Commonly used english part 33 ppt

Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 91 cheek by jowl - side by side, in close intimacy The fans entered the stadium cheek by jowl. (have the) cheek to do something - rudeness, impudence The woman had the cheek to tell me that she was sick and could not come to work today. cheer (someone) on - to encourage someone who is trying to do something Everybody came to the stadium to cheer on the home team. cheer (someone) up - to make a sad person happy We took our friend to a nice restaurant to cheer her up. chew out (someone) - to scold someone roughly The teacher chewed out the student for talking in class. chew the fat - to chat The two men were chewing the fat in front of the house. chicken feed - a small amount of money The man sold his car for chicken feed because he needed the money. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 92 chicken out (of something) - to stop doing something because of fear I chickened out of jumping into the lake from the high diving board. (one's) chickens have come home to roost - one's words or acts come back to cause trouble for a person Her chickens came home to roost and now she must take responsibility for what she did. chilled to the bone - very cold I was chilled to the bone when I came in out of the rain. chime in - to join in a song or conversation We were having a nice conversation until our friend chimed in and started complaining about everything. chip in - to contribute or pay jointly for something We chipped in and bought our father a birthday present. chip off the old block - a person who looks or acts like one of his parents The boy is a chip off the old block and acts exactly like his father. chips are down - the time when one faces the greatest obstacles When the chips are down the boy goes to his father for advice and encouragement. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 93 chisel (someone) out of (something) - to cheat someone to get money My friend tried to chisel his brother out of some money. choke (someone) up - to make someone cry or become overemotional and speechless I became choked up when I heard the story of the boy's illness. choke (something) off - to force something to an end/stop The government was able to choke off the flow of money to the criminal gang. circle the wagons - to set up a defense against an enemy The management team began to circle the wagons as the accounting scandal became worse. claim a life - to take the life of someone The accident on the freeway claimed the life of two people. clam up - to stop talking The girl clammed up when her boyfriend entered the room. clamp down on (someone or something) - to become strict with someone or about something The police plan to clamp down on drivers who drive too fast. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 94 clean bill of health - the assurance that an animal or person is healthy The astronaut was given a clean bill of health before he began training. clean slate - a record that shows no bad behavior or other problems or past bad acts The man started off with a clean slate after he lost his previous job. clean up one's act - to improve one's performance The mayor will have to clean up his act if he wants to get elected again. clear Idioms clear of (something) - to be not touching something We checked that the ladder was clear of the electrical wires before we painted the house. clear out (of somewhere) - to leave, to get out (usually quickly or abruptly) We cleared out of the building as soon as our class was over. clear out (something) - to clean somewhere, to remove something We cleared out the room before we could start painting. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 95 clear sailing - to be an easy situation It was clear sailing when we finished work and began our journey. clear (someone's) name - to prove that someone is not guilty of something The man tried very hard to clear his name regarding his past criminal activity. clear the air - to calm down and remove bad feelings We had a big argument but now it is time to clear the air. clear the decks - to clear away things and prepare for action, to get out of the way "Let`s clear the decks and get everyone out of the house so that we can begin work." clear the table - to remove the dishes and eating utensils from a table After we finished eating we quickly cleared the table. clear up (something) - to solve or explain (a problem etc.) We finally cleared up the problem that we were having with our computers. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 96 . cliffhanger - a sports event/movie/election where the outcome is uncertain until the very end The playoff game was a cliffhanger and the most exciting game of the year. climb the wall - to be so bored that you become anxious and frustrated The woman began to climb the wall after only a few days at her new job. clip joint - a low-class business where people are cheated The men went into a clip joint near the bus station and had to pay a lot of money. clip (someone`s) wings - to limit someone`s activities or possibilities The company decided to clip the manager's wings and took away his expense account. cloak-and-dagger - involving secercy and plotting The agents were involved in cloak-and-dagger diplomacy over the spy scandal. close Idioms close at hand - to be within reach The day that the new coach would be chosen was now close at hand. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 97 close call/shave - an accident that almost happens but does not happen I had a close call this morning when the truck almost hit me. close in on (someone or something) - to overwhelm or surround someone or something The soldiers quickly closed in on the enemy position. close one's eyes to (something) - to ignore something The teacher closed her eyes to the misbehavior of the students. close ranks - to come together for fighting, to unite and work together The political parties closed ranks and stopped arguing among themselves. close the books (on someone or something) - to put an end to something (like the books in accounting records) The owners of the team closed the books on the idea of building a new stadium. close to home - to be near to someone`s personal feelings/wishes/interests My statement about the woman's work habits hit close to home and she became very quiet. close to (someone) - to be fond of someone The boy is very close to his grandfather. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 98 . cloud up - to become cloudy It began to cloud up and soon started raining. clue (someone) in - to inform someone about something We tried to clue the principal in about why the students were absent. the coast is clear - no danger is in sight, no one can see you When the coast is clear we will try to enter the building. cock-and-bull story - a story that is not true The boys gave us a cock-and-bull story about the tire marks in front of our house. cog in the machine - a small and unimportant part of a large organization The employees felt like they were only cogs in the machine so the atmosphere at the company was not very good. cold comfort - no comfort at all The government offered money to the victims of the fire but it was cold comfort to those who had lost their families. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 99 cold fish - a distant and unfeeling person The man was a cold fish and cared little about his family. cold snap/spell - a sudden short period of cold weather (usually in winter) The cold snap lasted for five days. cold turkey - abruptly and without medical aid (to stop using heroin or other drugs) The woman stopped using drugs cold turkey and became very sick. come Idioms come a cropper - to fail The man came a cropper in the chess tournament and that is why he is sad. come a long way - to make great progress The manager has come a long way and has learned many things about his new company. come about - to happen Everybody believes that the plans for the new community center will never come about. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 100 come across (someone or something) - to find something or meet someone by chance I came across an interesting story in the newspaper last week. Come again. - Please repeat or say that again. "Come again. I did not hear you the first time." come alive - to brighten up and become active The girl finally came alive and began to enjoy the party. come along - to make progress, to thrive The work on our new house is coming along very well. come around - to finally agree to something, to return to consciousness or wake up My father finally came around and agreed to let me go to Germany to study. come as no surprise - to not be surprising It came as no surprise when the government decided to have an election. come away empty-handed - to return without anything Nobody came away empty-handed at the end of the birthday party. . students. close ranks - to come together for fighting, to unite and work together The political parties closed ranks and stopped arguing among themselves. close the books (on someone or something) . story about the tire marks in front of our house. cog in the machine - a small and unimportant part of a large organization The employees felt like they were only cogs in the machine so the. alive - to brighten up and become active The girl finally came alive and began to enjoy the party. come along - to make progress, to thrive The work on our new house is coming along