|
Idiom |
Definition |
Usage |
| back on one's
feet |
recovered |
He is back on
his feet after his company went out of business. |
| back out |
withdraw from |
The company tried to
back out of the agreement. |
|
back-seat driver |
|
|
| BACK
TO SQUARE ONE, GO |
return to the beginning
Synonyms: start from scratch
Compare to: back to the drawing board Whereas back to the
drawing board is used for the idea of re-planning or
redesigning, back to square one can apply to starting any
activity over.
The expression originates from the idea of a game board on
which square one is the square where the game begins. |
1. The editor didn’t like the article I wrote for the
newspaper. She told me to redo it, so I guess I’ll have to
go back to square one.
2. The builders constructed a building that didn’t meet the
city’s requirements. Now they’ll have to tear it down and
begin building again. They’re back to square one. |
| BACK TO
THE DRAWING BOARD, GO |
return to the planning stage of a project
Compare to: back to square one
The expression originates from the idea that plans and
designs are developed on a drawing board. |
1. Our plan to raise money for a new swimming pool didn’t
work. Now we’re back to the drawing board and trying to
think of a better plan.
2. The idea of buying computers for the public schools
through the lottery failed. The city leaders had to go back
to the drawing board to think of another way to come up with
the money.
|
| BACK TO
THE WALL, HAVE (ONE’S) |
to be in a difficult or desperate situation
Compare to: in a bind; in a fix; in a jam; behind the eight
ball |
1. Gary lost his job over a month ago and he has spent all
his savings paying his bills. Now he doesn’t have any more
money, and his back is to the wall.
2. My back was to the wall. It seemed like my only choices
were to try to save the company with my personal savings or
pull out and let the company go while I still had some money
left. |
|
BACKHANDED COMPLIMENT |
a criticism that is phrased in such a way that it appears to
be a compliment
Compare to: damn with faint praise
The term backhanded combines the meaning of back meaning
insincere or malicious and hand meaning to give. |
1. Patricia said she can’t wear fake gold jewelry the way I
can because it turns her skin green, and I think she was
giving me a backhanded compliment. She was really letting
everyone know that she wears real gold jewelry while the
jewelry I have on is fake.
2. Paul is not a very nice person. He is always giving
people backhanded compliments that sound like he is being
nice when he is really just insulting them. |
|
BACK-SEAT DRIVER |
a person who gives driving orders when he/she is not the
driver
When cars were first developed in the 1920s, wealthy car
owners would often ride in the back seats, telling their
drivers where to go, where to turn, etc. Now such a practice
by anyone is seen as intrusive and rude. |
1. Why must you tell me every time you see a red light
ahead? I’m the one who is driving. Stop being a backseat
driver.
2. Andy’s mother always made him nervous when he drove her
to the store. She would tell him where to turn, how fast to
drive, and where to park. She was a back-seat driver. |
| BAD
BLOOD |
negative or ill feelings |
1. The young man and woman knew their parents would not
approve of their marriage because there was bad blood
between the families.
2. Those two brothers will never get along. There is too
much bad blood between them. |
| bad
taste in my mouth |
|
|
|
baggage |
|
|
| bail out |
provide assistance to |
The government has
decided to bail out the troubled bank. |
|
baker's dozen |
|
|
| bank on |
trust |
You can bank on
anything the company promises. |
| bark is worse
than one's bite |
attitude is worse than
his actions |
Even when he is angry,
his bark is worse than his bite. |
|
BARK UP THE WRONG TREE |
to misdirect one’s efforts or argument
This expression stems from the 19th century American
frontier practice of hunting raccoons using hunting dogs.
When the raccoon attempted to escape up a tree, the dog was
supposed to remain at the foot of the tree barking until the
hunter arrived. However, if the dog went to the wrong tree,
especially at night, or the raccoon jumped to the branches
of another tree, the hunter would end up focusing on the
wrong tree. |
1. If Frank is trying to get a pay raise from the assistant
manager, he’s barking up the wrong tree. Only the manager
can authorize a pay increase.
2. Janice is angry at me because she thinks I took her
books, but she’s barking up the wrong tree. I had nothing to
do with it. |
| BATS IN
(ONE’S) BELFRY, HAVE |
harmlessly crazy or eccentric
Synonym: have a screw loose, out to lunch, off one’s rocker
A belfry is the tower of a church where the bell hangs, and
is analogous to one’s head. If a person has room for bats in
his head, his head is full of space rather than brains. |
1. You must have bats in your belfry if you think your
parents will let you see that movie.
2. Don’t listen to her. She doesn’t know what she’s talking
about. She has bats in her belfry. |
| BEAT A
DEAD HORSE |
to argue or pursue a point or topic without the possibility
of success
Synonyms: run (something) into the ground
The expression is usually used to describe verbal
communication. |
1. They should give up trying to argue with the boss on that
subject. They’re beating a dead horse.
2. The boy kept asking for a motorcycle, but his mother told
him he could not have one and she would not change her mind.
She told him he was beating a dead horse. |
| BEAT A
HASTY RETREAT |
to run very fast in the opposite direction
Synonym: make tracks |
1. The old man came out on the porch to chase away the small
boys who were throwing rocks at his windows. When they saw
him, they beat a hasty retreat.
2. The cat wandered into the neighbor’s yard, but it beat a
hasty retreat when it saw the dog. |
| BEAT
ABOUT/AROUND THE BUSH |
to speak or write evasively; to talk around an issue
Antonym: get to the point
Synonyms: stonewall; hem and haw
The phrase originates from a hunting practice dating to the
15th century, in which hunters hired ‘beaters’ to drive
small animals out of bushes where the hunters could more
easily get to them. The beaters would lightly beat around
the edges of the bushes to lure the animals out without
completely frightening them away. |
1. Judy couldn’t come right out and tell her fiancé that she
no longer wanted to marry him. She had to beat around the
bush until he understood.
2. If you disagree with my opinion, just tell me. Don’t beat
around the bush. |
| beat someone to
the draw |
was faster than him |
She beat him to
the draw and arrived at the interview first. |
| BEAT
(SOMEONE) TO THE PUNCH |
to do something before someone else does it |
1. They decided to make an offer to buy the house, but when
they did, they found that someone else had already bought
it. Someone beat them to the punch.
2. Linda was going to invite him out to lunch but he beat
her to the punch. He invited her before she had a chance to
ask him. |
| BEAT
THE BUSHES |
to search exhaustively
Compare to: leave no stone unturned |
1. We’ll have to beat the bushes if we want to find another
editor as good as Arthur was.
2. I’ve beat the bushes trying to find the right spare part
for my old car, but I haven’t found it yet. |
| BEHIND
THE EIGHT BALL |
in a difficult situation or position
Synonyms: back to the wall; in a bind/fix/jam; between the
devil and the deep blue sea; between a rock and a hard place
The expression comes from the game of billiards, or pool, in
which the eight ball is always pocketed last. If one
accidentally sinks the eight ball before the others, one
automatically loses the game. Trying to hit another ball
that is too close to the eight ball is seen as a risky
situation. |
1. Barbara’s parents have told her to study medicine but she
really wants to study law. How is she going to explain this
to them? She’s behind the eight ball.
2. My wife wants me to hire my brother-in-law to work in my
company, but I don’t want to because he’s very lazy. I’m
behind the eight ball on this one. |
| BELOW
THE BELT, HIT (SOMEONE) |
to act unfairly
The expression originates from the sport of boxing, in which
it is against the rules to hit one’s opponent below his or
her belt. |
1. John told Robert about the job he was planning to apply
for and Robert went out and got it himself! Robert doesn’t
play fair. He hits below the belt.
2. Mary introduced Sally to her boyfriend, Mike, and before
she knew it, Sally and Mike were dating. That was below the
belt. |
| BEND
(SOMEONE’S) EAR |
to talk to someone for a long time
The expression usually has a negative connotation. |
1. I dread it every time that woman calls me on the
telephone because she bends my ear about how her children
don’t appreciate her.
2. Don’t mention politics to Bill. He loves talking about
politics and he’ll bend your ear about it for hours. |
| bend
the rules |
|
|
| bent
out of shape |
|
|
| bend
over backwards |
|
|
| BESIDE
(ONESELF) |
distraught; very anxious and troubled |
1. When the mother couldn’t find her young son in the crowd,
she was beside herself with worry.
2. I was beside myself when I realized the fire had
destroyed my house. |
| BESIDE
THE POINT |
irrelevant
This idiom stems from the idea of being separate from, or
not part of, the main idea (the point). |
1. Your excuse for not giving me your homework on Monday is
beside the point. It was due the Friday before.
2. Her argument that she needed a new dress for the dance
was beside the point. We simply couldn’t afford one.
3. The judge decided that the lawyer’s argument was beside
the point, and told the jury to disregard it. |
| best
of both worlds |
|
|
| BET
(ONE’S) BOOTS |
to be sure
Synonym: bet (one’s) bottom dollar
Whereas bet one’s bottom dollar can be used in both the
affirmative and negative, bet one’s boots is used only in
the affirmative. |
1. Paula’s never late. If she said she would be here at
9:00, you can bet your boots she will be.
2. I’ll bet my boots that the salesman will try to get us to
buy a more expensive car. They always do. |
| BET
(ONE’S) BOTTOM DOLLAR |
to be sure
Synonym: bet (one’s) boots
Whereas bet one’s boots is used only in the affirmative, bet
one’s bottom dollar can be used in both the affirmative and
the negative. |
1. I know you think you’re going to get that job, but don’t
bet your bottom dollar on it.
2. I’m sure they’ll be married before the end of the year.
I’d bet my bottom dollar on it. |
| BETWEEN
A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE |
facing two difficult outcomes for the same situation
Synonym: between the devil and the deep blue sea
Compare to: in a bind/fix/jam; over a barrel; behind the
eight ball
Between a rock and a hard place is more dramatic than in a
bind and would be used when the problem of choice has no
apparent or easy solution. |
1. Ralph found out that his brother cheated on an exam, and
he knows he should tell the teacher, but he is hesitating
because it’s his brother. He’s caught between a rock and a
hard place.
2. The doctor told his patient that he had a very contagious
disease and that it was important to tell his family. When
the man refused, the doctor didn’t know whether he should
call his patient’s family and tell them. He was between a
rock and a hard place. |
| BETWEEN
THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA |
facing two difficult outcomes for the same situation
Synonym: between a rock and a hard place |
1. I consider both Paul and Mitch to be friends of mine. Now
they are mad at each other and each wants me to take his
side against the other. No matter what I do I could lose one
friend or both. I’m between the devil and the deep blue sea.
2. Dana’s really between the devil and the deep blue sea.
The boss wants her to lie about the financial state of the
company. If she does, it would be unethical, but if she
doesn’t, the boss might find a way to fire her. |
| BEYOND
THE PALE |
beyond or outside the limits of morally or socially
acceptable behavior
The word pale in this expression should not be confused with
the adjective meaning “colorless.” Here, pale means a region
surrounded by a paling or fence and ruled by a governing
body. In British history, the pale was the area in and
around Dublin, Ireland, which was colonized and ruled by the
English. Beyond the pale was anything outside this area. To
the English, this was synonymous with being outside law and
order, i.e. outside civilization. |
1. That remark Jerry made wasn’t simply in poor taste. It
was beyond the pale.
2. Ron received an invitation to dinner and didn’t have the
decency to let his hosts know he wouldn’t be able to attend.
I think that kind of behavior is beyond the pale. |
| BIG
CHEESE |
an important, powerful or influential person
Synonyms: bigwig; big shot; big wheel; head honcho |
1. You can tell he’s the big cheese in this city because
everyone listens to what he says – even the mayor.
2. She must really think she’s a big cheese. She speaks to
her co-workers as if they were her servants. |
| BIG
FISH IN A SMALL POND |
a person who is considered important primarily because the
place or setting is small |
1. I accepted a teaching position in a small village
overseas because I will have responsibilities that I
wouldn’t be able to get for years in a big city. I like the
idea of being a big fish in a small pond.
2. Diane was a big fish in a small pond in her hometown, but
when she moved to New York City, nobody knew who she was. |
| bigger
fish to fry |
|
|
| BIG
SHOT |
an important, powerful, or influential person
Synonyms: big wheel; bigwig; big cheese; head honcho,
heavyweight
The expression big shot is often used sarcastically or
disparagingly. |
1. The company’s big shots are getting free trips to Hawaii
this year.
2. Now that you’ve been made a vice-president, you’re really
a big shot, aren’t you? |
| BIG
WHEEL |
an important, powerful, or influential person
Synonyms: bigwig; big shot; big cheese; head honcho,
heavyweight |
1. All the big wheels get the use of company cars and
parking spaces right next to the door of the building.
2. Janet says she doesn’t want to become a big wheel in the
company because she doesn’t want so much responsibility. |
| BIGWIG |
an important, powerful or influential person
Synonyms: big wheel; big shot; big cheese; head honcho
Compare to: heavyweight
The expression bigwig is usually applied to a person high up
in a corporate structure. |
1. Fred likes to think he’s a bigwig but he really doesn’t
have much power outside his own department.
2. Did you see all the expensive cars in the parking lot
outside? There must be a meeting of company bigwigs today. |
|
BIRD’S-EYE VIEW |
a broad view or overview of something or someplace
The expression suggests the view that a bird gets when it
flies overhead. |
1. This outline will give you a bird’s-eye view of my new
book.
2. The flight attendant said if we sit on the right side of
the airplane, we’d get a bird’s-eye view of the Grand
Canyon. |
| BITE
OFF MORE THAN (ONE) CAN CHEW |
to take on more work or responsibility than one can
accomplish |
1. Sue plans to oversee the construction of her new house at
the same time that she has taken on a lot of volunteer work
at her son’s school. I think she has bitten off more than
she can chew.
2. They can’t keep up with the number of classes they’re
taking at the university. They bit off more than they can
chew. |
| bite
my tongue |
|
|
| BITE
THE BULLET |
to face a difficult or unpleasant situation
Compare to: face the music; grin and bear it; take the bull
by the horns
Whereas face the music focuses more on accepting
responsibility for some misdeed, bite the bullet and grin
and bear it focus more on preparing oneself to accept
something painful or difficult. The expression originates
from the practice where, before the days of anesthesia, a
person undergoing an operation might have been told to bite
down on a bullet to distract from the pain. |
1. With our credit cards, we’ve been spending more money
than we have. We’re going to have to bite the bullet and
figure out a way to pay for everything we’ve charged.
2. The doctor says you’re going to have to change your life
style unless you want to become very sick. It’s time to bite
the bullet, take a look at what you’re doing to yourself,
and change before it’s too late. |
| BITE
THE DUST |
to be destroyed or ruined beyond repair; slang for “to die” |
1. The boss didn’t like my proposal and he wants me to start
over. Another good idea bites the dust.
2. I think this lamp just bit the dust. It broke and I know
it’s not worth fixing. |
| bite to eat |
some food |
After the show, let's
get a bite to eat. |
|
BITTER/HARD PILL TO SWALLOW |
a difficult or unpleasant reality to deal with
The expression suggests something that, like a pill, is
unpleasant but cannot be avoided. |
1. John discovered the hard truth about responsibility. He
didn’t get his college application in on time and the school
won’t reconsider. It was a hard pill to swallow, but he had
to learn the hard way.
2. Jill thought she was a good singer. When her brother told
her she was tone-deaf, it was a bitter pill to swallow. |
| BLACK
AND BLUE |
discolored from a bruise; injured in a fight either
physically or verbally |
1. The girl fell out of the tree but didn’t break any bones.
She just had a black and blue knee.
2. James came out of the meeting black and blue, since he
had made so many mistakes preparing the report without
consulting his boss. |
| black and white |
writing |
When making a deal you
should get everything in black and white.
|
| BLACK
MARKET |
a system of buying and selling illegal goods or goods at
illegal prices or quantities |
1. During the war each household was allotted a small amount
of sugar and butter each month. If you wanted more, you had
to buy it on the black market.
2. There is a growing black market for consumer goods that
are difficult or impossible to find here. |
| BLACK
OUT |
to lose consciousness temporarily
A blackout means a period of unconsciousness. The expression
is also used when the electricity goes out in a city. As a
noun, blackout is one word. |
1. After my operation, the doctor told me not to drive for a
few months because I might black out and have an accident.
2. Tom was walking down the street in the hot sun. He became
dizzy and then blacked out. |
| BLACK
SHEEP |
an outcast
The expression probably originates from the fact that most
sheep are white and only the very different ones are black. |
1. I haven’t seen my uncle since I was a child, because he
isn’t in contact with my parents. He’s the black sheep of
the family.
2. All the girls in that family except Mary grew up to
become respected members of the community. She was the black
sheep of the family. |
| BLACK
TIE |
formal dress in which men wear black bow ties and dinner
jackets or tuxedos and women wear formal, usually
floor-length dresses
The expression originates from the black bow tie that is
part of men’s formal dress. |
1. The dinner was black-tie, so all the men wore black bow
ties and dinner jackets.
2. The film star’s wedding was black-tie. It was a glamorous
affair that I’ll never forget. |
| blow a fuse |
lose your temper |
Hey, don't blow
a fuse. |
| blow
off steam |
|
|
| blow one's cool |
become angry |
Calm down. Don't
blow your cool. |
| blown away |
really impressed |
I was blown away
by his donation of a million dollars. |
| BLOW
(ONE’S) OWN HORN |
to boast or brag
Dating back to at least the 16th century, this phrase is a
reference to the practice of blowing horns to announce the
arrival of important officials such as kings. To blow one’s
own horn is to boast or claim a position of superiority over
others. |
1. Keith lets everyone know that the boss is going to make
him the new assistant manager. He likes to blow his own
horn.
2. Ruth won’t make many friends if she keeps blowing her own
horn about her accomplishments. |
| BLOW
(ONE’S) STACK |
to become suddenly very angry.
Compare to: raise Cain; fly off the handle; get (one’s)
dander up; blow off steam |
1. When Emily’s father saw the damage she had done to the
family car, he blew his stack
2. I hope the boss doesn’t blow his stack when he finds out
I didn’t finish this work on time. |
|
BLOW/RUN HOT AND COLD |
to have mixed or inconsistent feelings about something |
1. I don’t understand Jack. One day he’s really nice to me,
and the next day he couldn’t care less. He blows hot and
cold.
2. Pam blows hot and cold about studying nursing. Sometimes
she says she would enjoy it and sometimes she says it would
be too much work. |
| BLOW
OFF STEAM |
to express one’s anger, usually noisily and harmlessly,
thereby relieving one’s tension
Synonyms: blow (one’s) stack; fly off the handle
The expression suggests the noise created when a steam
boiler releases excess pressure. |
1. Forgive me for yelling at you. I guess I just had to blow
off some steam.
2. When my mother needs to blow off steam, she slams the
cupboard doors. |
| BLUE |
sad
Synonyms: down in the dumps; down in the mouth |
1. Rachel seems pretty unhappy these days. I wonder why
she’s feeling blue.
2. Let’s try to cheer up the children. They’ve been pretty
blue since their pet dog died. |
|
BLUE-BLOOD |
a person (or animal) that is an aristocrat or from a noble
family |
1. The young man’s parents did not want him to marry the
woman he had chosen because they considered themselves
blue-bloods and thought their son was too good for her.
2. The racehorses raised on my father’s horse farm are
blue-bloods—they come from a long line of Kentucky Derby
winners. |
| BLUE
LAW |
a law which regulates personal behavior such as going to
certain movies, dancing, or gambling |
1. In the United States in 1920, a blue law was passed
prohibiting the sale of alcoholic beverages. It was later
repealed.
2. Some cities have blue laws that limit or prohibit such
activities as dancing and gambling. |
| BLUE
RIBBON |
renowned (sentence 1); first prize (sentence 2)
The expression originates from the blue ribbon that is often
presented to the best entry in a contest. |
1. The president assembled a blue ribbon panel of experts to
study the problem.
2. Sally’s science project won the blue ribbon because it
was the best in the contest. |
|
BLUE-COLLAR WORKER |
a person who earns a living doing manual labor, or generally
uses his or her body rather than his or her mind to earn a
living
Antonym: white-collar worker
The expression originates from the color of the shirt
generally worn by factory workers while on the job. |
1. Sam works on an assembly line mass-producing clock
radios. He’s a blue-collar worker.
2. People who work in factories doing heavy labor are
usually blue-collar workers. |
| BOILING
POINT |
the point at which one loses one’s temper
Compare to: make (one’s) blood boil
The expression suggests heated water whose surface erupts
with bubbles when it reaches a particular temperature. |
1. You’ve just about pushed me to the boiling point. In a
minute I’m going to lose my temper.
2. Don’t push the boss too hard about taking time off work.
She hasn’t had much patience this week and it wouldn’t take
much to reach her boiling point. |
| boils
down to |
|
|
| BOMB |
to fail completely
Compare to: lay an egg Whereas bomb is usually applied to
creative activities (e.g., a play, a book, a movie, an idea)
that fail on a grand scale, lay an egg is usually applied to
doing something that is socially embarrassing on a smaller
scale. |
1. The playwright’s new play closed on the first night. It
bombed.
2. They thought they had hired an exciting speaker but
instead he really bombed. |
| BONE OF
CONTENTION, A |
a topic of dispute
Compare to: bone to pick, a
The expression suggests a bone thrown between two dogs that
would naturally fight over it. |
1. The subject of politics is a bone of contention between
Sandra and me—we never seem to agree.
2. John wants to send the children to a private school, and
I think it’s unnecessary. It’s a bone of contention between
us. |
| BONE TO
PICK, A |
a dispute
Compare to: bone of contention |
1. I have a bone to pick with Anne. She told the boss I was
looking for a new job and now he’s angry at me.
2. You could tell by the angry look on their faces and the
way they walked in looking for Jane that they had a bone to
pick with her. |
| BORN
YESTERDAY |
naive
Compare to: wet behind the ears
The expression suggests that someone who was born yesterday
has not learned to distrust or be suspicious of people and
is therefore naive. Wet behind the ears suggests
inexperience, while born yesterday suggests that the person
is easily fooled. |
1. Do you really think you can fool me? I’m not that dumb. I
wasn’t born yesterday, you know.
2. Philip is going to get hurt if he goes on trusting
everyone the way he does. He never suspects that people make
friends with him just because he is rich. He acts like he
was born yesterday. |
| BOTH
FEET ON THE GROUND |
(to be) realistic and practical
Synonym: down-to-earth
Antonym: head in the clouds |
1. They’re getting married very suddenly. They say they have
both feet on the ground and that they have given it serious
thought, but I have my doubts.
2. You’re leaving school before you graduate? I don’t think
you know what you’re doing. Are you sure you have both feet
on the ground? |
| BOTTOM
LINE, THE |
the net result (sentence 1), or the simple and irrefutable
truth (sentence 2)
Synonyms: long and short of it, nitty-gritty
The expression is often used to describe a monetary figure
(sentence 1), but it also describes the basic, (supposedly)
undeniable truth of an argument (sentence 2). The expression
probably originates from the accounting practice of adding
together the profits and subtracting the costs to arrive at
a final figure under the bottom line on a spreadsheet or in
a ledger or account book. |
1. You’ve told me about the down payment, the closing costs,
the interest rate, and the price of the house. What’s the
bottom line? How much money am I actually going to have to
spend on this house?
2. You and I can argue around and around on this issue, but
the bottom line is that our children will have to go to
college if they want to get well-paid jobs in the future. |
| BOTTOM
OF THE BARREL |
the least able member of a group; the least desirable items
from a collection
Antonym: cream of the crop
This idiom is often used with the verbs “to reach” or “to
scrape,” as in the examples, and is used to express a
negative opinion about a person or thing. |
1. That’s probably the worst idea I’ve ever heard! You’ve
really reached the bottom of the barrel, haven’t you?
2. I guess we can ask George to help. But in my opinion,
we’re scraping the bottom of the barrel if we have to turn
to him. |
| BOTTOMS
UP |
a call to drink; to empty one’s glass
The expression suggests the idea that the bottom of one’s
glass will be up when one drinks. It is informal. |
1. We had better finish our drinks because the bar is
closing. Bottoms up!
2. Young Timmy did not want to drink his medicine, but
bottoms up! his mother insisted as she pressed the glass
into his hands. |
| BOXED
IN/BOX (SOMEONE) IN |
restricted; to restrict someone |
1. David feels boxed in because he is stuck in a deadend job
and he doesn’t have any options.
2. Don’t box yourself in by spending all your savings on the
most expensive car and not having any money left in case of
an emergency. |
| boxed
in a corner |
|
|
|
BRAINSTORM |
to generate many ideas quickly
Brainstorming is often a formal step in problem solving. The
goal is to generate potential solutions without immediately
evaluating them. Evaluation is carried out as a subsequent
step. The word “brainstorm” is a verb, but its –ing form,
brainstorming, is often used as a noun (as in the first
sentence in this paragraph). |
1. When faced with a complicated problem, it is often useful
to brainstorm several possible solutions first before
deciding on which strategy you will apply.
2. Before we began writing, our teacher asked us to
brainstorm topics for our compositions. |
| branch
out |
|
|
|
BREADWINNER |
somebody that provides financially for his or her family |
1. When Harold quit his job and went back to school, he and
his wife needed to adjust to having one breadwinner instead
of two.
2. When her family needed more money, Tara got a job after
school to help out. She became a breadwinner. |
| break
a leg |
|
|
| break
even |
|
|
| breaking a sweat |
tired |
I'm not even
breaking a sweat. |
| break it up |
Stop |
Break it up,
or I will call the police. |
| break
the bank |
|
|
| BREAK
THE ICE |
to get things started, particularly by means of a social
introduction or conversation
The expression suggests the idea of breaking through an icy
surface to clear a path for ships. |
1. It didn’t take long for the guests at the party to break
the ice. By the time dinner was served, almost everyone was
chatting with someone they had just met.
2. I’m afraid we haven’t met. Let me break the ice by
introducing myself. My name is John Taylor. |
|
breathing room |
|
|
| bring down |
depressing |
The news of the tsunami
was a bring down. |
| BRING
DOWN THE HOUSE |
to be a great success
The expression is almost exclusively used to describe
theatrical or musical performances, but it could also be
used for any event that would generate applause. It suggests
that when an artistic performance is a great success, the
audience applauds so noisily as to make the ceiling and
walls of the theater collapse. |
1. The comedian at the dinner show is wonderful. He brings
down the house every night.
2. The music critic didn’t like the new symphony being
presented at the concert hall. In his newspaper review, he
said it would never bring down the house. |
| BRING
HOME THE BACON |
to bring money into the household to support a family |
1. It’s romantic to marry someone you love, but when you set
up your household, you’re going to have bills to pay. You
should think about marrying someone who will help bring home
the bacon.
2. Leo became ill and couldn’t work anymore, so his wife
went back to work. Now she’s the one who brings home the
bacon. |
|
BRUSH-OFF, GET/GIVE (SOMEONE) THE |
to be dismissed casually and almost cruelly
The expression suggests the idea of brushing a small piece
of lint or dirt from one’s clothing. It is usually used
where one person is superior to (or thinks he is superior
to) the other. |
1. Sue accepted John’s invitation to the dance, but when
Wayne asked her to go, she gave John the brush-off and told
him she didn’t want to go with him.
2. The boss told me that he was busy right then and that I
should come back later. I told him, “Don’t give me the
brush-off. I deserve an honest answer from you.” |
| bucket
list |
|
|
| buckle
down |
|
|
| BUG |
to bother, annoy, or irritate mildly
Compare to: rub (someone) the wrong way; set (one’s) teeth
on edge; get (someone’s) dander up; get (someone’s) goat
Whereas get someone’s dander up means to irritate in
earnest, bug means to annoy harmlessly or perhaps
humorously.
The expression suggests a bug flying around one’s head. |
1. I told you I would have that report done by the end of
the day, so stop bugging me about it.
2. The children bugged their mother about going to the
movies until she lost her temper. |
| BULL IN
A CHINA SHOP |
insensitive to delicate situations; to be so clumsy that one
breaks things inadvertently |
1. Tom was a bit of a bull in a china shop when he met his
girlfriend’s family, asking all the wrong kinds of questions
about her relatives.
2. Larry can’t take his son into the glassware store because
he always manages to break things. He’s like a bull in a
china shop. |
| BUM
STEER, GIVE SOMEONE A |
bad advice or instructions |
1. My stockbroker really gave me a bum steer. I bought a
stock he recommended and it did nothing but go down.
2. Kim stopped at a gas station for directions to city hall.
The mechanic told her how to get there, but he gave her a
bum steer and she got lost again. |
| BURNED
OUT |
lacking enthusiasm due to overexposure or too much of the
same thing; completely used up; worn out
The expression suggests a device like a light bulb that
burns out (stops shining) when all of its energy is used up. |
1. Scott just couldn’t face another semester studying
chemistry. He had taken so many chemistry classes that he
was burned out.
2. Betty got burned out spending so much time volunteering
at the hospital. She decided she needed a vacation. |
| BURNING
QUESTION |
a question that deserves or demands discussion |
1. I don’t think there’s any doubt that he loves her, but
will he marry her? That’s the burning question.
2. It’s not a matter of which college he should apply to,
since he can get into both of them. The burning question is,
what should he study once he gets there? |
|
BURN (ONE’S) BRIDGES |
to take a course of action that makes it impossible to go
back |
1. If you commit yourself to that course of action, you’ll
be burning your bridges and you won’t be able to start over.
2. Anita decided she ought to leave herself the option of
going back to school. She decided not to burn all her
bridges. |
| BURN
RUBBER |
to accelerate with tires so quickly from a stopped position
that the rubber tires make a loud squealing noise and leave
a black mark on the street; slang expression meaning to
hurry
This expression is also used as slang for “hurry.” |
1. The traffic light turned green. The car tires squealed as
the driver pushed the gas pedal to the floor and burned
rubber.
2. We’re going to have to burn rubber if we hope to get to
the wedding on time. |
| BURN
THE CANDLE AT BOTH ENDS |
to overwork oneself
The expression suggests that one is wasting one’s resources
or energy. |
1. Marie works all day and goes to school every evening,
then she has to get up early in order to study. She’s
wearing herself out. She’s burning the candle at both ends.
2. You really burn the candle at both ends. You’ve got to
start taking it easy or you’ll end up in the hospital. |
| BURN
THE MIDNIGHT OIL |
to stay up late at night studying or working
The expression suggests burning the oil in an oil lamp for
light in order to work in the dark. |
1. If they expect to pass the test tomorrow, they’ll have to
open their books and begin burning the midnight oil.
2. The boss expects to see the new plans tomorrow. The only
way I’m going to be able to finish them in time is to burn
the midnight oil tonight. |
| BURY
THE HATCHET |
to end a dispute
Compare to: clear the air
The expression may originate from a Native American custom
of burying a hatchet as a sign of agreeing to peace. |
1. This argument has gone on too long. Why don’t we bury the
hatchet once and for all?
2. I will always be sorry that my father and I fought before
he died and I never got a chance to bury the hatchet. |
| BUTTER
(SOMEONE) UP |
to flatter someone, usually excessively, in order to gain a
favor
This idiom is a reference to the act of ‘covering’ someone
in praise or flattery, like covering a slice of bread with
butter. |
1. My husband brought me candy and sent flowers, and now
he’s telling me how good my cooking is. I think he wants
something and he’s trying to butter me up so that I’ll
agree.
2. If you want the professor to do you a favor, just ask
her. Don’t butter her up. |
| BUTT IN |
to interfere (sentence 1) or literally to push one’s way in
between other people (sentence 2)
The expression suggests a ram butting with its horns. |
1. This argument is between your sister and me, and it
doesn’t concern you. Don’t butt in.
2. We’ve been waiting patiently in this long line, and that
woman just butted in ahead of us. She should have gone to
the end of the line to wait like the rest of us. |
| buy it |
die |
If you don't slow down,
you're going to buy it in a car accident. |
| BUY
(SOMETHING) FOR A SONG |
to buy something very cheaply
The expression suggests that one can buy something by just
singing a song. |
1. Sue and Dennis found an antique painting in that shop,
but the salesman didn’t know its true value. It must be
worth a small fortune, and they bought it for a song.
2. The man was desperate to get rid of his car, so I was
able to buy it for a song. |
| BY
HOOK OR BY CROOK |
by one way or another; by any means possible
The expression connotes that rules or convention may be
broken in order to achieve the goal. |
1. Margaret was determined to lose 25 pounds before summer
by hook or by crook.
2. Bruce would be such an asset to this company, but there
aren’t any positions open right now. By hook or by crook,
we’ll have to get him a job in this office. |
| BY THE
BOOK, GO |
operate according to the rules
The expression probably originates from the idea that the
procedure or accepted rules of an established game are set
down in a book. |
1. The pilot might have carried out some preflight
procedures more quickly, but because he was training a new
pilot, he did everything by the book so the trainee would
learn the procedures.
2. As a parent raising children, you can’t always go by the
book and follow the rules. Sometimes you have to use your
intuition. |
| BY THE
SEAT OF (ONE’S) PANTS, DO (SOMETHING) |
to accomplish something by luck and instinct rather than
skill
Synonyms: wing it; play it by ear |
1. At the last minute, the boss was taken ill and Kate had
to give the sales presentation. She was not sure of the best
way to proceed, but she used the notes that the boss had
prepared and followed her instincts. She managed the
presentation by the seat of her pants.
2. The children had never cooked a whole meal or used the
washing machine before. When their mother left in an
emergency, they kept things going at the house by the seat
of their pants. |
| |
by a very narrow margin
Synonym: hair’s breadth
Compare to: close shave
The expression suggests that something is as narrow as the
(nonexistent) skin on one’s teeth. |
1. The thief leaped from one building to another to escape
the police. He almost missed the second building, but he
made it by the skin of his teeth.
2. Dan and Mark were swimming in the ocean and spotted a
shark coming toward them. They swam to their boat and pulled
themselves out of the water just in time. They made it out
of the water by the skin of their teeth. |
| BY THE
SKIN OF (ONE’S) TEETH |
|
|
| BY
WORD OF MOUTH |
the informal, verbal passing of information from one person
to another |
1. Walter heard about it from one of the company’s employees
even though it had not been advertised in the newspaper. He
got the information by word of mouth.
2. Jane and Sarah will be very hurt if they aren’t invited
to your party. You won’t be able to keep it a secret. They
are sure to hear about it by word of mouth. |
