Music Idioms

Idioms

1.      Be music to (one's) ears - to be exciting or pleasant to hear. 

School being closed for a snow day was music to my kids' ears. 

After such a stressful day at work, news that my friends had to cancel our dinner was music to my  ears.

So they're getting married? That's music to my ears.

2.      Face the music - to accept unpleasant consequences or an unpleasant reality

“I know you’re upset about losing this client. It’s a very big client to lose but it’s time for us to face the music and go forward. We’ll have to work hard for a while until we can sign on someone new.”

It’s important to teach children to face the music when they’ve done something wrong.

Liars rarely face the music about things they do.

3.      Play by ear - to perform (or play an instrument) without practice or preparation, to improvise

 “My brother has never taken a piano lesson in his life but he can play anything. He just plays by ear.”

4.      Chin music (slang, informal) - talk, conversation or chatter.

Can you guys please be quiet? Your chin music is distracting me from my work.

Whenever those two get together, you can be sure there'll be plenty of chin music. 

5.      Stop the music! (exclam.) - stop everything!

John (entering the room): Stop the music! There's a fire in the kitchen! 

6.      Sound  like a broken record - to say the same thing over and over

“I hate to sound like a broken record but I’m going to say it again: context is everything when learning new vocabulary!”

7.      Toot [one’s] own horn -  to boast/brag, or say good things about yourself 

“I don’t want to toot my own horn, but I got 100% on the quiz this week, and am the student of the month. I think I am the best student at the school!”

8.      ring a bell - to sound familiar, something you’ve heard before

“Susan said we had met before, but I couldn’t remember her face. Although, her last name did ring a bell.”

Fill in the gaps

1.      The news that my husband has booked a two week holiday in Australia for us is ________ to my ear.

2.      I failed almost all my semester exams. I will be facing the ______________ with my mum at home.

3.      I don’t know what I will do when she comes in front of me. Let’s just play it by __________.

4.      Julia always keeps tooting her _____________ in front of everybody.

5.      My father told me never to _________my own horn

6.      Bill just loves to hear himself talk. He'll make ____________ music for hours at a time.

7.      That name rings a _________ but I cannot recall where I have heard it before.

8.      The name of the actress may not _____________ a bell but you all have seen her as a child artist in the TV show years ago.

9.      I broke my mother’s window and I lied about it. But now it’s time to face _______________. I need to tell her what I’ve done.

10.  That must have been __________ to your ears, Carlo, to hear how much they respect you.

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