1. to eat in/to eat out: to eat at home/to eat in a restaurant
- Example: I feel too tired to go out for dinner. Let’s eat in again tonight.
- Ex: When you eat out, what restaurant do you generally go to?
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2. cut and dried: predictable, known beforehand; boring
- Ex: The results of the national election were rather cut and dried; the Republicans won easily.
- Ex: A job on a factory assembly line is certainly cut and dried.
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3. to look after: to watch, to supervise, to protect (also: to take care of, to keep an eye on)
- Ex: Grandma will look after the baby while we go to the lecture.
- Ex: Who is going to take care of your house plants while you are away?
- Ex: I’d appreciate it if you’d keep an eye on my car while I’m in the store.
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| 4. to feel like: to have the desire to, to want to consider
This idiom is usually followed by a gerund (the –ing form of a verb used as a noun).
- Ex: I don’t feel like studying tonight. Let’s go to a basketball game.
- Ex: I feel like taking a long walk. Would you like to go with me?
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5. once and for all: finally, absolutely
- Ex: My daughter told her boyfriend once and for all that she wouldn’t date him anymore.
- Ex: Once and for all, john has quit smoking cigarettes.
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6. to hear from: to receive news or information from
- Ex: To hear from is used for receiving a letter, telephone call, etc., from a person or organization.
- Ex: I don’t hear from my brother very often since he moved to Chicago.
- Ex: Have you heard from the company about that new job?
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7. to hear of: to know about, to be familiar with; to consider
- Ex: The second definition is always used in the negative.
- Ex: When I asked for directions to Mill Street, the police officer said that she had never heard of it. Byron strongly disagreed with my request by saying, “I won’t hear of it!”
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8. to make fun of: to laugh at, to joke about
- Ex: They are making fun of Carla’s new hair style. Don’t you think that it’s really strange?
- Ex: Don’t make fun of Jose’s English. He’s doing the best he can.
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9. to come true: to become reality, to prove to be correct
- Ex: The weatherman’s forecast for today’s weather certainly came true.
- Ex: Everything that the economists predicted about the increased cost of living has come true.
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10. as a matter of fact: really, actually (also: in fact)
- Ex: Hans thinks he knows English well but, as a matter of fact, he speaks very poorly.
- Ex: I didn’t say that. In fact, I said quite the opposite.
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11. to have one’s way: to arrange matters the way one wants (especially when someone else doesn’t want to same way) (also: to get one’s way)
- Ex: My brother always wants to have his way, but this time our parents said that we could do what I wanted.
- Ex: If Sheila doesn’t get her way, she becomes very angry.
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| 12. to look forward to: to expect or anticipate with pleasure
This idiom can be followed by a regular noun or a gerund.
- Ex: We’re greatly looking forward to our vacation in Mexico.
- Ex: Margaret never looks forward to going to work.
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