Phrases & Expressions

When a situation becomes difficult or serious, and you must take action or make a decision.

• When push comes to shove, he'll always help his friends.
• When push comes to shove, you have to trust your own instincts.

with two spoonfuls of sugar

• Tea with two sugars.
• Two sugars, please.

To put your thumb into your mouth, often when feeling anxious or sleepy.

• The baby sucks her thumb when she is tired.
• He sucked his thumb as a child.

To be surrounded by or exposed to a lot of light.

• The stage was bathed in light.
• In the morning, the kitchen is bathed in warm light.

To make plans based on something good that you expect to happen in the future, before it actually happens.

• Don't count your chickens before they hatch.
• He's already planning his holiday, but he shouldn't count his chickens before they hatch.

A slogan promoting pet adoption over purchasing animals from breeders or stores.

• The campaign's motto is 'don't buy, adopt'.
• We need to spread the message: don't buy, adopt.

A saying that going to bed and waking up early is good for health.

• My parents always told me, 'Early to bed, early to rise.'
• He believes in the rule: early to bed, early to rise.

Used to describe a mix of Eastern and Western cultures, styles or food.

• Istanbul is often described as a city where East meets West.
• The restaurant's menu is all about East meets West.

To start doing something new for the first time, often in a small or careful way.

• She got her feet wet by volunteering at a local animal shelter.
• Let's get our feet wet with a small project first.

A question asking about the clarity of a radio transmission.

• How do you read me?
• How do you read, over?