E.W.2 Part 2 Flashcards
find your way
to get somewhere you are trying to reach:
I had a map but I still couldn’t find my way back to the hotel.
find fault with
to criticize someone or something:
She’s always finding fault with the way he works.
take instant liking
to begin to like someone or something
to my liking
“para mi gusto”
to take sth lightly
to think about something or someone in a particular way
kick yourself
to be annoyed because you did something stupid or failed to act when you had an opportunity:
You know you’ll kick yourself if you forget to do it, so just do it now!
fall behind
to fail to do something fast enough or on time:
He was ill for six weeks and fell behind with his schoolwork.
I’ve fallen behind on the mortgage payments.
fall away
If parts of something fall away, they break off and drop to the ground:
On the bathroom ceiling, some pieces of plaster had fallen away.
The rear sections of the rocket fell away.
fall back on
to use something, especially a form of financial support, when other things have failed:
When the business failed, we had to fall back on our savings.
If I lose my job, I’ll have nothing to fall back on.
fall into sth
to start doing something, often without intending to:
We’ve fallen into the habit of getting up late on Saturday mornings.
I fell into my job quite by accident.
She fell into a conversation with the taxi driver.|
fall through
to fail to happen:
We found a buyer for our house, but then the sale fell through.
die down
If a sound or activity dies down, it becomes quieter or less obvious:
It was several minutes before the applause died down.
mouth
to form words with the lips without making any sound:
It looks to me as if the singers are only mouthing the words .
“Can we go?” mouthed Mary.
stick your nose into sth
to try to discover things that are not really related to you:
I wish he’d stop sticking his nose into my personal life!
be down in the mouth
to be sad
put your foot in your mouth
to say something by accident that embarrasses or upsets someone:
I really put my foot in my mouth – I asked her if Jane was her mother, but she said Jane is her sister.
a new lease on life
an occasion when you become more energetic and active than before:
His grandchildren have given him a new lease on life.
in the same boat
in the same difficult situation as someone else:
None of us has any money, so we’re all in the same boat.
frame of mind
someone’s mood or the particular way someone thinks or feels about something:
That music puts me in a romantic frame of mind.
only have eyes for sb
to be interested in or attracted to only one person:
You’ve no need to be jealous. I only have eyes for you.
with a view to doing sth
with the aim of doing something:
These measures have been taken with a view to increasing the company’s profits.
take pride in sth/sb
to feel very pleased about something or someone you are closely connected with:
If you don’t take professional pride in your work, you’re probably in the wrong job.
turn over a new leaf
to start behaving in a better way:
Apparently he’s turned over a new leaf and he’s not smoking any more.
keep track
to make certain that you know what is happening or has happened to someone or something:
My sister has had so many different jobs, it’s hard for me to keep track (of what she’s doing).
at a low ebb
in a bad or weak state:
Consumer confidence is currently at a low ebb.
I was recently divorced and feeling at a very low ebb.
be at loose ends
to have nothing to do:
If you find yourself at loose ends, you could always clean the bathroom.
be at a loss
not to know what to do or say:
I’m at a loss to know how I can help you.
It was unlike him to be at a loss for words.
be at your wits’ end
to be so worried, confused, or annoyed that you do not know what to do next:
I’m at my wits’ end. I don’t know how to help him.
wit
the ability to use words in a clever and humorous way:
a woman of great intelligence and wit
Her conversation sparkled with her own subtle blend of wit and charm.
He was known for his dry/ready/sharp wit.
wits
intelligence and the ability to think quickly:
She learned to survive on her wits.
can’t make heads or tails of sth
to not be able to understand something:
I can’t make heads or tails of these instructions on the packet.
make light of sth
to behave as if a situation, especially a problem, is not serious or important:
It is easy to make light of other people’s problems.
sb’s hands are tied
If your hands are tied, you are not free to behave in the way that you would like:
I’d like to raise people’s salaries but my hands are tied.
if need be
if it is necessary:
If need be, we can take two cars.
about/high time
If it is about time/high time that someone did something, it should have been done sooner or a long time ago:
It’s about time (that) the school improved its food service.
It is high time for the critics to open their minds to a new approach.
