Essential english idioms

= Easy English = 
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3
LESSON 2 
to dress up : to wear formal clothes, to dress very nicely
- We should definitely dress up to go to the theater. 
- You don't have to dress up for Mike's party. 
at last : finally, after a long time 
- We waited for hours and then the train arrived at last. 
- Now that I am sixteen, at last I can drive my parents' car. 
as usual : as is the general case, as is typical
- George is late for class as usual. This seems to happen every day. 
- As usual, Dora received first prize in the swimming contest. It's the third consecutive year that she has won. 
t o f i n d o u t : get information about, to determine (S)
This idiom is separable only when a pronoun is used, as in the second example. 
- Will you please try to find out what time the airplane arrives? 
- I'll call right now to find it out. 
t o l o o k a t : give one's attention to; to watch
- The teacher told us to look at the blackboard and not at our books. 
- I like to walk along a country road at night and look at the stars. 
t o l o o k f o r : to try to find, to search for
An adverb phrase such as all over can be put between the verb and preposition, as in the second example. 
However, the idiom cannot be separated by a noun or pronoun. 
- He's spent over an hour looking for the pen that he lost. 
- So there you are! We've looked all over for you. 
a l l r i g h t : acceptable, fine; yes, okay
This idiom can also be spelled alright in informal usage. 
- He said that it would be all right to wait in her office until she returned. 
- Do you want me to turn off the TV? Alright, if you insist. 
a l l a l o n g : all the time, from the beginning (without change)
- She knew all along that we'd never agree with his plan. 
- You're smiling! Did you know all along that I'd give you a birthday present?