Word list: Idioms
miss the boat
go downhill
keep a low profile
have your cake and eat it (too)
at your fingertips
the mists of time
nip something in the bud
in the doghouse
put/throw a spanner in the works
grass roots
a blessing in disguise
to lose an opportunity to do
something by being slow to act
to gradually become worse
to avoid attracting attention to
yourself
to have or do two good things
at the same time that are
impossible to have or do at the
same time
If you have information at your
fingertips, you can get it and
use it very easily
used to show that something
happened a very long time ago
and is difficult to remember
clearly
to stop something before it has
an opportunity to become
established
If you are in the doghouse,
someone is annoyed with you
and shows their disapproval
to do something that prevents
a plan or activity from
succeeding
plural noun the ordinary people in a
society, movement, or
organization
something that seems bad or
unlucky at first, but results in
something good happening
later
burn the candle at both ends
burn sb at the stake
have butterflies (in your stomach)
make a splash
fly off the handle
turn a blind eye
drink like a fish
broaden/expand/widen sb's horizons
ascend the throne
take a shine to sb
take the shine off (sth)
at first glance
at a glance
be a barrel of laughs/fun
be a big fish in a small pond
be on a war footing
the undeserving poor
drop a brick/clanger
to work or do other things from
early in the morning until late
at night and so get very little
rest
verb to kill someone by tying the
person to a post and burning
them
to feel very nervous, usually
about something you are going
to do
to become suddenly very
successful or very well known
to react in a very angry way to
something that someone says
or does
to ignore something that you
know is wrong
to drink too much alcohol
to increase the range of things
that someone knows about or
has experienced
to become queen or king
to like someone immediately
to make something seem less
perfect or less good; to partly
spoil something
noun when first looking
noun immediately
to be funny or enjoyable
to have a lot of influence only
over a small area
noun to be ready or preparing to
fight a war
people who are poor because
of their own actions and should
not get sympathy from other
people
to do or say something that
makes you feel embarrassed
make a point of doing something to always do something or take
particular care to do it

get into your stride to become familiar with and

confident at something you
have recently started doing

have the courage of your convictions noun to be brave and confident

enough to do what you believe
in

fall off a cliff to suddenly and quickly reduce

or become less successful