Idioms and expressions Flashcards
ace a test
bordar un test
Two in distress makes sorrow less
Two in distress makes sorrow less
“over the moon”
I’m so excited, and I just can’t hide it!
come to grips
to make an effort to understand and deal with a problem or situation
The whole community is struggling to come to grips with these kids’ deaths.
the world and his wife
Todo el mundo
the sooner the better
cuanto antes mejor
Blue-sky thinking
blue-sky thinking: having ideas which are very original, even if they are not practical or realistic Our blue-sky thinking gave us some totally new ideas
Push the envelope
push the envelope: to go even further than others and do things that might be new or even risky We’re not just a normal airline. We’re going to push the envelope and offer balloon flights
Think out of the box
think out of the box: to be creative and not limit your thinking Jayne’s so good at thinking of solutions to problems. She manages to think out of the box.
Read from the same page
read from the same page: think about or understand a situation in the same way as other people Pat wants the Middle East to be our target market, but I think we should aim for the Far East. I don’t think we’re reading from the same page.
Meat and potatoes
fundamental; down-to-earth; basic: What are the meat-and-potatoes issues of the election?
a burning issue burn a hole in (someone’s account) money burns a hole in my pocket it burnt a hole in my pocket come/be under fire
a burning issue an important and urgent problem, often one that people have strong opinions about burn a hole in (someone’s accounts) cause them to spend lots of money money burns a hole in my pocket whenever I have money I have to spend it it burnt a hole in my pocket it cost a lot of money come/be under fire be criticised or held responsible
Lounge around
Holgazonear be lazy or idle; “Her son is just bumming around all day” bum about, bum around, frig around, fuck off, loaf, arse about, arse around, loll around, lounge about, waste one’s time, bum, loll laze, slug, idle, stagnate - be idle; exist in a changeless situation; “The old man sat and stagnated on his porch”; “He slugged in bed all morning”
Cuckold
man whose spouse has committed adultery, often regarded as an object of scorn vb (tr) to make a cuckold of
Don’t sweat it
don’t sweat it Don’t worry or stress about it. A: “I promise I’ll pay you back the next time I see you.” “B: “Oh, it’s just a few bucks, don’t sweat it!”
Don’t sweat it
don’t sweat it Don’t worry or stress about it. A: “I promise I’ll pay you back the next time I see you.” “B: “Oh, it’s just a few bucks, don’t sweat it!”
To a T
If this message doesn’t display properly, open in a web browser ›› The dress suits the woman to a T. to a T lwod-audio-pron-red /ˈtuː ə ˈtiː/ idiom lwod-clear : in a perfect or exact way lwod-clear lwod-clear lwod-bullet Her new car fits/suits her to a T. [=to a tee] lwod-clear lwod-bullet That’s him to a T. [=that is a perfect description of him]
To a T
If this message doesn’t display properly, open in a web browser ›› The dress suits the woman to a T. to a T lwod-audio-pron-red /ˈtuː ə ˈtiː/ idiom lwod-clear : in a perfect or exact way lwod-clear lwod-clear lwod-bullet Her new car fits/suits her to a T. [=to a tee] lwod-clear lwod-bullet That’s him to a T. [=that is a perfect description of him]
rattle off
to say quickly and usually without any feeling or expression. The boy rattled off the poem. recitar/decir de carretilla, decir a toda velocidad
Blow off
blow off
- in. to goof off; to waste time; to procrastinate. You blow off too much.
- n. a time-waster; a goof-off. (Usually blow-off.) Get busy. I don’t pay blow-offs around here.
- n. something that can be done easily or without much effort. (Usually blow-off.) The test was a blow-off.
- n. the final insult; an event that causes a dispute. (Usually blow-off.) The blow-off was a call from some dame named Monica who asked for Snookums.
- n. a dispute; an argument. (see also blow up.) After a blow-off like that, we need a breather.
See also: blow, off
blow someone/something off
- tv. to neglect or ignore someone or something. Get it done now. Don’t blow it off!
- tv. to cheat someone or a group; to deceive someone or a group. Don’t try to blow me off! I know what’s what.
See also: blow, off, someone, something
blow off
- in. to goof off; to waste time; to procrastinate. You blow off too much.
- n. a time-waster; a goof-off. (Usually blow-off.) Get busy. I don’t pay blow-offs around here.
- n. something that can be done easily or without much effort. (Usually blow-off.) The test was a blow-off.
- n. the final insult; an event that causes a dispute. (Usually blow-off.) The blow-off was a call from some dame named Monica who asked for Snookums.
- n. a dispute; an argument. (see also blow up.) After a blow-off like that, we need a breather.
See also: blow, off
blow someone/something off
- tv. to neglect or ignore someone or something. Get it done now. Don’t blow it off!
- tv. to cheat someone or a group; to deceive someone or a group. Don’t try to blow me off! I know what’s what.
See also: blow, off, someone, something
Rock the Boat
If you rock the boat, you do or say something that will upset people or cause problems:
Don’t rock the boat until the negotiations are finished.
To do or say something that upsets people or causes problems:
It’s better not to rock the boat when you first start a job.
Boil down
boil down to phrasal verb to amount to; to indicate as a final analysis or judgement reducirse a, resumirse en It all boils down to money What it boils down to is that you have to make a choice between family and career.
