English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
Alphabetical List of Idioms S, page 5
from: 'sell down the river'
to: 'seventh heaven'
- sell down the river
- If you sell someone down the river, you betray a person who trusts you by not acting as you had promised.
"When the trade union signed the salary agreement, the workers felt they had been sold down the river."
- If you sell someone down the river, you betray a person who trusts you by not acting as you had promised.
- sell ice to Eskimos
- To say that someone could sell ice to Eskimos means that
they have the ability to persuade someone to purchase something totally unnecessary or useless.
"It's not surprising Mark was named 'salesman of the year'. He could sell ice to Eskimos!"
- To say that someone could sell ice to Eskimos means that
they have the ability to persuade someone to purchase something totally unnecessary or useless.
- sell your soul
- This is a humorous way of saying that you would be willing to
do something morally or legally wrong to obtain what you want.
"He'd sell his soul to get an interview."
- This is a humorous way of saying that you would be willing to
do something morally or legally wrong to obtain what you want.
- send someone about their business
- If you tell someone, in an irritated or unfriendly way, to go away, you send them about their business.
"An insurance company representative keeps calling on my mother, but I told her to send him about his business."
- If you tell someone, in an irritated or unfriendly way, to go away, you send them about their business.
- send someone packing
- If you send someone packing, you tell them to leave, in a very forceful and unfriendly way.
"When Amanda discovered that Jack was unfaithful, she sent him packing."
- If you send someone packing, you tell them to leave, in a very forceful and unfriendly way.
- send a shiver down your spine
- If something sends a shiver down your spine, it makes you feel anxious, nervous or excited.
"That song always sends a shiver down my spine!"
- If something sends a shiver down your spine, it makes you feel anxious, nervous or excited.
- send up a trial balloon
- If you test something such as an idea, a project or a product,
to see how people respond to it, you send up a trial balloon.
"The idea seemed excellent but when they sent up a trial balloon the reaction was very negative."
- If you test something such as an idea, a project or a product,
to see how people respond to it, you send up a trial balloon.
- (a) senior moment
- A momentary lapse of memory, especially in older people, or an
absent-minded action such as putting the cereals in the refrigerator, is humorously
referred to as having a senior moment.
"I found my phone in the cupboard. I must have had a senior moment!"
- A momentary lapse of memory, especially in older people, or an
absent-minded action such as putting the cereals in the refrigerator, is humorously
referred to as having a senior moment.
- separate the sheep from the goats
- If you separate the sheep from the goats, you examine a
group of people and decide which are suitable and which are not.
"Examining job applications is the first stage in separating the sheep from the goats."
- If you separate the sheep from the goats, you examine a
group of people and decide which are suitable and which are not.
- set alarm bells ringing / alarm bells start to ring
- If something sets the alarm bells ringing, it makes you begin to worry, because it shows that there may be a problem.
"Alarm bells started to ring when my old neighbour didn't open his shutters all day and didn't answer his phone."
- If something sets the alarm bells ringing, it makes you begin to worry, because it shows that there may be a problem.
- set you back
- The sum of money something sets you back is the amount it costs you.
"Changing the heating system will set us back about 5000€."
- The sum of money something sets you back is the amount it costs you.
- set in your ways
- A person who is set in their ways is unable or
unwilling to change their ideas, habits or methods, often because they are old.
"My grandmother has the same routine every day. She is very set in her ways."
- A person who is set in their ways is unable or
unwilling to change their ideas, habits or methods, often because they are old.
- set great store by (something)
- When you consider something to be very important or valuable, you set great store by it.
"The company sets great store by its after-sales service."
- When you consider something to be very important or valuable, you set great store by it.
- set the pace
- If you set the pace, you establish a standard for others to follow or try to equal.
A runner can set the pace (the speed) in a race. The others try to reach the same level.
"Boris set the pace for the sales department, exceeding the target every month.
- If you set the pace, you establish a standard for others to follow or try to equal.
- set the records straight
- If you set the records straight, you provide facts or
an explanation to correct a mistake or misunderstanding.
"An interview on television enabled the actress to set the records straight about her health."
- If you set the records straight, you provide facts or
an explanation to correct a mistake or misunderstanding.
- set in stone
- When something is set in stone, it is permanent and cannot be changed in any way.
"The agenda is not set in stone; we can add an item if need be."
- When something is set in stone, it is permanent and cannot be changed in any way.
- set the stage
- If you set the stage for an event or a development,
you create conditions that allow it to happen.
"The agreement set the stage for their future working relationship."
- If you set the stage for an event or a development,
you create conditions that allow it to happen.
- settle a score
- To settle a score is to retaliate against someone or take revenge for a past wrong.
"James has made an appointment with his lawyer - he needs to settle a score with someone."
- To settle a score is to retaliate against someone or take revenge for a past wrong.
- (in) seventh heaven
- If you are in seventh heaven, you are extremely happy.
"Every time she wins a match, she's in seventh heaven!"
- If you are in seventh heaven, you are extremely happy.
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