Unit 53

Question 1

hand sth to sb on a plate

Nobody’s going to hand you success on a plate.

Answer 1

give sth to sb without that person making any effort

Question 2

have enough/a lot/too much on your plate

Answer 2

have a lot of work or problems, etc. to deal with

Question 3

step up to the plate

Answer 3

o what is necessary in order to benefit from an opportunity or deal with a crisis

Question 4

have the upper hand

Answer 4

gain power and control

Question 5

You have to hand it to sb

Answer 5

you have to admire what she did, even if you don’t admire everything about her

Question 6

be an old hand at (doing) sth

Answer 6

be very experienced it

Question 7

win hands down

Answer 7

win very easily

Question 8

have sb eating in the palm of your hand/out of the palm of your hand

Answer 8

have complete control of sb

Question 9

bite the hand that feeds you

Answer 9

treat sb badly who helps you in some way, often by giving you money

Question 10

my hands are tied

Answer 10

I’m not free to do what I’d like to do

Question 11

play into sb’s hands

Answer 11

unintentionally give sb an advantage

Question 12

lay a hand on sb

Answer 12

hurt or physically attack sb

Question 13

out of hand

Answer 13

completely

Question 14

be dealt a lousy hand

Answer 14

be very unlucky in your life

Question 15

show your hand

Answer 15

tell people their plans when they were a secret before

Question 16

could count them on the fingers of one hand

Answer 16

be very small in number

Question 17

give sb a big hand

Answer 17

applaud them by clapping

Question 18

hand over the reins to sb

Answer 18

give the power you had to another person

Question 19

be off your hands

Answer 19

no longer your responsibility

Question 20

sit on your hands

Answer 20

do nothing about a problem that needs to be solved

Question 21

can’t lay my hands on it

Answer 21

I can’t find it

Question 22

put your hand on your heart

Answer 22

be asked to tell sb sth truthfully