The Idiom List

odds and ends Definition
= miscellaneous things. A
bunch of things that are not
related to one another.
to hit the nail on Definition
the head
= to describe exactly what is
causing a situation/problem.
to go against the Definition
grain / do
something against =to do something in a
the grain different way from how it’s
usually done. Wood has grain. wore a brown one.
When you cut wood, you
should cut it along the grain.
This is easier. If you cut it
against the grain, it’s more
difficult. This is cutting
against the grain.
that is to say Definition
= in other words
from A to Z Definition
= completely; including
everything.
I dare say Definition
= to assert; to affirm; to be
confident enough to say
something
to make a fuss Definition
about something = to get angry or complain
about something
to get/be sick of Definition
something / to = to start to dislike something
get/be tired of because you have
something seen/done/had it too much
be better off Definition
= to be in a better situation
His closet was full of odds and
ends. In it, there was a
football, a screwdriver,
magazines, socks, and toys.
A: Bob is late. His car
probably broke down.
B: You hit the nail on the
head. He phoned me 5
minutes ago and said he was
at the repair shop.
The other men wore wore a
dark-colored suits to the
ceremony. However, Peter
went against the grain and
Carl isn’t from here. That is to
say, he’s a foreigner.
The book tries to
explain everything about
English grammar, from A to
Z.
I dare say that our company
will go out of business if we
don’t find a new manager.
The old lady made a fuss
about the bus arriving
five minutes late. The
driver told her that he was
sorry.
A: Do you want to have
spaghetti tonight?
B: No. I’m sick of pasta. We
ate it yesterday. Let’s have
something else.
We were better off in our old
apartment. I wish we still
lived there.
get on (well) (with Definition A: Do you get on well with
somebody) = to have a good relationship your father?
with someone. (British B: No, sadly. We don’t speak
English) very often.
to sell like Definition Tickets for the World Cup
hotcakes = to sell quickly (usually in sold like hotcakes. All of the
large numbers). Note: a tickets were gone in only
hotcake is an (old) synonym two days.
for pancake in American
English.
the lion’s share Definition The lion’s share of the
= the best and/or largest part money the company makes
of something goes to its owners.
to fall prey to Definition The customer fell prey to
something = to become the victim of a dishonest salesman who
something. sold her a broken car for
$20,000. / Senior
citizens sometimes fall prey to
telephone scams.
pull the plug Definition Joanne decided to pull the
= to stop an activity or plan; plug on the barbeque because
to stop something from it was going to rain.
continuing
(every) now and Definition It rains every now and then in
then = once in a while; occasionally summertime. It rained two
weeks ago, and it might rain
this weekend.
back to the Definition I showed my essay to my
drawing board / = back at the starting professor, but he said the
back to square one position; back to where you topic was not acceptable. Now
began I’m back to the drawing
board. (I have to start again
with a new idea.)
to beat around the Definition The politician didn’t want to
bush = to not answer a question answer the question, so he
directly or to not talk about tried to beat around the bush.
what is important in order to He began talking about the
waste time weather.
through thick and Definition Renee promised to love her
thin = in good times and bad husomebodyand through
times thick and thin.
shame on you Definition A: Mom, I got in trouble today
= this expression is usually at school because I cheated on
said to a person (often a my test.
child) after he/she does B: Shame on you!
something shameful.
to take the plunge Definition
= to start an activity that
requires courage; (to
plungemeans to dive, so it
means to dive (into
something)
to be a real bind Definition
= to be in a difficult situation
the best of both Definition
worlds = a situation in which you can
enjoy two different things at
the same time
a hard nut to crack Definition
= something that is difficult to
solve; or a person who is hard
to understand; something
that will not easily reveal
what it is hiding
a hard pill to Definition
swallow = a difficult fact to accept
no hard and fast Definition
rules = there are no clear rules
fan the flame Definition
= to make a situation worse;
to make something more
intense. (When you fan
flames, you give air to a fire.
This won’t extinguish the fire;
it’ll make it burn more
strongly.)
find fault with Definition
= to find an error in
something; to criticize
be in hot water Definition
= to be in trouble; to be in a
situation where you are going
to be punished
After dating Marie for two
years, Greg decided to take
the plunge and ask her to
marry him.
John has to finish reading his
book and then write a report
on it tonight. But he also has
to work his part-time job until
10 p.m. He’s really in a bind.
Vancouver has beautiful
mountains for snowboarding
and skiing. It is also on the
ocean, where you can swim
and boat. It’s the best of both
worlds.
The thief refused to tell the
police the names of the
others who helped him
commit the crime. He was a
hard nut to crack.
When Ian’s boss told him that
he was fired, it was a hard pill
to swallow. He had been
working there for 20 years.
There are no hard and fast
rules about how to live a
happy life.
When Greg is angry, telling
him to calm down only fans
the flames. He’ll continue to
yell and get angrier. It’s better
to ignore him and let him
relax on his own.
The fans couldn’t find fault
with anything the football
coach had said. It was true,
unfortunately. The team
needed to improve in many
ways.
The boy’s teacher phoned his
parents to tell them that their
child had been
misomebodyehaving in

go over your head Definition
= to not be able to
understand something
because it is too
difficult/complicated for you
be in over your Definition
head = to be in a situation that is start. He opened it but he
too difficult for you to manage didn’t know how to fix it. He
to pocket an insult Definition
= to bear an insult; to take an
insult without reacting
an off day Definition
= a day on which you don’t
perform as well as you
normally do
with open arms Definition
= to
accept/greet/receive/welcome
someone warmly or with great
enthusiasm; (‘open arms’
means your arms are open,
ready to hug the other person)
a bad egg Definition
= a person who is dishonest
(or rotten)
little by little Definition
= in small increments; in little the beginning. But, little by
steps
kick the bucket Definition
= to die (informal)
bucket list Definition
= a list of things you want to
do before you kick the bucket
(= a list of things you want to
do before you die)
tie the knot Definition
= to get married
school. Now the boy was in
hot water.
Everything the teacher said
went over the students’ heads
because their English level
was too low to understand.
George’s computer wouldn’t
was in over his head, so he
took it to a computer repair
store.
Lillian pocketed the insult
from her boss because she
didn’t want to have an
argument in the meeting.
John is usually a great tennis
player. Yesterday, however, he
lost all of his matches. He
must have had an off day.
John and his parents had
many serious disagreements
when he was growing up.
Despite this, his family
welcomes him with open arms
every year when he comes
home for Christmas.
The Johnsons’ children are
well behaved except for John.
He’s the bad egg.
John didn’t like his new job in
little, John began to enjoy it.
Roger Mowatt was the oldest
man in town. When he finally
kicked the bucket, he was 103
years old. Everyone will miss
him.
Grace is 80 years old, but she
still has many things left on
her bucket list. For example,
next year she is traveling to
China to see the Great Wall.
Jack and Jill tied the knot in a
small church in the
countryside.
under the weather Definition
= to be sick/ill
bag of bones Definition
= a very thin person who
doesn’t have muscle.
The person looks like s/he
is only skin (the bag) and
bones.
make ends meet Definition
= to earn as much money as
you spend. The ‘ends’ are the
two ends of the balance sheet
– your income (earnings) and
expenses. When both ends
meet, it means they are
balanced (and so is your
budget).
put your foot in Definition
your mouth = to say something carelessly
that you later regret saying
because it was offensive, rude,
or stupid.
fit as a fiddle Definition
= to be in good physical
condition (used for people
only)
be at sea Definition
= to be lost; confused;
perplexed (the idiom means
to be lost at sea)
be caught on the Definition
wrong foot = to be in a situation you are
not prepared for
(get/have) cold feet Definition
= to suddenly become too
frightened or nervous to do
something you had planned to
do
under the weather Definition
= to feel unwell; to feel sick weather, so he stayed home
(sometimes from a hangover). from school.
Bill is feeling under the
weather, so he didn’t go to
school today.
Tim is a bag of bones. He
looks like he hasn’t eaten in
days.
It’s hard to make ends meet
when you only earn $10 an
hour.
On his date last night, John
really put his foot in his
mouth when he said that
he thought tattoos were ugly.
After he said that, his date
told him that she was a tattoo
artist.
When Jane was in college, she
was fit as a fiddle. But after
she got an office job, she
gained a lot of weight.
Without his girlfriend,
Ryan would be completely at
sea. He needs her to
stay organized and focused.
George was caught on the
wrong foot when his boss
asked him to give a speech at
the event. He hadn’t prepared
anything.
Mark got cold feet on the day
of his wedding. Suddenly
he started thinking that he
was making a big mistake.
John was feeling under the
call it a day Definition
= to decide to go home
because you have done
enough work.
Over my dead Definition
body! = This means that you will
never let something happen.
It means that you would
rather be killed than allow a
particular thing to happen. It
is a dramatic way of saying
‘Never!’
something smells Definition
fishy / sounds fishy = something sounds
suspicious / doubtful.
hot potato Definition
= an issue or situation that is
difficult to deal (literally, a hot
potato is hot and hard to hold
on to; just like a hot potato,
there are issues that are hard
to handle or manage.)
cry over spilled Definition
milk = to be upset about a situation
that you cannot change.
(literally, after you spill milk,
there is nothing you can do to
get the milk back in the jug.
You have to accept it and
clean it up.)
cross that bridge Definition
when you come to = to not deal with a particular
it problem until you have to.
every cloud has a Definition
silver lining = every bad thing that
happens to you also brings
something good.
The meeting ended at 4:45.
After, there wasn’t enough
time to do any work, so we
decided to call it a day.
A: Frank, I know you don’t
want this to happen, but one
day, I’m going to marry your
sister.
B: Over my dead body!
Yesterday, a man phoned
Walter and asked for his
credit card information. The
man said he was from his
bank. Something smelled
fishy, so Walter hung up the
phone.
The issue of gun control is a
hot potato in the United
States. Although problems
caused by guns fill the news
every day, many Americans
still believe they have the
right to carry one.
“John, don’t cry over spilled
milk. You lost the football
game yesterday. Forget about
it and let’s move on.”
A: Jane, have you told your
husomebodyand that you
don’t want to celebrate
Christmas with his parents?
B: Not yet. It’s only
September now though. I
don’t want to make him upset.
We’ll cross that bridge when
we come to it in a few months.
Ryan broke his leg last month.
However, while in the
hospital, he met a nurse who
is now his girlfriend. I guess
every cloud has a silver lining.
a slip of the tongue Definition
= an accidental or small
mistake in speaking.
to be on cloud nine Definition
= to be very happy.
to throw in the Definition
towel = to quit; to give up. (note:
this idiom was taken from
boxing. When a fighter
was losing badly, his manager
would throw a towel in the
ring. This towel was like a flag
which showed the referee that
the fighter admitted defeat.
a wolf in sheep’s Definition
clothing = someone who is dangerous
(e.g. a wolf) but appears
harmless (e.g. looks like a
sheep).
wild-goose chase Definition
= a hunt for something you
can never find.
hold your horses Definition
= to hold on / to slow down /
to stop for a moment.
burning question Definition
= an urgent question; a
question that must be
answered immediately.
small talk Definition
= a short conversation about
light topics such as the
weather, your health, etc.
Examples (How are you? It’s
sunny today, isn’t it? How was
your weekend?)
John accidentally called his
girlfriend “Victoria,” which
was the name of his ex-
girlfriend. His girlfriend
didn’t appreciate this slip of
the tongue.
Lisa was on cloud nine when
she learned that she had been
accepted into Harvard
University. She had been
dreaming of this for many
years.
Ben tried to fix his washing
machine yesterday. After
working on it for four hours
without success, he decided to
throw in the towel and call a
professional repairman.
Alan was a wolf in sheep’s
clothing. He appears
charming, but he uses his
charm to steal money from
others.
The police were on a wild-
goose chase; the man they
were looking for didn’t exist.
A: Bye Mom. I’m going
outside to play.
B: Hold your horses! First,
put on a jacket. Then you can
go outside.
The doctor told his patient
that he could phone him if he
had a burning question.
Otherwise, he would see him
in two weeks for their next
appointment.
John makes small talk with
his workmates when he meets
them in the elevator.
The Idiom List
ring a bell A: Do you know April O’Neil?
B: Hmm. Maybe. That name
rings a bell.
on the one hand / on the On the one hand, Peter’s
other hand roommate is kind. On the other
hand, he’s quite messy.
have/keep an open mind I tried to keep an open mind
about Allan even though I’d
heard some bad things about
him.
on the tip of your tongue His name was on the tip of my
tongue… but I couldn’t
remember it.
a hangover (noun) / Tyler was too hung-over from
hung-over (adj) last night’s party to go to work.
~ish Let’s meet around 4ish.
fed up I’m fed up with my neighbour’s
dog.
Big deal! It takes you 15 minutes to walk
to school? Big deal!
Give somebody a hand My dad gave me a hand with
my homework.
let the cat out of the bag It was going to be a surprise
party, until Todd let the cat out
of the bag.
Definition
= is familiar to you but you
can’t remember where you
heard it
Definition
= (expression used to when
considering the advantages
and disadvantages of
something)
Definition
= be open minded
Definition
= used to say you
are almost able to remember
something, but you can’t
Definition
= unwell from drinking too
much alcohol on the previous
day
Definition
= used to make something
more vague and less exact
Definition
= so angry that you can no
longer tolerate any more of
something
Definition
= a sarcastic expression
meaning that something is
actually NOT a big deal.
Definition
= helped you
Definition

give it a shot If you think you can make the
team, then give it a shot.
No way! A: George, I’m pregnant.
B: No way!
The more the merrier. A: Can I invite my brother?
B: Sure. The more the merrier.
give it your all Even though I lost the race, I
gave it my all.
first-hand I saw the accident happen,
first-hand.
a dead end Let’s not take this path. It leads Definition
to a dead end.
time flies Time flies when you’re having
fun.
pull somebody’s leg “You have 6 brothers? You’re
pulling my leg!”
have something on your When Dana has something on
mind her mind, she likes to go for a
long walk by herself.
keep track I use my watch to keep track of
time.
from scratch My aunt made the cake from
scratch.
off the top of your head He asked me to tell him a joke,
but I couldn’t think of one off
the top of my head.
= told the secret so other
people found out too early
Definition
= give it a try
Definition
= similar to “that can’t be
possible!” / “I don’t believe
you!”
Definition
= used to say that the more of
something there is, the better
it will be.
Definition
= tried your hardest
Definition
= you experienced it
personally
= a place with only an end
Definition
= time passes quickly
Definition
= same as “You’re joking!”
Definition
= to have a certain topic in
your thoughts
Definition
= to monitor the time
Definition
= from nothing (without any
already-prepared materials)
Definition
= using only the ideas you

learn your lesson The boy learned his lesson.
He’ll never play with fire again.
keep/bear in mind The professor told his students
to keep in mind that they only
have 50 minutes to complete
the test.
speak your mind Timmy was afraid to speak his
mind in front of his
schoolmates.
Just my luck! It rained on my only day off.
Just my luck!
There’s nothing to it. Why don’t you make a simple
website for your business?
There’s nothing to it.
get out of hand The house party got out of
hand, so we had to call the
police.
cut a long story short To cut a long story short, Lisa
and I have had some
interesting experiences
together.
a piece of cake The test was a piece of cake. I
finished it in 20 minutes.
break the ice At the start of the meeting,
Mike tried to break the ice by
telling a joke.
have in your head at that
moment
Definition
= to learn something
important about life from
making a mistake/doing
something wrong
Definition
= not forget; remember
Definition
= say what you honestly feel
Definition
= expression used when
something unlucky happens
to you. It implies that unlucky
things happen to you,
thus your luck is bad luck
Definition
= it’s very easy; it’s a piece of
cake
Definition
= got out of control
Definition
= to make a long story shorter
so it takes less time to say
Definition
= very easy
Definition
= to initiate social
interaction/conversation.
(Note: the ‘ice’ is that cold
feeling when no one is talking
or people don’t know each
other. You break the ice by
beginning to speak or starting
an activity (e.g. telling a joke,
or doing a warm-up activity))
go out of your way to do I went out of my way to help Definition
something Jenny find an apartment, and
she didn’t even say thanks! = to take extra time to make
an additional effort to do
something
cross your mind The thought never even crossed Definition
my mind.
= to think about something;
to consider something
road rage I don’t like being in the car with Definition
Gary. He has difficulty
controlling his road rage. = extreme anger when
driving
go on about The old man went on about his Definition
school days for nearly an hour.
= to speak for too long about
something uninteresting
slip your mind I was going to return the library Definition
books today after work, but the
thought slipped my mind. = used to say you forgot to do
something
have/throw a fit The baby threw a fit when I Definition
took his toy away.
= to get angry and begin
acting like an angry child
The ball is in your court The ball is in their court now. Definition
Let’s wait for their decision.
= used to say that YOU now
have control of the situation
make your day Finding a fifty-dollar bill on the Definition
ground made my day.
= used to say that something
made your day special (and
great).
a rip off / to rip Six dollars for a cup of coffee?! Definition
somebody off What a rip off!
= something very over-priced
get a kick out of I get a kick out of reading Definition
something science fiction novels.
= to get enjoyment from
something
catch somebody’s eye The bright advertisement Definition
caught my eye.
= to grab somebody’s
attention and make them
look at something
jump the gun I jumped the gun and asked
Gail to marry me. She said she
wasn’t sure what to say.
give somebody a piece of The angry worker gave his boss
your mind a piece of his mind.
cross your fingers Kate crossed her fingers and
hoped it wouldn’t rain on her
wedding day.
cost (somebody) an arm The designer handbag cost her
and a leg an arm and a leg.
be in hot water Ken was in hot water about
forgetting his wedding
anniversary.
in a bind Susan is really in a bind. She
has two essays due tomorrow
and she hasn’t started either of
them.
an eye-opener The film on global warming
was a real eye-opener for Tom.
let off steam Ted plays squash when he
needs to let off steam.
read between the lines You can figure out the author’s Definition
opinion by reading between the
lines.
go all out We went all out and booked a
five-star hotel for our trip.
out of line Mark’s comment was out of
line. He shouldn’t have said
that to a client.
Definition
= to do something too soon.
Definition
= to speak angrily to
somebody about something
bad they have done
Definition
= (Westerners cross their
fingers when they want good
luck)
Definition
= to cost a LOT of money
Definition
= to be in trouble
Definition
= in a difficult situation;
stuck in a difficult situation
Definition
= something that makes you
see or think about something
differently from then on
Definition
= to release anger and
frustration
= to find the hidden meaning
in something that is written
or said
Definition
= to use all of your energy or
resources (e.g. money in the
above example) to do
something
Definition
= inappropriate; not in
accordance with how
 somebody is supposed to
behave
be on somebody’s back My manager is on my back Definition
about being at work on time.
= to persistently urge
somebody to do (or not to do)
something
would not be I wouldn’t be seen dead Definition
seen/caught dead wearing an ugly dress like that.
= used to say that you would
NEVER do something
have mixed feelings Larry has mixed feelings about Definition
his new job.
= to be unsure about
something
draw a blank When asked for her postal Definition
code, Amy drew a blank.
= to be unable to remember
anything
You name it. A: Daddy, can I have anything Definition
on the menu?
B: Sure. You name it, you got it. = synonym of ‘whatever you
want’; anything
know your stuff Jim has been a mechanic for 20 Definition
years. He really knows his stuff.
= to know something well
left, right and centre Businesses were closing in Definition
town left, right and centre.
a change of heart After seeing a mouse on the Definition
floor, I had a change of heart
about eating at the restaurant. = a change of feeling; used to
say you changed your mind
about something
a long haul Peter told his boss that he Definition
wouldn’t quit. He’s in it for the
long haul. = the long road; the option
that takes the most time
be man enough George was the only one man Definition
enough to admit he had made a
mistake. = strong enough in character,
or strong enough as a man
be second to none The apple pie at this restaurant Definition
is second to none.
= the best
know/learn the ropes It took me a month to learn the Definition
ropes at my new job.

a breath of fresh air The new employee, Gail, is a
breath of fresh air in the office.
get your act together The coach told me that if I
didn’t get my act together, I’d
be kicked off the team.
set your heart on Eric has his heart set on
something participating in the Olympics.
take Keith took it for granted that
somebody/something his girlfriend would always stay
for granted with him. Then, one day, she
was gone.
play it by ear A: How long will you stay in
Australia?
B: I’m not sure. I’m just going
to play it by ear.
put all your eggs in one Greg invested his money in a
basket few different areas. He didn’t
want to put all his eggs in one
basket.
Birds of a feather (flock A: It’s funny that all of Kate’s
together) friends are attractive.
B: So is she. I guess birds of a
feather flock together.
have second thoughts I’m starting to have second
thoughts about my new
apartment.
pay the price for Don’t touch my stuff. If you do,
something you’ll pay the price.
a basket case Darryl’s ex-wife is a total basket Definition
case.
= the process of learning
about something so you are
comfortable with it
Definition
= something new that adds
life and energy to a situation
Definition
= start behaving properly
Definition
= to be firmly resolved to do
something
Definition
= to assume too confidently
that you’ll have something in
the future or forever
Definition
= to improvise; to not make a
plan but decide what to do as
you do it
Definition
= to put all of something you
have in the same area (note:
generally viewed as a bad
thing to do)
Definition
= similar people tend to
spend time with each other.
Definition
= to have doubts
Definition
= to suffer as a consequence
of doing something
= a crazy person; a nut
on the dot We arrived at 8 o’clock on the Definition
dot.
= exactly
not have a clue I don’t have a clue where Definition
Nunavut is.
= to have no idea or
absolutely no knowledge
(about something)
have a shot at Our team has a shot at winning Definition
the championship.
= has a chance
the word spread It took only an hour for word to Definition
spread around the office that
John had been fired. = for some news to spread
(“the word” = some news)
safe and sound I arrived home from my trip Definition
safe and sound.
= safe
be a pain (in the neck) My brother is a real pain in the Definition
neck sometimes.
= to be annoying/irritating
be in the same boat The governments of Portugal Definition
and Greece are in the same
boat. They both need financial = to be in the same situation
assistance.
be/feel at home After two years, James felt at Definition
home in Prague.
= to feel comfortable, as if
you were in your home or
hometown
be in somebody’s good Ryan is not in his father’s good Definition
books books right now because he
scratched his car. = to be on someone’s good
side; to be thought of as
someone’s friend or ally
get out of bed on the I’d avoid talking with Bob Definition
wrong side today. He must’ve got out of
bed on the wrong side. = to wake up in a bad mood
up-and-coming Roger is an up-and-coming Definition
hockey player from Toronto.
= young and rising to the top;
new and becoming successful
get into gear You’d better get into gear or Definition
you’ll be late.
= hurry up; start moving at a
faster speed
out of the blue One day, out of the blue, I Definition
received a letter from my
former schoolmate. = unscheduled; without
previous warning
set the record straight In a TV interview, the politician Definition
set the record straight about his
experiences in the military. = to clarify what is
true/factual about a story or
thing
keep an eye on The security guard kept an eye Definition
on the suspicious man.
= watch closely; monitor
a grey area Because of a grey area in his job Definition
description, Peter was not
exactly sure what all of his = a vague area; an unclear
responsibilities were. area; an area that is neither
black nor white
get/let somebody off the Luckily for her, the policeman Definition
hook let Jane off the hook for
parking her car in a no-parking = to let someone go free
zone. instead of holding them
responsible for something
bad
out of sight, out of mind. Jim was happy when his ex- Definition
girlfriend moved out of his
apartment — out of sight, out of = this means that if you do
mind. not see someone regularly,
you will stop thinking about
them.
give somebody the cold Ted gave his ex-girlfriend the Definition
shoulder cold shoulder when he saw her
at the party. = to ignore somebody
The ins and outs It took Alan a year to learn all Definition
the ins and outs of his job.
= to know all aspects of
something; to know
completely how something
works
line of work The fireman said that injuries Definition
were common in his line of
work. = job field; type of work
make do I forgot to buy groceries so I Definition
had to make do with what was
left in the fridge. = to survive/get by with what
you have at that moment
get something off your A: Keith, there’s something I Definition
chest need to get off my chest.
 B: What’s bothering you? Tell
me. = to say something serious or
difficult that you have been
thinking about for a while.
know something like the Takeshi knows the streets of Definition
back of your hand Kyoto like the back of his hand.
= to be very familiar with
something
in the bag After scoring their fourth goal, Definition
the victory was in the bag.
= certain to be
secured/obtained;
be on the ball Greg isn’t on the ball today. He Definition
keeps making silly mistakes.
= to be thinking well and
reacting quickly
off and on / on and off Tara and Mike have been Definition
seeing each other off and on for
a year now. = intermittently
for the time being I plan to move into my own Definition
apartment in September. For
the time being, I’m staying with = just for the present moment
friend Doug.
burn your bridges Jack tried to be kind to his boss Definition
when he quit in job because he
didn’t want to burn his bridges. = ruin a relationship,
resulting in you being unable
to return somewhere
get/be given the sack / Alan got the sack for repeatedly Definition
sack (verb) coming into work late.
= to be fired
on the back burner The project was put on the back Definition
burner while the company
focused on a more immediate = set as a lower priority
problem.
get cold feet It’s normal to get cold feet Definition
before your wedding day.
= to become
nervous/frightened right
before something you had
planned to do
hit rock bottom After being fired and then Definition
kicked out of his apartment,
Jake really hit rock bottom. = to be in the lowest
situation, e.g. without money
or friends. to be in the
 unhappiest situation of your
life
talk shop Everyone agreed not to talk Definition
shop at the staff party.
= to talk about work-related
things
start/get the ball rolling It’s time we start the ball rolling Definition
on the new project.
= to take the first step to
begin a process
get your foot in the door Janice took a position as an Definition
administrative assistant to get
her foot in the door at the = to complete the first step
famous fashion company. towards achieving an
opportunity
well-off / well-to-do Lloyd comes from a well-to-do Definition
family. His friends often ask to
borrow money from him. = rich; wealthy
pull your weight Lisa had to work extra hard Definition
because a few members of the
team weren’t pulling their = to do your share of the
weight. work; to contribute your
share of effort
a gut feeling I have a gut feeling that Definition
something bad is going to
happen today. = an intuitive feeling
if need be If need be, we can take a taxi Definition
home.
= If necessary,..
in the middle of Their car broke down in the Definition
nowhere middle of nowhere.
= in a place far away from
anywhere known to you
go with the flow Jake didn’t want to go to Definition
another bar, but everyone else
did, so he went with the flow. = to let yourself to be guided
by the choices of others
play your cards right If Linda plays her cards right, Definition
she could be the department
manager by next year. = make the appropriate
moves/choices
follow in somebody’s Bill chose to follow in his Definition
footsteps father’s footsteps and become a
dentist. = follow someone else’s path
have your heart set on Alan has his heart set on
something participating in the 2020
Olympics.
You can say that again! A: I met your boss today. He’s a Definition
real jerk.
B: You can say that again!
I’m all ears A: Doug, I’ve discovered the
meaning of life.
B: Really? I’m all ears.
small talk After some small talk, the
interview began.
put something on hold Greg had to put his weekend
plans on hold and go into the
office on Saturday for a few
hours.
common ground The two boys had some
common ground: they both
loved football.
politically (in)correct Marcel told a politically
incorrect joke at the company
party. No one laughed.
have had it up to here “I’ve had it up to here with this
mess! Clean your room now!”
have your work cut out If we want to finish this by
Friday, then we’ve really got
our work cut out for us.
get the picture A: The fight was horrible. One
man kept punching the other
again and again and again–
B: OK. That’s enough. I get the
picture.
Definition
= to be firmly resolved to do
something
= expression that means that
you definitely agree with
what was just said.
Definition
= I’m listening intently.
Definition
= discussion about light
topics such as the weather
Definition
= to postpone something
Definition
= something held in
common; a common interest
or trait
Definition
= politically correct = worded
in a sensitive way that will
not harm the audience
Definition
= I’m fed up; I’ve had
enough; something said when
you cannot handle anymore
of something that is
aggravating you
Definition
= expression that means you
have a lot of work to do in
little time
Definition
= to understand what is being
illustrated or explained
see eye to eye Mike and his father don’t see
eye to eye on the issue of
abortion.
call it a day It’s already 6 pm. Let’s call it a
day.
twist somebody’s arm I really had to twist my sister’s
arm to get her to pick me up
from the airport.
bring something to light The report brought some
previously unknown facts to
light about the causes of
cancer.
be in the dark / keep Most of the employees were
somebody in the dark kept in the dark about the
merger until the last minute.
go up in smoke After breaking his leg, Darryl’s
dream to play professional
hockey went up in smoke.
go downhill After his wife divorced him,
Victor’s life really went
downhill.
at your fingertips With the World Wide Web,
people have a vast amount of
information at their fingertips.
poke fun at The kids poked fun at George
because he was wearing his t-
shirt backwards.
Easier said than done. A: You should get a girlfriend
who’s beautiful AND kind.
B: Easier said than done.
Definition
= to agree on something; to
have the same views on
something
Definition
= expression said near the
end of a day which means
“That’s enough for today.
Let’s end and go home.”
Definition
= to make a great effort to
convince somebody to do
something for you
Definition
= to make something
previously unknown become
known
Definition
= to be uninformed; to not be
told know what’s happening
Definition
= to be wasted; to become
impossible; when the chances
of something happening burn
away
Definition
= decline; become worse
Definition
= directly accessible
Definition
= to make fun of somebody
Definition
= expression that means that
something is much easier to
SAY than actually
accomplish.
the bottom line A: Doctor, what’s the bottom
line?
B: If you don’t quit smoking,
you’ll die within a year.
call the shots The boss told Janet to call the
shots while he was away.
know/learn something Hank knows every Elvis song
by heart by heart.
get a move on If we don’t get a move on, we’ll
miss the bus.
miss the point “You missed the point. The Definition
book was about the problems of
capitalism, not how to make = to fail to grasp the most
money.” important part of something
hold/stand your ground Although their enemy
outnumbered them, the
soldiers stood their ground.
be child’s play The tennis match was child’s
play for Ben.
be only a matter of time The scientist said it’s only a
matter of time before a big
earthquake hits California.
push your luck A: Dad, can I have another ice
cream cone?
B: Don’t push your luck, kid.
raise (a few) eyebrows Francine’s short skirt raised a
few eyebrows.
a matter of opinion The best restaurant in Europe
is, of course, a matter of
opinion.
be that as it may A: Tyler is such a selfish guy.
B: Be that as it may, he’s your
brother. You have to love him.
Definition
= the final result
Definition
= to make the decisions
Definition
= to memorize something
Definition
= to start moving; to start
going
Definition
= to stay in your position
without running away.
Definition
= a piece of cake; something
so easy a child could do it
Definition
= used to say that something
will inevitably happen
(sooner or later)
Definition
= to expect continued good
fortune
Definition
= to make people slightly
shocked or surprised
Definition
= something that is subjective
Definition
= expression that means
 “even though that is true” /
“even so, ..”
if/when push comes to If push comes to shove, I’ll be Definition
shove here to support you.
= if/when the situation
becomes difficult/intense
against your better Against his better judgement, Definition
judgement Jim let his friend drive home
drunk. = something you did even
though, at that time, you
thought it was wrong thing to
do
add insult to injury To add insult to injury, Greg’s Definition
wife left him for his best friend.
= to make an insulting
situation even worse
the last straw When the boss told me to come Definition
in to work on Saturday, that
was the last straw. = the final thing that causes
something to collapse or
somebody to lose their
temper/get angry
be up in the air Jim’s vacation plans were still Definition
up in the air.
= for something to be
undecided; undetermined
not have the I don’t have the faintest idea Definition
faintest/foggiest idea where Wollongong is.
= to not know something at
all
the icing on the cake Paula enjoyed the concert, and Definition
getting to meet the artist
backstage after the show was = an additional thing that
the icing on the cake. makes something good
become great
get/jump/leap on the Janet doesn’t normally watch Definition
bandwagon hockey but she jumped on the
bandwagon because her city’s = to join the crowd; to do
team was in the playoffs. what most other people are
doing
the fine/small print My father reads the fine print Definition
on every contract he signs.
= the information typed in a
smaller font, usually on a
contract
stuck/be in a rut The singer was stuck in a rut. Definition
All of her recent songs sounded
the same. = to be in a situation in which
you cannot make any
progress
run-of-the-mill Kate is a waitress at a run-of- Definition
the-mill bar and restaurant in
London. = typical
face the music Tina knew that one day her Definition
parents would see her tattoo
and then she’d have to face the = to take responsibility for
music. what you have done
to keep Bodyguards kept the reporters Definition
something/somebody at at bay while the movie stars
bay entered the theatre. = to keep a threat away from
coming too near
be up in arms People were up in arms Definition
[about/over] the government’s
plan to raise the retirement = in an uproar; very angry
age.
bite your tongue Jack bit his tongue while his Definition
manager criticized his
performance. = to refrain from saying
something because you don’t
think it would be a good idea
leave a lot to be desired The design of our office Definition
building leaves a lot to be
desired. = is unsatisfactory
off the beaten track Mike and Mary had dinner a Definition
quiet restaurant off the beaten
track in Paris. = away from the area most
people visit/go
pick somebody’s brains Mike is a marketing genius. Definition
People often invite him to
lunch or dinner so they can = to ask someone many
pick his brains. questions so you can learn
from him/her
whet your appetite The 30-second trailer was Definition
designed to whet people’s
appetites. = to make people want more;
to stimulate your appetite so
you desire more
sour grapes A: People with nice cars just Definition
want attention.
B: That sounds like sour grapes = expression that means
because you can’t afford one. something was said out of
jealousy
a blessing in disguise Losing his job turned out to be Definition
a blessing in disguise.
Afterward, Roger found his = a good thing that first
dream job. appears as a bad thing
give somebody the I told the teacher that it wasn’t Definition
benefit of the doubt me who broke the window.
Thankfully, he gave me the = to choose to believe
benefit of the doubt. something good about
somebody instead of
believing something bad
(when you have the choice to
believe either)
jog somebody’s memory Jeff said he couldn’t remember Definition
the song’s lyrics, but hearing
the first few words jogged his = to make somebody
memory. remember something
foot the bill George agreed to foot the bill Definition
for dinner.
= to pay the bill for
something
have it in for somebody A: Why are you hiding from Definition
your brother?
B: He has it in for me. He = to be very angry at
knows I lost his football. somebody
be in the red The company has been in the Definition
red since September.
= at a deficit; running at a
loss; losing money
get/catch wind of Once the school principal Definition
something caught wind of the problem,
she called a teachers’ meeting. = to learn about some news;
a rule of thumb As a rule of thumb, I don’t eat Definition
food that smells bad.
= a personal principle
be on the same The group members were all on Definition
wavelength the same wavelength, so they
were able to finish their project = to think in a similar way to
quickly. others
up to speed After her holiday, it took Kate a Definition
few hours to get back up to
speed on the recent = to be updated; to not be
developments in her company. behind; to have all the
current information
play devil’s advocate Although Jim is against the Definition
death penalty, he told his friend
he was for it just to play devil’s = to argue against somebody
advocate.
 just so you can hear your
opponent’s reasoning
bend/lean over Lisa bent over backwards to get Definition
backwards her brother a job in her
company, so she was surprised = to make a great effort to do
to learn he quit today. something or help somebody
pass the buck The politician passed the buck Definition
onto someone else instead of
accepting responsibility for the = to pass blame onto
problem. somebody else
take the plunge Jerry has finally decided to take Definition
the plunge. Tomorrow he’s
going to start looking for an = begin an
office job. important/difficult task that
you’ve been thinking about
for a long time (note: to
plunge is into dive into
something)
call somebody’s bluff When Mike heard his friend say Definition
she knew all of the world’s
capitals, he called her bluff and = to make somebody prove
asked her to name the capital of that what they are saying is
Mozambique. true
have a chip on your Tim has had a chip on his Definition
shoulder shoulder about businesswomen
since he lost his job to a woman = to have anger about
three years ago. something that happened in
the past
breathe down Jim found it hard to focus on Definition
somebody’s neck his work with his boss
breathing down his neck. = to watch somebody very
closely (often in an annoying
way)
climb to the top of the Having children can be an Definition
career/corporate ladder obstacle for women who want
to climb (to the top of) the = to advance in a company by
corporate ladder. being promoted to the top
red tape Mark’s visa application was Definition
held up for six months because
of red tape. = rules and regulations that
prevent you from achieving
something easily
give somebody free rein When his father died, Mark was Definition
given free rein to do whatever
he liked with the family = to give somebody full
business. control of something
the be-all-and-end-all Getting into Harvard Law Definition
School became the be-all-and-
end-all of Tony’s existence. = the only thing that matters;
something so good that it will
end the search for something
better
blow something out of The media blew the story out of Definition
proportion proportion.
= exaggerate something; to
make something seem much
more significant that it really
is
bury the hatchet Susan and Mike agreed that it Definition
was time to bury the hatchet.
They apologized and decided to = to stop fighting and
be friends again. become friendly. (A hatchet is
a small axe.)