Match the idiom with the correct definition.

a) to make contact with someone
b) this means when you lose or waste something
c) to decide to stop working for the day
d) when you say something without thinking about it for a long time or doing any research
e) when something increases very quickly

1. call it a day - - ? - a) b) c) d) e)
2. go down the drain – - ? - a) b) c) d) e)
3. go through the roof – - ? - a) b) c) d) e)
4. off the top of my head – - ? - a) b) c) d) e)
5. touch base - - ? - a) b) c) d) e)

Now complete the following sentences with an expression from the previous exercise. You may need to change the form of the expression

1. Ever since the war in the middle east, petrol prices have .
2. I just wanted to and see how you’re doing and how business is going for you.
3. We’ve been working on this since 8 o’clock this morning and we haven’t made any progress. I’m so tired I can't think anymore. Let’s  and carry on tomorrow.
4. I’m not sure what the market price is for this product at the moment, but , I’d say around 40 or 50 euros.
5. We can’t use this design. We’ll have to start again. All the work we’ve put in over the last two months has .

Match the idiom with the correct definition.

1. throw in the towel - - ? - to not know something that a select group of people knows to accept something unpleasant without fighting back new and innovative when you give up and stop doing something to do something until it is finished
2. see something through - - ? - to not know something that a select group of people knows to accept something unpleasant without fighting back new and innovative when you give up and stop doing something to do something until it is finished
3. take something lying down - - ? - to not know something that a select group of people knows to accept something unpleasant without fighting back new and innovative when you give up and stop doing something to do something until it is finished
4. out of the loop - - ? - to not know something that a select group of people knows to accept something unpleasant without fighting back new and innovative when you give up and stop doing something to do something until it is finished
5. ground-breaking - - ? - to not know something that a select group of people knows to accept something unpleasant without fighting back new and innovative when you give up and stop doing something to do something until it is finished

Now complete the following sentences with an expression from the previous exercise. You may need to change the form of the expression

1. The financial crisis has really affected our business and sales are very low, but we're not going to , we're going to come up with a strategy to fight this.
2. I tried to learn to dance tango, but it was too difficult and eventually I .
3. You’ll have to summarize what you’ve all been doing since I went away on holiday. I’m completely and I haven’t a clue what’s been happening.
4. This is a piece of software. It's really going to change the way people think about social messaging.5. I wasn't happy about being taken off the design team and I told my boss I wanted to the project .