tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77445222619099570102024-08-29T04:50:41.626-07:00A Daily Updated Dictionary of English IdiomsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger102125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744522261909957010.post-31631520999506057992008-02-23T03:52:00.000-08:002008-02-09T04:00:18.240-08:00<h2>easy money </h2><p>Definition: money earned dishonestly or for doing very little work </p><span class="fullpost"><p>Example: <i>Think before you accept easy money.</i></p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744522261909957010.post-83238600097027603922008-02-22T03:45:00.000-08:002008-02-09T03:52:06.338-08:00<h2>keep house </h2><p>Definition: to cook, clean and do similar jobs around a house </p><span class="fullpost"><p>Example: <i>She keeps house for the two of us.</i></p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744522261909957010.post-61419524276466729922008-02-21T03:39:00.000-08:002008-02-09T03:45:03.266-08:00<h2>off the beaten track </h2><p>Definition: far away from or not popular with other people </p><span class="fullpost"><p>Examples: <i>My uncle lives off the beaten track. ○ Her hobbies are quite off the beaten track.</i></p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744522261909957010.post-7299373624127755172008-02-20T03:32:00.000-08:002008-02-09T03:38:55.239-08:00<h2>hale and hearty </h2><p>Definition: (of an old person) healthy and strong </p><span class="fullpost"><p>Example: <i>Getting up early to exercise every day keeps him hale and hearty.</i></p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744522261909957010.post-24331119664686017782008-02-19T03:26:00.000-08:002008-02-09T03:32:09.423-08:00<h2>play (it) safe </h2><p>Definition: to avoid taking risks </p><span class="fullpost"><p>Example: <i>Let's play (it) safe and start a bit earlier. </i></p><p>Usage note: informal idiom</p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744522261909957010.post-44620254500371845352008-02-18T03:19:00.000-08:002008-02-09T03:26:16.977-08:00<h2>word for word </h2><p>Definition: in exactly the same words </p><span class="fullpost"><p>Example: <i>I was shocked to find that my article had been copied word for word.</i></p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744522261909957010.post-87517210740393823602008-02-17T03:10:00.000-08:002008-02-09T03:18:52.730-08:00<h2>in twos and threes </h2><p>Definition: two and three at a time; in small numbers </p><span class="fullpost"><p>Example: <i>People are coming to see the exhibition in twos and threes.</i></p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744522261909957010.post-30516938352044757932008-02-16T03:00:00.000-08:002008-02-09T03:09:52.101-08:00<h2>a flash in the pan </h2><p>Definition: a success that lasts for a short time and is not repeated </p><span class="fullpost"><p>Example: <i>It seems that her latest album is just a flash in the pan.</i></p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744522261909957010.post-65422658934867707932008-02-15T02:51:00.000-08:002008-02-09T02:59:39.291-08:00<h2>by the skin of one's teeth </h2><p>Definition: only just </p><span class="fullpost"><p>Example: <i>We managed to win the game by the skin of our teeth. </i></p><p>Usage note: informal idiom</p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744522261909957010.post-90138300614439351402008-02-14T02:47:00.000-08:002008-02-09T02:51:48.172-08:00<h2>look daggers at somebody </h2><p>Definition: to look very angrily at somebody </p><span class="fullpost"><p>Example: <i>I turned and saw her looking daggers at me.</i></p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744522261909957010.post-83766058492253011052008-02-13T02:41:00.000-08:002008-02-09T02:47:17.602-08:00<h2>(as) fit as a fiddle </h2><p>Definition: very healthy </p><span class="fullpost"><p>Example: <i>Although he's in his eighties, my grandfather's as fit as a fiddle. </i></p><p>Usage note: informal idiom</p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744522261909957010.post-8084730897974809592008-02-12T02:30:00.000-08:002008-02-09T02:40:49.565-08:00<h2>go/sell like hot cakes </h2><p>Definition: to sell very fast and in great numbers </p><span class="fullpost"><p>Example: <i>Mobile phones are going/selling like hot cakes in Asia.</i></p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744522261909957010.post-81177541394248536352008-02-11T02:22:00.000-08:002008-02-09T02:30:45.760-08:00<h2>on balance </h2><p>Definition: after considering all aspects or opinions </p><span class="fullpost"><p>Examples: <i>We've had quite a good year on balance. ○ On balance, people in this country prefer watching basketball to football. </i></p><p>Usage note: informal idiom</p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744522261909957010.post-18334314402170762352008-02-10T02:18:00.000-08:002008-02-09T02:22:26.263-08:00<h2>for kicks </h2><p>Definition: for excitement </p><span class="fullpost"><p>Example: <i>Many people play dangerous sports just for kicks. </i></p><p>Usage note: informal idiom</p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744522261909957010.post-33528370112601512582008-02-09T02:09:00.000-08:002008-02-09T02:14:41.873-08:00<h2>smell a rat </h2><p>Definition: to suspect that something is wrong </p><span class="fullpost"><p>Example: <i>I smelled a rat when she said she was going to work late. </i></p><p>Usage note: informal idiom</p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744522261909957010.post-63976885630875828972008-02-08T00:21:00.000-08:002008-02-08T00:45:02.238-08:00<h2>do/perform/work miracles/wonders (for/with something) </h2><p>Definition: to be very successful in producing results (for/with something) </p><span class="fullpost"><p>Examples: <i>Regular exercise has worked wonders for my health. ○ The new manager is expected to do miracles with the company, which is now nearing bankruptcy. </i></p><p>Usage note: informal idiom</p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744522261909957010.post-51982037914293861762008-02-07T08:38:00.000-08:002008-02-07T08:40:21.872-08:00<h2>under the weather </h2><p>Definition: not healthy </p><span class="fullpost"><p>Example: <i>You look a little under the weather today. </i></p><p>Usage note: informal idiom</p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744522261909957010.post-20881523453781017732008-02-06T03:23:00.000-08:002008-02-06T03:38:05.194-08:00<h2>break even </h2><p>Definition: to make neither a profit nor a loss </p><span class="fullpost"><p>Example: <i>Under the circumstances it is enough just to break even. </i></p><p>Usage note: often used in business</p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744522261909957010.post-67909143685030443632008-02-05T10:02:00.001-08:002008-02-05T10:12:06.706-08:00<h2>compare notes (with somebody) (on something) </h2><p>Definition: to exchange opinions (with somebody) (on something) </p><span class="fullpost"><p>Example: <i>Our teacher asked us to read the novel and then compare notes with each other on it.</i></p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744522261909957010.post-22191840757513240002008-02-04T07:49:00.000-08:002008-02-04T08:03:07.265-08:00<h2>fly off the handle </h2><p>Definition: to become very angry suddenly </p><span class="fullpost"><p>Example: <i>He flew off the handle when I mentioned her name. </i></p><p>Usage note: informal idiom</p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744522261909957010.post-65974989576008435632008-02-03T10:21:00.000-08:002008-02-03T10:25:00.386-08:00<h2>go downhill </h2><p>Definition: to become worse; to deteriorate </p><span class="fullpost"><p>Example: <i>The company, which used to be one of the world's leaders, started to go downhill five years ago.</i></p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744522261909957010.post-7699987435774681472008-02-02T08:27:00.000-08:002008-02-02T08:45:43.521-08:00<h2>forty winks </h2><p>Definition: a short sleep during the day </p><span class="fullpost"><p>Example: <i>I was having forty winks when the phone rang. </i></p><p>Usage note: informal idiom</p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744522261909957010.post-53393953312349795762008-02-01T07:08:00.000-08:002008-02-01T07:18:56.360-08:00<h2>let the cat out of the bag </h2><p>Definition: to reveal a secret by mistake </p><span class="fullpost"><p>Example: <i>Our plan for a surprise party was foiled by Tom, who let the cat out of the bag.</i></p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744522261909957010.post-6648690002092073832008-01-31T10:20:00.000-08:002008-01-31T10:31:00.706-08:00<h2>toss and turn </h2><p>Definition: to change one's position restlessly while trying to sleep </p><span class="fullpost"><p>Example: <i>He kept tossing and turning all night.</i></p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744522261909957010.post-22322460882648170902008-01-30T06:09:00.000-08:002008-01-30T06:19:23.987-08:00<h2>behind bars </h2><p>Definition: in prison </p><span class="fullpost"><p>Examples: <i>The robber is now behind bars. ○ He spent four years behind bars. </i></p><p>Usage note: informal idiom</p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0