Phrases & Expressions

Wearing very fashionable and attractive clothes, often to impress.

• She came dressed to kill.
• He was dressed to kill.

Used to tell someone to be careful and slow when doing something.

• Easy does it — that vase is very old and fragile.
• Easy does it, lift the box slowly onto the table.

Excessively conceited or self-absorbed.

• After she won the award, she became really full of herself.
• Mitch thinks he's amazing — he's so full of himself.

To fail completely; to go bankrupt.

• Many people lost their jobs when the factory went belly up.
• My company lost $3 million last year; we might go belly up.

To act in a very firm and uncompromising way, especially in negotiations.

• The company is playing hardball in the pay negotiations.
• He decided to play hardball.

To do or say something that upsets a stable situation or causes trouble.

• Don't rock the boat; we need to keep things calm.
• He doesn't want to rock the boat before his promotion.

Extremely wonderful, desirable, or delicious.

• This cake is to die for.
• Her dress is to die for.

Used to say that something is impossible and will never happen.

• Will Ted teach Nicole how to play the guitar? When pigs fly!
• Sure, I'll give you my new laptop — when pigs fly!

To stop thinking or paying attention to what is happening around you.

• I zoned out during the long lecture.
• He zoned out for a moment and missed the question.

To be so frustrated or annoyed that you cannot deal with a difficult situation any longer.

• I'm at the end of my rope with this problem.
• She felt at the end of her rope after weeks of no sleep.