Essential Idioms in English

by Dixson, Robert J.

• ISBN13: 9780131411760
• ISBN10: 0131411764
• Edition: 5th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-09-04
• Publisher: Pearson Education ESL

Summary

From catching a coldto landing on your feet, idiomatic expressions add color and style to the English language. The latest edition of Essential Idioms in Englishremains the resource of choice for mastering more than 500 common English idioms, phrasal verbs, and collocations. Essential Idioms in Englishthoroughly defines and illustrates each idiom, then reinforces its meaning and usage with multiple-choice, true-false, fill-in-the-blank, and matching exercises.

Table of Contents

PREFACE	ix
SECTION 1: BEGINNING	1	(80)
Lesson 1	3	(5)
get in/get on
get out of / get off
put on
take off
turn on
turn off
right away
pick up
sooner or later
get up
come up with
at first
Lesson 2	8	(5)
dress up
at last
as usual
find out
look at
look for
all right
all along
little by little
tire out
spend time
never mind
Lesson 3	13	(5)
pick out
take one's time
talk over
lie down
stand up
sit down
all (day, week, month, year) long
by oneself
on purpose
get along (with)
make a difference (to)
take out
Lesson 4	18	(5)
take part in
at all
look up
wait on
at least
so far
take a walk, hike, etc.
take a trip
try on
think over
take place
put away
Lesson 5	23	(5)
look out
shake hands
get back
catch a cold
get over
make up one's mind
change one's mind
for the time being
for good
call off
put off
in a hurry
Lesson 6	28	(5)
hang out
hang up
count on
make friends
out of order
get to
look over
have (time) off
go on
put out
all of a sudden
ahead of time
Lesson 7	33	(5)
point out
be up
be over
on time
in time to
get better, worse, etc.
get sick, well, tired, busy, wet, etc.
had better
would rather
call it a day/night
figure out
think of
Lesson 8	38	(5)
be about to
turn around
take turns
pay attention (to)
brush up on
over and over (again)
wear out
throw away
fall in love
go out (with)
go out
break up (with)
Lesson 9	43	(6)
wake up
be in charge of
as soon as
have a good time
in no time
cut down on
crack down on
quite a few
used to
be used to
get used to
back and forth
Lesson 10	49	(6)
make sure
now and then
get rid of
every other (one)
go with
first-rate
come from
make good time
mix up
see about
make an impression
by heart
Lesson 11	55	(6)
keep out
keep away (from)
find fault with
be up to
ill at ease
do over
look into
take hold of
get through
from now on
keep track of
get carried away
Lesson 12	61	(6)
up to date
out of date
blow up
catch fire
burn down
burn up
burn out
stands to reason
break out
as for
for one thing
feel sorry for
Lesson 13	67	(6)
break down
turn out
once in a blue moon
give up
cross out
take for granted
take into account
make clear
clear cut
have on
came to
call for
Section 1 Collocations	73	(2)
Review: Lessons 1-13	75	(6)
SECTION 2: INTERMEDIATE	81	(82)
Lesson 14	83	(5)
eat in / eat out
cut and dried
look after
feel like
once and for all
hear from
hear of
make fun of
come true
as a matter of fact
have one's way
look forward to
Lesson 15	88	(5)
inside out
upside down
fill in
fill out
take advantage of
no matter
take up
take up with
take after
in the long run
in touch
out of touch
Lesson 16	93	(5)
on one's toes
watch one's step
watch what one says/does
see eye to eye
have in mind
keep in mind
for once
go off
grow out of
make the best of
cut off
cut out
Lesson 17	98	(5)
blow out
become of
shut up
have got
have got to
keep up with
on the other hand
turn down
fifty-fifty
break in
a lost cause
above all
Lesson 18	103	(5)
do without
according to
be bound to
for sure
take for
try out
tear down
tear up
go over
run out of
at heart
on hand
Lesson 19	108	(5)
bite off
tell apart
all in all
pass out
go around
be in the/one's way
put on
put up
put up with
in vain
day in and day out
catch up
Lesson 20	113	(5)
hold still
break the news
be the matter
bring up
get lost
hold up
run away
rule out
by far
see off
see out
no wonder
Lesson 21	118	(6)
go up
go up to
hand in
in case
take apart
put together
be better off
be well-off
take by surprise
stress out
name after
hold on
Lesson 22	124	(6)
stop by
drop (someone) a line
give (someone) a call
come across
cross one's mind
stand for
stand a chance
look on
look up to
look down on
take off
pull off
Lesson 23	130	(5)
make do
give birth to
close call
get on one's nerves
put down
go for
be into
stay up
stay in
take over
show up
clean out
Lesson 24	135	(5)
knock out
knock oneself out
carry out
run into
set out
set out to
draw up
give and take
drop out of
believe in
cheer up
make sense
Lesson 25	140	(6)
burst out
get away
get away with
serve (someone) right
keep up
keep up with
stand out
let on
go wrong
meet (someone) halfway
check up on
stick up
Lesson 26	146	(5)
come about
bring about
build up
die down
fade away
die out
make out
live up to
stick to
rip off
stand up for
cut corners
Lesson 27	151	(5)
take on
take down
fall through
fall behind
give in
give off
give out
have it in for
have it out with
hold off
hold out
hold over
Section 2 Collocations	156	(2)
Review: Lessons 14-27	158	(5)
SECTION 3: ADVANCED	163	(70)
Lesson 28	165	(5)
let up
lay off
bring out
bring back
wait up for
leave (someone or something) alone
let alone
break off
wear off
wear down
on the whole
touch and go
Lesson 29	170	(5)
work out
back up
back out
have one's heart set on
buy up
buy out
sell out
catch on
be cut out for
throw out
throw up
clear up
Lesson 30	175	(5)
slow down
dry up
dry out
be up to (something)
beat around the bush
come to an end
put an end to
get even with
fool around
look out on
stir up
take in
Lesson 31	180	(5)
go through
go without saying
put (someone) on
keep one's head
lose one's head
narrow-minded
stand up
get the better of
break loose
on edge
waste one's breath
cut short
Lesson 32	185	(5)
step in
step down
step on it
a steal
play up to
more or less
screw up
goof up
go off the deep end
lose one's touch
under control
drag one's heels/feet
Lesson 33	190	(5)
kick (something) around
on the ball
make up
make up with
pull together
be looking up
kick the habit
cover up
drop off
turn over
go through channels
last straw
Lesson 34	195	(5)
get cold feet
trade in
face-to-face
be with (someone)
be with it
fall for
it figures
make (someone) tick
cover for
give (someone) a break
bow out
stick it out
Lesson 35	200	(5)
rub it in
rub the wrong way
get a rise out of
hang around
pick up the tab
by the way
let slide
search me
get off one's chest
live it up
liven up
have a say in
Lesson 36	205	(5)
out of the question
have to do with
check in
check out
take one at one's word
serve (the/one's) purpose
cop out
line up
lose one's cool
leave open
miss the boat
think up
Lesson 37	210	(5)
throw (someone) a curve
make waves
carry on
not on your life
cover ground
throw the book at
put one's foot in
be up for grabs
show off
learn the ropes
have under one's belt
keep (one's) fingers crossed
Lesson 38	215	(10)
land on one's feet
dish out
get through to
keep one's word
be in over one's head
ask for
be a far cry from
by all means
get out from under
take the bull by the horns
give (someone) a hand
give (someone) a big hand
behind one's back
talk back to
be in
be out
draw the line at
get out of line
dry run
play by ear
be in (someone's) shoes
keep after
fix up
be had
Section 3 Collocations	225	(2)
Review: Lessons 28-39	227	(6)
DICTIONARY SKILLS	233	(8)
APPENDIX: Equivalent Idioms in Spanish, French, and Portuguese	241	(24)
ANSWER KEY	265	(6)
INDEX	271