What does “splash out” mean?
“To splash out” is a phrasal verb. It means “to spend a lot of money”. Examples: • It’s his birthday tomorrow so I’ve decided to splash out on a nice meal. • She splashed...
Category: Parts of speech
To carry the can
“To carry the can” is an idiom meaning to be blamed or held responsible for something even if you might not be at fault. A person might: choose to carry the can, be forced...
“Incredible” or “incredulous”?
“Incredible” and “incredulous” are similar words that have different meanings. They are often confused, even by native speakers of English. “Incredible” means that something is unbelievable. “Incredulous” means that someone doesn’t believe something. Examples:...
To bang on about
“To bang on about” is an idiom meaning to talk about something continuously, repeatedly and at length. Someone who bangs on about something can often become annoying. Examples: She’s always banging on about her...
To fly off the handle
When you say that someone “flies off the handle” you mean that they lose their temper – perhaps suddenly and unexpectedly. Examples: He flew off the handle when I told him I had lost...
Split infinitives
Some people say that it is always wrong to split infinitives with an adverb – that is, to use phrases such as ‘to strictly forbid’ or ‘to fully understand’. Others are more tolerant, and...
What is meant by “thick-skinned”?
“Thick-skinned” is an English idiom used about someone who is not easily upset or insulted: “I don’t mind you criticising me. I’m very thick-skinned”. “It’s all right; she won’t feel insulted. She’s quite thick-skinned”....
What does “precarious” mean?
“Precarious” is an adjective meaning dangerous. It is usually used about a particular situation. If I am walking in the middle of a busy road, I am in a precarious situation. If I only...
Adjectival clauses
An adjectival clause (sometimes called a relative clause) is a clause that modifies (or ‘qualifies’) a noun. As with all clauses it must contain a subject and a verb. Examples: The man, who was...
Adjective phrases
Adjective phrases (sometimes called adjectival phrases) are phrases that do the work of an adjective. The main word in an adjective is usually an adjective. The words of an adjective phrase join together to...