Commonly used english part 34 potx

head Idioms head above water - out of difficulty, clear of trouble Although he works very hard he is not able to keep his head above water financially.. head and shoulders above someone

hazard a guess/opinion

- make a guess

I would not want to hazard a guess as to the age of the woman

head Idioms

head above water

- out of difficulty, clear of trouble

Although he works very hard he is not able to keep his head above water financially

head and shoulders above (someone or something)

- clearly superior to someone or something

I believe that our team is head and shoulders above the other teams in the league

head for (someone/something/somewhere)

- to aim for someone/something/somewhere, to move toward

someone/something/somewhere

The tropical storm is heading for the large island

head-hunting

- search for qualified individuals to fill certain positions

The head-hunting company has phoned me several times about getting a new job

head off (someone)

head off (something)

- stop, prevent

They were able to head off a strike by the union at the last minute

head-on

- front end to front end, with the front facing something

There was a serious head-on crash on the highway last night

head-on

- in a way that is exactly opposite, opposed to someone in an argument or fight

They decided to deal with their opponents in a head-on manner in order to win the fight

head out

- leave, start

It is time that we head out for the movie or we will be late

head over heels

- upside down, head first

He fell head over heels when his bicycle hit the wall

head over heels in love (with someone)

- completely/deeply in love (with someone)

She fell head over heels in love with the guy that she met at the party

a head shrinker

- a psychiatrist

The criminal had to go and see a head shrinker after the judge sentenced him to life in prison

a head start

- an early start to something

They left early in order to get a head start on the trip

to head up

- to be at the head of (a group), a leader

The president headed up a group of people going overseas to promote trade

heads or tails

- the face of a coin or the opposite side

We decided who would start the game by throwing heads or tails with a coin

heads will roll

- someone will get into severe trouble

I think that heads will roll because of the problems with the new employee

.

hear from

- receive a letter/phone call/news from someone

I haven`t heard from my university roommate for over one year

(not) hear of (something)

- not tolerate or permit something

I will not hear of my aunt staying in a hotel when she visits us

hear (someone) out

- listen to everything that someone has to say

We went to the meeting to hear the manager out about the new building

heart Idioms

heart goes out to (someone)

- one feels sympathy for someone

My heart went out to the victims of the railway accident

heart is in the right place

- be kindhearted/sympathetic, have good intentions

He sometimes makes mistakes but his heart is in the right place

heart is set on (something)

- one desires and expects something

The boy's heart is set on getting a dog for his birthday

heart of gold

- a kind/generous/forgiving personality

My grandmother has a heart of gold and everyone loves her

heart of stone

- someone with a nature with no pity or warmth

She has a heart of stone and is not interested in how other people feel

heart skips/misses a beat

- be startled or excited from surprise/joy/fright

My heart skipped a beat when the truck almost hit us last night

heart stands still

- be very frightened or worried

My heart stood still when I heard the story about the little boy and the fire

heart-to-heart

- honest or intimate

The couple had a heart-to-heart talk before they decided to get married

.

heavy going

a heavy heart

- a feeling of sadness or unhappiness

He seems to have a heavy heart now that his wife has died

hedge in (something)

- keep something from getting out or moving freely, block something in

My car was hedged in by the other cars and I was unable to move it this morning

hedge one's bets

- reduce one's loss on something by counterbalancing the loss in some way

We will hedge our bets and go to a movie if the weather isn't good enough for

camping

hell and high water

- troubles or difficulties of some kind

They went through hell and high water in order to get the food to the flood victims

hell-bent for leather

- behaving recklessly, riding a horse recklessly

The boys went hell-bent-for-leather down the path to the beach

hell on earth

- a very unpleasant situation

The hot weather made the small town hell on earth

hell-on-wheels

- a short-tempered/nagging/crabby person

help oneself to (something)

- take whatever one wants or needs

We went to the buffet table and helped ourselves to the food

help out with (something)

- assist someone to do something

I helped out with carrying the luggage of the other tour members

helter-skelter

- in a confusing group, in disorder

When we arrived at work we found the files scattered helter-skelter over the floor

to hem and haw

- to avoid giving a clear answer, to be evasive in speech

He hemmed and hawed when I asked him if he knew where the missing money was

hem (someone or something) in

- trap or enclose someone or something

We went to the football game but we felt hemmed in by all of the people

here and now

- immediately

I want you to do that work right here and now

Here goes.

- ready to to do something while hoping for the best results

"Well, here goes I am going to go and ask that girl for a date right now."

Here goes nothing.

- ready to do something but think that it will probably be a waste of time and will probably fail

"Here goes nothing I have already asked him to lend me some money and he always says no but I`ll try again."

here, there and everywhere

- everywhere

The mice were here, there, and everywhere when we entered the old house

hide/bury one`s head in the sand

- keep from knowing something dangerous or unpleasant

He hates to talk about important matters and hides his head in the sand when I try to talk to him

hide one's face in shame

- cover one's face because of shame or embarrassment

The man wanted to hide his face in shame after he lost his job

high Idioms

high and dry

- stranded, abandoned

They left the manager high and dry when they moved the company to Europe

high and low

- everywhere

We looked high and low for her watch but we couldn`t find it

high-and-mighty

- arrogant

He always acts high-and-mighty in front of his employees

(in) high gear

- at top speed, full activity

The preparations for his visit have been in high gear all week

high-handed

- bossy, dictatorial, depending on force rather than what is right

My supervisor always takes a high-handed approach when dealing with her

employees

(the) high life

- a luxurious existence

They have been living the high life since they moved to Las Vegas

high man on the totem pole

- the top person of an organization

My father is the high man on the totem pole in his company and has a very good job

the high seas

- the ocean (away from the coast)

The crew of the ship spent three months on the high seas before going to shore for a visit

(to be) in high spirits

- to have much energy, to be cheerful

They are in high spirits since their home team won the tournament

(to be) high time

- to be time that something should already have been done

It is high time that we spent some time cleaning up our house

.

hightail it out of (somewhere)

- run away from or leave a place quickly

We decided to hightail it out of the restaurant and go home

highway robbery

- an extremely high price for something

The price that we had to pay for the theater tickets was highway robbery

hinge on (something)

- depend on something

Whether or not I can enter the university hinges on my final exam score