English Tongue 6

ENGLISH TONGUE
(1) nosh - food or a meal.
eg: They serve good nosh in the cafeteria.
(2) smirk - a smile that expresses satisfaction or pleasure about having done something or knowing something which is not known by someone else.
eg: "Maybe your husband does things that you don't know about," he said with a smirk.
"I told you it would end in disaster," said Polly with a self-satisfied smirk on her face.
smirk
eg: I don't like the way he winks and smirks at me whenever he sees me.
He smirked his way through the interview.
(3) wink - to close one eye briefly as a way of greeting someone or showing friendliness, affection, sexual attraction, etc., or of showing that you are not serious about something you have said.
eg: She winked at me as he turned his back.
For a moment I thought he was being serious, but then he winked at me.
(4) a load (also loads) - a lot.
eg: I've got a load of work to get through before tomorrow.
There were a load of people there.
Have some more food - there's loads.
She looks loads better with her new haircut.
(5) don't you dare - used to tell someone angrily not to do something.
eg: "I think I'll just walk my dirty shoes over your nice clean floor." "Don't you dare!"
Don't you dare go without me!
(6) stranded - unable to leave somewhere because of an inconvenience such as a lack of transport or money.
eg: He left me stranded in town with no car and no money for a bus.
If the tide comes in, we'll be stranded on these rocks.
(7) have a bumpy ride - to have a difficult time.
eg: She's had a bumpy ride at work over the last few months.
(8) jab - to push or hit something forcefully and quickly, often with a thin or sharp object.
eg: The doctor jabbed the needle into the dog's leg.
Watch out! You nearly jabbed me in the eye with your umbrella!
He was jabbing a finger at (= towards) them and shouting angrily.
(9)puncture - to suddenly make someone less confident or positive.
eg: My positive mood was rather punctured by the news.
(10) whatsoever (also whatever) - used after a negative phrase to add emphasis to the idea that is being expressed.
eg: He has no respect for authority whatsoever.
I can honestly say that I have no interest whatsoever in the royal family.
There is no evidence whatever to show that this is in fact the case.
"Had you any idea what was happening at the time?" "None whatsoever."
(11) take the liberty of doing sth - to do something that will have an effect on someone else, without asking their permission.
eg: I took the liberty of booking theatre seats for us.
(12) no mean - used to say a person is very good at a certain activity.
eg: He's no mean cook.
(13) grave - seriously bad.
eg: a grave situation
(14) befuddled - confused.
eg: I'm so tired, my poor befuddled brain can't absorb any more.
befuddled - confused and unable to think normally.
eg: He was befuddled by drink.
(15) faint - to suddenly become unconscious for a short time, usually falling down.
eg: He faints at the sight of blood.
I nearly fainted in the heat.
She took one look at the hypodermic needle and fainted (dead) away (= lost consciousness immediately).
(16) Shove off! - used to tell someone angrily to go away.
eg: Just shove off, will you?
(17) not give/care a damn - used as a way of saying you do not care about something, especially the annoying things that someone else is doing or saying.
eg: He can think what he likes about me - I don't give a damn!
(18) it remains to be seen - it is not yet certain.
eg: It remains to be seen who will win.
(19) the fact remains - it is still true.
eg: I know you're sorry now, but the fact remains that you hit your sister.
(20) disquieting - causing anxiety.
eg: The disquieting situation between these two neighbouring countries looks set to continue.
(21) wonky - shaky, weak or unsatisfactory.
eg: One of the legs on this chair is a bit wonky.
He may have to stop playing cricket because of his wonky knee.
The jury system may be a bit wonky but nobody's ever thought of anything better.
(22) grim - worried or worrying, without hope.
eg: The future looks grim.
Her face was grim as she told them the bad news.
The expression on his face was one of grim determination.
Later Mr Ashby left the court, grim-faced and silent.
(23) be on top of sth - to be able to control a situation or deal with it.
eg: Do you think he’s really on top of his job?
(24) at/on the stroke of sth - exactly at a particular time.
eg: Fireworks started at the stroke of ten.
(25) shiver (up and) down your spine - a frightened or excited feeling.
eg: At its most terrifying, his writing sends shivers up and down my spine.
Whenever I hear that music, I feel a shiver down my spine.
(26) wimp - a person who is not strong, brave or confident.
eg: I'm afraid I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to climbing up ladders.
(27) go to the dogs - to get into a very bad state.
eg: This firm’s gone to the dogs since the new management took over.
(28) oaf - a stupid, rude or awkward person, especially a man.
eg: a drunken/insensitive/stupid oaf
You clumsy oaf! You've broken it!
(29) pat - to touch someone or something gently and usually repeatedly with the hand flat.
eg: He patted my head/patted me on the head affectionately.
I bent down to pat the little puppy.
(30) lay it on a bit thick - to praise someone too much.
eg: She went on and on about how she admired his work - laid it on a bit thick, if you ask me.
lay it on thick - to talk about sb/sth in a way that makes them or it seem much better or much worse than they really are; to exaggerate sth.
eg: Praise them when necessary, but don’t lay it on too thick.
(31)most - the biggest number or amount of; more than anything or anyone else.
It was what she wanted most of all.
The kids loved the fair, but they enjoyed the bumper cars most of all.
(32) too much of a good thing - when something pleasant becomes unpleasant because you have or do too much of it.
eg: You can have too much of a good thing.
(33) suffice (it) to say - it is enough to say.
eg: Suffice (it) to say, Mike won't be going to Tina's birthday party after what he said about her to her boss.
(34) speak out of turn - to say sth when you should not, for example because it is not the right time or you are not the right person to say it.
speak/talk out of turn - to say something which you should not have said.
eg: I'm sorry if I've spoken out of turn, but I thought everyone had already been told.
(35) know-all UK (US know-it-all) - a person who thinks that they know much more than other people.
(36) antidote - a way of preventing or acting against something bad.
eg: Regular exercise is the best antidote to tiredness and depression.
(37) peaky - slightly ill, often looking pale.
eg: You look a bit peaky, love, are you all right?
(38) pipe down - to stop talking or making unnecessary noise.
eg: Will you please pipe down, you two? I'm trying to read!
(39)on tap - available for use at any time.
eg: Working in a library as I do, I have all this information on tap.
We have this sort of information on tap.
(40) whippersnapper - a young person who is too confident and shows a lack of respect towards other, especially older, people.
eg: I'm not going to have some young whippersnapper tell me what to do!
(41) conjure - to make something appear by magic, or as if by magic.
eg: In an instant, the magician had conjured (up) a dove from his hat.
(42) strut - to walk in a proud way trying to look important.
eg: The boys strutted around trying to get the attention of a group of girls who were nearby.
(43) cleave to sth - to stick or hold firmly onto something.
eg: The ancient ivy cleaved to the ruined castle walls.
(44) loathsome - extremely unpleasant.
eg: He's a loathsome man.

(45) meddle - to try to change or have an influence on things which are not your responsibility, especially in a critical, damaging or annoying way.
eg: My sister's always meddling in other people's affairs.
People shouldn't meddle with things they don't understand.
meddle (with sth) - to touch sth in a careless way, especially when it is not yours or when you do not know how to use it correctly.
eg: Somebody had been meddling with her computer.
(46) notwithstanding - despite the fact or thing mentioned.
eg: Notwithstanding some members' objections, I think we must go ahead with the plan.
Injuries notwithstanding, he won the semi-final match.
(47) be up to no good - to be behaving in a dishonest or bad way.
eg: He certainly looked as if he was up to no good.
I’m sure he’s up to no good (= doing sth bad).
(48) resolute - determined in character, action or ideas.
eg: Their resolute opposition to new working methods was difficult to overcome.
She's utterly resolute in her refusal to apologise.
resolutely
She resolutely refused to learn about computers.
(49) wearisome - causing a person to be tired and/or bored.
eg: Simple repetitive tasks can be very wearisome.
(50) strapping - describes someone who is tall and strong-looking.
eg: A big strapping lad like you shouldn't have much difficulty lifting that!


(51) manky - describes an object that is unpleasantly dirty, usually because it is old or has been used a lot.
eg: a manky tissue
manky old carpets
(52) shambles - a state of confusion, bad organization or untidiness, or something which is in this state.
eg: After the party, the house was a total/complete shambles.
Our economy is in a shambles.
The way these files are arranged is the biggest shambles I've ever seen.
(53) shambolic - confused and badly organized.
eg: Things are often a bit shambolic at the beginning of the school year.
Anna is far too shambolic to be able to run a business.
(54) parting of the ways - the point at which two people or organizations separate.
eg: The parting of the ways came after a series of disagreements between the singer and his song-writer.
(55) be (right) under your nose - to be in a place that you can clearly see.
eg: I spent ages looking for the book and it was right under my nose all the time.
She shoved the letter under her boss's nose (= made certain he saw it).
(56) demented - unable to think or act clearly because you are extremely worried, angry or excited by something.
eg: She was nearly demented with worry when her son didn't come home.
(57) be/go heavy on sth - to use a lot of something.
eg: The engine is heavy on fuel.
(58) a heavy heart - a feeling of unhappiness.
eg: With a heavy heart, she turned to wave goodbye.
(59) Time hangs heavy - said when minutes, hours, weeks, etc. seem to go past very slowly.
eg: Time hangs heavy in prison.

(60) get stuck in (also get stuck into sth) - to start doing something enthusiastically.
eg: We showed them where the crates had to be moved to, and they got stuck in straightaway.
You really got stuck into your food (= ate your food quickly) - you must have been hungry.
Mum brought in the sandwiches and told us to get stuck in.
(61) fella - a man.
eg: There were a couple of fellas leaning up by the bar.
(62) stop at nothing - If you stop at nothing to achieve something, you are willing to do anything in order to achieve it, even if it involves danger, great effort or harming other people.
eg: She'll stop at nothing to get her revenge.
(63) let go - to stop holding something.
eg: Hold on tight and don't let go!
Let go of my hand, you're hurting me!
(64) put sb/sth to the test - to put sb/sth in a situation which will show what their or its true qualities are.
eg: His theories have never really been put to the test.
put sth to the test - to find out how good something is.
eg: Her constant questions really put my patience to the test!
(65) a pain in the arse/backside uk and Australian English (US pain in the ass/butt) - someone or something that is very annoying.
eg: The kids were a real pain in the arse.
(66) antsy - very nervous, anxious or unpleasantly excited.
eg: It was a long drive and the children started to get antsy.
I always get antsy about meeting my husband's boss.
(67) be in and out of somewhere - to be frequently staying in and receiving treatment in a particular place.
eg: She's been in and out of hospitals ever since the accident.

(68) beat around the bush (UK also beat about the bush) - to avoid talking about what is important.
eg: Don't beat around the bush - get to the point!
beat around the bush (UK also beat about the bush) - to talk about sth for a long time without coming to the main point.
eg: Stop beating about the bush and tell me what you want.
(69) bushed - very tired
(70) hassle - (a situation causing) difficulty or trouble.
eg: I can't face the hassle of moving house again.
My boss has been giving me a lot of hassle this week.
It's one of the few bars that women can go to and not get any hassle from men.
It was such a hassle trying to get my bank account changed that I nearly gave up.
I should have taken it back to the shop but I just didn't think it was worth (all) the hassle.
(71) hit the hay/sack - to go to bed in order to sleep.
eg: I've got a busy day tomorrow, so I think I'll hit the sack.
(72) change (your) tack - to try a different method to deal with the same problem.
eg: I've written twice and received no reply, so I might change tack and call her.
(73) tightwad - a person who is not willing to spend money.
eg: There's no point in asking Joe to pay for it - he's a real tightwad.
(74) yes and no - used when you cannot give a particular answer to a question.
eg: "Is the job going okay?" "Well, yes and no."
(75) zilch - nothing; none; no .
eg: "How many points did you score?" "Zilch."
(76) hold off - to not do something immediately.
eg: They've decided to hold off on buying a car until they're both working.
(77) play it by ear - to decide how to deal with a situation as it develops rather than by having a plan to follow.
eg: I don’t know what they’ll want when they arrive—we’ll have to play it by ear.
I don't know how long I'll continue touring with the band. We've always said we'll just play it by ear.
(78) be out of your league - to be too good or too expensive for you.
eg: He was so good-looking and so popular that I felt he was out of my league.
A house like that is out of our league (= too expensive for us).
(79) make a point of doing sth - to always do something or to take particular care to do something.
eg: She makes a point of keeping all her shopping receipts.
make a point of doing sth - to be or make sure you do sth because it is important or necessary.
eg: I made a point of closing all the windows before leaving the house.
(80) on the shelf - not noticed or not used.
eg: It's important to apply research in a practical way and not leave it on the shelf.
(81) my point exactly - said in answer to something that someone has just said when you believe it yourself, or when you have said it yourself earlier.
eg: "So even if we got the funding, we still couldn't get the project started." "My point exactly."
(82) You're on! - used as a way of expressing agreement to something happening.
eg: "I'll give you fifty quid for your bike." "You're on!"
(83) be not on - Something that is not on is unacceptable and should not happen.
eg: You can't be expected to work for nothing - it's not on.
(84) if it wasn't/weren't for (also if it hadn't been for) - without.
eg: If it wasn't for the life jacket, I would have drowned.
(85) fish in troubled waters - to try to gain an advantage from a difficult situation or from someone else's problems.
(86) not a dickybird - nothing at all.
eg: We haven't heard a dickybird from (= spoken to or received a letter from) Riza recently.
(87) a dim memory/recollection, etc. - something that you remember slightly, but not very well.
eg: I had a dim recollection of having met her before.
(88) the fag end of sth - the last, and often worst, part of something.
eg: We always used to go on holiday at the fag end of the holiday season.
(89) can't be fagged - If you can't be fagged to do something, you are unwilling to make the effort that is needed to do it.
eg: I can't be fagged to walk all the way there.
(89) on its last legs - Something that is on its last legs is in such bad condition that it will soon be unable to work as it should.
eg: I've had the same TV for fifteen years now and it's really on its last legs.
(90) on your last legs - A person who is on their last legs is very tired or near to death.
eg: We'd been out walking all day and I was on my last legs when we reached the hotel.
It looks as though her grandfather's on his last legs.
(91) these days - used to talk about the present time, in comparison with the past.
eg: Vegetarianism is very popular these days.
(92) to the day - exactly.
eg: She died ten years ago to the day.
(93) to this day - until now.
eg: To this day nobody knows what happened to him.
(94) this and that (also this, that and the other) - various things.
eg: "What were you talking about?" "Oh, this and that."
(95) by this time (also before this) - already.
eg: I thought you'd have finished by this time.
(96) at this rate - if the situation stays as it is.
eg : At this rate, we won't be home till midnight.
(97) come down on one side of the fence or other - to make a decision between two opposing points of view.
eg: The election is next week, so you'll have to come down on one side of the fence or other by then.

(98) have it in for sb - to be determined to harm or criticize someone.
eg: She's always had it in for me.
(99) to the point - expressing something very important or suitable for the subject being discussed.
eg: Her comments on my work were very apt and to the point.
(100) as it happens / happened - used when you say sth that is surprising, or sth connected with what sb else has just said.
eg: I agree with you, as it happens.
As it happens, I have a spare set of keys in my office.