Academic Vocabulary
A
Abandon (v.) to forsake
Abandon (v.) to forsake
- After countless hours of lost sleep, they abandoned the project.
- The professor used abstract language that was difficult to understand.
- stevenseducation.com is an online English academy.
- They could not access the file because it was protected with a password.
- The guests were accomodated with clean rooms and delicious breakfasts.
- The president was accompanied by twelve body guards.
- The truck sat in the field and accumulated rust.
- The archer was incredibly accurate with her bow.
- The runner achieved his fastest time of the year.
- The couple finally acknowledged each other's harsh words.
- The company acquired another subsidiary.
- She loved language so much she studied second language acquisition.
- The toddler was adamant about not going to bed.
- The puppy adapted to its new home quickly.
- The kitten adapted to its new home quickly.
- The house had an adequate amount of space for the family of four.
- The rooms were adjacent to each other.
- She adjusted the fan settings to make herself feel cooler.
- The temple was administrated by the council of elders.
- The day-to-day administration of the company was run by four sisters.
- The adolescent was wiser than most adults.
- The adults sat at a large table in the living room; the children sat next to them.
- His fame got to his head and had an adverse effect on his wealth.
- The protesters advocated for democratic reforms.
- The pollution began to affect the air quality within the city.
- The aggregate effect of numerous small changes to her lifestyle was transformational.
- The navy rushed to the aid of an endangered whale.
- After the devastating flood, the forest was re-growing, albeit slowly.
- The endless mountain range was allocated for a nature reserve.
- The sunset altered the landscape, bringing everything to life.
- She found an alternative route through the forest; it was stunning.
- The parents' words were ambiguous, so the child continued banging the drum.
- The US constitution has been amended many times.
- The bear looked fierce, but in reality it was quite amiable.
- He spoke in idioms, analogies, and metaphors.
- She worked in a lab doing scientific analysis but spent her free time by the ocean.
- They analyzed the companies financial data and found inconsistencies.
- The annual parade made its way through the city.
- The team anticipated that they would win, but a thunderstorm cancelled the game.
- The beauty of the sunset was apparent to everyone.
- The company's financial was appended to the report.
- They appreciated the kindness and warmth of their grandmother.
- The lion wolf approached the hiker, but she was unafraid.
- She badly wanted to tell someone of her new success, but the funeral was an inappropriate place to do so.
- She only had an approximate idea of how beautiful the land was, until she reached the top of the mountain.
- She sidestepped the boss's arbitrary decision to complete the project more efficiently.
- The village covered only a small area of the beautiful landscape.
- She relentlessly sought success in every aspect of life.
- He examined the aspects of his life that hindered his joy.
- They assembled a plan to reinvent their family's future.
- Her greatest skill was her ability to honestly assess her weaknesses, improve them, and succeed.
- He was assigned the project and completed it in record time.
- The children kindly assisted their grandparents with their tasks.
- She could not have reached the mountain top without assistance from her coach.
- The deer assumed nothing was in the bushes: a deadly mistake.
- After his fall, the mother assured the toddler that everything would be okay.
- They attached their ropes to the mountain and scaled the cliff.
- She had never attained greater freedom than when she was alone in nature.
- Her relentless positive attitude helped her to turn challenges into opportunities.
- She attributed her success to hard work and optimism.
- She loved every author in her library.
- Many said that he was given too much authority.
- Many emails are sent from automated systems these days.
- He was an incredible father: always available to his children whenever he could be.
- After her trip to the forest, she was newly aware of the daily possibilities life had waiting for her.
B
Behalf (n.) as a representative of
Behalf (n.) as a representative of
- On behalf of the family, the mother thanked the community for their generous support.
- Her benefit from a change in mindset was enormous: she could not overstate the freedom she felt.
- The benefits of spending time in nature are hard to number.
- Her benign wisdom was cherished by her family.
- The queen bestowed on him the honor of knighthood.
- She had a strong bias against people that made excuses for their bad behavior.
- She boasted little of herself but often of her children.
- The brothers shared a close bond because of their childhood memories of growing up in Africa.
- After a brief stretch, they set out to surf along the beach.
- He spent his morning hours brooding over life with some hot tea.
- The company exported bicycles in bulk by ship to other countries.
C
Candid (adj.) frank, truthful
D
Data (n.) items of information
E
Economic (adj.) relating to money systems or something that requires less money
F
Facilitate (v.) to make a process or action easier
G
Gender (n.) sex or sexual orientation
H
Hence (adv.) for this reason
I
Identical (adj.) the same
Candid (adj.) frank, truthful
- Her candid opinions were a refreshing break from the more passive chatter of the break room.
- She was a capable coder, and everyone knew it.
- After twelve hours of classes, she had reached her capacity for new information.
- The students grouped the items into categories as part of the lesson.
- She was in that category of people who never gave up: her success was imminent.
- "Cease! Put your hands in the air," yelled the police.
- She faced every challenge, even this.
- She turned the channel and then turned the TV off: there was simply too much to do.
- The last chapter, like many stories, had a surprise ending.
- She didn't know it then, but the data in the chart would later be the key to her success.
- Bleach is a common chemical found in many households.
- They wanted to move to another country, but because of the current circumstances they had to be patient.
- Because she forgot to cite the books she used for her research, the professor would not accept the paper.
- "Be civil!" the mother yelled at her screaming children.
- She went to the forest to clarify her thoughts and gain perspective.
- The couple read classic short stories every Sunday.
- The protesters were raising awareness of a hidden clause that would strip the workers of their rights.
- In the market, the boy clung to his mother's arm.
- Computer code created a program used to edit DNA code.
- Her writing was coherent and persuasive: she got the job.
- Her daily meditation coincided with her business success.
- The company was not rooted in helping others and after ten years of artificial success collapsed like a house of cards.
- My strength was art; my colleague's asset was math: we helped each other.
- We commenced the greatest journey of our lives through countless miles of wilderness.
- Everyone could not stop commenting on the beauty of the lake.
- He used the negative comment as fresh motivation to improve his life.
- After altering one technique, her commissions doubled.
- After committing to a daily exercise routine, the man's cholesterol dropped.
- They invested in both startups and commodities.
- Communication works for those who work at it. -- John Powell
- There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares for. -- Margaret J.
- Night classes are compatible with working full time.
- The factory worker did not feel she was fairly compensated for her injury.
- The compensation could never makeup for the man's injury.
- The researcher compiled vast quantities of data for her research.
- Her intelligence complemented her compassion.
- Her reason for attending university was complex and nuanced.
- When the component fell out of the car, it stopped working.
- Firefighter is a compound noun; it's made of two words.
- The course was comprehensive and covered all aspects of running a small business.
- The garden was comprised of daffodils, roses, and an apple tree.
- The idea of leaving her grandmother to go to work just didn't compute.
- Computers have become smaller over time.
- The couple conceded that they needed to spend more time appreciating each other.
- Sadly, the father never apologized due to his conceit.
- They were trying to conceive a way to improve the city.
- The protesters concentrated on one demand; the government gave in.
- The mother always bought concentrated fruit juice for her kids.
- The concept of devoting 100% of himself to his family drove him forward each day.
- After the fight, the friends concluded that they had simply miscommunicated.
- The conclusion of the book was her favorite part.
- There are two concurrent music concerts in the city right now.
- The child was sent to his room for poor conduct.
- After thirteen years of study, she was conferred with her Ph.D.
- Due to the storm, the family was confined to the house.
- The meeting confirmed that his plan would be successful.
- Now wiser than her early years, she could see that conflict had made her stronger.
- She rarely conformed to the expectations of others.
- He always sought the consent of his family before making a big decision.
- The consequence of lying on the beach for twelve hours was a terrible sunburn.
- There were two consequences to not watering the plants: (1) they had died, and (2) Juan's mother was very angry.
- The fire led to consequent traffic jams throughout the city.
- After they left on their trip, there was a considerable problem: they had forgot to lock their house.
- The cookies consisted of chocolate, dough, and sugar.
- The doctor had a very consistent morning routine.
- Her dear husband was a constant friend in both good times and bad.
- Sadly, the poor constituted half of the city.
- President's behavior was clearly not constitutional and this became an argument for his impeachment.
- The student struggled in school because he felt constrained by too many rules.
- The team constructed the home in record time!
- The construction of the skyscraper took several months.
- They consulted a doctor before traveling through the Amazon.
- North Americans consume a staggering amount of ice cream each year.
- More and more, consumers are demanding more ethical products.
- The radio came into contact with water and stopped working.
- The artists were contemporaries of each other.
- When the quote was understood within its context, it was better understood.
- She signed the contract, but secretly crossed out one line.
- His words said he didn't want anymore food, but his words were contradicted by his eyes.
- His mother and father often gave him contrary messages.
- The moon is beautiful because of its contrast against the night sky.
- Gerald sat quietly with a cup of tea: he had little to contribute to the conversation.
- There was great controversy over the country's military strike.
- Thousands of citizens convened to hear the protesters speak.
- The lawyer conversed with his clients for over two hours.
- The new converts had a passion for their belief not shared by older believers.
- When Constantine converted to Christianity, it changed the Roman Empire.
- After years of discussion, her friend convinced her to take a vacation and visit her birthplace.
- The couple found it easy to cooperate with each other because of the strong appreciation they gave to each other each day.
- She coordinated with three departments at her work, to complete the project.
- The core of the Earth is incredibly hot.
- Corporate culture can be very different from company to company.
- The corporation had grown its profits by 150% in the past two years.
- The character in the film closely corresponded to a well-known CEO.
- The friends corresponded by letter for three years and later married.
- The couple rode horses through Argentina with their 18-year-old son.
- To create is the most human thing you can do.
- She never bought on credit; instead, she paid cash and didn't overspend.
- A health test was one of the criteria she passed to become a pilot.
- Faith and confidence in yourself is crucial to success.
- Friendliness to strangers was one of her favorite cultural aspects.
- Dancing was an important part of her culture.
- Through the old city, there were many currency exchange businesses.
- It is very difficult but not impossible to escape the cycle of poverty.
D
Data (n.) items of information
- The current data on Antarctica revealed 91 volcanoes under the ice.
- The professors debated the existence of intelligent life, elsewhere in the universe.
- For three decades, she built up her business and then entrusted it to her children to manage.
- After years of unprecedented growth, the stock market declined.
- From the red sand on the man's shoe, the doctor deduced that he had walked through the town plaza.
- I define hundreds of words for my beloved social media followers.
- There was definite proof that the man was innocent.
- The young man found hundreds of definitions on the social media account.
- On their honeymoon through the mountains, the couple stopped to fix a deflated tire.
- The protesters defied the curfew and many were arrested.
- The toddler was defying his mother's rules by opening a window that was unsafe.
- She demonstrated her courage by jumping in the ice cold water.
- The dove denotes peace.
- With a grin, the mother denied that she had left chocolate on her son's desk.
- Most countries are unwisely ill-prepared for the depletion of oil.
- The twenty days of constant rain depressed me.
- The grandmother derived joy out of seeing her grandchildren grow old.
- This life-saving drug is derived from a rare plant in the Amazon.
- The dress had an eye-catching blue and yellow design.
- Despite her emotional fatigue at failing the test, she did not quit.
- The police detected a strange smell coming from the house: gas was leaking!
- The knight warned them, "Whatever you do, do not deviate from the path."
- The small device, a pace-maker, kept the man alive.
- The parents tirelessly devoted themselves to their children.
- The twins were easy to differentiate because one had a chipped tooth.
- They measured the dimensions of the entrance to see if the table would fit through the door.
- The swimmer slowly diminished as he became farther and farther away on the lake.
- The music flowed from the violin before changing to more distinct notes as the musician plucked its strings.
- Infants can discriminate between their mother and other adults.
- Billions of tons of water were displaced by the earthquake.
- The race car driver displayed his trophies in a glass case in his room.
- The disposal of toxic waste can be dangerous if done improperly.
- The assassin quickly fled the apartment and then disposed of the handgun.
- The estate had five distinct buildings: a mansion, a smaller home, a barn, a garage, and an indoor gym.
- There is a clear distinction between Harry Potter and copy-cat series.
- The thief distorted the truth, but the shop owner could see that he was lying.
- Thousands of people volunteered their time, to distribute blankets, food, and water to those affected by the storm.
- Relief workers used many types of distribution to supply the towns with water.
- New York is made up of diverse cultures from every country of the world.
- He copied five thousand documents to his USB drive.
- She escaped her pursuers, ran through the forest, and entered back into her family's domain.
- He was a domestic man, working from home and carrying out many tasks for the family.
- The Roman soldiers cruelly dominated the small village, which was outnumbered and defenseless.
- J.K. Rowling rewrote many drafts before completing the Harry Potter series.
- They both loved comedy, but only he loved dramas.
- After the scorpion sting, he felt like he wanted to die for a duration of two days.
- The sunset was stunning, gorgeous even, but the light was dwindling and the couple needed to return home.
- Modern life is dynamic as technology and its impacts are constantly changing the world.
E
Economic (adj.) relating to money systems or something that requires less money
- Wind and solar power become more economic options each year.
- The country enjoyed a healthy economy due to an abundance of natural resources, manufacturing, tourism, and immigration.
- As a teacher, I have edited countless writings from fifth grade authors to CEOs.
- There was an element of fear in the way he blew out the birthday cake candles.
- She used a memory system to study the elements for science class.
- After eliminating unnecessary words, the publisher printed 10,000 copies of her book.
- After hundreds of years of astronomy and physics, a clearer understanding of the universe has emerged.
- Her parents put great emphasis on the importance of hard work.
- The pink background helped to emphasize the black design.
- Through empirical study of chimpanzees, the researchers found evidence that they used tools to hunt and gather food.
- The computer enabled her to learn English more effectively.
- Michael Jordan's trophies are encased in glass.
- While riding horses, the friends encountered a bear!
- Energy can be captured from the sun and turned into electricity.
- The speed limit was heavily enforced and the man was given a ticket.
- Her experience was enhanced by the fact that she knew the vacation would not end for another three weeks.
- The misty lake was enormous; it seemed as though there was no end to it.
- The firefighters ensured the journalists that no one was harmed by the burning house.
- The adventure through the forest entailed many risks: rogues, wild animals, and booby traps.
- According to the US constitution, religion and government must always be separate entities.
- He loved work environments full of books.
- Some people wrongly equate wealth with greed; others wrongly equate laziness with poverty.
- The blackboard was full of equations the students found difficult to solve.
- The basketball team was equipped with brand new jerseys and shoes.
- The store owner agreed that one dollar would be equivalent to 18 pesos.
- Each wave that crashed against the rock eroded it: little by little the rock was diminishing.
- The student quickly corrected one error before handing in her paper.
- He established his company right before his son was born: those early years were hard.
- The university was very old; it was established in the 1600s.
- After her death, her estate was divided amongst her three children.
- The builders estimated that the barn would take three months to construct.
- She had a strong work ethic and was never late for her job.
- The market had a wide variety of ethnic food: Japanese, Korean, Mexican, Lebanese, and more.
- The judges evaluated the dance and determined the winner.
- The doctor did a physical evaluation to determine the boy's health.
- The eventual result of the grandparents love was grandchildren that led the world to a better future.
- The lawyers argument was unconvincing because the evidence had not proven anything.
- The beauty of the snow was evident to everyone.
- Over the years, her painting style had evolved from realistic to abstract.
- They excavated the ancient city and found thousand-year-old treasures.
- Her writing exceeded the expectations of the professor.
- Sadly, one boy was excluded from the soccer game.
- The teacher exhibited signs of stress.
- It felt like her mind was expanding each year.
- He was an expert at chess and everyone knew it.
- The rules were explicitly stated on a sign in the park.
- The thief exploited a weakness in the security system and got into the museum undetected.
- The company exported mobile phones around the world.
- The fighter let down his arms and exposed his chest.
- The couple were happy together but had a lot of external pressure from family members.
- The treasure hunters carefully extracted the diamond and then ran for their lives.
F
Facilitate (v.) to make a process or action easier
- The teacher facilitated the conversation of her students by asking numerous questions.
- The couple considered many different factors before renting their home.
- The strangest feature of the home was the haunted look it had.
- The federal government provided health care for all of its citizens.
- There was a cleaning fee of $12 for each person that stayed in the home.
- The computer file was full of photos from the couples marriage.
- The farmer yelled at his filthy dog, which had just jumped into a mud puddle.
- Before walking to his death, the pirate spoke a final word.
- Oil is an important part of Norway's finance; in fact, it has a very large government fund that it invests.
- She was tired of financial stress and finally decided to save 10% of everything she earned.
- The doctor had a finite amount of medicine and needed to be re-supplied as soon as possible.
- The student thought the pencil was flexible until it quickly broke.
- The artist's income fluctuated from month to month.
- From her remote cabin, the author focused on nothing but writing, for months at a time.
- The friends foraged through the forest for berries or anything else that would help them survive.
- The book was well-written but very poorly formatted.
- The drink was made with a secret formula that only the owner of the company knew.
- The man was forthcoming about the reasons for his divorce; he did not leave out any details.
- The charity was founded years ago by three business friends who often drank tea together.
- The foundation of her success was years of hard work and sacrifice.
- His understanding of the economy was based on a faulty framework that overlooked the complexity of human behavior.
- Her main function in the company was to manage special projects from the head office.
- After finishing his university education, the first thing the man did was create a savings fund.
- Culture included three fundamental values: love of family, humility, and kindness to strangers.
- Naomi Klein argues that capitalism is at its best when regulated and guided by intelligently made laws.
G
Gender (n.) sex or sexual orientation
- The gender of the thief was unkown.
- The father tried to generate more income for his family.
- Her grandparents' generation thought very differently from her own: she valued both perspectives.
- Trade exists in almost every area of the globe.
- Her goal was to provide for and protect her family.
- It is difficult but not impossible to achieve a perfect grade on this test.
- He granted the family access to his property so they could look for their lost kitten.
- The place was full of grim-looking gravestones.
- Worringly, the pilot could not guarantee that the plane would land safely.
- The builders were expected to follow strict safety guidelines and would be fined for not doing so.
H
Hence (adv.) for this reason
- The dog jumped in the lake, ran to us on the beach, and shook; hence, we are covered in water.
- The building was hideous; every corner of it was ugly.
- The founder was at the top of the company hierarchy.
- When they argued over finances, she argued that he didn't understand how much things cost.
- The scientists' hypothesis was that dolphins could experience complex emotions.
I
Identical (adj.) the same
- The twins were identical, even their parents had difficulty identifying them.
- The movie star was quickly identified in the airport and a small crowd quickly gathered.
- The scientist identified several problems within the theory.
- Communism, socialism, and capitalism are ideologies.
- His ignorance was made much more intolerable because of his pride.
- Whenever they spoke of politics, he felt incredibly ignorant.
- The professor illustrated how earthquakes create tsunamis on the whiteboard.
- An image of her family's farm flashed in her mind when she smelled the fresh vegetables.
- 30,000 people from over one hundred countries immigrated to the city this year.
- Her criticism made a strong impact on him and left him in tears.
- He felt his poverty impelled him to steal bread from the market.
- The government implemented a new program to help the homeless within the city.
- The photo implicated her in the theft of diamond.
- Your implication is that I'm lazy because I'm taking a break?
- The man's greed was implicit in how he did business.
- Through her comments she implied that her students should think big because they can do much more than they imagined.
- She was careful to not impose her dreams on her children.
- The swear words she spoke were incendiary.
- The boss tried many incentives but it had no effect on the poorly paid employees.
- Another incidence happened at school today: a bully locked poor Marcus in the bathroom.
Incline (n.) a slope
J
Job (n.) type of work
K
Kinship (n.) blood relationship
L
Label (n.) a piece of paper or material that gives information about an object
M
Maintain (v.) to help continue or to keep in a state of repair
N
Negate (v.) to make ineffective or undo
O
Objective (n.) goal, or a smaller component of a goal
P
Panel (n.) a small group of people to discuss or decide on a matter
- They sped down the steep incline on their skateboards.
- She had a small income, but many investments.
- After twenty years, the bakery finally incorporated and began to expand throughout the city.
- The man crashed into the family's minivan, but then offered to pay any expenses incurred.
- The students used the index to find every part of the book that discussed volcanoes.
- A large arrow indicated the direction of traffic.
- Sleeping at work is often an indication of exhaustion.
- Individual families came one by one to their neighbors home, bringing meals to help the grieving family.
- The man was induced to enter the cave.
- Failure is inevitable only if you quit before you succeed.
- Sometimes risk and reward are inextricably linked.
- From the smile on her face he inferred that she loved him.
- From roads to sewage lines, the city's infrastructure was being rebuilt.
- Selflessness is inherent to love: the giving of your full self for another.
- She formed a new mindset: those things that she once saw as inhibiting, she now saw as keys to her success.
- My initial impression of the old man was that he was unkind; however, after getting to know him it was clearly untrue.
- Through this instance of corruption, the president was forced to resign.
- She tipped over one domino and initiated a chain reaction.
- The soccer player badly injured her leg, but nevertheless scored a goal which won the game.
- It took two months for the soccer player's leg to heal.
- The company had survived for two hundred years due to constant innovation.
- There was little input from the hikers about which path to take through the forest.
- The disk was inserted into the computer.
- The guide had great insight about how to survive the storm.
- Every inch of the president's plane was inspected before leaving the airport.
- The national science institutes were researching the connection between skin bacteria and long life.
- The mother instructed her son on the importance of sharing his toys with his friends.
- Daily relaxation on the beach was integral to her love of life.
- The solar panels were integrated into the city's power supply system.
- She conducted all of her business with great integrity and won the respect of the city.
- Intelligence, skill, and perseverance were all equal reasons for her success.
- The sight of the dragon created an intense fear in the villagers.
- She was shy and didn't want to interact with the others around the campfire.
- She was an intermediate user of Spanish.
- There were a couple of internal problems for the company: poor management and job dissatisfaction.
- Each student seemed to interpret the poem differently.
- The couple's fight came from a misinterpretation of something that was said.
- When he traveled through the mountains, there was an interval of two months where he did not respond to any messages.
- The mother quickly intervened in the fight that broke out between her son and daughter when they started throwing their toys.
- Failure is intrinsic to success.
- After investing a very small amount in the stock market each day for fifty years, she became a millionaire.
- After investigating the cause of the fire, the firefighters determined that had knocked some papers onto a lit stove.
- She light candles in a semicircle an invoked the ancient god of thunder.
- The game of chess involved all of the man's attention; his opponent was not making this easy.
- The meeting led to a tiring and involved conversation about company procedures.
- She isolated herself for hours every day to study economics.
- The main issue with the city was that people were leaving it to find opportunities elsewhere.
- After returning form vacation, Laura was not excited about the third item on her to-do list: responding to all of her emails.
J
Job (n.) type of work
- She loved her job as a doctor, even though it was sometimes very tiring.
- He wrote in his journal every day: poems, memories, and new ideas.
- She felt no need to justify her need to take one hour to herself each day.
K
Kinship (n.) blood relationship
- The cousins shared a connection that only kinship could create.
L
Label (n.) a piece of paper or material that gives information about an object
- The label on the bottle was missing and she forgot what type of spice it was.
- The prisoners' labor was exhausting: they hammered stones all day long.
- Like an onion, the Earth has many layers.
- The farmer gave a lecture on techniques for growing watermelon.
- Is it legal to drive without a seatbelt in this country?
- New legislation for small businesses increased the amount they would have to pay in tax.
- The government levied taxes on imports on vegetables from many countries.
- He had a very open-minded, liberal perspective on life.
- In some places, people can get a driver's license at only 14 years of age.
- To overcome global warming it is necessary to end fossil fuel use. Likewise, green technologies need to be adopted.
- Long before tobacco companies would admit it, researches found a link between lung cancer and smoking.
- The young panda ran away in the forest and the zoo could not locate it.
- "Hello, I'm calling because I would like to rent a car. Where is your location?"
- The logic of a morning routine was evident after she realized the good habits it helped her to create.
- The man spoke in speech that was hard to understand, but he was highly logical.
- It seemed like a war was looming.
- When she slammed on the breaks, the puppy lurched forward in the car.
M
Maintain (v.) to help continue or to keep in a state of repair
- The road through the mountains was well maintained.
- "Sir, we have a major problem with the submarine; it's flooding!"
- The majority of citizens voted for the new president.
- On the rainy battlefield, the soldier looked at him with cold malice.
- He manipulated others through appealing to their pity.
- The pyramids were constructed through manual labor.
- She never wrote in the margins of the paper.
- She was very mature and took responsibility for her mistakes.
- The farmer had many techniques to maximize the efficiency of each harvest.
- The mechanisms for many of the body's defenses are well understood.
- The author used both digital and paper media.
- The sister often mediate the fights between her older brothers.
- The doctor gave both medicine and medical advice to the patient.
- He meditated each morning to focus his mind and better love his family.
- Radio is a declining medium.
- He committed his life to promoting mental wellness.
- Damns use gravity as a method for creating electricity.
- Thousands of birds could be seen migrating south for the winter.
- The small island nation spent little on its military.
- After the magician failed his first trick, there was minimal applause from the audience.
- The needs of the citizens were minimized by the elite.
- Through years of dedicated activism, the minimum wage was raised.
- The ministry of the environment looked after the nations parks and natural resources.
- Their ministry was making soup for the homeless each Wednesday.
- The old door had a minor problem: it squeaked too loudly.
- Her favorite mode of travel was by speedboat.
- He made a modest income through selling bread on the street corner.
- They modified the design of the rocket and made it 35% faster.
- The baker monitored his cakes carefully.
- Someone had broken into the house, but strangely nothing was taken: the motive was unknown.
- The couple shared a mutual love of horses.
N
Negate (v.) to make ineffective or undo
- The man's fatigue was negated by the three cups of coffee he had.
- From the mountain, they could see a network of lakes that stretched for miles.
- Switzerland has been neutral in many wars.
- She ran for ten hours; nevertheless, she still had plenty of energy.
- He feasted for hours but was nonetheless hungry.
- She took unusual enjoyment in breaking many social norms.
- His normal routine was to watch TV most of the day, but he decided to begin making changes, so he went for a run.
- "When did you begin to accept the ridiculous notion that I don't love you!"
- Notwithstanding her right to be annoyed, she seemed incredibly calm.
- The billionaire sought methods to create a safer form of nuclear energy and despite trials, did not give up.
O
Objective (n.) goal, or a smaller component of a goal
- Her goal was to make it to the Olympics; her objective was to win this tennis match.
- The spy obtained secret information about an assassination attempt.
- His attraction to her was obvious to everyone at the party.
- The city was occupied by its enemy for two months, but the citizens secretly planned to win back their freedom.
- She did not understand how it had occurred, but she obtained her dream job!
- The dog had an odd look on its face; soon, it was discovered that it had eaten most of the family's dinner.
- The expense of the car was offset by the man's ability to get a better paying job with it.
- Sadly, there seems to be no end to the ongoing wildfires.
- Her mother saw two options to deal with the problem; she saw seven.
- She traveled into the sunset by ship: she was headed to the Orient.
- When he entered the old city, he had difficulty orienting himself.
- The outcome of her university education was a new skill and many new friends.
- The father thought his daughter's dress looked outlandish; she thought it was beautiful.
- In language learning, writing and speaking are referred to as output.
- Overall, Bill and Melinda Gates have used their wealth to better the world.
- Our interests overlap considerably
- She spent three months overseas backpacking through India.
P
Panel (n.) a small group of people to discuss or decide on a matter
- The panel of scientists discussed the achievements being made against climate change.
- Physics has experienced many paradigm shifts throughout its history.
- The third paragraph described the beautiful meadows of her home country.
- The paths through the forest were parallel to each other but never crossed.
- They agreed that their company would always work within the parameters of the law.
- Although she could not run, she participated in the marathon as a volunteer.
- For the students, participation in the run was required.
- My partner in life, my wife, is an incredible woman.
- The man had a very passive approach to life: he watched it go by all around him.
- She perceived sarcasm in her daughter's tone.
- Twenty percent of the city had immigrated from Asia.
- During the Jurassic Period, dinosaurs roamed the Earth.
- Despite having an average income, it seemed that the family was in a perpetual state of debt.
- He persisted to be happy even though the journey to the village was difficult.
- What is your perspective on this country's tax system?
- In this phase of life, with young children, we have little time but much laughter.
- It hailed the size of golf balls in the middle of the night, but the phenomenon was seen by few people.
- My philosophy is that love should be guided by wisdom.
- There is a world of ideas that exists within our minds; it is as real as the physical world.
- Everyone knows that two plus two equals four, but some people don't know that a horse plus a donkey equals a mule.
- The teacher had a strict no-gum policy.
- He gave them each a portion of the pie; it was delicious.
- The principal posed with some students for a photograph.
- Their marriage was successful because for every one negative comment they made five positive ones.
- To not underestimate the potency of a kind act.
- Each one of us has the potential to better the world.
- He was a skilled practitioner of medicine and helped save countless lives.
- My grandmother is a very pragmatic woman; she has no time for abstract theories.
- Effort precedes success.
- Her timing was so precise that she was scarcely ever five seconds (or early) late to any meeting.
- They normally gave many gifts each holiday, but the family's financial predicament meant they had nothing left to give.
- She predicted that in thirty years most cars around the world would be electric.
- The predictable monkey stole a mango from the market.
- The predominant feature of the house was its bright red door which could be seen a mile away.
- The question of how they should make their pancakes was predominating the conversation.
- Sorry, Roberto. I have to attend a preliminary meeting before I can speak with you.
- She presumed that her daughter had stolen five of the cookies, but in reality it was her husband.
- Her previous comment was misunderstood, so she clarified it.
- Previously, the garden was closed to the public, but now anyone could access it.
- My primary concern is that we will not be able to make our flight at eleven o'clock.
- His story is a prime example of how years of dedication can pay off.
- The country's principal export was lumber
- Two tough looking students knocked on the door and the principal answered.
(Principle (n.) a value or moral code
Q
Qualitative (adj.) measuring by quality versus quantity
R
Radical (adj.) to change something greatly, from its foundation or core nature
S
Savage (adj.) uncivilized
T
Tape (n.) a piece of sticky plastic used to hold things together
U
Ultimate (adj.) the final or greatest
V
Valid (adj.) justified or reasonable
- She always tried to follow her principles of being honest, kind, and healthy.
- Prior to her success were years of hard work, dedication, and planning.
- Before purchasing our house, our first priority should be to save money for emergencies.
- The medical procedure saved the man's life.
- The group proceeded through the mountains; the view was breathtaking.
- The process he took to lose 60kg was not easy, but it was worth it.
- She was always very professional in the office, but enjoyed life at home best where she could relax and be herself.
- When he saw his family in the airport, the grandfather had profound feelings of joy.
- The law prohibited smoking inside public buildings.
- The beautiful park was one of the few places where drinking in public was not prohibited.
- The project took years to complete, but was the most beautiful building in the city.
- Hundreds of businesses decided to promote the charity for the Children's Hospital.
- Solar power is beginning to make up a larger and larger proportion of energy sources.
- The mining company prospected for gold in the mountains.
- The protocol forbid police from entering any property without permission from a judge.
- Her prowess as a negotiator was obvious to everyone.
- Physical needs are often obvious; however, psychological needs are often not.
- He studied psychology for four years, education for two years, and human behavior for his entire life.
- The friends had a feast to celebrate the successful publication of her first novel.
- After being rejected by many publishers, he published his book by himself.
- The family purchased a trampoline for their children.
- He gave up pursuing his own happiness and instead sought to make others happy; this made him happier than he had ever been.
Q
Qualitative (adj.) measuring by quality versus quantity
- The qualitative study on first grade education had few participants.
- She often quoted Keanu Reeves: "The simple act of paying attention can take you a long way."
R
Radical (adj.) to change something greatly, from its foundation or core nature
- The country radically changed its environmental laws and drastically reduced pollution.
- The toddler arranged the chairs in a random order.
- Her voice had a wide range: she could sing both very high and very low.
- The ratio of houses to apartments in the city is 10 to 1.
- She was highly rational and did not believe in superstition.
- The soldiers ravaged the village.
- Everyone reacted with surprise when they reached the edge of the forest.
- The decision to walk across the ice was seeming more and more reckless.
- It took her three days to recover from the long journey home.
- The soccer player refined his method of practice and scored more goals because of it.
- The lawyer refuted the idea that the man had the athletic ability to commit the crime.
- Regimes that fear for their own survival censor information.
- The region was known for its delicious chocolate.
- Before registering for the course she enjoyed a doughnut and coffee.
- The city introduced new laws to regulate the sale of plastic bags.
- The new regulations made it difficult to sell street food.
- Her argument was reinforced with evidence from studies that had been conducted over the last 30 years.
- She rejected the idea that cleaning the bathroom was her sole responsibility.
- For two weeks, she relaxed on the beach but thought of her home often.
- The man was released from prison early because of his good behavior.
- The politician's speech was not relevant to the protester's concerns.
- The lumberjack was very reliable and hadn't missed a day of work in twenty years.
- She took the money with reluctance.
- The kitten relied on it's owner to feed it each day.
- The rioters were removed from the building.
- We require eggs to make this cake.
- A password was required to access the secret, Swiss bank account.
- One of the requirements for the course was a laptop.
- The scientists researched the benefits the plant had on mice.
- They resided in an apartment on the 19th floor of the skyscraper.
- Most of the residents in this neighborhood own a cat.
- The programmer resolved the problem through special software.
- The country had few natural resources but still managed to prosper.
- After he did not respond, she realized her husband was asleep on the couch.
- The dog did not respond to the cat scratching it.
- The ancient temple was restored and then opened for tourism.
- She survived the accident thanks to her seat belt which restrained her.
- The thick jeans restricted his movement in while exercising.
- Although she only retained about 15% of the information from her course, she gained life-changing wisdom.
- Her compassion toward the old man was revealed through her generosity.
- The owner sold shoes and made $75,000 in revenue each year.
- Before entering the harbor, the ship reversed its engines to slow its speed.
- When she returned to her hometown, she reverted to a slower pace of life.
- J.K. Rowling spent much time revising Harry Potter before the books were published.
- Bernie Sanders has stated many times that he is leading a revolution.
- When it came to household rules, he was rigid and very strict.
- The son's role in the family was that of a peacemaker.
- They took the route through the mountains which was very dangerous.
S
Savage (adj.) uncivilized
- The savage man kicked at pedestrians who did not answer his questions
- In some survival scenarios, it is best to stay where you are.
- His clients scheduled times with him directly on his website.
- They came up with a scheme to live rent free for one year.
- The scope of the investigation was widening as more corruption was discovered.
- The startup scoped out a place to open their first office.
- This section of the book was the most difficult to read
- This sector of the city was known for its wealth.
- The boat was secured by many ropes.
- They seek the truth about the corrupting powers influencing their government.
- She was a truth seeker, always challenging her own beliefs and searching to challenge others.
- He selected a pumpkin from the pile.
- They described the sequence of their holiday differently; one of them had forgotten the order of events.
- This series of short stories by O. Henry is my favorite.
- The sex of the person was unkown.
- The school changed its sex education course to include a unit on sexual ethics.
- When he spilled his drink, the shift in her tone was so noticeable that everyone at the party turned to look.
- She was told that no significant changes were made to the contract, but it wasn't true.
- My brother and I are very different, but we share a similar sense of humor.
- The drink stimulated his immune system, and he began to feel well again.
- I've never been to this site before, but I heard about it on Youtube.
- Some people think Ann Wintour is a snob, but they misunderstand her.
- Alex, the so-called genius in the family, forgot to brush his teeth again.
- An old man with a crooked back was the sole occupant of the mansion.
- I eat healthily, well somewhat healthily.
- The source of this river is those mountains over there.
- After using "thing" twelve times in his essay, the professor asked him to be more specific.
- Let me specify what I mean by good; I mean effective.
- Planets are spheres due to the effects of gravity.
- The suburbs of the global city seemed to sprawl for hundreds of kilometers in every direction.
- Sadly, he squandered the last of the family's savings at the casino.
- The pigs squealed with delight when the farmer fed them.
- After the heart attack, the man's vital signs became stable again.
- The study in the news reported that 20% of newcomers to the city were from outside the country.
- "Emily, what's your status update on the new project?"
- He was a very stout man with strong arms and even stronger opinions.
- "The plan seems straightforward enough, but have we overlooked anything?"
- The baker's sales strategy was to open all the windows and doors, so the sweet smell of the bread would fill the streets.
- She overcame stress each day through an hour of meditation.
- She stressed the point again and again that her success was the result of focus.
- The coupled strolled on the beach as the sun set.
- The barn was collapsing: its structure was 134 years old.
- Her parenting style was very relaxed and her children often went to bed late.
- Although many tried to subjugate the Babylonians, Babylon is said to have conquered its conquerors.
- The kitten submitted peacefully to its mother.
- The founder was careful to listen carefully to the advice of her subordinates.
- Elon Musk developed a larger rocket subsequent to making rockets re-usable.
- Barack Obama has created several subsidies to promote education.
- Charles shot an elastic at the substitute teacher while she wasn't looking.
- Prince Charles was Queen Elizabeth II successor.
- We had a sufficient amount of rice to last the weekend.
- The master thief stole a large sum of money from the royal family.
- She gave a quick summary of her time in New York; overall she enjoyed the trip, despite the traffic.
- After lunch each day, he ate a number of expensive health supplements.
- The university students took a survey about the quality of their class.
- 120,000 people were surveyed on who they would vote for in the election.
- The storm sank the ship, but luckily everyone survived.
- The building project was suspending until the inspector could arrive.
- Her hard work and positivity helped sustain her through difficult times in life.
- The villagers were shocked when they saw the king's flag with its symbol rising rising above the hill.
- White doves were released at the ceremony to symbolize peace.
T
Tape (n.) a piece of sticky plastic used to hold things together
- The money was ripped in half, so tape was used to hold it together
- They taped Kobe Bryant voice in the animation "Dear Basketball."
- The students used gorilla tape to put their dreams on the wall.
- The archer aimed carefully for the target, and then shot the apple off the man's head.
- She completed all of her tasks early in the day, and then relaxed in the afternoon.
- The team was nervous about presenting the project ideas to their executives.
- Her technical expertise were needed to ensure the rocket would launch safely.
- He taught his students effective writing techniques, many of them rose to the top of their grade.
- After his heart attack, the new medical technology saved the man's life.
- The baby cried incessantly, but she new this phase of life would be temporary.
- She had a clear vision for her life and used the future tense often.
- They didn't know what they would do on the weekend, but their tentative plan was to visit their grandmother.
- She was skilled at terminating projects that did not benefit her business.
- "Please turn in your texts, to page 276."
- The theory of gravity is used to make predictions every day.
- The thesis of the essay was difficult to understand due to its complexity.
- The topic of the essay was student debt forgiveness.
- This topical ointment helps reduce itchiness from sunburn.
- She spent an hour each day reading topical science articles ranging from psychology to physics.
- The dog ran away, but there was not a trace of it anywhere.
- Drew Binsky, a well-known traveler and Youtuber, has explored many traditions around the world.
- The aquarium came up with a plan to transfer the whale back into the wild.
- The millionaire made a secret transfer to pay off the family's house.
- The caterpillar transformed into a beautiful butterfly.
- The transit for the airplane passengers took eight hours.
- Thousands of New Yorkers take transit each day.
- The channel was transmitted to 32 countries.
- The MMA champion was transported by limousine to the fight.
- For many children, Pokemon is a trend they enjoy; for others, it is a long-term obsession.
- The bee sting triggered an allergic reaction, luckily she had her medicine, an epipen.
U
Ultimate (adj.) the final or greatest
- Through greater awareness, the country remembered that the ultimate power is always in the people, not their government.
- The world is undergoing great change.
- Values underlie behavior.
- They undertook the greatest journey of their lives: through forests, mountains, desert, and snow.
- The police spilled mustard on his perfectly ironed uniform.
- The houses were not uniform; each one looked very different from the rest.
- The young man tried to unify his family by being a peacemaker.
- The car was unique; some thought it was odd.
- She utilized the formula to solve her professor's most difficult math problem.
V
Valid (adj.) justified or reasonable
- The argument against going to the lake was valid; after all, everyone did have sunburn.
- The results of the blood test were too variable; they had to do it again.
- Vary your sentence length to improve the readability of your essays.
- Sleep is vastly more important than watching TV.
- The deer were vaulting over the fence.
- The 405, a highway in LA, is always full of vehicles.
- Hank Green and John Green, veritable community makers, fund charities through The Project for Awesome.
- I have the newest version of the book: the third edtion.
- Via meditation she reduced stress and increased focus.
Speaking Vocabulary by Category
Coming soon!
Writing Task 1 Vocabulary
Coming soon!
Transition Words
Coming soon!
Idioms
A
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
• It is better to hold on to something you have, rather than risk losing trying to get something better.
• The college admission was like a-bird-in-hand, so I accepted it immediately.
A bitter pill (to swallow)
• Something difficult to accept
• The divorce was a bitter pill to swallow, but she was resilient.
A blessing in disguise
• Something that seems bad but turns out to be good
• Losing his job was a blessing in disguise; he had more time with his family
A chip on your shoulder
• Thinking too much of yourself or holding a grudge.
• We noticed he had a chip on his shoulder after receiving a scholarship.
A dime a dozen
• Quite common, inexpensive, not much value.
• Those white ceramic plates are worth a dime a dozen.
A doubting Thomas
• Someone who refuses to believe things without proof.
• Mark is a doubting Thomas, as he did not believe I won a car.
A drop in the bucket
• A tiny or insignificant amount.
• My salary is a drop in the bucket compared to my manager’s, but I have more fun.
A hot potato
• A topic that people disagree on or a difficult situation.
• The cleaning issue was a hot potato amongst the roommates, but they resolved it quickly.
A leopard can't change its spots
• It is impossible to change your character even if you try really hard
• Even though Charles promised not to touch the ice-cream, his mum kept it away as she knew a leopard can’t change its spots.
A little bird told me
• This is said if you do not want to disclose your source of information
• A little bird told me that Helen won the award for leadership.
A penny saved is a dollar earned
A picture paints a thousand words
A stitch in time saves nine
A taste of your own medicine
Ace in the hole
Actions speak louder than words
Achilles' heel
Actions Speak louder than words
Add fuel to the fire
Add insult to injury
After the storm blew over
Against the clock
All bark and no bite
All ears
All Greek to me
All in the same boat
All thumbs
An arm and a leg
An axe to grind
Apple of my eye
As all get up
At the drop of a hat
B
Back seat driver
Back to square one
Back to the drawing board
Baker's dozen
Ball is in your court
Barking up the wrong tree
Basket case
Beat around the bush
Beat a dead horse
Bed of roses
Bend over backwards
Best of both worlds
Between a rock and a hard place
Bite off more than one can chew
Bite the bullet
Bite the dust
Bite your tongue
Bleeding heart
Blind as a bat
Blood is thicker than water
Boys will be boys
Break a leg
Burn a bridge
Burn the midnight oil
Bust one's chops
Buy a lemon
By the seat of one's pants
By the skin of one's teeth
C
Call it a day
Canary in a coal mine
Can't get blood out of a stone
Cat nap
Cat got your tongue
Chalk up
Champ at the bit
Cheap as chips
Chew someone out
Chew the fat
Chink in one's armor
Chip on his shoulder
Chow down
Clam up
Close but no cigar
Closed case
Closed door
Cold shoulder
Come hell or high water
Couch potato
Count sheep
Crack me up
Crocodile tears
Cross your fingers
Cry me a river
Cry wolf
Cut a rug
Cut the cheese
Cut the mustard
Cut to the chase
D
Dark horse
Dead Ringer
Devil's advocate
Dine and dash
Dog days of summer
Don't bite the hand that feeds you
Don't count chickens before they hatch
Don't cry over spilt milk
Don't give up your day job
Don't have a cow
Don't put all your eggs in one basket
Dot your I's and cross your T's
Down to the wire
Drink like a fish
Drive me up the wall
Drop a dime
Dropping like flies
Dry run
E
Elephant in the room
Elvis has left the building
Every cloud has a silver lining
Everything but the kitchen sink
Excuse my French
Eyes bigger than your stomach
F
Fallen on prying eyes
Faster than lightning
Feeding frenzy
Field day
Finding your feet
Fit as a fiddle
Fixed in your ways
Flash in the pan
Flea market
Flesh and blood
Flip the bird
Foam at the mouth
For a song
French kiss
From A to Z
From rags to riches
From scratch / make from scratch
Full Monty
Full of Bologna
Funny farm
G
Get bent out of shape
Get down to brass tacks
Get hitched
Get over it
Get up on the wrong side of the bed
Get your knickers in a knot
Get your underwear in a bunch
Get your walking papers
Gift of gab
Give them the slip
Go down like a lead balloon
Go for broke
Go out on a limb
Go the extra mile
Gone with the wind
Good Samaritan
Got my foot in the door
Got my sea legs
Got one in the oven
Grasp the nettle
Grass is always greener on the other side
Graveyard shift
Great minds think alike (and fools seldom differ)
Green around the gills
Green room
Green thumb
Gut feeling
H
Happy as a lark
Hat trick
Have a blast
Have eyes in the back of one's head
Head over heels
Heard it through the grapevine
He has deep pockets
He has dirt on them
Hell in a handbasket
High as a kite
High five
High on the hog
Hindsight is twenty-twenty
His face was a mile long
Hit the books
Hit the hay
Hit the nail on the head
Hit the road
Hit the sack
Hocus pocus
Hold your horses
I
I bet
I can count on them
I got my eye on you
I wasn't born yesterday
Icing on the cake
If I had a nickel for every time I heard that
If it's not one thing, it's another
If you cant' take the heat stay out of the kitchen
In hot water
In the bag
In the buff
In the dark
In the heat of the moment
In your face
Ignorance is bliss
Iron stomach
It all boils down to...
It takes two to tango
It's a small world
It's anyone's call
Ivy league
J
Jaywalk
Joshing me
Jump ship
K
Keep an eye on things
Keep your chin up
Keep your eye on the ball
Keep your mind on track
Kick the bucket
Kill two birds with one stone
Kitty-corner
Knee jerk reaction
Knock on wood
L
Last but not least
Learn the ropes
Lend me your ear(s)
Let bygones be bygones
Let sleeping dogs lie
Let the cat out of the bag
Level the playing field
Like a chicken with its head cut off
Like a herd of cats
Like a herd of turtles
Liquored up
Little whipper snapper
Long in the tooth
Loose as a goose
Loose cannon
Losing my mind
Lost in your head
Lost your marbles
M
Mad as a wet hen
Make no bones about
Method to my madness
Mind like a steel trap
Mind your p's and q's
Mixed Blessing
Mumbo jumbo
Mum's the word
N
Nest egg
New kid on the block
New York minute
No horse in this race
No room to swing a cat
Not playing with a full deck
O
Off on the wrong foot
Off one's trolley / Off one's rocker
Off the hook
Off the record
On pins and needles
On the fence
On the same page
Open book
Opened case
Once in a blue moon
Out in the cold
Out of the blue
Out of the mouths of babes
Out on a limb
Out on the town
Overdrive
Overkill
Over my dead body!
Over the top
P
Pass the buck
Pedal to the metal
Peeping tom
Pick up your ears
Piece of cake
Pig in a poke
Pig out
Pipe down
Piss in one's cornflakes
Pop one's clogs (UK)
Preaching to the choir
Pull somebody's leg
Pull the plug
Pulling my leg
Pushing up the daisies
Put a sock in it
Put the cat among the pigeons
Put your money where your mouth is at
Put yourself in another man's shoes
Q
Quick as wink
R
Raincheck
Raining cats and dogs
Red herring
Riding shotgun
Right as rain
Rise and shine
Rome was not built in a day
Rule of thumb
Run out of steam
S
Saved by the bell
Sawing logs
School of hard knocks
Screw the pooch
Scot-free
Sharp as a tack
She's the bee's knees
Shoot the breeze
Shooting fish in a barrel
Sick as a dog
Sixth sense
Skid row
Sleep it off
Sleep with the fishes
Slippery as a snake
Smart as a whip
Smell a rat
Smell something fishy
Son of a gun
Speak of the devil
Speaking with a forked tongue
Speaking with a silver tongue
Spill the beans
Spin one's wheels
Spitting image
Split the whistle
Spoiled rotten
Stubborn as a mule
Stuck in the mud
Sunny smile
T
Take a short walk off a long cliff
Take the biscuit
Take the cake
Take with a grain of salt
Teach them a thing or two
Tide over
That's not gonna fly
The ball is in your court
The best of both worlds
The bigger they are the harder they fall
The door is always open
The last straw
The scheme of things
The squeaky wheel gets the grease
The whole nine yards
Think on your feet
Third try is the charm
Throw under the bus
Through thick and thin
Thumb one's nose
Tie one on
Tie the knot
Tired as all get up
To make a long story short
To steal someone's thunder
Tongue-in-cheek
Tongues will wag
Tough as nails
Tough love
Trip the light fantastic
Turn a blind eye
Two left feet
U
Under my thumb
Under the weather
Until the cows come home
Up a blind alley
Up a creek without a paddle
Up shit's creek
Use your noggin
V
Variety is the spice of life
W
Wag the dog
Water under the bridge
Watch 'em like a hawk
Wear your heart on your sleeve
Wet your whistle
Whatever will be will be
What's good for the goose is good for the gander
When it rains, it pours
When pigs fly
Wild and woolly
Wine and dine
Without a doubt
When it rains it pours
Who wears the pants in this family?
Whole nine yards
Wild goose chase
X
X marks the spot
Y
You are in hot water
You are what you eat
You bet
You can say that again
You can't judge a book by its cover
You can't teach an old dog new tricks
Your guess is as good as mine
Z
Zero Tolerance
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
• It is better to hold on to something you have, rather than risk losing trying to get something better.
• The college admission was like a-bird-in-hand, so I accepted it immediately.
A bitter pill (to swallow)
• Something difficult to accept
• The divorce was a bitter pill to swallow, but she was resilient.
A blessing in disguise
• Something that seems bad but turns out to be good
• Losing his job was a blessing in disguise; he had more time with his family
A chip on your shoulder
• Thinking too much of yourself or holding a grudge.
• We noticed he had a chip on his shoulder after receiving a scholarship.
A dime a dozen
• Quite common, inexpensive, not much value.
• Those white ceramic plates are worth a dime a dozen.
A doubting Thomas
• Someone who refuses to believe things without proof.
• Mark is a doubting Thomas, as he did not believe I won a car.
A drop in the bucket
• A tiny or insignificant amount.
• My salary is a drop in the bucket compared to my manager’s, but I have more fun.
A hot potato
• A topic that people disagree on or a difficult situation.
• The cleaning issue was a hot potato amongst the roommates, but they resolved it quickly.
A leopard can't change its spots
• It is impossible to change your character even if you try really hard
• Even though Charles promised not to touch the ice-cream, his mum kept it away as she knew a leopard can’t change its spots.
A little bird told me
• This is said if you do not want to disclose your source of information
• A little bird told me that Helen won the award for leadership.
A penny saved is a dollar earned
A picture paints a thousand words
A stitch in time saves nine
A taste of your own medicine
Ace in the hole
Actions speak louder than words
Achilles' heel
Actions Speak louder than words
Add fuel to the fire
Add insult to injury
After the storm blew over
Against the clock
All bark and no bite
All ears
All Greek to me
All in the same boat
All thumbs
An arm and a leg
An axe to grind
Apple of my eye
As all get up
At the drop of a hat
B
Back seat driver
Back to square one
Back to the drawing board
Baker's dozen
Ball is in your court
Barking up the wrong tree
Basket case
Beat around the bush
Beat a dead horse
Bed of roses
Bend over backwards
Best of both worlds
Between a rock and a hard place
Bite off more than one can chew
Bite the bullet
Bite the dust
Bite your tongue
Bleeding heart
Blind as a bat
Blood is thicker than water
Boys will be boys
Break a leg
Burn a bridge
Burn the midnight oil
Bust one's chops
Buy a lemon
By the seat of one's pants
By the skin of one's teeth
C
Call it a day
Canary in a coal mine
Can't get blood out of a stone
Cat nap
Cat got your tongue
Chalk up
Champ at the bit
Cheap as chips
Chew someone out
Chew the fat
Chink in one's armor
Chip on his shoulder
Chow down
Clam up
Close but no cigar
Closed case
Closed door
Cold shoulder
Come hell or high water
Couch potato
Count sheep
Crack me up
Crocodile tears
Cross your fingers
Cry me a river
Cry wolf
Cut a rug
Cut the cheese
Cut the mustard
Cut to the chase
D
Dark horse
Dead Ringer
Devil's advocate
Dine and dash
Dog days of summer
Don't bite the hand that feeds you
Don't count chickens before they hatch
Don't cry over spilt milk
Don't give up your day job
Don't have a cow
Don't put all your eggs in one basket
Dot your I's and cross your T's
Down to the wire
Drink like a fish
Drive me up the wall
Drop a dime
Dropping like flies
Dry run
E
Elephant in the room
Elvis has left the building
Every cloud has a silver lining
Everything but the kitchen sink
Excuse my French
Eyes bigger than your stomach
F
Fallen on prying eyes
Faster than lightning
Feeding frenzy
Field day
Finding your feet
Fit as a fiddle
Fixed in your ways
Flash in the pan
Flea market
Flesh and blood
Flip the bird
Foam at the mouth
For a song
French kiss
From A to Z
From rags to riches
From scratch / make from scratch
Full Monty
Full of Bologna
Funny farm
G
Get bent out of shape
Get down to brass tacks
Get hitched
Get over it
Get up on the wrong side of the bed
Get your knickers in a knot
Get your underwear in a bunch
Get your walking papers
Gift of gab
Give them the slip
Go down like a lead balloon
Go for broke
Go out on a limb
Go the extra mile
Gone with the wind
Good Samaritan
Got my foot in the door
Got my sea legs
Got one in the oven
Grasp the nettle
Grass is always greener on the other side
Graveyard shift
Great minds think alike (and fools seldom differ)
Green around the gills
Green room
Green thumb
Gut feeling
H
Happy as a lark
Hat trick
Have a blast
Have eyes in the back of one's head
Head over heels
Heard it through the grapevine
He has deep pockets
He has dirt on them
Hell in a handbasket
High as a kite
High five
High on the hog
Hindsight is twenty-twenty
His face was a mile long
Hit the books
Hit the hay
Hit the nail on the head
Hit the road
Hit the sack
Hocus pocus
Hold your horses
I
I bet
I can count on them
I got my eye on you
I wasn't born yesterday
Icing on the cake
If I had a nickel for every time I heard that
If it's not one thing, it's another
If you cant' take the heat stay out of the kitchen
In hot water
In the bag
In the buff
In the dark
In the heat of the moment
In your face
Ignorance is bliss
Iron stomach
It all boils down to...
It takes two to tango
It's a small world
It's anyone's call
Ivy league
J
Jaywalk
Joshing me
Jump ship
K
Keep an eye on things
Keep your chin up
Keep your eye on the ball
Keep your mind on track
Kick the bucket
Kill two birds with one stone
Kitty-corner
Knee jerk reaction
Knock on wood
L
Last but not least
Learn the ropes
Lend me your ear(s)
Let bygones be bygones
Let sleeping dogs lie
Let the cat out of the bag
Level the playing field
Like a chicken with its head cut off
Like a herd of cats
Like a herd of turtles
Liquored up
Little whipper snapper
Long in the tooth
Loose as a goose
Loose cannon
Losing my mind
Lost in your head
Lost your marbles
M
Mad as a wet hen
Make no bones about
Method to my madness
Mind like a steel trap
Mind your p's and q's
Mixed Blessing
Mumbo jumbo
Mum's the word
N
Nest egg
New kid on the block
New York minute
No horse in this race
No room to swing a cat
Not playing with a full deck
O
Off on the wrong foot
Off one's trolley / Off one's rocker
Off the hook
Off the record
On pins and needles
On the fence
On the same page
Open book
Opened case
Once in a blue moon
Out in the cold
Out of the blue
Out of the mouths of babes
Out on a limb
Out on the town
Overdrive
Overkill
Over my dead body!
Over the top
P
Pass the buck
Pedal to the metal
Peeping tom
Pick up your ears
Piece of cake
Pig in a poke
Pig out
Pipe down
Piss in one's cornflakes
Pop one's clogs (UK)
Preaching to the choir
Pull somebody's leg
Pull the plug
Pulling my leg
Pushing up the daisies
Put a sock in it
Put the cat among the pigeons
Put your money where your mouth is at
Put yourself in another man's shoes
Q
Quick as wink
R
Raincheck
Raining cats and dogs
Red herring
Riding shotgun
Right as rain
Rise and shine
Rome was not built in a day
Rule of thumb
Run out of steam
S
Saved by the bell
Sawing logs
School of hard knocks
Screw the pooch
Scot-free
Sharp as a tack
She's the bee's knees
Shoot the breeze
Shooting fish in a barrel
Sick as a dog
Sixth sense
Skid row
Sleep it off
Sleep with the fishes
Slippery as a snake
Smart as a whip
Smell a rat
Smell something fishy
Son of a gun
Speak of the devil
Speaking with a forked tongue
Speaking with a silver tongue
Spill the beans
Spin one's wheels
Spitting image
Split the whistle
Spoiled rotten
Stubborn as a mule
Stuck in the mud
Sunny smile
T
Take a short walk off a long cliff
Take the biscuit
Take the cake
Take with a grain of salt
Teach them a thing or two
Tide over
That's not gonna fly
The ball is in your court
The best of both worlds
The bigger they are the harder they fall
The door is always open
The last straw
The scheme of things
The squeaky wheel gets the grease
The whole nine yards
Think on your feet
Third try is the charm
Throw under the bus
Through thick and thin
Thumb one's nose
Tie one on
Tie the knot
Tired as all get up
To make a long story short
To steal someone's thunder
Tongue-in-cheek
Tongues will wag
Tough as nails
Tough love
Trip the light fantastic
Turn a blind eye
Two left feet
U
Under my thumb
Under the weather
Until the cows come home
Up a blind alley
Up a creek without a paddle
Up shit's creek
Use your noggin
V
Variety is the spice of life
W
Wag the dog
Water under the bridge
Watch 'em like a hawk
Wear your heart on your sleeve
Wet your whistle
Whatever will be will be
What's good for the goose is good for the gander
When it rains, it pours
When pigs fly
Wild and woolly
Wine and dine
Without a doubt
When it rains it pours
Who wears the pants in this family?
Whole nine yards
Wild goose chase
X
X marks the spot
Y
You are in hot water
You are what you eat
You bet
You can say that again
You can't judge a book by its cover
You can't teach an old dog new tricks
Your guess is as good as mine
Z
Zero Tolerance