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SAT > Idioms > Flashcards

Idioms Flashcards

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1
Q

Don’t give up the day job.

A

You are not very good at that. You could definitely not do it professionally.

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2
Q

Cash cow

A

An easy way to earn money regularly

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3
Q

Bite off more than you can chew

A

Trying to do something that is too difficult or time consuming to finish

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4
Q

Clear the air

A

Discuss something that was causing people to feel upset

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5
Q

Turn your back on

A

Give up on, or abandon

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6
Q

Not cut out for

A

Not suitable for something

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7
Q

Scrape the bottom of the barrel

A

The very last, or the very worst

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8
Q

A class act

A

Sophisticated, above average

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9
Q

Clean up your act

A

Improve your behavior

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10
Q

Get your act together

A

Get more organized

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11
Q

A piece of the action

A

Participation in an activity

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12
Q

Actions speak louder than words

A

People’s intentions can be judged better by what they do than what they say

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13
Q

In the air

A

Being discussed, generally obvious

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14
Q

Go ape

A

Go crazy

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15
Q

A grey area

A

Something that is difficult to define

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16
Q

Up in arms

A

Angry

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17
Q

Be glad to see the back of

A

Be happy when a person leaves

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18
Q

Give him/her credit

A

Acknowledge an achievement or contribution of a person

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19
Q

Go behind someone’s back

A

Do something without telling someone

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20
Q

Each to his own

A

Everyone is entitled to his own individual opinion

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21
Q

Eager beaver

A

Enthusiastic person

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22
Q

Early bird

A

A person who is early, or gets up early

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23
Q

Scratch the surface

A

Examine only a part of something. Uncover only a few facts about something

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24
Q

Give him the slip

A

Leave him. Hide from him

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25
Q

Cold shoulder

A

To treat someone in an unfriendly manner

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26
Q

Get the ball rolling

A

Stat something

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27
Q

Jump on the bandwagon

A

Join a popular trend or activity

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28
Q

A losing battle

A

Something that cannot be accomplished

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29
Q

Keep something at bay

A

Keep something away

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30
Q

Spill the beans

A

Tell a secret

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31
Q

Beggars can’t be choosers

A

People cannot complain about something they get for free.

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32
Q

Flesh and blood.

A

A relative

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33
Q

Give the benefit of the doubt

A

Believe someone’s statement, without proof

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34
Q

A safe bet

A

Probably true. Will probably happen

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35
Q

Fit the bill

A

Seems correct

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36
Q

Black and blue

A

Bruised

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37
Q

In cold blood

A

With no compassion or mercy. Usually associated with ruthless murder

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38
Q

Out of the blue

A

Unexpected

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39
Q

Call someone’s bluff

A

Make someone prove what they say

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40
Q

Rock the boat

A

Create problems for other people

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41
Q

By the book

A

Doing something according to the rules

42
Q

Give someone the boot

A

Dismiss or get rid of someone

43
Q

Get to the bottom of

A

Learn about and understand fully

44
Q

Out of bonds

A

Not permitted

45
Q

Bread and butter

A

Regular income

46
Q

The best things since sliced bread

A

A good invention or innovation

47
Q

Give me a break

A

Don’t expect me to believe or agree with that.

48
Q

Don’t hold your breath

A

Don’t wait too long because it might not happen

49
Q

Cross that bridge when you come to it

A

Deal with a problem if and when it becomes necessary, not before.

50
Q

The bubble has burst

A

A previously positive situation has encountered a serious problem.

51
Q

The buck stops here

A

Problem are resolved here.

52
Q

Burn your bridges

A

Make it impossible to return

53
Q

My ears are burning

A

I think someone is saying something about me

54
Q

Put on the back burner

A

Leave it for later

55
Q

Someone means business

A

Someone is serious

56
Q

At the touch of a button

A

Quickly and easy

57
Q

Have your cake and eat it

A

Enjoy something without paying for it

58
Q

A close call

A

Something (usually bad) almost happening

59
Q

Enough is enough

A

This should stop

60
Q

A fat cat

A

A wealthy person

61
Q

My two cents worth

A

My humble opinion

62
Q

Hang out

A

Be together, spend time with each other

63
Q

A change of heart

A

A changed opinion

64
Q

Get something off your chest

A

Explain something that is bothering you

65
Q

Don’t count your chickens before the eggs have hatched

A

Don’t make plans for something that might not happen

66
Q

A chip on his shoulder

A

He is angry about something

67
Q

Come full circle

A

A process has been completed

68
Q

Squeaky clean

A

Legitimate and proper

69
Q

In the clear

A

Out of trouble

70
Q

Steer clear of

A

Avoid

71
Q

Round the clock

A

All day

72
Q

Turn back the clock

A

Go back in time

73
Q

Like clockwork

A

With mechanical efficiency

74
Q

Wake up and smell the cofee

A

Think more realistically

75
Q

The other side of the coin

A

Another version of a story or event

76
Q

Left out in the cold

A

Left unaided or unprotected

77
Q

With flying colors

A

With enthusiasm and exuberance

78
Q

Scrape by

A

Have just enough but not more

79
Q

A tough cookie

A

A stubborn, strong person

80
Q

Keep your cool

A

Don’t become upset

81
Q

Lose your cool

A

Become upset

82
Q

In a tight corner

A

Without any good options

83
Q

A couch potato

A

A lazy person

84
Q

Takes its course

A

A situation develops naturally

85
Q

Up the creek

A

In trouble

86
Q

Crocodile tears

A

Exaggerated or faked sympathy

87
Q

When it comes to the crunch

A

When there are no more possibilities

88
Q

A far cry from

A

Very different from

89
Q

Off-the-cuff

A

Without research, planning or considering

90
Q

Can’t cut it

A

Cannot do it

91
Q

In the dark

A

Ignorant

92
Q

A shot in the dark

A

A guess

93
Q

Call it a day

A

Stop

94
Q

Late in the day

A

(Almost) too late

95
Q

In broad daylight

A

Without trying to hide it

96
Q

Makes someone’s day

A

Make someone happy

97
Q

Wouldn’t be caught dead

A

Would never

98
Q

Get a raw deal

A

Receives less than what is deserved

99
Q

Runs deep

A

Entrenched, or ingrained

100
Q

Out of your depth

A

Beyond existing knowledge or ability

SAT (9 decks)

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