Advanced everyday english: Advanced vocabulary, phrasal verbs, idioms and expressions - Collins Steven 2011

Lesson Two. To shrug off
Chapter Two

i. (Not to be affected by criticism or failure, to deal with problems as though they do not really exist—note the verb “to shrug”, which means to raise one’s shoulders. It usually expresses the feeling that one does not care or know about something)

Examples:

✵ He’s been turned down by five universities, but each time he just picks himself up, shrugs it off and gets on with the next application.

✵ He comes across as the sort of person who shrugs off criticism, but deep down he gets quite put out by some of the things people come out with about his work.

✵ When she was told she had missed out on a great opportunity, she just shrugged her shoulders.

ii. (To recover quickly from/To get rid of a minor illness or infection) Example:

✵ Mother to son:

M: Your sister was asking after you yesterday.

S: Did you tell her that I still haven’t managed to shrug off the cold I caught when her dreadful kids drenched me with the garden hose?

A foregone conclusion (Something which is certain to happen/taken for granted—see Practical Everyday English, page 53)

Examples:

✵ Before the interview I thought it was a foregone conclusion that they would take her on. However, she must have had an off-day.

✵ Football fan:

Once in a blue moon we get through to the second round, but generally it’s a foregone conclusion that were going to get beaten.

Down-to-earth (Genuine, unpretentious, practical, realistic)

Examples:

✵ Jane tends to go a bit over the top with her designs; mind you, as a person she’s very down-to-earth.

✵ Even though he is one of the richest men in the country, he’s very down-to-earth and likes to keep a low profile.

To blow over (To be of less significance, to be forgotten about - an argument, disagreement, scandal)

Examples:

✵ / kept a low profile until the row blew over, but he’s still got it in for me.

✵ We fell out with each other over the way he went round spreading rumours about me; but that has all blown over now.

To jump/climb on the bandwagon (To do or say the same thing as many others, without having thought about it for oneself or just because it is fashionable)

Examples:

✵ I’m not going to jump on the bandwagon and slate the play like other critics. Once it got going, it was fun.

✵ I didn’t think he had it in him to make up his own mind; he usually just climbs on the bandwagon.

To boil/come down to (To be the most important thing, the main point, after considering everything else)

Examples:

✵ A: It’s no good shrugging your shoulders as if you don’t care.

 B: Of course I do, but you don’t seem to realise that high principles and morals will have no effect on the outcome. In the end, it’ll all boil down to who can come up with the most money.

✵ He felt that somehow he had missed out on the finer pleasures of life. It was quite apparent to me, however, that his problems came down to one thing: loneliness.

To comply with (To obey, to be acceptable according to a law/ regulations)

Examples:

✵ Even though the judge made it very clear to the defendant that he had not complied with the law, he decided to let him off this time because he had so many other things on his plate. However, he was warned not to continue to go around making a nuisance of himself

✵ There’s a rumour going around Parliament that if we don’t make an effort to comply with EU regulations, we will miss out when it comes to increased funds for the welfare of our run-down cities.

To nip it/something in the bud (To deal with a problem at an early stage before it gets out of hand)

Examples:

✵ The gist of what she was saying was that we’d be better-off nipping it in the bud now, rather than letting the problem grow as time goes by.

✵ The doctor seems to be baffled by my aunt’s illness but has advised her, rather surprisingly, to nip the whole thing in the bud by going through with the operation.

“He felt that somehow he had missed out on the finer pleasures of life. It was quite apparent to me, however, that his problems came down to one thing: loneliness.”

(see page 23)

By no/any stretch of the imagination (In no way, definitely not--note that with “by no stretch of the imagination”, the subject and verb are inverted-see the first two examples below)

Examples:

✵ With a little brushing up, I should be able to get by in French, but by no stretch of the imagination will I ever be fluent.

✵ By no stretch of the imagination could it be said that the result is a foregone conclusion.There’s a lot at stake for everyone involved.

✵ Once in a blue moon we splash out on a fine meal at a posh restaurant, but were not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination.

To draw in

i. (To attract a large number of people or a lot of business)

Examples:

✵ What a turnout! I knew he was up and coming but

I never expected him to draw these sorts of crowds in.

✵ He claims that he draws in over half of the company’s turnover, but I would take everything he says with a pinch of salt.

ii. (To become night-time earlier)

Example:

✵ My grandmother could do without having to get round by bus, especially at this time of the year when the nights are drawing in.

iii. (To arrive - train or ship)

Examples

✵ As the train drew into the station, I tried to wipe out the memory I had of the last time she turned up out the blue.

iv. (To get someone involved in an argument or conversation)

Examples:

✵ Don’t draw me into your rows! It serves you right if you rub everyone up the wrong way.

✵ Even though I tried my best to draw her into every conversation, she steered clear of everyone, preferring to keep a low profile.