S -Idioms

 sack out

- to go to bed, to go to sleep

I sacked out as soon as I arrived home last evening.
a sacred cow

- something that is never criticized or laughed at even if it sometimes deserves to be

The medical insurance system is a sacred cow of the government and is never criticized by anyone.
sadder but wiser

- unhappy about something but having learned something from the experience

The man was sadder but wiser after he learned that his wallet had been stolen.
saddle (someone) with (something)

- to give someone something undesirable or difficult to deal with

I try not to saddle my friend with the problems that I am having at work.
safe and sound

- to be safe/whole/healthy

We arrived at our destination safe and sound after a long journey.
to be on the safe side

- to take no chances

It may rain so to be on the safe side I think that I will bring my umbrella.
safety in numbers

- to feel safe by being surrounded by a large number of people

There was safety in numbers when the students went to complain to the principal about their new teacher.
sage advice

- very good and wise advice

I waited for my friend to ask me for my sage advice regarding his problems.
sail into (someone)

- to scold or criticize someone very hard, to attack someone

When I entered the office my supervisor sailed into me for being late.
sail right through (something)

- to finish something quickly and easily

I was able to sail right through the material for my final exam.
sail under false colors

- to pretend to be something that one is not

The politician was sailing under false colors when he appealed to the citizens for votes.
salt away money

- to save money

My friend has salted away much money from her new job.
salt of the earth

- basic and fundamentally good people

The members of our club are all the salt of the earth and are fun to spend time with.
same as (someone or something)

- to be identical to someone or something

My sister is exactly the same as the girl who lives down the block.
Same here!

- Me too! I agree!

"Same here," I replied when someone said that they were having problems with their Internet provider.
same old story

- something that occurs or has occurred in the same way before

It is always the same old story with my friend. He borrows money but he never wants to pay it back.
same to you

- the same comment applies to you

"The same to you," the boy said when his friend said that he was stupid.
sands of time

- the accumulated tiny amounts of time (like the sand in an hourglass)

The sands of time have done much to change the woman's attitude toward her sister.
save face

- to preserve one`s good reputation or dignity when something has happened to hurt it

Our boss was very embarrassed when our company lost a lot of money. However, he was able to save face when he showed that the problems were outside of his control.
save one`s breath

- to remain silent because talking will do no good

You may as well save your breath and not talk to her as she will not believe you anyway.
save one`s neck/skin

- to save oneself from danger or trouble

The man left the scene of the fire as soon as possible in order to save his neck.
save (something) for a rainy day

- to reserve something/money for the future

I always try to save some money for a rainy day when I get paid.
save the day

- to bring about victory or success (when defeat is likely)

The player saved the day for his team when he played his best game of the season.
save up for (something)

- to save money in order to buy something

My friend's brother is saving up for a new digital camera.
saved by the bell

- to be rescued from a difficult situation just in time by something that brings the situation to a sudden end

I was saved by the bell and do not have to give my presentation until tomorrow.
saving grace

- something that saves someone or something that would otherwise be a total disaster

The man's saving grace was his mathematical ability. His other personality traits were very strange.

say Idioms
say a mouthful

- to say something of great importance/meaning/length

"You certainly said a mouthful," I said when my friend began to tell me about his complaint.
say grace

- to say a prayer of thanks before or after a meal

The bride's father was asked to say grace before the wedding banquet.
say one`s piece

- to say openly what one thinks

I said my piece at the meeting and then left quietly by the back door.
say (something) in a roundabout way

- to say something indirectly

I had to say what I wanted to say in a roundabout way in order to make my point.
say (something) to (someone's) face

- to say something (often unpleasant) directly to someone

My supervisor always complains about me but she is afraid to say anything to my face.
say (something) under one's breath

- to say something so softly that almost nobody can hear it

The woman said something under her breath but I could not understand it.
say the word

- to give a sign, to show a wish

"Just say the word and I will come and meet you at the airport."
say uncle

- to surrender, to give in

The little boy was forced to say uncle and agree to do what the older boy wanted.

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scale (something) down

- to make something smaller by a certain amount or proportion

The government decided to scale down their plans for the sports stadium.
scare (someone) out of his or her wits

- to frighten someone very much

The dog scared the little boy out of his wits.
scare (someone) silly

- to frighten someone very much

The mouse scared the girl silly.
scare (someone) stiff

- to scare someone severely

The little boy was able to scare his little brother stiff when he decided to hide in the closet and scare him.
scare the (living) daylights out of (someone)

- to frighten someone very much

Falling off the bicycle scared the daylights out of the little girl.
scare up (someone or something)

- to find someone or something, to gather something with some effort

We were able to scare up a couple of sleeping bags so that we could go camping.
scared silly/stiff

- to be frightened very much

I was scared stiff during the horror movie.
scatter (something) around

- to carelessly put something in different places

My papers are always scattered around my house and I am never able to find them.
school of hard knocks

- the ordinary experiences of life

The man learned about life in the school of hard knocks.
school of thought

- a particular philosophy

There are many schools of thought about how the government should proceed with its new transportation plan.
scout around for (someone or something)

- to search here and there and all over for someone or something

The company is scouting around for a new warehouse for their products.
scrape the bottom of the barrel

- to take whatever is left after the best has been taken

The company is scraping the bottom of the barrel if they must give that woman a job.
scrape (something) together

- to gather small amounts of money or something (usually with some difficulty) for some purpose

We managed to scrape together enough money to go on a holiday even though business is very bad at the moment.
scrape (something) up

- to find or gather something with some effort

My friend scraped up some money and came to visit me during the summer.
scratch around for (something)

- look here and there for something

The woman was scratching around for some money to buy some food.
scratch (someone`s) back

- to do something nice for someone in the hope that they will do something for you

"You scratch my back and I`ll scratch yours," the customer said when we talked about the new sales contract.
scratch the surface

- to only begin to do or learn something

My friend is interested in classical music but she has only begun to scratch the surface of what is available.
scream bloody murder

- to complain bitterly about something

The woman screamed bloody murder when someone took her parking place at work.
screw around

- to loaf about, to pass time without doing anything

I screwed around all morning and did not get anything done.
screw up

- to make a mess of something, to cause trouble for someone or something

My travel agent screwed up my travel schedule and I had to stay at the airport overnight.
screw up one's courage

- to build up one's courage for something

I screwed up my courage and went in to ask my supervisor to transfer me to a different department.
scrimp and save

- to be very thrifty, to save up for something

I have been scrimping and saving in order to buy a new laptop computer.
scrounge around for (something)

- to look/search in many places for something

We did not have enough wood for the fence so we had to scrounge around the neighborhood to find some more.
seamy side of life

- the most unpleasant or roughest aspect of life

The policeman learned much about the seamy side of life during his many years on the job.
search high and low for (someone or something)

- to look carefully everywhere for someone or something

I have been searching high and low for my address book.
search me

- I don`t know, How should I know

"Search me," my friend said when I asked him what had happened to the front of his car.
search one`s soul

- to study and think about one`s reasons and actions to see if one has been fair and honest

I have been searching my soul to see if I could have prevented my friend's death in the car crash.
second-guess (someone)

- to try to guess what someone else intends to do or would have done in a situation

You should never try to second-guess the actions of the firefighters in a dangerous situation.
second hand

- not new, used by someone else

We went to a second-hand bookstore to look for the books.
second nature to (someone)

- to be easy and natural for someone

Playing a musical instrument is second nature to my friend.
second-rate

- to be not of the best quality

The performance of the school choir was second-rate and they need more practice to improve.
a second thought

- a thought that one has after thinking about something again

"On second thought maybe you should bring an extra coat."
second to none

- to be better than everything

The performance by the opera singer was second to none.
second wind

- energy that is regained after being tired

After we got our second wind we continued on our hike up the mountain.
security against (something)

- something that keeps something safe, protection against something

The money in the bank is my security against losing my job in the future.
security blanket

- something that one holds onto for reassurance or comfort (like a child and a blanket)

The boy uses his computer as a security blanket so that he does not have to go out and meet new people.
see Idioms
see a man about a dog

- to leave for some unmentioned purpose (often to go to the restroom)

I drank several cups of coffee and I soon had to stop my car to see a man about a dog.
see about (something)

- to check into something

I am going to see about getting the book before next week.
see double

- to see two of everything instead of one

I began to see double after I hit my head on the edge of the fence.
see eye to eye (with someone)

- to agree with someone

We do not always see eye to eye on things but generally I have a good relationship with my friend.
see fit to (do something)

- to decide to do something

I hope that my company sees fit to spend more time training its employees.
see no objection to (something)

- to not have any objection to something

I see no objection to my friend coming to the meeting with me.
see one`s way clear to (do something)

- to feel able to do something

"When you see your way clear to begin the job could you please come and tell me."
see red

- to become very angry

My friend saw red last night when I told him about the broken dishes.
see (someone or something) as (something)

- to consider someone as something

My friend sees me as an expert in financial matters although I am not.
see (someone) home

- to accompany someone home

I saw my cousin home after her visit last evening.
see (someone) off

- to go with someone to their point of departure

I went to the airport to see my mother off.
see (someone) out

- to go with someone out of a room/house

I went to the front door to see our guests out to their cars.
see (someone) to (somewhere)

- to escort someone to a place safely

I saw my friend to the door when he decided to go home.
see (something) out

- to finish something, to not quit doing something

I decided to stay with my company in order to see out the restructuring process.
see (something) through

- to do something until it is completed

I want to see the building project through until it is finished.
see stars

- to think that one is seeing stars as a result of being hit on the head

When I was hit by the opposing player I fell to the ground and began to see stars.
see the color of (someone's) money

- to verify that someone has (enough) money

I did not give anybody a ticket for the dinner until I saw the color of their money.
see the handwriting on the wall

- to know that something is certain to happen

We saw the handwriting on the wall and we knew that our company was going to go bankrupt.
see the last of (someone or something)

- to see someone or something for the last time

I was very happy to see the last of my friend who was visiting me.
see the light

- to realize your mistake, to suddenly see how to proceed with something

I finally saw the light and began to work at the same pace as everyone else.
see the light at the end of the tunnel

- to foresee an end to something such as a problem or a task

I could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel and I knew that I would finish the work soon.
see the light of day

- to be born, to begin

I do not believe that his plans to build a new house will ever see the light of day.
see the sights

- to see the important things in a place

We stopped downtown during our holiday so that we could see the sights.
see the world/things through rose-colored glasses

- to see only the good things about something, to be too optimistic

She is unrealistic and tends to see the world through rose-colored glasses.
see things

- to imagine sights that are not real, to think that one sees something that is not there

He is always daydreaming and imagining that he is seeing things.
see through (someone or something)

- to understand someone`s true character or motivation, to understand the real reason for something

I could easily see through the supervisor's attempt to fire the woman from her job.
see to it (that something is done)

- to take the responsibility to do something, to make sure that something is done

"Will you please see to it that the garbage is taken out in the morning."
see to (someone or something)

- to take care of someone or something

I will see to the rental car and my friend will see to the airplane tickets.
see which way the wind is blowing

- to determine what is the most suitable thing to do

I want to see which way the wind is blowing before I decide what to do about my job.

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seeing is believing

- one must believe something that one sees

Seeing is believing and I did not believe the price of the car until I actually saw it.
seize an opportunity

- to take advantage of an opportunity

I seized the opportunity to take the extra class as soon as I heard about it.
seize upon (something)

- to take hold of something and make an issue of it

The opposition politician seized upon the mistake of the other politician.

sell Idioms
sell like hotcakes

- to sell quickly, to sell rapidly

The tickets for the concert were selling like hotcakes when I called this morning.
sell out (someone or something)

- to be disloyal, to betray someone or something

The man does not want to sell out his moral values when he begins work for the new company.
sell (someone) a bill of goods

- to deceive someone, to get someone to believe something that is not true

I believe that the salesman sold me a bill of goods and the product does not have much value.
sell (someone) on a plan or idea

- to convince someone of something

I could not sell my friend on my suggestion that we buy a new computer together.
sell (someone) short

- to underestimate oneself or someone else

My friend is selling himself short when he thinks that he will not be good at any other job.
sell (something) out

- to sell all of something

They sold the concert out in every city that it went to.
sell (something) for a song

- to sell something very cheaply

They sold the furniture for a song.
sell (something) off

- to sell much or all of something

The computer company decided to sell off some of their real estate business.
sell (something) on credit

- to sell something now and let the purchaser pay for it later

We decided to sell the stereo system on credit.

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send Idioms
send away for (something)

- to write a letter asking for something

I sent away for some information but it has not arrived yet.
send (someone) about his or her business

- to send someone away (in an unfriendly manner)

I sent the man about his business when he interrupted my work last evening.
send (someone) off

- to participate in saying good-bye to someone who is leaving

We went to the airport in order to send off the company president.
send (someone) packing

- to tell someone to leave, to dismiss someone

The company sent the man packing because of his bad attitude to his job.
send (someone) to the showers

- to send a player out of the game and off the field/court etc.

The coach decided to send the player to the showers after his poor performance during the game.
send (someone) up

- to sentence someone to prison

The judge sent the man up for seven years for robbing a bank.
send (something) C.O.D.

- to send merchandise to someone who will pay for it when it is delivered

The company sent the computer printer C.O.D.
send up a trial balloon

- to suggest something and see how people respond to it

The company sent up a trial balloon to see how people would react to their new product.

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separate but equal

- to be segregated but of equal value or quality

The teaching staff and adminstration were separate but equal regarding decisions that were made at the school.
separate the men from the boys

- to separate competent people from less competent people

Some people say that joining the military is a good way to separate the men from the boys.
serve as a guinea pig

- to allow some kind of test to be performed on someone

The students served as a guinea pig for the school board's plan to change the school curriculum.
serve notice on (someone)

- to announce something to someone

We served notice on the apartment manager that we would leave the apartment at the end of the month.
serve (someone`s) purpose

- to be useful to someone for a certain need

The small screwdriver should serve my purpose until I find the correct size.
serve (someone) right

- to get the punishment or results that one deserves

My friend never studies at all so it serves him right to fail his exam.
serve time

- to spend time in jail

The man served time when he was young but now he is a good citizen.
set Idioms set a precedent

- to establish a pattern, to set a policy that must be followed in future cases

The legal case set a precedent that will be followed for many years in the future.
set a trap

- to prepare a trap to catch an animal or a person who is doing something wrong/illegal

The conservation officers set a trap to try and catch the bear.
set about to (do something or go somewhere)

- to begin/start something, to prepare to go somewhere

We set about to prepare the office for the move to a bigger building.
set back (someone or something)

- to cause someone or something to get behind schedule, to slow down someone or something

The flood set back the efforts of the farmers to plant their crops.
set eyes on (someone or something)

- to see someone or something for the first time

I do not know if my friend is here or not. I have not set eyes on her since yesterday.
set fire to (something)

- to put something to flames

The workers set fire to the building by accident.
set foot (somewhere)

- to step or go somewhere

I have never set foot in that restaurant and I never will in the future.
set forth (something)

- to explain something exactly or clearly

The manager carefully set forth the terms of the rental contract.
set forth (somewhere)

- to start to go somewhere, to begin a trip

We set forth on our holiday at 7:00 this morning.
set great store on (someone or something)

- to like or value someone or something

Our company sets great store on their ability to attract good people.
set in

- to begin and probably continue (used for a weather or mental condition)

The rain has set in and it looks like it will not stop for awhile.
A mild depression has set in for my neighbor
set in one's ways

- to lead a fixed lifestyle

My grandfather is set in his ways and he does not like to change his habits at all.
set one`s heart on (something)

- to want something very much

I set my heart on a nice holiday this winter but I will not be able to go because I have no money.
set one`s mind at rest

- to free oneself from worry

I told my father the reason that we can`t come in order to set his mind at rest.
set one's sights on (something)

- to select something as one's goal

The local politician has set his sights on being elected to a higher office.
set out (somewhere)

- to leave on a journey

Marco Polo set out for China many years ago.
set out to (do something)

- to decide and begin to try to do something, to attempt to do something

My friend set out to learn Spanish when he went to Mexico.
set sail

- to start sailing, to begin a sea voyage

The three women set sail for Hawaii on a small sailboat.
set (someone) back

- to cost someone

"How much did your new suit set you back?"
set (someone) back on his or her heels

- to surprise/shock/overwhelm someone

The announcement by the principal set the teachers back on their heels.
set (someone or something) free

- to release someone or something

The conservation officers went to the mountains and set the bear free.
set (someone or something) loose

- to set someone or something free, to release someone or something that you are holding

The wildlife department decided to set loose the bear that it had captured.
set (someone or something) straight

- to explain something to someone

The police officer set the woman straight about how the driving laws operate.
set (someone's) teeth on edge

- to irritate someone (often a person or a noise)

The constant noise from the stereo next door set my teeth on edge.
set (someone) up (in business)

- to help establish someone in business

My father helped to set my sister's husband up in business.
set (something) off

- to decorate something through contrast, to balance something by difference

We painted the trim of our house red in order to set off the light colors.
set (something) off

- to cause something to explode

The fire set off a large explosion on the ship.
set (something) right

- to correct something, to make something more fair

The man made an effort to set things right between himself and his brother.
set (something) to music

- to write a piece of music that is related to some written material

The composer has worked hard to set many great stories to music.
set the pace

- to decide on a rate of speed to do something that others will follow

The manager of the factory sets the pace for the employees under him.
set the stage for (something)

- to prepare for something

The win by our team set the stage for a great final championship game next month.
set the table

- to place plates/glasses/napkins on the table before a meal

I set the table for my mother while she was cooking dinner.
set the world on fire

- to do something outstanding, to do something that makes one famous

The author has not been able to set the world on fire with his writing but he is trying very hard.
set tongues wagging

- to start people to start gossiping

The actions of the supervisor set tongues wagging around our office.
set type

- to arrange type for printing

The small printing company worked all night to set type for the local paper.
set up (someone)

- to put someone in a position to be manipulated

I do not believe that I lost the money honestly. I believe that someone set me up.
set up (something)

- to establish something, to provide the money for something

The newspaper company provided the money to set up the new travel magazine.
The company set up a situation to test the new product.
set up (something)

- to make something ready to use by putting the parts together

After we set up the gas barbecue we were able to cook dinner.
set up shop (somewhere)

- to establish one's place of work somewhere

The small fire alarm company decided to set up shop in the suburbs of the city.
set upon (someone or something)

- to attack someone or something violently

The three young boys set upon the man on the city bus.

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settle Idioms settle a score with (someone)

- to retaliate against someone, to pay someone back for a past wrong

My boss is trying to settle a score with one of my co-workers for something that happened several years ago.
settle down

- to calm down

The baby finally settled down and went to sleep.
settle down

- to begin to live a quiet/stable life

My friend settled down and started a family after he finished university.
settle for (something)

- to be satisfied with less than you want, to agree to accept something as a second choice

I settled for less than I originally wanted but still I am happy with my new contract at work.
settle on (something)

- to decide on something

We finally settled on the fish dinner at the restaurant.
settle (someone's) affairs

- to deal with one's business matters, to manage the affairs of someone who cannot manage them

It was very difficult for my friend to settle his father's affairs after he passed away.
settle (something) out of court

- to settle a disagreement without having to go through a court of justice

The company was able to settle their lawsuit out of court.
settle up with (someone)

- to pay someone what one owes

I settled up with my friend before he left to work overseas.

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setup

- an arrangement, the details of a situation

My uncle has a very nice setup at his office.
seventh heaven

- a state of intense delight

The girl has been in seventh heaven since she got the music award.
sever ties with (someone)

- to end a relationship or agreement with someone or something

The large company decided to sever ties with the small advertising company.
sew (something) up

- to complete or secure something

The candidate for the nomination sewed up his victory last week.
shack up with (someone)

- to live with someone in a relationship without marrying him or her

When my sister was younger she shacked up with her boyfriend for a couple of years.
shades of (someone or something)

- a reminder of someone or something

The festival continued with shades of the large festivals of many years ago.
shadow of oneself/itself

- someone or something that is not as strong/healthy/lively as before

The professional boxer was a shadow of his former self.

shake Idioms shake a leg

- to go fast, to hurry

"You will have to shake a leg if you want to arrive at the movie on time."
shake (hands) on (something)

- to shake the hand of someone as a sign of agreement about something

I shook hands on the agreement that I had to take on more responsibility at work.
shake hands with (someone)

- to shake the hand of someone to greet them

I shook hands with my neighbor when I first met him.
shake/quake in one's boots

- to be afraid, to shake from fear

The little boy was shaking in his boots when the large dog approached him.
shake off an illness

- to become well/healthy again

My friend is unable to shake off her illness and cannot come to the party.
shake off (someone or something)

- to get rid of someone or something that is bothering you

I was able to shake off my cold after a weekend of resting in bed.
shake (someone) down

- to get money by threatening someone

The gangsters shook the small shop owners down to get some money.
shake up (someone)

- to shock or upset someone

The change in policies shook up many people in the company.
shake up (something)

- to reorganize something, to reorganize a group of people

The president decided to shake up the company in order to bring new energy into the organization.

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shaken up

- to be bothered or disturbed

I was shaken up after I heard about the fire at our apartment building.
shape up

- to improve one's behavior/performance/physical shape

He has finally begun to shape up and is doing his job much better.
shape up or ship out

- to either improve one's performance or leave

The new employee was told to shape up or ship out when his performance was not equal to the other members of the staff.
share and share alike

- have/get equal shares of something

We always share and share alike when we are on a camping trip.
share (someone's) pain

- to understand and sympathize with someone's pain or discomfort

I tried hard to share my friend's pain after his father died.
share (someone's) sorrow

- to grieve as someone else grieves

The neighbors shared the sorrow of the family who lost their house in a fire.
shed crocodile tears

- to pretend that one is crying

The man pretended to apologize for his actions but he was only shedding crocodile tears.
shed light on (something)

- to make something clearer or easier to understand

The speech helped to shed light on the political scandal.
shell out money

- to pay money

I shelled out much money for the new stereo.
shine up to (someone)

- to try to please someone, to try to make friends with someone

He is always shining up to his boss in the hopes of getting an increase in salary.
shipping and handling

- the costs of handling a product and transporting it

The cost of shipping and handling for some goods that are bought over the Internet are very high.
ships that pass in the night

- people who meet briefly by chance but are unlikely to meet again

We were like two ships that pass in the night and I do not think that I will ever see that person again.
shirk one's duty

- to neglect one's job or task

The guard was shirking his duty when he spent much of the evening playing cards.
the shoe is on the other foot

- the opposite is true, the places are changed

The shoe is on the other foot now that my neighbor has to deal with the same problems that we must deal with.
a shoo-in

- someone or something that is expected to win, a sure winner

The university president is a shoo-in to win another term in office.
shook up

- to be upset, to be worried

Our secretary was shook up after the accident and has not been back to work since.
shoot Idioms shoot for (something)

- to attempt to do something, to aim toward a goal

I was shooting for the local spelling championship before I could go on to a higher level.
shoot from the hip

- to speak directly and frankly, to fire a gun that is at one's side

The man often shoots from the hip and gets into trouble over what he says.
shoot one's mouth off

- to boast or talk too much

The boy was shooting his mouth off about his ability in sports.
shoot one`s wad

- to spend all of one`s money, to say everything that is on one`s mind

My friend shot his wad at a casino while on vacation last winter.
shoot out (something)

- to stick or throw something outward

The man shot out his foot from under the table and made his friend fall down.
shoot straight

- to act fairly, to deal honestly with someone

The salesman always shoots straight when he is dealing with his customers.
shoot the breeze/bull

- to talk idly

I met my friend at the supermarket and we decided to shoot the breeze for a few minutes.
shoot the works

- to spare no expense or effort to do something

They are planning to shoot the works with the victory celebration for the Olympic athletes.
shoot up

- to grow quickly

The boy seemed to shoot up quickly during the summer.
shoot up

- to rise suddenly

The flames shot up over the top of the building when the wind started blowing.
shoot up (drugs)

- to take drugs by injecting them

We were going to a movie when we saw someone shooting up heroin in the alley.
shoot up (someone or something)

- to shoot at someone or something recklessly

In many western movies the outlaws come into town and shoot up everything.

.


shop around for (something)

- to go to various stores to look for something

We shopped around for a month before we bought a new stereo system.
shore (something) up

- to add support to something which is weak

It was necessary to shore up the house after the mud slide damaged the foundation.
short and sweet

- brief and pleasant

My visit with my parents was short and sweet.
the short end (of the stick)

- unfair or unequal treatment

He always gets the short end of the stick when he is at work.
short for (something)

- something that is a shortened form of a word or phrase

The woman's nickname is short for her name which is very difficult to pronounce.
short of (something)

- to not have enough of something

We are short of sugar so I will buy some when I am at the store.
short shrift

- rude treatment

The woman received short shrift from her supervisor when she asked for a holiday.
a shot in the arm

- something inspiring or encouraging, a boost of energy

His job search got a shot in the arm when the company president called him in for an interview.
a shot in the dark

- an attempt at something without much hope or chance of succeeding

The attempt to find the small boy who had fallen into the river was a shot in the dark.
shot through with (something)

- containing something

The drink was shot through with some chemicals that I do not know the name of.
shotgun wedding

- a forced wedding

The young couple were forced into a shotgun wedding by the girl's father.
shoulder to shoulder

- side by side, with a shared purpose

The firefighters worked shoulder to shoulder to help prevent the house from burning.
shove (something) down (someone`s) throat

- to force someone to do or agree to something that is not wanted

I do not like him because he is always trying to shove his ideas down my throat.
shove off

- to start, to leave

"I think that it is time for us to shove off. It is almost midnight."
shove one's way somewhere

- to make a path through a crowd by pushing

We shoved our way into the department store for the big sale.

show Idioms show-and-tell

- to present something interesting to a class (in elementary school)

The little boy took a starfish from the ocean to his school for show-and-tell.
show good faith

- to demonstrate good intentions or good will

The man did not show good faith when he asked for extra money when he left his company.
a show of hands

- a display of raised hands in a group to vote on something

The teacher asked for a show of hands to see who wanted to do a presentation.
show off

- to try to attract attention, to display something

My friend has bought a lot of new clothes that he is trying to show off.
show-off

- a person who brags a lot

The girl is a show-off and is always trying to impress other people.
show one`s cards/hand

- to disclose one`s plans

The buyer has not shown us his cards yet so we do not know what he wants.
show one`s (true) colors

- to show what one is really like or is thinking

My friend is showing his true colors when he refuses to help me when I really need help.
show signs of (something)

- to show hints or indications of something

The man showed no signs of life after he was involved in the accident.
show (someone) the door

- to ask someone to go away

When the man started yelling in the restaurant the manager quickly showed him the door.
show (someone) the ropes

- to tell or show someone how something is done

The experienced carpenter made a great effort to show the new trainee the ropes.
show (someone) to his or her seat

- to direct someone to a place to sit

The usher showed the members of the audience to their seats.
show (someone) up

- to make someone's faults apparent

The girl showed her friend up by doing all of her homework on time.
show (something) to good advantage

- to make something look good, to make something stand out

The new paint helped to show the house to good advantage for the sale.
show up

- to appear, to arrive, to be present

"What time did your friend show up for the party?"
show up

- to become easy to see

After we cleaned the vase the design began to show up.

.


shrug (something) off

- to not be bothered or hurt by something, to disregard something

The girl says mean things but we always shrug off her comments.

shut Idioms shut off

- to be apart, to be separated from someone or something

The small town is shut off from the other small towns in the valley.
shut out (a team)

- to prevent the opposition team from scoring during a game

The national soccer team shut out the best team in the world last night.
shut (something) off

- to make something like water or electricity stop

We always shut off the gas when we leave the house for more than a few minutes.
shut (something) up

- to close the doors and windows of a building for a period of time

We decided to shut up our cottage for the winter as we will not use it anymore.
shut the door on (someone)

- to close the door to keep someone out

The teacher always shuts the door on students who come late for her class.
shut the door on (something)

- to terminate/exclude/obstruct something

The bad behavior of the employees shut the door on any future permission to let them have a party at the company.
shut up

- to stop talking

"Please shut up and let someone else speak."
shut up (someone or something)

- to confine someone or something

We always shut up our dog in the house when the postal worker comes.

.


shuttle (someone) from place to place

- to move someone from place to place

The volunteer drivers shuttled the athletes from place to place during the sports event.
shy away from (someone or something)

- to avoid someone or something

Recently my doctor has shied away from giving me advice about my eating habits.
sick and tired of (someone or something)

- to dislike someone or something, to be annoyed with/by someone or something

I am sick and tired of my friend's constant complaining.
to be sick in bed

- to remain in bed while one is sick

My father was sick in bed for three days last week.
sick of (someone or something)

- to be bored with or dislike someone or something

I think that the clerk is sick of working late every day.
side against (someone)

- to take sides against someone

My friend always sides against me when I am involved in an argument with someone.
side with (someone)

- to favor or support someone's position in a dispute

The mother always sides with her daughter when the daughter has an argument.
a sight for sore eyes

- a welcome sight

The man was a sight for sore eyes when he returned to work after a three-week holiday.
sight unseen

- before seeing a thing or a person

My friend bought the car sight unseen and now he is having trouble with it.
sign on the dotted line

- to place one's signature on a contract or other important paper

The sales manager gave me the contract and asked me to sign on the dotted line.
sign on with (someone)

- to sign an agreement to work with or for someone

My cousin has signed on with one of the largest companies in the world.
sign one's own death warrant

- to do something knowingly that will most likely result in severe trouble

Our secretary signed her own death warrant when she came to work late three times last week.
sign (something) over

- to give something legally to someone by signing one`s name

The man signed over his car to his son on his 21st birthday.
sign up for (something)

- to promise to do something by signing one`s name, to join something

My friend signs up for tennis lessons every summer but he never improves.
signal to (someone) to do (something)

- to give someone an instruction using a signal

I signaled to our coach to take me out of the game for a rest.
signed, sealed and delivered

- formally and officially signed

The contract to buy the house was signed, sealed and delivered when I delivered it to the real estate agent.
the silence is deafening

- the silence is so great that one becomes uncomfortable, the silence is so great that it suggests the disapproval of something

The silence was deafening at the meeting when nobody stood up to challenge the speaker for his extreme remarks.
silly season

- the time of the year (late summer) when there is no important news and news reporters focus on unimportant things

It was the end of summer and the silly season for the news media.
simmer down

- to become calm/quiet

He was very angry after the meeting but now he has begun to simmer down.
since time immemorial

- since a very long time ago

Since time immemorial people have been coming to the hot springs to bathe in the water.
sing (someone's) praises

- praise someone highly and enthusiastically

My supervisor always sings my praises when he introduces me to someone.
sing/whistle a different tune

- to contradict something that one has said before, to talk or act in the opposite way

Usually the man does not care if he disturbs his neighbors at midnight but now that he must get up early in the morning he is whistling a different tune.
sink in

- to penetrate, to become understood

It will take time for the comments of our boss to sink in.
sink into despair

- to grieve or to become depressed

The woman sank into despair when she learned that she had lost her job.
sink one`s teeth into (something)

- to begin to work seriously on a project/problem

The problem is difficult and is hard to sink your teeth into.
sink or swim

- to fail or succeed by one's own efforts

My cousin will have to sink or swim when he begins his new job.
sit Idioms sit around (somewhere)

- to sit somewhere and relax and do nothing

I spent the morning sitting around my apartment while I waited for a phone call.
sit back

- to be built a distance away from a street

The large mansion sits back three hundred meters from the street.
sit back

- to relax/rest, to take a break

We decided to sit back for the day and not do anything.
sit back and let (something) happen

- to relax and not interfere in something

I did not want to sit back and let things happen so I began to make some phone calls about my situation.
sit bolt upright

- to sit up straight

I sat bolt upright when I heard the news about my cousin.
sit idly by

- to sit and watch something while others work, to ignore a situation that calls for help

The man sat idly by while the others worked hard.
a sit-in

- a political demonstration where students or workers refuse to leave their classroom or job site

The students had a sit-in demonstration to demand lower tuition fees.
sit in for (someone)

- to take someone else's place in some activity

I asked my friend to sit in for me at my volunteer job at the community center.
sit in on (something)

- to attend or participate in a meeting

Our boss sat in on our meeting so that he could learn what was happening.
sit on (something)

- to be a member of a jury or board etc.

The former politician sits on the board of many corporations.
sit on its hands

- an audience refuses to applaud

The audience sat on its hands after the terrible performance by the singer.
sit on one's hands

- to do nothing, to fail to help

The manager sat on her hands and refused to do anything about the complaints that she had received.
sit on (something)

- to hold someone or something back, to delay something

I am going to sit on my job application until I am sure that I want to apply for the new job.
sit on the fence

- to not support any side in a dispute, to not decide/support something

Most of the politicians are sitting on the fence over supporting the new rapid transit project.
sit right

- to be unacceptable (usually used in the negative or interrogative)

His idea seemed good at first but now it does not sit right with the other members of the staff.
sit (something) out

- to not participate in something, to wait until something is over

I am planning to sit the meeting out as I am very tired today.
sit through (something)

- to witness or endure all of something

I had to sit through a very boring lecture yesterday.
sit tight

- to wait patiently for something

"Please sit tight for a few minutes while I go and get a police officer."
sit up and take notice

- to become alert and pay attention

The loud bang made everybody sit up and take notice at the concert.
sit up with (someone)

- to stay with someone (a sick person) during the night

My mother had to sit up all night because my younger sister was very sick.
sit well with (someone)

- to please or find favor with someone

My decision to leave early for the weekend did not sit well with the other members of the staff.

.


a sitting duck

- a non-moving target that is easily hit by a hunter

The hunter shot the sitting duck easily and quickly.
a sitting duck

- an unsuspecting person who is easily fooled - as if he or she were waiting to be attacked

The woman was a sitting duck for the thief when she sat on the bench with her purse beside her.
sitting on top of the world

- feeling very good/happy

I was sitting on top of the world after I heard from my friend.
sitting pretty

- to be in a favorable situation

My uncle is sitting pretty with his new job and high salary.
a sitting target

- someone who is in a position that can be easily attacked

The manager was a sitting target for the criticism by the staff.
six feet under

- to be dead

My friend does not plan to move from his house until he is six feet under.
six of one or half-a-dozen of the other

- to be the same, to have no difference between two things

It was six of one or half-a-dozen of the other as to whether we should take the train or the airplane. They both arrived at the same time and cost the same.
at sixes and sevens

- to be in confusion or disagreement

Everybody has been at sixes and sevens since they opened the new school.
sixth sense

- a power to know or feel things other than by sight/hearing/smell/taste/touch

My friend seems to have a sixth sense and he knows many things that nobody else knows.
the size of it

- the way something is

"That`s about the size of it," I said as I told my friend about the accident.
size up (someone or something)

- to try to form an opinion of someone, to assess a situation

It took me some time to size up the candidate before deciding to give him a job.
skate on thin ice

- to take a chance, to risk danger or disapproval

My friend has been skating on thin ice recently and he may be fired from his job.
skeleton in one`s closet

- a family secret that one does not like to talk about

I heard that the politician has a skeleton in his closet that he does not want to talk about.
skid row

- a poor area of a city where many people live who have no money/job/housing

The skid row area of our city is a place where few tourists want to go.
skin and bones

- to be very skinny

The cat which we found in the empty house was all skin and bones.
skin-deep

- to be only on the surface, to not have any deep or honest meaning

Although beauty is said to be only skin-deep many people care about it very much.
by the skin of one`s teeth

- only just, barely

We arrived on time for the train by the skin of our teeth.
no skin off one`s nose

- to be of no concern/trouble/interest to someone

It is no skin off my nose whether or not she comes to the party.
skin (someone) alive

- to scold someone angrily, to spank or beat someone

The woman told her son that if he was late for dinner she would skin him alive.
skip bail

- to run away and not come to trial and therefore give up any money that you may have paid the court to guarantee that you appear

The man skipped bail and went to another city before he was arrested again.
skip it

- to forget about something

"Skip it," I said when she forgot to bring me the phone number after I asked for it three times.
skip out on (someone or something)

- sneak away from someone or some event

I decided to skip out on the meeting and go to a movie.
skip rope

- to jump over a rope that is held by two people and which goes over your head and beneath your feet

The children spent the morning skipping rope.
sky's the limit

- there is no limit to the success that can be achieved or the money that can be spent or made

The sky is the limit for my friend and his new job.
slack off

- to reduce something gradually, to become less active, to become lazy

Recently I have begun to slack off in my effort to find a new job.
a slap in the face

- an insult

Not getting a promotion was a slap in the face for the sales manager.
slap (someone or something) down

- to rebuke/reject someone or something

My boss slapped my proposal down soon after the meeting started.
slap (something) together

- to make something in a hurry and without care

We slapped together a picnic table for the company picnic.
slated for (something)

- to be scheduled for something

The building is slated for demolition at the end of the year.
a slave to (someone or something)

- someone who is under the control of someone or something

My mother is a slave to her desire to watch soap operas on television.
not sleep a wink

- to not get any sleep (used in the negative)

I did not sleep a wink last night.
sleep in

- to oversleep, to sleep late in the morning

I was very tired so I decided to sleep in this morning.
sleep like a log/baby

- to sleep very soundly

I slept like a log last night.
sleep on (something)

- to think about something, to consider something, to decide something later

"I will sleep on the proposal tonight and I will give you an answer tomorrow."
sleep (something) off

- to sleep while the effects of liquor or drugs go away

We spent the evening in a nightclub and I had to spend most of the next day sleeping it off.
sleep with (someone)

- to share a bed with someone

The little girl always sleeps with her mother when they go on a holiday.
slice of the cake

- a share of something

The city tax office wants a slice of the cake in our new business.
slip away/off/out

- to go away or escape quietly or in secret

I slipped away after my class and got something to eat.
a slip of the tongue

- something that is said at the wrong time and is not what you want to say

The clerk's comment to the customer was a slip of the tongue.
slip one`s mind

- to be forgotten

"I am very sorry that I did not meet you last night but our appointment slipped my mind."
slip out

- to allow a piece of (secret) information to be revealed

It slipped out that the government is planning to close the large downtown hospital.
slip through (someone's) fingers

- to get away from someone

My friend had a very good opportunity but it slipped through his fingers because of his lack of action.
slip up

- to make a mistake

I slipped up when I said that I would be able to go to the meeting next week.
slow as molasses in January

- to be slow

The little girl is as slow as molasses in January and she never gets her work done on time.
slow down

- to go more slowly than usual, to cause something to reduce speed

You should slow down when you are driving on a wet road.
a slow-down

- a type of work strike where you do not come to a complete stop

The workers had a slow-down at the post office last year.
slow going

- the slow rate of speed and the difficulty to do something

It was slow going as I studied for my mathematics test.
slow on the draw

- to be slow in drawing a gun or in doing something

The man is slow on the draw and never takes advantage of opportunities that he sees.
slow on the uptake

- to be slow to figure something out

The new employee is slow on the uptake and we must explain everything to him at least two times.
slow up

- to cause someone or something to reduce speed

The factory manager decided to slow up production because of problems in the shipping department.
slower and slower

- to become slow and then become even slower

The speed of the train was becoming slower and slower as it reached the city.
slowly but surely

- slowly and deliberately

Slowly but surely we are preparing for our holiday next month.
sly as a fox

- to be smart and clever

The storeowner is as sly as a fox and you can never make a good deal with him.
smack dab in the middle

- right in the middle

There was a small hole smack dab in the middle of the new bathtub.
smack into (someone or something)

- to collide/hit someone or something

The car ran smack into the car in front of it.
small fry

- someone or something of little importance, young children

The police are trying to find the major criminals in the drug trade. They are not interested in the small fry.
small/wee hours (of the night/morning)

- the hours immediately after midnight

My father likes to read the newspaper in the small hours of the night.
small/fine print

- the part of a document that you cannot easily notice because of the small size of the print but which often contains very important information

I always read the small print before I sign a sales contract.
small-time

- small, on a small scale

The man is a small-time criminal and is always involved in some kind of trouble.
smash hit

- a very successful performance/song/play/movie

Many of the Star War movies were smash hits.
smear campaign (against someone)

- a campaign (of rumors) aimed at damaging someone's reputation

The newspaper ran a smear campaign against the mayor of the city.
smell a rat

- to become suspicious

I do not know what my colleague is doing but something seems strange and I think that I smell a rat.
smile on (someone or something)

- to be favorable to someone or something

I think that the sky is smiling on the farmers in our area.
smoke and mirrors

- deception and confusion

The accounting department used a system of smoke and mirrors to hide their illegal activities.
smoke (someone or something) out

- to force someone or something out with smoke

We smoked the rats out of their nests with the black smoke.
smoke (something) out

- to find out the facts about something

We finally were able to smoke out the reason why our boss left the company.
smooth (something) over

- to make something better or more pleasant

We tried to smooth over the problems between our boss and the sales staff.
snail`s pace

- a very slow movement forward

The cars on the highway were moving at a snail`s pace.
snake in the grass

- an enemy who pretends to be a friend

"You should be careful of that woman. Although she seems very nice she is like a snake in the grass."
a snap

- an easy task

The exam was a snap and I am sure that I did very well.
snap at (someone)

- to speak sharply or angrily to someone

The supervisor often snaps at people when he meets them in the morning.
snap out of (something)

- to return to a normal state

The man finally snapped out of his depression and was able to return to work.
snap (something) up

- to take/buy/accept something eagerly

The tickets to the concert were snapped up in three hours.
(not to be) sneezed at

- (not) to be worth having, (not) to be considered unimportant (used in the negative or interrogative)

The new stereo system is not to be sneezed at.
"Do you think that the new offer is something to sneeze at?"
sniff out (someone or something)

- to locate someone or something

The police dog worked hard to sniff out the bank robber.
a snow job

- insincere or exaggerated talk designed to gain the favors of someone

His presentation at the meeting was a snow job.
a snow job

- technical vocabulary that makes you seem like an expert in a field

The salesman tried to give us a snow job when he started to talk about the specifications of the machine.
snow (someone) under

- to give so much of something that it cannot be dealt with

The extra paperwork snowed me under during the last week.
(not a) snowball`s chance in hell

- no chance at all (used in the negative or interrogative or conditional)

We do not have a snowball`s chance in hell of winning the game tomorrow.
"Do you really think that you have a snowball's chance in hell to win the championship?" If I thought that I had a snowball's chance in hell to get the job I would apply for it.
so Idioms a so-and-so

- a person that you do not like

I do not like that so-and-so. His personality really bothers me.
so far

- until now

So far no one has entered the speech contest at the television station.
so far, so good

- until now things have gone well

"So far, so good," she replied when we asked her how her new job was going.
so help me

- I promise, I swear

"So help me, if you do not pay me back my money I will phone your company and tell them."
so long

- goodbye

"So long, I will see you next week."
so mad that one could scream

- very mad

I was so mad that I could scream when the travel agent made a mistake with my airline ticket.
so much

- a large quantity of something

There was so much rain in the spring that our garden did not grow well.
so much for (someone or something)

- that is the last that you will see of someone or something

So much for going on a holiday this summer. Now I do not have any money.
so much the better

- all to the better

"So much the better, if extra people help us then we can get the work done quickly."
so quiet you can hear a pin drop

- very quiet

It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop when the woman stood up to speak about her cancer operation.
so-so

- not good and not bad

I was only feeling so-so and decided not to go to a movie tonight.
so soon

- early, before the regular time

I did not expect the dinner to end so soon after the presentations were finished.
so still you can hear a pin drop

- very quiet

The room was so still you could hear a pin drop.
so to speak

- as one might or could say, this is one way to say something

We had a good time at the restaurant, so to speak, although the service was not very good.

.


soak (something) up

- to take something into oneself like a sponge takes up water

He was able to soak up much knowledge when he went to the film seminar.
soaked to the skin

- with one's clothing wet right through to the skin

We were soaked to the skin when we got home from the picnic.
sob story

- a story that makes one feel pity or sorrow

My sister told me a sob story about how she had lost her job.
sock it to (someone)

- to give everything that one is capable of to do something

The president socked it to the audience during his speech at the convention.
sock (something) away

- to store something in a safe place

I have been socking toys away for the time when my friend's children come to visit me.
soft spot for (someone or something)

- a feeling of affection toward a person or thing

My mother has a soft spot for the elderly lady in her apartment building.
soil one's diapers

- a baby fills his or her diapers

The baby soiled his diapers on the airplane trip.
sold out

- a product/ticket is completely sold from a store or event

All of the latest DVD's are sold out at the moment.
solid as a rock

- very solid/dependable

The small bank in our city is as solid as a rock and is a very stabe organization.
somebody up there loves/hates me

- an unseen power in heaven has been favorable/unfavorable to you

"Somebody up there loves me," he said when he found the money on the side of the road.
something about (someone or something)

- something strange/special/curious about someone or something

There is something about the woman that is very strange.
something else

- to be so good as to be beyond description, to be something entirely different

The movie was something else. It was the best movie that I have seen in many years.
something else again

- to be something that is very different

Working all day on Saturday is OK but working all day on Sunday is something else again.
something of the sort

- something of the kind just mentioned

I do not know exactly what the man said but it was about his job or something of the sort.
something or other

- one thing or another

My friend said something or other about his car but I am not sure exactly what he meant.
something/words to that effect

- something like what was just said

The apartment manager said that we could not bring a bicycle into the apartment lobby or something to that effect.
something's up

- something is going on

I do not know what the children are doing but I think that something's up.
somewhere in the neighborhood of (an amount of money or something)

- approximately a particular measurement/amount

There were somewhere in the neighborhood of fifty people at the meeting.
son of a gun/bitch

- a horrible person, a difficult task

I wish that that son of a bitch would stop using my camera without asking me.
"This is a son of a gun. I can't fix it at all."
son of a sea biscuit

- an expression used as a polite replacement for son of a bitch

"Son of a sea biscuit," the man said when he hit his hand with a hammer.
a song and dance

- an excuse

My friend gave me a song and dance about being busy but I did not believe him.
sooner or later

- eventually

"Sooner or later you must give me my money so you should do it soon."
sore loser

- a person who gets angry when he or she loses

He is a sore loser when he does not win a game of tennis.
sort of (something)

- to be almost something, to be similar to something, to be not quite something

"Did you finish cleaning the kitchen?"
"Sort of, but not really."
sort out (something)

- to clear up confusion, to straighten out something that is disorderly

Our accountant is working hard to sort out the money problems.
sound as if

- to seem as if something were so from what has been said

It sounds as if my friend is planning to look for a new job.
sound like a broken record

- to say the same thing over and over again

The boy's mother sounds like a broken record when she tells him to clean his room.
sound like (something)

- to seem like something

It sounds like the stores are going to close early on Saturday because of the holiday.
sound off about (something)

- to tell what one knows or thinks in a loud voice

My friend is always sounding off about why he does not like his job.
sound (someone) out

- to try to find out how a person feels about something by asking him or her questions

The man has been sounding out his wife to see if she wants to move to a new house.
soup (something) up

- to change and add something to make something more powerful or faster

My friend souped his car up when he was a teenager.
sow one's wild oats

- to do wild and foolish things in one's youth

The man sowed his wild oats when he was a young man.
spaced out

- to be confused or incoherent, to resemble someone who is using drugs, to be daydreaming

The boy was totally spaced out when the teacher asked him a question about the homework.
spare (someone) (something)

- to exempt someone from having to listen to or express something

I wish that our teacher would spare us her speeches about her difficult childhood.

speak Idioms speak for itself/themselves

- to not need explaining

The actions of the men speak for themselves and there is no point talking about it.
speak for (something)

- to make a request for something, to ask for something

I spoke for the comfortable chair as soon as I entered the room.
speak highly of (someone or something)

- to say good things about someone or something

Everybody speaks highly of the new principal of our school.
speak ill of (someone)

- to say something bad about someone

I wish that my friend would not speak ill of the other people in our class.
speak of the devil (and he appears)

- to appear just when someone is talking about you

"Speak of the devil and he appears," I said as our colleague who we were talking about walked in the door.
speak off the cuff

- to speak in public without preparation

My father plans to speak off the cuff at his retirement party tonight.
speak one`s piece/mind

- to say openly what one thinks

I think that it is time for me to speak my piece and tell somebody about my complaints about our company.
speak out on/about (something)

- to speak in favor of or in support of something

My boss spoke out in favor of giving me a promotion.
speak out of turn

- to say something unwise, to say the right thing but at the wrong time

The young man spoke out of turn while the teacher was asking him questions.
speak the same language

- to have similar ideas/tastes/opinions as someone else

I think that I speak the same language as the new supervisor in our company.
speak up

- to speak in a loud or clear voice, to speak without fear or hesitation

I asked the teacher to speak up as I could not hear him at all.
speak up for (someone or something)

- to speak in favor of someone or something

The politician is always willing to speak up for some of the poorest people in the city.
speak with a forked tongue

- to tell lies

The man speaks with a forked tongue and nobody trusts him.

.


spell (something) out

- to explain something in very simple words, to explain something very clearly

I spelled out the conditions for renting the house very clearly.
spell trouble

- to signify future trouble, to mean trouble

The problems that we are having with our furnace spell trouble for the coming cold season.
spick-and-span

- to be very clean, to be very neat

The house was spick-and-span when we returned from our holiday.
spill the beans

- to tell a secret

My friend promised not to spill the beans about my plans to get married.
spin a yarn

- to tell a tale/story

I like my new neighbor because he always likes to take the time to spin a yarn.
spin one's wheels

- to be in motion but get nowhere

I was spinning my wheels all week and I did not get much done.
spin (something) off

- to create something as a by-product of something else

The computer company plans to spin off some new products from their original invention.
spit up (something)

- to throw something up, to vomit something

The dog spit up the button that he had swallowed.
spitting image of (someone)

- the exact resemblance to someone

My cousin is a spitting image of his father.
split hairs

- to make unnecessary distinctions about something

The manager makes many good points but he has a tendency to split hairs and waste a lot of our time.
split one's sides (with laughter)

- to laugh so hard that one's sides almost split

I split my sides with laughter when the woman began to tell jokes.
split (someone) up

- to separate two or more people (from one another)

The teacher had to split the two boys up because they were fighting.
split (something) fifty-fifty

- to divide something into two equal parts

I decided to split the prize fifty-fifty with my friend.
split the difference

- to settle a money or other disagreement by dividing the difference

We had to pay extra money for the rental car so we decided to split the difference and each pay half.
a split ticket

- a voting ticket with candidates from more than one political party

My friend always votes for a split ticket when he votes and never votes for only one political party.
split up

- to separate

They seemed like a nice couple but they suddenly decided to split up last month.
splurge on (something)

- to spend a lot of money for something

He splurged on a beautiful present for his girlfriend.
spoken for

- to be taken/reserved

All of the tickets to the concert are spoken for.
spook (someone)

- to startle someone

The loud thunder and lightning spooked the horse.
spoon-feed (someone)

- to make something very easy for someone

He is a very strict teacher and never likes to spoon-feed his students.
sporting chance

- a reasonably good chance

The man does not have a sporting chance of winning any money in the lottery.
spout off about (someone or something)

- to talk too much about someone or something

The woman is always spouting off about her many problems.
spread like wildfire

- to spread rapidly and without control

The panic over the bad drinking water spread like wildfire throughout the city.
spread oneself too thin

- to try to do too many things at one time

My sister has been spreading herself too thin lately and is not accomplishing very much of anything.
no spring chicken

- a young person (used with a negative)

My aunt is no spring chicken. She is almost 96-years old.
spring for (something)

- to buy something, to pay for something

I decided to spring for a new camera before I go on my vacation.
spring (something) on (someone)

- to surprise someone with something

I wish that my friend would not suddenly spring his crazy plans on me.
spruce (something) up

- to clean/redecorate something

We spruced up the community center for the summer holidays.
(on the) spur of the moment

- suddenly

We decided to go to Hong Kong on the spur of the moment.

square Idioms square accounts with (someone)

- to settle one's financial accounts with someone, to get even with someone

I went to the store to square accounts with the manager.
square away (something)

- to put something away or in order, to take care of something, to square the yards of a sailing vessel

"Have you squared away your plans for your holidays yet?"
a square deal

- a fair and honest transaction

I always receive a square deal when I do business with the local shops in my area.
a square meal

- a nourishing/filling meal

We sat down and ate our first square meal in many days when we visited my grandparents.
square off to do (something)

- to get ready for an argument or fight

The two candidates squared off to debate the important issues of the election.
square one

- the beginning

We had to go back to square one and start the project over.
a square peg in a round hole

- a person who does not fit into a job or position

My friend was like a square peg in a round hole when he tried to do the job of an accountant.
square things up with (someone)

- to pay someone what one owes him or her

I squared things up with my friend and gave him the money that I owed him.
square up to (someone or something)

- to face someone or something bravely

The young man was forced to square up to the mistakes that he had made.

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squawk about (something)

- to complain about something

People are always squawking about the bad service in that restaurant.
squeak by (someone or something)

- to just barely get by someone or something

I was able to squeak by the deadline and submit my scholarship application on time.
squirrel (something) away

- to hide or store something

The boy was able to squirrel some extra food away before he left on the camping trip.
stab (someone) in the back

- to betray someone

I dislike that man because he tried to stab me in the back during the last meeting.
stack the cards/deck for or against (someone or something)

- to arrange things unfairly for or against someone or something

The company is stacking the cards against some people by demanding more and more qualifications for the job.
stack up (something)

- to make a stack of things

I stacked up the magazines that I planned to give to the flea market.
stake a claim to (something)

- to make a claim for something

Everybody in our class tried to stake a claim to the extra textbooks that were offered free.
stall off (someone or something)

- to put off or delay someone or something

I believe that I will be able to stall off the start of the meeting for several hours.
stamp out (something)

- to destroy something completely, to make something disappear

The government is making a great effort to stamp out smoking among teenagers.
one's stamping grounds

- a place where a person spends/spent much of his time

My cousin went back to his old stamping grounds which he remembered as a teenager.
stand Idioms (can`t) stand (someone or something)

- to not be able to tolerate someone or something, to dislike someone or something (usually used in the negative)

My friend can`t stand the other people in her class.
stand a chance of (doing something)

- to have a possibility of doing something

Our team stands a good chance of winning the championship this year.
stand behind (someone or something)

- to endorse or guarantee something, to support someone

The company will always stand behind their products.
stand by

- to be near, to be waiting to do something when you are needed

There is a doctor standing by in case there is a medical emergency.
stand by (someone)

- to follow or keep one`s promise to someone, to be loyal to or support someone

The woman always stands by her husband when he has a problem.
stand clear of (something)

- to keep away from something

"Please stand clear of the door while we are moving the piano."
stand corrected

- to admit that one has been wrong

I was forced to stand corrected when I made a mistake about the time of the train.
stand for (something)

- to signify/mean something

I did not know what the letters stood for so I was not able to write the full name of the company.
stand for (something)

- to speak in favor of something, to show that one supports something

All of the candidates stand for a platform of law and order.
not stand for (something)

- to not allow something to happen, to not permit something

Our teacher will not stand for somebody coming to his class late.
stand in awe of (someone or something)

- to look upon someone or something with wonder, to feel respect for someone or something

Everybody stands in awe of the coach of the football team.
stand in for (someone)

- to be a substitute for someone

The other actor stood in for the famous actor when he was sick.
stand in (someone's) way

- to be a barrier to someone's desires or intentions

The woman did not want anyone to stand in her way of getting a promotion in the company.
stand off from (someone or something)

- to stay at a distance from someone or something, to stay apart from someone or something

He always stands off from the other students in his class.
stand off (someone or something)

- to keep someone or something from coming near or winning

We were able to stand off the other teams and win the tournament.
stand on ceremony

- to be formal

"You do not need to stand on ceremony here. You can relax."
stand on one`s own two feet

- to be independent

My friend learned to stand on his own two feet when he was very young.
stand one`s ground

- to maintain and defend one`s position

Our supervisor stood his ground over his decision to fire the employee.
stand out

- to be more noticeable than those around you

He likes to wear clothes that make him stand out from the crowd.
stand over (someone or something)

- to watch someone or something closely, to keep checking someone or something all the time

The father stood over his son all day to make sure that he was studying for his final exams.
stand pat

- to be satisfied with things, to be against changing

We should stand pat and not do anything to cause any problems with the negotiations.
stand (someone) in good stead with (someone or something)

- to be a great advantage to someone

It will stand you in good stead with the company if you do the extra work.
stand still for (something)

- to tolerate or endure something, to not move for something

The little boy refused to stand still for his medical examination.
stand to reason

- to make sense, to be logical

It stands to reason that the new employee will make an effort to work hard if his effort is respected.
stand up

- to be strong enough to use for a long time

The new carpet should stand up for a long time.
stand up (someone)

- to fail to keep an appointment or date with someone (usually used for a date with a boyfriend or girlfriend)

The boy stood the girl up on a date last Saturday and now she will not talk to him.
stand up and be counted

- to be willing to say what one thinks in public

The union members thought that they should stand up and be counted before management took away their benefits.
stand up for (someone or something)

- to defend against attack, to fight for someone or something

The citizens of the town were ready to stand up for their rights.
stand up to (someone)

- to be brave in confronting someone

The man stood up to his boss during the meeting when his boss criticized his work.

.


a standing joke

- something that regularly and over time causes amusement when it is mentioned

It was a standing joke around our office that our boss was a very bad driver.
stark raving mad

- to be completely crazy

The woman who lives next door is stark raving mad.
stars in one`s eyes

- to have an appearance or feeling of very great happiness

She had stars in her eyes when she saw the beautiful ring that her boyfriend had bought for her.
start from scratch

- to start from the beginning

I lost all of my notes so I had to start from scratch with my project.
start in as (something)

- to begin a career as something

The man started in as a mailroom clerk but soon he began to have more and more important jobs in the company.
start off on the wrong foot

- to start an activity badly, to start a relationship badly

I started off on the wrong foot with my supervisor.
start out as (something)

- to start one's career as something

The president of our company started out as a mailroom clerk when he was quite young.
start over/off with a clean slate

- to ignore the past and start over again

The young man broke the law several times but he was able to start over with a clean slate when the judge decided that he would probably not do anything wrong in the future.
start the ball rolling

- to begin to do something

My uncle finally started the ball rolling on his plans to build a new house.
start up (something)

- to begin operating something, to begin to play/do something

My uncle started up a small business when he was 20-years old.
stay away from (something)

- to avoid something

My uncle has been staying away from salty foods for several months now.
stay put

- to stay in one place, to not leave

We decided to stay put for our holidays rather than go away.
steal a base

- to sneak from one base to another in baseball

The player was easily able to steal a base during the game.
steal a march on (someone)

- to get an advantage over someone without being noticed

I was able to steal a march on my colleague when he was away on vacation.
steal (someone`s) thunder

- to do or say something that another person had planned to do or say

My colleague stole my thunder when he announced that he was leaving the company before me.
steal the show/spotlight

- to act or to do so well in a performance that you get most of the attention

The young musician stole the show at the music festival.
steamed up

- to be angry

I was steamed up over the fact that my friend lost the spare keys to my apartment.
steaming mad

- to be very angry

The woman was steaming mad when the customer service representative was rude to her on the telephone.
steer clear of (someone or something)

- to avoid someone or something

I have been steering clear of my friend since our argument.

step Idioms step-by-step

- gradually

My grandfather has made a great effort and step-by-step he has learned how to use a computer.
step down from (a job/position)

- to leave an important position

My father recently stepped down from his job as president of his company.
step into (someone's) shoes

- to take over a job or some role from someone

I plan to step into my supervisor's shoes when he is away on vacation.
step into the breach

- to move into a space or vacancy

The woman stepped into the breach and helped the other teachers while several people were sick.
step on it

- to go faster, to hurry

"Please step on it," he yelled as the taxi took him to the airport.
step on (someone`s) toes

- to do something that embarrasses or offends someone else

The supervisor stepped on many people`s toes at work and now he has many enemies.
step on the gas

- to go faster, to hurry

I had to step on the gas in order to get to work on time.
step out of line

- to misbehave, to do something offensive/wrong

When the children step out of line their teacher becomes very angry.
step right up

- to move forward toward someone/something

The clerk told me to step right up when I was waiting to order some food.
step up (something)

- to make something go faster, to increase something

Recently we had to step up our effort to hire some new computer programmers for our company.
step up

- to rise to a higher or more important position, to be promoted

My boss stepped up to the position of manager after the old manager was fired.

.


stew in one`s own juice

- to suffer from something that one has caused to happen to himself or herself

The man is stewing in his own juice after he got into trouble for being late.
stick Idioms stick around

- to stay or wait nearby for something

We decided to stick around after the game and talk for awhile.
stick by/with (someone or something)

- to support someone or something

The woman always sticks by her friends when they are in trouble.
a stick-in-the-mud

- someone who is old-fashioned or does not want to join in with others and do something

The girl is a stick-in-the-mud and will never join in any of the activities at a party.
stick one`s neck out for (someone or something)

- to take risks, to support someone

The man never sticks his neck out for anyone at work and he has few friends.
stick out like a sore thumb

- to be obvious and visible

The woman sticks out like a sore thumb when she wears her red hat.
stick (someone) with (something)

- to leave someone with an unpleasant task

My friend always sticks me with paying the bill when we go to a restaurant.
stick (something) out

- to endure/continue something

She does not like her new job but she plans to stick it out until she saves enough money to go to Europe.
stick (something) up

- to attach something to a wall/post etc.

I plan to stick the poster up on our kitchen wall.
stick to a story/the facts

- to remain faithful to the facts of a story

"Please stick to the facts when you tell the story to the police."
stick to one`s guns

- to defend an action or opinion despite an unfavorable reaction

Our boss is sticking to his guns on his decision to fire the manager of the store.
stick to one's ribs

- to last a long time and give one strength (used for food)

The food at the restaurant is wonderful and it sticks to our ribs.
stick together

- to remain together as a group

The children like to stick together when they go to the beach.
stick up (someone or something)

- to rob someone or something with a gun or other weapon

A man with a gun tried to stick up my mother when I was a child.
stick up for (someone or something)

- to defend/help/support someone

My boss always sticks up for the younger workers at our company.
stick with (something)

- to continue doing something, to not quit something

My brother has been able to stick with his trumpet lessons since he was a child.

.


sticky fingers

- the habit of stealing things that one sees and wants

The young boy has sticky fingers and you must watch him all the time.
stink to high heaven

- to smell very bad

The kitchen garbage was stinking to high heaven in the hot sun.
stir (someone or something) up

- to make someone angry or excited, to cause trouble

The man`s angry words stirred up the crowd and made them very angry.
stir up a hornet`s nest

- to make many people angry or dislike something, to provoke your critics

He stirred up a hornet`s nest when he began to talk about the bonus system at his company.
stock up on (something)

- to build up a supply of something

We are trying to stock up on wood before the winter.
stone-broke

- to have no money

I was stone-broke after I came back from my holiday in Italy.
stone's throw away from (something)

- to be very close to something

The new vegetable store is a stone's throw away from the large supermarket.
stoop to (doing something)

- to do something that is beneath one

I do not plan to stoop to ask my friend for money for food.

stop Idioms stop-and-go

- stopping and continuing repeatedly

The traffic is always stop-and-go during the morning rush hour.
stop at nothing

- to do everything possible to accomplish something

My friend will stop at nothing to get what she wants.
stop by (somewhere)

- to visit/pass by somewhere

"Why don`t you stop by my house on your way home?"
stop dead

- to stop very quickly or with great force

He stopped dead when he saw the bear in the middle of the road.
stop in one`s tracks

- to stop very quickly or with great force

The elephant was forced to stop in its tracks at the electric fence.
stop, look, and listen

- to be careful at street corners to stop and then look and listen for other cars etc.

We teach the young children to stop, look, and listen when they cross the street.
stop off (somewhere)

- to stop at a place for a short time while going somewhere

We decided to stop off at the fish store before we went home.
stop over (somewhere)

- to stay at a place overnight or for a short time while on a trip

The airplane had to stop over in Alaska because one of the passengers had a heart attack.
stop short of (doing something)

- to not go as far as doing something

We stopped short of asking the secretary to leave although she continued to make mistakes with her work.

.


a storm is brewing

- there is going to be trouble or a storm coming

A storm is brewing between the two government departments over the tax issue.
the straight and narrow

- a straight and law-abiding route through life

The boy took the straight and narrow after he was in trouble with the law.
straight from the horse`s mouth

- to hear something directly from the person involved

I heard about my friend`s wedding straight from the horse`s mouth.
straight from the shoulder

- an open and honest way of speaking

My friend always speaks straight from the shoulder.
straight out

- plainly, in a way that hides nothing

The man was told straight out by his boss that his work was not satisfactory.
straighten out (someone or something)

- to cause someone's bad behavior to improve, to organize/fix something that is in confusion or disorder

I went to the bank to straighten out the problem with my credit card.
straighten up (somewhere/something)

- to put something in order, to clean and make something neat

We had to straighten up the house before inviting my parents over for dinner.
a stranger to (someone or something or somewhere)

- someone who is new and unknown to a person/place/thing

The man is a stranger to computers and does not know anything about them.
strapped for cash

- to have little or no money available for something

I am strapped for cash so I will not be able to go away this summer.
a straw in the wind

- a small sign of what may happen in the future

When the company began to reduce expenses it was a straw in the wind as to what would happen in the future.
straw that breaks the camel`s back

- a small problem which follows other troubles that makes you lose patience and be unable to continue as before

When the receptionist lost the key to the office for the third time it was the straw that broke the camel`s back and we decided to fire her.
stretch one's legs

- to walk around after sitting down or lying down for a period of time

We stopped to stretch our legs after driving for several hours.
stretch the point

- to interpret a point very flexibly

It is stretching the point to think that the new company policy will let you take a two-hour lunch break.
stretch the truth

- to exaggerate

I stretched the truth a little when I told my friend about my job experiences.
strictly on the level

- to be honest, to be dependable, to be open and fair

The salespeople that I deal with are always strictly on the level.
strictly on the up-and-up

- honest, fair and straight

I only plan to do business with my friend if everything is strictly on the up-and-up.

strike Idioms strike a balance (between two or more things)

- to find a satisfactory compromise between two extremes

My father works hard to strike a balance between his family and his job.
strike a bargain

- to reach an agreement on a price for something

I was able to strike a bargain with my neighbor to buy his car.
strike a chord with (someone)

- to remind someone of something, to be familiar to someone

The song on the radio struck a chord with me and reminded me of my university days.
strike a happy medium

- to find a compromise position

The manager always tries to strike a happy medium between being professional and being friendly to the staff.
strike a match

- to light a match

I struck a match and tried to start the fire.
strike a pose

- to position oneself in a certain posture

The model was asked to strike a pose for the photographer.
strike a sour note

- to signify something unpleasant

The statements of the speaker struck a sour note with many members of the audience.
strike it rich

- to suddenly become rich or successful

He struck it rich when he got a job at the computer company and was able to buy some stock very cheap.
strike out

- in baseball a player is "out" after three strikes

The baseball player did not strike out at all during the game.
strike out

- to fail

We struck out in our attempt to gather enough support to build a new cafeteria in our building.
strike out at (someone or something)

- to hit at or attack someone or something

The boy struck out at his friend in the playground.
strike (someone) as funny

- to seem funny to someone

The comments of my teacher often strike me as funny.
strike (someone) as (something)

- to affect someone a certain way

It strikes me as a little silly for the man to be planning to buy a new motorcycle.
strike (someone's) fancy

- to appeal to someone

It did not strike my fancy to go to a restaurant last evening.
strike the right note

- to do something suitable or pleasing

I believe that the tone of my presentation struck the right note at the meeting last night.
strike up a conversation with (someone)

- to start a conversation with someone

I decided not to strike up a conversation with the man at the bus station.
strike up a friendship with (someone)

- to become friends with someone

My neighbor finds it easy to strike up a friendship with the people he meets.
strike while the iron is hot

- to take advantage of an opportunity

I wanted to strike while the iron was hot so I quickly applied for the job.

.


string along with (someone)

- to accompany someone

I decided to string along with my friends when they went to the movie.
string (someone) along

- to deceive or fool someone

The man tried to string me along with the story about his sick mother.
string (something) out

- to make something extend over a great distance or over a long period of time

The soccer games were strung out over a period of four weeks.
strings attached

- obligations, restraining conditions

My friend was able to borrow the money for the furniture with no strings attached.
There were several strings attached to the offer.
a stroke of luck

- a bit of luck

It was a stroke of luck that I was able to get a plane reservation to visit my family.
struggle to the death

- a bitter struggle either to success or failure

The lion and the tiger were engaged in a struggle to the death.
stuck in a rut

- to be in an established way of living that never changes (although you may want it to change)

My neighbor says that she is stuck in a rut and would like to change jobs.
stuck in traffic

- to be caught in a traffic jam

We were stuck in traffic for about one hour this morning.
stuck on (someone)

- to be very much in love with someone, to be crazy about someone

My niece has been stuck on the boy next door for several years now.
stuck on (something)

- to be locked into an idea/cause/purpose

The man is stuck on the idea of going to a hot place for his vacation.
stuck up

- to act as if other people are not as good as you are, to be conceited

We do not like the new woman at work because she is stuck up and thinks that she is better than the rest of us.
stuck with (someone or something)

- to be burdened with someone or something

When my sister went to the doctor I was stuck with looking after her dog.
stuff and nonsense

- nonsense

The ideas of the professor are all stuff and nonsense.
stuff the ballot box

- to put false ballots into a ballot box during an election

The man was arrested because he was seen stuffing the ballot box during the election.
a stuffed shirt

- a person who is too rigid or too formal

The man is a stuffed shirt and I never feel comfortable when I talk with him.
stumble across/into (someone)

- to meet someone accidentally

I stumbled into my friend when I was shopping yesterday.
stumble across/upon (someone or something)

- to find someone or something by accident or in an unplanned manner

I stumbled across a very nice restaurant last weekend.
stumble into (somewhere)

- to enter a place by stumbling

I stumbled into my bedroom and went to bed.
stumbling block

- something that prevents or obstructs progress

The issue of salary was a stumbling block in the negotiations between the company and the union.
subject to (something)

- depending on something, likely to have something

The purchase of the house was subject to several conditions that we wanted to talk about.
subscribe to (something)

- to have a standing order for a magazine or something similar, to give support or consent to something

I subscribe to several magazines but I do not have time to read them.
I do not subscribe to our teacher's ideas about many topics.
such and such

- someone or something whose name has been forgotten or should not be said

My friend is always trying to borrow such and such from me but I always say no.
such as

- of a particular kind, for example

I need various tools such as a hammer and a saw in order to complete the job.
such as it is

- in the less-than-perfect condition in which one finds something

I received the old car such as it is but it is not worth very much.
suck (someone) in

- to deceive someone

The man always sucks me in with his long and strange stories.
sucker list

- a list of people who can be easily persuaded to buy something

The salesman used a sucker list to try and get people to buy his new product.
sugar daddy

- a rich older man who gives money to a younger woman for her companionship

The woman went on a nice winter holiday with her sugar daddy.
suggestive of (something)

- to be reminiscent of something

The movie was suggestive of a time that disappeared many years ago.
suit oneself

- to do something one's own way to please oneself

I was able to do everything to suit myself while I stayed with my uncle.
suit/fit (someone) to a T

- to be very appropriate for someone

My new job suits me to a T.
sum and substance

- a summary, the gist of something

The sum and substance of what the speaker said was very interesting.
sum (something) up

- to put something into a few words, to summarize something

The speaker summed up his presentation and asked the audience for questions.
sunny-side up

- eggs that are fried on one side only

We asked for our eggs to be fried sunny-side up at the restaurant.
supply and demand

- the availability of something compared to the need or demand for something

The supply and demand for used sporting equipment is always very tight.
supposed to do (something)

- to be expected or intend to do something

I was supposed to meet my friend but I forgot.
a sure thing

- something that is sure to happen, something about which there is no doubt

My promotion to manager is a sure thing according to the president.
Sure thing.

- of course, certainly

"Sure thing, I would be happy to help you move next Saturday."
survival of the fittest

- the idea that the most able or fit will survive

It was a matter of the survival of the fittest in the jungle.
susceptable to (something)

- to be easily persuaded, to be easily influenced, to likely to become sick

The young boy is very susceptable to the influence of the older boys around him.
swallow one`s pride

- to bring one`s pride under control, to become humble

I had to swallow my pride and ask my father for some money.
swallow (something) hook, line, and sinker

- to believe something completely

I swallowed everything hook, line, and sinker when my friend told me the story about how he lost his car keys.
swamped with (something)

- to be overwhelmed with something

"I am swamped with work at the moment so I can`t meet you tonight."
swan song

- a final appearance

He was a big hit during his swan song at the company last week.
swear by (something)

- to have complete confidence in something, to be sure of something

My father swears by the walk that he takes every morning.
swear off (something)

- to decide to give up something that you are in the habit of using

My friend swore off tobacco several years ago.
swear on a stack of Bibles

- to promise solemnly that what one is about to say is true

The man swore on a stack of Bibles that he did not take any money from the cash register.
swear on (something)

- to use something as the support or authority that what one is saying is the truth

The accused criminal was asked to swear on a religious text at the trial to make sure that he was telling the truth.
swear (someone) in

- to have a person promise to do his duty as a member of an organization or in a formal position.

The new mayor of the city was sworn in at a large ceremony last evening.
sweat bullets/blood

- to be nervous, to be very worried

I was sweating bullets during the job interview.
sweat (something) out

- to wait anxiously for something, to worry about something

I spent the day sweating out whether or not I would get the job.
sweep out of (somewhere)

- to leave somewhere in a dramatic way

The actress swept out of the room after her performance was over.
sweep (someone) off his or her feet

- to overcome someone with strong feelings

We were both swept off our feet by the excitement of the ceremony.
sweep (something) under the rug/carpet

- to hide or dismiss something casually

The couple always sweep their problems under the rug and never want to discuss them.
sweet and sour

- a combination of sweet and sour tastes (found in many Chinese dishes)

The dish had a sweet and sour taste that was very delicious.
sweet nothings

- affectionate but unimportant words that you say to a loved one

The boy in the movie whispered sweet nothings into the ear of his girlfriend.
sweet on (someone)

- to be in love with someone, to be very fond of someone

The boy was sweet on his next door neighbor when he was a child.
sweet-talk (someone)

- to praise or flatter someone to get what you want

My sister tried to sweet-talk our father into giving her the car but he said no.
sweetie pie

- darling, sweetheart

The young man always calls his girlfriend sweetie pie.
swelled head

- a feeling that one is more important than one really is

The man has a swelled head since he got the new position in his company.
swift and sure

- fast and certain

I made a complaint to the bank manager and I knew that the answer would come back swift and sure.
swim against the tide/current

- to do the opposite of what most people want to do

My friend likes to swim against the tide and never wants to do what others are doing.
swing into action

- to start doing something

The members of the rugby team swung into action and cleaned the room after the party.
swing (something)

- to make something happen

I do not know if I can swing buying an expensive present for my girlfriend.
switched on

- to be in tune with the latest fads/ideas/fashions

My aunt is switched on and knows everything about many recent movies.