Important Idioms

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show the door

Meaning: make it clear that somebody must leave

Example: After we finished our talk, he showed me to the door. Read more ➺


break the news

Meaning: to make something known to everybody.

Example: We are going to have to break the news to the kids that the concert has been cancelled. Read more ➺


pros and cons

Meaning: good points and bad points.

Example: There are pros and cons to having children. Read more ➺


how come

Meaning: why or how

Example: How come you are not going to the party? Read more ➺


scrape the bottom of the barrel

Meaning: It is a phrase used to describe something you know is not in good condition, but you have to select it since you don't have an option of choosing the better one.

Example: Our school used to admit more than one thousand candidates, but we feel like we have been scraping the bottom of the barrel with the admitted applicants in late admission. Read more ➺


fake it till you make it

Meaning: portray yourself like the person you always wanted to become

Example: I had no idea that her family is so illiterate as she always pretended to be classy. Fake it till you make it. Read more ➺


blind impulse

Meaning: sudden and unaccountable desire to do something

Example: Acting on what appeared to be a blind impulse, she submitted her resignation. Read more ➺


brownie points

Meaning: Praise or appreciation, usually for a service someone has done.

Example: He picked up some brownie points with his manager by doing part of her report for her. Read more ➺


run across

Meaning: meet someone by accident

Example: While cleaning my house, I ran across a book I'd lost. Read more ➺


in mint condition

Meaning: something used that looks new

Example: She was cautious about buying the vintage t-shirt sight unseen, but the seller assured her it was in mint condition. Read more ➺


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