alliteration Flashcards
belt and braces
(informal) taking more actions than are really necessary to make sure that something succeeds or works as it should
a belt-and-braces policy
1.below the belt
(of a remark) unfair or cruel
That was distinctly below the belt!
2.have something under your belt
(informal) to have already achieved or obtained something
She already has a couple of good wins under her belt.
3.tighten your belt
to spend less money because there is less available
With price increases on most goods, everyone is having to tighten their belt.
There is a need for further belt-tightening.
born and bred
born and having grown up in a particular place with a particular background and education
He was born and bred in Boston.
I’m a Londoner, born and bred.
I was born and bred in Texas.
1.born with a silver spoon in your mouth
(saying) having rich parents
2.be/be born/be made that way
(of a person) to behave or do things in a particular manner because it is part of your character
It’s not his fault he’s so pompous—he was born that way.
3.be born to be/do something
to have something as your destiny (= what is certain to happen to you) from birth
He was born to be a great composer.
4.not be born yesterday
(informal) used to say that you are not stupid enough to believe what somebody is telling you
Oh yeah? I wasn’t born yesterday, you know.
5.not know you are born
(British English, informal) to have an easy life without realizing how easy it is
You people without kids don’t know you’re born.
6.there’s one born every minute
(saying) used to say that somebody is very stupid
7.(as/as if) to the manner born
(formal) as if something is natural for you and you have done it many times in the past
She adapted to life on the estate as if to the manner born.
born
1.to come out of your mother’s body at the beginning of your life
I was born in 1976.
He was born in a small village in northern Spain.
She was born on 7 February 1874.
The baby was born by Caesarean section on Friday.
born into something She was born into a very musical family.
These children were born into poverty.
born of/to somebody He was born of/to German parents.
born with something She was born with a rare heart condition.
She was born with a weak heart.
+ adj. Her brother was born blind (= was blind when he was born).
+ noun John Wayne was born Marion Michael Morrison (= that was his name at birth).
2.(of an idea, an organization, a feeling, etc.) to start to exist
the city where the protest movement was born
born (out) of something She acted with a courage born (out) of desperation.
chalk and cheese
if two people or things are like chalk and cheese or as different as chalk and cheese, they are completely different from each other
Frank and I will never get along. We’re chalk and cheese.
My two horses are as different as chalk and cheese.
1.not by a long chalk
(British English)
(also not by a long shot North American English, British English)
not nearly; not at all
It’s not over yet—not by a long chalk.
chop and change
1.chop and change
(British English, informal) to keep changing your mind or what you are doing
chop
1.to cut something into pieces with a sharp tool such as a knife
chop something He was chopping logs for firewood.
Add the finely chopped onions.
chop something (up) (into something) Chop the carrots up into small pieces.
(figurative) The country was chopped up into small administrative areas.
2.(informal) to suddenly stop providing or allowing something; to suddenly reduce something by a large amount
SYNONYM cut
be chopped Their training courses are to be chopped.
be chopped from something to something The share price was chopped from 50 pence to 20 pence.
chop N
1.a thick slice of meat with a bone attached to it, especially from a pig or sheep
a pork/lamb chop
2. an act of cutting something in a quick movement downwards using an axe or a knife
Give the mushrooms a quick chop before adding them to the pan.
3.an act of hitting somebody/something with the side of your hand in a quick movement downwards
a karate chop
*be for the chop
(British English, informal)
(of a person) to be likely to be dismissed from a job
Who’s next for the chop?
(of a plan, project, etc.) to be likely to be stopped or ended
*bust your chops/butt/hump (doing something/to do something)
(North American English, informal)
(also bust a gut British and North American English, informal, bust your ass North American English, offensive, slang)
to make a great effort to do something
I busted my chops to get into law school.
These guys were busting their butts on the field, trying to excel at athletics.
It’s a problem which nobody is going to bust a gut trying to solve.
*bust somebody’s chops
(North American English, informal) to criticize somebody
Your blog is great but I have to bust your chops a little over this post.
*bust a gut (doing something/to do something)
(informal)
(also North American English, informal bust your butt/chops/hump, North American English, offensive, slang bust your ass)
to make a great effort to do something
It’s a problem which nobody is going to bust a gut trying to solve.
I busted my chops to get into law school.
These guys were busting their butts on the field, trying to excel at athletics.
*not much chop
(Australian English, New Zealand English, informal) not very good or useful
done and dusted
(British English, informal) completely finished
That’s my article for the magazine done and dusted.
1.be done for
(informal) to be in a very bad situation; to be certain to fail
Unless we start making some sales, we’re done for.
When he pointed the gun at me, I thought I was done for (= about to die).
2.be/get done for something/for doing something
(British English, informal) to be caught and punished for doing something illegal but not too serious
I got done for speeding on my way back.
3.be done in
(informal) to be extremely tired
4.be/have done with something
to have finished dealing with somebody, or doing or using something
If you’ve done with that magazine, can I have a look at it?
5.be easier said than done
(saying) to be much more difficult to do than to talk about
‘Why don’t you get yourself a job?’ ‘That’s easier said than done.’
6.be/feel hard done by
(informal) to be or feel unfairly treated
She has every right to feel hard done by—her parents have given her nothing.
7.a done deal
an agreement or a plan that has been finally completed or agreed
The merger is by no means a done deal yet.
8.have done with it
(British English) to do something unpleasant as quickly as possible, so that it is finished
Why not tell her you’re quitting and have done with it?
9.no sooner said than done
used to say that something was, or will be, done immediately
wine and dine (somebody)
to go to restaurants, etc. and enjoy good food and drink; to entertain somebody by buying them good food and drink
The town offers many opportunities for wining and dining.
The firm spent thousands wining and dining potential clients.
His boss took him out to be wined and dined.
dine
1.to eat dinner
We dined with my parents at a restaurant in town.
