Common American Phrases in Everyday Contexts (270 page)

one
It's six of one and half a dozen of the other.

one
my one and only

one
the one and only, someone

one
one final thing

one
one final word

one
One moment, please.

one
one more thing

one
one more time

one
one way or another

one
Tell me another (one)!

one
That's a new one on me!

one
There's more than one way to skin a cat.

one
This one's on me.

one
(Would you) care for another (one)?

only
God only knows!

only
I'm only looking.

only
my one and only

only
the one and only, someone

only
You're only young once.

open
open a conversation

opener
for openers

opinion
I'll thank you to keep your opinions to yourself.

opinion
in my humble opinion

opinion
in my opinion

opinion
keep one's opinions to oneself

opinion
Keep your opinions to yourself!

order
(Are you) ready to order?

order
Could I take your order (now)?

order
Did you order all this weather?

order
Ready to order?

other
Catch me some other time.

other
every other person or thing

other
(I'll) try to catch you some other time.

other
in other words

other
It's six of one and half a dozen of the other.

other
Maybe some other time.

other
on the other hand

other
Try to catch you some other time.

other
We'll try again some other time.

outside
(Do) you want to step outside?

outside
You want to step outside?

owe
I owe you one.

owe
owing to something

own
I'll thank you to mind your own business.

own
(I'm just) minding my own business.

own
Mind your own business.

own
Minding my own business.

own
through no fault of someone's own

pain
No pain, no gain.

pain
share someone's pain

paint
Do I have to paint (you) a picture?

parade
rain on someone's parade

pardon
Beg pardon.

pardon
Beg your pardon.

pardon
beg your pardon, but

pardon
begging your pardon, but

pardon
(I) beg your pardon.

pardon
(I) beg your pardon, but

pardon
Pardon (me).

pardon
Pardon me for living!

pardon
Pardon my French.

part
take someone's part

pass
let something pass

past
a thing of the past

pay
There will be hell to pay.

people
It takes all kinds (of people) (to make a world).

people
Some people (just) don't know when to give up.

people
Some people (just) don't know when to quit.

perfect
Do I make myself (perfectly) clear?

perhaps
Perhaps a little later.

permit
Permit me.

person
every other person or thing

personally
take something personally

perspective
from my perspective

Pete
For Pete('s) sake(s)!

phone
Who's on the phone?

pick
pick and choose

pick
pick the low-hanging fruit

picky
Don't be so picky!

picky
I'm not picky.

picture
Do I have to paint (you) a picture?

picture
(Do you) get the picture?

picture
Get the picture?

pie
have one's finger in too many pies

pig
When pigs can fly.

pit
need to make a pit stop

pity
For pity('s) sake(s)!

pity
What a pity!

place
Don't spend it all in one place.

place
in the first place

place
in the wrong place at the wrong time

place
Is there some place I can wash up?

place
Nice place you have here.

place
Your place or mine?

plain
in plain English

plan
(It) sounds like a plan.

plan
Sounds like a plan.

play
level the playing field

please
Again(, please).

please
Can you excuse us, please?

please
Check, please.

please
Coming through(, please).

please
Could I get by, please?

please
Could you excuse us, please?

please
Excuse, please.

please
Hold, please.

please
Hold the line(, please).

please
Hold the wire(, please).

please
I'd like to speak to someone, please.

please
If you don't see what you want, please ask (for it).

please
if you please

please
if you would(, please)

please
I'm easy (to please).

please
(I'm) pleased to meet you.

please
One moment, please.

please
Out, please.

please
Please hold.

please
Pleased to meet you.

please
'Scuse, please.

please
We aim to please.

please
Who's calling(, please)?

please
Will you excuse us, please?

please
Would you excuse us, please?

please
Would you please?

pleasure
Been a pleasure.

pleasure
Don't believe I've had the pleasure.

pleasure
(I) don't believe I've had the pleasure.

pleasure
(It's) been a pleasure.

pleasure
My pleasure.

pleasure
With pleasure.

plug
(I'm) (just) plugging along.

plug
Just plugging along.

plug
Plugging along.

point
from my point of view

point
No point in doing something.

point
not to put too fine a point on it

point
point of view

point
That brings me to the (main) point.

point
(There's) no point in doing something.

point
which brings me to the (main) point

poison
Name your poison.

pole
I wouldn't touch something with a ten-foot pole.

pose
pose a question

possible
everything humanly possible

potshot
take a potshot at someone or something

powder
Could I use your powder room?

powder
Where is your powder room?

power
More power to you!

present
at the present time

present
There's no time like the present.

press
Stop the presses!

pretty
do pretty well for oneself

pretty
Pretty good.

problem
(I have) no problem with that.

problem
No problem.

problem
No problem with that.

problem
Take a shotgun approach to the problem.

problem
(That causes) no problem.

problem
What's the problem?

promise
I promise you!

prove
What does that prove?

publication
not for publication

pull
Pull up a chair.

punch
Punch it!

purpose
for all intents and purposes

push
Don't push (me)!

push
(I) have to push off.

push
(It's) time to push along.

push
push back (against someone or something)

push
Time to push along.

push
Time to push off.

put
I'll put a stop to that.

put
not to put too fine a point on it

put
put a cap on something

put
put a spin on something

put
put another way

put
Put 'er there.

put
put in one's two cents(' worth)

put
Put it anywhere.

put
Put it there.

put
put some teeth into something

put
put someone or something to the test

put
put someone's nose out of joint

put
put two and two together

put
to put it another way