English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
Alphabetical List of Idioms B, page 4
Idioms B, page 4: from: 'battle of wills' to: 'beat a dead horse'
- battle of wills
- A conflict, argument or struggle where both sides are
determined to win is described as a battle of wills.
"When they separated, neither party would make concessions - it was a battle of wills."
- A conflict, argument or struggle where both sides are
determined to win is described as a battle of wills.
- be full of beans
- A person who is full of beans is lively, healthy and
active.
"Charlie may be getting old but he's still full of beans."
- A person who is full of beans is lively, healthy and
active.
- be my guest
- The expression 'be my guest'
is
used to give someone permission to do something.
"If you'd like to use the phone, be my guest."
- The expression 'be my guest'
is
used to give someone permission to do something.
- be-all and end-all
- To say that something is not the be-all and end-all
means that it is not what matters most or what is most essential.
"Good schools are not the be-all and end-all of educating a child."
- To say that something is not the be-all and end-all
means that it is not what matters most or what is most essential.
- be that as it may
- The expression 'be that as it may'
means that while what the speaker says may be true, it will not change the situation.
"OK. Fewer people may come because of the bad weather, but be that as it may, it's too late to cancel the show."
- The expression 'be that as it may'
means that while what the speaker says may be true, it will not change the situation.
- bear the brunt
- A person who has to
bear the brunt of something is the one
who suffers the most when something bad or
unpleasant happens.
"When things go wrong, his assistant always has to bear the brunt of his anger. "
- A person who has to
bear the brunt of something is the one
who suffers the most when something bad or
unpleasant happens.
- bear fruit
- If something bears fruit, it produces
positive or successful results.
"After years of hard work, his research finally began to bear fruit."
- If something bears fruit, it produces
positive or successful results.
- bear in mind
- If a person asks
you to bear something in mind, they are
asking you to remember it because it is important.
"You must bear in mind that the cost of living is higher in New York."
- If a person asks
you to bear something in mind, they are
asking you to remember it because it is important.
- (like a) bear with a sore head
- If someone is behaving like a
bear with a sore head, they are
very irritable and bad-tempered.
"When his team lost the match, Brad was like a bear with a sore head."
- If someone is behaving like a
bear with a sore head, they are
very irritable and bad-tempered.
- beard the lion in his den
- If you visit someone important in the place where
they work, in order to challenge him/her or obtain something,
you beard the lion in his den.
"If he continues to refuse my calls, I'll have to beard the lion in his den."
- If you visit someone important in the place where
they work, in order to challenge him/her or obtain something,
you beard the lion in his den.
- beat one's brain out
- If someone beats their brains out,
they try very hard to understand something or solve a problem.
"My grandmother beats her brains out every evening trying to do the crossword puzzle in the newspaper."
- If someone beats their brains out,
they try very hard to understand something or solve a problem.
- (don't) beat around the bush / stop beating around the bush
- The expression 'beat around the bush'
is used to tell someone to say what they have to say, clearly and directly,
even if it is unpleasant.
"Stop beating around the bush. Just tell me what has been decided!"
- The expression 'beat around the bush'
is used to tell someone to say what they have to say, clearly and directly,
even if it is unpleasant.
- beat/flog a dead horse
- To say that someone is beating a dead horse
means that they are wasting time and effort trying to do or achieve something
that is impossible.
"Mark is beating a dead horse trying to get his money reimbursed.
The company has gone bankrupt!"
- To say that someone is beating a dead horse
means that they are wasting time and effort trying to do or achieve something
that is impossible.
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Please note that British English spelling is used on this website.