Consolidation 3

Question 1

a close shave/call
He had a close shave when his brakes failed on the mountain road.

Answer 1

a narrow escape

Question 2

a red-letter day
It was a red-letter day for United, who won a place in Saturday’s final.

Answer 2

a very important day

Question 3

a wild-goose chase
The police had been sent on a wild goose chase.

Answer 3

a hopeless search

Question 4

be on/in the cards
The merger has been on the cards for some time now.

Answer 4

to be likely to happen

Question 5

be over the moon
They’re over the moon about their trip to Japan.

Answer 5

to be elated

Question 6

call sb names
At school, bullying takes many forms, including whispering about people and calling them names.

Answer 6

insult sb

Question 7

crocodile tears

Answer 7

false tears

Question 8

chair a meeting

Answer 8

preside a meeting

Question 9

cross one’s mind

Answer 9

to think of sth

Question 10

cut sb dead

She saw me, recognized me and cut me dead.

Answer 10

ignore sb

Question 11

different as chalk and cheese

Answer 11

very different

Question 12

down in the dumps

He’d been down in the dumps since his girlfriend left him.

Answer 12

not cheerful

Question 13

down the drain/plughole
Safety standards have gone down the plughole.

Answer 13

wasted; lost

Question 14

get a bit hot under the collar

He got very hot under the collar when I asked him where he’d been.

Answer 14

get angry, upset, or embarrassed

Question 15

get a problem off one’s chest

Answer 15

tell sb else about your problem

Question 16

go to the dogs/go to hell in a handbasket

This firm’ went to hell in a handbasket since the new management.

Answer 16

go to waste

Question 17

have the cheek

He had the cheek to ask his ex-girlfriend to babysit for them.

Answer 17

dare to complain

Question 18

keep one’s chin up

Answer 18

not to be discouraged

Question 19

let sleeping dogs lie

Answer 19

avoid mentioning a subject which could cause

Question 20

lost cause
The game looked a lost cause when the score reached 6–0.

Answer 20

hopeless situation or case

Question 21

on the dole

After the mines closed, my uncle spent the next ten years on the dole

Answer 21

receiving unemployment benefit

Question 22

play one’s cards right

If you play your cards right, the job could be yours when she leaves

Answer 22

act cleverly

Question 23

show one’s true colours

It was after they got married, he showed himself in his true colours

Answer 23

reveal one’s character

Question 24

with flying colours

Answer 24

with great success