Id.dioms Flashcards
(140 cards)
1
Q
a drop in the ocean
A
a very small amount that will not have much effect
2
Q
a home from home
A
a place where you feel as relaxed as you do in your own home
3
Q
a leopard cant change its spots
A
used for saying that someone will never change their behaviour or character
4
Q
a sight for sore eyes
A
someone or something that you are very pleased to see
5
Q
a stitch in time (saves nine)
A
used for saying that it is better to solve a problem now, rather than leave it until later when it may be more difficult to deal with
6
Q
a stone’s throw (away/from)
A
very close (to)
7
Q
Achilles’ heel
A
a weak feature of someone or something that could cause failure to be attacked
8
Q
add fuel to the fire
A
make a bad situation worse
9
Q
all in good time
A
used for telling someone to wait for something and not try to make you hurry
10
Q
all mod cons
A
all modern conveniences, the machines and pieces of equipment in your house that make life easy and comfortable
11
Q
an act of God
A
an event such as a flood, lighting or an earthquake that is produced by natural forces, and that people have no control over
12
Q
as the crow flies
A
in a straight line (used for measuring distance)
13
Q
at a loose end
A
with nothing in particular to do
14
Q
at the drop of a hat
A
immediately or in a way that shows that you have no doubts about doing something
15
Q
be born with a silver spoon in your mouth
A
have advantages because you come from a rich family
16
Q
be on the same wavelength
A
understand the way another person thinks because you often have the same ideas
17
Q
before your time
A
used for saying that something happened or existed before you were born or before you lived or worked somewhere
18
Q
below/under par
A
below the usual or expected standard
19
Q
big mouth
A
used as a criticism of someone when they say things they should not
20
Q
blot on the landscape
A
something that makes a place look less attractive, for example an ugly building
21
Q
break even
A
if a person or business breaks evens, they neither make a profit nor lose money
22
Q
breaks the mould
A
change a situation by doing something that is very different from what most people usually do or have done in the past
23
Q
bury your head in the sand
A
ignore a problem or an unpleasant situation and hope that it will disappear
24
Q
change your tune
A
change your opinion or attitude
25
clean as a whistle
completely honest or legal
26
clean as a whistle
extremely clean
27
come clean (about sth)
tell the truth about something that you have kept secret
28
come rain or shine
used for saying that something always happens or someone always does something despide bad weather or difficult conditions
29
commuter belt
area surrounding a large city where many people who work in that city live
30
concrete jungle
unpleasant part of a city where many people who work in that city lives
31
couch potato
someone who spends a lot of time sitting at home watching television
32
cry over spilt milk
waste time feeling upset about something bad that has happened and cannot be changed
33
do sth on a whim
do because of a sudden feeling that you must have or do sth
34
down on your luck
having a long period of difficulty finding work and earning money
35
drawn the line (at)
say that you will definitely not allow or accept something
36
draw the short straw
be chosen to do something
37
fall short
not reach a particular level or to fail to achieve something you were trying to do
38
fifty-fifty
equal, or into two parts
39
fly of the handle
suddenly become extremely angry
40
follow your nose
do what you feel is right in a particular situation, although you are not certain
41
follow your nose
go straight forward, without turning
42
for good
permanently, withouth the possibility of change in the future
43
for the time being
for now
44
from time to time
sometimes, but not often
45
gain/get/have/take the upper hand
gain/get/have/Take control or advantage over a person or situation
46
get on like a house on fire
become good friends very quickly and have a lot to talk to each other about
47
get sth off your chest
talk to someone about sth that has been worrying you, so that you feel better about it
48
get the wrong end of the stick
understand sth completely wrongly
49
get/catch sb's drift
understand the basic meaning
50
get/have your way
be allowed to have or do what you want
51
give sb a taste/dose of their own medicine
treat someone in the same bad way they treat other people
52
give sb your word
promise to do sth
53
give sth a miss
decide not to do sth that you usually do
54
go halves
share the cost of sth with someone so that you each pay 50%
55
go to your head
if success goes to your head, it makes you think that you are better or more important than you really are
56
grin and bear it
accept a difficult situation without complaining or showing how you feel
57
have a change of heart
change your opinion about sth or decide not to do sth you were planning to do
58
have your wits about you
be able to think quickly and make sensible decisions
59
(hear sth) on/through the grapevine
the way in which information spreads quickly from one person to another through conversation
60
home sweet home
used for saying that someone is annoyed/pleased with you
61
in the dark (about)
not knowing very much about something, because other people are keeping it secret from you
62
in the middle of nowhere
a long way any town or city
63
in the nick of time
just in time to prevent sth bad happening
64
in the sticks
in an area far from the town or city
65
its a broad as its long
used for saying that you cannot choose between two things or actions because they are equal
66
keep a straight face
remain serious and not laugh
67
keep sb posted
regularly give someone information about sth they are interested in, for example, how a situation is changing or developing
68
keep sth under your hat
keep sth secret
69
keep up with the Joneses
try to be as rich, successful etc as your neighbours
70
keep your hair on
used for telling someone not to get angry or upset
71
kick yourself
the very annoyed because you have made a mistake, missed an opoortunity, etc
72
knee-high to a grasshopper
very small, because you were very young
73
know sth inside out
be very familiar with
74
know what's what
know the important facts about a situation
75
last word in
the newest and best type of sth
76
lay/put your cards on the table
tell people exactly what you are thinking or what you are intending to do
77
let nature take its course
allow sth to develop without trying to influence
78
let off steam
shout or do sth that allows you to get rid of anger
79
let sleeping dogs lie
leave a person or situation alone if they might cause you trouble
80
let off steam
shout or do sth that allows you to get rid of anger
81
let sleeping dogs lie
leave a person or situation alone if they might cause you trouble
82
let your hair down
relax and enjoy yourself because you are in a comfortable environment
83
life and soul of the party
someone who is very lively at social events
84
like two peas in a pod
used for saying that you should accept other people's beliefs and way of life, even if they are very different from your own
85
lock, stock and barrel
including every part of a particular thing, situation, place, etc
86
lose your bearings
become confused about where you are and where other things are
87
make a beeline for
go towards someone or sth in the quickest and most direct way
88
make yourself at home
feel relaxed and behave in the same way as you do in your own home
89
never/dont look a gift horse in the mouth
if you are given sth good, you should not complain about it or try to find things that are wrong with it
90
no rhyme or reason
used for emphasising that there is no reason or explanation for sth
91
not have a leg to stand on
not have any way of proving that you are right about sth
92
not to see the wood for the trees
used for saying that someone cannot understand what is important in a situation because they are thinking too much about small details
93
off the beaten track
away from populated areas or areas popular with tourist
94
on good terms (with)
have a good relationship with someone
95
on the spur of the moment
if you do sth on the spur of the moment, you do it suddenly and do not take time to plan it or think carefully about it
96
on the street
with no place to live
97
on the town
spending the evening enjoying yourself in bars, clubs, theatres, etc
98
once in a blue moon
very rarely
99
out of the blue
happening in a way that is sudden and unexpected, and does not seem connected with anything that happened before
100
out of this world
extremely good or impressive
101
over the top
more than what is considered normal
102
pride of place
in the place that is most central or important
103
pull (a few) strings
use your influence or in order to get sth you want or to help someone, especially when this unfair
104
put sth in perspective
provide a sensible way of judging how good, bad, important, etc sth is in comparison with other things
105
put two and two together
guess what is happening or what something means based on what you have seen or heard
106
put your feet up
sit down and relax, especially with your feet raised off the ground
107
quick/slow on the uptake
taking a very short/long time to understand or realise sth
108
recharge your batteries
rest after being very busy, so that you will be ready to start working again
109
red tape
documents, rules or processes that cause delays
110
reinvent the wheel
waste time and effort trying to do sth that someone else has already done well
111
ring a bell
sth that rings a bell sounds familiar to you, although you cannot remember the exact details
112
round the bend
crazy
113
satellite town
town or city that is close to and depends on a larger city
114
sb is only human
used for saying someone has been weak in the ways most people are weak and should not be blamed for their behaviour
115
see eye to eye (with sb)
agree with someone or have the same opinion as them
116
set your heart on
decide that you want sth very much
117
six of one (and) half a dozen of the other
used for saying that two things are equally good or bad
118
speak volumes
provide a lot of information, especially in an indirect way
119
split hairs
argue or worry about very small details or differences that are not important
120
steal the show
receive a lot of attention because you give the best performance in a show or other event
121
stick your guns
refuse to change what you are saying or doing despite the opposition or criticism of other people
122
stop dead in your track
suddenly stop, for example because you are surprised
123
take a short cut to
follow a path that is quicker and shorter than the usual way
124
take stock (of)
spend some time thinking about the situation you are in before you decide what to do next
125
take the law into your own hands
punish someone in your own way without involving the police or the courts, often by doing sth illegal yourself
126
take the scenic route
follow a longer path than the usual one because it is more attractive
127
tell tales
tell someone in authority about bad things that someone else has done, because you want them to be punished
128
the edge over
and advantage that makes someone or sth more successful than other people or things
129
the luck of the draw
used for saying people have limited control over what life brings them
130
the other day
recently
131
the powers that be
the people who control a situation
132
the tools of the trade
the skills and equipment that you need in order to do your job
133
throw the book at sb
punish someone very severely
134
tidy sum/amount
large sum/amount
135
touch wood
used when you have said that you have food luck in order to prevent bad luck from happening to you
136
turn over a new leaf
change your life by starting to be a better person or stopping a bad habit
137
under sb's thumb
completely controlled by someone else
138
up in arms about
angry and complaining about sth
139
variety is the spice of life
used for saying that different experiences and situations make life enjoyable or interesting
140
your flesh and blood
your relative
