| 1 |
a piece of cake |
The exam was a piece of cake. |
very easy |
| 2 |
under the weather |
I'm feeling under the weather today. |
slightly ill |
| 3 |
on the same page |
Let's make sure we're on the same page. |
share the same understanding |
| 4 |
get the hang of it |
I'm finally getting the hang of it. |
learn how to do it |
| 5 |
hit the nail on the head |
You hit the nail on the head. |
describe something exactly |
| 6 |
a long shot |
Getting the job is a long shot. |
unlikely |
| 7 |
miss the point |
I think you're missing the point. |
fail to understand |
| 8 |
in a nutshell |
In a nutshell, we need more time. |
briefly |
| 9 |
the tip of the iceberg |
That's just the tip of the iceberg. |
small visible part of larger problem |
| 10 |
a grey area |
It's a bit of a grey area. |
unclear situation |
| 11 |
read between the lines |
You need to read between the lines. |
infer hidden meaning |
| 12 |
break the ice |
He told a joke to break the ice. |
make people comfortable |
| 13 |
once in a blue moon |
I eat fast food once in a blue moon. |
very rarely |
| 14 |
cost an arm and a leg |
It cost an arm and a leg. |
be very expensive |
| 15 |
go the extra mile |
She always goes the extra mile. |
make extra effort |
| 16 |
out of the blue |
He called me out of the blue. |
unexpectedly |
| 17 |
so far, so good |
How's it going? So far, so good. |
good until now |
| 18 |
not my cup of tea |
Golf isn't my cup of tea. |
not something I like |
| 19 |
call it a day |
It's five o'clock. Let's call it a day. |
stop working |
| 20 |
under pressure |
I'm really under pressure at work. |
stressed by demands |
| 21 |
a big deal |
It's not a big deal. |
important matter |
| 22 |
no big deal |
Don't worry, it's no big deal. |
not important |
| 23 |
in the long run |
It'll help in the long run. |
eventually |
| 24 |
in the short run |
It may save money in the short run. |
initially |
| 25 |
at the end of the day |
At the end of the day, it's your choice. |
ultimately |
| 26 |
in the same boat |
We're all in the same boat. |
in the same situation |
| 27 |
a win-win situation |
It's a win-win situation. |
beneficial to everyone |
| 28 |
a lose-lose situation |
It's basically a lose-lose situation. |
bad for everyone |
| 29 |
back to square one |
We're back to square one. |
back to the beginning |
| 30 |
go back to the drawing board |
We need to go back to the drawing board. |
start planning again |
| 31 |
learn the hard way |
I learned the hard way. |
learn through bad experience |
| 32 |
better late than never |
I'm sorry I'm late. — Better late than never. |
late is better than never |
| 33 |
easier said than done |
Losing weight is easier said than done. |
difficult despite sounding easy |
| 34 |
sooner or later |
Sooner or later, you'll have to decide. |
eventually |
| 35 |
for the time being |
For the time being, we'll stay here. |
for now |
| 36 |
from time to time |
I still think about it from time to time. |
occasionally |
| 37 |
once and for all |
Let's settle this once and for all. |
finally/permanently |
| 38 |
by the way |
By the way, did you call Sarah? |
incidentally |
| 39 |
by all means |
By all means, go ahead. |
certainly |
| 40 |
by no means |
It's by no means easy. |
certainly not |
| 41 |
at least |
At least we tried. |
considering the positive |
| 42 |
at the moment |
I'm busy at the moment. |
currently |
| 43 |
for good |
He's leaving for good. |
permanently |
| 44 |
for the sake of |
Let's do it for the sake of simplicity. |
for the benefit/purpose of |
| 45 |
on the other hand |
It's expensive. On the other hand, it's reliable. |
contrasting point |
| 46 |
that being said |
It's good. That being said, it's expensive. |
however |
| 47 |
having said that |
Having said that, I understand your point. |
however |
| 48 |
to make matters worse |
To make matters worse, it started raining. |
make a bad situation worse |
| 49 |
for better or worse |
For better or worse, we're committed now. |
regardless of outcome |
| 50 |
all of a sudden |
All of a sudden, the lights went out. |
suddenly |
| 51 |
in the middle of nowhere |
We stayed in the middle of nowhere. |
very remote |
| 52 |
around the corner |
The station is just around the corner. |
very near |
| 53 |
a stone's throw away |
The hotel is a stone's throw away. |
very close |
| 54 |
go with the flow |
I don't have a plan; I'll go with the flow. |
adapt casually |
| 55 |
play it by ear |
We don't have a plan; let's play it by ear. |
decide as things happen |
| 56 |
take it easy |
Take it easy this weekend. |
relax |
| 57 |
take it or leave it |
That's my final offer: take it or leave it. |
accept or reject |
| 58 |
give it a shot |
I've never tried it, but I'll give it a shot. |
try |
| 59 |
give someone a hand |
Can you give me a hand? |
help |
| 60 |
lend a hand |
Can you lend me a hand? |
help |
| 61 |
keep an eye on |
Can you keep an eye on my bag? |
watch |
| 62 |
keep an open mind |
Try to keep an open mind. |
remain receptive |
| 63 |
lose track of |
I lost track of time. |
no longer know |
| 64 |
make ends meet |
It's difficult to make ends meet. |
cover expenses |
| 65 |
go broke |
The company went broke. |
become bankrupt |
| 66 |
break even |
We need to sell 500 units just to break even. |
neither profit nor lose |
| 67 |
pay through the nose |
We paid through the nose for the tickets. |
pay far too much |
| 68 |
worth every penny |
The trip was worth every penny. |
worth the cost |
| 69 |
money down the drain |
That was just money down the drain. |
wasted money |
| 70 |
cut corners |
They cut corners to save money. |
do something cheaply/inadequately |
| 71 |
get your act together |
You need to get your act together. |
become organized |
| 72 |
pull yourself together |
Pull yourself together and let's deal with it. |
regain composure |
| 73 |
keep your cool |
Try to keep your cool. |
remain calm |
| 74 |
lose your cool |
He lost his cool during the argument. |
become angry |
| 75 |
blow off steam |
I went cycling to blow off steam. |
release frustration |
| 76 |
drive someone crazy |
This noise is driving me crazy. |
annoy greatly |
| 77 |
get on someone's nerves |
That noise is getting on my nerves. |
annoy |
| 78 |
rub someone the wrong way |
Something about him rubs me the wrong way. |
annoy / create a bad impression |
| 79 |
see eye to eye |
We don't always see eye to eye. |
agree |
| 80 |
agree to disagree |
We'll just have to agree to disagree. |
accept different opinions |
| 81 |
read the room |
You need to read the room. |
understand the social atmosphere |
| 82 |
cross the line |
That joke crossed the line. |
go beyond acceptable behavior |
| 83 |
step out of your comfort zone |
You need to step out of your comfort zone. |
do something unfamiliar |
| 84 |
put yourself in someone's shoes |
Try to put yourself in his shoes. |
consider another perspective |
| 85 |
a breath of fresh air |
She's a breath of fresh air. |
pleasantly different |
| 86 |
a people person |
He's definitely a people person. |
sociable person |
| 87 |
a night owl |
I'm a night owl. |
person who stays up late |
| 88 |
an early bird |
She's an early bird. |
person who gets up early |
| 89 |
a couch potato |
I was a couch potato all weekend. |
inactive person |
| 90 |
a pain in the neck |
That paperwork is a pain in the neck. |
annoying person/thing |
| 91 |
a tough call |
It's a tough call. |
difficult decision |
| 92 |
a close call |
That was a close call. |
narrow escape |
| 93 |
a long story |
It's a long story. |
complicated explanation |
| 94 |
the bottom line |
The bottom line is that we need more money. |
most important fact |
| 95 |
the big picture |
You need to look at the big picture. |
overall situation |
| 96 |
the elephant in the room |
Nobody wants to discuss the elephant in the room. |
obvious issue nobody addresses |
| 97 |
a can of worms |
This could open a can of worms. |
complicated new problems |
| 98 |
open a can of worms |
Don't ask about that—it'll open a can of worms. |
create many complications |
| 99 |
go down a rabbit hole |
I went down a rabbit hole on YouTube last night. |
become absorbed in a subject |
| 100 |
the last straw |
That was the last straw. |
final problem that causes someone to act |