Maya had planned her trip to Italy for months. Everything was going according to plan—until she realized her passport was missing. Just hours before her flight, she was freaking out.
She racked her brain, trying to remember where she had last seen it. Was it in the drawer? The bag? Her cousin’s place?
“I’m toast if I don’t find it,” she muttered.
She called her cousin, who said, “Calm down. Don’t jump the gun. I’ll check my place.”
Ten minutes later, her cousin sent a photo of her passport sitting on the kitchen table.
Maya let out a huge sigh of relief. “You saved my life!”
“You owe me big time,” her cousin laughed. “Now go catch that plane!”
Idioms Used in the Story
1. Freak out
Meaning: To panic, become very anxious or upset.
Examples:
I freaked out when I lost my phone.
Don’t freak out—it’s not that serious.
2. Rack one’s brain
Meaning: To try very hard to remember or think of something.
Examples:
I racked my brain to remember his name.
She racked her brain for ideas for the project.
3. Be toast
Meaning: To be in serious trouble or in a hopeless situation.
Examples:
If I’m late again, I’m toast.
Without that document, we’re toast.
4. Jump the gun
Meaning: To do something too early or before the right time.
Examples:
Don’t jump the gun—wait for the instructions.
He jumped the gun and started talking before the speaker finished.
5. Owe someone big time
Meaning: To be very grateful to someone.
Examples:
Thanks for covering my shift. I owe you big time!
You helped me pass—I owe you big time!
