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7/25/2019 Idioms and Phrases List
1/12
Words Examples Explanation
ring a bell A: Do you know April ONeil?B: Hmm !aybe "#at name rings a bell
is $amiliar to you but you %ant rememberw#ere you #eard it
on t#e one #and & on t#eot#er #and
On t#e one #and' (eters roommate is kind On t#e ot#er#and' #es )uite messy
*expression used to w#en %onsidering t#ead+antages and disad+antages o$ st#,
#a+e&keep an open mind - tried to keep an open mind about Allan e+en t#oug# -d
#eard some bad t#ings about #im
be open minded
on t#e tip o$ your tongue His name was on t#e tip o$ my tongue. but - %ouldntremember it
used to say you are almostable to remembersomet#ing' but you %ant
a #ango+er *noun, ung/o+er *ad0,
"yler was too #ung/o+er $rom last nig#ts party to go towork
unwell $rom drinking too mu%# al%o#ol on t#epre+ious day
1is# 2ets meet around 3is# used to make st# more +ague and less exa%t
$ed up -m $ed up wit# my neig#bours dog so angry t#at you %an no longer tolerate anymore o$ st#
Big deal4 -t takes you 56 minutes to walk to s%#ool? Big deal4 a sar%asti% expression meaning t#at st# is
a%tually NO" a big deal7i+e sb a #and !y dad ga+e me a #and wit# my #omework #elped you
let t#e %at out o$ t#e bag -t was going to be a surprise party' until "odd let t#e %atout o$ t#e bag
told t#e se%ret so ot#er people $ound out tooearly
gi+e it a s#ot -$ you t#ink you %an make t#e team' t#en gi+e it a s#ot gi+e it a try
No way4 A: 7eorge' -m pregnantB: No way4
similar to 8t#at %ant be possible49 & 8- dontbelie+e you49
"#e more t#e merrier A: an - in+ite my brot#er?B: ;ure "#e more t#e merrier
used to say t#at t#e more o$ st# t#ere is' t#ebetter it will be
gi+e it your all E+en t#oug# - lost t#e ra%e' - ga+e it my all tried your #ardest
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$or a long walk by #ersel$
keep tra%k - use my wat%# to keep tra%k o$ time to monitor t#e time
$rom s%rat%# !y aunt made t#e %ake $rom s%rat%# $rom not#ing *wit#out any already/preparedmaterials,
o@ t#e top o$ your #ead He asked me to tell #im a 0oke' but - %ouldnt t#ink o$ oneo@ t#e top o$ my #ead
using only t#e ideas you #a+e in your #ead att#at moment
learn your lesson "#e boy learned #is lesson Hell ne+er play wit#
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%ontrolling #is road rage
go on about "#e old man went on about #is s%#ool days $or nearly an#our
to speak $or too long about st# uninteresting
slip your mind - was going to return t#e library books today a$ter work'but t#e t#oug#t slipped my mind
used to say you $orgot to do st#
#a+e&t#row a ou %an
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between t#e lines written or said
go all out We went all out and booked a ou name it' you got it
synonym o$ w#ate+er you want anyt#ing
know your stu@ Cim #as been a me%#ani% $or years He really knows#is stu@
to know st# well
le$t' rig#t and %entre Businesses were %losing in town le$t' rig#t and %entre e+eryw#ere
a %#ange o$ #eart A$ter seeing a mouse on t#e =oor' - #ad a %#ange o$#eart about eating at t#e restaurant
a %#ange o$ $eeling used to say you %#angedyour mind about st#
a long #aul (eter told #is boss t#at #e wouldnt )uit Hes in it $or t#elong #aul
t#e long road t#e option t#at takes t#e mosttime
be man enoug# 7eorge was t#e only one man enoug# to admit #e #admade a mistake
strong enoug# in %#ara%ter' or strong enoug#as a man
be se%ond to none "#e apple pie at t#is restaurant is se%ond to none t#e best
know&learn t#e ropes -t took me a mont# to learn t#e ropes at my new 0ob t#e pro%ess o$ learning about st# so you are%om$ortable wit# it
a breat# o$ $res# air "#e new employee' 7ail' is a breat# o$ $res# air in t#eoF%e
st# new t#at adds li$e and energy to a situation
get your a%t toget#er "#e %oa%# told me t#at i$ - didnt get my a%t toget#er' -dbe ki%ked o@ t#e team
start be#a+ing properly
set your #eart on st# Eri% #as #is #eart set on parti%ipating in t#e Olympi%s to be
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play it by ear A: How long will you stay in Australia?B: -m not sure -m 0ust going to play it by ear
to impro+ise to not make a plan but de%idew#at to do as you do it
put all your eggs in onebasket
7reg in+ested #is money in a $ew di@erent areas Hedidnt want to put all #is eggs in one basket
to put all o$ st# you #a+e in t#e same area*note: generally +iewed as a bad t#ing to do,
Birds o$ a $eat#er *=o%ktoget#er,
A: -ts $unny t#at all o$ Iates $riends are attra%ti+eB: ;o is s#e - guess birds o$ a $eat#er =o%k toget#er
similar people tend to spend time wit# ea%#ot#er
#a+e se%ond t#oug#ts -m starting to #a+e se%ond t#oug#ts about my newapartment to #a+e doubts
pay t#e pri%e $or st# Dont tou%# my stu@ -$ you do' youll pay t#e pri%e to su@er as a %onse)uen%e o$ doing st#
a basket %ase Darryls ex/wi$e is a total basket %ase a %raJy person a nut
on t#e dot We arri+ed at K o%lo%k on t#e dot exa%tly
not #a+e a %lue - dont #a+e a %lue w#ere Nuna+ut is to #a+e no idea or absolutely no knowledge*about st#,
#a+e a s#ot at Our team #as a s#ot at winning t#e %#ampions#ip #as a %#an%e
t#e word spread -t took only an #our $or word to spread around t#e oF%e
t#at Co#n #ad been
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set t#e re%ord straig#t -n a "M inter+iew' t#e politi%ian set t#e re%ord straig#tabout #is experien%es in t#e military
to %lari$y w#at is true&$a%tual about a story ort#ing
keep an eye on "#e se%urity guard kept an eye on t#e suspi%ious man wat%# %losely monitor
a grey area Be%ause o$ a grey area in #is 0ob des%ription' (eter wasnot exa%tly sure w#at all o$ #is responsibilities were
a +ague area an un%lear area an area t#at isneit#er bla%k nor w#ite
get&let sb o@ t#e #ook 2u%kily $or #er' t#e poli%eman let Cane o@ t#e #ook $orparking #er %ar in a no/parking Jone
to let someone go $ree instead o$ #olding t#emresponsible $or st# bad
out o$ sig#t' out o$ mind Cim was #appy w#en #is ex/girl$riend mo+ed out o$ #isapartment out o$ sig#t' out o$ mind
t#is means t#at i$ you do not see someoneregularly' you will stop t#inking about t#em
gi+e sb t#e %old s#oulder "ed ga+e #is ex/girl$riend t#e %old s#oulder w#en #e saw#er at t#e party
to ignore sb
"#e ins and outs -t took Alan a year to learn all t#e ins and outs o$ #is 0obto know all aspe%ts o$ st# to know %ompletely#ow st# works
line o$ work "#e
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sa%k *+erb,
on t#e ba%k burner "#e pro0e%t was put on t#e ba%k burner w#ile t#e%ompany $o%used on a more immediate problem
set as a lower priority
get %old $eet -ts normal to get %old $eet be$ore your wedding day to be%ome ner+ous&$rig#tened rig#t be$ore st#you #ad planned to do
#it ro%k bottom A$ter being
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-m all ears A: Doug' -+e dis%o+ered t#e meaning o$ li$eB: Leally? -m all ears
-m listening intently
small talk A$ter some small talk' t#e inter+iew began dis%ussion about lig#t topi%s su%# as t#eweat#er
put st# on #old 7reg #ad to put #is weekend plans on #old and go intot#e oF%e on ;aturday $or a $ew #ours
to postpone st#
%ommon ground "#e two boys #ad some %ommon ground: t#ey bot#lo+ed $ootball
somet#ing #eld in %ommon a %ommon interestor trait
politi%ally *in,%orre%t !ar%el told a politi%ally in%orre%t 0oke at t#e %ompanyparty No one laug#ed
politi%ally %orre%t worded in a sensiti+e wayt#at will not #arm t#e audien%e
#a+e #ad it up to #ere 8-+e #ad it up to #ere wit# t#is mess4 lean your roomnow49
-m $ed up -+e #ad enoug# somet#ing saidw#en you %annot #andle anymore o$ somet#ingt#at is aggra+ating you
#a+e your work %ut out -$ we want to
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at your ou missed t#e point "#e book was about t#e problemso$ %apitalism' not #ow to make money9
to $ail to grasp t#e most important part o$ st#
#old&stand your ground Alt#oug# t#eir enemy outnumbered t#em' t#e soldiersstood t#eir ground
to stay in your position wit#out running away
be %#ilds play "#e tennis mat%# was %#ilds play $or Ben a pie%e o$ %ake somet#ing so easy a %#ild%ould do it
be only a matter o$ time "#e s%ientist said its only a matter o$ time be$ore a bigeart#)uake #its ali$ornia
used to say t#at st# will ine+itably #appen*sooner or later,
pus# your lu%k A: Dad' %an - #a+e anot#er i%e %ream %one?B: Dont pus# your lu%k' kid
to expe%t %ontinued good $ortune
raise *a $ew, eyebrows ran%ines s#ort skirt raised a $ew eyebrows to make people slig#tly s#o%ked or surprised
a matter o$ opinion "#e best restaurant in Europe is' o$ %ourse' a matter o$opinion
st# t#at is sub0e%ti+e
be t#at as it may A: "yler is su%# a sel
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add insult to in0ury "o add insult to in0ury' 7regs wi$e le$t #im $or #is best$riend
to make an insulting situation e+en worse
t#e last straw W#en t#e boss told me to %ome in to work on ;aturday't#at was t#e last straw
t#e
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w#et your appetite "#e R/se%ond trailer was designed to w#et peoplesappetites
to make people want more to stimulate yourappetite so you desire more
sour grapes A: (eople wit# ni%e %ars 0ust want attentionB: "#at sounds like sour grapes be%ause you %ant a@ordone
expression t#at means somet#ing was said outo$ 0ealousy
a blessing in disguise 2osing #is 0ob turned out to be a blessing in disguiseA$terward' Loger $ound #is dream 0ob
a good t#ing t#at
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%all sbs blu@ W#en !ike #eard #is $riend say s#e knew all o$ t#eworlds %apitals' #e %alled #er blu@ and asked #er toname t#e %apital o$ !oJambi)ue
to make sb pro+e t#at w#at t#ey are saying istrue
#a+e a %#ip on yours#oulder
"im #as #ad a %#ip on #is s#oulder aboutbusinesswomen sin%e #e lost #is 0ob to a woman t#reeyears ago
to #a+e anger about st# t#at #appened in t#epast
breat#e down sbs ne%k Cim $ound it #ard to $o%us on #is work wit# #is boss
breat#ing down #is ne%k
to wat%# sb +ery %losely *o$ten in an annoying
way,
%limb to t#e top o$ t#e%areer&%orporate ladder
Ha+ing %#ildren %an be an obsta%le $or women w#o wantto %limb *to t#e top o$, t#e %orporate ladder
to ad+an%e in a %ompany by being promoted tot#e top
red tape !arks +isa appli%ation was #eld up $or six mont#sbe%ause o$ red tape
rules and regulations t#at pre+ent you $roma%#ie+ing st# easily
gi+e sb $ree rein W#en #is $at#er died' !ark was gi+en $ree rein to dow#ate+er #e liked wit# t#e $amily business
to gi+e sb $ull %ontrol o$ st#
t#e be/all/and/end/all 7etting into Har+ard 2aw ;%#ool be%ame t#e be/all/and/end/all o$ "onys existen%e
t#e only t#ing t#at matters st# so good t#at itwill end t#e sear%# $or st# better
blow st# out o$ proportion "#e media blew t#e story out o$ proportion exaggerate st# to make st# seem mu%# moresigni
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