Idiomatic expression 1

 

  1. About to: On the verge of doing something or ready to do it.

    • Example: She was about to leave when the phone rang.
  2. Above all: Most importantly; mainly or chiefly.

    • Example: Above all, remember to be kind to others.
  3. Add up: To make sense or seem reasonable; to calculate the total of something.

    • Example: The expenses don't add up, there seems to be a mistake somewhere.
  4. All at once: Simultaneously; everything happening together or suddenly.

    • Example: The fireworks went off all at once, lighting up the sky.
  5. All of a sudden: Suddenly; without warning.

    • Example: All of a sudden, he decided to quit his job and travel the world.
  6. All of a sudden: Suddenly; without warning.

    • Example: All of a sudden, he decided to quit his job and travel the world.
  7. As a matter of fact: In reality; used to emphasize the truth of a statement.

    • Example: As a matter of fact, I did see her at the party last night.
  8. As a rule: Usually; generally.

    • Example: As a rule, he doesn't eat breakfast.
  9. At ease: In a relaxed or comfortable state.

    • Example: She finally felt at ease after finishing her presentation.
  10. At the drop of a hat: Immediately; without any delay.

    • Example: He's always ready to help, he'll come over at the drop of a hat.
  11. Back out of: Withdraw from a commitment or agreement.

    • Example: He promised to help but then backed out of the project at the last minute.
  12. Bank on: Rely or depend on something happening.

    • Example: I can bank on her to arrive on time for the meeting.
  13. Be my guest: A polite way of inviting someone to do something.

    • Example: "Can I borrow this book?" "Sure, be my guest!"
  14. Be rusty: To be out of practice or not as skilled as before.

    • Example: After years of not playing, she was a bit rusty on the piano.
  15. Beats me: Expression indicating not knowing or understanding something.

    • Example: How does this work? Beats me!
  16. Better off: In a more favorable or advantageous position.

    • Example: She's better off living closer to her workplace now.
  17. Bit off more than one can chew: To take on a task that is too big or difficult to manage.

    • Example: I think I've bitten off more than I can chew with this project deadline.
  18. Bound to: Inevitable or certain to happen.

    • Example: With that attitude, you're bound to succeed.
  19. Break down: To stop functioning; to analyze or explain something in detail.

    • Example: The car broke down on the way home. We had to call for help.
  20. Break in on: Interrupt or intrude upon someone.

    • Example: I didn't mean to break in on your conversation; I'll come back later.
  21. Break the ice: To initiate social contact or conversation in a situation.

    • Example: His joke helped break the ice at the awkward party.
  22. Break the news to: To inform someone about something difficult or unpleasant.

    • Example: It's always hard to break the news to someone about a loss.
  23. Break up with: End a relationship with someone.

    • Example: She decided to break up with her boyfriend after months of disagreements.
  24. A breeze: Something very easy to do.

    • Example: The test was a breeze; I finished it in no time.
  25. Bring about: To cause something to happen.

    • Example: His speech helped bring about a change in their policies.
  26. Bring up: To mention or raise a topic for discussion.

    • Example: She didn't want to bring up the issue during the meeting.
  27. Brush up on: To review or improve one's knowledge or skills in a particular area.

    • Example: Before the interview, he decided to brush up on his coding skills.
  28. Bump into: To unexpectedly meet or encounter someone.

    • Example: I bumped into my old friend at the grocery store.
  29. By and large: Generally; for the most part.

    • Example: By and large, the conference was successful.
  30. By heart: Memorized; learned by memory.

    • Example: She knew all the lines of the play by heart.
  31. By no means: Absolutely not; in no way.

    • Example: By no means was he ready to give up on his dream.

More examples:
  1. About to:

    • The train is about to depart, so please hurry if you want to catch it.
    • She was about to start her presentation when the power suddenly went out.
    • He seemed about to apologize before changing his mind and leaving.
  2. Above all:

    • Above all, prioritize your health when making lifestyle choices.
    • For this project, above all, accuracy is crucial; we can't afford mistakes.
    • Above all, remember to stay true to yourself, no matter what others say.
  3. Add up:

    • The evidence doesn't add up; there must be something missing in the story.
    • I need to add up all these expenses to make sure I'm within my budget.
    • Her explanations didn't quite add up, leaving everyone confused.
  4. All at once:

    • The lights went out all at once, plunging the room into darkness.
    • All at once, everyone stood up and applauded the performance.
    • The emotions hit her all at once, and she couldn't hold back her tears.
  5. All of a sudden:

    • All of a sudden, the phone rang, startling everyone in the room.
    • All of a sudden, he realized he had forgotten his wallet at home.
    • All of a sudden, the weather changed from sunny to stormy.
  6. All of a student:

    • She answered the question correctly, surprising us all of a sudden.
    • He solved the complex equation, amazing us all of a sudden.
    • The child read the advanced book fluently, impressing us all of a sudden.
  7. As a matter of fact:

    • As a matter of fact, I did see him at the cinema last night.
    • I wasn't expecting it, but as a matter of fact, she's an excellent singer.
    • As a matter of fact, I have a better idea for solving this problem.
  8. As a rule:

    • As a rule, I don't eat sweets after dinner.
    • She, as a rule, arrives early for all her appointments.
    • As a rule, they don't allow pets in the building.
  9. At ease:

    • He finally felt at ease after completing the difficult task.
    • The soothing music helped put everyone at ease during the meeting.
    • Being with friends always puts her at ease.
  10. At the drop of a hat:

    • He's always ready to help at the drop of a hat; you can rely on him.
    • She's willing to travel anywhere at the drop of a hat; she loves spontaneous trips.
    • Don't make decisions at the drop of a hat; take your time to think.
  11. Back out of:

    • She promised not to back out of the agreement this time.
    • It's not fair to back out of a commitment at the last moment.
    • He had to back out of the race due to an injury.
  12. Bank on:

    • I can't bank on him to keep his promises; he often forgets.
    • Don't bank on winning the lottery; it's highly unlikely.
    • You can bank on her to provide reliable information.
  13. Be my guest:

    • "Can I use your computer?" "Sure, be my guest!"
    • "Do you mind if I take a look?" "Not at all, be my guest."
    • "Would you like to try some of this cake?" "Yes, please, be my guest."
  14. Be rusty:

    • After years of not playing tennis, I'm a bit rusty.
    • She used to speak fluent French, but now she's rusty.
    • I was a great swimmer, but now I'm feeling rusty in the pool.
  15. Beats me:

    • How they managed to finish the project beats me!
    • I have no idea how that machine works; it beats me.
    • She solved the puzzle in seconds; it beats me how she did it.
  16. Better off:

    • You're better off taking the train; traffic is terrible right now.
    • She's better off without that toxic relationship.
    • We're better off investing in a reliable brand for the long term.
  17. Bit off more than one can chew:

    • He agreed to handle three projects simultaneously and bit off more than he could chew.
    • Taking on that challenge might have been biting off more than you can chew.
    • I think I've bitten off more than I can chew with this huge event planning.
  18. Bound to:

    • If you keep working hard, success is bound to come your way.
    • Given her skills, she's bound to win the competition.
    • With that attitude, you're bound to have a great time.
  19. Break down:

    • The car broke down in the middle of nowhere.
    • He tried to explain the complex theory but ended up breaking it down into simpler concepts.
    • The negotiations broke down due to disagreements.
  20. Break in on:

    • Sorry to break in on your conversation, but I have something urgent to discuss.
    • I didn't want to break in on your family time, but this can't wait.
    • The phone call broke in on our peaceful evening.
  21. Break the ice:

    • His jokes helped break the ice at the party, and soon everyone was chatting.
    • We played a game to break the ice in the new team meeting.
    • A smile and a friendly introduction can always break the ice.
  22. Break the news to:

    • It's never easy to break the news to someone about a loss.
    • How should I break the news to her gently?
    • He was tasked with breaking the news to the employees about the layoffs.
  23. Break up with:

    • She decided to break up with him after months of disagreements.
    • He didn't take it well when she broke up with him.
    • I heard they broke up with each other due to long-distance issues.
  24. A breeze:

    • The assignment was a breeze; I finished it quickly.
    • She found the cooking class to be a breeze; it was so easy for her.
    • With his experience, the task was a breeze for him.
  25. Bring about:

    • The new policies will bring about significant changes in the company.
    • How can we bring about a positive change in the community?
    • His efforts helped bring about a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
  26. Bring up:

    • It's important to bring up any concerns during the meeting.
    • He didn't want to bring up the issue because it was sensitive.
    • They decided to bring up the topic of budget cuts in the next session.
  27. Brush up on:

    • I need to brush up on my Spanish before the trip to Mexico.
    • She spent the weekend brushing up on her coding skills.
    • Before the interview, he decided to brush up on his presentation skills.
  28. Bump into:

    • I bumped into my old friend at the mall yesterday.
    • Guess who I bumped into at the concert last night?
    • It was surprising to bump into my former teacher at the bookstore.
  29. By and large:

    • By and large, people are satisfied with the new policy changes.
    • The conference was, by and large, a success despite a few hiccups.
    • By and large, the restaurant receives positive reviews from customers.
  30. By heart:

    • She knows all the lyrics to her favorite songs by heart.
    • He memorized the entire speech by heart for the presentation.
    • After practicing for weeks, she learned the dance routine by heart.
  31. By no means:

    • By no means should you attempt to do this alone; it's dangerous.
    • His absence by no means implies he doesn't care; he's just busy.
    • It's by no means an easy task to complete in such a short time.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Prepositions 6

Prepositions 14

Prepositions 10