0401-0600 Flashcards
stick to your guns
If youstick to your guns,you show determination when faced with opposition. The government stuck to its guns in spite of the criticism.
take wind out ofsails
If someone or somethingtakes the wind out of your sails,they make you feel less confident by doing or saying something that you do not expect. The manager’s rejection of our marketing strategy really took the wind out of our sails.
licence to print money
An officially authorized activity which enables people to make a lot of money without much effort is calleda licence to print money. The contract to supply computers to schools was a licence to print money.
likely story
This expression is used to say that you do not believe what has just been said. He said he’d found the money on the street - that’s a likely story!
not only pebble on beach
To say that someone isnot the only pebble on the beachmeans that they are not the only person worth considering. He thinks his refusal to join the team will cause problems, but there are other alternatives …he’s not the only pebble on the beach!
front runner
In a contest, race or election, thefront runneris the person who is most likely to succeed or win. Who are the front runners in the coming elections?
bad hair day
Originating as a humorous comment about one’s hair being unmanageable, this term had broadened to mean ‘a day when everything seems to go wrong’. What’s wrong with Jenny? Is she having a bad hair day?
keep yourearto the ground
If you keep your ear to the ground, you make sure that you are aware of all that is happening and being said. I’ll keep my ear to the ground and as soon as there are any developments I’ll call you.
put one’s feet up
When you put your feet up, you sit down and relax. You must be tired. Come in and put your feet up.
heart of stone
Someone who has aheart of stoneis a cold person who shows others no understanding, sympathy or pity. She’s not the person to go to if you’ve got problems - she’s got a heart of stone!
armchair traveller
Someone who reads books or watches TV programmes about other places and countries, but doesn’t actually travel anywhere, is called anarmchair traveller. A surprising number of adventure books are bought by armchair travellers.
on a sticky wicket
If you find yourselfon a sticky wicket,you are in a situation that is difficult to deal with. They’ve refused to sign the contract so we’re on a sticky wicket now!
thrilled to bits
Someone who isthrilled to bitsis extremely pleased about something. Julie was thrilled to bits when her project was selected.
catch 22
Acatch 22situation refers to a frustrating situation where you cannot do one thing without doing a second, and you cannot do the second before doing the first. I can’t get a job without a work permit, and I can’t get a work permit without a job. It’s a catch 22 situation!
back the wrong horse
If youback or bet on the wrong horse, for example the loser in a contest, match or election, you support the wrong person. When I voted for him I was convinced he would win, but I backed the wrong horse!
sell your soul
This is a humorous way of saying that you would be willing to do something morally or legally wrong to obtain what you want. He’d sell his soul to get an interview.
look/feel like amilliondollars
If youlook or feel like a million dollars, you look or feel extremely good. With a tan and a new hairstyle, she looked like a million dollars.
words of one syllable
If you explain something in words of one syllable, you use very simple language. Not so fast! Tell me in words of one syllable!
go out the window
If a quality, principle or opportunitygoes out the window,it disappears, is lost or abandoned. When the plant closed down, all hopes of finding a job went out the window.
toy with the idea
If you consider something without giving it serious thought, youtoy with the idea. Sally has often toyed with the idea of moving abroad, but she’s still here!
step out of line
If youstep out of line,you do something unacceptable or break the rules. It was made clear upon arrival that we would be dismissed if we stepped out of line.
flag of convenience
If a ship, boat or yacht sails under aflag of convenience, it is registered in a foreign country in order to avoid regulations and taxes, and reduce operating costs.
hot on the trail
If you arehot on the trailof someone or something, you are very close to finding them. The police are hot on the trail of the bank robber.
turkeys voting for Christmas
This expression is used to say that a particular option is unlikely to be chosen because it would not be in the interest of the people concerned. (In many countries people eat turkey at Christmas.) Expecting them to accept a decrease in salary would be like turkeys voting for Christmas.
lock horns
If youlock hornswith somebody, you argue or fight with them about something. If there is another incident like that in the building, the occupants will be locking horns!
class act
To say that someone, for example an athlete or entertainer, is aclass actmeans that they are very good at what they do. Her career is just beginning but she’s already a class act.
riding high
Someone who isriding highis enjoying a period of success or popularity. He’s been riding high since the success of his last film.
fly by the seat of your pants
If you fly by the seat of your pants,you do something without any knowledge or experience, using only your instinct and hoping that you will succeed. Without any formal training, he decided to fly by the seat of his pants and try his luck in New York.
get the better of
If someone or somethinggets the better of you,it defeats you. She went on a diet but it didn’t last long - her love of chocolate got the better of her!
street-smart / streetwise
A person who isstreet-smartorstreetwisehas enough experience and knowledge about life in the city to be able to deal with difficult or dangerous situations. The kids living in this area are all street-smart - they’re in less danger than us.
do someone’sdirtywork
Todo somebody’s dirty workmeans to do the unpleasant or difficult work that another person does not want to do. Life is easy for Harry. He always finds someone to do his dirty work!
economical with the truth
To say that a person iseconomical with the truthmeans that, without actually lying, they omit important facts or give incomplete information. The politician was accused of being economical with the truth.
it’s a small world
People use this expression when they are surprised to meet someone familiar in unexpected places. Wow! It’s a small world. I never expected to meet a neighbour on a transatlantic flight!
vent your spleen
When you ventyour spleen,you release or express all your anger about something. Whenever Harry is angry about new government measures, he vents his spleen by writing to newspapers.
asking for trouble
Someone who isasking for troubleis behaving so stupidly that he/she is likely to have problems. Driving fast on these roads is really asking for trouble!
regain one’s composure
If youregain your composure,you calm down and control your emotions again after a stressful or upsetting event. It took her a while to regain her composure after hearing the insulting remarks.
is thePopeCatholic?
This is a sarcastic way of answering a question in the affirmative when the answer is obviously ‘yes’. “Do birds fly?” “Of course they do. Is the Pope Catholic?”
now you’re talking!
This expression is used to show encouragement or agreement with something that has just been said, for example a good idea. “If we take the underground we’ll avoid the traffic” “Now you’re talking!”
deep pockets
A person or organisation who hasdeep pocketshas a lot of money. Andy’s business is not doing well at the moment. He says he needs a friend with deep pockets!
turn up like a bad penny
If someoneturns up like a bad penny,they appear at a place or event where they are not welcome or not wanted. I try to avoid Jane, but wherever I go she turns up like a bad penny!
run out ofsteam
If you say that a person, a process or an organised event isrunning out of steam,you mean that there is a loss of impetus, energy or enthusiasm. The anti-immigrant movement seems to be running out of steam.
of your ownfreewill
If you do somethingof your own free will, you do it voluntarily, without any pressure from others. He decided to tell the truth, and he did it of his own free will.
swelled/swollen head
Someone who has aswelledorswollen headhas become proud or conceited, usually because of a recent success. Larry’s promotion has given him a swelled/swollen head!
out of whack
If something isout of whack,it is not working properly or is not in good order. The dishwasher is making a funny noise. Something must be out of whack.
my way or highway
If you say to someone’it’s my way or the highway’,you are telling them that either they accept to do as you say or they leave the project. You don’t have much choice when someone says: ‘it’s my way or the highway.’!
otherfishto fry
If you haveother fish to fry, you have more important things to do. I don’t think he’ll attend the office party; he’s got other fish to fry.
game not worth the candle
To say thatthe game(or the cake)is not worth the candlemeans that the advantages to be gained from doing something are not worth the effort involved. He recorded an album but sold very few copies; the game wasn’t worth the candle.
easy does it!
You can ‘easy does it!’ when you want something to be done slowly and carefully. “Easy does it” said my husband as the sofa was carried through the hall door.
on the QT
Something that is done on the QT is done quietly or discreetly. They got married on the QT last summer and told nobody.
vested interest
If you have avested interestedin a situation or event, you expect to benefit or gain an advantage from it. Tony has a vested interest in Fred’s promotion; he hopes to get his job!
sink or swim
If someone has tosink or swim, they have to do something alone, and their success or failure depends entirely on their own efforts. The sink-or-swim attitude in the company can be very difficult for young recruits.
before you know it
If something takes place so suddenly that you don’t have time to become aware of it, it happensbefore you know itorbefore you know where you are. The doorbell rang, and before we knew it a surprise birthday party was under way!
doubting Thomas
A ‘doubting Thomas’ is a person who will not believe something without proof, or without seeing it for themselves. I had to show him my membership card. What a doubting Thomas!
dance attendance
If youdance attendanceon somebody, you are constantly available for that person and attend to their wishes. She’s rich and famous and expects everyone to dance attendance on her.
just off the boat
A person who isjust off the boatis naive and lacks experience. How do you expect me to work with a trainee who’s just off the boat!
over the top (OTT)
Something which isover the topis totally excessive or not suitable for the occasion. Her dramatic speech was way over the top.
horses for courses
This expression means that because horses race better on a course that suits them, it is important to match people with suitable jobs or tasks. A person suited to one activity may not be suited to another. His experience in sales doesn’t necessarily make him ideal for the job. Horses for courses, as the saying goes!
jack of all trades
Ajack of all tradesis a person who can do many different things but is not very good at any one of them.. I’m looking for a skilled worker, not a jack-of-all-trades.
snake in the grass
Someone who pretends to be your friend while actually betraying you isa snake in the grass. I thought I could trust my colleague but he turned out to be a snake in the grass.
take afancyto
If youtake a fancyto someone or something, you develop a fondness for them or begin to like them. I think Paul has taken a fancy to the new intern!
shoulder surfing
The practice of looking over somebody’s shoulder when they are using a computer, cash dispenser or other electronic device, in order to obtain personal information (identification, account number, password, etc.) is calledshoulder surfing.
come to blows
If two or more peoplecome to blows, they start to fight. The debate was so intense that the participants almost came to blows.
go to great lengths (or pains)
When trying to achieve something, if yougo to great lengthsorgreat pains, you do everything that is possible in order to succeed. The two parties went to great lengths to reach an agreement.
pull your weight
To say that somebodypulls their weight means that they do their fair share of the work. It’s great working with Sandra. She always pulls her weight.
(can’t)makean omelette without …
This expression means that it is impossible to make important changes without causing some unpleasant effects. Some people will lose their jobs after the merger but you can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs.
all hell broke loose
If you say thatall hell broke loose, you mean that there was a sudden angry or noisy reaction to something. All hell broke loose when it was announced that the plant was going to close down.
sittingduck
Asitting duckis an easy target, a person who is easy to deceive. The young girl was a sitting duck for the photographer.
keep thewolffrom the door
Tokeep the wolf from the dooryou need to have enough money to buy food and other basic essentials in order to survive. My grandparents earned barely enough to keep the wolf from the door.
taste of one’s own medicine
If you give someonea taste of their own medicine, you treat them in the same unpleasant way that they have treated you. People who always late should be given a taste of their own medicine.
run out of steam
If you say that a person, a process or an organised event isrunning out of steam,you mean that there is a loss of impetus, energy or enthusiasm. The anti-immigrant movement seems to be running out of steam.
grit your teeth
When you are determined to do something in spite of the difficulties involved, yougrit your teeth. To reach safety I had to grit my teeth and wade through the mud.
tear one’s hair out
If someone istearing their hair out,they are extremely agitated or distressed about something. I’ve been tearing my hair out all morning trying to find the error!
binge drinking
This term refers to heavy drinking where large quantities of alcohol are consumed in a short space of time, often among young people in rowdy groups. Binge drinking is becoming a major problem in some European countries.
live to tell the tale
Someone wholives to tell the talesurvives a terrible experience. Only two members of the expedition lived to tell the tale.
going concern
A business or activity that is dynamic and successful is agoing concern. They opened a coffee shop that is a going concern today.
close to home
If a remark or comment isclose to home, it is so true, or it affects you so directly, that you feel uncomfortable. Alan looks embarrassed. Bob’s comment must have been close to home.
cut both ways
Something thatcuts both wayshas both a positive and a negative effect at the same time. Banning cars in the town centre can cut both ways : less traffic congestion but fewer customers in the shops.
all brawn and no brain
Someone who is physically very strong but not very intelligent is said to beall brawn and no brain. He’s an impressive player to watch, but he’s all brawn and no brain.
fall flat
If a joke, a story or a form of entertainmentfalls flat, it does not amuse people, or fails to have the effect that was intended. He made a few attempts at humour during his speech but most of his jokes fell flat.
sour grapes
To say that someone’s attitude is’sour grapes’means that they are trying to make others believe that something they cannot have is of no importance. When she didn’t get the job she said she wasn’t interested in it anyway, but that’s just sour grapes!
