Idioms

Question 1

The final nail in the coffin

Answer 1

an event that causes the failure of something that had already started to fail:
This latest evidence could be the final nail in the coffin for Jackson’s case.

Question 2

Call a spade a spade

Answer 2

To speak directly and bluntly; to avoid euphemism: “The prosecutor said, ‘Let’s call a spade a spade. You didn’t borrow the money, you stole it.’”

Question 3

Go down the tubes

Answer 3

1 : to fail or become ruined
His health is going down the tubes.
2 : to be wasted or lost
All my hard work went down the tubes.

Question 4

Link in the chain

Answer 4

One of the steps, stages, or points in a development, process, or series of events.
This new tram line is but one link in the chain of our greater plan to update the city’s public transportation system.
It was the deregulation of the market that proved to be the most crucial link in the chain of the eventual economic meltdown.

Question 5

Blow a fuse

Answer 5

to become very angry or upset

The boss blew a fuse when the shipment didn’t arrive on time.

Question 6

String attached

Answer 6

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 7

Get your wires crossed

Answer 7

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

Question 8

Shot your bolt

Answer 8

have already achieved all that you have the power, ability, or strength to do and to be unable to do more:
He started off the game well but seemed to have shot his bolt by half-time no

Question 9

Get into gear

Answer 9

to start working or doing something in a more energetic and effective way
We need to get in gear if we want to finish this project on time.
2 : to cause (something) to start working or becoming successful
She finally got her career in gear.

to start to deal with something in an effective way
The town itself has got into gear with a campaign to improve the environment.

Question 10

Twist/Turn the knife

Answer 10

make someone who is annoyed, worried, or upset feel even worse:
Just to turn the knife a little, he told me he’d seen my old girlfriend with her new man.

Question 11

Get a grip

Answer 11

To make an effort to control your emotions and behave more calmly:
Stop panicking and get a grip on yourself!
I just think he ought to get a grip on himself - he’s behaving like a child.

Question 12

Up for grabs

Answer 12

available and ready to be won or taken:

There are hundreds of prizes up for grabs.

Question 13

Clutch at straws

Answer 13

If you are clutching at straws or grasping at straws, you are trying unusual or extreme ideas or methods because other ideas or methods have failed.
…a badly thought-out scheme from a Government clutching at straws.

to be willing to try anything to improve a difficult or unsatisfactory situation, even if it has little chance of success:
She offered to take a pay cut to keep her job, but she was just clutching at straws.

Question 14

Calling the shots

Answer 14

to be in the position of being able to make the decisions that will influence a situation

Question 15

Up for grabs

Answer 15

available and ready to be won or taken:

There are hundreds of prizes up for grabs.

Question 16

Clutch at straws

Answer 16

If you are clutching at straws or grasping at straws, you are trying unusual or extreme ideas or methods because other ideas or methods have failed.
…a badly thought-out scheme from a Government clutching at straws.

to be willing to try anything to improve a difficult or unsatisfactory situation, even if it has little chance of success:
She offered to take a pay cut to keep her job, but she was just clutching at straws.

Question 17

Calling the shots

Answer 17

to be in the position of being able to make the decisions that will influence a situation

Question 18

Up for grabs

Answer 18

available and ready to be won or taken:

There are hundreds of prizes up for grabs.

Question 19

Clutch at straws

Answer 19

If you are clutching at straws or grasping at straws, you are trying unusual or extreme ideas or methods because other ideas or methods have failed.
…a badly thought-out scheme from a Government clutching at straws.

to be willing to try anything to improve a difficult or unsatisfactory situation, even if it has little chance of success:
She offered to take a pay cut to keep her job, but she was just clutching at straws.

Question 20

Calling the shots

Answer 20

to be in the position of being able to make the decisions that will influence a situation

Question 21

Cringe with fear /embarrassament

Answer 21

1. (= shrink back) → encogerse (at ante) to cringe with fear → encogerse de miedo
   to cringe with embarrassment → morirse de vergüenza
   it makes me cringe → me da horror
2. (= fawn) → acobardarse, agacharse (before ante)

Question 22

Final straw

Answer 22

The last in a series of negative actions or events that makes the situation no longer tolerable.
I’m already fed up with your lazy, selfish behavior, Jim, but if you can’t be bothered to come with me to my own mother’s funeral, well that will be the final straw!
See also: final, straw

Question 23

Mattered a straw

Answer 23

Importar un pimiento

Question 24

Not give a hoot

don’t care two hoots

Answer 24

▪ idiom: (no) me importa un pimiento I don’t care two hoots

Question 25

Poor old wretch

Answer 25

noun
1. a miserable, unhappy creature. The poor wretch!desgraciado, miserable
2. a name used in annoyance or anger. You wretch! ¡desgraciado!
wretched (ˈretʃid) adjective
1. very poor or miserable. They live in a wretched little house.miserable
2. used in annoyance. This wretched machine won’t work!maldito
ˈwretchedly adverb
miserablemente
ˈwretchedness noun
miseria

Question 26

pay through the nose

Answer 26

pay through the nose

Cost a arm and a leg

Costar un riñon

Question 27

Hedge your/their bets

Answer 27

o protect yourself against loss by supporting more than one possible result or both sides in a competition:
They’re hedging their bets and keeping up contacts with both companies.

Question 28

snowed under (with work)

Answer 28

to have so much work that you have problems dealing with it all:
I’m absolutely snowed under with work at the moment.

Question 29

Give or Take

Answer 29

give or take —
phrase of give
INFORMAL
to within a specified amount.
“three hundred and fifty years ago, give or take a few”
apart from.
“it’s a process that runs fairly smoothly, give or take the occasional glitch”

Question 30

Hold (smth) over (one’s) head hold this over my head

Answer 30

hold (something) over (one’s) head
To continually remind one of one’s past mistakes, wrongdoings, or failures.
Greg is such jerk—I just know he’ll keep holding it over my head if I don’t land a sale soon.
You need to forgive and forget and stop holding the things she said in anger over her head. She never meant to hurt you—you know that.

Question 31

Reap what one sows

Answer 31

: to experience the same kind of things that one has caused other people to experience
If you’re rude to everyone, you’ll reap what you sow.

Question 32

In the groove

Answer 32

Groove (rutina)

To be or start operating or performing successfully:
Alex Popov proved he was back in the groove by winning the 100 metres freestyle.

To be immersed in a particular task and thus working smoothly and efficiently. Now that I’ve gotten in the groove, I think I’ll be able to finish this paper tonight—ahead of schedule! Once I get in the groove, I can clean for hours.

Question 33

Be on the mend

Answer 33

informal
to be getting better after an illness or injury:
She’s been ill with the flu but she’s on the mend now.

Question 34

Pay Lip Service

Answer 34

Definition of lip service
: an avowal of advocacy, adherence, or allegiance expressed in words but not backed by deeds —usually used with pay
Examples of lip service in a Sentence
She paid lip service to blue-collar workers, but she did nothing to help them.
So far all we’ve gotten from him is lip service.