Idiomatic Expressions

Talk These idioms will help you describe talking and communication. Talk nineteen to the dozen = talk fast: "She was so excited that she was talking nineteen to the dozen." Talk the hind legs off a donkey = talk without stopping: "She can talk the hind legs off a donkey!" Talk something through / over = to discuss something: "Before we decide anything, I think we ought to talk it through." Talk something up = to make something appear more important: "She really talked the idea up, but I don't think that everyone was convinced." Talk someone into doing = to persuade someone: "He talked her into buying a new car." Talk someone through something = give step-by-step instructions: "She talked him through the procedure." Talk down to = talk in a condescending way: "Don't talk down to me! I understand you perfectly well." Talk back = respond to someone in authority in a rude way: "Don't talk back to your mother!" This is similar to back chat: "I don't want any back chat from you!" Talk under your breath = talk quietly so that nobody can hear you: "They talked under their breath in the meeting." Talk rubbish = not to speak logically: "He talks complete rubbish sometimes!"Also talk through your arse (British slang and quite rude): "You're talking through your arse again. You know nothing about it!" Talk at cross purposes = when two people don't understand each other because they are talking about two different things (but don't realize it): "We're talking at cross purposes here." Talk / speak with a plum in your mouth = talk with a posh (=upper class) accent: "She talks with a plum in her mouth!" Talk around the subject = not get to the point: "He didn't want to say they were in danger of losing their jobs, so he talked around the subject for half an hour." Talk highly of someone = praise someone: "He talks very highly of you!" To give someone a talking-to = when you talk to someone because you are angry with them: "His boss gave him a real talking-to yesterday!" Talk to yourself = to speak to yourself, maybe because you are concentrating on something: "Are you talking to yourself again?" To be like talking to a brick wall = to not have any effect on someone: "Sometimes talking to him is like talking to a brick wall!" Talk your way out of something = get out of a difficult situation by giving a clever explanation: "Whew! I think I managed to talk our way out of that one!" Straight talking = honest words: "I want some straight talking around here!" Talk shop = talk about work in a social situation: "Whenever I go out with my colleagues, we always end up talking shop." Chat To chat someone up = to talk to someone because you are attracted to them: "He went to a party and chatted up every woman." A chatterbox = someone who talks a lot, but not saying anything important: "She's a bit of a chatterbox at work." Chit-chat = social conversation about unimportant subjects: "Enough of the chit-chat! I have to get on with some work." Word To have a word with someone = to talk to someone about something you are not happy with: "I'm going to have a word with him about his kids' behavior." To not have a good word to say about someone = to always criticize: "She never has a good word to say about the Browns." A word in your ear = something you say before you give some advice or a warning: "A word in your ear - the company is monitoring internet use." To not mince your words = say something directly, without trying to be diplomatic: "She doesn't mince her words!" To have words = to have an argument: "They've had words and now they're not speaking." To get a word in edgeways = to try to contribute to a conversation: "They were talking so fast it was impossible to get a word in edgeways!" There are many English phrasal verbs that use 'in'. Here is a selection of some of the more common. Break in (1) = interrupt: "He broke in to their conversation to add that he couldn't work overtime." Break in / into (2) = burgle / steal: "Thieves broke into the warehouse and stole 100 computers." Bring in (1) = introduce: "She has brought in some changes to the company." Bring in (2) = receive income: "He brings in a lot of money as a computer programmer." Cave in = accept someone's idea or decision: "The unions finally caved in and accepted the new contracts." Chip in = contribute: "We're all chipping in for Maria's birthday present." Fill in (1) = complete: "You need to fill in this form." Fill in (2) = act as a substitute: "As Robert is on holiday, you'll have to fill in for him this week." Fill in (3) = bring someone up to date: "Can you fill me in on the new project?" Fit in = be accepted by a group: "He doesn't really fit in at work. He's very different from us." Give in = finally accept something: "She gave in to her children's demands for sweets." Hand in = give something to someone: "They handed in their assignment early." Kick in = start to have an effect: "The painkillers have finally kicked in. I feel much better." Lead in = start with something: "In our presentation, we are going to lead in with our vision for the future." Move in = occupy a house: "Some new neighbors have moved in next door." Take in (1) = understand: "I still can't take in the news." Take in (2) = deceive someone: "He really took me in with his hard-luck story." Take in (3) = provide refuge: "She took the old couple in." Work in = incorporate: "Is there any way of working in this paragraph? The text is a little unclear otherwise." Some common business English phrasal verbs that use "on". Get on = (1) have a good relationship with someone: "She gets on well with the Accounts Director" = (2) to progress: "How are you getting on with the launch?" Take on = employ people: "We aren't taking on any more staff this year." Go on = continue: "Please go on. I'd like to hear more about your plans for the new office." Sit on = to stall or delay something: "We proposed this some time ago, but the Chairman has been sitting on the plans and we're no further forward." Build on = use your successes to go further: "They built on their early success and soon expanded to become the biggest catering firm in the South East." Crack on = work fast: "I'm sorry I can't stop and talk - I need to crack on with some work." Work on = use your influence with someone: "Leave it with me - I'll work on the boss over the next fortnight." Pick on = bully: "She feels that her colleagues are picking on her because she is so popular with management." Decide on = choose: "What color have you decided on for the staff canteen?" Hold on = wait: "Please hold on and I will see if Mr. Harris is available." Pass on = give a message to someone: "I'll pass your message on to her when she returns." Try on = test someone's authority: "Don't take any notice of his behavior - he's just trying it on with you!" There are many phrasal verbs in English that use 'out'. Here is a small selection of some of the more common ones. Back out = decide not to do something you first intended to do: "We can't back out of the holiday now - we've already paid for it!" Break out = escape: "The prisoners managed to break out." Bring out = make more noticeable: "The lemon brings out the taste of the strawberries." Check out (1) = look at: "You've got to check out this new website - it's really useful." Check out (2) = investigate: "The police are checking out his story." Cut out = eliminate: "He's cut out all the fat from his diet and he's a lot slimmer." Eat out = eat in a restaurant: "Do you fancy eating out tonight?" Hand out = distribute: "The teacher handed out the English books to the students." Fill out = complete a form: "You need to fill out all the sections on this form." Make out = see well: "I can't make out the name on this envelope. Is it Jones or James?" Pass out = faint: "It was so hot in the room that she passed out." Put out = inconvenience someone: "Thanks for your offer of letting us stay. Are you sure that we won't be putting you out?" Stand out = be easily distinguishable: "With the way he dresses, he always manages to stand out!" Take out = withdraw money: "I've taken out a lot of money from my account recently." Work out (1) = calculate: "We've worked out our profit margin." Work out (2) = get better: "Everything worked out well in the end." Work out (3) = understand: "I really can't work it out. Why did she leave such a well-paid job?" Here are some common English phrasal verbs that you can use in business situations. All these phrasal verbs use "up". Build up = to make a business bigger, to develop contacts or a presence in the market: "We have built up the business over the years and it now employs over 20 people." Come up = happen unexpectedly: "I'm afraid I can't make the meeting tomorrow. Something has come up." Divide up = distribute: "We can divide up the commission among the sales staff." Drive up = force up the prices or costs: "The uncertainty in the markets is driving up labor costs." Meet up = make an arrangement to meet: "What time should we meet up on Wednesday?" Open up = make a new market accessible: "The new laws have opened up trade in many markets." Pass up = to not take an opportunity: "We can't pass up this chance of increasing productivity." Set up = establish a company or arrange a meeting: "They set up the company in 1999.""I've set up a meeting between you and the suppliers for 11 am tomorrow." Start up = to start something new: "They've started up a new division in Southern Europe."(A start up is a new company, often internet-based.) Write up = write a report or minutes: "It'll take him at least a week to write up his findings." Some English phrasal verbs contain two particles, such as "put up with". With these phrasal verbs, you cannot generally separate the particles. So we say "put up with someone" (with "someone" at the end) and not, for example, "put up someone with". Come up with = to find or produce: "We need to come up with a solution soon." Get away with = to escape punishment: "He robbed a bank and got away with it." Get on to = make contact with someone: "Can you get on to the suppliers and chase up our order?" Go in for = to do something because you enjoy it: "I don't really go in for playing football." Get round to = to find the time to do something: "I never seem to be able to get round to tidying up this room!" Go down with = to become ill: "So many people have gone down with the flu this year." Go through with = to do something you promised to do, even though you don't really want to do it: "She went through with the wedding, even though she had doubts." Live up to = to do or behave as expected: "She's living up to her reputation as a hard boss." Look down on = to behave as if you are superior to others: "He really looks down on teachers." Look up to = to admire and respect someone: "She looks up to her father." Put down to = to think something is caused by a factor: "The failure can be put down to a lack of preparation." Put up with = to tolerate: "She puts up with a lot from her husband." Stand up for = to defend someone or something: "You need to stand up for your rights!"