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to tell apart: to distinguish between
- The two brothers look so much alike that few people can tell them apart.
- That copy machine is so good that I can't pick the photocopy and the original apart.
- Most new cars are very similar in appearance. It's almost impossible to tell one from another.
all in all: considering everything
- There were a few problems, but all in all it was a well-organized seminar.
- Leonard got a low grade in one subject, but all in all he's a good student.
to pass out: to distribute; to lose consciousness
The verbal idiom to hand out can be made into the noun handout to refer to items that are distributed in a class or meeting.
- Please help me pass out these test papers; there must be a hundred of them.
- Alright, students, here are the class handouts for this week.
- The weather was so hot in the soccer stadium that some of the fans in the stands passed out.
to go around: to be sufficient or adequate for everyone present; to circulate, to move from place to place
- We thought that we had bought enough food and drink for the party, but actually there wasn't enough to go around.
- o There's a bad strain of influenza going a
to be in (the/one's) way: to block or obstruct; not to be helpful, to cause inconvenience
- Jocelyn couldn't drive through the busy intersection because a big truck was in the way.
- Our small child tried to help us paint the house, but actually he just got in our way.
to put on: to gain (pounds or weight); to present, to perform
- Bob has put on a lot of weight recently. He must have put at least fifteen pounds on.
- The Youth Actor's Guild put on a wonderful version of Romeo and Juliet at the globe Theater.
to put up: to tolerate, to accept unwillingly
- The employee was fired because his boss could not put up with his mistakes any longer.
- While I'm studying, I can't put up with any noise or other distractions.
in vain: useless, without the desired result
- All the doctors' efforts to save the injured woman were in vain. She was declared dead three hours after being admitted to the hospital.
- We tried in vain to reach you last night. Is your phone out of order?
day in and day out: continuously, constantly
- During the month of April, it rained day in and day out.
- Day after day I waited for a letter from him, but one never came.
- Year in and year out, the weather in San Diego is the best in the nation.
to catch up: to work with the purpose of fulfilling a requirement or being equal to others
The idiom is often followed by the preposition with and a noun phrase.
- The student was absent from class so long that it took her a long time to catch up.
- If you are not equal to others, first you have to catch up with them before you can keep up with them.
to hold still: not to move
- Please hold still while I adjust your tie.
- If you don't hold that camera still, you'll get a blurred picture.
to know by sight: to recognize
This idiom is used when the person has been seen previously but is not known personally. The person must be used to separate the idiom.
- I have never met our new neighbors; I simply know them by sight.
- The woman said that she would know the thief by sight if she ever saw him again.
to be the matter: to be unsatisfactory, to be improper, to be wrong
In a question, this idiom is used with what or something. In an answer, something or nothing is usually used.
- A: What is the matter, Betty? You look very upset.
B: Yes, something is the matter. I've lost my purse!
- A: Is something the matter, Charles? You don't look well.
B: No, nothing is the matter. I'm just a little under the weather.
to bring up: to rear, to raise from childhood; to mention, to raise an issue, to introduce a topic
- Parents should bring up their children to be responsible members of society.
- Sarah wanted to bring the scheduling problem up at the club meeting, but finally she decided against doing so.
- One of the students brought up an interesting point related to the subject in our textbook.
to get lost: to become lost; to go away in order not to bother
The second definition provides a very informal, even rude, meaning that should be used only with close friends. It is sometimes used in a joking manner.
- While driving in Boston, we got lost and drove many miles in the wrong direction.
- Todd kept bothering me while I was studying, so I told him to get lost.
- Lisa joked that she wanted her sister to get lost forever.
to hold up: to delay, to make late; to remain high in quality
- A big accident held up traffic on the highway for several hours.
- Deidre is amazed at how well her car has held up over the years.
to run away: to leave without permission; to escape
- The young couple ran away and got married because their parents wouldn't permit it.
- That cat is just like a criminal --- it runs away from anyone who tries to come near!
to rule out: to refuse to consider, to prohibit
- Heather ruled out applying to college in Texas because she would rather go to school in Canada.
- I'd like to watch a good movie on TV tonight, but a ton of homework rules that out.
by far: by a great margin, clearly
- Jacquie is by far the most intelligent student in our class.
- This is by far the hottest, most humid summer we've had in years.
to see off: to say good-bye upon departure by train, airplane, bus, etc.
A noun or pronoun must divide the idiom.
- We are going to the airport to see Peter off on his trip to Europe.
- When I left for Cincinnati on a business trip, no one came to the train station to send me off.
to see out: to accompany a person out of a house, building, etc.
A noun or pronoun must again divide the idiom.
- The Johnsons were certain to see their guests out as each one left the party.
- Would you please see me out to the car? It's very dark outside.
no wonder: it's no surprise that, not surprisingly
This idiom derives form reducing it is no wonder that…
- No wonder the portable heater doesn't work. It's not plugged into the electrical outlet!
- Jack has been out of town for several weeks. No wonder we haven't seen him recently.
to go up: to increase; to be constructed, to be erected
The second definition is the same as the one for to put up in Lesson 19, except that go up is not used with a noun object.
- Economists are predicting that consumer prices are going up. Inflation always has a tendency to drive up the cost of products.
- A new office is going up in the downtown area. A major construction company is putting it up.
to go up to: to approach
The related forms have the same meaning, but the type of movement is different.
- After the lecture, several people in the audience went up to the speaker to congratulate her.
- The little girl came up to me and shook my hand as if she had known me for years.
- Bill's friend didn't want to admit that they had gotten lost, but finally he agreed to drive up to a gas station and inquire about the correct route.
to hand in: to submit or deliver something that is due
- Every student has to hand in an original composition each week of the semester.
- All the salepeople hand their weekly reports in on Friday.
in case: in order to be prepared if
When the idiom occurs at the end of the sentence (the second example), then the meaning is in order to be prepared if something happens. The "something" might be an accident, a delay, etc.
- You'd better close the windows in case it rains.
- We should be sure to leave for the airport early, just in case.
- Cynthia, take one of your books in case you have some time to read on our trip.
to take apart: to disassemble, to separate the parts of something
A noun or pronoun usually divides this idiom.
- It is much easier to take a watch apart than it is to assemble it.
- The engine had a serious problem, so the mechanic had to take it apart completely in order to fix it.
to put together: to assemble
A noun or pronoun usually divides this idiom. The preposition back is used when something has been disassembled and then is being reassembled, as in the second example.
- Todd followed the directions on the box but he couldn't manage to put the bicycle together properly.
- After the teenager took the broken video game apart and fixed it, he was unable to put it back together again.
to be better off: to be in a more favorable condition or situation
The opposite of this idiom is to be worse off.
- Jim would be better off staying at home because of his cold.
- You'd be much better off working in an office than in a factory.
- The economies of some nations are worse off than they were several decades ago.
to be well-off: to have enough money to enjoy a comfortable life, to be rich
- They live in the best section of town in a large home; they are very welloff.
- By the time I reach the age of fifty-five, I hope to be well-to-do and to travel frequently.
to take by surprise: to surprise, to amaze, to astonish
A noun or pronoun usually divides this idiom.
- The offer of a high-paying position with another company took me by surprise.
- The president's announcement that the university was in financial trouble didn't take anyone by surprise.