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erratic

moving or behaving in a way that is not regular, certain, or expected; She can be very erratic; one day she is friendly and the next she'll hardly speak to you.

all the more

even more than before: Several publishers rejected her book, but that just made her all the more determined.

at any price

If you want something at any price, you are willing to do anything in order to get it: He wanted success at any price.

be as crazy, rich etc. as they come

to be very crazy, rich, etc.: He's as mean as they come.

be nothing if not generous, honest helpful etc

used to emphasize that someone or something is extremely generous, honest, helpful, etc.: He's nothing if not charming.

make common cause with sb

to act together with someone in order to achieve something: Environmental protesters have made common cause with local people to stop the highway being built.

rise to the challenge/occasion

to show that you can deal with a difficult situation successfully: All eyes are now on the oil companies to see if they can rise to the challenge and get the fuel out quickly.

give /quote sth/sb chapter and verse

to give exact information about something, especially something in a book: I can't quote you chapter and verse but I think it's a line from "Macbeth."

hold/keep sth in check

to put a limit on something so that it does not increase or become worse

take sth on the chin

to accept unpleasant events bravely and without complaining

strike a chord

it causes people to approve of it or agree with it: Their policy on childcare has struck a responsive chord with women voters.

claim to fame

a reason why someone or something is famous: This little town’s claim to fame is that a president was born here.

come clean

to tell the truth about something that you have been keeping secret: I thought it was time to come clean (with everybody) about what I'd been doing.

part company with

they end their relationship: The world's number one tennis player and his coach parted company earlier this month.

cut corners

to do something in the easiest, cheapest, or fastest way

not all it's cracked up to be

to not be as good as people have said: This software isn’t all it's cracked up to be.

cramp one's style

to prevent someone from having a good time, especially by going somewhere with them

discrete

clearly separate or different in shape or form: These small companies now have their own discrete identity.

reciprocal

a number that when multiplied by another number results in 1/involving two people or organizations who agree to help each other by behaving in the same way or by giving each other similar advantages: a reciprocal arrangement/agreement/relationship

punitive

intended as a punishment: punitive action The UN has imposed punitive sanctions on the invading country.

elude

If something that you want eludes you, you do not succeed in achieving it: The gold medal continues to elude her./to not be caught by someone: They eluded the police by fleeing.

too many cooks spoil the soup

said when there are too many people involved in trying to do the same thing, so that the final result will not be good

actions speak louder than words

said to emphasize that what you do is more important and shows your intentions and feelings more clearly than what you say

a stitch in time (saves nine)

said to mean that it is better to act or deal with problems immediately, because if you wait and deal with them later, things will get worse and the problems will take longer to deal with

a bird in the hand (is worth two in the bush)

said when you recognize that you should not risk losing something you already have by trying to get something you think might be better

the early bird gets the worm (also the early bird catches the worm)

the person who arrives first is the one who is successful: We’ll want to be at the theater early for the best seats – the early bird gets the worm!

make hay while the sun shines

to make good use of an opportunity while it lasts

every cloud has a silver lining

said to emphasize that every difficult or unpleasant situation has some advantage

when it rains it pours

said when one bad thing happens, followed by a lot of other bad things that make a bad situation worse

gray matter

the darker tissue containing nerve fibers (= structures like threads) found in the brain and spinal cord/a person's intelligence: It's not the sort of movie that stimulates the gray matter much.

hold your horses

used to tell someone to stop and consider carefully their decision or opinion about something: Just hold your horses, Bill! Let's think about this for a moment.

go to your head

it makes that person think that they are very important and makes them a less pleasant person: Don't let fame/success go to your head.

have your hands full

to be so busy that you do not have time to do anything else: I'd love to help but I have my hands full organizing the school play.

lose heart

to stop believing that you can succeed: Don't lose heart, there'll be plenty more chances for promotion.

hand in glove with

working together, often to do something dishonest: It was rumored at the time that some of the gangs were working hand in glove with the police.

take to your heels

to quickly run away: When they saw the soldiers coming, they took to their heels.

straight from the horse's mouth

you hear it from the person who has direct personal knowledge of it.

off the cuff

If you speak off the cuff, you say something without having prepared or thought about your words first: I hadn't prepared a speech so I just said a few words off the cuff. [before noun ] an off-the-cuff remark

make sb's heart flutter

you find that person very physically attractive and you feel excited when you see or talk to them: James has been making hearts flutter ever since he joined the company.

come in handy

to be useful: This money will come in handy when we go on vacation.

strike gold

to win a gold medal in a sports competition: She is the favorite to strike gold in the 400 meters hurdles. to make large profits or to become rich:

break the ice

to make people who have not met before feel more relaxed with each other: Someone suggested that we play a party game to break the ice.(icebreaker)

the tip of the iceberg

a small, noticeable part of a problem, the total size of which is really much greater: These small local protests are just the tip of the iceberg.

ill at ease

feeling anxious and not relaxed: He looked ill at ease in the room full of reporters.

the ins and outs

the detailed or complicated facts of something: I know how to use computers, but I don't really understand the ins and outs of how they work.

stew (in your own juice)

to think about or suffer the results of your own actions, without anyone giving you any help

keep up with the Jonses

to always want to own the same expensive objects and do the same things as your friends or neighbors, because you are worried about seeming less important socially than they are

before you can say Jack Robinson

used to refer to something being done or happening very quickly: I put the dish of food on the floor, and before you could say Jack Robinson, the dog had eaten it.

whinny

(of a horse) to make a soft, high sound: A horse whinnied into the cold morning.

blistering

extremely hot: We went out in the blistering heat. extremely fast: The runners set off at a blistering pace. extremely angry and unkind: blistering remarks/sarcasm

scorching

very hot: a scorching summer day It was scorching hot inside the greenhouse.

yelp

to make a sudden, short, high sound, usually when in pain/"Nooooo," yelped a small girl at one point. "This is an outrage!" he yelped.

gossamer

a light, thin, and insubstantial or delicate material or substance. "a fine gossamer fabric that clung to her skin"/a fine, filmy substance consisting of cobwebs spun by small spiders, seen especially in fall.

wail

o make a long, high cry, usually because of pain or sadness: The women gathered around the coffin and began to wail, as was the custom in the region.

bestow

to give something as an honor or present: The George Cross is a decoration that is bestowed upon/on British civilians for acts of great bravery.

despicable

very unpleasant or bad, causing strong feelings of dislike: despicable behavior He's a despicable human being! (vile, abominable)

wheeze

to make a high, rough noise while breathing because of some breathing difficulty: I could hear the old man behind me wheezing. I know when I've been smoking too much because I start to wheeze when I run for a train.

concoct

to invent a story or excuse, esp. to deceive others: He concocted the story because he did not want to do his chores./To concoct is also to make something new from different things: He concocted a tasty stew from the leftovers.

gulp

to eat or drink food or liquid quickly by swallowing it in large amounts, or to make a swallowing movement because of fear, surprise, or excitement: She gulped down her drink and made a hasty exit.

slurp

to drink a liquid noisily as a result of sucking air into the mouth at the same time as the liquid: Try not to slurp. I wish you wouldn't slurp your soup like that.

not the sharpest tool in the shed

someone who is thought to be unintelligent in some way; slow to perceive or understand something.

all-star

having or including famous actors or players: His latest film featured an all-star cast. an all-star baseball team

resettle

to (be helped or forced to) move to another place to live: His family originally came from Ireland, but resettled in the U.S. in the 19th century.

deride

to laugh at someone or something in a way that shows you think they are stupid or of no value: He derided my singing as pathetic. This building, once derided by critics, is now a major tourist attraction.

cackle

to make the loud, unpleasant sound of a chicken: The hens cackled in alarm. to laugh in a loud, high voice: A group of women were cackling in a corner. a cackling witch

clatter

to make continuous loud noises by hitting hard objects against each other, or to cause objects to do this: Don't clatter the dishes - you'll wake the baby up. He was clattering away at his keyboard.

boulder

a very large rock

pitchfork

1

creak

When a door, floorboard, etc. creaks, it makes a long low sound when it moves or is moved: The door creaked on its hinges. I heard the floorboards creak as he crept closer.

beset

having a lot of trouble with something, or having to deal with a lot of something that causes problems: With the amount of traffic nowadays, even a trip across town is beset by/with dangers.

radiant

obviously very happy, or very beautiful: He gave a radiant smile when he heard her news. producing heat or light: a radiant heater the radiant heat of the sun

preposterous

very silly or stupid: The very idea is preposterous! a preposterous suggestion/absurdcockeyedidioticlaughableludicrousnonsensicalridiculous

distortion

a change to the intended or true meaning of something: a gross distortion of the facts

espionage

the discovering of secrets, especially political or military information of another country or the industrial information of a business: military/industrial espionage

forger

someone who makes forged copies: an art forger

have a soft spot for sb

to feel that you like someone very much: She'd always had a soft spot for her younger nephew.

collider

a machine for forcing particles (= extremely small pieces of matter) to hit each other at high speed so scientists can study what is produced

180

a sudden change from a particular opinion, decision, or plan to an opposite one: Jack's done a 180 and agreed to come on the trip.

change of heart

If you have a change of heart, you change your opinion or the way you feel about something: She was going to sell her house but had a change of heart at the last minute.

a change of clothes

a set of clothes as well as the ones that you are wearing: You'll need a change of clothes if you're staying overnight.

concoction

the result or process of concocting something

vile

unpleasant, immoral, and unacceptable: This vile policy of ethnic cleansing must be stopped. This cheese smells vile. He's in a vile mood/temper today.

fidelity 1

honest or lasting support, or loyalty, especially to a sexual partner: Somerset Maugham's comedy of marital fidelity, "The Constant Wife" How important do you think sexual fidelity is in a marriage?

fidelity 2

the degree to which the detail and quality of an original, such as a picture, sound, or story, is copied exactly: The best ink-jet printers can reproduce photographs with amazing fidelity.

snitch (N/V)

to secretly tell someone in authority that someone else has done something bad, often in order to cause trouble: She thought I'd snitched on her.

turn a place inside out

to search every part of a place very carefully: I've turned the house inside out but I still can't find my keys.

comprise

to have things or people as parts or members; to consist of: The course comprises a class book, a practice book, and a CD.

sneer

to talk about or look at someone or something in an unkind way that shows you do not respect or approve of him, her, or it: You may sneer, but a lot of people like this kind of music.(V/N)

chortle

to laugh, showing pleasure and satisfaction: She chortled with glee at the news.

glee

happiness, excitement, or pleasure: She opened her presents with glee.

acquaint someone with something

to give someone information about something: The museum offers workshops to acquaint children with the world of radio.

bask

to lie or sit enjoying the warmth especially of the sun: We could see seals on the rocks, basking in the sun.

make a beeline for sb/sth

to go directly and quickly toward someone or something: At parties he always makes a beeline for the prettiest woman in the room.

barter

to exchange goods for other things rather than for money: He bartered his stamp collection for her comics. We spent a whole hour bartering with stallholders for souvenirs.

abashed

embarrassed: He said nothing but looked abashed.

gain ground

If a political party or an idea or belief gains ground, it becomes more popular or accepted: The Republicans are gaining ground in the southern states.

beat sb at their own game

to use to your own advantage the methods by which someone else has tried to defeat you

give the game away

to spoil a surprise or a joke by telling someone something that should have been kept secret: It's a secret, so don't give the game away, will you?

throw down the gauntlet

A price war looks likely now that a leading supermarket has thrown down the gauntlet to its competitors.

gild the lily

to improve or decorate something that is already perfect and therefore spoil it: Should I add a scarf to this jacket or would it be gilding the lily?

fit like a glove

to be the perfect size and shape for someone: I love these pants because they fit like a glove and they're so comfortable.

fit like a glove

to be the perfect size and shape for someone: I love these pants because they fit like a glove and they're so comfortable.

as good as

almost: The remodeling project is as good as finished - I just need to finish up the painting.

up for grabs

available and ready to be won or taken: There are hundreds of prizes up for grabs.

dig your own grave

to do something that causes you harm, sometimes serious harm: She dug her own grave when she made fun of the boss.

grind to a halt

to stop or no longer work well: Traffic ground to a halt. The country’s economy is slowly grinding to a halt.

come/get to grips with sth

to make an effort to understand and deal with a problem or situation: The president has failed to come to grips with the two most important social issues of our time. I can't seem to get to grips with this problem.

get off the ground

to start: He and his friend tried to start a band but it never got off the ground.

come to grief

to suddenly fail in what you are doing, often because you have an accident: The Italian champion was in second position when he came to grief on the third lap.

as ... go

in comparison with most other things of a particular type, especially when you do not think that type of thing is very good: It was quite a good movie, as horror movies go. I suppose the concert was OK, as these things go.

stick to your guns

stick to your gunsto continue to have your beliefs or continue with a plan of action, even if other people disagree with you: Despite harsh criticism, she's sticking to her guns on this issue.

stick-to-it-iveness

the ability and determination to continue doing something despite difficulties