Technology Idioms

Bells and whistles

• Alan: Nice car, Francis!
• Francis: Thanks Al, I bought it last week and I’m really enjoying it!
• Alan: It looks cool, how much was it?
• Francis: It cost a lot of money, 30,000 pounds, but it has all the bells and whistles as well!
• Alan: Oh wow, what does it have?
• Francis: Well, with this model I get in-car wifi, heated seats and a satellite radio.

To blow a fuse

• Jane: Paula, did you hear Valerie this morning?
• Paula: No, what happened?
• Jane: Well, I brought in some cakes that I had made at home. I simply asked her if she wanted a cake and she blew a fuse! I’m so confused and upset! She shouted at me saying “Go away! I don’t want a cake!”
• Paula: Ah, I know what the problem is. Valerie is on a strict diet and is trying to lose some weight so she probably can’t eat cake.
• Jane: Well I understand that but she didn’t have to yell at me!

Bright as a button

• Grant: Hey Ruth, I was reading your daughter’s essay the other day. What a fantastic piece of work!
• Ruth: Thank you, Grant, I know she worked very hard on it.
• Grant: Well that’s excellent. She is such an intelligent young lady, she’s as bright as a button.
• Ruth: Thanks Grant, that’s kind of you!

A cog in the machine

• Joe: Hi Regan, step into my office please! I would like to have a chat.
• Regan: Okay sir, what seems to be the problem?
• Joe: There is no problem! I just wanted to say how well you are doing for this company. Keep up the good work!
• Regan: Oh, thanks sir! I should try and be more positive!
• Joe: Absolutely! You are a very important cog in the machine here.
• Regan: Thanks sir, that means a lot.

To hit the panic button

• Paul: Oh my god, Mary, did you see what happened to Joe this morning?
• Mary: No! Is he okay?
• Paul: He got a phone call this morning saying that his son had not come to school and they didn’t know where he was.
• Mary: Oh no!
• Paul: Yeah, he hit the panic button. He leapt from his seat and ran out to his car to go and find his son.
• Mary: And did he find him?
• Paul: He got halfway down the road and then he had another call from the school saying that he didn’t need to worry, it was just a mistake.
• Mary: Oh thank goodness. What a relief!

To pull the plug

• George: So Lionel, have you been working on your new invention?
• Lionel: Well, not much really. I’ve been so busy with my work that I haven’t had time to be creative or even relax!
• George: Oh dear, well maybe it will get better soon.
• Lionel: No, I don’t think so. I’m considering just pulling the plug on the whole thing.
• George: No! Lionel, you can’t give up, you have a fantastic idea and you need to keep developing it to see just how good it can get! Don’t pull the plug just yet, have a think about it.
• Lionel: Thanks George, we’ll see, I will give it some thought. Thanks for your kind words.

A well-oiled machine

• Rod: Okay, so Andy do you have the reports ready?
• Andy: Yep, I certainly do!
• Rod: Great! And Leanne, have you prepared the presentation?
• Leanne: It’s ready, Rod!
• Rod: Fantastic work guys! Our group really is a well-oiled machine!