PHRASEOLOGY C2

 

Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)

Idiomatic / Fixed expressions. 

 IDIOMATICITY

 https://www.eltconcourse.com/training/inservice/phrases_clauses_sentences/idiomaticity.html#bitri

Life's so unpredictable. You never know when the next high or low will strike you. The trick    is just to flow with the tide. Zeenat Aman (fluir con la marea). See "go/swim/flow with/against the tide" and "go with the flow": (take a relaxed approach, dejarse llevar). 

You gotta strike while the iron is hot, otherwise you'll miss the boat. That's the bottom line.

My fear of roses is a thorny issue. I'm not sure what it stems from, but it seems likely I'll be stuck with it. 

As a writer, you have to first of all write what you want to. Listen to advice, by all means, but don't get bogged down in it. J. Abercrombie 

FIGURATIVE / METAPHORICAL LANGUAGE

Figurative language creates comparisons by linking the senses and the concrete to abstract ideas. Words or phrases are used in a non-literal way for particular effect, for example simile, metaphor, personification. 

PHRASEOLOGY

In linguistics, phraseology is the study of set or fixed expressions, such as idioms, phrasal verbs, and other types of multi-word lexical units (often collectively referred to as phrasemes), in which the component parts of the expression take on a meaning more specific than or otherwise not predictable from the sum of their meanings when used independently. For example, ‘Dutch auction’ is composed of the words Dutch ‘of or pertaining to the Netherlands’ and auction ‘a public sale in which goods are sold to the highest bidder’, but its meaning is not ‘a sale in the Netherlands where goods are sold to the highest bidder’. Instead, the phrase has a conventionalized meaning referring to any auction where, instead of rising, the prices fall.

A lexical phraseme is an idiom if it is non-compositional.

Idioms constitute the most known and best studied subset of phrasemes. Three subclasses of idioms can be distinguished: full idioms, semi-idioms and quasiidioms (weak idioms). 

Idiomatic expressions are groups of words with an established meaning unrelated to the meanings of the individual words. Sometimes called an expression, an idiom can be very colorful and make a ‘picture’ in our minds. 

An idiom’s symbolic sense is quite different from the literal meaning or definition of the words of which it is made. There are a large number of Idioms, and they are used very commonly in all languages. There are estimated to be at least 25,000 idiomatic expressions in the English language. Source: theidioms.com

Ordinary native English speakers on average know between 20,000 and 40,000 words. + several hundred idioms. I certainly wouldn’t count my vocabulary as any higher.

What if you come across an idiom that you do not understand? There are clues that can help you. They are called context clues. Context clues are words or phrases around the unknown word or phrase that may help you decipher its meaning.

1. Definition or explanation clue. An idiom may be explained immediately after its use: Sentence: I felt like I was sitting on pins and needles I was so nervous; 

2. Restatement or synonym clues. An idiom may be simplified or restated: Sentence: The young girl felt as though she had been sent to the dog house when her mother punished her for fighting in school. 

3. Contrast or Antonym clues. An idiom may be clarified by a contrasting phrase or antonym that is near it: Sentence: Chynna thought the 5k marathon would be a piece of cake, but it turned out to be very difficult. 

Note Pay attention to the signal word but, which tells the reader that an opposite thought or concept is occurring.

So what makes idioms difficult? 

The answer is their meanings. Idioms are not easy to understand – especially for non-native speakers, because their intentions are usually symbolic. This characteristic makes them strange and difficult to understand for English learners. Source: theidioms.com

What exactly is an idiom?

Idioms are words, phrases, or expressions that cannot be taken literally.  In other words, when used in everyday language, they have a meaning other than the basic one you would find in the dictionary.  Every language has its own idioms.  Learning them makes understanding and using a language a lot easier and more fun! 

An idiom is a phrase, saying, or a group of words with a metaphorical (not literal) meaning, which has become accepted in common usage. Source: theidioms.com 

Full-idioms: An idiom is a full idiom if its meaning does not include the meaning of any of its lexical components. Ex: It's a piece of cake; cutting corners; bite the bullet, tit the sack, that's the last straw, take it with a grain of salt, on the ball, cut the mustard, on cloud nine, see eye to eye, weather the storm, when it rains it pours

Semi-idioms comprise of at least one literal and one figurative component, which gives them an overall partially compositional meaning. The presence of a literal element makes them both the most interpretable and least idiomatic of all three categories. Ex: to make a long story short, (to briefly summarize, in short), way to go (well done!)

Idioms are either opaque /oʊˈpeɪk/ or transparent:

Opaque - When you translate an opaque idiom, it may not make sense because the literal meaning has very little to do with the intended meaning. An example of an opaque idiom is “bag of bones” which means someone is very underweight.

Transparent - A transparent idiom shows some similarity between the literal and the intended meaning. For example, “playing your cards right” is an expression that actually came from card games and can be applied to other situations.

Grammar rules and meanings of Idioms C2

1. NOMINAL IDIOMS

One-word idioms

A (big) break an opportunity for improving a situation, esp. one that happens unexpectedly, a case or piece of luck, esp. good luck; Ex: Her big break came when she was offered a role in a Spielberg movie; What a lucky break!. See: give so a break ​(inf. B1) 1. used when sb wants sb else to stop doing or saying sth that is annoying, or to stop saying sth that is not true; to stop criticizing or annoying sb, or behaving in an unpleasant way, 2. a time away from work: I need a break from typing. Syn: rest, holidays (There will be no classes until after Christmas break); golpe de suerte, respiro.  

Your life isn't about a big break. It's about taking one significant life-transforming step at a time. Oprah Winfrey (The Path Made Clear: Discovering Your Life's Direction and Purpose)

A dog ​(US), slang (failure, a thing of low quality; a failure). Ex: Her last movie was an absolute dog. Syn failure, trouble, fracaso.

Note dog v. fig. inf. often passive. (trouble): The problem has been dogging me for days. Syn worry, acosar, seguir, perseguir, perseguir.

The metaphor of Exodus is one that has dogged the Jews (right) from the outset. Their very success attracts resentment. Jack Schwartz

I'm an introvert... I love being by myself, love being outdoors, love taking a long walk with my dogs and looking at the trees, flowers, the sky. Audrey Hepburn

A (real) downer ​an experience that makes you feel unhappy, sad or depressed: Ex: Not getting the promotion was a real downer; You lost your job? That's a real downer!; 2. ​(usually plural) a drug, especially a barbiturate, that relaxes you or makes you want to sleep (tranquilizer). Contr. upper; The food was average. The service was disappointing. The entire staff seemed to be on downers. No motivation at all. Contrast upper (B2). Syn depressing situation/experience, algo/ experiencia deprimente.

Note (to be) on a downer: very depressed; in a depressing situation, (deprimente, desalentador), Ex; He's really on a downer; Being around the basketball team after they lost the championship was a real downer; 2. a depressant drug (calmante, tranquilizante, sedante): The man was taken to the emergency room for overdosing on downers. Syn very depressed, deprimido.

You not supposed to feel down over whatever happen to you. I mean, you're supposed to use whatever happen to you as some type of upper, not a downer. Bob Marley

But, you know, it's still a drag to get your picture taken when you're eating a sandwich. It's a downer. Keanu Reeves 

I'm not a flag waver for obesity. It's not healthy, and you have a crap life because there is such a downer on it. Jo Brand

Drag slang sth that is not convenient and is boring or unpleasant: Ex: Filling in forms is such a drag!; I've got to go to the dentist again - what a drag!; Homework is always a drag. Syn sth boring, tedious, una lata, un rollo, un coñazo. See drag out (fig, prolong, alargar)

There are moments when one has to choose between living one's own life, fully, entirely, completely, or dragging out some false, shallow, degrading existence that the world in its hypocrisy demands. Oscar Wilde (Lady Windermere's Fan)

Free(-)thinker / free thinker ​a person who forms their own ideas and opinions rather than accepting those of other people, especially in religious teaching; someone who forms their own opinions and beliefs, especially about religion or politics, rather than just accepting what is officially or commonly believed and taught: Syn sb with independent opinions; librependador/a.

Freethinkers are those who are willing to use their minds without prejudice and without fearing to understand things that clash with their own customs, privileges, or beliefs. This state of mind is not common, but it is essential for right thinking... Leo Tolstoy

We need more people speaking out (C1). This country is not overrun with rebels & free thinkers. It's overrun with sheep & conformists. Bill Maher

The going progress, departure; how quickly you do sth; Ex: If the going gets tough at work, ask for help; The traffic was terrible so it was slow going; good going! ¡bien hecho!; that was good going eso fue muy rápido; the climb was hard going la subida fue muy dura; the meeting was hard going en la reunión se complicaron bastante las cosas; the book was heavy going la lectura del libro resultó pesada; it’s heavy going talking to her es pesado hablar con ella; let’s cross while the going is good aprovechemos para cruzar; we made money while the going was good mientras las condiciones eran favorables ganábamos dinero; See going adj. current: price, rate; available: the best one going (el mejor que hay); compounds: a going concern Syn  1. progress, (las cosas, la situación), 2. trail or route conditions (condiciones del camino, estado de la pista): The going's good as far as the river, then it gets heavy. 3. viability UK: /vaɪəˈbɪləti/ (viabilidad).

When the going gets tough (the tough get going). Saying (C2)

Has-been a person who in the past was famous, important, admired, or good at sth, but is no longer any of these; A person who is no longer admired, famous, or popular;  1. n. sb who used to be important; a person whose career has ended; To have had a wonderful past but no present of future in the field; Ex: He’s very much a political has-been; She’s just an old has-been; Marty is just a has-been. There’s no future for him; The company is now just a has-been; Syn (performer/entertainer/artist): no longer popular; la sombra de lo que fue. 

Remember, it's better to be a has-been than a never-was. Tiny Tim

I am not a has-been. I am a will be. Lauren Bacall 

It's a terrifying thing to be perhaps 16 or 17 and feel like you are a failure and a has-been; Shelley Fabares

The fear of becoming a 'has-been' keeps some people from becoming anything. Eric Hoffer

Icebraker 1. a thing that you do or say, such as a game or a joke, to make people feel more relaxed, especially at the beginning of a meeting, party, etc; ​2. a strong ship designed to break a way through ice, for example in the Arctic or Antarctic. Syn conversation starter, charla para romper el hielo.

An honest smile is an icebreaker. Toba Beta (Master of Stupidity)

You can do ice-breaking by being cool. Toba Beta (Master of Stupidity)

See "SOCIAL/GENERAL ICEBREAKERS — Debra Fine (The Fine Art of Small Talk: How to Start a Conversation, Keep It Going, Build Networking Skills and Leave a Positive Impression!)

Jawbreaker 1. a very large hard round sweet (caramelo duro); 2. word that is difficult to say trabalenguas.

Left(-)wing / Left (The Left-wing / The left) the political groups that believe wealth and power should be shared between all parts of society; Ex: The war is generally opposed on the left; See left-wing (adj) Syn liberal position, la izquierda.

Loner (a long wolf) a person who is often alone or who prefers to be alone, rather than with other people; a person who likes to do things on their own without other people. Ex: He was always a loner at school. Syn: lone wolf, recluse, misanthrope, hermit, solitario, hermitaño, buo anacoreta. Compare: freethinker, individualist.

Looker slang a physically attractive person, usually a woman or thing; ​a way of describing an attractive person, usually a woman: Ex: Have you seen Karl's new girlfriend? She's a real looker!; I know I've never been much of a looker, but I try to make up for it with a confident, outgoing personality; Janice's new boyfriend is a real looker isn't he? Syn good-looking person, guapo, mono, lindo.

Well they couldn't teach you anything, you think you're such a looker, but no customer will go to you, Unless she was a hooker. Beauty school dropout, "Grease", Frankie Avalon

No-go "It's a no-go" means that sth is not going to happen or didn't happen and it is a pretty common phrase; Ex: "Are we still going to see the concert this weekend?"; "It's a no-go, Sam could not get the tickets"; "Did you kiss her last night?" "It was a no-go. I guess she didn't like me."; Going to a wedding without a hat is a big no-go.(va contra la costrumbre); So you have to agree or it's a no-go. (o no se hará); So the Halloween party, it was a no-go. (se fué a pique). See no-go area. n.

Offset 1. n compensation (C1). Ex: These expenses are allowed as an offset against taxable income, 2. v. Compensate, counterbalance; ​to use one cost, payment or situation in order to cancel or reduce the effect of another. Ex: The gains offset the losses; You can offset any loss you make in a year against your profits; See make up for (B2); make it up to. Syn compensate,  counterbalance, compensar, compensación.

Note Saying you're sorry is no compensation (C1) for the damage you've done.

Right (The right): political parties or people that have traditional opinions, and that believe in low taxes, property, and industry being privately owned, and less help for the poor; Ex: The right was/were in power after 1979; He's a man of the far (extreme) right; The right wing will win the elections; Contrast the left; left-wing (adj) See the right wing; Syn political wing: conservative; la derecha.

Smokescreen 1. sth that hides the truth about sb's intentions; ​sth that you do or say in order to hide what you are really doing or intending; 2. a cloud of smoke used to hide soldiers, ships, etc. during a battle; Ex: Instead of doing sth about the problem, the city council is hiding behind a smokescreen of bureaucracy; Syn sth that misleads or distracts, cortina de humo.

Shot 1. (give/have) a shot (at something/at doing something) (informal) the act of trying to do or achieve something; an attempt to do or achieve something that is difficult, when success is uncertain: Ex: The team are looking good for a shot at the title; I've never produced a play before but I'll have a shot at it; I'm willing to give it a shot; I'm willing to give it a shot; I’m not sure they’ll consider me for the job, but I’ll give it a shot; 2. remark/action  a remark or an action that is usually one of a series, and is aimed against sb/sth that you are arguing or competing with; Ex: This statement was the opening shot in the argument; He couldn't resist taking a cheap shot at his political opponent; Syn: attempt, intento.

Thumbs up/down inf. used to show that sth has been accepted/rejected or that it is/is not a success; Ex: Their proposals were given the thumbs down; It looks like it's thumbs up for their latest album; Critics gave the film the thumbs down; He made a thumbs-up sign through the window to tell us everything was fine; Syn hand gesture: (expression of) approval, disapproval, permission, autorización, visto bueno.

Binomials and trinomials

Give and take 1. mutual concessions and compromises, 2. V. Compromise, agree, make concessions and compromises: I need to learn how to give (and take) criticism. 

Marriage is give and take. You'd better give it to her or she'​ll take it anyway. Joey Adams

The ins and outs (of sth.) inf. the detailed or complicated facts of sth. Ex: I know how to use computers, but I don't really understand the ins and outs of how they work. Syn details, features pormenores, detalles, todo lo referente a.

Part and parcel (of sth) to be a feature of something, especially a feature that cannot be avoided; ​a basic and fundamental / essential part of (life/a job/a problem) Ex: Being recognized in the street is part and parcel of being a celebrity. Keeping the accounts is part and parcel of my job. Syn integral part of whole), parte integral de.

I personally hope and wish that Britain will stay part and parcel of the European Union. Angela Merkel

Controversies are part and parcel of making a big film. Vijay

The only religious way to think of death is as part and parcel of life. Thomas Mann

To be fair, lying is part and parcel of public life. Every politician has lied about something because they are owned by the special interest groups that finance their elections. Peter Schuyler

Nominal / noun phrases

A noun phrase, or nominal (phrase), is a phrase that has a noun (or indefinite pronoun) as its head or performs the same grammatical function as a noun. 

A basket case slang, pejorative (with negative connotations, insulting, derogatory, belittling, deprecating, disparaging); a person who is slightly crazy and who has problems dealing with situations; someone who is extremely nervous or anxious and is therefore unable to organize their life: Ex: By the end of the course I was a complete basket case; Syn crazy or very anxious person, caso perdido, chiflado, majareta.

And look at me now. Seriously. Look at what all that action and adventure has done to me. I'm a frickin' basket case. Valkyrie, Derek Landy 

(A) bone of contention sth that two people or groups cannot agree about; ​a subject that causes people to disagree. Ex: Where to go on holiday is always a bone of contention in our family; Money is a common bone of contention in many marriages; Susie's disobedience at school was a bone of contention between Susie and her mom. Syn source of disagreement, elemento o motivo de discordia.

A change of heart If you have a change of heart, you change your opinion or the way you feel about sth; ​your attitude towards something changes, usually making you feel more friendly, helpful, etc. Ex: She was going to sell her house but had a change of heart at the last minute; John did not want to get married but recently he’s had a change of heart. Syn reversal of an attitude or feeling, cambio de opinion.

A change for the better / worse a person, thing, situation, etc. that is better/worse than the previous or present one. Ex: Voters see the new leader as a change for the better, I reckon we've all made a big change for the better; His family had detected a change for the worse in his behaviour; Her life has changed for the better since she moved here. See v. change for the better / worse. Syn improvement, un cambio a / para mejor.

(A case of) dog eat dog; also dog-eat-dog (adj,) used to describe a situation in which people will do anything to be successful, even if what they do harms other people; ​a situation in business, politics, etc. where there is a lot of competition and people are willing to harm each other in order to succeed. Ex: It's a dog-eat-dog world out there; I'm afraid in this line of work it's a case of dog eat dog. Syn (law of the) jungle, merciless, fierce, selva, cruel, despiadado.

Note: a case of sth: used when a situation is of a particular type; Ex: She doesn't want to work full-time, it's a case of having to; a case in point an example that shows that what you are saying is true or helps to explain why you are saying it; ​a clear example of the problem, situation, etc. that is being discussed; Ex: Lack of communication causes serious problems and their marriage is a case in point; Many professions feel they deserve higher pay, and nurses are a case in point.

A flash in the pan a sudden success that lasts only a short time and is not likely to be repeated; idiom (sth) promising which then disappoints. Compare fad (short trend): novedad, moda. ​sth that people are interested in for only a short period of time: Rap music proved to be more than just a passing fad; craze (sth very popular, lo ultimo): The new dance craze is sweeping across the school. Ex: After four weeks of rain we had a sunny morning yesterday, but it turned out to be just a flash in the pan; Sadly, their success was just a flash in the pan; He needed to prove that his success was not just a flash in the pan; Their win was no flash in the pan su victoria no se debió a un golpe de suerte (no ganaron por chiripa); The affair was nothing more than a flash in the pan (el asunto no fue más que algo pasajero or flor de un día) See a nine days' wonder;  Syn let-down, flop, fiasco, flor de un dia, algo pasajero.

A long shot an attempt or a guess that is not likely to be successful but is worth trying It's a long shot, but it just might work. See not by a long shot: not in any way: It wasn't as good as his first book; not by a long shot (adv). Compare not by a long shot. Syn: sth unlikely, una posibilidad remota, improbable.

A losing battle there is no chance that you will succeed; ​(to try to do) sth that you will probably never succeed in doing; Ex: She wanted him to take some responsibility for his actions, but she knew it was a losing battle; See fight a losing battle; Syn have little chance of success; ser una batalla perdida. 

A lost cause sb or sth that has no chance of succeeding; ​sth that has failed or that cannot succeed: I used to try to get him to do some exercise but then decided he was a lost cause.

I've always had a weakness for lost causes once they're really lost. Margaret Mitchell (Gone with the Wind).

A no-brainer n. slang an easy decision to make; sth such as a decision that is very easy or obvious; ​a decision or a problem that you do not need to think about much because it is obvious what you should do. Ex: The decision was a complete no-brainer; I said yes straight away. It was a no-brainer for me; You're not sure if you should marry Ed? He's good-looking, intelligent, and kind. C'mon, it's a no-brainer! Syn sth simple or obvious, algo obvio, evidente.

A no-go n. pl. no-goes; (a situation in which planned operations cannot be effectuated, as in the case of the launch of spacecraft); ex; The flight is a no-go because of technical problems.

A no-go area ​an area, esp. in a city, which is dangerous for people to enter, or that the police or army do not enter, often because it is controlled by a violent group; Ex: Some clubs are no-go areas for people over 30; That part of the city is a no-go area at night. (figurative): This subject is definitely a no-go area (we must not discuss it). See no-go (adj. canceled, not ready, not functioning; estropeado, averiado, cancelado); Syn dangerous zone, zona peligrosa. 

A thorn in the/one's flesh / a thorn in the/one's side. A source of continual annoyance (C1) or trouble: sb or sth that continually causes problems for you; A person or thing that is frequently problematic, aggravating, or annoying, A constant or persistent cause of annoyance, frustration (Oxford C1), or trouble. See worsen, worsening; Ex: Money problems have been a thorn in our side since the day we got married; That new trainee is so annoying; he's a thorn in my side; Syn aggravating thing, person; molestia, lata, grano en el culo, 

Red tape official rules and processes that seem unnecessary and delay results; ​official rules that seem more complicated than necessary and prevent things from being done quickly. Ex: We must cut through the red tape; All ministers are agreed on the need to cut bureaucratic red tape; You have to go through endless red tape to get a residence permit. Syn bureaucracy, officialism, burocracia.

The bottom line 1. n. Inf. fig. (business: profit, loss), balance (de resultados). The total profit or loss of a company at the end of a particular period of time. Ex: How will the rise in interest rates affect our bottom line? 2. Adj. We will go bankrupt if we have another year with these bottom-line results; She has a bottom-line mentality, interested only in profits and losses.

The Bottom line (stress on line) 1. n. a final decision, 2. n. the naked truth without embellishments: A: Doctor, what’s the bottom line? B: If you don’t quit smoking, you’ll die within a year, 3. The most important fact in a situation; Ex: Look  the bottom line is that poor Joe is an alcoholic; The bottom line is that we need another ten thousand dollars to complete the project. 4. V. To finish, to bring to a conclusion (stress on bottom). Ex: Ok, guys, let's bottom line this project and break for coffe, (shall we?); Synonyms: The main / key point / thing / idea, at the end of the day, the final decision, the real issue, the chief thing, the conclusion, the whole story, the nuts and bolts, what it's all about, the name of the game. 

(The) Bottom line is that there's bad people everywhere. And every now and again, we are going to have to step to them to make sure that we preserve our way of life. Marcus Luttrell

The bottom line is that everyone thinks differently. Rihanna

The bottom line is to have fun and enjoy life. Rekha

It's all right to fail. You just have to get up again and try. That's the bottom line. Tyler Joseph

There are going to be good days and bad days. Bottom line. Jim Mattis

note: Adjectives frequently used with point; main, key, central, crucial, essential, important, major, salient, vital.

Compare: Period: US, informal (full stop: and that is that): y punto!: Zidane is the best ball player, period. (And) that is that US, informal (full stop): y punto!: That is final and nothing more needs to be said: I refuse to go with you and that's that! 

The edge (singular) a slight advantage over sb/sth; edge on/over sb/sth. to have a competitive advantage over other people; Ex: They have the edge on us; In terms of experience, she definitely had the edge over the other people that we interviewed.

The end of one's rope Having reached a point of utter exhaustion or exasperation; in a state at which one has no more patience, endurance, or energy left; The baby's been crying all morning, and I haven't slept properly in days. I'm just at the end of my rope!; He's at the end of his rope trying to get this issue resolved. See at the end of one's rope.

When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on. Franklin D. Roosevelt. 

The icing / frosting on the cake sth that makes a good situation even better; an unexpected additional good thing. ​sth extra and not essential that is added to an already good situation or experience and that makes it even better. Ex: He was delighted to have his story published. getting paid for it was just icing on the cake.

The tip of the iceberg a small, noticeable part of a problem, the total size of which is really much greater; ​only a small part of a much larger problem: These small local protests are just the tip of the iceberg; This figure represents only the tip of the iceberg, since as many as 90% of cases go unreported.

2. ADJECTIVAL IDIOMS

(Be) at sixes and sevens confused, in a confused, badly organized, or difficult situation; in a confused state; not well organized; Ex: We've been at sixes and sevens in the office this week; I haven't had time to clear up, so I'm all at sixes and sevens; Syn confused, hecho un lio.

(Be) at the end of (one's) rope having no strength or patience left. You can no longer be able to cope. Ex By six o'clock after a busy day I'm at the end of my rope; I need a break from the kids; I've reached the end of my rope! Syn frustrated, exasperated, at the end of one's patience, no aguantar mas, no soportarlo mas; llegar al limite de la paciencia.

Big used to add emphasis; Ex: You're a big bully!; He fell for her in a big way (was greatly attracted to her); When I win, I win big; a big deal/decision/suprise/mistake; big money (a lot of money); the big picure (the situation as a whole): It's important not to lose sight of the big picture. 2. If a product or activity is big, it is extremely popular (C1); Ex: Hip-hop is still big today; 3. be big somewhere/in sth inf. to be important or famous in a particular place or type of work; They're big in Japan, but no one's heard of them here.

You have to think anyway, so why not think big? Donald Trump 

Blue 1.feeling or showing sadnessk, sad; Ex: He'd been feeling blue all week; He's been a bit blue since she left him; The bad news put me in a blue mood; 2. ​films, jokes or stories that are blue are about sex; obscene, Ex: a blue joke, 3. an argument with sb; Ex: He had a blue with his wife in the middle of the street; See the blues: She's got the blues since her boyfriend left. (sad, depressed); Syn depressed, sad, argument, obscene (verde).

(Be) cut out for (sth) / to be (sth) (inf.) to be the right type of person for a particular job or activity; ​(inf.) to have the qualities and abilities needed for something: Ex: He’s just not cut out for politics; He's not cut out for teaching; He's not cut out to be a teacher. Syn suited to, (naturally) fitted for, estar hecho para, tener vocación o talento para algo. 

(Be) done for: ​(inf.) 1. to be in a very bad situation; to be certain to fail. Ex: Unless we start making some sales, we're done for; When he pointed the gun at me, I thought I was done for 2. about to die or suffer greatly because of a serious difficulty or danger; We thought we were done for when we smelled smoke and the lights went out. 3. very tired: I'm really done for, I'm going to bed. Syn doomed, jodido, frito, muerto.

(Be) go (functioning correctly and ready for action; "all systems are go".

(Be) In high/low spirits (of people): 1. showing energy, enthusiasm; in a lively and cheerful mood; very lively and active; Sb who is in high spirits is extremely happy and enjoying the situation; 2. In a sad or tired mood; Ex: She was in high spirits after scoring the winning basket; The children are in high spirits today because it's the end of the school term; See high-spitited (C2); John was in low spirits due to his recent break up; Syn boisterous, lively; de buen ánimo, (des)animado, bajp de ánimo entusiasmado, pletórico, entusiasmado, lleno de energia.

(Be) In the right Morally or legally orrect or accurate; in a legally or morally correct position in a particular situation; Ex: The problem with Kate is that she always thinks she’s in the right. She will never accept that sometimes she gets things wrong; Oh, she's just mad because she knows I'm in the right; I know I'm in the right. You are not in the right on this point; Opposite In the wrong; Syn right, justified, en lo cierto.

(Be) In the wrong responsible for an accident, a mistake, an argument, etc; responsible for sth bad; Having done, said, or assumed something incorrect or inappropriate; wrong; morally or legally incorrect; Mistaken, to blame. Ex: The teacher was clearly in the wrong but refused to admit it, or Since he had driven straight through a red light, Jack was the one in the wrong; The other driver was totally in the wrong—he hit me, after all!; I was in the wrong to assume that you two had reconciled. I should have checked before inviting you both to the dinner party; We had a green light, so she was clearly in the wrong when she hit us; It took a lot of courage to admit that she was in the wrong; Although he knew he was in the wrong, he wouldn't apologize; See off the mark; Syn 1.(mistaken), 2.(to blame), equivocado, culpable.

(Be) off the mark If sth sb says  or writes is off the mark, it is not correct; ​not to be accurate in a guess, statement, etc; Inaccurate or wrong; Ex: His criticisms are way off the mark. They were probably not far off the mark in their analysis; No, you're way off the mark; I never once said that! Your reporter's account is completely/totally off the mark; Her answer was a little off the mark; You were off the mark when you said we would be a little late to the party. It was yesterday, in fact! See in the wrong; Syn wrong, incorrect, not quite exactly right, inaccurate, incorrecto, equivocado.

(Be) on cloud nine to be extremely happy and excited. Ex: "Was Helen pleased about getting that job?" "Pleased? She was on cloud nine!". Syn blissfully, en el septimo cielo, en una nube, en el cielo. 

(Be) on / in the cards ​(inf.) likely to happen "So you think they'll get married next year?" "I think it's on the cards."; Marriage isn't in the cards for me right now, I'm focused on my career; The merger has been on the cards for some time now. Syn in the offing, problable, likely, possible, on the horizon, expected, in view, in store, estar escrito.

(Be/Feel) on top of the world extremely happy; ​very happy or proud; Ex: She was feeling on top of the world; The day his daughter was born, the new father felt on top of the world; Syn very happy; estar tocando el cielo con las manos.

Bottom-line of profit, loss. Ex: We will go bankrupt if we have another year with these bottom-line results. Syn business: of profit, loss; final (de perdidas / ganancias).

High (on alcohol/drugs/sth) (not before noun); not thinking or behaving normally because of taking drugs; behaving in an excited way because of the effects of alcohol or drugs  Ex: He was high on heroin at the time; He was high on drugs; He was high on marijuana at the time and didn't notice anything; Syn on drugs, colocado, drogado. 

In the red (inf.) to owe money to your bank because you have spent more than you have in your account; spending more money than you earn. Ex: My account is $100 in the red; The company has been in the red for the last three quarters. Syn owing money, en numeros rojos.

No-go (nō′gō′) (1. not functioning properly; not ready to proceed; 2. denying permission to proceed: a go or no-go decision;); See no-go (adj. canceled, not ready, not functioning; estropeado, averiado, cancelado); Contrast go (functioning correctly and ready for action; "all systems are go"; ex: The space launch was no-go; 

Over the top (OTT) too extreme and not suitable, or demanding too much attention or effort, especially in an uncontrolled way; OTT ​done with too much acting, emotion or effort (the abbreviation of (also over the top). Ex: I thought the decorations were way over the top; The speech was a bit OTT; Her make-up was a bit OTT; Their response was well over the top. He realized he'd gone over the top with the seating arrangements. See over-the-top (adj). Syn  excessive; (person): extremely exuberant, desmesurado, eufórico. 

If you don't go over the top, how are you ever going to / you can't see what's on the other side?. Jim Steinman

I really like guys who have confidence, but not the cocky over-the-top confidence.

Note cocky adj. (C2) used to describe a young person who is confident in a way that is unpleasant and sometimes rude; ​too confident about yourself in a way that annoys other people, Ex: John's a bit cocky for my liking; For a young man on his first day at work he’s remarkably cocky; Kevin is cocky, but he makes a lot of mistakes. Syn too confident, engreido, arrogante, petulante.

Thorny ​(usually before noun) causing difficulty or disagreement: There are still some thorny questions to be answered. See a thorn in the flesh / so's side

My fear of roses is a thorny issue. I'm not sure what it stems from, but it seems likely I'll be stuck with it. 

To go (​that remains; still left); ex: I only have one exam to go.

To the point expressed in a simple, clear way without any extra information or feelings; expressing sth very important or suitable for the subject being discussed:; Ex: Her comments on my work were very apt and to the point; The letter was short and to the point; Professor Adams is not always to the point when he speaks; Syn pertinent, relevant, related, applicable, fitting, appropriate, on tópic, en el tema, relevante.

With it. 1. to be aware of popular ideas and fashions; ​understanding what is happening around you; She reads all the style magazines and thinks she’s really with it. 2. to be able to think or understand quickly. Ex: You're not really with it today, are you? Syn 1. alert, (slang) in on the latest fads or ideas; al dia, al tanto, 2. despierto.

Adjectival idioms from phrasal verbs

off-putting (v. put off; n. put-off) inf. slightly unpleasant or worrying so that you do not want to get involved in any way; ​not pleasant, in a way that prevents you from liking sb/sth. Ex: What I found off-putting was the amount of work that you were expected to do; He's slightly aggressive, which a lot of people find off-putting when they first meet him; I find his manner very off-putting; The noise was extremely off-putting; My first camping trip was an off-putting experience. Syn  unappealing, that deters, que repele, poco atractivo, que hecha para atras.

shut-in (shut somebody/yourself in something). Ex: The charity delivers meals and groceries to shut-in people such as senior citizens who are sick. Syn: confined to a place, encerrado, confinado.

Unputdownable inf. (book): demands attention; Ex: This is such an absorbing book, I don't want to put it down; The gripping performance made the actor famous overnight; See gripping (C1); Syn engrossing, absorbing, gripping, absorbente, fascinante, apasionante, interesante; que no se puede dejar, soltar.

Idiomatic pairs of adjectives 

Black-and-white / Black and white A black-and-white issue or situation is one which involves issues which seem simple and therefore easy to make decisions about. Ex: But this isn't a simple black and white affair, Marianne; She saw things in black and white. Syn clear, defined, meridianamente clara.

High and dry abandoned; ​in a difficult situation, without help or money; Ex: When he left her, she found herself high and dry with no income and nowhere to live. Syn abandoned, tirado.

Home and dry / Home free (US) (North American English be home free); inf having finished the difficult or dangerous part of an activity and sure of finishing it successfully; ​to have done sth successfully, esp when it was difficult; Assured of success because the most difficult part is over. See home free Ex: I could see the finish line and thought I was home and dry; Once you get past the essay questions on the test, you’re home free; Syn sure of safety, success; fuera de peligro, sano y salvo.

Touch and go extremely uncertain, risky (chancy) or critical as to the outcome of sth, doubtful. Used with reference to important or life-threatening situations. With an element of risk that sth bad could happen (often followed by ‘whether’); having an uncertain, and possibly bad result. Ex: At one point, the operation was touch-and-go. Hyphenated if used before a noun: It was a touch-and-go match from beginning to end, but fortunately we were able to pull ahead in the last few minutes. This idiom implies that a mere touch may cause a calamity. Ex: It’s touch and go whether the player will be fit enough for Saturday’s match; It was touch and go after the surgery; we were not sure he'd survive it; They know perfectly well that it was touch-and-go whether the unemployed were to receive anything at all. It was touch and go but they finally gave me a seat on the plane.

3. ADVERBIAL IDIOMS

Against (all) the odds/against all odds used to say that sb has achieved sth or succeeded despite this being very unlikely; If you do or achieve sth against (all) the odds/against all odds, you do or achieve it although there were a lot of problems and you were not likely to succeed; Ex: Julie fell out of the moving train. She survived against all odds; Against all odds, she won the case; Against all the odds, he recovered; Julie fell out of the moving train. She survived against all odds; Syn highly improbably; contra todo pronóstico, contra toda lógica.

At loggerheads (also adj) (with sb) (over sth) to quarrel with sb about sth, In a quarrel, in a fight; ​in strong disagreement; to strongly disagree (with sb): Ex: Because of their barking dog, we lived at loggerheads with our neighbours; The party is at loggerheads with the president over public spending; The two governments are still at loggerheads over the island. Compare at odds, en desacuerdo. Syn In opposition, enfrentados, en desacuerdo.

At odds (over sth) (adv) / At odds with (adj) in disagreement; to be different from sth, when the two things should be the same. Ex: They're at odds over the funding of the project; These findings are at odds with what is going on in the rest of the country; Her version of events was at odds with (very different from) the police report; The couple were at odds over which car to buy. See  at loggerheads; Compare against all odds (highly improbably); Syn quarrelling; in disagreement, disagreeing (person), in conflict with; not corresponding, en desacuerdo, enfrentados, no concordar / corresponderse con. 

At (the) best ​used for saying what is the best opinion you can have of sb/sth, or the best thing that can happen, when the situation is bad, even if the best possible result happens: We can't arrive before Friday at best; Their response to the proposal was, at best, cool. We can't arrive before Friday at best. See one's best; verb: often passive (do better than, beat), superar. Ex: After practicing every day, Marc bested his sister at their last tennis match. Contrast At worst.  at the most, en el mejor de los casos, como mucho, a lo mas.

I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure (C1). I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle (B2). But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best. Marilyn Monroe 

A problem is a chance for you to do your best. Duke Ellington. 

At worst used to say what the most unpleasant or difficult situation could possibly be; Ex: At worst, she can only tell you off (C1) for being late. Syn imagining worst scenario; en el peor de los casos.

By all means 1. used to give permission: Ex: ‘Do you mind if I have a look?’ 'By all means‘  2. You bet, be my guest, help yoursel, certainly, without fail. Contrast by no means. Syn indeed, yes (v.), absolutely, surely, of couse, for sure, certainly, definitely, without question, without a doubt, doubtlessly, doubtless, unquestionably, beyond the shadow of a doubt, undoubtedly, absolutely, undeniably, assuredly, indeed, hands down, clearly, incontrovertibly, incontestably, indisputably, claro (que), por supuesto (que), por todos los medios, de todas las formas y maneras, desde ya.

Note Yes (v.) say yes Ex: I was only half-listening to my mother on the phone; I just tried to yes and no in all the right places; Syn say yes, asentir, decir que si. Compare yes and no: Partially so, but also partially not. Said of a situation more complex than a simple yes-or-no response.​used when you cannot give a clear answer to a question; used when you cannot give a particular answer to a question; Ex: "Is the job going okay?" "Well, yes and no."; ‘Are you enjoying it?’ ‘Yes and no.

If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint', then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced. Vincent Van Gogh

As a writer, you have to first of all write what you want to. Listen to advice, by all means, but don't get bogged down in it. J. Abercrombie 

By all means let's be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains drop out. Richard Dawkins

By no means / by no manner of means / not by any (manner of) means not at all. Ex: She is by no means an inexperienced teacher; It is by no means certain that we'll finish the project by June; This isn't the last we'll hear of it by any means; We haven't won yet, not by any means; Contrast by all means Syn on no account, not at all, in no way, nothing doing, no way, not on your life, out of the question, de ninguna manera, de ningun modo

Day in (and) day out (esp. of sth boring) done or happening every day for a long period of time: I have to do the same boring jobs day in day out. Syn: constan-tly (B2), continually (C1), incessantly, forever (B2), all the time, again and again: He's forever complaining; We'd better walk a bit quicker, it's going to take forever if we go at this pace. See day and night / night and day: continually, for days without stopping. Syn: around the clock (C2): lasting or happening all day and night; twenty-four seven (C2): all the time: He's on duty twenty-four seven.

Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in (and) day out. Robert Collier

First and foremost (C1) above all else; more than anything else; Ex: In spite of being elected to office, she remains first and foremost a writer; He does a little teaching, but first and foremost he's a writer; First and foremost, let's review the minutes from last week's meeting. Syn  Primarily, antes que nada, ante todo, principlamente.                                          

Note: foremost (C2): adv/adj: most important or best; leading; ​the most important or famous; in a position at the front; Ex: Our foremost concern is the children's safety. This is one of the country's foremost arts centres; She's one of the foremost experts on child psychology; This question has been foremost in our minds recently; As a charity, we aim foremost to improve animal welfare. Syn 1. adj. leading, most important, lider, mayor, principal, mas importante; 2. adv. primarily, ante todo, principalmente.

From the outset (of sth) from/at the beginning of sth; Ex: I made it clear right from the outset that I disapproved; You should have made that clear right at the outset. Syn from the beginning, desde el principio.

Strive from the outset to express yourself with such clarity that a bright twelve-year-old would understand you. Any fool can make it complicated: it takes focus to make it simple; Keith Evans (Common Sense Rules of Advocacy for Lawyers)

In lieu (instead) If you work on a Bank Holiday, you can choose to be paid double time or take two days off in lieu; See in lieu of (prep.) Syn instead, en su lugar, mejor.

In part partly, or to some degree/extent. Ex: Her success was due in part to luck; Your salary depends in part on your qualifications; The deadline for applications is being extended, in part because of the postal strike; I agree with you in part but not completely. Your answer is correct in part, but it needs further elaboration; See in (a) large part: to an important degree; Ex: How quickly we can finish the project depends in (a) large part on when we get the payments through; for the  most part (C1): mostly or usually. Ex: He was, for the most part, quite helpful. Syn partially, en parte, parcialmente.

We are, at least in part, who we remember ourselves to be. Take away our memories, and you take away our selves. Beth Revis (The Body Electric)

In question 1.the person or thing that is being discussed. Ex: On the day in question we were in Cardiff; I stayed at home on the night in question. 2. ​in doubt; uncertain. Ex: The future of public transport is not in question; His sincerity is not in question. Syn been considered or discussed, been disputed, en cuestion, en tela de juicio.

In vain unsuccessful; of no value; ​without success, unsuccessfully; Ex: I tried in vain to start a conversation; All the police's efforts to find him were in vain; They tried in vain to persuade her to go; She waited in vain for her son to return; All our efforts were in vain. Compare go for nothing. Syn pointlessly, futile, for nothing, en vano.

Against / With stupidity the very gods themselves contend (C1) / struggle in vain; F. Schiller 

No great man lives in vain. The history of the world is but the biography of great men. Thomas Carlyle

I've made my share of mistakes along the way, but if I have changed even one life for the better, I haven't lived in vain. Muhammad Ali

If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain. Emily Dickinson

Not by a long shot not nearly; not at all, Ex: It's not over yet, not by a long shot. Compare a long shot (n). Syn not at all, ni de cerca, ni de lejos.

Off the top of your head ​inf. just guessing or using your memory, without taking time to think carefully or check the facts; From memory or without much or careful consideration; If you say sth off the top of your head, you say it without thinking about it much or without trying to check it or find out more facts about it. Ex: I can't remember off the top of my head the date of the wedding. I'm thinking off the top of my head here. OK, off the top of your head, do you know the capital of South Korea?; he said it off the top of his head (sin pensar); Speaking off the top of my head, I would say ... (hablando así sin pensarlo, yo diría que ... ); Syn spontaneously, improvising, a boterpronto, lo primero que se me ocurre, sin pararse mucho a pensar.

On edge adv/adj to be nervous, excited or easily made angry, into a tense, anxious state. Ex: (adv)  That strange sound set me on edge; (adj) Is something wrong? You seem a bit on edge this morning; (adj) She was on edge, waiting for her exam results; Syn tense, anxious, nervous and not relaxed, con el alma en vilo, de los nervios.

On no account / not on any account (used to emphasize sth) not for any reason; If sth must on no account/not on any account be done, it must not be done at any time or for any reason; Ex: On no account should the house be left unlocked; Employees must on no account make personal phone calls from the office; These records must not on any account be changed; On no account should you let a stranger into your house without ID; On no account interrupt me while I'm in this conference call; Syn by no means, not for any reason, de ninguna manera, de ningun modo.

On the face of it used to say that sth seems to be good, true, etc. but that this opinion may need to be changed when you know more about it; used when you are describing how a situation seems on the surface; As it seems; superficially; based on what is known; Ex: On the face of it, it seems like a bargain, but I bet there are hidden costs; On the face of it, it seems like a great deal; Things seem to be improving on the face of it, but there is still a huge problem with crime in the inner city; On the face of it, he's a great candidate, but have you checked out his references yet?; Syn Superficially; at first glance; on the surface; from the way it looks; a primera vista, a juzgar por las apariencias.

What may, on the face of it, seem obvious often turns out to be far more complicated.

On the rocks ​slang (in trouble, failing), a relationship or business that is on the rocks is having difficulties and is likely to fail soon: Ex: Sue's marriage is on the rocks; Their marriage is on the rocks since his infidelity. Syn in trouble, failing; a punto de desmoronarse. 

Through thick and thin fig. inf. If you support or stay with sb through thick and thin, you always support or stay with them, even when / if there are problems or difficulties; (through all manner of difficulties); Ex: He's supported the team for over ten years through thick and thin; In marriage, you have to stick together through thick and thin; She has stuck with me through thick and thin. Syn through all manner of difficulty; contra viento y marea, en lo bueno y en lo malo; en la dicha y en la adversidad.

4. PREPOSITIONAL IDIOMS (prepositional phrases)

Prepositional idioms combine prepositions with verbs, nouns, or phrases to create idiomatic expressions. These expressions can be divided into two categories: idioms that start with prepositions (prepositional phrases) and idioms that end with prepositions (phrasal verbs).

Idioms that start with prepositions form prepositional phrases, meaning they must be followed by a noun or noun phrase. Idiomatic prepositional phrases are able to function either adverbially or adjectivally. For example: “John visits his grandparents from time to time.” (adverbial prepositional phrase); “The city is in danger.” (adjectival prepositional phrase)

Adding modifiers 

Various adverbs and adjectives may be used as modifiers and placed inside idiomatic prepositional phrases for emphasis or clarification. For example: “Small electronics are in demand.”; “Small electronics are in high demand.”

Here are some of the most common prepositions found at the beginning of prepositional idioms: in, on, out of, at, for, by, from ...

In keeping with (adj, v) going well together, conforming to sth; conform to sth. Ex: In keeping with tradition, the family members wore black clothing; Levels of attainment (Oxford C1) at this school are in keeping with national expectations. Syn similar, agreeing, de acuerdo con, conforme a.

In lieu (of sth) instead of; Ex: They took cash in lieu of the prize they had won; We work on Saturdays and have a day off in lieu during the week; The company is allowing workers to receive cash in lieu of vacation time. Syn in place of, en lugar de.

On the brink / verge of (sth / doing something) about to; ​very near to the moment when somebody does something or something happens; Ex: He was on the verge of tears; They are on the verge of signing a new contract; Syn about to (do); apunto de, al borde de.

On/to the verge of sth/of doing sth If you are on the verge of sth or come to the verge of sth, you are very close to experiencing it; ​very near to the moment when sb does sth or sth happens; Ex: on the verge of collapse/success/tears/death/disaster/war; Her husband's violent and abusive behaviour drove her to the verge of despair; He was on the verge of tears; They are on the verge of signing a new contract; These measures brought the republic to the verge of economic collapse; Syn about to (do); a punto de, al borde de

5. PHRASEOLOGICAL IDIOMS (Turns of phrase / tournures)

Often they are an entire clause in length. What they have in common is that they do not readily (easily) correlate with a given grammatical part of speech and require a paraphrase longer than a word.

Their form is set and only a limited number of them can be said or wiritten in any other way without destroying the meaning of the idiom. Many of them are completely rigid and cannot show up in any other form whatever.

Add insult to injury (to) add insult to injury said when you feel that sb has made a bad situation worse by doing sth else to upset you; ​to make a bad relationship with sb worse by offending them even more; to make a bad situation even worse especially by treating sb very badly; Ex: I was late and, to add insult to injury, forgot my keys; They told me I was too old for the job, and then to add insult to injury, they refused to pay my expenses!; To add insult to injury, after cancelling our flight, they asked us to pay extra!; Then, to add insult to injury, they told me I couldn't get on the flight; It adds insult to injury that banks are allowed to increase their charges without our knowledge or consent; Only 300 people came to the match and to add insult to injury, the floodlights went out during the second half; They got lost in the woods. Then, to add insult to injury, they were out of food. See add fuel to the fire/the flames  Syn on top of that (y encima); To make a bad situation/sth worse; worsen; para colmo de males, y lo que es peor, y para poner sal en la herida, y por si fuera poco.

A sorry apology can add insult to injury. Frank Sonnenberg (Soul Food: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life)

To add insult to injury there’s a television at the end of the ward. It’s unavoidable, and even more unbearable than usual as it’s constantly tuned to ITV, so there are adverts. I wonder if hell is like this? I’d definitely prefer lakes of sulphur and at least being able to swim about in them. Jo Walton (Among Others)  

We women are the most pathetic. First of all, we have to buy a husband. Spend vast amounts of money, just to get a master for our body, to add insult to injury. Euripides (Medea).

Add fuel to the fire/the flames (NC) To do or say sth to make an argument, problem, or bad situation worse; to further incense an already angry person or group of people. Ex: The discovery that the government was aware of the cover-up has really added fuel to the fire. Syn (worsen, make worse, agravar, empeorar).

Advertising can add fuel to a fire, but rarely is it sufficient to start one. Ryan Holiday (Perennial Seller: The Art of Making and Marketing Work that Lasts).

Note 1.adverbs frequently used with 'worsen': (a lot): considerably, dramatically, significantly; (steadily): gradually, progressively, steadily; (quickly): rapidly. Ex: The problem of homelessness has worsened considerably; Susan was trying to help, but she only succeeded in worsening the situation; 2. Nouns frequently used as the subject of 'worsen': situation, problem, conditions, crisis, position, symptoms, weather. Ex: If the situation worsens, the matter will be considered further. (to a greater extent, mas a fondo, más)

Note further v. (C2) to develop or make progress in sth; Ex: Additional training is probably the best way to further your career these days; She's dedicated to furthering the cause of the homeless. Syn promote, advance, impulsar, promover.

Be (like) banging/hitting, etc. your head against a (brick) wall ​to keep trying to do sth that will never be successful; Ex: Trying to reason with them was like banging my head against a brick wall. Syn annoying, irritating, infuriating, maddening, exasperating, unbearable, vexing.
golpearte la cabeza contra una pared de ladrillos, darse cabezazos contra la pared.

If you've been banging your head against a brick wall, wipe the blood off, take a couple of pain killers and try it from another angle. Failing that, use the door. Andy Love

Sometimes you need to quit beating your head up against a brick wall because all you get out of it is a bloody head. Catherine Sharp.

Stupidity is not the act of banging your head against a brick wall; stupidity is blaming the wall. A.J. Goode

Be/come up against a brick wall to be unable to make any progress because there is a difficulty that stops you; tener por delante una harrera infranqueable. Compare to climb / crawl up the walls (from boredom, frustration): subirse por las paredes; it drives me up the wall: me saca de quicio; to go up the wall (get angry) ponerse furioso; go to the wall (firm): quebrar; talking to him is like talking to a brick wall: hablar con él es como hablar a la pared.

(Be) asking for it (Inf.) be asking for trouble; to behave in a way that is very likely to result in trouble; Ex: He was asking for it / trouble when he insulted their country. 2. ask for it ​(informal) to deserve sth bad that happens to you or that sb does to you: 'You shouldn’t have said that to her.’ ‘Well, she asked for it!’; Syn ask for trouble; provoke; make angry, buscarsela.

(Be) barking up the wrong tree inf. to have the wrong idea about how to get or achieve sth; trying to do something in a way that will not work; Ex: You're barking up the wrong tree if you're expecting us to lend you any money; His attorney suggested that the investigators might be barking up the wrong tree; Syn Be mistaken, in trouble, in difficulty, estar equicocado, salirse de la cuestion, decir algo que no viene al caso, mear fuera del tiesto

(Be) between the devil and the deep blue sea in a difficult situation where there are two equally unpleasant or unacceptable choices/courses of action; to have two choices that are both equally unpleasant or not convenient; Syn facing a dilemma; in difficulty/difficulties (having a lot of problems); estar entre la espada y la pared.

I don't want you but I hate to lose you; You got me in between the devil and the deep blue sea. Geore Harrison (Between the devil and the deep blue sea) 

Be down/up to sb (to do sth)  inf. to be sb's responsibility or decision; to be the responsibility of sb; Ex: It's down to you to check the door; It's down to me to find a suitable person for the job; Whether he goes free or not is down to the judge's decision; Syn determined by sth, sb, depender de, ser responsabilidad/cosa de.

Be down to sb/sth to be caused by a particular person or thing; Ex: The accident was entirely down to driver error; The drop in profit was down to the bad weather over Christmas; Syn be caused by; deberse a. estar causado por.

(Be) on the ball to be quick to understand and react to things; ​to be aware of and understand what is happening and be able to react quickly. Ex: I didn't sleep well last night and I'm not really on the ball today; The new publicity manager is really on the ball. Syn alert, presto, alerta.

(Have/keep your/an eye) on the ball be attentive, alert; mantenerse alerta.

(Be) on the line Inf. adj. (be) at risk. Ex: If we don't make a profit, my job is on the line. Syn be at risk, estar en riesgo, estar en la cuerda floja.

(Be) riding high (fig). doing very well, To be successful or very confident. Ex: The company is riding high this year; The soccer team was riding high after winning four straight games. Syn be successful, tener exito, llegar lejos.

Be tickled pink ​to be very pleased; Ex: She was tickled pink to be given flowers; I was tickled pink to be invited. See tickled to death Syn happy, satisfied, pleased, amused, delighted, feliz, contento, feliz, complacido.

Be tickled to death To be very pleased with someone or something, perhaps to the point of giddiness; Ex: My family loves my boyfriend as much as I do, so they were just tickled to death to hear that we're getting married; Your mother is really tickled to death that you've decided to go to her alma mater.

I am so far from being a pessimist... on the contrary, in spite of my scars, I am tickled to death at life. Eugene O'Neill

Note tickle 1. (often passive): please, gratify; Ex: The old lady was tickled to be able to meet up with her childhood friend; Her husband's insistence on planting his onions in perfectly straight lines tickled Lydia (amuse, entertain). Syn please, gratify, encantar a, deleita ar, agradar a; 2. cause sensation, Ex: Stop it! That tickles! (para!, que mehaces cosquillas).

(Be) up to scratch inf. fig. reaching an acceptable standard; ​as good as sth/sb should be. Ex: His work simply isn't up to scratch; Your last essay wasn't up to scratch/didn't come up to scratch. Syn meets expected standard, dar la talla.

(Be) with sb (on sth) to support somebody and agree with what they say; We're all with you on this one. Topics Discussion and agreement. 

Belabour / labor the point ​formal, to repeat an idea, argument, etc. many times to emphasize it, especially when it has already been mentioned or understood; to try too hard to express an idea, feeling, or opinion, repeating it when this is not necessary: I don’t want to belabour the point, but it’s vital you understand how important this is; Look, there's no need to labour the point, I made a mistake, I admit it! Syn insist, repeat, insistir, enfatizar un asunto.

Bite off more than you can chew to try to do sth that is too difficult for you; ​to try to do too much, or sth that is too difficult; The expression "biting off more than you can chew" means to take on too much. You agree to do more than you actually can. I think it is safe to say that we have all been there. For example, you really want to do something or you want to prove something to yourself or others; accept an overly ambitious task; Ex: We bit off more than we could chew in our original reform proposals; Syn take on too much; do too much; go too far; overdo (it/things); go to extremes;  wear/tire yourself out; el que mucho abarca, poco aprieta.

Bite / hold your tongue to stop yourself from saying sth that you would really like to say; ​to stop yourself from saying sth that might upset sth or cause an argument, although you want to speak; Ex: I wanted to tell him exactly what I thought of him, but I had to bite my tongue; I didn't believe her explanation but I bit my tongue; You must hold your tongue and not tell your mother-in-law what you really think of her cooking. Syn keep silent, morderse la lengua, callarse.

Bite the bullet (inf.) to force yourself to do something unpleasant or difficult, or to be brave in a difficult situation; ​(inf.) to start to deal with an unpleasant or difficult situation which cannot be avoided. Ex: I hate going to the dentist, but I'll just have to bite the bullet; I wasn’t happy with the way my career was going so I decided to bite the bullet and look for another job.

Bite the dust. fig. to die, to end in failure; to fail, or to be defeated or destroyed; (machine): stop working. Ex: His career bit the dust when he lost his job; Thousands of small businesses bite the dust every year. Syn die, estirar la pata.

Blow hot and cold (about sth) Inf. to change your opinion about sth often; to sometimes like or be interested in sth or sb and sometimes not, so people are confused about how you really feel; Ex: He's been blowing hot and cold about the trip to Brazil. Syn fig. waver (hesitate, feel doubt), vacillate, ser un veleta, jugar con dos barajas.

Boggle (at sth) to be slow to do or accept something because you are surprised or shocked by it; to (cause something or someone to) have difficulty imagining or understanding something; Ex: My mind boggles at the amount of money they spend on food; Even I boggle at the idea of spending so much money; Advanced mathematics makes my mind boggle; Syn  (mind) be bewildered, overwhelmed or amazed, quedarse atónito, pasmado, boquiabierto.

Boggle the mind / boggle someone's mind / The mind boggles (at sth) if sth boggles the mind or the mind boggles at it, it is so unusual that people find it hard to imagine or accept; Ex: The vastness of space really boggles the mind; ‘He says he's married to his cats!’ ‘The mind boggles!’; Syn be bewildering, amazing, asombrar, deslumbrar, sorprender.

Bring (sth) to light If sb brings sth to light, they discover it or make it known publicly; ​to make new information known to people; to reveal sth, often sth inappropriate or illegal. A noun or pronoun can be used between "bring" and "to." Ex: These problems should have been brought to light much earlier; These facts have only just been brought to light; We should bring his outrageous actions to light; Discrepancies in the yearly budget report brought to light corruption in the company; I never wanted to be a whistleblower, but I'm the only one who can bring these documents to light; Syn reveal (sth secret), show information, evidence, etc; sacar a la luz, hacer público, revelar.

Call a spade a spade ​to say exactly what you think without trying to hide your opinion; to say the truth about sth, even if it is not polite or pleasant Ex: I believe in calling a spade a spade;  Louise has never been afraid of calling a spade a spade. Syn fig. speak frankly, plainly; llamar a las cosas por su nombre, llamar al pan pan y al vino vino, decir sin rodeos, no tener pelos en ...

Call it a day to stop what you are doing because you do not want to do any more or think you have done enough; Ex: I'm getting a bit tired now, let's call it a day; After 14 years living and working in this country, she thinks it's time to call it a day. Syn stop doing sth; dar por acabado, dar por terminado, dar por finalizado.

Come down to sth (+ question word) ​(no passive) to depend on a single important point; If a situation or decision comes down to sth, that is the thing that influences it most; Ex: What it comes down to is either I get more money or I leave; What it all comes down to is your incredible insecurity; It all comes down to money in the end; [ + question word ] Eventually our choice of hotel will come down to how much we can afford; What this strike comes down to is a failure to communicate with your staff. See boil down to sth Syn (be essentially), reducirse a, ser esencialmente.

Come to terms with sth/sb 1. to gradually accept a sad situation, often the death of someone you love: 2. ​to reach an agreement with somebody; to find a way of living or working together. Ex: I think he's still coming to terms with the death of his wife; The enemy was eventually forced to come to terms. Syn fig. accept (algo dificil), asumir; reach agreement, llegar a un acuerdo.

Do the trick Inf. to turn out as planned or desired; succeed in solving a problem or achieving a particular result; If sth does the trick, it has the necessary or wanted effect; Ex: I don't know what it was that did the trick, but I am definitely feeling much better. (I don't know what did the trick); A solid giggle should do the trick; Compare do the business. Syn do the job, be sufficient for, ser suficiente, bastar, alcanzar, surtir efecto. 

Well, at the end of the day, simple living does the trick. 

Little by little does the trick.

Note: the trick is. I can't seem to get the trick of how to cut a tomato (knack, truco, tranquillo);  1. All this for only fifty pounds?! What's the trick? (catch, timo, truco); 2. adj. Is this a trick question? (capciosa). Syn knack (to): special technique, skill, truco (para): There's a knack to opening tins; let me show you.

Life's so unpredictable. You never know when the next high or low will strike you. The trick is  just to flow with the tide. Zeenat Aman

The trick is growing up without growing old. Casey Stenge

As usual, healthy living does the trick. 

Dodge a/the bullet / dodge bullets ​(esp. US English, inf.) fig. inf. to only just avoid getting hurt in a dangerous situation; To narrowly avoid sth or some situation that turns out to be dangerous, undesirable, disastrous, or otherwise harmful. Ex: South Texas dodged a bullet with no direct hit from Hurricane Emily; They dodged bullets and sniper fire to carry out their mission; A: "I heard that John has become a drug addict and is living out out of his car. Didn't you two used to date?" B: "Yeah, but we broke up about five years ago. Looks like I dodged a bullet on that one. Syn avoid sth unpleasant, librarse de una buena.

Note: dodge inf., fig. (question: avoid). Ex: The politician keeps dodging the question; no matter how many times the interviewer asks, she won't give a straight answer. Syn avoid, eludir, soslayar.

Why do people dodge questions, and is that an indication of lying?

Draw the line (at sth/at doing sth); fig. inf. ​to refuse to do sth; to set a limit; to never do sth because you think it is wrong; Ex: I don't mind helping, but I draw the line at doing everything myself; We would have liked to invite all our relatives, but you have to draw the line somewhere; I went out for a few beers, but I drew the line at doing shots; I swear a lot, but even I draw the line at saying certain words. Syn set a limit or restriction, poner limites.

Fight a losing battle to try hard to do sth when there is no chance that you will succeed; ​(to try to do) sth that you will probably never succeed in doing; Ex: The union is fighting a losing battle; management is going to outsource their jobs; I’m fighting a losing battle against the mess in this house!; She wanted him to take some responsibility for his actions, but she knew it was a losing battle; Syn have little chance of success; 

Fly off the handle ​inf. to suddenly become very angry  to react in a very angry way to something that someone says or does; Ex: He seems to fly off the handle about the slightest thing these days; My dad flew off the handle when I told him I'd crashed the car; Syn lose your temper, lose control, get angry, perder los estribos, perder el control, ponerse como un loco.

Get/have cold feet fig. inf. ​to suddenly become nervous about doing sth that you had planned to do; abandon sth due to anxiety; to suddenly become too frightened to do sth you had planned to do, especially sth important such as getting married. Ex: I was going to try bungee jumping, but I got cold feet; He was going to ask her but he got cold feet and said nothing; He was starting to get cold feet about the wedding. Syn back out (of sth) due to anxiety, echarse atras. 

Note cold feet n. loss of courage; Ex: Everyone gets nervous before their wedding; it's just cold feet; Syn think twice, vacillate, hesitate, change one's mind, drag one's feet (be deliberately slow or reluctant to act), miedo, temor.

Get/go/head nowhere to not have any success or achieve anything; Ex: I'm trying to persuade her to come, but I'm getting nowhere; Bad manners will get you nowhere (will not help you to succeed); We've been working on this for hours but we're getting nowhere; Contrast get somewhere (make progress); Syn make no progress, no llevar a ningún sitio.

Get sb nowhere/not get sb anywhere ​to not help sb make progress or succeed; Ex: This line of investigation is getting us nowhere; Being rude to me won't get you anywhere; Where does that get you? (¿a donde te lleva eso?); Compare get somewhere (make progress); Syn help sb to make progress, llevar a ningún sitio.

Get/start/set/keep the ball rolling to do sth that starts an activity, or to start doing sth in order to encourage other people to do the same; ​to make sth start happening; to make sure that sth continues to happen: I decided to set the ball rolling and got up to dance.

Get out of (sth)​ fig. inf. free yourself from an obligation; to avoid a responsibility or duty; Ex: We promised we'd go; we can't get out of it now; get out of doing something I wish I could get out of going to that meeting.

Get the hang of sth inf. 1. to learn how to do sth, especially if it is not obvious or simple, 2. understand. Ex: "I've never used this program before", "Don't worry, you'll soon get the hang of it."; Driving is easy when you get the hang of it; At first the movie made no sense to me, but after a while I got the hang of it. Syn 1. learn to do, coger el tranquillo, 2. understand, pillar.

Note hang n. way sth hangs; Ex: I like the sheen of satin, but I prefer the hang of velvet. Syn caida, vuelo.

  

Get the picture to understand a situation, especially one that sb is describing to you. Ex: It's all right, don't say any more, I get the picture; You get the picture? His 'business trips' were actually visits to his mistress; ‘I pretended that I hadn't heard.’ ‘I get the picture.’ Syn understand, pillar la idea, hacerse la idea.

Get to first base US, inf. 1. succeed in the initial phase of sth; superar la primera fase, superar el primer reto; 2. US, inf. engage in kissing, besar. (Not) get to first base (with sth/sb) (inf. especially North American English) to fail to make a successful start in a project, relationship, etc.; to fail to get through the first stage. 

(Give a/the) thumbs up/down a sign of approval or support; Ex: Legislators gave the thumbs up to new tax credits; I started pulling on the rope as soon as I saw Lisa's thumbs up. See go-ahead (permission); Syn hand gesture: approval; visto bueno, aprobación.

Give sb a bell (UK) slang, to phone sb; ​to call sb by phone; Ex: Give me a bell sometime next week, won't you?; Give me a bell when you need picking up from the station; Syn phone sb, dar/pegar un toque, dar/pegar un telefonazo.

Give sb the creeps to cause sb to have uncomfortable feelings of nervousness or fear; ​(informal) to make somebody feel nervous and slightly frightened, especially because sb/sth is unpleasant or strange; Ex: Living next to a graveyard would give me the creeps; This old house gives me the creeps; See make sb's flesh creep/crawl (C2) Syn unnerve sb (disturb or frighten), poner nervioso, perturbar, dar repelús, dar cosa, dar yuyu, dar escalofríos, desconcertar.

Note creep (C2) n. 1. unnerving (troubling, creepy, inquietante, perturbador, desconcertante), repelent person, asqueroso; 2. obsequious, arrastrado, adulador; Ex: Only a creep would laugh at the boss's dumb jokes; 3. v. (C2) move slowly, crawl, deslizarse; trepar, arrastrarse.

Go against the grain ​to be or do sth different from what is normal or natural; If sth goes against the grain, you would not usually do it because it would be unusual; Ex: These days it goes against the grain to show too much respect for authority; It really goes against the grain to have to work on a Sunday; Your acting dishonestly certainly goes against the grain. Syn fig. be unconventional, be uncharacteristic, ir a contracorriente, a contrapelo, unnatural, contra natura.

Go/swim against the tide to not follow what everyone else is doing; to oppose the attitudes or opinions that most other people have. 

Go ballistic to become extremely angry; Ex: He went ballistic when I told him; If your dad finds out you've been skipping school, he'll go ballistic; Syn become furious; ponerse furioso, ponerse hecho una furia; perder los estribos.

Go down the drain If work or money is or goes down the drain, it is spoiled or wasted. Ex: A lot of the investors saw their entire life savings go down the drain; It was tough to see the family business go down the drain. Syn: 1. wasted, ruined, gone, lost, thrown away, desvanecerse, irse a la basura, 2. Be ruined, irse a la ruina.

Go downhill To gradually become worse; ​to get worse in quality, health, etc; Ex: After his wife died, his health started to go downhill; Their marriage went downhill after the first child was born; He’s been going slowly downhill since he came out of hospital. Syn deteriorate, ir cuesta abajo

A society that gets rid of all its troublemakers goes downhill. Robert A. Heinlein

I loved my childhood. They had the coolest toys back then. Star Wars, Transformers ... Toy companies have really gone downhill. Jon Heder

It's one of those things, like in sports and other situations in life, you're going to have some adversities and some challenges that are similar to the race. You go uphill one moment and then you go downhill, but that's life too. You've got to be willing to sometimes take it slow but keep going. Zdeno Chara

We set out with nothing but music as our dream, but we didn't know where we were going, whether we were going uphill or downhill, or as we took a break after becoming tired, whether around the corner there was a paradise or a pitfall. That's how we started. J-Hope

Go far (of people) to be very successful in the future: She is very talented and should go far. She's a very talented writer. I'm sure she'll go far. Also Go a long way.

Go hot and cold ​to experience a sudden feeling of fear or worry; suddenly become very nervous, afraid, or confused. Ex: When the phone rang I just went hot and cold all over. Syn 

shudder, shiver, tremble, shake in emotion, dar escalofrios, poner la carne de gallina.

Go to the wall inf. (of a company or an organization) to fail because of lack of money; to be destroyed or fail; Ex: After nine months of massive losses the company finally went to the wall; Many firms have gone to the wall in this recession; Syn business: fail, ir a la bancarrota, quebrar

Go through the motions (of doing sth) fig. to do something without thinking it is very important or having much interest in it; ​to do or say something because you have to, not because you really want to. To do something in a mechanical manner indicative of a lack of interest or involvement; to make a feeble effort to do something; to do something insincerely or in cursory fashion. Ex: He says he's been investigating my complaint, but I feel he's just going through the motions; Jane isn't doing her best. She's just going through the motions. Bill was supposed to be raking the yard, but he was just going through the motions. Syn hacer algo por inercia, pasar el tramite sin mucho interes.

Go with the flow To do what other people are doing or to agree with other people because it is the easiest thing to do; to cope with adversity; to accept one's lot. Ex: No, just relax and go with the flow. Go with it. Don't fight it. Ex: Just relax and go with the flow! Syn take a relaxed approach, dejarse llevar (según surjan las cosas)

The opposite for courage is not cowardice, it is conformity. Even a dead fish can go with the flow. Jim Hightower

Go/swim with the tide ​to agree with the attitudes or opinions that most other people have; 

to follow what everyone else is doing; See go/swim against the tide. Ex: I thought I'd just swim with the tide and leave when everyone else does.

Grin and bear it to accept sth bad (pain or bad luck) without complaining. Ex: There's nothing we can do about it. We'll just have to grin and bear it; I really don't want to go, but I guess I'll just have to grin and bear it.

One of the secrets, and pleasures, of cooking is to learn to correct something if it goes awry; and one of the lessons is to grin and bear it if it cannot be fixed. Julia Child (My Life in France)

During the Great Depression, the philosophy of grin-and-bear-it became a national coping (B2) / overcoming (B2) mechanism. M. Corrigan (Leave Me Alone, I'm Reading: Finding and Losing Myself in Books)

Hang (on) in there (informal) to remain determined to succeed even when a situation is difficult, persist, persevere, carry on. Compare: hang on; See get the hang of it.

Whatever you do to gain success, you have to hang in there and hope good things happen. Always think positive. Don Rickles

The longer you hang in there, the greater the chance that something will happen in your favor. No matter how hard it seems, the longer you persist, the more likely your success. J. Canfield

Have a long way to go ​to need to make a lot of progress before you can achieve sth; She still has a long way to go before she's fully fit (for sth) / competent in German. See way to go! (interj.): Well done!

Have (got) it made to be certain to be successful and have a good life, often without much effort; ​(informal) to be sure of success; to have everything that you want; To be in a comfortable situation or to be very likely to have success; be sure of success; have everything that you want; Ex: With his brains and energy, he’s got it made; A good job, a beautiful house, lovely children: she’s really got it made; With his father at the head of the firm, he's got it made; Get a good degree at Oxford or Cambridge and you've got it made! Syn be successful; tenerlo hecho, tener el triunfo asegurado.

I'm not in love. So don't forget it. It's just a silly phase I'm going through. And just because. I call you up. Don't get me wrong, don't think you've got it made. I’m Not in Love, 10 CC.

Have your back to/against the wall (inf), (fig.) to be in a difficult situation in which you are forced to do sth but are unable to make the choices that you would like; to have very serious problems that limit the ways in which you can act; Ex: We had our backs to the wall with no choice but to sell. Syn fig. be in a difficult situation, estar entre la espada y la pared.

Hit/miss the mark ​to succeed/fail in achieving or guessing sth; to fail to achieve the result that was intended; Ex: He blushed furiously and Robyn knew she had hit the mark; The film misses the mark because it just isn't believable; The essay misses the mark because it doesn't directly answer the question; Syn: fail to achieve intended aim, tener éxito, fracasar. 

Hit the roof / ceiling to become extremely angry or upset. Ex: Dad will hit the roof when he finds out I dented the car; My parents are going to hit the roof if they find out we had a party here!; When I told my boss what had happened, he hit the roof. Syn get angry, estallar en colera, subirse por las paredes, perder los estribos, ponerse como un loco (furioso).

kill the goose that lays the golden egg/eggs to destroy sth that would make you rich, successful, etc; to destroy sth that makes a lot of money for you; To ruin or destroy sth that brings one wealth; sth that is profitable to you; Ex: Firing the programmer who created your most successful app is like killing the goose that lays the golden egg.

Kill two birds with one stone ​to achieve two things at the same time with one action; to succeed in achieving two things in a single action; Ex: I killed two birds with one stone and picked the kids up on the way to the supermarket; Syn do two things at once; matar dos pájaros de un tiro.

Leave no stone unturned to try every possible course of action in order to find or achieve something; to do everything you can to achieve a good result, especially when looking for something. Ex: He left no stone unturned in his search for his natural mother. See take great pains to do sth Compare take (great) pains Syn search thoroughly; hacer todo lo posible, no escatimar esfuerzos, remover cielo y tierra.

Leave sb high and dry in a difficult situation, without help or money; abandoned. Ex: They pulled out of the deal at the last minute leaving us high and dry. Syn leave sb in a very difficult situation, dejar tirado.

Make it slang (succeed); ​1. to be successful in your career; Ex: He never really made it as an actor; In Hollywood, an Oscar nomination is a sign that you've made it; 2. ​to succeed in reaching a place in time, esp when this is difficult; Ex: The flight leaves in twenty minutes, we'll never make it; I thought I would miss the bus, but I made it!; 3. ​to be able to be present at a place; Ex: I'm sorry I won't be able to make it (for example, to a party) on Saturday; Syn 1. succeed, triunfar, llegar a lo más alto, lograrlo, 2. arrive on time, llegar a tiempo, 3. asistir.

Make it (big) US slang inf to become famous or successful; Ex: By the time he was nineteen, he had made it big in the music business; She went to Hollywood and made it big as a movie star; Syn be successful; triunfar.

Make light of sth to behave as if a situation, especially a problem, is not serious or important; ​to treat something as not being important and not serious: Ex: It is easy to make light of other people's problems; I didn’t mean to make light of your injuries; Mick made light of the situation, and did not take offence at Jeff's rude remark; Syn treat as unimportant; dar poca importancia, quitar hierro, menospreciar.

Make sb sick also be sick (of sth) ​to make sb angry or full of horror; inf (be weary or bored of [sth/sb]) Ex: His hypocrisy makes me sick; Her attitude makes me sick; After all this snow, I am really sick of winter!; I'm sick of looking for shoes for you; please pick something out; See sick (adj) Syn harto, hastiado, enfermo de.

Make the grade inf.to reach the necessary standard; to succeed; Ex: About 10 per cent of trainees fail to make the grade; See cut it Syn succeed at sth; dar la talla, estar a la altura.

Note trainee: new or junior employee; in training; aprendiz, becario, empleado en formación.

Make sb's flesh creep/crawl to make you feel afraid or full of horror; to make sb very worried or frightened; To cause one to feel disgusted, frightened, or unnerved; make you feel afraid or full of disgust; Ex: This is a movie to make your flesh creep; The way he looked at me made my flesh crawl; I don't mind spiders but worms make my flesh crawl; Just the sight of him makes my flesh creep; The story made his flesh creep; Compare give one the creeps (informal) me da miedo; me da escalofríos; Syn frighten or disgust sb; poner la carne de gallina, poner los pelos de punta.

Note creep n. 1. to move slowly, quietly, and carefully, usually in order to avoid being noticed: Ex: Someone was creeping around outside my window. (crawl, move slowly, arrastrarse, trepar, deslizarse; 2. what a creep! ¡qué lameculos es!, (arastrado, adulador); he’s a creep (weird) ¡qué tipo más raro!; que bicho!

Make waves Inf. fig. stir up trouble or controversy; to be very active in a way that makes people notice you, and that may sometimes cause problems; to be very active so that other people notice you, often in a way that intentionally causes trouble:. Ex: It's probably not a good idea to start making waves in your first week in a new job; Just keep your concerns to yourself and don't make waves. Syn stir up trouble, causar problemas, malmeter.

Move heaven and earth to do everything you can to achieve something; ​to do everything you possibly can in order to achieve something; do everything in one's power; Ex: He'll move heaven and earth to get it done on time; If I could I would move heaven and earth to make him well again; I will move heaven and earth to achieve my goals. Syn do everything in one's power remover cielo y tierra.

Miss the boat ​inf. to be unable to take advantage of sth because you are too late; to lose an opportunity to do sth by being slow to act; Ex: There were tickets available last week, but he missed the boat by waiting till today to try to buy some. Syn lose your chance for sth, perder el tren, dejar pasar el tren.

On the face of it used when you are describing how a situation seems on the surface; ​used to say that sth seems to be good, true, etc. but that this opinion may need to be changed when you know more about it; Ex: On the face of it, it seems like a bargain, but I bet there are hidden costs; On the face of it, it seems like a great deal; On the face of it, he's a great candidate, but have you checked out his references yet? See at first sight; Syn apparently, superficially, seemingly, a primera vista, visto lo visto, a juzgar por las apariencias.

What may, on the face of it, seem obvious often turns out to be far more complicated. 

Play it by ear to decide how to deal with a situation as it develops, rather than acting according to plans made earlier or by having a plan to follow. Ex: We can't make a decision yet. Let's just play it by ear; What will we do tomorrow? Let's play it by ear; I’m not sure how many people are expected; we’ll just have to play it by ear. Syn Improvise, veamos que pasa.

Play your cards right ​to deal successfully with a particular situation so that you achieve some advantage or something that you want: If you play your cards right, the job could be yours when she leaves. Syn act sensibly, cleverly, jugar bien las/tus cartas.

Note: cut the cards: Trust everybody, but always cut the cards. F. P. Dunne 

Pull (your) weight to work as hard as other people in a group. Ex: ​to work as hard as everyone else in a job, an activity, etc. Ex: If you don't pull your weight, our presentation will never be finished on time; If he doesn't start pulling his weight, he'll lose his job. Syn do your share of work, hacer alguien su parte del trabajo.

Push your luck / push it / push things inf. to take a risk because you have successfully avoided problems in the past; to try too hard to get a particular result and risk losing what you have achieved; Ex: I've had some good winnings at blackjack, but I don't think I should push my luck any further; She's agreed to help on Saturday, but I think I'd be pushing my luck if I asked her to be here the whole weekend; You didn't get caught last time, but don't push your luck!; Syn be too confident; tentar a la suerte.

Put / lay sth on the line (also be on the line) Inf. 1. v. to risk sth; 2. adj. (be) at risk. Ex: Firefighters put their lives on the line every working day; He put everything on the line for her: his job, marriage and his reputation; If we don't make a profit, my job is on the line. See (be) on the line. Syn risk, arriesgar, jugarselo todo.

Read between the lines to try to understand someone's real feelings or intentions from what they say or write; ​to look for or discover a meaning in sth that is not openly stated; Ex: Reading between the lines, I'd say he isn't happy with the situation; Reading between the lines, I think Clare needs money; His speech sounded positive, but if you read between the lines it was actually quite pessimistic. Syn understand sth implied, leer entre lineas.

Ring a bell / Ring any bells to sound familiar to you, as though you have heard it before; Ex: The name rang a bell but I couldn't remember where I had heard it before; No, I'm sorry, that description doesn't ring any bells with me; I'm not sure if I know him or not - the name certainly rings a bell; Syn sound familiar, sonar.

Ring the changes (on/with sth) (British English) to make changes to sth in order to have greater variety; to do sth in a different way in order to make it more interesting; If you say that sb rings the changes, you mean that they make changes or improvements to the way sth is organized or done. Ex: Ring the changes with a new colour; Ring the changes by adding spices, dried fruit or olives. Syn do (sth) in a new or different way, darle un cambio a, variar.

Ram (sth) home (sth) (esp. British English) to emphasize an idea, argument, etc. very strongly to make sure people listen to it; to emphasize the importance of what you are saying in order to make certain people understand it; Ex: The ads are intended to ram home the dangers of driving too fast in fog; He's always trying to ram home the fact that he's a professor: See drive home Syn drive home, stress, emphasize, highlight, draw attention to, tomar conciencia, hacer entender.

Note ram: 1. stuff, cram, shove, push, meter a presión/a la fuerza, 2. hit hard, golpear con fuerza, 3. make sheep, carnero, ariete (para derribar), 4. RAM acronym (Random Access Memory)

Rock the boat ​(informal) Make trouble and risk losing or upseting sth; to do sth that upsets a situation and causes problems; If you rock the boat, you do or say sth that will upset people or cause problems. Ex: Don't rock the boat until the negotiations are finished. She was told to keep her mouth shut and not rock the boat. Syn cause trouble, causar problemas, agitar las aguas.

(Not) see eye to eye with sb (about/on sth) to agree with sb; If two people see eye to eye, they agree with each other; Ex: My sister didn’t see eye to eye with me about the how to tell my parents about the problem; The two of them have never seen eye to eye on politics; My parents aren't always eye to eye on politics; We don't always see eye to eye. Syn agree, in agreement, 

See red ​Inf. to become very angry, to get angry, lose your temper, explode (with rage). Ex: People who don't finish a job really make me see red; People who drop litter make me see red; When he insulted my girlfriend I saw red and hit him See fly off the handle; Syn become angry, lose one's temper, get mad, rage, more, enfurecerse, enojare. 

Speak one's mind to say exactly what you think about sth, in a very direct way; Ex: He's certainly not afraid to speak his mind; See level with sb; put/set the record straight; Syn give one's frank opinion, to be honest/frank with sb; ser sincero, franco, decir lo que uno piensa.

If I could do sth without there being consequences, I would definitely speak my mind without worrying about getting a reaction from anybody. 

Stand your ground ​(inf.) to refuse to change your mind about sth even when other people are trying to persuade you that you are wrong; to refuse to be pushed backwards, or to continue in your beliefs in an argument; ​to continue with your opinions or intentions when sb is opposing you and wants you to change; See stick to your guns; Ex: Don't let him persuade you; stand your ground. Syn not waver, maintain your stance (viewpoint, posture, position), mantenerse firme, no dar el brazo a torcer.

Take it for granted (that…) / Take sth for granted to believe sth is true without first making sure that it is; If you take situations or people for granted, you do not realize or show that you are grateful for how much you get from them; Ex: One of the problems with relationships is that after a while you just take each other for granted; Children often take their parents for granted; I just took it for granted that he'd always be around; She seemed to take it for granted that I would go with her to New York. Syn not value fully, understimate, undervalue, belittle, dar por hecho, dar por sentado, subestimar, no valorar.

I really like rock puns. They're something we shouldn't take for granite. I mean, they are pretty solid. Let's just face it, geology rocks!

I invented my life by taking for granted that everything I did not like would have an opposite, which I would like. Coco Chanel

I suppose one gets to know men quickest by the things they take for granted. Mary Stewart (My Brother Michael)

We take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude. Cynthia Ozick

I suppose the things that you always take for granted, that you don't even notice, are what you miss the most. Sarra Manning (You Don't Have to Say You Love Me)

We take for granted electricity, water, even concerts. Count your blessings. Damian Marley

Life is a precious gift; a gift we often take for granted until it is threatened. Lecrae

Take the bull by the horns / Seize the bull by its/the horns to face a difficult or dangerous situation directly and with courage; to face a problem and deal with it squarely (fairly, honestly, directly); to do sth difficult in a brave and determined way; To approach, confront, or deal with a problem or difficult situation directly and with clear, confident action; Ex: Why don't you take the bull by the horns and tell him to leave?; Nora decided to take the bull by the horns and organize things for herself; I seized the bull by its horns and  confronted my manager about the blatant sexism in the office; I've been complaining about being out of work for too long, it's time to seize the bull by the horns and go find a job!; Syn tackle a task bravely; coger el toro por los cuernos.

The (hand)writing is on the wall (also the writing is on the wall, see the writing on the wall); said to mean that there are clear signs that sth will fail or no longer exist; used when you are describing a situation in which there are signs that sth is going to have problems or that it is going to be a failure; Ex: It is amazing that not one of them saw the handwriting on the wall; The writing was in the wall, but that doesn't make it any less heartbreaking.

(There are / There's) no two ways about it ​(saying) used to show that you are certain about sth; sth that you say in order to emphasize that sth is true; Ex: It was the wrong decision; there are / there's no two ways about it; Without that drug I'd have died - there's no two ways about it. Syn actually, certainly, clearly, simply, literally, evidently, honestly, surely, virtually (as good as, practically), no hay lugar a dudas, resulta obvio, no hay vuelta de hoja.

It's a black and white issue: gray is grey, and there's no two ways about it. Jarod Kintz (This Book is Not for Sale)

And there’s a funny thing about honesty; there’s no two ways about it. There’s only one way about it. Honest is honest. Eric Knight (Lassie Come-Home)

(There’s) nothing to it used to say sth is very easy; ​(it’s) very easy; Ex: You'll soon learn. There's nothing to it really; Learning the game is easy, there's nothing to it. See a piece of cake; Syn easy to do, very easy, muy facil.

There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed. Ernest Hemingway

Throw in the towel (Inf) 1. to stop trying to do something because you have realized that you cannot succeed; to admit that you have been defeated and stop trying: We're not going to throw in the towel just because we lost one game. ​2. (in boxing) to throw a towel into the ring as a sign that you admit that you have been defeated: His corner threw in the towel near the end of the tenth round. Syn surrender, admit defeat, give in, surrender, give up, cry uncle (slang), arrojar la toalla, tirar la toalla, claudicar, darse por vencido, rendirse.

Tie the knot ​inf. to get married; Ex: So when are you two going to tie the knot?; When is your sister going to tie the knot?; Syn get married, dar el sí.

Tighten your belt fig. ing. to spend less money because there is less available; to spend less money than you did before because you have less money; Ex: I've had to tighten my belt since I stopped working full-time; There is a need for further belt-tightening; With price increases on most goods, everyone is having to tighten their belt. See belt-tightening. Syn spend less.

Turn over a new leaf to start behaving in a better way; ​to change your way of life to become a better, more responsible person. Ex: Apparently he's turned over a new leaf and he's not smoking any more. Syn fig. reform your behaviour, hacer borron y cuenta nueva, empezar una nueva vida.

Walk/float on air ​to feel extremely excited or happy. Ex: Most couples feel they are walking on air on their wedding day; After the delivery of her baby, she was walking on air. Syn fig. be extremely happy, estar en una nube, en el quinto cielo.

Win the day / Carry the day ​(formal) to be successful against sb/sth; To be successful; win a contest, an argument, etc. Ex: It sounds like your presentation to the committee won the day, well done; Honesty wins the day in business dealings. It was Nelson who won the day at the Battle of Trafalgar; It was a difficult match, but the New Zealand team finally carried the day; Despite strong opposition, the ruling party carried the day; Syn win, triumph, salir victorioso, ganar, triunfar, asegurar el éxito.

You name it (I've got it) used to say there are many things to choose from: Gin, vodka, whisky, beer, you name it, (I've got it). I've tried every diet going - you name it, I've tried it.

6. VERBAL IDIOMS 

Nouns as verbs

Bottom-line v. to finish, to bring to a conclusion. Ex: Let's bottom-line this part of the project and break for coffe. Syn conclude, finalizar.

Idiomatic phrasal verbs

In order to understand phrasal verbs more clearly, we can divide them into three categories: 1. Transparent phrasal verbs; 2. Idiomatic phrasal verbs; 3. Aspectual phrasal verbs.

1. That the literal use of a form like go up is not a phrasal verb as such, but a verb operating with a particle: The balloon went up into the air. The term phrasal verb should properly be reserved for figurative and idiomatic uses: The balloon went up (The crisis finally happened). Here, it is the holistic and semantic aspect of go up which is considered to identify the type, not syntax or morphology. 2. That the term covers both the literal and figurative/idiomatic uses and therefore includes syntax, morphology, and semantics: that is, both senses of go up, as above.

So, for English learners, is it really necessary to memorize every phrasal verb? Not at all. Do you still have to memorize the meanings of idiomatic phrasal verbs? Unfortunately, yes. But that’s not so bad in the end, because most phrasal verbs aren’t idiomatic.

How many idiomatic phrasal verbs are there in English? Not only is it unnecessary, it's inefficient. And it's inefficient for three reasons: Memorising phrasal verbs is inefficient because there are over 10,000 phrasal verbs in the English language.

In English traditional grammar, a phrasal verb is the combination of two or three words from different grammatical categories – a verb and a particle, such as an adverb or a preposition – to form a single semantic unit on a lexical or syntactic level. Examples: turn down, run into, sit up. Prepositions are most commonly followed by a noun phrase, a pronoun or the -ing form of a verb.

A particle is a word, normally an adverb, added to a verb to form a phrasal verb: He looked up. Bottom line, give and take ... 

Bring about to make sth happen, cause. Ex: He brought about the collapse of the company by his reckless spending; What brought about the change in his attitude? Syn

Bring off ​to succeed in doing sth difficult; Ex: We didn't think that he could bring it off, but the success of his business proved us wrong; It was a difficult task but we brought it off; It was an important event, and she's managed to bring it off wonderfully; Syn carry off, bring off, succeed in doing, achieve, accomplish, realize, bring about, pull off, conseguir, lograr, llevar a cabo / buen término.

Carry off to succeed in doing or achieving sth that most people would find difficult. Ex: I thought he carried off the part of Hamlet with great skill; She was nervous about giving a talk to her colleagues, but she carried it off very well; Not everyone can wear a red hat with purple shoes, but you really carry it off in style; I was terrified at performing for a crowd, but I carried it. See pull off, bring off. Syn succeed in doing, carry out, accomplish, achieve, lograr, sacar adelante, llevar a cabo.

Come about to happen, or start to happen: It would take something pretty serious for that to come about; How did the problem come about in the first place? How did it come  about  that the police were involved? She was late again, but I'm not sure how it came about this time. How did such a confused situation come about? Comfort and solace come about  differently for different people. Synonyms: Take place, happen. Antonyms: bring about. 

Draw back ​to move away from sb/sth; to move away from sb or sth, usually because you are surprised or frightened. Ex: She leaned forward to touch the dog but quickly drew back when she saw its teeth; She drew back sharply when the dog barked at her. Syn flinch, retroceder.

Draw back (from sth/from doing sth) to choose not to take action, especially because you feel nervous. Ex: We drew back from taking our neighbours to court; Several of us drew back from entering the cave, as we were unsure (B2) what we would find in there.

Fall back 1 .to decrease in value or amount, 2. fail to keep up, 3. withdraw, retreat. Ex: Share prices fell back after brisk early trading. Syn: decrease, retreat. See fall back on 

Fall through Intr. Inf. ​to fail to happen, to be unsuccessful, come to nothing; to not be completed, or not happen: Our plans fell through because of lack of money; We found a buyer for our house, but then the sale fell through; The sale of the house fell through.

Get through (sth) to succeed / be successful in an exam or competition. Ex: She got through the first test without too much trouble; get sb through sth: ​to help sb to be successful in an exam. Ex: She got all her students through the exam. Syn endure, survive (ordeal), suffer, superar, salir adelante, sobrevivir, aguantar.

I knew what it was like to lose someone you loved. You didn't get past sth like that, you got through it. Jodi Picoult (Change of Heart)

Pull (sth) off ​inf. to succeed in doing sth difficult or unexpected. Ex: The spy was able to pull off his mission with none the wiser. He surprised me, I didn't think he could pull it off; We pulled off the deal; I never thought you'd pull it off. Topics Success. Syn succeed, be successful, achieve, accomplish, do, carry out, carry off, sacar adelante, lograr hacer algo dificil.

My theory is that if you look confident you can pull off anything, even if you have no clue what you're doing. Jessica Alba

Take (sb) aback phrasal verb to surprise or shock someone so much that they do not know how to behave for a short time. Ex: Brendan was taken aback by her sudden question; I was a little taken aback at the directness of the question; Seeing so many alligators in one place really took me aback. I was really taken aback when she reacted so angrily. Syn Surprise, dejar de piedra. Note "aback": adv. (archaic), towards the back) atras, hacia atras.

Weigh (sth) up to think carefully about the advantages or disadvantages of a situation before making a decision (B2); ​to form an opinion of sb by watching or talking to them (C2); Ex: I'm weighing up my options before I decide to apply for the job; It was obvious that she was cautiously weighing me up; We have to very carefully weigh (up) the pros and cons in deciding how we go about this; In making my decision, I had to weigh up the advantages and disadvantages; Syn: compare, contrast, assess, evaluate, sopesar, ponderar.

Phrasal-prepositional verbs.

Come down to sth / question word [no passive] to depend on a single important point; If a situation or decision comes down to sth, that is the thing that influences it most; Ex: What it comes down to is either I get more money or I leave; What it all comes down to is your incredible insecurity; It all comes down to money in the end; (+ question word): Eventually our choice of hotel will come down to how much we can afford; What this strike comes down to is a failure to communicate with your staff. Compare come to; Syn be essentially; reducirse a, ser esencialmente.

Cry out for 1. call aloud, 2. figurative (need, clamar), Ex: The house was in poor condition and crying out for repair.

The dead cannot cry out for justice. It is a duty of the living to do so (C1) for them. Lois McMaster Bujold

Fall back on to use sth, especially a form of financial support, when other things have failed; ​to go to sb for support; to have sth to use when you are in difficulty. Ex: When the business failed, we had to fall back on our savings; If I lose my job, I'll have nothing to fall back on; I have a little money in the bank to fall back on; She fell back on her usual excuse of having no time. See fall back. Syn resort to, rely on, apoyarse en, contar con el apoyo de alguien.

Technique is what you fall back on when you run out of inspiration. Rudolf Nureyev

When you have nothing left to fall back on, you'll quickly figure out how to move forward.  

Whenever I am in trouble, I know that I can always fall back on my friends and family.

Get out of (sth) ​to avoid a responsibility or duty; free yourself from an obligation. I need to get out of my meeting this afternoon because I have a doctor's appointment. The teenager tried to get out of his homework by pretending to be ill; We promised we'd go—we can't get out of it now; get out of doing something I wish I could get out of going to that meeting. Compare back out of Ex: free yourself from an obligation, escaparse

Look down on (sb) to think that you are better than sb; It is wrong to look down on people less fortunate than yourself; These were rich girls who looked down on cheap clothes. Ex: She looks down on people who haven't been to college; She thinks they look down on her because she doesn't have a job. Syn feel superior to, menospreciar.

Run off/away with / run off/away together to leave home, your husband, wife, etc. in order to have a relationship with another person; to leave a place or person suddenly after having stolen something. Ex: He ran off with the next-door neighbour. Syn leave partner for sb else, steal, kidnap, escaparse con, secuestrar a.

Set out to Intend, mean; to start an activity with a particular aim: (+ to infinitive). Ex: They set out to discover a cure for cancer; So many young people set out to change the world; I didn't set out to hurt you; I'm sorry if what I said was upsetting; She set out with the aim of becoming the youngest ever winner of the championship. Syn: intend, have sth in mind, strive, try, attempt, have a go at (informal), make an attempt, make an effort, try your best, do your best, undertake (C1), proponerse, pretender, tener la intención de.

I never set out to be weird. It was always other people who called me weird. Frank Zappa

7. PHRASAL NOUNS (Nominalized phrasal verbs)

Phrasal nouns combine a noun and a preposition, either before or after the noun. They are often nominalized phrasal verbs. Many phrasal verbs can become nouns. For example, you can “start up” a company (phrasal verb) or work in a “start-up” (phrasal noun) – a small company. When a phrasal verb becomes a phrasal noun, sometimes the verb comes first, like “start-up”; and sometimes the preposition comes first, such as “outbreak”.

Stress is important in pronunciation, as it distinguishes between a compound noun and an adjective with a noun. In compound nouns, the stress usually falls on the first syllable.

Burn-out extreme tiredness usually caused by working too much: ​the state of being extremely tired or ill, either physically or mentally, because you have worked too hard. Ex: Employees complaining of/suffering burn-out. fig. (exhaustion, overwork), fatiga, agotamiento, astenia.

That's the thing: You don't understand burnout unless you've been burned out. And it's something you can't even explain. It's just doing something you have absolutely no passion for. Elena Delle Donne

I was the perfect person to have a burnout because I was not listening to my body at all. Robin Soderling

It's important that you don't lie to yourself. If you lie to yourself, you end up with burnout. Patrick Pichette

I just love what I do. I'm not worried about any burnout. Canelo Alvarez

Countdown (singular) countdown (to something) the period of time just before sth important happens; a short period of time leading to an important event; the act of counting backwards to zero. Ex: The countdown to the election has already begun; the countdown to the wedding

Giveaway (inf.) 1. sth that tells or shows sth secret, often without intending to, 2. sth that a company gives free, usually with sth else that is for sale. Ex: He said he'd given up smoking, but the empty packs in the bin were a dead giveaway (clearly showed the secret truth). Syn: 1. sth revealing the truth, revelación involuntaria, señal reveladora, 2. sth given for free, What's the definition of a will? It's a dead (C1) giveaway.

Go-ahead an occasion when permission is given for someone to start doing something or for an event or activity to happen: permission or notice that an activity may begin. Ex: We’re ready to start the project but we’re still waiting for the go-ahead. Syn: authorization, (el visto bueno).

A (dead=obvious) giveaway (stress on "give") 1. inf. sth revealing the truth, sth that tells or shows something secret, often without intending to;​ something that makes you guess the real truth about something/somebody. Ex: His strong accent was a giveaway from the start; He said he'd given up smoking, but the empty packs in the bin were a dead giveaway (clearly showed the secret truth); She pretended she wasn't excited but the expression on her face was a dead (obvious) giveaway. 2. ​something that a company gives free, usually with something else that is for sale: There's lots of amazing giveaways, from cinema tickets to film posters. 1. Señal reveladora, revelacion involuntaria. 2. Obsequio, regalo.

Hang-up inf. (about sth) an emotional problem about sth that makes you embarrassed or worried: Ex: He's got a real hang-up about his height; He's one of these men who went bald very young and has a terrible hang-up about it. sexual hang-ups. Syn 1. psychological complex, 2 US, inf. impediment, complejo, impedimento, handicap.

Layoff / Lay off 1. termination of employment; an act of ending a worker’s job, esp. when the worker has done nothing wrong; an act of making people unemployed because there is no more work left for them to do. Ex: Executives say no layoffs are expected as a result of the merger; Lay-offs in the factory, Syn redundancy, dismissal, unemployment, discharge, sacking, firing, the sack, the bullet, despido, periodo de paro, baja voluntaria. 2. ​a period of time when sb is not working or not doing sth that they normally do regularly; a period when sb is not working or playing sport: Ex: an eight-week lay-off with a broken leg; Foster is playing again after a six-week layoff due to injury; I caught up on a lot of reading during my layoff. Syn inactive period, paro, cese de actividades, periodo de inactividad.

Showdown (Oxford C2) confrontation, ​an argument, a fight or a test that will settle a disagreement that has lasted for a long time; an important argument that is intended to end a disagreement that has existed for a long time. Ex: The two candidates met for a showdown a week before the election; Management are facing a showdown with union members today. Syn fig. (argument, a decisive confrontation), enfrentamiento decisivo, careo.

Shut-in a person who cannot leave their home very easily because they are ill or disabled; (person confined to a place). Ex: He worked as a volunteer, delivering hot meals to shut-ins; Bob led a reclusive life as a shut-in, barring himself from society. See shut-in (people) (adj).  Syn (person confined to a place), persona confinada a un lugar.

Summing-up (plural: summins-up) ​an occasion when sb states the main points of an argument, etc. Syn concluding synopsis; recapitulación, conclusión.

Takeaway a main message or piece of information that you learn from sth you hear or read; ​an important fact, point or idea to be remembered from a talk, meeting or event; Ex: There are two interesting takeaways from this study (se pueden sacar dos conclusiones interesantes de este estudio); At the end of the class, the teacher gives us the takeaway points; The takeaway from the conference was how competitive the tourism industry has become; The takeaway from this disaster is that we should always be prepared; The key takeaways from the presentation are: 1. …; Syn 1. point, main message; conclusión, moraleja, enseñanza. 2. (restaurant) tienda f de comida para llevar; 3. (meal) comida para llevar.

After you're dead and buried and floating around whatever place we go to, what's going to be your best memory of earth? What one moment for you defines what it's like to be alive on this planet. What's your takeaway? Fake yuppie experiences that you had to spend money on, like white water rafting or elephant rides in Thailand don't count. I want to hear some small moment from your life that proves you're really alive. Douglas Coupland (Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture)

Upshot ​the final result of a series of events; something that happens as a result of other actions, events, or decisions. Ex: The upshot of it all was that he left college and got a job; The upshot of the discussions is that there will be no layoffs. Syn: outcome.

When your outgo (expenditure / spending) exceeds your income, the upshot may be your downfall (downturn, destruction / ruin). Paul Harvey. Paul Harvey 

If your outgo exceeds your income, then your upkeep will be your downfall. Bill Earle

8. COMPOUND NOUNS

A compound noun is a noun that is formed from two or more words. The meaning of the whole compound is often different from the meaning of the two words on their own. Compound nouns are very common. The main noun is normally the last one. Ex: turning point, game changer, losing battle (C2), washing machine, driving licence, headache, CD burner,

Compound nouns are commonly formed from the following word combinations: 

1. noun + noun (boyfriend, skinhead) 

game changer (NC) inf sth revolutionary, punto de inflexión, algo revolucionario, algo que cambia las reglas del juego; Ex: James Joyce's Ulysses was a game changer in the history of the modern novel.

heartbreaker (NC) inf 1. an attractive person who is likely to make other people fall in love with them and make them feel sad; Ex: He'll be a regular heartbreaker when he grows up; At the time I met him he was a heartbreaker; he looked like James Dean; 2. sth that makes sb very sad; Ex: Knowing that I can't see my grandchildren, that's a heartbreaker for me; Syn good looking person, rompecorazones.

2. noun + adjective (lime green)

3. noun + verb (snowfall, haircut)

4. noun + prepositional phrase (mother-in-law, lady-in-waiting)

5. adjective + noun (software, hardware)

losing battle (batalla perdida); turning poing (punto de inflexión); 

6. verb + noun (breakfast, grindstone, surfboard, swimsuit)

Go-getter (C2) a person who is determined (strong-willed) to succeed, especially in business; slang Syn person: achiever; ambicioso, triunfador, ganador, crack (expert): Ex: She's a real go-getter.

a go-getter ​a person who works hard to get ahead and determined to succeed, especially in business. Syn: self-starter (person with initiative), doer (takes action), slang (person: achiever), ambicioso, ganador, triunfador, crack, emprendedor, persona dinámica, buscavidas: Ex: There are too many thinkers and not enough doers in this office. Related word: go-getting (adj): He's a young, go-getting, high-powered (highly capable) business manager. 

7. particle + noun (onlooker, underworld, aftershave)

8. phrasal verb used as noun: verb + particle (break-in, take-over, lookout, go-between)

The term particle is used for a word which could be either an adverb or a preposition (also a prefix or suffix (self-starter) Compound nouns can be written: 1.as one word. (bookcase, wallpaper), 2. as two words (post office, eye shadow). 3. with a hyphen.(window-cleaner, air-conditioning) 

Nouns as modifiers 

The compound noun girlfriend names a special sort of friend. Nouns can also be used as modifiers without forming a compound noun. a car mechanic, a store manager. A noun that is used as a modifier has the same function as an adjective. The first noun usually makes the second one more specific, but we do not think of it as part of a combination that forms a new word. See Adjectives for more on modifiers.

9. CONJUNCTIONS

Then again / There again / But then / (but, then again) inf. used when you have had a new thought that is different from or the opposite of what you have just said; ​inf. used to introduce additional information or information that contrasts with sth that has just been said; Ex: I like to travel but, then again, I'm very fond of my home; She was early, but then again, she always is; ‘So you might accept their offer?’ ‘Yes, then again I might not.’; I think I'll go to the party tonight. Then again, I might not. Syn on  the other hand, however; bueno, a lo mejor, por otro lado.

Regrets, I’ve had a few but then again too few to mention. And more, much more than this, I did it my way. Frank Sinatra (My way)

I like to see you. But then again. That doesn't mean you mean that much to me. So if I call you. Don't make a fuss. Don't tell your friends about the two of us. I'm not in love, 10CC

Life is more or less a lie, but then again, that's exactly the way we want it to be. Bob Dylan

10. INTERJECTIONS (Introductory expressions)

Interjections vs Exclamations

An exclamation is a word or a number of words which expresses an emotion. An interjection can be defined as a word that is being used with an exclamation mark. The main difference between an exclamation and an interjection is that all interjections are exclamations, but not all exclamations are interjections.

Fancy (that)! dated, an expression of surprise; expressing amazement, mira que bien! Ex: Fancy seeing you here! "They have eight children." "Fancy that!" Syn how surprising!; mira que bien

Note  fancy (that)… (literary) to believe or imagine something, Ex: She fancied (that) she could hear footsteps. Syn imagine, fantasear, soñar despierto con.

Hang (on) in there (informal) (Oxford C2) to remain determined to succeed even when a situation is difficult: Hang in there, John!, you've almost made it! informal (do not be discouraged): resiste!, no te rindas!, aguanta! 

Whatever you do to gain success, you have to hang (on) in there and hope good things happen. Always think positive. Don Rickles 

Have it your (own) way! ​inf. used to say in an angry way that although you are not happy about sth that sb has said, you are not going to argue; Ex: Oh OK, then. Have it your own way!; OK, have it your way; I'm through arguing with you, disapproving, resignation. Compare: get your own way: to persuade other people to allow you to do what you want; Ex: My little brother always gets his own way. Syn informal, disapproving (resignation), haz lo que quieras!

Mind (you) inf. used when you want to make what you have just said sound less strong; ​used to add sth to what you have just said, esp. sth that makes it less strong; Ex: To tell you the truth (frankly, to be honest), I don´t really like my job very much. Mind you, the salary is quite good; He's very untidy about the house; mind you, I'm not much better; I know I'm lazy, I did go swimming yesterday, mind; I've heard they're getting divorced. Mind you, I'm not surprised, they were always arguing; The meal was fantastic, expensive, mind you! He can be very disorganized. Mind you, I'm no better; Syn although, having said that, eso sí.

Oh yeah? ​1. used when you are commenting on what sb has just said; to express surprise, excitement, disbelief, agreement Ex: ‘We're off to France soon.’ ‘Oh yeah? When's that?’; 2. I don't believe you; Ex: ‘I'm going to be rich one day.’ ‘Oh yeah?’  4. surprise: Ex: I saw Dana the other day - Oh yeah? How is she? (¿Ah, sí? ¿Cómo está?) Ex: "I'm from Maine." "Oh yeah? I didn't know that" Syn used in speech to show doubt, or interest; oh really?: ah, si?; oh, si!

So far so good! (saying) all is well up to this point); used to say that an activity has gone well until now; used to say that things have been successful until now and you hope that they will continue to be successful, but you know that the task, etc. is not finished yet; Ex: I've found a tin of beans. So far so good, but where is the tin opener?; How do I like retirement? So far so good. But ask me again in six months. Syn all is well up to this point; por ahora todo bien, bien hasta ahora.

I intend to live forever. So far, so good. Steven Wright. 

Time flies! used to mean that time passes surprisingly quickly; for a particular phase in life to seem shorter than it really was; Time flies when you're having fun; Syn time passes quickly; como vuela el tiempo!; el tiempo vuela!.

Way to go! (well done) ​(North American English, informal) 1. Used to tell sb that you are pleased about sth they have done; used to tell someone they have done well: Way to go! I wish I could do that!; Good work, guys! Way to go! eso es, muy bien, te felicito! 2. Used humorously when someone has done something stupid: Way to go, John - you broke the chair!

yeah, right! / Oh yeah? / yeah, yeah / Yeah, sure! used when you do not believe what sb has said; used to say that you do not believe what sb has just said, disagree with it, or are not interested in it  Ex: "I always miss you when I go away ." "Yeah, right!"; "Anyway, we're just good friends." "Yeah, yeah!"; "I can run faster than you any day!" "Oh yeah?"; Syn get out! (also surprise), get out of here!, come on!, come off it, go on, no way!, a likely story!, huh; you’re joking,  don’t give me that, tell me another (one); are you kidding?,  I’ll believe it/that when I see it, I wasn’t born yesterday, like hell, my arse/ass/foot/hat; surely, surely not, talk is cheap; tell that/it to the Marines; that’s a good one; very funny. 

Note: Yeah! (spelled the way it is often spoken): yes: "Will you drive?" "Yeah, sure."

Note It depends on how you say it; on the way you say it: Yeah, yeah, sure you tell everybody the same thing; Yeah, sure, it was developed under PHP4 and actually is working with PHP5 in some servers.

you’re telling me! (informal) used to say that you strongly agree with what someone has just said; I completely agree with you; "Stephen's in such a bad mood today." "You're telling me!" Topics: Opinion and argument 

You rock! is a slang phrase of 1. praise or encouragement conveying: "You're awesome (at sth)" or "You can do it!" ; tu molas, 2. thank you (gracias, que grande!)

11. CLICHES 

A cliché is an idiom that people notice and find annoying. A phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought. (Oxford Dictionaries online) tell it like it is.

Clichés are often idioms. This makes clichés difficult to translate into other languages because their meaning won't always be understood by people from different cultures.

A cliché is a phraseme where none of the components is selected freely and the restrictions are imposed by conventional linguistic usage. 

Ex: A diamond in the rough; A win-win situation; All is fair in love and war; All that glitters isn't gold; All’s well that ends well; Every cloud has a silver lining; Don’t cry over spilled milk; Haste makes waste; Heart-stopping fear; In a jiffy; in the wrong place at the wrong time, Just a matter of time; No matter what, Read between the lines, Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed; The time of my life; The writing's on the wall; Time flies; We all make mistakes, you’ve seen one, you’ve seen ’em all!, What goes around comes around; Without a care in the world; When life gives you lemons, make lemonade; 

12. INVERSION

Not only is there no God, but try finding a plumber on Sunday. Woody Allen.

Not until you make your first million dollars will you know happiness. Honen irudiak

Only when he no longer knows what he is doing does the painter do good things. E. Degas

13. CLEFT SENTENCES (It was in June we got married.)

We use cleft sentences, especially in speaking, to connect what is already understood to what is new to the listener. In a cleft sentence, a single message is divided (cleft) into two clauses. This allows us to focus on the new information.

It-cleft sentences (Is it August that you are going on holiday?)

It-clauses are the most common type of cleft clause. The information that comes after it is emphasised for the listener. The clause which follows the "it-clause" is connected using "that" and it contains information that is already understood. We often omit that in informal situations when it is the object of the verb.

It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages. Friedrich Nietzsche

It's what's inside that counts. Picturequotes.com

I love mankind. It's people I can't stand!.

Wh-cleft sentences (What I need is a holiday) 

Wh-cleft sentences are most often introduced by what, but we can also use why, where, how, etc. The information in the wh-clause is typically old or understood information, while the information in the following clause is new and in focus:

What I am looking for is not out there, it is in me. Helen Keller.

14. DISCOURSE MARKERS

As it were (NC) sometimes said after a figurative (not meaning exactly what it appears to mean) or unusual expression; ​used when a speaker is giving his or her own impression of a situation or expressing sth in a particular way. Ex: If he still refuses we could always apply a little pressure, as it were; Teachers must put the brakes on, as it were, when they notice students looking puzzled. Syn: so to speak, using a metaphor; digamos, por así decirlo, por decirlo de algún modo.

A friend is, as it were, a second self.  Marcus Tullius Cicero 

I have, as it were, my own sun and moon and stars, and a little world all to myself. Henry David Thoreau

Imagination is a powerful agent for creating, as it were, a second nature out of the material supplied to it by actual nature. Immanuel Kant

Life and death are balanced, as it were, on the edge of a razor. Samuel Butler.

Far be it from me to do sth (but…) ​(inf.) used when you are just about to disagree with sb or to criticize them and you would like them to think that you do not really want to do this; I certainly would not. Ex: Far be it from me to tell you how to run your life; Far be it from me to interfere in your affairs but I would like to give you just one piece of advice. Compare far from sth /doing something. See far from it! (interj.)

Far from (being/doing/that/it) 1. sth used to describe sth that is almost the opposite of sth else: Ex: She insisted that, far from being easy, it would be a difficult period for all concerned; We were far from disappointed when they told us they couldn't come to visit; The dish is far from delicious; This competition is far from over. Syn not at all, dista mucho de, para nada. 2. Instead of; Ex: Far from feeling satisfied with her present job, she decided to look for another. Syn en vez de, lejos de.

I am so far from being a pessimist...on the contrary, in spite of my scars, I am tickled to death at life. Eugene O'Neill

Go so far as to do sth to be willing to do sth that is extreme; ​to be willing to go to extreme or surprising limits in dealing with sth. Ex: I wouldn't go as far as to say that he's a liar, but I think he may be slightly dishonest; It's good, but I wouldn't go so far as to say that it's great. In June 2009 he went so far as to offer his resignation.

I dare say ​1. used when you are saying that something is likely; I dare say you know about it already. 2. used to say that you agree or think that something is true: "She's got a lot of admirers"-"I daresay, she's very beautiful." He gets paid a lot of money, but I daresay (that) he earns it.

I/I’ll tell you what ​(inf.) used to introduce a suggestion or suggest a plan. Ex: I'll tell you what, let's stay in instead; I'll tell you what, we'll split the money between us. Topics Suggestions and advice. 

(Let's) face it / Let's face (the) facts / Let's be honest (and/but let's face it); said before stating sth that is unpleasant but true; Sth that you say before you say sth that is unpleasant but true; Used to say that sth is true and cannot be denied; We have to accept or confront the truth about sth or its consequences; We should accept the truth; We need to recognize the truth; we should face reality. Ex: Let's face it, we both know why I stopped working there; Let's face it, we're not going to win; Let’s face it, I’m never going to be a great artist; I'm not sure he has the right skill set for this position, and, let's face it, his interview was pretty poor; Let's face it, Hannah, you never wanted to go on this trip; Face it, a lot of people don't even bother to vote; Let's face it, most of us don't get enough exercise; Let's face it, those two were never right for each other. Syn Let's be honest, seamos sinceros/realistas, reconozcámoslo, admitámoslo, afrontemoslo.

You don't understand. I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it. Marlon Brando as Terry Malloy (On the Waterfront, 1954).

So to speak ​1. using a metaphor, used to emphasize that you are expressing sth in an unusual or humorous way; used to explain that what you are saying is not to be understood exactly as stated, 2. this is one way to say it: I am a writer, so to speak. Ex: In that relationship it's very much Lorna who wears the trousers, so to speak (Lorna makes all the important decisions); They were all very similar. All cut from the same cloth, so to speak; Failing the test was, so to speak, a kick in the teeth for Jim because he was very disappointed. Syn: as it were, quote ... unquote, figuratively (speaking), in a way, so to say, in a manner of speaking, kind of, sort of, entre comillas, por decirlo así, digamos, por decirlo de algún modo.

I do not want to have the feeling of writing 'for eternity', so to speak. Elfriede Jelinek

I think the hardest thing to overcome is judging yourself and being your own worst critic so to speak. Nile Rodgers

Man's nature, so to speak, is a perpetual factory of idols. John Calvin

We are all so to speak intellectuals about something. Randall Jarrell

Whoever loves becomes humble. Those who love have, so to speak, pawned a part of their narcissism. Sigmund Freud

Note: pawn (C2) (n./v.) 1. a chess piece of the smallest size and least value. 2. A pawn is also a person who is controlled by others and used for their own advantage. Ex: She felt she had been used as a political pawn; Nancy needed money to pay some bills, so she pawned a necklace until payday. Syn 1. exchange for a loan (empeñar), 2. chess piece (peón), 3. fig. unimportant person (peón, pieza).

To my/sb's way of thinking n my opinion; in a particular person's opinion; Ex: To my way of thinking, the plan should never have been approved; If I talk to him he'll come round to our way of thinking; Syn mindset, mentality, modo/manera de pensar, opinión.

15. SAYINGS AND PROVERBS

Look before you leap fig. Don't make a decision without thinking about it and researching it carefully; to check that sth is not going to cause problems or have a bad result before you do it; ​used to advise sb to think about the possible results or dangers of sth before doing it; Ex: The general advice with a job offer is to do your research and look before you leap; Thinking of investing in a new business? Look before you leap! Syn be aware of the risks involved in sth, It's better to be patient; ser precavido, mirar antes de cruzar.

No pain, no gain inf. It is worth making an effort; used to say that you need to suffer if you want to achieve sth. Syn no pain without gain, sin sacrificio no hay beneficio.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained used to say that you have to take risks if you want to achieve things and be successful; Risks must be taken in order to achieve anything significant or meaningful; Ex: A: "I'm thinking of asking my bosses for a raise, but I'm a little bit nervous." B: "Hey, nothing ventured, nothing gained."; It was a bit of a shot in the dark taking a job in a different country, but nothing ventured, nothing gained! Syn go for it, don't hesitate to do sth, come on, go on, el que no arriesga no gana. 

You can’t make an omelette without breaking (a few) eggs you cannot achieve sth important without causing a few small problems; If you say you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs, you mean that it is impossible to achieve something important without there being some bad effects; proverb Sometimes, you have to do unpleasant things in order to complete a task or meet a goal.

16. SLANG (Very informal language)

Lit slang (excellent, amazing), de puta madre!; Ex: This song ia lit!; 2. (drunk): pedo, borracho  Ex: Dan was so lit last night, he fell asleep on his own doorstep.

Rock to be extremely good, very exciting: Ex: She's such a great role model for young women; she really rocks!; This roller coaster rocks!; Ready to make your English rock?. Syn: shock, amaze, astonish (B2), stagger (C2), startle (C2), shake up, molar, ser lo máximo. See You  rock! (interj.) is a slang phrase of 1. praise or encouragement conveying: "You're awesome (at sth)" or "You can do it!" ; tu molas, 2. thank you (gracias, que grande!)

Shook When someone is shook it means they are shocked or incredibly surprised; Ex: Did you see?‌ The new season of Lucifer just landed on Netflix!; – OMG‌ I’m shook! I need to watch it ASAP! Syn  (shook up; shaken, nervous, frightened, astonished, surprised): pasmado, tonto, boquiabierto, atónito, patidifuso. See shake. Elvis presley's hit song "All shook up"

17. ABBREVIATIONS

Lit inf (abbr for literature): ex: Ben had lit immediately after lunch. (literature class)

Congrats (interj, abbr for congrtulations) ex: Congrats on your promotion!

                ******************   UNCLASSIFIED IDIOMS  ************************* 

 IDIOMATICITY

Idioms; Idiomatic or Fixed expressions. 

1. NOMINAL IDIOMS

One-word idioms

catch-22 an impossible situation where you are prevented from doing one thing until you have done another thing that you cannot do until you have done the first thing; Ex: a catch-22 situation; It's a real Catch-22: to get a job you need experience, but to get experience you need a job; the drug lowers cholesterol, but the catch-22 is that it mainly lowers good cholesterol; Syn catch, trap, vicious circle (problem): cycle of cause and effect: You need experience to get a job, but you can't get experience without a job: it's a vicious circle; círculo vicioso; callejón sin salida.

 

Lemon 1. sth that does not work; ​(esp. North American English) a thing that cannot be used because it does not work as it should; Ex: Only one of his inventions turned out to be a lemon; The car Tom bought turned out to be a lemon; This battery's a lemon / dud. Have you got any more I can try? 2. a very silly person, a stupid person; See when life gives you lemons (saying); Syn sth non-functioning; dud (/ˈdʌd/), idiot, fracaso, fiasco, porqueria, basura, chatarra.

Note Ex: She tried to live by the motto 'when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.'; Meaning:  make the best out of a difficult situation.

If life gives you lemons, don't settle for simply making lemonade; make a glorious scene at a lemonade stand. Elizabeth Gilbert

If life gives you lemons, make lemonade. When one door shuts, another one opens. So be optimistic. 

Why not try something more positive? As they say, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade 

Moonlighting the act of working at an extra job, esp without telling your main employer; ​to have a second job that you do secretly, without telling your main employer; Ex: You'll lose your job if the boss finds out you've been moonlighting; Sometimes, when you want to change direction or move into a new industry, moonlighting is the only option; He spent years moonlighting as a cab driver; See moonlight v. Syn working a second job; pluriempleo.

Ok The ok; inf.approval, go-ahead; Ex: The OK from the boss still hasn't arrived. Syn go-ahead, aprobación, visto bueno.

Put-down n. insult, disparaging remark, humillación, ofensa. See unputdownable adj. (C2)

Shocker ​a film, piece of news or person that shocks you; sth that is likely to offend, especially sth new or recently announced. Ex: The ending of the movie is a real shocker; Their divorce was a shocker; His latest movie is a shocker but it’s also hilariously funny at times; 2. ​sth that is of very low quality, Ex: Last night’s match was a shocker. Syn slang 1. sth horrifying (terrible, (acojonante), 2. slang sth of very poor quality (basura, bazofia); (book): It's a shocker: es una novelucha; 3. a big / real surprise.

Note: be in a state of shock 1. experiencing a sudden usually unpleasant or upsetting feeling because of sth unexpected. Ex: They were in a state of shock after hearing the news. 2. medical: suffering from a serious condition in which the body is not able to get enough blood to all the parts of the body. Ex: He was in a state of shock after the accident.

Note: Shock v. n. 1. sense: surprise (astonish, astound, amaze, dumbfound, startle, stupefy,  stun, stupefy, take aback), 2. sense: disturb (appall, disturb, outrage, insult, horrify, revolt, offend, anger, dismay , trouble). Ex: The shock of her father's death really hurt her. 3. Sense: frighten (frighten, terrify, scare, spook, horrify, startle, alarm, strike terror into, traumatize, traumatise), 4. Sense: shake (agitate, stir), commoción, choque, upset, scandalize.

Note Shock n. 1. Sense: mental blow (jolt, scare, blow, wake-up call, thunderbolt), 2. Sense: physical blow (blow, clash, collision, crash, smash, impact quiver, 3. Sense: Noun: effect of a mental blow (excitement, surprise, amazement, astonishment, awe , wonder , hysteria, bewilderment, confusion , emotional upset, distress, grief, trauma, dismay, fluster, fuss, breakdown).

Upper (B2) 1. slang. a stimulating drug, esp. amphetamine, 2. Sth that induces a state of good feeling, or exhilaration. Ex: Ben took a couple of uppers before he went out; It was a real upper to know that my friends had taken the time to cheer me up. Contrast downer. Syn a stimulating drug, droga estimulante.

 

Binomials and trinomials

(The) comings and goings movement or activity, (appearance and disappearance), idas y venidas, activities. Ex: Mary knows all the comings and goings in the neighborhood (She knows everything that is happening). With so many comings and goings in this office I just can’t seem to concentrate. Syn doings, business, activities.

(The) highs and lows the times that follow each other when a company, career, investment, etc. is successful and when it is not. Ex: All jobs have an element of routine and a cycle of highs and lows; Jonathan, 25, has already seen some of the highs and lows of the business world; Any relationship is going to have its highs and lows. Syn ups and downs, advantages and disadvantages, strengths and weaknesses, benefits and pitfalls, altibajos.

Life's so unpredictable. You never know when the next high or low will strike you. The trick is  just to flow with the tide. Zeenat Aman

Perhaps without the lows, the highs could not be reached. Stephenie Meyer (The Host)

I think the highest and lowest points are the important ones. Anything else is just... in between. Jim Morrison

My point is, life is about balance. The good and the bad. The highs and the lows. The pina and the colada. Ellen DeGeneres (Seriously... I'm Kidding)

The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark. Michelangelo Buonarroti; 

(Weigh up) the pros and cons the advantages and disadvantages of sth, esp. sth that you are considering doing; The various positive ("pros") and negative ("cons") aspects of sth; the advantages or disadvantages of sth; the arguments for and against sth; Ex: Any time I have to make a tough decision, I take a moment to consider the pros and cons; We're just weighing up the pros and cons of moving to a bigger house; There are of course both pros and cons to this approach, but we feel that the benefits greatly outweigh the negatives; Your idea is interesting, but let’s look carefully at its pros and cons before we take any decisions; Syn advantages and disadvantages; (sopesar) los pros y contras.

Ups and downs ​inf. fig. the mixture of good and bad things in life or in a particular situation or relationship; If sb or sth experiences ups and downs, a mixture of good and bad things happens to him, her, or it; Ex: Like most married couples we've had our ups and downs, but life's like that; Every business has its ups and downs; This trip has been a roller coaster of emotions (experiencing lots of ups and downs) Syn good and bad experiences, highs and lows; altibajos.

Nominal / noun phrases

A noun phrase, or nominal (phrase), is a phrase that has a noun (or indefinite pronoun) as its head or performs the same grammatical function as a noun. 

A bed of roses / No bed of roses an easy and happy existence; ​(not) an easy or a pleasant situation; An easy, comfortable situation; harsh experience, ordeal; Ex: Their life together hasn't exactly been a bed of roses; My job is no bed of roses, I'm on my feet all day and the hours are long. Syn pleasant, luxurious experience; (no ser) un lecho de rosas. 

(A) big deal /di:l/ inf. sth that people think is important, usually because it is exciting or it makes them worried; said when you do not think that what sb has said or done is important or special; Ex: Passing her driving test was a big deal for Jodie; See big deal interj. (so?, y que?) "I ran five miles this morning." "Big deal! I ran ten."; Going to college is still a big deal (important); So, what's the big deal about the movie?; He makes a big deal about the recent rise in gender equality; The former champion made a big deal of the fact he has been boxing for 27 years; Syn sth important; algo/asunto importante.

Note: Big deal!: ​(inf. ironic) used to say that you are not impressed by sth. Ex: So he earns more than me. Big deal!; not a big deal / no big deal ​(inf.) used to say that sth is not important or not a problem; Ex: If I don't win it's no big deal; It is not a big deal that your brother likes to drink a beer now and then; Knitting a sweater is not a big deal for Jane; she has been knitting since she was eight years old. Syn disdain (contempt); desden, desprecio, arrogancia, ¿y que?; ¿y a mi que?; a matter of little importance, algo sin importancia, nada del otro mundo.

A big shot/name/noise also adj. a person or an organization with a lot of power or influence; Ex: He is trying to become a big shot in the mortgage business; He thinks he's a big shot since they gave him a company car. See big-shot adj. Syn big wheel, an important person, pez gordo, una gran cosa.

A big timer inf. The most important person in a group or undertaking. An important, influential person; sb who takes part in the big time. Ex: He had you down as a big-timer (el mejor, uno de los grandes); jump in the ring with the big timers (saltar al ring con los mas grandes); In fact, tomorrow night, I know, in the finale, you've got some big-timers. See big shot Compare first timer: (sb doing sth for first time): novato, primrerizo, principiante: I don't know. I just thought it was a big deal for first timers. Syn 1. bigwig, dignitary, heavyweight, influential person, leading man, big shot, big wheel, eminence, leader, persona influyente/importante, pez gordo, uno de los grandes, persona con clase.

The big time the highest or most successful level in a career, especially in entertainment; The most prestigious level of attainment in a competitive field; Ex: A bit-part actor who finally made the big time in Hollywood; After years of struggling in obscurity, he was ready for the big time; He made it to the big time with his latest film. Syn . 1. the top rank of an activity or enterprise, la primera fila, 2. great success or fame, gran momento, el apogeo, época dorada.

A blessing in disguise sth that turns out to be good in the end; sth that seems bad or unlucky at first, but results in sth good happening later; ​sth that seems to be a problem at first, but that has good results in the end. Ex: Losing your job might turn out to be a blessing in disguise; Losing that job was a blessing in disguise really. Compare a mixed blessing mixed blessing sth. that has advantages and disadvantages: Getting into the team is a mixed blessing, I'll have to spend a lot of time training. Syn a happy accident / end, No hay mal que por bien no venga.

A diamond in the rough / a rough diamond (UK) a person who is kinder and more pleasant than they seem to be from their appearance and manner; ​a person who has many good qualities even though they do not seem to be very polite, educated, etc. Syn (have great potential); diamante en bruto.

A different kettle of fish / Another kettle of fish to be completely different from something or someone else that has been talked about; ​a completely different situation or person from the one previously mentioned; Ex: Having knowledge is one thing but being able to communicate it to others is another kettle of fish; See a horse of different color; Syn entirely different matter, thing, harina de otro costal.

(That's) a horse of a different colo(u)r / A horse of another color. 

Another matter entirely, something else. Ex: I thought that was her boyfriend but it turned out to be her brother, that's a horse of a different color. Syn entirely different, harina de otro costal.

A game changer inf.sth or sb that affects the result of a game very much; ​a person, an idea or an event that completely changes the way a situation develops; Ex: As a player he can be a game changer; The advent of the digital camera proved to be a game changer in the photography industry; Syn sth revolutionary; punto de inflexión, algo que cambia o revoluciona las reglas del juego.

A hot potato a problem, situation, etc. that is difficult to deal with and causes a lot of controversy, conflict, disagreement; ​a problem, situation, etc. that is difficult and unpleasant to deal with; Ex: The abortion issue is a political hot potato in the United States; The issue of taxing domestic fuel has become a political hot potato; Syn situation, issue: difficult, asunto dificil. patata caliente.

Idiot box US, slang television, TV set; Ex: They sat and watched that idiot box for six hours.

A know-it-all / know-all (UK) a person who thinks that they know much more than other people; ​a person who behaves as if they know everything.

A long way to go (have a long way to go); to need to make a lot of progress before you can achieve sth; a lot of work to do or improvements to make:; Ex: Brad did well on the quiz, but he has a long way to go before he passes the class; She still has a long way to go before she's fully fit; Syn much effort still needed, faltar mucho.

A nine days’ wonder a person or thing that makes people excited for a short time but does not last very long, to be a cause of great excitement or interest for a short time but then quickly forgotten; ​a person or thing that makes people excited for a short time but does not last very long; Compare one hit wonder (pop performer only successful once); a stunner (slang 1. particularly fine example of sth 2. a beautiful woman) See a flash in the pan syn flor de un día.

Beauty is a nine days' wonder, tenth and onwards. It is all admiration and appreciation. Neel

Since luck's a nine days' wonder, wait their end. Euripides

A shot in the arm sth that has a sudden and positive effect on sth, providing encouragement and new activity; sth that encourages sb/sth or gives them the help they need; Ex: Fresh investment would provide the shot in the arm that this industry so badly needs; Their enthusiasm has been a shot in the arm for all of us; Syn injection, boost, (sth) revitalizing, injección de ánimo/energia, estimulo.

A snowball's chance in hell / not have a snowball’s chance in hell (usually in the negative),  An infinitely small chance possibility, or likelihood, to the point of being impossible. Usually used in the phrase "not have a snowball's chance in hell."to have no chance of succeeding; ​to have no chance at all;  An infinitely small possibility, chance, or likelihood, to the point of being impossible. Usually used in the phrase "not have a snowball's chance in hell.";She doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of getting it done on time. Ex: If he can't afford a good lawyer, he doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell of winning the case; There isn't a snowball's chance in hell that I'll wear that thing!; Syn a very poor chance, slim chance: small chance; fat chance: chance in a million, Ghost of a chance: impossible, No chance: not a prayer, no way, not likely, unthinkable, algo improbable, imposible.

(And) whatnot / (and) what have you and other similar things; ​and other things of the same type; etc.; Ex: You can buy snacks and whatnot at the bar; It's full of old toys, books and what not. Syn and things of that kind, etc, y demás, y cosas por el estilo.

Coming 1. ​the coming of something/somebody the time when something new begins or somebody arrives, 2. happening soon; Ex: 1. With the coming of modern technology, many jobs were lost; 2. We look forward to greater success in the coming year; The coming oil crisis threatens the economy. I'll be back this coming Friday; What are you doing this coming week?; Syn approaching, next, forthcoming, upcoming, próximo, entrante, venidero.

Comings and goings movement or activity; arrivals and departures; the movement of people arriving at and leaving a particular place; Ex: With so many comings and goings in this office I just can’t seem to concentrate; It's hard to keep track of the children's comings and goings; There had been lots of comings and goings at the house; If you want to know about the comings and goings at the pub, talk to Mickey, he's there every day; Parole officers have to keep track of the comings and goings of ex-convictsM There were a lot of comings and goings at our neighbour’s house all day. Syn appearance and disappearance, idas y venidas.

(keep) a stiff upper lip sb who has a stiff upper lip does not show their feelings when they are upset; ​to keep calm and hide your feelings when you are in pain or in a difficult situation; Ex: The British are famous for their stiff upper lip; He was taught to keep a stiff upper lip, whatever happens; He was taught to keep a stiff upper lip and never to cry in public; Their reaction contrasts sharply with the stiff upper lip of the English. Syn stoicism, self-restraint (control of urges), remain stoic, flema, compostura, autocontrol, templanza.

Food for thought ​an idea that makes you think seriously and carefully; something worth thinking seriously about; Ex: Thank you for your suggestion, it gave us a lot of food for thought; The programme certainly provides plenty of food for thought; Yes, your ideas have certainly given me food for thought! Yes, your ideas have certainly given me food for thought! Syn sth worth thinking about; algo para reflexionar.

Hot water a troublesome or difficult situation, esp that which will result in punishment or reprisal; Trouble or difficulty, as in: Ex; She's deep in political hot water, or We got in hot water over the car deal, or He's finally paid his tuition and is out of hot water with the school. This metaphoric term alludes to water hot enough to burn one. [First half of 1500s] Also see in trouble with; Ex: I was in a bit of hot water with Janice last night when she found out I went to the movies instead of cleaning out the garage; The senator has gotten into hot water with constituents (voters, part) over his callous remarks. Syn In trouble with, 

Laughing stock a person that everyone laughs at because they have done something stupid; someone or something that seems stupid or silly, especially by trying to be serious or important and not succeeding; Ex: I can't wear that! I'd be a laughing stock; Another performance like that and this team will be the laughing stock of the league; Syn (object of others' amusement, hazmerreir.

Middle of the road A way of thinking which does not favor one idea or thing too much; being halfway between two opposite ideas; Ex: The teacher did not support either side on the debate, but stayed in the middle of the road (he didn't help or favor either side); His politics then were very middle of the road; they became radical later. See middle(-)of(-)the(-)road (adj); Ex: His politics then were very middle of the road; they became radical later; Syn centre of a street, not extreme, moderado, de centro.

Mixed blessing sth that has advantages and disadvantages; Ex: Wealth can be a mixed blessing; Getting into the team is a mixed blessing, I'll have to spend a lot of time training; Syn source of joy and pain; arma de doble filos, moneda de dos caras, algo con ventajas e inconvenientes.

Mixed feelings If you have mixed feelings about something, you feel both pleased and not pleased about it at the same time; Ex: I had mixed feelings about leaving home. I was excited but at the same time, I knew I would miss my family; Syn conflicted emotions, sentimientos encontrados.

Much ado about nothing fuss for little reason, mucho ruido y pocas nueces. See without much / (any) more / further ado. (old-fashioned): without further delay; immediately). Note ado (literay): fuss.

Music to your ears news or information that you are very pleased to hear; something you are pleased to hear about; Ex: When she said they would make a profit, it was music to Richard’s ears; Syn great happiness / joy; música para mis oidos.

My cup of tea / (Not) be sb's cup of tea If sth is not your cup of tea, it is not the type of thing that you like; not what sb likes or is interested in; Ex: Thanks for inviting me, but ballet isn't really my cup of tea; He's nice enough but not really my cup of tea. be sb's cup of tea; area of interest or liking. Ex: This is the sort of book that is exactly my cup of tea. Particle physics is not my cup of tea. Syn preference, weakness, favourite, (no) ser lo mio, en mi onda, mi rollo, (no) ser de mi interes.

Distorted realities have always been my cup of tea. Virginia Woolf (Selected Diaries)

I simply feel that world domination is not my cup of tea. Is that shortsighted? Gail Carriger 

One for the (history) books an outstanding or unusual achievement or event; a surprising or unexpected event. Ex: Well, that's one for the books, I never thought he'd get the job; Syn sth amazing, algo memorable / para la posteridad.

Plain sailing to be easy and without problems. Ex: The roads were busy as we drove out of town, but after that it was plain sailing. Syn fig. easy course, navegación tranquila, pan comido.

Rack your brain(s) ​to think very hard or for a long time about something; Ex: I've been racking my brains all day but I can't remember her name; She racked her brains, trying to remember exactly what she had said; We racked our brains but we couldn't come up with a solution; Syn try to remember; devanarse/exprimirse los sesos, romperse la cabeza.

Rocket science / (it's) not rocket science / You don't have to be a rocket scientist… inf. used to emphasize that sth is easy to do or understand; used to say that you do not think that something is very difficult to do or to understand; Ex: Go on, you can do it. It's not exactly rocket science, is it?; Choosing the best pension provider is not rocket science; Syn 1. science of rocket design, ingeniera aeroespacial, 2. sth requiring great intelligence, ciencia.

Roller coaster (of emotions) / Emotional roller coaster with ups and downs; a situation or experience that alternates between making you feel excited, exhilarated, or happy and making you feel sad, disappointed, or desperate; Ex: This trip has been an emotional roller coaster for me; 'What a game,' Barry Larkin said. 'We were on an emotional roller coaster out there.' 

Small talk conversation about things that are not important, often between people who do not know each other well; ​polite conversation about subjects that are ordinary or unimportant, especially at social occasions; Ex: They made small talk for half an hour; She was good at making small talk to put guests at their ease; He has no small talk (is not good at talking politely about unimportant subjects); Syn chitchat (informal conversation): Shh, you two! Your incessant chit-chat is unbearable!; trivial conversation, charla trivial, comadreo, parloteo, cotorreo.

The acid test the true test of the value of sth; Ex: It looks good, but will people buy it? That's the acid test. Syn decisive indicator; la prueba de fuego; la prueba decisiva

The bee's knees ​inf. an excellent person or thing; to be excellent or of an extremely high standard; An expression from the 20s meaning an extraordinary person, thing, idea; the ultimate. Ex: Have you tried this ice cream? It's the bee's knees, it really is; You're such a wonderful person! You really are the bee's knees; She thinks she's the bee's knees (a snob, socially pretentious person, she has a very high opinion of herself), Syn superb person, thing, lo mas, lo máximo.

you're the bee's knees, bee's knees, The School of Rock quotes.

The big/whole picture the whole situation, as opposed to particular parts of it; the situation as a whole; Ex: see/look at the big picture The board needs to look at the bigger picture when taking investment decisions; It's important not to lose sight of the big picture; The bigger picture shows a growing divide in the market between the wealthy and the poor; Right now forget the details and take a look at the big picture; We need to consider the big picture and not focus just on details; Syn the situation as a whole; all of the details of situation; el panorama completo, la imagen general; todo el cuadro, toda la pelicula.

The blues sad feelings; a mood of sadness; Ex: She’s got a bad case of the blues; Jazz is gone and I got the blues, (Jazz se ha ido y yo estoy con la depre).Syn melancholy, sadness, depre.

The doing sucesos y quehaceres. Ex: The doing of the deed requires more effort than just talking about it.; This project is going to take some doing; He's always talking about the doings of his neighbours. Syn action, activities, hecho, esfuerzo, sucesos y quehaceres.

The last/final straw / The straw that breaks the camel's back fig. the latest problem in a series of problems, that makes a situation impossible to accept; final source of irritation, la gota que colma el vaso. Ex: The last straw was when the company fired most of the managers. Syn  final source of irritation, la gota que colma el vaso.

The man (and/or woman) in/on the street an average or ordinary person, either male or female; a man or men who think like most other people; Ex: To win the election she needs to understand what the man in the street wants; Politicians often don't understand the views of the man in the street; What really matters to the man and woman in the street?; Can you explain your theory so that the man in the street can understand it? Syn common man, average man/ person, the ordinary person, el hombre/individuo común (y corriente), ciudadano de a pie, 

(The) light at the end of the tunnel sth that shows you are nearly at the end of a long and difficult time or situation; signs of improvement in a situation that has been bad for a long time, or signs that a long and difficult piece of work is almost finished; Ex: As finals approached, she felt that at last she could see the light at the end of the tunnel; For the first time since the start of his treatment, we can now see light at the end of the tunnel.

The name of the game the most important part of an activity, or the quality that you most need for that activity; Ex: Hard work is the name of the game if you want to succeed in business;  People say that in politics the name of the game is making the right friends; In professional sports, winning is the name of the game. Syn The crux of the matter, aim, purpose, key point, el quid de la question.

The silver lining The positive side of a sad or difficult situation. Ex: I've still got a long way to go with my therapy, but at least now I can see the silver lining, not just a big black cloud. Note: It comes from the proverb: Every cloud has a silver lining (fabric on inside of garment, etc.), forro.

(Gain/get/have) The upper hand If you have the upper hand, you have more power than anyone else and so have control; ​to get an advantage over sb so that you are in control of a particular situation; Ex: An early goal has given the Blues the upper hand in the match. Ex: After hours of fierce negotiations, the president gained/got/had the upper hand; The thief had the upper hand because he had the gun. Syn (gain) control, attain an advantage: over sb, gain advantage, be in control, tomar la delantera, sacar ventaja; tener el control.

Make yourself do unpleasant things so as to gain the upper hand of your soul. W. Du Bois

Turning point (in sth) (mark a major turning point in sth); the time at which a situation starts to change in an important way; The time when an important change takes place, usually with the result that a situation improves; Ex: The promotion marked a turning point in her career; The turning point in her political career came when she was chosen to run for a Senate seat; The organization called the new regulations a turning point in the campaign against smoking; Little did I know that the meeting would mark a major turning point in my career; We're hoping that this new medicine will prove to be a turning point in the treatment of her disease; Syn decisive moment, punto de inflexión, momento clave (que marca un antes y un después). 

Vicious circle a situation in which one problem causes another problem which then makes the first problem worse. Ex: Many people get caught/trapped in a vicious circle of dieting and weight gain; Stress and fatigue can create a vicious circle; He was trapped in a vicious circle of addiction and petty crime; She can't see any way to break out of this vicious circle. Compare catch-22; Syn cycle of cause and effect, catch-22.

White elephant sth that has cost a lot of money but has no useful purpose; ​a thing that has no use and is no longer needed, although it may have cost a lot of money; If you describe sth as a white elephant, you mean that it is a waste of money because it is completely useless. Ex: The new office block has become an expensive white elephant. Syn a waste of money, 1. algo costoso de mantener y que no produce utilidad alguna.

What's what / (Know) what's what If you know what's what, you have a lot of experience and can judge people and situations well; ​(informal) (know) what things are useful, important, etc. Ex: Linda's been in the business for 30 years, she knows what's what; She certainly knows what's what;  You need to know what's what in this job. See to know who's who. Syn useful, essential information, como son las cosas.

Where one is coming from / (Know) where one is coming from One's motivation or reason for doing something or holding some position or opinion; ​Somebody’s ideas, beliefs, personality, etc. that makes them say what they have said; The phrase indicates that one understands the circumstances that led one to an action or opinion; Ex: I don’t agree with you entirely, but I understand where you’re coming from; Look, I understand where you're coming from, and I kind of agree with you, but rules are rules, and I can't let you do that; If Gina would explain her situation a little better, I think they'd see where she's coming from; Syn sb's perspective, reasoning; lo que alguien quiere decir, el punto de vista de alguien.

Whistleblower / / Whistle-blower / Whistle blower slang (person), exposes wrongdoing; delator, soplón, chivato; Ex:  Accountants were the whistle blowers in several corporate scandals. Syn spy, fink, hypocrite, conspirator, impostor, informer, double-crosser, sneak, betrayer, delator, soplón, chivato.

Who's who / (Know) who’s who people's names, jobs, status, etc; ​Ex: You'll soon find out who's who in the office; The list of delegates attending read like a who's who of the business world. Syn social elite, identities, a list or book of facts about famous people, quien es quien.

2. ADJECTIVAL IDIOMS

One-word adjectives

Sick slang (amazing, cool); Ex: You're getting a brand new car for your birthday? Dude, that's sick!; Syn awesome, terrific, cool, great, genial, mortal.

Adjectival phrases

All mouth (and no trousers) / All mouth and trousers ​inf. if you say sb is all mouth, you mean that they talk a lot about doing sth, but are, in fact, not brave enough to do it; to talk a lot about doing sth but never do it; Full of boastful, arrogant, or shallow talk, usually by a male, who then cannot deliver on his claims. A variant of "all mouth and trousers," meaning the same thing. Primarily heard in UK. If you say that sb is all mouth and no trousers, you mean that they often say they are going to do sth impressive or exciting but never actually do it. Ex: Ahmed's failure to bid for either company has left him with a reputation for being all mouth and no trousers; He says he's going to complain to the manager, but he's all mouth; He talks a big game, but when it actually comes to asking out a woman, he's all mouth and no trousers. Syn  Ser un fanfarrón o un fantasma; se le va (toda) la fuerza por la boca. 

Note: Less commonly, people use "all mouth and trousers" with the same meaning. Ex: He was a fast-talking, London media type, all mouth and trousers. Note: Sometimes people use another noun instead of trousers. He says he's going to do something about it but he never will. He's all mouth and no action. Note: Sometimes people just say that someone is all mouth. I wouldn't worry about James — he's all mouth.

Beyond the pale (Go/Be) beyond the pale; If sb's behaviour is beyond the pale, it is unacceptable; ​considered by most people to be unacceptable or unreasonable; Ex: Her recent conduct is beyond the pale; His remarks were clearly beyond the pale; She has put herself beyond the pale (behaved in a way that is not acceptable); See cross the/a line v.; See out of line Syn unacceptable, totalmente inaceptable, pasar de la raya, pasar de castaño a oscuro.

Big-time inf. also n./adv. very successful, Ex: Now he's a big-time director, but once he worked in the mail room; Big-time football/politics (fútbol m/política f de alto nivel); A big-time politician/actor (un político/actor de primera línea); A big-time banker (un banquero de categoría). See big-shot. Syn exitoso, de primer nivel, de categoría.

Big-shot slang (person: important); Ex: He's a big-shot movie producer in Hollywood See big-time Syn important person, gran, grande, de primera fila.

Black(-)and(-)white A black and white issue or situation is one which involves issues which seem simple and therefore easy to make decisions about. Ex: The situation may seem very black and white to you, but actually it's more complicated; Syn clear, defined, meridianamente claro, blanco y negro.

Do-or-die fig. said when you are in a situation in which you must take a big risk in order to avoid failure; ​having or needing great determination. Ex: On Tuesday, it's do or die in the final game; It's do or die for our team today. Adj: Tomorrow's game is a do-or-die situation for the struggling team. Syn critical situation, 1. n. a todo o nada, a matar or morir; 2. (adj) de vida o muerte.

Done for (slang) dommed; Ex: Unless the rescue helicopter finds us before dark, we're done for. Syn dead, finished, kaput, frito, jodido, muerto (fig.)

Either-or (situation) Ex: It's an either-or situation: We can buy a new car this year or we can go on holiday, but we can't do both. Syn With two choices, una de dos.

Finger-licking Syn delicious, tasty. Ex: finger-licking good. Compare eatable, drinkable, See mouth-watering.

(Strictly) for the birds ​inf. to not be important or practical; to be stupid or not important; Ex: This cheap paper's for the birds: it keeps tearing and jamming in the printer; Syn inferior, undesirable, para (el cubo de) la basura, no vale para nada; ser cosa de poca monta or de tontos.

Full of beans/life ​(of a person) having a lot of energy and enthusiasm; Ex: I've never known anyone be so full of beans before breakfast; Syn full of energy, lleno de energia.

Greek to one / (It's all) Greek to (one) cliché, a way of saying that you do not understand sth that is said or written; ​I cannot understand it; (It is) completely unintelligible, as if it is written in a language that one does not speak. The phrase comes from Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar; This might as well be a foreign language, because I don't understand it at all; Ex: She tried to explain how the system works, but it's all Greek to me; A: "Can you understand this error message?" B: "Sorry, Greek to me. You'd better ask one of the programmers."; Can you make sense of these instructions? It's all Greek to me!; incomprehensible to someone; as mysterious as Greek writing. I don't understand this. It's all Greek to me. She said it was Greek to her, and that it made no sense at all. Syn to be incomprehensible or unintelligible to someone; no entiendo ni palabra, me suena a chino chino.

Hair-raising very frightening; ​extremely frightening but often exciting; Ex: a hair-raising story/adventure; The movie is about a hair-raising adventure to the edge of the known world; Mary told me all of the hair-raising details of yesterday's events. Syn shocking, scary, exciting, espeluznante, horroroso, emocionante.

High and dry person: abandoned; Ex: When he left her, she found herself high and dry with no income and nowhere to live; Syn abandoned, tirado, a la buena de Dios.

Home and dry to have successfully finished sth; having achieved your goal; Ex: We just have to finish this section, then we're home and dry. Syn high-flying, successful, thriving, triumphant, llegar a buen puerto, tener éxito, llegar sano y salvo. 

I wish you could be here with me but I won't see you 'til you've made it back again home and  dry. "Home and dry" (Pet shop boys song)

Life-and-death fig. involving the possibility that someone will die; extremely serious, especially when there is a situation in which people might die. Ex: We were now in a life-and-death situation; a life-and-death matter; a life-and-death decision/struggle. Syn vitally important, de vida o muerte.

Middle-of-the-road ​(of people, policies, etc.) not extreme; acceptable to most people; used to describe a person, organization, opinion, or type of entertainment that is not extreme and is acceptable to or liked by most people; Ex: a middle-of-the-road newspaper; middle-of-the-road pop music; They adopted a sensible, middle-of-the-road policy on defence spending; See middle of the road n. Syn moderate, centrist (de centro); average, mediocre, (politics): not extreme, del montón, común y corriente, moderado, de centro.

Mind-boggling very difficult to imagine or to understand; extremely surprising; extremely surprising and difficult to understand or imagine; Ex: She was paid the mind-boggling sum of ten million dollars for that film; a problem of mind-boggling complexity; It’s mind-boggling to me that this is allowed to happen. Compare mind-blowing. Syn complicated, overwhelming, astonishing; bewildering, complicado, alucinante, abrumador, sobrecogedor.

Note boggle (at sth) (B2) v,: to be slow to do or accept sth because you are surprised or shocked by it; Ex: Even I boggle at the idea of spending so much money. Syn (mind) be bewildered, overwhelmed or amazed, quedarse atónito, pasmado, boquiabierto.

Mind-blowing 1. extremely exciting or surprising; Ex: The special effects in this film are pretty mind-blowing; Watching your baby being born is a mind-blowing experience; The mind-blowing beauty of Africa. Compare mind-boggling Syn astounding, very exciting, impressive or surprising; slang (drug): hallucinogenic, alucinógeno, increible, extraordinario, alucinante. 

Note 'Mind-blowing' is usually used to describe things that are impressive, whereas 'mind-boggling' usually describes things that are confusing or hard to even think about. Still, the terms are often used interchangeably.

Mouth(-)watering ​mouth-watering food looks or smells so good that you want to eat it immediately; Ex: I can't control myself when I see a mouthwatering piece of cake; a mouth-watering display of cakes; Syn appetizing, tempting, desirable, tasty-looking, appealing, que hace la boca agua.

Neither here nor there not important, or not connected with the subject being discussed: Her age is neither here nor there; the real question is, can she do the job? Compare: Beside the point (The exact cost is beside the point; what’s important is that we get the job done. Contrast: to have to do with, come to the point. Synonyms: irrelevant, not relevant, no venir al caso, no tener importancia. 

No great shakes ​inf. to be not very good or important, efficient, suitable, etc; Ex: I'm afraid I am no great shakes as a cook/at cooking!; He has written a book, but it’s no great shakes Compare nothing (much) to write home about. Syn forgettable, nothing special, nothing to write home about, unimpressive, no ser gran cosa, no ser una maravilla.

No sweat interj. adv. inf. easy, sth easily accomplished, uncomplicated. Ex: a no-sweat job.        That job was no sweat; requiring little effort; easy; No sweat, John, we can just hide the broken glass under the sofa; See don’t sweat the small stuff; Syn 1. easy, a piece of cake, 2. expressing that sth is easy, no hagas un drama, no te preocupes, relajate. 

Nothing (much) to write home about ​inf. not especially. good; ordinary; not exciting or special; Ex: I enjoyed his last film, but this new one is nothing to write home about; The team’s performance was nothing to write home about; Their performance was nothing to write home about; Syn unremarkable, not great, ​(ordinary, not interesting, not special in any way: an unremarkable life), no ser nada del otro mundo, no ser para tirar cohetes / nada espectacular.

Ok inf. also v. n. interj. 1. just satisfactory, mediocre; Ex: He did an OK job on the project. It was nothing great. See nothing (much) to write home about; 2. emotionally fine: Ex: Are you feeling OK? You seem to be stressed today. Syn passable (Liz has a passable knowledge of French),  acceptable, bien; 3.informal (sufficiently likeable), amable); Ex: She's OK. Her sister is much more friendly, though; 4. person: decent (buen, bueno); Ex: Yes, he's an OK guy. You can trust him. 

Out of line beyond what is considered acceptable behavior; Ex: You can disagree with her, but calling her dishonest was out of line; See beyond the pale. Syn (comment): unacceptable, (person): behaving unacceptably, impresentable, inaceptable, fuera de tono, que se ha pasado de la raya.

Politically (in)correct ​used to describe language or behaviour that deliberately tries to avoid offending particular groups of people; Sb who is politically correct believes that language and actions that could be offensive to others, especially those relating to sex and race, should be avoided; A politically correct word or expression is used instead of another one to avoid being offensive; Ex: He was an interesting speaker, if not always politically correct in his views; Some people think that "fireman" is a sexist term, and prefer the politically correct term "firefighter". Syn avoiding discrimination. politicamente correcto.

Short-sighted (UK) / nearsighted (US) miopic, failing to plan ahead; Ex: Congress' bill to reduce taxes on greenhouse gas companies was shortsighted; See shortsightedness (miopia)  Contrast far-sighted / farsighted, (having foresight, farseeing, prudent, planning for the future; visionario, previsor, precavido, sagaz). Syn failing to plan ahead; de poca visión de futuro.

I didn't kill her but that may have been shortsighted (The Donna Leigh Mysteries)

We are too shortsighted to rejoice in the moments that deserve it. Nadia Hashimi

Whoever said ignorance was bliss was shortsighted. Jeaniene Frost

(be) snowed under (with sth) (usually passive) having too much to do; ​to have more things, especially work, than you feel able to deal with; Ex: I am totally snowed under at school; Syn overwhelm with work, etc, hasta el cuello, agobiado, atareado, ir de cabeza.

3. ADVERBIAL IDIOMS

Binomials and trinomials

(Come) rain or shine whatever happens; ​whether there is rain or sun; whatever the weather. Ex: He goes jogging every morning, rain or shine; Come rain or shine, I'll see you on Thursday; The marathon run will take place rain or shine, although it will be postponed if there's lightning. Syn whatever happens, llueva o truene.

High and low all over the place; Ex: I've searched high and low for my purse. Syn everywhere, por tadas partes, en cada rincón.

On and off / off and on ​from time to time; now and again; happening or existing only some of the time; occasionally; erratically; Ex: I feel better off and on, but I'm not well yet. He only came to class on and off; Jan has been going to the gym on and off for the past six months; We dated off and on for several years before we finally broke up. Syn intermittently, occasionally, a veces, algunas veces, de vez en cuando, ocasionalmente, en ocasiones, esporádicamente.

(Fall for sth) hook, line, and sinker ​be deceived / duped / tricked. Ex: What I said was not true, but he fell for it (believed it) hook, line and sinker; She's so gullible, she fell for his story hook, line, and sinker. Syn completely, de principio a fin, de cabo a rabo, de pe a pa.

Adverbial phrases

All too / Only too more than is desirable; Ex: The week passed all too quickly, and it was time to go back home; She is all too eager to help; See adj (compound): That is an all-too-common mistake; Syn disapproving (overly), demasiado, excesivamente.

Be at the top of one's game to be able to use your skills and abilities to a very high level, and even more than you have done previously; At one's best or most skillful; Fig. good and as good as one is likely to get. (Usually of sports.); Ex: She's 55 and at the top of her game as an entrepreneur; I can't believe I got the hardest question right. I'm really at the top of my game today!; I guess I was at the top of my game last year. This year, I stink. Syn performing brilliantly; al máximo, en plena forma, en su mejor momento.

Big time also n./adj. inf. If you do sth big time, you do it to a great degree; ​on a large scale; to a great extent; Ex: "How was the interview?" "Terrible, I messed up big time."; This time they've messed up big time!; Chrissy's into skiing big time (likes skiing a lot); he has tasted success big-time ha conocido el éxito con mayúsculas; they screwed (things) up big-time metieron la pata bien hondo; America lost big-time el equipo americano se llevó una soberana paliza; See big-time adj: inf. (very successful, exitoso, de primer nivel): Now he's a big-time director, but once he worked in the mail room. Syn to a great / the highest extent, a lo grande, a más no poder.

By heart to learn something in such a way that you can say it from memory; ​using only your memory. Ex: I've seen the show so often I know all the songs by heart; She's learnt the whole speech off by heart. Syn from memory, de memoria.

By hook or by crook using any method you can, even a dishonest one; by any method possible; Ex: I decided I was going to get that job by hook or by crook. Syn figurative by any means necessary; de una forma u otra; por las buenas o por las malas.

Darn US, euphemism (intensifier: damned); Ex: You're darn right I'm angry!; See dead; See  darn (it)! (interj.) Syn dead, totally, entirely, absolutely, totalmente. 

Note darn mend sth by sewing); Ex: The socks were full of holes, so Harry darned them. (zurcir); 3. US, informal, euphemism (curse), Ex: Darn that pesky fly! (maldita mosca puñetera!)

For a song very cheaply; ​at a low price; at a bargain price; Ex: She bought the painting for a song; She bought the bed for a song at an auction; Because the shop's closing down, most of the stock is going for a song (being sold very cheaply); Syn dead cheap, dirt cheap, (very)

cheaply, por casi nada, muy barato, tirado (de precio).

If need be If (it is) necessary; Ex: If need be, we can take two cars; There's always food in the freezer if need be; Syn if required, if necessary (I'm ready to stay late if necessary), if needed, si hace falta, si es necesario.

In between between the two times mentioned; Ex: I have breakfast at 7.30, lunch at 1.00, and sometimes a snack in between; The houses are next to one another, with an alleyway running in between; When they started to fight, their little brother ran in between. Syn in an intermediate position, intervening, en (el) medio.

I say what I want to say and do what I want to do. There's no in between. People will either love you for it or hate you for it. 

In earnest more seriously and with more force or effort than before; ​very serious and sincere about what you are saying and about your intentions; in a way that shows that you are serious; Ex: The work on the house will begin in earnest on Monday; That was when our troubles started in earnest; You may laugh but I'm in deadly earnest; I could tell she spoke in earnest; Syn sincerely, be sincere, serious,; sinceramente, ser sincero, decirlo en serio.

Note earnest: serious and determined, especially too serious and unable to find your own actions funny; Ex: He was a very earnest young man; Adam is an earnest young man who has no time for jokes; Linda made an earnest request for forgiveness; Syn serious, sincere, serio.     

In theory as a possibility. As opposed to in reality or in practice.They could, in theory, have been paid twice if someone hadn’t caught the error;  ​used to say that a particular statement is supposed to be true but may in fact be wrong; possibly; Ex: In theory, these machines should last for ten years or more; That sounds fine in theory, but have you really thought it through?; ‘Aren’t you supposed to be retired?’ ‘Yes, in theory.’; In theory, all children get an equal chance at school; That idea's great in theory, but it would never work in the real world. Contrast In practice Syn In principle, theoretically, hypothetically, en teoria.

In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not. Albert Einstein

No sweat easily. adj. interj. Ex: We did it, no sweat. Syn easily, facilmente.

Ok inf. successfully, satisfactorily; Ex: He did OK for himself. He is a doctor now, (A él le ha ido bien. Ahora es doctor); 2. correctly, alright (bien); Ex: He can walk OK now.

Once in a blue moon very rarely, not very often, Syn very rarely, very seldom, once in a while, once in a very long time, muy de vez en cuando, de higos a brevas, de uvas a peras, muy rara vez, de Pascuas a Ramos.

Right away/off immediately without delay. Ex: I need someone to help me right away; I want it sent right away; I told him right off what I thought of him; I'll do it straight away. Syn straight away, at once, ahora mismo, inmediatamente. 

Straight away Immediately, at one. Ex: I should go and see a doctor straight away. See right away.

Up the creek (without a paddle) slang, in trouble; in a difficult or bad situation; Ex: If any more people resign, we'll be really up the creek; Syn (in or into trouble), en apuros.

4. PREPOSITIONAL IDIOMS

Prepositional idioms combine prepositions with verbs, nouns, or phrases to create idiomatic expressions. These expressions can be divided into two categories: idioms that start with prepositions (prepositional phrases) and idioms that end with prepositions (phrasal verbs).

Idioms that start with prepositions form prepositional phrases, meaning they must be followed by a noun or noun phrase. Idiomatic prepositional phrases are able to function either adverbially or adjectivally. For example: “Chuck visits his grandparents from time to time.” (adverbial prepositional phrase); “The city is in danger.” (adjectival prepositional phrase)

Here are some of the most common prepositions found at the beginning of prepositional idioms: at, by, for, from, in, on, out of, ... in black and white adv (in writing) por escrito, en negro sobre blanco

At (great) length for a long time and in detail. Ex: He quoted at length from the report; We have already discussed this matter at great length; He told me at length about his new job. Syn extensively, in detail, con pelos y señales, con todo lujo de detalles.

In black and white in writing; Ex: I didn't believe he was dead until I saw it in the newspaper in black and white; Would you put that down in black and white?; I never thought they'd put it in black and white on the front page. Syn in writing; por escrito, en negro sobre blanco.

In keeping with conforming to sth; Ex: In keeping with tradition, the family members wore black clothing; Levels of attainment at this school are in keeping with national expectations.

In the offing fig. going to happen soon; In prospect, likely; ​(informal) likely to appear or happen soon. Ex: With an election in the offing, the mayor is getting nervous; There's a merger in the offing so I wouldn't make a decision just yet; I hear there are more staff changes in the offing.

In the pipeline fig. being planned; ​being developed; sth that is in the pipeline is being discussed, planned or prepared and will happen or exist soon. Ex: Important new laws are already in the pipeline;  Syn being developed, en proyecto.

On an ongoing basis adv continuously into the future. Ex: I will be doing this job on an ongoing basis. Syn steadily, without interruption, regularmente.

On cloud nine extremely happy and excited; Ex: "Was Helen pleased about getting that job?" "Pleased? She was on cloud nine!". Syn blissfully happy, en el septimo cielo, en una nube.

On the off chance (of doing sth / that…) hoping that something may be possible, although it is not likely; ​because of the possibility of something happening, although it is unlikely. Ex: I applied for the job on the off chance that they might like me, but I didn't seriously expect to get it; I didn't think you'd be at home but I just called by on the off chance; She scanned the crowd on the off chance of seeing someone she knew; I called in at the office on the off chance that you would still be there. Syn inf. in the unlikely event that, (just) in case, en el caso improbable de, por si acaso. 

(Be/stay/sit) on the fence to avoid becoming involved in deciding or influencing sth; not able to decide sth. Ex: He tends to sit on the fence at meetings; Many consumers are still on the fence, waiting for a less expensive computer to come along; Todd’s still sitting on the fence, trying to decide which school he wants to go to. Syn fig. (be) undecided, (estar) indeciso.

(Be) on the right/wrong track doing sth correctly or well; ​thinking or behaving in the right/wrong way. Ex: We haven’t found a cure yet, but we are on the right track; The police were on the wrong track when they treated the case as a revenge killing; You haven't quite got the answer yet, but you're on the right track. 

(Be) up in the air inf. fig. If a matter is up in the air, it is uncertain, often because other matters have to be decided first; ​not yet decided. Ex: The whole future of the project is still up in the air; Our travel plans are still up in the air. Syn uncertain, en el aire.

For good (and all) (forever, permanently) She says she’s leaving him for good. (British English also for good and all). Ex: This time she's leaving for good (she will never return); I'd like an excuse to get rid of him for good and all. Compare forever; para siempre, definitivamente. 

Without further/(any) more ado (old-fashioned) without delaying; without wasting more time. Ex: And so, without further ado, let me introduce tonight's speaker. Syn Immediately, sin mas preambulo, sin mas demora. Note ado (lio, jaleo, alboroto); Ex: I don't understand why some people make such ado about spelling.

5. PHRASEOLOGICAL IDIOMS

At first sight ​when you first begin to consider sth; Ex: At first sight, the town looked boring; At first sight, it may look like a generous offer, but always read the small print; Syn instantly, immediately, a primera vista. 

It was love at first sight, at last sight, at ever and ever sight. Vladimir Nabokov

Be/Get bogged down (with sth) to be/become so involved in sth difficult or complicated that you cannot do anything else; Ex: Let's not get bogged down with individual complaints; UK Try not to get too bogged down in the details; I thought I would be able to leave early, but I got bogged down by paperwork; Once again, the car got bogged down in the mud; Syn 1. stuck: in activity (enredarse / empantanarse con), etc. 2. stuck: in mud, (quedar atrapado, atascarse)

As a writer, you have to first of all write what you want to. Listen to advice, by all means, but don't get bogged down in it. J. Abercrombie 

(Be/Go) back to the drawing board fig. inf. (starting over)(start planning again); ​to start thinking about a new way of doing something after a previous plan or idea has failed; Ex: They rejected our proposal, so it’s back to the drawing board. Syn start from scratch, make a new beginning, empezar de cero, volver al punto de partida.

Be heavily/really into sth to be very interested in and involved with sth; Ex: When I was younger I was heavily into politics. Syn fascinated, passionate about, tener pasión por.

Be in / get into hot/deep water inf. in a difficult situation in which you are likely to be punished; to be in or get into trouble; Ex: Emails that criticize others can land you in hot water, so be careful what you write; He found himself in hot water for being late for work. Syn in trouble, con el agua hasta el cuello, en aguas turbulentas.

Be/have to do with sb/sth / have (got) sth/nothing, a lot, etc. to do with sb/sth to be about sth. Ex: My question has to do with last week’s assignment;  The Commission can investigate matters that have to do with members of police force. Syn involve, be related, (no) tener que ver con, (no) estar relacionado con.

Be that as it may ​(formal) nevertheless, despite that; used to mean that you accept that a piece of information is true but it does not change your opinion of the subject you are discussing. Ex: Building a new children's home will cost a lot of money but, be that as it may, there is an urgent need for the facility.

Beg/poss a/the question (of) If a statement or situation begs the question, it causes you to ask a particular question; ​to make somebody want to ask a question that has not yet been answered; 2.to assume the truth of the point in dispute: Ex: Spending the summer travelling around India is a great idea, but it does beg the question of how we can afford it; To discuss the company's future begs the question of whether it has a future; All of which begs the question as to who will fund the project; If you try to prove that the death penalty reduces crime by saying that crime is reduced by having the death penalty, you are begging the question; Syn invite obvious question, take for granted, assume truth of argument; plantea la pregunta, evitar el tema, esquivar el tema.

​Belittle somebody/something to make sb, or the things that sb does, seem unimportant; to make a person or an action seem as if he, she or it is not important; Ex: She felt her husband constantly belittled her achievements; By saying this, I do not mean to belittle the importance of his role; Though she had spent hours fixing the computer, he belittled her efforts; Stop belittling yourself, your work is highly valued; My dad had a nasty habit of belittling us when we were kids; Syn disparage (speak badly of, denigrar), menospreciar, despreciar, subestimar,  

Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great. Mark Twain

Blow the whistle on to bring sth to the attention of other people in order to stop sth bad from happening. Ex: The employee decided to blow the whistle on his employer for the illegal transactions. See whistle(-)blower, n. slang, exposes wrongdoing; delator, soplón, chivato;  Syn Inform on, denunciar, delatar chivar, cantar, dar el soplo ...

Blow/Knock your socks off If sth knocks your socks off, you find it extremely exciting or good If sth knocks your socks off it usually means it impresses, or surprises you. Ex: I'm going to take you to a restaurant that'll knock your socks off. Syn amaze, impress, surprise, dejar mudo, dejar alucinado/flipado.

Call the shots/tune to be in the position of being able to make the decisions that will influence a situation; ​(inf.) to be the person who controls a situation. Ex: You're the boss here, you get to call the shots; Syn be in charge, make the decisions, llevar los pantalones, llevar la batuta, tener la sarten por el mango, tomar las decisiones, estar al mando, dirigir el cotarro.

Chew the fat to talk with someone in an informal and friendly way; ​to have a long friendly talk with somebody about something; Ex: Randall stayed chewing the fat for a while; We sat in a bar most of the evening just chewing the fat; Syn chat, talk, converse, estar de palique, dar a la lengua, charlar.

Cross the/a line To start to behave in a way that is not socially acceptable; ​to do sth that is not considered to be acceptable behaviour; To misbehave or do sth unacceptable or inappropriate; If sb crosses the line, they start behaving in an unacceptable or offensive way. Ex: The show's pretty outrageous, but I don't think it crosses the line; There was no reason to bring our families into it. That's crossing the line; Speaking that rudely to your teacher definitely crosses the line. See (go) beyond the pale adj. Syn go beyond limit of tolerance, pasarse de la raya.

Cut both/two ways (of an action, argument, etc.) to have two opposite effects or results; to have both advantages and disadvantages; to have effects both advantageous and disadvantageous; Ex: The promotion cuts both ways because though I’ll make more money, I’ll have to be away from my family more often; Watching TV cuts both ways. It makes people know what is really going on, but it also makes them lazy, addicted and sick. Syn have pros and cons; ser un arma de doble filo; tener pros y contras.

Cut corners to do sth in the easiest, cheapest, or fastest way; ​(disapproving) to do sth in the easiest, cheapest or quickest way, often by ignoring rules or leaving sth out; Ex: To be competitive, they paid low wages and cut corners on health and safety. Syn save time, money, cortar presupuesto.

Cut it / the mustard ​inf. (not) cut it; to (not) reach a desired level of accomplishment; to (not) be as good as is expected or needed; to (not) be able to deal with problems or difficulties in a satisfactory way; to successfully do what you are asked to do: Ex: If he can't cut it, then we'll get sb else to do the job; He won't cut it as a professional singer; Some people work well under pressure; others can't cut it; For heavy office use, this printer just doesn't cut it. Compare (be) cut out for/to Syn be up to sth; be up to scratch; succeed, prosper, flourish, dar la talla. 

Cut to the chase ​inf. to stop wasting time and start talking about the most important thing; to talk about or deal with the important parts of a subject and not waste time with things that are not important:; Ex: Right, let's cut to the chase. How much is it going to cost?; I didn't have long to talk so I cut to the chase and asked whether he was still married. See get to the point Syn  say what you mean; get to the point; speak directly; ir la grano.

Change for the better / worse ​a person, thing, situation, etc. that is better/worse than the previous or present one. Ex: Voters see the new leader as a change for the better; I reckon we've all made a big change for the better; His family had detected a change for the worse in his behaviour. See n. (a) change for the better / worse. Syn improve.

Times will change for the better when you change. Maxwell Maltz

Sometimes men change for the better. Sometimes men change for the worse. And often, very often, given time and opportunity... They change back. Joe Abercrombie (Best Served Cold).

Don’t sweat the small stuff (North American English, informal) used to tell sb not to worry about small details or things that are not important. See Dont't sweat it!

Draw a blank to get no response or result; to fail to get an answer or a result; Ex: He asked me for my phone number and I drew a blank, I just couldn't remember it; So far, the police investigation has drawn a blank; Jenna's search for information about her birth parents drew a blank; Syn 1.be unable to recall sth (quedarse en blanco), 2. fail to elicit sth (no llegar a nada, no obtener resultado)

 

Drive/hammer sth home / drive sth home (to sb) to say sth clearly and with a lot of force so that you are certain people understand it; Ex: You will really need to drive your point home; She really drove home the message that we need to economize; Syn make sb realize / understand / aware of, conscious of; instil or impress the truth of; tomar conciencia, hacer entender. 

Feel small / Look small 1. to look or feel stupid, weak, ashamed, etc; To feel insignificant or see oneself negatively. 2. not having much importance or effect; Ex: 1. There’s no need to make me look small in front of all these people; He is such a jerk and always insults her so that she feels small.I felt really small when I realized how much time he’d spent on it; 2. a small problem; a small part in a movie. Syn feel stupid, embarrassed, ridiculous in front of other people, sertirse pequeño, insignificante, despreciable.

Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great. Mark Twain

Note ​belittle sb/sth to make sb, or the things that sb does, seem unimportant; Ex: By saying this, I do not mean to belittle the importance of his role; Syn minimize importance of; denigrar, menospreciar, despreciar, subestimar, minimizar/quitar importancia.

Feel the pinch ​(inf.); be in financial difficulties; to not have enough money; to have problems with money because you are earning less than before; Ex: When my father lost his job and we had to live on my mother's earnings, we really started to feel the pinch; Lots of people who have lost their jobs are starting to feel the pinch. Syn (be in financial difficulties), pasar apuros, pasar necesidades.

Find (the) time have enough time; To devote time in one's busy schedule to do sth; to make the time to do sth; Ex: I wish I could find the time to do more reading; I try to find the time to meditate every day; I am very busy, but I will try to find time to see you; Many people complain they cannot find time for reading. Syn (activity): fit in: That table does not fit in the small room (entrar, caber); sacar tiempo para, encontrar/buscar un hueco/momento para.

I was going to look for my missing watch, but I could never find the time. Funny Joke

Forgo (sth) to not have or do sth enjoyable; to decide not to have or do sth that you would like to have or do; Ex: I shall have to forgo the pleasure of seeing you this week; No one was prepared to forgo their lunch hour to attend the meeting; She would willingly forgo a birthday treat if only her warring parents would declare a truce; Time to prepare was a luxury he would have to forgo; Syn abstain from, do without, forfeit, privarse/abstenerse de, renunciar a.

I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.

Get down to business to start talking about the subject to be discussed; ​to start dealing with the matter that needs to be dealt with, or doing the work that needs to be done; Ex: If the introductions are over I'd like to get down to business; Let’s get down to business right away—we’ll stop for coffee later; OK, let's get down to business. Syn get cracking, get going (on/with sth), start now; get down to brass tacks, stop beating about the bush; ponerse a trabajar / manos a la obra, comenzar, arrancar.

Get moving/going! (move it!) inf. 1. leave now, 2. start now; to start to go or move: We'd better get moving or we'll be late. Compare Get sth going / moving; get in the way of 

Baby, get moving (better get movin'), why keep your feeble hopes alive? What are you proving?, what are you provin'?, You've got the dream, but not the drive (C1).

Note: drive (C1) 1. journey by car: The drive was really tiring (viaje en auto), 2. pleasure trip: Let's go for a drive in the country (vuelta, paseo en coche). 3. push: His drive to succeed led him into business (deseo, impulso), 4. (psychology: urge): He has difficulty controlling his drives (impulso, instinto); 5. energy: She's got a lot of drive and that motivates everyone (energia, fuerza)

Get sth going / moving inf. to cause sth to make progress Ex: The new director has really got things moving.

Get/set/start/keep the ball rolling to make sth begin or happen; ​to make sth start happening; to make sure that sth continues to happen; Ex: We have to get the ball rolling on this project soon; Syn initiate, poner manos a la obra, echar el balón a rodar.

Get in the way of ​to prevent sb from doing sth; to prevent sth from happening. Ex: He wouldn't allow emotions to get in the way of him doing his job.

Note: drive (C1) energy and determination to achieve things. Ex: We are looking for sb with drive and ambition. Syn 1. journey by car, a trip in a motor vehicle, 2. pleasure trip, 3. push (deso, impulso)

Get moving / going / cracking / rolling / a move on inf. to begin, leave, etc. quickly; hurry up, start working. Ex: It's late, we'd better get moving. Syn act now, go now, ponerse en marcha, salir, espabilar.

Baby get movin', Why keep your feeble hopes alive?, What are you provin'? You've got the dream but not the drive. Beauty school dropout. "Grease". Frankie Avalon

Get out of hand 1. out of control; ​difficult or impossible to control, 2. ​if you reject, etc. something out of hand, you do so immediately without thinking about it fully or listening to other people’s arguments. Ex: Things got a little out of hand at the party and three windows were broken; He went to see his doctor because he felt his drinking was getting out of hand. Syn 1. uncontrolled (irse de las manos), 2. without further thought (sin pensarlo dos veces)

Note: “for good” implies something that is permanent and won't be reversed, but may only last for a relatively short period. “Forever” can imply a much longer period. There is also a slang usage of “forever” to simply mean “quite a long time”: It took her forever to get ready.

Get somewhere / nowhere to make (no) progress toward a goal; to make progress in what you are doing; Ex: After months of talks, negotiators think they’re finally getting somewhere; When she landed her first big acting role, Maria felt like she was finally getting somewhere; Syn make (no) progress, progresar.

Worrying is like sitting in/on a rocking chair, it gives you sth to do, but it gets you nowhere / it doesn't get you anywhere / it won't get you anywhere / it gets you nowhere. Glenn Turner

Get/Start/Keep the ball rolling to make sth begin or happen; ​to make sth start happening; to make sure that sth continues to happen; Ex: We have to get the ball rolling on this project soon. Syn To set sth, often a process, in motion; to begin, ponerse manos a la obra, empezar.

Get/Put/Set the record straight / Get sth straight to give people the correct information about something in order to make it clear that what they previously believed was in fact wrong; to tell the truth about something after someone else has not told the truth about it  Ex: Let's get this straight - you're travelling to Frankfurt on Monday and Brussels on Tuesday, is that correct?

Get the sack/ax(e) / Be given the sack/ax(e) inf. be fired; lose your job; be dismissed from job; Ex: Harry got the sack after he was found guilty of theft; The new secretary is so rude, it's time she got the sack; I tried so hard to do a good job in Mrs. Smith's garden, but I got the sack anyway; Syn To be fired from a job or task; ser despedido, ser echado, dar la patada.

Get to (sth/sb) reach, arrive; Ex: John got to Cambridge at about five o'clock. Syn arrive in, llegar a hacer algo / un sitio.

When you get to know me better. Song by Prefab Sprout 

Basically, when you get to my age, you'll really measure your success in life by how many of the people you want to have love you actually do love you. Warren Buffett

Get to sb slang to bother, annoy or affect sb; To make sb angry or annoyed; Ex: His incessant whistling really gets to me; The pressure of work is beginning to get to him; After a while his teasing started to get to me. Syn annoy, anger, molestar, fastidiar.

Get to doing sth slang; to start doing sth; to begin by chance; begin to; Ex: He got to thinking that it was all his fault; When he failed to call me yet again, I got to wondering if he was having an affair. Syn begin to; ponerse a.

Get to do (sth) inf. have a chance / the opportunity to do or be; be able to; Ex: Now it's the weekend, I finally get to relax!; I didn’t get to go to the conference (no conseguí ir); Did you get to see the king? (did you succeed in seeing him?) Syn be able, have a chance to, succeed in, poder, tener la oportunidad de, conseguir hacer algo.

Get to the point (also interj) speak directly; Ex: It took Natalie a long time to get to the point; Get to the point! We haven't got all day, you know; Syn say what you mean, ve al grano

Get your feet wet inf. to start doing sth for the first time; to become used to a new situation; to start doing sth that is new for you; Ex: I worked as a substitute teacher for a while, just to get my feet wet; This one-week course offers the chance to get your feet wet; At that time he was a young actor, just getting his feet wet; Compare set the ball rolling Syn start, empezar en algo.

Give sth a go/shot/try to attempt sth; Ex: Only a few people are successful as professional athletes, but it's worth giving it a go. Syn try; intentar, probar, tratar.

Go, come, etc. (right) down to the wire inf. you say that a situation goes down to the wire, you mean that the result will not be decided or known until the very end; until the last moment that it is possible to do something; Ex: I think the election will go right down to the wire (be won at the last moment). Syn figurative close to the deadline, contra reloj, hasta el último momento.

Go out on a limb inf. not supported by other people having an opinion that is different from most people's and is unpopular. Ex: Are you prepared to go out on a limb (risk doing sth that other people are not prepared to do) and make your suspicions public?; He went out on a limb when he asked his boss for a raise; His controversial stance has left him out on a limb; She's going out on a limb in criticizing her own party leadership. Syn fig. say sth daring, meter la pata, jugarsela.

Go pear-shaped​ (UK, AUS), inf. if things go pear-shaped, they go wrong; If a plan goes pear-shaped, it fails; Ex: We'd planned to go away for the weekend, but it all went pear-shaped; Syn  go wrong, end badly; salir mal, acabar mal, ir de pena, ir al traste. 

Have a go (at sth/at doing sth) attempt to do, win or achieve sth; Ex: I’m sure I could do better than that. Let me have a go!; I’ve got the time, so I’ll have a go at the decorating myself.

Have/Take a shot (at sth / at doing sth) inf. 1. To try to do sth; Ex: A: "Do you want to try driving my car, to see how you like it?" B: "Yeah, sure, I'll have a shot at it."; We all had a shot at solving the riddle; I don’t know if I’ll be any good at editing the newsletter, but I’ll give it a shot.
2. To have a chance to achieve, attain, or have success in something; Ex: Do you really think I have a shot at winning this thing?; See have a go at Syn try sth, (intentar, probar), have a chance of (be able to succeed at sth, (tener posibilidad).

Have/get the blues to feel sad, to have sad feelings; Ex: I've got the Monday morning blues; She’s got a bad case of the blues; She's got the blues since her boyfriend left; Syn to become sad, estar deprimido, estar triste.

Have/keep your feet on the ground to be practical and able to take care of yourself; ​to have a sensible and realistic attitude to life; Ex: Don’t worry about Kerry, she’s a smart girl who has her feet on the ground; In spite of his overnight stardom he still manages to keep his feet on the ground; Syn be a pragmatic person; tener los pies sobre la tierra.

Hit rock bottom (also reach rock bottom); reach the lowest possible level; Ex: Prices hit rock bottom; The marriage had reached rock bottom; Confidence in the government is at rock bottom; Prices have reached rock bottom; The president's approval ratings have hit rock bottom; Syn figurative, informal (reach lowest, worst level), tocar fondo.

Hit the books study Ex: My economics course is really difficult; I'm going to have to hit the books every day in order to understand it; I can't go out tonight. I need to hit the books. Syn study, clavar los codos.

Hit the nail on the head fig. to say sth that is exactly right; to be exactly right about sth; Ex: Russell's comment really hit the nail on the head; I think David hit the nail on the head when he said that kids won't want to buy this product; Syn be exactly right, dar en el clavo.

Hit the sack / hay inf. to go to bed in order to sleep; Ex: I’ve got a busy day tomorrow, so I think I’ll hit the sack; I decided to hit the sack and have an early night. Syn go to bed, irse al sobre, planchar la oreja.

Keep/Put your nose to the grindstone ​inf to work hard for a long period of time without stopping; to work very hard without resting; Ex: After a year of keeping his nose to the grindstone, he finally got a vacation; Syn figurative (continuously work hard); matarse trabajando; trabajar a destajo, romperse el lomo.

Kick the bucket ​(informal or humorous) to die. See bite the dust (also stop working); Syn (to go) to meet your maker, to pass away, to buy the farm; estirar la pata, pasar a mejor vida.

Note To be dead (informal expressions): to be looking at the other side of the grass; to be pushing up daisies; to be six feet under; to fall off your perch; to be food for worms / worm food.

Know the score to know all the important facts in a situ ation, especially the unpleasant ones; Ex: You know the score - no payment till after the article is published; She says the cheque is in the mail, but I know the score - she's trying not to pay us; Syn understand the situation, conocer la jugada, conocer el percal / paño.

Beauty school dropout, It's about time you knew the score. Beauty School dropout, "Grease", Frankie Avalon

Leave sb high and dry to do sth that is not at all convenient for sb and puts them in a very difficult situation; without help or money. Syn abandoned, tirado, a la buena de Dios,

Labor the point to try too hard to express an idea, feeling, or opinion, repeating it when this is not necessary; ​to continue to repeat or explain something that has already been said and understood; Ex: Look, there's no need to labor the point - I made a mistake, I admit it!; I understand what you're saying, there's no need to labor the point; The lawyer labored the point excessively; Syn belabor, exaggerate, overstate, insistir sobre el punto.

Lay an egg inf. to fail completely in what you are trying to do; Ex: I laid an egg, big time (la he liado parda) Syn To fail, or to stop being successful, fracasar, liarla gorda.

Make a long story short (to briefly summarize, in short). 

Make head nor/or tail of sth (used in negative, conditional, and interrogative sentences) find meaning in; to be unable to understand sth. Ex: I couldn't make head nor tail of what he was saying. Syn make sense of, see, understand, entender, encontrar sentido, descifrar.

Make headway (with/against/towards sth) make progress; to begin to succeed; especially when this is slow or difficult. Ex: Has the city made any headway in attracting new businesses?; We are making little headway with the negotiations; The boat was unable to make much headway against the tide; Some headway has been made towards restoring the balance of power; It's hard to make headway when you're bicycling into the wind. Syn to make progress, avanzar.

Make it slang. to be successful in your career; Ex: He never really made it as an actor; In Hollywood, an Oscar nomination is a sign that you've made it; I thought I would miss the bus but I made it! (arrive on time). Syn succeed, triunfar, lograrlo, llegar a lo mas alto.

Make it big to become famous or successful; Ex: She went to Hollywood and made it big as a movie star. Syn be successful, triunfar a lo grande.

(Not) mince (your) words /mins/ to say sth in a direct way even though it might offend other people; to say what you mean as clearly and directly as possible. Ex: I'm sick and tired of you mincing your words; just say what you really think!; The report does not mince words, describing the situation as extremely serious. See (not) pull sb's punches (syn); Syn speak tentatively, tactfully; medir las palabras.

Mind your p's and q's to make an effort to be esp. polite in a particular situation; to behave in the most polite way you can; Ex: I have to mind my p's and q's when I'm with my grandmother; Syn informal show good manners; cuidar tus modales, portarte bien.

Miss the point to not understand sth correctly or what is important about it; fail to understand,  Ex: What you say is true, but you've missed the point of my argument; You're missing the point: this isn't about pay, it's about conditions; Syn get wrong: don't get me wrong, but..., no entender

Not bat an eyelid (UK) / eyelash (US) / eye (US) (North American English) to show no sign of surprise, concern or worry when sth unexpected happens; Ex: She told him she'd spent all her savings but he didn't bat an eyelid; She didn't bat an eyelid when I told her my news. Syn be impassive, not react; no mover ni un pelo, no immutarse.

Ok (sth) inf. (oks/oking/oked) also n. adj, adv. approve, agree to, revise; Ex: The boss oked / ok'd the purchase; Has the boss OK'd the proposal yet?; Syn aprrove; Verb: aprobar, dar el visto bueno, interj: esta bien, vale; adj: bueno, acceptable, not a problem

Play fair/straight (with sb) to act in a fair and honest way; act honestly and fairly; To act, behave, or play fairly and justly; to observe the rules or the laws; to not cheat or betray the spirit of sth. Often used in negative formations. Ex: I don’t think it’s playing fair to blame her for other people’s mistakes; If you don't play fair, no one is going to want to play games with you anymore!; Everyone I know cheats the system to their advantage, so why should I have to be the one to play fair?; Syn (games): be sporting, play by the rules (​to deal fairly and honestly with people); behave by the rules; jugar limpio, obedecer las reglas.

Play (it) safe to be careful and not take risks; ​to avoid risks; Ex: Play safe, keep out of the sun in the middle of the day; To play safe, I'd allow an extra ten minutes, just in case. Syn avoid taking risks; obrar con cautela, ser prudente.

Pose a/the question to ask a question, especially one that needs to be carefully thought about.

To raise, present, or imply a question of some kind. Modifiers are often used between "pose" and "question" to indicate or specify the type or nature of the questions being raised, presented, or implied; Ex: In her book she poses the question ‘How much do we need to be happy?’; I'd like to pose a question for you: What do we do when this water supply runs out?; The report poses several serious questions about the legality of the president's plan; Syn raise an issue/question; plantear un asunto, hacer una pregunta. 

(Not) pull any/your punches (usually used in negative sentences); to speak in an honest way without trying to be kind; to express sth less strongly than you are able to, for example to avoid upsetting or shocking sb; Ex: Her articles certainly don't pull any punches. See not mince (your) words (syn) Syn reduce force of blows, (no) andarse con chiquitas, (no) guardarse nada / algo.

Pull somebody’s leg ​inf. to play a joke on somebody, usually by making them believe something that is not true; infml to tell someone something that is not true as a way of joking with the person; Ex: Stop pulling my leg, you didn’t have lunch with Bono!; I panicked when he said the test was tomorrow, but then I realized he was just pulling my leg. Syn kid, trick, play a trick/joke on; make fun of, cheat, deceive, tease, fool, tomar el pelo.

Pull the strings ​to control events or the actions of other people; to be in control of an organization, often secretly; Ex: I want to know who's pulling the strings around here; She's the one who pulls the strings in that marriage. Syn figurative (be in control), manejar los hilos

Pull your socks up (British English), inf. to try to improve your performance, work, behaviour, etc.   to make an effort to improve your work or behaviour because it is not good enough; You need to pull your socks up at school if you're going to get good grades in your exams. Ex: He's going to have to pull his socks up if he wants to stay in the team; You're going to have to pull your socks up; Syn make an effort, hacer un esfuerzo, ponerse las pilas. 

Save (one's) face to keep your reputation and avoid others losing respect for you; ​to avoid or help sb avoid being embarrassed; to do sth so that people continue to respect you and your reputation is not damaged; To try to regain favorable standing after something embarrassing has happened; to give or afford sb an opportunity to avoid embarrassment, humiliation, or shame; avoid seeming stupid or feeling embarrassed; Ex: I was late to the meeting but tried to save face by blaming an urgent call; We said he left "to pursue other interests" to let him save face, but actually we fired him; She was fired, but she saved face by telling everyone she'd resigned; See face-saving adj. Ex: The change of heart on aid seems to show that officials are looking for a face-saving way to back down (retractarse, dar marcha atras); See save/spare one's blushes Syn avoid humiliation; salvar las apariencias, quedar bien.

Save/Spare sb's blushes / Save the blushes of sb ​(British English) to save sb from an embarrassing situation; to avoid making sb feel embarrassed; prevent sb from being embarrassed; To keep from making sb feel embarrassed or awkward. Ex: A last minute goal spared their blushes; I tried sparing her blushes when she asked me to prom by saying I had no intention of going with anyone; Samantha saved Ben's blushes by not mentioning who had broken the vase; See save (one's) face; Syn avoid embarrassing sb; ahorrarle la verguenza a.

See the big picture / Look at the big picture inf. see the situation as a whole; see the whole situation, as opposed to particular parts of it; Ex: see/look at the big picture The board needs to look at the bigger picture when taking investment decisions; Right now forget the details and take a look at the big picture; It's important not to lose sight of the big picture; See picture (sth/yourself/sb) v. Syn the situation as a whole, el panorama completo, la imagen general.

Note picture sth/yourself/sb v.: to imagine how sth looks; Ex Try to picture yourself lying on a beach in the hot sun. Syn imagine, imaginar.

Picture yourself in a boat on a river, with tangerine trees and marmalade skies. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, The Beatles

Shed/cast/throw light on sth fig. clarify, explain; to provide information about something or to make sth easier to understand; ​to make a problem, etc. easier to understand. Ex: Recent research has cast new light on the causes of the disease. Syn clarify, aclarar.

That's what I learned. I learned I couldn't shed light on love other than to feel its comings and goings and be grateful. Diane Keaton, Then Again

Show sb/know/learn the ropes; to show sb/know/learn how a particular job should be done; the practices or rules you need to know in order to get something done; Ex: I spent a day in our warehouse showing the new guy the ropes.

Strike gold To be, or to become successful; ​to find or do something that brings you a lot of success or money; Ex: He has struck gold with his latest novel; A few lucky people have struck gold by investing in this company; See make it; Syn succeed, get ahead, thrive, flourish, prosper, make it, make headway, get somewhere, fly high, make the big time, triunfar.

Swim against the current/tide To go against or disagree with a prevailing or popularly held opinion or perspective; to act or behave contrary to the majority of others; To go against or disagree with a prevailing or popularly held opinion or perspective; to act or behave contrary to the majority of others. Ex: I really swam against the current when I was in college, but as I've grown older I've found myself falling more in line with other people's way of thinking; I don't understand why you always have to swim against the current instead of making things a little easier on yourself!; 

So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past. The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Note It is a reference to the futility of our attempts to escape the past, even as we look to the future, dreaming of how “tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther.

Take (great) pains to do / over sth to try very hard to so sth; To expend a lot of time, effort, and care doing something. Ex: He took great pains to dress well for the occasion; It's clear that the owners have taken great pains over the interior design of the new restaurant. Compare leave no stone unturned.

Take its toll (on sb / sth) take a heavy toll (on sb/sth) to cause harm or suffering; ​to have a bad effect on sb/sth; to cause a lot of damage, deaths, pain, etc; Ex: The constant stress takes its toll on emergency room workers; Illness had taken a heavy toll on her; The recession is    taking its toll on the housing markets; The pressure of fame can take a terrible toll. Syn fig. extent of damage, toll (road fee, peaje, fig. damage, estrago).

Take some doing / take a lot of doing ​to be hard work; to be difficult to do and need a lot of effort: Ex: Running a marathon takes some/a lot of doing; Getting it finished by tomorrow will take some doing.It took some doing to convince him to come. Syn require a lot of effort; no ser facil.

Take (sth) with a grain / pinch of salt to understand that something is likely to be untrue or incorrect; Ex: I’ve seen the article, which I take with a grain of salt; Steven's known to exaggerate: I'd take anything he says with a grain of salt; I took his story with a pinch of salt. Syn be slightly skeptical, coger con pinzas, tomar/escuchar con reservas, creer la mitad.

Test the water(s) to find out what people's opinions of sth are before you ask them to do sth; ​to find out what the situation is before doing sth or making a decision; to find out whether sth is likely to be successful before you do or try it. Ex: Candidates like to test the waters before running for office. Syn fig. assess or evaluate (sth), tantear el terreno.

(When/before/If) the balloon goes up If the balloon goes up, a situation suddenly becomes very serious or unpleasant; ​(British English, informal) when the trouble that you are expecting begins; when the trouble or action begins; Ex: The balloon went up last Friday when the scandal became public; We have to get out of here before the balloon goes up!; Syn when the trouble or action begins; armarse la gorda.

The die is cast We can say the die is cast after a decision has been made that will strongly affect a situation, and it can't be reversed; People often use this expression to emphasize that what is done is done, and nothing can change what has already started; the situation cannot be changed; Ex: As soon as he pulled out his gun, the die was cast and he was sure to be killed by the police; Bill knew the die was cast the first time he took the drug. He was going to be an addict. Syn what's done is done; The act is done; the action is irreversible; la suerte está echada, las cartas estan echadas.

There is no telling / knowing / saying there is no way of knowing; ​used to say that it is impossible to know /predict what happened, might happen or will happen; Ex: There is no telling what the future will hold for them; There's no telling how they'll react; Syn quien sabe, no hay forma de saber, no se puede saber.

There's no denying (that) it is true; Ex: There's no denying that this has been a difficult year for the company; Syn actually, certainly, clearly, simply, literally, evidently, honestly, surely, virtually, altogether, after all; no se puede negar, es innegable que.

Think big to have plans to be very successful or powerful; to think about doing things that involve a lot of people, money, effort, etc. Ex: You need to think big if you want to succeed. Syn to think about doing big things, pensar a lo grande

You have to think anyway, Why not think big!. Inspirational Quote

This is it the expected event is just going to happen; 1. This is the key moment that we have been waiting for or anticipating (expecting); Ex: 1. OK, everyone, this is it, if we win this game, we'll be in the championships; This is it. I see my suitcase in the luggage carousel at last. 2. This is the place or thing that I need or have been waiting for. Ex: A: "Is this the book you need?" B: "Yes, this is it, thank you so much for helping me find it!"; 3. This is the point that sums everything up; Ex: A: "The only way we can start to address this problem is to prioritize building new, affordable housing." B: "Yes, this is it. Any other measures, even if necessary, won't help the crisis as it exists right now." Syn 1. here is the awaited thing (aqui esta); 2. this is the end: (ahora si que) se acabo. This is it; it's my last day in England.

Throw/cast caution to the wind(s) to do sth without worrying about the risks and danger involved; to decide not to worry about possible dangers or risks; ​to stop caring about how dangerous something might be; to start taking risks; to stop being careful and do sth that is dangerous or that might result in failure. Ex: He threw caution to the wind and dived into the water after the child; After thinking about it for years, he finally threw/flung/cast caution to the wind, quit his job, and started his own company. Syn take a risk, act in a completely reckless manner, arriesgarse, correr el riesgo, liarse la manta a la cabeza (sin pensárselo).

To have a lot of/too many irons in the fire This means juggling (tasks at once) too many projects at once and something's bound to fail; when a smith had too many irons in his fire, he couldn't effectively keep track of all of them; Ex: Gomez turned down the consulting job; he felt that he already had too many irons in the fire. Syn To be engaged in too many activities; Quien mucho abarca poco aprieta. (You've got too many irons in the fire); tener muchos/demasiados asuntos entre manos.

Toe the line to do what you are expected to do without causing trouble for anyone; be like others. Ex: If you want to get ahead, you’d better learn to toe the line; The boss told the new employee that he would do well as long as he toed the line. Syn conform, comply, obey, ajustarse a la norma, obedecer/cumplir las reglas.

Wear the trousers (UK) / Wear the pants (US) often disapproving; esp. of a woman; to be the person in a marriage or other relationship who makes most of the decisions;  to be the person in a relationship who is in control and who makes decisions for both people; To be in charge in or control of a relationship or family. The phrase is typically applied to a woman, contrasting the fact that pants were historically only worn by men, who were traditionally the decision makers within a household. Often followed by "in the family" or "in the house."; Ex: Blake may seem bossy, but it's Lisa that really wears the trousers in that relationship; It's obvious who wears the trousers in that family!; Syn have control of sth, llevar los pantalones, mandar.

I hope he never lets me down again. Promises me I'm safe as houses. As long as I remember who's wearing the trousers. "Never lets me down again", (Depeche Mode)

Weigh (up) your words / Weigh each word to carefully think about everything you are going to say before you say it; ​to choose your words carefully so that you say exactly what you mean; Ex: He spoke slowly, weighing his words; He gave evidence to the court, weighing each word as he spoke; Weigh up your words carefully and empathise with others. Syn assess, evaluate, sopesar, ponderar, medir, tamizar, elegir, valorar, depurar.

Note compare: weigh up the pros and cons; Ex: In making my decision, I had to weigh up the pros and cons (the advantages and disadvantages).

What's the catch? The phrase what's the catch? is a retort (sharp reply) when one believes that an offer is too good to be true. One may ask what's the catch? if he believes that a situation or deal is being presented on its best face and that problems or drawbacks are being hidden. Syn hidden cost, donde esta la trampa, cual es el truco? 

Note retort 1. n. sharp reply (counterargumet, replica, contraargumento, réplica); 2. v. reply sharply (replicar que)

(You can) quote me / Don't quote me (on this/that‎) used to indicate that the speaker is certain or uncertain of the accuracy of their statement: You might hear the phrase “Don't quote me on that” used a lot. ... This phrase gives you a level of credibility, and it also serves as a disclaimer. To be quoted means that you're sure, and you're comfortable that others know that you said sth. Contrast (You can) quote me on this ... Syn I am (not) sure; no digas que he dicho eso, pero no pondria la mano en el fuego, pero no te lo puedo decir a ciencia cierta, pero no me hagas demasiado caso.

6. VERBAL IDIOMS

Phrasal verbs

Back out (of doing sth) withdraw from, break a promise; Ex: Sue backed out of helping us paint the house; The couple buying our house backed out of the purchase at the last minute; At the last minute, the investors backed out; Sue backed out of helping us paint the house. See Get out of Syn withdraw from involvement (not taking part in); end your involvement in, echarse atras. 

Back down (on/from something) to admit that you were wrong or that you have been defeated; ​to take back a demand, an opinion, etc. that other people are strongly opposed to; to admit defeat. Ex: Eventually, Roberto backed down and apologized; She refused to back down on a point of principle; Despite the evidence, he refused to back down. Compare Back out Syn give in, yield, ceder, dar su brazo a torcer, echarse atras, achantarse.

Note: Back out vs Back down The difference is that "back down" refers to yield, not challenge and the other "back out" to decide not to do it, change your mind; "Back down" is for confrontations, while "back out" is for commitments.

Bring sb down to make sb lose power or be defeated; Ex: The scandal brought down the government; See get sb down Syn cause demise, hundir, derribar, hacer caer, poner fin.

Believe in yourself, take on your challenges, dig deep within yourself to conquer fears. Never let anyone bring you down. You got to keep going. Chantal Sutherland

Do for (sb/sth) to seriously damage sth, or to seriously hurt or kill sb. Ex: Driving on those rough roads has really done for my car; Without that contract, we're done for; It was the cold that did for him in the end. See done for (slang) dommed, frito, jodido. Ex: Unless the rescue helicopter finds us before dark, we're done for. Syn dead, finished, frito, jodido.

Drag (sth) out (sth) ​to make something last longer than necessary; Ex: Let's not drag out this discussion, we need to reach a decision; Syn prolong, prolongar, alargar, estirar.  

I drag myself out of nightmares each morning and find there's no relief in waking. S. Collins

Get ahead (of sb) to be successful in the work that you do; ​to make progress (further than others have done); Ex: It's tough for a woman to get ahead in politics; In order to get ahead in business you need to be assertive; The company got ahead by adopting a new business model; She wants to get ahead in her career; He soon got ahead of the others in his class; Syn be successful, overtake (pass another vehicle), gain advantage; be more successful; progresar,  profesionalmente, salir adelante, avanzar, adelantar, tomar ventaja.

Get ahead of yourself (think or act prematurely), precipitarse.

Get at inf. intend to say, imply. Ex: I don't understand what you are getting at; What are you getting at?, (what are you talking about?); Compare to know where sb is coming from: syn mean, querer llegar, querer decir, insinuar.

Get over sth to accept an unpleasant fact or situation after dealing with it for a while; ​to deal with or gain control of sth; ​to return to your usual state of health, happiness, etc. after an illness, a shock, the end of a relationship, etc. Ex: They’re upset that you didn’t call, but they’ll get over it; She can't get over her shyness; I think the problem can be got over without too much difficulty; He was disappointed at not getting the job, but he'll get over it; Syn recover from, overcome; recuperarse, mejorarse, ponerse mejor, sobreponerse, superar, olvidarse.

Did you guys hear about the joke about the high wall? It's so funny, I'm still trying to get over it.

Get by (on/in/with sth) to satisfy the need or demand; ​to manage to live or do a particular thing using the money, knowledge, equipment, etc. that you have; to be able to live or deal with a situation with difficulty, usually by having just enough of sth you need, such as money; Ex: How can he get by on so little money?; How does she get by on such a small salary?; I can just about get by in German (I can speak basic German); We can get by with four computers at the moment, but we'll need a couple more when the new staff arrive; The older couple had learned to get by on their small retirement income. Syn cope, manage, survive (on), arreglaarselas, sobrevivir con.

Get sb down inf. to make sb feel sad or depressed; Ex: Don’t let it get you down too much; Try not to let your exam results get you down. See bring sb down Syn depress, deprimir, desanimar desanimar.

Gravity always gets me down. Song by The Weepies

Go about to begin 1.(tran.) to do sth or deal with sth; engage in, ponerse a. 2. Intr. move from place to place: Ex: 1, How can we go about solving this problem? What's the best way of going about this?, Isn't it time you went about fixing the broken table? How am I to go about painting the ceiling when I have no ladder? 2. He goes about from place to place, taking casual jobs wherever he can get them. Syn; undertake, engage in (take part in sth) (C2), approach, tackle (a task). Vagar. 

And meanwhile time goes about its immemorial work of making everyone look and feel like shit. You got that? Martin Amis, London Fields 

Hang around / hang about (with) to move or do things slowly; ​to wait or stay near a place, not doing very much; Ex: Go and pack but don't hang around, we have to go in an hour; You hang around here in case he comes, and I'll go on ahead; It's annoying when youths hang around the bus stop intimidating customers. Compare hang out: to spend a lot of time in a place. Ex: The local kids hang out at the mall; You still hang out at the pool hall? Related noun: hang-out. Syn wait, loiter (holgazanear, vaguear, perder el tiempo), socialize (with) frecuentar, merodear, pasar el tiempo (con), andar/estar (con).

Hanging around the corner store, Beauty school dropout, It's about time you knew the score. Beauty school dropout, "Grease". Frankie Avalon

Level with sb (about sb or sth) to tell sb the truth about sth; to tell sb the truth and not hide any unpleasant facts from them; To be honest with one, especially after having been deceitful or not completely truthful or forthcoming (C1); to be straightforward with someone about sth; to be sincere or truthful about sb or sth. Ex: I'll level with you, the salary's not particularly good, and there's little chance of promotion; I'm going to level with you, OK? I'm not who you think I am; Jesse, you need to level with us so we can help you. We're on your side, but you need to tell us the truth; The police encouraged the criminal to level with them about the crime. Level with me, and tell me what you thought of my cake; He decided to level with her about the dent in the car and told her about the accident. See speak your mind; put/set the record straight; Syn to be honest, speak honestly to; play fair, sincerarse con.

Pass sb by to happen without affecting sb/sth; If an event or opportunity passes you by, you do not notice it, or get any pleasure or advantage from it; Ex: She feels that life is passing her by (that she is not enjoying the opportunities and pleasures of life); The whole business passed him by (he was hardly aware that it was happening); Do you ever feel that life is passing you by?; Sadly my brilliant joke passed him by. Syn go unnoticed by, no notar, pasar inadvertido.

We're watching the world pass us by. Never want to come down. Never want to put my feet back down on the ground. I'm taking a ride with my best friend. Never let me down again (Depeche mode)

Put sb down (as sth) inf. criticize sb publicly; to criticize sb, esp. when other people are  present, in a way that makes them feel stupid; to make sb feel silly or not important by criticizing them; to make sb look or feel stupid, esp. in front of other people; Ex: Why did you have to put me down in front of everybody like that?; He’s always trying to put me down; You shouldn't put him down like that; I had put him down as a complete fool (lo tenía catalogado como un tonto perdido); I would put her down as about 30 le daría (debe tener unos 30 años); See put-sown n. (insult, disparaging remark, humillación, ofensa); Compare put sth down to sth (consider as reason, atribuir): Ex: Sharon never speaks to me; I put it down to shyness. Syn 1. disparage, speak ill of; hablar mal de, criticar, ningunear, menospreciar; 2. brand sb as sth; stigmatise; catalogar a alguien; tildar de, etiquetar como.

Note put down 1. write sth  2. kill an old animal. 

If somebody puts you down or criticizes you, just keep on believing in yourself and turn it into something positive. Leah LaBelle

Stranded at the drivin', branded a fool; What will they say Monday at school?; Sandy, can't you see I'm in misery?; We made a start, now we're apart. Sandy (Grease)

Put yourself down to criticize yourself so that people think that you are less good, clever etc than you really are; Ex: Stop putting yourself down, you’re a very intelligent woman.

Settle for sth ​to accept sth that is not exactly what you want but is the best that is available; to accept or agree to sth, or to decide to have sth, although it is not exactly what you want or it is not the best; to accept sth that is less than you hoped for; Ex: They asked for a 5% salary increase, but had to settle for 3%.; In the end they had to settle for a draw; I couldn't afford the house I really wanted, so I had to settle for second best; He didn’t see why he should settle for less; I'd love a 54-inch TV, but I'll settle for a 32-inch one; I was hoping to make more by selling the couch on eBay, but I settled for $100; Syn be content with; accept as payment; dejar en, conformarse con. 

If you are not willing to risk the unusual, you will have to settle for the ordinary. Jim Rohn  

Don't settle for what life gives you; make life better and build something. Ashton Kutcher  

If you don't go after what you want, you could spend your entire life settling for what you can get. Mo Stegall (Against All Odds I Can Be: 10 Steps To Revolutionize Your Destiny)

Shy away (from sth / doing sth) to avoid sth that you dislike, fear, or do not feel confident about; ​to avoid doing sth because you are nervous or frightened. Ex: I've never shied away from hard work; He's never been one to shy away from hard work; The newspapers have shied away from investigating the story. Syn avoid (doing sth), keep distance from, evitar hacer algo, huir, mantenerse alejado de.

Enjoy the pressure. Enjoy the stress. Enjoy being uncomfortable. And don't shy away from it, embrace it. Gary Woodland

Note embrace 1. n. hug; 2. v. to accept sth enthusiastically; Ex: This was an opportunity that he would embrace.

We are all ordinary. We are all boring. We are all spectacular. We are all shy. We are all bold. We are all heroes. We are all helpless. It just depends on the day. Brad Meltzer 

Take up (sth) to learn or start to do sth, especially for pleasure. Start to learn to play. Ex: They've taken up golf. Syn start (a hobby); empezar a hacer.

Turn sb/sth down to reject or refuse to consider an offer, a proposal, etc. or the person who makes it; Ex: The bank turned down my application for a loan; Why did she turn down your invitation?; He has been turned down for ten jobs so far; He asked her to marry him but she turned him down. Syn decline, refuse, rechazar (a); bajar el volumen.

How am I supposed to gain experience (be hired for a job) if I'm constantly turned down for not having any? (catch-22)

Phrasal-prepositional verbs

Phrasal-prepositional verbs have three parts: a verb, a particle and a preposition. The particle and the preposition cannot be separated. Many of these verbs are often used in informal contexts, and their meaning is difficult to guess from their individual parts.

Be cut out for sth / be cut out to be sth to have the qualities and abilities needed for sth; Ex: ​He's not cut out for teaching; He's not cut out to be a teacher; When he got caught the second time, he decided he wasn't cut out for a life of crime; Syn able, suited, hecho para, tener vocacón o talento para.

Baby don't sweat it, You're not cut out to hold a job, better forget it, who wants their hair done by a slob?, Beauty school dropout, Frankie Avalon

Note don't sweat it: used to tell sb to stop worrying about sth. Ex: ‘I’m sure he’ll find out.’ ‘Don’t sweat it—no one’s going to tell him.’; Don't sweat it, we'll be fine. Syn stop worrying, no le des mas vueltas.

Note sweat it out ​inf. 1. to be waiting for sth difficult or unpleasant to end, and be feeling worried about it; to wait nervously for an unpleasant situation to end or improve; Ex: It’s just a case of sweating it out until the results are announced; I had the blood test last Tuesday, and I've been sweating it out ever since, waiting for the results. 2. to do hard physical exercise:; Ex: I like to sweat it out in the gym for a couple of hours every day. Compare sweat it Syn wait tensely, esperar nerviosamente. See sweat it.

Put sth down to (sth) (consider as a reason) to think that a problem or situation is caused by a particular thing. Ex: I put the children's bad behaviour down to the fact that they were tired; Ex: Sharon never speaks to me; I put it down to shyness. Syn attribute, ascribe to, atribuir.

Phrasal nouns (Nominalized phrasal verbs)

Phrasal nouns combine a noun and a preposition, either before or after the noun. They are often nominalized phrasal verbs. Many phrasal verbs can become nouns. For example, you can “start up” a company (phrasal verb) or work in a “start-up” (phrasal noun): a small company. When a phrasal verb becomes a phrasal noun, sometimes the verb comes first, like “start-up”; and sometimes the preposition comes first, such as “outbreak”.

come-on slang sth that is intended to attract a customer to a product; ​an object or action that is intended to attract sth or to persuade them to do sth. Ex: Offering cash back on a purchase is one of the oldest come-ons in the world; She was definitely giving him the come-on (trying to attract him sexually); Syn bait, enticement to buy, gancho, cebo, trampa. 

comedown (Inf. fig.), 1. a situation that is not as good as the one you were in before; ​a situation in which a person is not as important as before, or does not get as much respect from other people; Ex: It was a sad comedown for a band that was so popular only a year ago; These days he plays to audiences of a hundred or fewer which is a bit of a comedown after Wembley Stadium; 2. a reduction in position, value, or enjoyment; Ex: I liked most of the book, but the ending was a real comedown. Ex: I would not consider earning 10% less a comedown the way things are, Compare: letdown. Syn anticlimax, caida, bajón, desilusión, decepción, perdida de reconocimiento / estatus.

cut(-)back  economizing; reducción de gastos; reduce expending; Ex: How severe will the company's cutbacks be?; Syn economizing, recortes, reducción de gastos 2. v. reduce expending: Ex: We've been spending too much. We need to cut back. Syn reduce: expending.

downfall, (person): ruin, destruction; Ex: It was painful for all of his supporters to see his downfall; Syn waterloo, decadencia, caida.

drop-out, slang (sb): left school; Ex: It's hard for high school dropouts to get a good job. Syn rebel, free-spirit, nonconformist, bohemian, misfit, outsider, persona que abandona los estudios.

drop off  (decrease): There has been a sharp drop-off in sales as the economic crisis bites; 

fallback Inf. (person: last recourse): I applied to Harvard, but the state university is my fallback in case Harvard rejects me; 

face-off (confrontation): The situation triggered a face-off between the government and farmers, 

letdown sth that is disappointing because it is not as good as you expected it to be. Syn: disappointment, anticlimax.

falling off / fall off (decline, redution)

falling out (quarrel, row), 

feedback (opinion, criticism, crítica constructiva, comentario, evaluación, feedback); ex: The website encourages its visitors to give feedback about what they like and don't like about it.

flasback  1. recurrence of hallucinations (flasbacks), 2. (psicologia): reexperimentación de un hecho traumático; clear memory of a past event (recuerdos recurrentes), ex: She is unable to sleep because of flashbacks to the accident; 3. narrative device (escena retrospectiva)

freak-out (slang): 1. an act of losing control, alucinar, flipar 2. a bizarre or strange situation: the party was a regular freak-out (desmadre, fiesta loca), (on drug: viaje)

fuck-up, vulgar, offensive, slang (useless person, failure). Ex: My brother is such a fuck-up; he never does anything right. Syn 1. inutil, fracasado, boludo, 2. mess, failure

getaway escape, (1. escape, salida, escapatoria); ex: The robber made his getaway before the police arrived. 2. 2. (holiday, vacation), ex: Kate won an island getaway.(unas vacaciones en una isla), 3. (holiday destination, destino): The island of Maui is the perfect getaway for couples.

get-out (salida, escapatoria), (means or excuse to escape sht, salida, escapatoria). see get-out clause n  ([sth] that releases [sb] from an obligation), clausula de rescision.

get-together gathering, ex: The girls are having a get-together tonight at my house. (informal gathering, quedada, reunion)

 

get-up 1. frame-up, set-up, (complot), 2. estructura, composicion, (make-up). 3. clothing: ex: She looks awful in that get-up! (pintas, modelito, facha).

get up and go / get-up-and-go slang (energy, motivation) ex: he’s got lots of get-up-and-go (tiene mucho empuje, ganas)

go-ahead inf. an occasion when permission is given for someone to start doing something or for an event or activity to happen; Ex: The government has given the go-ahead for a multi-billion pound road-building project; Developers have got the go-ahead from the council to build on the site; We're ready to start but we're still waiting to get the go-ahead from our head office. Syn authorization, permission, el visto bueno.

going-over 1. inspection, review (revision), in 2, verbal attack, 3. beating, paliza, repaso, (literal and fig.), 4. cleaning, clean-out, 

goings-on unusual events or activities, happenings, incidents, funny business (cosas raras, tejemanejes).

goof-off, US, slang silly, unproductive person, tonto, inutil; goof off, ex: Quit goofing off and help me pick up this mess. (US, slang, be silly, unproductive, tontear, hacer el vago, gandulear).

hand-me-downs (prendas usadas heredadas)

hang-out a place where somebody lives or likes to go often; Ex: This cafe is a popular hang-out for tourists; The club has become a hangout for students after school; Syn frequented place, garito.

layabout idle person, Ex: That layabout never gets off the sofa! Syn good-for-nothing, indolent, bum, haragán, flojo, vago, holgazán; lay about (tocarse las narices, no hacer nada).

outgo (1. n. expenditure, 2. departure 3. v. outdo, go faster than, go beyond). Ex: Last year the film company's outgoes exceeded its revenues by a wide margin (expenditures); The outgo of the town's only remaining manufacturing plant was a disaster (departure).

outset at/from the outset (of something) the beginning; ​at/from the beginning of something; Ex: I made it clear right from the outset that I disapproved; You should have made that clear right at the outset; I told him at/from the outset I wasn't interested; There were problems with the project from the outset; Syn beginning,commencement, get-go, offset, showtime, starting time, beginning, start, kickoff, first, comienzo, inicio, principio.

onset the onset of sth; the moment at which sth unpleasant begins; ​the beginning of sth, especially sth unpleasant; Ex: the onset of winter/disease/old age; The new treatment can delay the onset of the disease by several years; The weather gets colder at the onset of winter. Syn start, beginning, (sintoma, enfermedad): aparición, comienzo, inicio.

pay-off 1. the result of a set of actions, or an explanation at the end of sth; ​an advantage or a reward from sth you have done. Ex: The payoff for years of research is a microscope that performs better than all of its competitors; 2. ​a payment of money to sb to persuade them to leave their job: Ex: The company is offering large pay-offs to anyone accepting voluntary redundancy; 3. ​a payment of money to sb so that they will not cause you any trouble or to make them keep a secret. Ex: The police are accused of receiving secret pay-offs from the drug barons; The government are investigating pay-offs to high-ranking officials. Syn bribe, soborno.

Note redundancy: 1. UK (lay-off of workers).Ex: Business has been bad for several months and the company is going to make some redundancies; cese, despido. 2. Peter's teacher pointed out the redundancy of several phrases in his essay. Syn useless repetition, redundancia.

pushover sth that is easy to do or to win, or sb who is easily persuaded or influenced or defeated. Ex: The interview was an absolute pushover; Jean will look after Harry, I'm quite sure, she's a pushover for babies (will do anything for them). Syn weak (person), easy (task)

put-down a remark or criticism that is intended to make sb look or feel stupid; an unkind remark that makes sb seem silly. Ex: One of the big put-downs of the presidential election campaign was the comment that he was "no Jack Kennedy"; She couldn’t think of a good put-down quickly enough; She had grown tired of John's put-downs. Syn insult, disparaging remark, frase despectiva, insulto, humillación, desprecio, desaire, injuria, ofensa, feo.

put-off 1. unattractive thing; Ex: Tom's a nice guy, but his habit of putting himself down all the time is a real put-off; His bad breath was a put-off for her. 2. evasive statement. Ex: The boss's response to the question of whether there would be redundancies was clearly a put-off; Don't give me any more put-offs and tell me the truth. Syn 1. unattractive thing, algo poco atractivo, que no gusta, que repele, que echa para atras, 2. excuse, evasiva.

show-off (US: showoff) a person who shows off behaves in a way intended to attract attention which other people often find annoying; ​a person who tries to impress other people by showing how good he or she is at doing something. Ex: She’s always been a real show-off; Mart's such a show-off, she always wants to be the centre of attention. Syn sb who is boastful, creido.

telling-off the act of speaking angrily (reprimanding) to sb because they have done sth wrong;  (UK), act of reprimanding. Ex: He gave me a good telling-off for forgetting the meeting; Ex: sermon, rapapolvo, reprimenda. give [sb] a (good) telling-off (hechar una buena  bronca Syn  talking-to, dressing-down, scolding, reprimand,

to-do ​unnecessary excitement or anger about sth. Ex: Getting our passports renewed was such a to-do; What a to-do!; He made a great to-do about being left off the guest list. Syn ado, fuss, commotion, lio, escandalo. 

upset (also adj.) emotional trouble; Ex: Her upset over his actions led to their break-up. Syn quarrel, row, punch-up/out, 2 annoyance (C1), displeasure, dissatisfaction, descontento, unhappiness, malestar, desagrado 

workaround a way of dealing with a problem or making sth work despite the problem, without completely solving it; ​a way of working, especially with a piece of software, that avoids a particular problem but does not actually solve the problem. Ex: The software still has a few glitches but we've come up with a workaround; Syn method: bypasses sth; metodo / solucion alternativa.

7. COMPOUND NOUNS

Catch-22 / Be in a catch-22 situation an impossible situation where you are prevented from doing one thing until you have done another thing that you cannot do until you have done the first thing. Ex: It's a real Catch-22: to get a job you need experience, but to get experience you need a job. Compare between a rock and a hard place, between a sword and a wall (blind alley, callejón sin salida. Syn  paradox, vicious circle, (sth) self-contradictory, circulo vicioso, callejón sin salida. How am I supposed to gain experience (be hired for a job) if I'm constantly turned down for not having any? (catch-22)

A do-nothing inf. (person): takes no action; Ex: He has great ideas, but when it's time to act on them he's a do-nothing; Syn indolent, idle, lazy, vegetable, good-for-nothing, persona pasiva.

(An) eye-opener (fig. inf.) sth that surprises you and teaches you new facts about life, people, etc. (sth surprising or revelatory), revelacion. Ex: Living in another country can be a real eye-opener; The talk was a real eye-opener. I learnt lots of new things. Syn fig. inf. (sth) surprising or revelatory, fig. inf. (sth) surprising or revelatory.

A good-for-nothing n. adj.a person who is lazy and not helpful or useful; Ex: She told him he was a lazy good-for-nothing and should get a job; In my opinion, Jake is nothing but a lazy good-for-nothing; Syn loafer, layabout, do-nothing, lazy, inutil, vago, alguien que no sirve para nada

Looker-on / onlooker bystander, observer, witness, beholder, watcher, awareness and see. See audience. Compare passer-by (person who is walking past), transeunte, peatón, viandante. Syn spectator, casual observer, mirón, espectador.

Lookers-on see most of the game. (proverb)

An impressive Pablo Picasso painting (No hyphen when modifying phrase contains a proper noun) 

One-off n, adj. 1. n. ​a thing that is made or that happens only once and not regularly; sth done once only); Ex: Will you be doing more talks in the future or was that just a one-off? Syn sth done once only, exception, excepción 2. adj. inf. happening only once; Ex: I had a one-off chance to hear Sixto Rodriguez sing; They gave him a one-off payment to compensate for the extra hours that he had to work. Syn happening only once, único.

You-know-what (also pronoun) ​used when you want to talk about sth without mentioning its name, although the person you are speaking to knows what it is; a thing or person that the speaker cannot or does not want to specify. Ex: Our neighbour was finally arrested for you-know-what. Syn sth unnamed but understood; lo que ya sabes.

You-know-who used to refer to sb known to the hearer without specifying their identity; Ex: the minister was later to be sacked by you-know-who; Syn sb unnamed but understood, ya sabes quien, el que ya sabes.

More examples: a Jaw-breaker, a Monday hater, A Go-getter (C2), 

8. COMPOUND ADJECTIVES

A compound adjective is a multi-word adjective. Most compound adjectives are two-word adjectives, but they can be longer. Usually, a hyphen (or hyphens) is used to link the words together to show that it is one adjective. For example (compound adjectives shaded); Ex: It is a 6-page document; Claire worked as a part-time keeper at the safari park; That is an all-too-common mistake (This is an example of a compound adjective with more than two words.)

Types of compound adjectives

Number + Noun (two-week break, second-place, nineteenth-century, four-wheel; two-door, twenty-page, forty-mile.

Word + Noun (Seasick, meat eater, bulletproof, short-term, first-time(er), long-distance, ice(-)breaker, life-saver) 

On the first day of the job, we used icebreakers to get to know each other)

Word + Adjective (Ice-cold, sky-blue, cruelty-free)

Word + Present Participle (hair-raising; mind-blowing, french-speaking, record-breaking, life(-)saving; best-selling/seller: very successful commercially. 

Hair-raising (1. scary, frightening, shocking, 2. adventure: exciting)

Jaw-dropping very/extremely surprising, impressive or shocking; Ex: a jaw-dropping goal / performance; The production is absolutely jaw-dropping; Syn astonishing, astounding, alucinante.

Mind-blowing (slang, astounding, extraordinario, alucinante, increible)

Mouth-watering (appetizing, tasty-looking, appealing; que hace la boca agua; apetecible); ex: I can't control myself when I see a mouthwatering piece of cake.

Heart-stopping giving you a sudden very strong feeling of fear; ​causing feelings of great excitement or worry; Ex: For one heart-stopping moment she thought they were too late; For a heart-stopping moment, she thought the man was going to kill her; There was a heart-stopping moment when Jack nearly crashed his car near the end of the race. Syn thrilling, apasionante.

High-flying having great ambition or ability. Syn energetic, eager, ardent, vigorous.

Word + Past Participle (child-wanted toy, blue-eyed; blond-haired; two-tired, quick-witted, sun-dried, overpopulated, undercooked, tightly wound; 

Word + Past Participle + prep ( a much-argued-over issue).

Why can’t a bicycle stand on its own? Because it’s two-tired (sth with two tires).

Note (tyre1. v. make tired; 2. n. neumático, llanta, goma. Note The expression “on its own” means alone, without help.

Blue-eyed (having an air or disposition of innocence and/or naïveté, like that of a child; ex: 1. I've always found blue-eyed girls very attractive; I'm dating a blond-haired blue-eyed boy. 2. Don't be so blue eyed, the world is an unforgiving place!; innocent. He’s sure his blue-eyed wonder couldn’t have hit my child.

Note see curl your/the hair (shock; terrify; poner los pelos de punta)

Open-mouthed amazed, impressed, shocked, surprised, impresionado, boquiabierto, con la boca abierta.

Note mouth sth slang (1. say without noise, gesticular con la boca; 2. chew. mordisquear); bad(-)mouth off (to/at sb) (insultar, hablar mal de alguien); mouth off (about sth) (fanfarronear); a big mouth (tendency to speak without tact, bocazas)

Title case (Game of thrones actor)

Quotations marks ("get out now" look). ex: Sylvia gave him a get out of here look, but he pretended not to see it.

Miscellaneous (Round-the-clock bargaining: throughout the day and night, de todo el dia, de 24 horas; Year-over-year increase; Weaker-than-usual results; Big-is-better a-big-is-better philosophy

Go-ahead (enthusiastic about using new products and modern methods of doing things; ​willing to try new ideas, methods, etc. and therefore likely to succeed. Ex: a go-ahead company

Take-it-or-leave-it a take-it-or-leave-it proposition.

Note proposal vs proposition: For example, proposal is used to talk about the act of asking someone to marry you, and proposition is used to talk about changes in the law that are brought to the public to vote on.

To-do Success is never getting to the bottom of your to-do list. Marissa Meyer

Well-to-do ​having a lot of money, rich. Ex: well-to-do families; They're very well-to-do; She was the daughter of a respected and well-to-do London merchant.

white-collar relating to people who work in offices, doing work that needs mental rather than physical effort; ​working in an office, rather than in a factory, etc.; connected with work in offices; white-collar workers; a white-collar job; see white-collar crime (in which office workers steal from their company, etc.). Syn professional, middle class, de cuello blanco.

9. CONJUNCTIONS

(But) if worse/worst comes to worst (US) / if the worst comes to the worst (UK) if the situation develops in the most serious or unpleasant way; Ex: We should be in when you arrive, but if worst comes to worst, the neighbors have a spare key and will let you into the house. Syn if the worst happens; en el peor de los casos.

In order (for sb/sth) to do sth (also in order that sth) with the aim of achieving something; ​(formal) so that something can happen; with the purpose or intention of doing or achieving something. Ex: All those concerned must work together in order that agreement can be reached on this issue; He came home early in order to see the kids before they went to bed; She arrived early in order to get a good seat; In order to get a complete picture, further information is needed. See so that Syn so as to, para que.

I shut my eyes in order to see. Paul Gauguin

On the grounds that / of because (of). Ex: Our constitution explicitly forbids discrimination on grounds of race, religion, caste (social class), gender or place of birth; William was fired on the grounds that his work performance was insufficient. Syn because; aduciendo que, bajo el argumento de que, basandose en que.

The Army has carried the American ideal to its logical conclusion. Not only do they prohibit discrimination on the grounds of race, creed and color, but also on ability. Tom Lehrer.

If a liberal were to attack Justice Clarence Thomas on the grounds that he's black, we would all go crazy.

So that / In order that (sth) / In order (for sb/sth) to do sth with the particular aim or purpose of; in order that. Ex: Please be sure to include all required documentation so that your application will be processed in a timely manner; We always take a vacation on the east coast each summer so that my kids get to see their grandparents at least once a year; Drive carefully so that you will arrive safely. The teacher spoke slowly so her students would understand her. Compare In order to Syn In order that, para, y así.

We read so that we know / to know we are not alone. C.S. Lewis

We read so that we may defy the darkness. We read so that we may reach out (fig try to communicate: llegar a, contactar) and comprehend. Sarah Clarkson

I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together. Marilyn Monroe

Note "so that" is usually followed by can or could. "In order that" is usually followed by may or might

So what if? used to mean "it's not important" and "I don't care"; ​used to show that you think sth is not important, esp. after sb has criticized you for it; Ex: So what if I'm 35 and I'm not married, I lead a perfectly fulfilling life!; So what if nobody else agrees with me?; So what if I enjoy a beer now and then?; See so what? (Interj.). Syn It's irrelevant, y que importa?

What if? (B1) 1. An expression used to speculate about something;  2. A speculative scenario; a speculation about an outcome that cannot yet be known or ascertained; used to ask about something that could happen in the future, especially something bad; Ex: What if she never comes back?; What if the bus is late?; What if you don't pass your exams?; What if I was able to drive you there. Would that change anything?;  What if aliens did exist? What would that mean for society?; What if college isn't right for you?; Syn Supposing, y si ...?, que pasa si?

10. INTERJECTIONS

Awesome! ​(esp NA English, inf.) very good, great fun, etc; causing feelings of great admiration, respect, or fear: Ex: Wow! That's totally awesome!; slang Your new haircut is awesome (extremely good); an awesome achievement; Syn sick, great, fantastic, terrific, amazing , excellent, extraordinary, top-notch, five-star, first-class, first-rate, superb, sensational, wonderful radical (slang), rad (slang), stellar, cool (slang), sick (slang), cracking (UK), smashing (UK),  fabulous, out-of-sight (slang), dynamite (slang), dope (slang), swell (US, dated, slang), brill (UK, dated, slang), awe-inspiring, impressive, impressing, astounding, astonishing, striking, amazing, jaw-dropping, staggering, remarkable, stunning, awful, extraordinary.

Note sense awe-inspiring: majestic, remarkable, grand, impressive, incredible, amazing , astounding, astonishing, mind-blowing (slang), stunning, breathtaking, magnificent, shocking overwhelming.

 

Big deal! ​inf. (ironic) used to say that you are not impressed by sth: Ex: So he earns more than me. Big deal!; Syn disdain, contempt; desden, desprecio, arrogancia, ¿y que?; ¿y a mi que?.

Break a leg! inf. slang; used to wish / for wishing sb good luck, especially to an actor before a performance (before they go on stage); Fig. Good luck! (A special theatrical way of wishing a performer good luck. Saying "good luck" is considered by actors to be a jinx.) Ex: As he left the dressing room his fellow actors shouted "Break a leg!"; You all look great in your costumes! Break a leg!; "Break a leg!" shouted the stage manager to the heroine. Let's all go and do our best. Break a leg!; Syn , slang (to performer: good luck); mucha mierda!, mucha suerte!

Darn! /Darn it! US, euphemism (damn), See darn adv. (intensifier, damned): You're darn right I'm angry! syn shit!, maldita sea, mierda.

Don’t sweat it! inf used to tell ab not to worry about sth; ​(North American English) used to tell sb to stop worrying about sth; Ex: Can't make the gig? Don't sweat it; you'll have plenty more chances; ‘I’m sure he’ll find out.’ ‘Don’t sweat it, no one’s going to tell him; Syn Don't worry!

don't dwell on it; don't panic, never mind (don't worry): "Do you still need a ride?" "No, never mind. I'll take the bus."; no te preocupes, no importa, da igual.

Baby don't sweat it, You're not cut out to hold a job, better forget it, who wants their hair done by a slob?, Beauty school dropout, Frankie Avalon

Note slob (person): messy, guarro, desaliñado, detestable.

Far from it almost the opposite is true: used to say that the opposite of what sb says is true; Ex: Jim, selfish? Far from it, he's probably one of the kindest people I know; ‘You're not angry then?’ ‘Far from it. I've never laughed so much in my life. Syn not at all; en absoluto, para nada.

For heaven's/Goodness'/Pete's/pity's, etc sake ​used to emphasize that it is important to do something or when you are annoyed about something; I am surprised or annoyed by this; Ex: For goodness’ sake, don’t tell anyone else about this!; Do be careful, for goodness' sake; Oh, for heaven's sake!; For pity's sake, help me!; For heaven's sake, why do you keep doing that? See Goodness! Syn (expressing frustration): oh, no, shoot, heck, frick, por Dios!, ay mi madre!

Get out! / Get out of here! / get outta here!) slang (ironic, sarcastic) 1. An exclamation of surprise, disbelief, or incredulity; 2. command: go, go away. Ex: exclam.You are just kidding me!; You are making that up!; See you tomorrow. I’m out of here!; You bought that shirt for $10? Get out of here! (mentira!); Sally's brother is dating my cousin? Get out of here!; You just won the lottery? Get out of here!; Syn go, go away, shut up!, no way! disbelief: (upon) my word; my, my; (oh), my; You’re kidding!; No kidding!;Are you kidding?; You’re not serious. / Are you serious?; I can’t believe my ears/eyes; Is that so?; I don’t think so; You don’t say; Oh, come on!; mentira!, no!; no jodas!; ni de coña; si, claro, seguro (irónico).

Note Syn: (Upon) my word! / Oh, my days: (UK) 1. An exclamation of surprise, amazement, shock, incredulity or astonishment. Ex: Oh my days! That car nearly hit us!; 2. An exclamation of dismay, dejection, or disbelief; Ex: A: "So it sounds like Jenny is planning on leaving the company as well." B: "Oh my days, you can't be serious! I don't know how we're going to survive at this rate."; A: "This is the bill for the damage." B: "Oh my days. There's no way I can afford this!"; My word, Jenkins, this report is simply terrible. You're going to have to do better than that if you want to stay in this company.

Get to the point! speak directly; Ex: Get to the point! We haven't got all day, you know; Syn say what you mean; ve/vaya al grano.

God forbid! a way of saying that you hope sth does not happen. Ex: ‘Maybe you'll end up as a lawyer, like me.’ ‘God forbid!’. See perish the thought; Syn perish the thought, Dios no lo quiera.

Goodness! (astonishment) Ex: Goodness! How did you get that black eye? See for heaven's sake; Syn for goodness' sake; por Dios!; Dios mio!)

Note goodness (kindness): Ex: The priest's goodness and reliable character were the source of his influence; Jane relied on her host's goodness and generosity. Syn kindness, morals, bondad, amabilidad, generosidad.

Whoever you are, I have always depended/relied on the kindness/goodness of strangers. Blanche's final remark; Tennessee Williams (A Streetcar Named Desire)

Hold your horses used to tell sb to stop and consider carefully their decision or opinion about sth; ​used to tell sb that they should wait a moment and not be so excited that they take action without thinking about it first; Ex: Just hold your horses, Bill! Let's think about this for a moment; Syn wait!, para el carro.

No sweat inf. adj. adv. used to tell sb that sth is not difficult or a problem when they thank you or ask you to do sth; If you say that sth is no sweat, you mean that it will not be difficult or cause problems; Ex: "Can you fix my car for me?" "No sweat!"; ‘Thanks for everything.’ ‘Hey, no sweat!’; Well, he could answer that one straight away/off (right away), no sweat!;  No sweat, John, we can just hide the broken glass under the sofa. Syn slang expressing that sth is easy; no problem, relajate, no te preocupes, no hagas un drama.

 

Ok / Okay inf. 1. asking approval; Ex: I'm going to the store. ok? Syn Is it ok with you if?; de acuerdo?, vale?. 2. calling attention, indicating transition, bueno; Ex: Ok, let's get started; Ok, what can I do to help now?; Syn so, now, bueno.

Ouch! used to express sudden physical pain; Ex: Ouch, you're hurting me!; Ouch!, my finger's caught in the door. (ay!) 

Perish the thought said to show that you hope that sth that has been suggested will never happen; ​(inf. or humorous) used to say that you find a suggestion unacceptable or that you hope that something will never happen; Ex: John could become my new boss; perish the thought!; Me get married? Perish the thought! (me fail english? that's unpossible!) See God forbid; Syn God forbid!, Dios no lo quiera!, Dios me libre! no quiero ni pensarlo!

Shut up! slang (disbelief: no way!) ¡callate!, ¡qué decís! interj

So what?/! used to mean "it's not important" and "I don't care"; ​used to show that you think sth is not important, esp. after sb has criticized you for it; Ex: "Andrew won't like it, you know." "So what?, I don't care what Andrew thinks!"; ‘He's fifteen years younger than you!’ ‘So what?’;  Okay, so I look fat in these jeans, so what?; So you made a minor mistake!, so what! See so what if ...? (conj.). Syn I don't care, who cares?, y que?, y?.

Way to go! inf used to tell sb they have done well, or used humorously when sb has done sth stupid; ​(North American English) used to tell sb that you are pleased about sth they have done: Ex: I heard you girls won the contest. Way to go!; Way to go, John, you broke the chair!; Good work, guys! Way to go!; Way to go! I wish I could do that!; Compare See a long way to go (C1)
Syn 1. Well done!; 2. (ironic): Well done!; congratulations; bien hecho!, te felicito, eso es!, bien!

You don't say! inf. expressing disbelief: no me digas!, venga ya! see get out (of here)!

You rock! slang (you are great); Ex: Your painting is amazing, you rock!; eres genial!; 2. slang (thank you); Ex: You made lunch for me? You rock! que genio!, que grande!, gracias!

11. SIMILES – It is Like… / as ... as

A simile is a type of idiom. It likens one thing to another thing. Similes often contain as … as or like. As … as similes (e.g. as heavy as lead, as strong as an ox) always begin with an adjective and are easy to understand, even if you don't know the meaning of the noun which follows.

(As) mad as a hatter/March hare ​inf. (of a person) mentally ill; very silly; extremely silly or stupid; Ex: Don't believe anything he says, he's mad as a hatter. Syn insane, crazy, deranged, demented (suffering from dementia): You're demented if you think I'm going to live in that awful apartment!, particularly eccentric n. (unusual person), adj. (behaviour: odd), mas loco que una cabra, loco de atar, chiflado.

This expression, dating from the early 1800s, alludes to exposure to the chemicals formerly used in making felt hats, which caused tremors and other nervous symptoms.

The Mad Hatter was a character in Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Because of the chemicals used in hat-making, workers often suffered from mercury poisoning, which can cause loss of memory and damage to the nervous system.

(Be) like a cat on a hot tin roof / like a cat on hot bricks; ​very nervous: Ex: She was like a cat on a hot tin roof before her driving test. 

12. FORMAL IDIOMS

GALICISMS (French expressions): French expressions that we commonly use in English. 

There’s a name for the French words and expressions that people use when speaking other languages: They’re called “Gallicisms,” which comes from the word “Gallic,” meaning “French.” And we use them for a number of reasons. Let’s explore a few: 

1. Cultural ties: Certain words and expressions may be so rooted in a culture that it would feel strange to use the English equivalent (if there even is one). 

2. Language mixing: If we’re bilingual or multilingual and speak French often, we’ve likely used a French word or phrase in the other language. Maybe a word simply came to mind in French first either because that word, or to be more precise, that concept, is more common in the French culture. 

Or maybe we’d just returned from a full day at the office with mostly French-speaking co-workers, and we were still thinking in French.

Whatever the reason, when we speak French and one or more other languages regularly, the constant contact between the languages makes it easy to use a French word or phrase unintentionally instead of the equivalent in the other language.

3. Lack of a suitable word or expression: Sometimes, there’s just no suitable word or expression in another language to express a certain concept. For example, English has no equivalent for the French expressions “je ne sais quoi” and “joie de vivre.”

Sure, we can find English words or phrases to describe the same concepts. For “je ne sais quoi,” we could say that something has an “indescribable quality” or “a certain something.” And for “joie de vivre,” we could say that someone has a “love of life.” But none of those phrases fully convey the meaning of the French expressions. So when we’re faced with such a gap and a French expression can fill it, we borrow it!

4. Literal translation Gallicisms can also occur when we translate a French expression word for word into another language. The temptation to do this can be strong if we’re fluent in French and can’t think of the right way to say something in another language. “Close the light” (rather than the idiomatic “turn off the light”) is a perfect example of a literal translation of “fermer la lumière.” For examples of other common Gallicisms that result from literal translations, such as “opening hours” and “providers of service,” check out the section of the University of Ottawa’s writing guide called Translation problems and Gallicisms. Do you notice yourself using Gallicisms in everyday speech? If so, which ones do you use and why? 

Examples: to know by heart (from "conaitre par coeur")

A fait accompli n. If sth is a fait accompli, it is certain to happen; ex: I tried to stop him going ahead with it, but it was already a fait accompli. syn sth already accomplished, hecho consumado.

A la carte  French (ordering dishes: individually), ex: Rather than choosing the set lunch, she decided to order à la carte. (a la carta)

Au fait ​(with something) completely familiar with sth, ex: I'm new here so I'm not completely au fait with the system; to be au fait with sth (estar al corriente or al tanto de algo).

Carte blanche If you give sb carte blanche, you give them freedom to do whatever they want in a situation; ex: The president gave us carte blanche to say what we liked during the negotiations; Syn free rein, blank check, autorization, the green light (to go ahead), the go-ahead, rienda suelta, carta blanca, libertad, patente de corso ..

Raison d'être n Your raison d'être is your reason for living, or the most important thing in your life; Ex: I sometimes think that eating is his raison d'être; Syn reason for being, razón de ser.

Tout à fait adv. Tout à fait literally means 'everything to be done'. But it is used to say 'I agree','absolutely', 'exactly' and 'utterly', Syn entirely, absolutamente, completamente, totalmente.

13. LITERARY IDIOMS (Famous Examples of Idioms in Literature).

An idiom is a figure of speech that means something different than a literal translation of the words would lead one to believe. For example, "it's raining cats and dogs" is a common idiom in English, but it's not meant to be taken literally: Household pets are not falling from the sky! It's a colorful way of saying that it’s raining really hard outside.

Because idioms are such interesting ways to get a point across, they're often seen in literature. In fact, many of the most common idioms we use today were originally coined by great writers as a unique metaphor; then people liked them enough to start using them in everyday conversation. See how many of these famous examples of idioms in literature you recognize.

Tomorrow is another day

said after a bad experience to express one's belief that the future will be better; said to mean that, although you have just had a bad experience, you are confident or hopeful that your life will be much better in the future; Tomorrow will bring a chance for a better result, despite recent misfortunes, unpleasantness, or lack of success; Ex: there's always hope because tomorrow is another day; Everything went wrong. I didn't play well. However, tomorrow is another day; I know you're upset about losing the game, sweetie, but tomorrow is another day; I'm so frustrated with how things went. Oh well, no sense dwelling on it, tomorrow's another day; Syn Tomorrow will bring a chance; after a storm comes a calm; you still have a chance, mañana será otro día.

After all, tomorrow is another day. Margaret Mitchell (Gone with the wind)

Idioms From Shakespeare

William Shakespeare was a master of using the English language in new ways, and many of the figures of speech we use today come from his plays. Here's a sampling of them:                

(That's) a horse of a different colo(u)r / A horse of another color. 

Another matter entirely, something else. Ex: I thought that was her boyfriend but it turned out to be her brother, that's a horse of a different color. This term probably derives from a phrase coined by Shakespeare, who wrote “a horse of that color” (Twelfth Night), meaning “the same matter” rather than a different one. By the mid-1800s the term was used to point out difference rather than likeness; Syn entirely different, harina de otro costal.

Break the ice This phrase was first used in The Taming of the Shrew. Tranio encourages Petruchio to "break the ice" with Katherine to get to know her, suggesting that he may like her better — and get her to like him. Today this phrase is used to refer to relieving tension or getting to know sb better, usually by making small talk, or a kind gesture to start a new relationship.

Much Ado About Nothing a play (c. 1598) by William Shakespeare. It is a comedy about two love affairs, one between Beatrice and Benedick and the other between Hero and Claudio.

Much ado about nothing fuss for little reason, (mucho ruido y pocas nueces).

Note ado (literary): fuss, lio, jaleo, alboroto; Colloquially, the plural form "dice" is also used for the singular; Ex: It's your turn to throw the die. (el dado)

One swallow does not a summer make, (nor one fine day); similarly one day or brief time of happiness does not make a person entirely happy"22 abr 2016

What does Aristotle mean when he said "for one swallow does not make a summer nor does one day and so too one day or a short time does not make a man blessed?

A single swallow does not make a summer, meaning that one day is not time enough to acquire virtue or education. Or that one thing well done or well said is not sufficient to earn you the reputation of a good man or a good speaker, for many good qualities go to make this up.  

The die is cast We can say the die is cast after a decision has been made that will strongly affect a situation, and it can't be reversed; People often use this expression to emphasize that what is done is done, and nothing can change what has already started; the situation cannot be changed; Ex: As soon as he pulled out his gun, the die was cast and he was sure to be killed by the police; Bill knew the die was cast the first time he took the drug. He was going to be an addict. Syn what's done is done; la suerte está echada, las cartas estan echadas.

Definition: The act is done; the action is irreversible.

Origin: Probably metaphorical, from the fact that when a die (singular form of "dice") is cast (or thrown) during a board game, the resulting move on the board cannot be reversed.

This expression became popular from its Latin form, Alea iacta est. A Roman historian, Suetonius, attributed this quote to Julius Caesar in the year 49 B.C. According to Suetonius, Caesar said this sentence as he entered Italy with his army. As a result of the invasion, he stated a civil war. When he said the die is cast, he meant that it was too late to stop the war from beginning at that point. He had already disobeyed orders, and he must win the war if he wanted to keep his life. Nowadays, people use it as a synonym for past the point of no return.

Summary The phrase "The die is cast" means events are already in motion and cannot be stopped.

The green-eyed monster / green with envy (humorous) a feeling of anger or unhappiness because somebody you like or love is showing interest in somebody else; jealousy; Ex: In next week’s programme we’ll be looking at the green-eyed monster, jealousy. This comes from Shakespeare’s play Othello. See green with envy; Ex: She was green with envy about his new car. Syn envious, muerto de envidia.

O beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.” 

Ojo, mi señor, con los celos. Es el monstruo de ojos verdes que se burla de la carne de la que se alimenta.

Shakespeare had previously used the idea in The Merchant of Venice where Portia refers to “green-eyed jealousy” (Act 3, Scene 2).

Note Jealousy. The green-eyed monster comes straight from Shakespeare’s Othello (3.3), where the villain Iago tells Othello, “O! beware, my lord, of jealousy; it is the green-ey’d monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.” The poet’s allusion is to the green-eyed cat family who tease their prey, seeming to love and hate them at the same time. However, a greenish complexion also was associated with jealousy, and elsewhere Shakespeare wrote “Troubled with the green sickness” (Antony and Cleopatra, 3.2). Jealousy and envy are not precisely synonyms; the first is a feeling of resentment against someone who enjoys success or an advantage, or who is a rival; the second is more a feeling of covetousness with regard to someone’s possessions or advantages. Nevertheless the color green came to symbolize envy as well, although somewhat later.

In Renaissance England most emotions were matched with colours. Green was matched with envy and jealousy. Portia refers directly to ‘green-eyed jealousy’ and then, in the later play Othello, Shakespeare turns it into an even more visual idea, making it a monster, suggesting that it is powerful and dangerous. He adds the caution ‘beware’ to make it even more threatening.

And so, although the idea of jealousy being green was an everyday matter for audiences, Shakespeare has, as usual, taken some ordinary thing and turned it into the immortal idiomatic, highly visual, phrase – ‘green-eyed monster.’

These days we still refer to emotions in terms of colour. We almost always couple envy and green. We are more likely to say ‘I’m green with envy,’ than simply, ‘I’m envious.’ And if we say, ‘I’m green,’ everyone understands.

Coupling other colours with emotions is still very much with us too. If we are down we may talk about feeling blue – and countless songs use that idea, including titles like ‘It’s been a blue day,’ ‘I’ve got the blues,’ ‘Rhapsody in blue,’ and so on. We may call a coward yellow, and the USA military awards injured servicemen the Purple Heart, in recognition of their courage, purple being associated with courage. One of the most common colour matchings is red and anger.

In Othello, the line, ‘beware the green-eyed monster’ is very important in the text. It’s ironic, because it’s made under false pretenses. We, the audience, know what Iago is doing but Othello does not, so it heightens the dramatic irony that’s at work in the play. It’s uncomfortable for the audience as it puts them in the position of being conspirators in Iago’s manipulation. We also watch with dismay as the other characters become confused and paralysed by the multiple lies ‘honest’ Iago tells them, while we know the true situation.

‘Green-eyed monster’ is yet another of the countless phrases coined by Shakespeare that make our language richer.

The world is my/your oyster In The Merry Wives Of Windsor, when Falstaff refuses to lend Pistol money Pistol draws his sword and says, "Why, then the world's mine oyster, which I with sword will open.” Today the phrase is full of optimism rather than violence and is used to say the world is full of possibilities and you can do anything. 

The world is your oyster (tienes el mundo a tus pies) If the world is your oyster, you can do what you want or go where you want.

You're young and healthy and you have no commitments, the world is your oyster!.

Happy is the man who has broken the chains which hurt the mind, and has given up worrying once and for all. Be patient and tough; one day this pain will be useful to you. Ovid (Metamorphoses)

14. PROVERBS and SAYINGS

A rolling stone gathers no moss 

a person who moves from place to place, job to job, etc. does not have a lot of money, possessions or friends but is free from responsibilities:; said to mean that a person who is always travelling and changing jobs has the advantage of having no responsibilities, but also has disadvantages such as having no permanent place to live. Ex: Hal was a bit of a rolling stone before he married and settled down; rolling stone (nomadic, not settled, wandering, trotamundos); Ex: In her youth Annie was a rolling stone, never staying anywhere for long. Syn have ants in your pants; ave de paso, ser culo de mal asiento. 

All that glitters/glistens/glisters is not gold

said about sth that seems to be good on the surface, but might not be when you look at it more closely; ​not everything that seems good, attractive, etc. is actually good, etc; Syn appearances can be deceptive; las apariencias engañan; no todo lo que brilla es oro.

Birds of a feather (flock together) 

said about people who have similar characters or interests, especially ones of which you disapprove, and who often spend time with each other; ​Syn people of the same sort (are found together); Dios los cria y ellos se juntan.

Cut your coat according to your cloth 

to do only what you have enough money to do and no more; said to emphasize that sb should do as well as possible with the limited money they have; undertake only what you have the money or ability to do and no more; to make plans and decisions that are based on what you have and not what you would like; Ex: We wanted to buy a bigger house than this but it was a case of cutting our coat according to our cloth; Cut your coat according to your cloth and stop wanting things you can't afford. Syn to spend only as much money as you can afford, adaptarse a las circunstancias, vivir con arreglo a sus posibilidades.  

Don't bite off more than you can chew means don't take on too much when you agree to do more than you actually can. I think it is safe to say that we have all been there. For example, you really want to do something or you want to prove something to yourself or others. Syn el que mucho abarca poco aprieta.

Don’t count your chickens before they hatch / they're hatched ​

do not act until situation is certain; you should not be too confident that sth will be successful, because sth may still go wrong; you should not make plans that depend on something good happening before you know that it has actually happened; Ex: She wanted to buy a dress in case someone asked her to the dance, but I told her not to count her chickens before they hatched. See play (it) safe. Syn better safe than sorry; you can’t be too careful, watch it, look before you leap; no hagas las cuentas de la lechera.

Easy come, easy go 

inf. said when sth, especially money, is easily got and then soon spent or lost; Ex: I lost £500 in a card game last night, but that's life, easy come, easy go. Syn relaxed attitude, lo que fácil viene, facil se va.

Every cloud has a silver lining ​every sad or difficult situation has a positive side. If you say a bad or unpleasant situation has a silver lining you mean that there is a good or pleasant side-effect of it. See the silver lining (the positive); Syn Every negative has a positive.

Every negative has a positive. Ryan Holiday

When life gives you every reason to be negative, think of all the reasons to be positive. There's always someone who has it worse. Quotes Queen

Ignorance is bliss 

said to emphasize that sometimes it is better for you if you do not know all the facts about a situation; ​if you do not know about sth, you cannot worry about it; Ex: Some doctors believe ignorance is bliss and don't give their patients all the facts; Syn better not to know; ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente, es mejor no saber.

(It's) no good crying over spilled milk

It does no good to get upset over a bad decision or unfortunate event that has already come to pass and cannot be changed); ex: I know you really wanted that job, but you weren't hired, so it's no good crying over spilled milk now. (a lo hecho pecho)

Lookers-on see most of the game

The people who are not directly participating in something can get a wider, more objective view or understanding of it. Ex: I know that lookers-on see most of the game, which is why I find going to therapy so valuable. My therapist picks up on the stuff that I can't see because I'm too close to the situation. Syn (looker-on): spectator, witness, onlooker, espectador.

Make hay while the sun shines

to make good use of an opportunity while it lasts; to make good use of opportunities, good conditions, etc. while they last. See Strike while the iron is hot
Syn use an opportunity; profit from; sacar provecho/tajada/ventaja, aprovechar el momento.

Money talks 

said about people or organizations that are rich, and can therefore get or do what they want; people who have a lot of money have more power and influence than others; used to say that money has a strong influence on people's actions and decisions; A phrase emphasizing the persuasive power of money; Money gives one power and influence to help get things done or get one's own way. Ex: In politics, money talks; If you want us to help you out, here's some advice, money talks; Don't worry. I have a way of getting things done. Money talks. Syn money is / has power; money matters. 

No bees no honey (no work no money)

It basically means that every convenience (C1) has its inconvenience. Note n. not convenient, v. bother, trouble. 

No pain, no gain ​/ No pain without gain (C2)

(Associated with sports and physical exercise.) used to say that you need to suffer if you want to achieve sth; If we do not do hard work, and suffer some pain, we will achieve or gain nothing; If you want to improve, you must work so hard that it hurts; People say no pain, no gain to mean that you cannot achieve anything without effort or suffering. Ex: The road to becoming a doctor is long, hard, and exhausting, not to mention expensive! But no pain, no gain; I exercise every day. No pain, no gain; Syn it is worth making an effort; el que algo quiere algo le cuesta, sin sacrificio no hay beneficio.

Once bitten, twice shy

said when you are frightened to do sth again because you had an unpleasant experience doing it the first time; ​after an unpleasant experience you are careful to avoid sth similar. Syn more cautious now, el gato escaldado del agua fria huye.

One swallow does NOT a summer make  / One Swallow does not make a Summer

This idiom means that just because one good thing has happened it doesn’t mean other good things are going to follow; This means that one piece of evidence is not enough to prove sth.

A remark found in Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics (1098a18: “one swallow does not a summer make, nor one fine day; similarly one day or brief time of happiness does not make a person entirely happy”), itself inspired by the fable The Young Man and the Swallow by Aesop.

Note The unusual English word order (in use from c. 1920), may be influenced by the line “Stone walls do not a prison make,” from To Althea, from Prison by Richard Lovelace (1642).

One swallow does not a summer make and one football game doesn't make a season. 1969 September 19, Bob Johnson, “Sports: September Madness”, Chronicle‎

People (who live) in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones

you should not criticize other people, because they will easily find ways of criticizing you; This means that you should not criticize other people for bad qualities in their character that you have yourself; Syn people with faults should not criticize others; siempre habla el que más tiene que callar; mira quién fue a hablar.

Rome wasn’t built in a day 

used to say that a complicated task will take a long time and should not be rushed; said to emphasize that you cannot expect to do important things in a short period of time. Syn be patient, haste makes waste, slowly but surely, hold your horses, take your time, important tasks call for a lot of hard work / take a long time to do / take time.

Seize the day interj.'Seize the day' is a translation of the Latin "Carpe diem"; Ex: My dad was always telling me 'Seize the day, you won't be young forever!' Syn make the most of the present moment; no dejes para mañana lo que puedas hacer hoy, aprovecha el dia, aprovecha el momento.

(You have to) Strike while the iron is hot

to take advantage of an opportunity as soon as it exists, in case the opportunity goes away and does not return; to make use of an opportunity immediately; Ex: He doesn't often make such offers, I'd strike while the iron is hot if I were you. See Make hay while the sun shines Syn take an opportunity, aprovechar el momento.

The end justifies the means 

bad or unfair methods of doing sth are acceptable if the result of that action is good or positive. Ex: He defended a morality in which the end justifies the means; That's only OK if you believe that the end justifies the means. Syn any methods are allowed to achieve sth; el fin justifica los medios.

The pen is mightier than the sword

said to emphasize that thinking and writing have more influence on people and events than the use of force or violence; people who write books, poems, etc. have a greater effect on history and human affairs than soldiers and wars; Syn words are powerful; la pluma vale más que la espada.

The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

to get something fixed, it is required to make a noise to get attention; said to emphasize that attention is paid to those problems that are made most noticeable; Ex: My younger brother got far more stuff from my parents when we were kids because the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Syn People who complain the most will get attention; el que no no llora no mama.

There’s more than one way to skin a cat (C2) 

(humorous) there are many different ways to achieve something.

Source: theidioms.com

There's no such thing as a free lunch / There ain't no such thing as a free lunch 

emphasize that you cannot get sth for nothing; Things that are offered for free always have a hidden cost. Ex: "I get to travel with my job but the downside is I have to give talks." "Well, there's no such thing as a free lunch." Syn a hidden cost (*); It is impossible to get sth for nothing; no hay nada gratis, nadie regala nada.

Note catch (hidden cost (*): what's the catch? donde esta la trampa, cual es el truco? The phrase what's the catch? is a retort (sharp reply) when one believes that an offer is too good to be true. One may ask what's the catch? if he believes that a situation or deal is being presented on its best face and that problems or drawbacks are being hidden.

Time flies ​(C2)

time seems to pass very quickly; used to mean that time passes surprisingly quickly;

Ex: Time flies when you're having fun; How time flies! I've got to go now; Time has flown since the holiday began. Syn time passes quickly, el tiempo vuela.

It's almost mind-boggling how time flies. Martin Brodeur

Time flies when you're on an emotional roller coaster. Kaitlyn Bristowe

When you get a groove going, time flies. Donald Fagen

Note find your groove: find passion in life, encontrar pasión en la vida; groove n. slang rhythm (music); in the groove (perform well at sth enjoyable, cogerle el tranquillo, cogerle el gustillo) v. dance; enjoy (music)

Time flies. It's up to you to be the navigator. Robert Orben

Time flies never to be recalled. Virgil

Time flies when you're having fun, one of the simpler idioms used in the English language. It refers simply to the phenomenon that time appears to pass more quickly when engaged in sth they enjoy. It's a way of explaining away the fact that the best things go by quickly and are over before one knows it. 

Time flies when you're having fun, (and when you're not). 

Trust everybody / every man, but cut the cards. 

Have a general faith in the good intentions of others, but never neglect to take appropriate precautions against being deceived or cheated. Have faith in the honesty and integrity of those around you, but remain on your guard and take precautions in case you are wrong.

Two wrongs don’t make a right

said to emphasize that it is not acceptable to do sth bad to sb just because they did sth bad to you first; ​(saying) used to say that if sb does sth bad to you, the situation will not be improved by doing sth bad to them; Ex: Just because Heather was cruel to you, doesn't mean you should be cruel to her, two wrongs don't make a right; Syn don't deliberately (on purpose, intentionally) do sth bad; no se subsana un error cometiendo otro.

When in Rome (do as the Romans do)

​used to say that when you are in a foreign country, or a situation you are not familiar with, you should behave in the way that the people around you behave; when you are visiting another place, you should follow the customs of the people in that place; It can also mean that when you are in an unfamiliar situation, you should follow the lead of those who know the ropes. Ex: I don't drink wine usually but on holiday, well, when in Rome... Syn behave as those around you do, a donde fueres haz lo que vieres.

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.  

make the best out of a difficult situation 

When the going gets tough, the tough get going (C2)

Strong people don't give up when they come across challenges. They just work harder; Syn adversity reveals strength of character; cuando las cosas se ponen duras, los duros siguen adelante.

You can lead/take a horse to water, but you can’t make him/it drink 

used to emphasize that you can make it easy for sb to do sth, but you cannot force them to do it; you can give sb the opportunity to do sth, but you cannot force them to do it if they do not want to.

You can't judge a book by its/the cover / Don't judge a book by its/the cover

said to show that you cannot know what something or someone is like by looking only at that person or thing's appearance; Ex: She definitely looks trustworthy, but don't judge a book by its cover. Syn appearances can be deceptive, las apariencias engañan.

You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs 

said to mean that it is impossible to achieve sth without there being bad or unpleasant side-effects; it is hard to achieve sth important without causing unpleasant effects; When you try to do sth great, you'll probably make a few people annoyed or angry. Don't worry about those people; just focus on the good results.

You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs; you just have to break as few as possible.

You may/might as well be hanged/hung for a sheep as (for) a lamb

said to mean that because the punishment for a bad action and an even worse one will be the same, you have no reason not to do the worse one; ​(saying) if you are going to be punished for doing something wrong, whether it is a big or small thing, you may as well do the big thing.

(If) you snooze, you lose

If you wait too long to do sth, that opportunity might become unavailable; used to mean that if you do not pay attention and do sth quickly, sb else will do it instead of you. The phrase can be used as a warning for events to come, or to describe past things that one has already missed; Ex: Come on, we have to get to the bakery early, before all the donuts are sold out! You snooze, you lose!; A: "Aw man, I can't believe I missed the chance to meet my favorite author." B: "Well, you snooze, you lose."; You have to take advantage of those deals while you can. It's a case of "you snooze you lose" in the current market. Syn you miss opportunities by not paying attention, si te duermes pierdes.

 

15. TERMINOLOGY

figurative language Figurative language is phrasing that goes beyond the literal meaning of words to get a message or point across. Figurative language creates comparisons by linking the senses and the concrete to abstract ideas. Words or phrases are used in a non-literal way for particular effect, for example simile, metaphor, personification; Fiction writers use fig. language to engage their audience using a more creative tone that provokes thinking and sometimes humor. It makes fiction writing more interesting and dramatic than the literal language that uses words to refer to statements of fact.

idiomaticity (idiomaticidad), The quality of being idiomatic; ex: his language lacked idiomaticity a su lenguaje le faltaba idiomaticidad

idiomatic (idiomático) (of idiomatic expression) That expression is idiomatic, so it's hard for non-native speakers to understand; ex: Part of his university career was spent at the Sorbonne and he was fluent in wonderfully idiomatic French; he soon acquired a remarkable command of idiomatic English 

idiomatic English using, containing, or denoting idioms (expressions that are natural to a native speaker); ex: he spoke fluent, idiomatic English; peculiaridades del inglés, frases hechas.

morpheme a basic grammatical unit of a language that makes up a word or meaningful part of a word that cannot be divided into smaller meaningful parts, as the, write, the -s of books, or the -ed of waited. a speech element having a meaning or grammatical function that cannot be subdivided into further such elements.

paraphrase  1. v. reword, rephrase; (quote using different words): parafrasear; Ex: The army captain paraphrased Franklin D. Roosevelt when he said, "The only thing we should fear is fear itself." 2.n. rewording: paráfrasis; Ex: The politician's speech was full of paraphrases of English proverbs.

phrase 1. exact words, set expression (frase hecha); ex: Some people find the phrase "at the end of the day" very annoying, 2. less than a sentence (frase, oración), ex: Phrases are groups of words that make up a grammatical unit. 3. expression (expresión), ex: Charlie uttered a phrase that I would rather not repeat in polite company; 4. phrase v. (express in words), 1. (orally), expresar, decir con palabras, formular; ex: Your ideas are good, but I think you could phrase them better. Larry phrased his thoughts badly and Daniel took offence; I should have phrased that better debería haberlo expresado or formulado mejor; 2. (In writing): can we phrase that differently? (¿podemos redactar or expresar eso de otro modo?); a carefully phrased letter una carta redactada con cuidado.

phraseme an utterance, consisting of multiple words or morphemes, at least one of whose components is selectionally constrained or restricted by linguistic convention such that it is freely chosen. 

Note frasema combinación de palabras caracterizada por presentar un cierto grado de fijación o idiomaticidad, locución, unidad fraseológica.

phraseology (1. phrasing, wording: redacción, estilo, modo de expresarse 2. set phrases/ expressions, 3. rama de la lingüística: study of set phrases, 4. stilted language: palabras pretenciosas) words used; ​the particular way in which words and phrases are arranged when saying or writing sth; the way in which language is used, especially in the choice of words and expressions Ex: legal phraseology; Simple phraseology throughout makes the work easily accessible. Syn wording, phrasing, set phrases, set expressions n. frases hechas de una lengua, modos de expresion, el estudio de las frases hechas.

In linguistics, phraseology is the study of set or fixed expressions, such as idioms, phrasal verbs, and other types of multi-word lexical units (often collectively referred to as phrasemes), in which the component parts of the expression take on a meaning more specific than, or otherwise not predictable from, the sum of their meanings when used independently.

phraseological units (phrasemes) The basic units of analysis in phraseology are often referred to as phrasemes (frasema, locución) or phraseological units. Phraseological units are  stable word-groups with partially or fully transferred meanings ("to kick the bucket", “ ”drink till all's blue”, “drunk as a fiddler (drunk as a lord, as a boiled owl)”, “as mad as a hatter (as a march hare)”). According to Rosemarie Gläser, a phraseological unit is a lexicalized, reproducible bilexemic or polylexemic word group in common use, which has relative syntactic and semantic stability, may be idiomatized, may carry connotations, and may have an emphatic or intensifying function in a text.

phraseologist 1. a person who treats of or is concerned with phraseology. 2. a person who affects a particular phraseology or is skilled in coining phrases. 3. one who uses sententious or insincere phrases. Compare phrasemaker, phraser.

phrasemaker / phraser / phrasemonger (pejorative) 1. a person who is skilled in coining well-turned phrases; phraseologist; one who coins impressive phrases. 2. a person given to making catchy, fine-sounding but often meaningless or hollow (empty) statements or phrases. Syn phraser, creador (creadora) m/f de frases grandilocuentes. see -monger: warmonger (belicista).

fishmonger’s (shop) (pescadería); rumour-monger (persona que se dedica a difundir rumores).

phrasing (act) redacción; [of question] formulación f; (style) estilo, términos; (Music) fraseo m; Ex: the phrasing is rather unfortunate la forma en que está expresado es bastante desafortunada. Ex: The phrasing is rather unfortunate (la forma en que está expresado es bastante desafortunada); Compare wording. Syn phraseology, terminology, choice of words, wordage (vocabulary: léxico)

Note As nouns the difference between wording and phrasing is that wording is a choice of words and the style in which they are used in a given context while phrasing is the way a statement is put together, particularly in matters of style and word choice.

wording n words used, formulación, redacción, expresión, Ex:The wording is unclear (está mal redactado); Ian had no problem with the sentiment (feelings) of the notice, but he objected to the wording.