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Phrases and Idioms |
Meaning |
201. |
critical – the critical list |
A list of hospital patients who are extremely ill or seriously injured and at risk of death |
202. |
cross - at cross purposes |
Mutual misunderstanding due to each side referring to a different matter |
203. |
cross – cross a cheque |
To draw or print two parallel lines across a cheque so that it can only be paid into a bank account. |
204. |
cross - cross one’s fingers |
Cross one finger with another as a sign of hope that a good or the wished-for thing will happen. |
205. |
cross - cross one’s heart |
Make a sign of the cross over one’s heart to emphasize what one is saying is true. |
206. |
cross – cross one’s mind |
Occur in one’s thought. |
207. |
cross - cross swords with |
To have an argument or dispute with someone. |
208. |
cross - cross the floor |
Walk over to join the opposing side in Parliament. |
209. |
cruel - a cruel blow |
A tragic event that is so unfair and occurs so suddenly. |
210. |
cry - in full cry |
In hot pursuit |
211. |
cudgel – cudgel one’s brain |
To think very hard about something. |
212. |
cudgel - take up cudgels |
To start to fight for or defend something one strongly believes in. |
213. |
curry - curry favour with |
To bring oneself into favour with someone by flattering or pleasing them. |
214. |
cut - a cut above |
Noticeably better than others. |
215. |
cut - cut a dash |
To appear attractive when one puts on particular clothes. |
216. |
cut - cut and dried |
(agreement, decision, etc.) reached and cannot be changed. |
217. |
cut - cut and paste |
In computing, remove text from one location to place it on another. |
218. |
cut - cut and run |
Withdraw from a situation that becomes difficult rather than attempt to cope with it. |
219. |
cut - cut and thrust |
Uncontrolled and rough environment. |
220. |
cut - cut both ways |
Have both good and bad sides |
221. |
cut - cut in line |
To jump queue. |
222. |
cut - cut it out |
Used to tell someone to stop saying or doing something. |
223. |
cut - cut no ice |
Will not be able to bring about change in someone. |
224. |
cut - cut somebody free/loose |
To set someone free by cutting the rope that binds them. |
225. |
cut - cut somebody short |
To stop someone from finishing what they are saying. |
226. |
cut - cut someone dead |
To deliberately ignore someone. |
227. |
cut - cut the cord |
To not continue depending on someone. |
228. |
cut - cut the crap |
Used to tell someone to stop wasting time on minor details and concentrate on the important ones. |
229. |
cut - cut the mustard |
To be good enough to reach certain standard. |
230. |
cute - get cute with |
To be mischievous. |
231. |
dagger – at daggers drawn |
With mutual hatred. |
232. |
damnedest - do one’s damnedest |
To try extremely hard to succeed or obtain something. |
233. |
damsel – damsel in distress |
A young woman who needs to be rescued. |
234. |
dark – in the dark |
In a state of ignorance. |
235. |
day – day of reckoning |
The time when someone has to face up to the consequences of their actions. |
236. |
dead - be dead meat |
To be in serious trouble. |
237. |
dead – dead and buried |
Over and finished, no longer worth considering. |
238. |
dead – dead man’s shoes |
Succeeding someone or inheriting his property is only possible on his death. |
239. |
dead – dead on time |
At the stated or agreed time. |
240. |
deal - it’s a deal |
Used to express one’s agreement to something. |
241. |
deal - strike a deal |
Mutually agree to do something for each other. |
242. |
death – at death’s door |
So ill that one may die soon. |
243. |
death - on death row |
To be kept in the area of a prison where prisoners awaiting execution are confined. |
244. |
declare – declare an interest |
To make known publicly that one holds an interest in something. |
245. |
decline – someone’s declining years |
Last years of one’s life when one experiences diminishing physical strength and good health. |
246. |
delusion – delusions of grandeur |
Possessing a very strong sense of self-importance. |
247. |
dice – dice with death |
To place oneself in a rather risky position. |
248. |
dish – dish the dirt |
To engage in casual conversation or idle gossip about other people. |
249. |
divide – divide and rule |
To maintain control over people, and provoke dissent between them to ensure they do not rise in opposition. |
250. |
do – do or die |
To persist in a course of action even if the outcome is death. |
251. |
do - dos and don’ts |
The things that one must and must not do in a given situation. |
252. |
do – that does it! |
Used to show that one can tolerate no more. |
253. |
dog - a dog’s age |
A very long time. |
254. |
dog - dog eat dog |
A situation in which people compete ruthlessly. |
255. |
dog – going to the dogs |
Deteriorating with no possibility of improving. |
256. |
doing – take some doing |
Involving hard work or much effort. |
257. |
domino - the domino effect |
A situation in which one event triggers similar events around it to happen successively. |
258. |
done - a done deal |
An agreed proposal or a completed business deal. |
259. |
done - the done thing |
To be socially acceptable. |
260. |
dot – on the dot |
Punctually. |
261. |
dot – to a dot |
Exactly; precisely. |
262. |
dotage – in one’s dotage |
In one’s old age. |
263. |
double - at/on the double |
Very quickly. |
264. |
drag – drag one’s feet |
To be deliberately slow to do something. |
265. |
drain - down the drain |
Entirely wasted. |
266. |
draw - draw a blank |
To be unsuccessful, especially after searching for something such as evidence, etc. |
267. |
draw – draw someone’s eye |
To make someone notice something. |
268. |
dress – dress a salad |
Add a mixture of additional ingredients onto a salad. |
269. |
dress – dressed to kill |
Quality clothes worn to make a striking impression. |
270. |
drop – drop a bombshell |
To suddenly reveal a shocking piece of news. |
271. |
drop – drop a clanger/brick |
To pass an embarrassing remark in a social environment. |
272. |
drop – drop a hint |
To convey something in an indirect way by what one says or does. |
273. |
drop – drop one’s guard |
To cease keeping careful watch for possible danger. |
274. |
drown – drown one’s sorrows |
To forget one’s problems by drinking a lot of alcohol. |
275. |
drum – drum one’s fingers |
To unconsciously display one’s anxiety. |
276. |
due – in due course |
At the appropriate time in the future. |
277. |
due – pay one’s dues |
Make regular payments to; fulfil one’s obligations. |
278. |
duff - up the duff |
Pregnant. |
279. |
dust – dust and ashes |
Something that causes great disappointment. |
280. |
early - an early grave |
Dying too soon. |
281. |
early – it’s early days |
Early in time for something to happen, etc. |
282. |
earn – earn one’s keep |
To do enough work to justify what one receives in return. |
283. |
earth – go to earth |
Go into hiding. |
284. |
eat – eat humble pie |
Admit one’s mistake and offer an apology. |
285. |
eat - eat one’s words |
Retract one’s statement, usually under pressure. |
286. |
economy – economies of scale |
To economic benefit of production of an item in large quantities. |
287. |
effect - to that effect |
Getting the desired outcome or meaning. |
288. |
empty – empty your bowels |
To defecate. |
289. |
end – be the end |
Be the limit of what one can tolerate. |
290. |
end - days on end |
Lasting many days. |
291. |
end – end in itself (an) |
Something that one really wants to do, and not for other reasons. |
292. |
end – end it all |
To kill own self; commit suicide. |
293. |
end – end to end |
Arrange things in a row with ends touching |
294. |
end – in the end |
Eventually; ultimately. |
295. |
end – make ends meet |
To live within one’s means. |
296. |
end - to that end |
To aim at or achieve something. |
297. |
end – to this end |
For this purpose. |
298. |
even - get even with |
To inflict harm or insult on someone just as much as they have harmed or insulted you. |
299. |
event - in any event |
Used to emphasize that an event will happen besides others that may happen. |
300. |
event - in the event |
Used to emphasize what actually happened or might happen in a given situation. |