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About time:
Nearly time, high time. "It's about time you bought a new car!"
Absence makes the heart grow fonder:
Proerb that means that our feeling for those we loe increases when we are aart from
them.
#o$ act high and mighty:
#o act roudly and arrogantly.
Actions seak louder than words:
Proerb meaning that's it's better to do something about a roblem than to talk about it.
#o$ act one's age:
#o behae in a more mature way. %re&uently said to a child or teen. e. "(ill, sto throwing
rocks! Act your age!"
#o$ add fuel to the fire:#o make a bad roblem een worse.
#o$ add insult to in)ury:
#o make a bad situation een worse.
Against the clock:
#o attemt to do something "against the clock" is to attemt to do something as fast as
ossible usually before a deadline.
All*out:
+omlete. ery strong. "#hey did an all*out search for the missing boy and they found him."
All set:
-eady to go$. "All set"
All thumbs:
Awkward. +lumsy.
A little bird told me:
/hen someone says "a little bird told me" it means they don't want you to know who told
them.
All in a day's work:
#yical. Normal. 0ected. e. "#alking to famous celebrities is all in a day's work for some
1ollywood reorters."
%rom$ all walks of life:
%rom$ all social, economic, and ethnic grous. e. "Peole from all walks of life oted for
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him, but he still lost the residential election."
Ale of someone's eye:
2omeone's faorite erson and sometimes thing$. e. "2arah was the ale of #om's eye
for &uite a long time. 1e was ery much in loe with her."
Armed to the teeth:
1eaily armed. e. "#he rebels were armed to the teeth."
At all hours of the night$:
ery late at night, throughout the night. e. "1er boyfriend would call her at all hours of the
night."
At each other's throats:
%ighting or arguing heaily. e. "#hey were at each other's throats. #he arguments neer
stoed."
At this stage:
At this oint. e. "At this stage, it's difficult to say who will win the election."
a$ ball*ark figure:
A rough estimate. "+an you gie me a ball*ark figure of what this ro)ect will cost"
#o get on the$ bandwagon:
#o begin to like something3start doing something because it's oular, "hi", or eeryone
else is doing it.
#o$ bank on something:
#o count or rely on something.
#o$ bark u the wrong tree:
#o ask the wrong erson. #o make the wrong choice. e. "#he gangster told the cos they
were barking u the wrong tree in thinking he was resonsible for the robbery."
(A) basket*case:
A ery nerous erson, someone at the erge of being neurotic. e. "All the stress
from the diorce turned 4ohn into a basket case."
#o$ be a fan of someone3 something:
#o like, idoli5e, admire someone3 or something. e. "I'm not a big fan of heay metal
music."
#o$ be a in one's element:
#o be comletely comfortable doing something6 #o do something that comes ery
naturally to someone. e. "/hen it comes to seaking in ublic, the 2enator is in his
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element."
#o$ be u to no good:
#o be lanning something bad, mischieous, etc. e. "I could tell from the look in his
eyes that he was u to no good."
#o$ beat around the bush:
#o aoid getting to the oint. e. "2to beating around the bush and tell me what
you really think."
#o$ beg to differ:
A olite way of saying "to disagree", most often heard in the hrase "I beg to differ!"
(ehind someone$
In the ast. "I used to smoke, drink, and take drugs, but all that is behind me now."
(eliee it or not:
7sed at the beginning sentence to state that something is true whether one chooses
to beliee it or not. e. "(eliee it or not, I still care for her."
(ig fish in a little sea:
A erson who's famous3 well*known but only in an unimortant lace city or area$.
#o hae a$ big mouth:
#o not be able to kee a secret. e. "8on't tell her anything. 2he's got a really big
mouth."
(ig*shot noun3ad)ectie$:
An imortant erson. e. "All the big*shots at head&uarters neer listen to what we
hae to say."6 "A big*shot reorter."
A$ (imbo:
A foolish3emty girl. #he term "male bimbo" is also used. e. "4ohn only talks about
his car and his clothes * he's a real male bimbo."
#he$ birds and the bees:
2e. 1uman reroduction. e. "It's about time I talked to my son about the birds
and the bees."
A$ bite to eat:
A snack, some food. e. "9et's go grab a bite to eat before we go to the game."
#o$ bite the hand that feeds you:
#o do harm to someone who hels you.
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#o$ bite one's tongue:
#o struggle not to say something that you want to say. e. "I wanted to tell her
eerything, but I had to bite my tongue because I had romised (ill I would not tell
her$."
(lack shee of the family$:#he worst, least acceted member of a family.
A$ (last:
A great time. A fun time. "/e had a blast at the arty last night."
#o$ blow someone's coer:
#o reeal someone's secret, or true identity. e. "#he sy was ery careful not to
blow her coer."
#o$ break een:
#o neither win nor lose. e. "ichael thought he would lose ;<==, but he ended ubreaking een."
#o$ break new ground:
#o do something that hasn't been done before. #o innoate. e. "8r. 8ais was
breaking new ground in cancer research."
#o$ break someone's heart:
#o cause someone strong$ emotional ain. e. "%iona broke 4ames' heart when she
refused to marry him."
#o$ break the news to someone3 to break "it" to someone:#o tell someone some imortant news, usually bad news. e. "I hate to be the one to
break it to you, but your wife has been cheating on you."
#o$ burst into tears:
#o start crying suddenly.
#o$ catch someone's eye:
#o get someone's attention through eye contact.
#o$ call it a day:
#o end work and go home. e. "9et's call it a day. It's getting late."
#o$ carry a tune:
#o be able to sing on key accurately$. "2he has an awful oice! 2he can't carry a tune."
#o$ cash in on something:
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/hateer haens. No matter what haens.
+oycat noun or ad)ectie$
2omeone who imitates3mimics another erson Bnot really used in a ositie senseB
#o$ coer a lot of ground:#o go through a lot of information. "/e'e coered a lot of ground in my 0nglish class in the
ast two months."
#o$ coer for someone:
#o make ecuses for someone or to conceal someone's errors.
At the$ crack of dawn:
-ight at dawn when the sun comes u$. "/e left at the crack of dawn."
#o$ crash:
#o slee. #o go to bed.
#o$ cram someone's style:
#o limit someone in some way. #o limit someone from eressing themseles fully.
#o$ cry one's eyes out:
#o cry hard. e. "/hen her grandfather died, she cried her eyes out for three days straight."
#o$ cut class:
#o not go to class. #o ski going to class. "4acob was a ery bad student. 1e was always
cutting class to go smoke with his buddies."
#o$ cut loose:
#o act or seak freely, without holding back C without restraint$. "/hen the three of us
are together we really cut loose."
A$ cut aboe something$:
2uerior3 better than something$. "#he commerical said that this car comany is 'a cut
aboe the rest'."
#o$ die of boredom:
#o be ery bored.
A$ dead ringer:
A look*alike. "1e's a dead ringer for 4ude 9aw" 1e looks eatly like 4ude 9aw$.
8irt chea:
ery chea ineensie$. "#he hotel we stayed in was dirt chea, but our room was ery
nice."
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dream come true."
8own in the dums:
2ad. 8eressed.
#o$ dum someone: ery informal$#o end a relationshi with someone6 to break u with someone. #o sto seeing someone
romantically$. "2he dumed me."
0arful:
a strong erbal scolding. e. "Eatie's father really gae her an earful when she came home
at F A."
0asy:Not so fast. +alm down! e. "0asy! 8on't eat so fast!"
As$ easy as ie:
ery easy.
0asy come, easy go:
P-?0-(. 2aid to elain the loss of something that was ery easily obtained in the first
lace. 0asy*going:
#olerant. 9aid*back. -elaed.
#o$ eat one's heart out:
#o be enious or )ealous. e. "0at your heart out %rank, I'm going to Paris!"
#o$ eat out of someone's hands:
#o do whateer someone else wants. e. "4ames would do anything for icky. 2he had him
eating out of her hands."
#o$ eat one's words:
#o admit that what one said was wrong. e. "Dou think I won't be able to find work in one
week I'm going to make you eat your words."
0lbow room:
0nough sace room$ to feel comfortable.
0nough is enough:
#hat is enough and there should be no more.
#o$ enter one's mind:
#o cross one's mind. #o start thinking about something. "Dou want me to become a doctor
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#he thought neer een entered my mind."
0erything but the kitchen sink:
Almost eerything one can think of.
0ery so often:?nce in while. ?ccasionally.
0ery other:
0ery second. Alternate. e. "In 9os Angeles, eery other erson is an actor."
0ecting:
Pregnant.
#o$ face the music:
#o accet the unleasant$ conse&uences of what you hae done.
#o$ fall flat on one's face$:
#o fail. #o be unsuccessful. e. "#he lay fell flat on its face."
%air*weather friend
A erson who is only your friend when things are going well for you.
#o$ feel like a new erson:
#o feel refreshed, re)uenated.
#o$ fall into lace:
#o become organi5ed. #o fit together. e. "?nce I started meditating, eerything in my life
began to fall into lace."
#o$ fall short:
#o lack something. e. "/e tried to raise fifty thousand dollars, but we fell short by about
ten thousand."
A$ falling out:
A disagreement3break in a friendshi. e. "/e had a falling out oer what she said."
A$ far cry:
ery different often in a worse way$. e. "#his wine is nice, but it's a far cry from the wine
we had yesterday."
#o$ feel like a new erson:
#o feel refreshed, re)uenated.
#o$ feel out of lace:
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#o feel like you don't belong. e. "/e went to ary's arty last night. #here were many
strange eole there and I felt a little out of lace, so we left."
A$ %ifth wheel:
7seless, out of lace, unnecessary. "#here were only coules there... I felt like a fifth
wheel."
#o$ fill someone's shoes:
#o relace someone. #o do something someone else used to do. e. "+athy has been
working here for <= years. It's going to be hard to find someone to fill her shoes."
A$ fine line:
Not much difference. e. "2ometimes there's a fine line between loe and infatuation."
%irst and foremost:
%irst and most imortantly.
%irst thing:
(efore anything else. e. "+all me first thing tomorrow morning."
#o$ fish for a comliment:
#o try ery hard to get a comliment from someone.
#o$ fi someone some food * like cocoa, oatmeal, etc.$:
#o reare some food$ for someone. "I'll fi you a cu of cocoa."
%lat broke:
ery oor. 1aing absolutely no money.
#o$ follow one's heart:
#o act according to your feelings3 emotions. e. "I couldn't decide what to do so I )ust
followed my heart."
%ood for thought:
2omething to think about.
A$ fork in the road:
A oint when a road slits in two directions.
%ree and easy:
+asual. Not ery serious. e. "2arah was looking for a free and easy relationshi."
A$ fresh air of eyes:
A new reader, someone who hasn't seen something before. e. "1ey can you come check
out this reort /e need a fresh air of eyes."
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A$ full late:
A busy schedule. e. "ark can you hel me with this ro)ect Not really, I'e got a full
late right now."
%un and games:
Playing around. #ime sent doing worthless things. e. "?E, Neil, the fun and games areoer. It's time to get down to work."
#o$ get a moe on:
#o go or do something &uickly, to get going, etc. e. "1ey if we want to make the G:== P
show we should get a moe on."
#o$ get carried away:
#o eaggerate3 go too far3 to become emotional. e. "I got carried away. I bought =
shirts!" "2he got carried away when she started talking about the war."
#o$ get caught u:
#o become inoled, esecially emotionally. e. "I )ust got caught u in his lan and
couldn't think straight."
#o$ get cold feet:
#o become timid or frightened. e. "I usually get cold feet when I hae to seak in ublic."
#o$ get down to business:
#o start working seriously. e. "0nough laying around * let's get down to business."
#o$ get that all the time:
#o hear something constantly. e. "1ey, you really look like (rad Pitt! Deah, I get that all
the time."
#o$ get one's foot in the door
#o get started in a rocess. #o attain a faorable osition which will hel one work toward a
goal. e. "I'm trying to find a better )ob, but I can't get my foot in the door. #o$ get one's
fill of something:
#o hae enough of something. #o hae a lot of something. e. "2he's had her fill of trouble
lately."
#o$ get on someone's neres:
#o annoy someone. #o bother or irritate someone.
#o$ get rid of something3someone$:
#o eliminate. #o throw away. #o hide. e. "#his detergent gets rid of dirt better than any
other other one that I'e used.", ">et rid of the cigarette * your mother's coming!"
#o$ get something off one's chest:
#o say something that has been on your mind. #o say something that has been bothering
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you. "8id you tell her about 1awaii Des, and I felt much better once I got that off my
chest."
#o$ get the blues:
#o become sad or deressed.
#o$ get something straight:
#o clarify something. #o understand something clearly.
#o$ gie someone a call:
#o call someone on the telehone$.
#o$ gie someone the benefit of the doubt:
#o beliee in someone desite information that makes them seem guilty of something. e.
"1ey, don't beliee the rumors * gie him the benefit of the doubt."
#o$ gie someone a iece of one's mind:#o bawl someone out. #o let someone know how one really feels. "After that drier took my
arking sot, I really gae him a iece of my mind."
A$ go*getter:
an aggressie emloyee, a hard worker. "4im is a real go*getter. 1e's always taking the
initiatie."
#o$ go 8utch:
/hen a grou of eole go out and eeryone ays for him3herself.
#o$ go oerboard:#o do too much. #o eaggerate. "#hey really went oerboard with the arty rearations."
#o$ go u in flames:
#o burn. #o be consumed in flames.
#o$ go oer something with a fine toothed comb:
#o go oer something ery carefully, es. checking for errors. "1ere's the reort * ake
sure to go oer it with a fine toothed comb."
#o$ go to someone's head:
#o make someone oerly conceited or roud. e. "#hat award that he won really went to hishead."
#o$ a golden oortunity:
A good chance to succeed, a good inestment. e. "I didn't hae money to buy that
restaurant. I missed a golden oortunity."
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1alf*baked:
%oolish.
1and*me*down:
7sually said of clothing that has been assed on from one erson to another. e. "A hand*
me*down dress."
1ands down:
0asily. (y far. e. "2he is hands down the most beautiful girl in class."
1ang on:
(e reared for fast and3or rough moement.
#o$ hang on someone's eery word:
#o listen ery carefully to someone. e. ">randa was telling a story and the kids were
hanging on his eery word."
#o$ hate someone's guts:
#o hate someone ery much. #o$ hae a big mouth:
#o be a gossier. #o be a erson who can't kee a secret. e. "8on't tell her anything! 2he
has a big mouth."
#o$ hae a lot going for someone$:
#o hae a lot of good things in one's life. #o hae many things working to one's benefit. e.
"2he has a lot going for her * she's smart, she's attractie, she has a good )ob, etc."
#o$ hae a sweet tooth:
#o loe to eat candy or other sweets.
#o$ hae an edge:
#o hae an adantage.
#o$ hae mied feelings about something$:
#o be unsure or uncertain about something.
#o$ hae one's hands full:
#o be busy, occuied with some kind of actiity, work, etc. e. "I hae my hands full with
my three children."
#o$ hae one's heart set on something:
#o really want something to haen. #o eect something to haen. e. "4ulie has her
heart set on going to 9ondon this summer."
A$ hit:
A oular song or film. e. "Titanic was a hit moie$."
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In erfect condition not used for eole$.
In no mood to do something:
#o not feel like doing something. #o not want to do something. e. "I'm in no mood to cook
dinner tonight."
In season:
+urrently aailable for selling often said of fresh fruit and egetables$. e. "#omatoes are
ery chea now because they're in season."
In stock:
Aailable for urchase, as in goods in a store. e. "8o you hae any more of these books in
stock No, I'm sorry we don't."
In the air:
0erywhere. All around.
In the long run:
?er a long eriod of time. 7ltimately. e. "1e smokes a lot now, and I'm afraid that in the
long run it will cost him his health."
In the same boat:
In the same situation usually negatie$.
In and out:
+oming in and going out often. e. "2he's been in and out all day."
In with:%riendly with. %riends with. e. "At high school he was in with the wrong crowd. #hat's why
he always got in trouble."
In adance:
Ahead of time.
4am*acked:
ery crowded. e. "#he stadium was )am acked on 2aturday."
#o$ )am on the brakes:
#o hit3 ste on the brakes suddenly to sto the car.
4ack*of*all*trades:
A erson who knows how to do a lot of different things.
#o$ )um all oer someone3 )um down someone's throat:
#o critici5e or blame someone. e. "As soon as I brought u going out with my friends, she
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anyone about your time in rison. Eee it to yourself."
#o$ kee track of:
#o maintain a record of. e. "I don't know where all my money goes. It's hard to kee track
of my eenses."
A$ ket man3woman:
2omeone who is in a relationshi where the other erson ays for eerything. e.
"2tehen's girlfriend always ays for eerything. 1e's such a ket man."
#o$ kick back:
#o rela.
#o$ kick oneself:
#o regret.
#o$ kill time:#o waste time.
Enock it off!:
2to it!
Enock on wood:
A hrase said to cancel out imaginary$ bad luck.
#o$ know something inside*out:
#o know something comletely and thoroughly. e. "9et me show you around * I know this
neighborhood inside*out."
#o$ know the score:
#o know the facts. #o know how things go.
Enow*it*all:
A erson who acts like they know eerything. e. "-obert is so conceited! Deah, he's a real
know*it*all."
(A) lady*killer:
A handsome man6 a man who charms women. #his does N?# mean "killer of ladies!"
:$
9ast but not least:
9ast in order but not last in imortance. e. "9ast but not least I'd like to thank my
arents."
9ast ditch ad).$:
%inal Bhas a slight connotation of "deserate"B$. e. "#hey made a last*ditch effort
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to win the game, but came u short."
#o$ lay a finger on someone:
#o touch someone een ery slightly. e. "If you so much as lay a finger on him, you
will be in trouble."
#o$ lay low:
200 "Eee a low rofile"
#o$ leae a bad taste in someone's mouth:
#o leae a negatie imression on someone.
#o$ leae someone high and dry:
#o leae someone helless. e. "8on't leae me high. 8on't leae me dry." *
-adiohead
#o$ leae someone in eace3 alone:#o sto bothering someone. e. "9eae me alone! I don't want to talk to anyone."
#o$ let off steam:
#o release energy or anger. e. "ictor went drinking, and got into a fight. #hat's
?E, he's )ust letting off a little steam."
#o$ let someone off the hook:
#o release someone from resonsibility. e. "Natalie said she didn't want to wash the
dishes, but her mom didn't let her off the hook."
#o$ let something slide:#o neglect something. #o ignore something. e. "I'm going to let it slide this time,
but net time be more careful!"
A$ lift:
A ride. e. "2he gae me a lift to the airort."
9ittle by little:
2lowly, gradually. e. "9ittle by little she started to like liing in New Dork +ity."
A$ little off:
Not &uite een, normal. e. "#here was something a little off about the way she wasbehaing."
#o$ lock horns:
#o argue. #o hae a disute. #o disagree.
#o$ look the other way:
#o ignore something on urose. e. "In some countries, customs officials can be
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aid to look the other way."
A$ long shot:
2omething that has a slim small$ chance of haening. "#hey might win, but it's a
long*shot."
#o$ lose someone$:
#his is often used when someone is chasing someone ?- being chased by someone.
If you're being chased by someone and you manage to get away you can say * "I
lost him!" * #he erson chasing you can say the same thing * "I lost him" :$
#o$ lose one's temer:
#o become angry.
#o$ lose one's train of thought:
#o forget what one was thinking3 talking about. e. "/hat was I saying I lost my
train of thought."
9ost in thought:
(usy thinking.
#o$ lower one's oice:
#o talk more softly. e. "9ower your oice, my arents are aslee."
A$ lucky break:
>ood luck, good fortune. e. "I was suosed to seak at the meeting today, but I
found out it was cancelled. /hat a lucky break!"
#o$ make a beeline for:
#o head directly to. e. "/heneer he comes into the cafeteria, he makes a beeline for the
fried shrim."
#o$ make a bundle:
#o make a lot of money one time$. "I made a bundle when I sold my icrosoft stock last
month."
#o$ make a long story short:
#o bring a story to an end6 #o sum things u.
#o$ make a ass at someone:
#o make romantic adances. #o "hit on". e. "Earl was fired because he made a ass at his
co*worker %iona."
#o$ make beliee:
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#o retend. e. "/hen your friends come, let's make beliee C retend$ we don't know
each other."
#o$ make ends meet:
#o hae enough money to ay one's basic eenses6 to )ust to get by. "#his town is so
eensie that it's hard to make ends meet sometimes."
#o$ make good money:
#o make a lot of money regularly$. e. "2hawn doesn't like his )ob, but he makes good
money."
#o$ make light of something:
#o treat something as if it were triial or unimortant. e. "8on't make light of the situation
* it's more serious than you think."
#o$ make life miserable for someone:
#o cause someone lots of roblems. e. "Patricia's boss is making life miserable for her."
#o$ make u one's mind:
#o make a decision. e. "I'e made u my mind * I'm moing to +osta -ica."
#o$ make oneself at home:
#o feel as comfortable as one would being at home. "8uring your isit )ust make yourself at
home."
#o$ make someone's head sin:
#o make someone di55y or disoriented. e. "All that alcohol made my head sin."
#o$ make something from scratch:
#o make something by starting with the basic ingredients. e. "8id you bake that cake No,
I made it from scratch."
#o$ meet someone halfway:
#o comromise with someone. e. "#hey settled the argument by deciding to meet each
other halfway."
#o$ mention something in assing:
#o mention something casually.
#he$ middle of nowhere:
A ery isolated lace. "?ur car broke down in the middle of nowhere. #he nearest town was
== miles away!"
#o$ mind one's own business:
Not to interfere3 get inoled in the business of others. "2ometimes it's best to mind your
own business."
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oney talks:
1aing money hels one get things done.
#here's$ more than meets the eye:
ore comlicated3more interesting. "#here's more than meets the eye when it comes toaria C aria is more interesting or comlicated, deending on the contet$ than she
aears."
#o$ moe u in the world:
#o increase one's standing socially, etc. #o become successful.
A$ ust:
Necessary. "In 9os Angeles, haing a car is a must."
neck and neck:ery close almost een$, as in a race. "#he two candidates were running neck and neck a
month before the election."
neck of the woods:
Area. Part of a country. e. "/hat's haening in your neck of the woods"
#o$ need a hand:
#o need hel.
Neither here nor there:
Not releant. e. All of a sudden he started talking about his car * a toic which was neither
here nor there.
Nest egg:
2aed money.
Neer mind:
8on't worry about it. e. "8id you ick u my hotos Neer mind, I'll do it myself
tomorrow."
#o$ ni something in the bud:
#o end something at an early stage.
No laughing matter:
A ery serious matter. e. "1ey, why are you smiling #his is no laughing matter!"
No icnic:
Not easy. ery difficult and roblematic. e. "9et me tell you, driing in that snowstorm was
no icnic."
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No rush:
Dou don't hae to hurry. e. "8o you want this done by this eening No, there's no rush *
you can finish it tomorrow."
No skin off my nose:I don't care because it doesn't affect me.
No sweat:
No roblem.
No wonder:
It's not surrising. e. "1e only slet for two hours last night No wonder he's so tired."
#o$ not be born yesterday:
#o be eerienced, knowledgeable. e. "?f course I know that trick! I wasn't born
yesterday."
Not in the least:
Not at all. e. "/ere you surrised that he failed the %+0 Not in the least."
Not likely:
Probably will not haen. e. "Dou think >eorge will learn a lesson from this Not likely."
Not much of:
Pretty bad. e. "1e's not much of a cook, but at least he tries."
Now and then:?ccasionally.
?dd man out:
An unusual or atyical erson or thing$. e. "In a high school where eeryone was tough, I
was the odd man out."
?ff*color:
-ude. ulgar.
?ff*duty:
Not working at one's )ob. e. "the oliceman couldn't hel me because he was off*duty."
?ff the air:
No longer on # or the radio$. e. "#hey took that show off the air in Noember because
nobody watched it."
?ff the hook:
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No longer haing to do something, no longer blamed or under susicion. e. "?k, you're off
the hook. Dour brother says he'll clean the bathroom."
?ff the record:
7nofficially.
?ff the to of one's head:
2ontaneously. /ithout thinking too much. "1ow many cafes are there in this town ?ff the
to of my head I can think of about ."
?n one's mind:
?ccuying someone's thoughts. (eing thought about. e. "Dou were always on my mind."
#o do something$ on one's own accord:
/illingly, without anyone forcing one to do something. "8id you make him aoligi5e No,
he did it on his own accord."
?n second thought:
1aing gien something more thought. e. "?n second thought, maybe you should sell your
house and moe into an aartment."
?n the go:
(usy. oing around busily. e. "4im is always on the go. 1e can neer find time to talk to
me."
?n the house:
2omething that is gien away free by a merchant. "1ow much for the ale 8on't worry *
It's one the house!"
?n the loose:
ost often used seaking about criminals$ * free6 uncatured6 "#he bank robbers are still
on the loose."
?n the ti of one's tongue:
About to be said. Almost remembered.
?n the wagon:
Not drinking alcohol. e. "1ey let's go out for a coule of beers tonight. I can't * I'm on the
wagon."
?nce in a while:
?ccasionally.
?ther side of the tracks
#he oorer art of a town.
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?ut cold:
7nconscious. e. "#he boer was out cold."
?ut of sorts:
Not &uite oneself6 In a bad3strange mood. e. "#om has been out of sorts recently."
(A) ain in the butt:
A roblematic erson3thing. +hronic comlainer. "I hate doing my taes. It's such a
ain in the butt." "2to being such a ain in the butt * all you do is comlain!"
#o$ ass the buck:
#o blame someone else.
#o$ ass the time:
#o do something to kee busy. "/hat do you do to ass the time around here"
A$ at on the back:
A sign of aroal * "#o gie someone a at on the back" means to show them that
you aroe of something that they did.
#o$ ay an arm and a leg3 ay a fortune:
#o ay a lot of money. e. "I hate to hae to ay an arm and a leg for a tank of
gas."
A$ eeing #om
2omeone who looks through eole's windows.
A$ iece of cake:
ery easy. e. "1ey how did you do on the test >ood * it was a iece of cake for
me."
#o gie someone$ a iece of one's mind:
#o scold, rerimand someone for something they did$. e. "After I found out how
badly Peter had treated his girlfriend, I gae him a iece of my mind."
#o$ itch in:
#o hel with something esecially financially$. e. "9et's all itch in and buy him a
nice resent."
#o$ ick u the tab:
#o ay a bill. e. "4ohn, you icked u the tab last time * 9et me ay this time."
#o$ lay second fiddle to someone:
#o be second in imortance to someone. e. "2am didn't )oin the team because they
already had a star and 2am didn't wanted to lay second fiddle to anyone."
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#o$ lay something by ear:
#o imroise. #o see how things go and make a decision later. e. "/hat do you
want to do tonight I don't know, let's )ust lay it by ear."
#o$ lay it safe:
#o act or be safe. #o do something safely.
#o$ lay the field:
#o date many different eole instead of going steady. "After ary broke u with
4im, she started laying the field."
A$ oker face:
A face with no eression. Also common is "to be oker*faced."
reachy:
An ad)ectie that describes someone or something$ that tries to reach how one
should lie, etc. eg. "A reachy moie"
Pressed for time:
In a hurry.
#o$ romise someone the moon:
#o romise someone lots of etraagant things unrealistically$. e. "1e romised
her the moon, but couldn't delier on any of his romises."
#o$ uke:
#o omit. #o throw u.
#o$ ull someone's leg:
#o kid, lay a )oke on someone.
#o$ ull a fast one:
#o cheat or to deceie.
Pure gold:
If something is "ure gold" it is "the best", "fantastic", "ama5ing".
#o$ ush one's luck:
#o eect continued good fortune.
#o$ ut u a good fight:
#o try ery hard. e. "/ell, although my team lost, they ut u a good fight, so I'm
not uset."
Juite a few:
any. e. "#here were &uite a few eole at the concert yesterday."
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Juite a bit:
A lot.
As$ &uiet as a mouse:
ery &uiet.
Juick on the utake:
Juick to understand.
Juick and dirty:
%ast and simle, not ery sohisticated.
#o$ rack one's brain:
#o try ery hard to think of something. e. "I racked my brain but I couldn't remember his
name."
#o$ rain cats and dogs:
#o rain ery hard. e. "It was raining cats and dogs last night." N(: BAlthough this is a fun
idiom, in our oinion it is A-+1AI+ C it's best to say "It was raining ery heaily" insteadB
-ain or shine:
No matter what the weather is like.
#o$ raise some$ eyebrows:
#o shock. e."#he art show raised some eyebrows due to its elicit content."
A$ redneck:
>enerally refers to someone who has either bigoted or narrow*minded oinions. ?ften used
in the contet of eole who lie in small towns or in the country.
#o$ read between the lines:
#o try to understand what is meant by something that is not written3said clearly. "9inda
tried to be cheerful and said she was okay, but reading between the lines, I could see she
was really uset."
A$ regular guy:
A normal, aerage man said in a fairly ositie way$. "4ohn I don't know, I guess he's )ust
a regular guy."
#o$ rest one's case:
/hen someone says "I rest my case", it means that you both hae )ust witnessed roof that
their oint of iew3argument is correct.
-ight off the bat:
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-ight away. Immediately. %irst thing.
#o$ ring in the new year:
#o celebrate the beginning of the New Dear at midnight on 8ecember Kst.
#o$ ring a bell:#o remind, aguely recogni5e something. "1ae you eery listened to Ale +hilton I'm not
sure * the name rings a bell, though. C I think I'e heard the name before$" or "I'm sorry,
that doesn't ring a bell C I'm sorry I don't recogni5e3know that"
A$ ri*off or #o$ ri*off:
"A" ri*off is something that costs more than it should. "#he ocorn rices at the moie
theater are a ri*off". "#o" ri someone off means to steal from someone, or to cheat
someone. "#he mechanic ried me off. 1e was suosed to gie me back a <= and he only
gae me back =."
#o$ risk one's neck to do something$:#o risk sometimes hysical$ harm to accomlish something. e. "1e's always been ery
mean to me. I don't lan to risk my neck to sae his )ob."
#o$ rob the cradle:
#o go out with or marry$ someone who is much younger than you are. e. "ictor's new
wife is <L years younger than him. #alk about robbing the cradle!"
#o$ rock the boat:
#o disturb an otherwise stable situation.
-otten:(ad, nasty. "I'e done a lot of rotten things in the ast."
#o$ rub someone the wrong way:
#o irritate someone. e. "I'm not going out if your cousin is going. 2he really rubs me the
wrong way."
#o$ rub elbows with someone:
#o associate with someone. e. "/hen her singing career took off, Eathleen was able to rub
elbows with the rich and famous."
#o$ run a feer:#o hae a feer.
#o$ run in the family:
#o haen3 occur often in the family through generations$. e. "%rank is always so angry.
Deah, his bad temer runs in the family."
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2afe and sound:
2afe. 7nharmed. e. "It was a rough tri but we got there safe and sound."
#o$ sae money for a rainy day:
#o resere something for some future need. e. "I'e saed a little money for a rainy day."
#o$ sae the day:
#o roduce good results when bad results are eected. e. "+olin saed the day by
remembering to bring the ma."
A$ score to settle:
#o get een. #o ay someone back for something negatie that they did. e. "8on't sto
me. I hae a score to settle with him."
#o$ scratch the surface:
#o begin finding out about something.
2econd nature to someone$:
0asy and natural. "2coring goals is second nature to him."
#o$ see eye to eye on something:
#o hae a similar oinion on something. e. "8esite their differences, the two candidates in
fact see eye to eye on most issues."
#o$ see fit:
#o deem, beliee to be aroriate. e. "Dou can do that any way you see fit."
#o$ see the writing on the wall:#o see that something is going to haen.
#o$ sere someone right:
#o sere as aroriate unishment for someone. e. "#hey ut him in )ail for L years
2eres him right!"
#o$ set foot somewhere:
#o go or enter somewhere. e. "If I were you I wouldn't set foot in that town."
#o$ set one's sights on something:
#o select something as one's goal.
A$ shot in the arm:
A boost. "#he good financial news was a real shot in the arm for 2tee's comany."
#o$ sit on one's hands
#o do nothing.
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#o$ sit tight:
#o wait atiently$. e. "2it tight, your mother will be here soon."
2keletons$ in the closet:
A shocking3 disturbing secret.
#o$ slee on something:
#o think about something oernight. e. "I'm not sure if I want to buy this car. I think I
should slee on it."
#o$ stand u for something:
#o fight for, suort. e. "#he elected official romised to stand u for the oor."
#o$ stir u trouble:
#o cause trouble e. "2ometimes I think she gets great leasure from stirring u trouble."
2ucker:A gullible erson or someone who is easily imressed by something eg. "a sucker for
gadgets" C someone who is easily imressed by gadgets$
#o$ swallow something hook, line, and sinker:
2uit yourself:
1ae it your way6 As you wish6 "I wouldn't walk around that neighborhood at night, but if
you really want to, suit yourself." #o$ swallow something hook, line, and sinker:
#o beliee something usually a lie$ comletely. "argaret told him a flat*out C comlete
and utter$ lie and he swallowed it hook line and sinker."
#o$ take it:
#o endure trouble, criticism, or abuse. e. "2ay whateer you want about me, I can take it."
#ake it easy!
-ela! Also used in "to take it easy" C to rela, to send a day relaing, etc.$
#ake it or leae it:
#o accet it the way it is or to forget it. e. "#hat's my final offer. #ake it or leae it."
#o$ take it's toll:
#o cause damage or loss$. "#he long hours he uts in at work hae begun to take their toll
on his health."
#o$ take something3 someone for granted:
#o accet something3 someone without gratitude$ as a matter of course. e. "/e tend to
take a lot of things for granted."
#o$ take something lying down:
#o endure something unleasant without fighting back. e. "I'm not going to take this tye
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of treatment lying down!"
#o$ take something with a grain of salt:
Not to take something that someone says too seriously.
#o$ take someone under one's wing:#o rotect and teach$ someone. e. "Arthur took the new emloyee under his wing and
taught him eerything he knew."
#o$ take the ra for something$:
#o accet resonsibility, admit that one is guilty of something. "I thought that (ill was
resonsible, but his friend #om took the ra for the miu."
#o$ think straight:
#o think clearly. e. "I was so tired that I couldn't think straight."
#o$ throw someone for a loo:#o confuse or shock someone. e. "1is last comment really threw me for a loo... I had no
idea what he meant!"
#o$ tie the knot:
#o get married.
#o$ tighten one's belt
#o send less money. e. "After (ecky lost her )ob, we really had to tighten our belts for a
while."
#o sae his3her life:At all3 comletely. e. "2he can't sing to sae her life."
#old you so!:
(asically when someone says "told you so!", it's like saying "2ee * I was right!".
#ongue in cheek:
4oking. e. "Juentin made a tongue*in*cheek remark to his dad."
#o$ touch on something$:
#o mention3talk about. e. "8uring the meeting, we touched on the lans to rebuild the
school."
#rue to one's word:
Eeeing one's romise. e. "I wasn't sure he would ay me, but he turned out to be true to
his word."
#o$ try your luck
#o attemt something. #o try to see if you can do3win something. "I'm going to try my luck
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at the slot machines."
#o$ try someone's atience
#o do something annoying that may cause someone to lose atience.
#o$ turn a blind eye to something:#o ignore something and retend you did not see it. e. "#he usher turned a blind eye to
the boy who snuck into the theater."
#o$ turn one's back on something3someone$:
#o forget or ignore something3someone$ e. "Dou should neer turn your back on your
friends."
#o$ two*time someone
#o be in a relationshi and to hae another boyfriend3girlfriend without telling your first
boyfriend3girlfriend. "I dumed him when I found out he was two*timing me with ary."
7nder construction:(eing built or reaired. e. "#his road has been under construction for si months."
7nder fire:
(eing attacked. e. "#he soldiers came under fire when they aroached the city."
7nder the table:
Illegally. e. "any illegal immigrants try to find work under the table."
7nder the weather:
2ick. Ill. e. "I'm feeling a bit under the weather today."
7 and about:
-ecoered from an illness. e. "1ey it's nice to see you u and about. Dou must feel a lot
better."
7 for grabs
Aailable for anyone to try to get. e. "#he +hinese telecom market is still u for grabs."
7 in the air:
7ncertain. e. "1is future at this comany is u in the air."
7tight:+onseratie, nerous, nit*icky. "2to being so utight, rela a bit!"
7 to it:
+aable of, fit for. e. "8o you feel u to laying a game of tennis"
7 to one's neck in something:
ery much inoled in something. #o hae a lot of something. e. "I can't go out tonight.
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I'm u to my neck in work."
7 to ar:
eeting normal standards.
#o$ use eery trick in the book:#o use eery method ossible.
#o$ anish into thin air:
#o disaear without leaing a trace.
ariety is the sice of life:
Proerb meaning life is made more interesting by doing new or different things.
ery last:
#he last. e. "/e were able to buy the ery last tickets to the concert."
ery well:
?E. Agreed.
icious circle:
2e&uence of cause and effect with bad results. e. "1e had fallen into a icious circle of
drinking too much and then losing his )ob and then drinking een more."
/ait*and*see attitude:A sketical attitude. An attitude where someone will )ust wait and see what haens.
#o$ wait tables:
#o work as a waiter3 waitress in a restaurant.
#o$ wait on someone hand and foot:
#o sere someone ery well. #o do anything someone asks you. e. "I don't mind making
you coffee, but don't eect me to wait on you hand and foot!"
#o$ wash one's hands of someone3something:
#o end one's association with someone or something. e. "I washed my hands of #om. Iwanted nothing more to do with him."
/ashed*u:
No longer imortant3 in good form. "/hy do you hang out with that washed*u actor"
#o$ waste one's breath:
#o talk in ain. #o waste one's time talking.
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/ay to go!:
>ood )ob! +ongratulations! Bsometimes used sarcasticallyB$
/ear and tear:
8amage as a result of normal use. e. "#hey ut a lot of wear and tear on their truck duringtheir long road tri."
#o$ wear out one's welcome:
#o stay too long at an eent, at someone's house, etc.$ e. "9et's only stay with them for <
days * I don't want us to wear out our welcome."
/ell*off:
/ealthy. e. "1er arents are well*off."
/et blanket:
A erson who discourages others from haing fun.
/hat makes someone tick:
/hat motiates someone. e. "1e's such a mysterious guy. I don't &uite know what makes
him tick."
/hat's with someone$:
/hat's wrong with someone$. e. "/hat's with you Dou'e been acting strange all day!"
A$ whole lot:
A lot, too many. e. "#here aren't a whole lot of good restaurants in this neighborhood C
#here aren't too many good restaurants in this neighborhood"
#o be$ wide awake:
#o be comletely awake. "/ere you sleeing No, I was wide awake."
A$ wild goose chase:
A futile3hoeless ursuit. "/e thought he gae us a good lead, but it ended u being a wild
goose chase."
At one's$ wits' end:
If you're "at your wits' end" it means that you'e tried eerything to fi, sole a roblem or
to come u with a solution, and you're almost going cra5y from being unable to do this.
/ith no strings attached:
7nconditionally.
#o$ work out for the best.
#o work out in the best ossible way. e. "It seems bad now, but things will work out for the
best."
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M marks the sot:
#his is the eact sot.
Dear*round
?erating all year. e. "#his facility is oen year*round."
Des*man:
A erson who tries to be liked by agreeing with eerything said, esecially by a boss.
Dou bet!
Des! 2ure! I agree! No roblem!
Dou can say that again:
#hat is true stress on "that"$. e. "It sure is hot today! Dou can say that again!"
Dou can't teach an old dog new tricks:
A roerb meaning that old eole can't learn anything new.
Dou don't say:
7sed to show surrise at something that is being said. e. "Dou don't say! 1e was really
struck by lightning"
Dour guess is as good as mine:I don't know any better3 more than you know.
#o$ 5ero in on something:
#o aim or focus directly on something. e. "I would like to 5ero in on another imortant
issue."
#o$ 5onk out:
#o fall aslee.