Phrases & Expressions

To cause harm or damage to something or someone.

• The storm did serious damage to the roof.
• Smoking does great damage to your lungs.

To cause hurt, injury or bad effects.

• Too much sun can do harm to your skin.
• A little praise will do no harm.

To do something again from the beginning, often because it was not done well before.

• The teacher told me to do my homework over.
• We had to do the whole report over.

A polite way to ask someone to do something for you.

• Do you mind closing the window?
• Do you mind waiting a moment?

Feeling very sad or unhappy.

• Lisa is down in the dumps because her cat died.
• It's easy to feel down in the dumps when it's raining.

To continue for a long time in a boring or unpleasant way.

• The meeting dragged on for nearly three hours.
• The court case dragged on for years.

To form an opinion from evidence.

• Don't draw conclusions too quickly.
• It is too early to draw a conclusion from this data.

To move backwards away from something, often because of fear or surprise.

• He drew back in fear.
• The cat drew back when the dog started barking.

To attract someone's interest or make someone take part.

• The story drew me in from the first page.
• The teacher tried to draw in the shy students during the discussion.

To gradually slip into sleep.

• He started to drift off during the movie.
• I often drift off on the train.