Phone Idioms

 

• Drop a Line:

  • Meaning: To make a brief phone call or send a short message.

  • Sample sentence: I'll drop you a line later to discuss the details of the project.

• End of the Line:

  • Meaning: The conclusion or termination of a phone conversation.

  • Sample sentence: We talked until the end of the line, covering every aspect of the upcoming event.

• Hang up (one's) Hat:

  • Meaning: To settle down or make oneself comfortable, often used metaphorically.

  • Sample sentence: After a long day of meetings, I like to hang up my hat and relax with some music.

• Keep (someone) on the Line:

  • Meaning: To maintain a person's attention or engagement during a conversation.

  • Sample sentence: I kept him on the line until we could finalize the deal.

• Phone It In:

  • Meaning: To perform a task with minimal effort or enthusiasm, often referring to a phone call or performance.

  • Sample sentence: He didn't prepare for the presentation; it felt like he was just phoning it in.

• Ring a Bell:

  • Meaning: To sound familiar or trigger a memory.

  • Sample sentence: The name didn't ring a bell, so I couldn't recall meeting him before.

• Talk a Blue Streak:

  • Meaning: To talk rapidly or at length.

  • Sample sentence: She talked a blue streak about her recent travels; it was hard to keep up with all the details.

• Up the Ante:

  • Meaning: To increase the stakes or level of commitment, often used in negotiations or discussions.

  • Sample sentence: The client upped the ante by requesting additional features in the mobile app.

• Wrong Number:

  • Meaning: An incorrect or mistaken understanding of a situation.

  • Sample sentence: His assumption that the project was due next month was a complete wrong number.

• Zoom In/Out:

  • Meaning: To focus on or pay attention to details (zoom in) or to gain a broader perspective (zoom out).

  • Sample sentence: Let's zoom in on the specific issues during the meeting before we zoom out to discuss the overall strategy.