English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
Alphabetical List of Idioms B, page 16
Idioms B, page 16: from: 'kick the bucket' to: 'burning question'
- kick the bucket
- To kick the bucket is a lighthearted way of talking
about death.
"He will inherit when his grandfather kicks the bucket!"
- To kick the bucket is a lighthearted way of talking
about death.
- buckle down
- If you buckle down, you apply yourself with
determination to hard work and give it your full attention.
"If you want to pass your exams, you'll have to buckle down and do some serious work."
- If you buckle down, you apply yourself with
determination to hard work and give it your full attention.
- nip something in the bud
- If you nip a problem or an unacceptable situation
in the bud, you stop it at an early stage, before it develops or becomes worse.
"He wanted to be a clown, but his parents soon nipped that idea in the bud."
- If you nip a problem or an unacceptable situation
in the bud, you stop it at an early stage, before it develops or becomes worse.
- build bridges
- If a person builds bridges between opposing groups,
they help them to cooperate and understand each other better.
"A mediator is trying to build bridges between the local community and the owners of the new plant."
- If a person builds bridges between opposing groups,
they help them to cooperate and understand each other better.
- take the bull by the horns
- To take the bull by the horns means that a person
decides to act decisively in order to deal with a difficult situation or problem.
"When the argument turned into a fight, the bar owner took the bull by the horns and called the police."
- To take the bull by the horns means that a person
decides to act decisively in order to deal with a difficult situation or problem.
- bulldoze someone into doing something
- A person who is bulldozed into doing something is
forced to do it, especially by being bullied or intimidated.
"The immigrants we bulldozed into accepting the work."
- A person who is bulldozed into doing something is
forced to do it, especially by being bullied or intimidated.
- a bundle of nerves
- If you describe someone as a bundle of nerves, you
mean that they are very nervous, tense or worried.
"My son is doing his driving test today. Needless to say he's a bundle of nerves!"
- If you describe someone as a bundle of nerves, you
mean that they are very nervous, tense or worried.
- the burden of proof
- The burden of proof is the necessity imposed by the
law to prove that what one says is true.
"The burden of proof lies with the claimant."
- The burden of proof is the necessity imposed by the
law to prove that what one says is true.
- burn your bridges
- If you burn your bridges, you do something that
will be impossible to rectify in the future.
"If you refuse the offer, be careful not to burn your bridges by insulting them. They may make a better proposal later."
- If you burn your bridges, you do something that
will be impossible to rectify in the future.
- burn the candle at both ends
- If you burn the candle at both ends, you exhaust
yourself by doing too much, especially going to bed late and getting up early.
"Scott looks exhausted - I'll bet he's been burning the candle at both ends lately."
- If you burn the candle at both ends, you exhaust
yourself by doing too much, especially going to bed late and getting up early.
- burn your fingers / get your fingers burnt
- If you burn your fingers (or get your fingers
burnt), you suffer financially as a result of foolish behaviour.
"Jack got his fingers burnt playing on the stock market."
- If you burn your fingers (or get your fingers
burnt), you suffer financially as a result of foolish behaviour.
- on the back burner
- If you put a project or issue on the back burner,
you decide to deal with it at a later date because you do not consider it to be that
urgent or important.
"When Julie was offered a promotion she put her MBA plans on the back burner."
- If you put a project or issue on the back burner,
you decide to deal with it at a later date because you do not consider it to be that
urgent or important.
- the burning question
- What everyone is asking, and what we all want to know about,
is called the burning question.
"Who leaked the information? That's the burning question!"
- What everyone is asking, and what we all want to know about,
is called the burning question.
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