Table of Contents
Beau monde
- The world of high society and fashion
- Use .
- The affair is already creating some excitement among the beau- monde
Bete noire
- A person or thing that you dislike VERY MUCH or that annoys you
- Use .
- My particular bete noire is cigarette butts left in half empty glasses
Caret blanche
- Complete freedom to do something
- Use .
- The landlord has given her carte blanche to redecorate the living room
Coup de grace
- Death blow
- An action that ends something that has been gradually getting worse or that kill a person or animal in order to end their suffering
- Use .
- Her affair was the coup de grace to her disintegrating marriage
Idee fixe
- Mania
- This point of view has become something of an idee fixe among political commentators
Quiz Select the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the idiom/ phrase
Hobson’s choice
- To choose first in row
- To make a careful choice
- No real choice at all
- To seek all favourable alternatives to choose from
Adam’s ale
- Gift
- Food
- Water
- belongings
At one’s wits end
- A man of ability
- At the last moment
- To get puzzled
- Undecided controversy
To steal a march
- To act in a foolish way
- To break something
- To outshine
- To see a hidden meaning
In a jiffy
- Fail to win appreciation
- In an appropriate manner
- Something that is done very quickly
- To fall in