Phrases & Expressions

To wait somewhere for a long time without doing anything useful.

• Stop waiting around and start working.
• He hates waiting around for public transport.

Used to say that if you help someone, that person will help you in return.

• I'll fix your bike if you help me paint — you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.
• You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours, right?

Asked when someone is unusually silent.

• What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?
• Has the cat got your tongue today?

Extremely ill and likely to die soon.

• He was at death's door last winter.
• After the accident, she was at death's door.

To hit someone repeatedly and violently so that they are injured.

• The gang beat up the shopkeeper during the robbery.
• The bully threatened to beat him up after school.

To become extremely popular very quickly online, causing a lot of discussion.

• Her new song is breaking the internet.
• That viral challenge is breaking the internet right now.

To make someone very angry or irritated.

• It really burns me up when people push in front of me in a queue.
• I can't believe Kristen didn't invite us to her wedding — it really burns me up.

To work very hard, staying up late and getting up early, until you are exhausted.

• She's been burning the candle at both ends to finish the project.
• If you keep burning the candle at both ends, you will get ill.

To stop doing something and go to bed or go home for the night.

• We walked around downtown for hours; it was so cold we were ready to call it a night by nine.
• Let's call it a night and meet back at the office at seven tomorrow.

A change in someone's opinion or feelings about something.

• He had a change of heart and decided to stay.
• What caused her change of heart about the job?