CPE 10B

go for a song

→ Almost everything sold at the auction went for a song; I've never seen so many bargains.

be sold very cheaply [pójść za bezcen]

live out of a suitcase

→ People who are involved in international business tend to live out of a suitcase most of the time.

travel often or not have a permanent home [żyć na walizkach]

be all at sea

→ As far as her future goes, Olivia is all at sea; she hasn't got a clue what career to follow.

be in a state of confusion [być w kropce, być zagubionym]

pull one's socks up

→ He told his son that he ought to pull his socks up or he'd never make a success of himself.

 make a greater effort [wziąć się do roboty]

go without saying

→ It goes without saying that he'll get the role in the play; after all, he's perfect for it.

be a foregone conclusion [być oczywistym]

behind the scenes

→ It would be interesting to know what goes on behind the scenes in a political campaign.

in secret [za kulisami]

smell a rat

→ She smelled a rat when her husband started coming home late, but he was only working overtime.

suspect something is wrong [czuć, co się święci, przeczuwać coś złego]

be in the same boat

→ As far as jobs go, we're both in the same boat — I haven't worked for months either.

 be in the same (usually bad) situation [jechać z kimś na jednym wózku, być w tej samej sytuacj]

be/get soaked to the skin

→ I went out in the downpour without my umbrella and got soaked to the skin.

be/get very wet [przemoczony do suchej nitki]

have a close shave

→ It was a close shave when a tile fell off the roof and nearly hit her on the head.

barely avoid an accident or bad situation [ledwie uniknąć nieszczęścia]

on a shoestring

→ My brother travelled around the States on a shoestring. I don't know how.

on a very small budget [z małą ilością pieniędzy, budżetowo]

be in someone's shoes

→ I wouldn't want to be in your shoes when your parents find out you crashed the car.

 be in someone’s position [być na czyimś miejscu, w czyjejś sytuacji]

take sth with a pinch of salt

→ He tends to exaggerate, so take everything he says with a pinch of salt.

 to not completely believe something [traktować coś z przymrużeniem oka, sceptycznie]

thick-skinned

→ He's so thick-skinned that I don't think he'd notice if you insulted him.

not easily affected by criticism or insults [gruboskórny, twardy, niewrażliwy]

act as if

→ Did it show that I was bored during the meeting? I tried to act as if I was interested.

 behave in a way that suggests something untrue [zachowywać się tak, jak gdyby]

make a scene

→ Her father made quite a scene when she came home two hours later than she was supposed to.

 behave in a loud, emotional, or noticeable way in public [robić scenę, awanturę]

come out of one's shell

→ Unless they let their daughter play with other children more often, I don't think she'll ever come out of her shell.

become more confident and social [wyjść ze skorupy (stać się bardziej otwartym)]

sleep on it

→ I'll sleep on it and give you my decision tomorrow.

delay making a decision until the next day [przespać się z czymś, odłożyć podjęcie ważnej decyzji na następny dzień]

be the last straw

→ After having a terrible day at work, it was the last straw when her car broke down on the way home.

the final annoyance or setback in a series of problems [przelać czarę goryczy]

give sb the slip

→ The man who gave the police the slip wasn't apprehended until a week later.

escape from someone who is chasing you [zwiać, uciec komuś]

the spitting image of sb

→ Paul is the spitting image of his father – even his mannerisms are the same.

look exactly like someone [jak dwie krople wody]

have a memory like a sieve

→ Could you tell me your surname one more time? I'm afraid I've got a memory like a sieve.

forget things easily [mieć słabą pamięć]

stand in sb's way

→ Laura's parents assured her that they would not stand in her way if she wanted to become a pilot.

prevent someone from doing something [przeszkodzić komuś, stanąć komuś na drodze]

(be) a long shot

→ Arresting that woman was a long shot as there was so little evidence against her.

something that is unlikely to succeed [loteria, ryzykowna próba]

pull a few strings

→ By pulling a few strings, friends who work at the airline managed to get us a ticket on the next flight.

use influence or contacts to get something [pociągać za sznurki, używać wpływów]

hit the sack

→ I can't stay awake a moment longer – I'm going to hit the sack.

go to bed [uderzyć w kimono (pójść spać)]

spill the beans

→ Although her friend asked her not to tell anyone about her secret wedding plans, she spilled the beans and soon everyone knew.

 reveal a secret [puścić parę z ust, wyjawić sekret]

disclaim responsibility for sth

→ She disclaimed all responsibility for the damage.

say you are not responsible [zrzekać się wszelkiej odpowiedzialności]

no sign of sb/sth

→ There was no sign of the new employee by 10 o’clock.

sb/sth has not appeared [nie ma śladu kogoś/czegoś]

soluble in sth

→ These tablets are soluble in water.

able to be dissolved in a liquid [rozpuszczalny]

have had enough of sth

→ I’ve had enough of your complaints.

can’t bear sth any longer [mieć dość]

have (no) sympathy for sb

→ No one has any sympathy for her after what she has done.

don’t pity sb [nie litować się nad kimś]

put the blame on sb

→ They put the blame on John for breaking the window.

accuse [obarczać kogoś winą]

cater for sb/sth

→ All sorts of people are catered for by the BBC.

produce [zaspokajać, spełniać (np. czyjeś żądania, potrzeby)]

with regret

→ It was with regret that we left our old home.

feeling sad, reluctant [z żalem]

by means of sth

→ Only by means of a helicopter could the rescuers reach the injured climber.

by using sth [za pomocą czegoś]

no fewer than

→ No fewer than 120,000 visitors have been to the art gallery since it opened.

 at least [nie mniej niż]

talk sb out of (doing) sth

→ I eventually talked her out of handing in her resignation.

persuade sb not to do sth [odwieść kogoś od czegoś]

if it hadn’t been for sb/sth

→ If it hadn’t been for his persistence, he wouldn’t have got the job.

 it was only because he persisted [gdyby nie coś/ktoś to]

no form of transport I like less than...

→ There is no form of transport I like less than flying.

least favourite [Nie ma takiego środka transportu, który lubię mniej niż..]

increase in value
→ The house has increased in value since they bought it.

 become worth more [wzrosnąć na wartości]

with a slight adjustment

→ With a slight adjustment to the mirror, you’ll be able to see more clearly.

 if you adjust [po drobnej regulacji, poprawie]

out of the blue

→ The letter arrived completely out of the blue this morning.

unexpectedly [znienacka, jak grom z jasnego nieba]

call after call

→ Despite making call after call to the company, he couldn’t get through.

repeated phone calls [telefon za telefonem]

it rained less than usual

→ It rained less than usual this month.

 below average rainfall [padało mniej niż zwykle]

only after... did sb do sth

→ Only after he had checked all the facts did the editor publish the article.

until sth happened [dopiero po (czymś) (ktoś zrobił coś); dopiero gdy (coś się stało), (ktoś zrobił coś)]

get your own back (inf)

→ Angry and humiliated, he shook his fist at them and vowed he would get his own back on them.

get/take revenge [zemścić się]

on the off chance

→ I called on the off chance that you were free to go out this evening.

just in case [na wszelki wypadek, na zapas]

not on (inf)

→ It’s just not on for you to speak to your parents in such a rude way.

 unacceptable (of behaviour) [niedoprzyjęcia, niedopuszczalne]

in good order

→ Sylvia checked to see if the contents of the box were in good order after delivery.

in good condition [w dobrym stanie, w należytym porządku]

a drop in the ocean

→ His part-time earnings were a drop in the ocean as far as he was concerned.

so minimal or trivial as to have little effect [kropla w morzu]

have occasion to do sth

→ As he had never had occasion to speak in public before, he was understandably nervous

 it is necessary or appropriate to do something [mieć okazję coś zrobić]

over and above
→ The company is doing well, with sales figures that are already over and above those of last year.

more than or in addition to an amount [ponad, w dodatku]

go overboard (inf)

→ Isn’t packing three suitcases for a weekend away going a bit overboard?

overdo sth; go to extremes [przesada, przesadzać]

rise to the occasion

→ In spite of his stammer, Gerald rose to the occasion and delivered a fascinating speech.

 overcome a difficult situation successfully [stanąć na wysokości zadania]

every so often

→ “How often do you visit your parents?” – “Every so often, even though they live some distance away.”

occasionally [czasami, co jakiś czas]

only too (+ adj)

→ I’m sure he’ll be only too willing to help you with the project.

 more than; very (used for emphasis) [niezmiernie, bardzo, za bardzo…]

opt out (of sth)

→ It is possible to opt out of the pension scheme if you do not wish to participate.

 withdraw from sth [wycofać się z czegoś]

full to overflowing

→ Your wardrobe is full to overflowing with dresses.

to capacity and beyond [wypełniony po brzegi]

from the outset

→ Frank was informed at the outset that the assignment would be no easy matter.

 from the very beginning [od samego początku]

overstep the mark

→ It would be overstepping the mark to address the managing director by his first name.

 behave in an unacceptable way [posunąć się za daleko]

own up

→ He finally owned up to his mistake after everyone found out.

admit/confess [przyznać się do zrobienia czegoś]

over to

→ Now, it’s over to our next guest, who will discuss the new developments.

passing on to when introducing another speaker on the air [czyjaś kolej]

made to order

→ The dress was made to order, designed specifically for her wedding.

specially made, not from stock [zrobione na zamówienie]

on the off chance

→ I brought an extra set of keys on the off chance that I might lose mine.

 just in case [niewielkie prawdopodobieństwo]

remain silent

→ Everyone remained silent when the teacher asked who the culprit was.

be quiet [nie odzywać się]

keep an appointment

→ Mr Lurie will not be able to keep his appointment.

attend, honor a meeting, appointment [przyjść w wyznaczonym terminie, dotrzymać terminu]

beyond belief

→ It's beyond belief how he managed to survive.

unreal [nie do wiary]

have a good command of (a language)

→ She has quite a good command of French.

to be proficient or skilled in speaking, writing, and understanding that language [biegle władać językiem, posiadać dobrą znajomość]

owe someone money

→ James owes him £3,000 for buying that car.

to be in debt [być winnym komuś pieniądze]

you would think

→ To hear him speak, you would think he is a very hard-working student.

one assumes [przypuszczać]

scarcely a day goes by

→ Scarcely a day goes by without Vanessa practising the violin.

almost every day, or nearly every day, something happens [nie ma dnia, żeby…

make someone realise

→ Her prolonged absence made him realise how much he cared for her.

show sb [uświadomić kogoś]

nothing short of a miracle

→ Nothing short of a miracle would have saved the painting from the fire.

the equivalent of, equal to a miracle [tylko cud]