phrase

informal

to stop criticizing or annoying someone, or behaving in an unpleasant way:

Give her a break - she's only a child and she didn't mean any harm.

Oh, give me a break - I'm doing my best here!

You're always criticizing me - give me a break!

brush something off

phrasal verb with brush verb

UK  /brʌʃ/ US  /brʌʃ/

to refuse to listen to what someone says, or to refuse to think about something seriously:

He just brushed off all their criticisms.

put sth away

phrasal verb with put verb

UK  /pʊt/ US 

putting | put | put

to save money to spend later or for a special purpose:

Parents should start early to put something away for their children - for college, etc.

burn through sth

phrasal verb with burn verb

UK  /bɜːn/ US 

past tense burned or UK also burnt

to spend money quickly:

The company is continuing to burn through the money it raised from investors earlier this year.

live paycheck to paycheck

idiom

US

: to spend all of the money from one paycheck before receiving the next paycheck

no skin off someone's nose

idiom

informal

—used to say that someone does not care or does not have a strong opinion about something

Go if you like—it's no skin off my nose.

make your way

idiom

C2

to be successful and make progress in your life and work:

He will teach you how to build a career and make your way in the world.

get/start the ball rolling

idiom

to make something begin or happen:

We have to get the ball rolling on this project soon.

get one's feet wet

idiom

: to begin doing a new job, activity, etc., in usually a slow and simple way in order to become more familiar with it

She got her feet wet at her new job by doing some simple filing tasks.

be like talking to a brick wall

idiom

If talking to someone is like talking to a brick wall, the person you are speaking to does not listen:

I've tried to discuss my feelings with her, but it's like talking to a brick wall.

go about something

phrasal verb with go verb

UK  /ɡəʊ/ US  /ɡoʊ/

present participle going | past tense went | past participle gone

to begin to do something or deal with something:

What's the best way of going about this?

[ + -ing verb ] How can we go about solving this problem?

have your head in the clouds

idiom

to not know the facts of a situation

sell-out

/ˈsɛlaʊt/

noun

2.

a betrayal of one's principles for reasons of expedience.

"one of the biggest political sell-outs in decades"

get along

phrasal verb with get verb

UK  /ɡet/ US  /ɡet/

present participle getting | past tense got | past participle got or US usually gotten

(UK also get on)

(BE FRIENDLY)

If two or more people get along, they like each other and are friendly to each other:

get along with I don't really get along with my sister's husband.

see eye to eye

idiom

C2

If two people see eye to eye, they agree with each other:

My sisters don't see eye to eye with me about the arrangements.

take charge (of something)

idiom

to accept responsibility for something and have control over it:

She took charge of the project and made sure it was finished on time.

wake up and smell the coffee

idiom   informal

used to tell someone that they are wrong about a particular situation and must realize what is really happening

neither here nor there

idiom

not important, or not connected with the subject being discussed:

Her age is neither here nor there – the real question is, can she do the job?

cut the cord

phrase of cord

cease to rely on someone or something protective or supportive and begin to act independently.

"the true innovators of hard rock, like Jimi Hendrix, finally cut the cord to traditional rock 'n' roll"

it's about time

idiom

informal

—used to say often in an annoyed way that something should have happened sooner

It's about time you got here. I've been waiting for over an hour!

"They're getting married." "Well, it's about time!"

face the music

phrase of face

be confronted with the unpleasant consequences of one's actions.

"we would later have to face the music over our bold moves"

sink or swim

idiom

If you are left to sink or swim, you are given no help so that you succeed or fail completely by your own efforts:

My employer gave me no help when I started my new job - I was just left to sink or swim.

cut something off

phrasal verb with cut verb

UK  /kʌt/ US  /kʌt/

present participle cutting | past tense and past participle cut

(STOP)

B2

to stop providing something such as electricity, supplies, etc.:

If this bill is not paid within five days, your gas supply will be cut off.

The aim was to cut off the enemy's escape route/supplies.