1.       flying colors → success, victory

2.       little by little → gradually

3.       call off → cancel

4.       come into → receive, especially after another’s death

5.       put off → postpone

6.       stop by → make a brief visit on one’s way elsewhere

7.       tie up → hinder

8.       be out for → trying to get

9.       fill in for → take another’s place

10.   turn down →① refuse or reject ② reduce the loudness of

11.   go off → begin to ring

12.   cut down → lesson; reduce; limit

13.   come up with → produce; supply

14.   make it →① achieve a specific goal ② succeed in general

15.   catch one’s eye → attract one’s attention

16.   care for →① like; value ② look after; take care of

17.   head and shoulders above → much better

18.   catch on → become popular

19.   on the whole → in general

20.   fill sb. in → tell what sb. should know

21.   in a nutshell → in a few words

22.   from top to bottom → completely; entirely

23.   take the plunge → enter with sudden decision upon an unfamiliar course of action

24.   on the tip of one’s tongue → unable to be recalled

25.   cheer up → feel happy; stop being sad or discouraged; become hopeful

26.   hold off → postpone; delay

27.   on cloud nine → a state of perfect happiness

28.   back out → withdraw from an undertaking

29.   grin and bear it → be as cheerful as possible in pain or trouble; do sth. without complaining

30.   turn out to be → come to be; prove

31.   bite off more than one can chew → attempt sth. that exceeds one’s ability

32.   in the air → uncertain

33.   get hold off → find a person so you can speak with him

34.   learn the ropes → acquire thorough or special knowledge of a job

35.   tear oneself away from → depart with great reluctance; force oneself to leave

36.   tie up → engage or occupy completely

37.   leave well(enough)alone → don’t try to improve what is already satisfactory

38.   touch on → mention a subject briefly or casually

39.   see to it → take care; take the responsibility make sure

40.   give away → give as a present

41.   get along with → live or work in harmony with

42.   account for → explain

43.   out of print → no longer available for purchase from the publisher

44.   send out → distribute

45.   in no time → in a very brief time almost at once

46.   before long → soon; without much delay

47.   play by ear →① play an instrument without using written music; ② handle a matter without adequate preparation preparation or guidance

48.   wear and tear → loss or damage caused by use

49.   come what may → no matter what happens

50.   drop by → make a short or unplanned visit

51.   be short of → not having enough

52.   cut it out → stop doing sth.

53.   be sick of → be tired of ; having a strong dislike of

54.   look for a needle in a haystack (a bottle) → search for sth. in a place where it is hopelessly lost

55.   knock oneself out → work very hard; make a great effort

56.   run up against → encounter

57.   far from → anything but; not at all

58.   far from it → by no means; not at all

59.   hang on to → hold tightly; keep firmly

60.   get nowhere → be unsuccessful; obtain no result

61.   day in and day out → every day; all the time

62.   break down → cease to function

63.   get going → get started; begin to move

64.   take one’s time → not hurry

65.   boil down to → indicate, especially as a final judgment or analysis

66.   make up → take a test for the second time

67.   put up with → bear with patience; tolerate

68.   by and by → before long

69.   give someone a hand → help; assist

70.   ring a bell → sound familiar

71.   snap out of it →① change one’s habits, attitude, etc, suddenly ② regain one’s composure, energy, or good spirits; recover

72.   raise the roof → make trouble; start a fight or an argument

73.   get away with → escape without punishment

74.   on business → with definite work to do

75.   look up → search for, as an item of information, in a reference book

76.   let up →① cease; stop ② slacken; abate

77.   in any case (or event) → no matter what happens

78.   come out → be published

79.   look into → investigate; inspect

80.   spell out → explain very clearly or in detail

81.   fall back on → rely on

82.   wrap up → bring to an end, especially a successful conclusion

83.   save one’s breath → keep silent because talking will not help

84.   hold up →① delay; hinder ② endure, last

85.   have one’s hands full → be very busy; be able to do no more

86.   How come? → How is it? Why?

87.   stick around → stay or wait nearby

88.   make out → get along; manage

89.   turn up → appear, turn out, show up

90.   hold off → postpone; delay

91.   over one’s head → beyond one’s power to understand

92.   stock up → buy up; lay in a good supply of

93.   keep up → continue

94.   tie up → occupy completely

95.   in and out → coming in and going out often

96.   make ends meet → make one’s income suffice without incurring debt

97.   on and on → without stopping

98.   out of this world → wonderful; great

99.   in a row →① in line; in alignment ② in succession; successively

100.  wait around → waiting in vain（编辑：雨巷）