Jump to: G - Idioms . H - Idioms . I - Idioms
gain ground
- go forward, make progress The toy company has been gaining ground in their effort to sell more products.
gang up on someone
- attack in a group, get together to hurt someone The school children tried to gang up on the boy but he ran away.
gas up
- fill up a gas tank We should gas up tonight before we leave on our holiday tomorrow.
gee whiz
- used as an exclamation to show surprise or other strong feelings Gee whiz! Are we really going to go to go to Disneyland for our holiday?
get a break
- get an opportunity or good deal I got a break when he sold the car for less than it was worth.
get across
- explain, make something understood I had a hard time trying to get across to him the importance of taking care of his computer discs.
get a fix on something
- receive a reading of a distant object by electronic means We were able to get a fix on the island and got the boat safely to the harbor.
get a grip of oneself
- take control of one`s feelings He finally got a grip of himself and calmed down.
get after someone
- urge or make someone do something he should do but has neglected I`ll get after him to fix the computer as soon as he returns.
get ahead
- advance or be successful She really works hard at her job in order to get ahead.
get a kick out of
- enjoy I think that my father got a kick out of seeing his old school friend.
get a load of
- take a good look at, see something Get a load of that man over there with the four big dogs.
get along
- manage He is able to get along on very little money.
get along
- leave It`s late so I must be getting along now.
get along with someone
- have a good relationship with someone I don`t get along with the new woman I work with very well.
get a move on
- hurry up Please get a move on. We are already over three hours late.
get a rise out of someone
- tease, have fun with someone by making him or her angry We really got a rise out of the teacher when we left the windows open while it was raining.
get around
- go to different places, move about He really gets around. He has been to almost every state in the United States.
get around to
- finally find time to do something The apartment manager finally got around to fixing the bath.
get at
- mean I really don`t know what he was trying to get at during the meeting.
get away
- succeed in leaving, escape I was able to get away early from work today so I went shopping for awhile.
get away from it all
- go on a holiday We want to get away from it all this summer and go and relax somewhere.
get away with murder
- do something very bad without being caught or punished The child was able to get away with murder while the substitute teacher was at the school.
get away with something
- do something one shouldn`t and not get caught at it The criminal got away with the robbery and was never caught.
get a wiggle on
- hurry up, get going Get a wiggle on. We have to arrive at the party before the other guests arrive.
get a word in
- find a chance to say something when others are talking The customer couldn`t get a word in while talking to the salesman so he decided to go to another company.
get a word in edgewise
- manage to break into a conversation I couldn`t get a word in edgewise so I left the meeting.
get back
- return We got back from London early yesterday afternoon.
get back at
- do something bad to someone who has done something bad to you, hurt someone in return for something She is very angry at her boyfriend and is getting back at him by not answering the telephone.
get behind
- go slow while doing something, be late If you get behind in the homework you will never be able to pass the course.
get behind (a person or idea)
- support, help They decided to get behind the main candidate when he promised to cut taxes.
get by
- satisfy your needs or demands (usually related to money) He is able to easily get by on his salary because he doesn`t spend a lot of money.
get cold feet
- become afraid at the last minute He got cold feet and cancelled his plan to go to China.
get cracking
- hurry up, start moving fast, get started We will have to get cracking on this work if we want to finish it before dinner.
get (someone) down
- make (someone) unhappy, cause discouragement The long commuting time has begun to get her down so she wants to quit her job.
get down to
- get started on Let`s get down to work so we can go home early.
get down to brass tacks
- begin discussing the essential matters immediately Let`s get down to brass tacks and begin to deal with the business at hand.
get even
- get revenge He seems to want to get even with him for their past problems.
get-go
- the beginning Right from the get-go I never liked the way that the new manager acted.
get (someone`s) goat
- annoy someone He has been getting my goat recently and I am tired of him.
get going
- excite, stir up and make angry Once he get`s going he will never stop complaining.
get hold of (something)
- get possession of When you get hold of a dictionary could you please let me see it for a few minutes.
get hold of (someone)
- find a person so you can speak with him or her I tried to get hold of him last week but he was out of town.
get in on the ground floor
- start at the beginning (in hopes of future gain) He managed to get in on the ground floor of the new company.
get in touch with someone
- contact someone I`ll get in touch with him when I arrive in New York in August.
get in the swing of things
- adapt to a new environment or situation He got into the swing of things after the party started.
get it all together
- be in full control and possession of one`s mental faculties He finally got it all together and applied for the job at the supermarket.
get it through one`s head
- understand, believe He has got it through his head that he will get a job easily without really making an effort.
Get lost!
- go away She told her younger brother to get lost so she could finish her homework.
get mixed up
- become confused I`m sorry but I got mixed up with the dates. That`s why I came today.
get off
- come down from or out of (a bus or train etc.) We decided to get off the train at the station next to our regular station.
get off easy
- escape a worse punishment The criminals got off easy even though they robbed the bank.
get off one`s back
- leave someone alone and not bother them I wish that the supervisor would get off my back.
get off one`s butt
- get busy, start working He should get off his butt and try and get a job so he will have some money.
get off on the wrong foot
- make a bad start I got off on the wrong foot with him and our relationship never really recovered.
get off the ground
- make a successful beginning, go ahead His new business never really got off the ground so he must look for another job.
get one`s dander up
- become or make angry You shouldn`t talk to him early in the morning or you will get his dander up.
get one`s feet wet
- begin, do something for the first time He has managed to get his feet wet in the publishing business and is ready to start his own business now.
get one`s own way
- cause people to do what you want He always gets his own way with his younger brothers.
get one`s rear in gear
- hurry up, get going Let`s hurry up and get our rear in gear before it is too late to go to a movie.
get on in years
- to advance in age He is getting on in years and is not very healthy.
get on one`s high horse
- behave with arrogance He is back on his high horse and has started giving orders to everyone.
get on one`s nerves
- irritate someone His constant complaining is beginning to get on my nerves.
get out of bed on the wrong side
- be in a bad mood I think that she got out of bed on the wrong side this morning as she hasn`t said a word to anyone yet.
get out from under
- escape a situation that one doesn`t like I would like to get out from under my boss always watching my work.
get out of hand
- lose control The going away party was beginning to get out of hand so they asked everyone to leave.
get out of the way
- be no longer an obstacle He was unable to get out of the way of the truck and was injured.
get over something
- overcome a difficulty, recover from an illness or shock She has been having a lot of trouble getting over her father`s death.
get (something) over with
- finish, end He wants to get his exams over with so that he can begin to relax again.
get ready
- prepare yourself First I must get ready for work, then I will help you.
get rid of something
- give or throw something away, sell or destroy something, make a cold or fever disappear I bought a new television set so I had to get rid of the old one.
get set
- get ready to start We are working hard to get set for her wedding ceremony.
get the ax
- be fired He got the ax last week and now has no job.
get the ball rolling
- start something Let`s get the ball rolling and start working.
get the better of (someone)
- win against, beat, defeat He got the better of me and won the tennis match.
get the feel of
- become used to or learn about something After you get the feel of the new computer it will be very easy to use.
get the goods on someone
- find out true and often bad information about someone I think that I have finally got the goods on him and will have to talk to the police as soon as possible.
get the message
- understand clearly what is meant I told him three times but I don`t think that he really gets the message.
get the sack
- be fired or dismissed from work I told him that if he doesn`t change his work habits he will get the sack from his job.
get the show on the road
- start working on something Let`s get the show on the road and begin work for the day.
get the worst of
- be defeated or beaten, suffer most He got the worst of the deal when the salesman sold him the used car.
get through
- succeed in passing an exam or ordeal She has been having trouble gettting through her final exams.
get through to
- be understood by, make (someone) understand I tried talking to her but I couldn`t really get through to her.
get to
- have a chance to, be able to I didn`t get to see her last year but maybe I will have a chance this year.
get to first base
- make a good start, succeed I tried to meet the sales manager of the company but I couldn`t get to first base.
get to the bottom of
- find out the real cause The government is trying to get to the bottom of the financial problems in the company.
get to the heart of
- understand the most important thing about something We were in the meeting for three hours trying to get to the heart of the matter.
get under one`s skin
- bother someone, upset someone She always gets under my skin although I don`t really know why I don`t like her.
get up
- get out of bed, get to one`s feet I decided to get up early today so that I would be able to go fishing with my friend.
getup
- fancy dress or costume What was that strange getup that she was wearing the other day?
get-up-and-go
- energy, enthusiasm, drive He has lots of get-up-and-go and it is difficult to follow him around.
get up on the wrong side of the bed
- be in a bad mood He got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning and won`t talk to anyone.
get up the nerve
- become brave enough I tried to get up the nerve to ask him about the new job.
get what`s coming to one
- receive the good or bad that one deserves He got what was coming to him when he was sent to jail for two years.
get wind of
- hear about something I got wind of the company expansion from my friend.
get wise to something/somebody
- learn about something kept secret He finally got wise to the fact that they were stealing his money.
get with it
- pay attention, get busy I told him to get with it or he would get in trouble with the boss.
(not a) ghost of a chance
- very little, (not even) the smallest chance He doesn`t have a ghost of a chance to finish the book in time for his class.
gift of the gab
- be good at talking He has a real gift of the gab and is great at parties.
give (someone) a hard time
- make trouble for someone, tease She was giving her boyfriend a hard time about his new haircut.
give-and-take
- sharing, giving and receiving back and forth between people You must be willing to give-and-take if you want to have a good marriage.
giveaway
- an open secret, a sale where items are sold very cheap His speech was a giveaway. Now I know that he is planning to retire.
give away
- give something to someone I decided to give away my bicycle because I didn`t need it anymore.
give away
- let (a secret) become known I tried to stop her before she gave away my plans to go to Mexico for a holiday.
give a wide birth to
- keep away from, keep a safe distance from I usually give a wide birth to my boss when he is angry.
give chase
- chase or run after someone or something The police gave chase to the man who robbed the store.
give free rein to
- allow to move about or to do something with freedom He was given free rein in his new job to do what he wanted.
give ground
- move back, retreat, stop opposing someone He refused to give ground on his plans to change the system of office management.
give in
- give someone his own way, stop opposing someone The company gave in to the union`s demand for more money.
give it to
- punish, scold He really gave it to his son when he came back late with the car.
give off
- send out, let out, put forth The garbage was beginning to give off a bad smell because of the hot weather.
give oneself away
- show guilt, show one has done wrong She gave herself away when she said that she hadn`t seen her boyfriend but he had already said that he had met her earlier.
give oneself up
- surrender, stop hiding or running away The robbers gave themselves up when the police surrounded the house.
give oneself up to
- let oneself enjoy, not hold oneself back from He gave himself up to enjoy the party although he was feeling sick.
give one`s right arm
- give something of great value I would give my right arm to be able to go to Italy with the rest of the group.
give or take
- plus or minus a small amount I think that he is about 45 years old give or take 5 years.
give out
- give to people, distribute We gave out more than 600 free baseball caps at the shopping center.
give out
- fail We went hiking last week but my legs gave out so we had to return early.
give out
- be finished, be gone We went on a week-long backpacking trip but our food gave out after only three days.
give out
- let escape She gave out a loud yell when she saw the big spider.
give pause to
- cause one to stop and think His problems should give you pause to think a little more carefully about what you do.
give rise to
- be the cause of something The problems with the heating system gave rise to a lot of other problems that we had to solve.
give someone a hand
- help someone with something Please give me a hand to move this piano.
give someone an inch and they will take a mile
- if you give someone a little they will want more and more, some people are never satisfied If you give him an inch he will take a mile so you shouldn`t give him any more money.
give someone a piece of your mind
- scold or become angry with someone When I met her yesterday I really gave her a piece of my mind.
give someone enough rope and they will hang themself
- give someone enough time and freedom to do what they want and they will make a mistake or get into trouble and be caught Don`t worry about trying to control him. If you give him enough rope he will hang himself.
give someone one`s word
- make a promise or assurance He gave me his word that he would meet me at the library.
give someone the ax
- fire an employee (usually abruptly) He gave the new employee the ax because he was always late.
give someone the benefit of the doubt
- beleive someone is innocent rather than guilty when you are not sure I gave him the benefit of the doubt but I still think that he is a liar.
give someone the cold shoulder
- be unfriendly to someone He gave her the cold shoulder at the party.
give someone the eye
- look or stare at someone (especially in a cold or unfriendly way) The man in the store began to give me the eye so I left.
give someone the green light
- give permission to go ahead with a project He has been given the green light to begin work on the new housing plan.
give someone their due
- give someone the credit that they deserve You have to give him his due. He has successfully saved the company from bankruptcy.
give someone the slip
- escape from someone The bank robbers were able to give the police the slip at first but they were soon caught.
give the devil his due
- be fair (even to someone who is bad and who you dislike) I don`t like to work with him at all as I think he is lazy. Still you have to give the devil his due because he always gets the job done.
give it your best shot
- try very hard Although he didn`t have enough experience he decided to apply for the job and give it his best shot.
give to understand
- make a person understand by telling him very plainly or boldly I was given to understand that I could rent an apartment very easily here.
give up
- abandon, stop He has decided to give up his plan to work in Hong Kong for a year.
give up the ghost
- stop working, die My old car finally gave up the ghost so I must buy another one.
(don`t) give up the ship
- (don`t) stop fighting and surrender, (don`t) stop trying or hoping to do something Please don`t give up the ship and quit this company. I am sure you still have a useful role to play.
give voice to
- tell what one feels or thinks He has begun to give voice to his feelings about the new office building.
give way
- collapse, fail The dam gave way and the water flooded the farmland below.
glad hand
- a friendly handshake, a warm greeting The politician spent the morning glad handing the people at the shopping center.
gloss over
- try to make what is wrong or bad seem right or not important, hide The accountant tried to gloss over the money that they lost last year.
go about
- be busy with, start working on He has been going about his business all morning although he is feeling sick.
go after
- try to get The police decided to go after the people who were speeding near the school.
go ahead
- begin to do something, not wait Let`s go ahead and start now. We can`t wait for him any longer.
go along
- move along, continue He invented the story as he went along.
go along
- agree, co-operate They went along with his idea about having a party on the weekend.
go ape
- become very excited or behave in a crazy way He went ape when he heard about the money that I had spent.
go around
- go from one place or person to another We decided to go around from one shop to another until we found a good present.
go around in circles
- without getting anywhere, uselessly He has been going around in circles for weeks now and still hasn`t made any progress with his essay.
go at
- fight with, attack, argue When I entered the room they were going at it loudly.
go at it hammer and tongs
- fight with great strength or energy, have a bad argument They were going at it hammer and tongs when the police came to their house.
go back on
- turn against, not be faithful to He promised not to go back on his word about the discount tickets.
go broke
- lose all of one`s money His company went broke so he quickly lost his job.
go Dutch
- two people each pay for themselves We always go Dutch when we go on a date.
go for
- try to get, try for I have decided to go for the new job at the computer center.
go for broke
- risk everything on one big effort, try as hard as possible They are going for broke trying to win the new contract.
go from bad to worse
- get worse, deteriorate Things are going from bad to worse in the company.
go-getter
- a person who works hard to become successful, an ambitious person He is a go-getter. He always works hard and has lots of money because of that.
go great guns
- do something very fast or very hard, successfully The workers were going great guns fixing the building when I saw them this morning.
go halves
- share equally We have decided to go halves on buying a new computer.
go haywire
- become damaged, stop working properly At first everything was going well but later all the plans began to go haywire.
go in for
- decide to do (something), take part in He is going to university and has decided to go in for medicine.
going for (someone)
- in one`s favor She should do very well as she has many good things going for her.
go into orbit
- lose one`s temper, become very angry He went into orbit when he heard about the missing money.
go jump in a lake
- go away and quit bothering someone She asked me to borrow some money but I told her to go jump in a lake because she never paid me back before.
golden opportunity
- excellent and rare opportunity The heat wave was a golden opportunity for the ice cream seller to make money.
good deal
- good quality and a cheap price You can usually get a good deal on stereos at that discount store.
Good grief!
- used to show surprise (good or bad) Good grief! It`s 6:00 and I have not finished this job yet.
good riddance
- used when you lose something and you are happy about it Good riddance he said when the computer broke down and he had to buy another one.
good riddance to bad rubbish
- used to show you are glad that someone or something has been taken or sent away Good riddance to bad rubbish! I never liked him and I am glad that he has finally left.
good sport
- person who loses well He is a very good sport and never complains about losing.
go off
- leave, depart He went off on a trip and he never even bothered to phone and say good-bye.
go off
- explode, be ignited The firecracker went off in his hand before he had a chance to put it down.
go off
- begin to ring or buzz The fire alarm started to go off just as we entered the building.
go off half-cocked
- act or speak before being ready He always goes off half-cocked when he is at a meeting.
go off the deep end
- give way to emotion He went off the deep end when he saw the picture in the paper.
goof off
- fool around, not work or be serious He has been goofing off all afternoon and has not got any work done.
go on
- continue The game went on for about an hour after I left.
go on
- talk for too long He started to go on about his problems so I finally left.
go on
- put on, fit on The top of the jar wouldn`t go on so I threw it away.
go (someone) one better
- do something better than someone else, do more or be better than someone I decided to go him one better and buy a bigger present for my girlfriend.
go one`s own way
- go or act the way one wants He has decided to go his own way and will start his own business next year.
go out of one`s way
- make an extra effort She went out of her way to help me when I visited her in October.
go out the window
- be abandoned, go out of effect The school dress code went out the window when the new principle took over.
go out with (someone)
- date or be dating someone She went out with him for two years before they got married.
go over
- examine The accountant will come to go over the books tomorrow.
go over well
- be liked, be successful I am sure that the party will go over well. You have done a lot of preparation for it.
go overboard
- do something in excess He really went overboard with the birthday party.
go steady
- go on dates with the same persom all the time, date just one person My sister has been going steady with the same person for two years.
go straight
- become an honest person, lead an honest life He was in prison for awhile but has recently decided to go straight.
got a thing going
- be engaged in a pleasureable activity with someone else as a partner (in romance or business) He has a thing going with computer repairs and is making a lot of extra money.
go the whole hog
- make a thorough job of something They really went the whole hog in their efforts to welcome the foreign visitors.
go through
- examine or think about carefully, search The police went through his house to look for a gun.
go through
- experience, suffer, live through He has been through many hard times since he lost his job.
go through
- be allowed, pass, be agreed upon The law finally went through Congress last week.
go through changes
- be involved in changing circumstances She has been going through many changes since her divorce.
go through with
- finish, do as planned or agreed He has decided to go through with his plans to go back to school.
go to one`s head
- become conceited He new position has really gone to his head and he won`t speak to us any longer.
go to pieces
- lose your self-control She went to pieces when she received the letter about her father`s death.
go to pot
- deteriorate The business has really gone to pot since he became president.
go to rack and ruin
- reach a very bad state of repair The building has gone to rack and ruin since the new owners took over.
go to town
- work fast or hard, do something with much energy They really went to town last night and finished painting the bedroom.
go up in smoke/flames
- burn or be destroyed by fire, fail, not come true (dreams) His plans to open a new restaurant have gone up in smoke since he lost his job.
go without saying
- be so easy to see that it doesn`t have to be mentioned He is a hard worker so it goes without saying that his boss is very happy with him.
grasp at straws
- try something with little hope of succeeding, depend on something that is useless in a time of trouble He is grasping at straws. He will never find enough money to pay next month`s rent.
grass is always greener on the other side
- a place or thing that is far away or different seems better than what we have or where we are She is always moving or changing jobs as she thinks that the grass is always greener on the other side.
gravy train
- job that gives one a lot of money compared with what you do The cleaning contract was really a gravy train. We only worked for 3 hours but we got paid for 8 hours.
grease one`s palm
- give money or pay for some special favor We had to grease the border guard`s palm in order to enter the country.
greasy spoon
- a small, cheap eating place with basic but not-so-good food We had to go to a greasy spoon for breakfast as all the other restaurants were closed.
green
- be inexperienced or immature He is a little green and doesn`t know the job very well.
green thumb
- skill in making plants grow He has a real green thumb and has a beautiful garden.
green with envy
- very jealous, full of envy The little girl was green with envy when she saw her friend`s new bicycle.
grind to a halt
- slow down and stop (like a machine when it is turned off) The city ground to a halt when the power went off for five hours.
ground floor
- the first or best chance - especially in a business The video store was a good investment so I was happy to get in on the ground floor.
gum up
- cause not to work, ruin something, make something go wrong The computer printer seemed to have become gummed up just as I was about to print my resume.
gun for someone
- look hard for a chance to harm or defeat someone My supervisor has been gunning for me for a long time but I don`t really know why.
gun for something
- try very hard to get (prize or promotion etc.) He has been gunning for the new sales job for a long time.
gung-ho
- enthusiastic, full of eagerness She is really gung-ho about her new job at the library.
had better
- should do something I`d better go now or I`ll be late for class.
hair stand on end
- become frightened or afraid of something My hair stood on end when I saw the aftermath of the automobile accident.
hale and hearty
- in very good health, well and strong My uncle is a hale and hearty fellow who never gets sick.
half-baked
- foolish I didn`t really like his half-baked idea about the new delivery system.
half the battle
- a large part of the work Sending the letters out will be half the battle. We can finish the rest of the work next week.
hammer out
- remove, work out by discussion and debate The union and managers were able to hammer out an agreement before midnight last night.
hand down
- arrange to give something to someone after your death My grandmother handed down her silver jewellery to my mother.
hand in
- give to someone, hand to someone I went to the company early to hand in my job application.
hand it to (someone)
- give credit or praise to someone You have to hand it to him - he worked hard and was very successful with his business.
handle with kid gloves
- be very careful handling someone or something He is very sensitive so you have to handle him with kid gloves when you speak to him.
hand-me-down
- something given away after another person doesn`t need it (especially clothing) She was very poor when she was a child and always wore hand-me-down clothing.
hand out
- give things of the same kind to several people The teacher decided not to hand out the tests until everyone in the class stopped talking.
hand-out
- a gift - usually from the government The government stopped giving hand-outs to the university students as they said they had no money.
hand-out
- sheet of paper given to students or people who attend a meeting etc. Everyone at the meeting was given a hand-out on how to save and invest money.
hand over
- give control or possession to someone, give something to another person The criminals were forced to hand over the stolen money to the police.
hand over fist
- rapidly His new company is making money hand over fist.
(one`s) hands are tied
- unable to help I`m sorry that I can`t help you with the job but my hands are tied at the moment.
hands down
- easy, unopposed They won the game hands down over the other team.
hands off
- leave alone, don`t interfere The government decided to take a hands-off approach to the teacher`s during the strike.
hand something to someone on a silver platter
- give a person something that has not been earned He was handed a great job on a silver platter and never had to make any effort at all.
hand to mouth
- having only enough money for basic living He was living a hand to mouth existence until he was finally able to find a job.
handwriting on the wall
- a sign that something bad will happen The handwriting is on the wall. Business conditions are bad so probably nobody will get a pay raise this year.
handy
- can easily fix things He is very handy around the house and is always fixing or building something.
hang around
- pass time or stay someplace without any real purpose or aim We decided to stay home and hang around on Sunday rather than go out to the game.
hang back
- stay some distance behind or away, hesitate or be unwilling to do something He lacks self-confidence and always hangs back when his boss asks for volunteers.
hang by a thread
- be in doubt, depend on a very small thing The outcome of the election hung by a thread until the last two or three hours.
hang in the balance
- have two equally possible results, be uncertain After the opposition party won the election whether or not the new highway will be built hangs in the balance.
hang in (there)
- persevere, don`t give up You should hang in there and don`t quit your job just because you don`t like the supervisor.
Hang it!
- a rather old expression used to express annoyance or disappointment "Hang it", he said when he hit his finger with the hammer.
hang on
- continue Although business was very bad he decided to hang on and fight to keep his business going.
hang on
- wait, continue listening on the telephone Hang on for a minute while I go and get some paper and a pen.
hang one on
- get very drunk He really hung one on last night after he heard about his promotion.
hang on to
- hold tightly, keep firmly Please hang on to your hats or the strong wind will blow them off.
hang out
- spend one`s time idly or lounging about, spend time with someone or a group of people Recently his brother has been hanging out with a group of people who are not a good influence on him.
hang out one`s shingle
- notify the public of the opening of an office - especially a doctor`s or lawyer`s office He has decided to hang out his own shingle now that he has graduated from law school.
hang up
- place on a hook, peg or hangar Everyone was forced to hang up their jackets before they entered the room.
hang up
- place a telephone receiver back on the telephone and break the connection After he hung up the telephone he left to go to work.
hang-up
- a delay in some process There was a hang-up in the construction of the office tower because of the fire.
hang-up
- an inhibition, a neurotic reaction to some life situation She has a serious hang-up about the dark and is afraid to go out alone at night.
happy hour
- a time in bars or restaurants when drinks are served at a discount We stopped at the restaurant during happy hour and had a couple of drinks.
hard and fast rule
- rules that cannot be altered to fit special cases There is no hard and fast rule that says you can`t use a cellular phone in the train.
hard as nails
- physically very fit and strong, rough, stern He is as hard as nails and is not a good person to have an argument with.
hard feelings
- anger or bitterness I don`t have any hard feelings toward him even though he fired me.
hard-nosed
- not weak or soft, stubborn - especially in a fight, contest or negotiations The company had a hard-nosed attitude while bargaining with the union.
hard nut to crack
- a person or thing not easily understood or influenced He is a hard nut to crack and is not close to many people.
hard on (someone/something)
- treat something/someone roughly His son is very hard on shoes.
hard pressed
- burdened with urgent business I am a little hard pressed for time. Can we meet later?
hard sell
- selling something very aggressively and with great eagerness I didn`t like their hard sell attitude at the car dealership so I went to another dealer.
hard up
- short of money I am hard up for money at the moment so I can`t go to the movie.
harp on
- talk repeatedly and tediously about something He has been harping on his lack of money for a few months now.
hassle
- bothersome It is a real hassle to have to report to him two times a day.
hatchet man
- a politician etc. whose job it is to say negative things about the opposition, a person in a company who must fire extra workers or cut other expenses etc. He is acting as a hatchet man for the leader but I don`t think that he really believes what he is saying.
hate one`s guts
- feel very strong dislike for someone I absolutely hate her guts after she caused me so many problems at my company.
have a ball
- have a good time She had a ball at the party last night.
have a crush on
- be attracted to someone Her sister has had a crush on him for a long time.
have a fit
- become upset She had a fit when she saw what her son did to the car.
have a go at
- try something especially after others have tried it I decided to have a go at applying for the job after my boss recommended me.
have a hand in
- be partly responsible for something I think that she had a hand in getting her friend fired from her job.
have a head on one`s shoulders
- be smart or sensible That new salesman really has a head on his shoulders.
have an edge on
- have an advantage (over someone) Their team has an edge on the race to win the high school football championship.
have an eye for
- have good taste in something, be able to judge correctly She has an eye for nice furniture and her apartment is absolutely beautiful.
(not) have anything to do with someone
- (not) want to be a friend of or work or have business with someone My father will not have anything to do with the salesman because he sold him the faulty car.
have a screw loose
- act in a strange way, be foolish He is a really strange person. I think that he has a screw loose somewhere.
have a time
- have trouble, have a hard time She really had a time last night when her car stopped working completely
have a time
- have a good time, have fun We really had a time at the party last night.
have a way with
- be able to lead, persuade or influence others The little girl really has a way with horses. They are very gentle when she is around.
have a word with
- converse briefly I will have a word with him before he goes home tonight.
have been around
- have been to many places and done many things, be experienced My brother has really been around and has been overseas many times.
have dibs on
- demand a share of something or be in line to use something I have dibs on the computer and would like to use it as soon as possible.
have egg on one`s face
- be embarrassed He really has egg on his face after finding out about his mistake.
have eyes only for
- give all one`s attention to, be interested only in She has eyes only for her boyfriend.
have half a mind
- feel tempted or inclined to do something I have half a mind to go and offer my resignation to the president.
have had it (with someone or something)
- can`t tolerate anymore I have really had it with her constant complaining.
have in mind
- intend, plan What do you have in mind for your wife`s birthday?
have it
- hear or get news, understand I have it that the new president will be coming to see us next week.
have it
- claim, say Rumor has it that three of the supervisors will be leaving next week.
have it
- allow (usually used with will or would) We wanted to have a party at our office next month but our boss won`t have it.
have it
- get or find the answer I think I finally have it. The reason she is leaving is because she is going to have a baby.
have it both ways
- do two things, have both things You can`t have it both ways. You must choose one or the other.
have it coming
- deserve a punishment He really has it coming to him after causing the problems in the company.
have it in for someone
- show ill will or dislike a person I have been having problems at work recently because I think that the new supervisor has it in for me.
have it made
- be successful, have everything He really has it made with his new job.
have it out with someone
- settle or discuss something with someone angrily I had it out with her yesterday over the problem with the money.
have on
- be wearing something What did she have on when you last saw her?
have one`s ass in a sling
- be in an uncomfortable predicament, be at a disadvantage He really has his ass in a sling now that he has quit his job and can`t find another one.
have one`s eye on
- have a wish for something, have as an aim, look or think about something I want to buy a nice present for my girlfriend so I have my eye on a nice dress that I saw at the department store last week.
have one`s feet on the ground
- be practical or sensible The new sales manager really has his feet on the ground.
have one`s heart set on something
- want something very much The child has his heart set on getting a new bicycle for his birthday.
have over
- invite someone to your house We will have you over when we settle into our new house.
have rocks in one`s head
- be stupid, not have good judgement She really has rocks in her head. She should never have bought that old car.
have (something) going for one
- have ability, talent or good looks She has a lot going for her and I am sure that she will get the new job.
have something on someone
- have information or proof that someone did sometning wrong I think that the police have something on him and that is why he wants to quit his job.
have something on the ball
- be smart, clever, skilled She really has a lot on the ball. She should do well in whatever she chooses to do.
have something up one`s sleeve
- something kept secretly ready for the right time I`m not too worried about the meeting as I have something up my sleeve if they try to cause any more problems.
have sticky fingers
- be a thief He was fired because of his sticky fingers at the cash register.
have the last laugh
- make someone seem foolish for having laughed at you first I had the last laugh when I was able to get home early while everyone else had to stay overnight at the airport because of the storm.
have (got) to
- obliged or forced to, must I have to leave at 4 o`clock or I will be late for my appointment.
have to do with
- be about or on the subject or connected with something The book has something to do with cooking but I am not sure if you will like it.
have two strikes against one
- have things working against one, be in a difficult situation He already has two strikes against him and it will be very difficult for him to get the job.
haywire
- broken or confused The plan went haywire when their directions became confused.
head above water
- out of difficulty, clear of trouble Although he works very hard he is not able to keep his head above water financially.
head-hunting
- search for qualified individuals to fill certain positions The head-hunting company has phoned me several times about getting a new job.
head in the clouds
- daydreaming He always has his head in the clouds and can never answer a question easily.
head off
- get in front of and stop, turn back In the western movie the soldiers went to head off the gang at the mountain pass.
head off
- block, stop, prevent They were able to head off a strike by the union at the last minute.
head-on
- front end to front end, with the front facing There was a serious head-on crash on the highway last night.
head-on
- in a way that is exactly opposite, opposed to someone in an argument or fight They decided to deal with their opponents in a head-on manner in order to win the battle.
head out
- leave, start out It is time that we head out for the movie now or we will be late.
head over heels
- upside down, head first He fell head over heels when his bicycle hit the wall.
head over heels
- completely, deeply She fell head over heels in love with the guy that she met at the party.
head shrinker
- psychiatrist The criminal had to go and see a head shrinker after the judge sentenced him to life in prison.
head start
- to leave or start something before others They left early in order to get a head start on the trip.
head up
- be at the head of (a group), a leader The president headed up a group of people going overseas to promote trade.
hear from
- receive a letter/phone call/news from someone I haven`t heard from my university roommate for over one year.
heart goes out to someone
- one feels sympathy for someone My heart went out to the victims of the railway accident.
heart is in the right place
- be kindhearted, sympathetic, have good intentions He makes some serious mistakes sometimes but his heart is in the right place.
heart of gold
- a kind, generous or forgiving personality My grandmother has a heart of gold and everyone loves her.
heart of stone
- someone with a nature with no pity She has a heart of stone and is not at all interested in how other people feel.
heart skip a beat
- be startled or excited from surprise, joy or fright My heart skipped a beat when the truck almost hit us last night.
heart stands still
- be very frightened or worried My heart stood still when I heard the story about the little boy and the fire.
heart-to-heart
- honest or intimate They had a heart-to-heart talk before they decided to get married.
heavy heart
- a feeling of sadness or unhappiness He seems to have a heavy heart now that his wife has died.
hedge in
- keep from getting out or moving freely, block in My car was hedged in by the other cars and I was unable to move it this morning.
hell and high water
- troubles or difficulties of any kind They went through hell and high water in order to get the food to the flood victims.
hell-on-wheels
- a short-tempered, nagging or crabby person She is hell-on-wheels in the morning so you should be careful of her.
helter-skelter
- in a confusing group, in disorder When we arrived at work we found all of the files scattered helter-skelter over the floor.
hem and haw
- avoid giving a clear answer, be evasive in speech He hemmed and hawed when I asked him if he knew where the missing money was.
here and now
- immediately I want you to do that work right here and now.
here and there
- in various places, go to various places We went here and there during our holidays.
here goes
- ready to begin while hoping for the best Well, here goes. I am going to go and ask her for a date right now.
here goes nothing
- ready to begin - but it will be a waste of time and will probably fail Here goes nothing. I have already asked him to lend me some money and he always says no but I`ll try again.
hide(bury) one`s head in the sand
- keep from knowing something dangerous or unpleasant He hates to talk about important matters and hides his head in the sand when I try to talk to him.
high and dry
- stranded, out of the current of events They left him high and dry when they moved the company to Europe.
high and low
- every place We looked high and low for her watch but we couldn`t find it.
high and mighty
- arrogant He has a high and mighty attitude to all of his employees.
high gear
- top speed, full activity The preparations for his visit have been going in high gear all week.
high-handed
- bossy, dictatorial, depending on force rather than what is right My supervisor always takes a high-handed approach when dealing with her employees.
(the) high life
- a luxurious existence They have been living the high life since they moved to Las Vegas.
high seas
- the ocean (away from the coast) The crew of the ship spent three months on the high seas before going to shore for a visit.
(be in) high spirits
- have energy, be cheerful They are in high spirits since their home team won the tournament.
high time
- the time before something should already have been done It is high time that we spent some time cleaning up our house.
highway robbery
- an extremely high price for something The price that we had to pay for the theater tickets was highway robbery.
hire out
- accept a job, take employment He decided to hire himself out as a dancer while he was going to school.
hire out
- rent to someone We rented out our boat last summer because we were too busy to use it.
hit and miss
- unplanned, uncontrolled, aimless, careless We are looking for a new apartment but it seems to be hit and miss whether we can find a good one.
hit-and-run
- an accident where the driver of the car drives away without leaving his address My sister was involved in a hit-and-run accident last Sunday afternoon.
hit-and-run
- striking suddenly and leaving quickly The army made a hit-and-run attack on the enemy soldiers.
hit bottom
- be at the very lowest, not be able to go any lower The economy hit bottom last year but is finally starting to improve.
hitch one`s wagon to a star
- aim high, follow a great ambition or purpose He wants to hitch his wagon to a star and pursue his dreams of becoming an actor.
hither and thither
- in one direction and then in another He looked hither and thither when he discovered that he had lost his wallet.
hit it off with someone
- get along well with someone We really hit it off at the party.
hit on/upon
- find what you want or think of something by chance We hit upon the idea of going to the lake for our holiday after our airline reservations were cancelled.
hit parade
- a list of songs arranged in order of popularity We listened to all the songs on the hit parade last night.
hit someone between the eyes
- make a strong impression on someone, surprise greatly Her incredible performance really hit me between the eyes.
hit the books
- study or prepare for class He stayed home all weekend and hit the books.
hit the bottle
- drink alcohol (usually a negative meaning) She started to hit the bottle soon after her divorce.
hit the bull`s-eye
- go to the most important part of a matter, reach the main question She hit the bull`s-eye when she suggested that decreasing costs was more important than increasing sales.
hit the ceiling
- get angry His wife is going to hit the ceiling when she sees the bill for the car repair.
hit the deck
- get up from bed, start working Let`s hit the deck and get this work done before supper.
hit the dirt
- fall on the ground and take cover under gunfire We were told to hit the dirt during the bank robbery.
hit the hay
- go to bed I decided to hit the hay early last night because I was very tired.
hit the high spots
- consider or mention only the more important parts of something He only had time to hit the high spots in his report but still it was very interesting.
hit the jackpot
- be very lucky or successful She hit the jackpot when she went to Las Vegas last weekend.
hit the nail on the head
- make a correct guess or analysis He really hit the nail on the head when he wrote the report about the bank`s problems.
hit the road
- leave - usually in a car We should hit the road early tomorrow morning if we want to reach the seashore before evening.
hit the roof
- become very angry, go into a rage He hit the roof when he found out that his son had wrecked the family car.
hit the sack
- go to bed I`m a little bit tired so I think that I will hit the sack now.
hit the sauce
- drink alcohol - usually heavily and regularly He has been hitting the sauce now for a couple of months although he says that he doesn`t drink.
hit the spot
- refresh or satisfy Drinking the lemonade after the baseball game really hit the spot.
hold a candle to
- be in the same class or level with (used with a negative usually), can be compared with As far as good service goes that restaurant can`t hold a candle to the one that I usually go to.
hold a grudge
- not forgive someone for something He has been holding a grudge against the company manager for a number of years.
hold all the trump cards
- have the best chance of winning, have full control It will be difficult to do well in the negotiations with him as he holds all the trump cards.
hold back
- stay back or away, show unwillingness, prevent someone from doing something He always holds back during meetings and never says anything.
hold court
- act like a king or queen among their subjects He always acts like he is holding court among his subjects when I see him in his office.
hold down
- keep in obedience, keep control of The government was able to hold down the people for many years but finally they revolted and got rid of the government.
hold down a job
- keep a job He has a serious drinking problem and is unable to hold down a job.
hold forth
- offer, propose The company held forth a promise to give all of the employees an extra bonus in the summer.
hold forth
- speak in public, talk about He was holding forth about taxes again last night when I saw him in his office.
hold good
- continue, endure, last The demand for air conditioners held good during July but decreased rapidly in August.
hold off
- delay, not begin The concert will be held off until next week.
hold off
- keep away by force The man was able to hold off the police for several hours before he was arrested.
hold on
- wait a minute, stop, wait and not hang up the phone Please hold on for a minute while I go back and lock the window.
hold one`s breath
- stop breathing for a moment when one is excited or nervous I had to stop and hold my breath while I was waiting for the announcement of the winning names.
hold one`s fire
- keep back arguments or facts, keep from telling something You should hold your fire during the meeting and save the rest of the information until next week.
hold one`s horses
- stop and wait patiently Hold your horses for a minute while I return to get my wallet.
hold one`s own (in an argument)
- defend one`s position Although her boss is very aggressive she is always able to hold her own in any dispute with him.
hold one`s peace
- be silent and not speak against something, be still Please try and hold your peace during the meeting as it will be to our disadvantage if we have a confrontation.
hold one`s tongue
- keep quiet He decided to hold his tongue rather than give his honest opinion.
hold on to
- continue to hold or keep, hold tightly Hold on to your bag when you are in the bus or someone may try and steal it.
hold out
- reach out, extend She held out her hand to help her daughter climb up the stairs.
hold-out
- someone who refuses to give something up, a non-conformist He was the last hold-out in our effort to make sure that everyone wore a necktie to work.
hold out for something
- refuse to give up, keep resisting The famous basketball star is holding out for a large salary increase.
hold out on
- refuse something to a person He is holding out on me and wont give me the latest sales figures.
hold over
- extend the engagement of, keep longer The movie was held over for another week.
hold something back
- keep information or something to or for oneself He is holding back the information about the new computer system.
hold still
- not move Please hold still while I fix your jacket zipper.
hold the fort
- cope in an emergency, act as a temporary substitute He has been holding the fort at his company while his boss is on vacation.
hold the line
- not yield to pressure or something The company has been holding the line on any new salary increases.
hold the reins
- be the most influential person He has been holding the reins in his company for many years.
hold up
- lift, raise The students hold up their hands when they have a question.
hold up
- support, carry The main beams in the house are holding up the total weight of the house.
hold up
- check, stop, delay The traffic was held up for over three hours at the border crossing.
hold up
- rob at gunpoint The criminal was able to hold up three people before he was caught.
hold up
- keep up one`s courage or spirits Her spirits are holding up quite well even though she does not have a job now.
hold up
- remain good, not get worse Sales during the first six months of the year have held up very well compared to last year.
hold up
- prove true Her story held up during the questioning by the police.
hold-up
- a robbery He was involved in a hold-up when he was in the supermarket last weekend.
hold water
- be a sound idea His proposal for a new work scheduling system doesn`t hold water.
hole in the wall
- a small place to live, stay in or work in; small hidden or inferior place We went for a drink at a little hole in the wall near the university last night.
holier-than-thou
- acting as if one is better than others in goodness or character etc. I don`t like him because he always takes a holier-than-thou attitude toward everyone else.
holy cats
- used to express strong feelings of astonishment, pleasure or anger Holy cats he said as he looked out and saw the water rising in the river.
holy cow
- used to express strong feelings of astonishment, pleasure or anger Holy cow! There are over one hundred people standing in front of our house.
holy mackeral
- used to express strong feelings of astonishment, pleasure or anger Holy mackeral cried the little boy when he saw the new bicycle he got for his birthday.
holy Moses
- used to express strong feelings of astonishment, pleasure or anger Holy Moses! It is already noon and I haven`t even started work yet.
holy terror
- a very disobedient or unruly child The little boy is a holy terror and his parents never want to take him anywhere.
honeymoon is over
- the first happy period of friendship and cooperation between two groups is over The honeymoon was over for the new President after about two months.
honky-tonk
- a cheap night-club or dance hall We went to a small honky-tonk in the small town where we stopped last night.
hook, line and sinker
- without question or doubt, completely She fell in love with her new boyfriend hook, line and sinker.
hook up
- connect or fit together As soon as we moved to our new apartment we had to hook up the phone.
hook-up
- a connection The new hook-up for the computer is not working very well.
hope against hope
- continue to hope when things look very bad The rescue team were hoping against hope that the lost hikers would be found alive.
hop to it
- get started, start a job, get going We must hop to it and try to get this job done before dinner.
hopped up
- high on a drug or on alcohal The man who tried to rob the store was hopped up on some kind of drug.
horn in on
- come in without an invitation or welcome, interfere He horned in on our conversation although he knows that nobody likes him.
horse around
- play around, join in rough teasing The children were horsing around in the school yard when the bell rang for class.
horse of a different color
- something altogether separate and different We should not be talking about that issue now. It is a horse of different color entirely.
horse sense
- good judgement, wisdom in making decisions He has a lot of good horse sense so you can expect him to make an intelligent decision.
horse trade
- business agreement arrived at after hard negotiations We had to do a lot of horse trading but we were finally able to reach an agreement to buy the antique car.
hot air
- nonsense, exaggerated talk He is full of hot air and you can`t rely on what he usually says.
hot and bothered
- excited and worried, displeased I don`t know what is wrong with her but she is hot and bothered about something.
a hot potato
- a situation likely to cause trouble to the person handling it The issue of the non-union workers is a real hot potato that we must deal with.
hot rod
- an automobile changed so that it can go very fast He has alwys loved cars and was a member of his local hot rod club when he was a teenager.
hot water
- trouble He has been in hot water at work since he took a week off with no excuse.
house of cards
- something badly put together and easily knocked down, a poorly founded plan/action The peace agreement between the two countries was like a house of cards and fell apart as soon as a minor problem occured.
how about
- will you have something or will you agree to something How about some coffee before we go to work?
how about
- what is to be done about something We can`t use her computer but how about one of the other staff members?
how about
- how do you feel about/think about something She is not interested in the job but how about one of her friends?
how come
- why How come you don`t telephone her if you want to talk to her so much?
how`s that
- what did you say How`s that? I couldn`t hear you because the radio was too loud.
hue and cry
- an excited protest or alarm or outcry They raised a big hue and cry when they realized that we had failed to notify the bank about our financial problems.
hush-hush
- something kept secret or hidden, concealed What is the big hush-hush? Everyone seems to be very quiet this morning.
hush up
- keep news of something from getting out, prevent people from knowing about something The government tried to hush up the bad economic figures but the news media soon discovered the facts.
hush up
- be or make quiet, stop talking/crying/making noise The child was told to hush up by her mother when they were in the department store.
hyped-up
- have an excess of energy, be excited She has been hyped up all morning because she will go to Italy for a holiday next week.
idiot box
- television set He sits in front of the idiot box all day and never gets any work done.
if the shoe fits, wear it
- if what is being said in general describes you then it probably means you He was complaining that most of the workers at his company were lazy. However his friend looked at him and said that if the shoe fits, wear it.
if worst comes to worst
- if the worst possible thing happens If worst comes to worst we can cancel our holiday and go next year.
ill at ease
- feel nervous/uncomfortable He appeared to be ill at ease during the interview.
in a bind
- in trouble They will really be in a bind if they can`t sell their house by next month.
in advance
- ahead of time They bought the tickets in advance so that they could get a good seat.
in a family way
- pregnant, going to have a baby Our new secretary is in a family way and plans to take a few months off from work soon.
in a fog (haze)
- confused, not sure what is happening He is always in a fog and never seems to know what is going on.
in a hole
- in some trouble, in an embarassing or difficult position He is really in a hole now that he has problems both at work and at home.
in a hurry
- a need to move or act quickly He is very busy and always in a hurry.
in a jam
- in trouble He is really in a jam now that his car is not working properly.
in a kind (sort) of way
- to a certain extent, a little, somewhat I would like to go in a kind of way but still I don`t think that I will bother going today.
in and out
- coming in and going out often He has been in and out all day but I don`t know where he is at the moment.
in a nutshell
- briefly I tried to explain the problem to him in a nutshell but there still wasn`t enough time.
in any case (event)
- no matter what happens, surely, without fail I may not be able to meet you next week but in any case I will still give you the books before then.
in a pig`s eye
- hardly, unlikely, not so In a pig`s eye will I let him borrow my car next weekend.
in a pinch
- okay when nothing else is available That other tool will do in a pinch if we can`t find the correct one.
in arms
- armed, ready to fight They are all in arms since they found out about the wage decrease.
in a rush
- in a hurry They got the job done in a big rush so I am a little worried about the quality.
in a rut
- always doing the same thing She feels that she is in a rut after doing the same job for seven years.
in a spot
- in some trouble, in an embarassing or difficult position She is really in a tight spot right now since she was unable to enter university and also has no job.
in a way
- to a certain extent, a little, somewhat In a way I would like to go but basically I don`t care.
in a word
- briefly, to sum up In a word, the problem with the car is that it needs a new motor.
in a world of one`s own
- in deep thought or concentration, not caring about other people He is always in a world of his own and doesn`t notice what other people say or think.
in black and white
- in writing I want to get the information in black and white before I go to the meeting.
in cahoots with
- in secret agreement or partnership with someone The supermarket was in cahoots with the vegetable producer to try and keep the prices high.
in case
- as a precaution, in order to be prepared In case there is a fire you should leave the building right away.
in character
- as usual, typical, in the way that a person usually behaves Supporting the other members of the staff is in character with her usual actions.
in charge
- in control or authority, responsible He is charge of the sales department at his company.
in check
- under control, kept quiet or back The violence was kept in check by the police department and the army.
in clover
- rich or successful, having a pleasant or easy life They are in clover now that they have sold their business and retired.
in cold blood
- without feeling or pity, cooly and deliberately The family was murdered in cold blood by the criminal gang.
in common
- shared together or equally, in use or ownership by all We had to use the bathroom in common with the other people in the house.
in deep
- seriously mixed up in something like deht or trouble He owes a lot of money and is in very deep with his new house and car.
in due course
- in the usual amount of time, at the right time We will send the information to you in due course.
in fact
- actually, the truth is He`s been to China before. In fact he`s been there three times.
in for
- unable to avoid, sure to get He is in for a lot of trouble now that he is unable to finish his graduation essay.
in good time
- a little early, sooner than necessary I will try and get the information to you in good time so that you will be able to decide what to do.
in hand
- under control The teacher had the class in hand when the principal came to visit the classroom.
in hot water
- in trouble I am in hot water over the extra expenses that I used during the conference.
in keeping with
- going well together, agreeing, similar In keeping with our tradition of letting the visiting team kick first we will do it for this game as well.
in kind
- in a similar way, with the same kind of thing We will pay them back in kind for the use of their sailboat.
in league with
- in secret agreement or partnership with someone The union has been in league with management in trying to build the new factory.
in light of
- as a result of new information, because of In light of his contribution to the company we decided to give him a large summer bonus.
in line
- doing or being what people expect or accept, within ordinary limits It was difficult to keep the children in line at the picnic but somehow we managed.
in love
- liking very much, loving He has been in love with his girlfriend ever since he met her in high school.
in luck
- having good luck, finding something good by chance I think that we are in luck. I have found two tickets for the concert.
in memory of
- as a reminder of, as a memorial to We decided to put our money together and buy a painting in memory of our grandfather.
in nothing flat
- quickly I will have this information printed out for you in nothing flat.
in no time
- soon, quickly I will have this done for you in no time and then you can go for lunch.
in on
- joining together for something We went in on a present for our father for Father`s Day.
in on
- told about, having knowledge of I was finally let in on the secret about why she left our company.
in one`s element
- in an environment or situation that comes naturally to someone She is in her element being in charge of the new sales department.
in one`s face
- abruptly, unexpectedly The plan blew up in our face just as we were ready to start.
in one`s good books (graces)
- approved of by someone, liked by someone I have been in her good books since I helped her with her work last month.
in one`s hair
- annoying someone She has been in my hair all morning because she is on summer holiday`s starting this week.
in one`s mind`s eye
- in one`s imagination In your mind`s eye try and imagine that you are on a nice sunny beach in Hawaii.
in one`s shell
- withdrawn, silent, not sociable We have been trying to get her out of her shell but it is of no use. She doesn`t want to talk to anyone.
in one`s shoes
- in someone elses place or position I wish that I was in his shoes with his great job and new car.
in one`s tracks
- abruptly, immediately, just where one is at the moment I was forced to stop in my tracks when I saw the snake on the road.
in order to
- for the purpose of We have decided to close down the school for the summer in order to do some major repairs.
in other words
- say something in a different (usually more direct) way In other words if you don`t finish the assignment by Wednesday you will not pass the course.
in part
- to some extent, partly I think the reason he is not golfing so well this year is in part due to his problen with his back.
in point of fact
- really, truthfully In point of fact there were not enough people at the meeting to vote on the proposal.
ins and outs
- all the details He knows all the ins and outs of the new machine.
in seventh heaven
- very happy I have been in seventh heaven since I started my new job.
in short supply
- not enough, in less than the amount or number needed Chairs were in short supply so some of the guests had to sit on the floor.
inside and out
- in every part, completely We looked through the room inside and out for my lost wallet.
inside out
- so that the inside is turned outside She turned her purse inside out in order to look for her lost key.
inside track
- an advantage, shortest distance around a racetrack I think that he has the inside track on getting the new job at the computer company.
in spite of
- in opposition to, despite In spite of the terrible weather we went to the beach for a picnic.
instead of
- in place of Let`s meet at the restaurant instead of the department store as we had planned.
in stitches
- laughing They were in stitches over their teacher`s joke.
in stock
- having something ready to sell or use The store didn`t have any computer discs in stock so we bought some over the Internet.
in store
- ready to happen, waiting I don`t really know what the future has in store for me but I will be ready for anything.
in the air
- current, exerting an influence It is in the air that we will be getting a new president next week.
in the bag
- certain, sure The new contract will be in the bag if we put in a good proposal.
in the black
- have a credit balance, make a profit The company has been in the black for over three years now.
in the cards
- to be expected, likely to happen, predictable I think that a new company structure is in the cards but I can`t be sure.
in the charge of
- under the care or supervision of She has been in the charge of her grandmother since her mother and father died.
in the clear
- with nothing to limit action, free of anything that makes moving or seeing difficult We seem to be in the clear now so it should be safe to cross the road.
in the clear
- free of blame or suspicion The police talked to the three boys for a few minutes but they seem to be in the clear now.
in the clouds
- far from real life, in dreams, in thought He is usually in the clouds so you may have trouble finding out what you want to know from him.
in the course of
- during In the course of his life he visited over 45 countries.
in the dark
- having no information about something He is still in the dark about my plans to quit my job.
in the doghouse
- in trouble He is in the doghouse with his wife after staying out drinking last night.
in the first place
- firstly, to begin with Of course I can`t go. In the first place I must work on Saturday. In the second place I have no money.
in the groove
- at one`s best, doing something very well We are finally getting in the groove and should be able to finish this job by early next week.
in the hole
- having a score lower than zero in a game, a score below zero At the beginning of the card game I was in the hole but later I began to do well.
in the hole
- in debt, behind financially Although he is always working he always seems to be in the hole.
in the line of duty
- done or happening as part of a job The police officer was killed in the line of duty during the bank robbery.
in the long run
- the distant future, in the end For now he is losing money on his stocks but in the long run he should make money.
in the market for
- wanting or ready to buy something I am in the market for a new computer as my old one is too slow.
in the red
- lose money, not make a profit The company has been in the red for three years now.
in the saddle
- in command, in control The president is back in the saddle again after being ill for several months.
in the same boat
- in a similar situation We are all in the same boat now that our company has gone out of business.
in the soup
- in serious trouble, in disorder She is in the soup now that she has had a big fight with her boss.
in the swim
- active in or knowing what is going on He is definitely in the swim. He has information about everybody.
in the wake of
- as a result of, following In the wake of the large number of people who have recently left our company we will need to hire some more people.
in the wind
- soon to happen, being planned It is in the wind that they are planning to open a new store next year.
in the works
- in preparation, being planned or worked on Don`t worry about whether or nor we will be building the new computer lab. It is definitely in the works.
in the wrong
- wrong; against justice, truth or fact The driver was in the wrong and was arrested by the police after the accident.
in time
- early enough I didn`t come home in time to meet my cousin.
into thin air
- completely, without anything left The group of hikers vanished into thin air and were never heard of again.
in touch
- talking or writing to each other, giving or getting news We are still in touch even though we have been out of school for many years.
in tow
- being pulled The truck had a trailer in tow when it went off the highway.
in tow
- being taken from place to place, along with someone She spent the morning at the shopping center with her child in tow.
in tune
- going well together, in agreement, matching We have been in tune with each other ever since we met at our high school graduation party.
in turn
- each following another We went up to the front of the class in turn in order to pick up our diplomas.
in two shakes of a lamb`s tail
- quickly, in no time at all I will have this finished in two shakes of a lamb`s tail and then I will give it to you.
in vain
- without effect, without success We tried in vain to find a good job but it was impossible.
in view of
- after thinking about, because of In view of the large number of people who have come I think that we will need a bigger room.
in with
- in friendship, favor or closeness with I think that he was in with the wrong group of people when he was in high school.
iron out
- work out We have ironed out all of our problems and are finally doing better.
irons in the fire
- things one is doing, projects with which a person is busy Recently he has too many irons in the fire. That is why he has become sick.
itching palm
- a wish for money, greed The guard at the border crossing has an itching palm so be careful of him.
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Idiom Quizzes (M-O)
English Idioms (M-O)
Idiom Quizzes (J-L)
English Idioms (J-L)
Idiom Quizzes(G-I)
English Idioms(G-I)
Idiom Quizzes (D-F)
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Idiom Quizzes: A-C
English Idioms (A-C)
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外语天地 | Reference | Vocabulary | 编号：1871
