To make a bad situation worse
Max was already upset. Your teasing him just added fuel to the fire.
To make a bad situation worse
Max was already upset. Your teasing him just added insult to injury.
Contrary to what is expected or preferred.
Mary has a difficult time getting along with others as she is inclined to go against the grain in everything she does.
In advance of current ideas and trends.
Some people describe Albert Einstein as a physicist ahead of his time.
Listening intently; eager to hear something.
So, you have some new gossip about Mary. I'm all ears.
Excited; highly enthusiastic
I'm really fired up about the party next week.
A very high cost; a large amount of money.
Many people are complaining that gas costs an arm and a leg nowadays.
At the limit of one's patience.
Mary is at the end of her rope with Max. She can't take his nagging any longer.
In an extremely loud voice.
Max called out to Mary at the top of his lungs, but she didn't hear him.
A rough estimate within acceptable bounds.
Two months after the fire, the construction company gave us a ballpark figure on how much it would cost to rebuild our home.
Value; efficiency; return on investment.
I'm not sure which car to buy. I'm trying to figure out which gives the greatest bang for the buck.
Pursue the wrong thing; to take the wrong approach.
Don't ask me for a pay raise. You're barking up the wrong tree. I have no authority to give anybody a pay raise.
Remember; consider; note.
Bear in mind that money is not the most important thing in life.
To continue or persist talking about a topic or issue beyond normal interest.
I don't mean to beat a dead horse, but could we go over the plan just once more?
To talk about a topic too indirectly or cautiously; to take a long time getting to the main point or idea.
Please stop beating around the bush and get to the point!
I don't know; this puzzles me.
Do you have any idea why Mary was upset? Beats me!
To make a great effort; to go to great lengths.
Max bent over backwards to make sure that his boss was happy.
Irrelevant, off the topic.
The color of the car is beside the point. What kind of gas mileage does it get?
Having the choice between two difficult or unacceptable options.
Max was between a rock and a hard place. He could fight in the war, which he didn't believe in, or go to prison.
To stop oneself from speaking out.
Max quit his job because he was tired of biting his tongue every time his boss announced one of his stupid ideas.
To overreact or exaggerate something.
Let's not blow the problem out of proportion. If we break it down, we'll see that it is really not that complicated.
To believe something.
Max told Mary that he was sorry, but she didn't buy it.
To stop an activity for the day.
We've done enough work today. Let's call it a day.
To go to bed to sleep.
I'm tired. I'm going to have to call it a night.
To declare debts paid.
You save my life five years ago, and I saved your life just now. Let's call it even.
To conclude; to quit or stop an activity.
I think everyone is very tired right now; let's call it quits for now. Let's try again tomorrow.
A difficult problem which produces additional problems.
Max couldn't tell Mary the truth. He knew it would open a can of worms.
To continue or proceed.
I'll be gone for a couple weeks. I'm sure you can carry on without me.
To complete or accomplish something.
Max carried out his plan to get revenge on Mary.
To understand; to realize.
Max took a little extra time to catch on, but eventually he understood the situation.
To rest and regain normal breathing.
Max ran so fast that he had to stop and catch his breath.
To attract one's attention.
The bright red sports car caught Mary's eye.
To decide differently or have a different opinion than before.
I know I said that I wanted vanilla, but I changed my mind; I want chocolate.
To be sexually unfaithful to.
John asked for a divorce when he found out that Mary was cheating on him.
A narrowly missed attempt or guess.
Nice try. Close but no cigar. Guess again.
To stop an addiction all at once, not gradually.
Max quit smoking cigarettes cold turkey.
To not deal with a situation until one is actually in the situation.
I'm not sure what we'll do if he says no. I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
To go too far; to violate accepted boundaries or rules.
Max really crossed the line when he ate Mary's last donut.
To be flexible or lenient with somebody.
Cut Max some slack. He didn't mean to be rude. He just had a very difficult day.
To get to the main point; to state something directly.
Let me cut to the chase. I quit. As of tomorrow, I no longer work here.
The monotonous tasks of everyday work.
I've had enough of the daily grind. I hope I win the lottery soon.
A path or situation that leads nowhere or offers no prospects.
My job seems to be at a dead end.
Basically; in essence; at the core.
Max's boss seems to be a very evil person, but deep down he's not that bad.
To fade; to gradually come to an end.
The storm seems to be dying down. Maybe we'll be able to play tennis tomorrow after all.
To work; to cause the desired results.
I need something to quench my thirst. This bottle of water should do the trick.
Without money and without prospects.
Max is pretty down and out. He has lost his job, car, and home.
Wasted, lost.
Everything I spent on guitar lessons was just money down the drain. I can't play a thing.
To deliberately hold back or delay; to intentionally go or work slowly.
Whenever I ask for the information, they say they're working on it. I think they're just dragging their feet.
To suddenly forget; to fail to remember a piece of information.
I know the answer to that question, but I'm drawing a blank.
To leave school or a social group; to withdraw from competition.
Man, I'm tired of school. I think I'll drop out and do a little traveling.
Very easily completed or accomplished.
That puzzle was as easy as pie.
Easily won and easily lost.
The government took half of my lottery winnings in taxes. Oh well, easy come, easy go.
Attractive; beautiful.
Mary is quite easy on the eyes.
To eat very little.
How does Mary keep such a nice figure? I bet she eats like a bird.
To eat noisily, with one's mouth open; to eat a lot.
Don?t invite Max to your dinner party; he eats like a pig.
hard work or physical effort.
The floor is very dirty. It will take some elbow grease to get it clean.
To confront the unpleasant consequences of one's actions.
The police are here to arrest Max. I guess it?s time for him to face the music.
In person; in the physical presence of somebody.
I?m tired of discussing this over the phone. Let?s meet and discuss it face to face.
To be ignored or disregarded.
Every time Mary ask Max to do something, her requests fall on deaf ears.
To be missed or overlooked.
How did they overlook that million dollar account. Somehow it just fell through the cracks.
Be my guest; be uninhibited about doing something.
Please feel free to eat anything in the refrigerator.
Rare and scarce; occurring infrequently.
People who actually like Max are few and far between.
To do someone's job; to assume someone's role.
It will be very difficult to fill Max?s shoes when he retires.
Extremely wealthy.
Max married Mary because she was filthy rich. All he cared about was her money.
To become comfortable in a new situation.
Max just started his new job. It will take him a few weeks to find his feet.
The first people to arrive will be the first to be served.
The tickets are limited, so it?s first come, first served.
The most important things should be done before lesser important things.
First things first. Let?s get the most important things done before we start worrying about the little things.
In excellent physical condition.
Max is 70 years old, but he is still as fit as a fiddle.
To be suitable; to meet requirements.
I am looking for a new pair of earphones. These should fit the bill just fine.
To be kicked out of school for not meeting academic standards.
Max flunked out of college in less than a year.
Permanently.
Once you quit the club, you are out for good. You can never come back.
For pleasure or excitement; for fun
For kicks, Max liked to play jokes on his friends.
Worthless; no good.
Homework is for the birds. I?m not sure why my teacher gives me so much homework.
Speaking nonsense; lying, exaggerating, or boasting.
Don?t listen to Miguel. He is full of it.
To control your emotions; to regain your composure.
Tell Max to get a grip. He is totally overreacting.
To obtain a basic level of understanding or control.
After reading chapter four, I?m starting to get a handle on quantum physics.
To contribute to a conversation with people who are very talkative.
When you are talking with Mary, she talks so much that you are lucky to get a word in edgewise.
To overdo; to do to excess.
Max got carried away with the balloons for the party. There must have been over a thousand.
To get started; hurry up.
Come on! Let?s get cracking. We need to finish this project by next week.
To begin working; to stop wasting time.
Let?s get down to business. We have a lot of work to do.
To get revenge.
Max was angry at Mary, so he got even by stealing her car.
To get married.
Mary and Max got hitched two years ago.
To contact somebody.
I haven't seen Max in years. I should get in touch with him.
To become accustomed to a new situation.
Max just started his new job. It will take him a few weeks to get into the swing of things.
To start a relationship or activity poorly.
Max and Mary got off on the wrong foot. They didn't like each other from the very beginning.
To stop bothering or nagging somebody.
Max's boss is always on his back. He never leaves him alone.
To stop acting arrogantly; to stop acting superior to others.
Max?s boss is always on his high horse. He thinks he is better than everyone else.
To begin; to start.
The project never got off the ground. We never even started.
To annoy or irritate someone.
Max may be a nice guy, but sometimes he really gets on my nerves.
To criticize, find fault, or lecture.
The boss is always getting on Max?s case for everything.
To become serious, organized.
If you want a pay raise, you are going to have to get your act together and do a better job.
To gain new experience.
Max is just getting his feet wet. He is likely to make a few mistakes.
To begin become established in an occupation or company.
You were very lucky to get your foot in the door at ABC Company.
To understand correctly; to clarify.
Let?s get this straight. We?ll meet behind the back after work.
To become accustomed to; to learn how to do or use something.
When I moved to England, it took me a few days to get the hang of driving on the left side of the road.
To understand the general or main idea.
I don?t think Max got the point. The point is that the important things in life have little to do with money.
To find the underlying cause of a situation.
Max will get to the bottom of the problem sooner or later.
To feel irritable; to be in a grouchy mood for no particular reason.
Watch out for Max. I think he got up on the wrong side of the bed today.
To try or attempt.
I?m not sure if I can do this, but I?ll give it a go.
To ignore; to snub or reject someone
For some reason, Mary is giving me the cold shoulder today.
To spare no expense or effort; to put forth all possible effort or resources.
For the last two miles of the race, Max went all out.
To worsen or deteriorate.
The company was having a few minor problems, and then all of a sudden everything went downhill fast.
To put maximum effort toward achieving a goal.
There is a job opening at ABC Company. Max is going for it.
To take a risk; to put oneself in a vulnerable position.
Mary went out on a limb lending Max all of her money. I hope he repays her.
To achieve progress or succeed.
With all of your talent, you are certain to go places.
An instinct or intuition.
I have a gut feeling that John and Jane are going to get married.
To give someone credit or praise; to congratulate.
You have to hand it to Mary for doing such a great job planning the party.
Unquestionably; without a doubt; without effort.
Max was hands down the best player on the team.
A person who is content or satisfied.
Ever since Max started working from home, he has been a happy camper.
Enjoy oneself thoroughly
We had a blast playing soccer on the beach last week.
To have a grievance or complaint.
I have a bone to pick with my teacher about my grades.
To have a fit; to get visibly upset.
The boss had a cow when Max came back from lunch two minutes late.
To be crazy; to be mentally unstable.
Max must have a screw loose to keep working for that same company after all of the abuse he has taken.
To talk, speak, or discuss with.
Max went to have a word with his boss about the working conditions in the factory.
To feel depressed or sad.
Max has had the blues since his dog died two months ago.
To learn through rumor.
I heard through the grapevine that Max is going to quit his job.
To encounter an unexpected problem or obstacle.
The business won't open as soon as we had hoped. We seem to have hit a snag with one of our suppliers.
To immediately have a good relationship with someone.
Max and Mary really hit it off from the beginning.
To study intensely.
We need to hit the books before the test next Friday.
To go to bed
It's getting late. It's time for me to hit the hay.
To be precisely right or accurate.
You hit the nail on the head when you said that the problem was the water pump.
To explode in anger.
The boss hit the roof when he found out that we didn't meet our quota.
To go to bed
It's getting late. It's time for me to hit the sack.
To wait; to be patient; to slow down.
Hold your horses. I'll be ready in a minute.
To be in a difficult situation; to be in trouble.
I'm in a bind. Could you help me out?
In the position of responsibility of leading or overseeing.
Max was in charge of the store when the fire broke out.
In a ruthless and unfeeling manner.
Max was murdered in cold blood.
In trouble with someone.
Max is in hot water with his wife for staying out so late.
In trouble; in disfavor (usually a man in trouble with his wife).
Max is in the doghouse with his wife for forgetting her birthday.
At the last possible moment.
Max turned in his application for the job just in the nick of time
In a similar situation or predicament.
I'd like to help you with money, but I'm in the same boat. I don't have any money either.
To yell at or criticize with excessive and unexpected harshness
What’s wrong with Max? I just asked him how he was doing, and he jumped down my throat for no reason.
To keep something secret
No one is supposed to know our plan. Please keep a lid on it.
To watch intently.
Please keep an eye on my children for me. I need to go to the store.
To be quiet; to not be noisy.
Please keep in down. I'm trying to study.
To work hard or focus heavily on work
If you keep your nose to the grindstone, you will do very well.
To relax.
After work tonight, I'm going to go home and kick back.
To engage in playful joking or teasing.
Don't take Max seriously. He was just kidding around when he said that you were ugly.
to stop doing something.
Would you two please knock it off? That really annoys me.
To memorize.
It took Max a long time to learn that poem by heart.
To create a bad feeling about something.
Working for that company left a bad taste in my mouth.
To reveal a secret.
Max let the cat out of the bag and told us that Mary was pregnant.
to make outrageous false statements.
Miguel is almost always lying through his teeth. I wouldn't believe anything he says.
Extremely easy.
Taking that test was like shooting fish in a barrel. It was so easy.
Very easy to achieve.
Selling insurance to that family will be like taking candy from a baby.
Leftover items; unfinished business.
Before I go on vacation, there are a few loose ends I need to take care of.
To lose one's temper.
Max lost his cool when he found out that his wife had been cheating on him.
To panic; To lose self-control.
Don't lose your head. The cops will never catch us.
To become crazy.
I think Max has lost his marbles. He keeps muttering the same phrase over and over.
To become crazy or insane.
I can't believe Max wants to get a job with the ABC Company. Has he lost his mind?
To earn enough income to support oneself.
Max makes a living as a salesman.
To exaggerate the significance of a minor problem.
A little acne is not the end of the world. Don't make a mountain out of a molehill.
To pretend.
In his spare time, Max likes to make believe that he is a dragon slayer.
To survive or get by with what little is available.
We don't have a lot money, but we make do with what we have.
To have just enough money to cover expenses; to barely meet expenses from paycheck to paycheck.
It is hard to make ends meet on a teacher's salary.
To recheck to be certain.
Make sure that you put your name on your test before you turn it in.
To make a decision; to decide between different options.
I can't make up my mind whether to go to Argentina or Chile for vacation.
A place far from interesting sites and major population centers.
As I was driving across the country, my car broke down in the middle of nowhere.
To concern yourself only your own interests and not interfere in the affairs of others.
Why does Max care about how much money I make? Tell him to mind his own business.
Money is not easily obtained.
Turn off the lights when you leave the room. You know money doesn't grow on trees.
To behave in a silly or playful way.
Stop monkeying around. Let's get to work.
To precisely and firmly establish details of a plan.
We haven't nailed down an exact date for the wedding yet, but we're thinking sometime in August.
To stop something at an early stage.
If you feel like you are catching a cold, try to nip it in the bud so that it does not cause you to miss work.
Somebody who is not particularly young
My grandfather runs marathons, and he's no spring chicken.
It's not particularly difficult.
I need my car for a date tonight. Can you fix it? No sweat. I'll have it fixed in no time.
Absolutely not; not possible.
Do you think there will ever be any honest politicians? Not a chance.
Easy; not difficult.
Upgrading your RAM is easy. There's really nothing to it.
Not bad; worthwhile.
Max's new painting is nothing to sneeze at.
Ordinary; not exceptional; not especially good.
That movie was entertaining but nothing to write home about.
Miscellaneous things.
In the attic there is a box full of odds and ends.
To be crazy.
He's off his rocker if he thinks that I'm going to help him move again.
Without preparation; impromptu
At the awards ceremony his speech was completely off the cuff.
Inaccurate, wrong.
The vice president's comments on the war are consistently off the mark.
Without great thought, investigation or any sort of preparation.
Off the top of my head, I can't think of anyone who is a better painter than Max.
On a streak of continuous progress or success.
The team is on a roll. They've won five games in a row.
Anxious, tense, nervous or irritable
I've really been on edge lately. I think I've been drinking too much coffee.
Alert, prepared, ready, or attentive.
In this job things happen so fast that you always have to be on you toes.
Not the main priority; inactive; on hold.
I've put that project on the back burner until I have a little more time.
Broken, out of order, inoperative (electronic or mechanical devices).
The freezer in on blink again. Everything has thawed out or melted.
Exactly, precisely.
We're meeting at 11:00, on the button.
Exactly, precisely.
The meeting starts at 11:00, on the button.
To be undecided.
I am still on the fence about which job to take.
Honest, sincere and straightforward
I wouldn't trust Miguel. He may seem like he's on the level, but he's really not.
At risk; in danger.
I really need to do well on this project because my job is on the line.
The particular person seems more aggressive and mean than he really is.
Don't worry about the boss. His bark is worse than his bite.
To keep a secret; to not reveal a secret.
My lips are sealed. I won't tell anyone about it.
Inappropriate, improper, wrong.
Max was really out of line when he asked the woman how much she weighed.
Unexpectedly; without warning; suddenly.
Out of the blue Max asked Mary for a divorce.
Impossible; not worth even considering.
We have no money. A new car is out of the question at this point.
Unemployed.
I'm out of work at the moment.
an annoyance or difficulty.
I wish Max would go away. He is such a pain in the neck.
To go on a partying spree; to go wild.
Max and his friends painted the town red this past weekend.
To pay an excessive amount of money.
Real estate prices are very high. For even a small house you have to pay through the nose.
Something that is easy or simple to do.
Last night's homework assignment was a piece of cake.
To improvise; to do things without a plan.
I'm not sure what we'll do this weekend. We'll just play it by ear.
To make the right moves; to have a good strategy.
If I had played my cards right, I might have gotten that promotion.
To accuse; to assign blame
I don't want to point the finger at anybody, but somebody forgot to lock the door, Jim.
To tease someone; to deceive or fool someone
Don't listen to Miguel. He must have been pulling your leg.
To do something very difficult or unpleasant.
Mary says that getting Max to take out the garbage is like pulling teeth.
To be quiet; to stop talking.
Max went on talking trash about everyone until someone finally told him to put a sock in it.
To take a firm stand; to insist, demand, or refuse.
Mary finally put her foot down and said that she wouldn't let anyone borrow money from her again.
To apply oneself; to channel one's effort toward a particular goal.
If Max put his mind to it, he could achieve anything.
To rain very heavily.
You better bring an umbrella. It's raining cats and dogs out there.
To complain loudly; to make a fuss.
Every time I go to a restaurant with Max, he has to raise a stink about something.
To raise standards or expectations.
It's time for the auto industry to finally raise the bar on fuel efficiency.
To detect a meaning that is not stated explicitly.
He is very cheerful, but if you read between the lines, you'll understand that things aren't going too well.
Exact; precise; exactly right.
Your prediction was right on the money.
To seem or sound familiar.
The name rings a bell, but I'm not sure if I know him.
The lowest possible level.
The government's credibility has hit rock bottom.
To go against the status quo; to follow principle rather than go along to get along.
The company's policies are unethical, but if you rock the boat, you'll get fired.
To irritate or annoy.
I know you say that Max is a nice guy, but something about him rubs me the wrong way.
Extremely frightened
Max is scared to death of being alone with Mary.
To scout; to investigate; to check out.
We scoped out the perfect location for our beach party.
To treat superficially; to barely begin.
Finished? We haven't even scratched the surface yet. There is a lot more to do.
To agree; to have similar views; to get along.
Max and Mary rarely see eye to eye on anything.
To become very angry; to be furious.
Max saw red when he found out that Mary went to Paris with John.
To sell fast
Astronaut diapers are selling like hot cakes.
To correct with accurate information.
The presidential candidates seem to have their facts wrong. Someone needs to set them straight.
To hurry; to get going.
Let's shake a leg! We need to finish this project today.
To talk or converse idly.
Do you want to have a cup of coffee and shoot the breeze for a while?
To disregard; to minimize the importance of something.
Max shrugged off Mary's accusations and went on with his normal routine.
To wait patiently.
Just sit tight; the hot dog vender will be by in a few minutes.
To be in a good financial situation.
Once we get the insurance money, we'll be sitting pretty.
A mistake in speaking.
For a politician, a simple slip of the tongue can be detrimental.
To forget; to overlook.
I was supposed to do some homework last night, but it totally slipped my mind.
To suspect trickery or deception
Something is not right. I smell a rat.
To reveal a secret.
We were going to surprise Max with a party, but somebody spilled the beans.
To firmly maintain one's opinion or position.
Everyone in the room disagreed with Mary, but she stood her ground.
To become lower priority or less important; to let someone else take charge.
Mary reluctantly took a back seat when Mary took over the company.
To take a short break; to pause and relax briefly.
I'm tired. Let's take a breather.
To risk something.
Max doesn't like to take chances. He always plays it safe.
To attempt or try.
I'm not sure if I can do it, but I'll take a crack at it.
To fall or trip: to experience a sudden drop.
Max took a spill when he was riding his bike. He banged his head.
To endure the consequences, blame, anger, or scrutiny;
Mary took the heat for Max's mistake.
A greatly exaggerated story.
Miguel is notorious for his tall tales about his military service. He was just a driver but now claims to have been James Bond.
A miserable or unpleasant situation.
The people in the office are awful. Working with them everyday is the pits.
To reconsider something; to consider something carefully before proceeding.
Think twice before you get married.
Suddenly and excessively high.
Housing prices have gone through the roof in Southern California.
To get married.
Max and Mary tied the knot more than ten years ago.
Everyone is entitled to personal preferences.
I wouldn't paint my car that color, but to each his own.
Unable to say anything.
Every time Max sees Jane, he gets tongue-tied, and just sits there and stares.
softly spoken; in a whisper
Under his breath, Max called Mary a fat cow.
Under pressure to perform or meet a deadline.
Max was under the gun to complete the research before the end of the fiscal year.
Not feeling well; ill.
I'm a bit under the weather today. I think I'll take the day off.
For a hopelessly long time
You can lecture Max until you're blue in the face, but he's going to do it his way no matter what.
available for anyone.
Now that Mary is working from home, her office is up for grabs.
Undecided.
The exact date of the wedding is still up in the air at this point.
Scheming or devising.
Max is a little too quiet today. He must be up to something.
Good times and bad times.
We've had our ups and downs, but I'll always consider you my friend.
To face reality; to stop deluding oneself; to become aware.
Wake up and smell the coffee! Unless you are extremely wealthy, the government doesn't care what you think.
To observe very closely.
When we were taking the test, the teacher watched us like a hawk to make sure that we weren't cheating.
To make weaker; to dilute.
The government has watered down the reports on global warming to make the problem seem less severe.
Inexperienced.
I don't think I want that young doctor performing heart surgery on me. He seems a little wet behind the ears.
In the end; ultimately.
When all is said and done, we may not have made a lot of money, but we had a lot of fun.
The entire thing; everything.
In the divorce, Max lost his kids, dog, house, car, timeshare property, the whole shebang.
Exceptionally well.
Mary passed the board exam with flying colors.
A person who appears innocent but really isn't.
Jane seems sweet, but watch out. She's a wolf in sheep's clothing.
To work very hard.
I've been working my butt off for years, but I have nothing to show for it.
To focus on; to direct attention to.
John zeroed in on the problem and immediately found a solution.
