Idioms, phrases 2

Question 1

informed choice

Answer 1

person is given oprions to choose from several diagnostic tests or treatments, knowing the details, benefits, risks…

Question 2

use up

Answer 2

to use all of sth, nothing is left (a land)

Question 3

thin on the ground

Answer 3

exist in small numbers or amounts

Question 4

spark off

Answer 4

bring into being or action, activate, initiate

To spark off an argument.

Question 5

on and off

Answer 5

tu a tam (wake up on and off)

Question 6

sleep in

Answer 6

sleep longer than usually

Question 7

throw their weight behind sth

Answer 7

to use all your influence to support sth

Question 8

within the space of (5 minutes)

Answer 8

za dobu (5 minut)

Question 9

knock-off effect

Answer 9

one thing triggers other and that another

Question 10

give cause to

Answer 10

cause to happen; vyvolat/dát podnět k

Question 11

ranging from sth to sth

Answer 11

from tadada to tadada

Question 12

wind someone up

Answer 12

make someone irritated

Question 13

get across

Answer 13

to become clear or convincing

Question 14

a means to an end

Answer 14

a way to achieve sth

Question 15

narrow sth down

Answer 15

to reduce the number of possibilities or choices

Question 16

stuck in a rut

Answer 16

too fixed in one particular type of job, activity, method…, needing to change

Question 17

a tough/rough going

Answer 17

a difficult situation

Question 18

time on one’s (e.g. my) hands

Answer 18

time when one is not busy

Question 19

dawned on me

Answer 19

I realised sth

Question 20

mull over

Answer 20

ponder, think about carefully for some time

Question 21

get to someone

Answer 21

(e.g. get to me) - to annoy or upset someone

Question 22

did my head in

Answer 22

sth makes you angry, frustrated or confused

Living with my parents is doing my head in.

Question 23

out of sorts

Answer 23

not being yourself OR having a headache

I’ve been feeling nauseous and generally out of sorts.

Question 24

keep one’s head

Answer 24

being in control

Question 25

brood over

Answer 25

to think silently for a long time about things that make you sad, worried, angry

Question 26

play sth down

Answer 26

to attach little importance to, minimize

Question 27

cash in

Answer 27

to make money from a situation (especially in a not honest or fair way)

Question 28

have a wealth of sth

Answer 28

to have a very large amount of sth

Question 29

crop up

Answer 29

appear, occur to someone’s notice unexpectedly

Question 30

lavish on/upon

Answer 30

to give a large amount of sth to someone