an old colleague ----> used to work with
angry ----> upset
another ----> next
another delay ----> delay/late again
answer the phone ----> take the call
anxious // bear up well ----> fall into some trouble
any day/minute/time (now) ----> (very) soon // in on time
apartment complex ----> building
apply for ----> try for
appointment // calendar ----> schedule
approved ----> appropriate
Are you kidding? ----> Sb. is making a bad decision. // should
Are you serious? ----> disagree with
arrive ----> delivery
article ----> magazine
artifacts ----> tools
as a rule ----> generally
as it is ----> as a matter of fact
as rudely as ----> so rude
ask ----> suppose // answer
ask sb. to do sth. ----> bring the problem to one's attention
at first // pretty quickly ----> not for long
at least ----> despite
at one time // not any more ----> not have to
at the jazz club ----> go out for some entertainment
at times // on some occasions ----> sometimes // occasionally
avoid road clogged with traffic between the suburbs and cities ----> Highway commuting has become unpleasant.
awful ----> upset // disgust
awful // terrible ----> harmful
awfully drowsy ----> feel sleepy
back ----> return
back up ----> tie up
band try out ----> want to play in the band
bargain ----> purchase
be a little rusty ----> not do sth. very much
be a while ----> wait
be about to // busy ----> no time
be about to lift the pan ----> will soon be allowed
be astonished ----> be surprised
be at ----> attend
be booked up ----> reserve
be bored ----> have nothing better to do
be certainly/definitely news ----> be surprised
be done with // be through with ----> be finished with
be due Friday ----> be paid by the end of the week
be excited // can hardly wait ----> look forward to (doing) sth.
be exhausted ----> stay at home and rest
be fed ----> eat
be increasing controlled by banks ----> be more dependent on loans from banks
be ineligible/unfit/unsuitable for ----> can't enter
be interested in // can't put it down ----> enjoy
be just a little short of ----> need to find a few more
be left behind ----> get lost
be longer than it needs to be ----> not need to be so long
be made of/from ----> composition
be not good with dates ----> have trouble remembering when things happen
be off // restriction ----> eliminate
be off in a minute ----> end sth. quickly
be on a diet ----> go on a diet
be on duty at the library ----> go to work
be on time // set one's watch ----> be punctual
be only human ----> sb. expects too much from oneself.
be out of ----> off
be out of date ----> no longer be correct
be out of earshot ----> be too far away
be out of one's mind ----> be a foolish idea // make a bad decision
be out of shape/steam // crawl ----> be/get/dog tired // tired/worn out // run down
be over ----> change
be over at one // after that ----> in the afternoon
be pretty happy with ----> seem to like
be pretty rusty ----> lose some of one's skill
be really dedicated ----> do one's best
be really onto sth. ----> Sth. seems promising.
be really pretty crowded // stand in the aisles ----> be very well attended
be short of one course ----> need to take another course
be sold out ----> not ... any more
be still on for next week ----> continue the following week
be still working ----> keep one's job
be supposed to be easy // not ... do well in // isn't easy ----> difficult
be tested on it ----> read the page carefully
be the obvious choice ----> would get the job
be through in next no time ----> be nearly finished
be through it in two days ----> be a fast reader
be tied up in // have one's hands full // have a tight schedule ----> too busy
be up to // over one's head ----> not succeed
be up to sb. // count on sb. ----> sb. can decide // sb. may make the decisions
be useful ----> help
be/feel under the weather ----> be/feel (a little) ill/sick
be/get used to (doing) sth. ----> be/get accustomed to sth.
be/run low on sth. ----> buy sth.
be/stay up (doing) ----> make a night of it
beach ----> seashore
before ----> earlier than
before law and order were established // cheating and robbing each other ----> lawless
before long // right away // by and by // on short notice ----> immediately // quickly // shortly // soon
before we start our first lab ----> at the beginning of the semester
begin one's study ----> an introductory class
believe ...? ----> surprise
best ----> delicious // most appropriate
better ----> improvement // so good // happy
better off ----> well off
blow above the shore line hills ----> come from over the hills
boil down to ----> wind up
boring // have an/one eye on clock ----> uninteresting
borrow ----> lend // loan // use
both ----> either
briefing ----> be informed
bring ----> tell
bring sb. (back) sth. ----> get sb. sth.
budget ----> price
bump into sb. ----> see sb.
burn up ----> furious // angry
burst ----> overeat
business meeting // flight // late last night // keep up with that kind of pace ----> have a busy schedule |
