IDIOMS 4

Between a rock and a hard place

Stuck between two very bad options

Between Scylla and Charybdis

Choice between two unpleasant alternatives

Between the devil and the deep blue sea

Having only two very unpleasant/difficult choices

Beyond the pale

Unreasonable or unacceptable

Beyond the shadow of a doubt

With certainty; for sure

Bid defiance

To disregard recklessly // To Ignore // To offer resistance

Bid fair

To seem likely

Big bucks

A lot of money

Birds of the same feather

Persons of same character or interests // similar in many ways

Bite off more than one can chew

Take on more responsibility than one can manage

Bite someone's head off

Speak angrily without any reason

Bite the bullet

To force yourself to do something unpleasant or to end something because it is inevitable

Bite the dust

Suffer a defeat // to die

Bite your tongue

Stop yourself from saying something // Avoid talking

Black and blue

Describe something that is badly bruised // To beat mercilessly

Black out

Lost consciousness

Black ox

Misfortune

Black sheep

One who is not accepted as part of a family or group because of one's bad conduct // Person with bad reputation

Blaze a trail

To lead the way as a pioneer // to initiate something new // To start a movement

Blind alley

A situation in which no further progress can be made

Blow a fuse

To react very angrily

Blow his top

To be very angry

Blow one's own trumpet

Praise oneself // Talk boastfully about oneself // to boast about their achievements

Blow over

Pass off

Blow something out of proportion

Behave as if something that has happened is much worse than it really is

Blow up

To destroy by an explosion

Blue

blooded

Bob's your uncle

It becomes easily and quickly achievable

Body and soul

With all your energy

Boil the ocean

Undertaking an impossible chore or task

Boils down

Sums up to

Bone to pick

Cause of quarrel // To be angry about something and want to discuss it

Born with a silver spoon in mouth

Born in a rich family

Bosom friend

Close friend

Bottom line

The most important fact

Break bread with someone

To eat together with someone in the spirit of faith

Bread and butter // Bread and cheese

Mainstay of livelihood // a person's livelihood or main source of income

Break a leg

To wish good luck // Perform well

Break in

Force entry // Enter a building illegally

Break new/fresh ground

Do or discover something new // To innovate or pioneer

Break the bank

To be very expensive // Win more money than is held by the bank

Break the ice

Initiate something // to start a conversation // To make someone comfortable // To break a painful silence

Breath of fresh air

Someone or something new and refreshing

Breathing down someone's neck

Watching all his actions closely

Breathing the air

Useless tasks

Bring about

Cause to happen

Bring home the bacon

To be successful // to earn money to live

Bring someone to book

To punish someone for wrongdoing // Held accountable

Bring the house down

Made the audience applaud enthusiastically

Bring to one's knees

To force to submit

Broke a lance with

To argue against

Broke down

Wept bitterly // cried

Broke off

Suddenly stopped

Broke Priscian's head

To use bad grammar

Broke up

Disbanded itself

Broken reed

Support that failed // A weak person // Someone or something too frail to provide support

Brought up

Introduced for discussion

Brown study

A mood of deep absorption or thoughtfulness (Reverie)

Bugs me

Irritates

Build castles in the air

Daydream // To have unrealistic ideas // to create impossible dreams or hopes

Bull's

eye

Burn one's bridges/boats

To destroy all relations // To make it impossible to return later

Burn the midnight oil

To study or work till very late in the night // To work very hard

Burning question

An important question/issue

Bury the hatchet

To make peace // To end a quarrel

Butt in

Interrupt

Butter fingers

To be clumsy

Butterflies in the stomach

To be anxious and nervous

Button her lip

Stop talking

Buy a lemon

To buy something that is of much less value

By a whisker

By a small margin

By and by

Gradually

By and large

In general // On the whole

By courtesy of

Given or allowed by // With kindly consideration

By fair means or foul

In any way honest or dishonest

By fits and starts

Unsteady // irregularly

By hook or by crook

By any means, good or bad // Using whatever methods are necessary // In whatever way one can

By leaps and bounds

Very quickly // rapidly // Swiftly

By the same token

In the same way

By the skin of one's teeth

By the narrowest margin // Having a narrow escape // To just barely manage to achieve something

By the sweat of one's brow

Hard work

Call down

Scold

Call in question

Challenge

Call it a day

Decide or agree to stop doing something // to give up work and go back to home

Call off

Cancel something

Call on

Pay a visit

Call the shots

To be in control // to be the person in charge

Called for

To require something // Asked for more

Can't cut the mustard

To be unable to do a job

Cap in hand

In a respectful manner

Capital punishment

Death sentence

Carry on

Continue doing something

Carry out

Complete something // execute

Carry the ball

Be in charge

Carry the can

To take the responsibility of some misdemeanour or mistake

Carry the day

Win a victory // becomes the winner

Carry weight

Be important

Carve out a niche

Developed a specific position for himself

Cash

strapped

Cast a slur upon

To make a damaging or disparaging remark