Angielskie zwroty

Question 1

“Sorry Hillary, I was running on C.P. time,” de Blasio told Clinton when she criticized him for taking a long time to endorse her earlier this month.

I was running on CPT,” Obama said, when the event started a little late. “Which stands for, jokes that white people should not make.”

Answer 1

Colored People’s Time (also abbreviated to CP Time or CPT) is an American expression referring to a negative stereotype of African Americans as frequently being late.

Question 2

If this material works well, I’m going to use it at Goldman Sachs next year. Earn me some serious Tubmans.

Obama, Correspondent Dinner 2016

Answer 2

tubmans - pieniądze?

Question 3

an annual see-and-be-seen event where Administration officials hobnob with the Washington press corp alongside a crazy quilt of celebrities from across the cultural spectrum

Answer 3

see-and-be-seen

Question 4

a crazy quilt of celebrities

Answer 4

patchwork

Question 5

press corps

Answer 5

korpus prasowy

Question 6

Can’t judge a book by its cover

Answer 6

Cannot judge something primarily on appearance

Question 7

Hit the books

Sorry but I can’t watch the game with you tonight, I have to hit the books. I have a huge exam next week!

Answer 7

It simply means “to study,” and is a way of telling your friends that you’re going to study

Question 8

It’s time for me to hit the sack, I’m so tired.

Instead of saying hit the sack you can also say hit the hay.

Answer 8

But actually to hit the sack means to go to bed, and you’d use this to tell your friends or family that you’re really tired, so you’re going to sleep.

Question 9

Pretty girls? Oh all right, you’ve twisted my arm, I’ll come!

Answer 9

If your arm has been twisted it means that someone has done a great job of convincing you to do something you might not have wanted to do.

Question 10

Jen have you set a date for the wedding yet?”

“Not exactly, things are still up in the air and we’re not sure if our families can make it on the day we wanted. Hopefully we’ll know soon and we’ll let you know as soon as possible.”

Answer 10

But really if someone tells you that things are up in the air it means that these things are uncertain or unsure; definite plans have not been made yet.

Question 11

Did you hear that Sarah stabbed Kate in the back last week?

She told their boss that Kate wasn’t interested in a promotion at work and Sarah got it instead.

Answer 11

However, as an idiom to stab someone in the back means to hurt someone who was close to us and trusted us by betraying them secretly and breaking their trust. We call the person who does this a back stabber.

Question 12

to lose your touch

I don’t understand why none of the girls here want to speak to me.”

“It looks like you’ve lost your touch with the ladies.”

“Oh no, they used to love me, what happened?”

Answer 12

But to lose your touch actually means that you lose your ability or talent you once had when dealing with things, people or situations.

Question 13

to sit tight

Mrs. Carter, do you have any idea when the exam results are going to come out?”

“Who knows Johnny, sometimes they come out quickly but it could take some time. You’re just going to have to sit tight and wait.”

Answer 13

But if a person tells you to sit tight they want you to wait patiently and take no action until you hear otherwise.

Question 14

to pitch in

Maybe we can all pitch in and buy her something great.

Answer 14

figuratively speaking it means to contribute (give) to something or someone or to join in.

So if your dad tells the family that he wants everyone to pitch in this weekend and help clear the backyard, it means he wants everyone to join in on the efforts to clear the yard and get things done quicker.

Question 15

go cold turkey

She just quit cold turkey?

Answer 15

The origins of this English idiom are strange and to go cold turkey means to suddenly quit or stop addictive or dangerous behavior such as smoking or drinking alcohol.

Question 16

I can’t understand why I failed math.”

“You know you didn’t study hard, so you’re going to have to face the music and take the class again next semester if you really want to graduate when you do.”

Answer 16

It means to “face reality” or to deal with the reality of the situation and accept all the consequences good or bad (but mostly bad). Perhaps you’ve been avoiding something because you feel unsure or scared of the outcome. Maybe you lied to your teacher and she discovered the truth and now you have to face the music and accept the punishment.

Question 17

to be on the ball

Wow, you’ve already finished your assignments? They are not due until next week, you’re really on the ball. I wish I could be more organized.

Answer 17

If you’re on the ball it means that you’re very quick to understand certain things, very prepared for something or react quickly (and correctly) to a situation.

Question 18

You’ve met my friend Amy Adams, right?”

“Hmmm, I’m not sure, but that name rings a bell. Was she the one who went to Paris last year?”

Answer 18

But the idiom means that somebody has mentioned something that sounds familiar to you, perhaps you’ve heard it before. In other words, when someone says something that you believe you’ve heard in the past, alarm bells start ringing and you try to remember how or why that name or place sounds familiar.

Question 19

“As a rule of thumb you should always pay for your date’s dinner.”

“Why? There’s no rule stating that!”

“Yes, but it’s what all gentlemen do.”

Answer 19

However, if you hear someone say as a rule of thumb, they mean that it’s a general unwritten rule for whatever they’re talking about.

These rules of thumb are not based on science or research, and are instead just a general principle. For example, there’s no written scientific rule that you must add oil to boiling water when cooking pasta, but it’s a rule of thumb and is practiced by most people so the pasta won’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

Question 20

to be under the weather

“What’s wrong with Katy, mom?”

“She’s feeling a little under the weather so be quiet and let her rest.”

Answer 20

If you’re feeling under the weather, you’re not your usual self and could be feeling a little sick. The sick feeling is nothing serious; perhaps it’s just extreme tiredness from studying too much, or having a bad headache because you’re starting to get the flu.

Question 21

“Why is Nick so angry and where did he go?”

“He had a fight with his brother, so he went for a run to blow off his steam.”

Answer 21

If you’re feeling angry, stressed or are experiencing some strong feelings and you want to get rid of them so you feel better again, you will blow off steam by doing something such as exercise to get rid of the stress.

Question 22

to look like a million bucks

“Wow, Mary, you look like a million dollars/bucks this evening. I love your dress!”

Answer 22

If someone tells you that you look like a million bucks, you should take it as a huge compliment because it means you look absolutely fabulous and really attractive.

While sometimes we use this English idiom for guys, it’s more commonly used to compliment females. And while some of your female friends may look beautiful every day, you should save this English idiom for when they’ve really made an effort and it’s a special occasion, like prom or a wedding.

Question 23

to cut to the chase

Hi guys, as we don’t have much time here, so I’m going to cut to the chase. We’ve been having some major problems in the office lately.

Answer 23

When somebody tells you to cut to the chase it means that you’ve been talking too long and haven’t gotten to the point. When a person uses this idiom, they are telling you to hurry up and get the important part, without all the details. Be careful how you use this idiom, because if used while talking to someone like a college professor or your boss, it’s rude and disrespectful.

If you’re speaking to a group of people, like your employees, and say I’m going to cut to the chase, it means that there are a few things that need to be said but there’s very little time, so you’ll skip to the important parts so everyone understands.

Question 24

to find your feet

“Lee, how’s your son doing in America?”

“He’s doing okay. He’s learned where the college is but is still finding his feet with everything else. I guess it’ll take time for him to get used to it all.”

Answer 24

If you find yourself in a new situation, for example living in a new country and having to get used to a new college, you could say I’m still finding my feet. It means that you’re still adjusting and getting used to the new environment.

Question 25

to get over something

“How’s Paula? Has she gotten over the death of her dog yet?”

“I think so. She’s already talking about getting a new one.”

Answer 25

Imagine having a really difficult time, like breaking up with your girlfriend or boyfriend—it’s hard. But eventually once time passes and you no longer think about your ex, it means that you’ve gotten over him/her, you no longer worry about it and it no longer affects you in a negative way. It’s also possible to get over an illness too, which would mean that you’ve fully recovered.

Question 26

to keep your chin up

“Hey, Keiren, have you had any luck finding work yet?”

“No, nothing, it’s really depressing, there’s nothing out there!”

“Don’t worry, you’ll find something soon, keep your chin up buddy and don’t stress.”

Answer 26

Did you just have a massive fight with your friend? Did you fail your English finals? Did your team lose the final match? Did you lose your job? If you answered “yes” to any of the questions, then you’re probably feeling sad and a little depressed, right?

In this situation, a supportive friend might tell you to keep your chin up. When they tell you this, they’re showing their support for you, and it’s a way of saying “stay strong,” you’ll get through this. Don’t let these things affect you too badly.

Question 27

I couldn’t care less

Answer 27

When you say “I couldn’t care less,” you’re saying you really, really don’t care. You care so little, that you could not care any less.

If someone tells you that your ex is dating someone again, you could say “I couldn’t care less.” But when people confuse this and say “I could care less” they’re actually saying the opposite.

Question 28

for all intents and purposes

Answer 28

The phrase “for all intents and purposes” means for every practical or important reason. If your sweater gets a big hole in it, you might say that “This coat is, for all intents and purposes, ruined.”

When you hear someone say this phrase out loud though, it does sound a bit like “for all intensive purposes.” It even kind of makes sense—you could be saying “all the major reasons.” Still, this is the wrong way to say the phrase.

Question 29

on purpose

Answer 29

celowo

Question 30

by accident

Answer 30

niechcący

Question 31

Nipped in the bud.

Answer 31

Nipping a problem in the bud means solving it before it becomes a serious issue. The phrase comes from the fact that a bud is a young plant, and nipping it (pinching it off) would prevent it from blooming.

Question 32

You have another think coming

Answer 32

Hearing the full phrase helps a lot in this case of misheard phrase confusion: “If that’s what you think, then you have another think coming.”

The original phrase is not grammatically correct, but it’s a way of saying that someone’s opinion is incorrect. Many people disagree on this phrase, though, so you might hear either way used in conversation.

Question 33

sleight of hand

Answer 33

Magicians use sleights of hand when they’re performing their magic. They move their hands so quickly and skillfully that you don’t see the trick happen. As an idiom it means using trickery or deceit.

Many people misspell the phrase by using the word “slight,” which means something small or an insult. But “sleight” is the correct word to use here. It means to be quick and smart, usually with the purpose of deceiving (tricking) someone.

Question 34

one and the same

Answer 34

To put an emphasis on the fact that two things are actually identical or the same thing, you can use the phrase “one and the same.” For example, “The authors Stephen King and Richard Bachman are one and the same.”

Question 35

to whet your appetite

Answer 35

To whet your appetite means to entice, or to get someone interested in something. You might whet the appetite of someone looking for a house by showing them pictures of the home you’re selling.

People often mishear the phrase as “wet your appetite” which makes sense in a way. When you’re hungry and you smell something delicious, the inside of your mouth does get wet. But the correct verb is “whet,” which is an old word that means to sharpen.

You do, however, wet your whistle (that is, have a drink).

Question 36

take the fifth

Answer 36

If you’ve ever watched an American crime drama, you might have heard the phrase “I plead the fifth!” This comes from the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution of America. Specifically, it’s from the part that says you have the right not to answer a question if the answer might make you look guilty.

Unlike in the movies, though, in a real courtroom you would not plead the fifth; you would take the fifth. So if someone asks you who ate the last cookie, you could say, “I take the fifth!” which, of course, just makes you look guilty.

The word “plea” means a request, usually of an emotional kind. You can “plead to be allowed to retake a test you failed,” or “make a plea for a retake.” In a courtroom, the plea is the statement someone makes at the start of a trial: “I plead guilty” or “I plead not guilty.”

Question 37

X and me

X and I

Answer 37

One confusing part of English grammar is when to say “[some person] and I” versus “me and [some person].” To avoid using either, some people have started saying, “[some person] and myself.” This is becoming more popular, but it’s not correct! Luckily it’s easy to learn which phrase to use, since this is important.

A sentence like “Sam and I went to the park” is actually two sentences put together to save time and sound better. If you separate the two parts, it would look like this: “Sam went to the park. I also went to the park.”

Whenever you’re not sure which pronoun to use in a sentence, just separate the sentence into two.

For example, “The photographer took a picture of Sam and [?].” To figure out which word to use (“me” or “I”), let’s split it into two sentences:

The photographer took a picture of Sam. The photographer took a picture of me.

So the correct phrase is, “The photographer took a picture of Sam and me.”

Question 38

waiting for

Answer 38

When someone asks you why you’re standing around doing nothing, you would tell them that you’re “waiting for my friend.” When you’re working in a restaurant as a waiter/waitress and your friend is a customer, only then can you say you’re “waiting on my friend.” The two phrases don’t mean the same thing, but people often use “waiting on” when they really mean “waiting for.”

Just remember that if you say that you’re “waiting on a friend,” it means you’re serving your friend—which is probably not what you mean.

Question 39

an elephant in the room

Answer 39

If you say there is an elephant in the room, you mean that there is an obvious problem or difficult situation that people do not want to talk about.

Question 40

you can’t judge a book by its cover

Answer 40

said to show that you cannot know what something or someone is like by looking only at that person or thing’s appearance

Question 41

bite off more than you can chew

Answer 41

to try to do something that is too difficult for you:

Question 42

in the heat of the moment

Answer 42

w zdenerwowaniu

If you do or say something in the heat of the moment, you do or say it without thinking because you are angry or excited.

Question 43

have the best of both worlds

Answer 43

mieć same korzyści

to have the advantages of two different situations

Question 44

come to terms with something

She’s never really come to terms with her son’s death. It’s very hard coming to terms with the fact that you’ll never have children.

come to terms with
finally came to terms with his lack of talent.

The warring factions have at last come to terms.

Answer 44

to begin to accept and deal with something difficult or unpleasant

To come to accept; become reconciled to

To reach mutual agreement:

Question 45

make heavy weather of

make heavy weather of something/doing something

Answer 45

To exaggerate the difficulty of something to be done

to take a longer time than necessary to do something
He’s making heavy weather of writing his report - Ingrid finished hers days ago.

Question 46

sham

Belarus’s election was a sham.

Answer 46

oszustwo/lipa/ściema
pozory
pozer

a situation, feeling, system, etc. that is not as good or true as it seems to be

a person who pretends to be something that they are not

Question 47

feeble

She made a feeble attempt to explain the issue.

Answer 47

słaby, nikły, marny

Question 48

credit crunch

In a credit crunch, lenders stop lending and credit becomes tough to obtain.

Many companies will not survive the unfolding credit crunch.

Answer 48

an economic condition in which it suddenly becomes difficult and expensive to borrow money