Phrases & Expressions

Admired and praised a great deal, especially by critics or experts.

• Her research on cleaning polluted rivers was highly praised at an international conference last spring.
• The hospital's new cancer unit has been highly praised for its short waiting times.

To suddenly become an important news story that everyone is talking about.

• The small town hit the headlines when a rare dinosaur skeleton was found in a local quarry.
• Plastic pollution has hit the headlines again after a new report on ocean waste.

To suddenly become extremely angry.

• Our landlord hit the roof when he discovered we'd been keeping a cat in the flat.
• If the manager finds out we've missed the deadline again, she'll hit the roof.

To reach the amount of sales you were aiming for.

• The team hit their sales target for the third month in a row.
• She was proud to hit her sales target early.

To invite journalists to an event where you make an announcement and respond to their questions.

• The health minister held a press conference to explain the new vaccination programme.
• After the match, the coach held a press conference and apologised to the fans for the team's poor performance.

To bring many people together in a public place to show support for a cause or to protest.

• Thousands of young people held a rally outside parliament to demand stronger action on climate change.
• The opposition party plans to hold a rally in the capital on the eve of the election.

To make a car horn produce a loud warning or greeting sound.

• The taxi driver hooted his horn impatiently when the car in front did not move at the green light.
• Drivers hooted their horns in celebration as the national team's bus drove through the city.

To search hard for something, often for a long time.

• Reporters spent weeks hunting for evidence that the factory had been polluting the river.
• As a junior reporter, she was always hunting for unusual local stories to impress her editor.

Used to say that you believe something is true because someone told you or you read it.

• I gather that the exam results will be published online next week.
• From what she said on the phone, I gathered that the job interview hadn't gone very well.

Used to show that you believe a fact is right but are not completely certain.

• If I recall correctly, the city first introduced a congestion charge about twenty years ago.
• We first met at a conference in Ankara, if I recall correctly, though it might have been in İzmir.