English Vocabulary – DUCK SOUP
The slightly old-fashioned expression DUCK SOUP means sth that is very easy to do: The expedition was duck soup for… Read More »English Vocabulary – DUCK SOUP
English Vocabulary – TO BREAK UP
The phrasal verb TO BREAK UP means to end a romantic relationship, marriage, etc.: After dating for so long they… Read More »English Vocabulary – TO BREAK UP
English Vocabulary – LOST CAUSE
The expression LOST CAUSE means a person or thing that is certain to fail: You can apply for the job,… Read More »English Vocabulary – LOST CAUSE
English Vocabulary – TO BE WELCOME TO DO STH
The expression TO BE WELCOME TO DO STH is used to say that sb can certainly do or use sth… Read More »English Vocabulary – TO BE WELCOME TO DO STH
English Vocabulary – BLISTER
The noun BLISTER means a raised area on the skin that contains clear liquid and that is caused by injury… Read More »English Vocabulary – BLISTER
English Vocabulary – ON ONE’S LAST LEGS
The expression ON ONE’S LAST LEGS means very close to failure, exhaustion, or death: Our team was on its last… Read More »English Vocabulary – ON ONE’S LAST LEGS
English Vocabulary – TO DASH SB’S HOPES
The verbal expression TO DASH SB’S HOPES means to destroy or ruin sb’s hopes: My hopes of winning the competition… Read More »English Vocabulary – TO DASH SB’S HOPES
English Vocabulary – TO GET REAL
The expression TO GET REAL means to start to think in a serious or reasonable way, to stop having foolish… Read More »English Vocabulary – TO GET REAL
English Vocabulary – ARID
The adjective ARID, pronounced /ˈerəd/, means very dry, having very little rain or water: You won’t find this species in… Read More »English Vocabulary – ARID
English Vocabulary – FREEWHEELING
The adjective FREEWHEELING, pronounced /ˌfriːˈwiːlɪŋ/, means free and loose in style or manner, not held back by rules, duties, or… Read More »English Vocabulary – FREEWHEELING
English Vocabulary – TO KICK BUTT/ASS
The expression TO KICK BUTT or TO KICK ASS means to succeed or win in a very impressive way: He… Read More »English Vocabulary – TO KICK BUTT/ASS
English Vocabulary – RIGHT AWAY
The adverbial expression RIGHT AWAY means without delay or hesitation: Please let me know right away so that I can… Read More »English Vocabulary – RIGHT AWAY
English Vocabulary – SICK AND TIRED OF STH
The adjective expression SICK AND TIRED OF STH means thoroughly fatigued or bored: People were sick and tired of the… Read More »English Vocabulary – SICK AND TIRED OF STH
English Vocabulary – TO SHATTER
The verb TO SHATTER, pronounced /ˈʃætɚ/, means to break suddenly into many small pieces: The mirror shattered into a thousand… Read More »English Vocabulary – TO SHATTER
English Vocabulary – IDYLLIC
The adjective IDYLLIC, pronounced /aɪˈdɪlɪk/, means very peaceful, happy, and enjoyable: We were sitting there, in the idyllic scenery of… Read More »English Vocabulary – IDYLLIC
English Vocabulary – CONDESCENDING
The adjective CONDESCENDING, pronounced /ˌkɑːndɪˈsɛndɪŋ/, means showing that you believe you are more intelligent or better than other people: Why… Read More »English Vocabulary – CONDESCENDING
English Vocabulary – ALL THUMBS
The adjective expression ALL THUMBS means extremely awkward or clumsy: I’m all thumbs when it comes to origami. He’s all… Read More »English Vocabulary – ALL THUMBS
English Vocabulary – TO USHER
The verb TO USHER means to cause or mark the start of sth new: I ushered in the New Year… Read More »English Vocabulary – TO USHER
English Vocabulary – TO GET BACK TOGETHER
The expression TO GET BACK TOGETHER means to start being a couple again after ending the relationship: They broke up… Read More »English Vocabulary – TO GET BACK TOGETHER
English Vocabulary – TO CUSHION THE BLOW
The expression TO CUSHION THE BLOW means to decrease the strength of the impact of sth: He failed again but… Read More »English Vocabulary – TO CUSHION THE BLOW
English Vocabulary – TO WALK SOMEONE SOMEWHERE
The expression TO WALK SOMEONE SOMEWHERE means to accompany someone to somewhere: Let me walk you to the exit. Why… Read More »English Vocabulary – TO WALK SOMEONE SOMEWHERE
English Vocabulary – I COULD LIVE WITHOUT IT
The expression I COULD LIVE WITHOUT IT is used to say in a nice and subtle way that you’re not… Read More »English Vocabulary – I COULD LIVE WITHOUT IT
English Vocabulary – I’M WITH…
The expression I’M WITH… (also with other pronouns than I) is used to say that you agree with someone or… Read More »English Vocabulary – I’M WITH…
English Vocabulary – ENDEARING
The adjective ENDEARING derives from the verb TO ENDEAR and means making a person or something liked by others, often… Read More »English Vocabulary – ENDEARING
English Vocabulary – CUSTODY
The noun CUSTODY has several meanings. Here are the basic ones: 1) the legal right to take care of a… Read More »English Vocabulary – CUSTODY
English Vocabulary – CUTIE-PIE
The expression CUTIE-PIE is used for someone who is considered to be adorable or charming in some way, often a… Read More »English Vocabulary – CUTIE-PIE
English Vocabulary – BEST MAN
The expression BEST MAN refers to the most important male friend or relative who helps a groom at his wedding:… Read More »English Vocabulary – BEST MAN
English Vocabulary – TO SHOW ONE’S GUNS
The expression TO SHOW ONE’S GUNS means to show one’s muscles or probably flex one’s biceps: He isn’t very smart,… Read More »English Vocabulary – TO SHOW ONE’S GUNS
English Vocabulary – CAR POOL
The noun CAR POOL means a group of people who regularly share a car when they are going to and… Read More »English Vocabulary – CAR POOL
English Vocabulary – NOW THAT I THINK ABOUT IT
The expression NOW THAT I THINK ABOUT IT is used to express your view or feeling about sth after having… Read More »English Vocabulary – NOW THAT I THINK ABOUT IT
English Vocabulary – MATCHMAKER
A MATCHMAKER, pronounced /ˈmætʃˌmeɪkɚ/, is a person who tries to bring two unmarried individuals together in an attempt to promote… Read More »English Vocabulary – MATCHMAKER
English Vocabulary – TO PURSUE
The verb TO PURSUE, pronounced /pɚˈsuː/, has a couple of meanings: 1) to follow and try to catch or capture… Read More »English Vocabulary – TO PURSUE
English Vocabulary – TORPID
The adjective TORPID, pronounced /ˈtoɚpəd/, means having or showing very little energy or movement, not active, numb, very slow in… Read More »English Vocabulary – TORPID
English Vocabulary – IN STEP
The adverbial expression IN STEP means: 1) with the same rhythm as sb or sth: The four soldiers walked in… Read More »English Vocabulary – IN STEP
English Vocabulary – TO HITCH A RIDE
The expression TO HITCH A RIDE means to get a ride in a passing vehicle. I was already late, so… Read More »English Vocabulary – TO HITCH A RIDE
English Vocabulary – TO SUCKLE
The verb TO SUCKLE, pronounced /ˈsʌkəl/, primarily means to give (a baby or young animal) milk from a breast or… Read More »English Vocabulary – TO SUCKLE
English Vocabulary – STRAITENED CIRCUMSTANCES
The expression STRAITENED CIRCUMSTANCES means circumstances in which you have very little money or at least less money than before:… Read More »English Vocabulary – STRAITENED CIRCUMSTANCES
English Vocabulary – HIT THE BOOKS
The verbal expression HIT THE BOOKS means to study or begin studying very intensely: I must pass this exam if… Read More »English Vocabulary – HIT THE BOOKS
English Vocabulary – NURSERY
The noun NURSERY, pronounced /ˈnɚsəri/, has a couple of meanings: 1) the room where a baby sleeps: They got the… Read More »English Vocabulary – NURSERY
OPPOSITE vs ACROSS FROM
The two prepositions, OPPOSITE and ACROSS FROM, can be often used interchangeably. They both mean on the other side of… Read More »OPPOSITE vs ACROSS FROM
English Vocabulary – THE CREEPS
The phrase THE CREEPS means an uncomfortable feeling of disgust, nervousness or fear. It’s usually used in verbal expressions like:… Read More »English Vocabulary – THE CREEPS
Four-Word Complex Prepositions
In two of my previous articles I discussed the most important two-word and three-word complex prepositions. I also promised to… Read More »Four-Word Complex Prepositions
English Vocabulary – THINK BIG
The verbal expression THINK BIG means to think about doing things that involve a lot of people, money, effort, etc.,… Read More »English Vocabulary – THINK BIG
Three-Word Complex Prepositions
In one of my previous articles I discussed the most important two-word complex prepositions. I also promised to cover three-word… Read More »Three-Word Complex Prepositions
English Vocabulary – FIXTURE
The noun FIXTURE, pronounced /ˈfɪkstʃɚ/, means sth that is attached to a building and that is not removed when the… Read More »English Vocabulary – FIXTURE
TO SUSPECT vs TO ACCUSE vs TO ALLEGE
There’s some overlap in meaning between the verbs TO SUSPECT, TO ACCUSE and TO ALLEGE. But still, there are also… Read More »TO SUSPECT vs TO ACCUSE vs TO ALLEGE
English Vocabulary – IT HIT ME
The expression IT HIT ME is used when you realize something, if something becomes suddenly clear to you. Naturally, you… Read More »English Vocabulary – IT HIT ME
English Vocabulary – TRIFLING
The adjective TRIFLING, pronounced /ˈtraɪfəlɪŋ/, means having little value or importance. Here are some examples: This isn’t a trifling matter,… Read More »English Vocabulary – TRIFLING
Two-Word Complex Prepositions
Prepositions may be simple, so consisting of just one word, or complex, so consisting of two, three, or even four… Read More »Two-Word Complex Prepositions
English Vocabulary – HIT IT OFF
The expression HIT IT OFF means to become friends, to get along well. Here are some examples: When I first… Read More »English Vocabulary – HIT IT OFF
Free vs Bound Prepositions
Prepositions are function words that introduce a prepositional phrase. They can be divided into free and bound prepositions. Many prepositions… Read More »Free vs Bound Prepositions
English Vocabulary – TO ACCOST
The verb TO ACCOST, pronounced /əˈkɑːst/ is a regular verb. It means to approach and speak to sb often in… Read More »English Vocabulary – TO ACCOST
English Vocabulary – THE HELL, THE HECK
The two expressions, THE HELL and THE HECK are used in a similar way, the latter being a more polite… Read More »English Vocabulary – THE HELL, THE HECK
Modals and Semi-Modals Overview
When discussing auxiliary verbs, we should pay special attention to modal verbs and semi-modals. Without diving into details, let’s just… Read More »Modals and Semi-Modals Overview
Vocabulary and Idioms – Large Amount
Here are some idioms and words that you can use to talk about large amounts of something. Expressions with Adjectives… Read More »Vocabulary and Idioms – Large Amount
English Vocabulary – HELICOPTER PARENT
A HELICOPTER PARENT is a parent who is overly involved in the life of his or her child: I think… Read More »English Vocabulary – HELICOPTER PARENT
The Three Primary Verbs in English – BE, HAVE and DO
The three verbs, BE, HAVE and DO, play an important role in English. They are called primary verbs. In fact,… Read More »The Three Primary Verbs in English – BE, HAVE and DO
English Vocabulary – THE THIRD TIME IS THE CHARM
The expression THE THIRD TIME IS THE CHARM is used to say that two efforts at sth have already failed… Read More »English Vocabulary – THE THIRD TIME IS THE CHARM
English Vocabulary – HAVE GIVE
The expression HAVE GIVE is used to talk about materials. It means to be flexible, to have the ability to… Read More »English Vocabulary – HAVE GIVE
Function Words That Recapitulate an Expression
Some function words are used to recapitulate an expression. Here’s the video version of the article: The most obvious example… Read More »Function Words That Recapitulate an Expression