List-2
1. Not lift a finger-
Meaning-Someone who doesn’t lift a finger doesn’t do any work, particularly to help other people.
Use-Molly’s children don’t lift a finger to help around the house- have you noticed?
2. Look on the bright side-
Meaning-If you look on the bright side you think about the good parts of a situation or the good things that might result from it.
Use- Its a shame the car was damaged. But; but let’s look on the bright side– at least nobody was hurt.
3. Be at a loss-
Meaning-You say that you are at a loss when you don’t know what to say or what to do, because you have no information or knowledge or because you are very surprised or shocked.
Use-They obviously expected Barry to introduce everyone and he was completely at a loss!
4. Mend your ways-
Meaning-If you mend your ways, you stop behaving or you improve your behaviour.
Use-If you don’t mend your ways, afraid you will get into serious troubles.
5. Make the most of something-
Meaning-When you make the most of something, you enjoy it or use it as much as you can because it will not be happening or available for very long.
Use- The cakes are at half price today, so Um making the most of it!
6. An olive branch-
Meaning-When one of two enemies offers the other an olive branch, they are indicating that they want to make peace.
Use-E.g. By inviting you to the wedding, Alison is clearly offering you an olive branch, so you should go.
7. A Pandora’s box–
Meaning-You describe a process as a Pandora’s box if, once begun, It produces a lot of new and unpleasant problems.
Use-The government did not realize that introducing this new tax would be such a Pandora’s box.
8. Poke your nose into something or poke your nose in-
Meaning-To gets involved in something or asks questions about something when it is private or people do not want you to.
Use-Stop poking your nose into other people’s business.
9. It never rains but it pours-
Meaning-When you say it never rains but it pours, you mean that when one thing goes wrong, lots of other things also start to go wrong, which makes the situation even worse.
Use-First my alarm clock didn’t work, and now the car won’t start It never rains but it pours!
10. Roll out the red carpet (for)-
Meaning-When you roll out the red carpet for someone. you give them a very special welcome and honour them as an important guest.
Use-The Vice-Chancellor is coming to tonight’s performance, so they are rolling out the red carpet.
11. Show your true colours-
Meaning-When you show your true colours, you let I other people see what you are really like, often by showing that you are not as nice as they thought you were.
Use-We all thought Ann was quite timid and weak, but she certainly showed her true colours in the meeting today!
12. Spick and span-
Meaning-You say that something is spick and span when it Is very tidy and clean.
Use- Janice’s house is always spick and span.
13. A storm in a teacup–
Meaning-You calls a situation or problem a storm in a teacup if people become much more anxious or emotional about it than they need to because it is not really very important or serious.
Use- everyone’s saying they will cancel the wedding.’ ‘Oh no, I’m sure this argument is just a storm in a teacup.’
14. Sugar the pill-
Meaning- Something that sugars the pill makes something unpleasant slightly easier to accept.
Use-For people who didn’t like the idea of identity cards, the government tried to sugar the pill by calling them ‘entitlement cards’, giving them the right to various services.
15. Be all talk (and no action)-
Meaning-You say that someone is all talk if they are always talking about doing exciting or impressive things, but they never actually do that.
Use- Chris says he’s going to run the marathon this year ‘, Oh, you know Chris- he’s all talk.‘
16. Have a thick skin-
Meaning-You say that someone has a thick skin if they don’t get upset easily when people criticize them or say unkind things to them.
Use- that was a cruel thing to say.’ Don’t worry about Paul- he has a thick skin. He doesn’t mind.’
17. On the tip of your tongue-
Meaning-You say that something is on the tip of your tongue when you are sure that you know it, but you are still trying to remember it.
Use- It was on the tip of my tongue to explain that I wasn’t the shop assistant, but I decided not to bother.
18. Have your wits about you and keep your wits about you-
Meaning-You have your wits about you when you are thinking clearly and carefully, and are able to deal with the unexpected situation quickly and well, and you keep your wits about you when you keep doing this.
Use-In the stock market; you always have to have your wits about you, because things can change so quickly.
19. Score points-
Meaning-People say that you are scoring points if you say things deliberately to show that you are more intelligent, or can think more quickly, than the person you are talking to.
Use-Julian thinks he’s so smart- he’s always Wing to score points off everyone.
20. Fair and square–
Meaning-When something happens fair and square, it happens in a fair and honest way that people can feel certain about.
Use-That’s cheating!”Oh, come on- he won the game fair and square!‘
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