Relationships

break the ice : to do or say something that makes people feel less shy or nervous in social situation

- He told a few jokes to break the ice.

- Someone suggested that we play a party game to break the ice.

get off on the right/wrong foot (with sb) : to immediately establish a good/bad relationship with someone

when you first meet them or first start working with them

- We got off on the wrong foot the first time I met him, but that’s forgotten now.

get on like a horse on fire : to become good friends very quickly and have a lot to talk to each other about

- It was hard at first by we get on like a horse on fire.

- I went over and struck up a conversation, and we got on like a horse on fire.

get on sb’s nerves : to annoy someone a lot

- We really got on each other’s nerves when we were living together.

- Please stop making that noise! It really gets on my nerves.

give sb the cold shoulder : to intentionally ignore someone or treat someone in an unfriendly way

- I thought she really liked me, but the next day she gave me the cold shoulder.

- Nancy found she was getting the cold shoulder from a lot of people she had thought were friends.

go back a long way : if two people go back a long way, they have known each other for a very long time

- We go back a long way, and she has always kept in touch, always been there for me.

hit it off (with) : to be friendly with each other immediately

- We had similar ideas about the show, and the two of us hit it off right away.

leave sb in the lurch : to leave someone at a time when they need you to stay and help

- My secretary left me in the lurch last month, and I have not found a replacement yet.

(be) on the rocks : likely to fail soon

- I think their marriage is on the rocks.

(be) on the same wavelength : thinking in the same way as someone else

- Luckily, my husband and I are on the same wavelength about how to raise a kid.

save face : to keep your reputations and avoid others losing respect for you

- Most children have a need to save face in front of their friends.

sparks fly : if sparks fly between two people, they get angry with each other and argue

- The group leader is not afraid to raise difficult issues or let the sparks fly when necessary.

treat sb like dirt : to treat someone very badly

- As long as unemployment is rising, the bosses can keep treating you like dirt.

your own flesh and blood : your family or relations

- It is hard to believe that he could treat his own flesh and blood so badly.