Phrases & Expressions

To make an attempt at something new or difficult; mainly British.

• None of us had ever put up a tent, but we had a crack at it anyway.
• Why don't you have a crack at fixing the bike yourself before paying someone to do it?

To face a hard struggle in order to achieve or protect something.

• If the council wants to close the village school, it will have a fight on its hands.
• We're two goals down at half-time, so we really have a fight on our hands now.

To have a strong and often unusual liking or dislike for something.

• My grandfather has a thing about punctuality – he gets annoyed if anyone is even a minute late.
• I've always had a thing about old maps, so I could happily spend hours in that museum.

To be mentally sharp and alert, ready to deal with whatever happens.

• When you're cycling in heavy city traffic, you need to have all your wits about you.
• 'You certainly have all your wits about you,' the doctor told my 96-year-old grandmother after her memory test.

To keep a hidden plan or advantage ready to use when the time is right.

• Don't worry about the negotiations — our manager always has a few ideas up her sleeve.
• The company has a new product up its sleeve, which it plans to launch before the end of the year.

Difficult and tiring to read, understand or deal with.

• The first chapter of the textbook is rather heavy going, but the rest is much easier to follow.
• I found the conversation at dinner quite heavy going because everyone talked about tax law.

To meet a small, unexpected problem that stops progress for a while.

• Work on the new bridge hit a snag when engineers discovered ancient ruins beneath the site.
• We were hoping to move house next month, but we've hit a snag with the mortgage.

Used to say that you think something is true but are not completely sure.

• The lecture might have been moved to Room 4 – I couldn't swear to it, though.
• I couldn't swear to it, but I'm fairly sure the meeting was cancelled because the manager was ill.

Said when you think that something you would like is very unlikely to happen.

• “The flight is half empty, so maybe the airline will upgrade us to business class.” “I should be so lucky!”
• “Perhaps your landlord will lower the rent next year.” “I should be so lucky! He puts it up every January.”

(UK) to spend a lot of time with someone as a friend.

• When I was at school, I used to knock around with a group of kids who loved skateboarding.
• His parents were worried about the older teenagers he had started knocking around with.