Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Eng CSS - Idioms > 1970s > Flashcards

1970s Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
Proverbs and Idioms flashcards
1
Q

Carry Out

A

accomplish, bring to a conclusion

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Taken Over

A

Assume control, management or possession of

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Bring about

A

Cause

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Beat out

A

Knock into shape by beating

She managed to beat out all the dents in the fender.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Bear with

A

Put up with, make allowance for

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

To fall back on something, fall back upon

A

Rely on, have recourse to

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

To fall through

A

Fail, miscarry

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Vested Interests

A

A personal stake in something

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Meaningful dialogue

A

Serious and important debate

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Turn to account

A

Use for one’s benefit

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

To beat the air / beat the wind

A

Continue to make futile attempts, fight to no purpose

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

To break a lance with

A

To engage in a competition, battle, confrontation, usually with someone or something

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

To foul of (foul play)

A

Unfair or treacherous action

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

To keep open house

A

To entertain friends at all times, to be hospitable

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Out of countenance

A

Uneasy, ashamed

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Got up to

A

Get up to be involved in (typically something suspicious)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

To have a finger in the pie

A

Have an interest in or meddle in something

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

When all is said and done / after all is said and done

A

When everything is taken into account

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Have an axe to grind

A

Have a private reason for doing or being involved in something

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Turn a new leaf

A

Make a fresh start, change one’s conduct or attitude for the better

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Burn the candle at both ends

A

Exhaust one’s energies or resources by leading a hectic life

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Leave in the lurch

A

Desert or leave alone and in trouble, refuse to help or support someone

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Goes without saying

A

Be self-evident, a matter of course

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Like a red rag to a bull

A

To make a person or group very angry

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Not have a leg to stand on

A

Have no facts or sound reasons to support one’s argument or justify one’s actions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

Under the thumb of

A

Controlled or dominated by someone

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

The writing is on the wall / handwriting on the wall

A

Clear signs that something is going to happen

28
Q

To sow one’s wild oats

A

Behave foolishly, immoderately or promiscuously when young

29
Q

A storm in a teacup

A

Great outrage or excitement about a trivial matter

30
Q

To keep late hours

A

Stay awake until late at night

31
Q

To throw cold water on

A

To discourage, to remove hope, deter

32
Q

A cock and bull story

A

An unbelievable tale that is intended to deceive; a tall tale

33
Q

To bear brunt of

A

Put up with the worst of some bad circumstance

34
Q

Tied to apron strings

A

Too much under someone’s influence and control

35
Q

To move heaven and earth

A

Exert the utmost effort

36
Q

To rest on one’s laurels

A

Rely on one’s past achievements, especially as a way of avoiding the work needed to advance one’s status

37
Q

Point-blank

A

Close enough to go directly to a target

38
Q

In the doldrums

A

Showing no activity or development

39
Q

On the dole

A

Registered as unemployed and receiving benefit from the government

40
Q

At cross purposes

A

With aims or goals that conflict or interfere with one another

41
Q

Cheek by jowl

A

In close intimacy, side by side

42
Q

Succinctly

A

Characterised by clear, precise expression in a few words; concise and terse

43
Q

Plain sailing

A

Smooth and easy progress

44
Q

To beat the brunt of

A

Put up with the worst of some bad circumstance

45
Q

To call a spade, a spade

A

To say exactly what you think without trying to hide your opinion

46
Q

To fight shy of

A

Avoid meeting or confronting someone

47
Q

To cry over the spilt milk

A

To waste time worrying about something that has happened that you cannot do anything about

48
Q

To burn the candle at both ends

A

Exhaust one’s energies or resources by leading a hectic life

49
Q

To rob Peter to pay Paul

A

To take money from one thing to use for something else

50
Q

To the bull by the horns

A

To face a difficult or dangerous situation directly and with courage.

51
Q

Play to the gallery

A

To say what you think people want to hear in order to gain popularity

52
Q

Holding out the olive branch

A

Something you say or do to show you wish to make peace with somebody

53
Q

To make out

A

To see, hear, understand someone or something with difficulty.

54
Q

Acid test

A

A way of deciding whether something is successful or true

55
Q

Bad hat

A

A scoundrel

56
Q

In a blue funk

A

Very frightened

57
Q

To die in a harness

A

Expire while working, keep working to the end

58
Q

Dead as a door nail / dead as a dodo

A

Completely dead

59
Q

To raise cain

A

Create trouble or a commotion

60
Q

To carry the day

A

Win, prevail

61
Q

Take down a peg

A

To make somebody realise that they are not as good, important as they think they are

62
Q

To monkey around with something

A

To touch, change or treat something in a careless or harmful way

63
Q

In hot water

A

To be in trouble

64
Q

Petticoat government

A

Dominance of women at home or in politics

65
Q

To pull yourself together

A

To take control of your feelings and behave in a calm way

66
Q

To rise from the ranks / through the ranks

A

Work one’s way to the top

67
Q

To rub shoulders with

A

Come in contact with

Eng CSS - Idioms (5 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions