The Idiom List

odds and ends Definition His closet was full of odds and
ends. In it, there was a
= miscellaneous things. A football, a screwdriver,
bunch of things that are not magazines, socks, and toys.
related to one another.

to hit the nail on Definition A: Bob is late. His car

the head probably broke down.
= to describe exactly what is B: You hit the nail on the
causing a situation/problem. head. He phoned me 5
minutes ago and said he was
at the repair shop.

to go against the Definition The other men wore wore a

grain / do dark-colored suits to the
something against =to do something in a ceremony. However, Peter
the grain different way from how its went against the grain and
usually done. Wood has grain. wore a brown one.
When you cut wood, you
should cut it along the grain.
This is easier. If you cut it
against the grain, its more
difficult. This is cutting
against the grain.
that is to say Definition Carl isnt from here. That is to
= in other words say, hes a foreigner.
from A to Z Definition The book tries to
= completely; including explain everything about
everything. English grammar, from A to
Z.
I dare say Definition I dare say that our company
= to assert; to affirm; to be will go out of business if we
confident enough to say dont find a new manager.
something
to make a fuss Definition The old lady made a fuss
about something = to get angry or complain about the bus arriving
about something five minutes late. The
driver told her that he was
sorry.

to get/be sick of Definition A: Do you want to have

something / to = to start to dislike something spaghetti tonight?
get/be tired of because you have B: No. Im sick of pasta. We
something seen/done/had it too much ate it yesterday. Lets have
something else.
be better off Definition We were better off in our old
 = to be in a better situation apartment. I wish we still
lived there.

get on (well) (with Definition A: Do you get on well with

somebody) = to have a good relationship your father?
with someone. (British B: No, sadly. We dont speak
English) very often.

to sell like Definition Tickets for the World Cup

hotcakes = to sell quickly (usually in sold like hotcakes. All of the
large numbers). Note: a tickets were gone in only
hotcake is an (old) synonym two days.
for pancake in American
English.

the lions share Definition The lions share of the

= the best and/or largest part money the company makes
of something goes to its owners.
to fall prey to Definition The customer fell prey to
something = to become the victim of a dishonest salesman who
something. sold her a broken car for
$20,000. / Senior
citizens sometimes fall prey to
telephone scams.
pull the plug Definition Joanne decided to pull the
= to stop an activity or plan; plug on the barbeque because
to stop something from it was going to rain.
continuing
(every) now and Definition It rains every now and then in
then = once in a while; summertime. It rained two
occasionally weeks ago, and it might rain
this weekend.
back to the Definition I showed my essay to my
drawing board / = back at the starting professor, but he said the
back to square one position; back to where you topic was not acceptable. Now
began Im back to the drawing
board. (I have to start again
with a new idea.)
to beat around the Definition The politician didnt want to
bush = to not answer a question answer the question, so he
directly or to not talk about tried to beat around the bush.
what is important in order to He began talking about the
waste time weather.

through thick and Definition Renee promised to love her

thin = in good times and bad husomebodyand through
times thick and thin.
shame on you Definition A: Mom, I got in trouble today
= this expression is usually at school because I cheated on
 said to a person (often a my test.
child) after he/she does B: Shame on you!
something shameful.
to take the plunge Definition After dating Marie for two
= to start an activity that years, Greg decided to take
requires courage; (to the plunge and ask her to
plungemeans to dive, so it marry him.
means to dive (into
something)
to be a real bind Definition John has to finish reading his
= to be in a difficult situation book and then write a report
on it tonight. But he also has
to work his part-time job until
10 p.m. Hes really in a bind.

the best of both Definition Vancouver has beautiful

worlds = a situation in which you can mountains for snowboarding
enjoy two different things at and skiing. It is also on the
the same time ocean, where you can swim
and boat. Its the best of both
worlds.

a hard nut to crack Definition The thief refused to tell the

= something that is difficult police the names of the
to solve; or a person who is others who helped him
hard to understand; commit the crime. He was a
something that will not easily hard nut to crack.
reveal what it is hiding

a hard pill to Definition When Ians boss told him that

swallow = a difficult fact to accept he was fired, it was a hard pill
to swallow. He had been
working there for 20 years.

no hard and fast Definition There are no hard and fast

rules = there are no clear rules rules about how to live a
happy life.
fan the flame Definition When Greg is angry, telling
= to make a situation worse; him to calm down only fans
to make something more the flames. Hell continue to
intense. (When you fan yell and get angrier. Its better
flames, you give air to a fire. to ignore him and let him
This wont extinguish the fire; relax on his own.
itll make it burn more
strongly.)
find fault with Definition The fans couldnt find fault
= to find an error in with anything the football
something; to criticize coach had said. It was true,
unfortunately. The team
needed to improve in many
ways.
be in hot water Definition The boys teacher phoned his
= to be in trouble; to be in a parents to tell them that their
situation where you are going child had been
to be punished misomebodyehaving in
school. Now the boy was in
hot water.

go over your head Definition Everything the teacher said

= to not be able to went over the students heads
understand something because their English level
because it is too was too low to understand.
difficult/complicated for you
be in over your Definition Georges computer wouldnt
head = to be in a situation that is start. He opened it but he
too difficult for you to manage didnt know how to fix it. He
was in over his head, so he
took it to a computer repair
store.
to pocket an insult Definition Lillian pocketed the insult
= to bear an insult; to take an from her boss because she
insult without reacting didnt want to have an
argument in the meeting.
an off day Definition John is usually a great tennis
= a day on which you dont player. Yesterday, however,
perform as well as you he lost all of his matches. He
normally do must have had an off day.
with open arms Definition John and his parents had
= to many serious disagreements
accept/greet/receive/welcom when he was growing up.
e someone warmly or with Despite this, his family
great enthusiasm; (open welcomes him with open
arms means your arms are arms every year when he
open, ready to hug the other comes home for Christmas.
person)
a bad egg Definition The Johnsons children are
= a person who is dishonest well behaved except for John.
(or rotten) Hes the bad egg.

little by little Definition John didnt like his new job in

= in small increments; in little the beginning. But, little by
steps little, John began to enjoy it.
kick the bucket Definition Roger Mowatt was the oldest
= to die (informal) man in town. When he finally
kicked the bucket, he was 103
years old. Everyone will miss
him.

bucket list Definition Grace is 80 years old, but she

= a list of things you want to still has many things left on
 do before you kick the bucket her bucket list. For example,
(= a list of things you want to next year she is traveling to
do before you die) China to see the Great Wall.
tie the knot Definition Jack and Jill tied the knot in a
= to get married small church in the
countryside.

under the weather Definition Bill is feeling under the

= to be sick/ill weather, so he didnt go to
school today.
bag of bones Definition Tim is a bag of bones. He
= a very thin person who looks like he hasnt eaten in
doesnt have muscle. days.
The person looks like s/he
is only skin (the bag) and
bones.
make ends meet Definition Its hard to make ends meet
= to earn as much money as when you only earn $10 an
you spend. The ends are the hour.
two ends of the balance sheet
your income (earnings) and
expenses. When both ends
meet, it means they are
balanced (and so is your
budget).

put your foot in Definition On his date last night, John

your mouth = to say something carelessly really put his foot in his
that you later regret saying mouth when he said that
because it was offensive, rude, he thought tattoos were ugly.
or stupid. After he said that, his date
told him that she was a tattoo
artist.
fit as a fiddle Definition When Jane was in college, she
= to be in good physical was fit as a fiddle. But after
condition (used for people she got an office job, she
only) gained a lot of weight.
be at sea Definition Without his girlfriend,
= to be lost; confused; Ryan would be completely at
perplexed (the idiom means sea. He needs her to
to be lost at sea) stay organized and focused.
be caught on the Definition George was caught on the
wrong foot = to be in a situation you are wrong foot when his boss
not prepared for asked him to give a speech at
the event. He hadnt prepared
anything.

(get/have) cold Definition Mark got cold feet on the day

feet = to suddenly become too of his wedding. Suddenly
 frightened or nervous to do he started thinking that he
something you had planned was making a big mistake.
to do
under the weather Definition John was feeling under the
= to feel unwell; to feel sick weather, so he stayed home
(sometimes from a hangover). from school.

call it a day Definition The meeting ended at 4:45.

= to decide to go home After, there wasnt enough
because you have done time to do any work, so we
enough work. decided to call it a day.

Over my dead Definition A: Frank, I know you dont

body! = This means that you will want this to happen, but one
never let something happen. day, Im going to marry your
It means that you would sister.
rather be killed than allow a
particular thing to happen. It B: Over my dead body!
is a dramatic way of saying
Never!

something smells Definition Yesterday, a man phoned

fishy / sounds = something sounds Walter and asked for his
fishy suspicious / doubtful. credit card information. The
man said he was from his
bank. Something smelled
fishy, so Walter hung up the
phone.
hot potato Definition The issue of gun control is a
= an issue or situation that is hot potato in the United
difficult to deal (literally, a States. Although problems
hot potato is hot and hard to caused by guns fill the news
hold on to; just like a hot every day, many Americans
potato, there are issues that still believe they have the
are hard to handle or right to carry one.
manage.)
cry over spilled Definition John, dont cry over spilled
milk = to be upset about a milk. You lost the football
situation that you cannot game yesterday. Forget about
change. (literally, after you it and lets move on.
spill milk, there is nothing
you can do to get the milk
back in the jug. You have to
accept it and clean it up.)
cross that bridge Definition A: Jane, have you told your
when you come to = to not deal with a particular husomebodyand that you
it problem until you have to. dont want to celebrate
Christmas with his parents?
 B: Not yet. Its only
September now though. I
dont want to make him
upset. Well cross that bridge
when we come to it in a few
months.

every cloud has a Definition Ryan broke his leg last

silver lining = every bad thing that month. However, while in the
happens to you also brings hospital, he met a nurse who
something good. is now his girlfriend. I guess
every cloud has a silver lining.
a slip of the tongue Definition John accidentally called his
= an accidental or small girlfriend Victoria, which
mistake in speaking. was the name of his ex-
girlfriend. His girlfriend
didnt appreciate this slip of
the tongue.
to be on cloud nine Definition Lisa was on cloud nine when
= to be very happy. she learned that she had been
accepted into Harvard
University. She had been
dreaming of this for many
years.
to throw in the Definition Ben tried to fix his washing
towel = to quit; to give up. (note: machine yesterday. After
this idiom was taken from working on it for four hours
boxing. When a fighter without success, he decided to
was losing badly, his manager throw in the towel and call a
would throw a towel in the professional repairman.
ring. This towel was like a flag
which showed the referee that
the fighter admitted defeat.

a wolf in sheeps Definition Alan was a wolf in sheeps

clothing = someone who is dangerous clothing. He appears
(e.g. a wolf) but appears charming, but he uses his
harmless (e.g. looks like a charm to steal money from
sheep). others.
wild-goose chase Definition The police were on a wild-
= a hunt for something you goose chase; the man they
can never find. were looking for didnt exist.

hold your horses Definition A: Bye Mom. Im going

= to hold on / to slow down / outside to play.
to stop for a moment.
B: Hold your horses! First,
put on a jacket. Then you can
 go outside.

burning question Definition The doctor told his patient

= an urgent question; a that he could phone him if he
question that must be had a burning question.
answered immediately. Otherwise, he would see him
in two weeks for their next
appointment.
small talk Definition John makes small talk with
= a short conversation about his workmates when he meets
light topics such as the them in the elevator.
weather, your health, etc.
Examples (How are you? Its
sunny today, isnt it? How
was your weekend?)

The Idiom List

ring a bell A: Do you know April ONeil? Definition

B: Hmm. Maybe. That name
rings a bell. = is familiar to you but you
cant remember where you
heard it

on the one hand / on the On the one hand, Peters Definition

other hand roommate is kind. On the other
hand, hes quite messy. = (expression used to when
considering the advantages
and disadvantages of
something)

have/keep an open mind I tried to keep an open mind Definition

about Allan even though Id
heard some bad things about = be open minded
him.

on the tip of your tongue His name was on the tip of my Definition
tongue but I couldnt
remember it. = used to say you
are almost able to remember
something, but you cant
a hangover (noun) / Tyler was too hung-over from Definition
hung-over (adj) last nights party to go to work.
= unwell from drinking too
much alcohol on the previous
day

~ish Lets meet around 4ish. Definition

 = used to make something
more vague and less exact
fed up Im fed up with my neighbours Definition
dog.
= so angry that you can no
longer tolerate any more of
something

Big deal! It takes you 15 minutes to walk Definition

to school? Big deal!
= a sarcastic expression
meaning that something is
actually NOT a big deal.
Give somebody a hand My dad gave me a hand with Definition
my homework.
= helped you

let the cat out of the bag It was going to be a surprise Definition
party, until Todd let the cat out
of the bag. = told the secret so other
people found out too early

give it a shot If you think you can make the Definition

team, then give it a shot.
= give it a try
No way! A: George, Im pregnant. Definition
B: No way!
= similar to that cant be
possible! / I dont believe
you!

The more the merrier. A: Can I invite my brother? Definition

B: Sure. The more the merrier.
= used to say that the more of
something there is, the better
it will be.
give it your all Even though I lost the race, I Definition
gave it my all.
= tried your hardest

first-hand I saw the accident happen, Definition

first-hand.
= you experienced it
personally

a dead end Lets not take this path. It leads Definition

to a dead end.
= a place with only an end
time flies Time flies when youre having Definition
 fun.
= time passes quickly

pull somebodys leg You have 6 brothers? Youre Definition

pulling my leg!
= same as Youre joking!
have something on your When Dana has something on Definition
mind her mind, she likes to go for a
long walk by herself. = to have a certain topic in
your thoughts
keep track I use my watch to keep track of Definition
time.
= to monitor the time

from scratch My aunt made the cake from Definition

scratch.
= from nothing (without any
already-prepared materials)

off the top of your head He asked me to tell him a joke, Definition
but I couldnt think of one off
the top of my head. = using only the ideas you
have in your head at that
moment
learn your lesson The boy learned his lesson. Definition
Hell never play with fire again.
= to learn something
important about life from
making a mistake/doing
something wrong
keep/bear in mind The professor told his students Definition
to keep in mind that they only
have 50 minutes to complete = not forget; remember
the test.
speak your mind Timmy was afraid to speak his Definition
mind in front of his
schoolmates. = say what you honestly feel

Just my luck! It rained on my only day off. Definition

Just my luck!
= expression used when
something unlucky happens
to you. It implies that unlucky
things happen to you,
thus your luck is bad luck
Theres nothing to it. Why dont you make a simple Definition
website for your business?
Theres nothing to it. = its very easy; its a piece of
cake
get out of hand The house party got out of Definition
hand, so we had to call the
police. = got out of control
cut a long story short To cut a long story short, Lisa Definition
and I have had some
interesting experiences = to make a long story shorter
together. so it takes less time to say
a piece of cake The test was a piece of cake. I Definition
finished it in 20 minutes.
= very easy

break the ice At the start of the meeting, Definition

Mike tried to break the ice by
telling a joke. = to initiate social
interaction/conversation.
(Note: the ice is that cold
feeling when no one is talking
or people dont know each
other. You break the ice by
beginning to speak or starting
an activity (e.g. telling a joke,
or doing a warm-up activity))
go out of your way to do I went out of my way to help Definition
something Jenny find an apartment, and
she didnt even say thanks! = to take extra time to make
an additional effort to do
something

cross your mind The thought never even crossed Definition

my mind.
= to think about something;
to consider something

road rage I dont like being in the car with Definition

Gary. He has difficulty
controlling his road rage. = extreme anger when driving
go on about The old man went on about his Definition
school days for nearly an hour.
= to speak for too long about
something uninteresting
slip your mind I was going to return the library Definition
books today after work, but the
thought slipped my mind. = used to say you forgot to do
something
have/throw a fit The baby threw a fit when I Definition
took his toy away.
= to get angry and begin
acting like an angry child
The ball is in your court The ball is in their court now. Definition
Lets wait for their decision.
= used to say that YOU now
have control of the situation

make your day Finding a fifty-dollar bill on the Definition

ground made my day.
= used to say that something
made your day special (and
great).
a rip off / to rip Six dollars for a cup of coffee?! Definition
somebody off What a rip off!
= something very over-priced

get a kick out of I get a kick out of reading Definition

something science fiction novels.
= to get enjoyment from
something

catch somebodys eye The bright advertisement Definition

caught my eye.
= to grab somebodys
attention and make them look
at something
jump the gun I jumped the gun and asked Definition
Gail to marry me. She said she
wasnt sure what to say. = to do something too soon.

give somebody a piece of The angry worker gave his boss Definition
your mind a piece of his mind.
= to speak angrily to
somebody about something
bad they have done
cross your fingers Kate crossed her fingers and Definition
hoped it wouldnt rain on her
wedding day. = (Westerners cross their
fingers when they want good
luck)

cost (somebody) an arm The designer handbag cost her Definition

and a leg an arm and a leg.
= to cost a LOT of money
be in hot water Ken was in hot water about Definition
forgetting his wedding
anniversary. = to be in trouble

in a bind Susan is really in a bind. She Definition

has two essays due tomorrow
and she hasnt started either of = in a difficult situation;
them. stuck in a difficult situation
an eye-opener The film on global warming Definition
was a real eye-opener for Tom.
= something that makes you
see or think about something
differently from then on
let off steam Ted plays squash when he Definition
needs to let off steam.
= to release anger and
frustration
read between the lines You can figure out the authors Definition
opinion by reading between the
lines. = to find the hidden meaning
in something that is written
or said

go all out We went all out and booked a Definition

five-star hotel for our trip.
= to use all of your energy or
resources (e.g. money in the
above example) to do
something

out of line Marks comment was out of Definition

line. He shouldnt have said
that to a client. = inappropriate; not in
accordance with how
somebody is supposed to
behave

be on somebodys back My manager is on my back Definition

about being at work on time.
= to persistently urge
somebody to do (or not to do)
something
would not be I wouldnt be seen dead Definition
seen/caught dead wearing an ugly dress like that.
= used to say that you would
NEVER do something
have mixed feelings Larry has mixed feelings about Definition
his new job.
= to be unsure about
something
draw a blank When asked for her postal Definition
code, Amy drew a blank.
= to be unable to remember
anything
You name it. A: Daddy, can I have anything Definition
on the menu?
B: Sure. You name it, you got it. = synonym of whatever you
 want; anything
know your stuff Jim has been a mechanic for 20 Definition
years. He really knows his stuff.
= to know something well

left, right and centre Businesses were closing in town Definition

left, right and centre.

a change of heart After seeing a mouse on the Definition

floor, I had a change of heart
about eating at the restaurant. = a change of feeling; used to
say you changed your mind
about something
a long haul Peter told his boss that he Definition
wouldnt quit. Hes in it for the
long haul. = the long road; the option
that takes the most time
be man enough George was the only one man Definition
enough to admit he had made a
mistake. = strong enough in character,
or strong enough as a man
be second to none The apple pie at this restaurant Definition
is second to none.
= the best

know/learn the ropes It took me a month to learn the Definition

ropes at my new job.
= the process of learning
about something so you are
comfortable with it
a breath of fresh air The new employee, Gail, is a Definition
breath of fresh air in the office.
= something new that adds
life and energy to a situation
get your act together The coach told me that if I Definition
didnt get my act together, Id
be kicked off the team. = start behaving properly

set your heart on Eric has his heart set on Definition

something participating in the Olympics.
= to be firmly resolved to do
something

take Keith took it for granted that Definition

somebody/something his girlfriend would always stay
for granted with him. Then, one day, she = to assume too confidently
was gone. that youll have something in
the future or forever
play it by ear A: How long will you stay in Definition
 Australia?
B: Im not sure. Im just going = to improvise; to not make a
to play it by ear. plan but decide what to do as
you do it

put all your eggs in one Greg invested his money in a Definition
basket few different areas. He didnt
want to put all his eggs in one = to put all of something you
basket. have in the same area (note:
generally viewed as a bad
thing to do)

Birds of a feather (flock A: Its funny that all of Kates Definition

together) friends are attractive.
B: So is she. I guess birds of a = similar people tend to
feather flock together. spend time with each other.

have second thoughts Im starting to have second Definition

thoughts about my new
apartment. = to have doubts
pay the price for Dont touch my stuff. If you do, Definition
something youll pay the price.
= to suffer as a consequence
of doing something
a basket case Darryls ex-wife is a total basket Definition
case.
= a crazy person; a nut

on the dot We arrived at 8 oclock on the Definition

dot.
= exactly
not have a clue I dont have a clue where Definition
Nunavut is.
= to have no idea or
absolutely no knowledge
(about something)

have a shot at Our team has a shot at winning Definition

the championship.
= has a chance
the word spread It took only an hour for word to Definition
spread around the office that
John had been fired. = for some news to spread
(the word = some news)
safe and sound I arrived home from my trip Definition
safe and sound.
= safe

be a pain (in the neck) My brother is a real pain in the Definition

neck sometimes.
 = to be annoying/irritating
be in the same boat The governments of Portugal Definition
and Greece are in the same
boat. They both need financial = to be in the same situation
assistance.
be/feel at home After two years, James felt at Definition
home in Prague.
= to feel comfortable, as if
you were in your home or
hometown

be in somebodys good Ryan is not in his fathers good Definition

books books right now because he
scratched his car. = to be on someones good
side; to be thought of as
someones friend or ally
get out of bed on the Id avoid talking with Bob Definition
wrong side today. He mustve got out of
bed on the wrong side. = to wake up in a bad mood

up-and-coming Roger is an up-and-coming Definition

hockey player from Toronto.
= young and rising to the top;
new and becoming successful

get into gear Youd better get into gear or Definition

youll be late.
= hurry up; start moving at a
faster speed

out of the blue One day, out of the blue, I Definition

received a letter from my
former schoolmate. = unscheduled; without
previous warning

set the record straight In a TV interview, the politician Definition

set the record straight about his
experiences in the military. = to clarify what is
true/factual about a story or
thing
keep an eye on The security guard kept an eye Definition
on the suspicious man.
= watch closely; monitor

a grey area Because of a grey area in his job Definition

description, Peter was not
exactly sure what all of his = a vague area; an unclear
responsibilities were. area; an area that is neither
black nor white
get/let somebody off the Luckily for her, the policeman Definition
hook let Jane off the hook for
parking her car in a no-parking = to let someone go free
zone. instead of holding them
responsible for something
bad
out of sight, out of mind. Jim was happy when his ex- Definition
girlfriend moved out of his
apartment out of sight, out of = this means that if you do
mind. not see someone regularly,
you will stop thinking about
them.
give somebody the cold Ted gave his ex-girlfriend the Definition
shoulder cold shoulder when he saw her
at the party. = to ignore somebody

The ins and outs It took Alan a year to learn all Definition
the ins and outs of his job.
= to know all aspects of
something; to know
completely how something
works

line of work The fireman said that injuries Definition

were common in his line of
work. = job field; type of work
make do I forgot to buy groceries so I Definition
had to make do with what was
left in the fridge. = to survive/get by with what
you have at that moment
get something off your A: Keith, theres something I Definition
chest need to get off my chest.
B: Whats bothering you? Tell = to say something serious or
me. difficult that you have been
thinking about for a while.

know something like the Takeshi knows the streets of Definition

back of your hand Kyoto like the back of his hand.
= to be very familiar with
something

in the bag After scoring their fourth goal, Definition

the victory was in the bag.
= certain to be
secured/obtained;

be on the ball Greg isnt on the ball today. He Definition

keeps making silly mistakes.
= to be thinking well and
reacting quickly

off and on / on and off Tara and Mike have been Definition
 seeing each other off and on for
a year now. = intermittently

for the time being I plan to move into my own Definition

apartment in September. For
the time being, Im staying with = just for the present moment
friend Doug.

burn your bridges Jack tried to be kind to his boss Definition

when he quit in job because he
didnt want to burn his bridges. = ruin a relationship,
resulting in you being unable
to return somewhere
get/be given the sack / Alan got the sack for repeatedly Definition
sack (verb) coming into work late.
= to be fired

on the back burner The project was put on the back Definition
burner while the company
focused on a more immediate = set as a lower priority
problem.

get cold feet Its normal to get cold feet Definition

before your wedding day.
= to become
nervous/frightened right
before something you had
planned to do

hit rock bottom After being fired and then Definition

kicked out of his apartment,
Jake really hit rock bottom. = to be in the lowest
situation, e.g. without money
or friends. to be in the
unhappiest situation of your
life
talk shop Everyone agreed not to talk Definition
shop at the staff party.
= to talk about work-related
things
start/get the ball rolling Its time we start the ball rolling Definition
on the new project.
= to take the first step to
begin a process
get your foot in the door Janice took a position as an Definition
administrative assistant to get
her foot in the door at the = to complete the first step
famous fashion company. towards achieving an
opportunity

well-off / well-to-do Lloyd comes from a well-to-do Definition

 family. His friends often ask to
borrow money from him. = rich; wealthy

pull your weight Lisa had to work extra hard Definition

because a few members of the
team werent pulling their = to do your share of the
weight. work; to contribute your
share of effort
a gut feeling I have a gut feeling that Definition
something bad is going to
happen today. = an intuitive feeling

if need be If need be, we can take a taxi Definition

home.
= If necessary,..
in the middle of Their car broke down in the Definition
nowhere middle of nowhere.
= in a place far away from
anywhere known to you
go with the flow Jake didnt want to go to Definition
another bar, but everyone else
did, so he went with the flow. = to let yourself to be guided
by the choices of others
play your cards right If Linda plays her cards right, Definition
she could be the department
manager by next year. = make the appropriate
moves/choices
follow in somebodys Bill chose to follow in his Definition
footsteps fathers footsteps and become a
dentist. = follow someone elses path

have your heart set on Alan has his heart set on Definition
something participating in the 2020
Olympics. = to be firmly resolved to do
something

You can say that again! A: I met your boss today. Hes a Definition
real jerk.
B: You can say that again! = expression that means that
you definitely agree with what
was just said.
Im all ears A: Doug, Ive discovered the Definition
meaning of life.
B: Really? Im all ears. = Im listening intently.

small talk After some small talk, the Definition

interview began.
= discussion about light
topics such as the weather
put something on hold Greg had to put his weekend Definition
plans on hold and go into the
office on Saturday for a few = to postpone something
hours.

common ground The two boys had some Definition

common ground: they both
loved football. = something held in
common; a common interest
or trait
politically (in)correct Marcel told a politically Definition
incorrect joke at the company
party. No one laughed. = politically correct = worded
in a sensitive way that will
not harm the audience

have had it up to here Ive had it up to here with this Definition

mess! Clean your room now!
= Im fed up; Ive had
enough; something said when
you cannot handle anymore
of something that is
aggravating you
have your work cut out If we want to finish this by Definition
Friday, then weve really got
our work cut out for us. = expression that means you
have a lot of work to do in
little time

get the picture A: The fight was horrible. One Definition

man kept punching the other
again and again and again = to understand what is being
B: OK. Thats enough. I get the illustrated or explained
picture.
see eye to eye Mike and his father dont see Definition
eye to eye on the issue of
abortion. = to agree on something; to
have the same views on
something

call it a day Its already 6 pm. Lets call it a Definition

day.
= expression said near the
end of a day which means
Thats enough for today.
Lets end and go home.

twist somebodys arm I really had to twist my sisters Definition

arm to get her to pick me up
from the airport. = to make a great effort to
convince somebody to do
something for you
bring something to light The report brought some Definition
previously unknown facts to
light about the causes of cancer. = to make something
previously unknown become
known
be in the dark / keep Most of the employees were Definition
somebody in the dark kept in the dark about the
merger until the last minute. = to be uninformed; to not be
told know whats happening
go up in smoke After breaking his leg, Darryls Definition
dream to play professional
hockey went up in smoke. = to be wasted; to become
impossible; when the chances
of something happening burn
away
go downhill After his wife divorced him, Definition
Victors life really went
downhill. = decline; become worse

at your fingertips With the World Wide Web, Definition

people have a vast amount of
information at their fingertips. = directly accessible
poke fun at The kids poked fun at George Definition
because he was wearing his t-
shirt backwards. = to make fun of somebody

Easier said than done. A: You should get a girlfriend Definition

whos beautiful AND kind.
B: Easier said than done. = expression that means that
something is much easier to
SAY than actually
accomplish.

the bottom line A: Doctor, whats the bottom Definition

line?
B: If you dont quit smoking, = the final result
youll die within a year.

call the shots The boss told Janet to call the Definition
shots while he was away.
= to make the decisions
know/learn something Hank knows every Elvis song Definition
by heart by heart.
= to memorize something

get a move on If we dont get a move on, well Definition

miss the bus.
= to start moving; to start
going
miss the point You missed the point. The Definition
book was about the problems of
capitalism, not how to make = to fail to grasp the most
money. important part of something

hold/stand your ground Although their enemy Definition

outnumbered them, the
soldiers stood their ground. = to stay in your position
without running away.

be childs play The tennis match was childs Definition

play for Ben.
= a piece of cake; something
so easy a child could do it

be only a matter of time The scientist said its only a Definition

matter of time before a big
earthquake hits California. = used to say that something
will inevitably happen
(sooner or later)
push your luck A: Dad, can I have another ice Definition
cream cone?
B: Dont push your luck, kid. = to expect continued good
fortune
raise (a few) eyebrows Francines short skirt raised a Definition
few eyebrows.
= to make people slightly
shocked or surprised
a matter of opinion The best restaurant in Europe Definition
is, of course, a matter of
opinion. = something that is subjective

be that as it may A: Tyler is such a selfish guy. Definition

B: Be that as it may, hes your
brother. You have to love him. = expression that means
even though that is true /
even so, ..
if/when push comes to If push comes to shove, Ill be Definition
shove here to support you.
= if/when the situation
becomes difficult/intense
against your better Against his better judgement, Definition
judgement Jim let his friend drive home
drunk. = something you did even
though, at that time, you
thought it was wrong thing to
do
add insult to injury To add insult to injury, Gregs Definition
wife left him for his best friend.
 = to make an insulting
situation even worse

the last straw When the boss told me to come Definition

in to work on Saturday, that
was the last straw. = the final thing that causes
something to collapse or
somebody to lose their
temper/get angry

be up in the air Jims vacation plans were still Definition

up in the air.
= for something to be
undecided; undetermined

not have the I dont have the faintest idea Definition

faintest/foggiest idea where Wollongong is.
= to not know something at
all

the icing on the cake Paula enjoyed the concert, and Definition
getting to meet the artist
backstage after the show was = an additional thing that
the icing on the cake. makes something good
become great
get/jump/leap on the Janet doesnt normally watch Definition
bandwagon hockey but she jumped on the
bandwagon because her citys = to join the crowd; to do
team was in the playoffs. what most other people are
doing

the fine/small print My father reads the fine print Definition

on every contract he signs.
= the information typed in a
smaller font, usually on a
contract
stuck/be in a rut The singer was stuck in a rut. Definition
All of her recent songs sounded
the same. = to be in a situation in which
you cannot make any
progress

run-of-the-mill Kate is a waitress at a run-of- Definition

the-mill bar and restaurant in
London. = typical
face the music Tina knew that one day her Definition
parents would see her tattoo
and then shed have to face the = to take responsibility for
music. what you have done
to keep Bodyguards kept the reporters Definition
something/somebody at at bay while the movie stars
bay entered the theatre. = to keep a threat away from
coming too near

be up in arms People were up in arms Definition

[about/over] the governments
plan to raise the retirement age. = in an uproar; very angry
bite your tongue Jack bit his tongue while his Definition
manager criticized his
performance. = to refrain from saying
something because you dont
think it would be a good idea

leave a lot to be desired The design of our office Definition

building leaves a lot to be
desired. = is unsatisfactory
off the beaten track Mike and Mary had dinner a Definition
quiet restaurant off the beaten
track in Paris. = away from the area most
people visit/go
pick somebodys brains Mike is a marketing genius. Definition
People often invite him to
lunch or dinner so they can = to ask someone many
pick his brains. questions so you can learn
from him/her

whet your appetite The 30-second trailer was Definition

designed to whet peoples
appetites. = to make people want more;
to stimulate your appetite so
you desire more
sour grapes A: People with nice cars just Definition
want attention.
B: That sounds like sour grapes = expression that means
because you cant afford one. something was said out of
jealousy

a blessing in disguise Losing his job turned out to be Definition

a blessing in disguise.
Afterward, Roger found his = a good thing that first
dream job. appears as a bad thing

give somebody the I told the teacher that it wasnt Definition

benefit of the doubt me who broke the window.
Thankfully, he gave me the = to choose to believe
benefit of the doubt. something good about
somebody instead of
believing something bad
(when you have the choice to
believe either)

jog somebodys memory Jeff said he couldnt remember Definition

 the songs lyrics, but hearing
the first few words jogged his = to make somebody
memory. remember something
foot the bill George agreed to foot the bill Definition
for dinner.
= to pay the bill for
something
have it in for somebody A: Why are you hiding from Definition
your brother?
B: He has it in for me. He = to be very angry at
knows I lost his football. somebody
be in the red The company has been in the Definition
red since September.
= at a deficit; running at a
loss; losing money
get/catch wind of Once the school principal Definition
something caught wind of the problem,
she called a teachers meeting. = to learn about some news;

a rule of thumb As a rule of thumb, I dont eat Definition

food that smells bad.
= a personal principle
be on the same The group members were all on Definition
wavelength the same wavelength, so they
were able to finish their project = to think in a similar way to
quickly. others
up to speed After her holiday, it took Kate a Definition
few hours to get back up to
speed on the recent = to be updated; to not be
developments in her company. behind; to have all the
current information

play devils advocate Although Jim is against the Definition

death penalty, he told his friend
he was for it just to play devils = to argue against somebody
advocate. just so you can hear your
opponents reasoning
bend/lean over Lisa bent over backwards to get Definition
backwards her brother a job in her
company, so she was surprised = to make a great effort to do
to learn he quit today. something or help somebody
pass the buck The politician passed the buck Definition
onto someone else instead of
accepting responsibility for the = to pass blame onto
problem. somebody else
take the plunge Jerry has finally decided to take Definition
 the plunge. Tomorrow hes
going to start looking for an = begin an
office job. important/difficult task that
youve been thinking about
for a long time (note: to
plunge is into dive into
something)
call somebodys bluff When Mike heard his friend say Definition
she knew all of the worlds
capitals, he called her bluff and = to make somebody prove
asked her to name the capital of that what they are saying is
Mozambique. true

have a chip on your Tim has had a chip on his Definition

shoulder shoulder about businesswomen
since he lost his job to a woman = to have anger about
three years ago. something that happened in
the past
breathe down Jim found it hard to focus on Definition
somebodys neck his work with his boss
breathing down his neck. = to watch somebody very
closely (often in an annoying
way)

climb to the top of the Having children can be an Definition

career/corporate ladder obstacle for women who want
to climb (to the top of) the = to advance in a company by
corporate ladder. being promoted to the top

red tape Marks visa application was Definition

held up for six months because
of red tape. = rules and regulations that
prevent you from achieving
something easily
give somebody free rein When his father died, Mark was Definition
given free rein to do whatever
he liked with the family = to give somebody full
business. control of something
the be-all-and-end-all Getting into Harvard Law Definition
School became the be-all-and-
end-all of Tonys existence. = the only thing that matters;
something so good that it will
end the search for something
better
blow something out of The media blew the story out of Definition
proportion proportion.
= exaggerate something; to
make something seem much
more significant that it really
is
bury the hatchet Susan and Mike agreed that it Definition
was time to bury the hatchet.
They apologized and decided to = to stop fighting and
be friends again. become friendly. (A hatchet is
a small axe.)