by my own and my wife's experience as we both are threelingual, so to say, but only one of the languages we speak is native. In fact, you can trust only explanatory English dictionaries because they are written by native speakers.

My next blog will be about some phrasal verbs.

Have a great weekend!

My dear friends! As my previous test turned out to be TOOOOO easy for you, I have decided to come up with more complicated task. This time you should choose the right homonym.

Homonyms are words that are pronounced almost exactly alike but that differ considerably in meanings. So, your task is to choose the homonym that makes sense in each of the following sentences.

1. Why does moden music have such a strange /(a) affect, (b) effect/ on you?
2. Most buildings have /(a) stationery, (b) stationary/ walls.        
3. The /(a) principal, (b) principle/ features of Southern California are sunshine and smog.
4. Sitting contentedly by the fire, the cat licked /(a) it’s, (b) its/ paws.
5. His vocal /(a) cords, (b) chords/are inflamed.
6. He sat for hours /(a) poring, (b) pouring/ over the dictionary,
7. He listened with /(a) baited, (b) bated/ breath for the second shoe to fall.
8. Admiral Nelson is famous for one of the most im­portant /(a) navel, (b) naval/ encounters in British history.
9. The scene of the accident was lighted by a huge /(a) flare, (b) flair/.
10. The boxer made a /(a) feint, (b) faint/ with his left.

As it is a test, you are not allowed to use your dictionaries or to google. After you all are done, I will give my explanations and post the list of homonyms, OK? As usual, I will read all your comments and post mine willing to help you make the right choice. I believe you will be honest and will not look up!

Let the deadline be the next weekend.

So, good luck and have a great weekend with our new tasks!

Hi, my dear friends! Today I have decided to come up with a vocabulary test. The idea of this test is following.

I will write 10 sentences with one (or more) underlined word. Each sentence will be followed by 4 options and your task is to find a word or a phrase that best keeps the meaning of the original sentense. For example:

The given sentence:

1. Plato's teaching had a profound effect on Aristotel.

a) depth;

b) affection;

c) affliction;

d) influence.

In the given example, the correct answer is obvious, it is d). But I can't promis your task to be so easy!

So, let's start.

1. The superintendant was a principle speaker at the school board meeting.

a) only;

b) main;

c) outstanding;

d) strongest.

2. The campers heard a strange rustling in the trees.

a) stealing;

b) pillaging;

c) movement;

d) fight.

3. He was an exemplary prisoner despite his past experience.

a) model;

b) sample;

c) honest;

d) humble.

4. The hotel manager became suspicious of the people loitering in the lobby.

a) bustling;

b) sleeping;

c) meddling;

d) loafing.

5. Picasso was a well-known cubist painter.

a) artistic;

b) colorful;

c) celebrated;

d) knowledgeable.

6. The department chairman refused to authorize the requisition.

a) request;

b) transfer;

c) grant;

d) project.

7. It is imperative that students arrive in time for lectures.

a) necessary;

b) suggested;

c) hoped;

d) intended.

8. While they are on vacation, they allowed their mail to accumulate at the post office.

a) be delivered;

b) pile up;

c) get lost;

d) be returned.

9. As a result of the accident, the police revoked his driver's license.

a) reconsidered;

b) exorcied;

c) cancelled;

d) investigated.

10. The children were frolicking in the park.

a) running playfully;

b) gloating;

c) sulking;

d) endangering. 

As usual, I will try to help you find the correct answers and when you are all done I will explain you the meanings of all the words used as the options if there is such a need. So, let's see if it works out or not.

Have a very nice weekend and enjoy my new challenge!

My dear friends! I'd like to ask how do you feel about introducing yourselves and telling others about your interests or what is on your mind? I am sure, you all would like to express your mind and to be heard here. So, why not to do it orally for others to hear your voice, your intonations, maybe to see your gestures, your face, etc.? So, my idea is to post such a blog or a group, where you all will be able to attach your clips or just audio files for others to hear you. You all can do it using your cells. We think it is good spoken practice as you will have to express your mind. We will be able to correct your mistakes. I'd like to hear your ideas in this connection, OK?

Looking forward to hearing from all learners!

Yours sincerely,

Danny Clark

Dear friends! This blog is just to inform you that from now on, my wife, Tanya will be posting mostly grammar-based blogs and I will go on teaching you some new vocabulary. I hope you will enjoy both activities.

So, here is the link to her first blog related to grammar:

http://www.myenglishclub.com/profiles/blogs/find-and-correct-a-mistake

Have a nice time on the weekend! (MY BIG SMILE!)

My dear friends! One of our EC members, the Way to the Moon (hope, she is still on the Earth with us! Smile!), has just given me a great idea and I am about  to implement it right away! Sure, when you hear or read English, you should catch the general sense and all my previous blogs were about understanding English idioms. But it is another matter when you start speaking or writing yourselves. You should be 100% sure how to use this or that idiom or not use it at all if you don't want to sound funny, illiteral, impolite or crazy. Ha-ha! Great beginning, isn't it?! Ha-ha! So, as you see, your teacher is back! Ha-ha! Ready for my new tricks?! Hope so!

Well, let's get down to business! In this blog I propose you to replace the words in bold with the idioms and phrasal verbs you have already learned from my previous blogs. I have chosen the idioms you had some problems to explain. So, there you go!

1. My subdean has always wanted to have her revange on me for my flirting her many years ago.

2. Last weekend we were invited to the birthday party, but we didn't know what that man likes and had a lot of doubts what present to buy.

3. I am a kind of a teacher who often critisizes his students if I am sure, they can learn better.

4. When I gave my wife a bunch of tulips, she was so surprised as they are not sold in our area.

5. We have a lot of urgent tasks to do and have to employ more people.

6. I have never thought my best friend could ever deceive me!

7. I was very upset and nervous and could hardy pull myself together and calm down.

8.  And now, I believe you will cope your jobs well, will surely give me right answers and will not disappoint me!

So, how about that? Ha-ha!

I'd like to say once again that I expect you to use the idioms we analyzed and explained in all my previous blogs about idioms. Besides, I will  give you a few days to post your replies as there is nothing to explain. Sure, I will read your comments and answer them if you need my help or just have some questiions. But I will not tell you what is right and what is wrong until you all are done, OK?

Just enjoy!

Well, as there  are no new comments, I am adding the correct answers:

1. My subdean has always had it in for my flirting her many years ago.

2. Last weekend we were invited to the birthday party, but we didn't know what makes that man tick and had a lot of doubts what present to buy.

3. I am a kind of a teacher who often finds fault with his students if I am sure, they can learn better.

4. When I gave my wife a bunch of tulips, she was taken aback as they are not sold in our area.

5. We have a lot of urgent tasks to do and have to take on more people.

6. I have never thought my best friend could ever take me in!

7. I was very upset and nervous and could hardy took grip on myself.

8. And now, I believe you will pull your weights around. You are bound to give me right answers and not to let me down !

I'd like to say that many of you have got along in this test well enough. And now you know 40 more idioms and it is so good for you!

Thanks everyone for taking part in this blog!

My dear firiends! Here I am again with five other expressions for you to guess. Again, you should replace a phrasal verb with a single word (that is neither a phrasal verb nor an idiom) without googling or looking up your dictionaries. I think it will be my last blog about idioms and next time I will think up something different for you. I will be glad to hear your ideas about  kind of tasks you would like to get. All your wishes will be taken into account.

And now, here are five other sentences.

1. Next month our company's president will step down and we will have to elect a new one.

2. Although John is said never to have cracked a book, he did manage to graduate from the college.

3. Not having been to the convention, my associate asked me to fill him in.

4. Jack set out to compete for the large scholarship grand.

5. This agreement is not drawn up correctly.

Good luck!

Hi, my friends! Here I am, your boring and strict teacher who wants to give you one more assignment. It will be as tricky as the rest but now, you all are supposed to be much more experienced in answering my tricky questions and using your logic and common sense. So, your task is the same as in the previous blog: you should find a single word that may be a synonym of the given idiom or a phrasal verb, OK? 

Let's start! Ready? Here are five more idioms. Just try to find synonyms using your common sense! Replace the idiom with its synonym, OK?

1. Why did you leave out the second question on my list?

2. The meeting was put off until the next week.

3. I ran into my friend last week.

4. This ship is bound for Europe.

5. We tried in vain to reach him.

Good luck in everything you do!

My dear friends and fatnastic students! As I see you like such a blog more than others, I decided to hold it over and to complicate your task. This time, you should find the right synonym, that is a single word.

For those who are new here, all the rules and conditions are here:

http://www.myenglishclub.com/profiles/blogs/english-idioms-looking-for-synonyms

So, here are five other sentences. And remember, please, you should replace the idioms with the only one word.

1. My lawyer promised not to let me down.

2. I always foot my bills.

3. He always finds fault with others.

4. The superviser called her down for being late.

5 A very pleasant woman waited  on me in the Red Lobster yesterday.

These expressions are easy to guess. Just pay attention to the situation and the words we use.  And your answer should be the only one word. Good lucK!

My dear friends and my genious students!  Today I am proposing you a little bit different challenge. I am posting the sentences containing idioms, phrasal verbs, etc. and I propose you to rewrite these sentences using the synonyms. The synonyms shouldn't be idioms. In the examples the idioms are in bold. So, I will show you what I mean. 

The given sentence:

At last he found what he had been looking for.

The reply:

He finally found what he had been looking for.

I believe, I've made myself clear about the task. Of course, I will be helping you find the correct synonyms. But the main condition is the same: don't look up your dictionaries and don't read other comments, OK?

So, here you are!

1. We usually see eye to eye with my wife.

2. Her condition after a surgery was touch and go.

3. He was up and about three days after an accident.

4. He was in the red and couldn't make ends meet.

Here are more examples:

He was a gambler and was always in the red.

After he had lost his job, his family could hardly make ends meet.

5. I was trying to talk to my drunk friend, but he suddenly blacked out.

Well, isn't it a tricky assignment?! Ha-ha-ha! I am the one! But I sincerely hope, you will be intersested to guess my riddles! Good luck!

Hi, my friends! Here is a new challenge for you!

1. to throw someone a curve.

When I ran into the married man I knew stepping out with a young girl, I threw him a curve by asking about his wife.

2. to throw the book at.

After  a car crash one of the drivers was thrown the book at by a judge.

3. to pull one's weight.

Let's get rid of that salesman. He doesn't pull his weight around here.

4. to wade through.

I have a lot of unanswered correspondence that I have to wade through.

5. to be the in-thing.

Unfortunately, Country music and style are not the in-things nowdays.

Enjoy! Ha-ha-ha!

Here are five other expressions for you to guess.

1. to hold over.

They are going to hold that movie over for another week and we will be able to see it next Friday.

2. to set forth.

The speaker set forth his arguments in a convincing manner.

The details of the agreement are set forth in the contract.

3. to take/ be taken in.

He certainly took us in with his stories about Mexico.

First, I was taken in by his appearance, but later on I realized what kind of person he was.

4. to make one tick.

If I knew what made my customers tick, I would be able to sell them more merchandise.

I have never been able to understand what makes her tick and it is hard for me to please her.

5. A proverb: "Still waters run deep".

I have never thought he is capable of acting like that! Well, still waters run deep!

Well, set your grey sells in motion and use your logic! Enjoy!

My dear ladies and gentlemen! Tomorrow is International Women's Day and I'd like to congratulate all the EC girls and ladies with this great but strange holiday. I have been born in the country where any man has never had any idea about it, but where all women have always been respected and loved all year round. When I met my wife who is Ukrainian born and she told me about their men, I could hardly believe, but when I came to Kiev and saw them, I got what she meant! Perhaps, they really need some special day to be reminded of the main! It is women who give us birth suffering, they raise us suffering, they send us to the Army suffering and having only hope to see us alive again, they lick our wounds praying for us to come back to normal, they raise our kids, they work the same jobs and do it better than us. They defend and save us, they are always on guard! So, if there were no women, we, men, wouldn't exist! We only think we are strong(er). If fact, it is women who are the stronger sex.

So, I kneel down before all women of the world and say "You are the best thing ever happened to us. You should be cherished, pampereded, respected and loved all year round whatever you do. Thank you for being the best part of humanity and for sharing our lives, problems and feelings. I love you all! Thanks for being our soul-mates, lovers, friends. We wouldn't survive without you"

Hi, my friends! This blog is a continuation of the previous with the same title. I was recommended to do it and I completely agree So, I am adding five more expressions for you to have something to think about! LOL!!!

1. to have it in for.

He expected to lose his job because the boss had had it in for him for a long time.

2. to take on.

We have to take on somebody to take care of our pets.

3. to break in.

It is better to break in a new car slowly.

4. to be bound to.

With business improving they are bound to make money this year.

5. A proverb: "Let well alone".

His job was good enough and he decided to let well alone.

So, how about that?!

My dear friends! I came across the similar discussion a few days ago and it gave me an idea of starting mine. Honestly, I didn't like that discussion as its author just said we use Latin abbreviations, but didn't explain their meanings. So, I am going to explain what they mean and how to use them. I have a list of such words and abbreviations in a paper book, but I don't have its digital copy. So, I decided to type them here from time to time with my explanations. Today I am posting the words from A to C inclusive. If you need any examples, just tell me. You may also need the transcriptions, just tell me (to be honest, tell Tanya. She knows transcription signs! Ha-ha!)!

I'd like to say that Latin is mostly used in official contexts or in science, especially natural science. But those who speak such language at work, often use it in everyday situations. I'll give you a funny example, OK? If I come home late, my wife is used to saing "I knew it a priori!". And I say to myself "You say it ad infinitum!" Ha-ha! Have you got the idea? The example is just for you to smile or laugh as learning the Latin language is not what any students like. I remember myself being taught Latin and I tell you, it was the only one subject I hated! But later on, when I started studying and then, teaching natural science, I realized I do need that vocabulary.

Well, I think you will find this information useful working your jobs or reading different texts. Here is what I've managed to type and to edit today:

Well, I am adding some more and will try to finish this list today, but I am not sure I will be able to.

Well, my friends! Here is the last part of this list. Of course, there are much more Latin and other foreign words used in English. This list contains the words and abbreviations often used in natural sciense. Many of them are also widely used in different legal documents.

My dear friends! I managed to get sick and to lose my voice a few days ago. So, if I can't teach either my students or my band, I decided to teach you some American and British sayings, idioms and proverbs. My idea is the following. First, I will post a few expressions with the examples asking you to explain what they mean. I'd like to say there are so many English idioms that you can't know them all! So, the idea of speaking/listening any foreign language well is to be able to understand the general meaning of the phrase or episode. So, I will answer each reply trying to lead you all to the true meaning of each expression. If no one succeeds, I will tell you what it means, OK? So, let's start with a few expressions and see if you like it or not.

1.  to have many irons in the fire.

I prefer not to have many irons in the fire to be rather successful in what I try to do.

2.  to beat about/around the bush.

Instead of beating around the bush, he came straight to the point.

How long are you going to beat around the bush? Will you answer my question at last?

3. to take a grip on oneself.

She was very upset but she took a grip on herself.

When she was told her husband had been killed, she felt such despair and grief she couldn't do anything. But she realized she had to arrange his funeral and she took a grip on herself and started taking care of it.

4. to be taken aback.

He said something that made her be taken aback.

She didn't expect him to confess to love and when he did it, she was taken aback and didn't know what to say.

5. A proverb "Deep will call to deep".

It is not strange you like him. Deep always call to deep!

You are looking for the friends who are like you. Well, deep will call to deep!

Train your gray cells! Enjoy this challenge! And I would ask the native speakers not to tell the meanings of the idioms, OK? It is for learners to guess!

Well, guys! As I see some of you like thinking and experiencing, I will add a few more idioms. But I would ask you not to use  dictionaries. If you look up the meanings, this discussion will be almost senseless. The idea is to guess, OK?

1. to look up to.

He/she is a person everyone looks up to. (I'd like to say that the meaning may be different).

Some political leadres, scientists, public people and others did so much that we will always look up to them.

2. between the devil and the deep sea.

It seems that all peacemakers are destined to get between the devil and the deep sea.

Being a married man he had a lover and he was always between the devil and the deep sea.

3. to be cut out for.

He seems not to be cut out for this position.

Some people are cut out for being teachers.

4. to have what it takes.

Because my lawyer didn't have what it takes, he lost my case.

I think you have what it takes to work this job.

5. A proverb. Diamond cut diamond.

You might have been  wrong persisting in your opinion, but I realize that diamond cut diamond!

They couldn't arrange a settlement with each other for a long time as diamomd cut diamond.

6. As it is the first day of spring, I'd like to ask you the question. What do you think Americans mean saying "Do you have a gun in your pocket or you are just glad to see me?" when they see their smiling soul-mates? It is not an idiom, but try to guess its meaning, OK?

Good luck!