English Idioms & Idiomatic Expressions
Alphabetical List - S
(page 8 : short fuse → shrug
off)
| short fuse | When someone
has a short fuse, they are likely to
become angry easily or quickly. Be careful how you explain the situation. The boss has a short fuse these days! |
| short shrift | If someone or
something gets short shrift, they
are given little attention or sympathy. When the boss is very busy, he gives short shrift to anyone who bothers him. |
| shot in the dark | To refer to a question or statement as
a shot in the dark means that it is a complete guess, but at the same time it might be close
to the truth. He didn't know which players had been selected, so mentioning Carter's name was just a shot in the dark.. |
| call the shots | If you call the
shots, you are in command of the
situation and make all the important
decisions. Ask Julie - she's the one who calls the shots around here. |
| shotgun approach | If you use a
shotgun approach, you cover a wide
range in a non-selective, haphazard and
inefficient manner. Identifying a specific segment of the market as our target will be more effective than a shotgun approach. |
| shoulder surfing | The practice of looking over somebody's shoulder when they are using a computer, cash dispenser or other electronic device, in order to obtain personal information (identification, account number, password, etc.) is called shoulder surfing. |
| chip on the shoulder | If someone has a
chip on their shoulder, the feel
resentful because they feel they are being
treated unfairly, especially because of
their background, their sex or their colour. He's got a chip on his shoulder because he's from a working-class family. |
| give the cold shoulder | To give someone
the cold shoulder means to deliberately
ignore them. After giving my opinion, he gave me the cold shoulder. |
| shouting match | An argument or
debate where people shout loudly at each
other is called a shouting match. The debate between the two politicians turned into a shouting match which spoiled the event for viewers. |
| show of hands | A show of hands
is a method of voting where people give
their opinion by raising a hand. How many people agree? Could we have a show of hands please? |
| show one's true colours | When a person
shows their true colours, their
behaviour reveals their real nature, with
their qualities and/or weaknesses. In times of crisis people show their true colours. |
| show someone the ropes | If you show
someone the ropes, you teach or explain
to them how to do a particular job. The manager is busy showing the ropes to two new trainees. |
| get the show on the road | If you manage to
put a plan or idea into action, you get
the show on the road. OK, we've got all we need, so let's get the show on the road. |
| shrinking violet | A person referred
to as a shrinking violet is a timid
or shy person. The witness was a shrinking violet who had difficulty expressing herself. |
| shrug something off | If your shrug
something off, you dismiss it as being
unimportant. He was aware of the danger but he just shrugged it off. |
| ...back next... | |
alphabetical lists S ...
| S1 | S2 | S3 | S4 | S5 | S6 | S7 | S8 | S9 | S10 | S11 | S12 | S13 | S14 | S15 | S16 | S17 | S18 | S19 | S20 | S21 | S22 | S23 | S24 |
more alphabetical lists ...
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X-Y-Z |