UNIT 1 - IDIOMS

agree to differ / disagree

stop arguing because there is no chance of agreement

all along

from the beginning until now

all but

nearly, almost

all in

exhausted

all in all

when everything is considered

all the same

yet, however

all told

altogether, in total

be beside oneself with anger / excitement

to be extremely angry / excited

be of / have no fixed abode

be homeless

be the apple of smb’s eye

to be precious to somebody, to be someone’s favourite

be thrown off balance

be surprised / confused

be up in arms

be very angry

below the belt

cruel and unfair

bide one’s time

wait for a good opportunity

blaze a trail

discover / explore something new

cast aspersions

critise

clear the air

to remove suspicion / bad feeling

cost an arm and a leg

to be very expensive

cut to the bone

reduced to the / a minimum

for all

in spite of

for all I care

I don’t care

for all I know

as far as I know

go by the board

be rejected / ignored / no longer possible

held in abeyance

halted temporarily

in arrears

have not paid the money they owe

in the abstract

in a general way

in the act of

while performing the act

in the air

uncertain

in the black

not owing anybody any money

make allowances for

take special circumstances into consideration

make amends for

try to compensate for a past action

of all people

used to express annoyance / surprise

of its own accord

automatically

on account of

because of

on no account

under / in no circumstances

on the air

broadcasting

on the alert

watchful and prepared / on the lookout / expecting sth

on the ball

alert

on the blink

not working properly (of electrical equipment)

on this / that account

for this / that reason

out and about

outdoors; travelling from one place to another

out of bounds

prohibited, forbidden (place)

pick someone’s brain(s)

ask smb to help with a problem / extract information from an expert

take something into account

consider something

up in the air

existing, but not talked about

whet somebody’s appetite

make smb’s eager to have / experience more