C1 Advanced - Common Binomials, Common Phrasal Verbs, and Idioms

Hustle and bustle

Busy activity and noise

Part and parcel

an integral/essential component of

Thick and thin

In all circumstances

Leaps and bounds

Very fast progress

By and large

In general/all things considered

Above and beyond

More than is expected

Cause and effect

A relationship between an action and its consequences

Live and learn

From real experience, we gain knowledge.

Safe and sound

Unharmed or out of danger

Do or die

A situation in which extreme effort or risk is required.

Bright and breezy

Awake, cheerful, positive, full of energy

Tried and tested

Refers to something that has been successfully used long enough to know that it works.

Drib and drabs

In small amounts over a long period of time

Rant and rave

To complain loudly and angrily over a long period of time.

(No) Rhyme or reason

No logical explanation, makes no sense.

Chit-chat

Small talk

Bring about

Cause (change)

Go through

Experience something (usually negative)

Take on

Accept responsibility (especially work)

Rule out

Eliminate/discard (especially possibility or option)

Come across as

Give a certain impression

Turn down

Reject (offer/proposal)

Get away with

Escape punishment

Put up with

Tolerate

Come up with

Think of/invent

Carry out

Do/perform (experiment/task/study)

Wind down

To relax after a period of excitement.

Clear my head

To stop worrying and think clearly.

A tough nut to crack

A problem that is very difficult to solve.

Bone up on

To study a subject thoroughly before an exam.

Be on your toes

To be alert, ready, and prepared for anything.

Keep a cool head

To stay calm in a difficult situation.

Kick things off

To start a conversation or project.

See eye to eye

To agree with someone completely.

Drive home

To state something clearly so that it is understood.

A drop in the ocean

A very small amount compared to what is needed.

Read the room

To understand the general mood or opinion of people.

To a fault

To an excessive degree

Double-edged sword

Something that has both positive and negative consequences.

Catch on

To understand or learn something.

Grapple with

To try hard to understand or deal with a difficult problem.

Keep on top of

To stay informed and in control of a situation.

Hit the nail on the head

To describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem.

Take a back seat

To become less important or active.

Flee the nest

To leave a comfortable, familiar environment (or home).

Off the beaten track

In a place where few people go; unusual or remote.

Drive home

To make something completely clear and understood.

An arm and a leg

Extremely expensive

Make ends meet

To earn just enough money to pay for things you need.

Pull the wool over someone’s eyes

To deceive or trick someone.

Keep one’s head above water

To just manage to survive financially or handle a tough situation.

Brush up on

To quickly improve a skill or knowledge that has been neglected.

Chalk up to

To attribute failure or success to a particular cause.

Fleshing out

Adding more details, substance, or information to a basic outline.

Size up

To carefully examine a situation or person to make a judgement.

At a crossroads

At a point of vital decision-making.

Part and parcel

An essential and unavoidable element of something.

Pick and choose

Select only the best from a wide variety.

Bits and peices

Small items or tasks of various kinds.

Inextricably linked

Permanently and organically connected.

To encapsulate

To express the most important features of something in brief.

Imperative

Crucial or of vital importance.

Set forth

To present, state, or outline ideas clearly in writing.

To pale in comparison to

To seem structurally inferior, small, or unimportant next to something else.

To hit the mark

To achieve the desired result or accurately solve a problem.

Come up against

To be faced with or forced to handle a serious opposition or obstacle.

Fall back on

To turn to use something as a backup source of support or help when options fail.

Make up for

To compensate for a deficiency, mistake, or lost time.

Bring tracking/Bear on

To bring space or influence to bear on a situation.

In accordance with

Following rules or official alignment.

To be under the illusion that

Holding a false or mistaken belief.

In the wake of

Happening after or as a direct consequence of an event.

By no means

Not at all; definitely not.