Idioms — Set 48

Set 48 of Idioms covers 5 idioms: play with fire, jump on the bandwagon, beat around the bush, make a long story short, get a foot in the door. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

1. play with fire · idiom/pleɪ wɪð ˈfaɪɚ/

   to take unnecessary risks

   He's playing with fire by lying to his boss.

   Origin: Used since the 1600s — children warned not to play with fire, since careless contact causes serious burns.

2. jump on the bandwagon · idiom/dʒʌmp ɔn ðə ˈbændˌwæɡən/

   to follow a popular trend or movement

   Everyone started using the app after influencers jumped on the bandwagon.

   Origin: From American politics in the 1800s — supporters jumped onto a candidate's parade wagon to look influential.

3. beat around the bush · idiom/bit əˈraʊnd ðə bʊʃ/

   to avoid addressing the main point in a conversation

   Stop beating around the bush and tell me what you really think.

   Origin: From medieval bird hunting — beaters circled bushes to flush out game rather than directly catching it.

4. make a long story short · idiom/meɪk ə lɔŋ ˈstɔri ʃɔrt/

   to summarize something briefly

   To make a long story short, we lost the deal because of poor planning.

   Origin: Used since the 1500s — a polite signal that the speaker will skip details and deliver the conclusion quickly.

5. get a foot in the door · idiom/ɡɛt ə fʊt ɪn ðə dɔr/

   to take an initial step towards an opportunity

   Getting an internship is a great way to get a foot in the door at a company.

   Origin: From 19th-century door-to-door salesmen — sticking a foot in a closing door bought a moment to make their pitch.