English Idioms Vocabulary 2022 Complete Edition

Keep one’s chin up
Meaning: To stay cheerful during difficult or challenging times.
Dialogue example:
Speaker A: Don't worry so much about bad test results, you'll retake them in
a month and get the highest possible score. I believe in you!
Speaker B: I'll try my best to keep my chin up, thanks dad.
Keep one’s nose to the grindstone
Meaning: To do intensive, heavy, or continuous work.
Example: Dina's got to keep her nose to the grindstone to feed her family.
Keep one’s powder dry
Meaning: To remain calm and be fully prepared for a particular
situation/event.
Example: Conflict may not arise, but there is no harm in keeping your
powder dry.

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Keep one’s eyes peeled
Meaning: To watch very carefully.
Example: Just drive slowly and keep your eyes peeled.
Keep one’s hair on
Meaning: To urge someone not to panic and stay calm.
Example: Keep your hair on, we're almost there!
Keep tabs on
Meaning: To watch someone/something carefully; always know where
someone/something is.
Dialogue example:
Speaker A: Where is Jimmy?
Speaker B: How should I know? I don't keep tabs on him.
Kill or cure
Meaning: Either success or total failure.
Example: This project will be kill or cure for our company; This discovery
will kill or cure our research.
Know something by heart
Meaning: To memorize something completely.
Example: I'm pretty sure I know this song by heart.
Labour the point
Meaning: Keep talking or pitching your idea/plan in a boring or annoying
manner.

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Example: I don't want to labour the point, but you should know that my
project is much better.
Lead someone a merry dance
Meaning: To treat someone unfairly or badly over period of time; to cause a
lot of problems.
Example: She led me a merry dance before I finally got her to sign the
divorce papers.