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(have) egg on your face Informal You have egg on your face if you've said or done something wrong, and it's made you feel embarrassed or stupid. (your) hands are tied You can say your hands are tied if you're prevented from doing something that you'd normally have the power or the authority to do. (your) heart goes out to (someone) If your heart goes out to someone, you feel great sympathy for them. (your) heart is in the right place If your heart is in the right place, you try to do the right thing, even if things don't always work out for the best. (your) heart isn't in it If your heart isn't in something you're doing, you don't really want to do it.
a bad hair day Informal If you're having a bad hair day, everything seems to be going wrong for you. a gut feeling If you have a gut feeling, you sense something about a person or a situation, without knowing why, but you're sure what you sense is true. a head start If you have a head start, you start something ahead of others or with an advantage over others. a kick in the teeth If you get a kick in the teeth, something bad happens to you or you feel that you've been treated poorly. a knuckle sandwich Informal If you give someone a knuckle sandwich, you punch them.
a pain in the neck Informal You can say someone is a pain in the neck if they annoy you, or something is a pain in the neck if you don't like doing it. a pat on the back You've given someone a pat on the back if you've told them they've done something well, or done a good job. a shot in the arm Informal You can say something is a shot in the arm if it gives a person or an organisation renewed energy or enthusiasm. a sight for sore eyes Informal If something or someone is a sight for sore eyes, you are glad to see them. a skeleton in the cupboard | closet If you have a skeleton in the cupboard, or in the closet, you have a secret in your past which
a slap on the wrist If someone gives you a slap on the wrist, they give you a mild punishment for making a mistake or doing something wrong. a slip of the tongue If you make a slip of the tongue, you make a small mistake when speaking. a weight off your shoulders You can say a weight is off your shoulders if you no longer have to worry about something or deal with something difficult. Achilles' heel An Achilles' heel is a weakness that could result in failure. an eye-opener You can say something's an eye-opener if it's made you realize something you hadn't been
aware of before.
90 Idioms based on Body
behind someone's back If you do something behind someone's back, you do it without letting them know about it. bite your tongue | hold your tongue If you bite your tongue, or hold your tongue, you force yourself not to say something you really want to to say. break your heart If someone breaks your heart, they cause you a lot of emotional pain by ending a romantic relationship, or by deeply hurting you in some other way. by word of mouth If something becomes well-known by word of mouth, it becomes well-known because people are telling each other about it, and not because of advertising or other marketing tools.
caught red-handed If someone is caught red-handed, they are caught in the act of doing something wrong such as cheating or stealing. come to your senses If you come to your senses, you see things clearly and begin to act sensibly after a period of confusion and unwise behaviour. dig your heels in If you dig your heels in, you stubbornly resist something or refuse to change. drag your feet | drag your heels If you drag your feet, or drag your heels, you do something slowly because you don't really want to do it. ear to the ground Informal If you have your ear to the ground, you know what's really going on in a situation.
easy on the eye If something is easy on the eye, it is pleasant to look at. elbow grease If something needs elbow grease, it needs a lot of hard physical work. eyes like a hawk If someone has eyes like a hawk, they have very good eyesight and they notice everything. face to face If people meet face to face, they meet in person in the real world. feel the pinch If you are feeling the pinch, you're finding it harder to survive on your income. find your feet If you're still finding your feet, you're still adjusting to a new place or a new situation.
get it off your chest If you get it off your chest, you tell somebody about something that's been bothering you and you've been thinking about a lot. get off on the wrong foot If you get off on the wrong foot, you start something poorly, or begin with a mistake. go over your head If someone goes over your head, they go to someone with more authority than you in order to get something that you would normally grant, possibly because they think you won't give it to them. grease someone's palm Informal If you grease someone's palm, you pay them a bribe. hard to swallow Something that someone has said is hard to
have a heart-to-heart If you have a heart-to-heart with someone, you have an honest talk and share your feelings with each other. have your hands full If you have your hands full, you're busy. have your head in the clouds If someone has their head in the clouds, they are out of touch with the everyday world and can be unrealistic or naive as a result. heads will roll You can say "heads will roll" if people are going to lose their jobs after making a mistake. hold your head high | hold your head up high You can hold your head high, or hold your head up high, if you feel proud of something.
It's written all over your face. If you say "it's written all over your face", you're saying that the expression on someone's face is showing their true feelings or thoughts. itchy feet Informal If you have itchy feet, you feel the need to go somewhere different or do something different. joined at the hip If two people or things are joined at the hip, they're so closely linked as to be almost inseparable. jump down your throat | jump all over you If someone jumps down your throat, or jumps all over you, they strongly criticise you or scold you. jump out of your skin Informal You jump out of your skin when something
keep an eye on If you keep an eye on someone, you make sure you know what they're doing. keep your nose clean If you keep your nose clean, you stay out of trouble by making sure you don't do anything wrong. lend someone a hand If you lend someone a hand, you help them. let your hair down If you let your hair down, you enjoy yourself by doing whatever you feel like doing and not worrying about what other people might think. lose face If you lose face, your status falls and you aren't respected as much as you were.
lose your head If you lose your head, you become very angry about something. more than meets the eye You can say there's more to something than meets the eye if it's more complex, more important or more interesting than it seems at first. music to your ears If something is music to your ears, it's just what you want to hear. neck and neck If two competitors are running neck and neck in a race, they are almost level. nerves of steel If you have nerves of steel, you are very brave and not many things make you scared or
nervous.
90 Idioms based on Body
off the top of your head Informal If you give someone information off the top of your head, you do so from memory, without checking beforehand. on the one hand | on the other hand You can say "on the one hand" before describing one of two contrasting ideas, options, or opinions, and then say "on the other hand" before describing the other one. on your last legs | on its last legs Informal If you say you're on your last legs, it can mean you're close to exhaustion, or it can mean you're close to death. If a thing is on its last legs, it's close to breaking or wearing out. pay through the nose Informal If you pay through the nose for something, you pay more than the usual price for it.
pick somebody's brains If you pick somebody's brains, you ask them for detailed information or ideas about something. play it by ear If you play it by ear, you don't plan ahead but you do whatever seems best at the time depending on the situation. pull someone's leg Informal If you pull someone's leg, you play a joke on them by saying something that isn't true. put someone's nose out of joint Informal If you put someone's nose out of joint, you upset them by not treating them with as much respect or consideration as they think they deserve. put your foot in it If you put your foot in it you say or do the wrong thing and usually make matters worse.
put your foot in your mouth If you put your foot in your mouth you say or do the wrong thing and usually make matters worse. rack your brains | rack you brain If you rack your brains, or rack you brain, you try hard to remember something or think of a solution to a problem or a puzzle. see eye to eye If you see eye to eye with someone, you totally agree with them about something. shoot yourself in the foot If you shoot yourself in the foot, you harm yourself in some way by doing something stupid or making a silly mistake.
stick out like a sore thumb | stand out like a sore thumb If someone sticks out like a sore thumb, or stands out like a sore thumb, everyone notices them because they're not the same as the people around them. teething problems | teething troubles If someone or something is having teething problems, or teething troubles, they're having problems during the early stages of something. the gift of the gab | the gift of gab If you've got the gift of the gab, or the gift of gab, you have the natural ability to talk in a way that people find entertaining or persuasive. the upper hand If you have the upper hand, you have the advantage or you're in the stronger position in a contest or a conflict.
90 Idioms based on Body
up in arms If you are up in arms, you are angry about something that you think is unfair or wrong. up to your neck | up to your eyeballs If you're up to your neck in something, or up to your eyeballs in something, you've got too much of it and it's become a problem. vent your spleen If you vent your spleen, you express your anger. vote with your feet If you vote with your feet, you show your opinion of something by acting in a certain way, such as by buying something if you like it, or by not buying it if you don't like it. warts and all If you show something warts and all, you show it exactly as it is without trying to hide any of its faults or weaknesses.
90 Idioms based on Body
wash your hands of something If you wash your hands of something that you were involved in, you decide to stop being involved in it after losing your interest or belief in it. weak at the knees If you go weak at the knees, you feel an emotion so strongly that it makes you feel unstable on your feet. wear your heart on your sleeve If you wear your heart on your sleeve, you show your emotions openly and you don't try to hide your feelings. wet behind the ears Informal If someone is wet behind the ears, they don't have much experience of life. work your socks off | work your tail off If you work your socks off, or work your tail off, you work very hard.
90 Idioms based on Body
yellow-bellied If someone is yellow-bellied, they are not brave, or they are cowardly. young at heart Someone is young at heart if they still feel young even though they're getting old. young blood If you say "young blood", you mean young people who have fresh, new ideas and lots of energy.
90 Idioms based on Body
Informal
You can say someone is a pain in the neck if they annoy you, or something is a pain in the neck if you don't like doing it.
Informal
You can say something is a shot in the arm if it gives a person or an organisation renewed energy or enthusiasm.
fresh as a daisy
If you feel as fresh as a daisy, you feel energetic and lively.
ill at ease
If you're ill at ease, you feel tense or you can't relax in a situation.
junk food
Food that is bad for us because it contains large amounts of harmful substances like artificial colouring, preservatives, salt, refined sugar, and so on.
Informal
You can say something was just what the doctor ordered when it was exactly what was needed.
Informal
If you say you're on your last legs, it can mean you're close to exhaustion, or it can mean you're close to death. If a thing is on its last legs, it's close to breaking or wearing out.
sick as a dog
If you're as sick as a dog, you're very sick.
stick out like a sore thumb | stand out like a sore thumb
If someone sticks out like a sore thumb, or stands out like a sore thumb, everyone notices them because they're not the same as the people around them.
Informal
If you have vim and vigor, you have lots of energy and enthusiasm for life.
above board
If something is above board, it's been done in a legal and honest way.
Achilles' heel
An Achilles' heel is a weakness that could result in failure.
Informal
You can say "all hell broke loose" if a situation suddenly became violent or chaotic.
Informal
If something is all the rage, it's very popular or it's in fashion at the moment. An acid test is something that shows the true worth or value of something or someone.
an act of God
Formal
an ax to grind (1)
If you have an ax to grind with someone, you have a problem with them, or a complaint against them, which you'd like to discuss.
at a loose end
If you're at a loose end, you have nothing to do.
at cross-purposes
If you're at cross-purposes with someone, you think you're both talking about the same thing but you're actually talking about different things.
at loose ends
If you're at loose ends, you feel restless and unsettled because you don't have anything to do.
If you're at sea, or all at sea, you're confused about something and not sure what to do.
Informal
If you're having a bad hair day, everything seems to be going wrong for you. Someone's bag of tricks is their collection of techniques or methods for getting a job done or for achieving a goal.
a blessing in disguise
You can say something is a blessing in disguise if it appears to be bad at first, but it results in something very good in the end.
Informal
If you're barking up the wrong tree, you're looking for something in the wrong place or going about something in the wrong way.
Informal
If someone beats the rap, they avoid being found guilty of a crime.
Informal
If you're behind the eight ball, you're in a difficult or dangerous position. If someone is behind the times, they are old-fashioned and their ideas are out of date.
by the book
If you do something by the book, you do it strictly according to the rules or the
official procedures.
by word of mouth
If something becomes well-known by word of mouth, it becomes well-known because people are telling each other about it, and not because of advertising or other marketing tools.
a couch potato
You can say someone's a couch potato if they're very lazy and they spend a lot of time sitting around watching TV and eating junk food.
call it a day
Informal
If you call it a day, you stop doing something that's usually related to work.
can of worms
Informal
If you say a situation or an issue is a can of worms, you think that getting involved in it could lead to problems.
carte blanche
Formal
If you give someone carte blanche, you give them freedom to do whatever they want in a situation.
caught red-handed
If someone is caught red-handed, they are caught in the act of doing something wrong such as cheating or stealing.
clean as a whistle
If something is as clean as a whistle, it's extremely clean, or for a person it can mean they have a perfect record and have never done anything illegal.
come a cropper
Informal
If you come a cropper, you fall over, or you make a mistake which has serious consequences for you.
come clean
If you come clean about something, you let people know about it after keeping it a secret.
come in handy
Informal
You can say something might come in handy if you think it might be useful.
come to a head
You can say a situation or a problem comes to a head if it reaches a crisis point and dealing with it can no longer be avoided.
come up trumps
If you come up trumps, you succeed in something that you may not have been expected to succeed in.
Informal
You can say "I couldn't care less" when you don't care about something, or it doesn't matter to you.
Informal
If you tell someone to cut to the chase, you want them to get straight to the main point of what they are saying.
a done deal
Informal
day to day
If something happens day to day, it's part of the usual daily routine.
de rigeur
Formal
If something is de rigeur, it is necessary to have if you want to be fashionable or be accepted into a particular social scene.
If something is dead in the water, it has no chance of succeeding or of making any progress.
Informal
If you're dead to the world, you are sound asleep. You can say a person or an organisation has deep pockets if they have lots of money.
dig up dirt
If you dig up dirt on someone, you try to find details from their past to make them look bad in the present.
dirt cheap
You can say something is dirt cheap if it costs very little money.
do your best
If you do your best, you do something as well as you possibly can, or to the best of your ability.
Informal
If you're down in the dumps, or down in the mouth, you're feeling sad. If someone is down to earth, they are practical and sensible.
draw a blank
Informal
If you draw a blank, you get no response when you ask for something, or get no results when you search for something.
Informal
If you are dressed to the nines, or dressed up to the nines, you are wearing very smart clothes for a special occasion.
Informal
drop a bombshell
If you drop a bombshell, you announce some shocking news.
Informal
You have egg on your face if you've said or done something wrong, and it's made you feel embarrassed or stupid.
an end in itself
If something is an end in itself, it's done for its own pleasure or benefit rather than for some other purpose like making money.
an even break
If you get an even break, you get a fair opportunity to succeed in your ambition or to achieve your goals.
an eye-opener
You can say something's an eye-opener if it's made you realize something you hadn't been aware of before.
Informal
If you have your ear to the ground, you know what's really going on in a situation. If you earn your stripes, you do something to prove that you have the skills or ability for a particular job or rank.
You say something is easier said than done when it looks easy to do, but in fact it's quite difficult to do.
Informal
You can say "easy come, easy go" to express the idea that if something comes to someone easily, such as money they get without working hard for it, they can lose it just as easily and it won't matter to them much.
Informal
You can say "Easy does it!" when you want someone to do something more carefully or more slowly.
easy money
You can say "easy money" to describe money that someone gets without having to make much effort.
elbow grease
If something needs elbow grease, it needs a lot of hard physical work.
enough is enough
You can say "enough is enough" if you think someone shouldn't do something because they've done it too many times already, or because they've been doing it for too long.
esprit de corps
Formal
A feeling of pride and comradeship shared by members of a group such as a military unit or a sports team.
a fair-weather friend
A fair-weather friend is a person who will only be your friend when things are going well for you.
a fait accompli
Formal
a foregone conclusion
You can say the result of something is a foregone conclusion if everyone knows what it's going to be before it happens.
face to face
If people meet face to face, they meet in person in the real world.
Informal
If you fly off the handle, you are so angry about something that you lose control of yourself and start screaming and shouting.
for a song
If you buy or sell something for a song, you buy or sell it at a very cheap price.
for my money
You can say "for my money" to mean the same as "in my opinion".
forty winks
Informal
fresh as a daisy
If you feel as fresh as a daisy, you feel energetic and lively.
If you meet people from every walk of life, or from all walks of life, you meet different types of people from different levels of society.
from now on
If you do something "from now on", you do it from now until some unknown time in the future.
full of yourself
If you are full of yourself you think you're better or more important than you really are.
a gut feeling
If you have a gut feeling, you sense something about a person or a situation, without knowing why, but you're sure what you sense is true.
get a look in
If you get a look in, you get a fair chance to do something.
Informal
If you get away from it all, you go somewhere to escape from your usual daily routine.
Get cracking!
Informal
You can say "Get cracking!" if you want someone to hurry up and do something faster.
Informal
If you give something a shot, or give it a whirl, you try doing something for the first time, usually for fun.
go down a treat
If something goes down a treat, it's a great success and everyone enjoys it.
go for broke
If you go for broke, you risk everything, or use all your resources and energy, in order to achieve something.
go out of business
If a company goes out of business, it stops trading and closes down.
go out on a limb
If you go out on a limb, you put yourself in a risky position in order to support someone or something.
go overboard
If you go overboard, you do something too much or you do it with excessive enthusiasm.
going down
Informal
If you know what's going down, you know what's happening in a situation.
Informal
If you grease someone's palm, you pay them a bribe. If you grin and bear it, you accept a difficult situation and try not to let it upset you.
a head start
If you have a head start, you start something ahead of others or with an advantage over others.
a hidden agenda
If someone has a hidden agenda, they have a secret plan or motive for doing something.
half-baked
Informal
Informal
You can tell someone to hang in there, or hang on in there, if they're in a difficult situation and you want to encourage them, or tell them not to give up.
hard to come by
If something is hard to come by, it is difficult to find.
hard to swallow
Something that someone has said is hard to swallow if it's difficult to believe.
have a heart-to-heart
If you have a heart-to-heart with someone, you have an honest talk and share your feelings with each other.
hit it off
If you meet someone for the first time and the two of you hit it off, you get along really well and have a great time together.
an ivory tower
You can say someone's in an ivory tower if they're in a place that separates them from everyday life, such as a university.
Informal
You can say "I owe you one!" when someone has done something for you and you'd be happy to return the favour one day.
if I were you
You can say "if I were you" when giving advice to someone.
ignorance is bliss
You can say "ignorance is bliss" when you want to say that not knowing about something unpleasant can be better than knowing about it and worrying about it.
ill at ease
If you're ill at ease, you feel tense or you can't relax in a situation.
in a nutshell
Informal
You can say "in a nutshell" if you're about to describe something as briefly as possible, or you're going to sum something up.
in a row
If something happened several times in a row, it happened several times in an
unbroken sequence.
in any case
You can say "in any case" before giving an additional reason for doing or not doing something, or instead of saying "anyway".
in deep water
If you're in deep water, you're in some sort of trouble or in a difficult situation.
Informal
If you're in someone's bad books, they are not pleased with you.
Informal
If you're in someone's good books, they are pleased with you. If a person or a company is in the black, their assets are greater than their debts.
in the dark
If you're in the dark about something, you don't know about it.
in the red
If a person or a company is in the red, their debts are greater than their assets.
in two minds
If you're in two minds about something, you can't decide what to do, or you can't decide which option is the best.
itchy feet
Informal
If you have itchy feet, you feel the need to go somewhere different or do something different.
a jam session
If musicians play in a jam session, they play whatever they feel like playing in an informal setting.
joie de vivre
If you have joie de vivre, you feel the joy of living.
Informal
You jump out of your skin when something suddenly shocks you and your whole body jumps.
jump to conclusions
If you jump to conclusions, you decide something is true, or make a judgement about something, before having enough information to be sure you're right.
junk food
Food that is bad for us because it contains large amounts of harmful substances like artificial colouring, preservatives, salt, refined sugar, and so on.
just in case
You can say "just in case" when describing a possible future problem and a precaution that has been, or should be, taken against it.
Just my luck!
You can say "Just my luck!" when something goes wrong for you, or when something inconvenient happens.
just shy of
Informal
You can say something is just shy of an amount if it's just short of that amount.
Informal
You can say something was just what the doctor ordered when it was exactly what was needed.
something.
Informal
If you give someone a knuckle sandwich, you punch them. If you keep a low profile, you try not to do anything that will draw attention to you or create interest in you.
keep abreast of
If you keep abreast of something, you always know about the latest news and developments in relation to it.
keep an eye on
If you keep an eye on someone, you make sure you know what they're doing.
keep track of
If you keep track of something or someone, you continue to know what's happening with them.
Informal
If someone kicks the bucket, they die. If you kick the habit, you manage to stop doing something that has become a bad habit.
kill time
You kill time when you do something to amuse yourself while waiting for something.
Knock it off!
You can say "Knock it off!" when someone is doing something wrong, or something that's annoying you, and you want them to stop it.
a means to an end
You can say something is a means to an end if it's the way to reach a goal, or the way to achieve something.
a mixed blessing
You can say something is a mixed blessing if it seems to be good, but in fact has bad effects as well as good effects.
made of money
If you are made of money, you have lots of money.
make a killing
If you make a killing, you make a lot of money from a sale or a deal of some sort.
middle-of-the-road
If something is middle-of-the-road, it'll appeal to the majority of people and not be radical or challenging.
Informal
If you say "Mind your own business!" to someone, you're telling them to stop interfering in things that don't concern them, or to stop asking personal questions.
Informal
If two or more things are much of a muchness, they are very similar to each other. If you describe what someone says or writes as mumbo jumbo, you think it doesn't make sense or it's not clear because it's too complex.
If you are the life of the party, or the life and soul of the party, you are the liveliest and most entertaining person at a social gathering.
live it up
Informal
If you live it up, you enjoy yourself by doing things that cost a lot of money.
lose face
If you lose face, your status falls and you aren't respected as much as you were.
Informal
If someone's name is mud, other people are angry with them, or they're no longer popular, because they've done something wrong.
a narrow escape
If you have a narrow escape, you survive a dangerous situation, but only just.
a necessary evil
If you say something is a necessary evil, you don't like it but you understand that it has to be accepted sometimes or it has to exist.
a nest egg
If you have a nest egg, you have money put away for the future.
a night owl
You're a night owl if you like to stay up and do things late at night.
Informal
nerves of steel
If you have nerves of steel, you are very brave and not many things make you scared or nervous.
Never mind.
You can say "never mind" when you want someone not to worry or feel bad about something, or not to bother doing something.
next to nothing
If something costs next to nothing, it costs very little, or nearly nothing.
no holds barred
If something is done with no holds barred, it's done without restriction, rules or restraint.
No sweat!
Informal
You can say "No sweat!" if someone asks you if you can do something, and you're sure you can do it.
No way!
Informal
You can say "No way!" when you want to strongly reject an offer, a request, or a suggestion.
now or never
If you say it's now or never, you mean that something has to be done now or it can't be done at all.
Informal
If you are the new kid on the block, you are the newest person in a workplace or in an educational institute, or any other place or organization.
a one-track mind
If someone has a one-track mind, they spend most of their time thinking about one subject.
Informal
If you give someone information off the top of your head, you do so from memory, without checking beforehand.
old hat
If something is old hat, it's old-fashioned and no longer seen as being modern and new.
on the ball
Informal
If you're on the ball, you're alert and you know what's going on around you.
on the off-chance
You can say you're doing something "on the off-chance" if you're doing it because it might lead to something that you want, even though it's not definite.
on the record
If you say something "on the record", you say it on the understanding that it will be part of the public record, and can be reported in the media.
on the strength of
If you do something on the strength of certain advice or information, you do it because the advice or information suggests doing it.
Informal
If you say you're on your last legs, it can mean you're close to exhaustion, or it can mean you're close to death. If a thing is on its last legs, it's close to breaking or wearing out.
one in a million
If you say someone is "one in a million", you mean they're an exceptionally good person.
out-of-date (1)
Something is out-of-date if it is old and therefore no longer useful or no longer accurate.
out-of-date (2)
If something like a passport or a credit card is out-of-date, it cannot be used anymore because the period during which it was valid is over.
Informal
If you're over the moon about something, you're extremely happy and excited about it.
Informal
You can say someone is a pain in the neck if they annoy you, or something is a pain in the neck if you don't like doing it.
a piece of cake
If you say that something is a piece of cake, you mean that it is extremely easy.
a pipe dream
A pipe dream is a plan or a dream for the future that could never come true or be achieved.
Informal
If something is par for the course, it's what you'd expect it to be. If something is part and parcel of an experience or a role in life, it is an important part of it and it cannot be avoided.
Informal
If you pass the buck, you shift the responsibility for something to someone else in order to take the pressure off yourself.
Informal
If you pay through the nose for something, you pay more than the usual price for it.
Informal
If you pick up the tab, or pick up the bill, you pay for yourself and your friends in a restaurant or a bar.
plain sailing
If something is plain sailing, it's very easy to do and there are no problems to overcome.
play it by ear
If you play it by ear, you don't plan ahead but you do whatever seems best at the time depending on the situation.
Informal
Informal
If you pull someone's leg, you play a joke on them by saying something that isn't true.
Informal
You can say "pull your socks up" to someone if you think they should improve the way they are behaving or the way they are doing something.
Informal
If you put all your eggs in the one basket, you put all your efforts or resources into one person, one thing or one plan, and if things don't work out, you lose everything.
Informal
If you put someone's nose out of joint, you upset them by not treating them with as much respect or consideration as they think they deserve.
put your own house in order | get your own house in order
If you say to someone "put your own house in order", or "get your own house in order", you think they should solve their own problems before telling someone else how to solve theirs.
a quantum leap
A quantum leap is a major step in the development of something, or in the improvement of something.
a queer fish
If someone's a queer fish, they are a bit strange and can sometimes behave in an unusual way.
a question of time
You can say "it's only a question of time" before saying what you think will happen in the future.
a quick fix
Informal
If something is a quick fix, it's a quick and easy, but usually short-term, solution to a problem.
a quick study
If you're a quick study, you can learn new things quickly.
quality time
If you spend quality time with someone, you spend time doing things that enrich your lives and improve your relationship.
Formal
If you do something as a quid pro quo, you do it on the understanding that something will be done for you in return.
quiet as a mouse
If you're as quiet as a mouse, you're very quiet.
a raw deal
If you think that you got a raw deal, you think you weren't treated fairly or as well as other people.
a ray of sunshine
Something is a ray of sunshine if it brings happiness to someone.
a red-letter day
A red-letter day is a day that is very important for some reason.
rags to riches
If you go from rags to riches, you start out very poor and you become very rich.
Formal
Your raison d'tre is your reason for living, or the most important thing in your life. If you're raring to go, you're full of energy and you can't wait to get started on whatever it is you're doing.
When you read between the lines you try to understand what someone implies, but doesn't openly state, when they say or write something.
red tape
Strict adherence to rules and regulations so that a procedure seems to take longer than necessary.
ring a bell
Informal
If something rings a bell, it sounds familiar or you think you've heard it before.
Informal
If you rock the boat, you do or say something that will upset people by changing a situation that they don't want changed.
rub it in
Informal
If you rub it in, you keep talking about something that embarrasses or upsets someone.
run-of-the-mill
Something is run-of-the-mill if it is ordinary and nothing special.
Informal
You can say something is a shot in the arm if it gives a person or an organisation renewed energy or enthusiasm.
Informal
If something or someone is a sight for sore eyes, you are glad to see them.
see red
If you see red, you become extremely angry.
If you set the world on fire, you do something that creates a lot of excitment and makes you famous.
settle a score
If you settle a score with someone who has hurt you or insulted you in the past, you do something to hurt or insult them in return.
sick as a dog
If you're as sick as a dog, you're very sick.
snowed under
If you are snowed under you have so much to do that you're having trouble doing it all.
so far, so good
Informal
You can say "so far, so good" when you're in the middle of doing something, and everything has been going well.
state-of-the-art
If something is state-of-the-art, it's the latest and best example of something, or it shows the most recent developments in its field.
steer clear of
If you steer clear of something, you don't go near it because it could harm you or cause you a problem.
stick out like a sore thumb | stand out like a sore thumb
If someone sticks out like a sore thumb, or stands out like a sore thumb, everyone notices them because they're not the same as the people around them.
a tall order
If you say something's a tall order, you mean that it'll be hard to do or difficult to achieve.
take a break
If you take a break, you have a short rest while doing something like working or playing sport.
take part
If you take part in something, you join in or play a role in it.
Informal
If you're taking the mickey out of someone, or taking the mick out of them, you're making fun of them or copying their behaviour for a laugh.
talk turkey
If you talk turkey, you discuss something seriously, usually to do with business or money.
an unknown quantity
If a thing or a person is an unknown quantity, not much is known about them.
um and ah
If you "um and ah" you're having trouble deciding what to say, or you're having trouble telling somebody something.
under a cloud
If someone is under a cloud, they are suspected of having done something wrong.
under fire
You're under fire if you're being attacked by the media or cricitised by many people.
under no circumstances
If you are told that under no circumstances should you do something, you must never do it, no matter what happens.
under wraps
If something is under wraps, it's being kept secret.
up a gum tree
up and running
You can say something like a system or an organisation is up and running if it has started to operate.
Informal
If something is up for grabs, it's available for anyone who wants to try to get it. If you are up in arms, you are angry about something that you think is unfair or wrong.
up in the air
If something such as a plan to do something, or details of an agreement, are up in the air, they still haven't been decided or settled yet.
up to no good
Informal
up to scratch | up to snuff
Informal
You can say something is up to scratch, or up to snuff, if it's as good as it should be, or as good as it needs to be.
up-and-coming
If someone's up-and-coming, they show signs of being successful in their profession.
user-friendly
When we say something is user-friendly, we mean it is easy to use.
a vested interest
If you have a vested interest in something, you have a strong personal interest in it because you stand to gain from it.
a vicious circle
If you're in a vicious circle you're in a situation in which the solution to one problem becomes the cause of another one, and the solution to that one causes the first problem to occur again.
You're a voice in the wilderness, or a voice crying in the wilderness, if you're expressing an unpopular opinion or insight.
a volte-face
Formal
If you make a volte-face, you change your opinion or your decision about something to the exact opposite of what it was.
a vote of confidence
A vote of confidence is something that shows you're happy with the quality of something or pleased with someone or their work.
Informal
If someone has verbal diarrhoea, they can't stop talking. You can say "very well" when you agree to do something.
vice versa
You can say "vice versa" when what you have just said is also true in the opposite, or reverse, order.
virgin territory
You can say something is virgin territory if it's never been explored before or never been done before.
vis-a-vis
Formal
certain way, such as by buying something if you like it, or by not buying it if you don't like it.
a wake-up call
An event acts as a wake-up call if it makes people more aware of a danger.
a war of words
If you're in a war of words with someone, you're having a long argument or dispute with them.
a whale of a time
If you have a whale of a time, you have a great time and really enjoy yourself.
a white lie
If you tell a white lie, you say something that isn't true in order to be polite or so as not to hurt someone's feelings.
weather a storm
If you weather a storm, you survive a dangerous event or deal with a difficult situation.
Informal
If someone is wet behind the ears, they don't have much experience of life.
If something is worth your while, the benefits to you of doing it are greater than the value of the time or effort that it requires.
the x-factor
If someone has the x-factor, they have a certain charismatic appeal and magnetic quality.
x-rated
If something is x-rated, it is classified as pornographic and therefore not suitable for young people.
a zebra crossing
A zebra crossing is a pedestrian crossing that is marked on the road with painted black and white stripes.
a zero-sum game
A zero-sum game is a situation in which any gain by one side or person is at the expense of a loss to another side or person involved in the situation.
zero in on
If you zero in on something, you focus your attention on it.
zero tolerance
If something is given zero tolerance, it won't be accepted even once.
Zip it!
Informal
If someone says "Zip it!", they're telling you to shut up or stop talking about something.
a yellow streak
If someone has a yellow streak, they can sometimes act in a cowardly way and not be very brave.
a yes-man
If someone's a yes-man, they'll say they agree with someone, or say "yes" to them, in order to please them.
yellow journalism
Journalism in which sensational stories are used to boost sales, or biased reporting is used to change the reader's views on an issue. Both of these are unethical.
yellow-bellied
If someone is yellow-bellied, they are not brave, or they are cowardly.
Informal
You can say "You asked for it!" when you think someone deserves the punishment they're getting or the trouble they're in.
you bet | you bet your boots | you bet your life
Informal
You can say "you bet", "you bet your boots" or "you bet your life" when you strongly agree with a statement or a suggestion, or to emphasise what you're saying.
Informal
If someone says "You can say that again!", it shows they strongly agree with what was just said.
You're on!
You can say "You're on!" if you want to accept a challenge, a bet or an invitation.
young at heart
Someone is young at heart if they still feel young even though they're getting old.
young blood
If you say "young blood", you mean young people who have fresh, new ideas and lots of energy.
Informal
You can say "your guess is as good as mine" when you don't know the answer to a question.