Lesson 33

Kick (something) around... on the ball… make up…. make up with… pull together… be looking up… kick the habit… cover up… drop off… turn over… go through channels… last straw..
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To kick (something) around: to discuss informally (over a period of time) (S) (also: to toss around)
Ø At first my friends were reluctant to consider my suggestion, but they finally were willing to kick it around for a while.
Ø Herb thought that we should kick around the idea of establishing a special fund for supporting needy members of the club.
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On the ball: attentive, competent, alert
Ø Jim was the only one who caught that serious error in the bookkeeping statements. He’s really on the ball.
Ø Ella was certainly on the ball when she remembered to reconfirm our flight arrangements. All the rest of us would have forgotten.
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To make up: to meet or fulfill a missed obligation at a later time (S), to create, to invent (an idea) (S), to apply cosmetics to (S), to comprise, to be composed of
Note that all of the definitions are separable except the last one.
Ø The teacher allowed several students who missed the exam to make it up during the next class.
Ø The little boy made up a bad excuse for wearing his dirty shoes in the house, so his mother punished him.
Ø Dee was able to make her face up in half the normal time because she didn’t use much makeup.
Ø Two separate bodies – the House of Representatives and the Senate – make up the Congress of the United States.
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To make up with: to resolve differences with
This idiom is used for differences of opinion between friends and lovers.
Ø Gundula made up with her roommate after their serious misunderstanding about arrangements for the party.
Ø After the bad quarrel the two lovers kissed and made up with each other.
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To pull together: to gather, to collect (information) (S), to gain control of one’s emotions (S)
A reflexive pronoun must be used for the second definition.
Ø The reporter pulled together information from several sources in preparing the newspaper article.
Ø Mr. Simpson was so frightened when he heard footsteps behind him on the lonely, dark street that it took several minutes to pull himself together.
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To be looking up: to appear promising or optimistic, to be improving
This idiom is used in a continuous tense, very often with the subject things.
Ø The board chairman is glad to report that things are looking up for the company after several years of declining sales.
Ø Prospects for building that new library in the downtown area are looking up.
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To kick the habit: to stop a bad habit
Ø Once a child becomes accustomed to chewing his nails, it’s difficult to kick the habit.
Ø The doctor advised the heavy cigarette smoker that her heart had become damaged and that she should kick the habit right away.
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To cover up: to conceal, to hide (S)
This idiom is used for events which are potentially embarrassing to one’s reputation, as well as against the law. The noun coverup can be formed.
Ø The office worker tried to cover up his crimes, but everyone knew that he had been stealing office supplies all along.
Ø The political coverup of the bribery scandal failed and was reported by all the major media.
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To drop off: to fall asleep, to take to a certain location (S), to decrease (for the third definition, also: to fall off)
Ø My mother dropped off during the boring television show, her head was nodding up and down.
Ø I don’t mind dropping you off at the store on my way to work.
Ø Business has been dropping off rapidly recently, but fortunately it hasn’t been falling off as quickly as for our competitors.
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To turn over: to place upside down (S), to flip, to turn upside down, to pass or give control to someone (S)
Ø The teacher asked the students to turn the answer sheet over and to write a short essay on the back.
Ø The car was going too fast around the corner and turned over twice.
Ø Mr. Collins has decided to turn over his jewelry store to his son at the end of the year.
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To go through channels: to send a request through the normal way
This idiom can be used with the adjective proper.
Ø If you go through proper channels in this company, it’s sometimes impossible to get anything done quickly.
Ø The police told the important civic leader that even she had to go through channels in reporting the burglary of her house.
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Last straw: the final event in a series of unacceptable actions
This idiom is always used with the definite article the.
Ø When John asked to borrow money from me for the fourth time, it was the last straw. I finally told him that I couldn’t lend him any more.
Ø I can’t believe that my roommate left the door to our apartment unlocked again. It’s the last straw, I’m moving out.
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E X E R C I S E S
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Substitute an idiomatic expression for the word or words in italics, making any necessary grammatical changes as well. Then complete each sentence appropriately with your own idea. Also try to use idioms from previous lessons.
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When the committee members…, they decided to discuss the matter informally for a while.
In playing sports, you have to be alert if…
The child tried to invent an excuse when…
Lynn doesn’t ever have to apply cosmetics to her face, she…
The two lovers resolved differences with each other after…
Even though I’ve…, things appear promising now.
Business had decreased so much that the company was forced to…
You should place the bread in the toaster upside down because…
Old Mr. Jenkins gave control of his company to his associate when…
the office worker didn’t think that… if he sent a request through the normal way because…
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Answer these questions orally by making use of the idiomatic expressions studied in this lesson.
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1. What is the benefit of kicking an idea around instead of making an immediate decision?
2. What kind of excuses do people make up for being late to an important event? Have you ever done this?
3. Do you know how many states made up the original United States in 1776? How many states make up the United States now?
4. Have you ever made up with someone? How did you feel about making up with the person?
5. Where could you go to pull together information for a research report? Would you enjoy doing so, or not?
6. Have you ever succeeded in kicking the habit of cigarettes smoking, drinking alcohol, or some other bad habit? How were you able to do it?
7. Have you ever had to cover up an embarrassing situation? Can you now explain what it was?
8. Why do students sometimes drop off while they’re in class? Has this ever happened to you?
9. When someone manages to kick the habit of smoking or drinking, there is an interesting expression, to turn over a new leaf, that applies. Can you imagine what this expression means?
10. Have you ever faced a situation which you would describe as the last straw? What happened?