A nod is as good as a wink to a blind man

- hinting about something can be accepted without further explanation

His boss only gave a slight hint as to whether or not he wanted to proceed with the project but a nod is as good as a wink to a blind man so we decided to go ahead and begin.

Nothing is sacred

- when important things or situations are treated with disrespect

It seems that nothing is sacred and there are few subjects that the media won't talk about.

Nothing succeeds like success

- when you are successful you will become more confident and gain respect which will lead to even greater success

Nothing succeeds like success and after my sister got her first promotion she began to do better and better at her job.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained

- you cannot achieve success in something unless you make an effort and are prepared to risk failure

He believed that nothing ventured, nothing gained so he decided to start his own computer company and see if it would be successful.

Once bitten, twice shy

- if something goes wrong once then you will be careful about doing the same thing again

She felt that once bitten, twice shy and because she had lost much money on the stock market she did not want to invest any money there again.

One good turn deserves another

- a good deed should be repaid with another good deed

One good turn deserves another and I was quick to help my friend after he had made such an effort to help me.

one man's meat is another man's poison

- what is good for one person may be bad or unsuitable for another person

It is true that one man's meat is another man's poison and some people like to eat one thing while other people may hate the same thing.

Out of sight, out of mind

- something that is no longer visible will be easily forgotten

We put the chocolates into the cupboard so that we wouldn't eat them. They were out of sight, out of mind

(he who) pays the piper calls the tune

- the person who pays for something should control how it is spent

The oil company was paying all of the expenses for the theater group and because he who pays the piper calls the tune they had much influence as to where and when the plays would be performed.

The pen is mightier than the sword

- writing and ideas are more powerful than the use of force

The famous general believed that the pen is mightier than the sword and he tried to use persuasion rather than force to overcome his enemies.

(in for a) penny, in for a pound

- after spending some money or time on something you may as well spend more time or money to finish the job completely

We were in for a penny, in for a pound and because we had already spent so much money fixing up the old car we decided to continue to pay more money until it was finished.

A penny saved is a penny earned

- money saved through thrift is just as valuable as the money that you earn by working

A penny saved is a penny earned and it is just as important to be careful spending money as it is to make money.

Penny wise and pound foolish

- someone is careful with small amounts of money but wastes larger amounts of money on unnecessary things

The woman was penny wise and pound foolish and would hesitate to spend money on fruits and vegetables for her family but would buy very expensive desserts and other sweets.

People who live in glass houses should not throw stones

- you shouldn't complain about other people unless you are perfect yourself

He was always criticizing his friend for gossiping about other people but people who live in glass houses should not throw stones. He also gossips and deserves criticism himself.

(when) pigs fly

- something is impossible (used when you don't believe something will happen)

I think that he will finish his university degree when pigs fly. In other words never.

The pot calls the kettle black

- someone criticizes somebody for a fault that they have themselves

He was always criticizing his friend for being late but that was like the pot calling the kettle black as he himself was the one who was usually late.

Practice makes perfect

- you will become better at something if you practice

The tennis player believes that practice makes perfect and spends every evening practicing his tennis strokes.

Prevention is better than the cure

- it is better to prevent a problem or an illness than to have to cure it

Prevention is better than the cure and you should look after your health so that you don't become sick and then have to try to cure yourself.

Pride comes before a fall

- if you behave with too much pride then you may soon meet a difficulty that will humble you

The president of the company was arrogant and thought that he was a great manager. However, pride comes before a fall and because of a trading scandal he lost his position and was forced to spend several months in jail because of illegal activities.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating

- the real value of something can be judged only by practical experience and not from theory or appearance

They created a beautiful website that they thought many people would visit but the proof of the pudding is in the eating and nobody was interested in their creation.

(it never) rains but it pours/when it rains it pours

- problems often appear together in large numbers or quickly one after the other

It is true that it never rains but it pours and our winter was spent dealing with problem after problem caused by the new accounting system.

The road to hell is paved with good intentions

- if you have good intentions but you don't put them into practice then you will achieve bad results

Although the man wanted to be successful at his new job, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. He failed to do the things that were necessary for success and he was forced to quit.

A rolling stone gathers no moss

- someone who often changes jobs or where they live does not build roots or wealth

The musician was a good example that a rolling stone gathers no moss. He moved from town to town and had lived in almost fifty different places during his lifetime.

(when in) Rome do as the Romans do

- you should adjust your habits to fit in with the customs of the people or place where you live

The diplomat believed that when in Rome do as the Romans do and he made a great effort to learn the language and the customs of the people in every country in which he lived and worked.

Rome wasn't built in a day

- it takes time and hard work to complete a difficult job

Rome was not built in a day and the government officials realized that it was going to take many years to clean up and rebuild the oldest area of the city.

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet

- what is important is what something or somebody is, not what they are called

"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet" was said in Romeo and Juliet when Juliet said that although their families had different names and they could not marry, Romeo was still a wonderful and handsome man.

Seeing is believing

- you must see something before you can believe that it really exists or happens

Seeing is believing and until I saw the Egyptian pyramids I could not imagine their beauty and impact.

(if the) shoe fits wear it

- if something that is said describes you then it is probably meant for you

You shouldn't criticize someone for something that you do yourself. Remember that if the shoe fits wear it.

The shoe is on the other foot

- one is experiencing the same things that one caused someone else to experience

The supervisor was always mean to the employees but the shoe was on the other foot when his new boss began to treat him badly.

Silence is golden

- sometimes it is better to say nothing

He believed that silence is golden at certain times and especially in the middle of an important business meeting.

Your sins will find you out

- if you do something wrong it will be discovered

The salesman quickly discovered the truth of the saying that "your sins will find you out", when his company discovered that he had been falsifying his travel receipts.

Slow and steady wins the race

- being deliberate and determined will lead you to success

Slow and steady wins the race and the man was successful because of his hard work and patient determination.

Some people are more equal than others

- even though the members of a group may appear equal, some members may receive better treatment than others

Some football players are more equal than others and the superstar was not given a penalty for hitting the other player while other players would have.

Spare the rod and spoil the child

- sometimes you must physically punish a child in order to teach him or her to behave properly

The group of parents were in favor of a mild form of physical punishment for their children and were firm believers in the idea that if you spare the rod you will spoil the child.

Speak of the devil (and he appears)

- a person appears just when someone is talking about them

We were sitting in the coffee shop and talking about our friend when speak of the devil and our friend appeared from around the corner.

The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak

- someone has good intentions but their laziness or love of pleasure may prevent them from doing what they want

The man was always going to expensive restaurants and nightclubs and although he wanted to do well at his job, he couldn't. For him the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

sticks and stones may break my bones but words/names will never hurt me

- verbal insults will not physically hurt someone

The little boy was yelling "sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me", when the three bigger boys started to laugh and call him bad names.

Still waters run deep

- a quiet person may have much knowledge or deep feelings

The player was the quietest person on the team but still waters run deep and away from the other players he was the most knowledgeable and emotional person that one could ever meet.

A stitch in time saves nine

- if you fix something or solve a problem immediately you will save much time later

A stitch in time saves nine and it is better to spend time becoming organized so that you will save more time in the long run.

The streets are paved with gold

- a place (usually a city) where you can make a lot of money

Many people believed that the streets were paved with gold in the city when they moved there to try and make a better life.

Strike while the iron is hot

- take action quickly and at a good opportunity

When I heard about the new job I quickly sent my application in order to strike while the iron was hot.

It takes all kinds (to make a world)

- different people like different things

The woman was wearing the strangest clothes that I had ever seen but it takes all kinds to make a world so there was no point in thinking about it.

Tall oaks grow from little acorns

- everything has a small beginning before growing to be very big

The large chain of supermarkets had started out from one small country store but as the saying goes, "tall oaks from little acorns grow," it was now the largest supermarket chain in the world.

Tell the truth and shame the devil

- it is better to tell the truth even though there may be good reasons not to

The woman had information about the illegal activities at her company and although she was hesitant to become involved she felt that it was better to tell the truth and shame the devil than to remain silent.

there's more than one way to skin a cat

- there is more than one way to do something

When my father taught me a different way to fix the car I realized that there was more than one way to skin a cat.

there's none so blind/deaf as those who will not see/hear

- people will not see or hear what they don't want to see or hear

There's none so blind as those who will not see and the mother refused to believe that her son was the cause of so much trouble in the community.

These things are sent to try us

- some difficulties appear in order to test our courage or patience

The woman had very strong religious beliefs and although she faced many difficulties she believed that those things were sent to try her and she continued on with good spirits.

Third time lucky

- the third time that you try something you will be successful

He was third time lucky when applying for the job at the film production company and he finally was successful in getting the job.

(it's the) thought that counts

- the good intentions behind an action or gift are more important than the action or gift itself

Although the present that he bought for his wife was not very expensive, it was the thought that counts and she was very happy.

Time and tide wait for no man

- things will happen naturally no matter what you do so it is important to take an opportunity when it is offered

Time and tide wait for no man and if you are interested in running for political office, you should grab the opportunity as it may not come again.

(there's a) time and a place for everything

- there are times and places when something should be done and others in which they should not

There is a time and a place for everything and a symphony concert is not the place to be receiving calls on a cell phone.

Time flies

- time seems to pass very quickly

Time certainly does fly and before we had a chance to enjoy the summer weather it was already autumn.

Time is a great healer

- as time passes pain or sorrow will be less strongly felt

They say that time is a great healer and the parents could only hope that this was true as they tried to cope with the tragic death of their only daughter.

Time is money

- time is valuable and wasting it is like wasting money

"Time is money", the angry customer said as he was forced to wait in line at the car rental counter at the airport.

Times change

- the values and fashions of life change

Times certainly do change and when my grandmother went to buy some tapes for her tape recorder she found that they were no longer being produced.

Tomorrow is another day

- there will be another opportunity to do something in the future

He gave up his plans to get on the basketball team but tomorrow is another day and he had already decided to try again next year.

Too many cooks spoil the broth

- if too many people try to do something then often the job will be done badly with bad results

There were four people trying to fix the broken air conditioner and just as too many cooks spoil the broth there were too many people working on it to do an effective job.

to the victor belong/go the spoils

- the winner of something achieves power over people and property

In ancient times a victory by an army usually meant that to the victor belong the spoils.

Truth is stranger than fiction

- real life is sometimes stranger than fiction

The fact that the woman was able to stay alive in the mountains for several months after the climbing accident showed that often truth is stranger than fiction.

The truth will out

- you can't hide the truth about something

The politicians discovered that the saying "the truth will out" applied to them more than others when the media pushed hard to discover the facts behind the recent scandal.

Two heads are better than one

- two people working together can achieve better results than one person working alone

Two heads are better than one and when we began to work together we quickly solved the problem of how to fix the car.

two's company, three's a crowd

- two people (usually a couple on a date) are happier when nobody else is around

The couple decided to go on a holiday with their friend but they soon discovered that two's company and three's a crowd and none of the group were able to enjoy themselves.

two wrongs don't make a right

- you can't justify something wrong by saying that somebody else has done it before so it is all right for you to do the same thing

Two wrongs don't make a right and just because the boy's friend was not punished for using the computer without permission, this did not make it permissable for him to do the same thing.

Variety is the spice of life

- life is made more interesting by doing new or different things

The three retired secretaries believed that variety is the spice of life and they were always travelling to new places and trying new things.

Waste not, want not

- if you never waste anything then you will probably not lack for anything either

The children were very poor when they were growing up and were always taught to waste not, want not by their parents.

a watched pot/kettle never boils

- if you wait impatiently for something to happen then it will seem to take longer

"You should go and sit down rather than wait for the beans to cook. Remember that a watched pot never boils."

the way to a man's heart is through his stomach

- a woman can win a man's love if she gives him the food that he likes

The woman believed that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach and she spent much time cooking delicious food for her husband.

what the eye doesn't see the heart doesn't grieve over

- you won't be troubled by something you don't know exists

You shouldn't worry about the new furniture that your neighbors recently purchased. Just ignore it and remember that what the eye doesn't see the heart doesn't grieve over.

when the cat's away the mice will play

- when someone in charge of children/students/workers is away then they will enjoy themselves and stop working

The teacher returned to the classroom and found that it was in total chaos. It was a perfect example that when the cat's away the mice will play.

where there's a will there's a way

- if you are sufficiently determined you can overcome difficulties and do what you want to do

Where there is a will there is a way and the young woman used all of her intelligence and skills to get enough money to go to the computer school.

The wish is father to the thought

- you think that something is true because you want it to be true

The wish is father to the thought and the woman believed that her boyfriend wanted to get married even though he had other plans for his life.

you can lead/take a horse to water but you can't make him drink

- you can give someone the opportunity to do something but you can't get them to do it if they don't want to

The woman took her two children to the park every day but they were not interested in playing in the playground. It seems that you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink.

you can't teach an old dog new tricks

- people become used to their way of doing things and you can't get them to change

My friend absolutely refused to try anything new and would never go out in the evening. It is true that you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

you're only young once

- enjoy life while you are young and before you must face the responsibilities of life

The young man's grandmother was a firm believer in teaching him that you are only young once and she encouraged him to do many new things in his life.

Body

at the top of one`s lungs

- as loud as one can, very loudly

I yelled at the top of my lungs to get the man's attention.

Bad blood

- anger or a bad relationship due to past problems with someone

There has always been a lot of bad blood between the two supervisors.

behind one`s back

- when one is absent or without one's knowledge, secretly

He doesn't like people who talk behind his back.

Blood is thicker than water

- family members are closer to one another than to others

Blood is thicker than water and people usually support their family rather than their friends in times of trouble.

Blood runs cold

- one is terrified or horrified

My blood ran cold when I saw the man fall off the ladder.

break one`s neck

- do all one possibly can, try one's hardest

I broke my neck to try and get the report finished on time.

breathe down one`s neck

- follow closely, threaten from behind

My boss has been breathing down my neck all day to try and get me to finish the report.

butterflies in one`s stomach

- a feeling of fear or anxiety in the stomach

The little boy had butterflies in his stomach when he had to give the speech in front of the class.

Cold shoulder

- unfriendly treatment of a person

The office staff gave me the cold shoulder when I did not go to the going away party.

cut one`s throat

- spoil one's chances, ruin a person

He is cutting his own throat if he doesn't make an effort to find a new job quickly.

Flesh and blood

- a close relative (father,daughter,brother)

It was his own flesh and blood who he refused to help when they needed money.

get off one`s back

- stop criticizing or nagging someone

I wish that my mother would get off my back about trying to find a better job.

get under one`s skin

- bother, upset

She is beginning to get under my skin with her constant complaining about the noise.

hold one`s breath

- stop breathing for a moment when one is excited or nervous

I held my breath and waited to see if my name had been called for an interview with the movie company.

jump down one`s throat

- suddenly become very angry at someone

His wife jumped down his throat when he came home late for the third day in a row.

jump out of one`s skin

- be badly frightened, be very surprised

I almost jumped out of my skin when I saw my girlfriend at the movie theater with someone else.

Keep body and soul together

- keep alive, survive

He has been working very hard to try and keep body and soul together after his illness.

(not) move a muscle

- move very little (usually used in the negative)

I didn't move a muscle when the large dog approached me on the street.

Neck and neck

- equal or nearly equal in a race or contest, tied

The two horses were running neck and neck until the end of the race.

off one`s back

- stop from bothering one, remove as an annoyance or pest

I wish my boss would get off my back and stop bothering me.

off one`s chest

- tell something to someone so it doesn't bother one anymore

I talked to my friend for a long time and was able to get my problems off my chest.

on one`s back

- making insistent demands of one, being an annoyance or bother

My sister is always on her daughter's back to clean up her room.

on one's shoulders

- one's responsibility

I don't want to have the failure of the project on my shoulders.

Pain in the neck

- an obnoxious or bothersome person or event

The customer is a pain in the neck and is always complaining about something.

Pat on the back

- praise

The man was given a pat on the back for his efforts to stop pollution in the river.

Rub elbows or shoulders with someone

- be in the same place (with others), meet and mix with others

We went to the party in order to rub shoulders with some interesting artists.

save one`s breath

- keep silent because talking will not do any good

You can save your breath and not bother talking to him. He never listens to anyone.

save one`s neck

- save from danger or trouble

The worker tried to save his own neck without thinking of any of the other people.

scratch one`s back

- do something kind and helpful for someone in the hope that they will do something for you

If you scratch the supervisor's back he will help you when you need help.

shove something down one`s throat

- force one to do or agree to something not wanted or liked

The workers were angry because the boss tried to shove the new regulations about uniforms down their throats.

Skin and bones

- a person or animal that is very thin, someone very skinny

The dog became skin and bones after his owner stopped giving him food.

Skin-deep

- only on the surface, not having any deep or honest meaning

I believe that the speaker's interest in the environment is only skin-deep.

Stab in the back

- say or do something unfair that harms a friend or someone who trusts you

My friend stabbed me in the back even after I made an effort to help him get a job.

stick one`s neck out

- do something dangerous or risky for someone

His friend will never stick his neck out to try and help other people.

Straight from the shoulder

- open and honest way of speaking

He was speaking straight from the shoulder when he told the workers about the possible factory closing.

To the bone

- entirely, to the core, through all layers

He was wet to the bone after staying out in the rain for two hours.

turn one`s back on

- refuse to help someone in trouble or need

The woman turned her back on her friend when the friend asked her for some money.

turn one`s stomach

- make one feel sick

The sight of the dead dog on the road turned the stomachs of the children at the school.

Yellow-bellied

- extremely timid, cowardly

Everyone thinks that the new boss handled the matter in a yellow-bellied manner.

Initials

AA

- Alcoholic's Anonymous - a group that helps people recover from alcohol abuse

My boss has been going to AA meetings for over a year.

AD

- Anno Domini - used to mark time that comes after the commonly accepted beginning of the Christian era

The ancient city was founded in 125 AD.

AGM

- Annual General Meeting - the annual meeting of an organization

My sister attended the AGM of the condominium owners last night.

AI

- Artificial Intelligence - used for robots etc.

Several professors at our university have been researching AI for many years now.

AIDS

- Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome - a disease of the immune system

Recently the number of AIDS patients has been increasing rapidly in many countries.

AM

- Amplitude Modulation - a type of radio frequency

We don't listen to AM radio much because we don't like the songs that they play.

AOB

- Any Other Business - used in meetings etc.

The organizer of the meeting wrote AOB at the bottom of the meeting information sheet.

AOK

- great, doing well

He said that he was feeling AOK even after the truck had hit him.

APB

- All Point's Bulletin - used by the police when looking for a criminal

The police put out an APB on the men who had robbed the bank.

ASAP

- As Soon As Possible

Please finish the first draft of the letter and give it to me ASAP.

AWOL

- Absent Without Leave - often used in the military

The military police were searching the area for the soldier who had gone AWOL.

BA

- Bachelor of Arts - from a university

My brother has received a BA in economics from his university.

B&B

- Bed and Breakfast - a small inn or hotel that serves breakfast

My sister wants to open a small B&B when she quits her job.

B&E

- Break and Enter - a criminal act of breaking into a house or building to steal something

When I was going to university there was a B&E in my apartment.

BLT

- Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato - a type of sandwich

We went into the restaurant and ordered a BLT sandwich.

BO

- Body Odor - smell of sweat from the human body

The BO from the man in the elevator was very bad.

BS

- Bullshit - lies or other information that is false

We heard a lot of BS at the meeting last night which nobody believed.

BSc

- Bachelor of Science - from a university

My cousin has just received a BSc in computer science from his university.

BYOB

- Bring Your Own Bottle - used for a party or dinner where each person must bring something to drink

I decided to have a dinner party at my house next week and told everyone that it was BYOB.

CA

- Chartered Accountant

We went to see a CA in order to get our income tax finished on time.

CD

- Compact Disc

The price of CDs has recently begun to decrease.

CEO

- Chief Executive Officer

My uncle was the CEO of a large computer company.

CIA

- Central Intelligence Agency - US spy and security organization

The CIA was involved in the efforts to free the hostage air force pilot.

C/O

- Care Of - used when you want to send something to someone at the address of another person

I didn't know my friend's address so I sent a letter to him C/O another friend of mine.

COD

- Cash On Delivery - used when a delivery person receives cash when they deliver something

I decided to send away for some video cassettes and the company said that they would send them to me COD.

CPA

- Certified Public Accountant

The woman in our accounting department has been studying for her CPA exams for three months.

DIY

- Do-It-Yourself

I went to a DIY store and bought the materials to build a bed.

DJ

- Disc Jockey

My cousin worked in the summer as a disc jockey while he was going to university.

DNA

- Deoxyribonucleic Acid - main constituent of the chromosomes of all organisms

The large university has spent a lot of money in the study of DNA.

DUI

- Driving Under the Influence

The man was sent to jail for several months on a charge of DUI.

DVD

- Digital Video Disc

The sales of DVDs is increasing every year in most video stores.

ECG

- Electrocardiogram - an electronic test of a person's heart

My father was asked to take an ECG test by his doctor.

Eg

- Exempli Gratia - the Latin which means for example

The company has hundreds of small factories around the world - eg Italy, Mexico, Thailand and Korea.

ER

- Emergency Room - the place in a hospital which deals with emergency situations

The victims of the accident were quickly taken to the ER.

ESL

- English as a Second Language

The ESL classes at the college have been held for almost ten years now.

ESP

- Extrasensory Perception

The movie was about a small boy who had the ability of ESP.

ETA

- Estimated Time of Arrival

What will your ETA be when you return home next month?

FBI

- Federal Bureau of Investigation

The killers were found in a nationwide search by the FBI.

FM

- Frequency Modulation - a type of radio signal

The radio station that we listen to regularly is an FM station.

FYI

- For Your Information

I wrote FYI on the information bulletin and sent it to the other members of the staff.

GI

- Government Issue - stamped on US military equipment and often means US soldier

The man went to the store and bought a GI Joe doll for his son.

GMT

- Greenwich Mean Time - a place in England used as the standard for time around the world

The rocket will be launched at 10:00 AM tomorrow GMT.

GNP

- Gross National Product - the total value of goods and services produced by a country in one year

The GNP of the country that I visited last year has been decreasing for several years.

GP

- General Practitioner - a general doctor

I went to see a GP when I broke my leg last summer.

HIV

- Human Immunodeficiency Virus

The rate of HIV infection among drug users is very high.

HQ

- Headquarters

The HQ of the company is located in a small town in Korea.

IMF

- International Monetary Fund - an international agency that works to stabilize currencies etc.

The IMF imposed very strict currency guidelines that many people were opposed to.

IOU

- I Owe You - a signed paper saying that you owe money to someone

I gave my friend an IOU when I bought his stereo.

IQ

- Intelligence Quotient - a measure of a person's intelligence

The IQ of the new student is very high.

JP

- Justice of the Peace

They went to a JP when they decided to get married.

KO

- Knockout

The boxer won the match in the fifth round by a KO.

LLB

- Bachelor of Laws

My brother received his LLB and will begin to practice law next week.

LP

- Long-Playing Record

I recently decided to give all of my old LPs to a charity.

LPG

- Liquid Petroleum Gas

The truck carrying LPG was in an accident on the highway last night.

MA

- Master of Arts

My cousin's wife has recently decided to study for her MA in economics.

MIA

- Missing In Action

According to some people in the United States there are still some MIA soldiers in Vietnam.

MC

- Master of Ceremonies

My cousin was the MC for my sister's wedding.

MD

- Doctor of Medicine

She received her MD when she was 26 years old and has been practicing medicine since then.

MP

- Member of Parliament - used in the United Kingdom and Canada etc.

There were several MPs at the restaurant where we had dinner.

MP3

- MPEG-1 audio layer 3 - a method to compress digital audio

The three students listened to their MP3 players as they worked in the computer lab.

MSc

- Master of Science

The woman has an MSc in computer science and has been able to find a job easily.

NASA

- National Aeronautics and Space Administration - the US space organization

According to a spokesperson for NASA the rocket will be launched next week.

NATO

- North Atlantic Treaty Organization

The members of NATO are gathering for an important meeting next month in Brussels.

NB

- Nota Bene - Latin for take notice or note well

Our teacher told us to memorize the information in our text that is marked NB.

OAP

- Old Age Pensioner

At first I could not understand why I couldn't get the discount that was for OAPs only. Later I realized it was for senior citizens.

OAU

- Organization of African Unity

The OAU is working very hard to promote free trade between its various countries.

OD

- Overdose - on drugs

The man died because of a drug OD.

OR

- Operating Room - in a hospital

Before entering the OR the doctors carefully washed their hands.

PA

- Public Address System

Every morning the children listened to the latest school information over the PA.

PC

- Politically Correct - language that is not harmful or insulting to others

The university had a very strict policy that says that all material published in the school newspaper must be PC.

PC

- Personal Computer

The PC industry has been growing rapidly in recent years.

PE

- Physical Education

My PE class was held indoors during the winter months.

Phd

- Doctor of Philosophy

After receiving his Phd in history my friend was able to get a job at a university.

PLO

- Please Leave On - used when you want to leave something on a blackboard or whiteboard

Although the teacher wrote PLO on the blackboard the information was erased during the lunch break.

PM

- Post Meridiem - Latin for after noon

The meeting started at exactly 1:00 PM.

POW

- Prisoner of War

The negotiations regarding POWs continued for many years after the Vietnam war.

PR

- Public Relations

With good PR the politician was able to easily gain the support of many people.

PS

- Postscript - written at the end of a letter when you want to add some extra information

After finishing the main part of the letter I wrote PS to include something very important that I had forgotten.

PTA

- Parent-Teacher Association

We got home late last night after attending our son's PTA meeting.

PTO

- Please Turn Over - written on a piece of paper to tell someone to look at the other side

I wrote PTO on the last page of my essay to make sure that the professor would look at the last page.

RCMP

- Royal Canadian Mounted Police - Canada's national police force

The movie was about the RCMP and it took place in northern Canada.

RIP

- Rest In Peace - used when talking about someone who is dead or sometimes written on a gravestone

At the end of the movie RIP was written on the gravestone of the main character who had been killed.

RSVP

- Respondez S'il Vous Plait - French for please reply

The invitation said RSVP so I quickly sent off a note to say that I would be able to attend the party.

SOB

- Son Of a Bitch - a swear word used in anger or when you want to insult someone

The man called me a SOB when I drove in front of him in the parking lot.

SOS

- international code signal of distress, call for help

The sinking ship had been sending out an SOS signal but still nobody was able to come to their rescue.

TA

- Teaching Assistant

After leaving university he was able to get a job as a TA at the junior college.

TB

- Tuberculosis

For various reasons the number of TB cases has been increasing around the world recently.

TBA

- To Be Announced - used when something will be announced later

I looked in the television guide to see what the 7:00 movie would be but it only said TBA.

TGIF

- Thank Goodness (God) It's Friday

The restaurant had a large TGIF sign on the door and all drinks were half price.

TKO

- Technical Knockout

Although the boxer didn't appear to win the fight he was awarded a TKO and won the boxing match.

TLC

- Tender Loving Care

With lots of TLC the house plants did very well under my sister's care.

TP

- Toilet Paper

I went to the store and bought several rolls of TP.

UFO

- Unidentified Flying Object

The number of UFO sightings has increased dramatically recently.

UV

- Ultraviolet - a type of light ray

We used lots of sunscreen in order to protect ourselves from UV rays.

VCR

- Video Cassette Recorder

We bought a new VCR after our old one began to have problems.

VDU

- Video Display Unit

The VDU at work was beginning to cause problems with my eyes so I went to an eye doctor.

VHF

- Very High Frequency

The television wasn't working because of a problem with the VHF connection.

VIP

- Very Important Person

The football player was given the VIP treatment when he went to visit his hometown.

VP

- Vice-President

After serving faithfully as vice-president for many years my father was appointed to the position of company president.

VTR

- Video Tape Recorder

The VTR in the classroom was missing because someone was using it for a meeting.

WC

- Water Closet - toilet

As soon as we entered the park we went directly to the sign that said WC.

YMCA

- Young Men's Christian Association

The English classes at the YMCA were recommended to the students last year.

YWCA

- Young Women's Christian Association

My friend stayed at the YWCA when she visited New York City last summer.

Medical

at death's door

- very near death

The Prime Minister was at death's door after suffering a serious stroke.

back on one's feet

- physically healthy again

My mother is back on her feet again after being sick with the flu for two weeks.

Black out

- lose consciousness, faint

The football player blacked out after being hit by the other player.

Break out

- begin showing a rash or other skin disorder

I broke out in a terrible rash after eating the raw shrimp at the restaurant.

breathe one's last

- to die

The man finally breathed his last after a long illness.

bring around/round

- restore to health or consciousness, cure

The medical workers were able to bring the man around after the accident.

Bring to

- restore to consciousness, wake from sleep/anesthesia/hypnosis/fainting etc

The woman was brought to soon after the car accident.

Catch a cold

- get a cold

I caught a bad cold last week and had to miss three weeks of work.

catch one's death of cold

- become very ill (with a cold, flu etc.)

The little boy was told to be careful in the rain or he would catch his death of cold.

Check-up

- a periodic inspection of a patient by a doctor

I went to have my annual check-up last week.

Дата добавления: 2015-10-29