Idioms Flashcards

(53 cards)

1
Q

To tease. To tell something that is not true, as a joke.

A

Pull somebody’s leg

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2
Q

If you sort out a problem immediately it may save a lot of extra work later.

A

A stitch in time saves nine

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3
Q

It’s used for describing someone who is old and no longer useful or attractive.

A

To be over the hill

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4
Q

To create the circumstances to enable (something) to happen or be done.

A

Pave the way for

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5
Q

You should feel ashamed of what you have done (not polite way)

A

Shame on you

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6
Q

That is really unfortunate; that’s too bad.

A

What a shame!

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7
Q

The situation, circumstance, or outcome has already happened or been decided or established, so it must be accepted even if it is undesirable.

A

It is what it is

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8
Q

One should not form an opinion on someone or something based purely on what is seen on the surface, because after taking a deeper look, the person or thing may be very different than what was expected.

A

You can’t judge a book by its cover

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9
Q

To feel sick. In most cases, it’s used to say that you feel a little sick.

A

To feel a bit under the weather

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10
Q

A further difficulty or annoyance, typically minor in itself but coming on top of a whole series of difficulties, that makes a situation unbearable.

A

The last straw

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11
Q

To be doing something that is dangerous or involves risks.

A

To be skating on thin ice

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12
Q

to fall so that your body hits the ground heavily

to die

to end in failure

A

To bite the dust

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13
Q

To foil, thwart, or interfere with one’s plan or ability to pursue sexual or romantic interactions with someone else

A

Throw salt on someone’s game

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14
Q

a person who rises, arrives, or acts before the usual or expected time.

A

Early bird

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15
Q

a person who is habitually active or wakeful at night

A

Night owl

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16
Q

reveal a secret carelessly or by mistake

A

Let the cat out of the bag

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17
Q

something you say when the person you were talking about appears unexpectedly

A

Speak of the devil

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18
Q

said when you want to emphasize that both people involved in a difficult situation must accept the blame, or that an activity needs two people who are willing to take part for it to happen

A

It takes two to tango

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19
Q

to harm someone who trusts you

A

Stab someone in the back

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20
Q

to have suffered because of someone or something and to be no longer able to bear him, her, or it

A

Have had it (up to here) with

I’ve had it up to here with you - get out!

I’ve had it with foreign vacations.

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21
Q

to be very involved in a situation, or to have too much of the thing stated

A

Be up to your neck in something

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22
Q

to have so much work that you have problems dealing with it all

A

Be snowed under (with something)

23
Q

If you do something _________, you do it immediately without stopping to think about it

A

At the drop of a hat

24
Q

to be wrong about the reason for something or the way to achieve something

A

Be barking up the wrong tree

25
to do or say something that helps you to get rid of strong feelings or energy
Blow off steam
26
to tell someone your secret thoughts and feelings
Bare your heart/soul
27
to tell someone about something that has been worrying you or making you feel guilty for a long time
Get something off your chest
28
to succeed in achieving two things in a single action
Kill two birds with one stone
29
to have a lot of energy and enthusiasm
Be full of beans
30
to do something in the easiest, cheapest, or fastest way
To cut corners
31
said when you feel that someone has made a bad situation worse by doing something else to upset you
To add insult to injury
32
If two people _________, they agree with each other
See eye to eye
33
to describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem
To hit the nail on the head
34
to do something as completely as possible
Go the whole hog
35
If someone is ________, that person attracts a lot of attention because they are more exciting or interesting than most people
Larger than life
36
to take someone's place, often by doing the job they have just left
Step into sb's shoes
37
If you live on an amount of money, that is the money that you use to buy the things that you need
Live on sth
38
If you say that a type of thing is like _____ or is _____, you mean that it is very difficult to obtain, usually because everyone wants it
Gold dust
39
as good as or better than all others
Second to none
40
to never do something because you think it is wrong
Draw the line at
41
something that will never happen impossible highly unlikely to happen
When pigs fly
42
a situation in which you can enjoy the advantages of two very different things at the same time
The best of both worlds
43
to be extremely expensive
It costs an arm and a leg
44
when you say something is ______ you mean it's a bargain – so cheap that it's almost as if you haven't paid anything for it.
A steal
45
something that you say when it is raining heavily
It's raining cats and dogs!
46
Not very often
Once in a blue moon
47
If something happens ________, it is completely unexpected
Out of the blue
48
used for wishing someone good luck, especially before a performance
To break a leg
49
ain't
``` am not isn't aren't hasn't haven't ```
50
Wait'll/Wait till
said when you are excited about seeing another person's reaction to something special or unusual
51
Whaddaya
What do you
52
Keep a promise
To fulfill or be faithful to a promise one has made How can you expect me to trust you when you keep proving that you can't keep a promise?
53
Not have a clue/have no clue
to be completely unable to guess, understand, or deal with something "Who invented algebra?" "I don't have a clue." Don't ask your father which key to press - he hasn't got a clue about computers.