Cambridge Idioms in Use - Intermediate Flashcards
1
Q
from time to time
A
2
Q
It’s a small world!
A
3
Q
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
A
4
Q
To be or not to be - that is the question
A
5
Q
put your foot in
A
6
Q
take a shine to
A
7
Q
a flash in the pan
A
8
Q
as quiet as a mouse
A
9
Q
safe and sound
A
10
Q
see eye to eye
A
11
Q
the apple of someone’s eye
A
12
Q
goes cap in hand
A
13
Q
as stiff/ straight as a ramrod
A
14
Q
sank like a stone
A
15
Q
prick her ears up
A
16
Q
gone up in the world!
A
17
Q
domino effect
A
18
Q
debt of honour
A
19
Q
drop in on
A
20
Q
lick your wounds
A
21
Q
run its course
A
22
Q
open the door to
A
23
Q
like it or lump it
A
24
Q
To be / take centre stage
A
25
to fool someone
26
There's no accounting for taste
27
if all else fails!
28
The lesser of two evils
29
one thing just let to another
30
to live down
31
strike while the iron is hot
32
one way or another
33
over the top
34
in someone's shoes
35
at top of agenda
36
not on
37
catch napping
38
go out on a limb
39
out on a limb
40
lead astray
41
leave well alone
42
panic station
43
a necessary evil
44
safe and sound
45
have a narrow escape
46
do something by the skin of your teeth
47
rather/too close for comfort
48
cut things fine
49
something sets alarm bells ringing
50
take your life in(to) your hands
51
your life is in someone's hands
52
hanging by a thread
53
on a knife-edge
54
go all out
55
go out of your way to do something
56
pull your weight
57
by hook or by crook
58
pull your finger out
59
at a push
60
have a go
61
have a bash
62
go through the motions
63
as easy as pie
64
as easy as taking candy from a baby
65
heavy-going
66
child's play
67
a piece of cake
68
a doddle
69
wouldn't go amiss
70
if push comes to shove
71
If need be
72
duty bound
73
I need something like I need a hone in the head
74
I'm dying to
75
I wouldn't be seen dead
76
do my own thing
77
I'd give anything
78
in keeping with
79
wouldn't touch it with a barge pole
80
You're in luck
81
not worth my while
82
Take your pick
83
on the off-change
84
against all the odds
85
take someone for granted
86
is a foregone conclusion
87
have seen coming a mile off
88
touch-and-go
89
No prizes for guessing
90
the cards are stacked against
91
chancing your arm
92
is in the lap of the gods
93
Don't push your luck!
94
We'll take pot luck.
95
It's the luck of the draw
96
Just my luck!
97
No such luck!
98
You should be so lucky!
99
toffee-nosed
100
putting on / giving yourself airs and
acting as if you were someone of a higher social
graces
101
a pillar of society
102
a rough diamond
103
down-and-outs
104
keep up appearances
105
high-flyer
106
made a name for himself
107
new blood
108
on his way up
109
keep a low profile
110
Anybody who is anybody
111
the odd one out
112
politically correct
113
be in someone's good books
114
get on like a house on fire
115
keep/get/be/stay in touch with someone
116
make it up to someone
117
take a shine to someone
118
have a soft spot for someone
119
be at loggerheads
120
be (talking) at cross-purposes
121
have it in for someone
122
have it out with someone
123
rub someone up the wrong way
124
two-time someone
125
keep someone/something at bay
126
keep yourself to yourself
127
big deal!
128
make a big thing of
129
make it big
130
think big
131
be larger than life
132
loom large
133
budge an inch
134
see/spot a mile off!
135
sticks/stands out a mile
136
miles away
137
a far cry from
138
in small doses
139
a small fortune
140
all shapes and sizes
141
an unknown quantity
142
the middle ground
143
the middle of nowhere
144
be caught in the middle
145
be on the breadline
146
live in the lap of luxury
147
well off / well-to-do / well-heeled
148
spend money like water
149
tighten your belt
150
make a killing
151
be a money spinner
152
pay through the nose
153
is a rip-off
154
lose a small fortune
155
pick up the tab/bill
156
at a considerable price
157
put paid to
158
paying the price
for
159
bottom of the career ladder
160
dead-end job
161
run-of-the-mill
162
run-of-the-mill
163
by/in leaps and bounds
164
get a move on
165
be on the run
166
fast and furious
167
step by step
168
drag your feet/heels
169
the word spread
170
keep track
171
get off to a flying start
172
on the spot
173
all over the place
174
left, right and centre
175
reach / be at fever pitch
176
be in full swing
177
get/go beyond a joke
178
a pack of lies
179
That's a likely story
180
off-the-cuff
181
in the same breath
182
small talk
183
lost for words
184
didn't ring true
185
was on about
186
In a word
187
for want of a better word
188
to coin a phrase
189
taking the mick
190
mickey out of
191
no laughing matter
192
make light of
193
It's no joke
194
loud and clear
195
speak your mind
196
matter-of-fact
197
won't take no for an answer
198
get a word in edgeways
199
beside the point
200
missed the point
201
doesn't know the meaning of the word
202
word for word
203
the small/fine print
204
a tall order
205
a matter of opinion
206
a question mark (hanging) over
207
a lingua franca
208
Absence makes the heart grow fonder
209
Actions speak louder than words
210
There's no point / It's no good crying over spilt milk
211
Don't put all your eggs in one basket
212
Many hands make light work
213
Blood is thicker than water
214
Too many cooks
215
People who live in glass houses
216
It's the last straw
217
While the cat's away
218
Take care of the pennies
219
Birds of a feather
220
A bird in the hand
221
The grass is always greener
222
All work and no play
223
commit something to memory
224
take a stroll/trip down memory lane
225
jog someone's memory
226
in/within living memory
227
come/spring to mind
228
slip your mind
229
bear/keep something in mind
230
your mind goes blank
231
cross your mind
232
Out of sight, out of mind
233
something is on the tip of your tongue
234
ring a bell
235
a train of thought
236
rack your brains
237
has seen better days
238
out of date
239
making up for lost time
240
since/from the year dot
241
the shape of things to come
242
for the time being
243
on the threshold of
244
in the short/medium/long term
245
only a matter of time
246
It's early days yet.
247
In the long run
248
like there's no tomorrow
249
At the end of the day
250
a sign of the times
251
in no time at all
252
work against the clock
253
call it a day
254
don't have a minute to call your own
255
at the crack of dawn
256
there and then
257
once in a lifetime
258
once in a blue moon
259
once and for all
260
off and on / on and off
261
from time to time
262
nine times out of ten
263
goes/works/runs like clockwork
264
from scratch
265
salt of the earth
266
go to the ends of the earth
267
run to ground
268
fell on stony ground
269
pluck a number out of the air
270
blows hot and cold
271
get wind of something
272
see how/ which way the wind is blowing
273
playing with fire
274
spreading like wildfire
275
in the heat of the moment
276
there's no smoke without fire
277
add fuel to the flames/fire
278
in deep water
279
out of your depth
280
jump/ throw someone in at the deep end
281
in hot water
282
be between the devil and the deep blue sea
283
be a drop in the ocean
284
red tape
285
be in the red
286
catch someone red-handed
287
a red herring
288
till I was blue in the face
289
blue blood
290
Blue-collar workers
291
green with envy
292
got green fingers
293
given the green light
294
the green belt
295
white-collar workers
296
in black and white
297
grey area
298
a black hole
299
roll up your sleeves
300
at the drop of a hat
301
have big shoes to fill
302
wears lots of different hats
303
have it in the bag
304
bored the pants off
305
wears the trousers
306
keep your shirt on!
307
take my hat off to her
308
give someone the shirt off his back
309
in pocket
310
pocketed
311
out of pocket
312
dig deep into his pockets
313
started the ball rolling
314
The ball is in your court
315
on the ball
316
off our own bat
317
throw us a curveball
318
play ball
319
on a level playing field
320
play your cards right
321
put/lay your cards on the table
322
pass the buck
323
follow suit
324
call someone's bluff
325
take the plunge
326
go back to square one
327
be wide of the mark
328
do something on the spur of the moment
329
be on the cards
330
your best bet
331
when the chips are down
332
a dark horse
333
a lone wolf
334
a cold fish
335
as a guinea pig
336
a party animal
337
a fly on the wall
338
Someone's bark is worse than his bite
339
wouldn't hurt a fly
340
the travel bug
341
got/taken the bit between her teeth
342
given me free rein
343
A little bird told me
344
made a beeline for
345
have butterflies in my stomach
346
made a real pig of myself
347
chasing my tail
348
goes to the dogs
349
let the cat out of the bag
350
put the cat among the pigeons
351
not (enough) room to swing a cat
352
the law of the jungle
353
can of worms
354
like water off a duck's back.
355
running round like headless chickens
356
snail mail
357
put out feelers
358
bite the bullet
359
jump the gun
360
stick to your guns
361
look daggers at someone
362
put the knife in
363
twist the knife
364
have a shot at
365
in the firing line
366
calls the shots
367
caught in the crossfire
368
hold fire
369
up in arms
370
his own worst enemy
371
fighting a losing battle
372
burn your bridges
373
have an axe to grind
374
When it comes to the crunch
375
a chink in his armour
376
makes your mouth water
377
makes my mouth water
378
has a sweet tooth
379
whet your appetite
380
whet viewers' appetites
381
The icing on the cake
382
you can't have your cake and eat it
383
you want to have your cake and eat it
384
leaves a sour taste in your mouth
385
to the bitter end
386
flavour of the month
387
be past
388
pass your sell-by date
389
our paths cross
390
stuck in a rut
391
driving me round the bend!
392
right up your street/alley
393
middle-of-the-road
394
on the right/wrong track
395
an uphill battle/fight/struggle
396
gone downhill
397
off the beaten track
398
at a crossroads
399
a dead end
400
to go/get from A to B
401
put on the map
402
Road rage
403
are/feel at home
404
make yourself at home
405
as safe as houses
406
come home to me
407
got my foot in the door
408
hold the key to
409
flew off the handle
410
sit on the fence
411
come down on one side or the other
412
hit the ceiling/roof
413
got out of bed on the wrong side
414
burning the candle at both ends
415
put me in the picture
416
take a leaf out of his girlfriend's book
417
in the air
418
breath of fresh air
419
up in the air
420
clear the air
421
out of the blue
422
down-to-earth
423
come (back) down to earth with a bang
424
bites the dust
425
(living) on another planet
426
over the moon
427
is/hits rock bottom
428
find out how the land lies
429
upper-crust
430
in the dark
431
keeps you in the dark
432
in your element
433
out of your element
434
push the boat out
435
rock the boat
436
miss the boat
437
burn your boats/bridges
438
steer clear of
439
sail close to the wind
440
be plain sailing
441
be in the doldrums
442
put/stick your oar in
443
show someone the ropes
444
be a nervous wreck
445
clear the decks
446
be (all) at sea
447
get into gear
448
back-seat driver
449
put the brakes on
450
ticking over
451
let off steam
452
programmed
453
get your lines/wires crossed
454
are on the same wavelength
455
blow a fuse/gasket
456
give someone a buzz
457
back-pedalling
458
put/threw a spanner in the works
459
meltdown
460
in the pipeline
461
jazz it up
462
song heart out
463
sounds like a broken record
464
music to my ears
465
struck a chord
466
changed one's tune
467
fine-tuning
468
making a song and dance about
469
to set the stage
470
making a spectacle of yourself
471
been in the spotlight
472
the curtain has fallen on
473
The show must go on
474
at someone's fingertips
475
Keep your fingers crossed
476
put his finger on
477
lifts a finger
478
got his fingers burnt
479
has got green fingers
480
given the thumbs up/down
481
sticks/stands out like a sore
thumb
482
a rule of thumb
483
given me a free hand
484
turn his hand to
485
got out of hand
486
first-hand
487
changed hands
488
have my hands full
489
try my hand at
490
to keep my hand in
491
to hand
492
Give me a hand
493
washed my hands of
494
stand on your own two feet
495
rushed off my feet
496
kept both feet on
the ground
497
got cold feet
498
find your feet
499
got off on the wrong foot
500
under my fee
501
landed/fallen on his feet
502
got itchy feet
503
put my foot in it
504
put your foot down
505
follow in someone's footsteps
506
drag one's heels
507
dig one's heels in
508
keeps someone on his/her toes
509
have a bone to pick with you
510
can feel it in my bones
511
a bone of contention
512
the bare bones
513
a shoulder to cry on
514
has a chip on one's shoulder
515
stand shoulder to shoulder with you
516
gave me the cold shoulder
517
twisted my arm
518
keep/hold her at arm's length.
519
pulling your leg
520
keep your head
521
hasn't (got) a leg to stand on
522
lose your head
523
laugh/scream/shout your head off
524
be banging or hitting your head against a brick wall
525
bring something to a head / something comes to a head
526
come to a head
527
put ideas into someone's head
528
get your head (a)round
529
can't get (my) head (a)round
530
off the top of your head
531
turns heads
532
knock that on the head
533
keep his head above water
534
bites/snaps their heads of
535
keep my head down
536
make/pull a face
537
keep a straight face
538
put a brave face on something
539
take something at face value
540
on the face of it
541
face to face
542
Keep your hair on!
543
tearing/pulling her hair out!
544
didn't turn a hair
545
at each other's throats
546
make a clean breast of it
547
breathing down his neck
548
a real pain in the neck
549
got it off his chest
550
ramming it down his throat
551
in the wrong
552
giving him the cold shoulder
553
couldn't believe my eyes
554
couldn't keep my eyes off
555
catch her eye
556
keep an eye on
557
turn a blind eye
558
with your eyes open
559
see eye to eye
560
raised a few eyebrows
561
run/cast your eye over
562
on the blink
563
have/keep one eye on
564
blink of an eye
565
didn't bat an eyelid
566
caught my eye
567
opened my eyes to
568
a real eye-opener
569
play it by ear
570
play by ear
571
couldn't believe my ears
572
goes in one ear and out the other
573
all ears
574
pays lip service to
575
lips are sealed
576
by word of mouth
577
mouth-watering
578
making my mouth water
579
poking/sticking your nose into
580
turn your nose up at
581
gets right up everybody's nose
582
in the teeth of
583
by the skin of my teeth
584
grit our teeth
585
lying through his teeth
586
bit my tongue
587
on the tip of my tongue
588
open your heart
589
bare your heart/soul
590
pour your heart out
591
your heart misses/skips a beat
592
someone's heart is in the right place
593
have a change of heart
594
break someone's heart
595
your heart sinks
596
a man/woman after my own heart
597
talk to someone heart-to- heart
598
have a heart-to-heart
599
take something to heart
600
lose heart
601
to your heart's content
602
put your heart and soul into something
603
set your heart on something
604
have your heart set on something
605
learn something off by heart
605
know something by heart
606
learning things by heart
607
have something on the brain
608
pick someone's brains
609
the brain drain
610
be a load/weight off your mind
611
have/keep an open mind
612
have a mind of its own
613
make up your mind
614
at the back of your mind
615
put/set someone's mind at rest
616
in your mind's eye
617
in cold blood
618
cold-blooded
619
like getting blood out of a stone
620
a gut feeling/reaction
621
slog/sweat/work your guts out
622
be on someone's back
623
you wouldn't be sorry / you'd be pleased/glad/ happy to see the back of someone/something
624
could do something with one arm/hand tied behind your back
625
get/put someone's back up
626
stab someone in the back
627
do something when/while someone's back is turned
628
you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours
629
know a place/person/thing like the back of your hand
630
is on the back burner
631
at/in the back of beyond
632
takes a back seat
633
came/fell off the back of a lorry
634
leant/bent over backwards
635
long time no see!
636
How long is a piece of string?
637
to cut a long story short
638
long-winded
639
a long haul
640
a long face
641
goes to great lengths
642
go to any lengths
643
go a long way
644
go back a long way
645
come a long way
646
take a long, hard look
647
in line for
648
out of line
649
along the lines of
650
step out of line
651
line of work
652
be going along/on the right lines
653
along/on the same lines
654
draw the line
655
draw the line at something
656
draw a line under something
657
there is a fine/thin line between one thing and another
658
Drop me a line
659
Reading between the lines
660
sign on the dotted line
661
The bottom line
662
caught in the act
663
got her act together
664
get in on the act!
665
putting on an act
666
a balancing act
667
clean up their act
668
Act your age!
669
acting the fool/goat!
670
a hive of activity
671
been out of action
672
be back in action
673
get a slice/piece of the action
674
be all talk and no action
675
follows/takes a course of action
676
go one better
677
Against our better judgment
678
stand someone in good stead
679
thought better of
680
second best
681
get the best of both worlds
682
for the best
683
make the best of a bad job
684
be on your best behavior
685
in a bad way
686
gone from bad to worse
687
given it up as a bad job
688
If the worst comes to the worst
689
common ground
690
gaining ground
691
cut the ground from under the feet of
692
hold/stand her ground
693
be on dangerous ground
694
give ground
695
shifting her ground
696
gets off the ground
697
gets in on the ground floor
698
prepares the ground
699
wished the ground would swallow me up
700
be thick on the ground
701
be thin on the ground
702
gone to ground
703
stamping/stomping ground
704
as blind as a bat
705
like a bear with a sore head
706
as free as a bird
707
like a bear with a sore head
708
like a red rag to a bull
709
like something the cat brought/ dragged in
710
as slippery as an eel
711
like a fish out of water
712
as sly/cunning as a fox
713
has eyes like a hawk
714
as strong as an ox
715
as far as the eye could see
716
as plain as the nose on your face
717
as ugly as sin
718
as light as a feather
719
as heavy as lead
720
avoid something like the plague
721
a memory like a sieve!
722
like greased lightning
