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 ENGLISH  IDIOMS  &  IDIOMATIC  EXPRESSIONS


ALPHABETICAL  LIST  -  G
 

 


 

Idiom

Meaning

G  The gift of the gab      To say that somebody has the gift of the gab means that they are
  able to speak confidently and clearly.
  "As a politician, not only is he competent, but he has the gift of
  the gab!"
   The game/the cake is not worth
 the candle
  To say that the game (or the cake) is not worth the candle means
   that the advantages to be gained from doing something are not worth
   the effort involved.
  "He recorded an album but sold very few copies; the cake wasn't worth
   the candle!"
   Gatecrash   If someone gatecrashes, they attend a private social event without
  being invited.

  "We need volunteers to to keep an eye out for gatecrashers tonight."
   Gather dust   An idea, plan or project which gathers dust is in fact stagnating or
  has not attracted attention for some time.
  "Just before the elections, the outgoing mayor produced plans for
  a new bridge which had been gathering dust for several years."
   All his geese are swans   This expression refers to someone who constantly exaggerates the
  importance of somebody or something.
  "Don't let him impress you. He always exaggerates; all his geese
  are swans!
"
   Gentleman's agreement   When an agreement is neither written nor signed, because the two
  parties trust each other completely, it is called a gentleman's
  agreement
.
  "It was a gentleman's agreement. I can't change my mind now!"
   Get into gear
 (also: crank into gear)
  When a person or activity gets (or cranks) into gear, they start to work
  or become effective.
  "Immediately after the announcement, a group of protesters got (or
  cranked into gear."
   Get one's act together   If you get your act together, you organize your affairs better than
  you have done previously and manage to deal with things more
  efficiently.
  "Jack's plan won't work unless he gets his act together."
   Get the axe/be given the axe   If someone gets the axe, they lose their job.
  "When a company is restructured, senior staff are often the first
  to get the axe."
   Get away with murder   To say that someone gets away with murder means that you think
  they can
  do something unacceptable without being punished or criticized.
  "She has no control over her kids.  They get away with murder!"
   Get cracking   When you get cracking, you start doing something immediately.
  "I'd better get cracking or I'll never get my homework done."
   Get down to brass tacks   When people get down to brass tacks, they start to discuss the
  essential aspects of a problem or situation.
  "The situation was so serious that after a few polite exchanges,
  they immediately got down to brass tacks."
   Get your ducks in a row
 
  This expression means that you are trying to get things well organized.
  "We need to get our ducks in a row if we want our project to
   succeed."
   Get your fingers burnt   If you get your fingers burnt, you suffer as a result of an
  unsuccessful action and are nervous about trying again.
 
"He got his fingers so badly burnt in the last elections that he
  decided to withdraw from politics."
   Get a grip on yourself   If you get a grip on yourself, you make an effort to control your
  feelings so as to be able to deal with a situation..
  "After the initial shock, Lisa got a grip on herself and called an
  ambulance."
   Get your hands dirty   If you get your hands dirty in your job, you become involved in all
  aspects of it, including work that is physical, unpleasant or less
  interesting.
  "His willingness to get his hands dirty won the respect and approval
  of the whole team.
   Get/give the low down   If you get or give the low-down, you get or give complete
  information or facts about something.
 
"I'll call you after the meeting and give you the low-down."
   Get on in years   Someone who is getting on in years is growing old.
 
"My grandmother is getting on in years. She's no longer able to
  prepare Christmas dinner without help."
   Get a rise out of somebody   If you make someone react angrily by jokingly saying something
  that you know will irritate them, you get a rise out of them.
 
"He gets a rise out of his daughter by asking about her latest diet."
   Get it down to a fine art.   When you learn to do something perfectly, you get it down to a
  fine art
.
  "Entertaining her husband's business associates is not a problem;
  she's got that down to a fine art!"
   Get a second bite/ two bites at the cherry  This expression means that you get a second opportunity to do or
  try something.

 "He was eliminated in the semi-finals but he'll get a second bite
  at the cherry
next year."
   Get the message   If you get the message, you understand what someone is trying
  to tell you, even if it is expressed in actions or gestures rather than
  words.
 
"When Tony pointed at his watch, I got the message - it was time
  to leave for the airport."
   Get the sack   If someone gets the sack, they lose their job, usually because they
  have done something wrong.

  "Charlie got the sack when his boss caught him stealing."
   Get something down to a fine art   When, through practice or experience, you learn how to do something
  perfectly, you get it down to a fine art.
  "
She's got the use of social networking down to a fine art."
   Get something off the ground   If you get something off the ground, you put it into operation after
  having organized it.
 
"After a lot of hard work, we finally got the campaign off the ground.
   Get off the hook   If you do something wrong and manage to get off the hook,
  you avoid punishment or blame.
  "Barry was questioned by the police but his lawyer managed
 
to get him off the hook."
   Get on your high horse   If you get on your high horse, you start behaving in a haughty
   manner, as though you should be treated with more respect.
 
"He got on his high horse when he was asked to show his
  membership card."
   Get one's just deserts   When someone gets their just deserts, they are rewarded or
  punished according to what they deserve.
  "Liz got her just deserts when she was excluded from the committee;
  she is totally unreliable."
   Get the better of someone     If someone or something gets the better of you, they defeat you
  "She went on a diet but it didn't last long - her love of chocolate
  got the better of her!"
   Get to the bottom of something   If you get to the bottom of a problem or mystery, you solve it by
  finding out the true cause of it.
 
 "We have a problem of goods disappearing during transport. 
  Hopefully the investigation will get to the bottom of it."
   Get a move on   If someone tells you to get a move on, they are asking you to
  hurry up.
 
"You'd better get a move on or you'll miss the bus!"
   Get out of hand   If a person or a situation gets out of hand, they cannot be
  controlled any longer.
 "During the student demonstration, things got out of hand and
  several shop windows were broken."  
   Get the show on the road   If you manage to put a plan or idea into action, you get the show
  on the road
.
  "OK!  We've got all we need, so let's get the show on the road!"
   Get your skates on   If you tell someone to get their skates on, you want them to hurry up.
  "You'd better get your skates on or you'll be late! "
   Get someone's drift   To tell someone that you get their drift means that you understand
  in a general way what they are trying to say.
 
"'I didn't understand every word but I got the drift."
   Get/have someone by the short hairs
 (also: by the short and curlies)
  If you get or have someone by the short hairs, you put them in a
  difficult situation from which they cannot escape, so you have complete
  control over them.
  "They are in no position to refuse; we've got them by the short hairs!"
   Get something off the ground   If you get something off the ground, you put it into operation after
  having organized it.
 
"After a lot of hard work, we finally got the campaign off the ground.
   Get something out of your system   This expression means that you get rid of a strong emotion or desire
  by expressing it openly or trying to fulfil it.
  "Tell your parents how you feel - it's better to get it out of your system!"
   Get wise to something   If you get wise to something, you learn something that you were
   unaware of before.
  "He finally got wise to the fact that children were stealing apples
  from his garden."
   Get worked up (about something)   If you get worked up about something, you become upset, annoyed
  or excited, often unnecessarily.
 "It's his first day at school tomorrow and he's all worked up about it!"
   Give as good as you get   This expression means that you are prepared to treat people as badly
  as they treat you, and fight for your beliefs.
   Give it a rest!   If someone tells you to give it a rest, they are asking you to stop
  doing something such as complaining or talking continuously.
  "All you talk about is politics - give it a rest...please! " 
   Give the game away   If you give the game away, you reveal a secret or a plan, often
  unintentionally.
  "He hoped nobody in the hotel would recognize him, but an employee
  gave the game away."
   Give the once-over   If you give someone or something a quick visual examination, to
  see what they are like or to check if everything is all right, you give
  them the once-over.
  "She gave the living-room a quick once-over before opening the door
  to the visitors.
   Give someone a piece of your mind   If you tell someone exactly what you think, in a very angry manner,
  you give them a piece of your mind.
 
"Jack was so irritated by his neighbours' behaviour that he decided
  to give them a piece of his mind."
   Give the (rough) of one's tongue   If you give the (rough) edge of your tongue, you scold someone
  severely or speak to them very aggressively or rudely.
  "My boss was so angry that I really got the rough edge of his tongue."
   Give someone a run for their money   If you give someone a run for their money, you present strong
  competition in  circumstances where the other person expects to
  win easily.
  "We didn't win the match but we gave the other team a run for
  their money."
   Give somebody the slip   If you give somebody the slip, you manage to hide or get away
  from someone who is following you.
 
"The police were on his trail, but he managed to give them the slip."
   Give up the ghost   If someone or something gives up the ghost, they die or stop
  working.
  "My mother's old TV set has finally given up the ghost;
  I'm off to buy her a new one!"
   Give or take (a quantity)   This term is used when expressing an amount or estimate that is
  not exactly right.  It means 'plus or minus', 'more or less',
  'approximately'.
  "
The town is about 100 miles from here, give or take a few miles.
   Gizmo   The term gizmo refers to a gadget or any small technological item
  which is unusual or novel, and for which
the proper term
is unknown
  or forgotten.
   Glass ceiling   This term refers to a discriminatory barrier perceived by women and
  minorities that prevents them from rising to positions of power or
  responsibility
  "Claire knew she would never break through the glass ceiling and
  rise to a senior management position."
   Glowing terms   If you speak about something in glowing terms, you talk
  about it in a very positive way.
  
"Mary talks about her home town in glowing terms; it must be a 
  wonderful place."
   Go against the grain   If something goes against the grain, it is difficult to accept
  because it is very different from what is considered normal or natural.
  "Having to import apples in an apple-growing region really goes
  against the grain!"
   Go against the tide (or stream)   If you go against the tide, you refuse to conform to current trends,
  or the opinions or behaviour of other people.
  "Bill can be difficult to work with; he constantly goes against the tide."
   Go all out   If you go all out to achieve or obtain something, you make a great
  effort, using all possible strength and resources.
 
"The candidate went all out to obtain the nomination.
   Go along for the ride    If you join a group of people you find interesting, without wanting to
   take an active part in their action, you go along for the ride.
  
"Not all the protesters were active in the movement- some just went
   along for the ride."
   Go bananas   If someone becomes very emotional and starts behaving in a crazy
  way, they go bananas.
  "If you announce that you're going to drop out of school, your parents
  will go bananas!
   Go belly up   If a business or project goes belly up, it is unsuccessful or goes
  bankrupt.
  "The restaurant went belly up before the end of the first year.
"
   Go down in history  This expression refers to an event that is so important or unusual that
   it will be recorded in history.
 "The recent discovery will go down in history."
   Go down well   If something, such an idea or a proposal, goes down well, it is
  well accepted.
 
"The new timetable went down well with the employees."
   Go downhill   When something goes downhill it deteriorates or gets worse little
  by little.
  "The restaurant has been going downhill since the arrival of the new
  owner."
   Go the extra mile   If you go the extra mile, you do more than what is expected of you.
 
"You can count on Tom; he's always willing to go the extra mile."
   Go to extremes   People who go to extremes behave in a way which lacks moderation.
  "My parents tend to go to extremes. They live on a tight budget and
  then they go on expensive holidays."
   Go for a song    If something goes for a song, it is sold at an unexpectedly low price.
  "I was able to buy the car simply because it going for a song."
   Go great guns   If someone or something is going great guns, they are doing
  very well.
  "
Fred's night club is going great guns.  It's becoming hard to get in!.
   Go hand in hand   If two or more things go hand in hand, they are associated or
  often happen at the same time.
  "In big cities poverty and violence often go hand in hand."
   Go haywire   If something goes haywire, it becomes disorganized or goes out of
  control.
 
"The photocopier has gone completely haywire. It's only printing half
   of each page!"
   Go hell for leather   If you go hell for leather, you go somewhere or do something
  very fast.
  "I saw Tom going hell for leather towards the station."
   Go into overdrive    If someone or something goes into overdrive, they begin to work
  very hard or start to perform intensely.
  "At the start of every new collection, my imagination goes into
  overdrive."
   Go off the deep end   If a person goes off the deep end, they become so angry or upset
  that they cannot control their emotions
  "Mary will go off the deep end if her kids leave the kitchen in a mess
  again. "
   Go off on a tangent   If somebody goes off on a tangent, they change the subject
  completely in the middle of a speech or conversation.
 
"Sometimes, when he's teaching, he goes off on a tangent and starts
  talking about his dog!"
   Go off the rails,   If someone goes off the rails, they go out of control and begin to
  behave in a manner that is unacceptable to society.
  "Given the unstable environment, it's a miracle that none of their
  children ever went off the rails."
   Go (off/over) with a bang   If something, such as an event or a performance,
  goes (off or over) with a bang, it is very successful.
  "The party she organized went off with a bang - everyone enjoyed it."
   Go out of business   If a shop, firm or enterprise goes out of business, it closes down
  or goes bankrupt.

  "If the new road bypasses the town, a lot of shops will go out of business."
   Go out of your way   If you go out of your way, you take particular care or make
  a special effort when doing something.
  "Aunt Betty went out of her way to make us feel comfortable."
   Go/put through the mill   If you go (or are put) through the mill, you experience a very
  difficult period, or are exposed to rough treatment.

  "When I was an intern, I was put through the mill.  Nothing went
  unnoticed." 
   Go the extra mile   If you go the extra mile, you do more than what is expected of you.
 
"You can count on Tom; he's always willing to go the extra mile."
   Go the whole hog   When you go the whole hog, you do something thoroughly or
  completely.

 
"They put up a few decorations for Christmas, then they decided
   to go the whole hog and buy a tree and all the trimmings."
   Go through the motions   If someone goes through the motions, they do something
  because they have to, but without enthusiasm.
  "After his wife died, he tried to continue life as before,
  but he just went through the motions."
   Go to great lengths   When trying to achieve something, if you go to great lengths,
  you do everything that is possible in order to succeed.
  "The two parties went to great lengths to reach an agreement."
   Go to (great) pains   A person who goes to great pains to do something makes
  a great effort to do it well.
  "He went to great pains to explain the situation as clearly as
  possible."
   Go to pieces   If you go to pieces, for example after a terrible shock, you are so
  upset or distressed that you cannot lead your life normally.
  "Jack nearly went to pieces when his son died in a plane crash."
   Go up in smoke   If a plan or project goes up in smoke, it is spoiled or ends before 
  producing a result.
 
"When Amy and Tom separated, my mother's dream of a romantic
  wedding went up in smoke."
   Go with the flow   If you go with the flow, you follow the general tendency and
  go along with whatever happens.
  "When my colleagues organize an office party, I just go with the flow
  when it comes to the details. "
   Going concern   This expression refers to a business or activity that is dynamic
  and successful.
  "
They opened a coffee shop that is a going concern today."
   When the going gets tough ...   This expression means that when faced with a difficult or
  dangerous situation, strong people take action in order to solve
  the problem.
  "
Tom has a positive attitude.  He often says "when the going gets
  tough, the tough get going
".
   Going places   To say that someone is going places means that they show talent
  and ability that will no doubt lead to a successful future.
 
"Even at college it was obvious that Paul was going places."
   Golden handcuffs   The term golden handcuffs refers to a large sum of money or a
  generous financial arrangement granted to an executive as an incentive
  to stay in their job, or to ensure long-term cooperation after their departure.
   Golden handshake   A golden handshake is a generous sum of money given to a person
  when they leave a company or retire (sometimes given to encourage
  early retirement).
   Golden opportunity   A golden opportunity is a favourable time or excellent occasion
  which should not be missed.
   Golden parachute   A golden parachute is a clause in an executive's employment
  contract stating that the executive will receive certain large benefits
  if their employment is terminated.
   Gone with the wind   If something has gone with the wind, it has disappeared forever.
  "I lost everything during the crisis. My savings are gone with the wind!"
   Good as gold   A child who is as good as gold is obedient and well-behaved.
  "Your children are always as good as gold when I look after them."
   Good riddance!   This expression is used to express relief at becoming free of an
  unpleasant or unwanted person or thing.
 
"Our horrible neighbour has moved house, and all I can say is 'good
   riddance'!"
   A good turn   If you do someone a good turn, you act in a helpful way.
  
"Mike is a great guy - always ready to do a good turn."
   Good walls make good neighbours   This expression means that respecting one another's privacy
  helps create a good relationship between neighbours.
   Have goose pimples   If you have goose pimples, you are so cold or so afraid that
  your skin is temporarily raised into little lumps.
  "I was so scared that I had goose pimples all through the film!"
   A wild goose chase   If you say that you were sent on a wild goose chase, you mean
  that you wasted a lot of time looking for something that there was
  little chance of finding.
  "They tried to find out who sent the anonymous complaint,
  but it turned out to be a wild goose chase."
   Play gooseberry   If you play gooseberry, you join or accompany two people who
  have a romantic relationship and want to be alone.
  "They invited me to join them but I didn't want to play gooseberry."
   Grab a bite to eat   If you grab a bite to eat, you get something to eat quickly.
  "We should have time to grab a bite to eat before the show."
   Sour grapes   To say that someone's attitude is sour grapes means that
  they are making complaints or accusations because they are
  jealous.
   Grasp at straws   If you are in a desperate situation and you grasp at straws,
 
you try any method, even if it has little chance of success, in
  an attempt to find a solution.
  "In his search for a cure, he  turned to a faith healer, knowing that
  he was clutching at straws."
   Grass roots   The term grass roots refers to the ordinary people who form the
  main body of an organization.
   Not let the grass grow under your feet   If someone does not let the grass grow under their feet,
 
they do not delay in getting something done.
  "As soon as he received the permit, he started to build. 
  He never lets the grass grow under his feet!" 
   Gravy train   If someone is on the gravy train, they have found an easy way
  to make money, one that requires little effort and is without risk.
 
"Since the village has become fashionable he charges for every
  photograph taken of his house - he's on the gravy train!"
   Grease somebody's palm    If you accuse someone of greasing somebody's palm, you
  are accusing them of giving money to someone in order to gain
  an unfair advantage,
  or to obtain something they want.
  "In some countries, it is common practice to grease government
   officials' palms."
   Green fingers   To have green fingers means to be good at gardening.
   Green light   If you give or get the green light, you give or get a signal or
  permission to do something.
 
"We're ready to launch the campaign as soon as we get the
  green light."
   Green with envy   Someone who is green with envy is a person who is very envious.
   Grey area   To refer to something as a grey area means that it is not clear or
  easy to define, and is therefore difficult to deal with.
  "The law concerning email is still a grey area in some countries."
   Grey existence   To have a grey existence is to lead a dull, monotonous life.
   Grey matter (U.S.: gray)   Grey matter refers to the brain, or the grey colour of brain tissue.
   Grin and bear it    When faced with a difficult or unpleasant situation, if you say that
  someone will have to grin and bear it, you mean that they will
  have to accept it without complaining.
  "The only seat available is on a low-cost flight.  You'll just have to
  grin and bear it!"
   Grin from ear to ear   If somebody is grinning from ear to ear, they look very satisfied
  and happy.
  "When we saw Paul grinning from ear to ear, we knew he had
  passed the exam."
   Keep your nose to the grindstone   A person who keeps their nose to the grindstone is someone
  who concentrates on working hard at his job.
   Grit your teeth   When you are determined to do something in spite of the difficulties
  involved, you grit your teeth.
 
"To reach safety I had to wade through the mud, so I just had
  to grit my teeth."
   Groan inwardly   If you groan inwardly, you feel like expressing despair,
  disapproval or distress, but you remain silent.
 "On his return, when Pete saw the pile of files on his desk,
  he groaned inwardly."
   Prepare the ground   To prepare the ground means that you try to make it easier
  for a future event or action to happen.
   Nurse/bear/hold a grudge   If you nurse a grudge against someone or something, you have
  a feeling of resentment or ill-will towards them.
  "Ever since I got a promotion, he's been nursing a grudge against me."
   Guinea pig   People who are used as guinea pigs are people on whom
  new methods, treatment or ideas are tested.
   Gut feeling   If you have a gut feeling about something, you have a strong intuition
  which you cannot explain, but you are sure that you are right.
  "As I read the story, I had a gut feeling that the postman was lying ...
  and I was right!"
   Gutter press    This term refers to newspapers that print a lot of sensational stories
   about people's private lives.
  "Of course the gutter press was quick to print a sensational version
   of the incident! "

 
 
 

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