900 engelske idiomer med betydninger, lyd & eksempler
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by/in leaps and bounds
very quickly; at a rapid pace or rate, especially in terms of progress or improvement.
meget hurtigt; i et hurtigt tempo, især når det gælder fremskridt eller forbedring.
Her English has improved by leaps and bounds since she moved to London.
Hendes engelsk er blevet bedre med stormskridt, siden hun flyttede til London.
get a move on
hurry (often used as an order)
skynd dig (ofte som en ordre)
We need to get a move on if we want to catch the last train.
Vi skal skynde os, hvis vi vil nå det sidste tog.
be on the run
try to avoid being caught (especially by the police)
forsøge at undgå at blive fanget (især af politiet)
After escaping from prison, the fugitive was on the run for weeks before finally being captured.
Efter flugten fra fængslet var den undvegne på flugt i flere uger, før han endelig blev fanget.
fast and furious
full of speed and excitement
fuld af fart og spænding
The action in the movie was fast and furious from start to finish.
Actionen i filmen var tempofyldt og intens fra start til slut.
step by step
slowly; gradually, progressing in small stages rather than all at once.
langsomt; gradvist, skrider frem i små trin i stedet for alt på én gang.
We learned how to solve the math problem step by step until everyone understood.
Vi lærte at løse matematikopgaven trin for trin, indtil alle forstod det.
drag your feet/heels
To deal with something slowly or delay taking action because you don’t really want to do it.
at udskyde eller gøre noget langsomt, fordi man ikke rigtig vil gøre det
Whenever it's time to clean his room, he always drags his feet and takes forever to get started.
Hver gang han skal gøre sit værelse rent, trækker han tiden og kommer først i gang efter lang tid.
the word spread
the news went from one person to the next
nyheden gik fra person til person
After the announcement, the word spread quickly throughout the office.
Efter meddelelsen spredte rygtet sig hurtigt på kontoret.
keep track
continue to know what is happening to someone or something
holde sig opdateret om, hvad der sker med nogen eller noget
It's hard to keep track of all my appointments without a calendar.
Det er svært at holde styr på alle mine aftaler uden en kalender.
get off to a flying start
To begin an activity, project, or event very successfully or with a lot of momentum.
At starte en aktivitet, et projekt eller en begivenhed meget succesfuldt eller med stor fart.
The new restaurant got off to a flying start, with every table booked for weeks.
Den nye restaurant fik en flyvende start, med alle borde booket i flere uger.
on the spot
immediately or in the place where something is happening or has just happened
med det samme eller lige dér hvor noget sker
The manager made the decision on the spot without consulting anyone else.
Lederen traf beslutningen på stedet uden at rådføre sig med andre.
all over the place
in or to many places; scattered or disorganized
overalt; spredt eller uorganiseret
After the party, there were empty cups and plates all over the place.
Efter festen stod der tomme kopper og tallerkener overalt.
left, right and centre
happening in a lot of places or to a lot of people
sker overalt eller for mange mennesker
Complaints have been coming in left, right and centre since the new policy was introduced.
Klager strømmer ind fra alle sider, siden den nye politik blev indført.
reach / be at fever pitch
(used of emotions) to get so strong that people can’t control them
følelserne bliver så stærke, at de ikke kan kontrolleres
The excitement in the stadium reached fever pitch just before the final whistle.
Spændingen på stadion nåede kogepunktet lige før slutfløjtet.
be in full swing
to be at the most lively or active stage; when an event or activity is happening with maximum energy and participation.
at være på det mest livlige eller aktive stadie; når en begivenhed eller aktivitet foregår med maksimal energi og deltagelse.
By the time we arrived, the party was in full swing and everyone was dancing.
Da vi ankom, var festen i fuld gang, og alle dansede.
get/go beyond a joke
To become so serious or problematic that it is no longer funny or acceptable.
At noget er blevet så alvorligt eller problematisk, at det ikke længere er sjovt eller acceptabelt.
The constant delays have gone beyond a joke; we need to find a solution now.
De konstante forsinkelser er ikke længere en joke; vi må finde en løsning nu.
roll up your sleeves
to get ready to work hard, usually by preparing to tackle a difficult task or situation.
at gøre sig klar til at arbejde hårdt, ofte ved at tage fat på en svær opgave.
It's time to roll up your sleeves and start cleaning the garage.
Det er tid til at smøge ærmerne op og begynde at gøre garagen ren.
come at the drop of a hat
To do something immediately, without any hesitation or delay.
At gøre noget med det samme, uden tøven eller forsinkelse.
If you ever need help moving, just call me—I’ll come at the drop of a hat.
Hvis du har brug for hjælp til at flytte, så ring bare—jeg kommer med det samme.
have big shoes to fill
to try to do your job as well as the person who did it before you; especially when that person was very successful
at forsøge at udføre sit job lige så godt som sin meget succesfulde forgænger
After the retirement of our legendary coach, the new manager has big shoes to fill.
Efter vores legendariske træners pension, har den nye manager store sko at udfylde.
wear lots of different hats
to do many different roles or tasks
at have mange forskellige roller eller opgaver
At our small startup, I wear lots of different hats—I'm the accountant, marketer, and sometimes even the janitor.
I vores lille startup har jeg mange kasketter på—jeg er både bogholder, marketingansvarlig og nogle gange rengøringsassistent.
have it in the bag
to be in a situation where you are certain to succeed
at være sikker på succes
After seeing the test questions, I knew I had it in the bag.
Efter at have set eksamensspørgsmålene vidste jeg, at jeg havde den i hus.
bored the pants off
was extremely boring
var ekstremt kedeligt
That lecture on tax law bored the pants off everyone in the room.
Foredraget om skattelovgivning kedede alle ihjel i lokalet.
wears the trousers
is the person who makes decisions or is in control in a relationship, especially in a family or couple.
er den person, der træffer beslutningerne eller har kontrollen i et forhold, især i en familie eller et par.
Everyone knows that in their household, it's Sarah who wears the trousers.
Alle ved, at det er Sarah, der bestemmer i deres husstand.
keep your shirt on
Don’t get angry or upset; stay calm and patient.
Bliv ikke vred eller oprevet; vær rolig og tålmodig.
I know the traffic is bad, but keep your shirt on—we’ll get there eventually.
Jeg ved, trafikken er slem, men tag det roligt – vi skal nok komme frem.
take my hat off to her
To express admiration or respect for her achievements or actions.
At udtrykke beundring eller respekt for hendes præstationer eller handlinger.
I really take my hat off to her for managing a full-time job and raising three kids on her own.
Jeg tager virkelig hatten af for hende for at klare et fuldtidsjob og opdrage tre børn alene.
give you the shirt off his back
is willing to do anything to help another person, even at their own expense
villig til at gøre alt for at hjælpe en anden, selv på egen bekostning
If you ever needed help, John would give you the shirt off his back without a second thought.
Hvis du nogensinde havde brug for hjælp, ville John give dig skjorten af sin ryg uden at blinke.
in pocket
having more money than when you started
at have flere penge end man startede med
After selling my old bike, I found myself in pocket by an extra $100.
Efter at have solgt min gamle cykel, var jeg i plus med 100 dollars.
out of pocket
having less money than when you started
at stå tilbage med færre penge end man startede med
After paying for the repairs myself, I was out of pocket by nearly $500.
Efter selv at have betalt for reparationerne, stod jeg med tab på næsten 500 dollars.
pocketed
to take money from someone in a dishonest way
at tage penge fra nogen på en uærlig måde
The cashier pocketed some of the change instead of putting it in the register.
Kasseren stak nogle af byttepengene i lommen i stedet for at lægge dem i kassen.
dig deep into his pockets
to spend a lot of money, or give a lot of money away
at bruge mange penge eller være gavmild med penge
When the charity needed more funds, John had to dig deep into his pockets to help them out.
Da velgørenheden havde brug for flere midler, måtte John have pengepungen op af lommen for at hjælpe.
the salt of the earth
a very good and honest person
et meget godt og ærligt menneske
My grandmother is truly the salt of the earth; she always helps her neighbors and never expects anything in return.
Min bedstemor er virkelig et godt menneske; hun hjælper altid naboerne og forventer aldrig noget til gengæld.
go to the ends of the earth
To do anything possible or make any effort necessary, no matter how difficult, to achieve something or help someone.
At gøre alt, uanset hvor svært det er, for at opnå noget eller hjælpe nogen.
She said she would go to the ends of the earth to find her lost dog.
Hun sagde, at hun ville gøre alt for at finde sin forsvundne hund.
run to ground
discovered after a lot of searching
opdaget efter lang tids søgen
After weeks of investigation, the detective finally ran the suspect to ground in a remote village.
Efter ugers efterforskning fandt detektiven endelig frem til den mistænkte i en afsides landsby.
fall on stony ground
To be ignored, disregarded, or have no effect, especially when referring to advice, requests, or ideas.
At blive ignoreret eller ikke have nogen effekt, især når det gælder råd, anmodninger eller idéer.
Her suggestions for improving the workflow fell on stony ground during the meeting.
Hendes forslag til forbedring af arbejdsgangen faldt for døve ører under mødet.
pluck a number out of the air
To choose or give a number or figure without any real basis, often just guessing or inventing it.
At vælge eller give et tal uden noget reelt grundlag, ofte blot gætte eller finde på det.
When asked how many people would attend, he just plucked a number out of the air and said fifty.
Da han blev spurgt, hvor mange der ville komme, greb han bare et tal ud af luften og sagde halvtreds.
blow hot and cold
Sometimes seem to like someone or something and sometimes don’t, so that others are confused about how they really feel.
Nogle gange virker det som om man kan lide nogen eller noget, andre gange ikke, hvilket forvirrer andre om ens sande følelser.
He blows hot and cold about moving abroad—one day he's excited, the next he doesn't want to go.
Han skifter mening hele tiden om at flytte til udlandet—den ene dag er han begejstret, den næste vil han ikke afsted.
get wind of something
hear information that others hoped to keep secret
høre information, som andre havde håbet at holde hemmelig
If the press gets wind of the scandal, it could ruin his career.
Hvis pressen får nys om skandalen, kan det ødelægge hans karriere.
see how / which way the wind is blowing
To observe how a situation is developing before making a decision or taking action.
At se situationen an, før man træffer en beslutning eller handler.
Before announcing his opinion at the meeting, he decided to see which way the wind was blowing.
Før han kom med sin mening på mødet, besluttede han at se hvilken vej vinden blæser.
playing with fire
doing something that could be dangerous
at gøre noget, der kan være farligt
You're playing with fire if you keep lying to your boss about your work hours.
Du leger med ilden, hvis du fortsætter med at lyve for din chef om dine arbejdstimer.
spreading like wildfire
Going around or becoming known very quickly and widely, often uncontrollably.
Noget, der spreder sig meget hurtigt og vidt, ofte ukontrollerbart.
Rumors about the celebrity breakup are spreading like wildfire on social media.
Rygterne om kendisbruddet spredte sig som en steppebrand på sociale medier.
in the heat of the moment
To do or say something impulsively, without thinking, because you are overwhelmed by strong emotions such as anger or excitement.
At sige eller gøre noget impulsivt, fordi man er overvældet af stærke følelser.
He said some things he didn't mean in the heat of the moment during their argument.
Han sagde nogle ting, han ikke mente, i kampens hede under deres skænderi.
there’s no smoke without fire
If people are saying something is true and you don’t know whether it is true or not, it probably is true.
Hvis mange taler om det, er der som regel en sandhed bag.
Everyone is talking about the manager leaving, and you know what they say: there’s no smoke without fire.
Alle taler om, at chefen stopper, og du ved hvad man siger: ingen røg uden ild.
add fuel to the flames/fire
do something to make a bad situation worse
hælde benzin på bålet, gøre situationen værre
When they started arguing, his sarcastic comment only added fuel to the fire.
Da de begyndte at skændes, gjorde hans sarkastiske kommentar bare ondt værre.
in deep water
in a difficult situation which is hard to deal with
i en svær situation, som er svær at håndtere
After missing the deadline, the whole team was in deep water with the manager.
Efter at have misset deadline var hele holdet ude i problemer med chefen.
out of your depth
in a situation that you do not have the knowledge or skills to deal with
i en situation hvor du ikke har viden eller evner til at håndtere det
When I started my new job, I felt completely out of my depth during the first meeting.
Da jeg startede på det nye job, følte jeg mig helt på dybt vand under det første møde.
jump / throw someone in at the deep end
To do something or make someone do something difficult without being given or giving them any help or preparation.
At gøre noget svært uden hjælp eller forberedelse.
On my first day at the new job, they threw me in at the deep end by asking me to lead a big meeting.
På min første dag på det nye job blev jeg kastet ud på dybt vand, da de bad mig lede et stort møde.
in hot water
in a situation where people are angry with you or you are in trouble, especially because of something you have done.
at være i problemer eller i en situation, hvor folk er sure på dig.
After forgetting my boss's birthday, I found myself in hot water at work.
Efter jeg glemte min chefs fødselsdag, kom jeg i problemer på arbejdet.
be between the devil and the deep blue sea
To be in a situation where you have to choose between two equally difficult or unpleasant options.
At være i en situation, hvor du skal vælge mellem to lige vanskelige eller ubehagelige muligheder.
She was between the devil and the deep blue sea when she had to choose between losing her job or moving to another city.
Hun var mellem pest eller kolera, da hun skulle vælge mellem at miste sit job eller flytte til en anden by.
be a drop in the ocean
be a very small amount in comparison to what is needed
en meget lille mængde i forhold til hvad der er brug for
Donating one dollar to the charity might be a drop in the ocean, but every bit helps.
At donere én dollar til velgørenhed kan være en dråbe i havet, men enhver indsats hjælper.
kill two birds with one stone
to achieve two things with a single action
slå to fluer med ét smæk
By picking up groceries on my way home from work, I killed two birds with one stone.
Ved at købe ind på vej hjem fra arbejde, slår jeg to fluer med ét smæk.
let the cat out of the bag
to reveal a secret, often by accident
at afsløre en hemmelighed, ofte ved et uheld
I accidentally let the cat out of the bag about Sarah's surprise party.
Jeg kom til at komme til at sladre om Sarahs surprise-fest.
drive/send sb round the bend
to make someone very annoyed or frustrated
at gøre nogen meget irriteret eller frustreret
The constant noise from the construction site is starting to drive me round the bend.
Den konstante larm fra byggepladsen er ved at drive mig til vanvid.
feel it in my bones
to sense or feel something instinctively, without needing proof
at fornemme eller føle noget instinktivt uden bevis
I feel it in my bones that something good is about to happen.
Jeg kan mærke det på mig at noget godt er ved at ske.
loud and clear
clearly and very definitely; easy to understand without any ambiguity.
meget tydeligt og uden nogen tvetydighed; let at forstå.
The instructions were given loud and clear, so there was no confusion about what to do.
Instruktionerne blev givet tydeligt og klart, så der var ingen tvivl om, hvad man skulle gøre.
speak your mind
state your opinion very clearly and openly
at give sin mening klart og tydeligt til kende
Don't be afraid to speak your mind during the meeting if you disagree with the proposal.
Vær ikke bange for at sige din mening under mødet, hvis du er uenig i forslaget.
matter-of-fact
without any feeling or emotion; showing no emotion when describing something, especially something surprising or upsetting.
uden nogen følelser; nøgtern og neutral selv om det er noget overraskende eller trist.
She described the accident in a very matter-of-fact way, not showing any emotion.
Hun beskrev ulykken på en meget nøgtern måde uden at vise følelser.
won’t take no for an answer
refuses to accept refusal
vil ikke tage et nej for et svar
No matter how many times I tried to decline, she won’t take no for an answer and insisted I join the team.
Uanset hvor mange gange jeg prøvede at afslå, ville hun ikke tage et nej for et svar og insisterede på at jeg skulle med på holdet.
get a word in edgeways
manage to say something in a conversation
lykkes at sige noget i en samtale
During the heated debate, I could barely get a word in edgeways because everyone was talking over each other.
Under den ophedede debat kunne jeg næsten ikke få et ord indført, fordi alle talte i munden på hinanden.
beside the point
not relevant to the subject you are talking about
ikke relevant for emnet, du taler om
Whether you like the color or not is beside the point; we need to decide if we can afford the car.
Om du kan lide farven eller ej er irrelevant; vi skal beslutte, om vi har råd til bilen.
missed the point
failed to understand the main thing
forstod ikke pointen
I think you missed the point of my argument; I wasn't talking about money at all.
Jeg tror, du misforstod pointen i mit argument; jeg talte slet ikke om penge.
doesn’t know the meaning of the word
It is pointless to talk to someone about a certain quality or behavior because it is not in their character; they are completely unfamiliar with it.
Det er formålsløst at tale til nogen om en egenskab, de slet ikke besidder eller kender til.
You can try telling Mark to take a break, but he doesn’t know the meaning of the word 'rest.'
Du kan prøve at fortælle Mark at tage en pause, men han kender ikke betydningen af ordet 'hvile'.
word for word
using exactly the same words as were originally spoken or written; verbatim.
ved at bruge nøjagtig de samme ord som oprindeligt sagt eller skrevet; ordret.
She repeated the instructions word for word so there would be no confusion.
Hun gentog instruktionerne ord for ord for at undgå forvirring.
small/fine print
the rules, restrictions, and conditions, which are often written in very small letters, especially in contracts or agreements, and may contain important information that is easy to overlook.
de regler og betingelser, som ofte står med meget lille skrift og nemt kan overses.
Before signing the contract, make sure you read the fine print so you know exactly what you're agreeing to.
Inden du underskriver kontrakten, skal du sørge for at læse det med småt, så du ved, hvad du siger ja til.
a tall order
a task, request, or favor that is difficult to accomplish or is unreasonable to expect.
en opgave eller anmodning, der er svær at gennemføre eller urealistisk at forvente.
Finishing this project by tomorrow is a tall order, but I'll do my best.
At gøre projektet færdigt til i morgen er en stor mundfuld, men jeg gør mit bedste.
a matter of opinion
Something that people can have different opinions about; it suggests that the answer or viewpoint is subjective and not universally agreed upon.
Noget, hvor folk har forskellige meninger; et subjektivt spørgsmål
Whether pineapple belongs on pizza is a matter of opinion; some people love it, others hate it.
Om ananas hører hjemme på pizza, er en smagssag; nogle elsker det, andre hader det.
a question mark (hanging) over
Nobody knows if it will continue to exist or not; there is uncertainty about the future or outcome of something.
Ingen ved, om det vil fortsætte med at eksistere; der er usikkerhed om fremtiden eller udfaldet af noget.
There is a question mark hanging over the future of the company after the recent financial losses.
Der hænger et spørgsmålstegn over virksomhedens fremtid efter de seneste økonomiske tab.
lingua franca
a language used for day-to-day public communication, which is not the speakers’ own language
et sprog, der bruges til daglig kommunikation mellem folk, som ikke har det som modersmål
In many international conferences, English serves as the lingua franca so that participants from different countries can communicate easily.
Ved mange internationale konferencer bruges engelsk som fællessprog, så deltagerne let kan kommunikere.
wouldn't go amiss
Would be very useful or welcome; something that is needed or would improve the situation.
Ville være meget nyttigt eller velkomment; noget, der er nødvendigt eller ville forbedre situationen.
A cup of tea wouldn't go amiss after that long walk.
En kop te ville ikke skade efter den lange gåtur.
if push comes to shove
If the situation becomes very difficult or desperate, this is what I can do or what will happen.
Hvis situationen bliver meget svær eller desperat, er dette, hvad jeg kan gøre eller hvad der sker.
I don't want to borrow money, but if push comes to shove, I'll ask my parents for help.
Jeg vil helst ikke låne penge, men hvis det virkelig gælder, vil jeg bede mine forældre om hjælp.
if need be
if it is really necessary; if there is no other option; if required.
hvis det er nødvendigt; hvis der ikke er andre muligheder.
We can stay late to finish the project if need be.
Vi kan blive længe og gøre projektet færdigt hvis det er nødvendigt.
duty bound
Feeling morally or legally obligated to do something; believing that it is your responsibility to act.
At føle sig moralsk eller juridisk forpligtet til at gøre noget; tro, at det er ens ansvar at handle.
As a doctor, I felt duty bound to help the injured man, even though I was off duty.
Som læge følte jeg mig forpligtet af pligt til at hjælpe den tilskadekomne mand, selvom jeg havde fri.
need like I need a hole in the head
I don’t need it at all, and don’t want it
Jeg har slet ikke brug for det og ønsker det heller ikke
Another meeting on a Friday afternoon is something I need like I need a hole in the head.
Et ekstra møde en fredag eftermiddag er noget, jeg har brug for som jeg har brug for et hul i hovedet.
dying to
really looking forward to or wanting something very much
at se meget frem til eller virkelig ønske noget
I'm dying to see the new movie that just came out.
Jeg kan næsten ikke vente med at se den nye film, der lige er udkommet.
wouldn't be seen dead
would never do something (because you dislike it very much or think it is not appropriate)
ville aldrig gøre noget, fordi man virkelig afskyer det eller synes, det ikke er passende
She wouldn't be seen dead wearing those old-fashioned shoes.
Hun ville aldrig blive set død i de gammeldags sko.
do my own thing
do what I want without worrying about what others think
gøre hvad jeg har lyst til uden at bekymre mig om andres meninger
Even though everyone else wanted to go to the party, I decided to do my own thing and stayed home to read.
Selvom alle andre ville til festen, valgte jeg at gå mine egne veje og blev hjemme for at læse.
give anything
Be willing to do anything or make any sacrifice to achieve or obtain something.
Være villig til at gøre hvad som helst eller ofre alt for at opnå noget.
I'd give anything to see my favorite band perform live.
Jeg ville gøre hvad som helst for at se mit yndlingsband optræde live.
in keeping with
appropriate or consistent with
i overensstemmelse med
The decorations at the party were in keeping with the winter theme.
Dekorationerne til festen var i overensstemmelse med vintertemaet.
wouldn't touch it with a barge pole
would never consider or get involved with something
ville aldrig overveje eller involvere sig i noget
When I saw how messy that project was, I said I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole.
Da jeg så, hvor rodet projektet var, sagde jeg, at jeg ikke ville røre det med en ildtang.
you're in luck
said when you get something good that you were not expecting
siges når du får noget godt, du ikke forventede
If you were hoping for tickets to the concert, you're in luck—I have an extra one right here.
Hvis du ønskede billetter til koncerten, har du heldet med dig—jeg har en ekstra lige her.
not worth my while
Doing something is not beneficial or rewarding enough to justify the time or effort required.
Noget giver ikke tilstrækkelig udbytte i forhold til den tid eller indsats, det kræver.
Driving all the way across town for just a few dollars is not worth my while.
At køre hele vejen tværs gennem byen for et par kroner er ikke det værd for mig.
take your pick
choose whichever you want
vælg hvad du vil
There are so many desserts on the table, just take your pick and help yourself.
Der er så mange desserter på bordet, bare vælg hvad du har lyst til og tag for dig.
has seen better days
is old and not working so well
er gammel og fungerer ikke så godt længere
This old sofa has seen better days; the fabric is torn and the springs are sticking out.
Denne gamle sofa har set bedre dage; stoffet er slidt op og fjedrene stikker ud.
out of date
old and not useful or correct any more
gammel og ikke længere brugbar eller korrekt
My phone is so out of date that it can't run the latest apps.
Min telefon er så forældet, at den ikke kan køre de nyeste apps.
making up for lost time
Doing now what you did not have the opportunity to do previously; trying to catch up on missed experiences or opportunities.
At indhente de oplevelser eller muligheder, man tidligere er gået glip af.
After recovering from her illness, she started traveling the world, making up for lost time.
Efter hun blev rask, begyndte hun at rejse verden rundt for at indhente det forsømte.
since/from the year dot
from the very beginning; for as long as anyone can remember; since a very long time ago.
helt fra begyndelsen; så længe nogen kan huske.
They've lived in that old house since the year dot, and it's full of family memories.
De har boet i det gamle hus siden tidernes morgen, og det er fuld af familieminder.
be the shape of things to come
an indication of what is likely to become popular or standard in the future
en indikation af, hvad der sandsynligvis vil blive populært eller standard i fremtiden
Electric cars are predicted to be the shape of things to come in the automotive industry.
Elbiler forventes at være fremtidens trend i bilindustrien.
for the time being
temporarily; for now; until something changes or a permanent solution is found
midlertidigt; for nu; indtil noget ændrer sig eller der findes en permanent løsning
We don't have a permanent manager yet, so I'll be in charge for the time being.
Vi har endnu ikke en fast leder, så jeg er ansvarlig indtil videre.
on the threshold of
something is likely to happen very soon
noget er ved at ske meget snart
Scientists believe we are on the threshold of a major breakthrough in cancer research.
Forskere mener, at vi står på tærsklen til et stort gennembrud i kræftforskning.
in the short/medium/long term
for a short, medium, or long period of time in the future; considering the effects or results over a specified duration.
for en kort, mellem eller lang periode fremadrettet; med tanke på effekter eller resultater over en bestemt tid.
Investing in renewable energy may be expensive now, but in the long term it will save money and help the environment.
Investering i vedvarende energi kan være dyrt nu, men på lang sigt vil det spare penge og hjælpe miljøet.
only a matter of time
It will definitely happen, even though we cannot say exactly when.
Det vil helt sikkert ske – vi ved bare ikke præcis hvornår.
With all the rain we've had lately, it's only a matter of time before the river floods.
Med alt det regn vi har haft, er det kun et spørgsmål om tid før floden går over sine bredder.
early days yet
It’s too soon to say or decide; the outcome is not clear because not enough time has passed.
Det er for tidligt at sige eller beslutte; udfaldet er ikke klart, fordi der ikke er gået nok tid.
The new project just started last week, so it's early days yet to judge its success.
Det nye projekt startede først i sidste uge, så det er stadig for tidligt at vurdere succesen.
in the long run
a long time from now; eventually, after a long period has passed
på lang sigt; efter lang tid
Eating healthy may seem hard now, but in the long run it will benefit your health.
Det kan virke svært at spise sundt nu, men på lang sigt gavner det dit helbred.
like there’s no tomorrow
To do something eagerly, intensely, or very quickly, as if there is no future or no chance to do it again.
At gøre noget meget ivrigt, intenst eller hurtigt, som om det er sidste chance.
She was eating like there’s no tomorrow after her long hike.
Hun spiste som om der ikke var nogen dag i morgen efter sin lange vandretur.
as if there was/were no tomorrow
To do something eagerly, quickly, or with great intensity, as though it is the last chance to do it.
At gøre noget ivrigt, hurtigt eller intenst, som om det er sidste chance.
She danced as if there were no tomorrow, not caring who was watching.
Hun dansede som om der ikke var nogen dag i morgen, uden at bekymre sig om, hvem der så på.
at the end of the day
something you say before stating a very important fact or idea
noget man siger før en meget vigtig pointe eller fakta
At the end of the day, it's your decision to make.
I sidste ende er det dit valg.
a sign of the times
something that shows that society now is worse than it was in the past
noget der viser, at samfundet i dag er værre end før
The fact that so many bookstores are closing is a sign of the times.
At så mange boghandlere lukker, er tidens tegn.
drive someone round the bend
to make someone very annoyed, frustrated, or angry, often because of repeated or irritating behavior.
at gøre nogen meget irriteret, frustreret eller vred, ofte på grund af gentagen eller irriterende opførsel.
The constant noise from the construction site is starting to drive me round the bend.
Den konstante larm fra byggepladsen er ved at drive mig til vanvid.
in the blink of an eye
in an extremely short time
på et øjeblik
The car disappeared in the blink of an eye before I could even react.
Bilen forsvandt på et øjeblik, før jeg overhovedet kunne reagere.
a bone of contention
something which people argue and disagree over
noget folk skændes eller er uenige om
The division of household chores has always been a bone of contention between my parents.
Fordelingen af huslige pligter har altid været et stridspunkt mellem mine forældre.
as dry as a bone
very dry indeed
ekstremt tør
After weeks without rain, the riverbed was as dry as a bone.
Efter uger uden regn var flodlejet knastørt.
rough and ready
crude and lacking sophistication
grov og usofistikeret
The shelter was rough and ready, but it kept us dry during the storm.
Skjulet var enkelt og funktionelt, men det holdt os tørre under stormen.
cool, calm and collected
relaxed, in control, not nervous
afslappet, har kontrol, ikke nervøs
Even during the emergency, the nurse stayed cool, calm and collected and handled the situation perfectly.
Selv under nødsituationen forblev sygeplejersken rolig og fattet og håndterede situationen perfekt.
to cut a long story short
to tell the main points, but not all the fine details
at fortælle hovedpunkterne uden alle detaljer
We missed our flight, had to sleep at the airport, and, to cut a long story short, we arrived two days late.
Vi missede vores fly, måtte sove i lufthavnen og, for at gøre en lang historie kort, ankom vi to dage for sent.
pass the buck
to shift responsibility or blame to someone else instead of accepting it oneself.
at give ansvaret eller skylden videre til en anden i stedet for selv at tage det.
Whenever there's a problem at work, he always tries to pass the buck to his coworkers.
Når der er problemer på arbejdet, prøver han altid at skubbe ansvaret fra sig til sine kollegaer.
buck-passing
the act of blaming someone else or refusing to accept responsibility
at skyde skylden på andre eller nægte at tage ansvar
The manager was criticized for buck-passing when the project failed instead of admitting his own mistakes.
Lederen blev kritiseret for ansvarsfralæggelse, da projektet fejlede, i stedet for at indrømme sine egne fejl.
give me a hard/rough/tough time
To make things difficult, unpleasant, or challenging for someone, often by criticizing, teasing, or causing trouble.
At gøre tingene svære, ubehagelige eller udfordrende for nogen, ofte ved at kritisere, drille eller skabe problemer.
My boss always gives me a hard time when I make a small mistake at work.
Min chef giver mig altid en hård tid, når jeg laver en lille fejl på arbejdet.
makes all the difference (to something)
has a very good effect on a situation or a thing
gør en stor forskel for en situation eller ting
Adding a little bit of lemon juice really makes all the difference to the flavor of this dish.
At tilsætte lidt citronsaft gør en verden til forskel for smagen af denne ret.
works/goes/runs like a dream
To function, operate, or proceed extremely well, smoothly, or successfully.
At fungere eller forløbe utroligt godt og problemfrit.
After the mechanic fixed my car, it runs like a dream now.
Efter mekanikeren reparerede min bil, kører den som en drøm nu.
works like magic
works immediately and very well indeed
virker straks og utroligt godt
This stain remover works like magic; the spot disappeared in seconds.
Denne pletfjerner virker som magi; pletten forsvandt på få sekunder.
goes from strength to strength
gets better and better
bliver bedre og bedre, opnår større og større succes
Since launching their new product line, the company has gone from strength to strength, expanding into new markets every year.
Siden de lancerede deres nye produktlinje, er virksomheden blevet stærkere og stærkere og udvider til nye markeder hvert år.
does the trick
solves a problem very well
løser problemet effektivt
If you have a headache, taking some aspirin usually does the trick.
Hvis du har hovedpine, gør en panodil tricket som regel.
is the be-all-and-end-all (of something)
is the most important thing (often used in the negative: not the be-all-and-end-all)
det allervigtigste (ofte brugt i negativt: ikke alt i alt)
For some people, making money is the be-all-and-end-all of life, but I think there are more important things.
For nogle mennesker er det at tjene penge alt afgørende, men jeg synes der er vigtigere ting.
is / turns out to be a blessing in disguise
has a good effect even though at first it seemed it would be bad
har en god effekt, selvom det først virkede dårligt
Losing my job turned out to be a blessing in disguise because it pushed me to start my own business.
At miste mit job var en gave i forklædning, for det fik mig til at starte min egen virksomhed.
someone/something is a victim of their/its own success
Their or its success has negative effects as well as or instead of positive ones.
Deres succes havde også negative konsekvenser.
The small bakery became a victim of its own success when so many people wanted their pastries that they couldn't keep up with demand.
Det lille bageri blev et offer for sin egen succes, da så mange ville have deres bagværk, at de slet ikke kunne følge med efterspørgslen.
someone doesn’t have the ghost of a chance (of doing something)
They have no chance at all; it is extremely unlikely or impossible for them to succeed.
De har slet ingen chance; det er ekstremt usandsynligt eller umuligt at de får succes.
With no experience and no connections, he doesn't have the ghost of a chance of landing that job.
Uden erfaring og forbindelser har han ikke skyggen af en chance for at få det job.
someone/something gives up the ghost
To stop working, functioning, or trying, often because of exhaustion, failure, or the realization that success is impossible.
At holde op med at virke eller forsøge, ofte på grund af udmattelse, fiasko eller erkendelse af, at det er umuligt at lykkes.
After years of faithful service, my old laptop finally gave up the ghost and wouldn't turn on anymore.
Efter mange års tro tjeneste døde min gamle bærbare computer endeligt og kunne ikke tændes igen.
someone/something leaves their/its mark (on someone/something)
They have or it has an effect (usually negative) that changes someone or something forever.
Noget har haft en (oftest negativ) indflydelse, der ændrer nogen eller noget for altid.
The war left its mark on the city, with many buildings still in ruins.
Krigens spor kan stadig ses i byen, hvor mange bygninger stadig ligger i ruiner.
would go places
would be successful; is likely to achieve great things or advance in life or career
vil få succes; er sandsynligvis på vej mod noget stort i livet eller karrieren
Everyone knew that Sarah would go places because of her determination and talent.
Alle vidste, at Sarah var på vej mod store ting på grund af hendes viljestyrke og talent.
hit the big time
To become very successful, especially on a national or international scale, often resulting in fame and wealth.
At blive meget succesfuld, ofte på nationalt eller internationalt plan, hvilket tit fører til berømmelse og rigdom.
After years of playing in small clubs, the band finally hit the big time when their single topped the charts.
Efter mange år i små klubber fik bandet sit store gennembrud, da deres single toppede hitlisten.
made a go of
been very successful with
havde stor succes med
After several failed attempts, they finally made a go of their small bakery business.
Efter flere fejlslagne forsøg lykkedes det dem endelig med deres lille bagerforretning.
work against the clock
To work very quickly because there is a limited amount of time to complete something.
At arbejde meget hurtigt, fordi der kun er begrænset tid til at gøre noget færdigt.
The team had to work against the clock to finish the project before the deadline.
Holdet måtte arbejde mod uret for at blive færdige med projektet inden deadline.
in no time at all
To do something very quickly; almost instantly.
At gøre noget meget hurtigt; nærmest med det samme.
She finished her homework in no time at all and went out to play.
Hun lavede sine lektier på et øjeblik og gik ud for at lege.
call it a day
To decide to stop working on something, usually because enough has been done or it's time to finish.
At beslutte at holde op med at arbejde på noget, fordi der er gjort nok eller det er tid til at stoppe.
We've been painting the house for hours; let's call it a day and finish the rest tomorrow.
Vi har malet huset i flere timer; lad os kalde det en dag og gøre resten færdig i morgen.
haven't had a minute to call my own
To be extremely busy, with no free time for oneself.
At være så travl, at man ikke har tid til sig selv.
Ever since the new project started, I haven't had a minute to call my own.
Siden det nye projekt startede, har jeg ikke haft et øjeblik for mig selv.
there and then (or then and there)
To do something immediately, without any delay, at that exact moment.
At gøre noget med det samme, uden nogen forsinkelse.
When she offered me the job, I accepted there and then without hesitation.
Da hun tilbød mig jobbet, sagde jeg ja med det samme uden tøven.
at the crack of dawn
start very early in the morning
at begynde meget tidligt om morgenen
We had to leave at the crack of dawn to catch our flight.
Vi skulle afsted ved daggry for at nå vores fly.
once in a lifetime
never likely to happen again
noget der kun sker én gang i livet
Traveling to Antarctica was a once in a lifetime experience for me.
At rejse til Antarktis var en once in a lifetime-oplevelse for mig.
once in a blue moon
very rarely
meget sjældent
We only go out to eat once in a blue moon because we prefer to cook at home.
Vi går kun ud at spise en sjælden gang imellem, fordi vi foretrækker at lave mad hjemme.
once and for all
finally and definitely; to do something completely and decisively so that it does not have to be dealt with again
endegyldigt og definitivt; gøre noget fuldstændigt, så det ikke behøver tages op igen
Let's solve this problem once and for all so we don't have to discuss it again.
Lad os løse dette problem én gang for alle, så vi ikke skal diskutere det igen.
off and on / on and off
sometimes, but not regularly or continuously
nogle gange, men ikke regelmæssigt eller kontinuerligt
I've been studying French off and on for years, but I'm still not fluent.
Jeg har lært fransk af og til i årevis, men jeg er stadig ikke flydende.
from time to time
sometimes, but not regularly
nogle gange, men ikke regelmæssigt
I like to visit my grandparents from time to time, especially during the holidays.
Jeg kan godt lide at besøge mine bedsteforældre af og til, især i ferierne.
nine times out of ten
almost always; in nearly every case or situation
næsten altid; i næsten alle tilfælde
Nine times out of ten, if you water your plants regularly, they will thrive.
Ni ud af ti gange, hvis du vander dine planter regelmæssigt, vil de trives.
goes/works/runs like clockwork
happens exactly as planned and without problems
sker præcis som planlagt og uden problemer
The wedding ceremony went like clockwork, with every detail perfectly timed.
Bryllupsceremonien forløb som smurt, hvor hver detalje var perfekt timet.
from scratch
to start from the very beginning, without using anything that already exists or any previous preparation.
at starte helt fra bunden uden at bruge noget eksisterende.
She decided to bake the cake from scratch instead of using a mix.
Hun besluttede at bage kagen fra bunden i stedet for at bruge en blanding.
put it down to experience
Learn from something bad that has happened instead of being upset by it.
At lære af noget dårligt, der er sket, i stedet for at være ked af det.
When my first business failed, I decided to put it down to experience and try again with a better plan.
Da min første virksomhed fejlede, valgte jeg at tage det som en erfaring og prøve igen med en bedre plan.
know where I stand
To understand your position or situation, especially in relation to someone else or a particular issue.
At kende sin position eller situation, især i forhold til en anden person eller et bestemt emne.
After our conversation, I finally know where I stand with my boss regarding the promotion.
Efter vores samtale ved jeg endelig, hvor jeg står med min chef angående forfremmelsen.
get a kick out of something
to enjoy something very much or find it amusing
at nyde noget meget eller finde det sjovt
I get a real kick out of going for a run first thing in the morning before anyone else is up.
Jeg får rigtig meget ud af at løbe en tur tidligt om morgenen, inden nogen andre er stået op.
learnt my lesson
To realize, usually after a negative experience, that you should not repeat the same mistake.
At indse, som regel efter en dårlig oplevelse, at man ikke skal gentage den samme fejl.
After forgetting my umbrella and getting soaked, I learnt my lesson and always check the weather now.
Efter jeg glemte min paraply og blev gennemblødt, har jeg lært lektien og tjekker altid vejret nu.
teach him/her a lesson
To punish or show someone the consequences of their actions so that they will not repeat the same mistake.
At straffe eller vise nogen konsekvensen af deres handlinger, så de ikke begår samme fejl igen.
After he lied to his parents, they grounded him for a week to teach him a lesson.
Efter han løj for sine forældre, fik han stuearrest i en uge for at give ham en lærestreg.
got the message
someone finally becomes aware of a fact (often used with unpleasant facts)
nogen indser/forstår endelig en kendsgerning (ofte en ubehagelig én)
After being ignored all week, I finally got the message that she didn't want to talk to me.
Efter at være blevet ignoreret hele ugen, forstod jeg hentydningen til, at hun ikke ville tale med mig.
set/put the record straight
Tell the true facts to someone who has believed a different set of facts up to that moment.
At fortælle de sande fakta til nogen, der har troet noget forkert.
After hearing so many rumors, she decided to set the record straight and explain what really happened.
Efter at have hørt så mange rygter besluttede hun at lægge kortene på bordet og forklare, hvad der virkelig skete.
heard it on/through the grapevine
To hear news or information indirectly, often through gossip or rumors, rather than from an official or direct source.
At høre nyheder eller information indirekte, ofte gennem sladder eller rygter, i stedet for fra en officiel eller direkte kilde.
I heard it through the grapevine that our manager is leaving the company next month.
Jeg hørte det på rygtet at vores leder forlader firmaet næste måned.
a figment of your imagination
something you have imagined which is not true
noget du har forestillet dig, som ikke er sandt
The ghost you saw last night was just a figment of your imagination.
Spøgelset du så i går aftes var bare et produkt af din fantasi.
lost sight of
forgotten a central, important fact or truth about something
glemt en central, vigtig sandhed eller faktum om noget
In the rush to finish the project, the team lost sight of the original goals.
I hasten med at færdiggøre projektet mistede teamet fokus på de oprindelige mål.
what beats me
what I cannot understand
hvad jeg ikke kan forstå
What beats me is how he managed to finish the project so quickly.
Jeg forstår ikke hvordan han kunne gøre projektet færdigt så hurtigt.
having second thoughts about
Decided something, but now am no longer sure about it.
Man har besluttet sig, men er ikke længere sikker.
She agreed to move abroad, but now she's having second thoughts about leaving her family behind.
Hun sagde ja til at flytte til udlandet, men nu tvivler hun på at skulle forlade sin familie.
the ins and outs of
the details of something; all the intricacies or specific information about how something works or is done.
alle detaljer eller finesser om, hvordan noget fungerer eller bliver gjort.
Before you start the job, you should learn the ins and outs of the company’s procedures.
Før du starter jobbet, bør du lære alle finesserne i firmaets procedurer.
make it big
To achieve great success or become famous, especially in one's career or chosen field.
At opnå stor succes eller blive berømt, især inden for sit felt.
After years of playing in small clubs, she finally made it big when her song hit the charts.
Efter flere år på små spillesteder slå hun igennem, da hendes sang ramte hitlisterne.
make a big thing of
To treat something as very important or special, often by celebrating it or giving it a lot of attention.
At behandle noget som meget vigtigt eller specielt, ofte ved at fejre det eller give det meget opmærksomhed.
My parents always make a big thing of my birthday, even though I tell them I don't need a party.
Mine forældre gør altid meget ud af min fødselsdag, selvom jeg siger, jeg ikke behøver en fest.
think big
have ambitious plans and ideas, and be keen to achieve a lot
have store ambitioner og ideer og være ivrig efter at opnå meget
If you want to succeed in business, you need to think big and not be afraid to take risks.
Hvis du vil have succes i forretning, skal du tænke stort og ikke være bange for at tage chancer.
big deal
Said when something happens but you are not impressed or excited, even if others are.
Sigtes, når noget sker, men du selv ikke er imponeret eller begejstret, selv hvis andre er.
So you got an A on your test—big deal, I got straight A's all year.
Så du fik et 12-tal på din prøve—og hvad så, jeg har fået topkarakterer hele året.
larger than life
Much more exciting and interesting than average people; having a personality or appearance that is very impressive or exaggerated.
Meget mere spændende og interessant end gennemsnittet; har en imponerende eller overdreven personlighed eller udseende.
The actor was truly larger than life, captivating everyone in the room with his stories and charisma.
Skuespilleren var virkelig et stort livsstykke, og fængslede alle i rummet med sine historier og karisma.
looms large
Said of something which could happen and which is a huge worry for people.
Sagt om noget, der kan ske, og som bekymrer folk meget.
The threat of climate change looms large in the minds of many young people today.
Truslen om klimaforandringer hænger tungt over mange unges tanker i dag.
budge an inch
To change one's position or opinion even a little bit; to yield or compromise, even slightly.
At ændre sin holdning eller mening, om så bare en smule; at give efter eller gå på kompromis, om end kun lidt.
No matter how much we argued, she wouldn't budge an inch on her decision.
Lige meget hvor meget vi diskuterede, ville hun ikke rykke sig en tomme i sin beslutning.
miles away
not concentrating, but thinking about something else
ikke til stede mentalt, tænker på noget andet
Sorry, I didn't hear what you said—I was miles away thinking about my vacation.
Undskyld, jeg hørte ikke hvad du sagde—jeg var helt væk i mine egne tanker og tænkte på min ferie.
see/spot that a mile off
It's very easy to see or recognize; something is extremely obvious.
Det er meget let at se eller genkende; noget er ekstremt åbenlyst.
You could see that he was lying a mile off—his story didn't make any sense.
Man kunne se på lang afstand, at han løj—hans historie gav ingen mening.
sticks/stands out a mile
It's very easy to see or is extremely obvious.
Det er meget nemt at se eller ekstremt åbenlyst.
That bright red car sticks out a mile in the parking lot full of gray vehicles.
Den knaldrøde bil springer i øjnene på parkeringspladsen fuld af grå biler.
a far cry from
very different from
meget anderledes end
Living in the city is a far cry from the quiet life I had in the countryside.
At bo i byen er meget anderledes end det stille liv, jeg havde på landet.
in small doses
You like someone or something, but only for short periods of time; too much of them can be overwhelming or annoying.
Du kan lide nogen eller noget, men kun i kort tid ad gangen—bliver det for meget, kan det blive irriterende.
I can handle my little brother in small doses, but if we spend all day together, he drives me crazy.
Jeg kan klare min lillebror i små doser, men hvis vi er sammen hele dagen, bliver jeg skør.
a small fortune
a huge amount of money
et kæmpe beløb
She spent a small fortune on her wedding dress.
Hun brugte en mindre formue på sin brudekjole.
in all shapes and sizes
a wide variety of types, forms, or sizes; used to emphasize diversity.
en bred variation af typer, former eller størrelser; bruges til at understrege mangfoldighed.
At the pet store, you can find animals in all shapes and sizes, from tiny hamsters to large parrots.
I dyrebutikken kan du finde dyr i alle former og størrelser, fra små hamstere til store papegøjer.
an unknown quantity
A person or thing whose abilities, qualities, or potential are not yet known or have not been revealed.
En person eller ting hvis evner eller potentiale endnu ikke kendes
The new player is an unknown quantity, so the coach isn't sure how he'll perform in the big game.
Den nye spiller er en ubekendt faktor, så træneren er usikker på, hvordan han vil klare sig i den store kamp.
taking the law into their own hands
taking action which should be taken by the police or the courts
tage sagen i egen hånd i stedet for at lade politiet eller myndighederne håndtere det
The neighbors took the law into their own hands when they started patrolling the streets at night.
Naboerne tog loven i egen hånd, da de begyndte at patruljere gaderne om natten.
have become a law unto themselves
are completely out of control and simply ignore the law
er helt ude af kontrol og ignorerer loven
The local gangs have become a law unto themselves, doing whatever they want without fear of the police.
De lokale bander gør som det passer dem, uden frygt for politiet.
lay down the law
To be very firm and clear about rules or expectations, and to enforce them strictly.
At være meget fast og tydelig omkring regler eller forventninger og håndhæve dem strengt.
When the kids started fighting, Mom had to lay down the law and tell them to behave.
Da børnene begyndte at skændes, måtte mor sætte foden ned og bede dem om at opføre sig ordentligt.
bending the rules
making special exceptions; letting some people disobey the rules/laws
at gøre undtagelser; lade nogen slippe uden om reglerne
The coach was accused of bending the rules to let his star player join the team despite missing tryouts.
Træneren blev beskyldt for at se gennem fingre med reglerne for at lade sin stjernespiller komme på holdet trods manglende prøvetræning.
carry the can
accept the blame or responsibility alone, even though other people were also responsible
at tage skylden eller ansvaret alene, selvom andre også var ansvarlige
Even though the whole team made mistakes, it was Sarah who had to carry the can when the project failed.
Selvom hele holdet lavede fejl, var det Sarah, der måtte tage skraldet, da projektet fejlede.
get / let someone off the hook
To be freed or to free someone from responsibility, blame, or a difficult situation.
At blive fritaget eller fritage nogen for ansvar, skyld eller en svær situation.
Even though he broke the vase, his parents decided to let him off the hook and didn't punish him.
Selvom han ødelagde vasen, valgte hans forældre at lade ham slippe billigt og gav ham ingen straf.
leave someone to their own devices
Allow someone to act independently, without supervision or interference.
At lade nogen klare sig selv uden tilsyn eller indblanding.
When you leave children to their own devices, they often come up with the most creative games.
Når du lader børnene passe sig selv, finder de ofte på de mest kreative lege.
are at/on the receiving end (of something, for example, a person’s anger/criticism)
To be the person who suffers from or is the target of someone else's anger, criticism, or other negative actions.
At være den person, der må tage imod en andens vrede, kritik eller negative handlinger.
Whenever the boss is in a bad mood, I always find myself at the receiving end of his criticism.
Når chefen er i dårligt humør, går det altid ud over mig med hans kritik.
are at someone’s beck and call
do everything they tell you to do, whenever they tell you to do it
gør alt, hvad de beder om, når som helst
She is at her boss’s beck and call, always ready to answer emails or run errands, no matter the time.
Hun står til rådighed for sin chef, altid klar til at svare på e-mails eller ordne ærinder, uanset tidspunktet.
get your own way
persuade other people to let you do what you want
overtale andre til at få det, man vil
She always manages to get her own way in every argument, no matter what.
Hun formår altid at få sin vilje i enhver diskussion, uanset hvad.
go to the polls
vote in a general election
at stemme ved et folketingsvalg
Millions of citizens will go to the polls next week to choose their new president.
Millioner af borgere vil gå til stemmeurnerne i næste uge for at vælge deres nye præsident.
spin doctors
public relations officers who meet the press/media and present events in a way that suits them
pressemedarbejdere, der præsenterer begivenheder på en måde, der passer dem bedst
After the politician's scandal, the spin doctors worked overtime to control the narrative.
Efter politikerens skandale arbejdede spindoktorerne i døgndrift for at kontrollere fortællingen.
hidden agenda
An undisclosed plan or motive behind someone's actions, often implying deceit or manipulation.
En skjult plan eller bagtanke bag nogens handlinger, ofte med hensyn til bedrag eller manipulation.
I think the new manager has a hidden agenda; he keeps making changes without explaining why.
Jeg tror, den nye leder har en skjult dagsorden; han laver ændringer uden at forklare hvorfor.
I've come up against a brick wall.
Something is blocking me from doing what I want to do.
Noget forhindrer mig i at gøre, hvad jeg vil.
I've been trying to fix this computer for hours, but I've come up against a brick wall and can't figure out what's wrong.
Jeg har prøvet at fikse computeren i timevis, men jeg er stødt på en mur og kan ikke finde ud af, hvad der er galt.
I put my foot in it.
Said something tactless and embarrassing.
Sagde noget pinligt eller tactløst.
At the dinner party, I put my foot in it when I mentioned their recent breakup, not knowing they were trying to keep it private.
Ved middagen trådte jeg i spinaten, da jeg nævnte deres nylige brud uden at vide, at de ville holde det privat.
I'm in dire straits.
In a very difficult or dangerous situation.
I en meget svær eller farlig situation.
After losing my job and getting sick, I'm in dire straits and don't know how I'll pay my bills.
Efter at have mistet mit job og blevet syg, er jeg i alvorlige vanskeligheder og ved ikke, hvordan jeg skal betale mine regninger.
I've dug myself into a hole.
Have myself caused a problem that will be difficult to escape from (informal).
At have bragt sig selv i en vanskelig situation.
After lying to my boss, I realized I've dug myself into a hole and now I don't know how to fix it.
Efter at have løjet for min chef indså jeg, at jeg har gravet mig selv ned i et hul og nu ved jeg ikke, hvordan jeg kommer ud af det.
I've spread myself too thin.
Am trying to do too many things at the same time, with the result that I can't give any of them the attention they need.
At prøve at lave for mange ting på én gang, så man ikke kan give dem nok opmærksomhed.
Between work, volunteering, and night classes, I've spread myself too thin and now I'm exhausted.
Mellem arbejde, frivilligt arbejde og aftenskole har jeg haft for mange bolde i luften og nu er jeg helt udmattet.
I've been left holding the baby.
Others have left me to deal with a problem alone.
at stå med problemet alene
When everyone else left the project early, I was left holding the baby and had to finish everything myself.
Da alle andre forlod projektet tidligt, stod jeg med aben og måtte gøre alt færdigt selv.
They've got me over a barrel.
They have put me in a situation where I have no choice or control over what I can do.
De har sat mig i en situation, hvor jeg ikke har noget valg eller kontrol over, hvad jeg kan gøre.
Since they already have my deposit, they've got me over a barrel and I can't back out of the deal.
Da de allerede har mit depositum, har de mig i et jerngreb, og jeg kan ikke trække mig fra aftalen.
I'm clutching at straws now.
Am in such a difficult situation that I will try anything.
Er i en så svær situation, at jeg prøver hvad som helst.
I've tried every possible solution, but now I'm clutching at straws by asking random people for advice.
Jeg har prøvet alle mulige løsninger, men nu griber jeg efter halmstrå ved at spørge tilfældige mennesker om råd.
I've drawn a blank.
Am unable to find information or to achieve something I'd hoped for.
Kan ikke finde information eller opnå det, jeg havde håbet på.
I tried to remember her name, but I've drawn a blank.
Jeg forsøgte at huske hendes navn, men jeg havde helt blackout.
face the music
Accept criticism or punishment for what you have done.
Acceptere kritik eller straf for det, man har gjort.
After skipping class all week, Jake knew he would have to face the music when his parents found out.
Efter at have pjækket hele ugen vidste Jake, at han måtte tage konsekvenserne, når hans forældre fandt ud af det.
Fact of life
An unpleasant situation which has to be accepted because it cannot be changed.
En ubehagelig situation man må acceptere, fordi den ikke kan ændres.
It's just a fact of life that sometimes things don't go the way we planned.
Det er bare et livsvilkår, at tingene nogle gange ikke går som planlagt.
Easier said than done
Something you say when something seems like a good idea, but is difficult to actually do.
Lettere sagt end gjort
Quitting sugar completely is easier said than done, especially with all the tempting desserts around.
At droppe sukker helt er lettere sagt end gjort, især med alle de lækre desserter rundt omkring.
fed up (to the back teeth)
very annoyed or bored with something that has been happening for a long time
meget træt eller irriteret over noget, der har stået på længe
I'm fed up to the back teeth with all this rain—we haven't seen the sun in weeks!
Jeg er træt til døde af al den regn – vi har ikke set solen i ugevis!
at my wits' end
So worried, confused, or annoyed that you do not know what to do next.
Så bekymret, forvirret eller irriteret, at du ikke ved, hvad du skal gøre
After trying everything to stop the baby from crying, I was at my wits' end.
Efter at have prøvet alt for at få babyen til at stoppe med at græde, var jeg helt ude af den.
had it up to here
Have reached the limit of your patience or endurance with something.
At have nået grænsen for tålmodighed eller udholdenhed med noget.
I've had it up to here with all this noise from the construction next door.
Jeg kan ikke klare mere af al den larm fra byggeriet ved siden af.
have/throw a fit
react very angrily
reagere meget vredt
When she saw the mess in the kitchen, she threw a fit and started yelling at everyone.
Da hun så rodet i køkkenet, flippede hun fuldstændig ud og begyndte at råbe af alle.
go off the deep end
suddenly become very angry or emotional
bliver pludselig meget vred eller følelsesladet
When he saw the mess in the kitchen, he went off the deep end and started yelling at everyone.
Da han så rodet i køkkenet, flippede han helt ud og begyndte at råbe ad alle.
go spare
to become very angry or lose one's temper
at blive meget vred eller gå amok
If you break that vase, Mum will go spare!
Hvis du smadrer den vase, vil mor gå helt amok!
do his nut
become very angry
blive meget vred
When he saw the mess in the kitchen, he did his nut and started shouting at everyone.
Da han så rodet i køkkenet, flippede han helt ud og begyndte at råbe ad alle.
blow a fuse
suddenly become very angry
blive pludselig meget vred
When I told my dad I crashed the car, he blew a fuse and started yelling.
Da jeg fortalte min far, at jeg havde crashet bilen, flippede han helt ud og begyndte at råbe.
if someone's blood is up
They are very angry and may react in a violent way.
De er meget vrede og kan reagere voldsomt.
When the referee made a bad call, you could see that Jake's blood was up and he started shouting at everyone.
Da dommeren lavede en dårlig kendelse, kunne man se at Jake blev rødglødende og råbte ad alle.
after someone's blood
want to catch someone in order to hurt or punish them
vil fange nogen for at skade eller straffe dem
Ever since I broke his window, he's been after my blood.
Siden jeg smadrede hans vindue, har han haft mig i kikkerten.
out for blood
determined to find someone to attack or blame for something bad that has happened
besluttet på at finde nogen at angribe eller give skylden for noget dårligt, der er sket
After the team lost the championship, the fans were out for blood and demanded the coach be fired.
Efter holdet tabte finalen, var fansene ude efter hævn og krævede at træneren blev fyret.
drive someone up the wall
To make someone very angry, irritated, or sometimes extremely bored.
At gøre nogen meget vred eller irriteret.
The constant noise from the construction site drives me up the wall every morning.
Den konstante larm fra byggepladsen driver mig til vanvid hver morgen.
drive/send someone round the bend/twist
To make someone very angry, annoyed, or sometimes extremely bored.
At gøre nogen meget vred, irriteret eller ekstremt kedsom.
The constant noise from the construction site is starting to drive me round the bend.
Den konstante støj fra byggepladsen begynder at drive mig til vanvid.
rub someone up the wrong way
To annoy or irritate someone, often unintentionally.
At irritere eller genere nogen, ofte uden at mene det.
I didn't mean to rub her up the wrong way, but my joke clearly upset her.
Jeg mente ikke at træde hende over tæerne, men min joke gjorde hende tydeligvis ked af det.
get/put someone's back up
To make someone annoyed or irritated.
At gøre nogen irriteret eller vred.
His constant criticism really puts my back up during meetings.
Hans konstante kritik går mig virkelig på nerverne under møderne.
ruffle someone's feathers
To make someone annoyed or upset, often by disturbing their routine or offending them.
At irritere eller forstyrre nogen, ofte ved at forstyrre deres rutine eller såre dem.
He didn't mean to ruffle her feathers, but his comments about her work were a bit harsh.
Han mente ikke at træde hende over tæerne, men hans kommentarer om hendes arbejde var lidt hårde.
put/send the cat among the pigeons
To do or say something that causes a lot of people to become angry, worried, or agitated.
At gøre eller sige noget, der får mange til at blive vrede eller bekymrede
When the manager announced there would be layoffs, it really put the cat among the pigeons in the office.
Da chefen annoncerede fyringer, kastede det virkelig grus i maskineriet på kontoret.
not be on speaking terms
be so angry with each other that they refuse to speak to each other
være så vrede på hinanden, at de nægter at tale sammen
Ever since their argument last week, Sarah and Tom have not been on speaking terms.
Siden deres skænderi i sidste uge, taler Sarah og Tom ikke sammen.
give someone an earful
Tell someone how angry you are with them, usually in a loud or forceful way (informal).
at fortælle nogen hvor vred man er, ofte på en højlydt eller kraftfuld måde
My mom gave me an earful when she found out I had skipped school.
Min mor gav mig en skideballe, da hun fandt ud af, jeg havde pjækket.
give someone a piece of your mind
To angrily tell someone what you really think, especially to express your disapproval or annoyance.
At sige sin mening vredt, især for at udtrykke utilfredshed eller irritation.
When I saw how messy the kitchen was, I gave my roommate a piece of my mind.
Da jeg så, hvor rodet køkkenet var, gav jeg min roommate en opsang.
You could’ve fooled me!
You do not believe what someone says about something that you saw or experienced yourself.
Man siger det, når man ikke tror på, hvad nogen siger om noget, man selv har oplevet.
He said he wasn't tired, but with those bags under his eyes, you could’ve fooled me!
Han sagde, han ikke var træt, men med de poser under øjnene, det kunne du godt have bildt mig ind!
There’s no accounting for taste(s)!
You can’t understand why someone likes or doesn’t like something.
Du kan ikke forstå, hvorfor nogen kan lide eller ikke kan lide noget.
He puts ketchup on his pizza, but I guess there’s no accounting for tastes!
Han putter ketchup på sin pizza, men smag og behag er forskellig!
If all else fails
If all other plans do not work.
Hvis alt andet fejler.
If all else fails, we can always order pizza for dinner.
Hvis alt andet glipper, kan vi altid bestille pizza til aftensmad.
The lesser of two evils
It is the less unpleasant of two bad options.
Det mindst ubehagelige af to dårlige muligheder.
When choosing between working late and coming in on the weekend, I picked working late because it was the lesser of two evils.
Da jeg skulle vælge mellem at arbejde sent og komme i weekenden, valgte jeg at arbejde sent, fordi det var det mindste af to onder.
One thing just led to another
A series of events happened, each caused by the previous one.
En række begivenheder, hvor den ene fører til den næste.
We started talking over coffee, and before we knew it, one thing just led to another and we ended up spending the whole day together.
Vi begyndte at snakke over en kop kaffe, og det ene tog det andet, før vi vidste af det, havde vi brugt hele dagen sammen.
I’ll never live it down!
You think that you have done something bad or embarrassing that people will never forget.
Du tror, at du har gjort noget pinligt, som folk aldrig vil glemme.
After tripping and spilling coffee all over my boss during the meeting, I thought, 'I’ll never live it down!'
Da jeg snublede og spildte kaffe ud over min chef til mødet, tænkte jeg: 'Det kommer jeg aldrig til at leve ned!'
Strike while the iron is hot
Do something immediately while you have a good chance of success.
Gør noget med det samme, mens du har en god chance for succes.
If you want that promotion, you should strike while the iron is hot and apply as soon as the position opens.
Hvis du vil have forfremmelsen, skal du slå til mens jernet er varmt og søge, så snart stillingen åbner.
One way or another
You are not sure exactly how yet, but it will happen.
Du ved ikke præcis hvordan endnu, men det vil ske.
One way or another, we will finish this project before the deadline.
På den ene eller anden måde får vi gjort projektet færdigt før deadline.
Over the top
More extreme than is necessary or appropriate.
Mere ekstremt end nødvendigt eller passende.
Her reaction to the small mistake was really over the top; she started yelling and throwing things.
Hendes reaktion på den lille fejl var virkelig overdrevet; hun begyndte at råbe og kaste med ting.
In your shoes
In your position; if I were you.
I din situation; hvis jeg var dig.
If I were in your shoes, I would talk to your manager about the problem.
Hvis jeg var i dine sko, ville jeg tale med din leder om problemet.
At the top of my agenda
The most important priority for me.
Den vigtigste prioritet for mig.
Finishing this project is at the top of my agenda right now.
At færdiggøre dette projekt er øverst på min liste lige nu.
It’s just not on!
Not an appropriate way of behaving.
Ikke passende opførsel.
You can’t just take someone’s lunch from the fridge—it’s just not on!
Du kan ikke bare tage nogens frokost fra køleskabet—det er simpelthen ikke i orden!
knows inside out
knows every detail of it
kender hver eneste detalje
She knows the software inside out, so if you have any questions, just ask her.
Hun kender softwaren ud og ind, så hvis du har spørgsmål, så spørg hende bare.
knows his stuff
has a very good knowledge of it
har stor viden om det
When it comes to computer programming, Jake really knows his stuff.
Når det gælder computerprogrammering, så har Jake styr på det.
has a familiar ring to it
It sounds familiar; it seems like something you have heard or experienced before.
Det lyder bekendt; det virker som noget, du har hørt eller oplevet før.
That story has a familiar ring to it—are you sure you haven't told me this before?
Den historie lyder bekendt—er du sikker på, at du ikke har fortalt mig den før?
rings a bell
To sound familiar or remind someone of something, even if they can't remember the details.
At lyde bekendt eller minde én om noget, selvom man ikke kan huske detaljerne.
That name rings a bell, but I can't quite place where I've heard it before.
Det navn lyder bekendt, men jeg kan ikke helt placere, hvor jeg har hørt det før.
haven’t (got) / don’t have a clue
To not know or understand something at all; to have no idea.
At man slet ikke ved eller forstår noget; ikke har nogen idé.
I haven’t got a clue how to solve this math problem.
Jeg aner ikke hvordan jeg skal løse dette matematikproblem.
haven’t (got) / don’t have the faintest idea
I really don’t know at all.
Jeg aner det virkelig ikke.
Sorry, I haven’t got the faintest idea where your keys are.
Undskyld, jeg aner ikke hvor dine nøgler er.
haven’t (got) / don’t have the foggiest (idea)
To have absolutely no knowledge or understanding about something; to not know at all.
At have absolut ingen viden eller forståelse om noget; ikke at vide det overhovedet.
Sorry, I haven't got the foggiest idea where your keys are.
Undskyld, jeg aner ikke hvor dine nøgler er.
can’t for the life of me
I can’t remember at all; used to emphasize that you are completely unable to recall or do something.
Jeg kan slet ikke huske det; bruges for at understrege total manglende hukommelse eller evne.
I can’t for the life of me remember where I put my keys last night.
Jeg kan simpelthen ikke komme i tanker om, hvor jeg lagde mine nøgler i går aftes.
a bit out of touch
Not being aware of the latest information, trends, or developments in a particular area.
ikke at være opdateret med den nyeste information eller udvikling på et område
Ever since I stopped working in tech, I feel a bit out of touch with the latest gadgets.
Siden jeg stoppede i tech-branchen, føler jeg mig lidt ude af trit med de nyeste gadgets.
doesn’t ring any bells with me
I don’t think I’ve ever heard it before; it is unfamiliar.
Jeg tror ikke, jeg har hørt det før; det er ukendt for mig.
That name doesn’t ring any bells with me, are you sure we’ve met before?
Det navn siger mig ikke noget, er du sikker på, vi har mødt hinanden før?
put two and two together
To figure something out or draw a logical conclusion from the information available.
At drage en logisk konklusion ud fra de tilgængelige oplysninger.
When I saw her car outside his house, I put two and two together and realized they were dating.
Da jeg så hendes bil udenfor hans hus, lagde jeg to og to sammen og indså, at de datede.
got (hold of) the wrong end of the stick
came to the wrong conclusion
trak en forkert konklusion
I think you got the wrong end of the stick—I wasn't criticizing you at all.
Jeg tror, du misforstod det—jeg kritiserede dig slet ikke.
be on the breadline
To be very poor; to have very little money and be close to poverty.
At være meget fattig; leve på grænsen til fattigdom.
After losing his job, he found himself on the breadline and struggling to pay rent.
Efter at have mistet sit job fandt han sig selv på fattigdomsgrænsen og havde svært ved at betale husleje.
live in the lap of luxury
To live an extremely comfortable and extravagant life, usually because of having a lot of money.
At leve et meget komfortabelt og luksuriøst liv, ofte på grund af mange penge.
After winning the lottery, they lived in the lap of luxury with a mansion and private jet.
Efter at have vundet i lotto levede de i sus og dus med herskabsvilla og privatfly.
well off / well-to-do / well-heeled
having plenty of money
velhavende, har mange penge
After landing that high-paying job, she became quite well off and bought a new house.
Efter at have fået det velbetalte job blev hun ret velhavende og købte et nyt hus.
spend money like water
spend too much, often without thinking about it
bruger penge som om de voksede på træer, uden omtanke
Ever since he got his bonus, he has been spending money like water on clothes and gadgets.
Siden han fik sin bonus, har han smidt om sig med pengene på tøj og gadgets.
tighten your belt
spend less than you did before, because you have less money
spare mere, fordi man har færre penge
After losing his job, John had to tighten his belt and cut back on unnecessary expenses.
Efter at have mistet sit job måtte John spænde livremmen ind og skære ned på unødvendige udgifter.
make a killing
earn a lot of money very easily
tjene mange penge meget let
He made a killing when he sold his company to a big tech firm.
Han tjente kassen, da han solgte sit firma til et stort techfirma.
be a money spinner
be a successful way of making money
at være en stor indtægtskilde
Their new online course has turned out to be a real money spinner for the company.
Deres nye onlinekursus har vist sig at være en guldgrube for firmaet.
pay through the nose
To pay much more than a fair price; to pay an excessive amount of money for something.
at betale meget mere end det rimelige for noget
We had to pay through the nose for concert tickets because they sold out so quickly.
Vi måtte betale i dyre domme for koncertbilletter, fordi de blev udsolgt så hurtigt.
a rip-off
something that is not worth the money that you paid for it
noget, der ikke er pengene værd
That concert ticket was a rip-off; I can't believe I paid $100 for such a short show.
Den koncertbillet var rent tyveri; jeg kan ikke forstå, jeg betalte 100 dollar for så kort et show.
spend a small fortune
To spend a large amount of money, often more than expected or considered reasonable.
At bruge en stor sum penge, ofte mere end forventet eller rimeligt.
We spent a small fortune on our vacation to Hawaii last year.
Vi brugte en formue på vores ferie til Hawaii sidste år.
cost a small fortune
to cost a lot of money; to be very expensive
koster mange penge; meget dyrt
That designer handbag cost a small fortune, but she just had to have it.
Den designertaske kostede en formue, men hun skulle bare have den.
make a small fortune
to earn or acquire a large amount of money, often more than expected
at tjene eller opnå en stor sum penge, ofte mere end forventet
She made a small fortune selling handmade jewelry online during the holidays.
Hun tjente en mindre formue ved at sælge håndlavede smykker online i ferien.
lose a small fortune
to lose a large amount of money, often unexpectedly or through bad luck or poor decisions.
at tabe en stor sum penge, ofte uventet eller på grund af uheld eller dårlige beslutninger.
He lost a small fortune when the stock market crashed last year.
Han mistede en mindre formue, da aktiemarkedet styrtede sidste år.
pick up the tab/bill
pay for something, often something that is not your responsibility (informal)
betale for noget, ofte noget der ikke er ens eget ansvar (uformelt)
Since it was my friend's birthday, I decided to pick up the tab for dinner.
Da det var min vens fødselsdag, besluttede jeg at tage regningen for middagen.
at a considerable price
by sacrificing a lot or by doing something unpleasant in order to get it
ved store ofre eller på bekostning af noget vigtigt
She achieved her dream of becoming a doctor, but it came at a considerable price—years of hard work and little time for her family.
Hun opnåede sin drøm om at blive læge, men det skete til en høj pris—mange års hårdt arbejde og lidt tid til familien.
work put paid to
Stopped someone from doing something that they were planning to do.
Nogen forhindrede, at man kunne gennemføre sine planer.
I was going to go hiking this weekend, but work put paid to my plans.
Jeg ville på vandretur i weekenden, men arbejde sat en stopper for mine planer.
paying the price for
experiencing the unpleasant consequences of something you have done
oplever de ubehagelige konsekvenser af sine handlinger
After staying up all night to finish the project, I paid the price for it the next day when I couldn't stay awake in class.
Efter at have været oppe hele natten for at færdiggøre projektet, betalte jeg prisen næste dag, da jeg ikke kunne holde mig vågen i timen.
commit something to memory
make yourself remember something
at huske noget med vilje
Before the exam, I tried to commit all the important formulas to memory.
Før eksamen prøvede jeg at lære alle de vigtige formler udenad.
take a stroll/trip down memory lane
To remember or reminisce about happy or significant events from the past.
At mindes eller dvæle ved glade eller betydningsfulde begivenheder fra fortiden.
Every time we look through old photo albums, we take a stroll down memory lane and laugh about our childhood adventures.
Hver gang vi kigger i gamle fotoalbum, tager vi en tur ned ad mindernes allé og griner af vores barndomseventyr.
jog someone’s memory
To help someone remember something they may have forgotten.
At hjælpe nogen med at huske noget, de måske har glemt.
Looking at old photographs can sometimes jog my memory about childhood events.
At se på gamle fotografier kan nogle gange friske min hukommelse op om barndommens begivenheder.
in/within living memory
can be remembered by people still alive
så længe nogen kan huske
There hasn't been a winter this cold in living memory.
Der har ikke været en vinter så kold i mands minde.
come/spring to mind
to immediately think of something or someone when a particular topic is mentioned
at man straks tænker på noget eller nogen, når et bestemt emne nævnes
When you mention classic novels, Pride and Prejudice immediately comes to mind.
Når du nævner klassiske romaner, Stolthed og fordom popper straks op i mine tanker.
slip your mind
to forget about something, often unintentionally or by accident
at glemme noget, ofte ved et uheld eller uden at ville det
Sorry I missed your birthday—it completely slipped my mind.
Undskyld jeg missede din fødselsdag—det var helt gået i glemmebogen.
bear/keep something in mind
To remember or consider something when making a decision or thinking about a situation.
At huske eller tage noget i betragtning, når man træffer en beslutning eller overvejer en situation.
When planning your budget, keep in mind that unexpected expenses can come up.
Når du lægger budget, skal du huske på, at uforudsete udgifter kan opstå.
your mind goes blank
You suddenly cannot remember or think of anything, especially when you are expected to speak or act.
Når du pludselig ikke kan huske eller tænke på noget, især når du skal sige eller gøre noget.
When the teacher called on me to answer the question, my mind went blank and I couldn't say a word.
Da læreren spurgte mig, blev min hjerne helt tom, og jeg kunne ikke sige et ord.
cross your mind
To briefly think about something or have a thought occur to you, often unexpectedly or for a short moment.
At tænke på noget kortvarigt eller uventet.
Did it ever cross your mind that she might be telling the truth?
Har det nogensinde faldet dig ind, at hun måske taler sandt?
out of sight, out of mind
If you do not see someone or something, you are likely to forget about them or stop thinking about them.
Hvis du ikke ser nogen eller noget, glemmer du dem nemt.
After moving to a new city, I rarely thought about my old neighbors—it's true what they say, out of sight, out of mind.
Efter at være flyttet til en ny by tænkte jeg sjældent på mine gamle naboer—det er sandt, ude af øje, ude af sind.
something is on the tip of your tongue
You know something but can’t quite remember it or say it at the moment.
Du ved noget, men kan ikke lige huske eller sige det i øjeblikket.
Her name is on the tip of my tongue, but I just can't remember it right now.
Hendes navn er på tungen, men jeg kan bare ikke huske det lige nu.
ring a bell
To sound familiar or remind you of something you have heard or seen before.
At lyde bekendt eller minde dig om noget, du har hørt eller set før.
Does the name Sarah ring a bell to you? I feel like we've met her somewhere.
Klinger navnet Sarah bekendt for dig? Jeg synes, vi har mødt hende før.
a train of thought
a series of connected ideas or thoughts that follow one another in a logical sequence.
En række forbundne tanker, der logisk følger hinanden.
She was explaining her plan when a loud noise interrupted her train of thought.
Hun var ved at forklare sin plan, da en høj lyd afbrød hendes tankerække.
rack your brains
To think very hard or make a great effort to remember or solve something.
At tænke meget hårdt eller gøre en stor indsats for at huske eller løse noget.
I've been racking my brains all day trying to remember where I put my keys.
Jeg har grublet over det hele dagen for at huske, hvor jeg lagde mine nøgler.
toffee-nosed
Thinks he is of a high social class and looks down on people of lower class (negative)
Tror han/hun er af højere social status og ser ned på folk af lavere status (negativt)
Ever since she moved to the city, she's become so toffee-nosed and refuses to talk to her old friends.
Siden hun flyttede til byen, er hun blevet så snobbet og nægter at tale med sine gamle venner.
putting on / giving yourself airs and graces
acting as if you were someone of a higher social class than you really are
opføre sig som om man tilhører en højere social klasse end man egentlig gør
Ever since she got that promotion, she's been putting on airs and graces and acting like she's better than the rest of us.
Siden hun fik forfremmelsen, har hun gjort sig fin på den og opført sig som om hun er bedre end os andre.
pillar of society
a solid, respectable and respected member of society
en solid og respekteret samfundsborger
Everyone in town considers Mr. Thompson a pillar of society because of his charitable work and honesty.
Alle i byen betragter hr. Thompson som en samfundssøjle på grund af hans velgørenhedsarbejde og ærlighed.
rough diamond
a person who seems impolite or unrefined at first, but who is actually of good character or has hidden qualities.
en person, der virker uhøflig eller grov i starten, men som faktisk har gode egenskaber eller skjulte kvaliteter.
At first, Jake seemed rude and blunt, but after working with him, I realized he was a real rough diamond.
Først virkede Jake uhøflig og direkte, men efter at have arbejdet sammen med ham, indså jeg, at han var en ru diamant.
down-and-outs
people who have no home, no money and no job, who live on the streets
personer uden hjem, penge eller arbejde, der bor på gaden
The shelter provides food and beds for down-and-outs during the winter months.
Herberget tilbyder mad og senge til hjemløse i vintermånederne.
keep up appearances
To continue to maintain an outward show of prosperity or normalcy, even when facing difficulties or financial problems.
At opretholde et udadtil vellykket eller normalt billede, selvom man har problemer eller økonomiske udfordringer.
Even after losing his job, Tom tried to keep up appearances by wearing his suit every day and pretending everything was fine.
Selv efter Tom mistede sit job, forsøgte han at holde facaden ved at tage sit jakkesæt på hver dag og lade som om alt var fint.
high-flyer
A person who rises very quickly to a successful position, especially in their career or studies.
En person, der hurtigt opnår stor succes i sin karriere eller uddannelse.
After only a year at the company, Sarah became known as a high-flyer because of her rapid promotions.
Efter kun et år i firmaet blev Sarah kendt som en højtflyvende, på grund af hendes hurtige forfremmelser.
made a name for himself
became well-known or famous, usually through one's own efforts or achievements.
Blev kendt eller berømt, typisk gennem egne bestræbelser eller præstationer.
After years of hard work in the tech industry, he made a name for himself as an innovative software developer.
Efter mange års hårdt arbejde i tech-branchen gjorde han sig et navn som en innovativ softwareudvikler.
on his way up
rising to better and better positions
stiger til bedre og bedre positioner
After getting promoted twice in one year, it's clear that John is on his way up in the company.
Efter at være blevet forfremmet to gange på et år, er det klart, at John er på vej opad i firmaet.
up-and-coming
becoming more and more popular or famous
bliver mere og mere populær eller berømt
That up-and-coming band is playing at the festival this weekend.
Det kommende band spiller på festivalen i weekenden.
new blood
a new person from outside the company, often brought in to bring fresh ideas or energy.
en ny person udefra, ofte ansat for at bringe nye idéer eller energi.
The team needed new blood to help revitalize their marketing strategy.
Holdet havde brug for nyt blod for at forny deres markedsføringsstrategi.
keep a low profile
not draw attention to oneself; to remain unnoticed or avoid attracting attention.
ikke tiltrække sig opmærksomhed; forblive ubemærket eller undgå rampelyset.
After the scandal, the politician decided to keep a low profile for a while.
Efter skandalen valgte politikeren at holde sig i baggrunden et stykke tid.
anybody who is anybody
all the important people
alle de vigtige personer
Anybody who is anybody in the fashion industry attended the gala last night.
Alle der er noget ved musikken i modebranchen deltog i gallaen i går aftes.
the odd one out
Someone or something that is different from the others in a group.
En person eller ting, der adskiller sig fra resten i en gruppe.
When everyone wore black suits to the meeting, I felt like the odd one out in my bright red dress.
Da alle andre havde sorte jakkesæt på til mødet, følte jeg mig som den der ikke passer ind i min lysrøde kjole.
politically correct name
An acceptable and non-offensive way of referring to particular social groups; often used with a hint of criticism, suggesting that being overly careful with language to avoid offending anyone can be excessive or unnecessary.
En acceptabel og ikke-anstødelig måde at omtale bestemte sociale grupper på; nogle gange sagt med kritik om, at det kan være overdrevent at passe så meget på sproget.
Some people think using a politically correct name for every group is just common courtesy, while others find it unnecessary.
Nogle mener, at det bare er almindelig høflighed at bruge et politisk korrekt navn for hver gruppe, mens andre synes det er unødvendigt.
out of this world
extremely good or impressive
virkelig god eller imponerende
The chocolate cake at that bakery is out of this world; you have to try it!
Chokoladekagen fra bageriet er helt fantastisk; du skal prøve den!
second to none
the best; better than anything else
det bedste; uovertruffen
Her attention to detail is second to none; no one can match her precision.
Hendes sans for detaljer er uden sidestykke; ingen kan matche hendes præcision.
a hard act to follow
So good or impressive that it is difficult for anyone else to match or surpass.
Så god eller imponerende, at det er svært for andre at matche.
The previous manager was a hard act to follow, but I’ll do my best in this new role.
Den tidligere leder var svær at leve op til, men jeg vil gøre mit bedste i denne nye rolle.
made for this room
perfectly suited for this room
som skabt til dette rum
This antique table looks like it was made for this room; it fits the space perfectly.
Dette antikke bord ser ud, som om det er skabt til dette rum; det passer perfekt ind.
he gave as good as he got
He responded to criticism or attack with equal force.
Han svarede igen med samme styrke, som han blev angrebet.
When the debate got heated, he gave as good as he got and didn't back down from any argument.
Da debatten blev ophedet, gav han igen med samme mønt og trak sig ikke.
like gold dust
very rare and valuable
meget sjælden og værdifuld
Tickets to the concert were like gold dust; they sold out within minutes.
Billetter til koncerten var som guldstøv; de blev udsolgt på få minutter.
ground-breaking work
work that is innovative and introduces new ideas or methods
arbejde, der er nyskabende og introducerer nye idéer eller metoder
The scientist received an award for her ground-breaking work in renewable energy.
Forskeren modtog en pris for sit banebrydende arbejde inden for vedvarende energi.
all sweetness and light
friendly and pleasant, but in a false or insincere way
venlig og rar, men på en falsk eller uoprigtig måde
She was all sweetness and light when the boss was around, but complained as soon as he left.
Hun var sød som sukker når chefen var der, men brokkede sig så snart han gik.
getting on my nerves
irritating or annoying me
irriterer eller generer mig
The constant noise from the construction site is really getting on my nerves.
Den konstante larm fra byggepladsen går mig virkelig på nerverne.
give me a hard time
To criticize, tease, or make things difficult for someone, often in a way that causes discomfort or guilt.
At kritisere, drille eller gøre det svært for nogen, ofte på en måde der gør dem utilpasse eller skyldige.
My friends always give me a hard time when I forget to reply to their messages.
Mine venner driller mig altid, når jeg glemmer at svare på deres beskeder.
poke fun at
to tease or mock someone, often in a playful or lighthearted way
drille eller gøre grin med nogen, ofte på en kærlig eller sjov måde
My friends always poke fun at me for my terrible sense of direction.
Mine venner driller mig altid med min forfærdelige stedsans.
to add insult to injury
to make a bad situation even worse
at gøre en dårlig situation endnu værre
Not only did they lose the game, but to add insult to injury, their star player got hurt in the last minute.
De tabte ikke kun kampen, men for at gøre ondt værre blev deres stjernespiller også skadet i det sidste minut.
cast aspersions on
To criticize someone or something unfairly or suggest that they are not honest or trustworthy, often in a subtle or indirect way (formal).
At komme med uretfærdige eller skjulte antydninger om, at nogen ikke er ærlig eller troværdig.
It's unfair to cast aspersions on her abilities just because she made one mistake.
Det er ikke fair at så tvivl om hendes evner bare fordi hun lavede én fejl.
out-and-out
completely or totally, especially used to emphasize negative qualities of people.
fuldstændig eller helt, især for at understrege negative egenskaber.
Everyone knew he was an out-and-out liar who couldn't be trusted.
Alle vidste, at han var en rendyrket løgner, man ikke kunne stole på.
asking for trouble
Doing something that is likely to cause problems or lead to negative consequences.
At gøre noget, der sandsynligvis vil forårsage problemer eller medføre negative konsekvenser.
If you leave your car unlocked in this neighborhood, you're really asking for trouble.
Hvis du lader din bil stå ulåst i dette kvarter, så lægger du op til problemer.
give something your all
use all your energy and effort to do something
giver alt, bruger al sin energi og indsats
She gave the performance her all and received a standing ovation.
Hun gav alt, hvad hun havde, og fik stående bifald.
go all out
use a lot of energy and effort to do something
gør en ekstra stor indsats, bruger al sin energi på noget
For her birthday party, we decided to go all out with decorations and food.
Til hendes fødselsdag besluttede vi at give den fuld gas med dekorationer og mad.
go out of your way to do something
try very hard to do something, usually something nice
gør sig meget umage for at gøre noget, som regel noget venligt
She really went out of her way to make sure I felt welcome at the party.
Hun gjorde sig virkelig umage for at få mig til at føle mig velkommen til festen.
pull your weight
work as hard as other people in a group
yde lige så meget som de andre i gruppen
If you don't pull your weight, the whole team will struggle to finish the project on time.
Hvis du ikke løfter din del af arbejdet, vil hele teamet få svært ved at færdiggøre projektet til tiden.
by hook or by crook
using whatever methods are necessary
for enhver pris
She was determined to get the tickets by hook or by crook, even if it meant waiting in line all night.
Hun var fast besluttet på at få billetterne for enhver pris, selvom det betød at vente i kø hele natten.
pull your finger out
make more of an effort (very informal)
gøre en større indsats (meget uformelt)
If you don't pull your finger out, you'll never finish that project on time.
Hvis du ikke tager dig sammen, bliver du aldrig færdig med projektet til tiden.
at a push
Probably possible, but it will be difficult.
Sandsynligvis muligt, men det bliver svært.
We can fit five people in the car, but at a push we might be able to squeeze in six.
Vi kan få plads til fem i bilen, men i bedste fald kan vi måske presse seks ind.
have a go
try to do something
prøve at gøre noget
I've never played tennis before, but I'd love to have a go.
Jeg har aldrig spillet tennis før, men jeg vil gerne give det et forsøg.
have a bash at
try to do something (more informal way of saying have a go)
prøve at gøre noget
I've never baked bread before, but I think I'll have a bash at it this weekend.
Jeg har aldrig bagt brød før, men jeg tror, jeg vil give det et forsøg i weekenden.
went through the motions
Did something because you are expected to do it, not because you want to do it. In other words, you do it but without putting much effort or enthusiasm into it.
At gøre noget uden lyst eller engagement, kun fordi det forventes.
During the meeting, he just went through the motions and didn't contribute any new ideas.
Under mødet gjorde han det kun af pligt og bidrog ikke med nye idéer.
child's play
extremely easy
meget let
For someone with your experience, fixing this computer will be child's play.
Med din erfaring bliver det at fikse denne computer barnemad.
as easy as pie
extremely easy (informal)
virkelig nemt (uformelt)
The math homework was as easy as pie; I finished it in just ten minutes.
Matematiklektien var en ren leg; jeg blev færdig på ti minutter.
a piece of cake
extremely easy (informal)
meget nemt (uformelt)
The math test was a piece of cake; I finished it in just twenty minutes.
Matematikprøven var ren leg; jeg var færdig på bare tyve minutter.
as easy as taking candy from a baby
Extremely easy; something that can be done with little or no effort.
Ekstremt let; noget, der kan gøres uden anstrengelse.
Finishing that puzzle was as easy as taking candy from a baby for her.
At lave det puslespil var en ren leg for hende.
a doddle
extremely easy (informal)
meget nemt (uformelt)
The math test was a doddle for her; she finished it in ten minutes.
Matematikprøven var en ren leg for hende; hun var færdig på ti minutter.
heavy-going
difficult and needing a lot of effort
vanskelig og kræver meget arbejde
The textbook was so heavy-going that I had to reread each chapter twice to understand it.
Lærebogen var så tung at komme igennem, at jeg måtte læse hvert kapitel to gange for at forstå det.
making do
managing with something that isn’t as good as you would like
klare sig med noget, der ikke er helt godt nok
We didn't have enough chairs for everyone, so we made do with some old boxes.
Vi havde ikke nok stole til alle, så vi klarede os med nogle gamle kasser.
give it a shot/whirl
To try something, especially for the first time, often without being sure of success (informal).
At prøve noget, især for første gang, ofte uden at vide om det vil lykkes.
I've never played tennis before, but I'm willing to give it a shot.
Jeg har aldrig spillet tennis før, men jeg er villig til at give det et forsøg.
get to grips with
make an effort to understand or to deal with a problem or situation
gøre en indsats for at forstå eller håndtere et problem eller en situation
It took me a few weeks to really get to grips with the new software at work.
Det tog mig et par uger at få styr på det nye software på arbejdet.
to be on the safe side
to take extra precautions or do something to avoid possible problems, even if it might not be strictly necessary.
at tage ekstra forholdsregler for at undgå problemer, selvom det måske ikke er strengt nødvendigt
I brought an umbrella with me, just to be on the safe side, even though the forecast said it wouldn't rain.
Jeg tog en paraply med for en sikkerheds skyld, selvom vejrudsigten sagde, det ikke ville regne.
get to the bottom of
try to discover the truth about something
forsøge at finde sandheden om noget
The manager promised to get to the bottom of the missing funds as soon as possible.
Lederen lovede at komme til bunds i de forsvundne midler så hurtigt som muligt.
shed a great deal of light on
make something clearer; help people understand a situation
gøre noget tydeligere; hjælpe folk med at forstå en situation
The new evidence shed a great deal of light on the cause of the accident.
De nye beviser kastede nyt lys over årsagen til ulykken.
brought to light
make unknown facts become known
at gøre ukendte fakta kendte
The investigation brought to light several issues with the company's accounting practices.
Undersøgelsen afdækkede flere problemer med virksomhedens regnskabspraksis.
come to light
unknown facts becoming known
ukendte fakta bliver kendt
After months of investigation, new evidence finally came to light that changed the direction of the case.
Efter måneders efterforskning kom nye beviser frem som ændrede sagens retning.
bring something to light
to reveal or make known facts or information that were previously hidden or unknown
at afsløre eller gøre fakta eller oplysninger kendt, som tidligere var skjulte eller ukendte
The investigation helped bring several important details to light that had been overlooked.
Undersøgelsen hjalp med at bringe flere vigtige detaljer frem i lyset, som var blevet overset.
shed/throw light on something
To help people understand a situation by providing new information or making something clearer.
At hjælpe folk med at forstå en situation ved at give ny information eller gøre noget tydeligere.
The new evidence finally shed light on the cause of the accident.
De nye beviser kastede lys over årsagen til ulykken.
light at the end of the tunnel
something makes you believe that a difficult and unpleasant situation is coming to an end
et tegn på håb efter en svær periode
After months of job searching, I finally got an interview offer—it feels like there's a light at the end of the tunnel.
Efter måneders jobsøgning fik jeg endelig et tilbud om en samtale—det føles som om der er lys for enden af tunnelen.
in the bag
certain to be achieved (informal)
sikkert opnået (uformelt)
With our team leading by three goals and only five minutes left, the victory is practically in the bag.
Med vores hold foran med tre mål og kun fem minutter tilbage, er sejren nærmest hjemme.
the answer to my prayers
something or someone that you have needed or hoped for for a long time, often appearing just when you need it most.
Noget eller nogen, du længe har håbet eller haft brug for, og som ofte dukker op, når du har allermest brug for det.
After months of searching for a job, this offer is the answer to my prayers.
Efter måneders jobsøgning var dette tilbud som sendt fra himlen.
wave a magic wand
to find or wish for an easy and immediate solution to a difficult problem, as if by magic
at finde eller ønske sig en let og øjeblikkelig løsning på et svært problem, som var det magi
If I could just wave a magic wand, all our financial problems would disappear.
Hvis jeg bare kunne svinge en tryllestav, ville alle vores økonomiske problemer forsvinde.
tie up a few loose ends
deal with the last few things that need to be done before something is completed
ordne de sidste småting før noget afsluttes
Before we leave for vacation, I need to tie up a few loose ends at work.
Inden vi tager på ferie, skal jeg lige få styr på de sidste detaljer på arbejdet.
fall into place
To become clear, understandable, or organized; to happen in a satisfactory or desired way.
At blive klart, forståeligt eller organiseret; at ske på en tilfredsstillende måde.
After weeks of confusion, everything finally fell into place and the project made sense.
Efter uger med forvirring faldt alting på plads, og projektet gav mening.
pick up the pieces
to try to return to normal or recover after something bad has happened
at forsøge at vende tilbage til normalen eller komme sig efter noget dårligt er sket
After the company went bankrupt, it took years for the employees to pick up the pieces and rebuild their lives.
Efter virksomheden gik konkurs, tog det år for medarbejderne at samle stumperne op og genopbygge deres liv.
be in someone's good books
To be liked or approved of by someone, often because you have done something to please them.
At være vellidt eller godkendt af nogen, ofte fordi man har gjort noget for at glæde dem.
After helping my boss finish the project ahead of schedule, I was definitely in her good books.
Efter jeg hjalp min chef med at afslutte projektet før tid, var jeg helt sikkert i hendes gode bog.
get on like a house on fire
To become very friendly with someone very quickly and get along extremely well.
At blive meget gode venner med nogen på meget kort tid og komme rigtig godt ud af det sammen.
Even though they'd just met, Sarah and Tom got on like a house on fire at the party.
Selvom de lige havde mødt hinanden, svingede Sarah og Tom fantastisk sammen til festen.
keep/get/be/stay in touch with someone
To maintain communication or contact with someone.
At fastholde kommunikation eller kontakt med nogen.
Even after moving to different cities, we keep in touch with each other through emails and phone calls.
Selv efter vi er flyttet til forskellige byer, holder vi kontakt med hinanden via e-mails og telefonopkald.
make it up to someone
do something good for someone you have done something bad to in the past
at gøre noget godt for en, man tidligere har gjort noget dårligt imod
I'm so sorry I missed your birthday party; let me make it up to you by taking you out to dinner.
Undskyld, jeg gik glip af din fødselsdag; lad mig gøre det godt igen ved at invitere dig ud at spise.
take a shine to someone
To like someone immediately or develop a fondness for them, often without a clear reason (informal).
at kunne lide nogen med det samme, ofte uden en klar grund
It was obvious that the new puppy took a shine to my brother as soon as they met.
Det var tydeligt, at den nye hvalp straks fandt sympati for min bror.
have a soft spot for someone
feel a lot of affection for one particular person, often without knowing why
føler særlig varme følelser for én person, ofte uden at vide hvorfor
Even though my little brother can be annoying, I have a soft spot for him.
Selvom min lillebror kan være irriterende, har jeg et blødt punkt for ham.
be at loggerheads
to disagree strongly with each other, often in a way that cannot be easily resolved
at være dybt uenige med hinanden, ofte uden let løsning
The two managers have been at loggerheads over the new company policy for weeks.
De to ledere har været på kollisionskurs om den nye firmapolitik i flere uger.
be (talking) at cross-purposes (of two people or groups)
not understand each other because they are trying to do or say different things
misforstår hinanden, fordi de prøver at gøre eller sige forskellige ting
During the meeting, it became clear that John and Sarah were talking at cross-purposes, as each thought the other was discussing a different project.
Under mødet blev det klart, at John og Sarah talte forbi hinanden, da hver troede, den anden talte om et andet projekt.
have it in for someone
To be determined to criticize, harm, or treat someone unfairly, often due to a personal grudge.
At have et horn i siden på nogen og bevidst ville kritisere eller skade dem.
Ever since I accidentally broke her mug, I feel like my boss has it in for me.
Siden jeg ved et uheld ødelagde hendes krus, føler jeg, at min chef virkelig har et horn i siden på mig.
have it out with someone
To confront someone directly in order to discuss and resolve a disagreement or problem.
At konfrontere nogen direkte for at diskutere og løse en uenighed eller et problem.
After weeks of tension, I finally decided to have it out with my roommate about the mess in the kitchen.
Efter flere ugers spændinger besluttede jeg endelig at tage en snak med min roomie om rodet i køkkenet.
two-time someone
have a romantic or sexual relationship with two people at the same time
at have et romantisk eller seksuelt forhold til to personer på samme tid
She was devastated when she found out her boyfriend had been two-timing her for months.
Hun blev knust, da hun fandt ud af, at hendes kæreste havde været hende utro i flere måneder.
keep someone/something at bay
prevent someone or something from coming near you or causing harm or trouble
at forhindre nogen eller noget i at komme tæt på dig eller forårsage skade eller problemer
She tried to keep her fears at bay by focusing on her work.
Hun prøvede at holde sine frygt på afstand ved at fokusere på sit arbejde.
keep yourself to yourself
prefer to be on your own and avoid talking with or doing things with other people
foretrækker at være alene og undgår at tale eller lave ting med andre
Ever since he moved to the city, he tends to keep himself to himself and rarely joins us for lunch.
Siden han flyttede til byen, har han tendens til at holde sig for sig selv og deltager sjældent til frokost.
caught napping
got into trouble because they were not paying enough attention
havde problemer fordi de ikke var opmærksomme nok
The security guard was caught napping when the thief slipped past the entrance unnoticed.
Vagten blev taget på sengen, da tyven ubemærket slap forbi indgangen.
going out on a limb
stating an opinion or doing something different from anyone else
at udtrykke en mening eller gøre noget anderledes end andre
She knew she was going out on a limb by suggesting such a radical solution at the meeting.
Hun vidste, at hun tog en chance ved at foreslå så radikal en løsning på mødet.
out on a limb
You are alone and lacking support from anyone else.
Du er alene og mangler støtte fra andre.
She knew she was out on a limb when she disagreed with the entire team.
Hun vidste, at hun var ude på dybt vand, da hun var uenig med hele holdet.
led astray
Influenced so that someone does bad things or moves away from the correct or intended path.
At blive påvirket til at gøre noget forkert eller komme på afveje.
He was led astray by his older friends and started skipping classes.
Han blev ført på afveje af sine ældre venner og begyndte at pjække fra timerne.
leave well alone
try not to change or improve something because this might make things worse
lad være med at ændre eller forbedre noget, da det kan gøre tingene værre
The software is working fine now, so let's leave well alone and not update it unnecessarily.
Softwaren fungerer fint nu, så lad os lade tingene være som de er og ikke opdatere unødvendigt.
panic stations
a time or situation where you feel very anxious and have to act quickly (informal)
en situation, hvor man føler sig meget nervøs og skal handle hurtigt (uformelt)
When the fire alarm went off during the meeting, it was panic stations as everyone rushed to evacuate the building.
Da brandalarmen gik under mødet, blev det totalt kaos, mens alle skyndte sig ud af bygningen.
necessary evil
something you do not like, but you agree that it must exist or happen
noget, du ikke kan lide, men som er nødvendigt
Filing taxes every year is a necessary evil if you want to avoid trouble with the government.
At indgive skat hvert år er et nødvendigt onde, hvis du vil undgå problemer med myndighederne.
safe and sound
To be completely unharmed and in good health, especially after being in danger or a risky situation.
At være helt uskadt og i god behold, især efter en farlig situation.
After the long journey through the storm, we were relieved to arrive safe and sound.
Efter rejsen gennem stormen var vi lettede over at være kommet frem i god behold.
have a narrow escape
just manage to avoid danger or trouble
lige akkurat undgå at havne i fare eller problemer
We had a narrow escape when our car skidded on the icy road but stopped just before hitting the tree.
Vi slap med skrækken, da vores bil skred ud på den isede vej, men stoppede lige før træet.
do something by the skin of your teeth
only just succeed in doing something
lige akkurat klare noget
I passed the exam by the skin of my teeth; I thought I was going to fail.
Jeg bestod eksamen med nød og næppe; jeg troede, jeg ville dumpe.
rather/too close for comfort
So close in distance or similar in amount that you are worried or frightened.
Så tæt på eller så ens, at det virker skræmmende eller bekymrende.
The lightning struck too close for comfort during the storm last night.
Lynet slog ned faretruende tæt på under stormen i nat.
cut things fine
leave yourself only just enough time to do something
lade kun lige nok tid til at gøre noget
You always cut things fine when you leave for the airport just an hour before your flight.
Du kommer altid lige på håret når du tager til lufthavnen kun en time før dit fly.
something sets alarm bells ringing
Something causes you to feel worried or suspicious because it suggests there may be a problem.
Noget gør dig bekymret eller mistænksom, fordi det peger på et problem.
When I noticed the sudden drop in sales, it really set alarm bells ringing for me.
Da jeg så det pludselige fald i salget, ringede alarmklokkerne virkelig for mig.
take your life in(to) your hands
To do something very risky or dangerous, often with the possibility of serious harm.
At gøre noget meget risikabelt eller farligt, ofte med risiko for alvorlig skade.
You take your life in your hands every time you drive on those icy mountain roads.
Du sætter livet på spil, hver gang du kører på de isglatte bjergveje.
your life is in someone's hands
That person can affect whether you live or die; you are completely dependent on their actions or decisions for your safety or survival.
Dit liv afhænger helt af en andens beslutninger eller handlinger.
During the surgery, my life was in the surgeon's hands and I had to trust their expertise.
Under operationen lå mit liv i kirurgens hænder, og jeg måtte stole på deres ekspertise.
hanging by a thread
in a very precarious or risky situation; likely to fail or collapse soon
i en meget usikker eller risikabel situation; sandsynligvis tæt på at fejle eller kollapse
After the latest round of layoffs, my job feels like it’s hanging by a thread.
Efter den seneste fyringsrunde føler jeg, at mit job hænger i en tynd tråd.
on a knife-edge
in a very difficult situation and there are worries about the future
i en meget vanskelig situation med bekymring for fremtiden
The outcome of the election was on a knife-edge until the very last votes were counted.
Valgets udfald var på vippen til allersidste stemme var talt op.
red tape
official rules and bureaucracy that make it difficult to do something
officielle regler og bureaukrati, der gør det svært at få noget gjort
It took months to get the permit approved because of all the red tape.
Det tog måneder at få godkendt tilladelsen på grund af al bureaukratiet.
be in the red
To have a negative amount in your bank balance; to owe more money than you have.
At skylde flere penge, end man har på kontoen.
After paying all my bills this month, I am in the red and need to watch my spending.
Efter at have betalt alle mine regninger denne måned, er jeg i minus og skal passe på mit forbrug.
catch someone red-handed
To catch someone in the act of doing something wrong or illegal.
At fange nogen i færd med at gøre noget forkert eller ulovligt.
The security guard caught the thief red-handed as he was trying to steal a wallet.
Vagten tog tyven på fersk gerning, da han forsøgte at stjæle en pung.
a red herring
something unimportant that takes attention away from the main subject
noget uvæsentligt, der tager opmærksomheden væk fra hovedemnet
The detective realized the mysterious phone call was a red herring meant to distract him from the real suspect.
Detektiven indså, at det mystiske telefonopkald var et vildspor for at distrahere ham fra den rigtige mistænkte.
till I was blue in the face
Say the same thing repeatedly, but someone refuses to listen or nothing changes.
Gentage det samme uden at nogen lytter eller noget ændrer sig.
I explained the math problem to him till I was blue in the face, but he still didn't understand.
Jeg forklarede ham matematikopgaven til jeg var helt blå i hovedet, men han forstod det stadig ikke.
blue blood
belonging to the highest social class or being of aristocratic descent
tilhører den højeste sociale klasse eller er af adelig herkomst
Everyone at the party knew she had blue blood because of her family's long history of nobility.
Alle til festen vidste, at hun havde blåt blod på grund af familiens lange adelige historie.
blue-collar workers
workers who do physical work, especially in factories
arbejdere, der udfører fysisk arbejde, især på fabrikker
Blue-collar workers often have to wear uniforms or protective gear on the job.
Faglærte arbejdere skal ofte bære uniform eller beskyttelsesudstyr på jobbet.
green with envy
very envious
meget misundelig
When I saw her brand new sports car, I was green with envy.
Da jeg så hendes nye sportsvogn, var jeg grøn af misundelse.
got green fingers
is a very good gardener
er virkelig god til havearbejde
My grandmother really has got green fingers; her garden is always full of beautiful flowers.
Min bedstemor har grønne fingre; hendes have er altid fuld af smukke blomster.
given the green light
given permission for something to start
har fået tilladelse til at gå i gang
After months of planning, the team was finally given the green light to launch the new product.
Efter flere måneders planlægning fik teamet endelig grønt lys til at lancere det nye produkt.
in the green belt
countryside around a town or city which is protected from building development
landområde omkring en by, der er beskyttet mod nybyggeri
They bought a house in the green belt to enjoy peace and quiet away from the city.
De købte et hus i grønningen for at nyde roen væk fra byen.
white-collar workers
workers who work in offices, not doing physical work
ansatte der arbejder på kontor, ikke fysisk arbejde
Many white-collar workers spend most of their day in front of a computer.
Mange kontorarbejdere tilbringer det meste af dagen foran en computer.
in black and white
Written down or printed, not just spoken; something that is officially documented.
Nedskrevet eller trykt, ikke bare sagt; noget der er officielt dokumenteret.
I need to see the contract in black and white before I agree to anything.
Jeg skal se kontrakten sort på hvidt, før jeg indgår nogen aftale.
grey area
something that is a problem, and is not very clear because there are no rules
noget problematisk og uklart, fordi der ikke er klare regler
The legality of downloading music from certain websites is a grey area because the laws aren't always clear.
Lovligheden af at downloade musik fra visse hjemmesider er et gråzone-område, fordi reglerne ikke altid er klare.
black hole
something which has no bottom, and everything put into it just disappears
noget uden bund, hvor alt forsvinder
My inbox is a black hole; emails go in and are never seen again.
Min indbakke er et sort hul; e-mails kommer ind og ses aldrig igen.
I'm thrilled to bits
extremely happy
ekstremt glad
She was thrilled to bits when she found out she had passed her exams with flying colors.
Hun var ovenud lykkelig, da hun fandt ud af, at hun havde bestået sine eksamener med bravur.
get a (real) kick out of something
To greatly enjoy or find amusement in something; to take pleasure in an activity or situation (informal).
at nyde eller more sig meget over noget
I get a real kick out of going for a run first thing in the morning before anyone else is up.
Jeg får virkelig meget ud af at løbe en tur tidligt om morgenen, før andre er oppe.
do something for kicks
do something because it is exciting, usually something dangerous (informal)
gør noget for spændingens skyld, ofte noget farligt (uformelt)
Some people do it for kicks, but I think skydiving is too risky.
Nogle gør det for spændingens skyld, men jeg synes faldskærmsudspring er for risikabelt.
jump for joy
be very happy and excited about something that has happened
være meget glad og begejstret over noget der er sket
When she heard she got the job, she couldn't help but jump for joy.
Da hun hørte, hun havde fået jobbet, kunne hun ikke lade være med at springe af glæde.
be floating/walking on air
To be extremely happy or elated, usually because something very good has happened.
At være meget lykkelig eller henrykt, typisk fordi noget virkelig godt er sket.
After hearing that she got the job, she was walking on air for the rest of the week.
Efter at have fået jobbet svævede hun på en lyserød sky resten af ugen.
something makes your day
something that happens which makes you feel very happy or improves your mood significantly.
Noget der gør dig meget glad eller forbedrer dit humør markant.
Getting a surprise call from my best friend really made my day.
Et uventet opkald fra min bedste ven gjorde min dag.
out of sorts
slightly unhappy or slightly ill
lidt utilpas eller i dårligt humør
She was feeling a bit out of sorts after staying up too late last night.
Hun følte sig lidt ikke helt på toppen, efter hun var sent oppe i aftes.
down in the dumps
unhappy (informal)
ked af det, trist (uformelt)
After failing his exam, he was down in the dumps for days.
Efter han dumpede sin eksamen, var han nede i kulkælderen i flere dage.
it's not the end of the world
What has happened won’t cause any serious problems; things are not as bad as they seem.
Det, der er sket, skaber ikke alvorlige problemer; tingene er ikke så slemme som de ser ud.
Don't worry if you failed the test—it's not the end of the world, you can always try again.
Bare rolig, hvis du dumpede prøven—det er ikke verdens undergang, du kan altid prøve igen.
grin and bear it
accept a situation you don’t like because you can’t change it
acceptere en situation man ikke kan lide, fordi man ikke kan ændre den
Even though the commute is long and tiring, I just grin and bear it because I need the job.
Selvom pendlingen er lang og trættende, må jeg bare bide tænderne sammen fordi jeg har brug for jobbet.
a misery guts
someone who complains all the time and is never happy (very informal)
en person der altid klager og aldrig er tilfreds
Stop being a misery guts and try to enjoy the party for once.
Stop med at være en brokånd og prøv at nyde festen bare én gang.
sour grapes
being jealous about something you can’t have
at være misundelig på noget, man ikke kan få
When she said she didn't want the promotion anyway, it sounded like sour grapes to me.
Da hun sagde, at hun alligevel ikke ville have forfremmelsen, lød det som sure druer for mig.
puts a damper on
To make an event or situation less enjoyable, exciting, or successful.
At gøre en begivenhed eller situation mindre sjov eller spændende
The sudden rainstorm really put a damper on our picnic plans.
Den pludselige regn tog noget af glæden fra vores picnic.
on the one hand
used to present one of two opposite facts or different ways of looking at the same issue
bruges til at præsentere to modsatrettede fakta eller synsvinkler på samme sag
On the one hand, I want to save money, but on the other hand, I really need a new laptop.
På den ene side vil jeg gerne spare penge, men på den anden side har jeg virkelig brug for en ny bærbar.
on the other hand
used to present the opposite fact or a different way of looking at the same issue
bruges til at præsentere en modsat kendsgerning eller et andet perspektiv på samme problem
I love living in the city because everything is close by. On the other hand, it can be really noisy at night.
Jeg elsker at bo i byen, fordi alt er tæt på. På den anden side kan det være meget støjende om natten.
be that as it may
An expression which means you accept that something is true, but it still does not change your opinion.
Et udtryk der betyder, at du accepterer noget som sandt, men det ændrer ikke din holdning.
I know you worked hard on the project, be that as it may, we still need to make some changes.
Jeg ved, du har arbejdet hårdt på projektet, men ikke desto mindre skal vi stadig lave nogle ændringer.
to put it in a nutshell
indicates that you’re describing something as briefly as you can
kort sagt
To put it in a nutshell, we just don’t have enough money to continue the project.
Kort sagt, har vi ikke penge nok til at fortsætte projektet.
pros and cons
advantages and disadvantages
fordele og ulemper
Before making a decision, it's important to weigh the pros and cons of each option.
Inden du træffer en beslutning, er det vigtigt at veje fordele og ulemper ved hver mulighed.
vicious circle
a problem that cannot be solved because it causes another problem that causes the first problem again
et problem der ikke kan løses, fordi det skaber et andet problem, som igen fører til det første
It's a vicious circle: she can't get a job without experience, but she can't get experience without a job.
Det er en ond cirkel: hun kan ikke få et job uden erfaring, men hun kan ikke få erfaring uden et job.
can of worms
a problem which you do not want to deal with because it will cause trouble (informal)
et problem du ikke vil håndtere, fordi det vil skabe problemer
Bringing up the budget cuts at the meeting opened a real can of worms that no one wanted to deal with.
At bringe nedskæringerne på budgettet op på mødet åbnede en ormekrukke, som ingen ville håndtere.
acid test
a key test which will prove the value, quality or truth of something
en afgørende test, der viser værdien, kvaliteten eller sandheden af noget
The new software will face its acid test when thousands of users log in at the same time.
Den nye software vil få sin prøve på alvor når tusindvis logger ind samtidig.
the other side of the coin
A different perspective or aspect of a situation, often one that contrasts with or opposes the original view.
Et andet synspunkt eller aspekt af en situation, ofte i kontrast til det oprindelige.
Many people love working from home, but the other side of the coin is that it can be quite isolating.
Mange elsker at arbejde hjemmefra, men den anden side af mønten er, at det kan være ret isolerende.
tie yourself (up) in knots
To become very confused or anxious, especially when trying to explain or deal with something complicated.
At blive meget forvirret eller nervøs, især når man prøver at forklare eller håndtere noget kompliceret.
She tied herself up in knots trying to explain the new policy to the team.
Hun fik helt knuder på sig selv, da hun prøvede at forklare den nye politik til teamet.
be brought/called to account
Be forced to explain your actions and (probably) punished.
Blive tvunget til at forklare sine handlinger og sandsynligvis blive straffet.
After the financial scandal, the CEO was brought to account for his role in the company's losses.
Efter den finansielle skandale blev direktøren holdt ansvarlig for sin rolle i virksomhedens tab.
give someone the benefit of the doubt
To choose to believe or trust someone, even though you are not sure if what they are saying or doing is true or honest.
At vælge at stole på nogen, selvom man ikke er sikker på, om de taler sandt eller er ærlige.
Even though Tom was late again, his boss decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and assumed he had a good reason.
Selvom Tom kom for sent igen, valgte hans chef at give ham tvivlens fordel og antog, at han havde en god grund.
go round in circles
To make no progress in an argument or discussion; to keep talking about the same things without reaching a conclusion.
At gøre ingen fremskridt i en diskussion; fortsætte med at tale om det samme uden at nå en konklusion.
We went round in circles for hours during the meeting but never agreed on a solution.
Vi kørte i ring i timevis under mødet, men fandt aldrig en løsning.
won’t budge/give an inch
Won’t modify an opinion or agree to even small changes that another person wants.
Vil ikke ændre mening eller gå på kompromis, selv ikke en smule.
No matter how much I argued, my boss wouldn’t budge on the deadline and wouldn’t give an inch.
Uanset hvor meget jeg argumenterede, rykkede min chef sig ikke på deadline og gav ikke efter overhovedet.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder
Being apart from someone you love makes you love them more.
Når man er væk fra nogen, man elsker, kommer man til at elske dem endnu mere.
After spending a month away from her family, Jane realized that absence really makes the heart grow fonder.
Efter en måned væk fra sin familie indså Jane, at fravær gør hjertet mere varmt.
Actions speak louder than words
What people do is more important than what they say.
Handlinger betyder mere end ord
He always promises to help, but never shows up. I guess actions speak louder than words.
Han lover altid at hjælpe, men dukker aldrig op. Jeg gætter på, at handlinger siger mere end ord.
There’s no point / It’s no good crying over spilt milk
There’s no point in getting upset over something bad that’s happened when you can’t change it.
Der er ingen grund til at være ked af noget, der ikke kan ændres.
I know you lost your phone, but there’s no point crying over spilt milk—let’s focus on getting you a new one.
Jeg ved, du har mistet din telefon, men der er ingen grund til at græde over spildt mælk—lad os fokusere på at finde en ny til dig.
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
It is not a good idea to put all your efforts or all your money into one project as, if it fails, you may lose everything.
Det er ikke en god idé at satse alt på ét projekt, for hvis det fejler, kan du miste alt.
When investing, it's wise to not put all your eggs in one basket by diversifying your portfolio.
Når du investerer, er det klogt at ikke lægge alle æg i én kurv ved at sprede sin portefølje.
Many hands make light work
A job is done quickly and easily if plenty of people help.
En opgave bliver hurtigt og nemt løst, hvis mange hjælper til.
We finished cleaning the park in no time because many hands make light work.
Vi blev hurtigt færdige med at rydde parken, fordi mange hænder gør arbejdet let.
Blood is thicker than water
Family relationships are stronger than any other relationships.
Familiebånd er stærkere end andre relationer.
Even though they argued, when her brother needed help, she remembered that blood is thicker than water and supported him.
Selvom de skændtes, huskede hun, da hendes bror havde brug for hjælp, at blod er tykkere end vand og støttede ham.
Too many cooks spoil the broth
If too many people work on something, they will spoil it.
Hvis for mange arbejder på noget, ødelægger de det.
We had five people trying to design the logo, but in the end, too many cooks spoil the broth and it looked terrible.
Vi var fem om at lave logoet, men til sidst for mange kokke fordærver maden og det så forfærdeligt ud.
People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones
People shouldn’t criticise other people for faults that they have themselves.
Man bør ikke kritisere andre for fejl, man selv har.
Before you point out her mistakes, remember that people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.
Før du peger på hendes fejl, så husk at man skal feje for egen dør.
It’s the last straw that breaks the camel’s back
Something is the last in a series of unpleasant events, and which finally makes you feel that the situation cannot continue.
Den sidste hændelse i en række af ubehagelige ting, som gør at man ikke kan fortsætte.
When my boss criticized my work again after a long week of overtime, it was the last straw that broke the camel’s back and I decided to quit.
Da min chef kritiserede mit arbejde igen efter en lang uge med overarbejde, var det dråben, der fik bægeret til at flyde over, og jeg valgte at sige op.
While the cat’s away, the mice will play
When the person in authority is not there, other people will not do what they should do.
Når autoriteten ikke er til stede, gør folk ikke som de skal.
As soon as the boss left for vacation, the employees while the cat’s away, the mice will play and started taking longer lunch breaks.
Så snart chefen tog på ferie, begyndte medarbejderne at når katten er ude, danser musene på bordet og holdt længere frokostpauser.
Take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves
If you don’t waste small sums of money, you’ll end up with plenty of money.
Hvis du passer på de små beløb, bliver de til mange penge med tiden.
My grandmother always told me, 'Take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves,' so I try to save even the smallest amounts.
Min bedstemor sagde altid: 'Pas på skillingerne, så skal dalerne nok passe sig selv', så jeg prøver at spare selv de mindste beløb.
Birds of a feather flock together
People who have similar characters or interests will often choose to spend time together.
Folk med samme karakter eller interesser vælger ofte at være sammen.
You always see those two hanging out; I guess it's true what they say, birds of a feather flock together.
De to hænger altid ud sammen; det er vel rigtigt, hvad man siger: lige børn leger bedst.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
It’s better to keep what you have rather than to risk losing it by trying to get more.
Det er bedre at holde fast i det, du har, end at risikere det for at opnå mere.
I was offered a new job, but I decided to stay at my current one because a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
Jeg fik tilbudt et nyt job, men valgte at blive på mit nuværende, for en fugl i hånden er bedre end ti på taget.
The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence
Other people always seem to be in a better situation than you.
Man tror altid, at andre har det bedre end én selv.
She thinks life would be perfect if she moved to the city, but I told her that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.
Hun tror, livet ville være perfekt i byen, men jeg sagde til hende, at græsset er altid grønnere på den anden side.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
Someone who spends all their time working becomes a boring person.
En, der kun arbejder og ikke slapper af, bliver kedelig.
You should take a break and relax; remember, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
Du bør tage en pause; husk, at alt arbejde og ingen sjov gør livet trist.
No such luck!
You’re disappointed you were not able to do something.
Du er skuffet over, at du ikke kunne gøre noget.
I hoped the meeting would be canceled, but no such luck!
Jeg håbede, at mødet blev aflyst, men ikke held denne gang!
The more, the merrier.
You’re happy for others to join your group or activity.
Jo flere vi er, jo sjovere er det
If you want to bring your friends to the party, go ahead—the more, the merrier!
Hvis du vil tage dine venner med til festen, så gør det endelig—jo flere, jo bedre!
You can say that again!
Used to express strong agreement with what someone has just said.
Bruges for at udtrykke kraftig enighed med nogen.
A: 'This weather is absolutely perfect for a picnic.' B: 'You can say that again!'
A: 'Det her vejr er perfekt til picnic.' B: 'Det kan du sige igen!'
There’s nothing to it!
Used to say that something is very easy to do or understand.
Bruges om at sige, at noget er meget nemt at gøre eller forstå.
Don’t worry about assembling the furniture—there’s nothing to it once you read the instructions.
Bare rolig med at samle møblerne—det er nemt som ingenting, når du har læst instruktionerne.
Don’t make me laugh!
Used to express disbelief or skepticism, especially when someone suggests something that you think is unlikely, ridiculous, or impossible.
Bruges til at udtrykke skepsis eller vantro, især når nogen foreslår noget usandsynligt eller latterligt.
You think you can finish all that work by tomorrow? Don’t make me laugh!
Tror du, du kan nå alt det arbejde til i morgen? Lad være, du får mig til at grine!
How time flies!
You are surprised at how quickly time has passed.
Du bliver overrasket over, hvor hurtigt tiden er gået.
I can't believe it's already June—how time flies!
Jeg kan næsten ikke fatte, at det allerede er juni—hvor tiden dog flyver!
It’s a small world.
You are surprised at a coincidence, e.g. meeting someone unexpectedly or discovering mutual friends.
Du bliver overrasket over et tilfælde, f.eks. at møde nogen uventet eller opdage fælles bekendte.
I ran into my old college roommate while traveling in Japan—it’s a small world!
Jeg stødte ind i min gamle værelseskammerat fra universitetet i Japan – verden er lille!
It’s neither here nor there.
It is not very important.
Det er ikke særlig vigtigt.
Whether we meet at 2 or 3 o’clock is neither here nor there—just let me know what works for you.
Om vi mødes klokken 2 eller 3, betyder ikke så meget—bare sig til, hvad der passer dig.
It’s six of one and half a dozen of the other.
There is no real difference between two choices or situations; both options are essentially the same.
Der er ingen reel forskel mellem to valg; begge muligheder er stort set ens.
Whether we take the highway or the back roads, it'll take about the same time—it’s six of one and half a dozen of the other.
Uanset om vi tager motorvejen eller de små veje, tager det lige lang tid—det går ud på ét.
I can take it or leave it.
You do not hate something, but you don’t particularly like it either.
Du hader ikke noget, men du er heller ikke specielt vild med det.
When it comes to spicy food, I can take it or leave it; it doesn't really matter to me.
Når det gælder stærk mad, det er mig ligegyldigt; det betyder ikke så meget for mig.
You name it.
Used to indicate that anything you can think of or mention is included; whatever you say or choose.
Brugt til at vise, at alt tænkeligt er inkluderet.
She’s traveled to Europe, Asia, Africa—you name it, she’s been there.
Hun har rejst i Europa, Asien, Afrika—du nævner det, hun har været der.
This is the life!
It’s great to relax and not to be at work.
Det er skønt at slappe af og ikke være på arbejde.
Sitting by the pool with a cold drink in my hand, I thought, This is the life!
Siddende ved poolen med en kold drink i hånden tænkte jeg: Det er livet!
You haven’t lived!
Used humorously to say that someone has not experienced something enjoyable or exciting, and they should try it.
Bruges humoristisk om nogen, der ikke har oplevet noget sjovt eller spændende, og burde prøve det.
If you've never tried deep-fried ice cream, you haven’t lived!
Hvis du aldrig har prøvet friturestegt is, har du ikke levet!
It’s/That’s the story of my life!
Bad things always seem to be happening to me. (humorous)
Dårlige ting sker altid for mig (humoristisk).
I missed the bus by just a minute—that’s the story of my life!
Jeg missede bussen med ét minut—det er bare typisk mig!
Such is/That’s life!
Bad things happen and you cannot prevent them.
Dårlige ting sker, og du kan ikke forhindre det.
I missed the last train home, but that’s life—sometimes things just don’t go your way.
Jeg missede det sidste tog hjem, men sådan er livet—nogle gange går tingene bare ikke ens vej.
a pack of lies
completely untrue statements.
fuldstændig usande udsagn.
Everything he said about his job was a pack of lies; he never even worked there.
Alt, han sagde om sit arbejde, var det pure opspind; han havde aldrig arbejdet der.
a slip of the tongue
a small mistake in speaking, usually when you say something you did not intend to.
en lille fejltagelse i tale, hvor man siger noget utilsigtet.
When I called my teacher 'mom' in class, it was just a slip of the tongue.
Da jeg kaldte min lærer for 'mor' i timen, var det bare en fortalelse.
That's a likely story!
Used to express disbelief or skepticism about what someone has said, implying that you think they are lying or exaggerating.
Bruges for at udtrykke mistro eller skepsis over for, hvad nogen har sagt, og antyder, at du tror, de lyver eller overdriver.
You finished all your homework in ten minutes? That's a likely story!
Du blev færdig med alle lektierne på ti minutter? Det tror jeg på når jeg ser det!
off-the-cuff remark
something said without preparation or thought.
noget sagt uden forberedelse eller omtanke.
During the meeting, he made an off-the-cuff remark that surprised everyone.
Under mødet kom han med en spontan bemærkning, der overraskede alle.
in the same breath
Say two things that contradict each other at the same time.
sige to modsatrettede ting på samme tid
He told me he loved my cooking, but in the same breath said he preferred eating out.
Han sagde, at han elskede min madlavning, men i samme åndedrag sagde han, at han foretrak at spise ude.
small talk
conversation about unimportant or non-serious topics.
samtale om uvæsentlige eller useriøse emner.
At the party, we made small talk about the weather before the main event started.
Til festen lavede vi smalltalk om vejret, før hovedbegivenheden begyndte.
didn't ring true
did not seem to be true or believable.
lød ikke sandt eller troværdigt.
His explanation about why he was late just didn't ring true to me.
Hans forklaring på, hvorfor han var forsinket, lød ikke overbevisende for mig.
couldn't think of anything to say
Unable to respond or speak, often due to being overwhelmed.
Ikke at kunne svare eller tale, ofte fordi man er overvældet.
When the teacher called on me unexpectedly, I couldn't think of anything to say and just sat there in silence.
Da læreren pludselig spurgte mig, blev jeg helt blank og sad bare helt stille.
lost for words
unable to speak because of surprise or emotion.
ude af stand til at tale af overraskelse eller følelser.
When she saw the surprise party, she was completely lost for words.
Da hun så surprise-festen, var hun helt målløs.
he was on about
What he was talking about (very informal).
Hvad han snakkede om (meget uformelt).
I had no idea what he was on about during the meeting; it all sounded like nonsense to me.
Jeg havde ingen idé om, hvad han gik og snakkede om under mødet; det lød som volapyk for mig.
in a word
used to sum up your opinion in a short, direct way.
bruges til at opsummere din mening kort og præcist.
When asked how the meeting went, I said, in a word, disappointing.
Da jeg blev spurgt, hvordan mødet gik, sagde jeg, kort sagt, skuffende.
for want of a better word
Not the exact or best word, but good enough for the situation.
Ikke det helt rigtige ord, men godt nok i situationen.
He was, for want of a better word, obsessed with collecting rare stamps.
Han var, for nu at sige det mildt, besat af at samle sjældne frimærker.
to coin a phrase
used when you use a phrase that is not original or sounds clichéd, often to acknowledge that what you are saying is a common expression.
Bruges når man anvender et klichéagtigt eller uoriginalt udtryk og vil erkende dette.
It's not rocket science, to coin a phrase, but you do need to pay attention to the details.
Det er ikke raketvidenskab, for nu at bruge et udtryk, men man skal være opmærksom på detaljerne.
taking the mick/mickey out of
Laughing at someone by copying funny things they do or say, often in a playful or teasing way.
At gøre grin med nogen ved at efterligne det sjove, de gør eller siger, ofte på en drillende måde.
He was taking the mick out of his brother by mimicking the way he dances.
Han gjorde grin med sin bror ved at efterligne hans dans.
make light of
To treat something serious as if it were not important or as a joke.
At tage noget alvorligt og behandle det, som om det ikke var vigtigt eller som en joke.
He tried to make light of his mistake during the meeting, but his boss was not amused.
Han forsøgte at tage let på sin fejl under mødet, men hans chef var ikke begejstret.
no laughing matter
not something to laugh at, quite serious.
ikke noget at spøge med, meget alvorligt.
Failing the final exam is no laughing matter; you need to take it seriously.
At dumpe til den afsluttende eksamen er ikke noget at spøge med; du skal tage det seriøst.
It's no joke
Used to emphasize that a situation is serious, difficult, or not to be taken lightly.
Bruges for at understrege, at en situation er alvorlig eller svær og ikke bør tages let på.
It's no joke trying to find a job in this economy.
Det er ikke for sjov at finde et job i denne økonomi.
on the off-chance
because you hope you will do or find something or someone even if you do not think success is very likely
fordi du håber på noget, selvom det ikke virker sandsynligt
She stopped by the bakery on the off-chance that they might have some fresh croissants left.
Hun stoppede ved bageren i håb om at der måske var nogle friske croissanter tilbage.
against all the odds
despite a lot of problems making it unlikely that you will succeed
på trods af store problemer, der gør succes usandsynlig
She managed to finish the marathon against all the odds, even though she injured her ankle halfway through.
Hun gennemførte maratonen mod alle odds, selvom hun forstuvede anklen halvvejs.
take someone close to you for granted
Not to show you’re grateful to someone because they are with you so often.
Ikke at vise, at man er taknemmelig for nogen, fordi de altid er der.
Sometimes we take our family members for granted and forget to thank them for all they do.
Nogle gange tager vi vores familiemedlemmer for givet og glemmer at takke dem for alt det, de gør.
a foregone conclusion
the result is obvious to everyone even before it happens
resultatet er indlysende for alle, allerede før det sker
With their star player back in the lineup, it was a foregone conclusion that they would win the match.
Med deres stjernespiller tilbage på holdet var det givet på forhånd, at de ville vinde kampen.
coming a mile off
To be able to see or predict that something, usually something bad or obvious, is going to happen well in advance.
At kunne se eller forudsige at noget (ofte noget dårligt eller åbenlyst) vil ske på lang afstand.
You could see that argument coming a mile off—they never agree on anything.
Du kunne se det skænderi langt væk—de er aldrig enige om noget som helst.
touch-and-go
A situation that is uncertain or risky, where the outcome is not clear and could go either way.
En usikker eller risikabel situation, hvor udfaldet er uklart og kan gå begge veje.
It was touch-and-go for a while during the surgery, but thankfully everything turned out fine.
Det var på vippen under operationen, men heldigvis gik alt godt.
no prizes for guessing
It is very easy to figure out or predict something; the answer is obvious.
Det er meget nemt at regne ud eller forudsige noget; svaret er helt tydeligt.
No prizes for guessing who ate the last piece of cake—there are crumbs all over Tom's desk.
Det siger sig selv, hvem der spiste det sidste stykke kage—der er krummer overalt på Toms bord.
the cards are stacked against you
You are not likely to succeed because there are so many obstacles in your way.
Du har ikke stor chance for at lykkes, fordi der er mange forhindringer.
With so little funding and no experience, the cards are stacked against us in this competition.
Med så lidt finansiering og ingen erfaring er oddsene imod os i denne konkurrence.
chancing your arm
taking a risk to achieve what you want (informal)
tage en chance for at opnå noget
He knew it was a long shot, but he decided to chance his arm and ask for a promotion.
Han vidste, det var usandsynligt, men han valgte at tage chancen og bede om en forfremmelse.
in the lap of the gods
is not something that you can control yourself
noget du ikke selv kan kontrollere
After submitting my application, whether I get the job or not is in the lap of the gods.
Efter jeg har sendt min ansøgning, om jeg får jobbet eller ej, er op til skæbnen.
Don’t push your luck!
Don’t try too hard to get what you want and risk losing what you have achieved.
Lad være med at risikere det, du allerede har opnået, for at få mere.
You already got a discount, so don’t push your luck by asking for free shipping too.
Du har allerede fået rabat, så fristes ikke for meget ved også at bede om gratis levering.
We’ll take pot luck.
We’ll take whatever is available without knowing if it will be good or not.
Vi tager det, der er, uden at vide om det er godt eller ej.
Since we didn't make a reservation, I guess we’ll take pot luck at the restaurant and hope for a table.
Da vi ikke har bestilt bord, må vi tage chancen på restauranten og håbe på et bord.
It’s the luck of the draw.
It’s a matter of chance and you have no control over it.
Det er et spørgsmål om tilfældigheder, og du har ingen kontrol over det.
Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose—it’s the luck of the draw.
Nogle gange vinder du, andre gange taber du—det er tilfældighedernes spil.
Just my luck!
You say this, usually humorously, to mean that you are always unlucky.
Siges spøgende, når man altid føler sig uheldig.
I missed the bus by one minute—just my luck!
Jeg missede bussen med ét minut—typisk min held!
You should be so lucky!
Used to express doubt or disbelief that something desired or hoped for will actually happen; implies that the thing is very unlikely.
Bruges til at udtrykke tvivl eller mistro over for noget ønsket; antyder at det er meget usandsynligt.
You think you'll get tickets to the sold-out concert? You should be so lucky!
Tror du, du får billetter til den udsolgte koncert? Det ville da være heldigt!
have a lot to answer for
To be responsible for causing many problems or negative situations.
At være ansvarlig for at forårsage mange problemer eller negative situationer.
Social media companies have a lot to answer for when it comes to the spread of misinformation.
Sociale medie-virksomheder har meget at stå til ansvar for, når det kommer til spredning af misinformation.
something is not all it’s cracked up to be
is not as good as people say it is
ikke så godt som folk siger
The new restaurant was okay, but honestly, it wasn't all it’s cracked up to be.
Den nye restaurant var okay, men helt ærligt levede den ikke op til forventningerne.
someone/something has the edge over someone/something
is slightly better than
er en smule bedre end
While both phones are impressive, I think the new model has the edge over its predecessor in terms of battery life.
Selvom begge telefoner er imponerende, synes jeg den nye model har en lille fordel over sin forgænger på batterilevetid.
leave a lot to be desired
is not as good as it should be or as we might expect; lacking in quality or satisfactory aspects.
er ikke så godt som det burde være eller som forventet; mangler kvalitet eller tilfredsstillende aspekter.
The service at that restaurant leaves a lot to be desired; the waiter was rude and the food was cold.
Servicen på den restaurant lader meget tilbage at ønske; tjeneren var uhøflig og maden var kold.
have all the makings of
are likely to develop into; possess all the necessary qualities or ingredients for something to happen or succeed
har alle nødvendige egenskaber for at noget kan ske eller lykkes
This new project has all the makings of a huge success if we keep working hard.
Dette nye projekt har alle forudsætninger for at blive en stor succes, hvis vi fortsætter med at arbejde hårdt.
on the big/expensive, etc. side
Slightly more than desired or expected in terms of size, cost, weight, or another quality.
Lidt mere end ønsket eller forventet i størrelse, pris, vægt eller lignende.
This suitcase is on the heavy side, so you might want to pack a little less.
Denne kuffert er lidt tung, så du bør måske pakke lidt mindre.
a dead loss
completely useless
helt ubrugelig
After several failed attempts to fix the old printer, we realized it was a dead loss and decided to buy a new one.
Efter flere forgæves forsøg på at fikse den gamle printer, indså vi, at den var helt håbløs, og vi besluttede at købe en ny.
throws the baby out with the bathwater
To eliminate or discard something valuable or important while trying to get rid of something unwanted.
At kassere noget værdifuldt sammen med det, der ikke ønskes.
When updating the software, make sure you don't throw the baby out with the bathwater by removing useful features along with the outdated ones.
Når du opdaterer softwaren, så sørg for, at du ikke smider barnet ud med badevandet ved at fjerne nyttige funktioner sammen med de forældede.
gets/jumps/leaps on the bandwagon
To join others in doing something that is currently popular or successful, often in order to gain some benefit.
At tilslutte sig noget, der er populært eller succesfuldt, for selv at få fordel.
After seeing how popular the new social media app became, everyone at school jumped on the bandwagon and created an account.
Da den nye sociale medie-app blev populær, fulgte alle trop på skolen og lavede en konto.
plays devil’s advocate
To pretend to be against an idea or argument, often for the sake of debate or to encourage discussion.
At lade som om man er imod en idé for at fremprovokere diskussion.
Even though she agreed with the plan, Maria decided to play devil’s advocate to make sure everyone considered the risks.
Selvom Maria var enig i planen, valgte hun at lege djævlens advokat for at sikre, at alle risici blev overvejet.
drives someone to distraction
To make someone extremely annoyed, irritated, or bored.
At gøre nogen ekstremt irriteret, frustreret eller kedsom.
The constant noise from the construction site drives me to distraction every morning.
Den konstante larm fra byggepladsen driver mig til vanvid hver morgen.
makes an exhibition of themselves
To behave in a way in public that attracts attention and makes one look foolish or silly.
At opføre sig offentligt på en måde, der tiltrækker opmærksomhed og får én til at se dum ud.
He always makes an exhibition of himself at parties by dancing on tables and shouting.
Han gør sig selv til grin til fester ved at danse på bordene og råbe.
does something under false pretences
To do something by lying about your identity, intentions, or reasons, usually to deceive others.
At gøre noget under falske forudsætninger eller ved at vildlede om ens identitet eller hensigter.
He got the job under false pretences by claiming he had a degree he never earned.
Han fik jobbet under falske forudsætninger ved at påstå, at han havde en uddannelse, han aldrig havde taget.
never does anything by halves
always makes a great effort and does things very well, never only partially or carelessly.
gør altid sit yderste og udfører ting omhyggeligt, aldrig halvhjertet eller sjusket.
When it comes to organizing events, Sarah never does anything by halves; she plans every detail perfectly.
Når det gælder at organisere events, gør Sarah aldrig noget halvt; hun planlægger hver eneste detalje perfekt.
is a laughing stock
are laughed at or mocked by everyone; someone who is ridiculed by others.
bliver gjort til grin eller til grin for alle
After his disastrous speech, the politician is a laughing stock among his colleagues.
Efter sin katastrofale tale er politikeren til grin blandt sine kolleger.
bottom of the career ladder
in a low position in a work organisation or hierarchy
på det laveste trin i organisationshierarkiet
After graduating, she started at the bottom of the career ladder as an intern.
Efter endt uddannelse startede hun nederst på karrierestigen som praktikant.
dead-end job
A job that offers little or no chance of advancement or improvement in position, salary, or skills.
Et job uden mulighed for avancement eller forbedring af stilling, løn eller kompetencer.
He realized he was stuck in a dead-end job with no opportunities for promotion.
Han indså, at han sad fast i et blindgydejob uden mulighed for forfremmelse.
run-of-the-mill
ordinary, average, or not special in any way; boring or routine.
helt almindelig, gennemsnitlig eller ikke særlig speciel; kedelig eller rutinepræget.
The movie was just run-of-the-mill; nothing about it really stood out.
Filmen var bare helt almindelig; intet skilte sig virkelig ud.
get out of a rut
escape from a monotonous, boring situation
bryde ud af en monotom, kedelig situation
After working the same job for ten years, I needed to get out of a rut and try something new.
Efter at have haft det samme job i ti år, havde jeg brug for at bryde ud af vanen og prøve noget nyt.
pulled out all the stops
made a great effort to do something well
gjorde en stor indsats for at gøre noget godt
The organizers pulled out all the stops to make sure the charity event was a huge success.
Arrangørerne gav den alt, hvad de havde for at sikre, at velgørenhedseventet blev en stor succes.
got the sack
was dismissed from his job
blev fyret fra sit arbejde
After arriving late too many times, he finally got the sack from his company.
Efter at være kommet for sent for mange gange, blev han fyret fra firmaet.
stepped into his shoes
took over his job or responsibilities, especially after he left or was unable to continue.
overtog hans job eller ansvar, især efter han forlod eller ikke kunne fortsætte.
After the manager retired, Sarah stepped into his shoes and led the team to success.
Efter lederen gik på pension, overtog Sarah hans plads og førte teamet til succes.
rushed off his feet
Very busy; having too much to do in a short period of time.
Meget travl; har alt for meget at lave på kort tid.
Ever since the sale started, the shop assistants have been rushed off their feet with customers.
Siden udsalget startede, har ekspedienterne været travlt optaget af kunder.
had his work cut out
had something very difficult to do
havde en meget svær opgave
With only two days to finish the project, he had his work cut out for him.
Han havde kun to dage til at gøre projektet færdigt, så han havde virkelig sit arbejde for.
headhunted
invited to join a new workplace which had noticed his talents
blev tilbudt et nyt job, fordi nogen havde lagt mærke til hans talenter
After publishing her research, Maria was headhunted by several top universities.
Efter at have offentliggjort sin forskning blev Maria headhuntet af flere topuniversiteter.
climbed to the top of the career ladder
got to a top position in a work organisation or hierarchy
nåede til tops i en arbejdshierarki eller organisation
After years of hard work and dedication, she finally climbed to the top of the career ladder and became the CEO.
Efter mange års hårdt arbejde klatrede hun helt til tops på karrierestigen og blev direktør.
rushed off your feet
to be extremely busy, with too much to do and not enough time
at have alt for travlt og ikke have tid nok til noget
We've been rushed off our feet ever since the sale started.
Siden udsalget startede, har vi været travlt optaget hele tiden.
snowed under
To be extremely busy, with too much work to do.
At være meget travl med alt for meget arbejde.
I'm snowed under with assignments this week and barely have time to eat.
Jeg er helt druknet i arbejde med opgaver denne uge og har næsten ikke tid til at spise.
got my hands full
To be very busy or occupied with tasks, often to the point of being unable to take on anything else.
At være meget travl eller optaget, så man næsten ikke kan tage mere ind.
With three kids under five, I really got my hands full these days.
Med tre børn under fem år har jeg virkelig hænderne fulde for tiden.
up to my eyes/ears in work
Extremely busy or overwhelmed with a large amount of work or tasks.
Ekstremt travl eller overvældet af en stor mængde arbejde eller opgaver.
Sorry, I can't go out tonight—I'm up to my ears in work and need to finish this project.
Undskyld, jeg kan ikke tage ud i aften—jeg er travlt begravet i arbejde og skal gøre projektet færdigt.
on the go
very busy, always active
meget travl, altid i gang
Between work, school, and taking care of the kids, I'm always on the go.
Mellem arbejde, skole og børnene er jeg altid på farten.
put on hold
left until a later date (usually used in the passive)
udskudt til senere
The project was put on hold due to budget cuts.
Projektet blev sat på pause på grund af budgetnedskæringer.
look great on paper
Describes something that seems perfect or impressive when considered theoretically or in writing, but may not work as well in real life.
Noget, der ser perfekt eller imponerende ud i teorien eller på papiret, men måske ikke virker i virkeligheden.
The new marketing strategy looked great on paper, but it failed to attract any new customers.
Den nye markedsføringsstrategi så rigtig god ud på papiret, men den tiltrak ingen nye kunder.
behind the scenes
out of sight, hidden, or in a way that people are not aware of, often when something else is happening publicly
uden for offentlighedens blik, skjult eller i det skjulte, ofte når noget andet sker offentligt
The actors are on stage, but a lot of hard work happens behind the scenes to make the show a success.
Skuespillerne er på scenen, men meget hårdt arbejde foregår bag kulisserne for at gøre showet til en succes.
talk shop
talk about work when you are not at work
tale om arbejde uden for arbejdstiden
Even at the party, the engineers couldn't help but talk shop about their latest project.
Selv til festen kunne ingeniørerne ikke lade være med at tale om arbejde og deres seneste projekt.
look right/straight through someone
Behave as if you do not see someone, either because you do not notice them or because you are deliberately ignoring them.
At opføre sig som om man ikke ser nogen, enten fordi man ikke lægger mærke til dem eller bevidst ignorerer dem.
When I waved at Sarah in the hallway, she just looked straight through me and kept walking.
Da jeg vinkede til Sarah på gangen, ignorerede hun mig fuldstændigt og gik bare videre.
leave someone in the lurch
To abandon someone in a difficult situation when they need your help or support.
At svigte nogen, når de har mest brug for hjælp eller støtte.
I can't believe you would leave me in the lurch right before the big presentation.
Jeg kan ikke tro, at du ville lade mig i stikken lige før den store præsentation.
give someone a hard/rough/tough time
to make things difficult or unpleasant for someone, often by criticizing, teasing, or challenging them.
at gøre livet svært eller ubehageligt for nogen, ofte ved at kritisere, drille eller udfordre dem.
My older brother always gives me a hard time about my taste in music.
Min storebror driller mig altid med min musiksmag.
keep a lid on something
To control or limit the level of something, especially to prevent it from increasing or becoming worse.
at kontrollere eller begrænse noget for at forhindre, at det vokser eller bliver værre
The government is trying hard to keep a lid on inflation this year.
Regeringen forsøger hårdt at holde styr på inflationen i år.
let (yourself) go
either take less care of your appearance or relax completely and enjoy yourself
gå mindre op i sit udseende eller slappe helt af og nyde sig selv
After her retirement, she really let herself go and stopped worrying about her hairstyle or clothes.
Efter hendes pensionering lod hun sig selv gå og bekymrede sig ikke om frisure eller tøj længere.
blow something out of (all) proportion
Behave as if something that has happened is much worse than it really is.
Opføre sig som om noget der er sket, er meget værre end det egentlig er.
The media tends to blow minor incidents out of all proportion, making them seem like huge scandals.
Medierne har ofte tendens til at blæse mindre hændelser op, så de fremstår som store skandaler.
thought nothing of it
Did something that other people found difficult very easily.
Gjorde noget, som andre fandt svært, meget let.
While everyone else was nervous about speaking in public, she thought nothing of it and delivered her speech confidently.
Mens alle andre var nervøse for at tale offentligt, tog hun det i stiv arm og holdt sin tale selvsikkert.
it brought a lump to my throat
moved me so much that I wanted to cry
bevæget mig så meget, at jeg næsten fik tårer i øjnene
Watching the old couple reunite after years apart brought a lump to my throat.
At se det gamle par genforenes efter mange år gav mig en klump i halsen.
make the most of
take full advantage of something because it may not last long
udnytte noget fuldt ud, fordi det måske ikke varer længe
We should make the most of this sunny weather and have a picnic in the park.
Vi bør få mest muligt ud af det her solskinsvejr og tage på picnic i parken.
hanging in the balance
No one knows what will happen to it in the future; its outcome is uncertain.
Ingen ved, hvad der vil ske i fremtiden; udfaldet er usikkert.
The fate of the missing hikers is still hanging in the balance as the search continues.
Skæbnen for de forsvundne vandrere er stadig uvist, mens eftersøgningen fortsætter.
faded/paled into insignificance
did not seem at all important when compared to something else
syntes overhovedet ikke vigtige sammenlignet med noget andet
After seeing the devastation caused by the hurricane, my own problems paled into insignificance.
Efter at have set ødelæggelserne fra orkanen, blev mine egne problemer betydningsløse.
wouldn’t dream of
would never do something because we think it is wrong
ville aldrig gøre noget, fordi vi mener, det er forkert
I wouldn’t dream of lying to my parents about where I was last night.
Jeg kunne aldrig finde på at lyve for mine forældre om, hvor jeg var i går aftes.
come to terms with
start to accept emotionally and to deal with a difficult situation
begynde at acceptere og håndtere en svær situation følelsesmæssigt
After months of therapy, she finally came to terms with her father's passing.
Efter måneder med terapi har hun endelig forsonet sig med sin fars død.
a dark horse
someone who is clever or skilful in a way that no one knew or expected
en person, der er dygtig eller snu på en måde, ingen havde forventet
No one thought Sarah would win the competition, but she turned out to be a dark horse and took first place.
Ingen troede, at Sarah ville vinde konkurrencen, men hun viste sig at være en overraskelse og tog førstepladsen.
a lone wolf
someone who does not mix socially with other people
en person der ikke socialiserer med andre
Ever since college, Jake has been a lone wolf, preferring to work and travel by himself.
Siden universitetet har Jake været en enspænder, der foretrækker at arbejde og rejse alene.
a cold fish
someone who is not very friendly and does not show their feelings
en person, der ikke er særlig venlig og ikke viser sine følelser
Even at the party, Mark was a cold fish, barely talking to anyone.
Selv til festen var Mark reserveret, og talte knap med nogen.
a guinea pig
someone who acts as a subject in an experiment or trial of something
en person, der bruges som forsøgsperson i et eksperiment eller forsøg
They needed volunteers to test the new app, so I agreed to be a guinea pig.
De havde brug for frivillige til at teste den nye app, så jeg gik med til at være forsøgsperson.
a party animal
someone who loves parties and socialising
en der elsker fester og socialt samvær
Jake is such a party animal; he goes out dancing every weekend and never misses a celebration.
Jake er virkelig et festmenneske; han danser hver weekend og går aldrig glip af en fest.
a fly on the wall
someone who would love to be present to see or hear something private or secret without being noticed
en person der ville ønske at kunne overvære noget i hemmelighed uden at blive bemærket
I wish I could be a fly on the wall during their meeting to hear what they really think.
Jeg ville ønske, jeg kunne være en flue på væggen under deres møde og høre, hvad de egentlig mener.
fly-on-the-wall
A documentary or style of filming that observes real-life situations as they happen, often unobtrusively or with hidden cameras, to capture authentic behavior.
En dokumentar eller filmstil, der observerer virkelige situationer, ofte diskret eller med skjulte kameraer, for at fange autentisk adfærd.
The filmmaker used a fly-on-the-wall approach to show what really happens behind the scenes at the hospital.
Instruktøren brugte en skjult kamera-tilgang for at vise, hvad der virkelig sker bag kulisserne på hospitalet.
bark is worse than his bite
He may seem fierce or tough, but he is not really as bad or as harsh as he appears.
Han virker måske hård, men han er ikke så slem som han ser ud til.
Don't worry about the coach yelling; his bark is worse than his bite.
Vær ikke bekymret for trænerens råben; han gør mindre, end han siger.
wouldn't hurt a fly
is totally harmless and would never hurt anyone
er helt harmløs og ville aldrig skade nogen
Everyone says that Tom wouldn't hurt a fly; he's the gentlest person I know.
Alle siger, at Tom ikke kunne gøre en flue fortræd; han er den venligste person, jeg kender.
travel bug
a strong desire to travel
en stærk trang til at rejse
Ever since her trip to Italy, she seems to have caught the travel bug and can't stop planning her next adventure.
Siden hendes rejse til Italien har hun fået rejsefeber og kan ikke lade være med at planlægge sit næste eventyr.
got/taken the bit between her teeth
started to work or act in a very determined and energetic way, often after being hesitant or slow at first.
begyndte at arbejde eller handle meget beslutsomt og energisk, ofte efter at have været tøvende eller langsom i starten.
Once she got the bit between her teeth, there was no stopping her from finishing the project ahead of schedule.
Så snart hun tog fat, var der intet, der kunne stoppe hende fra at færdiggøre projektet før tid.
given me free rein
given me complete freedom to act or make decisions as I see fit.
givet mig fuld frihed til at handle eller træffe beslutninger, som jeg finder bedst.
My boss has given me free rein to design the new marketing campaign however I want.
Min chef har givet mig frie hænder til at designe den nye marketingkampagne.
a little bird told me
Said when someone has told you a secret, but you do not want to say who.
Sigtes, når nogen har fortalt dig en hemmelighed, men du ikke vil afsløre hvem.
A little bird told me that you're planning a surprise party for Sarah.
En lille fugl har hvisket mig i øret, at du planlægger en surprisefest for Sarah.
made a beeline for
went quickly and directly to
gik hurtigt og direkte hen til
As soon as the doors opened, the kids made a beeline for the ice cream truck.
Så snart dørene åbnede, styrtede børnene direkte over til isbilen.
butterflies in my stomach
to feel very nervous or anxious, usually because you are about to do something important or exciting
at være meget nervøs eller spændt, typisk før noget vigtigt eller spændende
Before going on stage for the first time, I had butterflies in my stomach.
Før jeg gik på scenen for første gang, havde jeg sommerfugle i maven.
made a real pig of myself
ate too much; overindulged in food, often to the point of feeling uncomfortable or embarrassed.
spiste for meget; overfyldte sig selv med mad, ofte til ubehag eller forlegenhed
At the buffet last night, I made a real pig of myself and tried every dessert they had.
Til buffeten i går aftes spiste jeg mig stopmæt og smagte alle desserterne.
chasing my tail
Doing a lot of activity or work but achieving little or making no real progress; being busy with unproductive tasks.
At være meget aktiv uden at opnå reelle fremskridt; travl med ineffektive opgaver.
I've been chasing my tail all day, answering emails and making calls, but I haven't finished any of my important tasks.
Jeg har løbet i ring hele dagen, besvaret e-mails og ringet, men ikke fået afsluttet de vigtige opgaver.
start the ball rolling
to begin an activity or process and encourage others to participate or continue it
at starte en aktivitet eller proces og opfordre andre til at deltage eller fortsætte
Let's start the ball rolling by introducing ourselves to the group.
Lad os bryde isen ved at præsentere os for gruppen.
the ball is in your court
You have to do something now before any progress can be made.
Nu er det dig, der skal tage næste skridt, før der kan ske fremskridt.
I've done all I can to help you, so now the ball is in your court.
Jeg har gjort alt, hvad jeg kan for at hjælpe dig, så nu er bolden på din banehalvdel.
on the ball
quick to understand and react
hurtig til at forstå og reagere
The new assistant is really on the ball; she catches every mistake before it becomes a problem.
Den nye assistent er virkelig hurtigt opfattende; hun fanger enhver fejl før det bliver et problem.
do something off our own bat
on our own initiative, without being asked to by anyone else
på eget initiativ, uden at nogen har bedt én om det
She did it off her own bat and organized the whole event without waiting for instructions.
Hun gjorde det på eget initiativ og organiserede hele begivenheden uden at vente på instrukser.
throw us a curveball
surprise us with an unexpected problem
overrasker os med et uventet problem
Just when we thought the project was on track, the client threw us a curveball by changing the requirements.
Lige da vi troede, projektet var på rette spor, kastede kunden en bold i hovedet på os ved at ændre kravene.
play ball
co-operate in order to achieve something (usually used in a negative context)
samarbejde for at opnå noget (ofte i negativ sammenhæng)
If you don't play ball with the new management, you might lose your job.
Hvis du ikke spiller med ledelsen, kan du miste dit job.
on a level playing field
in a situation where everyone has the same opportunities and advantages; a fair situation
i en situation hvor alle har de samme muligheder og fordele; en retfærdig situation
The new regulations are designed to ensure that all companies compete on a level playing field.
De nye regler skal sikre, at alle virksomheder konkurrerer på lige vilkår.
play your cards right
Behave in a smart or strategic way to achieve your desired outcome.
At opføre sig klogt eller strategisk for at opnå det ønskede resultat.
If you play your cards right, you might get promoted this year.
Hvis du spiller dine kort rigtigt, kan du blive forfremmet i år.
put/lay your cards on the table
Tell someone honestly what you think or what you plan to do.
At fortælle ærligt hvad man mener eller har tænkt sig at gøre.
It's time to put my cards on the table and tell you how I really feel about this project.
Det er på tide at lægge mine kort på bordet og fortælle dig, hvordan jeg virkelig har det med dette projekt.
follow suit
do the same as everyone else has just done
gøre det samme som andre netop har gjort
When the first student started packing up early, the rest of the class quickly followed suit.
Da den første elev begyndte at pakke sammen tidligt, fulgte resten trop.
call someone's bluff
make someone prove that what they are saying is true or prove that they will really do what they say they will do
få nogen til at bevise, at de taler sandt eller udføre det, de siger, de vil gøre
When Tom threatened to quit if he didn't get a raise, his boss decided to call his bluff and told him to hand in his resignation.
Da Tom truede med at sige op, hvis han ikke fik lønforhøjelse, valgte chefen at tage ham på ordet og bad ham aflevere sin opsigelse.
take the plunge
do something important or difficult that you’ve been thinking of doing for a long time
gøre noget vigtigt eller svært, som man har overvejet længe
After years of thinking about it, I finally took the plunge and started my own business.
Efter mange års overvejelser tog jeg springet og startede min egen virksomhed.
go back to square one
to return to the starting point of a process or project because previous efforts have failed or produced no results.
at vende tilbage til udgangspunktet, fordi tidligere forsøg er mislykkedes eller ikke har givet resultater.
After our proposal was rejected, we had to go back to square one and come up with a completely new plan.
Efter vores forslag blev afvist, måtte vi starte forfra og finde på en helt ny plan.
be wide of the mark
to be incorrect, inaccurate, or far from the intended target or answer
at være forkert, upræcis eller langt fra det rigtige svar
His guess about the cost of the repairs was wide of the mark; it ended up being much cheaper.
Hans gæt på reparationens pris var skudt helt ved siden af; det endte med at være meget billigere.
do something on the spur of the moment
do something suddenly, without planning
gøre noget pludseligt uden planlægning
We decided to go to the beach on the spur of the moment and didn't even pack a lunch.
Vi besluttede at tage til stranden på et øjebliks indskydelse og havde ikke engang madpakke med.
be on the cards
be likely to happen
sandsynligt at ske
A promotion could be on the cards for you if you keep working this hard.
En forfremmelse kan meget vel være på vej til dig, hvis du fortsætter med at arbejde så hårdt.
your best bet
the best thing you can do to achieve the result you want
den bedste mulighed for at opnå det ønskede resultat
If you want to avoid traffic, your best bet is to leave early in the morning.
Hvis du vil undgå trafik, er dit bedste valg at tage afsted tidligt om morgenen.
when the chips are down
when you are in a difficult situation, especially one which tests whether you can trust people
når du er i en svær situation, især hvor du skal stole på andre
You really find out who your friends are when the chips are down.
Man finder virkelig ud af, hvem ens venner er, når det gælder.
makes your mouth water
Describes something, usually food, that looks, smells, or sounds so delicious that it makes you want to eat it immediately.
Beskriver noget, typisk mad, der ser, dufter eller lyder så lækkert, at man straks får lyst til at spise det.
The smell of freshly baked bread always makes my mouth water.
Duften af friskbagt brød får altid min mund til at løbe i vand.
has a sweet tooth
particularly likes sweet things
er vild med søde sager
She definitely has a sweet tooth; she can't finish a meal without dessert.
Hun er en rigtig sukkergris; hun kan ikke afslutte et måltid uden dessert.
whet your appetite
awaken a desire (for food or something else)
vække en lyst (til mad eller andet)
The chef's delicious appetizer really whet my appetite for the main course.
Kokkens lækre forret satte virkelig gang i min appetit for hovedretten.
the icing on the cake
something that makes a good situation even better
noget, der gør en god situation endnu bedre
Getting promoted was amazing, but receiving a bonus was the icing on the cake.
At blive forfremmet var fantastisk, men at få en bonus var prikken over i'et.
you can’t have your cake and eat it / you want to have your cake and eat it
Two good things are impossible to do or have at the same time; you can't enjoy both benefits without giving up one.
Du kan ikke få to gode ting på én gang; du må give afkald på den ene for at få den anden.
If you want to save money, you can’t have your cake and eat it by also spending a lot on luxury items.
Hvis du vil spare penge, kan du ikke både blæse og have mel i munden og samtidig bruge mange penge på luksusvarer.
leaves a sour taste in your mouth
To have an unpleasant memory or lingering bad feeling about something that happened.
At have en ubehagelig erindring eller dårlig følelse om noget der er sket.
The way the manager dismissed her concerns really left a sour taste in my mouth.
Måden lederen afviste hendes bekymringer på, efterlod en dårlig smag i munden på mig.
to the bitter end
see something through to the end even though it takes a long time and is difficult
gennemføre noget helt til slut, selvom det er svært og tager lang tid
Despite the challenges, she was determined to stick with the project to the bitter end.
På trods af udfordringerne var hun fast besluttet på at holde fast i projektet til det bitre ende.
have egg on your face
be left feeling stupid or embarrassed because of something you did
blive pinligt berørt eller gjort til grin på grund af noget man gjorde
After announcing the wrong winner at the ceremony, the host really had egg on his face.
Efter at have annonceret den forkerte vinder til ceremonien, stod værten med røde ører.
be the best/greatest thing since sliced bread
To be considered excellent, innovative, or extremely useful (informal).
At blive betragtet som noget helt fantastisk, nyskabende eller ekstremt nyttigt
Everyone in the office thinks the new project management app is the best thing since sliced bread.
Alle på kontoret synes, at den nye projektstyringsapp er det bedste siden skiveskåret brød.
be your bread and butter
Be an activity or job you do to get the money you need.
et arbejde eller aktivitet, som man tjener til livets ophold med
Freelance writing is my bread and butter, but I also enjoy painting in my free time.
Freelance-skrivning er mit brød på bordet, men jeg nyder også at male i min fritid.
bear fruit
produce a positive result
giver et positivt resultat
After months of hard work, their efforts finally bore fruit when they won the contract.
Efter måneder med hårdt arbejde bar deres indsats frugt, da de vandt kontrakten.
flavour of the month
something or someone that is very popular at the moment
noget eller nogen, der er meget populær lige nu
That new singer is the flavour of the month, but I doubt people will remember her next year.
Den nye sanger er ugens hit, men jeg tvivler på, at folk husker hende næste år.
be past or pass your sell-by date
not wanted or used anymore because they are too old
ikke længere ønsket eller brugt, fordi det er for gammelt
Some people think that vinyl records are past their sell-by date, but collectors still love them.
Nogle mener, at vinylplader er forældede, men samlere elsker dem stadig.
caught in the act
seen doing something wrong or forbidden while actually doing it
taget på fersk gerning, mens man gør noget forkert eller forbudt
The thief was caught in the act of breaking into the car by a passing police officer.
Tyven blev taget på fersk gerning, da han brød ind i bilen af en forbipasserende betjent.
get her act together
organize herself more effectively
at organisere sig selv mere effektivt
If she wants to pass her exams, she really needs to get her act together and start studying seriously.
Hvis hun vil bestå sine eksamener, skal hun virkelig tage sig sammen og begynde at læse seriøst.
get in on the act
to take part in something exciting or profitable, often after seeing others benefit from it
at tage del i noget spændende eller profitabelt, ofte efter at have set andre få succes med det
After seeing how much money people were making selling handmade crafts online, I decided to get in on the act too.
Efter at have set hvor mange penge folk tjente på at sælge håndlavede varer online, besluttede jeg også at hoppe med på vognen.
putting on an act
pretending, not being genuine
foregiver, ikke ægte
I could tell he was putting on an act when he said he wasn't upset.
Jeg kunne mærke, at han spillede skuespil, da han sagde, han ikke var ked af det.
balancing act
A situation where you try to give equal attention or importance to two or more different things, often with difficulty.
En situation hvor man prøver at give lige meget opmærksomhed til flere forskellige ting, ofte med besvær.
Being a working parent is a real balancing act between job responsibilities and family time.
At være en arbejdende forælder er et rigtigt balancekunststykke mellem job og familietid.
clean up their act
To start behaving in a more acceptable or responsible way, especially by stopping bad habits or actions that others disapprove of.
At begynde at opføre sig mere ansvarligt eller acceptabelt, især ved at stoppe dårlige vaner.
After getting in trouble at work, he knew he had to clean up his act if he wanted to keep his job.
Efter problemer på arbejdet vidste han, at han måtte tage sig sammen, hvis han ville beholde sit job.
act your age
Don’t behave in a childish way; behave in a manner appropriate for your age.
Lad være med at opføre dig barnligt; opfør dig passende for din alder.
Stop making silly faces in class and act your age.
Stop med at lave fjollede ansigter i klassen og opføre dig som din alder.
acting the fool/goat
Behaving in a silly or playful way, often to make others laugh or to avoid being serious.
At opføre sig fjollet eller legende, ofte for at få andre til at grine eller for at undgå alvor.
During the meeting, Tom kept acting the fool and making everyone laugh instead of focusing on the agenda.
Under mødet blev Tom ved med at fjolle rundt og fik alle til at grine i stedet for at fokusere på dagsordenen.
hive of activity
a very busy place (like a beehive) with people working hard all the time
et meget travlt sted, hvor folk hele tiden arbejder hårdt
The kitchen was a hive of activity as everyone prepared food for the party.
Køkkenet var et mylder af aktivitet, mens alle forberedte mad til festen.
out of action
Not working or unable to participate in normal activities, often due to illness, injury, or malfunction.
Kan ikke arbejde eller deltage i normale aktiviteter, ofte på grund af sygdom, skade eller funktionsfejl.
After spraining his ankle, Tom was out of action for the rest of the soccer season.
Efter at have forstuvet anklen var Tom ude af drift resten af fodboldsæsonen.
back in action
To be able to work, perform, or participate again after a break, injury, or pause.
At kunne arbejde, optræde eller deltage igen efter en pause, skade eller afbræk.
After recovering from his knee surgery, the football player was finally back in action for the championship game.
Efter at være kommet sig over knæoperationen var fodboldspilleren endelig tilbage på banen til finalen.
get a slice/piece of the action
To take part in something exciting or profitable, often because others are already benefiting from it.
At deltage i noget spændende eller profitabelt, fordi andre allerede får fordel af det
After hearing about the company's rapid growth, investors wanted to get a piece of the action before it was too late.
Efter at have hørt om virksomhedens hurtige vækst, ville investorerne også have en bid af kagen før det var for sent.
all talk and no action
Be someone who promises or says they will do a lot of exciting things, but doesn’t actually do them.
En person som lover meget, men aldrig leverer eller gør noget ved det
He’s all talk and no action when it comes to helping out—he always promises, but never shows up.
Han er alt snak og ingen handling når det gælder om at hjælpe – han lover altid, men dukker aldrig op.
course of action
A way of acting or a plan that someone decides to take, especially in a formal or considered manner.
En måde at handle på eller en plan, som man har besluttet sig for på en overvejet måde.
After much discussion, the committee decided that the best course of action was to postpone the event.
Efter megen diskussion besluttede udvalget, at den bedste fremgangsmåde var at udsætte begivenheden.
goes to the dogs
It goes from a good situation or condition to a bad one; deteriorates or declines in quality.
Det går fra en god til en dårlig situation; forringes i kvalitet.
Ever since the new management took over, the company has gone to the dogs and lost most of its loyal customers.
Siden den nye ledelse overtog, er virksomheden blevet værre og har mistet de fleste loyale kunder.
put the cat among the pigeons
To do or say something that is likely to cause trouble, controversy, or a strong reaction among a group of people.
At gøre eller sige noget, der sandsynligvis forårsager uro, kontrovers eller stærke reaktioner i en gruppe.
When the manager announced the new working hours, it really put the cat among the pigeons in the office.
Da chefen annoncerede de nye arbejdstider, skabte det virkelig røre i andedammen på kontoret.
not (enough) room to swing a cat
there is very little room or space somewhere
meget trangt, næsten ingen plads
This apartment is so tiny, there's not enough room to swing a cat in the kitchen.
Denne lejlighed er så lille, der er ikke engang plads til at vende sig i køkkenet.
law of the jungle
a situation where people do whatever they want without caring about others, often in a selfish or ruthless way
en situation hvor folk gør, hvad de vil, uden at tage hensyn til andre, ofte egoistisk eller hensynsløst
In the world of high finance, it's often the law of the jungle—only the strongest survive.
I finansverdenen er det ofte den stærkes ret—kun de stærkeste overlever.
a real can of worms
a very complicated, difficult, or problematic situation
en meget kompliceret, svær eller problematisk situation
Trying to fix the old computer turned into a real can of worms when we discovered all the hidden issues.
At reparere den gamle computer blev et sandt virvar da vi opdagede alle de skjulte problemer.
like water off a duck’s back
having no effect on someone, especially criticism or insults
har ingen effekt på nogen, især kritik eller fornærmelser
No matter how much they tease him, it’s like water off a duck’s back; he just laughs it off.
Uanset hvor meget de driller ham, er det som vand på en gås; han griner bare.
running round like headless chickens
being very busy and active but not achieving anything useful or effective
at have travlt og være aktiv, men uden at opnå noget værdifuldt
During the product launch, everyone in the office was running round like headless chickens, but nothing actually got done.
Under produktlanceringen løb alle rundt på kontoret som hovedløse høns, men intet blev faktisk gjort.
snail mail
traditional postal mail (as opposed to email), often used humorously
traditionel post (i modsætning til e-mail), ofte brugt humoristisk
I still love sending birthday cards through snail mail even though everyone else uses email.
Jeg elsker stadig at sende fødselsdagskort med sneglepost, selvom alle andre bruger e-mail.
put out feelers
make informal enquiries; talk to people unofficially to see if someone is interested
undersøge uformelt; forhøre sig diskret for at finde interesse
Before applying for the new position, she decided to put out feelers to see if the company was actually hiring.
Før hun søgte det nye job, valgte hun at føle stemningen for at se, om virksomheden faktisk ansatte.
bite the bullet
To face a difficult or unpleasant situation with courage and determination, instead of avoiding it.
At møde en svær eller ubehagelig situation med mod og beslutsomhed i stedet for at undgå den.
Even though she was scared of the dentist, she decided to bite the bullet and make an appointment.
Selvom hun var bange for tandlægen, besluttede hun at tage tyren ved hornene og bestille en tid.
jump the gun
do something too soon, before you should do it
gøre noget for tidligt, før man bør
We jumped the gun and started the meeting before everyone arrived.
Vi var for tidligt ude og startede mødet, før alle var kommet.
stick to your guns
Don’t let other people change your mind, ideas, or principles; to remain firm in your beliefs or decisions even when others try to persuade you otherwise.
Lad ikke andre ændre dine meninger eller principper; hold fast ved dine overbevisninger selvom andre prøver at overtale dig.
Even though everyone disagreed with her, she decided to stick to her guns and follow her plan.
Selvom alle var uenige med hende, besluttede hun at holde fast og følge sin plan.
look daggers at someone
To look at someone in a very angry or hateful way.
At se på nogen med et meget vredt eller hadefuldt blik.
When I accidentally spilled coffee on her report, she looked daggers at me for the rest of the meeting.
Da jeg ved et uheld spildte kaffe på hendes rapport, sendte hun mig dræberblikket resten af mødet.
put the knife in
deliberately do or say something really hurtful to someone
med vilje at gøre eller sige noget meget sårende
She really put the knife in when she told him he was the worst manager she'd ever worked for.
Hun stak kniven ind da hun sagde til ham, at han var den værste chef, hun nogensinde havde arbejdet for.
twist the knife
do or say something which makes a bad or hurtful situation even worse
gøre en dårlig situation endnu værre
After I lost the game, my brother just had to twist the knife by reminding me of my last mistake.
Efter jeg tabte spillet, skulle min bror lige hælde salt i såret ved at minde mig om min sidste fejl.
have a shot at
to try (something), especially something new or challenging
at prøve noget, især noget nyt eller udfordrende
Even though I've never painted before, I'd like to have a shot at creating my own artwork.
Selvom jeg aldrig har malet før, vil jeg gerne give det et forsøg at lave mit eget kunstværk.
in the firing line
in a position where people can criticize or blame you
være i en situation, hvor folk kan kritisere eller bebrejde dig
After the project failed, the manager found himself in the firing line during the meeting.
Efter projektet mislykkedes, stod lederen for skud under mødet.
call the shots
be the person who makes all the important decisions
at være den, der træffer alle de vigtige beslutninger
Ever since she was promoted to manager, Jane has been the one to call the shots in the office.
Siden Jane blev forfremmet til leder, er det hende, der bestemmer på kontoret.
caught in the crossfire
Involved in a situation where people around you are arguing or fighting, often unintentionally becoming affected by their conflict.
At blive involveret i en situation hvor folk omkring dig skændes eller kæmper, og du utilsigtet bliver påvirket af deres konflikt.
During their heated debate, I got caught in the crossfire and ended up having to defend myself even though I wasn't involved.
Under deres heftige debat blev jeg fanget i krydsilden og endte med at skulle forsvare mig selv, selvom jeg ikke var involveret.
hold fire
wait and not take action yet
vente og ikke handle endnu
Let's hold fire on making a decision until we have all the facts.
Lad os vente lidt med at træffe en beslutning, indtil vi har alle fakta.
up in arms
angry and protesting loudly
vrede og protesterer højlydt
The residents were up in arms when they heard about the plan to build a factory near their homes.
Beboerne var oppe i det røde felt, da de hørte om planen om at bygge en fabrik tæt på deres hjem.
his own worst enemy
His own attitude or behavior will prevent him from reaching his goal.
Hans egen holdning eller adfærd forhindrer ham i at nå sit mål.
John is his own worst enemy when it comes to work; he procrastinates so much that he misses important deadlines.
John er sin egen værste fjende på arbejdet; han udskyder så meget, at han misser vigtige deadlines.
fighting a losing battle
trying to achieve something that you will probably fail to achieve
at forsøge at opnå noget, som man sandsynligvis vil mislykkes med
She knew she was fighting a losing battle when she tried to convince her boss to change his mind.
Hun vidste, hun kæmpede en tabt kamp, da hun forsøgte at overbevise sin chef om at skifte mening.
burn your bridges
do something that makes it impossible to go back to a situation you were in before
gøre noget, der gør det umuligt at vende tilbage til en tidligere situation
If you quit your job without notice and insult your boss, you really burn your bridges with that company.
Hvis du siger op uden varsel og fornærmer din chef, så brænder du virkelig broerne til den virksomhed.
have an axe to grind
To have a strong personal opinion, bias, or selfish motive that one wants to promote, often in a way that is not entirely objective.
at have en skjult dagsorden eller personlig motivation
She always seems to have an axe to grind when it comes to environmental issues.
Hun synes altid at have en skjult dagsorden når det gælder miljøspørgsmål.
when it comes to the crunch
when a situation becomes serious or difficult
når situationen bliver alvorlig eller svær
Everyone says they'll help, but when it comes to the crunch, only a few people actually show up.
Alle siger, de vil hjælpe, men når det gælder, dukker kun få op.
a chink in his armour
a weak point in someone's character, argument, or defenses that can be exploited or taken advantage of.
et svagt punkt i nogens karakter, argument eller forsvar, som kan udnyttes.
The lawyer found a chink in his armour during the cross-examination, which helped win the case.
Advokaten fandt et svagt punkt under krydsforhøret, hvilket hjalp til at vinde sagen.
have something on the brain
You can’t stop thinking or talking about one particular thing.
Man kan ikke lade være med at tænke på eller tale om én bestemt ting.
Ever since she started planning her wedding, she has it on the brain and talks about it nonstop.
Siden hun begyndte at planlægge sit bryllup, kan hun ikke tænke på andet og taler om det hele tiden.
pick someone's brains
ask for information or advice from a person who knows more about something than you do.
At spørge en mere erfaren person om råd eller information.
Can I pick your brains about the new software update? You always understand these things better than I do.
Må jeg trække på din viden om den nye softwareopdatering? Du forstår altid de her ting bedre end mig.
brain drain
the movement of highly skilled and educated people from their own country to another one where they are paid more.
hjerneflugt: at højtuddannede og dygtige mennesker forlader landet for bedre løn i udlandet.
Many doctors and engineers leave the country, contributing to the brain drain that affects the nation's development.
Mange læger og ingeniører forlader landet, hvilket bidrager til hjerneflugt, der påvirker nationens udvikling.
be a load/weight off your mind
To feel relieved because a worry or concern has been removed.
At føle lettelse, fordi en bekymring er forsvundet.
Finding out that my test results were negative was a real weight off my mind.
Da jeg fandt ud af, at mine prøveresultater var negative, var det en stor lettelse.
have/keep an open mind
Wait until you have all the facts before forming an opinion.
Vent til du har alle fakta, før du danner dig en mening.
It's important to keep an open mind when learning about new cultures.
Det er vigtigt at være åben når man lærer om nye kulturer.
have a mind of its own
Used to describe a machine or object that seems to act independently or unpredictably, not following the user's intentions.
Bruges om at beskrive en maskine eller genstand, der virker som om den opfører sig uafhængigt eller uforudsigeligt, ikke efter brugerens intentioner.
My old printer has a mind of its own; sometimes it prints, and sometimes it just makes strange noises.
Min gamle printer lever sit eget liv; nogle gange printer den, andre gange laver den mærkelige lyde.
make up your mind
To decide; to choose between options or come to a conclusion.
At beslutte sig; vælge mellem muligheder eller nå til en konklusion.
You need to make up your mind about which college you want to attend.
Du skal beslutte dig for, hvilken uddannelse du vil gå på.
put/set someone's mind at rest
To help someone stop worrying or feeling anxious by providing reassurance or information.
At berolige nogen og fjerne deres bekymringer ved at give beroligelse eller information.
The doctor was able to put my mind at rest by explaining that the symptoms were nothing serious.
Lægen kunne berolige mit sind ved at forklare, at symptomerne ikke var alvorlige.
at the back of your mind
Always in your mind although you don’t spend too much time thinking about it.
Altid i baghovedet, selvom du ikke bruger meget tid på at tænke på det.
Even while enjoying the party, the thought of my upcoming exam was at the back of my mind.
Selv mens jeg nød festen, var tanken om min kommende eksamen i baghovedet.
in your mind’s eye
in your imagination or memory.
i din fantasi eller erindring.
Whenever I miss my hometown, I just close my eyes and in my mind’s eye I can see the old streets and familiar faces.
Når jeg savner min hjemby, lukker jeg bare øjnene, og for mit indre øje kan jeg se de gamle gader og kendte ansigter.
blood and guts
very violent (used to describe films, stories, or situations with a lot of graphic violence).
meget voldelig (brugt om film, historier eller situationer med meget blod og vold).
He loves movies with blood and guts, but I prefer comedies.
Han elsker film med blod og vold, men jeg foretrækker komedier.
in cold blood / in a cold-blooded way
done in a cruelly planned and unemotional way.
gjort på en grusomt planlagt og følelsesløs måde.
The crime was committed in cold blood, shocking the entire community.
Forbrydelsen blev begået i koldt blod, hvilket chokerede hele samfundet.
like getting blood out of a stone
Very difficult to do, especially when trying to make someone give you information or something they don't want to give.
Meget svært at gøre, især når du prøver at få nogen til at give informationer eller noget, de ikke vil give.
Trying to get him to talk about his feelings is like getting blood out of a stone.
At få ham til at tale om sine følelser var som at presse blod af en sten.
gut feeling/reaction
An instinctive feeling or reaction that is not based on logical reasoning but rather on intuition.
En instinktiv følelse eller reaktion, der ikke er baseret på logisk ræsonnement, men på intuition.
Even though the deal looked good on paper, I had a gut feeling that something was off.
Selvom aftalen så god ud på papiret, havde jeg en mavefornemmelse af, at noget var galt.
slog/sweat/work your guts out
To work extremely hard, often with great effort and determination.
At arbejde ekstremt hårdt, ofte med stor indsats og beslutsomhed.
She slogged her guts out to finish the project before the deadline.
Hun knoklede løs for at færdiggøre projektet før deadline.
relief in the air
A feeling or sense of relief that is noticeable or shared by a group of people in a particular place or situation.
En følelse af lettelse, der mærkes af flere personer på samme sted
After the announcement that the exams were canceled, there was relief in the air throughout the school.
Efter meldingen om at eksamenerne var aflyst, var der lettelse i luften på hele skolen.
up in the air
Not yet decided or settled; uncertain.
Ikke afgjort eller stadig usikkert.
Our vacation plans are still up in the air because we haven't chosen a destination yet.
Vores ferieplaner er stadig i det uvisse, fordi vi endnu ikke har valgt en destination.
clear the air
To resolve misunderstandings or bad feelings between people, usually by talking openly about the issue.
At løse misforståelser eller dårlige følelser mellem folk, oftest ved at tale åbent om det.
After their argument, they decided to sit down and clear the air so they could work together again.
Efter deres skænderi besluttede de at sætte sig ned og få renset luften, så de kunne arbejde sammen igen.
a breath of fresh air
something or someone that is new, different, and exciting, often bringing a refreshing change to a situation.
noget eller nogen ny, anderledes og spændende, som bringer fornyelse til en situation.
Her positive attitude was a breath of fresh air in the otherwise tense office.
Hendes positive tilgang var et frisk pust i det ellers anspændte kontor.
out of the blue
completely unexpectedly
helt uventet
She called me out of the blue after years of no contact.
Hun ringede til mig som et lyn fra en klar himmel efter mange år uden kontakt.
down-to-earth
very practical, realistic, and unpretentious; having a sensible and straightforward attitude.
meget praktisk, realistisk og jordnær; har en fornuftig og ligefrem tilgang.
Despite her fame, she remains down-to-earth and always treats everyone with respect.
Trods sin berømmelse forbliver hun jordnær og behandler altid alle med respekt.
come (back) down to earth with a bang
To suddenly return to reality after being excited, happy, or distracted, often in a way that is disappointing or sobering.
Pludselig at vende tilbage til virkeligheden efter begejstring eller glæde, ofte på en skuffende måde.
After winning the lottery, he came down to earth with a bang when he realized how much tax he had to pay.
Efter han vandt i lotteriet, kom han hårdt ned på jorden, da han opdagede, hvor meget skat han skulle betale.
bites the dust
To fail, break down, or die; to come to an end or be defeated.
mislykkes, går i stykker eller dør; når til vejs ende
Another one of my old laptops just bites the dust after years of use.
Endnu en af mine gamle laptops står af efter mange års brug.
living on another planet
To be completely unaware of what is happening in the real world; to be out of touch with reality.
At være fuldstændigt ude af kontakt med virkeligheden.
Sometimes I think my brother is living on another planet when he talks about his wild business ideas.
Nogle gange tror jeg, at min bror lever på en anden planet, når han fortæller om sine vilde forretningsidéer.
over the moon
You are extremely happy or delighted about something.
Du er ekstremt glad eller begejstret for noget.
She was over the moon when she found out she got the job.
Hun var ovenud lykkelig, da hun fandt ud af, at hun havde fået jobbet.
hits rock bottom
To reach the lowest or worst possible point in a situation.
At nå det laveste eller værste punkt i en situation.
After losing his job and his apartment, he really hit rock bottom before things started to improve.
Efter at have mistet sit job og sin lejlighed, ramte han bunden, før tingene begyndte at blive bedre.
find out how the land lies
To assess or investigate a situation before becoming involved or making a decision.
At vurdere eller undersøge en situation, før man involverer sig eller træffer en beslutning.
Before making any big decisions at the new job, I decided to find out how the land lies first.
Inden jeg tog store beslutninger på det nye job, valgte jeg at se tiden an først.
upper-crust
They belong to a very high social class.
De tilhører den øverste samfundsklasse.
She was invited to the gala because her family is considered part of the upper-crust of society.
Hun blev inviteret til gallaen, fordi hendes familie regnes for en del af overklassen i samfundet.
in the dark
not told important things that other people know
ikke informeret om vigtige ting, som andre kender til
I was completely in the dark about the surprise party they were planning for me.
Jeg var helt holdt i mørket om surprisefesten, de planlagde for mig.
keeps you in the dark
not told important things that other people know
at få ikke at vide vigtige ting, som andre ved
The manager always keeps us in the dark about upcoming changes in the company.
Lederen holder os altid i mørket om kommende ændringer i virksomheden.
in your element
You are happy and relaxed in a situation because you are good at the things it involves.
Du er glad og afslappet i en situation, fordi du er god til det, der kræves.
When she's teaching a class, she is truly in her element.
Når hun underviser, er hun virkelig på hjemmebane.
out of your element
You feel unhappy or uncomfortable because you are not familiar with or good at the tasks or environment involved.
Du føler dig utilpas eller usikker, fordi du ikke er vant til opgaven eller miljøet.
When I had to give a speech in front of the whole company, I felt out of my element.
Da jeg skulle holde tale foran hele firmaet, følte jeg mig som en fisk på land.
long time no see
Used as a greeting when you meet someone you haven't seen for a long period.
Bruges som hilsen når man møder nogen, man ikke har set længe.
Long time no see! How have you been since we graduated?
Det er længe siden! Hvordan har du haft det siden vi blev færdige?
it's a long story
It’s complicated or takes too long to explain.
Det er kompliceret eller tager for lang tid at forklare.
Why did you move to a new city? Well, it's a long story, but the short version is I got a new job.
Hvorfor flyttede du til en ny by? Tja, det er en lang historie, men kort sagt fik jeg nyt job.
how long is a piece of string?
That’s an impossible question to answer.
Det er et umuligt spørgsmål at besvare.
When asked how much it would cost to renovate the old house, the builder replied, 'how long is a piece of string?'
Da han blev spurgt, hvor meget det ville koste at renovere det gamle hus, svarede håndværkeren: det er umuligt at sige.
a list as long as your arm
A very long list indeed.
En meget lang liste.
She has a list as long as your arm of things she wants to do before she turns thirty.
Hun har en laaang liste over ting, hun vil nå, før hun fylder tredive.
long-winded
Too long and boring (about a story, lecture, or speech).
Alt for lang og kedelig (om en fortælling, forelæsning eller tale).
The professor's explanation was so long-winded that half the class fell asleep.
Professorens forklaring var så langtrukken, at halvdelen af klassen faldt i søvn.
a long haul
A task or process that is not going to be easy and will take a long time.
En opgave eller proces, der er svær og tager lang tid.
Finishing my degree was a long haul, but it was worth it in the end.
At færdiggøre min uddannelse var en lang og sej kamp, men det var det hele værd.
have a long face
To look sad, depressed, or disappointed.
se trist, nedtrykt eller skuffet ud
Why do you have a long face? Did something bad happen at work?
Hvorfor ser du så trist ud? Skete der noget dårligt på arbejdet?
go to great lengths
To make a very big effort to achieve something, often more than what is expected or necessary.
At gøre en meget stor indsats for at opnå noget, ofte mere end forventet eller nødvendigt.
She went to great lengths to organize the perfect surprise party for her friend.
Hun gjorde alt, for at arrangere den perfekte overraskelsesfest for sin ven.
go to any lengths
To do whatever is necessary, even if it is difficult or extreme, to achieve a goal.
At gøre hvad som helst, uanset hvor svært eller ekstremt, for at nå et mål.
She would go to any lengths to protect her children from harm.
Hun ville gå meget langt for at beskytte sine børn mod fare.
go a long way
To be very successful or make significant progress, often rising to a high level in one's profession or endeavors.
At få stor succes eller gøre betydelige fremskridt, ofte ved at nå et højt niveau inden for sit erhverv eller sine bestræbelser.
With her talent and determination, I'm sure she will go a long way in her career.
Med hendes talent og beslutsomhed er jeg sikker på, at hun vil nå langt i sin karriere.
go back a long way
Have known each other for many years.
Har kendt hinanden i mange år.
Sarah and I go back a long way; we were in kindergarten together.
Sarah og jeg kender hinanden fra gamle dage; vi gik i børnehave sammen.
come a long way
To have made significant progress or improvement over time.
At have gjort betydelige fremskridt eller forbedringer over tid.
She has come a long way since her first day on the job.
Hun har rykket sig meget siden sin første arbejdsdag.
take a long, hard look
To examine or consider something very carefully and thoroughly, often in order to make an important decision or judgment.
At undersøge eller overveje noget meget grundigt og omhyggeligt, ofte for at træffe en vigtig beslutning.
Before making any changes to the project, we need to take a long, hard look at the current plan.
Før vi ændrer projektet, skal vi gennemgå planen grundigt.
be on someone's back
constantly ask someone to do something or criticise them in an annoying way
konstant at kritisere eller plage nogen med krav
My boss is always on my back about finishing the reports on time.
Min chef er altid over mig med at få rapporterne færdige til tiden.
you wouldn't be sorry / you'd be pleased/glad/happy to see the back of someone/something
You'd be glad when someone leaves or something ends because you don't like that person or thing.
Du bliver glad, når nogen forlader eller noget slutter, fordi du ikke kan lide dem eller det.
After months of dealing with the noisy neighbors, I was glad to see the back of them when they finally moved out.
Efter måneder med larmende naboer var jeg glad for endelig at slippe af med dem, da de flyttede.
could do something with one arm/hand tied behind your back
To be able to do something very easily, without much effort.
At kunne gøre noget meget nemt, uden meget anstrengelse.
She's so good at math that she could solve these problems with one hand tied behind her back.
Hun er så god til matematik, at hun kan løse de her problemer med lukkede øjne.
stab someone in the back
do something harmful to a person who trusted you, especially by betraying them secretly
at gøre noget skadeligt mod en person, der har stolet på dig, især ved at forråde dem i hemmelighed
I couldn't believe she would stab me in the back after all the help I gave her.
Jeg kunne ikke tro, at hun ville stikke mig i ryggen efter al den hjælp, jeg gav hende.
do something when/while someone's back is turned
do something while someone can't see what you are doing (usually something that person would not approve of)
gøre noget, mens nogen ikke ser det (oftest noget personen ikke ville godkende)
The kids always get into trouble when their teacher's back is turned.
Børnene laver altid ballade når læreren kigger væk.
you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours
If you help me, I'll help you; mutual assistance for mutual benefit.
Gensidig hjælp til fælles fordel.
If you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours—I'll cover your shift today if you help me with my project next week.
Hvis du hjælper mig, hjælper jeg dig—jeg tager din vagt i dag, hvis du hjælper mig med mit projekt næste uge.
know a place/person/thing like the back of your hand
To know a place, person, or thing extremely well; to be very familiar with it.
At kende et sted, en person eller en ting virkelig godt; at være meget fortrolig med det.
After living in Paris for ten years, I know the city like the back of my hand.
Efter ti år i Paris kender jeg byen som min egen bukselomme.
on the back burner
isn't being dealt with now but hasn't been totally forgotten
bliver ikke håndteret nu, men er ikke glemt
We had to put the renovation project on the back burner until we save up more money.
Vi måtte sætte renoveringsprojektet på standby indtil vi får sparet flere penge op.
at/in the back of beyond
A place that is extremely remote or far away from any town or civilization.
Et sted, der er ekstremt øde eller langt væk fra al civilisation.
My grandparents live in the back of beyond, so it takes hours just to get to the nearest store.
Mine bedsteforældre bor ude i ingenting, så det tager timer blot at komme til den nærmeste butik.
take a back seat
to allow someone or something else to become more important or prominent while you become less involved or less important.
at give plads til noget eller nogen andet og selv træde i baggrunden
After the birth of their child, her career had to take a back seat to family responsibilities.
Efter deres barns fødsel måtte hendes karriere vige for familien.
came/fell off the back of a lorry
Used humorously to suggest that something was probably stolen, especially when its origin is suspicious or unclear.
Bruges humoristisk for at antyde, at noget sikkert er stjålet eller har en mistænkelig oprindelse.
When I asked where he got the designer bag, he just winked and said it fell off the back of a lorry.
Da jeg spurgte, hvor han havde fået designertasken fra, blinkede han bare og sagde, den faldt af lastbilen.
by/through the back door
It comes in a way that is not honest or official.
Det sker på en uofficiel eller uærlig måde.
He managed to get the job through the back door, without going through the proper interview process.
Han fik jobbet ad bagdøren uden at gå gennem den officielle ansættelsesproces.
leant/bent over backwards
tried very hard to help or please someone, often more than is expected or necessary
gjorde sig meget umage for at hjælpe eller glæde nogen, ofte mere end nødvendigt eller forventet
She bent over backwards to make sure her guests were comfortable during their stay.
Hun gjorde alt hvad hun kunne for at sikre, at hendes gæster havde det behageligt under deres ophold.
left without a backward glance
left with no regrets or sad feelings
at forlade uden fortrydelse eller sorg
After quitting her stressful job, she left without a backward glance and never looked back.
Efter hun sagde sit stressende job op, gik hun videre uden at se sig tilbage og så sig aldrig tilbage.
make yourself at home
To relax and behave as if you were in your own house; to feel comfortable and at ease in someone else's place.
At slappe af og opføre sig, som var man hjemme hos sig selv.
Please come in and make yourself at home while I finish preparing dinner.
Kom ind og føl dig som hjemme, mens jeg gør middagen færdig.
as safe as houses
extremely safe
meget sikkert
You can trust this investment; it's as safe as houses.
Du kan stole på denne investering; den er sikker som amen i kirken.
come home to me
To become fully understood, realized, or appreciated, often after some time has passed.
At forstå eller indse noget fuldt ud, ofte efter noget tid
It finally came home to me how much my parents had sacrificed for my education.
Det gik først rigtigt op for mig, hvor meget mine forældre havde ofret for min uddannelse.
brought home to me
made me understand, usually something unpleasant
gjorde det tydeligt for mig, ofte noget ubehageligt
The dangers of texting while driving were brought home to me when I saw the aftermath of a car accident.
Faren ved at skrive beskeder, mens man kører, blev virkelig gjort tydelig for mig, da jeg så følgerne af en bilulykke.
got my foot in the door
started working at a low level in an organisation because you want to get a better job in the same organisation later on
startede på et lavt niveau for at få mulighed for et bedre job senere i samme organisation
Even though the position was just an internship, I was happy that I got my foot in the door at the company.
Selvom det kun var et praktikophold, var jeg glad for, at jeg fik foden indenfor i virksomheden.
hold the key to
to provide the explanation for something you could not previously understand; to be the crucial factor in solving a problem or mystery.
det afgørende element for at løse et problem eller en gåde
Improved communication holds the key to a successful relationship.
Forbedret kommunikation er nøglen til et succesfuldt forhold.
flew off the handle
reacted in a very angry way (informal)
reagerede meget vredt (uformelt)
When the printer jammed again, Sarah suddenly flew off the handle and started yelling at everyone in the office.
Da printeren satte sig fast igen, flippede Sarah helt ud og begyndte at råbe ad alle på kontoret.
sit on the fence
delay making a decision or fail to choose between two alternatives
udsætter at træffe en beslutning eller vælger ikke mellem to alternativer
When it came time to vote, she decided to sit on the fence instead of choosing a side.
Da det var tid til at stemme, valgte hun at sidde på hegnet i stedet for at vælge side.
come down on one side or the other
To make a decision or choose between two options or opinions.
At træffe en beslutning eller vælge mellem to muligheder eller meninger.
After hours of debate, the committee had to come down on one side or the other regarding the new policy.
Efter flere timers debat måtte udvalget vælge side angående den nye politik.
hit the ceiling/roof
To react with sudden and intense anger.
At reagere med pludseligt og intenst raseri.
When she saw the mess in the kitchen, she hit the ceiling and started yelling at everyone.
Da hun så rodet i køkkenet, flippede hun ud og begyndte at råbe af alle.
got out of bed on the wrong side
got up in a bad mood and stayed in a bad mood all day
vågnede op i dårligt humør og forblev sådan hele dagen
Don't mind her grumpiness—she just got out of bed on the wrong side this morning.
Tag dig ikke af hendes surhed—hun er bare stået ud af sengen med det forkerte ben i dag.
burning the candle at both ends
To overwork yourself by doing too many things, especially by staying up late and getting up early, which can lead to exhaustion.
At arbejde for meget ved at gøre for mange ting, især ved at være sent oppe og tidligt oppe, hvilket kan føre til udmattelse.
She’s been burning the candle at both ends trying to finish her project and take care of her family.
Hun har kørt på alle tangenter for at færdiggøre sit projekt og tage sig af familien.
put me in the picture
explained the situation to me; gave me the necessary information to understand what is happening
forklarede situationen for mig; gav mig den nødvendige information for at forstå, hvad der sker
I was confused about the new project, but my manager put me in the picture during our meeting.
Jeg var forvirret over det nye projekt, men min chef sat mig ind i sagen under mødet.
take a leaf out of his girlfriend’s book
To copy or imitate something that someone else does, often because it has brought them success or advantage.
At kopiere eller efterligne nogen, ofte fordi det har givet dem succes.
If he wants to improve his grades, he should take a leaf out of his girlfriend’s book and start studying every evening.
Hvis han vil forbedre sine karakterer, bør han tage ved lære af sin kæreste og begynde at læse hver aften.
keep someone in the picture
To keep someone informed or updated about a situation or development.
At holde nogen informeret om en situation eller udvikling.
Please keep me in the picture about any changes to the project schedule.
Vil du holde mig opdateret om eventuelle ændringer i projektplanen?
open your heart
To share your deepest feelings, thoughts, or emotions honestly and openly with someone.
At dele dine dybeste følelser og tanker ærligt og åbent med nogen.
Sometimes it's hard to open your heart after being hurt, but it's the only way to truly connect with others.
Nogle gange er det svært at åbne sit hjerte efter at være blevet såret, men det er den eneste måde at få ægte forbindelse til andre på.
bare your heart/soul
To share your deepest, most personal or secret feelings, often of an emotional or dramatic nature, with someone else.
At dele dine dybeste eller mest personlige følelser med en anden.
After years of keeping it to herself, she finally decided to bare her soul to her best friend.
Efter mange år besluttede hun endelig at åbne sit hjerte for sin bedste veninde.
pour your heart out
To share your deepest feelings, worries, or secrets with someone, often in an emotional way.
At dele dine dybeste følelser, bekymringer eller hemmeligheder med nogen på en følelsesladet måde.
After the breakup, she poured her heart out to her best friend over coffee.
Efter bruddet åbnede hun sit hjerte for sin bedste veninde over en kop kaffe.
your heart misses/skips a beat
You suddenly feel so excited, surprised, or frightened that your heart seems to stop or beat faster for a moment.
Du føler dig pludselig så spændt, overrasket eller bange, at dit hjerte føles som om, det springer et slag over et øjeblik.
When I saw the exam results posted, my heart skipped a beat before I found my name on the list.
Da jeg så eksamensresultaterne, sprang mit hjerte et slag over, før jeg fandt mit navn på listen.
someone’s heart is in the right place
someone is good even if they sometimes behave the wrong way
nogen er god, selvom de nogle gange opfører sig forkert
He can be a bit blunt, but his heart is in the right place and he always means well.
Han kan være lidt direkte, men han mener det godt og vil altid det bedste.
have a change of heart
To change your opinion or the way you feel about something.
At ændre sin holdning eller følelse omkring noget.
At first, she didn't want to adopt the puppy, but after spending some time with it, she had a change of heart.
I starten ville hun ikke adoptere hvalpen, men efter noget tid skiftede hun mening.
break someone’s heart
make someone very sad (often someone who loves you)
gør nogen meget ked af det (ofte én, der elsker dig)
It would break her heart if you left without saying goodbye.
Det ville knuse hendes hjerte, hvis du gik uden at sige farvel.
your heart sinks
You start to feel sad, disappointed, or worried, often because something bad or unexpected has happened.
Du begynder at føle dig trist eller skuffet, ofte fordi noget dårligt eller uventet er sket.
When I saw the exam questions, my heart sank because I hadn't studied those topics.
Da jeg så eksamensspørgsmålene, sank mit hjerte, fordi jeg ikke havde læst op på de emner.
a man/woman after my own heart
someone who you admire because they do or believe the same as you
en person, du beundrer, fordi de deler dine værdier eller interesser
When I heard she loved hiking as much as I do, I knew she was a woman after my own heart.
Da jeg hørte, at hun elsker at vandre lige så meget som mig, vidste jeg, at hun var én efter mit eget hjerte.
talk to someone heart-to-heart / have a heart-to-heart
have a serious conversation and express your feelings openly
have en ærlig samtale og udtrykke sine følelser åbent
After weeks of tension, I finally decided to have a heart-to-heart with my roommate about our issues.
Efter uger med spændinger besluttede jeg endelig at tage en alvorlig snak med min roommate om vores problemer.
take something to heart
To take something (usually criticism or advice) seriously and be deeply affected by it.
At tage noget (normalt kritik eller råd) meget seriøst og blive dybt påvirket af det
She took her teacher's comments to heart and worked hard to improve her writing.
Hun tog lærerens kommentarer til sig og arbejdede hårdt på at forbedre sin skrivning.
lose heart
To stop believing that you can succeed; to become discouraged or lose confidence.
miste modet eller troen på succes
After failing the exam twice, she started to lose heart and considered giving up.
Efter at have dumpet eksamen to gange begyndte hun at miste modet og overvejede at give op.
to your heart’s content
You do something as much as you want to because you enjoy it.
Du gør noget så meget, som du vil, fordi du nyder det.
On weekends, I sleep to my heart’s content without worrying about alarms.
I weekenden sover jeg til jeg ikke gider mere uden at bekymre mig om vækkeur.
put your heart and soul into something
To put a great deal of effort, passion, and determination into something; to be fully committed and dedicated.
At lægge al sin energi, passion og beslutsomhed i noget; at være fuldt engageret.
She put her heart and soul into the project, working late every night to make sure it was perfect.
Hun lagde hele sit hjerte og sjæl i projektet og arbejdede sent hver nat for at gøre det perfekt.
set your heart on something / have your heart set on something
To be very determined to achieve or obtain something; to strongly desire something.
At være meget opsat på at opnå eller få noget; at ønske sig noget stærkt.
Ever since she was a child, she set her heart on becoming a doctor.
Lige siden hun var barn, har hun drømt om at blive læge.
know something by heart / learn something off by heart
memorise something so that you can recite it perfectly
at lære noget udenad, så du kan gengive det perfekt
She can recite the poem by heart after practicing for weeks.
Hun kan recitere digtet udenad efter at have øvet sig i flere uger.
paths cross
to meet someone, often unexpectedly or by chance
at møde nogen, ofte uventet eller tilfældigt
I never expected our paths would cross again after college, but we ran into each other at the airport.
Jeg forventede aldrig, at vores veje ville krydses igen efter universitetet, men vi stødte på hinanden i lufthavnen.
stuck in a rut
in a boring situation, with no hope of excitement, or future prospects
i en kedelig situation uden håb om spænding eller fremtid
After working the same job for ten years, I feel like I'm stuck in a rut and need a change.
Efter ti år i det samme job føler jeg, at jeg sidder fast i samme rille og har brug for forandring.
driving me round the bend
making me angry and frustrated
gør mig vred og frustreret
The constant noise from the construction site is really driving me round the bend.
Den konstante larm fra byggepladsen driver mig til vanvid.
right up your street/alley
perfect for you; exactly what interests you
lige noget for dig; passer perfekt til din interesse
If you love mystery novels, this new detective series will be right up your street.
Hvis du elsker krimier, er denne nye detektivserie lige noget for dig.
middle-of-the-road
neither left-wing nor right-wing, has no radical views
hverken venstre- eller højreorienteret, har ingen ekstreme holdninger
The candidate's policies are very middle-of-the-road, appealing to voters who don't want extreme changes.
Kandidatens politik er meget midt-til-venstre, hvilket tiltaler vælgere, der ikke ønsker ekstreme forandringer.
on the right/wrong track
Thinking or acting in a way that is likely to lead to success or the correct result (right track), or in a way that is likely to lead to failure or an incorrect result (wrong track).
At tænke eller handle på en måde, der sandsynligvis fører til succes eller det rigtige resultat (på rette spor), eller på en måde, der sandsynligvis fører til fiasko eller et forkert resultat (på vildspor).
If you keep practicing every day, you're definitely on the right track to becoming a great pianist.
Hvis du fortsætter med at øve hver dag, er du helt klart på rette spor til at blive en fantastisk pianist.
an uphill battle/fight/struggle
a very difficult task
en meget svær opgave
Convincing the board to approve the new project was an uphill battle from the start.
At overbevise bestyrelsen om at godkende det nye projekt var en hård kamp fra starten.
gone downhill
Something that used to be good has become worse over time.
Noget, der før var godt, er blevet værre over tid.
Ever since the new manager took over, the service at this restaurant has really gone downhill.
Siden den nye manager overtog, er servicen på denne restaurant virkelig blevet dårligere.
off the beaten track
in a very isolated place
på et meget isoleret sted
We found a charming little café off the beaten track that none of the tourists knew about.
Vi fandt en charmerende lille café langt væk fra alfarvej, som ingen turister vidste om.
at a crossroads
At a decisive or critical point where an important decision must be made that will have significant consequences.
På et afgørende tidspunkt hvor en vigtig beslutning skal træffes, som får store konsekvenser.
After graduating from college, I found myself at a crossroads, unsure whether to start working or continue my studies.
Efter jeg blev færdiguddannet, stod jeg ved en skillevej og vidste ikke, om jeg skulle begynde at arbejde eller fortsætte på studiet.
a dead end
It has no future or prospects; a situation, job, or path that leads nowhere.
Ingen fremtid eller muligheder; en situation, et job eller en vej der fører ingen steder hen.
After working there for five years, I realized my job was a dead end with no chance for promotion.
Efter fem år gik det op for mig, at mit job var en blindgyde uden mulighed for forfremmelse.
go/get from A to B
to make simple or typical journeys, usually referring to the basic act of traveling from one place to another without complications.
at tage en simpel rejse, normalt fra et sted til et andet uden besvær.
This small car is perfect if you just need to get from A to B around the city.
Denne lille bil er perfekt, hvis du bare skal fra A til B i byen.
put the village on the map
To make the village well-known or famous, especially when it was previously unknown.
At gøre landsbyen kendt eller berømt, især hvis den tidligere var ukendt.
The new art festival really put the village on the map, attracting visitors from all over the country.
Den nye kunstfestival sat virkelig landsbyen på landkortet og tiltrak besøgende fra hele landet.
hit the road
to start a journey or leave a place, especially by car or on a trip.
at tage afsted på en rejse eller forlade et sted, især i bil eller på en tur.
We should hit the road early tomorrow to avoid traffic.
Vi bør tage afsted tidligt i morgen for at undgå trafikken.
road rage
violent incidents resulting from traffic disputes
voldelige hændelser som følge af trafikopgør
He experienced a bout of road rage when another driver cut him off on the highway.
Han oplevede et anfald af raskeri i trafikken, da en anden bilist snittede ham på motorvejen.
keep your head
keep calm, especially in a difficult or dangerous situation
bevare roen, især i svære eller farlige situationer
Even when the fire alarm went off, Sarah managed to keep her head and guided everyone to safety.
Selv da brandalarmen gik, formåede Sarah at bevare roen og førte alle i sikkerhed.
lose your head
To panic or lose control of your emotions, especially in a stressful situation.
at gå i panik eller miste besindelsen i en stresset situation
When the fire alarm went off, she didn't lose her head and calmly led everyone outside.
Da brandalarmen gik i gang, holdt hun hovedet koldt og førte roligt alle udenfor.
laugh/scream/shout your head off
To laugh, scream, or shout very loudly and energetically, often in an uncontrolled or exaggerated way (informal).
At grine, skrige eller råbe meget højt og energisk, ofte ukontrolleret eller overdrevet.
The kids laughed their heads off when the clown slipped on a banana peel.
Børnene grinede sig halve ihjel, da klovnen gled på bananskrællen.
be banging or hitting your head against a brick wall
To keep trying to achieve something that is very difficult or impossible, especially because other people are not cooperating or listening.
At blive ved med at forsøge at opnå noget, der er meget svært eller umuligt, især fordi andre ikke samarbejder eller lytter.
Trying to convince my boss to change his mind is like banging my head against a brick wall.
At prøve at overbevise min chef er som at slå hovedet mod en mur.
bring something to a head / something comes to a head
An unpleasant situation becomes so bad or intense that it must be addressed or resolved immediately.
En ubehagelig situation bliver så alvorlig, at den straks skal håndteres.
The ongoing arguments between the two departments finally came to a head when the manager called a meeting to resolve the issues.
De igangværende skænderier mellem de to afdelinger kulminerede, da lederen indkaldte til møde for at løse problemerne.
shouting their heads off
To shout very much and very loudly.
råbe alt hvad man kan
The kids were shouting their heads off during the birthday party, making it impossible to hear anything.
Børnene råbte alt hvad de kunne til fødselsdagsfesten, så det var umuligt at høre noget.
banging your head against a brick wall
To keep trying to achieve something that is very difficult or impossible, especially when your efforts are ignored or not successful.
At blive ved med at forsøge at opnå noget, der er meget svært eller umuligt, især når ens indsats bliver ignoreret eller ikke lykkes.
Trying to convince my boss to change his mind is like banging my head against a brick wall.
At prøve at få min chef til at ændre mening er som at tale for døve ører.
came to a head
An unpleasant situation became so bad or intense that it had to be dealt with immediately.
En ubehagelig situation blev så slem, at den straks måtte håndteres.
The conflict between the two departments came to a head when both managers refused to compromise.
Konflikten mellem de to afdelinger kulminerede, da begge ledere nægtede at gå på kompromis.
put ideas into someone’s head
make someone want to do something they had not wanted to do before (usually something foolish or unwise)
få nogen til at ville gøre noget, de ikke tidligere ville (ofte noget dumt eller uklogt)
Don't put ideas into his head about skipping school—he hadn't even thought of it until you mentioned it.
Du skal ikke plante idéer i hovedet på ham om at pjække – han havde ikke engang tænkt tanken før du nævnte det.
get your head (a)round (usually – can’t get (my) head (a)round)
come to fully accept or understand something (informal)
fuldt ud acceptere eller forstå noget
I just can't get my head around the fact that they're moving to another country.
Jeg kan simpelthen ikke forstå at de flytter til et andet land.
off the top of your head
without thinking about it for very long or looking at something that has been written about it
uden at tænke længe over det eller slå noget op
Can you tell me, off the top of your head, how many countries are in Europe?
Kan du fortælle mig, på stående fod, hvor mange lande der er i Europa?
turns heads
people notice that person because they look interesting or attractive
folk lægger mærke til personen, fordi de ser interessante eller tiltrækkende ud
Whenever she walks into a room, she turns heads with her unique sense of style.
Hver gang hun træder ind i et rum, vender folk hovederne på grund af hendes unikke stil.
knock that on the head
put a stop to it (informal)
sætte en stopper for det (uformelt)
If you keep arguing, I'm going to knock that on the head right now.
Hvis I bliver ved med at skændes, vil jeg stoppe det med det samme.
keep his head above water
To manage to survive or cope, especially with work or financial difficulties, often just barely.
At klare sig med nød og næppe, især når det gælder økonomiske eller arbejdsmæssige udfordringer.
With all the bills piling up, he's struggling to keep his head above water these days.
Med alle regningerne, kæmper han for at holde hovedet oven vande i disse dage.
bites/snaps their heads off
speaks to them angrily, often suddenly or without clear reason
taler vredt til dem, ofte pludseligt eller uden klar grund
Whenever he's stressed at work, he bites my head off for the smallest mistakes.
Når han er stresset på arbejdet, skælder han mig ud over de mindste fejl.
keep my head down
say as little as possible in order to avoid arguments
sige så lidt som muligt for at undgå konflikter
During the heated meeting, I decided to keep my head down and not get involved in the debate.
Under det ophedede møde besluttede jeg at holde lav profil og ikke blande mig i debatten.
jazz it up
make something more lively or interesting
gøre noget mere livligt eller spændende
We decided to jazz it up by adding some colorful decorations to the room.
Vi besluttede at pifte det op ved at tilføje farverige dekorationer til rummet.
sang her heart out
sang with great passion or effort
sang med stor passion eller indsats
At the talent show, she sang her heart out and received a standing ovation from the crowd.
Til talentshowet sang hun af hjertens lyst og fik stående applaus fra publikum.
sound like a broken record
To keep repeating the same thing over and over, often to the annoyance of others.
At gentage det samme igen og igen, ofte til irritation for andre.
You sound like a broken record when you keep reminding me to clean my room every day.
Du lyder som en plade, der er gået i hak, når du hele tiden minder mig om at rydde op på mit værelse.
music to my ears
something that is very pleasant or gratifying to hear
noget der er meget rart at høre
When my boss said I could leave early on Friday, it was music to my ears.
Da min chef sagde, jeg måtte gå tidligt fredag, var det musik i mine ører.
struck a chord
caused someone to feel sympathy, emotion, or enthusiasm
fremkaldte sympati, følelser eller begejstring hos nogen
Her story about overcoming adversity really struck a chord with the audience.
Hendes historie om at overvinde modgang ramte publikum dybt.
changed his tune
changed his opinion or attitude
ændrede holdning eller mening
At first, he refused to help, but after seeing the results, he changed his tune and offered his support.
Først nægtede han at hjælpe, men efter at have set resultaterne ændrede han mening og tilbød sin støtte.
fine-tuning
making small improvements to something to make it as good as possible
at lave små forbedringer for at gøre noget så godt som muligt
The engineer spent hours fine-tuning the engine to get the best performance.
Ingeniøren brugte timer på at finjustere motoren for at opnå den bedste ydeevne.
making a song and dance about
making an unnecessary fuss about something
gøre et stort nummer ud af noget unødvendigt
She was making a song and dance about the tiniest mistake in the report.
Hun gjorde et stort nummer ud af den mindste fejl i rapporten.
set the stage for
create a situation that allows something else to happen
skabe en situation, hvor noget andet kan ske
The new government policies set the stage for economic growth in the region.
De nye regeringspolitikker banede vejen for økonomisk vækst i regionen.
making a spectacle of yourself
behaving in a way that attracts other people’s attention, usually because you are doing something stupid or silly
opføre sig på en måde, der tiltrækker andres opmærksomhed, som regel fordi man gør noget dumt eller fjollet
He was making a spectacle of himself by dancing wildly on the table at the wedding.
Han gjorde sig til grin ved at danse vildt på bordet til brylluppet.
been in the spotlight
been the centre of attention, often in public media
været centrum for opmærksomhed, ofte i medierne
Ever since the scandal broke, the politician has been in the spotlight and can't go anywhere without reporters following.
Siden skandalen brød ud, har politikeren været i rampelyset og kan ikke gå nogen steder uden journalister følger med.
the curtain has fallen on
Used to indicate that something, such as a career, event, or period, has come to an end.
Bruges om at indikere, at noget, som en karriere, begivenhed eller periode, er slut.
After thirty years in the music industry, the curtain has finally fallen on his remarkable career.
Efter tredive år i musikbranchen er gardinet endelig gået ned for hans bemærkelsesværdige karriere.
the show must go on
No matter what difficulties or setbacks occur, an activity or event must continue as planned.
Uanset hvilke vanskeligheder eller forhindringer der opstår, skal en aktivitet eller begivenhed fortsætte som planlagt.
Even though the lead actor was sick, the director insisted that the show must go on and the performance continued.
Selvom hovedskuespilleren var syg, insisterede instruktøren på, at forestillingen skal fortsætte, og forestillingen blev gennemført.
in line for
likely to get (used about something good)
har gode chancer for at få noget godt
After all his hard work, Tom is in line for a big promotion at his company.
Efter alt sit hårde arbejde er Tom i spil til en stor forfremmelse i sin virksomhed.
out of line
not suitable, that should not have been said (or sometimes done)
ikke passende, noget der ikke burde være sagt eller gjort
His comment during the meeting was completely out of line and offended several people.
Hans kommentar under mødet var fuldstændig over stregen og fornærmede flere personer.
along the lines of
similar to; in a way that is like or resembles something else
svarende til; på en måde der minder om noget andet
He suggested something along the lines of what we did last year for the company picnic.
Han foreslog noget i stil med det, vi gjorde sidste år til firmaudflugten.
step out of line
behave in a way that is not what is expected of you
opføre sig på en måde, der ikke forventes af dig
If you step out of line at school, you might get detention.
Hvis du træder ved siden af i skolen, kan du få eftersidning.
line of work
the type of job or profession someone has
den type job eller erhverv, man har
In my line of work, I often have to travel to different countries.
I min branche skal jeg ofte rejse til forskellige lande.
go along/on the right lines
be doing something in a way that will bring good results
at gøre noget på en måde, der vil føre til gode resultater
If you keep practicing every day, you are definitely going along the right lines to improve your skills.
Hvis du øver hver dag, er du på rette vej til at forbedre dine færdigheder.
along/on the same lines
of a similar kind (sometimes in a similar way)
af samme slags (nogle gange på lignende vis)
Her presentation was along the same lines as the one we saw last week.
Hendes præsentation var i samme stil som den, vi så i sidste uge.
draw the line
To set a limit on what one is willing to do or accept; to distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable behavior.
At sætte en grænse for, hvad man er villig til at gøre eller acceptere; at skelne mellem acceptabel og uacceptabel adfærd.
I don't mind helping you move, but I draw the line at packing all your boxes for you.
Jeg har ikke noget imod at hjælpe dig med at flytte, men jeg sætter grænsen ved at pakke alle dine kasser for dig.
draw the line at something
not do something because you think it is wrong or too extreme
undlader at gøre noget, fordi man synes, det er forkert eller for ekstremt
I'm willing to help you move, but I draw the line at carrying your piano up three flights of stairs.
Jeg vil gerne hjælpe dig med at flytte, men jeg sætter grænsen ved at bære dit klaver op på tredje sal.
draw a line under something
decide that something is finished and you are not going to think about it again
beslutte at noget er afsluttet og ikke tænke mere på det
After months of arguing, they finally agreed to draw a line under their past disagreements and move forward.
Efter måneders skænderier blev de enige om at lægge låg på deres gamle uenigheder og komme videre.
there is a fine/thin line between one thing and another
Two things are very similar, although the second thing is bad while the first is not.
To ting er meget ens, selvom det andet er dårligt, mens det første ikke er.
There is a fine line between being confident and being arrogant.
Der er en hårfin grænse mellem selvtillid og arrogance.
drop me a line
send me a short letter, postcard or e-mail
send mig et kort brev, et postkort eller en e-mail
When you get to Paris, please drop me a line so I know you arrived safely.
Når du kommer til Paris, send mig lige en hilsen, så jeg ved, at du er ankommet sikkert.
reading between the lines
To understand the hidden or unspoken meaning in something that is said or written.
At forstå den skjulte eller usagte betydning i noget, der bliver sagt eller skrevet.
When she said she was 'fine,' I tried reading between the lines and realized she was actually upset.
Da hun sagde, hun havde det 'fint', forsøgte jeg at læse mellem linjerne og indså, at hun faktisk var ked af det.
sign on the dotted line
To formally agree to something, usually by signing a legal or official document.
At indgå en formel aftale, ofte ved at underskrive et juridisk eller officielt dokument.
After months of negotiations, she finally decided to sign on the dotted line and buy the house.
Efter måneders forhandlinger besluttede hun endelig at skrive under og købe huset.
the bottom line
the most important fact or the final outcome of a situation, especially after considering all the details.
Den vigtigste konklusion eller det endelige resultat efter at alt er overvejet.
After hours of discussion, the bottom line is that we need to cut costs if we want to stay in business.
Efter timers diskussion er konklusionen, at vi skal spare penge, hvis vi vil overleve.
stand on your own two feet
be independent; look after yourself
være selvstændig; klare sig selv
After graduating from college, I had to stand on my own two feet and find a job.
Efter jeg dimitterede fra universitetet, måtte jeg stå på egne ben og finde et job.
rushed off my feet
Extremely busy or overwhelmed with work or tasks; having a lot to do in a short amount of time.
Ekstremt travl eller overvældet med arbejde eller opgaver; har meget at gøre på kort tid.
I've been rushed off my feet all day trying to finish these reports before the deadline.
Jeg har været travlt beskæftiget hele dagen for at få disse rapporter færdige inden deadline.
kept both feet on the ground
remained normal and realistic
forblev jordbunden og realistisk
Even after winning the lottery, she kept both feet on the ground and continued to live modestly.
Selv efter at have vundet i lotto holdt hun begge ben på jorden og levede fortsat beskedent.
got cold feet
became afraid to do something, especially at the last moment
blev bange for at gøre noget, især i sidste øjeblik
She was all set to go skydiving, but she got cold feet right before boarding the plane.
Hun var klar til at springe i faldskærm, men fik kolde fødder lige før hun skulle ombord på flyet.
find your feet
To become comfortable in a new situation or environment; to adjust and feel confident or capable.
blive tryg og tilpasse sig en ny situation eller omgivelser
It took me a few weeks to find my feet at the new job, but now I feel much more confident.
Det tog mig et par uger at finde mig til rette på det nye job, men nu føler jeg mig mere selvsikker.
got off on the wrong foot
Our relationship started badly; to begin a relationship or activity in an unfavorable or awkward way.
Vores forhold startede dårligt; at begynde et forhold eller en aktivitet på en uheldig eller akavet måde.
We got off on the wrong foot during our first meeting, but things have improved since then.
Vi startede på den forkerte fod til vores første møde, men tingene er blevet bedre siden.
under my feet
in my way, disturbing my activities
i vejen, forstyrrer mine aktiviteter
The kids were always under my feet while I was trying to cook dinner.
Børnene var altid i vejen når jeg forsøgte at lave aftensmad.
landed/fallen on his feet
been very lucky or successful in a difficult situation
har været meget heldig eller succesfuld i en svær situation
After losing his job, Tom quickly found an even better one—he really landed on his feet.
Efter at have mistet sit job fandt Tom hurtigt et endnu bedre—han landede altid på benene.
got itchy feet
got a desire to travel
have en trang til at rejse
After a year in the same city, I got itchy feet and started planning my next adventure.
Efter et år i den samme by får jeg udlængsel og begynder at planlægge mit næste eventyr.
put my foot in it
accidentally said or did something very embarrassing or tactless, often without realizing it at the time.
komme til at sige eller gøre noget meget pinligt eller taktløst
I really put my foot in it when I asked her about her husband, not knowing they had just separated.
Jeg trådte virkelig i spinaten, da jeg spurgte hende om hendes mand uden at vide, at de netop var gået fra hinanden.
put your foot down
to assert your authority or make a firm decision, especially when refusing to allow something
at gøre sin autoritet gældende eller tage en fast beslutning, især når man siger nej
When my kids refused to do their homework, I had to put my foot down and take away their video games.
Da mine børn nægtede at lave lektier, blev jeg nødt til at sætte foden ned og tage deres videospil.
followed in his father’s footsteps
took the same course of action as somebody else
gik i andres fodspor
After graduating from college, he followed in his father’s footsteps and became a doctor.
Efter han dimitterede fra universitetet, fulgte han i sin fars fodspor og blev læge.
dragging her heels
deliberately being slow
bevidst at være langsom
She was dragging her heels about finishing her homework because she didn't want to go to bed early.
Hun trak tiden med at lave lektier, fordi hun ikke ville i seng tidligt.
digging their heels in
refusing to change their position or opinion, especially when others are trying to persuade them to do so.
at nægte at ændre holdning, især når andre prøver at overbevise én.
Despite all the evidence, the committee members dug their heels in and refused to reconsider their decision.
På trods af alle beviser stod udvalgsmedlemmerne fast og nægtede at genoverveje deres beslutning.
keeps us on our toes
keeps us busy; makes us give our full energy to our work
holder os beskæftiget; får os til at give al vores energi til arbejdet
Working in the emergency room really keeps us on our toes because you never know what will happen next.
At arbejde på skadestuen holder os virkelig på dupperne, fordi du aldrig ved, hvad der sker næste gang.
go one better
do more or do something better than it has been done before
gøre noget bedre eller mere end det, der er blevet gjort før
She decided to go one better than her brother by running a full marathon instead of a half marathon.
Hun besluttede at overgå sin bror ved at løbe et helt marathon i stedet for et halvmarathon.
against our better judgement
although we did not think it was a sensible thing to do
selvom vi ikke mente, det var fornuftigt
We decided to adopt the stray dog against our better judgement, but he turned out to be a wonderful companion.
Vi besluttede at adoptere den herreløse hund mod bedre vidende, men den viste sig at blive en fantastisk følgesvend.
stand her in good stead
To be useful or beneficial to her in the future, especially in a way that helps her handle new situations or challenges.
At være til nytte eller gavn for hende i fremtiden, især i forhold til at klare nye situationer eller udfordringer.
Her years of volunteering will stand her in good stead when she applies for a job in social work.
Hendes år som frivillig vil komme hende til gode, når hun søger job inden for socialt arbejde.
thought better of
Decided not to do something after reconsidering, usually because it might not be a good idea.
At beslutte ikke at gøre noget efter at have tænkt sig om igen, ofte fordi det nok ikke er en god idé.
She was about to confront her boss, but then she thought better of it and decided to wait.
Hun var ved at konfrontere sin chef, men så omgjorde hun sin beslutning og valgte at vente.
second best
not as good as the thing you really want
ikke så godt som det, man virkelig ønsker sig
Winning the silver medal felt like second best to her, since she had trained so hard for the gold.
At vinde sølv føltes som andenrangs for hende, da hun havde trænet hårdt for guldet.
get the best of both worlds
have the advantages of two different things at the same time
at nyde fordelene ved to forskellige ting på én gang
By working from home two days a week and going to the office the rest, I get the best of both worlds.
Ved at arbejde hjemme to dage om ugen og tage på kontoret resten, får jeg det bedste fra begge verdener.
for the best
unpleasant now but will turn out well in the future
ubehageligt nu, men det bliver godt senere
Losing that job was tough, but I think it was for the best in the end.
Det var hårdt at miste jobbet, men jeg tror, det var for det bedste i sidste ende.
make the best of a bad job
Be positive about a situation that you do not like but cannot change.
At være positiv omkring en situation, du ikke bryder dig om, men ikke kan ændre.
Even though the weather ruined our picnic, we decided to make the best of a bad job and played board games indoors.
Selvom vejret ødelagde vores picnic, besluttede vi at få det bedste ud af situationen og spillede brætspil indendørs.
be on your best behaviour
make an effort to behave as well as possible
anstrenge sig for at opføre sig så pænt som muligt
Please be on your best behaviour when we visit Grandma's house.
Vær sød at opføre dig pænt, når vi besøger Bedstemor.
in a bad way
in a poor condition
i dårlig stand
After the accident, his car was really in a bad way and needed major repairs.
Efter ulykken var hans bil virkelig i dårlig stand og skulle have store reparationer.
gone from bad to worse
got even worse than it was before
det blev endnu værre end før
After the power went out, things went from bad to worse when the pipes burst and flooded the basement.
Efter strømmen gik, gik det fra slemt til værre, da rørene sprang og oversvømmede kælderen.
given it up as a bad job
Stopped trying to do something because it seemed pointless or too difficult to continue.
Holdt op med at prøve, fordi det virkede formålsløst eller for svært at fortsætte.
After hours of trying to fix the old computer, I finally gave it up as a bad job and called a technician.
Efter flere timers forsøg på at ordne den gamle computer, opgav jeg ævred og ringede til en tekniker.
if the worst comes to the worst
if the situation becomes very difficult or serious
hvis situationen bliver rigtig slem eller alvorlig
If the worst comes to the worst, we can always call a taxi to get home.
Hvis det virkelig går galt, kan vi altid tage en taxa hjem.
I have a bone to pick with you
You have done something that has annoyed me, and we must discuss it.
Du har gjort noget, der har irriteret mig, og vi skal tale om det.
Hey, I have a bone to pick with you about the mess you left in the kitchen.
Hey, jeg har et udestående med dig angående det rod, du efterlod i køkkenet.
bare bones
The most basic, essential, or fundamental aspects of something, without any extras or details.
De mest grundlæggende dele af noget, uden ekstra detaljer eller pynt.
The report only included the bare bones of the proposal, leaving out all the supporting data.
Rapporten indeholdt kun de mest nødvendige elementer af forslaget og udelod alle baggrundsdata.
a chip on her shoulder
Blames other people for something negative that has happened to her and goes on carrying these feelings for ever.
Skyder skylden på andre for noget negativt, der er sket, og bærer rundt på følelsen for evigt.
Ever since she was passed over for that promotion, she's had a chip on her shoulder and snaps at anyone who brings up work.
Siden hun blev forbigået til forfremmelsen, har hun båret nag og snerrer af alle, der nævner arbejdet.
a shoulder to cry on
Sympathy or support in time of trouble.
sympati eller støtte i svære tider
After her breakup, she really needed a shoulder to cry on, so I stayed with her all night.
Efter hendes brud havde hun virkelig brug for en skulder at græde ud ved, så jeg blev hos hende hele natten.
stand shoulder to shoulder with you
Support you in a difficult time.
Støtte dig i svære tider.
No matter what happens, I will always stand shoulder to shoulder with you when things get tough.
Uanset hvad der sker, vil jeg altid stå ved din side, når det bliver svært.
gave me the cold shoulder
Reacted to me in an unfriendly or cold way for no obvious reason.
Reagerede på mig på en uforsonlig eller kold måde uden nogen åbenlys grund
When I tried to say hello, she just gave me the cold shoulder and walked away.
Da jeg prøvede at sige hej, ignorerede hun mig bare og gik væk.
twisted my arm
Persuaded me to do something I didn’t really want to do.
Blev overtalt til at gøre noget, jeg egentlig ikke havde lyst til.
I didn't want to go to the party, but Sarah twisted my arm and convinced me to join her.
Jeg ville ikke til festen, men Sarah overtalte mig til at tage med.
keep/hold her at arm’s length
To maintain a distance or avoid becoming too close or involved with her.
At holde afstand eller undgå at blive for tæt eller involveret med hende.
Even though they work together, he always keeps her at arm’s length to avoid any office gossip.
Selvom de arbejder sammen, holder han hende på afstand for at undgå sladder på kontoret.
pulling your leg
Joking or teasing someone by telling them something that is not true, usually in a playful way.
At drille eller lave sjov med nogen ved at sige noget, der ikke er sandt, på en venlig måde.
Don't worry, I'm just pulling your leg—there's no way you have to work this weekend.
Bare rolig, jeg driller dig bare—du skal selvfølgelig ikke arbejde i weekenden.
hasn’t (got) a leg to stand on
Has nothing to support his claim or position.
Har intet at støtte sit krav eller sin position på.
After the evidence was presented, he hasn't got a leg to stand on in court.
Efter beviserne blev fremlagt, står han på bar bund i retten.
push the boat out
spend a lot of money, usually because you are celebrating
bruge mange penge i anledning af en fejring
For their anniversary, they decided to push the boat out and booked a luxury hotel suite.
Til deres jubilæum besluttede de at slå sig løs og booke en luksussuite.
rock the boat
do or say something that causes problems, usually when you try to change a situation that other people do not want to change
gøre eller sige noget der skaber problemer, især når man forsøger at ændre en situation andre ikke vil ændre
Please don't rock the boat during the meeting; the team finally agreed on a plan.
Vær sød ikke at forstyrre balancen under mødet; teamet er endelig blevet enige om en plan.
miss the boat
be too late to get something you want
være for sent ude til at få det, du ønsker
I wanted to buy tickets to the concert, but I missed the boat and now they're sold out.
Jeg ville købe billetter til koncerten, men jeg kom for sent, og nu er de udsolgt.
burn your boats/bridges
do something that makes it impossible for you to go back to the situation you were in before
at gøre noget, som gør det umuligt at vende tilbage til den gamle situation
When she quit her job and told off her boss, she really burned her bridges with that company.
Da hun sagde op og talte sin chef imod, brændte hun sine broer med virksomheden.
be in the same boat
To be in the same, usually difficult, situation as someone else.
At være i samme, ofte svære situation som andre.
Don't worry about failing the test; we're all in the same boat and will have to retake it.
Bare rolig med prøven; vi er alle i samme båd og skal tage den igen.
steer clear of
avoid someone or something because it is dangerous for you
undgå nogen eller noget, fordi det kan være farligt for dig
You should steer clear of that neighborhood after dark.
Du bør holde dig fra det kvarter efter mørkets frembrud.
sail close to the wind
to do something that is risky or almost illegal; to behave in a way that is nearly improper or dangerous.
at gøre noget risikabelt eller næsten ulovligt; at opføre sig på en næsten upassende eller farlig måde.
He's always sailing close to the wind with his tax returns, claiming things he probably shouldn't.
Han leger med ilden med sine selvangivelser og påstår fradrag, han nok ikke burde.
be plain sailing
To be very easy or straightforward, without any difficulties.
Meget let eller ligetil, uden nogen vanskeligheder.
Once we fixed the engine, the rest of the trip was plain sailing.
Efter vi fik motoren i orden, var resten af turen ren leg.
be in the doldrums
(of a business) be not very successful; (of a person) feel sad and without energy
i en periode med stilstand eller nedtrykthed
Ever since the company lost its biggest client, it has been in the doldrums and profits have plummeted.
Siden firmaet mistede sin største kunde, har det været i dødvandet, og overskuddet er faldet drastisk.
put/stick your oar in
Join a discussion or give your opinion when it is not wanted or when you are not invited (informal).
At blande sig i en samtale eller give sin mening til kende, når det ikke er ønsket eller uden invitation (uformelt).
I wish you wouldn't always put your oar in when I'm talking to my boss.
Jeg ville ønske, du ikke altid blander dig, når jeg taler med min chef.
show someone the ropes
To teach someone how to do a particular job or activity, especially by explaining the basic procedures and rules.
At lære nogen, hvordan man udfører et bestemt job eller en opgave, især ved at forklare de grundlæggende procedurer og regler.
On my first day at the bakery, Sarah offered to show me the ropes so I wouldn't feel lost.
På min første dag i bageriet tilbød Sarah at vise mig, hvordan tingene foregår, så jeg ikke følte mig fortabt.
be a nervous wreck
To be extremely anxious, worried, or stressed, often to the point of being unable to function normally.
At være ekstremt nervøs, stresset eller bekymret, ofte så man ikke kan fungere normalt.
She was a nervous wreck before her big presentation at work.
Hun var ved at gå helt i spåner før sin store præsentation på arbejdet.
clear the decks
To finish or remove all unnecessary tasks or obstacles in order to prepare for something important or to be ready for action.
At fjerne alle unødvendige opgaver eller forhindringer for at gøre klar til noget vigtigt.
Before starting the new project, we need to clear the decks and make sure all old files are archived.
Før vi starter det nye projekt, skal vi rydde bordet og sørge for, at alle gamle filer er arkiveret.
be (all) at sea
To be confused or unsure about what to do; to feel lost or bewildered.
At være forvirret eller usikker på, hvad man skal gøre; at føle sig fortabt.
When the new software was introduced, I was all at sea trying to figure out how to use it.
Da det nye software blev introduceret, var jeg helt på bar bund i forsøget på at finde ud af, hvordan man bruger det.
as blind as a bat
Unable to see well; having very poor eyesight.
Kan ikke se godt; har meget dårligt syn.
Without my glasses, I am as blind as a bat and can't read anything on the board.
Uden mine briller er jeg blind som en muldvarp og kan ikke læse noget på tavlen.
like a bat out of hell
moving very fast indeed
som lyn og torden
When the fire alarm went off, everyone ran like a bat out of hell to get outside.
Da brandalarmen gik, løb alle ud som lyn og torden.
like a bear with a sore head
Very bad-tempered or irritable; acting in a grumpy or angry manner.
Meget vred eller irritabel; opfører sig sur eller gnaven.
After staying up all night working, he came into the office like a bear with a sore head and snapped at everyone.
Efter at have været vågen hele natten, kom han ind på kontoret som en bjørn med ondt i hovedet og skældte ud på alle.
as free as a bird
To feel or be completely free, without any worries, restrictions, or responsibilities.
At føle sig helt fri, uden bekymringer, begrænsninger eller ansvar.
Now that school is over for the summer, I feel as free as a bird.
Nu hvor skolen er slut for sommeren, føler jeg mig fri som en fugl.
like a red rag to a bull
Something that is likely to make someone very angry or provoke a strong, negative reaction.
Noget, der sandsynligvis gør nogen meget vred eller fremprovokerer en stærk, negativ reaktion.
Mentioning his rival's name is like a red rag to a bull; he immediately gets furious.
At nævne hans rivals navn er som at hælde benzin på bålet; han bliver straks rasende.
like something the cat brought/dragged in
Looking very scruffy, untidy, or messy, as if one has been through a rough experience.
Ser meget sjusket, rodet eller træt ud, som om man har haft en hård oplevelse.
After the long flight and no sleep, I looked like something the cat dragged in when I arrived at the hotel.
Efter den lange flyvetur uden søvn så jeg ud som noget katten har slæbt ind, da jeg ankom til hotellet.
as slippery as an eel
Describes someone who is difficult to catch, control, or pin down, often because they are evasive or constantly changing their position or attitude.
Beskriver en person, der er svær at fange, styre eller holde fast på, ofte fordi de undviger eller konstant skifter holdning.
Whenever you try to get a straight answer from him, he’s as slippery as an eel and avoids the question.
Hver gang du prøver at få et klart svar, er han glat som en ål og undviger spørgsmålet.
like a fish out of water
uncomfortable because you are different from other people
utilpas fordi man er anderledes end de andre
When I moved to the new school, I felt like a fish out of water because I didn't know anyone.
Da jeg begyndte på den nye skole, følte jeg mig som en fremmed fugl, fordi jeg ikke kendte nogen.
as sly/cunning as a fox
Very clever, crafty, or deceitful, especially in achieving one's goals.
Meget snedig eller udspekuleret, især når det gælder at nå sine mål.
Don't trust him with your secrets—he's as sly as a fox when it comes to getting information out of people.
Du skal ikke stole på ham med dine hemmeligheder—han er snedig som en ræv, når det gælder om at få information ud af folk.
has eyes like a hawk
sees everything; never misses anything
ser alt; overser aldrig noget
My teacher has eyes like a hawk; she always notices when someone is cheating on a test.
Min lærer har øjne som en høg; hun opdager altid, hvis nogen snyder til prøver.
as strong as an ox
very strong
meget stærk
Even at seventy years old, my grandfather is still as strong as an ox and can lift heavy boxes with ease.
Selv som halvfjerdsårig er min bedstefar stadig stærk som en okse og kan nemt løfte tunge kasser.
as far as the eye could see
Extending over a vast area; visible for a great distance, often so far that the end cannot be seen.
Strækker sig over et stort område; synlig så langt øjet rækker.
The fields of sunflowers stretched as far as the eye could see, creating a sea of yellow.
Solsikkemarkerne strakte sig så langt øjet rækker og dannede et hav af gult.
as plain as the nose on your face
very easy to see or obvious to everyone
meget let at se eller tydeligt for alle
The answer to the problem was as plain as the nose on your face, but somehow everyone missed it.
Svaret på problemet var så åbenlyst som solen skinner, men alligevel missede alle det.
as ugly as sin
very ugly indeed
meget grim
That old building is as ugly as sin, but it's full of history.
Den gamle bygning er grim som arvesynden, men den er fuld af historie.
as light as a feather
Extremely light in weight; almost weightless.
Ekstremt let; næsten vægtløs.
This new smartphone is as light as a feather, so I barely notice it in my pocket.
Denne nye smartphone er let som en fjer, så jeg bemærker den næsten ikke i lommen.
as heavy as lead
very heavy
meget tung
The suitcase was as heavy as lead, and I could barely lift it onto the bed.
Kufferten var tung som bly, og jeg kunne næsten ikke løfte den op på sengen.
like the plague
To avoid someone or something completely because it is unpleasant or undesirable.
At undgå nogen eller noget fuldstændigt fordi det er ubehageligt eller uønsket.
Ever since that incident, she avoids him like the plague.
Siden den episode har hun undgået ham som pesten.
a memory like a sieve
a very bad memory; the tendency to forget things easily.
Meget dårlig hukommelse; har tendens til at glemme ting let.
He has a memory like a sieve—he can't even remember where he put his keys five minutes ago.
Han har hukommelse som en si—han kan ikke engang huske, hvor han lagde sine nøgler for fem minutter siden.
like greased lightning
very quickly indeed
meget hurtigt
When the bell rang, the students ran out of the classroom like greased lightning.
Da klokken ringede, løb eleverne ud af klasseværelset som lyn og torden.
play it by ear
respond to the situation as it occurs, don’t decide what to do beforehand
reagere på situationen, som den opstår, uden på forhånd at beslutte hvad man skal gøre
We don’t have a set plan for the weekend, so let’s just play it by ear and see what we feel like doing.
Vi har ikke en fast plan for weekenden, så lad os bare tage det, som det kommer og se, hvad vi har lyst til.
play by ear
To do something without a plan, improvising as you go; in music, to play a tune by listening rather than reading sheet music.
tage tingene, som de kommer, uden planlægning
We don't have a set schedule for the trip, so let's just play it by ear and see what we feel like doing each day.
Vi har ikke et fastlagt program for turen, så lad os bare tage det, som det kommer og se, hvad vi har lyst til hver dag.
couldn’t believe my ears
To be extremely surprised or shocked by what one hears.
At være meget overrasket eller chokeret over det, man hører.
When they announced my name as the winner, I couldn’t believe my ears.
Da de annoncerede mit navn som vinderen, kunne jeg ikke tro mine egne ører.
goes in one ear and out the other
Said when someone doesn’t listen or pay attention, or forgets things immediately.
Siges når nogen ikke lytter eller hurtigt glemmer noget.
Whenever I tell my little brother to clean his room, it just goes in one ear and out the other.
Hver gang jeg siger til min lillebror, han skal rydde op, så går det ind ad det ene øre og ud ad det andet.
I’m all ears
I’m very keen to hear what you have to tell me.
Jeg er meget spændt på at høre, hvad du har at fortælle mig.
Go ahead and tell me your story, I’m all ears.
Fortæl din historie, jeg lytter!.
lip service
To express support or agreement for something verbally, but not follow through with actions.
At støtte eller erklære sig enig med noget med ord, men ikke handling.
The company paid lip service to environmental issues, but continued to pollute the river.
Virksomheden gav kun mundtjeneste til miljøspørgsmål, men fortsatte med at forurene floden.
my lips are sealed
I shall keep the secret / tell no one
jeg holder det hemmeligt / jeg siger det ikke til nogen
Don't worry, my lips are sealed—I won't tell anyone about your surprise party.
Bare rolig, jeg holder mund—jeg siger ikke noget om din surprise fest.
word of mouth
Information or recommendations passed from person to person through conversation rather than through written or formal means.
Oplysninger eller anbefalinger, der spredes gennem samtale fra person til person i stedet for formelle kanaler.
Most of our new customers hear about us through word of mouth.
De fleste af vores nye kunder hører om os gennem mund-til-mund.
mouth-watering / making my mouth water
Describes food that looks or smells so delicious that it makes you want to eat it immediately.
Beskriver mad, der ser eller dufter så lækkert, at man straks får lyst til at spise det.
The smell of freshly baked bread was so mouth-watering that I couldn't resist buying a loaf.
Duften af friskbagt brød var så mundvandsfremkaldende, at jeg ikke kunne lade være med at købe et brød.
poking/sticking your nose into other people’s business
To interfere in matters that do not concern you; to be nosy or meddlesome.
At blande sig i sager, der ikke vedkommer én; at være nysgerrig eller påtrængende.
My neighbor is always sticking her nose into my affairs, asking about my job and my family.
Min nabo stikker altid næsen i mine sager og spørger til mit job og min familie.
turn your nose up at
To refuse something because you think it is not good enough for you; to show disdain or contempt for something.
At afvise noget, fordi man ikke synes, det er godt nok; at vise foragt for noget.
She turned her nose up at the homemade cookies because they weren't from a fancy bakery.
Hun renskede næse af de hjemmebagte småkager, fordi de ikke kom fra et fancy bageri.
gets right up everybody’s nose
annoys or irritates everyone
irriterer eller generer alle
The way he constantly interrupts people really gets right up everybody’s nose.
Måden han hele tiden afbryder folk på, går alle på nerverne.
in the teeth of
despite; in direct opposition to something or facing strong difficulty or resistance
trods; i direkte modstand mod noget eller under svære betingelser
The hikers continued their journey in the teeth of a fierce snowstorm.
Vandrerne fortsatte deres rejse på trods af en voldsom snestorm.
by the skin of my teeth
To barely succeed at something or narrowly escape a disaster.
Næsten ikke klare noget eller undgå en katastrofe med nød og næppe.
I passed the final exam by the skin of my teeth; I thought I was going to fail.
Jeg bestod den afsluttende eksamen med nød og næppe; jeg troede, jeg ville dumpe.
grit our teeth
To accept a difficult or unpleasant situation and deal with it with determination and perseverance.
At acceptere en svær eller ubehagelig situation og håndtere den med beslutsomhed og udholdenhed.
We had to grit our teeth and keep working even though the project seemed impossible.
Vi var nødt til at bide tænderne sammen og fortsætte arbejdet, selvom projektet virkede umuligt.
lying through his teeth
telling a deliberate lie
at lyve åbenlyst og bevidst
Everyone knew he was lying through his teeth when he said he had finished the project on time.
Alle vidste, at han løj så vandet drev, da han sagde, at han havde færdiggjort projektet til tiden.
bit my tongue
remained silent; didn’t react
forblev tavs; reagerede ikke
When my boss criticized my work unfairly, I just bit my tongue and didn’t say anything.
Da min chef kritiserede mit arbejde uretfærdigt, bed jeg mig i tungen og sagde ikke noget.
on the tip of my tongue
I know it and will be able to remember it very soon.
Jeg ved det, og jeg kan snart huske det.
Her name is on the tip of my tongue, but I just can't recall it right now.
Hendes navn er på tungen, men jeg kan bare ikke huske det lige nu.
common ground
things we agree on; similar opinions and experience
ting vi er enige om; fælles holdninger og erfaringer
Even though they disagreed on many issues, they found common ground in their love for music.
Selvom de var uenige om mange ting, fandt de fælles fodslag i deres kærlighed til musik.
gaining ground
becoming more popular or accepted; making progress or advancing in a particular area.
bliver mere populær eller accepteret; gør fremskridt inden for et område
Electric cars are really gaining ground as more people look for eco-friendly transportation options.
Elbiler vinder frem efterhånden som flere leder efter miljøvenlige transportmuligheder.
cut the ground from under the feet of
To make someone's position or argument weaker by doing or saying something more effective.
At svække nogens position eller argument ved at gøre eller sige noget mere effektivt.
The lawyer cut the ground from under the feet of the opposing counsel by presenting new evidence.
Advokaten trak tæppet væk under modparten ved at fremlægge nye beviser.
hold/stand her ground
refuse to change her opinion or behaviour, especially when under pressure or in a difficult situation.
Nægter at ændre sin mening eller adfærd, især under pres eller i en svær situation.
Even though everyone disagreed, she stood her ground and defended her decision.
Selvom alle var uenige, stod hun fast og forsvarede sin beslutning.
on dangerous ground
To hold a view or opinion that will probably offend or upset people, or to be in a risky or sensitive situation.
At have en holdning eller befinde sig i en situation, der let kan fornærme eller skabe problemer.
You're on dangerous ground if you criticize her work in front of the whole team.
Du er ude på tynd is, hvis du kritiserer hendes arbejde foran hele holdet.
give ground
to change your opinion or accept the other side’s position, especially in an argument or negotiation
at ændre sin mening eller gå med til modpartens standpunkt, især under en diskussion eller forhandling
After hours of heated debate, the manager finally gave ground and agreed to some of the employees’ demands.
Efter flere timers ophedet debat gav lederen sig og gik med til nogle af medarbejdernes krav.
shifting her ground
changing her opinion or argument, especially in a discussion or debate.
ændrer sin mening eller argumentation, især under en diskussion.
During the debate, she kept shifting her ground whenever someone challenged her points.
Under debatten blev hun ved med at skifte holdning, hver gang nogen udfordrede hendes synspunkter.
gets a project/idea off the ground
To help a project or idea begin successfully or to get it started.
At hjælpe et projekt eller en idé godt i gang
The team worked hard to get the new product off the ground before the holiday season.
Teamet arbejdede hårdt for at få det nye produkt på benene inden højtiden.
gets in on the ground floor
become involved in something right at the beginning (and which is often successful later)
at blive involveret i noget fra starten (som ofte bliver en succes senere)
She got in on the ground floor of the tech startup and now she's a senior executive.
Hun kom med fra starten i tech-startuppet og er nu leder.
prepares the ground
create a good or suitable situation for something to take place
skabe gode betingelser for at noget kan foregå
The new policy prepares the ground for future economic reforms.
Den nye politik baner vejen for fremtidige økonomiske reformer.
wished the ground would swallow me up
Wished I could just disappear, usually because of embarrassment or shame.
Ville ønske jeg kunne forsvinde, ofte på grund af pinlighed eller skam.
When I realized my fly was open during the presentation, I wished the ground would swallow me up.
Da jeg opdagede, at min lynlås var åben under præsentationen, ville jeg ønske, jorden ville sluge mig.
thick/thin on the ground
To be present in large numbers (thick) or very few (thin); used to describe the abundance or scarcity of something.
At noget enten findes i store mængder eller er meget sjældent.
Good restaurants are thin on the ground in this part of town, so we usually cook at home.
Gode restauranter er en sjældenhed i denne del af byen, så vi laver ofte mad derhjemme.
suits me down to the ground
suits me perfectly; is exactly what I want or need.
passer mig perfekt; er lige præcis det jeg ønsker eller har brug for.
Working from home suits me down to the ground because I don't have to commute.
At arbejde hjemmefra passer mig som hånd i handske, fordi jeg ikke skal pendle.
gone to ground
To hide or disappear, especially to avoid being found or to escape attention.
At gemme sig eller forsvinde, især for at undgå at blive fundet eller for at undgå opmærksomhed.
After the scandal broke, the politician went to ground and refused to speak to the media.
Efter skandalen brød ud, gik politikeren under jorden og nægtede at udtale sig til medierne.
stamping/stomping ground
A place where someone spent a lot of time, especially in their youth or earlier years; a familiar or favorite place.
Et sted, hvor man har tilbragt meget tid, især i sine unge år; et velkendt eller yndlingssted.
This old café used to be my stomping ground when I was in college.
Denne gamle café var mit stamsted, da jeg gik på universitetet.
at her fingertips
immediately available or accessible
umiddelbart tilgængelig eller lige ved hånden
With all the latest research at her fingertips, the scientist was able to answer every question with ease.
Med al den nyeste forskning lige ved hånden kunne forskeren svare på ethvert spørgsmål med lethed.
keep your fingers crossed
To hope that things will happen in the way you want; to wish for good luck.
At håbe på at tingene vil ske, som man ønsker; at ønske held og lykke.
I'm waiting to hear back about the job interview, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
Jeg venter på svar fra jobsamtalen, så jeg krydser fingre.
put his finger on
to identify or pinpoint exactly what is wrong or the cause of a problem
at finde ud af præcis, hvad der er galt eller årsagen til et problem
The mechanic couldn't put his finger on the reason why the car kept stalling.
Mekanikeren kunne ikke sætte fingeren på, hvorfor bilen blev ved med at gå i stå.
lifts a finger
to make any effort to help, usually used in the negative to indicate someone is not helping at all
gøre nogen som helst indsats for at hjælpe, ofte brugt negativt om én der slet ikke hjælper
Even when the house was a mess, he never lifted a finger to clean up.
Selv da huset var rodet, løftede han ikke en finger for at rydde op.
got his fingers burnt
Suffered as a result of an action; lost money or was hurt, often due to taking a risk or making a mistake.
Led tab eller skade som følge af en handling, ofte på grund af risiko eller fejl.
He got his fingers burnt when he invested in that risky startup and lost all his savings.
Han brændte fingrene da han investerede i den risikable startup og mistede hele sin opsparing.
given the thumbs up/down
To approve (thumbs up) or reject (thumbs down) something or someone.
At godkende eller afvise noget eller nogen.
The manager gave the thumbs up to our new marketing proposal, so we can start working on it right away.
Lederen gav grønt lys til vores nye marketingforslag, så vi kan gå i gang med det samme.
sticks/stands out like a sore thumb
looks different from everything else in its environment (in a negative sense)
skiller sig negativt ud fra sin omgivelser
That bright red car stands out like a sore thumb in a parking lot full of black and gray vehicles.
Den lysrøde bil stikker ud som en tommelfinger blandt sorte og grå køretøjer på parkeringspladsen.
as a rule of thumb
a general, useful rule or guideline based on experience rather than a strict law.
en generel og nyttig tommelfingerregel baseret på erfaring
When baking bread, as a rule of thumb, I let the dough rise until it has doubled in size.
Når jeg bager brød, lader jeg som tommelfingerregel dejen hæve til dobbelt størrelse.
given me a free hand
Allows me to take whatever action I want to; gives me complete freedom to make decisions or act as I see fit.
Giver mig fuldstændig frihed til at handle, som jeg ønsker.
My boss has given me a free hand to redesign the website however I think is best.
Min chef har givet mig frie hænder til at redesigne hjemmesiden, som jeg mener er bedst.
turn his hand to
has the skill or ability to do unfamiliar jobs without any previous experience
har evnerne til at klare nye opgaver uden erfaring
Jake can turn his hand to anything—one day he's fixing cars, the next he's baking bread.
Jake kan finde ud af lidt af hvert—den ene dag reparerer han biler, den næste bager han brød.
got out of hand
got out of control
kom ud af kontrol
The party got out of hand when too many people showed up and the neighbors called the police.
Festen kom ud af kontrol, da alt for mange dukkede op, og naboerne ringede til politiet.
first-hand
Directly experienced or obtained personally, rather than through another person or source.
Direkte oplevet eller opnået personligt, ikke gennem andre.
She wanted to see the results first-hand before making any decisions.
Hun ville se resultaterne med egne øjne, før hun traf nogen beslutning.
changed hands
been sold to a new owner
er blevet solgt til en ny ejer
The old bookstore on Main Street has changed hands three times in the last decade.
Den gamle boghandel på hovedgaden har skiftet ejer tre gange i det sidste årti.
have my hands full
am very busy / have a lot of things to do
er meget travl / har mange ting at gøre
With three young kids at home, I really have my hands full these days.
Med tre små børn derhjemme har jeg virkelig hænderne fulde i øjeblikket.
try my hand at
To attempt to do something for the first time, especially as an experiment or to see if one enjoys or is good at it.
At prøve noget for første gang, især for at se om man kan lide det eller er god til det.
I've always wanted to try my hand at painting, so I signed up for an art class.
Jeg har altid gerne villet prøve kræfter med maling, så jeg har meldt mig til et kunstkursus.
keep my hand in
to continue practicing something so as not to lose skill or knowledge in it
fortsætte med at øve noget, så man ikke mister evner eller viden inden for det
Even though I don't play chess competitively anymore, I still keep my hand in by playing online once a week.
Selvom jeg ikke længere spiller skak professionelt, holder jeg mig skarp ved at spille online en gang om ugen.
to hand
available; nearby
tilgængelig; lige ved hånden
I always keep a notebook to hand in case I get a good idea.
Jeg har altid en notesbog ved hånden, hvis jeg får en god idé.
give me a hand
help me, for example to carry or lift something
hjælp mig, for eksempel med at bære eller løfte noget
Could you give me a hand with these boxes? They're really heavy.
Kan du give mig en hånd med de her kasser? De er virkelig tunge.
washed my hands of
stopped being involved in or took no further responsibility for something
holdt op med at være involveret eller tog ikke længere ansvar for noget
After years of trying to help, I finally washed my hands of the whole situation.
Efter mange år opgav jeg endelig og vaskede mine hænder af det hele.
get into gear
start working effectively or with energy
begynde at arbejde effektivt eller energisk
After a slow morning, the team finally got into gear and finished the project ahead of schedule.
Efter en langsom morgen kom holdet i omdrejninger og færdiggjorde projektet før tid.
real back-seat driver
someone who gives unwanted advice or criticism, especially when someone else is doing something
en der hele tiden kommer med uønskede råd eller kritik, når andre gør noget
My brother is such a real back-seat driver; he keeps telling me how to park even though I'm the one behind the wheel.
Min bror er en rigtig bagsædefører; han bliver ved med at sige, hvordan jeg skal parkere, selvom det er mig, der kører.
put the brakes on
To slow down or stop something that is happening, especially to prevent it from continuing or getting out of control.
At bremse eller stoppe noget for at forhindre det i at fortsætte eller komme ud af kontrol
The company decided to put the brakes on its expansion plans due to the uncertain economy.
Virksomheden besluttede at trække i bremsen på deres ekspansionsplaner på grund af usikker økonomi.
ticking over
working quietly and smoothly, without problems
fungerer stille og roligt, uden problemer
Even though the boss is away, the office is still ticking over nicely.
Selvom chefen er væk, kører kontoret stadig fint.
let off steam
express strong emotions or energy by doing something active or noisy
udtrykke stærke følelser eller energi ved at gøre noget aktivt eller larmende
After a stressful day at work, I let off steam by going for a long run.
Efter en stresset arbejdsdag får jeg afløb for dampen ved at tage en lang løbetur.
programmed
always doing the same thing in the same way, like a computer
altid gøre det samme på samme måde, nærmest som en maskine
He wakes up at 6 a.m. every day, eats the same breakfast, and leaves for work at exactly 7—it's like he's programmed.
Han vågner kl. 6 hver dag, spiser den samme morgenmad og tager på arbejde præcis kl. 7—det er som om, han er programmeret.
get your lines/wires crossed
to have a misunderstanding or miscommunication with someone, often resulting in confusion or mistakes.
at misforstå hinanden eller kommunikere forkert, hvilket ofte fører til forvirring eller fejl.
We must have got our wires crossed because I thought the meeting was at 2, not 3.
Vi må have talt forbi hinanden, for jeg troede, mødet var klokken 2 og ikke 3.
are on the same wavelength as someone
You view the world or think in the same way as them.
du tænker eller ser på tingene på samme måde som en anden
It's so easy to work with Sarah because we are on the same wavelength about almost everything.
Det er så let at arbejde sammen med Sarah, fordi vi er på bølgelængde om næsten alt.
blow a fuse/gasket
To lose your temper and react very angrily to an event.
At miste besindelsen og reagere meget vredt på noget.
When the kids broke his favorite vase, he blew a fuse and started yelling.
Da børnene ødelagde hans yndlingsvase, flippede han fuldstændig ud og begyndte at råbe.
give someone a buzz
To phone or call someone, usually in an informal or casual way.
At ringe til nogen på en uformel måde.
I'll give you a buzz later to confirm the meeting time.
Jeg ringer dig op senere for at bekræfte tidspunktet for mødet.
back-pedalling
beginning to say the opposite of what was said before; reversing a previous position
at begynde at trække i land eller sige det modsatte af tidligere
After realizing his statement was unpopular, the politician started back-pedalling during the interview.
Da politikeren indså, at udtalelsen var upopulær, begyndte han at trække i land under interviewet.
put/throw a spanner in the works
To spoil something, such as a plan, or prevent it from succeeding.
At ødelægge noget, fx en plan, eller forhindre at det lykkes.
We were all set to launch the new product next week, but the supplier delay really put a spanner in the works.
Vi var klar til at lancere det nye produkt næste uge, men leverandørens forsinkelse stak en kæp i hjulet.
meltdown
a complete failure; a situation where everything goes wrong
et totalt nederlag; en situation hvor alt går galt
The company had a financial meltdown after the stock market crash.
Virksomheden oplevede et økonomisk sammenbrud efter aktiemarkedets krak.
in the pipeline
being discussed, prepared, or planned but not public yet
er under forberedelse eller planlægning, men ikke offentliggjort endnu
The company has several new products in the pipeline that will be released next year.
Virksomheden har flere nye produkter på vej, som bliver lanceret næste år.
make/pull a face
show that you do not like something by making an unpleasant expression
vise utilfredshed ved at lave en grimasse
The child made a face when he tasted the sour lemon.
Barnet skar ansigt, da han smagte den sure citron.
keep a straight face
not laugh or change your expression even though you want to laugh
ikke at grine eller ændre ansigtsudtryk, selvom man har lyst til at le
It was so hard to keep a straight face when my friend told that ridiculous story.
Det var svært at holde masken, da min ven fortalte den tåbelige historie.
put a brave face on something
pretend you are happy about something when you are not happy
lade som om man er glad, selvom man ikke er det
Even though she was disappointed about not getting the job, she put a brave face on it during the family dinner.
Selvom hun var skuffet over ikke at få jobbet, satte hun et tappert ansigt op under familiemiddagen.
take something at face value
Accept something as it appears, without questioning or doubting its truth or considering any hidden meaning.
Acceptere noget, som det ser ud, uden at stille spørgsmålstegn eller lede efter skjulte betydninger.
You shouldn't take everything he says at face value; sometimes he exaggerates.
Du bør ikke tage alt, han siger, for pålydende; nogle gange overdriver han.
on the face of it
according to the appearance of something; as something seems at first glance, without deeper investigation
som noget ser ud ved første øjekast, uden at undersøge nærmere
On the face of it, the proposal seems reasonable, but there may be hidden problems.
Ved første øjekast virker forslaget rimeligt, men der kan gemme sig problemer.
face to face
with another person in their presence rather than, say, by phone or letter
ansigt til ansigt med en anden person frem for f.eks. telefon eller brev
After months of video calls, it was great to finally meet face to face.
Efter måneder med videosamtaler var det dejligt endelig at mødes ansigt til ansigt.
keep your hair on
Stay calm; don't get angry or upset.
Bevar roen; lad være med at blive vred eller oprevet.
Just keep your hair on, there's no need to shout about it.
Bare tag det roligt, der er ingen grund til at råbe op om det.
tearing/pulling her hair out
To be extremely anxious, frustrated, or stressed, often because of a difficult or overwhelming situation.
At være ekstremt nervøs, frustreret eller stresset på grund af en svær situation.
She was tearing her hair out trying to meet the project deadline with so little time left.
Hun var ved at rive håret ud af hovedet over at nå projektets deadline med så lidt tid tilbage.
didn't turn a hair
showed no reaction at all
udviste ingen reaktion overhovedet
When the fire alarm went off during the meeting, she didn't turn a hair and kept talking as if nothing had happened.
Da brandalarmen gik under mødet, fortrak hun ikke en mine og talte videre som om intet var hændt.
at each other's throats
arguing in a very angry way
skændes meget voldsomt
The two coworkers were at each other's throats during the meeting, making it hard for anyone else to speak.
De to kolleger var oppe at toppes under mødet, så det var svært for andre at komme til orde.
make a clean breast of it
To confess fully and honestly, especially about something one has done wrong, in order to relieve guilt.
At tilstå fuldt og ærligt, især om noget forkert, for at lette samvittigheden.
After weeks of feeling guilty, he finally made a clean breast of it and told his boss about the mistake.
Efter flere ugers dårlig samvittighed valgte han endelig at lægge kortene på bordet og fortælle sin chef om fejlen.
breathing down his neck
paying close attention to what he is doing in an annoying or threatening way
holder øje med nogen på en irriterende eller truende måde
The manager kept breathing down my neck while I was finishing the report, which made me really nervous.
Chefen blev ved med at stå lige bag mig mens jeg lavede rapporten, hvilket gjorde mig virkelig nervøs.
a real pain in the neck
Someone or something that is very annoying or bothersome.
En person eller ting, der er meget irriterende eller generende.
My little brother can be a real pain in the neck when I'm trying to do my homework.
Min lillebror kan være en sand plageånd, når jeg prøver at lave lektier.
got it off his chest
told someone about something that was bothering him, usually a secret or worry, in order to feel relieved
fortalte nogen det, der gik dem på, for at få lettelse
After weeks of worrying, he finally got it off his chest and told his friend the truth.
Efter flere ugers bekymringer lettede han sit hjerte og fortalte sandheden til sin ven.
ramming it down his throat
Forcing someone to accept or listen to your opinions or beliefs, often in an aggressive or insistent way.
At påtvinge nogen sine meninger eller overbevisninger på en insisterende eller aggressiv måde.
He kept ramming it down my throat that his way was the only way to solve the problem.
Han blev ved med at prakke mig på, at hans måde var den eneste løsning på problemet.
giving him the cold shoulder
ignoring him in a deliberate way
at ignorere nogen bevidst
After their argument, she started giving him the cold shoulder at work.
Efter deres skænderi begyndte hun at vende den kolde skulder til ham på arbejdet.
couldn't believe my eyes
To be extremely surprised or shocked by what one is seeing; to find something visually unbelievable.
At være ekstremt overrasket eller chokeret over det, man ser.
When I saw the size of the cake, I couldn't believe my eyes.
Da jeg så størrelsen på kagen, troede jeg ikke mine egne øjne.
couldn't keep my eyes off
couldn't stop looking at someone or something because they are very attractive, interesting, or captivating.
jeg kunne ikke tage øjnene fra nogen eller noget, fordi det var meget tiltrækkende eller fascinerende.
The painting was so beautiful that I couldn't keep my eyes off it.
Maleri var så smukt, at jeg ikke kunne tage øjnene fra det.
catch her eye
get her attention; make her look at me
fange hendes opmærksomhed
He tried to catch her eye across the crowded room, hoping she would notice him.
Han forsøgte at fange hendes blik i det overfyldte rum og håbede, at hun ville lægge mærke til ham.
keep an eye on
To watch or monitor something or someone carefully.
At holde øje med noget eller nogen nøje.
Can you keep an eye on my bag while I go to the restroom?
Kan du holde øje med min taske, mens jeg går på toilettet?
turn a blind eye
ignore behaviour which you know is wrong
ignorere opførsel, som man ved er forkert
The teacher decided to turn a blind eye to the students whispering during the test.
Læreren besluttede at lukke øjnene for elevernes hvisken under prøven.
with your eyes open
aware of all the problems or difficulties that could arise in a situation; fully informed before making a decision
bevidst om alle problemer eller udfordringer, der kan opstå; fuldt informeret før man træffer en beslutning
She accepted the challenging job offer with her eyes open, knowing it would require long hours and hard work.
Hun tog det udfordrende job med åbne øjne, velvidende at det ville kræve lange arbejdstimer og hårdt arbejde.
see eye to eye
to agree with someone or have the same opinion as them
at være enig med nogen eller have samme mening
My sister and I rarely see eye to eye when it comes to choosing a movie.
Min søster og jeg er sjældent enige om, hvilken film vi skal vælge.
raised a few eyebrows
To cause surprise, shock, or mild disapproval among people.
At forårsage overraskelse, chok eller mild misbilligelse hos folk.
Her decision to wear pajamas to the office definitely raised a few eyebrows among her coworkers.
Hendes beslutning om at tage pyjamas på på arbejde vakte undren blandt kollegerne.
run/cast your eye over
To have a quick look at something, usually to check or review it briefly.
At kigge hurtigt på noget for at tjekke eller gennemgå det.
Could you run your eye over this report before I send it to the manager?
Kan du skimme denne rapport, før jeg sender den til chefen?
on the blink
beginning to break down and go wrong, probably because it is old
begynder at gå i stykker eller fungere dårligt, sandsynligvis på grund af alder
My old laptop has been on the blink for weeks; it keeps shutting down unexpectedly.
Min gamle bærbar har været på vej ud i flere uger; den lukker konstant ned uden varsel.
have/keep one eye on
To observe or monitor something or someone carefully, often while doing something else.
At holde øje med noget eller nogen, mens man laver noget andet.
While cooking dinner, I always keep one eye on the kids playing in the backyard.
Mens jeg laver aftensmad, holder jeg et øje på børnene, der leger i haven.
didn't bat an eyelid
didn't react at all; showed no surprise, emotion, or concern in response to something unexpected or shocking.
reagerede slet ikke; viste ingen overraskelse, følelse eller bekymring ved noget uventet eller chokerende.
When I told her the shocking news, she didn't bat an eyelid and just kept working.
Da jeg fortalte hende den chokerende nyhed, rørte hun ikke en mine og fortsatte bare arbejdet.
caught my eye
Something that attracted my attention or made me notice it.
Noget der fangede min opmærksomhed eller fik mig til at lægge mærke til det.
The bright red dress in the shop window immediately caught my eye as I walked by.
Den knaldrøde kjole i butiksvinduet fangede mit blik med det samme, da jeg gik forbi.
opened my eyes to
made me understand or realize something for the first time; made me aware of something I hadn't noticed before.
fik mig til at indse eller forstå noget for første gang
Traveling to different countries really opened my eyes to how diverse the world is.
At rejse til forskellige lande har virkelig åbnet mine øjne for, hvor mangfoldig verden er.
a real eye-opener
an event or situation that I unexpectedly learnt something from
en begivenhed eller situation, hvor jeg uventet lærte noget
Visiting the developing country was a real eye-opener for me; I never realized how different life could be.
At besøge et udviklingsland var en rigtig øjenåbner for mig; jeg anede ikke, hvor anderledes livet kunne være.