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moving or behaving in a way that is not regular, certain, or expected; She can be very erratic; one day she is friendly and the next she'll hardly speak to you.
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even more than before: Several publishers rejected her book, but that just made her all the more determined.
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If you want something at any price, you are willing to do anything in order to get it: He wanted success at any price.
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be as crazy, rich etc. as they come start learning
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to be very crazy, rich, etc.: He's as mean as they come.
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be nothing if not generous, honest helpful etc start learning
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used to emphasize that someone or something is extremely generous, honest, helpful, etc.: He's nothing if not charming.
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make common cause with sb start learning
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to act together with someone in order to achieve something: Environmental protesters have made common cause with local people to stop the highway being built.
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rise to the challenge/occasion start learning
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to show that you can deal with a difficult situation successfully: All eyes are now on the oil companies to see if they can rise to the challenge and get the fuel out quickly.
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give /quote sth/sb chapter and verse start learning
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to give exact information about something, especially something in a book: I can't quote you chapter and verse but I think it's a line from "Macbeth."
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to put a limit on something so that it does not increase or become worse
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to accept unpleasant events bravely and without complaining
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it causes people to approve of it or agree with it: Their policy on childcare has struck a responsive chord with women voters.
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a reason why someone or something is famous: This little town’s claim to fame is that a president was born here.
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to tell the truth about something that you have been keeping secret: I thought it was time to come clean (with everybody) about what I'd been doing.
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they end their relationship: The world's number one tennis player and his coach parted company earlier this month.
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to do something in the easiest, cheapest, or fastest way
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not all it's cracked up to be start learning
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to not be as good as people have said: This software isn’t all it's cracked up to be.
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to prevent someone from having a good time, especially by going somewhere with them
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clearly separate or different in shape or form: These small companies now have their own discrete identity.
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a number that when multiplied by another number results in 1/involving two people or organizations who agree to help each other by behaving in the same way or by giving each other similar advantages: a reciprocal arrangement/agreement/relationship
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intended as a punishment: punitive action The UN has imposed punitive sanctions on the invading country.
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If something that you want eludes you, you do not succeed in achieving it: The gold medal continues to elude her./to not be caught by someone: They eluded the police by fleeing.
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too many cooks spoil the soup start learning
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said when there are too many people involved in trying to do the same thing, so that the final result will not be good
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actions speak louder than words start learning
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said to emphasize that what you do is more important and shows your intentions and feelings more clearly than what you say
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a stitch in time (saves nine) start learning
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said to mean that it is better to act or deal with problems immediately, because if you wait and deal with them later, things will get worse and the problems will take longer to deal with
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a bird in the hand (is worth two in the bush) start learning
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said when you recognize that you should not risk losing something you already have by trying to get something you think might be better
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the early bird gets the worm (also the early bird catches the worm) start learning
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the person who arrives first is the one who is successful: We’ll want to be at the theater early for the best seats – the early bird gets the worm!
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make hay while the sun shines start learning
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to make good use of an opportunity while it lasts
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every cloud has a silver lining start learning
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said to emphasize that every difficult or unpleasant situation has some advantage
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said when one bad thing happens, followed by a lot of other bad things that make a bad situation worse
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the darker tissue containing nerve fibers (= structures like threads) found in the brain and spinal cord/a person's intelligence: It's not the sort of movie that stimulates the gray matter much.
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used to tell someone to stop and consider carefully their decision or opinion about something: Just hold your horses, Bill! Let's think about this for a moment.
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it makes that person think that they are very important and makes them a less pleasant person: Don't let fame/success go to your head.
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to be so busy that you do not have time to do anything else: I'd love to help but I have my hands full organizing the school play.
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to stop believing that you can succeed: Don't lose heart, there'll be plenty more chances for promotion.
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working together, often to do something dishonest: It was rumored at the time that some of the gangs were working hand in glove with the police.
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to quickly run away: When they saw the soldiers coming, they took to their heels.
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straight from the horse's mouth start learning
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you hear it from the person who has direct personal knowledge of it.
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If you speak off the cuff, you say something without having prepared or thought about your words first: I hadn't prepared a speech so I just said a few words off the cuff. [before noun ] an off-the-cuff remark
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you find that person very physically attractive and you feel excited when you see or talk to them: James has been making hearts flutter ever since he joined the company.
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to be useful: This money will come in handy when we go on vacation.
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to win a gold medal in a sports competition: She is the favorite to strike gold in the 400 meters hurdles. to make large profits or to become rich:
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to make people who have not met before feel more relaxed with each other: Someone suggested that we play a party game to break the ice.(icebreaker)
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a small, noticeable part of a problem, the total size of which is really much greater: These small local protests are just the tip of the iceberg.
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feeling anxious and not relaxed: He looked ill at ease in the room full of reporters.
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the detailed or complicated facts of something: I know how to use computers, but I don't really understand the ins and outs of how they work.
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to think about or suffer the results of your own actions, without anyone giving you any help
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to always want to own the same expensive objects and do the same things as your friends or neighbors, because you are worried about seeming less important socially than they are
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before you can say Jack Robinson start learning
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used to refer to something being done or happening very quickly: I put the dish of food on the floor, and before you could say Jack Robinson, the dog had eaten it.
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(of a horse) to make a soft, high sound: A horse whinnied into the cold morning.
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extremely hot: We went out in the blistering heat. extremely fast: The runners set off at a blistering pace. extremely angry and unkind: blistering remarks/sarcasm
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very hot: a scorching summer day It was scorching hot inside the greenhouse.
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to make a sudden, short, high sound, usually when in pain/"Nooooo," yelped a small girl at one point. "This is an outrage!" he yelped.
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a light, thin, and insubstantial or delicate material or substance. "a fine gossamer fabric that clung to her skin"/a fine, filmy substance consisting of cobwebs spun by small spiders, seen especially in fall.
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o make a long, high cry, usually because of pain or sadness: The women gathered around the coffin and began to wail, as was the custom in the region.
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to give something as an honor or present: The George Cross is a decoration that is bestowed upon/on British civilians for acts of great bravery.
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very unpleasant or bad, causing strong feelings of dislike: despicable behavior He's a despicable human being! (vile, abominable)
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to make a high, rough noise while breathing because of some breathing difficulty: I could hear the old man behind me wheezing. I know when I've been smoking too much because I start to wheeze when I run for a train.
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to invent a story or excuse, esp. to deceive others: He concocted the story because he did not want to do his chores./To concoct is also to make something new from different things: He concocted a tasty stew from the leftovers.
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to eat or drink food or liquid quickly by swallowing it in large amounts, or to make a swallowing movement because of fear, surprise, or excitement: She gulped down her drink and made a hasty exit.
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to drink a liquid noisily as a result of sucking air into the mouth at the same time as the liquid: Try not to slurp. I wish you wouldn't slurp your soup like that.
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not the sharpest tool in the shed start learning
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someone who is thought to be unintelligent in some way; slow to perceive or understand something.
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having or including famous actors or players: His latest film featured an all-star cast. an all-star baseball team
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to (be helped or forced to) move to another place to live: His family originally came from Ireland, but resettled in the U.S. in the 19th century.
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to laugh at someone or something in a way that shows you think they are stupid or of no value: He derided my singing as pathetic. This building, once derided by critics, is now a major tourist attraction.
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to make the loud, unpleasant sound of a chicken: The hens cackled in alarm. to laugh in a loud, high voice: A group of women were cackling in a corner. a cackling witch
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to make continuous loud noises by hitting hard objects against each other, or to cause objects to do this: Don't clatter the dishes - you'll wake the baby up. He was clattering away at his keyboard.
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When a door, floorboard, etc. creaks, it makes a long low sound when it moves or is moved: The door creaked on its hinges. I heard the floorboards creak as he crept closer.
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having a lot of trouble with something, or having to deal with a lot of something that causes problems: With the amount of traffic nowadays, even a trip across town is beset by/with dangers.
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obviously very happy, or very beautiful: He gave a radiant smile when he heard her news. producing heat or light: a radiant heater the radiant heat of the sun
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very silly or stupid: The very idea is preposterous! a preposterous suggestion/absurdcockeyedidioticlaughableludicrousnonsensicalridiculous
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a change to the intended or true meaning of something: a gross distortion of the facts
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the discovering of secrets, especially political or military information of another country or the industrial information of a business: military/industrial espionage
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someone who makes forged copies: an art forger
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to feel that you like someone very much: She'd always had a soft spot for her younger nephew.
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a machine for forcing particles (= extremely small pieces of matter) to hit each other at high speed so scientists can study what is produced
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a sudden change from a particular opinion, decision, or plan to an opposite one: Jack's done a 180 and agreed to come on the trip.
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If you have a change of heart, you change your opinion or the way you feel about something: She was going to sell her house but had a change of heart at the last minute.
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a set of clothes as well as the ones that you are wearing: You'll need a change of clothes if you're staying overnight.
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the result or process of concocting something
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unpleasant, immoral, and unacceptable: This vile policy of ethnic cleansing must be stopped. This cheese smells vile. He's in a vile mood/temper today.
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honest or lasting support, or loyalty, especially to a sexual partner: Somerset Maugham's comedy of marital fidelity, "The Constant Wife" How important do you think sexual fidelity is in a marriage?
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the degree to which the detail and quality of an original, such as a picture, sound, or story, is copied exactly: The best ink-jet printers can reproduce photographs with amazing fidelity.
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to secretly tell someone in authority that someone else has done something bad, often in order to cause trouble: She thought I'd snitched on her.
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to search every part of a place very carefully: I've turned the house inside out but I still can't find my keys.
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to have things or people as parts or members; to consist of: The course comprises a class book, a practice book, and a CD.
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to talk about or look at someone or something in an unkind way that shows you do not respect or approve of him, her, or it: You may sneer, but a lot of people like this kind of music.(V/N)
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to laugh, showing pleasure and satisfaction: She chortled with glee at the news.
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happiness, excitement, or pleasure: She opened her presents with glee.
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acquaint someone with something start learning
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to give someone information about something: The museum offers workshops to acquaint children with the world of radio.
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to lie or sit enjoying the warmth especially of the sun: We could see seals on the rocks, basking in the sun.
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make a beeline for sb/sth start learning
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to go directly and quickly toward someone or something: At parties he always makes a beeline for the prettiest woman in the room.
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to exchange goods for other things rather than for money: He bartered his stamp collection for her comics. We spent a whole hour bartering with stallholders for souvenirs.
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embarrassed: He said nothing but looked abashed.
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If a political party or an idea or belief gains ground, it becomes more popular or accepted: The Republicans are gaining ground in the southern states.
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beat sb at their own game start learning
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to use to your own advantage the methods by which someone else has tried to defeat you
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to spoil a surprise or a joke by telling someone something that should have been kept secret: It's a secret, so don't give the game away, will you?
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A price war looks likely now that a leading supermarket has thrown down the gauntlet to its competitors.
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to improve or decorate something that is already perfect and therefore spoil it: Should I add a scarf to this jacket or would it be gilding the lily?
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to be the perfect size and shape for someone: I love these pants because they fit like a glove and they're so comfortable.
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to be the perfect size and shape for someone: I love these pants because they fit like a glove and they're so comfortable.
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almost: The remodeling project is as good as finished - I just need to finish up the painting.
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available and ready to be won or taken: There are hundreds of prizes up for grabs.
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to do something that causes you harm, sometimes serious harm: She dug her own grave when she made fun of the boss.
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to stop or no longer work well: Traffic ground to a halt. The country’s economy is slowly grinding to a halt.
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come/get to grips with sth start learning
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to make an effort to understand and deal with a problem or situation: The president has failed to come to grips with the two most important social issues of our time. I can't seem to get to grips with this problem.
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to start: He and his friend tried to start a band but it never got off the ground.
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to suddenly fail in what you are doing, often because you have an accident: The Italian champion was in second position when he came to grief on the third lap.
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in comparison with most other things of a particular type, especially when you do not think that type of thing is very good: It was quite a good movie, as horror movies go. I suppose the concert was OK, as these things go.
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stick to your gunsto continue to have your beliefs or continue with a plan of action, even if other people disagree with you: Despite harsh criticism, she's sticking to her guns on this issue.
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the ability and determination to continue doing something despite difficulties
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