to criticise someone or something severely (verb)
slam(med) - /slæm/
if there is ____ ___ ____ between people, each person allows the other to get something that they want (phrase)
give and take - /ɡɪv ən teɪk/
to close a business, stop providing a service, or get rid of workers that you do not need (verb)
axe(d) - /æks/
to give information about something, especially something that should be kept secret (verb)
divulge - /daɪˈvʌldʒ/
to express strong approval or admiration for someone or something, especially in public (verb)
praise(d) - /preɪz/
involving one idea that is clearly right and another that is clearly wrong, so that it is not difficult for you to make a moral decision (phrase)
black and white - /blæk ən waɪt/
to be very quiet and shy (verb phrase)
not say boo to a goose - /nɒt seɪ buː tʊ ə ɡuːs/
a way of finding a good method that involves trying several possibilities and learning from your mistakes (phrase)
trial and error - /ˈtraɪəl ən ˈerə(r)/
to say publicly that you think someone or something is bad or wrong (verb)
condemn(ed) - /kənˈdem/
to not belong to a group that has information and makes decisions about something (verb phrase)
be out of the loop - /biː aʊt əv ðə luːp/
to argue very angrily with someone (verb)
clash(ed) - /klæʃ /
to promise seriously and publicly to do something (verb)
pledge(d) - /pledʒ/
to say that something such as a fact is not true or correct (verb)
dispute(d) - /dɪˈspjuːt/
to communicate with someone that you have not seen for some time in order to find out how they are, what is happening etc (verb phrase)
touch base with (someone) - /tʌtʃ beɪs wɪθ/
to praise someone or something (verb)
laud(ed) - /lɔːd/
used for saying that something is generally true, but not completely (phrase)
by and large - /baɪ ən lɑː(r)dʒ/
to talk to someone about something that has been worrying you, so that you feel better about it (verb phrase)
get (something) off your (his) chest - /get … ɒf jɔː(r) tʃest/
to stop something from continuing (verb)
quash - /kwɒʃ/
to promise that you will do something (verb)
vow(ed) - /vaʊ/
to cause a reaction, especially an angry one (verb)
provoke(d) - /prəˈvəʊk/
to tell private or secret information to journalists or to the public (verb)
leak(ed) - /liːk/
to understand something completely wrongly (verb phrase)
get (got) the wrong end of the stick - /get ðə rɒŋ end əv ðə stɪk/
used for saying that two people or things are completely different from each other (phrase)
chalk and cheese - /tʃɔːk ən tʃiːz/
used for saying that you did not know about something, especially when you are annoyed about this (phrase)
it’s news to me - /ɪts njuːz tə miː/
if two people .........., they become confused because they each think that the other one is talking about something else (verb phrase)
get (got) your wires crossed - /get jɔː(r) ˈwaɪə(r)z krɒst/
to decide not to continue with something such as a plan or an event (verb)
scrap(ped) - /skræp/
from one place to another and back again many times (phrase)
back and forth - /bæk ən fɔː(r)θ/
not certain and with a risk of death or serious failure (phrase)
touch and go - /tʌtʃ ən ɡəʊ/
to tell someone something, often something that should be kept secret (verb phrase)
spill the beans - /spɪl ðə biːnz/
known to be good and effective (phrase)
tried and tested - /traɪd ən ˈtestɪd/
used for emphasising the main point or the most important reason for something (phrase)
first and foremost - /fɜː(r)st ən ˈfɔː(r)məʊst/
stopping and starting again many times, rather than progressing steadily (phrase)
in fits and starts - /ɪn fɪts ən stɑː(r)ts/
all the details or facts that you need to know in order to deal with a complicated situation, process, etc. (phrase)
the ins and outs - /ðiː ɪnz ən aʊts/
to remove someone from a position of power, especially in order to take that position (verb)
oust(ed) - /aʊst/
to understand the basic meaning that someone is trying to express (verb phrase)
catch (someone’s) drift - /kætʃ … drɪft/
to praise someone or something because you want other people to think they are good or important (verb)
tout(ed) - /taʊt/
to spend a long time getting to the main point of what you are saying, especially because it is embarrassing (verb phrase)
beat around the bush - /biːt əˈraʊnd ðə bʊʃ/
instructions and warnings about what you should and should not do in a particular situation (phrase)
dos and don’ts - /duːz ən dəʊnts/
already clearly decided or settled (phrase)
cut and dried - /kʌt ən draɪd/
to make something happen, especially something involving violence or angry feelings (verb)
spark(ed) - /spɑː(r)k/