The summer is over and the autumn is here! The weather is cooler, the leaves turn bright red and yellow, and pumpkin pies are everywhere to be found. In some countries (such as England) the fall is a harvest season, mostly for apples and nuts. Therefore, they are fairly common in autumn-related idioms.
To turn over a new leaf
Definition: start to act or behave in a better or more responsible way
- Janet decided to stop smoking some years ago, she really has turned a new leaf.
- After several years of being in and out of jail, Colin has turned a new leaf; he now works as a sales representative and has been out of jail for over 2 years!
To squirrel something away
Definition: to hide or store something of value for future use
- Jessica has squirreled some money away for her Vegas holiday.
- The threat of war has people squirreling food and medicines away.
To save for a rainy day
Definition: save money or something for a time when it might be needed unexpectedly
- Joe was in an accident last week, right after his insurance had expired. Luckily, he had some money saved for a rainy day and was able to pay for his surgery.
- It is important to have a backup plan in case something changes, so we should all be saving for a rainy day.
The apple of someone’s eye
Definition: someone who is cherished above everyone else
- Grandma said she loved us all the same, but we all know Javier was the apple of her eye.
- Greg is never reprimanded when he gets late to class, clearly he is the apple of the teacher’s eye.
To drive someone nuts
Definition: to make someone crazy
- I hate the rainy season. The constant dripping sound drives me nuts!
- At work, there’s this guy who keeps clicking his pen, over and over again! He is really driving everyone nuts!