آموزش زبان انگلیسی
آموزش زبان انگلیسی ,آموزش گرامر انگلیسی , مکالمه انگلیسی, اصطلاح , لغت , تست , سرگرمی , ضرب المثل, شعر , داستان , نکته ها ی مهم , و اخبار جالب..آموزش زبان انگلیسی
آموزش زبان انگلیسی ,آموزش گرامر انگلیسی , مکالمه انگلیسی, اصطلاح , لغت , تست , سرگرمی , ضرب المثل, شعر , داستان , نکته ها ی مهم , و اخبار جالب..FOOD IDIOMS
FOOD IDIOMS
apple of her/his eye
MEANING: someone or something that one likes a lot
EXAMPLE:
The little girl is the apple of her grandfather’s eye.
bad egg
MEANING: a bad person, bum
EXAMPLE:
That man is a bad egg so you should try and avoid him if you can.
big cheese
MEANING: an important person, a leader
EXAMPLE:
He is a big cheese in his company so you should be very nice to him.
bread and butter
MEANING: basic needs of life (food,shelter,clothing)
EXAMPLE:
The voters are worried about bread and butter issues like jobs and taxes.
bring home the bacon
MEANING: earn your family’s living
EXAMPLE:
Recently he has been working very hard trying to bring home the bacon. He has no time to do anything else.
butter up
MEANING: flatter someone to try to get their favor or friendship
EXAMPLE:
He spends most of his free time trying to butter up his boss so that he won’t have to work so hard.
carrot and stick
MEANING: promising to reward or punish someone at the same time
EXAMPLE:
The government took a carrot and stick approach to the people who were illegally protesting against the construction of the dam.
cool as a cucumber
MEANING: calm, not nervous or anxious
EXAMPLE:
He is always as cool as a cucumber and never worries about anything.
couch potato
MEANING: a very lazy person
EXAMPLE:
He is a real couch potato and just sits around watching TV and staying indoors all day.
cream of the crop
MEANING: best of a group, the top choice
EXAMPLE:
The company is well-known as a good place to work and is always able to hire the cream of the crop of university graduates.
cry over spilt milk
MEANING: cry or complain about something that has already happened
EXAMPLE:
Don’t cry over spilt milk. The past is past and you can’t do anything to change it.
cup of tea
MEANING: something one enjoys or does well
EXAMPLE:
Going to art galleries is not my cup of tea so I think that I will stay home this evening and not go with you.
eat crow
MEANING: admit one is mistaken or defeated, take back a mistaken statement
EXAMPLE:
I was forced to eat crow and had to apologize for the mistake that I made about the restructuring of our company.
eat dirt
MEANING: act humble, accept another’s insult or bad treatment
EXAMPLE:
We made him eat dirt after he accused us of lying about the salary cut.
eat humble pie
MEANING: be humbled, admit one’s error and apologize
EXAMPLE:
Our boss was forced to eat humble pie after everyone realized that he had made the wrong budget estimate for next year.
eat one’s cake and have it too
MEANING: use or spend something and still keep it
EXAMPLE:
He refuses to give up anything and always wants to eat his cake and have it too.
eat one’s words
MEANING: take back something one has said, admit something is not true
EXAMPLE:
I told my boss that I would be leaving but later I had to eat my words and tell him that I wanted to stay.
egg on
MEANING: urge someone on
EXAMPLE:
Many people at the soccer game were egged on by the drunken fans.
finger in the pie
MEANING: participate in something that is happening
EXAMPLE:
He always tries to keep his finger in the pie so that he can control everything.
full of beans
MEANING: feel energetic, in high spirits
EXAMPLE:
She is full of beans tonight and doesn’t want to stop talking.
gravy train
MEANING: a job or work that pays more than it is worth
EXAMPLE:
For many years his job was a real gravy train but now the company has become very strict and will not pay overtime.
half-baked
MEANING: not thought out or studied carefully
EXAMPLE:
He has a half-baked idea about starting a new business but most of us think that it will fail.
hand to someone on a silver platter
MEANING: give a person something that has not been earned
EXAMPLE:
His education was handed to him on a silver platter and now he is very spoiled and selfish.
hard nut to crack
MEANING: something or someone difficult to understand or do
EXAMPLE:
He is a very serious person and is a very hard nut to crack.
(get or) have egg on one’s face
MEANING: be embarrassed
EXAMPLE:
He has egg on his face because everyone knows that he was sick at the party.
hit the sauce
MEANING: drink alcohol - usually regularly
EXAMPLE:
I think that she has begun to hit the sauce since her husband lost his job.
hot potato
MEANING: a question or argument that is controversial and difficult to settle
EXAMPLE:
The issue of building the nuclear power plant is a real hot potato for the local town council.
in a nutshell
MEANING: briefly, in a few words
EXAMPLE:
We went to the meeting and they told us in a nutshell what would be happening to everyone next year.
in the soup
MEANING: in serious trouble, in disorder
EXAMPLE:
She is really in the soup now. She told her boss that she was sick but he saw her downtown shopping.
make one’s mouth water
MEANING: look or smell very good, want to eat or drink very much
EXAMPLE:
The restaurant is supposed to be wonderful and every time that I see the menu it makes my mouth water.
nutty as a fruitcake
MEANING: crazy
EXAMPLE:
He is a very nice man but he acts strange sometimes and I often think that he is as nutty as a fruitcake.
out of the frying pan and into the fire
MEANING: go from something bad to something worse
EXAMPLE:
She quit the job because of some small problems but she has jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire because now her problems are much worse.
out to lunch
MEANING: crazy, mad
EXAMPLE:
She is totally out to lunch and you should never believe what she tells you.
piece of cake
MEANING: a task that is easily accomplished
EXAMPLE:
It was a piece of cake. I had everything done before lunch this morning.
polish the apple
MEANING: flatter someone
EXAMPLE:
Nobody likes her because she is always trying to polish the apple with her teacher.
souped up
MEANING: change something to make it faster or more powerful by changing or adding something
EXAMPLE:
The new car that his neighbor bought is a souped up model of the one that he had last year.
salt away
MEANING: save money
EXAMPLE:
He has been working there for seven years and has been able to salt away quite a lot of money.
sell like hotcakes
MEANING: sell quickly or rapidly
EXAMPLE:
The new CD has only been released for about a week but already it is selling like hotcakes.
spill the beans
MEANING: tell a secret to someone who is not supposed to know about it
EXAMPLE:
Please don’t spill the beans about my plans to quit working and go back to school next year.
stew in one’s own juice
MEANING: suffer from something that one has caused to happen
EXAMPLE:
He is the one who caused the problem for himself and is now being forced to stew in his own juice.
take with a grain of salt
MEANING: accept or believe only part of something
EXAMPLE:
You should take everything that he says with a grain of salt as everyone knows that he likes to exaggerate things when he is speaking.
upset the applecart
MEANING: ruin a plan or event by surprise or accident
EXAMPLE:
Everything was going well at the company until he came along and upset the apple cart.
worth one’s salt
MEANING: being a good worker, worth what one is paid
EXAMPLE:
He has only been working here for a month but over and over he has proved that he is worth his salt.
آموزش زبان انگلیسیEnglish Tongue-Twisters
Lets have fun.
Phrases to be repeated rapidly
- A cricket critic
- A black bug's blood
- Irish wristwatch
- Legend tripping
- Liril
- Red lorry, yellow lorry
-
Variants
- Red leather, yellow leather
- Red welly, yellow welly
- Road-roller
- Upper roller, lower roller
- Rubber baby buggy bumpers
- Toy boat
- Unique New York
- Stupid Superstition
Idiom
beard the lion in his den and beard someone in his den
Better be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion.
March comes in like a lion, and goes out like a lamb, and In like a lion, out like a lamb.
the lion's share
The Advantages of Learning with Phonics
Even if you know some of the basics of English, you might find it helpful to review some materials on phonics. Basically, phonics is a method that teaches reading based on taking the audible building blocks of words and assigning meaning to them – similar to working with syllables. However, when you’re learning with phonics, there’s more of an emphasis on verbally sounding out each segment of a word. As you learn to recognize meanings associated certain groups of letters, you’ll have an easier time comprehending sentences – as well as speaking and writing them.
Correlating sounds to written letters
Once you know how to read, write, and speak a language, you may take for granted the ever-present relationship between what is heard and what is written. When you were learning to speak your native language, you probably encountered words that had to be broken down into smaller chunks that didn’t necessarily have meaning by themselves. Similarly, as you learned to read and write in your native language, you probably also had to rely on these verbal building blocks to learn how they were represented on paper.
Therefore, when you’re trying to learn a new language, you’ll need to work with these pre-existing correlations – as well as try to develop ones for the new language you’re learning. Phonics can help you learn the patterns of the English language by comparing them to your native language. While this may at first seem confusing, once you learn to correlate sounds to images, you’ll be able to use much more of your natural language acquisition abilities to help you along.
Getting the most out of your existing language patterns
Babies are the masters of language acquisition. Before they begin to study one language exclusively, they are capable of babbling every sound found in every human language on earth. However, as they grow and begin to practice one language, they lose the ability to hear and speak sounds that aren’t used in the language they’re learning – which is why you’ll always speak a foreign language with an accent. Unfortunately, once the ability to hear these different sound patterns is lost, you aren’t likely to gain it back later in life.
Even if you can’t hear a specific sound, you can still use phonics to help you identify those areas and build your comprehension skills. This will improve your understanding of written English, and may also help you identify weak points in your verbal speech patterns. While these exercises may seem very simple, they can be useful regardless of how much English you already know.
Unfortunately, many teachers feel that phonics is not the best method for teaching people how to read and understand English. Therefore, it’s rarely mentioned to individuals that are trying to learn English as a second language. If you believe your learning style might be better suited to learning English through phonics, consider investing in programs like “Hooked on Phonics” to help you improve your language skills.
Learn English Vocabulary آموزش لغات زبان انگلیسی
Here are just some examples of words coming into English from other languages
|
phrase |
meaning |
word |
Language |
|
An amber necklace |
Yellow-orange precious stone |
Amber |
Arabic |
|
The cooking rooster |
List of people's turns for jobs |
Roster |
Dutch |
|
Our old tabby |
Female or stripy cat |
Tabby |
Farsi |
|
Advertising gimmicks |
Frivolous way of attracting attention |
gimmick |
German |
|
Take a tonic |
Medicine to make you feel more lively |
Tonic |
Greek |
|
Sleep in a cot |
Child's bed to make with high vertical sides |
cot |
Hindi |
|
Wear a turban |
Type of men's headwear |
turban |
Turkish |
Collocations with Equipment
Collocations with Equipment
An important step to improving your vocabulary is to not only learn the appropriate terms, but to learn the words that commonly go together with those terms. These word combinations are often, adjective + noun, verb + noun, and noun + verb pairs. Each of these collocation sheets provide collocations for commonly used words arranged into categories. Each collocation is illustrated with an example sentence.
Adjectives + "Equipment"
The following list are adjectives that are commonly used with the noun 'equipment'. Each adjective has an example sentence to illustrate usage.
the latest
He always buys the latest fishing equipment to make sure he catches the most fish.
modern
They've g
ot quite a bit of modern computer equipment in the house.
state-of-the-art
The lab uses only state-of-the-art equipment.
up-to-date
Our equipment is up-to-date, but not state-of-the-art.
high tech
I love browsing in stores with lots of high tech equipment.
sophisticated
We use sophisticated equipment to track weather across the region.
technical
Our technical equipment is equal to any task.
sensitive
Be careful when you use that equipment. It's very sensitive.
essential
Be sure to gather all the essential equipment before you begin the experiment.
faulty
We need to get rid of that faulty equipment and buy the latest.
gym
The school bought state-of-the-art gym equipment this year.
office
Office equipment manufactures do billions in business each year.
scientific
The laboratory employs a wide range of scientific equipment.
electronic
The studio provides a wide range of electronic equipment for your needs.
Verbs + "Equipment"
buy, purchase
I've been saving to purchase the new equipment.
sell
Best Buy sells a wide range of audio equipment.
provide, supply
Our company supplies a number of leading hospitals with medical equipment.
install
You'll need to ask a specialist to install this equipment.
upgrade
We need to upgrade our scientific equipment.
operate
You don't need to be a genius to operate this equipment.
require
This profession requires a wide range of equipment.
"Equipment" + Verbs
consist of something
The required equipment consists of two transformers and a switch.
work
The equipment is working now.
malfunction
Unfortunately, the equipment is malfunctioning at the moment.
"Equipment" + Nouns
maker, manufacturer
There are a number of high tech equipment manufacturers in the area.
supplier, vendor
The best computer equipment vendor is down the street.
rental
It's best to go with equipment rental for that project. Buying that technical equipment is far too expensive.
Phrases + "Equipment"
the right
Don't try that experiment without the right equipment.
the proper
Make sure to have all the proper equipment before you begin
GOOD LUCK
Fatemeh
The story of idioms
The story of idioms
Once upon a time there was a 13 year old kid named Nick. He lived in a city called idioms.There language mostly uses idioms in it.
One day Nicks mom ask him to clean his room and Nick said why should I.Nicks mom said um well and then Nick said hay mom, cat got your toung.So nick got grounded and had to clean his room.
The next week after nick wasnt grounded anymore nick had some friends over.It was a really hot day so they decided to go swimming.Nick was walking on the edge of the pool when Nicks friends pushed nick in with all of his cloths on.Nick got out of the pool and told his friends they were sitting ducks.So nick decided to chase after them and Nick got in trouble bye the life gaurd said stop running and Nick said for what and the life guard said well um and Nick said what cat got your toung.So nick had to walk home while his friends got to swim and have fun.Nick was very mad as a wet hen.The next day nick had to go to school and nick was very tired.There was a half an hour left of school and nick was really ready to go home and nick was not paying attention and his teacher got mad at him and told nick that he had to stay after school and nick was hot under the collar.When Nick left school he told the teacher that he should keep it under the hat, the teacher said if the shoes fit,wear it.So nick said ok.So nick told his mom and his mom said why were you off your rocker.So nicks mom told nick his punishment was to work in the garden with his mom.So nick complained that he had a green thumb.When nick was working in the garden hismom was back seat driving him.So nick told his mom to bug off.Nicks mom did not like that at all so Nick had to work in the garden for longer time.
سلام...
شرمنده برای مدتی تقریبا طولانی نبودم ...
از این به بعد بیشتر و منسجم تر در خدمت هستم...
فاطمه
24 Things To Always Remember
24 Things To Always Remember
Your presence is a present to the world.
You are unique and one of a kind.
Count your blessings, not your troubles.
Do not put limits on yourself.
Nothing wastes more energy than worrying.
Remember that a little love goes a long way.
Your life can be what you want it to be.
Take the days just one at a time.
You will make it through whatever comes along.
Within you are so many answers.
Understand, have courage, be strong.
So many dreams are waiting to be realized.
Decisions are too important to leave to chance.
Reach for your peak, your goal and you prize.
The longer one carries a problem the heavier it gets.
Do not take things too seriously.
Live a life of serenity, not a life of regrets.
Remember that a lot … goes forever.
Remember that friendship is a wise investment.
Life’s treasure are people together.
آموزش زبان انگلیسیSuccess Quotes
A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation
with the bricks others have thrown at him.
"God gives every bird a worm, but he does not throw it into the nest." Swedish Proverb
"I believe life is to be lived, not worked, enjoyed, not agonized, loved, not hated."
Leland Bartlett
I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.
Michael Jordan
من به دلایلی دسترسی به اینترنتم بسیار محدود شده.اگه میبینین کامنت میزارین جواب نمیدم عذر میخوام نمیتونم.همونطور که میبینین دیر به دیر هم اپدیت میکنم.دلم نمیاید بعد این همه سال دلم نمیاد اینجا رو ول کنم.لطفا همکاری کنید.
آموزش زبان انگلیسی- چند تا بازی فلش برای یادگیری انگلیسی
2.http://englishflashgames.blogspot.com/
3.http://www.marks-english-school.com/games/g_present.html
4.http://englishflashgames.blogspot.com/2008/05/colours-game.html
5.http://englishflashgames.blogspot.com/2008/09/food-game.html
6.http://www.englishgamezone.com/flash-arcade-game.php?gameid=34315&gamename=Hangman%20Total
7.http://englishflashgames.blogspot.com/2008/06/prepositions-of-place-game.html
English idioms using آموزش اصطلاحات زبان انگلیسی
to be hot = very popular / fashionable: "Iceland is a really hot weekend destination at the moment."
a hot favourite = someone / something most likely to win: "Red Rum was always the hot favourite to win the Grand National."
a hot tip = important or useful suggestion: "He gave me a hot tip for my interview."
a hot topic = an issue which is important: "Climate change is a hot topic at the moment."
hot off the press = very new story: "This gossip is hot off the press."
to get too hot = become too dangerous: "Things are getting too hot and the relief agencies are pulling out of the area."
a hot date = a date with someone you find very attractive: "She's got a hot date tonight!"
hot stuff = attractive: "Her new boyfriend is hot stuff."
in the hot seat = in a position of responsibility: "You make the decisions – you're in the hot seat now!"
in hot water = in trouble because you have done something wrong: "If you send that email now, you'll find yourself in hot water with the boss."
have a hot temper = to get angry easily: "He has a hot temper, so don't provoke him into an argument."
get hot under the collar = get angry about something which isn't very important: "You always seem to get hot under the collar about people's driving habits. Don't let it worry you!"
hot and bothered = feeling uncomfortable, either because it's too hot, or because you have too much to do in too little time: "She's all hot and bothered now that she's been invited to the theatre this evening."
be like a cat on a hot tin roof = restless or jumpy: "He's like a cat on a hot tin roof with all this talk about redundancies."
in hot pursuit = to follow closely: "The pickpocket ran off, with members of the public in hot pursuit."
hot on the trail = close to finding something: "The police are hot on the trail of the mastermind behind the bank robbery."
hot air = something which is not as important or true as it sounds: "What he says is just a lot of hot air – don't take it too seriously."
more (something) than you've had hot dinners = an expression to mean that you've had a lot of something: "I've had more jobs than you've had hot dinners!"
blow hot and cold = keep changing your mind about something: "I'm blowing hot and cold about moving to the countryside."
آموزش زبان انگلیسی ـ معرفی کتابLiving Language - Fluent English همراه با لینک دانلود
این مجموعه(کتاب و CD) مناسب زبان آموزان سطح intermediate و advanced می‌باشد و طوری طراحی شده که تمام نیاز زبان آموزان را در زمینه‌های کلمات, قواعد دستوری ,تلفظ مکالمه و ... در نظر گرفته است.این مجموعه به ۲۰ درس تقسیم شده که شامل مکالمه‌های کوچک است که هر کدام در شرایط خاصی در کار‌های روزانه قرار میدهد، مانند مکالمهٔ تلفنی،ملاقات کاری،بحث در مورد سیاست و ... که هر درس مجموعه کلمات مربوط به خود را دارد.
لینک دانلود:http://vatandownload.com/2010/09/Fluent-English.php#more
منبع: www.vatandownload.com
Tongue twister
Can you can a can as a canner can can a can?
Can you imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie?
A pleasant place to place a plaice is a place where a plaice is pleased to be placed.
While we were walking, we were watching window washers wash Washington's windows
with warm washing water.
آموزش اصطلاحات زبان انگلیسی ـ English Idioms
"stretch the truth" = exaggerate the truth
"My brother said he saw an alien, but he sometimes stretches the truth. It probably was just a bear."
"The captain was cool as a cucumber when aliens boarded our ship."
توضیح واژه ها-1
"avoid" => verb
This is a transitive verb and it must have an object.
Meanings:
1.to stay away from a person,
place, situation, etc. => Example: "He's been avoiding me all
week." ● "Try to avoid the city centre.
2.to prevent something from happening. => Example: "Book early to avoid disappointment."
3.avoid doing something: to intentionally not do something. => Example: "She managed to avoid answering my question.
●avoidable (adj.): possible to avoid =>¥Opposite unavoidable.
●avoidance (noun),[Uncountable]: when you avoid something.
USAGE
Avoid doing something
When avoid is followed by a verb, the verb is always in the –ing form.
"I avoided seeing him for several days"
"I avoided to see him for
several days"
چند تا نمونه سوال آزمون تافل(با جواب)
همشون ۲۵ تا سوال دارن موضوعاتشونم مختلفه
http://www.oktayenglish.com/TOEFL/toefl_stan_test1.htm
http://www.oktayenglish.com/TOEFL/toefl_stan_test2.htm
http://www.oktayenglish.com/TOEFL/toefl_stan_test4.htm
http://www.oktayenglish.com/TOEFL/toefl_stan_test5.htm
http://www.oktayenglish.com/TOEFL/toefl_stan_test6.htm
http://www.oktayenglish.com/TOEFL/toefl_stan_test7.htm
http://www.oktayenglish.com/TOEFL/toefl_stan_test8.htm
http://www.oktayenglish.com/TOEFL/toefl_stan_test9.htm
http://www.oktayenglish.com/TOEFL/toefl_stan_test10.htm
http://www.oktayenglish.com/TOEFL/toefl_stan_test11.htm
(برگرفته از همین سایتی که تو لینک هست!
)
آموزش اصطلاحات زبان انگلیسی English Idioms
Idiom:
An expression whose meanings cannot be inferred from the meanings of the words that make it up
Look Daggers at someone
to give a dirty look
Dont you dare look daggers at me.
Speak of the devil
When sb whose name has just been mentioned appears or is heard from.
Speak of the devil,Hello Tom, we were just talking about you
هر کسی دوست داشته باشه اینجا همکاری کنه آدرس ایمیل بده دعوتنامه میفرستم براش تو این وبلاگ بنویسه.
سلامی دوباره
سلام دوستای گلم
ببخشین نبودم ...مشکلی پیش اومده بود.so sorry
مرسی فاطمه جان که در طول غیبت طولانی من آپدیت کردی خیلی ممنونم دوست عزیزم
راستی من ایمیلم هک شده lle
به زودی یه ایمیل جدید باز میکنم و بهتون اطلاع میدم.
نمیدونم چرا بعضی ها فکر میکنن اینجا بیلبورد تبلیغاتی وب سایت های پولی اوناس!!!!
دوست خوبم فاطمه هر کامنت تبلیغاتی رو پاک کن.
هر کسی که انگلیسی بلده و دوست داره آموخته هاش رو share کنه اینجا ایمیلش رو بزاره
دعوتش کنم وبلاگ
همه میتونن اینجا بنویسن
چرا بعضی ها فکر میکنن من اینجا رو باز کردم که تکالیف مدرسه و دانشگاه اونا رو انجام بدم؟!!
چقدر تنبلن!!!
بعد راجع به پارتنر:
فکرای زیادی تو سرمه اما الان من تو خونه اینترنت ندارم.به کمکتون احتیج دارم.
هر فکر و ایده ای دارین بگین خوشحال میشم نظراتتون رو بدونم.
از مطالب اینجا میتونین استفاده کنین در وب سایت ها و وبلاگهای دیگه لطفا با ذکر نام مرسی.
باید برم.
فعلا بای
25 Common English Idioms
25 Common English Idioms
for Students of English
Learn Colorful and Useful English Vocabulary!
Increase your vocabulary and speak more natural English by studying the idioms and expressions below. These are some of the most common expressions in English. Study the example sentences which show how idioms are used in context when you speak English. Have fun!
English Expression
1. as easy as pie means "very easy" (same as "a piece of cake")
Example: He said it is a difficult problem, but I don't agree. It seems as easy as pie to me! English Expression
2. be sick and tired of means "I hate" (also "can't stand")
Example: I'm sick and tired of doing nothing but work. Let's go out tonight and have fun. English Expression
3. bend over backwards means "try very hard" (maybe too much!)
Example: He bent over backwards to please his new wife, but she never seemed satisfied. English Expression
4. bite off more than one can chew means "take responsibility for more than one can manage"
Example: John is so far behind in his studies. Besides classes, he plays sports and works at a part-time job. It seems he has bitten off more than he can chew. English Expression
5. broke means "to have no money"
Example: I have to borrow some money from my Dad. Right now, I'm broke. English Expression
6. change one's mind means "decide to do something different from what had been decided earlier"
Example: I was planning to work late tonight, but I changed my mind. I'll do extra work on the weekend instead. English Expression
7. Cut it out! means "stop doing something bad"
Example: That noise is really annoying. Cut it out! English Expression
8. drop someone a line means "send a letter or email to someone"
Example: It was good to meet you and I hope we can see each other again. Drop me a line when you have time. English Expression
9. figure something out means "come to understand a problem"
Example: I don't understand how to do this problem. Take a look at it. Maybe you can figure it out. English Expression
10. fill in for someone means "do their work while they are away"
Example: While I was away from the store, my brother filled in for me. English Expression
11. in ages means "for a very long time"
Example: Have you seen Joe recently? I haven't seen him in ages. English Expression
12. give someone a hand means "help"
Example: I want to move this desk to the next room. Can you give me a hand? English Expression
13. hit the hay means "go to bed" (also "hit the sack")
Example: It's after 12 o'clock. I think it's time to hit the hay. English Expression
14. in the black means "the business is making money, it is profitable"
Example: Our business is really improving. We've been in the black all year. English Expression
15. in the red means "the business is losing money, it is unprofitable"
Example: Business is really going poorly these days. We've been in the red for the past three months. English Expression
16. in the nick of time means "not too late, but very close!"
Example: I got to the drugstore just in the nick of time. It's a good thing, because I really need this medicine! English Expression
17. keep one's chin up means "remain brave and keep on trying"
Example: I know things have been difficult for you recently, but keep your chin up. It will get better soon. English Expression
18. know something like the back of your hand means "know something very, very well" Example: If you get lost, just ask me for directions. I know this part of town like the back of my hand English Expression
19. once in a while means "sometimes, not very often"
Example: Have you been to the new movie theater? No, only see movies once in a while. I usually stay home and watch TV. English Expression
20. sharp means "exactly at a that time"
Example: I'll meet you at 9 o'clock sharp. If you're late, we'll be in trouble! English Expression
21. sleep on it means "think about something before making a decision"
Example: That sounds like a good deal, but I'd like to sleep on it before I give you my final decision. English Expression
22. take it easy means "relax"
Example: I don't have any special plans for the summer. I think I'll just take it easy. English Expression
23. to get the ball rolling means "start something, especially something big"
Example: We need to get this project started as soon as possible. I'm hoping you will help me get the ball rolling. English Expression
24. up to the minute means "the most recent information"
Example: I wish I knew more about what is happening in the capital city. We need more up to the minute news. English Expression
25. twenty-four/seven means "every minute of every day, all the time"
Example: You can access our web site 24/7. It's very convenient!
26. all of a sudden means "unexpectedly", used to describe something that happens very quickly
Example: He had just gone to bed when all of a sudden the phone rang.
27. be all ears means "eager and ready to listen"
Example: Go ahead and speak. I'm all ears!
28. be fed up with means "to hate something now, even though I may have liked it before"
Example: I'm fed up with my job! I think I should start looking for a new one.
29. to bug means "to bother someone". (American English)
Example: Hey, stop tapping your fingers. It's really bugging me!
30. a cinch means something that is very easy to do
Example: I didn't think I could run five kilometers, but with the right preparation, it was a cinch
. 31. cost an arm and a leg means "very expensive"
Example: I'd really like a new car, but they all cost an arm and a leg.
32. to cram means "to study hard a few days before a test"
Example: If you had studied hard for the past four months, you wouldn't have to cram so much this weekend.
33. fresh out of something means "to have no more of something"
Example: I have to go buy some more milk. It seems we're fresh out now.
34. to get it (often negative) means "to understand"
Example: What did the teacher say? I didn't get it. Did you?
35. got a minute? means "Do you have time right now?"
Example: Hey, Joe, got a minute? I have something to show you.
36. give someone a hand means "help someone"
Example: Could you give me a hand moving this table? It's quite heavy.
37. grab a bite to eat means "quickly go get something to eat"
Example: I'm going to go grab a bite. I'll be back in a few minutes.
38. drive someone up a wall (or "drive someone crazy") means "to make someone very angry"
Example: My neighbor practices the piano every night, but he's terrible. It's driving me up the wall!
39. to hang on means "to wait"
Example: Hang on a few minutes. I have to make a phone call and then I'll be able to join you for lunch.
40. hard headed means "stubborn" or "unwilling to change an opinion or idea
Example: I can't work with Joe any more. He's so hard headed!
41. have a change of heart means "change a previous decision"
Example: I thought I would change jobs, but now that my boss is treating me with more respect, I've had a change of heart.
42. have mixed feelings about something means "to be uncertain"
Example: I have mixed feelings about Joe. He's a very good teacher, but he has a very strange sense of humor!
43. head out for means "to start on a long trip" (but it could be within a big city)
Example: We're heading out for the countryside to pick some apples. Would you like to join us?
44. How come? means "Why?"
Example: How come we don't go to the movies any more? I guess we're too busy to enjoy ourselves these days.
45. keep in touch (or "stay in touch") means "do not stop communicating - send letters or call sometimes"
Example: Don't forget to keep in touch. I want to know how you're doing while you're away.
46. be kidding means "to joke or tease someone in a playful way"
Example: No, I don't really have three wives - I was just kidding! 47. look down on means "think someone or something is not good enough"
Example: We shouldn't look down on people just because they don't have as much money as we do.
48. make ends meet (often used negatively) means "to have enough money to buy everything we need"
Example: Even though I make more money than last year, we just can't seem to make ends meet.
49. miss the boat means "to miss an opportunity"
Example: The sale ends today at noon. If we don't hurry, we're going to miss the boat!
50. next to nothing means "to cost very little"
Example: I went to the new discount store and bought these new shoes for only five dollars. That's next to nothing!
IDM with {F}
Face
Be in your face (informal)
If an attitude, performance, etc is in your face it is aggressive in style and designed to make people react strongly to it.
This band’s famous for their live performances, which are always loud and in your face.
your face falls
you suddenly look disappointed or upset
He was quite cheerful until we told him the price. Then his face fell.
take sb/smth at (his, its, etc) face value
accept that smb/smth is exactly as they/it first appear(s)
You can’t take everything she says at face value.
Facelift
give smth a facelift
improve the appearance of smth, for example a building, room, etc.
We’ve given our offices a facelift – new furniture, new lighting and a new carpet.
Fact
a fact of life
something difficult or unpleasant that cannot be changed and has to be accepted or dealt with
Taxes are a fact of life. You just have to pay them.
Faintest
Not have the faintest/foggiest (idea) (BrE, informal)
Have no idea at all about something; not know anything at all
I haven’t got the faintest idea what to buy Roger for his birthday.
Fair
all’s fair in love and war (saying)
normal rules of behaviour do not apply in situations like war and love
‘I told Sarah that John had another girlfriend.’ ‘But that’s not true; he hasn’t’. ‘I know but all’s fair in love and war’.
A fair crack of the whip (BrE, informal)
A fair or reasonable opportunity to do something or to show that you can do something
I don’t think he was really given a fair crack of the whip. He only had five minutes to present his suggestions.
fair enough
used for accepting a suggestion, etc
‘I think $200 is a reasonable price.’ ‘Fair enough. Can I pay you at the end of the week?’
used for showing that you think something is reasonable
Letting the students work the machines on their own is fair enough, but they do need some training first.
Fair-weather
a fair-weather friend (disapproving)
somebody who is only a friend when it is pleasant for them, and stops being a friend when you are in trouble
I really thought she’d be here to help me, but it seems she’s just a fair weather friend.
Faithfully
Yours faithfully (BrE, formal, written)
Used at the end of a formal letter before you sign your name, when you have addressed smb as “Dear Sir/Dear Madam”, etc and not by their name
Fall
fall flat
if a joke, a story, or an event falls flat, it completely fails to amuse people or to have the effect that was intended
I didn't think the comedian was funny at all – most of his jokes fell completely flat.
fall foul of smb/smth
do smth which gets you into trouble with smb/smth
They fell afoul of the law by not paying their taxes.
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]-->
<!--[endif]-->
fall from grace
lose people’s approval, for example through a mistake or immoral behaviour
The government minister fell from grace as a result of the financial scandal.
False
a false alarm
a warning of smth, especially smth unpleasant or dangerous, which does not in fact happen
They thought a packet contained a bomb but it was a false alarm.
Familiarity
familiarity brings contempt (saying)
you have little respect, liking, etc. for smb/smth that you know too well
George’s father is regarded by everyone as a great artist, but George doesn’t think he is. Familiarity brings contempt!
Fan
fan the flames (of smth)
make a feeling such as anger, hatred, etc. worse
His writings fanned the flames of racism.
Fancy
take a fancy to smb/smth (esp. British English)
begin to like smb/smth; be attracted by smb/smth
He’s taken quite a fancy to Chinese cooking.
Far
by far
by a very great number; much…
This is by far the best painting/This is the best painting by far.
far from it (informal)
not at all, certainly not
“Isn’t he generous with money?” “Far from it! He spends it all on himself.”
Fast
fast and furious
(of games, amusements, etc) noisy and very active
Ten minutes before the race, the betting was fast and furious.
Favour
be (all) in favour of (doing) sth
support or approve an idea, course of action, etc.
As far as Joe’s suggestion about saving money is concerned, I’m all in favour of it.
in smb’s/smth’s favour
to smb’s advantage
The court decided in the employee’s favour.
Fear
for fear of (doing) smth; for fear (that)…
because you do not want smth bad to happen
I’m not going to put it in the washing machine for fear of spoiling it.
Fingertips
have (got) smth at your fingertips
be so familiar with a subject that you can produce any facts about it easily and quickly
The Minister was well prepared for the interview. She had all the facts at her fingertips.
to your fingertips (BrE)
(of a particular type of person) completely; in every way
She is a professional to her fingertips.
Firm
to be in firm ground
be sure about one’s beliefs, knowledge, etc; be confident
I don't know a lot about physics, I am afraid. I’m on firmer ground with mathematics, which I studied at university.
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]-->
<!--[endif]-->
a firm hand
strong discipline and control
What his son needs, if you ask me, is a firm hand!
First
At first glance/sight
as things seem at first; judging by first appearances
At first glance, the exam paper looked fairly difficult, but once I got started I found it quite easy.
(at) first hand
from your own experience or knowledge, rather than from smb else; directly
I know at first-hand what it is like to be poor; we always had very little money at home.
Flight
Flight of fancy
an idea or a statement that is very imaginative but not practical or sensible
The idea is not just a flight of fancy. It has been done before.
French
Excuse/pardon my French (informal, humorous)
used for saying you are sorry when you have used or are going to use rude or offensive language
Ouch, bloody hell! Oops, excuse my French!