English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
Idioms: Speed and Rapidity-2
from: 'like a bat out of hell'
to: 'up to speed'
- like a bat out of hell
- If something moves like a bat out of hell, it moves very quickly..
"He grabbed the envelope and ran like a bat out of hell."
- If something moves like a bat out of hell, it moves very quickly..
- like greased lightning
- If something moves like greased lightning, it moves extremely fast.
"As soon as the owner appeared, the boy ran like greased lightning."
- If something moves like greased lightning, it moves extremely fast.
- like a rat up a drainpipe
- If someone moves or runs like a rat up a drainpipe, they do it as quickly as possible.
"When the police informer saw a friend, he took off like a rat up a drainpipe."
- If someone moves or runs like a rat up a drainpipe, they do it as quickly as possible.
- like a shot
- If you do something like a shot, you do it very quickly, without any hesitation.
"If I won a lot of money on the lotto, I'd leave my job like a shot!"
- If you do something like a shot, you do it very quickly, without any hesitation.
- like wildfire
- If something such as news, rumours or gossip spreads like wildfire, it becomes widely known very fast.
"As soon as the nomination was announced, the news spread like wildfire."
- If something such as news, rumours or gossip spreads like wildfire, it becomes widely known very fast.
- make it snappy
- If someone tells you to make it snappy, they are asking you very sharply to hurry up or be quick about something.
"Fetch me a bandage and make it snappy!"
- If someone tells you to make it snappy, they are asking you very sharply to hurry up or be quick about something.
- put the pedal to the metal
- When you put the pedal to the metal, you accelerate or make something go faster.
"If we put the pedal to the metal we could get this finished in time."
- When you put the pedal to the metal, you accelerate or make something go faster.
- (as) quick as a dog can lick a dish
- If you do something surprisingly fast, you do it as quick as a dog can lick a dish.
"He packed his bag as quick as a dog can lick a dish."
- If you do something surprisingly fast, you do it as quick as a dog can lick a dish.
- race against time
- When someone is in a race against time, they have to work very quickly in order to do or finish something before a certain time.
"It was a race against time to get everything ready for the inauguration."
- When someone is in a race against time, they have to work very quickly in order to do or finish something before a certain time.
- (at a) snail's pace
- If something moves at a snail's pace, it moves very slowly.
"The old man was driving along the road at a snail's pace."
- If something moves at a snail's pace, it moves very slowly.
- (a) snap decision
- A quick decision based on an impulse, without taking time to weigh the consequences, is called a snap decision.
"Completely overworked, he suddenly turned off his computer and made a snap decision to go swimming."
- A quick decision based on an impulse, without taking time to weigh the consequences, is called a snap decision.
- speed networking
- This term refers to a relatively new urban trend which consists in making a potential business contact
by briefly talking to a series of people at an organised event and exchanging contact details.
- This term refers to a relatively new urban trend which consists in making a potential business contact
by briefly talking to a series of people at an organised event and exchanging contact details.
- step on the gas
- If someone tells you to step on the gas, they are encouraging you to accelerate or hurry up in order to get something done quickly.
"We'd better step on the gas and get these figures printed. The meeting starts in half an hour."
- If someone tells you to step on the gas, they are encouraging you to accelerate or hurry up in order to get something done quickly.
- talk nineteen to the dozen
- Someone who talks nineteen to the dozen speaks very quickly and can be hard to follow..
"He was talking nineteen to the dozen so I didn't catch the whole story."
- Someone who talks nineteen to the dozen speaks very quickly and can be hard to follow..
- throw something together
- If you throw something together, you make or produce something quickly and without effort.
"Why don't you stay for dinner - I'll throw something together!"
- If you throw something together, you make or produce something quickly and without effort.
- up to speed
- If something is up to speed, it is operating or functioning at the expected level of efficiency.
To bring a person up to speed means to update them on the current situation.
"Some issues still have to be resolved before the new system is up to speed."
- If something is up to speed, it is operating or functioning at the expected level of efficiency.
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