Commonly used english part 73 pot

ride on someone's coattails - to have one's fortune or success depend on another person The sales manager was riding on the coattails of his boss and hoped to achieve success in the comp

result in (something)

- to cause something to happen

The bad road conditions resulted in many small accidents this morning

return the compliment

- to pay a compliment to someone who has paid you a compliment

I returned the compliment to my colleague who began to praise my work

return the favor

- to do a good deed for someone who has done a good deed for you

I returned the favor to my friend who had recently helped me to move from my apartment

rev (something) up

- to make an engine run very fast

The young man began to rev the motor of his car up while he was waiting for his friend

rhyme or reason

- a good plan or reason, a reasonable purpose or explanation (usually used in

negative/interrogative/conditional sentences)

There was no rhyme or reason as to why my friend suddenly decided to quit his job

rich in (something)

- to have valuable resources/characteristics/traditions/history

Many vegetables are rich in important vitamins

ride herd on (someone)

- to watch closely and control someone

The new supervisor likes to ride herd on the people who work for him

ride off in all directions

- to try to do everything at once, to behave in a totally confused manner

After the meeting everyone seemed to ride off in all directions and we did not know where anyone was going

ride on (someone's) coattails

- to have one's fortune or success depend on another person

The sales manager was riding on the coattails of his boss and hoped to achieve

success in the company

ride roughshod over (someone or something)

- to treat someone or something with disdain or scorn

The new teacher is riding roughshod over the wants and needs of the students

ride (something) out

- to endure something unpleasant, to survive something safely

We were able to ride out the bad storm by staying in a small restaurant

ride the gravy train

- to exploit something for easy profit or advantage, to experience excessive success or profit without deserving it

We have been able to ride the gravy train and make a lot of money at our job recently

riding for a fall

- to be risking failure or an accident due to overconfidence

My friend is riding for a fall if he continues his present attitude at his job

riding high

- to be attracting attention, to be enjoying great popularity

The new government has been riding high in the opinion polls for several months now

right Idioms

right and left

- on both sides, on all sides, everywhere

The child looked right and left before he crossed the road

right as rain

- to be correct, to be genuine

The figures that I gave to my supervisor are as right as rain

right at (a specific time/place)

- to be exactly at a specific time/place

The concert started right at 9:00 PM

right away

- immediately

right down/up (someone's) alley

- to be ideally suited to someone's interests or abilities

The homepage development project was right down my alley and I was very happy to

do it

right off the bat

- immediately, from the beginning

I told my boss right off the bat that we did not need a new computer for the office

right on

- that`s right, yes (indicates approval for something)

The man yelled "right on" every time the politician promised a new program to lower taxes

right on time

- to be exactly at the correct time

The train arrived at the station right on time

right out

- to say or tell something plainly or in a way that hides nothing

I told the new supervisor right out that I did not like him

right side up

- with the correct side upwards

The bus drove off the highway and rolled over but it landed right side up when it stopped

right under one`s nose

- to be in an obvious or nearby place

I found the calculator right under my nose after searching for it for an hour

.

ring a bell

- to remind someone of something

The name does not ring a bell and I am sure that I have never heard of the man

ring down the curtain on (something)

- to bring something to an end

The famous singer rang down the curtain on an evening of wonderful music

ring in the New Year

- to celebrate the beginning of the new year

We decided to ring in the New Year at a party at my parent's house

ring true

- to sound or seem true or likely

The predictions by the scientists are beginning to ring true

ring up (someone)

- to telephone someone

ring up (something)

- to add and record a sale on a cash register

I went to the cash register so the clerk could ring up the items that I had bought

rip into (someone or something)

- to attack someone or something physically or verbally

My mother ripped into me when I came home late from the party

rip off (someone or something)

- to cheat/rob someone or something

I was ripped off by the mechanic at the gas station

ripe old age

- a very old age

My uncle was able to live to a ripe old age

a ripple of excitement

- a series of quiet but excited whispers

There was a ripple of excitement in the concert hall when the singer walked onto the stage

a ripple of protest

- a small amount of quiet protest

There was only a ripple of protest when the government raised the gasoline tax

Rise and shine!

- Get out of bed and begin the day!

"Rise and shine!" my father called to me in the morning

rise to the bait

- to be lured by some kind of bait/enticement

My friend rose to the bait when I offered to help him if he would help me to do something much more difficult

rise to the occasion

- to meet the challenge of something

Our teacher rose to the occasion and was able to give a very good speech at the banquet

a risk of rain/showers/thunderstorms

- a chance of rain/showers/thunderstorms

There was a risk of showers so we decided not to go on a picnic today

risk one's neck to (do something)

- to risk physical harm in order to do something

I risked my neck in order to rescue the cat that was on the roof

rivet (someone's) attention

- to keep someone's attention fixed on something

The man on the side of the tall building riveted our attention as he continued to climb

up

a road-hog

- a car driver who uses more than his share of the road

My father became angry at the road-hog who was in front of our car

rob Peter to pay Paul

- to take from one person or thing to pay another

When the government began to take money from the education system to pay for the medical system it was like robbing Peter to pay Paul

rob the cradle

- to marry a person much younger than oneself

People said that my boss was robbing the cradle when he married the young woman at our company

rock the boat

- to upset the way things are

The woman is a very quiet worker and never likes to rock the boat at work

roll around

- to return at a regular or usual time, to come back

Every time that his birthday rolls around he has a big party

roll back (a price)

- to reduce a price to a previous amount

The prices at the computer store were rolled back during the big sale

roll in

- to arrive in great numbers or quantity

The money has been rolling in since we started the new franchise

roll out the red carpet

- to welcome an important guest by putting a red carpet down for him or her to walk

on

They rolled out the red carpet when the Queen came for a visit

roll out the red carpet

- to make a big effort to greet and entertain someone

Whenever I visit my aunt she rolls out the red carpet for me

roll up one`s sleeves

- to prepare to work hard or seriously at something

Everybody in our club rolled up their sleeves to help prepare for the party

to be rolling in (something)

- to have large amounts of something (usually money)

My friend is rolling in money and never has to work

a rolling stone

- a person who does not live or work in one place

The man is a rolling stone and I never know where to find him

room and board

- food to eat and a place to live

The young man received room and board as part of his salary at the restaurant

root for (someone or something)

root (something) out

- to get rid of something completely

The new city government is trying to root out the wasteful practices of the previous government

rooted in (something)

- to be based on something

The popularity of the politician is rooted in his strong moral values and honesty

rooted to the spot

- to be unable to move because of fear or surprise

The boy was rooted to the spot as he watched the dog attack the rabbit

rope (someone) into (doing something)

- to persuade or pressure someone to do something

I did not want to help with the dinner but I was roped into helping by my best friend

rotten to the core

- to be completely no good and worthless

The local government was rotten to the core and everyone was happy when they were voted out of office

rough-and-ready

- to be rough or crude but to be ready for something

The boat was rough-and-ready so we decided to take it for a ride