Help for English

Let's share phrases, idioms, collocations we have come across ...

 

and whatnot/and what have you (spoken) – and other similar things

He drank rum, wine, vodka and whatnot.

Look your age; look more/less; look XXX years younger/older

How old are you? – – Sixteen – – Oh, you look more.

beat down

The sun beat down on the desert sand.
(if the sun beats down it shines with great heat)

The rain beat down on us for an hour.
(if the rain beats down, it rains very hard)

The rock slide beat down on the car and totally ruined the body.
(to fall on someone or something. )

Go back to square one. Get back and start doing something again.

When they found out that they had chosen the wrong approach to the problem, they realized they would have to go back to square one.

humour – to do what someone wants or to pretend to agree with them so that they do not become upset:

F: Oh look at those roses – such a vivid pink.

M: No, you’ve had your own way in everything inside the house – it’s cost me a fortune, too. Now it’s my turn…

F: Well, surely a few flowers, at least.

M: I’ll be doing the digging, so please, for once, humour me!

To put one toe out of line
to not obey exactly

Bite off more than you can chew

If you bite off more than you can chew, you take on more responsibilities than you can manage.

Don't bite off more than you can chew' is often used to advise people against agreeing to more than they can handle.

hands down (informal) - easily and without any doubt

Hands down, this is t­he best car I've e­ver driven.

As clear as day – easy to see or understand

After this, it was as clear as day to Holly that Mark wasn't going to like her.

By hook or by crook
If you intend to do something by hook or by crook, you are determined not to let anything stop you doing it and are ready to use any methods

I decided that I was going to get that job by hook or by crook

cost (somebody) an arm and a leg (informal)
to be very expensive
These opera tickets cost us an arm and a leg!

BrE
go (noun, plural: goes) = an attempt to do something:

– I can't open this drawer.
- Here. let me have a go.

I had a good go (=tried hard) at cleaning the silver.

(BrE) It's your go.
(AmE) It's your turn.

Tohle je podobné :-)

give something a shot

to make an attempt to do something take a shot at something

Jason's father always thought he would be a great baseball player, and encouraged Jason to give it a shot.

a monkey on somebody's back (American & Australian)

a serious problem that will not go away

The divorce proceedings are a monkey on her back.

cert – something that is certain to happen or succeed

I think it’s a cert.
a dead cert (=definitely certain): She’s a dead cert to win.

 

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