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Idioms and Pharses PDF
Idioms and Pharses PDF
Idioms and Pharses PDF
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A Bird In The Hand Is Worth Two In The Bush:
Having something that is certain is much better than taking a risk
for more, because chances are you might lose everything.
A Blessing In Disguise:
Something good that isn't recognized at first.
A Dime A Dozen:
Anything that is common and easy to get.
A Doubting Thomas:
A skeptic who needs physical or personal evidence in order to
believe something.
A Piece of Cake:
A task that can be accomplished very easily.
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A Slap on the Wrist:
A very mild punishment.
A Toss-Up:
A result that is still unclear and can go either way.
An Axe To Grind:
To have a dispute with someone.
Apple of My Eye:
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Someone who is cherished above all others.
As High As A Kite:
Anything that is high up in the sky.
Baker's Dozen:
Thirteen.
Blue Moon:
A rare event or occurance.
Break A Leg:
A superstitious way to say 'good luck' without saying 'good luck',
but rather the opposite.
Buy A Lemon:
To purchase a vehicle that constantly gives problems or stops
running after you drive it away.
Charley Horse:
Stiffness in the leg / A leg cramp.
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Chip on his Shoulder:
Angry today about something that occured in the past.
Chow Down:
To eat.
Cry Wolf:
Intentionally raise a false alarm.
Cup Of Joe:
A cup of coffee.
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D
Dark Horse:
One who was previously unknown and is now prominent.
Dead Ringer:
100% identical. A duplicate.
Devil's Advocate:
Someone who takes a position for the sake of argument without
believing in that particular side of the arguement. It can a lso
mean one who presents a counter argument for a position they
do believe in, to another debater.
Doozy:
Something outstanding.
Dry Run:
Rehearsal.
Eighty Six:
A certain item is no longer available. Or this idiom can also mean,
to throw away.
Ethnic Cleansing:
Killing of a certain ethnic or religious group on a massive scale.
Excuse my French:
Please forgive me for cussing.
Feeding Frenzy:
An aggressive attack on someone by a group.
Field Day:
An enjoyable day or circumstance.
Flea Market:
A swap meet. A place where people gather to buy and sell
inexpensive goods.
French Kiss:
An open mouth kiss where tongues touch.
Fuddy-duddy:
An old-fashioned and foolish type of person.
Full Monty:
This idiom can mean either, "the whole thing" or "completely
nude".
Funny Farm:
A mental institutional facility.
Go For Broke:
To gamble everything you have.
Go Out On A Limb:
Put yourself in a tough position in order to support
someone/something.
Good Samaritan:
Someone who helps others when they are in need, with no
discussion for compensation, and no thought of a reward.
Graveyard Shift:
Working hours from about 12:00 am to 8:00 am. The time of the
day when most other people are sleeping.
Green Room:
The waiting room, especially for those who are about to go on a
tv or radio show.
Gut Feeling:
A personal intuition you get, especially when feel something may
not be right.
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Haste Makes Waste:
Quickly doing things results in a poor ending.
Hat Trick:
When one player scores three goals in the same hockey game.
This idiom can also mean three scores in any other sport, such as
3 homeruns, 3 touchdowns, 3 soccer goals, etc.
Hell in a Handbasket:
Deteriorating and headed for complete disaster.
High Five:
Slapping palms above each others heads as celebration gesture.
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Hocus Pocus:
In general, a term used in magic or trickery.
In Like Flynn:
To be easily successful, especially when sexual or romantic.
In The Bag:
To have something secured.
In The Buff:
Nude.
In Your Face:
An aggressive and bold confrontation.
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It's A Small World:
You frequently see the same people in different places.
Ivy League:
Since 1954 the Ivy League has been the following universities:
Columbia, Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth, Yale, Pennsylvania,
Princeton, and Harvard.
Jaywalk:
Crossing the street (from the middle) without using the
crosswalk.
Joshing Me:
Tricking me.
Knock On Wood:
Knuckle tapping on wood in order to avoid some bad luck.
Loose Cannon:
Someone who is unpredictable and can cause damage if not kept
in check.
Method To My Madness:
Strange or crazy actions that appear meaningless but in the end
are done for a good reason.
Mumbo Jumbo:
Nonsense or meaningless speech.
Nest Egg:
Savings set aside for future use.
No Dice:
To not agree. To not accept a proposition.
On The Fence:
Undecided.
Out On A Limb:
When someone puts themself in a risky situation.
Peeping Tom:
Someone who observes people in the nude or sexually active
people, mainly for his own gratification.
Pig In A Poke:
A deal that is made without first examining it.
Pig Out :
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To eat alot and eat it quickly.
Pipe Down:
To shut-up or be quiet.
Raincheck:
An offer or deal that is declined right now but willing to accept
later.
Ring Fencing:
Seperated usual judgement to guarantee protection, especially
project funds.
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Rise and Shine:
Time to get out of bed and get ready for work/school.
Rule Of Thumb:
A rough estimate.
Scapegoat:
Someone else who takes the blame.
Scot-free:
To escape and not have to pay.
Sick As A Dog:
To be very sick (with the flu or a cold).
Sitting Shotgun:
Riding in the front passenger seat of a car.
Sixth Sense:
A paranormal sense that allows you to communicate with the
dead.
Skid Row:
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The rundown area of a city where the homeless and drug users
live.
Smell A Rat:
To detect somone in the group is betraying the others.
Son of a Gun:
A scamp.
Southpaw:
Someone who is left-handed.
Spitting Image:
The exact likeness or kind.
Tongue-in-cheek:
humor, not to be taken serious.
Without A Doubt:
For certain.
Zero Tolerance:
No crime or law breaking big or small will be overlooked.
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abide by (something)
- to follow the rules of something
The cleaning staff must abide by the rules of the school.
about time
- to be something that should have happened earlier
"It is about time that you returned that book to me."
above all
- mainly, especially
I like adventure movies but above all I love horror movies.
above reproach
- to be not deserving of blame or criticism
The actions of the police officer were above reproach.
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above suspicion
- to be very honest so that nobody will suspect you of doing something wrong
The man's actions are always above suspicion.
absent-minded
- to be forgetful
My grandfather is very absent-minded and he often forgets his keys.
accept an offer
- to agree to an offer or proposal
I accepted the offer to buy my car.
according to Hoyle
- doing something strictly by the rules, doing something the usual and correct way (Hoyle was a
writer who was an expert on the rules of card games)
"According to Hoyle, we should not use this room but probably nobody will complain
if we do use it."
acid test
- a test where the conclusions are beyond doubt
The problem was an acid test of our faith in the new manager.
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act high and mighty
- to act proud and powerful
The woman always acts high and mighty and nobody likes her.
act up
- to misbehave
The children began to act up during the field trip.
add up
- to total up to a certain amount
I will add up the money that I owe to my father and give it to him.
after Idioms
after a fashion
- poorly, barely adequate
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The cleaning staff cleaned the lunchroom after a fashion but not very well.
after all
- in spite of what was expected
I have decided not to take swimming lessons after all.
It did not rain today after all.
after all
- emphasizes something that should be considered
"You don't need to phone him. After all, he never phones you."
after hours
- after the regular closing or finishing time
Our library has a place to return books after hours.
ahead of schedule
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- before the time on a schedule that has been decided
We finished our work ahead of schedule.
ahead of time
- earlier than arranged or planned
We started the meeting ahead of time so that we could go home early.
aim at (something)
- to plan or try to reach a target
We are aiming at a big increase in sales next year.
air (something)
- to broadcast something on television or radio
They will air the game tomorrow.
all Idioms
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all along
- all the time, throughout
I knew all along that my friend would not get the promotion.
all at once
- suddenly, without warning
All at once, the fire alarm rang and we had to leave the building.
all dressed up
- dressed in one's best clothes
The girls were all dressed up for the evening.
all ears
- to be eager to listen to someone
"I`m all ears, please tell me about the party."
all important
- most important, urgent or necessary
The meeting is all important and I plan to attend it.
all in
- to be tired, to be exhausted
I am all in and will go to bed early tonight.
all in all
- in summary, after considering everything
We had a few problems but all in all the meeting was successful.
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all manner of (someone or something)
- all types of people or things
There were all manner of people at the party.
all of a sudden
- suddenly, without advance warning
All of a sudden, it became cloudy and began to rain.
all or nothing
- everything, one hundred percent of something
It is all or nothing. If I cannot fully participate in the meeting I will not attend.
all-out-effort
- a very good and thorough effort
We are making an all-out-effort to finish our work.
all right
- okay, satisfactory
It should be all right for me to bring my friend to the party.
all set
- to be ready to begin, to be okay
We were all set so we began the meeting.
all systems go
- everything is ready (often used when a rocket is launched)
It was all systems go and we began the installation of the new computer system.
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all talk (and no action)
- to talk about doing something but never really doing it
Our boss is all talk and no action and nothing new is ever done in our department.
all thumbs
- to have difficulty fixing things or working with one`s hands, to be clumsy
My friend is all thumbs when he fixes things around his house.
all told
- including everything or everyone, counting everything
All told, there were at least twelve candidates for the job.
amount to (something)
- to total something, to result in something
The small amounts of time later amounted to much time.
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amount to (something)
- to become successful
The boy will never amount to anything if he does not change his behavior.
and so on
- and other similar details, et cetera
I was hot and I was tired and I did not have any water and so on. It was terrible.
answer to (someone)
- to explain or justify one's actions to someone
The manager had to answer to the company president about the financial problems.
arise from
- to originate from, to be caused by
Fires often arise from people not being careful.
arm in arm
- to be joined together by the arms
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The young girls walked to school arm in arm.
as Idioms
as a last resort
- if everything else fails
As a last resort we decided to borrow some money to buy the car.
as a matter of fact
- actually, in fact
as a result of (something)
- because of something that has happened
As a result of a car accident my friend could not work for several months.
as a rule
- usually, as a habit
As a rule, I get up at 7:00 every morning.
as a whole
- taken or considered all together
As a whole our boss is very good although some people do not like him.
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as clean as a hound's tooth
- very clean
The classroom was as clean as a hound's tooth when the students finished cleaning it.
as dull as dishwater
- very uninteresting
The speaker at the conference was as dull as dishwater.
as far as
- to the extent or degree of something
As far as I know the movie will start next week.
as far as possible
- as much as possible
We went as far as possible with the project before we had to stop.
We plan to drive as far as possible tomorrow.
as fit as a fiddle
- to be healthy and physically fit
My grandfather is ninety years old but he is as fit as a fiddle.
as if
- in the same way that something would be, that
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The drink tastes as if it were made with orange juice.
It seemed as if the whole town came to the concert.
as is
- in whatever condition something happens to be
We bought the old sofa as is. It was very cheap.
as long as
- provided that, on condition that
"As long as you promise to be very careful you can borrow my car."
as one
- as if a group were one person
The crowd stood up as one and began to cheer.
as pale as a ghost
- extremely pale
My grandfather was as pale as a ghost when he entered the hospital.
as pale as death
- extremely pale
The woman in the hospital waiting room was as pale as death.
as sick as a dog
- very sick
My friend was as sick as a dog when he left the restaurant last night.
as soon as
- just after something, when
I phoned my friend as soon as I finished dinner.
as such
- the way something is
"As such, I will not be able to approve your application for a loan."
as to
- with regard to, concerning, according to
We have some questions as to how the accident happened.
The players were put into groups as to their ability.
as usual
- most of the time, following the usual pattern
As usual, the girl forgot to bring her book to class.
as well
- in addition, also, too
I plan to take a computer course this summer as well.
as yet
- until now, up to the present
As yet, our secretary has not talked about her plans to leave the company.
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ask (someone) out or ask out (someone)
- to ask a person for a date
My friend finally asked the woman at the bank out.
at Idioms
at a loss
- in a state of uncertainty or bewilderment
We were at a loss about what to do with the broken computer.
at a standstill
- in a situation where no progress can be made, at an impasse
The traffic on the road was at a standstill because of the accident.
at a stretch
- continuously
My friend sometimes works for three weeks at a stretch.
at all costs
- regardless of the cost or difficulty, no matter what
The company wants to protect their product design at all costs.
at any rate
- anyway
"At any rate, I am not going to a movie tonight."
at bay
- at a distance
We tried to keep the dog at bay when we entered the building.
at best
- under the most favorable circumstances
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The doctors said that the man had ten months at best to live.
at cross-purposes
- to have opposite ways of doing something, to have opposing goals
The two men are at cross purposes. They cannot agree about anything.
at death's door
- to be near death
The young woman was at death's door after the accident.
at ease
- to be relaxed and comfortable
The players felt at ease after the coach talked to them.
at every turn
- everywhere that one looks
When we visited Rome, there was a group of tourists at every turn.
at face value
- the apparent value of something, the value that is printed on a stamp or a bond
At face value the old stamp was worth almost nothing.
at fault
- to be responsible for something, to be to blame for something
The truck driver was at fault for the terrible accident.
at first
- at the beginning
At first, I did not want to go to the movie but I later changed my mind.
at first blush
- when first seen, without careful study
At first blush the man seemed like a good worker but later he had many problems.
at hand
- within reach, nearby
I stopped working because I did not have any tools at hand.
at heart
- basically, fundamentally
The woman is a nice person at heart although many people dislike her.
at home
- in one`s house
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I left my money at home so I had to borrow some.
at it again
- to be doing something again
The two boys were at it again. We could hear them fighting.
at large
- to be free, to not be captured
The criminal was at large for many months.
at last
- finally, after a long time
I waited all morning for my friend's call until at last it came.
at least
- no less than
There were at least 60,000 people in the stadium.
at length
- in detail, finally
The speaker talked at length about the new product.
at loose ends
- restless and unsettled
My friend's mother was at loose ends after her husband died.
at once
- immediately
The police came at once after we called them.
at one sitting
- at one time
We finished the food at one sitting.
at peace
- peaceful, happy
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The woman was relaxed and at peace after her friend's funeral.
at random
- without sequence or order
The members of the team were chosen at random from among the regular players.
at risk
- in danger
The children were at risk of getting sick when the disease spread in the school.
at sea
- to be on the sea, to be away on a voyage on the ocean
My grandfather was at sea for several months when he was a young man.
at (someone's) service
- ready to help someone in any way possible
A member of the hotel staff was at our service during our visit.
at stake
- to be able to be won or lost, to be at risk
Much money was at stake during the negotiations for the new stadium.
at the latest
- no later than
The tour will start at noon at the latest.
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at the outside
- as the highest estimate
We can feed one hundred people at the outside during the seminar.
at this juncture
- at the present time
At this juncture there is no point to have a meeting.
at times
- sometimes, occasionally
At times, our teacher is very nice but at other times she is not nice.
at will
- whenever one wants, freely
The little boy was able to do what he wanted at will.
avenue of escape
- the route along which someone or something escapes
There was no avenue of escape for the bank robbers.
average out at
- to calculate something as an average
The cost of our hotels averaged out at much more than we expected.
back in circulation
- to be available to the public again (a library book)
The books were back in circulation after we returned them to the library.
back in circulation
- to be socially active again (after the breakup of a relationship between two people)
My friend stopped dating his girlfriend and he is now back in circulation.
back of beyond
- somewhere very remote
Every summer we go to the back of beyond for a camping trip.
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back off
- to retreat or move away (from a fight or argument or an object)
The man wanted to start an argument but finally he backed off.
back out (something) from a parking space or back (something) out of a parking
space
- to drive a vehicle out of a parking space
The woman backed the car out of the parking space.
back-to-back
- something follows immediately after something else, two people touching backs
There were two back-to-back games today because of the rain last week.
We sat back-to-back during the contest.
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The driver had to back the truck up.
bag of tricks
- a collection of special techniques or methods
The teacher has a bag of tricks to keep her students occupied.
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ball is in (someone's) court
- it is up to this person to make the next move (from tennis or a similar game)
We made an offer to buy the business and now the ball is in the owner's court to
accept our offer or not.
ball of fire
- an active and energetic person
The woman is a ball of fire and is always busy doing something.
ballpark estimate/figure
-a guess that is in a certain area or range
We had a ballpark estimate about how much it would cost to buy the business.
banker's hours
- short work hours (like the old hours of a bank when they were rather short)
The man has his own company and likes to work banker's hours.
baptism of fire
- a first experience of something (often difficult or unpleasant)
We went through a baptism of fire when we had to learn how to operate the small
business.
bargain on (something)
- to plan or expect something
We did not bargain on having heavy rain during our summer birthday party.
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My sister often barges in on me when I am with my friends.
bat a thousand
- to be successful in everything that you do
The salesman was batting a thousand during his sales trip to Europe.
be all ears
- to listen eagerly and carefully
The boy was all ears when the teacher began to talk about the circus.
be all things to all people
- to be everything that is wanted by all people
The politician tries to be all things to all people and it is difficult to know what he
really believes.
be bound to
- to be certain, to be sure to
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We are bound to be late if we do not hurry.
be game
- to be ready for action or agreeable to participate in something
All of the students were game to go to the science exhibition.
be had
- to be victimized or cheated
I was had by the salesman on the telephone.
be in
- to be popular or fashionable
Recently, long skirts are in.
be in
- to be at one's home or at one's workplace
If my friend is in I will visit him tonight.
be into (something)
- to be interested or involved in something
My friend is very much into music and writing songs.
be off
- to leave or depart
I plan to be off very early tomorrow morning to go to the airport.
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be out
- to be away from one's work or home
My friend was out so I could not visit him.
be over
- to be finished, to end
We will go home when the class is over.
be that as it may
- even if what you say is true
"Be that as it may, we are not going to permit the school dance to take place."
be the case
- to be true, to be an actual situation
"I do not care if it was the case last year, this year we will do things differently."
be the death of (someone)
- to be the ruin or downfall or death of someone (often used for some kind of problem)
The woman said that her young son's bad behavior would be the death of her.
be the matter
- to be unsatisfactory, to be improper, to be wrong
I do not know what is the matter with the boy.
be through
- to be finished, to end
I do not know when the movie will be through.
be to blame
- to be responsible for something bad or unfortunate
The woman is not to blame for breaking the computer.
be up
- to expire, to be finished
The time was up so we went home.
be with it
- to be able to focus or concentrate on something
The man is not with it and cannot understand what I am saying.
bean counter
- an accountant
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We asked the bean counters to look at the figures in the new budget.
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- to work very hard (to do something)
We beat our brains out in order to think of a name for the new magazine.
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Beat's me.
- I don't know.
a) "What time does the meeting start?"
b) "Beat's me."
before long
- soon
I had to wait a few minutes but before long my friend arrived.
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Buying the expensive car begged the question of where the man got the money.
behind in (something)
- to be late with something
I was behind in my studies and stayed home all weekend to study.
The man is always behind in his reading.
behind on (something)
- to be late with bill payments
I was behind on my credit card payments.
behind schedule
- unable to do something by the time on the schedule, after the time on a schedule
The trains were behind schedule because of the accident early in the morning.
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I tried not to belabor the point but I needed to explain things in detail for everyone to
understand.
below average
- to be lower or worse than average
The amount of rain was below average during the winter.
believe in (someone)
- to trust or have confidence in someone
The manager believed in his staff and trusted them completely.
believe in (something)
- to favor something, to support something, to think that something is true
The man does not believe in flying saucers.
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best part of (something)
- to be almost all of something
We spent the best part of a day trying to fix the lamp.
better off
- to be in a better situation than before
My friend would be better off if he sold his old car and bought a new one.
between jobs
- to be unemployed
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My friend is between jobs again. He lost his job last week.
beyond measure
- to be more than can be measured
The man's love for his city is beyond measure.
beyond words
- to be more than one can say
The mother's love for her new baby is beyond words.
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The vice-president is biding his time as he waits to become president of the company.
big of (someone)
- to be generous of someone
It was big of the man to share his house with the other people.
big shot
- an important and powerful person
The man is a big shot in the oil and gas industry.
birds-eye view
- a view from high above, a brief look at something
We had a birds-eye view of the playing field from our seats high up in the stadium.
birthday suit
- a completely naked body
The little boy was running down the street in his birthday suit.
bit by bit
- gradually
I am finishing my school project bit by bit.
black-and-blue
- bruised, showing signs of having been physically harmed
My arm was black-and-blue after falling down the stairs.
black out
- to faint or pass out
The young woman blacked out while she was standing in front of the computer.
blast off
- to shoot into the sky (used for a rocket)
The rocket blasted off at noon.
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blaze a trail (in something)
- to create or develop a new area of study
The football player blazed a trail for the other players to follow with his unique skills.
blessing in disguise
- something that turns out to be good but which seemed to be bad at first
The elderly woman was in very much pain and it was a blessing in disguise when she
quietly passed away.
blow Idioms
blow a deal
- to ruin a business deal with someone
We are working hard so that we do not blow the deal with our new customer.
blow a fuse
- to burn out a fuse, to become angry
We replaced the old fuse when our house blew a fuse last night.
My friend blew a fuse when I told him that I had lost his book
blow-by-blow account/description
- a description or account that provides much detail
I gave my friend a blow-by-blow account of the game last night.
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My friend is always blowing his own horn and is very annoying at times.
blow over
- to die down, to calm down
The problem with the lost receipts has blown over and everybody is happy again.
blow (something)
- to fail at something, to ruin something
I think that I blew the final math exam last week.
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The government investigation blew the lid off the illegal activities.
blow to smithereens
- to explode into tiny pieces
The gas tanker was blown to smithereens during the accident.
blue blood
- someone from a noble or wealthy or aristocratic family
The art exhibition attracted many of the blue bloods in the town.
blue in the face
- to be exhausted and speechless
You can argue with him until you are blue in the face but you will never change his
mind.
board a plane
- to enter a plane
I would like to board the plane early.
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bog down
- to slow down and make no progress, to become stuck (a bog is an area of land that is wet and
muddy - like a swamp)
I quickly became bogged down with all of the work that I had to do.
bone of contention
- a reason for a quarrel, the subject of a fight
The family cottage was a major bone of contention after the father died.
book a hotel/flight/room
- to reserve a hotel/flight/room in advance
We booked a room for our holiday.
I plan to book a flight this weekend.
book (someone)
- to register someone as a suspect for a crime
The police booked the man for dangerous driving.
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The movie bored me to death.
bottom line
- the result or final outcome of something, the last figure on a financial statement
Although I do not want to buy a new car, the bottom line is that I need a new car for
work.
bottom out
- to reach the lowest point
The stock market bottomed out at its lowest level in many months.
bow out
- to quit, to resign from something
I wanted to join the tour but at the last minute I had to bow out.
break Idioms
break a habit
- to end a habit
My sister worked very hard to break her habit of eating too much chocolate.
break a law
- to fail to obey a law
The young man broke the law when he drove his friend's car without a proper license.
break a record
- to set a new record that is better than an old one
The team tried hard to break a record during the last week of the season.
break camp
- to close down a campsite and move
We decided to break camp and begin on our journey.
break down
- to lose control of one's emotions, to have a nervous collapse
The woman broke down while the lawyer questioned her at the trial.
break down
- to stop working because of mechanical failure
The car broke down on the quiet road.
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break down (something) or break (something) down
- to analyze something
We must break down these figures for further study.
break even
- to have income equal to expenses
After only a few months our business began to break even and we started to make
money.
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break new ground
- to enter a new area of discovery or knowledge
The researchers are breaking new ground in their research.
break out
- to become widespread suddenly
An influenza epidemic broke out last month.
A fire broke out in the old building.
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The man did not break the bank but he did win a lot of money.
break through
- to make sudden progress by pushing through an obstacle
The university students worked very hard to break through with their research.
breathe easy
- to relax after a stressful situation
I could breathe easy after I found my lost wallet.
brew a plot
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- to make a plot
The generals in the small country were brewing a plot to take control of the
government.
bring Idioms
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I tried to bring home the importance of the new company policy.
bring (someone) to
- to wake someone up, to bring someone to consciousness
The doctor tried to bring the small boy to after he fell into the swimming pool.
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The actions of our supervisor bring into question his interest in the case.
bring to mind
- to recall something
The woman's acting brought to mind some of the great actresses of the past.
bring up (a child)
- to raise or care for a child
My sister is bringing up three children.
bring up (a subject)
- to introduce a subject into a discussion
They brought up the subject of taxes at the meeting but nobody in the government
wanted to talk about it.
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The youngest runner was bringing up the rear in the school relay race.
brush up on (something)
- to review something that one has already learned
I am going to brush up on my English before my trip to New York.
bug (someone)
- to irritate or bother someone
The boy's rude behavior is beginning to bug me.
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The girl is always building castles in the air and none of her plans have any chance to
succeed.
build up to (something)
- to lead up to something
Things were building up to be a very serious problem.
bump (someone) up
- to upgrade someone's flight or room or car rental etc.
They bumped me up to first class for my flight.
bundle of nerves
- a very nervous or anxious person
The woman is a bundle of nerves after looking after her three children.
bundle up
- to put on warm clothes, to dress warmly
We bundled up and went for a walk in the park.
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