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| after all- despite, nevertheless | - | I knew it! After all, I was right! |
| 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 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- in my opinion | , | As far as I am concerned, both the book and the movie are good. |
| as for me/as to me- in my opinion | | As for me, you can rely on his support. |
| 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 dont like it at all. |
| at random- without order | , | He chose those places at random. |
| at this point- at this time | | At this point, we can't turn back. |
| be about to- ready (to do) | | I was about to leave when you called. |
| 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 the bush- avoid giving a clear/definite answer | | Stop beating around the bush! Get to the point! |
| 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- 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 smth.- be interested in | - | He is into computers. She is into sports. |
| bend over backwards- try hard | | I bent over backwards to help her. |
| be on one's way | . | I'm on my way. |
| be on the safe side- not to take any chances | | Take an extra key, just to be on the safe side. |
| be out of- be without | | 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- be short of not have enough" | | 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 / 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- 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- very busy | | I'm up to my ears in work. |
| be up to something- do mischief | , | I have to check what the kids are up to. |
| 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- be accustomed to | | 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 one's tongue- stop talking | | I almost told her, but bit my tongue. |
| bite the dust- die, be defeated | , | 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- 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 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 to | | The boss brushed off my project again. |
| brush up on- 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 means possible | , | She will get what she wants by hook or by crook. |
| 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. |
| 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 smb. in the act of doing wrong | , | The manager caught the boy red-handed when he was stealing cigarettes. |
| catch up- become not behind | | He needs to catch up with the others. |
| 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- become ill | - | I'm coming down with a cold. |
| come to one's senses- start acting reasonably, intelligently | , | He finally came to his senses, started to work hard, and passed his exams. |
| come true- become reality | | My dream came true when I met Pat. |
| come up with- suggest | | Mike came up with a brilliant idea. |
| count on- depend on | | 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- reduce | | You have to cut down on chocolate. |
| cut out to be /cut out for it- have the ability to do something | - | She isn't cut out to be a surgeon. He's cut out to be a leader. |
| 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- live without | | 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 fell out of love and divorced soon. |
| 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 smth. | - | I feel like going for a walk. I dont feel like working now, Im tired. |
| feel up to- 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- 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 works 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- have good relations | , | Ann gets along with most coworkers, but doesn't get along with Laura. |
| get away with- not be caught after doing wrong | | The police didn't find the thief. He got away with his crime. |
| 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- have one's revenge | - | I'll get even with him for everything! |
| get in touch with- contact | - | 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!- 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- 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. |
| get rid of- 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- know deeply | | He usually gets to the bottom of things. |
| get to the point- get to the matter | | Get to the point! |
| Give me a break!- spare me | | Come on, stop it! Give me a break! |
| give someone a hand- help | - | 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 ones 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- be worse | | His business went from bad to worse. |
| go out- go to parties, movies | | 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 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- 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 him- have the ability | | Laura has it in her to be a good doctor. |
| have no business doing something- have no right to do | , . | 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- (not) have the courage to do smth. 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. |
| hold it against someone- 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 up- rob using a weapon | | This bank was held up twice last year. |
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| 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 refused to do it for her. |
| 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 info 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)- 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.Its (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 / Hard luck! | ! | They lost my job application. Just my luck! |
| keep an eye on- take care of, watch, look after | , | Betty keeps an eye on my sons for me. Ill keep an eye on you! |
| 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 | | 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? |
| kill time- fill/spend empty time | | I went to the show to kill time. |
| (not) know the first thing about- not to have any knowledge about | - | 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- 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 cant 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 | | 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 | | Little by little, he got used to Tokyo. |
| look for- search for | | What are you looking for? |
| look forward to- 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 dont 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- not to know where someone or something is | | I lost track of him years ago. |
| lucky break- a lucky chance | | He got his lucky break when he got this job. |
| make a living- earn money to provide for life | | He works hard. His family is big, and he has to make a living somehow. |
| make allowance for- 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 and spend only what one earns | | His doesnt get much money. I wonder how he manages to make ends meet. |
| make friends- become friends | | Anton makes new friends easily. |
| make fun of- laugh at, joke about | | He made fun of her German accent. |
| 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- allow space for | | We can make room for one more dog. |
| make sense- be logical | | What you say makes sense. |
| make the most of smth- 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 smth- 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 others | - | He's reasonable and tries to meet his coworkers halfway, when possible. |
| never mind- it doesn't matter | , | Thank you. - 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- alone, by oneself | , , | She likes to live and work on her own. |
| 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- punctual | | 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 your strength | c | 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- 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 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 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 |
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"His books are not easy to understand you have to read between the lines." |
| remember me to- say hello to | | 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 company's spending policy. |
| rub shoulders with- meet with | | He doesn't rub shoulders with the rich. |
| rub someone the wrong way- irritate, annoy, make angry | , - | His remarks rub many coworkers the wrong way. |
| run into- 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- make arrangements for | - | 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. |
| show promise- be promising | | This young actor shows promise. |
| show up- appear | | I waited for hours but he didn't show up. |
| size up- evaluate someone | , | It took me 5 minutes to size up that man. |
| sleep on it- postpone a decision till next morning | | Don't decide 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 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- speak frankly | , | Don't try to spare my feelings, give it to me 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 | | Lets take a break, Im tired. |
| take advantage of- 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- 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 smth. | , | People need to take a stand on the issue of nuclear weapons. |
| take care of- look after, protect, see that smth. is done properly | -, -, | Can you take care of my dog while Im away? Tom takes good care of his car. |
| take hold of something- take, hold | , | Take hold of this rope and pull. |
| take into account- consider smth. | | 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 slowly | | Don't hurry. Take your time. |
| take ones word for it- believe | | Take my word for it, he wont go there. |
| take pains- try hard to do it well | | He took pains to make his report perfect. |
| take part in smth.- participate in | | Mary is going to take part in the show. |
| take place- happen | , | The accident took place on Oak Street. |
| take someone's mind off things- distract from fixed ideas/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 one'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 this flight. |
| not think much of- think low | | 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 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 smth. | , | 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 didnt fit her at all. |
| try one's hand at something- try | | 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, etc. | (, ) | 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- feel ill | | 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 | | My vacation plans are still up in the air. |
| (not) up to par- equal in standard | () | His behavior isn't up to par. |
| used to- did often in the past, but not now | , | 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 kill-joy, who spoils everybody'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. |
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с советами, отзывами, замечаниями и предложениями.
