|
Idiom |
Definition |
Usage |
| tacky |
|
|
| tail between
one's legs |
feeling ashamed and
beaten |
Because of the scandal,
he quit the company with his tail between his legs. |
| take a back seat |
accept a lower position |
I had to take a
back seat for the benefit of the company. |
| take a crack at |
attempt |
She decided to
take a crack at the entrance exam. |
| take
advantage of |
benefit from |
Take advantage of the beautiful weather and go to the beach. |
| take
after |
resemble |
He tries to take after his brother and wears the same type
of clothes. |
| take back |
revoke |
He had to take
back what he said about his boss. |
| take care of |
give attention to |
You should take
care of your health. |
| take care of |
deal with |
She had to take
care of the paperwork. |
| take down |
write |
Please take down
many notes during the lecture. |
| take down |
dismantle |
We had to take
down our tent because of the rain. |
| take a dim view
of |
disapprove of |
Our company will always
take a dim view of dishonest people. |
| take a hike |
leave |
I am tired of all your
complaining. You should take a hike. |
| take a leak |
urinate |
He stopped at the side
of the road to take a leak. |
| take a nosedive |
decrease in value |
The stock price is
expected to take a nosedive soon after it
is sold to the public. |
| take a powder |
leave quickly |
She decided to
take a powder after the meeting. |
| TAKE A
SHINE/FANCY TO (SOMEONE/ SOMETHING) |
to like someone spontaneously
Compare to: tickle (someone’s) fancy |
1. Tom liked Kate from the moment he met her. He took a
shine to her instantly.
2. They decided to buy the house without much discussion
because they took a fancy to it. |
|
TAKE/GIVE (SOMEONE) A RAIN CHECK |
to accept a different time for an appointment from the
original one; to request that an appointment be rescheduled
The expression originates from baseball and other outdoor
sporting events, in which rain checks are given if the game
is canceled because of rain. The rain check entitles the
spectator to see another game on another day free of charge. |
1. Thanks for asking me to have lunch with you today.
Unfortunately, I’m busy. Can I take a rain check? I’m free
for lunch almost any day next week.
2. Bonnie had a date with Tom for Saturday but her mother
became ill and she told him she couldn’t make it. She asked
if he could give her a rain check for another time. |
| take a stand on |
be decisive on |
The President decided to
take a stand on the tax issue. |
| take a trip |
go |
We plan to take
a trip to Japan in July. |
| take in a show |
watch a movie |
Maybe I'm gonna
take in a show tonight. |
| TAKE IT
EASY |
to relax |
1. Don’t get so upset over something that doesn’t matter.
Take it easy.
2. Roger had a heart attack last year. Now he takes it easy
and doesn’t work as hard as he used to. |
| TAKE
OFF |
to leave quickly (sentence 1) or to do well in sales
(sentences 2 and 3)
Synonym: sell like hotcakes (sentence 2) |
1. The boys threw rocks at the old man’s windows. When he
came out of the house to chase them away, they took off.
2. The young man invented a gadget to use in the kitchen and
now he is trying to sell it. It hasn’t sold well so far but
he’s sure that eventually it will take off. |
| take on |
hire |
The company is expected
to take on more employees next year. |
| take over |
take control of |
The larger bank is
expected to take over the smaller bank. |
| TAKE
POTLUCK |
to accept whatever is available
The expression probably originates from the idea of a
potluck dinner, where each guest brings one different food
or dish to contribute to everyone’s meal. Nobody knows in
advance exactly what foods will be brought. Potluck dinners
and potluck picnics are popular in the U.S. They are
informal gatherings and easy to organize because no one
person has to provide more than one dish. |
1. I know it’s short notice but you’re welcome to join us
for dinner if you don’t mind taking potluck.
2. There isn’t much choice left, but I’m not picky. I’m
happy to take potluck. |
| take roll |
check attendance |
I'm going to
take roll now. |
| TAKE
(SOMEONE) TO THE CLEANERS |
to steal or cheat someone out of all of his or her money
Synonym: clean (someone) out |
1. The unsuspecting woman agreed to invest all her money
with an unethical investment banker. He took her to the
cleaners, and she was left without a penny to her name.
2. I made the mistake of giving my dishonest nephew a blank
check from my bank account. Instead of writing it for the
amount we had agreed on, he wrote it for every cent I had.
He took me to the cleaners. |
| TAKE
(SOMETHING) IN STRIDE |
to accept and adjust to bad fortune or trouble
Synonym: roll with the punches
Similar to: like water off a duck’s back
The expression take something in stride suggests that when
one is confronted by something unexpected, it does not
interrupt one’s stride (i.e., the way one walks). |
1. When I told them the bad news, I expected them to be
upset, but they took it in stride. It didn’t seem to bother
them at all.
2. Rebecca isn’t bothered by unexpected surprises. She
always takes things in stride. |
| TAKE
(SOMETHING) WITH A GRAIN OF SALT |
to be skeptical or cautious about believing a story or an
explanation |
1. You can’t believe everything Peggy says. She’s inclined
to exaggerate, so you have to take what she says with a
grain of salt.
2. Nick is just making things sound worse than they really
are. Take it with a grain of salt. |
| TAKE
(SOMETHING) BY STORM |
to overwhelm someone or something, often by becoming famous
quickly (sentence 1), or by spreading very rapidly (sentence
2) |
1. The Beatles were rock musicians who took the world by
storm in the 1960s.
2. Fear of the disease spread across the country very
quickly. Panic took the nation by storm. |
| take stock |
count the items of
merchandise or supplies in stock |
The store usually has to
take stock every three months. |
| TAKE
THE BULL BY THE HORNS |
to take action in a difficult or unpleasant situation
Compare to: bite the bullet; face the music; grin and bear
it
The expression take the bull by the horns does not suggest
that the person is necessarily responsible for the difficult
situation in the same way that to face the music does. |
1. When it came time to paint the living room, nobody knew
where to start. Ben took the bull by the horns, chose a
brush, and started painting, and everybody followed his
lead.
2. You know what you want to do for a living, but you need
to start working toward your goal. Don’t be afraid to take
the bull by the horns and start applying for jobs. |
| TAKE
THE CAKE |
to outdo; to exceed normal behavior; metaphorically, to win
the prize
The expression is often used to express one’s shock at
impolite or bad behavior. The shocking behavior is usually
something that surpasses some previous bad behavior. It is
usually used in the present simple tense and infrequently in
the past tense. |
1. David has done foolish things in the past, but I never
thought he would do anything this foolish. This really takes
the cake.
2. They have always used poor judgment when it comes to
social affairs, but this outdoes anything they have done in
the past. This time, their behavior takes the cake. |
| take the company
public |
sell shares of the
company to the general public |
The owner needed more
money and decided to take the company public. |
| taken for |
cheated out of |
He was taken for
all his money at the casino. |
| TAKE
THE WIND OUT OF (SOMEONE’S) SAILS |
to deflate someone’s ego (sentence 1) or to ruin or destroy
someone’s high expectations (sentence 2)
The expression probably originates from the sport of racing
sailboats. When one sailboat cuts in front of another, it
literally takes the wind out of the rear boat’s sails,
causing it to lose its speed.
The expression can be used to describe one’s own
disappointment (sentence 2) or it can be used to express a
somewhat wicked delight that someone else has met with
disappointment (sentence 1). |
1. Mary was so sure that she was going to be offered that
job. Wait until I tell her that the position has been given
to Roger instead. That’ll take the wind out of her sails.
2. I was hoping to be accepted by that university. When the
rejection letter arrived, it really took the wind out of my
sails. |
| take
with a grain of salt |
|
|
| taking care of
business |
doing what I have to do |
I have been
taking care of business. |
| TALK A
BLUE STREAK |
to talk fast and at length
Synonym: talk (someone’s) ear off; gift of gab |
1. No one liked sitting at the lunch table with Phil because
he had only one topic of conversation: his sports car. When
it came to his car, Phil could talk a blue streak.
2. You can hardly get a word into a conversation with Wendy,
the way she talks a blue streak. |
| TALK
(SOMEONE’S) EAR OFF |
to bore someone with one’s unending talk
Synonym: bend (someone’s) ear
Compare to: talk a blue streak
Talk someone’s ear off conveys a sense of boredom that may
or may not be present in talk a blue streak. |
1. I try to keep my office door closed so that Jim won’t
come in. When he does, he talks my ear off and I can’t get
any work done.
2. Doug tried to signal me to interrupt his one-way
conversation with Rita. It was obvious that she was talking
his ear off and he was too polite to end the conversation. |
| TALK
THROUGH (ONE’S) HAT |
to speak without authority on some topic; to talk nonsense
Compare to: know beans about (something), not |
1. Some people drink too much alcohol and then they begin to
talk through their hats. They try to make you think that
they know a lot about something when they really don’t.
2. You should listen to Maria when she offers advice about
buying real estate. She knows a lot about it. She’s not just
talking through her hat. |
| TALK TO
(SOMEONE) LIKE A DUTCH UNCLE |
person who talks to one like a close relative, giving advice
that is sound, well-meant, and sometimes stern
Similar to: talk sense into (someone) |
1. The young man and woman were about to run away to get
married, so the boy’s brother took them aside and talked to
them like a Dutch uncle. He told them that what they were
doing was foolish.
2. The boy’s father and mother could talk no sense into him,
so they asked a teacher at the boy’s school to talk to him
like a Dutch uncle. |
| TALK
TURKEY |
to talk seriously, usually about a business deal
Compare to: get down to business |
1. I was ready to get serious about making an offer for the
car. I was ready to talk turkey.
2. They were in agreement on their business deal; now all
they had to do was work out the details. They sat down to
talk turkey. |
| TALL
ORDER |
something difficult to accomplish |
1. My boss wants me to finish all of this work by next
Tuesday. It’s a tall order—I’m going to have to work through
the weekend.
2. My aunt is trying to cook dinner for our entire family
without spending too much money. It’s a tall order, but I
think she can do it. |
| TAN
(SOMEONE’S) HIDE/BRITCHES |
to spank a child’s bottom as punishment
The expression originates from the practice of tanning
(preparing) animal hides (skins) for use as clothing or
shoes by hitting them with a tanning instrument. Hide is
also a slang word used to refer to a person’s skin. The
alternative britches (pants) refers to the fact that a
person gets spanked on his bottom.
The expression is usually used to describe how parents might
punish their children. |
1. Ricky didn’t come home on time from his friend’s house.
When he got home, his mother tanned his hide.
2. That child is disrespectful and uncontrollable. What he
really needs is for one of his parents to tan his britches. |
| taste
of one's own medicine |
|
|
| team player |
someone who works well
with others |
He is really a
team player. |
| that
ship has sailed |
|
|
| the
apple doesn't fall far from the tree |
|
|
| the
ball is in your court |
|
|
| the
calm before the storm |
|
|
| the inside track |
the advantage over
others |
He knows the manager so
he has the inside track for getting the new
job. |
| the
jury is still out |
|
|
| the
last straw |
|
|
| the
sky's the limit |
|
|
| THIRD
RATE |
of poor quality
Synonyms: second rate; fourth rate
Antonym: first-rate
The expression third rate does not convey any ranked degree
of inferiority when compared to second or fourth rate. All
three expressions convey the same degree of inferiority. |
1. Let’s get out of this third rate hotel now. I know we can
find a better one if we try.
2. The company fired Greg when the management decided that
his work was third rate. |
| THROUGH
THICK AND THIN |
in good times and bad times; steadfastly and loyally |
1. My brother Tom has been there with me in good times and
bad, through my joys and sorrows. He has always supported me
through thick and thin.
2. No matter what happens to my husband, I’ll stay with him
through thick and thin. I’m sure he would do the same for
me. |
| throw cold water
on |
forbid |
The manager decided to
throw cold water on the plans to leave early for
the weekend. |
| THROW
DOWN THE GAUNTLET |
to challenge someone to fight or argue
A gauntlet is a glove from a suit of armor.
The expression originates from a medieval custom of throwing
down one’s gauntlet as a way of challenging an enemy to a
fight. One accepted the challenge by picking up the
gauntlet. |
1. The candidate’s opponent challenged her to debate the
issues. The opponent had thrown down the gauntlet and she
was ready to pick it up and accept the challenge.
2. If you don’t want to start a fight with Carl, don’t throw
down the gauntlet. |
| THROW
IN THE TOWEL |
to stop trying; to quit
The expression comes from the game of boxing. When a boxer
has had enough and is ready to give up the fight, his or her
manager throws the towel used to clean his or her face
during the fight into the ring as a signal that the fight is
over. |
1. Roger had been trying hard to arrange a business deal
between two groups. He was still unsuccessful after weeks of
trying, so he decided to throw in the towel and spend his
time on something else.
2. I’ll never be able to pass my mathematics course, no
matter how much time I spend studying. I’m going to throw in
the towel and withdraw from the course. |
| throw
money at the problem |
|
|
|
THROW/TOSS (ONE’S) HAT INTO THE RING |
to announce one’s candidacy for elected office
Originates from 19th century boxing, during which men from
the crowd would throw their hats into the boxing ring to
indicate they wanted to challenge the latest winner. |
1. At first, Dan hadn’t decided whether or not he wanted to
run for governor, but now that he felt he had a good chance
of winning, he was ready to throw his hat into the ring.
2. In order to get as much publicity for her campaign for
mayor of the city as possible, Dr. Smith tossed her hat into
the ring early. |
| throw
the baby out with the bathwater |
|
|
| THROW
THE BOOK AT (SOMEONE) |
to give someone the harshest penalty or punishment allowed
by law, or to impose any severe sentence or punishment
The book refers to a book of laws, and throwing it at
someone means applying the maximum sentence a judge can
legally impose upon a person convicted of a crime. |
1. The judge decided to punish the thief to the full extent
of the law. Instead of being lenient and giving him a light
jail sentence, he threw the book at him.
2. The girl decided to buy the pack of gum instead of taking
it without paying. She knew that if she got caught, they’d
throw the book at her. |
| TICKLE
(SOMEONE’S) FANCY |
to please or amuse someone in a light-hearted way
Compare to: take a shine/fancy to (someone/ something);
catch (someone’s) fancy |
1. Fred decorated his garden with small animal statues
because they tickled his fancy.
2. Before you decide that you don’t want anything for your
birthday, let’s go to the jewelry store. You might see
something there that tickles your fancy. |
| TICKLED
PINK |
thoroughly pleased; very happy |
1. I’m just tickled pink that you’ll be able to join us for
dinner next Saturday. I’m really looking forward to it.
2. My niece got her first job today. She’s so pleased with
herself. She’s tickled pink. |
| TIED TO
(ONE’S) MOTHER’S APRON STRINGS |
emotionally or physically attached to one’s mother beyond
what is considered appropriate and normal
Compare to: under (someone’s) thumb
An apron is a piece of clothing worn over the front of the
body to protect normal clothing from getting dirty,
especially when cooking. The apron is tied on with strings.
The expression tied to (one’s) mother’s apron strings
usually describes an adult’s continued dependence on his or
her mother. |
1. Philip is 58 and still lives at home with his parents. He
doesn’t take care of himself. He still lets his mother take
care of him. He’s tied to his mother’s apron strings.
2. Rachel decided to break off her engagement to Ted. She
realized he would always take his mother’s side in a
dispute, and would always be tied to his mother’s apron
strings. |
| TIE THE
KNOT |
to get married
The expression suggests that when two people get married,
they tie a knot that binds them together. |
1. Roger and Sue decided to get married. They are going to
tie the knot in church on Saturday.
2. You don’t need to rush into marriage. Why don’t you give
yourselves more time to think it over before you tie the
knot? |
| TIGHTEN
(ONE’S) BELT |
to spend less money than one did previously
The expression suggests that a person loses weight because
he or she is unable to buy as much food as he or she once
did. As a result, he or she must tighten his belt so that
his or her pants don’t fall down. |
1. Marian lost her job so now the family has to make it on
Sam’s paycheck. They’re going to have to tighten their belts
and spend less until she finds another job.
2. My car broke down and I had to buy another one. Now I
have less money for some of the things I used to be able to
afford, so I’ve had to tighten my belt. |
| tight spot |
difficult situation |
The new product is not
selling as well as expected and has put the company in a
tight spot. |
| TILT AT
WINDMILLS |
to fight against impossible odds in an attempt to do good
The expression originates from Miguel de Cervantes’s novel
Don Quixote, in which Quixote comes upon several windmills
and, thinking that they are giants, tries to defeat them in
battle by tilting at them (stabbing while running or riding
past) with his lance (long spear). |
1. Don’t waste your time and energy trying to change a
situation that cannot be changed. The bureaucracy is too big
to fight. You’ll just be tilting at windmills.
2. I’ve always been one to try to help the helpless, even
when I know I have little chance of success fighting against
the powerful. I guess I’ll always tilt at windmills. |
| TIME ON
(ONE’S) HANDS, HAVE (SOME) |
to have free time with nothing to doSynonym: time to kill,
have (some)
The expression suggests a degree of boredom. Whereas have
time on one’s hands means only that one has some free time,
have time to kill includes the notion that one is waiting
for a future event. |
1. Can I help you fix a few things around the house today? I
have some time on my hands until after dinner.
2. The children will get into trouble if they have too much
time on their hands. We need to find something to keep them
busy. |
| TIME TO
KILL, HAVE (SOME) |
to have a period of time to pass while waiting for some
future event
Synonym: time on (one’s) hands
The expression suggests that one must get rid of (kill) the
extra time. |
1. I expected the plane to leave at 4:30 but it has been
delayed. Now I have some time to kill while I wait for the
plane.
2. Sarah arrived at the meeting early. She had time to kill
so she read a magazine. |
| TIP OF
THE ICEBERG, JUST/ONLY THE |
the smallest, evident part of something that is much greater
but hidden from view; more to a situation than one can see
at the moment
The expression suggests that while only the top of an
iceberg may be visible, the larger and more dangerous
portion of it is hidden from view under the water. |
1. This latest scandal in the government is only the tip of
the iceberg. I’m convinced that there is much more
corruption than what has been uncovered so far.
2. The police arrested the man they thought was guilty of
the robbery. While they had him in jail, they began to
uncover information that linked him to many of the robberies
that had taken place over the last few years. This latest
robbery was just the tip of the iceberg. |
| TIT FOR
TAT |
an action in exchange for another equal action
Synonym: give (someone) a taste of his own medicine; fix
(someone’s) wagon
The expression may describe insults (sentence 1) or some
harmless error (sentence 2). |
1. Mark criticized Pam’s clothes and in return she
criticized his haircut. It was tit for tat.
2. I didn’t wash the dishes for you yesterday, and today you
didn’t take out the trash for me. I guess it’s tit for tat. |
| TO BEAT
THE BAND |
in an exaggerated manner; with a lot of effort or to the
extreme
The expression is used to describe physical activity. It is
always used in the infinitive form but functions as an
adverb. |
1. The child was upset that she couldn’t have any more
candy. Her yelling and fussing was loud enough to beat the
band.
2. The girl wanted to speak English better than anyone else.
She decided she would have to practice to beat the band if
she wanted to succeed. |
| TOE THE
LINE |
to follow the rules; to do what is expected of one
Compare to: straight and narrow
The expression originates from an early form of boxing, in
which a line was drawn on the ground and opponents had to
keep the toes of one foot on the line during their fight.
Any opponent who removed his toes from the line was
disqualified from the fight. |
1. Mr. Kelly has survived in politics because he toes the
line. He follows the policies of the majority and doesn’t
try to stand out or be different.
2. The boss didn’t want any trouble from his workers. He
told them they had better toe the line or get out. |
| to
fall down the rabbit hole |
|
|
| to
have a lot on your plate |
|
|
| to
have butterflies |
|
|
| to
have nerve |
|
|
| to move on |
to seduce |
I am going to try
to move on Joan next Saturday. |
| TONGUE
IN CHEEK |
joking or sarcastic |
1. When Paul complimented his secretary’s work, he was being
facetious. He meant just the opposite, but was speaking
tongue in cheek.
2. Sometimes, the teacher seems like she’s being serious,
but she’s really joking. What she says is tongue in cheek.
The expression describes a style of speech. |
| TOO BIG
FOR (ONE’S) BRITCHES |
to be sassy or arrogant, or to act or speak disrespectfully
or inappropriately for one’s age or position
The expression is usually used by parents to reprimand
(scold) their children. |
1. Patty’s mother scolded her, “Listen to me, young lady.
You may not speak so rudely to anyone. You’re getting too
big for your britches.”
2. His father told the little boy that his behavior was not
acceptable in their house. He told the boy he was too big
for his britches and he would be punished if he continued to
misbehave. |
| took a bath |
experienced great losses |
She took a bath
on the stock market last year. |
| took a beating |
lost money |
His brother really
took a beating on the stock market
recently. |
| tool around |
drive around |
I don't want to
tool around all night. It is time to go home. |
| TOO
MANY IRONS IN THE FIRE |
too many activities demanding one’s time
Synonym: have (one’s) hands full |
1. I have too many obligations on my time right now. I have
too many irons in the fire.
2. Beth is going to exhaust herself with all the activities
she has taken on. She has too many irons in the fire. |
| to pan
out |
|
|
| TOP OF
THE LINE, THE |
the best quality
Antonym: bottom of the barrel
Compare to: first-rate
The line refers to a group of similar products or a group of
products all manufactured by the same company. |
1. I’d love to have a computer system that is top of the
line, but I can’t afford it right now so I’ll have to settle
for one that has fewer features.
2. The customer wanted to see every television model that
the store had for sale. He wanted to see the lowest-priced
standard model, as well as the model that was top of the
line. |
| TO THE
HILT |
to be fully committed to something; to do something
completely
Compare to: go to town; pull out all the stops; whole hog;
whole nine yards |
1. When my daughter thinks she’s getting sick, she plays the
role to the hilt so that she doesn’t have to go to school.
Even though she might just have a cold, she complains that
she aches from head to toe.
2. They tried not to get into debt too much. But they had to
get a bank loan to buy their house, so now they’re in to the
hilt. |
| TOUCH
AND GO |
precarious or uncertain |
1. I wasn’t sure I’d get to the airport on time. First the
taxi got stuck in a traffic jam and I was sure I wouldn’t
make it. Then the driver found a short cut and I was sure I
would make it. Then we seemed to get all the red lights and
again I was sure I wouldn’t make it. It was touch and go the
whole way.
2. The doctor told the woman her husband was out of danger
now but that it had been touch and go the night before. The
doctor hadn’t been sure whether the man would live or die. |
| TRACK
RECORD |
a history of performance
The expression originates from horse racing, in which a
horse’s previous wins and losses are studied in an effort to
determine how well the horse will perform in the future. |
1. The manager decided not to hire Steve because he had been
fired from several of his previous jobs. He didn’t have a
very good track record.
2. The stockbroker recommended against investing in the
company because it was fairly new and didn’t have much of a
track record. She suggested I consider the company again in
a few years. |
| TRAIN
OF THOUGHT |
a course of reasoning; a succession of connected ideas
The expression suggests a series of thoughts connected
together in some logical progression (not randomly), in the
same way that the cars of a train are linked together one
after another. |
1. Dianne couldn’t seem to concentrate on her work. Her mind
was wandering and she kept losing her train of thought.
2. The professor began writing mathematical calculations
across the blackboard faster than anyone could follow her.
The students couldn’t follow her train of thought. |
| TREAT
(SOMEONE) TO (SOMETHING) |
to buy something for another person
This expression refers to buying something small and
enjoyable for another person, such as a meal or some kind of
small outing. |
1. Sarah was charmed when Chuck offered to treat her to an
ice cream cone. She had expected to pay for it herself.
2. “Thanks for helping me with that project,” said Ellie to
her friend. “Let me treat you to lunch sometime.” |
| treat
with kid gloves |
|
|
|
TROUBLED WATERS |
emotionally rough times or an unsettled situation
The expression uses the metaphor of rough (troubled) water
and is frequently accompanied by related vocabulary such as
“to calm or to pour oil on,” “bridge over,” “deep in,”
“wading into,” etc. |
1. I’ve noticed that you and your parents have been fighting
a lot these days. I would like to help calm the troubled
waters if I can.
2. Mr. Williamson has been someone that we could depend on
for strength and comfort ever since our father died. He has
been a bridge over troubled waters. |
| TRUE
BLUE |
loyal and steadfast |
1. I trust Marie completely. No one is more loyal than she
is. She’s true blue.
2. Silvia would change her allegiance without a second
thought. She doesn’t know the meaning of true blue. |
| TURN A
DEAF EAR |
to ignore someoneCompare to: fall on deaf ears |
1. The child had been whining and crying all day. Eventually
his mother turned a deaf ear and ignored him.
2. Grandfather has always been quarrelsome and difficult. He
loves to complain to anyone who will listen. You just have
to turn a deaf ear if you want to live in the same house
with him. |
| TURNING
POINT |
a critical point
Similar to: make or break
The expression suggests a fork in the road where one must
turn in one direction or the other, depending on which path
one chooses. |
1. Michael’s illness was a real turning point in his life.
He changed his reckless ways and began eating better,
exercising more, and relaxing more.
2. Anna had to decide whether she would pursue her career in
dance or go into business. She realized that she could not
do both. This decision would be a major turning point in her
life. |
| turn off |
repulsive thing |
The awful language that
he uses is a turn off. |
| turn over |
rate of sale |
The new product
turn over has been incredible. |
| TURN
OVER A NEW LEAF |
to change one’s bad ways and begin to lead a better life
Compare to: wipe the slate clean
The expression originates from the idea of life as a book
full of pages (leaves). When one turns over a new leaf, one
leaves behind a spoiled page of his or her life and turns to
a fresh, clean page to start anew. |
1. The man promised the judge that he was finished with his
life of crime and that he was ready to turn over a new leaf.
2. I know Phyllis says she’s going to turn over a new leaf,
but she continues to follow the same ways and befriend the
same people. |
| TURN
(SOMETHING) THUMBS DOWN/UP {GIVE (SOMETHING) THE THUMBS
DOWN/UP} |
to vote yes or no to something
Synonym: (thumbs down) nix something
The expression originates from the Roman custom of turning a
thumb downward to mean “no” or that something was
unacceptable and upward to mean “yes” or that something was
acceptable. People still use the thumbs-up or -down gesture,
particularly when speaking or hearing is difficult. |
1. I presented my idea to the boss but he didn’t like it at
all. He turned it thumbs down.
2. They really liked the advertising campaign and gave it
their whole-hearted approval. They gave it the thumbs up. |
| TURN
THE OTHER CHEEK |
not to retaliate; not to pay back bad behavior with more bad
behavior
Antonym: pay (someone) back
The expression originates from the New Testament of the
Bible, in which Jesus teaches how one should respond to ill
treatment. |
1. When someone does something bad to you, you should not
retaliate. Instead you should turn the other cheek.
2. Sometimes when people take advantage of me, it’s
difficult for me not to want to get back at them in revenge.
It’s hard to turn the other cheek. |
| TURN
THE TABLES {THE TABLES HAVE TURNED} |
to reverse a situation
Turn the tables originates from tabletop board games such as
backgammon. During the game, players would turn the table
(game) so they played from their opponent’s position. |
1. Jane was poor when she started her own business and she
struggled for a long time, but she finally turned the tables
and now she’s wealthy.
2. They were beating the other team in the first half, but
the tables have turned. Now they’re struggling to keep up
and win the game. |
| TURN UP
(ONE’S) NOSE AT (SOMETHING/ SOMEONE) |
to scorn, snub, or reject something
Compare to: give someone the cold shoulder
Whereas give someone the cold shoulder is limited to people,
turn up one’s nose can be applied to people or things. |
1. Mrs. Beasley wouldn’t have anything to do with her new
neighbors. She turned up her nose at them when they tried to
make friendly conversation.
2. The child was so used to eating fresh vegetables that
when I tried to feed him frozen vegetables, he turned up his
nose at them and refused to eat. |
| TURN UP
THE HEAT |
to apply or increase pressure to a person or situation
The expression suggests how pressure is created (or
increased) when heat is applied to a pot of liquid on a
stove. |
1. My parents have been nagging at me to get a job for
several months, and now, they’re turning up the heat.
They’ve told me I’ll have to move out if I don’t get a job.
2. The lawyer turned up the heat and started to question the
witness much more aggressively. |
| twenty
four seven (24-7) |
|
|
| twist
someone's arm |
|
|
| two
left feet |
|
|
| two
wrongs don't make a right |
|
|
