Vocabulary from Masterclass Proficiency Units 1-10

a new person in charge who makes changes

a new broom

someone who does not want to join in and spoils the fun for everybody else

a wet blanket

a pompous, self-opinionated person

a stuffed shirt

someone who likes to sit in comfort and do nothing

a couch potato

someone who expresses opinions about things they know very little about

an armchair critic

someone who stands by you only when things are going well

a fair weather friend

a gossip who wants to know everything that happens to other people

a nosy parker

someone who doesn’t like to stay in one place

a rolling stone

to be exposed to something unpleasant

come in for something

to criticise or punish harshly

come down (heavily) on somebody

to say something surprising

come out with something

to produce an idea

come up with something

to avoid details and say what’s important

come to the point

to regain consciousness

come round

to change your opinion

come round to something/an idea

to catch an illness

come down with something

to accept a situation as it is

come to terms with something

this is a very inconvenient moment

now’s a fine time

to have hardly enough time to do something, in a hurry

a bit pressed for time

to obtain a longer period before something happens, delay things

buy time

as a temporary measure

for the time being

punctually

(be/come/leave) on time

in favourable circumstances

at the best of times

it will be known in the future

time will tell

repeatedly

time and time again

to pass the time by doing something

kill time

at the last minute

just in the nick of time

to punish sb severely

throw the book at someone

to change

turn over a new leaf

to follow all the correct procedures in everything

do something by the book

when sb is pleased with you

be in someone’s good books

to be very indicative of sb’s character

to speak volumes about someone

to behave in the same way as sb

to take a leaf out of someone’s book

to be very good for

do wonders for

to spend several years in prison

do time

to redecorate it

do sth up

to help sb

do sb a good turn/favour

to be responsible for all the hard work

do the donkey work

to gain no benefit from

do a lot of harm (of good/ no harm/ no good)

do sth as if it was second nature to you

do sth with your eyes closed

to be counter-productive

do more harm than good

to manage a company

run a business

to have no more of something

run out of

to have an insufficient supply of

run short of

to flee from

run for it

to be cheerful / optimistic

look on the bright side

to feel superior to

look down your nose at

to be completely soaked

look like a drowned rat

to be ungrateful for what you are given

look a gift horse in the mouth

to apprehend sb in the act of doing sth

catch sb red-handed

to attract sb’s attention

catch sb’s eye

a sign that a difficult period will finish

light at the end of the tunnel

to withhold information from sb

keep sb in the dark

not to take sth seriously

make light of sth

to fall asleep immediately

go out like a light

a risk with unknown consequences

a leap in the dark

the excitement and entertainment of a big city

the bright lights

to be revealed

come to light

to understand and realize you have been wrong

see the light

a mysterious person

a dark horse

out of favour and in trouble with a person/people because of an offence/caused upset

to be in the doghouse

to enjoy yourself very much

to have a whale of a time

an insincere display of grief; false tears

crocodile tears

to have enough money to be able to eat and live

to keep the wolf from the door

to be unable to speak clearly until you give a slight cough

to get a frog in your throat

to be completely different from something or someone else that has been talked about

to be a whole different kettle of fish

to insist on talking about something that no one is interested in, or that has already been thoroughly discussed

to flog a dead horse

to move very slowly

to move at a snail’s pace

to regard something as being known

to take it as read

to understand what is implied but not necessarily said

to read between the lines

repeated exactly as in the original

word for word

briefly

in a word

to know the lines of a speech by heart

to be word perfect

to speak freely or directly

not to mince words

not to know what to say

lost for words

well-behaved and obedient

as good as gold

genuinely kind and caring

heart of gold

a period of great peace, prosperity, and happiness

golden age

(Music, other) something old or long-established, esp. a hit record or song that has remained popular or is enjoying a revival

golden oldie

an important principle

golden rule

Informal: a sum of money, usually large, given to an employee, either on retirement in recognition of long or excellent service or as compensation for loss of employment

golden handshake

born into wealth and privilege

born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth

having or exhibiting the power of fluent and persuasive speech; eloquent

silver-tongued

it is always possible to get something positive out of a situation, no matter how unpleasant, difficult or even painful it might seem

every cloud has a silver lining

not to reach a particular level or standard

fall short (of)

to stop working or fail completely; to break into pieces

fall apart

to become victim of

fall victim to

1. to fail to keep up a pace; lag behind. 2. to be financially in arrears

fall behind

1. to feel love for; be in love with. 2. to be deceived or swindled by

fall for

grip sth

fall on sth

to fail; miscarry

fall through

1. to rely on 2. to resort to

fall back on

1. to make you understand something that you did not understand before; 2. to happen in a satisfactory way, without problems

fall into place

1. to agree with or be in harmony with 2. to associate or begin to associate with

fall in with

to be selected from

to be picked out

to tease or bully

to pick on sb

to acquire a lg

to pick up a lg

to collect sb/sth

to pick up sb/sth from

to get sick / to come down with a disease

to pick up a bug

to eat sparingly or without appetite

to pick at food

to select

to pick and choose from

to start a fight/ an argument

to pick a fight

to find and move through a passage carefully

to pick one’s way

to try to get back to an ordinary way of life after a very bad experience

to pick up the pieces

without, not containing

free from

overly critical

free with one’s criticism

costing nothing

free of charge

the right to say what one wants

free speech

relaxed and informal

free and easy

dropping without hindrance

in free fall

to treat without proper respect; to use something a lot, even when it does not belong to you

make free with

able to do whatever one wants

free as a bird

to give freedom of action or expression

give free rein

unrestricted situation in which everyone may take part

free-for-all