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GK > Idioms > Flashcards

Idioms Flashcards

1
Q

What does the idiom “A blessing in disguise” mean?

A

A good thing that seemed bad at first

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2
Q

What does the idiom “A dime a dozen” mean?

A

Something common

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3
Q

What does the idiom “Beat around the bush” mean?

A

Avoid saying what you mean, usually because it is uncomfortable

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4
Q

What does the idiom “Better late than never” mean?

A

Better to arrive late than not to come at all

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5
Q

What does the idiom “Bite the bullet” mean?

A

To get something over with because it is inevitable

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6
Q

What does the idiom “Break a leg” mean?

A

Good luck

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7
Q

What does the idiom “Call it a day” mean?

A

Stop working on something

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8
Q

What does the idiom “Cut somebody some slack” mean?

A

Don’t be so critical

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9
Q

What does the idiom “Cutting corners” mean?

A

Doing something poorly in order to save time or money

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10
Q

What does the idiom “Easy does it” mean?

A

Slow down

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11
Q

What does the idiom “Get out of hand” mean?

A

Get out of control

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12
Q

What does the idiom “Get something out of your system” mean?

A

Do the thing you’ve been wanting to do so you can move on

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13
Q

What does the idiom “Get your act together” mean?

A

Work better or leave

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14
Q

What does the idiom “Give someone the benefit of the doubt” mean?

A

Trust what someone says

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15
Q

What does the idiom “Go back to the drawing board” mean?

A

Start over

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16
Q

What does the idiom “Hang in there” mean?

A

Don’t give up

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17
Q

What does the idiom “Hit the sack” mean?

A

Go to sleep

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18
Q

What does the idiom “It’s not rocket science” mean?

A

It’s not complicated

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19
Q

What does the idiom “Let someone off the hook” mean?

A

To not hold someone responsible for something

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20
Q

What does the idiom “Make a long story short” mean?

A

Tell something briefly

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21
Q

What does the idiom “Miss the boat” mean?

A

It’s too late

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22
Q

What does the idiom “No pain, no gain” mean?

A

You have to work for what you want

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23
Q

What does the idiom “On the ball” mean?

A

Doing a good job

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24
Q

What does the idiom “Pull someone’s leg” mean?

A

To joke with someone

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25
Q

What does the idiom “Pull yourself together” mean?

A

Calm down

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26
Q

What does the idiom “So far so good” mean?

A

Things are going well so far

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27
Q

What does the idiom “Speak of the devil” mean?

A

The person we were just talking about showed up!

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28
Q

What does the idiom “That’s the last straw” mean?

A

My patience has run out

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29
Q

What does the idiom “The best of both worlds” mean?

A

An ideal situation

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30
Q

What does the idiom “Time flies when you’re having fun” mean?

A

You don’t notice how long something lasts when it’s fun

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31
Q

What does the idiom “Add fuel to the fire” mean?

A

To make a bad situation worse

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32
Q

What does the idiom “All bark and no bite” mean?

A

Someone who talks tough but doesn’t act on it

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33
Q

What does the idiom “All ears” mean?

A

Listening intently

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34
Q

What does the idiom “Bend over backward” mean?

A

Make a great effort to help someone

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35
Q

What does the idiom “Blow off steam” mean?

A

Do something to relieve stress

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36
Q

What does the idiom “Burn the midnight oil” mean?

A

Stay up late working or studying

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37
Q

What does the idiom “Caught between a rock and a hard place” mean?

A

Facing two difficult choices

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38
Q

What does the idiom “Come out of the woodwork” mean?

A

Appear suddenly or unexpectedly

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39
Q

What does the idiom “Cross that bridge when you come to it” mean?

A

Deal with a problem when it happens, not before

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40
Q

What does the idiom “Cry wolf” mean?

A

To call for help when it isn’t needed

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41
Q

What does the idiom “Curiosity killed the cat” mean?

A

Being too inquisitive can lead to trouble

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42
Q

What does the idiom “Drive someone up the wall” mean?

A

Annoy or irritate someone intensely

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43
Q

What does the idiom “Eat crow” mean?

A

To admit one was wrong and apologize

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44
Q

What does the idiom “Face the music” mean?

A

Accept the consequences of one’s actions

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45
Q

What does the idiom “Get off on the wrong foot” mean?

A

Begin something poorly or awkwardly

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46
Q

What does the idiom “Hit the ground running” mean?

A

Start something with energy and enthusiasm

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47
Q

What does the idiom “In the same boat” mean?

A

In the same difficult situation as someone else

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48
Q

What does the idiom “Jump through hoops” mean?

A

To go through many challenges to achieve something

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49
Q

What does the idiom “Keep your chin up” mean?

A

Remain positive in a difficult situation

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50
Q

What does the idiom “Last but not least” mean?

A

Something mentioned last but not less important

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51
Q

What does the idiom “Let sleeping dogs lie” mean?

A

Avoid bringing up old conflicts

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52
Q

What does the idiom “Make a mountain out of a molehill” mean?

A

Exaggerate the severity of a situation

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53
Q

What does the idiom “Out of the blue” mean?

A

Unexpectedly

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54
Q

What does the idiom “Put all your eggs in one basket” mean?

A

Risk everything on a single plan

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55
Q

What does the idiom “Raining cats and dogs” mean?

A

Raining heavily

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56
Q

What does the idiom “Skeletons in the closet” mean?

A

Hidden secrets

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57
Q

What does the idiom “Throw in the towel” mean?

A

To give up

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58
Q

What does the idiom “Under your nose” mean?

A

Something very close or obvious that’s unnoticed

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59
Q

What does the idiom “Water under the bridge” mean?

A

Past issues that are no longer significant

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60
Q

What does the idiom “With flying colors” mean?

A

Complete successfully with distinction

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61
Q

Question

A

Answer

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62
Q

What does the idiom “A chip on your shoulder” mean?

A

Holding a grudge

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63
Q

What does the idiom “A leopard can’t change its spots” mean?

A

People cannot change their true nature

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64
Q

What does the idiom “A slap on the wrist” mean?

A

A mild punishment

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65
Q

What does the idiom “A taste of your own medicine” mean?

A

Experiencing the same negative treatment one gives others

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66
Q

What does the idiom “At the drop of a hat” mean?

A

Without hesitation

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67
Q

What does the idiom “Back to the salt mines” mean?

A

Returning to work, usually reluctantly

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68
Q

What does the idiom “Bite the hand that feeds you” mean?

A

To harm or criticize someone who helps you

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69
Q

What does the idiom “Break the bank” mean?

A

Spend all of one’s savings

70
Q

What does the idiom “Bury the hatchet” mean?

A

Make peace with someone

71
Q

What does the idiom “By the book” mean?

A

Follow rules or instructions exactly

72
Q

What does the idiom “Close but no cigar” mean?

A

Almost correct but not entirely successful

73
Q

What does the idiom “Cold feet” mean?

A

Fearful at the last minute

74
Q

What does the idiom “Cut to the chase” mean?

A

Get to the point

75
Q

What does the idiom “Devil’s advocate” mean?

A

To argue against something for the sake of debate

76
Q

What does the idiom “Elephant in the room” mean?

A

An obvious issue that everyone is ignoring

77
Q

What does the idiom “Every man for himself” mean?

A

Everyone must take care of themselves without relying on others

78
Q

What does the idiom “Fish out of water” mean?

A

Someone who feels uncomfortable in a new situation

79
Q

What does the idiom “Fools rush in” mean?

A

People with little experience often take unnecessary risks

80
Q

What does the idiom “Get a grip” mean?

A

Control your emotions

81
Q

What does the idiom “Have a bone to pick” mean?

A

Having an issue to discuss, often a grievance

82
Q

What does the idiom “Hold your horses” mean?

A

Wait a moment; be patient

83
Q

What does the idiom “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mean?

A

Don’t change something that’s working fine

84
Q

What does the idiom “In hot water” mean?

A

In trouble

85
Q

What does the idiom “Keep your nose clean” mean?

A

Stay out of trouble

86
Q

What does the idiom “Let the cat out of the bag” mean?

A

Reveal a secret

87
Q

What does the idiom “On the same page” mean?

A

To have the same understanding as someone else

88
Q

What does the idiom “Pull out all the stops” mean?

A

Use all available resources to achieve something

89
Q

What does the idiom “Shake a leg” mean?

A

Hurry up

90
Q

What does the idiom “Stick to your guns” mean?

A

Maintain your position or opinion despite opposition

91
Q

What does the idiom “The ball is in your court” mean?

A

It’s your decision or responsibility to act

92
Q

What does the idiom “A penny for your thoughts” mean?

A

Asking someone what they are thinking

93
Q

What does the idiom “Burning the candle at both ends” mean?

A

Overworking to the point of exhaustion

94
Q

What does the idiom “Couch potato” mean?

A

A person who is lazy and watches a lot of TV

95
Q

What does the idiom “Cut the mustard” mean?

A

To meet expectations or do a good job

96
Q

What does the idiom “Dog days of summer” mean?

A

The hottest days of summer

97
Q

What does the idiom “Down to the wire” mean?

A

At the last possible moment

98
Q

What does the idiom “Drop a bombshell” mean?

A

Reveal shocking news

99
Q

What does the idiom “Feather in your cap” mean?

A

An accomplishment to be proud of

100
Q

What does the idiom “Go out on a limb” mean?

A

Take a risk

101
Q

What does the idiom “Have a green thumb” mean?

A

Be good at gardening

102
Q

What does the idiom “In the bag” mean?

A

Assured of success

103
Q

What does the idiom “Jump on the bandwagon” mean?

A

Follow a popular trend

104
Q

What does the idiom “Keep your eye on the ball” mean?

A

Stay focused

105
Q

What does the idiom “Know the ropes” mean?

A

Understand how things work

106
Q

What does the idiom “Leave someone high and dry” mean?

A

Abandon someone in a difficult situation

107
Q

What does the idiom “Loose cannon” mean?

A

Someone unpredictable who may cause trouble

108
Q

What does the idiom “Money doesn’t grow on trees” mean?

A

Money is not easy to obtain

109
Q

What does the idiom “Out of the woods” mean?

A

Out of danger or difficulty

110
Q

What does the idiom “Pass the buck” mean?

A

Shift responsibility to someone else

111
Q

What does the idiom “Pay through the nose” mean?

A

Pay a lot of money

112
Q

What does the idiom “Play it by ear” mean?

A

Improvise as a situation unfolds

113
Q

What does the idiom “Riding shotgun” mean?

A

Sitting in the front passenger seat

114
Q

What does the idiom “Rock the boat” mean?

A

Cause trouble or disrupt a situation

115
Q

What does the idiom “Set in stone” mean?

A

Permanent or unchangeable

116
Q

What does the idiom “Spill the beans” mean?

A

Reveal a secret

117
Q

What does the idiom “The tip of the iceberg” mean?

A

A small part of a much larger issue

118
Q

What does the idiom “Throw in the towel” mean?

A

Give up or surrender

119
Q

What does the idiom “Two peas in a pod” mean?

A

Very similar people

120
Q

What does the idiom “Under one’s belt” mean?

A

An experience or achievement gained

121
Q

What does the idiom “Wipe the slate clean” mean?

A

Start over without past problems

122
Q

What does the idiom “All in the same boat” mean?

A

In the same situation as others, often a difficult one

123
Q

What does the idiom “Apple of my eye” mean?

A

Someone cherished above all others

124
Q

What does the idiom “Barking up the wrong tree” mean?

A

Pursuing a mistaken or misguided course of action

125
Q

What does the idiom “Beat a dead horse” mean?

A

Waste effort on something that is no longer relevant

126
Q

What does the idiom “Big fish in a small pond” mean?

A

An important person in a small community or organization

127
Q

What does the idiom “Blow your own trumpet” mean?

A

Boast about one’s achievements

128
Q

What does the idiom “Break the mold” mean?

A

Do something in a completely new way

129
Q

What does the idiom “Burn the candle at both ends” mean?

A

Work excessively to the point of exhaustion

130
Q

What does the idiom “Butterflies in your stomach” mean?

A

Feeling nervous

131
Q

What does the idiom “Call it quits” mean?

A

Stop doing something

132
Q

What does the idiom “Caught red-handed” mean?

A

Caught in the act of wrongdoing

133
Q

What does the idiom “Clam up” mean?

A

Refuse to speak or become silent

134
Q

What does the idiom “Clear the air” mean?

A

Resolve a tense situation

135
Q

What does the idiom “Come clean” mean?

A

Admit the truth

136
Q

What does the idiom “Cool as a cucumber” mean?

A

Very calm and composed

137
Q

What does the idiom “Cut your losses” mean?

A

Stop an activity to prevent further loss

138
Q

What does the idiom “Down to earth” mean?

A

Practical and realistic

139
Q

What does the idiom “Draw the line” mean?

A

Set a limit on what is acceptable

140
Q

What does the idiom “Fall on deaf ears” mean?

A

Be ignored or go unheard

141
Q

What does the idiom “Fish out of water” mean?

A

Feeling out of place

142
Q

What does the idiom “Fly off the handle” mean?

A

Lose one’s temper

143
Q

What does the idiom “Follow in someone’s footsteps” mean?

A

Do what someone else did, often a family member

144
Q

What does the idiom “Full of hot air” mean?

A

Talking nonsense or boasting

145
Q

What does the idiom “Go cold turkey” mean?

A

Quit something abruptly, especially an addiction

146
Q

What does the idiom “Go out on a limb” mean?

A

Take a risk

147
Q

What does the idiom “Go the extra mile” mean?

A

Make a special effort beyond what is expected

148
Q

What does the idiom “Golden opportunity” mean?

A

An excellent chance to achieve something

149
Q

What does the idiom “Graveyard shift” mean?

A

A work shift during the very late night or early morning

150
Q

What does the idiom “Head over heels” mean?

A

Completely in love

151
Q

What does the idiom “Hit the jackpot” mean?

A

Achieve great success, often financially

152
Q

What does the idiom “Hold down the fort” mean?

A

Take care of things while someone is away

153
Q

What does the idiom “In a nutshell” mean?

A

Summarize something concisely

154
Q

What does the idiom “In the doghouse” mean?

A

In trouble or disfavor

155
Q

What does the idiom “Jump the gun” mean?

A

Start something too early

156
Q

What does the idiom “Kick the bucket” mean?

A

Die

157
Q

What does the idiom “Know the ropes” mean?

A

Be familiar with the details of a task or job

158
Q

What does the idiom “Lend a hand” mean?

A

Help someone

159
Q

What does the idiom “Let off steam” mean?

A

Release pent-up energy or emotion

160
Q

What does the idiom “Live and let live” mean?

A

Accept other people’s differences and allow them to live as they choose

161
Q

What does the idiom “Money talks” mean?

A

Wealth can influence decisions

162
Q

What does the idiom “Not playing with a full deck” mean?

A

Lacking intelligence or sanity

163
Q

What does the idiom “Once bitten, twice shy” mean?

A

Caution after a negative experience

164
Q

What does the idiom “Open a can of worms” mean?

A

Start a complex or difficult issue

165
Q

What does the idiom “Out on a limb” mean?

A

In a risky position without support

166
Q

What does the idiom “Paint the town red” mean?

A

Go out and celebrate wildly

167
Q

What does the idiom “Pass the buck” mean?

A

Shift responsibility to someone else

168
Q

What does the idiom “Pull a rabbit out of a hat” mean?

A

Produce an unexpected solution

169
Q

What does the idiom “Read between the lines” mean?

A

Understand the hidden meaning

170
Q

What does the idiom “Spill the beans” mean?

A

Reveal a secret

171
Q

What does the idiom “Steal someone’s thunder” mean?

A

Take credit for someone else’s idea

GK (36 decks)

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