Casual English: Idioms 101 - 200
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Casual English: Idioms 101 - 200 |
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Learn everyday expressions and speak casually. | Sign in |
| Idioms |
Definition |
Sense |
Example |
| pipe dream |
a
dream or fantasy that is not likely to happen (from the idea
of smoking something and having a dream) |
negative |
He
thinks that his online business will make millions, but I
think it's a pipe
dream. |
| pull it off |
to
make something happen, something that was difficult |
positive |
I
didn't think we could finish this project on time, but we pulled it off! Good
job everybody! |
| put in ____ two cents / if ___ can
put in ___ two cents |
to
offer an opinion in a humble way |
neutral |
I
know you are trying to
decide if you should take the new job. If I can put in my two cents, I
think the change would be good for you. |
| rest assured |
relax
and be assured |
neutral
to positive |
That
was a terrible car accident! But rest assured, you are not at fault
and your insurance will cover it. |
| run ideas by ____ |
to
express ideas and see if the other person can offer insights |
neutral |
My
friend is not very good
at physics, but he's working on a big project for his class.
Since
you're a physics major, maybe he can run some ideas by you. |
| set the record straight |
to
make sure the truth is known, to correct a misunderstanding |
neutral |
The
politician said that he wanted to set the record straight. He said
that he has never accepted bribes. I don't believe him. |
| shoot the breeze |
to
talk casually, to make small talk (used in present tense,
not past) |
neutral
to positive |
Thanks
for coming to my house! Have a seat and let's shoot the breeze
for a while before dinner. |
| skating on thin ice / on thin ice |
to
do something that could create trouble |
negative |
He
has come in late every day for the past two weeks. He's skating on thin ice! |
| it speaks for itself / ___ speaks
for itself |
the
person's behavior / the situation shows the truth |
neutral,
positive or negative |
She's
having so much fun in her new dancing class. She's always
smiling and that
speaks for itself.
|
| take ____ into ____ confidence |
to
trust in, to confide in |
neutral |
Let
me take you into my
confidence. This new online business has investors
with lots of money! |
Idioms 101 - 200 Course |
Idioms 121-140 Main Page |