Commonly used english part 50 pdf

live down something - remove blame or distrust by good conduct, cause something to be forgiven by not repeating it Our supervisor is trying to live down his reputation of being a hard pe

live beyond one's means

- spend more money than one can afford

The couple have been living beyond their means and are now in serious financial difficulty

live by one's wits

- survive by being clever

The boy lives by his wits and never has any problems dealing with life

live down (something)

- remove blame or distrust by good conduct, cause something to be forgiven by not repeating it

Our supervisor is trying to live down his reputation of being a hard person to work for

live for the moment

- live without planning for the future

The young man lives for the moment and has no money saved for the future

live from hand to mouth

- live on little money and in poor circumstances

Her brother is an artist and must live from hand to mouth because he has no money

live happily ever after

- live in happiness after a specific event

It was a very beautiful movie and in the end everybody lived happily ever after

live high on/off the hog

- live very luxuriously or comfortably

He has been living high on the hog since he won the money in the lottery

live in

- live at the place where one works

The young woman got a job where she could live in with a family with three children

live in an ivory tower

- be unaware of the realities of everyday life

The university professor lives in an ivory tower and does not seem to understand what

is going on in the world

live it up

- have a good time

He likes to live it up every weekend when he gets paid

live off the fat of the land

- grow and live on one's own food

The early pioneers went to the mountain valley and were able to live off the fat of the land

live on borrowed time

- continue to live/operate longer than circumstances would suggest

My old car has been living on borrowed time for a long time now

live out of a suitcase

- stay away from your home while travelling with only the belongings in your suitcase

I dislike my job because I am often away from home and must live out of a suitcase

live (something) down

- overcome the shame or embarrassment of something

It was difficult for the woman to live down the embarrassment and shame of the fact that she had stolen some money at her job

live through (something)

- endure something

The people in the town lived through one of the worst disasters in many years

live up to one's end of the bargain

- do as was promised in a bargain

The young boy did not live up to his end of the bargain when he did not make an effort to finish his homework before watching television

live up to (something)

- act according to something, fulfill expectations

He is trying very hard to live up to his reputation as a smart busnessman

live within one's means

- spend no more money than one has

The young couple work hard to live within their means and they always have lots of money to spend

the living end

- great, fantastic, the ultimate

My sister said that her new boyfriend was the living end

loaded

- have lots of money

My new boss is really loaded

lock horns with (someone)

- get into an argument with someone

I locked horns with a woman who I work with and we had a big argument last week

lock (something) in

- make something (such as a rate of interest) permanent over a period of time

We locked in the mortgage of our house for a period of five years because the interest rates were low

lock, stock, and barrel

- everything

The small corner store went out of business and sold everything lock, stock, and barrel

lock the barn door after the horse is stolen

- be careful or try to make something safe after it is too late

If you try and prevent a flood after the rains have started it is like locking the barn door after the horse is stolen

lock (something) up

- to be assured of success

The candidate has already locked up the nomination to be a candidate in the next election

long and the short of it

- all the facts, the whole story

I phoned my friend and he told me the long and the short of it regarding the reason why he got fired

long face

- a sad look, a disappointed look

He had a long face when he came into work this morning Something must have happened to him

a long haul

- a long distance or trip

He is a long-haul trucker and is always out of town working

the long haul

- a long period of time during which work continues or something is done

He has decided to stay here for the long haul and will not return to his home

a long shot

- a bet or other risk taken though not likely to succeed

It was a long shot that he would get the job so he was very happy when he did get it

look Idioms

look a gift horse in the mouth

- complain if a gift is not perfect

"Even if you don`t like the present from your company you shouldn`t complain Remember, don`t look a gift horse in the mouth."

look after (someone)

- take care or attend to someone

She has been looking after her mother since her mother's recent illness

look at (someone) cross-eyed

- look at someone provocatively

When the man in the bus looked at the other man cross-eyed they seemed like they were going to have a fight

look at the world through rose-colored glasses

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

I told my friend to be more realistic and not to always look at the world through rose-colored glasses

look down on (someone or something)

- regard someone or something with contempt or a feeling of superiority

My cousin looks down on the activities and life of most small towns

look down one`s nose at (someone or something)

- show your dislike of someone or something

look for (something)

- try to find something, hunt/search for something

She has been looking for her credit card all morning but she can`t find it

look for (something to happen)

- think/expect that something is likely to happen

They are looking for our manager to become the next sales director of the company

look for trouble

- do something that may cause trouble

The young boys spend every Saturday evening walking around and looking for trouble

look forward to (something)

- anticipate something with pleasure

We have been looking forward to the concert for a long time

look good on paper

- something appears to be a good plan (but maybe not in actual practice)

My supervisor's plan looks good on paper but in reality I don't think that it will be successful

look high and low for (someone or something)

- look carefully in every possible place for someone or something

We looked high and low for my grandmother's hearing aide but we could not find it

look in on (someone)

- go to see someone, make a short visit to someone, make a call on someone to see if they are doing well

"Could you please look in on the baby and see if she is sleeping."

look into (something)

- investigate or check something

They have been looking into the cause of the accident for many months

look like a million dollars

- look well and prosperous, appear healthy and happy

He looked like a million dollars when I saw him at the party last weekend

look like death warmed over

- look very ill

The elderly man looked like death warmed over when he went to the hospital

look like (something)

- to predict something

It looks like it is going to rain this evening

look like something the cat dragged in

- look very shabby or worn

My friend looked like something the cat dragged in when he arrived home from work last night

look like the cat that ate/swallowed the canary

- seem very self-satisified, look like you have just had some kind of success

He looked like the cat that ate the canary when he came in with a smile on his face after receiving his special bonus

look on

- be a spectator

There were many people who gathered to look on after the car accident

look on (someone) as (something)

- view or think of someone as something

Everybody in our neighborhood looks on my neighbor as someone to talk to if they have a problem

look out

- take care, be careful, be on guard

"Look out! There is a large truck coming down the highway."

look out for (someone)

- provide protection and care for someone

"Please look out for my sister when she stays with you this summer."

look out for (someone or something)

- be alert or watchful, keep looking for something

"Could you please look out for any old vinyl records that you may find."

look over (something)

- inspect/survey/examine something

"Please take some time to look over these documents before you sign them."

look (someone) in the eye/face

- face someone directly

I looked the man in the eye when I asked him to move his car out of my way

look (someone) up

- seek and find someone

When I was in New York City I looked up my friend from university

look the other way

- ignore something

Our boss looks the other way when his staff are one or two minutes late

look through (something)

- to search through something, to examine something with one's eyes

I looked through my desk for my house keys

look through (something)

- to see through something like a window

I looked through the window at the beautiful sunset

look to (someone)