Phrases & Expressions

To respect and admire someone very much.

• Nurses are held in high regard by the public, yet many of them are still poorly paid.
• Professor Aydın holds her former students in high regard and still follows their careers closely.

To be the thing that can explain a mystery or solve a problem.

• Detectives believe the missing laptop could hold the key to solving the case.
• The former manager's emails may hold the key to understanding why the company collapsed so suddenly.

Very large crowds of tourists, seen as unpleasant or annoying.

• Several historic cities have introduced entry fees to control the hordes of tourists who arrive every summer.
• We avoided the main square because of the hordes of tourists taking photos.

Used to say that you think something is true but are not completely sure.

• The lecture might have been moved to Room 4 – I couldn't swear to it, though.
• I couldn't swear to it, but I'm fairly sure the meeting was cancelled because the manager was ill.

Said when you think that something you would like is very unlikely to happen.

• “The flight is half empty, so maybe the airline will upgrade us to business class.” “I should be so lucky!”
• “Perhaps your landlord will lower the rent next year.” “I should be so lucky! He puts it up every January.”

The sending of goods to a customer as soon as an order has been placed.

• All items in stock are available for immediate dispatch and normally arrive within two working days.
• The shop promises immediate dispatch, but my order did not leave the warehouse for a week.

To bring formal charges against a president or other high-ranking official, which can lead to removal from office.

• Parliament voted to impeach the president after evidence emerged that he had accepted bribes.
• Opposition MPs tried to impeach the president over the corruption scandal, but they did not have enough votes.

Service that is perfect in every way, with no faults at all.

• The hotel is not cheap, but guests always praise its impeccable service and spotless rooms.
• Luxury brands rely on impeccable service to justify the high prices they charge.

To officially stop all trade in something, such as weapons or oil, with a particular country.

• Several governments imposed an embargo on arms sales to the region after the fighting began.
• The UN imposed an oil embargo on the country, which severely damaged its economy within months.

With an imaginative meaning that compares one thing to another, rather than the basic one.

• When politicians talk about 'building bridges', they are using the words in a metaphorical sense, not discussing construction.
• The novel describes a long journey, but the journey should also be understood in a metaphorical sense, as the hero grows up.