Deck 3 Flashcards
Take someone to the cleaners
- inflict a crushing defeat on someone
Indians were taken to cleaners by the Pakistani crowd.
wear the pants in the family
- have the greatest amount of authority or control in one’s family
Due to patriarchy, men have traditionally worn the pants in the family.
twiddle with
- to fiddle/ play with something
Stop twiddling with the beaker! You might break it.
vamp up
- make up
vamp up an excuse for not attending the meeting
whittle away
- to reduce or get rid of (something) slowly
I’m still trying to whittle away a few more pounds.
winkle out
- to use a lot of effort to get (information) from a person
It is hard to winkle out the information from Arsal.
give someone the bum’s rush
- To hastily and forcefully remove someone from a place
The dictator was given the bum’s rush by the public.
loom large
- to have great importance or influence
Rising inflation is looming large in the minds of people.
besetting sin
- a fault to which a person or institution is especially prone
Pakistan’s boom-bust cycle is a sign of the besetting sin of the GOP.
to hang fire
- delay or be delayed in taking action or progressing
The reimbursement was hanging fire because of the stupidity of Magnus Ltd.
blow one’s top
- To become very angry, often quickly.
Rayan’s dad is going to blow his top when he sees that Nathani wrecked his car.
leave in the lurch
- to leave (someone) without help or protection
Bahadur Shah Zafar’s associates left him in the lurch as the British gained power.
weather the storm
- to survive a difficult situation
- We have to see if the GOP can weather the political storm.
bear the brunt
- to absorb the attack
- take the main force, often of a criticism Source:
His parents have borne the brunt of his mistakes.
Pakistan borne the brunt of the Afghan War.
meet halfway
- To compromise with someone, often in an argument or disagreement
In its talks with TTP, GOP didn’t give in but it met TTP halfway
