Idioms & Phrases

2022-01-28 13:35:09 Under the table

American English
Meaning: If something is done under the table, it's done secretly, usually because it's illegal or unethical.

For example:

If I do any overtime, can you pay me under the table so I won't have pay tax on it.

If you make under-the-table payments to customs officials, you can get goods through the port without having them inspected.

Note: If this idiom is used to qualify a noun or a noun phrase, hyphens must be used, as in "under-the-table payments".
Origin: Probably related to the fact that if a package or an envelope is passed under a table, other people cannot easily see what's going on.

Variety: This idiom is typically used in American English but may be used in other varieties of English too.



@Idiom_phrase Open / Comment

2022-01-27 18:01:11 To bring someone up to speed

To bring someone up to speed it means to give someone training or information so that he or she can do a job well

The manager brought everybody up to speed about the new equipment.

When I am up to speed in my new job, I will not need any more training. Open / Comment

2022-01-27 18:01:11 To let something

To let something slide it means to ignore a situation

The man has been sick recently and he has let his business slide.

The student is very lazy and has let his studies slide.

The man is causing problems at work but for now the company will let things slide. Open / Comment

2022-01-27 18:01:11 Run an errand

Run an errand It means to make a short trip to do a specific thing

The boy will run an errand for his mother and then meet his friend.

The man has to run an errand before going to work.

The woman has several errands to run before the birthday party. Open / Comment

2022-01-18 20:16:23 beat around the bush | beat about the bush

Meaning: If you beat around the bush, or beat about the bush, you don't say something directly, usually because you don't want to upset the person you're talking to.

For example:

I had trouble telling Pedro he'd lost his job. I started beating around the bush and talking about one door closing and another door opening.

Stop beating about the bush. Just tell me what's happened! Open / Comment

2022-01-18 20:16:23 bear the brunt

Meaning: If you bear the brunt of something, you suffer the worst of its impact or its effects.

For example:

The driver bore the brunt of the crash because he was right at the front of the bus.

The team's coach bore the brunt of the criticism because he'd selected the players who'd performed so badly. Open / Comment

2022-01-18 20:16:23 backed into a corner

Meaning: If you're backed into a corner, you're in a difficult situation that will be hard to get out of.

For example:

When his business failed, Gerry felt he'd been backed into a corner and he didn't know what he could do.

Jimmy's drug addiction had backed him into a corner and his only way out was to go into rehab and kick the habit. Open / Comment

2022-01-18 20:16:22 off the top of your head

INFORMAL
Meaning: If you give someone information off the top of your head, you do so from memory, without checking beforehand.

For example:

I can't tell you Maxine's phone number off the top of my head. I'll have to check.

I don't know for sure, but off the top of my head I'd say that renting a two-bedroom apartment would cost about a thousand dollars a week. Open / Comment

2022-01-18 20:16:22 off the record

Meaning: If you say something "off the record", you don't want it in the public record, or reported in the media.

For example:

The minister has refused to speak to reporters since something he said off the record was reported in a newspaper.

Most politicians realise that just saying something is "off the record" isn't enough to ensure it won't be reported.

Note: . Opposite to "on the record", which means something is said on the understanding that it will be part of the public record, and can be reported in the media.
. If used to modify a noun or a noun phrase, hyphens must be added, as in "off-the-record comments". Open / Comment

2022-01-17 18:38:18 much ado about nothing

Meaning: If you say something is much ado about nothing, you think it's an overreaction to something that shouldn't have caused so much trouble.

For example:

Some people make a big fuss about which table they get in a restaurant, but as far as I can see it's much ado about nothing as long as the food's the same.

All this nonsense about status and "losing face" is much ado about nothing as far as I'm concerned.

Origin: "Much Ado about Nothing" is the title of a well-known play by William Shakespeare, and as a result the phrase has survived into modern English in its original form. Open / Comment