Commonly used english part 31 pdf

a hatchet man - a politician whose job it is to say negative things about the opposition, a person in a company who must fire extra workers or cut other expenses He is acting as a hatche

a hassle

- a bothersome thing

It is a hassle to have to report to my boss two times a day

a hatchet man

- a politician whose job it is to say negative things about the opposition, a person in a company who must fire extra workers or cut other expenses

He is acting as a hatchet man for the leader but I don`t think that he really believes what he is saying

hate (someone`s) guts

- feel very strong dislike for someone

I absolutely hate the apartment manager's guts after she caused me so many problems

haul (someone) in

- take someone to the police station, arrest someone

The police hauled the man in because he was drinking while driving

have Idioms

have a ball

- have a good time

She had a ball at the party last night

have a bee in one's bonnet

- have an idea or thought that stays in one's mind

My sister has a bee in her bonnet about going to Mexico to teach

have a big mouth

- be a person who gossips or tells secrets

My friend has a big mouth so I don't like to tell him any secrets

have a blowout

- have a big wild party or sale

The university students had a big blowout on their graduation day

have a blowout

- one's car tire bursts

Our car had a blowout on the road up the mountain

have a bone to pick with (someone)

- have a disagreement to discuss with someone

I have a bone to pick with my boss because of his criticism of me

have a brush with (the law or something)

- have a brief experience with the law or something

I had a brush with the law when my car was stopped for speeding

have a case (against someone)

- have much evidence that can be used against someone

The police have a very good case against the man who is selling the stolen cars

have a change of heart

- change one's attitude or decision (usually from negative to positive)

I had a change of heart and will let my friend use my car tomorrow

have a chip on one's shoulder

- seem to want to start a conflict

Our neighbor has a chip on his shoulder and is always trying to start a fight

have a clear conscience

- be free of guilt

I have a clear conscience and am not worried that I did anything wrong

have a close call/shave

- almost be involved in an accident or something similar

I had a close call this morning when I was almost hit by a car

(not) have a clue (about something)

- (not) know anything about something

I do not have a clue who took the laptop computer

have a crush on (someone)

- to be attracted to someone

The girl has a crush on someone at her university

have a familiar ring

- to sound familiar

The complaints of our supervisor have a familiar ring and we have heard them before

have a feeling about (something)

- have an intuition about something

I have a strange feeling about the new man in our company

have a field day

- have a wild time

The media had a field day with the scandal in the local city government

have a finger in the pie

- be involved in something

The man has his finger in the pie of many businesses

have a fit

- become upset

The woman had a fit when she saw what her son had done to her car

have a foot in both camps

- support each of two opposing groups of people

The mayor of the city has a foot in both camps of the opposing groups

have a frog in one's throat

- have a feeling of a hoarse throat, be unable to speak

I had a frog in my throat and couldn't speak easily in front of the class

have a go at (something)

- try to do something

I decided to have a go at applying for the job after my boss told me about it

have a good command of (something)

- know something well

The girls have a good command of French

have a good mind to (do something)

- be tempted to do something

I have a good mind to tell my friend that I will not lend him any money

have a good thing going

- have or do something that is beneficial

I have a good thing going with my company and my schedule is very good

have a green thumb

- be able to grow plants well

My sister has a green thumb and has a beautiful garden

have a hand in (something)

- be partly responsible for something

I think that the woman had a hand in getting her friend fired from her job

have a handle on (something)

- have control or an understanding of something

I finally have a handle on my work and it is going very well

have a head for (something)

- have the mental capacity for something

My father has a head for numbers and is very good at mathematics

have a (good) head on one`s shoulders

- be smart or sensible

That new salesman really has a head on his shoulders

have a heart

- be generous and forgiving

The woman doesn't have a heart and everybody dislikes her

have a heart of gold

- be generous/sincere/friendly

The woman has a heart of gold and is always willing to help her friends

have a heart of stone

- be cold and unfriendly

The man has a heart of stone and he will never help anybody

have a heart-to-heart talk (with someone)

- have a sincere and intimate talk with someone

I had a heart-to-heart talk with my sister about my girlfriend

have a hold on (someone)

- have a strong and secure influence on someone

The coach has a very strong hold on the members of the team

have a hunch about (something)

- have a feeling that something will or should happen

I had a hunch that my friend would not come to meet me

have a keen interest in (someone or something)

- be very interested in someone or something

I have always had a keen interest in hiking and camping

have a lot going (for one)

- have many things working to one's benefit

The woman has a lot going for her and should do well at her job

have a lot of promise

- have a good future ahead

The young racing horse has a lot of promise and should be a winner in the future

have a lot on one's mind

- have many things to worry about

She has a lot on her mind with her new job and her new boyfriend

have a mind like a steel trap

- have a very sharp and agile mind

The man has a mind like a steel trap and can remember most things easily

have a near miss

- nearly crash or collide with something

The two trucks had a near miss on the highway this morning

have a nose for (something)

- have a talent for finding something

Our supervisor has a nose for finding ways to save money in our company

have a notion to (do something)

- feel tempted or inclined to do something

I had a notion to go to the beach so I went to the beach

have a one-track mind

- think only about one thing

My friend has a one-track mind and he is only interested in making money

have a passion for (something)

- have a strong feeling of need or love for something

The student wants to become a teacher because he has a passion for teaching English

have a pick-me-up

- eat or drink something stimulating

The carpenter bought a protein drink as a pick-me-up in the middle of the afternoon

have a price on one's head

- be wanted by the police who will pay money for one's capture

The man has a price on his head and is wanted by the police all over the country

have a/the right to do something

- have the freedom to do something

The apartment manager does not have the right to tell the tenants when they must leave the building

have a rough time (of it)

- experience a difficult period

My friend had a rough time of it when he was forced to leave his job

have a run-in with (someone)

- have an unpleasant encounter with someone

have a run of bad luck

- have a period of bad luck

My uncle had a run of bad luck and he lost his business as well as his house

have a say/voice in (something)

- have a part in making a decision

The union wanted to have a say in how the company was managed

have a score to settle with (someone)

- have a problem to clear up with someone

I had a score to settle with the soccer coach which I wanted to talk about

have a scrape with (someone or something)

- come into contact with someone or something

I had a scrape with the building owner and I must be very careful of what I say now

have a screw loose

- act in a strange way, be foolish

He is a very strange person I think that he has a screw loose somewhere

(not) have a snowball's chance in hell

- have no chance at all

Our team didn't have a snowball's chance in hell to win the tournament

have a soft spot in one's heart for (someone or something)

- be fond of someone or something

My grandmother has a soft spot in her heart for her youngest son

have a sweet tooth

- have a desire to eat sweet foods

The girl has a sweet tooth and loves to eat chocolate

have a taste for (something)

- have a desire for a particular food/drink/experience

Recently my friend has a taste for very loud and fast music

have a thing going with (someone)

- have a romantic relationship with someone

I think that the secretary has a thing going with one of the salesmen

have a time

- have trouble, have a hard time

She really had a time last night when her car stopped working

have a time

- have a good time, have fun

We really had a time at the party last night

have a try/crack at (something)

- take a turn at trying to do something

I have always wanted to have a try at scuba diving

have a vested interest in (something)

- have a personal interest (often financial) in something

The mayor of the city has a vested interest in building the new stadium