Happy Halloween! It’s Halloween so let’s check out some phrases related to scary things!! As you know, the English language is full of funny phrases that any non-native English speaker may raise an eyebrow at, so let’s take a look at some of my ultimate favourite phrases related to Halloween (in the sense that they feature words connected to scary things) that you might hear the most often.
Drop dead gorgeous – The phrase started somewhere in America in the 1930s to refer to someone who is extremely beautiful – someone so beautiful that you might drop dead in shock when you first see them! 😱
“She’s stunning! Drop dead gorgeous!”
Skeleton in the closet – This phrase is used to refer to an embarrassing secret someone is keeping.
“That family has many skeletons in their closet – we should be careful!”
Scared stiff – This phrase is quite common and I’ve used it a number of times myself! This phrase describes someone who is so scared, they can’t move!
“I wouldn’t go into that old mansion, it’s haunted and I would be scared stiff!”
Ghost town – This phrase refers to a place that is completely deserted! Usually, it has been abandoned, houses are falling apart, cobwebs are in every corner and every building seems to make a strange noise that scares you stiff!
“You shouldn’t go there, they say the people left a long time ago and it’s a ghost town now.”
Scaredy Cat – Have you ever noticed how easily cats get scared? Well, that’s where this phrase comes from. You can call someone a scaredy cat if they are easily frightened by things.
“Oh my gosh, it’s just the wind. You’re such a scaredy cat.”
You can find plenty more spooky related phrases everywhere you look. For example, check out this video on YouTube about the ‘Skeleton in the Closet’. The whole story is told using idioms; how many can you find?
As always though, if you fancy taking up some English lessons, then get in touch with one of our fabulous tutors who would be happy to help!
Have a spooky Halloween!
Cass
