Phrases & Expressions

To be the thing that you remember most clearly from a time or experience.

• The kindness of the local people still stands out in my mind whenever I think about that trip.
• Of all the places we visited, the old harbour stands out in my mind the most.

A family member seen as a disappointment or embarrassment because they behave differently from the rest.

• As the only one who never settled down, my aunt was always seen as the black sheep of the family.
• After I dropped out of law school to become a musician, I became the black sheep of the family.

Used to say that the situation ahead seems hopeless or very depressing.

• When the factory closed, the future looked black for many of the town's young people.
• Many small farmers fear that the future looks black unless the drought ends soon.

The genuine, original or complete version of something, not a copy or substitute.

• Virtual museum tours are interesting, but nothing compares to standing in front of the real thing.
• After years of practising on flight simulators, he finally got the chance to fly the real thing.

Your husband, wife or long-term partner.

• I'd love to come to dinner on Saturday, but I'll need to check with my other half first.
• With both partners working long hours, many people say they hardly see their other half during the week.

Something you have done wrong that makes people think less of you.

• Missing the deadline for such an important client would be a serious black mark against the agency.
• Arriving late on your first day would count as a black mark against you before you had even started.

An unhappy existence full of hard work and problems.

• Working night shifts in a warehouse for the minimum wage was a dog's life, she said.
• In the nineteenth century, many factory workers led a dog's life, working long hours in terrible conditions.

A situation or subject that is unclear because the rules do not clearly apply to it.

• The use of AI tools to write student essays is still a grey area at many universities.
• Whether app-based delivery riders should count as employees is a grey area in employment law in many countries.

A situation in which everyone has the same chances and nobody has an unfair advantage.

• Without a level playing field, children from poor families will always find it harder to get into top universities.
• Small shops say they cannot compete on a level playing field with online giants that pay little tax.

A person you like and admire because they share your opinions, tastes or habits.

• You've brought homemade cake to the meeting? You're a woman after my own heart!
• A boss who lets everyone leave early on Fridays is a man after my own heart.