| Idioms, with definitions or synonyms
| Examples
| Translation
|
| above board - honest, open
| His business dealings are above board.
| ,
|
| ad lib - improvise, interpolate
| The actor forgot his lines and ad libbed.
|
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| after all - in spite of the situation; nevertheless
| I knew it! After all, I was right! He returned to his hometown after all.
| -; ;
|
| against the grain - contrary to someone's feelings, principles
| His plan goes against the grain with her because she doesn't like cheating.
| - , ,
|
| all along - all the time
| I knew about his little secret all along.
| ;
|
| all ears - eager to listen
| I am all ears.
|
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| all of a sudden - suddenly
| All of a sudden, he refused to pay.
|
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| all the same - no difference
| If it's all the same to you, let's start at two.
| ;
|
| all thumbs - clumsy
| He can't fix anything, he's all thumbs.
| ,
|
| apple of one's eye - very dear, precious
| Her son is the apple of her eye.
| , ;
|
| apple of discord - subject of envy or quarrel
| This question is an apple of discord in our family.
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| as a rule - generally, usually
| As a rule, we offer a 5% discount.
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| as far as I know - if I have correct information
| As far as I know, he stayed home all day.
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| as far as someone / something is concerned - concerning; in reference to
| As far as I am concerned, both the book and the movie are good. As far as your report is concerned, we'll discuss it tomorrow.
| -, -
|
| as for / as to - concerning; in reference to
| As for me, you can always rely on my support. As for your report, we'll discuss it tomorrow.
| ;
|
| as well - also; too
| He knows math and physics as well.
| ;
|
| at all - (not) in the smallest degree
| He doesn't know French at all. I don't like it at all.
| ()
|
| at first sight - from the first glance; at once; at first glance
| It was love at first sight. At first sight, it seems easy to do.
| ; ;
|
| at odds with - in disagreement
| He is at odds with everyone!
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| at random - without order or plan
| He chose those places at random.
| ;
|
| at this point - at this time
| At this point, we can't turn back.
|
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| backseat driver - a passenger who tells you how to drive
| His wife is a backseat driver always telling him how to drive.
| , ,
|
| ballpark figure - approximate estimate (in figures)
| I can give you only a ballpark figure at this time.
| ( )
|
| bark up the wrong tree - make a false assumption or wrong choice
| The detective was sure he got a suspect, but he was barking up the wrong tree.
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| be about to do something - be close to doing something; be on the verge of doing something
| I was about to leave when you called. I was about to open the door, but something stopped me.
| -; -
|
| be all in - be extremely tired
| I'm all in, I'd better go to bed now.
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| be back on one's feet - be healthy again or better financially
| He's back on his feet after a long period of debt and unemployment.
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| be behind the times - be old-fashioned, outdated
| Some of the managers here are behind the times; their methods are not modern.
| ; ,
|
| be beside oneself - be very upset, nervous, worried
| She was beside herself with worry / with grief.
| ,
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| be beside the point - be off the point
| What I said to him privately is beside the point.
| ;
|
| be better off - be in a better situation (financially)
| He'll be better off with a new job.
| ()
|
| be broke - have no money at all; be penniless, bankrupt
| I spent all my money, I'm broke.
| ; ;
|
| be cut out to be someone; be cut out for it - have the ability to do something
| He is cut out to be a leader. She isn't cut out to be a surgeon. She isn't cut out for it.
| -
|
| be hard on something or someone - treat roughly
| My son is hard on shoes; they don't last long with him. Life was pretty hard on Tom.
| - -
|
| be high on one's list - be one of the most important things
| A new car is high on my list of priorities. A new TV is not high on my list.
| ;
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| be in charge of something - be responsible for
| He is in charge of marketing.
| -
|
| be in good health - be healthy
| She is in good health.
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| be in poor health - be not healthy
| She is in poor health.
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| be in good shape - be physically fit
| He is in good shape because he exercises regularly.
| ;
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| be in bad shape - be in bad state
| The patient is in bad shape. His affairs are in bad shape.
| , ,
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| be in the red - be in debt
| Our sales were in the red last year.
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| be on one's way
| I'm on my way.
| : .
|
| be on the point of something, be at the point of something - be on the verge of something; be close to doing something
| He was on the point of death two years ago. She was on the point of telling him the truth, but his words stopped her.
| -; -
|
| be out of date - be outdated
| This information is out of date.
|
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| be out of sorts - be in bad temper
| Leave him alone, he's out of sorts today.
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| be pressed for time, for money - not to have enough time, money
| I'm pressed for time now. We are pressed for money at the moment.
| , .
|
| be to blame - be responsible for a mistake, for something wrong
| Who is to blame for this awful mistake? Tom is to blame for this mix-up.
| ,
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| be touch and go - risky; dangerous; uncertain of the result
| He was very sick, and for some time it was touch and go, but he is better now.
| , ; ; ,
|
| be up and around / about - able to be out of bed after an illness
| He was sick for a month, but now he is up and around.
| ;
|
| be up to one's ears in (work) - be very busy
| I'm up to my ears in work.
| (, )
|
| beat around the bush; beat about the bush - avoid giving a clear or definite answer
| Stop beating around the bush! Get to the point!
|
|
| beat one's brains out - make great efforts, often unsuccessfully
| He beats his brains out at work, but his boss doesn't even notice his hard work.
| ( )
|
| before long - soon
| He will understand before long what a terrible mistake he has made.
| ,
|
| big shot - important person
| He is a big shot around here.
|
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| bite off more than one can chew - try to do more than one can
| I couldn't handle two jobs and family. I really bit off more than I could chew.
| ;
|
| bite the bullet - accept painful but necessary action
| Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and to do what's necessary to do.
| ,
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| bite the dust - die; be killed; suffer defeat
| Many of them bit the dust in that war.
| ; ;
|
| bite the hand that feeds one - repay kindness with evil
| She is so ungrateful! She is biting the hand that feeds her!
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| black sheep - a good-for-nothing member of the family
| Their second son is the black sheep of the family; he is good for nothing.
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| blind date - a meeting between a man and a woman (who have never met before) arranged by their friends
| She refuses to go on a blind date again because she had bad experience.
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| blow it - lose the chance
| He understood that he blew it.
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| bottom line - main result; main factor
| The bottom line is, I don't have enough money.
| ;
|
| break someone's heart - hurt deeply
| The news of her death broke his heart.
| - ;
|
| break the ice - overcome shyness in making the first step
| The party was dull until someone broke the ice with a joke, and we all laughed.
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| break the news - tell new important facts
| CNN is breaking the news right now.
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| bring home the bacon - earn the living for the family
| He works very hard at several places to bring home the bacon.
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| by all means - definitely, certainly
| Do you need my help? - By all means.
| ,
|
| by heart - by memorizing
| Learn this poem by heart for tomorrow.
|
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| by hook or by crook - by any possible means
| She will get what she wants by hook or by crook.
| ,
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| by oneself (by myself, by himself, etc.) - alone; on one's own
| She spent the evening by herself. He did it all by himself.
| ;
|
| by the way - incidentally
| By the way, I found the book that you recommended.
|
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| call a halt to something - terminate, stop something
| His father called a halt to his activity.
| , -
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| call a spade a spade - use plain, direct words
| He always tells the truth and calls a spade a spade.
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| call it a day - consider work finished for the day
| We've been working for ten straight hours. Let's call it a day.
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| call the shots - give orders; be in control of something
| He calls the shots in this company.
| , -
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| call the tune - give orders; be the most important person in some situation
| Since he was paying for it, he called the tune.
| ; -
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| carry weight - be important
| His advice always carries weight here.
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| castles in the air - daydreaming about success
| Instead of working hard, he spends time building castles in the air.
| ()
|
| catch someone's eye - attract attention
| This picture caught my eye.
| -
|
| catch one's breath - stop and rest
| I'm too tired to run further. I need to catch my breath.
| ;
|
| catch someone off guard - catch someone unprepared
| He caught me off guard with his question.
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| catch someone red-handed - find someone in the act of doing wrong
| The manager caught the boy red-handed when he was stealing cigarettes.
| ,
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| close call - a narrow escape; a bad thing that almost happened
| The speeding car almost hit the man. That was really a close call.
| - ,
|
| come to one's senses - act normally and reasonably again
| He finally came to his senses, began to work hard, and passed his exams.
| ;
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| come true - become reality
| His dream came true when he met Kate.
|
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| cross one's mind - occur to someone
| It never crossed my mind that he might be ill.
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| cut corners - 1. take a short-cut; 2. limit one's spending
| He ran fast, cutting corners where he could. I have to cut corners this week.
| 1. ; ; 2.
|
| do one's best - try very hard
| I did my best to help him in his work.
| ,
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| do one's bit - do what's needed
| I'll do my bit, you can count on me.
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| do someone good - be good for someone
| Fresh air and exercise will do you good
|
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| do something behind someone's back - do (harmful) things secretively
| I hate people who do things behind my back. He did it behind my back again.
| ()
|
| down to earth - practical
| He's quiet, sensible, and down to earth.
| ,
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| draw the line - set a limit; impose a restriction
| I draw the line at spending so much on food. He drew the line for her at $100 a day.
| ;
|
| duty calls - must fulfill obligations
| He said, "Duty calls", put on his coat, and left for work.
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| easier said than done
| It's easier said than done, but I'll try to do it.
| ,
|
| eat one's words - take back one's words
| He had to eat his words after her report.
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| even so - nevertheless; but
| I work hard. Even so, I like my job.
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| every now and then - occasionally
| Every now and then I visit my old aunt.
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| every other - every second one
| She washes her hair every other day.
| ;
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| fall in love (with) - begin to love
| Tom fell in love with Sue at first sight.
| ()
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| fall out of love - stop loving
| They soon fell out of love and divorced.
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| false alarm - untrue signal; untrue rumor
| I heard that he quit his job, but it was a false alarm.
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| a far cry from something - not nearly as good
| His second book wasn't bad, but it was a far cry from his first book.
| ,
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| feel it in one's bones - expect something bad to happen
| I feel it in my bones that something terrible is going to happen.
| ,
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| feel like doing something - want to do; be inclined to do something
| I feel like going for a walk. I don't feel like working now, I'm tired.
| -
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| few and far between - rare, scarce
| Her visits are few and far between.
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| find fault with someone or something - criticize; complain about
| He finds fault with everybody. She always finds fault with my cooking.
| - -;
|
| first things first - important things come before others
| First things first: how much money do we have to pay right away?
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| fly off the handle - get angry
| He flew off the handle and yelled at me.
| ()
|
| follow in someone's footsteps - do the same thing
| Igor followed in his father's footsteps. He became a doctor too.
| ;
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| foot the bill - pay the bill
| Her father footed the bill for the party.
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| for good - forever
| After her death he left town for good.
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| for the time being - for now; at this time
| For the time being, this house is all right for us.
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| frame of mind - mental state
| I can't do it in this frame of mind.
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| from A to Z - completely; from beginning to end
| He knows this town from A to Z.
| ;
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| from now on - now and in the future
| From now on I forbid you to go there.
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| from the word go - from the very beginning
| He was lying to all of us from the word go.
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| get a grip on oneself - take control of one's feelings
| Stop crying! Get a grip on yourself!
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| get carried away - get too excited and enthusiastic about something
| He got carried away with opening a store and lost most of his money.
| -
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| get cold feet - be afraid to do something
| He wanted to try it, but he got cold feet at the last moment.
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| get even with someone - have one's revenge
| I'll get even with him for everything!
| -
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| get in touch with someone - contact someone
| Get in touch with Mr. Smith for help.
| -
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| get lost - lose one's way
| She got lost in the old part of town.
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| Get lost! (slang) - Lay off!
| I don't want to see you again. Get lost!
| ! !
|
| get mixed up - get confused
| I got mixed up, went the wrong way, and got lost.
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| get off someone's back - stop bothering someone
| Stop bothering me! Get off my back!
| ; -
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| get one's foot in the door - get an initial opportunity; make the first step in something (e.g., in getting a job)
| Nina was able to get her foot in the door because her friend worked in that company.
| ; - (, )
|
| get on one's high horse - behave haughtily towards someone
| Every time I ask her to help me with typing, she gets on her high horse.
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| get out of hand - get out of control, beyond control
| If he gets out of hand again, call me right away. The situation is getting out of hand.
| -
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| get rid of someone or something - dispose of; discard
| He got rid of his old useless car.
| - -
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| get to the bottom of something - know deeply
| He usually gets to the bottom of things.
| -
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| get to the point - speak directly about the subject; come to the point
| Please get to the point, I don't have much time now.
| ;
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| Give me a break! - Stop it! Enough!
| Come on, stop it! Give me a break!
| ! !
|
| give someone a hand - help someone
| Can you give me a hand with cooking?
| -
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| give someone a lift; give someone a ride - take someone to some place by car
| Can you give me a lift to the bank? He gave her a ride in his new Porsche.
| - (-)
|
| give someone a piece of one's mind - criticize frankly
| She lost my umbrella again, so I gave her a piece of my mind about her carelessness.
| , ;
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| go back on one's word - break a promise
| First he said he would help me, but then he went back on his word.
| ,
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| go for it - make an attempt at something new; give it a try
| If I were you, I would go for it. Go for it! Give it a try!
| - ;
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| go from bad to worse - become much worse
| His business went from bad to worse.
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| go out of one's way - try very hard
| He goes out of his way to please her.
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| go to one's head - 1. make dizzy; 2. make too proud, conceited
| 1. Champagne went to her head right away. 2. His acting success went to his head.
| 1. ; 2. - .
|
| go to pieces - get very upset; fall apart
| She went to pieces when she heard it.
|
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| go with the flow - lead a quiet life
| She always goes with the flow.
| ;
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| have a ball - have a good time
| Yesterday we had a ball at the party.
|
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| have a bone to pick with someone - complain or discuss something unpleasant
| Mr. Brown, I have a bone to pick with you. My mail was lost because of you.
| -
|
| have a sweet tooth - love eating sweet things
| He has a sweet tooth.
| ;
|
| have a word with someone - talk to someone
| Can I have a word with you?
| -
|
| have words with someone - argue with someone
| I had words with my coworker today because he used my computer again.
| -
|
| have it in someone - have the ability
| Laura has it in her to be a good doctor.
|
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| have no business doing something - have no right to do something
| You have no business staying here without my permission.
| () ; .
|
| have one's back to the wall - be hard-pressed; on the defensive
| I had no choice, I had my back to the wall.
| , ;
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| have one's hands full - be very busy
| He has his hands full with hard work.
|
|
| have one's heart set on something - want something very much
| She has her heart set on going to New York. He has his heart set on Betty.
| -
|
| have pull - have influence
| Does he have pull with the director?
|
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| (not) have the heart to do something - (not) have the courage to do something unpleasant
| I don't have the heart to tell him that he wasn't accepted; he'll be so unhappy.
| ()
|
| hit the nail on the head - say exactly the right thing
| You hit the nail on the head when you said that!
| ;
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| (not) hold it against someone - (not) blame somebody for doing something
| I lost his book, but he doesn't hold it against me.
| () -
|
| Hold it! - Stop! Wait!
| Hold it! I forgot my key.
| ! !
|
| hold one's own - maintain oneself in a situation; behave as needed
| He can hold his own in any situation. We need men who can hold their own.
| ; -
|
| hold one's tongue - keep silent; refrain from speaking
| She can't hold her tongue at all.
| ; ;
|
| ill at ease - uncomfortable
| She felt ill at ease because of her cheap dress.
|
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| in advance - well before
| He told her about his plan in advance.
|
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| in a nutshell - in a few words
| In a nutshell, my plan is to buy land.
| ,
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| in care of - write to one person at the address of another person
| I'm going to stay at Tom's house in Chicago. Write to me in care of Tom Gray, 321 Main Street, Chicago, Illinois.
| ( )
|
| in cold blood - mercilessly
| He killed her in cold blood.
|
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| in fact - actually; in reality
| In fact, he works as a manager here.
| ;
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| in general - generally; generally speaking
| In general, he likes to be alone. He described the place only in general.
| ; ;
|
| in hot water - in trouble; in a difficult situation (especially with the law or one's superiors)
| He said a couple of unpleasant things about the boss's wife, and now he is in hot water.
| ; ( )
|
| in one's element - what one likes
| He's in his element when he's arguing.
|
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| in other words - using other words
| In other words, you left her when she needed your help.
|
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| in plain English - in simple, frank terms
| I didn't really like the concert. In plain English, the concert was terrible.
| ;
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| the ins and outs - all information about something
| He knows the ins and outs of this business.
| , -
|
| in someone's shoes - in another person's position
| I wouldn't want to be in his shoes now. He lost his job, and his wife is in the hospital.
| ;
|
| in the long run - in the end
| In the long run, it will be better to buy it.
|
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| in the same boat - in the same situation
| Stop arguing with me. We're in the same boat and should help each other.
|
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| in the clear - free from blame
| Pay the bill, and you'll be in the clear.
|
|
| in time (to do something) - early enough; before something begins
| I came in time to have a cup of coffee before class.
| ; , - -
|
| it goes without saying - should be clear without words
| It goes without saying that he must pay what he owes right away.
| ;
|
| it's time - should do it right away
| Hurry up, it's time to go.
| ( -)
|
| It's worth it. It's not worth it. It's (not) worth buying, visiting, watching, etc.
| Watch this film, it's worth it. Don't buy this coat, it is not worth it. This museum is worth visiting. This film is not worth watching.
| ; ; () , , ..
|
| jump at the opportunity - accept the opportunity eagerly
| His boss mentioned a job in Europe, and Peter jumped at the opportunity.
|
|
| just as soon - prefer; would rather
| I'd just as soon stay home, I'm tired.
| ;
|
| just in case - to be on the safe side
| Take an extra shirt, just in case.
|
|
| Just my luck! - Bad luck! Hard luck!
| They lost my job application. Just my luck!
| !
|
| keep an eye on someone or something - take care of; watch; look after
| Betty keeps an eye on my sons for me. I'll keep an eye on your dog.
| ;
|
| keep a straight face - try not to laugh
| I tried to keep a straight face but failed.
| ;
|
| keep company - accompany
| She keeps me company quite often.
|
|
| keep in mind - bear in mind; consider; remember
| Keep in mind that he is not going to agree easily.
| ; ;
|
| keep in touch - keep in contact with someone by calling, visiting, sending messages
| Good-by and don't forget to keep in touch! Keep in touch with us. We may have new openings next week.
| ; -
|
| keep one's word - fulfill a promise
| You promised, now keep your word.
|
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| keep someone posted - inform someone
| Keep me posted about your plans.
| -
|
| keep one's fingers crossed - hope that nothing will go wrong
| I have a job interview today. Keep your fingers crossed for me, will you? I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.
| ,
|
| kill time - fill time; spend empty time
| I went to the show to kill time.
|
|
| not to know the first thing about something - not to have any knowledge about something
| I don't know the first thing about nuclear physics.
| -
|
| know the ropes - be very familiar with some business
| He knows all the ropes in this company.
|
|
| last-minute notice - a message (information, instruction) at the last moment leaving little or no time for preparation
| His arrival was a last-minute notice. We didn't have time to prepare for it.
| (, ) , -
|
| lay one's cards on the table - be frank and open
| Finally, we asked him to lay his cards on the table and tell us about his plans.
| ;
|
| lay one's life on the line - put oneself in a dangerous situation
| He laid his life on the line to fulfill this task, but nobody appreciated his efforts.
| ;
|
| lead a dog's life - live in misery
| He leads a dog's life.
|
|
| leave it at that - stop saying anything else about some matter; leave as it is
| I don't want to argue any further about it, so let's leave it at that. Leave it at that!
| ( );
|
| leave word - leave a message
| He left word for you to meet him at the airport at six o'clock.
|
|
| let bygones be bygones - forget and forgive bad things in the past
| He said that to you many years ago. Forgive him. Let bygones be bygones.
| ;
|
| let go of something - release the hold
| Let go of my hand, or I'll call the guard.
| ;
|
| let (it) go - forget bad experience; return to normal life
| He's still in despair and can't let go. You can't change anything, so let it go.
|
|
| let one's hair down - be relaxed and informal with other people
| She is always so formal. She never lets her hair down.
|
|
| let someone know - inform someone
| Let me know when you find a job.
| -
|
| like father, like son - be like one's parent in something
| Paul won a prize in a chess tournament. Great! Like father, like son!
| ,
|
| little by little - step by step; bit by bit; gradually
| Little by little, they saved enough money for a new car.
| ,
|
| a long shot - an attempt with little chance of success
| Checking the suspect's aunt was a long shot, but the detective was prepared to try anything.
|
|
| lose one's temper - become angry
| He loses his temper very often.
|
|
| lose one's way - get lost
| I lost my way. Can you help me?
|
|
| lose track of someone - not to know where someone is
| I lost track of him years ago.
| -
|
| lucky break - a lucky chance
| He got his lucky break when he found that job.
|
|
| make a living - earn money to provide for life
| He works hard. His family is large, and he has to make a living somehow.
|
|
| make allowance(s) for something - take into consideration when judging
| Don't criticize him so hard; make allowance for his inexperience.
| , , -
|
| make a point of - be sure to do something intentionally
| Make a point of asking about his wife's health. Make it a point to be here by ten o'clock.
| -
|
| make (both) ends meet - be able to live on the income one has; live within one's means
| He doesn't have much money. I wonder how he manages to make ends meet.
| ;
|
| make friends - become friends
| Anton makes new friends easily.
|
|
| make fun of someone or something - laugh at; joke about
| He made fun of her German accent. Everyone makes fun of him.
| - -
|
| not to make head or tail of something - be unable to understand or decipher
| I can't make head or tail of his letter.
| -
|
| make no bones about it - say openly, without hesitation
| I'll make no bones about it: I don't like your attitude to work.
| ,
|
| make room for someone - allow space for someone
| We can make room for one more dog.
| ; -
|
| make sense - be logical
| What you say makes sense.
|
|
| make the most of something - do the best in the given situation
| Let's make the most of our vacation.
|
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| make up one's mind - decide
| Will you go there? Make up your mind.
|
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| make yourself at home - be comfortable; feel at home
| Come in, please. Make yourself at home.
|
|
| a man of his word - a person who keeps promises
| You can depend on his promise to help. He's a man of his word.
| ;
|
| mean well - have good intentions
| He meant well, but it turned out that he spoiled a couple of things for me.
| ,
|
| might as well - maybe it's a good idea
| I might as well telephone him now.
|
|
| missing person - someone who is lost and can't be located
| The little boy disappeared. The police registered him as a missing person.
| (.. )
|
| meet someone halfway - compromise with someone
| He's reasonable and tries to meet his coworkers halfway when possible.
| -
|
| never mind - don't worry about it
| I'm terribly sorry. - Never mind.
| ;
|
| no go - impossible, futile, hopeless, useless
| We tried to start the car again and again, but it was no go.
| , , ,
|
| not a bit - not at all; not in the least
| Are you tired? - Not a bit.
| ;
|
| not to mention - in addition to
| We have three dogs, not to mention two cats.
|
|
| no wonder - not surprising
| He ate three big fish. No wonder he's sick.
| ,
|
| now and again - occasionally; now and then
| I meet them now and again at the bank.
|
|
| odds and ends - a variety of small unimportant things or leftovers; bits and pieces
| I went to the store because I needed to buy some odds and ends for my kitchen.
| ; , ;
|
| off the cuff - without preparation
| Off the cuff, I can give you only a rough estimate.
|
|
| off the point - beside the point
| What I think about him is off the point.
|
|
| off the record - not for the public; unofficially
| Strictly off the record, I think the director is going to get married soon.
| ;
|
| off the top of one's head - without thinking or calculation; impromptu; from memory
| I can't give you the figure off the top of my head, but it may be around a thousand.
| ; ;
|
| once and for all - decidedly
| You must quit smoking once and for all.
|
|
| on credit - not having to pay cash right away
| He bought a car on credit.
| ;
|
| on edge - nervous, irritable
| He's been on edge ever since she left.
| ,
|
| on guard - on the alert
| He's cautious and always on guard.
| , ;
|
| on hand - available
| Do you have a calculator on hand?
|
|
| on one hand; on the one hand - considering one side of the question
| On one hand, she knows quite a few poems by heart. On the other hand, she can't remember any dates.
|
|
| on one's own (on my own, on his own, etc.) - alone; by oneself; independently
| She likes to live and work on her own. She has been on her own for several years.
| ; ;
|
| on one's toes - alert, attentive, prepared for difficulties
| He was on his toes and produced a very good impression on them.
| , ,
|
| on purpose - intentionally
| I didn't do it on purpose, it just happened so.
| ;
|
| on second thought - after thinking again
| I'd like to sit on the aisle. On second thought, I'd like a window seat.
| ;
|
| on the alert - on guard
| He's cautious and always on the alert.
| , ; ,
|
| on the carpet - called in by the boss for criticism
| Yesterday the boss called her on the carpet for being rude to the coworkers.
|
|
| on the go - on the move; busy, active
| He is always on the go.
| , ;
|
| on the chance; on the off chance - in case; unlikely to happen, but there's still a small chance
| On the chance that you don't find him at work, here's his home address. We went there on the off chance of seeing John.
| ; , ( off )
|
| on the other hand - considering the other side of the question
| I'd like to have a dog. On the other hand, my wife likes cats.
|
|
| on the spot - right there
| I decided to do it on the spot.
| ,
|
| on the spur of the moment - without previous thought or plan
| He bought this car on the spur of the moment, and now he regrets it.
| ;
|
| on the tip of one's tongue - on the verge of saying but unable to remember
| His name is on the tip of my tongue, but I just can't remember it.
| ; -
|
| on time - punctually; at the specified time
| Jim is always on time.
| ;
|
| out of one's mind - crazy
| If you think so, you're out of your mind.
|
|
| out of one's way - away from one's usual route
| I can't give you a lift to the bank, it's out of my way today.
|
|
| out of the question - not to be considered; impossible
| Paying him is out of the question!
|
|
| pack rat - a person who saves lots of unnecessary things
| Why does she keep all those things she never uses? - She is a pack rat.
| ,
|
| pay attention - note something; be attentive to something
| Pay attention to his words.
|
|
| pick a fight - start a quarrel
| He often tries to pick a fight with me.
|
|
| play one's cards right - choose the right steps in doing something
| If you play your cards right, he'll agree to your plan.
| ; -
|
| potluck supper - a surprise meal where nobody knows what dishes other guests will bring
| You know what happened at our last potluck supper? Everybody brought macaroni and cheese, apples, and beer!
| ; ,
|
| pull the wool over someone's eyes - deceive, mislead someone
| Are you trying to pull the wool over my eyes? It won't do you any good.
| ,
|
| put a damper on something - discourage
| She always puts a damper on my plans.
|
|
| put in a word for someone - say positive things about someone
| I'd be very grateful if you could put in a word for me when you speak to him.
|
|
| put one's best foot forward - try to show one's best qualities; do one's best; do things as quickly as possible
| He put his best foot forward during the interview. Put your best foot forward working at this project.
| ; ;
|
| put one's finger on it - indicate exactly; point out the exact cause, fault, name, etc.
| I can't put my finger on it. He was able to put his finger on the exact cause of the computer malfunction.
| , , .;
|
| put one's foot down - object strongly
| Her father put his foot down when she said she wanted to marry Alan.
|
|
| put one's foot in it / into it; put one's foot in one's mouth - do or say the wrong thing; make a blunder; make a fool of oneself
| He put his foot in it when he told the boss that his younger daughter wasn't pretty at all.
| ; ; ;
|
| quite a bit (of) - much; a lot (of)
| I had quite a bit of trouble with that car.
| ;
|
| quite a few - many; a lot of
| He wrote quite a few good stories.
| ;
|
| rack one's brain - try hard to think
| He racked his brain to solve the puzzle.
|
|
| read between the lines - find or understand the implied meaning
| His books are not easy to understand. You have to read between the lines.
|
|
| Remember me to your family. - Say hello to your family for me.
| Please remember me to your family.
| .
|
| right away - immediately
| It' very important to do it right away.
| ;
|
| ring a bell - remind someone of something familiar but half-forgotten
| Annabel Lee? Yes, it rings a bell, but I can't place it right now.
| - ,
|
| rock the boat - make the situation unstable
| Peter always rocks the boat when we discuss the company's spending policy.
| ;
|
| rub elbows with; rub shoulders with - spend time together; mingle
| He doesn't rub elbows with the rich and famous.
| -
|
| rub it in - embarrass even more by reminding repeatedly of some mistake, failure, etc.
| I know I shouldn't have done it, and I apologized. There is no need to rub it in.
| ,
|
| rub someone the wrong way - irritate, annoy; make angry
| His remarks rub many coworkers the wrong way.
| ; -
|
| save face - try to change the negative impression produced
| He said a stupid thing, and then he tried to save face by saying he misunderstood me.
| , ..
|
| save one's breath - stop useless talk
| There's no use talking to him about his spending habits, so save your breath.
|
|
| scratch the surface - study something superficially
| He examines all the facts closely, he doesn't just scratch the surface.
|
|
| search high and low - search everywhere
| I searched high and low for my lost cat.
|
|
| see eye to eye - agree with each other
| They see eye to eye on many things. I don't see eye to eye with him.
| ;
|
| see red - become very angry
| She sees red every time she remembers how he lied to her about it.
| ;
|
| serve someone right - get what someone deserves
| It serves him right that he didn't get that job. He despised all the other candidates.
| -
|
| serve one's purpose - be useful for some purpose
| I doubt that hiring this man will serve your purpose.
| ; ;
|
| a shot in the dark - a wild guess
| My answer was just a shot in the dark.
| , ; ,
|
| show promise - be promising
| This young actor shows promise.
|
|
| sleep on it - postpone a decision till next morning
| Don't make a decision now. Sleep on it.
|
|
| a slip of the tongue - a mistake
| It was just a slip of the tongue!
| ()
|
| slip (from) one's mind - forget
| It slipped my mind that she asked me to do it.
|
|
| smell a rat - suspect deceit; suspect that something is wrong
| I'm not sure what it is, but I smell a rat.
| ; ;
|
| so far - up to now
| So far, I have read three books by Stephen King.
| ; ;
|
| so much the better - it's even better
| If he can pay cash, so much the better.
|
|
| spill the beans - tell a secret
| Who spilled the beans about our plan?
|
|
| stand a chance - have a chance (usually, have no chance)
| He doesn't stand a chance of getting it. They don't stand a chance of winning the game.
| (, )
|
| stand to reason - be obvious, logical, naturally true
| It stands to reason that studying spelling will let you improve your writing skills.
| , ; ,
|
| straight from the shoulder - frankly, honestly, openly
| Why should you spare his feelings? Give it to him straight from the shoulder.
| , ,
|
| take a dim view of something - disapprove of something
| My sister takes a dim view of the way I raise my children.
| -
|
| take a break - stop for rest
| Let's take a break, I'm tired.
|
|
| take advantage of something - use for one's own benefit; to profit from
| We took advantage of the low prices and bought a computer and a monitor.
|
|
| take a stand (on something) - make a firm decision about something
| People need to take a stand on the issue of nuclear weapons.
| -
|
| Take care! - Good-bye and be careful!
| Take care now! See you tomorrow.
| ! .
|
| take care of someone or something - look after; see that something is done properly
| Can you take care of my dog while I'm away? Tom takes good care of his car.
| - -;
|
| take hold of something - hold, grasp something
| Take hold of this rope and pull.
| , ,
|
| take into account - take into consideration; consider
| You must take into account her old age.
|
|
| take it easy - relax; be calm
| Take it easy, everything will be OK.
| ;
|
| take something for granted - accept as given
| Mother's love is always taken for granted by children.
|
|
| take someone's breath away - surprise or impress someone
| That great view took my breath away.
|
|
| take one's time - do something without hurry
| Don't hurry. Take your time.
| -
|
| take someone's word for it - believe
| Take my word for it, he won't go there.
| -
|
| take pains - try hard to do it well
| He took pains to make his report perfect.
| ,
|
| take part in something - participate in something
| Mary is going to take part in the show.
| -
|
| take place - happen
| The accident took place on Oak Street.
| ,
|
| take one's mind off things - distract from fixed ideas or gloomy thoughts
| Go to a concert or a movie to take your mind off things.
| ()
|
| take steps - take action; take measures
| We need to take steps against it.
|
|
| take the words right out of someone's mouth - say the same before someone else says it
| I was about to say the same! You took the words right out of my mouth.
| ,
|
| take time - take a long time
| It takes time to get used to a new place.
|
|
| take time off - be absent from work
| He took time off to attend the wedding.
|
|
| take turns - alternate doing something one after another
| We went to Minsk by car. We didn't get tired because we took turns driving
| ;
|
| That's just the point. - That's it.
| That's just the point! I hate this job!
| - .
|
| that will do - it's enough
| Stop reading; that will do for now.
|
|
| the writing on the wall - a sign of future events (usually, trouble)
| The plane crashed. Tim said he saw the writing on the wall about that flight.
| (, )
|
| not to think much of something - not to think highly of something
| I don't think much of her cooking.
| -
|
| till one is blue in the face - try very hard
| I repeated it till I was blue in the face!
|
|
| to be on the safe side - not to take any chances
| Take an extra key, just to be on the safe side.
|
|
| to make a long story short - in short
| To make a long story short, we won.
|
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