Advanced Collocations and Idiomatic Judgement

C1 · 100 entries · Five themes

Advanced Collocations and Idiomatic Judgement

Created by , British English teacher.

Open a theme, then select a word or phrase for its meaning, example and pronunciation.

1. Assessing situations (20 entries)
  1. draw a comparison
  2. reach a provisional view
  3. gauge the impact
  4. take at face value
  5. get the measure of
  6. identify a sticking point
  7. make allowances for
  8. take the temperature of
  9. take stock
  10. put your finger on
  11. read the room
  12. weigh something against
  13. on its merits
  14. strike a balance
  15. ill-judged
  16. set against
  17. revise an assessment
  18. superficial
  19. detract from
  20. unconventional
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2. Deciding and committing (20 entries)
  1. bite the bullet
  2. stick to your guns
  3. take a calculated risk
  4. take the plunge
  5. come down in favour of
  6. avoid overcommitment
  7. narrow an undertaking
  8. signal intent
  9. commit selectively
  10. hedged commitment
  11. implicit promise
  12. strategic ambiguity
  13. tacit understanding
  14. concealed agenda
  15. prior commitment
  16. escape clause
  17. deliberate vagueness
  18. ambiguous reassurance
  19. strategic concession
  20. noncommittal reply
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3. Influence and resistance (20 entries)
  1. lend weight to
  2. hold sway
  3. exert influence
  4. tip the balance
  5. add your voice to
  6. call the shots
  7. stop short of
  8. play devil's advocate
  9. stay your hand
  10. bend over backwards
  11. push your luck
  12. lock horns
  13. call a halt
  14. rein yourself in
  15. cross swords with
  16. temper excess
  17. hold your horses
  18. be at loggerheads
  19. go overboard
  20. bite your tongue
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4. Progress and setbacks (20 entries)
  1. make up lost ground
  2. clear a hurdle
  3. come to a standstill
  4. iron out difficulties
  5. gather momentum
  6. make headway
  7. hit a snag
  8. lose ground
  9. pay dividends
  10. weather the storm
  11. reserve final judgement
  12. flaw
  13. underdeveloped
  14. so much for that
  15. suspension
  16. something of a problem
  17. bury the hatchet
  18. imminent
  19. pregnant pause
  20. leaves something to be desired
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5. Perspective and hindsight (20 entries)
  1. on reflection
  2. in hindsight
  3. by the same token
  4. with the benefit of hindsight
  5. in the light of
  6. in broad terms
  7. all things considered
  8. learn the hard way
  9. implicit judgement
  10. disproportionate
  11. a decisive weakness
  12. hinge on
  13. perceptive
  14. provisional verdict
  15. reassessment
  16. famous last words
  17. hardly a triumph
  18. beyond belief
  19. move heaven and earth
  20. pointed joke
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