Read Common American Phrases in Everyday Contexts Online
Authors: Richard Spears
Use this index to find an expression that you want to look up in the Dictionary. First, pick out any major word in the expression you are seeking. Second, look that word up in this index to find the form of the expression used in the Dictionary. Third, look up the phrase in the Dictionary. Entries that are single words should be looked up in the Dictionary directly.
This index provides a convenient way to find an expression using one or more of the words that follow the first word in an entry head. Without the index, there would be no way to find phrases by these “included” words.
Function words, such as pronouns, conjunctions, and prepositions, are not indexed.
1. When you are trying to find an expression in this index, look up a noun first, if there is one.
2. When you are looking for a noun, try first to find the singular form or the simplest form of the noun.
3. When you are looking for a verb, try first to find the present-tense form or the simplest form of the verb.
4. In most expressions with a noun or pronoun as a variable part of an expression, it will be represented by the word “someone” or “something” (or both) in the form of the expression used in the Dictionary. If you do not find the noun you want in the index, it may, in fact, be a variable word.
5. Use the index as a thematic or topical index by scanning the groups of dictionary entries at each index entry word.
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able
Able to sit up and take (a little) nourishment.
able
(I'm) able to sit up and take (a little) nourishment.
absolutely
Absolutely not!
accept
I can accept that.
accept
I can't accept that.
acquaintance
Delighted to make your acquaintance.
acquaintance
(I'm) delighted to make your acquaintance.
afraid
Afraid not.
afraid
Afraid so.
afraid
'Fraid not.
afraid
'Fraid so.
afraid
(I'm) afraid not.
afraid
(I'm) afraid so.
afternoon
(Good) afternoon.
again
Again(, please).
again
Call again.
again
Come again.
again
Do we have to go through all that again?
again
Don't make me say it again!
again
Don't make me tell you again!
again
Here we go again.
again
Hope to see you again (sometime).
again
How's that again?
again
(I) hope to see you again (sometime).
again
(It's) good to see you (again).
again
Let's do this again (sometime).
again
Let's not go through all that again.
again
Not again!
again
Till we meet again.
again
Until we meet again.
again
We must do this again (sometime).
again
We'll try again some other time.
again
You are something else (again)!
ahead
Go ahead.
ain't
Ain't it the truth?
ain't
That ain't the way I heard it.
ain't
You ain't just whistling Dixie.
ain't
You ain't seen nothing yet!
alarm
I don't want to alarm you, but
alive
alive and kicking
alive
alive and well
alive
Look alive!
alive
Sakes alive!
all
after all
all
all in all
all
all over
all
All right.
all
all the more reason for doing something
all
Did you order all this weather?
all
Do we have to go through all that again?
all
Don't spend it all in one place.
all
Everything will work out (all right).
all
Everything's going to be all right.
all
first of all
all
for all intents and purposes
all
I was up all night with a sick friend.
all
(It) doesn't bother me at all.
all
It takes all kinds (of people) (to make a world).
all
(It) won't bother me at all.
all
It'll all come out in the wash.
all
It's written all over one's face.
all
know where all the bodies are buried
all
Let's not go through all that again.
all
Not at all.
all
Things will work out (all right).
all
We're all (standing) behind you.
all
Where have you been all my life?
alligator
Later, alligator.
alligator
See you later, alligator.
allow
Allow me.
almost
almost lost it
alone
Leave me alone!
along
Have to move along.
along
Have to run along.
along
(I) have to be moving along.
along
(I) must be running along.
along
(I'm) (just) plugging along.
along
(It's) time to move along.
along
(It's) time to push along.
along
Just plugging along.
along
Plugging along.
along
Time to move along.
along
Time to push along.
already
All right already!
always
Not always.
always
You (always) give up too eas(il)y.
another
Care for another?
another
Don't give it another thought.
another
It's six of one and half a dozen of another.
another
one way or another
another
put another way
another
Tell me another (one)!
another
to put it another way
another
(Would you) care for another (one)?
another
You've got another think coming.
any
Any friend of someone('s) (is a friend of mine).
any
Do you have any issues with that?
any
Getting any?
any
in any case
any
(It) doesn't bother me any.
any
Not under any circumstances.
anybody
Anybody I know?
anymore
Don't see you much around here anymore.
anymore
Not anymore.
anymore
(We) don't see you much around here anymore.
anyone
Anyone I know?
anyone
Don't breathe a word of this to anyone.
anything
Anything else?
anything
Anything going on?
anything
Anything new down your way?
anything
Anything you say.
anything
Don't do anything I wouldn't do.
anything
If there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask.
anything
(Is) anything going on?
anything
Is there anything else?