Idioms

Question 1

elbow people aside

Answer 1

push people with elbows in order to move

Question 2

face the idea

Answer 2

tolerate something

Question 3

face the music

Answer 3

to confront the unpleasant situation and embrace it

Question 4

foot the bill

Answer 4

pay the bill for something

Question 5

shoulder the burden

Answer 5

to accept that you are responsible for something bad or difficult

Question 6

stomach the idea

Answer 6

to be able to accept an unpleasant idea

Question 7

toe the line

Answer 7

accept the authority, do what’s expected of you or conforming

Question 8

grass is greener

Answer 8

means other people’s situations always seem better than your own

Question 9

soak up the atmosphere

Answer 9

observe or get involved in the way of life there, because you enjoy it or are interested in it

Question 10

sink or swim

Answer 10

If you say that someone will have to sink or swim, you mean that they will have to succeed through their own efforts, or fail.

Question 11

well and truly hooked

Answer 11

addicted to / dependant on / habit

Question 12

put to the test

Answer 12

to give something a trial so as to see if that has the necessary things to accomplish the task given

Question 13

a once in a lifetime opportunity

Answer 13

very special opportunity because you will probably only have it once

Question 14

a great eye-opener

Answer 14

something that surprises you and teaches you new facts about life, people

Question 15

rise to the challenge

Answer 15

to be able to deal with something that needs great mental or physical effort in order to be done successfully

Question 16

burn a hole in your pocket

Answer 16

If you say that some money is burning a hole in someone’s pocket, you mean that they want to spend it as soon as possible

Question 17

to get hold of the wrong end of the stick

Answer 17

to misunderstand something

Question 18

to grind to a halt

Answer 18

to gradually become slower or less active

Question 19

Out of the blue

Answer 19

If something happens out of the blue, it is completely unexpected.

Question 20

out of the frame

Answer 20

No longer in the position of being considered something.

Question 21

Get your fingers burnt

Answer 21

you suffer because something you did or were involved in was a failure or a mistake.

Question 22

fiddling while Rome burns

Answer 22

To do something trivial and irresponsible in the midst of an emergency

Question 23

a bed of roses

Answer 23

a place or situation that is pleasant or easy

Question 24

The best of both worlds

Answer 24

they have only the benefits of two things and none of the disadvantages

Question 25

burn your bridges

Answer 25

destroy all possible ways of going back to that situation

Question 26

In a nutshell:

Answer 26

very briefly, giving only the main points

Question 27

the final nail in the coffin

Answer 27

an event that causes the failure of something that had already started to fail

Question 28

to call a spade a spade

Answer 28

speak clearly and directly about things, even embarrassing or unpleasant things.

Question 29

to go down the tubes

Answer 29

to fail completely

Question 30

to blow a fuse

Answer 30

to become very angry

Question 31

with no strings attached

Answer 31

If there are no strings attached to an offer or arrangement, there is nothing that is unpleasant that you have to accept

Question 32

to get your wires crossed

Answer 32

When people get their wires crossed, they have a different understanding of the same situation

Question 33

to shoot your bolt

Answer 33

to have already achieved all that you have the power, ability, or strength to do and to be unable to do more

Question 34

to get into gear

Answer 34

to start to deal with something in an effective way

Question 35

to twist the knife

Answer 35

to make someone who is annoyed, worried, or upset feel even worse

Question 36

to blow hot and cold

Answer 36

to sometimes like or be interested in something or someone and sometimes not, so people are confused about how you really feel

Question 37

spring chicken

Answer 37

a young person, usually used in negative contexts

Question 38

a kick in the teeth

Answer 38

a very disappointing and upsetting event

Question 39

food for thought

Answer 39

to be given something to think carefully about