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Phrases and Idioms
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Meaning
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1.
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acid – the acid test
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Way to determine the quality or
workability of something.
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2.
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across - across the board
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Applicable to all.
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3.
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ado - without further ado
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Without wasting any more time.
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4.
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alive - alive and kicking
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Still existing and very active.
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5.
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all – all at once
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All done together at the same
time.
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6.
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all – all in all
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Take into account every part; on
the whole
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7.
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all – all or nothing
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Either done completely or in the
exact way, or nothing; no compromise.
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8.
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all - all the same
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In spite of that.
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9.
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all – it’s all go
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Buzzing with activity.
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10.
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argue – argue the toss
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To argue against a decision
already made.
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11.
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arm - arm in arm
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With arms linked.
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12.
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arm - up in arms
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Enraged and protesting
vigorously.
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13.
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arm – with open arms
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Receiving with great affection
or enthusiasm
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14.
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bag - bag and baggage
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One’s personal possessions.
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15.
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bag - bag of bones
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Used to refer to a very thin
person or an animal.
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16.
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balance - balance of payments
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The difference in total value
between payments for import of and earnings from export of goods and
services.
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17.
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balance - balance of trade
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The difference in total value
between a country’s import and export of goods, excluding services.
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18.
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baptism - baptism of fire
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One’s first experience in an
activity which is often difficult and painful.
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19.
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bare - bare one’s soul
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To make known one’s previously
unknown facts or feelings.
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20.
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bare - the bare bones
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The essential parts of
something.
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21.
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bat - bat one’s eyelashes
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To make rapid opening and
closing of one’s eyes.
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22.
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bated - with bated breath
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In anxiety and suspense.
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23.
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belt - below the belt
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Unfair; breaking the rules.
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24.
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belt – tighten one’s belt
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Cut down on spending.
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25.
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belt – under one’s belt
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To have achieved something or
gained considerable experience.
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26.
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bend – bend over backwards
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To be helpful with someone’s
wishes or demands.
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27.
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bend – bend someone’s ear
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To talk at length with someone.
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28.
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bend – bend the rules
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Do what normally is not allowed
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29.
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bend – on bended knee
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Requesting someone seriously to
do something.
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30.
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best – all the best
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An expression of good wishes.
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31.
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better – go one better
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Outdo someone else.
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32.
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better – one had better
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One would find it more advisable
or advantageous to do.
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33.
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better – one’s better half
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One’s spouse
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34.
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beyond - beyond the sea
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In a foreign country; abroad.
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35.
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bit - a bit part
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A minor and insignificant acting
part in a film.
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36.
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bit - a bit previous
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Before the due time.
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37.
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bit – bit by bit
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Gradually.
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38.
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bit - do one’s bit
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To contribute one’s service or
do one’s share of the work.
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39.
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bite - bite the bullet
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Forced to perform an unpleasant
or difficult task.
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40.
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bite - bite the dust
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To die, fail or be defeated.
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41.
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bite - bite your tongue
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Refrain oneself from saying
something.
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42.
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black – black and white (in)
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In writing so that it’s clearly
stated, not doubtful.
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43.
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black - in the black
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To have money in one’s account.
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44.
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blaze – a trail
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Lay a path through unknown
territory; to be the first to develop something new.
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45.
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blessing - a mixed blessing
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A situation that has both
advantages and disadvantages
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46.
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blessing – blessing in disguise
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An initial misfortune that later
produces good results.
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47.
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blood - in cold blood
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In a deliberate and merciless
way.
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48.
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blood - in one’s blood
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Firmly established in one’s
character.
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49.
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blow – blow a fuse
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Lose one’s temper.
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50.
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blow – blow one’s mind
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To excite or impress someone
very strongly.
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51.
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blow – blow one’s nose
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To clean one’s nose by blowing
through it into a cloth or piece of tissue paper.
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52.
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blow – blow one’s top
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Lose one’s temper.
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53.
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blow – blow the whistle (on)
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To inform an authority or expose
publicly someone’s wrongful act or something that is wrong.
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54.
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blow - come to blows
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To start hitting each other or a
fight.
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55.
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blue – blue eyed boy
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Someone who is treated with
special favour.
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56.
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blue – blue with cold
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Extremely cold.
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57.
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blue – boys in blue
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The police.
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58.
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boat - rock the boat
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Disturb an existing situation.
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59.
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boat - the same boat (in)
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Be in the same difficult
situation as someone else.
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60.
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body – body and soul
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Completely.
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61.
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body – body of water
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A large area of water such as a
lake.
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62.
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bone – bone of contention
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Cause of argument or
disagreement.
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63.
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bone - make no bones (about)
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To not hesitate about doing or
saying something.
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64.
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book – by the book (go)
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To observe exactly the rules and
instructions.
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65.
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book - someone’s good book (in)
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It means that someone is pleased
with or approves of someone else.
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66.
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born - not born yesterday
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Not easily deceived or gullible.
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67.
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bound - know no bounds
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Have no limits.
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68.
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bound – out of bounds
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Outside of allowed area of play.
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69.
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brain - pick someone’s brains
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To get information from someone
who knows a lot.
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70.
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break – break new ground
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Venture into new sphere of
activity; uncover new information.
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71.
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break – break of day
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Dawn.
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72.
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break – break one’s word
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To not do what one has promised.
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73.
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break – break the ice
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To initiate a conversation
between strangers.
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74.
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break - make the break
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To end a relationship.
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75.
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breath – waste one’s breath
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To speak without getting the
message through.
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76.
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breath – hold one’s breath
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To cease breathing to see what
is going to happen.
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77.
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breath – out of breath
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To experience difficulty in
breathing after some vigorous exercises.
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78.
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breath – under one’s breath
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To say in a low voice so that no
one can hear.
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79.
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breeze – be a breeze
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To be something that can be done
or dealt with ease.
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80.
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bridge – bridge the gap
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To narrow the difference between
two things.
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81.
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bright – bright and early
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Very early in the morning.
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82.
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bright - the bright lights
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The kind of life in big cities
that attract people.
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83.
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broke – go for broke
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Risk all that one has in a
determined attempt to achieve something.
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84.
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brother - brothers in arms
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Soldiers who have been in combat
together in the same war.
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85.
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buck – a fast buck
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Money that is quickly and easily
earned.
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86.
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buck – pass the buck
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Shift the blame or
responsibility to someone else.
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87.
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bumper – bumper-to-bumper
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(Traffic) very close together
and moving slowly.
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88.
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burn – burn one’s boats/bridges
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Do something that can’t be
reversed.
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89.
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bury – bury the hatchet
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End a quarrel or conflict and be
reconciled.
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90.
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business – business is business
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Used to mean making profit
overrides everything else.
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91.
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business – like nobody’s business
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Exceptional.
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92.
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butterfly – butterflies in one’s stomach
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An unpleasant sensation in one’s
stomach when one is nervous.
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93.
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buyer - a buyer’s market
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Situation in which supply of
goods and shares is more than demand, and prices are low.
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94.
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by – by and by
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Before long; soon.
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95.
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by – by and large
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On the whole.
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96.
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by – by the by
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By the way; incidentally.
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97.
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call – call attention to
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To divert people’s attention to
something.
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98.
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call – call into question
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To express doubt about
something.
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99.
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call – call of nature
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A need to urinate or defecate.
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100.
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call – call one’s shots
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To predict one’s course of
action.
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