Idioms U2 Flashcards
Stir things up
To cause (something, usually something bad or unpleasant) to happen
Come to blows
To reach the point of fighting about someone or something
Cross swords with sb
To have an argument or dispute
Be looking/itching for a fight
Ready to argue, fight or compete. ‘Itch’ signals that someone really wants to start a brawl.
To have a scrap
To have a small battle with sb or sth
Patch up your differences
To stop a quarrel
Bury the hatchet
To end a quarrel or conflict and become friendly.
Clear the air
To dispel differences or emotional tensions
Be at each other’s throats
To be arguing angrily
Pick a fight/Quarrel
To start a fight or argument with someone on purpose
Outside the box
To think creatively
To keep a stiff upper lip
To display self-restraint in the expression of emotion.
Work through hard feelings
Feel your feelings, all the way through
Drive a wedge between
To damage the good relationship that two people or groups of people have
Full scale riot
When there is a riot, a crowd of people behave violently in a public place.
Bound to clash
ment to be in disagreement
Trade recriminations
To exchange mutual accusations
Social unrest
People expressing anger and dissatisfaction about something, often by demonstrating or rioting
Cut-throat competition
Not involving considering or worrying about any harm caused
Bear/have/hold a grudge (against)
To continue feeling an old resentment for someone
Be full of reproach
to feel or express strong disapproval, disappointment, or blame toward someone
Vent one’s spleen at/on sb
To express angry feelings
carry torches
be given to
to fo sth regularly or as a habit
Get it off your chest
To tell sb about sth that has been worrying you for a long time
See eye to eye
To be in agreement
To put on a brave face
To try to appear brave even though very frightened.
To put your foot in it / your mouth
To make a verbal blunder, esp in saying sth that embarrasses others.
push sb over the edge
The idiom “push someone over the edge” means to cause someone to lose control, often emotionally or mentally, due to excessive pressure or stress.
To stroll towards the edge
It implies a calm and unhurried manner of moving closer to a potentially risky area.
Hold/keep sth at bay
To control something and prevent it from causing you problems
get your hand on sth
to acquire, obtain, or gain access to something, often something difficult to find or highly desired
To go rough
To behave differently from other members of a group and often causing damage
Go of the rails
to start behaving in an erratic, uncontrolled, or unacceptable way, often due to stress, poor decisions, or loss of focus
To be in a predicament
To be facing an unpleasant, troublesome or trying situation
To sort it out on the spot
To tackle / handle / solve a problem without delay
To come to grips with sb or sth
To understand, confront, or deal with them in a comprehensive manner.
To shirk responsibility
To avoid or neglect a duty or responsibility
To crop up (of problems)
To appear unexpectedly (of problems)
To endure the hardships of life
To go through times of privation or suffering
To shoulder the responsibility
To assume, to take on responsibility
To come up a brick wall
To be confronted with an immovable obstacle
To hit / run into a snag
To run into an unexpected problem
To pass the buck
To pass the blame (to sb else)
To come up a stumbling block
To be confronted with sth that prevents or obstructs progress
To be in dire straits
To be going through a bad or difficult situation
There can be one hitch (in …)
An impediment or a delay
To face an ordeal
To face a difficult or painful experience
To avoid the pitfalls (of sth)
To avoid an inapparent source of trouble or danger
There can be a dip in your fortunes
To have a reduction of luck or money
To take the bull by the horns
To confront difficulties, or begin an action resolutely
To dig one’s heels in
To refuse to alter one’s course of action or opinions
To sit on the fence
Not to take sides in a dispute
To throw in the sponge / towel
To stop trying to do sth because you know you cannot succeed
To bear / keep sth in mind
To remember a piece of information when making a decision
To have sb over a barrel
To have someone in a difficult position where they have no choice but to comply
To be under sb’s thumb
To be under someone’s control
To make allowances for
To make excuses for or treat with leniency
To give ground
To yield to a more powerful force; retreat
To be set in one’s ways
To be inflexible, fixed in one’s habits
Being in the horns of a dilemma
being faced with two difficult choices, each with its own disadvantages.
being between a rock and a hard place
being stuck between two tough options, where both alternatives are unfavorable, and there’s no easy way out
Be in a fix/tight spot/corner/a (double) bind
To be in a difficult situation with limited solutions
Be in a quandary (over sth)
Unsure or confused
To have no qualms about sth / doing sth
You are not worried that it may be wrong in some way.
To be treading on thin ice / on a moral slippery slope
A situation where some behavior will lead to a worse outcome.
To be objectionable on ethical grounds
considered morally unacceptable or questionable based on ethical principles or values
Genetic make-up of plants
The different qualities that combine to form somebody’s character or being
To raise the specter of sth
Something unpleasant that people are afraid might happen in the future.
To let the cat out of the bag
To allow a secret to be known, usually without intending to
To bode ill
To predict bad luck
A giant leap forward
a significant and impactful advancement, improvement, or progress in a particular field, project, or situation.
To reap the benefits
To enjoy the good things that happen as a result of
Silver bullet solution
an ideal, seemingly perfect solution to a complex problem, often one that is thought to solve it entirely and effortlessly
Lining their own profiteers’ pockets
people or companies enriching themselves, often in unethical or selfish ways
Prided itself on being
an individual or organization takes pride in a particular quality, value, or achievement and often regards it as a defining characteristic
Get hooked on the illusion of
becoming captivated or obsessed with an unrealistic or deceptive idea, believing in something idealized that may not truly exist.
Cross a moral boundary
to engage in behavior that violates ethical principles or moral standards. It implies stepping over a line that separates right from wrong
An area of contention
a topic or issue where there is significant disagreement or conflict. It often involves differing opinions or beliefs.
The topic of … has become ripe for moral outrage
a particular issue has gained widespread attention and criticism, often due to perceived ethical or moral failings.
Irrational moral objection
a strong, moral-based opposition to something that lacks logical reasoning or may seem exaggerated or unfounded.
Bitter clashes between science and morality
intense conflicts where scientific advancements or practices challenge moral or ethical beliefs. It highlights the tension when scientific goals conflict with societal or personal values.
Oppose sth on ethical ground
To oppose something based on ethical or moral principles rather than practical reasons.
An area where we should tread carefully
caution in a particular area, often due to potential ethical, moral, or sensitive complexities
Work in ethically contentious fields
to occupations or areas of research that are surrounded by ethical debates or controversies, such as genetic engineering, bioethics, or certain areas of artificial intelligence
Raise thorny ethical issues
To bring up complex, difficult ethical questions that lack straightforward answers and often provoke debate or discomfort.
Scrutinize ethical issues
to examine ethical considerations carefully and critically
A moral minefield
a situation filled with ethical pitfalls, where one must navigate carefully to avoid moral missteps.
Step into moral snares
To unintentionally fall into morally questionable situations or dilemmas.
To present a wide spectrum of ethical dilemmas
the range of complex ethical challenges associated with a particular field, decision, or issue
To tinker with nature
Attempt to repair or improve something in a casual way
To tamper with
To interfere with something in order to cause damage
To mount an unequivocal moral defense on sth
to offer a strong and clear defense of something based on moral principles, without ambiguity or hesitation.
To find oneself increasingly in a perilous position
This refers to being in a situation that is becoming more dangerous or risky over time, often without realizing how one got there.
To stand at a crossroads where… sth is at stake
a pivotal moment in which a person or group must make an important decision that will have significant consequences.
A dangerous quest to tweak genetics to our desires
the risky or controversial pursuit of manipulating genetics to suit human preferences, which raises ethical and scientific concerns.
A hotly debated topic
a subject or issue that is being argued or discussed passionately and intensely by many people
To pose pressing ethical questions
to raise urgent or significant moral questions that require careful consideration and action.
An ethically dubious practice
an action or behavior that is morally questionable, likely to be seen as wrong or harmful.
To encounter astonishingly strong hostility
to face an overwhelming or intense level of opposition or animosity, often unexpectedly.
Weigh things up
Balance the pros and cons of something
Be in a quandary about whether… or whether
To be confused or uncertain about a decision, particularly when faced with two equally challenging or important choices.
Snitch on someone
To betray
Choose the lesser of two evils
to make a choice between two undesirable options, picking the one that seems less harmful or problematic.
Sleep on a problem
To take time to think about a problem or decision, often overnight, to gain clarity before acting.
sit on a problem or decision
delay
A trade secret
A piece of info nobody knows
Be kept out of the loop
To didn’t exert any influence on
Knock for a loop
To damage
Bury your head in the sand
To ignore or hide from obvious signs of danger
Pay lip service to somebody/something
To say that you support or agree with something without doing anything to prove it
Budget of possibilities
a lot of possibilities
To merge insights
incorporate information
Laugh your head off
laugh a lot
lose your head
lose control
lose your cool
lose control.
know no boundary
to have no limits
experience a dip in your fortunes
to have a reduction of luck or money
stand firm / Remain ademant
To refuse to change your opinion.
stay put
remain in a place
weigh up the argument
To evaluate/judge the argument
rule out sth
to exclude sth as a possibility
reach a decision
make a decision
have/get your way
To do what you want
admit defeat
To admit that you have been defeated
give in
surrender
tuggings of conscience
remorse
to be at a crossroads
to have to make a very important decision which will affect your future
start the ball rolling
start an activity
bone of contention
a subject that causes disagreement
in a nutshell
shortly
Go round in circles
To do sth over and over again without achieving anything
rack your brains
make a great effort to think about sth
To do sth over and over again without achieving anything
A course of action that may lead to a disaster
Lay oneself open to criticism
to be available to be criticized
rock the boat
to cause trouble
put your heads together
think about a solution together
to bare bones
the basics
fight a losing battle
To do sth even though you know there is nothing to do
To put on your thinking cap
think carefully
