keep sth under one's hat trzymać coś w tajemnicyśThey tried to keep it under their hat but it soon became obvious that she is pregnant.
the other side of the coin druga strona medaluśFame has the other side of the coin as well.
make up one's mind postanowić, zdecydować sięśHe finally made up his mind!
change a fly into an elephant robić z igły widłyśGee! She doesn't have an evening dress?! It's just friends' party - why does she have to change a fly into an elephant!
easier said than done łatwiej powiedzieć, niż zrobićśI know it's easier said than done but in my opinion you should challenge it.
on thin ice na niepewnym gruncieśHis rude answer put him on thin ice in the company.
hit the nail on the head trafić w sednośRight! Nothing to add! You've just hit the nail on the head!
it goes without saying to oczywiste, nie ma dwóch zdańśOh, Amy you should marry him! It goes without saying.
leave no stone unturned poruszyć niebo i ziemię, zastosować wszystkie środkiśI may need to leave no stone unturned but I will find this book!
put in jeopardy narazić na niebiezpieczeństwośAs the Ambassador didn't want to put the staff in jeopardy, they were all dismissed and sent home.
cry for the moon chcieć gwiazdki z niebaśOh, come on! Be realistic! It's like crying for the moon! We cannot afford it.
promise wonders obiecywać złote góryśShe was very disappointed with the job. They promised wonders when they hired her but nothing came true...
self-made man człowiek, który sam się dorobił, zrobił karieręśThe idea of self-made man is one of the most important concepts in America.
read sb's hand wróżyć z rękiśShe wanted the Gypsy woman to read her hand and find out about her future.
shed blood przelewać krewśMuch blood was shed durning the war.
ups and downs radości i smutki, zmienne koleje losuśTheir relationship was full of ups and downs.
take sth for granted przyjmować coś za rzecz oczywistą, naturalnąśNever take love for granted. It has to be cherished to last.
put sb/be at a disadvantage stawiać kogoś/być w niekorzystnej sytuacjiśThe 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.
on the market w sprzedaży, na rynkuśAt the moment this is the best camera on the market.
little by little stopniowośAfter the accident her strength returned little by little.
at sb's expense 1. na czyjś rachunek; 2. czyimś kosztemśThe trip is at company's expense. We are always making jokes at Mark's expense.
if you like jeśli masz na to ochotęś- Shall we stop for a rest? - Yes, if you like.
at all costs za wszelką cenęśWe must win at all costs.
at the top of your voice na całe gardłośThey are always discussing things at the top of their voices. It's so annoying.
burst out laughing wybuchać śmiechemśThe movie was so funny that finally even Susan burst out laughing.
catch sb red-handed złapać kogoś na gorącym uczynkuśThe trial won't take long as the defendant was caught red-handed.
high and low wszędzieśWe've searched high and low for this book.
without fail niezawodnieśThe postman always comes at 10 o'clock without fail.
the naked eye gołym okiemśBacteria are too small to be seen with the naked eye.
with a vengeance z podwójną siłąśAfter a week of good weather winter has returned with a vengeance today.
gnash your teeth zgrzytać zębamiś1. Hell is so terrible that those who go there will weep and gnash their teeth. 2. Mary gnashes her teeth in frustration.
be in the red mieć debet (w banku)śIt has been announced that the company will still be in the red for the rest of this year.
a bad patch zła passaśLast season we hit a bad patch of form and suddenly we were out of the Champions League.
after your own heart bratnia duszaśShe loves books too - she's a woman after my own heart!
in haste w pośpiechuśI'm writing in haste to let you know that I won't come on Friday.
inside out 1. na lewą stronę, 2. (znać) na wylotśHe's a real computer freak - he knows them inside out.
make amends wynagradzać szkodę/szkodyśHe went to him and begged his forgiveness, saying he would do anything he could to make amends.
ease sb's mind uspokajać kogośśThe doctor tried to ease his mind about his daughter's illness.
a ray of hope promyk nadzieiś1. There is a ray of hope for humanity afterall. 2. Thank you so much for the ray of hope that shines in your message.
out of print wyczerpany nakład książkiśI'm sorry but the book you've ordered is out of print.
get on sb's nerves działać (komuś) na nerwyśTurn that music down! It's getting on my nerves.
have something on the brain chodzić komuś po głowieśDo you know this song? I've had it on my brain all day.
rat race wyścig szczurówśAfter years in the rat race she's finally decided to quit and spend more time with her family.
get the message załapać, zrozumieć cośśHe finally got the message and left Mary and John alone together.
ask for trouble prosić się o kłopotyśNot wearing a seat belt is just asking for trouble.
pay tribute to sb/sth wyrażać (komuś) swoje uznanie, oddawać hołdśIn 1992, a concert was held at Wembley Stadium to pay tribute to Freddie Mercury from Queen.
in bulk hurtowośIf you buy in bulk, it's 20% cheaper.
give somebody a ring zadzwonić do kogośśI'll give you a ring in the evening.
all year round przez cały rokśMost of the hotels are open all year round.
all of a sudden nagleśAll of a sudden the lights went out.
as a matter of fact prawdę mówiąc, w rzeczywistościśAs a matter of fact, I love him very much.
be quits (with somebody) być kwitaśYou give me 10 zloty and we're quits.
by courtesy of dzięki uprzejmości, za zgodąśThese pictures are being shown by courtesy of CNN.
on location (o programie, filmie) w plenerześThe series was filmed on location in Sweden.
go to waste marnować sięśI can't bear to see good food going to waste!
on impulse spontanicznieśWhen the weather is nice it's fun to go away on impulse.
trial and error metoda prób i błędówśI found the answer by trial and error, which obviously took little more time.
snap one's fingers pstrykać palcamiśMusic often inspires people to clap or snap their fingers.
let something slip wygadać sięśHe let slip that he had been in prison.
heave a sigh wzdychać (głęboko)śShe heaved a sigh of relief when she heard the good news.
be under the illusion łudzić sięśI think Mark's under the illusion that he will be the new director.
not be sb's cup of tea nie być w czyimś guścieśIn fact, horror films aren't my cup of tea.
make a fool of somebody/yourself robić z kogoś/siebie głupkaśStop that before you make a fool of yourself!
a walk of life sfera społecznaśHe has friends from many different walks of life.
on your own initiative z własnej inicjatywyśShe realized that she had never done anything on her own initiative without the motivation of someone else.
in vain na próżnoś1. The doctors tried to save the dying man but in vain. 2. How can you say that our soldiers died in vain?!
be rolling in money mieć mnóstwo pieniędzy, spać na pieniądzachśThey dream of the day when they'll be rolling in money.
in writing na piśmieśPlease confirm the offer in writing next week.
the lesser of two evils mniejsze złośSometimes we have to choose between the lesser of two evils.
come true spełniać sięśI wish my dreams would come true one day.
not have a clue nie mieć pojęciaśI haven't a clue where she left her book.
change hands przechodzić z rąk do rąkśThe heavyweight title is about to change hands once again.
put pressure wywierać presjęśThe press are putting pressure on the minister to resign.
for short w zdrobnieniuśHer name's Diana or Di for short.
come in handy przydawać sięśNever throw away your notes - they may come in handy one day.
in black and white na piśmieśThis agreement is invalid, unless you bring it in black and white.
red tape biurokracjaśBecause of all the red tape she didn't get her visa on time and had to cancel her holidays in Mexico.
commit a blunder strzelić gafęśHe committed a blunder asking Sue about her husband, while everybody knows that she is divorced.
plead guilty przyznać się do winyśHaving seen his face on security video-tape he couldn't use his alibi any longer and finally pleaded guilty.
red-letter day szczególny dzieńśTomorrow is my red-letter day - I am getting promoted.
see pink elephants widzieć białe myszkiśTim has a drinking problem. He drinks till he sees pink elephants.
a blue movie/film film pornograficznyśBlue movies are rated X, which means that only people of 18 and over can watch them.
beat somebody black and blue zbić kogoś na kwaśne jabłkośTommy always threatens his little sister that he will beat her black and blue if she tells their parents about his marks at school.
nagging headache uporczywy ból głowyśJonathan is overworked. That's why he suffers from these nagging headaches so often.
nagging husband/wife zrzędliwy mąż/żonaśI have no idea how she can stand living with such a nagging husband as hers.
chew something over przemyśleć cośśI can't give you the answer today. I simply need to chew it over.
dead-end relationship beznadziejny związekśMary is not happy with her marriage - actually, it is a dead-end relationship.
choose a soft option pójść na łatwiznęśHe gets on my nerves! Whenever there is something challenging, he always chooses a soft option.
go to somebody's head uderzyć do głowyśPower and success went to his head - he no longer comes to our parties.
keep sth/sb at bay trzymać na dystans, nie dopuszczać do siebieśHe always tries to keep his troubles at bay when he is on holiday.
be left stranded być zostawionym samemu sobie (z kłopotami), utknąćśThat party was a disaster! Everybody was having fun and I was left stranded with that boring guy who sat next to me.
on one's own account na własne ryzykośWell, you can try to run your own business, but remember that it will be on your own account.
be at one's best być w najlepszej formieśThere is no doubt he is to win this race - he is at his best now!
be in the air nierealne, niepewneśThe initial plans to publish this book in May are quite in the air.
a bone of contention przedmiot sporu, kość niezgodyśThe choice of place for holiday turned out to be a real bone of contention in their family this year.
ring the bell brzmieć znajomo, kojarzyć się z czymśśI don't know where I might have met him, but the name rings the bell.
just in case na wszelki wypadekśWe still have plenty of time but let's take a taxi just in case.
have a narrow escape cudem uniknąć czegoś, o mały włosśHe had a narrow escape when he slipped on the stairs.
out of date przestarzały, staroświeckiśI don't like this design - it is absolutely out of date to me.
blind date randka w ciemnośSheila is so desperate in her search for a husband - she's decided to have a blind date!
a day off (to have/take/get) mieć wolneśI think I am overworked - I certainly need a day off!
noughts and crosses kółko i krzyżykśNoughts and Crosses is a very popular game among students sitting on lectures.
call it a day zakończyć coś, przerwać, fajrantśWhy don't we call it a day and go home?
safe and sound cały i zdrowyśTo everybody's relief, he returned safe and sound from the storm.
at large na wolności, na swobodzieśThere are fewer and fewer exotic species living at large.
have a finger in every pie wtrącać się we wszystkośI can't stand her any longer! She has to have a finger in every pie! Can't she just mind her own business?
at first sight na pierwszy rzut okaśAt first sight he seems to be a very competent person.
put one's foot down sprzeciwić sięśMy boss wanted me to work on weekends but I was brave enough to put my foot down.
be in force obowiązywaćśDon't worry about that - that rule is no longer in force in our office.
make a fuss about sth robić zamieszanie z jakiegoś powoduśGosh! It is just a broken glass. Don't make a fuss about it.
be a wet blanket psuć nastrójśPlease somebody make Jane change the subject! With her stories from her childhood, she can be a real wet blanket.
learn sth by heart nauczyć się na pamięćśThere is no rule why these words collocate, you just need to learn them by heart.
by all means wszelkimi sposobami, za wszelka cenęśBy all means this guy should work for us - he is the best specialist I have ever seen!
once and for all raz na zawsześI tell you once and for all - I am tired of your complaining about your job! There is nothing else you can do.
be out of order nie działaćśI am sorry but this telephone is out of order. You have to go round the corner.
for the sake of dla czegoś/kogośśI know that this treatment is unpleasant but you should try it for the sake of your health.
take a shortcut pojść na skrótyśI wouldn't rely on him - he always thinks how to take shortcuts in everything he does.
pull somebody's leg nabierać, drażnić sięśMary had me fooled for a while, but finally I realized she was just pulling my leg.
beat about/around the bush owijać w bawełnę, unikać przejścia do sedna sprawyśStop beating about the bush and tell me what the problem is!
sell like hot cakes sprzedawac sie bardzo szybkośThe album of this new Irish rock group sells like hot cakes - people ask for it everyday.
go for a song sprzedać bardzo taniośThis car went for a song - the owner was leaving the country and wanted a quick sale.
a gap year rok przerwy pomiędzy szkołą średnią a studiami podczas którego podróżuje się i zdobywa doświadczenieśI'm considering taking a gap year, to develop myself and increase my self-confidence
get up on the wrong side of the bed wstać lewą nogąśYou'd better avoid Mark today - he got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.
whistle in the dark dodawać sobie odwagiśTotally alone in this big house we joked about nightmares, whistling in the dark perhaps.
a cold fish ktoś niewrażliwyśHe's such a cold fish - you can never see any emotions on his face.
a drop in the ocean kropla w morzuśWe're grateful for your help although it's just a a drop in the ocean of our needs.
pop the question oświadczyć sięśAfter seven years of dating, I finally popped the question to my girlfriend.
chicken out stchórzyćśI wanted to ask Mary out but I chickened out at the last moment.
on cloud nine bardzo szczęśliwy, w siódmym niebieśShe has been on cloud nine since she was promoted.
at heart w głębi duszyśShe said she trusted him but at heart she knew he was lying.
at random losowośThe burglar didn't have any plan - he just entered the shop and grabbed things at random.
at short notice w ostatniej chwili, bezzwłocznieśI'm so sorry I ask you for help at such short notice but I didn't realize this project would be so demanding.
have sth at one's fingertips mieć coś w małym palcuśYou can always go and ask Tom of anything concerned with maths, he just has it at his fingertips.
at the eleventh hour w ostatniej chwiliśWe were so nervous that he would miss the train but he, as usual, arrived to the railway station at the eleventh hour.
shoot the breeze paplaćśShe can sit with her friend for hours doing nothing but shooting the breeze!
by all means oczywiścieśBy all means we will try to answer any questions, so feel free to ask.
for the time being na razieśThat is all what we can offer for the time being but the service is still developing.
in a month of Sundays na "święty nigdy", nigdy w życiuśHe will never bring you these CDs, not even in a month of Sundays - just forget it.
in bad taste w złym guścieśTheir house is decorated in such bad taste - where did they get the idea of buying these mock rococo chairs to the living room?
be in two minds about sth być w rozterce, wahać sięśWell, I don't know. I am still in two minds about buying this car. It's second-hand you know...
be on the air być na antenieśQuiet everybody! Three, two, one ... You are on the air!
go off the air zejść z antenyśThis program was very popular so the information that it went off the air caused a wave of protest.
out of stock nie być dostępnym w sprzedażyśI'm so sorry but this camera is out of stock now. Can I propose a different model within the same price?
throw somebody in at the deep end rzucić kogoś na głęboką wodęśYou want to learn Spanish? There's no better way than to throw yourself in at the deep end - go to Spain.
be worlds apart bardzo się różnićśI really like this book but I guess it is worlds apart from what the real situation is.
the tip of the iceberg wierzchołek góry lodowejśThe problems we've already experienced are just the tip of the iceberg, I'm afraid.
come what may niech się dzieje co chceśI don't care that he is going to be there with his new girlfriend! I will be at the party tonight come what may.
first and foremost nade wszystkośWe need peace and stability first and foremost - these are the most important things.
come to terms with sth pogodzić się z czymśśShe can't come to terms with the fact that she was fired for being late all the time.
for all the tea in China za nic na świecieśOh, come on! I am not going to ask him such question! Not for all the tea in China!
Boxing Day w Anglii - drugi dzień Świąt Bożego NarodzeniaśBoxing 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'
to paint the town red świetnie się bawić (zwykle chodząc od baru do baru)śLet's paint the town red, boys! That was a difficult test and we all did well. We need to celebrate it.
to put sb's back up denerwować, drażnićśThe way he discussed things with her really put her back up.
to call a spade a spade nazywać rzeczy po imieniuśStop moaning that that you don't like the idea! Just go to your boss and call a spade a spade!
to put the brakes on przestać coś robićśI think we will have to put the brakes on spending so much money on leisure activities.
with bated breath ze wstrzymanym oddechemśThey waited for the news with bated breath.
square meal porządny, solidny posiłekśNo 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.
give-and-take kompromisśYou can't insist on having that your way. There must be some sort of give-and-take.
put sb through hell zrobić komuś piekło na ziemi, spowodować cierpienieśOur boss put us through hell before he admitted that actually it wasn't our fault that we had failed with the deadline.
to give sb five przybić piątkęśThat was great! Give me five!
to hold water być sensownym, dać się udowodnić (pozytywnie)śThis theory was easy to abolish - the arguments simply didn't hold water.
hush money łapówkaśMany politicians are believed to accept hush money.
to eat sb's words odszczekać coś, przyznać się do błęduśThe President went too far. I think that public opinion will force him to eat his words.
in sb's birthday suit nagośHe was a very controversial figure - he happened to appear on stage in his birthday suit.
to take the floor przemawiać, zabrać głos w dyskusjiśWe know the opinion of the prosecutor. Let the defence take the floor now.
spitting image of sb uderzająco podobny do kogośśBelieve it or not but he is the spitting image of Dan Ackroyd.
budding scientist obiecujący naukowiecśThe Academy authorities think he is a budding scientist so he is pampered with grants and scholarships.
at the crack of dawn o brzasku, o świcieśWe have to set off at the crack of dawn tomorrow - it gets scorching hot during the day and travelling then is not possible.
to know sth like the back of sb's hand znać jak własną kieszeńśI can be your guide in this city - I grew up here so I know the place like the back of my hand.
to be as sober as a judge zupełnie trzeźwy, trzeźwy jak świniaśYou may not believe me but I know what I saw - I was sober as a judge when it happened.
to stick sb's neck out narażać się, podejmować ryzykośJack says he is not a coward, he just doesn't like to stick his neck out if it isn't absolutely necessary.
hide-and-seek zabawa w chowanegośLet's play hide-and-seek! I'm seeking first...
to fly off the handle wyjść z siebie, wściec sięśI swear - one more remark like this and I will fly off the handle!
to labour the point rozwodzić się nad czymś, wałkować cośśDon't even bother asking him! He will labour the point for ages, and I think you need the answer pretty fast.
a big noise wielka szychaśThis guy is said to be a big noise in drug trafficking. The police have been after him for a long time.
to be after sb's own heart o podobnych poglądach, upodobaniachśThis guy is after my own heart - I think it is worth making friends with him.
to burn rubber wciskać gaz do dechy, palić gumyśHe has got another ticket! He simply can't drive if he doesn't burn rubber!
(not) give a toss nie obchodzić, nie interesować (w przeczeniach)śI don't give a toss that you are tired. You are supposed to finish it today! (nic mnie nie obchodzi, że...)
take a hike! spływaj!śHe got so annoying that finally I told him to take a hike.
Stand and deliver! pieniądze albo życie!ś'I said - stand and deliver or the devil he may take ya!' (Metallica "Whiskey in the Jar")
to be at one's wits' end odchodzić od zmysłówśShe was at her wits' end when she learnt that the avalanche was in the area where her kids usually went skiing.
easy come easy go łatwo przyszło, łatwo poszłośI've lost the money you gave me last week - well, easy come easy go.
to keep sb's fingers crossed trzymać kciukiśGood luck! I will keep my fingers crossed.
without a shadow of a doubt bez cienia wątpliwościśI can guarantee that - without a shadow of a doubt this car is the best in its class on the market.
it's a foregone conclusion to jest z góry przesądzoneśWho was to win this match was a foregone conclusion. The team is the national representation after all...
get straight to the point przejść do sednaśCarol! Could you just get straight to the point? You want to borrow some money, right?
to stab sb in the back wbić komuś nóż w plecyśI thought I can trust him! And he went to the head office and told them everything - he stabbed me in the back!
dead easy dziecinnie prosteśListen! Reported Speech is dead easy - I can explain it to you if you want...
a tough nut to crack twardy orzech do zgryzieniaśThis project turned out to be a tough nut to crack.
it isn't up to scratch poniżej oczekiwań, niewystarczająco dobryśHe rejected this market analysis. He said it wasn't up to scratch.
to be killing sb dobijać, dawać się we znakiśI had my first horse - riding lesson yesterday and today my back is killing me...
to be back on sb's feet pozbierać się po chorobie, stanąć na nogiśHe took a doctor's leave for a week, but he's back on his feet now.
in the middle of nowhere w szczerym poluśTom didn't take the map with him so after several hours of going in circles we ended up in the middle of nowhere.
off the beaten track na odludziu, poza 'utartym szlakiem'śHis cottage is off the beaten track, so you may need explicit instructions how to get there.
to pick sb's brains zasięgnąć rady (kogoś kto się na tym zna), skonsultować cośśTerry, I need to pick your brains about the computer software - I've heard you are an expert.
(to be) a bit rusty 'przykurzony' (o umiejętnościach, znajomości np. języka itp.)śMy apologies if my Spanish is a bit rusty, I hope you understand the intention of the message.
to brush up 'odkurzyć', podszlifować (umiejętności, jezyk itp.)śMy French has got a bit rusty, I'm afraid. I will need to brush it up before the holidays.
to get the hang of sth 'zaczaić' coś, załapać (jak coś działa, lub na czym polega)śAnd then, as I finally got the hang of this new system, everything turned out to be so easy.
to have a clue mieć o czymś pojęcieśThis 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 sth on the tip of sb's tongue mieć coś na końcu językaśGosh! I had the answer on the tip of my tongue but of course it wasn't enough to pass the exam...
to slip sb's mind zapomnieć czegoś, wylecieć z pamięciśI felt so terrible when I bought her these roses... It slipped my mind that she is allergic to them!
a slip of the tongue przejęzyczenieśIt was just a slip of the tongue but in politics it may cost you your career.
to shoot oneself in the foot strzał w stopę (samobój)śHe shot himself in the foot when he decided to cut on public spending - he lost the support immediately.
to rock the boat szkodzić np. firmie, w której samemu się pracujeśI don't know what he is up to but he rocks the boat! Somebody should tell him it will do him no good.
to miss the point nie zrozumieć czegoś, spudłowaćśWell, 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.
show-off popis, mający na celu zdobycie poklaskuśDon't worry. We still have the chance. His lawyer's defence speech was nothing more but a rhetorical show-off.
to rip sb off 'zedrzeć z kogoś' (cenowo)śDon't go to that hairdresser over there. It's nothing special but they will rip you off!
to be loaded być nadzianymśLook at the car he is driving! This guy has to be pretty loaded...
a backseat driver pasażer bez przerwy pouczający kierowcę samochoduśI hated travelling with my parents - my dad took it patiently but, to tell the truth, my mum was a terrible backseat driver.
a slowcoach guzdrałaśJimmy! Hurry up, please! You're such a slowcoach! Can't you move faster?
to read sth from cover to cover przeczytać coś od deski do deskiśThis novel was so thrilling that I simply read it from cover to cover during one night!
It's a must to konieczność (koniecznie trzeba zobaczyć, przeczytać, etc)śThis movie is a must! It's a breakthrough in Hollywood business.
a cutting/biting remark cięta, złośliwa uwagaśFinally, I was fed up with his biting remarks about my size and I left him.
the root of the problem źródło problemuśThe root of the problem is that they don't learn enough to pass this exam.
a man of few words ktoś małomównyśMichael is a man of few words, but when he speaks, people listen.
to keep one's nose to the grindstone pracować bez wytchnieniaśJust try to keep your nose to the grindstone and you'll certainly pass the final exam.
hands are tied mieć związane ręce, nie móc nic zrobićśI would really like to help you but my hands are tied... I have to wait for Mark's decision.
a sharp tongue cięty językśI like her, but sometimes her sharp tongue irritates me so much.
the first pancake is always spoiled pierwsze koty za płotyśDon't worry! The first pancake is always spoiled. Just try again.
let sleeping dogs lie nie wywołuj wilka z lasuśJust don't tell her that he's back in town. I suppose it's better to let sleeping dogs lie.
in good faith w dobrej wierześThe information is provided in good faith, however we accept no responsibility for the accuracy of the information.
have your cake and eat it wilk syty i owca cała; mieć ciastko i zjeść ciastkośYou can't have your cake and eat it. If you want high quality you have to pay for it.
give sb their due oddawać komuś sprawiedliwośćśMike's not very talkative , but to give him his due, you can always count on him.
poke/stick your nose into sth wtykać nos wśShe's always poking her nose into other people's business.
in the interim tymczasemśI'll be back in few minutes. In the interim please read the extract from the novel.
to whet sb's appetite zaostrzać apetytśThe trip was marvellous. We had a great time and the whole experience whetted our appetite for more.
(with your) hands down z palcem w nosie, z łatwościąśDon't stay up all night, his tests are so easy you'll pass them with your hands down.
to keep sb's ear to the ground dowiadywać sie co w trawie piszczyśI 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.
hindsight is always 20-20 mądry Polak po szkodzieśNow 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.
steer away from trzymać się z dalekaśIf I were you I would steer away from this guy. He is a womaniser - don't waste your time with him.
off your own bat z własnej inicjatywyśDon't say I told you to do it, you did it off your own bat and I had nothing to do with it.
as dull as ditchwater nudny jak flaki z olejemśThe guy I'm going to the wedding with is nice enough, but as dull as ditchwater. I had better take my walkman...
good riddance (to bad rubbish) baba z wozu, koniom lżejśSo, I hear Rupert has left you? Well, good riddance: he gave you nothing but trouble anyway.
to have mixed feelings mieć mieszane uczuciaśI have mixed feelings about Mark. I like him but I think he has some dark secrets.
to pluck up courage zbierać się na odwagęśAfter few days Mike decided to pluck up courage and ask Helen out.
to save something for a rainy day odkładać coś na czarną godzinęśDon't spend all your money just like that! You'd better save some for a rainy day.
to have a sweet tooth lubić słodycześKelly has a sweet tooth. She can eat candies and chocolates all day long.
last but not least rzecz równie ważna (mimo, że wymieniona na końcu)śAnd last but not least, I would like to thank my parents for all the support they give me.
to muddy the waters zaciemniać obrazśFor some reason they want to muddy the waters. I think their business is not quite legal...
a sitting duck łatwy celśOld people who walk after dark in the dimly lit streets are sitting ducks.
to work for peanuts pracować za marne grosześSarah says she doesn't mind working for peanuts as long as she can see that her work is appreciated.
to hold the guns mieć wszystkie atuty w rękuśWell, it's hard to come up with any reasonable argument in this discussion if he holds the guns.
the cupboard is bare kasa jest pustaśI would love to go with you sailing but this month the cupboard is bare.
loony bin psychiatryk, wariatkowośGee... Sometimes when I listen to her opinions I can't help thinking that she qualifies for some loony bin...
to chase the dragon palić opium lub heroinęśWhen the police entered the abandoned factory hall, they found a dozen of young people chasing the dragon there.
to hit the jackpot wygrać los na loterii, zgarnąć całą pulęś'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!'
gallows humour wisielczy humorśThe 'Pythons' are famous for their gallows humour.
gold rush gorączka złotaśThe most famous gold rush was The California Gold Rush that began in 1848.
the end justifies the means cel uświęca środkiśMany people strongly oppose the machiavellian approach that the end justifies the means.
to be down in the dumps mieć depresję, 'doła'śWell, 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...
keep a straight face zachowywać powagę, nie wybuchać śmiechemśToby can't tell jokes. He never keeps a straight face and starts laughing right before the punch line.
When hell freezes over! prędzej kaktus mi tu wyrośnie!śNo way! Next time I'll talk to her is when hell freezes over!
pretty penny niezła sumkaśHe hit the jackpot and quite unexpectedly got pretty penny on his bank account.
to play ducks and drakes puszczać kaczki na wodzieś'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 sling mud at sb obrzucić kogoś błotemśThis presidential campaign was nothing more than mud slinging.
time please! zamykamy! (in a pub)śTime please! These were the last drinks. Please come back tomorrow.
from the bottom of one's heart z głębi sercaśI would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your help.
a flash in the pan słomiany zapał; fiasko; klapaśHe wants to learn foreign languages, but it may be only a flash in the pan.
of one's own accord z własnej woli, inicjatywyśI didn't ask him to clean up my car - he did it of his own accord.
to be well off być dobrze sytuowanym, bogatymśI think they must be well off - judging from their house and the car in the backyard...
to stand a chance mieć widoki na powodzenieśI'd apply for this job if I were you, I think you stand a chance.
have an eye for/on the main chance myśleć o własnej korzyści; mieć własny interes na uwadześJerry doesn't bother about other people and only has an eye on the main chance.
to mind one's own business pilnować własnego nosa, interesuśWhy don't you stop criticizing me?! Mind your own business!
to be in the know być wtajemniczonym w cośśI should ask Roger; he's the boss and he's in the know.
to repay in kind odpłacić, odwdzięczyć sięśIf you help a neighbour, he may repay in kind.
in fits and starts nierówno, nieregularnie, sporadycznie, zrywamiśHe isn't very persevering; he only works in fits and starts.
to break the news to sb zakomunikować komuś przykrą wiadomośćśI had the unpleasant duty of breaking the news of John's death to his wife.
to have one's heart in one's mouth mieć duszę na ramieniu; drżeć ze strachuśWhen I think of my exam tomorrow, I have my heart in my mouth.
to lose heart stracić wiarę w cośśDon't lose heart because you cannot solve the problem straight away.
to have one's heart in the right place mieć dobre serceśHe has not a very pleasant manner, but his heart is in the right place.
faint heart never won fair lady do odważnych świat należyśIt's high time we made a decision! C'mon, faint heart never won fair lady.
to land/fall on one's feet spaść na cztery łapyśJim is a type of a guy that, no matter what, seems to land on his feet.
my lips are sealed nie pisnę ani słowaśI won't tell anyone you love Henrietta. My lips are sealed.
bite/snap sb's head off odpyskowaćśI only asked if I could borrow the book. There's no need to bite my head off!
to one's heart's content ile dusza zapragnieśThere's a new restaurant on the corner. For just $10 you can eat to your heart's content.
have one foot in the grave być jedną nogą w grobieśYou know this old lady that lives on second floor? She has one foot in the grave but still behaves as if she were 20. ;-)
Every cloud has a silver lining. nie ma tego złego, co by na dobre nie wyszłośOswald was very depressed after being fired but he found another job in just few days. Well, every cloud has a silver lining.
the grass is greener on the other side of the fence wszędzie dobrze gdzie nas nie maśWhen you look at other homes, the grass is often greener on the other side of the fence.
to get cold feet stchórzyć, rozmyślić sięśThey'll be married next week; if Chester doesn't get cold feet.
a golden handshake duża odprawaśMs. Robinson retired early because her company offered her a golden handshake.
figure of speech przenośnia; zwrot, wyrażenie retoryczneśWhen I said it was a battle to the death it was just a figure of speech.
an early bird ranny ptaszekśMy father is an early bird, he gets up at 5.30 every day.
the black sheep (of the family) czarna owca (w rodzinie)śEverybody says he's the black sheep of the family - he left home when he was 17 and became a singer.
green with envy zielony z zazdrościśWhen they see my new boyfriend, all the girls will turn green with envy.
leap year rok przestępnyśYear 2004 is a leap year, with 29 days in February.
agony column "napisz do Kasi", kolumna z poradami dla czytelnikówśI just love to read the agony column in teenage magazines. Their problems are sometimes so weird.
white lie niewinne kłamstewkośWhite lies are sometimes inevitable in order to protect other people's feelings.
Fort Knox bank rezerw federalnych, przenośnie: bardzo dobrze strzeżone miejsceśMy house is now like Fort Knox but I had to do it - I was burgled three times last month.
to see red wściec sięśWhen Chris told me he'd crashed my car, I just saw red.
the Big Apple New York CityśI'm planning to visit the Big Apple this year.
to take the floor zabrać głosśThe Prime Minister will take the floor in budget discussion on Wednesday.
to frame / to be framed wrabiać kogośś"Who Framed Roger Rabbit" is my favourite movie from the nineties.
excuse my French sorry za słówkaśI really wanted to provide the pronunciation to this fucking word "ophthalmologist" but it turned out to be impossible, excuse my French.
greasy spoon speluna z tanim żarciemśI'm broke, today we have to eat at this greasy spoon at the corner.
to get on like a house on fire świetnie sie dogadywaćśTom and Jerry get on like a house on fire. They've been friends for years.
to play truant chodzić na wagaryśMore and more children are caught playing truant.
make oneself at home rozgościć sięśFrank! So many years! Come in and make yourself at home. Something to drink?
to get hot under the collar dostać piany, wściec sięśWhen he saw his girlfriend winking at the guy sitting next to her, he simply got hot under the collar.
to turn a blind eye przymknąć na coś oko; udawać, że się nie widzi czegośśThe farmer knew that the boys from the neighbourhood stole his apples but he simply turned a blind eye to it.
a babe in the woods bezradny jak dzieckośWhen it comes to dealing with computers, he's a babe in the woods. He definitely needs someone to help.
a shot in the dark strzał w ciemno, na chybił trafiłśIt was just a shot in the dark. I don't know what the correct answer is.
to add fuel to the fire/flames dolewać oliwy do ogniaśMichael is furious at me. Telling him that I took his book will only add fuel to the fire.
couch potato ktoś, kto preferuje siedzący tryb życia - cały dzień siedzi na kanapie, je chipsy i ogląda telewizję ;-)śOur 9-year-old son is a real couch potato who wants to spend all his free time watching television.
over the counter bez receptyśI'm afraid you can't buy this medicine over the counter, you must have a prescription.
to kill two birds with one stone upiec dwie pieczenie na jednym ogniuśBy 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 kill somebody with kindness zagłaskać kota na śmierćśMy husband is killing me with kindness. Sometimes I just need to be left alone and he wants to spend all day with me.
be on the crest of a wave przeżywać dobry, pomyślny okres; być "na fali"śThe Rasmus are currently on the crest of a wave, they are extremely popular among teenagers.
to run errands robić, załatwiać sprawunkiśI have to run errands for my parents after my school.
to toe the line podporządkować sięśTwo members have been expelled from the party as they didn't toe the party line in voting.
to play something by ear robić coś spontanicznie, improwizowaćśIf our plan fails, we can always play it by ear. It might work.
to be into something być czymś zainteresowany, lubić cośśDon't ask me about Manga - I am not into it at all.
to go over with a fine-tooth comb przeczesać cośśShe went over her boyfriend's stuff with a fine-tooth comb just to make sure he does not date anybody else.
make oneself scarce zmyć sie po cichuśThe atmosphere in the room was getting more and more tense, so I made myself scarce on the first possible occasion.
be in the pay of sb być na usługach kogoś (tajnych)śHmmm... 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?
a slap in the face policzekśIt was a real slap in the face when she didn't answer my phone calls.
to call sb names wyzywać kogośśHe called her names when she refused to date him, which only proved that it was actually a right decision...
that's my funeral to mój problem, nic ci do tegoś'You eat too much! You will put on weight!' 'That's my funeral...'
on horseback wierzchemśTravelling on horseback took days and one could never be sure that they would reach their destination.
to be not much of a ... nie za dobry ...śUgh! She is not much of a singer, I'm afraid.
leg it biegiem!śWhat are you waiting for?! Leg it to the nearest newsagent's and buy this issue - there is an article about your uncle Tim!
the grapevine poczta pantoflowaśI heard on/through the grapevine that you are moving to Warsaw, is that true?
to serve him/her right dobrze (jemu/jej) tak!śFrank's girlfriend has left him?! Serves him right! He behaved like a shmuck!
to go up in smoke spełznąć na niczymśWe 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.
Get stuffed! wypchaj się!śI tried to be nice to him but finally he went too far! I simply told him to get stuffed...
to bury the hatchet zakopać topór wojennyśOf course this old quarrel is long forgotten! Why don't Kate and Mike bury the hatchet at last?
to pick up the pieces naprawić coś, uporządkowaćśAfter the fire in the factory, it took weeks to pick up the pieces and get production back to normal again.
to throw the book at someone udzielić komuś reprymendyśMy boss threw the book at me for not correcting the report properly.
a vicious circle błędne kołośHe thinks he is a failure so he drinks. The more he drinks the more he fails. It's a vicious circle.
to take one's time nie śpieszyć się, robić coś powoliśWe don't need these articles to be translated tomorrow, so relax, take your time and submit them next week.
to have the last word mieć ostatnie słowośMy father always likes to have the last word in any discussion.
to take something into account wziąć coś pod uwagęśRemember to take his age into account when deciding what kind of work to give him.
a blue-eyed boy ulubieniecśTom was always jealous of his younger brother because he knew Jack was their mother's blue-eyed boy.
to be in the pink być zdrowymśMy sister is finally back in the pink after having a bad cold for two weeks.
for a change dla odmianyśShe always seemed rather serious so it was nice to see her laugh for a change.
not my scene nie moja "działka"śI don't like heavy metal music. It's not my scene.
to fall for someone zakochać sięśJulie goes to this pub every night because she has fallen for its barman.
to kill time zabić czasśI only read magazines in doctors' waiting rooms to kill time.
to have a heart of gold mieć złote serceśMr Brown has a heart of gold, he would do anything to make his children happy.
Hands off! Łapy precz!śHands off those chocolates! They are mine!
in a word jednym słowemśShe wasn't able to explain this situation to me. In a word, she is guilty.
a stone's throw rzut beretemśOh, come on! Go and get me some drinks, the shop is just a stone's throw from here.
Time's up! czas się skończył!śTime's up now, put down your pens and leave the class, please.
for good na dobreśJane has gone to France - for good. She's not coming back.
for a laugh - dla zabawy dla zabawyśThey put salt in his tea just for a laugh but he didn't find it funny.
from scratch od samego początkuśI learned Spanish from scratch at university.
to cry one's eyes out płakać bardzo mocno, ryczećśJulie cried her eyes out when she failed an important exam.
from head to foot od stóp do glówśThe dog was covered in mud from head to foot.
on the road w podróżyśSteve's job involves being on the road six days a week.
all's well that ends well wszystko dobre, co się dobrze kończyśThe 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.
against all odds pomimo wszystkich przeciwnościśAgainst all odds, he won that contest and became a well-known actor.
out of the question wykluczoneśI will not let my son go to France on his own. It is out of the question.
to give someone a hand pomóc komuśśCould you please give me a hand with the luggage? It's really heavy.
in a nutshell krótko mówiąc, w skrócieśI don't really like him, in a nutshell, I think he is an idiot.
out of the blue znienacka, nieoczekiwanieśThe letter came out of the blue - I didn't expect to hear from him ever again.
to have a sharp tongue mieć cięty językśI try to avoid discussions with her - she's got a sharp tongue and she can upset me.
to play with fire igrać z ogniemśTom is negotiating with two publishers at the same time for the same novel. He's playing with fire.
to be in somebody's shoes być na czyimś miejscuśI wouldn't like to be in Susan's shoes - imagine taking that difficult exam again!
out of this world świetny, doskonałyśThis restaurant is rather expensive but the food is really out of this world!
dead on time punktualnieśI can't be late - Jack always arrives dead on time!
step by step krok po krokuśDon't try to teach her everything at one time, do it step by step.
to put a stop to something kłaść czemuś kresśHe doesn't work and only spends my sister's money; I have to put a stop to it!
from cover to cover od deski do deskiśI always read detective stories from cover to cover; they're so exciting!
to give someone a buzz zadzwonić do kogośśSorry. I have to go now, but I will give you a buzz later, ok?
a piece of cake nic trudnego, pestkaśClimbing that mountain was a piece of cake. No problem at all.
to spill the beans wygadać się, wyjawić sekretśI showed Tom my present for our mother and asked him not to spill the beans.
to eat like a horse jeść jak końśI'm not surprised he's fat, he eats like a horse!
to sleep like a log spać jak zabityśDid you sleep well last night? Yes, thanks. Like a log!
crocodile tears krokodyle (nieszczere) łzyśI don't feel sorry for her. They're only crocodile tears.
a counsel of despair akt rozpaczyśHer desicion to leave the country after she was fired was a counsel of despair.
on top of the world bardzo szczęsliwy/aśShe's feeling on top of the world when he won the prize.
to cross one's mind przychodzić do głowy / na myślśIt never crossed my mind that he could be in love with me.
to throw a party urządzić przyjęcie, imprezęśWe're throwing a party for Jim's birthday next week.
the game worth the candle gra warta świeczkiś- I'm going to do everything to marry him! - But Ann, is the game worth the candle?!
to be out of one's mind być szalonym, postradać zmysłyśShe must be out of her mind to want to marry such a fool!
at times czasami, niekiedyśI think everyone gets a bit lonely at times.
to be in the same boat być w tej samej (zwykle złej) sytuacjiśJane and I are in the same boat; neither of us has got a job.
to take something to heart brać sobie coś do sercaśI didn't really mean that your husband is silly, so don't take it to heart.
to get the sack być wyrzuconym/wylanym z pracyśTom wasn't good enough at work and he got the sack.
to read someone's mind/thoughts czytać komuś w myślachśWe understand each other very well and I sometimes think she reads my mind.
to take someone for a ride oszukać kogoś, nabraćśBe careful when doing business with him; he may take you for a ride.
to take somebody/something seriously traktować kogoś/coś poważnieśDon't take everything he says seriously; he jokes a lot.
Get a move on! pośpiesz się!śCome on, get a move on! I don't want to be late.
to go to pieces załamywać się, tracić panowanie nad sobąśAfter his child was badly injured in a car accident, he simply went to pieces.
to hit the roof wściec sięśMy parents hit the roof when I told them that I failed my exam again.
to have words with somebody sprzeczać się, kłócić sięśI think Mark had words with his girlfriend today because he is very nervous.
in cold blood z zimną krwiąśHe killed the girl in cold blood just to get the money.
time is money czas to pieniądzśCome on, hurry up! Remember, time is money.
to pull yourself together opanować się, wziąć się w garśćśPull yourself together and come back to work, please.
in theory teoretycznie, w teoriiśHis plans always sound great in theory but they don't work in practice.
take it easy nie przejmuj się, wyluzuj sięśDon't despair if you fail that exam; take it easy.
so what? i co z tego?śShe's angry at you. So what? I don't like her anyway.
in the wash w praniuśOh, I can't put on my red skirt! It's in the wash.
to be in the right mieć rację, słusznośćśThere's no need to apologize; you were in the right.
to get somebody wrong źle, opacznie kogoś zrozumiećśDon't get me wrong. I didn't want to say he was a fool.
out of the ordinary niezwykły, specjalny, niecodziennyśMy friend's paintings are out of the ordinary; I've never seen something like that before.
donkey's years całe wiekiśMary's been working in my company for donkey's years and I won't sack her now.
to take the mickey (out of somebody) robić sobie żarty/jaja z kogośśMike was taking the mickey out of me when I was dancing.
to keep one's word dotrzymywać słowaśSue said she would help me to find a job and I hope she will keep her word.
dog tired bardzo zmęczonyśHe's been working all day and night; he must be dog tired.
to make ends meet wiązać koniec z końcemśThey're really poor; it's hard for them to make ends meet.
an arm and a leg mnóstwo pieniędzyśThat car is great but it cost me an arm and a leg.
a black look gniewne, pełne nienawiści spojrzenieśMary gave me a black look when I entered the office.
in public publicznieśShe feels bad about her divorce and she has never spoken about it in public.
Watch your step! Uważaj jak idziesz!śWatch your step! The floor is very slippery.
go back on one's word cofnąć dane słowo, wycofać sie z obietnicyśI promised to give Frank some money and I can't go back on my word now.
on the dole na zasiłku dla bezrobotnychśShe's been on the dole for two years and she still hasn't got a job.
to have a stab at sth próbować czegośśI've never tried diving in my life but I'll have a stab at it in Egypt.
Get lost! Spływaj, zjeżdżaj!śI can't stand your behaviour any more. Get lost!
pins and needles mrowienie, 'mrówki'śI've got pins and needles in my leg! I have to move it.
to be in high spirits być w radosnym nastrojuśMary passed her last exam yesterday and she was in high spirits all day.
to take sth into your head zdecydować się nagle coś zrobićśHe seems to have taken it into his head to ask Ann to marry him.
to get sth straight wyjaśniać cośśLet's get this straight. You're sure you didn't leave your wallet at home, right?
(all) hot and bothered zmieszany, zakłopotany lub złyśJim gets all hot and bothered when I mention his ex-girlfriend.
to have butterflies in one's stomach denerwować się, mieć tremęśI had butterflies in my stomach when I was waiting for the results of my exam yesterday.
to have a (good) nose for sth mieć nosa do czegośśHe's a brilliant reporter who has a good nose for interesting stories.
as stubborn as a mule uparty jak osiołśI was trying to make my father go to a doctor at last but he's as stubborn as a mule.
over my dead body! po moim trupie!śI want to sell our house. Over my dead body! That house will never be sold.
once in a blue moon bardzo rzadkośI only go to the theatre once in a blue moon; I prefer cinema.
to go to the dogs pogarszać sięśThe country is going to the dogs; we really need a new government.
to cost a bomb kosztować fortunę, masę pieniędzyśIt's a very beautiful house but I'm afraid it must cost a bomb!
off colour marnie, słabo (czuć się, wyglądać)śSue was looking off colour when I met her. I'm worried about her.
to have a frog in your throat nie móc nic powiedzieć (z powodu suchości w gardle lub ze zdenerwowania)śThe lecturer asked me to present my paper in front of all students but I couldn't because I had a frog in my throat.
a big-head zarozumialec, ważniakśTom told me that all his friends are less intelligent than he is. He's such a big head!
to talk rubbish mówić bzdury, głupstwaśI don't really like Mark; he talks rubbish most of the time.
to talk behind one's back mówić o kimś za jego/jej plecamiśI don't feel good at work as I know my colleagues are always talking behind my back.
off the point nie na tematśWe were all talking about our jobs so Nick's comment on his marriage was rather off the point.
to drop a brick powiedzieć coś nietaktownego, nie na miejscuśI dropped a brick when I told my brother I didn't like Mary at all; I didn't know he was seeing her.
to keep sth quiet utrzymać coś w tajemnicyśI didn't want to worry my sick mother and I managed to keep my divorce quiet for some time.
to make head or tail of sth zrozumieć cośśCan you help me? I can't make head or tail of these instructions on the radio.
to be all ears zamienić się w słuchśI'm all ears- tell me how it happened that you've come back to Poland.
by profession z zawoduśMy mother works as an English teacher but she's an economist by profession.
let alone nie mówiąc już o..śI hardly ever go to the cinema, let alone the theatre.
in a sense w pewnym sensieśIn a sense she's right, but I still don't understand her point of view.
to have green fingers mieć smykałkę do ogrodnictwaśMy husband has got green fingers - look at our flowers in the garden.
to smell a rat podejrzewać, że coś jest źle, nie takśHelen 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 do time siedzieć w więzieniu, odsiadywać karęśThe man who attacked my friend last year is doing time for murder now.
to have an early night pójść wcześnie spaćśI'm going to have an early night tonight because I'm really tired.
to hammer sth into someone wbijać komuś coś do głowyśMy brother and I always had it hammered into us that we should respect old people.
young at heart młody duchemśAlthough my mother is over fifty, she's very energetic and young at heart.
to get sth off your chest wyrzucić coś z siebie, zrzucić ciężar z sercaśI kept on thinking about telling Mark that he hurt me and I was glad to get it off my chest at last.
to lose face stracić twarz, honorśI guess John thinks he would lose face if he admitted he had made a mistake.
with open arms z otwartymi ramionami, chętnieśI accepted Kate's invitation to her birthday party with open arms.
to be in a rut popaść w rutynęśI think I have to change my lifestyle; I'm in a rut.
to cut sth/sb short przerywaćśI intended to explain the whole situation to him but he cut me short.
to take issue with sb nie zgadzać się z kimś, sprzeczać sięśMy sister took issue with me over my opinion of one of the leading politicians in our country.
to prick up your ears nadstawiać uszy/uśI pricked up my ears when I heard my parents speaking about me.
too good to be true zbyt piękne, by było prawdziweśI still can't believe I got that job. It's just too good to be true.
to make it a rule to do sth robić coś z zasady, regularnie coś robićśI make it a rule to eat a lot vegetables.
off the map poza mapą, odległy, dalekiśI can't remember the name of the place where Jenny lives; it's a tiny village way off the map.
to keep oneself to oneself żyć cicho, samemu, bez towarzystwaśMary hardly ever goes out with us; she keeps herself to herself.
to put down roots osiąść, zakorzenić się, ustatkowaćśHe finally put down roots after living and working in many different places.
to be broke być spłukanym, bez kasyśI'm afraid I can't lend you any money; I'm absolutely broke.
to take your life in your hands ryzykować własne życieśEvery time my son goes parachuting, he takes his life in his hands.
to make/pull faces robić, stroić minyśI know that my pupils often make faces behind my back.
to make a scene robić scenę, awanturęśPlease don't make a scene. I'll do what you want.
under oath pod przysięgąśI was asked to tell my story under oath at the trial.
a bundle of nerves kłębek nerwów, bardzo nerwowa osobaśAfter all the problems I've had recently I'm just a bundle of nerves now.
to swear like a sailor klnąć jak szewcśI don't like George; he's vulgar and swears like a sailor.
train of thought ciąg myśliśStop interrupting me or I'll lose my train of thought.
scared to death śmiertelnie przerażonyśLast night I was scared to death when I discovered that someone was following me.
to go na wynosśCan I have two small pizzas- to go, please?
as sick as a dog bardzo choryśI was as sick as a dog after eating a hamburger from a fast food restaurant yesterday.
to bite the dust umrzeć, przekręcić się, 'gryźć ziemię'śJohn was already 89 when he bit the dust.
curiosity killed the cat ciekawość to pierwszy stopień do piekłaśDon't ask her any questions about her marriage. Remember, curiosity killed the cat.
Achilles heel pięta AchillesaśSpeaking in public is my Achilles heel; I'm simply too shy.
stark naked zupełnie goły, całkiem nagiśThe small children playing on the beach were stark naked.
at death's door na łożu śmierciśMy poor grandmother is very ill now and I'm afraid she's at death's door.
to feel it in one's bones czuć to w kościachśIt's going to be a long and cold winter- I can feel it in my bones.
to read between the lines czytać między wierszamiśHe said he was very tired, but, reading between the lines, he simply didn't feel like coming to my party.
rise and shine wstawaj!śCome on! Rise and shine. We've got to leave now.
get out of my face! zejdź mi z oczu!śI didn't ask you for your silly comments. Get out of my face!
written all over one's face wypisane na twarzyśWhen Nick was told that he hadn't won the contest, disappointment was written all over his face.
a far cry from sth zupełnie inny, nie mający nic wspólnegośThis house is a far cry from the one we were shown yesterday; it's much nicer.
as poor as a church mouse biedny jak mysz kościelnaśWe have to help her; she's as poor as a church mouse.
it's now or never teraz albo nigdyśIf you really want to speak to me, it's now or never. I'm leaving tomorrow.
to not know whether to laugh or cry nie wiedzieć czy się śmiać czy płakaćśWhen the teacher gave me the test and I looked at the questions, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
to kick a/the habit skończyć z nawykiem, rzucić cośśJohn used to smoke a lot but he kicked the habit 2 years ago.
to come down to earth zejść na ziemięśCome down to earth and stop dreaming about Mark; he doesn't even like you.
if my memory serves me correctly jeśli mnie pamięć nie myliśThat guy's name is Ben - if my memory serves me correctly.
to give sb a big hand głośno oklaskiwaćśThe audience gave me a big hand when I finished my speech.
a pack of lies stek kłamstwśWhat Jack told me about you is a pack of lies; I don't believe him.
in a row z rzęduśIt was very cold and it snowed for three days in a row.
to raise one's hand against sb podnieść na kogoś rękęśIf you ever raise your hand against me, I'll leave you.
hale and hearty zdrowy, krzepkiśJohn looks hale and hearty these days and he's very active.
happy hour czas, w którym drinki w pubie są sprzedawane taniejśLet's go for a drink to that pub round the corner; it's happy hour now.
to play second fiddle grać drugorzędną rolę, pozostawać w cieniuśKen doesn't intend to play second fiddle to her; he wants to be the boss.
to take pains to do sth dokładać starań, wkładać dużo wysiłkuśMy boss takes pains to select the best employees.
to have a word with sb zamienić z kimś słowośCould I have a word with you about our meeting?
to save face zachować twarzśThe comment that he made was only an attempt to save face in that difficult situation.
a little something drobnostka, niedrogi prezentśI want to get a little something for Ben and visit him in the hospital.
a dog's life psie życieśWithout family and friends, it's a dog's life.
to drop sb a line napisać parę słów do kogośśDrop me a line when you've got time, ok?
to live to a grand old age żyć bardzo długo, dożyc późnej starościśOur dog was always very active and lived to a grand old age.
as hard as nails twardy, nie okazujący emocjiśMy supervisor is very kind to me but my boss is as hard as nails.
to thumb a lift zatrzymywać samochód (prosząc o podwiezienie)śI'm afraid we have no choice and if we want to get out of here we have to thumb a lift.
to do a number on sb wykręcić komuś numerśHe really did a number on his ex-girlfriend, making her come back to him and then dumping her.
wild horses wouldn't drag me nic mnie nie przekonaśWild horses wouldn't drag me to Nick's party; I don't like him at all.
to have a face like thunder być wściekłymśWhen 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 both feet on the ground stąpać twardo po ziemiśSusan is very practical and she has both feet on the ground.
to fall into the wrong hands wpaść w złe, nieodpowiednie ręceśI'm looking for someone responsible to take my puppy; I won't let it fall into the wrong hands.
to be on everyone's lips być na ustach wszystkichśLocal government elections which are to take place next week are now on everyone's lips.
to be head over heels in love być zakochanym po uszyśJim's head over heels in love with Monica; he talks only about her.
to show one's face pokazywać się, pojawiaćśAfter all the trouble you have caused, don't you dare to show your face here again!
to miss the boat przepuścić okazję, przegapić cośśBill missed the boat by sending in his application form 2 days after the closing date.
to have the time of one's life świetnie się bawić, przeżywać coś bardzo miłegośI took my kids to Disneyland last summer and they had the time of their lives.
as deaf as a post głuchy jak pieńśI'm afraid there's no point in talking to my grandfather; he's as deaf as a post.
to treat someone like dirt traktować kogoś jak śmieciaśI can't believe that Mark is still with Ann - she treats him like dirt!
to burn the midnight oil pracować lub uczyć się do późna w nocyśI had an important exam today so I had to burn the midnight oil yesterday.
on all fours na czworakachśMy children love to have me on all fours playing with them.
as fresh as a daisy wyglądający i czujący się rześkośAlthough I came back late from the party last night I was as fresh as a daisy in the morning.
to put one's best foot forward bardzo się postarać, włożyć w coś dużo wysiłkuśIf you really want to pass this exam, you'll have to put your best foot forward.
from A to Z od A do Z; w całości, gruntownieśI respect Mr Wilson as he's a brilliant teacher who knows his subject from A to Z.
free and easy swobodny, wyluzowany, luźnyśI don't mind going to work as the atmosphere in my office is free and easy.
so what? i co z tego? kogo to obchodzi?śI know that Mary is jealous of me. So what?
under one's breath pod nosemśJack was angry when I told him the bad news and he was muttering something under his breath.
to bring sth to light ujawnić jakieś fakty, informacjęśMy last conversation with Mary brought to light many things about our relationship which I hadn't realized before.
to make a mess of sth zepsuć coś, źle coś zrobićśI know I've made a mess of my exam and I'll have to take it again.
not harm/hurt a fly nie skrzywdzić nawet muchyśMy brother can be irritating and bad-tempered sometimes but he wouldn't hurt a fly.
a stag party/night wieczór kawalerskiśForget about your wives! It's strictly a stag party.
before someone's (very) eyes na czyichś oczachśShe took my bicycle before my eyes; she didn't even ask me for it!
to turn one's back on someone odwrócić się do kogoś plecamiśMark disappointed me a few times but I can't turn my back on him now when he needs me.