IdiomBody & Senses
English
Englishshake a leg
Meaning: To hurry.
Example: “Shake a leg, or we'll miss the bus!”
Equivalents in other languages
French: Se magner la rondelle Literally: To shift one's washer
Origin: The expression is never used in the past tense form "shook," but it can be used in the future tense.
More English idioms
- sweep someone off their feet To overwhelm someone, often causing him or her to fall in love.
- talk someone's ear off To bore someone with one's unending talk.
- toe the line To follow the rules; to do what is expected of one.
- tongue-in-cheek Joking or sarcastic.
- turn a deaf ear To ignore someone.
- turn the other cheek Not to retaliate; not to pay back bad behavior with more bad behavior.
Explore another collection: Tongue Twisters
Tricky phrases to practice out loud, from languages around the world.
- How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? A 'w/ch/ck' drill that accelerates comically — and nobody really knows the answer.
- The sixth sick sheikh's sixth sheep's sick. Believed by Guinness to be among the hardest in English — 'six/sick/sheikh/sheep' blur in…
- Betty Botter bought some butter, but she said the butter's bitter. A 'b / t / tt' plosive drill that bounces between Betty, butter, and bitter.
Keep exploring