📔 scare story



📋Meaning
A story or rumor that makes something seem more serious, dreadful, or terrifying than it really is.


🤔For example ⬇️

🗣Every year around Halloween, there's some scare story in the news about razor blades being found in candy.

🗣You just can't listen to all the scare stories people love to spread or you'd end up being afraid of everything!
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📔 hit the books



📋Meaning
 this is a commonly used expression among students, especially American college students who have a lot of studying to do. It simply means “to study,” and is a way of telling your friends that you’re going to study.


🤔For example ⬇️

🗣“Sorry but I can’t watch the game with you tonight, I have to hit the books. I have a huge exam next week!”

🗣 “Danny was in danger of failing, so before his last math test he left the show early to go home and hit the books.”
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📔 shank's nag



📋Meaning
One's legs and feet, used for walking; travel by foot. Also "shanks' nag." A reference to the shank— the lower leg between the knee and the ankle—and the use of ponies or horses for travel.


🤔For example ⬇️

🗣My bicycle fell apart three miles away from home, so I had to use shank's nag to go the rest of the way.

🗣Unfortunately, with the sedentary lifestyle many lead today, shank's nag has largely become an obsolete mode of travel.
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📔 Walking on air



📋Meaning
  Very excited or happy. “Over the moon,” “on cloud nine,” “in seventh heaven” and “in good spirits” 


🤔For example ⬇️

🗣 “She’s been walking on air since she found out that she’s pregnant.”
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📔 cowboy up


📋Meaning
To act tough and determined, like a stereotypical cowboy.

🤔For example ⬇️

🗣Come on, dude, cowboy up! We can totally make that jump on our bikes!
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📔 Straight from the horse's mouth




📋Meaning
  directly from the person who knows the most about the matter; someone who knows the facts.



🤔For example ⬇️

🗣 "I heard Andy got angry and quit this morning!" "Well, I can confirm it's true since I had lunch with Andy and heard it straight from the horse's mouth."

🗣 Look, if you don't believe me, go over to Sarah right now and get it straight from the horse's mouth.
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📔 cross (one's) bows


📋Meaning
To annoy or irritate.

🤔For example ⬇️

🗣Boy, you are really crossing my bows today. Why can't you just do what I ask without arguing about it?
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📔 Gain ground



📋Meaning
  To become popular, to make progress, to advance.



🤔For example ⬇️

🗣 “As Airbnb gains ground in many cities all over the world, many locals complain that they can no longer find a place to live. Landlords would rather rent their places out to tourists and earn more money.”
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📔 romp home



📋Meaning
To deftly or easily win a race, contest, or competition. Primarily heard in UK.


🤔For example ⬇️

🗣With her arch-rival out of commission with a pulled hamstring, the defending champion romped home at the Olympics once again.

🗣Showing their utter superiority on the pitch, the boys in blue look set to romp home to a 6–2 victory.
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📔 Lost at sea



📋Meaning
  To be confused about something or to feel unsure about what to do.

🤔For example ⬇️

🗣 “I am lost at sea with this new system at work. I just can’t understand it.”
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📔 plastic grin


📋Meaning
A forced, artificial smile; a smile someone wears despite having no feelings of happiness or joy.

🤔For example ⬇️

🗣John seemed fine at first glance, but before long I could tell that he was wearing a plastic grin and that something was bothering him.

🗣Look at his big plastic grin—he's such a con man! I sure hope he doesn't win the election.
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📔 the big picture



📋Meaning
  the situation as a whole.


🤔For example ⬇️

🗣 "he's so involved in the minutiae that he often overlooks the big picture"
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📔 thanks for nothing


📋Meaning
An expression of annoyance, exasperation, or disappointment when someone does something unhelpful or disagreeable.


🤔For example ⬇️

🗣Thanks for nothing, Dan. Now I have to go get all these posters reprinted because of your stupid typo.

🗣I can't believe you squealed on me to the principal! Thanks for nothing!
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📔 To pony up





📋Meaning
  To pay for something or settle a debt.



🤔For example ⬇️

🗣 “Pony up and give me the $5 you owe me.”

“I told my roommate Jane to pony up her portion of the rent money.”
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📔 not do a stroke (of work)



📋Meaning
To not do any work at all.


🤔For example ⬇️

🗣Now that Jim's retired, he just spends all day on the couch watching television. He won't do a stroke of work around the house!

🗣I'm going to have a long night ahead with this term paper, as I haven't done a stroke up till now.
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📔 Hit the Road



📋Meaning
  to leave (especially to go home); to depart on a journey (especially to travel to a place by car).



🤔For example ⬇️

🗣 I'm sorry but I have to go home—we're hitting the road to Chicago early in the morning.  

🗣 What time are we hitting the road tomorrow?
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📔 shank's nag



📋Meaning
One's legs and feet, used for walking; travel by foot. Also "shanks' nag." A reference to the shank— the lower leg between the knee and the ankle—and the use of ponies or horses for travel.


🤔For example ⬇️

🗣My bicycle fell apart three miles away from home, so I had to use shank's nag to go the rest of the way.

🗣Unfortunately, with the sedentary lifestyle many lead today, shank's nag has largely become an obsolete mode of travel.
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📔 wait tables



📋Meaning
  to serve customers food and beverages in a restaurant or cafe


🤔For example ⬇️

🗣 I waited tables for five years to pay expenses while I was in college.


🗣 Waiting tables is a popular job for students and artists.
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📔 send a shiver down (one's) spine



📋Meaning
To cause an intense feeling of excitement, exhilaration, nervousness, or fear in someone.


🤔For example ⬇️

🗣The way that sonata swells always sends a shiver down my spine.

🗣It sent a shiver down my spine when Dorothy gave me such an amorous look.

🗣Can we get out of here? This creepy old house is sending a shiver down my spine!
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📔 Not one’s cup of tea



📋Meaning
  If something is not your cup of tea, it’s an activity you have no interest in, don’t enjoy or don’t do well in.



🤔For example ⬇️

🗣 “Camping is really not my cup of tea so I’m going to visit my friend in New York instead.”
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📔 curse a blue streak


📋Meaning
To use profane language with great rapidity and intensity.


🤔For example ⬇️

🗣My dad cursed a blue streak after he found out I'd put a dent in his car.
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