Phrases Flashcards
money is tight
[el dinero escasea]
tight (adjective)
[If time or money is tight, there is only just enough of it]
- I’m sorry I can’t stay for a chat, time’s really tight.
- They’re raising three kids on one small salary so money is very tight.
on the verge (of)
[If you are on the verge of something or come to the verge of something, you are very close to experiencing it.]
- on the verge of collapse/success/tears/death/disaster/war
- Her husband’s violent and abusive behaviour drove her to the verge of despair.
over and out
[said when you are talking to someone by radio in order to end the conversation, or when you humorously want to say that something is finished]
- “Thank you, control tower. Over and out.”
- “You have clearance to land.” “Roger that. Over and out. See you on the ground.”
be/get carried away
[to become so excited about something that you do not control what you say or do]
[dejarse llevar]
- There’s far too much food - I’m afraid I got a bit carried away.
- The manager warned his young players not to get carried away by the emotion of the occasion.
- Apologies - I just got carried away by the excitement of the game.
set/put your mind to something
[to decide you are going to do something and to put a lot of effort into doing it]
- If you set your mind to something, you have to be persevering
- If you’d just put your mind to it, I’m sure you could do it.
at ease
[rexaled, confortable]
[a gusto]
- I felt at ease at the party once I got to know a few people.
- The soothing music helped me feel at ease after a stressful day
first thing
[at the earliest time in the day]
[a primera hora]
- He said he’d call back first thing tomorrow.
- I have a big report due first thing in the morning.
- He went to see Katy first thing the next morning.
all in all
[considering all the different parts of the situation together]
- All in all, I think you’ve done very well.
- The cruise wasn’t perfect, but all in all it was pretty good.
hit it off
[to like someone and become friendly immediately]
- I didn’t really hit it off with his friends.
- Jake and Sue hit it off immediately.
- I met his sister and we hit it off right from the start.
at the ready
[being prepared or in a state of readiness to take immediate action or respond to a situation]
- The support team had their equipment at the ready, ensuring they could assist the athletes immediately
- American knows they will have to have their candy at the ready
(at) any minute (now)
[very soon]
- Hurry up! He’ll be back any minute now.
in a state of flux
/flʌks/
[If something is in a state of flux, it is constantly changing.]
- Education remains in a state of flux which will take some time to settle down.
to the best of my knowledge/belief
[from what I know and understand from the information that I have]
- To the best of my knowledge, the chemicals which were found are not dangerous.
- He didn’t speak to us and nor, to the best of my knowledge, did he speak to any of our friends or family.
- To the best of my knowledge, there have been no cases of poisoning caused by consumption of these fish.
take the place of someone/something
[to be used instead of someone or something]
- These portable machines can take the place of your desktop PC.
- Virtual reality should never take the place of real imagination.
in full
[completely]
- The bill must be paid in full by the end of the month.
- He was fined £2000, which he paid in full.
- These loans are unlikely to ever be repaid in full.
- Any payment you have made will be refunded in full.
a new/record/all-time low
[the lowest level]
- The dollar has hit an all-time low against the Japanese yen.
- With interest rates at a new low, this could be a good time to take out a loan.
- The dollar is currently heading to a new low against the euro.
on the rise
[increasing]
- Police say that youth crime is on the rise again.
- Nationalism is once again on the rise.
- Resignations are on the rise as the economy improves.
sleep on something
[to consider an idea or plan carefully before making a decision]
- I’ll think it over and give you an answer next week.
how about…?
(informal)
[used to make a suggestion]
- How about the cinema tonight?
- How about going to the cinema?
for the time being
[for a limited period]
- Leave the ironing for the time being - I’ll do it later.
- She’s put her career on hold for the time being.
- We’ll think about buying a bigger car next year but for the time being we’ll carry on with this one.
is that so?
¿en serio?
turn around and
(spoken)
[used when talking about something that someone says, especially when they say it in a very direct way without worrying about people’s reactions]
- If we actually say anything, they just turn around and tell us to shut up.
- For him to turn around and accuse me of lying was a huge insult.
few and far between
[not happening or existing very often]
- Apartments that are both comfortable and reasonably priced are few and far between.
+ In this area, good jobs are few and far between.
without fail
[If you do something without fail, you always do it]
- I go to the gym every Monday and Wednesday, without fail.
- This film always makes me smile, without fail.
- She attended church every Sunday without fail.
[used to tell someone that they must do something]
- Be there at nine o’clock, without fail.
- They need to feed the animals every day, without fail.
- We must, without fail, turn our country into a flourishing and democratic state.
have yet to
[If you have yet to do something, you have not done it]
- They have yet to make a decision.
- Peters has yet to choose his next project.
- She has yet to reach her full potential as an athlete.
- We’ve yet to receive an apology.
- They have yet to announce any plans.
- I’ve verbally agreed to do the work but I’ve yet to receive a contract.
droves
[a large group, especially of people, moving towards a place or doing something together as a group]
- Every summer droves of sightseers crowd the city.
- Fans came in droves to see her concerts.
- The show has been attracting audiences in droves.
on (an) impulse
[because you suddenly want to, although you haven’t planned to]
- “I didn’t know you were looking for some new shoes.” “Oh, I wasn’t - I just bought them on impulse.”
- She decided, on an impulse, to get in touch with some of her old classmates.
- On an impulse, he went into the florist’s and bought a huge bunch of roses.
hustle and bustle
[noise and activity]
- I love the hustle and bustle of the marketplace.
- I come from New York, so I’m used to hustle and bustle.
- We wanted to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
