English Tongue 3

(1) dip into sth - to spend part of a supply of money that you have been keeping or saving.
eg: I've had to dip into my savings to pay for the repairs.
(2) fall flat - If a joke, idea or suggestion falls flat, it does not have the intended effect.
eg: He made several jokes and each of them fell flat.
(3) three minutes/half an hour, etc. flat - exactly three minutes/half an hour, etc.
eg: We managed to get to the station in five minutes flat.
(4) that's final - used to show that you are certain you will not change your decision about something.
eg: It's no use begging me - I'm not coming and that's final.
(5) be plain sailing ( also be smooth sailing) - to be easy and without problems.
eg: The roads were busy as we drove out of town, but after that it was plain sailing.
(6) do the trick - If something does the trick, it has the necessary or desired effect.
eg: This sauce needs a bit of flavour - I know, some lemon juice should/ought to do the trick.
I don’t know what it was that did the trick, but I am definitely feeling much better.
(7) the fruit/fruits of sth - the pleasant or successful result of work or actions.
eg: This book is the fruit of 15 years' research.
It's been hard work, but now the business is running smoothly you can sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labours.
(8) down the road/line/track - in the future.
eg: We have an idea to develop a talking book, but a marketable product is a long way down the road.
(9) get sth wrong - to make a mistake in the way you answer or understand something.
eg: I spent hours doing that calculation and I still got the answer wrong.
You've got it all wrong - it was your boss that she was annoyed with and not you!
(10) the here and now - the present time.
eg: Most people can't be bothered thinking about their retirement - they're too busy concentrating on the here and now.

(11) hold sway - to have power or a very strong influence.
eg: Fundamentalist beliefs hold sway over whole districts, ensuring the popularity of religious leaders.
(12) grist to the mill / grist for someone's mill - anything that can be used to your advantage.
eg: I might as well learn another language, it's all grist to the mill when it comes to getting a job.
(13) hang sth up - to stop using and needing something because you have given up the sport or activity it is used for.
eg: So when did you hang up your boxing gloves/golfclubs/ballet shoes?
hang sth up - to finish using sth for the last time.
eg: Ruth has hung up her dancing shoes.
(14) mash up sth - to crush something, especially food.
eg: He always mashes up his peas before he eats them.
(15) can't wait (also can hardly wait) - to be very excited about something and eager to do or experience it.
eg: I can't wait to see you.
(16) I need hardly do sth - used to say that what you are going to say is obvious.
eg: I need hardly say what a pleasure it is to introduce our speaker.
I need hardly remind you of the seriousness of the situation.
(17) as is someone's wont - in the way that someone usually does.
eg: She arrived an hour late, as is her wont.
(18) (You) mark my words! - something that you say when you tell someone about something that you are certain will happen in the future.
eg: He'll cause trouble - you mark my words!
(19) go to waste - to not be used, eaten, etc.
eg: "Go on, finish off this tart, Paul." "Well, it seems a shame to let it go to waste."
(20) be bang on - to be exactly right.
eg: What was your answer? 76? That's absolutely bang on!

(21) anyone who is/was anyone - all the most famous and important people.
eg: In those days anyone who was anyone dined in this exclusive little restaurant.
(22) come to terms with sth - to gradually accept a sad situation, often the death of someone you love.
eg: I think he's still coming to terms with the death of his wife.
(23) be in good shape - to be prepared and ready to do something.
eg: All our bags are packed, and we don't have to leave for another hour, so we're in good shape.
(24) take shape - to start to develop a more clear or certain form.
eg: We watched the vase begin to take shape in the potter's hands.
Our ideas are beginning to take shape.
(25) bite off more than you can chew - to try to do something which is too difficult for you.
eg: Clinton conceded, "We bit off more than we could chew in our original health care reform proposals."
(26) drag your heels/feet - to do something slowly because you do not want to do it.
eg: I suspect the government is dragging its heels over this issue.
(27) Easy does it! - used to tell someone to do something slowly and carefully.
easy on the eye/ear - pleasant to look at/listen to.
eg: Her paintings are very easy on the eye.
(28) hard feelings - anger towards someone that you have argued with.
eg: So we're friends again, are we? No hard feelings?
(29) have/know sth off pat UK (US have/know sth down pat) - to know something so well that you can say or do it without having to try or think.
eg: I'd given the talk so many times I had it off pat.
(30) jump the gun - to do something too soon, especially without thinking carefully about it.
eg: They've only just met - isn't it jumping the gun to be talking about marriage already?
(31) live (from) hand to mouth - to have just enough money to live on and nothing extra.
eg: My father earned very little and there were four kids so we lived from hand to mouth.
(32) for old times' sake - If you do something for old times' sake, you do it in order to remember a happy time that you had in the past.
eg: We should all meet up again - just for old times' sake.
(33) Not on your life! - said as a way of strongly refusing someone's suggestion or request.
eg: "So you're going to bring Kev, are you?" "Not on your life!"
(34)all-nighter - a time when you spend all night studying, especially for an exam.
eg: I pulled an all-nighter last night.
(35) be no match for sth/sb - to be less powerful or effective than someone or something else.
eg: Gibson ran well but was no match for the young Italian.
(36) hang by a thread - If a serious situation hangs by a thread, it means that even a slight change can decide what will happen and that a bad result such as death, failure, etc. is likely.
eg: The mayor's political future has been hanging by a thread since the fraud scandal.
(37) pick up the thread(s) - to start again after an interruption.
eg: Picking up the threads of our discussion, let's return to the topic of factory farming.
(38) against (all) the odds/against all odds - If you do or achieve something against (all) the odds/against all odds, you do or achieve it although there were a lot of problems and you were not likely to succeed.
eg: Against all the odds, he recovered.
(39) be at odds - to disagree.
eg: They're at odds over the funding of the project.
Her version of events was at odds with (= very different from) the police report.
(40) make no odds mainly - to not be important, or to not change a situation or result.
eg: I don't mind whether you come or not - it makes no odds to me.
(41) pull out all the stops - to do everything you can to make something successful.
eg: They pulled out all the stops for their daughter's wedding.


(42) the toast of - The toast of a particular place is a person who is very much admired there for something they have recently done.
eg: Not so long ago Viviana was a little-known actress playing in a provincial theatre - these days she's the toast of New York/the town.
(43) make a splash - to become suddenly very successful or very well known.
eg: Jodie Foster made quite a splash in the film 'Taxi Driver'.
(44) in return - in exchange.
eg: America helped the rebels in return for their promise to support democracy.
(45) to the core - in every part.
eg: He's a Conservative to the core.
- to an extreme degree.
eg: I was shocked to the core.
(46) interest sb in sth - Someone might ask if they can interest you in something when they are trying to persuade you to buy something or when they are offering you something.
eg: Can I interest you in our new range of kitchen fittings, madam?
I don't suppose I can interest you in a quick drink after work, can I?
(47) on an empty stomach - without eating anything.
eg: You shouldn't go to work on an empty stomach.
(48) get your act together - to start to organize yourself so that you do things in an effective way.
eg: She's so disorganized - I wish she'd get her act together.
(49) on one level...on another level - something that you say when you are speaking about two opposite ways of thinking about or responding to a situation.
eg: On one level I quite like the attention but on another level, I suppose I find it a bit disturbing.
(50) have a bone to pick with sb - to want to talk to someone about something annoying they have done.
eg: I've got a bone to pick with you, - you've been using my shaver again.

(51) bridge a/the gap - to connect two things or to make the difference between them smaller.
eg: Mr Clinton singled out education as a vital tool in bridging the gap between rich and poor.
This collection of stories bridges the gap between history and fiction.
(52) with bated breath - in an anxious or excited way.
eg: I waited for the results with bated breath.
(53) the coast is clear - it is safe to do something or go somewhere because no one is watching or listening who would prevent you or catch you.
eg: You can come out now, the coast is clear.
(54) come of age - If something has come of age, it has reached its full successful development.
(55) out of the picture - not important to or not involved in a situation.
eg: He used to be in the team, but he's gradually drifted out of the picture.
(56) get the picture - to understand.
eg: It's all right, don't say any more - I get the picture.
(57) stretch (yourself) out - to lie with your legs and arms spread out in a relaxed way.
eg: I just want to get home and stretch out on the sofa.
(58) stretch your legs - to go for a walk, especially after sitting in the same position for a long time.
eg: The car journey took three hours, including a couple of stops to stretch our legs.
(59) approve - to have a positive opinion of someone or something.
eg: She doesn't approve of my friends.
He doesn't approve of smoking.
I thoroughly approve of what the government is doing.
(60) not in the slightest - not at all.
eg: "Does it worry you?" "Not in the slightest."
He didn’t seem to mind in the slightest.
(61) slight - to insult someone by not paying them any attention or treating them as if they are not important.
eg: I felt slighted when my boss thanked everyone but me for their hard work.
She felt slighted because she hadn’t been invited.
(62) each to his/their own (mainly US to each their own) - used to say that everyone likes different things.
eg: You actually like modern jazz, do you? Each to their own.
(63) weigh your words (also weigh each word) - to carefully think about everything you are going to say before you say it.
eg: He gave evidence to the court, weighing each word as he spoke.
(64) if only - used when you want to say how doing something simple would make it possible to avoid something unpleasant.
eg: If only she'd listen to what he's saying, I'm sure they could work it out.
only if - used to state the only situation in which sth can happen.
eg: Only if a teacher has given permission is a student allowed to leave the room.
Only if the red light comes on is there any danger to employees.
(65) only just - used to refer to something that happens almost immediately after something else.
eg: People were leaving and I'd only just arrived.
We'd only just set off when the car broke down.
only just - not long ago / before.
eg: We’ve only just arrived.
(66) ways and means - The ways and means of achieving something are the methods and other things needed to make it happen.
eg: With computer technology, even people working on their own have the ways and means to produce professional-looking documents.
ways and means - the methods and materials available for doing sth.
eg: ways and means of raising money
(67) teem - to rain heavily.
eg: It's been teeming down all day.
It's teeming with rain.
(68) teem with sth - to contain large numbers of animals or people.
eg: The mall was teeming with shoppers that Saturday.
(69) teeming - present in large numbers; full of people, animals, etc. that are moving around.
eg: teeming insects
the teeming streets of the city
(70) hotline - a special direct telephone connection for emergencies.
eg: A national telephone hotline has been set up for students suffering from stress.
(71) godforsaken - describes a place that is unattractive and contains nothing interesting or pleasant.
eg: The town is a godforsaken place at night.
(72) try-out - a test to see how useful or effective something or someone is.
eg: After a try-out in Bath, the play is due to open in Edinburgh next month.
The try-outs for the team will be next weekend.
(73) good riddance (to bad rubbish) - said when you are pleased that a bad or unwanted thing or person, or something of poor quality, has gone.
eg: We've got rid of the old computer system, and good riddance to bad rubbish is what I say.
good riddance (to sb/sth) - an unkind way of saying that you are pleased that sb/sth has gone.
eg: ‘Goodbye and good riddance!’ she said to him angrily as he left.
(74) in favour (of sb/sth) - if you are in favour of sb/sth, you support and agree with them / it.
eg: He argued in favour of a strike.
There were 247 votes in favour (of the motion) and 152 against.
I’m all in favour of (= completely support) equal pay for equal work.
Most of the ‘don’t knows’ in the opinion polls came down in favour of (= eventually chose to support) the Democrats.

(75) as opposed to - rather than.
eg: I'd prefer to go on holiday in May, as opposed to September.
as opposed to - used to make a contrast between two things.
eg: 200 attended, as opposed to 300 the previous year.
This exercise develops suppleness as opposed to (= rather than) strength.
(76) enfant terrible - a famous or successful person who likes to shock people.
eg: In the seventies he was the enfant terrible of the theatre.
(77) render - to cause someone or something to be in a particular state.
eg: His rudeness rendered me speechless.
New technology has rendered my old computer obsolete.
render - to change words into a different language or form.
eg: She is rendering the book into English from French.
(78) the lion's share - the largest part or most of something.
eg: Reputable charities spend the lion's share of donations on aid and a tiny fraction on administration.
(79) bite the dust - to fall so that your body hits the ground heavily.
eg: As they came round the bend several riders bit the dust.
(80) go under - If a company goes under, it is unsuccessful and has to stop doing business.
eg: Thousands of companies went under during the recession.
(81) in the neighbourhood of sth - approximately.
eg: We're hoping to get somewhere in the neighbourhood of £70 000 for our house.
(82) romanticize - to talk about something in a way that makes it sound better than it really is, or to believe that something is better than it really is.
eg: Stop romanticizing! Nothing's that perfect.
ro•man•ti•cize - to make sth seem more attractive or interesting than it really is.

eg: romanticizing the past.

a romanticized picture of parenthood .

(83) jump down sb's throat - to react angrily to something that someone says or does.
eg: I made the mildest of criticisms and he jumped down my throat.
(84) jump to it - used to tell someone to do something quickly.
eg: I told you to tidy this room - now jump to it!
(85) as the case might be (also whatever the case might be) - one of the stated possibilities which is true.
eg: When the election is called in April, or June, as the case might be, we shall be ready for it.
(86) exchange words - to speak with someone.
eg: We exchanged words after the meeting.
(87) to the letter - If you obey instructions or rules to the letter, you do exactly what you have been told to do, giving great attention to every detail.
eg: I followed the instructions to the letter and it still went wrong.
(88) hither and thither (literary hither and yon) - in many directions.
eg: In clearer water, one encounters shoals of tiny fish, which dart hither and thither like flights of arrows.
(89) hitherto - until now or until a particular time.
eg: Mira revealed hitherto unsuspected talents on the cricket pitch.
(90) go into reverse - If a situation goes into reverse, it becomes the opposite of what it was before.
eg: The trend towards home ownership has gone into reverse.
(91) sangfroid - the ability to stay calm in a difficult or dangerous situation.
(92) be floating on air - to be very happy.
eg: When he got his exam results he was floating on air.
(93) dingbat - a stupid or easily confused person.
eg: Edith may seem like a dingbat, but she's quite clever really.
(94) sketchy - containing few details.
eg: So far we only have sketchy information about what caused the explosion.
(95) not put sth down - If you cannot put a book down, you are unable to stop reading it until you reach the end.
eg: It was so exciting from the first page I couldn't put it down.
(96) follow the crowd - to do what most other people do.
eg: Think for yourself, don't just follow the crowd.
(97) stand up for sth/sb (also stick up for sth/sb) - to defend or support a particular idea or a person who is being criticized or attacked.
eg: It's high time we all stood up for our rights around here.
Don't be bullied, learn to stand up for yourself and what you believe in.
(98) position - an opinion.
eg: What's the company's position on recycling?
He takes the position (= believes) that individuals have a responsibility to look after themselves.
(99) in the spotlight - (of a person) receiving a lot of public attention.
eg: The senator has been in the spotlight recently since the revelation of his tax frauds.
(100) the red carpet - a long, red floor covering that is put down for an important guest to walk on when they visit somewhere and receive a special official welcome, or a special welcome of this type.
eg: We'll roll out the red carpet for the senator.
The minister was given the red carpet treatment.