Above all = most importantly
About to = almost ready to
A breeze = something very simple and easy to do
Add up = make sense; be logical
All at once = suddenly; without warning
All of sudden = all at once; suddenly
An arm and a leg = very expensive; costly
As a matter of fact = in reality; actually
As a rule = generally; customarily
At the drop of a hat = quickly; without any preparation time
At ease = not nervous; calm
B
Back out (of) = withdraw an offer
Bank on = depend on; count on
Be my guest = do what you want; feel free; help yourself
Be rusty = need practice or review
Beast me = I don’t know; I have no idea (often used in
response to a question)
Best of both worlds = all the advantages
Better off = in an improved condition
Bite off more than one can chew = take on more responsibility
than one can handle
Bound to = certain to; sure to
Break down = stop functioning (for example: a machine)
Break in (on) = interrupt
Break the ice = break through social barriers (as at a party)
Break the news (to) = inform; give bad news
Break up = end (for example: a meeting)
Break up (with) = stop being a couple (for example: a
boyfriend and girlfriend)
Bring about = cause to happen
Bring up = raise (for example: a child); introduce (for
example: a topic)
Brush up on = review; study; practice
Bump into = meet unexpectedly; run into
By and large =mostly; generally;
on the whole
By heart = by memory; learn word
for word
By no means = in no way; not at
all
C
Call it a day = stop working for
the day; go home
Call of = cancel
Call on = visit
Calm down = relax
Care for = take care of; like
feel affection for
Catch on = become popular
Catch on (to) = understand; learn
Catch up (with) = go as fast as;
catch
Check in (or into) = register (at
a hotel)
Check out (of) = leave (a hotel);
take material (example= from a library)
Cheer up = become cheerful; be
happy
Chip in (on/for) = contribute
Clear up = clarify: make
understandable; become nice and sunny( use to talk about the weather)
Come across = find; meet;
encounter
Come around (to) = begin to
change someone’s opinion; begin to agree with
Come down with= become sick with
(an illness)
Come up with = think of (an idea)
Cost an arm and a leg = be very
expensive
Count on = depend on; rely on;
bank on
Count out = eliminate; no longer
consider as a factor
Cut off = stop; discontinue
(example: a service)
Cut out for = have an aptitude
for; be qualified for
D
Day in and day out = constantly;
for a long time
Die down = become less severe:
quite down
Do over =do again: repeat
Do without = not have
Down the drain = wasted: done for
no reason (example: work)
Dream up = invent; think of; come
up with
Drop in (on) = visit informally
Drop (someone) a line = send
someone a letter
Drop off = leave something (ex: a
package), take (someone)home
Drop out (of) = stop attending
(ex: classes)
E
Easy as pie = very simple; a
piece of cake
Eyes bigger than one’s stomach =
said of someone who takes more food than he or she can eat
F
Fall behind= not move as quickly
as; lag behind
Fall through = fail no happen
A far cry from = not similar to;
not as good as
Feel free= do something if one
wants
Feel like= be inclined to; want
to
Feel like a million dollars =
feel very good
Feel up to = feel able to do
something; ready to
Fed up (with) = not able to
tolerate; disgusted with; annoyed by
Few and far between = uncommon;
infrequent
Figure out = understand; solve
Fill in = write in a blank
Fill in (for) = substitute (for)
Fill one in = provide missing
information
Fill out = complete
Find out = learn; discover
A fish out of water = someone not
in his/her normal surroundings
Fix up = repair; renovate
Follow in one’s footsteps = do
what someone else did (especially an older relative)
For good = permanently; forever
For the time being = temporarily;
for now
From out of the blue =
unexpectedly; without warning
G
Get along with = have good
relation with
Get carried away = go too far; do
too much; buy too much
Get in one’s blood = become a
habit; become customary
Get in over one’s head = take on
too much responsibility; bite off more than one can chew
Get in the way = block; obstruct
Get in touch with = contact
Get the hang of something = learn
how to do something
Get a kick out of (doing
something) = enjoy; have fun doing something
Get off = leave (a vehicle)
Get off the ground = start to be
successful
Get on = board (a vehicle)
Get over = recover from (a
disease)
Get rid of = discard; no longer
have
Get under way = begin; start
Give away= distribute (for free)
Give (someone) a cold shoulder =
act unfriendly toward someone; ignore
Give a hand = applaud; clap
Give a hand with = assist
Go easy on= not punish severely
Go on (with) = continue
Go with = accompany; look good
together; complement
Go without saying = be clear; be
obvious
Grow up = to mature; to become an
adult
H
Hand in = give back to; return
Hand out = distribute
Hang on = wait
Hard to come by= difficult to
find
Have on= wear
Have one’s hands full= be very
busy; have a challenging job
Have a heart = be compassionate;
show mercy
Have a hunch = have an intuitive
feeling
Have a word with (someone) = talk
to someone briefly
Have the time of one’s life =
have fun; have a great time
Hear
firsthand (from) = get information directly from someone
Hear from
= be contacted by; be in touch with
Hear of =
know about; be familiar with
Hit it
off = become friendly (especially at the first meeting)
Hit the
road = leave; go away
Hold on =
wait
Hold on
(to) = grasp
Hold
still = not move
Hold up =
delay
I
In hot
water = in trouble
In the
dark = not knowing; confused
In the
long run = over a long period of time
In no
time = very soon; very quickly
In a
nutshell= in summery; in brief
In the
same boat = in the same situation; having the same problem
In person
= face to face (not by telephone, letter, etc)
In store
= in the future; coming up
Iron out
= solve (a problem)
J
Join the
club = have the same problem
Jump to
conclusions = from opinions without sufficient evidence
K
Keep an
eye on = watch; take care of; look after
Keep an
eye out (for) = look for
Keep on
(with) = continue
Keep
track of = know where something or someone is
Keep up
(with) = maintain the same speed as
Kill time
= spend time doing unimportant things
Know like
the back of one’s hand = be very familiar with
L
Lay off =
put out of work
Learn the
ropes = become familiar with; get use to; get the hang of
Leave out
= not include; omit
Leave
someone/ something alone = don’t disturb
Let
someone down = disappoint
Let up =
decline in intensity (ex: rain)
Look
after = take care of; mind
Look for
= try to locate
Look
forward to = anticipate (with pleasure)
Look into
= investigate
Look like
= resemble
Look out
(for) = be careful
Look over
= examine; read
Look up =
find information (in a reference book), try to locate someone
Look up
to = respect; admire
M
Make ends
meet = balance a budget
Make a
fool of oneself = act embarrassingly
Make
sense (of) = be logical and clear; understand
Make up =
invent; create
Make up
one’s mind = decide
Make way
for = allow space for; provide a path for
Mean to =
intend to
Mixed up
= confused
Music to
one’s ears = something that sounds pleasant
N
A nervous
wreck = someone who is very nervous
Next to
nothing = very little; cheap
No doubt
about it = certainly; definitely
No harm
done = there was no damage done
Not at
all = not in any way; not to any degree
Not
believe one’s ears (or eyes) = be unable to believe what one hears (or sees)
Not think
much of = not like; not have a good opinion of
O
Odds and
ends = small, miscellaneous items
An old
hand (at) = an experienced person
On edge =
nervous
On end =
consecutively; without a break
On hand =
easily available
On
needles and pins = nervous; anxious
On one’s
own = independent
On second
thought = after considering
On the go
= always busy; always moving
On the
tip of one’s tongue = almost able to remember
On the
whole = in general
Out of
(something) = not having something
Out of
one’s mind = insane; illogical; irrational
Out of
order = broken; not functioning properly
Out of
the question = definitely not; impossible
Over and
over = again and again; repeatedly
Over
one’s head = not understandable; obscure
P
Part with
= no longer have; get rid of; not be in the company of
Pass up =
not accept; not choose
Pass with
flying colors = do very well (on a test)
Pat
oneself on the back = congratulate oneself
Pay attention
(to) = concentrate on; focus on
Pick out
= choose; select
Pick up =
(1) take something from a surface, (2) go to a location and get someone or
something, (3) learn
Pick up
the tab (for) = pay for
The
picture of = a perfect example of something
Play it
by ear = do something without a definite plan
Play it
safe = choose a cautious plan
Point out
= indicate
A pretty
penny = a lot of money
Pull
one’s leg = joke with someone; make up a story
Push
one’s luck = to continue doing something too long; to keep taking changes
Put aside
= save for later; set aside
Put away
= return something to its proper place
Put off =
delay; postpone
Put on =
begin to wear
Put
together = assemble
Put up
with = tolerate
R
Right
away = immediately
Ring a
bell (with) = sound familiar to
Rough it
= experience somewhat difficult or primitive conditions
Rule out
= say something is impossible; eliminate
Run a
temperature= have a fever
Run for
office = try to get elected
Run into
= (1) meet unexpectedly (2) collide with
Run late
= be late; be in a hurry
Run of
the mil = ordinary
Run out
of = exhaust the supply of
S
Save
one’s breath = don’t bother asking someone
Search me
= I don’t know; I have no idea; beats me
See eye
to eye (with someone) (on something) = have the same opinion; be in agreement
See
(someone) off = accompany
See to =
take care of; check on; fix
Serve one
right = receive the proper punishment; get the penalty one deserves
Short for
= a nickname for
Show
around = orient; give a tour
Show off
= try to attract attention by unusual behavior
Show up =
arrive
Shut down
= close
Sign up
(for) = enroll
Sign
another tune = change one’s opinion; feel differently
Size up =
measure; estimate
Sleep on
it = postpone a decision until the next day
Slowly
but surely = gradually; steadily but not quickly
Showed
under = very busy
So far,
so good = up until now; there are no problems
Sooner or
later = at some indefinite future time
Speak
one’s mind = say what one is thinking
Speak up
= speak more loudly
Speak up
for = support verbally
Spell out
(for) = make something very clear; explain in detail
Spick and
span = extremely clean; spotless
Stack up
against = compare with
Stamp out
= eliminate; wipe out
Stand for
= (1) tolerate; put up with (2) symbolize; represent
Stand out
= be noticeable
Stay out
= not come home
Stay out
(or up) to all hours = come home (or go to bed) very late
Stay up =
not go to bed
Stick
with = not change; stay with
Stock up
on = get a large supply of something
A stone’s
throw from = not far away from; close to
Stop by =
visit informally; go to see
Straighten
up = clean up; make tidy
Stuck
with = have something one cannot get rid of
T
Take a
break = stop working for a short time
Take a
lot of nerve = require a lot of courage
Take a
lot out of (someone) = be hard on someone; drain energy from someone
Take
advantage of = utilize; make use of exploit
Take
after = resemble; look like
Take
apart = disassemble
Take it
easy = relax; calm down
Take off
= (1) remove (e.g.: clothing) (2) ascend (e.g.: plane) (3) become popular
quickly
Take over
= assume control or responsibility
Take part
in = participate in
Take a shortcut
= take a more direct or faster route than usual
Take the
plunge = finally take action; do something different
Take time
off (from) = take a vacation; break from work or school
Take up =
begin to study some topic or engage in some activity
Take down
to = speak to someone as if he or she were a child; patronize
Talk into
= persuade; convince
Talk out
of = dissuade; convince not to do something
Talk over
= discuss
Tear oneself
away from something = stop doing something interesting
Tear up =
rip into small pieces
Tell
apart = distinguish
Things
are looking up = the situation is improving
Think
over = consider
Throw
away = discard; get rid of
Throw
cold water on = discourage; force to cancel (e.g.: plan)
Throw the
book at someone = give someone the maximum punishment
Try on =
test clothing before buying (for size, style, and so on)
Try out =
test a product before buying
Try out
(for) = audition for; attempt to join
Turn around
= face in a different direction
Turn down
= (1) reject an offer (2) decrease in intensity
Turn in =
(1) return; give back; hand in (2) go to bed
Turn into
= change to; transform into
Turn off
= stop the operation (e.g.: an appliance); shut off
Turn on =
start the operation (e.g.: an appliance)
Turn out
= (1) result; end up; be the final product (2) produce (3) arrive; gather
Turn up =
(1) increase in intensity (2) arrive
U
Under the
water = slightly ill
Use up =
use completely
W
Wait on =
serve
Walk on
air = be very happy
Warm up =
(1) heat (2) practice; prepare for
Warm up
(to) = become friendly with; start to enjoy
Watch out
(for) = be alert; look out for
Wear out
= become no longer useful because of wear
What the
doctor order = exactly what was needed; the perfect thing
Wipe out
= eliminate; stamp out
Without a
hitch = without a problem
Work out
=(1) exercise (2) bring to a successful conclusion; solve
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