to dress up: to wear formal clothes, to dress very nicely
- We should definitely dress up to go to the theater
- You don’t have to dress up for Mike’s party.
at last: finally, after a long time
- We waited for hours and then the train arrived at last.
- Now that I am sixteen, at last I can drive my parents’ car
as usual: as is the general case, as is typical
- George is late for class as usual. Thiss seems to happen every day.
- As usual, Dora received first prize in the swimming contest. It’s the third consecutive year that she has won.
to find out: get information about, to determine
This idiom is separable only when a pronoun is used, as in the second example.
- Will you please try to find out what time the airplane arrives?
- I’ll call right now to find it out.
to look at: give one’s attention to: to watch
- The teacher told us to look at the board and not at our books.
- I like to walk along a country road at night and look at the stars.
to look for: to try to find, to search for
- An adverd phrase such as all over can be put between the verb and preposition, as in the second example. However, the idiom cannot be separated by a noun or pronoun.
- He’s spent over an hour looking for the pen that he lost.
all right: acceptable, fine: yes, okay
This idiom can also be spelled alright in informal usage.
- He said that it would be all right to wait in her office until she returned.
- Do you want me to turn off the TV? Alright, if you insist.
all long: all the time from the beginning (without change)
- She knew all along that we’d never agree with his plan.
- Did you know all along that I’d give you a birthday present, or were you surprised?
little by little: gradually, slowly (also: step by step)
- Karen’s health seems to be improving little by little.
- If you study regularly each day, step by your vocabulary will increase.
to tire out: to make very weary due to difficult conditions or hard effort (also: to wear out)
- The hot weather tired out the runners in the marathon.
- Does studying for final exams wear you out? It makes me feel worn out!
ro spend time: to do an activity over a period of time
- Adrian would rather spend time watching TV than doing homework.
- I spent too much time getting ready this morning, so I was late for work.
never mind: don’t be concerned about it: ignore what was just said
- When he spilled his drink on my coat, I said, “Never mind.It needs to be cleaned anyway”.
- So you weren’t listening to me again. Never mind: it wasn’t important.
