Commonly-Used Idioms, Sayings and phrasal verbs - "C" Idioms docx

Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 75 C calculated risk - an action that may fail but has a good chance to succeed The company took a calculated risk when they opened a new store in a very quiet area. call Idioms call a meeting - to request that a meeting be held The board of directors will call a meeting for next week. call a meeting to order - to officially start a meeting The president called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. call a spade a spade - to speak bluntly The supervisor called a spade a spade when he criticized the employee for being lazy. call for (someone) - to come and get someone "Could you please come and call for me before you go to the game." Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 76 call for (someone or something) - to require something, to need the services of someone Our problems with the toilet call for a good plumber. call it a day/night - to quit work and go home I called it a day and decided to go home early. call it quits - to stop, to finish I called it quits and went home for the day. call of nature - the need to go to the toilet The driver stopped his truck to answer the call of nature. call off (something) - to cancel something The game was called off because of the rain. call on (someone) - to visit someone I plan to call on my brother during my holidays. call on (someone) - to ask someone to participate in something or contribute something The teacher called on me three times to answer questions in the class. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 77 call out to (someone) - to shout to someone We called out to our friend at the concert but she did not hear us. call (someone) in - to ask someone for help, to call for special advice We called in a special doctor to look at the patient. call (someone or something) into question - to dispute or cast doubt upon someone or something The lawyer called the man's statement about his neighbor into question. call (someone) names - to call a person unpleasant names The children began to call the new student names. call (someone) on the carpet - to call someone before an authority to be scolded or reprimanded The salesman was called on the carpet by his boss for losing the big sale. call (someone`s) bluff - to challenge someone to prove that what they are saying is true I decided to call the man's bluff and I asked him to show me the evidence. call (something) in - to collect something for payment, to withdraw something from circulation The bank decided to call in the business loan. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 78 call the shots - to be in charge, to give orders The vice-president is now calling the shots and is in control of the company. call up (someone) - to telephone someone My friend said that he will call up his parents tomorrow night. . calm down - to relax The woman finally calmed down after the accident. cancel (something) out - to destroy the effect of something The overeating by the girl cancelled out the benefits of her exercise. can of worms - a complicated situation or problem The lawsuit opened up a can of worms for the company. can't do anything with (someone or something) - to be unable to manage or control someone or something My sister is always complaining that she can't do anything with her daughter. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 79 can`t see the forest for the trees - to be unable to understand the whole picture of something because you are only looking at small parts of it He has no understanding of most problems because he can't see the forest for the trees. can't stand/stomach (someone or something) - to dislike someone or something very much My uncle cannot stand his daughter's boyfriend. card up one`s sleeve - a plan or argument that is kept back to be used later if needed I think that our boss has a card up his sleeve and he will be able to help us later. cards are stacked against (someone) - luck is against someone The cards have been stacked against the young boy since he was born. (in) care of (someone) - (send something) to one person at the address of another person I sent the parcel to my sister in care of her friend at the university. carrot and stick - a reward or a threat of punishment at the same time The trade negotiators took a carrot-and-stick approach to the automobile talks. carried away - to lose one's control or judgement due to strong feelings I got carried away and yelled at my friend for losing my textbook. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 80 carry Idioms carry a lot of weight with (someone or something) - to be very influential with someone or a group of people The man's education and experience carry a lot of weight in the university. carry a tune - to be able to sing accurately, to have musical ability The girl in the music class cannot carry a tune. carry coals to Newcastle - to bring something of which there is plenty, to duplicate something (Newcastle is a town in England where there is a lot of coal) Bringing extra food to the farmer`s picnic was like bringing coals to Newcastle. carry on - to continue, to keep doing something as before We were permitted to carry on with the party after we talked to the apartment manager. carry out (something) - to do something, to put something (a plan) into action, to accomplish something We were able to carry out the move with no problems. carry over (something) - to save for another time or location The store will carry over the sale until next week. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 81 carry the ball - to be in charge of something The vice-president was forced to carry the ball while the president was away. carry the day - to win or be successful His fine performance in our company carried the day for us. carry the torch - to show loyalty to a cause or a person The man has been carrying the torch for the candidate for a long time. carry the weight of the world on one's shoulders - to appear to be burdened by all the problems of the world My aunt feels that she is working too hard and that she is carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. carry through with (something) - to put a plan into action The company carried through with its plan to open a new factory. . a case in point - an example that proves something or helps to make something clear What the man said is a case in point about what I have been saying all year. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 82 a case of mistaken identity - an incorrect identification of someone It was a case of mistaken identity when the police arrested the wrong person. cash-and-carry - a system where you pay cash for some goods and then carry them away The supermarkets in our city always operate on a cash-and-carry basis. cash cow - a good source of money His new business is a cash cow and he is making much money. cash in (something) - to exchange something for money We decided to cash in the coupons because we needed some money. cash in on (something) - to make a lot of money at something The small city cashed in on their success after the winter Olympics. cash on the barrelhead - to pay cash to buy something It was cash only at the store and we were forced to pay cash on the barrelhead for everything. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 83 cast Idioms cast around/about for (someone or something) - to look for someone or something We have been casting around for a new file clerk in our company. cast aspersions on (someone) - to make insulting remarks about someone The woman is always casting aspersions on her colleagues at work. cast doubts on (someone or something) - to cause someone or something to be doubted The first witness at the trial cast doubts on the testimony of the main witness. cast in the same mold - to be very similar The two sisters were cast in the same mold and were almost identical. cast one's lot in with (someone) - to join with someone and accept whatever happens The woman cast her lot in with the company and worked hard to keep the business going. cast one's vote - to vote We arrived early to cast our vote in the election. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 84 cast pearls before swine - to waste something valuable on someone who does not appreciate it Giving the woman the gold earrings was like casting pearls before swine. cast the first stone - to be the first to blame someone The man was the one to cast the first stone and now he is fighting with his neighbor. . castles in the air - daydreams My sister is always building castles in the air and is very unrealistic. cat burglar - a burglar who enters a building by climbing a wall etc. Our stereo was stolen when a cat burglar entered our apartment. cat gets one`s tongue - the inability to say something I think that the cat got our supervisor's tongue. She has not said anything since the meeting started. catch Idioms catch-22 - a situation which contradicts itself, a paradoxical situation It was a catch-22 situation and if I went to work there would be problems but if I did not go to work there would also be problems. [...]... 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 96 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com close call/shave - an accident that almost happens but does...catch a cold - to become sick with a cold I caught a cold because of the rain and the cold weather catch-as-catch-can - in any way possible We are in the middle of moving house so our meals are catch-as-catch-can catch fire - to begin to burn We were very careful that the wooden house would not catch fire catch forty winks - to get some sleep I was very tired so I stopped... 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... election come away empty-handed - to return without anything Nobody came away empty-handed at the end of the birthday party 100 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com come back - to return to the place where you are now My cousin came back from her holidays last week come back (into fashion) - to become popular again Recently bell-bottom pants have come back into fashion come back to (someone) - to return to one`s memory... Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com catch (someone) red-handed - to find someone in the middle of doing something wrong The clerk caught the boy red-handed when he was stealing the candy catch up on (something) - to do something that you have not had time to do, to learn about something (the daily news or news about old friends) I need to catch up on some of my reading this weekend I met my friend and we caught up on some news... 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... on - to understand something, to learn about something I was finally able to catch on and understand the math problem catch on - to become popular Recently ballroom dancing has begun to catch on with many people catch one`s breath - to stop to rest and regain one`s normal breathing After running from the station it took a moment to catch my breath 85 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com catch (someone`s) eye - to... people) - to disrupt the relationship between (two people) The mother's constant interfering finally came between the man and his wife come by (something) - to get/obtain/acquire something My aunt came by a lot of money recently and is now enjoying her life come clean - to tell the truth The president of the company was forced to come clean and tell what really happened to the business a come-down - a... 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... 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 . because of the rain and the cold weather. catch-as-catch-can - in any way possible We are in the middle of moving house so our meals are catch-as-catch-can. catch fire - to begin to burn. identity - an incorrect identification of someone It was a case of mistaken identity when the police arrested the wrong person. cash -and- carry - a system where you pay cash for some goods and. always operate on a cash -and- carry basis. cash cow - a good source of money His new business is a cash cow and he is making much money. cash in (something) - to exchange something for