1. Flashcards
tell sb about an idea to receive feedback
bounce a few/couple of ideas off somebody
annoy sb
be angry
get a rise of sb
be in the doghouse, hot under the collar, foaming at the mouth
long speech about sth
launch into a long/bitter diatribe against sb
be unsuccessful
strike out
(strike out on your own)
refuse to listen to sb
brush off an idea/a person, give sb the brush-off
criticise
castigate
courage
spunk
lie
fabricate facts/cook up a story
have a quick look
have/take a gander
call a taxi
hail a cab
be obsequious towards sb
butter up sb
have an opinion that is different from others’
go out on a limb
be sad
despondent, be down in the dumps , morose
conspire with sb
be in league with, in cahoots
waste time
dilly-dally, shilly-shally
promote
proselytize
when the need arises
on ad hoc basis, extemporary/ an ad hoc meeting
as a standard for comparing
set a new benchmark for, use as a benchmark
Teachers give the benchmark tests to see whether students are grasping the new curriculum.
provide a benchmark
set the benchmark against
restricted
fettered by the necessity
bad/dire
precarious, parlous state, perilous, lamentable, abysmal, appalling
useless and incompetent
a feckless person
an unnatural or very unlikely end to a story or event, that solves or removes any problems too easily
deus ex machina
hit sb
give sb a punch (on the nose), punch sb in the stomach
make a hole
punch a hole in paper sheets/in a belt/ punch a card
adapt to a difficult situation
roll with the punches
go to work every day
punch the clock
stop quarreling
bury the hatchet
criticize sb
do a hatchet job on sb
run down
inveigh against sb
vituperate against
(vituperation, castigation, opprobrium, chastisement) arraign calumniate excoriate sb (in press, excoriate government)
persuade sb
twist sb’s arms
do sth unpleasant , persevere
grit your teeth
twist
twist and turns, twisted mind
Twist the rope tightly round that post over there.
twist head/ring
She slipped on the ice and twisted her knee.
twist words/twist the truth
take a surprise twist, cruel twist of fate/fortune
the twists and turns of fate
It has proved very difficult to unravel the twists and turns and contradictions of the evidence.
the latest twost
