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rases

an

ioms

I. S. VLADOVSKAY A

Colloquial English Phrases and Idioms

DEFINED AND EXEMPLIFIED

(with exercises)

IiIGHER SCHOOL PUBLISHING HOUSE

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A

about

about - near; by or on (a person) e.g. Have you got any money about you?

about - throughout e.g. I go about the country a great deal.

be about to do something - be ready to do something; just going to

e.g. He was about to knock when the door suddenly opened.

What is she about to do now? what about ... ? - what concerning ... ? what regarding ... ?

e.g. It's after twelve; what about lunch?

accident

by accident - unexpectedly, by chance e.g. I met him quite by accident at the museum.

accord

of one's own accord - by one's own wish e.g. No one forced him to take part in the discussion. He did it of his own accord.

accordance

in accordance with - according to e.g. We must play the game in accordance with the rules.

5

according to

according to - in agreement with e.g. You should work according to your plan.

account

account for - explain in a satisfactory way; tell the cause of e.g. He was asked to account for his absence.

of no account - of no value; not important e.g. These errors are of no account.

His opinion is of no account in this matter. on account of - because of

e.g. We could not start on account of the thunderstorm. on no account - under no circumstances

e.g. On no account you are to touch the electric ap­pliance with wet hands.

take into account - consider, take into consideration e.g. You should take into account all these facts.

addition

in addition to - as well as, besides e.g. Margaret is studying French In addition to German.

advance

advanced in years - old, no long~r young e.g. He was well advanced In years when he started his new experiments.

in advance - beforehand e.g. I paid a month's rent In advance.

age

for ages, it's ages - for a long time e.g. I haven't seen you for ages!

It's ages since I saw you last.

ahead

ahead of - in fron t of e.g. He ran up the stairs ahead of me.

6

ahead of time - before an agreed or appointed time e.g. I always like to arrive at my offiGe a little ahead of time.

go ahead - 1) make progress e.g. Things are going ahead.

2) move forward, go on e.g. Go ahead and tell them that I anl coming.

air

in the air - uncertain, not definite e.g. Our holiday plans are still in the air.

put on airs - behave as if one were better than others e.g. I don't like that girl. She puts on airs.

all

after all - I) considering everything e.g. He is not a bad student after all.

2) in spite of everything e.g. She was right after all.

all at once-I) suddenly e.g. Why did you leaVe the room all at once?

2) at the same time e.g. Don't speak all at once.

all in all - on the whole e.g. It will take you four hours all in all to do this work.

all of a sudden - suddenly e.g. All of a sudden the lights \vent out.

all over - 1) everywhere in e.R·. People all over the world want peace.

2) finished, conlpleted e.g. The nleeting was all over when I got there.

all set - ready e.g. Our plans for travelling are all set.

all the better - even better; much better e.g. If we plant early it will be all the better for our garden.

all the same - 1) of complete indifference e.g. It is all the saIne to me whether we go to the pictures today or tomorrow.

7

2) despite the fact; nevertheless e.g. All the san1e I should enter College if I \vere you.

at all - 10 the stnallest degree (used in a negative context) e.g. I don't like that performance at all.

at all costs - regardless of obstacles e.g. We must arrive in time at all costs.

at all events - by all means; regardless of difficulties e.g". I-Ie \vas detertnined to succeed at all events.

be all in - be tired, exhausted e.p;. I had a hard day at the office. I'm all in.

first of all- before anything else e.g. We should help him first of all.

Not at all - 1) a polite anS\\Ter to an expression of gratitude e.f{. "Thank you very much." - "Not at all!" (Don't mention it.)

2) you are \velcome e.g. "Excuse me for troubling you so early." - "Not at all. "

once (and) for all- for the last or only time e.g. It's good time to settle this question once (and) for all.

arms

with open arms -- \varn1Iy, with a hearty welcome e.g. He was received with open arnlS when he returned to his home town.

as

as far as - 1) to the extent or degree that e.g. As far as I know he hasn't come yet.

2) up to this (or that) place e.g. I'll go with you as far as the post-office.

as far as one is concerned - to the extent that one is con­cerned e.g. As far as I am concerned we can leave on Sunday.

as it were - so to speak, in other words e.g. He became, as it were, a kind of hero in our to\vn.

as (or so) long as - 1) provided that e.g. We'll stay in the country as long as the weather keeps fine.

2) for a long time e.g. You may play here as long as you like.

as soon as - immediately, not later than e.g. We shall start as soon as the sun rises.

as to (or for) - with regard to e.g. As to (for) me I do not agree with you.

as yet - up to no\v e.g. There has been no change as yet.

at

at best - under the best circurnstances e.g. At best, the men \vill finish the job next week.

at last - finally e.g. We waited and waited till at last he arrived.

at least - in the least degree e.g. Everyone should sleep at least eight hours a night.

at most - at maximum e.g. I shall return this book in two days at most.

at once - immediately e.g. She told him to leave the room at once.

at times -- occasionally e.g. At times Bob does much better work.

attend

attend to - 1) take care of e.g. The patient was attended to by the best doctor at the hospital.

2) see to e.g. My secretary attends to my mail.

B

back

be back - return e.g. Henry will be back in a few minutes.

bad

too bad - a pity e.g. It's too bad you can't come to see us.

9

beat

beat around (or about) the bush - avoid saying openly e.g. Instead of answering my question, he began to beat around (or about) the bush.

because

because of - on account of e.g. He stayed at home because of the rain.

before

before long - soon e.g. I hope to see you before long.

long before - a long time earlier e.g. He left long before the end of the play.

begin

to begin with - in the first place, firstly e.g. To begin with, he is too young for that job.

beside

be beside oneself (with) - be extremely excited e.g. She was beside herself with fear.

bit

a (little) bit - a little e.g. Just a minute, let me think a bit.

not a bit - not in the least e.g. When I asked her whether she \vas tired she an­s\vered: "Not a bit."

black

in black and white - in writing

10

e.g. I won't believe it unless I see it In black and \vhite.

blue

be in the blues, feel (or look) blue - be sad, depressed e.g. I'm feeling rather blue today.

You look blue. What's the matter? once in a blue moon - very rarely

e.g. A thing like that happens once In a blue moon.

bring

bring to reason - convince through logical argument e.g. It was very difficult to bring Mary to reason. She is very stubborn.

bring up children - take care of and train e.g. Mrs. Brown has brought up two children.

broken

broken English - incorrect and imperfect English e.g. This foreigner speaks such broken English that I found it difficult to understand him.

brush

brush up (on) - review, learn it up again e.g. Before I go to France I must brush up (on) my French.

burst

burst into crying (or laughing) - begin to cry (or laugh) suddenly

e.g. The ne\vs seen1ed so rid iculous to her that she burst out laughing.

burst into tears (or laughter) - begin to cry (or laugh) suddenly

e.g. The little girl burst into tears (or laughter).

but

but for - if it were not for e.g. But for your help, we should have failed.

11

nothing but - nothing except e.g. I saw nothing but the waves and heard nothing but the wind.

by

by and by - soon, before long e.g. Father will be home from the office by and by.

by and large - in general e.g. Mary has some faults but by and large she's a nice girl.

by oneself - 1) alone e.g. I have to leave early. My little daughter is by her­self at home now.

2) \\'ithout help e.g. He made the bookshelf all by himself.

bygones

let bygones be bygones - let the past be forgotten e.g. "Irene," he said, "let bygones be bygones."

c

call

call in - ask to come, summon (a specialist, a doctor) e.g. Your father is very ill. You should call in a doc­tor.

call (something) off - cancel e.g. Mi llie called her party off because her mother fell ill.

calion - visit e.g. Robert was not at home when I called on him.

call out (names, items) - speak loudly e.g. He called out my name three times, but somehow I failed to hear him.

call up - telephone, ring up e.g. I'll call you up (at) about seven o'clock.

12

calm

calm down - become quiet e.g. Since there \vas no reason to get nervous (excited), I asked her to calm down.

The sea calmed down after the storm.

carry

carried away - 1) inspired, overcome by emotion e.g. The audience \vas completely carried away by her beautifu I voice.

2) transported, removed e.g. The wounded men were carried away.

carry out - fulfil, complete e.g. He promised that he would carry out all experi­ments in the laboratory.

case

in case of - in the event of e.g. Refer to your dictionary in case of difficulty.

cast

be (or look) cast down - be (or look) sad or depressed e.g. He seemed to be cast down as a result of his fail­ure at the examination.

catch

catch cold - become sick with a cold e.g. If I sit in a draught I always catch cold.

catch fire - begin to burn e.g. Be careful with that match. That straw catches fire easily.

catch up (with) - overtake e.g. It'll take him some time to catch up with the rest of the group.

We walked very fast and she couldn't catch up with us.

13

chal'lce

by chance - accidentally, by accident e.g. If by chance you see Henry, tell him I want to see him.

change

change - put on different clothes e.g. It won't take me long to change.

for a change - for variety e.g. I'ln tired of goi ng to the pictures every Sunday. Let's go to the theatre for a change.

charge

be in charge of - be responsible for e.g. Who is in charge of this exhibition?

free of charge - free, without cost e.g. Medical services are free of charge In the Soviet Union.

take charge of - look after e.g. Henry will take charge of this department \vhile Jack is a\vay.

come

come across - meet or find unexpectedly e.g. Last \veek I came across a rare book at the library.

come easy (or naturally) to one - be simple for one to do or to learn e.g. Learning COines easy (or naturally) to Helen.

come from - be born and reared in e.g. "Where does that man come from?" - :'He comes from London."

come on - 1) hurry, make haste e.g. Come on, boys! Don't lag behind.

2) come along e.g. Come on to the pictures with me!

come true - prove to be correct, happen to be true e.g. Some day your dream will come true.

come what may - despite whatever may happen e.g. Come what may, I shall join the expedition.

14

command

have a good command of - have skill and fluency In e.g. He has a good command of English.

common

in common - sharing the same interests e.g. They should get along well together because they have much in common.

contrary

on the contrary - just the opposite e.g. He is not lazy, on the contrary, he IS very dili­gent.

count

count on - rely on e.g. You can always count on my assistance.

course

of course - certainly, naturally e.g. "Do you study hard?" - "Of course, I do."

crack

a hard nut to crack - a very difficult problem, person or thing to deal \vith e.g. This problem is a hard nut to crack.

He always seemed to me a hard nut to crack. crack a joke - make a joke, say amusing things

e.g. John cracked several jokes from time to time.

cry

cry over spilt milk - weep about something that is unalter­able e.g. You can't have your lost money back, so it's no use crying over spilt milk.

15

cup

cup of tea - a sort of thing that pleases or appeals to one; hobby e.g". Of course, I'll go hunting with you. That's just my cup of tea.

D

date

out-of-date - gone out of fashion e.g. That dance used to be very popular but no\v it is out-of-date.

up-to-date - modern, new e.g. This technical article IS not up-to-date. It was published some years ago.

day

all day long - the whole day e.g. It has been raining all day long.

day by day - gradually e.g. Day by day he seems to gro\v a little stronger after his illness.

day in and day out - day after day e.g. He does the same thing day in and day out.

have (or take) the day off - be free from \vork, have (or take) a holiday e.g. He took a few days off to see his parents.

one of these days - in a fe\v days, some time in the future e.g. She'll leave for the North one of these days.

rainy day - a period of scarcity and want e.g. One should put a little money aside for a rainy day.

some day - at some time in the future e.g. I'll tell you all about it SOllle day.

the other day - a few days ago e.g. We Inet Jack in the park the other day.

despair

be in despair (about) - lose all hope e.g. Mrs. Wells was in despair about her child's h'ealth.

16

dine

dine in - eat at home e.g. On Sundays we always dine in.

dine out - eat away from home in a restaurant or hotel e.g. No, we were not at home last night. We dined out for a change.

do

do a favour - do someone a kindness e.g. He did me a great favour by coming today.

do a place - visit a place and see all objects of interest e.g. Have you done Paris yet?

Did you do the British Museum? do harm - 1) damage

e.g. The storm did much harm on land and sea. 2) injure or hurt bodily or morally

e.g. Some hard work wouldn't do him any harm. do justice - treat fairly

e.g. To do him justice, we must admit that his inten­tions were good.

do one's best - do everything in one's po\ver e.g. I'm sure you'll do your best to help them.

do one's hair - arrange one's hair (This expression lS used only by girls and women.)

e.g. She had her hair done at the hairdresser's. do over - do again, repeat

e.g. Please do that exercise over until it is perfect. do someone good - benefit, have some good result

e.g. This fresh air will do you good after being in the house all day.

do the room (flowers, window, etc.) - arrange, clean e.g. Will you do the room while I do the flowers?

do well - 1) make progress e.g. She's doing well in English.

2) keep good health e.g. Mother and child are both doing well now.

do with - put up with, manage e.g. I could do with a little less money.

do without - get along without e.g. If there is no coffee, I'll do without it.

That will do! - Stop! Enough! (an expression of impatience)

17

e.g. "That will do, TomnlY. I've had enough of your mistakes. "

will do - \vill suit e.g. This room will do me quite well.

doubt

in doubt - not certain e.g. When in doubt about the meaning of a word, con­sult your dictionary.

no doubt - doubtlessly e.g. No doubt he wanted to help you.

without doubt - definitely, unquestionably e.g. Don't be anxious, he will come without doubt.

drive

drive at - hint, mean e.g. I could not make out what she was driving at.

drop

drop in - visit infornlally e.g. Why don't you drop in on your way home?

drop the subject - cease to talk about e.g. Let's drop the subject and talk of something else.

duty

be off duty - be not at work, be not at service e.g. The nurse will be off duty at 8 o'clock. She will go home then.

be on duty - be at work, at service e.g. Who is on duty today?

E

eager

be eager (to do something) - be very anxious (to do some­thing) e.g. Everybody was eager to go skating.

18

ear

be all ears - be very attentive e.g. Go on speaking, I am all earsl

be up to one's ears - be immersed in e.g. This month I am up to my ears in work.

by ear - by sound; without ever reading printed music of the pieces played e.g. She plays the piano by ear.

give (an) ear to -listen attentively e.g. I do wish you would give an ear to my remarks.

have an ear for - have a keen perception for e.g. Henry has a good ear for music.

earnest

in earnest - serious; not joking e.g. Do you think Sam said that In earnest or was he joking?

ease

feel (or be) at ease - feel (or be) comfortable, relaxed e.g. She is quite at ease in your company.

easy

easy going - amiable in manner, easy to get on with e.g. Alice is an easy going person who gets along well wi th peap 1 e.

take it easy - don't trouble much about things e.g. Take it easy, we have plenty of time.

else

or else - otherwise e.g. Hurry, or else you'll be latE;.

ever

ever so much - very much e.g. Thank you ever so much for this book.

19

every

every now and then - from time to time e.g. I meet him every now and then at the club.

every other - every second one e.g. The buses stop at every other corner.

every other day - every second day e.g. We go to the swimming pool every other day.

in every way - in all respects e.g. This composition is in every way better than that.

extent

to an (some, any, a certain) extent - to a degree or point e.g. To some extent he reminds me of his brother.

eye

give an eye to - keep an eye on e.g. Would you mind giving an eye to my garden while I am on holiday?

keep an eye on - watch, guard carefully e.g. Would you keep an eye on my child while I go shopping?

see with half an eye - see easily because it is obvious e.g. I can see with half an eye that you are not at all we 11 to-day.

up to the eyes - deeply engaged (in work, in studies) e.g. I can't attend to you now, for I am up to the (or my) eyes in work.

F

face

in the face of - confronted by e.g. What could we do in the face of all those hard­ships?

meet face to face - confront one another e.g. Coming out of the bus we met face to face.

20

fact

in fact - really, indeed e.g. Fred is a nice boy. In fact, he is one of the nicest boys in our group.

fall

fall asleep - pass suddenly frOITI a waking to a sleeping state

e.g. She was very tired and fell asleep at once. falJ beh ind - 1) lag behind

e.g. I've fallen behind with my work lately. 2) be unable to keep up with others

e.g. He always falls behind when we go uphill. fall ill - become ill

e.g. He fell ill last week and has been in bed ever SInce.

fall in love (with) - become enamoured with e.g. Joe fell in love with an actress.

fall to pieces - disintegrate e.g. The vase fell down on the floor and fell to pieces.

far

by far - to a great degree e.g. This is by far the best painting.

far and wide - in many distant places e.g. The explorer'S name is known far and wide.

so far - up to now; until now e.g. So far this month we have learned four lessons.

fed

be fed up with - be bored to the point of irritation e.g. I am fed up with his carelessness.

feel

fe~1 like doing - be inclined to e.g. Do you feel like taking a walk or are you too tired?

21

figure

figure on - 1) intend e.g. I was figuring on leaving at 8 o'clock.

2) expect, rely on e.g. I am figuring on your support.

figure out - 1) understand, make out e.g. The article is so badly written that I can't figure out what the writer means exactly.

2) calculate e.g. How long did it take you to figure out the cost of operating that device?

figure up - add up, calculate e.g. Ask the waiter to figure our bill up. I want to leave.

fill

fill in - complete (usually said of something left blank or missing)

e.g. You must fill in the questionaire (the form). fill up - fill to the top, make quite full

e.g. Fill up a glass, please!

find

fault-finding - critical; nagging e.g. He is so fault-finding that it is difficult to \vork with him.

find fault with - be critical, nagging e.g. She always finds fault with her typist.

find out - get the information e.g. Try to find out all the details, please.

finger

have a subject at one's fingers' ends (or finger-tips)­know thoroughly, have at one's command e.g. Why should you be afraid of the finals? You have everything at your fingers' ends.

have (or put) a finger in every pie - like to be concerned or mixed in every affair (generally in a Ineddlesome way) e.g. This young lady always likes to have a finger in every pIe.

22

first at first - at the beginning

e.g. At first I was nervous, but in a few minutes I felt relaxed.

at first sight - at first glance e.g. I did not like that man at first sigh t but now I have changed my opinion.

first - for the first time e.g. When did you first see that film?

first of all - before anything else e.g. We shall first of all discuss what to do next.

from the first - from the start e.g. I liked the story from the first.

fit

(as) fit as a fiddle - well and cheerful e.g. Another month and you \vill be (as) fit as a fiddle.

be fit for - be good enough for, be suited for e.g. That man is not fit for heavy work.

by (or in) fits and starts - in sudden outbursts of energy; irregularly e.g. It serves you right; you always do things by (or in) fits and starts, John.

fi t in with - accord with e.g. How will my arrangements for holidays fit in with yours?

fix

fix up - 1 j repair e.g. Can you fix my radio-set up?

2) arrange e.g. Please fix up your room for her In the morning.

Please, fix up your hair (tie). 3) settle di fferences, a quarrel

e.g. We have fixed up our little differences satisfacto­rily.

fond

be (or become) fond of - like; take pleasure in e.g. I have become very fond of your children.

She is fond of painting.

23

foot

on foot - walking, not riding e.g. Our car is being repaired now, so we went all the way home on foot.

for

for all I know - as far as I know e.g. For all I know, she may already have left for India.

for all that - in spite of all that has been said, done, etc. e.g. He says that I can't do it, but I will do it for all that!

for certain - for sure e.g. I don't know for certain whether it is true or not.

for ever - for always e.g. She returned to her home town for ever.

for good - for always e.g. They have gone to the North for good.

for my part - as to me e.g. For my part I have no objection to your plan.

for nothing - 1) without reason e.g. They C]uarreUed for nothing.

2) in vain e.g. We had all our trouble for nothing.

3) without cost e.g. I got this little booklet for nothing.

full

in full swing - at the height of activity e.g. The party was in full swing when we arrived. Everybody was having a good tin1e.

fun

in fun (or for fun) - as a joke, not seriously e.g. Don't get angry! I said that just in (or for) fun.

make fun of - laugh at, ridicule e.g. Don't make fun of that boyl

24

G

gain

gain (in weight) - put on (wE'ight) e.g. I have gained two pounds this summer.

general

in general- on the whole e.g. In general he is quite a satisfactory student.

get

get - 1) used in the sense of "become" e.g. Sit by the fire and you will soon get warm.

2) used in the sense of "catch" or "understand" e.g. I don't quite get what you mean.

get accustomed to - get used to e.g. He soon got accustomed to his work at the factory.

get along - 1) manage e.g. We can't get along without water and food.

2) make progress, succeed e.g. How are you getting along at school?

get along in years - grow quite old e.g. Her grandfather is getting along in years.

get along with - live or \vork in harmony with e.g. He gets along well with everybody in the office.

get behind - fall behind in one's normal schedule of work or studies e.g. I was ill and got behind in my school work. Now it is difficult to catch up.

get better (or worse) - become better (or worse) e.g. Is your headache getting better or worse?

get down - descend e.g. Mrs. Alling told Jimmy to get down from the tree.

get down to (work, business) - attend seriously to e.g. The holidays are over; we must get down to work again.

get in - 1) arrive (about a train) e.g. What time does the train get in?

2) enter a vehicle (a bus, a tram, a train, a car, etc.)

25

e.g. Get in, I'll drive you to the station. get into trouble - cause to be in trouble

e.g. He will get into trouble if he comes late again. get off - 1) remove

e.g. I can't get the ring off my finger. 2) leave or alight from a vehicle

e.g. The driver told me to get off at the next stop. get on - 1) enter (a vehicle); board (a ship)

e.g. She got on the bus and rode home. 2) mount (a horse)

e.g. Here is your horse, get on! 3) make progress, succeed

e.g. How are you getting on in physics this term? get on in years - grow very old

e.g. My dog is getting on in years. get on one's nerves - make one nervous

e.g. Don't talk so loudly. I t is getting on my nerves. get on (with) - live in a friendly way (with)

e.g. They get on with each other very well. get out of - leave a vehicle

e.g. We got out of the car and took a short walk. get over - recover from (a shock, bad news or illness)

e.g. That was a bad cold you had; I hope you've got over it.

get rid of - get free of e.g. It took me a week to get rid of my cough.

get through - 1) finish e.g. Let me use your pen when you get through with your writing.

2) pass a course or examination e.g. Jack got through all subjects except chemistry.

get to a place - arrive at e.g. It was very late when I got to my friend's house.

get up - 1) stand up e.g. He got up from the chair.

2) arise from a bed e.g. She gets up at seven a.m. and her children get up a t seven thirty.

get up out of the wrong side of the bed (or get out of bed on the wrong side) - arise in a bad or unpleasant mood

e.g. You are bad tempered today. You Inust have got­ten up out of the wrong side of the bed.

26

get used to - get accustomed to e.g. I can't get used to hot climate.

give

give away - reveal, expose (one's feelings, a secret) e.g. His voice gave him a\vay.

Don't give away my secret to anybody, please. give birth - bring forth a child

e.g. Jackson's wife gave birth to her second child yes­terday.

give in - submit e.g. Keep on trying, don't give in!

give rise to - cause e.g. The blockade gave rise to widespread misery.

give up - 1) abandon, stop doing e.g. Henry says he is going to give up smoking.

2) surrender e.g. The enemy gave up almost without resistance.

go

be going to do something - intend e.g. How long is she going to stay In France?

be on the go - be very busy and active e.g. Helen is so tired. She is always on the go.

go along with - accompany e.g. I'll go along with you as far as the museum.

go away -leave, depart e.g. When is your husband going away?

go down - 1) become lower (when speaking about prices) e.g. Prices of all farm products are expected to go down S0011.

2) be remembered e.g. He will go down in history as a hero.

3) sink (of a ship) or be drowned (of persons) e.g. The ship went down with all on board.

I saw the swimmer go down. go for a ride (or walk) - go out and have a ride, a walk,

etc. e.g. We went for a ride through the field.

go from bad to worse - become even worse than before e.g. His marks at school are going from bad to \vorse.

27

go in for - have a hobby, specialize in e.g. My brother goes in for football, but J go in more for tennis and basket-ball.

go into effect - become effective e.g. The new time-table will go into effect next month.

go (or look) into the matter (or details) - examine care­fully, discuss e.g. Let's go into the matter (or details) and make a final decision.

go on - 1) continue e.g. I hope it won't go on raining all day.

2) persevere e.g. Go on with your work!

3) pass e.g. As time went on, she became impatient.

4) happen e.g. All people want to know what is going on in the world.

go out - 1) cease burning e.g. The match went out in the wind.

2) leave one's residence for entertainment e.g. Paul goes out a great deal lately.

go over - 1) check, examine e.g. The teacher went over the quiz and discussed the students' mistakes.

2) re-study, repeat carefully e.g. Go over your home \vork again: I'm sure you'll find some mistakes in it.

go round - pay a visit e.g. I went round to see him last night.

go round (or around) - be enough in number or amount e.g. I should like to buy that thing but I haven't got enough money to go (a)round.

go through with - complete, bring to an end e.g. I don't think Roy will go through with his plan in time.

go up - 1) ascend, come up

28

e.g. I saw him on the escalator, he was going up and I was going down.

2) be built e.g. New buildings are going up everY\\l'here in our town.

3) be destroyed

e.g. The whole building went up in flames. 4) rise (when speaking of prices)

e.g. At that time prices were going up. go with - 1) harmonize with, match

e.g. This tie does not go with my suit. 2) court

e.g. Nick went with Janet for about a year and now they say he is going to marry her.

go without - manage without, endure the lack of e.g. Cut off by the storm they often had to go without food.

it goes without saying - it is quite obvious e.g. It goes without saying that she is right in this

respect.

good

be good at (something) - be quick at learning e.g. He is good at mathematics and physics.

be on good terms with (somebody) - be on friendly terms e.g. We have always been on good terms with our neighbours, the Browns.

good-natured - kind, having a good nature e.g. Your brother is a good-natured fellow; we get along quite well with him.

good of you - nice (kind) of you e.g. It was very good of you to help me.

have a good time - enjoy oneself e.g. We all had a good time at Jane's party last Sun­day.

no good - useless e.g. My pen is no good. Give me yours, please.

H

habit

be in the habit of - have the habit of e.g. He is in the habit of drinking tea with all his meals.

fall into a habit - get into a habit of doing something e.g. While living in the country, I fell into the habit of getting up very early.

29

hand

at first hand - from the original source e.g. I got the information at first hand.

at second hand - by hearsay e.g. She heard this news at second hand.

by hand - hand-made e.g. Are your socks knitted by hand or machine-made?

close at hand - 1) quite near e.g. Our canteen is close at hand.

2) soon to occur e.g. Winter is close at hand.

give someone a hand - help (with the hands) e.g. Give me a hand with this bookcase. It's too heavy for me to move it alone.

hand in - give, submit e.g. Please, hand in your home work at once.

offhand - immediately, without thinking more about it e.g. I can't answer your question offhand.

old hand - experienced person e.g. She is an old hand in her profession.

on the one hand ... on the other hand - used to indicate contrasted points 0 t view e.g. On the one hand, I'd like to go to the museum with you; on the other hand, I don't want to miss the football nlatch.

try one's hand - test one's ability e.g. Have you ever tried your hand at writing articles?

wash one's hands of - decline all responsibility for e.g. The boy does not obey me; I'm going to wash my hands of him.

hard

be hard of hearing - be partly deaf e.g. Speak louder, please, because I'm hard of hearing.

be hard on (somebody) - treat (someb01y) severely e.g. You are being too hard on the man - he did not mean any harm.

be hard up - be in need of money

30

e.g. Ever since Smith lost his job, the Smiths have been hard up.

hard-and-fast (principles, rules, etc.) - rigid, that cannot be changed or adapted to circumstances

e.g. Our office has hard-and-fast rules against smoking. have hard (or bad) luck - be unfortunate

e.g. Tom has had a lot of hard luck lately.

have

have a bite - have a snack e.g. I'm hungry. Let's have a bite!

have had enough - have eaten enough e.g. "Will you have some more pudding?" - "No, thanks, I have had enough (of it)."

have it in one - be capable of e.g. He has it in him to win.

have nothing to do with - not to be concerned with e.g. What you say has nothing to do with the matter.

have on - be wearing (when speaking of clothes) e.g. That's a pretty dress you have on.

have one's own way - to act one's own way e.g. It's no use arguing with her - all the same she will have her own way.

have to - must, be obliged to e.g. The train was late, so we had to wait for an hour.

head

head over heels (in love) - deeply, completely (in love) e.g. Bill was soon head over heels in love with Mary.

lose one's head - become discouraged e.g. When you are in danger, the most important thing is never to lose your head.

make head or tail of it - be unable to understand it in the least e.g. The article was so badly written that I could not make head or tail of it.

turn one's head - cause one to lose one's mental balance e.g. You are doing so well at this that I'm afraid suc­cess may turn your heads.

hear

hear from - receive news, letters from e.g. Have you heard from your friend recently?

31

heart

at heart - deep inside the heart e.g. He may look rough, but he is a kind man at heart.

break one's heart - cause a great sorrow e.g. Her refusal to marry him almost broke his heart.

downhearted - sad, discouraged e.g. I didn't win the prize but 1 am not downhearted.

from the bottom of one's heart - with all one's heart e.g. I thanked hitn from the bottom of my heart.

have one's heart go into one's mouth - feel great fear e.g. When I heard that strange noise in the darkness my heart went into my mouth.

heart-to-heart talk - friendly talk in which nothing is hid­den e.!!. Now that we have had that little heart-to-heart talk, we could clear the matter up and arrive at an understanding.

learn (or know) by heart - learn by memory e.g. J learnt that piece of poetry by heart.

right in the heart of - right in the centre of e.g. Shakespeare was born right in the heart of England.

take (something) to heart - take seriously e.g. Don't take too much to heart what I said. I was only joking.

with all one's heart - sincerely e.g. With all my heart I wish you good luck!

heels

be at one's heels - follow closely e.g. My dog is always at my heels.

high

look high and low for - search for something everywhere e.g. The detectives looked high and low for the mis­sing jewels.

hold

hold good - remain valid, effective e.g. Does this principle still hold good?

32

hold true (of) - be true or valid e.g. What I told you about his lack of training also holds true of his brother.

home

be (or feel) home-sick for - miss home, be sad because one is away from home e.g. Do you feel home-sick for your native country?

for home - for one's native country e.g. We left India for home.

make one feel at home - make one feel at ease, comfort­able e.g. The Greens can always make their friends feel at home at once.

hour

after hours - after the regular or scheduled time e.g. You needn't stay in the office after hours.

at all hours - at almost any time e.g. His mother was so sick that they were up at all hours last week.

keep good hours - arise and go to bed early, at reasonable hours

e.g. Schoolchildren should keep good hours. keep late (or early) hours - habitually go to bed late (or

early) e.g. He cannot keep such late hours without feeling the ill effect in time.

the small hours - the few hours after midnight, until four o'clock a.m. e.g. We waited till the small hours in the morning, but he did not call.

hurry

be in a hurry - be in a great haste e.g. She is in a hurry to leave.

hurry up - make haste e.g. Hurry up, or you'll miss the train.

33

I

in

the ins and outs - all the details or complexities e.g. I should like to know all the ins and outs of the subject matter.

indoors

indoors - inside a house e.g. They spent a lot of tinle indoors - and it was very bad for their health.

instance

for instance - for example e.g. There are many Oriental words In English, for instance, kimono.

instead

instead of - in place of e.g. Joe wanted to play tennis instead of going for a walk.

Jack

Jack of all trades - one who does many things fairly well but is not an expert at anything

e.g. There is an old saying that a Jack of all trades is very often a master of none.

joke

in joke - as a joke e.g. It was done in joke.

no joke - a serious matter e.g. It's no joke at all.

playa joke on (someone) - make a joke e.g. Let's playa joke on Mary and hide her bag.

34

just

just - 1) exactly e.g. It is just what I mean.

2) only e.g. Just look at him!

3) please e.g. Just shut the door, will you?

K

keep

keep away (from) - remain away (from) e.g. The doctor advised him to keep away from all sweets and other fattening things.

keep bad time - keep incorrect time (when speaking of watches or clocks)

e.g. His alarm clock keeps bad time. It always gains. keep body and soul together - keep alive

e.g. George hardly earns enough money to keep body and soul together.

keep good time - keep correct time (when speaking of watches or clocks)

e.g. Your watch keeps good time. My watch always loses.

keep off - stay away from e.g. Don't walk along the lawn; keep off the grass I

keep (on) doing (something) - continue to do (something) e.g. He kept working at the problem until he found a solution.

keep one's temper - retain one's self-control e.g. Only mother could keep her temper under such irritable circumstances.

keep one's word - fulfil one's promise e.g. John kept his word and arrived exactly at the time he had promised.

keep (somebody) waiting - cause one to wait e.g. "I hope I haven't kept you waiting," she said.

keep the house - manage or take care of a home e.g. It was very hard for Alice to keep the house.

35

keep track of - keep in touch with e.g. We read newspapers regularly so as to keep track of current events.

kind

It is kind of you ... - It is nice of you ... e.g. It is kind of you to let me use your books.

kind of - rather, somewhat e.g. She looks kind of pale after her illness.

Nothing of the kind! - an emphatic denial e.g. "Did you invite Jim?" - "Nothing of the kind!"

know

know what's what - understand thoroughly e.g. He is a smart young man. He knows what's what!

L

late

of late - lately e.g. She has been working very hard of late.

lazy

lazy-bones - a lazy person e.g. Jack is lazy-bones, no wonder he gets bad marks.

least

not in the least - not at all e.g. "Am I troubling you?" - "Not In the least."

leave

leav.e (something) out - omit, neglect to put (something) In

36

e.g. The typist has left out two words from the para­graph.

left

left (or be left) - remaining e.g. There are ten minutes left before the bell.

like

and the like - and so forth e.g. She studies music, painting and the like.

as you like - as you wish e.g. You may do it as you like. It is up to you.

like that - 1) in that way e.g. Don't speak to me like that!

2) similar e.g. Where could I get a dictionary like that?

3) such e.g. I am very fond of books like that.

4) thus e.g. Hold your pen like that.

look like - resemble e.g. He looks like his mother, doesn't he?

should (or WOUld) like - expresses wishes e.g. I should like to have a cup of tea.

Would you like to take part in the discussion?

little

(for) a little while - not long e.g. Please, stay with me (for) a little while.

little by little - gradually; by degrees e.g. Little by little I got used to cold climate.

not a little - a great deal e.g. He was not a little upset when he heard the news.

long for - desire, wish for e.g. I long for a rest.

long

of long standing - established for a considerable time e.g. The friendship between Mr. Wales and Miss Brown is of long standing.

37

look

look after - 1) take care of e.g. Who looked after you when you were ill?

2) follow with the eyes e.g. They looked after the train as it left the station.

look a person up - callan, pay a visit e.g. Look me up next you're in London!

look a thing up - search for it, as to look up a word in a dictionary, consult a reference book e.g. I spent an hour looking words up in my dictionary.

look for - search for e.g. John looked everywhere for the ball which he had lost.

look forward to - anticipate (usually with pleasure) e.g. I am looking forward to seeing you soon.

look out - be careful, be on guard against e.g. "Look outl" he exclaimed. "A car is comingl"

lose

lose - be going too slowly (when speaking of watches or clocks)

e.g. My watch loses two minutes a day. lose (in weight) - grow thinner

e.g. She lost two pounds last summer. lose one's temper - lose one's self-control

e.g. There is no reason to lose your temper, Anne. lose one's way - be unable to find the right path or road

e.g. We lost our way in the dark. lose track of - lose all contact with

e.g. We lost all track of him.

loss

be at a loss - be puzzled and perplexed e.g. He was at a loss when I asked him about it and did not know what to answer.

luck

be out-of-Iuck - be unfortunate, unlucky

38

e.g. When I tried to get tickets in advance I was out­of-luck.

be lucky - be fortunate e.g. I was lucky enough to buy this handbook in time.

M

make

make a fuss - be in a state of nervous activity or excite­ment e.g. She always makes a great fuss about trifles.

make a living - earn one's living e.g. He had to make his own living ever since he was seventeen.

make arrangements - arrange something e.g. We'll need a car at six o'clock. Will you make arrangements, please!

make both enos meet - live within one's income e.g. The family is having a hard time making both ends meet.

make certain (that) - be sure (that) e.g. Make certain that both doors are locked before you leave.

make clear - clarify, explain e.g. I tried to make clear to him that we were not responsible for those errors but he refused to listen.

make friends - become friendly with e.g. During his holiday Robert made friends with eve­rybody on the boat.

make one's mouth water - fill one with desire or envy e.g. It made my mouth water when I saw hirn eating that juicy orange.

make out - 1) distinguish by sight e.g. I made out a figure in the distance.

2) understand e.g. Speak louder, I can't make out what you are saying.

make room for - leave or provide space for e.g. I moved aside to make room for another passenger.

make (somebody) do (something) - compel, persuade e.g. Make John repeat everything once more.

make up (for) - compensate (for) e.g. We studied twice as much to make up for the time lost through illness.

39

many

a good (or a great) many - many e.g. We have been there a good (or a great) many times.

matter

as a matter of fact - in fact; to tell the truth e.g. As a matter of fact we had only two \veeks at our disposal.

it does not matter - it is of no importance e.g. "It does not matter much if I do this work next time, does it?" - "Oh no, it does not matter at all."

no matter - 1) of no importance e.g. It's no matter whether you get there early or late.

2) regardless of e.g. No matter how hard he tried he failed to do it in time.

there is nothing the matter (with ... ) - everything is all right (with ... ) e.g. There is nothing the matter with me. I am quite well.

Wha t is (0 r what's) the matter (wi th ... )? - What is (or what's) the trouble (with ... )? e.g. What's the matter with Helen? She looks upset.

meantime

in the meantime - meanwhile e.g. I'll leave for London in two days. In the mean­time I've got to pack.

means

by all means - certainly, in every possible way e.g. By all means invite Mary to the party.

by means of - with the help of e.g. We express our thoughts by means of words.

by no means - not at all, definitely not e.g. His answer is by no means satisfactory.

40

mess

get into a mess - get into trouble e.g. He has got into a mess, we'll have to help him out.

middle

in the middle of - in the centre of e.g. Suddenly our car stopped right In the middle of the road.

mind

mind - 1) pay attention to e.g. Mind what you are doing.

2) be careful e.g. Mind, there is a bus coming.

3) object to ~.g. Do you mind my smoking?

Would you mind closing the window? be of (or in) two minds - hesitate

e.g. 1 was of (or in) two minds whether to go to the concert or stay at home.

bear ( or keep) in mind - keep in the memory e.g. 1 shall certainly bear in mind all those circum­stances.

change one's mind - alter one's decision or purpose e.g. I hope you won't change your mind and visit us on your holiday?

come to one's mind - occur to e.g. A sudden doubt came to his mind.

cross one's mind - occur to, suggest itself e.g. Suddenly a brillian t idea crossed my mind.

have a good (or a great) mind to - be inclined to e.g. We have a good (or a great) mind to give up the ",·hole thing.

make- up one's mind - come to a decision e.g. He made up his mind to go in for medicine.

Never mind! - 1) it does not matter e.g. "I have forgotten to bring your book." - "Never mind, 1 don't need it now."

2) don't worry about it

41

e.g. Never mind what he said. set one's mind on - determine

e.g. He has set up his mind on becoming an engineer. slip out of one's mind - slip out of one's memory

e.g. Her new telephone number had slipped out of my mind.

speak one's mind - to say exactly what one thinks e.g. I shall speak my mind at the next meeting.

to one's mind - in one's opinion e.g. To my mind he is not going to come at all.

minded

absent-minded - forgetful, lost in thoughts e.g. Bob is so absent-minded that he leaves his things everywhere.

mix

mix up - confuse e.g. Don't mix up these two words.

more

more or less - 1) somewhat ~ .g. Of course, I'm more or less tired after such a long Journey.

2) approximately e.g. This trip will take hinl two weeks, more or less.

once more - the second time e.g. Say it once more, please.

N

name

by name - according to name e.g. The teacher knows all her pupils by name.

in the name of - on behalf of e.g. Our professor spoke in the name of his colleagues.

named after - be given at birth the same name e.g. The child was named after his father.

42

need

in need of - having need of e.g. Their plant is in need of specialists.

neither

neither ... nor - not this, not that e.g. It is neither cold nor warm today.

next

next door - in the next house e.g. He lives next door to me.

next to - close to e.g. Who was sitting next to you at the concert?

next to impossible - almost impossible e.g. It is next to impossible to solve this problem.

next to nothing - almost nothing e.g. They gave him next to nothing for his books.

noted

noted for - famous for e.g. Greece is noted for its beautiful islands.

now

from now on - henceforth e.g. From now on try to speak only English at our lessons.

now and then (or again) - occasionally e.g. I meet her now and then (or again) at the club.

now that - since e.g. Now that we've finished reading this book, let's discuss the details.

up-to-now - till now, so far e.g. I have heard nothing from him up-to-now.

number

a great (or large, or good) number of - many e.g. A great number of people came to see the game.

43

o

obliged

be obliged to (somebody) for (something) - be thankful to somebody for something e.g. Thank you very much. I am much obliged to you for your help.

on

on and on - without stopping e.g. She talked on and on telling us all about her gar­den in the country.

on and off - irregularly, occasionally, froin time to time e.g. It has been raining on and off since noon.

What's on? - What's the programme? e.g. What's on at the cinema this week?

order

in order - neat, carefully arranged e.g. His room is always in order.

in order to (do something) - for the purpose of e.g. She ran across the street in order to catch the bus.

out of order - not working properly e.g. Our telephone is out of order. May I use yours?

out

out of - for reasons of e.g. I did it out of gratitude for all you had done for me.

out of breath - breathless e.g. He was out of breath when he came up the stairs.

out-of-doors - in the fresh air e.g. The doctor advised John to spend more time out­of-doors.

out of practice - lacking in practice and skill e.g. Tom was badly out of practice after his illness.

out of work - unemployed, without work e.g. George has been out of work for three weeks.

44

over

be over - be finished, ended e.g. The lecture was over at five.

The rain will soon be over. over and over again - repeatedly, many times

e.g. She kept playing the same thing over and over again till I was out of patience.

owing

owing to - on account of e.g. Owing to the thunderstorm we could not come In time.

p

pains

be at pains - take the trouble (to do something) e.g. I was at considerable pains to explain the real situation to her.

part

part and parcel - an integral part e.g. Toys are part and parcel of a New Year tree.

take part in - participate e.g. Everybody took part in the discussion.

particular

be particular about - be not easily satisfied or pleased e.g. Ann is very particular about her clothes.

in particular - especially e.g. I did not mean anything in particular \vhen I mentioned the situation.

perfection

to perfection - to the highest point available e.g. He performed the role of Othello to perfection.

45

pins

be on pins and needles - be in a very nervous state e.g. I am on pins and needles about my exams.

pity

have (or take) a pity on (somebody) - feel sorry for e.g. Mrs. Robinson took a pity on the old woman.

it is a pity (that) ... - I am sorry because ... e.g. It is a pity he won't be able to come.

What a pity ... - how unfortunate ... e.g. What a pity I can't go to the country with you.

place

in place (of) - instead (of) e.g. Vegetable oil can be used in place of butter.

point

be on the point of - be about to e.g. I was on the point of leaving when you called.

point-blank - directly, flatly e.g. I invited her to dinner, but she refused to come point-blank.

point of view - standpoint e.g. From my point of view this suggestion is quite acceptable.

point out - indicate e.g. The teacher quickly pointed out all mistakes in his composition.

to the point - to the main idea e.g. She asked me to speak to the point as we had very little time to spare.

positive

be positive of (or about) - be quite sure of (or about) e.g. I was positive about the truth of his statement.

46

pull

pull in - arrive, enter a station or depot (said pCl:rticularly of trains)

e.g. The train was just pulling in when I met him at the station.

pull oneself together - get control of oneself e.g. I was hurt, but I tried to pull myself together and did not say a word.

pull out -leave (said particularly of trains) e.g. We saw Harry on the platform just when the. train was pulling out.

purpose

on purpose - intentionally e.g. I'm sure he left his book at home on purpose.

put

put aside ... (for) - 1) save e.g. You should put some money aside for emergen­CIes.

2) put or move away e.g. Put your book aside; I want to talk to you.

put down - write down, put on paper e.g. You'd better put her telephone number down; so you won't forget it.

put off - postpone e.g. The meeting was put off until next week.

put out - extinguish e.g. Put your cigarette ou t before you put the light out.

put up with - endure, tolerate e.g. I am not going to put up with your complaining any longer.

Q

question

beyond question - indisputably e.g. Henry's modesty is beyond question.

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in question - of whom (which) we are talking e.g. The book in question is already out of print.

out of the question - quite impossible e.g. I can't do this work alone - it is out of the ques­tionl

settle the question - decide upon, make clear e.g. I'm tired of waiting. It's good time to settle this question once and for all.

quiet

quiet down - become quiet, calm e.g. At first the children made a lot of nOIse, then they seemed to quiet down.

quite

quite a few - many, a lot e.g. You have learnt quite a few verbs since last month.

R

R's

the three R's - means reading, (w)riting and (a)rithmetic which comprise the basic elements of education e.g. Jim has completed the study of the three R's.

rain

It never rains but it pours (proverb) - troubles never come singly e.g. First Bill lost his job, then he fell ill; it never rains but it pours.

random

at random - haphazardly e.g. I gave his address at random.

48

rate

at any rate - in any case, nevertheless e.g. She was not very frank, but at any rate she never lied to me.

rather

would rather (do something) - more willingly e.g. He said he would rather stay at home than go to the concert.

regard

give one's regards - convey one's greetings e.g. Give my best regards to your family.

in (or with) regard to - in (or with) respect to e.g. In (or with) regard to your last question, I'll make the following statement.

remember

remember someone to - convey greetings from one person to another e.g. Please, remember me to your brother.

respect

in all (or this, or many, or some) respects - in all (or this, or many, or some) ways e.g. Jim resembles his father in all respects.

She is right in many respects. in (or with) respect to - with reference to, concerning

e.g. We have good news in (or with) respect to your promotion.

rest

the rest (of) - the remainder e.g. I spent the rest of my holiday in the country.

right

right away (or now) - at once, without delay e.g. We must leave right away (or now).

49

right here (or there) - exactly here (or there) e.g. I'll be waiting for you right here at 5 p.m.

ring

ring off - end a telephone call e.g. I'm sorry but I have to ring off now.

ring up - telephone e.g. I'll ask Henry to ring you up at 10.

round

come round and (or to) -- come to see a friend e.g. Come round and see me this evening.

round-about - indirect e.g. She told me In a round-about way about her plans for the future.

rule as a rule - generally

e.g. As a rule proper names do not have an article.

run

in the long run - in the final count e.g. I'm sure we shall find this book in the long run.

run across - meet or find unexpectedly e.g. I ran across some old letters when I was looking for something else.

run a temperature - continue to have a high temperature e.g. John was running a temperature and had to stay in bed.

run into - 1) collide with e.g. Mr. Blake ran into a gate.

2) meet by chance e.g. Who(m) do you think I ran into yesterday? Our old friend Jack.

run out of - exhaust one's supply of e.g. They ran out of gas on their \\Tay to the country.

running running - in succession, one after the other

e.g. She was sitting over her report for three hours running.

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rush

in a rush - in a great hurry e.g. I can't talk to you now; I'm in a rush.

rush-hour(s) - when most people are travelling to or from work e.g. It is very difficult to get on a bus during rush­hours.

S

safe

safe and sound - not harmed or injured; in good health e.g. All students have returned safe and sound from the expedition.

sake

for the sake of - for the welfare or the benefit of e.g. I did it for the sake of helping my friends.

say

to say nothing of - not to mention e.g. 1 am having a hard time with biology, to say noth­ing of physics.

schedule

ahead of schedule - earlier than planned e.g. We finished our work today ahead of schedule.

behind schedule - later than planned e.g. Work at that housing project is already ten days behind schedule.

on schedule - punctual, at the expected time e.g. If my train is on schedule, I'll be home by 7 o'clock.

see

come (or go) to see a person - come (or go) to a person's place e.g. Come to see me on Sunday, will you?

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see - understand e.g. I can easily see what you mean.

see about - 1) consider e.g. She promised to see about your request as soon as possible.

2) attend to, arrange e.g. The secretary sees about his appointments.

see a person home (or to a place) - accompany, go with e.g. Don't trouble to see me home. I live quite near.

May I see you to the exhibition? see a person off - go with him to the place of departure

(to the train) and say good-bye e.g. We all went to the railway station to see Peter off.

see a person (out) to the door - accompany as far as the door e.g. Just a moment, John will see you out to the door.

see into - investigate e.g. I'll see into the matter tomorrow.

see over - inspect, examine e.g. We want to see over the house before we decide to rent it.

see stars - become dizzy or unconscious as a result of a blow on the head e.g. For a moment, when I hit my head against the iron gate, I saw stars.

see to - attend to e.g. My telephone is out of order, will you see to it?

serve

It (or that) serves him right - It is a just and deserved punishment

e.g. That serves him right, that's what he deserves.

service

at one's service - at one's disposition or disposal e.g. We had a room and a car at our service all the time we were visiting them.

be of service - help, be of use e.g. If I can be of any service to you, just let me know.

52

set

set about - start e.g. After dinner Mary set about cleaning the room.

set aside - reserve, save e.g. He tried to set some money aside for his trip to India next year.

set out - start for (for a place, on a trip) e.g. We set out at dawn for (to) the nearest village.

set to work - get down to \\lork e.g. You'd better set to work at once.

shake

shake hands (with) - greet a person by a clasping of the hands

e.g. When friends meet they usually shake hands.

shoe

be in a person's shoes - be in the same circumstances e.g. If I were in your shoes, I would work harder.

show

show a person (a)round - take him and show all places of interest

e.g. The chief engineer sho\\Ted us (a)round the plant. show a person in - go with a person into a room

e.g. We showed a visitor in. show up - appear

e.g. Alice showed up at the last moment.

sick

be sick of - be tired of e.g. I'm sick of his excuses.

side

side by side - by the side of one another, close together e.g. They sat quietly side by side without speaking.

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sight

at first sight - when first seen e.g. Jim liked Mary at first sight.

in sight - in view, visible e.g. When the train emerged from the tunnel, the beautiful mountains came in sight.

know a person by sight - be familiar with a person's appearance only e.g. I have never been introduced to him, but I knew him well by sight.

out of sight - not within the field of vision, not to be seen e.g. The train moved out of sight very quickly.

see the sights - see places of interest (buildings, features of the place, etc). e.g. We had little time to see all the sights of London.

sit

sit up - 1) sit erect e.g. Sit up, don't slouch in your seat.

2) stay out of bed e.g. Mrs. Brown sat up all night because her child was

running a temperature. My husband likes to sit up late playing chess.

sleep

not to sleep a wink - not to sleep at all e.g. I was so overtired that I did not sleep a wink last night.

so

so as to - in order to e.g. We spoke in a whisper so as not to wake them up.

so far - up to now e.g. So far she has done very well at school.

so-so - average, neither very good, nor very bad e.g. Mary liked the film but I thought it was so-so.

so to speak - speaking in general terms e.g. He is so to speak the chief of this society.

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sooner

sooner or later - ultimately, some day e.g. The truth will come out sooner or later

speak

speak out (or up) - 1) speak loudly and clearly e.g. Speak out (or up) please. I don't hear a word.

2) speak freely without hesitation or fear

e.g. If you don't approve of it, why don't you speak out (or up)?

speak well of - praise, approve of e.g. Everyone speaks well of our ne\v typist.

spirits

be in high (or good) spirits - be gay, cheerful e.g. Harold is very cheerful, he is always tn high spir­its.

be in low (or bad) spirits - be depressed, sad e.g. You are in low spirits no\v, I wonder why?

spite

in spite of - notwithstanding e.g. I did not feel sleepy in spite of late hours.

spot

on the spot - at this (very) place and time e.g. He offered me a good job and I agreed on the spot.

spur

act on the spur of the moment - act without any previous intention e.g. Alex did not mean to say that. He said it on the spur of the moment.

55

stand

as matters (or things) stand now - as is the state of af­fairs e.g. As matters (or things) stand now we can't expect him till Friday.

it stands to reason (that. .. ) - it is perfectly clear and logi­cal (that ... ) e.g. It stands to reason that this invention \\Till intro­duce some changes.

stand - endure, bear e.g. I cannot stand this noise any longer.

stand on one's own feet - not to be dependent on others' help e.g. At last Sam was able to stand on his o\vn feet again.

stay

stay in - remain at home e.g. Let's stay in to-night and read instead of going to the cinema.

stay out - be away from home e.g. Jack stayed out last night till one o'clock a.m.

stay up - not to go to bed e.g. We stayed up until midnight.

step

step by step - gradually, by degrees e.g. A foreign language must be learned step by step.

step on it - hurry, make haste e.g. If you don't step on it \ve shall not get to the station in time.

step on one's toes - offend a person e.g. The speaker had to be very careful not to step on anyone's toes.

take steps - take measures e.g. You must take steps to improve your health.

stick

stick out - protrude, project beyond e.g. I could see the letter sticking out of his pocket.

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stick to - be loyal, faithful e.g. Friends should stick to one another.

He must stick to his promise.

stone

a rolling stone - a person who never remains long in one occupation, situation, etc.

e.g. There is a proverb: "A rolling stone gathers no moss."

storm

storm in a tea cup - a lot of fuss about a trifle e.g. It all seemed to me just a storm in a tea cup.

straight

straight away - immediately, without delay e.g. He told me straight away that he would not come.

strike

strike a match - ignite a match e.g. It was so dark that John had to strike a match In order to see his watch.

strip

strip - undress, remove one's clothes e.g. The doctor told him to strip to the waist.

succession

in succession - one coming after another (when speaking of persons or things)

e.g. We work seven hours in succession. Bob ale three cakes in succession.

suppose

be supposed to - be expected to e.g. He is supposed to arrive at five.

supposing (that ... ) - suppose (that ... ) e.g. Supposing it rains, \vhat shall we do?

57

sure

be sure (to do something) - be certain (to do something) e.g. He is sure to come in time.

for sure - definitely, without fail e.g. He said he would give us his final decision for sure by Sunday.

make sure - be convinced e.g. Make sure it is done correctly.

to be sure - certainly, without any doubt e.g. To be sure, Tom is an excellent student.

swing

in full swing - at the maximum point of activity e.g. The party was in full swing by ten o'clock: every­body was having a fine time.

T

take

take - 1) accompany e.g. Shall I take you to the station in my car?

2) carry e.g. Will this bus take me to the airport?

3) board a vehicle or a train e.g. He took a wrong tram and had to wait for another one.

4) be affected by e.g. How did he take the sad news?

take after - 1) resemble (a parent) e.g. That boy certainly takes after his father. He even walks like him.

2) follow the example of e.g. Why don't you take after Tom and be quiet?

take a picture - take a photograph of e.g. We took many pictures of the city.

take care - be careful, watchful e.g. Take care, there is a pool over there!

take care of - protect, watch over e.g. He promised to take care of our dog while \ve are away.

58

take hold of -- seize e.g. Take hold of that end and help me to move this table.

take (it) for granted - assume to be true without further invest iga t ion e.g. He spoke English so well that I took it for granted that he was an Englishman.

take measures - take the necessary steps e.g. It was necessary to take immediate measures to avoid trouble.

take minutes (at a meeting) - write an account of opinions expressed and decided upon at a meeting

e.g. It is your turn to take Ininutes at the meeting. take off - 1) remove (said particularly of clothes)

• e.g. John took off his hat as he entered the room. 2) leave the ground (when speaking of planes)

e.g. The plane took off very smoothly. 3) not to work for a period

e.g. I am going to take a week off next month. take offence - become offended

e.g. He is quick to take offence, so be carefull take place - 1) be held

e.g. The meeting did not take place yesterday. 2) happen

e.g. Where did the accident take place? take someone for - mistake a person for someone else

e.g. I'm sorry. I took you for Mr. Green. take up - undertake a course of study

e.g. My son takes up music.

talk

talking-to - a scolding e.g. The teacher gave a lazy boy a good talking-to.

talk back - answer rudely or impolitely e.g. You should not talk back to your brother.

talk over - discuss in detail e.g. We talked over his suggestion but could not come to a decision.

talk shop - discuss one's business or professional affairs on ordinary occasions e.g. My friend and I spent the whole evening talking shop.

59

tell

tell on - have a noticeably bad effect on e.g. Too much strain is telling on her nerves.

that

That's it - That's the point e.g. That's it. It's just what I mean.

thick

through thick and thin - through all difficulties e.g. They will back you up through thick and thin.

think

think over - consider carefully e.g. Don't give your answer now; think it over.

think to oneself - think without saying it aloud e.g. Bob thought to himself that his friend was wrong.

through

be through (with) - reach the end, finish \vith e.g. When will you be through with your examIna­tions?

time

be pressed for time (money, etc.) - be short of time (mon­ey, etc.) e.g. I am very much pressed for time. We have to hurry.

for the time being - in the meantime e.g. That'll do for the tilne being.

from time to time - occasionally e.g. I'll give you some more idioms from time to time.

in no time - very quickly e.g. Wait for me, I'll be back in no time.

in time - 1) not late; early enough e.g. I hope to get to the station in time.

60

2) after a while e.g. She will learn to do this work in time.

it is high time - time just before it is too late e.g. It's high time you were gone.

take one's time - 1) need, require time e.g. These things take time.

2) not to hurry e.g. There is no hurry. You can take your time doing that work.

time and again - repeatedly e.g. You make the same spelling mistakes time and againl

time off - a period of release from work e.g. I had some time off this afternoon and went shop­ping.

The time is up! - the time allowed is at the end e.g. The time is up! Hand in your compositions.

tongue

on the tip of one's tongue - on the point of being uttered or spoken

e.g. I know that man. His name is on the tip of my tongue, but I can't remember it.

slip of the tongue - an unintentional remark or word e.g. I did not want to offend you; it was just a slip of the tongue.

tongue-tied - unable to speak through shyness, fear, etc. e.g. The boy was so shy that he was absolutely tongue­tied.

topsy

topsy-turvy - all mixed up and out of order; upside down e.g. I was so confused that at the last moment every­thing seemed topsy-turvy to me.

touch

get in touch with - communicate with e.g. I'll try to get in touch with him as soon as pos­sible.

keep in touch (with) - remain in communication (with) e.g. Be sure to keep in touch with me while you are away.

61

lose touch (with) - no longer be in touch (with) e.g. If we correspond regularly, we shan't lose touch with each other.

turn

by turns - one after another, alternately e.g. My wife and I drove the car by turns.

in turn - one after another e.g. Speak in turn, please!

turn off - switch off e.g. Why don't you turn off the radio? It disturbs me.

turn on - switch on e.g. Please, turn the light on. It is dark.

turn to - appeal and obtain help from e.g. I could always turn to him for help.

turn up - appear (when speaking of persons) e.g. Don't worry about Nick. He'll turn up soon.

turning

turning point - crisis e.g. The outbreak of war was a turning point in their lives.

u under

under discussion - being discussed e.g. Our plans are under discussion at present.

under repair - being repaired e.g. My car has been under repair for a week.

under such (or these) conditions - while such (or these) conditions exist e.g.. It is impossible to achieve good resul ts under such conditions.

under way - being built e.g. The construction of the bridge is under way.

up

be up to (someone) - depending upon the decision of some­one e.g. It is up to you to decide when we start.

62

up and down - to and fro e.g. She was walking up and down the room.

ups and downs - changes in fortune, alternations of good and bad periods e.g. John, like many others, had his ups and downs when he first came to London.

up to the mark - up to a standard e.g. Your report is quite up to the mark.

upset

be (or look) upset - be (or look) worried, disturbed e.g. There is no reason for you to be so upset, Mary.

use

ie's no use ... - it is of no use, useless e.g. It's no use talking about it now.

make use of - utilize, use e.g. Soon you will be able to make use of your English.

used

be used to - be accustomed to e.g. He is used to getting up early.

get used to - become accustomed to e.g. You will soon get used to our climate and then the changes of temperature will not affect you.

used to - indicates a repeated action in the past e.g. When I was younger, I used to play tennis quite well. tI played often in the past, but now I don't.)

usual

as usual - as always, customarily e.g. As usual Williams won first prize in the swim­ming contest.

63

v vain

in vain - without result e.g. I have looked for that in vain; please, help me to find it.

verge

be on the verge of - be on the point of e.g. I was on the verge of accepting his offer.

w

way

a little way off (from) - not far (from) e.g. The river is a little way off from here.

a long way off (from) - far (from) e.g. She lives a long way off from the centre.

be in the way - be an obstacle in someone's way e.g. He overcame all difficulties that were in the way.

by the way - by the by e.g. By the way, have you seen John recently?

in a way - to a certain extent e.g. He is right about that, in a way.

while

once in a while - not very often, rarely e.g. He comes here once in a while.

whole

on the whole - in general e.g. I agree with you, on the whole.

willy

willy-nilly - of necessity, whether one will or not e.g. I have to leave, willy-nilly.

64

wonder

I wonder - I am curious to know e;g. I wonder whether he will ring you up.

no wonder - not surprising that ... e.g. She refused to come and no wonder.

word

a person of few words - a person who says very little e.g. Michael's a man of few words.

have a word with - have a short talk with e.g. The dean said he wanted to have a word with me.

have words (with) - quarrel (with) e.g. They have had words, I know!

translate word for word - 1) translate literally e.g. James tried to translate the sentence word for word.

2) repeat exactly, with no changes e.g. Ida repeated the story word for word.

Upon my word! - an exclamation: My word upon itt (on my honour) e.g. Upon my word I I never said anything like that.

worst

if the worst comes to the worst - if things become as bad as possible e.g. If the worst comes to the worst, we can always ask James to help us out.

worth

worth-while - that is worth the time, the trouble, etc. needed e.g. Is it a worth-while experiment?

wrong

be in the wrong - be at fault e.g. The taxi driver was obviously In the wrong In

going ahead against the red light.

65

y

year

all the year round - the entire year e.g. In the far North it is cold all the year round.

year in year out - going on year after year e.g. Seasons change year in and year out.

EXERCISE PATTERNS

FOREWORD

In doing these exercises refer to the phrases and idioms given in this handbook in alphabetic order, according to the key-word.

I. Form sentences and explain the difference between the following pairs of set expressions:

to get on - to get off to callan - to call off to ring up - to ring off to put on - to put off to pull in - to pull out to dine in - to dine out to be on duty - to be off duty up-to-date - out-of-date to get in - to get out of

II. Give synonyms to the following:

step by step on and off on and on in no time oi course at least at once at times

no wonder be upset for good not a bit so far be about to do

something

see a person off at heart so as to so-so all in all quite a few

67

III. Rewrite these sentences using would (or do) you mind:

Model: Please, don't smoke in the bedroom. - Would you mind not smoking in the bedroom?

May I close the window? - Do you mind my closing the win­do\v?

1. Please, pass the sugar. 2.. May I use your dictionary for a few minutes? 3. May she come again tomorrow? 4. May I leave early this afternoon? 5. Please, don't open the door. 6. May I ask you a question? 7. Please, try not to arrive late for your class in the future. 8. May he go home?

IV. Fill in the blanks with the missing prepositions:

1. I am fond - music. 2. Little -little you will improve your English. 3. When the train was pulling - at the right station, Dorothy was waiting for me. 4. Ethel had firmly made - her mind to become a writer. 5. It is very kind­you to say so. 6. People cannot do - water, can they? 7. I can certainly do - a cup of tea. 8. First - all, let me intro­duce myself to you. 9. She never takes - account the fact that I am busy. 10. All - a sudden she got - and left. 11. I can't get used-wearing glasses. 12. He called-all his friends to say good-bye. 13. Instead - writing a letter Lucy went - a walk. 14. I rang the wrong bell- accident. 15. How long did it take you to figure - the cost of that machine? 16. Once - a while we dine -.. 17. Elen is so busy. She seems to be - the go all day long. 18. Even though Mrs. Wilson is advanced - years she is - good health. 19. Fred tried many times to give- smoking. 20. We knew - advance that he would win the championship. 21. Alexander is - a hurry to catch the train. 22. Ida is looking forward - meeting her friends at six o'clock. 23. Har­ry went - working - spite - interruptions. 24. How do you account - this sudden change? 25. Don't translate this article word - word. 26. William wants to take - medicine when he goes to college. 27. Ask Jack to come to my office­once. 28. Every student should look - all new words in the dictionary. 29. Education is free - charge in the Soviet Union. 30. Miss Grey is - charge- the nursery. 31. She talks so much that she gets - my nerves. 32. When we came everything was - order.

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v. Render the following in your mother tongue: 1. You are supposed to know this rule. 2. What IS your

brother taking up at Columbia University? 3. They set out on foot in accordance with their plan. 4. It is all the same to me whether we go or stay. 5. Let's look through the list of prices once more. 6. She is, on the whole, a good student. 7. It goes without saying that Eva is a very sincere person. 8. This chair is in the way. 9. Helen always likes to have her own way. 10. By the way, have you seen the ne\v film? 11. Nick promised to look into the matter and give us an answer a little later. 12. She was shopping all day long looking for a new dress. 13. It serves you right to have lost your purse. You were always too careless with it. 14. For the time being Alice is working in the export de-partment. 15. The long journey had to be made on foot. 16. I hope it won't go on raining all day. 17. It will do you good to have a long walk in the country. 18. He is sure to like her. 19. I knew Alexander long before he joined our group.

VI. Form sentences with the following expressions: to get on to get through to get rid of to get on with to get used to to get up to get off to get to a to get over to get along place to get in touch to get along to get into with

with trouble

VII. Re-state each of the following sentences using the expression feel like:

Model: I want to read to-night. - I feel like reading to-night.

1. I want to have dinner. 2. The child does not want to sleep now. 3. What do you want to do now? 4. Have a bath if you want. 5. I want to take a long walk. Would you like to go with me? 6. I don't want to study to-night. 7. He wants to go to the park. 8. He did not want to speak English then.

VIII. Put the idioms or set expressions used in these sen­tences into your own words showing that you understand their meaning:

1. John said he was up to the eyes in work. 2. I know that girl. Her name is on the tip of my tongue. 3. She

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visits us once in a blue moon. 4. He likes to put a tinger in every pie. 5. His health is improving little by little. 6. These gloves do not go with this dress. 7. He made up his mind to stay with us. 8. Painting is my cup ot tea. 9. Robert is head over heels in love with your sister. 10. Will you keep an eye on my suit-case while I buy the ticket? 11. I can't make out what she means in her tele­gram. 12. Helen takes after her mother in many ways. 13. He did that work of his own accord. 14. The plane went slowly out ot sight. 15. It is up to you whether we go or not. It is not up to me. 16. She was on the verge ot tears. 17. I had to go, willy-nilly. 28. In a way he is right and you are quite wrong. 19. She was ready to share with him all the ups and downs of married life. 20. I am afraid we ran out ot gas. 21. Let's go to the South for a change. 22. He is easy to get on with. 23. I don't like to talk shop at dinner. 24. The two friends shook hands and parted. 25. Her modesty is part and parcel of her nature. 26. His discipline is up to the mark. 27. She tried to help us but was only in the way. 28. It isn't worth-while going to the South.

IX. Short and Easy Conversation (to be learnt by heart)

1

A.: What are you going to do on Friday? B.: I'm going to do some work. A. : And what about Anne? B. She is going to write letters.

2

A.: Where have you been? I haven't seen you for ages. B.: I've been pretty busy. A.: Everyone's missed you. B.: It's kind ot you to say so.

3

A.: Pardon me. Do you have a match? B.: Yes, I do. Here it is. A.: Thank you very much. B.: Not at all.

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4

A.: What time is the plane supposed to arrive? B.: Six-thirty, but it's behind schedule. Now they are saying

six-fifty.

5 A.: Can John play the piano? B.: Yes, he can. He can sing too. A.: I can't sing at all. B.: Neither can I.

6

A.: Have you finished your exams? B.: No, just half of them. A.: Will you take the rest next month? B.: No, this week.

7

A.: Have you read that book? B.: No, but I don't feel like reading to-night.

A.: Where are you from? B.: I am from the USA.

8

A.: What part of the USA do you come from? B.: I was born in Ohio. I live in Los Angeles now.

9

A.: Could I have a table for two? B. : Yes, sir. There is a nice tab Ie right here. A.: Thank you. May I have the menu? B.: Right away, sir.

10

A.: Would you like to go to a dance? B.: No, I wouldn't. A.: What a pity! B.: I'm sorry.

11

AlIa: It's too bad of you. You said you wouldn't give away that secret I had told you.

Jane: I didn't give it away. I exchanged it for another.

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12

A.: Mary's husband has been out of work for two months. B.: Poor thing! She IS faced with the problem of making

both ends meet.

13

James: Hello, Frank. How are you getting along? Frank: I'm getting along well, thank you. I am getting

accustomed to life in the United States. James: When did you get to the United States? Frank: I got here three weeks ago. James: I've got to go now. I'm going to get a haircut.

I'll see you later.

John: Hello, Billy. Billy: Hello, John.

14

John: Is your sister expecting me? Billy: Of course, she is. John: How do you know it? Billy: She has just gone out in a great hurry.

15

Jack: Mary and Alice would like to learn Italian. Why? Jim: Because they'd like to go to Italy.

16

Anne: Jim is going to play tennis, isn't he? Alla: Yes, he is. Anne: And Mary would like to watch television, wouldn't

she? Alla: Yes, she would.

17

Helen: I'm going to have a party on Sunday. Can you come? Jack: Yes, thank you for the invitation. What time would

you like me to come? Helen: At two o'clock.

18

Lucy: We're going to the park. Would you like to come along?

Eva: I'd like to, but I've got to do some shopping.

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19

A.: Could you help me, please? B. : Certainly, what would you like? A.: Could you look at my radiator? I think it's leaking.

At any rate, something is wrong.

20

Mrs. Smith: Do you put money aside tor a rainy day, dear? Mrs. Wood: Oh, not I never shop when it rains.

21

Tom: Are you coming to school if it rains? Frank: Of course. Tom: Aren't you afraid of getting wet? Frank: Of course, not.

22

Bill: It's raining hard right rww. Jack: And we're both carrying packages. Bill: Would you mind taking a taxi? Jack: That's just itl I think that's a good idea.

23 A.: Can Margaret go to the cinema? B.: No, she can't. A.: Why not? B.: Because it's time to get down to work.

24

A.: You look sick. What's the matter? B.: I've got a headache. A.: May be you're running a temperature? B. : I hope not.

25 B.: What was Mr. Wood doing yesterday morning? N.: He was looking after the children. B.: And what about his wife? N.: She was doing the flowers in the garden.

26

B.: Do you like vegetables? N.: As a matter of fact, I do.

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B.: What kind do you like? N.: Oh, lettuce, cabbage, carrots - a lot of them.

27

B.: You are very good at tennis. N.: Not at all good, but I like it. B.: Have you been playing it for long? N.: For five years.

28

B.: Do you ever go to the theatre? N.: Every now and then. B.: What kind of shows do you like? N.: Musical comedies.

29

A.: Do you think English is easy? B.: No, I don't. A.: Why not? B.: I have to work hard.

30

Mother: Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today. Her little Son: Then, Mother, let's eat the rest of the

cakes today.

X. Answer these questions making use of the set expres­sions and idiolns given in this handbook:

1. What do you do when you find the telephone out of order? 2. Is the lift in your building seldom or often out of order? 3. Approximately how many countries take part in the Olympic Games? 4. Has your brother (husband) stopped smoking for good? 5. Lizzie looks upset. What is the mat­ter? 6. If someone tells you to look out what should you do? 7. Do you take hold of the ralling when you go down­stairs? 8. Were you named after anyone in your family? 9. Do you like or dislike to go to the railway station to see someone off? 10. When did you get through with your studying last night? 11. Why are there so many signs in the park saying "Keep off the grass"? 12. Is it easy or difficult to get rid of a foreign accent? 13. Is it easy or difficult for you to learn things by heart? 14. Do you often go to the pictures or only once in a while? 15. If a ciga-

74

rette goes out while someone is smoking, what must he do? 16. Why are you always pressed for time? 17. What event in the nearest future are you looking forward to? 18. Do you generally dine out or do you have dinner at home? 19. What are some of the advantages of dining out? 20. What are some of the advantages of dining in? 21. Is it all the same to you if we put off our lesson until tomor­row rather than have it today? 22. Which is the most up­to-date department store in your city? 23. Did you come to Moscow by yourself or with your family? 24. Do people catch cold more often in the winter than in the summer? 25. How long does it usually take you to get over the cold? 26. Why do you think that it goes without saying that John is the best student in our group? 27. What were you about to say when I interrupted you? 29. Doesn't your friend speak English at all? 29. Do you like or dislike to do things over? 30. Is it difficult to get on a bus which is crowded? 31. Is it easy to get off the bus which is crowded? 32 How many idioms have we studied so far? 33. Do you ever work by (in) fits and starts?

XI. Give the questions to which the following statements are the answers:

1. Yes, he will ring you up at seven. 2. Such a thing is absolutely out of the question. 3. No, I was unable to find out his address. 4. The game was called off on account of the rain. 5. She came with her mother to show that bygones were bygones. 6. We are counting on you to help us with this. 7. We talked over the problem for a long time.

XII. Re-state the following sentences beginning each with the expression /' d like to ... :

Model: I go to London. - l' d like to go to London.

1. I study French. 2. I go to my classes. 3. I have lunch at twelve. 4. I speak to my teacher. 5. I go to the South next summer. 6. I listen to the tape-recorder. 7. I understand the principle of this electric device. 8. I read a novel.

XIII. Under what circumstances would you say? 1. I took it for granted that Mr. Smith was an English­

man. 2. I am fed up with it. 3. No, I was not able to take

'15

part in the discussion yesterday. 4. It is one of the most up-to-date apartment houses in our city. 5. I feel like hav­ing a heart-to-heart talk with you. 6. Yes, my friend lives by himself. 7. I am beside myself with joy. 8. On the day of his departure she was sad at heart and in low spirits. 9. Day in and day out, for a period of ten months, he worked at his new novel. 10. This film is worth-while seeing. 11. If the worst comes to the worst you can count on me.