Idioms and Fixed Expressions, Phrasal Verbs

A set of flashcards covering idioms, fixed expressions, and phrasal verbs from the lecture notes.

clear the air

remove suspicion/bad feeling

all along

from the beginning until now

be up in the air

uncertain

make allowances for

to take special circumstances into consideration

beat about/around the bush

avoid saying what one means directly

blessing in disguise

something which appears bad at first but then turns out to be good

back down

cease to oppose

bring up

mention a subject

drive a hard bargain

be a tough businessman

drop a brick

say something tactlessly

kick the bucket

die

see eye to eye

agree with somebody

have a bee in one’s bonnet

be very nervous about something

whet somebody’s appetite

make somebody eager to have/experience more

out of the blue

suddenly and unexpectedly

down in the dumps

depressed

hold your breath

wait for someone/something anxiously

go to the dogs

worsen

cut somebody dead

ignore somebody deliberately

call the shots

to be the person who controls or organizes something

play one’s cards right

act cleverly

make one’s blood boil

cause somebody to become very angry

be on the cards

be likely to happen