Phrases & Expressions

To take part in the celebrations and enjoyable events of a festival or special occasion.

• Tourists are welcome to join in the festivities, which include street music and traditional dancing.
• Even the shopkeepers closed early so that they could join in the festivities in the main square.

Interesting and often shocking information about other people's private lives.

• Celebrity magazines sell millions of copies because readers love juicy gossip about famous people's relationships.
• My aunt always phones on Sundays to share the latest juicy gossip about the neighbours.

To drive past a traffic light when it is red instead of stopping.

• Cameras have been installed at busy junctions to catch drivers who jump red lights.
• The taxi driver jumped a red light and nearly hit a cyclist who was crossing the junction.

To continue doing what you have firmly decided to do, even when it is difficult.

• She kept her resolution to cycle to work every day, and she now feels much fitter.
• It is hard to keep a New Year's resolution after January.

(of a shop or business) to make sure that a quantity of a product is always ready to sell.

• Pharmacies try to keep popular medicines in stock so that customers never have to wait.
• We don't usually keep that model in stock, but we can order it for you within a few days.

To not feel sure of yourself or of your ability to do things well.

• Many capable students lack confidence in speaking exams because they worry too much about grammar mistakes.
• He is a talented designer, but he lacks the confidence to show his work to potential clients.

A reason for doing something wrong that is too weak for anyone to believe.

• Saying that the dog ate your homework is a lame excuse that no teacher will believe.
• He gave some lame excuse about the traffic, but everyone knew he had simply overslept.

To start a planned series of advertisements in order to promote a product, service or idea.

• The charity launched an advertising campaign to encourage more young people to donate blood.
• Before launching an advertising campaign, companies usually research which age group they want to reach.

To shock or amaze someone so much that they cannot find anything to say.

• The scale of the damage after the earthquake left the rescue workers speechless.
• His rude reply to such a polite question left me speechless, so I just turned and walked away.

To put an electrical device into a low-power mode instead of switching it off completely.

• I always leave my laptop on standby between lectures so I can carry on exactly where I left off.
• Many offices waste electricity overnight because staff leave their computers on standby instead of shutting them down.