B1 (Intermediate)

jump down someone's throat

jump down someone's throat [idiom]

To suddenly become very angry at someone; to react or respond angrily to someone

jump down someone's throat -  به کسی پریدن
Example: 

I just said I couldn’t go to his party but suddenly he started shouting at me and called me unreliable. I don’t know why he jumped down my throat.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

jump down somebody’s throatinformal to suddenly speak angrily to someone

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
 

jump down sb's throat informal

to react angrily to something that someone says or does:

I made the mildest of criticisms and he jumped down my throat.

© Cambridge University Press 2013

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

jump down someone's throat in British

informal

to address or reply to someone with unexpected sharpness

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary: 

jump down someone's throat

idiom

Definition of jump down someone's throat

informal

to respond angrily to someoneHe jumped down my throat when I suggested a different plan.

keep something under your hat

keep something under your hat [idiom]

keep something a secret

keep something under your hat - صداشو در نیار
Example: 

We are going to have a surprise birthday party for Maria, keep it under your hat and don’t let anyone know about it.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

keep something under your hatinformal to keep something secret

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

keep (something) under one’s hat

to keep (something) secret

Keep it under your hat but I’m getting married next week.

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

keep sth under your hat

phrase

If you tell someone to keep a piece of information under their hat, you are asking them not to tell anyone else about it.

Look, if I tell you something, will you promise to keep it under your hat?

He kept it all very much under his hat.

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary: 

keep (something) under one's hat

 idiom

Definition of keep (something) under one's hat

to keep (something) secret to not tell anyone about (something)I'll tell you what happened, but you have to keep it under your hat.

hit the hay

hit the hay [idiom]

To go to bed

hit the hay - به رختخواب رفتن
Example: 

Hey kids, it’s already late, you have to go to school early morning. It’s time to hit the hay.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

3 hit the hay informal to go to bed

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

hit the hay

hit the ˈhay/ˈsack idiom

(informal) to go to bed

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
 

hit the hay/sack informal

to go to bed in order to sleep:

I've got a busy day tomorrow, so I think I'll hit the sack.

© Cambridge University Press 2013

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary: 

hit the hay or hit the sack informal : to go to bed
• I'm tired. I'm going to hit the hay.

take the bull by the horns

take the bull by the horns [idiom]

To confront a problem or a difficult situation fearlessly and in a determined way

take the bull by the horns - شاخ به شاخ شدن، رو در رو شدن
Example: 

Jake told me I had to talk to the manager and tell him about the promotion I want. We both know Mr. Johnson is a difficult person but I guess Jake is right and I have to take the bull by the horns and face it.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

3 take the bull by the horns to bravely or confidently deal with a difficult, dangerous, or unpleasant problem :

Nora decided to take the bull by the horns and organize things for herself.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

take the bull by the horns

take the bull by the ˈhorns idiom
to face a difficult or dangerous situation directly and with courage

Nora decided to take the bull by the horns and organize things for herself.

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
 

take the bull by the horns

to do something difficult in a brave and determined way:

Why don't you take the bull by the horns and tell him to leave?

© Cambridge University Press 2013

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary: 

take the bull by the horns : to deal with a difficult situation in a very direct or confident way
• She decided to take the bull by the horns and try to solve the problem without any further delay.

horse of a different color

horse of a different color [idiom]

(also a horse of another color American English) a completely different matter; entirely something else

horse of a different color - یه موضوع دیگه

یک موضوع کاملا متفاوت، یه موضوع دیگه (متفاوت با مطلب مورد بحث)

Example: 

I owe you some money, I know that, but telling lie to cover for your fault has nothing to do with it. It’s really a horse of different color.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

A horse of a different color(also a horse of another color American English) something that is completely different from another thing

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary: 

a horse of a different color

 noun phrase

Definition of a horse of a different color

chiefly US, informal

a very different thing or issueThat's what we'll do when he gets here. But if he doesn't show up…well, that's a horse of a different color

go to the dogs

go to the dogs [idiom]

If something is going to the dogs, it is in a bad condition (morally or physically) or is becoming worse.

go to the dogs -  به تباهی کشیده شدن
Example: 

Sue: Look at that beautiful house, I lived there as a child. Maya: That one in the corner? It’s too old. Maybe once it was beautiful but now it has gone to dogs. It needs lots of renovation I think.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

5 be going to the dogs informal if a country or organization is going to the dogs, it is getting worse and will be difficult to improve

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

go to the dogs

go to the ˈdogs idiom
(NAmE also go to hell in a ˈhandbasket) (informal) to get into a very bad state

This firm's gone to the dogs since the new management took over.

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
 

go to the dogs

If a country or organization is going to the dogs, it is becoming very much less successful than it was in the past.

© Cambridge University Press 2013

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary: 

go to the dogs informal : to become ruined : to change to a much worse condition
• Our favorite restaurant has gone to the dogs lately.
• The economy is going to the dogs.

out on a limb

out on a limb [idiom]

Having an opinion that is different from most people's and is unpopular

در معرض خطر - out on a limb
Example: 

The senator knew if he agreed with the reform insurance program, he would be out on a limb.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

1 out on a limb alone and without help or support :

All the other countries signed the agreement, leaving Britain out on a limb.

He’d gone out on a limb (= taken a risk ) to help us.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

out on a limb

out on a ˈlimb idiom
(informal) not supported by other people
Are you prepared to go out on a limb (= risk doing sth that other people are not prepared to do) and make your suspicions public?

His controversial stance has left him out on a limb.

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
 

out on a limb

having an opinion that is different from most people's and is unpopular:

She's going out on a limb in criticizing her own party leadership.

© Cambridge University Press 2013

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary: 

out on a limb : in or into a risky or dangerous position or situation
• She went out on a limb to help you. [=she took a chance; she did something that meant she could be criticized or harmed in some way]
• If you try to oppose the boss yourself, you're likely to get caught out on a limb.

scrape the bottom of the barrel

scrape the bottom of the barrel [idiom]

when you have to use the worst things or people because it’s the only thing you have

scrape the bottom of the barrel - کفگیرش به ته دیگ خورده
Example: 

I knew Barry couldn’t win the game but we had no other choice because there was no one left. We had to scrape the bottom of the barrel.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

5 scrape (the bottom of) the barrel   informal  

to have to use something even though it is not very good, because there is nothing better available :  
It was clear that the party was scraping the barrel for competent politicians.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

scrape (the bottom of) the ˈbarrel
(disapproving) to have to use whatever things or people you can get, because there is not much choice available

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary 9th edition © Oxford University Press, 2015

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
 

scrape (the bottom of) the barrel informal

to use the worst people or things because that is all that is available:

Richard's in the team? - You really are scraping the barrel!

© Cambridge University Press 2013

rack your brains

rack your brains [idiom]

To do your best to remember something or come up with a solution to a problem

به مغز خود فشار آوردن - rack your brains
Example: 

No matter how hard I was racking my brain, I couldn’t remember my colleague’s telephone number.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

rack your brainsto try very hard to remember or think of something I racked my brains, trying to remember his name.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

rack your brain(s)

rack your ˈbrain(s) idiom
to think very hard or for a long time about sth

She racked her brains, trying to remember exactly what she had said.

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
 

rack your brains

to think very hard:

I've been racking my brains all day but I can't remember her name.

© Cambridge University Press 2013

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

phrase

If you rack your brains, you try very hard to think of something.

She began to rack her brains to remember what had happened at the nursing home.

Pages

Subscribe to RSS - B1 (Intermediate)