Bridging the gap Flashcards
What does ‘keep one’s chin up’ mean?
Remain cheerful
What does ‘by the skin of one’s teeth’ refer to?
By a very narrow margin
What does ‘(not) stomach sth’ mean?
Be (un)able to accept sth
Define ‘a pain in the neck’.
A nuisance, an annoying person
What does ‘have the guts’ imply?
Have the courage
What does it mean to ‘thumb through a book’?
Look through a book
What does ‘down at heel’ describe?
Poor and shabbily dressed
What does ‘get one’s back up’ mean?
Annoy
What does it mean to ‘be at odds with sb’?
In disagreement
What does ‘at one’s disposal’ signify?
Available
What does ‘to toe the line’ mean?
Obey the rules
What does ‘do sb a good turn’ refer to?
Help sb
What does ‘keep a straight face’ entail?
Not expose emotions
Fill in the blank: ‘set foot in’ means _______.
Go to
What does ‘hear sth from one’s own lips’ imply?
What does ‘do wonders for’ mean?
To have a very good effect
What does ‘be at a low ebb’ signify?
Depressed
What does ‘risk one’s neck’ mean?
Risk
What does ‘head for’ mean?
Go towards
What does ‘be at a loose end’ refer to?
Have nothing to do
What does ‘do/work miracles’ mean?
Extremely effective
What does ‘know sb by sight’ imply?
Look familiar
Fill in the blank: ‘on account of’ means _______.
Because of
What does ‘be at a loss for words’ convey?
Not to know what to do or say
What does ‘be at large’ mean?
Be free
What does ‘cost sb an arm and a leg’ signify?
Very expensive
What does ‘fight tooth and nail’ mean?
Fight fiercely
What does ‘hold one’s tongue’ imply?
Restrain oneself from saying sth
What does ‘make one’s blood boil’ refer to?
Make one very angry
What is meant by ‘a bone of contention’?
A cause of dispute
What does ‘bite one’s lip’ mean?
Refrain from saying sth/restrain a cry
What does ‘be glad to see the back of sb’ mean?
Be happy to see sb go/leave
What does ‘bone idle’ describe?
Extremely lazy
What does ‘have a (good) head for sth’ imply?
Be good at sth
What does ‘be in deep water’ mean?
Be in trouble
What does ‘be out of character for sb’ signify?
Unlike sb to
What does ‘be in (deep) debt to sb’ mean?
Owe money to
What does ‘give sb a big hand’ refer to?
Applaud
What does ‘set eyes on sth’ mean?
See
What does ‘set one’s heart on doing sth’ imply?
Be determined to do sth
What does ‘lose one’s head’ mean?
Panic
What does ‘be over one’s head’ signify?
Difficult
What does ‘make sense of sth’ mean?
Understand
What does ‘fall into place’ mean?
Go smoothly
Fill in the blank: ‘in place of’ means _______.
Instead of
What does ‘be an old hand at’ refer to?
Be an experienced/skilled person
What does ‘in light of’ imply?
Because of
What does ‘make head or tail of’ mean?
Understand
What does ‘make ends meet on sth’ signify?
Manage on sth
What does ‘make a meal of sth’ imply?
Spend ages on
What does ‘it is open to question whether….or…’ mean?
Nobody knows for sure…
What does ‘in the event (that)’ mean?
In case
What does ‘on condition (that)’ imply?
If
What does ‘egg sb on’ mean?
Urge/encourage sb to do mischief
What does ‘turn tail’ refer to?
Run away
What does ‘his bark is worse than his bite’ mean?
He’s nicer than he seems/sounds
What does ‘pull the wool over sb’s eyes’ imply?
Deceive/fool sb
What does ‘bird’s eye view’ mean?
Aerial view
What does ‘haven’t seen hide or hair of sb’ mean?
Haven’t seen sb at all
What does ‘not have two hoots (about sth)’ imply?
Not care (about sth)
What does ‘spread one’s wings’ mean?
Extend one’s activities/ move to a new place
What does ‘bear no resemblance/ bear a great/strong resemblance to’ signify?
(Not) look like
What does ‘bear fruit’ mean?
Produce successful results
What does ‘monkey about/around with sth’ imply?
Waste time
What does ‘let the cat out of the bag’ mean?
Reveal a secret
What does ‘dog one’s footsteps’ mean?
Follow
What does ‘be in the same boat’ refer to?
In the same situation
What does ‘get the wrong end of the stick’ mean?
Not understand sth correctly
What does ‘be in two minds about’ imply?
Cannot decide
What does ‘like a fish out of water’ mean?
Out of place
What does ‘once in a while’ signify?
Occasionally
What does ‘cut sb/sth down to size’ mean?
Show sb to be less important than they think
What does ‘once and for all’ imply?
Now, finally
What does ‘once in a lifetime’ mean?
Extremely rarely
What does ‘once too often’ refer to?
One more time than is desired/ needed
What does ‘double your money’ mean?
Make twice as much money
What does ‘not budge/give an inch’ imply?
Refuse to change an opinion
What does ‘see/tell sth a mile off’ mean?
Understand sth very obvious
What does ‘out of the blue’ signify?
Unexpectedly
What does ‘cast one’s mind back to’ mean?
Recall/try to remember
What does ‘pull a fast one on sb’ imply?
Trick sb
What does ‘be on cloud nine’ mean?
Extremely happy
What does ‘go back to square one’ signify?
Go back to the beginning
What does ‘give someone a third degree’ mean?
Ask someone a lot of questions in an aggressive way
What does ‘as a token of’ imply?
As evidence of
What does ‘as a rule of thumb’ mean?
A rule based on experience or practice
What does ‘be under one’s thumb’ refer to?
Be under the control or influence of someone
What does ‘have second thoughts about sth’ mean?
To change your opinion about sth or start to doubt it
What does ‘under the weather’ signify?
Unwell
What does ‘speak under one’s breath’ mean?
Speak quietly
What does ‘donkey work’ refer to?
The hard boring part of a job/task
What does ‘go blue in the face’ mean?
Turn a dark/bluish colour because of cold/fear/anger
What does ‘black and blue’ imply?
With bruises all over one’s body
What does ‘in black and white’ mean?
In writing/print
What does ‘whiter than white’ signify?
Exaggeratedly white or pure /good
What does ‘be/go/turn red’ refer to?
Blush /become pink in the face from embarrassment
What does ‘in the red’ mean?
Owing money in one’s account at the bank
What does ‘roll out the red carpet’ imply?
Give sb VIP treatment
What does ‘in the pink’ mean?
In an excellent state of health
What does ‘take pleasure in doing sth’ signify?
Enjoy doing sth
What are ‘red herrings’?
Misleading information
What does ‘be in one’s black books’ mean?
Not popular with sb
What does ‘be the black sheep’ imply?
A person doing sth bad that brings shame to the family
What does ‘once in a blue moon’ mean?
Very rarely
What does ‘take sb for a ride’ refer to?
Cheat sb
What does ‘take exception to sth’ mean?
Object to
What does ‘have green fingers’ imply?
Good at gardening
What does ‘within reason’ mean?
Acceptable
What does ‘red tape’ refer to?
Unnecessary processes
What does ‘see red’ mean?
Become very angry
What does ‘count the cost’ imply?
Feel the bad effects
What does ‘take sth for granted’ mean?
Not appreciate
What does ‘give the green light to’ signify?
Agree
What does ‘take sb into custody’ mean?
Arrest
What does ‘be within one’s budget’ imply?
Affordable
