Cambridge Idioms in Use - Intermediate Flashcards
from time to time
It’s a small world!
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
To be or not to be - that is the question
put your foot in
take a shine to
a flash in the pan
as quiet as a mouse
safe and sound
see eye to eye
the apple of someone’s eye
goes cap in hand
as stiff/ straight as a ramrod
sank like a stone
prick her ears up
gone up in the world!
domino effect
debt of honour
drop in on
lick your wounds
run its course
open the door to
like it or lump it
To be / take centre stage
to fool someone
There’s no accounting for taste
if all else fails!
The lesser of two evils
one thing just let to another
to live down
strike while the iron is hot
one way or another
over the top
in someone’s shoes
at top of agenda
not on
catch napping
go out on a limb
out on a limb
lead astray
leave well alone
panic station
a necessary evil
safe and sound
have a narrow escape
do something by the skin of your teeth
rather/too close for comfort
cut things fine
something sets alarm bells ringing
take your life in(to) your hands
your life is in someone’s hands
hanging by a thread
on a knife-edge
go all out
go out of your way to do something
pull your weight
by hook or by crook
pull your finger out
at a push
have a go
have a bash
go through the motions
as easy as pie
as easy as taking candy from a baby
heavy-going
child’s play
a piece of cake
a doddle
wouldn’t go amiss
if push comes to shove
If need be
duty bound
I need something like I need a hone in the head
I’m dying to
I wouldn’t be seen dead
do my own thing
I’d give anything
in keeping with
wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole
You’re in luck
not worth my while
Take your pick
on the off-change
against all the odds
take someone for granted
is a foregone conclusion
have seen coming a mile off
touch-and-go
No prizes for guessing
the cards are stacked against
chancing your arm
is in the lap of the gods
Don’t push your luck!
We’ll take pot luck.
It’s the luck of the draw
Just my luck!
No such luck!
You should be so lucky!
toffee-nosed
putting on / giving yourself airs and
acting as if you were someone of a higher social
graces
a pillar of society
a rough diamond
down-and-outs
keep up appearances
high-flyer
made a name for himself
new blood
on his way up
keep a low profile
Anybody who is anybody
the odd one out
politically correct
be in someone’s good books
get on like a house on fire
keep/get/be/stay in touch with someone
make it up to someone
take a shine to someone
have a soft spot for someone
be at loggerheads
be (talking) at cross-purposes
have it in for someone
have it out with someone
rub someone up the wrong way
two-time someone
keep someone/something at bay
keep yourself to yourself
big deal!
make a big thing of
make it big
think big
be larger than life
loom large
budge an inch
see/spot a mile off!
sticks/stands out a mile
miles away
a far cry from
in small doses
a small fortune
all shapes and sizes
an unknown quantity
the middle ground
the middle of nowhere
be caught in the middle
be on the breadline
live in the lap of luxury
well off / well-to-do / well-heeled
spend money like water
tighten your belt
make a killing
be a money spinner
pay through the nose
is a rip-off
lose a small fortune
pick up the tab/bill
at a considerable price
put paid to
paying the price
for
bottom of the career ladder
dead-end job
run-of-the-mill
run-of-the-mill
by/in leaps and bounds
get a move on
be on the run
fast and furious
step by step
drag your feet/heels
the word spread
keep track
get off to a flying start
on the spot
all over the place
left, right and centre
reach / be at fever pitch
be in full swing
get/go beyond a joke
a pack of lies
That’s a likely story
off-the-cuff
in the same breath
small talk
lost for words
didn’t ring true
was on about
In a word
for want of a better word
to coin a phrase
taking the mick
mickey out of
no laughing matter
make light of
It’s no joke
loud and clear
speak your mind
matter-of-fact
won’t take no for an answer
get a word in edgeways
beside the point
missed the point
doesn’t know the meaning of the word
word for word
the small/fine print
a tall order
a matter of opinion
a question mark (hanging) over
a lingua franca
Absence makes the heart grow fonder
Actions speak louder than words
There’s no point / It’s no good crying over spilt milk
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
Many hands make light work
Blood is thicker than water
Too many cooks
People who live in glass houses
It’s the last straw
While the cat’s away
Take care of the pennies
Birds of a feather
A bird in the hand
The grass is always greener
All work and no play
commit something to memory
take a stroll/trip down memory lane
jog someone’s memory
in/within living memory
come/spring to mind
slip your mind
bear/keep something in mind
your mind goes blank
cross your mind
Out of sight, out of mind
something is on the tip of your tongue
ring a bell
a train of thought
rack your brains
has seen better days
out of date
making up for lost time
since/from the year dot
the shape of things to come
for the time being
on the threshold of
in the short/medium/long term
only a matter of time
It’s early days yet.
In the long run
like there’s no tomorrow
At the end of the day
a sign of the times
in no time at all
work against the clock
call it a day
don’t have a minute to call your own
at the crack of dawn
there and then
once in a lifetime
once in a blue moon
once and for all
off and on / on and off
from time to time
nine times out of ten
goes/works/runs like clockwork
from scratch
salt of the earth
go to the ends of the earth
run to ground
fell on stony ground
pluck a number out of the air
blows hot and cold
get wind of something
see how/ which way the wind is blowing
playing with fire
spreading like wildfire
in the heat of the moment
there’s no smoke without fire
add fuel to the flames/fire
in deep water
out of your depth
jump/ throw someone in at the deep end
in hot water
be between the devil and the deep blue sea
be a drop in the ocean
red tape
be in the red
catch someone red-handed
a red herring
till I was blue in the face
blue blood