What does be mean

Crossword clues for be

ill will

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

I.auxiliary verb

COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES

a baby is born

▪ Let me know as soon as the baby is born.

a baby is due (=is expected to be born)

▪ When is your baby due?

a bill is passed by parliament (=it is made into a law)

▪ The bill was passed by Parliament last May.

a bug is going around (=a lot of people have it)

▪ A lot of staff are off because there’s a bug going round.

a bullet is lodged in sb's chest/brain etc (=is stuck in that part of the body)

▪ Surgeons are trying to remove a bullet lodged in his neck.

a button is missing

▪ Two of the buttons on the jacket were missing.

a chapter is devoted to sth (=it deals only with a particular subject)

▪ Five whole chapters are devoted to social reform.

a child is born

▪ Most children at born in hospital.

a clock is fast/slow (=shows a later or earlier time than the real time)

▪ There’s no need to hurry – that clock’s fast.

a competition is open to sb (=used to say who can enter a competition)

▪ The competition is open to artists between 16 and 25 years old.

a computer is down (=is not working)

a computer is up (=is working again after stopping working)

a disease spreads/is spread (=among a group of people)

▪ The disease is spread by mosquitoes.

a film is released/comes out (=it is made available for people to see)

▪ The film is due to come out in May.

a film is showing (also a film is on British English) (= it is being shown at a cinema)

▪ The film is on at the Odeon Cinema.

a flag is flying (=a flag is shown on a pole)

▪ Flags were flying at half-mast because of the death of the Premier.

a flight is bound for London/New York etc (=it is going there)

▪ Johnson boarded a flight bound for Caracas.

a flight is cancelled (=a flight that was due to go somewhere does not go)

▪ All flights have been cancelled due to fog.

a flight is delayed (=it is late leaving)

▪ Her flight was delayed and she arrived over an hour late.

a flight is diverted (=it is made to change direction and land at a different airport)

▪ Our flight was diverted to Manchester because of poor weather.

a gallery is showing/exhibiting sth

▪ The gallery is showing a series of watercolour works.

a legend is attached to sth (=connected with it)

▪ The cave has an unusual legend attached to it.

a letter is addressed to sb (=has their name and address on the envelope)

▪ The letter was addressed to Mr. John Appleby.

a marriage is annulledformal (= is officially ended by a court or church)

▪ Henry VIII had his first marriage annulled.

a measure is aimed at doing sth

▪ The measures were aimed at reducing the speed of cars on the roads.

a move is aimed at doing sth/is designed to do sth

▪ The move is aimed at strengthening its business in the region.

a move is aimed at doing sth/is designed to do sth

▪ The move is aimed at strengthening its business in the region.

a movie is released (=becomes available for the public to see)

▪ The movie has already been released in the US.

a party is in full swing (=people at a party are having a good time talking, dancing etc)

▪ At 3 am, the party was still in full swing.

a party is in power

▪ From 1945 until 1951 the Labour Party was in power in Britain.

a patient is admitted (to hospital)

▪ This examination should be done when the patient is admitted to hospital.

a patient is discharged (from hospital) (=allowed to leave it)

▪ The patient was discharged after eight days.

a picture is of sb/sth (=used to talk about what a picture shows)

▪ There's a picture of his wife above the fireplace.

a place is full of memories (=makes you remember things that happened there)

▪ My old home is full of unhappy memories.

a river is in spateBritish English (= it is very full and the water is flowing very quickly)

▪ The snow had just melted and the rivers were in spate.

a river is navigable (=people are able to travel along it in a boat)

▪ The river is navigable in the winter months.

a road is blocked

▪ The main road was blocked for an hour while police cleared the accident.

a road is closed

▪ The mountain road was closed by snow.

a road is open (=it is not closed or blocked)

▪ We try to keep the mountain road open for most of the year.

a search is underway (=it has started)

▪ A search is underway for two walkers in the Cairngorm mountains.

a species is found somewhere

▪ This species is found only in the Southern Hemisphere.

a storm is brewing (=is likely to start soon)

▪ He could feel that a storm was brewing.

a tap is dripping (=drops of water are coming out of it)

▪ If the tap is dripping, change the washer.

a tap is running (=water is flowing out of it)

▪ I think you must have left the tap running.

a train derails/is derailed (=comes off the rails)

▪ Most of the passengers escaped injury when their train was derailed.

a trial is adjourned (=it is officially stopped for several days, weeks, or months)

▪ The trial was adjourned until November.

a trial is held

▪ We believe the trial will be held sometime next month.

a worry is unfounded (=there is no reason to worry)

▪ Fortunately their worries were unfounded and the astronauts returned safely to Earth.

accuse sb of being a liar

▪ He accused me of being a liar.

all I want is ...

▪ All I want is a normal life.

an option is open/available to sb (=a particular choice is available to someone)

▪ Giving a prison sentence is only one of the options open to the judge.

are better left unsaid (=it is better not to mention them)

▪ Some things are better left unsaid.

are hotly debated (=argued about strongly)

▪ His conclusions are hotly debated.

are on a winning streak

▪ The team are on a winning streak.

Are...in touch with (=are you talking to him regularly)

▪ Are you still in touch with John ?

ashes were scattered

▪ His ashes were scattered at sea.

be (just) what/who you are looking for

▪ ‘Salubrious’! That’s just the word I was looking for.

been...good to

▪ The company’s always been very good to me.

describe sb/sth as (being/having) sth

▪ After the operation her condition was described as comfortable.

▪ The youth is described as being 18 to 19 years old.

everyone is entitled to their opinion (=used especially when politely disagreeing with what someone says)

▪ Of course everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I can't accept what he is saying.

factors are responsible for sth

▪ These underlying factors were responsible for his death.

feelings are running high (=people have strong feelings, especially of anger)

▪ It was the last game of the season, and feelings were running high.

hair was dripping

▪ Her boots were muddy and her hair was dripping.

have been to (=have travelled to)

▪ I have been to Germany several times.

Have you ever been to (=have you ever travelled to)

▪ Have you ever been to Japan?

honeymoon was over

▪ By 1987, the honeymoon was over.

hopes are fading (=people have much less hope of doing something)

▪ Hopes are fading that rescuers will find any more survivors.

How are things

▪ ‘How are things with you?’ ‘Fine.’

How are you doing

▪ How are you doing?

How are you off for (=do you have enough?)

▪ How are you off for sports equipment?

how much...is worth

▪ Do you know how much the ring is worth?

how old is …?

▪ ‘How old is your daughter?’ ‘She’s ten.’

I should...if I were you

▪ I should stay in bed if I were you.

I was forgetting ... (=said when you have just remembered or been reminded about something)spoken

▪ Oh yes, I was forgetting she was pregnant.

I would...if I were you

▪ I would talk to the doctor if I were you.

If...are anything to go by

▪ If his past plays are anything to go by, this should be a play worth watching.

inflation is running at 3%/4% etc (also inflation stands at 3%/4% etc) (= used to talk about the present rate of inflation)

▪ Inflation currently stands at 3.2%.

is a bit of a mess

▪ Sorry – the place is a bit of a mess.

is an understatement

▪ To say the movie was bad is an understatement.

is best known for (=people are most likely to be familiar with)

▪ Hepburn is best known for her roles in classic films such as ‘My Fair Lady’.

Is it OK if

▪ Is it OK if I leave my bags here?

is no angel (=often behaves badly)

▪ Sam is no angel.

is not peculiar to

▪ The problem of racism is not peculiar to this country.

is quite an art (=it is difficult to do)

▪ Writing advertisements is quite an art.

Is that so

▪ ‘It belongs to my father.’ ‘Is that so?’

Is there a market

▪ Is there a market for his invention?

is under new management

▪ The factory is under new management.

is...in the public domain

▪ The information is not currently in the public domain.

It has been suggested that

▪ It has been suggested that the manager will resign if any more players are sold.

it is a blessing (that)

▪ It’s a blessing no one was badly hurt.

it is a coincidence that

▪ It was a remarkable coincidence that two people with the same name were staying at the hotel.

it is a mistake to do sth

▪ It is a mistake to try to see everything in the museum in one day.

it is a mistake to think/assume etc sth

▪ It would be a mistake to assume that all snakes are dangerous.

It is advisable

▪ It is advisable to write a career objective at the start of your resume.

It is an illusion that

▪ It is an illusion that the Arctic is dark in winter.

it is an offence to do sth

▪ It is an offence to carry a weapon in a public place.

It is anticipated that

▪ It is anticipated that the research will have many different practical applications.

It is bad

▪ It is bad for kids to be on their own so much.

it is bound to be (=used to say that something should have been expected)

▪ ‘It’s hot!’ ‘Well, it was bound to be – I just took it out of the oven.’

it is certainly true/possible etc

▪ It is certainly true that there are more courses on offer.

it is comforting to think/have/know etc

▪ It’s comforting to know I can call my parents any time.

It is common knowledge that

▪ It is common knowledge that travel broadens the mind.

It is conceivable that

▪ It is conceivable that you may get full compensation, but it’s not likely.

it is debatable whether/how etc

▪ It’s debatable whether this book is as good as her last.

▪ Whether the object was used for rituals is highly debatable.

It is desirable that

▪ It is desirable that you should have some familiarity with computers.

it is difficult/hard to cope

▪ We were finding it difficult to cope financially.

it is difficult/hard/impossible to exaggerate sth (=used to say that something cannot be made to seem more important etc than it already is)

▪ It is difficult to exaggerate the strength of people’s feelings on this matter.

It is disgraceful that

▪ It is disgraceful that anyone should have to live in such conditions.

it is disheartening to hear/see etc sth

▪ It’s disheartening to see what little progress has been made.

it is easy to exaggerate sth

▪ It’s all too easy to exaggerate the importance of these rather minor factors.

it is easy to overestimate sth (=used to say that something is not as important as some people think)

▪ It is easy to overestimate the effect of prison on criminals.

it is hard to believe/imagine/see/know etc

▪ It was hard to see what else we could have done.

▪ It’s hard to believe that anyone would say something like that.

it is hard/difficult to fault sb/sth

▪ You might not like O'Donnel’s arrogance, but it’s hard to fault what he does on the field.

it is hard/difficult to overestimate sth (=used to emphasize that something is very important)

▪ It is hard to overestimate the effect the war has had on these children.

It is helpful if

▪ It is helpful if we address a few key questions here.

It is imperative that

▪ It is imperative that politicians should be good communicators.

it is impossible to do sth

▪ It is impossible to know if this story is true.

It is inconceivable that

▪ It is inconceivable that a man in such a powerful position could act so unwisely.

It is intended that

▪ It is intended that these meetings will become a regular event.

it is interesting to see/know etc

▪ It will be interesting to see what happens when he gets a bit older.

It is lamentable that

▪ It is lamentable that the officer failed to deal with the situation.

it is legitimate

▪ Most scientists believe it is legitimate to use animals in medical research.

it is my belief that

▪ It is my belief that most teachers are doing a good job.

it is naive to think/suppose/assume etc

▪ It would be naive to think that this could solve all the area’s problems straight away.

It is never too late

▪ It is never too late to give up smoking.

it is not a/no coincidence that (=it is deliberate)

▪ It is no coincidence that the Government made the announcement today.

it is not uncommon for sb to do sth

▪ It is not uncommon for students to have bank loans.

It is only right and proper

▪ It is only right and proper that an independent inquiry should take place.

it is our fervent hope thatformal (= used when saying that you hope very much that something will or will not happen)

▪ It is our fervent hope that change is coming.

it is possible to do sth

▪ From the hilltop it was possible to see the sea.

it is pouring with rainBritish English, it is pouring rain American English (= a lot of rain is falling)

▪ When we went outside it was pouring with rain.

it is raining cats and dogs informal (= it is raining very hard – this phrase sounds rather old-fashioned)

it is reasonable/unreasonable to expect sth

▪ It’s unreasonable to expect a tenant to pay for repairs to the outside of the house.

It is understandable that

▪ It is understandable that parents are angry, and looking for someone to blame.

It is unthinkable that

▪ It is unthinkable that a mistake like this could have happened.

it is useful to do sth

▪ It is useful to practise in front of an audience.

it is worth mentioning that (=it is important enough to mention)

▪ It is worth mentioning again that most accidents happen in the home.

It is...lawful

▪ It is not lawful to kill or injure a pet animal.

it is/seems reasonable to assume (that)

▪ It seems reasonable to assume that the book was written around 70 AD.

It was a tough call (=a difficult decision)

▪ It was a tough call, but we had to cancel the game because of the weather.

it was abnormal

▪ My parents thought it was abnormal for a boy to be interested in ballet.

it was announced that

▪ At the end of their meeting, it was announced that an agreement had been reached.

It was decent of

▪ It was decent of you to show up today.

it was hopeless

▪ I kept on struggling forward, even though I knew it was hopeless.

It was mean of

▪ It was mean of him not to invite her.

(it was) nice meeting you (=used to say goodbye politely to someone you have just met for the first time)

it was nip and tuck

▪ We made it to the airport, but it was nip and tuck.

It was no bother (=used to emphasize that you were happy to help someone)

▪ ‘Thanks for your help.’ ‘It was no bother at all.’

It was noticeable that

▪ It was noticeable that many of them avoided answering the question.

It was sleeting

▪ It was sleeting so hard we could barely see for 30 yards.

It was stupid of me

▪ It was stupid of me to lose my temper.

it was too late

▪ He shouted a warning but it was too late.

It was unbelievable that

▪ It was unbelievable that we were expected to pay twice.

It was unlucky...that

▪ It was unlucky for Stephen that the boss happened to walk in just at that moment.

it was worth it

▪ It was a lot of hard work, but it was worth it.

It was...dark (=was night)

▪ It was still dark when we boarded the train.

it was...foreseeable that

▪ The judge found that it was not foreseeable that the fuel would catch fire.

It was...rash of

▪ It was rather rash of you to lend them your car.

It was...terrifying

▪ It was absolutely terrifying.

it’s been a long...haul

▪ At last we’ve won our freedom but it’s been a long bitter haul.

it’s fine as it is

▪ ‘Do you want chili sauce on it?’ ‘No, it’s fine as it is, thanks.’

know what...are talking about

▪ The staff are dedicated people who clearly know what they are talking about.

Life is never dull when

▪ Life is never dull when Elizabeth is here.

Life is not...a barrel of laughs

▪ Life is not exactly a barrel of laughs at the moment.

love is blind (=used to say that people do not notice the faults of the person they love)

▪ Love is blind, I guess. How else could he stand to be with her?

mind is made up

▪ No more argument. My mind is made up.

money is tight/things are tight

▪ Money was tight and he needed a job badly.

money is tight/things are tight

▪ Money was tight and he needed a job badly.

my feet are killing meinformal (= my feet are hurting)

my guess is (that)

▪ My guess is there won’t be many people there.

never had/did/was etc

▪ Never had she been so confused.

old though it is/tired though he was etc

▪ Strange though it may seem, I like housework.

old though it is/tired though he was etc

▪ Strange though it may seem, I like housework.

only being polite

▪ I know Ian said he liked her singing, but he was only being polite.

opinion is divided as to/on/over sth (=people have different opinions about it)

▪ Opinion was divided as to whether the program will work.

passengers are stranded (=are unable to continue their journey)

▪ At least 1,000 passengers were stranded at the airport because of the storm.

prevention is better than cureBritish English, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure American English (= used to say that it is better to prevent illness than to cure it)

prevention is better than cure (=it is better to stop something bad from happening than to remove the problem once it has happened)

▪ You know what they say, prevention is better than cure.

profits are up/down

▪ Pre-tax profits were up 21.5%.

ready when you are (=said to tell someone that you are ready to do what you have arranged to do together)

revenge is sweet (=said when someone feels good because they have got revenge)

▪ It took me a long time, but revenge is sweet.

risk being seen/caught/arrested etc

▪ Workers who broke the strike risked being attacked when they left the factory.

rock forms/is formed

▪ From the texture of the rock we can tell how it was formed.

rules are rulesspoken (= a rule must be obeyed)

▪ Rules are rules and you have to abide by them.

rumours are rife (=are talked about by a lot of people)

▪ Rumours were rife that the band had refused to play.

say (you are) sorry (=tell someone that you feel bad about hurting them, causing problems etc)

▪ It was probably too late to say sorry, but she would try anyway.

sb is at a disadvantage (=someone has a disadvantage)

▪ The company was at a disadvantage compared with its competitors.

sb is done (with sth) (=someone has finished doing or using something)

▪ As soon as I’m done, I’ll give you a call.

▪ Are you done with this magazine?

sb is entitled to expect sth (=have the right to think something will happen)

▪ You’re entitled to expect decent service at these prices.

sb is imagining things (=someone has a false or wrong idea about something)

▪ She’s imagining things if she thinks she has a chance of winning the prize.

sb is not short of sthBritish English (= they have a lot of it)

▪ Your little girl’s not short of confidence, is she?

▪ They’re not short of a few bob they are rich.

sb is old enough to be sb’s mother/father (=used when you think that someone is much too old to be having a relationship with another person )

▪ Why would she want to go out with someone who was old enough to be her father?

sb is old enough to know better (=used when you think someone should behave more sensibly)

▪ He’s old enough to know better, but he went and did it anyway!

sb is prone to exaggeration (=sb often exaggerates)

▪ At that age, children are prone to exaggeration.

sb's calculations are right/correct/accurate

▪ Fortunately his calculations were accurate.

sb's calculations are wrong/inaccurate

▪ Some of our calculations were wrong.

sb's face is dark/red/purple with rage

▪ His face went purple with rage.

sb's face is twisted/contorted with rage

▪ Mike's usually calm face was contorted with rage.

sb's nerves are on edge (=they feel nervous or worried about what might happen)

▪ His nerves were on edge as he entered the dark room.

sb's nerves are stretched (to breaking point) (=they feel very nervous or worried)

▪ Her nerves were stretched almost to breaking point as she waited.

sb's nerves are tattered/frayed/shattered (=they feel very nervous or worried)

▪ Everyone's nerves were frayed by the end of the week.

sb's nose is running (=liquid is coming out)

▪ She was crying hard and her nose was running.

sb's patience is rewarded (=they get what they were hoping and waiting to get)

▪ After two hours, their patience was rewarded and they saw the bird.

sb's patience is wearing thin (=they are becoming angry)

▪ People's patience is wearing thin as the queues for visas get longer.

sb's pockets are bulging (=they are very full)

▪ Tony's pockets were bulging with loose change.

sb's/sth's honour is at stake (=someone may lose their honour)

▪ French people believed that the country's honour was at stake over the incident.

sb/sth has never been known to do sth (=used to say that something is strange because it has never happened before)

▪ Max had never been known to leave home without telling anyone.

sb/sth is no ordinary ... (=used to say someone or something is very special)

▪ This is no ordinary car.

▪ Ruiz is no ordinary prisoner.

sb’s ambition is to be/do sth

▪ My ambition was to be a journalist.

sb’s chances are zero (=they have no chance of success)

▪ Mike’s chances of winning are virtually zero.

▪ From 1971 to 1976 West Vancouver experienced zero population growth.

sb’s charges are high/low (=you have to pay a lot/a little)

▪ His charges are too high.

sb’s eyes are burning/smouldering/blazing with hateliterary

▪ Then he noticed the dark eyes, smouldering with hate.

sb’s eyes are full of hatred/fear etc

▪ The prisoners stared at him, their eyes full of hatred.

sb’s eyes are full of tears

▪ When she put the phone down, her eyes were full of tears.

sb’s face is contorted with anger/rage (=someone’s face is twisted out of its normal shape because they are angry)

▪ Eve’s face was contorted with anger as she picked up the broken vase.

sb’s powers are failing/waning (=becoming less good)

▪ Mark felt that his creative powers were waning.

sb’s watch is fast/runs fast (=it shows a later time)

▪ No, it’s only 12.15 – your watch must be fast.

sb’s watch is slow/runs slow (=it shows an earlier time)

▪ 'He’s late.' 'Maybe his watch is running slow.'

Service is included (=the charge for paying the people who serve you is included)

▪ Service is included in your bill .

so do I/so is he/so would Peter etc

▪ Joe was a little upset, and so was I.

▪ He’s been ill, and so has his wife.

▪ As the demand rises, so do prices.

something/nothing is wrong

▪ It was four whole days before anyone even noticed something was wrong.

space/time is at a premium

▪ Foldaway furniture is the answer where space is at a premium.

sth is riddled with bullets (=something has a lot of bullets in it)

▪ The car was riddled with bullets.

sth is a disaster waiting to happen (=used to say that something is bad and will fail)

▪ The government’s educational reforms are a disaster waiting to happen.

sth is a matter of opinion (=used to say that you disagree, or that people disagree about something)

▪ "He’s a very nice man." "That’s a matter of opinion," thought Sam.

sth is a matter of taste (=different people have different opinions about what is good or right)

▪ Which of the two methods you use is largely a matter of taste.

sth is a small price to pay (=something is worth suffering in order to achieve something more important)

▪ Changing his job would be a small price to pay to keep his marriage intact.

sth is against the law (=it is illegal)

▪ The children knew that shoplifting was against the law.

sth is all a misunderstanding (=used when saying that a situation happened because of a mistake)

▪ Why don’t you call him and tell him it was all a misunderstanding?

sth is bathed in lightliterary (= something has a lot of light shining on it)

▪ The fields and woods were bathed in golden light.

sth is by no means certain (=not definite)

▪ Victory was by no means certain for Smith.

sth is damaged/destroyed by fire

▪ The school was badly damaged by fire.

sth is etched in your memory (=it is impossible to forget)

▪ The date was etched in my memory.

sth is far from certain (=not definite)

▪ Success is far from certain.

sth is just/only the beginning (=used to emphasize that many more things will happen)

▪ Signing the contract is just the beginning of a long process.

sth is more bother than it’s worth (=it is too difficult to be worth doing)

sth is no fun (also sth is not much fun) (= something is not at all enjoyable)

▪ Being stuck in a traffic jam for three hours was no fun.

sth is no miracle

▪ It was no miracle, it was just good planning and leadership.

sth is (not) allowed (=something is or is not officially permitted)

▪ Are dictionaries allowed in the exam?

sth is not an easy task sth is no easy task (= something is difficult)

▪ Recruiting experienced people is no easy task nowadays.

sth is not the issuespoken (= something is not the most important problem or part)

▪ Price alone is not the issue.

sth is not to be undertaken lightly (=not to be started without serious thought, for example because it is difficult)

▪ It was not a voyage to be undertaken lightly.

sth is nothing short of a miracle (=it is extremely unexpected and you are very pleased about it)

▪ What has happened is nothing short of a miracle.

sth is of fundamental importance (=it is extremely important)

▪ It is of fundamental importance that justice should be seen to be done.

sth is of vital importance

▪ Reading is of vital importance in language learning.

sth is one of life’s (little) mysteries (=it is something that you will never understand – used humorously)

▪ Where socks disappear to after they’ve been washed is one of life’s little mysteries.

sth is (only) to be expected (=used to say that you are not surprised by something unpleasant)

▪ After all this rain, some flooding is only to be expected.

sth is running low on fuel (=it does not have much fuel left)

▪ The plane was running low on fuel.

sth is the height of luxury (=something that is extremely comfortable and gives you a lot of pleasure)

▪ If you want bathtime to be the height of luxury, you will be inspired by our latest range of shower accessories.

sth is the root of all evil (=something is the main cause of bad things)

▪ Love of money is the root of all evil.

sth is written all over sb’s face (=their feelings can be seen very clearly in their expression)

▪ You’re jealous – it’s written all over your face!

Storm clouds are gathering

▪ Storm clouds are gathering over the trade negotiations.

such as it is/such as they are etc

▪ We will look at the evidence, such as it is, for each of these theories.

such as it is/such as they are etc

▪ We will look at the evidence, such as it is, for each of these theories.

Supreme Being

talks continue/are underway

▪ Talks will continue through the weekend.

talks resume/are resumed

▪ Talks resumed in Geneva on April 19 after a month’s break.

tension is/remains high

▪ After the election, political tension remains high.

that...was a...doozy

▪ I’ve heard lies before, but that one was a real doozy!

the air is thin (=there is less oxygen because you are in a high place)

▪ People cannot live up there because the air is too thin and there is not enough oxygen to breathe.

the answer is no

▪ If you’re asking whether I feel the same way about her, the answer is no.

the catch is (that)

▪ The catch is that you can’t enter the competition unless you’ve spent $100 in the store.

the converse was true

▪ Some teachers welcomed the change; but for the majority of teachers, the converse was true.

the emphasis switches/is switched to sth

▪ The emphasis has switched to defence.

the end is in sight (=near)

▪ After a three year wait, the end is finally in sight.

the flowers are in bloom (also the flowers are out) (= they appear on a plant)

▪ At this time of the year, the flowers are in bloom.

the focus is on sth

▪ The focus is now on improving students’ communication skills.

the funny thing is

▪ People tell me I ran the greatest race of my life, but the funny thing is I can’t remember much about it.

the game is tied (=both teams or players had the same score)

▪ The game was tied 10-10 at halftime.

the good news is …/the bad news is ... (=used to introduce a piece of good and bad news)

▪ The good news is that most stores have the game in stock; the bad news is that it's not cheap.

the good news is …/the bad news is ... (=used to introduce a piece of good and bad news)

▪ The good news is that most stores have the game in stock; the bad news is that it's not cheap.

the groundwork has...been done

▪ Much of the groundwork has already been done.

the hunt is on (=used to say that people have started looking for someone or something)

the light is fading (=it is getting darker as the sun is going down)

the line is busy (=someone is already using it)

▪ I’m sorry, the line is busy.

the list is endless

▪ He’s been in a lot of trouble – drugs, guns, blackmail – the list is endless.

the odd thing was

▪ What she did was unforgivable, but the odd thing was he didn’t seem to mind.

the odds are stacked against sb (=there are a lot of difficulties that may prevent someone’s success)

▪ They may be able to build a life for themselves, but the odds are stacked against them.

the opposite is the case/is true

▪ People believe the sun moved around the earth, but Copernicus showed that the opposite was the case.

the opposite is the case/is true

▪ People believe the sun moved around the earth, but Copernicus showed that the opposite was the case.

the phone goes/is dead (=the phone line stops working or is not working)

▪ Before he could reply, the phone suddenly went dead.

the phone is busy (also the phone is engaged British English) (= the person you are calling is already speaking to someone else)

▪ I tried you earlier, but your phone was engaged.

the phone is off the hook (=it cannot be used because it is not connected or is already being used)

▪ On Friday nights we just take the phone off the hook and relax.

The plain fact is

▪ The plain fact is people still buy books.

the point is (that) ...

▪ The point is that going by bus would be a lot cheaper.

the rent is due (=it must be paid at a particular time)

▪ The rent is due at the beginning of the week.

the reverse is true (=you owe me)

▪ I owe you nothing. If anything, the reverse is true.

the search is on (=people are trying to find someone or something)

▪ The search is on for someone with the same blood type.

the short answer is ... (=used when giving a simple, honest, or direct answer to a difficult question)

▪ ‘How does homeopathy work?’ ‘The short answer to this question is that we do not know how homeopathic remedies work.’

the stakes are high

▪ Climbing is a dangerous sport and the stakes are high.

the stars are out (=they are shining)

▪ There was a full moon, and the stars were out.

The strange thing is

▪ The strange thing is all four victims had red hair.

the sun is high/low in the sky

▪ They walked until the sun was low in the sky.

The suspense is killing me

▪ What happened next? The suspense is killing me.

the suspense is killing me (=I feel very excited or anxious because I do not know what will happen next)

▪ Come on then, tell me what happened; the suspense is killing me .

the tide is in (=the sea covers the shore)

▪ You can’t walk on the beach when the tide is in.

the tide is out

▪ Let’s go for a walk along the beach while the tide is out.

the way things are going

▪ I feel very encouraged by the way things are going.

the way things are (=the present situation)

▪ I’m not at all dissatisfied with the way things are at the moment.

the worst is over

▪ I think the worst is over now.

The worst of it is (=the worst part of the situation is)

▪ The worst of it is, I can’t tell anyone what’s happening.

there are moves afoot to do sthBritish English (= there are plans, especially secret ones, to do something)

▪ There are moves afoot to change things.

there are signs

▪ There are now signs of an improvement in the economy.

there are tears in sb’s eyes

▪ As she watched, there were tears of joy in her eyes.

there has been a misunderstanding

▪ There’s been a misunderstanding about what I meant.

There is a crying need for

▪ There is a crying need for doctors.

There is a distinct possibility that

▪ There is a distinct possibility that this will eventually be needed.

there is a need for sth

▪ Clearly there is a need for more research.

there is a party going on

▪ Somewhere near the hotel there was a party going on.

there is a possibility that

▪ There is a possibility that files could be lost if the system crashes.

there is a reference to sth

▪ There are 32 references to eagles in the Bible.

there is a risk

▪ There is always a risk that mistakes will be made.

there is (a) silence

▪ There was silence in the library for several moments.

there is a similarity between things

▪ There are lots of similarities between the two bikes.

there is a temptation to do sth

▪ There is also the temptation to pay for the whole thing with a credit card.

there is a vacancy

▪ She asked if there were any vacancies for salespeople.

there is no apparent explanation (=used when there is no explanation that you can think of)

▪ There was no apparent explanation for the attack.

there is no better way/example/place etc

▪ There’s no better way of exploring the region.

There is no denying (=they are definitely suffering)

▪ There is no denying the suffering of these families .

There is no getting away from (=you cannot avoid or deny this fact)

▪ There is no getting away from this fact .

there is no lack of sth (=there is plenty of it)

▪ There is no lack of information on the subject.

there is no misunderstanding

▪ I am writing to make sure there is no misunderstanding between us.

there is no moon

▪ There was no moon, and the fields were completely dark.

there is no need for sth

▪ They felt that there was no need for a formal contract.

there is no/little/some doubt (=used to talk about how sure people are about something)

▪ There is little doubt that he will play for England one day.

there is proof

▪ There is now proof that giant squid do exist.

(there is) something different/odd/unusual about sb/sth

▪ There was something rather odd about him.

there is something/nothing sinister about sb/sth

▪ There was something sinister about Mr Scott’s death.

there is something/nothing wrong

▪ There’s something wrong with this yogurt.

there is time to do sth (=there is enough time to do it)

▪ There was no time to discuss it further.

there is trouble

▪ There was some trouble at her office, but she didn’t say what it was.

There is...variation

▪ There is a great deal of variation among the responses.

there is/was a call

▪ There was a phone call for you.

there is/was a call

▪ There was a phone call for you.

there was (a) panic

▪ When the shooting started, there was panic.

There was...pandemonium

▪ There was complete pandemonium in the kitchen.

The...snag is that

▪ It’s an interesting job. The only snag is that it’s not very well paid.

things are looking up

▪ Now the summer’s here things are looking up!

things are picking up

▪ We’ve been through a bit of a bad patch, but things are picking up again now.

time is running out (=there is not much time left to do something)

▪ Doctors are looking for a suitable donor, but time is running out.

Time is tight

▪ Time is tight, and she has another meeting to go to this afternoon.

Times were hard

▪ Times were hard and they were forced to sell their house.

time/speed is of the essence (=it is very important to do something quickly)

traffic is diverted (=made to go in another direction)

▪ Traffic was diverted onto the A166 as emergency services cleared the wreckage

troops are stationed

▪ 525,000 American troops were stationed in the country.

was a blast

▪ The concert was a blast.

was a complete mess

▪ When I got home, the house was a complete mess.

was beneath...dignity (=was something she thought she was too important to do)

▪ Arguing was beneath her dignity .

was dragged kicking and screaming

▪ The London Stock Exchange was dragged kicking and screaming into the 20th century.

was in short supply (=not enough of it was available)

▪ Gasoline was in short supply after the war.

was out of puff (=had difficulty breathing)

▪ I was out of puff.

was plastered all over the papers (=was the main story in the newspapers)

▪ The news of the wedding was plastered all over the papers.

was tinged with sadness (=he also felt rather sad)

▪ His relief was tinged with sadness.

was under no illusion that

▪ She was under no illusion that he loved her.

was wise in the ways of (=knew a lot about)

▪ As a manager, Sanford was wise in the ways of company politics.

was...touched by (=doubt affected him)

▪ He was often touched by doubt .

were going cheap (=were being sold at a low price)

▪ He bought me some CDs which were going cheap.

were made of sterner stuff (=were more determined)

▪ Surely you’re not going to give up? I thought you were made of sterner stuff.

what all the fuss was about (=why people liked it so much)

▪ Until I heard her sing I couldn’t see what all the fuss was about.

What astonishes...is

▪ What astonishes me most is his complete lack of fear.

What good is...when

▪ What good is money when you haven’t any friends?

What I mean is (=used to explain more about what you have said)

▪ What I mean is, I don’t feel alone anymore.

what I want to do is ...

▪ What I want to do is develop the skills I already have.

What interests...is

▪ What interests me is all the history of these places.

what is meant by

▪ The report fails to define what is meant by the term ‘key issues’.

what is the world/the country etc coming to? (=used to say that the world etc is in a bad situation)

what matters is

▪ I don’t care what it looks like – what matters is that it works.

what the trouble is

▪ A couple of nurses rushed into the room to see what the trouble was.

what was left of (=used when very little is left)

▪ He pointed to what was left of the house .

what worries me is .../the (only) thing that worries me is ...

▪ The only thing that worries me is the food. I don’t want to get food poisoning.

what worries me is .../the (only) thing that worries me is ...

▪ The only thing that worries me is the food. I don’t want to get food poisoning.

When I was young

▪ When I was young, I wanted to be a model.

where are your manners?British English (= used for telling a child to stop behaving impolitely)

▪ Jamie! Where are your manners?

who were...trying to kid

▪ We thought we could change the world. Just who were we trying to kid?

wreckage is strewn/scattered/spread

▪ The wreckage was strewn over a large area.

your fate is in sb’s hands (=someone will decide what happens to you)

▪ His fate is now in the hands of the judge.

PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES

(are you) satisfied?

▪ I'm here now - are you satisfied?

(give) credit where credit is due

(it's been) nice meeting/talking to you

(since sb was) in short pants

(the word) failure/guilt/compromise etc is not in sb's vocabulary

(there are) no two ways about it

▪ No two ways about it, Blue says to himself: he knows everything.

▪ No two ways about it, Clint Schneider was dynamite.

▪ That was the job description, no two ways about it.

▪ There are no two ways about it.

... and the rest is history

▪ But then he started scribbling away at A Year in Provence and the rest is history.

▪ Dependence was imposed and the rest is history and green beans, cotton tee-shirts, patronage, and serfdom.

▪ He was initially hired by the Oxford Mail, then began to concentrate on sport, and the rest is history.

▪ Manufacturers responded by building cheaper modem hardware, and the rest is history.

▪ She noticed that he had a cute bum - and the rest is history.

▪ Then, when he was 17, he picked up a basketball, and the rest is history.

England is a nation of shopkeepers

God is in his heaven, all's right with the world

I am not sb's keeper

▪ I'm not Janey's keeper.

I am/he is/you are etc too!

I do so/it is so etc

I was wondering if/whether

▪ I was wondering if you could babysit tomorrow night.

▪ We were wondering if you'd like to come with us.

▪ Actually, I was wondering if I could paint the room?

▪ I guess I was wondering if people would still call me a hippie if I cut my hair off, you know.

▪ Next weekend. I was wondering if you fancied coming along for the ride.

▪ We were finally talking about bodies. I was wondering whether he would ever make a move.

I'm not being funny (but)

I/we was robbed!

If I should die, think only this of me:/That there's some corner of a foreign field/That is forever England

Is the Pope (a) Catholic?

▪ Is it a flop? Is the Pope a Catholic?

▪ Sure? Is the Pope a Catholic?

▪ The answer to that question would seem to be another question, namely and to wit: Is the pope a Catholic?

What are you drinking?

What is sb playing at?

a bird in the hand (is worth two in the bush)

a fool and his money are soon parted

all (other) things being equal

▪ All other things being equal, schools where parents are highly involved are more likely to run effectively.

▪ Both snail genes and fluke genes stand to gain from the snail's bodily survival, all other things being equal.

▪ But all other things being equal, the gay and lesbian community has responded well to examples of perceived corporate goodwill.

▪ But all things being equal, most movie makers would like their facts to be right.

▪ It shows the quantities of a product which will be demanded at various prices, all other things being equal.

▪ Significant improvements in clarity and stereo imaging are amongst the more obvious benefits of such parity, all other things being equal.

▪ The bright chestnut is considered the most characteristic colour and, all other things being equal, the one to be preferred.

all (other) things being equal

▪ Both snail genes and fluke genes stand to gain from the snail's bodily survival, all other things being equal.

▪ But all things being equal, most movie makers would like their facts to be right.

▪ But all other things being equal, the gay and lesbian community has responded well to examples of perceived corporate goodwill.

▪ It shows the quantities of a product which will be demanded at various prices, all other things being equal.

▪ Significant improvements in clarity and stereo imaging are amongst the more obvious benefits of such parity, all other things being equal.

▪ The bright chestnut is considered the most characteristic colour and, all other things being equal, the one to be preferred.

all eyes are on/watching/fixed on etc

all is not lost

all is well/all is not well

▪ All is not well at the office.

an Englishman's home is his castle

an ounce of prevention (is worth a pound of cure)

are you for real?

as far as sb is concerned

▪ As far as I'm concerned, this is the council's decision, not mine.

▪ It's a good deal, as far as I'm concerned.

as far as sth is concerned

▪ As far as bilingual education is concerned, the schools are not doing a good enough job.

▪ Where taxes are concerned, savings bonds are better than certificates of deposit.

as is sb's wont

▪ As was his wont, Churchill drank scotch with water, but no ice.

▪ Organic causes were ruled out so, as is his wont, he sat down and talked to her.

as is/was/does etc

▪ And as is the way of things in nature, given sufficient heat and hammering, the result is forged steel.

▪ For his contemporaries, Gloucester clearly filled a double role, as is illustrated by his dealings with the city of York.

▪ In fact, as is clearly illustrated by this data, inequalities are relatively consistent throughout childhood.

▪ It is as unique in its way as was the original White Paper.

▪ It was a small, intimate gathering that was assembled, as was the custom among nice Atchison families.

▪ Now he desires, as is but right, that my dowry should be returned with me.

▪ The classic Sinatra phrasing remains intact, as does that easy-breeze delivery.

▪ The human was now seen as a biomechanical machine, as was the entire universe.

as it is

▪ Just keep quiet - you're in enough trouble as it is.

▪ We were hoping to finish by 5 o'clock, but as it is, we'll be lucky to finish by 8!

▪ We were saving money to go to Hawaii, but as it is we can only afford to go on a camping trip.

▪ Why start an argument? You're in enough trouble as it is!

▪ About as hot in Washington as it is in Managua this morning.

▪ Faxing the stuff, may prove awkward as it is on 2 large A3 sheets.

▪ For the historian it is equally illegitimate to overlook what they had in common as it is to neglect the differences.

▪ It lives in large family groups and is said to be as shy as it is fearsome-looking.

▪ Quota sampling is widely used in market research as it is cost-effective.

▪ She is not looking for the divided subject but seeking to understand why the unified subject we have is as it is.

▪ Some of them are barely surviving as it is.

▪ The middle-class in the center of concern in these novels, as it is in sentimental comedy.

as it were

▪ He became famous, as it were , for never having a hit record.

▪ He cornered the market in heroes, as it were.

▪ He was there, as it were, in reflection.

▪ Maps to particular places allow one to penetrate the maze, by appointment as it were.

▪ That made me, by birth as it were, a member of the Strauss family.

▪ The basic chords, as it were, are there.

▪ The basic signals are the same but each area has, as it were, its own dialect of calls.

▪ Um, the computer guru, uh, the wizards as it were, is going to be there for emergency calls.

▪ We do not have to try to remember ourselves in a vacuum, as it were.

as/so far as sth is concerned

beauty is in the eye of the beholder

beauty is only skin-deep

been there, seen that, done that

before the day/year etc is out

▪ He might supplant Jones before the year is out.

▪ There will be many more surprises before the year is out.

▪ Voice over Meanwhile up to 1,000 more break-ins are expected in Gloucestershire before the year is out.

being as

being drunk and disorderly

▪ Mr. Bell denied being drunk and disorderly and denied being in breach of the bail condition.

▪ Once, in about 1985 I think, for being drunk and disorderly.

▪ Reportedly, two Houston police officers arrested a black woman for being drunk and disorderly.

blood is thicker than water

▪ For most cannibals, blood is thicker than water.

bride-/husband-/parent- etc to-be

business is business

▪ For these guys, business is business and worker safety is not important.

▪ But business is business wherever you are.

▪ However, business is business and pleasure is pleasure.

come into being/be brought into being

▪ New democracies have come into being since the end of the Cold War.

discretion is the better part of valour

don't know/can't tell etc which is which

enough is enough

▪ Finally my grandmother said, "Enough is enough," and left him after 35 years of suffering.

▪ Before I got back, I said enough is enough.

▪ But for Arthur Taylor enough is enough - he's moving out.

▪ Facing up to it I am an avid Punch reader, but enough is enough.

▪ It is time to say enough is enough.

▪ Most of them think enough is enough.

▪ The kittens tolerate a certain amount of this before deciding that enough is enough.

▪ Then, it was as if the baseball gods said enough is enough.

▪ They say people are made of dust, but enough is enough.

for all you are/he is etc worth

for the time being

▪ Although the government aims to encourage private enterprise, around one third of the economy will remain under state control, for the time being.

▪ Bob's keeping his car in our garage for the time being.

▪ For the time being, Mrs Gilman's classes will be taken by other teachers.

▪ But for the time being, at least, stick an asterisk next to this season.

▪ But for the time being, one has to be realistic.

▪ Certainly, it rules out an easing for the time being.

▪ The villagers' resistance has led to the plan being postponed for the time being.

▪ This will, hopefully, shift his focus from writing to acting, at least for the time being.

▪ Tom is retired for the time being.

▪ We both know that the burden for the time being is going to be on him and his paintings.

▪ When it asks which formats it should play, let it take over everything for the time being.

forewarned is forearmed

▪ You know, forewarned is forearmed.

half a loaf (is better than none)

hanging/shooting etc is too good for sb

have been around

▪ I've been around the block a few times, and I think I know when someone's trying to cheat me.

▪ When you've been around as long as I have you realize some things aren't worth getting upset about.

▪ Armies are the main conventional weapon and have been around for over five millennia in various forms.

▪ Demos have been around as long as computer games.

▪ Most of them have been around a lot longer.

▪ Neural networks used for robotics and control applications have been around for a relatively long time.

▪ Some have been around a long time, others are of more recent origins.

▪ The usual suspects are labor unions, which have been around for a century.

▪ They have been around, practically unchanged, for at least 200 million years.

▪ Though I must have been around just at that time, I think.

have sth on your side/sth is on your side

here he/she etc is

▪ And here she is, all freshly powdered.

▪ And now here she is, staying at my house.

▪ Anyhow, here he is at the bottom, and ready to be introduced to you.

▪ But here he is, in full measured flood.

▪ Her own said that she should never teach, and here she is doing it.

▪ I mean, here he is, installed at the Priory.

▪ Sam Sheppard knew Richard Eberling and here he is fighting with this intruder through the house and he never recognized him.

▪ Yet here he is, pleading for the life of the stubborn nation that caused him nothing but trouble!

here he/she etc is (doing sth)

▪ And here she is, all freshly powdered.

▪ And now here she is, staying at my house.

▪ Anyhow, here he is at the bottom, and ready to be introduced to you.

▪ But here he is, in full measured flood.

▪ Her own said that she should never teach, and here she is doing it.

▪ I mean, here he is, installed at the Priory.

▪ Sam Sheppard knew Richard Eberling and here he is fighting with this intruder through the house and he never recognized him.

▪ Yet here he is, pleading for the life of the stubborn nation that caused him nothing but trouble!

here is/are sth

here we are

▪ Here we are home again!

▪ I know I read it somewhere... Here we go! It's at the bottom of page 78.

▪ And here we are in one of the most notoriously capricious seas in the world, aboard a fantastic yacht called 2041.

▪ And here we are, four years later, reading of another fracas in another rust-belt town.

▪ But here we are faced with a dilemma.

▪ However, here we are not to be intimidated and held off.

▪ Just a Yes, here we are.

▪ Oh and here we are going to a tango lesson.

▪ Okay, here we are for the Final Jeopardy round.

▪ So we bargained, and here we are, in the house.

here you are/here you go

his/her etc eyes were popping (out of his/her etc head)

hit sb when they are down

how (are) you doing?

▪ Hiya George how are you doing?

▪ How are you doing on those?

▪ How you doing, Mr West?

▪ William Yes-hey, how you doing?

how ... is that?

▪ A flushed and jolly character raises his glass among friends and family - how real, how reliable is that evidence?

▪ And on the evening of December 9, there is jazz in the museum courtyard. How cool is that?

▪ But how often is that really the case?

▪ I have said a tune is one meme, but what about a symphony: how many memes is that?

▪ It makes her realize, she says, just how lucky she is that her son survived.

▪ Knightley remarks how unfortunate it is that she has no piano at the Bateses' to practice on.

▪ Some stocks even earn negative scores. How is that possible?

▪ The present rendezvous had been riding high on my chart of dreads. How is that?

how are things going?/how's it going?/how goes it?

▪ "Hey, Al, how's it going?" "Fine."

how are you fixed for sth?

▪ Hey Mark, how are you fixed for cash?

how are you keeping?

how long is a piece of string?

how should I know?/how am I to know?/how do I know?

how was I to know?/how did I know?

if I were you

▪ If I were you, I'd sell that car.

▪ Here's your money -- if I were you I'd put it in the bank right now.

▪ I wouldn't do that if I were you.

▪ But if I were you I'd give him his wife back and find yourself some one more suitable.

▪ But I shouldn't bother if I were you.

▪ But I wouldn't put any money on it, if I were you.

▪ I would go, if I were you.

▪ I would not impose thusly on a stepson if I were you.

▪ Meanwhile, I'd get ready for a little visit from the police if I were you.

▪ Shit, she said, I would have liked some one doing that if I were him.

▪ Well if I were you I'd get in touch with me if anything turned up.

if ever there was one

▪ A crazy notion if ever there was one.

▪ An obstinate fellow, if ever there was one, and a very elusive one too.

▪ Exercise is the original fountain of youth if ever there was one.

▪ He is a product of the system if ever there was one.

▪ Here is a time warp if ever there was one.

▪ My favourite Caithness loch is Heilen, near Castletown; an expert's loch if ever there was one.

▪ My son, however, is a sports fanatic if ever there was one.

ignorance is bliss

▪ But then it's probably a case of ignorance is bliss.

▪ Thus, for animals in the absence of suffering, ignorance is bliss.

▪ Truth, therefore, is socially fractious, while ignorance is bliss.

is it sb's idea of a joke?

is nothing sacred?

▪ Look at how those girls are dressed! Is nothing sacred anymore?

▪ Some countries operate five-year plans but there is nothing sacred about this length of time.

it is (not) for sb to do sth

▪ All the work in this approach must go into a persuasive account of what it is for reasons to be conclusive.

▪ How important it is for them to build theories out of what they see and think.

▪ I can tell him how important it is for us to have a home of our own.

▪ If one can notice the absence of something one must already know what it is for things to be absent.

▪ Look how difficult it is for women to get on in the medical or legal profession!

it is arguable that

▪ Also, it is arguable that too much attention had been focused upon the spectacular and exciting youths.

▪ And it is arguable that the mine closures were a blessing, not the disaster which Susanna Rance seems to suggest.

▪ Indeed, it is arguable that the different speeds of financial liberalisation are a prime cause of world trade and savings imbalances.

▪ Some tragedy consoles, after all, and it is arguable that some of its consolations are facile and false.

▪ These were the critical years, but it is arguable that this was the critical place.

▪ This is no semantic nicety; rather, it is arguable that the distinction reveals something of their political specificities.

▪ Thus it is arguable that the traditions of the Comptroller's Department do not fit the task of examining commercial accounts.

it is better/it would be better

it is big of sb to do sth

▪ A whole dollar! Gee, that was very big of her!

▪ I think it was really big of Larry to admit that he made the wrong choice.

it is drizzling

it is high time sb did sth

▪ It's high time we pulled together and got the job done right.

it is idle to do sth

it is incumbent upon/on sb to do sth

it is kind/stupid/careless etc of sb (to do sth)

▪ But, it, it is kind of funny.

▪ So it is kind of coming home and a change of focus.

▪ The idea of it is kind of cute: This little Frank guy is trying to find candy.

it is not sb's place (to do sth)

▪ But it is not my place and, frankly, I am not in the mood for a party.

it is pissing down (with rain)

it is sprinkling

it is/gets light

▪ It gets light before 6 a.m.

▪ Even earthworms have light-sensitive cells in their skin which tell them whether it is light or dark.

▪ I stay there for quite a bit, looking round and that, till it gets light.

▪ The texture of it is light but too soft.

▪ The women are never outside, and the long low porch remains empty when it is light.

it was all I could do to do sth

▪ I followed one up the motorway just yesterday and it was all I could do to not retch.

▪ When pro golfer Tiger Woods won the Masters two weeks ago, it was all I could do to suppress a yawn.

it was as much as sb could do to do sth

it was nothing/think nothing of it

it's time I was moving/we ought to get moving etc

it/that is a load/weight off sb's mind

justice has been done/served

▪ He can continue to appeal, or go to some other level, until he feels justice has been done.

▪ He has successfully persuaded the crowd that justice has been done.

▪ Mr Townsend says he feels justice has been done.

▪ Mrs Alliss' solicitor says justice has been done.

kick sb when they are down

▪ The newspapers cannot resist kicking a man when he is down.

know what you are talking about

▪ Look, I know what I'm talking about because I was there when it happened.

▪ Pilger knows what he is talking about, having spent several years as a reporter in Vietnam.

▪ Rolim seemed to know what he was talking about, but his theories raised some questions for me.

▪ Wayne, you don't know what the hell you're talking about.

▪ And those who hint that this approach increases the guilt of the patient simply do not know what they are talking about.

▪ But the debate will be between two insiders who know what they are talking about.

▪ But we ensure we first know what we are talking about.

▪ Engineers should only offer an opinion if they know what they are talking about.

▪ They are not the only people who know what they are talking about when it comes to children and education.

▪ They have demonstrated publicly, through close scrutiny by their peers, that they know what they are talking about.

know which side your bread is buttered on

life is cheap

▪ There is a feeling in the housing projects that life is cheap.

look as if you've been dragged through a hedge backwards

luck is on sb's side

▪ With two kids and a beautiful wife, luck was on his side.

might is right

▪ Second, we need some kind of global bodies to prevent a further slide into a politics of might is right.

▪ What the child learns is that might is right.

money is no object

▪ Choose whatever outfit you want - money no object!

▪ If money were no object, what kind of house would you want?

▪ Simon always ordered the best. It was obvious that money was no object.

money/expense is no object

my head/back etc is killing me

my heart was in my mouth

my lips are sealed

▪ Fear not my lips are sealed.

my word is my bond

necessity is the mother of invention

no kidding?/are you kidding?/you're kidding

no news is good news

▪ I always say, no news is good news.

not be as black as you are painted

not know whether you are coming or going

▪ Andre's so in love he doesn't know whether he's coming or going.

not worth the paper it is written on/printed on

nothing could be/is further from sb's mind/thoughts

once is/was enough

one man's meat is another man's poison

possession is nine-tenths of the law

put your money where your mouth is

▪ It's time for the governor to put his money where his mouth is.

right you are

▪ A: How right you are.

▪ Every day couples meet who are amazed at how right they are for each other - proof that Dateline works!

▪ How right you are, very clever, very ... disputatious.

▪ Yes, well, how right you are.

rumours/accusations etc are flying

sb always was lucky/untidy etc

sb has been had

sb is (great/good) fun

▪ But it is fun for me to look up from my Sunday paper and watch them try to cope.

▪ Chasing and racing is fun for a time but you end up yearning for something different.

▪ In beautifully landscaped settings, this unique zoo is great fun for all the family.

▪ It is fun to have competitions to see who can sleep their yo-yo longer.

▪ Much of the film is fun, but a lot is confusing.

▪ Some of this is great fun, but it pulls the production two ways, blunting its focus.

▪ This is fun, unfussy, honest fare that calls for a glass of cold beer.

▪ This is just a whim but it is great fun.

sb is (living) on another planet/what planet is sb on?

▪ As a replacement for the Bluebird, the Primera is on another planet.

▪ People in the Antelope Valley worry that most people south of the mountains think that their valley is on another planet.

sb is (so) up himself/herself etc

sb is a (good) laugh

▪ Across the room, a table of young men in fitted shirts is laughing heartily and splashing out wine.

▪ Dennis is laughing, head held back.

▪ Her head is thrown back, and she is laughing.

▪ I can't understand what is said, but one of the technicians is laughing.

▪ I notice Harding is collapsed beside McMurphy and is laughs ing too.

▪ The banter between us is a laugh.

▪ What you want to do is laugh, but everyone is afraid to laugh.

sb is a fast worker

sb is all wet

▪ I peer into the rain for a glimpse of Storskarfjell, but it is all wet misery to the south.

▪ It is all wet and then he had like a side view of it.

▪ Yes, the point at which we conclude that your reasoning is all wet.

sb is golden

▪ If the right editor looks at your article, you're golden.

sb is helping the police with their enquiries

sb is jamming

sb is just fooling

▪ Don't pay any attention to Henry. He's just fooling.

sb is no spring chicken

sb is not getting any younger

sb is not long for this world

sb is not shy about (doing) sth

sb is not too swift

▪ Eric's not too swift, is he?

sb is only human

▪ The Supreme Court's nine justices are only human - sometimes they make mistakes.

▪ Greed is only human, they say.

▪ It is only human of Mr Teicher to make himself into the hero-victim of his own narrative.

sb is up to their (old) tricks

sb was (just) minding their own business

▪ I was just walking along, minding my own business, when this guy ran straight into me.

sb was all ...

sb was never meant for sth/to be sth

sb's aim is true

sb's bark is worse than their bite

sb's blood is up

sb's card is marked

▪ Your card is marked, Jimbo.

sb's ears are burning

▪ I bet your ears were burning - Tom and I were just talking about you.

▪ My ears are burning in the cold, but there's nothing I can do about it.

sb's ears are flapping

sb's eyes are out on stalks

sb's hands are tied

▪ I'd like to help you, but you missed the deadline. I'm afraid my hands are tied.

▪ The company's hands are tied because of government regulations.

▪ We'd really like to help you, but I'm afraid our hands are tied.

▪ Bankers argue that their hands are tied by the Fed.

sb's head is spinning

▪ My shirt is soaked through, my head is spinning.

sb's heart is in the right place

▪ He can be rude and bad-tempered sometimes, but his heart's in the right place.

▪ Mike's a little grouchy sometimes, but his heart's in the right place.

sb's memory is playing tricks on them

sb's mind is not on sth

▪ I was trying to study, but my mind just wasn't on it.

sb's mind is racing

sb's mind is wandering

▪ My mind is wandering, as Isabel has said, I forget things.

▪ Paul finds his mind is wandering, thinking about the poll tax program again.

sb's name is mud

sb's number is up

▪ This could be the year a lot of politicians find their number is up.

▪ When my number is up, I want it to be quick.

▪ Competition prize winners Kathryn Winkler of Dundee, your lucky number is up.

sb's stock is high/low

▪ Simon's stock is high in the network news business.

sb's trail/scent is cold

▪ The trail seemed cold until a woman in Mississippi recognized Pearson's face in a wanted poster.

sb's word is law

sb's worst fears were realized

▪ My worst fears were realized when I saw the test questions.

▪ His worst fears were realized and he was arrested.

sb's/sth's days are numbered

▪ I think Harry's days as a bachelor are numbered.

▪ But if the church has its way, the garden's days are numbered.

▪ He knows his days are numbered.

▪ If Gordon Gekko is still around, his days are numbered.

▪ My image flickers and your days are numbered.

▪ Whatever the protests, it seems that Hospital's days are numbered.

sb's/sth's days are numbered

▪ But if the church has its way, the garden's days are numbered.

▪ He knows his days are numbered.

▪ If Gordon Gekko is still around, his days are numbered.

▪ My image flickers and your days are numbered.

▪ Whatever the protests, it seems that Hospital's days are numbered.

sb/sth is here to do sth

▪ We're here to serve you.

▪ Goebbels is here to show the pretty Magda the sights of Paris.

▪ Greg Lloyd is here to talk about defense, and the role of barely controlled violence in defense.

▪ In other words, the swimsuit issue is here to stay.

▪ Managed care is here to stay, experts at the conference agreed Wednesday.

▪ Miss Quinn is here to look after him.

▪ The Classics is here to stay.

▪ Those are the people, says Roth, he is here to serve.

▪ What Personal Computer is here to help you.

sb/sth is not all that

▪ I don't know why you keep chasing her around - she's not all that.

▪ As you probably know, even the cleanest looking carpet is not all that it appears.

▪ But language is not all that conventional and matter of fact.

▪ But the ordinary ground of palpable reality and time-bound day-to-day existence is not all that firm anyhow.

▪ Issue 100 is not all that far away.

▪ Obviously enough, action is not all that is required for thought.

▪ The geographical context is not all that matters, but it is the most significant.

▪ The little secret no one lets out is that what one does after putting on the badge is not all that exciting.

▪ The woe that is in marriage is not all that bad really.

sb/sth is not known to be sth

▪ This species is not known to be vicious.

▪ It is not known to be propagated vegetatively at all and can only be reproduced from seeds.

sb/sth is the exception that proves the rule

▪ Most people our age have finished school, and Mike is the exception that proves the rule.

sb/sth is to blame (for sth)

▪ A growing number of industry experts say the industry itself is to blame for its deep-seated perception problems.

▪ And as we demonstrated earlier, in organizations where everyone is to blame, no one is really to blame.

▪ Anything but admit the perpetrator of a crime is to blame.

▪ If, at 57, he looks frailer than ever, a recent major intestinal operation is to blame.

▪ No one is to blame except myself.

▪ So who is to blame -- hunters, wildlife managers, hikers, developers?

▪ The publicans say the brewery shouldn't be penalising them when the recession is to blame.

▪ U.S. officials argue that Hussein is to blame for most of the hardship.

see sth for what it is

see which way the wind is blowing

see/find out what sb is (really) made of

seeing is believing

▪ But seeing is believing, as they say.

▪ If you're still not convinced, seeing is believing.

▪ We are left with the unspecific practical objection, the objection that is as much to say that only seeing is believing.

▪ When only seeing is believing the unseen reproductive anatomy of the female can not be an article of faith.

so she is/so there are etc

so/as far as I am aware

some friend you are/some help she was etc

something is up

▪ As I walk through the hotel lobby in Manila I know that something is up.

▪ The first he knows that something is up is when he hears a great cry of anguish from the town.

▪ They stopped talking to him, which is always a hint that something is up.

▪ Vik senses something is up and confronts Karen, who tells him Steve tried it on with her.

spring into existence/being

▪ Finally new businesses do not spring into existence simply because taxes are reduced in a given area.

▪ Here, a fast, sparkling fresh stream springs into existence, fords a lane and runs parallel to a wooden pathway.

▪ It may be possible to think of a universe springing into existence out of nothing at all.

▪ Louis, have sprung into being.

▪ The nurse's soft, slightly damp touch faded and darkness sprang into being inside Chesarynth's head.

sth ... is the new ...

▪ But best of the lot, if you like jokes, is the new supercar from Yamaha, which looks anything but super.

▪ Campbell is the newest, but not the least experienced, congressman.

▪ Dilbert is the new management messiah.

▪ Is the new book also an autobiography?

▪ Not a true part of the food court, but just a few paces away is the newest California Pizza Kitchen outlet.

▪ The internet revolution has moved east, and Scandinavia is the new frontier.

▪ This is the new generation, who will run Lothian and maybe all Scotia when Macbeth is dead.

▪ What is the new craze for grannies?

sth is (a) no go

▪ I asked for a raise but it was a no go.

▪ One mistake and there is no going back.

sth is (like) a religion

▪ But Cirrito is quick to point out that Rastafarianism is a religion, whereas reggae is a beat.

▪ If there is a theme here, it is religion.

▪ This form of witchcraft is a religion of the earth.

sth is (well) worth waiting for

▪ Tuesday night's Boston-Chicago game was worth waiting for.

▪ Something worth having is worth waiting for.

sth is a dirty word

sth is a gleam in sb's eye

sth is a go

▪ I just got word from our boss, and the trip to London is a go.

▪ Clearly, a character wearing a mask is going to have a tricky time with some Fel tests.

▪ Congress is going to take it out.

▪ Even the sweetest guy in the world eventually is going to make you angry, likely by Feb. 15.

▪ For Information Technology is going to transform all our lives - we have hardly seen anything yet.

▪ Now the waiting is over: nobody is going back.

▪ The village church is gone, the orphanage is still standing, though one wing of it has been gutted by fire.

▪ There is a commotion behind me, some one motions him to leave, there is a brief scuffle and he is gone.

▪ Vision - creating a sense of what the organisation is about and where it is going. 2.

sth is a two-way street

▪ But creative collaboration is a two-way street.

▪ But the link between diagnosis and treatment is a two-way street.

sth is as American as apple pie

sth is child's play

sth is in the wind

▪ If there was talk of a merger in the wind, I'm sure we'd hear about it.

sth is in the works/pipeline

▪ A high-school program is in the works.

▪ A Sprint spokeswoman declined comment, but company sources confirmed the plan is in the works.

▪ Another, even larger project is in the works just north of Puerto Pe asco.

▪ But Sassa said no time change is in the works.

▪ Hence the suspicion that a compromise is in the works.

▪ Legislation is in the works to encourage states to improve planning and prevention.

▪ The suit is meant to head off a legal attack against it by Apple which Quorum believes is in the works.

sth is just one of those things

sth is like herding cats

sth is like pulling teeth

▪ Getting the kids to do their homework was like pulling teeth.

sth is loaded against sb/sth

sth is no joke

▪ These bills are no joke.

▪ Especially where alcohol is concerned, this is no joke at all-as the men from Rutgers ably demonstrated in the 1970s.

▪ Now that is no joke because one of these big old saws can weigh the best part of half a ton.

▪ Pneumonia is no joke, you know.

▪ The bike fell on him, tearing his Achilles tendon, which is no joke at all.

▪ This is no joke, Guy.

▪ This is no joke, mister, it's for real.

sth is not a bed of roses

▪ Our marriage hasn't been a bed of roses.

sth is not all/everything it's cracked up to be

sth is not an exact science

▪ Opinion polling is hardly an exact science.

▪ Therapy is not an exact science because everyone responds differently.

▪ Diagnosing power in organizations is not an exact science.

▪ The truth is that eating is not an exact science and never will be.

sth is not an exact science

▪ Diagnosing power in organizations is not an exact science.

▪ The truth is that eating is not an exact science and never will be.

sth is not brain surgery

sth is not for sb

▪ Cancun is not for hardened travellers.

▪ However, it is not for me or you to presume upon the gentleman's intentions.

▪ In a news release, Spreckels's board reaffirmed its position that the company is not for sale.

▪ In fact take my body who will, take it I say, it is not for me.

▪ Job sharing is not for the faint hearted: it demands complete commitment.

▪ Such outright activism is not for every think tank.

▪ The money is not for top-heavy administration but for research.

▪ This business is not for him.

sth is not for the faint-hearted

▪ Litigation is not for the faint-hearted - or the half-hearted.

▪ Playing foreign markets is not for the faint-hearted.

▪ Well, starting your own business is not for the faint-hearted.

sth is not rocket science

sth is not to be missed

▪ A tour of our wonderful capital city is not to be missed.

▪ During the day, the Acropolis is not to be missed and souvenirs can be bartered for in the Flea market.

▪ It is not to be missed.

▪ Make a note of it: The Dish is not to be missed.

▪ This show will be even better than the last one and is not to be missed!

sth is not to be sniffed at

▪ The price, however, is not to be sniffed at: £17.50!

sth is of the essence

▪ As with every other aspect of the desert life cycle, time is of the essence.

▪ But time is of the essence.

▪ I understand why the Government have maintained an exemption for small businesses, for which survival is of the essence.

▪ If you like the house the chances are that other people will like it too, so speed is of the essence.

▪ It is clear that, in the development of the safety case regime, time is of the essence.

▪ Speed is of the essence when following up newspaper advertisements.

▪ Speed is of the essence, especially when it comes to losing weight.

▪ Superposition is of the essence of waves, which can be added together to reinforce or cancel each other out.

sth is only skin deep

▪ Beauty is only skin deep, as they say, but I would have hoped for a lot more from a C64.

▪ But, as in life, beauty is only skin deep.

sth is sb's middle name

▪ Don't worry - consistency is my middle name.

▪ I think Serious is your middle name.

▪ Let's just say this: Pretension is thy middle name.

▪ Optimism is my middle name because, unable to agree on a name, my parents stuck a pin in a dictionary.

sth is small potatoes

sth is the new rock 'n' roll

sth is wearing thin

▪ The joke about prudence is wearing thin.

sth is written in the stars

sth was meant to be/happen

▪ Designed by Robert Von Hagge, it was meant to be hard.

▪ Imprinted with cell bars, the first Tricky Envelope was meant to be festooned with the Richard Nixon stamp.

▪ It was meant to be some kind of joke.

▪ Our protest was meant to be purely symbolic.

▪ Perhaps it's because none of this was meant to happen.

▪ She was meant to be illustrating a new book for children, a fantasy story by a well-known author.

▪ Technically he was meant to be in bed.

▪ The fit crew was meant to be Merrill Lynch.

strike sb as (being) sth

▪ His arguments struck us as completely ridiculous.

▪ Mr. West struck me as a very good businessman.

▪ Alan and I used to fight - but that was just little boys striking out.

▪ It all struck Tish as an exciting ride.

▪ It did strike me as somewhat odd that Ellen would wait so long in life to discover her true orientation.

▪ Jocasta struck him as a typical Hollywood brat, neglected, indulged, selfish and forced to grow up too fast.

▪ She struck me as being a horror in the play.

▪ Surely these folks were great pals but that strikes me as a strange way to show it.

▪ They hoped that the very talk of a general strike would act as a restraining influence on militarism.

▪ Thus the strike came as no surprise to those involved.

strike while the iron is hot

▪ Don't wait until tomorrow before you tell him, strike while the iron is hot!

▪ So, it should strike while the iron is hot and go to the country as soon as possible.

talk is cheap

tell it like it is

▪ But no one can blame Rush for telling it like it is.

▪ He tells it like it is.

▪ I try to tell it like it is.

▪ She tells it like it is, or seems to.

that is (to say)

▪ One solution would be to change the shape of the TV screen -- that is, to make it wider.

▪ A standard of service that is second to none, with a speed and quality guarantee for all repairs.

▪ But it is not a dream that is likely to come true, though perhaps not for the obvious reason.

▪ Could you describe the current selling collection hanging out there in a gallery that is also your front room?

▪ First, that is not so.

▪ I look to the current discussions, and also to the United States, to give the ground that is needed.

▪ Scientific knowledge is not proven knowledge, but it does represent knowledge that is probably true.

▪ Uncomplicated computer interface that is truly easy to use.

▪ You won't convince me that the answer to that is necessary for your enquiry.

that is not an option

that is not to say

▪ But that is not to say he does not feel afraid.

▪ But that is not to say that Sierra Leone is not worth saving.

▪ But that isn't to say that doing research is like breathing - you do it all the time without realising.

▪ However, that isn't to say that male writers have it easy.

▪ I have authorised his scheme, but that is not to say it will ever come about.

▪ It does not exclude anything; but that is not to say that it can attain everything.

that is to say

▪ She has always known as much, that is to say as little, as the supplier needed her to know.

that's (just) the way sth/sb is/that's (just) the way sth goes

▪ And that's the way he is.

▪ And that's the way it is again this year - everybody is happy with what I am doing.

▪ But they think they can run everything from Detroit and that's the way the organisation is going to be restructured.

▪ Even the best generals sometimes lose with this army just because that's the way it is.

▪ For that's the way it is for the talented twosome.

▪ He's always been a bit on his dignity, I suppose, but that's the way he is.

▪ In the end Capirossi had to do the winning himself and that's the way 1991 is going to be.

▪ The money we got to spend - well, that's the way it is.

that's more like it/this is more like it

the (only) problem is (that) ...

▪ Do you know what the problem is?

▪ For them, the problem is one of trust.

▪ I know, the problem is money.

▪ I think that the problem is even too great for remediation.

▪ In both cases the problem is that concrete cultural processes, in particular historical locations, are reduced to abstract schemata.

▪ In other words, it is to argue that the problem is a technical problem which admits of a technical solution.

▪ It doesn't mean that the problem is solved, but there's a starting point to work from.

▪ When the problem is studied and understood, it should explain a great many doubts and questions.

the accent is on sth

▪ With the Royal Philharmonic, the accent is on the positive.

the ball is in sb's court

▪ But the ball is in our court.

the boot is on the other foot

the clock is ticking

the coast is clear

▪ We raced out the door as soon as the coast was clear.

▪ Or do you wait till they tire of the taunting and go to release the victim when the coast is clear?

the cupboard is bare

the damage is done

▪ Ed apologized a week later, but the damage was already done.

▪ Crew scurries to cover the lanes and approaches, but the damage is done.

▪ For the most part, the damage is done by soluble aluminium released from soil by acid water.

▪ It is when guilt lingers into adulthood that the damage is done.

▪ The concert is still reverberating in our ears and the damage is done.

▪ The symptoms are often obvious, identifiable, and even treatable before the damage is done.

▪ Well, the damage is done now.

the dice are loaded

the dice/odds are loaded against sb/sth

the die is cast

the door is open

▪ After that, panic ... He was shouting, the door is opened, somebody puts a rifle barrel through the window.

▪ Fitted wardrobes can have internal lights worked by pressure switches that operate when the door is opened.

▪ He is reported to flee from class when the door is opened.

▪ Improve it and the door is open to summer invasions like that of the Lake District.

the fact (of the matter) is

▪ And the fact is Jimi just turned me on more than anybody else, for his music.

▪ But the fact is that none of these are visions of what I recognize as life.

▪ But the fact is that the way we live our lives often assumes a belief about them, one way or another.

▪ But the fact is, it never should have come to that.

▪ Doing the sums Knowing the facts is the first priority.

▪ Let's be realistic, the fact is crime does pay.

▪ So parent power does work, but the fact is it shouldn't ever have to come to that.

▪ Yet the fact is that most adolescents are using drugs, and our drug education programs fail to address that reality.

the fat is in the fire

the feeling is mutual

▪ Well, if Dave doesn't want to play with me, then the feeling is mutual.

the gloves are off

▪ Now though, the gloves are off.

the grass is greener (on the other side)

the honours are even

the jury is (still) out on sth

the knives are out (for sb)

▪ The service is in ferment at the moment, the knives are out.

the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing

the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing

the odds/cards are stacked against sb

▪ Although confident, we know the odds are stacked against the climbers.

the only thing/problem is ...

▪ But the only thing is they are really small.

▪ I did some um and the only problem is size.

▪ In fact the only problem is deciding where to start.

▪ It duplicates perfectly in production, so the only problem is making the first copy.

▪ Well, no problem with the casting, the only problem is remembering the plot.

the proof of the pudding (is in the eating)

the smart money is on sb/sth

the spirit is willing (but the flesh is weak)

the streets are paved with gold

the thing is

▪ I'd love to come, but the thing is, I promised to see Jim tonight.

▪ I do have a computer, but the thing is, it's really old and I can't use it for email.

▪ I really don't want to leave yet. The thing is, I have an appointment in 15 minutes.

▪ The thing is, I'm allergic to seafood.

▪ The thing is, I have an important exam next week.

▪ And the thing is still dead easy to use - and cheap.

▪ And the thing is, that Barry doesn't really want to get on the plane until it's all sorted out.

▪ And the thing is, the papers played it up like he was wisecracking.

▪ But then... you came, so I figured... the thing is. the thing is.

▪ Of course if you and Regina invite her the thing is settled.

▪ The fun of the thing is watching the interplay between Brooks and Reynolds, who perform together like, well, family.

▪ When the thing is finished, the group often spins apart.

the time is ripe (for sth)

▪ Amato thinks the time is ripe for educational reform.

▪ The time was ripe for change in the company.

▪ As with acupuncture, this is a difficult field for research, but the time is ripe for active scientific investigations.

▪ So the time is ripe for a major overhaul of the sixth form.

the truth/fact of the matter is (that)

▪ For the fact of the matter is, all the fight has been taken out of Blue.

the world is your oyster

▪ After that, the world is your oyster, as they say.

▪ The world is her oyster but she dreams of being a librarian.

the world is your oyster

▪ After that, the world is your oyster, as they say.

▪ The world is her oyster but she dreams of being a librarian.

the writing is on the wall

▪ The writing is on the wall for old manufacturing industries.

▪ Although two points clear of the pack, the writing is on the wall for Aberdeen unless some one starts banging goals away.

there I was/there they were etc

there are no easy answers

▪ As usual, there are no easy answers to explain human behavior.

▪ But suddenly we find ourselves acknowledging that there are no easy answers to the dilemmas Christians face.

▪ So there are no easy answers.

▪ There are no easy answers to this problem.

there are no flies on sb

there are plenty more fish in the sea

there is a God!

there is a question mark over sth/a question mark hangs over sth

there is little/nothing to choose between sth

▪ Both make-ups can be available at the same time and, so far as value goes, there is nothing to choose between them.

▪ But there is little to choose between the two in terms of overall performance.

there is no call for sth

▪ There was no call for him to do that.

▪ Where there is no call for a continued food market, market buildings have proved highly adaptable.

there is no excuse for sth

▪ But precisely because the stakes are so high there is no excuse for ignoring nuances, glossing over contradictions and exaggerating faults.

▪ But there is no excuse for modern hymns to contain gender-based or sexist language.

▪ Do make sure the welts are not floppy. there is no excuse for this, even with a single bed double rib.

▪ I concede that the Newcastle doctors may be ignorant but there is no excuse for you.

▪ In Britain, for example, there is no excuse for not knowing recent trends in the cost of living.

▪ Nowadays, there is no excuse for getting into trouble.

▪ So there is no excuse for ignoring the chance to communicate.

▪ With modern technology there is no excuse for this kind of slapdash remastering.

there is no love lost between sb and sb

▪ There's no love lost between Bart and Stephen.

there is no mistaking sb/sth

▪ There is no mistaking Hall's books as anything other than romantic fiction.

▪ But there is no mistaking the fact that the First Division door has been left ajar.

▪ If all goes well, Beech Road will start at 2-1 or less at Cheltenham as there is no mistaking his superiority.

▪ Some of the gaps must be due to chance, but there is no mistaking the insularity of interest which these volumes display.

there is no percentage in doing sth

there is no question of sth happening/sb doing sth

▪ Each has much to offer to the other and there is no question of one tradition being right and the other wrong.

▪ Even if the practice overspends its funds, there is no question of patients not getting the treatment they need.

▪ Since there is no means of changing the weather, there is no question of protest.

▪ This again suggests that the boys may have been in the wrong, which there is no question of in Ballantyne.

▪ This particularly applies where there is no question of a divorced previous spouse.

▪ This phenomenon is distinct from onomatopoeia - it is sometimes called sound symbolism: there is no question of auditory resemblance.

▪ Yet there is no question of one's hair rising.

there is no sign of sb/sth

▪ Although voices of dissent are being heard, there is no sign of the supermodel phenomenon abating in the near future.

▪ But still there is no sign of Captain Ahab.

▪ But there is no sign of staleness: the performances at the Haymarket are terrific in their strength.

▪ Furniture is strewn down the road, but there is no sign of the hapless hero.

▪ However, there is no sign of the Elven magical artefact.

▪ It appears, however, there is no sign of such a commitment.

▪ Moreover to implement the change there is no sign of introducing the extra resources which most commentators see as necessary.

▪ Not only do they lack legs but there is no sign of an internal girdle of bones at either shoulder or hip.

there is no telling

▪ This is a highly dangerous trend, because there is no telling where it will end.

there is not much in it

there is only one thing for it

there is safety in numbers

there is/exists/remains etc

▪ Alas, there is no space to give a proper account of the thoughts of these great minds.

▪ Capital market theory implies that, for index futures, there is a risk premium.

▪ Each side then loses something if there is an attempt to meet at a mid-point.

▪ If you do manage to get him to go, there is drug treatment that could help.

▪ In forecasting the future there is no certainty.

▪ On one of them, Longstone Island, there is a lighthouse.

▪ This is a great loss, because at root there is an integral relation between the ideas of crime and morality.

▪ We have also noted that there is in practice little inter-observer variation in the scoring of verbal responses in these patients.

there it is/there they are etc

there it is/there you are/there you go

there you are/there you go

this is it

▪ But I have to tell you, this is it.

▪ But if you want state-of-the art, this is it.

▪ Cancer has taught me that life isn't a dress rehearsal, this is it and you only get the one chance.

▪ I think this is it for him.

▪ If ever more evidence were needed to confirm that Michael Jackson is truly washed up, this is it.

▪ If rugby ever had an own-goal masquerading as a laudable aim this is it.

▪ Okay, so this is it.

▪ Yet if ever there was a time to put the record straight, this is it.

this is it

▪ But I have to tell you, this is it.

▪ But if you want state-of-the art, this is it.

▪ Cancer has taught me that life isn't a dress rehearsal, this is it and you only get the one chance.

▪ I think this is it for him.

▪ If ever more evidence were needed to confirm that Michael Jackson is truly washed up, this is it.

▪ If rugby ever had an own-goal masquerading as a laudable aim this is it.

▪ Okay, so this is it.

▪ Yet if ever there was a time to put the record straight, this is it.

this is the life

▪ She felt marvellously well. 34 Ah, this is the life, this is the life.

time is a great healer/heals all wounds

time is money

▪ For the developer, time is money.

▪ It is often said that time is money, but it is seen as cost and not value.

▪ My time is money for me and the firm.

▪ Plus, it only takes seconds to connect up, and as time is money that's always important.

▪ That costs time, and time is money.

▪ That would be a waste of their time, and time is money.

▪ They know time is money so they have a policy of buying it with yours and everyone else's. 5.

time is moving on

time is on your side

▪ But time is on your side if you can be gentle and good-naturedly persistent.

▪ For that matter, so could Rob, but then again, time is on his side.

▪ On the other hand, both Fujimori and Cerpa seem intent on showing that time is on their side.

▪ On this occasion, they also appear confident that time is on their side.

▪ When you begin identifying challenges at a relatively early age, time is on your side.

time was (when)

▪ Time was when you could buy a new car for less than $500.

▪ A few minutes of television time was so precious.

▪ It was a sweet life, but Gore at the time was reinventing government and saving the Earth.

▪ It was comfortable with its premature senescence but at the same time was wired with a wildness and youthful energy.

▪ The besetting sin of the time was drunkenness, and a couple of notorious drunks lived near Richard Baxter.

▪ The election was not settled until close to the inauguration, so not much time was available to plan the festivities.

▪ The paper ran a page-one correction, noting that the time was right for Hawaii.

▪ Unfortunately, although a good time was had by all, a number of the team picked up a strange flu bug.

▪ Within the political mainstream, the spirit of these times was consensual.

turnabout is fair play

two heads are better than one

variety is the spice of life

what are we waiting for?

▪ What are we waiting for? Let's go eat.

what are you like!

what are you talking about?

▪ What are you talking about? - Ron has lots of money.

▪ And I was like, I was just like, what are you talking about?

▪ And, anyway, what are you talking about, the rich man in his castle?

what are you waiting for?

▪ What are you waiting for? Ask her out on a date.

▪ And with actual tickets for the event up for grabs, what are you waiting for?

▪ So what are you waiting for.

what is it now?/now what?

what is sb doing with sth?

what is sb trying to prove?

what is sb/sth doing?

▪ And in the back of my mind was the wild thought, Where is Dean and what is he doing right now?

▪ And now what is she doing?

▪ But what is Rabbit Maranville doing in there?

▪ Just what is this doing to the hearts and minds of our children?

▪ What is Lucinda doing right this moment?

▪ What is the submarine doing up here?

▪ What is this government doing to encourage cycling?

▪ Where is he and what is he doing?

what is sb/sth like?

▪ What's it like living in Spain?

▪ What's the new teacher like?

▪ But what is it like to actually be in Brookie?

▪ But what is it like to go from one pregnancy to the next - going on having more and more children?

▪ But what is it like to possess 360° vision with two, narrow and separate binocular fields?

▪ But what is life like for people living in rural areas who can't afford a car?

▪ But what is morale like in today's force.

▪ So what is the Pro-File like to dive with?

what sb is driving at

▪ She didn't mention "sexual harassment," but I knew what she was driving at.

▪ Many candidates don't recognize what the question is driving at.

what was all that about?

▪ And what was all that about sending him your regards?

what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander

what's the good of ...?/what good is ...?

when the chips are down

▪ When the chips were down, you felt he could handle the situation.

▪ As you know, when the chips are down Leslie Bence comes out fighting.

▪ It is disappointing to find that, when the chips are down, your paper is no better than the rest.

▪ The implication, they fear, is that when the chips are down it is only rational human beings that really matter.

when/while sb's back is turned

▪ Once, despite the age requirement, my sister charms her way on to this ride while my back is turned.

where sb is coming from

▪ Growing churches should seek to identify where their growth is coming from.

▪ I try to feel where he is coming from.

▪ It's great for keeping tabs on where your money is coming from and going to and for tracking investments.

▪ The ability to see where something is coming from and where it's going to.

wherever that is/may be

who is sb to do sth?

▪ Who are you to tell me what to do?

▪ But who is qualified to lead us on this Crusade?

▪ Dean Cook, who is leaving to go back to university.

▪ Discussion about how each subject is to be covered will identify who is needed to do the teaching.

▪ First job is to check that Tony, a boy who is brought to school by mini-cab is in.

▪ It is not always the missionary who is reluctant to change outward forms.

▪ Rhodes is an outstanding defensive player who is expected to flourish as a small forward or shooting guard.

▪ This is a boon for anyone who is hypersensitive to the latter solvents.

▪ Thus Austen represents in her a portrait of one who is a stranger to love but wedded to reason.

whoever he/she is

▪ And it certainly can't be her father, whoever he is.

▪ Find him, whoever he is, wherever he is, before the Allies do, and bring him to Berlin.

▪ Gaia as Earth Goddess: whoever she is, let's keep her.

▪ He is handsome, tall and lively, he can make whoever he is with feel important.

▪ This guy whoever he is - he's paying.

▪ This man, whoever he is, isn't your normal nutter.

▪ This man, whoever he is, must be very clever.

▪ You're scared of him, aren't you, whoever he is?

with every fibre of your being

▪ And in that moment she wished with every fibre of her being that it really was possible for her to stay away.

▪ What she was sure of, though, was that she wanted him with every fibre of her being.

woe is me

▪ Oh woe is me, another potentially terrific game scuppered by an irritating multiload!

▪ Our only possible response before such a personal theophany can be: Woe is me!

you are what you eat

you are/he is a one

you need only do sth/all you need do is ...

your guess is as good as mine

▪ "When's the next bus coming?" "Your guess is as good as mine."

▪ "Who do you think will win the World Cup?" "Your guess is as good as mine."

your wish is my command

EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES

▪ Christ is risen from the dead.

▪ Fees are to be paid before classes begin.

▪ He is more to be pitied than feared.

▪ His arrival may have been delayed by snow.

▪ I'll be leaving in about half an hour.

▪ I was shown a copy of the contract.

▪ It was to be one of the most important judgments the court made.

▪ Smoking is not permitted on this flight.

▪ Talks were to have begun two weeks ago.

▪ The children are to go to bed by 8 o'clock.

▪ Walker was nowhere to be found.

II.verb