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
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.
Jenny promised to live with Nigel through
Jenny promised to live with Nigel through thick and thin
My brother James is the _____________ of any family party.
My brother James is the life and soul of any family party.
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.
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?
first and foremost
Most important, primarily; also, to begin with.
For example: First and foremost, I want to thank our sponsors,
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.
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
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!
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.
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.
_______________, 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.
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.
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.
(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.
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.
_______________ we see this pattern of behaviour repeating itself.
Time and again we see this pattern of behaviour repeating itself.
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
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.
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.
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.
There needs to be a bit of ______________ in every relationship
There needs to be a bit of give and take in every relationship
The lawyers argued the point ___________ for an entire week.
to and fro
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.