350 English phrases that accurately useful in conversation

Native speakers can easily be distinguished not only by the accent and the ability to construct sentences, but also by a set of colloquial expressions that he uses. Knowing these phrases, of course, do not turn you into an Englishman, but it will help to understand and adequately support any conversation.

Website is the most important English idioms with translations and examples of their use.



Idioms and synonymous with the treatment

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after all - despite, nevertheless still I knew it! After all, I was right! all along - all the time all the time, always I knew about his little secret all along. all ears - eager to listen all the attention I am all ears. all of a sudden - suddenly suddenly All of a sudden, he refused to pay. all the same - no difference anyway, no matter If it's all the same to you, let's start at two. all thumbs - clumsy clumsy, inept He can not fix anything, he's all thumbs. apple of discord - subject of envy or quarrel bone of contention This question is an apple of discord in our family. as a rule - usually as a rule As a rule, we offer a 5% discount. as far as I am concerned - in my opinion for me, in my opinion As far as I am concerned, both the book and the movie are good. as for me / as to me - in my opinion in my opinion As for me, you can rely on his support. as well - also, too, too, and He knows math, and physics as well. at all - (not) in the smallest degree at all (no) He does not know French at all. I do not like it at all. at random - without order at random, without a plan He chose those places at random. at this point - at this time, at this stage At this point, we can not turn back. be about to - ready (to do) is willing to do I was about to leave when you called. be after someone - insist, press push to make His mother is always after him to study. be all in - be extremely tired very tired I'm all in, I'd better go to bed now. be back on one's feet - healthy again or better financially get on their feet after a difficult time He's back on his feet after a long period of debt and unemployment. beat around the bush - avoid giving a clear / definite answer beat around the bush Stop beating around the bush! Get to the point! be beside oneself - be very upset, nervous, worried, etc. be beside himself with excitement, grief and others. She was beside herself with worry / with grief. be better off - be in a better situation (financially) in the best situation (financially) He'll be better off with a new job. be broke - have no money at all to be "grounded" (without money) I spent all my money, I'm broke. be hard on something / someone - treat roughly not preserve something My son is hard on shoes, they do not last long with him. Life was pretty hard on Tom. be high on one's list - be one of the most important things to be in the top of the list of things needed A new car is high on my list of priorities. A new TV is not high on my list. be in charge of - be responsible for to be responsible for He is in charge of marketing. be in the red - be in debt to be unprofitable Our sales were in the red last year. be into smth. - be interested in to get involved in something He is into computers. She is into sports. bend over backwards - try hard to try hard I bent over backwards to help her. be on one's way I'm on my way. I'm on my way. be on the safe side - not to take any chances, just in case Take an extra key, just to be on the safe side. be out of - be without not available We are out of bread, cheese, and sugar. be out of shape - be physically unfit to be out of shape He needs to exercise, he is out of shape. be out of sorts - in bad humor of sorts Leave him alone, he's out of sorts today be pressed for time / money - be short of; not have enough time or lack of money I'm pressed for time now. We are pressed for money at the moment. beside the point - off the point is not essentially irrelevant What I said to him privately is beside the point. be to blame - be responsible for a mistake / something wrong to blame for the mistake, the wrong actions Who is to blame for this awful mistake? Tom is to blame for this mix-up. be touch and go - be uncertain of the result on the brink; it is unclear which rotates He was very sick, and for some time it was touch and go, but he is better now. be up against - be opposed by, have problems, be in danger have a serious problem with something, something Our company is up against serious attempts of hostile takeover. be up and around / about - able to be out of bed after an illness to his feet, straightened He was sick for a month, but now he is up and around. be up to one's ears - very busy on the ears I'm up to my ears in work. be up to something - do mischief to conceive, venture I have to check what the kids are up to. be up to someone - be one's own decision or responsibility of your choice, at your own risk It's up to you to decide. It's up to you to close the office every day at 8 o'clock. be used to - be accustomed to be accustomed to I'm used to hard work. He's used to heat. big shot - important person biggie He is a big shot around here. bite off more than one can chew - try to do more than one can overestimate your strength I could not handle two jobs and family. I really bit off more than I could chew. bite one's tongue - stop talking to bite his tongue I almost told her, but bit my tongue. bite the dust - die, be defeated die prostrate Many of them bit the dust in that war. black sheep - a good-for-nothing member of the family black sheep Their second son is the black sheep of the family, he is good for nothing. blind date - a meeting of a man and woman arranged by friends blind date She refuses to go on a blind date again because she had bad experience. blow it - lose the chance of losing the chance He understood that he blew it. blow over - pass, end subside, go Wait here till his anger blows over. bottom line - main result / factor up, Highlights The bottom line is, I do not have enough money. break into - enter by force to break (into the house) force The police broke into the robber's house. break one's heart - hurt deeply to break the heart of The news of her death broke his heart. break the ice - overcome shyness in making the first step to break the awkwardness when meeting The party was dull until someone broke the ice with a joke and we all laughed. break the news - tell new facts to report important news CNN is breaking the news right now. bring home the bacon - earn the living for the family to provide the family He works very hard at several places to bring home the bacon. brush off - give no attention to brush off The boss brushed off my project again. brush up on - review to refresh your memory You need to brush up on the tenses. by all means -definitely, certainly be sure, of course Do you need my help? - By all means. by heart - by memorizing by heart Learn this poem by heart for tomorrow. by hook or by crook - by any means possible in any way, in any manner She will get what she wants by hook or by crook. by the way - incidentally the way By the way, Ann is coming back today. call a spade a spade - use plain, direct words to call a spade a spade He always tells the truth and calls a spade a spade. call it a day - consider work finished for the day to consider a job finished We've been working for 10 straight hours. Let's call it a day. call off - cancel cancel, revoke The police called off the search. carry out - fulfill bring to an end She never carries out her plans. carry weight - be important to have the weight of His advice always carries weight here. cast down - depressed, sad plunge into despair He was cast down by the bad news. castles in the air - daydreaming about success (build) castles in the air Instead of working hard, he spends time building castles in the air. catch one's eye - attract attention to attract attention This picture caught my eye. catch one's breath - stop and rest to take a breath I can not run, I need to catch my breath. catch someone off guard - catch someone unprepared to surprise He caught me off guard with his question. catch someone red-handed - find smb. in the act of doing wrong to catch the hand, when things are bad The manager caught the boy red-handed when he was stealing cigarettes. catch up - become not behind to overtake He needs to catch up with the others. close call - a narrow escape, a bad thing that almost happened something bad that just did not happen The speeding car almost hit the man. That was really a close call. come across - meet by chance stumble upon I came across that article yesterday. come down with - become ill sick with something I'm coming down with a cold. come to one's senses - start acting reasonably, intelligently clean up their act, to come to yourself He finally came to his senses, started to work hard, and passed his exams. come true - become reality come true My dream came true when I met Pat. come up with - suggest invite Mike came up with a brilliant idea. count on - depend on rely on You can always count on me for help. cut corners - to take a short-cut; to limit one's spending cut corners; limit spending He ran fast, cutting corners where he could. I have to cut corners this week. cut down on - reduce reduce consumption You have to cut down on chocolate. cut out to be / cut out for it - have the ability to do something to be created for some work She is not cut out to be a surgeon. He's cut out to be a leader. do one's best - try very hard to do everything I could I did my best to help him in his work. do one's bit - do what's needed to make the allotted I'll do my bit, you can count on me. do over - do again re-do This work is not good, do it over. do someone good - be good for benefit Fresh air and exercise will do you good. do something behind one's back - do (harmful) things secretively to do (bad) things behind I hate people who do things behind my back. He did it behind my back again. do without - live without go without I'll have to do without a car for a while. down to earth - practical down to earth He's quiet, sensible and down to earth. draw the line - fix a limit to restrict (limit) He drew the line for her at $ 100 a day. dress up - put on the best clothes to dress What are you dressed up for? drop off - deliver somewhere to ride, throw up Can you drop me off at the bank? drop out - quit (school) to be expelled He dropped out of school last year. duty calls - must fulfill obligations duty obliges He said, «Duty calls» and left for work. easier said than done is easier said than done It's easier said than done, but I'll try to do it. eat one's words - take back words to take back the words He had to eat his words after her report. even so - nevertheless, but nevertheless, I work hard. Even so, I like my job. every now and then -occasionally from time to time Every now and then I visit my old aunt. every other - every second one by one She washes her hair every other day. fall behind - lag behind to keep up with The little boy fell behind the older boys. fall in love - begin to love love Tom fell in love with Sue at first sight. fall out of love - stop loving out of love They fell out of love and divorced soon. false alarm - untrue rumor false alarm I heard he quit but it was a false alarm. a far cry from something - very different, almost opposite (neg.) is not as good as His second book was not bad, but it was a far cry from his first book. feel it in one's bones - expect something bad to happen to feel that the worst will happen Something bad is going to happen, I feel it in my bones. feel like doing something - want to do, be inclined to do smth. I am prone to doing something I feel like going for a walk. I do not feel like working now, I'm tired. feel up to - be able to do be able to do I do not feel up to cleaning the house. few and far between - rare, scarce too rare Her visits are few and far between. find fault with - criticize criticize He always finds faults with everybody. find out - learn or discover learn, discover I found out that Maria left town. firsthand - directly from the source of first-hand, accurate information You can trust it, it's firsthand information. first things first - important things come before others first thing First things first: how much money do we have to pay right away? fly off the handle - get angry angry (suddenly) He flew off the handle and yelled at me. follow in someone's footsteps - do the same thing to follow someone else's footsteps, to do the same Igor followed in his father's footsteps, he became a doctor, too. foot in the door - a special opportunity for a job to get a chance to work Nina got a foot in the door because her friend works in that company. foot the bill - pay the bill to foot the bill Her father footed the bill for the party. for good - forever Forever After her death, he left town for good. for the time being - at this time at this time For the time being, this house is all right for us. frame of mind - mental state mentality I can not do it in this frame of mind. from A to Z - completely from beginning to end He knows this town from A to Z. from now on - now and in the future to continue From now on, I forbid you to go there. get a grip on oneself - take control of one's feelings to control their feelings Stop crying! Get a grip on yourself! get along with - have good relations have good relations, to get along with Ann gets along with most coworkers, but does not get along with Laura. get away with - not be caught after doing wrong go unpunished The police did not find the thief. He got away with his crime. get carried away - get too excited and enthusiastic about something too carried away by something He got carried away with opening a store and lost most of his money. get cold feet - be afraid to do be afraid to do I wanted to try it but got cold feet. get even with - have one's revenge to get even with someone I'll get even with him for everything! get in touch with - contact contact someone Get in touch with Mr. Smith for help. get lost - lose one's way to lose the way She got lost in the old part of town. Get lost! - Lay off! Disappear! I do not want to see you again. Get lost! get mixed up - get confused confused I got mixed up, went the wrong way and got lost. get off one's back - leave alone to keep up with someone Stop bothering me! Get off my back! get on one's high horse - behave haughtily towards someone behaving arrogantly Every time I ask her to help me with typing, she gets on her high horse. get on (the bus, train, plane) to sit on (transport) I got on the bus on Oak Street. get off (the bus, train, plane) get (transport) I got off the bus at the bank. get out of hand - get out of control to get out of control If he gets out of hand again, call me right away. get over - recover after an illness or bad experience better, overcome something I can not get over how rude he was to me. She got over her illness quite quickly. get rid of - dispose of, discard rid He got rid of his old useless car. get together - meet with gather together My friends and I get together often. get to the bottom - know deeply get to the bottom He usually gets to the bottom of things. get to the point - get to the matter come to the point Get to the point! Give me a break! - spare me enough for me Come on, stop it! Give me a break! give someone a hand - help help someone Can you give me a hand with cooking? give someone a lift / a ride - take to some place by car ride someone Can you give me a lift to the bank? He gave her a ride in his new Porsche. give someone a piece of one's mind - criticize frankly express that in mind, criticizing She lost my umbrella again, so I gave her a piece of my mind about her carelessness. give up - stop doing something, stop trying to do something to give up something, to stop trying I gave up smoking. I gave up trying to fix my old car. go back on one's word - break a promise to break his word, the promise of First he said he would help me, but then he went back on his word. go for it - try to do a new thing to try a new business If I were you, I would go for it. go from bad to worse - be worse become worse His business went from bad to worse. go out - go to parties, movies to be entertained Do he and his wife go out often? go out of one's way -try very hard to try hard He goes out of his way to please her. go to one's head - make too proud success turned the head of His acting success went to his head. go to pieces - get very upset, fall apart very upset She went to pieces when she heard it. go with the flow - lead quiet life adrift She always goes with the flow. grow on someone - become liked gradually like When she knew him more, he grew on her. had better - should be better, and then ... You look ill, you'd better see a doctor. have a ball - have a good time good time Yesterday we had a ball at the party. have a bone to pick - complain or discuss something unpleasant to have a bone to pick with someone claims to someone Mr. Brown, I have a bone to pick with you. My mail was lost because of you. have a word with someone - talk to talk about something Can I have a word with you? have words with someone - argue with someone about something big to talk I had words with my coworker today because he used my computer again. have it in him - have the ability to have the desired quality Laura has it in her to be a good doctor. have no business doing something - have no right to do have nothing to do here, and others to be. You have no business staying here without my permission. have one's back to the wall - be hard-pressed, on the defensive to be pressed against the wall, I had no choice, I had my back to the wall. have one's hands full - very busy to be very busy He has his hands full with hard work. have one's heart set on something - want something very much really want to get something, someone She has her heart set on going to New York. He has his heart set on Betty. have pull - have influence on have an impact on Does he have pull with the director? (not) have the heart - (not) have the courage to do smth. unpleasant (not) enough spirit to make trouble I do not have the heart to tell him that he was not accepted, he'll be so unhappy. high and low - everywhere everywhere (look, etc.) I searched high and low for my lost cat. hit the nail on the head - say exactly the right thing to get to the point You hit the nail on the head when you said our company needs a new director. hit upon something - to discover find valuable They hit upon gold. I hit upon a plan. hold it against someone - blame somebody for doing something (not) hold a grudge against someone I lost his book, but he does not hold it against me. Hold it! - Stop! Wait! Stop / Stop! Hold it! I forgot my key. Hold on! - Wait! Wait! Hold on! I'll be back in a minute. hold one's own - maintain oneself in a situation, behave as needed to fend for themselves, to establish themselves in something He can hold his own in any situation. We need men who can hold their own. hold up - rob using a weapon to rob with a weapon This bank was held up twice last year. ill at ease - uncomfortable uneasy She felt ill at ease because of her cheap dress. in advance - well before pre-He told her about his plan in advance. in a nutshell - in a few words briefly summarized In a nutshell, my plan is to buy land. in care of someone - write to one person at the address of another destination at another person (who stopped) I'm staying at Tom's house. Write to me in care of Tom Gray, Chicago, Illinois. in cold blood - mercilessly coolly He killed her in cold blood. in fact - actually, in reality actually In fact, he works as a manager here. in general - generally, generally speaking, in general, at all In general, he likes to be alone. He described the place only in general. in one's element - what one likes in his element He's in his element when he's arguing. in other words - using other words in other words In other words, you refused to do it for her. in plain English - in simple, frank terms in simple terms I did not really like the concert. In plain English, the concert was terrible. the ins and outs - all info about the ins and outs He knows the ins and outs of this business. in someone's shoes - in another person's position on the place of another in another position I'd hate to be in his shoes now. He lost his job, and his wife is in the hospital. in the long run - in the end ultimately In the long run, it'll be better to buy it. in the same boat - in the same situation in the same position Stop arguing with me, we're in the same boat and should help each other. in the clear - free from blame is claims Pay the bill and you'll be in the clear. in time (to do something) - before something begins to come in time to do something (before the start of something) I came in time to have a cup of coffee before class. it goes without saying - should be clear without words not worth mentioning, of course It goes without saying that he must pay what he owes right away. It's on the tip of my tongue. turns the language of His name is on the tip of my tongue. it's time - should do it right away it's time Hurry up, it's time to go. It's worth it. / It's not worth it. B> It's (not) worth buying, visiting, watching, etc. it's worth it / it's not worth it; (not) worth buying, visit, watch, etc. Watch this film, it's worth it. Do not buy this coat, it is not worth it. This museum is worth visiting. This film is not worth watching. it will do - it's enough enough Stop reading, it will do for now. jump at the opportunity / chance - accept the opportunity eagerly seize the opportunity His boss mentioned a job in Europe, and Peter jumped at the opportunity. just as soon - prefer this one would prefer (that) I'd just as soon stay home, I'm tired. just in case - to be on the safe side, just in case Take an extra shirt, just in case. Just my luck! - Bad / Hard luck! I always have bad luck! They lost my job application. Just my luck! keep an eye on - take care of, watch, look after an eye on, to look after Betty keeps an eye on my sons for me. I'll keep an eye on you! keep a straight face - not to laugh try not to laugh I tried to keep a straight face, but failed. keep company - accompany make the company She keeps me company quite often. keep one's word - fulfill a promise to keep his word You promised, now keep your word. keep someone posted - inform to keep up to date Keep me posted about your plans. keep your fingers crossed - hope that nothing will go wrong to hope that all goes well I have a job interview today. Keep your fingers crossed for me, will you? kill time - fill / spend empty time to kill time I went to the show to kill time. (not) know the first thing about - not to have any knowledge about anything do not know of any subject I do not know the first thing about nuclear physics. know the ropes - be very familiar with some business to know all the ins and outs He knows all the ropes in this company. last-minute notice - little or no time to prepare for something a message at the last moment His arrival was a last-minute notice, we did not have time to prepare for it. lay one's cards on the table - be frank and open honestly say, open the card Finally, we asked him to lay his cards on the table and tell us about his plans.




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