IDIOMS ABOUT INTEREST AND INVOLVEMENT

TO KEEP A LOW PROFILE – to avoid being noticed.

Henry gave me the key to the apartment. No one knew about it besides him and me. He told me to keep a low profile for a while.

TO BE UP TO ONE’S EARS IN SMTH – to be very busy with smth.

He also told me that he wouldn’t be able to visit me often since he was up to his ears in work because of me.

LABOR OF LOVE – work you do because you really enjoy doing it rather than for the sake of getting a reward.

I tried to joke and asked him “Can you call it “work” though if it is a labor of love?”

NOT ONE’S CUP OF TEA – smth you have no particular interest in.

He replied that he loved being a police officer but the paperwork wasn’t exactly his cup of tea.

TO POKE ONE’S NOSE INTO SMTH – to meddle in smth that doesn’t have anything to do with you.

He also added that he wouldn’t have had to write dozens of reports if I hadn’t poked my nose into something dangerous.

TO KEEP IN THE PICTURE – to keep someone involved in a situation (1).

TO STEER CLEAR OF SMTH – to avoid smth (2).

And I told him that if he’d kept me in the picture (1) for once, maybe I would have steered clear of it (2)!

TO KEEP IN THE LOOP – to keep informed.

Henry gave an exasperated sigh and asked, “Are saying that if I’d kept you in the loop, you wouldn’t have decided to hack infamous mobster’s emails?”

TO WHET SOMEONE’S APPETITE – to heighten someone’s interest, to make someone want smth more.

I told Henry that it was exactly what I was saying and that he only whetted my appetite for the information by hiding everything from me.

TO MEAN BUSINESS – to be very serious about smth

“I can’t just go around telling my friends about my cases! This information is confidential! It’s entirely your fault that half of the NY criminal world wants you dead now. They are looking for you and they mean business!” bellowed Henry.

HEART ISN’T IN SMTH – if your heart isn’t in smth, you are not passionate about it.

“Man, what have I done with my life? Remember, there was a time when I had a steady job? Too bad, my heart wasn’t really in it…” I sighed.

TO NOT CARE TWO HOOTS – to be completely unconcerned about smth.

“Yes, I remember the sweet times when you didn’t care two hoots about extremely dangerous criminals,” replied Henry.

TO KEEP ONE’S HEAD DOWN – to avoid being noticed.

Then Henry asked me not to leave the apartment and keep my head down for some time. After that, he promised me that we’d get through everything together and left.