Idioms A1

account

from A to Z

including all the fact about a subject

e.g. This book tells the story of Diana’s life from A to Z.

get/go from A to B

to travel from one place to another place

e.g. When I’m travelling, I try to work out the quickest way of getting from A to B.

an about-face (mainly Am.)

a sudden and complete change of sb’s ideas, plans or actions

e.g. Both papers did an about-face and published a condemnation of his actions.

above and beyond sth

more than 

e.g. The number of hours she put into her job is definitely above and beyond the call of duty.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder

being apart from sb you love makes you love them even more

e.g. ‘My boyfriend’s going to South America and I won’t see him for six months.’
‘Ah well, absence makes the heart grow fonder.’

an accident waiting to happen

a very dangerous situation in which an accident is very likely

e.g. The speed that people drive along this road, it’s an accident waiting to happen.

(whether) by accident or design

whether intended to be this way or not

e.g. The system, whether by accident or design, benefits people who live in the cities more than people who live in the country.

more by accident than (by) design

because of luck and not because of skill

e.g. I kicked the ball and, more by accident than design, it found its wat into the net.

accidentally on purpose

you intend to do sth but you pretend it was an accident

e.g. If I, accidentally on purpose, forget to bring her address with us, we won’t be able to visit her after all.

accidents will happen

sth you say in order to make sb feel less guilty when they have just damaged sth that does not belong to them

e.g. Oh well, accidents will happen. I can always buy another bowl.

of your own accord

you do sth without being asked to do it

e.g. She left of her own accord, I didn’t tell her to go.

be brought/called to account

to be forced to explain sth you did wrong, and usually to be punished

e.g. What concerns us most is that the people responsible for the violence should be brought to account.

on sb’s account

you do sth because of that person

e.g. Don’t cook anything special on my account. I’m not even hungry

on your own account

you do sth by yourself or for yourself

e.g. I decided to ask a few questions about the accident on my own account.