Professional Documents
Culture Documents
1449462342CareerAnna SNAP Idioms and Phrases
1449462342CareerAnna SNAP Idioms and Phrases
A
A Bird In The Hand Is Worth Two In The Bush:
Having something that is certain is much better than taking a risk for more, because chances are you
might lose everything.
A Blessing In Disguise:
Something good that isn't recognized at first.
A Chip On Your Shoulder:
Being upset for something that happened in the past.
A Dime A Dozen:
Anything that is common and easy to get.
A Doubting Thomas:
A skeptic who needs physical or personal evidence in order to believe something.
A Drop in the Bucket:
A very small part of something big or whole.
A Fool And His Money Are Easily Parted:
It's easy for a foolish person to lose his/her money.
A House Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand:
Everyone involved must unify and function together or it will not work out.
A Leopard Can't Change His Spots:
You cannot change who you are.
A Penny Saved Is A Penny Earned:
By not spending money, you are saving money (little by little).
A Picture Paints a Thousand Words:
A visual presentation is far more descriptive than words.
A Piece of Cake:
A task that can be accomplished very easily.
A Slap on the Wrist:
A very mild punishment.
A Taste Of Your Own Medicine:
When you are mistreated the same way you mistreat others.
A Toss-Up:
A result that is still unclear and can go either way.
Actions Speak Louder Than Words:
It's better to actually do something than just talk about it.
Add Fuel To The Fire:
Whenever something is done to make a bad situation even worse than it is.
Against The Clock:
Rushed and short on time.
Cup Of Joe:
A cup of coffee.
Curiosity Killed The Cat:
Being Inquisitive can lead you into a dangerous situation.
Cut to the Chase:
Leave out all the unnecessary details and just get to the point.
D
Dark Horse:
One who was previously unknown and is now prominent.
Dead Ringer:
100% identical. A duplicate.
Devil's Advocate:
Someone who takes a position for the sake of argument without believing in that particular side of the
arguement. It can also mean one who presents a counter argument for a position they do believe in, to
another debater.
Dog Days of Summer:
The hottest days of the summer season.
Don't count your chickens before they hatch:
Don't rely on it until your sure of it.
Don't Look A Gift Horse In The Mouth:
When someone gives you a gift, don't be ungrateful.
Don't Put All Your Eggs In One Basket:
Do not put all your resources in one possibility.
Doozy:
Something outstanding.
Down To The Wire:
Something that ends at the last minute or last few seconds.
Drastic Times Call For Drastic Measures:
When you are extremely desperate you need to take extremely desperate actions.
Drink like a fish:
To drink very heavily.
Drive someone up the wall:
To irritate and/or annoy very much.
Dropping Like Flies:
A large number of people either falling ill or dying.
Dry Run:
Rehearsal.
E
Eighty Six:
A certain item is no longer available. Or this idiom can also mean, to throw away.
Elvis has left the building:
The show has come to an end. It's all over.
Ethnic Cleansing:
Killing of a certain ethnic or religious group on a massive scale.
Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining:
Be optomistic, even difficult times will lead to better days.
Everything But The Kitchen Sink:
Almost everything and anything has been included.
Excuse my French:
Please forgive me for cussing.
Cock and Bull Story:
An unbelievable tale.
Cock and Bull Story:
An unbelievable tale.
F
Feeding Frenzy:
An aggressive attack on someone by a group.
Field Day:
An enjoyable day or circumstance.
Finding Your Feet:
To become more comfortable in whatever you are doing.
Finger lickin' good:
A very tasty food or meal.
Fixed In Your Ways:
Not willing or wanting to change from your normal way of doing something.
Flash In The Pan:
Something that shows potential or looks promising in the beginning but fails to deliver anything in the end.
Flea Market:
A swap meet. A place where people gather to buy and sell inexpensive goods.
Flesh and Blood:
This idiom can mean living material of which people are made of, or it can refer to someone's family.
Flip The Bird:
To raise your middle finger at someone.
Foam at the Mouth:
To be enraged and show it.
Fools' Gold:
Iron pyrites, a worthless rock that resembles real gold.
French Kiss:
An open mouth kiss where tongues touch.
From Rags To Riches:
To go from being very poor to being very wealthy.
Fuddy-duddy:
An old-fashioned and foolish type of person.
Full Monty:
This idiom can mean either, "the whole thing" or "completely nude".
Funny Farm:
A mental institutional facility.
G
Get Down to Brass Tacks:
To become serious about something.
Get Over It:
To move beyond something that is bothering you.
Get Up On The Wrong Side Of The Bed:
Someone who is having a horrible day.
Get Your Walking Papers:
Get fired from a job.
Give Him The Slip:
To get away from. To escape.
Go Down Like A Lead Balloon:
To be received badly by an audience.
Go For Broke:
To gamble everything you have.
Go Out On A Limb:
Put yourself in a tough position in order to support someone/something.
Go The Extra Mile:
Going above and beyond whatever is required for the task at hand.
Good Samaritan:
Someone who helps others when they are in need, with no discussion for compensation, and no thought
of a reward.
Graveyard Shift:
Working hours from about 12:00 am to 8:00 am. The time of the day when most other people are
sleeping.
Great Minds Think Alike:
Intelligent people think like each other.
Green Room:
The waiting room, especially for those who are about to go on a tv or radio show.
Gut Feeling:
A personal intuition you get, especially when feel something may not be right.
H
Haste Makes Waste:
Quickly doing things results in a poor ending.
Hat Trick:
When one player scores three goals in the same hockey game. This idiom can also mean three scores in
any other sport, such as 3 homeruns, 3 touchdowns, 3 soccer goals, etc.
Have an Axe to Grind:
To have a dispute with someone.
He Lost His Head:
Angry and overcome by emotions.
Head Over Heels:
Very excited and/or joyful, especially when in love.
Hell in a Handbasket:
Deteriorating and headed for complete disaster.
High Five:
Slapping palms above each others heads as celebration gesture.
High on the Hog:
Living in Luxury.
Hit The Books:
To study, especially for a test or exam.
Hit The Hay:
Go to bed or go to sleep.
Hit The Nail on the Head:
Do something exactly right or say something exactly right.
Hit The Sack:
Go to bed or go to sleep.
Hocus Pocus:
In general, a term used in magic or trickery.
Hold Your Horses:
Be patient.
I
Icing On The Cake:
When you already have it good and get something on top of what you already have.
Idle Hands Are The Devil's Tools:
You are more likely to get in trouble if you have nothing to do.
Knock On Wood:
Knuckle tapping on wood in order to avoid some bad luck.
Know the Ropes:
To understand the details.
L
Last but not least:
An introduction phrase to let the audience know that the last person mentioned is no less important than
those introduced before him/her.
Lend Me Your Ear:
To politely ask for someone's full attention.
Let Bygones Be Bygones:
To forget about a disagreement or arguement.
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie:
To avoid restarting a conflict.
Let The Cat Out Of The Bag:
To share a secret that wasn't suppose to be shared.
Level playing field:
A fair competition where no side has an advantage.
Like a chicken with its head cut off:
To act in a frenzied manner.
liquor someone up:
To get someone drunk.
Long in the Tooth:
Old people (or horses).
Loose Cannon:
Someone who is unpredictable and can cause damage if not kept in check.
M
Make No Bones About:
To state a fact so there are no doubts or objections.
Method To My Madness:
Strange or crazy actions that appear meaningless but in the end are done for a good reason.
Mumbo Jumbo:
Nonsense or meaningless speech.
Mum's the word:
To keep quiet. To say nothing.
N
Nest Egg:
Savings set aside for future use.
11
S
Saved By The Bell:
Saved at the last possible moment.
Scapegoat:
Someone else who takes the blame.
Scot-free:
To escape and not have to pay.
Sick As A Dog:
To be very sick (with the flu or a cold).
Sitting Shotgun:
Riding in the front passenger seat of a car.
Sixth Sense:
A paranormal sense that allows you to communicate with the dead.
Skid Row:
The rundown area of a city where the homeless and drug users live.
Smell A Rat:
To detect somone in the group is betraying the others.
Smell Something Fishy:
Detecting that something isn't right and there might be a reason for it.
Son of a Gun:
A scamp.
Southpaw:
Someone who is left-handed.
Spitting Image:
The exact likeness or kind.
Start From Scratch:
To do it all over again from the beginning.
T
The Ball Is In Your Court:
It is your decision this time.
The Best Of Both Worlds:
There are two choices and you have them both.
The Bigger They Are The Harder They Fall:
While the bigger and stronger opponent might be alot more difficult to beat, when you do they suffer a
much bigger loss.
The Last Straw:
When one small burden after another creates an unbearable situation, the last straw is the last small
burden that one can take.
The Whole Nine Yards:
13
All-out:
Complete. Very strong. "They did an all-out search for the missing boy and they found him."
All set:
Ready (to go). "All set?"
All thumbs:
Awkward. Clumsy.
A little bird told me:
When someone says "a little bird told me" it means they don't want you to know who told them.
All in a day's work:
Typical. Normal. Expected. ex. "Talking to famous celebrities is all in a day's work for some Hollywood
reporters."
(From) all walks of life:
(From) all social, economic, and ethnic groups. ex. "People from all walks of life voted for him, but he still
lost the presidential election."
Apple of someone's eye:
Someone's favorite person (and sometimes thing). ex. "Sarah was the apple of Tom's eye for quite a long
time. He was very much in love with her."
Armed to the teeth:
Heavily armed. ex. "The rebels were armed to the teeth."
At all hours (of the night):
Very late at night, throughout the night. ex. "Her boyfriend would call her at all hours of the night."
At each other's throats:
Fighting or arguing heavily. ex. "They were at each other's throats. The arguments never stopped."
At this stage:
At this point. ex. "At this stage, it's difficult to say who will win the election."
(a) ball-park figure:
A rough estimate. "Can you give me a ball-park figure of what this project will cost?"
(To get on the) bandwagon:
To begin to like something/start doing something because it's popular, "hip", or everyone else is doing it.
(To) bank on something:
To count or rely on something.
(To) bark up the wrong tree:
To ask the wrong person. To make the wrong choice. ex. "The gangster told the cops they were barking
up the wrong tree in thinking he was responsible for the robbery."
(A) basket-case:
A very nervous person, someone at the verge of being neurotic. ex. "All the stress from the divorce turned
John into a basket case."
(To) be a fan of someone/ something:
15
To like, idolize, admire someone/ or something. ex. "I'm not a big fan of heavy metal music."
(To) be in one's element:
To be completely comfortable doing something; To do something that comes very naturally to someone.
ex. "When it comes to speaking in public, the Senator is in his element."
(To) be up to no good:
To be planning something bad, mischievous, etc. ex. "I could tell from the look in his eyes that he was up
to no good."
(To) beat around the bush:
To avoid getting to the point. ex. "Stop beating around the bush and tell me what you really think."
(To) beg to differ:
A polite way of saying "to disagree", most often heard in the phrase "I beg to differ!"
Behind (someone)
In the past. "I used to smoke, drink, and take drugs, but all that is behind me now."
Believe it or not:
Used at the beginning sentence to state that something is true whether one chooses to believe it or not.
ex. "Believe it or not, I still care for her."
Big fish in a little sea:
A person who's famous/ well-known but only in an unimportant place (city or area).
(To have a) big mouth:
To not be able to keep a secret. ex. "Don't tell her anything. She's got a really big mouth."
Big-shot (noun/adjective):
An important person. ex. "All the big-shots at headquarters never listen to what we have to say."; "A bigshot reporter."
(A) Bimbo:
A foolish/empty girl. The term "male bimbo" is also used. ex. "John only talks about his car and his clothes
- he's a real male bimbo."
(The) birds and the bees:
Sex. Human reproduction. ex. "It's about time I talked to my son about the birds and the bees."
(A) bite to eat:
A snack, some food. ex. "Let's go grab a bite to eat before we go to the game."
(To) bite the hand that feeds you:
To do harm to someone who helps you.
(To) bite one's tongue:
To struggle not to say something that you want to say. ex. "I wanted to tell her everything, but I had to bite
my tongue because I had promised Bill I would not (tell her)."
Black sheep (of the family):
The worst, least accepted member of a family.
(A) Blast:
A great time. A fun time. "We had a blast at the party last night."
17
To be very bored.
(A) dead ringer:
A look-alike. "He's a dead ringer for Jude Law" (He looks exactly like Jude Law).
Dirt cheap:
Very cheap (inexpensive). "The hotel we stayed in was dirt cheap, but our room was very nice."
(A) dog's age:
A very long time. "I haven't seen him in a dog's age."
Don't hold your breath:
Don't wait for it to happen because it probably won't. "You think David will break up with Tina? Don't hold
your breath!"
Don't let it get you down:
Don't let it upset you. Don't allow it to make you feel bad.
(To) do the dishes:
To wash the dishes.
(A) downer:
An event that causes one to be sad. "Your girlfriend broke up with you? What a downer!"
Down the drain:
Wasted. Lost forever. "I tried for five years to run this business and now I'm bankrupt. Five years down
the drain."
(A) drag:
Boring; a disappointment. "The party was a real drag" or "My car broke down... What a drag!"
(To) drive a hard bargain:
To be firm when bargaining about something. You drive a hard bargain = It's hard to win when bargaining
with you. "You drive a hard bargain, but alright, I'll pay you $10 for the lamp."
(To) drive someone crazy:
To make someone very agitated, upset, or emotional (either in a good or bad way). "That teacher is so
awful! He drives me crazy with his attitude."
(To) drop it:
To stop talking about something. "I told you to drop it! I don't want to talk about it."
(To) drown one's sorrows:
To get/ become drunk.
(To) drop the ball:
To make a mistake. (WARNING: This idiom is overused in the business world). ex. "So it was John's
fault? Yes, John really dropped the ball on this one."
(A) dream come true:
A great thing. A dream or wish that has become reality. ex. "Living in California is like a dream come
true."
Down in the dumps:
Sad. Depressed.
19
21
To act according to your feelings/ emotions. ex. "I couldn't decide what to do so I just followed my heart."
Food for thought:
Something to think about.
(A) fork in the road:
A point when a road splits in two directions.
Free and easy:
Casual. Not very serious. ex. "Sarah was looking for a free and easy relationship."
(A) fresh pair of eyes:
A new reader, someone who hasn't seen something before. ex. "Hey can you come check out this report?
We need a fresh pair of eyes."
(A) full plate:
A busy schedule. ex. "Mark can you help me with this project? Not really, I've got a full plate right now."
Fun and games:
Playing around. Time spent doing worthless things. ex. "OK, Neil, the fun and games are over. It's time to
get down to work."
To) get a move on:
To go or do something quickly, to get going, etc. ex. "Hey if we want to make the 8:00 PM show we
should get a move on."
(To) get carried away:
To exaggerate/ go too far/ to become emotional. ex. "I got carried away. I bought 10 shirts!" "She got
carried away when she started talking about the war."
(To) get caught up:
To become involved, especially emotionally. ex. "I just got caught up in his plan and couldn't think
straight."
(To) get cold feet:
To become timid or frightened. ex. "I usually get cold feet when I have to speak in public."
(To) get down to business:
To start working seriously. ex. "Enough playing around - let's get down to business."
(To) get that all the time:
To hear something constantly. ex. "Hey, you really look like Brad Pitt! Yeah, I get that all the time."
(To) get one's foot in the door
To get started in a process. To attain a favorable position which will help one work toward a goal. ex. "I'm
trying to find a better job, but I can't get my foot in the door. (To) get one's fill of something:
To have enough of something. To have a lot of something. ex. "She's had her fill of trouble lately."
(To) get on someone's nerves:
To annoy someone. To bother or irritate someone.
(To) get rid of (something/someone):
To eliminate. To throw away. To hide. ex. "This detergent gets rid of dirt better than any other one that
I've used.", "Get rid of the cigarette - your mother's coming!"
23
When asking a question, "How on earth..." and "How in the world..." emphasize the fact that something
incredible or very hard to believe happened. "How on earth did you get that job? (it was very hard to get)"
"How on earth did you fix that car!? (it was impossible to fix)" etc.
If worst comes to worst:
If things get really bad. ex. "If worst comes to worst, we can always fire him."
Ill-at-ease:
Uncomfortable. ex. "She seemed to be ill-at-ease talking to the doctor about her problems".
In bad taste:
Rude. Vulgar. Obscene. ex. "John's jokes are always in bad taste."
In broad daylight:
Publicly visible in the daytime. ex. "This city is very dangerous. You can get robbed in broad daylight."
In good shape/ condition:
Physically and functionally sound and sturdy. "Shape" is generally used more for people. ex. "The car is in
good condition. Bill is in good shape."
In mint condition:
In perfect condition (not used for people).
In no mood to do something:
To not feel like doing something. To not want to do something. ex. "I'm in no mood to cook dinner tonight."
In season:
Currently available for selling (often said of fresh fruit and vegetables). ex. "Tomatoes are very cheap now
because they're in season."
In stock:
Available for purchase, as in goods in a store. ex. "Do you have any more of these books in stock? No,
I'm sorry we don't."
In the air:
Everywhere. All around.
In the long run:
Over a long period of time. Ultimately. ex. "He smokes a lot now, and I'm afraid that in the long run it will
cost him his health."
In the same boat:
In the same situation (usually negative).
In and out:
Coming in and going out often. ex. "She's been in and out all day."
In with:
Friendly with. Friends with. ex. "At high school he was in with the wrong crowd. That's why he always got
in trouble."
In advance:
Ahead of time.
Jam-packed:
25
27
To stop bothering someone. ex. "Leave me alone! I don't want to talk to anyone."
(To) let off steam:
To release energy or anger. ex. "Victor went drinking, and got into a fight. That's OK, he's just letting off a
little steam."
(To) let someone off the hook:
To release someone from responsibility. ex. "Natalie said she didn't want to wash the dishes, but her
mom didn't let her off the hook."
(To) let something slide:
To neglect something. To ignore something. ex. "I'm going to let it slide this time, but next time be more
careful!"
(A) lift:
A ride. ex. "She gave me a lift to the airport."
Little by little:
Slowly, gradually. ex. "Little by little she started to like living in New York City."
(A) little off:
Not quite even, normal. ex. "There was something a little off about the way she was behaving."
(To) lock horns:
To argue. To have a dispute. To disagree.
(To) look the other way:
To ignore something on purpose. ex. "In some countries, customs officials can be paid to look the other
way."
(A) long shot:
Something that has a slim (small) chance of happening. "They might win, but it's a long-shot."
(To) lose (someone):
This is often used when someone is chasing someone OR being chased by someone. If you're being
chased by someone and you manage to get away you can say - "I lost him!" - The person chasing you
can say the same thing - "I lost him" :)
(To) lose one's temper:
To become angry.
(To) lose one's train of thought:
To forget what one was thinking/ talking about. ex. "What was I saying? I lost my train of thought."
Lost in thought:
Busy thinking.
(To) lower one's voice:
To talk more softly. ex. "Lower your voice, my parents are asleep."
(A) lucky break:
Good luck, good fortune. ex. "I was supposed to speak at the meeting today, but I found out it was
cancelled. What a lucky break!"
(To) make a beeline for:
To head directly to. ex. "Whenever he comes into the cafeteria, he makes a beeline for the fried shrimp."
29
To be experienced, knowledgeable. ex. "Of course I know that trick! I wasn't born yesterday."
Not in the least?:
Not at all. ex. "Were you surprised that he failed the FCE? Not in the least."
Not likely:
Probably will not happen. ex. "You think George will learn a lesson from this? Not likely."
Not much of:
Pretty bad. ex. "He's not much of a cook, but at least he tries."
Now and then:
Occasionally.
Odd man out:
An unusual or atypical person (or thing). ex. "In a high school where everyone was tough, I was the odd
man out."
Off-color:
Rude. Vulgar.
Off-duty:
Not working at one's job. ex. "the policeman couldn't help me because he was off-duty."
Off the air:
No longer on TV (or the radio). ex. "They took that show off the air in November because nobody watched
it."
Off the hook:
No longer having to do something, no longer blamed or under suspicion. ex. "Ok, you're off the hook.
Your brother says he'll clean the bathroom."
Off the record:
Unofficially.
Off the top of one's head:
Spontaneously. Without thinking too much. "How many cafes are there in this town? Off the top of my
head I can think of about 6."
On one's mind:
Occupying someone's thoughts. Being thought about. ex. "You were always on my mind."
(To do something) on one's own accord:
Willingly, without anyone forcing one to do something. "Did you make him apologize? No, he did it on his
own accord."
On second thought:
Having given something more thought. ex. "On second thought, maybe you should sell your house and
move into an apartment."
On the go:
Busy. Moving around busily. ex. "Jim is always on the go. He can never find time to talk to me."
On the house:
Something that is given away free by a merchant. "How much for the apple? Don't worry - It's one the
house!"
31
On the loose:
(Most often used speaking about criminals) - free; not captured; "The bank robbers are still on the loose."
On the tip of one's tongue:
About to be said. Almost remembered.
On the wagon:
Not drinking alcohol. ex. "Hey let's go out for a couple of beers tonight. I can't - I'm on the wagon."
Once in a while:
Occasionally.
Other side of the tracks
The poorer part of a town.
Out cold:
Unconscious. ex. "The boxer was out cold."
Out of sorts:
Not quite oneself; In a bad/strange mood. ex. "Tom has been out of sorts recently."
(A) pain in the butt:
A problematic person/thing. Chronic complainer. "I hate doing my taxes. It's such a pain in the butt." "Stop
being such a pain in the butt - all you do is complain!"
(To) pass the buck:
To blame someone else.
(To) pass the time:
To do something to keep busy. "What do you do to pass the time around here?"
(A) pat on the back:
A sign of approval - "To give someone a pat on the back" means to show them that you approve of
something that they did.
(To) pay an arm and a leg/ pay a fortune:
To pay a lot of money. ex. "I hate to have to pay an arm and a leg for a tank of gas."
(A) peeping Tom
Someone who looks through people's windows.
(A) piece of cake:
Very easy. ex. "Hey how did you do on the test? Good - it was a piece of cake for me."
(To give someone) a piece of one's mind:
To scold, reprimand someone (for something they did). ex. "After I found out how badly Peter had treated
his girlfriend, I gave him a piece of my mind."
(To) pitch in:
To help with something (especially financially). ex. "Let's all pitch in and buy him a nice present."
(To) pick up the tab:
To pay a bill. ex. "John, you picked up the tab last time - Let me pay this time."
33
A lot.
(As) quiet as a mouse:
Very quiet.
Quick on the uptake:
Quick to understand.
Quick and dirty:
Fast and simple, not very sophisticated.
(To) rack one's brain:
To try very hard to think of something. ex. "I racked my brain but I couldn't remember his name."
(To) rain cats and dogs:
To rain very hard. ex. "It was raining cats and dogs last night." NB: *Although this is a fun idiom, in our
opinion it is ARCHAIC = it's best to say "It was raining very heavily" instead*
Rain or shine:
No matter what the weather is like.
(To) raise (some) eyebrows:
To shock. ex."The art show raised some eyebrows due to its explicit content."
(A) redneck:
Generally refers to someone who has either bigoted or narrow-minded opinions. Often used in the context
of people who live in small towns or in the country.
(To) read between the lines:
To try to understand what is meant by something that is not written/said clearly. "Linda tried to be cheerful
and said she was okay, but reading between the lines, I could see she was really upset."
(A) regular guy:
A normal, average man (said in a fairly positive way). "John? I don't know, I guess he's just a regular
guy."
(To) rest one's case:
When someone says "I rest my case", it means that you both have just witnessed proof that their point of
view/argument is correct.
Right off the bat:
Right away. Immediately. First thing.
(To) ring in the new year:
To celebrate the beginning of the New Year at midnight on December 31st.
(To) ring a bell:
To remind, vaguely recognize something. "Have you every listened to Alex Chilton? I'm not sure - the
name rings a bell, though. ( = I think I've heard the name before)" or "I'm sorry, that doesn't ring a bell =
I'm sorry I don't recognize/know that"
(A) rip-off or (To) rip-off:
"A" rip-off is something that costs more than it should. "The popcorn prices at the movie theater are a ripoff". "To" rip someone off means to steal from someone, or to cheat someone. "The mechanic ripped me
off. He was supposed to give me back a 20 and he only gave me back 10."
35
37
To ignore something and pretend you did not see it. ex. "The usher turned a blind eye to the boy who
snuck into the theater."
(To) turn one's back on (something/someone):
To forget or ignore (something/someone) ex. "You should never turn your back on your friends."
(To) two-time someone:
To be in a relationship and to have another boyfriend/girlfriend without telling your first boyfriend/girlfriend.
"I dumped him when I found out he was two-timing me with Mary."
Under construction:
Being built or repaired. ex. "This road has been under construction for six months."
Under fire:
Being attacked. ex. "The soldiers came under fire when they approached the city."
Under the table:
Illegally. ex. "Many illegal immigrants try to find work under the table."
Under the weather:
Sick. Ill. ex. "I'm feeling a bit under the weather today."
Up and about:
Recovered from an illness. ex. "Hey it's nice to see you up and about. You must feel a lot better."
Up for grabs
Available for anyone to try to get. ex. "The Swedish telecom market is still up for grabs."
Up in the air:
Uncertain. ex. "His future at this company is up in the air."
Uptight:
Conservative, nervous, nit-picky. "Stop being so uptight, relax a bit!"
Up to it:
Capable of, fit for. ex. "Do you feel up to playing a game of tennis?"
Up to one's neck in something:
Very much involved in something. To have a lot of something. ex. "I can't go out tonight. I'm up to my
neck in work."
Up to par:
Meeting normal standards.
(To) use every trick in the book:
To use every method possible.
(To) vanish into thin air:
To disappear without leaving a trace.
Variety is the spice of life:
Proverb meaning life is made more interesting by doing new or different things.
Very last:
The last. ex. "We were able to buy the very last tickets to the concert."
Very well:
OK. Agreed.
Vicious circle:
Sequence of cause and effect with bad results. ex. "He had fallen into a vicious circle of drinking too
much and then losing his job and then drinking even more."
Wait-and-see attitude:
A skeptical attitude. An attitude where someone will just wait and see what happens.
(To) wait tables:
To work as a waiter/ waitress in a restaurant.
(To) wait on someone hand and foot:
To serve someone very well. To do anything someone asks you. ex. "I don't mind making you coffee, but
don't expect me to wait on you hand and foot!"
(To) wash one's hands of someone/something:
To end one's association with someone or something. ex. "I washed my hands of Tom. I wanted nothing
more to do with him."
Washed-up:
No longer important/ in good form. "Why do you hang out with that washed-up actor?"
(To) waste one's breath:
To talk in vain. To waste one's time talking.
Way to go!:
Good job! Congratulations! (*sometimes used sarcastically*)
Wear and tear:
Damage as a result of normal use. ex. "They put a lot of wear and tear on their truck during their long
road trip."
(To) wear out one's welcome:
To stay too long (at an event, at someone's house, etc.) ex. "Let's only stay with them for 2 days - I don't
want us to wear out our welcome."
Well-off:
Wealthy. ex. "Her parents are well-off."
Wet blanket:
A person who discourages others from having fun.
What makes someone tick:
What motivates someone. ex. "He's such a mysterious guy. I don't quite know what makes him tick."
What's with (someone)?:
What's wrong with (someone)?. ex. "What's with you? You've been acting strange all day!"
(A) whole lot:
A lot, too many. ex. "There aren't a whole lot of good restaurants in this neighborhood = There aren't too
many good restaurants in this neighborhood"
(To be) wide awake:
39