Idioms — Set 70

Set 70 of Idioms covers 5 idioms: the last straw, leave a bad taste in someone’s mouth, kick up a fuss, rock solid, move heaven and earth. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

1. the last straw · idiom/ðə læst strɔ/

   the final incident that makes a situation unbearable

   After being late every day for a month, forgetting to submit his report was the last straw—his boss finally fired him.

   Origin: From the proverb 'the last straw breaks the camel's back' — even tiny final additions cause sudden total collapse.

2. leave a bad taste in someone’s mouth · idiom/liv ə bæd teɪst ɪn ˈsʌmwʌnz maʊθ/

   to create a negative or unpleasant impression

   The way the waiter ignored us for half an hour really left a bad taste in my mouth. I won’t eat there again.

   Origin: From the 1500s — describes unpleasant experiences lingering in memory the way bad food lingers after eating.

3. kick up a fuss · idiom/kɪk ʌp ə fʌs/

   to complain loudly or cause a scene

   The passenger kicked up a fuss when he was asked to pay extra for his oversized luggage.

   Origin: An American 19th-century expression — physically kicking up dust draws everyone's attention loudly and visibly.

4. rock solid · idiom/rɑk ˈsɑləd/

   to be extremely strong, reliable, or unbreakable

   This bridge is rock solid—it was built to withstand earthquakes and strong winds.

   Origin: From the 1800s — solid rock is among the strongest natural materials, completely unbreakable under normal conditions.

5. move heaven and earth · idiom/muv ˈhɛvən ənd ɜrθ/

   to do everything possible to achieve something

   He promised to move heaven and earth to get his family out of debt, and in just two years, he did it.

   Origin: From the Bible — performing impossible feats by moving the entire heaven and earth to achieve one's goal.