idiom 5 Flashcards
Bear a grudge (against someone)
to continue feeling an old resentment for someone; to harbor continual anger for someone.
Ex. She bears a grudge against the judge who sentenced her. I have a grudge against my landlord for not fixing the leaky faucet.
for better or (for) worse
if a situation exists or happens for better or for worse, it exists or happens whether its results are good or bad
Ex. France has a new government, for better or for worse. We cannot deny that our childhood experiences affect us, for better, for worse
You can’t teach an old dog new tricks
something that you say which means it is difficult to make someone change the way they do something when they have been doing it the same way for a long time .
Ex. You’re never going to teach your father at the age of 79 to use a computer. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks, you know.
On the ball
knowledgeable; competent; attentive.
Ex. This guy is really on the ball. If you were on the ball, this wouldn’t have happened.
Well-read
(adj.) Knowledgeable through having read extensively
at someone’s beck and call
ready to obey someone
Ex.What makes you think I wait around here at your beck and call? I have to leave for work, you know! It was a fine hotel. There were dozens of maids and waiters at our beck and call.
omit someone or something from something
to leave someone or something out of something.
Ex. You omitted Carol from the list. I think that you omitted our company from the bidding. She omitted herself from the list of participants.
on back burner
If an issue is on the back burner, it is being given low priority.
Ex. I was going to watch that video, but, for some reason, I put it on the back burner.
where there’s smoke, there’s fire
if it looks like something is wrong, something probably is wrong
Ex. People like to think where there’s smoke, there’s fire, so they will always believe you were involved even if you weren’t.
Lying by omission
.
You reap what you sow
something that you say which means everything that happens to you is a result of your own actions
Ex. If you treat your friends like that, of course they drop you. You reap what you sow in this life.
no rhyme or reason also without rhyme or reason
without any reasonable explanation or purpose
Ex. Because the cave was formed by gases that ate away the rock, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to its shape.
with bated breath
if you wait for something with bated breath, you feel very excited or anxious while you are waiting
Ex. His name wasn’t by any chance, Max Peters?’ Helena asked with bated breath. We were waiting with baited breath for the prizes to be announced.
a Monday morning quarterback
someone who says how an event or problem should have been dealt with, after other people have already dealt with it
Ex. It’s easy to be a Monday morning quarterback when you see the kids’ low test scores, but there are no easy answers to improving education.
Keep it 100
Keep it real
Walk on eggshells
to try very hard not to upset someone or something
Ex. Everyone at the company was walking on eggshells until we heard that no one would be fired.
have bigger fish to fry
to have other things to do; to have more important things to do
Ex. I can’t take time for your problem. I have other fish to fry. I won’t waste time on your question. I have bigger fish to fry.
dig one’s own grave
to do something stupid that will cause problems for you in the future
Ex. He’s dug his own grave really. If he’d been a bit more cooperative in the first place they might still employ him.
It takes a village to raise a child
It takes many people to teach a child all that he or she should know.
hot and bothered
amorous; interested in romance or sex
Ex. John gets hot and bothered whenever Mary comes into the room. The dog seems hot and bothered. I think it’s that time of the year again.
