The constructions with basic verbs A-C

Question 1

out-and-out

Answer 1

complete or in every way; used to emphasize an unpleasant quality of a person or thing
That’s an out-and-out lie!
The whole project was an out-and-out disaster.
(Er war durch und durch Student.)

Question 2

hard-and-fast

Answer 2

not to be changed:
a hard-and-fast rule
(Es gibt keine allgemeingültigen Regeln dafür.)

Question 3

few and far between

Answer 3

not happening or existing very often:
Apartments that are both comfortable and reasonably priced are few and far between.
(selten, nicht sehr zahlreich)

Question 4

wear and tear

Answer 4

the damage that happens to an object in ordinary use during a period:
Seat covers on buses take a lot of wear and tear.(Abnutzung {f} infolge normalen Gebrauchs.)

Question 5

cut and dried

Answer 5

already decided and unlikely to be changed:
We need a cut-and-dried decision by the end of the week.
simple and easy to understand:
Most fire investigations are pretty cut and dried, but this one has left more questions than answers.
(abgemacht, festgelegt, eindeutig, klar)

Question 6

high and dry

Answer 6

I got left high and dry. To leave sy high and dry.

im Stich gelassen werden, gestrandet werden

Question 7

dead and buried

Answer 7

Decided, done, not to be changed.
That’s dead and buried.
(Darüber ist längst Gras gewachsen.)

Question 8

wind and weather

Answer 8

bei jedem Wind und Wetter

Question 9

rough and ready

Answer 9

produced quickly, with little preparation
simple but good enough:
rough and ready accommodation
(provisorisch, grob gearbeitet)

Question 10

by and by

Answer 10

after a short period:
By and by a man appeared.
You’ll get used to it by and by.
(bald darauf, nicht viel später, irgendwann)

Question 11

free and easy

Answer 11

relaxed and informal:
The atmosphere in the office is fairly free and easy.
(zwangslos)

Question 12

song and dance

Answer 12

a long and complicated statement or story, sometimes one that is not true:
She gave me some song and dance about how busy she is.
(Keinen langen Geschichten!)

Question 13

all and sundry

Answer 13

everyone:

I don’t want all and sundry knowing about our problems.(Jeder, samt und sonders, jedermann, Gott und die Welt)

Question 14

bits and pieces/bits and bobs

Answer 14

small things or jobs of different types

Kleinteile, dies und das, Krimskrams

Question 15

spick and span

Answer 15

(especially of a place) very clean and tidy:
Their house is always spick and span.
The council spends a lot of money keeping the town spick and span.
(blitzsauber)

Question 16

flesh and blood

Answer 16

people:
This decision is not about legal theory, it’s about flesh and blood, about boys and girls who deserve a decent education.
someone from your family:
I was surprised at how much I cared for this girl who wasn’t even my flesh and blood.
(Sein eigen Fleisch und Blut, Mensch {m} aus Fleisch und Blut)

Question 17

might and main

Answer 17

with as much effort as possible:
They shouted with might and main but nobody came to rescue them.
(mit aller Gewalt)

Question 18

meek and mild

Answer 18

to be meek and mild about sth.

zu etw. Ja und Amen sagen