IDIOMS

Question 1

went over my head

Answer 1

1) too difficult or strange for someone to understand

Eg: My jokes always seem to go over Stephanie’s head, so I m glad you think I m funny at least.

2) to speak to one’s superior rather talking to one directly

Eg: She just wouldnt listen to me, so I had to go over her head to her boss and complaint about it

Question 2

as bright as a button

Answer 2

INTELLIGENTLY ALERT AND LIVELY

Eg: Ted’s as bright as a button, so he’ll find a solution to rhis problem

Question 3

pick up the pieces

Answer 3

TRY TO RETURN TO THE WAYS THINGS WERE BEFORE A CRISIS OR COLLAPSE

eg: Now 10 days since the hurricane made landfall, residents are struggling to pick up the pieces

Question 4

weather idioms

Answer 4

1) under the weather

SOMEONE WHO IS SICK AND DOESNT FEEL WELL

eg: I m sorry I cant visit your grandmother with you, but i m a bit under the weather today

2) a breeze
- easy to do
eg: my english exam was a breeze. I think I’ll get an “A”.

3) right as rain
- fit and healthy
eg: I’ve been sick recently but I m better now. I feel right as rain.

4) lovely weather for ducks
- very rainy
eg: Its been lovely weather for ducks recently. I m looking forward for some drier weather.

Question 5

Get a grip of oneself

Answer 5

to control one’s reaction or emotion especially during or after a stressful situation

After lossing her job, Mary needed to calm down and get a grip of herself in order to drive home safely.

Question 6

rise to the bait

Answer 6

to respond to someone’s provoking actions or words in the way they intended.

eg: promise john some free drink, and he’ll rise to the bait every time

Question 7

get in someone face

Answer 7

to confront and provoke one, as in readiness to fight, berate, harass or argue with them

eg: as I left the court, reporters kept getting in my face to ask me if I was guilty

Question 8

go off without a hitch

Answer 8

to go as planned, to happen without difficulties

Eg: the wedding went off without a hitch: we were lucky not to encounter any problems

Question 9

get round to sth

Answer 9

to eventually find time to do some task; to come to sth or some task after a certain length of time

eg: do you think you can finally get round to cleaning your room today? It’s a pigsty in there!

Question 10

Live rent free in one head

Answer 10

cant stop thinking about something or someone

Eg: you need to stop thinking about your argument with him, he is living rent-free in your head.

Question 11

get round to sth

Answer 11

to eventually find time to do some task; to come to sth or some task after a certain length of time

eg: do you think you can finally get round to cleaning your room today? It’s a pigsty in there!

Question 12

shoot the breeze

Answer 12

have a casual conversation

We have been shooting the breeze for well over an hour now

Question 13

POKE FUN AT

Answer 13

the guest speaker is hilarious when she is poking fun at her celebrity friend. She was savage (brutally honest or cool for being brave and honest)

• making fun of someone in a mischievous manner

Question 14

HAVE A LOT IN ONE’S PLATE

HAVE A LOT PLATES SPINNING

Answer 14

Have a great deal to cope with- I just have a lot on my plate right now while i m finishing up my degree and doing this huge project for work.

Having a lot of things to do at the same time- He is always busy. He got so many hobbies and activities, and thats not including work. He has a lot of plates spinning.

Question 15

Dash one’s hope

Answer 15

I became a lawyer after my parents dashed my hope of being an artist

Question 16

surplus to requirements

Answer 16

no longer needed

His services had become surplus to requirements

Question 17

pay one’s dues

Answer 17

to work hard,gain the necessary skill and experience or suffer hardships in order to earn a position, rights, the respect of others, etc)

i paid my dues working in warehouse for 10 yrs before i got this job in the head office

Question 18

done to a turn

Answer 18

perfectly cooked

eg: my pancakes were delicious - they were done to a turn

Question 19

with the wisdom of hindsight

Answer 19

With the wisdom of hindsight, we now know that the old fashioned aerosol sprays were a mistake

Question 20

LIKE A PIG IN MUCK

Answer 20

Happy and contented

It’s the weekend, the sun is shining and I’m sat in the park with my best friend, I am like a pig in muck

Question 21

to have bats in the belfry

Answer 21

old fashioned idiom , mean to be silly and slightly crazy and behave in a confused way, more up-to-date alternatives are clutz, nutty and flaky

Question 22

cut corners

Answer 22

to skip certain steps in order to do sth as easily or cheaply as possible

eg: don’t cut corners on this project-it has to be done thoroughly, no matter the cost.

to save money or time when doing something by not including some parts, actions, or details, so that the result is not as good as it could be :

There were concerns that airport security staff under pressure might be tempted to cut corners.
Will speeding up nurses’ training lead to improved patient care, or is it simply cutting corners?
The dictionary took nearly 70 years to complete because its makers refused to cut corners.

Question 23

out of the woods

Answer 23

no longer in danger or dealing with a particular difficulty, though not entirely resolved.

eg: her surgery went as well as we could have hoped, but she’s not out of the woods yet.

Question 24

a sight for sore eyes

Answer 24

somone or something that you are happy to see:

after 20 hours of driving, my family was a sight for sore eyes

Question 25

lost for words

Answer 25

unable to speak or articulate a coherent thought, typically because one is surprised or in shock

eg: when i got the call that my straight-A-student daughter had been arrested for breaking into the school, I was lost for words.

I was astonished to have been given the award-I was stuck for words

Question 26

find one’s feet

Answer 26

to become used to a new situation or experience/to reach a level of comfort in a new situation

she was lonely when she first left home, but she is finding her feet now.

it takes time to learn the office routine, but you will gradually find your feet.

Question 27

not one’s cup of tea/ one cup of tea

Answer 27

dont like something

eg: Maya wont come to the cinema with me. She says horror films aren’t her cup of tea. / I was learning to play the guitar, but I gave up when I realised it’s not my cup of tea.

: James isnt a cat person. Dogs are his cup of tea./Quiz shows are my cup of tea. I love them.

Question 28

isnt a patch on

Answer 28

not be nearly as good as something/somebody

eg: my new phone isnt a patch on the old one. The camera is rubbish.

my holiday at home wasnt a patch on a trip abroad. Overseas travel is much more fun.

Question 29

spin one’s wheel

Answer 29

to waste one’s time or energy idly or frivolously, to neither progress nor regress

eg: we havent been able to do anything new until more funding comes in, so the project is just spinning its wheels for the moment

Question 30

knock one’s socks off

Answer 30

to thoroughly impress, overwhelm or excite one

eg: that movie really knocked my socks off - i didnt expect it to be so good!

Question 31

talk through one’s hat

Answer 31

to brag or exaggerate; to talk nonsense

eg: dont pay jonathan any mind, Mary, he’s just talking through his hat again

Dorothy keeps saying she can outrun anyone in our school, but she is talking through her hat if you ask me

Question 32

get carried away

Answer 32

become overly enthusiastic

Eg: I shouldn’t have behave like that, I just got carried away

Question 33

on the blink

Answer 33

not working properly; in need of repair

My camera is on the blink.

Question 34

out of sorts

Answer 34

slightly ill, not feeling well

Eg: Sorry i was so quiet during the meeting. I’ve been out of sorts all day.

Question 35

on the fly

Answer 35

In a hurry or between pressing activities

eg: I ran into my boss in town, so I had to think up an excuse on the fly as to why i wasn’t at work.

We grabbed some lunch on the fly.

Question 36

ready/fit to drop

Answer 36

very tired

eg: I feel fit to drop / We danced until we were ready to drop.

Question 37

bang for your buck

Answer 37

a lot of value for little cost

eg: that restaurant is great, and the prices are very reasonable-you get a lot of bang for your buck.

Question 38

another string to your bow

Answer 38

having an additional skill that can be used if the first one doesnt work out

eg: bookeeping is another string to my bow-i have learnt it in case i lose my job at the bank.

Gemma is so talented-she has so many strings to her bow

Question 39

keep one’s eyes peeled

Answer 39

pay attention; be watchful
eg: Keep your eyes peeled for any policeman

Question 40

get me good (informal)

Answer 40

to fool someone completely
eg: that was a funny joke you played on him. You really got hime good.

Question 41

cut ties with someone

Answer 41

to end or discontinue a relationship

eg: Mary cut all ties with her family when she moves to new york city.

Question 42

out of the question

Answer 42

not worth considering because of being too difficult or impossible

Eg: Starting over is out of the question.

Question 43

take a/the redeye

Answer 43

to take an overnight flight that arrives at its destination very early in the morning

Eg: My original flight was cancelled, so I took the redeye back to Philadelphia and got in at four in the morning.

The only way we cn fly on those dates and still stay within our budget is to fly from Denver to Chicago and then take a redeye to Seattle

Question 44

stay on top of something

Answer 44

to remain completely in control of, aware about, or on schedule of something

eg: How is new project going? Right on track, Jen has been staying on top of everything while u were on vacation.

I dont kw how u stay on top of all the different student issues that are brought to ur attention.

Question 45

tough/hard nut to crack

Answer 45

a difficult problem to solve or a person that is difficult to understand

this problem is getting me down. Its hard nut to crack.

Tom sure is a hard nut to crack. I cant figure him out.

Question 46

sleep on something

Answer 46

to postpone a decision until the following day so that one has additional time to consider it

eg: why dont u sleep on the offer and let us know ur decision in the morning?

I m still not sure if i m ready to spend that much of money. Can I sleep on it?

Question 47

at the drop of a hat

Answer 47

immediately; without stopping to think about what you’re doing

Eg: You cant just resign at the drop of a hat

Question 48

IDIOMS ABOUT HABITS

Answer 48

1) get into the habit
- to begin to do sth regularly
eg: lets get into the habit of posting original content

2) old habits die hard
- its difficult to change that you have been doing for a long time
eg: it was hard to give up sweets and biscuits. old habits die hard

3) creature of habit
- someone who does the same thing in the same way
eg: I m such a creature of habit when it comes to my morning routine

4) break the habit
- to stop doing sth that it’s a habit
eg: try to get him to break the habit of excessive thinking

Question 49

EARTH IDIOMs

Answer 49

1) hell on earth
-an extremely unpleasant experience or situation
eg: our plane was delayed by 27 hours. We had to sleep on the airport floor with 400 other passengers. There was nothing to eat and nowhere to wash. The whole thing was hell on earth.

2) move heaven and earth
- do everything possible to achieve a particular outcome
eg: I ll move heaven and earth to get a ticket for that concert. I dont care what I have to do or hw much it costs.

3) come back down to earth
- return to normality after a very exciting time
eg: that was the best holiday ever! But its monday tomorrow and I have to work- time to come back down to earth

4) cost the earth
- be very expressive
eg: look at that dress! its amazing! It must have cost the earth!

Question 50

Go

Answer 50

1) go with the flow
- do what other people do and agree with their opinions
eg: its my first day working here. i ll just go with the flow until i get used to everything.

2) go Dutch
- agree to share the cost of sth (usually meal)
Eg: we re not going Dutch today! It’s your birthday-let me pay!

3) go for it
- do sth u want to do, without worrying about whether you will succeed
Eg: I don’t think I have enough experience for this job, but I decided to go for it and apply anyway.

4) go downhill
- get worse, decline or deteriorate
-Shubna’s business was doing ok, but after her partner left, it went downhill.

5) go back on
- fail to keep a promise or agreement
Eg: If you go back on another promise, it’ll be the end of our friendship.

6) go without
- live without sth that u want or need
Eg: I cant go without pizza! IT’s my all-time number one favourite food.

7) go into
- discuss or explain in detail
Eg: I know u are curious, but I’m not allowed to go into the reasons why John left the company.

Question 51

DOGS idiom

Answer 51

1) Sick as a dog
- very sick
Eg: I was sick as a dog after that meal. I don’t think the meat was cooked properly.

2) Go to the dogs
- deteriorate; become bad
Eg: Our city used to be nice, but it’s really gone to the dogs.

3) Top dog
- the most important person
Eg: My brother is the boss of his company-he’s the top dog!

Question 52

FACE idioms

Answer 52

1) Put your face on
- apply makeup
Eg: I m nearly ready. Just give me 10 minutes to put my face on and we can get going.

2) Face up to
- accept that a difficult situation exists, and try to deal with it.
Eg: We have to face up to reality. We’re losing money and we’ll probably have to close down.

3) Save face
- avoid embarrassment or damage to your reputation
Eg: We fired Any because she was so bad at the job. But we let her save face by telling people that she chose to leave.

4) Face the music
- accept punishment or criticism for your actions
Eg: Mum found out I took her car without asking. She’s going to be so angry! Oh well, time to go home and face the music.

5) Poker face
-a blank facial expression that hides your true feelings
Eg: I was really pleased when I realized I’d won the argument, but I kept a poker face.

6) At face value
- based on appearance, without further investigation
Eg: I took his statement at face value. I was so surprised to find out he’d lied.

7) At the coalface
- doing the hardest part of a job, rather than planning or managing it
Eg: Our managers just don’t know what goes on at the coalface.

Question 53

CAKE idioms

Answer 53

1) To take the cake
- to be especially good or bad, but usually used more in the negative sense
Eg: I’ve seen bad movies, but this takes the cake!
2) Piece of cake
- sth that is very easy
Eg: Ourr English yesterday was a piece of cake!
3) Icing on the cake
-sth good that is added to sth that is already good
Eg: She was happy to meet George Clooney, but getting a photo with him was icing on the cake.
4) Have your cake and eat it too
- to have two things that you cannot have at the same time, for eg, to still have a piece of cake after eating it.
Eg: You have to either use the moey to buy a new TV or fix your car. You cant have your cake and eat it too.
5) Cakewalk
-something easily accomplished
Eg: Winning the race was a cakewalk for her.

Question 54

TIME idioms

Answer 54

TIME idioms
1) Do time
- spend time prison
Eg: Marta did time for fraud a few years ago.
2) Take time out
- have a break
Eg: You look tired! Why not take some time out?
3) In no time
- very quickly
Eg: Don’t walk-take a taxi and you’ll be there in no time.
4) In good time
- with no risk of being late
Eg: If you leave now you’ll arrive in good time for the start of the show.
5) A devil of a time
- a lot of difficulty
Eg: I had a devil of a time getting that old laptop to work.
6) Time will tell
- you will learn the truth or result in the future
Eg: The relationship has started well, but will it last? Time will tell.
7) Bide your time
- wait for the right moment to do sth
Eg: I don’t like this job. I’ m biding my time until i find a better one.

Question 55

SCHOOL idioms

Answer 55

SCHOOL idioms
1) A schoolboy error
- a very simple error
Eg: It was a schoolboy error and we will take full responsibility for that
2) Teacher’s pet
- favourite student of the teacher
Eg: I was hated by most people in my class because I was a real teacher’s pet.
3) Old school
- a little old fashioned and conservative
Eg: Michael was old school. His clothes were old fashioned and very conservative.
4) To hit the books
- when you really need to start studying hard
Eg: I really need to hit the books this weekend. I have that repeat exam next week.

Question 56

MOON idioms

Answer 56

MOON idioms
1) To be over the moon
- to be very happy
Eg: Chris has proposed. I’m over the moon!
2) Once in a blue moon
- rarely
Eg: Where have you been lately? I only see you once in a blue moon!
3) Moonlighting
- secretly doing a second job
Eg: Bob broke his employment agreement by moonlighting as a taxi driver.

Question 57

MEMORY Idioms

Answer 57

1) to be miles away
- daydreaming and not concentrating on the real world
eg: his wife called his name two or three times before he answered her. He was miles away.

2) ring a bell
- something is familiar to you, you have heard and seen it before but you cant remember fully.
eg: his names ring a bell, but I cant rmb where I heard it before.

3) memory like a sieve
- you cant retain things in your memory and quickly forget about things
eg: Jane was not a particularly hard worker, and she had a memory like a sieve.

4) on the tip of your tongue
- a feeling that you know sth but cant rmb (a name, word etc)
eg: oh, what’s it called? Dont tell me… it’s on the tip of my tongue

Question 58

talk turkey

Answer 58

discuss an issue seriously
eg: betty knew she had to talk turkey with her son. The teenager had been spending more money than his family could afford.

Question 59

draw the short straw

Answer 59

to be the unluckiest person of a group of people because u have to do the most unpleasant tasks.

eg: Sarah is the only one who has to work on New Year’s Day. She drew the short straw.

Question 60

WEATHER IDIOMS

Answer 60

1) a storm in a tea cup
- unnecessary anger or worry about an unimportant or trivial matter
eg: Our argument was no big deal-just a storm in a tea cup.

2) It never rains but it pours
- bad luck and bad things tend to happen at the same time
eg: I lost my wallet and now I ‘ve lost my phone. It never rains but it pours

3) take a rain check
- decline an invitation but maybe u will accept it another time
eg: No thanks, dude. I’ll take a rain check. Enjoy the party!

4) be snowed under
- be extremely busy with work or things
eg: I’ve snowed under with work. I’ve got so much to do.

5) Have your head in the clouds
- not know what is happening around you or out of touch with reality
eg: I cant talk sense into him. He has his head in the clouds.

Question 61

cut the mustard

Answer 61

to work or operate in a satisfactory manner

eg; I need a new worker from the temp factory- the one u sent over keeps mixing up orders and just isnt cutting the mustard.

This toaster doesnt cut the mustard anymore. No matter what setting you choose, your toast comes out charred!

Question 62

off your head

Answer 62

heavily intoxicated by drug or alcohol

eg: better keep an eye on Tom. He’s off his head on vodka.

Question 63

a curate’s egg

Answer 63

Something that is partly good and partly bad. Taken from a British cartoon about a curate, or priest, who was given a bad egg but focused on the egg’s good characteristics as he did not want to offend the person who gave it to him. Primarily heard in UK.

eg: Our vacation was a bit of a curate’s egg; the first few days were sunny, but the rest of the week was ruined by the heavy rain and flooding.

Question 64

state of the art

Answer 64

having or using the most advanced, up-to-date technology available

eg: after working in such a drab, old-fashioned office for so long, it’s refreshing to work somewhere that’s so state of the art.

Question 65

take time out

Answer 65

have a break

eg: you look tired! why not take some time out?

eg: he takes time out from his studies to travel the world.

Question 66

Green idioms

Answer 66

1) the green eye monster
- extreme jealousy
eg: the green eye monster got me when i saw my ex with her new partner. I was so jealous.

2) give the green light
- give permission
eg: my teacher has given me the green light to start my project. I ll begin doing it soon.

3) be green around the gills
- look or feel sick
eg: after going on the rollercoaster, she was a little green around the gills

4) the rub of the green
- good fortune, luck
eg: my team will need the rub of the green if they are going to win the game tonight

Question 67

out for the count

Answer 67

sometimes we get so tired, we just fall soundly asleep and it’s very difficult to wake us up.

eg: after a 5km walk, she was out for the count.

Question 68

off the charts

Answer 68

quite a lot more or better than is usual or expected

eg: Our electricity bill was off the charts last month! How could we be using that much energy?

• Especially or unbelievably great, wonderful, exciting, etc.
  eg: I’m telling you, that concert is going to be off the charts!

Question 69

it gets my goat

Answer 69

it makes me angry

eg: these queues at the post office really get my goat. I ‘ve been waiting for half an hour.

Argh, I don’t believe it- I’ve got a parking ticket! traffic warden s really get my goat!

Question 70

as sick as a parrot

Answer 70

disappointed about sth

eg: I was as sick as a parrot when I saw someone had scratched my new car!

Question 71

a walk in the park

Answer 71

describe a situation or task that is very easy

my job is a walk in the park at the moment. we re not very busy so I spent most of the time on my phone

(opposite is no walk in the park- learning Italian is no walk in the park! I thought it would be easy because I already speak french but its actually really tough!)

Question 72

red

Answer 72

1) in the red
- in the debt
eg: after her holiday, Zainab was 1000 pound in the red.

2) on red alert
- prepared for a dangerous situation
eg: during the extremely hot weather, firefighters were on red alert.

3) see red
- become angry very suddenly
eg: Tanya would see red every time she heard her ex bf’s name. He made her so angry.

Question 73

get on (one’s) good side or bad side

Answer 73

• to obtain one’s favour
  eg: How can I get on the boss’s good side when he’s so fickle?
  If you want to get on my mom’s good side, I suggest getting a bit dressed up for dinner.
• To be or become displeasing to someone; to do something that provokes someone’s anger, contempt, or dismissal.

eg: The superintendent is a powerful woman in the school district, so be sure to not to get on her bad side.

I’m afraid I may have gotten on your friend’s bad side with my off-color remarks.

Question 74

hit the sack

Answer 74

go to bed

time to hit the sack

Question 75

pull your socks up

Answer 75

to make an effort to improve your work or behaviour because it is not good enough

eg: He’s going to have to pull his socks up if he wants to stay in the team

Question 76

on the same page

Answer 76

• of two or more people, thinking in the same manner; having the same general outlook or position.

eg:
It makes life easier in our department when we know we’re all on the same page.

The party has done so much to get members of its organisation on-message and on the same page.

Question 77

take a rain check

Answer 77

an expression indicating that one is refusing an offer or invitation but with the hope or promise that it can be postponed or accepted at a later date or time

eg: I m sorry, but I’ll take a rain check for dinner this Saturday. Would next weekend work for you?

Question 78

Anger

Answer 78

1) to bite someone head’s off
- dont bite my head off

2) blow ur top
- Almost all parents blow their tops from time to time

3) I’ve got a bone to pick with you
- Hey Bill. I’ve got a bone to pick with you. I lent you 20dollar last week and still havent pay me back.

4) go ballistic
- It took almost an hour to get our food, and dad went ballistic when they bought him the wrong food

5) to be fed up with
- I m fed up with cleaning up after all time!

Question 79

away with the fairies

Answer 79

seeming eccentric, distracted or a bit crazy
eg: I can’t follow what your mom is talking about—it’s like she’s away with the fairies all of a sudden.

If you describe someone as being away with the fairies, you mean that they are crazy, have foolish or unreasonable opinions or do not notice things around them.

eg: She’s very sweet and everything, but mentally, she’s away with the fairies.

Question 80

to step on someone’s toes

Answer 80

• To insult, offend, or upset one, especially by getting involved in something that is one’s responsibility.
  eg:
  I want to help John out on his project, but I know it’s his baby, so I don’t want to step on his toes in any way.

Look, you’re going to have to step on a few peoples’ toes if you want to get ahead in this business.

Question 81

takes the biscuit (informal)

Answer 81

• To be the most disappointing, annoying, shocking, outrageous, or egregious thing to have happened or been done. (Usually said hyperbolically)

eg: But when I found out that he had been reading through my text messages, well, that took the biscuit!

The government is using the taxes from the working class to bail out the banks that ruined the economy? That really takes the biscuit!

My job is always tough but today really took the biscuit! I had to do twice as much work as normal with one less person on my team.

My sister turned off the film I was watching and put on some boring TV show. It really took the biscuit.

Question 82

Jury is (still) out

Answer 82

A decision has not yet been made

eg:

A: “Are we proceeding with the ad campaign?”
B: “The jury is out on that. We want to bring in a few more focus groups.”

. a decision has not been reached on someone or something; the people making the decision on someone or something have not yet decided

eg: The jury is still out on Jane. We don’t know what we are going to do about her.

The jury is still out on the question of building a new parking lot.

Question 83

Go out like a light

Answer 83

To fall asleep quickly

eg: I didn’t even hear you come in last night—I was so tired that I went out like a light as soon as my head hit the pillow

Question 84

cold feet

Answer 84

1) Nervousness or anxiety felt before one attempts to do something.
eg:
I wasn’t nervous until the morning of my wedding, but everyone assured me that it was just cold feet.

Good luck getting her out on stage—she always gets cold feet before a performance.

2) fear of doing something; cowardice at the moment of action. (*Typically: get ~; have ~; give someone ~.)

eg:
The bridegroom got cold feet on the day of the wedding.

Sally said I should try skydiving, but I had cold feet.

Question 85

come down with something

Answer 85

become ill

eg: I didnt do much this weekend because I came down with a cold.

Our goalie came down with the flu and missed the game.

Question 86

out of your depth

Answer 86

lack the skill, experience or knowledge to do sth

eg: I have started a new job but I m totally out of my depth. I ‘ve got no idea how to do the things I should be doing.

I have started learning Mandarin, but I have never been good at language. I m totaly out of my depth.

Question 87

Head

Answer 87

1) head over heals
- deeply in love
eg: Seokjin is head over heals for Beth. He absolutely adores her.

2) head and shoulder above
- much better than
eg: My new car is head and shoulders above anything I had driven before. It’s by far the best.

3) a heads-up
- an advance warning
eg: Our teacher gave us a heads-up that the headmaster will be inspecting our books next week!

Question 88

to tighten one’s belt

Answer 88

to try to spend less money or use fewer resources

eg: we’ll need to tighten our belt if we want to save a good hosue deposit.

Question 89

to get into deep water

Answer 89

to be in trouble or difficulty

eg: He got into deep water when he borrowed money from a loan shark.

Question 90

to go from rags to riches

Answer 90

to go from being poor to having a lot of money
eg: I admire her because she has gone from rages to riches. She had nothing, but now she is very successful.

Question 91

to lose your touch

Answer 91

to lose an ability or talent that you once had

eg: I think you are losing your touch! You used to be able to persuade anyone to buy your products, but now nobody wants to buy from you.

Question 92

to sit tight

Answer 92

to wait patiently and take no action until you hear otherwise

eg: Sit tight! I will come and help you when I am finished with this customer.

Question 93

HEART

Answer 93

1) in a heartbeat
- immediately
eg: Call me if you need help. I ll be there in a heartbeat

2) have a change of heart
- change your opinion
eg: I didnt use to like Emma, but I have had a change of heart. She’s actually very nice.

3) Have a heart of gold
- be very kind
eg: Saskia would help anyone who asked. She has a heart of gold !

Question 94

have a thing for (someone)

Answer 94

to have a romantic infatuation with someone, especially unbeknownst to that person

eg:
I had a thing for one of my colleagues for a while, but I decided not to pursue it for the sake of our work.

i hear that Samantha has a thing for John.

Question 95

take it down a notch

Answer 95

to be less intense, serious, or extreme, as in some emotion, behaviour, or action. Usually said as an imperative.

eg:

I’ve been trying to take my perfectionism down a notch recently.

I know everyone is excited to see what the machine is capable of, but we all need to take it down a notch before someone get hurt.

Take it down a notch, Bob—there’s really no need to get so upset about this.

Question 96

cramp one’s style

Answer 96

to inhibit or interfere with what one wants to do

eg: Ugh, having a test on Monday is really cramping my style. I just want to party all weekend!

My parents coming to stay with me this weekend is totally going to cramp my style. When am I supposed to get anything done?

to limit someone in some way

I hope this doesn’t cramp your style, but could you please not hum while you work?

To ask Bob to keep regular hours would really be cramping his style.

Question 97

let sleeping dogs lie

Answer 97

to leave a situation alone so as to avoid worsening it

eg: oh, dont mention that fight they had months ago - let sleeping dogs lie!

do not instigate trouble; leave sth alone if it might cause trouble

eg:

Jill: Should I ask the boss if he’s upset at my coming in late in the mornings?
Jane: If he hasn’t said anything about it, just let sleeping dogs lie.

Question 98

take (something) on board

Answer 98

To acknowledge and consider a piece of information or a viewpoint, often one that has been newly presented, especially when making a decision or forming an opinion

eg:

You need to take your parents’ advice on board instead of just assuming they don’t know what they’re talking about.

Thank you for coming forward, we’ll take your testimony on board before we make our final judgment on the matter.

Question 99

food idioms

Answer 99

1) a lemon
- sth that you buy which turn out to have problem
eg: the second-hand car i bought was a real lemon

2) cry over split milk
- to complain over sth bad that happened in the past
eg: stop complaining about your lost pencil-there’s no use crying over split milk

3) bring home the bacon
- to earn money to live
eg: I’m looking for a job. I need to do sth to bring home the bacon.

4) a piece of cake
eg: I got an A on the test. It was a piece of cake.

5) take with a pinch of salt
- it means that you should not complete believe what you are told
eg: take everything you read on that newspaper with a pinch of salt

egg on
- encourage someone to do sth bad or unwise

spill the beans
- tell someone sth that shu be keep secret

the big cheese
- the most important or powerful person

pie in the sky
- sth good that unlikely to happen

Question 100

Hand

Answer 100

1) change hands
- be sold
eg: this antique watch change hands several times before I bought it

2) to hand
- nearby and easily available
eg: I like to have my dictionary to hand when I’m studying english

3) underhand
- done secretly and / or dishonestly
eg: They used underhand tactics to win. It’s very disappointing behaviour.

4) get out of hand
- out of control
eg: His gambling has got out of hand. He’s spending all his money in the casino.
The police were called to stop the protesters getting out of hand.

a firm hand
- a strict control
I run my business with a firm hand. That’s why I am successful.

short-handed
- without the usual amount of workers.
e.g., Sorry the service is slow today. We’re very short-handed.

Lend a hand
- give help
e.g., Could you lend a hand with the cleaning? I cant do it by myself.

take in hand
- take control of
e.g., My daughter’s been skipping school. I’m going to have to take her in hand.

have a hand in
- be involved in
e.g., I’d like to thank everyone who had a hand in this project.

Question 101

paint the town red

Answer 101

• go out and enjoy yourself drinking, dancing and generally having a wild time

eg: let’s go out tonight and paint the town red.

Question 102

rocket science

Answer 102

A pursuit, activity, or endeavor that requires extraordinary skill or intelligence. Most often used in the negative to imply the opposite.

eg: Look, all you need to do is reformat the hard drive on your computer. It isn’t rocket science!

I thought it would be simple enough to fix the car’s engine on my own, but this turned out to be like rocket science to me!

Question 103

on the ball

Answer 103

aware of what’s happening

eg: Shania’s really on the ball when it comes to finance. She knows how to make her money grow.

Question 104

loop one in

Answer 104

To make or keep one informed about something, such as a plan or project. A noun or pronoun can be used between “loop” and “in.”
eg:
- We’ve hired a new intern to help you with data entry, so be sure to loop her in about the current project.
- I’ll need to go loop in the rest of the team regarding these changes.

Question 105

time to put my big girl/boy pants on

Answer 105

1) when you dont want to do sth, but you know you have to do it.
eg: I’ve had such a lovely holiday-I dont want it to end. But it’s Monday tomorrow. Time to put my big girl pants on and get back to work.

2) when we’re feel upset, but we know we cant change the situation and we have to move forward.
eg: It took me ages to write that report - but the boss doesnt like it. Oh well- time to put the big boy pants on and start again

3) tell someone that they are being childish
Eg: You lost the game and that’s that. Stop complaining, put your big boy pants on and get over it.

Question 106

Up in the air

Answer 106

uncertain; subject to change

eg:

Becky and I were supposed get brunch this weekend, but things are up in the air now because she’s not feeling well.

Because the whole town protested plans to build a new shopping center, that proposal is now up in the air.

Question 107

Foot

Answer 107

1) foot the bill
- pay for sth
eg: The CEO will foot the bill for the christmas party this year.

2) get off on the wrong foot
- have a bad start
eg: Lela got off on the wrong foot with her boss when she was late for work on her first day.

3) from head to toe
- over the entire body
eg: Abud got caught in the rain. He was soaked from head to toe.

4) rushed off one’s feet
- very busy
eg: i have to cancel our plan to meet for lunch. I’m rushed off my feet at work.

5) put your foot in it
accidentally say sth embarrassing or offensive
e.g: Jo’s put weight on. I think I might have put my foot in it when I asked if she was pregnant.

Question 108

egg

Answer 108

1) good egg
- a good person
eg: Sheila is a good egg. She is nice to everyone she meets.

2) egg on
- encourage to do sth bad
eg: Li didn’t really want to smash the window, but he was egged on by his friends and did it anyway.

3) nest egg
- a sum of money saved for the future
eg: after saving a little bit every month, Dara now had a nice nest egg for her college fund.

Question 109

take sth to heart

Answer 109

To treat something as significant or important and be moved, affected, influenced, or upset by it at a personal level.

eg:

Don’t take his comments to heart—he’s that hard on everyone in the office.

If you actually take her advice to heart, I think you’ll find it deeply comforting.

Question 110

give it some welly

Answer 110

to do sth with energy, concentration or commitment

eg: it doesnt matter whether you win or lose, as long as you give it some welly

Question 111

below the belt

Answer 111

unfair, nasty

eg: Her accusations were below the belt.

Question 112

above board

Answer 112

honest and not trying to deceive anyone (plan or business agreement)

eg: The deal was completely open and above board.

Question 113

go to pieces

Answer 113

1. To become very emotional.
   Poor Jane really went to pieces during the funeral service.
   I can’t watch those sappy movies because I just go to pieces every time.
2. To deteriorate or go awry.
   Boy, this party has really gone to pieces. First, there was the issue with the caterer, and now half the guests aren’t coming.

Question 114

a devil of a job

Answer 114

I need to turn this screw to stop the water flow to my taps, but I just can’t reach it. It’s a devil of a job.
我得转动这颗螺丝来阻止水流进水龙头，但我就是够不着它。这可得费九牛二虎之力才行。

These tax returns are a devil of a job. I dread doing them for months before they’re due.
填写这些纳税申报单真是繁琐费劲。我不敢面对，拖了好几个月，直到限期前才不得不做。

I had a devil of a job getting to work today. The metro line was temporarily closed and I had to get a bus all the way.
我今天上班真是够折腾的。地铁线路暂时停运了，我一路上都得坐公交车。

Question 115

off-the-cuff

Answer 115

casually and spontaneously; without planning or preparation.

eg:

I didn’t have any time to prepare my presentation for the meeting, so I just spoke about the project off the cuff.
当时我没时间准备会议的报告，所以只是随便地讲了讲项目的事情。

She gave an off-the-cuff answer to a difficult question, but after checking the facts, she was correct.
她未加思索地回答了一道难题，但核实后发现真的说对了。

I like to plan my speeches carefully before I give them. I can’t understand why people would feel comfortable giving them off the cuff.
我喜欢在演讲前认真规划准备。我不明白为什么别人能轻松自如地即兴演讲。

Question 116

take a crack at something

Answer 116

to attempt to do something

eg: Well, I havent fixed a motor in nearly 10 years, but I’ll certainly take a crack at it.

Question 117

eye idioms

Answer 117

1) catch someone’s eye
- get someone attention
eg: this dress caught my eye when I was shopping. I just had to buy it.

2) see eye to eye
- agree, share the same opinion
eg: my wife and I see eye to eye on most issue, so we rarely argue.

3) roving eye
- tendency to cheat on romantic partner
eg: Jack’s a terrible boyfriend - his roving eyes get him into trouble.

4) cry your eyes out
- cry for a long time
eg: Jasmin cries her eyes out when her boyfriend dumped her.

5) a feast for the eyes
- a very pleasing sight
eg: my team won 7-0! the scoreboard was a feast for the eyes.

6) not bat an eyelid
not be shocked or worried about sth
eg: she was furious he was late, but he didnt bat an eyelid!

7) a bird’s eye view
a clear overall impression of sth
eg: when i was on work experience, i got a bird’s eye view of the entire process.

8) a fresh pair of eyes
getting another person to examine sth
eg: I need a fresh pair of eyes to check this. Can you take a look?

9) up to your eyeballs
involved in an unpleasant situation
eg: she claims she’s not guilty, but she’s up to her eyeballs in it!

10) Joe’s a great footballer. he caught my eye last season.

Question 118

pull rank on someone

Answer 118

• To use one’s higher position of authority to dictate what one does or to gain an advantage.
  eg:
  Even though I’m the boss, I try not to pull rank. I like to let everyone have a say in how things are done.

Whenever new assignments come up, Tom always pulls rank on us and picks the best one for himself.

Question 119

ride on someone/sth’s coat-tails

Answer 119

To benefit from someone else’s success; to use someone else’s success as a means to achieve one’s own.

Everyone knows you’ve been riding on the governor’s coattails for the last two years, but once her term ends you’ll be on your own.

Jonathan rode on the famous professor’s coattails to get some recognition for his own work from several esteemed academic journals.

Question 120

toss and turn

Answer 120

to move about and turn over in bed because you are unable to sleep

eg: I used to toss and turn all night, but now I sleep like a baby.

Question 121

set the record straight

Answer 121

To make the true facts of something clear, especially when they have been previously mistaken, misunderstood, or misrepresented.

eg:
There have been a lot of crazy rumors flying around for the last few days, so I’d like to set the record straight once and for all.

Question 122

same old same old

Answer 122

The same thing that is always done or that always happens. It often implies that such a thing is boring or monotonous. The phrase is duplicated for emphasis.

We always sit around and do the same old same old. Let’s go out this week.
A: “What are you doing this summer?” B: “Same old same old—loading up the car and heading to the beach.”

I hadn’t seen her in nearly eight years, but she was still the same old Janet I remembered from high school.

I can’t stand the thought of being trapped in some boring office job doing the same old thing every single day.

A: “Hey, John, long time no see! How are things?” B: “Eh, same old. Just working and looking after the kids.”

Question 123

sounding board for someone

Answer 123

A person or group with whom one discusses an idea, plan, or suggestion in order to evaluate its strengths, acceptability, feasibility, practicality, etc.

eg: My friend John and I really know each other’s skills and interests, so whenever one of us has an idea for a new project, we use the other as a sounding board.

Question 124

the penny drops

Answer 124

Said when someone suddenly comes to realize or understand something.

eg:
Once the penny dropped, I was horrified by my behavior. My mother certainly didn’t deserve it.

Will the penny ever drop on the urgency of environmental issues? We activists can’t save the planet by ourselves!

I was watching his expression as he read the will, so I could tell the moment the penny dropped that he had been disinherited by his father.

I had to explained it to him 5 times before the penny dropped.

Question 125

make a stink about sth

Answer 125

To be very vocal in one’s displeasure about something; to make a scene.

eg:
My mom made a stink when the store refused to accept her return without a receipt.

One of the customers is making a stink about the service charge we included on his bill.

Question 126

set your heart on doing sth

Answer 126

to want to get or achieve something very much

eg: she’s set her heart on having a pony.

Question 127

take offense at someone or sth

Answer 127

to be insulted by someone or something.

eg:

Bill took offense at Mary for her thoughtless remarks.
Almost everyone took offense at Bill’s new book.
I’m sorry you took offense. I meant no harm.

I know your comments were made completely in jest, but I couldn’t help taking offense at them.
I noticed your parents leaving early. I do hope they haven’t taken offense.

Question 128

get hold of oneself

Answer 128

To regain control of one’s emotions and/or behavior.

eg:
Get hold of yourself and stop arguing over minor details! We’re nearly finished negotiating this thing.

I was afraid Stu wasn’t going to be able to get hold of himself after that outburst.

Question 129

cut to the quick

Answer 129

To strike the deepest, most fragile part of one. Typically used to describe emotional wounds.

eg:

I can’t even look at her right now—that hurtful remark cut me right to the quick.

I was stung to the quick to learn that they called my dress tacky behind my back.

The hostess, stung to the quick by her guests’ words, locked herself in the bedroom upstairs.

Question 130

take something out of someone

Answer 130

to make someone else suffer or be responsible for your own mistakes, anger, sadness, etc.

eg:

Don’t take it out on me – I’m not your boss! (出气)

Question 131

Beauty idioms

Answer 131

1) to look like a million dollars
- to look amazing
eg: She looks like a million dollars in that dress.

2) dressed to kill
- wearing glamorous dresses
eg: jasmine arrived at the party dressed to kill.

3) put your face on
- apply makeup
eg: hold on. Let me put my face on and then I’ll be ready to go.

4) a beauty spot
- a birthmark or mole on the face
eg: the dr advised me to remove my beauty spot as it was changing shape.

Question 132

get the hang of (sth)

Answer 132

To begin having or acquire a general sense of how to do or use something or how something operates; to become familiar with something.

eg:
1) I know it’s a little tricky getting the hang of the machine, but just keep practicing and you’ll get it.

2) I’m starting to get the hang of how this computer works.

Question 133

wrap one’s head around sth

Answer 133

To comprehend something that one considers challenging, confusing, or a foreign concept.

eg:

Kate is willing to pay full price for an expensive handbag, but I just can’t wrap my head around that.

Sam tries to wrap her head around snow and freezing temperatures, but she’s always lived in Florida, so real winter is not something she has experienced.

Question 134

play sth by ear

Answer 134

1. to be able to play a piece of music after just listening to it a few times, without looking at the notes. I can play “Stardust” by ear. Some people can play Chopin’s music by ear.
2. and play by ear to play a musical instrument well, without formal training. John can play the piano by ear. If I could play by ear, I wouldn’t have to take lessons—or practice!
3. To decide how to act in or deal with a particular situation in an adaptive, flexible, or improvised way, based on the circumstances.
   If we go into the meeting unprepared, we’ll have to play everything by ear. He never prepared his presentations. He always played things by ear.

Question 135

bite the bullet

Answer 135

sth that you don’t want to do, but u must do.

I don’t actually enjoy cleaning, but I bite the bullet and do it so that everything in my house isn’t covered in a thick layer of dust.

I know she’s disappointed to have not gotten her dream job, but the sooner she bites the bullet and accepts it, the sooner she can move on.

Question 136

dead idioms

Answer 136

1) dead to the world
- sleeping very deeply
don’t disturb nina. She was working till 3am and now she’s dead to the world.

2) a dead loss
- completely useless
I’m quite good at basketball, but I’m a dead loss on football pitch.

3) drop-dead gorgeous
- very attractive
I met Alex’s new gf yesterday. She’s drop-dead gorgeous.

4) dead on your feet
completely exhausted
I need to go home. I’ve been shopping all day and I m dead on my feet.

Question 137

water under the bridge

Answer 137

If you say that a bad experience is water under the bridge, you mean that it happened a long time ago and so you do not feel upset or worried about it now.

eg:

He didn’t treat me very well at the time but it’s all water under the bridge now.
Mr Bruce said that he was relieved it was over and that he regarded his time in jail as water under the bridge.

It’s almost two years since it happened and a lot of water has gone under the bridge. We’re now on speaking terms with Marcia.

Question 138

cut to the chase

Answer 138

To focus on what is important; to abandon the preliminaries and deal with the major points.

eg: All right, let’s stop the idle chatter and cut to the chase.

After a few introductory comments, we cut to the chase and began negotiating.

Question 139

once and for all

Answer 139

1) finally and completely

We have to decide, once and for all, whether we want to ask Dad for money.

2) used to emphasize your impatience when you ask or say something that you have asked or said many times before

Once and for all, will you switch off that television!

Question 140

take stock of sth

Answer 140

To take stock (of something) is to think carefully about a situation or event and form an opinion about it, so that you can decide what to do

eg:

After two years spent teaching overseas, she returned home for a month to take stock of her life.

After a year in the job, she decided it was time to take stock (= think again whether it was the job she wanted).

He stopped to take stock of what he had read.

I spent some time yesterday taking stock of my good and bad qualities.

We all need to take stock now and then.

Question 141

float one boat

Answer 141

If something floats your boat, you find it exciting, attractive, or interesting.

Create a space for yourself: light candles, burn incense, run a bath — whatever floats your boat.
I can see the band’s appeal. But it doesn’t float my boat.

To make someone happy. Often used in the phrase “whatever floats (one’s) boat.”

A: “What do you want for dinner?” B: “Whatever floats your boat, I’m not even hungry.”

I think this new job in the lab will really float Isabel’s boat.

Question 142

bask in sth

Answer 142

1. To lie in and allow oneself to be exposed to warmth, especially from the sun.
   I love lying on the beach and basking in the sunlight.
   Our dog loves to stretch across the living room rug and bask in the warmth of the fire.
2. By extension, to revel in something pleasant or enjoyable.
   She’s still basking in the favorable reviews of her performance in the play.
   The child beamed as he basked in his parents’ doting adoration

Question 143

brownie points

Answer 143

refers to credit, praise or appreciation someone gets for doing a good deed or for doing sth nice

eg:
Alicia earned brownie points for helping her mother with the laundry.

Question 144

as fit as a fiddle/as fit as a flea

Answer 144

to be very healthy and strong:

eg:
My grandmother’s 89, but she’s as fit as a fiddle.

Question 145

go off on one

Answer 145

to suddenly become very angry and start shouting or behaving violently:

He went off on one because he thought I was threatening his dog.

Question 146

go off on a tangent

Answer 146

to suddenly start talking or thinking about a completely new subject:

It’s hard to get a firm decision out of him - he’s always going off on a tangent.

Question 147

A little birdie told me

Answer 147

A phrase used when one does not want to reveal the source of the information that one is about to share or has shared.

A: “Did you hear that Mark is planning to propose to Sarah soon?” B: “Yes, a little birdie told me.”

A little birdie told me that George interviewed for that open position in human resources, so maybe we’ll be free of him sooner than later.

Don’t worry, I don’t reveal my sources of gossip. So when Carly asked how I knew about her new relationship, I just said that a little birdie told me.

Question 148

strings attached

Answer 148

pecial demands or limitations that affect something such as an agreement:

You don’t get anything for free - there are always strings attached.
I really wanted to give this money to my family with no strings attached.

If something such as an agreement has strings attached, it involves special demands or limits:
Most of these so-called special offers come with strings attached.
They immediately agreed to donate $1,000, no strings attached.

Question 149

beside (oneself)

Answer 149

Very shocked or distraught.
I was beside myself when I found out I’d been rejected from my first-choice school.
Honestly, we’ve all been beside ourselves since the funeral

Question 150

walking a fine line

Answer 150

To navigate or strike a balance between two sides, positions, or approaches to something, especially when trying to avoid one of them.

The film walks a fine line between parody and homage.
As a new parent, you have to walk a fine line between looking out for your child’s welfare and being overprotective.

Question 151

ice idioms

Answer 151

1) put on ice
- postpone
My plans to study abroad were put on ice during the coronavirus pandemic.

2) cut no ice
- have no significance or value
Hong’s excuses cut no ice with me. He doesnt have a good reason for his lateness.

3) the tip of the iceberg
- a small part of a big problem
Keiko’s money problems are the tip of the iceberg. She also lost her job and her bf dumped her.

Question 152

pull an all-nighter

Answer 152

To remain awake all night long, especially so as to study or to complete something.

I was a bit of a procrastinator in college, so I tended to pull a lot of all-nighters.
Jeff pulled an all-nighter on Thursday to get his report finished for work by the deadline today, so I don’t think he’ll be coming out with us tonight.

2) something that lasts all night, like a party or study session.

After an all-nighter studying, I couldn’t keep my eyes open for the test.

3. a place of business that is open all night.
   We stopped at an all-nighter for a cup of coffee.

That pharmacy is an all-nighter if you ever need medicine in the middle of the night.

Question 153

animal

Answer 153

1) have a whale of a time
- enjoy sth very much
eg: this party’s great. I’m having a whale of a time!

2) be in the doghouse
- be in trouble
eg: i forgot to buy them a present, so I’m in the doghouse.

3) hold your horses
- wait/be patient
eg: Hold your horses! We havent started yet.

Question 154

off the peg (british)
off the rack (US)

Answer 154

ready to wear; not made specially to fit one person:

He couldn’t afford a made-to-measure suit, so he bought one off the peg.

Instead of dining in top restaurants and wearing expensive suits, he likes to eat hamburgers and buys clothes off the peg.

Question 155

bestow sth on someone

Answer 155

to give something to someone; to present something to someone.

eg:

The mere presence of the queen bestowed wisdom and grace on the court.

I can’t believe that much responsibility has been bestowed on me—I’m just an intern!

Before my grandmother died, she bestowed this vintage coffee table on me.

Question 156

a breeze

Answer 156

Something that is especially easy, effortless, or trifling to accomplish or complete.

eg:
I’ve been running marathons for years now, so this 5K run will be a breeze for me.
After being in charge of such a high-profile company for so many years, running this office feels like a breeze in comparison.
I thought that test was a breeze, but I did study a lot for it.

Question 157

where one is at

Answer 157

The way in which one is thinking about something or dealing with something emotionally; one’s mental or emotional status or condition.

eg:
I just wish I knew where she was at in relation to this whole situation, but she won’t open up to me about anything.
This is all so sudden—I need a bit of time to figure out where I’m at before I make a decision.
It’s OK, I understand where you’re at. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.

Question 158

get off the wrong foot

Answer 158

To have a bad start. Said of something that goes or has gone awry at the very beginning.
I know we got off on the wrong foot when I was a half hour late to the interview, but I promise that I will always be on time once I start working here.

Question 159

right up one’s alley

Answer 159

Anna loves watching movies, so I’m sure she’ll go to the film festival with you—that’s right up her alley.

This course seemed right up my alley when I signed up for it, but it ended up being dreadfully boring.

Question 160

stack up to someone or sth

Answer 160

To compare to or rank against someone or something similar, especially in a worthy, respectable, or favorable manner.
Well, does the new car stack up to your old one?
He’s obsessed with how he stacks up to my previous boyfriends.
I appreciate that she’s giving us another story in this universe, but this new book just doesn’t stack up to the original trilogy.

for someone or something] to measure up favorably when compared to someone or something. How do you think I stack up to Liz? My car stacks up pretty well to yours.

Question 161

be lost for words

Answer 161

to be so shocked, surprised, full of admiration, etc. that you cannot speak:
Mary was lost for words when she was awarded the prize.

Question 162

in the black

Answer 162

not in debt

Yay! I’ve finally paid off my student loan! I’m almost in the black for the first time in years!

Question 163

the new black

Answer 163

suddenly fashionable

Pink is the new black. Everyone’s wearing it this winter.

Question 164

bane of one existence

Answer 164

The source or cause of one’s misfortune, unhappiness, frustration, or anxiety, usually used hyperbolically.
I swear, this project is the bane of my existence. I’ve been working on it for months and still haven’t made any real progress!
Jane has been constantly annoying me all week. She’s been the bane of my very existence!

Question 165

make a beeline for sth

Answer 165

to move quickly and directly toward something:

When he saw me in the kitchen, he made a beeline for the door.

Question 166

follow suit

Answer 166

to do the same thing

when one airline reduces its ticket prices, the rest usually follow suit.

Question 167

put words in one’s mouth

Answer 167

To falsely attribute a statement or belief to someone.

I never said you were lazy—stop putting words in my mouth!
Just because the senator has highlighted potential problems with the legislation does not mean that she opposes it. Please do not put words in her mouth like that.

Question 168

stick up for someone

Answer 168

To defend or show one’s support for someone or something.

eg:
Thank you for sticking up for me back there. It just felt like everyone was against me.
We’ll never make any progress if we don’t have anyone in congress sticking up for our cause.
Stick up for your little sister, OK? That’s your job.

Question 169

get your wires crossed

Answer 169

When people get their wires crossed, they have a different understanding of the same situation:

Somehow we got our wires crossed because I’d written the 23rd in my diary and Jen had the 16th.

to have a different understanding of the same situation:
We must have got our wires crossed – I thought she was arriving tomorrow, not today.

Question 170

err on the side of sth

Answer 170

To prioritize something, perhaps excessively or unnecessarily. Often used in the phrase “err on the side of caution.”

I like to err on the side of caution and always keep some money in my savings account.

Question 171

i beg to differ

Answer 171

a way of saying “I do not agree” that is polite, but may sound unfriendly

Question 172

chew the fat

Answer 172

To discuss, chat, converse, etc., especially at length and in a leisurely, friendly manner.
eg:

My sister and I haven’t seen each other in nearly five years, so we stayed up half the night chewing the fat.
Come into my office and chew the fat with me a little bit, David. I want to know how things are going with you.

Sit yourself down and let’s chew the fat for a while. We were just chewing the rag. Nothing important.

Question 173

have been down this road before

Answer 173

To have already pursued some course of action or explored some way of thinking, especially when it did not yield desired results.

Their generation has been down that road before—they know firsthand how devastating civil war can be.
A: “I just think that we could make significant savings if we reorganized the department.” B: “Look, we’ve been down this road before. The amount of time and resources it would take outweighs any benefit we might gain.”

Question 174

no, ifs or buts

Answer 174

Without excuses, compromises, or caveats of any kind.
Clean up your toys right now, young man—no ifs or buts!

1. Without a doubt or reservation.
   We’re definitely going to lose our jobs after this merger, no ifs or buts about it.
2. Absolutely no excuses, discussion, or protestations (about something).
   I don’t care how, but you make sure you’re at your son’s party tomorrow—no ifs or buts about it!
   No ifs or buts—just do as I tell you!

Question 175

egg on

Answer 175

encourage someone to do sth bad or unwise

eg: I dont normally ride my bike so fast, but my friends were all egging me on!

Question 176

at first blush

Answer 176

when you first see or experience sth

It looks at first blush like a standard smartphone.

Question 177

rub someone the wrong way

Answer 177

To irritate one due to someone’s or something’s presence, nature, or habitual behavior (as opposed to directly and intentionally). Primarily heard in US.

The way she smiles all the time really rubs me the wrong way. It seems so fake.
He’s always talking about how those commercials rub him the wrong way, but I think they’re cute

Question 178

out of one’s hands

Answer 178

Not within one’s control.

I submitted my application, so it’s really out of my hands now.

Now that the jury is deliberating, the case is out of our hands

Question 179

go overboard

Answer 179

to do something too much, or to be too excited or eager about something:

I don’t think there’ll be more than six people eating, so I wouldn’t go overboard with the food.

to do or say too much because you are so enthusiastic:
I think I went overboard cooking this dinner – there is enough to feed a dozen people.

Question 180

pull the rug out (from under someone)

Answer 180

to suddenly take away important support from someone:
The school pulled the rug out from under the city soccer league when they asked them to pay for using their field.

Question 181

at the helm of something

Answer 181

in control:
She is the first woman to be at the helm of this corporation.

Question 182

get a kick out of someone or sth

Answer 182

To get a sense of enjoyment, amusement, or excitement from someone or something.
Even as an adult, I still get a kick out of building sandcastles at the beach.
She really gets a kick out of doing wheelies on her motorcycle in front of an audience.
I get a kick out of Janene—she’s really hilarious.

Question 183

in the game

Answer 183

with a chance of being successful because you remain involved in something, and especially because you keep trying hard, even when there are problems:

stay in the game They have to put blood, sweat, and tears into the task in order to stay in the game.

still in the game If he demands an election and gets one, he is still in the game.

Question 184

out on a limb

Answer 184

having an opinion that is different from most people’s and is unpopular:

She’s going out on a limb in criticizing her own party leadership.

No company wants to be the first to put its rates up. The companies who have tried have found themselves out on a limb.

Question 185

head idioms

Answer 185

head over heels
-deeply in love
Seokjin is head over heels for Beth. He absolutely adores her.

head and shoulders above
- much better than
My new car is head and shoulders above anything I’ve driven before. It’s by far the best.

a heads-up
an advanced warning
Our teacher gave us a heads-up that she will be inspecting our books next week.

Question 186

come to a head

Answer 186

If something comes to a head or someone brings something to a head, a situation reaches a point where something must be done about it:

Things hadn’t been good between us for a while and this incident just brought it to a head.

The situation finally came to a head when she failed to show up at school.

Question 187

lord it over someone

Answer 187

to behave as if you are more important than someone and have a right to tell that person what to do:

He likes to lord it over his little sister.

Question 188

for better or for worse

Answer 188

If you do something for better or (for) worse, you accept the bad results of the action as well as the good ones:
Anyway, for better or for worse, I followed her advice.

Question 189

draw a line under sth

Answer 189

To finish something and move on from it.

eg: I can’t think of anything else to add to this project, so let’s just draw a line under it and start working on the next one.

If something draws a line under a bad situation, it allows the situation to be considered as finished.
eg: The document draws a line under our painful past and clears the way for a new beginning. An out-of-court settlement, expected this week, should finally draw a line under the affair.

Question 190

up to scratch

Answer 190

reaching an acceptable standard:
Your last essay wasn’t up to scratch/didn’t come up to scratch.

Question 191

talking to a brick wall

Answer 191

If talking to someone is like talking to a brick wall, the person you are speaking to does not listen:
I’ve tried to discuss my feelings with her, but it’s like talking to a brick wall.

Question 192

pie in the sky

Answer 192

something that you hope will happen but is very unlikely to happen:

Their plans to set up their own business are just pie in the sky.

Question 193

get ahold of

Answer 193

to communicate with someone by phone:

I m trying to get ahold of some of these people for our meeting tomorrow.

Question 194

wear the pants

Answer 194

to be the person in a relationship who makes the decisions:
Lisa certainly wears the pants in that family.

Brian may seem domineering, but it’s Lisa that really wears the pants in that relationship.

Question 195

be the best thing since sliced bread

Answer 195

to be an excellent person or thing:
Some people don’t like colourful clothes and others think a lime green jumpsuit is the best thing since sliced bread.
If everyone’s telling you you’re the greatest thing since sliced bread, you start to believe it.

Question 196

pull someone’s legs

Answer 196

to try to persuade someone to believe something that is not true, as a joke:
Is it really your car or are you pulling my leg?

Question 197

run of the mill

Answer 197

ordinary and not special or exciting in any way:

He gave a fairly run-of-the-mill speech.

Question 198

wear one heart on one sleeve

Answer 198

To openly display or make known one’s emotions or sentiments.
My father was always very closed off regarding his feelings, so when I had kids, I made a point of wearing my heart on my sleeve with them.
The senator has begun wearing his heart on his sleeve now that he’s not seeking re-election.

Question 199

in the loop/out of the loop

Answer 199

to have or not have the special knowledge or power that belongs to a particular group of people:

You can tell she’s in the loop. She always knows about policy decisions before the rest of us.

I’ve been out of the loop. I didn’t realize Wendy and Bob had got engaged.

Question 200

get your head down

Answer 200

to direct all your efforts into the particular task you are involved in:
I’m going to get my head down and try and finish this report before I go home today.