Phrases & Expressions

No longer in contact with someone.

• We have been out of touch since we finished school.
• I lost her number, so we got out of touch.

To do something at a speed or intensity that you can maintain without becoming too tired.

• Pace yourself during the marathon.
• Don't try to do everything at once; pace yourself.

A very annoying or troublesome person or thing.

• Yesterday I had to stay home all day waiting for the repairman — what a pain in the neck!
• Alice wants me to drive her to the airport early tomorrow morning — that's going to be a pain in the neck.

To succeed in a test, exam, or challenge very easily and with excellent results.

• She passed the exam with flying colors.
• The team passed the project review with flying colors.

To suffer the negative consequences of something you have done.

• He made a bad decision and had to pay the price.
• If you break the rules, you will pay the price.

Used to tell someone to choose between options that are all unpleasant.

• You can clean the kitchen or the bathroom, so pick your poison.
• The early train is crowded and the late one is slow, so pick your poison.

To decide as the situation develops.

• I don't know how long we'll stay, so let's play it by ear.
• We'll play it by ear tonight.

Said to comfort someone: there are many other people or chances, especially after a relationship ends.

• Don't be sad, there are plenty of fish in the sea.
• She broke up with him, but there are plenty of fish in the sea.

To decide to do something and to try very hard to achieve it.

• You can achieve anything if you put your mind to it.
• She put her mind to learning the new language.

A topic or activity that pulls you in so much that you spend far more time on it than you meant to.

• I went down a rabbit hole researching ancient Egypt.
• Be careful, it's a real rabbit hole.