| 801. |
rough
– rough and ready
|
Simple or crude but effective. |
| 802. |
round
– go the rounds
|
To pass from one person to another. |
| 803. |
round
– in round figures
|
Express exact numbers as the nearest whole numbers. |
| 804. |
round
– round of applause
|
Audience or people are clapping to show their appreciation of something. |
| 805. |
round
– round someone up
|
To gather together a number of people |
| 806. |
rub
– rub one’s hands
|
Indicate personal satisfaction with what one has done or what has happened. |
| 807. |
rub
– rub shoulders with
|
Come into contact with. |
| 808. |
rule
- as a rule
|
Usually the case; usually true. |
| 809. |
rule
- rule of law
|
Situation in which everyone is subject to and abides by the law. |
| 810. |
rule
- rule of thumb
|
A rough guide based on experience rather than theory. |
| 811. |
rule
- rule the roost
|
To be in control. |
| 812. |
runner
- do a runner
|
To flee the scene so as to escape from or avoid something. |
| 813. |
running
– in running order
|
Sequence in which events are arranged to take place. |
| 814. |
running
– in/out of the running
|
In/no longer in a contest. |
| 815. |
rush
– rush one’s fences
|
Do something hurriedly |
| 816. |
sad
– sadder but wiser
|
Learn something after its effect has become clear or understood. |
| 817. |
safety
– safety in numbers
|
Used to mean less danger in a lot of animals, people, etc. being together. |
| 818. |
salt
- worth one’s salt
|
Good at one’s job. |
| 819. |
same
– same to you
|
May you have the same thing. |
| 820. |
save
– save one’s breath
|
Not worth saying anything. |
| 821. |
save
– save one’s skin
|
Look after one’s own safety. |
| 822. |
save
– save the day
|
Solve a problem. |
| 823. |
scene
- behind the scenes
|
In secret away from public view. |
| 824. |
scene
– hit the scene
|
To arrive; appear. |
| 825. |
scene
– not one’s scene
|
Not something someone is interested in. |
| 826. |
score
– on that score
|
Concerning something just mentioned. |
| 827. |
score
– settle a score
|
To inflict revenge on someone who has caused an injury or harm to oneself. |
| 828. |
scrape
- in a scrape
|
In difficulty. |
| 829. |
scrape
- scrape the barrel
|
Using the last, remaining, low quality of resources. |
| 830. |
scratch
- scratch a living
|
Manage with just enough to survive on. |
| 831. |
scratch
– scratch one’s head
|
Be confused, seeking a solution. |
| 832. |
scratch
– scratch the surface
|
Deal with a matter but not thoroughly enough. |
| 833. |
scratch
- up to scratch
|
Good enough to meet a certain standard. |
| 834. |
second
- second to none
|
The best. |
| 835. |
seller
- a seller’s market
|
Situation in which demand of goods and shares is more than supply, and prices are generally high. |
| 836. |
sense
– make sense of
|
To find or seek out the meaning of something |
| 837. |
serve
– serve a sentence
|
Spend a period of time in a prison. |
| 838. |
serve
– serve one’s country
|
To fight for one’s country. |
| 839. |
serve
– serve someone right
|
Someone who deserves the punishment or misfortune. |
| 840. |
service
- be of service
|
Be available to help if help is needed. |
| 841. |
set
– be set on
|
To be very determined about doing something. |
| 842. |
shadow
– shadow of death
|
Intense gloom or peril. |
| 843. |
shelf
- off the shelf
|
Ready for purchase without having to place an order. |
| 844. |
shelf
- on the shelf
|
No longer useful or desirable; too old to get married. |
| 845. |
shit
- be shitting bricks
|
To be in an extreme anxious and frightened state. |
| 846. |
shit
– full of shit
|
Use to describe what someone says is stupid. |
| 847. |
shit
– in the shit
|
To be in deep trouble. |
| 848. |
shoestring
- on a shoestring
|
Cheaply, without spending much money. |
| 849. |
short
– in short supply
|
Insufficient to meet the demand of a commodity, etc. |
| 850. |
short
– short of breath
|
Breathing with short, quick breaths. |
| 851. |
shot
– a long shot
|
A poor guess or attempt at something |
| 852. |
shot
– a parting shot
|
A remark that one makes before leaving. |
| 853. |
shoulder
– shoulder to shoulder
|
Together with mutual cooperation and support. |
| 854. |
sick
– sick to death
|
Extremely fed up and annoyed by constant exposure to something. |
| 855. |
sight
– at first sight
|
First impression conveyed by something; when first seen. |
| 856. |
sight
– raise one’s sights
|
Aim to achieve something. |
| 857. |
sinew
-sinews of war
|
Money. |
| 858. |
six
- sixes and sevens, at
|
In a disorganized and confused state. |
| 859. |
skin
- skin and bone, be
|
Very thin. |
| 860. |
skin
- skin someone alive
|
To mete out very harsh punishment to someone. |
| 861. |
sleep
– put to sleep
|
To administer drug or anaesthetic to someone to make them unconscious; to kill an animal painlessly. |
| 862. |
sleep
– sleep a wink
|
Sleep for a brief moment. |
| 863. |
sleep
– sleep on it
|
To defer (a decision, etc.) to a later date. |
| 864. |
slip
– let something slip
|
To accidentally make known information that is meant to be kept secret. |
| 865. |
slip
– slip a disc
|
Suffer intense pain when a piece of the series of small bones forming the backbone becomes displaced. |
| 866. |
slip
– slip of the tongue
|
Make a mistake when speaking. |
| 867. |
slip
– slip one’s mind/memory
|
To forget to do something. |
| 868. |
slog
- slog it out
|
To battle or compete fiercely for something. |
| 869. |
sly
on the sly
|
Secretly; done in a surreptitious way. |
| 870. |
smell
- smell a rat
|
To detect something suspicious. |
| 871. |
snap
– in a snap
|
In a moment, immediately. |
| 872. |
son
– son of a bitch
|
Used to show total disrespect for or address someone in an insulting and offensive way. |
| 873. |
son
– son of a gun
|
Used to refer to someone. |
| 874. |
sort
– a sort of
|
To not exactly describe someone or something. |
| 875. |
sort
– in some sort
|
To a certain extent. |
| 876. |
sort
– of a sort/of sorts
|
Of an inferior or unusual kind, not worthy of its name. |
| 877. |
sort
- out of sorts
|
Not in one’s normal good health. |
| 878. |
sort
– sort of
|
To some extent; partly. |
| 879. |
spare
– spare no expense
|
To use unlimited amount of money as is required. |
| 880. |
sparks
– spark will fly
|
There will be a heated exchange. |
| 881. |
speak
– on speaking terms
|
Slightly acquainted. |
| 882. |
speak
– so to speak
|
Not exactly as it means; in some sense. |
| 883. |
speak
– speak evil/ill/well of
|
To refer unfavorably/criticize/praise |
| 884. |
speak
– speak one’s mind
|
To express freely exactly what one thinks. |
| 885. |
spick
- spick and span
|
Completely clean and tidy. |
| 886. |
spill
– spill one’s guts
|
Reveal willingly much information about something. |
| 887. |
spill
– spill the beans
|
To accidentally make known what is previously unknown or secret information. |
| 888. |
spin
– spin a story/yarn
|
Tell an untrue story to deceive someone. |
| 889. |
split
– a split second
|
An extremely brief moment of time. |
| 890. |
split
– split one’s sides
|
Laugh hysterically. |
| 891. |
sport
- be a sport
|
Used when seeking favour of someone. |
| 892. |
spout
- up the spout
|
Unsuccessful, wasted; pregnant. |
| 893. |
spread
– spread one’s wings
|
To expand one’s knowledge, experience, or interest |
| 894. |
staff
- staff of life
|
Staple food, especially bread. |
| 895. |
stand
– I stand corrected
|
Ready to admit one’s view or judgement is wrong. |
| 896. |
stand
– stand in line
|
Queue up. |
| 897. |
stand
– stand one’s ground
|
Stick resolutely to one’s opinion, etc. |
| 898. |
start
– for a start
|
To begin with. |
| 899. |
start
– to start with
|
To deal with the first thing or first part of something. |
| 900. |
state
– state of affairs
|
Situation. |