1.flying colors--success, victory
2.little by little--gradually
3.call off--cancel
4.come into--receive, especially after another's death
5.put off--postpone
6.stop by--make a brief visit on one's way elsewhere
7.tie up--hinder
8.be out for--trying to get
9.fill in for--take another's place
10.turn down-- (1) refuse or reject
(2) reduce the loudness of
11.go off--begin to ring
12.cut down--lessen; reduce; limit
13.come up with--produce; supply
14.make it-- (1) achieve a specific goal
(2) succeed in general
15.catch one's eye--attract one's attention
16.care for-- (1) like; value
(2) look after; take care of
17.head and shoulders above--much better
18.catch on--become popular
19.on the whole--in general
20.fill sb in--tell what sb should know
21.in a nutshell--in a few words
22.from top to bottom--completely; entirely
23.take the plunge--enter with sudden decision upon an unfamiliar course
of action
24.on the tip of one's tongue--unable to be recalled
25.cheer up--feel happy; stop being sad or discouraged; become hopeful
26.hold off--postpone; delay
27.on cloud nine--a state of perfect happiness
28.back out--withdraw from an undertaking
29.grin and bear it--be as cheerful as possible in pain or trouble; do something without complaining
30.turn out to be--come to be; prove
31.bite off more than one can chew--attempt something that exceeds one's ability
32.in the air--uncertain
33.get hold off--find a person so you can speak with him
34.learn the ropes--acquire thorough or special knowledge of a job
35.tear oneself away from--depart with great reluctance; force oneself to leave
36.tie up--engage or occupy completely
37.touch on--mention a subject briefly or casually
39.see to it--take care; take the responsibility; make sure
40.get along with--live or work in harmony with
41.give away--give as present
42.account for--explain
43.out of print--no longer available for purchase from the publisher
44.send out--distribute
45.in no time--in a very brief time; almost at once
46.before long--soon; without much delay
47.play by ear--(1)play an instrument without using written music (2
)handle a matter without adequate preparation or guidance
48.wear and tear--loss or damage caused by use
49.come what may--no matter what happens
50.drop by--make a short or unplanned visit
51.be short of--not having enough
52.cut it out--stop doing sth
53.be sick of--be tired of; having a strong dislike of
54.look for a needle in a haystack(a bottle)--search for something in a place where it is hopelessly lost.
55.knock oneself out--work very hard; make a great effort
56.run up against--encounter
57.far from--anything but; not at all
58.far from it--by no means; not at all
59.hang on to--hold tightly; keep firmly
60.get nowhere--be unsuccessful; obtain no result
61.day in and day out--every day; all the time
62.break down--cease to function
63.get going--get started; begin to move
64.take one's time--not hurry
65.boil down to--indicate, especially as a final judgement or analysis
66.make up--take a test for the second time
67.put up with--bear with patience; tolerate
68.by and by--before long
69.give someone a hand--help; assist
70.ring a bell--sound familiar
71.snap out of it--
(1)change one's habits, attitude, etc, suddenly
(2)regain one's composure, energy, or good spirits; recover
72.raise the roof--make trouble; start a fight or an argument
73.get away with--escape without punishment
74.on business--with definite work to do
75.look up--search for; as an item of information, in a reference book
76.let up—
(1)cease; stop
(2)slacken; abate
77.in any case(or event)--no matter what happens
79.look into--investigate; inspect
80.fall back on--rely on
81.spell out--explain very clearly or in detail
82.wrap up--bring to end, especially a successful conclusion
83.save one's breath--keep silent because talking will not help
84.hold up—
(1)delay; hinder
(2)endure, last
85.have one's hands full--be very busy; be able to do no more
86.How come?--How is it? Why?
87.stick around--stay or wait nearby
88.make out--get along; manage
89.turn up--appear, turn out, show up
90.hold off--postpone; delay
91.over one's head--beyond one's power to understand
92.stock up--buy up; lay in a good supply of
93.stay put--stay in place; not leave
94.keep up--continue
95.tie up--occupy completely
96.in and out--coming in and going out often
97.make ends meet--make one's income suffice without incurring debt
98.on and on--without stopping
99.out of this world--wonderful; great
100.in a row--(1)in line; in alignment
(2)in succession; successively
101.wait around--waiting in vain
102.cool off(down)--make or become calm
103.hold the grudge--having hard feelings
104.come a long way--show much improvement; make great progress
105.straighten out--correct a mistake; make you realize you are wrong
106.once and for all--finally or decisively
107.put...away--put in the right place or out of sight
108.out of it--not concerned with; not involved in
109.bump into--meet by chance; run into
110.out of stock--lacking a supply of, especially temporarily
111.per se--in itself
112.keep to oneself--avoid the society of others
113.go out of one's way--make special effort to help somebody or do something
114.put up--accomodate; lodge
115.under the weather--some what ill; in low spirit
116.come in handy--prove useful
117.talk one out of--make one leave off or forego something by talking
118.wait on--serve; attend as a servant
119.go all out--make one's utmost effort
120.on sale--at a reduced price
121.try out--enter as a competitor
122.pass up--give up; renounce; reject
123.on behalf of--as a representative of
124.stay up--not to go to bed
125.the odds are--the chances are; the probability is
126.hold over--postpone
127.out of order--in the wrong arrangement or condition; not working right
128.booked up--have no seats or rooms left; have no free time left
129.fit in--find time to see someone
130.go in one ear and out the other--make no impression
131.measure up--have the necessary qualifications
132.change of pace--a temporary shift or variation in the normal routine or
regular pattern of activity
133.run out of--exhaust the quantity or supply of
134.go by--follow; obey
135.take it out on--cause someone else to suffer for one's own misfortune or
dissatisfaction
136.get around to--find the necessary time for
137.put out--disturb; annoy
