BREAK IN, BREAK INTO
🔹- to enter a house using force
📌Alan was sleeping peacefully when he was rudely awoken by a crashing sound in the kitchen. He peaked his head over the covers and listened carefully. He could hear somebody moving about. Oh my God, he thought, someone has broken in. There had been a series of break-ins in the neighbourhood and now the thieves had decided to break into his apartment.
🔙 🔝
🔹- to enter a house using force
📌Alan was sleeping peacefully when he was rudely awoken by a crashing sound in the kitchen. He peaked his head over the covers and listened carefully. He could hear somebody moving about. Oh my God, he thought, someone has broken in. There had been a series of break-ins in the neighbourhood and now the thieves had decided to break into his apartment.
🔙 🔝
TO THROW TO THE WOLVES
verb
🔹 to leave (someone) to face criticism or challenges alone; to abandon (someone)
📌 He claimed not to know anything about the scandal and threw his assistant to the wolves.
📌 When the minister made yet another mistake, his colleagues threw him to the wolves.
📌 Don't try to throw me to the wolves. I'll tell the truth about the whole affair!
🐺
verb
🔹 to leave (someone) to face criticism or challenges alone; to abandon (someone)
📌 He claimed not to know anything about the scandal and threw his assistant to the wolves.
📌 When the minister made yet another mistake, his colleagues threw him to the wolves.
📌 Don't try to throw me to the wolves. I'll tell the truth about the whole affair!
🐺
CUT OFF 🔙 🔝
🔹 - have the supply disconnected
📌 If he was careful and spoke quietly, he could call the police from his bed but as he reached for his mobile, he realised he’d left it in the kitchen when he ordered the pizza. Luckily, he had a land line also, with a phone next to the bed. He picked up the receiver - nothing; it was dead. He put it down and tried again but still the same. He must have been cut off because he’d forgotten to pay the bill. Had he paid his electricity bill? He couldn’t remember; that could be cut off too - still there was no time to think about it now with a burglar in the kitchen.
✂️
🔹 - have the supply disconnected
📌 If he was careful and spoke quietly, he could call the police from his bed but as he reached for his mobile, he realised he’d left it in the kitchen when he ordered the pizza. Luckily, he had a land line also, with a phone next to the bed. He picked up the receiver - nothing; it was dead. He put it down and tried again but still the same. He must have been cut off because he’d forgotten to pay the bill. Had he paid his electricity bill? He couldn’t remember; that could be cut off too - still there was no time to think about it now with a burglar in the kitchen.
✂️
GRAY AREA
noun
🔹a situation in which the rules are not clear, or in which you are not sure what is right or wrong
📌 The responsibility for social studies in the college is a gray area. Several departments are involved.
📌 As with any law there will be gray areas, and different schools will interpret it in different ways.
📌 At the moment, the law on compensation is very much a gray area.
📁
noun
🔹a situation in which the rules are not clear, or in which you are not sure what is right or wrong
📌 The responsibility for social studies in the college is a gray area. Several departments are involved.
📌 As with any law there will be gray areas, and different schools will interpret it in different ways.
📌 At the moment, the law on compensation is very much a gray area.
📁
GET AWAY WITH SOMETHING
🔹 go unpunished 🔙
📌 His heart was pounding - what should he do? He could just wait until the thief had gone; that might be safest but why should he let him get away with it? Criminals were always getting away with things because people were too scared to challenge them. Anyway, this was his home, how dare he break in, take what he likes and just get away with it! No, he would have to stop him.
🚷
🔹 go unpunished 🔙
📌 His heart was pounding - what should he do? He could just wait until the thief had gone; that might be safest but why should he let him get away with it? Criminals were always getting away with things because people were too scared to challenge them. Anyway, this was his home, how dare he break in, take what he likes and just get away with it! No, he would have to stop him.
🚷
WHITE ELEPHANT
noun
🔹a possession that is useless or unwanted, and difficult to get rid of
📌 The painting is valuable, but no one wants a picture of a slaughterhouse, so it's really a white elephant
📌 The stadium is likely to become a white elephant after the championships are over.
📌 When he bought the mansion he didn't know it was going to be such a white elephant.
🐘
noun
🔹a possession that is useless or unwanted, and difficult to get rid of
📌 The painting is valuable, but no one wants a picture of a slaughterhouse, so it's really a white elephant
📌 The stadium is likely to become a white elephant after the championships are over.
📌 When he bought the mansion he didn't know it was going to be such a white elephant.
🐘
GO AFTER 🔙
🔹 - chase
📌 He looked around the darkened bedroom for something that might serve as a weapon but he wasn’t very sporty so there were no baseball or cricket bats lying around. The best thing he could find was a heavy dictionary - he could at least throw it and surprise him. He stood behind the bedroom door, then opened it as quickly as he could, switched the light on and flung the book in the direction of the noise. The source of the noise ran into the hallway and he went after him. He’d decided that even if the thief got out of the apartment he would go after him so he didn’t get away with it and break into more people’s homes. He ran into the hallway and switched on the light expecting to be confronted by the demon. A small pair of eyes looked up at him pitifully; small eyes and black fur; a little cat to be precise.
🐱
🔹 - chase
📌 He looked around the darkened bedroom for something that might serve as a weapon but he wasn’t very sporty so there were no baseball or cricket bats lying around. The best thing he could find was a heavy dictionary - he could at least throw it and surprise him. He stood behind the bedroom door, then opened it as quickly as he could, switched the light on and flung the book in the direction of the noise. The source of the noise ran into the hallway and he went after him. He’d decided that even if the thief got out of the apartment he would go after him so he didn’t get away with it and break into more people’s homes. He ran into the hallway and switched on the light expecting to be confronted by the demon. A small pair of eyes looked up at him pitifully; small eyes and black fur; a little cat to be precise.
🐱
LET IN 🔙
🔹 - to give access to somebody
LET OUT
🔹 - release
📌 How had the cat got into the apartment? Someone must have let him in. There weren’t any windows open. Perhaps, as cats do, he’d let himself in when the pizza delivery man came or more likely, when he was arguing at the door with Mrs Sokolowska; he was distracted and wouldn’t have noticed a cat letting himself in. Who’d ever let him in, he would be the one to let him out.
He opened the door saying - ‘Go on, off you go, you feline felon.’
The cat looked at Alan as if he were stupid to suggest such a thing then looked at the door, ran into the living room and hid behind the sofa.
🚪
🔹 - to give access to somebody
LET OUT
🔹 - release
📌 How had the cat got into the apartment? Someone must have let him in. There weren’t any windows open. Perhaps, as cats do, he’d let himself in when the pizza delivery man came or more likely, when he was arguing at the door with Mrs Sokolowska; he was distracted and wouldn’t have noticed a cat letting himself in. Who’d ever let him in, he would be the one to let him out.
He opened the door saying - ‘Go on, off you go, you feline felon.’
The cat looked at Alan as if he were stupid to suggest such a thing then looked at the door, ran into the living room and hid behind the sofa.
🚪
SLEEP ON IT 🔙 🔝
🔹 - leave a decision until the next day
📌 Alan closed the door and decided not to go after the cat. After all, nobody had broken in, it was just a cat who’d let himself in. The cat seemed to want to stay but he wasn’t going to play cat and mouse, chasing him round the room all night. He was too tired to think about it. He’d sleep on it and decide what to do in the morning.
🔹 - leave a decision until the next day
📌 Alan closed the door and decided not to go after the cat. After all, nobody had broken in, it was just a cat who’d let himself in. The cat seemed to want to stay but he wasn’t going to play cat and mouse, chasing him round the room all night. He was too tired to think about it. He’d sleep on it and decide what to do in the morning.
RECENT PHRASAL VERBS REVIEW PART I
Alan was woken up by a _______🔑. He tried to phone the police but his phone had been _________🔑. He decide that he wasn’t going to let the thief _________🔑 it and that he would _______🔑him. When he confronted the robber, he discovered that it was just a cat who’d _______ himself __🔑. He couldn’t decide what to do with the cat so he decided to __________🔑 it.
Alan was woken up by a _______🔑. He tried to phone the police but his phone had been _________🔑. He decide that he wasn’t going to let the thief _________🔑 it and that he would _______🔑him. When he confronted the robber, he discovered that it was just a cat who’d _______ himself __🔑. He couldn’t decide what to do with the cat so he decided to __________🔑 it.
RECENT PHRASAL VERBS REVIEW PART II
1. He’s cheeky to his mother but she lets him __________🔑it.
2. I’m at the main entrance, can you ________ me ___🔑?
3. It’s too important to make a quick decision, I’ll have to ___________🔑it.
4. Due to heavy snow, the mountain village is completely ___________🔑.
5. Was that the postman? I think he had a parcel for me. Will you __________🔑 him.
6. Thieves stole 20 bottles of whiskey when they _________🔑 the local shop.
1. He’s cheeky to his mother but she lets him __________🔑it.
2. I’m at the main entrance, can you ________ me ___🔑?
3. It’s too important to make a quick decision, I’ll have to ___________🔑it.
4. Due to heavy snow, the mountain village is completely ___________🔑.
5. Was that the postman? I think he had a parcel for me. Will you __________🔑 him.
6. Thieves stole 20 bottles of whiskey when they _________🔑 the local shop.
GO OFF 🔙 🔝
🔹- sound an alarm
📌 It seemed like Alan’s head had only just hit the pillow when the alarm went off. Normally, he set it for seven but when it went off at seven, he’d reset it so it went off at seven ten; then he’d reset it again for seven thirty. Usually, he reset it until eight and would be late for work. At one time, he was having trouble with his car alarm and it would go off in the middle of the night every time a car went past. He would have to go to the car and turn off the alarm. Sometimes it would go off all night so when his clock alarm went off, he wouldn’t hear it.
⏰
🔹- sound an alarm
📌 It seemed like Alan’s head had only just hit the pillow when the alarm went off. Normally, he set it for seven but when it went off at seven, he’d reset it so it went off at seven ten; then he’d reset it again for seven thirty. Usually, he reset it until eight and would be late for work. At one time, he was having trouble with his car alarm and it would go off in the middle of the night every time a car went past. He would have to go to the car and turn off the alarm. Sometimes it would go off all night so when his clock alarm went off, he wouldn’t hear it.
⏰
ANTS IN PANTS
noun
🔹not able to keep still, be very excited or worried about something
📌 The children are always jumping out of their seats and running all around, They seems to have ants in their pants.
📌She was very excited to be going to the party that night and had ants in her pants all day.
📌 He had ants in his pants – he could not wait to get started on his new adventure trip.
🐜
noun
🔹not able to keep still, be very excited or worried about something
📌 The children are always jumping out of their seats and running all around, They seems to have ants in their pants.
📌She was very excited to be going to the party that night and had ants in her pants all day.
📌 He had ants in his pants – he could not wait to get started on his new adventure trip.
🐜
GET UP 🔙
🔹 - leave the bed and become active
LIE IN
🔹- to stay in bed
📌 This morning Alan decided to get up straight away. Generally, Alan hated getting up. Perhaps he was lazy but he just wasn’t a morning person. At weekends, he didn’t get up until midday. He loved a good lie in. If he was rich, he would lie in every day but today, he felt that he should get up because he had something important to do - although, he couldn’t remember what.
🔹 - leave the bed and become active
LIE IN
🔹- to stay in bed
📌 This morning Alan decided to get up straight away. Generally, Alan hated getting up. Perhaps he was lazy but he just wasn’t a morning person. At weekends, he didn’t get up until midday. He loved a good lie in. If he was rich, he would lie in every day but today, he felt that he should get up because he had something important to do - although, he couldn’t remember what.
THROW AWAY/OUT 🔙
🔹 - dispose of
📌 Alan went into the kitchen to put the kettle on to make a cup of tea. Then he remembered he’d had to throw it away as he’d forgotten to fill it up. Alan didn’t like throwing things out. He was the sort of person who kept everything; you might even describe him as a hoarder. He always thought things might be useful some day so it was better not to throw them out. Perhaps he could repair the kettle but for now, he’d have to boil a pan of water. A morning without a cup of tea was unthinkable!
🚮
🔹 - dispose of
📌 Alan went into the kitchen to put the kettle on to make a cup of tea. Then he remembered he’d had to throw it away as he’d forgotten to fill it up. Alan didn’t like throwing things out. He was the sort of person who kept everything; you might even describe him as a hoarder. He always thought things might be useful some day so it was better not to throw them out. Perhaps he could repair the kettle but for now, he’d have to boil a pan of water. A morning without a cup of tea was unthinkable!
🚮
TO TEST THE WATERS
verb
🔹to check the likelihood of success before proceeding
📌 Before announcing their new initiative, the politicians tested the waters by conducting polls on the likely public response.
📌 Your idea might be popular with people, but before you start marketing it you should test the waters.
📌 We were testing the waters about this new magazine we wanted to launch.
🛶
verb
🔹to check the likelihood of success before proceeding
📌 Before announcing their new initiative, the politicians tested the waters by conducting polls on the likely public response.
📌 Your idea might be popular with people, but before you start marketing it you should test the waters.
📌 We were testing the waters about this new magazine we wanted to launch.
🛶
KEEP ON DOING SOMETHING
🔹 - continue an action 🔙
📌 Alan was standing dreamily watching the water boil when he felt some movement around his legs. ‘Hell! What’s that, a snake?’ He looked down, it was a cat. How could he have forgotten? That damn cat! The cat looked up at Alan and meowed. ‘Forget it.’said Alan, ‘You’re leaving today.’ The cat kept on meowing. ‘OK, OK’, said Alan, ‘I’ll give you some milk but then you have to go.’ Alan poured some milk into a bowl and the cat licked it up enthusiastically but then he kept on meowing. ‘Still hungry?’ said Alan as the cat kept on moaning pitifully and persistently.
Alan looked in his cupboards - no cat food of course, the only thing suitable was a tin of tuna; a nice, good quality brand with solid chunks of fish - far too good for a cat. The cat kept on whining annoyingly; Alan gave in and opened the tin.
🐈
🔹 - continue an action 🔙
📌 Alan was standing dreamily watching the water boil when he felt some movement around his legs. ‘Hell! What’s that, a snake?’ He looked down, it was a cat. How could he have forgotten? That damn cat! The cat looked up at Alan and meowed. ‘Forget it.’said Alan, ‘You’re leaving today.’ The cat kept on meowing. ‘OK, OK’, said Alan, ‘I’ll give you some milk but then you have to go.’ Alan poured some milk into a bowl and the cat licked it up enthusiastically but then he kept on meowing. ‘Still hungry?’ said Alan as the cat kept on moaning pitifully and persistently.
Alan looked in his cupboards - no cat food of course, the only thing suitable was a tin of tuna; a nice, good quality brand with solid chunks of fish - far too good for a cat. The cat kept on whining annoyingly; Alan gave in and opened the tin.
🐈