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come in handy
To come in handy means to be useful and often times in an unexpected way. In general, anything can come in handy. It could be your umbrella, especially if you almost didn’t take it with you and it suddenly rained. It could be your college degree if, for example, you found a temporary, lucrative position… Read more »
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come down with something
Two days ago, I felt a little under the weather and thought I was coming down with something. I went home that evening feeling cold. I took my temperature when I got home, and found out that I had a fever, so after having a nice bowl of chicken soup, I went straight to bed…. Read more »
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under the weather
I’m feeling just a little under the weather today. It started with a slight cough and an itchy throat last night. I woke up this morning feeling a little more tired than usual. As always, I refuse to say that I’m sick. …and in fact, I’m sure that I’m not sick (yet), but I know… Read more »
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I’ve got to hand it to you.
We use this expression when we acknowledge or praise someone for a quality they have that we admire. We often say this when someone can do something that not everyone can do. For example, if a friend knows how to talk to kids, and children always listen to him, you can say, “I’ve got to… Read more »
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when it comes to
When it comes to that is another way of saying “when we talk about that” or “when we consider that.” That can represent any topic or situation. For example, you can say when it comes to politics, I never know what to say, or he can tell you anything when it comes to sports, or… Read more »
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That’s a no-no.
That’s a no-no means it’s not allowed or it’s prohibited. Driving drunk, for example, is a huge no-no; cheating on an exam is another major no-no. If you do something that’s a no-no, there are usually consequences–meaning, you could get in trouble. You could get arrested when you drive drunk or you could get kicked… Read more »
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It’s a must.
We say something is a must when it is required that we do it. In other words, we have to follow the rules otherwise we won’t get what we need. For example, we can say that getting a driver’s license is a must if you want to drive, or taking the TOEFL is a must… Read more »
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Tell me about it.
When someone complains about something: “Living in New York is so expensive,” or “It’s so difficult to find a job these days,” or “It’s so hot outside,” and you agree, you can say Tell me about it. Saying tell me about it means that you think and feel the same way. It also says that… Read more »
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knock yourself out
On our last blog, we learned how to say “be my guest” when someone asks to borrow or use something that is ours. Similarly, we can also say knock yourself out although this is more informal and is used mostly with friends. Knock yourself out also means “Sure, go ahead” or “Sure. Help yourself.” like… Read more »
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Be my guest!
You tell someone to be your guest if you approve of their using something that is yours. This expression is similar to “Sure, go ahead,” or “Sure. Help yourself.” Tell someone, “Be my guest,” when they ask to borrow your laptop or use your restroom or change the T.V. channel, etc. … and you are… Read more »