Idioms and Phrases 1

Idioms and Phrases

Absorbed in – Fully focused on something

  • She was absorbed in her book and did not hear me call her.

A great deal of -A large amount of

  • He spent a great deal of time studying for the test.

Against one's will -Forced to do something unwillingly

  • She was taken to the party against her will.

A lot of -A large number or amount

  • There were a lot of people at the concert.

All alone -Without anyone

  • He was all alone in the house at night.

All around -Everywhere

  • Flowers were blooming all around the garden.

All day and all night -The whole time, without a break

  • She worked all day and all night to finish the project.

All day long -Throughout the entire day

  • It rained all day long.

All the more -Even more than before

  • His kind words made me respect him all the more.

All the rest -Everything or everyone else

  • Only I was present, all the rest were absent.

All over -Everywhere

  • There was water spilled all over the floor.

Amuse oneself -Keep oneself entertained

  • The child amused herself by drawing pictures.

Ask for - Request or demand something

  • She asked for a glass of water.

A mammoth task -A very big and difficult job

  • Cleaning the whole house in one day is a mammoth task.

A little bit -A small amount

  • I am feeling a little bit tired today.

A man of discretion -A wise and careful man

  • He is a man of discretion and never shares secrets.

As an excuse for -As a reason to justify something

  • He used his illness as an excuse for missing school.

As for -Regarding or concerning

  • As for me, I prefer tea over coffee.

As if -In a way that seems like something

  • She looked as if she had seen a ghost.

As much as -The same amount as

  • He loves reading as much as he loves playing.

As soon as -Immediately after

  • I will call you as soon as I reach home.

A short cut -A quicker way to do something

  • Taking this road is a short cut to the market.

As though -In a way that appears to be

  • He spoke as though he knew everything.

As well -Also

  • She bought a dress and a handbag as well.

As well as -In addition to

  • He plays football as well as basketball.

At a time -At once, together

  • Only five people can enter the room at a time.

At a late hour -Very late in the day or night

  • He came home at a late hour after the party.

At all -In any way, even a little

  • She did not like the food at all.

At all times -Always

  • You must wear a seatbelt at all times.

At daylight-When the sun rises

  • We started our journey at daylight.

At first-In the beginning

  • At first, the task seemed difficult, but it became easier later.

At first sight-The first time seeing something

  • She fell in love with the puppy at first sight.

At last-Finally

  • After a long wait, the train arrived at last.

At least-Not less than

  • You should sleep for at least eight hours.

At length-After a long time

  • At length, they reached the top of the mountain.

At once-Immediately

  • Come here at once!
At one's door-Very close to happening
  • The opportunity was at his door, but he ignored it.

At present-At this time

  • She is not at home at present.

At the sight of-When seeing something

  • She screamed at the sight of the spider.

Attend to-Take care of something

  • The doctor will attend to the patient soon.

A good many-A large number

  • A good many people attended the meeting.

A great number-A large quantity

  • A great number of birds flew in the sky.
A kind of penance-A way of suffering for mistakes
  • Working in the hot sun felt like a kind of penance.

Anything of the sort-Anything like that

  • I never said anything of the sort.

At any rate-No matter what happens

  • At any rate, we must finish the work today.

As a result-Because of something

  • As a result of the heavy rain, the match was canceled.

All in a row-In a straight line

  • The chairs were placed all in a row.
A little-A small amount
  • I need a little sugar for my tea.

As long as-Only if; provided that

  • You can stay here as long as you keep quiet.

Average person-A normal or ordinary person

  • The average person needs eight hours of sleep.

A variety of-Different types

  • The shop sells a variety of fruits.

A reason why-An explanation for something

  • There is a reason why he is late today.

ABC – The basics or fundamentals of something

  • Learning the ABC of computers is important for everyone.
Above all – More important than anything else
  • Above all, we should be kind to others.

Above board – Honest and open, without cheating

  • The company deals with all their clients above board.

An open secret – A secret that everyone knows

  • It’s an open secret that she is leaving the company soon.

An apple of discord – A subject of disagreement or conflict

  • The new policy became the apple of discord between the two teams.

Apple of Sodom – Something that appears attractive but is disappointing

  • The new smartphone seemed amazing, but it turned out to be the apple of Sodom.
Apple of one's eye – Someone or something that is cherished or loved
  • Her daughter is the apple of her eye.

A black sheep – A person who is different from others in a group, often in a bad way

  • He is the black sheep of the family because he doesn't follow the rules.

A bolt from the blue – A sudden and unexpected event

  • The news of his promotion was a bolt from the blue.

A man of letters – A person who is a scholar, particularly in literature

  • He is a man of letters, known for his writings on history.
A rift in the lute – A crack or problem in something that was once harmonious
  • There was a rift in the lute between the two friends after the argument.

A far cry – A great difference or distance

  • The city life is a far cry from life in the countryside.

A sleeping partner – A business partner who invests money but doesn't take an active role

  • He is just a sleeping partner in the company, not involved in day-to-day decisions.
A bird's eye view – A broad or overall view of something
  • From the top of the tower, we had a bird’s eye view of the city.

A dark horse – A person or thing that is unexpected to succeed

  • She was a dark horse in the competition, surprising everyone by winning.

All cars to – All participants or people involved in something

  • All cars to the starting line for the race!

All moonshine – Something that is false or not real

  • His promises turned out to be all moonshine, with nothing delivered.
All in all – Everything considered, in total
  • All in all, it was a great day for the team.

All on a sudden – All of a sudden, suddenly

  • All on a sudden, the weather changed from sunny to rainy.

A going concern – A business that is doing well and operating successfully

  • Their company is a going concern, thriving in the market.

A slow coach – A person who moves or works slowly

  • He is a slow coach in finishing his homework.
All the same – Despite being different, or regardless of any change
  • I don’t like the movie, but I will watch it all the same.

All over with – Finished or completed

  • The game is all over with; the team won!

As far as – To the extent or limit of

  • As far as I know, she is still on vacation.

As long as – For as much time as

  • I will stay here as long as you need me.
As soon as – Immediately after something happens
  • I will call you as soon as I arrive home.

As good as – Almost the same as, or very close to

  • That was as good as a victory for our team.

As though – As if

  • She looked at me as though I had done something wrong.

At a discount – Sold for a lower price than usual

  • The store is offering all shoes at a discount today.

At all costs – No matter what, regardless of difficulty

  • We must win this game at all costs.
At arm's length – To keep a distance or avoid being too close
  • She kept her enemies at arm’s length during the meeting.

At any rate – Whatever happens, anyway

  • It’s getting late, but at any rate, I’ll still go to the store.

At a stretch – With great effort, but still possible

  • We can finish the project in two days at a stretch.

At least – The minimum or the smallest amount

  • At least you could have called to let me know you were coming.
At best – In the most optimistic situation
  • At best, we will finish the work by tomorrow afternoon.

At bay – Cornered, unable to escape

  • The wild animal was at bay, with nowhere to run.

At a low ebb – In a bad or weakened state

  • He was at a low ebb after losing his job.

At all hazards – At any risk, no matter the danger

  • We must win the match at all hazards.
At a loss – Not knowing what to do or confused
  • I am at a loss for words after hearing the news.

At daggers drawn – In open conflict or disagreement

  • They were at daggers drawn after the argument.

At present – Currently, right now

  • At present, I am working from home.

At sixes and sevens – In a state of confusion or disorder

  • The office was at sixes and sevens before the big meeting.

At stake – At risk or in danger of being lost

  • The future of the company is at stake after the recent changes.

At the eleventh hour – Just before the deadline, at the last moment

  • He submitted his report at the eleventh hour.
A maiden speech – The first time someone speaks publicly on a topic
  • Her maiden speech was about the importance of education.

A narrow escape – A situation where someone just avoided danger

  • We had a narrow escape when the car swerved just in time.

At large – Not captured, free

  • The criminal is still at large after the escape.

At long last – After a long time, finally

  • At long last, the project is complete!

At the outset – At the beginning

  • At the outset of the meeting, they introduced all the speakers.
At the top of – At the highest point or most important
  • She is at the top of her class in school.

At one's heels – Following closely behind

  • The dog was at my heels as I ran through the park.

At variance with – In disagreement with

  • His ideas were at variance with the company's goals.

At home – Comfortable or familiar in a place

  • She feels at home in the new city after settling in.

Backwards and forwards - Moving in both directions

  • He walked backwards and forwards in the room.
Be angry with -Feel mad at someone
  • She was angry with her brother for breaking her toy.

Be burdened with -Carry a heavy responsibility

  • He was burdened with too much work.

Because of -Due to

  • They were late because of the traffic.

Become the victims of -Suffer from something

  • Many people become the victims of fraud.
Bedded on-Resting on
  • The dog was bedded on soft grass.

Beggar description -Impossible to describe

  • The beauty of the sunset beggars description.

Be good to -Treat someone kindly

  • She is always good to her neighbors.

Be had at- Be available at

  • Fresh fruits can be had at the market.

Be in a hurry- Need to move fast

  • I can’t talk now, I am in a hurry.

Be lacking in- Not have enough of something

  • He is lacking in confidence.
Be off - Leave or go away
  • I must be off now, it's getting late.

Be wary of-Be careful about something

  • Be wary of strangers who ask for money.

Be worth a pip-Be valuable or useful

  • His advice is worth a pip in difficult times.

Bear witness-Prove or confirm something

  • His success bears witness to his hard work.

By force-Using physical power

  • The police entered the building by force.

By chance-Without planning

  • I met my old friend by chance at the mall.
Bid (someone) farewell-Say goodbye
  • We gathered to bid her farewell before she left for college.

Believe in-Have faith in something

  • I believe in hard work and honesty.

Belong to-Be a part of something

  • This book belongs to my sister.

Be past caring-No longer concerned about something

  • He has failed so many times that he is past caring now.

Be well into-Be deeply involved in something

  • She was well into her studies when the guests arrived.

Beyond one's means-More expensive than one can afford

  • Buying a luxury car is beyond my means.

Bill of fare-A list of food items available

  • The waiter handed us the bill of fare.
Blow out-Extinguish or put out
  • The wind blew out the candle.

Bother about-Worry or care about something

  • He doesn’t bother about what others think.

Break in upon-Interrupt suddenly

  • He broke in upon our conversation without knocking.

Breath of wind-A slight movement of air

  • There was not a breath of wind on that hot day.

Bring oneself to-Force oneself to do something

  • She could not bring herself to tell the truth.

Bring good luck-Cause good fortune

  • This necklace is said to bring good luck.

By all means-Certainly; definitely

  • By all means, call me if you need help.

By the time-When something happens

  • By the time we arrived, the movie had started.

By means of-Using something

  • He escaped by means of a secret tunnel.
By accident-Not on purpose
  • I deleted the file by accident.

Be trusted with-Be given responsibility

  • He can be trusted with important tasks.

Beyond all doubts-Completely certain

  • His innocence is beyond all doubts.

Bully (one) into-Force someone to do something

  • He was bullied into signing the contract.

Bag and baggage – With all of one’s belongings, completely

  • He left the house, bag and baggage, after the argument.

Before long – Soon, in a short time

  • Before long, the rain stopped, and the sun came out.

Big guns – Important or influential people

  • The big guns of the company will be attending the meeting.

By hook or by crook – By any means, no matter what it takes

  • We need to finish this project by hook or by crook.

By no means – Not at all, in no way

  • This solution is by no means perfect, but it will work for now.

By dint of/By virtue of – By means of, through the use of

  • He succeeded by dint of hard work and determination.
By far – By a large amount, much more than
  • This was by far the best meal I’ve ever had.

By all means – Certainly, without any hesitation

  • By all means, feel free to take a break.

By and by – Eventually, in time

  • By and by, you will understand the lesson better.

By the by – Casual mention, by the way

  • By the by, have you seen the new movie yet?

By fits and starts – Irregularly, not continuously

  • The project progressed by fits and starts, with many delays.

By leaps and bounds – Rapidly, at a fast pace

  • The company's sales grew by leaps and bounds last year.

By means of – Using a particular method

  • He solved the problem by means of careful analysis.

Bid fair – To seem likely or promising

  • The team bid fair to win the championship this year.

By turns – Alternately, in succession

  • They took turns playing the piano during the recital.

By way of – As a means of, as an introduction

  • She spoke by way of introduction before starting her presentation.
Bed of roses – A situation of comfort and ease
  • Her life isn’t a bed of roses; she works very hard every day.

Bed of thorns – A difficult or uncomfortable situation

  • Living with constant stress felt like a bed of thorns.

Between Scylla and Charybdis – Facing two dangerous or difficult choices

  • He was between Scylla and Charybdis, having to choose between two jobs he didn’t like.

Between two fires – Facing two difficult situations at the same time

  • She was caught between two fires, dealing with a sick parent and a work deadline.

Between the horns of a dilemma – Caught between two equally bad choices

  • He was between the horns of a dilemma, not knowing whether to accept the job or stay home.

Bone of contention – A topic or issue causing disagreement

  • The project budget became a bone of contention among the team members.
Burning question – A very important or urgent question
  • The burning question of the day was who would lead the team.

Bear the brunt of – To endure the worst part of something

  • The town bore the brunt of the storm, with many homes damaged.

Beat about the bush – To avoid the main issue, to be indirect

  • Stop beating about the bush and tell me what happened.

Beat the air – To do something that is pointless or ineffective

  • He was beating the air by trying to convince them to change their decision.

Beggar description – Too amazing or terrible to be described in words

  • The view from the top of the mountain beggars description.

Black and blue – Bruised or injured

  • After the fall, she was black and blue all over her arm.

Break one's heart – To make someone feel very sad or upset

  • The news of his pet's death broke his heart.

Break the news – To tell someone important information, especially something unpleasant

  • It’s hard to break the news to her about the cancellation of the event.
Bring to light – To reveal or make something known
  • The investigation brought to light new facts about the case.

Bring to book – To punish someone for their wrong actions

  • The thief was finally brought to book after months of investigation.

Brass tacks – The most important or basic details

  • Let’s get down to brass tacks and figure out how to solve the problem.

Bad blood – A feeling of anger or hostility between people

  • There’s been bad blood between the two families for years.

Blue blood – Royal or noble ancestry

  • He comes from a family of blue blood and always behaves with great dignity.

Bring to bay – To force someone into a corner where they must deal with something

  • The police brought the criminal to bay after a long chase.

Break the ice – To make people feel more comfortable and relaxed, especial

Care for-To look after or like something
She cares for her little brother when their parents are away.
Catch sight of-To suddenly see something
I caught sight of a rainbow after the rain.
Close to-Near to
His house is close to the school.
Close dealing-Strict business transactions
The shopkeeper is known for his close dealing with customers.
Come to-Regain consciousness
He fainted but came to after a few minutes.
Call for-To demand or request
The workers called for higher wages.
Come over-To visit or move from one place to another
She asked me to come over for lunch.
Come up to-To reach a certain standard
My result did not come up to my expectations.
Condole with-To express sympathy
I condoled with my friend on the loss of his pet.
Congratulate on-To express happiness for someone’s success
She congratulated me on winning the prize.
Cut short-To stop something earlier than planned
The speech was cut short due to rain.
Cut off-To separate or stop something
The storm cut off the electricity supply.
Cut out-To remove or stop doing something
He cut out junk food from his diet.
Cloaked in-Covered or hidden in
The hills were cloaked in mist.
Come together-To gather in one place
People came together to celebrate the festival.
Come to an edifying end-To end in a good and meaningful way
The story came to an edifying end with a moral lesson.
Come in-To enter
She knocked on the door and came in. This is where the opposite school of thought comes in. 
Call on – To visit someone or ask for their response or action
I will call on you tomorrow to discuss the project.
Call in – To ask for help or assistance, often from an expert
They had to call in a specialist to fix the broken machine.
Call up – To phone someone
I need to call up my friend to check on her.
Call upon – To formally ask or request
The teacher called upon the students to share their opinions.
Call for – To require or demand something
The situation calls for quick action.
Carry on – To continue doing something
Despite the interruptions, she carried on with her work.
Carry out – To perform or complete a task
The scientists carried out several experiments to test the theory.
Come by – To obtain or find something
Good jobs are hard to come by in this town.
Come of – To result or happen because of something
Nothing good came of the argument.
Come round – To recover consciousness or change your opinion
She came round after fainting during the exam.
Cut off – To stop or interrupt something; to isolate someone
The storm cut off electricity for hours.
Cats and dogs – Heavy rain
It’s raining cats and dogs outside!
Carry the day – To win or be successful
Her speech carried the day and earned her the vote.
Carry into effect – To put a plan into action
The government carried the new law into effect last month.
Catch a Tartar – To encounter someone or something difficult to deal with
The young man caught a Tartar when he tried to argue with his boss.
Catch sight of – To see something or someone briefly or unexpectedly
I caught sight of my friend in the crowd during the concert.
Call to mind – To remember something
That song calls to mind the summer we spent together.
Call in question – To doubt or challenge the truth of something
The lawyer called in question the witness's testimony.
Change colour – To blush or show emotion
She changed colour when she heard her name called out in class.
Close-fisted man – A person who is stingy or unwilling to spend money
He’s a close-fisted man who never treats anyone to lunch.
Cock and bull story – An unbelievable or absurd story
The explanation he gave was just a cock and bull story.
Come to light – To be revealed or discovered
New evidence came to light during the investigation.
Come to a head – To reach a critical point or crisis
The dispute between the two countries came to a head after the border incident.
Come to terms – To reach an agreement or understanding
They came to terms on how to share the responsibility.
Come true – To become real or happen as hoped or dreamed
Her dream of becoming a doctor finally came true.
Come into force – When a law or rule starts being officially used or applies
The new law will come into force next week.
Cry down – To criticize or speak negatively about something
She always cries down his ideas, even though they’re good.
Crying need – A situation where something is urgently needed
There’s a crying need for more volunteers at the shelter.
Cry over spilt milk – To be upset about something that cannot be changed or undone
It’s no use crying over spilt milk; we can’t fix the mistake now.
Cut and dried – Something that is already decided and cannot be changed
The decision is cut and dried; there’s no more discussion needed.
Curry favour – To try to gain favor or approval by being overly nice or doing things to please someone
He’s always trying to curry favor with the boss.
Cut a sorry figure – To look bad or unimpressive, often due to a mistake or failure
She cut a sorry figure at the party when she spilled her drink.
Cut to the quick – To hurt someone deeply, either physically or emotionally
His cruel comments cut her to the quick.
Day after day-Every day for a long time
He works hard day after day to achieve his dream.
Do up-To fasten or repair
Please do up your shoelaces.
Do away with-To remove or get rid of
We should do away with bad habits.
Do for-To be useful or good enough
A cup of coffee will do for now.
Do (one) good-To benefit someone
A little rest will do you good.
Dead language – A language that is no longer spoken or used in daily life
Latin is considered a dead language because no one speaks it anymore.
Dead against – Strongly opposed or against something
I am dead against the idea of working on weekends.
Die in harness – To die while still working, especially in a job or career
He worked as a teacher for over 40 years and died in harness.
Double game – To act in two different ways to deceive or manipulate others
He was playing a double game, pretending to be friends with both teams.
Draw up – To prepare or create something, often a document or plan
The lawyer will draw up the contract tomorrow.
Early in the year for-Too soon for something
It is early in the year for snow.
Enamoured of-In love with or very fond of
She is enamoured of classical music.
Excuse oneself-To leave politely
He excused himself from the meeting and left.
Ever and anon – Occasionally, from time to time
Ever and anon, she sends me a letter just to check in.
Every inch – Completely, fully
He is every inch a professional in his field.
Eat humble pie – To admit that you were wrong and apologize
After losing the game, he had to eat humble pie and apologize to his teammates.
End in smoke – To fail or result in nothing
Their efforts to start the business ended in smoke when they ran out of money.
Eye for an eye – A principle of justice where one wrong is punished by another, similar wrong
The idea of an eye for an eye is often seen as too harsh in modern justice systems.
Fall down dead-To die suddenly
The old man fell down dead in the street.
Fall down-To collapse or drop
The child fell down while running.
Fall upon-To attack or start something suddenly 
The soldiers fell upon the enemy at night.
Fall flat – To fail or not have the desired effect
His joke fell flat, and no one laughed.
Fall back upon – To rely on something or someone for help in a difficult situation
When things got tough, he had to fall back upon his savings.
Fall foul of – To get into trouble with someone or something
He fell foul of the law when he was caught speeding.
Fall in with – To agree with or become involved in something
She fell in with the new plan after some discussion.
Fall out – To have a disagreement or argument
They fell out over who should take the lead in the project.
Far beyond-Much more than expected
Her kindness is far beyond what I imagined.
Far too much-Excessively
He ate far too much cake at the party.
Feel at home-To feel comfortable
She felt at home in her new school.
Fixed upon-Decided on something
They fixed upon a date for the wedding.
Flop down-To sit or lie down suddenly
After a long day, he flopped down on the couch.
Flutter out-To move lightly and quickly
A butterfly fluttered out of the window.
Follow one's example-To do the same as someone
Children often follow their parents' example.
For an instant-For a very short time
For an instant, I thought I saw a ghost.
For the first time-Doing something for the first time
She rode a bike for the first time today.
From hour to hour-Continuously throughout the day
His condition worsened from hour to hour.
From one's heart-Sincerely
She thanked her teacher from her heart.
From side to side-Moving left and right
The boat rocked from side to side in the water.
Fall into ruin-To become old and broken
The old castle has fallen into ruin.
Fling open-To open suddenly and forcefully
He flung open the door in excitement.
First of all-Before anything else
First of all, wash your hands before eating.
For instance-For example
Many fruits are healthy. For instance, apples and oranges.
Flavoured with-Having the taste of
The ice cream is flavoured with vanilla.
For one's own sake-For personal benefit
He studies hard for his own sake.
From one's own point of view-Based on one's own opinion
From my own point of view, this is a great idea.
Fair and above board – Honest and transparent, without any hidden motives
The business deal was fair and above board, with no secrets.
Far and near – Everywhere, all around
People came from far and near to attend the concert.
Far and wide – Over a large area, extensively
The news of the event spread far and wide.
Few and far between – Rare or not occurring often
Good jobs in this field are few and far between.
Flesh and blood – A person, especially a family member
He is my flesh and blood, and I will always support him.
First and foremost – The most important thing
First and foremost, we need to finish the project before the deadline.
For nothing – Without any charge or payment
They gave us the tickets for nothing as a thank-you for our help.
For good – Permanently or forever
He decided to leave the city for good and move to the countryside.
Fag end – The last part or end of something
We only got the fag end of the show before it was over.
Fish out of water – A person who feels uncomfortable or out of place in a situation
He felt like a fish out of water at the fancy dinner party.
Fast life – A lifestyle full of excitement and risky behavior
He led a fast life full of partying and late nights.
Find fault with – To criticize or complain about something
She always finds fault with my work, no matter how hard I try.
Fresh blood – New people or energy, especially in a group or organization
The company hired fresh blood to bring new ideas into the team.
Fight shy of – To avoid something or someone
He fights shy of confrontation and tries to avoid arguments.
For long – For a long period of time
I won’t be staying here for long.
For the purpose – For a particular goal or intention
He was hired for the purpose of improving customer relations.
For Foregone Conclusion – Something that is certain to happen and cannot be changed
It was a foregone conclusion that the team would win after their great performance.
Get back-To return
She will get back from school soon.
Get in-To enter a place
She got in the car and drove away.
Get out-To leave a place
He told me to get out of the room.
Get to-To reach a place or situation
We need to get to the station on time.
Give way to-To let something happen or allow passage
Old buildings gave way to modern ones.
Get up-To wake up or stand up
I get up early in the morning.
Glare in (one's) face-To look angrily at someone
She glared in his face after the argument.
Go about-To do something normally
He is too weak to go about.
Go across-To move from one side to another
She went across the street to buy groceries.
Go ahead-To continue or start something
You can go ahead with your plan.
Go back to-To return to a place
He went back to his hometown last year.
Go far-To achieve great success
With hard work, she will go far in life.
Go for-To try to get something
He went for the job interview yesterday.
Go on with-To continue doing something
She went on with her studies despite difficulties.
Go over-To review or check something
Please go over your answers before submitting the test. Tipu's brother went over to the enemy. 
Go round-To move in a circular way
The Earth goes round the Sun.
Go one's way-To continue on one's own path
After the fight, they both went their own ways.
Go up to-To approach someone or something
He went up to the teacher to ask a question.
Great of heart-Very brave and kind
She is great of heart and always helps the poor.
Grow out-To become too big for something
She grew out of her old clothes.
Get into the way-To start a habit
She got into the way of waking up early.
Give (something) a fair try-To try something properly before deciding
He gave painting a fair try before choosing music.
Go one's own way-To act independently
He decided to go his own way and start a business.
Go on to-To continue to the next step
After school, she went on to college.
Grow out of-To stop doing something as one gets older
She grew out of her fear of the dark.
Guilty conscience-Feeling bad for doing something wrong
His guilty conscience made him confess.
Get at – To suggest or imply something, often in a difficult or indirect way
What are you getting at with all these questions?
Get on with – To continue doing something, usually after a delay or interruption
Stop chatting and get on with your homework!
Get up – To rise from a lying or sitting position, or to prepare for something
I get up at 7 am every day to go for a run.
Gift of the gab – The ability to speak easily and confidently, especially in a way that is persuasive
She has the gift of the gab and can talk her way out of any situation.
Give away – To give something for free, or to reveal something accidentally
She gave away all her old clothes to charity.
He gave away the surprise at the party.
Give in – To surrender or accept defeat
After hours of arguing, I finally gave in and agreed with her.
Give up – To stop trying or quit something
I didn’t give up on my dreams, even when it was hard.
Greek to – Something that is hard to understand or completely confusing
The instructions are all Greek to me!
Gain ground – To become more successful or make progress
Our team is gaining ground in the competition.
Get the better of – To defeat or overpower someone or something
His anger got the better of him and he shouted at everyone.
Get rid of – To remove or dispose of something
I need to get rid of these old books.
Get by heart – To memorize something perfectly
I had to get the poem by heart for the class recital.
Go in for – To choose or pursue an activity or profession
He decided to go in for engineering after high school.
Go through – To experience something or examine something carefully
She had to go through a lot of challenges before becoming successful.
Let’s go through the details before we make a decision.
Go slow – To take your time or move at a slower pace
You should go slow when learning to drive.