Below you will find the phrases that have been added recently. You may submit as many phrases as you wish. Thank you.
Phrase: Live by/on your wits
Meaning: To earn or scrape a living cleverly, and sometimes dishonestly.
Examples:
When his parents died, he had to live by his wits, and now he is a millionaire.
He does not have a regular job. He lives by his wits.
I was all alone and without money in a far-off country, and had to live on my wits.
Date: 2018-04-23 18:25:29
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Subject: Life
Phrase: Put your head in the lion's mouth
Meaning: To take unnecessary risks, which may have very bad consequences:
Example:
You are putting your head in the lion's mouth by infiltrating that dangerous and powerful organisation. If they discover you, you will be put behind bars.
Date: 2018-04-23 18:24:45
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Subject: Risk
Phrase: Give somebody an inch, and (s)he will take a yard / mile
Meaning: You give/allow someone something, and that person keeps on asking for more.
Example:
The idea of having them at home did not appeal to me at all, but finally they convinced me because they said they would stay for a couple of days only. That was six months ago, and they are still at home. I gave them an inch, and they took a yard.
Date: 2018-04-22 22:25:19
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Subject: Miscellany
Phrase: Be child's play
Meaning: To be very easy.
Example:
This should be child's play for a professional like you.
Date: 2018-04-21 15:34:52
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Subject: Easiness
Phrase: Not to be a kindergarten
Meaning: If something is not a kindergarten, it is not child's play because it is difficult, tough, serious, that is, it is for professionals and experienced people.
Examples:
Climbing Everest is not a kindergarten. You need a lot of training.
Come on, boys, we are not in a kindergarten classroom. We need to be the best.
Date: 2018-04-21 15:34:27
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Subject: Difficulty
Phrase: Give someone / Get the boot
Meaning: To dismiss him or her, or to put an end to a relationship.
Examples:
He got the boot for crapping on the boss's desk.
His girlfriend gave him the boot because he had an affair with her sister.
Date: 2018-04-20 22:52:35
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Subject: Work
Phrase: o'clock
Meaning: It is short for "of the clock".
Examples:
We arranged to meet at ten o'clock in the morning, that is, at 10 am.
I went to see her at four o'clock in the afternoon, that is, at 4 pm.
It's eight o'clock, ie, 8 am or pm.
I want you there at six (o'clock) sharp, that is, exactly at the time.
Date: 2018-04-20 22:52:16
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Subject: Abbreviations
Phrase: And vice versa
Meaning: The reverse also holds true.
Example:
She translates from Esperanto into Catalan, and vice versa (ie, from Catalan into Esperanto)
Date: 2018-04-18 22:01:19
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Subject: Expressions
Phrase: PIN
Meaning: It stands for personal identity or identification number, ie, a password.
Examples:
Here are the new credit card and the PIN to access your account.
If you enter the PIN incorrectly three times, your mobile phone will be blocked.
Date: 2018-04-18 22:01:10
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Subject: Abbreviations
Phrase: Be king
Meaning: To be very popular:
That trademark was king in the fifties. Its products sold like hot cakes.
Date: 2018-04-18 22:00:16
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Subject: Success
Phrase: When hell freezes over
Meaning: That is, never.
Examples:
I'll vote for that political party when hell freezes over. I do not like it at all.
I'll use Google's services when hell freezes over. I do not like big brothers.
She can wait until hell freezes over. I won't go and see her.
Date: 2018-03-25 18:33:30
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Subject: Expressions
Phrase: The hell out of something or someone
Meaning: It means "very much", "as much as one can", that is, it acts as an intensifier.
Example:
As we could not defeat their unfair laws, we started to annoy the hell out of them. (ie, we started to annoy them as much as we could.)
Date: 2018-03-25 18:32:49
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Subject: Expressions
Phrase: GMT
Meaning: It stands for "Greenwich Mean Time". There is a synonym: UTC, which stands for "Coordinated Universal Time".
Example:
The rocket will be launched at 9.25 pm GMT.
Date: 2018-03-24 22:13:14
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Subject: Abbreviations
Phrase: Put an animal to sleep / Put an animal down
Meaning: To kill it.
Examples:
This dog has to be put to sleep to stop its suffering.
If your puppy does not gets any better, it will have to be put down.
Date: 2018-03-24 22:11:55
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Subject: Death
Phrase: Something gives you the creeps
Meaning: If something gives you the creeps, it makes you feel nervous.
Examples:
Reptiles give me the creeps. so I won't touch that lizard.
Cemeteries give me the creeps, so I won't go there tonight.
Date: 2018-03-24 22:11:38
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Subject: Fear
Phrase: ID
Meaning: It stands for "identity".
Examples:
I need your ID card, sir. This is a restricted area.
I don't have any ID on me. I forgot my passport in the hotel.
Date: 2018-03-24 00:29:30
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Subject: Abbreviations
Phrase: Home truths
Meaning: If you tell someone a few home truths, you tell him or her what you dislike about him or her.
Example:
I cannot put up with his behaviour any longer. I am going to tell him a few home truths.
Date: 2018-03-14 16:34:54
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Subject: Truth
Phrase: VIP
Meaning: An insulting abbreviation that stands for "very important person". This means that there are people more important than others, which is not true. Every human life has the same importance as the rest. There ought not to be any VIP's.
Example:
Rulers and bankers may get/be given the VIP treatment, but I have no time for them because I think they are the root of all evil. As time goes by, we have fewer rights, and less money; but they have more rights, more privileges, more impunity, and more money.
Date: 2018-03-14 16:34:41
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Subject: Abbreviations
Phrase: no (singular) / nos (plural)
Meaning: It is the abbreviation for "number(s)".
Examples:
We are in room no 203.
My favourite player is no 8.
My parents live at no 8.
Date: 2018-03-13 23:56:04
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Subject: Abbreviations
Phrase: VCR
Meaning: It stands for "video cassette recorder".
Example:
I haven't been able to find a VCR. This technology is obsolete, but it was so cool to record TV programs on tape.
Date: 2018-03-13 23:55:28
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Subject: Abbreviations
Phrase: ATM
Meaning: It stands for "automated teller machine", that is, a cash dispenser, a cashpoint, a cash machine. Or in other words, it is a machine for withdrawing money from your bank account.
Example:
Is there an ATM near here? I need some cash.
Date: 2018-03-12 23:08:20
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Subject: Abbreviations
Phrase: DNA
Meaning: It stands for "deoxyribonucleic acid". It refers to the genes, heredity.
Example:
Today we will explain how DNA sequencing works, and some DNA sequencing methods.
Date: 2018-03-11 19:20:36
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Subject: Abbreviations
Phrase: aka
Meaning: It stands for "also known as".
Example:
Samuel Langhorne Clemens, aka Mark Twain, was a great novelist.
Date: 2018-03-10 17:34:52
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Subject: Abbreviations
Phrase: SOS
Meaning: It stands for "Save our Souls". It is a message or signal asking for help. "Mayday" is a word that has a similar meaning.
Examples:
We have received an SOS / mayday signal from a ship. I think they are in trouble.
We have just sent out an SOS requesting food and medical supplies.
Date: 2018-03-09 18:41:05
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Subject: Abbreviations
Phrase: VAT
Meaning: It stands for "value added tax". It is a tax that everybody has to pay for goods and services.
Example:
Shop assistant: It's 121 euros, sir.
Customer: Here it says "100 euros".
Shop assistant: Yes, but VAT is not included in the price, and has to be paid.
Customer: 21% VAT is a rip-off! It should not exceed ten percent. As a matter of fact, I think VAT should not even exist. It is the result of the privatisation of state-owned companies.
Date: 2018-03-08 19:25:04
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Subject: Abbreviations
