Idioms, with definitions

Examples

above board - honest, open

His business dealings are above board.

act up - act badly, hysterically

Her little son often acts up in public.

ad lib - improvise, interpolate

The actor forgot his lines and ad libbed.

after all - despite, nevertheless

I knew it! After all, I was right!

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.

all of a sudden - suddenly

All of a sudden, he refused to pay.

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

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.

as a rule - usually

As a rule, we offer a 5% discount.

as far as I am 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 luck would have it

As luck would have it, he lost his keys.

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 odds with - in disagreement

He is at odds with everyone!

at random - without order

He chose those places at random.

at this point - at this time

At this point, we can't turn back.

back out of something - withdraw

First he agreed to cooperate, then backed out of it.

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 amount

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.

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 after someone - insist, press

His mother is always after him to study.

be all in - be extremely tired

I'm all in, I'd better go to bed now.

be back on one's feet - healthy again or better financially

He's back on his feet after a long period of debt and unemployment.

beat around / 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.

be behind the times - be old-fashioned, outdated

Some of the managers here are behind the times, their methods are not modern.

be bent on something - have a strong desire to do something

They are bent on winning the game.

be beside oneself - be very upset, nervous, worried, etc.

She was beside herself with worry / with grief.

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

I spent all my money, I'm broke.

be hard on something /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.

be in charge of something - be responsible for

He is in charge of marketing.

be in the red - be in debt

Our sales were in the red last year.

be into something - be interested in

He is into computers. She is into sports.

bend over backwards - try very hard

I bent over backwards to help her.

be on one's way

I'm on my way.

be on the point of something (also: 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 stopped at the last moment.

be on the safe side - not take any chances

Take an extra key, just to be on the safe side.

be out of something - be without something

We are out of bread, cheese, and sugar.

be out of shape - be physically unfit

He needs to exercise, he is out of shape.

be out of sorts - in bad humor

Leave him alone, he's out of sorts today

be pressed for time, money - not have enough time, money

I'm pressed for time now. We are pressed for money at the moment.

beside the point - off the point

What I said to him privately is beside the point.

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.

be touch and go - be uncertain of the result

He was very sick, and for some time it was touch and go, but he is better now.

be up against something - be opposed by, have problems, be in danger

Our company is up against serious attempts of hostile takeover.

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) - very busy

I'm up to my ears in work.

be up to something - think up something interesting or tricky, do mischief

I have to check what the kids are up to. What have you been up to lately?

be up to someone - be one's own decision or responsibility

It's up to you to decide. It's up to you to close the office every day at 8 o'clock.

be used to something - be accustomed to something

I'm used to hard work. He's used to heat.

big shot - important person

He is a big shot around here.

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 dust - die, be killed, suffer defeat

Many of them bit the dust in that war.

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.

blind date - a meeting of a man and woman arranged by friends

She refuses to go on a blind date again because she had bad experience.

blow it - lose the chance

He understood that he blew it.

blow over - pass, end

Wait here till his anger blows over.

bottom line - main result / factor

The bottom line is, I don't have enough money.

break into (the house) - enter by force

The police broke into the robber's house.

break one'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.

break the news - tell new important facts

CNN is breaking the news right now.

bring home the bacon - earn the living for the family

He works very hard at several places to bring home the bacon.

brush off - give no attention, ignore

The boss brushed off my project again.

brush up on something - review

You need to brush up on the tenses.

by all means - definitely, certainly

Do you need my help? - By all means.

by heart - by memorizing

Learn this poem by heart for tomorrow.

by hook or by crook - by any possible means

She will get what she wants by hook or by crook.

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, Ann is coming back today.

call a spade a spade - use plain, direct words

He always tells the truth and calls a spade a spade.

call it a day - consider work finished for the day

We've been working for 10 straight hours. Let's call it a day.

call off - cancel

The police called off the search.

call the shots - to give orders, to be in control of something

He calls the shots in this company.

carry out - fulfill

She never carries out her plans.

carry weight - be important

His advice always carries weight here.

cast down - depressed, sad

He was cast down by the bad news.

castles in the air - daydreaming about success

Instead of working hard, he spends time building castles in the air.

catch one's eye - attract attention

This picture caught my eye.

catch one's breath - stop and rest

I can't run, I need to catch my breath.

catch someone off guard - catch someone unprepared

He caught me off guard with his question.

catch someone red-handed - find someone in the act of doing wrong

The manager caught the boy red-handed when he was stealing cigarettes.

catch up with someone - become not behind

He needs to catch up with the other students in the group.

catch up on something - to make up for the lack of something

I need to catch up on sleep. I have to catch up on my reading.

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 across - meet by chance

I came across that article yesterday.

come down with (some illness) - become ill

I'm coming down with a cold.

come to one's senses - start acting reasonably

He finally came to his senses, started to work hard, and passed his exams.

come true - become reality

His dream came true when he met Kate.

come up with (an idea) - suggest

Mike came up with a brilliant idea.

count on someone - depend on someone

You can always count on me for help.

cut corners - to take a short-cut; to limit one's spending

He ran fast, cutting corners where he could. I have to cut corners this week.

cut down on something - reduce

You have to cut down on chocolate.

(be) cut out to 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.

do one's best - try very hard

I did my best to help him in his work.

do one's bit - do what's needed

I'll do my bit, you can count on me.

do over - do again

This work is not good, do it over.

do someone good - be good for

Fresh air and exercise will do you good.

do something behind one's back - do (harmful) things secretively

I hate people who do things behind my back. He did it behind my back again.

do without something - live without something

I'll have to do without a car for a while.

down to earth - practical

He's quiet, sensible and down to earth.

draw the line - fix a limit

He drew the line for her at $100 a day.

dress up - put on the best clothes

What are you dressed up for?

drop off - deliver somewhere

Can you drop me off at the bank?

drop out - quit (school)

He dropped out of school last year.

duty calls - must fulfill obligations

He said, "Duty calls" and left for work.

easier said than done

It's easier said than done, but I'll try to do it.

eat one's words - take back words

He had to eat his words after her report.

even so - nevertheless, but

I work hard. Even so, I like my job.

every now and then - occasionally

Every now and then I visit my old aunt.

every other - every second one

She washes her hair every other day.

fall behind - lag behind

The little boy fell behind the older boys.

fall in love - begin to love

Tom fell in love with Sue at first sight.

fall out of love - stop loving

They soon fell out of love and divorced.

false alarm - untrue rumor

I heard he quit but it was a false alarm.

a far cry from something - very different, almost opposite (neg.)

His second book wasn't bad, but it was a far cry from his first book.

feel it in one's bones - expect something bad to happen

Something bad is going to happen, I feel it in my bones.

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.

feel up to something - be able to do

I don't feel up to cleaning the house.

few and far between - rare, scarce

Her visits are few and far between.

find fault with someone - criticize

He always finds faults with everybody.

find out - learn or discover

I found out that Maria left town.

firsthand - directly from the source

You can trust it, it's firsthand information.

first things first - important things come before others

First things first: how much money do we have to pay right away?

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.

foot in the door - a special opportunity for a job

Nina got a foot in the door because her friend worked in that company.

foot the bill - pay the bill

Her father footed the bill for the party.

for good - forever

After her death, he left town for good.

for the time being - at this time

For the time being, this house is all right for us.

frame of mind - mental state

I can't do it in this frame of mind.

from A to Z - completely

He knows this town from A to Z.

from now on - now and in the future

From now on, I forbid you to go there.

get a grip on oneself - take control of one's feelings

Stop crying! Get a grip on yourself!

get along with someone - have good relations

Ann gets along with most coworkers, but doesn't get along with Laura.

get away with something / with it - not be caught after doing wrong

The police didn't find the thief. He got away with his crime. He got away with it.

get carried away - get too excited and enthusiastic about something

He got carried away with opening a store and lost most of his money.

get cold feet - be afraid to do

I wanted to try it but got cold feet.

get even with someone - have one's revenge

I'll get even with him for everything!

get in touch with someone - contact someone

Get in touch with Mr. Smith for help.

get lost - lose one's way

She got lost in the old part of town.

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.

get off one's back - leave alone

Stop bothering me! Get off my back!

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.

get on (the bus, train, plane)

I got on the bus on Oak Street.

get off (the bus, train, plane)

I got off the bus at the bank.

get out of hand - get out of control

If he gets out of hand again, call me right away.

get over something - recover after an illness or bad experience

I can't get over how rude he was to me. She got over her illness quite quickly. I'm sure that he'll get over these difficulties.

get rid of someone / something - dispose of, discard

He got rid of his old useless car.

get together - meet with

My friends and I get together often.

get to the bottom of something - know deeply

He usually gets to the bottom of things.

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.

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?

give someone a lift / a ride - take 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.

give up - stop doing something, stop trying to do something

I gave up smoking. I gave up trying to fix my old car.

go back on one's word - break a promise

First he said he would help me, but then he went back on his word.

go for it - try to do a new thing

If I were you, I would go for it.

go from bad to worse - become much worse

His business went from bad to worse.

go out - go to parties, movies, restaurants

Do he and his wife go out often?

go out of one's way - try very hard

He goes out of his way to please her.

go to one's head - make too proud

His acting success went to his head.

go to pieces - get very upset, fall apart

She went to pieces when she heard it.

go with the flow - lead a quiet life

She always goes with the flow.

grow on someone - become liked

When she knew him more, he grew on her.

had better - should

You look ill, you'd better see a doctor.

have a ball - have a good time

Yesterday we had a ball at the party.

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 word with someone - talk to

Can I have a word with you?

have words with someone - argue with someone about something

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.

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.

have one's hands full - 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 on

Does he have pull with the director?

(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.

high and low - everywhere

I searched high and low for my lost cat.

hit the nail on the head - say exactly the right thing

You hit the nail on the head when you said our company needs a new director.

hit upon something - to discover

They hit upon gold. I hit upon a plan.

(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 on! - Wait!

Hold on! I'll be back in a minute.

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.

hold up - rob (someone) using a weapon

This bank was held up twice last year.

ill at ease - uncomfortable

She felt ill at ease because of her cheap dress.

in advance - well before

He told her about his plan in advance.

in a nutshell - in a few words

In a nutshell, my plan is to buy land.

in care of someone - write to one person at the address of another

I'm staying at Tom's house. Write to me in care of Tom Gray, Chicago, Illinois.

in cold blood - mercilessly

He killed her in cold blood.

in fact - actually, in reality

In fact, he works as a manager here.

in general - generally, generally speaking

In general, he likes to be alone. He described the place only in general.

in one's element - what one likes

He's in his element when he's arguing.

in other words - using other words

In other words, you left her when she needed your help.

in plain English - in simple, frank terms

I didn't really like the concert. In plain English, the concert was terrible.

the ins and outs - all information about

He knows the ins and outs of this business.

in someone's shoes - in another person's position

I'd hate 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'll be better to buy it.

in the same boat - in the same situation

Stop arguing with me, we're in the same boat and should help each other.

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 on the tip of my tongue.

His name is on the tip of my tongue.

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.

it will do - it's enough

Stop reading, it will do for now.

jump at the opportunity / chance - accept the opportunity eagerly

His boss mentioned a job in Europe, and Peter jumped at the opportunity.

just as soon - prefer this one

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 / 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 - not to laugh

I tried to keep a straight face, but failed.

keep company - accompany

She keeps me company quite often.

keep one's word - fulfill a promise

You promised, now keep your word.

keep someone posted - inform someone

Keep me posted about your plans.

keep your 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 / spend empty time

I went to the show to kill time.

(not) 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 - little or no time to prepare for something

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.

lead someone on - make someone believe something that isn't true

They suspect that you are leading them on. You led me on!

leave it at that - accept reluctantly

Leave it at that, what else can you do?

leave word - leave a message

He left word for you to meet him at the airport at 6.

let bygones be bygones - forget and forgive bad things in the past

Why don't you let bygones be bygones and forget about what he said?

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 (it) 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 down - disappoint, fail someone

Don't let me down this time!

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, gradually

Little by little, they saved enough money for a new car.

look for someone / something - search for someone / something

What are you looking for?

look forward to something - expect with pleasure

I'm looking forward to your letter. Mary is looking forward to the party.

look out - be careful, watch out

Look out! The bus is coming!

look up - check with / in a dictionary or a reference book

If you don't know this word, look it up in the dictionary.

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 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 for something - take into consideration when judging

Don't criticize him so hard, make (an) allowance for his inexperience.

make a point of - be sure to do something intentionally

Make a point of asking about his wife. Make it a point to be here by 10.

make ends meet - to have little money to live on

His doesn't get much money. I wonder how he manages to make ends meet.

make friends - become friends

Anton makes new friends easily.

make fun of someone / something - laugh at, joke about

He made fun of her German accent. Everyone makes fun of him.

make no bones about it - say / do 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.

make up - become friends again

I'm tired of fighting. Let's make up.

make up for something - compensate

I'll make up for the time you spent on it.

make up one's mind - decide

When will you go? Make up your mind.

make yourself at home - be comfortable, feel at home

Come in please. Make yourself at home.

man of his word - one who keeps promises, is dependable

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 - 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 - it doesn't matter

I'm terribly sorry. - Never mind.

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

I meet them now and again at the bank.

odds and ends - a variety of small unimportant things or leftovers

I needed to buy some odds and ends for the 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.

once and for all - decidedly

You must quit smoking once and for all.

on credit - not 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'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 - busy, on the move

He is always on the go.

on the off chance - unlikely to happen, but still

On the off chance that you don't find him at work, here's his home address.

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 better.

on the spot - right there

I decided to do it on the spot.

on the spur of the moment - without previous thought / plan

He bought this car on the spur of the moment, now he regrets 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 someone's usual route

I can't give you a lift to the bank, it's out of my way today.

out of the question - 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 - be attentive

Pay attention to his words.

pick a fight - start a quarrel

He often tries to pick a fight with me.

pick up - take, get

I'll pick you up at 7.

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 oneself together - brace oneself, summon one's strength

Stop crying and complaining! You have to pull yourself together now.

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 someone

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 off - postpone

Don't put it off till tomorrow.

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 - do the wrong thing, make a fool of oneself

He put his foot in it when he told the boss that his daughter wasn't pretty.

put up with - accept, tolerate

I can't put up with your bad work!

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 / half-forgotten

Annabel Lee? Yeah, 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 shoulders with someone - meet with someone

He doesn't rub shoulders with the rich and famous.

rub someone the wrong way - irritate, annoy, make angry

His remarks rub many coworkers the wrong way.

run into someone - meet by chance

I ran into an old friend yesterday.

save face - try to change the negative impression produced

He said a stupid thing and 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.

see about something - take care of something

I have to see about our plane tickets.

see eye to eye - agree

We don't see eye to eye any longer.

serve someone right - get what someone deserves

It serves him right that he didn't get this job, he despised all other candidates.

serve one's purpose - be useful to someone for his purpose

I doubt that hiring this man will serve your purpose.

a shot in the blue - a slip, a blunder, a wild shot

His answer was a shot in the blue.

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.

show up - appear

I waited for 2 hours but he didn't show up.

size up - evaluate someone

It took her 5 minutes to size up that man.

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 what she asked me.

smell a rat - suspect something

I'm not sure what it is, but I smell a rat.

so far - up to now

So far, I have read 3 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

He doesn't stand a chance of getting it.

stand out - be noticeable

He stands out in any group of people.

stand to reason - be logical

It stands to reason that he apologized.

straight from the shoulder - frankly, honestly, openly

Don't try to 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 after someone - be like one of the parents

Tom takes after his father in character, and after his mother in appearance.

take a stand on something - make a firm opinion / decision on 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 / something - look after, protect, 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 - take, hold 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 (it) for granted - accept as given

Mother's love is always taken for granted by children.

take one's breath away

That great view took my breath away.

take one's time - do something slowly

Don't hurry. Take your time.

take one'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 / measures

We need to take steps against it.

take the words right out of someone's mouth - say the same before somebody 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

talk back - answer rudely

Don't talk back to the teacher!

talk it over - discuss

I'll talk it over with my family.

tell apart - see the difference

Can you tell the twins apart?

That's just the point. - That's it.

That's just the point! I hate this job!

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) think much of something - not think highly of something

I don't think much of her cooking.

think over - consider carefully

Think over your answer. Think it over carefully.

till one is blue in the face - try very hard

I repeated it till I was blue in the face!

to make a long story short - in short

To make a long story short, we won.

to say the least - to make the minimum comment about something

The film was boring and long, to say the least.

try on - put on new clothes to test them for size or look

Try on this leather coat, it's very good. She tried it on, but it didn't fit her at all.

try one's hand at something - try to do something new

I want to try my hand at painting.

turn on / off - switch on / off

Turn on the radio. Turn off the water.

turn out to be - result / end this way

He turned out to be a very good actor.

turn over a new leaf - make a fresh start in life, work

He promises to turn over a new leaf and quit alcohol for good.

turn the tide - reverse the course of events

The new evidence turned the tide, and the defendant was acquitted of charges.

twist one's arm - make to agree

They twisted his arm to sell the house.

under the weather - feeling a little ill, unwell

I'm a little under the weather today.

up-and-coming - showing promise of future success

He is an up-and-coming young lawyer who might help you with your case.

up in arms - hostile to, in strong protest against something

The employees are up in arms about the new retirement rules.

up in the air - undecided, unsettled

My vacation plans are still up in the air.

(not) up to par - (not) equal in standard

His behavior isn't up to par.

used to do something - did something regularly in the past, but not now

He used to live on Maple Street. I used to play the piano when I was in school (but I don't play it now).

walk on air - be very happy

He got the job and is walking on air now.

waste one's breath - speak uselessly, to no purpose

Don't waste your breath trying to make him do it, he won't change his mind.

watch one's step - be careful

Watch your step!

watch out - look out, be careful

Watch out for that car! Watch out!

wet blanket - a pessimist, a killjoy who dampens enthusiasm or spoils everyone's fun

Remember what a wet blanket he was last time? Please don't invite him again.

What's the matter? - What is it?

What's the matter? What happened?

which way the wind blows - what the real situation is

He knows which way the wind blows and always acts accordingly.

white lie - unimportant lie

A white lie is told to spare your feelings.

word for word - in the same words

Tell me word for word what he said.

would rather - prefer

I'd rather stay at home today.