|
Idiom |
Definition |
Usage |
| SACRED
COW |
an idea or thing that cannot be altered
The expression originates from the Hindu belief that cows
are sacred and cannot be killed or eaten. The expression is
frequently used to describe an idea or thing that ought to
be changed or altered but cannot be because the authority
forbids it. |
1. Don’t suggest that the boss should get rid of one of his
secretaries so that we might hire another clerk. The subject
of his secretaries is a sacred cow.
2. Even though the country needed to raise more money to pay
for military and social programs, the president refused to
raise taxes. To him “no new taxes” was a sacred cow that he
was unwilling to sacrifice. |
| saddled with
debt |
burdened with debt |
The company has been
saddled with debt. |
| said a mouthful |
said something of great
importance |
He really said a
mouthful at the office meeting. |
| sail into |
scold |
As soon as I came in the
door she began to sail into me for being
late. |
| SALES
PITCH |
a speech or presentation designed to persuade someone to buy
or do something
Compare to: (give someone a) snow job; (give someone a) song
and dance
The expression is usually used to describe a sales situation
(sentence 1), but it can also be used metaphorically
(sentence 2). |
1. I hate door-to-door salespeople. They interrupt whatever
you are doing and keep you standing at the door with their
sales pitch about how good their product is.
2. No one knew how Ken had managed to persuade the boss to
give him a bigger office, but they all agreed he must have
had a very good sales pitch. |
| SALT OF
THE EARTH, THE |
a very dependable and unpretentious person |
1. You can count on Ruth to be there when you need her.
She’s the salt of the earth.
2. Greg may not be a very exciting person, but he’ll never
let you down or disappoint you. He’s the salt of the earth. |
| SALT
(SOMETHING) AWAY |
to save, store, or hoard something (usually something highly
valued and in danger of being stolen)
Compare to: on ice; save (something) for a rainy day
The expression originates from the practice of using salt to
preserve food before storing it. |
1. I don’t know what Ann does with all the money she earns,
but I know she doesn’t spend it on herself. She must be
salting it away for her retirement.
2. Sometimes we give food to the old man next door, because
we know that he doesn’t have much money. Whenever we do, we
try to give him enough so that he can salt some of it away
for another day. |
|
SAVE/LOSE FACE |
to maintain/not maintain a degree of pride in a shameful
situation
Originally lose face was the direct translation of the
Chinese saying ‘tiu lien.’ |
1. The father lost face when his son was expelled from
school. It was a poor reflection on the man’s ability to
influence and control his family.
2. I knew that what I had done was wrong, but when I was
discovered, I pretended that I hadn’t known it was wrong.
That way I was able to save face. |
| save one's
breath |
remain silent |
You should save
your breath because I do not believe you anyway. |
| save one's neck |
avoid trouble |
He quit the company
during the scandal in order to save his neck. |
| save one's skin |
avoid trouble |
He quit the company
during the scandal in order to save his skin. |
| SAVE
(SOMETHING) FOR A RAINY DAY |
to save something, usually money, for a possible future need
Compare to: salt (something) away; on ice
The expression suggests that a rainy day is one when a
person will not be able to earn any money, and so he or she
needs to prepare for such a day by setting aside some money
now. |
1. Rob saves a portion of every paycheck in the bank. He’s
not saving for anything in particular, but one never knows
when one might need some extra money all of a sudden. He’s
saving for a rainy day.
2. My mother always made me save some of my money in case I
needed some unexpectedly. She made me save for a rainy day. |
| save the day |
brought about success |
She saved the
day for her company. |
| SAY A
MOUTHFUL |
to say something of a significant or shocking nature
(sentence 1); to say more than one should (sentence 2)
Compare to: go off half-cocked
The expression is usually used to describe when someone says
a lot, not so much in terms of the number of words as in the
significance of the words. |
1. John pushed his way in to the party and confronted Laura.
He began to rant and rave and say things everyone knew he
would later regret. He said a mouthful.
2. Everybody managed to keep the surprise party a secret
until the last minute, when Jennifer’s younger sister gave
it away. She said a mouthful before she remembered that the
party was supposed to be a secret. |
| SCARED
OUT OF (ONE’S) WITS |
so afraid that one is unable to think clearly
This expression is usually used as an exaggeration to mean
“very frightened for a short time.” |
1. You shouldn’t jump out of the shadows like that! You
scared me out of my wits!
2. Michelle’s brother played a prank on her, but she didn’t
think it was funny. She was scared out of her wits. |
| screw around |
waste time |
Do not screw
around at work. |
| SCREW
LOOSE/LOOSE SCREW, HAVE A |
to be harmlessly crazy
Compare to: bats in (one’s) belfry; out to lunch; off
(one’s) rocker |
1. Sometimes Mr. Simpson talks to himself, and sometimes he
imagines that he sees creatures from outer space. I think he
has a screw loose.
2. The old lady on the bench will tell you the story of her
life if you give her a chance. I imagine she’s just lonely
or she has a loose screw somewhere. |
| screw up |
make a mistake |
If you screw up
one more time, I will fire you. |
| screw up |
person who makes
mistakes |
You are such a
screw up. |
| SECOND
GUESS |
to dispute or try to understand someone’s reason for doing
something |
1. No one knows for sure why the boss quit so abruptly, but
we are all trying to second guess his reasons.
2. Peggy came to work and simply announced that she was
leaving her husband. She offered no explanation and told
everyone who asked that it was none of their business. She
told everyone not to second guess why she left her husband. |
| SECOND
RATE |
of inferior quality; not the best
Synonyms: third-rate; fourth-rate
Antonym: first-rate
Expressions using rate generally go only as far as
fourth-rate. Second-, third-, and fourth-rate are
synonymous. There are no degrees of inferiority. They are
all opposites of first-rate. |
1. This hotel isn’t the best. It’s really a second rate
place.
2. When they remodeled their kitchen, they bought all new
appliances of the best quality. They wanted nothing that was
second rate. |
| SECOND
THOUGHTS, HAVE |
to begin to have doubts; to question and reexamine a
decision
Compare to: cold feet
Whereas get cold feet means to change one’s mind because of
doubts, have second thoughts means only to begin to have
doubts. One may or may not change one’s mind based on second
thoughts. |
1. After you have decided to get married, it’s not unusual
to have second thoughts and wonder whether you are really
ready for such a big step.
2. I know we’ve already made the commitment to buy that
house, but now I’m having second thoughts about it. Are you
sure it was a wise decision? |
| SEE
EYE TO EYE |
to agree |
1. It’s relatively unusual for teenagers and their parents
to see eye to eye on some issues like driving privileges,
dating, and the importance of school.
2. The two firms broke off their partnership because they no
longer saw eye to eye on how much money to invest in new
research and development. |
| SEE RED |
to get angry
Compare to: fly off the handle; blow (one’s) stack; lose
(one’s) temper
The expression probably originates from the idea that a bull
is supposed to become enraged when it sees the bullfighter’s
red cape. |
1. John saw red when his boss tried to make everyone in the
office believe that John had made the mistake.
2. My father sees red when I come home late. |
| SEE
(SOMETHING) THROUGH |
to finish something one has started
Compare to: see through (something/someone) |
1. The boy had said he would do the job, but it was more
work than he had expected. However, he decided to see the
job through because it was the right thing to do.
2. It wasn’t a pleasant task, but Jane knew she had to
finish it. She saw it through to the end. |
| SEE THE
LIGHT |
to understand something clearly
Compare to: dawn on (someone)
Dawn on someone means to understand something some time
after it should have become apparent, whereas see the light
simply means to understand. |
1. Wendy was completely fooled by the young man. We all
wondered when she would see the light.
2. They finally saw the light when we explained the
situation to them. |
| see
the writing on the wall |
|
|
| SEE
THROUGH (SOMETHING/SOMEONE) |
to not be fooled by a false front or disguise that someone
presents in order to mislead; to understand the true nature
of someone or something
Compare to: see (something) through |
1. The little boy told his mother that he was not the one
who had taken the candy, but his mother saw through his
story because she could see chocolate on his face.
2. The pair had everyone convinced they were a luckless but
well-intentioned couple. Very few people could see through
them, and many gave them money, food, and clothing. |
| SEE
WHICH WAY THE WIND BLOWS |
to determine what stance to take based on what others want,
even though such actions or words may not be what one
sincerely wants to do or say
The expression is often used in reference to a political or
diplomatic situation. It has the negative connotation of
being opportunistic. |
1. Many politicians try to say what they think their
constituents want to hear, even though they don’t always
mean it. The politicians look to see which way the wind
blows before they speak.
2. Fred has learned to survive in his job by bending to the
will and desires of each boss he has had. He sees which way
the wind blows and changes his behavior accordingly. |
| SELL
LIKE HOTCAKES |
to sell quickly
Compare to: take off Hotcake is another word for pancake. |
1. When the idea of a photocopying machine first became
popular, the machines sold like hotcakes.
2. The man who ran the snack bar hoped that the weather on
the day of the parade would be hot, because then his ice
cream would sell like hotcakes. |
| sell out |
sell completely |
Our best products seem
to sell out very quickly. |
| SELL
(SOMEONE) A BILL OF GOODS [SOLD A BILL OF GOODS] |
to sell someone something that is worthless (sentence 1), or
to make someone believe something that is untrue (sentence
2); to deceive someone |
1. The ring looked real on television, but when it arrived
in the mail, Paula knew she had been sold a bill of goods.
2. The project manager told us that construction would be
finished by August; it wasn’t until later that we discovered
he had sold us a bill of goods. |
| SET
(SOMEONE’S) TEETH ON EDGE |
to irritate
Synonyms: rub (someone) the wrong way, get (someone’s)
dander/hackles up, get (someone’s) goat, bug |
1. I wish you wouldn’t talk during the movie. The noise
really sets my teeth on edge.
2. That woman always pretends like she’s giving me a
compliment, but I think she’s insulting me. It sets my teeth
on edge. |
| SEVENTH
HEAVEN, IN |
blissfully happy
Synonyms: on cloud nine; walking on air |
1. Cindy met Roger three weeks ago and fell madly in love
with him. She’s been in seventh heaven ever since.
2. We’ve been in seventh heaven knowing that we’re going to
have a baby. |
| SHAKE A
LEG |
to hurry
Synonyms: Step on it!; Get a move on!
Antonyms: hold (one’s) horses; keep (one’s) shirt on
The expression is never used in the past tense form “shook,”
but it can be used in the future tense. |
1. Come on, Sam, we don’t have all day. Hurry up! Shake a
leg!
2. I asked you ten minutes ago to stop playing and clean up
this mess. We have to go in five minutes. You kids had
better shake a leg. |
| shape up or ship
out |
improve or leave |
You have the lowest
production in this department so you better shape up
or ship out. |
| shell
out |
|
|
| SHIPS
PASSING IN THE NIGHT |
two people whose lives come together or whose paths cross
for a short time
The expression is frequently used to describe a romance that
is not meant to be because it is the wrong time or the wrong
place. |
1. Dan met the woman of his dreams, but he wasn’t quite
ready to get married. They dated for a while and then went
their separate ways. They were ships passing in the night.
2. I came to this city in 1985 and left shortly after I met
Robert. Our lives touched only briefly. We were ships
passing in the night. |
| shoot some hoops |
play basketball |
After school, let's
shoot some hoops. |
| SHOOT
THE BREEZE |
to chat or to pass time by chatting; to talk idly
Shoot the breeze often includes the idea of chatting because
one has some time to “kill” or is waiting for some amount of
time to pass. |
1. During our lunch hour, we like to sit around and shoot
the breeze. We talk about all kinds of things and nothing in
particular.
2. I sometimes wonder if government employees ever work.
They seem to sit around all day talking to each other. They
always seem to be just shooting the breeze. |
| short on funds |
low on money |
I am kind of
short on funds now. |
| shot down |
disagreed with |
Everyone shot
down my idea. |
| SHOT IN
THE ARM |
something that stimulates, boosts, or renews people’s
interest
The expression originates from the idea of a hypodermic
injection to make a sick person feel better. |
1. The exciting and innovative programs introduced by the
new manager were a real shot in the arm. Everyone became
motivated to make them work.
2. The new president stimulated the citizens to take a
greater interest in the welfare of the country. He was a
shot in the arm for a nation that had become apathetic and
indifferent. |
| SHOT IN
THE DARK |
a guess, often wild or based on little information
The expression suggests that the probability of a correct
guess is as small as the probability of hitting something
that one shoots at in the dark. |
1. Charles didn’t really know the reason why his son was in
a bad mood, but he guessed that perhaps he had gotten some
bad grades. Charles’ s guess was a shot in the dark.
2. I don’t know what they would like for a wedding gift, but
we could take a shot in the dark and get them something for
the kitchen. |
|
show your true colors |
|
|
|
sing a different tune |
|
|
|
sink your teeth into |
|
|
|
SIT TIGHT |
to wait quietly and patiently, often in an anxious situation
Synonym: keep (one’s) cool.
The expression sit tight is often used in situations of
danger or panic or in situations where a calm, cool head is
needed. It always uses the adjective “tight” rather than the
grammatically correct “tightly”. |
1. The stock market was falling sharply, but Lucy didn’t
panic and sell her stocks. Instead she sat tight and waited
for the market to rise again.
2. Margie called late at night to tell us that her car had
broken down and to ask us to come and pick her up. We told
her to sit tight and we would be there as soon as possible. |
|
SITTING PRETTY |
in a good or advantageous situation; living comfortably
The expression is often used to describe a financially
advantageous situation (sentence 2). It is always used in
the present participle form. It can be used in the past or
future tenses by making the verb be past (sentence 1) or
future (sentence 2). |
1. John had managed to work his way into a position of power
and influence. He was certainly sitting pretty until it was
discovered that he was stealing money from the company and
was fired.
2. I’m going to be careful how I spend and save my money
now, so that when I retire I’ll be sitting pretty and won’t
have to worry about my finances. |
|
SIXTH SENSE |
a feeling, intuition or premonition not based on one of the
five senses: sight, hearing, taste, touch, or smell
The expression originates from the idea that, whereas
everyone is born with the five senses of sight, hearing,
taste, touch, and smell, some people seem to have an
additional sense that enables them to perceive events or
things that others cannot. |
1. Carrie has an uncanny sense of what’s going to happen in
the future. It’s almost as though she has a sixth sense.
2. They had a terrible feeling that something bad had
happened to their son. They had no rational reason for
thinking it; it was just a sixth sense. |
|
skating on thin ice |
|
|
|
skeleton crew |
|
|
|
SKELETON IN THE CLOSET {FAMILY SKELETON} |
an event in one’s past or family that is embarrassing and
that one would prefer to keep secret
The expression suggests something undesirable that is hidden
away in the closet but that one cannot get rid of. |
1. Before I took this job with the government, I had to
reveal the fact that I had been arrested when I was a
teenager. That has always been my skeleton in the closet.
2. Rachel’s family had a relative who spent years in prison.
They always tried to keep that family skeleton a secret. |
| SLEEP
LIKE A LOG/ROCK |
to sleep so soundly that noise doesn’t wake the person
The expression suggests that it is as difficult to wake such
a person as it would be to wake a log or a rock. |
1. Steve had to have two alarm clocks set to wake him up
because one was never loud enough. He slept like a log.
2. As a rule, the baby never wakes up during the night. She
sleeps like a rock, and even the noise of the TV doesn’t
wake her. |
| slim to none |
almost impossible |
I think our chances of
getting in are slim to none. |
| slip
one's mind |
|
|
|
SLIP THROUGH (SOMEONE’S) FINGERS, LET (SOMEONE/SOMETHING) |
to lose something because one takes too much time to
consider the situation
Synonym: miss the boat
The expression suggests that the thing or person one wants
to keep is slippery or hard to hold on to, like water or
sand. Despite the fact that one tries to grasp it, it
disappears between one’s fingers. |
1. They had the opportunity to make a lot of money, but they
didn’t act quickly enough and the chance slipped through
their fingers.
2. When Mike asked Irene to marry him, she told him she
wanted time to think it over. But she waited too long and
Mike married someone else. She let him slip through her
fingers. |
|
slippery slope |
|
|
| SLOW
BURN |
to be quietly angry |
1. Jack didn’t get promoted to a new job and, although he
hasn’t said anything about it, I know he’s doing a slow
burn.
2. I do a slow burn every time my husband expects me to look
after the children while he plays golf with his friends. |
|
SLOW/QUICK OFF THE MARK |
slow [or quick] to understand a situation
The expression suggests a race in which the participants are
slow [or quick] to leave the point of departure (the mark). |
1. Keith never got a chance to play in the school marching
band because he was slow off the mark and didn’t sign up for
it by the deadline.
2. Katherine succeeds at whatever she attempts because she‘s
very much aware of what’s going on around her. She’s quick
off the mark. |
|
SNOWBALL’S CHANCE IN HELL |
no chance at all
The expression suggests that the likelihood of something
happening is as small as the probability that a snowball
will not melt in the fires of hell. |
1. Kay has a snowball’s chance in hell of getting into that
college. She has bad grades and poor exam scores.
2. They don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of raising
enough money to send him on that trip, because they don’t
have anything worth selling. |
| social
butterfly |
|
|
|
SOMETHING TO CROW ABOUT |
an exceptional accomplishment; an achievement that is worth
bragging about
Synonym: feather in (one’s) cap
Antonym: nothing to write home about
The expression suggests the sound a rooster makes to draw
attention to itself. |
1. We’re really proud of Janie. She got an outstanding score
on her entrance exams. It really is something to crow about.
2. If you let Bill win, he’ll never let us hear the end of
it. You’ll just be giving him something to crow about. |
| SOUR
GRAPES |
a situation where a person criticizes something or someone
out of jealousy
The expression originates from Aesop’s fable about a fox
that wanted some grapes from a vine but was unable to jump
high enough to get them. In disgust, he claimed that they
weren’t worth having anyway because they were probably sour. |
1. When Nicolas found out that he wasn’t going to be
promoted, he told people that he hadn’t really wanted to
stay with the company anyway. It was a case of sour grapes.
2. I know this sounds like sour grapes, but I’m just as glad
that I didn’t get into college. I think I’d rather get a
job. |
| SOW
(ONE’S) WILD OATS |
to do foolish or wild things, usually as a youth
The expression has traditionally been used to describe the
behavior of a young man (sentence 1), although nowadays it
can be used to describe young people of both sexes. |
1. You would never know it, but their father was quite a
troublemaker in his youth. He sowed his wild oats before he
became a family man and an important member of the
community.
2. Nancy doesn’t want to settle down to a family and career
until she has spent a few years traveling, having a good
time, and sowing her wild oats. |
| SPEAK
OF THE DEVIL |
an expression used when someone who is being talked about
has just appeared
The expression has a slightly negative connotation, because
of the reference to the devil, but it is usually meant
humorously. |
1. Jan brought up the subject of Tom at the meeting when,
all of a sudden, he walked in. “Speak of the devil!” said
Jan. “We were just talking about you.”
2. “Where’s Ernie?” I asked, just as Ernie came through the
door. “Here I am,” said Ernie. “Speak of the devil,” I said. |
| SPEAK
(ONE’S) MIND |
to tell someone how one feels or what one thinks
Synonym: speak (one’s) piece |
1. Donald wondered if he could speak his mind freely, but
decided it would be best if he kept his opinions to himself.
So he didn’t tell her what he really thought about her.
2. I’ve always been honest and open with you about how I
feel and what I think. I’ve never been shy about speaking my
mind. |
| SPEAK
(ONE’S) PIECE |
to tell someone how one feels or what one thinks
Synonym: speak (one’s) mind
The expression speak one’s piece is usually used to describe
what someone does when he disagrees strongly with someone
else but has little control over the situation. The speaker
wants the person to know his feelings and may present them
in an uninterrupted monologue (piece). |
1. Pam’s father was unhappy that she intended to marry a man
he didn’t approve of. He wanted her to know why he
disapproved of the man, so he spoke his piece, but he ended
by saying that he would leave the decision up to her.
2. I’ve always been honest with you about how I feel and
what I think. I’ve never been shy about speaking my piece. |
| speak
volumes |
|
|
| SPILL
THE BEANS |
to reveal a secret
Synonym: let the cat out of the bag
Antonym: keep (something) under (one’s) hat |
1. I told Bob not to tell anyone my secret, but he couldn’t
keep his mouth shut. He spilled the beans to the first
person who walked through the door.
2. The boss was annoyed when he learned that we all knew he
planned to quit. He wanted to know who had spilled the
beans. |
|
SPITTING IMAGE |
an exact likeness
Compare to: chip off the old block
Spitting image refers to a physical likeness, whereas a chip
off the old block refers to a likeness in character or
personality. The expression is usually used to describe a
child’s resemblance to a family member. |
1. Although Roger doesn’t look very much like his father or
mother, his grandmother says he’s the spitting image of her
late husband, Roger’s grandfather.
2. The girls in that family have their mother’s mouth, nose
and eyes. They are the spit and image of their mother. |
| SPLIT
HAIRS |
to argue about some detail that is not important
The expression suggests that a hair is so thin that it would
be pointless to try to split it. Similarly, it is pointless
to argue over details of no consequence. |
1. The girl’s mother asked what time they got home and the
girl told her 10:00. The brother insisted that it was 10:05.
The girl told him he was splitting hairs and that five
minutes didn’t really make a difference.
2. We can’t seem to agree on this minor point, but I don’t
think it’s worth arguing about. I’m not going to split hairs
with you about this. |
| spread
yourself too thin |
|
|
| SPRING
(SOMETHING) ON (SOMEONE) |
to surprise someone with something
Synonym: knock/throw (someone) for a loop
The expression is usually used to describe surprising
someone with some unexpected news. |
1. Grace thought she had done well on the test, so it came
as a shock when she discovered that she’d failed. The
teacher sprang it on her very suddenly.
2. You have to prepare Mark for surprises or bad news that
he’s not expecting. Don’t spring anything on him. |
| SPUR OF
THE MOMENT, ON THE |
suddenly or spontaneously; without advance planning.
Synonym: off the cuff |
1. They didn’t have plans for the weekend, but on the spur
of the moment, they decided to take a trip to the beach
2. Betsy isn’t a very spontaneous person. She can’t just do
something on the spur of the moment.
3. I didn’t really plan to go out last night. It was a spur
of the moment decision. |
| SQUARE
DEAL |
a fair arrangement, fair treatment, or a fair price
Synonym: fair and square
In this expression, square means right. |
1. We bought our car from the dealership in town, and they
gave us a good car at a fair price. It was a square deal.
2. The management of this company are always out to get what
they can from the workers without fair treatment or
compensation. They have never given anyone a square deal. |
| SQUARE
MEAL |
full and well-balanced meal |
1. That man is so thin and gaunt. He looks like he hasn’t
had a square meal in weeks.
2. The children’s doctor recommends that they eat three
square meals a day. Each meal should include a vegetable or
fruit, milk or cheese, meat or some form of protein, and
rice or bread. |
| STAND
(ONE’S) GROUND |
to be firm in one’s resolve or not to alter one’s position
(sentence 1); not to give up any territory (sentence 2)
Antonyms: give in; knuckle under
Compare to: stick to (one’s) guns
Stick to one’s guns more narrowly means to be firm in one’s
resolve, and could be used in sentence 1 but not in sentence
2.
The expression stand one’s ground suggests having one’s feet
firmly planted on the ground and not giving up any ground to
one’s adversary. It is often used to describe the behavior
of a wild animal that is being threatened by its enemy. |
1. The union workers will not give in to the demands of the
factory management. They want better wages, better health
benefits and improved working conditions, and they’re going
to stand their ground.
2. When the goose was threatened by the approaching fox, she
stood her ground and hissed and pecked at him. She would
protect her baby goslings at all costs. |
| STAND
ON (ONE’S) OWN TWO FEET |
to be independent and self-supporting
The expression suggests that when a person uses his own two
feet, he is not relying on others for support. The
expression always calls for two feet even when the subject
is plural (sentence 2) and four feet would be more logical. |
1. They told their twenty-year-old son that it was time he
found a job and began to support himself. It was time for
him to stand on his own two feet.
2. 1 was so glad to hear that Pete and Gloria got a house of
their own and that they no longer have to live with her
parents. They are finally standing on their own two feet. |
| STAND
OUT IN A/THE CROWD |
to be distinguishable from others in a group;
distinctive
Compare to: stick out like a sore thumb
Whereas stand out in a crowd is usually a positive
attribute, stick out like a sore thumb is a negative one.
The expression stand out in a crowd suggests a degree of
distinctiveness and independence. |
1. Dianne has her own style and rarely follows current
fashion. If you saw her on the street, she would stand out
in a crowd.
2. Paul does what everyone else does and goes along with
what other people think and say. He doesn’t like to stand
out in the crowd. |
| START
(SOMETHING) FROM SCRATCH |
to start from the very beginning; to start from the very
first step
Compare to: back to square one; make (something) from
scratch |
1. The laboratory experiment failed for some unknown reason,
so the chemist decided to start the experiment from scratch.
He started over completely with new bottles of chemicals and
new equipment.
2. Karen had to throw out what she had already done. She
wasn’t able to save any of it. She had to start from
scratch. |
| stay
in touch |
|
|
| steamed up |
angry |
Don't get so
steamed up over the issue. |
| STEP ON
IT |
to hurry
Synonyms: shake a leg; get a move on
Antonyms: hold (one’s) horses; keep (one’s) shirt on
The expression is often used when the speaker is annoyed or
short-tempered, as in sentence 1, and probably stems from
the idea of pressing down hard on the gas pedal to make a
car go faster. |
1. Mother was late for a doctor’s appointment and the
children were slow getting into the car. “Step on it!” she
snapped. “We’re late.”
2. As the ambulance left for the hospital with my sick
father in the back, I asked the ambulance driver to step on
it. I wanted him to waste no time getting to the hospital. |
|
STEW IN (ONE’S) OWN JUICES |
to suffer the consequences of one’s own actions
The expression suggests that one is “cooked” (stewed) in
one’s own unpleasant but self-made situation. |
1. The boss is annoyed that we haven’t finished this report
yet, but he really didn’t give us enough time to do it. He’s
in the office pacing the floor, but I’m not going to work
any faster. Let him stew in his own juices for a while.
2. You brought this bad situation on yourself, and no one is
going to go out of his way to rescue you. You’ll just have
to stew in your own juices. |
|
STICK IN THE MUD |
someone who is seen as never wanting to take part in fun
activities
Compare to: wet blanket
The expression stick in the mud is derogatory. It is usually
said to taunt someone who is less daring, less spontaneous,
or more conservative than others. It suggests the slow or
sluggish movement of something stuck in mud. |
1. Let’s go to the beach. You don’t want to sit around the
house all day, do you? Don’t be such a stick in the mud!
2. Everyone thought Herman was a stick in the mud because he
never liked to do anything interesting or exciting. He never
took part in the tricks that the other students played on
each other or on their teachers. |
|
STICK (ONE’S) NECK OUT |
to take a risk
Synonym: go out on a limb
The expression suggests that sticking one’s neck out may
lead to having one’s head chopped off. |
1. Larry helped me when no one else would, and I would do
the same for him. I don’t mind sticking my neck out for a
friend like him.
2. Jack was too scared to stick his neck out and stand with
the rest of the workers in their demands for better working
conditions. He was afraid he would lose his job. |
|
STICK (ONE’S) NOSE IN |
to try to find out about someone else’s private business
Antonym: mind (one’s) own business
The expression stick one’s nose in has a negative
connotation. |
1. Don’t stick your nose in where it’s not wanted. This
matter is between Pat and me, and it has nothing to do with
you.
2. I mind my own business, and don’t get involved in other
people’s personal affairs. I don’t stick my nose in where it
doesn’t belong. |
|
STICK OUT LIKE A SORE THUMB |
not to blend in; to be obvious and prominent or easily seen
Compare to: stand out in a crowd
Whereas stand out in a crowd is usually a positive
attribute, stick out like a sore thumb is a negative one. It
is used to describe someone (or, less frequently, something)
in a situation where one ought to blend in but doesn’t. |
1. John said he planned to wear shorts and a sweatshirt to
the wedding, but I told him it would be completely
inappropriate. I told him he would stick out like a sore
thumb and everyone would notice him.
2. The paintings of the modern artists stuck out like a sore
thumb in the classical art museum. They just didn’t belong
there, grouped together with the old masters. |
|
STICK TO (ONE’S) GUNS |
to be firm in one’s resolve or not to alter one’s position
Antonyms: give in; knuckle under
Compare to: stand (one’s) ground
Stand one’s ground can also include the idea of being firm
against one’s enemy. It could be substituted in each
sentence above to suggest a more adversarial relationship. |
1. Peggy was determined to ask her boss for a pay raise, but
when she raised the issue, she let the boss talk her out of
it. She didn’t stick to her guns.
2. Little children often test their parents to see how much
they can get away with. It’s important for parents to stick
to their guns when their children try to get something
undeserved out of them. |
|
STONEWALL |
to avoid answering a question directly by being deliberately
vague about it, or by talking a lot but not saying anything
meaningful
Compare to: beat around the bush; hem and haw
Hem and haw describes being at a loss for words, making only
meaningless sounds, whereas stonewall means talking but
saying little of substance.
The expression is usually used to describe people that want
to avoid taking responsibility or answering a direct
question. |
1. The newspaper reporter asked the president whether he
intended to seek reelection. The president did not want to
reveal his decision, so he stonewalled by talking around it.
2. The bank manager was called before the board of directors
to answer questions about the large number of bad loans made
by his bank. The directors asked him who had approved the
loans. The manager said he wasn’t sure, that the decisions
were made by several people and it would be hard to
determine who specifically had approved each one. The
manager was stonewalling the board. |
|
STRAIGHT AND NARROW |
the path of correct social or ethical behavior that society
approves of
Compare to: toe the line |
1. Ruth never does anything surprising or slightly out of
the ordinary. She follows the straight and narrow.
2. The boss always follows the straight and narrow, so we
know he will treat us fairly and honestly. |
|
STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH |
directly from the primary source; directly from the person
or people involved
Antonym: hear (something) through the grapevine
The expression is used to describe the source of
information, usually of a rumor or of something that is not
likely to be believed. The origin of the expression is the
fact that one can always tell the true age of a horse from
an examination of its teeth, i.e. from its mouth. Thus, the
horse’s mouth is the most authoritative source of
information about its age. |
1. You may not believe this, but the boss is quitting the
company. The boss told me himself. I heard it straight from
the horse’s mouth.
2. Tim asked Molly where she heard the news. He thought
perhaps it was just a rumor, but Molly said she got it
straight from the horse’s mouth. |
| STRANGE
BEDFELLOWS |
people or things that one does not normally expect to find
together |
1. I never thought I’d see two politicians from opposite
ends of the political spectrum working together to pass the
same law. They certainly are strange bedfellows.
2. John and Charlie rarely have the same opinion about
anything, so it was surprising to find them agreeing on such
a controversial issue. Aren’t they strange bedfellows? |
|
STRAPPED FOR CASH |
not having quite enough money |
1. I’d love to have dinner with you, but I’m strapped for
cash and can’t afford a restaurant. Maybe we can eat at
home.
2. Martha got tired of being strapped for cash, so she made
a budget and didn’t use more money than she could afford. |
| STRAW
THAT BROKE THE CAMEL’S BACK, THE |
the final thing or action which is too much or goes too far
Synonym: last/final straw
Both expressions suggest the idea of loading straw (a
relatively light material) onto a camel’s back until one
more light straw (the last straw) breaks the camel’s back. |
1. Constance finally quit her job because the situation was
becoming intolerable. The boss asked her to make the coffee
and act as a hostess even though she was hired as an
accountant. The straw that broke the camel’s back came when
the boss asked her to go out and buy his family’s Christmas
presents and then complained because she couldn’t get her
work done.
2. First the builder dropped paint on their new carpet. Then
he backed his ladder through their window. They told him to
get out and not come back when he backed his truck over
their prized flowerbed. That was the straw that broke the
camel’s back. |
| STREET
SMARTS |
the knowledge one needs to live on the streets; less
literally, it means knowledge of the way things work in the
real world. |
1. Jim and George drifted from city to city, living off the
streets and stealing. They managed to avoid getting caught
by the police because of their street smarts
2. Ms. Howard is a good businesswoman. Although she studied
at Harvard Business School, she’s also picked up some street
smarts and can play hardball when she has to. |
| STRETCH
THE TRUTH |
to be truthful technically, but to distort the truth so that
others are led to believe something that is not true
Compare to: white lie
The expression suggests that one can distort or bend the
truth, so that others are misled, without actually telling a
lie. |
1. When people asked Peter if he was a manager, he stretched
the truth by telling them that he managed the office where
he worked. What he didn’t tell them was that he was the only
person in his office and he only managed himself.
2. Sometimes when people apply for a job, they stretch the
truth about what they did in their previous jobs in order to
make themselves seem more important or more desirable. |
| STRIKE
IT RICH |
to make money (sentence 1); or, less literally, to be wildly
successful (sentence 2)
Synonym: hit pay dirt, hit the jackpot
The expression originated with the idea of miners
discovering precious minerals, but it is also used as a
metaphor to describe finding anything of value. |
1. Calvin was very talented when it came to business and
finance, and it was only natural that he would strike it
rich when he invested in the stock market on Wall Street.
2. Carol was just trying to get a photograph of the actor,
but she struck it rich when he asked her if she wanted an
exclusive interview, too. |
| strike while the
iron is hot |
take advantage of this
opportunity |
The stocks price is a
good deal so we should strike while the iron is hot. |
| STRING
(SOMEONE) ALONG |
to make someone believe something that is not true
The expression is often used to describe what a
false-hearted lover does to someone who is naive or
unsuspecting (sentence 1). |
1. Mark had no scruples when it came to romance. He would
string some poor girl along until he found someone he liked
better. Then he would drop the first girl without a second
thought and leave her brokenhearted.
2. The crook strung the old lady along with the story that
he was investing her money in something safe, when in fact
he was stealing from her. |
| STUFFED
SHIRT |
a man who is tiresome, pompous and self important
Compare to: old fuddy-duddy
Describing someone as a stuffed shirt is clearly
disparaging, whereas old fuddy-duddy describes someone who
is a harmlessly and often humorously old-fashioned person.
The expression stuffed shirt is always used to describe a
man, never a woman. |
1. Stanley is a bit of a stuffed shirt. He’s arrogant and
pompous and he tries to make everyone else think he’s so
important.
2. We hate going to those business conventions. It’s just a
bunch of stuffed shirts, sitting around trying to impress
each other. |
| suck
the air out of the room |
|
|
|
sugarcoat |
|
|
|
SUIT/FIT (SOMEONE/SOMETHING) TO A T |
perfectly; exactly |
1. Margie tried on the dress in the store and looked at
herself in the mirror. The dress suited her to a T.
2. The carpenter removed the old window and put in the
replacement. It fit the space to a T. |
| SWALLOW
(ONE’S) PRIDE |
to accept something humiliating
Compare to: eat crow; eat humble pie |
1. My aunt is a stubborn woman. She would rather lose
everything than swallow her pride and take money or help
from us.
2. There’s nothing to be ashamed of in being able to swallow
your pride and admit when you are wrong. In fact, it’s a
sign of maturity. |
| SWEAT
BLOOD |
to put out a great deal of effort; to work very, very hard
The expression suggests that one works so hard that one
sweats blood, a fluid more vital than perspiration. |
1. Gary had to work day and night to keep his large family
in food and clothing. He sweat blood for them.
2. There’s no point in sweating blood for some people.
They’ll never be happy no matter how hard you try. |
| SWEEP
(SOMEONE) OFF HIS/HER FEET |
to overwhelm someone, often causing him or her to fall in
love
Compare to: head over heels in love
One can be swept off one’s feet by either a person (sentence
1) or a place or situation (sentence 2). |
1. Marcella was an impressionable young woman with little
experience of romance. Richard just swept her off her feet
when he started to date her.
2. Judy and Joe went to Hawaii on the holiday vacation of
their dreams. They were swept off their feet by the warm and
friendly atmosphere. |
| switch
gears |
|
|
