Medley #4

They had held sway in France for a quarter of a century.

This dinner was lavish. I could eat everything I wanted. OR The costumes in the play were lavish!

Should we adjust our expectations to reality, or swing for the fences?

Sytuacja jest w tym momencie bardzo zmienna.

The situation is very much in flux at the moment.

Things I said were out of line, I'm sorry.

You have to allow for the fact that I was sick all week. OR Did you allow for my opinion?

My dad advised me against marrying this boy.

The government is trying to push through a package of measures to combat organised crime

a strong, blustering gale OR a blustering bully

She was tongue-tied because she's shy.

the story paints a sordid picture of bribes and scams OR the overcrowded housing conditions were sordid and degrading

I'm stupid because I shelled out 50 dollars for these tickets. OR I won't shell out 100 pounds for this scarf. It's not worth it.

He paced up and down, waiting for the doctor to come back.

When they take a vacation, money is no object.

Fill me in on the family feud, I want to know every detail.

Let me spell it out for you.

To nie ma wpływu na naszą obecną sytuacją.

It has no bearing on our current situation. | syn. to have an influence on sth

She's always blabbing about her dog OR I don't like people who blab.

dwell on one's own success or another's misfortune with smugness or malignant pleasure, e.g. 'his enemies gloated over his death'

A future fourth book has been mooted by the author.

On rzucił mi swoje najbardziej surowe spojrzenie.

He gave me his most stern look.

she tried to keep her tone light and matter-of-fact (= unemotional and practical)

When do you want to set sail?

Nie chcę tego kryminalisty i innych osób niepożądanych w moim mieście.

I don't want that criminal and other undesirables in my city.

he was in debt to the tune of forty thousand pounds

Studenci wyszli na ulice, by protestować przeciw nowym rozporządzeniom.

The students took to the streets to protest against the new regulations.

On musi mieć naturalny dryg do języków.

He has to have a nose for languages.

On wypchnął mnie z pokoju i trzasnął drzwiami.

He forced me out of the room and slammed the door.

Miasto było skąpane w świetle księżyca.

The city was suffused with moonlight. OR the city was suffused with sunlight.

If she says, "You're really sweet", cut your losses and walk away.

The remainder of the concert held little interest.

Local government wants to improve frontline services for children and old folk.

At the end of the academic year 2008/2009 Jenkins took voluntary redundancy.

1. This fodder will be good for our animals., 2. This gossip is fodder for newspapers.

His personal worth is estimated at five million dollars.

"Caught up in conversations of our personal worth."

I love the lustre of your eyes. OR There was a huge golden lustre (or chandelier or pendant) on the ceiling.

My mother loves flowery shirts. OR I don't like his books because of his flowery language. OR My girlfriend likes flowery perfumes.

Whenever I eat a tart kiwi fruit I have a stomachache. OR I am fed up with his tart remarks.

It seems impossible, but you can feel his stench all the way up here.

Don't you think that suit's a bit brash for a funeral? OR He's a brash young banker.

I suppose I ought to be making tracks.

Is it five o'clock already? I've lost track of time.

Stanąłem jak wryty, gdy zobaczyłem ducha.

I stopped dead when I saw the ghost.

The war desolated our country.

wdrapywać się, gramolić się

She kept cutting in and annoying everyone. OR The police cut us in.

1. She cut up my dress. OR 2. Can you cut up the vegetables?

1. This was a cut-and-dried decision for me., 2. I was angered by his cut-and-dried statement.

- "Hey man did you get any dances at the party last night?" - "No man, I had to play the wall the entire night."

Careful! That chair's a bit rickety. OR The recession put a lot of strain on an already rickety economic system. [= said figuratively]

1. troops in some outposts have surrendered, 2. a few scattered outposts along the west coast

Once you have kids, you can say goodbye to going out every weekend.

To jest wierna kopia pierwszego wydania tej książki.

That's a carbon copy of this book's first edition

We looked on her as a daughter. OR I've lived there so long I look on the town as my home.

Zaklepuję siedzenie obok kierowcy!

I call shotgun!

A sustained rise in oil prices could set back the recovery.

He put the meat on the skewer.

My mum taught me how to make homemade preserves

A prudent woman always has with her pepper spray.

My guess is that Netflix is using these Nike workouts as a trial balloon for future ventures into lifestyle content.

Don't have a scattergun approach - calling everyone you know to see if there is a job going - but work out what you want from different people.

Their marriage is on shaky ground.

All this work is either a boon or a bane—we'll find out which when we see if the workers can keep up with it all.

You can say whatever you like, within reason.

The organisation had been running on fumes for months, so it's not surprising that they closed their doors.

He said he made minor misstatements but denied deliberately lying under oath.

Investment in the country's natural resources is failing to trickle down to the local population.

You're not entitled to claim unemployment benefit.

prawo wszczęcia ścigania karnego

right to initiate criminal prosecution

The third section was a free-form improvisation where musicians explored the network performance space.

Tapestry's the only thing in the whole room.

There has been a step change in our understanding of the problem.

He's just going to make believe that things are fine in spite of the divorce.

You actually like modern jazz, do you? Each to their own. OR I'm not personally a fan of model trains, but each to their own.

our publicity campaign had been really controversial.

1. Jeff is a straight talker who always shoots from the hip., 2. He often shoots from the hip without having all the facts.

Resumption of the talks is indicative of an improving relationship between the countries.

They are naturally good salesmen with the gift of the gab.

I charge twenty dollars an hour plus out-of-pocket expenses.

I don't care where I sleep. Any old couch will do. OR She won't drink just any old tea; it has to be a certain kind.

An additional grant has enabled the team to push forward with research plans.

If something is secular, it isn't connected with religion.

1. Adherence to the rules is the foundation of our society., 2. I admire his adherence to her.

I feel joy with a tincture of sadness.

e.g. a problem seen in large

e.g. incalculable consequences

My puppy is fractious, so I have a hard time schooling it. OR a fractious child

Don’t worry about how we’re getting there – I’ve got it sussed (or sussed out).

expectant = wyczekujący, pełen wyczekiwania, np. The concert starts in 5 minutes and the crowd is expectant.

Ella stood transfixed in shock and disbelief.

e.g. present-day events

I’m having some alterations made to the dress.

2. The whole edifice of EU environmental policy is threatened by this bill.

Większość głosów była wymagana, aby projekt ustawy przeszedł.

A majority of votes was needed for the bill to pass.

It’s a long novel with several interwoven stories. OR He interweaves traditional songs with contemporary music.

William is a poster child for incompetence. | WIKI: "In modern times, a "poster child" is a person of any age whose attributes or behaviour are emblematic of a known cause, movement, circumstance or ideal."

This all-embracing assumption is most improbable but it is justifiable since it never lets us down. OR His hospitality was instantaneous and all-embracing

1. We need to ascertain whether the project is feasible. 2. This much could easily be ascertained from the newspapers. 3. Experts were unable to ascertain the cause of the accident. 4. The police have ascertained that he knew the victim.

She has a heavy caseload (=many cases).

1. We have to draw the jig, then we can move on to more specific design. 2. I made sure that the jigs were tightened

middle-of-the-road opinions, attitudes, styles etc are not extreme

The process could take weeks, but I’m up against a deadline. OR We’ve really been up against it this year, trying to keep production up with demand.

Police officers had botched the entire investigation. OR I’ve botched this up in a couple of places.

Secure the package well with a parcel tape.

Who do you take after - your father or your mother?

a swanky restaurant/hotel/car

The recent dramatic price increases, particularly for rice, maize and other staples, are of course another major reason why many people do not have enough food.

Of course, I had a vested interest in getting it right.

If it comes to the crunch and you and your husband do split up, you can always stay with us.

The court left the claim unadjudicated.

Fresh investment would provide the shot in the arm that this industry so badly needs.

A new coat of paint would liven the kitchen up OR Liven up your meals with fresh herbs and spices.

Some had already left because pay was so far in arrears. OR Salaries for teachers are six months in arrears.

You are more trusted when you have some skin in the game.

I watched him heft the heavy sack onto his shoulder.

This film broke ground for women's liberation. OR The state is breaking new ground with its reforms.

My boss is at odds with Mary.

Oni kupili mieszkanie w nowym budownictwie.

They bought an apartment in the development.

To get to the city, you'll have to travel through the wetlands. or There are wetland territories all around the castle.

Before exchange of contracts either the seller or the buyer can withdraw without having to make any payment.

All of a sudden you're dragging your feet on this thing.

1. dilatory tactics, 2. dilatory in paying bills

Do yourself a favour. Sleep on it and make a decision later.

One of her great strengths is her ability to take it on the chin.

To serve, place a rasher of bacon on each muffin half.

And although she was probably just an ordinary-looking kid, in my eyes she was the most beautiful child on the face of the planet.

The house needs lots of work but getting my debts paid has priority. or Health concerns should have priority over comfort.

Don't you see that she's playing you like a fiddle?

1. My play has yet to get one positive review, and I'm really worried it will amount to nothing. 2. I worked really hard on my pitch, but it all amounted to nothing.

Ephemera are generally things that are printed for a specific occasion or purpose and aren't meant to last after their original use. Examples are: theatre programs, posters for events, ticket stubs, political leaflets, and bumper stickers.

The team went all out for a win.

With this new book, she is going against the flow.

It is anomalously warm for February in Boston. or Oil prices seem anomalously low.

After the outbreak of the pandemic, the economy moved into murky waters. or I don't want to enter the uncharted waters of drug trafficking.

an instruction made by an account holder to make regular payments to specified people or organization

Information technology has come a long way in the last 20 years.

1. Take these chairs away or Supermarkets are taking business away from small local shops. 2. What do you hope people will take away from this? 3. 200 take away 189 doesn't leave very much!

When asked about crime, the mayor’s knee-jerk reaction is to call for longer prison sentences.

The calls have tapered off but still average 20 a month.

Foreign policy will take a back seat to domestic problems for a while.

That diamond necklace must have cost a king's ransom.

Metals such as lead and copper and zinc are found in a trace amount in all sediments.

I also checked the other drains and the outfalls.

How to appraise the value of the business?

He wanted to discuss his position and arranged a meeting to this end.

Going abroad was a momentous decision.

1. An ancient religious custom is under threat. 2. Any contract made under threat of violence is not legal.

The manager stated that his decision was not open to further discussion

Passengers were instructed to make their way down the bus by the driver.