NCE phrases

NCE3

21

  • be known as
  • draw up
  • a set of
  • change into
  • bring to
  • in his day
  • rise to fame
  • turn against
  • bet on
  • be in debt

22

  • on end
  • in many ways
  • in the role of
  • play a joke on
  • much to sb.’s sth.

23

  • at the idea of
  • to be brought up
  • stick to
  • take possession of

24

  • a skeleton in the cupboard
  • conceal sth. from sb.
  • to varying degrees
  • be about to do sth.

25

  • take the lead

26

  • much as
  • go wrong

27

  • in the light of
  • in terms of
  • be free from
  • in times of

28

  • get rid of

29

  • be bound up with
  • stem from
  • come into fashion
  • take heart
  • be good for sb.

30

  • stay up
  • none other than

31

  • set out to do sth.
  • draw attention to
  • be caught in
  • insist on

32

  • piece together
  • be of great interest

33

  • get out of control
  • keep an eye on
  • on a big scale
  • rush hour
  • pull up

34

  • muster up courage
  • above all
  • be bent on
  • apart from

35

  • beyond doubt
  • be independent of
  • in part
  • of its own accord

36

  • bring to a conclusion
  • bring about
  • and so on
  • pour scorn on
  • point out
  • be acquainted with
  • needless to say
  • become of

37

  • strike me as odd
  • take advantage of
  • it suddenly dawned on me
  • a note of triumph
  • in black and white

38

  • what is more
  • as it were
  • be faced with
  • shed light on
  • come into being
  • ice age

39

  • get sb. to do sth.
  • in the least
  • sooner or later
  • give way to
  • charge at

40

  • specialize in
  • dress up as
  • be grateful to sb. for sth.
  • as he pleased
  • be under arrest

41

  • city born and city bred
  • go into raptures
  • at the mere mention of
  • be under an illusion
  • beyond me
  • draw to a close
  • make do with

42

  • rig up
  • edge one’s way

43

  • in the event of
  • make a claim for
  • put into operation
  • for one agonizing moment

44

  • take one’s mind off sth.
  • in snatches
  • more often than not
  • keep you occupied

45

  • read about
  • act on
  • the exclusive rights to publish
  • pour in
  • press for

46

  • embark on
  • lay out
  • go so far as to do
  • cater for
  • get round to
  • jigsaw puzzle

47

  • the choice of … or
  • go off

48

  • much-travelled world
  • be inaccessible to
  • be cut off from
  • descend on
  • by shy of
  • come to life

49

  • air one’s views on
  • be attached to
  • persist in doing sth.
  • free from dust
  • refer to them as

50

  • dos and don’ts
  • year in year out
  • a thousand and one
  • beyond attainment
  • carry out
  • keep to oneself
  • of an evening
  • apply oneself to
  • fend off
  • doze off

51

  • so-called
  • take over

52

  • cur someone of
  • on the spot
  • out of stock
  • keep a straight face

53

  • in the interest of
  • in the belief that
  • be qualified to do sth.
  • be subject to
  • in writing
  • in detail
  • on one’s behalf
  • in question
  • put an end to

54

  • wage war on
  • go about
  • stand in awe

55

  • milky way
  • up to

56

  • hard by
  • in a heat wave
  • make a living
  • stand to lose
  • put out of order
  • Noah’s ark

57

  • become absorbed in
  • lack for nothing
  • on one’s own
  • not that but that

58

  • reprimand sb. for
  • as clear as daylight
  • skeleton key

59

  • have some bearing on it

60

  • for the matter in hand
  • cut things fine
  • in good time