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53 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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At the crack of dawn |
Start very early in the morning. We have to get up at the crack of dawn to reach the airport. We set out at the crack of dawn to avoid traffic. |
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Call it a day |
I think we have finished our portions today. Now let's call it a day. |
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Time and again |
Repeatedly; on multiple occasions. Why do you continue to trust John when he has lied to you time and again? Time and time again, they have violated the rules, yet you have taken no action against them |
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Play it by ear |
To decide how to act in or deal with a particular situation in an adaptive, flexible, or improvised way, based on the circumstances A: "Are we meeting at noon on Saturday?" B: "Around then. I have to run some errands in the morning, so let's play it by ear." My apologies in advance, but I forgot my notes for today's presentation, so I'm afraid I'm going to have to play it by ear a little bit. |
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Play by ear |
To play a piece of music without referencing sheet music or a recording. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "play" and "by ear." Wow, George is such a talented piano player! The way he can play pieces by ear after hearing them just once is so impressive |
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Go in one ear and out the other |
To be heard and promptly forgotten or dismissed.They gave me that information years ago, but it must have gone in one ear and out the other. Everything I say to you seems to go in one ear and out the other. |
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Be all ears |
Tell me about your first day at the new job—I'm all ears! |
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Pay lip service( to something) |
To give a false or insincere declaration that one supposedly values, supports, respects, or believes in something. Fighting homelessness was touted as his primary agenda during his campaign, but so far it looks like he was only paying lip service.
You don't really care about politics. You're just paying lip service to the candidate. Don't sit here and pay lip service. Get busy! |
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Make sb's mouth water |
Cream cakes are really making my mouth water |
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My lips are sealed |
I promise ! I won't tell anyone my lips are sealed. |
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Turn up your nose at sth |
Refuse. She turned up her nose at the job because she didn’t think it had enough status. |
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Get right up somebody's nose |
Annoy or irritate.
That new secretary gets right up everybody's nose someone will have to talk to the boss about it before it is too late. |
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In the teeth of |
In spite of; notwithstanding. Some people still believe vaccinations to be harmful in the teeth of thousands of scientific studies proving otherwise. In the teeth of the boss's disapproval, we decided to go forward with the project anyway |
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By the skin of your teeth |
By a very narrow margin. I got through calculus class by the skin of my teeth. I got to the airport a few minutes late and missed the plane by the skin of my teeth. Lloyd escaped from the burning building by the skin of his teeth. |
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Grit your teeth |
To become resolved to do or accept something particularly difficult or unpleasant. If you hate this class so much, you better grit your teeth and get a passing grade so that you don’t have to take it again next year. The senators put aside their differences, gritted their teeth, and worked together to solve the crisis. |
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Lie through your teeth |
Tell a deliberate lie. Jo was lying through his teeth. I never said anything like that |
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Bite your tongue |
Remain silent. Do not react. I was upset by Harry marks but I bit my tongue. |
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On the tip of your tongue |
Her name is on the tip of my tongue but I just can't remember it. |
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Poke/ stick your nose into |
Stop poking your nose into other people's business. |
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Steer clear of |
Avoid something because it is too dangerous. Her speech steered clear of controversial issuesThey warned their children to steer clear of drugs. |
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Sail close to the wind |
Take risks that could cause problems with danger. You are sailing close to the wind by speaking to the boss like that. |
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Be plain sailing |
Be very easy. I was a bit apprehensive about doing so much in just one day but it was all plain sailing |
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Be in the Doldrums |
Feel sad and without energy or be not very successful. His business has been in the Doldrums for several years. |
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Put/stick your oar in |
Join a discussion when other participants do not I want you to. I hope you have the sense not to stick is oar in at tomorrow's meeting. |
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Show someone the ropes |
It's your first day at work, so John will show you the ropes. |
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Clear the decks |
Get ready for action. We would better clear the decks before we paint the room |
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Be (all) at sea |
Be confused. I am all at sea with this computer. |
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Be in the same boat |
She's always complaining that she doesn't have enough money, but we're all in the same boat. |
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Push the boat out |
Spend a lot of money, because you are celebrating. Abil was happy to push the boat out for his daughter's wedding |
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Rock the boat |
Party members were told not to rock the boat by publicly criticising the government just before the election |
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Miss the boat |
Too late to get something you want. Can I still get tickets for the concert or have I already missed the boat. |
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Burn one's bridges/ boats |
Don't sell your house to finance your business - that would be burning your boats. |
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Stuck in a rut |
I had so many ambitions when I first graduated from college, but now I feel like I'm in a rut. We're stuck in a rut—let's move abroad for the summer and shake things up! |
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Paths cross |
It was a pleasure meeting you - I hope our paths cross again. |
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Drive somebody around the bend |
Make somebody frustrated and angry. This computer is driving me round the bend. |
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Right up your street/alley |
Perfect for you. This book is right up your street. |
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Middle-of-the-road |
Moderate or centrist. Most of the voters found the candidate's middle-of-the-road platform to be reasonable and palatable. |
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On the right/wrong track |
I think the government is on the right/wrong track |
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An uphill battle/struggle/fight |
It is an uphill battle trying to persuade Jone to get a job |
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Go downhill |
That restaurant has really gone downhill lately |
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Off the beaten track |
She lives right off the beaten track but she loves the peace and quiet. |
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At a crossroads |
At a point when a choice must be made; at a point of change. After earning my degree, I'm at a crossroads. I need to figure out which direction my life should take. As a company, we're at a crossroads. We can continue business as usual, or we can take a risk and try to grow. |
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A dead end |
The job I have now is a complete dead end |
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To go/get from A to B. |
To make simple/typical journeys. I don't need a fancy car, just something so that I can get from A to B. |
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Put sth on the map |
It was my grandma's chili recipe that put this restaurant on the map years ago! They're hoping that this amusement park can put the small town on the map. Her first film put her on the map. Her next three movies made her a legend. |
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Hit the road |
To leave. We better hit the road before traffic gets even worse. Hit the road—no one wants you here anyway |
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can take (something) to the bank |
Can believe a particular statement or piece of information because it is definitely true (at least according to the speaker).I heard from a very reliable source that this company is about to close—you can take it to the bank |
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At a canter |
Easily. They won the match at a canter |
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Take a walk. |
Go away. They can just take a walk. I am not interested in their offer. |
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Snap at one s heels |
Compete strongly |
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Up for grabs |
Available. The house is up for grabs for 1 million dollars |
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Make a case dor |
Defend an idea. Give valid reasons. All the four players were asked to play in the Ranji Trophy and perform well to make a case for themselves |
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On an equal footing |
Giving equal opportunities. It is the sixth largest economy in the world with a high growth potential. But this growth potential cannot be achieved without giving equal opportunity to every State |
