Listening Idioms
<1>
About to : almost ready to
Above all : most importantly
Add up : make sense, be logical
All at once : suddenly, without warning
All of a sudden : all at once, suddenly
As a matter of fact : in reality, actually
As a rule : generally, customarily
At ease : not nervous, calm
At the drop of a hat : quickly, without any preparation time
Back out (of) : withdraw an offer
Bank on : depend on, count on, rely on
Be my guest : do what you want, feel free, help yourself
Be rusty : need practice or review
Beats me : I don’t know, I have no idea (often used in response to a question)
Better off : in an improved condition
Bite off more than one can chew : take on more responsibility than one can handle
Bound to : certain to, sure to
Break down : stop functioning (a machine, for example)
Break in (on) : interrupt
Break the ice : break through social barriers (as at a party)
Break the news (to) : inform, give bad news
Break up : end (a meeting, for example)
Break up (with) : stop being a couple (a boyfriend and girlfriend, for example)
A breeze : something very simple and easy to do
Bring about : cause to happen
Bring up : (1) raise (a child)
(2) introduce (a topic, for example)
Brush up on : review, study, practice
Bump into : meet unexpectedly, run into
By and large : mostly, generally, on the whole
By heart : by memory, learned word for word
By no means : in no way, not at all
<2>
call it a day : stop working for the day, go home
call off : cancel
call on : visit
calm down : relax
care for : (1) take care of
(2) like, feel affection for
catch on : become popular
catch on (to) : understand, learn
catch up (with) : go as fast as, catch
check in (or into) : register (at a hotel)
check out (of) : (1) leave (a hotel)
(2) take material (from a library, for example)
cheer up : become cheerful, be happy
chip in (on/for) : contribute
clear up : (1) clarify, make understandable
(2) become nice and sunny (used to talk about the weather)
come across : find, meet, encounter
come around (to) : begin to change one’s opinion, begin to agree with
come down with : become sick with (an illness)
come up with : think of (an idea)
cost an arm and a leg : be very expensive
count on : depend on, rely on, bank on
count out : eliminate, no longer consider as a factor
cut off : stop, discontinue (a service, for example)
cut out for : have an aptitude for, be qualified for
<3>
day in and day out : constantly, for a long time
die down : become less severe, quiet down
do over : do again, repeat
do without : not have
down the drain : wasted, done for no reason (work , for example)
dream up : invent, think of, come up with
drop (someone) a line : send someone a letter
drop in (on) : visit informally
drop off : (1) leave something (a package, for example)
(2) take (someone) home, let someone out of a car
drop out (of) : stop attending (classes, for example)
easy as pie : very simple, a piece of cake
eyes bigger than one’s stomach : said of someone who takes more food than he or she can eat
fall behind : not move as quickly as, lag behind
fall through : fail to happen
a far cry from : not similar, not as good as
fed up (with) : not able to tolerate, disgusted with, annoyed by
feel free : do something if one wants
feel like : be inclined to, want to
feel like a million dollars : feel very good
feel up to : feel able to do something, ready to
few and far between : uncommon and infrequent
figure out : understand, solve
fill in : write in a blank (on an application form, for example)
fill in (for) : substitute for
fill one in : provide missing information
fill out : complete (an application form, for example)
find out : learn, discover
a fish out of water : someone not in his or her normal surroundings
fix up : repair, renovate
follow in one’s footsteps : do what someone else did (especially a parent)
for good : permanently, forever
for the time being : temporarily, for now
from out of the blue : unexpectedly, without warning
<4>
get a kick out of (doing something) : enjoy, have fun (doing something)
get along with : have good relations with
get carried away : go too far, do too much, buy too much
get in one’s blood : become a habit, become customary
get in over one’s head : take on too much responsibility, bite off more than one can chew
get in the way : block, obstruct
get in touch with : contact
get off : leave (a vehicle)
get off the ground : start to be successful
get on : board (a vehicle)
get over : recover from (a disease)
get rid of : discard, no longer have
get under way : begin, start
give (someone) a cold shoulder : act unfriendly toward someone, ignore
give away : distribute (for free)
get the hang of something : learn how to do something
give a hand : applaud, clap
give a hand (with) : assist
go easy on : not punish severely
go on (with) : continue
go overboard : do too much, buy too much
go with : (1) accompany
(2) look good together, complement (for example, two articles of clothing)
go without saying : be clear, be obvious
grow up : mature, become an adult
<5>
hand in : give back to, return
hand out : distribute
hang on : wait
hard to come by : difficult to find
have a heart : be compassionate, show mercy
have a hunch : have an intuitive feeling
have a word with (someone) : talk to someone briefly
have on : wear
have one’s hands full : be very busy, have a challenging job
have the time of one’s life : have fun, have a great time
hear firsthand (from) : get information directly from someone
hear from : be contacted by, be in touch with
hear of : know about, be familiar with
hit it off : become friendly (especially at a first meeting)
hit the road : leave, go away
hold on : wait
hold on (to) : grasp
hold still : not move
hold up : delay
