IDIOMY

Idiom	Translation	Examples
(all) hot and bothered	zmieszany, zakłopotany lub zły	Jim gets all hot and bothered when I mention his ex-girlfriend.
(not) give a toss	nie obchodzić, nie interesować (w przeczeniach)	I don't give a toss that you are tired. You are supposed to finish it today! (nic mnie nie obchodzi, że...)
(to be) a bit rusty	'przykurzony' (o umiejętnościach, znajomości np. języka itp.)	My apologies if my Spanish is a bit rusty, I hope you understand the intention of the message.
(with your) hands down	z palcem w nosie, z łatwością	Don't stay up all night, his tests are so easy you'll pass them with your hands down.
a babe in the woods	bezradny jak dziecko	When it comes to dealing with computers, he's a babe in the woods. He definitely needs someone to help.
a backseat driver	pasażer bez przerwy pouczający kierowcę samochodu	I hated travelling with my parents - my dad took it patiently but, to tell the truth, my mum was a terrible backseat driver.
a bad patch	zła passa	Last season we hit a bad patch of form and suddenly we were out of the Champions League.
a big noise	wielka szycha	This guy is said to be a big noise in drug trafficking. The police have been after him for a long time.
a big-head	zarozumialec, ważniak	Tom told me that all his friends are less intelligent than he is. He's such a big head!
a black look	gniewne, pełne nienawiści spojrzenie	Mary gave me a black look when I entered the office.
a blue movie/film	film pornograficzny	Blue movies are rated X, which means that only people of 18 and over can watch them.
a blue-eyed boy	ulubieniec	Tom was always jealous of his younger brother because he knew Jack was their mother's blue-eyed boy.
a bone of contention	przedmiot sporu, kość niezgody	The choice of place for holiday turned out to be a real bone of contention in their family this year.
a bundle of nerves	kłębek nerwów, bardzo nerwowa osoba	After all the problems I've had recently I'm just a bundle of nerves now.
a cold fish	ktoś niewrażliwy	He's such a cold fish - you can never see any emotions on his face.
a counsel of despair	akt rozpaczy	Her desicion to leave the country after she was fired was a counsel of despair.
a cutting/biting remark	cięta, złośliwa uwaga	Finally, I was fed up with his biting remarks about my size and I left him.
a day off (to have/take/get)	mieć wolne	I think I am overworked - I certainly need a day off!
a dog's life	psie życie	Without family and friends, it's a dog's life.
a drop in the ocean	kropla w morzu	We're grateful for your help although it's just a a drop in the ocean of our needs.
a far cry from sth	zupełnie inny, nie mający nic wspólnego	This house is a far cry from the one we were shown yesterday; it's much nicer.
a flash in the pan	słomiany zapał; fiasko; klapa	He wants to learn foreign languages, but it may be only a flash in the pan.
a gap year	rok przerwy pomiędzy szkołą średnią a studiami podczas którego podróżuje się i zdobywa doświadczenie	I'm considering taking a gap year, to develop myself and increase my self-confidence
a golden handshake	duża odprawa	Ms. Robinson retired early because her company offered her a golden handshake.
a little something	drobnostka, niedrogi prezent	I want to get a little something for Ben and visit him in the hospital.
a man of few words	ktoś małomówny	Michael is a man of few words, but when he speaks, people listen.
a pack of lies	stek kłamstw	What Jack told me about you is a pack of lies; I don't believe him.
a piece of cake	nic trudnego, pestka	Climbing that mountain was a piece of cake. No problem at all.
a ray of hope	promyk nadziei	1. There is a ray of hope for humanity afterall. 2. Thank you so much for the ray of hope that shines in your message.
a sharp tongue	cięty język	I like her, but sometimes her sharp tongue irritates me so much.
a shot in the dark	strzał w ciemno, na chybił trafił	It was just a shot in the dark. I don't know what the correct answer is.
a sitting duck	łatwy cel	Old people who walk after dark in the dimly lit streets are sitting ducks.
a slap in the face	policzek	It was a real slap in the face when she didn't answer my phone calls.
a slip of the tongue	przejęzyczenie	It was just a slip of the tongue but in politics it may cost you your career.
a slowcoach	guzdrała	Jimmy! Hurry up, please! You're such a slowcoach! Can't you move faster?
a stag party/night	wieczór kawalerski	Forget about your wives! It's strictly a stag party.
a stone's throw	rzut beretem	Oh, come on! Go and get me some drinks, the shop is just a stone's throw from here.
a tough nut to crack	twardy orzech do zgryzienia	This project turned out to be a tough nut to crack.
a vicious circle	błędne koło	He thinks he is a failure so he drinks. The more he drinks the more he fails. It's a vicious circle.
a walk of life	sfera społeczna	He has friends from many different walks of life

Achilles heel	pięta Achillesa	Speaking in public is my Achilles heel; I'm simply too shy.
after your own heart	bratnia dusza	She loves books too - she's a woman after my own heart!
against all odds	pomimo wszystkich przeciwności	Against all odds, he won that contest and became a well-known actor.
agony column	"napisz do Kasi", kolumna z poradami dla czytelników	I just love to read the agony column in teenage magazines. Their problems are sometimes so weird.
all of a sudden	nagle	All of a sudden the lights went out.
all year round	przez cały rok	Most of the hotels are open all year round.
all's well that ends well	wszystko dobre, co się dobrze kończy	The weather was terrible when we arrived in France but after two days it changed completely and we had a wonderful holiday. All's well that ends well.
an arm and a leg	mnóstwo pieniędzy	That car is great but it cost me an arm and a leg.
an early bird	ranny ptaszek	My father is an early bird, he gets up at 5.30 every day.
as a matter of fact	prawdę mówiąc, w rzeczywistości	As a matter of fact, I love him very much.
as deaf as a post	głuchy jak pień	I'm afraid there's no point in talking to my grandfather; he's as deaf as a post.
as dull as ditchwater	nudny jak flaki z olejem	The guy I'm going to the wedding with is nice enough, but as dull as ditchwater. I had better take my walkman...
as fresh as a daisy	wyglądający i czujący się rześko	Although I came back late from the party last night I was as fresh as a daisy in the morning.
as hard as nails	twardy, nie okazujący emocji	My supervisor is very kind to me but my boss is as hard as nails.
as poor as a church mouse	biedny jak mysz kościelna	We have to help her; she's as poor as a church mouse.
as sick as a dog	bardzo chory	I was as sick as a dog after eating a hamburger from a fast food restaurant yesterday.
as stubborn as a mule	uparty jak osioł	I was trying to make my father go to a doctor at last but he's as stubborn as a mule.
ask for trouble	prosić się o kłopoty	Not wearing a seat belt is just asking for trouble.
at all costs	za wszelką cenę	We must win at all costs.
at death's door	na łożu śmierci	My poor grandmother is very ill now and I'm afraid she's at death's door.
at first sight	na pierwszy rzut oka	At first sight he seems to be a very competent person.
at heart	w głębi duszy	She said she trusted him but at heart she knew he was lying.
at large	na wolności, na swobodzie	There are fewer and fewer exotic species living at large.
at random	losowo	The burglar didn't have any plan - he just entered the shop and grabbed things at random.
at sb's expense	1. na czyjś rachunek; 2. czyimś kosztem	The trip is at company's expense. We are always making jokes at Mark's expense.
at short notice	w ostatniej chwili, bezzwłocznie	I'm so sorry I ask you for help at such short notice but I didn't realize this project would be so demanding.
at the crack of dawn	o brzasku, o świcie	We have to set off at the crack of dawn tomorrow - it gets scorching hot during the day and travelling then is not possible.
at the eleventh hour	w ostatniej chwili	We were so nervous that he would miss the train but he, as usual, arrived to the railway station at the eleventh hour.
at the top of your voice	na całe gardło	They are always discussing things at the top of their voices. It's so annoying.
at times	czasami, niekiedy	I think everyone gets a bit lonely at times.
be a wet blanket	psuć nastrój	Please somebody make Jane change the subject! With her stories from her childhood, she can be a real wet blanket.
be at one's best	być w najlepszej formie	There is no doubt he is to win this race - he is at his best now!
be in force	obowiązywać	Don't worry about that - that rule is no longer in force in our office.
be in the air	nierealne, niepewne	The initial plans to publish this book in May are quite in the air.
be in the pay of sb	być na usługach kogoś (tajnych)	Hmmm... I have the impression that some data have been leaking from the company since Hans was employed here... Do you think he may be in the pay of our competitor?
be in the red	mieć debet (w banku)	It has been announced that the company will still be in the red for the rest of this year.
be in two minds about sth	być w rozterce, wahać się	Well, I don't know. I am still in two minds about buying this car. It's second-hand you know...
be left stranded	być zostawionym samemu sobie (z kłopotami), utknąć	That party was a disaster! Everybody was having fun and I was left stranded with that boring guy who sat next to me.
be on the air	być na antenie	Quiet everybody! Three, two, one ... You are on the air!
be on the crest of a wave	przeżywać dobry, pomyślny okres; być "na fali"	The Rasmus are currently on the crest of a wave, they are extremely popular among teenagers.

be out of order	nie działać	I am sorry but this telephone is out of order. You have to go round the corner.
be quits (with somebody)	być kwita	You give me 10 zloty and we're quits.
be rolling in money	mieć mnóstwo pieniędzy, spać na pieniądzach	They dream of the day when they'll be rolling in money.
be under the illusion	łudzić się	I think Mark's under the illusion that he will be the new director.
be worlds apart	bardzo się różnić	I really like this book but I guess it is worlds apart from what the real situation is.
beat about/around the bush	owijać w bawełnę, unikać przejścia do sedna sprawy	Stop beating about the bush and tell me what the problem is!
beat somebody black and blue	zbić kogoś na kwaśne jabłko	Tommy always threatens his little sister that he will beat her black and blue if she tells their parents about his marks at school.
before someone's (very) eyes	na czyichś oczach	She took my bicycle before my eyes; she didn't even ask me for it!
bite/snap sb's head off	odpyskować	I only asked if I could borrow the book. There's no need to bite my head off!
blind date	randka w ciemno	Sheila is so desperate in her search for a husband - she's decided to have a blind date!
Boxing Day	w Anglii - drugi dzień Świąt Bożego Narodzenia	Boxing Day - the day after Christmas, which is a public holiday in the UK, or the first Monday after Christmas if Christmas is on Friday or Saturday. It is called 'Boxing Day' because traditionally it was the day when servants were given a 'Christmas box'
budding scientist	obiecujący naukowiec	The Academy authorities think he is a budding scientist so he is pampered with grants and scholarships.
burst out laughing	wybuchać śmiechem	The movie was so funny that finally even Susan burst out laughing.
by all means	wszelkimi sposobami, za wszelka cenę	By all means this guy should work for us - he is the best specialist I have ever seen!
by all means	oczywiście	By all means we will try to answer any questions, so feel free to ask.
by courtesy of	dzięki uprzejmości, za zgodą	These pictures are being shown by courtesy of CNN.
by profession	z zawodu	My mother works as an English teacher but she's an economist by profession.
call it a day	zakończyć coś, przerwać, fajrant	Why don't we call it a day and go home?
catch sb red-handed	złapać kogoś na gorącym uczynku	The trial won't take long as the defendant was caught red-handed.
change a fly into an elephant	robić z igły widły	Gee! She doesn't have an evening dress?! It's just friends' party - why does she have to change a fly into an elephant!
change hands	przechodzić z rąk do rąk	The heavyweight title is about to change hands once again.
chew something over	przemyśleć coś	I can't give you the answer today. I simply need to chew it over.
chicken out	stchórzyć	I wanted to ask Mary out but I chickened out at the last moment.
choose a soft option	pójść na łatwiznę	He gets on my nerves! Whenever there is something challenging, he always chooses a soft option.
come in handy	przydawać się	Never throw away your notes - they may come in handy one day.
come to terms with sth	pogodzić się z czymś	She can't come to terms with the fact that she was fired for being late all the time.
come true	spełniać się	I wish my dreams would come true one day.
come what may	niech się dzieje co chce	I don't care that he is going to be there with his new girlfriend! I will be at the party tonight come what may.
commit a blunder	strzelić gafę	He committed a blunder asking Sue about her husband, while everybody knows that she is divorced.
couch potato	ktoś, kto preferuje siedzący tryb życia - cały dzień siedzi na kanapie, je chipsy i ogląda telewizję ;-)	Our 9-year-old son is a real couch potato who wants to spend all his free time watching television.
crocodile tears	krokodyle (nieszczere) łzy	I don't feel sorry for her. They're only crocodile tears.
cry for the moon	chcieć gwiazdki z nieba	Oh, come on! Be realistic! It's like crying for the moon! We cannot afford it.
curiosity killed the cat	ciekawość to pierwszy stopień do piekła	Don't ask her any questions about her marriage. Remember, curiosity killed the cat.
dead easy	dziecinnie proste	Listen! Reported Speech is dead easy - I can explain it to you if you want...
dead on time	punktualnie	I can't be late - Jack always arrives dead on time!
dead-end relationship	beznadziejny związek	Mary is not happy with her marriage - actually, it is a dead-end relationship.
dog tired	bardzo zmęczony	He's been working all day and night; he must be dog tired.
donkey's years	całe wieki	Mary's been working in my company for donkey's years and I won't sack her now.
ease sb's mind	uspokajać kogoś	The doctor tried to ease his mind about his daughter's illness.
easier said than done	łatwiej powiedzieć, niż zrobić	I know it's easier said than done but in my opinion you should challenge it.

easy come easy go	łatwo przyszło, łatwo poszło	I've lost the money you gave me last week - well, easy come easy go.
Every cloud has a silver lining.	nie ma tego złego, co by na dobre nie wyszło	Oswald was very depressed after being fired but he found another job in just few days. Well, every cloud has a silver lining.
excuse my French	sorry za słówka	I really wanted to provide the pronunciation to this fucking word "ophthalmologist" but it turned out to be impossible, excuse my French.
faint heart never won fair lady	do odważnych świat należy	It's high time we made a decision! C'mon, faint heart never won fair lady.
figure of speech	przenośnia; zwrot, wyrażenie retoryczne	When I said it was a battle to the death it was just a figure of speech.
first and foremost	nade wszystko	We need peace and stability first and foremost - these are the most important things.
for a change	dla odmiany	She always seemed rather serious so it was nice to see her laugh for a change.
for a laugh - dla zabawy	dla zabawy	They put salt in his tea just for a laugh but he didn't find it funny.
for all the tea in China	za nic na świecie	Oh, come on! I am not going to ask him such question! Not for all the tea in China!
for good	na dobre	Jane has gone to France - for good. She's not coming back.
for short	w zdrobnieniu	Her name's Diana or Di for short.
for the sake of	dla czegoś/kogoś	I know that this treatment is unpleasant but you should try it for the sake of your health.
for the time being	na razie	That is all what we can offer for the time being but the service is still developing.
Fort Knox	bank rezerw federalnych, przenośnie: bardzo dobrze strzeżone miejsce	My house is now like Fort Knox but I had to do it - I was burgled three times last month.
free and easy	swobodny, wyluzowany, luźny	I don't mind going to work as the atmosphere in my office is free and easy.
from A to Z	od A do Z; w całości, gruntownie	I respect Mr Wilson as he's a brilliant teacher who knows his subject from A to Z.
from cover to cover	od deski do deski	I always read detective stories from cover to cover; they're so exciting!
from head to foot	od stóp do glów	The dog was covered in mud from head to foot.
from scratch	od samego początku	I learned Spanish from scratch at university.
from the bottom of one's heart	z głębi serca	I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your help.
gallows humour	wisielczy humor	The 'Pythons' are famous for their gallows humour.
Get a move on!	pośpiesz się!	Come on, get a move on! I don't want to be late.
Get lost!	Spływaj, zjeżdżaj!	I can't stand your behaviour any more. Get lost!
get on sb's nerves	działać (komuś) na nerwy	Turn that music down! It's getting on my nerves.
get out of my face!	zejdź mi z oczu!	I didn't ask you for your silly comments. Get out of my face!
get straight to the point	przejść do sedna	Carol! Could you just get straight to the point? You want to borrow some money, right?
Get stuffed!	wypchaj się!	I tried to be nice to him but finally he went too far! I simply told him to get stuffed...
get the message	załapać, zrozumieć coś	He finally got the message and left Mary and John alone together.
get up on the wrong side of the bed	wstać lewą nogą	You'd better avoid Mark today - he got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.
give sb their due	oddawać komuś sprawiedliwość	Mike's not very talkative , but to give him his due, you can always count on him.
give somebody a ring	zadzwonić do kogoś	I'll give you a ring in the evening.
give-and-take	kompromis	You can't insist on having that your way. There must be some sort of give-and-take.
gnash your teeth	zgrzytać zębami	1. Hell is so terrible that those who go there will weep and gnash their teeth. 2. Mary gnashes her teeth in frustration.
go back on one's word	cofnąć dane słowo, wycofać sie z obietnicy	I promised to give Frank some money and I can't go back on my word now.
go for a song	sprzedać bardzo tanio	This car went for a song - the owner was leaving the country and wanted a quick sale.
go off the air	zejść z anteny	This program was very popular so the information that it went off the air caused a wave of protest.
go to somebody's head	uderzyć do głowy	Power and success went to his head - he no longer comes to our parties.
go to waste	marnować się	I can't bear to see good food going to waste!
gold rush	gorączka złota	The most famous gold rush was The California Gold Rush that began in 1848.
good riddance (to bad rubbish)	baba z wozu, koniom lżej	So, I hear Rupert has left you? Well, good riddance: he gave you nothing but trouble anyway.

greasy spoon	speluna z tanim żarciem	I'm broke, today we have to eat at this greasy spoon at the corner.
green with envy	zielony z zazdrości	When they see my new boyfriend, all the girls will turn green with envy.
hale and hearty	zdrowy, krzepki	John looks hale and hearty these days and he's very active.
hands are tied	mieć związane ręce, nie móc nic zrobić	I would really like to help you but my hands are tied... I have to wait for Mark's decision.
Hands off!	Łapy precz!	Hands off those chocolates! They are mine!
happy hour	czas, w którym drinki w pubie są sprzedawane taniej	Let's go for a drink to that pub round the corner; it's happy hour now.
have a finger in every pie	wtrącać się we wszystko	I can't stand her any longer! She has to have a finger in every pie! Can't she just mind her own business?
have a narrow escape	cudem uniknąć czegoś, o mały włos	He had a narrow escape when he slipped on the stairs.
have an eye for/on the main chance	myśleć o własnej korzyści; mieć własny interes na uwadze	Jerry doesn't bother about other people and only has an eye on the main chance.
have one foot in the grave	być jedną nogą w grobie	You know this old lady that lives on second floor? She has one foot in the grave but still behaves as if she were 20. ;-)
have something on the brain	chodzić komuś po głowie	Do you know this song? I've had it on my brain all day.
have sth at one's fingertips	mieć coś w małym palcu	You can always go and ask Tom of anything concerned with maths, he just has it at his fingertips.
have your cake and eat it	wilk syty i owca cała; mieć ciastko i zjeść ciastko	You can't have your cake and eat it. If you want high quality you have to pay for it.
heave a sigh	wzdychać (głęboko)	She heaved a sigh of relief when she heard the good news.
hide-and-seek	zabawa w chowanego	Let's play hide-and-seek! I'm seeking first...
high and low	wszędzie	We've searched high and low for this book.
hindsight is always 20-20	mądry Polak po szkodzie	Now I know I should have stayed in that job, but hindsight is always 20-20 - I couldn't have known it when I was leaving.
hit the nail on the head	trafić w sedno	Right! Nothing to add! You've just hit the nail on the head!
hush money	łapówka	Many politicians are believed to accept hush money.
if my memory serves me correctly	jeśli mnie pamięć nie myli	That guy's name is Ben - if my memory serves me correctly.
if you like	jeśli masz na to ochotę	- Shall we stop for a rest? - Yes, if you like.
in a month of Sundays	na "święty nigdy", nigdy w życiu	He will never bring you these CDs, not even in a month of Sundays - just forget it.
in a nutshell	krótko mówiąc, w skrócie	I don't really like him, in a nutshell, I think he is an idiot.
in a row	z rzędu	It was very cold and it snowed for three days in a row.
in a sense	w pewnym sensie	In a sense she's right, but I still don't understand her point of view.
in a word	jednym słowem	She wasn't able to explain this situation to me. In a word, she is guilty.
in bad taste	w złym guście	Their house is decorated in such bad taste - where did they get the idea of buying these mock rococo chairs to the living room?
in black and white	na piśmie	This agreement is invalid, unless you bring it in black and white.
in bulk	hurtowo	If you buy in bulk, it's 20% cheaper.
in cold blood	z zimną krwią	He killed the girl in cold blood just to get the money.
in fits and starts	nierówno, nieregularnie, sporadycznie, zrywami	He isn't very persevering; he only works in fits and starts.
in good faith	w dobrej wierze	The information is provided in good faith, however we accept no responsibility for the accuracy of the information.
in haste	w pośpiechu	I'm writing in haste to let you know that I won't come on Friday.
in public	publicznie	She feels bad about her divorce and she has never spoken about it in public.
in sb's birthday suit	nago	He was a very controversial figure - he happened to appear on stage in his birthday suit.
in the interim	tymczasem	I'll be back in few minutes. In the interim please read the extract from the novel.
in the middle of nowhere	w szczerym polu	Tom didn't take the map with him so after several hours of going in circles we ended up in the middle of nowhere.
in the wash	w praniu	Oh, I can't put on my red skirt! It's in the wash.
in theory	teoretycznie, w teorii	His plans always sound great in theory but they don't work in practice.
in vain	na próżno	1. The doctors tried to save the dying man but in vain. 2. How can you say that our soldiers died in vain?!

in writing	na piśmie	Please confirm the offer in writing next week.
inside out	1. na lewą stronę, 2. (znać) na wylot	He's a real computer freak - he knows them inside out.
it goes without saying	to oczywiste, nie ma dwóch zdań	Oh, Amy you should marry him! It goes without saying.
it isn't up to scratch	poniżej oczekiwań, niewystarczająco dobry	He rejected this market analysis. He said it wasn't up to scratch.
it's a foregone conclusion	to jest z góry przesądzone	Who was to win this match was a foregone conclusion. The team is the national representation after all...
It's a must	to konieczność (koniecznie trzeba zobaczyć, przeczytać, etc)	This movie is a must! It's a breakthrough in Hollywood business.
it's now or never	teraz albo nigdy	If you really want to speak to me, it's now or never. I'm leaving tomorrow.
just in case	na wszelki wypadek	We still have plenty of time but let's take a taxi just in case.
keep a straight face	zachowywać powagę, nie wybuchać śmiechem	Toby can't tell jokes. He never keeps a straight face and starts laughing right before the punch line.
keep sth under one's hat	trzymać coś w tajemnicy	They tried to keep it under their hat but it soon became obvious that she is pregnant.
keep sth/sb at bay	trzymać na dystans, nie dopuszczać do siebie	He always tries to keep his troubles at bay when he is on holiday.
last but not least	rzecz równie ważna (mimo, że wymieniona na końcu)	And last but not least, I would like to thank my parents for all the support they give me.
leap year	rok przestępny	Year 2004 is a leap year, with 29 days in February.
learn sth by heart	nauczyć się na pamięć	There is no rule why these words collocate, you just need to learn them by heart.
leave no stone unturned	poruszyć niebo i ziemię, zastosować wszystkie środki	I may need to leave no stone unturned but I will find this book!
leg it	biegiem!	What are you waiting for?! Leg it to the nearest newsagent's and buy this issue - there is an article about your uncle Tim!
let alone	nie mówiąc już o..	I hardly ever go to the cinema, let alone the theatre.
let sleeping dogs lie	nie wywołuj wilka z lasu	Just don't tell her that he's back in town. I suppose it's better to let sleeping dogs lie.
let something slip	wygadać się	He let slip that he had been in prison.
little by little	stopniowo	After the accident her strength returned little by little.
loony bin	psychiatryk, wariatkowo	Gee... Sometimes when I listen to her opinions I can't help thinking that she qualifies for some loony bin...
make a fool of somebody/yourself	robić z kogoś/siebie głupka	Stop that before you make a fool of yourself!
make a fuss about sth	robić zamieszanie z jakiegoś powodu	Gosh! It is just a broken glass. Don't make a fuss about it.
make amends	wynagradzać szkodę/szkody	He went to him and begged his forgiveness, saying he would do anything he could to make amends.
make oneself at home	rozgościć się	Frank! So many years! Come in and make yourself at home. Something to drink?
make oneself scarce	zmyć sie po cichu	The atmosphere in the room was getting more and more tense, so I made myself scarce on the first possible occasion.
make up one's mind	postanowić, zdecydować się	He finally made up his mind!
my lips are sealed	nie pisnę ani słowa	I won't tell anyone you love Henrietta. My lips are sealed.
nagging headache	uporczywy ból głowy	Jonathan is overworked. That's why he suffers from these nagging headaches so often.
nagging husband/wife	zrzędliwy mąż/żona	I have no idea how she can stand living with such a nagging husband as hers.
not be sb's cup of tea	nie być w czyimś guście	In fact, horror films aren't my cup of tea.
not harm/hurt a fly	nie skrzywdzić nawet muchy	My brother can be irritating and bad-tempered sometimes but he wouldn't hurt a fly.
not have a clue	nie mieć pojęcia	I haven't a clue where she left her book.
not my scene	nie moja "działka"	I don't like heavy metal music. It's not my scene.
noughts and crosses	kółko i krzyżyk	Noughts and Crosses is a very popular game among students sitting on lectures.
of one's own accord	z własnej woli, inicjatywy	I didn't ask him to clean up my car - he did it of his own accord.
off colour	marnie, słabo (czuć się, wyglądać)	Sue was looking off colour when I met her. I'm worried about her.
off the beaten track	na odludziu, poza 'utartym szlakiem'	His cottage is off the beaten track, so you may need explicit instructions how to get there.
off the map	poza mapą, odległy, daleki	I can't remember the name of the place where Jenny lives; it's a tiny village way off the map.
off the point	nie na temat	We were all talking about our jobs so Nick's comment on his marriage was rather off the point.

off your own bat	z własnej inicjatywy	Don't say I told you to do it, you did it off your own bat and I had nothing to do with it.
on all fours	na czworakach	My children love to have me on all fours playing with them.
on cloud nine	bardzo szczęśliwy, w siódmym niebie	She has been on cloud nine since she was promoted.
on horseback	wierzchem	Travelling on horseback took days and one could never be sure that they would reach their destination.
on impulse	spontanicznie	When the weather is nice it's fun to go away on impulse.
on location	(o programie, filmie) w plenerze	The series was filmed on location in Sweden.
on one's own account	na własne ryzyko	Well, you can try to run your own business, but remember that it will be on your own account.
on the dole	na zasiłku dla bezrobotnych	She's been on the dole for two years and she still hasn't got a job.
on the market	w sprzedaży, na rynku	At the moment this is the best camera on the market.
on the road	w podróży	Steve's job involves being on the road six days a week.
on thin ice	na niepewnym gruncie	His rude answer put him on thin ice in the company.
on top of the world	bardzo szczęsliwy/a	She's feeling on top of the world when he won the prize.
on your own initiative	z własnej inicjatywy	She realized that she had never done anything on her own initiative without the motivation of someone else.
once and for all	raz na zawsze	I tell you once and for all - I am tired of your complaining about your job! There is nothing else you can do.
once in a blue moon	bardzo rzadko	I only go to the theatre once in a blue moon; I prefer cinema.
out of date	przestarzały, staroświecki	I don't like this design - it is absolutely out of date to me.
out of print	wyczerpany nakład książki	I'm sorry but the book you've ordered is out of print.
out of stock	nie być dostępnym w sprzedaży	I'm so sorry but this camera is out of stock now. Can I propose a different model within the same price?
out of the blue	znienacka, nieoczekiwanie	The letter came out of the blue - I didn't expect to hear from him ever again.
out of the ordinary	niezwykły, specjalny, niecodzienny	My friend's paintings are out of the ordinary; I've never seen something like that before.
out of the question	wykluczone	I will not let my son go to France on his own. It is out of the question.
out of this world	świetny, doskonały	This restaurant is rather expensive but the food is really out of this world!
over my dead body!	po moim trupie!	I want to sell our house. Over my dead body! That house will never be sold.
over the counter	bez recepty	I'm afraid you can't buy this medicine over the counter, you must have a prescription.
pay tribute to sb/sth	wyrażać (komuś) swoje uznanie, oddawać hołd	In 1992, a concert was held at Wembley Stadium to pay tribute to Freddie Mercury from Queen.
pins and needles	mrowienie, 'mrówki'	I've got pins and needles in my leg! I have to move it.
plead guilty	przyznać się do winy	Having seen his face on security video-tape he couldn't use his alibi any longer and finally pleaded guilty.
poke/stick your nose into sth	wtykać nos w	She's always poking her nose into other people's business.
pop the question	oświadczyć się	After seven years of dating, I finally popped the question to my girlfriend.
pretty penny	niezła sumka	He hit the jackpot and quite unexpectedly got pretty penny on his bank account.
promise wonders	obiecywać złote góry	She was very disappointed with the job. They promised wonders when they hired her but nothing came true...
pull somebody's leg	nabierać, drażnić się	Mary had me fooled for a while, but finally I realized she was just pulling my leg.
put in jeopardy	narazić na niebiezpieczeństwo	As the Ambassador didn't want to put the staff in jeopardy, they were all dismissed and sent home.
put one's foot down	sprzeciwić się	My boss wanted me to work on weekends but I was brave enough to put my foot down.
put pressure	wywierać presję	The press are putting pressure on the minister to resign.
put sb through hell	zrobić komuś piekło na ziemi, spowodować cierpienie	Our boss put us through hell before he admitted that actually it wasn't our fault that we had failed with the deadline.
put sb/be at a disadvantage	stawiać kogoś/być w niekorzystnej sytuacji	The fact that the company's office was moved to the different part of the town has put me at a disadvantage. Now I have to commute almost one hour to get there.
rat race	wyścig szczurów	After years in the rat race she's finally decided to quit and spend more time with her family.
read sb's hand	wróżyć z ręki	She wanted the Gypsy woman to read her hand and find out about her future.
red tape	biurokracja	Because of all the red tape she didn't get her visa on time and had to cancel her holidays in Mexico.

red-letter day	szczególny dzień	Tomorrow is my red-letter day - I am getting promoted.
ring the bell	brzmieć znajomo, kojarzyć się z czymś	I don't know where I might have met him, but the name rings the bell.
rise and shine	wstawaj!	Come on! Rise and shine. We've got to leave now.
safe and sound	cały i zdrowy	To everybody's relief, he returned safe and sound from the storm.
scared to death	śmiertelnie przerażony	Last night I was scared to death when I discovered that someone was following me.
see pink elephants	widzieć białe myszki	Tim has a drinking problem. He drinks till he sees pink elephants.
self-made man	człowiek, który sam się dorobił, zrobił karierę	The idea of self-made man is one of the most important concepts in America.
sell like hot cakes	sprzedawac sie bardzo szybko	The album of this new Irish rock group sells like hot cakes - people ask for it everyday.
shed blood	przelewać krew	Much blood was shed durning the war.
shoot the breeze	paplać	She can sit with her friend for hours doing nothing but shooting the breeze!
show-off	popis, mający na celu zdobycie poklasku	Don't worry. We still have the chance. His lawyer's defence speech was nothing more but a rhetorical show-off.
snap one's fingers	pstrykać palcami	Music often inspires people to clap or snap their fingers.
so what?	i co z tego?	She's angry at you. So what? I don't like her anyway.
so what?	i co z tego? kogo to obchodzi?	I know that Mary is jealous of me. So what?
spitting image of sb	uderzająco podobny do kogoś	Believe it or not but he is the spitting image of Dan Ackroyd.
square meal	porządny, solidny posiłek	No wonder you feel sick! All you've been eating recently are those instant soups! Get yourself one square meal a day and you will be fine.
Stand and deliver!	pieniądze albo życie!	'I said - stand and deliver or the devil he may take ya!' (Metallica "Whiskey in the Jar")
stark naked	zupełnie goły, całkiem nagi	The small children playing on the beach were stark naked.
steer away from	trzymać się z daleka	If I were you I would steer away from this guy. He is a womaniser - don't waste your time with him.
step by step	krok po kroku	Don't try to teach her everything at one time, do it step by step.
take a hike!	spływaj!	He got so annoying that finally I told him to take a hike.
take a shortcut	pojść na skróty	I wouldn't rely on him - he always thinks how to take shortcuts in everything he does.
take it easy	nie przejmuj się, wyluzuj się	Don't despair if you fail that exam; take it easy.
take sth for granted	przyjmować coś za rzecz oczywistą, naturalną	Never take love for granted. It has to be cherished to last.
that's my funeral	to mój problem, nic ci do tego	'You eat too much! You will put on weight!' 'That's my funeral...'
the Big Apple	New York City	I'm planning to visit the Big Apple this year.
the black sheep (of the family)	czarna owca (w rodzinie)	Everybody says he's the black sheep of the family - he left home when he was 17 and became a singer.
the cupboard is bare	kasa jest pusta	I would love to go with you sailing but this month the cupboard is bare.
the end justifies the means	cel uświęca środki	Many people strongly oppose the machiavellian approach that the end justifies the means.
the first pancake is always spoiled	pierwsze koty za płoty	Don't worry! The first pancake is always spoiled. Just try again.
the game worth the candle	gra warta świeczki	- I'm going to do everything to marry him! - But Ann, is the game worth the candle?!
the grapevine	poczta pantoflowa	I heard on/through the grapevine that you are moving to Warsaw, is that true?
the grass is greener on the other side of the fence	wszędzie dobrze gdzie nas nie ma	When you look at other homes, the grass is often greener on the other side of the fence.
the lesser of two evils	mniejsze zło	Sometimes we have to choose between the lesser of two evils.
the naked eye	gołym okiem	Bacteria are too small to be seen with the naked eye.
the other side of the coin	druga strona medalu	Fame has the other side of the coin as well.
the root of the problem	źródło problemu	The root of the problem is that they don't learn enough to pass this exam.
the tip of the iceberg	wierzchołek góry lodowej	The problems we've already experienced are just the tip of the iceberg, I'm afraid.
throw somebody in at the deep end	rzucić kogoś na głęboką wodę	You want to learn Spanish? There's no better way than to throw yourself in at the deep end - go to Spain.
time is money	czas to pieniądz	Come on, hurry up! Remember, time is money.

time please!	zamykamy! (in a pub)	Time please! These were the last drinks. Please come back tomorrow.
Time's up!	czas się skończył!	Time's up now, put down your pens and leave the class, please.
to add fuel to the fire/flames	dolewać oliwy do ognia	Michael is furious at me. Telling him that I took his book will only add fuel to the fire.
to be after sb's own heart	o podobnych poglądach, upodobaniach	This guy is after my own heart - I think it is worth making friends with him.
to be all ears	zamienić się w słuch	I'm all ears- tell me how it happened that you've come back to Poland.
to be as sober as a judge	zupełnie trzeźwy, trzeźwy jak świnia	You may not believe me but I know what I saw - I was sober as a judge when it happened.
to be at one's wits' end	odchodzić od zmysłów	She was at her wits' end when she learnt that the avalanche was in the area where her kids usually went skiing.
to be back on sb's feet	pozbierać się po chorobie, stanąć na nogi	He took a doctor's leave for a week, but he's back on his feet now.
to be broke	być spłukanym, bez kasy	I'm afraid I can't lend you any money; I'm absolutely broke.
to be down in the dumps	mieć depresję, 'doła'	Well, you can try to ask her out but she is down in the dumps and I can't promise that she will answer the phone first of all...
to be head over heels in love	być zakochanym po uszy	Jim's head over heels in love with Monica; he talks only about her.
to be in a rut	popaść w rutynę	I think I have to change my lifestyle; I'm in a rut.
to be in high spirits	być w radosnym nastroju	Mary passed her last exam yesterday and she was in high spirits all day.
to be in somebody's shoes	być na czyimś miejscu	I wouldn't like to be in Susan's shoes - imagine taking that difficult exam again!
to be in the know	być wtajemniczonym w coś	I should ask Roger; he's the boss and he's in the know.
to be in the pink	być zdrowym	My sister is finally back in the pink after having a bad cold for two weeks.
to be in the right	mieć rację, słuszność	There's no need to apologize; you were in the right.
to be in the same boat	być w tej samej (zwykle złej) sytuacji	Jane and I are in the same boat; neither of us has got a job.
to be into something	być czymś zainteresowany, lubić coś	Don't ask me about Manga - I am not into it at all.
to be killing sb	dobijać, dawać się we znaki	I had my first horse - riding lesson yesterday and today my back is killing me...
to be loaded	być nadzianym	Look at the car he is driving! This guy has to be pretty loaded...
to be not much of a ...	nie za dobry ...	Ugh! She is not much of a singer, I'm afraid.
to be on everyone's lips	być na ustach wszystkich	Local government elections which are to take place next week are now on everyone's lips.
to be out of one's mind	być szalonym, postradać zmysły	She must be out of her mind to want to marry such a fool!
to be well off	być dobrze sytuowanym, bogatym	I think they must be well off - judging from their house and the car in the backyard...
to bite the dust	umrzeć, przekręcić się, 'gryźć ziemię'	John was already 89 when he bit the dust.
to break the news to sb	zakomunikować komuś przykrą wiadomość	I had the unpleasant duty of breaking the news of John's death to his wife.
to bring sth to light	ujawnić jakieś fakty, informację	My last conversation with Mary brought to light many things about our relationship which I hadn't realized before.
to brush up	'odkurzyć', podszlifować (umiejętności, jezyk itp.)	My French has got a bit rusty, I'm afraid. I will need to brush it up before the holidays.
to burn rubber	wciskać gaz do dechy, palić gumy	He has got another ticket! He simply can't drive if he doesn't burn rubber!
to burn the midnight oil	pracować lub uczyć się do późna w nocy	I had an important exam today so I had to burn the midnight oil yesterday.
to bury the hatchet	zakopać topór wojenny	Of course this old quarrel is long forgotten! Why don't Kate and Mike bury the hatchet at last?
to call a spade a spade	nazywać rzeczy po imieniu	Stop moaning that that you don't like the idea! Just go to your boss and call a spade a spade!
to call sb names	wyzywać kogoś	He called her names when she refused to date him, which only proved that it was actually a right decision...
to chase the dragon	palić opium lub heroinę	When the police entered the abandoned factory hall, they found a dozen of young people chasing the dragon there.
to come down to earth	zejść na ziemię	Come down to earth and stop dreaming about Mark; he doesn't even like you.
to cost a bomb	kosztować fortunę, masę pieniędzy	It's a very beautiful house but I'm afraid it must cost a bomb!
to cross one's mind	przychodzić do głowy / na myśl	It never crossed my mind that he could be in love with me.
to cry one's eyes out	płakać bardzo mocno, ryczeć	Julie cried her eyes out when she failed an important exam.
to cut sth/sb short	przerywać	I intended to explain the whole situation to him but he cut me short.

to do a number on sb	wykręcić komuś numer	He really did a number on his ex-girlfriend, making her come back to him and then dumping her.
to do time	siedzieć w więzieniu, odsiadywać karę	The man who attacked my friend last year is doing time for murder now.
to drop a brick	powiedzieć coś nietaktownego, nie na miejscu	I dropped a brick when I told my brother I didn't like Mary at all; I didn't know he was seeing her.
to drop sb a line	napisać parę słów do kogoś	Drop me a line when you've got time, ok?
to eat like a horse	jeść jak koń	I'm not surprised he's fat, he eats like a horse!
to eat sb's words	odszczekać coś, przyznać się do błędu	The President went too far. I think that public opinion will force him to eat his words.
to fall for someone	zakochać się	Julie goes to this pub every night because she has fallen for its barman.
to fall into the wrong hands	wpaść w złe, nieodpowiednie ręce	I'm looking for someone responsible to take my puppy; I won't let it fall into the wrong hands.
to feel it in one's bones	czuć to w kościach	It's going to be a long and cold winter- I can feel it in my bones.
to fly off the handle	wyjść z siebie, wściec się	I swear - one more remark like this and I will fly off the handle!
to frame / to be framed	wrabiać kogoś	"Who Framed Roger Rabbit" is my favourite movie from the nineties.
to get cold feet	stchórzyć, rozmyślić się	They'll be married next week; if Chester doesn't get cold feet.
to get hot under the collar	dostać piany, wściec się	When he saw his girlfriend winking at the guy sitting next to her, he simply got hot under the collar.
to get on like a house on fire	świetnie sie dogadywać	Tom and Jerry get on like a house on fire. They've been friends for years.
to get somebody wrong	źle, opacznie kogoś zrozumieć	Don't get me wrong. I didn't want to say he was a fool.
to get sth off your chest	wyrzucić coś z siebie, zrzucić ciężar z serca	I kept on thinking about telling Mark that he hurt me and I was glad to get it off my chest at last.
to get sth straight	wyjaśniać coś	Let's get this straight. You're sure you didn't leave your wallet at home, right?
to get the hang of sth	'zaczaić' coś, załapać (jak coś działa, lub na czym polega)	And then, as I finally got the hang of this new system, everything turned out to be so easy.
to get the sack	być wyrzuconym/wylanym z pracy	Tom wasn't good enough at work and he got the sack.
to give sb a big hand	głośno oklaskiwać	The audience gave me a big hand when I finished my speech.
to give sb five	przybić piątkę	That was great! Give me five!
to give someone a buzz	zadzwonić do kogoś	Sorry. I have to go now, but I will give you a buzz later, ok?
to give someone a hand	pomóc komuś	Could you please give me a hand with the luggage? It's really heavy.
to go	na wynos	Can I have two small pizzas- to go, please?
to go over with a fine-tooth comb	przeczesać coś	She went over her boyfriend's stuff with a fine-tooth comb just to make sure he does not date anybody else.
to go to pieces	załamywać się, tracić panowanie nad sobą	After his child was badly injured in a car accident, he simply went to pieces.
to go to the dogs	pogarszać się	The country is going to the dogs; we really need a new government.
to go up in smoke	spełznąć na niczym	We wanted to visit my friends that weekend but it turned out that Terry had to work on Saturday and our plans simply went up in smoke.
to hammer sth into someone	wbijać komuś coś do głowy	My brother and I always had it hammered into us that we should respect old people.
to have a (good) nose for sth	mieć nosa do czegoś	He's a brilliant reporter who has a good nose for interesting stories.
to have a clue	mieć o czymś pojęcie	This new secretary is cute and really tries to do her best but, honestly speaking, she doesn't seem to have a clue what it is all about.
to have a face like thunder	być wściekłym	When I told Mark that I was going out with Kate he had a face like thunder as he was attracted to her as well.
to have a frog in your throat	nie móc nic powiedzieć (z powodu suchości w gardle lub ze zdenerwowania)	The lecturer asked me to present my paper in front of all students but I couldn't because I had a frog in my throat.
to have a heart of gold	mieć złote serce	Mr Brown has a heart of gold, he would do anything to make his children happy.
to have a sharp tongue	mieć cięty język	I try to avoid discussions with her - she's got a sharp tongue and she can upset me.
to have a stab at sth	próbować czegoś	I've never tried diving in my life but I'll have a stab at it in Egypt.
to have a sweet tooth	lubić słodycze	Kelly has a sweet tooth. She can eat candies and chocolates all day long.
to have a word with sb	zamienić z kimś słowo	Could I have a word with you about our meeting?
to have an early night	pójść wcześnie spać	I'm going to have an early night tonight because I'm really tired.
to have both feet on the ground	stąpać twardo po ziemi	Susan is very practical and she has both feet on the ground.

to have butterflies in one's stomach	denerwować się, mieć tremę	I had butterflies in my stomach when I was waiting for the results of my exam yesterday.
to have green fingers	mieć smykałkę do ogrodnictwa	My husband has got green fingers - look at our flowers in the garden.
to have mixed feelings	mieć mieszane uczucia	I have mixed feelings about Mark. I like him but I think he has some dark secrets.
to have one's heart in one's mouth	mieć duszę na ramieniu; drżeć ze strachu	When I think of my exam tomorrow, I have my heart in my mouth.
to have one's heart in the right place	mieć dobre serce	He has not a very pleasant manner, but his heart is in the right place.
to have sth on the tip of sb's tongue	mieć coś na końcu języka	Gosh! I had the answer on the tip of my tongue but of course it wasn't enough to pass the exam...
to have the last word	mieć ostatnie słowo	My father always likes to have the last word in any discussion.
to have the time of one's life	świetnie się bawić, przeżywać coś bardzo miłego	I took my kids to Disneyland last summer and they had the time of their lives.
to have words with somebody	sprzeczać się, kłócić się	I think Mark had words with his girlfriend today because he is very nervous.
to hit the jackpot	wygrać los na loterii, zgarnąć całą pulę	'How does it come that he can afford such a car if he works at a construction site!? He must have hit the jackpot or something!'
to hit the roof	wściec się	My parents hit the roof when I told them that I failed my exam again.
to hold the guns	mieć wszystkie atuty w ręku	Well, it's hard to come up with any reasonable argument in this discussion if he holds the guns.
to hold water	być sensownym, dać się udowodnić (pozytywnie)	This theory was easy to abolish - the arguments simply didn't hold water.
to keep one's nose to the grindstone	pracować bez wytchnienia	Just try to keep your nose to the grindstone and you'll certainly pass the final exam.
to keep one's word	dotrzymywać słowa	Sue said she would help me to find a job and I hope she will keep her word.
to keep oneself to oneself	żyć cicho, samemu, bez towarzystwa	Mary hardly ever goes out with us; she keeps herself to herself.
to keep sb's ear to the ground	dowiadywać sie co w trawie piszczy	I have no idea what they are up to, but I will keep my ear to the ground. Once I learn what they plan, I'll let you know.
to keep sb's fingers crossed	trzymać kciuki	Good luck! I will keep my fingers crossed.
to keep sth quiet	utrzymać coś w tajemnicy	I didn't want to worry my sick mother and I managed to keep my divorce quiet for some time.
to kick a/the habit	skończyć z nawykiem, rzucić coś	John used to smoke a lot but he kicked the habit 2 years ago.
to kill somebody with kindness	zagłaskać kota na śmierć	My husband is killing me with kindness. Sometimes I just need to be left alone and he wants to spend all day with me.
to kill time	zabić czas	I only read magazines in doctors' waiting rooms to kill time.
to kill two birds with one stone	upiec dwie pieczenie na jednym ogniu	By enrolling her son in a hobby class Mary has killed two birds with one stone. Not only is he learning something useful but he is also watching less TV.
to know sth like the back of sb's hand	znać jak własną kieszeń	I can be your guide in this city - I grew up here so I know the place like the back of my hand.
to labour the point	rozwodzić się nad czymś, wałkować coś	Don't even bother asking him! He will labour the point for ages, and I think you need the answer pretty fast.
to land/fall on one's feet	spaść na cztery łapy	Jim is a type of a guy that, no matter what, seems to land on his feet.
to live to a grand old age	żyć bardzo długo, dożyc późnej starości	Our dog was always very active and lived to a grand old age.
to lose face	stracić twarz, honor	I guess John thinks he would lose face if he admitted he had made a mistake.
to lose heart	stracić wiarę w coś	Don't lose heart because you cannot solve the problem straight away.
to make a mess of sth	zepsuć coś, źle coś zrobić	I know I've made a mess of my exam and I'll have to take it again.
to make a scene	robić scenę, awanturę	Please don't make a scene. I'll do what you want.
to make ends meet	wiązać koniec z końcem	They're really poor; it's hard for them to make ends meet.
to make head or tail of sth	zrozumieć coś	Can you help me? I can't make head or tail of these instructions on the radio.
to make it a rule to do sth	robić coś z zasady, regularnie coś robić	I make it a rule to eat a lot vegetables.
to make/pull faces	robić, stroić miny	I know that my pupils often make faces behind my back.
to mind one's own business	pilnować własnego nosa, interesu	Why don't you stop criticizing me?! Mind your own business!
to miss the boat	przepuścić okazję, przegapić coś	Bill missed the boat by sending in his application form 2 days after the closing date.
to miss the point	nie zrozumieć czegoś, spudłować	Well, I don't know what to think about him - he seems to be quite clever but his last speech proved that he missed the whole point of this campaign.
to muddy the waters	zaciemniać obraz	For some reason they want to muddy the waters. I think their business is not quite legal...
to not know whether to laugh or cry	nie wiedzieć czy się śmiać czy płakać	When the teacher gave me the test and I looked at the questions, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

to one's heart's content	ile dusza zapragnie	There's a new restaurant on the corner. For just $10 you can eat to your heart's content.
to paint the town red	świetnie się bawić (zwykle chodząc od baru do baru)	Let's paint the town red, boys! That was a difficult test and we all did well. We need to celebrate it.
to pick sb's brains	zasięgnąć rady (kogoś kto się na tym zna), skonsultować coś	Terry, I need to pick your brains about the computer software - I've heard you are an expert.
to pick up the pieces	naprawić coś, uporządkować	After the fire in the factory, it took weeks to pick up the pieces and get production back to normal again.
to play ducks and drakes	puszczać kaczki na wodzie	'It's incredible! I can't find any single pebble here!' 'Oh, probably some kids were playing ducks and drakes here and they threw them all to water.'
to play second fiddle	grać drugorzędną rolę, pozostawać w cieniu	Ken doesn't intend to play second fiddle to her; he wants to be the boss.
to play something by ear	robić coś spontanicznie, improwizować	If our plan fails, we can always play it by ear. It might work.
to play truant	chodzić na wagary	More and more children are caught playing truant.
to play with fire	igrać z ogniem	Tom is negotiating with two publishers at the same time for the same novel. He's playing with fire.
to pluck up courage	zbierać się na odwagę	After few days Mike decided to pluck up courage and ask Helen out.
to prick up your ears	nadstawiać uszy/u	I pricked up my ears when I heard my parents speaking about me.
to pull yourself together	opanować się, wziąć się w garść	Pull yourself together and come back to work, please.
to put a stop to something	kłaść czemuś kres	He doesn't work and only spends my sister's money; I have to put a stop to it!
to put down roots	osiąść, zakorzenić się, ustatkować	He finally put down roots after living and working in many different places.
to put one's best foot forward	bardzo się postarać, włożyć w coś dużo wysiłku	If you really want to pass this exam, you'll have to put your best foot forward.
to put sb's back up	denerwować, drażnić	The way he discussed things with her really put her back up.
to put the brakes on	przestać coś robić	I think we will have to put the brakes on spending so much money on leisure activities.
to raise one's hand against sb	podnieść na kogoś rękę	If you ever raise your hand against me, I'll leave you.
to read between the lines	czytać między wierszami	He said he was very tired, but, reading between the lines, he simply didn't feel like coming to my party.
to read someone's mind/thoughts	czytać komuś w myślach	We understand each other very well and I sometimes think she reads my mind.
to read sth from cover to cover	przeczytać coś od deski do deski	This novel was so thrilling that I simply read it from cover to cover during one night!
to repay in kind	odpłacić, odwdzięczyć się	If you help a neighbour, he may repay in kind.
to rip sb off	'zedrzeć z kogoś' (cenowo)	Don't go to that hairdresser over there. It's nothing special but they will rip you off!
to rock the boat	szkodzić np. firmie, w której samemu się pracuje	I don't know what he is up to but he rocks the boat! Somebody should tell him it will do him no good.
to run errands	robić, załatwiać sprawunki	I have to run errands for my parents after my school.
to save face	zachować twarz	The comment that he made was only an attempt to save face in that difficult situation.
to save something for a rainy day	odkładać coś na czarną godzinę	Don't spend all your money just like that! You'd better save some for a rainy day.
to see red	wściec się	When Chris told me he'd crashed my car, I just saw red.
to serve him/her right	dobrze (jemu/jej) tak!	Frank's girlfriend has left him?! Serves him right! He behaved like a shmuck!
to shoot oneself in the foot	strzał w stopę (samobój)	He shot himself in the foot when he decided to cut on public spending - he lost the support immediately.
to show one's face	pokazywać się, pojawiać	After all the trouble you have caused, don't you dare to show your face here again!
to sleep like a log	spać jak zabity	Did you sleep well last night? Yes, thanks. Like a log!
to sling mud at sb	obrzucić kogoś błotem	This presidential campaign was nothing more than mud slinging.
to slip sb's mind	zapomnieć czegoś, wylecieć z pamięci	I felt so terrible when I bought her these roses... It slipped my mind that she is allergic to them!
to smell a rat	podejrzewać, że coś jest źle, nie tak	Helen smelled a rat when her son started going out every evening so she followed him once and saw him buying drugs near a night club.
to spill the beans	wygadać się, wyjawić sekret	I showed Tom my present for our mother and asked him not to spill the beans.
to stab sb in the back	wbić komuś nóż w plecy	I thought I can trust him! And he went to the head office and told them everything - he stabbed me in the back!
to stand a chance	mieć widoki na powodzenie	I'd apply for this job if I were you, I think you stand a chance.
to stick sb's neck out	narażać się, podejmować ryzyko	Jack says he is not a coward, he just doesn't like to stick his neck out if it isn't absolutely necessary.
to swear like a sailor	klnąć jak szewc	I don't like George; he's vulgar and swears like a sailor.

to take issue with sb	nie zgadzać się z kimś, sprzeczać się	My sister took issue with me over my opinion of one of the leading politicians in our country.
to take one's time	nie śpieszyć się, robić coś powoli	We don't need these articles to be translated tomorrow, so relax, take your time and submit them next week.
to take pains to do sth	dokładać starań, wkładać dużo wysiłku	My boss takes pains to select the best employees.
to take somebody/something seriously	traktować kogoś/coś poważnie	Don't take everything he says seriously; he jokes a lot.
to take someone for a ride	oszukać kogoś, nabrać	Be careful when doing business with him; he may take you for a ride.
to take something into account	wziąć coś pod uwagę	Remember to take his age into account when deciding what kind of work to give him.
to take something to heart	brać sobie coś do serca	I didn't really mean that your husband is silly, so don't take it to heart.
to take sth into your head	zdecydować się nagle coś zrobić	He seems to have taken it into his head to ask Ann to marry him.
to take the floor	przemawiać, zabrać głos w dyskusji	We know the opinion of the prosecutor. Let the defence take the floor now.
to take the floor	zabrać głos	The Prime Minister will take the floor in budget discussion on Wednesday.
to take the mickey (out of somebody)	robić sobie żarty/jaja z kogoś	Mike was taking the mickey out of me when I was dancing.
to take your life in your hands	ryzykować własne życie	Every time my son goes parachuting, he takes his life in his hands.
to talk behind one's back	mówić o kimś za jego/jej plecami	I don't feel good at work as I know my colleagues are always talking behind my back.
to talk rubbish	mówić bzdury, głupstwa	I don't really like Mark; he talks rubbish most of the time.
to throw a party	urządzić przyjęcie, imprezę	We're throwing a party for Jim's birthday next week.
to throw the book at someone	udzielić komuś reprymendy	My boss threw the book at me for not correcting the report properly.
to thumb a lift	zatrzymywać samochód (prosząc o podwiezienie)	I'm afraid we have no choice and if we want to get out of here we have to thumb a lift.
to toe the line	podporządkować się	Two members have been expelled from the party as they didn't toe the party line in voting.
to treat someone like dirt	traktować kogoś jak śmiecia	I can't believe that Mark is still with Ann - she treats him like dirt!
to turn a blind eye	przymknąć na coś oko; udawać, że się nie widzi czegoś	The farmer knew that the boys from the neighbourhood stole his apples but he simply turned a blind eye to it.
to turn one's back on someone	odwrócić się do kogoś plecami	Mark disappointed me a few times but I can't turn my back on him now when he needs me.
to whet sb's appetite	zaostrzać apetyt	The trip was marvellous. We had a great time and the whole experience whetted our appetite for more.
to work for peanuts	pracować za marne grosze	Sarah says she doesn't mind working for peanuts as long as she can see that her work is appreciated.
too good to be true	zbyt piękne, by było prawdziwe	I still can't believe I got that job. It's just too good to be true.
train of thought	ciąg myśli	Stop interrupting me or I'll lose my train of thought.
trial and error	metoda prób i błędów	I found the answer by trial and error, which obviously took little more time.
under oath	pod przysięgą	I was asked to tell my story under oath at the trial.
under one's breath	pod nosem	Jack was angry when I told him the bad news and he was muttering something under his breath.
ups and downs	radości i smutki, zmienne koleje losu	Their relationship was full of ups and downs.
Watch your step!	Uważaj jak idziesz!	Watch your step! The floor is very slippery.
When hell freezes over!	prędzej kaktus mi tu wyrośnie!	No way! Next time I'll talk to her is when hell freezes over!
whistle in the dark	dodawać sobie odwagi	Totally alone in this big house we joked about nightmares, whistling in the dark perhaps.
white lie	niewinne kłamstewko	White lies are sometimes inevitable in order to protect other people's feelings.
wild horses wouldn't drag me	nic mnie nie przekona	Wild horses wouldn't drag me to Nick's party; I don't like him at all.
with a vengeance	z podwójną siłą	After a week of good weather winter has returned with a vengeance today.
with bated breath	ze wstrzymanym oddechem	They waited for the news with bated breath.
with open arms	z otwartymi ramionami, chętnie	I accepted Kate's invitation to her birthday party with open arms.
without a shadow of a doubt	bez cienia wątpliwości	I can guarantee that - without a shadow of a doubt this car is the best in its class on the market.
without fail	niezawodnie	The postman always comes at 10 o'clock without fail.
written all over one's face	wypisane na twarzy	When Nick was told that he hadn't won the contest, disappointment was written all over his face.

young at heart

młody duchem

Although my mother is over fifty, she's very energetic and young at heart.

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