on no account if something must on no account/not on any account be done, it must not be done at any time or for any Employees

y time or for any Employees must on no account make personal phone calls
reason (the definitions should be obtained from dictionary.cambridge.org) from the office. (there should be onlyone example in this field,
but you can add more examples and/or usage notes if you wish,
using Insert-->Note; entries with more examples and/or usage
notes will have the black triangle at the top corner )
get your act together [informal] to start to organize yourself so that you do things in an effective way She's so disorganized - I wish she'dget her act together.

to add insult to injury said when you feel that someone has made a bad situation worse by doing something else to upset you I was late and, to add insult to injury, forgot my keys.
cannot afford / can ill afford[formal] if you can ill afford to do something, it will cause problems for you if you do it We can ill afford to lose another member of staff.
then/there again used when you have had a new thought that is different from or the opposite of what you have just said I like to travel but, then again, I'm very fond of my home.
raise the alarm to make people understand the danger of something A local doctor was the first to raise the alarm about this latest
virus.
be alive and well/kicking to continue to live or exist and be full of energy or continue to be popular or successful She said she'd seen him last week and hewas alive and
kicking. Despite rumours to the contrary, feminism is alive and
well.
keep sb at arm's length not allow someone to become too friendly with you I always had the feeling she waskeeping me at arm's length.
if you ask me said when giving your opinion on something If you ask me, I think the test should not be given in multiple
choice form
back and forth moving first in one direction and then in the opposite one She swayed gently back and forth to the music
behind sb's back If you do something behind someone's back, you do it without them knowing, in a way that is unfair I dread to think what they say about me behind my back.
in the balance If a situation is in the balance, it has reached a stage where it will soon be decided one way or another The game hungin the balance until the last minute.
start/set/get the ball rolling to do something that starts an activity, or to start doing something in order to encourage other people to do theWe have to get the ball rolling on this project soon.
same
jump/climb/get on the bandwagon become involved in an activity that is successful so that you can get the advantages of it yourself The song led many cover singersto jump on the bandwagon
with the same singing style
with your bare hands without using any type of tool or weapon Workers for this company have to undertake dangerous tasks
with their bare hands
in(to) the bargain in addition to other facts previously mentioned She is a pretty girl. Oh, she's intelligent into the bargain!
hold/keep sb/sth at bay to prevent sb/sth unpleasant from harming you Regular exercise can helpkeep fat at bay.
bear fruit [formal] if sth that sb does bears fruit, it produces successful results Eventually her efforts bore fruit and she got the job she wanted.
off the beaten track/path In a place where few people go, far from any main roads and towns The farmhouse we stayed in was completelyoff the beaten
track.
be behind sb If a bad experience or your own bad behaviour is behind you, it does not exist or affect your life now Those dark days are behind me now, I'm glad to say.
drive/send sb round the bend to make someone very angry, especially by continuing to do something annoying The kids have beendriving me round the bend today
be beside yourself He was beside himself with ragewhen I told him what I had
unable to control yourself because of the strength of emotion you are feeling done
at the best of times even when the circumstances are very good He's never very happyat the best of times—he'll be much worse
now!
be a safe bet something that is likely to happen, to succeed or to be suitable Clothes are a safe bet as a present for a teenager.
be your best bet (informal) If you want to get around London fast, the Underground isyour
used to tell somebody what is the best action for them to take to get the result they want best bet.
beyond compare (literary) better than anything else of the same kind Our professional service promises you a weddingwithout
compare.
beyond a shadow of a doubt This is beyond a shadow of a doubtthe best film I have seen
if you know or believe something beyond a shadow of a doubt, you are certain that it is true this year.
bits and pieces/bobs (informal) small objects or items of various kinds She stuffed all her bits and piecesinto a bag and left.
to the bitter end continuing until you have done everything you can, or until something is completely finished, despite difficultiesThey were prepared to fightto the bitter end for their rights.
and problems
a blanket of sth (figurative) a thick layer or covering of something The trial was conducted undera blanket of secrecy.
in the blink of an eye very quickly; in a short time I can handle all these tasks in the blink of an eye.
make sb's blood boil make someone extremely angry The way they treated peoplemakes my blood boil.
make sb's blood run cold A sound, sight, or thought that makes your blood run cold frightens you very much The idea of having to give a speechmade my blood run cold.
blow sb's mind If something blows your mind, you find it very exciting and unusual That scenario completely blows my mind.
blow it / blow your chance to fail to take advantage of an opportunity by doing or saying something wrong I really blew it when I turned down that job offer, didn't I?
across the board The improvement has beenacross the board, with all divisions
happening or having an effect on people at every level and in every area either increasing profits or reducing losses.
keep body and soul together to be able to pay for your food, clothing, and somewhere to live His wages are barely enough tokeep body and soul together.
a bone of contention something that two or more people argue about strongly over a long period of time Who should be the president is a bone of contention
have a bone to pick with sb I've got a bone to pick with you - you've been using my shaver
to want to talk to someone about something annoying they have done again.
be in sb's good/bad books If you are in someone's good/bad books, they are pleased/not pleased with you He's in Melanie's bad books because he arrived two hours late.
go by the book / do sth by the book This is a private deal - we don't have todo everything by the
to do something exactly as the rules tell you book.
the bottom line The bottom line is that we need another ten thousand dollars to
the most important fact in a situation complete the project.
break fresh/new ground to do or discover something new This recovery techniquebreaks new ground.
break it/the news to sb Come on, what happened?Break it to me gently (= in a kind
to be the first to tell somebody some bad news way).
with bated breath in an anxious (= worried and nervous) or excited way I waited for the results with bated breath
a breath of fresh air Angela's so cheerful and lively - she'slike a breath of fresh air
someone or something that is new and different and makes everything seem more exciting when she visits
hold your breath to wait for something to happen, often feeling anxious Citizens held their breath waiting for the results of the election
under your breath quietly so that other people cannot hear exactly what you are saying He muttered something under his breath
(have) a rough/bumpy ride[INFORMAL] have a difficult time She had a bumpy ride after his father died
a bundle of nerves She is always a bundle of nerves before every important
someone who is extremely nervous and worried examinations
burn the midnight oil work late at night To earn enough to live on, my father used to burn the midnight oil
call it a day stop the work sb doing It's late. Let's call it a day and go home
be on/in the cards likely to happen Love is not on my cards because I only focus on study
carry weight California carries weight because it is the economy engine of the
to be considered serious and important enough to influence other people country
catch sb's eye to be attractive or different enough to be noticed by someone His innocent smile catched my eyes
(the) chances are it is likely Chances are(that) they'll be late anyway.
a change of heart change your opinion or the way you feel about something I had a change of heart after deep consideration
get sth off your chest Confiding in close friends is a great way to get things off your
tell someone about something that has been worrying you or making you feel guilty for a long time chest
have a chip on your shoulder seem angry all the time because you think you have been treated unfairly or feel you are not as good as other I had a chip on my shoulder when I didn't pass the exam to a
people famous university
clear the air It is time to clear the air to get rid of the division created by the
remove the bad feelings among people election.
be in the clear After police investigated his house, he was proved tobe in the
not guilty of a crime, or not involved in doing something bad clear.
behind closed doors do something secretly without public knowing Nuclear schemes are set out behind closed doors
be on cloud nine "Was Helen pleased about getting that job?" "Pleased? She was
to be extremely happy and excited on cloud nine!"
in cold blood If someone kills in cold blood they kill mercilessly and showing no emotion He kills in cold blood and never gives it a thought.
find common ground find a shared beliefs or opinions between two groups Now it is time to find common ground and forget the differences
a conflict of interest I need to declare a conflict of interest here - one of the
a situation in which someone cannot make a fair decision because they will be affected by the result candidates for the job is a friend of mine
keep a cool head / keep your head stay calm despite difficulties To tackle these problems, try to keep your head.
lose your cool become very angry I lost my cool on hearing that he is the next president
(just) around the corner coming very soon Spring is around the corner! Cheer up!
at the crack of dawn very early in the morning, especially at the time when the sun first appears The air is fresh at the crack of dawn
cramp sb's style [humorous] On my first date, my younger sister tried to cramp my style and
prevent someone from having a good time, especially by going somewhere with them followed us
cross sb's path / cross paths with sb meet sb by chance I crossed my ex-lover's path and this is somehow embarrassing
cry your eyes out cry a lot The baby cried his eyes out when he couldnot find mommy
crystal clear His thesis statement is crystal clear so I understand his essay
easy to understand or extremely clear quite well
not be cut out for sth to not be the right type of person for something I am cut out for sitting still. I love moving around
don't you dare [INFORMAL] used to tell someone angrily not to do something Don't you dare reading my diary!
be in the dark to not know about something that other people know about She is in the dark about the password
make sb's day to make someone happy He made my day with a deep kiss
deep in thought thinking very hard She sat, not listening, but deep in thought.
jump in at the deep end / throw sb in at the deep I jumped in at the deep end when I decided to participate that
end start doing something new and difficult without help or preparation competitive contest
run/go deep The division now goes deep between the Democratics and
be strong or serious and has existed for a long time Republicans
out of your depth Physics and science-related subjects are out of my depth for
not having the knowledge, experience, or skills to deal with a particular subject or situation girls like me
q Graduating from a prestigious university, he finds being an officer
If something is beneath your dignity, you feel that you are too important to do it is beneath his dignity
on the dot exactly at the stated or expected time The plane landed at two o'clock on the dot.
be down to sb [INFORMAL] to be someone's responsibility or decision To reduce poverty is down to the government
down under She was born in Scotland, but she's been living down under for
(in or to) Australia or New Zealand 22 years
down the drain/gurgler If the factory closes, that will be a million dollars' worth of
If work or money is or goes down the drain, it is spoiled or wasted investment down the drain
down and out having no luck, no money, and no opportunities Nobody loves you when you're down and out
go downhill
draw the line (at sth)
beyond your wildest dreams much better than you imagined or hoped The money we raised was beyond our wildest dreams
not/never in your wildest dreams
wouldn't dream of sth/doing sth
drop it/the subject
a drop in the ocean/bucket
(down) in the dumps/mouth
a nest egg
not be the end of the world
be endowed with sth
at the expense of sb / at sb's expense
keep your eyes open (for sb/sth)
keep your eyes peeled/skinned (for sb/sth)
lose face
keep a straight face
in the face of sth
on the face of it
a slap in the face
to sb's face
let's face it
fall into place
fall on deaf ears
go too far
a fast track (to sth)
(life in) the fast lane
be no mean feat
put your feet up
cross your fingers / keep your fingers crossed
put your finger on sth
at your fingertips
come under fire
play with fire
set fire to sth/sb
put sb/sth first
in a flash / quick as a flash
be sb's own flesh and blood
go with the flow
fly in the face of sth
follow in sb's footsteps
start / get off on the right/wrong foot
put your foot down
put your foot in it / put your foot in your mouth
lay the foundations of/for
the frontiers of sth
a free hand
give way (to sth) / make way for sth
be glued to sth
go against the grain
grasp the nettle
be green with envy
grin and bear it
come/get to grips with sth
grit your teeth
be on (your) guard
catch sb off guard
let your guard down
drop/lower your guard
let your hair down
get/gain the upper hand
get out of hand
at the hands of sb
get/lay/put your hands on sth
have your hands full
in hand
on/to hand
have (got) to hand it to sb
get the hang of sth
the hard way
have it in for sb
keep your head above water
laugh, shout, scream, etc. your head off
open your heart
at heart
take sth to heart
hell of a / helluva
like hell
hold down a job
hold your own / hold your (own) ground
(not) hold water
ring/sound hollow
go/sell like hot cakes
be ill at ease
the ins and outs of sth
to/for all intents and purposes
itch to do sth / itch for sth
do the job
do/make a good/bad, etc. job of sth
jump to conclusions
the jury is (still) out
do justice to sb/sth / do sb/sth justice
keep (sb) at it
not take kindly to sth
know your stuff/onions [old-fashioned]
know best
know better (than to do sth)
labour of love
at large
the last sb heard/saw of sb/sth
take the law into your own hands
by/in leaps and bounds
not in the least
leave sb to their own devices
leave no stone unturned
the length and breadth of somewhere
let go
let's face it
cast/shed/throw light on sth
come to light / bring sth to light
within limits
along the lines of sth / along those lines
in line with sth
(be) on the line
(step/be) out of line
read between the lines
loom large
lose heart
lose sight of sth
lose sleep over/about sth
be at a loss
be lost for words
bring a lump to your throat
make do
leave your/its mark (on sb/sth)
make a/your mark (on sth)
be a matter of life and/or death
mean well
by all means
a means to an end
in memory of sb
(take) a stroll/trip/walk down memory lane
have sth on your mind
in your mind's eye
mind (you)
mind your own business [humorous]
the minute (that)
miss the boat
be in the mood
go through the motions [disapproving]
get a move on
so much for sth
the naked eye
in the name of sth / in sth's name
make a name for yourself
you name it
neck and neck If two competitors are neck and neck, they are level with each other and have an equal chance of winning.
hit/touch/strike a (raw) nerve
be news to sb
the next thing I knew
none the worse, better, richer, etc.
none too [formal]
make (a) nonsense of sth
poke/stick your nose into sth
((out) from) under your nose
be nothing if not generous, honest, helpful, etc.
go/get/head nowhere
against (all) the odds/against all odds
be at odds with sb/sth
be one of a kind
go overboard
get your own back (on sb)
(be) part and parcel of sth
the best/better part of
on the part of sb/on sb's part
go through a bad/difficult/rough/sticky patch
pave the way
pay the price
pick up the pieces
get the picture
go/fall to pieces
put sb in their place
play (sth) by ear
play it by ear
play games
pluck up your courage / pluck up (the) courage to
do sth
take the plunge
a sore point
to the point
be poles apart
be at a premium
make your presence felt
be/fall prey to sth
at any price
swallow your pride
be in the process of doing sth
in the process
pull your weight
pull strings
have/keep your finger on the pulse
if/when push comes to shove
put sb on the spot
an unknown quantity
be out of the question / be no question of (doing)
sth
at any rate
at this rate
reap the benefit, reward, etc.
recharge your batteries
be a recipe for disaster, trouble, success, etc.
red tape
be in the red
be far removed from sth[formal]
in good, bad, etc. repair / in a good, bad, etc. state
of repair
be your last resort
retrace your steps
ring a bell
a riot of colour
run riot
ripe for developed to a suitable condition for something to happen The company is ripe for takeover.
give rise to to cause sth International support hasgiven rise to a new optimism in the
company.
rock the boat [informal] If you rock the boat, you do or say something that will upset people or cause problems. Don't rock the boat until the negotiations are finished.
go through the roof / hit the roof to get very angry When I was expelled from school, my parentswent through the
roof.
a roof over your head a place to live She gave him enough money to geta roof over his head.
learn/know the ropes to learn/know how to do a job or activity Before you start the business, get to know the ropes of the
market.
round of applause a period of time during which people are clapping The singer got a biground of applause.
be running at sth to be at the rate of something Inflation is running ideally at 2% per year.
run wild [disapproving] If someone, often a child, runs wild, that person behaves as they want to without being controlled by anyone. Don't be too hard on him - he mayrun wild.
make a run for it to suddenly start running in order to escape from somewhere Martin makes a run for it, afraid his father will give him a
beating.
be (stuck) in a rut to not have changed what you do or how you do it for a very long time so that it is not interesting any longer The European Committeewas stuck in a rutand was losing its
direction.
be in the same boat to be in the same unpleasant situation as other people She's always complaining that she doesn't have enough money,
but we're all in the same boat.
by the same token used to mean that something you are about to say is also true, for the same reasons as what has just been Popularity need not be equated with the destruction of
said intellectual values and,by the same token, accessibility need
not threaten traditional archival and custodial roles.
to say nothing of ... and in addition there is ... It would be an enormous amount of work,to say nothing of the
cost.
behind the scenes If something happens behind the scenes, it happens without most people knowing about it, especially when A lot of hard work has been going onbehind the scenes.
something else is happening publicly.
(not be/come) up to scratch reaching an acceptable standard Your last essay wasn't up to scratch/didn't come up to
scratch.
see eye to eye (with sb) to agree with sb My sister didn’t see eye to eye with meabout the how to tell my
parents about the problem.
see red to become very angry People who don't finish a job really make mesee red.
see sense/reason to be reasonable and have good judgment We talked to her for an hour, but we couldn't make hersee
sense.
take shape to start to develop a more clear or certain form Globally, ambitious efforts to develop wind power are beginning
to take shape.
have your (fair) share of sth to have a lot or more than enough of something bad She's had her fair share oftragedies in her life.
send shivers down/up your spine / a shiver down to feel very frightened or excited I tried to smile, suppressing the shiver that was running down
your spine my spine.’
The thought of what might have happenedsent shivers down
our spine.
cut sth short to have to stop doing something before it is finished Their conversation wascut short by the arrival of more guests.
[1]
a shoulder to cry on someone who is willing to listen to your problems and give you sympathy, emotional support, and I wish you'd been here when my mother died and I needed
a
encouragement shoulder to cry on.
sick to your stomach 1) likely to vomit; 2) feeling very upset, worried, angry 1) I'm (feeling)sick to my stomach.
2) It makes me sick to my stomachwhen I remember my car
accident.
on the side 1) in addition to your main job; 2) secretly; 3) (US) (of food in a restaurant) served on another plate, or on the 1) He makes a little money on the side by cleaning windows in
side of the plate his spare time.
2) I think he has another womanon the side (= a relationship
with a woman who is not his wife).
3) I'd like a salad with the dressingon the side (= with the
dressing served separately from the salad), please.
put/lay sth on/to one side to not use something, especially an amount of money, in order to keep it for later use We have put some money on one side for next year's summer
holiday.
lose sight of sth to forget about an important idea or fact because you are thinking too much about other things Participants must be able to put in their best efforts without
losing sight of the collaborative and supportive process.
set your sights/heart on sth to decide to achieve sth Jenny has set her sights onwinning the competition.
have sth up your sleeve[informal] to have secret plans or ideas I still have a few ideas up my sleeve, which will inevitably
disappoint some readers and please others.
slip sb's memory/mind to be forgotten I forgot I'd arranged to meet Richard last night - it completely
slipped my mind.
be snowed under (with sth) to have so much work that you have problems dealing with it all I'm absolutely snowed under withwork at the moment.
only so much/many used to say that there are limits to something There areonly so many hours in your working day - you cannot
possibly do all the work.
be (really) something [informal] to be very special or admired Imagine winning an Olympic medal - now that wouldbe
something.
be something of a sth used to describe a person or thing in a way that is partly true but not completely or exactly I have a biology question for you - I hear you'resomething of an
[informal] expert.
something like similar to He cursed himself for not having foreseen thatsomething like
this might happen.
would (just) as soon / would sooner If you would (just) as soon do something or would sooner do something, you would prefer to do it rather than "Would you like to go out for dinner?" "I'd just as soonstay in -
something else that is possible. I'm not feeling very well."
not be on speaking terms If you are not on speaking terms with someone, you refuse to speak to them because you are angry with themThey had an argument last night and now they'renot on
speaking terms(with each other).
so to speak used to explain that what you are saying is not to be understood exactly as stated In that relationship it's very much Lorna who wears the trousers,
so to speak (= Lorna makes all the important decisions).
speak your mind to say what you think about something very directly He's certainly not afraid to speak his mind.
speak volumes If something speaks volumes, it makes an opinion, characteristic, or situation very clear without the use of She said very little but her facespoke volumes.
words
speaks for itself If something speaks for itself, it is clear and needs no further explanation The school's excellent recordspeaks for itself.
make a splash to become suddenly very successful or very well known Jodie Foster made quite a splashin the film "Taxi Driver".
have a soft spot for sb/sth to feel that you like someone/ something very much She'd always had a soft spot forher younger nephew.
on the spot immediately You can be sacked on the spot for stealing.
spring to mind to come quickly into your mind Say the word "Australia" and a vision of beaches and blue seas
immediately springs to mind.
on the spur of the moment used to say that a decision, action, etc. is sudden and done without any planning We just jumped in a car on the spur of the momentand drove
to the seaside.
at stake If something that is valuable is at stake, it is in a situation where it might be lost Thousands of lives will beat stake if emergency aid does not
arrive in the city soon.
it stands to reason said when something is obvious or clear from the facts If 20 percent of the earth's population has 80 percent of its
resources, then it stands to reason that80 percent of the
population has only 20 percent of the resources.
know where you stand to know what your opinion or situation is I know where I stand onthis issue - I'm against the war.
stand your ground to refuse to be pushed backwards, or to continue in your beliefs in an argument Clare stood her ground in the meeting and refused to be
intimidated even when Michael got angry.
stay put to remain in the same place or position Just stay put with the suitcases, while I go and find a cab.
let/blow off steam to do or say something that helps you to get rid of strong feelings or energy He lifts weights after workto let off steam.
steer clear of sb/sth to avoid someone or something that seems unpleasant, dangerous, or likely to cause problems They warned their children tosteer clear ofdrugs.
take stock (of sth) to examine a situation carefully After the storm homeowners came out totake stock of the
damage.
a stone's throw a very short distance The apartment is just a stone's throwfrom the sea.
stop short of sth If you stop short of doing or saying something, you decide not to do or say it although you almost do. I stopped short oftelling him the brutal truth.
be streets ahead (of sb/sth) [informal] to be much better or much more advanced than another thing or person The latest sales figures show that we're streets ahead ofthe
competition.
(no) strings (attached) If something such as an agreement has strings attached, it involves special demands or limits: Most of these so-called special offers come withstrings
attached.
be going strong to continue to exist and be successful or work well, after a long period After fifty years, the town's theatreis still going strong.
sure enough [informal] as expected He said he'd left the book on the desk, andsure enough, there
it was.
a double-edged sword Something that is double-edged acts in two ways, often with one negative and one positive effect The government's programme to grow cash crops for export is
a
double-edged swordbecause it has created a local food
shortage.
can take it / I take it said if you think that what you say is likely to be true, although it is not proved You'll be staying the night, I take it?
give and take willingness to accept suggestions from another person and give up some of your own In every relationship there must be somegive and take.
take sth as it comes to deal with something as it happens, without planning for it I'd rather not plan my day, I'd like totake life as it comesand do
whatever I feel is right.
be in good/bad/poor, the best/worst possible, etc. to be acceptable in a way that will not upset or anger people Most of my uncle's jokes are not in good taste.
taste
teach sb a lesson A person or experience that teaches you a lesson improves your future behaviour by making you experience Having my car stolen reallytaught me a lesson- I'll never leave
the bad effects of your actions it unlocked again.
I told you so! said when something bad happens after you warned someone that it would happen
touch and go If a situation is touch-and-go, it is uncertain The doctor says that it's touch-and-go whetherMary will be
okay.
(I'll) tell you what used to suggest a plan I'll tell you what - we'll split the money between us.
come to terms with sth to gradually accept a sad situation, often the death of someone you love I think he's still coming to terms with the death of his wife
be on good, friendly, etc. terms (with sb) to have a good, friendly, etc. relationship with someone Are you on good terms with your boss?
be at / reach the end of your tether/rope having no strength or patience left By six o'clock after a busy day I'm at the end of my tether.
thick and fast quickly and in large numbers Distress calls were pouring in, thick and fast, from all over the
area.
through thick and thin If you support or stay with someone through thick and thin, you always support or stay with them, even if thereShe has stuck with me through thick and thin.
are problems or difficulties
disappear/vanish into thin air to disappear suddenly and completely The museum's alarm went off, but by the time police arrived the
culprits had disappeared into thin air.
do your own thing [informal] to do what you want without worrying about what anyone else thinks of you Though we did walk together as a group, everyone was virtually
doing their own thing.
who would have thought it? used to say that you are very surprised something has happened So, Alex is going out with Hannah. Who would have thought
it?
this and that / this, that, and the other [informal] various things "What were you talking about?" "Oh, this and that."
thread your way through, between, etc. sth to move carefully through a crowded space, changing direction in order to avoid people or things She quickly threaded her way throughthe crowded market
place.
on the threshold of sth at the start of a new and important time or development For a city that is on the threshold ofa major expansion, Mr.
Monayee's is a gentle reminder that the city should not lose its
soul in the search for economic prosperity.
throw caution to the wind/winds to act in a completely reckless manner And once in your life you'll get at least one opportunity, one
challenge to throw caution to the wind, take the big risk, break
free and follow your dream.
tie the knot to get married After having a five-year romantic relationship, Mary and Alex
decided to tie the knot.
be in a tight corner/spot to be in a difficult situation The G40 faction in Zanu PFis now in a tight corner and battling
to survive, amid reports that more of its members have been
targeted for investigation.
tighten your belt to spend less money than you did before because you have less money I have to tighten my belt this month because I spent all money
on those books.
give sb a hard time [informal] to make things difficult or unpleasant for sb My mother gave me a very hard time (= was very angry with
me) about staying out late.
have no time for sb to disapprove of sb and not want to be involved with them I have no time for people who are always complaining and
talking.
time flies [saying] used to mean that time passes surprisingly quickly Times flies when you're having fun, so appreciate it.
(be the) tip of the iceberg a small, noticeable part of a problem, the total size of which is really much greater The princial's influence couldbe the tip of the icerbeg of what
could be "improper relationships between the teacher Melanie
and her students.
(keep sb/yourself) on their/your toes sb/sth that keeps you on your toes forces you to continue directing all your attention and energy to what you Hourly productive and constructive arguments with my staffkeep
are doing me on my toes.
take its/a toll on sb/sth to cause harm or suffering on sb/sth India-Pakistan hostility on borders and separatists' agitation is
taking a heavy toll on civilians and students in Jammu and
Kashmir.
from top to bottom If you search, paint, etc. a building from top to bottom, you search, paint, etc. all parts of it They cleaned the housefrom top to bottom.
(be/feel) on top of the world extremely happy He was on top of the worldwhen he came first in the five-
kilometre race.
over the top [informal] too extreme and not suitable, or demanding too much attention or effort, especially in an uncontrolled way We all found her idea about ruling the world wayover the top.
to top it (all) off / topping it (all) off to add sth else unusually good or bad to a situation that is already unusual Topping it all off, they found themselves locked out of their own
house.
torn between sth and sth finding it difficult to choose between sth and sth She is torn betweenher loyalty and her desire to tell the truth.
throw/chuck in the towel to admit defeat “We are left with many unanswered questions, but one thing is
for sure: we haven't come this far tothrow in the towel," said
Petre's mother.
do the trick [informal] if sth does the trick, it has the necessary or wanted effect "This sauce needs more flavour" - "I know, some lemon juice
should do the trick.
turn your back on sb/sth // turn away from sth to refuse to help sb We don't think that Alex would turn his back on his brother,
whatever he was accused of.
turn your nose up (at sth) to refuse to accept sth because you feel that it is not good enough for you Mary turned her nose up atthe job offer because she didn't
think it had enough status.
turn over a new leaf to start behaving in a better way Apparenly he's turned over a new leafand he's not smoking
any more.
make yourself understood to communicate effectively Since they spoke only Swahili, we used signs and gestures to
make ourselves understood .
come in useful/handy/etc. to be useful and help sb to do or achieve sth You should keep that paint - it will come in handy/useful one
day.
nothing ventured, nothing gained[saying] You have to take risk in order to get sth good. "Should I ask my boss for a promotion?" - "Nothing ventured,
nothing gained."
on the verge (of) / to the verge of if you are on the verge of sth or come to the verge of sth, you're very close to experiencing it Her husband's violent and abusive behavior drove her
to the
verge of despair.
wasted on sb if you say that sth is wasted on sb, you mean that its quality is too high for that person and they will not I'm not going to serve that good coffee to Christine - it wouldbe
understand its true value wasted on them.
be (like) water off a duck's back criticisms of or warnings to a particular person that have no effect on that person I've told him many times that he's heading for troubles - he just
doesn't listen, it's like water off a duck's back.
make waves [informal] It's probably not a good idea tomake waves in your first week in
to be very active so that other people notice you, often in a way that intentionally causes trouble a new job.
be on the same wavelength (of two or more people) to think in a similar way and to understand each other well What worsens the problem is that Christine and Maryaren't on
the same wavelengthabout how to address it.
get sth out of the way to finish sth I like to get my homework out of the way on a Friday night so
that I can enjoy the weekend.
go out of your way to try very hard to do sth, esp. for sb else The Smiths really went out of their way to make us feel
welcome.
make your way to travel or move to a place It's getting dark - we shouldmake our way home soon.
wear thin [informal] 1) If your patience wears thin, you become less and less patient 1) I've been warning you several times about being late and my
2) If sth such as a joke wears thin, it becomes boring or annoying or stops being funny or effective, because it patience is wearing thin.
has been seen, heard, or used too much 2) Her standard excuse for being late was beginning towear
thin.
be/feel under the weather not feeling well I've been (feeling) under the weatherfor days; I should see a
doctor.
what with [informal] used to talk about the reasons for a particular situation, especially a bad or difficult situation I'm very tired, what with travelling all day yesterday and having a
disturbed night.
not sleep a wink / not get a wink of sleep to not sleep at all I didn't sleep a wink because of the incessant noise from
Mary's.
in sb's words used when you repeat what sb said His wife, Mary, was 25 years old his junior, and,in his words,
"my guiding light".
word for word using exactly the same words I listened attentively to what she said and repeated itword-for-
word to my mum.
do sb the world of good to make sb feel much happier or healthier We had a week away in the sun and it's done us both the
world of good.
out of this world [informal] extremely good What a restaurant - the food wasout of this world!
fear the worst to think sth unpleasant might have happened We hoped that our parents would be found safe and sound, but
secretly we feared the worst.
be worth your while to be an activity or action that you will get an advantage from It's worth your while taking travel insurance before you travel.
don't get me wrong said when you think someone might not understand what you say, or be upset by it Don't get me wrong - I would love to come but I'm too busy next
week.
[1] We had to cut short our holiday because Richard was ill.