[@english books new] Essential Idioms in English (Elementary
t o b e u p t o : to be responsible for deciding; to be doing as a regular activity
The second definition is most often used in a question as a form of greeting.
- I don't care whether we go to the reception or not. It is up to you.
- Hi, George. I haven't seen you in a while. What have you been up to? ill at ease : uncomfortable or worried in a situation
- Speaking in front of a large audience makes many people feel ill at ease. - My wife and I were ill at ease because our daughter was late coming home from a date.
t o d o o v e r : to revise, to do again (S)
A noun or pronoun must separate the two parts of this idiom.
- You'd better do the letter over because it is written so poorly.
- Jose made so many mistakes in his homework that the teacher made him do it over.
t o l o o k i n t o : to investigate, to examine carefully (also: to check into )
- The police are looking into the matter of the stolen computers.
- The congressional committee will check into the financial dealings of the government contractor.
t o t a k e h o l d o f : to grasp, to grip with the hands
- You should take hold of the railing as you go down those steep stairs.
- The blind man took hold of my arm as I led him across the street.
t o g e t t h r o u g h d o i n g s o m e t h i n g , t o g e t t h r o u g h w i t h s o m e t h i n g : to finish, to complete
This idiom is followed either by the -ing form of a verb (a gerund) or by the preposition with. - I didn't get through studying last night until almost eleven o'clock.
- At what time does your wife get through with work every day?
f r o m n o w o n : from this time into the future
- Mr. Lee's doctor told him to cut down on eating fatty foods from now on, or else he might suffer heart disease.
- I'm sorry that I dropped by at a bad time. From now on I'll call you first.