Idioms And Expressions

Front 1

SPRUCE UP

We're sprucing up dated hair.

Back 1

to make (someone or something) look cleaner, neater, or more attractive

Front 2

GET IN THE WAY

Violence gets in the way of good relationships with the family.

Back 2

interrupt, intrude, disturb, break in, barge in

Front 3

PACE YOURSELF

If you don't pace yourself, you'll wear yourself out.

Back 3

to do something at a speed that is steady and that allows you to continue without becoming too tired

Front 4

SWEEP sth UNDER THE RUG

He tried to sweep his past mistakes under the rug.
This is not something we can just sweep under the rug.

Back 4

sweep (something) under the carpet : to hide (something that is illegal, embarrassing, or wrong)

Front 5

CAST sb AWAY

The crew was cast away on a desert island.

Back 5

to leave (someone) alone somewhere (such as on an island) as a result of a storm, shipwreck, etc. —usually used as (be) cast away

Front 6

GO FOR A SPIN

They went for a spin as they had some time left.

Back 6

go for a drive

Front 7

GET THE BALL ROLLING

Once you get the ball rolling, everyone wants to be involved.

Back 7

start an activity

Front 8

jot down

Listen carefully to the instructions and jot them down.

Back 8

note down,write down, memo

Front 9

FEEL LIKE TWO CENTS

When she didn’t receive invitation to an important party, she felt like two cents.

Back 9

be embarrassed

Front 10

FEEL sb in

Can you fill me in on that matter ?

Back 10

tell sb all the details

Front 11

DOWN TO THE WIRE

When we get down to ther wire, we'll know better what to do.

Back 11

continues until the last possible moment

Front 12

GET one's HEAD OUT THE CLOUDS

Get your head out of the clouds and watch where you are driving !!! you are going to kill us all !!

Back 12

get real, be more realistic

Front 13

STEP ON sb's TOES/
TREAD ON sb's TOES

I don't mean to step on anyone's toes here.

Back 13

offend someones by criticizing the way they do or by interferring

Front 14

RIGHT UP one's ALLEY

Physics was right up Marie Curie's alley.

Back 14

suit one's interest

Front 15

UP TO PAR

He didn't get the job because his English wasn't up to par."

Back 15

satisfactory, up to standard

Front 16

MISS A BEAT

He answered their questions without missing a beat.
He answered all their questions and never missed a beat.

Back 16

to have difficulty in continuing : to stop or hesitate briefly

Front 17

EAT one's WORDS

I told Jenny that I would marry her, but I guess I'll have to eat my words.
“Eating words has never given me indigestion.” Winston Churchill quotes.

Back 17

If you eat your words, you admit that the statements or predictions you made were wrong.

Front 18

HAVE YOUR CAKE AND EAT IT TOO

You can't have your cake and eat it too.

Back 18

try to get all the benefits of two different situations or things, when you are only entitled to benefit from one of them

Front 19

PASS OUT

He passed out after drinking.

Back 19

to lose consciousnee, faint

Front 20

PUT IN FOR

Is it true that you put in for a transfer to London?

Back 20

apply for

Front 21

PUT UP TO

Someone put him up to calling us.

Back 21

to provoke: prompt: incite

Front 22

EGG sb ON TO

She egged him on to write the letter.

Back 22

urge someone to do something

Front 23

RIDE ROUGHSHOD OVER

He rode roughshod over his friends to advance himself in the business world.

Back 23

treat harshly or domineeringly; override; crush

Front 24

BREAD AND BUTTER

Casual clothing has always been the company's bread and butter.

Back 24

n. a dependable source of income or success