1. A - C abandon to: They abandoned the village to the advancing army.

abide by: They have to abide by the health and safety regulations. abound in: The cave abounds in bats. abstain from: The delegates decided to abstain from voting. accede to: She would not accede to parental pressure to get married. acclimate to: The sooner she acclimates to living in this big city the better it is for her. account for: Increasing disappearance of icebergs in the Arctic is accounted for by global warming. accuse of: They accuse him of not telling the truth. accustom to: It took quite a while for him to accustom himself to the cold climate. acquaint with: Fred would like to get acquainted with the new neighbour's daughter.

acquit of: The jury acquitted him of murder. act for: John is looking for an experienced lawyer to act for him. act on: Acting on a tip-off, police launched a pre-dawn raid on a house. adapt to: I find it hard to adapt myself to my new workplace. adapt for: Shakespeare's plays have been adapted for children.

adapt from: The play had been adapted from a novel. add to: Increase in fuel prices will add to the cost of the project. adhere to: We have to make sure the guidelines are strictly adhered to. adjust to: She took a while to get herself adjusted to her new surroundings. admit to: He admitted to eating my pizza.

admit into: Those without tickets will not be admitted into the stadium. advance towards: The army advanced rapidly towards the capital. advise on: We appointed him to advise us on all financial matters. advise to: The group members were advised to arrive early affix to: Wong affixed the stamp to the wrong corner of the envelope.

afflict with: He's severely afflicted with an unknown disease. agree on: They belong to different political parties, but they agree on almost everything. agree to: She agreed to meet me only after I've apologized to her. agree with: I don't like you but I agree entirely with what you have said.

aim at: The hunter aimed his gun at the elephant but did not shoot.

allude to: John often alluded to his difficulties with his mother-in-law. alternate with: Jack and Jill alternated with each other in bathing the dog. amazed at: We were amazed at her sudden change in attitude. amount to: His decision amounts to an outright refusal. answer for: David will have to answer for his impoliteness.

apologize for: He apologized for the awful thing he said. appeal to: The organization appealed to the public for blood donation. appear from: It appears from what he says that he did all the work. apply to: The restrictions do not apply to foreigners. approve of: His mother does not approve of his smoking.

argue against: He argued against inviting her to the party. argue for: She argued for having her at the party. argue with: Why do you argue with everybody including me? arrange for: We have arranged for Bob to meet you at the airport. arrive at: By the time we arrived at his place, he had already left. ascribe to: Some ascribed his exemplary behaviour to his religious upbringing. ask for: Paul got drunk and asked the police for money to take a taxi home. aspire to: He aspired to a better position in life. assent to: The members assented to the proposal without much debate. assist in: He volunteered to assist me in organizing the festival.

associate with: His parents have been advising him to stop associating with those loafers. atone for: She felt that she should do more good deeds to atone for her sin. attend to: There were not enough salespersons to attend to the customers. attribute to: He attributed his success to his wife's constant encouragement. avail of: He always avails himself of every opportunity to complain about other people.

back down: The government backed down over the issue after widespread protests. back off: They told him to back off after he put too much pressure on them. back out: We were shocked when he backed out of the project at the last minute. back up: The witnesses backed up his account of the incident.

balk at: Jim balked at doing what he has to do.

band against: The workers banded against the takeover of the business by an outsider. bank on: We can bank on him leading us on the long trek. bargain for: The union intends to bargain for a minimum wage. bargain with: The retailer bargained with the wholesaler for bulk discounts. base on/upon: The film is based on an actual event.

bear with: You should bear with his tempers while you are staying with him. become of: I've not heard from her for quite sometime; what has become of her I wonder. beg for: I beg for forgiveness from God for all the sins I've committed. beg with: I beg with her that she will leave me for good. begin by: The comedian began the show by performing the pigeon mating dance.

believe in: He believes in ghosts but does not believe in God. benefit from: The whole of mankind has benefited from the advancements in science. bequeath to: What her father bequeathed to her included a collection of rare stamps. beset with: His journey across the desert was beset with all sorts of danger. bestow on: The President bestowed a medal for bravery on him.

betray to: The leader was betrayed to the police by gang members. beware of: We should always beware of pickpocket in crowded places. blame for: He was unfairly blamed for something he did not do. blow out: One of our tyres blew out while we were on our way to catch a train. blow over: We waited until the storm blew over before continuing our journey.

blow up: A suicide bomber blew up a van carrying soldiers. blush at: He blushes at the thought of befriending her. boast about: Crocket always boasts about his knowledge of crocodiles. boast of: He keeps boasting of his new wife. boil away: The soup really boiled away; it's so much less now.

boil down to: What his endless arguments boil down to is that he wants others to believe

him. boil over: The discussion boiled over into a shouting match. border on: His attitude towards foreigners often borders on hostility. borrow from: Each time I borrow six books from the library. bother about: I'm not really bothered about getting along with my mother-in-law.

bother with: Let's don't bother with waiting for a bus. Let's go by taxi. brag about: He's always bragging about his newfound wealth. brag of: Brain likes to brag of having the most beautiful girlfriend. break away: Smaller pieces of ice broke away from the main iceberg and floated away. break down: After ten years, their marriage broke down irretrievably leading to a divorce.

break into: They broke into a research laboratory and removed all the animals. break of: She found it hard to break herself of biting nails. break off: Jack broke off with Jill after only three months. break out: A plan by some prisoners to break out of the prison was foiled by the prison guards. break up: The police used tear gas to break up the protest demonstration.

bring about: Global warming will bring about changes in man's attitude towards the environment. bring back: More and more people are advocating that the death penalty be brought back. bring down: Corruption and bribery scandal had brought down the government. bring forth: High-level corruption within the government brought forth deep shame. bring forward: The matches have been brought forward to avoid the bad weather.

bring in: The police had to be brought in to settle a seemingly private dispute. bring on/upon: There are people who bring misfortune upon themselves. bring out: Disasters bring out the best in human nature when they volunteer in rescue operations. bring together: What brought them together is their common interests. bring up: The divorcee brought up her six children single-handedly.

brood over: She's still brooding over the separation between her and her husband. brush off: The film star brushed off a rumour of his impending divorce.

brush up: I must brush up on my driving before I get a car. build of: One of the three little pigs' houses was built of straw. burden with: Mary burdens me with her troubles as if I have no problems of my own.

burn away: Fire burnt away the building leaving only the pillars standing. burn down: By the time the firemen arrived, the fire had burnt the houses down. burn out: The fire was too huge to be extinguished and had to be left to burn itself out. burn up: The forest fire burnt up vast tracts of woodland. burst into: The audience burst into laughter when the clown's foot slipped and he fell.

burst out: When the clown fell down, the audience of children burst out laughing. buy into: That's your personal belief; I'm not buying into it. buy off: The accused man's father tried to buy the judge off but was arrested. buy out: He bought out some shareholders and now he has a controlling interest in the business. buy up: Lee bought up a huge quantity of a scarce commodity in anticipation of its price increase.

call back: I have already called her ten times and she hasn't called back. call for: The people are calling for a change of government. call in: They tried to settle the matter without calling in the police. call off: The couple called off their engagement by mutual consent. call on: She's never in when I called on her.

call up: That was the first time he was called up to play for the national tem. capitalize on: We capitalized on the opportunity to learn French when we were in France. care about: All she cares about is talking about other people. care for: Gray cared for her aged parents when they were alive. carry on: When the rain started to fall, we carried on playing football as if nothing happened.

carry out: She got into trouble for not carrying out her assignment. carry over: Leave not used up may be carried over into next year. catch on: He became popular when his new song caught on very fast. catch up: Having been ill for the last few days, I now have got to catch up on my studying.

catch up with: After all these years the law finally caught up with him.

cater to: That boutique caters to wealthy people. caution about: The policeman cautioned him about his fast driving. caution against: The zookeeper cautioned them against feeding the animals. cede to: Alaska was ceded to the United States by Russia. celebrated for: The country celebrated for its scenery, food and wine.

chagrin at: The football coach was chagrined at losing the match to a weaker team. chance on/upon: I was very shocked to chance upon a decaying human body. change for: There was joy when the weather took a sudden change for the better. change into: The magician claimed he could change a man into a woman. characterize by: Must we always characterize people by their appearances?

charge against: We are not allowed to charge personal expenditure against profits. charge at: Last night I dreamed about ten rhinoceroses charging at me in a shopping mall. charge for: I will not buy it if they charge for delivery. charge in: A woman has been charged in connection with the bank robbery. charge into: She charged into my room uninvited.

charge of: The son has charge of the factory while his father is away. charge to: My wife charged all her shopping to my account. charge with: They finally arrested the man and charged him with multiple murders. check up on: He begins checking up on his wife after suspecting her unfaithfulness. cheer up: Being with her cheers me up a lot.

choose between: She had to choose between giving up her career or hiring a nanny. cite for: Lack of sleep was cited as the main reason for her frequent feelings of exhaustion. clamour for: The crowd clamoured noisily for his instant resignation. clean out: They have to clean out the attic before they move out. clean up: The group of volunteers gathered to clean up the beach.

clear away: The children quickly cleared away all their toys before mum reached home.

clear of: We are clearing the blocked drain of debris. clear off: Could you clear that clutter off your desk? clear out: It's time to clear your bedroom out; it's cluttered up with piles of books and magazines. clear up: The weather cleared up and we went for a drive along the coast.

cling to: The villagers still cling to old habits and traditions. close down: The factory was forced to close down by falling demand for its products. close in: The police are closing in on the gang's hideout. close off: Two lanes were closed off due to an accident. close out: The store is closing out a particular brand of shoes.

close up: The supermarket is closed up for renovation. clutter up: My desk is always cluttered up with piles of papers, books and stationery. coincide with: My view on this case coincides exactly with yours. collect for: So far they have collected only a few signatures for the petition. collide with: Her car collided with a taxi.

combine with: She successfully combines her career with family responsibilities. come across: I came across a life-size bronze statue of a horse in an antique shop. come about: How did it come about that we didn't meet when we're both there at the same time? come along: I wanted to go to the cinema but nobody wanted to come along with me. come apart: My glasses came apart when I accidentally dropped them.

come around: He came around after I showed him all the evidence. come at: I dreamed he came at me with a dagger and demanded my wallet. come back: He comes back from five-nil down to level at seven-all. come between: He doesn't allow anything, not even his wife, to come between him and his work. come by: Plum jobs are hard to come by these days.

come down: He just came down with a cold, so we have to postpone the trip. come down on: Her parents really came down hard on her for playing truant. come down to: When it comes down to her political beliefs, she is not prepared to

compromise. come for: You had better hide; they are coming for you. come forward: No one has come forward to claim the first prize.

come from: He comes from a long line of actors. come in: These small tools come in handy when we need them. come into: She came into my life just at the right time. come into being: It is believed the custom came into being some five hundred years ago. come of: His persistent cough comes of smoking heavily.

come off: Despite all our efforts, the social gathering did not come off very well. come upon: We came upon a headless corpse when we stepped into a disused mine. come out: Despite the torture to extract information from him, not a word came out of his mouth. come out of: The police combed the entire area for evidence, but nothing came out of it. come out with: He came out with his own interpretation which is not entirely accurate.

come over: If you come over next week, we can do it together. come round: I expected you to come round for the drinking session, but you didn't. come to: She came to about an hour after he was admitted to the hospital. come under: The politician came under widespread criticism for what he proposed. come up: They intend to come up with a solution soon.

come up against: In parliament, he had to come up against experienced opposition members. come up for: The proposal will come up for revision next week. come upon: The police finally came upon the spot where the murder supposedly took place. come up with: We welcome anybody who can come up with an alternative plan. comment on: People are always commenting on my big ears.

commit to: He ought to be committed to a mental asylum for the way he behaves. communicate with: I've learnt how to use sign language to communicate with the chimpanzee. commute between: People commute daily between their home and workplace. commute from:. His sentence was later commuted from death sentence to life

imprisonment. compare to: Compared to the monkey, our bodies are less hairy.

compensate for: The company will compensate you for the loss of a thumb. compete with: Small independent shops find it hard to compete with the large supermarkets. compete against: Businesses have to compete against each other to survive. complain about: My mother-in-law always complains about the weather. compliment on: Many members of the audience complimented her on her speech.

comply with: Most of the time we have to comply with regulations. compose of: How many letters does the longest word compose of? conceal from: He had to conceal the truth from his wife. concede to: The candidate conceded victory to his opponent. conceive of: It is rather difficult to conceive of a crime-free environment.

concentrate on: It is hard to concentrate on my reading with the dogs barking loudly outside. concern about: Some parents do not show concern about what their children do. concern with: She does not concern herself with other people's problems. conclude by: He concluded his speech by thanking everyone for being present. concur with: After the discussion, they concurred with each other on this issue.

condemn to: The criminal was condemned to death. confer with: The councilors are conferring with each other to find a solution to the problem. confer on: An honorary degree was conferred on him by the university. confess to: He confessed to being a double agent. confide in: She doe not trust anyone, so she confides in no one.

confine to: Dr Quack was confined to his room by a bout of flu. confirm by: The public negative perception of the crisis was confirmed by the latest poll results. conform to: The imported toys conform to the official safety standards. confuse with: The teacher always confused one twin with the other they look so alike. congratulate on: They congratulate her on her superb performance on stage.

consent to: Her mother would not consent to her marriage. consign to: The cases of wine have already been consigned to the wine merchant. consist of: My life nowadays consists almost entirely of eating and sleeping. consort with: He was suspected of consorting with the enemy. consult about: She consulted her doctor about the painful lump on her nose.

contend with: Jack has to contend with a few others for the gold medal. contract for: The company contracted for the supply of fuel. contrast with: He contrasted his present girlfriend with his former one. contribute to: Many people contributed generously to the building fund. converge on: A huge crowd converged on the palace ground to listen to the President.

converse with: They find it hard to converse with each other as each holds a different view. convert from: John was converted from paganism to Christianity at an early age. convert into: We were shown the process of converting iron into steel. convince by: He was not easily convinced by her arguments. convince of: She tried to convince me of her non-involvement.

convulsed with: They were convulsed with laughter to see the circus clown perform. cooperate with: The accused's colleagues are cooperating fully with police investigation. cope with: Although a single mother, she has no problem coping with a baby and a full-time job. correlate with: Meagre wages were found to correlate with high staff turnover. correspond to: Information on the first copy does not correspond to that on its duplicate copy.

correspond with: I still correspond regularly with her although we are both married. count in: If you are having a drinking session this evening, you can count me in. count on: You can count on my help whenever you need it. count out: If you are going on a shopping spree this weekend, count me out. couple with: Heavy drinking coupled with late nights caused his health to deteriorate rapidly.

crack down: The public are demanding police action to crack down hard on vandalism. cram for: Study throughout the year and you avoid cramming for the exam at the last minute. cram with: She crammed her attic with a lot of worthless stuff. crave for: Since the death of her mother, she has been craving desperately for affection. credit to: The refund was credited to my account.

crop up: Unexpected problems cropped up and caused the delay. cross off: As you perform each task, cross it off the list. cross out: When you make a mistake, cross it out. crow about: I still think passing my exam is nothing to crow about. cry over: Why waste our time crying over him?

cry out: She finally cried out to him not to act so stupidly. cure of: His doctor assured him that he would be completely cured of his illness. cut across: We'd better cut across the park and get home before it rains. cut away: We spend the whole afternoon cutting away the dead branches. cut back: Businesses are cutting back on staff to remain profitable.

cut down: You ought to cut down on the number of cigarettes you smoke. cut in: His annoying habit is to cut in whenever a conversation is going on. cut off: He tried to explain but they cut him off and warned him not to be late again. cut out: Can you fellows cut it out? I'm trying to read. cut up: The murderer cut up the victim's body into eight pieces. 2. D - F dabble in: When I was little I used to dabble in water. dance to: As soon as the music was played, couples got up and danced to it. dash off: He dashed off a quick note and left it on the table for the family. date from: Some of these coins date from the 12th century. dawn on: The truth finally dawned on him that she really meant what she said. deal in: My uncle's shop deals in genuine antiques. deal with: They seem unable to deal with the long-standing problem. debate on: People are unhappy that there has been no public debate on these issues. debate with: I see no point in debating with someone who holds extremist views. decide on: Have you decided on the dress you will be wearing for the occasion? declare to: He declared to us that he will be unable to chair the meeting.

declare war on: The African nation has declared war on locusts which destroyed crops. decrease from: The prison population has decreased from ten thousands to nine thousands. decrease in: Human beings decrease in size as they grow older. dedicate to: He has dedicated his entire life to helping the homeless.

deduce from: The police deduced from the evidence that more than one person were involved. defeat by: Our team was defeated by two goals to one. defer to: Young people are expected to defer to the wishes of their elders. defraud of: The accountant defrauded his company of tens of thousands of dollars. delegate to: An able administrator should be able to delegate authority to the right person.

deliberate about/on: They spent hours deliberating on the matter. delight in: Jack delights in telling stories about his days in the army. deliver to: The postman delivered the letter to her house. demand from: They demanded an apology from me for something I said. demote from: The soldier was demoted from sergeant to corporal.

denounce for: He was widely denounced for his deviant religious teachings. depart from: The first train departs from Birmingham at 6.00 a.m. tomorrow. depend on/upon: Their future depends on their hard work, and not on their teachers. deprive of: The prisoners of war were deprived of proper medical attention. derive from: The country derived enormous benefit from direct foreign investments.

descend from: The plane started to descend from high altitude as it approached its destination. describe to: The main witness described briefly to the police what happened. desist from: He was warned to desist from such undesirable behaviour. despair of: She despaired of reviving the relationship that existed between her and Jack. destined to: The emperor's son is destined to succeed him.

detect in: He detected a change in her attitude towards her. deter from: Heavier penalties may deter motorists from committing more traffic offences. detract from: A blemish detracts from the beauty of her skin. deviate from: We had to deviate from our usual route due to a fallen tree across it.

devolve on: When the leader is away, his responsibility devolves on his assistant.

devote to: Jane wants to devote herself entirely to caring for the elderly people. dictate to: It is often difficult to refuse to be dictated to by rule or principle. die away: I could only sleep after the noise caused by thunderstorm died away. die down: The storm has died down and the sea become calmer. die from: My dog died from its wounds sustained in a fight with another dog.

die of: More and more people are dying of cancer of various parts of their bodies. die out: The old French custom of serving the vegetables separate from the meat has died out. differ from: Humans differ from monkeys in their not having a tail. digress from: The story-teller digressed from his story for a while. direct to: He directed the traveler to the railway station.

disabuse of: I didn't say anything to disabuse him of that belief. disagree with: Jack disagrees with Jill on almost everything. disapprove of: Mother strongly disapproves of her daughter dying her hair red and blue. discharge from: He was certified clinically insane and discharged from the army. disconcert by: We were disconcerted by her statement.

discourage by: She is easily discouraged by adverse criticisms. discourage from: Incentives have been cited to discourage students from playing truant.. discriminate against: You should not discriminate against people from ethnic minorities. discriminate between: We were unable to discriminate between fake and genuine goods. disguise as: He disguised as a clown to entertain children.

disgusted by: They were disgusted by her antisocial behaviour. dismiss from: She was unfairly dismissed from her job. dispense with: We will have to dispense with the question-and-answer session to save time. dispose of: To dispose of nuclear waste is a major challenge to the countries concerned. dispossess of: The captors dispossessed the captives of their valuables.

disqualify from: He was disqualified from participating for flouting a rule.

dissent form: John dissented from the majority opinion. dissociate from: Jack dissociated himself from the views expressed by Jill. dissuade from: His mother dissuaded Mike from taking up car racing. distance from: He distanced himself from all the remarks made by her.

distinguish between: It is important to distinguish between fact and fiction in the film. distinguish from: It's difficult to distinguish one of the twins from the other. distinguish by: He distinguished himself by scoring the highest number of goals in the season. distract from: He is easily distracted from whatever he's doing by the slightest noise. diverge from: The path diverges from here and we don't know which one to follow.

divert from: Traffic had to be diverted from the main road due to a major accident. divest of: Sons of aristocrats were divested of their power. divide between/among: The money was to be divided equally among the children. do away with: My wife wants me to do away with my vast collection of old magazines. do for: Employing a temporary worker will do for the time being.

do in: Painting the house really did me in./It is believed a hired killer did his boss in. do out of: She was done out of $100 by a door-to-door salesman this morning. do over: The report contains errors and the boss wants him to do it over. do up: He bought an old car and did it up./She looks more beautiful when she did her hair up. do with: With this warm weather, I could do with a cold drink.

do without: I wish she would keep quiet; I can do without all this grumbling. double as: The secretary doubled as the receptionist just for that day. doze off: I dozed off when I was watching television. drag into: I had nothing to do with it but was dragged into the embarrassing situation. draw on: Luckily I have a savings to draw on to buy her a present.

draw up: Thinking he's going to die soon, he drew up a will./The taxi drew up in front of me. dream away: At times, I couldn't help but dream away the hours. dream of: He told me he had always dreamed of striking the first prize of the lottery.

dream on: When I asked if she's going to help me with the cooking, she told me to dream on. drive at: He didn't say exactly what he meant. But I knew what he was driving at.

drive for: You look tired; why not let him drive the car for you? drive to: I always like to drive to the sea-side. drive away: His bossiness has driven his friends away. drive off: He was probably angry when without a word, he just got into his car and drove off. drive up: The rise in oil price drives up other prices.

drop in: He always drops in for a chat without prior notice. drop out: He shouldn't have dropped out of school, but he did. dry out: Our washing dried out very quickly in this hot weather. dry up: The prolonged drought had caused all the rivers to dry up. dwell on/upon: Nobody likes to be with Bobbie because she always dwells on the past.

eat in: I am cooking tonight so we are eating in. eat into: The high bills are eating into my savings. eat out: It's your birthday; let's eat out and celebrate tonight. eat up: Who ate up all my potato chips? egg on: The boys didn't want to fight but their friends kept egging them on.

elaborate on: He refused to elaborate on his next course of action. eliminate from: Jack was eliminated from the competition by a stronger opponent. embark on/upon: John has finally decided to embark on a career in banking. embody in: The ideals of equality and freedom are embodied in the country's constitution. embroil in: Bob found himself unexpectedly embroiled in a heated argument.

emerge from: When the deer emerged from behind the bush, the hunter shot it dead. emigrate from: When his family emigrated from their homeland, he was only five years old. employ as: Ryan was employed as a security officer at the airport. encompass by: The entire area was encompassed by a dense forest. encourage by: We were greatly encouraged by the massive support for our proposal.

encroach on/upon: The expansion of farmland is encroaching on animals' habitat. end in: Their argument ended in a fist fight. end up: The driver took a wrong road and we ended up somewhere else. end with: We ended our tour of the area with a visit to the souvenir shops. endear to: Her friendly attitude endeared her to everybody she met at the social gathering.

endow with: Ronnie is certainly endowed with a good sense of humour. endue with: She seems to be endued with a good sense of direction. engage in: I tried to engage her in conversation. engage to: Jill is engaged to my brother./I engaged a private tutor to improve my written work. engross in: Granny often engrossed herself in her writing.

enjoin from: He was enjoined by law from stalking her. enlarge on/upon: Could you please enlarge on your last statement? enrage by: She was enraged by his derogatory comments. enrich by: My life has certainly been enriched by extensive reading. entitle to: Everybody is entitled to his or her own opinion.

entrust to: The parents entrusted their baby to a nanny when they had to go overseas. entrust with: I entrusted her with the responsibility to manage the business while I was away. envelope in: The mountain peaks were enveloped in clouds. equip for: I think we are well equipped for the climb. escape from: To date many prisoners have escaped from that prison.

escape into: The enemy soldiers escaped into the forest. escape with: She was very lucky to escape with her life. estimate at: The crowd of protesters was estimated at three thousands. excel in: Johnny excels in a number of things including swimming. exclude from: They exclude us from the trip.

excuse from: We requested to be excused from participating. expatiate on: Once again he is expatiating on his favourite topic of communism. expect from: Wives expect faithfulness from their husbands.

expect of: Faithfulness is expected of a husband. expend on: The government has to date expended two million dollars on the housing project.

explain to: The mystery was not fully explained to the viewers. export to: The country exports huge quantities of military wares to third world countries. expose to: His behaviour exposes himself to ridicule and criticism. extract from: After five hours of interrogation, the police extracted a confession from him. extricate from: Finally he managed to extricate himself from a very difficult situation.

face up to: He has to face up to the fact that he has to study hard to pass the exam. face with: The scientist was faced with many unknown factors. fall back on: She has her big savings to fall back on if need be. fall behind: I'd better hide the car as I have fallen behind in my payments. fall in: Poor construction let the roof and ceiling fall in after a few years.

fall into: He fell into the habit of talking to himself. fall in with: He falls in love with every girl he meets. fall off: Business along the main road fell off after a series of public demonstrations. fall out: Sarah fell out with her boyfriend after knowing her for only two months. fall through: The plan fell through and they agreed to renegotiate.

fall to: It fell to the eldest son to manage the business after the death of his father. familiarize with: The new guard familiarized himself with the internal layout of the building. find with: They find fault with everything the new staff does. feel for: We certainly feel for the victims of the plane crash. feel like: Sometimes I feel like taking a walk in the rain.

feel toward: I can't describe how I feel toward that girl but I think I like her. fend for: Everyone has to fend for himself in this world. ferret out: The police managed to ferret out his motive for the killing. fight against: The defending champion is going to fight against the challenger tonight. fight for: Freedom is something that is always worth fighting for.

fight off: The leader of the party has to fight off his image as a dictator. figure on: I was figuring on meeting him tomorrow. figure out: We spent the whole night figuring out how to make him change his mind. fill in: We found someone to fill in for Sarah when she was away on medical leave. fill out: I have to fill out the form and hand it in as soon as possible.

fill with: We have filled all the glasses with wine and are now ready to propose a toast. find out: We were shocked when we found out that he was a man and not a woman. fit in: The new member has learned quickly to fit in with the others. fit out: The entire building was fitted out with air conditioners but they were not working. fix on: They haven't fixed on a venue for the next match.

fix up: We have to fix the spare room up for our guests. focus on: The astronomer focused his telescope on the comet. follow around: Quit following me around, will you? follow through: Ensure the report is followed through so that all amendments are included. follow up: The investigation was followed up with the arrest of the gang leader.

fool around: You want to fool around; it's up to you, but surely not in the office. fool with: He fooled with his neighbour's dog once too often and got badly bitten on the hand. force on/upon: He forced another big pizza on us when we already had more than enough. forget about: James drank a bit too much and forgot about catching the train home. forgive for: I will not forgive him for not forgiving me for what I said about him.

foul up: Heavy rain fouled up our trip to the mountain. freeze over: Whatever the lake freezes over, there's bound to be people skating on it. fret about: She always has something to fret about. frighten by: Mrs. Muffet was frightened by a hairy spider while sitting on a park bench. frighten away: Rumours of a big white shark frightened many people away from the beach.

fritter away: The boy frittered away whatever money he had on the gaming machine. frown at: The lady frowned at him for talking very loudly on his cell phone. frown on/upon: She can't help frowning on those who sport multi-coloured hair.

furnish with: Each of the six bedrooms is furnished with a big desk, swivel chair and soft rug. fuss over/about: Their only child fussed about not having a window seat on the plane. 3. G - I get about: She's an old woman now and doesn't get about much any more. get across: Somehow or other, I just couldn't get my message across to them. get ahead: We can't afford to stall; we must get ahead in order to meet the deadline. get ahead of: Instead of getting ahead of others, we are actually falling further behind. get along: They are trying to get along but they are arguing all the time.

get around: Rumour is getting around that I'll be marrying a wealthy man's daughter. get at: We still think he's the one who stole it; somehow, we will get at the truth. get away: I want to know who deliberately opened the cage and let the bird get away? get away from: It'd be nice to get away from the office for a few days and not to return to it. get away with: He must have thought he could get away with murder; he's now in prison for life.

get back to: I'll get back to him after he has calmed down completely. get by: He has to stop smoking and drinking as his old age pension is barely enough to get by. get down: These pills are a bit too big to swallow; I have a hard time getting them down. get down to: It's time you got down to clearing out your bedroom. get even with: I'll get even with you sooner or later for eating my pizza.

get in: The lift was full and we couldn't get in. get off: The post office has just closed; now how am I going to get this letter off? get off of: At bus stop I sometimes get off of a bus while it's still moving. get on: I got on a wrong bus the other day and ended up somewhere else. get out: I am getting the next edition of my book out by the end of the month.

get out of: We're having dinner with my mother-in-law tonight, but I'm planning to get out of it. get over: I still haven't got over the death of my parrot. get through: I nearly killed myself when I failed to get through my final exam. get to: When she got to talking about politics, nothing could stop her. get together: We always end up arguing when we get together for a drink.

get up: Everybody gets up when the national anthem is played. give away: It is the bride's father, mother or eldest brother who gives the bride away? give back: He hasn't given back the money I lent him two years ago. give in: A henpecked husband always gives in to his wife. give out: Santa Claus gives out presents once a year.

give rise to: A bomb explosion in the city gave rise to speculation as to who was responsible. give up: They searched for their missing puppy, but eventually gave up. give up to: The family of the deceased gave up his organs to research. give way: All the other vehicles gave way to the ambulance. given to: He is given to occasional outbursts of temper.

gladden by: Harry was gladdened by the birth of his first child. glance at: John glanced at his watch and realized his watch had stopped working. glance off: The bullet glanced off the side of a metal bin and struck a car. glance through: He had just enough time to glance through the paper at breakfast. gloat over: The miser gloated over his money.

gloss over: Mike glossed over the loss of his job and started talking something else. glow with: He entered the interview room glowing with confidence. go about: I think we should discuss how to go about imposing discipline in the workplace. go against: She went against her mother's advice when she divorced her husband. go ahead: We went ahead with the project despite strong objection.

go along: You go along with him now; I'll be late. go along with: I'm afraid I can't go along with your idea. go around: A rumour is going around that someone is going to commit suicide. go at: He went throwing punches at his opponent. go back: I left my wallet at home and now I've to go back for it.

go back on: She promised to marry me, but now it appears she has gone back on her word. go by: Go by the rules or I am not playing/You go by that old map and now we are lost. go far: He is a smart person and will go far in what he does.

go for: Jenny goes for tall and handsome men with considerable wealth. go in for: The rodent was injured and the hawk went in for the kill.

go off: The bomb went off prematurely and killed the bomber. go off with: She has gone off with her brother-in-law. go on: As time went on, I became more attracted to her. go on to: Can you go on to the next topic? This one is very boring. go over: I saw the horrific accident and it kept going over and over in my mind.

go through: She went through the terrible five-hour ordeal. go through with: Jane feels she isn't ready yet to go through with the wedding. go under: Many small businesses go under in the first year of operation. go with: Ivan's baldness does not go with his bushy beard. go without: Little Jonny went out without his parents' permission.

gossip about: Mrs. Goss loves to gossip about other people, especially her neighbours. graduate from: He graduated from university with a degree in palmistry. grapple with: Let the Govt grapple with the problem of wages not keeping pace with inflation. grasp at: Let us grasp at every opportunity that comes along to make money. grasp of: All the students have already got a good grasp of the basic principles of mathematics.

grieve about: She still grieves deeply about the loss of her father. grind out: That author has been grinding out short hard-luck stories non-stop. ground on/upon: You should ground your analysis on facts. ground in: The new students were grounded in the basic principles of mathematics. grow out of: Children grow out of many bad habits such as biting nails, etc.

grow up: This boy wants to be superman or spiderman when he grows up. grumble about/at: My mother-in-law, like the farmers, is always grumbling about the weather. guard against: We should guard against pickpocket in crowded places. guess at: I have not studied hard, so I guess I have to guess at the answers in the exam.

gun down: Rival gang members gunned each other down in broad daylight.

haggle over/about: I haggled over the price with the car salesman. hand back: We handed back the form after filling it. hand down: These stories and legends have been handed down from generation to generation. hand in: The students handed in their homework without being told to. hand out: I helped to hand out parcels of food to people in need.

hand over: They handed over power to the new government after their defeat in the election. hang around: He spends his time hanging around with friends in the shopping centre. hang back: He is often advised not to hang back but to mix freely at school. hang on to: We all hung on to the strap when the subway train was moving. hang out: After school, he hangs out with his classmates in a snooker hall.

hang together: They hung together while waiting for the rescue team to find them. hang up: She was so angry she hung up before I could explain. happen on/upon: We happen on our former lecturer in a restaurant.: happen to: I just don't know what is happening to me. harp on: My mother-in-law is always harping on about my laziness.

head for: We've been driving around for hours; let's turn here and head for home. hear about: Did you hear about the latest mass killing? hear from: We haven't heard from John since he left port to sail round the world. hear of: I'm very sorry to hear of your mother's death. help with: I helped her with the application form.

help out: He helped the old lady out of the taxi. hide from: John would always hide under the bed from his drunk father. hinder from: He's hindered from a good night sleep by the constant noise from the expressway. hint at: The spokesman hinted at the possible change of leadership. hit on: He hit on the idea of mechanization when thinking about how to solve the problems.

hold back: She struggled to hold back her tears. hold down: Mick seems unable to hold down a job for longer than a month. hold forth: The speaker held forth on the inevitable end of the world. hold off: He always holds off making decisions until the very last moment. hold on: How long more do you want me to hold on?

hold on to: We held tightly on to the rail as the bus sped on. hold out: The supermarket held out the chance for customers to win a brand new car. hold out on: Why do you hold out on me all the things I need to know? hold over: The match was held over because of the snowy conditions. hold to: The home team held the away team to a 2-2 draw.

hold together: The different factions within the party are held together by a charismatic leader. hold up: We arrived late as we were held up by traffic jam. hold up as: The Governor was held up as a model of integrity and decency. hunt for: The police are hunting nationwide for the serial killer. hurry up: I don't quite like the way she's always hurrying me up.

identify with: I can't identify myself with men like him. identify by: He was identified at an identity parade by a witness as the culprit. imbue with: The coach imbued the players with a sense of team work. immerse in: For months the novelist totally immersed herself in her work. impart to: The barman was happy to impart his knowledge of taming lions to me.

impose on/upon: A ban has been imposed on the sale of cigarettes to those below 18 years old. impress by: We were impressed by the beauty of the rural landscape. impress on: Father impressed on me the value of hard work. impress with: We were really impressed with the craftsmanship. improve by: His musical skill can be improved by engaging a professional coach.

improve in: It is very advantageous to improve in whatever we are do. improve on: The second edition greatly improves on the first edition. include in: Labour charges are included in the bill for the repairs. incorporate in: Not all the proposals and up-to-date information are incorporated in the

report. increase from: Budget for the welfare program has been increased from $500,000 to $800,000.

increase in: The sharp increase in crime is attributed to the current state of the economy. inculcate in: Parents should inculcate a sense of discipline in their children. indict for: The suspect was indicted for the crime of arson. indulge in: I think we shouldn't indulge in too much lunchtime drinking. infect with: Some insects can infect human beings with deadly diseases.

infer from: One can reasonably infer from the evidence presented that insanity is hereditary. infest with: The whole wasteland was heavily infested with rats. inflate with: The egos of some people are really inflated with self-importance. inflict on/upon: He's found guilty for deliberately inflicting grievous bodily harm on his granny. inform of: The doctor will immediately inform you of any changes in her condition.

inform against/on: He was summarily arrested when his comrades informed on him. infringe on: Discussing a politician's divorce is tantamount to infringing on his private life. infuse with: The good news infused her with happiness. inherit from: He inherited his loud and powerful voice from his grandfather. inhibit from: The fear of ridicule inhibited students from raising questions.

initiate into: Last evening he was initiated into a religious cult. inquire after: I think Amy likes you; she's always inquiring after you. insert in/into: Nick inserted a coin into the vending machine for some cigarettes. insist on: She insisted on keeping a baby armadillo as a pet. inspire by: The movie was really inspired by an actual event.

inspire to: Her dogged perseverance to succeed inspires others to do likewise. instigate against: Foreigners were blamed for instigating a revolt against the government. instill in/into: The parents instilled ethical values into their children at an early age. instruct in: Ms. Olive instructed students in Latin. insure against: My uncle insured against damage to or loss of his yacht.

intend for: The author's second book was intended for golfing enthusiasts. intercede with: The organization interceded with the authorities on my behalf. interfere with: Lack of confidence has seriously interfered with his performance at school. interpolate in: Mary interpolated a casual remark in our conversation. interrupt in: The leader was rudely interrupted in his speech by loud jeers.

intervene in: The police don't usually intervene in what was essentially a private dispute. introduce into: New subjects will be introduced into the syllabus next year. intrude on/upon: We deeply resented her intruding on our conversation. inure to: In his early life Simon soon became inured to the considerable hardship of life. invest in: The company invests heavily in research and development.

invite to: We have always been invited to her birthday. involve in: I don't see why I should involve myself in their affairs. irritate by: He was irritated by the frequently loud argument that went on next door. isolate from: The exceptionally violent child is isolated from other children. issue from: From a long distance, we could see smoke issuing from a lone cottage chimney. 4. J - O jack up: The storekeeper dare not jack up prices because of a supermarket nearby. jam with: The entrance was jammed with crowds trying to get in. jar on: The constantly loud music from next-door neighbour is starting to jar on my nerves. jeer at: The spectators jeered at their own team for their poor performance. jockey for: The riders jockeyed for the best position.

join in: We join them in clearing up the beach. joke with: The more we joked with each other, the closer we became. jot down: I jotted her telephone number down on a piece of paper but I lost it on my way home, judge by: We do not judge a book by its cover, do we? judge from: Judging from the look on his face, we suspected he's the one who took it.

jumble up: I arranged those things in a neat order but someone came along and jumbled them up. jump at: I jumped at the chance to visit the Niagara Falls. jump on: My mother never failed to jump on me whenever I was home late.

justify to: He tried to justify his decision to us by saying that he had no alternative. jut out: We marveled at the huge rocks jutting out from the steep side of the cliff.

keep at: We kept at it until we completed it ahead of schedule. keep away from: You should keep away from the dangers of heavy smoking. keep back: I think she is keeping something back that she does not want us to know. keep from: He has only two months to live and we should keep him from knowing. keep off: Keep your hands off my pizza.

keep on: She keeps harping on the one little mistake I made. keep out: She should keep the puppy out instead of sleeping with it. keep out of: Why don't they keep out of the politician's personal affair. keep to: Why did you beat about the bush? Keep to what you wanted to say. keep to (oneself): He trusts no one and so keeps to himself most of the time.

keep up: The furious barking of the neighbour's dog kept me up the whole night. keep up with: She's always trying to keep up with her siblings. keep/bear in mind: These are well-known sayings; keep them in mind. knock down: The speeding car knocked down a villager's goat. knock off: James can't knock off work at the same time every day.

knock over: His dog was knocked over by a motorcyclist when it was running across the street. knock out: The underdog knocked out his opponent in the last round. know about: Nobody in the area knows much about the accident. know of: I know of one policeman who always receives bribe. knuckle down: He had better knuckle down soon or else he'll never get through those exams.

lapse into: He lapsed into a coma and died two days later. laugh at: Everybody will laugh at a funny clown. lay off: Mark was laid off after working for the company for twenty years. lead to: We took the wrong way which led us to the cemetery. leaf through: Bob leafed through many magazines while waiting at the clinic.

lean on: In times of difficulty it would be great to have someone to lean on for support. learn about: When we were children we learned about the birds and the bees. leave for: We're leaving for funfair. leave off: Let's continue from where we left off, shall we? leave out: This is the first time he is left out of the squad for the World Cup.

lecture about/on: He lectures on the ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome. lend to: I lent the lawn mover to my neighbour. let in: Let's open the windows and let the air in. let off: If you pluck my apples again, I'll not let you off. let out: Every evening we let the dog out.

let up: It looks like the rain is not going to let up, so what shall we do? level at: All he can do is level criticism at others. level with: The developer leveled the old building with an explosive charge. levy (a tax/fine/charge, etc.) on: The state government has levied a new tax on gasoline. lie down: He was told to lie down for the doctor to examine him.

lie on: Joe likes to lie on a bench in the park. liken to: I can never forgive him for likening me to an old turkey. limit to: Each customer is limited to two packets. listen for: John must listen for the right signal before he can respond. listen in: He listened in to their whispering.

listen to: We listened in silence to his cock-and-bull stories. live at: As far as I know, he still lives at the same address. live in: I would like to live in an igloo one day. live off: They were a weird bunch who lived off welfare live on: I live on a street where there are many stray dogs.

lock out: This is the second time I've locked myself out. long for: Bob longed for an exciting experience at Antarctic. long to: He longed desperately to be with her. look after: Who is going to look after our parrots when we go on vacation? look ahead: Let's forget the past and look ahead.

look around: We were looking around for a public toilet. look at: The officer looked at my passport and waved me through. look away: When I smiled at her again, she looked away again. look back on: When I look back on those moments, I realize how foolish I was. look down: She often looks down to avoid meeting her eyes.

look down on: He looks down on anyone whom he thinks is not successful. look for: Police are looking for a man with a heavily tattooed face. look forward to: I look forward to seeing that clown again. look in: Every other day we look in on grandpa and see if he needs anything. look into: We had better look into the high turnover of staff.

look like: It looks like she is going to demand an explanation from him. look on: Only one person helped him, the others just looked on. look out for: Look out for pickpocket while we are at the airport. look over: I looked the shorts over and found they had no pockets. look through: I looked through your drawers but I couldn't find your bunch of keys.

look to: They are looking to the last runner to win the relay. look up: I enjoy enormously looking words up in the dictionary. look up to: He is the kind of man most people look up to. lure away: The company tried to lure the salesman away from their competitor. lurk around: They called the police when they saw a man lurking around outside their house.

make (a fool) of: Whenever he is drunk, he is certain to make a fool of himself. make (a fuss) about/over: She made a big fuss about not being offered a drink. make away with: When no one was looking, I made away with a bar of chocolate. make for: We quickly made for the river bank when our boat started to leak. make (fun) of: The kids always make fun of Mick's big ears.

make (love) to: He tried to make love to every girl he met. make of: His last word before he died was about poison; what do you make of that? make off: He made off when the alarm sounded. make off with: A pickpocket made off with my wallet.

make out: She whispered angrily in my ear, but I could not make it out.

make over: He made over his entire estate to his children. make towards: She made towards the exit when she had made all her purchases. make up: It's pretty obvious she made that story up. make up: An indecisive leader, he often finds it hard to make up his mind. make up to: Jill made up to Jack in hopes of getting him to help her.

mark down: The store attracts a big crowd as most items on sale have been marked down. mark off: She marked off all the items she has bought. mark out: They have marked out the area for vehicles to park. marvel at: I marvel at his ability to maintain composure in any given situation. matter to: I'll buy it, the colour does not matter to me.

meditate on/upon: He meditated on the different solutions to the problem. mention to: She didn't mention it to me when I met her last night. migrate between: Some whales migrate between one part of the ocean and another. migrate from: Some species of birds migrate from Europe to Africa. make up: Can't you make up your mind to buy the blue or red one?

mingle with: Participants from various nations mingled freely with each other after the events. minister to: Volunteers minister to the injured. mix up: I called the wrong number when I mixed your telephone number up with another. mix with: He does not mix well with other members. model on: This system is modeled on the one that originated in the United States.

move out: We decided to move out when the landlord increased the rent again. mull over: We mulled over the procedure for possible adoption. multiply by: Two multiplied by two is four. muse on/over: He sat musing over the sudden change of attitude of his girlfriend. muster up: He failed to muster up the minimum support required to stand for election.

name after: The street is named after the Prime Minister's son. narrow down: The judges have narrowed the finalists down to the last five.

news break (the news) to: The doctor had to break the news to his family. nibble away at: She likes to nibble away at something when she watches television. nod off: He often nods off while watching television.

object to: I object to your casual comments about my hair. obtain from: All this false information was obtained from the Internet. occur to: It never occurred to me that you really believe the world is flat. operate on: The doctors had to operate on him immediately to save his life. oppress by: Ethnic minorities had been oppressed by the occupying forces for years.

originate in: This crazy idea could only originate in your head. outrage by: Women nationwide were outraged by his sexist remarks. overcome by: His stammering was eventually overcome by speech therapy. overrun by: The wasteland was overrun by rodents. overwhelm by: He was overwhelmed by the enthusiastic response. 5. P - R pan out: At this moment, no one can tell how the enterprise will pan out. parallel to: There's never been any close parallel elsewhere to China's rate of economic growth. part from: I had to part from Jill before the game ended. part with: Our dog has given birth to six puppies; we're not going to part with any of them. partake of: The guests partook of the ample food available at the gathering.

participate in: Everyone present was encouraged to participate in the discussions. pass away: Grandpa passed away in his sleep. pass by: The small child watched open-mouthed the parade passing by. pass down: The centuries-old tradition still passes down from generation to generation. pass for: My mother-in-law in mini-skirt could easily pass for a young girl.

pass in: He passes in his authorization card before leaving the office for the day. pass off: There is no reason for me to pass myself off as anyone else. pass on: You passed your cough on to me; see, I'm coughing now. pass out: During a heavy drinking session, he suddenly passed out. pass over: Jane threatened to resign when she was passed over for promotion.

pass up: I regret passing up the opportunity for promotion.

patch up: He's going to die so you had better patch up your quarrel with him. pattern after: An ardent fan of Elvis Presley, he patterned his behaviour after him. pay back: I'll pay him back for the highly critical comments he made about me. pay for: Let's hope he will pay for the evil deed he committed.

pay off: I had to pay him off substantially to keep quiet about something I did. pay out: A huge sum of money was paid out to the winner of the football pools jackpot. pay up: I was told to pay up by Monday or have my car repossessed. pep up: A brief round of aerobics pepped the participants up before the discussion. perk up: They did some singing to perk up the atmosphere before they started the discussion.

perpetrate about: They perpetrated all sorts of malicious rumours about him persevere in: She persevered in her studies to achieve the result she had hoped for. persist in: Why do many people persist in believing mistakenly that UFOs are alien spaceships? pertain to: Documents pertaining to the illegal transactions have been seized by police. petition for: Local residents petitioned for better bus services.

pick off: The captive soldiers were picked off one by one for interrogation. pick on: I don't think she likes me; she's always picking on me. pick out: It's easy to pick out Rose's father in a crowd because he is exceptionally tall. pick up: Andy picked up a number at random and won the first prize. piece together: Investigators are piecing together evidence to uncover what caused the accident.

pile up: His debts piled up but he made no attempt to settle any of them. pin down: He hints at his resignation but no one can pin him down on the exact date yet. pin on: They pinned the blame on me although I didn't do anything wrong. pine away: After his grandmother died, his grandfather pined away and died shortly after. pine for: Months after their separation, Jill still pines for Jack.

pit against: Dean is ready to pit his skills against any serious competitors. pitch in: Bob pitched in to help complete the project before the deadline. pitch into: He would pitch into anyone who commented that he was uncooperative. plan for: She plans for the future by saving considerably. plan on: He planned on becoming the first athlete to win a gold medal for his school.

play along: He played along with her so as to gain a special favour. play at: Children love to play at being Cowboys and Red Indians. play back: I played back the tape-recorder to listen to my voice with a view to improving it. play on: He's always playing on his friends' generosity to get free treats. play up: A pro-government newspaper played up the resignation of an opposition's active member.

play up to: Many politicians are expert at playing up to voters' sentiments to gain their votes. play with: Every day he spends at least an hour playing with his dog. plead with: Jack pleaded with Jill not to leave her. plunge into: A sudden blackout plunged the whole place into total darkness. ply with: Our host plied us with excess food and drinks.

point at: It is not respectable to point at someone. point out: The leader pointed out the things we should or shouldn't do while jungle trekking. point to: The government pointed to the measures taken to lift the living standards of the people. poke fun at: The kids at school poked fun at Adam's clothes. polish off: David could easily polish off five sandwiches at one sitting.

polish up: I had better polish up my English before I visit London. pore over: He spends hours poring over his vast collection of stamps. pounce on/upon: The teacher was ever ready to pounce on any little mistake anyone of us made. pray to: Every night the family prayed to God for good health and happiness. predicate on: His success in his exams is predicated on his determination to succeed.

prefer to: I prefer red colour to any of the other colours for my car. prepare for: How many of us prepare ourselves for every eventuality in life? present to: They presented the best actress award to her before a live audience. present with: They presented him with an outstanding achievement award. preserve for: The large number of historical records is preserved for posterity.

preserve from: The tribe preserved corpses from decomposition by wrapping them in cloth.

preside over: A clergyman friend of the family presided over the funeral gathering. press for: The opposition pressed the government for the release of the political detainees. press on: Reporters pressed him further on the issue. prevail on/upon: Jill finally prevailed on Jack to attend the dog show.

prevent from: The new legislation was to prevent whistleblowers from being publicly identified. prey on/upon: It was so moving to watch on television a lion preying on a deer. price out: The dentist has priced himself out of business by charging too heavily for his services. pride (oneself) on: The parents prided themselves on their child's achievement. proceed with: The protesters were not allowed to proceed with their political speeches.

produce from: They produce wine from grapes. profit from: I profit immensely from reading biographies of famous people. prohibit from: Nowadays people are prohibited from smoking in many areas. propose to: At the meeting, he proposed measures to enlarge the club membership. protect from: The legislation is to protect public property from vandalism.

protest against: The demonstration was organized to protest against police brutality. prove to: Prove to me what you said that you can make a rabbit disappear. provide for: Many people have not taken measures to provide for their old age. provide with: The evacuees were provided with tents, blankets, and other necessities. provoke to: What he did is certain to provoke them to retaliate.

pry into: Continual prying into other people's private affairs will get him into trouble soon. pull ahead: He was leading all the way until a fellow competitor pulled ahead of him. pull apart: They pulled the two fighting cocks apart to end the cockfighting contest.. pull at: She pulled at her mother's coat sleeve. pull away: He pulled away from the car park and sped down the highway.

pull down: They had to pull down the old disused crumbling building. pull in: The train pulled in just as we arrived at the station. pull off: Three men pulled off the biggest bank robbery in town. pull out: They pulled out of the business deal when they sensed something amiss.

pull over: The policeman waved me to pull my car over.

pull through: He was badly injured in a road accident but he finally pulled through. pull up: He pulled up at the side of the road to park. punish for: The serial killer will be severely punished for his crimes. purchase from: We purchased some statuettes from a souvenir shop at the tourist resort. purge from: All dissidents were purged from the party.

put across: The leader put his proposals across to the grass roots members. put aside: Every month she puts aside a little money for future use. put away: The boys rushed to put away the scattered toys when they heard their mummy is home. put by: I'm putting some money by each month for a new camera. put down: The public demonstration was brutally put down by troops.

put in: Every day I have to put in extra time to complete it before the deadline. put off: Don't put off till tomorrow what you can do today. put on: Despite her hurt feelings she put on a smiling face. put out: The firemen took hours to put out the huge fire. put through: John's parents managed to put him and his siblings through university.

put to: After the speeches were delivered, we were allowed to put questions to the speakers. put up: Despite being an underdog, the team put up an outstanding performance. put up with: I think I'm not going to put up with my nagging wife any longer. puzzle about/over: We were puzzled about her enigmatic remark. puzzle out: We can't puzzle out why she left suddenly and has not called.

qualify for: So far, only three teams have qualified for the finals. quarrel about: No one knows what the twins are quarrelling about. quarrel with: These twins can never stop quarrelling with each other. query about: The auditors queried the company's accountants about their financial statement. question about: The police questioned him about his whereabouts on the night of the murder.

rage about/against: Joe raged against the bureaucratic and corrupt system.

rail against/at: Mary has been railing against the unjust system. range from: The bookstore is selling books at prices ranging from about $5 to $500. rank as/with: His performances rank him as one of the top five players in the country. rate as: He is generally rated as one of the best writers of this century.

reach for: He was shot dead by the police before he could reach for his gun. react to: Her boss reacted favourably to her decision to resign. read about/of: Have you read the latest news about a man with three eyes? read in: I read that rags-to-riches story in a magazine. read to: I used to read to you when you were a child.

read for: She's reading for a degree in economics at one of the universities. read out: He read out the speech on behalf of the Prime Minister who is overseas. read through/over: I read through the passage for him and discovered some mistakes. read up: I have to read up on the subject before the discussion tomorrow. reason with: I tried to reason with her but she wouldn't listen.

rebel against: Those who rebelled against the government were captured and executed. reckon on: We didn't reckon on the shop charging handling charges. reckon with: They didn't reckon with a puncture when they went for a drive. recommend to: I definitely recommend this book to those of you interested in raising hamsters. reconcile to: You must reconcile yourself to the death of your daughter.

recover from: Mrs. Dean has yet to recover fully from her husband's death. recuperate from: She went to stay with her daughter to recuperate from her operation. reduce to: Modern medical treatment has reduced death from tuberculosis to a minimum. reel off: May reels off a list of things to buy. refer to: We had to refer to our map when we lost our way in the city.

reflect on: A series of burglaries at the building reflects on its lax security against break-ins. refrain from: The nurse asked me to refrain from using my cell phone. regard as: The team's last performance was regarded as the best ever . reign over: The king reigned over the country for many years. relate to: Can we relate an aging population to a low economic growth?

release from: He was released unconditionally from police detention. relieve of: The officer was relieved of his command on disciplinary grounds. rely on/upon: Landlocked countries rely on other countries for their export and import of goods. remark on: Friends at the party remarked on her new hairstyle. remind of: The song reminds him of his former girlfriend.

remove from: He was removed from office for sexual misconduct. reply to: Why should I reply to those baseless allegations? report back: He reported back that the violence had escalated. report on: His newspaper sent him to Africa to report on the situation in Zimbabwe. report to: We were told to report to the new manager tomorrow.

reprimand for: He was reprimanded for his negligence in duty. reproach for: The teacher reproached them for not completing their homework. request for: She likes to request for songs to be played on some radio programs rescue from: Dogs and cats were also rescued from the burning building. reserve for: They reserved the three front rows of seats for VIPs.

reside in: The family resides in the suburb. resort to: Ben became desperate and resorted to begging for money. respond to: His illness failed to respond to the treatment. rest on: The success in selling rests solely on the marketing manager. restrain from: Many times I had to restrain myself from arguing with her.

result from: The accident resulted from his own carelessness. result in: The new policy will result in the high turnover of staff. result of: The tragedy was the result of failure to plan carefully. retire from: He retired from his job for health reason. return to: She never returned to me or to anybody any of the books she borrowed.

reveal to: Jan never revealed her origins to anybody. revenge on: Jane seems intent on revenging herself on her husband for his disloyalty. revert to: Now we are talking about something else; let's revert to the original subject. revolt against: A revolt against the leadership in the party has broken out.

reward for: He was rewarded for providing information that led to the arrest of the culprit.

reward with: She rewarded me with a kiss. rid of: She made a police report, hoping to rid herself of the stalker. ring back: I've called her ten times and she has yet to ring back. ring in: He rang in to inform that he had broken his leg. ring off: After a long conversation, we agreed to ring off.

ring up: I ring her up at least twice a week. rise against: The people rose in rebellion against the dictatorial government. rise from: From a distance, we could see smoke rising from chimneys. rival in: Our best players simply cannot rival our opponents in stamina. rob of: The bus was hijacked and the passengers were robbed of all their possessions.

root in: The plants were rooted firmly in the hard earth and it wasn't easy to just pull them out. rope in: We roped in a few more guys to help with the campaign. round out: We rounded out the drinking session by having supper at a restaurant. round up: Police rounded up the remaining troublemakers. rub in: I know I've made an embarrassing mistake, so why has he to keep rubbing it in?

rule on: The judge will shortly rule on who will get custody of the child. rule out: The government has ruled out the abolition or even revision of the Act. rule over: The absolute ruler ruled over a large empire. run across: Unfortunately, I ran across my ex this morning. run after: She is so attractive that I can't help wanting to run after her.

run against: He intends to run against his father in the by-election. run along: I've something to do; I'd better run along. run away: We decide to run away together to get married. run down: He habitually runs you down - probably out of jealousy. run for: The villagers ran for their lives when there was a sudden volcanic eruption.

run into: I ran into my former wife last night. run off: Her husband ran off with a younger woman.

run on: The practice session was supposed to end at 10 o'clock, but ran on until 11 o'clock. run out: I felt like screaming at him when my patience ran out. run out of: I can't post my letters now; I've run out of stamps.

run out on: She deeply regrets running out on her parents a few months ago. run over: My dog was run over by a taxi and died shortly after. run through: Let's run through the solutions to the exercises again. run to: The mechanic is overcharging me; how could my car repair bill run to a hundred dollars? run up: Have to get rid of the phone; they have run up the phone bill to such a huge amount.

run up against: They have to stop work as they ran up against some unforeseen problems. rush around: We rushed around informing all the members of the last-minute cancellation. rush into: John regrets rushing into that venture without careful thought. rush out: The manufacturer is rushing out the novelties for the festive season. rush through: The staff rushed through the paper work to meet the deadline. 6. S T saddle up: We have to saddle up and ride out of here now. saddle with: I'm not even an assistant manager, but I'm saddled with his duties while he's away. sail from: We'll be sailing from this harbour to Calais next week. sail into: Mary sailed into the hall where a party was going on. satisfy with: Anne is still not satisfied with his explanation.

save for: Pam saved a piece of pizza for my supper. save from: Firemen saved the occupants of the building from being burnt to death. say about: She wasn't pleased when she overheard what I said about her. say to: What do you want to say to her now that she has left you? scare of: Those crows are not really scared of the large scarecrow.

scare off: That big human-like scarecrow failed to scare off the crows. scare up: See if I can scare up enough money to buy you a nice Christmas present. scoff at: He scoffed at my suggestion that we renovate the clubhouse. scrape up: She scraped up whatever money she has to pay off the car. screw up: The negotiation failed because you really screwed it up.

search for: The police searched the whole woodland for the escaped convict. secede from: Why did the state secede from the Union in 1816? see about: I asked if she would join me for dinner tonight, she said she would see about it. see after: We chose him to see after the organization of the party. see into: The accountant will see into the discrepancies in the books.

see off: Of course, I would be most grateful to see my mother-in-law off at the airport. see through: He is determined to see the whole project through. see to: When I was staying with them, Mary saw to all my needs. sell for: Jack has been selling tickets for the concert at a higher price. sell out: Their new batch of Hawaiian shirts is completely sold out

send for: An accident has occurred and someone has already sent for an ambulance. separate from: Her father is separated from her mother. serve as: This spare room will serve as a bedroom while they are staying with us. serve under: He is serving under his father-in-law as an assistant manager. set about: We set about clearing up the whole garage.

set against: The increases in our salaries have to be set against the rising cost of living. set aside: Every month we set aside a portion of our salaries for the purchase of a car. set back: The raining season will set back the completion of the building project. set down: I woke up and set down in detail the dream I just had. set forth: Together, they set forth for an unknown destination.

set off: Someone set the bomb off with remote control. set in: Global warming has set in and with it more problems will arise. set on: The farmer threatened to set his dogs on the trespassers. set out: They set out on a journey to the Far East. set up: Jack and Jill have set up a retail business.

settle down: She felt she would settle down only when she was ready to. settle for: John felt his compensation claim was justified and would not settle for anything less. settle on: They have settled on the date for the next meeting. settle up: We decided to settle up and leave this bar for home.

sever from: He severed branches from the tree with a chainsaw.

shake with: At the reunion we shook hands warmly with each other. share in: The wife does not share in her husband's enthusiasm for jogging. shell out: I had to shell out three dollars just for one parking place. shield from: New import tariffs will be introduced to shield local firms from foreign competition. shoot up: Prices of most kinds of food for small children have shot up.

shop for: I have been shopping for a Mexican hat, but haven't found anything I like. shout at: Please don't shout at the dogs; it will not stop them from barking. shout for: Why do you shout for help when you are not in danger? show off: Tim showed off his new toys to his friends. show up: He has just shown up when he was supposed to have done so two hours ago.

shrink from: Bob shrank from the first sight of blood. shudder at: I shudder at the thought of the child dying from injuries in the crash. shut off: Mum always remembered to shut off the stove when she finished cooking. shut up: She's done all the talking since we started; she should shut up and give others a chance. side against/with: The two sisters always side with each other against their mother.

sin against: I feel I've sinned against my religion by raising doubts and querying about it. sit around: He would sit around quietly for hours and watch was happening. sit at: He would sit at the table without eating but watch other people eating. sit in: As the show has to go on, Joe agreed to sit in for Bozo the clown who is absent. sit on: Sometimes we would sit on a long bench in the park and chatted away to each other.

sit through: Our boss delivered a lengthy boring speech and we had to sit through it. sit up: Whenever there's a late football match on television, we would sit up and watch. slack off: Tourism business at the resort slacks off during the winter. slide on: The kids enjoyed themselves sliding on the ice. slip up: The police slipped up when the wrong person was arrested.

slow down: The police roadblock had slowed down traffic to a big snarl-up.

smile at: I mistakenly smiled at her, thinking I knew her, but she looked away. snap at: I don't understand why she often snapped at me for no good reason. snap off: She stopped reading, snapped off the light and closed her eyes to sleep. snap on: She snapped on the light when she entered the bedroom.

sneer at: They sneered at his ludicrous suggestion. sound off: Mike is always sounding off about every current issue. speak about: His grandfather would speak to you about anything under the sun. speak of: He had his reason for never ever speaking of his ex. speak on: George loved to speak to women on women's issues.

speak to: Frankly, if I could help it I wouldn't want to speak to her. specialize in: The store specialized in coffins for dogs and cats. spring at: The showman touched the head of a cobra with a stick and it sprung at him. spur on: His initial success spurred him on. stamp out: The government is determined to stamp out corruption.

stand against: Her daughter will be standing against her in the parliamentary election. stand around: The crowd just stood around waiting for the ambulance to arrive. stand by: Two calls were received for ambulance, but only one ambulance is standing by. stand for: He is not going to stand for her personal insult much longer. stand on: She stood on tiptoe to pluck a pear.

stand out: Your dyed red hair will certainly make you stand out in any crowd. stand up: He looks taller if he stands up straight. stand up for: We have to stand up for our rights. stand up to: He wouldn't dare stand up to his boss when he knew he's right. star in: She will star in a new movie whose title is yet to be announced.

stare at: They just stared at each other not believing they had not seen each other for forty years. start for: The weather turned bad and we had no choice but to start for home. start off: He started off as a postman and now he's postmaster. start on: I've finished reading the first chapter, so now I can start on the second chapter. start with: Let's start our training session with doing some warm-up exercises.

stay at: His wife resents his staying late at the office almost every night. stay up: Sometimes I stay up late to watch television. stay with: I prefer staying at home with my dog to going out. steal from: Two policemen were arrested for stealing from the police station. stem from: The high volume of sales of ice cream stemmed from the exceptionally hot weather.

step up: The police are stepping up their regular patrols of the area. stick around: Stick around until he arrives, then we will go for a meal. stick to: Stick to the point, otherwise our meeting will never end. stick up: A stranger tried to stick him up, but he fought him off. stick up for: Will you stick up for me? There are too many of them.

stir up: You like to stir up her emotions. Look how excited she is now. stoop to: You don't have to stoop to his level and quarrel with him. stop from: His parents tried to stop him from smoking excessively. straighten out: We managed finally to straighten out our differences before he passed away. straighten up: You'd better straighten yourself up if you want to gain respect.

stricken with: One wonders how long he will live now that he's stricken with a fatal disease. strike against: The ship sank after its side struck against an iceberg. strike for: The workers unanimously decided to strike for higher wages. strike up: I have struck up a friendship with her after meeting her a few times in the library. strip from: Some members of a tribe stripped the bark from the trees to use as medicine.

strip of: The president had been completely stripped of his power in a military coup. strive after: Artists continuously strive after artistic beauty. strive against: Man has to constantly strive against the elements. strive for: We must always strive for perfection in whatever we do. struggle with: Alone, he had to struggle furiously with his attackers till help arrived.

study for: She knows she has only two weeks left to study hard for her A level exam. submit to: Both parties agreed to submit their dispute to arbitration. subscribe to: There are still people who subscribe to the flat-earth theory. subsist on: They subsisted on canned food during the winter.

subtract from: He thought he could subtract his personal expenses from his gross profit.

succeed in: The escaped prisoner succeeded in evading capture for several months. sue for: The minister threatened to sue the opposition member for slander. suffer from: Millions of children in the world today suffer from malnutrition. suggest to: She suggested to me that I should buy her more fresh flowers. suit to: I think you did not suit your dress to the occasion.

sum up: He finally summed up his speech to the relief of the audience. supplement by: Jack supplemented his income by training parrots to sing. supply with: Only two companies supply the hospital with medical equipment. surpass in: Mary surpasses her sister in beauty. surround by: He emerged from the conference centre and was surrounded by noisy reporters.

swarm with: On weekends the zoo is swarmed with visitors. sweat it out: The boxer is sweating it out in the gym until his next fight. swerve off: Driving quickly on a wet road caused his car to swerve off the road into a ravine. switch over: They are going to switch over to the new teaching method. sympathize with: I sympathize deeply with the bereaved family.

take aback: I was taken aback by what he said. take after: Jenny certainly takes after her mother. take back: OK, I take back what I just said. Now, don't you curse me anymore. take down: Please take down what I'm going to say. take for: Now, don't you take me for a fool.

take in: Jill was taken in by the company's false claims about its products. take off: I was late and the plane took off without me. take on: After a new coat of paint, the old house takes on a new look. take out: It's your turn to take out the rubbish. take out on: It's your own fault, why take it out on the children?

take over: When you take over the driving, don't sound the horn unnecessarily. take stock of: You should take stock of your bad habits and eliminate them.

take to: Jim took to excessive drinking when his girlfriend left him. take up: Since my retirement, I've taken up stargazing. take up with: He's taken up with his new neighbour's kids.

take upon: Mark took it upon himself to paint the whole house. talk about: Will you stop talking about me behind my back? talk around: She doesn't agree with me; do you think you can talk her around? talk back: This kid will never hesitates to talk back to her mother. talk down: Mike often talked down the good things Betty did for him.

talk down to: It's wrong to talk down to them like that; they are cleverer than you think. talk into: I didn't want to get involved in the robbery, but he talked me into joining them. talk out of: She talked me out of seeking work overseas. talk over: I think we'd better talk it over before we decide to buy a yacht. talk to: I talked to his parents about his throwing stones at my dogs.

talk with: I talked with her on the telephone, but she suggested we talk in person. tally with: The two witnesses' accounts of the accident don't tally with each other. tamper with: The defence lawyer is going to prove that the evidence had been tampered with. tantamount to: His statement is tantamount to a confession. taste like: The new sauce tasted exactly like sour milk.

taste of: The soup tasted strongly of water. tear down: Several houses were torn down to make way for the new highway. tear into: I said she might be wrong and she tore into me. tear up: She tore up the letter after reading it. tease about: We teased her about her many childhood fights with boys.

tell about: She never told me about the big money she won in a lottery. tell off: John ran for a bus but bumped against a woman who told him off. tell on: Her constant worrying is beginning to tell on her face. tend toward: Joe tends towards obesity. terms come to (terms) with: He felt he had to come to terms with being a prisoner.

thank for: I thanked her warmly for not grumbling the whole day. think about: Money is what I think about all the time. think of: Jack thinks often of Jill. think over: Jillian prefers to think it over for a while, before deciding on his proposal. think through: George thought through the possible consequences of his action.

think up: It was Paul who thought up the plan to raise more money. thirst for: A new entrant in the art world, he is already thirsting for fame. threaten with: Many fish species are threatened with extinction due to over fishing. thrive on: Many marine creatures still thrive on coastal mangrove swamps. throw at: Tom threw a rotten egg at the speaker's face.

throw away: He threw away his old books and magazines. throw in: With blood coursing down the boxer's face, they realized they'd to throw in the towel. throw out: Jane refused to throw out the old books and magazines which cluttered the lounge. throw to: You are supposed to throw the ball to me, not him. throw up: Bob, as usual, threw up after he had overeaten.

tie down: She wants to get married, but she doesn't want to be tied down. tie in: It was a disaster when the two events were supposed to tie in, but they didn't. tie up: The accident tied traffic up for hours. tip off: The police must have been tipped off when they made a sudden raid on the warehouse. touch at: Our ship touched at Cape Town for a few hours.

touch down: The big crowd cheered when the spacecraft touched down safely. touch on: In his lecture on the subject, he touched on the writer. touch up: She touched her face up before she appeared on stage. toy with: He was toying with his fork and knife while thinking about skiing in Colorado. trade in: The seller allowed him to trade in his old refrigerator so that he could buy a new one.

traffic in: John was arrested by the police for trafficking in stolen goods. trample on/upon: Despite the "keep off the grass" sign, the visitors trampled on the grass. transfer to: We can only transfer a skill from one person to another through training. transform into: The once sleepy fishing village has been transformed into a popular tourist centre.

translate into: Ideas remain ideas unless they are translated into action.

trespass on: As it's late now, let's leave and not trespass on their hospitality trick into: They were tricked into investing in a dishonest scheme for making money. trip over: He nearly tripped over the toys. triumph over: With perseverance she would ultimately triumph over adversity. trust in: I trust in God.

trust with: Not all the banks can be trusted with people's money. try for: I'm going to try for that jackpot. try on: She tried it on but it didn't fit her. try out: They tried her out for the role. tuck in: I forgot to tuck in my shirt when I took that photo.

tune in: He tunes in to the radio nightly. turn against: His supporters turned against him when he defected to the opposition party. turn around: A new general manager was appointed to turn around the ailing company. turn away: The circus turned people away as all the seats were taken. turn down: She turned down his proposal for the tenth time.

turn in: I lost my passport at the airport and someone turned it in to the police. turn into: The audience applauded when the magician turned a carrot into a rabbit. turn off: Her heavy makeup really turned me off. turn on: Girls with long hair really turns me on. turn out: It turned out that the butler was the one who committed the murder.

turn out for: An estimated ten thousand people turned out for the fireworks display. turn out to be: The burglar who stole the diamond turned out to be the police inspector. turn over: The abandoned baby was turned over to the welfare department. turn to: She turned to taking drugs for her depression. turn up: A woman who was reported missing a few weeks ago turned up at the press office. 7. U Z undertake to: The new government undertook to reduce personal income tax. unite behind: The leader called upon the people to unite behind him to deter foreign aggression.

urge on: Urged on by his supporters, he ran the fastest race of his life. use up: Someone has used up all my discs. usher in: There were fireworks and people were reveling to usher in the new year.

value at: His wealthy uncle bought paintings valued at over $300,000. vary from: As a street vendor, his takings vary from day to day. veer off: The car veered off the road into a ravine. verge on: Her extreme anxiety at times verges on a nervous breakdown. vie in: John and Johnny have been vying in the same contest for the past four years.

vie for: Only three contestants vied for the top prize. vouch for: His long-time friend vouched for him in his application for a new licence. vote on: As the men couldn't agree on the most beautiful lady, they decided to vote on it. vow to: She vowed to devote the rest of her life to caring for the poor. vaccinate against: Nowadays children are vaccinated against a variety of diseases.

wager on: Bob wagered one hundred dollars on the white horse. wait for: They waited in vain for her to turn up. wait on: She waits on customers with utmost courtesy and patience. wait up: Sean waits up for her every night. warn about: I warned the kids about the danger of playing with fire.

warn against: I was warned against buying the house which was supposedly haunted. warn of: They warned us of the risks involved in investments in stocks and bonds. wash down: We had venison steak washed down with red wine. wash off: Robert washed the dirt and dust off the wall before painting it. wash out: The match was completely washed out by the unexpected weather.

wash up: The carcass of a whale was washed up the beach. watch for: We watched the screen for the flight schdules. weed out: Those not so physically fit were the first to be weeded out. whisk away: The police arrested the suspect and whisked him away in the police car. wipe out: The recent earthquake wiped out the entire village.

wish for: I wish for the luck to strike the lottery jackpot. withdraw from: She withdrew from the beauty contest due to death threats made against her. work for: She was told that she had been working for a crook. work off: Janet always uses swearing words whenever she tries to work off her anxiety. work on: Tommy spent weeks working on the sculpture.

work out: The burglars have worked out how they're going to sneak into the whisky warehouse. work up: I certainly worked up a big appetite after a marathon jog. work with: I find it utterly impossible to work with her unless she changes her attitude. worry about: She worries more about me than I worry about her. worry over: I habitually worry over the slightest thing.

write back: I've written her ten letters in the past weeks, but she has not written back. write down: You don't have a good memory, so you'd better write down whenever you need to. write in: Hundreds of viewers wrote in to complain after the show. write out: He couldn't speak due to a bad sore throat, so he wrote it out instead. write up: Each one of us had to write up a report on human rights for the meeting.

yank on: He kept yanking on the dog's tail and before long he got bitten. yearn for: Joan yearns for Mr. Right to appear. yearn to: He couldn't get used to life in a boarding school and every day he yearned to go home. yell at: They yelled at him not to get into the bullring. yield to: The victim's family agreed to yield to the kidnappers' demand for ransom.

1. Phrases and Idioms 1-100 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Phrases and Idioms acid the acid test across - across the board ado - without further ado alive - alive and kicking all all at once all all in all all all or nothing all - all the same Meaning Way to determine the quality or workability of something. Applicable to all. Without wasting any more time. Still existing and very active. All done together at the same time. Take into account every part; on the whole Either done completely or in the exact way, or nothing; no compromise. In spite of that.

9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16.

all its all go argue argue the toss arm - arm in arm arm - up in arms arm with open arms bag - bag and baggage bag - bag of bones balance - balance of payments

17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39.

Buzzing with activity. To argue against a decision already made. With arms linked. Enraged and protesting vigorously. Receiving with great affection or enthusiasm Ones personal possessions. Used to refer to a very thin person or an animal. The difference in total value between payments for import of and earnings from export of goods and services. balance - balance of trade The difference in total value between a countrys import and export of goods, excluding services. baptism - baptism of fire Ones first experience in an activity which is often difficult and painful. bare - bare ones soul To make known ones previously unknown facts or feelings. bare - the bare bones The essential parts of something. bat - bat ones eyelashes To make rapid opening and closing of ones eyes. bated - with bated breath In anxiety and suspense. belt - below the belt Unfair; breaking the rules. belt tighten ones belt Cut down on spending. belt under ones belt To have achieved something or gained considerable experience. bend bend over backwards To be helpful with someones wishes or demands. bend bend someones ear To talk at length with someone. bend bend the rules Do what normally is not allowed bend on bended knee Requesting someone seriously to do something. best all the best An expression of good wishes. better go one better Outdo someone else. better one had better One would find it more advisable or advantageous to do. better ones better half Ones spouse beyond - beyond the sea In a foreign country; abroad. bit - a bit part A minor and insignificant acting part in a film. bit - a bit previous Before the due time. bit bit by bit Gradually. bit - do ones bit To contribute ones service or do ones share of the work. bite - bite the bullet Forced to perform an unpleasant or difficult task.

40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65. 66. 67. 68. 69. 70. 71.

bite - bite the dust bite - bite your tongue black black and white (in) black - in the black blaze a trail blessing - a mixed blessing blessing blessing in disguise blood - in cold blood blood - in ones blood blow blow a fuse blow blow ones mind blow blow ones nose blow blow ones top blow blow the whistle (on) blow - come to blows blue blue eyed boy blue blue with cold blue boys in blue boat - rock the boat boat - the same boat (in) body body and soul body body of water bone bone of contention bone - make no bones (about) book by the book (go) book - someones good book (in) born - not born yesterday bound - know no bounds bound out of bounds brain - pick someones brains break break new ground break break of day

To die, fail or be defeated. Refrain oneself from saying something. In writing so that its clearly stated, not doubtful. To have money in ones account. Lay a path through unknown territory; to be the first to develop something new. A situation that has both advantages and disadvantages An initial misfortune that later produces good results. In a deliberate and merciless way. Firmly established in ones character. Lose ones temper. To excite or impress someone very strongly. To clean ones nose by blowing through it into a cloth or piece of tissue paper. Lose ones temper. To inform an authority or expose publicly someones wrongful act or something that is wrong. To start hitting each other or a fight. Someone who is treated with special favour. Extremely cold. The police. Disturb an existing situation. Be in the same difficult situation as someone else. Completely. A large area of water such as a lake. Cause of argument or disagreement. To not hesitate about doing or saying something. To observe exactly the rules and instructions. It means that someone is pleased with or approves of someone else. Not easily deceived or gullible. Have no limits. Outside of allowed area of play. To get information from someone who knows a lot. Venture into new sphere of activity; uncover new information. Dawn.

72. 73. 74. 75. 76. 77. 78. 79. 80. 81. 82. 83. 84. 85. 86. 87. 88. 89. 90. 91. 92. 93. 94. 95. 96. 97. 98. 99. 100.

break break ones word break break the ice break - make the break breath waste ones breath breath hold ones breath breath out of breath

To not do what one has promised. To initiate a conversation between strangers. To end a relationship. To speak without getting the message through. To cease breathing to see what is going to happen. To experience difficulty in breathing after some vigorous exercises. breath under ones breath To say in a low voice so that no one can hear. breeze be a breeze To be something that can be done or dealt with ease. bridge bridge the gap To narrow the difference between two things. bright bright and early Very early in the morning. bright - the bright lights The kind of life in big cities that attract people. broke go for broke Risk all that one has in a determined attempt to achieve something. brother - brothers in arms Soldiers who have been in combat together in the same war. buck a fast buck Money that is quickly and easily earned. buck pass the buck Shift the blame or responsibility to someone else. bumper bumper-to-bumper (Traffic) very close together and moving slowly. burn burn ones Do something that cant be reversed. boats/bridges bury bury the hatchet End a quarrel or conflict and be reconciled. business business is Used to mean making profit overrides everything else. business business like nobodys Exceptional. business butterfly butterflies in An unpleasant sensation in ones stomach when one is ones stomach nervous. buyer - a buyers market Situation in which supply of goods and shares is more than demand, and prices are low. by by and by Before long; soon. by by and large On the whole. by by the by By the way; incidentally. call call attention to To divert peoples attention to something. call call into question To express doubt about something. call call of nature A need to urinate or defecate. call call ones shots To predict ones course of action.

2. Phrases and Idioms 101200

101. 102. 103. 104. 105. 106. 107. 108. 109. 110. 111. 112. 113. 114. 115. 116. 117. 118. 119. 120. 121. 122. 123. 124. 125. 126. 127. 128. 129. 130.

call call someones bluff

To challenge someone to carry out their threat, so as to expose it as an empty threat call call the shots In a position to decide or initiate action. call - the call of A strong appeal of a place, an occupation, etc. that draws someone. can can of worms An awkward situation that is likely to give rise to many problems and prove embarrassing. cap cap in hand Seeking a favour in a humble way. capture - capture someones To be greatly attracted to someone. heart card - on the cards Likely to happen. carry - carry oneself well To move and behave in an appropriate manner. carry carry the day To be triumphal. carry - get carried away To lose ones self-control. cash cash and carry A shop where goods are paid for in full and carried away by the buyer cast - be cast away To be stranded on a shore or island after a shipwreck. cast - be cast down Feel depressed and discouraged. catch catch ones breath To momentarily stop breathing in shock, surprise or fear. catch catch sight of To suddenly notice someone or something. catch catch someones eye Attract someones attention through eye contact; to be noticed by someone. cause cause and effect An action and its effect. cause make common cause Join together to attain a particular goal. chalk chalk it up Put it to ones credit. chance by any chance Possibly or as is true. chance stand a chance Have the likelihood to succeed. chance take a chance Run a risk of things not happening or of danger. chance take one's chance Do something risky with the hope of success. change change of air In a different place or climate that is usually better. change change ones tune To react or change ones opinion after something has happened. change for a change An experience which is different from before and is usually better. charge free of charge No payment required. charge in charge of Having control or command of. charge on a charge Accused of a criminal offence. charge put in charge Entrust someone with power to control or supervise.

131. 132. 133. 134. 135. 136. 137. 138. 139. 140. 141. 142. 143. 144. 145. 146. 147. 148. 149. 150. 151. 152. 153. 154. 155. 156. 157. 158.

cheap - on the cheap cheek cheek by jowl cheek cheek to cheek chew chew the fat chicken - shes no chicken chop - get the chop

Incur less cost than is needed Very close together. (dancing) heads close together. To talk in a friendly way. She is no longer young. To lose ones job; to cancel something, e.g. a building project. chord - strike a chord To express an agreeable opinion or acceptable idea. circle - come full circle Return to a past position or situation. circumstance - in suspicious Involving foul play. circumstances circumstance - under/in no To say that something must not be allowed to happen circumstances no matter what. circumstance - under/in the At the given situation. circumstances circumstance victim of Someone who is unfavourably affected in a difficult circumstance situation. claim - lay claim to To state ones right to or ownership of something. clean a clean break An end to a relationship; freeing oneself from a situation. clean - a clean slate/sheet Free from misbehaviour, mistakes made or a goal scored by the rival team. clear - clear the air To reduce a tense situation by discussing in a calm manner. clear clear the decks To do something in order to prepare for some other things. clear -in the clear Not under suspicion or guilty. clip at a clip At once. clip clip someones wings To curb someones aspirations. clock - against the clock Not having much time left. close - a close shave Narrow escape from an accident or danger. clutch clutch at straws Make a desperate attempt at salvaging a hopeless situation. coast coast is clear Safe to do something without the risk of being noticed or caught. cock cock a snook To express contempt at. cold cold hard cash Paper money and coins as opposed to cheques or credit cards. cold in cold blood In a cruel and merciless way. cold the cold shoulder Display of ones unfriendliness

159. 160. 161. 162. 163. 164. 165. 166. 167. 168. 169. 170. 171. 172. 173. 174. 175. 176. 177. 178. 179. 180. 181. 182. 183. 184. 185. 186. 187. 188. 189. 190.

come come of age come come off it come come on strong come come to mind come come to nothing come come to pass come come up dry come come what may commit commit to paper common in common with common the common good

To attain adulthood. Used to express ones disbelief. To show a confident and forceful personality. (of a though, idea, etc.) suggest itself. To produce no effect or result. To happen eventually. To become unsuccessful. No matter what happens. To write down. To be in the same way as someone else. Something shared by two or more parties and acts as a basis for further interaction. common the common touch The ability to interact with the ordinary people. concern - a going concern A business that is still operating and making a profit. conquer conquer To make that somebody fall in love with one. somebodys heart conscience in all conscience In fairness; by any reasonable standard. conscience on ones Feeling guilty about something. conscience conscience prisoner of A person who is detained or imprisoned because of conscience his or her political or religious beliefs. cook cook somebodys To spoil a persons plans. goose cool a cool million Large amount that someone can easily earn. cool cool ones heels To be kept waiting cool - keep ones cool Maintain a calm attitude in a tense situation. cool lose ones cool To be unable to remain calm in a difficult situation. corner around the corner Very near; imminent; approaching. corner corner the market To control the supply of a commodity. corner fight ones corner To defend ones position. corner in someones corner To offer support and encouragement. corner turn a corner To begin to show improvement. corridors corridors of Place where crucial decisions of administration are power made. cost cost a bomb Cost a lot of money. cost at all costs Regardless of the obstacles that one has to overcome. cost cost someone dear To cause someone to suffer a huge loss. count - count ones blessings Used to tell someone how lucky they are and be grateful for what they have.

191. 192. 193. 194. 195. 196. 197. 198. 199. 200.

count - count the cost count - count the days cover - cover ones back cover - cover ones tracks crack crack of dawn cradle - the cradle of cream - the cream of credit - line of credit crime crime doesnt pay crime - crime of passion

To examine the effect of ones terrible mistake. To be anxiously waiting for the days to pass. To refrain from acts that will invite criticism. To conceal evidence of ones movement. Daybreak Place in which something important began or was nurtured. The most outstanding group of people. Amount of credit allowed to a borrower Used to mean the criminal will sooner or later be brought to justice. A crime committed in a fit of sexual jealousy.

3. Phrases and Idioms 201300 201. 202. 203. 204. 205. 206. 207. 208. 209. 210. 211. 212. 213. 214. 215. 216. 217. critical the critical list cross - at cross purposes cross cross a cheque cross - cross ones fingers cross - cross ones heart cross cross ones mind cross - cross swords with cross - cross the floor cruel - a cruel blow cry - in full cry cudgel cudgel ones brain cudgel - take up cudgels curry - curry favour with cut - a cut above cut - cut a dash cut - cut and dried cut - cut and paste A list of hospital patients who are extremely ill or seriously injured and at risk of death Mutual misunderstanding due to each side referring to a different matter To draw or print two parallel lines across a cheque so that it can only be paid into a bank account. Cross one finger with another as a sign of hope that a good or the wished-for thing will happen. Make a sign of the cross over ones heart to emphasize what one is saying is true. Occur in ones thought. To have an argument or dispute with someone. Walk over to join the opposing side in Parliament. A tragic event that is so unfair and occurs so suddenly. In hot pursuit To think very hard about something. To start to fight for or defend something one strongly believes in. To bring oneself into favour with someone by flattering or pleasing them. Noticeably better than others. To appear attractive when one puts on particular clothes. (agreement, decision, etc.) reached and cannot be changed. In computing, remove text from one location to place

218. 219. 220. 221. 222. 223. 224. 225. 226. 227. 228. 229. 230. 231. 232. 233. 234. 235. 236. 237. 238. 239. 240. 241. 242. 243. 244. 245. 246.

it on another. cut - cut and run Withdraw from a situation that becomes difficult rather than attempt to cope with it. cut - cut and thrust Uncontrolled and rough environment. cut - cut both ways Have both good and bad sides cut - cut in line To jump queue. cut - cut it out Used to tell someone to stop saying or doing something. cut - cut no ice Will not be able to bring about change in someone. cut - cut somebody free/loose To set someone free by cutting the rope that binds them. cut - cut somebody short To stop someone from finishing what they are saying. cut - cut someone dead To deliberately ignore someone. cut - cut the cord To not continue depending on someone. cut - cut the crap Used to tell someone to stop wasting time on minor details and concentrate on the important ones. cut - cut the mustard To be good enough to reach certain standard. cute - get cute with To be mischievous. dagger at daggers drawn With mutual hatred. damnedest - do ones To try extremely hard to succeed or obtain something. damnedest damsel damsel in distress A young woman who needs to be rescued. dark in the dark In a state of ignorance. day day of reckoning The time when someone has to face up to the consequences of their actions. dead - be dead meat To be in serious trouble. dead dead and buried Over and finished, no longer worth considering. dead dead mans shoes Succeeding someone or inheriting his property is only possible on his death. dead dead on time At the stated or agreed time. deal - its a deal Used to express ones agreement to something. deal - strike a deal Mutually agree to do something for each other. death at deaths door So ill that one may die soon. death - on death row To be kept in the area of a prison where prisoners awaiting execution are confined. declare declare an interest To make known publicly that one holds an interest in something. decline someones Last years of ones life when one experiences declining years diminishing physical strength and good health. delusion delusions of Possessing a very strong sense of self-importance.

247. 248. 249. 250. 251. 252. 253. 254. 255. 256. 257. 258. 259. 260. 261. 262. 263. 264. 265. 266. 267. 268. 269. 270. 271. 272. 273. 274. 275.

grandeur dice dice with death dish dish the dirt

To place oneself in a rather risky position. To engage in casual conversation or idle gossip about other people. divide divide and rule To maintain control over people, and provoke dissent between them to ensure they do not rise in opposition. do do or die To persist in a course of action even if the outcome is death. do - dos and donts The things that one must and must not do in a given situation. do that does it! Used to show that one can tolerate no more. dog - a dogs age A very long time. dog - dog eat dog A situation in which people compete ruthlessly. dog going to the dogs Deteriorating with no possibility of improving. doing take some doing Involving hard work or much effort. domino - the domino effect A situation in which one event triggers similar events around it to happen successively. done - a done deal An agreed proposal or a completed business deal. done - the done thing To be socially acceptable. dot on the dot Punctually. dot to a dot Exactly; precisely. dotage in ones dotage In ones old age. double - at/on the double Very quickly. drag drag ones feet To be deliberately slow to do something. drain - down the drain Entirely wasted. draw - draw a blank To be unsuccessful, especially after searching for something such as evidence, etc. draw draw someones eye To make someone notice something. dress dress a salad Add a mixture of additional ingredients onto a salad. dress dressed to kill Quality clothes worn to make a striking impression. drop drop a bombshell To suddenly reveal a shocking piece of news. drop drop a clanger/brick To pass an embarrassing remark in a social environment. drop drop a hint To convey something in an indirect way by what one says or does. drop drop ones guard To cease keeping careful watch for possible danger. drown drown ones To forget ones problems by drinking a lot of alcohol. sorrows drum drum ones fingers To unconsciously display ones anxiety.

276. 277. 278. 279. 280. 281. 282. 283. 284. 285. 286. 287. 288. 289. 290. 291. 292. 293. 294. 295. 296. 297. 298. 299. 300.

due in due course due pay ones dues duff - up the duff dust dust and ashes early - an early grave early its early days earn earn ones keep earth go to earth eat eat humble pie eat - eat ones words economy economies of scale effect - to that effect empty empty your bowels end be the end end - days on end end end in itself (an) end end it all end end to end end in the end end make ends meet end - to that end end to this end even - get even with event - in any event event - in the event

At the appropriate time in the future. Make regular payments to; fulfil ones obligations. Pregnant. Something that causes great disappointment. Dying too soon. Early in time for something to happen, etc. To do enough work to justify what one receives in return. Go into hiding. Admit ones mistake and offer an apology. Retract ones statement, usually under pressure. To economic benefit of production of an item in large quantities. Getting the desired outcome or meaning. To defecate. Be the limit of what one can tolerate. Lasting many days. Something that one really wants to do, and not for other reasons. To kill own self; commit suicide. Arrange things in a row with ends touching Eventually; ultimately. To live within ones means. To aim at or achieve something. For this purpose. To inflict harm or insult on someone just as much as they have harmed or insulted you. Used to emphasize that an event will happen besides others that may happen. Used to emphasize what actually happened or might happen in a given situation.

4. Phrases and Idioms 301400 301. 302. 303. 304. 305. 306. ever ever and anon every every now and again every every now and then every every other every every so often every every Tom, Dick, and Occasionally; from time to time. Occasionally. Sometimes but not often. Each alternate item in a list of items. Occasionally; sometimes. Used to refer to ordinary people in general.

307. 308. 309. 310. 311. 312. 313. 314. 315. 316. 317. 318. 319. 320. 321. 322. 323. 324. 325. 326. 327. 328. 329. 330. 331. 332. 333. 334. 335. 336.

Harry every every which way evil - the evil eye

In all directions. A look from the evil eye according to old superstition is believed to cause considerable harm. eye - an eye for an eye Retaliation in kind as appropriate to deal with a wrong. eye be all eyes Be watching eagerly and attentively eye - catch someones eye To attract someones attention. eye close ones eyes To deliberately not notice something unpleasant. eye make eyes at To look at someone with sexual interest. eye open someones eyes To make someone aware of something. eye - the naked eye Seeing without using a telescope, microscope, etc eye to my eye In ones opinion with regards to how someone or something looks. eyeball - eyeball to eyeball Face to face with someone in a mutually angry or hostile way. face face the music Accept the consequences of something one has done. fact facts of life Information about sex. fair - fair and square Accurately; honestly and openly. fair - fairs fair Request for fair play or treatment, or a statement that something has been fair. fair - fair-weather friend A person whose friendship is not genuine, especially in times of crisis. fair - the fair sex Women. faith act of faith An action demonstrating trust. faith breach of faith Betrayal of trust; insincerity. faith in good faith With intention to be honest; sincerity. fall fall foul of To break a rule or law. fall fall from grace To stop being liked by others, especially those in authority. fall fall into line To conform to what is required of someone. fall fall into place To begin to become clear or make sense. fall fall short of To be less than the amount or standard required. fancy take someones fancy Make something attractive or interesting to someone. favour in favour of In support of or agree to something. feather feather in (ones) An achievement that one should be proud of. cap feel feel the pinch Experience difficulties, especially financial. fiddle play second fiddle To take a less important role.

337. 338. 339. 340. 341. 342. 343. 344. 345. 346. 347. 348. 349. 350. 351. 352. 353. 354. 355. 356. 357. 358. 359. 360. 361. 362. 363. 364. 365. 366. 367. 368. 369.

(to) fight fight or flight fight fight shy of fill fill someones shoes fill fill the bill find find favour with fine ones finest hour

Instinctive response to a threatening situation. To avoid doing or becoming involved with something. Substitute someones role and perform it acceptably. To have the qualities suitable for a particular purpose. To be liked or approved of. Time when someone experiences their greatest success. fire fire and brimstone Refers to hell. first at first light Dawn; daybreak. first first among equals The most outstanding one. first first and foremost The primary purpose of something. first first of all Before doing anything else. first first things first Dealing with things in or flat go flat against To completely disregard or reject outright. flesh flesh and blood Someone of ones own family. flesh - put flesh on To provide details so as to clarify. floor take the floor To dance or speak at a social event, etc. fly fly a kite To try out something new so as to test reaction. flying - with flying colours Very successfully. follow as follows To present a list of something. follow follow suit To do the same thing as someone has just done. follow follow the herd To just blindly do what other people do. foot - feet of clay Someone whose faults are not easily known. force by force of By means of. force come into force Start to operate. force force of circumstance External factors that influence ones decisions force force someones hand Exert pressure on someone to do something. force force the bidding To deliberately and quickly drive up a price force force the issue To pressure someone to make a hasty decision. force forces of darkness Evil influences or the devil. force forces of nature Natural forces such as the earthquakes, volcanoes, wind, etc. fortune a small fortune A large amount of money. fortune soldier of fortune A soldier who will fight in return for money; a mercenary. French take French leave To absent oneself form work, etc. without permission.

370. 371. 372. 373. 374. 375. 376. 377. 378. 379. 380. 381. 382. 383. 384. 385. 386. 387. 388. 389. 390. 391. 392.

full full steam ahead

393. 394. 395. 396.

To proceed or do something energetically and speedily. further - until further notice Until one is notified again. garbage garbage in, Inferior quality input will produce low quality output. garbage out gauntlet - run the gauntlet Take whatever criticisms or attacks that come ones way. get get a life. Used to tell someone that they are boring. go go for it Put in all ones effort to get something. go go without saying To be self-evident. go - have a go Make an attempt at something. go on the go On the move all the time. go who goes there? A sentrys challenge to someone to identify themselves. goalpost move the Alter the rules in an unfair manner. goalposts grade - make the grade To accomplish what is required. Succeed. grass the grass roots The ordinary people as opposed to the leaders in an organization. grease - grease someones To bribe someone. palm grease - like greased Extremely fast. lightning green - green with envy Very envious or jealous green - green-eyed monster Jealousy. green - have green fingers Clever at growing plants. grim like/for grim death With great determination. grind - the daily grind The monotonous work that one does every day. grit grit ones teeth To persevere in ones efforts to overcome something difficult. groan moan and groan Complain constantly. guard guard of honour A group of soldiers assembled to ceremonially welcome an important visitor, usually a foreign head of state. guard lower your guard Fail to give proper care or attention to. guess - be anybodys guess Something that no one knows but only guess at. guest - be my guest Used to express permission to someone to do what they have asked to do. guest guest of honour The most important person invited to a special function.

397. 398. 399. 400.

gun jump the gun gutter the gutter press hair - a hairs breath half - half a mind (to)

To act sooner than one should without considering the proper time to do it. Newspapers engaging in sensationalism and considered as fit only for the gutter A very small margin Used when one is unsure about doing something.

5. Phrases and Idioms 401500 401. 402. 403. 404. 405. 406. 407. 408. 409. 410. 411. 412. 413. 414. 415. 416. 417. 418. 419. 420. 421. 422. 423. 424. 425. 426. 427. hammer - hammer something To convey ones message across effectively by home speaking intelligibly. hammer - under the hammer Be for sale at an auction. hand - hand and hand Be involved with hand - hand in glove In close cooperation with someone in an illegal activity. hand - hand to mouth With just enough money and food to survive on. hand - hand-and-glove Inseparable or on intimate terms. hand lend a hand To help someone in doing something. hand out of hand Out of control. Immediately; without thinking. hang hang your head To look ashamed and guilty. hard be hard hit Adversely affected by something. hard - be hard on To be too strict or harsh on someone. hard be hard put To have difficulty doing something. hard - hard done by To be treated in an unfair or harsh manner. hard - hard luck story A story told to gain sympathy. hard - hard of hearing Having difficulty in hearing. hard hard to take Difficult to accept or believe. hard - no hard feelings No feelings of resentment. hard take something hard Feel very unhappy or disappointed about something. hard - the hard stuff Strong alcoholic drink hard times are hard Time when one has problems and difficulties. head - a clear head Being able to think clearly in a difficult situation. head - a head for An ability to tolerate something. head - come to a head Reach a crisis. head head over heels Madly in love with something. head head will roll Some people will be punished or dismissed. head keep ones head Remain calm. head lose ones head Lose self-control.

428. 429. 430. 431. 432. 433. 434. 435. 436. 437. 438. 439. 440. 441. 442. 443. 444. 445. 446. 447. 448. 449. 450. 451. 452. 453. 454. 455. 456. 457. 458. 459. 460.

heart break someones heart heart change of heart heart cross ones heart heart from the heart heart have the heart heart heart and soul heart heart of gold heart heart-to-heart heart learn by heart heart ones hearts desire heart open ones heart heart take to heart hearth hearth and home hedge hedge your bets

To make someone feel very sad.

Change in ones thinking. Used to make a promise. With the sincerest feeling. Show pity; be merciful. With all ones affections. A kind or generous nature. Frank, sincere (talk) Learn by memorizing. Someones greatest wish for something. To make known ones feelings or thoughts. Take something seriously. Ones home and family. Avoid total loss by placing similar bets on the other side. heel - take to (ones) heels Run away quickly. hell hell for leather At great speed. hell hell on earth A place that is extremely unpleasant. high have high hopes Confident of successful outcome. high - high and dry Left with nothing. high high and mighty Feeling self-important; arrogant. history history repeats itself Theres a tendency for events to happen again in a similar way. hit hit rock bottom To descend to the lowest level. hit hit it off To become friends in a natural way. hit hit the bottle To start to drink to excess. hit hit the jackpot To win a huge amount of money. hit hit the road Set forth on a journey hold hold a conversation To get engaged in a conversation with someone. hold hold ones horses To stop for some reason. hold hold ones own To do something or succeed without help from anyone. hold hold the fort To take over someones responsibility while they are away. hold hold the line To not yield; to wait until the other person is ready to answer ones telephone call. hold hold your fire Used to order soldiers to cease firing. hold no holds barred Without any restrictions or rules.

461. 462. 463. 464. 465. 466. 467. 468. 469. 470. 471. 472. 473. 474. 475. 476. 477. 478. 479. 480. 481.

holier holier than-thou home home and dry honour - do the honours

482. 483. 484. 485. 486. 487. 488. 489. 490. 491. 492.

Self-righteous. Having succeeded in getting something done. To do things such as serve food or drink at a social occasion. honour in honour of Used to show respect and admiration of someone. honour man of honour A man of high moral standards. honour on ones honour Under a moral duty to do something. honour on/upon my honour Used to express ones sincerity. hook - off the hook No longer in a difficult situation. hop on the hop Unprepared; busy. hope hope against hope Hope for something that probably will not happen. house house of God A church, a temple. house on the house A drink or meal paid for by the bar, restaurant, etc. management. human - the human touch A close relationship of communication or understanding. ice on thin ice In a risky situation. idea - get the idea To start to understand something idea - have no idea Have no knowledge of idea - thats the idea Thats exactly right ill ill at ease Feeling uncomfortable or embarrassed. ill speak ill of Say something bad about someone. immemorial since/from Starting from a time in the distant past which people time immemorial cannot now recall. influence - under the Affected by an effect or an imperceptible power influence exerted by someone or something that causes changes in conduct or the character. ins ins and outs The details of a system, workings, etc. inside on the inside Being able to provide internal information. issue die without issue To die without having any children. issue take issue with To dispute the truth or validity of. itchy have itchy feet Have the desire to travel or go somewhere. Jekyll Jekyll and Hyde A person having dual personalities, one good and one evil. job just the job The very job that is wanted. job on the job While doing work; being part of the work. join join forces Combine efforts for a common purpose. jump jump a light To drive past a red traffic light. jump jump for joy To be very excited and happy.

493. 494. 495. 496. 497. 498. 499. 500.

jump jump the gun jump jump the queue jump jump to conclusions key in/out of key kick kick a habit kick kick ones heels kick kick someone upstairs kick kick the bucket

To begin something without proper planning. Move ahead of other people in a queue. To form a quick opinion without considering the facts. In/not in agreement or harmony with. Stop doing something which one does habitually. To be kept waiting for a long time. Promote someone to an ostensibly higher and more influential position in a business. Die.

6. Phrases and Idioms 501600 501. 502. 503. 504. 505. 506. 507. 508. 509. 510. 511. 512. 513. 514. 515. 516. 517. 518. 519. 520. 521. 522. 523. killing - make a killing kind of a kind kiss kiss of death kiss kiss of life kiss kiss someones arse knife - under the knife knock knock it off know know by heart To make a large profit in a short time. Scarcely worthy of what is specified or described. A kindly act which produces negative outcome Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. To be excessively slavish or obedient to someone. Having a surgery. Used to tell someone to stop doing something. Have learned something by rote and now able to repeat it from memory. know know no bounds Have no limits. know know ones onions Be experienced in or knowledgeable about something. know know ones stuff Be fully acquainted with something. know know the ropes To have experience in or familiar with something. know know whats what Have the necessary experience, ability or knowledge to do something successfully. large - in large part/measure Mostly; to a great extent. latest - at the latest No later than the time referred to. law law and order A situation in which people are abiding by the law. lead lead someone astray To influence someone to act or behave in a wrong way. least at the very least At the minimum; adopting the most negative stance. least least of all Not less than; if nothing else; least not in the least Not at all. lend lend an/ones ear listen sympathetically to someone. lend lend weight to To put more value on something. letter - to the letter Pay close attention to every detail.

524.

liberty take liberties with

525. 526. 527. 528. 529. 530. 531. 532. 533. 534. 535. 536. 537. 538. 539. 540. 541. 542. 543. 544. 545. 546. 547. 548. 549. 550. 551. 552. 553. 554.

liberty take the liberty lick at a lick lick lick ones wounds lick lick someones boots lie lie in state life come to life life for dear life life full of life life larger than life life - way of life light bring/come to light light throw light on line - along party line line - bring into line line - fall into line line - in line with line - line of vision line - on the line line - out of line lip - pay lip service lip - read ones lips living - in living memory loiter loiter with intent long - at long last loose - on the loose lose lose ones mind lose lose sight of lost a lost cause lost - be lost on luck just my luck

To conduct oneself in an improper manner towards; to deal with rules, writing, etc. without due consideration to facts. To do something without permission. Very fast. To think carefully and seriously about ones defeat or disappointment that has just happened. More than willing to serve or please others. Display of an important deceased persons body in a public place for people to pay their last respect. To become exciting, or lively; to start working again. Do whatever one can to escape death. Very lively and happy. Someone who attracts a lot of attention due to an exceptional personal attribute they possess. The way people choose to live their lives. To make or become known. To clarify things by providing more or new information. Acting in accordance to the party one belongs to. To make to conform To conform to the way in which something is done. In accordance with The direction in which an observer looks. at serious risk, (job, etc.) likely to be lost. Behaving unacceptably or inappropriately. express support without action to show it. To listen carefully so as to understand what is said. That can still be remembered by people. Hang around a place with criminal intent. Finally; after a long time Having escaped from prison or cage. To become insane. No longer able to see someone or something; to forget something. Something that is not likely to be achieved. Refuse to appreciate or accept. Used to express disappointment that something bad has happened to one.

555. 556. 557. 558. 559. 560. 561. 562. 563. 564. 565. 566. 567. 568. 569. 570. 571. 572. 573. 574. 575. 576. 577. 578. 579. 580. 581. 582. 583.

luck out of luck luck press ones luck luck try ones luck make make away with make make or break man a mans man man be man enough man be someones man man - man about town man - man and wife (be) man - man of God man - man of letters man - man to man man - mans best friend man - to a man manner all manner of many - a good many many a great many many one too many mark leave/make its/a mark mark make ones mark mark mark my words mark near/close to the mark mark off/wide off the mark mark on your marks marked - a marked man marriage marriage of convenience marry marry a fortune marry marry into money

Suffering misfortune; having bad luck. Take unnecessary risks. To attempt something difficult and hope it will succeed. carry away secretly or illegally. To be a decisive factor in the success or failure of something or someone. A man who moves around and engages with other men at social functions and in manly activities. be strong or brave enough A man who satisfies fully someones requirement. A man who is socially active. To be married. A deeply religious man or a priest. A male writer. In direct and frank engagement between two men. A dog. Without exception. Many different kinds of. Quite a lot A fairly large number of. To be drunk. Leave a permanent or significant impression. Attain fame or distinction. Used to tell someone to be attentive to what one is saying. Almost accurate; almost on target. Not correct or inaccurate. Instruction to competitors to correctly position themselves to start a race. Someone who is in danger of being harmed by his enemy. Marriage for other reasons and not for love. Marry a rich heiress. Marry a wealthy person or someone from a wealthy family.

584. 585. 586. 587. 588. 589. 590. 591. 592. 593. 594. 595. 596. 597. 598. 599. 600.

matter - matter of fact (a) In reality; in fact. matter - no matter what One will do something regardless of what happens. means beyond ones means More than one can afford. means - by all means Of course. means by any means At all. means by means of By using something means by no means Not at all. means man/woman of Man/woman who is rich. means means within ones means Not more than one can afford. measure - for good measure Additional input to what is already enough or required. mend mend ones fences Make peace with someone whom one has offended. mend on the mend Improving in ones health or a situation. middle the middle ground Something which provides a basis for a discussion, negotiation, meeting, etc. to be carried out. might might is right Used to say powerful people/countries are free from prosecution/retaliation and so can do what they like mincemeat - make To defeat someone totally. mincemeat of mind a close mind (have) Not willing to consider new ideas. mind have in mind Plan, intend

7. Phrases and Idioms 601700 601. 602. 603. 604. 605. 606. 607. 608. 609. 610. 611. 612. 613. 614. mind - have someone in mind mind - in/of two minds (be) mind - mind over matter mind - of one mind (be) mind - of sound mind (be) mind - set your mind (on) mind - to my mind minute any minute now minute - by the minute mirror - a mirror of miss Miss Right miss miss the boat miss miss the point moment for the moment Thinking about someone. Unable to decide on something. The use of willpower to handle a difficult situation Decide unanimously or share the same opinion. Posses the ability to think clearly and act responsibly. To finally decide to do something. Used when expressing an opinion. Very soon. As time passes. A clear idea of something The young woman who would make an ideal wife. Fail to seize an apportunity. Fail to understand the main idea of what is being said. For now; for the time being.

615. 616. 617. 618. 619. 620. 621. 622. 623. 624. 625. 626. 627. 628. 629. 630. 631. 632. 633. 634. 635. 636. 637. 638. 639. 640. 641. 642. 643. 644. 645. 646. 647. 648.

moment have ones moments moment moment of truth moment of the moment moon over the moon more more and more more more or less mould - break the mould

Therere times when things are better than other times.

A time when an outcome of something is known. At the current time. Greatly delighted. Increasingly. Approximately. To change something completely by doing things differently. mouth be all mouth Not doing what one boastfully says one can do. mouth watch ones mouth To be careful of what one says. move - make a move To leave a place; to take action to achieve something. mover movers and shakers People who wield enormous power and influence. much - a bit much More than necessary; unfair or unreasonable. much not much of (a) Not a good example of. mug a mugs game Something that is likely to be unsuccessful nail on the nail Prompt payment of ones debt. name call someone names To verbally insult someone. name in name only Does not really exist but officially it is claimed to exist. near near at hand Within easy reach; in the immediate future. neck neck and neck Level in race, competition, etc. nerve bundle of nerves A very tense or worried person. nerve have a/the nerve To behave rudely or impudently towards someone. nerve lose ones nerve Deprived of the ability to be calm and confident. nerve touch a raw nerve Comment on something that someone is sensitive about. nerve war of nerves Use of hostile propaganda to undermine morale. never never day die Used to urge someone to refuse to despair or give up. never never you mind Used to dissuade someone from asking about something. next next to nothing Very little. nine nine days wonder Event, etc. that brings excitement for a short while. none none other than Introducing the surprising someone. none none the wiser Not knowing more at the end than at the beginning of something one does. nook nook and cranny Every part of something or a place. nothing come to nothing Wasted efforts with no effect or result to show. nothing have nothing on Be not wearing anything; be naked. nothing nothing doing Spoken when one refuses to do something.

649. 650. 651. 652. 653. 654. 655. 656. 657. 658. 659. 660. 661. 662. 663. 664. 665. 666. 667. 668. 669. 670. 671. 672. 673. 674. 675. 676. 677. 678. 679. 680. 681.

nothing nothing less than nothing nothing to it nothing stop at nothing nothing think nothing of now now and again now now and then now now now nuts nuts and bolts nutshell in a nutshell odds odds and ends old an old hand old old wives tale old - the old country old the old days old the old guard one one after another one one and only one one or two one - be as one one one and all one one by one open - an open invitation open an open mind open - be open with open in open court open in the open open the heavens opened order in order that order in order to order in short order order out of order other ones other half other the other place

Used to emphasize something that is especially relevant. Not requiring much effort. Not deterred by anything; having or showing no compassion or morality. To consider something as uninteresting or surprising. From time to time. Occasionally. To calm an angry or agitated person down. The practical details. Stating the main facts concisely. Various types of small items of low value Someone who has a lot of experience of something. A long held traditional belief that is now considered to be baseless. Ones country of birth and where one is no longer living in. Times or a period in the past. The original or conservative members of an organization, club, party, etc. One by one. Someone who is known to all; unique. A few, a small number of. To agree about something. Everyone. Someone or something that moves singly in succession. East accessibility to people to visit, to steal, etc. A mind accessible to new arguments or ideas. Speak frankly to. In a court of law that is open to the public. Outdoors. It began to rain heavily. So that. With the purpose of doing Without delay; immediately. No longer working/working properly. Ones spouse. The other world.

682. 683. 684. 685. 686. 687. 688. 689. 690. 691. 692. 693. 694. 695. 696. 697. 698. 699. 700.

other in other words other the other woman out out and about out out with it out out-and-out outside - an outside chance outside - at the outside outside - on the outside over over against over over and above over over and out over over and over over over the hill over over the moon pace keep pace with pain - for ones pains pain on/under pain of pair - the happy pair part part and parcel

Used to make an idea, etc. easier to understand. A married mans mistress. Go about ones routine. Used to tell someone to say out what they are thinking. Utter, complete A small possibility of something happening. At the most. The outward appearance of a person. Adjacent to; compare to; in contrast to. In addition to. Used to indicate one has finished transmitted a message. Repeatedly. No longer young; past ones prime of life and beginning to decline. Every happy or delighted. Move or advance at the same rate. For ones efforts in doing something but not getting a fair return. On/under punishment of. Newly married couple. Essential part of

8. Phrases and Idioms 701800 701. 702. 703. 704. 705. 706. 707. 708. 709. 710. 711. 712. past - A shady past pay pay ones respects pay pay ones way payment payment in kind peace hold ones peace peace keep the peace peace make ones peace peace rest in peace per - as per usual pick pick a fight pick pick a lock pick pick holes in A past that one had committed a criminal or immoral act and is best kept secret. Show ones polite consideration by calling or visiting. To finance ones own cost or expenses. Using goods or services instead of money as settlement Remain silent, even under provocation. To maintain law and order. Restore friendly relations with someone after a personal dispute. Used in funeral service as part of a prayer. As usual. Force a fight. Use something other than the key to open a lock. Criticize adversely; find fault with.

713. 714. 715. 716. 717. 718. 719. 720. 721. 722. 723. 724. 725. 726. 727. 728. 729. 730. 731. 732. 733. 734. 735. 736. 737. 738. 739. 740. 741. 742. 743. 744. 745.

pick pick ones nose pick pick ones teeth

To remove mucus from ones nose with ones finger. To remove bits of food from ones teeth with something pointed. pick pick someones pocket To steal secretly from someones pocket. pity - for pitys sake Used to show ones growing irritation. plate on a plate Getting something without working for it. plate on ones plate Having so much to occupy ones time. play come into play To have significant effect. play out of play When a ball goes out of the allowed area of play. play play for time To gain time by employing delaying tactics. play play it cool To behave in a relaxed or unconcerned manner. play play it safe Avoid taking unnecessary risks. play play on words To make use of ambiguous words to amuse or confuse. play play second fiddle Play a subordinate role. play play the fool Acting in a silly way. play play with fire Do something that could have serious consequences. plunge take the plunge To finally commit oneself to doing something after much hesitation. point - belabour the point Discuss at length. point - beside the point Irrelevant; not important. point case in point An example used to clarify the topic being discussed. point point the finger To openly accuse, blame or implicate someone. poke poke fun at Make fun of or ridicule someone. pole - be poles apart Entirely different from each other. poor the poor mans .. An inferior or cheaper substitute for someone or something as mentioned. pop - pop the question To propose marriage to someone. pot-luck - take pot-luck Be willing to take or eat whatever is available. pound pound of flesh Something thats ones entitled but which will make them to suffer to demand. practice practice makes Perfection comes from habitual doing of something. perfect premium at a premium Not readily available; at a higher than usual price. press go to press To get something printed. press at the press In the process of printing. press off the press Printed; issued. press press the flesh To shake hands with people press send to press Send to be printed.

746. 747. 748. 749. 750. 751. 752. 753. 754. 755. 756. 757. 758. 759. 760. 761. 762. 763. 764. 765. 766. 767. 768. 769. 770. 771. 772. 773. 774. 775. 776. 777. 778.

pressed pressed for time price at any price prick prick of conscience print appear in print print out of print proportion out of proportion proportion sense of proportion puck pluck a pigeon pull pull ones face pull pull ones punches pull pull ones rank pull pull someones leg pull pull the plug pure pure and simple push - at a push push push ones luck quite - not quite rack rack and ruin raise raise the dust rank rank and file ransom - a kings ransom rate - at this rate raw in the raw read - a good read ready - at the ready record - for the record record off/on the record red - in the red red red letter day red - the red planet regard in this regard regard with regard to rein take the reins

Not having enough time. Regardless of the risk involved or what may happen. Feeling of deep regret or guilt for a wrong committed. Have ones work published. No longer available in printed form. More than what it should be; exaggerated. The ability to judge the relative importance of things. To rob a foolish or gullible person. Change ones facial expression to reflect ones feelings. To be less forceful, harsh, etc. than one is capable. Abuse ones senior position to exact obedience, etc. To playfully cause someone to believe something that is not true. Prevent something from continuing. Absolutely by itself, nothing short of. With difficulty but can be done. To assume one will continue to be successful. Not completely or totally. Deteriorate due to neglect. To cause a disturbance. Ordinary members of an organization. A huge amount of money. If things continue to happen in this way In its realistic state; naked. Something that people enjoy reading. Available to put into immediate service. For something to be recorded and remembered. Not made/made as official record. To have no money in ones account. A special day that makes you very happy. Mars Connected with something mentioned previously or just said. Referring to something one is speaking or writing about. Take over the responsibility.

779. 780. 781. 782. 783. 784. 785. 786. 787. 788. 789. 790. 791. 792. 793. 794. 795. 796. 797. 798. 799. 800.

reinvent reinvent the wheel respect in respect of respect with respect to rest rest on oars rest rest ones case ride be riding high ride ride herd on ride ride roughshod over right as of right right - right-hand man right the right stuff rise give rise to rise on the rise rise rise and shine risk risk ones neck risk run the risk rock on the rocks rock rock the boat root - put down roots rope know the ropes rough a rough diamond rough in the rough

To waste time in devising what is already in existence. Concerning; with reference to; in relation to. Referring to. Rest after a spell of labour. End ones presentation of evidence in a court of law. Successful and popular. Keep watch over. Treat someone without consideration of their feelings. It is ones right. An important assistant. The necessary or required qualities. Cause something to happen. Increasing in value, success, prices, etc. Get out of bed early and quickly. To do something that involves the possibility of being killed. Expose to the possibility of something dangerous or unpleasant happening. Fraught with problems and is likely to fail. To disrupt the existing situation. To become settled in a place. Know all of something through experience A person who is of good character but lacks good manners. In a natural or difficult state

8. Phrases and Idioms 701800 701. 702. 703. 704. 705. 706. 707. 708. 709. past - A shady past pay pay ones respects pay pay ones way payment payment in kind peace hold ones peace peace keep the peace peace make ones peace peace rest in peace per - as per usual A past that one had committed a criminal or immoral act and is best kept secret. Show ones polite consideration by calling or visiting. To finance ones own cost or expenses. Using goods or services instead of money as settlement Remain silent, even under provocation. To maintain law and order. Restore friendly relations with someone after a personal dispute. Used in funeral service as part of a prayer. As usual.

710. 711. 712. 713. 714. 715. 716. 717. 718. 719. 720. 721. 722. 723. 724. 725. 726. 727. 728. 729. 730. 731. 732. 733. 734. 735. 736. 737. 738. 739. 740. 741. 742.

pick pick a fight pick pick a lock pick pick holes in pick pick ones nose pick pick ones teeth

Force a fight. Use something other than the key to open a lock. Criticize adversely; find fault with. To remove mucus from ones nose with ones finger. To remove bits of food from ones teeth with something pointed. pick pick someones pocket To steal secretly from someones pocket. pity - for pitys sake Used to show ones growing irritation. plate on a plate Getting something without working for it. plate on ones plate Having so much to occupy ones time. play come into play To have significant effect. play out of play When a ball goes out of the allowed area of play. play play for time To gain time by employing delaying tactics. play play it cool To behave in a relaxed or unconcerned manner. play play it safe Avoid taking unnecessary risks. play play on words To make use of ambiguous words to amuse or confuse. play play second fiddle Play a subordinate role. play play the fool Acting in a silly way. play play with fire Do something that could have serious consequences. plunge take the plunge To finally commit oneself to doing something after much hesitation. point - belabour the point Discuss at length. point - beside the point Irrelevant; not important. point case in point An example used to clarify the topic being discussed. point point the finger To openly accuse, blame or implicate someone. poke poke fun at Make fun of or ridicule someone. pole - be poles apart Entirely different from each other. poor the poor mans .. An inferior or cheaper substitute for someone or something as mentioned. pop - pop the question To propose marriage to someone. pot-luck - take pot-luck Be willing to take or eat whatever is available. pound pound of flesh Something thats ones entitled but which will make them to suffer to demand. practice practice makes Perfection comes from habitual doing of something. perfect premium at a premium Not readily available; at a higher than usual price. press go to press To get something printed. press at the press In the process of printing.

743. 744. 745. 746. 747. 748. 749. 750. 751. 752. 753. 754. 755. 756. 757. 758. 759. 760. 761. 762. 763. 764. 765. 766. 767. 768. 769. 770. 771. 772. 773. 774. 775. 776.

press off the press press press the flesh press send to press pressed pressed for time price at any price prick prick of conscience print appear in print print out of print proportion out of proportion proportion sense of proportion puck pluck a pigeon pull pull ones face pull pull ones punches pull pull ones rank pull pull someones leg pull pull the plug pure pure and simple push - at a push push push ones luck quite - not quite rack rack and ruin raise raise the dust rank rank and file ransom - a kings ransom rate - at this rate raw in the raw read - a good read ready - at the ready record - for the record record off/on the record red - in the red red red letter day red - the red planet regard in this regard

Printed; issued. To shake hands with people Send to be printed. Not having enough time. Regardless of the risk involved or what may happen. Feeling of deep regret or guilt for a wrong committed. Have ones work published. No longer available in printed form. More than what it should be; exaggerated. The ability to judge the relative importance of things. To rob a foolish or gullible person. Change ones facial expression to reflect ones feelings. To be less forceful, harsh, etc. than one is capable. Abuse ones senior position to exact obedience, etc. To playfully cause someone to believe something that is not true. Prevent something from continuing. Absolutely by itself, nothing short of. With difficulty but can be done. To assume one will continue to be successful. Not completely or totally. Deteriorate due to neglect. To cause a disturbance. Ordinary members of an organization. A huge amount of money. If things continue to happen in this way In its realistic state; naked. Something that people enjoy reading. Available to put into immediate service. For something to be recorded and remembered. Not made/made as official record. To have no money in ones account. A special day that makes you very happy. Mars Connected with something mentioned previously or just said.

777. 778. 779. 780. 781. 782. 783. 784. 785. 786. 787. 788. 789. 790. 791. 792. 793. 794. 795. 796. 797. 798. 799. 800.

regard with regard to

Referring to something one is speaking or writing about. rein take the reins Take over the responsibility. reinvent reinvent the wheel To waste time in devising what is already in existence. respect in respect of Concerning; with reference to; in relation to. respect with respect to Referring to. rest rest on oars Rest after a spell of labour. rest rest ones case End ones presentation of evidence in a court of law. ride be riding high Successful and popular. ride ride herd on Keep watch over. ride ride roughshod over Treat someone without consideration of their feelings. right as of right It is ones right. right - right-hand man An important assistant. right the right stuff The necessary or required qualities. rise give rise to Cause something to happen. rise on the rise Increasing in value, success, prices, etc. rise rise and shine Get out of bed early and quickly. risk risk ones neck To do something that involves the possibility of being killed. risk run the risk Expose to the possibility of something dangerous or unpleasant happening. rock on the rocks Fraught with problems and is likely to fail. rock rock the boat To disrupt the existing situation. root - put down roots To become settled in a place. rope know the ropes Know all of something through experience rough a rough diamond A person who is of good character but lacks good manners. rough in the rough In a natural or difficult state

9. Phrases and Idioms 801900 801. 802. 803. 804. 805. 806. 807. rough rough and ready round go the rounds round in round figures round round of applause round round someone up rub rub ones hands rub rub shoulders with Simple or crude but effective. To pass from one person to another. Express exact numbers as the nearest whole numbers. Audience or people are clapping to show their appreciation of something. To gather together a number of people Indicate personal satisfaction with what one has done or what has happened. Come into contact with.

808. 809. 810. 811. 812. 813. 814. 815. 816. 817. 818. 819. 820. 821. 822. 823. 824. 825. 826. 827. 828. 829. 830. 831. 832. 833. 834. 835. 836. 837. 838. 839.

rule - as a rule rule - rule of law rule - rule of thumb rule - rule the roost runner - do a runner running in running order running in/out of the running rush rush ones fences sad sadder but wiser safety safety in numbers salt - worth ones salt same same to you save save ones breath save save ones skin save save the day scene - behind the scenes scene hit the scene scene not ones scene score on that score score settle a score scrape - in a scrape scrape - scrape the barrel scratch - scratch a living scratch scratch ones head scratch scratch the surface scratch - up to scratch second - second to none seller - a sellers market sense make sense of serve serve a sentence serve serve ones country serve serve someone right

Usually the case; usually true. Situation in which everyone is subject to and abides by the law. A rough guide based on experience rather than theory. To be in control. To flee the scene so as to escape from or avoid something. Sequence in which events are arranged to take place. In/no longer in a contest. Do something hurriedly Learn something after its effect has become clear or understood. Used to mean less danger in a lot of animals, people, etc. being together. Good at ones job. May you have the same thing. Not worth saying anything. Look after ones own safety. Solve a problem. In secret away from public view. To arrive; appear. Not something someone is interested in. Concerning something just mentioned. To inflict revenge on someone who has caused an injury or harm to oneself. In difficulty. Using the last, remaining, low quality of resources. Manage with just enough to survive on. Be confused, seeking a solution. Deal with a matter but not thoroughly enough. Good enough to meet a certain standard. The best. Situation in which demand of goods and shares is more than supply, and prices are generally high. To find or seek out the meaning of something Spend a period of time in a prison. To fight for ones country. Someone who deserves the punishment or misfortune.

840. 841. 842. 843. 844. 845. 846. 847. 848. 849. 850. 851. 852. 853. 854. 855. 856. 857. 858. 859. 860. 861. 862. 863. 864. 865. 866. 867. 868. 869. 870. 871.

service - be of service set be set on shadow shadow of death shelf - off the shelf shelf - on the shelf shit - be shitting bricks shit full of shit shit in the shit shoestring - on a shoestring short in short supply short short of breath shot a long shot shot a parting shot shoulder shoulder to shoulder sick sick to death sight at first sight sight raise ones sights sinew -sinews of war six - sixes and sevens, at skin - skin and bone, be skin - skin someone alive sleep put to sleep sleep sleep a wink sleep sleep on it slip let something slip slip slip a disc slip slip of the tongue slip slip ones mind/memory slog - slog it out sly on the sly smell - smell a rat snap in a snap

Be available to help if help is needed. To be very determined about doing something. Intense gloom or peril. Ready for purchase without having to place an order. No longer useful or desirable; too old to get married. To be in an extreme anxious and frightened state. Use to describe what someone says is stupid. To be in deep trouble. Cheaply, without spending much money. Insufficient to meet the demand of a commodity, etc. Breathing with short, quick breaths. A poor guess or attempt at something A remark that one makes before leaving. Together with mutual cooperation and support. Extremely fed up and annoyed by constant exposure to something. First impression conveyed by something; when first seen. Aim to achieve something. Money. In a disorganized and confused state. Very thin. To mete out very harsh punishment to someone. To administer drug or anaesthetic to someone to make them unconscious; to kill an animal painlessly. Sleep for a brief moment. To defer (a decision, etc.) to a later date. To accidentally make known information that is meant to be kept secret. Suffer intense pain when a piece of the series of small bones forming the backbone becomes displaced. Make a mistake when speaking. To forget to do something. To battle or compete fiercely for something. Secretly; done in a surreptitious way. To detect something suspicious. In a moment, immediately.

872. 873. 874. 875. 876. 877. 878. 879. 880. 881. 882. 883. 884. 885. 886. 887. 888. 889. 890. 891. 892. 893. 894. 895. 896. 897. 898. 899. 900.

son son of a bitch

Used to show total disrespect for or address someone in an insulting and offensive way. son son of a gun Used to refer to someone. sort a sort of To not exactly describe someone or something. sort in some sort To a certain extent. sort of a sort/of sorts Of an inferior or unusual kind, not worthy of its name. sort - out of sorts Not in ones normal good health. sort sort of To some extent; partly. spare spare no expense To use unlimited amount of money as is required. sparks spark will fly There will be a heated exchange. speak on speaking terms Slightly acquainted. speak so to speak Not exactly as it means; in some sense. speak speak evil/ill/well of To refer unfavourably/criticize/praise speak speak ones mind To express freely exactly what one thinks. spick - spick and span Completely clean and tidy. spill spill ones guts Reveal willingly much information about something. spill spill the beans To accidentally make known what is previously unknown or secret information. spin spin a story/yarn Tell an untrue story to deceive someone. split a split second An extremely brief moment of time. split split ones sides Laugh hysterically. sport - be a sport Used when seeking favour of someone. spout - up the spout Unsuccessful, wasted; pregnant. spread spread ones wings To expand ones knowledge, experience, or interest staff - staff of life Staple food, especially bread. stand I stand corrected Ready to admit ones view or judgement is wrong. stand stand in line Queue up. stand stand ones ground Stick resolutely to ones opinion, etc. start for a start To begin with. start to start with To deal with the first thing or first part of something. state state of affairs Situation.

10. Phrases and Idioms 9011000 901. 902. 903. 904. state state of emergency state state of grace state state of mind stay stay of execution Dangerous situation in which a government assumes absolute power. Having been forgiven for sins committed while alive. The way one feels. A delay in obeying a judicial order.

905. 906. 907. 908. 909. 910. 911. 912. 913. 914. 915. 916. 917. 918. 919. 920. 921. 922. 923. 924. 925. 926. 927. 928. 929. 930. 931. 932. 933. 934.

stay stay the course

To endure in spite of difficulties to the end of a race, etc. steal steal a kiss To kiss someone who has not expected it. steal - steal a march To start earlier so as to gain an advantage over others. steal steal someones heart Win someones love. steal steal someones To pre-empt someones action to achieve or impress thunder by acting first so as to gain praise or attention. steal steal the show To divert praise and attention to oneself. steam get/pick up steam To gradually gather momentum. steam let off steam Get rid of excess strong emotion by doing vigorous activity. steer steer clear of To avoid or ignore someone or something. stiff stiff upper lip Uncomplaining or showing courage in difficult situation. stock on the stocks Under construction; in preparation. stock out of stock Not immediately available for sale or distribution. stock take stock of Review or assess a situation. stomach - a strong stomach Able to see or do unpleasant things without feeling sick or upset. stone - a stones throw A very short distance away (away) strapped strapped for cash Not having or short of money. straw - the last straw The last of a series of problems which becomes unbearable making one give up, react, etc. stretch at a stretch Continuously without a pause or break. stretch at full stretch Using everything that one has stretch stretch a point To do or go beyond the usual limit. strike strike the eye To become particularly noticeable. striking within striking Close to something or an achievement. distance string pull the strings To be in control of affairs, events, etc. strong ones strong point Something that one is very good at. sundry - all and sundry Everyone. swallow swallow ones Do what one feels uncomfortable or embarrassed to do pride by intentionally disregarding ones feelings. swing in full swing Reaching the highest point of activity. swing swing the balance Influence the result of something. sword sword of Damocles Constant threat or danger. sync in/out of sync Working well/badly together.

935. 936. 937. 938. 939. 940. 941. 942. 943. 944. 945. 946. 947. 948. 949. 950. 951. 952. 953. 954. 955. 956. 957. 958. 959. 960. 961. 962. 963. 964. 965. 966.

table - turn the tables table - under the table take on the take take take a joke take take ones time take take that talk - be all talk talk now youre talking talk talk sense into talk talk the talk test test the water thin thin on top thrill thrills and spills thumb - under someones thumb tickle - be tickled pink tickle tickle someones fancy time - ahead of time time behind the times time - take ones time time time will tell tit - tit for tat tongue hold ones tongue tongue tongue in cheek tongues - speak in tongues tooth - tooth and nail toss give a toss toss take a toss toss toss ones cookies touch out of touch touch touch a nerve touch - touch-and-go track keep track of

Turn a disadvantage into an advantage Illegal and secret payment of money in exchange of a favour; bribery. Taking bribes. Able to tolerate being teased or made fun of. Not acting hurriedly. Used to say to someone when hitting them. Much talking, without action, about doing something. Used to express agreement with someones good idea. To persuade someone to be sensible. To convince, persuade or impress by talking. To seek opinions, views or feelings before taking action. Balding. Exciting and pleasant experience. Under someones domination or influence. To be extremely amused or pleased. To make someone interested in something. Happens sooner than expected or the scheduled time. Not aware of or using the latest ideas or techniques. Not in a hurry. The result or the truth will be known in the future. Retaliation against someone who has done something bad to you. To stop or told to stop speaking. With humorous insincerity. Speak in an unknown language during a religious worship. With all ones might Care about something at all. Fall off a horse. Vomit. Not having good understanding of something; lacking up-to-date information. To bring up a sensitive subject. A situation with a possible but uncertain outcome. Follow development of; to be fully aware of

967. 968. 969. 970. 971. 972. 973. 974. 975. 976. 977. 978. 979. 980. 981. 982. 983. 984. 985. 986. 987. 988. 989. 990. 991. 992. 993. 994. 995. 996. 997. 998.

something. track off the track Derailed; deviated from the subject in question. trail trail ones coat Deliberately provoke a quarrel or fight. trial trial and error Make repeated attempts or conduct varied experiments until the most successful one is determined. trice in a trice Very quickly. tried tried and tested A successfully proven way of doing something. true out of true Not accurately or exactly positioned or out of alignment. true true to form Matching ones expectation. true true to life Matching reality. turn - at every turn All the time; every time. two two cents worth Someones opinion. up - be up on To be well informed about something. upper - on ones uppers Very poor. use use and wont Established custom. vale - vale of tears This world as regarded as a place of great sorrow and difficulties. walk walk of life The type of job a person does. walk walk on eggshells To exercise utmost caution in ones words and actions. walk walk ones talk Used to mean ones actions must suit ones words. wanting - be found wanting Discovered to be inadequate for a particular purpose. wear - wear the breeches Domination of the husband by the wife. wet wet ones pants Become extremely excited or scared. wet - wet ones whistle To have an alcoholic drink. wheel behind the wheel driving a vehicle. wheel wheel and deal Involve in unscrupulous political or commercial schemes. wheel wheels within Situation of extreme complexity. wheels wild in the wild In an uncultivated or uninhabited region; a wilderness. wild wild and woolly Lacking good manners wild - wild goose chase Hunt for something that does not exist or is not worth hunting for. win win the day Be victorious in a battle, argument, etc. wink in a wink Very quickly; any moment now. word - a good word Words in commendation of someone. word - have a word To speak briefly. word - word of honour Binding engagement or a promise.

999. 1000.

word - words fail me world the outside world

Too shocked or surprised to say anything. Existing away from a place or area; the rest of the world.

1. Proverbs and Expressions 1-100 1. A bad excuse is better than none. 2. A bad workman blames his tools. 3. A bird in hand is worth two in the bush. 4. A bully is always a coward. 5. A burnt child dreads fire. 6. A cat has nine lives. 7. A chip off the old block. 8. A cold hand and a warm heart. 9. A drowning man will clutch at a straw. 10. A fool and his money are soon parted. 11. A friend in need is a friend indeed. 12. A friend to all is a friend to none. 13. A good tale is none the worse for being told twice. 14. A good wife makes a good husband. 15. A guilty conscience needs no accuser. 16. A heavy purse makes a light heart. 17. A hungry man is an angry man. 18. A lion may be beholden to a mouse. 19. A little help is worth a lot of pity. 20. A man is as old as he feels; a woman is as old as she looks. 21. A man is known by the company he keeps. 22. A man of words and not of deeds is like a garden full of weeds. 23. A miss is as good as a mile. 24. A penny saved is a penny gained. 25. A rolling stone gathers no moss. 26. A small leak will sink a great ship. 27. A stitch in time saves nine. 28. A watched pot never boils. 29. A wolf in sheep's clothing. 30. A woman's work is never done. 31. A word spoken is past recalling. 32. A work ill done must be done twice. 33. A young man should not marry yet, an old man not at all. 34. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. 35. Actions speak louder than words. 36. All that glitters is not gold. 37. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. 38. All's well that ends well. 39. An apple a day keeps the doctor away. 40. An empty bag will not stand upright. 41. An Englishman's home is his castle.

42. Any time means no time. 43. As you make your bed, so must you lie on it 44. As you sow, so you shall reap. 45. Ask much to get little. 46. Ask no questions and you'll be told (or hear) no lies. 47. Barking dogs seldom bite. 48. Barking up the wrong tree. 49. Be born with a silver spoon in your mouth 50. Be content. The sea hath fish enough. 51. Be just to all, but trust not all. 52. Beat about the bush. 53. Beauty is but skin-deep. 54. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 55. Beggars must not be choosers. 56. Better a devil you know than a devil you don't know. 57. Better an empty house than a bad tenant. 58. Better an old man's darling than a young man's slave. 59. Better be born lucky than rich. 60. Better do it than wish it done. 61. Better late than never. 62. Between the devil and the deep blue sea. 63. Birds of a feather flock together. 64. Bite off more than one can chew. 65. Blood is thicker than water. 66. Blow one's own trumpet. 67. Born with a silver spoon in the mouth. 68. Boys will be boys. 69. Burn the candle at both ends. 70. Business is business. 71. Call no man happy until he dies. Because anything may happen in life. 72. Careless shepherds make many a feast for the wolf. 73. Cast no dirt into the well that gives you water. 74. Cast pearls before swine 75. Charity begins at home. 76. Christmas comes but once a year. 77. Civility costs nothing. 78. Cleanliness is next to godliness. 79. Cross the bridge only when you come to it. 80. Curiosity killed a cat. 81. Cut your coat according to your cloth. 82. Dead men tell no tales. 83. Death pays all debts. 84. Desires are nourished by delays. 85. Desperate diseases need desperate remedies. 86. Diamond cut diamond. (One cunning person is a match for another.) 87. Discretion is the better part of valour.

88. Don't build your castles in the air. 89. Don't count your chickens before they are hatched. 90. Don't cry out before you're hurt. 91. Don't cry over spilt milk. 92. Don't halloo till you're out of the wood. 93. Don't judge a book by its cover. 94. Don't meet trouble half-way. 95. Don't put all your eggs in one basket. 96. Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. 97. East, west, home's best. 98. Easy come, easy go. 99. Eat to live; do not live to eat. 100. Empty vessels make the most noise. 2. Proverbs and Expressions 101-200 101. Enjoy the present. 102. Every cloud has a silver lining. 103. Every dog has its day. 104. Every Jack has his Jill. 105. Every little helps. 106. Every man for himself, and God for us all. 107. Every man has his faults. 108. Every man is the architect of his own fortune. 109. Every time a sheep baas, he loses a bite. (Said to children who talk too much at meals.) 110. Everybody's business is nobody's business. 111. Everything must have a beginning. 112. Faint heart never won fair lady. 113. Fair exchange is no robbery. 114. Familiarity breeds contempt. 115. Few words are best. 116. Fire is a good servant but a bad master. 117. First come, first served. 118. First deserve and then desire. 119. Forgive and forget. 120. Fortune favours the brave. 121. Fortune knocks once at every man's door. 122. Gentle in manner, but resolute in action. 123. God helps those who help themselves. 124. Good masters make good servants. 125. Good people are scarce. 126. Great minds think alike. 127. Half a loaf is better than no bread. 128. Handsome is as handsome does. 129. Hard words break no bones. 130. Hasty climbers have sudden falls. 131. Have an axe to grind. 132. He who laughs last laughs best.

133. He who pays the piper may call the tune. 134. He who will not when he may, when he will he shall have nay. 135. He who would the daughter win, must with the mother first begin. 136. Heads I win, tails you lose. 137. Hear the other side. 138. Here today and gone tomorrow. 139. His bark is worse than his bite. 140. His bread is buttered on both sides. 141. History repeats itself. 142. Hit the nail on the head. 143. Honesty is the best policy. 144. Hope for the best and prepare for the worst. 145. Hunger is the best sauce. 146. If at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again! 147. If the cap fits, wear it. 148. If the mountain will not come to Mohammed, Mohammed must go to the mountain. 149. If wishes were horses, beggars would ride. 150. If you desire peace, prepare for war. 151. If you want a thing well done, do it yourself. 152. Ill news travels fast. 153. Ill-gotten gains never prosper. 154. In at one ear, out at the other. 155. In the country of the blind the one-eyed is king. 156. It never rains but it pours. 157. It takes all sorts to make a world. 158. It takes two to make a quarrel. 159. It's an ill bird that fouls its own nest. 160. It's an ill wind that blows nobody any good. 161. It's easy to be wise after the event. 162. It's good fishing in troubled waters. 163. It's love that makes the world go round. 164. It's never too late to mend. 165. It's no use crying over spilt milk. 166. Jack of all trades and master of none. 167. Keep a thing seven years, and you'll find a use for it. 168. Keep not ill men company, lest you increase the number. 169. Keep your shop and your shop will keep you. 170. Kill the goose that lays the golden egg. 171. Kindle not a fire that you cannot extinguish. 172. Kindnesses, like grain, increase by sowing. 173. Know thyself. 174. Knowledge is a treasure, but practice is the key to it. 175. Knowledge is power. 176. Laugh and grow fat. 177. Least said soonest mended. 178. Lend your money and lose your friend.

179. Let bygones be bygones. 180. Let sleeping dogs lie. 181. Let well alone. 182. Like father, like son. 183. Listeners hear no good of themselves. 184. Little boys should be seen and not heard. 185. Little strokes fell great oaks. 186. Little things please little minds. 187. Live and learn. 188. Live and let live. 189. Look before you leap. 190. Look on the bright side. 191. Love and a cough cannot be hid. 192. Love begets love. 193. Love is blind. 194. Love me little, love me long. 195. Lucky at cards, unlucky in love. 196. Make hay while the sun shines. 197. Make the best of a bad bargain. 198. Man proposes; God disposes. 199. Manners makyth man. 200. Many hands make light work. 3. Proverbs and Expressions 201-300 201. Marriage is a lottery. 202. Marriages are made in Heaven. 203. Marry in haste, repent in leisure. 204. Marry your son when you will, your daughter when you can. 205. Might is right. 206. Misfortunes never come singly. 207. Moderation in all things. 208. Money begets money. 209. Money talks. 210. More haste less speed. 211. More than enough is too much. 212. Nature abhors a vacuum. 213. Necessity is the mother of invention. 214. Never do things by halves. 215. Never judge by appearances. 216. Never put off till tomorrow what can be done today. 217. Never too late to learn. 218. Never trouble trouble till trouble troubles you. 219. New brooms sweep clean. 220. New wine in old bottle. 221. No gains without pains. 222. No man is wise at all times. 223. No news is good news.

224. No smoke without fire. 225. No time like the present. 226. None so blind as those who won't see. 227. Nothing comes of nothing. 228. Nothing have, nothing crave. 229. Nothing is certain but death and the taxes. 230. Nothing succeeds like success. 231. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. 232. Nothing's so bad that it mightn't be worse. 233. Of two evils, choose the lesser. 234. Once bitten, twice shy. 235. Once in a blue moon. 236. Once seen, never forgotten. 237. One cannot be in two places at once. 238. One good turn deserves another. 239. One half of the world does not know how the other half lives. 240. One has to retreat to jump better. 241. One hour's sleep before midnight is worth two after. 242. One law for the rich, and another for the poor. 243. One man's meat is another man's poison. 244. One must draw the line somewhere. 245. One nail drives out another. 246. One swallow does not make a summer. 247. Opportunity makes the thief. 248. Out of debt, out of danger. 249. Out of sight, out of mind. 250. Out of the frying-pan into the fire. 251. Pardon all men, but never thyself. 252. Penny wise, pound foolish. 253. People who live in glass houses should not throw stones. 254. Poverty is no sin. 255. Poverty is not a shame, but the being ashamed of it is. 256. Practice makes perfect. 257. Practise what you preach. 258. Prevention is better than cure. 259. Pride goes before a fall. 260. Procrastination is the thief of time. 261. Promises are like pie-crust, made to be broken. 262. Rare commodities are worth more than good. 263. Rashness is not valour. 264. Rather go to bed supperless than rise in debt. 265. Rats desert a sinking ship. 266. Reason governs the wise men and cudgels the fool. 267. Reason teaches young men to live well, and prepares old men to die well. 268. Repentance comes too late. 269. Respect the man, he will do the more.

270. Revenge is sweet. 271. Robbing Peter to pay Paul. 272. Rome was not built in a day. 273. Say only good things of the dead. 274. Saying is one thing; doing another. 275. Second thoughts are best. 276. Seeing is believing. 277. Self-preservation is nature's first law. 278. Set a thief to catch a thief. 279. Share and share alike. 280. Silence gives consent. 281. Six of one, half a dozen of the other. (One's as bad as the other; no choice.) 282. Slow and steady wins the race. 283. Small profits, quick returns. 284. Soon got, soon spent. 285. Sorrow comes unsent for. 286. Spare the rod and spoil the child. 287. Speech is silver; silence is golden. 288. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. 289. Still water runs deep. 290. Stolen fruit is sweetest. 291. Straight from the horse's mouth. 292. Straws show which way the wind blows. 293. Strike while the iron is hot. 294. Take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of themselves. 295. Take the bull by the horns. 296. Take things as they come (or, as you find them). 297. Talk of the devil, and he'll appear. 298. Teach your grandmother to suck eggs. 299. Tell the truth and shame the devil. 300. The bait hides the hook. 4. Proverbs and Expressions 301-400 301. The best of both worlds. 302. The best of friends must part. 303. The better the day the better the deed. 304. The blind leading the blind. 305. The boot is on the other foot. 306. The burnt child dreads the fire. 307. The cowl does not make the monk. 308. The early bird catches the worm. 309. The end justifies the means. 310. The exception proves the rule. (Test its validity.) 311. The face is the index of the mind. 312. The first step is the hard one. 313. The grapes are sour. Because unattainable.

314. The grass is greener on the other side of the fence. 315. The greater the truth, the greater the libel. 316. The king can do no wrong. 317. The longest day must have an end. 318. The more the merrier. 319. The nearer the bone, the sweeter the meat. 320. The pot calling the kettle black. 321. The proof of the pudding is in the eating. 322. The remedy is worse than the disease. 323. The stream cannot rise above its source. 324. The unexpected always happens. 325. There are more ways to kill a cat than by choking it with cream. 326. There are two sides to every question. 327. There is a remedy for everything but death. 328. There is a time for all things. 329. There's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip. 330. There's no arguing about tastes. 331. There's no smoke without fire. 332. There's safety in numbers. 333. They who live longest will see most. 334. Throw the baby out with the bath water. 335. Tied to one's mother's/wife's apron strings. 336. Time and tide waits for no man. 337. Times change, and we change with them. 338. To cut off your nose to spite your face. 339. To err is human; to forgive divine. 340. To kill two birds with one stone. 341. To look for a needle in a haystack. 342. To put the cart before the horse. 343. To turn over a new leaf. 344. Tomorrow is another day. 345. Tomorrow never comes. 346. Too many cooks spoil the broth. 347. Truth is stranger than fiction. 348. Two blacks don't make a white. 349. Two heads are better than one. 350. Two negatives make an affirmative. 351. Two wrongs don't make a right. 352. Two's company, three's none. 353. Unbidden guests are welcomest when they are gone. 354. Unity is strength. 355. Use soft words and hard arguments. 356. Use your wit as a buckler, not as a sword. 357. Venture a small fish to catch a great one. 358. Virtue is its own reward. 359. Wake not a sleeping lion.

360. Walls have ears. 361. Waste not, want not. 362. We never miss the water till the well runs dry. 363. We shall see what we shall see. 364. Well begun is half done. 365. What can't be cured must be endured. 366. What is to be, will be. 367. What man has done, man can do. 368. What the eye doesn't see, the heart doesn't grieve over. 369. What's done can't be undone. 370. What's yours is mine, and what's mine's my own. 371. Whatever's worth doing at all is worth doing well. 372. When in doubt, leave out. (A maxim for authors.) 373. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. 374. When one door shuts another opens. 375. When the cat's away, the mice will play. 376. Where ignorance is bliss, it is folly to be wise. 377. Where there is smoke there is fire. 378. Where there's a will there's a way. 379. Where there's life there's hope. 380. While the grass grows the steed starves. 381. Who goes a-borrowing goes a-sorrowing. 382. Who knows most says least. 383. Whom God wishes to destroy He first makes mad. 384. Wilful waste makes woeful want. 385. Wise men learn by other men's mistakes; fools, by their own. 386. Women must have the last word. 387. You can't eat your cake and have it. 388. You can't get blood out of a stone. 389. You can't lose what you never had. 390. You can't make an omelet without breaking eggs. 391. You can't make people honest (or sober) by Act of Parliament. 392. You can't teach an old dog new trick. 393. You may take a horse to the water, but you can't make him drink. 394. You must take the fat with the lean. 395. You never know what you can do till you try. 396. You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. 397. Young men think old men fools; old men know young men are. 398. Young saint, old devil. (Bad to be virtuous too early.) 399. Youth and age will never agree. 400. Zeal without knowledge is fire without light.