English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
Idioms: Problems and Difficulties-4
from: 'make the best of things'
to: 'scratch the surface'
- make the best of things
- If you make the best of things, you react in a positive way to an unsatisfactory situation that you cannot change and do the best you can with it.
"The apartment was badly located, but the rent was low, so they decided to stay there and make the best of things."
- If you make the best of things, you react in a positive way to an unsatisfactory situation that you cannot change and do the best you can with it.
- a millstone around your neck
- Something described as a millstone around your neck is a problem or responsibility that becomes a burden and a source of worry.
"The money he borrowed became a millstone around his neck."
- Something described as a millstone around your neck is a problem or responsibility that becomes a burden and a source of worry.
- a monkey on your back
- If you have a monkey on your back you are burdened with a persistent problem
that is making your life difficult or unpleasant and is hard to solve.
"My failure to find sponsors for the project was a monkey on my back for a long time. The contract signed today got rid of that ! The monkey is finally off my back !"
- If you have a monkey on your back you are burdened with a persistent problem
that is making your life difficult or unpleasant and is hard to solve.
- be murder
- If something is murder, it is very difficult or uncomfortable.
"The journey home through the storm was absolute murder!"
- If something is murder, it is very difficult or uncomfortable.
- a necessary evil
- If you say that something is a necessary evil,
you don't like it but you understand that it has to exist and be accepted.
"Vaccinations are a necessary evil if you want to travel."
- If you say that something is a necessary evil,
you don't like it but you understand that it has to exist and be accepted.
- one's number is up
- To say that one's number is up means that either a person is in serious difficulty and something bad is going to happen, or the
time has come when they will die.
"The police have located the escaped prisoner so it looks as if his number is up!"
- To say that one's number is up means that either a person is in serious difficulty and something bad is going to happen, or the
time has come when they will die.
- ostrich strategy/policy
- Someone who adopts an ostrich strategy or policy chooses to ignore or evade an obvious problem
in the hope that it will resolve itself or disappear.
"Adopting an ostrich strategy will only make matters worse - we've got to find a solution."
- Someone who adopts an ostrich strategy or policy chooses to ignore or evade an obvious problem
in the hope that it will resolve itself or disappear.
- out of sync
- If two movements or actions are out of sync, they are not coordinated and are not taking place
at the same time or at the same speed.
"The traffic lights are out of sync and causing a lot of confusion."
- If two movements or actions are out of sync, they are not coordinated and are not taking place
at the same time or at the same speed.
- out of whack
- If something is out of whack, it is not working properly or is not in good order.
"The dishwasher is making a strange noise. Something must be out of whack."
- If something is out of whack, it is not working properly or is not in good order.
- paper over the cracks
- To say that someone is papering over the cracks
means that they are concealing a problem rather than dealing with it effectively.
"The measures taken to reduce unemployment are just paper over the cracks."
- To say that someone is papering over the cracks
means that they are concealing a problem rather than dealing with it effectively.
- pass the buck
- If you say that someone is passing the buck, you are accusing
them of not taking responsibility for a problem and letting others deal with it instead.
"Whenever a customer comes to complain, she always finds a way of looking busy - a great way of passing the buck!"
- If you say that someone is passing the buck, you are accusing
them of not taking responsibility for a problem and letting others deal with it instead.
- in a pickle
- If you are in a pickle, you are in a difficult situation and need help.
"My car won't start and the trains are on strike today, so I'm in a real pickle!"
- If you are in a pickle, you are in a difficult situation and need help.
- (be) in a quagmire
- If you are in a quagmire, you are in a complicated, awkward or precarious situation
that is difficult to deal with (like being trapped in a muddy swamp).
"Their father left a will that was so complex that the children found themselves in a legal quagmire.
- If you are in a quagmire, you are in a complicated, awkward or precarious situation
that is difficult to deal with (like being trapped in a muddy swamp).
- no quick fix
- To say that there is no quick fix to a problem
means that there is no simple solution.
"There is no quick fix for unemployment; major reforms are necessary."
- To say that there is no quick fix to a problem
means that there is no simple solution.
- pull the rug (from under someone's feet)
- If you pull the rug from under someone's feet, you suddenly and unexpectedly remove all help or support.
"When Andy's mother stopped sending him money, she pulled the rug from under his feet and forced him to find a job."
- If you pull the rug from under someone's feet, you suddenly and unexpectedly remove all help or support.
- put on a brave face
- When confronted with difficulties, if you put on a brave face,
you try to look cheerful and pretend that the situation is not as bad as it is.
"Even in the worst of times she put on a brave face."
- When confronted with difficulties, if you put on a brave face,
you try to look cheerful and pretend that the situation is not as bad as it is.
- ride it out / ride out the storm
- If you manage to survive a dangerous or very unpleasant situation,
like a ship sailing through a storm, you ride it out.
"His business was hit by the recession but he managed to ride it out."
- If you manage to survive a dangerous or very unpleasant situation,
like a ship sailing through a storm, you ride it out.
- save the day
- If you find a solution to a serious problem, and ensure the success of something that was expected to fail, you save the day.
"The dog ate the apple pie I had made for my guests, but my sister saved the day by making one of her speedy desserts!"
- If you find a solution to a serious problem, and ensure the success of something that was expected to fail, you save the day.
- saved by the bell
- If you are saved by the bell, something happens at the last minute to rescue you from a difficult situation.
"Saved by the bell! A friend arrived just when I realized I had no money for the parking meter."
- If you are saved by the bell, something happens at the last minute to rescue you from a difficult situation.
- scratch the surface
- When you only scratch the surface of a problem or subject, you deal with only a small part of it.
"Some countries are only scratching the surface of their environment problems."
- When you only scratch the surface of a problem or subject, you deal with only a small part of it.
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