English Phrases and Words
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This set covers common English idioms, phrases, and advanced vocabulary with contextual examples for learners and speakers.
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Cards · 55
- break the ice
- He told a lighthearted joke at the start of the meeting to break the ice.
- bite the bullet
- I really did not want to pay for the car repair, but I had to bite the bullet.
- hit the ground running
- With her previous project experience, she was able to hit the ground running on day one.
- touch base
- Let us touch base next Monday to review the updated quarterly budget.
- on the fence
- Sarah is still on the fence about whether to accept the job offer in Chicago.
- call it a day
- We have made great progress on the report, so let us call it a day.
- back to the drawing board
- The client rejected the proposal, so the design team went back to the drawing board.
- cut corners
- The contractor tried to cut corners by using inferior building materials.
- see eye to eye
- They rarely see eye to eye when discussing local political issues.
- under the weather
- Mark stayed home from work today because he was feeling a bit under the weather.
- burn the midnight oil
- Students often burn the midnight oil in the library during final exam week.
- spill the beans
- Please do not spill the beans about the surprise party we planned for Dad.
- piece of cake
- Solving that basic math problem was a complete piece of cake for her.
- take it with a grain of salt
- The online review was overly dramatic, so take it with a grain of salt.
- through the grapevine
- I heard through the grapevine that our manager might be stepping down soon.
- play devil's advocate
- To test the strength of the strategy, she decided to play devil's advocate.
- blessing in disguise
- Missing that flight was a blessing in disguise because it avoided the bad weather entirely.
- the best of both worlds
- Working remotely part-time gives employees the best of both worlds.
- once in a blue moon
- He lives overseas, so we only get to see him once in a blue moon.
- beat around the bush
- Stop beating around the bush and tell me what the real problem is.
- resilient
- Local businesses proved remarkably resilient in the wake of the severe flood.
- pragmatic
- The committee chose a pragmatic approach rather than pursuing an idealistic plan.
- meticulous
- The editor did a meticulous check of the manuscript to catch every small error.
- candid
- The CEO gave a candid interview regarding the company's recent financial losses.
- ambiguous
- The wording of the legal clause was ambiguous and open to multiple interpretations.
- redundant
- Modern automated tools made several manual data-entry steps redundant.
- unprecedented
- The sudden surge in web traffic reached unprecedented levels overnight.
- ubiquitous
- Smartphones have become ubiquitous across modern society in just two decades.
- eloquent
- Her eloquent keynote speech inspired everyone attending the annual conference.
- tenacious
- Through tenacious research, the journalist uncovered evidence that solved the mystery.
- mitigate
- Planting more urban trees helps mitigate the extreme summer heat in dense cities.
- scrutinize
- Auditors arrived early this morning to scrutinize the firm's accounting records.
- bolster
- The new hiring initiative is designed to bolster team productivity before winter.
- foster
- Good managers work hard to foster an open environment where questions are welcomed.
- facilitate
- The software update should facilitate smoother communication between departments.
- streamline
- The factory introduced robotics to streamline the packaging and shipping process.
- alleviate
- Applying a cold compress helped alleviate the sharp pain in her swollen ankle.
- consolidate
- The company chose to consolidate its regional branches into a single downtown office.
- jeopardize
- Failing this final test could jeopardize your entire scholarship application.
- deteriorate
- Without regular maintenance, the historic bridge will continue to deteriorate.
- in a nutshell
- In a nutshell, the proposed plan will reduce our operational costs by twenty percent.
- by the book
- The safety inspector always conducts evaluations strictly by the book.
- up in the air
- Our vacation plans remain up in the air until flights are officially confirmed.
- pull strings
- He tried to pull strings behind the scenes to secure an internship for his cousin.
- face the music
- After admitting his mistake to the board, the director had to face the music.
- a silver lining
- The cancelled flight had a silver lining because it allowed us an extra day with family.
- spur of the moment
- They bought tickets on the spur of the moment and drove straight to the beach.
- read between the lines
- If you read between the lines, the official press release hints at major leadership changes.
- burn bridges
- Even if you dislike your current position, never burn bridges when resigning.
- keep an eye on
- Could you please keep an eye on the soup while I answer this quick phone call?
- tangible
- The new safety protocols produced tangible reductions in workplace injuries.
- lucrative
- The firm secured a lucrative contract to develop commercial wind turbines.
- versatile
- A chef's knife is one of the most versatile tools you can keep in your kitchen.
- inevitable
- With heavy rain predicted all afternoon, the game cancellation seemed inevitable.
- conspicuous
- His brightly patterned neon suit was conspicuous in the otherwise formal banquet hall.