Lesson 19 Flashcards
by a hair
just barely; very narrowly; by a small amount
EXAMPLE 1: Larry won the bicycle race by a hair. The second-place winner came in just a second behind him.
EXAMPLE 2: Was the tennis ball in or out? I think it was out by a hair.
You know the old saying: “When in doubt, call it out!”
fair and square
honestly
EXAMPLE 1: Did George Bush win the 2000 presidential election fair and square? That depends on whether you ask a Democrat or a Republican!
EXAMPLE 2: Tony won the ping pong tournament fair and square.
for sure
definitely
EXAMPLE 1: This year, Tom Cruise will win an Academy Award for sure.
EXAMPLE 2: Mike is the most popular guy in school. If he runs for student body president, he’ll win for sure.
(to) give it one’s best shot
to try as hard as one can
EXAMPLE 1: Courtney lost the race, but at least she gave it her best shot.
EXAMPLE 2: I know you’re nervous about the interview. Just give it your best shot and see what happens.
(to) give up
to admit defeat; to surrender
EXAMPLE 1: Bill gave up golf after realizing he’d never be good at it.
EXAMPLE 2: I know you’re 100 points ahead of me, but I still might win the Scrabble game. I’m not giving up yet!
(to) go wrong
to make a mistake; to go astray; to malfunction; to work incorrectly
EXAMPLE 1: Follow the directions I gave you, and you can’t go wrong.
EXAMPLE 2: Something went wrong with my neighbor’s car alarm system, and the alarm wouldn’t stop ringing all night.
(to) live with it
to accept a difficult reality
EXAMPLE 1: Your boss is an idiot. Live with it.
EXAMPLE 2: Your hair will never be straight. Just live with it!
Note: There is also the expression “to learn to live with it,” which means to get used to something annoying or difficult. Example: Sandra knew that Roger would always throw his dirty clothes on the floor. She’d just have to learn to live with it.
(to) make a fool of oneself
to cause oneself to look stupid
EXAMPLE 1: Dan drank too much and then made a fool of himself.
EXAMPLE 2: Please stop arguing with me in front of all these people. You’re making a fool of yourself!
(to) mess up
to make a mistake; to spoil an opportunity
EXAMPLE 1: Amber messed up and put salt instead of sugar in the cookies.
EXAMPLE 2: Ted really messed up on his chemistry test. He got a “D.”
SYNONYM: screw up [slang]
(to) put the blame on (someone)
to name somebody else as responsible for a misdeed or misfortune
EXAMPLE 1: Mrs. Lopez put the blame on her husband for losing their
life savings in the stock market.
EXAMPLE 2: Don’t put the blame on me that your plants died while you were on vacation. You forgot to tell me to water them!
(to) set the record straight
to correct an inaccurate account
EXAMPLE 1: Ken knew his father was innocent, and he hoped he could set the record straight one day.
EXAMPLE 2: Let me set the record straight. I won the last game.
sure thing
an outcome that is assured
EXAMPLE 1: Gary bet all his money on a horse named Trixie, thinking she was a sure thing.
EXAMPLE 2: Nicole has a good chance of getting accepted to Yale, but it’s still not a sure thing.
