About to almost ready to  
Add up make sense ; be logical  
All at once suddenly; without warning  
All of a sudden all at once; suddenly  
As a matter of fact in reality; actually  
As a rule generally; customarily  
At the drop of a hat quickly; without any preparation time  
At ease not nervous; calm  
Back out(of) withdraw an offer  
Bank on depend on; count on  
Be my guest do what you want; feel free; help yourself  
Be rusty need practice or review  
Beats me I don’t know; I have no idea(often used in response to a question  
Better off in an improved condition  
Bite off more than one can chew take on more responsibility than one can handle  
Bound to certain to; sure to  
Break down stop functioning (a machine ,for example)  
Break in(on) interrupt  
Break the ice break through social barriers (as at a party)  
Break the news(to) inform; give bad news  
Break up end(a meeting ,for example)  
Break up (with) stop being a couple( a boyfriend and girlfriend ,for example)  
A breeze something very simple and easy to do  
Bring about cause to happen  
Bring up (1)raise (a child) ; (2) introduce( a topic, for example)  
Brush up on review; study; practice  
Bump into meet unexpectedly ; run into  
By and large mostly; generally ; on the whole  
By heart by memory; learned word for word  
By no means in on way; not at all  
Call it a day stop working for the day; go home  
Call off cancel  
Call on visit  
Calm down relax  
Care for (1)take care of; (2) like; feel affection for  
Catch on become popular  
Catch on (to) understand ,learn  
Catch up (with) go as fast as ;catch  
Check in (into) register(at a hotel)  
Check out (of) (1)leave (a hotel); (2) take material (from a library, for example)  
Cheer up become cheerful; be happy  
Chip in (on/for) contribute  
Clear up (1) clarity; make understandable; (2) become nice and sunny (used to talk about the weather)  
Come across find; meet ; encounter  
Come around (to) begin to change one’s opinion; begin to agree with  
Come down with become sick with (an illness)  
Come up with think of (an idea)  
Cost an arm and a leg be very expensive  
Count on depend on ;rely on; bank on  
Count out eliminate ; no longer consider as a factor  
Cut off stop ; discontinue (a service , for example)  
Cut out for have an aptitude for ;be qualified for  
Day in and day out constantly; for a long time  
Die down become less severe; quiet down  
Do over do again ; repeat  
Do without not have  
Down the drain wasted ;done for no reason(work, for example)  
Dream up invent; think of ; come up with  
Drop in (on) visit informally  
Drop (someone) a line send someone a letter  
Drop off (1)leave something (a package, for example); (2) take (someone) home; let someone out of a car  
Drop out (of) stop attending (classes, for example)  
Easy as pie very simple; a piece of cake  
Eyes bigger than one’s stomach said of someone who takes more food than he or she can eat  
Fall behind not move as quickly as ; lag behind  
Fall through fail to happen  
A far cry from not similar to; not as good as  
Feel free do something if one wants  
Feel like be inclined to; want to  
Feel like a million dollars feel very good  
Feel up to feel able to do something ;ready to  
Fed up( with ) not able to tolerate; disgusted with ; annoyed by  
Few and far between uncommon and infrequent  
Figure out understand ; solve  
Fill in write in a blank (on an application form, for example)  
Fill in (for) substitute for  
Fill one in provide missing information  
Fill out complete (an application form ,for example)  
Find out learn ;discover  
A fish out of water someone not in his or her normal surroundings  
Fix up repair; renovate  
Follow in one’s footsteps do what someone else did (especially an older relative)  
For good permanently; forever  
For the time being temporarily; for now  
From out of the blue unexpectedly; without warning  
Get along with have good relations with  
Get carried away go too far; do too much; buy too much  
Get in one’s blood become a habit; become customary  
Get in over one’s head take on too much responsibility ;bite off more than one can chew  
Get in the way block; obstruct  
Get in touch with contact  
Get the hang of something learn how to do something  
Get a kick out of (doing something) enjoy; have fun doing something  
Get off leave (a vehicle)  
Get off the ground start to be successful  
Get on board (a vehicle)  
Get over recover from (a disease)  
Get rid of discard; no longer have  
Get under way begin; start  
Give away distribute (for free)  
Give(someone) a cold shoulder act unfriendly toward someone; ignore  
Give a hand applaud ;clap  
Give a hand (with) assist  
Go easy on not punish severely  
Go on (with) continue  
Go with (1)accompany; (2) look good together; complement(for example, two articles of clothing)  
Go without saying be clear; be obvious  
Grow up to mature; to become an adult  
Hand in give back to; return  
Hand out distribute  
Hang on wait  
Hard to come by difficult to find  
Have on wear

Have one’s hands full be very busy; have a challenging job  
Have a heart be compassionate ; show mercy  
Have a hunch have an intuitive feeling  
Have a word with(someone) talk to someone briefly  
Have the time of one’s life have fun; have a great of time  
Hear firsthand (from) get information directly from someone  
Hear from be contacted by; be in touch with  
Hear of know about; be familiar with  
Hit it off become friendly (especially at a first meeting)  
Hit the road leave ,go away  
Hold on wait  
Hold on (to) grasp  
Hold still not move  
Hold up delay  
In hot water in trouble  
In the dark not knowing ;confused  
In the long run over a long period of time  
In no time very soon; very quickly  
In a nutshell in summary; in brief  
In the same boat in the same situation; having the same problem  
In person face to face (not by telephone, letter, etc.)  
In store in the future; coming up  
Iron out solve (a problem)  
Join the club have the same problem  
Jump to conclusions form opinions without sufficient evidence  
Keep an eye on watch ; take care of ; look after  
Keep an eye out (for) look for  
Keep on (with) continue  
Keep track of know where something or someone is  
Keep up (with) maintain the same speed as  
Kill time spend time doing unimportant things (before an appointment ,for example)  
Know like the back of one’s hand be very familiar with  
Lay off put out of work  
Learn the ropes become familiar with ; get used to ; get the hang of  
Leave out not include; omit  
Leave someone/something alone not disturb  
Let someone down disappoint  
Let up decline in intensity (rain, for example)  
Look after take care of ; mind  
Look for try to locate  
Look forward to anticipate(with pleasure)  
Look into investigate  
Look like resemble  
Look out(for) be careful  
Look over examine; read  
Look up (1)find information (especially in a reference book); (2) try to locate someone  
Look up to respect; admire  
Make ends meet balance a budget  
Make a fool of oneself act embarrassingly  
Make a point of make a special effort  
Make sense(of) be logical and clear; understand  
Make up invent, create  
Make up one’s mind decide  
Make way for allow space for; provide a path for  
Mean to intend to  
Mixed up confused  
Music to one’s ears something that sounds pleasant  
A nervous wreck someone who is very nervous  
Next to nothing very little( money, for example); cheap  
No doubt about it certainly; definitely  
No harm done there was no damage done  
Not at all not in any way; not to an degree  
Not believe one’s ears( or eyes) be unable to believe what one hears (or sees)  
Not think much of not like; not have a good opinion of  
Odds and ends small ,miscellaneous items  
An old hand (at) an experienced person  
On edge nervous  
On end consecutively, without a break (days on end, for example)  
On hand easily available  
On needles and pins nervous ;anxious  
On one’s own independent  
On second thought after reconsidering  
On the go always busy; always moving  
On the tip of one’s tongue almost able to remember  
On the whole in general  
Out of (something) not having something  
Out of one’s mind insane; illogical; irrational  
Out of order broken; not functioning properly  
Out of the question definitely not ; impossible  
Over and over again and again ; repeatedly  
Over one’s head not understandable (a joke, for example); obscure  
Part with no longer have; get rid of; not be in the company of  
Pass up not accept; not choose  
Pass with flying colors do very well(on a test)  
Pat oneself on the back congratulate oneself  
Pay attention to concentrate on; focus on  
Pick out choose; select  
Pick up (1) take something from a surface(for example, a floor); (2) go to a location and get someone or something; (3) learn(specially without formal training)  
Pick up the tab (for) pay for  
The picture of a perfect example of something  
Play it by ear do something without a definite plan  
Play it safe choose a cautious plan  
Point out indicate  
A pretty penny a lot of money  
Pull one’s leg joke with someone; make up a story  
Push one’s luck to continue doing something too long ; to keep taking chances  
Put aside save for later; set aside  
Put away return something to its proper place  
Put off delay; postpone  
Put on begin to wear  
Put together assemble  
Put up with tolerate  
Right away immediately  
Ring a bell(with) sound familiar to  
Rough it experience somewhat difficult or primitive conditions  
Rule out say something is impossible ;eliminate  
Run a temperature have a fever  
Run for office try to get elected  
Run into (1)meet unexpectedly; bump into; (2) collide with  
Run late be late ; be in a hurry  
Run of the mill ordinary  
Run out of exhaust the supply of  
Save one’s breath don’t bother asking someone  
Search me I don’t know; I have no idea; beats me  
See eye to eye (with someone) (on something) have the same opinion; be in agreement  
See (someone) off accompany(to an airport or train station, for example)  
See to take care of ; check on; fix

Serve one right receive the proper punishment; get the penalty one deserves  
Short for a nickname for  
Show around orient; give a tour  
Show off try to attract attention by unusual behavior  
Show up arrive  
Shut down close  
Sign up (for) enroll(for a class ,for example)  
Sing another tune change one’s opinion; feel differently  
Size up measure; estimate  
Sleep on it postpone a decision until the next day  
Slowly but surely gradually; steadily but not quickly  
Snowed under very busy  
So far, so good up until now, there are no problems  
Sooner or later at some indefinite future time  
Speak one’ s mind say what one is thinking  
Speak up speak more loudly  
Speak up for support verbally  
Spell out(for) make something very clear; explain in detail  
Spick and span extremely clean; spotless  
Stack up against compare with  
Stamp out eliminate; wipe out  
Stand for (1)tolerate; put up with; (2)symbolize; represent  
Stand out be noticeable  
Stay out not come home  
Stay out(or up) to all hours come home(or go to bed) very late  
Stay up not go to bed  
Stick with not change; stay with  
Stock up on get a large supply of something  
A stone’s throw from not far away from ;close to  
Stop by visit informally ;go to see  
Straighten up clean up ;make tidy  
Stuck with have something one cannot get rid of  
Take a break stop working for a short time  
Take a lot of nerve require a lot of courage  
Take a lot out of (someone) be hard on someone; drain energy from someone  
Take advantage of utilize; make use of ;exploit  
Take after resemble; look like (especially an older relative)  
Take apart disassemble  
Take it easy relax; calm down  
Take off (1)remove (clothing ,for example) (2)ascend(a plane, for example); (3) become popular quickly  
Take over assume control or responsibility  
Take part in participate in  
Take a shortcut take a more direct or faster route than usual  
Take the plunge finally take action; do something different  
Take time off (from) take a vacation or a break from work or school  
Take up begin to study some topic or engage in some activity  
Talk down to speak to someone as if he or she were a child; patronize  
Talk into persuade ;convince  
Talk out of dissuade ;convince not to do something  
Talk over discuss  
Tear oneself away from something stop doing something interesting  
Tear up rip into small pieces  
Tell apart distinguish  
Things are looking up the situation is improving  
Think over consider  
Throw away discard; get rid of  
Throw cold water on discourage; force to cancel(a plan, for example)  
Throw the book at someone give someone the maximum punishment  
Try on test clothing before buying(for size ,style, and so on)  
Try out test a product before buying  
Try out (for) audition for (a role in a play, for example); attempt to join (a team, for example)  
Turn around face in a different direction  
Turn down (1)reject an offer; (2) decrease in intensity  
Turn in (1)return; give back ; hand in;(2)go to bed  
Turn into change to ; transform into  
Turn off stop the operation (of an appliance, for example); shut off  
Turn on start the operation (of an appliance, for example)  
Turn out (1) result; end up ; be the final product; (2)produce; (3)arrive ;gather(for a meeting, for example)  
Turn up (1)increase in intensity; (2)arrive  
Under the weather slightly ill  
Use up use completely  
Wait on serve  
Walk on chair be very happy  
Warm up (1) heat; (2) practice; prepare for  
Warm up (to) become friendly with; start to enjoy  
Watch out (for) be alert; look out for  
Wear out become no longer useful because of wear  
What the doctor ordered exactly what was needed; the perfect thing  
Wipe out eliminate; stamp out  
Without a hitch without a problem  
Work out (1)exercise; (2)bring to a successful conclusion ;solve