idioms Flashcards

(77 cards)

1
Q

Come a cropper

A

to fail, to have a failure or near disaster.

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2
Q

To burn a hole in something

A

to cause a large financial loss or expenditure.

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3
Q

In the blues

A

feelings of sadness, depressed feelings.

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4
Q

Out of the blue

A

unexpected, without warning.

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5
Q

Have a dig at

A

to make a remark intended to annoy or upset somebody.

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6
Q

Tear into

A

to attack somebody or something physically or with words.

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7
Q

Salt of the earth

A

a very good and honest person that you can always depend on.

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8
Q

X-Factor

A

a special quality, essential for success and is difficult to describe.

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9
Q

To eat crow

A

to say and show that you are sorry for a mistake you made.

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10
Q

Zero in on

A

to fix all your attention on the person or thing mentioned.

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11
Q

Tamper with

A

to make changes without permission in order to damage.

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12
Q

To the hilt

A

support fully.

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13
Q

Sum up

A

to state the main points in a short and clear form.

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14
Q

Salad days

A

days of one’s youthful inexperience.

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15
Q

At home

A

comfortable.

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16
Q

Make heavy weather of

A

to make a situation seem more difficult than it really is.

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17
Q

Huffed and puffed

A

to be confused.

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18
Q

A force to reckon with

A

to consider somebody as a serious opponent or problem.

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19
Q

Draconian law

A

a law or punishment extremely cruel and severe.

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20
Q

Go down the drain

A

to be wasted.

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21
Q

Cupboard love

A

affection that somebody shows towards somebody else in order to get something.

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22
Q

In a shambles

A

a mess, a situation in which there is a lot of confusion.

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23
Q

Vis-a-vis

A

face to face.

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24
Q

Ad hoc

A

for the special purpose.

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25
De facto
in fact, really.
26
Exparte
one sided.
27
A rope of sand
weak bondage.
28
A windfall
unexpected piece of good fortune.
29
Between the cup and lip
before plan is fully carried out.
30
To read between the lines
to understand the hidden meaning.
31
An eye wash
something said or done to deceive.
32
To turn the corner
to pass a critical stage.
33
To turn a deaf ear to
not to listen to.
34
To play one false
cheat.
35
A feather in one's cap
an honour or compliment.
36
Turn a blind eye to
to pretend not to notice something bad.
37
Fly into a rage
outburst of anger.
38
Pour oil on troubled waters
to bring about appeasement in a disturbed condition.
39
In full swing
in full operation.
40
Hang fire
be slow in developing.
41
Lie low
to keep out of the way to avoid being seen.
42
Make good the loss
to compensate the loss.
43
To bury the hatchet
to settle a quarrel.
44
Out of the wood
free from troubles.
45
Shed crocodile tears
pretend to be sad about something but not really sad at all.
46
Throw light on
to make a problem easier to understand.
47
As fit as a fiddle
in good health.
48
Play to the gallery
to aim at impressing the vulgar crowd.
49
Put all one's eggs in one basket
risk everything in one venture.
50
To hold out the olive branch
to show that one is ready to discuss peace-making.
51
A good Samaritan
person who gives practical help to persons in trouble.
52
To leave in the lurch
leave somebody when he is in difficulties and needing help.
53
Bed of roses
an easy or pleasant situation.
54
Laughing stock
a person that every one laughs at because they have done something stupid.
55
Take something with a pinch of salt
to think that something is probably not true or accurate.
56
Make a fast buck
to earn money quickly and easily.
57
To pass the buck
shift the responsibility to somebody.
58
Crack the whip on
to use authority or power to make somebody work very hard by treating them in a strict way.
59
Put plan on back burner
postpone.
60
Quantum leap
a sudden great and important change, improvement or development.
61
Take hostage
a person who is caught and kept prisoner.
62
Gut-wrenching loss
very unpleasant loss, making you feel very upset.
63
Think-tank
a group of experts who provide advice and ideas on political, social or economic issues.
64
Clinch something
to succeed in achieving or winning something.
65
With open arms
extremely happy.
66
Hang in balance
be uncertain.
67
Keep in touch with
to communicate with somebody by writing to them or by telephone.
68
No love lost between
not to like each other.
69
In a jiffy
very soon.
70
A wolf in sheep's clothing
a hypocrite, a person who seems to be friendly but really is an enemy.
71
There is no smoke without fire
there must be a cause for a happening.
72
A dead letter
a law or an agreement that still exists but no longer in force.
73
Trifle with
to treat somebody or something without genuine respect.
74
Trafficking in
to buy and sell something illegally.
75
Fall from grace
to lose trust or respect that people have for you.
76
In the soup
in the trouble.
77
Zero tolerance
the policy of applying laws very strictly so that people are punished even for offences not serious.