|
Phrases and Idioms |
Meaning |
301. |
ever – ever and anon |
Occasionally; from time to time. |
302. |
every – every now and again |
Occasionally. |
303. |
every – every now and then |
Sometimes but not often. |
304. |
every – every other |
Each alternate item in a list of items. |
305. |
every – every so often |
Occasionally; sometimes. |
306. |
every – every Tom, Dick, and Harry |
Used to refer to ordinary people in general. |
307. |
every – every which way |
In all directions. |
308. |
evil - the evil eye |
A look from the evil eye according to old superstition is believed to cause considerable harm. |
309. |
eye - an eye for an eye |
Retaliation in kind as appropriate to deal with a wrong. |
310. |
eye – be all eyes |
Be watching eagerly and attentively |
311. |
eye - catch someone’s eye |
To attract someone’s attention. |
312. |
eye – close one’s eyes |
To deliberately not notice something unpleasant. |
313. |
eye – make eyes at |
To look at someone with sexual interest. |
314. |
eye – open someone’s eyes |
To make someone aware of something. |
315. |
eye - the naked eye |
Seeing without using a telescope, microscope, etc |
316. |
eye – to my eye |
In one’s opinion with regards to how someone or something looks. |
317. |
eyeball - eyeball to eyeball |
Face to face with someone in a mutually angry or hostile way. |
318. |
face – face the music |
Accept the consequences of something one has done. |
319. |
fact – facts of life |
Information about sex. |
320. |
fair - fair and square |
Accurately; honestly and openly. |
321. |
fair - fair’s fair |
Request for fair play or treatment, or a statement that something has been fair. |
322. |
fair - fair-weather friend |
A person whose friendship is not genuine, especially in times of crisis. |
323. |
fair - the fair sex |
Women. |
324. |
faith – act of faith |
An action demonstrating trust. |
325. |
faith – breach of faith |
Betrayal of trust; insincerity. |
326. |
faith – in good faith |
With intention to be honest; sincerity. |
327. |
fall – fall foul of |
To break a rule or law. |
328. |
fall – fall from grace |
To stop being liked by others, especially those in authority. |
329. |
fall – fall into line |
To conform to what is required of someone. |
330. |
fall – fall into place |
To begin to become clear or make sense. |
331. |
fall – fall short of |
To be less than the amount or standard required. |
332. |
fancy – take someone’s fancy |
Make something attractive or interesting to someone. |
333. |
favour – in favour of |
In support of or agree to something. |
334. |
feather – feather in (one’s) cap |
An achievement that one should be proud of. |
335. |
feel – feel the pinch |
Experience difficulties, especially financial. |
336. |
fiddle – play second fiddle (to) |
To take a less important role. |
337. |
fight – fight or flight |
Instinctive response to a threatening situation. |
338. |
fight – fight shy of |
To avoid doing or becoming involved with something. |
339. |
fill – fill someone’s shoes |
Substitute someone’s role and perform it acceptably. |
340. |
fill – fill the bill |
To have the qualities suitable for a particular purpose. |
341. |
find – find favour with |
To be liked or approved of. |
342. |
fine – one’s finest hour |
Time when someone experiences their greatest success. |
343. |
fire – fire and brimstone |
Refers to hell. |
344. |
first – at first light |
Dawn; daybreak. |
345. |
first – first among equals |
The most outstanding one. |
346. |
first – first and foremost |
The primary purpose of something. |
347. |
first – first of all |
Before doing anything else. |
348. |
first –first things first |
Dealing with things in or |
349. |
flat – go flat against |
To completely disregard or reject outright. |
350. |
flesh – flesh and blood |
Someone of one’s own family. |
351. |
flesh - put flesh on |
To provide details so as to clarify. |
352. |
floor – take the floor |
To dance or speak at a social event, etc. |
353. |
fly – fly a kite |
To try out something new so as to test reaction. |
354. |
flying - with flying colours |
Very successfully. |
355. |
follow – as follows |
To present a list of something. |
356. |
follow – follow suit |
To do the same thing as someone has just done. |
357. |
follow – follow the herd |
To just blindly do what other people do. |
358. |
foot - feet of clay |
Someone whose faults are not easily known. |
359. |
force – by force of |
By means of. |
360. |
force – come into force |
Start to operate. |
361. |
force – force of circumstance |
External factors that influence one’s decisions |
362. |
force – force someone’s hand |
Exert pressure on someone to do something. |
363. |
force – force the bidding |
To deliberately and quickly drive up a price |
364. |
force – force the issue |
To pressure someone to make a hasty decision. |
365. |
force – forces of darkness |
Evil influences or the devil. |
366. |
force – forces of nature |
Natural forces such as the earthquakes, volcanoes, wind, etc. |
367. |
fortune – a small fortune |
A large amount of money. |
368. |
fortune – soldier of fortune |
A soldier who will fight in return for money; a mercenary. |
369. |
French – take French leave |
To absent oneself form work, etc. without permission. |
370. |
full – full steam ahead |
To proceed or do something energetically and speedily. |
371. |
further - until further notice |
Until one is notified again. |
372. |
garbage – garbage in, garbage out |
Inferior quality input will produce low quality output. |
373. |
gauntlet - run the gauntlet |
Take whatever criticisms or attacks that come one’s way. |
374. |
get – get a life. |
Used to tell someone that they are boring. |
375. |
go – go for it |
Put in all one’s effort to get something. |
376. |
go – go without saying |
To be self-evident. |
377. |
go - have a go |
Make an attempt at something. |
378. |
go – on the go |
On the move all the time. |
379. |
go – who goes there? |
A sentry’s challenge to someone to identify themselves. |
380. |
goalpost – move the goalposts |
Alter the rules in an unfair manner. |
381. |
grade - make the grade |
To accomplish what is required. Succeed. |
382. |
grass – the grass roots |
The ordinary people as opposed to the leaders in an organization. |
383. |
grease - grease someone’s palm |
To bribe someone. |
384. |
grease - like greased lightning |
Extremely fast. |
385. |
green - green with envy |
Very envious or jealous |
386. |
green - green-eyed monster |
Jealousy. |
387. |
green - have green fingers |
Clever at growing plants. |
388. |
grim – like/for grim death |
With great determination. |
389. |
grind - the daily grind |
The monotonous work that one does every day. |
390. |
grit – grit one’s teeth |
To persevere in one’s efforts to overcome something difficult. |
391. |
groan – moan and groan |
Complain constantly. |
392. |
guard – guard of honour |
A group of soldiers assembled to ceremonially welcome an important visitor, usually a foreign head of state. |
393. |
guard – lower your guard |
Fail to give proper care or attention to. |
394. |
guess - be anybody’s guess |
Something that no one knows but only guess at. |
395. |
guest - be my guest |
Used to express permission to someone to do what they have asked to do. |
396. |
guest – guest of honour |
The most important person invited to a special function. |
397. |
gun – jump the gun |
To act sooner than one should without considering the proper time to do it. |
398. |
gutter – the gutter press |
Newspapers engaging in sensationalism and considered as fit only for the gutter |
399. |
hair - a hair’s breath |
A very small margin |
400. |
half - half a mind (to) |
Used when one is unsure about doing something. |