keep a tight rein on (someone or something) Thành ngữ, tục ngữbe fed up with (with someone or something)be out of patience (with someoneblow it (something)fail at something I tried hard but I am sure that I blew the final math exam last week.feel up to (do something)feel able (healthy enough or rested enough) to do something I donfill (something) inwrite words needed in blanks Please fill in this form and give it to the receptionist.get (something) over withfinish, end He wants to get his exams over with so that he can begin to relax again.get hold of (something)get possession of When you get hold of a dictionary could you please let me see it for a few minutes.get on with (something)continue to do; make progress" Be quiet and get on with your homework." hard on (someone/something)treat something/someone roughly His son is very hard on shoes.have (something) going for onehave ability, talent or good looks She has a lot going for her and I am sure that she will get the new job.have had it (with someone or something)cankeep (something) under onekeep something secret I plan to keep my plans to apply for a new job under my hat.keep on (doing something)continue She is careless and keeps on making the same mistakes over and over.let (something) gopay no attention to, neglect She seems to be letting her appearance go since she lost her job.let (something) ridecontinue without changing a situation We should forget about his recent problems at work and just let the whole matter ride.look (something) upsearch for something in a dictionary or other book Inot to touch (something) with a ten-foot pole|notv. phr. To consider something completely undesirable or uninteresting. Some people won't touch spinach with a ten-foot pole. Kids who wouldn't touch an encyclopedia with a ten-foot pole love to find information with this computer program.play on/upon (something)cause an effect on, influence They played on his feelings of loneliness to get him to come and buy them dinner every night.pull (something) offaccomplish something remarkable He really is lucky in being able to pull off the new business merger with no problems.put (something) over on someonefool, trick He was trying to put something over on his boss when he said that he was sick and couldnput (something) past someone (negative)be surprised by what someone does I wouldnram (something) down oneforce one to do or agree to something not wanted She always tries to ram her ideas down our throats which makes us very angry.ram (something) down someone's throatforce one to do or agree to something not wanted The lawyer rammed the settlement down our throats even though we were not happy with it.run into (something)hit something or crash into something His car ran into the other car on the highway.run out (of something)use up, come to an end The car ran out of gas in the middle of the countryside.run up against (something)encounter They ran up against many problems when they were building the freeway.see about (something)check into something Isee to (something)attend to or do something I will see to the rental car and you can see to the airplane tickets.sick of (someone or something)bored with, dislike I think that she is sick of working overtime every day.try (something) outtest We were not allowed to try the computer out before we bought it.keep a tight rein on (someone or something)To maintain strict or tight control over someone or something; to not allow someone or something very much independence or autonomy. Ever since George nearly lost his life savings in a drunken poker match, his husband has started keeping a tight rein on him. The boss has kept a tight rein on her assistant since she hired her. We try to keep a tight rein on our expenditures, but that's not always possible.Learn more: keep, on, rein, tightkeep a tight rein on someone or somethingandkeep a close rein on someone or somethingFig. to watch and control someone or something diligently. (Alludes to controlling a horse by a tight grip on the reins.) The office manager kept a tight rein on the staff. Mary keeps a close rein on her children.Learn more: keep, on, rein, tightkeep a tight rein on someone/somethingorkeep someone/something on a tight reinCOMMON If you keep a tight rein on someone or something or keep them on a tight rein, you control them firmly and carefully. Note: The reference in these expressions is to a rider using the reins to control a horse. It is said that he kept a very tight rein on his daughters, and that he was a very strict father. The recession has forced people to keep a very tight rein on their finances when on holiday. Her parents had kept her on a tight rein.Learn more: keep, on, rein, someone, something, tightkeep a tight rein onexercise strict control over; allow little freedom to.Learn more: keep, on, rein, tightkeep a tight ˈrein on somebody/something(also keep somebody/something on a tight ˈleash) control somebody/something very carefully; give somebody/something very little freedom: The company must keep a tight rein on spending. ♢ She keeps her children on a tight leash to make sure they don’t get into trouble. OPPOSITE: give/allow somebody/something free/full reinA leash is used to hold and control a dog, and a rein is used to control a horse.Learn more: keep, on, rein, somebody, something, tight Show
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