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American Idioms AFS > American Idioms 2, A > Flashcards

American Idioms 2, A Flashcards

1
Q

A bolt from the blue

A

A sudden and unexpected event or piece of news (typically annoying)

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2
Q

A cinch

A

An extremely easy task

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3
Q

A few sandwiches short of a picnic

A

Abnormally stupid, not really sane

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4
Q

A heavy cross to bear

A

An unpleasant or painful situation or person that you have to accept and deal with

“He lost all his crop to heavy rain. It was a heavy cross to bear for him”.

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5
Q

A home bird

A

Somebody who prefers to spend his social and free time at home

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6
Q

A life of its own

A

An independent existence

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7
Q

A little bird told me

A

I don’t wish to divulge where I got the information

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8
Q

A million and one

A

Very many

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9
Q

A scaredy-cat

A

Someone who is excessively scared or afraid

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10
Q

A second bite the cherry

A

A second chance to do something

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11
Q

A sitting duck

A

A person or object in a vulnerable position that is easy to attack or injure

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12
Q

A snowball’s chance in hell

A

Little to no likelihood of occurrence or success.

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13
Q

A watched pot never boils

A

If you wait for something to happen it takes longer

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14
Q

A wet blanket

A

A person who spoils other people’s fun

“If you are going to come to my party, you can’t be such a wet blanket”

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15
Q

A whole raft of

A

A large collection of something

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16
Q

Above the salt

A

Of high standing or honor

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17
Q

Above water

A

Not in extreme difficulty. Especially said of finances

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18
Q

Accident of birth

A

Luck in something due to family good fortune

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19
Q

Accident waiting to happen

A

A dangerous way of setting up or organizing something

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20
Q

According to hoyle

A

Properly, in accordance with established procedures

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21
Q

Ace up one’s sleeve

A

A surprise advantage of which others are not aware

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22
Q

Acid test

A

A crucial event that determines the worth of something

23
Q

After one’s own heart

A

Similar in a pleasing way

24
Q

After the fact

A

Too late; after something is completed or finalized

25
Q

Ahead of the curve

A

Offering ideas not yet in general circulation; highly creative.

26
Q

Ahead of the game

A

Making faster progress than anticipated; ahead of schedule.

27
Q

Alive and kicking

A

In good health despite health problems

28
Q

All along

A

For the entire time something has been happening

29
Q

All And sundry

A

Everyone(separately) Each one

30
Q

All bets are off

A

What seemed certain is now unclear

31
Q

All eyes and ears

A

Attentive

32
Q

All fur coat and no knickers

A

Superficially attractive, physically or otherwise

33
Q

All good things must come to an end

A

Everything that is deemed nice, end

34
Q

All hands on deck

A

Everyone must help

35
Q

All hat and no cattle

A

Pretentious, full of bluster

36
Q

All hell breaks loose

A

The situation becomes chaotic

37
Q

All hell will let loose

A

A situation suddenly becomes noisy and violent, usually with a lot of people arguing or fighting

38
Q

All in good time

A

Eventually; at a more favorable time in the future. This phrase encourages one to be patient

39
Q

All in one piece

A

Safely

40
Q

A bit much

A

More than is reasonable; a bit too much

41
Q

A cut above

A

Slightly better than

42
Q

All told

A

With everything taken into consideration

43
Q

All up

A

Finished

44
Q

Answer back

A

Respond impertinently; to talk back

45
Q

Ants in your pants

A

Restlessness

46
Q

Any minute now

A

Very soon

47
Q

Any port in a storm

A

If you’re in trouble, you’ll turn to anything that improves the situation

48
Q

As bald as a coot

A

Totally bald.

49
Q

As calm as a toad in the sun

A

To be very calm in a situation that can be unnerving

50
Q

As mad as a hatter

A

Someone being completely crazy

51
Q

As nice as nine pence

A

A place that is very well organized

52
Q

Ask out

A

Invite someone to go out, especially on a date

53
Q

At daggers drawn

A

Almost ready to fight

54
Q

At odds

A

To disagree about something

“They are at odds about the fundraiser that I hold on Saturday”.

American Idioms AFS (5 decks)

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