hit the nail on the head/ˌhɪt ðə ˌneɪl ˌɒn ðə ˈhed/verbTo describe a problem or situation in exactly the right words.
break the ice/ˌbreɪk ðə ˈaɪs/verbTo say or do something that makes new people feel relaxed together.
let the cat out of the bag/ˌlet ðə ˌkæt ˌaʊt əv ðə ˈbæɡ/verbTo tell a secret that you were supposed to keep quiet about.
on the same page/ˌɒn ðə ˌseɪm ˈpeɪdʒ/adjThinking alike about a plan, so nobody is confused about it.
pull my leg/ˌpʊl ˌmaɪ ˈleɡ/verbTo tell someone something untrue as a joke, just for fun.
sit on the fence/ˌsɪt ˌɒn ðə ˈfens/verbTo avoid taking sides when two groups disagree with each other.
beat around the bush/ˌbiːt əˌraʊnd ðə ˈbʊʃ/verbTo talk in circles instead of saying the main point directly.
cut to the chase/ˌkʌt tə ðə ˈtʃeɪs/verbTo skip the extra details and talk about the main point.
break a leg/ˌbreɪk ə ˈleɡ/verbA cheerful way of wishing someone success before a performance.
fall on deaf ears/ˌfɔːl ˌɒn ˈdef ɪəz/verbTo be completely ignored, even though people clearly heard it.
off the top of my head/ˌɒf ðə ˌtɒp əv ˌmaɪ ˈhed/advAnswering straight away from memory, without looking anything up.
read between the lines/ˌred bɪˌtwiːn ðə ˈlaɪnz/verbTo work out the real meaning that someone left unsaid.
speak of the devil/ˌspiːk əv ðə ˈdevəl/verbSaid when the person you were just discussing suddenly appears.
spill the beans/ˌspɪl ðə ˈbiːnz/verbTo reveal private information that other people wanted kept quiet.
take it with a grain of salt/ˌteɪk ˌɪt wɪð ə ˌɡreɪn əv ˈsɔːlt/verbTo treat news carefully because it may not be completely true.
all ears/ˌɔːl ˈɪəz/adjReady and eager to listen carefully to what someone says.
last but not least/ˌlɑːst ˌbʌt ˌnɒt ˈliːst/advNamed at the end of a list, yet just as important.
on the tip of my tongue/ˌɒn ðə ˌtɪp əv ˌmaɪ ˈtʌŋ/adjAlmost remembered; you can nearly say it but not quite.
you can say that again/ˌjuː ˌkæn ˌseɪ ˌðæt əˈɡen/verbA strong way of telling someone that you completely agree.
in a nutshell/ˌɪn ə ˈnʌtˌʃel/advSaid very briefly, giving only the most important idea.

Учить этот раздел →

Unit 2 · Feelings, relationships and health

29 слов

under the weather/ˌʌndə ðə ˈweðə/adjFeeling a little ill or low in energy, but not seriously sick.
get cold feet/ˌɡet ˌkəʊld ˈfiːt/verbTo suddenly lose your nerve and want to back out of something.
the last straw/ðə ˌlɑːst ˈstrɔː/nounThe small extra trouble that finally makes someone lose patience.
down to earth/ˌdaʊn tə ˈɜːθ/adjPractical and modest; easy to talk to and never showing off.
the benefit of the doubt/ðə ˈbenəfɪt əv ðə daʊt/nounChoosing to trust a person even though you cannot prove anything.
hang in there/ˌhæŋ ˌɪn ˈðeə/verbTo keep going bravely while a hard time slowly passes.
have a change of heart/ˌhæv ə ˌtʃeɪndʒ əv ˈhɑːt/verbTo change your mind and start feeling the opposite way.
in the same boat/ˌɪn ðə ˌseɪm ˈbəʊt/adjFacing exactly the difficult situation that another person faces.
it takes two to tango/ˌɪt ˌteɪks ˌtuː tə ˈtæŋɡəʊ/verbBoth people are responsible; one person alone could not cause it.
keep my chin up/ˌkiːp ˌmaɪ ˈtʃɪn ʌp/verbTo stay positive and brave although things are going badly.
lend a hand/ˌlend ə ˈhænd/verbTo help another person with a job, usually for a short while.
let sleeping dogs lie/ˌlet ˌsliːpɪŋ ˌdɒɡz ˈlaɪ/verbTo leave an old quarrel alone instead of starting it again.
like two peas in a pod/ˌlaɪk ˌtuː ˌpiːz ˌɪn ə ˈpɒd/adjTwo people who look or behave almost exactly the same.
on cloud nine/ˌɒn ˌklaʊd ˈnaɪn/adjFeeling wonderfully happy, as if nothing could spoil the day.
over the moon/ˌəʊvə ðə ˈmuːn/adjDelighted and thrilled, usually because of very good news.
pull myself together/ˌpʊl ˌmaɪˌself təˈɡeðə/verbTo calm down and take control of your feelings again.
rain cats and dogs/ˌreɪn ˌkæts ˌənd ˈdɒɡz/verbTo pour down extremely hard, so that streets flood quickly.
see eye to eye/ˌsiː ˌaɪ tə ˈaɪ/verbTo share the same opinion as someone about a subject.
blow off steam/ˌbləʊ ˌɒf ˈstiːm/verbTo get rid of stress or anger through activity or talking.
burn bridges/ˌbɜːn ˈbrɪdʒɪz/verbTo damage a relationship so badly that you cannot return.
keep my fingers crossed/ˌkiːp ˌmaɪ ˈfɪŋɡəz krɒst/verbTo hope hard that something turns out the way you want.
music to my ears/ˌmjuːzɪk tə ˌmaɪ ˈɪəz/nounNews so welcome that hearing it makes you genuinely happy.
out of the woods/ˌaʊt əv ðə ˈwʊdz/adjPast the worst danger, though the situation is not perfect.
through thick and thin/ˌθruː ˌθɪk ˌənd ˈθɪn/advStaying loyal in easy times and in very difficult times.
water under the bridge/ˈwɔːtər ˌʌndə ðə brɪdʒ/nounAn old argument that nobody minds about any more.
cry over spilt milk/ˌkraɪ ˌəʊvə ˌspɪlt ˈmɪlk/verbTo waste time regretting a mistake you can no longer fix.
lose my cool/ˌluːz ˌmaɪ ˈkuːl/verbTo suddenly stop staying calm and get angry with someone.
the icing on the cake/ðə ˌaɪsɪŋ ˌɒn ðə ˈkeɪk/nounA small extra bonus that makes an already good thing better.
get a grip/ˌɡet ə ˈɡrɪp/verbTo take control of your feelings and behave sensibly again.

Учить этот раздел →

Unit 3 · Problems and setbacks

15 слов

in hot water/ˌɪn ˈhɒt ˌwɔːtə/adjIn trouble with a person who has authority over you.
a hot potato/ə ˌhɒt pəˈteɪˌtəʊ/nounA subject so awkward that people avoid dealing with it.
add fuel to the fire/ˌæd ˌfjuːəl tə ðə ˈfaɪə/verbTo say or do something that makes an angry situation worse.
back to square one/ˌbæk tə ˌskweə ˈwʌn/advForced to start again from the beginning after a failed attempt.
barking up the wrong tree/ˌbɑːkɪŋ ˌʌp ðə ˈrɒŋ triː/verbLooking for an answer in a place where it clearly is not.
get out of hand/ˌɡet ˌaʊt əv ˈhænd/verbTo grow so wild that nobody can control the situation anymore.
the tip of the iceberg/ðə ˌtɪp əv ðə ˈaɪsbəɡ/nounThe small visible part of a problem that is actually much bigger.
throw in the towel/ˌθrəʊ ˌɪn ðə ˈtaʊəl/verbTo stop trying and admit that you cannot win.
up in arms/ˌʌp ˌɪn ˈɑːmz/adjVery angry about something and protesting about it openly.
turn a blind eye/ˌtɜːn ə ˈblaɪnd aɪ/verbTo pretend not to notice something wrong that you clearly saw.
a storm in a teacup/ə ˌstɔːm ˌɪn ə ˈtiːˌkʌp/nounA loud fuss about something that hardly matters at all.
hit rock bottom/ˌhɪt ˈrɒk ˌbɒtəm/verbTo reach the lowest, worst point that a situation can reach.
a hard nut to crack/ə ˌhɑːd ˌnʌt tə ˈkræk/nounA problem or person that is very difficult to deal with.
a slap on the wrist/ə ˌslæp ˌɒn ðə ˈrɪst/nounA very mild punishment for something that deserved much more.
a wild goose chase/ə ˌwaɪld ˈɡuːs tʃeɪs/nounA long, useless search for something you were never going to find.

Учить этот раздел →

Unit 4 · Time and life

26 слов

once in a blue moon/ˌwʌns ˌɪn ə ˌbluː ˈmuːn/advVery rarely; it happens so seldom that people are surprised.
out of the blue/ˌaʊt əv ðə ˈbluː/advSuddenly and with no warning at all.
a blessing in disguise/ə ˌblesɪŋ ˌɪn dɪsˈɡaɪz/nounSomething that seems bad at first but later turns out well.
face the music/ˌfeɪs ðə ˈmjuːzɪk/verbTo accept criticism or punishment for something you did wrong.
jump on the bandwagon/ˌdʒʌmp ˌɒn ðə ˈbænˌdwæɡən/verbTo start doing what everyone else does because it became popular.
keep an eye on/ˌkiːp ˌæn ˈaɪ ɒn/verbTo watch a person or thing carefully so nothing goes wrong.
better late than never/ˌbetə ˌleɪt ˌðæn ˈnevə/advIt is still good to do something after the right time.
bite the bullet/ˌbaɪt ðə ˈbʊlət/verbTo force yourself to face an unpleasant thing you cannot avoid.
by the skin of my teeth/ˌbaɪ ðə ˌskɪn əv ˌmaɪ ˈtiːθ/advOnly just; you nearly failed and had nothing to spare.
hit the sack/ˌhɪt ðə ˈsæk/verbTo go to bed because you are tired and want sleep.
jump the gun/ˌdʒʌmp ðə ˈɡʌn/verbTo start doing something before the proper moment has arrived.
miss the boat/ˌmɪs ðə ˈbəʊt/verbTo lose a good chance because you waited far too long.
play it by ear/ˌpleɪ ˌɪt ˌbaɪ ˈiː/verbTo decide what to do as things happen, without a fixed plan.
time flies/ˌtaɪm ˈflaɪz/verbHours and days pass much faster than you expected.
at the drop of a hat/ət ðə ˌdrɒp əv ə ˈhæt/advStraight away, with no hesitation and no need for persuasion.
by and large/ˌbaɪ ˌənd ˈlɑːdʒ/advGenerally speaking, when you look at the whole picture.
easier said than done/ˌiːziə ˌsed ˌðæn ˈdʌn/adjSimple to suggest, but much harder to carry out in practice.
hit the road/ˌhɪt ðə ˈrəʊd/verbTo set off on a journey, or simply leave a place.
in the long run/ˌɪn ðə ˌlɒŋ ˈrʌn/advLooking far ahead, once a lot of time has passed.
paint the town red/ˌpeɪnt ðə ˌtaʊn ˈred/verbTo go out and enjoy a wild, noisy night of celebrating.
saved by the bell/ˌseɪvd ˌbaɪ ðə ˈbel/adjRescued at the final second, just before things went wrong.
sit tight/ˌsɪt ˈtaɪt/verbTo wait calmly where you are and not act yet.
take a rain check/ˌteɪk ə ˈreɪn tʃek/verbTo turn down an invitation now but accept it another time.
take the plunge/ˌteɪk ðə ˈplʌndʒ/verbTo finally commit to a big decision you were nervous about.
the best of both worlds/ðə ˌbest əv ˌbəʊθ ˈwɜːldz/nounGetting the good points of two choices without giving either up.
when pigs fly/ˌwen ˈpɪɡz flaɪ/advNever; used to say that something is completely impossible.

Учить этот раздел →

Unit 5 · Work, money and learning

30 слов

a piece of cake/ə ˌpiːs əv ˈkeɪk/nounSomething so easy that you finish it with almost no effort.
cost an arm and a leg/ˌkɒst ˌæn ˌɑːm ˌənd ə ˈleɡ/verbTo be very expensive, far more than most people want to pay.
call it a day/ˌkɔːl ˌɪt ə ˈdeɪ/verbTo stop working and decide that you have done enough for now.
bite off more than you can chew/ˌbaɪt ˌɒf ˌmɔː ˌðæn ˌjuː ˌkæn ˈtʃuː/verbTo agree to do more than you are really able to finish.
burn the midnight oil/ˌbɜːn ðə ˌmɪdˌnaɪt ˈɔɪl/verbTo keep working or studying until very late at night.
hit the books/ˌhɪt ðə ˈbʊks/verbTo start studying seriously, usually before an important test.
kill two birds with one stone/ˌkɪl ˌtuː ˌbɜːdz wɪð ˌwʌn ˈstəʊn/verbTo deal with two separate problems using just one action.
bend over backwards/ˌbend ˌəʊvə ˈbækwədz/verbTo make a huge effort to please or help another person.
draw a blank/ˌdrɔː ə ˈblæŋk/verbTo search your memory or records and find nothing at all.
know the ropes/ˌnəʊ ðə ˈrəʊps/verbTo understand well how a job or place actually works.
make ends meet/ˌmeɪk ˈendz miːt/verbTo earn only just enough money to pay for daily living.
no pain no gain/ˌnəʊ ˌpeɪn ˌnəʊ ˈɡeɪn/advYou cannot get a good result without hard, uncomfortable effort.
once bitten twice shy/ˌwʌns ˌbɪtən ˌtwaɪs ˈʃaɪ/adjCareful now because something similar went badly for you before.
ring a bell/ˌrɪŋ ə ˈbel/verbTo sound slightly familiar, though you cannot place it exactly.
steal my thunder/ˌstiːl ˌmaɪ ˈθʌndə/verbTo grab the praise or attention that another person had earned.
the ball is in my court/ðə ˌbɔːl ˌɪz ˌɪn ˌmaɪ ˈkɔːt/nounIt is now my turn to make the next decision.
wrap my head around/ˌræp ˌmaɪ ˈhed əˌraʊnd/verbTo finally understand an idea that felt confusing at first.
a dime a dozen/ə ˌdaɪm ə ˈdʌzən/adjSo common and easy to find that nobody values them much.
a drop in the ocean/ə ˌdrɒp ˌɪn ðə ˈəʊʃən/nounAn amount so small that it barely changes a huge problem.
as easy as pie/ˌæz ˌiːzi ˌæz ˈpaɪ/adjExtremely simple; you finish it without any trouble at all.
break the bank/ˌbreɪk ðə ˈbæŋk/verbTo use up so much money that you cannot afford it.
bring home the bacon/ˌbrɪŋ ˌhəʊm ðə ˈbeɪkən/verbTo earn the money that keeps a household running.
call the shots/ˌkɔːl ðə ˈʃɒts/verbTo be the person who decides what a group will do.
get the hang of it/ˌɡet ðə ˈhæŋ əv ɪt/verbTo learn how a skill works after practising it a while.
leave no stone unturned/ˌliːv ˌnəʊ ˌstəʊn ənˈtɜːnd/verbTo try every possible way and check every possible place.
pass with flying colors/ˌpɑːs wɪð ˌflaɪɪŋ ˈkʌləz/verbTo do extremely well in a test, far above the minimum.
put all my eggs in one basket/ˌpʊt ˌɔːl ˌmaɪ ˌeɡz ˌɪn ˌwʌn ˈbɑːskɪt/verbTo risk everything on one single plan instead of spreading it.
rock the boat/ˌrɒk ðə ˈbəʊt/verbTo upset a calm situation by saying or doing something risky.
sell like hot cakes/ˌsel ˌlaɪk ˈhɒt keɪks/verbTo be bought so fast that supplies run out almost immediately.
take the bull by the horns/ˌteɪk ðə ˌbʊl ˌbaɪ ðə ˈhɔːnz/verbTo face a difficult problem bravely instead of avoiding it.

Учить этот раздел →