English Vocabulary

Cards · 52

bite the bullet

A: Are you going to tell your boss you want to quit? / B: Yes, I just need to bite the bullet and do it.

break a leg

A: My audition starts in five minutes. / B: Break a leg! You are going to do great.

call it a day

A: We have been working on this report for six hours. / B: Let's call it a day and finish the rest tomorrow.

cut corners

A: Why did the new shelf break so quickly? / B: The manufacturer cut corners on the materials.

hit the sack

A: Do you want to watch another episode? / B: No thanks, I am exhausted and need to hit the sack.

under the weather

A: Is Sarah coming to dinner tonight? / B: No, she is feeling a bit under the weather.

cost an arm and a leg

A: Did you see his new sports car? / B: Yes, it must have cost an arm and a leg.

spill the beans

A: We cannot let Mark know about the surprise party. / B: Do not worry, nobody is going to spill the beans.

piece of cake

A: How was the chemistry test this morning? / B: Honestly, it was a piece of cake.

burn the midnight oil

A: Why do you look so tired today? / B: I had to burn the midnight oil to prepare for my exam.

on the fence

A: Have you decided which job offer to accept? / B: Not yet, I am still sitting on the fence.

once in a blue moon

A: Do you ever eat fast food? / B: Only once in a blue moon when I am traveling.

see eye to eye

A: Did the board agree on the budget proposal? / B: No, they rarely see eye to eye on spending.

the elephant in the room

A: Why was the meeting so awkward? / B: Nobody wanted to address the elephant in the room regarding layoffs.

barking up the wrong tree

A: I think Tom stole my notebook from my desk. / B: You are barking up the wrong tree; he wasn't even here today.

blessing in disguise

A: Missing that flight made me miss the storm entirely. / B: Wow, that was really a blessing in disguise.

beat around the bush

A: I have bad news, but I do not know how to say it. / B: Please stop beating around the bush and just tell me.

through the grapevine

A: How did you find out about their engagement? / B: I heard it through the grapevine at the office.

hit the nail on the head

A: I think the real issue is poor communication. / B: Exactly, you hit the nail on the head.

by the skin of your teeth

A: Did you manage to catch the train? / B: Yes, but only by the skin of my teeth.

take it with a grain of salt

A: Dave told me the project will be done tomorrow. / B: Take that with a grain of salt; he always underestimates time.

pull someone's leg

A: Did you really win the lottery yesterday? / B: No, I was just pulling your leg.

burn bridges

A: Should I send an angry email before I resign? / B: Definitely not; you do not want to burn bridges.

cry over spilled milk

A: I cannot believe I dropped that expensive mug. / B: It is gone now, so there is no use crying over spilled milk.

let the cat out of the bag

A: How does Dad know about the surprise vacation? / B: Lucy accidentally let the cat out of the bag.

face the music

A: My teacher found out I didn't write the essay myself. / B: Well, now you have to face the music.

up in the air

A: Are we still going camping this weekend? / B: Everything is up in the air until the weather clears up.

wrap your head around

A: Do you understand quantum mechanics at all? / B: No, I cannot wrap my head around the concepts.

cold feet

A: Why is the groom pacing around looking nervous? / B: I think he might be getting cold feet.

throw in the towel

A: The puzzle is too hard to solve. / B: Do not throw in the towel yet; we can figure it out.

play devil's advocate

A: Everyone agrees with this plan, so let's move forward. / B: Wait, let me play devil's advocate for a second.

at the drop of a hat

A: Can you come help me move this sofa? / B: Sure, I can head over at the drop of a hat.

leave no stone unturned

A: Where did you search for my lost keys? / B: We left no stone unturned across the entire house.

penny for your thoughts

A: A penny for your thoughts, you look deep in thought. / B: I was just wondering if I should adopt a dog.

straight from the horse's mouth

A: Are we really getting holiday bonuses this year? / B: Yes, I heard it straight from the horse's mouth.

the best of both worlds

A: Working remotely from the countryside is amazing. / B: You get city pay and country quiet—the best of both worlds.

jump on the bandwagon

A: Are you investing in that new tech trend too? / B: Yeah, I decided to jump on the bandwagon.

in hot water

A: Why is Peter meeting privately with the director? / B: He is in hot water for missing two major deadlines.

water under the bridge

A: Are you still mad at me for forgetting your birthday? / B: No, that is all water under the bridge now.

rule of thumb

A: How much pasta should I cook per person? / B: A good rule of thumb is about seventy grams each.

touch and go

A: Did your patient pull through surgery okay? / B: Yes, but it was touch and go for a few hours.

spill your guts

A: Did the suspect confess to the detective? / B: Yes, he spilled his guts after ten minutes of questioning.

keep an eye on

A: I have to run to the restroom quickly. / B: Go ahead, I will keep an eye on your bag.

silver lining

A: Our flight got canceled, but the airline gave us free hotel rooms. / B: At least there is a silver lining.

cross that bridge when we come to it

A: What if the venue runs out of chairs tomorrow? / B: Let's cross that bridge when we come to it.

burn out

A: You have been working twelve-hour shifts all week. / B: I know, and I am starting to completely burn out.

on the ball

A: Maria finished all the invoices before noon today. / B: She is always on the ball when it comes to deadlines.

give someone the cold shoulder

A: Did you talk to Emma at the party last night? / B: I tried, but she completely gave me the cold shoulder.

go the extra mile

A: Why do customers love this coffee shop so much? / B: The staff always goes the extra mile to make you feel welcome.

back to square one

A: The client rejected the entire website design. / B: That means we are back to square one.

a dime a dozen

A: Do you think I can make money selling handmade bracelets? / B: Be careful, those shops are a dime a dozen right now.

read between the lines

A: His email seemed polite enough to me. / B: If you read between the lines, he is actually very upset.