Idioms Flashcards
read between the lines
find or look for a hidden or extra meaning in sth a person says or writes, usu. their real feelings about sth
reach for the stars
try to be successful at sth that is difficult
add fuel to the fire
do or say sth which makes a difficult situation worse, or makes sb even more angry
shoot the messenger
blame the person who gives the news that sth bad has happened instead of the person who is really responsible
miss the mark
fail to achieve the result that was intended
take the bull by the horns
deal with a difficult or dangerous situation in a direct and brave way
hit the nail on the head
describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem
have bigger fish to fry
have more important, interesting, or useful things to do
burn the midnight oil
work or study until very late at night
bite the bullet
force yourself to do something unpleasant or difficult, or to be brave in a difficult situation
throw caution to the winds
stop caring about how dangerous sth might be, start taking risks
stay the course
continue doing sth until it has finished or been completed
get the show on the road
start an activity or a journey, especially one that needs a lot of organization
hit the spot
be exactly what is needed
set the scene for sth
create the conditions in which sth can eaily happen
keep the wolf from the door
make sure you have enough money to pay for the basic things like food, rent, heating etc
jump the gun
do sth before the right time
keep your eye on the ball
give your attention to what you are doing at the time
pull the plug
bring a business project, plan, etc to an end, especially by taking away financial support
cook the books
change numbers dihonestly in the accounts of an organization, especially in order to steal money from it
bet the farm
risk everything you have on sth
live off the fat of the land
have plenty of money to spend on the best food, drink, entertainment, etc
hold the purse strings
be the person who controls the amount of money spent and the wa in which it is spent
strike the right note
do say or write sth that is suitable for a particular occasion
sort out the sheep from the goats
separate the good people from the bad people
press the panic button
react in a sudden or an extreme way to sth unexpected that has frightened you
feel the pinch
be under pressure bc you don’t have as much money as you had before
learn the ropes
learn how to do a particular job, task etc correctly
draw the short straw
be the person in a group who is chosen or force to do sth unpleasant that nobody wants to do
paint the town red
go to a lot of different bars, clubs, etc and enjoy yourself
bring home the bacon
be succesful in sth, be the person who earns money for a family, organization, etc
get the hang of sth
learn how to do something, esp. if it is not obvious our simple
pull the wool of sb’s eyes
deceive sb, hide the truth from sb
have a whale of a time
enjoy yourself very much
turn the clock back
return to the past, return to old-fashioned ideas, customs, etc
bridge the gap
make it easier to move from one thing to another or for two groups to communicate with each other
be up in arms
protest angrily
fight a rearguard action
try to stop sth but w/o much hope of success
make a last ditch attempt
try the last possible solution
stick to your guns
refuse to change your decision
gain ground
become more important, progress
break ranks
disobey orders, fail to co-operate
on your watch
during a period when you are responsible
catch someone off guard
surprise someone
be at loggerheads with sb
have aconflict with sb
burn your bridges
make decisions that cannot be changed
take something on board
accept sth, such as a piece of advice
a close call
an accident prevented at the last moment
a loose cannon
an unpredictable, dangerous person
steer clear of sb
avoid meeting sb
clear the decks
finish earlier jobs so a new one can be started
to be in the doldrums
not make any progress
to be left high and dry
to be in a comfortable situation
in the wake of someting
after or as the result of a big event
on an even keel
calm an d not likely to change suddenly
to get into gear
start working effectively
be in the fast lane
experience lots of action and excitement
middle of the road
not extreme, ordinary
go into overdrive
begin to work extremely fast
be in the driving seat
be in charge
take a back seat
let other people take action
be on the skids
be in trouble, in decline
go belly up
go bankrupt
bone of contention
point of disagreement
carrot and stick method
using rewards and penalties
ruffle sb’s feathers
make sb feel annoyed
bite the hand that feeds you
be ungrateful
call somebody to heel
make someone obey
go for the jugular
attack in order to cause great damage
to be out on a limb
be in a risky situation
the pecking order
the hierarchy of an organisation
take centre stage
become the most important person
set the stage for sth
prepare for sth
jump on the bandwagon
join a movement bc it is fashionable
strike a chord
cause an emotional response
play second fiddle to sb
be less important than sb else
face the music
accept responsibility for what you’ve done
call the tune
be in charge
walk a tightrope
be in a delicate position
