Features:
- Logical organization in functional and situational contexts makes idioms easy to learn, easy to remember.
- A variety of multiskill exercise types develop students’ language skills.
- Regular review units provide students with further practice and reinforcement.
- An Audiocassette offers additional listening practice for Book One.
Table of Contents:
Unit 1 Timing
all of a sudden / in no time / not miss a beat / right away / as soon as / in the long run so far / be (just) about to / at the last minute
Unit 2 Number and Quantity
at least / be left / or so / a drop in the bucket / a number of / the lion’s share / all told / pile up / come up short
Unit 3 Producing and Using
bring out / turn out / crank out / make to order / cut down (on) / run out (of) / go through / collect dust / pack rat
Unit 4 Speed and Pacing
in a hurry / hurry up / on the double / slow down / inch along / at a snail’s pace / pick up
Unit 5 Patience and Nervousness
hold one’s horses / take one’s own sweet time / sit tight / try someone’s patience / jump the gun / on edge / on pins and needles / be wound up
Unit 6 Mistakes and Confusion
goof up / mess up / do over / put one’s foot in one’s mouth / slip of the tongue / be on the wrong track / not think straight / mix up / get our/you/their wires crossed
Unit 7 Plans and Arrangements
cook up / draw up / map out / be in the works / on the spur of the moment / play it by ear / be up in the air / rule out
Unit 8 Chance and Opportunity
chances are (that) / be iffy / long shot / stand a chance / put all one’s eggs in on basket / irons in the fire / pass up / pipe dream / miss the boat / miss out (on)
Unit 9 Cooperation and Favor
pull together / put our/your/their heads together / take turns / play ball (with) / bend over backwards / It takes two to tango. / do a favor / real sport
Unit 10 Luck, Hope, and Optimism
break a leg / luck out / keep one’s fingers crossed / wishful thinking / hope for the best / hold out hope / not be the end of the world / be looking up / The sky’s the limit. / Every cloud has a silver lining.
Review Units 1-10
Unit 11 Human Relations
make friends / hit it off / start off on the wrong foot / get along (with) / rub elbows (with) / face to face / tie the know / on the rocks
Unit 12 Character Traits
thick-skinned / soft-hearted / hot-headed / be out of character / live wire / tough cookie / stick in the mud / have a (good) head on one’s shoulders / soft in the head
Unit 13 Modern Life
dog-eat-dog world / rat race / on the run / run around in circles / in a rut / back to the same old grind / couch potato / creature comforts (of home) / keep up with the joneses
Unit 14 Driving and Traffic
pull over / as far as / pull in(to) / turn around / u-turn / fender bender / bumper-to-bumper / stop and go / up to speed / wrap up
Unit 15 Banking and Finance
make out (a check) / bounce a check / on credit / take out / pay off / put aside / two bits / chip in / pay back
Unit 16 Business and Employment
set up shop / do business (with) / head-hunter / household word / on the market / go out of business / rank and file / put in for / lay off / go on strike
Unit 17 Government and Politics
run for (the) office (of) / press the flesh / sound bite / take office / middle-of-the-road / party line / red tape / grass-roots
Unit 18 Control and Influence
run the show / run a tight ship / play favorites / in hand / asleep at the wheel / loose cannon / pull (some) strings / throw one’s weight around / be on the take
Unit 19 Negotiation and Compromise
enter into / be on the table / go-between / cut a deal / drive a hard bargain / break off / meet halfway / give and take / happy medium
Unit 20 Promise and Commitment
give one’s word / keep one’s word / cross one’s hear (and hope to die) / stick to / famous last words / live up to / follow through (on) / come through for
Review: Units 11-20
Unit 21 Feelings and Reactions
open up / get off one’s chest / pour out / break out in(to) laughter/tears / choke up / get to / break someone’s heart / burst someone’s bubble / be music to someone’s ears / hard pill to swallow
Unit 22 Enthusiasm and Indifference
be crazy about / get into the spirit / pump up / liven up / throw cold water on / it’s all the same to / not give a darn / go with the crowd / might as well
Unit 23 Surprise and Shock
take by surprise / give someone a start / take aback / throw for a loop / heart-stopper / what on earth / drop a bombshell / turn over in one’s grave
Unit 24 Humor and Seriousness
tickle someone’s funny bone / crack up / double up / for laughs / lighten up / keep a straight face / no laughing matter / mean business / hit home
Unit 25 Embarrassment and Sympathy
on the spot / red-faced / one’s ears burn / save face / live down / feel sorry for / one’s heart goes out to / a shoulder to cry on / have a heart
Unit 26 Pride and Ego
take pride in / one’s pride and joy / hold one’s head high / blow one’s own horn / be stuck up / steal the show / take a back seat (to) / hurt someone’s feelings
Unit 27 Arguing and Complaining
have words (with) / have it out with / split hairs / make a big deal of / harp on / rant and rave / have an ax to grind / cause a stir / rock the boat / blow the whistle
Unit 28 Irritation and Annoyance
eat at / get on one’s nerves / rub the wrong way / hit a nerve / thorn in the side / ruffle some feathers / get into one’s hair / pet peeve / broken record
Unit 29 Concern and Regret
weigh on one’s mind / lose sleep over / raise eyebrows / make much of / not give a thought (to) / be too bad / kick oneself for / come back to haunt
Unit 30 Tolerance and Frustration
put up with / be fed up with / put an end to / the last straw / draw the line at / at the end of one’s rope / pull one’s hair out over / beat one’s head against the wall
Review: Units 21-30
Unit 31 Agreement and Disagreement
see eye to eye / go along (with) / on the same wavelength / side with / you can say that again / be for / be at odds with / war of words
Unit 32 Responsibility
leave to / dump on / take on / take over / look after / see about / see through / carry the ball / carry one’s weight
Unit 33 Support and Proof
back up (on) / stand up for / come out for / stand behind / pull for / jump on the bandwagon / not have a leg to stand on / paper trail / acid test / bear out
Unit 34 Assistance and Advice
lend a (helping) hand / pitch in / take under one’s wing / words of wisdom / speak to / turn to / steer straight / sound out / bum steer
Unit 35 Effort and Perseverance
get after / step up / give it one’s best shot / go overboard / come on strong / (on) one’s second wind / follow up on
Unit 36 Progress
under way / come along / take shape / make headway / keep up (with) / catch up (with) / So far, so good. / on a roll / gain steam / fall behind
Unit 37 Encouraging and convincing
Hang in there. / shot in the arm / pep talk / cheer on / talk up / talk into / bring around to / give in to
Unit 38 Determination and Stubbornness
bent on / take a stand / stand one’s ground / go to great lengths / set one’s sights on / get one’s way / put one’s foot down / stubborn as a mule
Unit 39 Gratitude and Praise
thanks to / owe it to / thank one’s lucky stars / owe someone (one) / hand it to / tip one’s hat to / Nice going. / pat oneself on the back
Unit 40 Likes and Dislikes
be in the mood for / go for / fit the bill / grow on / for the birds / could care less for / turn someone’s stomach / make someone’s skin crawl
Review: Units 31-40
Units 41 Knowledge and Perception
hear of / be news to / know-how / broaden one’s horizons / pick up / through the grapevine / get wind of / in the loop make of
Unit 42 Thought and Reconsideration
think over / think through / take into consideration / sleep on it / food for thought / have second thoughts / go back and forth (on) / take back
Unit 43 Noticing and Realizing
stand out / catch someone’s eye / pay attention (to) / take not (of) / look out (for) / ring a bell / dawn on / sink in
Unit 44 Logic and Illogic
stand to reason / go without saying / put two and two together / jump to conclusions / hare-brained / no rhyme or reason / put the cart before the horse / pie in the sky
Unit 45 Expressing Oneself
speak one’s mind / fire away / blurt out / have a way with words / beat around the bush / clam up / shut up / hold down / The cat has one’s tongue.
Unit 46 Decisions and Choices
rule of thumb / pros and cons / leave up to / make up one’s mind / leave open / call the shots / settle on / take one’s pick / take it or leave it
Unit 47 Solving Problems
get to the bottom of / nip in the bud / wrack one’s brains / Two heads are better than one. / work out / do the trick / quick fix / take a different tack / as a last resort / no magic bullet
Unit 48 Honesty and Secrecy
be on the level / level with / come clean / lay one’s cards on the table / keep from / skeleton in one’s closet / keep it to oneself / under the table / cover up / white lie
Unit 49 Danger and Risk
close call / on the line / touch and go / take a chance / stick one’s neck out / be at stake / play it safe / out of the woods / the chips are down
Unit 50 Beginnings and Endings
come about / usher in / kick off / from scratch / turn over a new leaf / bear fruit / bottom line / fall into place / come out ahead
Review: Units 41-50
Answer Key
