Idioms That Strike a Chord
Instructions: Tune in to musical expressions like "face the music," "change your tune," and "it rings a bell," and pick what each one really means in everyday conversation.
- 1.
When someone tells you to "face the music," what are they asking you to do?
AAccept the consequences of your actionsBTurn up the volume on the radioCPay attention at a concertDLearn to read sheet music - 2.
If a friend says, "That name rings a bell," what do they mean?
AThe name sounds very loudBThe name sounds vaguely familiarCThe name belongs to a musicianDThe name is very unusual - 3.
What does it mean when someone says they will "call the tune"?
ASing a song at a partyBRequest a song on the radioCBe the one in charge and making decisionsDTeach others how to sing - 4.
If someone has "changed their tune," what has happened?
AThey switched to a new radio stationBThey started singing a different songCThey have shifted their opinion or attitudeDThey bought a new musical instrument - 5.
When you say something "strikes a chord" with you, what do you mean?
AIt sounds unpleasant to your earsBIt touches your emotions or resonates with your feelingsCIt reminds you of a famous piece of musicDIt is very difficult to understand - 6.
What does it mean to "blow your own trumpet"?
ATo make a very loud noiseBTo lose your temper in publicCTo boast or brag about your own achievementsDTo start a new hobby in retirement - 7.
If someone is talking "like a broken record," what is happening?
AThey are making perfect senseBThey keep repeating the same thing over and overCThey are getting upset very quicklyDThey are bringing back an old memory - 8.
What does it mean to "drum something into someone"?
ATo teach them to play the drumsBTo repeat something so many times that it is firmly learnedCTo surprise someone with unexpected newsDTo persuade someone to join a group - 9.
When a project is said to be "in full swing," what does that describe?
AIt is nearly finished and winding downBIt is at its most active and lively stageCIt is stuck and not making progressDIt has been cancelled altogether - 10.
If someone tells you to "fiddle while Rome burns," what are they accusing you of?
APlaying music when you should be restingBWasting time on trivial things during a serious crisisCSpending too much money on entertainmentDRefusing to help with household chores - 11.
What does it mean if someone is described as "second fiddle"?
AThey are an exceptionally talented musicianBThey play a supporting or less important roleCThey prefer classical music to popular songsDThey have recently learned a new skill - 12.
When someone says a decision was made "to the beat of a different drum," what does it suggest?
AThe decision involved a lot of noise and argumentBThe person followed their own unconventional pathCThe decision was made very quicklyDThe person copied someone else's idea - 13.
If someone says the meeting ended on a "good note," what do they mean?
ASomeone sang a song before leavingBEveryone received a written summaryCIt concluded in a positive and pleasant mannerDThe meeting lasted exactly one hour - 14.
What does it mean to "pull out all the stops"?
ATo cancel a performance at the last minuteBTo make every possible effort without holding anything backCTo ask everyone to be quietDTo remove all the furniture from a room - 15.
What is the meaning of the phrase "to pipe down"?
ATo install new plumbing in your homeBTo play a musical instrument more softlyCTo be quiet or stop making so much noiseDTo leave a place quickly and quietly
Answer Key
"Face the music" means to bravely accept punishment or an unpleasant outcome you can no longer avoid. The phrase likely comes from the military tradition of a soldier being drummed out of a regiment.
"Rings a bell" means something sounds familiar or triggers a distant memory, much like a bell's chime catching your attention. It has been a common English expression since at least the early 20th century.
"Call the tune" means to be in control or to dictate how things are done, coming from the old saying "He who pays the piper calls the tune" — the person paying gets to choose the music.
"Changed their tune" means a person has altered their opinion, attitude, or way of behaving, often after new information or pressure. It draws on the image of a musician switching from one melody to another.
"Strikes a chord" means something resonates emotionally or connects with your own experiences and feelings, just as a musical chord can stir deep emotion in a listener.
"Blow your own trumpet" (or "toot your own horn" in American English) means to boast about yourself. In earlier times, important people had heralds blow trumpets to announce their arrival.
"Like a broken record" describes something — usually a person's words — repeated so often it becomes annoying, just like a scratched vinyl record that skips and replays the same short groove endlessly.
"Drum something into someone" means to teach or emphasize something through constant repetition, much like a drumbeat that pounds a steady rhythm until it cannot be ignored.
"In full swing" means something is operating at its peak activity or liveliness. The phrase dates back several centuries and alludes to the vigorous, free motion of a swinging object once it has built up momentum.
"Fiddle while Rome burns" means to ignore or do nothing about a serious problem while busying yourself with unimportant matters. It refers to the legend (likely untrue) that Emperor Nero played his instrument while Rome was engulfed in flames in 64 AD.
"Playing second fiddle" means occupying a subordinate or less important position than someone else. In an orchestra, the second violin section supports the lead first violins, giving the phrase its meaning.
"March to the beat of a different drum" means to live or think in an unconventional, independent way. The expression was popularized by Henry David Thoreau's 1854 book Walden.
"End on a good note" means to finish something in a positive, satisfying way. The phrase borrows from music, where a piece that resolves on a pleasing note leaves the listener feeling content.
"Pull out all the stops" means to use every resource and make the maximum possible effort. It comes from pipe organs, where pulling out all the stops (the knobs that open sets of pipes) produces the fullest, most powerful sound.
"Pipe down" is an informal command meaning to be quiet or stop talking so loudly. The phrase originated in the Royal Navy, where a bosun's pipe was used to signal sailors to go below deck and settle down for the night.