CPE_Unit 10

a by-product of

something that is produced unintentionally as a result of another process

a drop in the ocean

so minimal or trivial as to have little effect

a long shot

something with little chance of success

a malady

a disease or serious problem

a memory like a sieve

very poor memory; easily forgets things

afoot

happening or being prepared; in progress

at/from the outset

from the very beginning

be all the sea

be in a state of confusion

be catered for by

to have one’s needs or requirements provided for by someone or something

be devised by

to be invented, planned, or created by someone

be in somebody's shoes

be in somebody's position

be in the same boat

be in the same (usually bad) situation

be the spitting image of

to look exactly like someone else

be/get soaked to the skin

be/get very wet

be/have a close shave

barely avoid an accident/a bad situation

behind the scenes

in secret

cause-and-effect relationship

a connection where one thing causes another to happen

come forward

to offer help, information, or to volunteer for something

come out of one’s shell

to become more confident or sociable

correspondingly

in a way that matches or is related to something else; similarly

did it show

asking if others could tell what you were feeling or thinking

disagreeable

unpleasant, unfriendly, or hard to get along with

disclaim

to deny responsibility for or connection to something

due to begin

expected or scheduled to start

every so often

occasionally

get your own back

get/take revenge

give someone the slip

to escape or get away from someone who is chasing you

go for a song

be sold very cheaply

go overboard

overdo something; go to extremes

go without saying

be a foregone conclusion

have occasion to do something

it is necessary to do something

hit the sack

to go to bed

in good order

in good condition

increased in value

became more valuable or worth more over time

live out of a suitcase

travel often/not have a permanent home

made to order

specially made, not from stock

make quite a scene

to behave in a very noticeable or dramatic way, especially in public

no sign of

no evidence or indication that something or someone is present or will happen

not on

unacceptable (of behaviour)

on a shoe-string

on a very small budget

on the offchance

just in case

only by means of

only through the use of a specific method or way

only too (+adj)

more than (used for emphasis)

opt out

withdraw from something

over and above

more than or in addition to an amount

over to

passing on to when introducing another speaker on the air

overstep the mark

behave in an unacceptable way

own up

admit/confess

perish

to die or be destroyed, especially in a sudden or tragic way

pull a few strings

to use influence or contacts to get something done

pull one's socks up

make a greater effort

put the blame on

to say someone is responsible for a fault or problem

rise to the occasion

overcome a difficult situation by doing everything necessary to succeed

sleep on it

to wait until the next day before making a decision

smell a rat

suspect that something is wrong

soluble

able to be dissolved in a liquid (usually water)

spill the beans

to reveal a secret or disclose information

stand in one’s way

to prevent someone from achieving something

take something with a pinch of salt

to not completely believe something; to be sceptical

talk someone out of

to persuade someone not to do something

the last straw

the final problem in a series that makes a situation unbearable

the mainstream of

the dominant or most common part of something (like society or culture)

thick-skinned

not easily hurt or offended by criticism or insults

to overflowing

to capacity and beyond

have a good command of

to be very skilled or knowledgeable in something, especially a language or subject

nothing short of a miracle

something extremely impressive or unexpected; an extraordinary event

scarcely a day goes by

almost every day something happens; it happens very frequently