Part 1 Flashcards
Be alive and well/kicking
- To continue to live or exist and be full of energy:
“She said she’d seen him last week and he was alive and kicking” - To continue to be popular of successful
“Traditional jazz is still alive and kicking in New Orleans”
For all
Despite
“For all his many faults, it has to be said he was a good father”
All but
Almost
“His addiction to gambling all but ruined him”
By virtue of
Because of; as a result of
“She succeeded by virtue of her tenacity rather than her talent”
Change of heart
Change of opinion
“She was going to sell her house but had a change of heart at the last minute”
Crystal clear
Very easy to understand
“She made it crystal clear that she was in charge”
Collect yourself/your thoughts
To get control of your feelings and thoughts, especially after shock, surprise or laughter
“I was so stunned by what he’d said I had to collect myself before I could reply”
Come under fire
To be criticized
“The government has come under fire for its decision to close the mines”
Few and far between
Not happening or existing very often
“I witnessed the occasional fight, but such incidents were few and far between”
Fend for yourself
To take care of and provide for yourself without depending on anyone else
“Now that the children are old enough to fend for themselves, we can go away on holiday by ourselves”
The ins and outs
The detailed or complicated facts of something
“I know how to use computers, but I don’t really understand the ins and outs of how they work”
Turn over a new leaf
To start behaving in a better way
“He’s turned over a new leaf and he’s not smoking any more”
Leap at
To eagerly accept the chance to do or have something
“When I offered her the Job, she leapt at it”
Long for something; long to do something
To want something very much
“She longed to see him again”
Keep a cool head
To stay calm in a difficult situation
“I don’t know how you manage to keep such a cool head in such a hectic, stressful office”
