AD
- Anno Domini - used to mark time that comes after the commonly accepted beginning of the Christian era
eg. The ancient city was founded in 125 AD.
AGM
- Annual General Meeting - the annual meeting of an organization
eg. My sister attended the AGM of the condominium owners last night.
AI
- Artificial Intelligence - used for robots etc
eg. Several professors at our university have been researching AI for many years now.
AIDS
- Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome - a disease of the immune system
eg. Recently the number of AIDS patients has been increasing rapidly in many countries.
AM
- Amplitude Modulation - a type of radio frequency
eg. We don't listen to AM radio much because we don't like the songs that they play.
AOB
- Any Other Business - used in meetings etc
eg. The organizer of the meeting wrote AOB at the bottom of the meeting information sheet.
AOK
- great, doing well
eg. He said that he was feeling AOK even after the truck had hit him.
APB
- All Point's Bulletin - used by the police when looking for a criminal
eg. The police put out an APB on the men who had robbed the bank.
ASAP
- As Soon As Possible
eg. Please finish the first draft of the letter and give it to me ASAP.
AWOL
- Absent Without Leave - often used in the military
eg. The military police were searching the area for the soldier who had gone AWOL.
a hot potato
- a situation likely to cause trouble to the person handling it
eg. The issue of the non-union workers is a real hot potato that we must deal with.
about to do something
- on the point of doing something
eg. She was about to leave when the phone rang.
about time
- something that should have happened earlier
eg. It is about time that you returned that book to me.
absent-minded
- forgetful
eg. My grandfather is very absent-minded and often forgets his key.
according to Hoyle
- strictly by the rules, the usual and correct way to do something
eg. According to Hoyle you are not allowed to enter this room but if nobody is here I think it will be okay.
across the board
- including everyone or everything
eg. The computer company decided to give the workers an across-the-board increase in their salary.
add up
- seem consistent or reasonable
eg. The things that he said about his boss don`t really add up.
after one`s own heart
- well-liked for agreeing with one`s own feelings, interests and ideas
eg. My new boss loves to go fishing every weekend. He is a man after my own heart.
ahead of time
- early
eg. We started the meeting ahead of time so we could go home early.
air one`s dirty laundry (linen) in public
- make public something embarrassing that should be kept secret
eg. The dinner party became uncomfortable when the host began to air his colleagues' dirty laundry in public.
air one`s dirty linen in public
- tell about one`s private quarrels or problems where others can hear
eg. His personal problems are nobody else`s business and he doesn`t like his wife to air his dirty linen in public when they go out with friends.
all along
- all the time
eg. I knew all along that he would not get the promotion.
all at once
- suddenly, without warning
eg. All at once the fire alarm rang so we had to leave the building.
all day long
- the whole day
eg. She has been sitting and waiting for the mail to arrive all day long.
all ears
- eager to listen to someone
eg. Okay, I`m all ears, please tell me about the party.
all eyes
- watching very closely, wide-eyed with surprise
eg. He is all eyes when he goes to a basketball game.
all in all
- in summary, after considering everything
eg. We had a few problems but all in all the meeting was successful.
all in one
- combined
eg. I was able to use my car for travelling and sleeping all in one.
all of a sudden
- suddenly, without advance warning
eg. All of a sudden it became cloudy and began to rain.
all right
- okay, satisfactory
eg. She said that it would be all right for me to bring my friend to the party.
all rolled up in one
- combined
eg. His brother is president and vice-president all rolled up in one.
all the time
- continually
eg. She asks for money all the time but I don`t like to give it to her.
alley cat
- stray cat
eg. He began to feed the alley cat and now it comes to his house every day.
an arm and a leg
- (cost) a large amount of money
eg. His new car must have cost him an arm and a leg.
ante up
- pay, produce a necessary amount of money
eg. I had to ante up a lot of money to get my car fixed.
apple of one`s eye
- one`s favorite
eg. His youngest daughter is the apple of his eye.
arm and a leg
- pay a very high price for something that isn't worth it
eg. My father paid an arm and a leg for his car but he really enjoys driving it.
armed to the teeth
- fully armed, having many weapons
eg. The robbers were armed to the teeth when they robbed the bank.
as a rule
- usually, as a habit
eg. As a rule I usually get up at 7:00 AM every morning.
as far as
- to the extent or degree that
eg. As far as I know he will be here in a few minutes.
as long as
- provided that, on condition that
eg. As long as you promise to be careful you can borrow my car.
as usual
- most of the time, as is the custom
eg. As usual, she forgot to bring her book to class.
as well as
- in addition to
eg. Please bring your swimming suit as well as your towel.
as yet
- until now, up to the present
eg. As yet, she has not told me about her plans to leave the company.
ask for trouble
- behave in a way that trouble is likely
eg. He is asking for trouble if he misses another class.
asleep at the switch
- not alert to an opportunity
eg. I think he was asleep at the switch. He didn`t even know that the job was available so he never applied for it.
at a loss
- sell something and lose money
eg. We were forced to sell the computers at a big loss.
at all costs
- at any expense of time, effort or money
eg. He plans to go to school at all costs.
at cross purposes
- have opposite ways to do something, opposing goals
eg. They are at cross purposes and are always arguing about what to do.
at death's door
- very near death
eg. The Prime Minister was at death's door after suffering a serious stroke.
at fault
- be responsible or to blame for something
eg. The truck driver was at fault in the terrible accident.
at first
- at the beginning
eg. At first she didn`t want to go to a movie but later she changed her mind.
at first blush
- when first seen, without careful study
eg. At first blush he seemed like a good worker but later we had many problems with him.
at hand
- easy to reach, nearby
eg. I couldn't find any tools near at hand so I was unable to fix the stove.
at heart
- basically, fundamentally
eg. She is a very nice person at heart although many people dislike her.
at home
- in one`s house
eg. I`m sorry but I left my money at home. Can you lend me some money?
at last
- finally, after a long time
eg. I was waiting all morning for her call but at last it came.
at loggerheads
- having a quarrel, opposing each other
eg. We have been at loggerheads over their plans to build a new office complex.
at odds
- in disagreement
eg. He has been at odds with his boss over the new sales territory.
at one time
- at a time in the past
eg. At one time the man had no money but now he is very rich.
at one with someone
- share the same view as someone
eg. The other members of the committee are at one with me over my decision to fire the lazy worker.
at or on the tip of one`s tongue
- at the point of being said, almost remembered
eg. My former teacher's name is on the tip of my tongue and I will soon remember it.
at sixes and sevens
- in a state of confusion
eg. Everyone was at sixes and sevens after the announcement that the company was going out of business.
at someone`s beck and call
- always ready to serve somebody
eg. His eldest daughter is always at his beck and call when he spends an evening at home.
at the end of one`s rope
- at the limit of one`s ability to cope
eg. I am at the end of my rope about what to do about my current situation at work.
at the top of one`s lungs
- as loud as one can, very loudly
eg. I yelled at the top of my lungs to get the attention of the man.
at the drop of a hat
- without waiting, immediately, promptly
eg. He will stop working and help you at the drop of a hat if you ask him politely.
attend to someone
- take care or deal with someone
eg. The doctor attended to the other patient before he got to my mother.
at/on one`s heels
- close behind, as a constant follower or companion
eg. The large car was on my heels during my drive into town.
BA
- Bachelor of Arts - from a university
eg. My brother has received a BA in economics from his university.
BLT
- Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato - a type of sandwich
eg. We went into the restaurant and ordered a BLT sandwich.
BO
- Body Odor - smell of sweat from the human body
eg. The BO from the man in the elevator was very bad.
BS
- Bullshit - lies or other information that is false
eg. We heard a lot of BS at the meeting last night which nobody believed.
BSc
- Bachelor of Science - from a university
eg. My cousin has just received a BSc in computer science from his university.
BYOB
- Bring Your Own Bottle - used for a party or dinner where each person must bring something to drink
eg. I decided to have a dinner party at my house next week and told everyone that it was BYOB.
B&B
- Bed and Breakfast - a small inn or hotel that serves breakfast
eg. My sister wants to open a small B&B when she quits her job.
B&E
- Break and Enter - a criminal act of breaking into a house or building to steal something
eg. When I was going to university there was a B&E in my apartment.
back on one`s feet
- return to good financial or physical health
eg. He is finally back on his feet after his company went out of business.
back out
- withdraw from an agreement or promise
eg. The company backed out of the deal with the foreign firm.
back to the drawing board
- go back to start a project or idea from the beginning
eg. The boss doesn`t like our idea so I guess we must go back to the drawing board.
back to the salt mines
- back to work, humorous expression to express going back to unpleasant work
eg. Well, lunch is over so let`s go back to the salt mines for the afternoon.
back on one's feet
- physically healthy again
eg. My mother is back on her feet again after being sick with the flu for two weeks.
back on one`s feet
- return to good financial health
eg. My sister is back on her feet after losing her job last year.
back to square one
- back to where one started
eg. We were forced to go back to square one in our efforts to change the name of the company.
bad blood
- anger or a bad relationship due to past problems with someone
eg. There has always been a lot of bad blood between the two supervisors.
bad egg
- a bad person, bum
eg. That man is a bad egg so you should try and avoid him if you can.
badger someone
- get someone to do something by repeated questions or by bothering them
eg. I always have to badger my friend in order to make him return my computer game software.
bad-mouth
- say bad things about someone
eg. The football players are always bad-mouthing their coach.
bail someone or something out
- help or rescue
eg. The government has decided to bail out the troubled bank.
bail a company out
- help or rescue a company with financial problems
eg. The government decided to bail out the failing bank in order to maintain stability in the economy.
ball park figure/estimate
- a rough estimate or figure
eg. The contractor gave us a ball park figure for the cost of repairing the new building.
bang for the buck
- value for the money spent
eg. We were able to get a big bang for our buck when we advertised on the Internet.
bank on
- be sure of, count on
eg. You can bank on them to come and help the company.
banker's hours
- short work hours
eg. My sister's husband owns his own company and is able to work banker's hours with his large staff.
bark is worse than one`s bite
- someone isn`t as bad as they sound
eg. Don`t worry if he gets angry - his bark is worse than his bite.
bark up the wrong tree
- make a wrong assumption about something
eg. The police are barking up the wrong tree in their investigation of that person.
bat an eye/eyelash
- show surprise, fear or interest; show one`s feelings (neg.)
eg. Our boss didn`t bat an eyelash when we told him that we were going to go home early today.
bats in the belfry
- crazy, eccentric
eg. I think that he has bats in the belfry. His ideas are absolutely crazy.
be to blame
- be responsible for something bad or unfortunate
eg. He`s not to blame for breaking the computer.
bean-counter
- accountant
eg. We asked the bean-counters to look over the figures in the new budget.
beat around the bush
- speak indirectly or evasively
eg. Stop beating around the bush and give us your final decision.
beat someone to the punch (draw)
- do something before others
eg. He beat me to the punch and arrived at the interview first.
beat into one`s head
- teach by telling again and again, drill
eg. I have been trying to beat the history material into the student's head.
beat one`s brains out
- tire oneself out by thinking
eg. I have been beating my brains out all day trying to remember who we should invite to the party.
beat one`s head against a wall
- struggle uselessly against something, not succeed after trying very hard
eg. You are beating your head against the wall trying to figure out what the new boss wants.
bee in one`s bonnet
- an idea that seems strange or crazy
eg. She has a bee in her bonnet about going to live on an island and starting a herb farm.
behind the times
- old fashioned
eg. My aunt is a little behind the times.
behind one`s back
- when one is absent or without one's knowledge, secretly
eg. He doesn't like people who talk behind his back.
believe one`s ears
- believe what one hears, become sure of (something)
eg. I couldn`t believe my ears when I heard that I had won a holiday in Mexico.
believe one`s eyes
- believe what one sees, become sure of seeing something
eg. We couldn`t believe our eyes when we saw the three bears on the highway.
below the belt
- in an unfair or cowardly way
eg. I think that he was hitting below the belt when he began to criticize me after I told him my true feelings on the matter.
bend over backwards to do something
- try very hard
eg. If I can, I will bend over backwards to help you get a promotion in the company.
beside one`s self
- very upset or excited about something
eg. He was beside himself with joy at winning the contest.
beside the point
- not relevant to the subject that you are considering or discussing
eg. "What you are saying is beside the point. We are not talking about salary now."
bet on the wrong horse
- misjudge a coming event, misread the future
eg. I think that he bet on the wrong horse by putting all of his money into that new stock.
bet one`s boots
- bet everything that one has
eg. I will bet my boots that he is not able to save up enough money to come with us to Greece this winter.
bet one`s bottom dollar
- bet all one has on something
eg. I would bet my bottom dollar that the accounting manager will be late again today.
bet on the wrong horse
- base one`s plans on a wrong guess about the results of something
eg. He is betting on the wrong horse if he continues to support the other candidate for mayor.
better off
- be in a better situation than before
eg. He would be better off if he sold his old car and bought a new one.
beyond the pale
- outside the bounds of acceptable behavior
eg. What they are doing is totally unacceptable and beyond the pale.
bide one`s time
- patiently wait for an opportunity to occur.
eg. He is biding his time as he waits to become president of the company.
big cheese
- an important person, a leader
eg. He is a big cheese in his company so you should be very nice to him.
big fish in a small pond
- an important person in a small place
eg. He wasn`t so important in the big city but in the small town he is a big fish in a small pond.
big gun/cheese/wheel/wig
- an important person, a leader
eg. The new director was a big wheel in his previous company but is not so important now.
big head
- too high an opinion of one's own ability or importance, conceit
eg. He has a big head since he won the speech contest at university.
big shot
- an important and powerful person
eg. He is a big shot in the oil and gas industry.
bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
- one shouldn`t risk losing something certain by trying to get something that is not certain
eg. You should keep the prize and not try and win another one. Remember a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
birds and bees
- the facts about sex and birth
eg. He learned about the birds and bees in his health education class at school.
birds-eye view
- a general view from above
eg. Let`s go up onto the roof and get a birds-eye view of the surrounding area.
birds of a feather flock together
- people who are similar become friends or join together
eg. Don`t complain about your friends. Remember birds of a feather flock together. They are just like you.
birds and bees
- facts about sex and birth
eg. The girl`s mother told her daughter about the birds and the bees during the summer holidays.
birthday suit
- completely naked, no clothes on
eg. The little boy was running down the street in his birthday suit.
bite off more than one can chew
- try to do more than one is able to do
eg. I think I bit off more than I can chew by taking on the new assignment.
bite the bullet
- endure in a difficult situation, face a difficult situation bravely
eg. I have decided to bite the bullet and begin studying for my Master`s degree.
bite the dust
- be killed, break down, be defeated
eg. I think that my car has finally bitten the dust.
bite the hand that feeds you
- turn against a friend or supporter, repay kindness with wrong
eg. He is biting the hand that feeds him if he continues to criticize and fight against his boss.
bite the hand that feeds one
- turn against or hurt a helper or supporter, repay kindness with wrong
eg. My niece is biting the hand that feeds her if she keeps abusing the help that her parents are giving her.
black and white
- thinking of everything or judging everything as either good or bad
eg. He tries to see everything in black and white although he knows this is impossible.
black out
- darken by putting out or dimming electric lights
eg. During the war people in the cities were forced to black out their windows so that the enemy aircraft could not see them.
black out information
- prevent or silence information or communication
eg. The government decided to black out all of the information related to the political prisoner.
black sheep (of the family)
- a person who is a disgrace to a family or group
eg. The man is the black sheep in his family and is the only member who has not made a success of his life.
black out
- lose consciousness, faint
eg. The football player blacked out after being hit by the other player.
blind leading the blind
- someone who doesn`t understand something trying to explain it to others
eg. It is like the blind leading the blind watching him try and explain how to operate the new computer.
blood is thicker than water
- family members are closer to one another than to others
eg. Blood is thicker than water and people usually support their family rather than their friends in times of trouble.
blood runs cold
- one is terrified or horrified
eg. My blood ran cold when I saw the man fall off the ladder.
blow it (something)
- fail at something
eg. I tried hard but I am sure that I blew the final math exam last week.
blow one`s own horn
- praise oneself
eg. He is always blowing his own horn and is very annoying at times.
blow over
- die down or calm down
eg. The problem with the lost invoices has finally blown over and everyone is working hard again.
blow one`s mind
- become wildly enthusiastic over something as if understanding it for the first time in an entirely new light
eg. My friend told me that if I read the new book it would blow my mind.
blue in the face
- endlessly, fruitlessly
eg. You can argue with him until you are blue in the face but you will never change his mind.
boggle the mind
- stop the normal thinking process by being fantastic or incredible, unbelievable
eg. It really boggles the mind when you think how quickly the Internet began to have a major impact on people's lives.
bone of contention
- a reason for quarrels, the subject of a fight
eg. The family cottage was a major bone of contention when their father died.
bonehead
- an unusually dense or stupid person
eg. He is such a bonehead. He never understands what other people are trying to tell him.
boot out
- make someone go or leave, get rid of someone, dismiss
eg. He was booted out of high school for smoking on the school grounds.
born with a silver spoon in one`s mouth
- born rich, provided from birth with everything you need
eg. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and has never worked in his life.
bottom fall out/drop out
- to fall below an earlier lowest price
eg. When the bottom fell out of the coffee market many companies had to stop doing business.
bottom line
- the total, the final figure on a balance sheet
eg. When they examined the bottom line of the company they decided not to invest in it.
bottom out
- reach the lowest or worst point of something
eg. The value of the stock has begun to bottom out and should soon begin to increase in value.
bottom dollar
- one`s last dollar
eg. He spent his bottom dollar on some new clothes to wear for his job interview.
bottom line
- last price, minimum
eg. The bottom line in the company's financial statement was much worse than expected.
boys in the backroom
- a group of men making decisions behind the scenes
eg. The boys in the backroom told us that we must close down the factory as soon as possible.
brain drain
- the loss of talented and educated people of a country to other countries where conditions are better
eg. There is a brain drain from many countries to the United States where some conditions are very good.
brand new
- absolutely new
eg. He was finally able to buy a brand-new car.
bread and butter
- basic needs of life (food,shelter,clothing)
eg. The voters are worried about bread and butter issues like jobs and taxes.
break down
- analyze
eg. We must break down these figures for further study.
break fresh ground
- deal with something in a new way
eg. The researchers were able to break fresh ground in their search for a cancer cure.
break the bank
- win all the money at a casino gambling table
eg. He didn`t really break the bank but he did win a lot of money.
break the ice
- relax and start a conversation in a formal situation
eg. Nobody was enjoying the party until the host finally was able to break the ice.
break the news
- tell some information first
eg. He is planning to break the news to her about his transfer tomorrow.
break up (with someone)
- stop a relationship
eg. She broke up with her boyfriend last June.
break one`s neck
- do all one possibly can, try one's hardest
eg. I broke my neck to try and get the report finished on time.
break even
- have expenses equal to profits
eg. After only three months the company was able to break even and start making profits.
break one`s heart
- make very sad or hopeless
eg. It broke my heart to see the woman fall down during the race after she had tried so hard.
break out
- begin showing a rash or other skin disorder
eg. I broke out in a terrible rash after eating the raw shrimp at the restaurant.
break even
- have expenses equal to profits
eg. Our company was able to break even after only six months of operation.
break the bank
- win all the money at a casino gambling table
eg. He broke the bank at the casino and walked away with a lot of money.
breathe down one`s neck
- follow closely, threaten from behind
eg. My boss has been breathing down my neck all day to try and get me to work harder.
breathe one's last
- to die
eg. The man finally breathed his last after a long illness.
bring home the bacon
- work and earn money for your family
eg. He is out bringing home the bacon and is very busy.
bring home the importance of something to someone
- make someone fully realize something
eg. He was unable to bring home the importance of arriving early for the meeting.
bring some new facts to light
- discover some new facts, make some new facts known
eg. The lawyers were able to bring some new facts to light in the trial of the killer.
bring someone into line
- persuade someone to agree with you
eg. He was finally able to bring the other members of the committee into line.
bring something on
- cause to develop rapidly
eg. I don`t know what brought on his anger but you should avoid him until he calms down.
bring the house down
- cause much laughter in the audience
eg. The comedian brought the house down with his jokes about the lost dog.
bring to mind
- recall something
eg. Her perfect acting brought to mind some of the great actresses of the past.
bring up
- introduce a subject into a discussion
eg. They brought up the subject at the meeting but nobody wanted to talk about it.
bring up someone
- raise or care for a child
eg. My grandmother brought up ten children.
bring up the rear
- be at the end of the line or in the last position
eg. The runner from the other school was bringing up the rear in the school relay race.
bring home the bacon
- earn your family`s living
eg. Recently he has been working very hard trying to bring home the bacon. He has no time to do anything else.
bring around/round
- restore to health or consciousness, cure
eg. The medical workers were able to bring the man around after the accident.
bring to
- restore to consciousness, wake from sleep/anesthesia/hypnosis/fainting etc
eg. The woman was brought to soon after the car accident.
bring home the bacon
- earn the family living
eg. I have been working hard all month bringing home the bacon for my family.
broke
- have no money
eg. I spent all of my money on my holiday and I am now broke.
broke down
- stop working because of mechanical failure
eg. The car broke down on the lonely road so nobody knew about it.
brown bag it
- take a lunch to work
eg. I have had to brown bag it every day this week as the company cafeteria is closed for repair work.
brush up on something
- review something one has already learned
eg. I`m going to brush up on my English before my trip to New York.
brush with the law
- a brief encounter or experience with the police because of a crime
eg. He had a brush with the law when he was young but now he is totally honest.
buckle down
- give complete attention or effort to do something
eg. I told her that it was time that she buckled down and began to work harder than before.
budget squeeze/crunch
- a situation where there is not enough money in the budget
eg. We have been going through a severe budget squeeze at our company and must begin to stop spending money in a wasteful manner.
bug someone
- annoy or irritate someone
eg. My friend is beginning to bug me with his constant questions.
bug-eyed
- wide-eyed with surprise
eg. The little boy was bug-eyed when he got a new bicycle for a birthday present.
bull in a china shop
- someone who is clumsy and upsets other people or plans
eg. He was like a bull in a china shop when I saw him at the meeting last week.
bundle up
- put on warm clothes, dress warmly
eg. We bundled up and went for a walk in the park.
burn a hole in one`s pocket
- money that you want to spend quickly
eg. I just got paid today and this money is burning a hole in my pocket.
burn down
- burn completely (usually used for buildings)
eg. The neighbor`s house burnt down completely during the night.
burn one`s bridges behind one
- do something that makes going back impossible
eg. He burned his bridges behind him and is unable to work in the same industry again.
burn the candle at both ends
- work or play too hard without enough rest
eg. He has been burning the candle at both ends with his work and his studies. That is why he became sick.
burn the midnight oil
- study until very late at night
eg. We burned the midnight oil for three nights in a row in order to study for the exam.
burn up
- burn completely (usually things not buildings)
eg. The uniforms burned up in the fire.
burn one`s fingers
- learn caution through an umpleasant experience
eg. My father burned his fingers on the stock market and doesn't want to invest money there again.
burst at the seams
- too full or too crowded
eg. The train station was bursting at the seams as everyone was waiting to go away for their holidays.
bury (hide) one`s head in the sand
- refuse to see or face something, keep from seeing or knowing something unpleasant
eg. He always buries his head in the sand and never wants to deal with his family problems at all.
bury the hatchet
- stop quarreling and become friendly with someone
eg. He decided to bury the hatchet with his brother and they are now on friendly terms again.
butter someone up
- flatter someone
eg. He is trying to butter up his boss so that he can leave early on Friday.
butterflies in one`s stomach
- a feeling of fear or anxiety in the stomach
eg. The little boy had butterflies in his stomach when he had to give the speech in front of the class.
butter up
- flatter someone to try to get their favor or friendship
eg. He spends most of his free time trying to butter up his boss so that he won`t have to work so hard.
button one`s lip
- stop talking, keep a secret, be quiet
eg. Please button your lip so that we can hear what the speaker is saying.
buy a pig in a poke
- buy something without seeing it or knowing if it will be satisfactory
eg. You shouldn`t buy that car without first inspecting it. It is like buying a pig in a poke.
buy off
- use a gift or money to divert someone from their duty or purpose
eg. The land developer tried to buy off the politician but he was not successful.
buy out
- buy the ownership or a decisive share of something
eg. The company was bought out by another large company in the textile industry.
buy off
- give money to someone to stop them from doing their duty
eg. They tried to buy off the politician but he refused to go along with their plan.
by a long shot
- by a big difference, by far
eg. The soap company was able to beat out the bids of the other companies by a long shot.
by and large
- on the whole, considering everything
eg. By and large we had a good meeting even though it was a little short.
by and by
- before long
eg. By and by they will come and we can go out for dinner.
by far
- greatly, by a great margin
eg. He is by far the smartest person in the company.
by fits and starts
- irregularly, with many stops and starts
eg. By fits and starts the company was finally able to begin business.
by hook or by crook
- in any way necessary
eg. She says that she will go to Italy this year by hook or by crook.
by the way
- incidentally
eg. By the way, could you please bring your computer tomorrow.
by the skin of one`s teeth
- by a very small margin, barely
eg. I made the application date for the job by the skin of my teeth.
by the sweat of one`s brow
- by hard work
eg. He managed to make enough money to buy the farm by the sweat of his brow.
by the skin of one`s teeth
- by a narrow margin, barely
eg. We were able to catch the train by the skin of our teeth.
by the sweat of one`s brow
- by hard work
eg. He built up the business by the sweat of his brow.
by word of mouth
- orally, from person to person by the spoken word
eg. I learned that there would be a holiday next week by word of mouth.
(do something) behind someone`s back
- without someone`s knowledge
eg. He is very angry because they borrowed the car behind his back.
(have a) bee in one`s bonnet
- have an idea that continually occupies one`s thoughts.
eg. He has a bee in his bonnet over whether or not to build a new house or not.
(like a) bat out of hell
- very fast
eg. He left here like a bat out of hell. I don`t know why he was in such a hurry.
CA
- Chartered Accountant
eg. We went to see a CA in order to get our income tax finished on time.
CEO
- Chief Executive Officer
eg. My uncle was the CEO of a large computer company.
CIA
- Central Intelligence Agency - US spy and security organization
eg. The CIA was involved in the efforts to free the hostage air force pilot.
COD
- Cash On Delivery - used when a delivery person receives cash when they deliver something
eg. I decided to send away for some video cassettes and the company said that they would send them to me COD.
CPA
- Certified Public Accountant
eg. The woman in our accounting department has been studying for her CPA exams for three months.
Come again.
- please repeat, please say that again
eg. Come again. I didn`t hear you the first time.
C/O
- Care Of - used when you want to send something to someone at the address of another person
eg. I didn't know my friend's address so I sent a letter to him C/O another friend of mine.
calculated risk
- an action that may fail but has a good chance to succeed
eg. They took a calculated risk when they opened the new store but it has been very successful.
call a spade a spade
- speak bluntly
eg. He was calling a spade a spade when he began to criticize his employee for being lazy.
call for someone
- come and get someone
eg. Could you please come and call on me before you go to the game.
call it quits
- stop, finish
eg. He called it quits and went home for the day.
call of nature
- the need to go to the toilet
eg. He is answering the call of nature and can`t talk to you for a few minutes.
call off
- cancel
eg. The game was called off because of the rain.
call on to the carpet
- call someone before an authority to be scolded or reprimanded
eg. He was called on to the carpet by his boss for losing the major sale.
call someone`s bluff
- challenge someone to prove what they say is true
eg. I decided to call his bluff and asked him to show me the evidence.
call the shots
- be in charge, give orders
eg. He is now calling the shots and is in control of the company.
call up
- telephone
eg. He said that he would call up his parents tomorrow night.
calm down
- relax
eg. She finally calmed down after the accident.
cancel out
- destroy the effect of something
eg. The benefits of her exercise were cancelled out by her always overeating.
can`t see the forest for the trees
- unable to judge or understand the whole picture because you are looking at the small parts of it
eg. He has no real understanding of most problems as he always fails to see the forest for the trees.
captain of industry
- a top corporation officer
eg. The president of our company was a captain of industry and after he retired he was appointed to many government boards.
card up one`s sleeve
- a plan or argument kept back to be produced if needed
eg. I think that he has a card up his sleeve and will be able to help us later.
carrot and stick
- the promise of reward and threat of punishment at the same time
eg. The trade negotiators took a carrot and stick approach to the automobile talks.
carry on
- continue, keep doing as before
eg. We were permitted to carry on with the party after we had talked to the landlord.
carry (something) out
- put into action, accomplish
eg. The move to the new headquarters was carried out with a minimum of problems.
carry over
- save for another time
eg. We plan to carry over the summer swimwear until next year.
carry the ball
- take the most important or difficult part in an action or business
eg. The vice-president was forced to carry the ball while the president was away.
carry the day
- win or be successful
eg. His fine performance in our company carried the day for us.
carry the torch
- show loyalty to a cause or a person
eg. He has been carrying the torch for the candidate for a long time.
carry through
- put a plan into action
eg. The company carried through with their plan to layoff 300 workers.
carry over
- save for another time
eg. We were forced to carry over the sale to the Monday after the national holiday.
carry the day
- win completely
eg. The president's new idea carried the day and everyone supported him energetically.
carry through
- put into action
eg. The steel company carried through their plan to restructure all of their operations.
cash cow
- a good source of money
eg. His new business is a great cash cow. I think that he is really making a lot of money.
cash in
- exchange something for money
eg. We decided to cash in the coupons because we needed some money.
cash in on
- see and profit by a chance
eg. The small town cashed in on their success with the winter Olympics.
cash on the barrelhead
- money paid when something is bought
eg. It was a cash deal and we were forced to pay cash on the barrelhead.
cash cow
- a good way to make money
eg. The new business is a great cash cow. We are making a lot of money now.
cash in
- exchange coupons or bonds for their value in money
eg. I cashed in a large number of my savings bonds in order to get some money to buy a house.
cash in on
- make money from an opportunity
eg. The former football player cashed in on his popularity to open a very successful restaurant.
cash in one`s chips
- exchange or sell something to get some money
eg. I decided to cash in my chips to get some money to go back to school.
cash on the barrelhead
- money paid in cash when something is bought
eg. I had to pay cash on the barrelhead for the used car.
cash-and-carry
- selling something for cash only with no delivery
eg. We were able to get a good price on a sofa in a cash-and-carry deal at the furniture store.
cast pearls before swine
- waste something valuable on someone who doesn`t appreciate it
eg. Giving her the gold earrings was casting pearls before swine.
cast the first stone
- be the first to blame someone
eg. He was the one to cast the first stone and now he is having a major fight with his neighbor.
cast pearls before swine
- waste something on someone who won`t be thankful
eg. Giving that jewellery to her will be casting pearls before swine. She will not appreciate it at all.
castles in the air
- daydreams
eg. She is always building castles in the air and is very unrealistic.
cat burglar
- a burglar who enters a building by climbing a wall etc.
eg. We lost our stereo when a cat burglar entered our apartment.
cat gets one`s tongue
- can`t talk
eg. I think that the cat has got her tongue. She hasn`t said anything at all since the meeting started.
cat get one`s tongue
- can`t speak because of shyness
eg. The cat must have got her tongue. She did not saying anything at all.
cat get`s one`s tongue
- one is not willing to talk because of shyness
eg. The cat seemed to have gotten her tongue and she was not able to say anything.
cat nap
- a short sleep taken during the day
eg. I had a cat nap during the afternoon so I would feel refreshed in the evening.
catch-22
- a situation where whatever you do the outcome will be bad, a no-win situation
eg. It was a catch-22 situation where if I went to work there would be problems but if I didn`t go to work there would be more problems.
catch a cold
- become sick with a cold
eg. I caught a cold because of the rain and the cold weather.
catch-as-catch-can
- in any way possible
eg. We are in the middle of moving house so the meals when you visit will be catch-as-catch-can.
catch on
- understand, learn about
eg. It was difficult to catch on at first but finally I was able to understand the math problem.
catch one`s breath
- stop to rest and regain one`s normal breathing
eg. After running from the station it took a moment to catch my breath.
catch one`s eye
- attract one`s attention
eg. I tried to catch her eye but she didn`t notice me.
catch (someone) red-handed
- find someone in the middle of doing something wrong
eg. He caught the boy red-handed when he was stealing the candy.
catch up with (someone or something)
- become even with someone (in a race or in schoolwork etc.)
eg. I think it`s too late to catch up with the rest of the class now.
catch with one`s pants down
- surprise someone in an embarassing situation or a guilty act
eg. He was caught with his pants down when he was asked for the figures but was unable to produce them.
catch (someone) red-handed
- catch someone in the middle of doing something wrong
eg. The woman was caught red-handed at the store trying to steal some cosmetics.
catch one`s eye
- attract one`s attention
eg. I tried to catch my friend`s eye at the movie theater but he didn`t notice me.
catch a cold
- get a cold
eg. I caught a bad cold last week and had to miss three weeks of work.
catch one's death of cold
- become very ill (with a cold, flu etc)
eg. The little boy was told to be careful in the rain or he would catch his death of cold.
caught short
- not having enough of something when you need it (usually money)
eg. I was caught short last week and couldn`t pay the weekly food bill.
cave in
- to weaken and be forced to give up
eg. The company finally caved in to the union`s demand for more money.
chalk up
- record
eg. The stock prices of the company chalked up a big gain last week.
change horses in midstream
- make new plans or choose a new leader in the middle of an important activity
eg. They decided to change horses in midstream and that is probably why they lost the election.
change of heart
- change the way one feels about something
eg. She had a change of heart and decided to let her child go to the circus.
change (one`s) mind
- change one`s decision
eg. He changed his mind and said that he would not go to the movie tonight.
change (one`s) tune
- make a change in one`s story,statement or opinions
eg. He has begun to change his tune recently and is beginning to agree that we need to do things a little differently.
change horses in midstream
- make new plans or choose a new leader in the middle of an important activity
eg. They have decided to change lawyers but I told them that they shouldn`t change horses in midstream.
change of heart
- a change in the way one feels about something
eg. I had a change of heart about not going to Europe for my holiday and finally decided to go.
cheapskate
- a person who will not spend much money, a stingy person
eg. My friend is a cheapskate and won't even go to a movie with me.
cheat on (someone)
- be unfaithful to someone
eg. He recently began cheating on his wife which was the main cause of their divorce.
check-up
- a periodic inspection of a patient by a doctor
eg. I went to have my annual check-up last week.
cheek by jowl
- side by side, in close intimacy
eg. They were walking down the stairs cheek by jowl when the alarm sounded.
chew the fat
- chat
eg. The two men were chewing the fat on the porch of the house.
chew out (someone)
- scold roughly
eg. The teacher chewed out the student for talking in class.
chew the fat
- chat
eg. We stayed up very late last night chewing the fat about our university days.
chicken feed
- a small amount of money
eg. What he sold his car for was chicken feed compared to the amount of money that he has in the bank.
chicken out
- stop doing something because of fear
eg. He chickened out of jumping into the lake from the high diving board.
chickens come home to roost
- words or acts come back to cause trouble for a person
eg. Her chickens have finally come home to roost and she must now take responsibility for what she has done.
chicken feed
- a small sum of money
eg. The money that I lost at the horse races was only chicken feed so I am not worried about it at all.
chicken-livered
- cowardly, easily scared
eg. He called his friend chicken-livered which made him very angry.
chicken out
- stop doing something because of fear
eg. He was going to come with us but he chickened out at the last moment.
chickens come home to roost
- someone`s words or acts come back to cause trouble for them
eg. He was very inconsiderate of other people when he was supervisor. Now his chickens have come home to roost and people are very unkind to him.
chicken feed
- a small amount of money
eg. His son always wants to borrow money and says that it is only chicken feed but little by little it adds up to a lot of money.
chime in
- join in (a song or conversation)
eg. We were having a nice conversation until she chimed in and started complaining about everything.
chip in
- contribute or pay jointly
eg. We all chipped in and bought our father a present.
chip off the old block
- person who looks or acts like one of his parents
eg. His son is a chip off the old block and acts exactly like his father.
chip in
- contribute money or pay jointly
eg. Everyone in our company chipped in some money to buy a wedding present for our boss.
clam up
- stop talking
eg. She clammed up as soon as her boyfriend entered the room.
clean bill of health
- the assurance that an animal or person is healthy
eg. The astronaut was given a clean bill of health before he began training.
clean slate
- having no errors, past acts that are all good
eg. He started off with a clean slate and has never caused any problems for the company.
clean bill of health
- a report or certificate that a person or animal is healthy
eg. The doctor gave me a clean bill of health when I visited him last month.
clean up
- make a lot of money, make a big profit
eg. I cleaned up at the horse races last year and still have some of the money left.
clear the air
- calm down and remove a misunderstanding
eg. We had a big argument so I think it is time to clear the air.
clear the decks
- clear away things and prepare for action
eg. Let`s clear the decks and get everyone out of the house so we can begin work.
clear up
- solve or explain (a problem etc.)
eg. They finally cleared up the problem that I was having with my salary at work.
cliffhanger
- sports event or movie where the outcome is uncertain until the very end
eg. The playoff game was a cliffhanger and one of the most enjoyable games of the year.
climb the wall
- be so bored that you become anxious and frustrated
eg. She began to climb the wall after only a few days at her new job.
clip joint
- a low-class business where people are cheated
eg. They went into a clip joint near the bus station and had to pay a lot of money.
clip someone`s wings
- limit one`s activities or possibilities
eg. They decided to clip his wings and took away his expense account.
clip one`s wings
- limit or hold one back, bring one under control
eg. We had to try and clip his wings as he was becoming too aggressive in dealing with other people.
close call/shave
- an accident almost happens (but doesn`t happen)
eg. I had a close call this morning when the truck almost hit me.
close ranks
- come together for fighting, unite and work together
eg. They decided to close ranks and stop arguing among themselves
close to home
- near to someone`s personal feelings, wishes or interests
eg. What I said about her work habits must have hit close to home as she seemed to become very quiet suddenly.
close out
- sell the whole of something, sell all the goods
eg. They decided to close out the store and sell all of the remaining stock very cheap.
close the books
- stop taking orders, end a bookkeeping period
eg. They usually close the books at the end of February every year.
coast is clear
- no danger is in sight, no one can see you
eg. When the coast was clear we decided to enter the building.
coffee break
- a break from work to rest and drink coffee
eg. We usually take a 15-minute coffee break every morning about 10 o`clock.
cog in the machine
- you are not important but only a small part of a large organization
eg. The employees felt like they were only cogs in a machine so the atmosphere at the company was not very good.
cold spell or cold snap
- a sudden short period of cold weather (usually in winter)
eg. The cold snap lasted for five days.
cold turkey
- stop using drugs (heroin etc.) abruptly and without medical aid
eg. Although she was able to stop using drugs cold turkey she was very sick for awhile.
cold feet
- a loss of courage or nerve
eg. I planned to go to Europe with my cousin but he got cold feet and decided not to go.
cold turkey
- stop taking drugs (heroin etc.) abruptly and without medical aid
eg. The government program helped the drug addicts stop using heroin cold turkey.
cold shoulder
- unfriendly treatment of a person
eg. The office staff gave me the cold shoulder when I did not go to the going away party.
cold call
- call a potential customer from a list of persons one has never seen
eg. When he first started to work at his company he was asked to make cold calls using the telephone book.
cold fish
- person who is unfriendly or doesn`t mix with others
eg. He is a real cold fish and has no friends at his company at all.
cold hard cash
- cash, coins and bills
eg. I paid for the stereo in cold hard cash.
come a cropper
- fail
eg. I think that he has come a cropper in the horse competition and that is why he is sad.
come across
- find something or meet someone by chance
eg. I came across an interesting story in the newspaper the other day.
come alive
- brighten up and become active
eg. She finally came alive and began to enjoy the party.
come along
- make progress, thrive
eg. The work on our new house is coming along very well at the moment.
come a long way
- make great progress
eg. He has come a long way and has learned many things about his new company.
come back
- return to the place you are now
eg. She came back from her holidays last week.
come between
- disrupt the relationship between (two people)
eg. His constant interfering finally came between his brother and his wife.
come by
- get, obtain, acquire
eg. She came by a lot of money recently and is now enjoying her life.
come clean
- tell the truth
eg. The president of the company was forced to come clean and tell what really happened to the business.
come down hard on
- scold or punish severely
eg. The police have been coming down very hard on drunk drivers recently.
come down to earth
- stop imagining or dreaming, think and behave as usual
eg. He has finally come down to earth and is preparing seriously to look for a job.
come down with
- become sick with or catch a cold etc.
eg. Her mother came down with a cold so was unable to attend the dinner.
come from
- be a native of a place
eg. Several of the students in the class come from Mexico.
come full circle
- completely opposite from one`s starting point
eg. They have come full circle since the new president started at the university.
come hell or high water
- no matter what happens
eg. Come hell or high water I plan to go to the concert next week.
come in handy
- prove to be useful
eg. I think that the small hammer will come in handy to fix the desk.
come into
- receive, get possession of
eg. They came into a lot of money which they donated to charity.
come into fashion
- become fashionable
eg. She says that although bell-bottom pants have come into fashion again she will never wear them.
come into one`s own
- become to perform or work well because of good circumstances
eg. He has really come into his own as a basketball player since he changed positions.
come off
- be successful
eg. The party came off without any problems so everyone was very happy.
come on strong
- overwhelm with excessively strong language or personality
eg. He came on too strong during the job interview and was unable to get the job.
come out with
- say, make known
eg. The child has recently come out with many strange and funny expressions.
come to
- begin or learn to do or feel something
eg. At first I disliked her a lot but recently I have come to accept her.
come to blows
- begin to fight
eg. They almost came to blows when they were trying to fix the car.
come to grief
- have a bad accident or disappointment
eg. He has recently come to much grief because of his son`s problems with the police.
come to grips with
- struggle (successfully) with an idea or problem
eg. She has finally been able to come to grips with her husband`s drinking.
come to light
- be discovered, become known
eg. It has recently come to light that the company has lost millions of dollars.
come to nothing
- end in failure
eg. All his efforts to help his sister find a job came to nothing.
come to one`s senses
- begin to think clearly or act sensibly
eg. He finally came to his senses and decided to buy a cheaper car rather than borrow a lot of money for an expensive one.
come to pass
- to happen, occur
eg. It came to pass that the company was never able to recover from their financial problems.
come to terms
- reach an agreement
eg. We came to terms with the bank and were able to buy the house.
come to the point
- be direct
eg. His speech was interesting but he never really came to the point.
come up with
- produce or find a thought, idea or answer
eg. Please try to come up with a name for the new magazine.
come on strong
- overwhelm with excessively strong language or personality
eg. The salesman came on too strong at the meeting and angered the other members of the team.
come into fashion
- become fashionable
eg. Recently in some areas the mini-skirt has come into fashion again.
come down with
- become sick with, catch
eg. My niece came down with a bad cold and was unable to visit me last week.
common touch
- a friendly manner with everyone
eg. He has a nice common touch and everyone likes him a lot.
company man
- a person who always works hard and agrees with his employees
eg. My father was a true company man and was always putting in an extra effort for his company.
company town
- a town dominated by one industry or company
eg. When the coal mine closed down the company town faced severe economic times.
conk out
- fall asleep quickly with great fatigue
eg. As soon as we returned from the hike I conked out in front of the TV.
cook one`s goose
- ruin one`s chances
eg. She really cooked her own goose and has no chance of getting the new job.
cook up
- invent, plan and put something together
eg. I don`t know what kind of plan she is cooking up now but it should be quite interesting.
cook one`s goose
- destroy one`s future chances or reputation
eg. They really cooked their goose when they fought against their employer and lost.
cook the books
- illegally change information in accounting books in a company
eg. The accountant was cooking the books for over a year before he was caught.
cool as a cucumber
- very calm and brave, not worried or anxious
eg. She was as cool as a cucumber when her canoe turned over in the river.
cool one`s heels
- be kept waiting because of another`s rudeness
eg. He was forced to cool his heels for an hour in the waiting room before his boss would talk to him.
cool as a cucumber
- calm, not nervous or anxious
eg. He is always as cool as a cucumber and never worries about anything.
cop a plea
- plead guilty to a crime in order to get a lesser penalty
eg. He was forced to cop a plea when the evidence against him became too strong to dispute.
cop out
- avoid doing something that you were planning to do
eg. He copped out from our plan to go to to the beach for the day.
copycat
- someone who copies another person`s work or their actions
eg. The little boy was accused of being a copycat by the other children.
couch doctor
- a psychoanalyst who puts his patients on a couch
eg. He was sent to see a couch doctor after his continued problems at work.
cough up
- give unwillingly
eg. He finally coughed up enough money to pay for the accident.
count on
- depend on
eg. You can never count on him to do anything right.
count one`s chickens before they`re hatched
- assume that something will be successful before it is certain
eg. Don`t count your chickens before they`re hatched. You`re spending your money and you don`t even have a job yet.
count out
- leave something out of a plan, exclude
eg. Please count me out of your plans to go skiing for the weekend.
count one`s chickens before they`re hatched
- depend or rely on getting something before one has it
eg. Don`t count your chickens before they`re hatched - remember you haven`t passed your exams yet and may not get the job you expect.
cover one`s tracks
- hide or not say where one has been or what one has done
eg. He was trying to cover his tracks but it was easy to see where he had recently been.
cover up
- hide something wrong or bad
eg. They tried to cover up the facts regarding the illegal election campaign funds.
cozy up to (someone)
- try to be friendly to someone
eg. I don`t know what he wants but recently he has been trying to cozy up to me.
crack a joke
- tell a joke
eg. He was a lot of fun at the party because he was always cracking jokes.
crack a smile
- let a smile show on one`s face
eg. He never cracked a smile during the whole meeting.
crack down on
- enforce laws or rules strictly
eg. The school principal decided to crack down on people running in the halls.
crack of dawn
- daybreak, early in the morning
eg. We got up at the crack of dawn to go fishing.
crackpot
- an eccentric person with ideas that don`t make sense to others
eg. He is a total crackpot and you never know what he will do next.
crack the whip
- try to make someone work hard or obey you by threatening them
eg. We had to crack the whip in order to get the job finished by the weekend.
crack up
- burst into laughter
eg. I cracked up when he started talking about the incident with the taxi driver.
cramp one`s style
- limit one`s talk or action
eg. Working in the new section is beginning to cramp my style a little.
crash the gate
- enter without a ticket or without paying or with no invitation
eg. Many people didn`t have a ticket for the concert so they decided to crash the gate.
cream of the crop
- the top choice
eg. When they hire new employees they always look for the cream of the crop.
creep up on
- crawl quietly towards
eg. The thief crept up on the elderly women at the supermarket.
crocodile tears
- a show of sorrow that is not really felt
eg. He said that he was very sorry but his tears were just crocodile tears.
crop up
- appear or happen unexpectedly
eg. I will meet you early next week unless something crops up that keeps me busy.
cross a bridge before one comes to it
- think and worry about future events or problems before they happen
eg. We shouldn`t worry about that problem now. We can cross that bridge when we come to it.
cross one`s heart and hope to die
- promise that what you are saying is true
eg. I promise that I will pay you back the money next week. Cross my heart and hope to die.
cross one`s mind
- think of, occur to someone
eg. It just crossed my mind that I would probably see him in the evening so I didn`t phone him.
cross (something) out
- eliminate by drawing a line through something
eg. Please cross out that amount and put in the correct amount.
cross to bear/carry
- something you must do or continue with even though you are suffering
eg. Looking after my sister`s children every day is my cross to bear.
cross one`s fingers
- cross two fingers of one hand to hope or wish for good luck
eg. I crossed my fingers that I would be able to get the job that I had applied for.
cross one`s mind
- be a sudden or passing thought, come to one's mind
eg. It suddenly crossed my mind that the store would be closed all day on Monday.
cross one`s heart and hope to die
- say that what one has said is surely true (often used by children)
eg. "I promise that I will meet you tomorrow. Cross my heart and hope to die."
cry out for
- need something badly, be lacking
eg. The new room that he built cries out for a new set of furniture.
cry over spilt milk
- cry or complain about something that has already happened
eg. Don`t cry over spilt milk. You can never change the past.
cry uncle
- admit defeat or that one has lost
eg. He finally had to cry uncle when the other wrestler pinned him to the mat.
cry wolf
- warn of danger that is not there
eg. He has been crying wolf for years about various things and now nobody believes him.
cup of tea
- something one enjoys or does well
eg. Going to art galleries is not my cup of tea so I think that I will stay home this evening and not go with you.
curiosity killed the cat
- being too nosy and interested in other peoples business may lead a person into trouble
eg. Don`t keep asking so many questions. Remember curiosity killed the cat.
curl one`s hair
- shock, frighten, horrify
eg. The movie is very realistic and many of the scenes will curl your hair.
curry favor
- flatter someone to get his help or friendship
eg. He has been working hard to curry favor with the other members of the committee.
cut across
- cross or go through something instead of going around
eg. We decided to cut across the field because we were in a hurry to get to school.
cut and dried
- completely decided, prearranged
eg. The decision was cut and dried and nobody asked for our opinion.
cut back
- use fewer or use less
eg. We were forced to cut back on the number of people who were invited to the party.
cut both ways
- serve both sides of an argument
eg. What he said cuts both ways and we should carefully think about it.
cut back
- use fewer or use less
eg. The company has been cutting back on entertainment expenses for over a year now.
cut both/two ways
- be capable of having two opposite effects
eg. My decision to complain to our boss could cut two ways and cause him to be pleased as well as angry at me.
cut corners
- economize
eg. We will have to cut corners in order to save some money for our holiday.
cut down on
- use less of something
eg. Recently he has cut down on his drinking in order to start his new health program.
cut down to size
- prove that someone is not as good as he thinks
eg. I was able to cut him down to size when I criticized what he said at the meeting.
cut off one`s nose to spite one`s face
- make things worse for oneself because one is angry at someone else
eg. He is cutting off his nose to spite his face. Taking revenge on his neighbor will only cause more problems for himself.
cut out
- eliminate
eg. She decided to cut out chocolate in order to lose weight.
cut one`s throat
- spoil one's chances, ruin a person
eg. He is cutting his own throat if he doesn't make an effort to find a new job quickly.
cut off
- interrupt or stop
eg. The speech of the president was cut off when the electricity went off in the building.
cut one's losses
- do something to stop losing money or something
eg. We should sell the old machinery as soon as possible and try and cut our losses.
cut off one`s nose to spite one`s face
- make things worse for oneself because one is angry - usually at someone else
eg. When he decided not to go to the party he was cutting off his nose to spite his face. He was the one who lost out on a good opportunity to meet many new people.
cut the mustard
- reach the required standard
eg. He doesn`t cut the mustard and will never be able to work here.
cut (someone) off
- stop someone from saying something, disconnect someone on the phone
eg. I tried to tell him about the accident but he cut me off before I had a chance.
cut-rate
- sell for a price lower than usual
eg. We went to a cut-rate furniture store to buy some new furniture for our apartment.
(a) case in point
- an example that proves something or helps to make something clear
eg. What he just said was a case in point about what I have been saying all year.
(a) come-down
- a lowering in status, income, influence or energy
eg. Her new job was a real come-down from her last one so she was not very happy.
(bring) coals to Newcastle
- bring something of which there is plenty
eg. Bringing extra food to the farmer`s picnic was like bringing coals to Newcastle.
(get) carried away
- lose control or judgement due to strong feelings
eg. I got a carrried away and began to yell at her for losing my textbook.
(have the) cheek to do something
- rudeness, impudence
eg. She had the cheek to tell me that she was sick and couldn`t come to work today.
(in) care of someone
- send something to one person at the address of another person
eg. I sent the parcel to her in care of her friend at the university.
(in) charge of something
- be responsible for an activity or group of people
eg. He is in charge of selling tickets for the school dance.
(not one`s) cup of tea
- something one enjoys, special interest
eg. It`s not really my cup of tea so I think I will stay home and not go to the art gallery.
(the) creeps
- a strong feeling of fear or disgust
eg. I get the creeps every time that I see a dead animal.
(when the) chips are down
- the time when one faces the greatest obstacles
eg. When the chips were down he went to his father for advice and received his encouragement.
DIY
- Do-It-Yourself
eg. I went to a DIY store and bought the materials to build a bed.
DJ
- Disc Jockey
eg. My cousin worked in the summer as a disc jockey while he was going to university.
DNA
- Deoxyribonucleic Acid - main constituent of the chromosomes of all organisms
eg. The large university project has spent a lot of money in the study of DNA.
DUI
- Driving Under the Influence
eg. The man was sent to jail for several months on a charge of DUI.
Drop dead!
- go away and be quiet, stop bothering someone
eg. I told him to drop dead when he came into my room and now he is angry at me.
Dutch treat
- meal/movie etc. where each person pays their own way, contribute equally to something
eg. When he goes out with his girlfriend it is always a Dutch treat as he doesn`t have much money.
dance to a different tune
- talk or act differently (usually better) because things have changed
eg. He has begun dancing to a different tune now that he knows that his head salesman is thinking of quitting.
dark horse
- a candidate little known to the general public
eg. At first he was a dark horse candidate but he later won the election.
dash off
- do or finish quickly, leave quickly
eg. I will dash off a letter now but then I must go to work.
dawn on
- become clear
eg. It finally dawned on me as to why he was angry.
day and night
- continually
eg. We worked day and night to finish the project before the end of the month.
day in and day out
- regularly, all the time
eg. He goes to that restaurant day in and day out and never gets tired of it.
dead ahead
- exactly in front, before
eg. There was a truck dead ahead so we put on the car brakes suddenly.
dead as a doornail
- very dead
eg. The man was dead as a doornail as we could see after the accident.
dead center
- exact middle
eg. He was able to hit the target dead center.
dead duck
- person or thing in a hopeless situation or condition
eg. He is a dead duck and has no hope of recovering his former position.
dead end
- the closed end of a road or an impasse
eg. The negotiations between the team and the owners have come to a dead end.
dead set against something
- determined not to do something
eg. They are dead set against their son going to Europe for a year.
dead tired
- very tired, exhausted
eg. I was dead tired so I went to bed as soon as I got home.
dead to the world
- fast asleep
eg. The little boy was dead to the world when his father took him out of the car.
dead duck
- someone in a hopeless situation or condition
eg. He is a dead duck. When the police find him he will have to go to jail.
deadbeat
- a person who never pays his debts
eg. There is a policy to penalize deadbeat fathers by the local government.
deadpan
- with an expressionless or emotionless face
eg. He had a deadpan expression when he told us the story.
decked out
- dressed in fancy clothes
eg. She was all decked out in her best clothes for the party.
deep water
- serious trouble or difficulty
eg. He will be in deep water if he doesn`t tell us where he spent the money.
deep-six
- throw away, dispose of
eg. I decided to deep-six the videos as I didn`t want them any longer.
deliver the goods
- succeed in doing what is expected well
eg. He is the best manager that we have ever had. He knows how to deliver the goods.
devil-may-care
- unworried, not caring what happens
eg. He has a devil-may-care attitude to his job and nothing ever bothers him.
die down
- come slowly to an end, grow weaker
eg. When the sound of the music finally died down we were able to get to sleep.
die off
- die one after another until the number is small
eg. The house plants began to die off as soon as he moved to a new apartment.
die out
- die or disappear slowly until all gone
eg. Dinosaurs died out millions of years ago.
die with one`s boots on
- die while still active in one`s work
eg. He worked hard all his life and died with his boots on when he had a heart attack and died in the factory.
dig in
- begin eating
eg. Let`s dig in and eat before everything is cold!
dime a dozen
- common, easy to get and of little value
eg. Used books are a dime a dozen so don`t worry if you can`t sell them.
dirty look
- a look that shows dislike or disapproval
eg. His mother gave him a dirty look when he smoked the cigarette.
dirty one`s hands
- hurt one's character or good name, do a bad or shameful thing
eg. The politician dirtied his hands when he became involved in the questionable land deals.
dish out
- serve food from a large bowl or plate
eg. He began to dish out the food as soon as the guests arrived.
do a double take
- look again in surprise at someone or something
eg. She did a double take when she saw her old boyfriend with another woman.
do a job on
- do harm to, make ugly or useless
eg. He really did a job on the plans for the new house that he was working on.
do away with
- put an end to, stop, get rid of
eg. The company has decided to do away with having fixed holidays every year.
do in
- to ruin, destroy
eg. He quickly did in the new shoes that he received for his birthday.
do one`s best
- try to do something as well as you can
eg. I tried to do my best on the exam.
do one`s bit (part)
- share in a group project by contributing one`s time and effort
eg. He did his bit for the planning of the party.
do one`s thing
- do what one wants to do and enjoys
eg. He is an individualist and enjoys doing his thing when and where he chooses.
do out of
- cause to lose by trickery or cheating
eg. He was worried that the company would do him out of the large bonus that he was expecting.
do someone good
- be good or beneficial for someone
eg. It will do you good to go on a holiday.
do something rash
- take drastic action (usually without thinking)
eg. She is extremely angry so I hope that she doesn`t do anything rash.
do the honors
- perform the duty of a host (when serving a drink etc.)
eg. Would you like to do the honors and pour everyone a glass of wine?
do the trick
- work well, achieve a good result
eg. I think the new piece of equipment should do the trick and solve the problem.
do time
- spend time in prison
eg. He was doing time when I first heard about him.
do with
- benefit from
eg. I have been working hard all day so now I could do with a cold drink.
do without
- manage without something
eg. If there is no sugar, we`ll have to do without.
do wonders
- produce excellent results
eg. If you begin to do some exercise it will do wonders for your health.
dog-eat-dog
- ready or willing to fight and hurt others to get what you want
eg. It is a dog-eat-dog world out in the world of advertising and public relations.
doll up
- dress in fancy clothes
eg. She was all dolled up for the party at the downtown hotel.
done for
- ruined, defeated, dying
eg. I think that the team is done for as far as this season is concerned.
done with
- be finished using something
eg. He was finally done with the computer and so he let his sister use it.
donkey's years
- a very long time
eg. I talked to my friend for a long time because I hadn't seen her in donkey's years.
dose/taste of one's own medicine
- being treated in the same way as one treats others (usually a negative meaning)
eg. Our boss got a taste of his own medicine when people began to ignore him as he had always done to them.
double back
- turn back from where you are going or have been
eg. We decided to double back from the arena to get some money to go to a movie.
double-check
- check again to be sure something is correct
eg. He double-checked the price of the airplane ticket.
double-cross
- deceive, promise one thing and do another
eg. He tried to double-cross his partner but was caught and sent to jail.
double-talk
- talk that appears to have meaning but does not
eg. He gave the audience a lot of double-talk so nobody knew what he wanted to say.
double up
- share a room or home with someone
eg. The passengers had to double up in hotel rooms when the plane was delayed because of the weather.
double-check
- check something again to confirm
eg. We were unable to double-check the costs of the new products before the price list was printed.
down and out
- have no money
eg. He has been down and out before but he has always been able to find a job eventually.
down in the dumps
- unhappy
eg. She has been really down in the dumps since her boyfriend moved away.
down on (someone)
- be critical of someone, angry at
eg. She is really down on her friend but I don`t really know the reason.
down one`s alley
- suited to one`s tastes and abilities
eg. Computers are down his alley so I am sure that he will be interested in taking the job.
down the line
- straight ahead, in future
eg. There will be many changes at this company down the line but for now your job is safe.
down the drain
- wasted or lost
eg. He is just throwing money down the drain when he goes to the horse races.
down to the wire
- nearing a deadline, running out of time
eg. We went right down to the wire but we were able to finish the job on time.
down and out
- have no money
eg. My friend was down and out for several years before he got a job and started making money.
down-to-earth
- sensible and practical
eg. Her mother is a very down-to-earth person.
do-or-die
- make a great effort while disregarding danger
eg. He was in a position of do-or-die when he finally found another job.
drag in
- insist on bringing another subject into a discussion
eg. He always drags in his personal problems when we are talking about his performance on the job.
drag on
- pass very slowly, make longer
eg. The speech seemed to drag on and on so finally we decided to leave early.
drag one`s feet/heels
- act slowly or reluctantly
eg. He has been dragging his feet about whether or not to take the job.
draw a blank
- obtain nothing in return for an effort made, get a negative result
eg. He drew a blank when he went to the head office to try and receive some information about the merger.
draw fire
- receive criticism or argument
eg. He has been drawing a lot of fire since he announced that he would not play basketball another year.
draw in one`s horns
- spend less money
eg. Their company is not doing well so they will have to draw in their horns for awhile.
draw (someone) out
- make a person talk or tell something
eg. She was very quiet but we finally were able to draw her out so that she would join the party.
draw the line
- set a limit
eg. We have to draw the line somewhere in regards to the costs of the party.
draw up
- put in writing
eg. They were able to draw up the new contract while we were waiting.
draw blood
- make someone bleed, get blood from someone
eg. The doctor decided to draw some blood from the patient to check up on his blood sugar level.
dressed to kill
- wear one`s finest clothes
eg. She was dressed to kill when I saw her at the concert last week.
dressed to the nines (teeth)
- dressed elegantly
eg. The stars were all dressed to the nines during the Academy Awards ceremony.
dress up
- put on one`s best clothes
eg. He decided to dress up for dinner at the restaurant.
dressed to kill
- wear one`s finest clothes
eg. She was dressed to kill when I saw her at the sales convention.
dressed to the nines (teeth)
- dressed elegantly
eg. They were dressed to the nines when they went to the opening of the new theater production.
dress up
- put on one`s best clothes
eg. I decided to dress up to go to dinner on Saturday night.
dressed to the nines
- dressed in one's best clothes
eg. The woman who we saw at the concert was dressed to the nines.
drive a hard bargain
- conclude a bargain without making any concessions
eg. Although he drives a hard bargain I like doing business with him.
drive at
- try or want to say something
eg. I don`t know what he was driving at in his speech.
drive someone up a wall
- irritate or annoy someone greatly
eg. His constant complaining is driving me up a wall.
drop a hint
- casually utter a hint or suggestion
eg. He dropped a hint that he wanted to transfer to a new department.
drop (someone) a line
- write or mail a note or letter to someone
eg. She promised that she would drop me a line when she gets to Singapore.
drop back
- move or step backwards, retreat
eg. During the hike his foot began to get sore so he decided to drop back and rest for awhile.
drop by
- to visit someone or somewhere
eg. He dropped by after work for a drink.
drop by the wayside
- give up or fail before the finish
eg. Many runners dropped by the wayside as the marathon continued.
drop in
- make a short or unplanned visit
eg. I decided to drop in and visit my friend after I finished work for the day.
drop in the bucket
- small amount
eg. The money he paid back was only a drop in the bucket compared to what he owes.
drop out (of school)
- quit school or a course of some kind
eg. She dropped out of the class after three months.
drown one`s sorrows
- drink alcohol to forget one`s problems
eg. He`s in the bar drowning his sorrows with a beer.
drown out
- make so much noise that it is impossible to hear
eg. The team captain was drowned out by the cheering fans.
drum up
- invent, encourage by making an effort
eg. They were able to drum up a lot of business during the summer.
duck soup
- easy, effortless
eg. How was the test last week? It was duck soup - no problem at all.
dumb bunny
- a stupid gullible person
eg. He is a dumb bunny and you never know what he will do next.
dwell on
- think about or talk about something all the time
eg. I wish he wouldn`t always dwell on his personal problems.
ECG
- Electrocardiogram - an electronic test of a person's heart
eg. My father was asked to take an ECG test by his doctor.
ER
- Emergency Room - the place in a hospital which deals with emergency situations
eg. The victims of the accident were quickly taken to the ER.
ESL
- English as a Second Language
eg. The ESL classes at the college have been held for almost ten years now.
ESP
- Extrasensory Perception
eg. The movie was about a small boy who had the ability of ESP.
ETA
- Estimated Time of Arrival
eg. What will your ETA be when you return home next month?
each and every
- every (used for emphasis)
eg. I would like each and every one of you to bring your textbooks tomorrow.
eager beaver
- person who is always eager to work or do extra work
eg. He is a real eager beaver and is always available to work when we need him.
ear to the ground
- direct one`s attention to the way things are going or to the way people feel and think
eg. I have been keeping my ear to the ground to see what is going to happen with the new owners of this company.
earful
- scolding, a lot of information (often critical)
eg. He really gave his daughter an earful when she came home late.
early bird catches the worm
- a person who gets up early in the morning has the best chance of success
eg. He always goes to work before his colleagues because he knows that the early bird catches the worm.
ease off
- reduce in severity or pressure, relax
eg. The president was asked to ease off on his efforts to save money in the company.
easy come, easy go
- something that you get easily can be lost easily
eg. He doesn`t care if he loses his job or not. For him everything is easy come, easy go.
easy does it
- do something without sudden movements or too fast
eg. "Easy does it" he said as he helped to move the large piano.
easy-going
- tolerant and relaxed
eg. He has a very easy-going management style.
eat away
- rot, erode, destroy
eg. The mildew has been eating away at the window frame all summer.
eat crow
- admit one is mistaken or defeated
eg. He was forced to eat crow when the figures that he gave us at the meeting were all wrong.
eat dirt
- accept another`s insult or bad treatment, act humble
eg. He made the senior manager eat dirt as revenge for his bad treatment in the past.
eat humble pie
- admit one`s error and apologize
eg. He had to eat humble pie in front of his friends when they discovered his mistake.
eat like a bird
- eat very little
eg. He eats like a bird. That`s why he can`t put on enough weight to join the football team.
eat like a horse
- eat a lot
eg. He eats like a horse but he never puts on any weight.
eat like a bird
- eat very little
eg. He must be sick as he has been eating like a bird during the last few weeks.
eat one`s heart out
- suffer greatly from longing
eg. You can eat your heart out. I`m going to Hawaii for three weeks!
eat one`s cake and have it too
- use or spend something and still keep it
eg. He always wants to eat his cake and have it too and is never prepared to sacrifice anything.
eat one`s words
- admit being wrong in something one has said, retract one`s statement
eg. He was forced to eat his words after his boss proved that he was wrong.
eat out
- eat in a restaurant
eg. He eats out three or four times a week.
eat one`s cake and have it too
- use or spend something and still keep it
eg. He refuses to give up anything and always wants to eat his cake and have it too.
eat one`s words
- take back something one has said, admit something is not true
eg. I told my boss that I would be leaving but later I had to eat my words and tell him that I wanted to stay.
eat one`s heart out
- grieve long and hopelessly for something, want something
eg. "You can eat your heart out but I won`t give you a piece of this chocolate bar."
eg
- Exempli Gratia - Latin for example
eg. The company has hundreds of small factories around the world - eg Italy, Mexico, Thailand and Korea.
egg on
- urge someone on
eg. Many people at the soccer game were egged on by the drunken fans.
egg (someone) on
- urge or push someone to do something
eg. He is always egging his friend on when he is angry which makes him even angrier.
eke out
- earn with difficulty
eg. He was unable to eke out a living on the farm so he sold it.
elbow grease
- effort and strength to clean something
eg. We`ll have to use a lot of elbow grease to get the kitchen cleaned.
elbow room
- space (enough to be comfortable)
eg. They moved to the country in order to have a little more elbow room.
end in itself
- a purpose or goal one wants for itself alone and not as a way to something else
eg. For some people travelling is an end in itself and the destination is not important.
end up
- finish, finally do something
eg. We ended up going to the restaurant after the movie last night.
even so
- nevertheless, however
eg. He always works hard but even so he has no money saved.
every dog has his day
- everyone will have his chance or turn, everyone will get what he deserves
eg. You should be patient and wait until you get a chance. Remember every dog has his day.
every other
- alternate, every second one
eg. She has to work every other Saturday evening.
every so often
- occasionally
eg. You should walk around every so often when you are on a long plane trip.
every Tom, Dick and Harry
- the average person
eg. He said he is not the same as every Tom, Dick and Harry.
every dog has his day
- everyone will have his chance or turn, everyone will get what he deserves
eg. Don`t worry about him. Every dog has his day and he will eventually suffer for all the bad things that he is doing.
eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth
- every crime or injury should be punished or paid back
eg. Some politicians are always calling for an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth when they hear of a terrible crime.
eyes are bigger than one`s stomach
- one wants more food than one can eat
eg. His eyes are bigger than his stomach. He will never finish all of the food that he took.
eyes in the back of one`s head
- ability to know what is happening behind one`s back
eg. He has eyes in the back of his head and you can never borrow anything without him knowing about it.
eyes pop out
- much surprised
eg. Her eyes popped out when she saw her name in the newspaper.
eyes are bigger than one`s stomach
- one takes more food than one can eat
eg. His eyes were bigger than his stomach when he went to the restaurant and ordered too much food.
eyes in the back of one`s head
- ability to know what happens when one`s back is turned
eg. The teacher has eyes in the back of her head and always knows what is going on in the classroom.
eyes pop out
- one is very surprised
eg. My eyes popped out when I saw the new computer that I had gotten for my birthday.
(at the) end of one`s rope
- the last of one`s ability or ideas about how to proceed or do something
eg. He is at the end of his rope regarding what to do about his job.
(be) eating someone
- bothering or worrying someone
eg. I don`t know what is eating her but she doesn`t seem to be in a good mood today.
(keep/have one`s) ear to the ground
- pay attention to the way things are going or the way people feel and think
eg. He always has his ear to the ground and knows everything that is going on in our company.
FBI
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
eg. The killers were found in a nationwide search by the FBI.
FM
- Frequency Modulation - a type of radio signal
eg. The radio station that we listen to regularly is an FM station.
FYI
- For Your Information
eg. I wrote FYI on the information bulletin and sent it to the other members of the staff.
face down
- confront boldly and win, defy
eg. They decided to face down their competitors and were able to easily stay in business.
face the music
- accept the consequences of something
eg. He is going to have to face the music sooner or later.
face up to
- accept something that is not easy to accept
eg. You must face up to the fact that you are never going to have enough money to buy that car.
face value
- value or price printed on a stamp/bond/paper money etc.
eg. He gave me the face value that was printed on the used stamps.
facts of life
- what one should know about sex, marriage and birth
eg. He seems to be a little too young to know about the facts of life.
fair and square
- honestly, just, straightforward
eg. The British team won the game fair and square but still the other team complained.
fair game
- a likely object of aggressive interest
eg. The company is fair game as a takeover target by other international companies.
fair play
- justice, equal and right action
eg. He believes in fair play and is a wonderful person to have on our team.
fair shake
- honest treatment
eg. She was not given a fair shake at the inquiry into her behavior.
fair play
- justice, equal and right action to someone
eg. The company is very good to work for as they always use fair play when they are bargaining with their employees.
fair-weather friend
- a person who is a friend only when one is successful
eg. He is a fair-weather friend only and you can`t rely on him if you have a problem.
fall apart
- become to not work properly
eg. The equipment fell apart about six months after I bought it.
fall back
- move back, go back
eg. The runner fell back from the rest of the runners when the race was half over.
fall back on something/someone
- turn to for help when something else has failed
eg. She had to fall back on her father`s money when her business had problems.
fall behind
- fail to keep up with work or studies or payments etc.
eg. He fell behind with his homework at the beginning of the term and had problems throughout the year.
fall by the wayside
- give up or fail before the finish
eg. He had a good chance of winning the competition but he fell by the wayside near the end.
fall flat
- be unsuccessful, fail
eg. I think that my attempt at humor fell flat and now she doesn`t like me.
fall for
- begin to like very much, begin to love
eg. He fell for the woman at the bank but he is afraid to ask her for a date.
fall from grace
- lose approval
eg. The politician fell from grace with the public over the money scandal.
fall in love with
- begin to love someone
eg. I fell in love with her the first time that I saw her at the restaurant.
fall into line
- go and stand properly in a row (like soldiers)
eg. The students were forced to fall into line as they waited for the doors to open.
fall in with
- become associated with a bad group of people
eg. He fell in with a bad group of friends and began to get lower marks.
fall off
- decrease
eg. The number of tourists to visit the island has fallen off recently.
fall off the wagon
- return to the consumption of alcohol or drugs after stopping for awhile
eg. He fell off the wagon after he stopped drinking for three years.
fall on
- meet (troubles)
eg. The town had fallen on hard times before the new computer company moved to town and created many jobs.
fall out of use
- be no longer used
eg. That kind of stereo system has fallen out of use over the last 20 years.
fall over oneself
- be extremely eager to do something or please someone
eg. They fell over themselves in their effort to please their host.
fall short (of one`s expectations)
- not be as good as you expected, not succeed
eg. The new movie fell short of everyone`s expectations and attendance is very low.
fall through
- fail, not happen
eg. My plan to go abroad fell through when my father refused to lend me some money.
fall ill
- become sick or ill
eg. The man fell ill last winter and has not recovered yet.
falling-out
- argument, disagreement, quarrel
eg. We had a falling-out during our holiday and we haven`t spoken since.
far and wide
- everywhere, in all directions
eg. We looked far and wide for the book but could not find it.
far cry
- something very different
eg. What he said to my friend is a far cry from what he told me over the telephone.
farm out
- have someone else do something, send away
eg. We farmed out all of the printing to another company in order to save money.
fast buck
- money earned quickly and easily
eg. He is always trying to make a fast buck without really trying to work very hard.
fast talker
- con artist, clever talker who convinces others easily
eg. He is a fast talker so you should be careful not to believe everything that he says.
fast buck
- money earned quickly and easily (and sometimes dishonestly)
eg. The company tried to make a fast buck on the property but they actually lost a lot of money.
fat chance
- little or no possibility, almost no chance
eg. Fat chance that he will let me use his car. He never lets me borrow anything.
favorite son
- a candidate supported by his home state for President etc.
eg. We voted for him because he is the favorite son of our state.
feather in one`s cap
- something you achieve and are proud of
eg. Winning the new contract was a real feather in his cap.
feather one`s nest
- look after one`s own interest (while holding public office or a trusted job etc.)
eg. The mayor has been feathering his nest for many years and is now very rich.
feather in one`s cap
- something to be proud of, an honor
eg. Winning the speech contest was a feather in his cap and we are very proud of him.
feather one`s nest
- look after one`s own (financial) interests - especially while holding public office
eg. He had been feathering his own nest for years so he finally was replaced in the election.
feather in one`s cap
- something to be proud of, an honor
eg. Winning the speech contest was a feather in his cap and the greatest honor that he has ever won.
fed up with
- disgusted or bored with someone or something
eg. I think that he is getting fed up with the constant demands of his boss.
feed someone a line
- deceive
eg. He was feeding me a line about his plans to open a new restaurant downtown.
feel like a million dollars
- feel wonderful
eg. I feel like a million dollars today so I think that I will go for a walk.
feel out
- talk or act carefully with someone and find out what he thinks
eg. I will try and feel out my boss this weekend and see what he thinks of my chance of promotion.
feel sorry for
- pity
eg. I feel sorry for him after losing his job.
feel up to (do something)
- feel able (healthy enough or rested enough) to do something
eg. I don`t feel up to going to the game.
feel on top of the world
- feel very healthy
eg. I have been feeling on top of the world since I quit my job.
feel like a million dollars/bucks
- feel wonderful
eg. Although I have been sick for a few weeks I feel like a million dollars today.
feet on the ground
- sensible ideas
eg. He is a good family man and always has his feet on the ground.
feet of clay
- a hidden fault or weakness in an esteemed person
eg. The new Prime Minister has feet of clay and and may not last very long in his new position.
feet on the ground
- an understanding of what can be done, sensible ideas
eg. The new manager has his feet on the ground and will probably be able to come up with a sensible solution to our problems.
few and far between
- not many, rare, few and scattered
eg. The gas stations were few and far between on the highway through the mountains.
fiddle around
- tinker, do something in an unplanned way
eg. I tried fiddling around with the computer printer for awhile but it still won`t work.
fifty-fifty
- equally, evenly
eg. We divided the cost of the trip fifty-fifty.
fight tooth and nail
- fight fiercely or with all one`s might
eg. He is fighting tooth and nail to get a transfer to another department.
figure on
- depend on, be sure about
eg. You can figure on about 30 people coming to the party next week.
figure out
- try to understand or solve
eg. He finally figured out how to use the new video recorder.
fill (someone) in
- tell someone the details
eg. I will fill you in later about our plans for the weekend.
fill (something) in
- write words needed in blanks
eg. Please fill in this form and give it to the receptionist.
fill one`s shoes
- substitute satisfactorily for
eg. Although he is a good supervisor he is unable to fill the shoes of those who came before him.
fill out
- write down the facts that are asked for (in a report etc.)
eg. We were asked to fill out the forms before we could have an interview for the job.
fill the bill
- be suitable for what is required
eg. I think that the new equipment should fill the bill for us.
fill one`s shoes
- take the place of another and do as well
eg. It will be difficult for him to fill the shoes of the previous supervisor.
find fault with
- criticize
eg. He is always finding fault with everything that I do.
find out
- learn, discover
eg. She is angry at me because she found out that I quit the night class.
fine-tooth comb
- great care, careful attention so as not to miss anything
eg. We went over the room with a fine-tooth comb but were unable to find the missing credit card.
finger in the pie
- part ownership or responsibility
eg. He has his finger in the pie of all the small companies in the area.
first come, first served
- the person who comes will have his turn first
eg. "First come, first served" she called as she put the food on the table.
firsthand
- directly
eg. I learned the news from him firsthand.
first-run
- new, shown for the first time
eg. There are a lot of first-run movies that I haven`t had time to see yet.
fish for
- try to get or to find out (something) by hinting at it
eg. She is always fishing for compliments when I see her at work.
fish out of water
- someone who does not fit in
eg. He was like a fish out of water at the expensive restaurant.
fish for
- try to find out some information or ask for a compliment
eg. He has been fishing for a compliment about his new Italian suit.
fish out of water
- someone who does not fit in
eg. She felt like a fish out of water when she went to the party in her formal dress while everyone else was wearing jeans.
fit as a fiddle
- in good athletic condition or health
eg. Her grandfather is 92 years old but he is as fit as a fiddle.
fit like a glove
- fit perfectly
eg. The new pair of jeans that he bought fit like a glove.
fit to be tied
- very angry or upset
eg. He was fit to be tied when he heard that I was going to take a month off work in the summer.
fix someone up with someone
- help someone get a date by arranging a meeting for the two
eg. I tried to fix my sister up with a date with my friend but she refused me.
fizzle out
- fail after a good start, end in failure
eg. The party began to fizzle out about midnight when many people went home.
flare up
- become suddenly angry, begin again suddenly
eg. The fighting flared up again after the United Nations soldiers left the town.
flare-up
- a sudden worsening of a health condition
eg. His arthritus usually flares up every winter.
flash in the pan
- something that makes a showy start and then fails
eg. His sports career was a flash in the pan. Recently I haven`t heard of him at all.
flat broke
- have no money
eg. I have been flat broke since I stopped working last month.
flat-out
- without hiding anything, plainly, openly
eg. I told her flat-out that I would not go with her to the party.
flea in one`s ear
- an annoying hint, an idea or answer that is not welcome
eg. I put a flea in his ear regarding the proposal deadline that he had missed.
flea market
- a place where antiques or secondhand things are sold
eg. We went to a flea market last Saturday to try and buy some dishes.
flea in one`s ear
- an idea or answer that is not welcome
eg. The idea about changing the schedules is a flea in the supervisor`s ear that we wish he would forget.
flea market
- place where antiques, secondhand things and cheap goods are sold
eg. We go to the flea market every Sunday to look for old phonographs.
flesh and blood
- a close relative
eg. She is my own flesh and blood so of course I felt terrible when she got into trouble.
flip one`s lid
- become very excited, lose one`s temper
eg. He really flipped his lid when I told him about the huge telephone bill.
flip out
- go insane, go out of one`s mind, become very angry
eg. She flipped out when she heard that I had sold her car.
fly by the seat of one`s pants
- do a job instinctively rather than by using concrete information
eg. I had to fly by the seat of my pants when the supervisor left me alone for a week.
fly in the ointment
- a small thing that spoils enjoyment
eg. The problem with the music was a fly in the ointment at the party.
fly off the handle
- become angry
eg. He really flew off the handle when he saw the bill for the meal.
flying high
- very happy, joyful
eg. She has been flying high since she heard that she had won a new car.
fly-by-night
- unreliable (business)
eg. That new company is a real fly-by-night operation.
foam at the mouth
- be very angry (like a mad dog)
eg. He was foaming at the mouth when I told him that I had had an accident with his car.
follow in one`s footsteps (tracks)
- follow someone`s example, follow someone exactly
eg. He is following in his father`s footsteps and has decided to work for a bank.
follow suit
- do as someone else has done, follow someone`s example, play a card of the same color and kind that another has put down
eg. He followed suit and began to leave work early on Friday just as his boss was doing.
follow through
- continue or finish an action that one has started
eg. He said that he would help me paint my house but he has never followed through with his offer.
follow up
- make (one action) more successful by doing something more
eg. He followed up his phone call in the morning with a visit in the afternoon.
food for thought
- something worth thinking about
eg. I don`t really agree with his proposal but at least it is food for thought.
fool around
- spend time playing rather than working, waste time
eg. If he would spend less time fooling around he would be able to get some work done.
foot in the door
- an opening or opportunity
eg. I finally got a foot in the door when they accepted my application.
foot the bill
- pay
eg. The company will foot the bill for his move to Chicago.
for all
- in spite of, even with
eg. For all the time that he spends studying his marks are still very low.
for all one is worth
- as hard as one can
eg. I will try for all I am worth to help you get the job at the supermarket.
for all the world
- for anything, for any price
eg. For all the world I do not know what he is trying to tell me with the notes that he writes.
for a song
- for very little money
eg. He was able to buy his new car for a song.
for better or worse
- depending on how one looks at the matter, with good or bad effects
eg. For better or worse he has decided to quit his job and go to live in Brazil.
for certain
- without doubt, certainly, surely
eg. It is for certain that he will not be playing in the game tonight.
for crying out loud
- used to show that you are surprised or angry
eg. For crying out loud please turn your radio down a little.
for dear life
- as though afraid of losing one`s life
eg. The mountain climber held on to the rock for dear life as he waited for someone to rescue him.
for good
- permanently
eg. He has decided to move to Los Angeles for good.
for keeps
- for always, forever
eg. He told the boy that he could have the baseball bat for keeps.
for love or money
- by any means
eg. We were unable to get him to agree to the proposal for love or money.
for love or money (usually negative)
- for anything, for any price
eg. I would not want to have to do that man's job for love or money.
for once
- one time
eg. For once he listened to what I said. Usually he ignores me.
for one thing
- for one reason (among others)
eg. It is not possible to use the old building. For one thing it will not pass the fire regulations.
for sure
- without doubt, certainly, surely
eg. I will go to the movie with you for sure next week.
for that matter
- about that, with regard to that
eg. I don`t want to go shopping with you and for that matter I don`t want to go anywhere with you.
for the asking
- by asking, on request
eg. You can get a free ticket to the concert for the asking from the front office.
for the birds
- uninteresting, something you don`t like
eg. Doing the cleaning all day is really for the birds.
for the time being
- for now, for awhile
eg. We really need a new car but for the time being we`ll have to continue using the old one.
for the world
- under any conditions
eg. I would not want to sell my car for the world.
for the birds
- not interesting, stupid, foolish
eg. This movie is for the birds. Let`s leave now and go and have something to eat.
force one`s hand
- make someone do something sooner than planned
eg. I forced his hand and he told me what he planned to do about the new contract for our company.
forever and a day
- forever, always
eg. It took forever and a day to get the book that we ordered from the bookstore.
fork out
- pay, pay out
eg. I had to fork out a lot of money to fix my car.
fork over
- hand over, give
eg. The robber told me to fork over my money or he was going to shoot me.
forty winks
- a short sleep during the day
eg. As soon as I arrived home I lay down and had forty winks.
foul up
- ruin or spoil by stupid mistake, go wrong
eg. There was a problem with our tickets so our plans were all fouled up.
fraidy-cat
- someone who is easily frightened (used by children)
eg. The little boy called his friend a fraidy-cat because he wouldn`t climb the tree.
frame of mind (good or bad)
- one`s mental state
eg. He made sure his boss was in a good frame of mind before he asked him for the time off.
freak/freak out
- become angry or lose control of oneself
eg. I freaked out when I discovered that my reservations had not been made.
free and easy
- informal
eg. He has a free and easy attitude about his work.
free hand
- great freedom to do something
eg. We had a free hand in designing the new sport`s program for the university.
freeload
- accept food and housing at someone else`s expense
eg. He was angry at his brother because he was always freeloading and never worried about finding a job.
freeze out
- keep from a share in something by unfriendly or dishonest treatment
eg. They froze him out of the profits that they made on the sale of land.
from hand to hand
- from one person to another and another
eg. The plate of food went from hand to hand until finally it was all finished.
from A to Z
- know everything about something
eg. He knows about cars from A to Z.
from the bottom of one`s heart
- with great feeling, sincerely
eg. I thanked him from the bottom of my heart for helping my daughter when she was sick.
from the heart
- sincerely, honestly
eg. He gave her some flowers with a message straight from his heart.
from now on
- from this moment forward
eg. From now on I will study Italian every day.
from scratch
- from the very beginning
eg. He decided to build the house from scratch.
from time to time
- occasionally
eg. We go to that restaurant from time to time.
from way back
- since a long time ago, for a long time
eg. I know him from way back. In fact we went to elementary school together.
from the bottom of one`s heart
- with great feeling, sincerely
eg. My sister thanked the man from the bottom of her heart for saving her dog`s life.
from the heart
- sincerely, honestly
eg. The President gave a speech from the heart after the terrible earthquake.
full of beans
- in high spirits, energetic
eg. She seems to be full of beans today. She must be excited about something.
full-fledged
- complete, having everything that is needed to be something
eg. She became a full-fledged nurse before she went to Saudi Arabia to work for a year.
fun and games
- a very difficult task (used ironically)
eg. It was all fun and games today when I wrote my two final exams.
funny bone
- the place at the back of the elbow that tingles when hit
eg. I hit my funny bone and it still hurts a little.
(I/you/he etc) for one
- as one example
eg. I for one do not believe that our president will really change the company policy related to hiring new staff.
(be) fishy
- strange and suspicious
eg. Something is fishy with his excuse. Why did he take the day before the holiday off work?
(go over with a) fine-toothed comb
- very carefully
eg. We went over the apartment with a fine-toothed comb but couldn`t find her watch.
(live off the) fat of the land
- have the best of everything, especially without having to work for it
eg. He plans to move to the mountains and try and live off the fat of the land.
GI
- Government Issue - stamped on US military equipment and often means US soldier
eg. The man went to the store and bought a GI Joe doll for his son.
GMT
- Greenwich Mean Time - a place in England used as the standard for time around the world
eg. The rocket will be launched at 10:00 AM tomorrow GMT.
GNP
- Gross National Product - the total value of goods and services produced by a country in one year
eg. The GNP of the country that I visited last year has been decreasing for several years.
GP
- General Practitioner - a general doctor
eg. I went to see a GP when I broke my leg last summer.
Get lost!
- go away
eg. She told her younger brother to get lost so she could finish her homework.
Good grief!
- used to show surprise (good or bad)
eg. Good grief! It`s 6:00 and I have not finished this job yet.
gain ground
- go forward, make progress
eg. The toy company has been gaining ground in their effort to sell more products.
gang up on someone
- attack in a group, get together to hurt someone
eg. The school children tried to gang up on the boy but he ran away.
gas up
- fill up a gas tank
eg. We should gas up tonight before we leave on our holiday tomorrow.
gee whiz
- used as an exclamation to show surprise or other strong feelings
eg. Gee whiz! Are we really going to go to go to Disneyland for our holiday?
get a break
- get an opportunity or good deal
eg. I got a break when he sold the car for less than it was worth.
get across
- explain, make something understood
eg. I had a hard time trying to get across to him the importance of taking care of his computer discs.
get a fix on something
- receive a reading of a distant object by electronic means
eg. We were able to get a fix on the island and got the boat safely to the harbor.
get a grip of oneself
- take control of one`s feelings
eg. He finally got a grip of himself and calmed down.
get after someone
- urge or make someone do something he should do but has neglected
eg. I`ll get after him to fix the computer as soon as he returns.
get ahead
- advance or be successful
eg. She really works hard at her job in order to get ahead.
get a kick out of
- enjoy
eg. I think that my father got a kick out of seeing his old school friend.
get a load of
- take a good look at, see something
eg. Get a load of that man over there with the four big dogs.
get along
- manage
eg. He is able to get along on very little money.
get along with someone
- have a good relationship with someone
eg. I don`t get along very well with the new woman I work with.
get a move on
- hurry up
eg. Please get a move on. We are already over three hours late.
get a rise out of someone
- tease, have fun with someone by making him or her angry
eg. We really got a rise out of the teacher when we left the windows open while it was raining.
get around
- go to different places, move about
eg. He really gets around. He has been to almost every state in the United States.
get around to
- finally find time to do something
eg. The apartment manager finally got around to fixing the bath.
get at
- mean
eg. I really don`t know what he was trying to get at during the meeting.
get away
- succeed in leaving, escape
eg. I was able to get away early from work today so I went shopping for awhile.
get away from it all
- go on a holiday
eg. We want to get away from it all this summer and go and relax somewhere.
get away with murder
- do something very bad without being caught or punished
eg. The child was able to get away with murder while the substitute teacher was at the school.
get away with something
- do something one shouldn`t and not get caught at it
eg. The criminal got away with the robbery and was never caught.
get a wiggle on
- hurry up, get going
eg. Get a wiggle on. We have to arrive at the party before the other guests arrive.
get a word in
- find a chance to say something when others are talking
eg. The customer couldn`t get a word in while talking to the salesman so he decided to go to another company.
get a word in edgewise
- manage to break into a conversation
eg. I couldn`t get a word in edgewise so I left the meeting.
get a break
- get an opportunity or good deal
eg. We were able to get a break on the price of the paint and saved a lot of money.
get back
- return
eg. We got back from London early yesterday afternoon.
get back at
- do something bad to someone who has done something bad to you, hurt someone in return for something
eg. She is very angry at her boyfriend and is getting back at him by not answering the telephone.
get behind
- go slow while doing something, be late
eg. If you get behind in the homework you will never be able to pass the course.
get behind (a person or idea)
- support, help
eg. They decided to get behind the main candidate when he promised to cut taxes.
get by
- satisfy your needs or demands (usually related to money)
eg. He is able to easily get by on his salary because he doesn`t spend a lot of money.
get cold feet
- become afraid at the last minute
eg. He got cold feet and cancelled his plan to go to China.
get cracking
- hurry up, start moving fast, get started
eg. We will have to get cracking on this work if we want to finish it before dinner.
get down to
- get started on
eg. Let`s get down to work so we can go home early.
get down to brass tacks
- begin discussing the essential matters immediately
eg. Let`s get down to brass tacks and begin to deal with the business at hand.
get even
- get revenge
eg. He seems to want to get even with him for their past problems.
get going
- excite, stir up and make angry
eg. Once he gets going he will never stop complaining.
get hold of (something)
- get possession of
eg. When you get hold of a dictionary could you please let me see it for a few minutes.
get hold of (someone)
- find a person so you can speak with him or her
eg. I tried to get hold of him last week but he was out of town.
get in on the ground floor
- start at the beginning (in hopes of future gain)
eg. He managed to get in on the ground floor of the new company.
get in touch with someone
- contact someone
eg. I`ll get in touch with him when I arrive in New York in August.
get in the swing of things
- adapt to a new environment or situation
eg. He got into the swing of things after the party started.
get it all together
- be in full control and possession of one`s mental faculties
eg. He finally got it all together and applied for the job at the supermarket.
get it through one`s head
- understand, believe
eg. He has got it through his head that he will get a job easily without really making an effort.
get mixed up
- become confused
eg. I`m sorry but I got mixed up with the dates. That`s why I came today.
get off
- come down from or out of (a bus or train etc.)
eg. We decided to get off the train at the station next to our regular station.
get off easy
- escape a worse punishment
eg. The criminals got off easy even though they robbed the bank.
get off one`s back
- leave someone alone and not bother them
eg. I wish that the supervisor would get off my back.
get off one`s butt
- get busy, start working
eg. He should get off his butt and try and get a job so he will have some money.
get off on the wrong foot
- make a bad start
eg. I got off on the wrong foot with him and our relationship never really recovered.
get off the ground
- make a successful beginning, go ahead
eg. His new business never really got off the ground so he must look for another job.
get one`s dander up
- become or make angry
eg. You shouldn`t talk to him early in the morning or you will get his dander up.
get one`s feet wet
- begin, do something for the first time
eg. He has managed to get his feet wet in the publishing business and is ready to start his own business now.
get one`s own way
- cause people to do what you want
eg. He always gets his own way with his younger brothers.
get one`s rear in gear
- hurry up, get going
eg. Let`s hurry up and get our rear in gear before it is too late to go to a movie.
get on in years
- to advance in age
eg. He is getting on in years and is not very healthy.
get on one`s high horse
- behave with arrogance
eg. He is back on his high horse and has started giving orders to everyone.
get on one`s nerves
- irritate someone
eg. His constant complaining is beginning to get on my nerves.
get out of bed on the wrong side
- be in a bad mood
eg. I think that she got out of bed on the wrong side this morning as she hasn`t said a word to anyone yet.
get out from under
- escape a situation that one doesn`t like
eg. I would like to get out from under my boss always watching my work.
get out of hand
- lose control
eg. The going away party was beginning to get out of hand so they asked everyone to leave.
get out of the way
- be no longer an obstacle
eg. He was unable to get out of the way of the truck and was injured.
get over something
- overcome a difficulty, recover from an illness or shock
eg. She has been having a lot of trouble getting over her father`s death.
get on one`s high horse
- behave with arrogance
eg. She is always getting on her high horse and telling people what to do.
get off one`s high horse
- begin to be humble and agreeable
eg. I wish that she would get off her high horse and begin to think about how other people feel about things.
get off on the wrong foot
- make a bad start, begin with a mistake
eg. Unfortunately my relationship with my new teacher got off on the wrong foot.
get one`s feet wet
- begin, do something for the first time
eg. We won't have time to finish this job today but at least we can get our feet wet and start.
get off one`s back
- stop criticizing or nagging someone
eg. I wish that my mother would get off my back about trying to find a better job.
get off the ground
- make a successful beginning, go ahead
eg. We were unable to get the new product off the ground and will have to wait until next year.
get ready
- prepare yourself
eg. First I must get ready for work, then I will help you.
get rid of something
- give or throw something away, sell or destroy something, make a cold or fever disappear
eg. I bought a new television set so I had to get rid of the old one.
get set
- get ready to start
eg. We are working hard to get set for her wedding ceremony.
get the ax
- be fired
eg. He got the ax last week and now has no job.
get the ball rolling
- start something
eg. Let`s get the ball rolling and start working.
get the better of (someone)
- win against, beat, defeat
eg. He got the better of me and won the tennis match.
get the feel of
- become used to or learn about something
eg. After you get the feel of the new computer it will be very easy to use.
get the goods on someone
- find out true and often bad information about someone
eg. I think that I have finally got the goods on him and will have to talk to the police as soon as possible.
get the message
- understand clearly what is meant
eg. I told him three times but I don`t think that he really gets the message.
get the sack
- be fired or dismissed from work
eg. I told him that if he doesn`t change his work habits he will get the sack from his job.
get the show on the road
- start working on something
eg. Let`s get the show on the road and begin work for the day.
get the worst of
- be defeated or beaten, suffer most
eg. He got the worst of the deal when the salesman sold him the used car.
get through
- succeed in passing an exam or ordeal
eg. She has been having trouble gettting through her final exams.
get through to
- be understood by, make (someone) understand
eg. I tried talking to her but I couldn`t really get through to her.
get to
- have a chance to, be able to
eg. I didn`t get to see her last year but maybe I will have a chance this year.
get to first base
- make a good start, succeed
eg. I tried to meet the sales manager of the company but I couldn`t get to first base.
get to the bottom of
- find out the real cause
eg. The government is trying to get to the bottom of the financial problems in the company.
get to the heart of
- understand the most important thing about something
eg. We were in the meeting for three hours trying to get to the heart of the matter.
get the eye
- be looked at - for interest and liking or unfriendliness
eg. We got the eye from the manager of the restaurant when we entered in our old clothes.
get through one`s head
- understand or believe
eg. It was difficult to get it through the bank manager's head that I didn't want to borrow any more money.
get to the heart of (a matter)
- understand the most important thing about something
eg. It took a long time but we finally got to the heart of the matter about the new employee.
get under one`s skin
- bother someone, upset someone
eg. She always gets under my skin although I don`t really know why I don`t like her.
get up
- get out of bed, get to one`s feet
eg. I decided to get up early today so that I would be able to go fishing with my friend.
get up on the wrong side of the bed
- be in a bad mood
eg. He got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning and won`t talk to anyone.
get up the nerve
- become brave enough
eg. I tried to get up the nerve to ask him about the new job.
get under one`s skin
- bother, upset
eg. She is beginning to get under my skin with her constant complaining about the noise.
get what`s coming to one
- receive the good or bad that one deserves
eg. He got what was coming to him when he was sent to jail for two years.
get wind of
- hear about something
eg. I got wind of the company expansion from my friend.
get wise to something/somebody
- learn about something kept secret
eg. He finally got wise to the fact that they were stealing his money.
get with it
- pay attention, get busy
eg. I told him to get with it or he would get in trouble with the boss.
get (someone) down
- make (someone) unhappy, cause discouragement
eg. The long commuting time has begun to get her down so she wants to quit her job.
get (someone`s) goat
- annoy someone
eg. He has been getting my goat recently and I am tired of him.
get (something) over with
- finish, end
eg. He wants to get his exams over with so that he can begin to relax again.
get (someone`s) goat
- annoy someone
eg. She is always complaining about the way I do things which gets my goat.
getup
- fancy dress or costume
eg. What was that strange getup that she was wearing the other day?
get-go
- the beginning
eg. Right from the get-go I never liked the way that the new manager acted.
get-up-and-go
- energy, enthusiasm, drive
eg. He has lots of get-up-and-go and it is difficult to follow him around.
gift of the gab
- be good at talking
eg. He has a real gift of the gab and is great at parties.
give (someone) a hard time
- make trouble for someone, tease
eg. She was giving her boyfriend a hard time about his new haircut.
give away
- give something to someone
eg. I decided to give away my bicycle because I didn`t need it anymore.
give a wide birth to
- keep away from, keep a safe distance from
eg. I usually give a wide birth to my boss when he is angry.
give chase
- chase or run after someone or something
eg. The police gave chase to the man who robbed the store.
give free rein to
- allow to move about or to do something with freedom
eg. He was given free rein in his new job to do what he wanted.
give ground
- move back, retreat, stop opposing someone
eg. He refused to give ground on his plans to change the system of office management.
give in
- give someone his own way, stop opposing someone
eg. The company gave in to the union`s demand for more money.
give it to
- punish, scold
eg. He really gave it to his son when he came back late with the car.
give off
- send out, let out, put forth
eg. The garbage was beginning to give off a bad smell because of the hot weather.
give oneself away
- show guilt, show one has done wrong
eg. She gave herself away when she said that she hadn`t seen her boyfriend but he had already said that he had met her earlier.
give oneself up
- surrender, stop hiding or running away
eg. The robbers gave themselves up when the police surrounded the house.
give oneself up to
- let oneself enjoy, not hold oneself back from
eg. He gave himself up to enjoy the party although he was feeling sick.
give one`s right arm
- give something of great value
eg. I would give my right arm to be able to go to Italy with the rest of the group.
give or take
- plus or minus a small amount
eg. I think that he is about 45 years old give or take 5 years.
give out
- give to people, distribute
eg. We gave out more than 600 free baseball caps at the shopping center.
give pause to
- cause one to stop and think
eg. His problems should give you pause to think a little more carefully about what you do.
give rise to
- be the cause of something
eg. The problems with the heating system gave rise to a lot of other problems that we had to solve.
give someone a hand
- help someone with something
eg. Please give me a hand to move this piano.
give someone an inch and they will take a mile
- if you give someone a little they will want more and more, some people are never satisfied
eg. If you give him an inch he will take a mile so you shouldn`t give him any more money.
give someone a piece of your mind
- scold or become angry with someone
eg. When I met her yesterday I really gave her a piece of my mind.
give someone enough rope and they will hang themself
- give someone enough time and freedom to do what they want and they will make a mistake or get into trouble and be caught
eg. Don`t worry about trying to control him. If you give him enough rope he will hang himself.
give someone one`s word
- make a promise or assurance
eg. He gave me his word that he would meet me at the library.
give someone the ax
- fire an employee (usually abruptly)
eg. He gave the new employee the ax because he was always late.
give someone the benefit of the doubt
- believe someone is innocent rather than guilty when you are not sure
eg. I gave him the benefit of the doubt but I still think that he is a liar.
give someone the cold shoulder
- be unfriendly to someone
eg. He gave her the cold shoulder at the party.
give someone the eye
- look or stare at someone (especially in a cold or unfriendly way)
eg. The man in the store began to give me the eye so I left.
give someone the green light
- give permission to go ahead with a project
eg. He has been given the green light to begin work on the new housing plan.
give someone their due
- give someone the credit that they deserve
eg. You have to give him his due. He has successfully saved the company from bankruptcy.
give someone the slip
- escape from someone
eg. The bank robbers were able to give the police the slip at first but they were soon caught.
give the devil his due
- be fair (even to someone who is bad and who you dislike)
eg. I don`t like to work with him at all as I think he is lazy. Still you have to give the devil his due because he always gets the job done.
give it your best shot
- try very hard
eg. Although he didn`t have enough experience he decided to apply for the job and give it his best shot.
give to understand
- make a person understand by telling him very plainly or boldly
eg. I was given to understand that I could rent an apartment very easily here.
give up
- abandon, stop
eg. He has decided to give up his plan to work in Hong Kong for a year.
give up the ghost
- stop working, die
eg. My old car finally gave up the ghost so I must buy another one.
give voice to
- tell what one feels or thinks
eg. He has begun to give voice to his feelings about the new office building.
give way
- collapse, fail
eg. The dam gave way and the water flooded the farmland below.
give one`s right arm
- give something of great value
eg. I would give my right arm to be able to go Florida with my friend next month.
give someone a hand
- help someone with something
eg. I gave my friend a hand moving into his new apartment.
give someone the green light
- give permission to go ahead with a project
eg. Our boss gave us the green light to begin work on the new sales promotion.
give someone the eye
- look at someone
eg. I gave the woman in the restaurant the eye but she totally ignored me.
give someone a piece of one`s mind
- scold angrily, say what one really thinks to someone
eg. I gave the store manager a piece of my mind when I told him about the broken product.
give three cheers for someone
- give praise or approval for someone who has done well
eg. The crowd gave three cheers for the team after they won the final game.
giveaway
- an open secret, a sale where items are sold very cheap
eg. His speech was a giveaway. Now I know that he is planning to retire.
give-and-take
- sharing, giving and receiving back and forth between people
eg. You must be willing to give-and-take if you want to have a good marriage.
glad hand
- a friendly handshake, a warm greeting
eg. The politician spent the morning glad handing the people at the shopping center.
gloss over
- try to make what is wrong or bad seem right or not important, hide
eg. The accountant tried to gloss over the money that they lost last year.
go Dutch
- two people each pay for themselves
eg. We always go Dutch when we go on a date.
go about
- be busy with, start working on
eg. He has been going about his business all morning although he is feeling sick.
go after
- try to get
eg. The police decided to go after the people who were speeding near the school.
go ahead
- begin to do something, not wait
eg. Let`s go ahead and start now. We can`t wait for him any longer.
go along
- move along, continue
eg. He invented the story as he went along.
go ape
- become very excited or behave in a crazy way
eg. He went ape when he heard about the money that I had spent.
go around
- go from one place or person to another
eg. We decided to go around from one shop to another until we found a good present.
go around in circles
- without getting anywhere, uselessly
eg. He has been going around in circles for weeks now and still hasn`t made any progress with his essay.
go at
- fight with, attack, argue
eg. When I entered the room they were going at it loudly.
go at it hammer and tongs
- fight with great strength or energy, have a bad argument
eg. They were going at it hammer and tongs when the police came to their house.
go back on
- turn against, not be faithful to
eg. He promised not to go back on his word about the discount tickets.
go broke
- lose all of one`s money
eg. His company went broke so he quickly lost his job.
go for
- try to get, try for
eg. I have decided to go for the new job at the computer center.
go for broke
- risk everything on one big effort, try as hard as possible
eg. They are going for broke trying to win the new contract.
go from bad to worse
- get worse, deteriorate
eg. Things are going from bad to worse in the company.
go great guns
- do something very fast or very hard, successfully
eg. The workers were going great guns fixing the building when I saw them this morning.
go halves
- share equally
eg. We have decided to go halves on buying a new computer.
go haywire
- become damaged, stop working properly
eg. At first everything was going well but later all the plans began to go haywire.
go in for
- decide to do (something), take part in
eg. He is going to university and has decided to go in for medicine.
go into orbit
- lose one`s temper, become very angry
eg. He went into orbit when he heard about the missing money.
go jump in a lake
- go away and quit bothering someone
eg. She asked me to borrow some money but I told her to go jump in a lake because she never paid me back before.
go off
- leave, depart
eg. He went off on a trip and he never even bothered to phone and say good-bye.
go off half-cocked
- act or speak before being ready
eg. He always goes off half-cocked when he is at a meeting.
go off the deep end
- give way to emotion
eg. He went off the deep end when he saw the picture in the paper.
go on
- continue
eg. The game went on for about an hour after I left.
go one`s own way
- go or act the way one wants
eg. He has decided to go his own way and will start his own business next year.
go out of one`s way
- make an extra effort
eg. She went out of her way to help me when I visited her in October.
go out the window
- be abandoned, go out of effect
eg. The school dress code went out the window when the new principal took over.
go out with (someone)
- date or be dating someone
eg. She went out with him for two years before they got married.
go over
- examine
eg. The accountant will come to go over the books tomorrow.
go over well
- be liked, be successful
eg. I am sure that the party will go over well. You have done a lot of preparation for it.
go overboard
- do something in excess
eg. He really went overboard with the birthday party.
go public
- sell shares of a privately owned company to the public
eg. The stock of the Internet company rose very quickly when they went public.
go steady
- go on dates with the same person all the time, date just one person
eg. My sister has been going steady with the same person for two years.
go straight
- become an honest person, lead an honest life
eg. He was in prison for awhile but has recently decided to go straight.
go the whole hog
- make a thorough job of something
eg. They really went the whole hog in their efforts to welcome the foreign visitors.
go through
- examine or think about carefully, search
eg. The police went through his house to look for a gun.
go through changes
- be involved in changing circumstances
eg. She has been going through many changes since her divorce.
go through with
- finish, do as planned or agreed
eg. He has decided to go through with his plans to go back to school.
go to one`s head
- become conceited
eg. He new position has really gone to his head and he won`t speak to us any longer.
go to pieces
- lose your self-control
eg. She went to pieces when she received the letter about her father`s death.
go to pot
- deteriorate
eg. The business has really gone to pot since he became president.
go to rack and ruin
- reach a very bad state of repair
eg. The building has gone to rack and ruin since the new owners took over.
go to town
- work fast or hard, do something with much energy
eg. They really went to town last night and finished painting the bedroom.
go to one`s head
- make someone too proud, make a person think he or she is too important
eg. I think that his new job has gone to his head and he thinks that he is much better than everyone else.
go to one's head
- make one dizzy
eg. The alcohol quickly went to his head and he had to sit down for awhile.
go under the knife
- be operated on in surgery
eg. His wife went under the knife at the hospital last evening.
go up in smoke/flames
- burn or be destroyed by fire, fail, not come true (dreams)
eg. His plans to open a new restaurant have gone up in smoke since he lost his job.
go whole hog
- do something completely or thoroughly
eg. They went whole hog in their effort to make sure that the convention was a success.
go without saying
- be so easy to see that it doesn`t have to be mentioned
eg. He is a hard worker so it goes without saying that his boss is very happy with him.
go (someone) one better
- do something better than someone else, do more or be better than someone
eg. I decided to go him one better and buy a bigger present for my girlfriend.
going for (someone)
- in one`s favor
eg. She should do very well as she has many good things going for her.
golden opportunity
- excellent and rare opportunity
eg. The heat wave was a golden opportunity for the ice cream seller to make money.
good deal
- good quality and a cheap price
eg. You can usually get a good deal on stereos at that discount store.
good riddance
- used when you lose something and you are happy about it
eg. Good riddance he said when the computer broke down and he had to buy another one.
good riddance to bad rubbish
- used to show you are glad that someone or something has been taken or sent away
eg. Good riddance to bad rubbish! I never liked him and I am glad that he has finally left.
good sport
- person who loses well
eg. He is a very good sport and never complains about losing.
goof off
- fool around, not work or be serious
eg. He has been goofing off all afternoon and has not got any work done.
got a thing going
- be engaged in a pleasureable activity with someone else as a partner (in romance or business)
eg. He has a thing going with computer repairs and is making a lot of extra money.
go-getter
- a person who works hard to become successful, an ambitious person
eg. He is a go-getter. He always works hard and has lots of money because of that.
grasp at straws
- try something with little hope of succeeding, depend on something that is useless in a time of trouble
eg. He is grasping at straws. He will never find enough money to pay next month`s rent.
grass is always greener on the other side
- a place or thing that is far away or different seems better than what we have or where we are
eg. She is always moving or changing jobs as she thinks that the grass is always greener on the other side.
gravy train
- job that gives one a lot of money compared with what you do
eg. The cleaning contract was really a gravy train. We only worked for 3 hours but we got paid for 8 hours.
grease one`s palm
- give money or pay for some special favor
eg. We had to grease the border guard`s palm in order to enter the country.
greasy spoon
- a small, cheap eating place with basic but not-so-good food
eg. We had to go to a greasy spoon for breakfast as all the other restaurants were closed.
grease one`s palm
- pay a person for something done or given - especially dishonestly, bribe someone
eg. We had to grease the palm of the customs agent at the border to get our goods into the country.
great one for something
- a great enthusiast for something
eg. My friend is a great one for staying up all night and watching horror movies.
green
- be inexperienced or immature
eg. He is a little green and doesn`t know the job very well.
green thumb
- skill in making plants grow
eg. He has a real green thumb and has a beautiful garden.
green with envy
- very jealous, full of envy
eg. The little girl was green with envy when she saw her friend`s new bicycle.
green thumb
- a talent for gardening, ability to make things grow
eg. My sister's husband has a green thumb and has a very beautiful garden.
green
- inexperienced, immature
eg. He is rather green and doesn`t have enough experience to drive the large piece of machinery yet.
green belt
- an area of fields and trees around a town
eg. The city has a policy of increasing the green belt around the city.
green thumb
- a talent for gardening, ability to make things grow
eg. She has a green thumb and is able to grow one of the best gardens in our neighborhood.
green with envy
- very jealous, full of envy
eg. I was green with envy when I heard that she would be going to London for a week while I had to stay and work.
grind to a halt
- slow down and stop (like a machine when it is turned off)
eg. The city ground to a halt when the power went off for five hours.
ground floor
- the first or best chance - especially in a business
eg. The video store was a good investment so I was happy to get in on the ground floor.
gum up
- cause not to work, ruin something, make something go wrong
eg. The computer printer seemed to have become gummed up just as I was about to print my resume.
gun for someone
- look hard for a chance to harm or defeat someone
eg. My supervisor has been gunning for me for a long time but I don`t really know why.
gun for something
- try very hard to get (prize or promotion etc.)
eg. He has been gunning for the new sales job for a long time.
gung-ho
- enthusiastic, full of eagerness
eg. She is really gung-ho about her new job at the library.
(don`t) give up the ship
- (don`t) stop fighting and surrender, (don`t) stop trying or hoping to do something
eg. Please don`t give up the ship and quit this company. I am sure you still have a useful role to play.
(not a) ghost of a chance
- very little, (not even) the smallest chance
eg. He doesn`t have a ghost of a chance to finish the book in time for his class.
HIV
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus
eg. The rate of HIV infection among drug users is very high.
HQ
- Headquarters
eg. The HQ of the company is located in a small town in Korea.
Hang it!
- a rather old expression used to express annoyance or disappointment
eg. "Hang it", he said when he hit his finger with the hammer.
had better
- should do something
eg. I`d better go now or I`ll be late for class.
hair stand on end
- become frightened or afraid of something
eg. My hair stood on end when I saw the aftermath of the automobile accident.
hair stands on end
- the hair of one's head rises because of fright
eg. My hair stood on end when I saw the large dog run out and begin to bark at me.
hale and hearty
- in very good health, well and strong
eg. My uncle is a hale and hearty fellow who never gets sick.
half the battle
- a large part of the work
eg. Sending the letters out will be half the battle. We can finish the rest of the work next week.
half-baked
- foolish
eg. I didn`t really like his half-baked idea about the new delivery system.
hammer out
- remove, work out by discussion and debate
eg. The union and managers were able to hammer out an agreement before midnight last night.
hand down
- arrange to give something to someone after your death
eg. My grandmother handed down her silver jewellery to my mother.
hand in
- give to someone, hand to someone
eg. I went to the company early to hand in my job application.
hand it to (someone)
- give credit or praise to someone
eg. You have to hand it to him - he worked hard and was very successful with his business.
hand out
- give things of the same kind to several people
eg. The teacher decided not to hand out the tests until everyone in the class stopped talking.
hand over
- give control or possession to someone, give something to another person
eg. The criminals were forced to hand over the stolen money to the police.
hand over fist
- rapidly
eg. His new company is making money hand over fist.
hand something to someone on a silver platter
- give a person something that has not been earned
eg. He was handed a great job on a silver platter and never had to make any effort at all.
hand to mouth
- having only enough money for basic living
eg. He was living a hand to mouth existence until he was finally able to find a job.
hand over fist
- fast and in large amounts
eg. We have been making money hand over fist in our new store.
hand to someone on a silver platter
- give a person something that has not been earned
eg. His education was handed to him on a silver platter and now he is very spoiled and selfish.
hand to mouth
- having only enough money for basic living
eg. My friend has been living from hand to mouth since he lost his job.
handle with kid gloves
- be very careful handling someone or something
eg. He is very sensitive so you have to handle him with kid gloves when you speak to him.
hands down
- easy, unopposed
eg. They won the game hands down over the other team.
hands off
- leave alone, don`t interfere
eg. The government decided to take a hands-off approach to the teachers during the strike.
hands-down
- easy, unopposed
eg. I won the election hands-down for the position of president of our class.
hands off
- leave something alone, keep hands off or do not interfere with something
eg. I was told to take a hands-off approach while dealing with the new employees.
handwriting on the wall
- a sign that something bad will happen
eg. The handwriting is on the wall. Business conditions are bad so probably nobody will get a pay raise this year.
handy
- can easily fix things
eg. He is very handy around the house and is always fixing or building something.
hand-me-down
- something given away after another person doesn`t need it (especially clothing)
eg. She was very poor when she was a child and always wore hand-me-down clothing.
hand-out
- a gift - usually from the government
eg. The government stopped giving hand-outs to the university students as they said they had no money.
hand-me-down
- clothing that is given away after another person doesn`t need it
eg. During his childhood growing up on a farm he wore many hand-me-down clothes.
hand-out
- a gift of money (usually from the government)
eg. After receiving hand-outs from the government for many years they finally had to make money on their own.
hang around
- pass time or stay someplace without any real purpose or aim
eg. We decided to stay home and hang around on Sunday rather than go out to the game.
hang back
- stay some distance behind or away, hesitate or be unwilling to do something
eg. He lacks self-confidence and always hangs back when his boss asks for volunteers.
hang by a thread
- be in doubt, depend on a very small thing
eg. The outcome of the election hung by a thread until the last two or three hours.
hang in the balance
- have two equally possible results, be uncertain
eg. After the opposition party won the election whether or not the new highway will be built hangs in the balance.
hang in (there)
- persevere, don`t give up
eg. You should hang in there and don`t quit your job just because you don`t like the supervisor.
hang on
- continue
eg. Although business was very bad he decided to hang on and fight to keep his business going.
hang one on
- get very drunk
eg. He really hung one on last night after he heard about his promotion.
hang on to
- hold tightly, keep firmly
eg. Please hang on to your hats or the strong wind will blow them off.
hang out
- spend one`s time idly or lounging about, spend time with someone or a group of people
eg. Recently his brother has been hanging out with a group of people who are not a good influence on him.
hang out one`s shingle
- notify the public of the opening of an office - especially a doctor`s or lawyer`s office
eg. He has decided to hang out his own shingle now that he has graduated from law school.
hang up
- place on a hook, peg or hangar
eg. Everyone was forced to hang up their jackets before they entered the room.
hang out one's shingle
- give public notice of the opening of a doctor's office etc
eg. The doctor decided to hang up his shingle as soon as he finished medical school.
hang-up
- a delay in some process
eg. There was a hang-up in the construction of the office tower because of the fire.
happy hour
- a time in bars or restaurants when drinks are served at a discount
eg. We stopped at the restaurant during happy hour and had a couple of drinks.
hard and fast rule
- rules that cannot be altered to fit special cases
eg. There is no hard and fast rule that says you can`t use a cellular phone in the train.
hard as nails
- physically very fit and strong, rough, stern
eg. He is as hard as nails and is not a good person to have an argument with.
hard feelings
- anger or bitterness
eg. I don`t have any hard feelings toward him even though he fired me.
hard nut to crack
- a person or thing not easily understood or influenced
eg. He is a hard nut to crack and is not close to many people.
hard on (someone/something)
- treat something/someone roughly
eg. His son is very hard on shoes.
hard pressed
- burdened with urgent business
eg. I am a little hard pressed for time. Can we meet later?
hard sell
- selling something very aggressively and with great eagerness
eg. I didn`t like their hard sell attitude at the car dealership so I went to another dealer.
hard up
- short of money
eg. I am hard up for money at the moment so I can`t go to the movie.
hard sell
- sell something by being very aggressive
eg. The car salesman gave us a hard sell so we decided to go to another dealer.
hard nut to crack
- something or someone difficult to understand or do
eg. He is a very serious person and is a very hard nut to crack.
hard up
- not have much money
eg. His brother is hard up for money and always wants to borrow some.
hard-nosed
- not weak or soft, stubborn - especially in a fight, contest or negotiations
eg. The company had a hard-nosed attitude while bargaining with the union.
harp on
- talk repeatedly and tediously about something
eg. He has been harping on his lack of money for a few months now.
hassle
- bothersome
eg. It is a real hassle to have to report to him two times a day.
hatchet man
- a politician etc. whose job it is to say negative things about the opposition, a person in a company who must fire extra workers or cut other expenses etc.
eg. He is acting as a hatchet man for the leader but I don`t think that he really believes what he is saying.
hate one`s guts
- feel very strong dislike for someone
eg. I absolutely hate her guts after she caused me so many problems at my company.
have a ball
- have a good time
eg. She had a ball at the party last night.
have a crush on
- be attracted to someone
eg. Her sister has had a crush on him for a long time.
have a fit
- become upset
eg. She had a fit when she saw what her son did to the car.
have a go at
- try something especially after others have tried it
eg. I decided to have a go at applying for the job after my boss recommended me.
have a hand in
- be partly responsible for something
eg. I think that she had a hand in getting her friend fired from her job.
have a head on one`s shoulders
- be smart or sensible
eg. That new salesman really has a head on his shoulders.
have an edge on
- have an advantage (over someone)
eg. Their team has an edge on the race to win the high school football championship.
have an eye for
- have good taste in something, be able to judge correctly
eg. She has an eye for nice furniture and her apartment is absolutely beautiful.
have a screw loose
- act in a strange way, be foolish
eg. He is a really strange person. I think that he has a screw loose somewhere.
have a time
- have trouble, have a hard time
eg. She really had a time last night when her car stopped working completely
have a way with
- be able to lead, persuade or influence others
eg. The little girl really has a way with horses. They are very gentle when she is around.
have a word with
- converse briefly
eg. I will have a word with him before he goes home tonight.
have been around
- have been to many places and done many things, be experienced
eg. My brother has really been around and has been overseas many times.
have dibs on
- demand a share of something or be in line to use something
eg. I have dibs on the computer and would like to use it as soon as possible.
have egg on one`s face
- be embarrassed
eg. He really has egg on his face after finding out about his mistake.
have eyes only for
- give all one`s attention to, be interested only in
eg. She has eyes only for her boyfriend.
have half a mind
- feel tempted or inclined to do something
eg. I have half a mind to go and offer my resignation to the president.
have had it (with someone or something)
- can`t tolerate anymore
eg. I have really had it with her constant complaining.
have in mind
- intend, plan
eg. What do you have in mind for your wife`s birthday?
have it
- hear or get news, understand
eg. I have it that the new president will be coming to see us next week.
have it both ways
- do two things, have both things
eg. You can`t have it both ways. You must choose one or the other.
have it coming
- deserve a punishment
eg. He really has it coming to him after causing the problems in the company.
have it in for someone
- show ill will or dislike a person
eg. I have been having problems at work recently because I think that the new supervisor has it in for me.
have it made
- be successful, have everything
eg. He really has it made with his new job.
have it out with someone
- settle or discuss something with someone angrily
eg. I had it out with her yesterday over the problem with the money.
have on
- be wearing something
eg. What did she have on when you last saw her?
have one`s ass in a sling
- be in an uncomfortable predicament, be at a disadvantage
eg. He really has his ass in a sling now that he has quit his job and can`t find another one.
have one`s eye on
- have a wish for something, have as an aim, look or think about something
eg. I want to buy a nice present for my girlfriend so I have my eye on a nice dress that I saw at the department store last week.
have one`s feet on the ground
- be practical or sensible
eg. The new sales manager really has his feet on the ground.
have one`s heart set on something
- want something very much
eg. The child has his heart set on getting a new bicycle for his birthday.
have over
- invite someone to your house
eg. We will have you over when we settle into our new house.
have rocks in one`s head
- be stupid, not have good judgement
eg. She really has rocks in her head. She should never have bought that old car.
have (something) going for one
- have ability, talent or good looks
eg. She has a lot going for her and I am sure that she will get the new job.
have something on someone
- have information or proof that someone did sometning wrong
eg. I think that the police have something on him and that is why he wants to quit his job.
have something on the ball
- be smart, clever, skilled
eg. She really has a lot on the ball. She should do well in whatever she chooses to do.
have something up one`s sleeve
- something kept secretly ready for the right time
eg. I`m not too worried about the meeting as I have something up my sleeve if they try to cause any more problems.
have sticky fingers
- be a thief
eg. He was fired because of his sticky fingers at the cash register.
have the last laugh
- make someone seem foolish for having laughed at you first
eg. I had the last laugh when I was able to get home early while everyone else had to stay overnight at the airport because of the storm.
have (got) to
- obliged or forced to, must
eg. I have to leave at 4 o`clock or I will be late for my appointment.
have to do with
- be about or on the subject or connected with something
eg. The book has something to do with cooking but I am not sure if you will like it.
have two strikes against one
- have things working against one, be in a difficult situation
eg. He already has two strikes against him and it will be very difficult for him to get the job.
have an eye for
- be able to judge correctly, have good taste in
eg. My father has an eye for ceramic plates and has a large collection of them.
have eyes only for
- see or want nothing else, give all one`s attention
eg. He only has eyes for the woman who works in his office.
have one's nose in something
- unwelcome interest in something, impolite curiosity
eg. My boss always has his nose in other peoples' business so he is not very well-liked.
have rocks in one`s head
- be stupid, not have good judgement
eg. He must have rocks in his head if he thinks that I am going to lend him any more money.
have a physical (examination)
- get a medical check-up
eg. Our company sent all the employees to have a physical last week.
have sticky fingers
- be a thief
eg. The new employee has sticky fingers and many things in the store have disappeared.
haywire
- broken or confused
eg. The plan went haywire when their directions became confused.
head above water
- out of difficulty, clear of trouble
eg. Although he works very hard he is not able to keep his head above water financially.
head in the clouds
- daydreaming
eg. He always has his head in the clouds and can never answer a question easily.
head off
- get in front of and stop, turn back
eg. In the western movie the soldiers went to head off the gang at the mountain pass.
head out
- leave, start out
eg. It is time that we head out for the movie now or we will be late.
head over heels
- upside down, head first
eg. He fell head over heels when his bicycle hit the wall.
head shrinker
- psychiatrist
eg. The criminal had to go and see a head shrinker after the judge sentenced him to life in prison.
head start
- to leave or start something before others
eg. They left early in order to get a head start on the trip.
head up
- be at the head of (a group), a leader
eg. The president headed up a group of people going overseas to promote trade.
head above water
- out of difficulty, clear of trouble
eg. My brother has been having a hard time keeping his head above water since he lost his job.
head over heels
- upside down, head first
eg. The little boy fell head over heels in love with the girl in his class.
head shrinker
- psychiatrist
eg. When I was a child my next door neighbor was a head shrinker.
heads will roll
- someone will be punished
eg. Heads will roll when our boss learns about the money that we have lost recently.
head-hunting
- search for qualified individuals to fill certain positions
eg. The head-hunting company has phoned me several times about getting a new job.
head-on
- front end to front end, with the front facing
eg. There was a serious head-on crash on the highway last night.
head-hunting
- search for qualified individuals to fill certain positions
eg. The company has been head-hunting for many months in order to try and find a new president.
head-on
- with the head or front pointing at something, with the front facing
eg. There was a head-on crash last night near our house that left three people dead.
hear from
- receive a letter/phone call/news from someone
eg. I haven`t heard from my university roommate for over one year.
heart goes out to someone
- one feels sympathy for someone
eg. My heart went out to the victims of the railway accident.
heart is in the right place
- be kindhearted, sympathetic, have good intentions
eg. He makes some serious mistakes sometimes but his heart is in the right place.
heart of gold
- a kind, generous or forgiving personality
eg. My grandmother has a heart of gold and everyone loves her.
heart of stone
- someone with a nature with no pity
eg. She has a heart of stone and is not at all interested in how other people feel.
heart skip a beat
- be startled or excited from surprise, joy or fright
eg. My heart skipped a beat when the truck almost hit us last night.
heart stands still
- be very frightened or worried
eg. My heart stood still when I heard the story about the little boy and the fire.
heart-to-heart
- honest or intimate
eg. They had a heart-to-heart talk before they decided to get married.
heart goes out to
- one feels very sorry for, one feels sympathy for
eg. My heart goes out to the victims of the hurricane that recently struck.
heart is in the right place
- kindhearted, sympathetic or well-meaning
eg. Although she makes a lot of mistakes her heart is in the right place.
heart of gold
- a kind, generous or forgiving nature
eg. My grandmother has a heart of gold and is always willing to help a stranger.
heart of stone
- a nature without pity
eg. The man who murdered his wife and children has a heart of stone.
heart skips a beat
- be startled or excited from surprise, joy or fright
eg. My heart skipped a beat when I saw my name on the television screen.
heart stand still
- be very frightened or worried
eg. My heart stood still when the truck on the highway almost hit our car.
heart-to-heart
- speaking freely and seriously about something private
eg. I had a heart-to-heart talk with my girlfriend last evening.
heavy heart
- a feeling of sadness or unhappiness
eg. He seems to have a heavy heart now that his wife has died.
hedge in
- keep from getting out or moving freely, block in
eg. My car was hedged in by the other cars and I was unable to move it this morning.
hell and high water
- troubles or difficulties of any kind
eg. They went through hell and high water in order to get the food to the flood victims.
hell-on-wheels
- a short-tempered, nagging or crabby person
eg. She is hell-on-wheels in the morning so you should be careful of her.
helter-skelter
- in a confusing group, in disorder
eg. When we arrived at work we found all of the files scattered helter-skelter over the floor.
hem and haw
- avoid giving a clear answer, be evasive in speech
eg. He hemmed and hawed when I asked him if he knew where the missing money was.
here and now
- immediately
eg. I want you to do that work right here and now.
here and there
- in various places, go to various places
eg. We went here and there during our holidays.
here goes
- ready to begin while hoping for the best
eg. Well, here goes. I am going to go and ask her for a date right now.
here goes nothing
- ready to begin - but it will be a waste of time and will probably fail
eg. Here goes nothing. I have already asked him to lend me some money and he always says no but I`ll try again.
hide (bury) one`s head in the sand
- keep from knowing something dangerous or unpleasant
eg. He hates to talk about important matters and hides his head in the sand when I try to talk to him.
hide/bury one`s head in the sand
- keep from seeing, knowing or understanding something dangerous or unpleasant, refuse to see or face something
eg. His father always buries his head in the sand and never wants to deal with any problems.
high and dry
- stranded, out of the current of events
eg. They left him high and dry when they moved the company to Europe.
high and low
- every place
eg. We looked high and low for her watch but we couldn`t find it.
high and mighty
- arrogant
eg. He has a high and mighty attitude to all of his employees.
high gear
- top speed, full activity
eg. The preparations for his visit have been going in high gear all week.
high seas
- the ocean (away from the coast)
eg. The crew of the ship spent three months on the high seas before going to shore for a visit.
high time
- the time before something should already have been done
eg. It is high time that we spent some time cleaning up our house.
highway robbery
- an extremely high price for something
eg. The price that we had to pay for the theater tickets was highway robbery.
high-handed
- bossy, dictatorial, depending on force rather than what is right
eg. My supervisor always takes a high-handed approach when dealing with her employees.
hire out
- accept a job, take employment
eg. He decided to hire himself out as a dancer while he was going to school.
hit and miss
- unplanned, uncontrolled, aimless, careless
eg. We are looking for a new apartment but it seems to be hit and miss whether we can find a good one.
hit bottom
- be at the very lowest, not be able to go any lower
eg. The economy hit bottom last year but is finally starting to improve.
hit between the eyes
- make a strong impression on, surprise greatly
eg. The news about the accident hit us between the eyes and totally shocked us.
hit it off with someone
- get along well with someone
eg. We really hit it off at the party.
hit on/upon
- find what you want or think of something by chance
eg. We hit upon the idea of going to the lake for our holiday after our airline reservations were cancelled.
hit parade
- a list of songs arranged in order of popularity
eg. We listened to all the songs on the hit parade last night.
hit someone between the eyes
- make a strong impression on someone, surprise greatly
eg. Her incredible performance really hit me between the eyes.
hit the books
- study or prepare for class
eg. He stayed home all weekend and hit the books.
hit the bottle
- drink alcohol (usually a negative meaning)
eg. She started to hit the bottle soon after her divorce.
hit the bull`s-eye
- go to the most important part of a matter, reach the main question
eg. She hit the bull`s-eye when she suggested that decreasing costs was more important than increasing sales.
hit the ceiling
- get angry
eg. His wife is going to hit the ceiling when she sees the bill for the car repair.
hit the deck
- get up from bed, start working
eg. Let`s hit the deck and get this work done before supper.
hit the dirt
- fall on the ground and take cover under gunfire
eg. We were told to hit the dirt during the bank robbery.
hit the hay
- go to bed
eg. I decided to hit the hay early last night because I was very tired.
hit the high spots
- consider or mention only the more important parts of something
eg. He only had time to hit the high spots in his report but still it was very interesting.
hit the jackpot
- be very lucky or successful
eg. She hit the jackpot when she went to Las Vegas last weekend.
hit the nail on the head
- make a correct guess or analysis
eg. He really hit the nail on the head when he wrote the report about the bank`s problems.
hit the road
- leave - usually in a car
eg. We should hit the road early tomorrow morning if we want to reach the seashore before evening.
hit the roof
- become very angry, go into a rage
eg. He hit the roof when he found out that his son had wrecked the family car.
hit the sack
- go to bed
eg. I`m a little bit tired so I think that I will hit the sack now.
hit the sauce
- drink alcohol - usually heavily and regularly
eg. He has been hitting the sauce now for a couple of months although he says that he doesn`t drink.
hit the spot
- refresh or satisfy
eg. Drinking the lemonade after the baseball game really hit the spot.
hit the bulls-eye
- reach the main point
eg. I think that he really hit the bulls-eye when he talked about the problems with the regular staff.
hit the sauce
- drink alcohol - usually regularly
eg. I think that she has begun to hit the sauce since her husband lost his job.
hit the jackpot
- make a lot of money suddenly
eg. We hit the jackpot at the casino and came home with a lot of money.
hitch one`s wagon to a star
- aim high, follow a great ambition or purpose
eg. He wants to hitch his wagon to a star and pursue his dreams of becoming an actor.
hither and thither
- in one direction and then in another
eg. He looked hither and thither when he discovered that he had lost his wallet.
hit-and-run
- an accident where the driver of the car drives away without leaving his address
eg. My sister was involved in a hit-and-run accident last Sunday afternoon.
hold a candle to
- be in the same class or level with (used with a negative usually), can be compared with
eg. As far as good service goes that restaurant can`t hold a candle to the one that I usually go to.
hold a grudge
- not forgive someone for something
eg. He has been holding a grudge against the company manager for a number of years.
hold all the trump cards
- have the best chance of winning, have full control
eg. It will be difficult to do well in the negotiations with him as he holds all the trump cards.
hold back
- stay back or away, show unwillingness, prevent someone from doing something
eg. He always holds back during meetings and never says anything.
hold court
- act like a king or queen among their subjects
eg. He always acts like he is holding court among his subjects when I see him in his office.
hold down
- keep in obedience, keep control of
eg. The government was able to hold down the people for many years but finally they revolted and got rid of the government.
hold down a job
- keep a job
eg. He has a serious drinking problem and is unable to hold down a job.
hold forth
- offer, propose
eg. The company held forth a promise to give all of the employees an extra bonus in the summer.
hold good
- continue, endure, last
eg. The demand for air conditioners held good during July but decreased rapidly in August.
hold off
- delay, not begin
eg. The concert will be held off until next week.
hold on
- wait a minute, stop, wait and not hang up the phone
eg. Please hold on for a minute while I go back and lock the window.
hold one`s breath
- stop breathing for a moment when one is excited or nervous
eg. I had to stop and hold my breath while I was waiting for the announcement of the winning names.
hold one`s fire
- keep back arguments or facts, keep from telling something
eg. You should hold your fire during the meeting and save the rest of the information until next week.
hold one`s horses
- stop and wait patiently
eg. Hold your horses for a minute while I return to get my wallet.
hold one`s own (in an argument)
- defend one`s position
eg. Although her boss is very aggressive she is always able to hold her own in any dispute with him.
hold one`s peace
- be silent and not speak against something, be still
eg. Please try and hold your peace during the meeting as it will be to our disadvantage if we have a confrontation.
hold one`s tongue
- keep quiet
eg. He decided to hold his tongue rather than give his honest opinion.
hold on to
- continue to hold or keep, hold tightly
eg. Hold on to your bag when you are in the bus or someone may try and steal it.
hold out
- reach out, extend
eg. She held out her hand to help her daughter climb up the stairs.
hold out for something
- refuse to give up, keep resisting
eg. The famous basketball star is holding out for a large salary increase.
hold out on
- refuse something to a person
eg. He is holding out on me and wont give me the latest sales figures.
hold over
- extend the engagement of, keep longer
eg. The movie was held over for another week.
hold something back
- keep information or something to or for oneself
eg. He is holding back the information about the new computer system.
hold still
- not move
eg. Please hold still while I fix your jacket zipper.
hold the fort
- cope in an emergency, act as a temporary substitute
eg. He has been holding the fort at his company while his boss is on vacation.
hold the line
- not yield to pressure or something
eg. The company has been holding the line on any new salary increases.
hold the reins
- be the most influential person
eg. He has been holding the reins in his company for many years.
hold up
- lift, raise
eg. The students hold up their hands when they have a question.
hold water
- be a sound idea
eg. His proposal for a new work scheduling system doesn`t hold water.
hold one`s horses
- wait, be patient
eg. Hold your horses for a moment while I make a phone call.
hold one`s breath
- stop breathing for a moment when one is excited or nervous
eg. I held my breath and waited to see if my name had been called for an interview with the movie company.
hold one`s tongue
- be silent, not talk
eg. "Please hold your tongue", the teacher said to the young boy.
hold-out
- someone who refuses to give something up, a non-conformist
eg. He was the last hold-out in our effort to make sure that everyone wore a necktie to work.
hold-up
- a robbery
eg. He was involved in a hold-up when he was in the supermarket last weekend.
hole in the wall
- a small place to live, stay in or work in; small hidden or inferior place
eg. We went for a drink at a little hole in the wall near the university last night.
holier-than-thou
- acting as if one is better than others in goodness or character etc.
eg. I don`t like him because he always takes a holier-than-thou attitude toward everyone else.
holy cats
- used to express strong feelings of astonishment, pleasure or anger
eg. Holy cats he said as he looked out and saw the water rising in the river.
holy cow
- used to express strong feelings of astonishment, pleasure or anger
eg. Holy cow! There are over one hundred people standing in front of our house.
holy mackerel
- used to express strong feelings of astonishment, pleasure or anger
eg. "Holy mackerel," cried the little boy when he saw the new bicycle he got for his birthday.
holy Moses
- used to express strong feelings of astonishment, pleasure or anger
eg. Holy Moses! It is already noon and I haven`t even started work yet.
holy terror
- a very disobedient or unruly child
eg. The little boy is a holy terror and his parents never want to take him anywhere.
holy cow
- used to express strong feelings like astonishment, pleasure or anger
eg. Holy cow he said as he saw the car that had hit the street lamp.
holy mackeral
- used to expres strong feeling of surprise
eg. Holy mackeral! Look at the size of that man`s motorcycle.
honeymoon is over
- the first happy period of friendship and cooperation between two groups is over
eg. The honeymoon was over for the new President after about two months.
honky-tonk
- a cheap night-club or dance hall
eg. We went to a small honky-tonk in the small town where we stopped last night.
hook up
- connect or fit together
eg. As soon as we moved to our new apartment we had to hook up the phone.
hook-up
- a connection
eg. The new hook-up for the computer is not working very well.
hook, line and sinker
- without question or doubt, completely
eg. She fell in love with her new boyfriend hook, line and sinker.
hop to it
- get started, start a job, get going
eg. We must hop to it and try to get this job done before dinner.
hope against hope
- continue to hope when things look very bad
eg. The rescue team were hoping against hope that the lost hikers would be found alive.
hopped up
- high on a drug or on alcohol
eg. The man who tried to rob the store was hopped up on some kind of drug.
horn in on
- come in without an invitation or welcome, interfere
eg. He horned in on our conversation although he knows that nobody likes him.
horse around
- play around, join in rough teasing
eg. The children were horsing around in the school yard when the bell rang for class.
horse of a different color
- something altogether separate and different
eg. We should not be talking about that issue now. It is a horse of a different color entirely.
horse sense
- good judgement, wisdom in making decisions
eg. He has a lot of good horse sense so you can expect him to make an intelligent decision.
horse trade
- business agreement arrived at after hard negotiations
eg. We had to do a lot of horse trading but we were finally able to reach an agreement to buy the antique car.
horse around
- rough or noisy play
eg. The teacher told the children to stop horsing around and get ready for class.
horse of a different color
- something totally separate and different
eg. Moving to a new location is a horse of a different color. It was never mentioned in any of our meetings.
horse sense
- wisdom in making decisions
eg. He doesn`t have much horse sense and doesn`t always make the correct decision.
horse trade
- hard and skillful bargaining
eg. We had to do a little horse trading but finally we reached a deal to buy the new house.
horse of a different color
- something totally separate and different
eg. I know that he would like to discuss that issue now but it is a horse of a different color and we should discuss it at another time.
hot air
- nonsense, exaggerated talk
eg. He is full of hot air and you can`t rely on what he usually says.
hot and bothered
- excited and worried, displeased
eg. I don`t know what is wrong with her but she is hot and bothered about something.
hot potato
- a question or argument that is controversial and difficult to settle
eg. The issue of building the nuclear power plant is a real hot potato for the local town council.
hot rod
- an automobile changed so that it can go very fast
eg. He has always loved cars and was a member of his local hot rod club when he was a teenager.
hot water
- trouble
eg. He has been in hot water at work since he took a week off with no excuse.
house of cards
- something badly put together and easily knocked down, a poorly founded plan/action
eg. The peace agreement between the two countries was like a house of cards and fell apart as soon as a minor problem occurred.
how about
- will you have something or will you agree to something
eg. How about some coffee before we go to work?
how come
- why
eg. How come you don`t telephone her if you want to talk to her so much?
how`s that
- what did you say
eg. How`s that? I couldn`t hear you because the radio was too loud.
hue and cry
- an excited protest or alarm or outcry
eg. They raised a big hue and cry when they realized that we had failed to notify the bank about our financial problems.
hundred to one shot/chance
- a small chance not likely to bring success
eg. He only has a hundred to one shot at getting the job that he has applied for.
hundred/thousand/million and one
- very/too many
eg. I can think of a hundred and one reasons why the new employee is not capable of doing his job.
hush up
- keep news of something from getting out, prevent people from knowing about something
eg. The government tried to hush up the bad economic figures but the news media soon discovered the facts.
hush-hush
- something kept secret or hidden, concealed
eg. What is the big hush-hush? Everyone seems to be very quiet this morning.
hyped-up
- have an excess of energy, be excited
eg. She has been hyped up all morning because she will go to Italy for a holiday next week.
(be in) high spirits
- have energy, be cheerful
eg. They are in high spirits since their home team won the tournament.
(get or) have egg on one`s face
- be embarassed
eg. He has egg on his face because everyone knows that he was sick at the party.
(not) have anything to do with someone
- (not) want to be a friend of or work or have business with someone
eg. My father will not have anything to do with the salesman because he sold him the faulty car.
(one`s) hands are tied
- unable to help
eg. I`m sorry that I can`t help you with the job but my hands are tied at the moment.
(the) high life
- a luxurious existence
eg. They have been living the high life since they moved to Las Vegas.
IMF
- International Monetary Fund - an international agency that works to stabilize currencies etc
eg. The IMF imposed very strict currency guidelines that many people were opposed to.
IOU
- I Owe You - a signed paper saying that you owe money to someone
eg. I gave my friend an IOU when I bought his stereo.
IQ
- Intelligence Quotient - a measure of a person's intelligence
eg. The IQ of the new student is very high.
idiot box
- television set
eg. He sits in front of the idiot box all day and never gets any work done.
if the shoe fits, wear it
- if what is being said in general describes you then it probably means you
eg. He was complaining that most of the workers at his company were lazy. However his friend looked at him and said that if the shoe fits, wear it.
if the shoe fits wear it
- that what is said in general can also be said of an individual person
eg. You shouldn`t criticize others for something that you would do yourself. Remember, if the shoe fits wear it.
if worst comes to worst
- if the worst possible thing happens
eg. If worst comes to worst we can cancel our holiday and go next year.
ill at ease
- feel nervous/uncomfortable
eg. He appeared to be ill at ease during the interview.
in a bind
- in trouble
eg. They will really be in a bind if they can`t sell their house by next month.
in a family way
- pregnant, going to have a baby
eg. Our new secretary is in a family way and plans to take a few months off from work soon.
in a fog (haze)
- confused, not sure what is happening
eg. He is always in a fog and never seems to know what is going on.
in a hole
- in some trouble, in an embarrassing or difficult position
eg. He is really in a hole now that he has problems both at work and at home.
in a hurry
- a need to move or act quickly
eg. He is very busy and always in a hurry.
in a jam
- in trouble
eg. He is really in a jam now that his car is not working properly.
in a kind (sort) of way
- to a certain extent, a little, somewhat
eg. I would like to go in a kind of way but still I don`t think that I will bother going today.
in a nutshell
- briefly
eg. I tried to explain the problem to him in a nutshell but there still wasn`t enough time.
in a pig`s eye
- hardly, unlikely, not so
eg. In a pig`s eye will I let him borrow my car next weekend.
in a pinch
- okay when nothing else is available
eg. That other tool will do in a pinch if we can`t find the correct one.
in a rush
- in a hurry
eg. They got the job done in a big rush so I am a little worried about the quality.
in a rut
- always doing the same thing
eg. She feels that she is in a rut after doing the same job for seven years.
in a spot
- in some trouble, in an embarrassing or difficult position
eg. She is really in a tight spot right now since she was unable to enter university and also has no job.
in a way
- to a certain extent, a little, somewhat
eg. In a way I would like to go but basically I don`t care.
in a word
- briefly, to sum up
eg. In a word, the problem with the car is that it needs a new motor.
in a world of one`s own
- in deep thought or concentration, not caring about other people
eg. He is always in a world of his own and doesn`t notice what other people say or think.
in a pig`s eye
- hardly, unlikely, not so
eg. In a pig`s eye he will be able to save enough money to go to Hawaii for the winter.
in a nutshell
- briefly, in a few words
eg. We went to the meeting and they told us in a nutshell what would be happening to everyone next year.
in advance
- ahead of time
eg. They bought the tickets in advance so that they could get a good seat.
in and out
- coming in and going out often
eg. He has been in and out all day but I don`t know where he is at the moment.
in any case (event)
- no matter what happens, surely, without fail
eg. I may not be able to meet you next week but in any case I will still give you the books before then.
in arms
- armed, ready to fight
eg. They are all in arms since they found out about the wage decrease.
in black and white
- in writing
eg. I want to get the information in black and white before I go to the meeting.
in cahoots with
- in secret agreement or partnership with someone
eg. The supermarket was in cahoots with the vegetable producer to try and keep the prices high.
in case
- as a precaution, in order to be prepared
eg. In case there is a fire, we keep our computer backup files in a fireproof safe.
in character
- as usual, typical, in the way that a person usually behaves
eg. Supporting the other members of the staff is in character with her usual actions.
in charge
- in control or authority, responsible
eg. He is charge of the sales department at his company.
in check
- under control, kept quiet or back
eg. The violence was kept in check by the police department and the army.
in charge of
- in control of, responsible for
eg. My sister has been in charge of buying supplies at her company for many years.
in clover
- rich or successful, having a pleasant or easy life
eg. They are in clover now that they have sold their business and retired.
in cold blood
- without feeling or pity, cooly and deliberately
eg. The family was murdered in cold blood by the criminal gang.
in common
- shared together or equally, in use or ownership by all
eg. We had to use the bathroom in common with the other people in the house.
in deep
- seriously mixed up in something like debt or trouble
eg. He owes a lot of money and is in very deep with his new house and car.
in due course
- in the usual amount of time, at the right time
eg. We will send the information to you in due course.
in fact
- actually, the truth is
eg. He`s been to China before. In fact he`s been there three times.
in for
- unable to avoid, sure to get
eg. He is in for a lot of trouble now that he is unable to finish his graduation essay.
in good time
- a little early, sooner than necessary
eg. I will try and get the information to you in good time so that you will be able to decide what to do.
in hand
- under control
eg. The teacher had the class in hand when the principal came to visit the classroom.
in hot water
- in trouble
eg. I am in hot water over the extra expenses that I used during the conference.
in keeping with
- going well together, agreeing, similar
eg. In keeping with our tradition of letting the visiting team kick first we will do it for this game as well.
in kind
- in a similar way, with the same kind of thing
eg. We will pay them back in kind for the use of their sailboat.
in league with
- in secret agreement or partnership with someone
eg. The union has been in league with management in trying to build the new factory.
in light of
- as a result of new information, because of
eg. In light of his contribution to the company we decided to give him a large summer bonus.
in line
- doing or being what people expect or accept, within ordinary limits
eg. It was difficult to keep the children in line at the picnic but somehow we managed.
in love
- liking very much, loving
eg. He has been in love with his girlfriend ever since he met her in high school.
in luck
- having good luck, finding something good by chance
eg. I think that we are in luck. I have found two tickets for the concert.
in memory of
- as a reminder of, as a memorial to
eg. We decided to put our money together and buy a painting in memory of our grandfather.
in nothing flat
- quickly
eg. I will have this information printed out for you in nothing flat.
in no time
- soon, quickly
eg. I will have this done for you in no time and then you can go for lunch.
in on
- joining together for something
eg. We went in on a present for our father for Father`s Day.
in one`s element
- in an environment or situation that comes naturally to someone
eg. She is in her element being in charge of the new sales department.
in one`s face
- abruptly, unexpectedly
eg. The plan blew up in our face just as we were ready to start.
in one`s good books (graces)
- approved of by someone, liked by someone
eg. I have been in her good books since I helped her with her work last month.
in one`s hair
- annoying someone
eg. She has been in my hair all morning because she is on her summer holiday starting this week.
in one`s mind`s eye
- in one`s imagination
eg. In your mind`s eye try and imagine that you are on a nice sunny beach in Hawaii.
in one`s shell
- withdrawn, silent, not sociable
eg. We have been trying to get her out of her shell but it is of no use. She doesn`t want to talk to anyone.
in one`s shoes
- in someone elses place or position
eg. I wish that I was in his shoes with his great job and new car.
in one`s tracks
- abruptly, immediately, just where one is at the moment
eg. I was forced to stop in my tracks when I saw the snake on the road.
in one`s shoes
- in another`s place or position
eg. I would hate to be in his shoes now that he has lost his job.
in one`s mind`s eye
- in one`s imagination
eg. I tried to relax and in my mind`s eye pretend that I was on a beautiful island.
in one`s face
- abruptly, unexpectedly
eg. The plan to have a going away party for our boss blew up in our face when we heard he would not attend.
in one`s hair
- bothering one, always annoying someone
eg. My sister's small son is always in her hair when she is making dinner.
in order to
- for the purpose of
eg. We have decided to close down the school for the summer in order to do some major repairs.
in other words
- say something in a different (usually more direct) way
eg. In other words if you don`t finish the assignment by Wednesday you will not pass the course.
in part
- to some extent, partly
eg. I think the reason he is not golfing well this year is in part due to his problem with his back.
in point of fact
- really, truthfully
eg. In point of fact there were not enough people at the meeting to vote on the proposal.
in seventh heaven
- very happy
eg. I have been in seventh heaven since I started my new job.
in short supply
- not enough, in less than the amount or number needed
eg. Chairs were in short supply so some of the guests had to sit on the floor.
in spite of
- in opposition to, despite
eg. In spite of the terrible weather we went to the beach for a picnic.
in stitches
- laughing
eg. They were in stitches over their teacher`s joke.
in stock
- having something ready to sell or use
eg. The store didn`t have any computer discs in stock so we bought some over the Internet.
in store
- ready to happen, waiting
eg. I don`t really know what the future has in store for me but I will be ready for anything.
in stock
- have something ready to sell or use
eg. They didn't have any computer printer ribbons in stock at the store.
in the air
- current, exerting an influence
eg. It is in the air that we will be getting a new president next week.
in the bag
- certain, sure
eg. The new contract will be in the bag if we put in a good proposal.
in the black
- have a credit balance, make a profit
eg. The company has been in the black for over three years now.
in the cards
- to be expected, likely to happen, predictable
eg. I think that a new company structure is in the cards but I can`t be sure.
in the charge of
- under the care or supervision of
eg. She has been in the charge of her grandmother since her mother and father died.
in the clear
- with nothing to limit action, free of anything that makes moving or seeing difficult
eg. We seem to be in the clear now so it should be safe to cross the road.
in the clouds
- far from real life, in dreams, in thought
eg. He is usually in the clouds so you may have trouble finding out what you want to know from him.
in the course of
- during
eg. In the course of his life he visited over 45 countries.
in the dark
- having no information about something
eg. He is still in the dark about my plans to quit my job.
in the doghouse
- in trouble
eg. He is in the doghouse with his wife after staying out drinking last night.
in the first place
- firstly, to begin with
eg. Of course I can`t go. In the first place I must work on Saturday. In the second place I have no money.
in the groove
- at one`s best, doing something very well
eg. We are finally getting in the groove and should be able to finish this job by early next week.
in the hole
- having a score lower than zero in a game, a score below zero
eg. At the beginning of the card game I was in the hole but later I began to do well.
in the line of duty
- done or happening as part of a job
eg. The police officer was killed in the line of duty during the bank robbery.
in the long run
- the distant future, in the end
eg. For now he is losing money on his stocks but in the long run he should make money.
in the market for
- wanting or ready to buy something
eg. I am in the market for a new computer as my old one is too slow.
in the red
- lose money, not make a profit
eg. The company has been in the red for three years now.
in the saddle
- in command, in control
eg. The president is back in the saddle again after being ill for several months.
in the same boat
- in a similar situation
eg. We are all in the same boat now that our company has gone out of business.
in the soup
- in serious trouble, in disorder
eg. She is in the soup now that she has had a big fight with her boss.
in the swim
- active in or knowing what is going on
eg. He is definitely in the swim. He has information about everybody.
in the wake of
- as a result of, following
eg. In the wake of the large number of people who have recently left our company we will need to hire some more people.
in the wind
- soon to happen, being planned
eg. It is in the wind that they are planning to open a new store next year.
in the works
- in preparation, being planned or worked on
eg. Don`t worry about whether or not we will be building the new computer lab. It is definitely in the works.
in the wrong
- wrong; against justice, truth or fact
eg. The driver was in the wrong and was arrested by the police after the accident.
in the doghouse
- in disgrace or disfavor
eg. He is in the doghouse with his wife because he went out drinking three times last week.
in the black
- successful or making money
eg. The new company has been in the black for over a year now.
in the long run
- in the final result
eg. The company has been losing money recently but in the long run they should do very well.
in the market for
- ready to buy something
eg. We have been in the market for a new computer for a long time but still we haven't bought one.
in the red
- losing money, unprofitable
eg. The company began to go into the red when the price of oil began to rise rapidly.
in the works
- in preparation, being planned or worked on
eg. The camera company has a new automatic camera in the works but nobody knows about it yet.
in the black
- successful or profitable
eg. The company has been in the black since they began to adopt many new ideas to cut costs.
in the red
- lose money, unprofitable
eg. The company has been in the red for three years now - ever since their exports to Asia decreased by 35 per cent.
in the soup
- in serious trouble, in disorder
eg. She is really in the soup now. She told her boss that she was sick but he saw her downtown shopping.
in the black
- profitable, making money
eg. Our company has been in the black since it was first started.
in the hole
- in debt, owing money
eg. I think that we are going in the hole in our attempts to make our business prosper.
in the red
- unprofitable, losing money
eg. The company has been in the red for several months now and will soon have to go bankrupt.
in time
- early enough
eg. I didn`t come home in time to meet my cousin.
in touch
- talking or writing to each other, giving or getting news
eg. We are still in touch even though we have been out of school for many years.
in tow
- being pulled
eg. The truck had a trailer in tow when it went off the highway.
in tune
- going well together, in agreement, matching
eg. We have been in tune with each other ever since we met at our high school graduation party.
in turn
- each following another
eg. We went up to the front of the class in turn in order to pick up our diplomas.
in two shakes of a lamb`s tail
- quickly, in no time at all
eg. I will have this finished in two shakes of a lamb`s tail and then I will give it to you.
in two minds about something
- undecided
eg. My niece is in two minds about whether or not she will come and visit me this summer.
in two shakes of a lamb's tail
- very quickly and without difficulty
eg. Wait one minute. I will be able to help you in two shakes of a lamb's tail.
in vain
- without effect, without success
eg. We tried in vain to find a good job but it was impossible.
in view of
- after thinking about, because of
eg. In view of the large number of people who have come I think that we will need a bigger room.
in with
- in friendship, favor or closeness with
eg. I think that he was in with the wrong group of people when he was in high school.
ins and outs
- all the details
eg. He knows all the ins and outs of the new machine.
inside and out
- in every part, completely
eg. We looked through the room inside and out for my lost wallet.
inside out
- so that the inside is turned outside
eg. She turned her purse inside out in order to look for her lost key.
inside track
- an advantage, shortest distance around a racetrack
eg. I think that he has the inside track on getting the new job at the computer company.
instead of
- in place of
eg. Let`s meet at the restaurant instead of the department store as we had planned.
into thin air
- completely, without anything left
eg. The group of hikers vanished into thin air and were never heard of again.
iron out
- work out
eg. We have ironed out all of our problems and are finally doing better.
irons in the fire
- things one is doing, projects with which a person is busy
eg. Recently he has too many irons in the fire. That is why he has become sick.
itching palm
- a wish for money, greed
eg. The guard at the border crossing has an itching palm so be careful of him.
JP
- Justice of the Peace
eg. They went to a JP when they decided to get married.
John Doe
- name used for an unknown person
eg. Why do the application forms use "John Doe" as the name of the person who is applying for something?
John Henry (John Hancock)
- signature
eg. Please sign your John Henry here and we will process your order right away.
Johnny-come-lately
- new-comer
eg. He`s a Johnny-come-lately and doesn`t really know what he is talking about.
Johnny-on-the-spot
- be at the right place when needed, right on time
eg. He`s always Johnny-on-the-spot. Just when we need him he arrives.
jack up
- raise prices
eg. The gas station jacked up their prices during the snow storm.
jack-of-all-trades
- a person who can do many things
eg. We gave him a job because we needed a jack-of-all-trades around the factory to look after the many repairs.
jam on the brakes
- quickly put the brakes on in a car to stop
eg. He jammed on the brakes and was able to avoid hitting the child.
jam-packed
- crowded, full
eg. The train that we took this morning was jam-packed with people.
jazz up
- brighten up, add more noise or movement or color
eg. They really jazzed up the community center for the party tonight.
jump all over someone
- criticize, scold, blame
eg. As soon as I began to talk about my plans for the summer he jumped all over me.
jump at
- take or accept quickly and gladly
eg. He jumped at the chance to go to Europe on company business.
jump bail
- run away and fail to come to trial and give up the money you have already paid to the court
eg. He jumped bail and decided to go and live in a foreign country.
jump down someone`s throat
- criticize or become angry with someone
eg. As soon as I reached the office he jumped down my throat over the missing file.
jump on someone
- scold, criticize, blame
eg. Everyone jumped on him at the meeting because they were angry about the new schedules.
jump on the bandwagon (also get or climb on the bandwagon)
- join a popular activity
eg. Everyone has jumped on the bandwagon to try and stop smoking in the workplace.
jump out of one`s skin
- be badly frightened
eg. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw him at the window.
jump the gun
- start before you should
eg. He jumped the gun and started selling the tickets before he should.
jump through a hoop
- do whatever one is told to do, obey any order
eg. He is always ready to jump through a hoop for his boss so he is not very popular with the other employees.
jump to conclusions
- make a quick conclusion without thinking
eg. Please don`t jump to conclusions over who broke the computer.
jump down one`s throat
- suddenly become very angry at someone
eg. His wife jumped down his throat when he came home late for the third day in a row.
jump out of one`s skin
- be badly frightened, be very surprised
eg. I almost jumped out of my skin when I saw my girlfriend at the movie theater with someone else.
jumping-off place
- the starting place of a long trip
eg. We gathered early in the morning at the jumping-off place for our trip to the mountains.
just about
- nearly, almost
eg. I waited just about one hour before the concert started.
just now
- this very moment, a minute ago
eg. The accident happened just now. The police haven`t even arrived yet.
just so
- with great care, very carefully
eg. She always makes sure that her hair is just so before she goes out.
just the same
- nevertheless
eg. I told her not to come early but just the same she came early anyway.
just what the doctor ordered
- exactly what is needed or wanted
eg. Having the extra day off from work was just what the doctor ordered and he was able to get his many errands finished.
KO
- Knockout
eg. The boxer won the match in the fifth round by a KO.
Katie bar the door
- get ready for trouble, a desperate situation is at hand
eg. The gang arrived at the bar and were ready to come in and fight. Well, Katie bar the door.
kangaroo court
- a self-appointed group that decides how to punish someone who is supposed to have done something wrong
eg. The men were convicted by the people in the town but it was like a kangaroo court and nobody agreed with the decision.
keel over
- fall over and faint
eg. Three of the members of the band suddenly keeled over because of the heat.
keep after
- remind someone over and over
eg. I always have to keep after her to do her job properly.
keep an eye on something or someone
- watch (as in take care of something)
eg. Will you keep an eye on the baby while I go to the store.
keep a secret
- not tell a secret to others
eg. I have been trying to keep a secret about her boyfriend for a long time now.
keep a stiff upper lip
- be brave, face trouble bravely
eg. The prisoners tried hard to keep a stiff upper lip in spite of the hardships of the prison.
keep at
- persist with
eg. He has decided to keep at his studies so I am sure he will succeed.
keep body and soul together
- keep alive, survive
eg. It was very cold during the winter but somehow she was able to keep body and soul together and survived.
keep books
- keep records of money gained and spent, do the work of a bookkeeper
eg. My first job was to keep books for a small company in my hometown.
keep down
- keep from progressing or growing, keep within limits, control
eg. The students were told to keep down the noise as some of the other classes were having exams.
keep from
- prevent, refrain from
eg. I love ice cream and couldn`t keep from eating three bowls.
keep good time
- work accurately (a clock)
eg. My watch has not been keeping good time lately.
keep house
- look after a house or a household
eg. She has been keeping house for her father while he is sick.
keep in touch
- talk or write to someone
eg. I have always tried to keep in touch with my friends from high school.
keep on (doing something)
- continue
eg. She is careless and keeps on making the same mistakes over and over.
keep one`s chin up
- be brave, be determined
eg. Try and keep your chin up. Things will get better in the future.
keep one`s eye on the ball
- be watchful and ready
eg. You should keep your eye on the ball or you will make a mistake.
keep one`s fingers crossed
- wish for good results in something one is doing
eg. Please keep your fingers crossed that I will pass the exam.
keep one`s head
- stay calm when there is trouble or danger
eg. He is a very good leader and always is able to keep his head during an emergency.
keep one`s head above water
- have the ability to pay one`s bills
eg. He is having trouble keeping his head above water since his salary has decreased.
keep one`s mouth shut
- be or stay silent
eg. I was very angry so I told him to keep his mouth shut. Later I had to apologize.
keep one`s nose clean
- stay out of trouble
eg. He has been managing to keep his nose clean since he moved to the new town.
keep one`s nose to the grindstone
- work very hard
eg. He has been keeping his nose to the grindstone recently and I haven`t had a chance to see him.
keep one`s own counsel
- keep one`s ideas and plans to oneself
eg. He always keeps his own counsel and never really reveals his plans to anyone.
keep one`s shirt on
- calm down, keep from losing one`s temper or getting impatient
eg. Try and keep your shirt on! Everything is going to be alright in a few minutes.
keep one`s wits about one
- stay calm when there is trouble or danger
eg. Although there was a fire in the building he was able to keep his wits about him and help everybody to safety.
keep one`s word
- fulfill one`s promise
eg. She never keeps her word so I don`t believe that she will come to the party.
keep pace
- go as fast, go at the same rate
eg. It was difficult to keep pace with the other students but somehow I managed.
keep quiet
- remain silent
eg. Could you all please keep quiet and listen to the instructor.
keep someone on
- allow someone to continue working for you
eg. Although we have too many workers we have decided to keep him on until business improves.
keep tabs on
- watch or check, keep under observation
eg. They have been keeping tabs on the spending of the sales department.
keep the ball rolling
- keep up an activity or action, not allow something that is happening to slow or stop
eg. We should try to keep the ball rolling and get as much of our work done while everyone is still here.
keep the home fires burning
- keep things going as usual while someone is away
eg. Don`t worry about anything. I will stay home and keep the home fires burning while you are on your holiday.
keep track of
- maintain a record
eg. Please carefully keep track of your expenses during the trip.
keep (someone) up
- prevent someone from going to bed
eg. They kept me up last night with their noisy radio.
keep time
- show the right time
eg. My new watch keeps perfect time so I am very happy.
keep under one`s hat
- keep secret, not tell
eg. He won`t say where he is going for his holiday. He wants to keep it under his hat.
keep up appearances
- keep an outward show of prosperity or good behavior
eg. They have been trying to keep up appearances even though he has lost his job.
keep up
- go on, not stop, continue
eg. He is working hard to keep up the same level of production as last year.
keep up with
- go at the same speed as a person or thing, maintain the same rate of progress
eg. I can`t keep up with the rest of the class.
keep up with the news
- keep informed
eg. He reads the newspaper every morning in order to keep up with the news.
keep up with the Joneses
- try to be the same as your neighbors
eg. He always worries about keeping up with the Joneses and is always frustrated.
keep one's finger's crossed
- wish for good luck
eg. I will keep my fingers crossed that you are able to get the new job that you have applied for.
keep body and soul together
- keep alive, survive
eg. He has been working very hard to try and keep body and soul together after his illness.
keep books
- keep records of money gained and spent
eg. The new assistant to the sales manager has no experience keeping books and has made many mistakes.
keep track of
- keep a count or record, stay informed
eg. They have been making a great effort to keep track of the number of visitors to their store.
keep one`s shirt on
- calm down, keep from losing one`s temper or getting excited
eg. Keep your shirt on. You shouldn`t get so excited about small problems.
keep (something) under one`s hat
- keep something secret
eg. I plan to keep my plans to apply for a new job under my hat.
keep an eye on
- watch carefully, continue paying attention to
eg. I asked my aunt to keep an eye on our apartment when we went away for our holiday.
keep one`s nose clean
- stay out of trouble
eg. The judge told the young man that he must keep his nose clean if he didn`t want to go to jail in the future.
keep one`s nose out of something
- keep out of or away from
eg. I wish that the secretary at our office would keep her nose out of other people`s business.
keep one`s nose to the grindstone
- work hard or keep busy for a long time
eg. He has been keeping his nose to the grindstone all year so that he can save up enough money for a new car.
keep a stiff upper lip
- be brave, face trouble bravely
eg. We managed to keep a stiff upper lip when the company announced that they would close down our office.
keep one`s chin up
- be brave, be determined, face trouble with courage
eg. My brother is trying to keep his chin up even though he has lost his job.
keep one`s head
- stay calm when there is trouble or danger
eg. Everyone tried to keep their head during the fire at the hotel.
keep one`s mouth shut
- be or stay silent
eg. I tried hard to keep my mouth shut during the salesman's speech.
keep books
- keep records of money earned and spent
eg. The accountant has been keeping careful books of all the transactions in the company.
kettle of fish
- something to be considered, how things are
eg. That`s a totally different kettle of fish. We should talk about it another time.
keyed up
- excited, nervous
eg. I was all keyed up after we won the game and I couldn`t go to sleep.
kick around
- treat badly, act roughly or badly to someone or something
eg. I don`t like her very much because she is always kicking other people around.
kick back
- relax and do nothing
eg. I`m going to kick back this evening and stay home and watch television.
kick off
- begin, launch, start
eg. The department store kicked off their summer sale early Saturday morning.
kick oneself
- regret
eg. I kicked myself for not applying for the job sooner.
kick out
- make someone go or leave, get rid of, dismiss
eg. He was kicked out of school when he was 15 years old because of his bad behavior.
kick over
- a motor begins to work
eg. At first the engine wouldn`t start because it was too cold but finally it kicked over.
kick the bucket
- die
eg. The man who used to clean the walls at the factory kicked the bucket last week.
kick the habit
- stop a bad habit like smoking or taking drugs
eg. He has been trying to kick his smoking habit for years.
kick up a fuss
- make trouble, make a disturbance
eg. I didn`t think that it would be a big problem but he really kicked up a fuss when I told him about the accident.
kick up one`s heels
- have a good time, celebrate
eg. We really kicked up our heels at the Christmas party that we attended last week.
kickback
- money paid illegally for favorable treatment
eg. The construction company gave the politician some illegal kickbacks in order to win the contract.
kick-off
- a start
eg. The kick-off for the no smoking campaign will start next week.
kill off
- kill or end completely, destroy
eg. The pollution in the river has killed off all of the fish.
kill the goose that layed the golden egg
- spoil something that is good or something that one has by being greedy
eg. He was always complaining about his job but now it is gone. He has killed the goose that layed the golden egg.
kill two birds with one stone
- accomplish two things with one action
eg. He was able to kill two birds with one stone by going to the meeting.
kill the goose that lays the golden egg
- spoil something that is good or something that one has by being greedy
eg. They sold part of their business but it was the most profitable part. I think that they have killed the goose that lays the golden egg.
kill two birds with one stone
- suceed in doing two things by only one action
eg. Let`s have the meeting when we are in town so we can kill two birds with one stone.
knock about
- travel without a plan, go where one pleases
eg. We decided to go to Brazil and knock about for a couple of months.
knock it off
- stop doing something, quit
eg. Please knock it off. You are going to hurt yourself if you are not careful.
knock off
- murder someone
eg. The owner of the shop was knocked off in the robbery last week.
knock off one`s feet
- surprise or shock someone so much that he does not know what to do
eg. When they announced that I had won the prize it knocked me off my feet.
knock one`s block off
- hit someone very hard, beat someone up
eg. He was very angry and threatened to knock anyone`s block off who came near him.
knock one`s head against the wall
- waste time trying to do something with no success
eg. They have been knocking their head against the wall for years trying to find a solution to the problem.
knock oneself out
- make a great effort
eg. They really knocked themselves out trying to make the party successful.
knock on wood
- knock on something made of wood to keep from having bad luck
eg. I don`t think that I will lose my job - knock on wood.
knockout
- a very beautiful woman
eg. The man said that the woman he saw at the bus stop was a real knockout.
knock out
- make unconscious, unworkable or unusable
eg. The storm last night knocked out power in most of the town.
knock the living daylights out of someone
- make someone unconscious
eg. The man knocked the living daylights out of his friend during the fight.
knock off one`s feet
- surprise or shock someone so much that they don't know what to do
eg. The singer's voice was so beautiful that I was nearly knocked off my feet.
know by heart
- memorize
eg. I learned the poem by heart.
know which side one`s bread is buttered on
- know who can help one and try to please him, know what is good for oneself
eg. He is careful not to make his boss angry. He knows which side his bread is buttered on.
know-it-all
- a person who acts as if they know everything
eg. He is a know-it-all and nobody likes to be around him.
knuckle down
- begin to work earnestly
eg. I think it is time that we knuckle down and finally finish this project.
knuckle under
- yield, submit
eg. The union finally knuckled under the pressure and ended the strike.
(not) know if one is coming or going
- not know what to do
eg. The new sales manager doesn`t seem to know if he is coming or going.
(not) know the first thing about something
- lack basic knowledge about something
eg. He doesn`t know the first thing about computers.
LLB
- Bachelor of Laws
eg. My brother received his LLB and will begin to practice law next week.
LP
- Long-Playing Record
eg. I recently decided to give all of my old LPs to a charity.
LPG
- Liquid Petroleum Gas
eg. The truck carrying LPG was in an accident on the highway last night.
labor of love
- something done for personal pleasure and not for money
eg. The book that he wrote was a labor of love and he doesn`t expect to make any money from it.
lady killer
- a man who some women find very charming and attractive
eg. The man in the movie was a lady killer who broke many women`s hearts before he left them.
lady`s man
- a man who is popular with women
eg. He is a lady`s man who always seems to have a lot of women interested in him.
laid up
- be confined to bed or unfit for work
eg. He has been laid up for a few days because of a cold.
lame duck
- public official who has a short time left to serve in office and therefore has less power than before
eg. He is a lame duck president so it is difficult for him to get things accomplished.
land on one`s feet
- come out of a bad situation successfully
eg. He always manages to land on his feet no matter how difficult the situation is.
land on one's feet
- come out of a bad situation successfully
eg. I was able to land on my feet even though our company had recently gone bankrupt.
lap up
- eat or drink with the tongue
eg. The dog lapped up the milk that his master had given him.
lash out
- try suddenly to hit someone
eg. He suddenly lashed out and hit the man who was sitting beside him.
last but not least
- in the last place but not the least important
eg. Last but not least he came up to the front of the class to receive his report card.
last straw
- the last insult or mistake that one can endure and which then causes some reaction
eg. The fourth time he came late was the last straw and we finally fired him.
last word
- the last remark in an argument, the final say in deciding something
eg. She always expects to have the last word when she and her husband go to the store to buy something important.
laugh off
- not take seriously
eg. He laughed off the attempt of his boss to tell him that he should try and come to work on time.
lay an egg
- fail to win the interest or favor of an audience
eg. Although he was supposed to be a good magician, his performance was terrible and it laid an egg with the audience.
lay away
- save
eg. They are trying to lay away some money for their holiday next year.
lay a finger on
- touch or bother someone
eg. I was told not to lay a finger on the son of the boss when he comes to work for us.
lay away money
- save money
eg. I am trying hard to lay away enough money to buy a house.
lay down the law
- tell someone what to do using your power or influence
eg. The new management plans to lay down the law to the workers regarding long lunch breaks.
lay eyes on
- see
eg. I have never laid eyes on a more beautiful dog in my life.
lay hands on something
- get hold of or find something
eg. If I can lay my hands on a slide projector I will show you the pictures of my trip tonight.
lay hands on someone
- do violence to, harm, hurt
eg. He said that if he ever lays hands on the person who stole his car he will take him directly to the police.
lay hold of
- get possession of
eg. If I can lay hold of a car this weekend we can go for a drive.
lay in
- store up a supply of something, get and keep for future use
eg. They are trying to lay in as much food as possible before winter comes.
lay it on the line
- say plainly so that there can be no doubt, tell truthfully
eg. The librarian finally had to lay it on the line and told everyone not to bring drinks into the library.
lay it on thick
- praise someone too much
eg. He really began to lay it on thick when he met me at the party.
lay low
- hide, keep out of sight for awhile
eg. He decided to lay low for awhile until his friend forgot that he had damaged his car.
lay off (someone)
- get rid of workers when business is bad
eg. Six hundred workers at the automobile factory were recently laid off.
lay off
- stop bothering, leave alone
eg. The players were told by the coach to lay off teasing the new player so that he could relax before the game.
lay one`s cards on the table
- let someone know one`s position and feelings openly, deal honestly about something
eg. He decided to lay his cards on the table and tell his boss about the job offer from the other company.
lay out
- spend or pay some money
eg. He will have to lay out a lot of money for his new apartment.
lay over
- arrive in one place and wait some time before continuing a journey
eg. We were told that we will have to lay over in London for nine hours before we go on to Kenya.
lay one's hands on
- get hold of, find, catch
eg. If I can lay my hands on a barbecue I will barbecue some chicken for dinner.
lay out
- spend, pay
eg. I had to lay out a lot of money to get my car fixed so now I don't have any money to go out.
lay to rest
- get rid of, put away permanently, stop
eg. They have been trying to lay to rest the rumors about the financial problems in the company.
lay up
- take out of active service, put in a boat dock or a garage
eg. The weather was getting cold so they decided to lay up their boat for the winter.
lay waste
- destroy and leave in ruins, wreck
eg. The army troops laid waste to the enemy territory.
lay (light) into
- attack physically, do (eat) something with energy
eg. He laid into the steak as soon as the waiter brought it to his table.
layaway plan
- a plan in which one pays some money down and then pays the rest little by little and the store holds the article until the full price has been paid
eg. He decided to buy the television set on the department store`s layaway plan.
lay/set eyes on
- see
eg. I have not set eyes on his new car yet even though he bought it last month.
lead a dog`s life
- live a hard life, work hard and be treated unkindly
eg. He says that he has been leading a dog`s life since he started his new job.
lead a merry chase
- delay or escape capture by someone, make a person work hard
eg. He led the investigators on a merry chase before they finally arrested him.
lead by the nose
- have full control of, make or persuade someone to do anything you want
eg. He isn`t very aggressive and always lets his boss lead him by the nose.
lead off
- begin, start, open
eg. The golfer was the first to lead off in the tournament.
lead on
- insincerely encourage
eg. I think he was leading me on when he told me about the new job.
lead the way
- go before and show how to go somewhere, guide
eg. I had to lead the way because nobody else knew where the new office was located.
lead a dog`s life
- work hard and be treated unkindly
eg. He is leading a dog`s life since he married the woman who everyone told him not to.
lead by the nose
- make or persuade someone to do anything you want
eg. My sister has been leading her husband by the nose since they got married.
lean on
- pressure someone by blackmailing or threats of physical violence to make the person comply with a request
eg. The gang decided to lean on the small shop owner to get him to sell his property.
learn the ropes
- learn how to do a job
eg. He is a new employee and is still learning the ropes.
leave a bad taste in one`s mouth
- leave a bad impression, make one feel disgusted
eg. The way that the company fired the workers left a bad taste in everyone`s mouth.
leave alone
- don`t disturb someone
eg. Please leave me alone so I can finish this essay.
leave behind
- leave something somewhere
eg. I left my coat behind in the restaurant.
leave hanging (in the air)
- leave undecided or unsettled
eg. Whether or not they will be leaving next year was left hanging in the air at the end of the meeting.
leave (someone) holding the bag
- leave someone else to take the blame
eg. He left me holding the bag when he ran away from the accident.
leave in the lurch
- desert or leave alone and in trouble, refuse to help or support someone
eg. He left me in the lurch when he didn`t come over to help me although he had promised to earlier in the day.
leave no stone unturned
- try in every way, do everything possible
eg. The police left no stone unturned when they were looking for the little girl who was lost.
leave out
- omit
eg. He told me about the accident but he left out some of the main points.
leave (let) well enough alone
- be satisfied with something that is good enough
eg. You should let well enough alone and be happy with your work schedule the way it is.
leave a bad taste in one`s mouth
- make a bad impression, make or feel disgusted
eg. The way that the company treated the workers left a bad taste in our mouth.
left-handed compliment
- an ambiguous compliment interpreted as offensive
eg. He gave her a left-handed compliment when he said that her dyed hair looked nice.
leg man
- someone who performs messenger services, an errand boy
eg. He was working as a leg man for the motion picture company.
leg to stand on
- a firm foundation of facts, facts to support one`s claims
eg. She doesn`t have a leg to stand on as far as her excuses for not finishing her work goes.
leg work
- physical work
eg. He was forced to do all of the leg work preparing for the meeting because his assistant was sick.
lend/give an ear to
- listen to
eg. I try to lend an ear to all of my friends when they have a personal problem that they want to talk about.
let alone
- certainly not
eg. I don`t have enough money to go to a movie let alone go on a holiday.
let bygones be bygones
- forget about problems that happened in the past
eg. We need to let bygones be bygones and forget about our past differences.
let down
- fail to do as well as expected, disappoint
eg. He let down his parents when he failed the university entrance exams.
let down easy
- refuse or say no to someone in a pleasant way
eg. I will talk to her tomorrow and try and let her down easy about her not getting the promotion.
let down one`s hair
- relax, act freely and naturally
eg. Everybody at the party let down their hair and had a good time.
let go
- allow something to pass, do nothing about something
eg. Although I was angry at his remark I decided to let it go.
let go of
- release
eg. He let go of the rope and the suitcase fell from the bus.
let grass grow under one`s feet
- be idle, be lazy, waste time
eg. He is always working hard and is not the type of person to let grass grow under his feet.
let it all hang out
- not to disguise anything, let the truth be known
eg. She decided to let it all hang out and told her boss about the mistakes she had made with the new sales account.
let it lay
- forget it, leave it alone
eg. You should let it lay and stop worrying about what she did to you last year.
let it rip
- become involved and make the most of something, really try to win
eg. He let it rip and set off from the shore in the motorboat.
let loose
- set free, give up one`s hold on something, release something being held
eg. They decided to let loose the injured bird that they had found in the park.
let off
- discharge (a gun), explode
eg. The children let off many firecrackers during the festival.
let off steam
- get rid of your extra energy or strong feelings by doing some activity
eg. He was very angry at first but he has let off a lot of steam and has calmed down now.
let on
- reveal, inform
eg. Please don`t let on that you saw me at the movie last night.
let out
- allow to go out or escape
eg. I let out our dog this morning and he hasn`t come home yet.
let one`s hair down
- act freely and naturally, relax
eg. We were able to let our hair down at the party and have a good time.
let sleeping dogs lie
- don`t make trouble if you don`t have to
eg. You should let sleeping dogs lie and not worry about what she said to you last summer.
let the cat out of the bag
- reveal a secret
eg. Don`t let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party for the boss.
let the chips fall where they may
- don`t worry about the results of your actions
eg. I am not going to worry about whether or not the company will go broke or not. I will let the chips fall where they may.
let the cat out of the bag
- tell something that is supposed to be a secret
eg. She let the cat out of the bag when she began talking about the plans for the new department.
let the grass grow under one`s feet
- be idle, be lazy, waste time
eg. That man is never content to let the grass grow under his feet. He is always busy.
let up
- become less or weaker, become slower or stop
eg. The rain finally let up around noon so we were able to go back outside.
let (something) go
- pay no attention to, neglect
eg. She seems to be letting her appearance go since she lost her job.
let (someone) have it
- hit someone hard
eg. He really let the other man have it when they got into a fight on the bus.
let (someone) know
- tell, inform
eg. Let me know when you are ready to go to the movie.
let (someone) off the hook
- excuse someone from a penalty or promise
eg. He let me off the hook and I didn`t have to stay after work and help clean the office.
let (something) ride
- continue without changing a situation
eg. We should forget about his recent problems at work and just let the whole matter ride.
lie in state
- after death a famous person lies in a state of honor (in an open coffin) so the public can see their body
eg. The President lay in state for three days after his death.
lie in wait
- watch from hiding in order to attack or surprise someone
eg. The police decided to lie in wait for the bank robbers to appear at the bank.
lie low
- stay quietly out of sight, try not to attract attention
eg. He is very angry at you so I think that you should lie low for a few days until he calms down.
life of Riley
- a soft easy life, pleasant way of living
eg. He has been living the life of Riley since he retired from his job last year.
lift a finger (hand)
- do something, do one`s share, help
eg. Although he is a nice person he will never lift a finger to help anyone else.
lift/raise a finger
- do something, do one's share, help
eg. Her daughter will never lift a finger to help anyone.
light up
- suddenly look pleased and happy
eg. As soon as I told him about our summer holiday plans his face lit up and he started smiling.
like father, like son
- a son usually acts like his father
eg. Like father, like son the man said as he watched the boy playing baseball exactly like his father.
like a ton of bricks
- strongly or forcefully
eg. The news of his retirement hit me like a ton of bricks.
like crazy
- very fast, with great energy
eg. They were running like crazy but still they couldn`t catch up with their friend.
like hell
- with much effort and energy, not so, untrue
eg. I had to run like hell this morning in order to catch the bus for work.
like mad
- very fast, with great energy
eg. I worked like mad but I was unable to finish the project by noon as I had hoped.
like water off a duck`s back
- without effect, without changing one`s feelings or opinion
eg. He always criticizes his friend who always ignores it so it falls away like water off a duck`s back.
line up
- take places in line or formation, stand one behind another
eg. We were forced to line up in front of the movie theater for over one hour.
lip service
- support shown by words only and not by action
eg. They paid lip service to the proposal but I don`t think that they really support it.
little by little
- gradually
eg. He broke his leg while skiing but little by little it is getting better.
little frog in a big pond
- an unimportant person in a large group or organization
eg. He transferred to the headquarters branch but he is a little frog in a big pond and nobody knows him now.
little pitchers have big ears
- little children often overhear things that they are not supposed to hear
eg. Little pitchers have big ears she said when she saw her daughter standing at the door listening to her talking to her husband.
live down
- remove blame or distrust by good conduct, cause to be forgiven by not repeating something
eg. He is trying to live down his reputation of being a hard person to work for.
live from hand to mouth
- live on little money
eg. Her brother is an artist and has to live from hand to mouth because he has no money.
live high on the hog
- live very luxuriously or comfortably
eg. He has been living high on the hog since he won the money in the lottery.
live it up
- have a good time
eg. He likes to live it up every weekend when he gets paid.
live out of a suitcase
- stay away from your home with only the belongings in your suitcase
eg. I dislike this job because I am often on a business trip and must live out of my suitcase.
live up to
- come up to, agree with, act according to
eg. He is trying very hard to live up to his reputation as a smart busnessman.
live high on the hog
- have the best of everything
eg. He has been living high on the hog since he changed jobs and moved to Texas.
live from hand to mouth
- live on very little money
eg. My friend has been living from hand to mouth since he lost his job.
live high off the hog
- have the best of everything, live in great comfort
eg. My mother and father have been living high off the hog since they won the lottery.
living end
- great, fantastic, the ultimate
eg. She said that her new boyfriend was the living end.
loaded
- have lots of money
eg. His new boss is really loaded.
lock the barn door after the horse is stolen
- be careful or try to make something safe when it is too late
eg. If you try and prevent a flood after the rains have started it is like locking the barn door after the horse is stolen.
lock up
- to be assured of success
eg. The candidate has already locked up the nomination to be a candidate for president in the next election.
lock the barn door after the horse is gone
- be careful or try to make something certain after it is too late
eg. Now he wants to try and fix his house but it is like locking the barn door after the horse is gone. There was already a flood and the damage is done.
long face
- a sad look, a disappointed look
eg. He had a long face when he came into work this morning. What is the matter with him?
long haul
- a long distance or trip
eg. He is a long-haul trucker and is always out of town working.
long shot
- a bet or other risk taken though not likely to succeed
eg. It was a long shot that he would get the job so he was very happy when he did get it.
long face
- a sad or disappointed look
eg. He had a long face after he was fired from his job.
look after someone
- take care or attend to someone
eg. She has been looking after her mother since her recent illness.
look a gift horse in the mouth
- complain if a gift is not perfect
eg. Even if you don`t like the present from the company you shouldn`t complain. Remember don`t look a gift horse in the mouth.
look at the world through rose-colored glasses
- see only the good things about something, be too optimistic
eg. I told him not to be so naive and always look at the world through rose-colored glasses.
look down one`s nose at someone or something
- show your dislike of someone or something
eg. He always looks down his nose at the other members of his class.
look down on someone
- regard with contempt or a feeling of superiority
eg. She looks down on the activities and life of most small towns.
look for
- think likely, expect
eg. They are looking for John to become the next sales director of the company.
look forward to something
- anticipate with pleasure
eg. He`s been looking forward to the concert for a long time.
look in on
- go to see, make a short visit with, make a call on
eg. Could you please look in on the baby and see if she is sleeping.
look into
- investigate or check something
eg. They have been looking into the cause of the accident for many months.
look like a million dollars
- look well and prosperous, appear healthy and happy
eg. He was looking like a million dollars when I saw him at the party last weekend.
look like the cat that ate (swallowed) the canary
- seem very self-satisified like you have just had some kind of success
eg. He looked like the cat that ate the canary when he came in with a smile on his face.
look on
- be a spectator
eg. There were over a hundred people who gathered to look on after the accident.
look out
- take care, be careful, be on guard
eg. Look out! There is a large truck coming down the highway.
look over something
- inspect, survey or examine
eg. Please take some time to look over these documents before you sign them.
look to
- attend to, get ready for, take care of
eg. She is a wonderful nurse and spends a great deal of time looking to the needs of her patients.
look (something) up
- search for something in a dictionary or other book
eg. I`ll look up their name in the telephone book.
look (someone) up
- seek and find
eg. When I was in New York I looked up my friend from university.
look up to
- think of someone as a good example to copy, respect someone
eg. I always look up to the president of our company as someone I would like to be like.
look a gift horse in the mouth
- complain if a gift is not perfect
eg. He shouldn`t look a gift horse in the mouth and should be happy that he got a present from her.
look like the cat that swallowed the canary
- look very self-satisfied, look as if one just had a great success
eg. You look like the cat that swallowed the canary. What happened?
look at (see) the world through rose-colored glasses
- see only the good things about something, be too optimistic
eg. He always looks at the world through rose-colored glasses and is never able to understand that some people are dishonest.
look down one`s nose at
- think of as worthless, feel scorn for
eg. She looks down her nose at people who she thinks are not as smart as she is.
look the picture of health
- be in good health
eg. My uncle was looking the picture of health when I saw him last week.
loose ends
- without something definite to do
eg. He has been at loose ends since he lost his job.
lord it over
- act as the superior and master of someone, be bossy over someone
eg. She likes to lord it over the other members of the staff since she became a supervisor.
lose face
- be embarrassed or ashamed by an error or failure, lose dignity
eg. He lost face when his employees decided not to support him during the meeting.
lose ground
- go backward, become weaker, not improve
eg. The government has been losing ground in their fight against inflation.
lose heart
- become discouraged
eg. She has begun to lose heart in her studies to learn the piano.
lose one`s marbles
- go crazy or act irrationally
eg. He seems to have lost his marbles and doesn`t make any sense at all.
lose one`s shirt
- lose a lot of money
eg. I think he is going to lose his shirt on that new business venture.
lose one`s way
- become lost
eg. The first time she went to New York City she lost her way.
lose one`s temper
- become angry
eg. He lost his temper when the child broke the dish.
lose out
- fail to win, miss first place in a contest
eg. He lost out on a chance to go to Mexico City because he was too busy with other things.
lose sight of
- forget, fail to see
eg. Don't lose sight of the main reason that you are planning to go on the business trip.
lose touch with
- fail to keep in contact or communication with someone
eg. I lost touch with everyone who I worked with at my summer job.
lose track of
- lose contact with someone (or something)
eg. I`ve lost track of many of my friends from high school.
lose one`s shirt
- lose all or most of one`s money
eg. He lost his shirt gambling and now is in serious financial difficulty.
lose face
- be embarassed or ashamed by an error or failure, lose self-respect
eg. The manager lost face when the person that she hired to help her was useless as a worker.
lose heart
- feel discouraged because of failure, lose hope of success
eg. I tried not to lose heart even though I had failed my driver`s exam for the second time.
lose one`s shirt
- lose all or most of one`s money
eg. I lost my shirt in a business venture and now I have no money.
loudmouth
- a noisy, boastful or foolish talker
eg. He is a loudmouth and nobody at work likes him.
loudmouth/bigmouth
- a noisy, boastful or foolish talker
eg. My friend is a loudmouth and is always making foolish plans that he never carries out.
louse up
- throw into confusion, make a mess of, spoil
eg. She loused up her job interview and has no chance at all now to get the job.
lover`s lane
- a hidden road or walkway where lovers walk or park in the evening
eg. After the movie they drove to the local lover`s lane.
lowdown
- the inside facts of a matter, the total truth
eg. I met with him after the presentation and he gave me the lowdown on the new computer equipment.
luck out
- suddenly get lucky when it looks like you won`t succeed
eg. He lucked out with the concert tickets and was able to get four of them.
lucky star
- a certain star or planet which is thought to bring a person good luck and success in life
eg. You should thank your lucky star that you don`t have to go to work on a rainy day like today.
(not) lay a finger on someone
- not touch someone, not bother to do something (not even a little)
eg. He was told by the police never to lay a finger on his wife again.
MA
- Master of Arts
eg. My cousin's wife has recently decided to study for her MA in economics.
MC
- Master of Ceremonies
eg. My cousin was the MC for my sister's wedding.
MD
- Doctor of Medicine
eg. She received her MD when she was 26 years old and has been practicing medicine since then.
MIA
- Missing In Action
eg. According to some people in the United States there are still some MIA soldiers in Vietnam.
MP
- Member of Parliament - used in the United Kingdom and Canada etc
eg. There were several MPs at the restaurant where we had dinner.
MSc
- Master of Science
eg. The woman has an MSc in computer science and has been able to find a job easily.
Mind you.
- I want you to notice and understand.
eg. I don`t want to work any more overtime. Mind you, if there is an emergency I will be able to work extra in that case.
mad as a hornet
- very angry
eg. He was mad as a hornet when I saw him at the meeting yesterday.
main drag
- the most important street in a town
eg. We spent most of Saturday evening driving up and down the main drag of the town.
make a beeline for something
- hurry directly somewhere
eg. When he enters the cafeteria he always makes a beeline for the dessert section.
make a bundle
- make a lot of money
eg. My father made a bundle on the stock market in early 1998.
make a day of it
- do something all day
eg. We decided to make a day of it and spend the day at the beach.
make a dent in
- make progress
eg. We worked hard all day but we didn`t seem to make a dent in the amount of work left to do.
make a difference
- cause a change in a situation
eg. It doesn`t make any difference whether he comes to the meeting or not.
make a go of
- succeed, produce good results
eg. Although he tried hard he was never able to make a go of his business.
make a hit
- be successful
eg. Her cake made a big hit at the party.
make a killing
- make a large amount of money
eg. Her mother made a killing on the real estate market before she retired.
make a living
- earn enough money to live
eg. He cannot make a living by only doing a part-time job.
make a mistake
- make an error
eg. He made a mistake on the math test.
make a mountain out of a molehill
- make a big problem out of a small one
eg. He is really making a mountain out of a molehill by worrying about his son`s problems.
make a name for oneself
- become well-known or famous
eg. He has made a name for himself in the field of computers.
make a pass at someone
- make romantic advances to a member of the opposite sex
eg. He was fired because he made a pass at one of the women who he works with.
make a point of
- do or say something with a definite intent
eg. He always makes a point of visiting his aunt when he is in town.
make a run for it
- dash for safety, make a speedy escape
eg. He made a run for it as soon as the class finished.
make away with
- take, carry away
eg. The cat made away with the fish that was sitting on top of the kitchen counter.
make believe
- act as if something is true while one knows that it is not, pretend
eg. The children were playing make believe and pretended that they lived in a castle.
make do with something
- substitute one thing for another
eg. If there is no cream for the coffee, we`ll have to make do with milk.
make ends meet
- be able to live on the money one has
eg. It`s hard to make ends meet on his salary.
make eyes at
- flirt, look at a member of the opposite sex to try and attract them
eg. The boy was making eyes at the girl in his history class.
make for
- go toward, start in the direction of
eg. As soon as it began to become dark we decided to make for a quiet place to set up a camp.
make friends
- form friendships with people or animals
eg. She is shy and isn`t able to make friends easily.
make fun of
- ridicule
eg. The students were making fun of the girl with the short hair.
make good
- do what one promised to do, make something come true
eg. He made good on his promise to give everyone a raise in the new year.
make hay while the sun shines
- do something at the right time, not wait too long
eg. You should make hay while the sun shines and paint the house while the weather is good.
make it up to someone
- do something for someone to compensate for an unfulfilled promise or debt
eg. I can`t go with you to the game tonight but I will make it up to you later.
make light of
- treat as of little importance, minimize
eg. My friend made light of my efforts to learn how to speak and write Chinese.
make of something
- interpret, think of
eg. What do you make of the new manager in accounting.
make merry
- have fun, laugh and celebrate
eg. We decided to go to a nice restaurant and make merry for the evening.
make no bones about something
- make no secret, not keep from talking about something
eg. He has made no bones about the fact that he is not interested in applying for the supervisor`s job.
make one`s bed and lie in it
- be responsible for what one has done and then have to accept the bad results
eg. You quit your job and now you have no money. You made your bed. Now you must lie in it.
make one`s blood boil
- make someone very angry
eg. Every time that I see him he makes my blood boil.
make one`s hair stand on end
- frighten, horrify
eg. The horror movie that we rented last week really made my hair stand on end.
make one`s own way
- rely on one`s own abilities
eg. His father wants him to join the family business but he wants to make his own way in the world.
make one`s mouth water
- want to eat something because of the thought or smell of the food
eg. Looking at the menu made my mouth water.
make oneself at home
- act as if you were at home
eg. She is able to make herself at home when she goes to visit her friends.
make oneself felt
- use one`s authority
eg. He was not able to make himself felt when trying to resolve the conflict.
make oneself scarce
- leave quickly, go away
eg. I think that I will make myself scarce and go to the beach for the day.
make out
- do, progress
eg. How did you make out at your job interview yesterday?
make over
- make something look different, change the style of
eg. We decided to make over our living room because we were tired of the old style.
make room for someone or something
- arrange space for
eg. He made room for the new computer in the spare room.
make sense
- seem reasonable
eg. His proposal makes absolutely no sense.
make short work of something
- finish quickly
eg. He made short work of the typing and has started working on the other documents.
make something out
- manage to see or read something
eg. I was unable to make out the sign because I didn`t have my glasses.
make something up
- invent (a story etc.)
eg. He made up the story about his lost wallet.
make the best of
- do as well as possible in a bad situation
eg. He has really made the best of his time since beginning his new job.
make the grade
- make good, succeed, meet a standard, qualify
eg. He wasn`t able to make the grade and join the football team.
make the most of
- use to the greatest advantage
eg. He made the most of his time in Europe and visited many art galleries.
make the scene
- be present, go to a certain place or event
eg. He decided to make the scene and go to the disco for the evening.
make time
- be successful in arriving at a destination in a short time
eg. We made very good time yesterday and arrived home before it got dark.
make up
- make something by putting things or parts together
eg. A car is made up of many different parts.
make up for something
- compensate for a loss or mistake
eg. I have to work hard in order to make up for the loss from the poor sales.
make up one`s mind
- decide
eg. I haven`t made up my mind yet about whether or not I will accept the new job.
make waves
- create a disturbance
eg. He is very calm and quiet at work and doesn`t like to make waves.
make way
- stand aside, move so someone can go through
eg. The truck had to go to the side of the road to make way for the ambulance.
make a mountain out of a molehill
- make something that is unimportant seem important
eg. You are making a mountain out of a molehill with your going on and on about his mistake.
make a go of
- produce good results, succeed
eg. Although he works very hard in his small business he has been unable to make a go of it and may soon go out of business.
make eyes at
- try to attract someone, flirt
eg. The woman in the restaurant is always making eyes at the customers who she likes.
make a beeline for
- go in a straight line
eg. Whenever he goes to a football game he always makes a beeline for the food stand.
make one`s mouth water
- look or smell very good, want to eat or drink very much
eg. The restaurant is supposed to be wonderful and every time that I see the menu it makes my mouth water.
make head or tail of something (usually negative)
- find meaning in , understand
eg. I was unable to make head nor tail of our company's plans to restructure our department.
make one`s mouth water
- look or smell very good, make one want to eat or drink something one sees or smells
eg. The smell of the fish cooking in the restaurant made my mouth water.
make up one`s mind
- choose what to do, decide
eg. I have still not been able to make up my mind as to whether or not to return to school.
make a bundle
- make a lot of money
eg. I made a bundle on the stock market and have since bought a house.
make a killing
- make a large amount of money
eg. My sister made a killing when she worked overseas in the oil industry.
make a living
- earn enough money to live
eg. If you want to make a good living it is necessary to get a good education.
make ends meet
- have enough money to pay one`s bills
eg. I have been having trouble making ends meet because the rent for my apartment is too high.
make money hand over fist
- fast and in large amounts
eg. My cousin has been making money hand over fist with her business.
man in the street
- the average or ordinary person
eg. According to what the man in the street is saying the government is not very popular.
man-to-man
- frank or direct
eg. I had a man-to-man talk with him about the problem last night.
mark time
- move one`s feet up and down to music
eg. He was marking time to the music as he was driving his car.
matter
- be important
eg. It doesn`t matter if you can`t come here tomorrow.
matter of course
- the usual way, habit, rule
eg. It was done as a matter of course and nobody really thought about the results.
matter of fact
- something that is really true, something that can be proved
eg. As a matter of fact I saw him last night and he asked me how you were.
matter-of-fact
- simply telling or showing the truth, seeming not to care much
eg. The witness told about the murder in a matter-of-fact way.
mean business
- be serious, ready to take action
eg. He is working very hard and really means business when he says he is going to get the office organized.
measure up
- be equal, be of high quality
eg. The new accounting manager didn`t measure up to the previous one so we had to ask him to leave.
meet someone half-way
- make a compromise with someone
eg. He is very stubborn and is never willing to meet his friends half-way.
meet up with
- meet by accident, come upon without planning or expecting to
eg. He met up with a nice group of people in Australia when he was travelling there.
melt in one`s mouth
- taste very good, be delicious
eg. The pastry that she made melted in my mouth.
mend one`s fences
- do something to make people like you after a fight, strengthen one`s friendship or influence
eg. I made a big effort to mend my fences with my boss so that we could work together effectively.
mend one`s ways
- improve one`s habits
eg. She has been forced to mend her ways in order to get along better at work.
mess around
- play around, engage in idle activity
eg. The children were messing around in the school yard before the class began.
mess up
- cause trouble, spoil something
eg. He messed up his chance to get a promotion by not making much of an effort last year.
middle of the road
- being halfway between two different ideas, seeing good on both sides of an issue
eg. The president was elected because he was a person whose ideas were very middle of the road.
might as well
- be somewhat preferable
eg. We might as well go home now. I don`t think he will come.
mind one`s P`s and Q`s
- be very careful about what one does or says
eg. You should mind your P`s and Q`s and not say anything to offend your aunt.
miss out on
- lose an opportunity
eg. He missed out on the new job because he was late for the interview.
miss the boat
- lose an opportunity
eg. You had better hurry and get your application in or you will miss the boat on entering that new company.
mix up
- confuse, make a mistake about
eg. He mixed up the video tapes and played the wrong one in front of the class.
mix-up
- an error, some confusion
eg. There was a mix-up at the airline ticket counter and I was given the wrong ticket.
money to burn
- have very much money, have more than is needed
eg. He has money to burn and never has to worry about working.
monkey business
- comical or silly actions, goofing off
eg. The kids were involved in some kind of monkey business. That was when the window was broken.
more and more
- increasingly, increasing number
eg. More and more people are buying computers for their homes.
more or less
- somewhat, to some extent
eg. I like the new color more or less but it`s not great.
more the merrier
- the more people who join in the fun the better it will be
eg. The more the merrier he said as his sister`s friends also decided to come to the beach.
morning after (the night before)
- a hangover
eg. He`s not feeling well. I think it`s the morning after the night before.
move heaven and earth
- try every way, do everything one can
eg. I will move heaven and earth to help you get a job with our company.
move in on
- take over something that belongs to another
eg. He was angry because the other salesman was moving in on his sales territory.
mum`s the word
- say nothing of the secret you know
eg. Don`t worry mum`s the word on the party. I won`t tell anybody.
musical chairs
- the transfer of a number of officers in an organization into different jobs - especially each other`s jobs
eg. They seem to be playing a game of musical chairs at the company as many people move from one position to another position.
music to one`s ears
- something one likes to hear
eg. When he told me that I could go to the sales convention in the summer it was music to my ears.
my goodness (my God)
- used to express surprise or shock etc.
eg. "My goodness," she said when she saw the small dog jump over the fence.
(can`t) make head nor tail of something
- understand, find meaning in something
eg. We couldn`t make head nor tail of what he was trying to say during his speech.
(get or become) mixed up
- become confused
eg. He gets all mixed up when he tries to speak French.
(not) move a muscle
- don`t move even a small amount
eg. The doctor told him not to move a muscle when he was fixing his leg.
NASA
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration - the US space organization
eg. According to a spokesperson for NASA the rocket will be launched next week.
NATO
- North Atlantic Treaty Organization
eg. The members of NATO are gathering for an important meeting next month in Brussels.
NB
- Nota Bene - Latin for take notice or note well
eg. Our teacher told us to memorize the information in our text that is marked NB.
No dice.
- No. Certainly not.
eg. No dice. I will never lend you that much money.
Not on your life.
- definitely not.
eg. "May I borrow your car"? "Not on your life".
nail down
- make certain, make sure
eg. I am trying to nail down the exact time that he will be able to meet with us.
name is mud
- a person`s reputation becomes bad, one is in trouble
eg. His name is mud now that he has been charged by the police with stealing money from his company.
name of the game
- the main part of a matter
eg. The name of the game is for the salesmen to sell cars and not to worry about other things.
name someone after
- give someone another`s name
eg. He was named after his mother`s grandfather.
narrow escape
- an escape with no chance of error
eg. He had a narrow escape when he almost fell from his bicycle.
near at hand
- easy to reach, nearby
eg. If there is a grocery store near at hand I will buy some milk.
neck and neck
- equal or nearly equal in a race or contest
eg. The two teams were neck and neck in the race to win the national championship.
neck of the woods
- an area or part of the country
eg. He has never been down to my neck of the woods since he was a child.
neck and neck
- equal or nearly equal in a race or contest, tied
eg. The two horses were running neck and neck until the end of the race.
needle in a haystack
- something that is very hard to find
eg. Looking for the lost receipt among the thousands of other receipts is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
neither fish nor fowl
- something that does not belong to a definite group
eg. I don`t know where we should put those books in the library. They are neither fish nor fowl.
neither here nor there
- not relevant to the thing being discussed, off the subject
eg. What you are saying is neither here nor there. We are talking about our plans to move this year - not 5 years in the future.
neither fish nor fowl
- something or someone that does not belong to a definite group
eg. I don`t know what you should call it. It is neither fish nor fowl.
nervous Nellie
- a timid person who lacks determination and courage
eg. He is a nervous Nellie and is afraid of most of the other students in the school.
nest egg
- money someone has saved up
eg. He has a nice nest egg in the bank so he will have no financial problems if he leaves his company.
never mind
- don`t worry, don`t bother
eg. If you don`t have time to pick up my laundry, never mind I will get it tomorrow.
new blood
- fresh energy or power, something or someone that gives new life or vigor to something
eg. She a great employee and helped us to inject new blood into our organization.
new broom sweeps clean
- a new person makes many changes
eg. We discovered the truth to the expression "a new broom sweeps clean" when our new boss changed everything in our organization.
new deal
- a complete change, a fresh start, another chance
eg. He was given a new deal by the team although the previous year he was not very good.
new one on me
- something surprising that one did not know before
eg. My friend's desire to go to London is a new one on me.
new person
- a person who has become very much better
eg. He is a new person now that he has quit smoking and quit drinking.
nick of time
- at the very last moment
eg. He was able to board the airplane just in the nick of time.
nine times out of ten
- almost always
eg. Nine times out of ten if you have a problem on the computer it is something small that can be easily fixed.
nine-day wonder
- someone/something who briefly attracts a lot of attention
eg. The man was a nine-day wonder but soon was forgotten by most of the people at his former company.
nine-to-five job/attitude
- a routine job in an office, attitude to life that reflects routine
eg. He has a nine-to-five attitude and is not doing very well as a salesperson in his company.
nip and tuck
- evenly matched, hard fought to the finish
eg. They were going along nip and tuck but he finally won the race in the end.
nip in the bud
- prevent at the start
eg. They found out about the computer problem but were able to nip the problem in the bud.
no bed of roses
- difficult or bad situation
eg. It is no bed of roses to have no job and a large family to support.
no cigar
- not agreed to, refused or useless, no, certainly not
eg. I almost got the job but in the end it was no cigar.
no deal
- not agreed to, refused or useless, no, certainly not
eg. It was no deal I realized as I left the meeting and the other members had all said no to my plan.
no doubt
- without doubt, surely, certainly
eg. No doubt he will be the one to win the contest again this year.
no end
- almost without stopping, continually
eg. The little girl cried no end when she couldn`t find her favorite doll.
no end to (of)
- so many or so much of, to seem almost endless, very many or very much
eg. He had no end of problems when he lived overseas for a year.
no go
- not agreed to, refused or useless, no, certainly not
eg. It`s no go for our plan to have three games this weekend. We can only have two of them.
no great shakes
- mediocre, unimportant
eg. The hotel was no great shakes and I wouldn`t recommend that you stay there if you go to Hawaii.
no love lost
- bad feelings, ill will
eg. There is no love lost between my father and our next door neighbor.
no matter
- regardless of
eg. No matter how hard that I try my tutor is never satisfied.
no picnic
- not pleasant, difficult
eg. It was no picnic trying to drive to the lake during the storm.
no sweat
- easily accomplished, uncomplicated
eg. The work was no sweat. I finished it in about two hours.
no wonder
- not surprising
eg. No wonder he is so tired after staying up all night.
nobody's home
- one`s attention is somewhere else, having a simple mind
eg. It looks like nobody`s home, I thought as I tried to have a conversation with the strange man.
nobody`s fool
- a smart person, a person who can take care of himself
eg. She is nobody`s fool. You will not have to worry about her at all when she goes to New York.
nose around (about)
- look for something kept private or secret, pry
eg. The secretary was nosing around in her boss's desk trying to discover what was going on.
nose down
- head down, bring down the nose of
eg. The pilot began to nose down the plane as it neared the airport.
nose about/around
- look for something private or secret, explore, pry
eg. The reporters spend a lot of time nosing around in the business of famous people.
not a leg to stand on
- no good proof or excuse, no good evidence or defence to offer someone
eg. The company doesn`t have a leg to stand on if they try to refuse to pay you the money that they owe you.
not for the world
- not at any price, not for anything
eg. I wouldn`t go out on a date with that woman for the world.
not give someone the time of day
- dislike someone so strongly that you totally ignore them
eg. I hate her and would never even give her the time of day.
not much of
- rather bad
eg. It`s not much of a hotel but I guess it will be okay for one night.
not so hot
- not very good
eg. I have been feeling not so hot lately as I had a cold last week.
not touch something with a ten-foot pole
- consider something completely undesirable or uninteresting
eg. That class may be alright but because I hate the professor I wouldn`t touch it with a ten-foot pole.
nothing doing
- I will not do it, certainly not, no indeed
eg. Nothing doing. I am not going to stay and work late again this evening.
nothing if not
- without doubt, certainly
eg. He is nothing if not punctual. He has never been late in his seven years with this company.
nothing to sneeze at
- something you should take seriously
eg. His new salary is nothing to sneeze at.
now and then
- occasionally
eg. He likes to go to that restaurant now and then.
no-show
- a person who makes a reservation for something and then neither comes nor cancels it
eg. There were several no-shows at the concert last night.
number one
- oneself, one`s own interests
eg. He is always looking out for number one and will never do anything for anyone else.
number-cruncher
- an accountant, someone who works with numbers
eg. Our president is a good number-cruncher and understands about the finances of our company.
number one (look after/take care of number one)
- oneself
eg. His atitude is to always look after number one without thinking about anybody else.
nurse a grudge
- keep a feeling of dislike toward some person
eg. My old girlfriend is still nursing a grudge toward me even after three years.
nuts about
- enthusiastic about something
eg. He has been nuts about cars ever since he was a little boy.
nutty as a fruitcake
- very crazy
eg. The woman who lives next door to us is as nutty as a fruitcake.
(have one`s) nose in something
- unwelcome interest in something, impolite curiosity
eg. He always has his nose in other people`s private business where it doesn`t belong.
OAP
- Old Age Pensioner
eg. At first I could not understand why I couldn't get the discount that was for OAPs only. Later I realized it was for senior citizens.
OAU
- Organization of African Unity
eg. The OAU is working very hard to promote free trade between its various countries.
OD
- Overdose - on drugs
eg. The man was died because of a drug OD.
OR
- Operating Room - in a hospital
eg. Before entering the OR the doctors carefully washed their hands.
oddball
- a person who doesn`t act like everyone else
eg. He is an oddball and nobody at his company likes to work with him.
odds and ends
- various items
eg. We made games for the children from odds and ends from around the house.
of age
- old enough to be allowed to do something (vote,drink etc.)
eg. When he came of age we had a big party for him to celebrate.
of course
- as one would expect
eg. Of course you can use my car if you want to.
off and on
- occasionally
eg. He`s been seeing the woman off and on but I don`t think that their relationship is very serious.
off balance
- not prepared, unable to meet the unexpected
eg. I was caught a little off balance when he asked me to deliver the speech instead of him.
off base
- inaccurate
eg. He was really off base on his estimate of next year`s budget.
off duty
- not working, having free time
eg. The police officer was off duty when he came across the bank robbery.
off guard
- not alert to the unexpected
eg. It caught me off guard when she suddenly asked me to lend her $800.
off one`s back
- stop from bothering someone
eg. I wish he would get off my back and stop always asking me when I am going to look for another job.
off one`s chest
- talk about a problem to someone so that it doesn`t bother you anymore
eg. I finally talked to my friend from work and was able to get some of my problems off my chest.
off one`s hands
- no longer in one`s care or possession
eg. I sold my old computer and finally got it off my hands.
off one`s high horse
- not acting proud and scornful
eg. We got him off his high horse when he was forced to admit that he had made many mistakes related to the new product launch.
off one`s rocker
- crazy
eg. He must be off his rocker if he thinks that he can spend all that money and not have a problem.
off one`s hands
- no longer in one's care or possession
eg. I would like to get my old refridgerator off my hands so that I can buy a new one.
off one`s back
- stop from bothering one, remove as an annoyance or pest
eg. I wish my boss would get off my back and stop bothering me.
off one`s chest
- tell something to someone so it doesn't bother one anymore
eg. I talked to my friend for a long time and was able to get my problems off my chest.
off the beam
- wrong, mistaken
eg. What he said about the new office was right off the beam and should be ignored by everyone.
off the beaten track
- not well known or often used, unusual
eg. We went to a small restaurant off the beaten track last night and liked it very much.
off the cuff
- without preparing ahead of time what one will say, without preparation
eg. He made a few remarks off the cuff but he has never really explained in full what he wants to do.
off the hook
- out of trouble or free from an embarrassing situation
eg. I think that I am off the hook now and won`t have to worry about the problem anymore.
off the record
- privately, unofficially
eg. He told the reporters off the record about the problems with the budget estimate.
off the top of one`s head
- from memory, spontaneously
eg. He knew all of the team`s members off the top of his head.
off the wagon
- begin to drink alcohol again after stopping for awhile
eg. He seems to be off the wagon again. I saw him yesterday and I am sure that he had been drinking.
off the cuff
- without preparation
eg. He made a very interesting off-the-cuff speech at the party last night.
off the top of one`s head
- without thinking hard, quickly
eg. I was unable to remember the name of the restaurant off the top of my head.
offbeat
- nonconventional, different from the usual
eg. The movie was very offbeat which is just the kind of movie that I like.
off-center
- different from the usual pattern, not quite like most others, odd
eg. The picture was off-center and didn`t really fit in with the rest of the photos.
off-color
- in bad taste, not polite, dirty
eg. He likes to tell off-color jokes which most people don`t like at all.
old hat
- old-fashioned, not new or different
eg. The job has become old hat and I am becoming a little tired of it.
on a dime
- in a very small space
eg. His new car has very powerful brakes and is able to stop on a dime.
on a shoestring
- with very little money
eg. He started the new company on a shoestring.
on a dime
- in a very small space
eg. I had to turn my car on a dime when I entered the parking lot.
on a shoestring
- with little money to spend, on a very low budget
eg. He started his business on a shoestring but now it is very successful.
on again, off again (off again, on again)
- not settled, changeable, uncertain
eg. The plans for the fireworks display were on again, off again because of the rainy and windy weather.
on all fours
- on one's hands and knees
eg. The man was down on all fours in the store looking for the keys to his car.
on and off
- intermittently, now and then
eg. It has been raining on and off since early this morning.
on and on
- continually, at tedious length
eg. The speech continued on and on until we finally left the gathering.
on an even keel
- in a well-ordered way or condition
eg. We finally got the new department running on an even keel although it took a long time.
on behalf of
- representing a person
eg. The lawyer went to the meeting on behalf of his client.
on board
- on a ship, plane or similar form of transportation
eg. We had to get on board the airplane before it was able to take off.
on call
- available to be called out on duty
eg. He works as a computer repair man and is always on call which is very tiring.
on cloud nine
- very happy
eg. She has been on cloud nine ever since she decided to get married last month.
on easy street
- having enough money to live comfortably
eg. He has been on easy street since he sold his house and invested the money.
on edge
- be nervous or irritable
eg. He has really been on edge lately because of his exams.
on end
- seemingly endless
eg. We worked for hours on end last night but we still never finished the job.
on faith
- without question or proof
eg. I took it on faith that he would help me when I had a lot of extra work to do.
on guard
- careful, wary
eg. He has been keeping on guard since the accident last month.
on hand
- available
eg. I`m sorry but I don`t have any aspirin on hand at the moment.
on ice
- away for safekeeping or later use, aside
eg. The city decided to put the plans for a new stadium on ice until they can raise more money..
on one`s back
- making insistent demands of someone, being an annoyance or bother
eg. She has been on my back all week trying to get me to finish my monthly report.
on one`s chest
- worrisome thoughts or feelings that one might need to share with someone else
eg. I had a long talk with my friend last night and was able to get most of my problems off my chest.
on one`s coat-tails
- along with someone else, as a result of someone else doing something
eg. The mayor was elected on the coat-tails of his brother who was a famous singer.
on one`s feet
- recovering from sickness or trouble
eg. I was sick for a couple of weeks but now I am on my feet again.
on one`s high horse
- acting as if one is better than others, being very proud and scornful
eg. He is always up on his high horse and never bothers to think about how other people feel.
on one`s/its last legs
- at the end of someone/something`s strength or usefulness
eg. I think that his old car is on its last legs.
on one`s shoulders
- one`s responsibility
eg. Please don`t try to put the failure of his marriage on my shoulders.
on one`s toes
- be alert
eg. He always asks the students many questions to keep them on their toes.
on one`s feet
- recovering, getting better from sickness or trouble
eg. Our teacher was back on her feet shortly after she had her accident.
on one`s last legs
- failing, near the end
eg. My car is on its last legs and I will soon have to buy a new one.
on one`s toes
- alert, ready to act
eg. The speaker kept the audience on their toes by asking many interesting questions.
on one`s back
- making insistent demands of one, being an annoyance or bother
eg. My sister is always on her daughter's back to clean up her room.
on one's shoulders
- one's responsibility
eg. I don't want to have the failure of the project on my shoulders.
on one`s coat-tails
- as a result of someone else doing something
eg. She was elected to city council by running on her well-known husband`s coat-tails.
on pins and needles
- excited, nervous
eg. Her daughter has been on pins and needles all day waiting for the contest to begin.
on purpose
- intentionally
eg. I think that she spilled the drink on purpose.
on shaky ground
- unstable, not secure
eg. His position at the company has been on shaky ground for quite some time.
on the air
- broadcasting or being broadcast on radio or TV
eg. That television program has been on the air for over three years now.
on the ball
- intelligent, able to do things well
eg. He is really on the ball and can usually get all of his work done quickly.
on the bandwagon
- the newest popular group or activity, joining something because many others are doing it
eg. Everybody in our company is on the bandwagon now to try and eliminate smoking in the workplace
on the beam
- doing well, just right or correct
eg. What he said about the tax problem was right on the beam. .
on the blink
- not working
eg. My stereo has been on the blink for the last few months.
on the block
- to be sold, for sale
eg. Our house has been on the block for over a month now.
on the button
- exactly on time
eg. I arrived for the meeting right on the button.
on the dole
- receiving welfare
eg. The area is very poor and there are many people on the dole.
on the dot
- right on time
eg. He always arrives for his meetings on the dot.
on the edge of one`s seat
- nervously and excitedly waiting
eg. I have been on the edge of my seat all day while waiting for the contest to begin.
on the go
- busy running around
eg. He has been on the go since early morning trying to get ready for the meeting.
on the house
- provided free by a business - especially a bar or restaurant
eg. The room at the hotel was not ready when we arrived so they provided us with free drinks on the house.
on the level
- honest
eg. He was really on the level with me when he told me about my job possibilities.
on the loose
- free to go, not shut in or stopped by anything
eg. The animals at the zoo were on the loose for over three hours when the zookeeper discovered their escape.
on the make
- trying to get some advantage - money or sexual etc.
eg. Be careful of him. He is on the make and will try and cheat you out of your money.
on the mend
- healing, becoming better
eg. He broke his leg last week but it is on the mend now.
on the move
- moving around from place to place, in motion
eg. She is in Europe and has been on the move for several months now.
on the nose
- just right, exactly
eg. What he said about our new boss was right on the nose.
on the other hand
- looking at the opposite side of a matter
eg. He is very intelligent but on the other hand he is very lazy and always gets low marks.
on the Q.T.
- secretly, without anyone knowing
eg. I don`t want anyone to know about my plans so let`s go over them on the Q.T.
on the road
- travelling (especially as a salesman or performer)
eg. Her husband is a salesman and is often on the road.
on the rocks
- breaking up (relationship), ruined
eg. He has been married for seven years but his relationship seems to be on the rocks now.
on the same wavelength
- thinking similarly about something
eg. We have been on the same wavelength for months about the need for change in the company.
on the sly
- so that people won`t know, secretly
eg. We went to the restaurant on the sly so that nobody would know where we were.
on the spot
- in a difficult or embarrassing situation
eg. He was really put on the spot when the reporter asked him about the campaign donations.
on the spur of the moment
- on a sudden wish or decision, suddenly
eg. On the spur of the moment we went and bought some ice cream.
on the tip of one`s tongue
- not quite able to remember something
eg. The name of his latest movie is on the tip of my tongue.
on the up and up
- honest, trustworthy, sincere
eg. I decided not to work for the company because I didn`t think that it was on the up and up.
on the wagon
- not drinking alcohol
eg. He has been on the wagon for over seven months now.
on the warpath
- very angry, looking for trouble
eg. He is really on the warpath today so you should stay out of his way.
on the whole
- in general
eg. On the whole I think it is a good idea but I would still like to study it further.
on the block
- for sale
eg. As soon as they purchased the company they began to put some of the equipment on the block.
on the mend
- healing, becoming better
eg. My grandfather is on the mend after he broke his leg last week.
on the house
- paid for by the owner
eg. We went to the restaurant and all of the refreshments were on the house.
on time
- at the scheduled time
eg. Our train arrived right on time.
on top
- in the lead
eg. He was on top of his class in the economics department.
on top of .
- in addition to, along with
eg. On top of everything else he wants me to work on Sunday as well.
on top of ..
- managing very well, in control of
eg. We are able to keep on top of our work now that we have someone in to help us.
on top of ...
- knowing all about something, up-to-date
eg. He reads the newspaper every morning and is always on top of the latest news.
once and for all
- permanently
eg. I told him once and for all that I would not take the new job.
once in a blue moon
- rarely
eg. I only go to that restaurant once in a blue moon.
once in a while
- occasionally
eg. We like Japanese food so we go to that restaurant once in a while.
once or twice
- a few times
eg. We went to that restaurant once or twice but we quickly became tired of it.
once in a blue moon
- rarely
eg. We go out for Italian food once in a blue moon although we enjoy it very much.
once-over
- a quick look or examination of someone or something
eg. He gave the rental car a once-over before he signed the contract.
one and only
- the only person or thing
eg. The company has been selling the one and only compatible printer in the world.
one and the same
- exactly the same
eg. Doing the job at home or at the company is one and the same to me so feel free to do what you want.
one by one
- individually, one at a time
eg. The children entered the school building one by one and very quietly.
one foot in the grave
- near death
eg. Her grandmother has one foot in the grave and is not expected to live much longer.
one for the books
- something very unusual or remarkable
eg. His latest complaint about noise at work is one for the books and is very stupid.
one foot in the grave
- near death
eg. The man next door is suffering from cancer and has one foot in the grave.
one for the road
- one last drink (of alcohol) before one leaves for home
eg. We decided to stay at the party and have one for the road before taking a taxi home.
one good turn deserves another
- if someone helps you it is fair to help them in return
eg. One good turn deserves another so we made a great effort to help those people who had helped us in the past.
one hell/heck of a something
- the emphasis that something is very good or bad
eg. The residents of the town gave the Prime Minister one heck of a welcome when he visited them last winter.
one in a million
- a great or unique person
eg. He is one of the finest coaches in the world and is definitely one in a million.
one of the boys
- an accepted member of a group
eg. He always tries to act like one of the boys but in reality nobody really likes him.
one of these days
- soon, before long
eg. One of these days they say that they will open a new movie theater but still we have been waiting many years.
one of those days
- a bad day where nothing goes right
eg. It was one of those days and right from early morning things went wrong.
one of those things
- something is unfortunate but must be accepted
eg. Her sudden illness is one of those things and there is nothing we can do about it.
one or two
- a few, a small number
eg. There were only one or two people at the meeting so it was postponed until later.
one too many
- too much alcohol
eg. The man drank one too many so his friends would not let him drive home.
one up
- having an advantage, being one step ahead
eg. His brother was one up on the other students because he had studied very hard.
one up on someone
- have an advantage over someone
eg. I am one up on my best friend because he is still looking for a job while I have already found one.
one-armed bandit
- a slot machine for gambling
eg. He spent the weekend with a one-armed bandit and now has no money.
one-track mind
- thinking about only one thing
eg. He has a one-track mind. All he thinks about is money.
one-two
- any quick or decisive action that takes the opposition by surprise
eg. The salesman gave them the one-two and before they knew it they had agreed to buy the product.
one-upmanship
- ability to keep ahead of others, trying to keep an advantage
eg. I get tired of his one-upmanship and his desire to always be better than everyone else.
one`s bark is worse than one`s bite
- someone`s words are worse than their action
eg. You shouldn`t worry about her. Her bark is worse than her bite and she is really a very nice person.
one's lucky number comes up
- someone is lucky or has good fortune
eg. My lucky number finally came up when I was chosen to go to Los Angeles in order to represent our company at the conference.
one's number is up
- something bad will happen to someone
eg. I think that the manager's number is up and he will soon be fired from his job.
one's opposite number
- someone who has the same position as oneself in another company or organization
eg. I spoke with my opposite number in the other company but he didn't agree with me about the new sales policy.
on/upon one`s head
- on one`s self
eg. He brought the anger on his own head and should not try and blame someone else.
open one`s heart
- talk about one`s feelings honestly, confide in someone
eg. I opened my heart to my friend when I saw her at the restaurant last night.
open secret
- a secret that so many people know it is no longer a secret
eg. It is an open secret that he will be leaving the company next month.
open one`s heart
- talk about one`s feelings honestly, confide in someone
eg. She suddenly opened her heart when I began talking to her on the bus.
other fish to fry
- have more important things to do
eg. I think he has other fish to fry and will not be content to continue with his current job.
out cold
- unconscious, in a faint
eg. He was out cold when the nurse went into his room to check on him.
out in left field
- far from the right answer
eg. What he said was totally out in left field. He has no idea what we were talking about.
out in the cold
- alone, not included
eg. I was left out in the cold when the rest of the class went to the movie without me.
out like a light
- fall asleep very quickly
eg. I was out like a light when I went to bed last night.
out of
- have none left
eg. The restaurant was out of fish so we had meat instead.
out of breath
- be tired and breathing quickly.
eg. He was out of breath after running from the station.
out of circulation
- not active, not joining in what others are doing
eg. He has a new girlfriend so he will probably be out of circulation for awhile.
out of favor with someone
- not have a person`s goodwill
eg. They have been out of favor with their boss for a few months now.
out of kilter
- not balanced right, not in a straight line or lined up right
eg. The door handle seems to be out of kilter and doesn`t work well at all.
out of line
- unacceptable, not correct
eg. His proposal to go to New York was out of line. We can never accept that.
out of one`s element
- where one does not belong or fit in
eg. He is out of his element teaching the computer course. He doesn`t know anything at all about computers.
out of one`s hair
- get rid of someone who is a nuisance
eg. She finally got her children out her hair and was able to study for her exam.
out of one`s shell
- out of one`s silence or shyness, into friendly conversation
eg. We got her out of her shell and she decided to join in with the rest of the group.
out of order
- not working
eg. The public telephone was out of order.
out of place
- in the wrong place or at the wrong time, improper
eg. What he said at the party was totally out of place. He should talk about it at another time.
out of sorts
- in a bad mood
eg. He is a little out of sorts today so maybe you should wait until tomorrow to speak to him.
out of step
- not in step, not keeping pace with someone
eg. The soldiers were out of step when they were marching in the parade.
out of the blue
- unexpectedly, from nowhere
eg. From right out of the blue he asked her if she wanted to get married.
out of the frying pan and into the fire
- out of one trouble and into more trouble, from something bad to something worse
eg. When he changed jobs he went out of the frying pan and into the fire. His new job is much worse.
out of the question
- impossible
eg. You have no money so going to Hong Kong for your holiday is out of the question.
out of the way
- remote, no longer an obstacle
eg. We went to an out of the way place for our first dinner together.
out of the woods
- out of danger, in the clear
eg. His injury was very serious and I don`t think he is out of the woods yet.
out of thin air
- out of nothing or from nowhere
eg. The deer seemed to jump out of thin air and onto the road.
out of this world
- wonderful, fantastic
eg. The new dessert that she made last weekend was right out of this world.
out of tune
- not in agreement, not going well together
eg. They are out of tune with what the other members of the group think.
out on a limb
- in a dangerous or risky position
eg. He really went out on a limb to offer his brother the job.
out of the blue
- without any warning, by surprise
eg. I don`t understand what is the matter. Right out of the blue he decided to quit his job and go and live in Europe.
out of the frying pan and into the fire
- go from something bad to something worse
eg. She quit the job because of some small problems but she has jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire because now her problems are much worse.
out of one`s hair
- get rid of a nuisance or annoyance
eg. My sister wants to get her daughter permanently out of her hair.
out to lunch
- crazy, mad
eg. He is totally out to lunch but is still a very nice person.
outside of
- other than, except for
eg. Outside of the weather our vacation was really quite enjoyable.
out-of-date
- no longer current or in style
eg. Computers become out-of-date very quickly.
over a barrel
- in a helpless or trapped position
eg. I think that we have them over a barrel and should be able to win the contract easily.
over and over
- repeated many times
eg. I told him over and over that I do not want to go to that restaurant again.
over one`s dead body
- never, under no circumstances
eg. Over my dead body will I let him come to the party next week.
over one`s head
- too difficult for someone to understand
eg. The joke went over her head so we had to explain it to her.
over the hill
- past one`s prime, unable to function as one used to
eg. He thought that his friend was over the hill and shouldn`t be working so hard.
over the long run
- in the end, over a long period of time
eg. Over the long run he plans to expand his business and then sell it and retire.
over with
- at the end of, finished with
eg. When the game on television is over with we can eat dinner.
over one`s head
- not understandable, beyond one's ability to understand
eg. The mathematics lectures went over my head during the first few weeks.
over the worst
- recovering from an illness
eg. My brother is over the worst since his skiing accident last month.
own up
- take the blame, admit one`s guilt
eg. The suspected murderer finally owned up to the murder of his wife.
(as) old as the hills
- very old
eg. The old building at the library is as old as the hills.
(buy something) on credit
- pay for something not in cash
eg. He decided to buy the stereo on credit.
(buy) on credit
- buy something without paying cash
eg. My friend had no money so he decided to buy the furniture on credit.
(the) one that got away
- referring to a fish that you didn't catch or an opportunity that you missed
eg. My father said that he had caught many fish but the biggest one was the one that got away.
PA
- Public Address System
eg. Every morning the children listened to the latest school information over the PA.
PC
- Politically Correct - language that is not harmful or insulting to others
eg. The university had a very strict policy that says that all material published in the school newspaper must be PC.
PE
- Physical Education
eg. My PE class was held indoors during the winter months.
PLO
- Please Leave On - used when you want to leave something on a blackboard or whiteboard
eg. Although the teacher wrote PLO on the blackboard the information was erased during the lunch break.
PM
- Post Meridiem - Latin for after noon
eg. The meeting started at exactly 1:00 PM.
POW
- Prisoner of War
eg. The negotiations regarding POWs continued for many years after the Vietnam war.
PR
- Public Relations
eg. With good PR the politician was able to easily gain the support of many people.
PS
- Postscript - written at the end of a letter when you want to add some extra information
eg. After finishing the main part of the letter I wrote PS to include something very important that I had forgotten.
PTA
- Parent-Teacher Association
eg. We got home late last night after attending our son's PTA meeting.
PTO
- Please Turn Over - written on a piece of paper to tell someone to look at the other side
eg. I wrote PTO on the last page of my essay to make sure that the professor would look at the last page.
Phd
- Doctor of Philosophy
eg. After receiving his Phd in history my friend was able to get a job at a university.
pad the bill
- add false expenses
eg. He always pads the bill when he goes on a business trip.
pain in the neck (ass)
- an annoying thing or person, bothersome
eg. Dealing with my neighbor is always a pain in the neck.
pain in the neck
- an obnoxious or bothersome person or event
eg. The customer is a pain in the neck and is always complaining about something.
paint oneself into a corner
- get oneself into a bad situation that is difficult or impossible to get out of
eg. He has painted himself into a corner now that he has begun to fight with his supervisor.
paint the town red
- go out and party and have a good time
eg. We decided to go out and paint the town red after we all passed our exams.
palm off
- deceive someone by a trick or a lie, sell or give by tricking
eg. He palmed off his old television set as one that was new and reliable.
pan out
- end or finish favorably, work out well
eg. I hope that your plans to go back to school pan out well.
par for the course
- just what was expected, nothing unusual
eg. That was par for the course. He always comes late when there is a lot of work to do.
part and parcel
- a necessary or important part, something necessary to a larger thing
eg. The house that he bought was part and parcel of a much larger piece of land.
pass away
- die
eg. His father passed away when he was about 96 years old.
pass muster
- pass a test or checkup, be good enough
eg. I wrote some of the instructions of the computer manual and will send them to my partner to see if they pass muster.
pass off
- sell or give something by false claims, offer something as genuine
eg. The man passed off the diamond watch as a real one and received much more money than it was worth
pass on
- give away something that you don`t use anymore
eg. She always passes on her old clothes to her younger sister.
pass out
- faint
eg. Three teenage girls passed out at the rock concert.
pass the buck
- shift responsibility to others
eg. He always tries to pass the buck if someone tries to criticize his work.
pat on the back
- praise
eg. He gave me a pat on the back after I finished the project.
patch up
- fix
eg. I have been trying to patch up our differences for many months now.
pay attention
- look at or listen to with full attention
eg. He never pays attention to what his supervisor tells him.
pay an arm and a leg for something
- pay a high price for something
eg. I paid an arm and a leg for my car but I am not very happy with it.
pay dirt
- dirt in which much gold is found, a valuable discovery
eg. The company hit pay dirt when they invented the new Internet equipment.
pay off
- pay in full and be free from a debt, yield good results (the risk paid off)
eg. She finally paid off her car so she has lots of extra money to spend.
pay through the nose
- pay a lot of money for something
eg. My uncle always pays through the nose when he buys a new car.
pay-off
- results of one`s work, a bribe
eg. He expects to get a big pay-off from his education when he finally begins to look for a job.
pecking order
- the way people are ranked in relation to each other
eg. The pecking order in his company is very difficult to understand for most of the workers.
peeping Tom
- someone who looks in people`s windows
eg. The police arrested a peeping Tom near our apartment building last week.
penny for one`s thoughts
- Please tell me what you are thinking about.
eg. "A penny for your thoughts," she said as she saw her boyfriend looking out of the window.
penny-wise and pound-foolish
- wise or careful in small things to the costly neglect of important things
eg. He is penny-wise and pound-foolish and is always wasting his money on things that he doesn`t need.
penny for one`s thoughts
- tell someone what you are thinking about
eg. "I will give you a penny for your thoughts", I said to my friend who was looking out of the window.
penny-wise and pound foolish
- wise or careful in small things to the costly neglect of important things
eg. My friend is penny-wise and pound foolish and economizes on small things but wastes all of his money on big things.
people who live in glass houses should not throw stones
- do not complain about other people if you are as bad as they are
eg. You should not criticize other people so much. Remember, people who live in glass houses should not throw stones.
pep talk
- a speech to encourage people to try harder and not give up
eg. The coach gave his team a pep talk after they lost three games last month.
perk up
- become energetic or happy after being sad or tired
eg. My sister began to perk up after she had a chance to rest for awhile.
peter out
- die down gradually, grow less strong
eg. The large crowd from the football game has begun to peter out and the streets around the stadium are becoming quiet now.
pick a quarrel
- start a quarrel with someone on purpose
eg. I don`t like her because she is always trying to pick a quarrel with others.
pick on
- do or say bad things to someone
eg. He always picked on his sister when they were children.
pick out
- choose or select
eg. I tried to pick out a suitable necktie for my father.
pick someone`s brains
- extract ideas or information from someone for one`s own use
eg. They are always picking his brains to get new ideas for their business.
pick up
- get, receive
eg. I picked up my dry cleaning after I finished work yesterday.
pick up a trail/scent
- recognize the trail of a hunted person or animal
eg. The tracking dogs were able to pick up the trail of the criminal easily.
pick up speed
- increase the speed of
eg. The car picked up speed as it began to go down the hill.
pick up the tab
- pay the bill for someone else
eg. He picked up the tab for the dinner at the restaurant.
pick the brains of
- get ideas or information about something by asking an expert
eg. We picked the brains of the official who was sent to talk about the pollution problem.
pick up the tab
- pay the bill
eg. I picked up the tab for my sister and her three children at the restaurant.
pick-me-up
- food or a drink one takes when one feels tired or weak
eg. I stopped at the restaurant on my way home from work for a quick pick-me-up.
piece of cake
- easy
eg. That job was a piece of cake. It was the easiest thing I ever did.
piece/slice of the action
- a share in the activity or the profits of something
eg. The inventor wanted a large piece of the action of the profits from the new computer that he had invented.
piece of cake
- a task that is easily accomplished
eg. It was a piece of cake. I had everything done before lunch this morning.
pig in a poke
- something accepted or bought without looking at it carefully
eg. The stereo system he bought was a pig in a poke. He has no idea if it will work well.
piggyback
- sitting or being carried on the back and shoulders
eg. The man was carrying his child around the room piggyback style.
piggy bank
- a small bank (sometimes in the shape of a pig) for saving coins
eg. Her daughter put all of her spare money into her piggy bank.
piggyback
- sitting or being carried on someone`s back and shoulders
eg. The boy was riding piggyback on his father`s shoulders.
piggy bank
- a small bank (sometimes in the shape of a pig) for saving money
eg. He has been putting money into his piggy bank to save for a bicycle.
pile up
- accumulate, put things on top of each other
eg. He piled up the magazines on top of the small table.
pin down
- keep someone from moving, make someone stay in a place or position
eg. The wrestler won the match after he pinned his opponent down for almost a minute.
pinch pennies
- be careful with money, be thrifty
eg. He has been pinching pennies for months in order to save money for his vacation.
pink slip
- dismissal notice from a job
eg. He received his pink slip yesterday and no longer has a job.
pipe dream
- an unrealistic plan
eg. He always has a lot of pipe dreams about what he wants to do in the future.
pipe up
- speak louder
eg. We asked the speaker to pipe up so that we could hear him.
pip-squeak
- a small, unimportant person
eg. He called his friend a pip-squeak which made him very angry.
piss off
- bother or annoy someone, make someone angry
eg. My supervisor pissed me off when he asked me to work late again last night.
pitch a tent
- put up a tent
eg. We pitched the tent in a nice field beside a stream.
pitch in
- give help or money for something
eg. They pitched in and helped him finish the job quickly.
play ball with someone
- cooperate fairly with someone
eg. If you agree to play ball with the new manager things should go well for you.
play by ear
- play a musical instrument by remembering the tune and not by reading the music
eg. Although she can`t read music at all she can play by ear and is a great musician.
play cat and mouse with someone
- tease or fool someone by pretending to let him go free and then catching him again
eg. The boxer was playing cat and mouse with his opponent although he could have won easily.
play down
- give less emphasis or make something seem less important
eg. The politician played down the polls that showed that he was becoming less popular.
play footsie
- touch the feet of a member of the opposite sex under the table while flirting
eg. The couple in the restaurant were playing footsie under the table during their dinner.
play (someone) for something
- treat someone as something, act toward someone as something
eg. He was trying to play me for a fool but I could easily see what he was trying to do.
play hooky
- stay away from school or work without permission
eg. When he was a student he often played hooky and didn`t go to school.
play into someone`s hands
- do something that gives someone else an advantage
eg. If you walk out of the meeting in anger you will only be playing into his hands.
play it by ear
- decide on something according to the situation
eg. Let`s play it by ear and decide what to do after we see the movie.
play off
- match opposing persons, forces or interests for one`s own gain
eg. Nobody likes the supervisor because he is always trying to play off one group of workers against another.
play on/upon (something)
- cause an effect on, influence
eg. They played on his feelings of loneliness to get him to come and buy them dinner every night.
play on words
- a humorous use of a word to suggest a different meaning
eg. There are many cases of using a play on words in the newspaper headlines.
play one`s cards right
- take advantage of your opportunities
eg. If you play your cards right you will probably get a promotion soon.
play second fiddle to someone
- be second in importance to someone
eg. He has been playing second fiddle to his boss for years and has finally decided to quit.
play the field
- date many different people, avoid steady dates with the same person
eg. After my sister stopped seeing her boyfriend she decided to play the field until she met someone nice.
play up
- call attention to, emphasize
eg. During the job interview he played up his experience as an experienced computer operator.
play up to someone
- flatter or please someone to try and gain some advantage
eg. He is always playing up to his boss so he can leave work early.
play with fire
- invite danger or trouble
eg. You are playing with fire if you get involved with those people.
play cat and mouse with someone
- tease or fool someone
eg. He is playing a cat and mouse game with his company about his plans to quit or not.
play into one`s hands
- be or do something that another person can use against one
eg. If you become angry at his extreme actions it will only play into his hands.
play by ear
- decide what to do as one goes along to fit the situation
eg. I don`t know what time I will be back on Sunday so we should play it by ear as to a good time to meet.
played out
- tired out, worn out, exhausted
eg. I was totally played out last night so I went to bed early.
plow into
- attack vigorously
eg. We plowed into the food as soon as the waiter brought it to our table.
pluck up
- make oneself have courage
eg. He plucked up his courage and went and asked the woman for a date.
point out
- explain, call attention to
eg. She was very kind when she pointed out the mistakes that I had made.
pointed remark
- a remark clearly aimed at a particular person or thing
eg. He made a pointed remark during the meeting that was clearly designed to get my attention.
poke fun at
- joke about, laugh at, tease
eg. She is always poking fun at the way her husband plays golf.
polish off
- finish completely, finish doing something quickly
eg. We polished off the work early and went to the beach for the day.
polish the apple
- try to win favor by flattering someone
eg. The teacher doesn`t like students who are always trying to polish the apple with her.
pony up
- pay
eg. It is time to pony up and pay for the equipment that he bought.
pooped out
- worn out, exhausted
eg. We spent all day painting the house and were pooped out by the time we got home.
pop the question
- ask someone to marry you
eg. He finally popped the question to her after they had been going out together for two years.
pop up
- appear suddenly or unexpectedly
eg. I hadn`t seen my friend for almost a year but suddenly he popped up for a visit last week.
pot calling the kettle black
- a person who is criticizing someone else is as guilty as the person he criticizes
eg. I was joking to her about why she was afraid to look for another job but she said it was like the pot calling the kettle black as I also never tried to change jobs.
pound the pavement
- look for a job
eg. He has been pounding the pavement for a few months now but still has not found a job.
pour it on thick
- flatter greatly
eg. He has been pouring it on thick but she still doesn`t like him.
pour oil on troubled waters
- calm down a quarrel, say something to lessen anger and bring peace to a situation
eg. They tried to pour oil on troubled waters after they noticed the argument among the students.
pour out
- tell everything about something
eg. She poured out her heart to her mother when she returned home from work.
press (push) one`s luck
- depend too much on luck, expect to continue to be lucky
eg. He is pushing his luck if he thinks that he will continue to make a lot of money on the stock market.
pressed for time
- have barely enough time
eg. He was pressed for time so I didn`t have a chance to speak to him.
prey on (upon)
- catch for food, kill and eat
eg. Cats usually prey on mice and small birds if they can catch them.
promise the moon
- mentally alert, ready to do something
eg. Before the elections the politicians were promising everyone the moon but when they were elected they began to talk differently.
psyched up
- mentally alert, ready to do something
eg. The team was psyched up for the game but they lost anyway.
psych out
- find out the real motives of (someone)
eg. I tried to psych out the salesman to see what he really wanted to sell the car for.
pull a fast one
- cheat, deceive
eg. They pulled a fast one on him when they sold him the used car.
pull (something) off
- accomplish something remarkable
eg. He really is lucky in being able to pull off the new business merger with no problems.
pull one`s socks up
- make a greater effort
eg. You had better begin to pull your socks up or you will not be able to continue working here.
pull one`s weight
- do one`s fair share of the work
eg. If everyone pulls their weight we can quickly finish and go home.
pull someone`s leg
- trick or fool someone playfully
eg. Her grandfather is always pulling her leg when he comes to visit.
pull out of a hat
- get as if by magic, invent, imagine
eg. I didn`t think that he was going to be able to find a dictionary but he suddenly pulled one out of a hat and gave it to me.
pull over
- drive to the side of the road and stop
eg. The police pulled over the man because he had been drinking.
pull rank
- assert one`s superior position or authority on a person of lower rank in order to get a privilege or favor
eg. The navy officer pulled rank on the other officers and was able to stay in the best hotel during the trip.
pull strings
- secretly use influence and power
eg. He was able to pull some strings and get his son a job for the summer.
pull the plug
- expose someone`s secret activities
eg. The company decided to pull the plug on the salesman and tell everyone about his illegal sales methods.
pull the rug out from under
- spoil someone`s plans, withdraw support
eg. He pulled the rug out from under our plans to open a branch office in New York.
pull the wool over someone`s eyes
- deceive or fool someone
eg. Don`t let him pull the wool over your eyes with his excuses.
pull through
- recover from an illness or misfortune
eg. It looked like he was going to die from cancer but in the end he pulled through and is now doing very well.
pull up stakes
- move to another location
eg. They decided to pull up stakes and move to London.
pull one`s leg
- fool someone with a humorous account of something, trick someone
eg. The man was pulling my leg when he told me that I would not be able to enter the movie theater after the movie started.
pull out of a hat
- get something as if by magic, invent, imagine
eg. At first he said that he didn`t have any of the information but then it suddenly appeared as if he had pulled it out of a hat.
pull up one`s socks
- make a greater effort
eg. It is time that you pull up your socks and begin to work hard and take this job seriously.
pull the wool over one`s eyes
- deceive, fool someone into thinking well of one
eg. The girl tried to pull the wool over her mother`s eyes when she said that she had been studying all weekend.
pull through
- recover from a serious illness
eg. The car accident was very bad and I don't think that the driver will pull through.
pull a fast one (on someone)
- cheat someone
eg. They tried to pull a fast one on me at the car repair shop but I stopped them easily.
push (someone) around
- make someone do what you want
eg. He is always pushing around his salesmen and saleswomen.
push off
- start, leave
eg. The boat pushed off from the dock and started out to sea.
push the panic button
- become very frightened or excited at a time of danger or worry
eg. At first he thought that his wallet had been stolen but before he pushed the panic button and told everyone he looked around again and found it.
put a damper on
- discourage, spoil a person`s fun
eg. The death of the president put a damper on the anniversary celebrations.
put across
- explain clearly, make oneself understood
eg. He spends a lot of effort trying to put across clearly what he wants to say.
put all one`s eggs in one basket
- place all one`s efforts, interests or hopes in a single person or thing
eg. You should not put all your eggs in one basket and invest all of your money in the stock market.
put away
- put an animal to death, kill
eg. We had to have our dog put away because he tried to bite the small girl next door.
put down
- stop by force, crush
eg. The government easily put down the rebellion by the militants.
put in
- plant flowers
eg. We decided to put in some roses in our garden last year.
put in for something
- apply for something
eg. I put in for a transfer to another department of our company but it was refused.
put in (time)
- spend time
eg. He has put in a lot of time fixing up his house and now it looks beautiful.
put in one`s two cents
- give one`s opinion
eg. She always wants to put in her two cents when she has a chance.
put off
- postpone
eg. The game was put off because of the rain.
put on
- dress in and wear clothes
eg. Please put on your jacket before you go out.
put on one`s thinking cap
- think hard and long about something
eg. I will put on my thinking cap and try and decide what to do about finding a new job.
put on the map
- make a place well known
eg. The Woodstock rock concert really put the town of Woodstock on the map.
put on weight
- gain weight
eg. He has put on a lot of weight since he stopped going to the gym.
put one`s cards on the table
- be frank, tell everything
eg. I put my cards on the table and told him everything about the plans for next year.
put one`s finger on something
- locate precisely, remember exactly
eg. I was unable to put my finger on the exact date of his arrival.
put one`s foot down
- object strongly, take firm action
eg. He put his foot down and didn`t allow any more money to be spent on company entertainment.
put one`s foot in one`s mouth
- say something that is the wrong thing to say in a situation
eg. He really put his foot in his mouth when he told her about the surprise party.
put one`s own house in order
- organize one`s own private affairs
eg. He should put his own house in order before he tells others what to do.
put our heads together
- confer, discuss
eg. We put our heads together and finally thought of a new name for the football team.
put out
- make a flame or light stop burning, extinguish
eg. The man put out his cigarette on the theater carpet.
put one's fingers on something
- locate precisely, remember exactly
eg. I was finally able to put my fingers on the problem and find someone to help me fix it.
put one's foot down
- object strongly, take firm action
eg. My sister finally put her foot down and stopped paying for the gas for her daughter's car.
put one's foot in one's mouth
- say something that is the wrong thing to say in a situation
eg. I put my foot in my mouth when I said that I didn't like fish just before my friends served fish at their dinner party.
put on one`s thinking cap
- think hard and long about something
eg. I will put on my thinking cap and try to find a solution to the problem by next week.
put one`s foot in one`s mouth
- get into trouble by saying something embarassing or rude
eg. My colleague put his foot in his mouth when he told everyone that he didn't like the new manager.
put our heads together
- confer, discuss, talk
eg. We put our heads together with the other members of the department to try and find a solution to the problem.
put someone in his or her place
- scold someone for rude or bad behavior
eg. She was very angry and really put him in his place over the rude remark.
put someone in the picture
- tell someone what the situation is
eg. They have finally decided to put me in the picture about the new work procedures.
put the bite on someone
- ask for money or favors
eg. He is always trying to put the bite on his friends to collect money for charity.
put the cart before the horse
- do things in the wrong order
eg. I think that he is putting the cart before the horse by talking about fixing up the house before he even buys it.
put the screws to someone
- try to force someone to do or say what you want
eg. The police were putting the screws to the criminal to try and get some information.
put through the wringer
- cause a lot of stress
eg. He really put his wife through the wringer when he asked her for a divorce.
put two and two together
- understand or figure something out after learning the facts
eg. I finally put two and two together and realized that she was his boyfriend.
put the cart before the horse
- do things in the wrong order
eg. I think that buying a ticket before we make any plans is putting the cart before the horse.
put two and two together
- make a correct guess
eg. We were able to put two and two together and discover who was sending the unwanted E-mail.
put up
- provide money or something needed
eg. The telephone company put up most of the money for the new stadium.
put up a good fight
- try hard
eg. They put up a good fight but were unable to win the tournament.
put up a good front
- pretend to be happy, fool people about one`s status
eg. He always puts up a good front but actually he is very unhappy.
put up at a hotel etc.
- stay at a hotel or someone`s home
eg. We decided to put up at a hotel and continue our trip the next day.
put up or shut up
- prove something or stop saying it, bet money on what one says or stop saying it
eg. The politician was forced to put up or shut up over the plans to build a new convention center.
put up to
- persuade or get someone to do something
eg. His friend put him up to cheating on the examination.
put up with
- patiently accept, endure
eg. He makes a great effort to put up with his wife`s complaints.
put words in one`s mouth
- say something for someone else
eg. Her husband is always putting words in her mouth which makes her a little angry.
put words into one`s mouth
- say without proof that another person has certain feelings or opinions
eg. My boss was putting words into my mouth when he told me what he thought that I wanted to do.
put (someone) out
- inconvenience, bother,
eg. She shouldn`t put herself out so much when people come and visit her.
put (something or someone) out of one`s head (mind)
- try not to think about something
eg. He has been trying to put his girlfriend out of his mind since they decided to stop seeing each other.
put (something) over on someone
- fool, trick
eg. He was trying to put something over on his boss when he said that he was sick and couldn`t come to work.
put (something) past someone (negative)
- be surprised by what someone does
eg. I wouldn`t put it past him to try and sell the main part of the company and leave the rest.
put (something or someone) out of one's head/mind
- try to forget someone or something
eg. I was forced to put my holidays out of my head when we had the emergency problems at our company.
(be) put out
- be inconvenienced or irritated
eg. She was a little put out that you didn`t call her when you were in town.
quick buck
- money earned quickly and easily (and sometimes dishonestly)
eg. The company is only interested in making a quick buck and is not at all interested in quality.
quick one
- a single drink of alcohol taken before one does something else
eg. We stopped for a quick one on the way home but stayed for more than an hour.
quite a few
- many
eg. He has quite a few videos at home.
RCMP
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police - Canada's national police force
eg. The movie was about the RCMP and it took place in northern Canada.
RIP
- Rest In Peace - used when talking about someone who is dead or sometimes written on a gravestone
eg. At the end of the movie RIP was written on the gravestone of the main character who had been killed.
RSVP
- Respondez S'il Vous Plait - French for please reply
eg. The invitation said RSVP so I quickly sent off a note to say that I would be able to attend the party.
Russian roulette
- a game of chance in which one bullet is placed in a revolver, the cartridge is spun, and the player aims the gun at his head and pulls the trigger
eg. The men in the movie played Russian roulette until one of them finally died.
rack one`s brains
- try hard to think or remember something
eg. I have been racking my brains all day trying to remember his name.
rack one`s brain
- try one's best to think, make a great mental effort
eg. I racked my brain for over an hour to try and figure out what to do about the problem with the new computer.
rain cats and dogs
- rain very hard
eg. It has been raining cats and dogs all morning.
rain check
- a free ticket to an event in place of one cancelled because of rain
eg. We received two rain checks to the baseball game after it was cancelled because of the rain.
rain cats and dogs
- rain very hard
eg. It has been raining cats and dogs all day.
rain check
- a promise to repeat an invitation at a later date
eg. I decided to take a rain check and go to the restaurant another time.
raise a fuss
- make trouble, make a disturbance
eg. The woman at the restaurant raised a fuss when her meal arrived late.
raise a hand
- do something, do one`s share, help
eg. Nobody likes him because he will never raise a hand to help his friends.
raise Cain
- create a disturbance, cause trouble
eg. They began to raise Cain at the dance and were asked to leave.
raise eyebrows
- cause surprise or disapproval
eg. It really raised eyebrows when she appeared at the party unannounced.
raise a hand
- do something, do one's share, help
eg. I am a little angry at my friend as he didn't raise a hand to help me clean up the mess in the kitchen.
raise eyebrows
- cause surprise or disapproval
eg. I raised many eyebrows when I came in to work two hours late this morning.
rake in the money
- make a lot of money
eg. His new pizza franchise has been raking in the money since it first opened.
rake someone over the coals
- scold, reprimand
eg. His boss raked him over the coals when he heard about the lost sales report.
rake in the money
- make a lot of money
eg. We have been raking in the money at our restaurant and will soon be able to go on a long holiday.
ram (something) down one`s throat
- force one to do or agree to something not wanted
eg. She always tries to ram her ideas down our throats which makes us very angry.
ram (something) down someone's throat
- force one to do or agree to something not wanted
eg. The lawyer rammed the settlement down our throats even though we were not happy with it.
rat out on
- desert or betray someone, leave at a critical time
eg. His friend ratted out on him when he refused to support him in his fight with the neighborhood bully.
rat race
- endless hurried existence
eg. He likes working for a major corporation although sometimes he finds it too much of a rat race.
raw deal
- unfair treatment
eg. he got a raw deal when he was forced to resign from his company.
read between the lines
- find a hidden meaning in something
eg. I know that he didn`t say it but I can read between the lines so I know what he means.
read the riot act
- give someone a strong warning or scolding
eg. The teacher read the riot act to her students when they began to misbehave in class.
real McCoy
- the genuine thing
eg. That new camera is the real McCoy and will let you do everything that you want.
red cent
- the smallest coin, a trivial sum of money
eg. I wouldn't give a red cent for my neighbor's car.
red herring
- something that draws attention away from the matter under consideration
eg. The issue of the pay cut is a red herring and is not related to the main issues.
red ink
- debt (red ink on a financial statement)
eg. The automobile company has been drowning in red ink since the US dollar began to rise.
red letter day
- a day that is memorable because of some important event
eg. Saturday was a red letter day when we finally won the championship.
red tape
- excessive formalities in official transactions
eg. There was much red tape when we went to city hall to get a business license.
red-letter day
- a day that is memorable because of some important event
eg. It was a red-letter day when she finally received her graduation diploma.
regular guy
- a friendly person who everyone gets along with
eg. The former Prime Minister was a regular guy and was well liked by most people.
rest on one`s laurels
- be satisfied with the success one has already won
eg. He is always willing to work hard and is not the type of person to rest on his laurels.
rhyme or reason
- a good plan or reason, a reasonable purpose or explanation
eg. Without rhyme or reason he suddenly decided to quit his job.
ride herd on
- watch closely and control
eg. The new supervisor plans to ride herd on the people who work for him.
ride out
- survive safely, endure
eg. We were able to easily ride out the storm at the small restaurant.
ride herd on
- watch closely and control someone
eg. He has been riding herd on his employees so that he can get the job done in time.
riding high
- attracting attention, enjoying great popularity
eg. The new government has been riding high in the polls for several months now.
right away
- immediately
eg. I forgot to bring the book today but I will go home and get it right away.
right off the bat
- immediately, from the beginning
eg. I told him right off the bat that we didn`t need a new computer for the office.
right on
- indicates approval, "that`s right", "yes"
eg. He called out "right on" every time that the politician promised a new program to help unemployed people.
right out
- plainly, in a way that hides nothing
eg. He told the new supervisor right out that he did not like him.
right under one`s nose
- in an obvious, nearby place
eg. I found the calculator right under my nose after searching for it for an hour.
ring a bell
- remind one of something
eg. The name doesn`t ring a bell. I`m sure I have never heard of him.
ring up
- add and record on a cash register
eg. I went to the cash register to have them ring up the things that I had bought.
rip off
- cheat, rob
eg. I was ripped off by the mechanics at that gas station.
road hog
- a car driver who takes up more than his share of the road
eg. My father becomes very angry at the road hogs when he is driving.
rob Peter to pay Paul
- take from one person or thing to pay another
eg. When the government began to take money from education to pay for the medical system it was like robbing Peter to pay Paul.
rob the cradle
- have dates with or marry a person much younger than oneself
eg. Everyone said that my friend was robbing the cradle when he married the young woman at his company.
rock the boat
- upset the way things are
eg. He is a very quiet worker and never likes to rock the boat at work.
roll around
- return at a regular or usual time, come back
eg. Every time that his birthday rolls around he has a big party.
roll in
- arrive in great numbers or quantity
eg. The money has been rolling in since they started the new franchise.
roll out the red carpet
- welcome an important guest by putting a red carpet down for him or her to walk on
eg. They rolled out the red carpet when the President of France came for a visit.
roll up one`s sleeves
- prepare to work hard or seriously
eg. Everyone in our club rolled up their sleeves to help prepare for the party.
roll out the red carpet
- greet a person with great respect, give a big welcome
eg. When the King of Jordon visited Washington, they rolled out the red carpet and gave him a great welcome.
rolling stone
- a person who does not live or work in one place
eg. He is a rolling stone and I never know where to find him.
rope into
- trick, persuade by pressuring someone
eg. I didn`t want to help with the dinner but I was roped into doing it by my best friend.
rough and ready
- rough or crude but effective
eg. The boat is rough and ready so let`s take it for a ride.
rough and tumble
- fighting or arguing in a very rough and reckless way
eg. It was a rough and tumble meeting that we attended at the city planning office last night.
rough guess
- an approximate estimate
eg. He made a rough guess as to how many people would come to the party.
rough up
- attack or hurt physically
eg. The three men roughed up the bartender at the hotel and were arrested by the police.
round robin (letter)
- a letter written by a group of people with each person writing part of the letter
eg. We sent a round robin letter to the librarian to ask for better opening hours for the library.
round robin (meeting or discussion)
- a meeting or discussion in which each person in a group takes part
eg. We had a round robin panel discussion on what we could do to help save the environment.
round robin (tournament or contest)
- game or contest in which each player or team plays every other player or team in turn
eg. The round robin tournament was held in order to choose the championship team for the city.
round up
- bring together, collect
eg. We rounded up enough people to play a game of soccer last night.
round robin
- a contest or game in which each player or team plays every other player or team in turn, a meeting in which each one in a group takes part
eg. He took part in the round robin competition at his school.
rub elbows/shoulders
- be in the same place (with others), meet and mix
eg. At the party we were able to rub elbows with many important people.
rub elbows or shoulders with someone
- be in the same place (with others), meet and mix with others
eg. We went to the party in order to rub shoulders with some interesting artists.
rub off
- remove or be removed by rubbing, erase
eg. She rubbed off the writing on the whiteboard.
rub out
- destroy completely, kill, eliminate
eg. The government troops rubbed out the whole village.
rub someone the wrong way
- irritate others with something one says or does
eg. Her lack of politeness always rubs me the wrong way.
rub something in
- continue to talk or joke about something someone said or did
eg. I know that she made a mistake but you shouldn`t rub it in.
rule out
- decide against, eliminate
eg. They still haven`t ruled out using him on the team for the tournament.
rule the roost
- be the dominant one in the family
eg. She seems rather quiet but she really rules the roost in their family.
run a risk
- unprotected, open to danger or loss
eg. You are running a great risk if you drive with him after he has been drinking.
run around
- go to different places for entertainment or to do things
eg. We ran around all day and now we are very tired.
run around in circles
- act confused, do a lot but accomplish little
eg. I have been running around all day but I can`t seem to get anything done.
run away with
- take quickly and secretly - especially without permission or by stealing
eg. Someone ran away with the dictionary so now we don`t have one.
run a temperature
- have a higher than normal body temperature
eg. The little boy is running a temperature and should stay in bed all day.
run down
- crash against and knock down
eg. My dog was run down by a car last week.
run for it
- dash for safety, make a speedy escape
eg. As soon as it started raining we ran for it and tried to get to the shelter.
run in
- make a brief visit
eg. I ran in to see my sister at her office before I left for the weekend.
run in the family/blood
- be a common family characteristic
eg. Being a left-handed golfer and baseball hitter runs in our family.
run into
- add up to, total
eg. If you decide to stay in nice hotels during your holiday it will run into a lot of money.
run into (something)
- hit something or crash into something
eg. His car ran into the other car on the highway.
run into (someone)
- meet by chance
eg. I ran into him when I was at the supermarket.
run into the ground
- use something more than is wanted or needed
eg. He ran his car into the ground before he had to buy another one.
run off
- produce with a printing press or copy machine
eg. We ran off hundreds of copies of the poster for the festival.
run off with (someone)
- go away with someone, elope
eg. My sister ran off with her boyfriend and got married when she was quite young.
run out (of something)
- use up, come to an end
eg. The car ran out of gas in the middle of the countryside.
run out
- force to leave, expel
eg. The drug dealers were run out of town by the police.
run over
- be too full and flow over the edge
eg. The water in the bathtub ran over the edge and got everything in the room wet.
run ragged
- be tired or exhausted
eg. She has been run ragged by her three children.
run scared
- try everything to avoid defeat as in a political campaign
eg. The senator has been running scared in his attempt to win re-election.
run short
- not have enough, be not enough in quantity
eg. We ran short of money during our trip to Europe.
run some tests
- a doctor does some medical tests on a patient
eg. The doctor has decided to run some tests on the patient.
run the gauntlet
- face a hard test or painful experience
eg. He had to run the gauntlet of many interviews before he got the job.
run through
- spend recklessly, use up wastefully
eg. We ran through a lot of money when we were looking for a new apartment.
run up
- add to the amount of something, increase
eg. He ran up a large bill at the department store before he left for home.
run up against (something)
- encounter
eg. They ran up against many problems when they were building the freeway.
run wild
- be or go out of control
eg. The crowd ran wild after the soccer game.
run (someone) in
- take to jail, arrest
eg. The police ran the three boys in for questioning about the robbery.
run-of-the-mill
- ordinary, usual
eg. The restaurant was in a run-of-the-mill building but it was superb.
SARS
- Severe Acute Resporatory Syndrom
eg.
SOB
- Son Of a Bitch - a swear word used in anger or when you want to insult someone
eg. The man called me a SOB when I drove in front of him in the parking lot.
SOS
- international code signal of distress, call for help
eg. The sinking ship had been sending out an SOS signal but still nobody was able to come to their rescue.
sacred cow
- something that is never criticized or laughed at even if it sometimes deserves to be
eg. The medical insurance system is a sacred cow of the government and is never criticized by anyone.
saddled with debt
- burdened with debt
eg. Our sister company is saddled with a great amount of debt and should be sold as soon as possible.
sail into
- scold or criticize very hard, attack
eg. As soon as I came in the door she sailed into me for being late.
salt away
- save money
eg. She has salted away a few thousand dollars from her new job.
save face
- save one`s good reputation when something has happened to hurt it
eg. Our boss was very embarrassed when he had to tell us that the company had lost a lot of money. However, he was able to save face when he showed that the problems were outside of his control.
save one`s breath
- remain silent because talking will do no good
eg. You may as well save your breath and not talk to her as she never believes you anyway.
save one`s neck/skin
- save oneself from danger or trouble
eg. He left the scene of the fire as soon as possible in order to save his own neck.
save the day
- bring about victory or success - esp. when defeat is likely
eg. He saved the day for his team after he played his best game of the season.
save one`s breath
- keep silent because talking will not do any good
eg. You can save your breath and not bother talking to him. He never listens to anyone.
save one`s neck
- save from danger or trouble
eg. The worker tried to save his own neck without thinking of any of the other people.
save face
- save one's good reputation, popularity or dignity when something has happened to hurt one
eg. The government was unable to save face after they failed to reach an agreement with the union over pension benefits.
say a mouthful
- say something of great importance or meaning or length
eg. He really said a mouthful yesterday when he made the announcement about his new job.
say one`s piece
- say openly what one thinks
eg. He said his piece at the meeting and then left quietly by the back door.
say the word
- give a sign, show a wish
eg. Just say the word and I will come and pick you up at the airport.
scare out of one`s wits
- frighten very much
eg. Her little girl was scared out of her wits after she saw the horror movie.
scare the daylights out of someone
- frighten very much
eg. Falling off her bicycle scared the daylights out of her.
scare up
- find or gather something with some effort
eg. We were able to scare up a couple of sleeping bags so that we could go camping.
scaredy-cat
- someone who is easily frightened (used by children)
eg. The children were calling their friend a scaredy-cat because she wouldn`t go into the empty house.
scatter around
- carelessly put in different places
eg. His papers are always scattered around his house so he is never able to find anything.
school of hard knocks
- ordinary experiences of life
eg. He learned all about life in the school of hard knocks.
scrape the bottom of the barrel
- take whatever is left after the best has been taken
eg. They are really scraping the bottom of the barrel if they must give him a job.
scrape together
- gather money etc. a little at a time
eg. We managed to scrape together enough money to go to Disneyland even though business is very bad and we don`t have much money.
scrape up
- find or gather something with some effort
eg. His girlfriend scraped up some money and went to visit him during the summer.
scrape together
- gather money a little at a time
eg. We scraped together a little money and bought a present for my mother.
scratch one`s back
- do something nice for someone in the hope that they will do something for you
eg. "You scratch my back and I`ll scratch yours," he said when he offered to help me increase my sales.
scratch the surface
- make only a beginning to do or accomplish something
eg. They have been gathering information about the planned merger but they have only scratched the surface of what is available.
scratch one`s back
- do something kind and helpful for someone in the hope that they will do something for you
eg. If you scratch the supervisor's back he will help you when you need help.
screw around
- loaf about, hang around without doing anything
eg. I spent the morning screwing around and didn`t get anything done.
screw up
- make a mess of something
eg. My travel agent screwed up our travel schedule so we had to stay at the airport overnight.
scrounge around
- look in many places for an item or items
eg. We didn`t have enough wood for the small building so we had to scrounge around the neighborhood to find some.
search me
- "I don`t know.", "How should I know."
eg. "Search me," he said when I asked him what had happened to the front of his car.
search one`s soul
- study one`s reasons and actions to see if one has been fair and honest
eg. I have been searching my soul to see if I was responsible for the accident that destroyed my friend`s car.
search one`s heart/soul
- study one`s reasons and acts, try to discover if one has been fair and honest
eg. I spent a lot of time searching my soul in order to try and find out why my girlfriend had left me.
second-guess someone
- guess what someone else intends to do or would have done
eg. You should never try to second-guess the firefighters in a dangerous situation.
second hand
- not new, used by someone else
eg. He went to a second-hand bookstore to look for the books.
second thought
- after thinking about something again
eg. On second thought maybe you should bring an extra coat.
second wind
- regaining your energy after being tired
eg. After we got our second wind we continued on our hike up the mountain.
security blanket
- something one holds on to for reassurance or comfort (like a child and a blanket)
eg. He uses his computer as his security blanket so that he doesn`t have to go out and meet new people.
see about (something)
- check into something
eg. I`ll see about getting the book for you by next week.
see eye to eye
- agree
eg. We don`t always see eye to eye on everything but generally we get along.
see off
- go with someone to their point of departure
eg. I went to the airport to see her off.
see one`s way clear to do something
- feel able to do something
eg. When you see your way clear to begin the project could you please come and tell me.
see out
- go with someone to an outer door
eg. I went to the front door to see out our guests to their cars.
see red
- become very angry
eg. He saw red last night when I told him about the broken dishes.
see stars
- imagine one is seeing stars as a result of being hit on the head
eg. When I was hit by the opposing football player I fell to the ground and began to see stars.
see the light
- realize your mistake, suddenly see how to proceed with something
eg. He finally saw the light and began to do his work the same as everyone else.
see the light of day
- be born or begun
eg. I don`t believe that his plans to build a new house will ever see the light of day.
see the world (things) through rose-colored glasses
- see only the good things about something, be too optimistic
eg. She is a little unrealistic and tends to see the world through rose-colored glasses.
see things
- imagine sights that are not real, think one sees what is not there
eg. He is always daydreaming and imagining that he is seeing things.
see through
- understand someone`s true character or motivation
eg. I could easily see through his attempt to fire her from her job.
see to (something)
- attend to or do something
eg. I will see to the rental car and you can see to the airplane tickets.
see to it
- take the responsibility to do something, make sure
eg. Will you please see to it that the garbage is taken out in the morning.
sell like hotcakes
- sell quickly, sell rapidly
eg. The tickets for the football game were selling like hotcakes when I inquired this morning.
sell out
- be disloyal, sell a secret, be unfaithful
eg. He said that he was a socialist but as soon as he got a good job he sold out to the establishment.
sell oneself short
- underestimate oneself
eg. He is selling himself short when he thinks that he can`t do any other job.
sell like hotcakes
- sell very quickly
eg. The children's toys were selling like hotcakes at the end of the year.
sell out
- sell all of a product
eg. Every year at least one company sells out all of their products which frustrates many customers.
sell like hotcakes
- sell quickly or rapidly
eg. The new CD has only been released for about a week but already it is selling like hotcakes.
send away for something
- write a letter asking for something
eg. I sent away for some postage stamps but they haven't arrived yet.
send someone packing
- tell someone to leave, dismiss someone
eg. He was sent packing because of his bad attitude to his job.
send up
- sentence someone to prison
eg. He was sent up for seven years for robbing a bank.
serve one`s purpose
- be useful to someone for a certain need
eg. That tool should serve my purpose until I find the correct one.
serve someone right
- get the punishment or results that one deserves
eg. He never studies at all so it serves him right to fail his exam.
serve time
- spend time in jail
eg. He served time when he was young but now he is a model citizen.
set about
- begin, start
eg. We set about preparing the office for the move to a bigger building.
set back
- cause to put off or get behind schedule, slow up
eg. We were set back over a month when the floods destroyed the road to our farm.
set eyes on
- to see
eg. I don`t know if she is here or not. I haven`t set eyes on her since yesterday.
set foot
- step, walk
eg. I have never set foot in that restaurant and I never will in the future.
set forth
- explain exactly or clearly
eg. He carefully set forth the terms of the rental contract.
set in
- weather condition begins and will probably continue
eg. The rain has set in and it looks like it won`t stop for awhile.
set loose
- set free, release something that you are holding
eg. The wildlife department decided to set loose the bear that it had captured.
set off
- decorate through contrast, balance by difference
eg. He painted the trim of his house red in order to set off the light colors.
set one`s heart on
- want very much
eg. I set my heart on a nice holiday this winter but I won`t be able to go because I have no money.
set one`s mind at rest
- free oneself from worry
eg. I told him the reason we can`t come in order to set his mind at rest.
set out
- leave on a journey
eg. Marco Polo set out for China many years ago.
set one back
- cost
eg. My friend asked me how much my new coat had set me back.
set sail
- start sailing, begin a sea voyage
eg. The three women set sail for Hawaii on a small sailboat.
set store on (by)
- like or value, want to keep
eg. Our company sets great store on their ability to attract good people.
set the pace
- decide on a rate of speed to do something that others will follow
eg. The manager of our section sets the pace for the employees under him.
set the world on fire
- do something outstanding or that makes one famous
eg. He has not been able to set the world on fire with his writing but he is trying very hard.
set up
- establish, provide the money for something
eg. The newspaper company provided the money to set up the new travel magazine.
set (one) back
- cost
eg. How much did your new suit set you back?
set (someone) up
- put someone in a position to be manipulated
eg. I don`t believe that I lost that money honestly. I believe that I was set up.
settle for
- be satisfied with less, agree to
eg. I settled for less than I originally wanted with my contract but still I am happy with it.
settle down
- live a quiet normal life
eg. He settled down and started a family after he finished university.
settle a score with someone
- retaliate against someone, pay someone back for a past wrong
eg. He always appears to be trying to settle the score with him and never treats him fairly.
setup
- arrangement, management, circumstances
eg. My uncle has a very nice setup at his office.
set/have one`s heart set on
- want very much
eg. I had my heart set on getting a dog for my birthday when I was a child but I never got one.
seventh heaven
- a state of intense delight
eg. She has been in seventh heaven since she got the music award.
sewed up
- won or arranged as one wishes, decided
eg. The candidate for the nomination easily sewed up his victory last week.
shack up with
- live with someone of the opposite sex without marrying them
eg. When his sister was younger she shacked up with her boyfriend for a couple of years.
shake a leg
- go fast, hurry
eg. "You will have to shake a leg if you want to arrive at the movie on time."
shake down
- get money by threats
eg. The gangsters shook down the small shop owners to get some money.
shake off (an illness)
- get rid of (an illness)
eg. She has been unable to shake off her illness and can`t come to the party.
shake up
- change the command or leadership of something
eg. The president decided to shake up top management in order to bring new energy into the organization.
shake a leg
- go fast, hurry
eg. "Please try and shake a leg. We are already late for the concert."
shape up
- begin to act and look right
eg. He has finally begun to shape up and is doing his job much better.
shell out
- pay
eg. I shelled out over a thousand dollars for the new stereo.
shine up to
- try to please, try to make friends with
eg. He is always shining up to his boss in the hopes of getting a raise.
shoe is on the other foot
- opposite is true, places are changed
eg. The shoe is on the other foot now that he has also bought a house and has to pay a lot of money every month for his mortgage.
shook up
- upset, worried
eg. He was really shook up after the accident and has not been back to work since.
shoot one`s wad
- spend all one`s money, say everything that is on one`s mind
eg. He shot his wad on a vacation to the Caribbean last winter.
shoot straight
- act fairly, deal honestly
eg. He always shoots straight when he is dealing with the police or the government.
shoot the breeze/bull
- talk idly
eg. I met him at the supermarket so we decided to shoot the breeze for a few minutes.
shoot the works
- spare no expense or effort
eg. They are planning to shoot the works when they plan the victory celebration for the Olympic medal winners.
shoot up
- grow quickly
eg. His son really shot up quickly when he went away for the summer.
shoo-in
- someone or something that is expected to win, a sure winner
eg. The new president is a shoo-in to win another term in office.
shop around
- go to various stores to look for something
eg. We shopped around for a month before we bought a new stereo system.
shore up
- add support to something which is weak
eg. It was necessary to shore up the house after the mud slide damaged the foundation.
short and sweet
- brief and pleasant
eg. His visit with his parents was short and sweet.
short end (of the stick)
- unfair, unequal treatment
eg. He always gets the short end of the stick when he is at work.
short of
- not have enough of something
eg. We are short of sugar so could you please buy some when you are at the store.
short shrift
- rude treatment
eg. She received short shrift from her supervisor when she asked for a holiday.
shot in the arm
- something inspiring or encouraging
eg. His job search got a shot in the arm when the company president called him in for an interview.
shot in the dark
- an attempt without much hope or chance of succeeding
eg. The attempt to find the small boy who had fallen into the river was a shot in the dark.
shot in the arm
- something inspiring or encouraging
eg. The latest opinion polls were a shot in the arm for the lawyer's campaign to become elected.
shove down one`s throat
- force someone to do or agree to something not wanted
eg. I don`t like him because he is always trying to shove his ideas down my throat.
shove off
- start, leave
eg. I think that it is time for us to shove off. It is almost midnight.
shove something down one`s throat
- force one to do or agree to something not wanted or liked
eg. The workers were angry because the boss tried to shove the new regulations about uniforms down their throats.
show off
- try to attract attention, display
eg. He has bought a lot of new clothes that recently he has been trying to show off.
show one`s cards
- disclose one`s plans
eg. He hasn`t really shown us his cards yet so I don`t really know what he wants.
show one`s (true) colors
- show what one is really like or is thinking
eg. He has shown his true colors lately with his attempt to punish those who don`t reach the sales target.
show someone the door
- ask someone to go away
eg. When he started yelling in the restaurant he was quickly shown the door.
show up
- appear, arrive, be present
eg. What time did your friend show up for the party?
show one`s true colors
- show what one is really like
eg. I know that she doesn`t like me but she was showing her true colors when she began yelling at me on the telephone.
show-off
- a person who brags a lot
eg. He is a show-off and is always trying to impress other people.
shrug off
- not be bothered or hurt by something, disregard
eg. She is a little mean but we always just shrug off her comments.
shut off
- make something like water or electricity stop
eg. We always shut off the gas when we leave the house for more than a few minutes.
shut out
- prevent the opposite team from scoring during a game
eg. The national soccer team shut out the second place team three games in a row.
shut up
- stop talking
eg. "Please shut up and let someone else speak for a change."
sick and tired
- dislike something, be annoyed with something
eg. I am sick and tired of his constant complaining.
sick of (someone or something)
- bored with, dislike
eg. I think that she is sick of working overtime every day.
side with
- favor, support a position in a dispute
eg. Her mother always sides with her if they have an argument.
sight unseen
- before seeing a thing or person
eg. He bought the car sight unseen and now he is having trouble with it.
sign over
- give something legally to someone by signing one`s name
eg. He signed over his car to his son on his 21st birthday.
sign up
- promise to do something by signing one`s name, join
eg. He signs up for tennis lessons every summer but his ability never improves.
simmer down
- become calm, quiet
eg. He was very angry after the meeting but he has begun to simmer down a little now.
sing (whistle) a different tune
- contradict something said before, talk or act in the opposite way
eg. Usually he doesn`t care if he disturbs his neighbors at midnight but now that he has to get up early in the morning he is whistling a different tune.
sink in
- to penetrate, become understood
eg. What he said hasn`t really sunk in with the other members of the company.
sink one`s teeth into
- go to work seriously
eg. It`s a difficult problem and is a little difficult to sink your teeth into.
sink or swim
- fail or succeed by your own efforts
eg. He will have to sink or swim when he begins his new job.
sink (get) one`s teeth into something
- have something real or solid to think about, struggle with
eg. I was finally able to sink my teeth into the problem and began to find a solution.
sit back
- be built a distance away from a street
eg. The large mansion sits back three or four hundred meters from the street.
sit idly by
- sit and watch or rest while others work
eg. He sat idly by all morning while the others worked hard.
sit in on
- attend or participate in a meeting
eg. Our boss sat in on the meeting so that he could find out what was happening.
sit on
- be a member of a jury or board, etc.
eg. The former Prime Minister is now sitting on the board of many corporations.
sit right (negative)
- be unacceptable
eg. His idea seemed good at first but it doesn`t seem to sit right with the president.
sit tight
- wait patiently for something
eg. Please sit tight for a few minutes while I go and get a police officer.
sit up
- stay awake instead of going to bed
eg. My mother had to sit up all night as my younger sister was very sick.
sit well (with)
- please or find favor with someone
eg. His decision to leave early for the weekend didn`t sit well with the other members of the staff.
sitting duck
- a non-moving target that is easily hit by a hunter
eg. The hunter shot the sitting ducks easily and quickly.
sitting pretty
- be in a favorable situation
eg. He is sitting pretty with his new job and lots of money.
sitting duck
- an unsuspecting person easily fooled - as if waiting to be attacked
eg. The soldier should move from that window. He is like a sitting duck for the enemy.
sit-in
- political demonstration where students or workers refuse to leave their classroom or job sites
eg. The students held a sit-in demonstration to demand an end to the war.
six feet under
- dead
eg. He doesn`t plan to move until he is six feet under.
six of one and half-a-dozen of the other
- two things the same, no difference
eg. It was six of one or half-a-dozen of the other as to whether or not we should take the train or the airplane. They both arrived at the same time and cost the same.
six of one and a half dozen of the other
- there is little difference between two things/situations
eg. Whatever you do is no problem for me. It is six of one and half a dozen of the other.
size up
- form an opinion, assess a situation
eg. It took him a little time to size up the candidate before deciding to give him a job.
skate on thin ice
- take a chance, risk danger or disapproval
eg. He has been skating on thin ice recently with regard to his job. He is causing many problems and may be fired.
skeleton in one`s closet
- family secret
eg. I heard that he has a lot of skeletons in his closet that he doesn`t want to talk about.
skid row
- area of a city where many people live who have no money and drink a lot of alcohol
eg. The skid row of our city is very depressing with the large number of drunk people around.
skin alive
- scold angrily, spank or beat
eg. She told her son that if he was late for dinner she would skin him alive.
skin and bones
- very skinny
eg. The cat which we found in the empty house was all skin and bones..
skin off one`s nose
- matter of interest, concern or trouble to one
eg. It is no skin off my nose as to whether or not I get invited to the party or not.
skin-deep
- only on the surface, not having any deep or honest meaning
eg. Although beauty is said to be only skin-deep many people care about it too much.
skip bail
- run away and not come to trial and therefore give up any money that you may have already paid the court
eg. The man didn`t want to go to jail so he skipped bail and went to another city.
skip it
- forget all about it
eg. "Skip it", I said as she forgot to bring me the phone number after I had asked her three times.
slap in the face
- an insult
eg. Not getting a promotion was a real slap in the face for her.
slap together
- make in a hurry and without care
eg. We slapped together a picnic table for the company picnic.
slap in the face
- insult
eg. The fact that an extreme candidate won the election was a slap in the face to the moderate voters.
sleep a wink
- get a moment`s sleep
eg. I didn`t sleep a wink last night.
sleep on it
- think about something, consider, decide later
eg. I will have to sleep on it tonight but I will give you an answer tomorrow.
slip of the tongue
- say the wrong thing at the wrong time
eg. His insult to the customer was a major slip of the tongue.
slip one`s mind
- be forgotten
eg. I`m very sorry I didn`t come and meet you last night. Our appointment totally slipped my mind.
slip up
- make a mistake
eg. I slipped up when I said that I would not be able to go to the meeting next week.
slip of the tongue
- the mistake of saying something one had not wanted or planned to say, an error of speech
eg. I made a slip of the tongue when I told the woman who everyone hates that we would have a party.
slow down
- go more slowly than usual
eg. You should slow down a little when you come to a bridge while driving.
slow-down
- a form of striking without coming to a complete stop
eg. There was a slow-down at the post office last year.
smack into
- collide, hit
eg. The first car ran smack into the car behind it.
small fry
- someone or something of little importance, young children
eg. The police are trying to find some of the major criminals in the drug trade. They are not interested in the small fry.
smash hit
- a very successful performance, song, play, or movie
eg. The series of Star War movies were all smash hits.
smell a rat
- become suspicious
eg. I don`t know what he is doing but something seems strange and I smell a rat.
smoke out
- force out with smoke
eg. The rats were smoked out of their nests by the black smoke.
smooth something over
- make better or more pleasant
eg. She tried to smooth over the problems between her boss and his sales staff.
snail`s pace
- a very slow movement forward
eg. The cars on the highway moved at a snail`s pace.
snake in the grass
- an enemy who pretends to be a friend
eg. You should be careful of her even if she seems very nice. She is like a snake in the grass.
snap out of it
- return to normal, stop being afraid
eg. He finally snapped out of his depression and was able to return to work quickly.
snap up
- take or accept eagerly
eg. The tickets to the concert were snapped up in three hours.
snow job
- insincere or exaggerated talk designed to gain the favors of someone
eg. His presentation at the interview was a total snow job.
snow under
- have or get so much of something that it can`t be taken care of
eg. I have been snowed under with paperwork during the last few weeks.
so far
- until now
eg. So far no one has entered the speech contest at the television station.
so far, so good
- until now things have gone well
eg. "So far, so good." she replied when he asked her how her new job was going.
so help me
- I promise, I swear
eg. "So help me, if you don`t pay me back my money I will phone your company and ask them for help."
so long
- goodbye
eg. "So long, I will see you next week."
so much
- a large quantity of something
eg. There was so much rain in the spring that our garden wouldn`t grow well.
soak up
- take into oneself like a sponge takes up water
eg. He was able to soak up a lot of knowledge when he went to the summer film seminar.
sob story
- a story that makes one feel pity or sorrow
eg. My sister told me a sob story about how she had lost her job.
sock it to someone
- give everything one is capable of
eg. The president socked it to the audience with his speech at the convention.
soft spot for someone/something
- a feeling of affection toward a person or thing
eg. She has a soft spot for the elderly lady in the store.
somebody up there loves/hates me
- an expression meaning that an unseen power in heaven has been favorable/unfavorable to you
eg. "Somebody up there loves me," he said as he found the money on the side of the road.
something else
- so good as to be beyond description
eg. The movie was something else. It was the best movie I had seen in years.
something else again
- a different kind of thing
eg. Working all day on Saturday is OK but working all day Sunday is something else again.
son of a gun/bitch
- a person, used as an exclamation
eg. I wish that that son of a bitch would stop using my camera without asking me.
song and dance
- excuses
eg. He gave me a song and dance about being busy but I never really believed him.
sooner or later
- eventually
eg. Sooner or later you must pay me back the money so you should do it as soon as possible.
sore loser
- someone who gets angry when they lose
eg. He is a sore loser when he doesn`t win a game of tennis.
sort of
- almost, similar to, not quite
eg. Did you finish cleaning the kitchen? Well, sort of, but not really.
sound off
- tell what one knows or thinks in a loud voice
eg. He is always sounding off about why he doesn`t like his job.
sound out
- try to find out how a person feels about something by asking questions
eg. I have been sounding out my wife recently about whether or not she wants to move to a new house.
souped-up
- changing and adding something to make it more powerful or faster
eg. He bought a souped-up car when he was a teenager.
souped up
- change something to make it faster or more powerful by changing or adding something
eg. The new car that his neighbor bought is a souped up model of the one that he had last year.
spaced out
- confused, incoherent, resembling someone who is using drugs
eg. He was totally spaced out when the professor asked him a question about the text.
speak for
- make a request for, ask for
eg. He spoke for the comfortable chair as soon as he entered the room.
speak of the devil and he appears
- a person comes just when one is talking about him
eg. "Speak of the devil and he appears," I said just as our colleague who we were talking about walked in the door.
speak one`s piece
- say openly what one thinks
eg. I think that it is time for me to speak my piece and tell them what I want to do about the plans for a new factory.
speak out
- speak in favor of or in support of something
eg. My boss spoke out in favor of a promotion for me.
speak up
- speak in a loud or clear voice
eg. I had to ask the teacher to speak up as I couldn`t hear him at all.
spell out
- explain something in very simple words, explain very clearly
eg. I spelled out our conditions for renting out our house very clearly.
spic and span
- very clean, very neat
eg. The house was spic and span when we returned from our holiday.
spill the beans
- tell a secret, inform
eg. He promised not to spill the beans about his plans to get married.
spitting image
- exact resemblance
eg. He is a spitting image of his father.
split hairs
- make unnecessary distinctions
eg. He makes a lot of good points but he also has a tendency to split hairs and waste a lot of our time.
split the difference
- settle a money disagreement by dividing the difference
eg. We had to pay extra money for the car so we decided to split the difference.
split ticket
- vote for candidates from more than one political party
eg. He always votes for a split ticket when he votes and never votes for only one party.
split up
- separate
eg. They seemed like a nice couple but they suddenly decided to split up last month.
split hairs
- find and argue about small and unimportant differences
eg. My boss is always splitting hairs when I try and talk to him about something important.
splitting headache
- a severe headache
eg. I have been suffering from a splitting headache all morning.
splurge on something
- spend a lot of money for something
eg. He splurged on a beautiful present for his girlfriend.
spoon-feed
- make something very easy for someone
eg. He is a very strict teacher and never likes to spoon-feed his students.
spread oneself too thin
- try to do too many things at one time
eg. She has been spreading herself too thin lately and is not accomplishing very much of anything.
spring chicken
- a young person (usually negative)
eg. She is no spring chicken. She is almost 96 years old.
spruce up
- clean, redecorate
eg. They spruced up the community center for the summer holidays.
square away
- put right for use or action
eg. Have you squared away your plans for your holidays yet?
square one
- in the beginning
eg. We had to go back to square one and start the project over.
square peg in a round hole
- a person who does not fit into a job or position
eg. He is like a square peg in a round hole trying to do the job of an accountant.
squawk about
- complain about
eg. He is always squawking about the bad service in that restaurant.
stab someone in the back
- betray someone
eg. I dislike him because he tried to stab me in the back during the last meeting.
stab in the back
- say or do something unfair that harms a friend or someone who trusts you
eg. My friend stabbed me in the back even after I made an effort to help him get a job.
stack the cards
- arrange things (unfairly) for or against a person
eg. They are stacking the cards against him with their constant demands for more and more qualifications for the job.
stamping grounds
- a place where a person spends much of his time
eg. He went back to his old stamping grounds which he remembered as a teenager.
stamp out
- destroy completely and make disappear
eg. The government is making a great effort to stamp out smoking among teenagers.
stand a chance
- have a possibility
eg. They stand a good chance of winning the game.
stand by
- be near, waiting to do something when needed
eg. There is a doctor standing by in case there is a medical emergency.
stand clear of something
- keep away from something
eg. Please stand clear of the door while we are moving the piano.
stand for
- be a sign of, make one think of
eg. I didn`t know what the letters stood for so I was not able to write the correct name of the company.
stand in awe of
- look upon with wonder, feel respectful to
eg. He stands in awe of the former coach in the football department.
stand in for someone
- be a substitute for someone else
eg. The other actor stood in for her when she was sick.
stand (someone) in good stead
- be a great advantage to someone
eg. It will stand you in good stead with the company if you do the extra work.
stand off
- stay at a distance, stay apart
eg. He always stands off from the rest of the students in his class.
stand on ceremony
- be formal
eg. You don`t need to stand on ceremony. You can relax.
stand one`s ground
- maintain and defend one`s position
eg. He stood his ground over his decision to fire the employee.
stand on one`s own two feet
- be independent
eg. He learned to stand on his own two feet when he was very young.
stand out
- be more noticeable in some way than those around one
eg. He likes to wear clothes that make him stand out from the crowd.
stand over
- watch closely, keep checking all the time
eg. He stood over his son all day to make sure that he was studying for his final exams.
stand pat
- be satisfied with things and be against a change
eg. We should stand pat for awhile and not do anything to cause any problems with the negotiations.
stand to reason
- make sense, be logical
eg. If he told a lie about that it stands to reason that he will probably lie to you about other things too.
stand up
- strong enough to use for a long time
eg. The new carpet is able to stand up to the use of many people.
stand up and be counted
- be willing to say what one thinks in public
eg. The union members thought it was time that they stood up and were counted before management took away their benefits.
stand (someone) up
- fail to keep an appointment or date with your boyfriend or girlfriend
eg. He stood her up on a date last Saturday and now she won`t talk to him.
stand up for
- defend against attack, fight for
eg. The citizens of the town were ready to stand up for their rights,
stand up to someone
- be brave in confronting someone
eg. He stood up to his boss during the meeting when his boss criticized his work.
stand on one's own two feet
- be independent
eg. My sister needs to do something to make her daughter stand on her own two feet.
stars in one`s eyes
- an appearance or feeling of very great happiness
eg. She had stars in her eyes when she saw the beautiful ring that her boyfriend had bought for her.
start in
- begin a career
eg. He started in as a mailroom clerk but soon he began to have more and more important jobs in the company.
start the ball rolling
- begin to do something
eg. He finally started the ball rolling on their plans to build a new house.
start up
- begin operating, begin to play
eg. He started up a small business when he was 20 years old.
stay away from
- avoid
eg. He has been staying away from salty foods for several months now.
stay put
- stay in one place, not leave
eg. We decided to stay put for our holidays rather than go away.
steal one`s thunder
- do or say something that another person had planned to say
eg. He stole my thunder when he announced that he was leaving the company before me.
steal the show
- act or do so well in a performance that you get most of the attention
eg. The little boy stole the show at the music festival.
steer clear of someone
- avoid
eg. I have been steering clear of that person ever since our argument.
step by step
- gradually
eg. He has made a great effort and step by step he has learned how to use a computer.
step down
- leave an important position
eg. My father stepped down from his job as president of his company recently.
step on it
- go faster, hurry
eg. "Step on it," he yelled as the taxi took him to the airport a little late.
step on one`s toes
- do something that embarrasses or offends someone else
eg. He stepped on a lot of people`s toes at work and now has many enemies.
step on the gas
- go faster, hurry
eg. I decided to step on the gas in order to get to work on time.
step up
- make something go faster or more actively
eg. Recently we had to step up our effort to hire some new computer programmers for our company.
step/tread on one`s toes
- do something that embarasses or offends someone else
eg. I don't want to tread on my supervisor's toes as he has not been in a good mood lately.
stew in one`s own juice
- suffer from something that one has caused to happen oneself
eg. He is stewing in his own juice after he got into trouble for being late.
stick around
- stay or wait nearby
eg. We decided to stick around after the game to talk for awhile.
stick-in-the-mud
- someone who is old-fashioned, someone who doesn`t want to join in with others
eg. He is a stick-in-the-mud and will never join in any of the activities at a party.
stick one`s neck out
- take risks, support someone
eg. He never sticks his neck out for anyone at work and therefore has few friends.
stick it out
- endure, continue
eg. She doesn`t like her new job but plans to stick it out until she saves enough money to go to Europe.
stick to (a story/the facts)
- remain faithful to something
eg. Please stick to the facts when you tell the story to the police.
stick to one`s guns
- defend an action or opinion despite an unfavorable reaction
eg. He is sticking to his guns on his decision to fire the manager of the store.
stick up
- rob with a gun
eg. A man with a gun tried to stick up my mother when I was a child.
stick up for
- defend, help, support
eg. He always sticks up for the younger workers at his company.
stick with
- continue doing, not quit
eg. He has been able to stick with his trumpet lessons since he was a child.
stick (someone) with
- leave someone with something unpleasant
eg. I was stuck with paying the bill when I went to the restaurant with my friends.
sticky fingers
- the habit of stealing things that one sees and wants
eg. The young boy has sticky fingers and you must watch him all the time.
stick one`s neck out
- do something dangerous or risky for someone
eg. His friend will never stick his neck out to try and help other people.
stink
- terrible, bad quality
eg. Do you like that new policy at your company? No, I think it stinks.
stir up
- cause some action to occur, rouse
eg. The man`s angry words stirred up the crowd and made them very angry.
stir up a hornet`s nest
- make many people angry, do something that many people don`t like
eg. He stirred up a hornet`s nest when he began to talk about the problems with the bonus system at his job.
stone-broke
- having no money
eg. He was stone-broke after he came back from his holiday in Greece.
stone broke
- having no money, penniless
eg. His brother is stone broke and won't be able to come to the movie with us.
stop by
- visit, pass by
eg. Why don`t you stop by my house on your way home?
stop dead/cold
- stop very quickly or with great force
eg. He stopped dead when he saw the bear in the middle of the road.
stop in one`s tracks
- stop very quickly or with great force
eg. The elephant was forced to stop in its tracks by the electric fence.
stop off
- stop at a place for a short time while going somewhere
eg. We decided to stop off in New York City on our way to Egypt.
stop over
- stay at a place overnight or for a short time while on a trip
eg. The plane had to stop over in Alaska because one of the passengers had a heart attack.
straght from the horse`s mouth
- directly from the person or place where something began
eg. I heard straight from the horse`s mouth that she will be leaving the company next week.
straight from the horse`s mouth
- directly from the person involved
eg. I went over to my friend`s house so that I could hear about her wedding straight from the horse`s mouth.
straight from the shoulder
- open and honest way of speaking
eg. He always speaks straight from the shoulder.
straight out
- plainly, in a way that hides nothing
eg. He was told straight out by his boss that his work was not satisfactory.
straighten up
- put in order, clean up
eg. He had to straighten up the house before inviting his parents over for dinner.
straight from the shoulder
- open and honest way of speaking
eg. He was speaking straight from the shoulder when he told the workers about the possible factory closing.
strapped for cash
- have no money available
eg. I am a little strapped for cash so I won`t be able to go away this summer.
straw in the wind
- a small sign of what may happen
eg. When the company began to try and cut back on expenses it was a straw in the wind as to what would happen in the future.
straw that breaks the camel`s back
- a small problem which follows other troubles that makes you lose patience and be unable to continue as before
eg. Recently she has caused many problems in this company. However, when she lost the key to the front door of the office it was the straw that broke the camel`s back and we decided to fire her.
stretch a point
- agree to something beyond the limit of what is normally allowed
eg. I think it is stretching a point to think you can go and take a two-hour lunch break.
strike it rich
- become rich or successful suddenly
eg. He struck it rich when he got a job at the computer company and was able to buy some stock very cheap.
strike out
- be put out of action through one`s own errors
eg. He struck out in his attempt to gather enough support to build a new cafeteria in the building.
strike while the iron is hot
- take advantage of an opportunity
eg. He decided to strike while the iron was hot and quickly applied for the job.
strike it rich
- become rich or successful suddenly or without expecting to
eg. My grandfather struck it rich searching for gold but when he died he had no money.
string along
- deceive or fool
eg. He tried to string me along with his story about his sick mother.
string out
- make something extend over a great distance or over a long period of time
eg. The games of the soccer tournament were strung out over a period of about 3 weeks.
strings attached
- obligations, restraining conditions
eg. He was able to borrow the money for the furniture with no strings attached.
stuck on
- very much in love with, crazy about
eg. My niece has been stuck on the boy next door for several months now.
stuck up
- acting as if other people are not as good as one is, conceited
eg. We don`t like the new woman at work because she is very stuck up and thinks she is much better than the rest of us.
stuffed shirt
- a person who is too rigid or too formal
eg. He is a stuffed shirt and I never feel comfortable to try and talk with him.
sucker list
- a list of easily-fooled people who are easily persuaded to buy something
eg. The salesmen used a sucker list to try and get people to buy his new product.
sugar daddy
- a rich older man who gives money to a younger woman for her companionship
eg. The woman went off on a nice winter holiday with her sugar daddy.
sum up
- put something into a few words, summarize
eg. He summed up his presentation and asked for questions from the audience.
sunny-side up
- eggs fried on one side only
eg. We asked for our eggs to be fried sunny-side up at the restaurant.
sure thing
- something sure to happen, something about which there is no doubt
eg. His promotion to senior manager is a sure thing according to the president.
swallow one`s pride
- bring one`s pride under control, become humble
eg. I had to swallow my pride and go and ask my supervisor for some extra money.
swamped
- overwhelmed
eg. I am a little swamped with work at the moment so I can`t meet you tonight.
swan song
- final appearance
eg. He was a big hit during his swan song at the party last week.
swear by
- use as the support or authority that what one is saying is truthful
eg. The accused criminal was asked to swear on a bible at the trial.
swear in
- have a person promise to do his duty as a member of an organization or government dept. etc.
eg. The new Prime Minister was sworn in last night at the parliament.
swear off
- decide to give up something that you are in the habit of using
eg. My friend swore off alcohol several years ago.
sweat bullets/blood
- be nervous, be very worried
eg. I was sweating bullets during the interview but after it started I was able to calm down.
sweat out
- wait anxiously, worry while waiting
eg. I spent the evening sweating out whether or not I would get the job or not.
sweep off one`s feet
- overcome with strong feelings
eg. We were swept off our feet over the excitement of the ceremony.
sweep under the rug
- hide or dismiss casually
eg. They always sweep their problems under the rug and never want to discuss them.
sweep off one`s feet
- make someone have feelings of love or happiness too strong to control
eg. The woman was swept off her feet when she met the young man at the party.
sweetie pie
- darling, sweetheart
eg. He always calls his wife sweetie pie. Even after they have been married for 30 years.
sweet on
- in love with, very fond of
eg. He was sweet on his next door neighbor when he was a child.
sweet talk
- praise or flatter someone to get what you want
eg. My sister tried to sweet talk our father into giving her the car but he said no.
sweetheart deal
- a deal made between friends so that both may make a big profit
eg. We were able to make a sweetheart deal with our landlord and got the rent greatly reduced.
swelled head
- a feeling that one is more important than one really is
eg. He has a swelled head since he got the new position in his company.
swim against the tide/current
- do the opposite of what most people want to do
eg. He is always swimming against the tide and never wants to do what his friends are doing.
switched on
- in tune with the latest fads, ideas and fashions
eg. His aunt is really switched on and looks much younger than her age.
(at) sixes and sevens
- in confusion or disagreement
eg. They have been at sixes and sevens since they opened the new school.
(a) snap
- an easy task
eg. The exam was a snap and I`m sure that I did very well.
(a) stitch in time saves nine
- any damage or mistake should be corrected immediately in order to prevent it getting worse
eg. You should try and repair your car before it becomes worse. Remember, a stitch in time saves nine.
(be) shaken up
- be bothered or disturbed
eg. I was a little shaken up after I heard about the fire at our new apartment building.
(by the) skin of one`s teeth
- only just, barely
eg. We were able to arrive in time for the train by the skin of our teeth.
(can`t) stand
- can`t tolerate, dislike
eg. She can`t stand the other people in her class.
(have) sticky fingers
- the habit of stealing things
eg. Everyone thinks that the new woman at work has sticky fingers as many things have been stolen recently.
(not to be) sneezed at
- worth having, not to be despised
eg. That new stereo system is not to be sneezed at.
(not a) snowball`s chance in hell
- no chance at all
eg. They don`t have a snowball`s chance in hell of winning the game tomorrow.
(no) skin off one`s nose
- matter of interest, concern or trouble to one
eg. It is no skin off my nose whether or not she comes to the party.
(no) spring chicken
- a young person
eg. I don`t know how old she is but she is definitely no spring chicken.
(on the) safe side
- take no chances
eg. It may rain so just to be on the safe side I think that I will bring my umbrella.
(on the) spur of the moment
- suddenly
eg. He decided to go to Hong Kong on the spur of the moment.
(the) size of it
- the way it is
eg. That`s about the size of it he said as he finished telling her about the accident.
TA
- Teaching Assistant
eg. After leaving university he was able to get a job as a TA at the junior college.
TB
- Tuberculosis
eg. For various reasons the number of TB cases has been increasing around the world recently.
TBA
- To Be Announced - used when something will be announced later
eg. I looked in the television guide to see what the 7:00 movie would be but it only said TBA.
TGIF
- Thank Goodness (God) It's Friday
eg. The restaurant had a large TGIF sign on the door and all drinks were half price.
TKO
- Technical Knockout
eg. Although the boxer didn't seem to win the fight he was awarded a TKO and won the boxing match.
TLC
- Tender Loving Care
eg. With lots of TLC the house plants did very well under my sister's care.
TP
- Toilet Paper
eg. I went to the store and bought several rolls of TP.
tail between one`s legs
- feeling ashamed or beaten
eg. He was forced to resign from his company with his tail between his legs after he was caught lying about his expense account.
take a back seat
- accept a poorer or lower position, be second to something or someone
eg. I had to take a back seat to my partner when we went on the business trip.
take a bath
- come to financial ruin
eg. She took a bath on the stock market last year and is afraid to invest in stocks now.
take a beating
- lose money
eg. His father really took a beating on the stock market recently.
take a crack at
- try, attempt
eg. Have you decided to take a crack at the entrance exam in June?
take a dim view of
- be against, disapprove
eg. Our company takes a dim view of people who do not wear a suit and tie.
take advantage of
- use for one`s own benefit
eg. We took advantage of the beautiful weather and went to the beach.
take after
- resemble or act like a parent or relative
eg. He is tall and handsome like his father and seems to take after him in other ways as well.
take a leak
- urinate
eg. He stopped at the side of the road to take a leak when he was walking home last night.
take a powder
- leave quickly, run away
eg. I don`t know where he is but I think that he took a powder right after the meeting.
take a shine to
- have or show a quick liking for someone
eg. Her daughter took a shine to her new teacher and is very happy at school now.
take a stand on something
- declare firmly that one is for or against something
eg. The Prime Minister finally took a stand on the tax issue.
take a trip
- go for a journey
eg. We plan to take a trip to Italy in November.
take back
- admit to making a wrong statement
eg. He had to take back what he said about his boss in front of his co-workers.
take by storm
- capture by a sudden or very bold attack
eg. The army took the town by storm and was easily able to capture all of the enemy troops.
take care of
- look after or give attention to someone or something
eg. You should take care of your health or you will get sick.
take down
- write or record what is said
eg. I took down many notes during the lecture last week.
take down a notch (peg)
- make someone less proud or sure of himself
eg. He was taken down a notch by his boss because he was beginning to act in an arrogant manner.
take effect
- become legally right or operative
eg. The new laws related to alcohol took effect early last month.
take exception to
- speak against, find fault with, be angered by
eg. He took exception to the fact that everyone was able to go and play golf except for himself.
take for
- mistake someone for something
eg. The man took the young boy for a robber and called the police.
take for a ride
- play a trick on or fool someone, take unfair advantage of someone
eg. I was taken for a ride by the used car salesman. The car that I bought is not very good.
take for granted
- assume something is a certain way or is correct
eg. I took it for granted that you knew him. Otherwise I would have introduced you.
take heart
- be encouraged, feel brave and want to try something
eg. He took heart from his previous failure and decided to try again.
take ill/sick
- become sick
eg. She took ill during her holiday and spent most of the time in her hotel.
take in
- go and see or visit
eg. We decided to go and take in a movie last night.
take in (money)
- receive, get
eg. We were able to take in a lot of money last night at the charity auction.
take in
- let someone come in, admit
eg. The farmer took in the couple for the night after their car broke down.
take in stride
- accept good or bad luck and go on
eg. The boxer took his loss in stride and began to prepare for his next fight.
take it
- endure trouble or criticism or abuse
eg. He is quite sensitive and can never really take it if I make a joke about him.
take it easy
- relax
eg. I`ve been working hard all month so I have decided to take it easy for a few days.
take it on the chin
- be badly beaten or hurt, accept trouble calmly
eg. Our team took it on the chin at the baseball tournament last week.
take it out on
- be unpleasant or unkind to someone because one is angry or upset
eg. Although he has much stress from work he is careful not to take it out on his friends or family.
take its toll
- cause loss or damage
eg. His new job and the long hours have begun to take their toll on his health.
take kindly to
- be pleased by, like
eg. He doesn`t take kindly to people telling him how to run his business.
take leave of
- abandon, go away from or become separated from
eg. I think that he has taken leave of his senses. He has been acting very strange lately.
take liberties
- act toward someone in too close or friendly a manner, use someone as one would a close friend or something of one`s own
eg. She is taking liberties with her friend by always borrowing her car.
take off (clothes)
- remove clothes etc.
eg. Please take off your shoes before you enter our house.
take off (time)
- be absent from work
eg. He was sick and had to take off a week from work.
take off
- depart suddenly or quickly, run away
eg. We decided to take off right after the concert ended.
take on
- begin to handle, commit oneself to
eg. Recently he has begun to take on too many things at work and has become very tired.
take one`s hat off to someone
- admire, respect, praise
eg. You really have to take your hat off to him. He has built up his company from almost nothing.
take one`s own medicine
- accept punishment without complaining
eg. He likes to criticize everyone but can never take his own medicine when others criticize him.
take one`s time
- do something without hurrying
eg. He took his time in returning the book he had borrowed.
take out
- escort or go on a date with someone
eg. I finally had a chance to take out the new woman from work last week.
take over
- take control, take command
eg. Our company was taken over by a foreign company last month.
take part in
- participate in
eg. Are you planning to take part in the seminar next week?
take place
- happen, occur
eg. The game took place on the coldest day of the year.
take sides
- support one side on the other
eg. You should not take sides in the argument or both sides will hate you.
take someone for a ride
- cheat, swindle
eg. I think that they really took him for a ride when he was visiting last year.
take someone to the cleaners
- take all of someone`s money or cheat someone
eg. He was taken to the cleaners when he decided to buy the series of books from the salesman.
take something into account
- remember and consider
eg. Please take into account that she has only been studying French for a few weeks.
take something lying down
- suffer without a fight
eg. I am very angry and won`t take what he says lying down.
take something to heart
- consider seriously
eg. You shouldn`t really take what he says to heart. He is really very kind.
take something with a grain of salt
- not take seriously something someone has said
eg. You can take everything that he says with a grain of salt.
take steps
- begin to make plans or arrangements, make preparations
eg. The company has begun to take steps to stop people from smoking in the main office building.
take stock
- count items of merchandise or supplies in stock, take inventory
eg. The store will be closed for three days next week while the company is taking stock.
take stock in (usually negative)
- have faith in, believe
eg. She took no stock in the idea that women could not work as firefighters as well as men.
take stock of
- carefully study a situation or a number of possibilities or opportunities
eg. After taking stock of the situation he decided that it would be difficult to continue working for the company.
take the bull by the horns
- take some kind of action
eg. He finally decided to take the bull by the horns and started to plan their anniversary party.
take the edge off
- lessen, weaken, soften
eg. We had a drink of hot chocolate in order to take the edge off the cold weather.
take the Fifth
- hide behind the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution which guarantees any witness the right not to incriminate himself while testifying at a trial
eg. He decided to take the Fifth rather than tell the truth at the trial.
take the plunge
- do something decisive (often used when you get married)
eg. He finally decided to take the plunge and will get married next year.
take the rap
- receive punishment, be accused and punished
eg. The owner of the restaurant was forced to take the rap over allowing underage workers to work at night.
take the words out of someone`s mouth
- say something someone else was going to say
eg. He took the words right out of my mouth when he answered your question.
take to
- begin the work or job of, learn easily, do well at
eg. He took to the job of administrator very easily and was a great success.
take to task
- scold for a fault or error
eg. I was taken to task by the supervisor for not arriving at work on time.
take to the cleaners
- win all someone`s money
eg. He went to Las Vegas and was taken to the cleaners by the card dealers.
take to the woods
- run away and hide
eg. He decided to take to the woods rather than wait to talk to his wife.
take turns
- do something alternately with others
eg. We had to take turns using the dictionary as there was only one.
take (someone) under one`s wing
- protect someone
eg. He has taken the new employee under his wing and is teaching him about the company.
take up
- begin an activity or hobby
eg. He has a lot of free time lately and has decided to take up fishing as a hobby.
take up arms
- get ready to fight or make war
eg. The citizens were not willing to take up arms to try and change their government.
take the bull by the horns
- take decisive action and not worry about the results
eg. My aunt decided to take the bull by the horns and begin preparations for the family reunion.
take a nosedive
- collapse, fail, decrease in value
eg. The stock market took a nosedive when the earnings of the oil company began to weaken.
take on
- to give a job to or hire someone
eg. The company took on many new workers during the busy holiday season.
take over
- take control or possession of something, take charge or responsibility
eg. The government decided to take over the bank after it declared bankruptcy.
take public
- sell shares in a company to the general public
eg. We decided it was necessary to take our company public in order to raise money to expand our facilities.
take stock
- count the items of merchandise or supplies in stock, take inventory
eg. The department store closes down for 3 days every March in order to take stock.
take one`s hat off to someone
- admire, respect, praise
eg. You have to take your hat off to him. He has started a small business and now it is very successful.
take with a grain of salt
- accept or believe only part of something
eg. You should take everything that he says with a grain of salt as everyone knows that he likes to exaggerate things when he is speaking.
take it on the chin
- be badly beaten or hurt, get into trouble
eg. He was forced to take it on the chin when he got into the fight with the man at the store.
take the words out of one`s mouth
- say what another was just going to say, put another's thoughts into words
eg. He took the words right out of my mouth when he said that he wanted to go and get something to eat.
take heart
- be encouraged, feel braver and want to try
eg. He took heart in the fact that his son was still going to school even though he was failing most of his courses.
take a turn for the worse
- become sicker
eg. My aunt took a turn for the worse last week and is still in the hospital.
take someone's temperature
- measure someone's body temperature
eg. The nurse took my temperature when I went to the hospital yesterday.
take a beating
- lose money
eg. My friend took a beating on the stock market and now he never has to work.
taken aback
- unpleasantly surprised, suddenly puzzled or shocked
eg. I was taken aback when she said that she didn`t want to work with us any longer.
talk back
- answer rudely
eg. She is very strict and never allows her children to talk back to her.
talk big
- talk boastfully, brag
eg. He is always talking big but nobody believes what he says.
talk down to someone
- use words or ideas that are too simple
eg. I don`t really like her because she is always talking down to the people around her.
talk into
- get someone to agree to something, persuade someone to do something
eg. She finally talked her father into lending her the family car.
talk out
- discuss until everything is agreed on, settle
eg. We stayed up late last night and talked out the problem.
talk out of
- persuade not to, decide not to
eg. I spent about an hour yesterday trying to talk my friend out of quitting his job.
talk over
- discuss
eg. You had better talk over your plans with your parents before you decide what to do.
talk shop
- talk about things in one`s work
eg. Everyone at the restaurant decided that they would not talk shop during the dinner.
talk through one`s hat
- make exaggerated or inaccurate statements
eg. He is always talking through his hat and you never know if you can believe him or not.
talk turkey
- discuss seriously
eg. Now you`re talking turkey so let`s finish and go home.
talk up
- speak in favor of
eg. The manager was talking up the product as we entered the meeting.
talk until the cows come home
- talk for a long time
eg. We can talk until the cows come home this weekend at the lake.
talk through one`s hat
- say something without knowing or understanding the facts
eg. He is talking through his hat again and doesn`t really know what he is talking about.
tan someone`s hide
- give a beating to, spank hard
eg. The boy`s mother threatened to tan his hide if he did not behave himself.
taper off
- come to an end little by little, become smaller toward the end
eg. The rain began to taper off early in the afternoon.
tar and feather
- punish severely
eg. The teacher said that she would tar and feather anyone who didn`t do their homework.
tear down
- take down, destroy
eg. The city decided to tear down the building because it was unsafe.
tear up
- tear something up into small pieces
eg. The child tore up the new telephone book.
tell apart
- distinguish between two things or people
eg. It is hard to tell the two sisters apart.
tell it like it is
- be honest, sincere, tell the truth
eg. Although what he said was very difficult for everyone to believe he decided to tell it like it is anyway.
tell it to the marines (Sweeney)
- I don`t believe you, stop trying to fool me
eg. She said that she was going to start her own business but I told her to tell it to the marines as I didn`t believe her.
tell (someone) off
- speak to angrily
eg. He told his neighbor off after their music was too loud last night.
tell on someone
- reveal the activities or wrongdoings of someone by telling others
eg. She told on her brother for eating the cake.
tempest in a teapot
- great excitement about something not important
eg. The problem was really a tempest in a teapot and after a few days everyone had forgotten about it.
ten to one
- very likely
eg. I will make a bet that ten to one he comes to work late again today.
tenterhooks
- in a state of suspense or strain because of uncertainty
eg. They have been on tenterhooks all week while waiting for the decision about the Olympics.
ten-four
- I understand you.
eg. "Ten-four", he said when his friend asked him if he understood the plan.
that will be the day
- that will never happen
eg. That will be the day that he is willing to put you in charge of running the restaurant.
there are no two ways about it
- there is no alternative
eg. His boss told him that there are no two ways about it and he will have to change his habits or he will be fired.
thick
- dumb, unreasonable
eg. He is a little bit thick and never understands what I want to say.
think better of
- consider something again and make a better decision about something
eg. I would think better of going to Europe in the winter if I have a chance to go again.
think little of
- think that something or someone is not important or valuable
eg. She is not very happy and seems to think little of the people that she is working with.
think nothing of something
- not worry about something, forget it
eg. When he goes drinking he thinks nothing of spending most of his money at one time.
think out
- think through to the end
eg. I didn`t really have time to think out the problem of where everyone would sleep before the guests arrived.
think out loud
- say what one is thinking
eg. I am sorry. I was thinking out loud about the new system we have started.
think over
- consider carefully
eg. He carefully thought over his plans before talking to his supervisor.
think twice about something
- think very carefully
eg. You should think twice before you go ahead and quit your job.
think up
- invent, create
eg. He has thought up a lot of interesting ideas for his company.
three sheets to the wind
- unsteady from too much liquor, drunk
eg. I saw him walking down the street last night but he seemed to have three sheets to the wind.
three R's
- the three basic skills from school - reading, (w)riting, (a)rithmetic
eg. Many people believe that teaching the three R's is the most important role for schools.
through the grapevine
- hear from other people
eg. I heard it through the grapevine that he was going to move to Paris next summer.
through the mill
- experience a difficult situation
eg. He has really been through the mill after his divorce and loss of job.
through thick and thin
- through all difficulties and troubles, through good times and bad times
eg. Her husband is always ready to help her and supports her through thick and thin.
throw a curve
- take someone by surprise in an unpleasant way
eg. Everything was going well until he threw me a curve and told me that we would have to move to another office building next month.
throw a monkey wrench into
- cause something that is going smoothly to stop
eg. He threw a monkey wrench into our plans to go to the lake for the summer.
throw away a chance or opportunity
- fail to make use of a chance or opportunity
eg. He threw away a chance to get a good education when he began to work when he was very young.
throw cold water on
- discourage, forbid
eg. My boss quickly threw cold water on my plan to go to New York on a field trip.
throw down the gauntlet
- challenge someone to a fight or something similar
eg. The government threw down the gauntlet to the opposition party to either give an alternative or stop criticizing the government`s plans.
throw in
- give or put in as an addition
eg. When we bought the car the dealer threw in some new tires as a bonus.
throw in one`s lot with
- join, take part in something
eg. He decided to throw in his lot with the members of the company who were on strike.
throw in the towel
- surrender, give up
eg. The boxer threw in the towel about half way through the match.
throw off
- get free from
eg. I was able to throw off my cold and quickly recovered.
throw one`s weight around
- use one`s influence in an aggressive way
eg. He has been throwing his weight around ever since he got his new promotion.
throw out
- force to leave, dismiss
eg. The umpire threw out the coach for arguing with him.
throw the baby out with the bathwater
- reject all of something because part of it is faulty
eg. When they decided to get rid of all of the computers because one was broken it was like throwing the baby out with the bath water. They only needed one new computer.
throw the book at
- punish severely for breaking a rule or the law
eg. The government threw the book at him after he was convicted of drunk driving.
throw together
- make in a hurry and without care
eg. We didn`t have much time last night so we threw together a quick meal and then went to the football game.
throw to the wolves
- send into danger without protection
eg. The small boy was thrown to the wolves when he was made to join the team of older players.
throw up
- vomit
eg. He threw up two times after he got food poisoning from the seafood.
throw up one`s hands
- give up trying, admit that one cannot succeed
eg. He threw up his hands and decided to let the students go home early.
throw someone to the wolves
- send someone into danger without protection
eg. He decided to throw his co-worker to the wolves when he asked him to go and see the other company.
throw up one`s hands
- give up trying, admit that one cannot succeed
eg. I threw up my hands in frustration when I was unable to complete the telephone call.
throw cold water on
- discourage, forbid
eg. The managers threw cold water on the plans to close down the factory for one week in August.
throw money at something
- try to solve a problem by spending money on it
eg. The president of our company is willing to throw a lot of money at the problem in the hope of solving it.
throw up
- vomit
eg. The woman threw up several times after eating the bad shellfish.
thumb a lift/ride
- hitchhike
eg. Their car had a flat tire so they thumbed a lift to the nearest gas station.
thumb one`s nose
- look with disfavor or dislike
eg. The star player thumbed his nose at the fans when they began to boo him.
tickled pink
- very happy
eg. He was tickled pink to be awarded a prize for growing the best flowers.
tide (someone) over
- help someone through a difficult situation
eg. I lent him some money to tide him over until he gets paid.
tie down
- keep someone from going somewhere or doing something
eg. The project tied him down for over three months.
tie in
- to connect with something else
eg. The merchandise was tied in with the movie and had very good sales.
tie the knot
- get married
eg. They decided to tie the knot after seeing each other for over three years.
tie up
- slow or stop the movement or action of
eg. The highway traffic was tied up for over three hours last night.
tie up in knots
- make someone very nervous or worried
eg. He was tied up in knots before the speech at the convention.
tied down
- have family or job responsibilities
eg. I never see him anymore as he is tied down because of his busy schedule at work.
tighten one`s belt
- economize, spend less
eg. We will have to tighten our belts for awhile until the economy improves.
tight spot
- a difficult situation
eg. They are in a very tight spot since the head salesman quit.
tight squeeze
- difficult financial situation
eg. The company is in a tight squeeze now that sales are down from last year.
tight spot
- a difficult situation
eg. The computer manufacturing company has been in a tight spot since the shortage of computer chips appeared.
tighten one`s belt
- live on less money than usual
eg. If we want to going on a holiday to Europe this year we will have to tighten our belts and begin to save some money.
time after time
- repeatedly
eg. I have told her time after time to be careful with her spelling.
time of one`s life
- a wonderful time
eg. She had the time of her life when she went to Rome last summer.
time out
- time when a game or something is temporarily stopped for some reason
eg. During the game we took some time out to rest.
tip the balance
- have important or decisive influence, decide
eg. His ability to speak French tipped the balance in his favor to get the job at the embassy.
tip the scales
- weigh
eg. The sumo wrestler tipped the scales at over 200 kilograms.
tip (someone) off
- warn, inform
eg. The police were tipped off that there was going to be a robbery at the bank.
tire out
- make very tired
eg. My father was tired out after working hard all day.
tit for tat
- equal treatment in return, a fair exchange
eg. The government policy was a tit for tat response to any attacks against its territory.
to a fault
- so very well that it is almost bad
eg. He is honest to a fault and will not say anything unless it is the absolute truth.
to a T
- perfectly, exactly
eg. That new suit fits you to a T.
to and fro
- forward and back again and again
eg. They went to and fro between the two items trying to decide what to buy.
to be sure
- without a doubt, certainly
eg. To be sure it would be better to talk to the president of the company in person.
to boot
- in addition, also
eg. You will not only need a new video. You will need a new television to boot.
to heel
- under control
eg. The army brought the citizens to heel when they entered the town.
to one`s name
- in one`s ownership
eg. He is a very good dresser although he doesn`t have a penny to his name.
to order
- according to directions given in an order in the way something is made or size wanted etc.
eg. He had three suits made to order when he visited Hong Kong last year.
to pieces
- into broken pieces or fragments, destroyed, not working
eg. His car fell to pieces during his recent trip to Alaska.
to speak of
- important, worth talking about
eg. We didn`t do anything to speak of during the summer vacation.
to the bone
- thoroughly, entirely
eg. He became wet to the bone when the sudden storm appeared.
to the eye
- as it is seen, apparently
eg. To the eye it looked like a nice hotel but when we entered it was not very good at all.
to the full
- very much, fully
eg. He always tries to live his life to the full.
to the hilt
- to the maximum amount, completely
eg. He has been up to the hilt in debt since he bought that car.
to the letter
- exactly, precisely
eg. The police officer always follows the law to the letter.
to the nth degree
- to the greatest degree possible, extremely
eg. They made an effort to the nth degree but were unable to successfully complete the project.
to the tune of
- to the amount or extent of
eg. The damage that he did to his car was to the tune of about $2000.
to the wall
- into a place from which there is no escape
eg. The credit agency pushed him to the wall and he finally had to declare bankruptcy.
to the bone
- entirely, to the core, through all layers
eg. He was wet to the bone after staying out in the rain for two hours.
to the eye
- as it is seen, apparently
eg. To the eye it looked like there was no damage to the car but actually there was a lot of damage.
toe the line
- obey the rules and do one`s duties
eg. The children were forced to toe the line when the new teacher arrived.
tone down
- make less harsh or strong, moderate
eg. The union leader was forced to tone down his language after the strike began to grow violent.
too bad
- worthy of sorrow or regret
eg. It is too bad that the university decided to close the bookstore last year.
too big for one`s breeches/boots
- feeling more important than one really is
eg. Our new boss is too big for his breeches and needs someone to tell him to change his behavior.
too many irons in the fire
- too many things you are trying to do
eg. He has too many irons in the fire at the moment and has no time for other things.
tooth and nail
- fiercely, as hard as possible
eg. He decided to fight tooth and nail to get a transfer to another department of the company.
top off
- come or bring to a special or unexpected ending, climax
eg. The conference was topped off by a large dinner on the last day.
topsy-turvy
- upside down, in disarray
eg. My apartment was topsy-turvy so I stayed home to clean up.
top-drawer
- of the best or most important kind
eg. When he buys a new car he always buys a top-drawer model.
top-notch
- excellent, the best
eg. They had a top-notch cook at the restaurant but he left last month.
toss off
- drink rapidly
eg. He tossed off a couple of drinks before he went home for the evening.
toss out
- force to leave, dismiss
eg. The boys was tossed out of the restaurant for their bad behavior.
touch and go
- uncertain, dangerous situation
eg. It was touch and go as to whether she was going to survive after the car accident.
touch off
- cause to fire or explode by lighting the fuse
eg. The fire at the oil refinery touched off an explosion that destroyed many tanks.
touch on (upon)
- speak of or write of briefly
eg. The news article about the company touched upon their previous legal problems.
touch up
- paint over (small imperfections)
eg. I decided to have the repair shop touch up several places on my car where the paint was bad.
tough break
- unlucky event, misfortune
eg. He received a tough break when he became sick immediately before the music contest.
tourist trap
- place that is overpriced and attracts tourists
eg. He thinks that Hawaii is a tourist trap and doesn`t want to go there for his holiday.
tower of strength
- a person who gives strong and reliable support
eg. He has been a real tower of strength to his sister since her husband died.
track down
- search for
eg. I have been trying to track down an old Beatles album for many months.
trade something in
- exchange something old or used for something new
eg. He traded in his old car for a new one.
travel light
- travel with very little luggage or with little to carry
eg. We always travel very light when we go on a holiday.
tread on one`s toes
- do something that offends someone
eg. I don`t want to tread on her toes because she is the most powerful supervisor in this company.
treat someone
- pay for someone else
eg. He treated me to a dinner at the restaurant.
trial and error
- a way of solving problems by trying different possible solutions until one finds one that works
eg. They worked by trial and error until they found a solution to the parking problems at the factory.
trial balloon
- a hint about a plan with the purpose of finding out what people think about the idea
eg. We sent up a trial balloon to see who would support our plan to enlarge the factory.
trick of the trade
- a smart, quick or skillful way of doing something
eg. He knows many of the tricks of the trade in the publishing business.
trip the light fantastic
- go dancing
eg. It`s Friday night so let`s go downtown and trip the light fantastic.
trip up
- make a mistake
eg. The teacher tripped up over the correct pronunciation of the president`s name.
trump up
- make up, invent in the mind
eg. He was arrested on trumped up charges of selling illegal CDs.
trump card
- something kept back to be used to win success if nothing else works
eg. His trump card was his knowledge of the sales figures that nobody else knew..
try on
- put on clothes to see how they fit and look
eg. You should try on that jacket before you buy it.
try one`s hand
- make an inexperienced attempt at something
eg. I have decided to try my hand at sailing a boat this summer.
try out for
- planning to join or take part in a team, competing for a place
eg. Their son has decided to try out for the football team this summer.
try one`s hand
- make an inexperienced attempt at something
eg. I tried my hand at golf last summer but I didn't really like it.
try (something) out
- test
eg. We were not allowed to try the computer out before we bought it.
tug-of-war
- a game in which two teams pull on opposite ends of a rope and try to pull the other team over a line marked on the ground
eg. The children played tug-of-war at the summer camp.
tune in
- adjust a radio or television to pick up a certain station
eg. We were able to tune in to the basketball game when we were driving to work this morning.
tune up
- adjust a musical instrument to the right sound
eg. The orchestra tuned up their instruments before the performance.
turn a deaf ear to
- pretend not to hear, refuse to hear
eg. The company turned a deaf ear to our demands for more money and holidays.
turn down
- reduce the loudness, brightness or force of something
eg. I went over to my next door neighbor and asked him to turn down his stereo.
turn in
- give to someone, hand to someone
eg. I turned in the wallet that I had found to the police.
turn off
- shut off, stop
eg. Please turn off the lights before you go out.
turn (someone) off
- disgust, irritate, repel someone
eg. Her constant complaining always turns me off.
turn on
- open, start, let water or electricity flow
eg. Please turn on the radio so we can hear the evening news.
turn (someone) on
- excite a person, become interested in an idea, person or undertaking
eg. She was turned on by the idea of going to Spain for the summer.
turn on someone
- become suddenly hostile to someone
eg. He used to be my friend but he suddenly turned on me last summer.
turn one`s back on
- refuse to help someone in trouble or need
eg. She turned her back on her friend when she asked for help writing the exam paper.
turn one`s stomach
- make one feel sick
eg. Seeing the car accident turned my stomach.
turn on one`s heel
- turn around suddenly
eg. The mailman turned on his heel when when he saw the large dog.
turn out
- make someone leave or go away
eg. The man decided to turn his son out of the house when he refused to get a job.
turn over
- roll over, upset
eg. The ferry turned over during the winter storm.
turn over a new leaf
- make a fresh start
eg. I`m going to turn over a new leaf and begin to practice the piano every day.
turn over in one`s grave
- be so angry that one would not rest quietly in one`s grave
eg. My grandmother would turn over in her grave if she knew that I had lost my job and was not working.
turn tail
- run away from trouble or danger
eg. The young boys turned tail when the farmer began to chase them from the field.
turn the clock back
- return to an earlier period
eg. The politician wanted to turn the clock back to an earlier time but of course everyone knew it was impossible.
turn the other cheek
- let someone do something to you and not try to get revenge
eg. He decided to turn the other cheek when the man tried to start a fight in the restaurant.
turn the tables
- reverse the situation
eg. The opposing team were able to finally turn the tables and won the game.
turn the tide
- change what looks like defeat into victory
eg. At the beginning of the game they were losing badly but they turned the tide and finally won the game.
turn the trick
- bring about the result one wants, succeed in what one plans to do
eg. He wanted to win two prizes at the competition but was unable to turn the trick and only won one.
turn thumbs down
- disapprove or reject, say no
eg. My supervisor turned thumb downs to my plan to work on a more flexible schedule.
turn to
- go to for help
eg. He turned to his wife`s parents for advice about buying a house.
turn up
- appear suddenly
eg. They turned up when the party was almost over.
turn up one`s nose at
- refuse as not being good enough for one
eg. He turned up his nose at the offer of a job in another department of the company.
turn tail
- run away from trouble or danger
eg. We decided to turn tail and leave the pub before there was a fight.
turn on one`s heel
- turn around suddenly
eg. The dog suddenly turned on his heel and ran away.
turn thumbs down
- disapprove or reject, say no
eg. The building committee turned thumbs down on our plans to make the office larger.
turn one`s back on
- refuse to help someone in trouble or need
eg. The woman turned her back on her friend when she was asked for some money to borrow.
turn one`s stomach
- make one feel sick
eg. The sight of the dead dog on the road turned the stomachs of the children at the school.
turn over
- to buy and then sell something to customers
eg. The turn-over at that discount store is very rapid.
turn a deaf ear to
- pretend not to hear, not pay attention
eg. I turned a deaf ear to the complaints of my friend about the heat.
turn up one`s nose at
- refuse as not being good enough for one
eg. My sister turned up her nose at the chance to go to nursing school.
turn the other cheek
- let someone do something to one and not do it in return, not hit back when hit
eg. We were told in school that we should always turn the other cheek when we were attacked by someone.
twiddle one`s thumbs
- not busy, not working
eg. He was sitting around twiddling his thumbs all day and didn`t get any work done.
twist someone around one`s little finger
- have complete control over someone and be able to make them do anything you want
eg. She is able to easily twist her supervisor around her little finger and gets whatever she wants at work.
twist one`s arm
- force someone or threaten someone to make them do something
eg. He didn`t have to twist my arm to get me to go to the movie. I wanted to go anyway.
twist/wrap someone around one`s little finger
- have complete control over
eg. My sister has her boss wrapped around her little finger and she is able to do anything that she wants.
twist one`s arm
- force someone, threaten someone to make him do something
eg. I had to twist my friend's arm to get him to let me borrow his car.
two bits
- twenty-five cents, a quarter of a dollar
eg. He bought several used books for two bits each.
two cents
- something not important or very small, almost nothing
eg. Although his stereo works well I wouldn`t give him two cents for it.
two cents worth
- something one wants to say, opinion
eg. He is always talking and I never have a chance to put in my two cents worth.
two can play that game
- you can also treat someone in the same way as they have treated you
eg. The employees told the boss that two can play that game and if he was too strict they would also be unflexible at work.
two heads are better than one
- it is better to work with another person to solve problems etc
eg. Two heads are usually better than one when you are trying to solve a difficult problem.
two wrongs don't make a right
- you can't justify a wrong action by saying that someone else did the same thing to you
eg. Two wrongs don't make a right and if someone does something bad to you you should not try and hurt them as well.
two-faced
- disloyal, untrustworthy
eg. I think he is two-faced and can never be trusted.
two's company (three's a crowd)
- better to leave two people together than for a third person to interfere
eg. My friend wanted to come along on the date between me and my girlfriend but I told him that two's company and three's a crowd so he stayed home.
(be) thrown together
- be grouped with other people by chance
eg. We were thrown together with some strange people when the storm forced the plane to delay its flight for a day.
(not worth) two cents
- almost nothing, something not important or very small
eg. The car that my friend bought is not worth two cents.
(the) third degree
- detailed questioning
eg. His mother gave him the third degree when he came home late last night.
UFO
- Unidentified Flying Object
eg. The number of UFO sightings has increased dramatically recently.
UV
- Ultraviolet - a type of light ray
eg. We used lots of sunscreen in order to protect ourselves from UV rays.
ugly duckling
- an ugly or plain child who grows up to be pretty and attractive
eg. She was an ugly duckling when she was a child but now she is very beautiful.
under a cloud
- under suspicion, not trusted
eg. The politician has been under a cloud over the possibility of taking bribes.
under cover
- hidden, concealed
eg. The police officer went under cover to look for the drug dealers.
under fire
- being shot at or attacked, under (verbal) attack
eg. The owner of the company is under fire for not paying his employees a fair salary.
under one`s belt
- in one`s experience, memory or possession
eg. When he has more experience as a cook under his belt he will begin to look for a job.
under one`s breath
- in a whisper, with a low voice
eg. He was talking under his breath in the movie theater and someone complained.
under one`s nose
- in sight of, in an easily seen or noticeable place
eg. He found his driver`s license right under his nose where he had left it.
under one`s own steam
- by one`s own efforts, without help
eg. He was able to go home under his own steam even though he was feeling very sick.
under one`s thumb
- obedient to someone, controlled by someone
eg. He is only an assistant salesman but he has his boss under his thumb.
under one`s wing
- under the care or protection of
eg. He took the new employee under his wing to help him in the new job.
under the counter
- secretly bought or sold
eg. The drugs are being sold under the counter although the government has not given its approval.
under the hammer
- up for sale at an auction
eg. The painting went under the hammer and sold for a very high price.
under the table
- in secret and usually illegal
eg. He paid some money under the table in order to get his product exported into the country.
under the weather
- feel ill (but not seriously ill)
eg. He is feeling under the weather so he is going to bed early tonight.
under wraps
- not allowed to be seen until the right time, in secrecy
eg. The new car was still under wraps when the auto show started.
under one`s thumb
- obedient to someone, controlled by someone
eg. She has her husband under her thumb and never gives him any freedom at all.
under one`s belt
- in one`s experience or possession; gained by effort and skill
eg. Now that you have experience working for an international company under your belt you will have more chances to apply for a better job.
under one`s nose
- in sight of, easily seen
eg. I thought that I had lost my house keys but I found them right under my nose.
under the weather
- not feeling well
eg. My boss has been feeling under the weather all week and has not come to work during that time.
unearthly hour
- absurdly early or inconvenient
eg. We got up at an unearthly hour this morning so we could get ready to go camping.
until hell freezes over
- forever, for an eternity
eg. He said that he would not talk to his girlfriend again until hell freezes over.
up against
- close to
eg. The ladder was standing up against the tree in the yard.
up and about
- recovered from an illness
eg. He has been up and about for a couple of days since he left the hospital.
up for grabs
- available for anyone to try to get, ready to be competed for
eg. The new championship of the city is up for grabs.
up front
- honestly, correctly
eg. He was very up front when giving me the information about the new office.
up in arms
- equipped with guns or weapons and ready to fight, very angry and ready to fight
eg. The villagers were up in arms over the proposal to take some of their land away from them.
up in the air
- not settled, undecided
eg. Whether or not I will be able to go to London is still up in the air.
up in arms
- very angry and wanting to fight, equipped with guns or weapons and ready to fight
eg. The students were up in arms over the school's plan to make them wear uniforms.
up one`s alley
- something one is good at or enjoys
eg. Computer programming is right up his alley and he is very good at it.
up one`s sleeve
- kept secretly ready for the right time or for a time when needed
eg. He probably has something up his sleeve and will be able to get a job when he needs one.
up the creek
- in trouble
eg. She is up the creek now that she has lost her passport.
up the river/creek with no paddle
- in trouble and unable to do anything about it
eg. I think that we are up the river with no paddle now that our car has run out of gasoline.
up to
- as far as, as deep or as high as, close to, approaching
eg. The water in the swimming pool came up to my waist.
up to it/the job
- capable of, fit for, equal to
eg. If he is up to it we should let him drive the truck to the new office.
up to/till/until
- until
eg. Up until last week he had never been inside of a bowling alley.
up to here with
- sick of someone`s continual bad or irritating behavior
eg. I have had it up to here with his always coming late to work.
up to one`s ears in work
- have a lot of work to do
eg. I`d like to go with you but I`m up to my ears in work at the moment.
up to par/scratch/snuff/the mark
- meeting normal standards, equal to the usual level or quality
eg. His work was not up to par and he was asked to leave and look for another job.
up to someone to do something
- be responsible to take care of something
eg. It is up to her to decide when the meeting will start.
up to the chin in
- very busy with, working hard at, having very much or many of
eg. She has been up to her chin all morning in work to try and get ready for the party.
upper crust
- richest, most famous or important people in a certain place, the highest class
eg. The private club was full of what looked like the upper crust of the city.
upper hand
- controlling power, advantage
eg. The union members have the upper hand in the negotiations with the company.
ups and downs
- alternate good and bad fortune
eg. He is having a few ups and downs but generally he is doing well.
upset the applecart
- ruin or spoil a plan or idea
eg. Try not to upset the applecart as we have spent a lot of time working on this project.
uptight
- worried, irritated, excessively eager or anxious
eg. My sister has been uptight all week because of her exams.
use one`s head/bean/noodle/noggin
- think carefully about
eg. You should use your head a little more and try not to make the same mistake again.
use one`s head
- use one's brain or mind, think, have common sense
eg. Sometimes I think that the manager of the video store never uses her head at all when you ask her a question.
use up
- use until nothing is left, spend or consume completely
eg. They used up all of the paper in the copy machine this morning.
used to
- accustomed to
eg. He is not used to living in such a big city.
(in) up to the chin
- very busy with, deeply involved in something, guilty of
eg. He has been in up to the chin in the project to build a new convention center.
VCR
- Video Cassette Recorder
eg. We bought a new VCR after our old one began to have problems.
VDU
- Video Display Unit
eg. The VDU at work was beginning to cause problems with my eyes so I went to an eye doctor.
VHF
- Very High Frequency
eg. The television wasn't working because of a problem with the VHF connection.
VIP
- Very Important Person
eg. The football player was given the VIP treatment when he went to visit his hometown.
VP
- Vice-President
eg. After serving faithfully as vice-president for many years my father was appointed to the position of company president.
VTR
- Video Tape Recorder
eg. The VTR in the classroom was missing because someone was using it for a meeting.
very well
- agreed, all right
eg. Very well, if you want to go I will go with you.
vicious circle
- unbroken sequence of cause and effect with bad results
eg. He had fallen into a vicious circle of drinking too much and then losing his job and then drinking even more.
vote down
- defeat in a vote
eg. The proposal to extend the opening hours of bars was voted down in the election.
WC
- Water Closet - toilet
eg. As soon as we entered the park we went directly to the sign that said WC.
wade into
- attack, join in
eg. The football player waded into the fight to protect his teammates.
wait on (someone) hand and foot
- serve in every possible way, do everything for someone
eg. He always waits on his wife hand and foot.
wait table
- serve food
eg. He spent the summer waiting tables at the resort.
wait up for
- not go to bed until someone arrives or something happens
eg. The woman waited up for her daughter to come home.
wait on hand and foot
- serve someone in every possible way, do everything for someone
eg. I always wait hand and foot on my sister when she comes to visit me.
walk all over someone
- take advantage of someone, win a game easily
eg. They walked all over the other team at the football tournament.
walk away/off with
- take and go away with, take away, steal
eg. Someone walked away with the computer from the library last night.
walk of life
- way of living, manner in which people live
eg. People from every walk of life came to the concert in the park.
walk on air
- feel happy and excited
eg. She has been walking on air all morning since she heard that she had passed her exams.
walk out
- go on strike
eg. More than half of the workers at the factory decided to walk out on strike this morning.
walk (all) over
- make someone do whatever one wishes, make selfish use of
eg. He tried to walk all over me when I began the job but after I became used to the company he stopped.
walk the floor
- walk back and forth across the floor, pace
eg. He spent the night in the hospital walking the floor while waiting for his wife to have a baby.
walk the plank
- be forced to resign from a job
eg. The vice-president was forced to walk the plank when the new president joined the company.
walking papers
- a statement that one is fired from one`s job, dismissal
eg. He was given his walking papers from his company last week.
waltz off with
- to take, get or win easily
eg. My favorite team waltzed off with the championship again last night.
warm one`s blood/heart
- make one feel warm or excited
eg. The sight of the small boy looking after his dog warmed the heart of the people on the street.
warm up
- become friendly or interested
eg. His wife finally warmed up to the idea of going to Italy for a holiday.
wash one`s hands of
- abandon, refuse responsibility for
eg. He washed his hands of the problem after they refused to deal with it.
washed up
- no longer successful or needed
eg. The boxer was all washed up and had to retire last year.
waste one`s breath
- speak pointlessly without the desired results
eg. He is very stubborn and you are wasting your breath to try and argue with him.
watch it
- be careful (usually used as a command)
eg. "Watch it! That truck is going very fast and may hit you."
watch/mind one`s P`s and Q`s
- be well-behaved, be careful
eg. The boy was told to watch his P`s and Q`s by his teacher after he caused too many problems at school.
water down
- make weak, dilute
eg. The new policy was a watered down version of the earlier one.
water under the bridge
- something that happened in the past and can`t be changed
eg. It was terrible that your house was robbed but it is water under the bridge now and you must move on.
way the wind blows
- direction or course something may go, what may happen
eg. We will have to see which way the wind blows as far as our plans to go to London or not.
wear and tear
- damage as a result of ordinary use
eg. They put a lot of wear and tear on their car during their long holiday.
wear down
- make something become less useful or smaller or weaker by wearing or aging
eg. Little by little the water wore down the rocks at the edge of the river.
wear off/away
- remove or disappear little by little by use, time or weather
eg. The name on the front of my passport has worn off from using it too much.
wear on
- anger or annoy, tire
eg. His constant complaining is beginning to wear on my nerves.
wear one`s heart on one`s sleeve
- show one`s feelings openly
eg. He was wearing his heart on his sleeve after the meeting with his boss.
wear out
- use or wear something until it becomes useless
eg. My shoes wore out during my trip to Paris.
wear out one`s welcome
- visit somewhere too long or come back too often so that one is not welcome anymore
eg. My friend has worn out his welcome at our house as he always comes to visit us without calling first.
wear the pants in a family
- be the boss in a family
eg. She is very strong and seems to be the one who wears the pants in her family.
wear thin
- become thin from use or the passing of time
eg. The silver dollar had begun to wear thin after it was in use for many years.
wear one`s heart on one`s sleeve
- show one`s feelings openly
eg. She is wearing her heart on her sleeve and everyone knows that she is having problems with her boyfriend again.
wear the pants in one`s family
- be the boss of a family or household
eg. She seems to wear the pants in her family and is always telling her husband what to do.
wear one`s heart on one`s sleeve
- show one`s feelings openly
eg. After the going away party the salesman was wearing his heart on his sleeve.
weed out
- remove what is unwanted, get rid of
eg. I spent the morning weeding out the clothes that I didn`t need anymore.
weigh on/upon
- be a weight or pressure on someone or something, worry or upset someone
eg. The pressure of her exams has begun to weigh upon my sister.
weigh one`s words
- be careful of what one says
eg. You should weigh your words carefully before you tell him your decision to quit.
well and good
- good, satisfactory
eg. It is well and good that he will go and talk to his supervisor about the problem.
well-heeled
- rich
eg. He seems rather well-heeled and is always wearing expensive clothes and driving a nice car.
well-off
- wealthy
eg. Her parents are well-off and don`t need to worry about money during their retirement.
well-to-do
- having or making enough money to live comfortably
eg. He comes from a rather well-to-do family.
wet behind the ears
- inexperienced, immature
eg. He is a little wet behind the ears and doesn`t know much about the company yet.
wet blanket
- person who discourages others from having fun
eg. He is a wet blanket so we never invite him to any parties.
wet behind the ears
- inexperienced, new in a job or place
eg. He is still wet behind the ears and doesn`t know very much at all about this company.
wet one`s whistle
- have a drink, especially alcohol
eg. They decided to stop at a bar on the way home from work to wet their whistle.
what about
- about or concerning something
eg. I know that he wants to borrow my tent but what about my sleeping bag.
what have you
- whatever one likes or wants
eg. "I`ll have a blueberry ice cream cone or what have you."
what with
- because, as a result of
eg. We wanted to go away for a holiday but what with the move to a new building and the expansion we are too busy to go anywhere.
what`s the big idea
- what is the purpose, what do you have in mind
eg. "What`s the big idea. Why are you using my bicycle?"
what`s up/cooking/doing
- what is happening, what is planned, what is wrong
eg. "What`s up ", he said as he entered the room.
what`s what
- what each thing is in a group, one thing from another
eg. It is hard to tell what`s what at an auction of old furniture.
what`s (up) with
- what is happening/wrong, how is everything
eg. "What`s with the new supervisor? He seems very angry this morning."
wheel and deal
- take part in political or commercial scheming
eg. There was a lot of wheeling and dealing going on before they built the new convention center.
when hell freezes over
- never
eg. He said that he would come to an office party when hell freezes over.
when the chips are down
- at the most important or dangerous time, when the winner and loser of a bet or a game will be decided
eg. When the chips are down he will always come and help his friends.
while away the time
- make time go by pleasantly
eg. We spent the afternoon whiling away the time by the river.
whip up
- make or do quickly or easily
eg. It was very late when we got home last night so we whipped up something to eat very quickly.
whistle a different tune
- change one`s attitude, contradict previous ideas
eg. He is whistling a different tune now that he has been promoted and has responsibility for the office.
whistle in the dark
- try to stay brave and forget one`s fear
eg. Although he felt very frightened he began to whistle in the dark which helped to calm him down.
white elephant
- a useless possession
eg. They are having a white elephant sale at the school next week.
white lie
- a harmless lie (eg. told for the sake of politeness)
eg. I told her a white lie when I said that I would be too busy to meet her.
white sale
- selling at reduced prices of towels, linens, etc.
eg. We went to the white sale at the department store last Saturday.
white elephant
- a useless possession
eg. The new stereo that he bought is a white elephant and he doesn`t need it at all.
white as a ghost
- very pale because of fear, shock, illness etc.
eg. My sister became white as a ghost when she saw the man at the window.
white lie
- a harmless lie (told to be polite or to do something not seriously wrong)
eg. I told my boss a white lie and said that I was sick yesterday when actually I wasn`t.
white sale
- the selling at a reduced price of towels or sheets etc.
eg. We went to the white sale at the department store in order to buy some new sheets before my parents come to visit.
whole show
- everything
eg. The new boss always tries to run the whole show.
wide of the mark
- far from the target or the thing aimed at, incorrect
eg. His ideas for the new company were wide of the mark from what everyone expected.
wild goose chase
- absurd or hopeless search
eg. He led them all on a wild goose chase when he told them about the sale at the computer store.
wildcat strike
- a strike not ordered by a labor union but spontaneously by a group of workers
eg. There was a wildcat strike at the factory last night.
will not hear of
- will not allow or consider
eg. My aunt said that she will not hear of us staying at a hotel when we come to see her.
will power
- strength of mind
eg. He has very strong will power and was able to quit smoking easily.
win out
- be victorious or successful after hard work or difficulty
eg. We have had a lot of problems with our boss recently but finally we won out and he agreed to listen to our complaints.
wind up
- end, finish, settle
eg. Let`s wind things up now and then we can all go home.
wing it
- act without preparation
eg. He wasn`t prepared for the examination so he had to wing it.
wink at
- allow and pretend not to know about something (a law or rule being broken)
eg. The librarian always winks at the rule about borrowing a maximum of three books.
winning streak
- a series of several wins one after the other
eg. Our baseball team has been on a winning streak for several weeks now.
wipe out
- remove, kill or destroy completely
eg. The city spends a lot of money trying to wipe out rats near the river.
wipe-out
- a disaster, a calamity
eg. My exams were a total wipe-out. I think that I failed all of them.
wise guy
- a person who acts as if he were smarter than other people
eg. He always acts like a wise guy when he is in a big group.
wise up to
- finally understand what is really going on after a period of ignorance
eg. He finally wised up to the fact that he was never going to get a promotion in his company.
wisecrack
- sarcastic or nasty remark
eg. She made a funny wisecrack during the speech which caused the audience to start laughing.
wishy-washy
- unable to decide, have no definite opinion
eg. He is very wishy-washy and can never make up his mind what he wants to do.
with child
- pregnant, going to have a baby
eg. I think that the new teacher at our school is with child.
with flying colors
- with great or total success
eg. I was able to pass my final exams with flying colors.
with open arms
- greet someone warmly or eagerly
eg. My aunt and uncle were at the airport to greet us with open arms.
with the best of them
- as well as anyone
eg. He can play soccer with the best of them when he makes the effort.
with open arms
- warmly, eagerly, show that one is glad to see someone
eg. The author was welcomed with open arms when he came to visit the city.
with flying colors
- with great or total success
eg. She passed her course with flying colors and now wants to go out and celebrate.
with all one`s heart
- with great feeling, sincerely
eg. I tried with all my heart to get my friend to go with me for a holiday but he wouldn`t come.
within an inch of one`s life
- until one is almost dead
eg. The elderly man was beaten to within an inch of his life.
within reason
- sensible, reasonable
eg. I think that, within reason, you should be able to take as much time off as you want to go to school.
wit`s end
- not knowing what to do, at the end of one`s mental resources
eg. I have been at my wit`s end all week trying to decide what to wear to the party.
wolf in sheep`s clothing
- a person who pretends to be good but really is bad
eg. He is a wolf in sheep`s clothing and you should be very careful when you have to deal with him.
word for word
- in exactly the same words
eg. I told her word for word exactly what had happened before the accident.
word of mouth
- passing information orally from one person to another
eg. He heard about the new restaurant by word of mouth.
work in
- rub in
eg. We spent a long time trying to work the softening cream into the leather.
work into
- force into little by little
eg. He was able to work his foot into his boot but it was still very tight.
work off
- make something go away - especially by working
eg. He was able to work off his hangover and is now feeling much better.
work on/upon
- have an effect on, try to influence or convince
eg. I am working on my boss to let me have some time off this summer.
work one`s fingers to the bone
- work very hard
eg. She has been working her fingers to the bone for years trying to raise her three children.
work out
- end successfully, be efficient
eg. I hope that everything will work out for her when she moves to London next week.
work over
- beat someone up very roughly in order to intimidate them or get money
eg. The gang worked over the storeowner in order to get some money from him.
work up
- stir up, arouse, excite
eg. He really likes to work up a sweat when he does his exercises.
work one`s fingers to the bone
- work very hard
eg. The woman who lives next door worked her fingers to the bone in order to make enough money to feed her children.
work out
- plan, develop
eg. I spent the weekend trying to work out the budget estimates for next year.
worked up
- feeling excited, angry, worried
eg. He is all worked up about the fact that he wasn`t invited to the party.
world is one`s oyster
- everything is possible for one, one can get anything
eg. The world is her oyster now that she has received her MBA from Harvard University.
worse for wear
- not as good as new, worn out
eg. I borrowed my friend`s canoe for a month and it is now beginning to look the worse for wear.
worth a cent
- worth anything, of any value
eg. His new car is broken down and not worth a cent.
worth one`s salt
- worth what one is paid
eg. He is definitely worth his salt in our company and is one of our best employees.
would just as soon
- prefer to do one thing rather than another
eg. She would just as soon stay at home as go to the movie.
wrap around one`s finger
- have complete control over someone and be able to make them do anything you want
eg. She has her boss wrapped around her finger and can do anything that she wants.
wrap up
- put on warm clothes, dress warmly
eg. She wrapped herself up in her warm clothes and went out.
wrapped up in
- thinking only of, interested only in
eg. He is always wrapped up in playing with his computer.
write off
- remove (an amount) from a business record, cancel (a debt)
eg. The bank was forced to write off a large amount of its debt.
write up
- write or describe in writing, give a full account of
eg. After our trip to Vietnam I spent a couple of weeks trying to write it up for a magazine.
write off
- remove from a business record, cancel a debt
eg. It was impossible for the bank to collect the money so they were forced to write off the loan.
wrong side of the tracks
- the poor side of town
eg. He married a girl who everyone said was from the wrong side of the tracks because he loved her.
(a) while back
- several weeks or months in the past
eg. I saw him a while back but recently I have no idea where he is.
(have) what it takes
- ability for a job, courage
eg. He really has what it takes to be a success at his job.
(not) worth a cent
- not worth anything, not of any value
eg. That antique desk is not worth a cent although eveyone thinks it is very valuable.
x-ray
- see through
eg. Your clothes are just like under X-ray and I see inside out.
YMCA
- Young Men's Christian Association
eg. The English classes at the YMCA were recommended to the students last year.
YWCA
- Young Women's Christian Association
eg. My friend stayed at the YWCA when she visited New York City last summer.
You tell`em
- used to agree with or encourage someone in what they are saying
eg. "You tell`em," I yelled out to the politician who was making the speech.
yakety-yak
- a lot of talk about little things
eg. We spent the whole evening in a yakety-yak session at my friends.
year-round
- operating all year
eg. We usually spend all summer at a year-round resort in California.
yellow-bellied
- extremely timid, cowardly
eg. He is a yellow-bellied person who is not good to have as a friend.
yellow streak
- cowardice in a person`s character
eg. He has a real yellow streak and will not say anything to defend his friends.
yellow-bellied
- extremely timid, cowardly
eg. Everyone thinks that the new boss handled the matter in a yellow-bellied manner.
yellow streak
- cowardice in one`s character
eg. He has a yellow streak running down his back and is not a good person to expect to support you when things become difficult.
yes-man
- a person who tries to be liked by agreeing with everything said (especially by a boss)
eg. He is a yes-man who will do anything that his boss asks him to do.
you bet/you bet your boots/you bet your life
- most certainly, yes, without any doubt
eg. You bet your life I will be attending the conference next year.
you bet your boots
- most certainly, yes indeed
eg. You can bet your boots that I am going to go and apply for my passport as early as possible.
you don`t say
- used to show surprise at what is said
eg. "You don`t say", he said when he heard about the accident on the highway.
you said it/you can say that again
- used to show strong agreement with what another person has said
eg. "You can say that again," I answered when the woman mentioned how hot it was out in the sun.
you`re telling me
- used to show that a thing is so clear that it need not be said
eg. "This restaurant is very expensive and the food is not so good." "You`re telling me."
zero hour
- the exact time when an attack or other military action will start
eg. The air force planes waited until zero hour in order to start out on their bombing mission.
zero in on
- adjust a gun so that it will hit a target, aim at
eg. The soldiers zeroed in on the target and began to fire their guns.
zonk out
- fall asleep very quickly
eg. As soon as I got home last night I immediately zonked out.
Last Update: 2004/01/02