Phrases
10,000+ English phrases, collocations, and idioms, tagged by the CEFR level of the vocabulary they contain. Start with A1 — phrases built from the most common words.
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Showing 1633–1728 of 1744 phrases
Verb + noun (3)
Adjective + noun (13)
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holy oil
consecrated oil, often mixed with fragrant balsam, used in religious ceremonies
ill will
hostile feelings or unfriendly intentions toward someone
least resistance
the smallest amount of opposition or difficulty encountered in doing something
moonlit landscape
a view of countryside illuminated by the Moon
nontechnical language
words that can be understood without specialized professional knowledge
patchy fog
low cloud occurring in separate areas with clearer spaces between them
repetitive movement
a movement performed again and again in the same way
shaggy beard
a thick, untidy beard with long hair
sizable fortune
a substantial amount of wealth
skeptical attitude
a way of thinking that questions whether claims are true
stagnant water
water that remains still instead of flowing or circulating
sunlit room
a room illuminated by natural sunlight
toothy smile
a smile that reveals many teeth or particularly noticeable teeth
Noun + noun (9)
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howler monkey
a tropical American monkey known for its powerful howling calls
lip reader
a person who understands speech by watching movements of the speaker's lips
penny arcade
an amusement venue containing coin-operated games or entertainment machines
prairie dog
a small burrowing rodent of North American grasslands that makes a barking call
prairie fire
an uncontrolled fire spreading through open grassland
prairie soil
soil formed beneath grassland in a temperate climate
spider monkey
a tropical American monkey with long slender limbs and a tail used for gripping
tear gas
a chemical substance dispersed in the air that irritates the eyes and makes them water
tear gland
a gland near the eye that produces tears
Verb + adverb (59)
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given over
devoted or allocated to a particular purpose
grew apart
became less close in a personal relationship over time
head off
to prevent a problem or unwanted event from happening
hold over
to postpone something until a later occasion
kick around
to discuss ideas informally without making a final decision
kill off
to cause many members of a living group to die
knock off
to stop working or end an activity, informally
laid off
dismissed workers because an employer no longer had enough work or money for them
lay aside
to save money for use at a later time
lay off
to dismiss workers because their jobs are no longer required or affordable
lay over
to interrupt a journey with a temporary stay somewhere
leaves off
comes to an end at a particular point
let off
to excuse someone from a punishment or obligation
look here
used to insist that someone attend to what you are about to say
made off
escaped or left quickly, often taking something away
make over
to transform something by changing or renewing it
pass off
to present something under a false identity so that others accept it
peel off
to remove an outer covering in a thin piece or layer
pick apart
to examine something critically and identify its faults
play around
to experiment with something casually or without an expert approach
play off
to set people or groups against one another to gain an advantage
pull off
to succeed in doing something difficult or unlikely
put across
to communicate an idea so that other people understand it
put over
to communicate an idea or message successfully
put under
to make someone unconscious by giving them an anaesthetic
ran off
printed or copied a quantity of documents quickly
rip off
to cheat someone, especially by charging too much money
rise up
to begin a rebellion against people in authority
roll around
to arrive again as part of a regular cycle
round off
to express a number approximately by reducing its precision
rub off
to remove something from a surface by friction, or disappear in this way
seal off
to close an area or opening so that nothing can pass through
shake off
to get rid of an unwanted feeling, condition, or pursuer
sign off
to end a radio or television broadcast
sign over
to transfer ownership formally by signing a document
skim off
to remove a substance from the surface of a liquid
skimmed off
removed material floating on top of a liquid
skin over
to become covered with a new layer of skin as an injury heals
smooth over
to make an awkward disagreement seem less serious without fully addressing it
snap off
to break a piece away with a sudden sharp movement
sneak off
to leave quietly and secretly so that others do not notice
spark off
to cause an event, reaction, or activity to begin
spill over
to overflow from an area into surrounding space
spin around
to turn quickly around a central point
spin off
to produce something separate as a result of a larger activity or organization
step off
to measure a distance by walking and counting paces
strike off
to remove a name or item from an official list
struck off
removed from a register or official list
swear off
to promise firmly to stop doing or using something
sweat off
to lose body weight through sweating
swing around
to turn quickly to face another direction
sworn off
made a firm promise to stop doing or using something
tear apart
to criticize something severely and in detail
threw off
freed oneself from an unwanted burden or controlling power
throw off
to get rid of something unwanted or restrictive
tide over
to help someone manage until a difficult period ends or more support arrives
tip off
to give someone private information or an advance warning
tipped off
gave someone private information or an advance warning
top off
to complete or conclude something with a final addition or action
Adverb + adjective (4)
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insufficiently prepared
not ready enough for a task or situation
mathematically impossible
unable to happen because it contradicts mathematical rules or constraints
not guilty
legally cleared of a particular criminal charge
supremely confident
extremely sure of one's ability or of a successful result
Verb + preposition/particle (7)
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puzzle over
to think carefully about something because it is difficult to understand
run across
to meet someone by chance
skate over
to deal with a difficult subject briefly without examining it properly
skim over
to read something quickly without examining every detail
skimmed over
moved quickly and lightly across the surface of something
skip over
to pass a section or item without reading or dealing with it
sweep over
to affect someone suddenly and strongly, especially with an emotion