Part 3 Flashcards
(21 cards)
Blow off steam
Meaning: Release stress or anger.
Example: He goes for a run to blow off steam after work.
Synonyms: vent, relax, release stress
Antonyms: bottle up, suppress, contain
Zip your lip
Meaning: Keep quiet.
Example: Zip your lip about the secret.
Synonyms: be silent, keep quiet, hush
Antonyms: talk, reveal, disclose
Throw someone under the bus
Meaning: Betray someone to save yourself.
Example: He threw his colleague under the bus to avoid blame.
Synonyms: betray, sacrifice, scapegoat
Antonyms: protect, support, defend
Your guess is as good as mine
Meaning: I have no idea.
Example: Why he left early? Your guess is as good as mine.
Synonyms: no idea, clueless, uncertain
Antonyms: sure, certain, confident
When pigs fly
Meaning: Something impossible or never happening.
Example: I’ll believe that when pigs fly.
Synonyms: never, impossible, no chance
Antonyms: definitely, certainly, for sure
Throw in the sponge
Meaning: Give up, surrender.
Example: After many failures, he finally threw in the sponge.
Synonyms: surrender, quit, give up
Antonyms: persist, continue, persevere
Under the radar
Meaning: Unnoticed or without attracting attention.
Example: The artist released the album under the radar to avoid hype.
Synonyms: unnoticed, stealthily, quietly
Antonyms: openly, publicly, obviously
Take the bull by the horns
Meaning: Face a problem boldly.
Example: She took the bull by the horns and led the team through the crisis.
Synonyms: confront, tackle, face boldly
Antonyms: avoid, evade, dodge
Show one’s true colors
Meaning: Reveal real character or intentions.
Example: He showed his true colors when he helped the needy.
Synonyms: reveal, expose, disclose
Antonyms: hide, conceal, disguise
Rome was not built in a day
Meaning: Important things take time.
Example: Don’t expect instant success — Rome was not built in a day.
Synonyms: patience required, gradual progress, slow process
Antonyms: instant success, quick fix, immediate result
Not hold water
Meaning: Argument or explanation is weak or invalid.
Example: His excuse simply does not hold water under scrutiny.
Synonyms: be weak, fall apart, be invalid
Antonyms: hold true, be strong, stand up
Out of the frying pan into the fire
Meaning: From a bad situation to a worse one.
Example: Quitting his job without a backup was jumping out of the frying pan into the fire.
Synonyms: worsen, escalate, deteriorate
Antonyms: improve, ameliorate, get better
Off the cuff
Meaning: Without preparation.
Example: She answered the questions off the cuff impressively.
Synonyms: impromptu, spontaneous, unrehearsed
Antonyms: rehearsed, prepared, planned
Let sleeping dogs lie
Meaning: Avoid stirring up trouble.
Example: It’s best to let sleeping dogs lie and not reopen old conflicts.
Synonyms: avoid trouble, leave be, don’t provoke
Antonyms: provoke, stir up, agitate
Make hay while the sun shines
Meaning: Take advantage of opportunities while they last.
Example: You should make hay while the sun shines and study hard now.
Synonyms: seize the moment, capitalize, act promptly
Antonyms: procrastinate, delay, waste time
Hit below the belt
Meaning: Act unfairly or cruelly.
Example: His remarks were harsh and hit below the belt.
Synonyms: unfair, unethical, unjust
Antonyms: fair, honest, ethical
Go belly up
Meaning: Fail completely or go bankrupt.
Example: The startup went belly up after just six months.
Synonyms: fail, collapse, go bankrupt
Antonyms: succeed, prosper, flourish
Eat one’s words
Meaning: Admit that what you said was wrong.
Example: After seeing the results, he had to eat his words.
Synonyms: retract, apologize, admit mistake
Antonyms: insist, deny, stand firm
Down to earth
Meaning: Practical, realistic, and sensible.
Example: Despite his wealth, he remains down to earth and humble.
Synonyms: pragmatic, realistic, sensible
Antonyms: unrealistic, impractical, fanciful
Cut and dried
Meaning: Clear, settled, or decided already.
Example: The contract terms are cut and dried, no negotiation possible.
Synonyms: predetermined, fixed, definite
Antonyms: flexible, uncertain, open-ended
Beat the clock
Meaning: Finish something before a deadline.
Example: She beat the clock and finished the project an hour early.
Synonyms: meet the deadline, be on time, finish early
Antonyms: miss the deadline, be late
