Vocab Academic Idioms Starting with C and D

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Academic Idioms

C and D


Cast Pearls Before Swine

Give somethingprecious to theunappreciative

Comes from the Christian Bible, Matthew 7:16


Champ at the Bit

To be impatient

Comes from horses not liking their bridle bits.


Choice of Rotten Apples

Have few or no good choices

Comes from Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew


Creature Comforts

Luxurious

Possessions

Phrase originated in the 1600s.


Crocodile Tears

Fake sympathy or grieffor nefarious reasons

Comes from a story about a crocodile using tears to trap and then eat the unwary.


Damn with Faint PraiseShallow Praise so weak it’s not really praise at all

Comes from Greek Philosophers


Dead in the Water

Not GoingAnywhere

Comes from sailing when boatcan’t move from lack of wind.


Doubting Thomas

Habitual Disbeliever

Comes from Christian Bible, John 20:24-29


Acting as Devil’s Advocate

Taking the oppositeside of a positionfor the sake of argument

Comes from Catholic Church


Let’s Practice

incorrect correct


Sometimes I act as a devil’s advocate in class so my students can understand another side of the issue.

Is the idiom is being used correctly or incorrectly??


Sometimes I act as a devil’s advocate in class so my students can understand another side of the issue.



When you give out all your personal details online, you are casting your pearls before swine.



When you give out all your personal details online, you are casting your pearls before swine.



She believes everything she reads on the Internet is true. She is such a Doubting Thomas!



She believeseverything she reads on the Internet is true. She is such a Doubting Thomas!



She believes nothing she reads on the Internet is true. She is such a Doubting Thomas!



Don’t believe his crocodile tears about letting you go. He is only concerned with his own bottom line.



Don’t believe his crocodile tears about letting you go. He is only concerned with his own bottom line.



I am making such progress with my new book so far this year! I am really dead in the water right now.



I am making such progress with my new book so far this year! I am really dead in the water right now.



I am making such little progress with my new book so far this year! I am really dead in the water right now.



I forgot my paper was due this morning! I can either not submit it or turn in a terrible draft. What a choice of rotten apples!



I forgot my paper was due this morning! I can either not submit it or turn in a terrible draft. What a choice of rotten apples!



My boss just gave me the best compliment. She is really damming me with faint praise right now. I am surely going to get that promotion!



My boss just gave me the best compliment. She is really damming me with faint praise right now. I am surely going to get that promotion!



My boss just gave me the lamest compliment. She is really damming me with faint praise right now. I am never going to get that promotion!



I can’t save any money because I like my creature comforts too much!



I can’t save any money because I like my creature comforts too much!



My students enjoy writing so much that they are always champing at the bit to leave class.



My students enjoy writing so much that they are always champing at the bit to leave class.



My students enjoy writing so much that they are never champing at the bit to leave class.



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Vocab Academic Idioms Starting with C and D