... Good-morning!" Mr.
Polteed's eye glinted at the words "mare's nest!" (J.
G.)
Among colloquial phrases containing the idea of deception
the following are very common:
to take someone ... living. (R. K.)
To prefer one course of action to another or to like it more
than another may be colloquially expressed by these phrases:
I'd rather
I'd sooner...
... www.tailieuduhoc.org
SCOLDING, BLAME AND COMPLAINTS
Some colloquial phrases connected with the idea of scolding
are: a flea in one's ear is colloquial for a sharp reprimand.
and if I see you ... Somebody'd got to give you
a good telling off. (B. R.)
I'd tell her off proper. (K. M.)
66
For more material and information, please visit Tai
Lieu Du Hoc
at www.ta...
... Dictionary of
English Idioms. (B. H.) Hornby, A. S., Gatenby, E. V. and Wakefield, H. The
Advanced
Learner's Dictionary of Current English. (A. H.) McMordie, W. English
Idioms and How ... Success 53
11. Ruin and Waste 60
12. Scolding, Blame and Complaints 66
13. Secrets 73
14. Suspicion, Deception, Disbelief 78
15. Tastes, Preferences, Inclinations 86
16. Talk and Di...
... flies, how time flies, time does fly are colloquial
comments on the rapid flow of time. They often imply:
time passes quickly — so don't waste it.
Some colloquial phrases that express the ...
information,
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Lieu Du Hoc
at
www.tailieuduho
c.org
WORK AND BUSINESS
Colloquial phrases concerned with work and business
include the following:
to be on the job...
... long-winded and
he told me his story confusedly (S. M.)
On the other hand avoidance of prolixity is colloquially
expressed by these phrases:
(to put something) in a nutshell — in the fewest possible ... straight to the point. "I'm not
going to beat about the bush, " he said.
(A. Chr.)
96
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...
beginning makes it easy to finish a piece of work success-
fully.)
RUIN AND WASTE
60
Ruin and decay may be colloquially described thus: to go to
the dogs — to be ruined; to deteriorate completely
...
PROGRESS, ACHIEVEMENT, SUCCESS
Progress and success in the affairs of life may be expressed
by these colloquial phrases:
to make good — to succeed in spite of obstacles; to make a...
... the cart before the horse. (A. H.)
To read English novels before you have mastered
English grammar is to put the cart before the
horse. (K. H.)
Colloquial phrases to express failure include ... let us down!
(A. Chr.)
36
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and information,
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Du Hoc
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g
PLAINNESS AND EASINESS
The following colloquial phrases and...
...
He said those unpleasant things to get a rise out of
you. (A. H.)
To be annoyed or vexed is colloquially speaking: to be put
out (about something or with somebody) — to be annoyed,
irritated
... know" is the simplest and the clearest form of
admission of one's ignorance of something. But colloquial
speech often prefers more emphatic statements, such as:
I haven't g...
... Current
English, by A. S. Hornby, E. V. Gatenby, H. Wakefield,
2. A Concise Dictionary of English Slang, by W. Freeman.
3 A Practical Guide to Colloquial Idiom, by W. J.
Ball.
4. English Idioms ...
The aim of this book is to supply a number of colloquial
English idioms classified, explained and illustrated by examples
drawn mainly from modern English and American aut...