IDIOMS & PHRASES Flashcards

1
Q

The best thing since sliced bread

An outstanding invention

A

Pull yourself together

Calm down

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2
Q

Do something at the drop of a hat

Do something without having planned beforehand

A

Get something out of your system

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

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3
Q

On the ball

Doing a good job

A

Cutting corners

Doing something poorly to save time or money

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4
Q

Take it with a grain of salt

To not take something very seriously

A

Cut somebody some slack

To not be so critical

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5
Q

The whole nine yards

Everything, all the way.

A

Get a taste of your own medicine

Get treated way you treat others (negative)

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6
Q

Hit the sack

Go to sleep

A

Break a leg

Good luck

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7
Q

There is a method to his madness

He seems crazy, but he is clever

A

Your guess is as good as mine

I have no idea

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8
Q

Live and learn

I made a mistake

A

By the skin of your teeth

Just barely

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9
Q

That’s the last straw

My patience has run out

A

On thin ice

On probation. If you make another mistake, there will be trouble.

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10
Q

Birds of a feather flock together

alike People are often friends (negatively)

A

take a rain check

Postpone a plan

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11
Q

Put something on ice

Put something on hold

A

Easy does it

Slow down

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12
Q

A dime a dozen

something common

A

Go back to the drawing board

Start over

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13
Q

Throw caution to the wind

Take a risk

A

Bite off more than you can chew

Take on a project that you cannot finish

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14
Q

Look before you leap

Take only calculated risks

A

A penny for your thoughts

Tell me what you’re thinking

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15
Q

You can say that again

That’s true, I agree

A

The elephant in the room

The big issue, the problem people are avoiding

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16
Q

He’s a chip off the old block

The son is like the father

A

A perfect storm

the worst possible situation

17
Q

It isn’t over till the fat lady sings

This isn’t over yet

A

Play devil’s advocate

To argue the opposite, just for the sake of argument

18
Q

Go on a wild goose chase

To do something pointless

A

Bite the bullet

To get something over with because it is inevitable

19
Q

To get bent out of shape

To get upset

A

Let someone off the hook

To not hold someone responsible for something

20
Q

Rain on someone’s parade

To spoil something

A

Give someone the benefit of the doubt

Trust what someone says

21
Q

Wrap your head around something

Understand something complicated

A

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

What you have is worth more than what you might have later

22
Q

Get your act together

Work better or leave

A

It takes one to know one

You’re just as bad as I am

23
Q

Don’t give up your day job

You’re not very good at this

A

It takes two to tango

Some actions need the participation of two persons

24
Q

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree

Children are very similar to their parents.

A

chain is as strong as is weakest link

1 mem fail, whole team fail

25
Q

still waters run deep

A

ppl who talk less have most interesting thoughts

26
Q

Stand to one’s guns

to remain firm with something

A

To blow the gaff

to reveal the secret

27
Q

Play fast and loose

behave immorally

A

hand in glove

in close collusion

being frequently close to accomplishing anything dishonest. Collusion=grp of ppl agreeing to work together surreptitiously/criminally to deceive others

28
Q

to speak by the book” means to speak with great exactness

A

To beat the air” means to make useless efforts