1201-1400 Flashcards
kill two birds with one stone
If youkill two birds with one stone, you succeed in doing two things at the same time. By studying on the train on the way home, Claire kills two birds with one stone.
cut someone some slack
If you relax a rule, treat a person less severely or allow someone to do something which is normally not permitted, youcut them some slack. Our parents are very strict; I wish they’d cut us some slack now and then.
sponge off someone
If yousponge off someone,you live at the expense of another person, accepting their hospitality without sharing the costs or doing something in return. Amy has been sponging off her grandparents for the past two months. She neither shares the expenses nor helps in the house.
it’s beyond me
To say ‘it’s beyond me’ means that it is impossible for you to understand. It’s beyond me why Mary wants to marry John.
things are looking up
To say thatthings are looking upmeans that the situation is improving and you feel more positive about the future. Andy has got two job interviews next week so things are looking up.
strike (it) lucky
When someonestrikes it lucky, they run into good luck. We had a sunny week in Scotland - we struck it lucky!
sweat of your brow
If you earn or achieve somethingby the sweat of your brow,you do it through hard work and no help. I got a comfortable lifestyle by the sweat of my brow - I owe it to nobody but myself!
run round in circles
People whorun round in circleshave difficulty in achieving something because of lack of organisation. Running round in circles will get us nowhere - we need to set up a plan.
put a spanner in the works
Toput a spanner in the works(orthrow a (monkey) wrench) means to cause problems and prevent something from happening as planned. A new motorway was planned but a group of ecologists managed to put a spanner in the works.
stand in good stead
To say that a skill, an ability or previous experience willstand you in good steadmeans that it will be beneficial to you in the future. Being able to speak another language will stand you in good stead when looking for a job.
(as)slyas a fox
Someone who isas sly as a foxis cunning and clever at getting what they want, especially by deceiving or tricking people. Be wary of that insurance salesman. He’s known to be as sly as a fox.
eat your words
If youeat your words, you have to admit that what you said before was wrong. After predicting disastrous results, he had to eat his words when he saw the success of the new product.
fall by the wayside
If a plan or projectfalls by the wayside, it remains unfinished or people stop trying to do it. Local residents protested so strongly that plans for a new motorway fell by the wayside.
significant other
The term’significant other’ refers to a person, such as a spouse, partner or lover, with whom you have a long-term relationship. Harry says he makes no decisions without consulting his significant other.
sincetimeimmemorial
If something has existedsince time immemorial,it has been there for such a long time that nobody can recall a time without it. I don’t know when that bridge was built. It’s been there since time immemorial.
mind your Ps and Qs
If you tell someone tomind their Ps and Qs, you are advising them to be careful about how they behave and what they say. Politeness is very important to my grandparents, so mind your Ps and Qs.
bring someone to heel
If you force someone to behave in a disciplined manner, youbring them to heel. The boy had always behaved badly, but the new headmaster managed to bring him to heel.
go out of your way
If yougo out of your way, you take particular care or make a special effort when doing something. Aunt Betty went out of her way to make us feel comfortable.
duty bound
If you areduty boundto do something, you are required to do it as part of your obligations. Teachers are duty bound to report a pupil’s absence from school.
(not) miss a trick
If a person nevermisses a trick, they are very alert and aware of everything that is happening around them. The old lady next door will know if Bill is there or not - she never misses a trick!
till thecowscome home
To say that a person could do somethingtill the cows come homemeans that they could do it for a ong time. You can ask me till the cows come home but I’m not buying you a scooter!
do nothing by halves
When a person does everything they are engaged in completely and thoroughly, they are said todo nothing by halves. When she cooks, it’s a four-course meal - she does nothing by halves!
that’s the last straw!
This expression means that this is the latest unpleasant event and that you cannot tolerate the situation any longer. After an extremely tiring day, when Joe saw the the traffic jam he said : that’s the last straw!
take the bull by the horns
To takethe bull by the hornsmeans that a person decides to act decisively in order to deal with a difficult situation or problem. When the argument turned into a fight, the bar owner took the bull by the horns and called the police.
badegg
To refer to someone as a bad egg means that they cannot trusted. I don’t my son to be friends with Bobby Smith. Bobby’s a bad egg!
jump on the bandwagon
If a person or organisationjumps on the bandwagon, they decide to do something when it is already successful or fashionable. When organic food became fashionable, certain stores were quick to jump on the bandwagon and promote it.
money to burn
People who havemoney to burnhave so much money that they can spend it on anything they want. A leather jacket is no problem for Sarah. She’s got money to burn!
one over the eight
If a person has had oneover the eight,they are slightly drunk. Don’t listen to him! Can’t you see he’s had one over the eight!
ring out the old year and ring in the new
This expression means to announce and celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of the next.
frog in one’s throat
A person who hasa frog in their throathas difficulty in speaking clearly because they have a cough or a sore throat. Teaching was difficult today. I had a frog in my throat all morning.
get the axe
If someonegets the axe, they lose their job. When a company is restructured, the senior staff are often the first to get the axe.
nothing to write home about
To say that something isnothing to write home aboutmeans that it is not of great interest or importance. Okay, she’s written a couple of books, but nothing to write home about.
at alowebb
A person or organisationat a low ebbis not as strong or successful as usual. The recent political crisis has left the country at a low ebb.
spitting in the wind
If you spend time trying to do something that is impossible to achieve, you are said to bespitting in the wind. You’ll never make him change his mind. You’re just spitting in the wind.
overstep the mark
If youoverstep the mark,you go too far and upset someone by saying something or behaving in a way that is unacceptable. Jenny is angry with her son. He overstepped the mark when he called his grandfather an ‘old fool’.
false move
In a dangerous or risky situation, if you make afalse move, you do something which may have unpleasant consequences. He is under close surveillance. If he makes one false move he’ll be arrested.
(you can’t)teachan old dog new tricks
This expression means that someone who is used to doing things in a certain way will find it difficult to change their habits. Your grandfather will never use a smart phone. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks!
run with thehare
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.
ins and outs
The term’ins and outs’of a situation means all the details or facts. I know he was involved in a car accident, but I don’t know the ins and outs of his injuries.
two left feet
If you havetwo left feet,you are clumsy or awkward in your movements. I’m afraid I’m a bad dancer. I’ve got two left feet!
five finger discount
If somebody gets afive-finger discount, they take something without paying; in other words, they steal. “How could he afford that watch?” “Who knows - perhaps with a five-finger discount?”
you can’t judge a book by its cover
This expression means that you should not form an opinion about something from its appearance only. He leads a very simple life but in fact he’s an extremely rich man. - you can’t judge a book by its cover.
pull the rug
If youpull the rug from under someone’s feet,you suddenly and unexpectedly remove all help or support. When Andy’s mother stopped sending him money, she pulled the rug from under his feet and forced him to find a job.
get akickout of
If youget a kick out of something,you feel enjoyment or excitement from something. Tania is a bit strange - she gets a kick out of listening to other people’s phone messages.
nothing ventured, nothing gained
This expression means that you cannot expect to achieve anything if you risk nothing. He’s going to ask his boss for a promotion even though he has little chance of obtaining satisfaction - nothing ventured, nothing gained!
on the map
If a place becomes well-known, it is puton the map. The president’s visit really put the restaurant on the map.
square meal
When people talk abouta square meal,they mean a substantial and satisfying meal. I don’t need a fancy restaurant, just a place where I can get a square meal.
live on the edge
If youlive on the edge, your lifestyle involves dangerous or risky activities. Extreme sportsmen or gamblers are examples of people who live on the edge.
lie in
If youlie in,you stay in bed after the normal time for getting up. Great! Tomorrow I’m not on duty so I can lie in!
know your own mind
If youknow your own mind,you know what you want or like, and are capable of making a decision. Idon’t want to influence you. You’re old enough to know your own mind.
lie through teeth
If youlie through your teeth,you lie openly and brazenly, knowing that what you are saying is completely false. I saw him breaking the window. If he denies it, he’s lying through his teeth.
off themark
If something isoff the mark, it is incorrect or inaccurate. His estimation of the cost was completely off the mark.
makehaywhile the sun shines
This expression is used as an encouragement to take advantage of a good situation which may not last. Successful athletes are advised to make hay while the sun shines.
small dog, tall weeds
This expression is used to refer to someone who does not have the ability or the resources necessary to perform a task. It may be too difficult for the trainee - small dog, tall weeds!
mutton dressed as lamb
This expression refers to a middle-aged woman who tries to look younger by dressing in clothes designed for younger people. The style doesn’t suit her - it has a mutton-dressed-as-lamb effect on her!
slice/share of the cake
When people feel entitled to a share of the profits or benefits, they want a (larger)slice of the cake. Since profits are higher this year, the workers feel they deserve a bigger slice of the cake.
proud as a peacock
A person who is asproud as a peacockis extremely proud. When his son won first prize, Bill was as proud as a peacock.
two-faced
Someone who istwo-facedis deceitful or insincere; they will say one thing to your face and something else when you are not there. I don’t trust Billy. I find him two-faced.
fifth wheel
This expression refers to a person who find themselves in a situation where their presence is unnecessary and as a result they feel useless. Everyone seemed to have a specific role except me. I felt like a fifth wheel
flying start
If somethinggets off to a flying start, it is immediately successful. Sales of the book got off to a flying start and exceeded our expectations.
put one’s foot down
Toput one’s foot downmeans to exert authority to prevent something from happening. The child wanted to sleep on the sofa but his father put his foot down and sent him to bed.
drop names
When you drop names, you mention the names of famous people you know or have met in order to impress others. There goes Jack dropping names again. People will get tired of listening to him!
run a taut ship
When a group or organisation is run in a well-ordered and disciplined manner, the person in chargeruns a taut (ortight)ship. The director of the scout camp runs a taut ship.
havepins and needles
Tohavepins and needlesis to have a tingling sensation in a part of the body, for example an arm or a leg, when it has been in the same position for a long time. I lay curled up for so long that I had pins and needles in my legs.
jump out of skin
If youjump out of your skin, you are extremely surprised or shocked. Jane nearly jumped out of her skin when the horse put its head through the kitchen window!
want head on a platter
If someone makes you so angry that you want them to be punished, youwant their head on a platter. He was so angry when he read the article about his family that he wanted the journalist’s head on a platter.
pop the question
When you ask someone to marry, youpop the question. It was during a trip to Venice that he popped the question.
full of the joys of spring
If you arefull of the joys of spring,you are happy, enthusiastic and full of energy. Barbara is full of the joys of spring at the moment! Has she got a new boyfriend?
lay it on the line
If you speak frankly and make something very clear, youlay it on the line. The boss laid it on the line and told Jimmy that if he arrived late for work again he would lose his job.
at a pinch
To say that something could be doneat a pinchmeans that it would be possible to do it if absolutely necessary. The hall can seat 50 people comfortably, and a few more at a pinch.
a storm is brewing
If you say thata storm is brewing, you mean that the atmosphere indicates that there is going to be trouble, probably with outbursts of anger or emotion. As soon as we saw Pete’s face, we knew there was a storm brewing.
between the devil and the deep blue sea
If you arebetween the devil and the deep blue sea, you are in a situation where there are to equally unpleasant alternatives. When the new product didn’t take off, the management was caught between the devil and the deep blue sea : develop a new marketing campaign or drop the product.
bone to pick with someone
If you have abone to pickwith someone, you are annoyed with them and want to talk to them about it. Mark wants to see the boss. He says he’s got a bone to pick with him.
let yourhairdown
If you suggest that someone shouldlet their hair down, you are telling them to relax and enjoy themselves. Come on! We’re not in the office now. You can let your hair down!
blow your top
If youblow your top, you suddenly become very angry. When my mother saw the state of the house after the party, she blew her top!
hollow victory
A victory obtained in unsatisfactory conditions, which as a result seems worthless or without significance for the winner, is called ahollow victory. Won in the absence of the major ski champions, his gold medal was a hollow victory.
yourwishis 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!
know the score
When youknow the score,you are well-informed about a situation and know what to expect. If Laura damages the car, her dad won’t lend it to her again. She knows the score.
paint the town red
If youpaint the town red,you go out and enjoy a lively evening in bars, night-clubs, etc. To celebrate the victory, the team’s supporters painted the town red.
fit to be tied
Someone who isfit to be tiedis extremely irritated, upset or angry. Harry was fit to be tied when his dog dug up the flowers he had planted.
in thered
If a person or organisation isin the red,they owe money or have a negative account. I’m afraid I can’t lend you any money. I’m in the red myself.
come out of thewoodwork
When things, or people,come out of the woodwork, they appear or emerge unexpectedly, as if from nowhere, and usually in large numbers. As soon as we added the swimming pool, our children had ‘friends’ coming out of the woodwork!
deliver the goods
If a persondelivers the goods, they do what is expected of them or what they have promised to. Let’s hope that new whiz-kid the boss hired can deliver the goods!
fat cat
To refer to a rich and powerful person as afat catmeans that you disapprove of the way they use their money or power. The place was full of fat cats on their big yachts.
in someone’sshoes
To talk about beingin someone’s shoesmeans to imagine how you would react if you were in a similar situation. Tom’s sales have dropped by 30% this month. I wouldn’t like to be in his shoes!
wipe that smile off
This expression is often used by parents or people in authority to indicate that the situation is not amusing at all. This is a very serious matter, so wipe that smile off your face!
waiting game
A person whoplays a waiting gamedelays taking any action or making any decision because they prefer to wait and see how things develop, usually in the hope that this will put them in a stronger position. Our competitors are not reacting. They’re playing a waiting game.
(not) touch with a ten-foot pole
If you decidenot to touch something with a ten-foot pole,you prefer to stay far away from it. I wouldn’t touch politics with a ten-foot pole!
make short work of
If you makeshort work ofsomething, you do it or finish it quickly. The players were hungry after the match so they made short work of the food.
invinoveritas
This expression, which in Latin means ‘in wine there is truth’, is a way of saying that wine makes people less inhibited and leads them to speak more freely and reveal their true feelings. After a few drinks he told us the whole story - in vino veritas!
set the records straight
If youset the records straight, you provide facts or an explanation to correct a mistake or misunderstanding. An interview on television enabled the actress to set the records straight about her health.
blamestorming
A discussion among a group of people who try to determine who or what is to blame for a particular mistake, failure or wrongdoing, is called’blamestorming’. A blamestorming session took place following the unfavourable reviews in the press.
blue-eyed boy
Ablue-eyed boyis someone’s favourite. He’s the director’s blue-eyed boy!
bide your time
If youbide your time, you wait for a good opportunity to do something. He’s not hesitating, he’s just biding his time, waiting for the price to drop.
paddle one’s own canoe
If youpaddle your own canoe, you do what you want to do without help or interference from anyone. He decided to paddle his own canoe and set up his own company.
green light
If yougive or get the green light, you give or get a signal or authorization to do something. We’re ready to launch the campaign as soon as we get the green light.
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.
err on the side of caution
When uncertain about what to do, if youerr on the side of cautionyou do more than what is adequate rather than take any risks. When I’m not sure how much food to prepare, I tend to err on the side of caution and prepare far too much.
ready to drop
Someone who isready to dropis nearly too exhausted to stay standing. I’ve been shopping all day with Judy. I’m ready to drop!
takestockof a situation
If youtake stock of a situationyou assess all the aspects in order to form an opinion. He took time to take stock of the situation before making a suggestion.
infullswing
When something, such as an event, getsinto full swing, it is at its busiest or liveliest time. When we got back to the office, the Christmas party was in full swing.
anyone’s call
This expression is used when the result of a contest or election is difficult to predict. “Who do you think will win?” “It’s anyone’s call.”
donkey’s years
If someone has been doing something fordonkey’s years, they have been doing it for a very long time. He knows the town inside out. He’s been living here for donkey’s years.
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.
have your work cut out
If you have to face a difficult task or a challenging situation, youhave your work cut outfor you. I’ve got a month to reorganise the accounts department. I have my work cut out for me!
heavy hand
Dealing with or treating people with aheavy handmeans acting with discipline and severity, with little or no sensitivity. He ran the juvenile delinquent centre with a heavy hand.
when the going gets tough, the tough get going
When faced with a difficult or dangerous situation, andthe going gets tough, strong people take action to solve the problem. Tom has a positive attitude. He often says ‘When the going gets tough, the tough get going!’.
window on the world
When something provides an opportunity to observe and learn about people and life in other countries, it is calleda window on the world. The internet has become a window on the world.
before your veryeyes
If someone does somethingbefore your very eyes, they do it in front of you, without attempting to hide what they are doing. Before my very eyes, he took the rubbish and threw it into the neighbour’s garden!
strike/hit a raw nerve
If something you saystrikes or hits a raw nerve,it upsets someone because they are very sensitive about the subject. You struck a raw nerve when you mentioned divorce. They’re separating.
larger than life
A person who islarger than lifeattracts special attention because they are very impressive or unusually remarkable in their appearance, behaviour or personality. He was a larger-then-life character, both onstage and behind the scene.
wet blanket
To refer to someone as awet blanketmeans that they spoil other people’s fun, or make an event less enjoyable than it could have been. Come on Mike! Don’t be such a wet blanket. You’re spoiling the party!
up to no good
When someone is up to no good, they are doing or planning something bad or wrong. When the shopkeeper saw the boys hiding behind a car, he suspected they were up to no good.
(buy) alemon
If you buy something, especially a car, that is defective, unsatisfactory, constantly gives problems or stops running after a short time, youbuy a lemon. The car I bought wasa real lemon. It broke down two weeks later.
go for asong
If somethinggoes for a song,it is sold at an unexpectedly low price. I was able to buy the car simply because it was going for a song.
donkey work
This expression is used to describe the unpleasant, repetitive or boring parts of a job. Ido the donkey work - my boss gets the credit!
keep your nose to thegrindstone
A person whokeeps their nose to the grindstoneis someone who concentrates on working hard at his/her job, or studies. She was so determined to get into the college of her choice that she kept her nose to the grindstone all year.
on the house
Something which ison the houseis offered free of charge, usually in a bar or restaurant. The new owner offered us a drink on the house.
one in theeye
If an event or development is an unexpected disappointment or defeat for someone, you can say that it is one in the eye for that person. My promotion was one in the eye for my ambitious colleague.
speak out of turn
If someonespeaks out of turn,either they intervene at the wrong moment or they say something tactless or inappropriate. At the first meeting I was afraid of speaking out of turn.
prey on your mind
If somethingpreys on your mind, it troubles you so much that you keep thinking about it. The vision of the house on fire kept preying on her mind.
null and void
Something which isnull and voidhas no legal force or is invalid. The contract was declared null and void.
strictly business
An appointment or event that is entirely devoted to business, with no leisure or relaxation, is calledstrictly business. Yes we had lunch together but it was strictly business.
get to the bottom of
If youget to the bottom ofa problem or mystery, you solve it by finding out the true cause of it. We have a problem of goods disappearing during transport. Hopefully the investigation will get to the bottom of it.
laugh off
When you laugh about something that has upset or hurt you, to make it seem less important or to try to show that you do not care, youlaugh it off. She overheard her colleague’s critical remark, but she laughed it off.
one track mind
Ifyou havea one-track mind,you have a tendency to think about only one subject. The boy has a one-track mind; all he thinks about is football!
snap decision
A quick decision based on an impulse, without taking time to weigh the consequences, is calleda snap decision. Completely overworked, he suddenly turned off his computer and made a snap decision to go swimming.
balancing act
When you try to satisfy two or more people or groups who have different needs, and keep everyone happy, you perform abalancing act. Many people, especially women, have to perform a balancing act between work and family.
bury the hatchet
When people who have had a disagreement decide to forget their quarrel and become friends again, theybury the hatchet. I didn’t agree with my colleague’s decision, but for the sake of peace, I decided to bury the hatchet.
non sequitur
This Latin term refers to a statement which does not seem to be a logical follow-up to the previous statement or argument. After announcing the merger, the chairman began talking about global warming which seemed a complete non sequitur.
what makes someone tick
When you try to understand what motivates someone or makes them behave the way they do, you want to knowwhat makes them tick. He’s a strange man. It’s hard to figure out what makes him tick.
call it quits
When people temporarily stop doing something or put an end to an activity, theycall it quits. OK, we’re all exhausted, so let’s call it quits for today.
fish in troubled waters
If youfish in troubled waters, you try to gain advantages for yourself from a disturbed state of affairs. Between the declaration of independence and the first elections, some people were accused of fishing in troubled waters.
call the shots/ the tune
The person whocalls the shotsorthe tuneis the one who makes all the important decisions and is in control of the situation. He shows a lot of authority but in fact it’s his wife who calls the tune.
guilty pleasure
Enjoying something which is not generally held in high regard, while at the same time feeling a bit guilty about it, is called aguilty pleasure. Reading gossip magazines is a guilty pleasure for many women and some men too!
beggars can’t be choosers
This expression means that you should not reject an offer if it is the only possibility you have. You have no choice. “Beggars can’t be choosers!”
hale and hearty
Someone, especially an old person, who ishale and heartyis in excellent health. My grandmother is still hale and hearty at the age of ninety.
take steps
If youtake steps,you start a course of action in order to accomplish something. The town is taking steps to improve security in public car parks.
out to lunch
To say that someone isout to lunchmeans that they seem to be either unaware of what’s going on around them, or unable to understand what is happening. He’s hopeless as a leader - considered as ‘out to lunch’ by the group.
move up in the world
A person whomoves up in the worldbecomes more important in society or successful in their career. Rachel Jones has moved up in the world since we were kids.
feed the kitty
If youfeed the kitty, you contribute to a collection of money called a ‘kitty’ in order to help a good cause. Come on! Every little helps. You should feed the kitty for a good cause!
school of hard knocks
Someone who goes throughthe school of hard knockslearns through the positive and negative experiences of life rather than through a formal classroom education. He never went to college but the school of hard knocks made him a shrewd businessman.
feather in one’s cap
To describe someone’s achievement as afeather in their capmeans that it is something they can be proud of. The overwhelming victory of the team was a feather in the cap for the new manager.
oldheadon young shoulders
This expression refers to a child or young person who thinks and expresses themselves like an older more-experienced person. When she heard Emily warning her brother to stay out of trouble, her mother thought : “That’s an old head on young shoulders.”
run the gamut of
If yourun the gamut ofsomething, you cover the entire range of what is possible. He enjoys reading. His taste runs the gamut from popular novels to poetry.
back on yourfeet
If you areback on your feet, after an illness or an accident, you are physically healthy again. My grandmother had a bad ‘flu, but she’s back on her feet again.
flog a dead horse
To say that someone isflogging a dead horsemeans that they are wasting time and effort trying to do or achieve something that is not possible. Mark is flogging a dead horse trying to get his money reimbursed. The company has gone bankrupt!
back into shape
To get yourselfback into shape, you need to take some exercise in order to become fit and healthy again. Eva decided she’d have to get back into shape before looking for a job.
mind over matter
The mental power to influence one’s body and overcome physical difficulties is said to be a question ofmind over matter. He know he could not be cured, but he managed to live until the baby was born - a case of mind over matter.
bag of bones
To say that someone is abag of bonesmeans that they are extremely thin. When he came home from the war he was a bag of bones.
mad as a hatter
To say that someone isas mad as a hattermeans that they are very strange or insane. The old lady next door is as mad as a hatter. She says the strangest things!
deep pockets
A person or organisation who has a lot of money hasdeep pockets. Andy’s business is not doing well at the moment. He says he needs a friend with deep pockets!
take it easy
When you relax, or do things at a comfortable pace, youtake it easy. It’s nice to slow down at the week-end and take it easy.
one step ahead
When you areone step aheadof someone else, you achieve something faster than they do, or you have a slight advantage over them. The company is successful because they’re always one step ahead of their competitors.
hands tied
If a person has theirhands tied,something such as an agreement or a rule is preventing them from doing what they would like to do. Mark deserves to earn more, but the manager’s hands are tied by the recent salary agreement.
think the sun rises and sets on someone
If you consider someone to be the most wonderful person in the world, youthink the sun rises and sets onthem. She adores her husband - she thinks the sun rises and sets on him!
go down well
If an idea or proposalgoes down well, it is well accepted. The new timetable went down well with the employees.
fool’s errand
If you go ona fool’s errand, you try to do something which is useless, unnecessary or has no chance of success. I realized it was a fool’s errand to look for a bank in such an isolated region.
farm something out
If something, such as work, isfarmed out, it is sent away to be done by others. We farmed out the packaging to another company.
be that as it may
This expression means that what the speaker says may be true but it will not change the situation. OK. Fewer people may come because of the bad weather, but be that as it may, it’s too late to cancel the show.
lose train of thought
If you forget what you were saying, for example after a disturbance or interruption, youlose your train of thought. Now where was I? I’m afraid I’ve lost my train of thought.
it’s a small world
This expression is used by someone who is surprised to meet familiar people in unexpected places. Wow! It’s a small world. I never expected to meet a neighbour on a transatlantic flight!
let me bounce this off you
You can say this when you present an idea or plan to someone in order to test their reaction or obtain feedback. I think I’ve found a way of making money. Let me bounce this off you.
other things being equal
This expression refers to a probable situation if the conditions elsewhere remain unchanged or equal. Other things being equal, a reduction in the cost of transport should enable us to lower our prices.
under one’sbelt
If you have somethingunder your belt,you have acquired experience or have satisfactorily achieved something. You’ve got to have some work experience under your belt before you can hope to get a permanent job.
feast your eyes on
If youfeast your eyeson something, you are delighted and gratified by what you see. As he drove along the coast, he feasted his eyes on the beautiful scenery.
go the wholehog
When yougo the whole hog, you do something thoroughly or completely. The put up a few decorations for Christmas, then they decided to go the whole hog and buy a tree and all the trimmings.
creative accounting
This term refers to the presentation of a company’s results in a way that, although generally legal, glosses over the problems and makes the results appear better than they are. It was suggested that some creative accounting might help to attract investors.
idiot box
Some people consider television to lack educational value and refer to it as theidiot box. He spends all his free time in front of the idiot box.
go all out
If yougo all outto achieve or obtain something, you make a great effort, using all possible strength and resources The candidate went all out to obtain the nomination.
hold the fort
When youhold the fort,you look after a place or a business in the absence of the person who is normally in charge. Rosie, could you hold the fort please while I go to the post office?
wax lyrical
When youwax lyricalabout something, you speak enthusiastically about it in a poetic or sentimental way. My grandfather and his friends started to wax lyrical about the ‘good old days’.
under the weather
If you areunder the weather,you are not feeling very well. You look a bit under the weather. What’s the matter?
get hold of
If you obtain something, or manage to contact someone, you get hold of them. I’d like to contact the owner. Do you know where I can get hold of him?
can’t stand the pace
If youcan’t stand the pace, you are unable to do things well when there is a lot of pressure. She once worked for a famous fashion designer but she couldn’t stand the pace.
chapter and verse
This term refers to word-for-word details, or very specific facts, especially the exact place where the information can be found. The phrase is attributed to Oscar Wilde, although I can’t give you chapter and verse.
have down pat
If you memorize or practise something until you know it perfectly or have it exactly right, youhave it down pat. I rehearsed my presentation until I had it down pat.
over the hill
If a person isover the hill, they have reached an age when they can no longer perform as well as before. Gran! You say you’re over the hill, but you’re a super cook!
fat cat
To refer to a rich and powerful person as afat catmeans that you disapprove of the way they use their money or power. The place was full of fat cats on their big yachts.
stand one’s ground
If youstand your groundyou maintain your position and refuse to yield or give way. He claimed innocence and stood his ground in spite of the repeated accusations.
pick holes
If someonepicks holesin something such as a plan, an idea or a proposal, they criticize it or try to find fault with it. Why don’t you make a suggestion instead of picking holes in all my ideas!
neither here nor there
Something which isneither here nor thereis unimportant or irrelevant. Why the problem wasn’t discovered earlier is neither here nor there. What’s important now is to find a solution.
food for thought
If something give youfood for thought, it makes you think seriously about a particular subject. The documentary on poverty in the world really gave me food for thought.
skin someone alive
If you are angry and threaten toskin someone alive,you mean that you are going to punish them severely. If that kid damages my again, I’ll skin him alive!
blank cheque
If you give someone ablank cheque, you authorise them to do what they think is best in a difficult situation. Tom was given a blank cheque and told to negotiate the best deal possible.
cut one’s own throat
If youcut your own throat, you do something that will be the cause of your own failure or ruin your chances in the future. Tony has already missed a lot of classes. He’s cutting his own throat.
carrot and stick
If you use acarrot-and-stick approach, you use the promise of reward and the threat of punishment to make someone work harder. Some parents use a carrot-and-stick approach to obtain good results from their children.
think the world of
If youthink the world of someone,you like or admire them very much. She’s a wonderful grandmother - the children think the world of her.
pokerface
If you have apoker face, you show no emotion at all. All during the trial the criminal kept a poker face.
pressed for time
If you arepressed for time, you have hardly enough time to do something, so you must hurry. Sorry, I can’t talk to you now. I’m a bit pressed for time.
put on your thinking cap
If you tell someone toput their thinking capon, you ask them to find an idea or solve a problem by thinking about it. Now here’s this week’s quiz; it’s time to put your thinking caps on!
get something out of your system
This expression means that you get rid of a strong emotion or desire by expressing it openly or trying to fulfill it. Tell you parents how you feel - it’s better to get it out of your system.
collect one’s thoughts
If youcollect your thoughts, you try to think calmly and clearly in order to prepare yourself mentally for something. Anne stopped to collect her thoughts before calling back the customer.
snatch victory from the jaws of defeat
If you manage to win something such as a match or a contest, when you are on the verge of losing, yousnatch victory from the jaws of defeat. With a last-minute goal, the team snatched victory form the jaws of defeat.
olddogfor a hard road
This expression means that experience is invaluable when one is faced with a difficult task. The case calls for an experienced lawyer - an old dog for a hard road.
come clean
Tocome cleanabout something means to tell the truth. The boy was encouraged to come clean and tell the authorities what happened.
plain sailing
An activity or task that isplain sailingis without difficulty or free from trouble. Once the plans were accepted, it was plain sailing all the way.
by alongchalk/shot
This expression means ‘not at all’ and is used to emphasize a statement, especially a negative one. The matter hasn’t been settled yet, not by a long chalk!
bee’s knees
To say that someone/something is thebee’s kneesmeans that the speaker thinks they are exceptionally good. If you say “Chloe thinks she’s the bee’s knees” you mean that Chloe has a high opinion of herself.
have an axe to grind
If youhave an axe to grind, you have personal reasons for becoming involved in something or adopting a particular attitude. It was decided that the best candidate would be selected by a recruitment agency who had no axe to grind within the company.
