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Eng CSS - Idioms > 1990s > Flashcards

1990s Flashcards

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Proverbs and Idioms flashcards
1
Q

White elephant

A

A thing that is useless and no longer needed although it may have cost a lot of money

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2
Q

Blue blood

A

From a royal or noble family

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3
Q

The Augean stable

A

Used metaphorically to describe a situation where a large amount of corruption has to be cleaned away

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4
Q

Apple of discord

A

Anything causing trouble, discord or jealousy

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5
Q

In good books

A

Used to say that somebody is pleased with you

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6
Q

Between the devil and deep blue sea

A

To have two choices that are both equally unpleasant

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7
Q

Stare in the face / look in the face

A

Be evident

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8
Q

Make off

A

To steal something and hurry away with it

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9
Q

Sword of Damocles

A

Imminent danger

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10
Q

Every inch

A

Completely, wholly

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11
Q

To call a spade a spade

A

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

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12
Q

On the sly

A

Done secretly, especially because you know you should not be doing it

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13
Q

Palm off

A

Pass off by deception, substitute with intent to deceive

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14
Q

Lip service

A

Proffered but not performed

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15
Q

Turncoat

A

A person who leaves political party to join that has very different views

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16
Q

A wild goose chase

A

A search for something that is impossible for you to find

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17
Q

Between the devil and the deep blue sea

A

To have two choices that are equally unpleasant or not convenient

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18
Q

A wild goose chase

A

A search for something that is impossible for you to find

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19
Q

Head and ears

A

Deeply, completely

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20
Q

Time and ride

A

One must not procrastinate or delay

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21
Q

To live from hand to mouth

A

With only the bare essentials, existing precariously

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22
Q

To beat about the bush

A

To talk about something for a long time without coming to the main point

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23
Q

To Fish in troubled waters

A

Try to take advantage of a confused situation

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24
Q

A bird’s eye view

A

A view of something from a high position looking down

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25
Q

Play truant

A

To stay away from school without permission

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26
Q

Play down

A

Make little of, minimise

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27
Q

Turn turtle

A

Capsize, turn upside down

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28
Q

Turned the corner

A

Pass a milestone or a critical point, begin to improve

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29
Q

A fair-weather friend

A

Not good in crisis

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30
Q

To be under a cloud

A

If somebody is under a cloud, other people think that they have done something wrong and are suspicious of them

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31
Q

Burn one’s boats / burn one’s bridges

A

Commit oneself to an irreversible course

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32
Q

Horse trading

A

Bargaining

33
Q

Between Scylla and Charybdis

A

In a position where avoidance of one danger exposes one to another danger

34
Q

Hobson’s Choice

A

An apparently free choice that actually offers no alternative

35
Q

Sting in the tail

A

An unpleasant feature that comes at the end and spoils the story

36
Q

With open arms

A

Enthusiastically, warmly

37
Q

Wash one’s hand of

A

Refuse to be responsible for

38
Q

Count one’s chickens

A

Be over-optimistic

39
Q

To burn the midnight oil

A

To study or work until late at night

40
Q

Bear out

A

To show that somebody is right

Witnesses will bear out what I say.

41
Q

Back out / back out of something

A

To decide that you are no longer going to take part in something that has been agreed

42
Q

Carry over

A

To keep something, usually merchandise, for a subsequent period

43
Q

Come off

A

Happen, occur

44
Q

Fall back

A

Give ground, retreat

45
Q

Figure out

A

Discover, determine

46
Q

Learn to live with

A

To accept a new but unpleasant situation that you cannot change

47
Q

Set in

A

To fasten

48
Q

Cover up

A

Wrap up and enfold in order to protect

49
Q

Iron out

A

Get rid of problems or difficulties

50
Q

To beat the air / beat the wind

A

Continue to make futile attempts, fight to no purpose

51
Q

To beggar continue

A

To be too extreme, shocking to believe or describe

52
Q

To bring to mind

A

Cause to be remembered

53
Q

To call into question

A

Dispute, challenge, also cast doubt on

54
Q

To cap it all / cap it all off

A

As the final unformatted incident in a long series

55
Q

Clip the wings of

A

Prevent someone from acting freely

56
Q

To cross the rubicon

A

Irrevocable commit to a course of action, make fateful and final decision

57
Q

To the feel the pulse

A

Try to determine the intentions or sentiments of a person or group

58
Q

To fly in the face of

A

Act in direct opposition to or in defiance of

59
Q

To rise like a phoenix from its ashes

A

Emerge renewed after apparent disaster or destruction

60
Q

The last ditch

A

A desperate final attempt

61
Q

A square meal

A

A substantial and balanced meal

62
Q

Go public

A

To tell people about something that is a secret

63
Q

Run riot

A

Behave in a frenzied, out of control or unrestrained manner

64
Q

The backroom boys

A

People who do important work for a person or an organizations but are not well known themselves

65
Q

Foot the bill

A

The person who foots the bill pays for everybody

66
Q

Set the pace

A

Establish a standard for others to follow

67
Q

At times

A

Occasionally sometimes

68
Q

Steal the show/ spotlight

A

Be the Center of attention

69
Q

Grey matter

A

Intelligence

70
Q

A jaundiced eye

A

Affected by bitterness, resentment or envy

71
Q

A left handed compliment / backhanded compliment

A

An insult in the guise of praise

72
Q

The ruling passion

A

An interest or concern that occupies a large part of someone’s time and effort

73
Q

Tower of strength

A

Someone who can be relied on to provide support and comfort

74
Q

Steal a march on someone

A

To gain an advantage over someone by doing something before them

75
Q

In one’s bones

A

Felt, believed, known deeply about something

76
Q

Hang in the balance

A

Uncertain

77
Q

A fly in the ointment

A

A drawback or detrimental factor

78
Q

Close-fisted

A

Stingy or unwilling to part with money

Eng CSS - Idioms (5 decks)

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