Phrases & Expressions

To become active, healthy, successful or useful again after a period of being tired or neglected.

• After a hip replacement, my grandmother got a new lease of life and now walks five kilometres every day.
• The old railway station got a new lease of life when it was turned into a popular arts centre.

To put on smart clothes and make-up so that you look attractive, especially for a special occasion.

• We spent two hours getting dolled up for the party, and then it was cancelled at the last minute!
• You don't need to get dolled up – it's just a casual dinner with a few friends.

To receive extremely positive written opinions from critics or customers.

• The young director's first feature film got glowing reviews at several international festivals.
• Although the hotel got glowing reviews online, our stay there was a real disappointment.

To travel to remote or unusual places that most visitors never see.

• We decided to get off the beaten track and spent a week in a mountain village with no tourists at all.
• Guidebooks encourage travellers to get off the beaten track, but this can put pressure on fragile rural communities.

To have a very friendly relationship with someone and enjoy their company a lot.

• I was worried my parents wouldn't like my fiancé, but they got on like a house on fire from the very first evening.
• The two exchange students got on like a house on fire and are still in touch ten years later.

To receive official permission from the local authority to build or change a building.

• You need to get planning permission before you can add an extra floor to your house.
• The supermarket chain failed to get planning permission for a new store on the edge of the village.

To have someone's company without anyone else around, so you can talk or spend time alone.

• After the conference, I finally got my supervisor to myself and asked her about my dissertation.
• Her parents are always at home, so it's hard to get her to myself for a proper conversation.

To start to understand and deal with something difficult or new.

• Many international students take a few months to get to grips with academic writing conventions at British universities.
• I'm still getting to grips with the new software at work, so everything takes me twice as long.

To discover the real, basic cause of a problem so that it can be properly solved.

• Punishing pupils for bad behaviour achieves little unless schools get to the root of the problem.
• The engineers spent three days testing the system before they finally got to the root of the fault.

To find it hard to speak or express yourself because you feel nervous or shy.

• Whenever I meet someone I really admire, I get tongue-tied and say something silly.
• Many candidates get tongue-tied at the start of the speaking test, so it helps to practise the first questions.