Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 191 fish or cut bait - to do something yourself or quit and let someone else do it, to stop trying to do something We told the men to fish or cut bait. If they did not want to buy the car then they should stop asking questions about it a fish out of water - someone who does not fit in The man was like a fish out of water at the expensive restaurant. fishy - to be strange and suspicious Something is fishy with the man's excuse for being late for work. fit Idioms fit and trim - to be slim and in good physical shape My sister looked fit and trim after spending six months at the spa. fit as a fiddle - to be in good athletic condition or health My grandfather is 92 years old but he is as fit as a fiddle. fit for a king - to be totally suitable (especially suitable for a king) The food at the wedding was fit for a king. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 192 fit in with (someone or something) - to be comfortable or in harmony with someone or something The new boy fits in with the other children very well. fit like a glove - to fit perfectly The new pair of jeans that I bought fit like a glove. fit (someone or something) in - to make time for someone or something I try hard to fit some exercise in everyday. fit (someone) into a schedule - to be able to enter someone into a schedule and have time to see him or her The doctor was not able to fit me into her schedule. fit (someone) out with (something) - to provide someone with something The store helped to fit us out with camping equipment for our holiday. fit (someone) to a T - to fit a person very well My cousin's new job fits her to a T. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 193 fit the mold - to do what you expect, to do what is considered usual (usually used in the negative - does not fit the mold) Our teacher does not fit the mold of someone who volunteers to help homeless people every Saturday. fit to be tied - to be very angry or upset My boss was fit to be tied when he heard that I was going to take a month off from work this summer. fit to kill - to be wearing very fancy clothes I looked fit to kill when I went to the restaurant to meet my friend. . fix (someone) up with (someone) - to help someone get a date by arranging a meeting between the two people I am trying to fix my sister up with my best friend. fix (someone's) wagon - to punish or get even with someone I decided to fix the woman's wagon after she complained to my boss about me. fizzle out - to fail after a good start, to end in failure The party began to fizzle out at midnight when many people went home. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 194 flare up - to become suddenly angry, to begin again suddenly The fighting flared up again after the United Nations soldiers left the town. flash in the pan - someone or something that makes a flashy start and then fails The man's sports career was a flash in the pan. Recently I have not heard of him at all. flat broke - to have no money I have been flat broke since I stopped working last month. flat out - without hiding anything, openly I told my friend flat out that I would not go to the party with her. flea in one`s ear - an annoying hint, an idea or answer that is not welcome Our boss has a flea in her ear about changing the way that the business operates. flea market - a place where antiques or secondhand goods are sold We went to a flea market last Saturday to try and buy some dishes. one's flesh and blood - a close relative She is my flesh and blood so I felt terrible when she got into trouble. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 195 flesh (something) out - to make something more detailed or bigger We worked hard during the weekend to flesh out our agreement. a flight of fancy - an idea that is out of touch with reality or possibility It was a flight of fancy for us to think of trying to climb Mt. Everest. flip one`s lid - to become very excited, to lose one`s temper My father flipped his lid when I told him about the large telephone bill. flip out - to go crazy, to become very angry She flipped out when she heard that I had damaged her car. flirt with the idea of (doing something) - to think about doing something We flirted with the idea of buying a new house but we decided not to. float a loan - to initiate or make a loan The bank agreed to float a loan for the new business. flora and fauna - plants and animals We took some books to the cottage so that we could learn about the flora and fauna of the area. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 196 flunk out - to fail a course, to fail school My friend flunked out of the computer course at school. flush with (something) - to be even with something The two pieces of wood were flush with each other so we glued them together. flush with (something) - to have lots of something We were flush with cash so we decided to go on a nice holiday. fly-by-night - an unreliable business or person The new company is a fly-by-night operation. fly by the seat of one`s pants - to do a job instinctively rather than by using concrete information I had to fly by the seat of my pants when my boss left me alone for a week. fly in the face of (someone or something) - to disregard/defy someone or something The complaints of the woman were beginning to fly in the face of a reasonable conversation. fly in the ointment - a small thing that spoils one's enjoyment of something The problem with the music was a fly in the ointment during the wedding ceremony. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 197 fly into the face of danger - to take great risks The pilot was flying into the face of danger when he went to fight the forest fire. fly off the handle - to become angry My friend flew off the handle when he saw the bill for the meal. fly the coop - to escape The prisoner was able to fly the coop when the guard was not looking. flying high - to be very happy, to be joyful My neighbor has been flying high since she heard that she had won a car. foam at the mouth - to be very angry (like a mad dog) My father was foaming at the mouth when I told him that I had damaged his car. foist (something) off on (someone) - to force someone to take something that they do not want I tried to foist my old bicycle off on my friend but he would not take it. fold (something) up - to put an end to something (a business etc.) The number of people coming to the exhibition was very low so we decided to fold up our exhibit and go home. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 198 follow Idioms follow in (someone`s) footsteps/tracks - to follow someone`s example, to follow someone exactly The boy is following in his father`s footsteps and has decided to work for a bank. follow one's heart - to act according to one's feelings I decided to follow my heart and study art rather than computer science. follow one's nose - to go straight ahead We followed our nose until we found the train station. follow orders - to do as one has been instructed The soldiers said that they were following orders when they attacked the village. follow (someone's) lead - to do as someone else does Everybody followed my lead and came to work early. follow suit - to do as someone else has done, to follow someone`s example, to play a card of the same suit that someone else has put down I followed suit and left work early on Friday just as my boss had done. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 199 follow the crowd - to do what everyone else is doing Most of the high school students like to follow the crowd. follow through with (something) - to continue or finish an action that one has started My neighbor said that he would help me paint my house but he has never followed through with his offer. follow up (something) - to make (one action) more successful by doing something more The doctor followed up his phone call in the morning with a visit in the afternoon. . fond of (someone or something) - to like someone or something Our daughter is very fond of her grandfather. food for thought - something worth thinking about I do not agree with his proposal but at least it is food for thought. fool around - to spend time playing rather than working, to waste time If the man would spend less time fooling around he would be able to get more work done. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 200 a foot in the door - an opening or opportunity I finally got a foot in the door when the company accepted my application. foot the bill - to pay for something The company will foot the bill for my move to Paris. footloose and fancy-free - to be without responsibilities or commitments The couple were footloose and fancy-free and they could do whatever they wanted. for Idioms for a song - for very little money, very cheaply I was able to buy my new car for a song. for all (something) - in spite of something, even with something For all the time that the boy spends studying his marks are very low. for all I care - I do not care if something happens "For all I care, you can spend all of your money today." . fits her to a T. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 193 fit the mold - to do what you expect, to do what is considered usual (usually used in the negative - does not fit the mold). out - to fail after a good start, to end in failure The party began to fizzle out at midnight when many people went home. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 194 flare up - to become suddenly angry,. would spend less time fooling around he would be able to get more work done. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 200 a foot in the door - an opening or opportunity I finally got a foot in the door