English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
Alphabetical List of Idioms - G,
from: 'gift of the gab'
to: 'get cracking'
- gift of the gab
- To say that somebody has the gift of the gab means that they are able to speak confidently and easily.
"As a politician, not only is he competent, but he has the gift of the gab too!"
- To say that somebody has the gift of the gab means that they are able to speak confidently and easily.
- game 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 game wasn't 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.
- take a gander
- If you take or have a gander at something, which is generally new or unusual, you have a look at it or go to check it out.
"Let's take a gander at the new shopping centre. Sally says it's fantastic."
- If you take or have a gander at something, which is generally new or unusual, you have a look at it or go to check it out.
- gatecrash
- If someone gatecrashes, they attend a private social event without being invited.
"We need volunteers to keep an eye out for gatecrashers tonight."
- If someone gatecrashes, they attend a private social event without being invited.
- gather dust
- An idea, plan or project which is gathering 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."
- An idea, plan or project which is gathering dust is in fact stagnating or has not attracted attention for some time.
- all his geese are swans
- This expression refers to someone who constantly exaggerates the importance or the qualities of somebody or something.
"Don't let him impress you. He always exaggerates. All his geese are swans."
- This expression refers to someone who constantly exaggerates the importance or the qualities of somebody or something.
- 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!"
- When an agreement is neither written nor signed, because the two parties trust each other completely, it is called a gentleman's agreement.
- get bent out of shape
- Someone who gets bent out of shape becomes angry, upset or agitated, is shocked or takes offence to something.
"Dad got bent out of shape when he found his car all scratched in the car park.”
- Someone who gets bent out of shape becomes angry, upset or agitated, is shocked or takes offence to something.
- get a grip on yourself
- If you get a grip on yourself, you try to control your feelings so as to be able to deal with a situation.
"After the initial shock of the accident, Lisa got a grip on herself and called an ambulance."
- If you get a grip on yourself, you try to control your feelings so as to be able to deal with a situation.
- get a load of (something)
- This slang expression means to pay attention or take notice of something.
"Hey! Get a load of that outfit!"
- This slang expression means to pay attention or take notice of something.
- 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!"
- If someone tells you to get a move on, they are asking you to hurry up.
- get a raw deal
- If you say that someone got a raw deal, you think they were treated unfairly or badly.
"When Gary lost his job after supervising the merger and doing all the extra work involved, he really got a raw deal!"
- If you say that someone got a raw deal, you think they were treated unfairly or badly.
- get away with murder
- Someone who gets away with murder can behave badly, or do something that is forbidden, without being punished for it.
"Sally has no control over her kids. They get away with murder."
- Someone who gets away with murder can behave badly, or do something that is forbidden, without being punished for it.
- get your act together
- If you get your act together, you organise your affairs better than you have done previously and deal with things more efficiently.
"Jack's plan won't work unless he gets his act together."
- If you get your act together, you organise your affairs better than you have done previously and deal with things more efficiently.
- get/give the all clear
- If you are allowed to do something after a check-up to make sure that everything is all right, you get the all clear.
"Dad says he's going to play golf again as soon as he gets the all clear from his doctor."
- If you are allowed to do something after a check-up to make sure that everything is all right, you get the all clear.
- get the axe
- If someone gets the axe, they lose their job.
"When a company is restructured, the senior staff are often the first to get the axe."
- If someone gets the axe, they lose their job.
- get cold feet
- If you get cold feet about something, you begin to hesitate about doing it; you are no longer sure whether you want to do it or not.
"Billy wanted to enter the competition but at the last minute he got cold feet."
- If you get cold feet about something, you begin to hesitate about doing it; you are no longer sure whether you want to do it or not.
- get cracking
- When you get cracking, you start doing something immediately.
"You'd better get cracking Alex or you'll never get your homework done."
- When you get cracking, you start doing something immediately.
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alphabetical lists G ...
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