Phrases & Expressions

To stay alone in a room or place for a long time, avoiding other people.

• The author locked herself away in a remote cottage for six months to finish her novel.
• It isn't healthy to lock yourself away for days, so try to see friends even when you're busy.

To start the official process of challenging a decision you think is wrong, especially in a court.

• His lawyers have lodged an appeal against the sentence, arguing that the trial was unfair.
• Students who disagree with their final grade can lodge an appeal within ten working days.

To see only the good parts of something, especially the past, and ignore the bad parts.

• Many older people look at their youth through rose-tinted spectacles and forget how hard life really was.
• It is easy to look at your childhood through rose-tinted spectacles, but my school days were not always happy.

To look very tired, ill and worried, especially in the face.

• After weeks of night shifts, the young doctor looked haggard and could barely keep his eyes open.
• Parents of newborn babies often look haggard because they rarely sleep more than a few hours.

Forgotten or unknown because it happened such a long time ago.

• Many ancient recipes have been lost in the mists of time because they were never written down.
• Exactly who built the first bridge here has been lost in the mists of time, but local legends suggest it was the Romans.

A business or activity that makes a lot of money.

• Selling online courses has become a lucrative business for some experienced teachers.
• Private tutoring is a lucrative business in countries where university entrance exams are highly competitive.

A way of presenting yourself as tough, fearless and aggressively masculine.

• Some sports campaigns try to challenge the macho image that stops young men talking about mental health.
• The fitness brand has softened its macho image in order to attract more women and older customers.

To give a rough figure based partly on guessing and partly on facts you know.

• I can't give you exact numbers, but if I had to make a guesstimate, I'd say about forty people will come.
• Can you make a guesstimate of how much the trip will cost, just so I know how much to save?

To give someone part of what they are asking for in order to end a disagreement.

• To end the strike, the education ministry made concessions to teachers, including smaller classes and less paperwork.
• Neither side was willing to make concessions to the other, so the negotiations collapsed.

To make broad statements that are not true in every case, often based on little evidence.

• In your essay, avoid making sweeping generalisations such as 'all teenagers are lazy'.
• It is unfair to make sweeping generalisations about a whole nation after one bad holiday.