2801-end Flashcards
fight a losing battle
If someone isáfighting a losing battle, they are trying to do something even when there is little chance of succeeding. The headmaster is fighting a losing battle trying to ban mobile phones at school.
streets ahead
If a person or organisation isástreets aheadáof another, they are much better or more advanced. In measures to preserve the planet, the Scandinavians are streets ahead of us.
Chinese arithmetic
If something is very complicated or difficult to understand, it is said to be likeáChinese arithmetic. When he tried to explain the rules of the game to me, it was like Chinese arithmetic!
kindred spirit
People who have a lot in common and share the same beliefs, attitudes and feelings areákindred spirits. The immediately felt they were kindred spirits and became close friends.
hard as nails
A person who is (as)áhard as nailsáis unsentimental and shows no sympathy. Don’t expect any sympathy from him.á He’s as hard as nails.
how the other half lives
This expression refers to the way of life of another social group. particularly people who are much richer or poorer than oneself. He prefers not to know how the other half lives.
dig one’s own grave
A person whoádigs their own graveádoes something which causes their own downfall. If you drop out of college now, with such high unemployment, you’ll be digging your own grave.
fiirst come first served
This expression means that there will be no favouritism or preferential treatment. People will be served strictly in the order they arrive. Tickets for the match will be sold on a ‘first come first served’ basis.
take leave of your senses
To say to someoneá’have you taken leave of your senses?’ámeans that you think their behaviour is crazy. You’re going skiing in this blizzard? Have you taken leave of your senses?
throw a tantrum
If a person, especially a child,áthrows a tantrum,áthey become angry and behave in an unreasonable way. My sister’s little boy is always throwing tantrums - he’s thoroughly spoilt!
out of circulation
Someone who isáout of circulationáis unavailable or not joiningá in activities with others. I’m going to do a summer course in Newá York, so I’ll be out of circulation for a while.
cover your tracks
If youácover your tracks, you conceal or destroy evidence of what you have been doing or where you have been. Charlie was sorry he hadn’t covered his tracks better when his wife discovered he had been unfaithful.
down the drain
To say that money, time or energy has goneádown the drainámeans that it has been wasted or lost. His years of research went down the drain when the company went bankrupt.
win-win
The termáwin-winárefers to a situation or proposition where both or all parties benefit from the outcome. There were smiles all round when the contract was signed - it was a win-win situation.
brain like a sieve
Someone who has aábrain like a sieveáhas a very bad memory and forgets things easily. Oh, I forgot to buy the bread - I’ve got a brain like a sieve these days!
the sky’s the limit
To sayáthe sky’s the limitámeans that there is no limit to the possibility of success or progress for someone or something. “How successful do you think the project will be?” “Who knows … the sky’s the limit!”
nice as pie
If a person isáas nice as pie, they are surprisingly kind and friendly. After our argument, she was as nice as pie!
dog’s life
People use this expression when complaining about a situation or job which they find unpleasant or unsatisfactory. It’s a dog’s life working in the after-sales department.
back-of-the-envelope calculation
This expression refers to a quick approximate calculation done informally, as on the back of an envelope. I don’t need the exact amount.á Just give me a back-of-the-envelope calculation.
follow suit
If youáfollow suit, you do the same as another person has just done. The first robber held up his hands, then the other two followed suit.
a stone’s throw away
To say that something isáa stone’s throw awayámeans that it is just a short distance away. It’s a residential area but the shops are just a stone’s throw away.
bane of one’s life
To say that something is theábane of your lifeámeans that it is the cause of your problems or your unhappiness. The heating system is always breaking down. It’s the bane of my life!á
shot in the dark
To refer to a question or statement as aáshot in the darkámeans that it is a complete guess, but at the same time it might be close to the truth. He didn’t know which players had been selected, so mentioning Carter’s name was just a shot in the dark..
square peg in a round hole
To say that a person isáa square peg in a round holeámeans that they are not suitable for the job they are doing or the situation they are in. He was a bad choice for the job - a square peg in a round hole.
cloud cuckoo land
This expression refers to an imaginary unrealistic place where everything is perfect and impossible things can happen. Anyone who thinks these measures are going to solve the crisis is living in cloud-cuckoo-land!
dicey situation
Any situation that is potentially risky or dangerous is called aádicey situation. The politician put himself in a dicey situation by getting involved with an intern.
for crying out loud
This expression is used to show irritation, exasperation or anger. For crying out loud, turn that television off!
sweetheart deal
The termásweetheart dealáis used to refer to an abnormally lucrative arrangement between two parties. Opponents say the contract was awarded to the builder as part of a sweetheart deal, and is therefore illegal.
red flag to a bull
To say that a statement or action is like aáred flag to a bullámeans that it is sure to make someone very angry or upset. Don’t mention Tom’s promotion to Mike.á It would be like a red flag to a bull!
chime in
If youáchime in, you interrupt or join a conversation, especially to repeat or agree with something. As I explained to the bus driver what had happened, the other passengers chimed in and gave their version.
raise the roof
When peopleáraise the roof,áthey make a lot of noise by cheering, shouting, whistling or clapping their hands. The concert was such a success, the audience raised the roof.
even the score
When a person decides toáeven the score, they try to get their revenge on someone who has cheated or done them harm. When Jack discovered that Bob had cheated, he was determined to even the score.
sell ice to Eskimos
This expression is used to describe a person who has the ability to persuade someone to accept something totally unnecessary or useless.á It’s not surprising he was named ‘salesman of the year’. He could sell ice to Eskimos!
tip of the iceberg
Theátip of the icebergáis the part that is known of a problem or situation which is thought to be much more serious. Journalists say that the report on corruption only examines the tip of the iceberg.
blow a fuse
If youáblow a fuse, you suddenly lose your temper and become very angry. Charlie blew a fuse yesterday then he discovered that his ipod had been stolen.
sweep underárug
If youásweep something under the rugá(or carpet), you try to hide it because it is embarrassing. They tried unsuccessfully to sweep the scandal under the rug.
thinly veiled
If something such as a feeling or reaction isáthinly veiled,áit is barely hidden. His disappointment was thinly veiled when he saw what he had won.
fiddling while Rome burns
To say that someone isáfiddling while Rome burns means that they are doing unimportant things while there are serious problems to be dealt with. His visit to the trade fair was ‘fiddling while Rome burns’ according to the strikers.
head against brick wall
If youábang your head against a brick wall, you continue vainly to try and achieve something in spite of several unsuccessful attempts. I’ve been banging my head against a brick wall trying to explain the internet to my grandmother.
pay over the odds
If youápay over the odds,áyou pay too much or you pay more for something than it is really worth. She’s willing to pay over the odds for an original Kelly handbag to add to your collection.
sharp practice
Trying to achieve something by using underhand, deceitful or dishonourable means, that are barely within the law, is calledásharp practice.á That company is under investigation for sharp practice so it’s better to avoid dealing with them.
figment of imagination
Aáfigment of one’s imaginationáis an appearance, event or incident that is not considered to be real but only imaginary. Other people saw the car, so it’s not a figment of my imagination!
wet the baby’s head
This expression means to have drink to celebrate the birth of a baby. When his first child was born, Tom invited his colleagues to a local bar to wet the baby’s head.
fat hits the fire
When trouble breaks out, or a situation deteriorates as a result of something said or done, it is said thatáthe fat hits the fire. The situation was already tense, but the fat hit the fire when Larry was accused of cheating.
sitting duck
To refer to someone asáa sitting duckámeans that they are an easy target to criticize, attack, etc. The young actress was a sitting duck for the reporters.
save the day
If you find a solution to a serious problem, and ensure the success of something that was expected to fail, youásave the day. The dog ate the apple pie I had made for my guests, but my sister saved the day by making one of her speedy desserts!
(scream) blue murder
Someone whoáscreams blue murderáshouts or complains very loudly as if something very serious has happened. The crowd started screaming blue murder when the football match was interrupted.
stand the test of time
If somethingástands the test of time, people continue to find it valuable or useful after many years. The teaching method has stood the test of time.á It is still used in schools today.
fall short of
If something proves inadequate or insufficient, or does not reach the required standard, itáfalls short ofáwhat is expected. Sales of the new product fell short of the company’s expectations.
anotherástringáto your bow
If you haveáanother string to your bow,áyou have another skill or possible course of action if everything else fails. As well as her excellent qualifications, she’s got another string to her bow to help her find a job.á She speaks fluent Chinese.
take a stand
If youátake a stand,áyou adopt a firm position on an issue and publicly declare whether or not you support it. The politician was asked to take a stand on the government’s proposed measures to curb illegal immigration.
walking encyclopaedia
This term refers to a person who is very knowledgeable about a lot of subjects. The origin of Halloween?á Ask Jill - she’s a walking encyclopaedia!
dance to someone’s tune
If youádance to someone’s tune, you do whatever that person tells you to do. He is the company’s major shareholder so the management has to dance to his tune.
spread oneself too thin
If youáspread yourself too thin,áyou do too many things at the same time and can’t do any of them well. Don’t spread yourself too thin or you’ll get nowhere.
settle a score
Toásettle a scoreáis to retaliate against someone or take revengeá for a past wrong. James has made an appointment with his lawyer - he has a score to settle with someone.
money talks
Money talksámeans that people with a lot of money have power and influence. The owner is a millionaire and he’s influential - money talks!
lose one’s marbles
If someoneáloses their marbles,áthey become mentally confused, or no longer behave sensibly or rationally. The old man is acting very strangely. He seems to have lost his marbles.
take theárougháwith the smooth
If youátake the rough with the smooth, you accept what is unpleasant or difficult as well as what is pleasant or easy. Life isn’t always easy; you have to learn to take the rough with the smooth.
saved by the bell
If you areásaved by the bell,ásomething happens at the last minute to rescue you from a difficult situation. Saved by the bell! A friend arrived just when I realized I had no money for the parking meter.
(not) in rightámind
To say that someone isánot in their right mindámeans that they are not behaving in a logical or sensible way. Emily wasn’t in her right mind the day she bought that outfit.á It doesn’t suit her at all!
eat/dip into one’s savings
If youáeat or dip into your savings, you spend part of the money you have put aside for future use. I had to dip into my savings to have the car repaired.
play the game
If youáplay the game, you accept to do things according to generally-accepted customs or code of behaviour. Not all website owners play the game. Some download content from other sites without permission.
like it or lump it!
If you tell someone toálike it or lump it,á you mean that they will have to accept something even if they don’t like it, because the situation is not going to change. We’re spending a week this summer with your grandparents - like it or lump it!
every dog has its day
This expression means that everyone can be successful at something at some time in their life. I didn’t win this time, but I’ll be lucky one day.á Every dog has its day!
no use crying over spilt milk
This expression means that it is useless to complain or have regrets about something that is done and cannot be changed. Sometimes I regret not accepting the offer, but it’s no use crying over spilt milk.
like aácatáon hot bricks
A person who isálike a cat on hot bricksáis very nervous or restless. The week before the results were published, she was like a cat on hot bricks.
play with fire
People who take unnecessary risks or behave in a dangerous way areplaying with fire. Driving alone on isolated roads in this weather is playing with fire.
himalayan blunder
If you stupidly make a serious mistake or error, you commit aHimalayan blunder. Apparently he lost his job because of a Himalayan blunder.
lose your shirt
If youálose your shirt,áyou lose all your money or possessions, especially as a result of speculation or gambling. He lost his shirt when the bank want bankrupt.
guinea pig
People who are used aságuinea pigsáare people on whom new methods, treatment or ideas are tested.
loan shark
Aáloan sharkáis a person who lends money at extremely high interest rates to people who are unable to obtain a loan from the bank. The young immigrant was beaten because he was late paying back money to a loan shark.
be anáitem
To say that two peopleáare an itemámeans that they are involved in a romantic relationship. So Sally and Harry are an item, are they?
wither on the vine
If somethingáwithers on the vine,áit comes to an end or ceases to exist because people do not support or encourage it. Let’s hope the recent efforts towards peace will not wither on the vine.
(come)áhelláor high water
If you declare that you will do somethingácome hell or high water,áyou mean that you will do it in spite of the difficulties involved. Come hell or high water I’ve got to be on time for the interview.
small hours
The termá’the small hours’ámeans after midnight or the very early hours of the day. Sarah worked until the small hours on her speech for the ceremony.
draw the line
If you decide toádraw the line, you determine when an activity or situation becomes unacceptable. When a person’s private life is concerned, the media should know where to draw the line.
laughing stock
A person who does something stupid or ridiculous which causes others to laugh becomesáa laughing stock. If you wear that to school you’ll be the laughing stock of the class!
more than meets the eye
When something is more complicated, difficult or interesting than it appears, it is said that there isámore (to it) than meets the eye.á He said that he had simply sold his shares, but I think there’s more to it than meets the eye.
cost aápretty penny
If somethingácosts a pretty penny, it costs a lot of money. Steve’s new car must have cost a pretty penny!
all things to all people
If you areáall things to all people,áyou please or satisfy everyone. She’s exhausted trying to be a good wife, a good mother and a good teacher, but she can’t be all things to all people.
get a second bite/two bites at the cherry
This expression means that you get a second opportunity to do or try something. He was eliminated in the semi-finals, but he’ll get a second bite at the cherry next year.
pay dearly for
Ifáyouápay dearlyáfor something that you do or say, you suffer a lot as a result of it. If you leave your job now, you may have to pay dearly for it.
worth your while
If something isáworth your while,áit is a useful thing to do and deserves the time spent on it. It would be well worth your while to attend the seminar.
fiftháwheel
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
put in the right perspective
When peopleásee or put things in their right perspective, they keep in proportion all the elements of a situation, without exaggerating the importance of any aspect. If Tom could see things in their right perspective, the situation would be less stressful for him.
redress the balance
An effort toáredress the balanceáis an attempt to make things equal. With too few girls entering university, the authorities declared that an effort would be made to redress the balance.
more heat than light
If a discussion or debate generatesámore heat than light, it causes anger or intense reaction but doesn’t clarify anything. The meeting that was held to discuss the problem generated more heat than light!
music to one’s ears
If something isámusic to your ears,áthe information that you receive makes you feel very happy. His compliments were music to my ear.
on the stump
Before an election, whená politicians are campaigning for support and votes, they areáon the stump. On the stump for months, the candidates attended meeting after meeting.
at cross purposes
If two people areáat cross purposes, there is a misunderstanding as to what each one is talking about. Look, we seem to be at cross purposes. You’re talking about ‘sailing’ boats, but I’m talking about ‘selling’ boats.
put/lay one’s cards on the table
If youáput your cards on the table, you speak honestly and openly about your feelings and intentions. It was time for me to put my cards on the table and reveal my true feelings.
throw your hat into the ring
If youáthrow or toss your hat in the ring, you announce that you are going to enter a competition or take up a challenge. He finally threw his hat in the ring and announced that he was going to stand for election.
feel blue
Toáfeel blueámeans to have feelings of deep sadness or depression. I’m going to see my grandmother. She’s feeling a bit blue at the moment.
Freudian slip
A Freudian slip is a mistake made by a speaker which is considered to reveal their true thoughts or feelings. So you got the job - I’m so sad …á Sorry, I mean ‘glad’!
put on a brave face
When confronted with difficulties, if youáput on a brave face,áyou try to look cheerful and pretend that the situation is not as bad as it is. Even in the worst of times she put on a brave face.
burn the candle at both ends
If youáburn 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.
