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Hey all! This is the sixth weekly English learning challenge: to try & use this idiom in your next lesson, study session, or in a natural conversation!
Idioms sometimes reflext the antonyms or contrasts we use in language. Hot versus cold is one of them: if you're on fire, then you're doing well! Perhaps you're also on a roll. However, if someone calls you cold, they think you're lacking friendlier emotions, or that you aren't warm.
However, sometimes idioms with contrasting themes are notset in contrast. Let's jump into today's two idioms:
you’re in hot water VS you’re on thin ice
meaning: you're in a dangerous, bad, or tricky situation
usage: when someone's in a bad place, has done something awful, made a major mistake, etc.
image: Have you ever heard of the frog in a pot of boiling water? While it's actually not accurate, the image of a pot of water slowly boiling with the frogs inside gradually adjusting is a strong one people often use to talk about becoming accustomed to a bad situation. In the case of you're in hot water, it's a sign of danger! You are the frog; do what frogs do and jump out! Perhaps don't jump out onto thin ice, since that could lead to being dropped into freezing water.
Examples:
- You're on thin ice with him; you should apologize.
- They haven't been acting the same with each other. I think she's in hot water, you know?
- I know you made a mistake. Don't worry, you're not in hot water with me.
- He's on thin ice. Look at how much he's negging her! That's so rude...
If you'd like to practice any of the bolded idioms with me, please sign up for a lesson!
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