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Idiomi – video slovar B

May 16, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Kliknite na povezavo in si oglejte kratko animirano razlago posamezne fraze.

bacchanalian (adj) : related to a drunken festival or wild partying

badger (v) : to bother or to nag

badinage (n) : playful conversation or speak in a witty manner

baffle (v) : to confuse or frustrate someone

baleful (adj) : harmful, threatening, evil in effect or intent

balk (v) : to refuse to do something, to stop short of something

ballast (n) : anything heavy carried in a ship, airplane or vehicle in order to give stability

balmy (adj) : pleasant, soothing, or mild

banal (adj) : ordinary, common place or unoriginal

bandy (v) : to throw or pass back and forth

bantering (adj) : funny in tone or attitude, joking

barb (n) : a spike, a sharp point, or a mean comment or remark

bard (n) : someone who writes poems, a poet

barrage (n) : an unending attack, a bombing, or an overwhelming outpouring

barren (adj) : unfruitful, lifeless, or unable to produce

barterer (n) : a person who does business by trading goods without using money

bauble (n) : a pretty but cheap ornament; the scepter carried by a court jester

bawdy (adj) : funny but indecent, or vulgar humor

beam (n) : a long piece of wood, metal, or other material used mainly to support weight

beatitude (n) : a state of perfect happiness or being blessed

bedlam (n) : a scene of great confusion and wildness or great uproar

bedraggle (v) : to make wet, limp and dirty

behest (n) : an order, a directive or a strong request

belie (v) : to tell lies, to misrepresent, or to prove false

bellicose (adj) : warlike, ready to attack or eager to fight

belligerent (adj) : hostile, inclined to fight, or aggressive

benediction (n) : a blessing or good wishes

beneficiary (n) : someone who benefits from something

benevolent (adj) : kind, good-hearted, or generous

bent (adj) : determined, committed and eager

berate (v) : to attack verbally, to criticize or scold strongly

bias (n) : prejudice or tendency; it can also mean a diagonal direction

bicameral (adj) : a legislative body with two branches or houses

bicker (v) : to have a silly fight or to argue over unimportant things

bilk (v) : to cheat or to trick someone

blanch (v) : to whiten, to lose color or bleach

blare (n) : a loud noise

blithe (adj) : carefree, cheerful or showing no concern

bluff (adj) : bold, outspoken or blunt

blurt (v) : to say something quickly without thinking

bogus (adj) : fake or not real

bombastic (adj) : to be characterized by grand, dramatic gestures, inflated and overblown

bon vivant (n) : someone who enjoys the good life, especially through good food and drink

booming (adj) : very active, busy or loud

bovine (adj) : like a cow; slow and dull

bowdlerize (v) : to cleanup or alter written work so as to make it less controversial

brazen (adj) : bold and unashamed, or extremely cocky

breadth (n) : general size, scope, distance from side to side, or the extent of something

brindled (adj) : gray with dark spots, a spotty pattern

broach (v) : to mention, to suggest or to introduce something as a topic of conversation

bromide (n) : a cliche, boring or ordinary statement that is repeated often

brooch (n) : a piece of jewelry that attaches to a shirt with a pin or a decorative clasp

brouhaha (n) : turmoil, heated confrontation or huge fight over something small

browbeat (v) : to bully, to pressure someone into doing something or to intimidate

browse (v) : to look casually at something, to look without a clear purpose

buffet (v) : to hit with violent blows, to punch or slap

buffoonery (n) : something that’s ridiculous and funny but can be seen as rude or embarrassing

bulwark (n) : a structure that acts as a defense, something that protects from outside danger

bungalow (n) : a small, one-storey house

bungle (v) : to make a mess of something or to do something awkwardly and ineptly

bureaucracy (n) : a group of administrative govt officials and departments

burlesque (v) : to imitate in a comical or mocking manner, or to parody

burly (adj) : large-bodied, big and husky

buttress (v) : to support or reinforce something, often with brick, wood, or stone

Categories: angleščina · e-učenje · matura · osnovna šola · poslovna angleščina · vocabulary
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Angleščina časi

May 12, 2009 · Leave a Comment

tense	Affirmative/Negative/Question	Use	Signal Words
Simple Present	A: He speaks. N: He does not speak. Q: Does he speak?	action in the present taking place once, never or several times facts actions taking place one after another action set by a timetable or schedule	always, every …, never, normally, often, seldom, sometimes, usually if sentences type I (If I talk, …)
Present Progressive	A: He is speaking. N: He is not speaking. Q: Is he speaking?	action taking place in the moment of speaking action taking place only for a limited period of time action arranged for the future	at the moment, just, just now, Listen!, Look!, now, right now
Simple Past	A: He spoke. N: He did not speak. Q: Did he speak?	action in the past taking place once, never or several times actions taking place one after another action taking place in the middle of another action	yesterday, 2 minutes ago, in 1990, the other day, last Friday if sentence type II (If I talked, …)
Past Progressive	A: He was speaking. N: He was not speaking. Q: Was he speaking?	action going on at a certain time in the past actions taking place at the same time action in the past that is interrupted by another action	when, while, as long as
Present Perfect Simple	A: He has spoken. N: He has not spoken. Q: Has he spoken?	putting emphasis on the result action that is still going on action that stopped recently finished action that has an influence on the present action that has taken place once, never or several times before the moment of speaking	already, ever, just, never, not yet, so far, till now, up to now
Present Perfect Progressive	A: He has been speaking. N: He has not been speaking. Q: Has he been speaking?	putting emphasis on the course or duration (not the result) action that recently stopped or is still going on finished action that influenced the present	all day, for 4 years, since 1993, how long?, the whole week
Past Perfect Simple	A: He had spoken. N: He had not spoken. Q: Had he spoken?	action taking place before a certain time in the past sometimes interchangeable with past perfect progressive putting emphasis only on the fact (not the duration)	already, just, never, not yet, once, until that day if sentence type III (If I had talked, …)
Past Perfect Progressive	A: He had been speaking. N: He had not been speaking. Q: Had he been speaking?	action taking place before a certain time in the past sometimes interchangeable with past perfect simple putting emphasis on the duration or course of an action	for, since, the whole day, all day
Future I Simple	A: He will speak. N: He will not speak. Q: Will he speak?	action in the future that cannot be influenced spontaneous decision assumption with regard to the future	in a year, next …, tomorrow If-Satz Typ I (If you ask her, she will help you.) assumption: I think, probably, we might …, perhaps
Future I Simple(going to)	A: He is going to speak. N: He is not going to speak. Q: Is he going to speak?	decision made for the future conclusion with regard to the future	in one year, next week, tomorrow
Future I Progressive	A: He will be speaking. N: He will not be speaking. Q: Will he be speaking?	action that is going on at a certain time in the future action that is sure to happen in the near future	in one year, next week, tomorrow
Future II Simple	A: He will have spoken. N: He will not have spoken. Q: Will he have spoken?	action that will be finished at a certain time in the future	by Monday, in a week
Future II Progressive	A: He will have been speaking. N: He will not have been speaking. Q: Will he have been speaking?	action taking place before a certain time in the future putting emphasis on the course of an action	for …, the last couple of hours, all day long
Conditional I Simple	A: He would speak. N: He would not speak. Q: Would he speak?	action that might take place	if sentences type II (If I were you, I would go home.)
Conditional I Progressive	A: He would be speaking. N: He would not be speaking. Q: Would he be speaking?	action that might take place putting emphasis on the course / duration of the action
Conditional II Simple	A: He would have spoken. N: He would not have spoken. Q: Would he have spoken?	action that might have taken place in the past	if sentences type III (If I had seen that, I would have helped.)
Conditional II Progressive	A: He would have been speaking. N: He would not have been speaking. Q: Would he have been speaking?	action that might have taken place in the past puts emphasis on the course / duration of the action

Categories: angleščina · e-učenje · grammar · matura · osnovna šola · poslovna angleščina
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Slovar idiomov

April 6, 2009 · Leave a Comment

IN YOUR FACE

~ A ~

A bit much: If something is excessive or annoying, it is a bit much.
A chain is no stronger than its weakest link: This means that processes, organisations, etc, are vulnerable because the weakest person or part can always damage or break them.
A day late and a dollar short: (USA) If something is a day late and a dollar short, it is too little, too late.
A fool and his money are soon parted: This idiom means that people who aren’t careful with their money spend it quickly. ‘A fool and his money are easily parted’ is an alternative form of the idiom.
A fool at 40 is a fool forever: If someone hasn’t matured by the time they reach forty, they never will.
A hitch in your giddy-up: If you have a hitch in your giddy-up, you’re not feeling well. (‘A hitch in your gittie-up’ is also used.)
A lick and a promise: If you give something a lick and a promise, you do it hurriedly, most often incompletely, intending to return to it later.
A little bird told me: If someone doesn’t want to say where they got some information from, they can say that a little bird told them.

~ B ~

Babe in arms: A babe in arms is a very young child, or a person who is very young to be holding a position.
Babe in the woods: A babe in the woods is a naive, defenceless, young person.
Baby boomer: (USA) A baby boomer is someone born in the years after the end of the Second World War, a period when the population was growing very fast.
Back burner: If an issue is on the back burner, it is being given low priority.

Back foot: (UK) If you are on your back foot, you are at a disadvantage and forced to be defensive of your position.
Back number: Something that’s a back number is dated or out of fashion.
Back the wrong horse: If you back the wrong horse, you give your support to the losing side in something.
Back to back: If things happen back to back, they are directly one after another.

~ C ~

Cake’s not worth the candle: If someone says that the cake’s not worth the candle, they mean that the result will not be worth the effort put in to achieve it.
Calf lick: A calf lick is the weird parting in your fringe where your hair grows in a different direction, usually to one side.
Call a spade a spade: A person who calls a spade a spade is one speaks frankly and makes little or no attempt to conceal their opinions or to spare the feelings of their audience.
Call it a day: If you call it a day, you stop doing something for a while, normally at least until the following day.
Call on the carpet: If you are called on the carpet, you are summoned for a reprimand by superiors or others in power.
Call the dogs off: If someone calls off their dogs, they stop attacking or criticising someone.
Call the shots: If you call the shots, you are in charge and tell people what to do.
Call the tune: The person who calls the tune makes the important decisions about something.

~ D ~

Daft as a brush: (UK) Someone who is daft as a brush is rather stupid.
Damp squib: (UK) If something is expected to have a great effect or impact but doesn’t, it is a damp squib.
Dancing on someone’s grave: If you will dance on someone’s grave, you will outlive or outlast them and will celebrate their demise.
Dark horse: If someone is a dark horse, they are a bit of a mystery.

Davey Jones’ locker: Davey Jones’ locker is the bottom of the sea or resting place of drowned sailors.(‘Davy Jones’ locker’ is an alternative spelling.)
Day in the sun: If you have your day in the sun, you get attention and are appreciated.
Daylight robbery: If you are overcharged or underpaid, it is a daylight robbery; open, unfair and hard to prevent. Rip-off has a similar meaning.
Days are numbered: When someone’s days are numbered, they are expected to die soon.

~ E ~

Each to their own: Different people have different preferences. In American English, ‘Each to his own’ is more common.
Eager beaver: A person who is extremely keen is an eager beaver.
Eagle eyes: Someone who has eagle eyes sees everything; no detail is too small.
Early bath: (UK) If someone has or goes for an early bath, they quit or lose their job or position earlier than expected because things have gone wrong.

Early bird catches the worm: The early bird catches the worm means that if you start something early, you stand a better chance of success.
Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy wealthy and wise: It means that sleeping well and not staying up late will help you out physically and financially.
Earn a living: To make money Ex: We need to get a good job to earn a decent living.
Easier said than done: If something is easier said than done, it is much more difficult than it sounds. It is often used when someone advises you to do something difficult and tries to make it sound easy.

~ F ~

Face like thunder: If someone has a face like thunder, they are clearly very angry or upset about something.
Face only a mother could love: When someone has a face only a mother could love, they are ugly.
Face the music: If you have to face the music, you have to accept the negative consequences of something you have done wrong.
Face value: If you take something at face value, you accept the appearance rather than looking deeper into the matter.

Face your demons: If you face your demons, you confront your fears or something that you have been trying hard to avoid.
Facts of life: When someone is taught the facts of life, they learn about sex and reproduction.
Failure is the mother of success: Failure is often a stepping stone towards success.
Faint heart never won fair lady: This means that you will not get the partner of your dreams if you lack the confidence to let them know how you feel.

~ G ~

Game on: When someone says ‘Game on!’, it means that they are accepting a challenge or ready to get something done.
Game plan: A game plan is a strategy.
Garbage fee: A garbage fee is a charge that has no value and doesn’t provide any real service.
Garbage in, garbage out: If a computer system or database is built badly, then the results will be bad.

Gardening leave: (UK) If someone is paid for a period when they are not working, either after they have given in their notice or when they are being investigated, they are on gardening leave.
Gather pace: If events gather pace, they move faster.
Gather steam: If something gathers speed, it moves or progresses at an increasing speed.
Get a grip: If you get a grip, you control your emotions so that they don’t overwhelm you.

~ H ~

Hail-fellow-well-met: Someone whose behavior is hearty, friendly and congenial.
Hair of the dog: If someone has a hair of the dog, they have an alcoholic drink as a way of getting rid of a hangover, the unpleasant effects of having drunk too much alcohol the night before. It is commonly used as a way of excusing having a drink early on in the day.
Hairy at the heel: (UK) Someone who is hairy at the heel is dangerous or untrustworthy.
Hale and hearty: Someone who is hale and hearty is in very good health.

Half a loaf is better than no bread: It means that getting part of what you want is better than getting nothing at all.
Half a mind: If you have half a mind to do something, you haven’t decided to do it, but are thinking seriously about doing it.
Half-baked: A half-baked idea or scheme hasn’t not been thought through or planned very well.
Hammer and tongs: If people are going at it hammer and tongs, they are arguing fiercely. The idiom can also be used hen people are doing something energetically.

~ I ~

I hereby give notice of my intention: Hereby is used sometimes in formal, official declarations and statements to give greater force to the speaker’ or the writer’s affirmation. People will say it sometimes to emphasise their sincerity and correctness.
I may be daft, but I’m not stupid: I might do or say silly things occasionally, but in this instance I know what I am doing (Usually used when someone questions your application of common-sense).
I should cocoa: (UK) This idiom comes from ‘I should think so’, but is normally used sarcastically to mean the opposite.
I’ll cross that road when I come to it: I’ll think about something just when it happens, not in advance.

I’ll eat my hat: You can say this when you are absolutely sure that you are right to let the other person know that there is no chance of your being wrong.
I’ve got a bone to pick with you: If somebody says this, they mean that they have some complaint to make against the person they are addressing.
I’ve got your number: You have made a mistake and I am going to call you on it. You are in trouble (a threat). I have a disagreement with you. I understand your true nature.
Icing on the cake: This expression is used to refer to something good that happens on top of an already good thing or situation.

~ J ~

Jack Frost: If everything has frozen in winter, then Jack Frost has visited.
Jack the Lad: A confident and not very serious young man who behaves as he wants to without thinking about other people is a Jack the Lad.
Jack-of-all-trades: A jack-of-all-trades is someone that can do many different jobs.
Jam on your face: If you say that someone has jam on their face, they appear to be caught, embarrassed or found guilty.

Jam tomorrow: (UK) This idiom is used when people promise good things for the future that will never come.
Jane Doe: Jane Doe is a name given to an unidentified female who may be party to legal proceedings, or to an unidentified person in hospital, or dead. John Doe is the male equivalent.
Jekyll and Hyde: Someone who has a Jekyll and Hyde personality has a pleasant and a very unpleasant side to the character.
Jersey justice: (UK) Jersey justice is very severe justice.

~ K ~

Kangaroo court: When people take the law into their own hands and form courts that are not legal, these are known as kangaroo court.
Keen as mustard: (UK) If someone is very enthusiastic, they are as keen as mustard.
Keep abreast: If you keep abreast of things, you stay informed about developments.
Keep at bay: If you keep someone or something at bay, you maintain a safe distance from them.

Keep body and soul together: If you earn enough to cover your basic expenses, but nothing more than that, you earn enough to keep body and soul together.
Keep in touch: If you keep in touch with someone, you keep communicating with them even though you may live far apart.
Keep it on the Q T: If you keep something on the Q T, you keep it quiet or secret.(‘Q-T’ is also used.)
Keep it under your hat: If you keep something under your hat, you keep it secret.

~ L ~

Labor of love: A labor of love is a project or task undertaking for the interest or pleasure in doing it rather than the reward, financial or otherwise.
Labour of love: A labour of love is a project or task undertaking for the interest or pleasure in doing it rather than the reward, financial or otherwise.
Lame duck: If something or someone is a lame duck, they are in trouble.
Land of nod: If someone has gone to the land of nod, they have fallen asleep or gone to bed.

Landslide victory: A landslide victory is a victory in an election by a very large margin.
Lap dog: A lap dog is a person who is eager to please another at the expense of his or her own needs in order to maintain a position of privilege or favor.
Lap of the gods: If something is in the lap of the gods, it is beyond our control and fate will decide the outcome.
Larger than life: If something is excessive or exaggerated, it is larger than life.

~ M ~

Mad as a badger: If someone is as mad as a badger, they are crazy.
Mad as a bag of hammers: Someone who is as mad as a bag of hammers is crazy or stupid. (‘Daft as a bag of hammers’ is also used.)
Mad as a cut snake: (USA) One who is mad as a cut snake has lost all sense of reason, is crazy, out of control.
Mad as a hornet: (USA) If someone is as mad as a hornet, they are very angry indeed.

Mad as a March hare: Someone who is excitable and unpredictable is as mad as a March hare.
Mad as a wet hen: If someone is as mad as a wet hen, they are extremely angry.
Made in the shade: One has an easy time in life or in a given situation. Finding things working to one’s benefit.
Made of money: If you are made of money, you have a lot of money.

~ N ~

Nail in the coffin: A nail in someone or something’s coffin is a problem or event that is a clear step towards an inevitable failure.
Nail-biter: If a game, election, contest, etc, is a nail-biter, it is exciting because the competitors are so close that it is impossible to predict the result.
Nature abhors a vacuum: This idiom is used to express the idea that empty or unfilled spaces are unnatural as they go against the laws of nature and physics.
Nature of the beast: The basic characteristics of something is the nature of the beast; often used when there’s an aspect of something that cannot be changed or that is unpleasant or difficult.
Neck and neck: If two competitors or candidates, etc, are neck and neck, then they are very close and neither is clearly winning.
Neck of the woods: If someone talks about their neck of the woods, they mean the area where they live.
Need no introduction: Someone who is very famous and known to everyone needs no introduction.
Needle in a haystack: If trying to find something is like looking for a needle in a haystack, it means that it is very difficult, if not impossible to find among everything around it.

~ O ~

Object lesson: An object lesson serves as a warning to others. (In some varieties of English ‘abject lesson’ is used.)
Odds and ends: Odds and ends are small, remnant articles and things- the same as ‘bits and bobs’.
Off colour: If someone looks off colour/color, they look ill.
Off the beaten track: Somewhere that’s off the beaten track is in a remote location.

Off the chart: If something goes off the chart, it far exceeds the normal standards, good or bad, for something.
Off the cuff: If you do something off the cuff, you do it without any preparation.
Off the grid: Someone who is off the grid lives outside society and chooses not to follow its rules and conventions.
Off the hook: If someone is off the hook, they have avoided punishment or criticism for something they have done.

~ P ~

Packed like sardines: If a place is extremely crowded, people are packed like sardines, or packed in like sardines.
Paddle your own canoe: (USA) If you paddle your own canoe, you do things for yourself without outside help.
Pain in the neck: If someone is very annoying and always disturbing you, they are a pain in the neck. Pain in the butt, or pain in the ass (USA), and Pain in the arse (UK) are less polite alternative forms.
Paint the town red: If you go out for a night out with lots of fun and drinking, you paint the town red.

Paint yourself into a corner: (USA) If someone paints themselves into a corner, they get themselves into a mess.
Painted Jezebel: A painted Jezebel is a scheming woman.
Pandora’s box: If you open a Pandora’s box, something you do causes all sorts of trouble that you hadn’t anticipated.
Paper over the cracks: If you paper over the cracks, you try to make something look or work better but only deal with superficial issues, not the real underlying problems.

~ Q ~

Quarrel with bread and butter: Bread and butter, here, indicate the means of one’s living. (That is why we say ‘he is the bread winner of the family’). If a sub-ordinate in an organisation is quarrelsome or if he is not patient enough to bear the reprimand he deserves, gets angry and retorts or provokes the higher-up, the top man dismisses him from the job. So, he loses the job that gave him bread and butter. Hence we say, he quarrelled with bread and butter (manager or the top man) and lost his job.
Quart into a pint pot: (UK) If you try to put or get a quart into a pint pot, you try to put too much in a small space. (1 quart = 2 pints)
Queen bee: The queen bee is a woman who holds the most important position in a place.
Queen of Hearts: A woman who is pre-eminent in her area is a Queen of Hearts.

Queer fish: (UK) A strange person is a queer fish.
Queer Street: If someone is in a lot of trouble, especially financial, they are in Queer Street.
Queer your pitch: If someone queers your pitch, they interfere in your affairs and spoil things.
Question of time: If something’s a question of time, it’s certain to happen, though we don’t know exactly when.

~ R ~

Rack and ruin: If something or someone goes to rack and ruin, they are utterly destroyed or wrecked.
Rack your brain: If you rack your brain, you think very hard when trying to remember something. (‘Rack your brains’ is an alternative.)
Ragged blue line: (USA) This term was used to signify the Union forces (who wore blue uniforms) in the American Civil war .
Rags to riches: Someone who starts life very poor and becomes rich goes from rags to riches.

Rain on your parade: If someone rains on your parade, they ruin your pleasure or your plans.
Raining cats and dogs: When it is raining cats and dogs, it is raining very heavily.
Rainy day: If you save something, especially money, for a rainy day, you save it for some possible problem or trouble in the future.
Raise Cain: (USA) If someone raises Cain, they make a big fuss publicly, causing a disturbance.

~ S ~

Sacred cow: Something that is a sacred cow is held in such respect that it cannot be criticised or attacked.
Safe and sound: If you arrive safe and sound, then nothing has harmed you on your way.
Safe as houses: Something that is as safe as houses is very secure or certain.
Safe bet: A proposition that is a safe bet doesn’t have any risks attached.

Safe pair of hands: A person who can be trusted to do something without causing any trouble is a safe pair of hands.
Safety in numbers: If a lot of people do something risky at the same time, the risk is reduced because there is safety in numbers.
Saigon moment: (USA) A Saigon moment is when people realise that something has gone wrong and that they will lose or fail.
Sail close to the wind: If you sail close to the wind, you take risks to do something, going close to the limit of what is allowed or acceptable.

~ T ~

Tables are turned: When the tables are turned, the situation has changed giving the advantage to the party who had previously been at a disadvantage.
Tackle an issue: If you tackle an issue or problem, you resolve or deal with it.
Take a hike: This is a way of telling someone to get out.
Take a leaf out of someone’s book: If you take a leaf out of someone’s book, you copy something they do because it will help you.
Take a nosedive: When things take a nosedive, they decline very quickly and head towards disaster.
Take a punch: If somebody takes a blow, something bad happens to them.
Take a raincheck: If you take a rain check, you decline an offer now, suggesting you will accept it later. (‘Raincheck’ is also used.)
Take a straw poll: If you take a straw poll, you sound a number of people out to see their opinions on an issue or topic.

~ U ~

U-turn: If a government changes its position radically on an issue, especially when they have promised not to do so, this is a U-turn.
Ugly as a stick: (USA) If someone is as ugly as a stick, they are very ugly indeed.
Ugly duckling: An ugly duckling is a child who shows little promise, but who develops later into a real talent or beauty.
Uncalled for: If someone does something bad and unnecessary without consideration for anothers feelings, what they do is uncalled for.

Uncharted waters: If you’re in uncharted waters, you are in a situation that is unfamiliar to you, that you have no experience of and don’t know what might happen. (‘Unchartered waters’ is an incorrect form that is a common mistake.)
Uncle Sam: (USA) Uncle Sam is the government of the USA.
Under a cloud: If someone is suspected of having done something wrong, they are under a cloud.
Under a flag of convenience: If a ship sails under a flag of convenience, it is registered in a country where taxes, etc, are lower than in the country it comes from, so if someone does something under a flag of convenience, they attempt to avoid regulations and taxes by a similar means.

~ V ~

Vale of tears: This vale of tears is the world and the suffering that life brings.
Velvet glove: This idiom is used to describe a person who appears gentle, but is determined and inflexible underneath. (‘Iron fist in a velvet glove’ is the full form.)
Vent your spleen: If someone vents their spleen, they release all their anger about something.
Vicar of Bray: (UK) A person who changes their beliefs and principles to stay popular with people above them is a Vicar of Bray

Vicious circle: A vicious circle is a sequence of events that make each other worse- someone drinks because they are unhappy at work, then loses their job… ‘Vicious cycle’ is also used.
Virgin territory: If something is virgin territory, it hasn’t been explored before.
Volte-face: If you do a volte-face on something, you make a sudden and complete change in your stance or position over an issue.

~ W ~

Wag the dog: To ‘wag the dog’ means to purposely divert attention from what would otherwise be of greater importance, to something else of lesser significance. By doing so, the lesser-significant event is catapulted into the limelight, drowning proper attention to what was originally the more important issue.The expression comes from the saying that ‘a dog is smarter than its tail’, but if the tail were smarter, then the tail would ‘wag the dog’. The expression ‘wag the dog’ was elaborately used as theme of the movie. ‘Wag the Dog’, a 1997 film starring Robert de Niro and Dustin Hoffman, produced and directed by Barry Levinson.
Wait for a raindrop in the drought: When someone is waiting for a raindrop in the drought, they are waiting or hoping for something that is extremely unlikely to happen.
Waiting in the wings: If someone is waiting in the wings, or in the wings, they are in the background, but nearby, ready to act on short notice.
Wake up and smell the coffee: When someone doesn’t realise what is really happening or is not paying enough attention to events around them, you can tell them to wake up and smell the coffee.

Wake-up call: A wake-up call is a warning of a threat or a challenge, especially when it means that people will have to change their behaviour to meet it.
Walk a fine line: If you have to walk a fine line, you have to be very careful not to annoy or anger people or groups that are competing. (‘Walk a thin line’ is an alternative.)
Walk a mile in my shoes: This idiom means that you should try to understand someone before criticising them.
Walk a tightrope: If you walk a tightrope, you have to be very careful not to annoy or anger people who could become enemies.

~ X ~

X factor: The dangers for people in the military that civilians do not face, for which they receive payment, are known as the X factor.
X marks the spot: This is used to say where something is located or hidden.
X-rated: If something is x-rated, it is not suitable for children.

~ Y ~

Yah boo sucks: Yah boo & yah boo sucks can be used to show that you have no sympathy with someone.
Yank my chain: If some one says this to another person (i.e. stop yanking my chain) it means for the other person to leave the person who said it alone and to stop bothering them.
Yellow press: The yellow press is a term for the popular and sensationalist newspapers.
Yellow streak: If someone has a yellow streak, they are cowardly about something.

Yellow-bellied: A yellow-bellied person is a coward.
Yen: If you have a yen to do something, you have a desire to do it.
Yes-man: Someone who always agrees with people in authority is a yes-man.
Yesterday’s man or Yesterday’s woman: Someone, especially a politician or celebrity, whose career is over or on the decline is yesterday’s man or woman.

~ Z ~

Zero hour: The time when something important is to begin is zero hour.
Zero tolerance: If the police have a zero tolerance policy, they will not overlook any crime, no matter how small or trivial.
Zigged before you zagged: If you did things in the wrong order, you zigged before you zagged.
Zip it: This is used to tell someone to be quiet.
Zip your lip: If someone tells you to zip your lip, they want to to shut up or keep quiet about something. (‘Zip it’ is also used.)