To call it a day is to bring an activity to an end.<\/p>\n
\u2022 You have been working for over 10 hours on that report. I think you should call it a day and go home.
\n\u2022 I\u2019m feeling a little tired. I think I should call it a day.
\n\u2022 We went to the beach, swam in the sea, ate at a beach restaurant and then called it a day and went home.
\n\u2022 It is already 8 o\u2019clock. I think we should call it a day and go home.
\n\u2022 The captain said that we would call it a day when the sun goes down.<\/p>\n
To call it quits is to stop doing something or to end a relationship.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Though there were problems between us, I really wanted to save our marriage, but my wife was convinced that we should call it quits.
\n\u2022 I\u2019m feeling tired. Can we call it quits for today?
\n\u2022 Susie called it quits on our relationship because she felt that I was cheating on her.
\n\u2022 Every once in a while it is okay to call it quits before it is officially time to leave work, but if you make it a habit, your boss will soon show you the door.<\/p>\n
To call off something is to cancel it.<\/p>\n
\u2022 The match was called off due to bad weather.
\n\u2022 Sophia shocked her parents by calling off her engagement to Peter.
\n\u2022 We were planning to throw a small party on Sunday, but we had to call it off because both of us were sick.<\/p>\n
This phrasal verb has different meanings. One is to visit someone.<\/p>\n
\u2022 I like to call on my old friends every now and then. (= I like to visit my old friends every now and then.)
\n\u2022 We were pleasantly surprised when Susie called on us last Sunday. We hadn\u2019t seen her in a long time.<\/p>\n
The other meaning of this expression is to choose a person to answer a question.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Yesterday in English class the teacher called on me to recite a poem, and I didn\u2019t know what to do.<\/p>\n
To call someone on the carpet is to summon them for a scolding or rebuke.<\/p>\n
\u2022 My boss called me on the carpet yesterday because I had missed yet another deadline. (= My boss scolded me for missing yet another deadline.)
\n\u2022 The headmaster called the boy on the carpet for misbehaving in the class.<\/p>\n
According to scholars, the expression call on the carpet originated in 19th century America. A carpet is some sort of cloth used to cover the floors. In the 19th century only the rich and the powerful could afford to buy carpets. That means to be called on the carpet is to be summoned by someone in authority. In most cases, this summoning is done with the objective of rebuking somebody.<\/p>\n
\u2022 The students who cheated on the exam were called on the carpet.<\/p>\n
Notes<\/p>\n
The phrase on the exam is mainly used in American English. British speakers tend to use in the exam.<\/p>\n
When you call the shots, you are in charge and make the final decisions.<\/p>\n
\u2022 If you really want them to buy from you, you should talk to the wife, not to the husband. She is the one who calls the shots in their marriage.
\n\u2022 He has always wanted to call the shots and now he does exactly that. He has just been appointed the CEO of the company.
\n\u2022 You may call the shots if you want, but you must be ready to face the consequences as well.<\/p>\n
To carry the day is to win a match or to succeed in persuading others to accept your way of thinking.<\/p>\n
\u2022 We didn\u2019t play well at first, but we carried the day in the end.<\/p>\n
By the end of the meeting it became clear that our rivals had carried the day. \u2022 It took quite some time but Susie was finally able to carry the day and get everyone\u2019s approval with regards to the project.<\/p>\n
The expression win the day means the same.<\/p>\n
\u2022 In the end common sense won the day and she decided to call off her engagement to Peter.<\/p>\n
To catch some rays is to get a sun tan by exposing your body to sunlight.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Don\u2019t forget to apply some sunscreen before you go out to catch some rays.
\n\u2022 When the weather gets warmer many people head for the beach and catch some rays.<\/p>\n
The expressions catch a few rays and bag some rays also mean the same.<\/p>\n
\u2022 \u2018You look a few shades darker.\u2019 \u2018Yeah, I went to Hawaii to bag some rays.\u2019<\/p>\n
Catch you later can mean see you later. This expression is mainly used in very informal English.<\/p>\n
\u2022 I\u2019m leaving for office. I\u2019ll catch you later. (= I will see you later.)
\n\u2022 \u2018Well, I must be going now. Catch you later.\u2019 \u2018OK. Bye. Take care.\u2019
\n\u2022 She told me that she would catch me later at the club, but she didn\u2019t turn up.<\/p>\n
Catch you later has one more meaning. It can be used to mean that you will pay money owed later.<\/p>\n
\u2022 The other day my friend and I had dinner at a restaurant and I paid for it. He said that he would catch me later on his half of the bill.
\n\u2022 Thanks for buying the drinks. I\u2019m out of cash now. I\u2019ll catch you later.<\/p>\n
To change one\u2019s tune is to change one\u2019s opinion or attitude.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Right now she doesn\u2019t want to quit her job, but she might change her tune once her little baby arrives.
\n\u2022 They were not keen on hiring him, but they changed their tune when they realized that he was indeed an efficient designer.
\n\u2022 I was not keen on investing in real estate, but the huge appreciation in land prices forced me to change my tune.<\/p>\n
The idiom change one\u2019s mind has a very similar meaning.
\n\u2022 Why argue with her? She won\u2019t change her mind.<\/p>\n
To check something out is to examine it or take a look at it.<\/p>\n
\u2022 We have redesigned our website. Please check it out and let\u2019s know your thoughts.
\n\u2022 They have just launched a new showroom in the city. If you are not busy, let\u2019s go and check it out.
\n\u2022 He is only eight, but he has already started checking out the girls.<\/p>\n
To get something checked out is to get it examined by somebody.<\/p>\n
\u2022 You really should get that lump checked out by a doctor.<\/p>\n
To chip in is to contribute a small amount of money to a fund.<\/p>\n
\u2022 \u2018Would you chip in a few dollars on a gift for the teacher?\u2019 \u2018Yes, I would be happy to chip in.\u2019<\/p>\n
Usage note<\/p>\n
We chip in money on something for someone.<\/p>\n
\u2022 She chipped in a dollar on a gift for Louis.
\n\u2022 Most people wouldn\u2019t mind chipping in a few bucks for a good cause.
\n\u2022 If you are ready to chip in a dollar we can buy a nice birthday gift for Susie.<\/p>\n
To chow down is to eat a large amount of food. It can be used with people or with animals. This expression is only used in an informal style.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Chow down fast if you don\u2019t want to be late for the movie.
\n\u2022 Dinner is on the table \u2013 so let\u2019s chow down.
\n\u2022 My son doesn\u2019t like cereals or vegetables, but give him a box of chocolates and he will chow it down in a few minutes.
\n\u2022 Let\u2019s chow these cookies down before mummy comes.<\/p>\n
A cold call is an unsolicited telephone call. It is usually done to sell a product or a service.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Although few people like to receive cold calls, marketers believe that it is one of the most effective marketing strategies.
\n\u2022 He brings in new business by making cold calls on potential clients.
\n\u2022 She quit her sales job because she was tired of making cold calls.<\/p>\n
If something costs an arm and a leg, it is very expensive. Note that the expression an arm and a leg is also used with the verbs pay and charge.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Gold ornaments cost an arm and a leg these days.
\n\u2022 Although I liked that dress I couldn\u2019t buy it. It cost an arm and a leg!
\n\u2022 Have you got any cheap laptops? These models cost an arm and a leg.
\n\u2022 If you have got good quality products that don\u2019t cost an arm and a leg, you will have no trouble finding buyers.
\n\u2022 If you are looking for a sea-facing apartment, you must be willing to pay an arm and a leg.<\/p>\n
The idiom couch potato is used to refer to a person who sits on a couch all day and does nothing else. This expression is often used to imply that a person is lazy.<\/p>\n
\u2022 If he wasn\u2019t such a couch potato, I would marry him.
\n\u2022 Susie has to manage two jobs in a day because her husband is a couch potato.
\n\u2022 Stop being a couch potato if you want to get rid of that pot belly.<\/p>\n
If something is crystal clear, it can be understood easily.<\/p>\n
\u2022 \u2018Are you sure you understand everything that we discussed now?\u2019 \u2018Yes, it\u2019s crystal clear.\u2019
\n\u2022 I have explained everything in detail. So it must be all crystal clear now.
\n\u2022 Students always liked her lessons because they were crystal clear.
\n\u2022 It may not be crystal clear now but you will understand better once you start using the camera.<\/p>\n
To cut corners is to reduce expenses. Sometimes it means to do something in the quickest and easiest way which often produces less than optimum results.<\/p>\n
\u2022 The pay day is still weeks away and we are already short of cash. It is time to cut corners.
\n\u2022 If you want to build a revolutionary product, you must resist the temptation to cut corners.
\n\u2022 We are not at all happy with the work you did on the new kitchen. It is evident that you cut corners. The quality of the wood used for cupboards is particularly bad.
\n\u2022 Although our products boast of some revolutionary features, they are still very expensive. We need to find a way to cut corners to bring the price down.<\/p>\n
This is an expression used to ask someone to stop doing something.<\/p>\n
\u2022 I\u2019m tired of listening to your crappy jokes. Cut it out!
\n\u2022 Stop making excuses for the problems you have created. I don\u2019t want to hear any of it. Cut it out this instant.
\n\u2022 I don\u2019t want to hear any more rude remarks from you. Cut it out!<\/p>\n
To cut your losses is to stop doing an activity that is not producing the desired results.<\/p>\n
\u2022 The product was revolutionary in many aspects, but it didn\u2019t attract many buyers. So the company decided to cut their losses and stop producing it.
\n\u2022 The project isn\u2019t going anywhere. I guess it is high time we cut our losses and diverted our attention to something more productive.
\n\u2022 Although he tried hard, he couldn\u2019t win her heart. In the end he realized that they weren\u2019t supposed to be together. So he cut his losses and stopped seeing her<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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