1. flying colors → success, victory
2. little by little → gradually
3. call off → cancel
4. come into → receive, especially after another’s death
5. put off → postpone
6. stop by → make a brief visit on one’s way elsewhere
7. tie up → hinder
8. be out for → trying to get
9. fill in for → take another’s place
10. turn down →① refuse or reject ② reduce the loudness of
11. go off → begin to ring
12. cut down → lesson; reduce; limit
13. come up with → produce; supply
14. make it →① achieve a specific goal ② succeed in general
15. catch one’s eye → attract one’s attention
16. care for →① like; value ② look after; take care of
17. head and shoulders above → much better
18. catch on → become popular
19. on the whole → in general
20. fill sb. in → tell what sb. should know
21. in a nutshell → in a few words
22. from top to bottom → completely; entirely
23. take the plunge → enter with sudden decision upon an unfamiliar course of action
24. on the tip of one’s tongue → unable to be recalled
25. cheer up → feel happy; stop being sad or discouraged; become hopeful
26. hold off → postpone; delay
27. on cloud nine → a state of perfect happiness
28. back out → withdraw from an undertaking
29. grin and bear it → be as cheerful as possible in pain or trouble; do sth. without complaining
30. turn out to be → come to be; prove
31. bite off more than one can chew → attempt sth. that exceeds one’s ability
32. in the air → uncertain
33. get hold off → find a person so you can speak with him
34. learn the ropes → acquire thorough or special knowledge of a job
35. tear oneself away from → depart with great reluctance; force oneself to leave
36. tie up → engage or occupy completely
37. leave well(enough)alone → don’t try to improve what is already satisfactory
38. touch on → mention a subject briefly or casually
39. see to it → take care; take the responsibility make sure
40. give away → give as a present
41. get along with → live or work in harmony with
42. account for → explain
43. out of print → no longer available for purchase from the publisher
44. send out → distribute
45. in no time → in a very brief time almost at once
46. before long → soon; without much delay
47. play by ear →① play an instrument without using written music; ② handle a matter without adequate preparation preparation or guidance
48. wear and tear → loss or damage caused by use
49. come what may → no matter what happens
50. drop by → make a short or unplanned visit
51. be short of → not having enough
52. cut it out → stop doing sth.
53. be sick of → be tired of ; having a strong dislike of
54. look for a needle in a haystack (a bottle) → search for sth. in a place where it is hopelessly lost
55. knock oneself out → work very hard; make a great effort
56. run up against → encounter
57. far from → anything but; not at all
58. far from it → by no means; not at all
59. hang on to → hold tightly; keep firmly
60. get nowhere → be unsuccessful; obtain no result
61. day in and day out → every day; all the time
62. break down → cease to function
63. get going → get started; begin to move
64. take one’s time → not hurry
65. boil down to → indicate, especially as a final judgment or analysis
66. make up → take a test for the second time
67. put up with → bear with patience; tolerate
68. by and by → before long
69. give someone a hand → help; assist
70. ring a bell → sound familiar
71. snap out of it →① change one’s habits, attitude, etc, suddenly ② regain one’s composure, energy, or good spirits; recover
72. raise the roof → make trouble; start a fight or an argument
73. get away with → escape without punishment
74. on business → with definite work to do
75. look up → search for, as an item of information, in a reference book
76. let up →① cease; stop ② slacken; abate
77. in any case (or event) → no matter what happens
78. come out → be published
79. look into → investigate; inspect
80. spell out → explain very clearly or in detail
81. fall back on → rely on
82. wrap up → bring to an end, especially a successful conclusion
83. save one’s breath → keep silent because talking will not help
84. hold up →① delay; hinder ② endure, last
85. have one’s hands full → be very busy; be able to do no more
86. How come? → How is it? Why?
87. stick around → stay or wait nearby
88. make out → get along; manage
89. turn up → appear, turn out, show up
90. hold off → postpone; delay
91. over one’s head → beyond one’s power to understand
92. stock up → buy up; lay in a good supply of
93. keep up → continue
94. tie up → occupy completely
95. in and out → coming in and going out often
96. make ends meet → make one’s income suffice without incurring debt
97. on and on → without stopping
98. out of this world → wonderful; great
99. in a row →① in line; in alignment ② in succession; successively
100. wait around → waiting in vain 育路外语
