Idioms and Expressions: List 5

This list focuses primarily on phrasal verbs.
20 words 3632 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. home in
    direct onto a target, especially by navigational aids
    A state report released in September made clear that the state was homing in on a site adjacent to the two existing spans. Washington Post (Jan 26, 2021)
  2. hunker down
    hold stubbornly to a position
    The citizens of Ember were hunkering down, burrowing in. The City of Ember
  3. abide by
    act in accordance with rules, commands, or wishes
    Workers who abide by these unwritten rules are treated respectfully; those who disobey are likely to be punished and made an example. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal
  4. buckle down
    start working very hard
    Later that fall, I buckled down and studied for a do-over test, going on to pass it handily. Becoming
  5. chime in
    break into a conversation
    He didn’t say anything, though, so I chimed in. Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie
  6. figure out
    find the solution to or understand the meaning of
    We tried to figure out what the message meant. Walk Two Moons
  7. get along
    have a smooth or friendly relationship
    Lonna didn’t get along with her son and nagged at him constantly. Hoot
  8. gloss over
    treat hurriedly or avoid dealing with properly
    He made me sound way better than I really was, glossing over the passes I missed and exaggerating all the saves I pulled off. Darius the Great Is Not Okay
  9. keep track
    stay informed or fully aware of
    I continue to walk, keeping track of my distance down the unending hallway by counting the ladders. Challenger Deep
  10. chance upon
    find unexpectedly
    Just when Alex became convinced nothing would ever be open again, he chanced upon an open hardware store. The Dead and the Gone
  11. pan out
    be a success or work out to one's advantage
    All that said, if the early data pans out, this is very, very good news. Washington Post (Nov 9, 2020)
  12. speak out
    express one's opinion openly and without fear or hesitation
    Should I be thankful for the people marching, thankful that they are using their voices to speak up, speak out? Betty Before X
  13. single out
    select from a group
    There is so much she wants, it is hard to single out one wish. How the García Girls Lost Their Accents
  14. size up
    look at closely in order to form an opinion about
    He was accustomed to sizing up other rabbits and deciding what they were good for. Watership Down: A Novel
  15. wind up
    finally be or do something
    “I couldn’t imagine how horrible it would be to wind up stuck in a place like this,” Julia said. 100 Sideways Miles
  16. wipe out
    eliminate completely and without a trace
    After a while, the shrubs and trees return, only to be wiped out by a flood. 1491
  17. stamp out
    end or extinguish by forceful means
    Imran Khan, who was named prime minister after his party secured victory in July, ran and won on a promise to stamp out corruption. New York Times (Dec 24, 2018)
  18. zero in
    direct onto a point or target
    After you zero in on what you want, decide how you’ll get it. Washington Times (Nov 24, 2020)
  19. kick the bucket
    die
    "We will part only when one of us kicks the bucket." BBC (Dec 18, 2016)
  20. bend over backwards
    try very hard to please someone
    It's almost as if he's bending over backwards to show he's everyone's friend. The Guardian (Jun 7, 2010)
Created on Wed Jan 27 09:00:37 EST 2021 (updated Thu Jan 28 10:53:45 EST 2021)

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