LESSON 24

to knock out: to make unconscious (S); to impress or attract greatly (S)

This idiom can be made into the noun form knockout for both definitions.

o       The prizefighter knocked out his opponent with one punch in the first five seconds of the first round. It was the fastest knockout in boxing history.

o       Linda's beautiful appearance and slender figure really knock me out. Isn't she a real knockout tonight?

to knock one self out: to work very hard (sometimes too hard) to do something

A reflexive pronoun must divided the idiom.

o       She really knocked herself out trying to pass that difficult class.

o       Don't knock yourself out during practice. Save your strength for the competition later.

to carry out: to accomplish, to execute (S) (also: to go through with)

o       It's easy to write down a plan for losing weight, but much harder to carry it out.

o       Charles promised to go through with his plan to enroll in graduate school and get an advanced degree.

to run into: to meet someone unexpectedly; to crash or collide into (also: to bump into)

o       It was a shock to run into an old friend from high school recently.

o       The drunk driver was slightly injured when he ran into a telephone pole.

to set out: to start traveling toward a place (also: to set off, to heat out); to arrange or display neatly (also: to lay out) (S)

o       We set out for the top of the mountain at dawn. Unfortunately, as we set off, it started to snow heavily, so we decided to head out again later.

o       The children tried to set out the dishes on the table, but their dad had to help to lay the dishes out properly.

to draw up: to create by drawing, such as a map (S); to prepare documents or legal papers (S)

o       Max asked me to draw up a map to the party so that he wouldn't get lost.

o       Our lawyer agreed to draw the contract up as soon as possible.

give and take: compromise, cooperation between people

o       Give and take is an important element of a successful marriage.

o       Most business negotiations involve give and take between the parties involved.

to drop out of: to stop attending; to withdraw from

This idiom can be made into the noun form dropout.

o       Some students drop out of secondary school early in order to get jobs. However, such dropouts often regret their decision later in life.

o       Two more baseball teams have dropped out of the youth league due to a lack of players.

to believe in: to accept as true, have faith in

o       Some people believe in being honest in all human affairs, while others accept the need to lie in order to get one's way.

o       Throughout the history of man, some cultures have believed in one god while others have believed in the existence of many gods.

to cheer up: to make happier, to feel less sad (S)

o       We all tried to cheer up the little boy when he stared to cry.

o       After the death of Deanne's husband, it was difficult to cheer her up at all.

to make sense: to be sensible or reasonable

o       It makes sense to wait until a sunny day to visit the park together.

o       That Jimmy ran away from home suddenly doesn't make sense to any of us.