Idioms And Phrasal Verbs ( Intermediate )

Question 1

Lose face

Answer 1

Be less respected or look stupid because of something you have done.

Example:
He could lose face if other people see that he got everything wrong.

Question 2

Turn a blind eye ( to sth )

Answer 2

Pretend not to see or notice sth, usually sth bad.

Example :
The teacher turned a blind eye to some of the children’s bad behaviour.

Question 3

Out of the blue

Answer 3

Suddenly and unexpectedly.

Example :
My uncle just arrived out of the blue.

Question 4

In the distance

Answer 4

Far away, but able to be seen or heard

Example:
We could see lights in the distance.

Question 5

Without fail

Answer 5

Always.

Example:
I ring my mother every day without fail.

Question 6

If all else fails

Answer 6

Used to say what sb can do if nothing else they have done is successful.

Example:
If all else fails, i’ll have to sell the car.

Question 7

That/It depends

Answer 7

Used to say that you are not certain about sth because other things have to be considered.

Example:
Do you want to go out? That/It depends.

Question 8

Rings a bell

Answer 8

It means it is a name that sounds familiar to you.

Question 9

Steer/stay clear of

Answer 9

Take care to avoid sth or sb , because it or they may cause problems.

Example:
I would steer/stay clear of that place; it is not very safe.

Question 10

Why/ how/ where/ who , etc on earth (INF)

Answer 10

Used to emphasize a question when you are angry or surprised or can’t think oc an obvious answer.

Example:
Why on earth are you shouting?
How on earth did he pass ths exam? He didn’t work at all.

Question 11

Be in/ get into a state (INF)

Answer 11

Be/become anxiousor upset.

Example:
She was in a terrible state, so i decided to stay and look after her.
Terrible here means ‘extreme’ so she was extremely anxious.

Question 12

Make sense

Answer 12

Be a practical and logical thing to do.

Example:
It makes a lot of sense to buy now while houses are cheap.

Question 13

How come (INF)

Answer 13

Used to ask the reason for sth which is surprising
Notice the word order after how come is in statement form although it is a question

Example:
How come you are here so early?

Question 14

Like mad (INF)

Answer 14

Very fast , hard, much
SYN flat out

Example
I had to run like mad to catch the bus.

Question 15

Be in two minds(about doing sth)

Answer 15

Be unable to decide what you think about sth

Question 16

In the end

Answer 16

After a period of time

Question 17

Be a good thing (that)

Answer 17

Be lucky that

Question 18

A good laugh (INF)

Answer 18

Amusing and fun to be with

Question 19

Be rolling in money (INF)

Answer 19

Have a lot of money

Question 20

Apparently (adv)

Answer 20

1-Used to say that you have heared that sth is true although you are not sure
2- according to the way someone likes or a situation appears, although you can’t be sure.

Question 21

Extract

Answer 21

Summary , abstract

Question 22

Bright and early

Answer 22

Early in the morning

Question 23

Take advantage of sth

Answer 23

Make good use of sth

Example:
We left camp bright and early to take advantage of the good weather.

Question 24

Change your mind

Answer 24

Change your decision or opinion abouth sth.

Question 25

Get nowhere

Answer 25

Make no progress or have no success.

Example:
Even he agreed we were getting nowhere and announced that we were lost.

Question 26

Be supposed to do sth

Answer 26

If you are supposed to do sth, you should do it because sb told you to do it , or because it is your responsibility to do it.
SYN : be meant to do sth

Question 27

In that case

Answer 27

Used to say what will happen or what you will do as a result of a particular situation.

Question 28

In charge ( of sb/sth)

Answer 28

Having control or command of sb or sth

Question 29

A piece of cake (INF)

Answer 29

A thing that is very easy to do.

Question 30

A stone’s throw

Answer 30

A short distance

Example:
We could see we were only a stone’s throw from the main road.

Question 31

Famous last words.

Answer 31

Used when you think sb is speaking with too much confidence about sth that they think will happen

Question 32

Better late than never

Answer 32

It is better to arrive late than not at all

Question 33

More or less

Answer 33

Almost or appriximately

Question 34

Dont ask me (INF)

Answer 34

Used to say that you dont know the answer to sth.

SYN : search me

Question 35

Thank heavens

Answer 35

Used to say you are pleased and relieved about sth.

Question 36

Laugh sth off

Answer 36

Joke about sth to show you think it is not serious or important.
Example:
I tried to laugh it off.

Question 37

Get through (to sb)

Answer 37

Make contact with sb by phone

Example:
There was no signal on my mobile so we couldn’t get through.

Question 38

Set off

Answer 38

1to start to go somewhere
I’ll set off early to avoid the traffic.
for
Jerry and I set off on foot for the beach.

2set something ↔ offto make something start happening, especially when you do notintendto do so
News that the claims might be true set off widespread panic.
Hong Kong’s stock market fell, setting off a global financial crisis.

Register
In written English, people often say that somethingtriggersa particular reaction or event, rather thansetsitoff, because it sounds more formal:This couldtriggera global financial crisis.

Example:
Before he changed his mind and set off in another direction.

Question 39

Fed up

Answer 39

informalannoyedorbored, andwantingsomething to change
She felt tired and a bit fed up.
fed up with
I’m really fed up with this constant rain.
Annagot fed upwith waiting.

Example:
We were fed up with walking round in circles.

Question 40

Announced

Answer 40

[transitive]
1to officially tell people about something, especially about a plan or adecision
They announced their engagement in ‘The Times’.
announce a decision/intention/plan
The government has announced plans to create 10,000 new jobs.
announce that
A government spokesman announced that the hostages had been released.At the end of their meeting,it was announced thatan agreement had been reached.
announce something to somebody
Cordon announced his resignation to staff members on Wednesday.

2to say something, especially something that other people will not like, in aloudandconfidentwaySYNstate
‘I’m not going to their party, ’ Maggie announced.
announce (that)
He stood up and announced that he was ready to go.

3to give information to people using aloudspeakerormicrophone, especially at anairportorrailwaystation
We arrived just as they were announcing the arrival of Flight 207 from Minneapolis

Question 41

Valley

Answer 41

anareaoflowerlandbetween twolinesofhillsormountains, usually with ariverflowingthrough it

Question 42

Furious

Answer 42

1veryangry
furious at/about
Residents in the area are furious at the decision.
furious with
She was furious with herself for letting things get out of hand.
furious that
Her family are furious that her name has been published by the press.
She wasabsolutely furious.

2[usually before noun]done with a lot ofenergy,effort, orspeed
Neil set off at afurious pace.
furious debate/argument etc
There was afurious rowover the proposals.
The action isfast and furious.

Question 43

Give him a ring

Answer 43

1

Question 44

Followed up

Answer 44

1

Question 45

Steep

Answer 45

1aroad,hilletc that is steepslopesat a highangle
The road became rocky and steep.
a steep climb to the top
2steepprices,chargesetc are unusuallyexpensiveOPPlow
steep rents
3involvinga big increase ordecreaseSYNsharp
steep cuts in benefits
steep increase/rise
a steep increase in house prices
steep decrease/drop
a steep drop in orders

Example:
We followed him up a steep path

Question 46

March off

Answer 46

1

Question 47

Exclamations

Answer 47

a sound, word, or shortsentencethat you say suddenly and loudly because you aresurprised,angry, orexcited

Question 48

Proverb

Answer 48

1

Question 49

(By/through) trial and error

Answer 49

If you do sth by trial and error , you test many different methods of doing sth in order to find the best

Example:
I learned most of what i know about gardening through trial and error.

Question 50

Live on

Answer 50

1- If sth lives on, it continues to exist
Example:
Ali’s memory will live on.

2-live on sth to have a particular amount of money to buy food and other necessary things
Example:
I dont know how they manage to live on $55 a week.

3-live on sth to eat a lot of a particular type of food.
Example:
They live on bread and potatoes.

Question 51

Good grief

Answer 51

Used when you are slightly surprised or annoyed.

Example:
Good grief!what a mess!

Question 52

In the main

Answer 52

Mostly

Question 53

Find my feet

Answer 53

To become confident in a new situation , especially one that is difficult at first.

Example:
Rob is still finding his feet as a coach.

Question 54

Absence make the heart grow fonder.

Answer 54

Used to say that being away from someone makes you like them more.

Question 55

Fact of life

Answer 55

An unpleasant situation that exists and that must be accepted.

Example:
Persuading others to accept the hard financial facts of life is not a very popular job.