1.flying colors--success, victory

 

2.little by little--gradually

 

3.call off--cancel

 

4.come into--receive, especially after another's death

 

5.put off--postpone

 

6.stop by--make a brief visit on one's way elsewhere

 

7.tie up--hinder

 

8.be out for--trying to get

 

9.fill in for--take another's place

 

10.turn down-- (1) refuse or reject (2) reduce the loudness of

 

11.go off--begin to ring

 

12.cut down--lessen; reduce; limit

 

13.come up with--produce; supply

 

14.make it-- (1) achieve a specific goal (2) succeed in general

 

15.catch one's eye--attract one's attention

 

16.care for-- (1) like; value (2) look after; take care of

 

17.head and shoulders above--much better

 

18.catch on--become popular

 

19.on the whole--in general

 

20.fill sb in--tell what sb should know

 

21.in a nutshell--in a few words

 

22.from top to bottom--completely; entirely

 

23.take the plunge--enter with sudden decision upon an unfamiliar course of action

 

24.on the tip of one's tongue--unable to be recalled

 

25.cheer up--feel happy; stop being sad or discouraged; become hopeful

 

26.hold off--postpone; delay

 

27.on cloud nine--a state of perfect happiness

 

28.back out--withdraw from an undertaking

 

29.grin and bear it--be as cheerful as possible in pain or trouble; do something without complaining

 

30.turn out to be--come to be; prove

 

31.bite off more than one can chew--attempt something that exceeds one's ability

 

32.in the air--uncertain

 

33.get hold off--find a person so you can speak with him

 

34.learn the ropes--acquire thorough or special knowledge of a job

 

35.tear oneself away from--depart with great reluctance; force oneself to leave

 

36.tie up--engage or occupy completely

 

37.touch on--mention a subject briefly or casually

 

39.see to it--take care;take the responsibility;make sure

 

40.get along with--live or work in harmony with

 

41.give away--give as present

 

42.account for--explain

 

43.out of print--no longer available for purchase from the publisher

 

44.send out--distribute

 

45.in no time--in a very brief time;almost at once

 

46.before long--soon;without much delay

 

47.play by ear--(1)play an instrument without using written music (2)handle a matter without adequate preparation or guidance

 

48.wear and tear--loss or damage caused by use

 

49.come what may--no matter what happens

 

50.drop by--make a short or unplanned visit

 

51.be short of--not having enough

 

52.cut it out--stop doing sth

 

53.be sick of--be tired of;having a strong dislike of

 

54.look for a needle in a haystack(a bottle)--search for something in a place where it is hopelessly lost.

 

55.knock oneself out--work very hard;make a great effort

 

56.run up against--encounter

 

57.far from--anything but;not at all

 

58.far from it--by no means;not at all

 

59.hang on to--hold tightly;keep firmly

 

60.get nowhere--be unsuccessful;obtain no result

 

61.day in and day out--every day;all the time

 

62.break down--cease to function

 

63.get going--get started;begin to move

 

64.take one's time--not hurry

 

65.boil down to--indicate,especially as a final judgement or analysis

 

66.make up--take a test for the second time

 

67.put up with--bear with patience;tolerate

 

68.by and by--before long

 

69.give someone a hand--help;assist

 

70.ring a bell--sound familiar

 

71.snap out of it--

 

(1)change one's habits,attitude,etc,suddenly

 

(2)regain one's composure,energy,or good spirits;recover

 

72.raise the roof--make trouble;start a fight or an argument

 

73.get away with--escape without punishment

 

74.on business--with definite work to do

 

75.look up--search for;as an item of information,in a referance book

 

76.let up--(1)cease;stop (2)slacken;abate

 

77.in any case(or event)--no matter what happens

 

78.come out--be published

 

79.look into--investigate;inspect

 

80.fall back on--rely on

 

81.spell out--explain very clearly or in detail

 

82.wrap up--bring to end,especially a successful conclusion