Tail back: Form a traffic jam: The traffic TAILED BACK for several miles after the accident. Talk into: Persuade someone to do something: She didn’t want to let me go, but I finally managed to TALK her INTO it. Tap into: Use or exploit a plentiful resource for your benefit: The company is hoping to…
sack out|Fall asleep|I SACKED OUT in front of the TV.|1 saddle up|Put a saddle on and prepare an animal to ride|She SADDLED UP the horse and rode off.|_ saddle with|Give someone a task or responsibility that is difficult or hard work|They SADDLED me WITH preparing the visit.|_ sag off|Not go to school or work, or…
Rain down on: Fall in large numbers: Bombs RAINED DOWN ON the city all night. Rake in: Earn, make money easily: She’s RAKING IN thousands a day. Ramp up: Increase amount, price, speed or power of something: The company has RAMPED its prices UP because of higher oil prices. Rat on: Inform authorities about someone’s…
Quarrel out: Argue with someone about a specific subject: The girl’s mother was QUARRELING OUT with her daughter about the party. Quarrel with: Dispute or disagree with something: I am not QUARRELLING WITH their idea, but I think there are other possibilities. Queer up: Mess up, ruin: I QUEERED the exam UP. Quieten down: Fall…
Pack up: Stop doing something: You should PACK UP smoking. Pair off: Begin a romantic relationship: They PAIRED OFF shortly after starting university. Pal up: Become friends: We PALLED UP when I started working with her. Palm off: Get someone to accept something that isn’t true: He tried to PALM me OFF with a pathetic…
Occur to: Enter one’s mind: Didn’t it OCCUR TO you to help me when you saw how much trouble I was in? Open up: Start to talk freely about something: She hates to OPEN UP and discuss her feelings. Operate on: Perform surgery: She was OPERATED ON for eight hours. Opt for: Choose: I OPTED…
Nail down: Succeed in getting, achieve: They are having trouble NAILING DOWN the contract. Name after: Give someone a name to remember another person: I was NAMED AFTER my uncle who died in the war. Narrow down: Remove less important options to make it easier to choose: I am not sure which university to apply…
Make it: Arrive or get a result: I thought you weren’t coming, so I was really pleased you MADE IT. Man up: Behave with courage or conviction: She told her anonymous critics to MAN UP and speak publicly. Mark down: Give a student a lower grade for a particular reason: Students who gave obviously rehearsed…
Lash down: Fall heavily (rain): The rain was LASHING DOWN all day and the roads were flooded. Lay down: Establish rules or procedures: The rules of the sport were LAID DOWN early in the nineteenth century. Lean on: Put pressure on someone to get them to do what you want: The government has denied LEANING…
Keep at: Continue with something difficult: She found the course hard but she KEPT AT it and completed it successfully. Keep from: Control yourself, refrain: I couldn’t KEEP FROM arguing with her. Key on: Target, focus on (sport): We will KEY ON the opposing team’s lack of skills on defense. Kick about: Discuss: We KICKED…