Lesson 20
Priorities and decisions
- play it by ear
If you play it by ear, you deal with things as they happen, rather than following a plan or previous arrangement.
I NOTE I If someone plays a piece of music by ear, they play it without looking at printed music.
Example: ‘Where will we stay in Gloucestershire?’ ‘Oh, I’m not sure yet. We’ll have to play it by ear ‘.
- sit on the fence
If you sit on the fence, you refuse to give a definite opinion about something or to say who you support in an argument.
I NOTE I The fence referred to is one that separates two properties or territories and someone Example: sitting on it is unable or unwilling to make a decision about which side to stand on.
Which do you prefer: chocolate or vanilla ice-cream? You can’t sit on the fence and say you like both of them equally.
I NOTE I Verbs such as stay and be can be used instead of sit.
Example: Democrats who’d been on the fence about the nomination, in the end all voted for him.
- split hairs
If someone splits hairs, they argue about very small details or find very small differences between things which are really very similar.
Example: Many of the cases the reporter mentioned were not, in fact, on the original list, but let ‘s not split hairs.
- stick to your guns
If you stick to your guns, you refuse to change your decision or opinion about something, even though other people are trying to tell you that you are wrong.
I NOTE I Think of soldiers remaining in position, even though they are being attacked by the enemy.
Example: Once you have decided what is and isn’t acceptable, stick to your guns despite your child’s protests.
- take a back seat
If you take a back seat, you allow other people to have all the power, importance, or responsibility.
Example: was happy to take a back seat and give someone else the opportunity to manage the project.
- the tip of the iceberg
If something is the tip of the iceberg, it is a small part of a very large problem or a very serious situation.
I NOTE I Only about one tenth of an iceberg is visible above the water. Most of it is below the surface.
Example: We get about 2,000 complaints every year and that ‘s just the tip of the iceberg .
7.up in the air
If an important decision or plan is up in the air, it has not been decided or arranged yet. At the moment, the fate of the Hungarian people is still up in the air.
- the bottom line
In a discussion or argument, the bottom line is the most important and basic fact about what you are discussing.
Example: The bottom line is that the great majority of our kids are physically unfit.
- cross that bridge when you come to it
If you say ‘I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it:you mean that you will deal with a problem when, or if, it happens.
Example: ‘You can’t make me talk to you’. ‘No, but the police can’. ‘I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it ‘.
10.cut to the chase
If you cut to the chase, you start talking about or dealing with what is really important, instead of less important things.
INOTE I In films, when one scene ends and another begins the action is said to ‘cut ‘ from one scene to the next. If a film ‘cuts to the chase’, it moves on to a car chase scene, which is usually fast-moving and exciting.
Example: I’ll cut to the chase – we just don’t have enough money for the project.
11.the icing on the cake
If you describe something as the icing on the cake, you mean that it is an extra good thing that makes a good situation or activity even better.
Example: To play for one’s country is the ultimate experience. To be in a winning team is the icing on the cake.
12.in two minds
If you are in two minds about something, you are not able to reach a decision or opinion about something.
Example: Roche was in two minds whether to make the trip to Oslo.
13.make a mountain out of a molehill
If someone makes a mountain out of a molehill, they talk or complain about a small, unimportant problem as if it is important and serious.
Example: Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill – it’s really not a big deal.
14.on the back burner
If you put a project or issue on the back burner, you decide not to do anything about it until a later date.
Example: People’s dreams have once again been put on the back burner as they concern themselves with surviving from one day to the next.
INOTE I Different prepositions allow you to use the back burner in other ways with a similar meaning .
Example: Healthcare workers worry that the expense will push this issue onto a back burner. In this climate, website development is an obvious candidate for the back burner.
Exercise 1
Match sentence halves 1-6 with A-F to make complete sentences.
- The bottom line is simply………………..
2.We’re going to play it by ear………………..
3.You will have to stop sitting on the fence…………………..
4.The answer should have a capital letter……………………
5.Let’s skip the introductions…………………….
- We can’t ignore this issue…………………….
- A) and cut straight to the chase.
- B) but let’s not make a mountain out of a molehill.
C)but I won’t split hairs.
D)and see how the next 24 hours go.
- E) that business is about money.
- F) and show where your loyalty lies.
Exercise 2
Choose the best answer to complete the sentences.
‘They really believe in what I do and they want to enable me to do it: She went on to explain her success: ‘I’m very good, that ‘s…………………..
- a) the bottom line b) the tip of the iceberg c) the back burner
- Then he became really ill and had to put all his plans…………………
- a) up in the air b) on the fence c) on the back burner
- ‘What if you need another operation after this one?’ – ‘I’ll………………………
- a) make a mountain out of a molehill b) cross that bridge when I come to it c ) stick to my guns
4 The President accused his critics of being oversensitive and of ………………………….
- a) playing it by ear b) cutting to the chase c) making a mountain out of a molehill
S For four hours of questioning, Grommek…………………….,but by five o’clock he had changed his story.
a )played it by ear b )cut to the chase c )stuck to his guns
6 She was…………………………about whether or not to turn back.
- a) splitting hairs b )in two minds c ) up in the air