Australia Network - Nexus - English Bites Library - Common Expressions

face falls

If your face falls you suddenly look sad or disappointed.

Her face fell when we told her the bad news.

face the music

To face the music is to accept or be confronted with the unpleasant consequences of your actions.

The person who robbed us should be arrested and made to face the music in court.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

He decided to take his chances with the crocs instead of facing the music at the police station.

face to face

To be face to face is to be with someone and be able to talk with them.

I prefer face to face contact with my teacher.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

But in my heart of hearts, the thing that I loved most was my contact with people. Really , right down to face to face contact with people and I felt that through Sing Australia my music can be something that's uplifting for people.

fair bit

A fair bit means a large amount, or a significant amount.

I've done a fair bit of work today.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

Joanna Gair's bright idea means paper maker Darren Simpson spends a fair bit of his working day sorting through kangaroo poo in search of the best nuggets.

fair dinkum

Fair dinkum is Australian slang. It means to be true or genuine.

He's not being fair dinkum.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

We work on four principles and that is: to be respectful with each other; to be safe and legal; to participate and I guess the right not to participate; and to be fair dinkum, to try and tell the truth.

fair enough

Fair enough is used in a couple of ways. We use it for accepting a suggestion.

"The work will cost $300."
"Fair enough, but can you do it tomorrow?"

And we also use it to say that something is reasonable.

It's fair enough for younger people to be paid less than more experienced employees.

fair few

A fair few is quite a lot.

I've read a fair few of these examples.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

It takes a fair few roo scats to make a piece of paper - about half a handful per sheet.

fair go

A fair go means a reasonable chance, or a fair opportunity.

You expect the legal system to give you a fair go.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

It's one of the most argued about events in Australian history and, to some people, it symbolises a demand for a fair go.

fair share

A fair share is an adequete, expected or desired amount.

I've had my fair share of colds this year.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

But don't worry, Andre does get his fair share of vitamin D.

fall by the wayside

To fall by the wayside is to fail or not to be able to continue.

A lot of students fall by the wayside in the first few months of a degree.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

Companies that don't change their designs, don't change their approach to manufacturing and don't pick up new technologies are falling by the wayside.

fall in love

To fall in love is to decide that you like someone or something very much.

When you see her, you'll fall in love immediately.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

And I heard there was an after-party going on at a place called The Basement. So I came down here & took one look, it used to be located next door of course, and I took one look and fell in love with it immediately.

fall prey/victim to

To fall prey to or fall victim to is to be killed or injured by something or somebody.

He's the third person to fall victim to the flu from this office.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

In northern waters, dugongs have been drowned in fishing and shark nets and fallen prey to Indigenous hunting.

fall through

A plan or arrangement that falls through can't be completed because something has gone wrong.

The sale fell through at the last minute.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

There were a couple of attempts to build a supermarket on the original site. Between council regs, finance and bad luck that one fell through.

fall under

belong in a particular category; be included with

Pyjamas and underwear fall under lingerie in most department stores.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

Speed dating services, internet services and dating agencies in Queensland will all fall under the new laws.

far and wide

over a very large area; many places; everywhere

People have come from far and wide to attend the festival.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

Djalu's fame has spread far and wide. People from all over the world are welcome to visit and learn the secrets of the yidaki.

far-fetched

unlikely; exaggerated and unbelievable

I thought too many things in the movie were far-fetched.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

The real prize is effectively taking control of the world's computers by creating a nasty computer bug that would effectively crash most of the Internet. And that's not far-fetched.

fed up

If you're fed up with something, you're annoyed with it. You've had enough. You're not going to do it anymore.

I'm fed up with doing the dishes every night.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

Fed up with receiving little pay for endless hours of work, she and 15 others in the company decided to stay in Melbourne and apply for residency.

feel blue

To feel blue is to feel sad or depressed.

I feel a bit blue today.

feet of clay

The expression feet of clay refers to a weakness in the character of someone famous.

It's always disappointing to find that your heroes have feet of clay.

few and far between

not happening often; infrequent

Wins for the local football team have been few and far between this year.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

But these days the stories are few and far between because the bad news about the Murray cod is that it's in decline.

fiddle with

try to fix or manipulate something you don’t fully understand or that might be damaged

I’ll fiddle with the TV and see if I can make it work.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

People don't want to fiddle with their eyes, they don't want to keep taking a lens in and out.

figure out

understand; work out

I can't figure out how to fix it.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

A lot of the work that people like myself are involved in revolves around trying to figure out the health of river systems and things like that.

fill in the gaps

complete the map; find out what isn't known

They keep sending probes to Mars to fill in the gaps of our knowledge.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

It's literally teeming with life but remarkably much of it is unmapped and unknown. Freshwater ecologist John Gooderham wants to fill in the gaps.

find your feet

To find your feet means to become familiar with something, or get used to it.

It took a while to find my feet at work, but now I'm as good as anyone.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

By the end of the week the Welsh team was starting to find its feet and a lot of friends around the shearing shed.

fingers crossed

We say fingers crossed when wishing someone good luck or when we are hoping for success.

I'm going for an interview today, so it's fingers crossed.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

But Paris for fashion, is definitely the place, you know, the place to be seen to make it. So fingers crossed.

first hand

directly; from your own experience or knowledge; from the source

You need to experience something first hand to fully understand it.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

Veteran actor Charles 'Bud' Tingwell has experienced first hand the changing nature of Australian spoken language.

first in, best dressed

the first person to arrive gets the advantage

When it comes to getting the best food from a smorgasbord, it’s first in, best dressed.

This expreesssion is used in Gold Mine 27/2/03.

At the Leonora Office of Mines Registrar, it's a case of first in, best dressed.

first port of call

the first place you go

My first port of call in a shopping centre is a café.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

This is the first port of call for visitors and it should be the point at which the Townsville residents identify their future.

fish for compliments

To fish for compliments is to encourage people to say nice things about you.

Stop asking if your work is up to standard. You're just fishing for compliments.

fit as a mallee bull

To be as fit as a malle bull is to be extremely fit.

He should make a good footballer - he's young, strong and as fit as a mallee bull.

flat out

very busy with no time to stop

I'm flat out at work today.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

The runners are flat out carrying challenge slips to the judges, who scan the official dictionary - a combination of the UK 'Chambers' and the American 'Webster's Dictionary'.

flavour of the month

Something that is especially popular at a particular time or fashionable is called flavour of the month.

During the World Cup football is flavour of the month.

flesh and blood

family; directly related

Your children are your flesh and blood.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

No grandparent resents bringing up their own grandkids. I mean any grandparent that's worth her salt will say "these are my flesh and blood and I'll take them no matter what".

flogging a dead horse

Flogging a dead horse is an expression used to to say that you are wasting your energy trying to do something that clearly can't be done.

He's still trying to convince her to come back. Talk about flogging a dead horse.

fly a kite

To fly a kite means to release some information about a plan to see how people react.

I think the government is flying a kite by announcing an inquiry into nuclear power.

fly off the hook/handle

lose your temper; get very, very angry

He flies off the handle all the time.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

I could fly off the hook within about five seconds. What did you do? I'd usually get up, yell, swear at the teachers and that, push the other students around.

follow in someone's footsteps

To follow in someone's footsteps means to do the same things as somebody else, especially somebody in your family.

He's going to follow in his father's footsteps and be a doctor too.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

A former racer himself he was pleased when his son decided to follow in his footsteps.

follow suit

do the same thing; behave in the same way

When one company raises the price of fuel, you can expect all of the other companies to follow suit.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

When life turned upside down for Noel Rogers, it's fair to say she followed suit.

foot in both camps

To have a foot in both camps is to be involved with two separate groups who do not normally work together.

He has a business and a job at the university, so he has a foot in both camps.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

I always wanted to do something that was in the interface between biology and engineering. You could say I had a premature midlife crisis and I didn't want to do just engineering. I've got one foot in both camps, which is sort of fun.

foot the bill

To foot the bill is to pay the bill, usually for a large amount of money.

I think vandals should foot the bill for the damage they cause.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

The Royal Commission's most controversial recommendation is that the British should come back here and clean it all up. And they should foot the bill of anything up to two-hundred-million dollars.

for a living

If you do something for a living, it’s your job. It’s what you do to earn money.

I teach for a living.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

I grow bonsai for a living.

for good

permanently; forever

I've finished with studying for good.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

Principal Steve Boyle hatched the childcare plan after watching many students become pregnant and drop out of the education system for good.

for kicks

To do something for kicks is to do it only for the pleasure and excitement of it and not for other reasons.

He steals cars just for kicks.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

I'd go around dropping the pictures into people's mailboxes and like giving them a surprise in the morning, you know, just for kicks.

for short

as a quicker or shorter way of saying something

My name is Reginald, but you can call me Reg for short.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

Well, my full name is Vasiliki Victoria de los Angeles, but everyone calls me Vicki for short...

for the record

so that the facts are remembered correctly

Just for the record, I'd like my disagreement noted down in the minutes of this meeting.

This is how the expression isused in one of our stories:

And for the record, old Reggie boy took out the sprint and Boulia Cup double, not that you would remember that by this time next year.

for the sake of it

because we enjoy it; because we like doing it; because we have nothing better to do

I'm not writing all of this just for the sake of it.

for the time being

now, and for a short time in the future

You can keep doing that for the time being until we hire someone else who can do it.

Another form of this expression is for the moment.

I'm happy here for the moment, but eventually I'd like to move overseas.

This expression is used in Credit Card Scams 11/3/03.

For the time being credit card companies and banks around the world are turning to so-called smart cards in an effort to keep at least one step ahead of the scammers.

forked out

paid

I forked out more than twenty dollars for lunch.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

Some have forked out tens of thousands of dollars to dating agencies in the hope of finding love.

former

was once; used to be
We use former to say that someone used to do something, such as a particular job, in the past.

The former president of the United States, Bill Clinton, is doing a lecture tour.

Another form of this expression is ex-

The ex-president of the United States, Bill Clinton, is doing a lecture tour.

Yet another way of saying this is erstwhile.

Australia has a good relationship with its erstwhile enemy, Japan.

This expression is used in Public Shelters 10/3/05.

Former policeman John Nicholas knows just what is meant by sleeping rough.

free rein

To have free rein is to be able to do or say what you want.

You don't have free rein to say anything you want in public.

frog in your throat

To have a frog in your throat is not to be able to speak properly because you have a blocked throat.

Excuse me (cough), I've got a frog in my throat.

from scratch

From scratch means from the very beginning.

We lost everything in the flood and had to start from scatch.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

The HSC assessment also includes a group piece, where the students create a play from scratch, which is at least 12 minutes long.

front line

the most important place; where things are happening

This new research is right on the front line of its field.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

This supermarket is the front line in an international battle for the hearts, minds and stomachs of Japanese consumers.

fronted up

arrived; appeared; attended

I fronted up for work every day this week.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

I fronted up for work every day this week. I fronted up and said, "I want to hire an aeroplane for a month, and fly solo around the outback."

full bore

the maximum speed or capacity

The car was going full bore when it crashed.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

At Australia's major bag manufacturer in Melbourne, production is going full bore.

full on

Full on is a slang expression for anything that is carried out to the utmost.

Skydiving is a full on experience.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

We never imagined getting here. We joked about it. But, you know, we are here. It's pretty full on; like, big days, big nights.

furphy

a false story; more rumour than fact; something of a lie; something that is not quite true

It's a bit of a furphy to say that all dogs are vicious.

This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:

It's just a bit of a furphy that raw milk makes better cheese.


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