Phrasal Verbs and Idioms Flashcards

After weeks of negotiation, the two companies finally decided to ______ the deal, as they couldn't agree on the terms.

Answer: call off

The phrasal verb 'call off' means to cancel something. In this context, since the companies could not agree on the terms, they decided to cancel the deal. 'Bring up' means to mention, 'carry out' means to perform a task, and 'put off' means to postpone.

My manager asked me to ______ the new client's complaint and report back to her by the end of the day.

Answer: look into

'Look into' means to investigate or examine the facts about a problem or situation. The manager wants the employee to investigate the client's complaint. 'Give up' means to quit, 'take over' means to take control, and 'go over' means to review.

A colleague is describing a difficult project with a tight deadline. He says, 'We really had to ______ to finish the report on time.' Which idiom best completes the sentence?

Answer: burn the midnight oil

The idiom 'burn the midnight oil' means to work late into the night. This fits the context of having to work hard to meet a tight deadline. 'Break the ice' means to initiate a conversation, 'cut corners' means to do something poorly to save time or money, and 'call it a day' means to stop working.

Which of the following sentences uses an idiom to mean 'something is very easy'?

Answer: Don't worry, the presentation will be a piece of cake.

The idiom 'a piece of cake' means that something is very easy to do. The other options are also idioms: 'under the weather' means feeling ill, 'barking up the wrong tree' means pursuing a mistaken course of action, and 'cost an arm and a leg' means something is very expensive.

I was planning to go to the outdoor concert, but it looks like it might rain. I'm not sure what to do. My friend says, 'Let's just ______ and decide what to do when we get there.'

Answer: play it by ear

The idiom 'play it by ear' means to decide how to deal with a situation as it develops, rather than planning in advance. This is the most logical choice given the uncertainty of the weather. 'Spill the beans' means to reveal a secret, 'hit the books' means to study, and 'get out of hand' means to become uncontrollable.

The company had to ______ its new product launch because of unexpected production delays.

Answer: put off

To 'put off' something means to delay or postpone it. Due to production delays, the company had to postpone the launch. 'Set up' means to arrange or establish, 'look after' means to take care of, and 'run out of' means to exhaust the supply of something.