bent over backwards
To try extremely hard to help someone or to do something
The hotel staff bent over backwards to make sure our stay was comfortable and enjoyable.
bit off more than I could chew
To take on a task or responsibility that is too difficult for you to handle
I bit off more than I could chew when I agreed to organize the entire school festival by myself.
burn the candle at both ends
To work or be active from very early in the morning until very late at night, leaving yourself exhausted
She has been burning the candle at both ends by working full time and studying for her exams at night.
call it a day
To decide to stop working on something for the rest of the day
We have been painting the living room for six hours, so let us call it a day and finish tomorrow.
caught red-handed
Discovered in the act of doing something wrong or illegal
The student was caught red-handed copying answers from his classmate during the final exam.
cut corners
To do something the easiest or cheapest way, often by skipping important steps
The construction company cut corners on the building materials, which made the structure unsafe.
dodged a bullet
To narrowly avoid a very bad or dangerous situation
We really dodged a bullet when the storm changed direction and missed our town completely.
drop the ball
To make a mistake or fail to do something that you were responsible for
I dropped the ball at work today and forgot to send the important email to our client.
hit a wall
To reach a point where you cannot make any more progress and feel stuck
After studying for five hours, I hit a wall and could not concentrate on the grammar exercises anymore.
hit the nail on the head
To describe or identify something exactly correctly
You hit the nail on the head when you said the problem was caused by poor communication between the teams.
in the loop
Having the most current information about a situation or plan
Please keep me in the loop about any changes to the meeting schedule so I can plan my day.
jump the gun
To do something too soon, before the right time or before thinking carefully
She jumped the gun and announced the results before all the votes had been counted.
missed the boat
To lose an opportunity because you waited too long or were not ready in time
I missed the boat on buying those concert tickets because I waited too long and they sold out completely.
on thin ice
In a risky situation where you could easily get into serious trouble
After arriving late to work three times this week, he knows he is on thin ice with his manager.
spill the beans
To accidentally or carelessly reveal secret information
Please do not spill the beans about the surprise birthday party we are planning for Maria.
throw under the bus
To unfairly blame someone else for a problem in order to protect yourself
When the boss asked what went wrong, Tom threw his colleague under the bus instead of telling the truth.
under the weather
Feeling slightly sick or unwell
I am feeling a bit under the weather today, so I think I will stay home and rest instead of going out.
went off the rails
To start behaving in an uncontrolled or unacceptable way, or for a plan to go badly wrong
The project went off the rails after the manager left and nobody took charge of the team.
winging it
Doing something without preparation, relying on your ability to handle it as you go
I did not have time to prepare for the presentation, so I just winged it and hoped for the best.
Match the vocabulary word with its correct definition.
| # | Ans. | Word | Definition |
|---|
Complete each sentence with the correct word from the word bank.