Unit 15 Flashcards
take something lying down
accept an offensive remark or act without protesting or reacting
hot air
claims, promises or statements that sound impressive but have no real meaning or truth
dig your heels/toes in
refuse to do something or to change your mind about something
take the law into your own hands
do something illegal in order to punish somebody for doing something wrong, instead of letting the police deal with them
seal someone’s fate
If an action, event, or situation …., nothing can stop some unpleasant thing happening to you
stick to your guns
refuse to change your mind about something even when other people are trying to persuade you that you are wrong
sit on the fence
avoid becoming involved in deciding or influencing something
vote with your feet
show what you think about something by going or not going somewhere
walk somebody off their feet
make somebody walk so far or so fast that they are very tired
do the trick
succeed in solving a problem or achieving a particular result
running battle
an argument that lasts over several different occasions
be easier said than done
be much more difficult to do than to talk about
be/feel hard done by
be or feel unfairly treated
fall on deaf ears
be ignored or not noticed by other people
grassroots
ordinary people in society or in an organization, rather than the leaders or people who make decisions
behind closed doors
without the public being allowed to attend or know what is happening; in private
call it a day
decide or agree to stop doing something
cut no ice (with somebody)
have no influence or effect on somebody
the law of the jungle
a situation in which people are prepared to harm other people in order to succeed
chapter and verse
the exact details of something, especially the exact place where particular information may be found
sit in judgement (on/over/upon somebody)
decide whether somebody’s behaviour is right or wrong, especially when you have no right to do this
