Idioms__I Flashcards
To move on.
To begin something else, to stop focusing on one person or thing and to start to think about someone or something else.
To let yourself go.
To allow yourself to be in bad physical condition because of diet or lack of exercise.
To turn someone on.
To be a turn-on. To cause an attraction, usually physical.
To drive someone up the wall.
To annoy someone very much.
To bring something up.
To start to talk about something, to introduce a topic in conversation.
To get used to something.
To become accustomed to or familiar with something. Notice that this expression is similar to to be used to something, meaning to be accustomed to or familiar with something.
To grow out of something.
To become too old for something, to stop having an interest in something that used to be interesting.
To be the point.
To be the most important fact or consideration about a topic.
It figures.
This expression is used, often ironically, to mean that some outcome is logical, expected, or unavoidable.
To get something off your chest.
To say something important that you’ve been thinking about a lot.
To be on your mind.
To be something you think a lot about.
To spring something on someone.
To give someone unexpected news with no preparation or warning.
To break up with someone.
To end a romantic relationship.
To be out of your mind.
To be crazy, to be unreasonable or irrational. This expression is very often used in response to someone who proposes something completely unreasonable.
To take something out on someone.
To direct anger or frustration about something at someone who is not responsible for it.
To have had it with something or someone.
To be fed up with. To not be able to handle anymore of a situation or person.
For crying out loud . . .
This expresses complete frustration about a situation.
Like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Looking for something that is very difficult to find.
To check something out.
To see or find out about something.
To be someone’s cup of tea.
To be pleasing or interesting to someone. To fit someone’s tastes or interests.
To pay through the nose.
To pay a lot of money.
To begin something else, to stop focusing on one person or thing and to start to think about someone or something else.
To move on.
To allow yourself to be in bad physical condition because of diet or lack of exercise.
To let yourself go.
To be a turn-on. To cause an attraction, usually physical.
To turn someone on.
To annoy someone very much.
To drive someone up the wall.
To start to talk about something, to introduce a topic in conversation.
To bring something up.
To become accustomed to or familiar with something. Notice that this expression is similar to to be used to something, meaning to be accustomed to or familiar with something.
To get used to something.
To become too old for something, to stop having an interest in something that used to be interesting.
To grow out of something.
To be the most important fact or consideration about a topic.
To be the point.
This expression is used, often ironically, to mean that some outcome is logical, expected, or unavoidable.
It figures.
To say something important that you’ve been thinking about a lot.
To get something off your chest.
To be something you think a lot about.
To be on your mind.
To give someone unexpected news with no preparation or warning.
To spring something on someone.
To end a romantic relationship.
To break up with someone.
To be crazy, to be unreasonable or irrational. This expression is very often used in response to someone who proposes something completely unreasonable.
To be out of your mind.
To direct anger or frustration about something at someone who is not responsible for it.
To take something out on someone.
To be fed up with. To not be able to handle anymore of a situation or person.
To have had it with something or someone.
This expresses complete frustration about a situation.
For crying out loud . . .
Looking for something that is very difficult to find.
Like looking for a needle in a haystack.
To see or find out about something.
To check something out.
To be pleasing or interesting to someone. To fit someone’s tastes or interests.
To be someone’s cup of tea.
To pay a lot of money.
To pay through the nose.
Pain in the neck.
Annoying or bothersome.
Like pulling teeth.
Very difficult and tedious.
To get something squared away.
To tie up loose ends.
To drag someone somewhere.
To convince someone to go or come somewhere they don’t want to be.
Out of style.
No longer in fashion or vogue.
Wet blanket.
Unenthusiastic or disagreeable, lacking the appropriate attitude or spirit for a particular situation.
To wake up on the wrong side of the bed.
To be in a bad mood.
To be in seventh heaven.
To feel wonderful, to be very happy.
To be crazy about something.
To like something a lot.
Couch potato.
A person who sits around and does very little physical activity, often just watching TV.
To feed someone a line.
To tell someone something that is not genuine or truthful. To use a trite or clichéd expression instead of the truth.
To be beyond someone.
To be impossible to understand, to be completely unbelievable.
To have your hands tied.
To be unable to do anything to help a situation.
To dump someone.
To stop being in a romantic relationship with someone.
To come out of nowhere.
To seem to happen without any logical explanation or warning.
At your wit’s end.
Completely frustrated and confused about how to solve a problem.
To get on someone’s case.
To aggressively bother or nag someone about something.
To be spinning your wheels.
To be putting forth an effort that is having no useful effect. To be working in vain.
To have a good mind to do something.
To be inclined to do something. To have a strong desire to do something.
To call the shots.
To make the important decisions.
To have been down that road before.
To have experienced or tried something before, especially if it was not helpful or pleasant.
Annoying or bothersome.
Pain in the neck.
Very difficult and tedious.
Like pulling teeth.
To tie up loose ends.
To get something squared away.
To convince someone to go or come somewhere they don’t want to be.
To drag someone somewhere.
No longer in fashion or vogue.
Out of style.
Unenthusiastic or disagreeable, lacking the appropriate attitude or spirit for a particular situation.
Wet blanket.
To be in a bad mood.
To wake up on the wrong side of the bed.
To feel wonderful, to be very happy.
To be in seventh heaven.
To like something a lot.
To be crazy about something.
A person who sits around and does very little physical activity, often just watching TV.
Couch potato.
To tell someone something that is not genuine or truthful. To use a trite or clichéd expression instead of the truth.
To feed someone a line.
To be impossible to understand, to be completely unbelievable.
To be beyond someone.
To be unable to do anything to help a situation.
To have your hands tied.
To stop being in a romantic relationship with someone.
To dump someone.
To seem to happen without any logical explanation or warning.
To come out of nowhere.
Completely frustrated and confused about how to solve a problem.
At your wit’s end.
To aggressively bother or nag someone about something.
To get on someone’s case.
To be putting forth an effort that is having no useful effect. To be working in vain.
To be spinning your wheels.
To be inclined to do something. To have a strong desire to do something.
To have a good mind to do something.
To make the important decisions.
To call the shots.
To have experienced or tried something before, especially if it was not helpful or pleasant.
To have been down that road before.
To throw on.
To put clothes on hastily and thoughtlessly.
Make a nice impression.
To give people a favorable idea of who you are.
To come off as.
To give a certain impression, to suggest a certain attitude or style.
Busy.
Describing something that is overly designed clothes, patterns, wallpaper, art, etc. or has too many elements.
One of a kind.
Unique. Unlike anything else.
It’s very me.
It’s typical of something I’d wear, do, or say. It’s representative of me.
Pain in the neck.
Annoying or bothersome.
Like pulling teeth.
Very difficult and tedious.
To get something squared away.
To fix a problem.
To tie up loose ends.
To solve the various smaller problems of a larger troublesome situation.
To iron something out.
To fix a problem, to correct a mistake in a process.
To bite the bullet.
To accept a disagreeable solution for a difficult situation.
To flog a dead horse.
To do something that has no hope of succeeding or bringing about the desired result. Note that this idiom is often used with beat instead of flog.
The same old story.
The same explanation for a situation given over and over again.
To give someone the run around.
To avoid answering a question or giving someone help by treating them evasively or by misleading them.
To be in someone’s shoes.
To be in someone else’s position or situation.
To pull up.
To access a file or other information on a computer.
To drop something.
To forget something, or to stop talking about something.
To cough something up.
To find the means to provide something, especially money.
Knockoff.
A cheap and low-quality reproduction of something expensive.
Bargain basement.
The area of a store where older sale items are displayed for discount prices. This expression is also used to describe any cheap or low-quality clothing.
To put clothes on hastily and thoughtlessly.
To throw on.
To give people a favorable idea of who you are.
Make a nice impression.
To give a certain impression, to suggest a certain attitude or style.
To come off as.
Describing something that is overly designed clothes, patterns, wallpaper, art, etc. or has too many elements.
Busy.
Unique. Unlike anything else.
One of a kind.
It’s typical of something I’d wear, do, or say. It’s representative of me.
It’s very me.
Annoying or bothersome.
Pain in the neck.
Very difficult and tedious.
Like pulling teeth.
To fix a problem.
To get something squared away.
To solve the various smaller problems of a larger troublesome situation.
To tie up loose ends.
To fix a problem, to correct a mistake in a process.
To iron something out.
To accept a disagreeable solution for a difficult situation.
To bite the bullet.
To do something that has no hope of succeeding or bringing about the desired result. Note that this idiom is often used with beat instead of flog.
To flog a dead horse.
The same explanation for a situation given over and over again.
The same old story.
To avoid answering a question or giving someone help by treating them evasively or by misleading them.
To give someone the run around.
To be in someone else’s position or situation.
To be in someone’s shoes.
To access a file or other information on a computer.
To pull up.
To forget something, or to stop talking about something.
To drop something.
To find the means to provide something, especially money.
To cough something up.
A cheap and low-quality reproduction of something expensive.
Knockoff.
The area of a store where older sale items are displayed for discount prices. This expression is also used to describe any cheap or low-quality clothing.
Bargain basement.
To be crazy. To be thinking unreasonably.
To have a screw loose
This expression is used to communicate someone’s typical or characteristic behavior. Notice that this expression is most commonly used in the negative.
To be one to do something.
To quit. To stop doing something.
To throw in the towel.
Remain calm. Relax. Be patient.
Keep your shirt on.
A boring person. Someone who’s uptight and spoils the fun.
A stick in the mud.
To take things as they come. To not worry or try to anticipate the future.
To go with the flow.
To be extremely likely to happen, to be certain.
To be bound to happen.
Something that makes someone feel safe, even if it does not actually provide safety.
A security blanket.
To try something.
To give something a whirl.
To try something.
To give something a shot.
To find an interest in, to learn that you enjoy something.
To take to.
To be performing very well. Note that this can also be used sarcastically to imply that someone is doing poorly.
To be batting a thousand.
To be performing very well. Note that this can also be used sarcastically to imply that someone is doing poorly.
To be on a roll.
To act as if you’re in your natural environment. To be at ease doing something.
Like a duck to water.
Someone or something that moves gracefully.
Poetry in motion.
To begin something. To start doing something.
To get the show on the road.
To decide.
To make up your mind.
Everything is easy after this moment.
It’s all downhill from here.
To sleep so well that you hardly move.
To sleep like a log.
To die. This expression is usually used in a light hearted or joking way.
To buy the farm.
To provide help, motivation, or incentive to start something.
To give something a jump start.
To have a screw loose
To be crazy. To be thinking unreasonably.
To be one to do something.
This expression is used to communicate someone’s typical or characteristic behavior. Notice that this expression is most commonly used in the negative.
To throw in the towel.
To quit. To stop doing something.
Keep your shirt on.
Remain calm. Relax. Be patient.
A stick in the mud.
A boring person. Someone who’s uptight and spoils the fun.
To go with the flow.
To take things as they come. To not worry or try to anticipate the future.
To be bound to happen.
To be extremely likely to happen, to be certain.
A security blanket.
Something that makes someone feel safe, even if it does not actually provide safety.
To give something a whirl.
To try something.
To give something a shot.
To try something.
To take to.
To find an interest in, to learn that you enjoy something.
To be batting a thousand.
To be performing very well. Note that this can also be used sarcastically to imply that someone is doing poorly.
To be on a roll.
To be performing very well. Note that this can also be used sarcastically to imply that someone is doing poorly.
Like a duck to water.
To act as if you’re in your natural environment. To be at ease doing something.
Poetry in motion.
Someone or something that moves gracefully.
To get the show on the road.
To begin something. To start doing something.
To make up your mind.
To decide.
It’s all downhill from here.
Everything is easy after this moment.
To sleep like a log.
To sleep so well that you hardly move.
To buy the farm.
To die. This expression is usually used in a light hearted or joking way.
To give something a jump start.
To provide help, motivation, or incentive to start something.
To talk to or visit with someone for the purpose of saying hi, or letting someone know that you’re okay.
To check in with someone.
To experience difficulty dealing with a situation.
To have a rough time of it.
To feel ill, to feel less than healthy.
To feel or be under the weather.
To become sick with a cold or flu.
To catch a bug.
To no longer suffer the pain or discomfort of something. This expression can also mean, to move on, to feel better after a difficult situation.
To get over something.
To recover from sickness, to feel healthy again.
To be back on your feet.
To know or have all the necessary information about something.
To be up to speed on something.
To die.
To pass away.
To overcome a temporary difficult situation, including a serious injury or illness.
To pull through.
To become worse very quickly. Notice that nose-dive is also a verb.
To take a nose dive.
To become bad very quickly. To deteriorate.
To go downhill.
To catch someone unprepared. To happen without expectation or by surprise.
To catch off-guard.
To react to a situation emotionally. To respond to something.
To take something.
To handle something as well as can be expected, especially a very difficult situation.
To be hanging in there.
To have a lot of something to deal with, look after, or take care of.
To be up to your neck in something.
To be expensive.
To cost a pretty penny.
To be a reasonable match of value and cost.
To be worth every dime.
To do more than is required or expected in order to help someone.
To bend over backwards.
To have negative consequences for someone.
To take a toll on someone.
To visit the family of a deceased person in order to show you care and tell them you are sorry.
To pay your respects.
To take a plane to somewhere, sometimes on short notice.
To catch a flight.
To ride someone’s tail.
To follow someone at an uncomfortably close or dangerous distance. Notice that this expression doesn’t necessarily have to be used for driving only.
To follow someone at an uncomfortably close or dangerous distance. Notice that this expression doesn’t necessarily have to be used for driving only.
To ride someone’s tail.
To rubberneck.
To drive slowly past the scene of an accident while turning your neck to see what happened.
To drive slowly past the scene of an accident while turning your neck to see what happened.
To rubberneck.
To speed up.
To accelerate.
To accelerate.
To speed up.
To cut someone off.
To pass in front of someone very closely and prevent themfrommoving ahead.
To pass in front of someone very closely and prevent themfrommoving ahead.
To cut someone off.
