English Idioms and Expressions
Alphabetical List of Idioms A, page 5,
from: 'upset the applecart ' to: 'at all costs'
- upset the applecart
- If you upset (or overturn) the applecart, you do or say something to spoil a satisfactory plan or situation.
"I hope Julie doesn't attend the meeting; she could upset the applecart."
- If you upset (or overturn) the applecart, you do or say something to spoil a satisfactory plan or situation.
- apple-pie order
- If something is in apple-pie order, it is well organised or in perfect order.
"They made sure the house was in apple-pie order before their parents arrived back home."
- If something is in apple-pie order, it is well organised or in perfect order.
- apron strings.
- If one person is tied to another's apron strings, they remain dependent at an age when they should be independent.
"All his decisions are influenced by his mother. He's still tied to her apron strings."
- If one person is tied to another's apron strings, they remain dependent at an age when they should be independent.
- argue the toss
- If you argue the toss, you dispute a decision or choice which has already been made.
"The final choice was made yesterday, so don't argue the toss now!"
- If you argue the toss, you dispute a decision or choice which has already been made.
- arm of the law
- This expression refers to the extent to which the authority or power of the law extends.
"He fled to South America hoping to escape the arm of the law."
- This expression refers to the extent to which the authority or power of the law extends.
- give your right arm
- If you say "Id give my right arm for that", you mean that you want it a lot and would do almost anything to obtain it.
"I'd give my right arm to have an apartment on Central Park."
- If you say "Id give my right arm for that", you mean that you want it a lot and would do almost anything to obtain it.
- cost an arm and a leg
- If something costs an arm and a leg, it is very expensive.
"The house cost us an arm and a leg, but we have no regrets."
- If something costs an arm and a leg, it is very expensive.
- be up in arms
- If you are up in arms, you are very angry about something and protest very strongly.
"The population was up in arms over the demolition of the old theatre."
- If you are up in arms, you are very angry about something and protest very strongly.
- keep someone at arm's length
- If you keep someone at arm's length, you do not allow yourself to become friendly with them.
"It's not easy to become friends with Sophie; she tends to keep everyone at arm's length."
- If you keep someone at arm's length, you do not allow yourself to become friendly with them.
- armchair critic
- An armchair critic is someone who gives advice based on theory rather than practice.
"That guy is such an armchair critic- no experience but plenty of advice."
- An armchair critic is someone who gives advice based on theory rather than practice.
- armchair traveller
- Someone who reads books or watches TV programmes about other places and countries, but doesn't actually travel anywhere,
is called an armchair traveller.
"A surprising number of adventure books are bought by armchair travellers."
- Someone who reads books or watches TV programmes about other places and countries, but doesn't actually travel anywhere,
is called an armchair traveller.
- as blind as a bat
- Someone whose vision is very poor, or who is unable to see anything, is (as) blind as a bat.
"Without his glasses, the old man is as blind as a bat."
- Someone whose vision is very poor, or who is unable to see anything, is (as) blind as a bat.
- asking for trouble
- Someone who is asking for trouble is behaving so stupidly that he/she is likely to have problems.
"Driving fast on these roads is really asking for trouble"
- Someone who is asking for trouble is behaving so stupidly that he/she is likely to have problems.
- asleep at the wheel
- If you say that someone isasleep at the wheel, you mean that they are not sufficiently attentive,
especially at a critical moment when vigilance is required.
"When the firemen arrived too late at the scene, the night watchman was accused of being asleep at the wheel."
- If you say that someone isasleep at the wheel, you mean that they are not sufficiently attentive,
especially at a critical moment when vigilance is required.
- at all costs
- If you are determined to obtain or achieve something at all costs, you want it regardless of the expense, effort or
sacrifice involved.
"The journalist was determined at all costs to get a report from the war zone."
- If you are determined to obtain or achieve something at all costs, you want it regardless of the expense, effort or
sacrifice involved.
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