Phrases & Expressions

Used to ask what is worrying or annoying someone who seems upset.

• Tom has hardly said a word all day. What's eating him, do you think?
• You've been in a bad mood since lunch. What's eating you?

Used to ask why someone is behaving in an unusual or unexpected way.

• Sara is usually so calm, but she shouted at everyone today. What's got into her?
• My dad has started running every morning at six. I don't know what's got into him!

To go past someone or something very fast, often making a rushing sound.

• Cyclists in the city complain that delivery vans whizz past them with only a few centimetres to spare.
• We were standing at the side of the track when the racing cars whizzed past at incredible speed.

To work or succeed perfectly, exactly as you hoped it would.

• We were nervous about the new online booking system, but on its first day it worked like a dream.
• Pairing stronger and weaker students in the speaking lessons worked like a dream, and everyone's confidence grew.

Used to say that a place is completely silent, often because people are tense or attentive.

• When the head teacher walked into the exam hall, you could hear a pin drop.
• It's the kind of library where you could hear a pin drop, which makes it perfect for revision.

(old-fashioned, informal) during your whole life.

• I've never seen snow like this in all my born days!
• Grandma says that in all her born days she has never owned a credit card, and she isn't going to start now.

(British, informal) very fast.

• The new manager is making changes at a rate of knots, and some staff are struggling to keep up.
• We were driving along at a rate of knots when we suddenly saw the police car behind us.

To look or feel unhappy and discouraged; a rather old-fashioned expression.

• You look a bit down in the mouth today — didn't you get the exam results you wanted?
• After losing the final, the players were down in the mouth for days.

To work so hard that you become exhausted.

• There's no point flogging yourself to death for a company that doesn't value you.
• He flogged himself to death revising for his finals and then fell ill on the day of the first exam.

To place a small bet, usually just for fun.

• We had a little flutter on the World Cup final, just to make the match more exciting.
• There's nothing wrong with having a flutter occasionally, as long as you only bet what you can afford to lose.