Phrases & Expressions

A polite way of saying that you disagree with someone's opinion.

• I beg to differ, but I think that plan has risks.
• You think it's too expensive? I beg to differ.

You accept complete blame for something bad that happened, or you are entirely in charge of a task.

• The project failed, and I take full responsibility.
• If anything goes wrong, I take full responsibility.

held captive

• Lions in captivity.
• Years in captivity.

in a state of having lost all hope

• He sat in despair, unable to move.
• She wept in despair.

Used to state the most important or basic part of a situation.

• In essence, we agree.
• In essence, the plan is simple.

chasing or trying to achieve

• In pursuit of happiness.
• Police in pursuit of suspect.

People tell the truth when they are drunk.

• After a few drinks at the party, he told me his secret. In vino veritas!
• After two glasses of wine he admitted everything – in vino veritas, as they say.

To die, said in a joking or informal way.

• The old dog finally kicked the bucket last winter.
• My old car finally kicked the bucket on the motorway.

To stop doing something that is bad for you, especially an addiction.

• He decided to kick the habit of smoking.
• It's hard to kick the habit.

To make a lot of money easily, especially when others thought it would fail or disapprove.

• He sold the old car for a fortune and is laughing all the way to the bank.
• The investors are laughing all the way to the bank after the stock soared.