Idiomatic expressions 7

 

1. Look like:

   • Definition: To have an appearance similar to someone or something else.
   • Example: "She looks like her mother, especially with the same smile."

2. Look out for:

   • Definition: To be vigilant or watchful for something specific.
   • Example: "When hiking, you should look out for loose rocks on the trail."

3. Look over:

   • Definition: To review or examine something carefully.
   • Example: "Before submitting the report, I'll look over it for any errors."

4. Look up:

   • Definition: To search for information in a reference source or online.
   • Example: "If you're unsure, you can look up the word in the dictionary."

5. Look up to:

   • Definition: To admire or respect someone.
   • Example: "She looks up to her older brother for guidance and support."

6. Make a fool of myself:

   • Definition: To embarrass oneself by doing something silly or foolish.
   • Example: "I tripped and spilled my drink; I felt like I made a fool of myself in front of everyone."

7. Make a point of:

   • Definition: To deliberately give attention to or prioritize something.
   • Example: "She makes a point of exercising every morning before work."

8. Make ends meet:

   • Definition: To manage one's income to cover expenses.
   • Example: "With the rising costs, it's getting harder to make ends meet."

9. Make sense of:

   • Definition: To understand or comprehend something.
   • Example: "It took me a while to make sense of the complex instructions."

10. Make up:

    • Definition: To invent or create something, often a story or an excuse.
    • Example: "He had to make up a believable excuse for being late."

11. Make up my mind:

    • Definition: To reach a decision after considering different options.
    • Example: "After thinking for hours, she finally made up her mind about the job offer."

12. Make way for:

    • Definition: To create space for something or someone else.
    • Example: "The old building was demolished to make way for a new shopping complex."

13. Mean to:

    • Definition: To intend or plan to do something.
    • Example: "I didn't mean to offend her; it was just a misunderstanding."

14. Mixed up:

    • Definition: Confused or mistaken about something.
    • Example: "She gets mixed up with directions easily and often takes the wrong turn."

15. Music to my ears:

    • Definition: Something pleasant or welcome to hear.
    • Example: "The doctor's words that my health was improving were music to my ears."

16. A nervous wreck:

    • Definition: Extremely anxious or worried about something.
    • Example: "Before the exam, she was a nervous wreck, unable to focus."

17. Next to nothing:

    • Definition: Almost no value or amount; almost negligible.
    • Example: "The repairs cost next to nothing; it was a minor fix."

18. No doubt about it:

    • Definition: To be absolutely certain or sure about something.
    • Example: "There's no doubt about it; she'll ace the presentation."

19. No harm done:

    • Definition: Used to reassure when there's no damage or negative effect.
    • Example: "You accidentally spilled some water, but no harm done; it's easily cleaned."

20. Not at all:

    • Definition: Used to say "no" or deny something politely.
    • Example: "Did I bother you? - Not at all, I was happy to help."

21. Not believe my eyes:

    • Definition: To be surprised or shocked by what one is seeing.
    • Example: "I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw him at the concert; I thought he was out of town."

22. Not think much of it:

    • Definition: To consider something unimportant or trivial.
    • Example: "When I thanked him, he said it was nothing and not to think much of it."

23. Odds and ends:

    • Definition: Miscellaneous items or things of little value.
    • Example: "She keeps her desk clutter-free by organizing all the odds and ends."

24. An old hand at:

    • Definition: Someone experienced or skilled in doing something due to long practice.
    • Example: "She's an old hand at playing the piano; she's been playing since she was a child."

25. On edge:

    • Definition: Feeling nervous, anxious, or tense.
    • Example: "After hearing strange noises, she was on edge the whole night."

26. On end:

    • Definition: Continuously or without stopping, often used with "hours" or "days."
    • Example: "He practiced his speech for hours on end to perfect it."

27. On needles and pins:

    • Definition: Feeling anxious or nervous, waiting eagerly for something.
    • Example: "She was on needles and pins waiting for the exam results."

28. On my own:

    • Definition: Doing something independently without help or assistance.
    • Example: "He moved to a new city and had to figure things out on his own."

29. On second thought:

    • Definition: After reconsideration or thinking again about something.
    • Example: "On second thought, maybe it's best to postpone the trip."

30. On the go:

    • Definition: Busy, active, or constantly moving.
    • Example: "She's always on the go, juggling work, family, and hobbies."

31. On the tip of my tongue:

    • Definition: Having a thought or idea that is nearly remembered or expressed.
    • Example: "Her name is on the tip of my tongue, but I can't quite remember it."

32. On the whole:

    • Definition: Considering everything; in general.
    • Example: "On the whole, the feedback about the event was positive."

33. Out of something:

    • Definition: Depleted or lacking in a particular resource or item.
    • Example: "We're out of milk; I need to buy some from the store."

34. Out of your mind:

    • Definition: Acting irrationally or crazily.
    • Example: "Are you out of your mind to think that plan would work?"

35. Out of order:

    • Definition: Not functioning or operating correctly.
    • Example: "The elevator is out of order; we'll have to take the stairs."

36. Out of the question:

    • Definition: Something not possible or considered unacceptable.
    • Example: "Going out tonight is out of the question; I have a lot of work to finish."

37. Over and over:

    • Definition: Repeatedly or many times.
    • Example: "She practiced the dance routine over and over until she got it right."

38. Over my head:

• Definition: Beyond one's understanding or comprehension.
• Example: "The technical jargon in the lecture was way over my head."

EXAMPLES:

1. Look like:

   • "You look like your mother with that smile."
   • "He looks like a younger version of his grandfather."
   • "The painting looks like a scene from a fairy tale."

2. Look out for:

   • "Look out for cars when you cross the street."
   • "During the hike, look out for trail markers to stay on the right path."
   • "Look out for the signs of dehydration in hot weather."

3. Look over:

   • "Before submitting the essay, I'll look over it for any grammar mistakes."
   • "The inspector will look over the building's safety features."
   • "She asked me to look over her presentation for any errors."

4. Look up:

   • "When in doubt, you can look up unfamiliar words in the dictionary."
   • "I always look up restaurant reviews before trying a new place."
   • "Students often look up historical events on the internet for their assignments."

5. Look up to:

   • "He looks up to his older sister for advice."
   • "Many kids look up to superheroes as their role models."
   • "She looks up to her coach for guidance in her sports career."

6. Make a fool of myself:

   • "I spilled coffee on my shirt during the meeting; I felt like I made a fool of myself."
   • "I mispronounced the CEO's name; I made a fool of myself in front of the whole team."
   • "She tried to impress her crush but ended up making a fool of herself."

7. Make a point of:

   • "I make a point of exercising at least three times a week."
   • "She makes a point of attending all the company meetings."
   • "They make a point of recycling to reduce their environmental impact."

8. Make ends meet:

   • "Even with two jobs, it's challenging to make ends meet."
   • "They had to cut back on expenses to make ends meet after the pay cut."
   • "With careful budgeting, they were able to make ends meet."

9. Make sense of:

   • "It took me a while to make sense of the complicated instructions."
   • "After studying for hours, she finally made sense of the math problem."
   • "Can you help me make sense of this contract? It's confusing."

10. Make up:

    • "She had to make up an excuse for missing the meeting."
    • "He tried to make up a story to cover for his mistake."
    • "Kids often make up imaginary worlds while playing."

11. Make up my mind:

    • "After considering all the options, I finally made up my mind about the trip."
    • "She can't seem to make up her mind about which dress to buy."
    • "He made up his mind to switch careers after months of contemplation."

12. Make way for:

    • "The old house was demolished to make way for a new apartment complex."
    • "They had to make way for the ambulance to pass through the traffic."
    • "The new technology will make way for more efficient processes in the factory."

13. Mean to:

    • "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings; it was just a joke."
    • "She meant to call you yesterday but got caught up with work."
    • "He didn't mean to forget your birthday; it just slipped his mind."

14. Mixed up:

    • "She gets mixed up with directions and often takes the wrong turn."
    • "After the accident, he was mixed up about the sequence of events."
    • "The instructions were so confusing that I got completely mixed up."

15. Music to my ears:

    • "The doctor's positive diagnosis was music to my ears."
    • "Hearing the rain on the roof is like music to my ears."
    • "The news of the promotion was music to her ears after a tough year."

16. A nervous wreck:

    • "Before the performance, she was a nervous wreck backstage."
    • "He became a nervous wreck before the job interview."
    • "She felt like a nervous wreck before her first public speaking event."

17. Next to nothing:

    • "The repairs cost next to nothing; it was a minor fix."
    • "After the sale, the prices were reduced to next to nothing."
    • "He knows next to nothing about gardening, but he's trying to learn."

18. No doubt about it:

    • "There's no doubt about it; she'll win the competition."
    • "After seeing his performance, there's no doubt about his talent."
    • "There's no doubt about it; the team will finish the project on time."

19. No harm done:

    • "You accidentally bumped into me, but no harm done; I'm okay."
    • "The kids played rough, but no harm was done; they're all fine."
    • "You forgot to bring the book, but no harm done; I'll borrow it from the library."

20. Not at all:

    • "Did I interrupt you? - Not at all, I wasn't talking."
    • "I hope I didn't bother you. - Not at all, I was just resting."
    • "Was it too much trouble? - Not at all, it was my pleasure."

21. Not believe my eyes:

    • "When he walked in, I couldn't believe my eyes; I thought he was out of town."
    • "I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the amazing view from the top."
    • "Seeing the surprise party, she couldn't believe her eyes; it was so unexpected."

22. Not think much of it:

    • "He returned the favor, but he didn't think much of it; he said it was no big deal."
    • "She helped me carry the groceries, but she didn't think much of it."
    • "I thanked him, but he didn't think much of it; he said anyone would have helped."

23. Odds and ends:

    • "The box was filled with odds and ends, like buttons and old keys."
    • "She likes to collect odds and ends from her travels."
    • "He keeps his desk tidy by organizing all the odds and ends."

24. An old hand at:

    • "After years of experience, he's an old hand at fixing cars."
    • "She's an old hand at baking; she's been doing it since she was a child."
    • "He's an old hand at sailing; he's been doing it for decades."

25. On edge:

    • "She's been on edge since she heard about the test results."
    • "The constant noise kept him on edge throughout the night."
    • "The unresolved issue with the project put everyone on edge."

26. On end:

    • "He practiced the piano for hours on end to prepare for the concert."
    • "She read books on end during her vacation."
    • "They argued for days on end without reaching a resolution."

27. On needles and pins:

    • "She was on needles and pins waiting for the doctor's call."
    • "The students were on needles and pins waiting for their exam results."
    • "The passengers were on needles and pins due to the flight delay."

28. On my own:

    • "When I moved to a new city, I had to figure things out on my own."
    • "She completed the project on her own without any assistance."
    • "He's learning to cook on his own by following online tutorials."

29. On second thought:

    • "I planned to buy the dress, but on second thought, I don't need it."
    • "On second thought, let's reschedule the meeting for tomorrow."
    • "I was about to leave, but on second thought, I'll stay a little longer."

30. On the go:

    • "She's always on the go, juggling multiple tasks at once."
    • "The CEO is constantly on the go, traveling for business meetings."
    • "During the holiday season, the store is on the go with increased customer traffic."

31. On the tip of my tongue:

    • "Her name is on the tip of my tongue, but I just can't remember it."
    • "The answer to the question is on the tip of my tongue, but I can't recall."
    • "I know the actor's name; it's on the tip of my tongue."

32. On the whole:

    • "On the whole, the movie received positive reviews."
    • "She's satisfied with the course on the whole, despite a few challenges."
    • "The team performed well on the whole, considering the circumstances."

33. Out of something:

    • "We're out of milk; I need to buy some from the store."
    • "He's out of patience after dealing with the difficult customer."
    • "The store was out of stock for the popular item."

34. Out of your mind:

    • "Are you out of your mind to think that plan would work?"
    • "She thought he was out of his mind for considering such a risky investment."
    • "Running a marathon without proper training? Are you out of your mind?"

35. Out of order:

    • "The elevator is out of order; we'll have to take the stairs."
    • "The printer is out of order; we'll need to call for maintenance."
    • "The coffee machine is out of order; I'll fix it as soon as possible."

36. Out of the question:

    • "Leaving the project unfinished is out of the question; we need to complete it."
    • "Going out tonight is out of the question; I have an early meeting tomorrow."
    • "Buying a new car right now is out of the question; I need to save money."

37. Over and over:

    • "She played the same song over and over until she perfected it."
    • "He repeated the instructions over and over for the team to understand."
    • "She asked the same question over and over until she got an answer."

38. Over my head:

    • "The math problem went over my head; I couldn't solve it."
    • "The advanced course was way over my head; I couldn't keep up."
    • "The technical conversation was over my head; I didn't understand most of it."