Fixed pairs vocab
Fixed pairs vocab
Fixed Pairs Examples
Fixed Pairs Examples
Weather idioms
100

give and take

To compromise or concede; to negotiate, bargain, and/or compromise. 

E.g. You have to be willing to give and take when you enter politics, otherwise nothing will ever get done

100

life and soul (of something)

someone who is energetic and funny and at the center of activity during social occasions 

E.g. people always expect Jane to be the life and soul of the party. 


100

Jenny promised to live with Nigel through

Jenny promised to live with Nigel through thick and thin

100

My brother James is the _____________ of any family party.

My brother James is the life and soul of any family party.

100

A storm in a teacup

This phrase means that someone is over-exaggerating the seriousness of a situation or problem.

E.g. Ignore Marcus! He is making a storm in a teacup trying to find out who used a bit of his milk.

200

time and again

Repeatedly; on multiple occasions. 

E.g. Why do you continue to trust John when he has lied to you time and again?

200

first and foremost

Most important, primarily; also, to begin with. 

For example: First and foremost, I want to thank our sponsors,

200

It was _______________ whether we would get to the airport in time.

It was touch and go whether we would get to the airport in time.

200

My aunt treats her relatives really badly, considering they are her own ______________

My aunt treats her relatives really badly, considering they are her own flesh and blood

200

A bolt from the blue

When something happens completely unexpectedly, it is said to be “a bolt from the blue.” 

e.g. I didn’t expect to be promoted this month. It was a bolt from the blue! 

300

high and dry

In a position of helplessness 

E.g. You really left me high and dry when you forgot to pick me up last night. 

300

blood and flesh

Flesh and blood is an expression used to refer to someone in your family, especially someone who is related by blood rather than through marriage. 


300

_______________, we need to solve the budget problem and then we can move on to other issues.

First and foremost, we need to solve the budget problem and then we can move on to other issues.

300

When the company closed down I was left _____________ without a job.

When the company closed down I was left high and dry without a job.

300

come rain or shine

This means there is nothing that will stop something from happening or someone from doing something. It can mean that a person regularly does something, never altering his schedule.

E.g. 

  •         He goes to the gym every day, come rain or shine.
  •         We’ll have the picnic Sunday, come rain or shine.

 

400

(through) thick and thin

Despite difficult or troubling circumstances or setbacks; through good and bad times. 

E.g. She's always been there for me through thick and thin, so I can't turn my back on her now.

400

black and white

A situation is one in which it is easy to understand what is right and wrong

E.g. Disarmament isn't a black-and-white issue for me.

400

_______________ we see this pattern of behaviour repeating itself.

Time and again we see this pattern of behaviour repeating itself.

400

How could you not understand? Look at this letter – it’s all there in _____________

How could you not understand? Look at this letter – it’s all there in black and white

400

to get wind of something

to hear or learn about something 

E.g. The chairman didn’t want the press to get wind of the takeover before the agreement was signed. 

500

touch and go

Extremely uncertain or risky, 

E.g. It was touch and go after the surgery, we were not sure he'd survive it; or It was touch and go but they finally gave me a seat on the plane.

500

to and fro

to move/alternate in one direction and then in the opposite direction, a number of times

E.g. The young couple had been toing and froing for days about whether to get married in the woods or go for a more traditional place.

500

There needs to be a bit of ______________ in every relationship

There needs to be a bit of give and take in every relationship

500

The lawyers argued the point ___________ for an entire week.

to and fro

500

To take a rain check

This phrase is used to describe a situation where you refuse or reject a proposal to do something and suggest doing it at another time. 

E.g. I really appreciate that you’ve invited me to the game, but I can’t come. I’ll take a rain check. Maybe we can do it next month. 

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