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Idioms > S Series > Flashcards

S Series Flashcards

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Proverbs and Idioms flashcards
1
Q

Safe and sound

A

Unharmed and whole or healthy.

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2
Q

Salad days

A

Days of youthful inexperience.

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3
Q

Saved by the bell

A

Saved by a last minute

intervention.

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4
Q

Scapegoat

A

A person made to unfairly take the blame for something.

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5
Q

Scot free

A

Escaping without punishment or censure.

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6
Q

See eye to eye

A

Be in agreement.

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7
Q

See the light.

A

Understand

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8
Q

Seen better days

A

Refers to something that has

been well used.

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9
Q

Send someone packing

A

Dismiss them.

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10
Q

Sent to Coventry

A

To be ignored or ostracised.

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11
Q

Separate the wheat from the chaff

A

Separate good from bad.

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12
Q

Set (get, start) off on the wrong foot

A

To start things incorrectly.

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13
Q

Seventh heaven

A

A state of great joy and

satisfaction.

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14
Q

Shaggy dog story

A

A lengthy, improbable and
pointless story, often told in an
attempt at humour.

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15
Q

Shake a leg

A

Hurry up.

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16
Q

Shipshape and Bristol fashion

A

In first-class order.

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17
Q

Short shrift

A

Quick work

Little regard followed by
rejection

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18
Q

Show a clean pair of heels

A

Run or act faster than someone else.

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19
Q

Show someone the door

A

Ask someone to leave.

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20
Q

Sick of

A

Tired of something or someone.

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21
Q

Sight for sore eyes

A

A welcome sight; someone or

something you are glad to see.

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22
Q

Silver tongued

A

Plausible and eloquent.

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23
Q

Separate the sheep from the goats

A

Separate the good from the bad.

24
Q

Sit on the fence

A

Avoid taking sides.

25
Q

Skating on thin ice

A

Said of a person taking a risk.

26
Q

Skeleton in the cupboard

A

A secret source of shame.

27
Q

Slap on the wrist

A

A light telling off.

28
Q

Sledgehammer to crack a nut

A

A disproportionate response to overcome a minor problem.

29
Q

Sling mud.

A

To try to cause a low opinion

about somebody.

30
Q

Sling your hook

A

An impolite way of telling

someone to go away.

31
Q

Small talk

A

Casual or trivial conversation,

chitchat.

32
Q

Smell a rat

A

Be suspicious

33
Q

Snake in the grass

A

An untrustworthy and deceitful person. (Similar to “two faced”).

34
Q

Sold down the river

A

Betrayed or cheated

35
Q

Sour grapes

A

Disdain for something after a

person has failed to achieve it.

36
Q

Spick and span

A

Very tidy.

37
Q

Spill the beans

A

To divulge a secret.

38
Q

Spread like wild fire

A

Disseminate or circulate very

quickly.

39
Q

Square peg in a round hole.

A

Something or someone that
does not fit; Often said of a
person who is not suitable in
some way

40
Q

Stalking horse

A

A decoy used to cover one’s

true purpose.

41
Q

Start from scratch

A

Begin (again) from the

beginning.

42
Q

Steal one’s

thunder

A

Use somebody else’s ideas or
take credit for somebody else’s efforts.

Act in a way that prevents a
person receiving the credit that they might otherwise have been given.

43
Q

Stick to one’s guns.

A

Keep going. Maintain a position.

44
Q

A stone’s throw

A

A short distance.

45
Q

Storm in a tea cup

A

A fuss about nothing.

46
Q

Straight up

A

Honestly.

47
Q

Straight from the horse’s mouth

A

From somebody who should

know.

48
Q

Strain every

nerve and sinew

A

Try very hard.

49
Q

Straw poll

A

An unofficial vote taken to obtain an indication of the general trend of opinion.

50
Q

Straw that broke

the camel’s back.

A

The last of a series of events

that finally triggers action.

51
Q

Stretch a point

A

Said of a statement that is not

completely true.

52
Q

Strike while the iron is hot

A

Act decisively to take advantage of an opportunity.

53
Q

Stuck up

A

Conceited

54
Q

Sure as eggs is eggs

A

To be absolutely certain.

55
Q

Sweep the board

A

Win everything

56
Q

Swing the lead

A

Avoid work. Pretend to be ill.

Idioms (22 decks)

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