📔 Sail close to the wind
📋Meaning
To act just within the limits of what’s legal or socially acceptable, to push boundaries.
🤔For example ⬇️
🗣 “They fired their accountant because he sailed too close to the wind.”
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📔 picturesque
📋Meaning
visually attractive, especially in a quaint or pretty style.
🤔For example ⬇️
🗣 the picturesque covered bridges of New England
🗣 the picturesque narrow street s of the old city.
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📔 with you back against the wall
📋Meaning
in a difficult situation without many options
🤔For example ⬇️
🗣 I wish I could help you, but my back is against the wall because I don’t get paid for two more weeks.
🗣 After failing three quizzes, my son's back is against the wall and he's got to pass all of the rest of them.
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📔 Rain or shine
📋Meaning
Used to indicate that something will happen no matter what. This is one of the rare idioms that’s also often used literally, for outdoor events that’ll take place whether it rains or not.
🤔For example ⬇️
🗣 “I’ll see you at the airport, rain or shine.”
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📔 bear fruit
📋Meaning
to yield a positive result
to produce a desired result
🤔For example ⬇️
🗣 You've been going to the library everyday for the past two months so I really hope your studying bears fruit this semester.
🗣 We were pleased to see that our management training program bore fruit when staff retention and productivity both increased by more than 50% over the past year.
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📔 In hot water
📋Meaning
When someone is in hot water, they’re in a bad situation or serious trouble.
🤔For example ⬇️
🗣 “My brother is in hot water for failing all his college classes.”
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📔 Pour oil on troubled waters
📋Meaning
To try to make people feel better and become friendly again after an argument.
🤔For example ⬇️
🗣 “She hated seeing her two best friends arguing, so she got them together and poured oil on troubled waters.”
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📔 Gain ground
📋Meaning
To become popular, to make progress, to advance.
🤔For example ⬇️
🗣 “As Airbnb gains ground in many cities all over the world, many locals complain that they can no longer find a place to live. Landlords would rather rent their places out to tourists and earn more money.”
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📔 To be closefisted
📋Meaning
Someone who doesn’t want to spend money. Similar to being stingy.
🤔For example ⬇️
🗣 “Carl is so closefisted, he won’t even buy snacks for the Christmas party.”
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📔 Midas touch
📋Meaning
To be able to make money easily. This idiom comes from the story of King Midas , who turned everything he touched into gold.
🤔For example ⬇️
🗣 “Jane really has the Midas touch. Every business she starts becomes very successful.”
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📔 wear the pants
📋Meaning
to be the person who makes all of the decisions or is the dominant partner in a relationship
🤔For example ⬇️
🗣 My grandma was a tiny little lady but she definitely wore the pants in her marriage.
🗣 Everyone thinks the director's so tough but his secretary wears the pants in their work relationship.
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📔 Drink like a fish
📋Meaning
to drink too much alcohol at one time.
🤔For example ⬇️
🗣 I'm worried about Paul—he's been drinking like a fish again.
🗣 I hate going to fraternity parties—it's not very fun when I'm sober and everyone else is drinking like a fish.
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📔 15 minutes of fame
📋Meaning
A brief period of celebrity or notoriety. The term was coined by artist Andy Warhol.
🤔For example ⬇️
🗣Jane had her 15 minutes of fame when she appeared on the nightly news broadcast.
🗣That viral video gave Sam his 15 minutes of fame.
🗣I've seen what celebrity does to people, so I'm really not interested in getting 15 minutes of fame.
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📔on the hush-hush
📋Meaning
In a state of secrecy or minimal public knowledge; being known only by a select few people.
🤔For example ⬇️
🗣I need to tell you some important news, but you have to keep it on the hush-hush, OK?
🗣Apparently it's on the hush-hush, but I just found out John and Tracey are getting married soon!
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📔 riffraff
📋Meaning
Undesirable, disreputable, or vulgar people, often used in a condescending manner.
🤔For example ⬇️
🗣I wouldn't be seen in a place like that, there's a lot of riffraff that hang out around there.
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📔 a cut above the rest
📋Meaning
Better in quality than most others.
🤔For example ⬇️
🗣This new restaurant is a cut above the rest.
🗣Trust me, Johannes is a cut above the rest. If you want the best legal advice money can buy, he's your man.
🗣An entrant's essay must be a cut above the rest for it to win our top prize.
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📔 a cut above the rest
📋Meaning
Better in quality than most others.
🤔For example ⬇️
🗣This new restaurant is a cut above the rest.
🗣Trust me, Johannes is a cut above the rest. If you want the best legal advice money can buy, he's your man.
🗣An entrant's essay must be a cut above the rest for it to win our top prize.
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📔 cushy job
📋Meaning
A job that is easy, stress-free, and/or very well paid.
🤔For example ⬇️
🗣Since I got this cushy job managing a toy store, I've gotten to sit around playing with toys all day.
🗣Since Sarah got that cushy job with the bank, she has been driving a sports car and is buying a second home!
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📔 crushing blow
📋Meaning
A major defeat or setback that is devastating to the goals of a person, group, or organization.
🤔For example ⬇️
🗣The team's loss last Sunday was a crushing blow to their chances for a championship.
🗣Failing that test was a crushing blow to my hopes for an honors degree.
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📔 slanging match
📋Meaning
A bitter argument or dispute in which each side hurls numerous insults, accusations, or verbal abuse at one another. Primarily heard in UK.
🤔For example ⬇️
🗣At first, I thought we were just going through a rough patch in our relationship, but lately, it seems like every night Janet and I get into a slanging match with each other. It might be time to end things.
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📔 case of the dropsy
📋Meaning
A fictitious "condition" characterized by continually dropping things from one's hands. It is a play on the term "dropsy," which was formerly used to denote the condition now known as edema (or oedema).
🤔For example ⬇️
🗣I've broken four or five plates since I started work. I guess I've got a bad case of the dropsy today.
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📔 soaked to the bone
📋Meaning
Extremely or completely wet, especially through one's clothing.
🤔For example ⬇️
🗣I can't believe you pushed me into the pool! Now I have to walk home soaked to the bone!
🗣The kids let themselves get soaked to the bone out in the rain, and now one of them is coming down with a cold!
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📔 banker's hours
📋Meaning
A limited work schedule (as banks were once known for having short work days and being closed on holidays and weekends).
🤔For example ⬇️
🗣You won't be able to reach her on a Saturday—she keeps banker's hours.
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📔 rolling in dough
📋Meaning
Exceptionally wealthy; having large amounts of money to spend.
🤔For example ⬇️
🗣I hear her father is rolling in dough, so I wouldn't be too worried about her future.
🗣Once we get this plan underway, we'll be rolling in dough in no time!
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📔 bad omen
📋Meaning
A sign, either real or imagined, of ill fortune or catastrophe in the future.
🤔For example ⬇️
🗣It was a bad omen when my girlfriend broke up with me the day before my final exams.
🗣All of the recent natural disasters are a bad omen for the future of the planet.
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📔 backslider
📋Meaning
One who reverts or relapses into bad habits, unethical or immoral behavior, or criminal activity.
🤔For example ⬇️
🗣We've tried to help her quit smoking, but she's a bit of a backslider.
🗣Jimmy's too much of a backslider to stay true to the practices of the church.
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📔 living on the edge
📋Meaning
To have an adventurous or perilous lifestyle; to behave in a manner which creates risks for oneself.
🤔For example ⬇️
🗣 Despite the apparent respectability, he was a man who liked to live on the edge.
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📔 Walking on air
📋Meaning
Very excited or happy. “Over the moon,” “on cloud nine,” “in seventh heaven” and “in good spirits”
🤔For example ⬇️
🗣 “She’s been walking on air since she found out that she’s pregnant.”
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📔 Eat like a bird
📋Meaning
How much does a bird eat? Not very much, right? So to eat like a bird is to eat very little.
🤔For example ⬇️
🗣 “Don’t trouble yourself cooking such a big meal. I eat like a bird.”
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📔 jazz something / someone up
📋Meaning
to make something or someone more interesting, appealing, exciting or stylish
🤔For example ⬇️
🗣 I love how French women dress. They know just how to jazz a simple outfit up with something very unique.
🗣 What time can we get into the gym tomorrow afternoon? We need to jazz it up for the school dance.
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