be in the doghouse, give someone a hard time, blow things out of proportion, have an ace up your sleeve, keep something at bay: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 idioms from Idioms set 65. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. be in the doghouse · idiom/ɪn ðə ˈdɔɡhaʊs/

   to be in trouble or disfavor with someone

   I forgot my wife’s birthday, so now I’m in the doghouse and she’s barely speaking to me.

   Origin: Possibly from Peter Pan (1911) — Mr. Darling slept in the dog kennel as punishment for losing his children.

2. give someone a hard time · idiom/ɡɪv ˈsʌmwʌn ə hɑrd taɪm/

   to criticize, tease, or make things difficult for someone

   The teacher gave him a hard time for not doing his homework and made him stay after class.

   Origin: A 19th-century expression — refers to deliberately creating difficulty for another person through criticism or teasing.

3. blow things out of proportion · idiom/bloʊ θɪŋz aʊt əv prəˈpɔrʃən/

   to exaggerate a problem and make it seem worse than it is

   The media blew things out of proportion by making a small mistake seem like a national scandal.

   Origin: From the 1800s — inflating something physically larger than its true size, like blowing up a balloon.

4. have an ace up your sleeve · idiom/hæv ən eɪs ʌp jʊr sliv/

   to have a hidden advantage or backup plan

   She may seem unprepared, but she has an ace up her sleeve—she’s an expert in this topic.

   Origin: From card cheating — dishonest players hid an extra ace inside their sleeve to use at critical moments.

5. keep something at bay · idiom/kip ˈsʌmθɪŋ ət beɪ/

   to prevent something bad or harmful from happening

   Taking vitamins regularly helps keep illnesses at bay.

   Origin: From medieval hunting — cornered animals were held 'at bay' by hounds, kept from escaping or attacking.