Idioms, with definitions or synonymsExamples

above board - honest, openHis business dealings are above board.

ad lib - improvise, interpolateThe actor forgot his lines and ad libbed.

after all - in spite of the situation; neverthelessI knew it! After all, I was right! He returned to his hometown after all.

against the grain - contrary to someone's feelings, principlesHis plan goes against the grain with her because she doesn't like cheating.

all along - all the timeI knew about his little secret all along.

all ears - eager to listenI am all ears.

all of a sudden - suddenlyAll of a sudden, he refused to pay.

all the same - no differenceIf it's all the same to you, let's start at two.

all thumbs - clumsyHe can't fix anything, he's all thumbs.

apple of one's eye - very dear, preciousHer son is the apple of her eye.

apple of discord - subject of envy or quarrelThis question is an apple of discord in our family.

as a rule - generally, usuallyAs a rule, we offer a 5% discount.

as far as I know - if I have correct informationAs far as I know, he stayed home all day.

as far as someone / something is concerned - concerning; in reference toAs far as I am concerned, both the book and the movie are good. As far as your report is concerned, we'll discuss it tomorrow.

as for / as to - concerning; in reference toAs for me, you can always rely on my support. As for your report, we'll discuss it tomorrow.

as well - also; tooHe knows math and physics as well.

at all - (not) in the smallest degreeHe doesn't know French at all. I don't like it at all.

at first sight - from the first glance; at once; at first glanceIt was love at first sight. At first sight, it seems easy to do.

at odds with - in disagreementHe is at odds with everyone!

at random - without order or planHe chose those places at random.

at this point - at this timeAt this point, we can't turn back.

backseat driver - a passenger who tells you how to driveHis wife is a backseat driver always telling him how to drive.

ballpark figure - approximate estimate (in figures)I can give you only a ballpark figure at this time.

bark up the wrong tree - make a false assumption or wrong choiceThe detective was sure he got a suspect, but he was barking up the wrong tree.

be about to do something - be close to doing something; be on the verge of doing somethingI was about to leave when you called. I was about to open the door, but something stopped me.

be all in - be extremely tiredI'm all in, I'd better go to bed now.

be back on one's feet - be healthy again or better financiallyHe's back on his feet after a long period of debt and unemployment.

be behind the times - be old-fashioned, outdatedSome of the managers here are behind the times; their methods are not modern.

be beside oneself - be very upset, nervous, worriedShe was beside herself with worry / with grief.

be beside the point - be off the pointWhat I said to him privately is beside the point.

be better off - be in a better situation (financially)He'll be better off with a new job.

be broke - have no money at all; be penniless, bankruptI spent all my money, I'm broke.

be cut out to be someone; be cut out for it - have the ability to do somethingHe is cut out to be a leader. She isn't cut out to be a surgeon. She isn't cut out for it.

be hard on something or someone - treat roughlyMy son is hard on shoes; they don't last long with him. Life was pretty hard on Tom.

be high on one's list - be one of the most important thingsA new car is high on my list of priorities. A new TV is not high on my list.

be in charge of something - be responsible forHe is in charge of marketing.

be in good health - be healthyShe is in good health.

be in poor health - be not healthyShe is in poor health.

be in good shape - be physically fitHe is in good shape because he exercises regularly.

be in bad shape - be in bad stateThe patient is in bad shape. His affairs are in bad shape.

be in the red - be in debtOur sales were in the red last year.

be on one's wayI'm on my way.

be on the point of something, be at the point of something - be on the verge of something; be close to doing somethingHe was on the point of death two years ago. She was on the point of telling him the truth, but his words stopped her.

be out of date - be outdatedThis information is out of date.

be out of sorts - be in bad temperLeave him alone, he's out of sorts today.

be pressed for time, for money - not to have enough time, moneyI'm pressed for time now. We are pressed for money at the moment.

be to blame - be responsible for a mistake, for something wrongWho is to blame for this awful mistake? Tom is to blame for this mix-up.

be touch and go - risky; dangerous; uncertain of the resultHe was very sick, and for some time it was touch and go, but he is better now.

be up and around / about - able to be out of bed after an illnessHe was sick for a month, but now he is up and around.

be up to one's ears in (work) - be very busyI'm up to my ears in work.

beat around the bush; beat about the bush - avoid giving a clear or definite answerStop beating around the bush! Get to the point!

beat one's brains out - make great efforts, often unsuccessfullyHe beats his brains out at work, but his boss doesn't even notice his hard work.

before long - soonHe will understand before long what a terrible mistake he has made.

big shot - important personHe is a big shot around here.

bite off more than one can chew - try to do more than one canI couldn't handle two jobs and family. I really bit off more than I could chew.

bite the bullet - accept painful but necessary actionSometimes you just have to bite the bullet and to do what's necessary to do.

bite the dust - die; be killed; suffer defeatMany of them bit the dust in that war.

bite the hand that feeds one - repay kindness with evilShe is so ungrateful! She is biting the hand that feeds her!

black sheep - a good-for-nothing member of the familyTheir second son is the black sheep of the family; he is good for nothing.

blind date - a meeting between a man and a woman (who have never met before) arranged by their friendsShe refuses to go on a blind date again because she had bad experience.

blow it - lose the chanceHe understood that he blew it.

bottom line - main result; main factorThe bottom line is, I don't have enough money.

break someone's heart - hurt deeplyThe news of her death broke his heart.

break the ice - overcome shyness in making the first stepThe party was dull until someone broke the ice with a joke, and we all laughed.

break the news - tell new important factsCNN is breaking the news right now.

bring home the bacon - earn the living for the familyHe works very hard at several places to bring home the bacon.

by all means - definitely, certainlyDo you need my help? - By all means.

by heart - by memorizingLearn this poem by heart for tomorrow.

by hook or by crook - by any possible meansShe will get what she wants by hook or by crook.

by oneself (by myself, by himself, etc.) - alone; on one's ownShe spent the evening by herself. He did it all by himself.

by the way - incidentallyBy the way, I found the book that you recommended.

call a halt to something - terminate, stop somethingHis father called a halt to his activity.

call a spade a spade - use plain, direct wordsHe always tells the truth and calls a spade a spade.

call it a day - consider work finished for the dayWe've been working for ten straight hours. Let's call it a day.

call the shots - give orders; be in control of somethingHe calls the shots in this company.

call the tune - give orders; be the most important person in some situationSince he was paying for it, he called the tune.

carry weight - be importantHis advice always carries weight here.

castles in the air - daydreaming about successInstead of working hard, he spends time building castles in the air.

catch someone's eye - attract attentionThis picture caught my eye.

catch one's breath - stop and restI'm too tired to run further. I need to catch my breath.

catch someone off guard - catch someone unpreparedHe caught me off guard with his question.

catch someone red-handed - find someone in the act of doing wrongThe manager caught the boy red-handed when he was stealing cigarettes.

close call - a narrow escape; a bad thing that almost happenedThe speeding car almost hit the man. That was really a close call.

come to one's senses - act normally and reasonably againHe finally came to his senses, began to work hard, and passed his exams.

come true - become realityHis dream came true when he met Kate.

cross one's mind - occur to someoneIt never crossed my mind that he might be ill.

cut corners - 1. take a short-cut; 2. limit one's spendingHe ran fast, cutting corners where he could. I have to cut corners this week.

do one's best - try very hardI did my best to help him in his work.

do one's bit - do what's neededI'll do my bit, you can count on me.

do someone good - be good for someoneFresh air and exercise will do you good

do something behind someone's back - do (harmful) things secretivelyI hate people who do things behind my back. He did it behind my back again.

down to earth - practicalHe's quiet, sensible, and down to earth.

draw the line - set a limit; impose a restrictionI draw the line at spending so much on food. He drew the line for her at $100 a day.

duty calls - must fulfill obligationsHe said, "Duty calls", put on his coat, and left for work.

easier said than doneIt's easier said than done, but I'll try to do it.

eat one's words - take back one's wordsHe had to eat his words after her report.

even so - nevertheless; butI work hard. Even so, I like my job.

every now and then - occasionallyEvery now and then I visit my old aunt.

every other - every second oneShe washes her hair every other day.

fall in love (with) - begin to loveTom fell in love with Sue at first sight.

fall out of love - stop lovingThey soon fell out of love and divorced.

false alarm - untrue signal; untrue rumorI heard that he quit his job, but it was a false alarm.

a far cry from something - not nearly as goodHis second book wasn't bad, but it was a far cry from his first book.

feel it in one's bones - expect something bad to happenI feel it in my bones that something terrible is going to happen.

feel like doing something - want to do; be inclined to do somethingI feel like going for a walk. I don't feel like working now, I'm tired.

few and far between - rare, scarceHer visits are few and far between.

find fault with someone or something - criticize; complain aboutHe finds fault with everybody. She always finds fault with my cooking.

first things first - important things come before othersFirst things first: how much money do we have to pay right away?

fly off the handle - get angryHe flew off the handle and yelled at me.

follow in someone's footsteps - do the same thingIgor followed in his father's footsteps. He became a doctor too.

foot the bill - pay the billHer father footed the bill for the party.

for good - foreverAfter her death he left town for good.

for the time being - for now; at this timeFor the time being, this house is all right for us.

frame of mind - mental stateI can't do it in this frame of mind.

from A to Z - completely; from beginning to endHe knows this town from A to Z.

from now on - now and in the futureFrom now on I forbid you to go there.

from the word go - from the very beginningHe was lying to all of us from the word go.

get a grip on oneself - take control of one's feelingsStop crying! Get a grip on yourself!

get carried away - get too excited and enthusiastic about somethingHe got carried away with opening a store and lost most of his money.

get cold feet - be afraid to do somethingHe wanted to try it, but he got cold feet at the last moment.

get even with someone - have one's revengeI'll get even with him for everything!

get in touch with someone - contact someoneGet in touch with Mr. Smith for help.

get lost - lose one's wayShe got lost in the old part of town.

Get lost! (slang) - Lay off!I don't want to see you again. Get lost!

get mixed up - get confusedI got mixed up, went the wrong way, and got lost.

get off someone's back - stop bothering someoneStop bothering me! Get off my back!

get one's foot in the door - get an initial opportunity; make the first step in something (e.g., in getting a job)Nina was able to get her foot in the door because her friend worked in that company.

get on one's high horse - behave haughtily towards someoneEvery time I ask her to help me with typing, she gets on her high horse.

get out of hand - get out of control, beyond controlIf he gets out of hand again, call me right away. The situation is getting out of hand.

get rid of someone or something - dispose of; discardHe got rid of his old useless car.

get to the bottom of something - know deeplyHe usually gets to the bottom of things.

get to the point - speak directly about the subject; come to the pointPlease get to the point, I don't have much time now.

Give me a break! - Stop it! Enough!Come on, stop it! Give me a break!

give someone a hand - help someoneCan you give me a hand with cooking?

give someone a lift; give someone a ride - take someone to some place by carCan you give me a lift to the bank? He gave her a ride in his new Porsche.

give someone a piece of one's mind - criticize franklyShe lost my umbrella again, so I gave her a piece of my mind about her carelessness.

go back on one's word - break a promiseFirst he said he would help me, but then he went back on his word.

go for it - make an attempt at something new; give it a tryIf I were you, I would go for it. Go for it! Give it a try!

go from bad to worse - become much worseHis business went from bad to worse.

go out of one's way - try very hardHe goes out of his way to please her.

go to one's head - 1. make dizzy; 2. make too proud, conceited1. Champagne went to her head right away. 2. His acting success went to his head.

go to pieces - get very upset; fall apartShe went to pieces when she heard it.

go with the flow - lead a quiet lifeShe always goes with the flow.

have a ball - have a good timeYesterday we had a ball at the party.

have a bone to pick with someone - complain or discuss something unpleasantMr. Brown, I have a bone to pick with you. My mail was lost because of you.

have a sweet tooth - love eating sweet thingsHe has a sweet tooth.

have a word with someone - talk to someoneCan I have a word with you?

have words with someone - argue with someoneI had words with my coworker today because he used my computer again.

have it in someone - have the abilityLaura has it in her to be a good doctor.

have no business doing something - have no right to do somethingYou have no business staying here without my permission.

have one's back to the wall - be hard-pressed; on the defensiveI had no choice, I had my back to the wall.

have one's hands full - be very busyHe has his hands full with hard work.

have one's heart set on something - want something very muchShe has her heart set on going to New York. He has his heart set on Betty.

have pull - have influenceDoes he have pull with the director?

(not) have the heart to do something - (not) have the courage to do something unpleasantI don't have the heart to tell him that he wasn't accepted; he'll be so unhappy.

hit the nail on the head - say exactly the right thingYou hit the nail on the head when you said that!

(not) hold it against someone - (not) blame somebody for doing somethingI lost his book, but he doesn't hold it against me.

Hold it! - Stop! Wait!Hold it! I forgot my key.

hold one's own - maintain oneself in a situation; behave as neededHe can hold his own in any situation. We need men who can hold their own.

hold one's tongue - keep silent; refrain from speakingShe can't hold her tongue at all.

ill at ease - uncomfortableShe felt ill at ease because of her cheap dress.

in advance - well beforeHe told her about his plan in advance.

in a nutshell - in a few wordsIn a nutshell, my plan is to buy land.

in care of - write to one person at the address of another personI'm going to stay at Tom's house in Chicago. Write to me in care of Tom Gray, 321 Main Street, Chicago, Illinois.

in cold blood - mercilesslyHe killed her in cold blood.

in fact - actually; in realityIn fact, he works as a manager here.

in general - generally; generally speakingIn general, he likes to be alone. He described the place only in general.

in hot water - in trouble; in a difficult situation (especially with the law or one's superiors)He said a couple of unpleasant things about the boss's wife, and now he is in hot water.

in one's element - what one likesHe's in his element when he's arguing.

in other words - using other wordsIn other words, you left her when she needed your help.

in plain English - in simple, frank termsI didn't really like the concert. In plain English, the concert was terrible.

the ins and outs - all information about somethingHe knows the ins and outs of this business.

in someone's shoes - in another person's positionI wouldn't want to be in his shoes now. He lost his job, and his wife is in the hospital.

in the long run - in the endIn the long run, it will be better to buy it.

in the same boat - in the same situationStop arguing with me. We're in the same boat and should help each other.

in the clear - free from blamePay the bill, and you'll be in the clear.

in time (to do something) - early enough; before something beginsI came in time to have a cup of coffee before class.

it goes without saying - should be clear without wordsIt goes without saying that he must pay what he owes right away.

it's time - should do it right awayHurry up, it's time to go.

It's worth it. It's not worth it. It's (not) worth buying, visiting, watching, etc.Watch this film, it's worth it. Don't buy this coat, it is not worth it. This museum is worth visiting. This film is not worth watching.

jump at the opportunity - accept the opportunity eagerlyHis boss mentioned a job in Europe, and Peter jumped at the opportunity.

just as soon - prefer; would ratherI'd just as soon stay home, I'm tired.

just in case - to be on the safe sideTake an extra shirt, just in case.

Just my luck! - Bad luck! Hard luck!They lost my job application. Just my luck!

keep an eye on someone or something - take care of; watch; look afterBetty keeps an eye on my sons for me. I'll keep an eye on your dog.

keep a straight face - try not to laughI tried to keep a straight face but failed.

keep company - accompanyShe keeps me company quite often.

keep in mind - bear in mind; consider; rememberKeep in mind that he is not going to agree easily.

keep in touch - keep in contact with someone by calling, visiting, sending messagesGood-by and don't forget to keep in touch! Keep in touch with us. We may have new openings next week.

keep one's word - fulfill a promiseYou promised, now keep your word.

keep someone posted - inform someoneKeep me posted about your plans.

keep one's fingers crossed - hope that nothing will go wrongI have a job interview today. Keep your fingers crossed for me, will you? I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

kill time - fill time; spend empty timeI went to the show to kill time.

not to know the first thing about something - not to have any knowledge about somethingI don't know the first thing about nuclear physics.

know the ropes - be very familiar with some businessHe knows all the ropes in this company.

last-minute notice - a message (information, instruction) at the last moment leaving little or no time for preparationHis arrival was a last-minute notice. We didn't have time to prepare for it.

lay one's cards on the table - be frank and openFinally, we asked him to lay his cards on the table and tell us about his plans.

lay one's life on the line - put oneself in a dangerous situationHe laid his life on the line to fulfill this task, but nobody appreciated his efforts.

lead a dog's life - live in miseryHe leads a dog's life.

leave it at that - stop saying anything else about some matter; leave as it isI don't want to argue any further about it, so let's leave it at that. Leave it at that!

leave word - leave a messageHe left word for you to meet him at the airport at six o'clock.

let bygones be bygones - forget and forgive bad things in the pastHe said that to you many years ago. Forgive him. Let bygones be bygones.

let go of something - release the holdLet go of my hand, or I'll call the guard.

let (it) go - forget bad experience; return to normal lifeHe's still in despair and can't let go. You can't change anything, so let it go.

let one's hair down - be relaxed and informal with other peopleShe is always so formal. She never lets her hair down.

let someone know - inform someoneLet me know when you find a job.

like father, like son - be like one's parent in somethingPaul won a prize in a chess tournament. Great! Like father, like son!

little by little - step by step; bit by bit; graduallyLittle by little, they saved enough money for a new car.

a long shot - an attempt with little chance of successChecking the suspect's aunt was a long shot, but the detective was prepared to try anything.

lose one's temper - become angryHe loses his temper very often.

lose one's way - get lostI lost my way. Can you help me?

lose track of someone - not to know where someone isI lost track of him years ago.

lucky break - a lucky chanceHe got his lucky break when he found that job.

make a living - earn money to provide for lifeHe works hard. His family is large, and he has to make a living somehow.

make allowance(s) for something - take into consideration when judgingDon't criticize him so hard; make allowance for his inexperience.

make a point of - be sure to do something intentionallyMake a point of asking about his wife's health. Make it a point to be here by ten o'clock.

make ends meet - have little money to live onHis doesn't get much money. I wonder how he manages to make ends meet.

make friends - become friendsAnton makes new friends easily.

make fun of someone or something - laugh at; joke aboutHe made fun of her German accent. Everyone makes fun of him.

not to make head or tail of something - be unable to understand or decipherI can't make head or tail of his letter.

make no bones about it - say openly, without hesitationI'll make no bones about it: I don't like your attitude to work.

make room for someone - allow space for someoneWe can make room for one more dog.

make sense - be logicalWhat you say makes sense.

make the most of something - do the best in the given situationLet's make the most of our vacation.

make up one's mind - decideWill you go there? Make up your mind.

make yourself at home - be comfortable; feel at homeCome in, please. Make yourself at home.

a man of his word - a person who keeps promisesYou can depend on his promise to help. He's a man of his word.

mean well - have good intentionsHe meant well, but it turned out that he spoiled a couple of things for me.

might as well - maybe it's a good ideaI might as well telephone him now.

missing person - someone who is lost and can't be locatedThe little boy disappeared. The police registered him as a missing person.

meet someone halfway - compromise with someoneHe's reasonable and tries to meet his coworkers halfway when possible.

never mind - don't worry about itI'm terribly sorry. - Never mind.

no go - impossible, futile, hopeless, uselessWe tried to start the car again and again, but it was no go.

not a bit - not at all; not in the leastAre you tired? - Not a bit.

not to mention - in addition toWe have three dogs, not to mention two cats.

no wonder - not surprisingHe ate three big fish. No wonder he's sick.

now and again - occasionally; now and thenI meet them now and again at the bank.

odds and ends - a variety of small unimportant things or leftovers; bits and piecesI went to the store because I needed to buy some odds and ends for my kitchen.

off the cuff - without preparationOff the cuff, I can give you only a rough estimate.

off the point - beside the pointWhat I think about him is off the point.

off the record - not for the public; unofficiallyStrictly off the record, I think the director is going to get married soon.

off the top of one's head - without thinking or calculation; impromptu; from memoryI can't give you the figure off the top of my head, but it may be around a thousand.

once and for all - decidedlyYou must quit smoking once and for all.

on credit - not having to pay cash right awayHe bought a car on credit.

on edge - nervous, irritableHe's been on edge ever since she left.

on guard - on the alertHe's cautious and always on guard.

on hand - availableDo you have a calculator on hand?

on one hand; on the one hand - considering one side of the questionOn one hand, she knows quite a few poems by heart. On the other hand, she can't remember any dates.

on one's own (on my own, on his own, etc.) - alone; by oneself; independentlyShe likes to live and work on her own. She has been on her own for several years.

on one's toes - alert, attentive, prepared for difficultiesHe was on his toes and produced a very good impression on them.

on purpose - intentionallyI didn't do it on purpose, it just happened so.

on second thought - after thinking againI'd like to sit on the aisle. On second thought, I'd like a window seat.

on the alert - on guardHe's cautious and always on the alert.

on the carpet - called in by the boss for criticismYesterday the boss called her on the carpet for being rude to the coworkers.

on the go - on the move; busy, activeHe is always on the go.

on the chance; on the off chance - in case; unlikely to happen, but there's still a small chanceOn the chance that you don't find him at work, here's his home address. We went there on the off chance of seeing John.

on the other hand - considering the other side of the questionI'd like to have a dog. On the other hand, my wife likes cats.

on the spot - right thereI decided to do it on the spot.

on the spur of the moment - without previous thought or planHe bought this car on the spur of the moment, and now he regrets it.

on the tip of one's tongue - on the verge of saying but unable to rememberHis name is on the tip of my tongue, but I just can't remember it.

on time - punctually; at the specified timeJim is always on time.

out of one's mind - crazyIf you think so, you're out of your mind.

out of one's way - away from one's usual routeI can't give you a lift to the bank, it's out of my way today.

out of the question - not to be considered; impossiblePaying him is out of the question!

pack rat - a person who saves lots of unnecessary thingsWhy does she keep all those things she never uses? - She is a pack rat.

pay attention - note something; be attentive to somethingPay attention to his words.

pick a fight - start a quarrelHe often tries to pick a fight with me.

play one's cards right - choose the right steps in doing somethingIf you play your cards right, he'll agree to your plan.

potluck supper - a surprise meal where nobody knows what dishes other guests will bringYou know what happened at our last potluck supper? Everybody brought macaroni and cheese, apples, and beer!

pull the wool over someone's eyes - deceive, mislead someoneAre you trying to pull the wool over my eyes? It won't do you any good.

put a damper on something - discourageShe always puts a damper on my plans.

put in a word for someone - say positive things about someoneI'd be very grateful if you could put in a word for me when you speak to him.

put one's best foot forward - try to show one's best qualities; do one's best; do things as quickly as possibleHe put his best foot forward during the interview. Put your best foot forward working at this project.

put one's finger on it - indicate exactly; point out the exact cause, fault, name, etc.I can't put my finger on it. He was able to put his finger on the exact cause of the computer malfunction.

put one's foot down - object stronglyHer father put his foot down when she said she wanted to marry Alan.

put one's foot in it / into it; put one's foot in one's mouth - do or say the wrong thing; make a blunder; make a fool of oneselfHe put his foot in it when he told the boss that his younger daughter wasn't pretty at all.

quite a bit (of) - much; a lot (of)I had quite a bit of trouble with that car.

quite a few - many; a lot ofHe wrote quite a few good stories.

rack one's brain - try hard to thinkHe racked his brain to solve the puzzle.

read between the lines - find or understand the implied meaningHis books are not easy to understand. You have to read between the lines.

Remember me to your family. - Say hello to your family for me.Please remember me to your family.

right away - immediatelyIt' very important to do it right away.

ring a bell - remind someone of something familiar but half-forgottenAnnabel Lee? Yes, it rings a bell, but I can't place it right now.

rock the boat - make the situation unstablePeter always rocks the boat when we discuss the company's spending policy.

rub elbows with; rub shoulders with - spend time together; mingleHe doesn't rub elbows with the rich and famous.

rub it in - embarrass even more by reminding repeatedly of some mistake, failure, etc.I know I shouldn't have done it, and I apologized. There is no need to rub it in.

rub someone the wrong way - irritate, annoy; make angryHis remarks rub many coworkers the wrong way.

save face - try to change the negative impression producedHe said a stupid thing, and then he tried to save face by saying he misunderstood me.

save one's breath - stop useless talkThere's no use talking to him about his spending habits, so save your breath.

scratch the surface - study something superficiallyHe examines all the facts closely, he doesn't just scratch the surface.

search high and low - search everywhereI searched high and low for my lost cat.

see eye to eye - agree with each otherThey see eye to eye on many things. I don't see eye to eye with him.

see red - become very angryShe sees red every time she remembers how he lied to her about it.

serve someone right - get what someone deservesIt serves him right that he didn't get that job. He despised all the other candidates.

serve one's purpose - be useful for some purposeI doubt that hiring this man will serve your purpose.

a shot in the dark - a wild guessMy answer was just a shot in the dark.

show promise - be promisingThis young actor shows promise.

sleep on it - postpone a decision till next morningDon't make a decision now. Sleep on it.

a slip of the tongue - a mistakeIt was just a slip of the tongue!

slip (from) one's mind - forgetIt slipped my mind that she asked me to do it.

smell a rat - suspect deceit; suspect that something is wrongI'm not sure what it is, but I smell a rat.

so far - up to nowSo far, I have read three books by Stephen King.

so much the better - it's even betterIf he can pay cash, so much the better.

spill the beans - tell a secretWho spilled the beans about our plan?

stand a chance - have a chance (usually, have no chance)He doesn't stand a chance of getting it. They don't stand a chance of winning the game.

stand to reason - be obvious, logical, naturally trueIt stands to reason that studying spelling will let you improve your writing skills.

straight from the shoulder - frankly, honestly, openlyWhy should you spare his feelings? Give it to him straight from the shoulder.

take a dim view of something - disapprove of somethingMy sister takes a dim view of the way I raise my children.

take a break - stop for restLet's take a break, I'm tired.

take advantage of something - use for one's own benefit; to profit fromWe took advantage of the low prices and bought a computer and a monitor.

take a stand (on something) - make a firm decision about somethingPeople need to take a stand on the issue of nuclear weapons.

Take care! - Good-bye and be careful!Take care now! See you tomorrow.

take care of someone or something - look after; see that something is done properlyCan you take care of my dog while I'm away? Tom takes good care of his car.

take hold of something - hold, grasp somethingTake hold of this rope and pull.

take into account - take into consideration; considerYou must take into account her old age.

take it easy - relax; be calmTake it easy, everything will be OK.

take something for granted - accept as givenMother's love is always taken for granted by children.

take someone's breath away - surprise or impress someoneThat great view took my breath away.

take one's time - do something without hurryDon't hurry. Take your time.

take someone's word for it - believeTake my word for it, he won't go there.

take pains - try hard to do it wellHe took pains to make his report perfect.

take part in something - participate in somethingMary is going to take part in the show.

take place - happenThe accident took place on Oak Street.

take one's mind off things - distract from fixed ideas or gloomy thoughtsGo to a concert or a movie to take your mind off things.

take steps - take action; take measuresWe need to take steps against it.

take the words right out of someone's mouth - say the same before someone else says itI was about to say the same! You took the words right out of my mouth.

take time - take a long timeIt takes time to get used to a new place.

take time off - be absent from workHe took time off to attend the wedding.

take turns - alternate doing something one after anotherWe went to Minsk by car. We didn't get tired because we took turns driving

That's just the point. - That's it.That's just the point! I hate this job!

that will do - it's enoughStop reading; that will do for now.

the writing on the wall - a sign of future events (usually, trouble)The plane crashed. Tim said he saw the writing on the wall about that flight.

not to think much of something - not to think highly of somethingI don't think much of her cooking.

till one is blue in the face - try very hardI repeated it till I was blue in the face!

to be on the safe side - not to take any chancesTake an extra key, just to be on the safe side.

to make a long story short - in shortTo make a long story short, we won.

to say the least - to make the minimum comment about somethingThe film was boring and long, to say the least.

try one's hand at something - test one's abilities in something newI want to try my hand at painting. She decided to try her hand at writing stories.

turn over a new leaf - make a fresh start in life, in workHe promises to quit alcohol for good and to turn over a new leaf.

turn the tables - reverse the situation (exchanging places with the opponent)He beat me at chess twice last week. But now I hope to turn the tables (on him).

turn the tide - reverse the course of eventsThe new evidence turned the tide, and the defendant was acquitted of charges.

twist someone's arm - force someone to agreeThey twisted his arm to sell the house.

under the weather - feeling a little ill, a little unwellI'm a little under the weather today.

up-and-coming - showing promise of future successHe is an up-and-coming young lawyer who might help you with your case.

up in arms - hostile to; in strong protest against somethingThe employees are up in arms about the new retirement rules.

up in the air - undecided, unsettledMy vacation plans are still up in the air.

up to date - modern, latest, currentHis reports are always up to date.

(not) up to par - (not) equal in standardHis behavior isn't up to par.

used to do something - did something regularly in the past but not nowHe used to live on Maple Street. I used to play the piano when I was in school (but I don't play it now).

walk on air - be very happyHe has been offered a great job. He is walking on air now.

waste one's breath - speak uselessly, to no purposeDon't waste your breath trying to make him do it. He won't change his mind.

watch one's step - behave prudently; be carefulYou have to watch your step in this business.

wet blanket - a pessimist, a killjoy who dampens enthusiasm and spoils everyone's funRemember what a wet blanket he was last time? Please don't invite him again.

What's the matter? - What is it?What's the matter? What happened?

which way the wind blows - what the real situation isHe knows which way the wind blows and always acts accordingly.

white lie - unimportant lieA white lie is told to spare your feelings.

word for word - in the same wordsTell me word for word what he said.

would rather - preferI'd rather stay home today.