1001-1200 Flashcards
old chestnut
A story, joke or an idea that has been repeated so often that it has lost its novelty is referred to as an ‘old chestnut’. The story about his boat capsizing has become an old chestnut!
time is ticking away
The expression’time is ticking away’can be used when you see the minutes or seconds going by as the clock ticks, especially when you are waiting anxiously for something to happen. We need to intervene before it’s too late. Time’s ticking away.
slipped my mind
If something hasslipped your mind,you have forgotten about it. Oh dear! It slipped my mind that the shops were closed today!
first and foremost
This expression is used to state what you consider to be more important than anything else. First and foremost I want to thank our hosts for their wonderful reception.
dumb as an oyster
Someone who is asdumb as an oyster will never reveal something told in confidence or betray a secret. Sophie will never repeat what you tell her. She’s as dumb as an oyster.
loose cannon
Someone who is referred to asa loose cannoncannot be completely trusted because of unpredictable and irresponsible behaviour which can cause trouble. Keep an eye on Jamie. He tends to turn into a loose cannon when he has a few drinks.
pay dividends
If something you dopays dividends,it brings advantages or rewards at a later date. The time he spent learning English paid dividends when he started looking for a job.
go through theroof
If someonegoes through the roof,they become very angry. His father nearly went through the roof when Paul damaged his new car.
sink your teeth into
If yousink your teeth into something,you do it with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. When Julie got promoted, she immediately sank her teeth into her new job.
have a ball
If youhave a ballyou enjoy yourself immensely. The party was great. We had a ball.
give a run for money
If yougive someone a run for their money, you present strong competition in circumstances where the other person expects to win easily. We didn’t win the match but we gave the other team a run for their money.
open the kimono
If a person or organisationopens the kimono,they reveal something previously hidden. It’s time to open the kimono and explain that we cannot meet the deadline.
upper crust
This term refers to the higher levels of society, the upper class or the aristocracy. William hides his working-class background and pretends to be from the upper crust.
vim and vigour
If you are full ofvim and vigour,you have lots of vitality, energy and enthusiasm. After a relaxing holiday, my parents came back full of vim and vigour.
butter wouldn’t melt in your mouth
If you say that someone looks as ifbutter wouldn’t melt in their mouth,you mean that they look completely innocent, but that they are capable of doing unpleasant things. The boy who stole the purse looked as if butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth.
bitten by the bug
If you develop a sudden interest or enthusiasm for something, you arebitten by the bug. My dad decided to take up golf and was immediately bitten by the bug.
get the sack
If someonegets the sack, they lose their job, usually because they have done something wrong. Charlie got the sack when his boss caught him stealing.
take a fancy
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!
put through theirpaces
If youputsomeone or somethingthrough their paces, you test their ability to do something by making them perform certain actions. During the presentation, the machine was put through its paces.
no-brainer
A decision or choice that requires little or no thought, because the best option is so obvious, is called ano-brainer. The choice was between a cash refund or having the amount credited to my account - it was a no-brainer. I took the cash!
golden parachute
Agolden parachuteis a clause in an executive’s employment contract stating that the executive will receive certain large benefits if their employment is terminated.
in the heat of the moment
If you say or do somethingin the heat of the moment, you say or do it without pausing to think, at a time when you are experiencing unusually strong emotions such as anger, excitement, etc. I was so angry that in the heat of the moment I said things that I later regretted.
bright-eyed and bushy-tailed
A person who isbright-eyed and bushy-tailedis very enthusiastic and full of energy. Gary was fantastic. He arrived bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at 7am and worked with us all day.
brown as a berry
To say that someone is asbrown as a berrymeans that they are very tanned. Judy came back from her holiday as brown as a berry.
burn the candle at both ends
If youburn the candle at both ends, you exhaust yourself by doing too much, especially going to bed late and getting up early. Scott looks exhausted - I’ll bet he’s been burning the candle at both ends lately.
sail close to the wind
If yousail close to the wind,you do something dangerous or act just within the limits of what is legal or acceptable. He seems to invest his money well although he often sails close to the wind.
clock in/out
When youclock inorout, you record the time you arrive or leave your job by punching a time clock to show the number of hours you have worked. I’m going to clock out early today. I’ve got a dental appointment.
(no) quick fix
To say that there is noquick fixto a problem means that there is no simple solution. There is no quick fix for unemployment; major reforms are necessary.
come what may
If you declare that you will do somethingcome what may, you are saying that you will do it whatever the consequences may be. Come what may, I’m going to tell my mother-in-law what I think of her!
ball and chain
This term refers to a burden or problem that ties you down and prevents you from doing what you want. It can also refer to one’s spouse. Our holiday home has become a ball and chain - it’s too much work!
keep finger on pulse
If youkeep a finger on the pulse, you are constantly aware of the most recent events or developments. A successful investor keeps his finger on the pulse of international business.
close (/dumb) as an oyster
Someone who is asclose( or ‘dumb’)as an oysterwill never reveal something told in confidence, or betray a secret. Sophie will never repeat what you tell her. She’s as close as an oyster.
give someone theslip
If yougive somebody the slip,you manage to hide or get away from the person who is following you. The police were on his trail, but he managed to give them the slip.
put the kibosh on
If you do something to prevent a plan or activity from happening or developing, youput the kibosh on it. The bank’s refusal to grant him a loan put the kibosh on Jack’s project.
vicious circle
When the solution to a problem creates another problem similar to the original, or makes it worse, so that the process starts all over again, the situation is calleda vicious circle. I borrowed money to reimburse Paul. Now I’ve got to reimburse the bank, with interest. It’s a vicious circle.
ram down someone’s throat
If youram something down someone’s throat, you force them to accept something against their will. I encourage him to learn English but I can’t ram it down his throat.
head in the clouds
If youhave your head in the clouds, you are so absorbed by your thoughts that you are not paying attention to what is happening around you. He doesn’t listen to the teacher - he’s got his head in the clouds all the time!
run with the hare and hunt with the hounds
If yourun with the hare and hunt with the hounds,you want to stay on friendly terms with both sides in a quarrel. Bob always wants to keep everyone happy, but he can’t run with the hare and hunt with the hounds this time - the issue is too important.
yellow bellied
A person who isyellow-belliedis cowardly, or not at all brave. The bus was full of yellow-bellied passengers who disappeared when the driver was attacked by two youths.
allmouthand no trousers
This is said of someone who talks a lot about doing something but never actually does it. He keeps saying he’s going to resign and travel around the world, but he’s all mouth and no trousers.
seered
If someonesees red, they suddenly become very angry or annoyed. Discrimination of any kind makes me see red.
playgooseberry
If youplay gooseberry, you join or accompany two people who have a romantic relationship and want to be alone. They invited me to join them but I didn’t want to play gooseberry.
much ado about nothing
When peoplemake much ado about nothing, they make a lot of fuss about something which is not important. There was a meeting to discuss the name for the new playground. “Much ado about nothing” said my Dad!
jump the gun
If youjump the gun, you do something too soon or take premature action based on incomplete information. He ordered a new car before the job was confirmed - now that’s jumping the gun!
perish the thought
This expression is used when the speaker really hopes that something will not happen. If I lost my job, perish the thought, I don’t know how we’d survive.
law onto themselves
If someone isa law onto themselves, they do things their own way and ignore what is generally considered as acceptable. They’re against discipline and allow their children complete freedom - they’re a law onto themselves.
ready and waiting
Something or someone that isready and waitingis prepared and available for a particular task or occasion. There was a vast amount of food ready and waiting for the guests.
on somebody’s tail
If you areon somebody’s tail, you are following them closely. The suspect hasn’t been arrested yet, but the police are on his tail.
build bridges
If a personbuilds bridgesbetween opposing groups, they help them to cooperate and understand each other better. A mediator is trying to build bridges between the local community and the owners of the new plant.
wet blanket
A person who isa wet blanketis so boring or unenthusiastic that they prevent others from enjoying themselves. Come on! Relax ! Don’t be such a wet blanket!
bigfishin a small pond
This term refers to an important or highly-ranked person in a small group or organisation. He could get a job with a big company but he enjoys being a big fish in a small pond.
(not) mince words
Someone who doesnot mince their wordsexpresses their opinions, ideas or thoughts very clearly, even if they offend others by doing so. Come on John! Tell us what you really think - and don’t mince your words.
keep the lid on
If youkeep the lid on something,you hide it or control it to prevent people from finding out about it. The company tried to keep a lid on the negotiations but word got out to the press.
fly in the ointment
Afly in the ointmentrefers to something that prevents a situation from being completely satisfactory. Tony’s poor English was a fly in the ointment when he applied for the job.
touch wood / knock on wood
This humorous expression, based on superstition, is used to avoid bad luck, often while touching something made of wood. The order will be confirmed shortly - touch wood!
hang up one’s boots
When a sports playerhangs up their boots, they stop playing and retire. (This expression is often used to refer to retirement in general.) Dad says he’s going to hang up his boots at the end of the year.
cut one’s losses
If you end or withdraw from something that is already failing, in order to reduce the loss of money, time or effort invested in it, youcut your losses. The project is heading for failure. Let’s cut our losses before it’s too late.
bad egg
Someone who is abad eggis an untrustworthy person often involved in trouble whose company should be avoided. I don’t want my son to be friends with Bobby Smith. Bobby’s a bad egg.
why keep a dog and bark yourself
This expression means that if someone or something can do a task for you, there’s no reason to do it yourself. My grandmother has an electric mixer but she continues to make her cakes by hand. Why keep a dog and bark yourself?
get someone’s goat
Something thatget someone’s goatannoys or irritates them. People who keep pushing when you’re standing in line really gets my goat!
your wish is my command
This is a humoristic way of saying that you are willing to do whatever the other person asks. Breakfast in bed? Your wish is my command!
basket case
A person whose agitated mental state leaves them helpless or unable to cope with things is called abasket case. Jenny will turn into a basket case if this stressful situation continues.
shelf life
If something such as food, drink or medicine has a particularshelf life, it must be used or sold before the end of that period of time. Dairy products has quite a short shelf life.
out of the question
Something which isout of the questionis impossible and is therefore not worth discussing. Buying a new car is out of the question - we simply can’t afford it.
make the cut
If youmake the cut,you reach a required standard or succeed in passing from one round of a competition to another. After intensive training, Sarah made the cut and joined the team.
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’s turns up like a bad penny!
no-brainer
A decision or choice that requires little or no thought, because the best option is so obvious, is called ano-brainer. The choice was between a cash refund or having the amount credited to my account - it was a no-brainer! I took the cash!
ego trip
If you do something primarily to draw attention to yourself and feel important or superior to others, you areon an ego trip. His speech about creating an association to help the underprivileged was one long ego trip.
signed, sealed, and delivered
When an agreement, contract or treaty issigned, sealed and delivered, all the legal documents are in order. It is hoped that the agreement will be signed, sealed and delivered before the end of the week.
in fits and starts
If you do somethingin fits and starts, you do it in an irregular manner, often stopping and starting again. You’ll never make progress in English if you work in fits and starts.
weigh your words
Ifyouweigh your words,you choose your words carefully in order to express exactly what you mean and avoid any misunderstanding. At the press conference he spoke very clearly, weighing his words.
bundle of nerves
If you describe someone as abundle of nerves, you mean that they are very nervous, tense or worried. My son is doing his driving test today. Needless to say he’s a bundle of nerves!
make a pig of
If youmake a pig of yourself, you eat and drink too much. Watch what you eat - don’t make a pig of yourself!
two-time someone
If one persontwo-timesanother, they cheat on their partner by having a romantic relationship with another person at the same time. Sally left Harry when she discovered he was two-timing her.
of all people
To use the term’of all people’emphasizes that the person you mention, more than anyone else, is the one you would expect to do something. As an artist, you, of all people, should support the new art gallery.
upset the applecart
If youupset(or overturn)the applecart, you spoil a satisfactory plan or situation. I hope Julie doesn’t attend the meeting; she could upset the applecart.
cook the books
A person whocooks the booksis one who changes the facts or figures in the financial accounts, often in order to steal money. The actor discovered after a while that his agent was cooking the books.
walk oneggshells
If youwalk on eggshellswith someone, you are careful not to hurt or offend them. She’s so sensitive, you have to walk on eggshells with her all the time.
let somethingride
When you decide to do nothing about a particular situation and allow it to remain as it is, youlet it ride. Bill didn’t like the way his wife spoke to the operator, but he let it ride to avoid another quarrel.
free as a bird
If someone is asfree as a bird, they are completely free to do as they please. My dad’s very happy - he’s as free as a bird since he retired.
