English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
SUCCESS and FAILURE, page 5
from: 'landslide victory' to: 'make a killing'
- landslide victory
- The victory of a candidate or a political party by an
overwhelming majority is called a landslide victory.
"Major newspapers predict a landslide victory for the Democratic Party."
- The victory of a candidate or a political party by an
overwhelming majority is called a landslide victory.
- lead to a dead end
- If a plan or project leads to a dead end,
it develops no further because it has no future.
"In spite of the scientists' efforts, the research lead to a dead end."
- If a plan or project leads to a dead end,
it develops no further because it has no future.
- in leaps and bounds
- If you do something in leaps and bounds,
you make rapid or spectacular progress or growth.
"The number of subscribers to the newsletter has grown in leaps and bounds."
- If you do something in leaps and bounds,
you make rapid or spectacular progress or growth.
- let slip through your fingers
- If you let something slip through your fingers,
such as a good opportunity, you fail to obtain it or keep it.
"He should have accepted the job when it was offered. He let the opportunity slip through his fingers."
- If you let something slip through your fingers,
such as a good opportunity, you fail to obtain it or keep it.
- live to fight another day
- This expression means that even though you have not been
successful, you will have another chance in the future to try again.
"He was defeated in the final match but he lived to fight another day."
- This expression means that even though you have not been
successful, you will have another chance in the future to try again.
- live up to expectations
- If something or someone lives up to expectations,
they achieve the standard or reach the level predicted, expected or hoped for.
"The boss is disappointed. Last quarter’s sales did not live up to expectations.”
- If something or someone lives up to expectations,
they achieve the standard or reach the level predicted, expected or hoped for.
- come a long way
- When someone hascome a long way, they have
made a lot of progress or have become successful.
"Tony has come a long way since he opened his first little restaurant."
- When someone hascome a long way, they have
made a lot of progress or have become successful.
- (have) a long way to go
- If you have a long way to go, you still have a lot of work
to do in order to finish something or achieve a goal.
"The editor told Amanda she had a long way to go before her book would be accepted for publication.”
- If you have a long way to go, you still have a lot of work
to do in order to finish something or achieve a goal.
- at a low ebb
- A person or organisation at a low ebb is not as
strong or successful as usual.
"The recent political crisis has left the country at a low ebb."
- A person or organisation at a low ebb is not as
strong or successful as usual.
- make or break
- Circumstances or events that will
make or break someone or something will cause either
total success or total ruin.
"We'll see what happens. The assignment will make or break his career."
- Circumstances or events that will
make or break someone or something will cause either
total success or total ruin.
- make a comeback
- When someone makes a comeback,
they succeed in returning to their former successful career.
"After devoting several years to her children, she made a comeback on Broadway."
- When someone makes a comeback,
they succeed in returning to their former successful career.
- make the cut
- If you make the cut, you reach a required standard
or succeed in passing from one round of a competition to another.
"After intensive training, Sarah made the cut and joined the team."
- If you make the cut, you reach a required standard
or succeed in passing from one round of a competition to another.
- make a go of something
- When you make a go of something, you succeed
in your enterprise or produce good results.
"He opened a restaurant and worked hard to make a go of it."
- When you make a go of something, you succeed
in your enterprise or produce good results.
- make headway
- If you make headway, you make progress in what you
are trying to achieve.
"Investigators have made little headway in their search for the causes of the catastrophe."
- If you make headway, you make progress in what you
are trying to achieve.
- makes inroads
- If someone or something makes inroads, for
example in a new field or area, they advance successfully or make progress.
"Foreign car manufacturers have made inroads into the European market."
- If someone or something makes inroads, for
example in a new field or area, they advance successfully or make progress.
- make a killing
- If you say that someone has made a killing
you mean that they have had great financial success.
"He made a killing on the stock market."
- If you say that someone has made a killing
you mean that they have had great financial success.
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