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If you blow your own trumpet, you are boasting about your achievements and abilities. He's always blowing his own trumpet - it's so boring! Why can't he be more modest about his abilities? You've got to blow your own trumpet a bit more, otherwise you won't get a decent job! The phrase to blow your own horn can also be used in a similar way. Clare finds it hard to blow her own horn because she's very shy. |
| 2 |
You say get a load of this when you want someone to pay attention to something exciting or interesting. Mike, get a load of this: our friend Frank is being interviewed on the TV news right now! Get a load of this: I've just found out that our teacher used to be a professional footballer! The phrase take a load off your feet means to sit down and relax. William, you look exhausted. Come and sit here. Take a load off your feet. |
| 3 |
When you say someone is full of hot air you mean they talk a lot but are not sincere. My boss keeps promising to give me a pay rise but the extra money never comes. He is full of hot air! Some politicians are full of hot air. They never consider what's best for the nation. Their main concern is what's best for themselves. To clear the air means to get rid of tension and hard feelings. Mary and John are having a chat in the kitchen. He was upset after Mary broke up their engagement and she needed to clear the air. |
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If you ride (on) a wave of something, you benefit from a period of success and (or) popularity. The candidate is riding on a wave of popularity and is expected to win the election. British athletes rode a wave of patriotism during the London Olympics, winning more medals than the country ever had before. To take someone for a ride. If you take someone for a ride, you trick or cheat them. I trusted Ben, but he took me for a ride. He sold me a ticket to the Kanye West show, but in fact it wasn't a real ticket: it was just a photocopy. |
| 5 |
In a nutshell is an expression to use when you want to summarise news or information. You haven't studied hard enough and did badly in your exams. In a nutshell, you'll have to sit this year's class again next year. Our company didn't sell much and the economy is doing badly. In a nutshell, we are out of business. When you say someone is 'nuts' you mean they are crazy or too daring. Do you intend to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a kayak? You are nuts! |
| 6 |
To flock to something describes the movement of large groups of people towards a destination. Thousands of people flocked to the shopping centre when the mega-sale started. Youngsters flock to cinemas to watch the latest blockbuster action movies. Birds of a feather flock together is an expression which means that people who are similar or have similar interests tend to be close or support each other. Dictatorial presidents tend not to criticise each other's regimes. Birds of a feather flock together. |
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