Lesson
Absence makes the heart grow fonder:
Proverb that means that our feeling for those we love
increases when we are apart
from them.
Armed to the teeth:
Heavily armed. ex. "The rebels were armed to the teeth."
All thumbs:
Awkward. Clumsy.
At each other's throats:
Fighting or arguing heavily. ex. "They were at each
other's throat s. The arguments
never stopped."
At this stage:
At this point. ex. "At this stage, it's difficult to say who will win the election."
(To) act high and mighty:
To act proudly and arrogantly.
Actions speak louder than words:
Proverb meaning that's it's better to do something about a problem than to talk
about it.
(To) act one's age:
To behave in a more mature way. Frequently said to a child or teen. ex. "Bill, stop
throwing rocks! Act your age!."
(To) add fuel to the fire:
To make a bad problem even worse.
(To) add insult to injury:
To make a bad situation even worse.
Against the clock:
To attempt to do something "against the clock" is to attempt to do something as fast
as possible usually before a deadline.
A little bird told me:
When someone says "a little bird told me" it means they don't want you to know who
told them.
All in a day's work:
Typical. Normal. Expected. ex. "Talking to famous celebrities is all in a day's work for
some Hollywood reporters."
(From) all walks of life:
(From) all social, economic, and ethnic groups.
Apple of someone's eye:
Someone's favorite person (and sometimes thing). ex. "Sara h was the apple of
Tom's eye for quite a long time. He was so in love with her."
(To) bank on something:
To count or rely on something.
(To) bark up the wrong tree:
To ask the wrong person. To make the wrong choice. ex. "The gangster told the cops
they were barking up the wrong tree in thinking he was responsible for the robbery."
(To) be a fan of someone/ something:
To like, idolize, admire someone/ or something. ex. "I'm not a big fan of heavy metal
music."
(To) beat around the bush:
To avoid getting to the point. ex. "Stop beating around the bush and tell me what
you really think."
Big fish in a little sea :
A person who's famous/ well-known but only in an unimportant area/ town.
Believe it or not:
Used at the beginning sentence to state that something is true whether one chooses
to believe it or not. ex. "Believe it or not, I still care for her."
(The) birds and the bees:
Sex. Human reproduction. ex. "It's about time I talked to my son about the birds and
the bees."
Black sheep (of the family):
The worst, least accepted member of a family.
(To) bite the hands that feeds you:
To do harm to someone who helps you.
(To) bite one's tongue:
To struggle not to say something that you want to say. ex. "I wanted to tell her
everything, but I had t o bite my tongue because I had promised Bill I would not (tell
her)."
(To) blow someone's cover:
To reveal someone's secret, or true identity. ex. "The spy was very careful not to
blow her cover."
(To) burst into tears:
To start crying suddenly.
(To) break new ground:
To do something that hasn't been done before. To innovate. ex. "Dr. Davis was
breaking new ground in cancer research."
(To) break someone's heart:
To cause someone (strong) emotional pain. ex. "Fiona broke James' heart when she
refused to marry him."
(To) break the news to someone/ to brea k "it" to someone:
To tell someone some important news, usually bad news. ex. "I hate to be the one to
break it to you, but your wife has been cheating on you."
(To) call it a day:
To end work and go home. ex. "Let's call it a day. It's getting late."
(To) clear the table:
To remove all dishes, cutlery, etc. from a table after a meal.
(To) cash in on something:
To profit from something. "The act or wanted t o cash in on his popularity by opening
a restaurant."
(To) come to an end:
To finish. To stop. ex. "When the road came to an end, we turned left."
(To) catch someone's eye:
To get someone's attention through eye contact.
Coast-to-coa st:
From the Atlantic to the Pacific coast in the United States. ex. "Our car made the
coast-to-coast trip in 70 hours".
(To) come away empty handed:
To return without anything. To expect to receive something but to end up receiving
nothing. ex. "The union workers came away empty handed from the negotiations."
(To) come out of the closet:
To reveal that one is gay.
Come to think of it:
I just remembered. ex. "Hey, come to think of it, I do have a sleeping bag you can
borrow."
Come what may
Whatever happens. No matter what happens.
(To) cover a lot of ground:
To go through a lot of information. "We've covered a lot of ground in my English
class in the past two months."
(To) cry one's eyes out:
To cry hard. ex. "When her grandfather died, she cried her eyes out for three days
straight."
(To) cover for someone:
To make excuses for someone or to conceal someone's errors.
(To) cut class:
To not go to class. To skip going to class. "Jacob was a very bad student. He was
always cutting class to go smoke with his buddies."
(To) cramp someone's style:
To limit someone in some way. To limit someone from expressing themselves fully.
(To) die of boredom:
To be very bored.
Don't hold your breath:
Don't wait for it to happen because it probably won't. "You think David will break up
with Tina? Don't hold your breath!"
Don't let it get you down:
Don't let it upset you. Don't allow it to make you feel bad.
(To) do the dishes:
To wash the dishes.
Down the drain:
Wasted. Lost forever. "I tried for five years to run this business and now I'm
bankrupt. Five years down the drain."
(To) drown one's sorrows:
To get/ become drunk.
(To) drop the ball:
To make a mistake. (WARNING: This idiom is overused in the business world). ex.
"So it was John's fault? Yes, John really dropped the ball on this one."
(A) dream come true:
A great thing. A dream or wish that has become reality. ex. "Living in California is
like a dream come true."
Down in the dumps:
Sad. Depressed.
(To) drive someone crazy:
To make someone very agitated, upset, or emotional (either in a good or bad way).
"That teacher is so awful! He drives me crazy with his attitude."
Easy come, easy go:
Said to explain the loss of something that was very easily obtained in the first place.
Easy:
Not so fast. Calm down! ex. "Easy! Don't eat so fast!"
(To) eat one's heart out:
To be envious or jealous. ex. "Eat your heart out Frank, I'm going to Paris!"
(To) eat out of someone's hands:
To do whatever someone else wants. ex. "James would do anything for Vicky. She
had him eating out of her hands."
Enough is enough:
That is enough and there should be no more.
(To) enter one's mind:
To cross one's mind. To start thinking about something. "You want me to become a
doctor? The thought never even entered my mind."
Expecting:
Pregnant.
Everything but the kitchen sink:
Almost everything one can think of.
(As) easy as pie:
Very easy.
Earful:
a strong verbal scolding. ex. "Katie's father really gave her an earful when she came
home at 4 AM."
Easy-going:
Tolerant. Laid-back. Relaxed.
(To) eat one's words:
To admit that what one said was wrong. ex. "You think I won't be able to find work
in one week? I'm going to make you eat your words."
Elbow room:
Enough spa ce (room) to feel comfortable.
Every so often:
Once in while. Occasionally.
Every other:
Every second. Alternate. ex. "In Los Angeles, every other person is an actor."
(To) face the music:
To accept the (unpleasant) consequences of what you have done.
(To) fall flat (on one's face):
To fail. To be unsuccessful. ex. "The play fell flat on its face."
Fair-weather friend
A person who is only your friend when things are going well for you.
(To) feel like a new person:
To feel refreshed, rejuvenated.
(To) fall into place:
To become organized. To fit together. ex. "Once I started meditating, everything in
my life began to fall into place."
(To) fall short:
To lack something. ex. "We tried to raise fifty thousand dollars, but we fell short by
about ten thousand."
(To) feel out of place:
To feel like you don't belong. ex. "We went to Mary's party last night. There were
many strange people there and I felt a little out of place, so we left."
(To) fill someone's shoes:
To replace someone. To do something someone else used to do. ex. "Cathy has been
working here for 20 years. It's going to be hard to find someone to fill her shoes."
First and foremost:
First and most importantly.
First thing:
Before anything else. ex. "Call me first thing tomorrow morning."
(To) fish for a compliment:
To try very hard to get a compliment from someone.
Flat broke:
Very poor. Having absolutely no money.
(To) follow one's heart:
To act according to your feelings/ emotions. ex. "I couldn't decide what to do so I
just followed my heart."
Fun and games:
Playing around. Time spent doing worthless things. ex. "OK, Neil, the fun and games
are over. It's time to get down to work."
Free and easy:
Casual. Not very serious. ex. "Sarah was looking for a free and easy relationship."
(To) get cold feet:
To become timid or frightened. ex. "I usually get cold feet when I have to speak in
public."
(To) get down to business:
To start working seriously. ex. "Enough playing around - let's get down to business."
(To) get one's foot in the door
To get sta rted in a process. To attain a favorable position which will help one work
toward a goal. ex. "I'm trying to find a better job, but I can't get my foot in the
door." (To) feel like a new person:
To feel refreshed, rejuvenated.
(To) get one's fill of something:
To have enough of something. To have a lot of something. ex. "She's had her fill of
trouble lately."
(To) get on someone's nerves:
To annoy someone. To bother or irritate someone.
(To) get something off one's chest:
To say something that has been on your mind. To say something that has been
bothering you. "Did you tell her about Hawaii? Yes, and I felt much better once I got
that off my chest."
(To) get the blues:
To become sa d or depressed.
(To) give someone the benefit of the doubt:
To believe in someone despite information that makes them seem guilty of
something. ex. "Hey, don't believe the rumors - give him the benefit of t he doubt."
(To) get something straight:
To clarify something. To understand something clearly.
(To) give someone a call:
To call someone (on the telephone).
(To) give someone a piece of one's mind:
To bawl someone out. To let someone know how one really feels. "After that driver
took my parking spot, I really gave him a piece of my mind."
(To) go up in flames:
To burn. To be consumed in flames.
(To) go to someone 's head:
To make someone overly conceited or proud. ex. "That award that he won really
went to his head."
(To) go Dutch:
When a group of people go out and everyone pays for him/herself.
Hang on:
Be prepared for fast and/or rough movement.
(To) hang on someone's every word:
To listen very carefully to someone. ex. "Grandpa was telling a story and the kids
were hanging on his every word."
(To) hate someone's guts:
To hate someone very much. (To) have a big mouth:
To be a gossiper. To be a person who can't keep a secret. ex. "Don't tell her
anything! She has a big mouth."
(To) have a lot going for one:
To have a lot of good things in one's life. To have many things working to one's
benefit. ex. "She has a log going for her - she's smart, attractive, has a good job,
etc."
(To) have a sweet tooth:
To love to eat candy or other sweets.
(To) have mixed feelings (about something):
To be unsure or uncertain about something.
(To) have one's hands full:
To be busy, occupied with some kind of activity, work, etc. ex. "I have my hands full
with my three children."
(To) have one's hea rt set on something:
To really want something to happen. To expect something to happen. ex. "Julie has
her heart set on going to London this summer."
(To) hit the spot:
To satisfy a need exactly. To be exactly right (often said about food or drinks). ex.
"That was a delicious meal - It hit the spot."
(To) hit bottom:
To reach the lowest point.
(To) hit a snag:
To run into a problem. ex. "The project hit a snag when testing failed to produce
favorable results"
Half-baked:
Foolish.
Hands down:
Easily. By far. ex. "She is hands down the most beautiful girl in class."
Hand-me-down:
Usually said of clothing that has been passed on from one person to another. ex. "A
hand-me-down dress."
If worst comes to worst:
If things get really bad. ex. "If worst comes to worst, we can always fire him."
In bad taste:
Rude. Vulgar. Obscene. ex. "John's jokes are always in bad taste."
In broad da ylight:
Publicly visible in the daytime. ex. "This city is very dangerous. You can get robbed
in broad daylight."
In good shape/ condition:
Physically and functionally sound and sturdy. "Shape" is generally used more for
people. ex. "The car is in good condition. Bill is in good shape."
In mint condition:
In perfect condition (not used for people).
In no mood t o do something:
To not feel like doing something. To not want t o do something. ex. "I'm in no mood
to cook dinner tonight."
In season:
Currently available for selling (often said of fresh fruit and vegetables). ex.
"Tomatoes are very cheap now because they're in season."
In stock:
Available for purchase, as in goods in a store. ex. "Do you have any more of these
books in stock? No, I'm sorry we don't."
In the air:
Everywhere. All around.
In the long run:
Over a long period of time. Ultimately. ex. "He smokes a lot now, and I'm afraid that
in the long run it will cost him his health."
In the same boat:
In the same situation (usually negative).
In and out:
Coming in and going out often. ex. "She's been in and out all day."
In with:
Friendly with. Friends with. ex. "At high school he was in with the wrong crowd.
That's why he always got in trouble."
In advance:
Ahead of time.
Ill-at-ease:
Uncomfortable. ex. "She seemed to be ill-at-ease talking to the doctor about her
problems".
Jam-packed:
Very crowded. ex. "The stadium was jam packed on Saturday."
(To) jam on the brakes:
To hit/ step on the brakes suddenly to stop the car.
Jack-of-all-trades:
A person who knows how to do a lot of different things.
(To) jump all over someone:
To criticize or blame someone. ex. "As soon as I brought up going out with my
friends, she jumped all over me."
(To) jump the gun:
To get something started too soon. To start too soon. ex. "We have to do a lot more
work before we launch this product. We don't want to jump the gun."
(To) jump at:
To quickly accept. ex. "The journalist jumped at the chance to interview Madonna."
Just about:
Almost. ex. "I'm just about finished."
Just now:
Just a minute ago.
Just what the doctor ordered:
Exactly what is needed. ex. "This vacation is great! It's just what the doctor
ordered."
(To) keep a straight face:
To force oneself not to laugh, even though one wants to. ex. "He was saying the
stupidest things, and I was finding it hard to keep a straight face."
(To) keep one's word:
To uphold one's promise. ex. "He's a very honorable person who always keeps his
word."
(To) keep someone posted:
To keep someone informed.
(To) keep something to oneself:
To not let others know about something. To not reveal something. ex. "Hey, don't
tell anyone about your time in prison. Keep it to yourself."
(To) kill time:
To waste time.
Knock on wood:
A phrase said to cancel out (imaginary) bad luck.
(To) know something inside-out:
To know something completely and thoroughly. ex. "Let me show you around - I
know this neighborhood inside-out."
(To) know the score:
To know the facts. To know how things go.
(To) keep someone up:
To not allow someone to sleep. ex. "The neighbors' party kept me up all night."
(To) keep an eye on:
To watch. To pa y attention to. ex. "I have to go to the store. Can you please keep an
eye on the baby for 10 minutes?"
(To) keep one's cool:
To remain calm.
(To) keep tra ck of:
To maintain a record of. ex. "I don't know where all my money goes. It's hard to
keep track of my expenses."
(To) kick back:
To relax.
(To) kick oneself:
To regret.
Know-it-all:
A person who acts like they know everything. ex. "Robert is so conceited! Yeah, he's
a real know-it-all."
Last but not least:
Last in order but not last in importance. ex. "Last but not least I'd like to thank my
parents."
(To) lay a finger on someone:
To touch someone even very slightly. ex. "If you so much as lay a finger on him, you
will be in trouble."
(To) leave a bad taste in someone's mouth:
To leave a negative impression on someone.
(To) leave someone high and dry:
To leave someone helpless. ex. "Don't leave me high. Don't leave me dry." -
Radiohead
(To) leave someone in peace/ alone:
To stop bothering someone. ex. "Leave me alone! I don't want to talk to anyone."
(To) let off steam:
To release energy or anger. ex. "Victor went drinking, and got into a fight. That's OK,
he's just letting off a little steam."
(To) let someone off the hook:
To release someone from responsibility. ex. "Natalie said she didn't want to wash the
dishes, but her mom didn't let her off the hook."
(To) let something slide:
To neglect something. To ignore something. ex. "I'm going to let it slide this time,
but next time be more careful!"
Little by little:
Slowly, gradually. ex. "Little by little she started to like living in New York City."
(To) lock horns:
To argue. To have a dispute. To disagree.
(To) look the other way:
To ignore something on purpose. ex. "In some countries, customs officials can be
paid to look the other way."
(To) lose one's temper:
To become angry.
(To) lose one's train of thought:
To forget what one was thinking/ talking about. ex. "What was I saying? I lost my
train of thought."
(To) lower one's voice:
To talk more softly. ex. "Lower your voice, my parents are asleep."
Lost in thought:
Busy thinking.
(To) make a long story short:
To bring a story to an end.
(To) make good money:
To make a lot of money (regularly). ex. "Shawn hates his job but he makes a lot of
money."
(To) make life miserable for someone:
To cause someone lots of problems. ex. "Patricia's boss is making life miserable for
her."
(To) make oneself at home:
To feel as comfortable as one would being at home. "During your visit just make
yourself at home."
(To) make someone's head spin:
To make someone dizzy or disoriented. ex. "All that alcohol made my head spin."
(To) make something from scratch:
To make something by starting with the basic ingredients. ex. "Did you bake that
cake? No, I made it from scratch."
(To) mention something in passing:
To mention something casually.
(To) mind one's own business:
Not to interfere/ get involved in the business of others. "Sometimes it's best to mind
your own business."
Money talks:
Having money helps one get things done.
(To) move up in the world:
To increase one's standing socially, etc. To become successful.
(To) meet someone halfway:
To compromise with someone. ex. "They settled the argument by deciding to meet
each other halfway."
(To) make light of something:
To treat something as if it were trivial or unimportant. ex. "Don't make light of the
situation - it's more serious than you think."
(To) make a beeline for:
To head directly to. ex. "Whenever he comes into the cafeteria, he makes a beeline
for the fried shrimp."
(To) make a bundle:
To make a lot of money (one time). "I made a bundle when I sold my Microsoft stock
last month."
(To) make a pass at someone:
To make romantic advances. To "hit on". ex. "Karl was fired because he made a pass
at his co-worker Fiona."
No laughing matter:
A very serious matter. ex. "Hey, why are you smiling? This is no laughing matter!"
(To) not be born yesterday:
To be experienced, knowledgeable. ex. "Of course I know that trick! I wasn't born
yesterday."
(To) nip something in the bud:
To end something at an early stage.
neck and neck:
Very close (almost even), as in a race. "The two candidates were running neck and
neck a month before the election."
neck of the woods:
Area. Part of a country. ex. "What's happening in your neck of the woods?"
(To) need a hand:
To need help.
Neither here nor there:
Not relevant. ex. All of a sudden he sta rted talking about his car - a topic which was
neither here nor there.
Nest egg:
Saved money.
Never mind:
Don't worry about it. ex. "Did you pick up my photos? Never mind, I'll do it myself
tomorrow."
No picnic:
Not easy. Very difficult and problematic. ex. "Let me tell you, driving in that
snowstorm was no picnic."
No sweat:
No problem.
No wonder:
It's not surprising. ex. "He only slept for two hours last night? No wonder he's so
tired."
Not much of:
Pretty bad. ex. "He's not much of a cook, but at least he tries."
Now and then:
Occasionally.
Odd man out:
An unusual or atypical person (or thing). ex. "In a high school where everyone was
tough, I was the odd man out."
Off-color:
Rude. Vulgar.
Off-duty:
Not working at one's job. ex. "the policeman couldn't help me because he was off-
duty."
Off the air:
No longer on TV (or the radio). ex. "They took that show off the air in November
because nobody watched it."
Off the record:
Unofficially.
Off the top of one's head:
Spontaneously. Without thinking too much. "How many cafes are there in this town?
Off the top of my head I can think of about 6."
On one's mind:
Occupying someone's thoughts. Being thought about. ex. "You were always on my
mind."
On second thought:
Having given something more thought. ex. "On second thought, maybe you should
sell your house and move into an apartment."
Once in a while:
Occasionally.
Out cold:
Unconscious. ex. "The boxer was out cold."
On the go:
Busy. Moving around busily. ex. "Jim is always on the go. He can never find time to
talk to me."
On the house:
Something that is given away free by a merchant. "How much for the apple? Don't
worry - It's one the house!"
On the tip of one's tongue:
About to be said. Almost remembered.
On the wagon:
Not drinking alcohol. ex. "Hey let's go out for a couple of beers tonight. I can't - I'm
on the wagon."
Other side of the tracks
The poorer pa rt of a town.
(To) pass the buck:
To blame someone else.
(To) pay an arm and a leg/ pay a fortune:
To pay a lot of money. ex. "I hate to have to pay an arm and a leg for a tank of gas."
(To) pitch in:
To help with something (especially financially). ex. "Let's all pitch in and buy him a
nice present."
(To) pick up the tab:
To pay a bill. ex. "John, you picked up the tab last time - Let me pay this time."
(To) play something by ear:
To improvise. To see how things go and make a decision later. ex. "What do you
want to do tonight? I don't know, let's just play it by ear."
(To) play it safe:
To act or be safe. To do something safely.
(To) play the field:
To date many different people instead of going steady. "After Mary broke up with
Jim, she start ed playing the field."
(To) pull someone's leg:
To kid, play a joke on someone.
(To) promise someone the moon:
To promise someone lots of extravagant things (unrealistically). ex. "He promised
her the moon, but couldn't deliver on any of his promises."
(To) push one's luck:
To expect continued good fortune.
(To) play second fiddle to someone:
To be second in importance t o someone. ex. "Sam didn't join the team because they
already had a star and Sam didn't wanted to play second fiddle to anyone."
Pressed for time:
In a hurry.
(To) pull a fast one:
To cheat or to deceive.
(To) put up a good fight:
To try very hard. ex. "Well, although my team lost, they put up a good fight, so I'm
not upset."
Peeping Tom
Someone who looks through people's windows.
Quick study:
Someone who is able to memorize or learn something quickly and easily.
Quite a few:
Many. ex. "There were quite a few people at the concert yesterday."
Quite a bit:
A lot.
(As) quiet as a mouse:
Very quiet.
Quick on the uptake:
Quick to understand.
Quick and dirty:
Fast and simple, not very sophisticated.
To) rack one's brain:
To try very hard to think of something. ex. "I racked my brain but I couldn't
remember his name."
(To) rain cats and dogs:
To rain very hard. ex. "It was raining cats and dogs last night."
Rain or shine:
No matter what the weather is like.
(To) read between the lines:
To try to understand what is meant by something that is not written/said clearly.
"Linda tried to be cheerful and said she was oka y, but reading between the lines, I
could see she was really upset."
Right off the bat:
Right away. Immediately. First thing.
(To) risk one's neck (to do something):
To risk (sometimes physical) harm to accomplish something. ex. "He's always been
very mean to me. I don't plan to risk my neck to save his job."
(To) run in the family:
To happen/ occur often in the family (through generations). ex. "Frank is always so
angry. Yeah, his bad temper runs in the family."
(To) rub someone the wrong wa y:
To irritate someone. ex. "I'm not going out if your cousin is going. She really rubs
me the wrong way."
(To) rob the cradle:
To go out with (or marry) someone who is much younger than you are. ex. "Victor's
new wife is 25 y ea rs younger than him. Talk about robbing the cradle!"
(To) read between the lines:
To try to understand what is meant by something that is not written/said clearly.
"Linda tried to be cheerful and said she was oka y, but reading between the lines, I
could see she was really upset."
(To) raise (some) eyebrows:
To shock. ex."The art show raised some eyebrows due to its explicit content."
(To) run a fever:
To have a fever.
(To) rock the boat:
To disturb an otherwise stable situation.
(To) rub elbows with someone:
To associate with someone. ex. "When her singing career took off, Kathleen was able
to rub elbows with the rich and famous."
(To) ring in the new year:
To celebrate the beginning of the New Year at midnight on December 31st.
Safe and sound:
Safe. Unharmed. ex. "It was a rough trip but we got there safe and sound."
(To) save money for a rainy day:
To reserve something for some future need. ex. "I've saved a little money for a rainy
day."
(To) save the day:
To produce good results when bad results are expected. ex. "Colin saved the day by
remembering to bring the map."
(To) scratch the surfa ce:
To begin finding out about something.
Second nature (to someone):
Easy and natural. "Scoring goals is second nature to him."
(To) see eye to eye on something:
To have a similar opinion on something. ex. "Despite their differences, the two
candidates in fact see eye to eye on most issues."
(To) see the writing on the wall:
To see that something is going to happen.
(To) serve someone right:
To serve a s appropriate punishment for someone. ex. "They put him in jail for 5
years? Serves him right!"
(To) set foot somewhere:
To go or enter somewhere. ex. "If I were you I wouldn't set foot in that town."
(To) set one's sights on something:
To select something as one's goal.
(A) shot in the arm:
A boost. "The good financial news was a real shot in the arm for Steve's company."
(To) sit on one's hands
To do nothing.
(To) sit tight:
To wait (patiently). ex. "Sit tight, your mother will be here soon."
Skeleton in the closet:
A shocking/ disturbing secret.
(To) sleep on something:
To think about something overnight. ex. "I'm not sure if I want to buy this car. I
think I should sleep on it."
Take it or leave it:
To accept it the way it is or to forget it. ex. "That's my final offer. Take it or leave it."
(To) take something/ someone for granted:
To accept something/ someone (without gratitude) as a matter of course. ex. "We
tend to take a lot of things for granted."
(To) take something lying down:
To endure something unpleasant without fighting back. ex. "I'm not going to take
this type of treatment lying down!"
(To) take something with a grain of salt:
Not to take something that someone says too seriously.
(To) take someone under one's wing:
To protect (and teach) someone. ex. "Arthur t ook the new employee under his wing
and taught him everything he knew."
(To) throw someone for a loop:
To confuse or shock someone. ex. "His last comment really threw me for a loop... I
had no idea what he meant!"
(To) tie the knot:
To get married.
(To) tighten one's belt
To spend less money. ex. "After Becky lost her job, we really had to tighten our belts
for a while."
Tongue in cheek:
Joking. ex. "Quentin made a t ongue-in-cheek remark to his dad."
To take it's toll:
To cause damage (or loss). "The long hours he puts in at work have begun to take
their toll on his health."
True to one's word:
Keeping one's promise. ex. "I wa sn't sure he would pay me, but he turned out to be
true to his word."
(To) try someone's patience
To do something annoying that may cause someone to lose patience.
(To) turn a blind eye to something:
To ignore something and pretend you did not see it. ex. "The usher turned a blind
eye to the boy who snuck into the theat er."
(To) take it:
To endure trouble, criticism, or abuse. ex. "Say whatever you want about me, I can
take it."
Take it easy!
Relax!
Wait-and-see attitude:
A skeptical attitude. An attitude where someone will just wait and see what happens.
(To) wait on someone hand and foot:
To serve someone very well. To do anything someone asks you. ex. "I don't mind
making you coffee, but don't e xpect me to wait on you hand and foot!"
(To) wash one's hands of someone/something:
To end one's association with someone or something. ex. "I washed my hands of
Tom. I wanted nothing more to do with him."
(To) waste one's breath:
To talk in vain. To waste one's time talking.
(To) wear out one's welcome:
To stay too long (at an event, at someone's house, etc.) ex. "Let's only stay with
them for 2 days - I don't want us to wear out our welcome."
What makes someone tick:
What motivates someone. ex. "He's such a mysterious guy. I don't quite know what
makes him tick."
With no strings attached:
Unconditionally.
(To) work out for the best.
To work out in the best possible way. ex. "It seems bad now, but things will work out
for the best."
(To) wait tables:
To work as a waiter/ waitress in a restaurant.
Wear and tear:
Damage as a result of normal use. ex. "They put a lot of wear and tear on their truck
during their long road trip."
Well-off:
Wealthy. ex. "Her parents are well-off."
Wet blanket:
A person who discourages others from having fun.
X marks the spot:
This is the exact spot.
Compiled by: Ta riq
