English Idioms and Expressions
Idioms: Actions and Behaviour-1
from: 'accidentally on purpose' to: 'binge drinking'
- accidentally on purpose
- If you do something intentionally, but pretend it was an accident, you do it accidentally on purpose.
"I accidentally-on-purpose erased his email address, so I couldn't contact him again."
- If you do something intentionally, but pretend it was an accident, you do it accidentally on purpose.
- add fuel to the flames
- If you add fuel to the flames, you do or say something that makes a difficult or unpleasant situation even worse.
"He forgot their wedding anniversary, and his apologies only added fuel to the flames."
- If you add fuel to the flames, you do or say something that makes a difficult or unpleasant situation even worse.
- add insult to injury
- If you add insult to injury, you do or say something that makes a bad or disappointing situation even worse,
or that further hurts the feelings of someone who has already been hurt.
"Sally refused Harry’s invitation, and to add insult to injury, she asked him not to call her again."
- If you add insult to injury, you do or say something that makes a bad or disappointing situation even worse,
or that further hurts the feelings of someone who has already been hurt.
- all ears
- To say that you are all ears means that you are listening very attentively.
"Of course I want to know - I'm all ears!
- To say that you are all ears means that you are listening very attentively.
- answer the call of nature
answer nature's call- When a person answers the call of nature, they go to the toilet.
"I had to get up in the middle of the night to answer the call of nature."
- When a person answers the call of nature, they go to the toilet.
- (be on) automatic pilot
- If you are on automatic pilot, you do something without thinking about it or having to pay attention,
because you do it regularly, repetitively or out of habit.
"At first I was worried about having to drive through the city every day, but after a few weeks I was on automatic pilot!
- If you are on automatic pilot, you do something without thinking about it or having to pay attention,
because you do it regularly, repetitively or out of habit.
- backseat driver
- A passenger in a car who gives unwanted advice to the driver is called a backseat driver.
"I can't stand backseat drivers like my mother-in-law!"
- A passenger in a car who gives unwanted advice to the driver is called a backseat driver.
- badger someone
- If you badger someone into doing something, you persistently nag or pester them until you obtain what you want.
"Sophie badgered her parents into buying her a new computer."
- If you badger someone into doing something, you persistently nag or pester them until you obtain what you want.
- balancing act
- When you try to satisfy two or more people or groups who have different needs, and keep everyone happy, you perform a balancing act.
"Many people, especially women, have to perform a balancing act between work and family."
- When you try to satisfy two or more people or groups who have different needs, and keep everyone happy, you perform a balancing act.
- bare your heart / soul
- If you bare you soul (or heart) to someone, you reveal your innermost thoughts and feelings to them.
"Mike couldn't keep things to himself any longer. He decided to bare his soul to his best friend."
- If you bare you soul (or heart) to someone, you reveal your innermost thoughts and feelings to them.
- bark up wrong tree
- A person who is barking up the wrong tree is doing the wrong thing, because their beliefs or ideas are incorrect or mistaken.
"The police are barking up the wrong tree if they think Joey stole the car - he can't drive!"
- A person who is barking up the wrong tree is doing the wrong thing, because their beliefs or ideas are incorrect or mistaken.
- beat a (hasty) retreat
- Someone who beats a (hasty) retreat runs away or goes back hurriedly to avoid a dangerous or difficult situation.
"The thief beat a hasty retreat as soon as he saw the security officer."
- Someone who beats a (hasty) retreat runs away or goes back hurriedly to avoid a dangerous or difficult situation.
- beat yourself up
- If you beat yourself up, you blame yourself or worry unnecessarily about something you did,
or some failure or mistake.
"It’s just a minor mistake. Don’t beat yourself up about it!"
- If you beat yourself up, you blame yourself or worry unnecessarily about something you did,
or some failure or mistake.
- be one's best bet
- The action most likely to succeed is called one's best bet.
"Your best bet would be to try calling him at home.
- The action most likely to succeed is called one's best bet.
- bide your time
- If you bide your time, you wait for a good opportunity to do something.
"He's not hesitating, he's just biding his time, waiting for the price to drop."
- If you bide your time, you wait for a good opportunity to do something.
- binge drinking
- This term refers to heavy drinking where large quantities of alcohol are consumed in a short space of time, often among young people in rowdy groups.
"Binge drinking is becoming a major problem in some European countries."
- This term refers to heavy drinking where large quantities of alcohol are consumed in a short space of time, often among young people in rowdy groups.
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