Lexico – Idioms – Phrasal Verb Practice: Core Vocabulary & Idioms

Key vocabulary terms, idioms, and phrasal verbs drawn from the Lexico – Idioms – Phrasal Verb lecture. Each flashcard gives a concise definition to aid quick revision.

grudgingly

unwillingly; with reluctance

make a detour

take a longer or alternate route

of late

recently

grin and bear it

tolerate something unpleasant without complaining

there and then

immediately; on the spot

in a tearing hurry

in great haste

down in the dumps

unhappy; depressed

a gut feeling

an instinctive feeling

be fraught with

to be full of (usually problems or danger)

springboard

starting point for further progress

stand comparison with

be as good as

above the law

not subject to the law

disaster strikes

disaster happens suddenly

by leaps and bounds

very quickly; rapidly

condone

accept or allow wrongdoing

scared stiff

extremely frightened

a closely-guarded secret

information kept very private

make a stand

take a firm position in defense of something

liability

legal responsibility; drawback

go by the book

follow the rules exactly

undermine

weaken gradually

in force

in large numbers

a feeble excuse

a very weak or poor excuse

under no illusions

fully aware of reality

exacerbate

make worse

in a quandary

unable to decide; in a dilemma

escalate

become more serious or intense

intrinsically

inherently; by its nature

sigh

let out a long deep breath to show sadness or relief

contain one’s anger

keep anger under control

painstaking

very careful and thorough

reconcile oneself to

accept an unpleasant situation

tide (sb) over

help someone through a difficult period

scrimp and save

economise tightly

pull oneself together

regain self-control; calm down

provisional

temporary; for the present time

a flicker of emotion

a very small sign of feeling

in the right frame of mind

mentally ready or willing

prohibitive (price)

extremely high; preventing purchase

exert oneself

make a physical or mental effort

times of austerity

periods of economic hardship

hinge upon/on

depend on completely

abandon (a place)

leave permanently

in relation to

concerning; regarding

let something drop

mention something casually

no end

very much; greatly

outgrow

lose interest in as you get older

in the depths of despair

extremely depressed

clutter up

make untidy by filling with useless things

in the pecking order

in the hierarchy or ranking

symmetry

balanced and proportionate similarity

exuberant (vegetation)

lush; abundant

strike lucky

have sudden good fortune

as such

in that exact sense

outward (appearances)

external; seen from outside

thrive

grow or develop well

the first rung of the ladder

the first step in a career

at my wits’ end

completely perplexed; no solution

follow the herd

do what everyone else does

a grain of truth

a small amount of truth

strong as a horse

very strong

a scrap of evidence

the smallest piece of proof

the height of stupidity

extreme foolishness

plenty more fish in the sea

other opportunities/partners exist

straight from the horse’s mouth

from the original source

in arrears

having payments overdue

thick-skinned

not easily offended

an unknown quantity

person/thing with unpredictable qualities

manifestation

outward sign or evidence

go a long way

be very helpful or effective

law-abiding

obeying the law

in the abstract

generally; not in detail

get out of hand

become uncontrollable

drag someone into

involve someone unwillingly

pull one’s weight

do one’s fair share of work

in the grip of

affected by something unpleasant

grasp an opportunity

seize a chance eagerly

pass up a chance

fail to take an opportunity

blow one’s chance

ruin an opportunity

in abeyance

temporarily postponed

cast aspersions on

criticize; damage reputation

on the rocks

close to failure (business/relationship)

out of the woods

out of danger/difficulty

all at sea

confused; bewildered

put down roots

settle and make a home

in full swing

at its busiest or liveliest point

thrown off balance

confused or surprised

don’t give up your day job

stick to your regular work; you’re not good enough at this

throw down the gauntlet

challenge someone

the simple pleasures

small, everyday joys

come to the fore

become prominent or important

hit home

be fully understood; have full effect

become second nature

become automatic through practice

self-conscious

embarrassed about oneself

up-and-coming

likely to succeed; promising

inadvertently

unintentionally; by accident

rule of thumb

general practical guideline

rest on one’s laurels

be complacent about past achievements

toe the line

conform to rules or authority

free rein

complete freedom of action