Idioms, phrasal verbs etc – 1

Phrases:

nitty-gritty - the most important aspects or practical details of a subject or situation.
nitty gritty (YouGlish)
// Let's get down to the nitty-gritty of finding a job
// He deals with the nitty-gritty of running the department.
// We finally got down to the nitty-gritty of the problem.
// Let's get down to the nitty-gritty and find out what happened.

holy moly - used to express surprise, amazement, or bewilderment
// Holy moly, this guy is good.
// Holy moly, it's the most incredible sleep aid.

fuddy duddy - one that is old-fashioned, unimaginative, or conservative
// They think I'm an old fuddy-duddy because I don't approve of tattoos.
// they were the most fuddy-duddy parents around

bigwigs - an important person, especially in a particular sphere.
// We were invited to a lunch with local bigwigs.
// senators and other political bigwigs

willy nilly - 1. it happens whether you want it to or not; without choice
2. in a haphazard or spontaneous manner; without direction or planning
willy nilly (YouGlish)
// She was forced willy-nilly to accept the company's proposals.
// Don't use your credit card willy-nilly.

walk the talk - a modern version of old sayings like “actions speak louder than words” and “practice what you preach.”
// If our company promises to protect the environment, we have to walk the talk.
// Some leaders only talk the talk but aren't prepared to take any risks and walk the walk
// “Walk that walk and go forward all the time. Don't just talk that talk, walk it and go forward.” Chris Gardner

make or break - resulting in either complete success or total failure
// make-or-break decisions
// It's make-or-break time.
// It was make or break for us.
// The board has the power to make or break a project.

If you have a sweet tooth, you like eating sweet foods, especially sweets and chocolate

sweet tooth

have a sweet tooth    - candy and pastries
// If you're looking for a snack, go talk to Jenny—she has a real sweet tooth, so she probably keeps candy bars in her desk.

// I have a sweet tooth, and if I don't watch it, I'll really get fat. John eats candy all the time. He must have a sweet tooth.

// I've got a sweet tooth, so I’d find it difficult to give up sugar in my tea.

sweet tooth (YouGlish)

pastry - выпечка

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in a rut   - living or working in a situation that never changes, so that you feel bored
This expression alludes to having a wheel stuck in a groove in the road. [Early 1800s]
// I was stuck in a rut and decided to look for a new job.
// I was in a rut and couldn’t get out of it.

rut - колея (a deep narrow track left in soft ground by a wheel)
// The carriage became stuck in a rut, and we all had to get out and

in a rut

(stuck) in a rut - Seemingly trapped or stuck in a mundane, non-changing pattern of life, work, or personal behavior.
// I had so many ambitions when I first graduated from college, but now I feel like I'm in a rut.
// We're stuck in a rut—let's move abroad for the summer and shake things up!
// Don't get stuck in a rut.

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train of thought - ход мыслей; the way in which someone reaches a conclusion; a line of reasoning;
a related series of thoughts that are developing in your mind

// You interrupted my train of thought.
// I lost my train of thought when you interrupted me.
// I’ve lost my train of thought.
// The phone interrupted my train of thought.
// The kettle began to whistle, breaking into her train of thought.
// Too many phone calls breaking my train of thought.
// These are discussed with a clarity which enables the reader to fully identify with the author's train of thought.

a line of reasoning - цепочка рассуждений; a set of reasons used in order to reach a conclusion;

// She chose to follow a particular line of reasoning.
// I don't follow your line of reasoning.
// I found it hard to follow his line of reasoning.
// Matthew Morgan, the Trump campaign’s counsel, rejected this line of reasoning in a recent interview.
// It is a wearily, tragically familiar line of reasoning.
// This line of reasoning is weaker than it initially appears.

reasoning - рассуждение, рассуждения, объяснения, логический ход мысли;
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don’t hold your breath - informal, used to say that something is not going to happen soon; do not expect that to happen
don’t hold your breath - used for telling someone not to expect something to happen because it probably will not
// If you’re waiting for him to apologize, don't hold your breath.
// The system’s due for an update, but don't hold your breath.
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grow apart - if two people grow apart, their relationship becomes less close;
to become less friendly or emotionally close as time passes; to become distant from someone
// The couple had been growing apart for years
// As we got older we just grew apart
// Since moving to London, he’s grown apart from many of his friends
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face the music - informal: to accept criticism or punishment for something you have done

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take one's eyes off - to stop looking at (someone or something)
// I took my eyes off the road for one second.
// I can't take my eyes off that beautiful ring of yours!
// Don't take your eyes off it.

can’t take your eyes off somebody/something - to be unable to stop looking at someone or something, especially because they are extremely interesting or attractive
// She looked stunning. I couldn’t take my eyes off her all evening.

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high-maintenance - needing a lot of care or attention
// a high-maintenance hairstyle
// His girlfriend is pretty high-maintenance.

high-maintenance
1. requiring a large amount of care or maintenance
// They can't even afford the high-maintenance hairdos, let alone the Adidas sweats.— Gerri Hirshey
2. of a person : tending to cause problems or demand attention: extremely sensitive, demanding, or temperamental
// Playing the victim gets you absolutely nowhere, and it only makes you seem tiring and high-maintenance to your boss.
— Cosmopolitan

high-maintenance
1. Require (ing) a lot of work/attention to maintain.
2. Require (ing) a lot of money or attention to appearance.
3. Require (ing) a high emotional investment or an excessive amount of money.

high maintenance (YouGlish)

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wind down ( /ˈwaɪnd ˌdaʊn/) (phrasal verb) - to end, or to finish something gradually;
// The party started to wind down around 2.00 am.
// The UN has decided to wind down the peacekeeping mission.
// the party was winding down

to gradually reduce the work of a business or organization so that it can be closed down completely
// The company has been winding down its business for 10 months because it was operating unprofitably.
// The factory will wind down production before closing next year.

wind down - to rest and relax after a lot of hard work or excitement;
// I find it difficult to wind down after a day at work.
// I sank into a hot bath in order to wind down
// wind down with a good book

wind down (YouGlish)

bring up -
1. look after a child until it is an adult;
to bring (a person) to maturity through nurturing care and education;
// she was partly brought up by her maternal grandparents
// She brought up five children.
// He was brought up by his aunt.
//a well/badly brought up child

2. raise a matter for discussion or consideration; to bring to attention;
to mention a subject or start to talk about it
// she tried repeatedly to bring up the subject of marriage
// Why did you have to bring up the subject of money?
// Bring it up at the meeting.

bring up
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bring down - 1.
- cause someone to lose power
// a crisis that could bring down the government
- to reduce something to a lower level
// The government hopes these measures will help to bring down inflation
// The pilot managed to bring the plane down safely
- to make someone fall over
// He was brought down by the goalkeeper and awarded a penalty

2. make someone unhappy or depressed
//she was in such a good mood I couldn't bear to bring her down
// Don’t bring me down with your sad stories!
// He was brought down by the loss of his job.

bring down

let’s roll (chiefly US, informal) - used to tell another person or a group of people to start leaving a place or to start doing something; Let's get out of here; let's get moving
// "Let's roll," the sergeant shouted to his men.
// Are you guys ready? Let's roll!
// My fellow Americans, let's roll! (George W. Bush, urging a return to normalcy after the September 11)
// I think I've had enough of this party. Let's roll, Sarah.
// That's everything we need from the store. Let's roll!

Off-book - 1. (accounting) Off the books, not officially recorded;
not recorded in account books or not reported as taxable income.
// Until we know more, I wanna keep this video off-book.
// These workers are getting paid in cash off the books.
// Is he cheating the welfare and tax systems by earning money "off the books"?

2. (Theatre Cinema)
In predicative use: (of an actor) performing without a script, having memorized his or her lines.
// After 5 days of studying the script, Jane is now off-book, and can concentrate on gesture more.

off-the-books - not reported or recorded
// off-the-books transactions
// off-the-books covert operations

Go big or go home - an expression the speaker says to the listener to encourage the listener to be extravagant,
to go all the way, and do whatever you are doing to its fullest - and not flake out.
it can be abbreviated: gbgh!

Go big or go home

Go big or go home (YouGlish)

spare no effort to (do something) -
To put the maximum amount of effort into something; to work as hard as possible to do something.
// Police have spared no effort in securing the area ahead of the event.
// We will spare no effort in bringing those responsible to justice.
// No effort will be spared to bring the people responsible to justice.