Idioms Flashcards
The rub
the particular problem that makes a situation difficult or impossible
You can’t get a job unless you have experience, but there’s the rub, you can’t get experience unless you have a job.
White lie
a lie about a small or unimportant matter that someone tells to avoid hurting another person
He told a (little) white lie as his excuse for missing the party.
Get the better of someone
to defeat someone in a competition (felülkerekedik)
He fought fiercely, but his opponent easily got the better of him.
Her curiosity got the better of her and she opened the door and peeped inside.
Hold your own (2 meanings)
to be as successful as other people or things in a situation (megállja a helyét)
Josie can hold her own in any argument.
to not become more ill or more weak (megvan)
He’s still ill but holding his own.
Punch above your weight
If a country or business punches above its weight, it becomes involved in, or succeeds in, an activity that needs more power, money, etc. than it seems to have (erején felül teljesít)
Although Brad isn’t the best track runner, I think that if he trains hard and punches above his weight, he’ll be able to qualify for the upcoming competition.
what with one thing and another
You say what with one thing and another when you want to explain that the reason you have failed to do something is because you have been very busy
What with one thing and another, I forgot to call you yesterday.
in the lap of luxury
living in very comfortable conditions because you have a lot of money
People are living on the streets while others live in the lap of luxury.
if nothing else…
Ha más nem…
If nothing else, we can go tot he cinema for a movie.
on a shoestring
If you do something on a shoestring, you do it with a very small amount of money
The film was made on a shoestring.
rough it
to live without comforts, esp. running water, heat, etc.
While the house was being decorated we roughed it in a tent..
may/might as well
used to suggest doing something, often when there is nothing better to do
We might as well walk there.
We may as well start the meeting - the others will be here soon.
on/to the verge/point of
If you are on the verge/point of something or come to the verge of something, you are very close to experiencing it
**on the verge of ** collapse/success/tears/death/disaster/war
Her husband’s violent and abusive behaviour drove her to the verge of despair.
in vain
unsuccessfully
I tried in vain to start a conversation.
All the police’s efforts to find him were in vain.
in the region of
approximately
They estimate that the temperature yesterday was (somewhere) in the region of -30°C.
go/walk down the aisle
to get married
I want to settle down, buy a home together, have a family and walk down the aisle.
rise to the challenge
to be able to deal with something that needs great mental or physical effort in order to be done successfully and therefore tests a person’s ability
It’s going to be a difficult job but I’m sure she’ll rise to the challenge.
sink or swim
If you are left to sink or swim, you are given no help so that you succeed or fail completely by your own efforts
My employer gave me no help when I started my new job - I was just left to sink or swim.
put something to the test
to find out how good something is
Her constant questions put the teacher’s patience to the test.
well and truly
completely
I was well and truly hooked on travel.
so to speak
In that relationship it’s very much Lorna who wears the trousers, so to speak
In that relationship it’s very much Lorna who wears the trousers, so to speak.
by no means
not at all
It’s by no means certain that the job will go to an external candidate.
by all means
used to give permission
“May I borrow this book?” “By all means.”
within reason
within the limits of what is acceptable and possible
We can wear anything we like to the office, within reason.
on its own merit(s)
based only on a person’s or thing’s qualities and not on what other people say about that person or thing
Judge the product on its own merits, and not on what the ads say.
over the top
too extreme and not suitable, or demanding too much attention or effort, especially in an uncontrolled way
John’s angry reaction to my letter was completely over the top.
at odds (with something/someone)
in disagreement
Clare’s claim that she locked the door behind her is at odds with what she said earlier.
in all honesty/seriousness/truthfulness
said when expressing your opinion honestly, seriously, or truthfully
In all honesty, I do have some criticisms to make.
out of/beyond/outside control
There was nothing we could do about it - the situation was out of/beyond/outside our control.
beyond all expectation
Ivan’s English improved beyond all expectation when he stayed with a host family in Manchester.
