500-Idioms and Phrases

500 IDIOMS & PHRASES
FOR ALL COMPETITIVE EXAMS

English By Vishal Parihar
Direction: The following question carries

one statement with one blank. Choose the
500
most appropriate word from the options
IDIOMS &
to fill the blank.
Q1
As a result of limited supply, the prices of
spices __________________.
PHRASES
A
B
C
D
E
Bludgeoned
Plummeted
Fell
Skyrocketed
Remained stable
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Solution
As supply is limited, prices must increase.
FOR ALL
Only option D implies that prices increased.
Hence, option D is the right answer.
Bludgeoned: to attack or overcome by
aggressive argument
COMPETITIVE EXAMS
Plummeted: to fall suddenly and quickly from
a high level or position
Skyrocketed: (of prices, an amount, etc.) to
increase rapidly to a much higher level than
before
Highlights:
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Q2
➢ Best Editorial Analyst on YouTube in 2019The entire class ___________ into laughter on
➢ Super30 Teacher’s Award in 2019 hearing the Joke.
A Fell
➢ Best Content Delivery Award in 2020 B Burst
➢ 7+ years experience in Bank Exams C Wheeled
D
➢ Highest number of selection through Youtube Broke
E Screamed
➢ No.1 The Hindu Editorial session on Youtube
➢ Approx. 300 Million Views on Youtube Solution
“burst into laughter” is the correct usage.
➢ Most trending videos of English & Editorial
Burst: to break open suddenly and violently,
➢ Ex. Top Online Educator at Mahendras, Adda247
usually because there is too much pressure
& Wifistudy inside; to cause this to happen
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• Byron strongly disagreed with my request by

1.to eat in/to eat out: to eat at home/to eat in a saying, “I won’t hear of it.”
restaurant
• I feel too tired to go out for dinner. Let’s eat in again 8. to make fun of: to laugh at, to joke about
tonight. • They are making fun of Carlo’s new hair style.
• When you eat out, what restaurant do you Don’t you think that it’s really strange?
generally go to? • Don’t make fun of Jose’s English. He’s doing the
best he can.
2. cut and dried: predictable, known beforehand;
boring 9. to come true: to become reality, to prove to be
• The results of the national election were rather cut correct
and dried; the Republicans won easily. • The weatherman’s forecast for today’s weather
• A job on a factory assembly line is certainly cut and certainly came true.
dried. • Everything that the economists predicted about the
increased cost of living has come true.
3. to look after: to watch, to supervise, to protect
(also: to take care of, to keep an eye on) 10. as a matter of fact: really, actually (also: in fact)
• Grandma will look after the baby while we go to the • Hans thinks he knows English well but, as a matter
lecture. of fact, he speaks very poorly.
• Who is going to take care of your house plants • I didn’t say that. In fact I said quite the opposite.
while you are away?
• I’d appreciate it if you’d keep an eye on my car
while I’m in the store. 11. to have one’s way: to arrange matters the way
one wants (especially when someone else doesn’t
4. to feel like: to have the desire to, to want to want the
consider same way) (also: to get one’s way)
This idiom is usually followed by a gerund (the -ing • My brother always wants to have his way, but this
form of a verb used as a noun). time our parents said that we could do what I wanted.
• I don’t feel like studying tonight. Let’s go to a • If Sheila doesn’t get her way, she becomes very
basketball game. angry.
• I feel like taking a long walk. Would you like to go
with me?
12. to look forward to: to expect or anticipate with
pleasure
5. once and for all: finally, absolutely This idiom can be followed by a regular noun or a
• My daughter told her boyfriend once and for all that gerund.
she wouldn’t date him anymore. • We’re greatly looking forward to our vacation in
• Once and for all, John has quit smoking cigarettes. Mexico.
• Margaret never looks forward to going to work.
6. to hear from: to receive news or information from
To hear from is used for receiving a letter, telephone
call, etc., from a person or organization.
• I don’t hear from my brother very often since he 13. inside out: with the inside facing the outside
moved to Chicago. • Some one should tell little Bobby that his shirt is
• Have you heard from the company about that new inside out.
job? • The high winds ruined the umbrella by blowing it
inside out.
7. to hear of: to know about, to be familiar with; to
consider (The second definition is always used in the
negative.) 14. upside down: with the upper side turned toward
• When I asked for directions to Mill Street, the police the lower side
officer said that she had never heard of it.
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• The accident caused one car to turn upside down, • No matter where that escaped prisoner tries to
its wheels spinning in the air. hide, the police will find him sooner or later.
• One of the students was only pretending to read
her textbook; the teacher could see that the book was
actually upside down. 19. to take up: to begin to do or study, to undertake
(S); to occupy space, time, or energy (S)
• After today’s exam, the class will be ready to take
15. to fill in: to write answers in (S); to inform, to tell up the last chapter in the book.
(S) • The piano takes up too much space in our living
For the second definition, the idiom can be followed room. However, it would take too much time up to
by the preposition on and the information that move it
someone is right now so we’d better wait until later.
told.
• You should be careful to fill in the blanks on the
registration form correctly. 20. to take up with: to consult someone about an
• Barry was absent from the meeting, so I’d better fill important matter (S)
him in. The important matter follows the verb take, while the
• Has anyone filled the boss in on the latest public person consulted follows with.
relations disaster? • Can I take the problem up with you right now? It’s
quite urgent.
• I can’t help you with this matter. You’ll have to take
16. to fill out: to complete a form (S) it up with the manager.
This idiom is very similar to the first definition above.
To fill in refers to completing various parts of a form,
while to fill out refers to completing a form as one 21. to take after: to resemble a parent or close
whole item. relative (for physical appearance only, also: to look
• Every prospective employee must fill out an like)
application by giving name, address, previous jobs, • Which of your parents do you take after the most?
etc. • Sam looks like his father, but he takes after his
• The teenager had some trouble filling the forms out mother in personality.
by himself, so his mother helped him.
22. in the long run: eventually, after a long period of

17. to take advantage of: to use well, to profit from; time
to use another person’s weaknesses to gain what This idiom is similar in meaning to sooner or later
one wants (Lesson 1). The difference is that in the long run
• I took advantage of my neighbor’s superior skill at refers to a
tennis to improve my own ability at the game. more extended period of time.
• Teddy is such a small, weak child that his friends • In the long run, the synthetic weave in this carpet
take advantage of him all the time. They take will wear better than the woolen one. You won’t have
advantage to
of him by demanding money and making him do replace it so soon.
things for them. • If you work hard at your marriage, you’ll find out
that, in the long run, your spouse can be your best
friend in
18. no matter: regardless of life.
This idiom is a shortened form of it doesn’t matter. It
is followed by a question word such as how, where,
when, 23. be in touch (with): having contact
who, etc. • James will be in touch with us soon to relay the
• No matter how much money he spends on his details of the plan.
clothes, he never looks well dressed. I certainly enjoyed seeing you again after all these
years. Let’s be sure to keep in touch.
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30. to keep in mind: to remember, not to forget (S)

24. out of touch with: not having contact; not having (also: to bear in mind)
knowledge of • Please keep in mind that you promised to call Stan
• Marge and I had been out of touch for years, but around noon.
then suddenly she called me up the other day. • I didn’t know that Paula doesn’t like vegetables.
• Larry has been so busy that he seems out of touch We should bear that in mind next time we invite her
with world events. for
dinner.
25. on one’s toes: alert, cautious

This idiom is usually used with the verbs stay and 31. for once: this one time, for only one time
keep. • For once I was able to win a game of golf against
• It’s important for all the players on a soccer team Steve, who is a much better player than I am.
to stay on their toes. • Dad, for once would you please let me drive the
• We’d better keep on our toes while we’re walking new car?
along the dark portions of this street.
32. to go off: to explode, to sound as an alarm; to

26. to get along: to make progress; to manage to leave suddenly without explanation
live in a certain state of health • The accident happened when a box of firecrackers
• Juan is getting along very well in his English went off accidentally.
studies. • For what time did you set the alarm clock to go off
• How is Mr Richards getting along after his long tomorrow morning?
illness? • Vince went off without saying good-bye to
anybody, I hope he wasn’t angry.
27. hard of hearing: partially deaf, not able to hear

well 33. to grow out of: to outgrow, to become too old
• You’ll have to speak a little louder. Mrs Evans is for, to be a result of
hard of hearing. • He still bites his nails now and then, but soon he’ll
• Please don’t shout. I’m not hard of hearing. grow out of the habit.
• Listening to loud music too much can make you • The need for the salary committee grew out of
hard of hearing. worker dissatisfaction with the pay scale.
28. to see eye to eye; on something with 34. to make the best of: to do the best that one can
somebody: to agree, to concur in a poor situation
• I’m glad that we see eye to eye on the matter of the • If we can’t find a larger apartment soon, we’ll just
conference location. have to make the best of it right here.
• A husband and wife don’t always see eye to eye • Even though the Martinez family is having financial
with each other, but a good marriage can survive problems, they make the best of everything by
small enjoying
disagreements. the simple pleasures of life.
29. to have in mind: to be considering, to be thinking 35. to cut off: to shorten by cutting the ends (S); to
(S) disconnect or stop suddenly (S)
• I don’t want to see a movie now. I have in mind • The rope was two feet longer than we needed, so
going to the park. we cut off the extra length..
• It’s up to you what we eat tonight. Do you have • The operator cut our long-distance phone
anything in mind? conversation off after two minutes.
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• Curtis has got a bad cold. He’s sneezing and

36. to cut out: to remove by cutting (S); to stop doing coughing a lot.
something (S) (for the second definition, also: to • How much money have you got with you right now?
knock it
off) 41. have got to: must (also: have to)
For the second definition, the idiom is usually • She has got to go to Chicago today to sign the
separated by the pronoun it. contract papers.
• The child likes to cut out pictures from the • I have to be back home by two o’clock or my wife
newspaper and to paste them in a notebook. will feel ill at ease.
• He kept bothering her, so finally she told him to cut
it out. However, he wouldn’t knock it off until her
larger 42. to keep up with: to maintain the same speed or
brother appeared. rate as
• Frieda works so fast that no one in the office can
keep up with her.
• You’ll have to walk more slowly. I can’t keep up
with you.
37. to blow out: to explode, to go flat (for tires); to
extinguish by blowing (S)
• On our trip to Colorado, one of the car tires blew
out when it hit a large hole in the road. 43. on the other hand: however, in contrast
• Little Joey wasn’t able to blow all the candles out, • Democracies provide people many freedoms and
so his big sister helped him. privileges. On the other hand, democracies suffer
many
serious problems such as crime and unemployment.
38. to become of: to happen to (a missing object or • My sister takes after my father in appearance. On
person) the other hand, I take after my mother.
This idiom is always used in a clause beginning with
what.
• What has become of my pencil? I had it ten
minutes ago, but now I can’t find it. 44. to turn down: to reduce in brightness or volume
• I wondered what became of you. I looked around (S); to reject, to refuse (S)
the shopping center for two hours, but I couldn’t find • Please turn down the radio for me. It’s too loud
you at while I’m studying.
all. • Laverne wanted to join the military but the
recruiting officer turned her application down
because Laverne is
hard of hearing in one ear.
39. to shut up: to close for a period of time (S); to be
quiet, to stop talking
The second definition of this idiom is impolite in
formal situations. 45. fifty-fifty: divided into two equal parts
• During the hurricane, all the store owners shut their • Let’s go fifty-fifty on the cost of a new rug for our
shops up. apartment.
• Bob’s sister told him to shut up and not say • The political candidate has a fifty-fifty chance of
anything more about it. winning the election.
• The student got into big trouble for telling his
teacher to shut up.
46. to break in: gradually to prepare something for

use that is new and stiff (S); to interrupt (for the
second
40. have got: to have, to possess
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definition, also: to cut in) This idiom is used when the occurrence of an event
• It is best to break a new car in by driving it slowly seems inevitable or unavoidable.
for the first few hundred miles. • We are bound to be late if you don’t hurry up.
• While Carrie and I were talking Bill broke in to tell • With the economy improving now, their business is
me about a telephone call. bound to make more money this year.
• Peter, it’s very impolite to cut in like that while
others are speaking.
52. for sure: without doubt (also: for certain)
• In the dark, I couldn’t tell for sure whether it was
Polly or Sarah who drove by.
47. a lost cause: a hopeless case, a person or • I know for certain that Gene will move back to
situation having no hope of positive change Washington next month.
• It seems that Charles will never listen to our advice.
I suppose it’s a lost cause.
• The police searched for the missing girl for two 53. to take for: to perceive or understand as (S)
weeks, but finally gave it up as a lost cause. This idiom is usually used when someone is
• Children who have committed several crimes as mistakenly perceived. A noun or pronoun must
teenagers and show no sorrow about their actions separate the idiom.
are • Because of his strong, muscular body, I took him
generally lost causes. for a professional athlete. As it turns out, he doesn’t
play
any professional sports.
48. above all: mainly, especially • What do you take me for – a fool? I don’t believe
• Above all, don’t mention the matter to Gerard; he’s what you’re saying at all.
the last person we should tell.
• Sheila does well in all her school subjects, but
above all in mathematics. Her math scores are
always over
95 percent.
54. to try out: to test, to use during a trial period (S)

• You can try out the new car before you decide to
49. to do without: survive or exist without something buy it.
(also: to go without) • I can let you try the computer out for a few days
• With prices so high now, I’ll have to do without a before you make a decision.
new suit this year.
• As a traveling salesperson, Monica can’t do
without a car. 55. to tear down: to destroy by making flat, to
• It’s a shame that so many poor people in the world demolish (S)
have to go without basic necessities of life such as • The construction company had to tear down the old
nutritious food and suitable shelter. hotel in order to build a new office building.
• The owners had to tear the house down after it
burned down in a fire.
50. according to: in the order of; on the authority of
• The students on the football team were ranked
according to height, from shortest to tallest. 56. to tear up: to rip into small pieces (S)
• According to my dictionary, you are using that word • Deidre tore up the letter angrily and threw all the
in your essay incorrectly. pieces into the trash can.
• He told the lawyer to tear the old contract up and
then to prepare a new one.
51. to be bound to do something: to be certain to
do something, to be sure to do something
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57. go over: to be appreciated or accepted • The two brothers look so much alike that few
This idiom is usually followed by the adverb well. (In people can tell them apart.
Lesson 6 this idiom has the meaning to review, as in • That copy machine is so good that I can’t pick the
the photocopy and the original apart.
second sentence of the second example below.) • Most new cars are very similar in appearance. It’s
• The teacher’s organized lessons always go over almost impossible to tell one from another.
well with her students.
• The comedian’s jokes weren’t going over well, the
audience wasn’t laughing much at all. I think that the 63. all in all: considering everything
comedian should go over his material more carefully • There were a few problems, but all in all it was a
before each act. well-organized seminar.
• Leonard got a low grade in one subject, but all in
all he’s a good student.
58.bto run out of: to exhaust the supply of, not to

have more of 64. to pass out: to distribute (also: to hand out) (S);
• We ran out of gas right in the middle of the main to lose consciousness
street in town. The verbal idiom to hand out can be made into the
• It’s dangerous to run out of water if you are in an noun handout to refer to items that are distributed in
isolated area. a
class or meeting.
• Please help me pass out these test papers; there
59. at heart: basically, fundamentally must be a hundred of them.
This idiom is used to describe the true character of a • Alright, students, here are the class handouts for
person. this week.
• James sometimes seems quite unfriendly but at • The weather was so hot in the soccer stadium that
heart he’s a good person. some of the fans in the stands passed out.
• The Fares often don’t see eye to eye, but at heart
they both love each other very much.
65. to go around: to be sufficient or adequate for
everyone present, to circulate, to move from place to
60. be about to do smth: ready to, just going to place
• We were about to leave the house when the phone • We thought that we had bought enough food and
rang. drink for the party, but actually there wasn’t enough
• I’m sorry that I broke in. What were you about to to go
say? around.
• There’s a bad strain of influenza going around right
now. Have you gotten your flu shots yet?
61. to bite off: to accept as a responsibility or task • Mike has been going around telling people that he
This idiom is often used when one accepts more was accepted to Harvard University. Do you believe
responsibility than one can handle alone. It is usually him?
used in
the form to bite off more than one can chew.
• When I accepted the position of chairman, I didn’t 66. to be in (the/one’s) way: to block or obstruct; not
realize how much I was biting off. to be helpful, to cause inconvenience (for both, also:
• When James registered for 18 units in his last to get
semester at college, he bit off more than he could in the/one’s way)
chew. • Jocelyn couldn’t drive through the busy
intersection because a big truck was in the way.
• Our small child tried to help us paint the house, but
actually he just got in our way.
62. to tell apart: to distinguish between (also: to pick
apart, to tell from) (S)
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• If you are not equal to others, first you have to

67. to put on: to gain (pounds or weight) (S); to catch up with them before you can keep up with
present, to perform (S) them.
• Bob has put on a lot of weight recently. He must
have put at least fifteen pounds on. 73. to hold still: not to move (S)
• The Youth Actor’s Guild put on a wonderful version • Please hold still while I adjust your tie.
of Romeo and Juliet at the Globe Theater.
• If you don’t hold that camera still, you’ll get a
blurred picture.
68. to put up: to construct, to erect (S); to lift, to raise

74. to know by sight: to recognize (S)
upwards (S)
This idiom is used when the person has been seen
• The construction company is tearing down that old previously but is not known personally. The person
office building in order to put up a new one. must be
• Please put your hand up if you have never studied used to separate the idiom.
English grammar before. • I have never met our new neighbors; I simply know
them by sight.
• The woman said that she would know the thief by
69. to put up with: to tolerate to accept unwillingly
sight if she ever saw him again.
• The employee was fired because his boss could
not put up with his mistakes any longer.
• While I’m studying, I can’t put up with any noise or 75. to be the matter: to be unsatisfactory, to be
other distractions. improper, to be wrong
In a question, this idiom is used with what or
something. In an answer, something or nothing is
70. in vain: useless, without the desired result usually used.
• All the doctors’ efforts to save the injured woman • A: What is the matter, Betty? You look very upset.
were in vain. She was declared dead three hours • B: Yes, something is the matter. I’ve lost my purse!
after
• A: Is something the matter, Charles? You don’t
being admitted to the hospital.
look well.
• We tried in vain to reach you last night. Is your
• B: No, nothing is the matter. I’m just a little under
phone out of order?
the weather.
71. day in and day out: continuously, constantly

76. to bring up: to rear, to raise from childhood (S);
(also: day after day; for longer periods of time, year
to mention, to raise an issue, to introduce a topic (S)
in and year
• Parents should bring up their children to be
out and year after year)
responsible members of society.
• During the month of April, it rained day in and day
• Sarah wanted to bring the scheduling problem up
out.
at the club meeting, but finally she decided against
• Day after day I waited for a letter from him, but one
doing
never came.
so.
• Year in and year out, the weather in San Diego is
• One of the students brought up an interesting point
the best in the nation.
related to the subject in our textbook.
72. to catch up with: to work with the purpose of

77. to get lost: to become lost; to go away in order
fulfilling a requirement or being equal to others
not to bother
The idiom is often followed by the preposition with
The second definition provides a very informal, even
and a noun phrase.
rude, meaning that should be used only with close
• The student was absent from class so long that it friends.
took her a long time to catch up. It is sometimes used in a joking manner.
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• While driving in Boston, we got lost and drove

many miles in the wrong direction.
• Todd kept bothering me while I was studying, so I 84. no wonder: it’s no surprise that, not surprisingly
told him to get lost. This idiom derives from reducing it is no wonder
• Lisa joked that she wanted her sister to get lost that…
forever. • No wonder the portable heater doesn’t work. It’s
not plugged into the electrical outlet!
78. to hold up: to delay, to make late (S); to remain

high in quality 85. to go up: to increase (also: to drive up); to be
• A big accident held up traffic on the highway for constructed, to be erected
several hours. The second definition is the same as the one for to
• Deidre is amazed at how well her car has held up put up in Lesson 19, except that to go up is not used
over the years. with a
noun object.
• Economists are predicting that consumer prices
79. to run away: to leave without permission; to are going up. Inflation always has a tendency to drive
escape up
• The young couple ran away and got married the cost of products.
because their parents wouldn’t permit it. • A new office is going up in the downtown area. A
• That cat is just like a criminal – it runs away from major construction company is putting it up.
anyone who tries to come near!
86. to go up to: to approach (also: to come up to,

80. to rule out: to refuse to consider, to prohibit (S) to walk up to, to run up to, to drive up to, etc.)
• Ann ruled out applying to college in Texas because The related forms have the same meaning, but the
she would rather go to school in Canada. type of movement is different.
• I’d like to watch a good movie on TV tonight, but a • After the lecture, several people in the audience
ton of homework rules that out. went up to the speaker to congratulate her.
• The little girl came up to me and shook my hand as
81. by far: by a great margin, clearly if she had known me for years.
• Jacquie is by far the most intelligent student in our • Bill’s friend didn’t want to admit that they had gotten
class. lost, but finally he agreed to drive up to a gas station
• This is by far the hottest, most humid summer and inquire about the correct route.
we’ve had in years.
87. to hand in: to submit or deliver something that is
82. to see off: to say good-bye upon departure by due (S)
train, airplane, bus, etc. (also: to send off) (S) • Every student has to hand in an original
A noun or pronoun must divide the idiom. composition each week of the semester.
• We are going to the airport to see Peter off on his • All the salespeople hand their weekly reports in on
trip to Europe. Friday.
• When I left for Cincinnati on a business trip, no one
came to the train station to send me off.
in case: in order to be prepared if
When the idiom occurs at the end of the sentence
83. to see out: to accompany a person out of a (the second example), then the meaning is in order
house, building, etc. (S) to be
A noun or pronoun must again divide the idiom. prepared if something happens. The "something"
• The Johnsons were certain to see their guests off might be an accident, a delay, etc.
as each one left the party. • You’d better close the windows in case it rains.
• Would you please see me out to the car? It’s very • We should be sure to leave for the airport early,
dark outside. just in case.
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• Cynthia, take one of your books in case you have

some time to read on our trip.
93. to keep in touch with: to maintain contact with
88. to take apart: to disassemble, to separate the (also: to stay in touch with)
parts of something (S) This idiom should be compared with to get in touch
A noun or pronoun usually divides this idiom. with in Lesson 9.
• It is much easier to take a watch apart than it is to • You can telephone me every few days, and in that
assemble it. way we can keep in touch with each other.
• The engine had a serious problem, so the • He promised to stay in touch with us while he was
mechanic had to take it apart completely in order to abroad. However, we were very disappointed that he
fix it. never did get in touch with us.
89. to put together: to assemble (S) 94. to name after: to give the same name as another
A noun or pronoun usually divides this idiom. The (S)
preposition back is used when something has been • Helen’s parents named Helen after her
disassembled and then is being reassembled, as in grandmother.
the second example. • My grandson is named after Calvin Coolidge, the
• Todd followed the directions on the box but he 30th President of the United States.
couldn’t manage to put the bicycle together properly.
• After the teenager took the broken video game
apart and fixed it, he was unable to put it back 95. to hold on: to grasp tightly or firmly; to wait, to be
together patient
again. The second definition is often used when someone is
talking on the telephone.
• The little girl held on to her mother’s hand and
90. to be better off: to be in a more favorable refused to let go as they walked through the large
condition or situation crowd of
The opposite of this idiom is to be worse off. people.
• Jim would be better off staying at home because of • (on the telephone) Could you please hold on a
his cold. moment while I get a pencil and paper?
• You’d be much better off working in an office than • Come on, Mike, hold on. I can’t get ready so
in a factory. quickly.
• The economies of some nations are worse off than
they were several decades ago.
91. to be well-off: to have enough money to enjoy a 96. to stop by: to visit or stop somewhere briefly in
comfortable life, to be rich (also: to be well-to-do) order to do something
• They live in the best section of town in a large • James had to stop by the registrar’s office to submit
home; they are very well-off. a transcript request form.
• By the time I reach the age of fifty-five, I hope to be • Let’s stop by the supermarket and pick up a few
well-to-do and to travel frequently. grocery items.
92. to take by surprise: to surprise, to amaze, to 97. to drop (someone) a line: to write a note to
astonish (S) someone (S)
A noun or pronoun usually divides this idiom. • As soon as I get to Florida, I’ll drop you a line and
• The offer of a high-paying position with another tell you about my new job.
company took me by surprise. • If you have time, drop me a line now and then while
• The president’s announcement that the university you’re traveling.
was in financial trouble didn’t take anyone by
surprise.
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98. to come across: to meet or find unexpectedly

(also: to run across); to be perceived or judged as 102. to take pains: to work carefully and
(also: to conscientiously
come off) • She takes pains to do everything well; she’s our
• While Cheryl was cleaning the attic, she came best employee.
across some very old coins. It took her by surprise to • He took great pains with his last assignment
run because he needed to get an excellent grade to pass
across something like that. the
• Jeff’s boss comes across as a tough, unpleasant class.
person, but actually Jeff says that he is a good
employer.
Some people come off quite differently than they
really are. 103. to look on: to watch as a spectator, to observe
• Hundreds of people were looking on as the police
and firelighters rescued the passengers in the
wrecked
100. to stand for: to represent, to signify; to tolerate train.
The second definition is usually used in a negative • I stayed with my son at his first soccer practice and
sense. The meaning is the same as to put up with in looked on as the coach worked with the boys.
Lesson
19.
• On the American flag, each star stands for one of
the fifty states, and each stripe stands for one of the 104. to look up to: to admire, to respect greatly
original thirteen colonies of the 1800s. • Children will most certainly look up to their parents
• The citizens wouldn’t stand for the increase in if the children are brought up well.
crime in their city, so they hired more police officers • Everyone looks up to the director of our
and built department because he is a kind and generous
another jail. person.
105. to look down on: to feel superior to, to think of

101. to stand a chance: to have the possibility of someone as less important
accomplishing something • People who are in positions of power should be
This idiom is often used with an adjective such as careful not to look down on those who work for them.
good or excellent. It also occurs in the negative, • Why does Alma look down on Mario; just because
sometimes his family is so poor?
with the adjective much.
• The New York baseball team stands a good
chance of winning the World Series this year. 106. to take off: to leave the ground (for airplanes);
• Because John doesn’t have any previous work to leave, often in a hurry
experience, he doesn’t stand a chance of getting that The noun form takeoff derives from this idiom.
job. • The plane took off over an hour late. The
• The woman injured in the serious train accident passengers had to buckle their seatbelts during
doesn’t stand much chance of surviving. takeoff.
• Do you have to take off already? You just arrived
an hour ago!
107. to pull off: to succeed in doing something

difficult (S); to exit to the side of a highway
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• The group of investors pulled off a big deal by 113. to put down: to suppress, to quell (S); to
buying half the stock in that company. I wonder how criticize unfairly (S)
they • The police arrived just in time to put down the
pulled it off before the company could prevent it. disturbance before it got very serious.
• The motorist pulled off when the police officer • Fred tries his best at playing tennis. You shouldn’t
turned on the red lights and the siren. put him down like that.
114.
108. to keep time: to operate accurately (for watches to go for: to be sold at a certain price; to seek or
and clocks) strive for
This idiom is usually used with adjectives such as • This dress probably goes for about $50, don’t you
good and perfect. think?
• Although this is a cheap watch, it keeps good time. • Peter was going for first place in the swim meet,
• The old clock keeps perfect time; it’s never fast or but he wasn’t able to do better than third place.
slow.
115. to go in for: to have as an interest, such as a
109. to make do with: to manage, to cope sport or hobby (also: to go for, to be into, to get
This idiom is used when a person must accept a into)
substitute that is not the most suitable. • Hal goes in for tennis while his wife goes for
• Pearl doesn’t have a clean blouse so she has to painting and sculpture.
make do with the one she wore yesterday. • What sports are you into? I don’t have any time to
• During difficult economic times, many people have get into sports.
to make do with less.
110.to give birth to: to bear a human being or 116. to stay up: to remain awake, not to go to bed
animal • I want to stay up tonight and watch a late movie on
• Jane’s mother has just given birth to twin girls. TV.
• The zoo’s Siberian tiger just gave birth to a baby • He stays up every night until after one o’clock,
cub preparing his homework.
111. close call: a situation involving a narrow escape 117. to stay in: to remain at home, not to go out
from danger (also: close shave) An idiom with the opposite meaning is to stay out.
• Bob, that car nearly hit us! What a close call. • On a rainy day, I like to stay in and read.
• We had a close call when a small fire in our kitchen • Young people are able to stay out late at night and
almost spread to the rest of the house. get very little sleep.
112. to get on one’s nerves: to annoy or disturb

(also: to bug) 119. to take over: to assume control or responsibility
for (S); to do or perform again (S)
• Laura loves to talk to anyone. Sometimes her
The meaning of the second definition is almost the
chatter really gets on my nerves.
same as do over in Lesson 11. Also for the second
• Jack asked his neighbor to turn down the stereo
definition, a noun or pronoun must divide the idiom.
because it was bugging him and he couldn’t
• That large investment company specializes in
concentrate.
taking over smaller businesses that are in financial
trouble.
• Most students didn’t do well on the important test,
so the instructor let them take it over.
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• Little Mikey didn’t have much chance to hit the • It’s easy to write down a plan for losing weight, but
baseball during practice, so the coach let him take his much harder to carry it out.
turn • Charles promised to go through with his plan to
over. enroll in graduate school and get an advanced
degree.
120. to show up: to appear, to arrive; to be found or

located (also for the second definition: to turn up) 125. to run into: to meet someone unexpectedly; to
• It really gets on my nerves that Ursula shows up crash or collide into (also: to bump into)
late for every meeting. • It was a shock to run into an old friend from high
• Willie hopes that the watch he lost last Sunday school recently.
shows up soon. • The drunk driver was slightly injured when he ran
• We’ve looked everywhere for that book, but it into a telephone pole.
hasn’t turned up yet.
121. to clean out: to empty, to tidy by removing (S);

to steal, to rob (S); to buy or purchase all of 126. to set out: to start traveling toward a place
something (S) (also: to set off, to head out); to arrange or display
• It’s time for you to clean out your closet so that you neatly (also:
can store more things in there. to lay out) (S)
• A burglar entered my apartment while I was gone • We set out for the top of the mountain at dawn.
and cleaned me out. He took over $200 in cash and Unfortunately, as we set off, it started to snow
jewelry. heavily, so
• Thousands of shoppers cleaned out the store that we decided to head out again later.
had gone bankrupt and was selling all its remaining • The children tried to set out the dishes on the table,
products at very reduced prices. but their dad had to help to lay the dishes out
properly.
122. knock out: to make unconscious (S); to impress

or attract greatly (S) 127. to set out to do something: to intend to, to act
This idiom can be made into the noun form knockout purposefully to
for both definitions. • We set out to paint the house in one day, but
• The prizefighter knocked out his opponent with one quickly realized that it would be impossible to do so.
punch in the first five seconds of the first round. It was • Janet set out to compete for the large scholarship
the fastest knockout in boxing history. grant by writing a good essay.
• Linda’s beautiful appearance and slender figure
really knock me out. Isn’t she a real knockout tonight?
128. to draw up: to create by drawing, such as a
map (S); to prepare documents or legal papers (S)
• Max asked me to draw up a map to the party so
123. to knock oneself out: to work very hard that he wouldn’t get lost.
(sometimes too hard) to do something • Our lawyer agreed to draw the contract up as soon
A reflexive pronoun must divide the idiom. as possible.
• She really knocked herself out trying to pass that
difficult class. 129. give and take: compromise, cooperation
• Don’t knock yourself out during practice. Save your between people
strength for the competition later. • Give and take is an important element of a
successful marriage.
• Most business negotiations involve give and take
between the parties involved
124. to carry out: to accomplish, to execute (S)
(also: to go through with) 130. to drop out of: to stop attending; to withdraw
from
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This idiom can be made into the noun form dropout. • No one knows how the suspected criminal got
• Some students drop out of secondary school early away from the police.
in order to get jobs. However, such dropouts often
regret
their decision later in life. 136. to get away with: to avoid punishment for
• Two more baseball teams have dropped out of the • Jonathan tries to get away with coming late to work
youth league due to a lack of players. almost every day; someday he’ll suffer the
consequences.
• Terence can’t continue to put his friends down like
131. to believe in: to accept as true, have faith in that and expect to get away with it forever.
• Some people believe in being honest in all human
affairs, while others accept the need to lie in order to
get 137. to serve (someone) right: to receive one’s just
one’s way. punishment (S)
• Throughout the history of man, some cultures have This idiom is usually used at the beginning of a
believed in one god while others have believed in the sentence after the subject it. Compare the following
existence of many gods. examples
with those in the previous idiom above.
• It serves Jonathan right to be fired from his job.
132. to cheer up: to make happier, to feel less sad • It serves Terence right that none of his friends are
(S) willing to help him move to a new apartment.
• We all tried to cheer up the little boy when he
started to cry.
• After the death of Deanne’s husband, it was
difficult to cheer her up at all.
133. to make sense: to be sensible or reasonable

• It makes sense to wait until a sunny day to visit the
park together.
• That Jimmy ran away from home suddenly doesn’t 138. to keep up: to prevent from sleeping (S); to
make sense to any of us. continue maintaining (speed, level of work, condition,
etc.) (S)
• Could you please turn down the TV volume?
134. to burst out: to depart quickly (also: to storm You’re keeping up the children.
out); to act suddenly • If we can keep up this speed, we should arrive
For the second definition, this idiom is usually there in about two hours.
followed by a gerund form such as laughing, crying, • James is so proud of his daughter for getting
singing, etc. mostly A’s in school. He’s certain that she can keep
• Faye and Debbie were so angry at each other that up the
one of them burst out the front door of the house and good work.
the • The Federal Reserve Bank hopes to keep the
other stormed out the back door. value of the dollar up at least through the rest of the
• It was so funny to see a little baby in the audience year.
burst out crying when the choir group burst out
singing at
the start of the recital. 139. to keep up with: to have current knowledge of;
to understand as an explanation
This idiom should be compared to the meaning of to
135. to get away: to get free, to escape keep up with in Lesson 17.
• We always try to get away from the noise and heat • Evan keeps up with world affairs by reading a news
of the city for a month or two each summer. magazine each week.
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• I understand a lot of the Spanish language, but I • The doctor wants me to have a thorough medical
can’t keep up with the fast conversation in this checkup as part of a preventive medicine program.
Mexican
film.
145. to stick up: to point or place upwards (S); to rob
(S)
140. to stand out: to be easily visible or noticeable • You should put some water on your hair. It’s
(also: to stick out) sticking up in the back.
This idiom is used for someone or something that is
different from all others.
• Her bright red hair makes her stand out from others 146. to come about: to happen
in the group. • I didn’t find any explanation in the newspaper
• Brandon Styles is a tall, distinguished gentleman about how the political coup came about.
who sticks out in any crowd. • The flood came about as a result of the heavy
winter rains.
141. to let on: to reveal or tell what you know, to hint

• We are going to the movies tonight and we don’t 147. to bring about: to cause to happen
want Doris to go. If you see her, make sure not to let This idiom is used to indicate who or what caused
on. something to come about.
• They asked me not to let on to Ted that we’re • John brought about the accident because of his
planning the birthday party; it’s supposed to be a big carelessness.
surprise. • The heavy rains we have each spring bring about
serious flooding.
142. to go wrong: to fail, to result badly

• Something went wrong with the engine, so we had 148. to build up: to increase slowly, to make
to have the car towed to a garage. stronger gradually (S)
• Shown should have been here over an hour ago; • They built up their savings account so that they
I’m certain that something went wrong. could buy a new house.
• The professional athlete exercises regularly to
build her strength up.
143. to meet (someone) halfway: to compromise

with someone 149. to die down: to decrease, to lessen in strength
• Steve wanted $4,500 for his car, and Gwen offered • The hurricane became a less serious tropical storm
$4,000. They met each other halfway and agreed on when its winds died down.
$4,250. • We let the fire in the fireplace die down and
• After a long process of give and take, the owners enjoyed watching the embers as they glowed in the
of the company agreed to meet the workers halfway dark.
by
providing some additional health benefits but no
wage increase.
150. to fade away: to diminish gradually in time or
distance
144. to check up on: to examine with the purpose of • The memory of that unpleasant experience has
determining condition (also: to check on) slowly faded away.
This idiom has the related noun form checkup. • The music of the band gradually faded away as the
• The government always checks up on the parade passed down the street.
background of employees who are hired for sensitive
military
projects.
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151. to die out: not to exist anymore; to be in the • Most students live on limited budgets and have to
process of disappearing cut corners whenever possible.
• Scientists still are not sure exactly why the • The Livingstons have nine children, so it is
dinosaurs died out. essential that they cut corners at all times. to take
• That strange, new style of dancing is slowly dying on: to employ, to hire (S), to accept responsibility for,
out. to undertake
• That factory is taking a lot of new employees on for
its new production line.
152. to make out: to read or see clearly (S); to • Would you be willing to take on the task of
prepare a legal document, such as a will, a check, organizing the next company picnic?
etc. (S)
• The letter was so poorly handwritten that I couldn’t
make out many of the words.
• Harold, please make the check out to Acme Piano 158. to take down: to remove from an elevated place
Company. (S), to write what is said, to note
• We should take the pictures down from the wall
and clean off the dust.
153. to live up to: to fulfill (a standard or promise) • The secretary took down everything that was said
• It was clear that the lazy student would never live at the meeting.
up to his family’s expectations.
• It surprised us that the car salesperson lived up to
all the promises he made. 159. to fall through: to fail to materialize, not to
succeed
This idiom is usually used with the noun plan or plans
154. to stick to: to adhere to (a promise), to follow as the subject.
or obey (a set of rules, procedures, etc.) • Our plan to travel to Europe last summer fell
• He made a promise to his wife to quit smoking and through when we were unable to save up enough
drinking, and so far he has stuck to it. money.
• All organizations expect their employees to stick to • Felix made plans to have a party for everyone in
established work rules and procedures. his office, but they fell through at the last moment.
• If you try hard to stick to your principles, then you’ll
be able to live up to them.
160. to fall behind: to lag, to fail to keep up (also: to
155. to stick it to somebody: to cheat, to take unfair get behind)
advantage of (also: to rip off, the ripoff) • Eve fell behind in her studies and finally had to drop
• Be careful in doing business with that salesperson. out of school.
He’ll stick it to you at the first opportunity. • If you get behind in your car payments, the finance
• The car dealership certainly ripped me off when I company may repossess it from you.
bought this car. It has caused me trouble constantly.
• You paid over $400 for that jacket? What a ripoff!
161. to give in: to surrender, to stop resisting

156. to stand up for: to insist on, to demand; to • Completely surrounded by our soldiers, the enemy
defend, to support finally gave in.
• If you don’t stand up for your rights in court, the • Management gave in to the strikers’ demands and
lawyers will try to stick it to you. agreed to a shortened work week.
• Frank stood up for his friend, who was being put
down by other teenagers nearby.
162. to give off: to release, to produce, to release
• When water boils, it gives off steam.
• The flowers in this garden give off a strange odor.
157. to cut corners: to economize, to save money
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163. to give out: to distribute, to become exhausted 168. to hold over: to extend to keep for a longer time
or depleted (also: to run out) (S)
The first definition has the same meaning as the • They are going to hold over that movie for another
second definition of to pass out in Lesson 19. week because so many people are coming to see it.
• An usher stood at the door of the theater giving out • Let’s hold discussion of this problem over until our
programs. next meeting.
• I couldn’t finish the ten mile race because my
energy gave out.
• Jeff plans to stay in Las Vegas and gamble until his 169. to let up: to slacken, to lessen in
money runs out. intensity; to relax or ease one’s effort (also:
related idiom: to take it easy),
164. to have it in for: to want revenge on, to feel • If the rain doesn’t let up soon, we won’t be
hostile towards (also: to hold a grudge against) able to have our picnic.
• Martina expects to lose her job because her boss • When Jane is working, she never lets up for
has had it in for her for a long time.
• The teacher has held a grudge against Al ever a moment.
since the time that he insulted her in front of the class. • Jane should take it easy or she’ll get
exhausted.
165. to have it out with: to quarrel with, to confront
• I am going to have it out with Jack about all the
times that he has told us lies.
170. to lay off: to abstain from, stop using as
• Ben had it out with his roommate about coming a habit; to release or discharge from a job
back home so late and making a lot of noise. (also: related idiom: to let go) (S)
• If you’re trying to lose weight, you should
166. to hold off: to delay, or to be delayed, in
lay off sweet things.
occurring (S) • If business continues to be slow, we will
This idiom has the same meaning as to put off in have to lay off some workers.
Lesson 5 when a noun or pronoun is used as an • It will be necessary to let the youngest
object, as in
the second example. employees go first.
• If the rain holds off for a few more days, they can
finish planting the rest of the crop. 171. to bring out: to show or introduce (to
• The judge agreed to hold off making a decision the public) (S); to make available (S)
until new evidence could be introduced into court.
• Most automobile companies bring out new
167. to hold out: to endure to be sufficient, to survive models each year.
by resisting, to persist in one’s efforts • My mother brought some snacks out for my
The first definition for to hold out has the opposite friends and me to have.
meaning of the second definition for to give out
(seventh
idiom, this lesson). 172. to bring back: to return a bought or
• If our supply of food and water holds out, we plan borrowed item (also: to take back) (S)
to camp here for another week. However, whenever To bring back is used when you are speaking
it at the place that an item is bought or
gives out, we’ll have to leave.
• That nation’s troops cannot hold out much longer
borrowed; to take back is used
against the superior forces of the enemy. when speaking at another place.
• The valuable football player held out for more • Ma’am, our store policy is that you can bring
money before signing a new contract with his team. back the dress as long as you have your sales
receipt.
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• You can borrow my car if you promise to • Else and Bob were once engaged, but they
bring it back by six o’clock. have already broken it off.
• I have to take this book back to the library
today.
177. to wear off: to disappear gradually

173. to wait up for: to wait until late at night • My headache isn’t serious. It will wear off
without going to bed after an hour or so.
• Don’t wait up for me. I may be back after • The effect of the painkilling drug didn’t wear
midnight. off for several hours.
• We waited up for our son until two o’clock
in the morning before we called the police.
178. to wear down: to become worn
gradually through use (also: to wear away, to
wear through) (S)
174. to leave (someone or something) Compare with to wear out (to become
alone: not to disturb, to stay away from (S) useless from wear) in Lesson 8.
(also: to let alone) • If you drag your feet while you walk, you’ll
• Leave the baby alone for a while and she wear down your shoes quickly.
may go to sleep. • The pounding of ocean waves against the
• After the cat had scratched Peter twice, he coast gradually wears it away.
let it alone. • Johnny has worn through the seat of his
pants.
• Helga threw away that dress because she
had worn it out.
175. let alone: and certainly not (also: not to
mention, to say nothing of)
Let alone is used after negative forms. The
example that follows let alone is much less 179. on the whole: in general, in most ways
possible than (also: by and large)
the example that precedes let alone. • He is, on the whole, a good student.
• I’m too sick today to walk to the kitchen, let • By and large, I agree with your suggestions.
alone to go to the zoo with you.
• He doesn’t even speak his own language
well, let alone French.
180. touch and go: risky, uncertain until the
end
• The complicated medical operation was
176. to break off: to terminate, to touch and go for several hours.
discontinue (S) • The outcome of the soccer final was touch
• After war began, the two countries broke off and go for the entire match.
diplomatic relations.
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• She has her heart set on taking a trip abroad.

She's been thinking about it for months.
181. to work out: to exercise; to develop, to • Todd has his heart set on going to medical
devise (a plan) (S) school and becoming a doctor.
• Jane works out at the fitness center every
other morning before going to school. 185. to buy up: to buy the complete stock of
• The advertising department worked out a (S) –
plan to increase company sales. • Before the hurricane struck, residents
• We couldn’t come up with a good plan for bought up all the food and water in local
solving the problem, but we agreed to work it stores.
out at a later date. • The government plans to buy up all surplus
grain in order to stabilize the price.
186. to buy out: to purchase a business or

182. to back up: to drive or go backwards (S), company (S); to purchase all of a person's
to defend, to support (S); to return to a shares or stock (S)
previous thought This idiom is similar in meaning to to take
• I couldn’t back my car up because there was over in Lesson 23.
a bicycle in the driveway behind me. • Larger companies often buy out smaller
• Ursula asked her friends to back her up companies that are having financial
when she went to court to fight a ticket for an difficulties.
illegal lane change on the • Mr. Lee has been trying for some time to buy
highway. his partner out so that he can control the
• Wait a minute. Could you back up and say company by himself.
that again?
187. to sell out: to sell all items (S); to
arrange for the sale of a company or business
(S)
• That store is closing its doors for good and
183. to back out: to drive a vehicle out of a is selling out everything this weekend.
parking space (S); to withdraw support, to fail • If my new business enterprise is successful,
to fulfill a promise or I'll sell it out for a few million dollars.
obligation
• The parking lot attendant had to back 188. to catch on: to become popular or
another car out before he could get to mine. widespread; to understand, to appreciate a
• We were all ready to sign the contracts joke
when one of the parties to the agreement This idiom is often used with the preposition
backed out. to for the second definition.
• Fashions of the past often catch on again
184. to have one's heart set on: to desire among young people.
greatly, to be determined to • When the teacher speaks quickly like that,
can you catch on easily?
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• His joke was very funny at the time, but

when I told it to others later, nobody seemed
to catch on. I had to tell the 193. to slow down: to go, or cause to go,
joke again before anyone could catch on to it. more slowly (also: to slow up) (S)
This idiom can be used both with and without
an object.
189. to be cut out for: to have the necessary • The car was going so fast that the motorist
skills or talent for couldn’t slow it down enough to make the
This idiom is most often used in the negative sharp curve.
or in questions. • You’re eating too fast to digest your food
• John is certainly not cut out for the work of well. Slow down!
a trial lawyer. • Slow up a bit! You’re talking so quickly that
• Are you certain that you are cut out for that I can’t catch on well.
kind of job? 194. to dry up: to lose, or cause to lose, all
moisture (S); to be depleted
• Every summer the extreme heat in this
valley dries the stream up.
190. to throw out: to discard (S); to remove • All funds for the project dried up when the
by force (S); to refuse to consider, to reject (S) local government faced a budget crisis.
• Instead of throwing out our paper waste in
the office, we should recycle it.
• When a fight broke out between two people 195. to dry out: to lose, or cause to lose,
on the dance floor, the management threw moisture gradually (S); to stop drinking
them out. alcohol in excess (also: to sober up)
• The judge threw the case out because there • Martha hung the towel outside on the
was insufficient evidence to try the defendant clothesline in order to dry it out.
successfully. • Some people go to alcohol recovery centers
in order to dry out.
191. to throw up: to erect or construct
quickly (S); to vomit (S) 196. to be up to (something): to be doing
• The Red Cross threw up temporary shelters something; to be planning or plotting
for the homeless victims of the earthquake. something, scheming
• The ill patient is unable to digest her food The first definition usually takes the form of a
properly, so she is throwing all of it up. question.
• Hi, Jake. I haven’t seen you in a long time.
192. to clear up: to make understandable What have you been up to?
(also: to straighten out) (S); to become • Those boys hiding behind the building must
sunny be up to something bad.
• The teacher tried to clear up our confusion
about the meaning of the difficult paragraph 197. to beat around the bush: to avoid
in the reading. discussing directly, to evade the issue
• It's rather cloudy this morning. Do you think
that it will clear up later?
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Our boss beats around the bush so much that • The teacher got angry because her students
no one in the office knows exactly what he were fooling around and couldn’t finish their
wants us to do. work before the end of
Instead of beating around the bush, Melinda class.
explained her objection in very clear terms. • Sometimes I wish that Pat would stop
fooling around so much and talk about
198. to come to an end: to end, to stop something more interesting to
This idiom is used with finally and never others.
when some activity lasts too long.
• The meeting finally came to an end at ten
o’clock in the evening. 202. to look out on: to face, to overlook
• Even though my friend seemed to enjoy the • We really enjoy our new apartment that
movie, I thought that it would never come to looks out on a river.
an end. • Their rear window looks out on a lovely
garden.
199. to put an end to: to cause to end, to
terminate in a definite manner (also: to do
away with) 203. go through: to undergo, to experience;
• The dictatorial government put an end to to consume, to use (also: to use up)
organized opposition in the country by The first definition is used when someone is
making it illegal to form a having some hardship or difficulty.
political party. • I can’t believe what she went through to get
• It may never be possible to do away with all that job. She had four interviews with the
forms of prejudice and discrimination in the hiring committee in one
world. week!
• Frank said that they had gone through all
200. to get even with: to seek revenge, to the toilet paper in the house, but Steve
retaliate couldn’t believe that they had
This idiom is similar in meaning to to have it used it all up.
in for in Lesson 27.
• Bill has had it in for his boss for a long time. 204. to go without saying: to be known
He told me he’s planning to get even with his without the need to mention
boss by This idiom occurs with a that-clause, often
giving some company secrets to a competitor. with the pronoun it as the subject.
• I want to get even with Steve for beating me • It goes without saying that you shouldn’t
so badly in tennis last time. The scores were drive quickly in bad weather.
6-1 and 6-2. • That he will gain weight if he continues to
eat and drink so much goes without saying.
201. to fool around: to waste time; to joke, 205. to put (someone) on: to mislead by
not to be serious joking or tricking (S)
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This idiom is usually used in a continuous 209. to stand up: to withstand use or wear;
tense form. A noun object must divide the to fail to appear for a date or social
idiom. engagement (S)
• Don’t worry. I wouldn’t expect you do all • My old car has .stood up well over the years.
that work by yourself. I’m just putting you on. I haven’t had any major problems at all.
• Jack can’t be serious about what he said. He • Janet was very angry because her new
must be putting us on. boyfriend stood her up on their second date.
She waited over an hour for
him before returning home.
206. to keep one’s head: to remain calm
during an emergency
• When the heater caused a fire, Gloria kept 210. to get the better of: to win or defeat by
her head and phoned for assistance right gaining an advantage over someone
away; otherwise, the whole • Jim doesn’t seem very athletic at tennis, but
house might have burned down. if you’re not careful, he’ll get the better of you.
• When the boat starting sinking in heavy • Lynn gets frustrated when Bruce gets the
seas, the crew members kept their heads and better of her in arguments. No matter what
led the passengers to the she says, he always has a
lifeboats. clever response.
207. to lose one’s head: not to think clearly, 211. to break loose: to become free or loose,
to lose one’s self-control to escape
• When Mel saw a dog in the street right in • During the bad storm, the boat broke loose
front of his car, he lost his head and drove from the landing and drifted out to sea.
onto the sidewalk and into a • One bicyclist broke loose from the pack of
tree. racers and pulled ahead towards the finish
• If the politician hadn’t gotten stirred up and line.
lost his head, he never would have criticized
his opponent unfairly.
212. on edge: nervous, anxious; upset,
irritable
208. narrow-minded: not willing to accept • Cynthia was on edge all day about the
the ideas of others (the opposite of narrow important presentation she had to give to the
minded is broad-minded) local citizens group.
• Narrow-minded people tend to discriminate • I don’t like being around Jake when he’s on
against groups of people with which they edge like that. Someone should tell him to
have nothing in common. calm down and relax.
• Ted is so broad-minded that he has almost
no standards by which he judges others.
213. to waste one’s breath: not be able to
convince someone
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This idiom is used when someone is wasting • The angry shareholders wanted the
time trying to convince another person. The company president to step down because of
idiom to save one’s breath the stock scandal.
is related and means not to waste effort trying
to convince someone.
• Don’t argue with Frank any longer. You are 218. to step on: to treat severely, to
wasting your breath trying to get him to agree discipline; to go faster, to work more quickly
with you. For the second definition, the idiom is
• I have already decided what I’m going to do. followed by the pronoun if.
You can’t change my mind, so save your • Sometimes it’s necessary to step on children
breath. when they do something dangerous.
• We’re going to be late for the movies. You’d
better step on it!
214. to cut short: to make shorter, to 219. a steal: very inexpensive, a bargain
interrupt (S) This idiom is often used in an exclamation
• The moderator asked the speaker to cut using what.
short his talk because there wasn’t much time • I can’t believe that I paid only $2,000 for this
remaining for questions three-year-old car. What a steal!
from the audience. • Scott considered it a steal when he bought a
• We were very unfortunate when we complete bedroom set for only $99.
received bad news from home that forced us
to cut our trip short. 220. to play up to: to behave so as to gain
favor with someone
• The other students in the class resent Jim
216. to step in: to become involved or because he plays up to the teacher in order to
concerned with something; to enter a place get better grades.
for a brief time (also: to step into) • When my children asked me to go shopping
• When the children started fighting on the for a new video game, I knew why they had
playground, a teacher had to step in and stop been playing up to me all
the fight. morning.
• The supervisor asked one of the employees
to step in her office for a moment.
• Would you step into the hallway so that I can 221. more or less: approximately, almost;
show you the information posted on the somewhat, to a certain degree
bulletin board? • Although your bedroom feels smaller, it’s
more or less the same size as mine.
• Ted more or less agreed with our decision
217. to step down: to retire or leave a top to put off the meeting until more members
position, to resign could show up. At least he
• Next May the principal will step down after didn’t object strongly.
thirty-five years of service to the school.
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• I always keep some extra money on hand in

222. to goof up: to perform badly, to make a case I forget to get cash from the bank.
mistake (also: to mess up, to slip up) • The concert organizers arranged to have
• I really goofed up on the exam today; did some security guards on hand in case there
you mess up, too? were any problems during
• Karen slipped up when she forgot to deposit the performance.
money into her checking account.
223. to go off the deep end: to get very angry 227. to kick (something) around: to discuss
and do something hastily informally (over a period of time) (S) (also: to
• Just because you had a serious argument toss around)
with your supervisor, you didn’t have to go off • At first my friends were reluctant to
the deep end and resign, consider my suggestion, but they finally were
did you? willing to kick it around for a
• When Dan’s wife demanded a divorce, he while.
went off the deep end again. This time he was • Herb thought that we should kick around
shouting so that the the idea of establishing a special fund for
whole neighborhood could hear. supporting needy members of
the club.
224. to lose one’s touch: to fail at what one

used to do well 228. be on the ball: be attentive, competent,
• Milton used to be the best salesman at the alert
car dealership, but recently he seems to have • Jim was the only one who caught that
lost his touch. serious error in the bookkeeping statements.
• I used to play tennis very well, but today you He’s really on the ball.
beat me easily. I must be losing my touch. • Ella was certainly on the ball when she
remembered to reconfirm our flight
arrangements. All the rest of us would
225. in hand: under firm control, well have forgotten.
managed
• The copilot asked the pilot if he had the
plane in hand or whether he needed any help 229. to make up: to meet or fulfill a missed
navigating through the obligation at a later time (S); to create, to
severe thunderstorm. invent (an idea) (S), to apply
• The police officer radioed to the station that cosmetics to (S), to comprise, to be composed
she had the emergency situation in hand and of
didn’t require any Note that all of the definitions are separable
assistance. except the last one.
• The teacher allowed several students who
missed the exam to make it up during the next
226. on hand: available, nearby class.
This idiom is often followed by in case.
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• The little boy made up a bad excuse for • Prospects for building that new library in
wearing his dirty shoes in the house, so his the downtown area are looking up.
mother punished him.
• Dee was able to make her face up in half the
normal time because she didn’t use much 233. to kick the habit: to stop a bad habit
makeup. • Once a child becomes accustomed to
• Two separate bodies — the House of chewing his nails, it’s difficult to kick the
Representatives and the Senate — make up habit.
the Congress of the United • The doctor advised the heavy cigarette
States smoker that her heart had become damaged
and that she should kick the
habit right away.
230. to make up with: to resolve differences
with
This idiom is used for differences of opinion 234. to cover up: to conceal, to hide (S)
between friends and lovers. This idiom is used for events which are
• Helen made up with her roommate after potentially embarrassing to one’s reputation,
their serious misunderstanding about as well as against the law. The
arrangements for the party. noun coverup can be formed.
• After the bad quarrel the two lovers kissed • The office worker tried to cover up his
and made up with each other. crimes, but everyone knew that he had been
stealing office supplies all
231. to pull together: to gather, to collect along.
(information) (S); to gain control of one’s • The political coverup of the bribery scandal
emotions (S) failed and was reported by all the major
A reflexive pronoun must be used for the media.
second definition.
• The reporter pulled together information
from several sources in preparing the
newspaper article. 235. to drop off: to fall asleep; to take to a
• Mr. Simpson was so frightened when he certain location (S); to decrease (for the third
heard footsteps behind him on the lonely, definition, also: to fall off)
dark street that it took several • My mother dropped off during the boring
minutes to pull himself together. television show; her head was nodding up
and down.
232. to be looking up: to appear promising • I don’t mind dropping you off at the store on
or optimistic, to be improving my way to work.
This idiom is used in a continuous tense, very • Business has been dropping off rapidly
often with the subject things. recently, but fortunately it hasn’t been falling
• The board chairman is glad to report that off as quickly as for our
things are looking up for the company after competitors.
several years of declining
sales.
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239. to get cold feet: to become unable or

afraid to do something
This idiom is usually used in the case of an
236. to turn over: to place upside down (S); important or dangerous action
to flip, to turn upside down; to pass or give • Karl was supposed to marry Elaine this
control to someone (S) weekend, but at the last moment he got cold
• The teacher asked the students to turn the feet.
answer sheet over and to write a short essay • Only one of the rock climbers got cold feet
on the back. when the group reached the base of the
• The car was going too fast around the corner hundred-meter cliff.
and turned over twice.
• Mr. Collins has decided to turn over his 240. to trade in: to receive credit for the
jewelry store to his son at the end of the year. value of an old item towards the purchase of
a new item (S)
This idiom is used to form the noun trade-in.
237. to go through channels: to send a • The car dealership offered me $1,000 for my
request through the normal way old car if I traded it in for a new model.
This idiom can be used with the adjective • The appliance company was offering a $50
proper. trade-in during the special promotion for its
• If you go through proper channels in this new line of refrigerators.
company, it’s sometimes impossible to get
anything done quickly.
• The police told the important civic leader 241. face-to-face: direct, personal; directly,
that even she had to go through channels in personally (written without hyphens)
reporting the burglary of This idiom can be used both as on adjective
her house. (the first definition) and as an adverb (the
second definition).
• The workers’ representatives had a face-to-
238. the last straw: the final event in a series face meeting with management to resolve the
of unacceptable actions ( It is the last straw salary issue.
that breaks the camel’s bask.) • The stepmother and her teenage son talked
This idiom is always used with the definite face to face about his troubles in school.
article the.
• When John asked to borrow money from me
for the fourth time, it was the last straw. I
finally told him that I 242. to be with (someone): to support, to
couldn’t lend him any more. back (also: to go along with); to understand
• I can’t believe that my roommate left the or follow what someone is saying
door to our apartment unlocked again. It’s the • Although others thought that we shouldn’t
last straw; I’m moving go along with Jerry, I told Jerry that I was with
out. him on his proposal
for reorganizing the staff.
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• After turning left at the traffic light, go two • When I told Evan that his secretary was
blocks and turn right on Madison. After three unhappy about not getting a raise, he said that
more blocks, turn right it figured.
again. Are you still with me?
246. to fill (someone) in: to inform, to give

243. to be with it: to be able to focus or background information to (also: to clue in)
concentrate on (also: to get with it) (S)
To be with it in the negative has the same This idiom is often followed by the
meaning as to feel out of it. The related form preposition on and a noun phrase containing
to get with it is used in the pertinent information.
commands. • Could you fill me in on what is going to be
• Jack’s really with it today. I’ve never seen discussed at tomorrow’s meeting?
him play such good soccer. • Not having been to the convention, my
• You’ve done only a small amount of work in associate asked me to clue him in on the
two hours. You’re not with it today, are you? proceedings.
• It’s no excuse to say that you feel out of it.
We need everyone’s help on this, so get with
it! 247. to make (someone) tick: to motivate to
behave or act in a certain way (S)
244. to fall for: to fall in love quickly; to be This idiom is used within a what-clause.
fooled or tricked by • If a salesperson knows what makes a
• Samantha and John never expected to fall customer tick, he will be able to sell a lot of
for each other like they did, but they got merchandise.
married within two weeks of • It’s been impossible for us to figure out what
having met. makes our new boss tick. One moment she
• The Masons wanted to believe their son, but seems pleasant and then
unfortunately they had fallen for his lies too the next moment she’s upset.
many times to be
deceived once again.
248. to cover for: to take someone’s place
temporarily, to substitute for; to protect
someone by lying or deceiving
245. it figures: it seems likely, reasonable, or • Go ahead and take your coffee break. I’ll
typical cover for you until you return.
This idiom is either followed by a that-clause • The criminal made his wife cover for him
or by no other part of grammar. when the police asked if the man had been
• It figures that the children were willing to home all day. She swore that
help with the yardwork only if they received he had been there.
a reward for doing so.
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249. to give (someone) a break: to provide

a person with another opportunity or chance 252. to get a rise out of: to provoke a
(S); not to expect too much work response from
from (S); not to expect someone to believe (S) This idiom is usually used when someone is
Command forms are most common with this teased into responding in anger or
idiom. For the third definition, the pronoun annoyance.
me must be used. • You can kid me all day about my mistake,
• The driver pleaded with the police officer to but you won’t get a rise out of me.
give him a break and not issue him a ticket for • I got a rise out of Marvin when I teased him
speeding. about his weight. Marvin weighs over two-
• When the students heard how much hundred pounds.
homework the teacher wanted them to do
over the holiday, they begged,
«Give us a break, Professor Doyle!»
• Oh, Jim, give me a break! That’s a terrible 253. to stick around: to stay or remain
excuse for being late. where one is, to wait
This idiom is used when someone is waiting
for something to happen or for someone to
250. to bow out: to stop doing as a regular arrive.
activity, to remove oneself from a situation • Todd had to stick around the house all day
The related idiom to want out indicates that until the new furniture was finally delivered
someone desires to bow out. in the late afternoon.
• She bowed out as the school’s registrar after • Why don’t you stick around for a while and
sixteen years of service. see if Sarah eventually shows up?
• One of the two partners wanted out of the
deal because they couldn’t agree on the terms
of the contract
254. to pick up the tab: to pay the cost or bill
This idiom applies when someone pays for
the cost of another person’s meal, tickets, etc.
251. to pin on: to find guilty of a crime or • The advertising manager is flying to Puerto
offense (S) (also: to hang on) Rico for a conference, and her firm is picking
This idiom is divided by a noun phrase up the tab.
containing the crime or offense. The accused • The government picked up the tab for the
person is mentioned after the visiting dignitary. It paid for all of the lodging
preposition on. and meals, as well as
• The prosecuting attorney tried to pin the transportation, during his stay.
murder on the victim’s husband, but the jury
returned a verdict of «not
guilty.»
• I wasn’t anywhere near the window when it 255. by the way: incidentally
got broken. You can’t pin that on me.
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This idiom is used when someone thinks of responded, «Search me.»

something further in the course of a • When I asked Derek why his girlfriend
conversation. wasn’t at the party yet, he said, «Beats me. I
• Movies are my favorite form of expected her an hour ago.»
entertainment. Oh, by the way, have you seen
the new picture that’s playing at the 259. to get off ones chest to express ones
Bijou? true feelings (S)
• Vera’s been divorced for three years now. This idiom is used when someone has long
She told me, by the way, that she never plans waited to express themselves.
to remarry. • Ellen felt a lot better when she finally talked
to a counselor and got the problem off her
chest.
• Faye hasn’t shared her concern about her
256. to go to town: to do something with marriage with her husband yet. I think that
enthusiasm and thoroughness she should get it off her
• Our interior decorator really went to town chest soon.
in remodeling our living room. I’m afraid to
ask how much it’s going to
cost. 260. to live it up: to spend money freely, to
• Charlie really went to town on his research live luxuriously
project. He consulted over forty reference • Kyle and Eric saved up money for two years
works and wrote a ninetypage so that they could travel to Europe and live it
report. up.
• After receiving a large inheritance from a
rich aunt, I was able to live it up for years.
257. to let slide: to neglect a duty (S); to
ignore a situation (S) 261. to liven up: to energize, to make more
• Terry knew that she should have paid the active (also: to pick up) (S)
electric bill on time instead of letting it slide. • The teacher occasionally took the class on
Now the utility company field trips just to liven things up a bit.
has turned off her service. • The animals in the zoo began to liven up
• When he tried to get a rise out of me by when evening came and the temperatures
mentioning my failure to receive a promotion dropped.
at work, I just let it slide. • Many people have to drink coffee every
morning just to pick themselves up.
262. to have a voice in: to share involvement

258. search me: I don’t know (also: beats in
me) This idiom is used informally, usually as • The new vice-president was promised that
a command form. she would have a voice in developing the
• When Elmer asked his wife if she knew why company’s international
the new neighbors left their garage door open expansion.
all night, she
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• The students are trying to have a voice in • You should be careful about taking her at
college affairs by gaining representation on her word. She’s been known to say one thing
administrative committees. but to do another.
266. to serve (the/one’s) purpose: to be

263. to check in: to register at a hotel or useful, to suit one’s needs or requirements
motel; to leave or deposit for transporting or • I don’t have a screwdriver to open this, but
safekeeping (S) I think that a knife will serve the purpose.
The adjective form check-in derives from this • Jane prefers working to studying, so it
idiom. served her purpose to drop out of school and
• Courtney arrived in town at mid-day and take that job.
promptly checked in at the Plaza Hotel. The
hotel permitted an early 267. in the worst way: very much, greatly
check-in time. • Jim and Claudia want to have children in the
• There were dozens of people at the airline worst way.
counters waiting to check their bags in for • Because Umer has relatives in Turkey, he
their flights. wants to visit there in the worst way.
264. to check out: to pay the bill at a hotel or 268. to cop out: to avoid one’s responsibility,
motel and then leave; to investigate, to to quit
examine (S) This idiom is an informal version of the
The adjective form check-out derives from second definition to back out (Lesson 29). The
this idiom. noun form copout means an
• The latest you should check out of the hotel excuse for avoiding responsibility.
is 12 noon. However, in your case, we can set • Evelyn had agreed to help us with
a special check-out arrangements for the party, but she copped
time of 2:00 P.M. out at the last minute.
• The police received a call from someone • I can’t believe that Cindy offered such an
claiming to have witnessed a murder. The explanation for falling to show up. What a
police sent two detectives to poor copout!
check the call out right away.
265. to take somebody at one’s word: to 269. to line up: to form a line; to arrange to
accept what one says as true, to believe have, to manage to obtain (S)
• When he offered to be responsible for the • The moviegoers lined up in front of the
fund raiser, I took him at his word. Now he’s theater showing the most popular film of the
saying that he’s not summer.
available to do it. • Rob is going to schedule the famous author
to speak at the convention if he can line her
up in time.
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• Mr. Vlasic’s new business went bankrupt

270. to lose one’s cool: to get excited, angry, within a short time. He really missed the boat
or flustered by opening a tanning
• Despite the boos from some in the audience, salon near the beach.
the actors on stage never lost their cool.
• Although the group of skiers were in danger
from an apparent avalanche, their ski guide 274. to think up: to invent, to create (also: to
never lost his cool. dream up)
This idiom is often used for an unusual or
foolish thought.
271. to leave open: to delay making a • Who thought up the idea of painting the
decision on (S) living room walls bright red?
• In making up the job announcement, the • When asked by the teacher why she was
firm decided to leave the salary open until a late, the student dreamed up a plausible
qualified candidate was excuse.
found.
• We know that the annual summer camp will
be held in August, but let’s leave the exact
dates open for now. 275. to throw (someone) a curve: to
introduce an unexpected topic, causing
embarrassment (S)
272. to turn on: to interest greatly, to excite • The first week of class was going very well
(S) until a student threw the teacher a curve by
The idiom with the opposite meaning is to suggesting that the
turn off. These idioms are used to form the textbook was too difficult.
nouns turnon and turnoff. • The director asked us in advance to stick to
• Does great art turn you on? I find going to a the meeting agenda and not to throw him any
museum and viewing classic works of art a curves.
real turnon.
• Going to a bar and having silly conversation
with strangers really turns me off. In fact, 276. to make waves: to create a disturbance,
most bar scenes are really usually by complaining
turnoffs to me. This idiom is similar in meaning to the
previous idiom, but the emphasis is on the
aspect of complaining rather than
273. to miss the boat: to lose an opportunity, causing embarrassment.
to fail in some undertaking • In most companies, an employee who makes
• The precious metals market was looking up waves is not appreciated.
several months ago, but unfortunately most • The meeting was going smoothly until one
investors missed the of the participants made waves about the
boat. newly revised compensation
package.
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• It seems that all of our employees are taking

277. to carry on: to continue as before; to a lunch break at the same time. I wonder
conduct, to engage in; to behave in an who’s minding the store.
immature manner – ; , ; ; • Lynne agreed to mind the store while the
Even in the face of disaster, the inhabitants others went outside to watch the parade
carried on as though nothing had happened. passing by.
• The business associates decided to carry on 281. to throw the book at: to punish with
their discussion in the hotel bar instead of the full penalty, to be harsh on
conference room. • Because the criminal was a repeat offender,
• I can’t believe that John carried on so much the judge threw the book at him with heavy
just because his dog died. He looked fines and a long prison
depressed and cried for weeks term.
after it happened. • My boss threw the book at me when he
discovered that I had been using company
time for personal business. I
278. not on your life: absolutely not (also: was severely reprimanded and forced to
no way) This idiom is used as a kind of make up the lost time.
exclamation by itself.
• You’re asking me to invest in that poorly
rated company just because you know the son
of the president? Not on 282. to put one’s foot in: to say or do the
your life! wrong thing
• When a friend tried to get Mark to jump out This idiom is used with the noun phrase one’s
of a plane with a parachute, he immediately mouth or the pronoun it.
responded, «No way!» • Fred really put his foot in his mouth when
he called his supervisor by the wrong name.
• I really put my foot in it when I forgot my
279. to cover ground: to be extensive, to girlfriend’s birthday and didn’t buy her
discuss much material anything. She almost lost her
Forms such as a lot of, too much, too little are cool.
used before the noun ground.
• That national commission’s report on urban
ghettos covers a lot of ground. Many of the 283. to be up for grabs: to become available
recommendations are too to others
costly to implement. This idiom is used when something is highly
• In his first lecture on Greek philosophers, I desirable to many other people.
thought that our professor covered too little • When one of the full-time contract
ground. instructors stepped down, her nice office
overlooking the river was up for
grabs.
280. to mind the store: to be responsible for • Did you know that Senator Stone is retiring
an office while others are gone and that her Senate seat is up for grabs?
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284. to show off: to display one’s ability in

order to attract attention (S), to let others see,
to expose to public view (S)
This idiom can form the noun showoff for the 288. to get through to: to communicate with,
first definition. to make someone understand (also: to break
• Elizabeth is an excellent swimmer, but I through to)
don’t like the way she shows off in front of This idiom has the meaning of to make
everyone. It’s very obvious someone «catch on» (Lesson 29, eighth idiom,
that she enjoys being a showoff. the first definition)
• Mary showed her large wedding ring off to • Some of the students in my reading class
all her friends. understand English so poorly that it is
difficult to get through to them.
• The doctors have never succeeded in
285. to learn the ropes: to become familiar breaking through to Mr. Ames, who is a silent
with routine procedures at work or school and secretive patient.
• The job applicant didn’t have much previous
experience or knowledge, but she seemed
intelligent enough to learn 289. to keep one’s word: to fulfill a promise,
the ropes quickly. to be responsible
• It took the new schoolteacher a year to learn An idiom with the opposite meaning is to
the ropes regarding administrative and break one’s word.
curricular matters. • Suzanne kept her word to me not to let on to
others that I intend to step down next month.
• Thomas always intends to keep his word,
286. to land on one’s feet: to recover safely but invariably the end result is that he breaks
from an unpleasant or dangerous situation his word. He just isn’t
• After a series of personal and professional capable of being a responsible person.
difficulties, it’s amazing that George has
landed on his feet so quickly.
• Some young adults get into so much trouble
at school that they are never able to land on
their feet again. They 290. to be over one’s head: to be very busy,
drop out before graduating. to have too much to do (also: to be up to
one’s ears); to be beyond one’s
ability to understand
287. to dish out: to distribute in large • I’d love to take a week off for a hiking trip,
quantity (S), to speak of others in a critical but at the moment I am over my head in work.
manner (S) Maybe next week
• Mary’s mom dished out two or three scoops when I’m only up to my ears!
of ice cream for each child at the birthday • It was impossible for the tutor to get
party. through to Bill about the physics problem
• Larry can’t seem to take any criticism of his because the subject matter was
actions but he certainly likes to dish it out. over Bill’s head.
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295. to take the bull by the horns: to handle

a difficult situation with determination
291. to ask for: to deserve, to receive a just This idiom is usually used when someone has
punishment (also: to bring upon) been postponing an action for some time and
• If you drink alcohol and then drive a car, finally wants or needs to
you’re only asking for trouble. resolve it.
• Don’t complain about your cut in salary. You • After three years of faithful service, Jake
asked for it by refusing to heed our repeated decided to take the bull by the horns and ask
warnings not to be late his boss for a raise.
and inefficient. • Vic has been engaged to Laura for a long
time now, and I know that he loves her. He
should take the bull by the
292. to be a far cry from: to be very different horns and ask her to marry him.
from
• I enjoyed visiting Seattle, but it was a far cry
from the ideal vacation spot I expected. 296. to give (someone) a hand: to assist, to
• Ned is enjoying his new job, but his aid, to help (also: to lend someone a hand)
responsibilities are a far cry from what he was (S)
told they would be. • Would you give me a hand lifting this heavy
box?
293. by all means: certainly, definitely, • When Terry’s car broke down at night on
naturally (also: of course); using any possible the highway, no one would stop to lend her a
way or method hand.
• If the Johnsons invite us for dinner, then by
all means we have to return the invitation. Of 297. to give (someone) a big hand: to clap
course, we don’t have one’s hands in applause, to applaud (S)
to invite their children, too. • After the talented new vocalist had sung her
• In order to ensure its survival, the ailing number, the audience gave her a big hand.
company has to obtain an infusion of cash by • Should we give a big hand to each beauty
all means. contestant is as she is introduced, or should
we wait until all the
introductions are finished?
294. to get out from under: to restore one’s
financial security, to resolve a difficult 298. to goof off: to waste time, to be idle
financial obligation • Some of the workers in our office always
• After years of struggling to get ahead, the goof off when the boss is out.
young couple finally got out from under their • On Saturday afternoons, I like to go to a
debts. movie or just goof off at home.
• The ailing company, succeeding in obtaining
the necessary cash, was able to get out from
under its financial 299. to talk back to: to answer in a rude
burdens. manner, to speak disrespectfully
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• Billy, if you talk back to me like that once • Any employee who steps out of line by
more, you’re going to spend the rest of the day coming to work in an unacceptable condition
in your room. will be fired.
• The school principal had to reprimand the
child for talking back to her teacher.
304. dry run: rehearsal, practice session
• The college president requested a dry run of
300. to be in: to be popular or fashionable, to the graduation ceremony in order to ensure
be available at one’s work or home that all aspects went
• Most young people tend to want anything smoothly.
that is in at the time, but a few don’t care • Before the manager presented the
about current trends. reorganizational plans to the board of
• Could you please tell me when Mrs. Zachary directors, he did several dry runs of his
will be in? I’d like to talk to her soon. presentation.
305. to play by ear: to play music that one

301. to be out: to be unpopular or no longer has heard but never read (S); to proceed
in fashion; to be away from one’s work or without plan, to do spontaneously (S)
home The pronoun it is often used with the second
• These days, designer jeans are in and long definition.
skirts are out. • That pianist can play most popular music by
• I’m sorry, Mr. Jensen is out at the moment. ear. She never needs to read sheet music.
Could I take a message? • My husband wanted to plan our trip
carefully, but I argued that it was more fun if
302. to draw the line at: to determine to be we played it by ear.
unacceptable, to refuse to consider
• I don’t mind helping him with his
homework, but I draw the line at writing a 306. to be in (someone’s) shoes: to be in
term paper for him. another person’s position, to face the same
• The conference organizers tried to situation as another person
accommodate the needs of the various • If I were in your shoes, I wouldn’t take too
interest groups, but they drew the line at many classes this semester.
extending the conference by two days. • When his boss finds out about that
accounting error, I wouldn’t want to be in his
shoes.
303. to get out of line: to disobey or ignore
normal procedures or rules (also: to step out
of line) 307. to keep after: to remind constantly, to
• When a child gets out of line in that teacher’s nag
class, she uses the old-fashioned method of • Lynn always has to keep after her children
making the child sit in about cleaning up their rooms and doing
the corner of the room. chores around the house.
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• Lon is so forgetful that it’s necessary to keep • Who is going to take care of your house plants
while you are away?
after him about every little thing.
• I’d appreciate it if you’d keep an eye on my car
while I’m in the store.
308. to fix up: to repair or put back in good
condition (S); to arrange a date or an
engagement for another person (S) 313. to feel like: to have the desire to, to want to
consider
• Instead of buying an expensive new home, This idiom is usually followed by a gerund (the -ing
we decided to buy an older home and fix it up form of a verb used as a noun).
ourselves. • I don’t feel like studying tonight. Let’s go to a
• Since my visiting friend didn’t have a date basketball game.
• I feel like taking a long walk. Would you like to go
for dinner, I fixed her up with a male friend of with me?
mine. They got along
very well together.
314. once and for all: finally, absolutely
309. to be had: to be victimized or cheated
• My daughter told her boyfriend once and for all that
• When the jeweler confirmed that the she wouldn’t date him anymore.
diamonds that the woman had purchased • Once and for all, John has quit smoking cigarettes.
abroad were really fake, she
exclaimed, «I’ve been had!»
315. to hear from: to receive news or information
• The angry customer complained about from
being overcharged at the store, asserting that To hear from is used for receiving a letter, telephone
this was the third time that he call, etc., from a person or organization.
had been had. • I don’t hear from my brother very often since he
moved to Chicago.
• Have you heard from the company about that new
job?
310. to eat in/to eat out: to eat at home/to eat in a
restaurant
• I feel too tired to go out for dinner. Let’s eat in again
tonight.
• When you eat out, what restaurant do you 316. to hear of: to know about, to be familiar with; to
generally go to? consider (The second definition is always used in the
negative.)
• When I asked for directions to Mill Street, the police
311. cut and dried: predictable, known beforehand; officer said that she had never heard of it.
boring • Byron strongly disagreed with my request by
• The results of the national election were rather cut saying, «I won’t hear of if!»
and dried; the Republicans won easily.
• A job on a factory assembly line is certainly cut and 317. to make fun of: to laugh at, to joke about
dried. • They are making fun of Carlo’s new hair style.
Don’t you think that it’s really strange?
• Don’t make fun of Jose’s English. He’s doing the
best he can.
312. to look after: to watch, to supervise, to protect
(also: to take care of, to keep an eye on) 318. to come true: to become reality, to prove to be
• Grandma will look after the baby while we go to the correct
lecture. • The weatherman’s forecast for today’s weather
certainly came true.
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• Everything that the economists predicted about the • Barry was absent from the meeting, so I’d better fill
increased cost of living has come true. him in.
• Has anyone filled the boss in on the latest public
relations disaster?
319. as a matter of fact: really, actually (also: in
fact) 325. to fill out: to complete a form (S)
• Hans thinks he knows English well but, as a matter This idiom is very similar to the first definition above.
of fact, he speaks very poorly. To fill in refers to completing various parts of a form,
• I didn’t say that. In fact I said quite the opposite. while to fill out refers to completing a form as one
whole item.
320. to have one’s way: to arrange matters the way • Every prospective employee must fill out an
one wants (especially when someone else doesn’t application by giving name, address, previous jobs,
want the etc.
same way) (also: to get one’s way) • The teenager had some trouble filling the forms out
• My brother always wants to have his way, but this by himself, so his mother helped him.
time our parents said that we could do what I wanted.
• If Sheila doesn’t get her way, she becomes very
angry. 326. to take advantage of: to use well, to profit from;
to use another person’s weaknesses to gain what
321. to look forward to: to expect or anticipate with one wants
pleasure • I took advantage of my neighbor’s superior skill at
This idiom can be followed by a regular noun or a tennis to improve my own ability at the game.
gerund. • Teddy is such a small, weak child that his friends
• We’re greatly looking forward to our vacation in take advantage of him all the time. They take
Mexico. advantage
• Margaret never looks forward to going to work. of him by demanding money and making him do
things for them.
322. inside out: with the inside facing the outside 327. no matter: regardless of
• Some one should tell little Bobby that his shirt is This idiom is a shortened form of it doesn’t matter. It
inside out. is followed by a question word such as how, where,
• The high winds ruined the umbrella by blowing it when,
inside out. who, etc.
• No matter how much money he spends on his
323. upside down: with the upper side turned toward clothes, he never looks well dressed.
the lower side • No matter where that escaped prisoner tries to
• The accident caused one car to turn upside down, hide, the police will find him sooner or later.
its wheels spinning in the air.
• One of the students was only pretending to read 328. to take up: to begin to do or study, to undertake
her textbook; the teacher could see that the book was (S); to occupy space, time, or energy (S)
actually upside down. • After today’s exam, the class will be ready to take
up the last chapter in the book.
• The piano takes up too much space in our living
room. However, it would take too much time up to
move it
324. to fill in: to write answers in (S); to inform, to tell right now so we’d better wait until later.
(S)
For the second definition, the idiom can be followed
by the preposition on and the information that 329. to take up with: to consult someone about an
someone is important matter (S)
told. The important matter follows the verb take, while the
• You should be careful to fill in the blanks on the person consulted follows with.
registration form correctly.
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• Can I take the problem up with you right now? It’s

quite urgent.
• I can’t help you with this matter. You’ll have to take 335. to get along: to make progress; to manage to
it up with the manager. live in a certain state of health
• Juan is getting along very well in his English
studies.
330. to take after: to resemble a parent or close • How is Mr Richards getting along after his long
relative (for physical appearance only, also: to look illness?
like)
• Which of your parents do you take after the most? 336. hard of hearing: partially deaf, not able to hear
• Sam looks like his father, but he takes after his well
mother in personality. • You’ll have to speak a little louder. Mrs Evans is
hard of hearing.
• Please don’t shout. I’m not hard of hearing.
331. in the long run: eventually, after a long period • Listening to loud music too much can make you
of time hard of hearing.
This idiom is similar in meaning to sooner or later
(Lesson 1). The difference is that in the long run
refers to a 337. to see eye to eye; on something with
more extended period of time. somebody: to agree, to concur
• In the long run, the synthetic weave in this carpet • I’m glad that we see eye to eye on the matter of the
will wear better than the woolen one. You won’t have conference location.
to • A husband and wife don’t always see eye to eye
replace it so soon. with each other, but a good marriage can survive
• If you work hard at your marriage, you’ll find out small
that, in the long run, your spouse can be your best disagreements.
friend in
life. 338. to have in mind: to be considering, to be
thinking (S)
• I don’t want to see a movie now. I have in mind
332. be in touch (with): having contact going to the park.
• James will be in touch with us soon to relay the • It’s up to you what we eat tonight. Do you have
details of the plan. anything in mind?
I certainly enjoyed seeing you again after all these
years. Let’s be sure to keep in touch. 339. to keep in mind: to remember, not to forget (S)
(also: to bear in mind)
• Please keep in mind that you promised to call Stan
333. out of touch with: not having contact; not around noon.
having knowledge of • I didn’t know that Paula doesn’t like vegetables.
• Marge and I had been out of touch for years, but We should bear that in mind next time we invite her
then suddenly she called me up the other day. for
• Larry has been so busy that he seems out of touch dinner.
with world events.
340. for once: this one time, for only one time
• For once I was able to win a game of golf against
334. on one’s toes: alert, cautious Steve, who is a much better player than I am.
This idiom is usually used with the verbs stay and • Dad, for once would you please let me drive the
keep. new car?
• It’s important for all the players on a soccer team
to stay on their toes.
• We’d better keep on our toes while we’re walking 341. to go off: to explode, to sound as an alarm; to
along the dark portions of this street. leave suddenly without explanation
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• The accident happened when a box of firecrackers

went off accidentally.
• For what time did you set the alarm clock to go off 347. to become of: to happen to (a missing object or
tomorrow morning? person)
• Vince went off without saying good-bye to This idiom is always used in a clause beginning with
anybody, I hope he wasn’t angry. what.
• What has become of my pencil? I had it ten
minutes ago, but now I can’t find it.
342. to grow out of: to outgrow, to become too old • I wondered what became of you. I looked around
for, to be a result of the shopping center for two hours, but I couldn’t find
• He still bites his nails now and then, but soon he’ll you at
grow out of the habit. all.
• The need for the salary committee grew out of
worker dissatisfaction with the pay scale.
348. to shut up: to close for a period of time (S); to
be quiet, to stop talking
343. to make the best of: to do the best that one can The second definition of this idiom is impolite in
in a poor situation formal situations.
• If we can’t find a larger apartment soon, we’ll just • During the hurricane, all the store owners shut their
have to make the best of it right here. shops up.
• Even though the Martinez family is having financial • Bob’s sister told him to shut up and not say
problems, they make the best of everything by anything more about it.
enjoying • The student got into big trouble for telling his
the simple pleasures of life. teacher to shut up.
344. to cut off: to shorten by cutting the ends (S); to

disconnect or stop suddenly (S) 349. have got: to have, to possess
• The rope was two feet longer than we needed, so • Curtis has got a bad cold. He’s sneezing and
we cut off the extra length.. coughing a lot.
• The operator cut our long-distance phone • How much money have you got with you right now?
conversation off after two minutes.
345. to cut out: to remove by cutting (S); to stop 350. have got to: must (also: have to)
doing something (S) (for the second definition, also: • She has got to go to Chicago today to sign the
to knock it contract papers.
off) • I have to be back home by two o’clock or my wife
For the second definition, the idiom is usually will feel ill at ease.
separated by the pronoun it.
• The child likes to cut out pictures from the
newspaper and to paste them in a notebook.
• He kept bothering her, so finally she told him to cut 351. to keep up with: to maintain the same speed or
it out. However, he wouldn’t knock it off until her rate as
larger • Frieda works so fast that no one in the office can
brother appeared. keep up with her.
• You’ll have to walk more slowly. I can’t keep up
346. to blow out: to explode, to go flat (for tires); to with you.
extinguish by blowing (S)
• On our trip to Colorado, one of the car tires blew 352. on the other hand: however, in contrast
out when it hit a large hole in the road. • Democracies provide people many freedoms and
• Little Joey wasn’t able to blow all the candles out, privileges. On the other hand, democracies suffer
so his big sister helped him. many
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serious problems such as crime and unemployment.
• My sister takes after my father in appearance. On 358. to do without: survive or exist without
the other hand, I take after my mother. something (also: to go without)
• With prices so high now, I’ll have to do without a
353. to turn down: to reduce in brightness or volume new suit this year.
(S); to reject, to refuse (S) • As a traveling salesperson, Monica can’t do
• Please turn down the radio for me. It’s too loud without a car.
while I’m studying. • It’s a shame that so many poor people in the world
• Laverne wanted to join the military but the have to go without basic necessities of life such as
recruiting officer turned her application down nutritious food and suitable shelter.
because Laverne is
hard of hearing in one ear. 359. according to: in the order of; on the authority of
• The students on the football team were ranked
according to height, from shortest to tallest.
354. fifty-fifty: divided into two equal parts • According to my dictionary, you are using that word
• Let’s go fifty-fifty on the cost of a new rug for our in your essay incorrectly.
apartment.
• The political candidate has a fifty-fifty chance of
winning the election.
360. to be bound to do something: to be certain to
do something, to be sure to do something
355. to break in: gradually to prepare something for This idiom is used when the occurrence of an event
use that is new and stiff (S); to interrupt (for the seems inevitable or unavoidable.
second • We are bound to be late if you don’t hurry up.
definition, also: to cut in) • With the economy improving now, their business is
• It is best to break a new car in by driving it slowly bound to make more money this year.
for the first few hundred miles.
• While Carrie and I were talking Bill broke in to tell
me about a telephone call.
• Peter, it’s very impolite to cut in like that while 361. for sure: without doubt (also: for certain)
others are speaking. • In the dark, I couldn’t tell for sure whether it was
Polly or Sarah who drove by.
• I know for certain that Gene will move back to
356. a lost cause: a hopeless case, a person or Washington next month.
situation having no hope of positive change
• It seems that Charles will never listen to our advice.
I suppose it’s a lost cause.
• The police searched for the missing girl for two 362. to take for: to perceive or understand as (S)
weeks, but finally gave it up as a lost cause. This idiom is usually used when someone is
• Children who have committed several crimes as mistakenly perceived. A noun or pronoun must
teenagers and show no sorrow about their actions separate the idiom.
are • Because of his strong, muscular body, I took him
generally lost causes. for a professional athlete. As it turns out, he doesn’t
play
357. above all: mainly, especially any professional sports.
• Above all, don’t mention the matter to Gerard; he’s • What do you take me for – a fool? I don’t believe
the last person we should tell. what you’re saying at all.
• Sheila does well in all her school subjects, but
above all in mathematics. Her math scores are
always over
95 percent. 363. to try out: to test, to use during a trial period (S)
• You can try out the new car before you decide to
buy it.
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• I can let you try the computer out for a few days
before you make a decision. 369. be about to do smth: ready to, just going to
• We were about to leave the house when the phone
rang.
364. to tear down: to destroy by making flat, to • I’m sorry that I broke in. What were you about to
demolish (S) say?
• The construction company had to tear down the old
hotel in order to build a new office building.
• The owners had to tear the house down after it 370. to bite off: to accept as a responsibility or task
burned down in a fire. This idiom is often used when one accepts more
responsibility than one can handle alone. It is usually
used in
the form to bite off more than one can chew.
365. to tear up: to rip into small pieces (S) • When I accepted the position of chairman, I didn’t
• Deidre tore up the letter angrily and threw all the realize how much I was biting off.
pieces into the trash can. • When James registered for 18 units in his last
• He told the lawyer to tear the old contract up and semester at college, he bit off more than he could
then to prepare a new one. chew.
366. go over: to be appreciated or accepted 371. to tell apart: to distinguish between (also: to
This idiom is usually followed by the adverb well. (In pick apart, to tell from) (S)
Lesson 6 this idiom has the meaning to review, as in • The two brothers look so much alike that few
the people can tell them apart.
second sentence of the second example below.) • That copy machine is so good that I can’t pick the
• The teacher’s organized lessons always go over photocopy and the original apart.
well with her students. • Most new cars are very similar in appearance. It’s
• The comedian’s jokes weren’t going over well, the almost impossible to tell one from another.
audience wasn’t laughing much at all. I think that the
comedian should go over his material more carefully
before each act.
372. all in all: considering everything
• There were a few problems, but all in all it was a
well-organized seminar.
367. to run out of: to exhaust the supply of, not to • Leonard got a low grade in one subject, but all in
have more of all he’s a good student.
• We ran out of gas right in the middle of the main
street in town.
• It’s dangerous to run out of water if you are in an 373. to pass out: to distribute (also: to hand out)
isolated area. (S); to lose consciousness
The verbal idiom to hand out can be made into the
noun handout to refer to items that are distributed in
a
368. at heart: basically, fundamentally class or meeting.
This idiom is used to describe the true character of a • Please help me pass out these test papers; there
person. must be a hundred of them.
• James sometimes seems quite unfriendly but at • Alright, students, here are the class handouts for
heart he’s a good person. this week.
• The Fares often don’t see eye to eye, but at heart • The weather was so hot in the soccer stadium that
they both love each other very much. some of the fans in the stands passed out.
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• All the doctors’ efforts to save the injured woman

374. to go around: to be sufficient or adequate for were in vain. She was declared dead three hours
everyone present, to circulate, to move from place to after
place being admitted to the hospital.
• We thought that we had bought enough food and • We tried in vain to reach you last night. Is your
drink for the party, but actually there wasn’t enough phone out of order?
to go
around.
• There’s a bad strain of influenza going around right
now. Have you gotten your flu shots yet? 380. day in and day out: continuously, constantly
• Mike has been going around telling people that he (also: day after day; for longer periods of time, year
was accepted to Harvard University. Do you believe in and year
him? out and year after year)
• During the month of April, it rained day in and day
out.
• Day after day I waited for a letter from him, but one
375. to be in (the/one’s) way: to block or obstruct; never came.
not to be helpful, to cause inconvenience (for both, • Year in and year out, the weather in San Diego is
also: to get the best in the nation.
in the/one’s way)
• Jocelyn couldn’t drive through the busy
intersection because a big truck was in the way. 381. to catch up with: to work with the purpose of
• Our small child tried to help us paint the house, but fulfilling a requirement or being equal to others
actually he just got in our way. The idiom is often followed by the preposition with
and a noun phrase. It is similar in meaning to to keep
up with
376. to put on: to gain (pounds or weight) (S); to from Lesson 17.
present, to perform (S) • The student was absent from class so long that it
• Bob has put on a lot of weight recently. He must took her a long time to catch up.
have put at least fifteen pounds on. • If you are not equal to others, first you have to
• The Youth Actor’s Guild put on a wonderful version catch up with them before you can keep up with
of Romeo and Juliet at the Globe Theater. them.
377. to put up: to construct, to erect (S); to lift, to

382. to hold still: not to move (S)
raise upwards (S)
• Please hold still while I adjust your tie.
• The construction company is tearing down that old
office building in order to put up a new one. • If you don’t hold that camera still, you’ll get a
blurred picture.
• Please put your hand up if you have never studied
English grammar before.
383. to know by sight: to recognize (S)

This idiom is used when the person has been seen
378. to put up with: to tolerate to accept unwillingly
previously but is not known personally. The person
• The employee was fired because his boss could
must be
not put up with his mistakes any longer.
used to separate the idiom.
• While I’m studying, I can’t put up with any noise or
• I have never met our new neighbors; I simply know
other distractions.
them by sight.
• The woman said that she would know the thief by
sight if she ever saw him again.
379. in vain: useless, without the desired result
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388. to run away: to leave without permission; to
384. to be the matter: to be unsatisfactory, to be escape
improper, to be wrong • The young couple ran away and got married
In a question, this idiom is used with what or because their parents wouldn’t permit it.
something. In an answer, something or nothing is • That cat is just like a criminal – it runs away from
usually used. anyone who tries to come near!
• A: What is the matter, Betty? You look very upset.
• B: Yes, something is the matter. I’ve lost my purse!
• A: Is something the matter, Charles? You don’t
look well. 389. to rule out: to refuse to consider, to prohibit (S)
• B: No, nothing is the matter. I’m just a little under • Ann ruled out applying to college in Texas because
the weather. she would rather go to school in Canada.
• I’d like to watch a good movie on TV tonight, but a
ton of homework rules that out.
385. to bring up: to rear, to raise from childhood (S);

to mention, to raise an issue, to introduce a topic (S)
• Parents should bring up their children to be
responsible members of society. 390. by far: by a great margin, clearly
• Sarah wanted to bring the scheduling problem up • Jacquie is by far the most intelligent student in our
at the club meeting, but finally she decided against class.
doing • This is by far the hottest, most humid summer
so. we’ve had in years.
• One of the students brought up an interesting point
related to the subject in our textbook.
391. to see off: to say good-bye upon departure by
train, airplane, bus, etc. (also: to send off) (S)
A noun or pronoun must divide the idiom.
386. to get lost: to become lost; to go away in order • We are going to the airport to see Peter off on his
not to bother trip to Europe.
The second definition provides a very informal, even • When I left for Cincinnati on a business trip, no one
rude, meaning that should be used only with close came to the train station to send me off.
friends.
It is sometimes used in a joking manner.
• While driving in Boston, we got lost and drove
many miles in the wrong direction. 392. to see out: to accompany a person out of a
• Todd kept bothering me while I was studying, so I house, building, etc. (S)
told him to get lost. A noun or pronoun must again divide the idiom.
• Lisa joked that she wanted her sister to get lost • The Johnsons were certain to see their guests off
forever. as each one left the party.
• Would you please see me out to the car? It’s very
dark outside.
387. to hold up: to delay, to make late (S); to remain

high in quality
• A big accident held up traffic on the highway for 393. no wonder: it’s no surprise that, not surprisingly
several hours. This idiom derives from reducing it is no wonder
• Deidre is amazed at how well her car has held up that…
over the years. • No wonder the portable heater doesn’t work. It’s
not plugged into the electrical outlet!
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A noun or pronoun usually divides this idiom.
394. to go up: to increase (also: to drive up); to be • It is much easier to take a watch apart than it is to
constructed, to be erected assemble it.
The second definition is the same as the one for to • The engine had a serious problem, so the
put up in Lesson 19, except that to go up is not used mechanic had to take it apart completely in order to
with a fix it.
noun object.
• Economists are predicting that consumer prices
are going up. Inflation always has a tendency to drive
up 399. to put together: to assemble (S)
the cost of products. A noun or pronoun usually divides this idiom. The
• A new office is going up in the downtown area. A preposition back is used when something has been
major construction company is putting it up. disassembled and then is being reassembled, as in
the second example.
• Todd followed the directions on the box but he
couldn’t manage to put the bicycle together properly.
395. to go up to: to approach (also: to come up to, • After the teenager took the broken video game
to walk up to, to run up to, to drive up to, etc.) apart and fixed it, he was unable to put it back
The related forms have the same meaning, but the together
type of movement is different. again.
• After the lecture, several people in the audience
went up to the speaker to congratulate her.
• The little girl came up to me and shook my hand as
if she had known me for years. 400. to be better off: to be in a more favorable
• Bill’s friend didn’t want to admit that they had gotten condition or situation
lost, but finally he agreed to drive up to a gas station The opposite of this idiom is to be worse off.
and inquire about the correct route. • Jim would be better off staying at home because of
his cold.
• You’d be much better off working in an office than
396. to hand in: to submit or deliver something that in a factory.
is due (S) • The economies of some nations are worse off than
• Every student has to hand in an original they were several decades ago.
composition each week of the semester.
• All the salespeople hand their weekly reports in on
Friday. 401. to be well-off: to have enough money to enjoy
a comfortable life, to be rich (also: to be well-to-do)
• They live in the best section of town in a large
397. in case: in order to be prepared if home; they are very well-off.
When the idiom occurs at the end of the sentence • By the time I reach the age of fifty-five, I hope to be
(the second example), then the meaning is in order well-to-do and to travel frequently.
to be
prepared if something happens. The "something"
might be an accident, a delay, etc.
• You’d better close the windows in case it rains. 402. to take by surprise: to surprise, to amaze, to
• We should be sure to leave for the airport early, astonish (S)
just in case. A noun or pronoun usually divides this idiom.
• Cynthia, take one of your books in case you have • The offer of a high-paying position with another
some time to read on our trip. company took me by surprise.
• The president’s announcement that the university
was in financial trouble didn’t take anyone by
surprise.
398. to take apart: to disassemble, to separate the
parts of something (S)
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403. to keep in touch with: to maintain contact with

(also: to stay in touch with) 408. to come across: to meet or find unexpectedly
This idiom should be compared with to get in touch (also: to run across); to be perceived or judged as
with in Lesson 9. (also: to
• You can telephone me every few days, and in that come off)
way we can keep in touch with each other. • While Cheryl was cleaning the attic, she came
• He promised to stay in touch with us while he was across some very old coins. It took her by surprise to
abroad. However, we were very disappointed that he run
never did get in touch with us. across something like that.
• Jeff’s boss comes across as a tough, unpleasant
person, but actually Jeff says that he is a good
employer.
404. to name after: to give the same name as Some people come off quite differently than they
another (S) really are.
• Helen’s parents named Helen after her
grandmother.
• My grandson is named after Calvin Coolidge, the
30th President of the United States. 409. to stand for: to represent, to signify; to tolerate
The second definition is usually used in a negative
sense. The meaning is the same as to put up with in
Lesson
19.
405. to hold on: to grasp tightly or firmly; to wait, to • On the American flag, each star stands for one of
be patient the fifty states, and each stripe stands for one of the
The second definition is often used when someone is original thirteen colonies of the 1800s.
talking on the telephone. • The citizens wouldn’t stand for the increase in
• The little girl held on to her mother’s hand and crime in their city, so they hired more police officers
refused to let go as they walked through the large and built
crowd of another jail.
people.
• (on the telephone) Could you please hold on a
moment while I get a pencil and paper?
• Come on, Mike, hold on. I can’t get ready so
quickly. 410. to stand a chance: to have the possibility of
accomplishing something
This idiom is often used with an adjective such as
good or excellent. It also occurs in the negative,
406. to stop by: to visit or stop somewhere briefly in sometimes
order to do something with the adjective much.
• James had to stop by the registrar’s office to submit • The New York baseball team stands a good
a transcript request form. chance of winning the World Series this year.
• Let’s stop by the supermarket and pick up a few • Because John doesn’t have any previous work
grocery items. experience, he doesn’t stand a chance of getting that
job.
• The woman injured in the serious train accident
doesn’t stand much chance of surviving.
407. to drop (someone) a line: to write a note to
someone (S)
• As soon as I get to Florida, I’ll drop you a line and 411. to take pains: to work carefully and
tell you about my new job. conscientiously
• If you have time, drop me a line now and then while • She takes pains to do everything well; she’s our
you’re traveling. best employee.
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• He took great pains with his last assignment 417. to keep time: to operate accurately (for watches
because he needed to get an excellent grade to pass and clocks)
the This idiom is usually used with adjectives such as
class. good and perfect.
• Although this is a cheap watch, it keeps good time.
• The old clock keeps perfect time; it’s never fast or
slow.
412. to look on: to watch as a spectator, to observe
• Hundreds of people were looking on as the police
and firelighters rescued the passengers in the 418. to make do with: to manage, to cope
wrecked This idiom is used when a person must accept a
train. substitute that is not the most suitable.
• I stayed with my son at his first soccer practice and • Pearl doesn’t have a clean blouse so she has to
looked on as the coach worked with the boys. make do with the one she wore yesterday.
• During difficult economic times, many people have
to make do with less.
413. to look up to: to admire, to respect greatly
• Children will most certainly look up to their parents
if the children are brought up well. 419. to give birth to: to bear a human being or
• Everyone looks up to the director of our animal
department because he is a kind and generous • Jane’s mother has just given birth to twin girls.
person.
• The zoo’s Siberian tiger just gave birth to a baby
cub
414. to look down on: to feel superior to, to think of

420. close call: a situation involving a narrow escape
someone as less important
from danger (also: close shave)
• People who are in positions of power should be
• Bob, that car nearly hit us! What a close call.
careful not to look down on those who work for them.
• We had a close call when a small fire in our kitchen
• Why does Alma look down on Mario; just because
almost spread to the rest of the house.
his family is so poor?
415. to take off: to leave the ground (for airplanes);
to leave, often in a hurry
The noun form takeoff derives from this idiom.
421. to get on one’s nerves: to annoy or disturb
• The plane took off over an hour late. The (also: to bug)
passengers had to buckle their seatbelts during
• Laura loves to talk to anyone. Sometimes her
takeoff.
chatter really gets on my nerves.
• Do you have to take off already? You just arrived
• Jack asked his neighbor to turn down the stereo
an hour ago!
because it was bugging him and he couldn’t
concentrate.
416. to pull off: to succeed in doing something

difficult (S); to exit to the side of a highway
• The group of investors pulled off a big deal by 422. to put down: to suppress, to quell (S); to
buying half the stock in that company. I wonder how criticize unfairly (S)
they
• The police arrived just in time to put down the
pulled it off before the company could prevent it.
disturbance before it got very serious.
• The motorist pulled off when the police officer
• Fred tries his best at playing tennis. You shouldn’t
turned on the red lights and the siren.
put him down like that.
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• Most students didn’t do well on the important test,

423. to go for: to be sold at a certain price; to seek so the instructor let them take it over.
or strive for • Little Mikey didn’t have much chance to hit the
• This dress probably goes for about $50, don’t you baseball during practice, so the coach let him take his
think? turn
• Peter was going for first place in the swim meet, over.
but he wasn’t able to do better than third place.
428. to show up: to appear, to arrive; to be found or

located (also for the second definition: to turn up)
• It really gets on my nerves that Ursula shows up
late for every meeting.
• Willie hopes that the watch he lost last Sunday
shows up soon.
• We’ve looked everywhere for that book, but it
hasn’t turned up yet.
424. to go in for: to have as an interest, such as a

sport or hobby (also: to go for, to be into, to get 429. to clean out: to empty, to tidy by removing (S);
into) to steal, to rob (S); to buy or purchase all of
• Hal goes in for tennis while his wife goes for something (S)
painting and sculpture. • It’s time for you to clean out your closet so that you
• What sports are you into? I don’t have any time to can store more things in there.
get into sports. • A burglar entered my apartment while I was gone
and cleaned me out. He took over $200 in cash and
jewelry.
• Thousands of shoppers cleaned out the store that
425. to stay up: to remain awake, not to go to bed had gone bankrupt and was selling all its remaining
• I want to stay up tonight and watch a late movie on
TV.
• He stays up every night until after one o’clock, 430. to knock out: to make unconscious (S); to
preparing his homework. impress or attract greatly (S)
This idiom can be made into the noun form knockout
for both definitions.
• The prize fighter knocked out his opponent with
one punch in the first five seconds of the first round.
426. to stay in: to remain at home, not to go out It was
An idiom with the opposite meaning is to stay out. the fastest knockout in boxing history.
• On a rainy day, I like to stay in and read. • Linda’s beautiful appearance and slender figure
• Young people are able to stay out late at night and really knock me out. Isn’t she a real knockout tonight?
get very little sleep.
431. to knock oneself out: to work very hard

427. to take over: to assume control or responsibility (sometimes too hard) to do something
for (S); to do or perform again (S) A reflexive pronoun must divide the idiom.
The meaning of the second definition is almost the • She really knocked herself out trying to pass that
same as do over in Lesson 11. Also for the second difficult class.
definition, a noun or pronoun must divide the idiom. • Don’t knock yourself out during practice. Save your
• That large investment company specializes in strength for the competition later.
taking over smaller businesses that are in financial
trouble.
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• Give and take is an important element of a

432. to carry out: to accomplish, to execute (S) successful marriage.
(also: to go through with) • Most business negotiations involve give and take
• It’s easy to write down a plan for losing weight, but between the parties involved.
much harder to carry it out.
• Charles promised to go through with his plan to
enroll in graduate school and get an advanced 438. to drop out of: to stop attending; to withdraw
degree. from
This idiom can be made into the noun form dropout.
• Some students drop out of secondary school early
in order to get jobs. However, such dropouts often
regret
433. to run into: to meet someone unexpectedly; to their decision later in life.
crash or collide into (also: to bump into) • Two more baseball teams have dropped out of the
• It was a shock to run into an old friend from high youth league due to a lack of players.
school recently.
• The drunk driver was slightly injured when he ran 439. to believe in: to accept as true, have faith in
into a telephone pole. • Some people believe in being honest in all human
affairs, while others accept the need to lie in order to
get
one’s way.
434. to set out: to start traveling toward a place • Throughout the history of man, some cultures have
(also: to set off, to head out); to arrange or display believed in one god while others have believed in the
neatly (also: existence of many gods.
to lay out) (S)
• We set out for the top of the mountain at dawn.
Unfortunately, as we set off, it started to snow
heavily, so 440. to cheer up: to make happier, to feel less sad
we decided to head out again later. (S)
• The children tried to set out the dishes on the table, • We all tried to cheer up the little boy when he
but their dad had to help to lay the dishes out started to cry.
properly. • After the death of Deanne’s husband, it was
difficult to cheer her up at all.
435. to set out to do something: to intend to, to act 441. to make sense: to be sensible or reasonable
purposefully to • It makes sense to wait until a sunny day to visit the
• We set out to paint the house in one day, but park together.
quickly realized that it would be impossible to do so. • That Jimmy ran away from home suddenly doesn’t
• Janet set out to compete for the large scholarship make sense to any of us.
grant by writing a good essay.
436. to draw up: to create by drawing, such as a

map (S); to prepare documents or legal papers (S) 442. to burst out: to depart quickly (also: to storm
• Max asked me to draw up a map to the party so out); to act suddenly
that he wouldn’t get lost. For the second definition, this idiom is usually
• Our lawyer agreed to draw the contract up as soon followed by a gerund form such as laughing, crying,
as possible. singing, etc.
• Faye and Debbie were so angry at each other that
one of them burst out the front door of the house and
437. give and take: compromise, cooperation the
between people other stormed out the back door.
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• It was so funny to see a little baby in the audience 447. to keep up with: to have current knowledge of;
burst out crying when the choir group burst out to understand as an explanation
singing at This idiom should be compared to the meaning of to
the start of the recital. keep up with in Lesson 17.
• Evan keeps up with world affairs by reading a news
magazine each week.
• I understand a lot of the Spanish language, but I
443. to get away: to get free, to escape can’t keep up with the fast conversation in this
• We always try to get away from the noise and heat Mexican
of the city for a month or two each summer. film.
• No one knows how the suspected criminal got
away from the police. 448. to stand out: to be easily visible or noticeable
(also: to stick out)
This idiom is used for someone or something that is
different from all others.
444. to get away with: to avoid punishment for
• Her bright red hair makes her stand out from others
• Jonathan tries to get away with coming late to work
in the group.
almost every day; someday he’ll suffer the
• Brandon Styles is a tall, distinguished gentleman
consequences.
who sticks out in any crowd.
• Terence can’t continue to put his friends down like
that and expect to get away with it forever.
449. to let on: to reveal or tell what you know, to hint
• We are going to the movies tonight and we don’t
445. to serve (someone) right: to receive one’s just
want Doris to go. If you see her, make sure not to let
punishment (S)
on.
This idiom is usually used at the beginning of a
sentence after the subject it. Compare the following • They asked me not to let on to Ted that we’re
examples planning the birthday party; it’s supposed to be a big
with those in the previous idiom above. surprise.
• It serves Jonathan right to be fired from his job.
• It serves Terence right that none of his friends are
450. to go wrong: to fail, to result badly
willing to help him move to a new apartment.
• Something went wrong with the engine, so we had
to have the car towed to a garage.
• Shown should have been here over an hour ago;
446. to keep up: to prevent from sleeping (S); to I’m certain that something went wrong.
continue maintaining (speed, level of work, condition,
etc.) (S)
451. to meet (someone) halfway: to compromise
• Could you please turn down the TV volume?
with someone
You’re keeping up the children.
• Steve wanted $4,500 for his car, and Gwen offered
• If we can keep up this speed, we should arrive
$4,000. They met each other halfway and agreed on
there in about two hours.
$4,250.
• James is so proud of his daughter for getting
• After a long process of give and take, the owners
mostly A’s in school. He’s certain that she can keep
of the company agreed to meet the workers halfway
up the
by
good work.
providing some additional health benefits but no
• The Federal Reserve Bank hopes to keep the
wage increase.
value of the dollar up at least through the rest of the
year.
452. to check up on: to examine with the purpose of
determining condition (also: to check on)
This idiom has the related noun form checkup.
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• The government always checks up on the

background of employees who are hired for sensitive 459. to die out: not to exist anymore; to be in the
military process of disappearing
projects. • Scientists still are not sure exactly why the
• The doctor wants me to have a thorough medical dinosaurs died out.
checkup as part of a preventive medicine program. • That strange, new style of dancing is slowly dying
out.
453. to stick up: to point or place upwards (S); to rob 460. to make out: to read or see clearly (S); to
(S) prepare a legal document, such as a will, a check,
• You should put some water on your hair. It’s etc. (S)
sticking up in the back. • The letter was so poorly handwritten that I couldn’t
make out many of the words.
454. to come about: to happen • Harold, please make the check out to Acme Piano
• I didn’t find any explanation in the newspaper Company.
about how the political coup came about.
• The flood came about as a result of the heavy 461. to live up to: to fulfill (a standard or promise)
winter rains. • It was clear that the lazy student would never live
up to his family’s expectations.
• It surprised us that the car salesperson lived up to
455. to bring about: to cause to happen all the promises he made.
This idiom is used to indicate who or what caused
something to come about.
• John brought about the accident because of his 462. to stick to: to adhere to (a promise), to follow
carelessness. or obey (a set of rules, procedures, etc.)
• The heavy rains we have each spring bring about • He made a promise to his wife to quit smoking and
serious flooding. drinking, and so far he has stuck to it.
• All organizations expect their employees to stick to
established work rules and procedures.
456. to build up: to increase slowly, to make • If you try hard to stick to your principles, then you’ll
stronger gradually (S) be able to live up to them.
• They built up their savings account so that they
could buy a new house. 463. to stick it to somebody: to cheat, to take unfair
• The professional athlete exercises regularly to advantage of (also: to rip off, the ripoff)
build her strength up. • Be careful in doing business with that salesperson.
He’ll stick it to you at the first opportunity.
• The car dealership certainly ripped me off when I
457. to die down: to decrease, to lessen in strength bought this car. It has caused me trouble constantly.
• The hurricane became a less serious tropical storm • You paid over $400 for that jacket? What a ripoff!
when its winds died down.
• We let the fire in the fireplace die down and
enjoyed watching the embers as they glowed in the 464. to stand up for: to insist on, to demand; to
dark. defend, to support
• If you don’t stand up for your rights in court, the
lawyers will try to stick it to you.
458. to fade away: to diminish gradually in time or • Frank stood up for his friend, who was being put
distance down by other teenagers nearby.
• The memory of that unpleasant experience has
slowly faded away.
• The music of the band gradually faded away as the 465. to cut corners: to economize, to save money
parade passed down the street. • Most students live on limited budgets and have to
cut corners whenever possible.
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• The Livingstons have nine children, so it is The first definition has the same meaning as the
essential that they cut corners at all times. second definition of to pass out in Lesson 19.
• An usher stood at the door of the theater giving out
programs.
466. to take on: to employ, to hire (S), to accept • I couldn’t finish the ten mile race because my
responsibility for, to undertake energy gave out.
• That factory is taking a lot of new employees on for • Jeff plans to stay in Las Vegas and gamble until his
its new production line. money runs out.
• Would you be willing to take on the task of
organizing the next company picnic?
473. to have it in for: to want revenge on, to feel

467. to take down: to remove from an elevated place hostile towards (also: to hold a grudge against)
(S), to write what is said, to note • Martina expects to lose her job because her boss
• We should take the pictures down from the wall has had it in for her for a long time.
and clean off the dust. • The teacher has held a grudge against Al ever
• The secretary took down everything that was said since the time that he insulted her in front of the class.
at the meeting.
468. to fall through: to fail to materialize, not to 474.

succeed to have it out with: to quarrel with, to confront
This idiom is usually used with the noun plan or plans • I am going to have it out with Jack about all the
as the subject. times that he has told us lies.
• Our plan to travel to Europe last summer fell • Ben had it out with his roommate about coming
through when we were unable to save up enough back home so late and making a lot of noise.
money.
• Felix made plans to have a party for everyone in
his office, but they fell through at the last moment.
475. to hold off: to delay, or to be delayed, in
occurring (S)
469. to fall behind: to lag, to fail to keep up (also: to This idiom has the same meaning as to put off in
get behind) Lesson 5 when a noun or pronoun is used as an
• Eve fell behind in her studies and finally had to drop object, as in
out of school. the second example.
• If you get behind in your car payments, the finance • If the rain holds off for a few more days, they can
company may repossess it from you. finish planting the rest of the crop.
• The judge agreed to hold off making a decision
until new evidence could be introduced into court.
470. to give in: to surrender, to stop resisting
• Completely surrounded by our soldiers, the enemy
finally gave in. 476. to hold out: to endure to be sufficient, to survive
• Management gave in to the strikers’ demands and by resisting, to persist in one’s efforts
agreed to a shortened work week. The first definition for to hold out has the opposite
meaning of the second definition for to give out
(seventh
471. to give off: to release, to produce, to release idiom, this lesson).
• When water boils, it gives off steam. • If our supply of food and water holds out, we plan
• The flowers in this garden give off a strange odor. to camp here for another week. However, whenever
it
gives out, we’ll have to leave.
472. to give out: to distribute, to become exhausted • That nation’s troops cannot hold out much longer
or depleted (also: to run out) against the superior forces of the enemy.
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• The valuable football player held out for more I work in a foreign country. So, I only see my parents
money before signing a new contract with his team. once in a blue moon.
477. to hold over: to extend to keep for a longer time 484. On cloud nine
(S)
'be on cloud nine' as 'to be extremely happy and
• They are going to hold over that movie for another
excited.'
week because so many people are coming to see it.
• Let’s hold discussion of this problem over until our I am on cloud nine since I discovered that I have
next meeting. topped my semester-end exams.
478. Blessing in disguise 'blessing in disguise' as 485. Through thick and thin'through thick and thin '
'something that seems bad or unlucky at first, but as 'If you support or stay with someone through thick
results in something good happening later.' and thin, you always support or stay with them, even
if there are problems or difficulties.'
Missing the train proved to be a blessing in disguise
for me. My best friend has stayed with me through thick and
thin .
479. The best of both worlds'the best of both

worlds' as 'a situation in which you can enjoy the 486. Pull someone's leg'pull someone's leg' as 'to
advantages of two very different things at the same tell someone something that is not true as a way of
time.' joking with the person.'
He stays alone but visits his family on weekends, so Don't be upset. I was just pulling your leg.
he gets the best of both worlds.
480. Birds of a feather flock together'birds of a 487. Under the weather'under the weather' as 'If
feather flock together' as 'said about people who someone is or feels under the weather, they feel ill.'
have similar characters or interests, especially ones
of which you disapprove, and who often spend time I missed school as I was feeling a bit under the
with each other .' weather.
I saw the struggling artists together last night. Birds
of a feather flock together. 488. Miss the boat'miss the boat' as 'to lose an
opportunity to do something by being slow to act.'
481. Give someone the cold shoulderdefines 'give He didn't book the flight tickets while they were still
someone the cold shoulder' as 'to intentionally ignore available and missed the boat.
someone or treat someone in an unfriendly way.'
She's been giving me the cold shoulder since 489. Actions speak louder than words'actions
morning. speak louder than words' as 'said to emphasize that
what you do is more important and shows your
intentions and feelings more clearly than what you
482. Let the cat out of the bag'let the cat out of the say.'
bag' as 'to allow a secret to be known, usually without
intending to.' He always speaks about buying her presents but
never gets down to it. Actions speak louder than
I wanted to keep my new job a secret but my mother words.
let the cat out of the bag.
490. Bite off more than you can chew'bite off more
483. Once in a blue moon'once in a blue moon' as than you can chew' as 'to try to do something that is
'not very often.' too difficult for you.'
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I think she has bitten off more than she can chew by 499. Up to the minute – Most recent
signing up so many new projects. news/information.
Example: I know about the progress of this project up
to the minute.
491. Break the ice'break the ice' as 'to make people
who have not met before feel more relaxed with each 500.About to – Intending to.
other.' Example: I was about to dine, when you called me.
Word games are great to break the ice with new
students.
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492. Costs an arm and a leg'costs an arm and a leg'
as 'to be extremely expensive.'
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afford them.
493. It's a piece of cake'it's a piece of cake' as

'something that is easy to do.'
The holiday homework was a piece of cake.
494. As right as rain'as right as rain' as 'to feel

healthy or well again.'
I feel as right as rain after my short holiday.
495. Bolt from the blue'bolt from the blue' as

'something important or unusual that happens
suddenly or unexpectedly.'
The news of my brother's promotion came like a bolt
from the blue.
496. Give someone a hand: Help

Example: I need a developer like you to fix this issue. Can
you give me a hand?
497. Sharp – Exactly at a particular time

Example: The party will start at 10 o’clock sharp.
498.Take it easy – Relax or Slow down and similar

meaning.
Example: I will take it easy as it is only a first internal
exam.
Unacademy courses
Unacademy courses

500-Idioms and Phrases

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500-Idioms and Phrases

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500 IDIOMS & PHRASES

FOR ALL COMPETITIVE EXAMS

Direction: The following question carries

Use Code: (AVP10) for 10% Bankers Way 1

• Byron strongly disagreed with my request by

22. in the long run: eventually, after a long period of

30. to keep in mind: to remember, not to forget (S)

25. on one’s toes: alert, cautious

32. to go off: to explode, to sound as an alarm; to

27. hard of hearing: partially deaf, not able to hear

• Curtis has got a bad cold. He’s sneezing and

46. to break in: gradually to prepare something for

54. to try out: to test, to use during a trial period (S)

58.bto run out of: to exhaust the supply of, not to

• If you are not equal to others, first you have to

68. to put up: to construct, to erect (S); to lift, to raise

71. day in and day out: continuously, constantly

72. to catch up with: to work with the purpose of

• While driving in Boston, we got lost and drove

78. to hold up: to delay, to make late (S); to remain

86. to go up to: to approach (also: to come up to,

• Cynthia, take one of your books in case you have

98. to come across: to meet or find unexpectedly

105. to look down on: to feel superior to, to think of

107. to pull off: to succeed in doing something

112. to get on one’s nerves: to annoy or disturb

120. to show up: to appear, to arrive; to be found or

121. to clean out: to empty, to tidy by removing (S);

122. knock out: to make unconscious (S); to impress

133. to make sense: to be sensible or reasonable

141. to let on: to reveal or tell what you know, to hint

142. to go wrong: to fail, to result badly

143. to meet (someone) halfway: to compromise

161. to give in: to surrender, to stop resisting

177. to wear off: to disappear gradually

• She has her heart set on taking a trip abroad.

186. to buy out: to purchase a business or

• His joke was very funny at the time, but

• I always keep some extra money on hand in

224. to lose one’s touch: to fail at what one

239. to get cold feet: to become unable or

246. to fill (someone) in: to inform, to give

249. to give (someone) a break: to provide

This idiom is used when someone thinks of responded, «Search me.»

262. to have a voice in: to share involvement

266. to serve (the/one’s) purpose: to be

• Mr. Vlasic’s new business went bankrupt

• It seems that all of our employees are taking

284. to show off: to display one’s ability in

295. to take the bull by the horns: to handle

305. to play by ear: to play music that one

• Can I take the problem up with you right now? It’s

• The accident happened when a box of firecrackers

344. to cut off: to shorten by cutting the ends (S); to

• All the doctors’ efforts to save the injured woman

377. to put up: to construct, to erect (S); to lift, to

383. to know by sight: to recognize (S)

385. to bring up: to rear, to raise from childhood (S);

387. to hold up: to delay, to make late (S); to remain

403. to keep in touch with: to maintain contact with

414. to look down on: to feel superior to, to think of

416. to pull off: to succeed in doing something

• Most students didn’t do well on the important test,

428. to show up: to appear, to arrive; to be found or