Commonly-Used Idioms, Sayings and phrasal verbs - "K" Idioms doc

Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 425 K kangaroo court - an illegal court formed by a group of people to settle a dispute among themselves The men were convicted by a kangaroo court in the town and nobody agreed with the decision. Katie bar the door - get ready for trouble, a desperate situation is at hand The gang arrived at the hotel and were ready to come in and fight. "Katie bar the door." keel over - fall over and faint Three of the members of the band keeled over because of the heat. keel over - turn upside down, tip over The boat keeled over in the middle of the lake but everybody was safe. keen on (someone or something) - be enthusiastic about someone or something My girlfriend is keen on going to a movie this weekend. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 426 keep Idioms keep a civil tongue - speak decently and politely The angry customer was asked to keep a civil tongue when talking with the sales clerk. keep a close watch on (someone or something) - monitor or observe someone or something The woman always keeps a close watch on her child when she is at the shopping center. keep a close watch over (someone or something) - guard or care for someone or something I kept a close watch over the soup as it was cooking. keep a secret - to not tell a secret to others I have been trying to keep a secret about my friend's boyfriend for a long time now. keep a stiff upper lip - be brave, face trouble bravely The storm victims tried hard to keep a stiff upper lip in spite of the hardships of their situation. keep a straight face - stop oneself from smiling or laughing It was difficult to keep a straight face when the man fell off his chair into the grass. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 427 keep a tight/close rein on (someone or something) - strictly watch and control someone or something Our principal keeps a tight rein on what is being taught in the classrooms. keep abreast (of something) - keep informed about something I read the newspaper regularly so that I can keep abreast of current events. keep after/at (someone) - remind someone over and over about something I always have to keep after my friend to do her job properly. keep an eye on (someone or something) - watch and take care of something (but not just look at something) "Will you keep an eye on the baby while I go to the store." keep an eye out for (someone or something) - watch for the arrival or appearance of someone or something I kept an eye out for a nice restaurant after I arrived in the small town. keep at (something) - persist with something He has decided to keep at his studies and I am sure that he will succeed. keep body and soul together - keep alive, survive It was very cold during the winter but somehow she was able to keep body and soul together and survived. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 428 keep books - keep records of money gained and spent, do the work of a bookkeeper My first job was to keep books for a small company in my hometown. keep company (with someone) - associate with or spend much time with someone I like to keep company with my friends from university. keep cool - stay calm The police officers were trained to keep cool in difficult situations. keep down (something) - keep from progressing or growing, keep within limits, control The students were told to keep down the noise as some of the other classes were having exams. keep from (doing something) - prevent/refrain from doing something I love ice cream and couldn`t keep from eating three bowls. keep good time - work accurately (used for a clock or watch) My watch has not been keeping good time lately. keep harping on (something) - continue to talk or complain about something The boy's father keeps harping on the fact that his son never does his homework. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 429 keep house - look after a house or a household She has been keeping house for her father while he is sick. keep in touch (with someone) - talk or write to someone I have always tried to keep in touch with my friends from high school. keep late hours - stay up or stay out until very late My friend keeps late hours now that he is working for the newspaper. keep off (something) - stay off someone's land or other property The students were asked to keep off the grass which was being replanted. keep on (doing something) - continue She is careless and keeps on making the same mistakes over and over. keep on an even keel - remain cool and calm I was very busy with my job and school but I tried very hard to keep on an even keel and get everything done. keep on one's toes - stay alert and watchful I try to keep on my toes during a class where the teacher may ask me a question. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 430 keep one`s chin up - be brave, be determined "Try and keep your chin up. Things will get better in the future." keep one`s cool - to stay/remain calm I tried to keep my cool during the argument with my neighbor. keep one's distance from (someone or something) - maintain a certain distance from someone or something The girl always keeps her distance from the other students in the class. keep one`s eye on the ball - be watchful and ready for something "You should keep your eye on the ball or you will make a mistake." keep one's eyes open - remain alert and watchful for someone or something "Please keep your eyes open for a good place to eat so that we can have lunch." keep one's feet on the ground - remain firmly established My friend lost his job but he is trying hard to keep his feet on the ground. keep one`s fingers crossed - wish for good results in something one is doing "Please keep your fingers crossed that I will pass my exam." Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 431 keep one's hand in (something) - retain some control of something My uncle sold his business but he is still trying to keep his hand in some of its operations. keep one's hands off (someone or something) - refrain from touching or handling someone or something My aunt asked her nephew to keep his hands off her furniture. keep one`s head - stay calm when there is trouble or danger He is a very good leader and is able to keep his head during an emergency. keep one`s head above water - have the ability to pay one`s bills He is having trouble keeping his head above water since his salary decreased. keep one`s mouth shut - be/stay silent I was very angry and I told my friend to keep his mouth shut. Later I had to apologize. keep one`s nose clean - stay out of trouble He has been able to keep his nose clean since he moved to the new town. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 432 keep one's nose out of (someone's) business - refrain from interfering in someone else's business I try hard to keep my nose out of my friend's business so he doesn't become angry with me. keep one`s nose to the grindstone - work very hard He is keeping his nose to the grindstone these days and I haven`t had a chance to meet him. keep one's opinions to oneself - don't give your opinion (especially when you disagree with others) I try to keep my opinions to myself when I talk to my father about the local city government. keep one`s own counsel - keep one`s ideas and plans to oneself He always keeps his own counsel and never reveals his plans to anyone. keep one's place - exhibit behavior suitable to one's position/place in life I was told to keep my place when I began to complain about the food in the school cafeteria. keep one`s shirt on - be calm, keep from losing one`s temper or becoming too impatient "Try and keep your shirt on! Everything will be all right in a few minutes." Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 433 keep one`s wits about one - stay calm when there is trouble or danger Although there was a fire in the building, he was able to keep his wits about him and help everybody to safety. keep one`s word - fulfill/keep one`s promise She never keeps her word, so I don`t believe that she will come to the party as she said. keep pace (with someone or something) - go as fast or go at the same rate as someone or something It is difficult to keep pace with the other students but somehow I manage. keep quiet - remain silent "Could you please keep quiet and listen to the instructions." keep (someone) company - sit and stay with someone (especially someone who is lonely or sick) I stayed home last night so that I could keep my mother company. keep (someone) from (doing something) - prevent someone from doing something I tried hard to keep my friend from buying a new car. keep (someone or something) in check - to keep someone or something under control, to restrain someone or something The economic policy was designed to keep inflation in check. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 434 keep (someone) in line - make someone behave properly The teacher is very strict and she knows how to keep her students in line. keep (someone or something) in mind - remember and think about someone or something I told my co-workers to keep the new starting time for work in mind. keep (someone) in stitches - cause someone to laugh continuously The man kept me in stitches with his funny stories. keep (someone) on - allow someone to continue working for you Although we have too many workers we have decided to keep everybody on until business improves. keep (someone) on tenterhooks - keep someone anxious or in suspense I was kept on tenterhooks as I waited to hear the results of my exam. keep (someone) posted - keep someone informed or up-to-date I asked my friend to keep me posted on his new job and address. keep (someone or something) still/quiet - make someone or something silent or less noisy The mother had a hard time keeping her child still in the airplane. [...]... anymore kiss (something) good-bye - lose something "You can kiss your computer good-bye It is totally destroyed." kit and caboodle - the entire amount, everything I brought the whole kit and caboodle of my fishing supplies when I went fishing kith and kin - friends and relatives All of our kith and kin attended the anniversary for my parents knee-high to a grasshopper - very young (like a child) I... go where one pleases We decided to go to Brazil and knock about for a couple of months a knock-down-drag-out fight - a serious fight or argument My friend and his brother had a knock-down-drag-out fight last evening Knock it off! - stop doing something, quit "Please knock it off! You are going to hurt yourself if you are not careful." knock off work - quit work (for the day) We knocked off work early... woke up this morning with a kink in my neck kiss and make up - forgive someone and be friends again I want to kiss and make up with my friend after our argument 442 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com kiss and tell - participate in something private and then tell others about it I don't trust her because she is the kind of person who will kiss and tell kiss of death - an act that puts an end to someone or something... going - not know what to do The new sales manager does not seem to know if he is coming or going a know-it-all - a person who acts as if he or she knows everything He is a know-it-all and nobody likes to be around him know of (someone or something) - to be aware of someone or something, to have heard of someone or something I do not know of any good restaurants near my house know one's ABCs - know... trade - possess the skills and knowledge necessary to do something My cousin knows all the tricks of the trade and is a very good plumber 447 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com know better (than to do something) - be smart enough not to do something I told my friend that she should know better than to phone me at 7:00 AM on a Saturday morning know-how - knowledge and skill Our new boss has a lot of know-how about... bicycle when I was knee-high to a grasshopper 443 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com knew it was coming - aware in advance that something was going to happen I knew it was coming when my boss asked me into her office and told me that the store would soon close knit one's brow - wrinkle one's brow by frowning The teacher knit his brow and looked sternly at the child knock Idioms knock about - travel without a plan,... employees kick around - lie around and do nothing or only do small tasks I was tired on Saturday so I kicked around the house all morning kick back - relax and not do much I`m going to kick back this evening and watch television kick in (some money or something) - contribute some money for something Everybody kicked in to collect some money for a present for our teacher to kick off (something) - begin/launch/start... I know the material for the exam like the back of my hand know (something) backwards and forwards - know something very well I know the names of the people in my history class backwards and forwards 449 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com know (something) by heart - know something perfectly and from memory I know the poem by heart know (something) from memory - know something well from seeing it often I know most... (someone) stands on (something) - know what someone thinks or feels about someone or something I do not know where the mayor stands on the issue of the new parking fees know which is which - be able to distinguish one thing or person from another I saw my aunt's dog and my cousin's dog at my aunt's house but I don't know which is which know which side one`s bread is buttered on - know who can help you and. .. ball rolling and get most of our work done now keep the home fires burning - keep things going as usual while someone is away "Don`t worry about anything I will stay home and keep the home fires burning while you are on your holiday." keep the lid on (something) - restrain something, keep something quiet The hospital worked hard to keep the lid on the drug scandal keep the wolf from the door - maintain . - travel without a plan, go where one pleases We decided to go to Brazil and knock about for a couple of months. a knock-down-drag-out fight - a serious fight or argument My friend and. (something) good-bye - lose something "You can kiss your computer good-bye. It is totally destroyed." kit and caboodle - the entire amount, everything I brought the whole kit and caboodle. when I went fishing. kith and kin - friends and relatives All of our kith and kin attended the anniversary for my parents. knee-high to a grasshopper - very young (like a child) I