NEW IDIOMS 22/4/2024
Idiom
Come hell or high water
Meaning
If you say that you will do something come hell or
high water, you mean that you are determined to do
it, despite any difficulties that there might be:
I'll get you to the airport by noon, come hell or
high water!
Take the wind out of one’s sails
(also knock the wind out of sb's sails, knock the wind
out of sb)
to make someone feel less confident or
less determined to do something, usually by saying or
doing something that they are not expecting
Cry wolf
I was all ready to tell him that the relationship was over
when he greeted me with a big bunch of flowers - that
took the wind out of my sails.
to keep asking for help when you do not need it, with
the result that people think you do not
need help when you really need it:
If you cry wolf too often, people will stop believing you.
Reach for the starts
Done up/ dressed up like a dog’s dinner
Turn turtle
Put/ leave someone in the shade
Put/set the cat among the pigeons
Be between the devil and the deep blue sea
Money business
to want or try to get something that
is difficult or impossible to get
wearing very formal or decorative clothes in a way
that attracts attention
(of a boat) to turn over completely while sailing
to be so good that another person or thing does
not seem important or worth very much:
Although I thought I'd done well, my
sister's exam results put mine in the shade.
to say or do something that causes trouble or makes a
lot of people very angry
to have two choices that are
both equally unpleasant or not convenient
behaviour that is not acceptable or is dishonest:
The teacher suspected that there had been
some monkey business going on while she was out of
the room.
Run someone/something to ground
= run someone/some thing to earth
to find someone or something after a lot
of searching and problems:
Detectives finally ran the terrorists to ground in
an apartment building in Chicago.
Have bigger/ other fish to fry
Storm in a teacup
= tempest in a teapot
Do your level best
to have something more important to do
a lot of unnecessary anger and worry about
a matter that is not important
to try as hard as you can:
Tickets are hard to come by but I'll do my level best to
get you one.
Hang/ lie heavy (on/in something)
(of a feeling or something in the air) to be very easy
to notice in a particular place in a way that is
unpleasant
Smoke lay heavy on the far side of the water.
Despair hangs heavy in the stifling air.
Hit/ strike the right/wrong note
Sound/ strike a not (of something)
Of note
Compare notes (with somebody)
Take note (of something)
A dog and pony show
For show
Get the show on the road
(Jolly) good show!
A show of hands
Steal the show
Collect yourself/ your thoughts
Food for thought
Give (somebody) paused for thought
= give (somebody) pause
Have second thoughts
On second thoughts
A penny for your thoughts/ a penny for them
Perish the thought
School(s) of thought
A train of thought
(BE) to do, say or write something that is suitable/
not suitable for a particular occasion
Unfortunately, the president struck the wrong note in his
speech, ignoring the public mood.
To express feelings or opinions of a particular kind
She sounded a note of warning in her speech
Of importance or of great interest
a scientist of note
If two or more people compare notes, they each say
what they think about the same event, situation, etc
We saw the play separately and compared notes
afterwards.
To pay attention to something and be sure to
remember it
Under the new rules the penalty for illegal play is
increased. Players take note.
(NA, informal, disapproving) an event that is
planned only in order to impress people so that they
will support or buy something
the dog and pony show of his visits to the war zone.
Intended to be seen but not used
These items are just for show – they’re not for sale.
(informal) to start an activity or a journey
Let’s get this show on the road!
(BE, informal) used to show you like something or to
say that somebody has done something well
A way of voting for or against something in which
people raise their hand to vote
The vote was passed by a show of hands.
To attractive more attention and praise than other
people in a particular situation
As always, the children stole the show.
To try to control your emotions and become calm
I’m fine- I just need a minute to collect my self
To prepare yourself mentally for something
She paused to collect her thoughts before entering the
interview room.
An idea that makes you think seriously and carefully
The program certainly provides plenty of food for
thought
(formal) to make somebody think seriously about
something or hesitate before doing something
Popular resistance to the measures should give the
government pause for thought.
To change your opinion after thinking about
something again
You’re not having second thoughts about it, are you?
Used to say that you have changes your opinion
I’ll wait here. No, on the second thoughts, I’ll come with
you.
Used to ask somebody what they are thinking about
(informal or humorous) used to say that you find a
suggestion unacceptable or that you hope that some
thing will never happen
Me get married? Perish the thought!
A way of thinking that a number of people share
There are two schools of thought about how this illness
should be treated
The connected series of thoughts that are in your
head at a particular time
The wish is father to the thought
Without a second thought
Appetite (n)
Reap a/ the harvest
Take leave of your senses
Without a by your leave
= without so much as a by your leave
Take (your) leave (of somebody)
Take French leave
By/ with your leave
Beg leave to do something
Gain ground
Gain time
Nothing ventured/ gained
Be/ stay/ keep one jump ahead
Eat your heart out
Pack your bags
Pack a (powerful, real, etc) punch
Send somebody packing
Take a firm line/ stand (on/against something)
A firm hand
Be on firm/ solid ground
The phone ringing interrupted my train of thought
We believe a thing because we want it to be true
Immediately; without stopping to think about
something further
He dived in after her without a second thought
1.physical desire for food
He suffered from headaches and loss of appetite.
The walk gave me a good appetite.
Don’t spoil your appetite by eating between meals.
2.a strong desire for something
The preview was intended to whet your appetite ( =
make you want more).
Appetite for something The public has an insatiable
appetite for scandal.
(BE) to benefit or suffer as a direct result of
something that you have done
To start behaving in a crazy way
Without asking permission; rudely
He walked straight in, without so much as a by your
leave.
to say goodbye
with a nod and a smile, she took leave of her friends.
To leave work without asking permission first
With your permission
To ask somebody for permission to do something
I beg leave to add a few comments of my own.
To become more powerful or successful
Sterling continues to gain ground against the dollar.
To dela something so that you can have more time to
make a decision, deal with a problem, etc
Used to say that you have to take risks if you want to
achieve things and be successful
To do something before other people do it
The way to be successful in business is always to stay
one jump ahead of your competitors.
If you say "eat your heart out" followed by
the name of a famous person, you are joking that you
are even better than that person:
I'm singing in the village production of Tosca
next month - eat your heart out Pavarotti!
To leave a person or place permanently, esp after an
argument
1.(of a boxer) to be capable of hitting somebody very
hard
2.to have a powerful effect on somebody
The advertising campaign packs quite a punch.
To tell somebody clearly or rudely to go away
She tried to interfere but I sent her packing.
To make your beliefs known and to try make others
follow them
We need to take a firm line on data privacy.
Strong control or discipline
Those children need a firm hand to make them behave.
To be in a strong position an argument, etc because
you know the facts
Everyone agreed with me, so I knew I was on firm
ground.
Be at your wits’ end
Be frightened/ scared/ terrified out of your wits
=to frightened/ scare the wits out of somebody
Have/ keep your wits about you
Live by your wits
To wit
Wit (n)
Break/ cut (somebody/ something) loose from
somebody/ some thing
All hell broke loose
Hang/ stay loose
Have a loose tongue
Have a screw loose
Let loose = cut loose
Let loose
Let somebody/ something loose
To be so worried by a problem that you do not know
what to do next
She was at her wits’ end wondering how she’d manage it
all in the time.
To be very frightened/ to frighten somebody very
much
The latest news has scared the wits out of investors.
To be aware of what is happening around you and
ready to think and act quickly
They do tough interview so you’ll need to have your wits
about you.
To earn money by clever or sometimes dishonest
mean
You use to wit when you are about to be more exact
about something that you have just referred to
Pilot error, to wit failure to follow procedures, was the
cause of the accident.
1.the ability to say or write things that are both
clever or humorous
To have a quick/sharp/dry/ready wit
A book full of the wit and wisdom of his 30 years in
politics
2. a person who has the ability to say or write things
that are both clever and humorous
3.your ability to think quickly and clearly to make
good decisions
The game was long battle of wits
Kate paused and gathered her wits
A chance to pit your wits against ( = compete with,
using your intelligence) our quiz champion
To separate yourself or somebody/ something from a
group of people or their influence, etc
The organization broke loose from its sponsors.
Suddenly there was a lot of noise, arguing, fighting,
etc
There was a loud bang and then all hell broke loose.
Remain calm, to not worry
It’s OK-hang loose and stay cool
To talk too much, esp about things that are private
To be sightly strange in your behavior
To do something or to happen in a way that no one
controls
Teenagers need a place to let loose
To make a noise or remark, esp in a loud or sudden
way
She let loose a stream of abuse
1.To free somebody/ something from whatever holds
them/ it in place
She let her hair loose and it fell around her shoulders.
2.To give somebody complete freedom to do what
they want in a place or situation
A team of professional were let loose on the project