Lesson 17

Blow out.... become of... shut up….. have got… have go to… keep up with…. on the other hand…. turn down…. fifty-fifty….. break in….. a lost cause….. above all
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To blow out: to explode, to go flat (for tires), to extinguish by blowing (S)
Ø On our trip to Colorado, one of the car tires blew out when it hit a large hole in the road.
Ø Little Joey wasn’t able to blow all the candles out, so his big sister helped him.
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To become of: to happen to (a missing object or person)
This idiom is always used in a clause beginning with what.
Ø What has become of my pencil? I had it ten minutes ago, but now I can’t find it.
Ø I wondered what became of you. I looked around the Shopping Mall for two hours, but I couldn’t find you at all.
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To shut up: to close for a period of time (S), to be quiet, to stop talking
The second definition of this idiom is impolite in formal situations.
Ø During hurricane, all the store owners shut their shops up.
Ø Bob’s sister told him to shut up and not say anything more about it.
Ø The student got into big trouble for telling his teacher to shut up.
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Have got: to have, to possess
Ø Curtis has got a bad cold. He’s sneezing and coughing a lot.
Ø How much money have you got with you right now?
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Have got to: must (also: have to)
Ø She has got to go to Chicago today to sign the contract papers.
Ø I have to be back home by two o’clock or my wife will feel ill at ease.
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To keep up with: to maintain the same speed or rate as
Ø Frieda works so fast that no one in the office can keep up with her
Ø You’ll have to walk more slowly. I can’t keep up with you.
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On the other hand: however, in contrast
Ø Democracies provide people many freedoms and privileges. On the other hand, democracies suffer many serious problems such as crime and unemployment.
Ø My sister takes after my father in appearance. On the other hand, I take after my mother.
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To turn down: to reduce in brightness or volume (S), to reject, to refuse (S)
Ø Please turn down the radio for me. It’s too loud while I’m studying.
Ø Laverne wanted to join the military but the recruiting officer turned her application down because Laverne is hard of hearing in one ear.
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Fifty-fifty: divided into two equal parts
Ø Let’s go fifty-fifty on the cost of a new rug for our apartment.
Ø The political candidate has a fifty-fifty chance of winning the election.
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To break in: gradually to prepare something for use that is new and stiff (S), to interrupt (for the second definition, also: to cut in)
Ø It is best to break a new car in by driving it slowly for the first few hundred miles.
Ø While Carrie and I were talking, Bill broke in to tell me about a telephone call.
Ø Peter, it’s very impolite to cut in like that while others are speaking.
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A lost cause: a hopeless case, a person or situation having no hope of positive change
Ø It seems that Charles will never listen to our advice. I suppose it’s a lost cause.
Ø The police searched for the missing girl for two weeks, but finally gave it up as a lost cause.
Ø Children who have committed several crimes as teenagers and show no sorrow about their actions are generally lost causes.
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Above all: mainly, especially
Ø Above all, don’t mention the matter to Gerard, he’s the last person we should tell
Ø Sheila does well in all her school subjects, but above all in mathematics. Her math scores are always over 95 percent.
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E X E R C I S E S
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Choose the appropriate idiomatic expression to substitute for the italicized word or words in each sentence below. Idioms from previous lessons are indicated by number.
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1. The last racehorse wasn’t able to maintain the same speed as the other horses
in the race.
to keep up with
to cut in
to keep track of (lesson 11)
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2. There’s only one piece of pie left. Would you like to share it in two equal parts?
above all
fifth-fifty
a lost cause
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3. We haven’t heard from Mike recently. I wonder how he’s progressing since
joining the army.
getting along (lesson 16)
getting used to (lesson 9)
breaking in
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4. Tell the children to stop talking now or they’ll get punished.
to blow out
to break in
to shut up
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5. What has happened to my wallet? I can’t find it anywhere.
a. become of
b. have to
c. turned down
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6. Jack didn’t believe what his parents told him, but all of it has proved to be
correct.
a. made a difference (lesson 3)
a lost cause
come true (lesson 14)
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7. Ted greatly appreciated his wife’s concern for him and, especially, her love.
a. above all
b. on the other hand
c. at least (lesson 4)
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8. Dr. Hampton must leave the office early because he has an urgent appointment
at the hospital.
a. has got
b. has got to
c. would rather (lesson 7)
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9. We almost had a serious accident on the highway when the front tire of our car
exploded.
a. blew up (lesson 12)
b. blew out
c. tired out (lesson 2)
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10. Joyce never believed that the university would reject her application for
graduate study.
a. turn down
b. break in
c. throw away (lesson 8)
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Answer these questions orally by making use of the idiomatic expressions studied in this lesson.
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1. Have you ever been in a car when a tire blew out? What happened?
2. When is it acceptable to tell someone to shut up? Not acceptable?
3. Why might a homeowner shut his (or her) house up?
4. How much money have you got in your wallet or purse right now?
5. What have you got to do to take care of your health?
6. Have you ever had difficulty keeping up with other students in school? Why or why not?
7. For what reasons might a person be turned down for a job?
8. Why is it important to break in a new vehicle?
9. For what reasons might you think of someone as being a lost cause?
10. Above all, what is the most important part of your life?