to clear up: to make understandable (also: to straighten out); to become sunny
– The teacher tried to clear up our confusion about the meaning of the difficult paragraph in the reading.
– It’s rather cloudy this morning. Do you think that it will clear up later?
to take out: to remove, to extract; to go on a date with (also to goout with) Examples of TAKE OUT Diane wanted to take out the trash right after dinner, but Jack wanted to relax for a bit before cleaning up. “I want to take out this chapter of the book; it doesn’t contribute…
to lay off: to abstain from, stop using as a habit; to release or discharge from a job (also: related idiom: to let go) Examples of TO LAY OFF Today is my 30th birthday, but I should probably lay off the cake and champagne. He said the company had to lay off employees and has…
Kill two birds with one stone: produce two useful results by just doing one action.Examples: Biking to work kills two birds with one stone. It saves money travelling and will help to lose weight. John learned the words to his part in the play while peeling potatoes. He was killing two birds with one stone.
no matter: regardless of Examples of NO MATTER No matter what, I’m going to get to the front row of the concert. You will be home before nine, no matter what.
to knock one self out: to work very hard (sometimes too hard) to do somethingA reflexive pronoun must divide the idiom. Examples of TO KNOCK ONE SELF OUT She really knocked herself out trying to pass that difficult class. Don’t knock yourself out during practice. Save your strength for the competition later.
now and then: occasionally, sometimes (also: now and again, at times,from time to time, off and on, once in a while) Examples of NOW AND THEN David offends people, now and then, without even meaning to do so, but it’s so rare that everyone still works with him. Every married couple fights now and then.