A meeting of EU foreign ministers should go some way _____ clarifying the situation.

The new personnel manager had to deal with a strike threat on her first day. Talk about being thrown in at the _____ end!

The sudden, tragic death of the young princess sparked off a feeding ______ in the media.

That boy's always been in trouble. Sooner or later he's going to _____ in prison. Mark my words.

Look! The waiter charged us for four desserts when we only had two. We're been ____!

I know you are pressed for time, Harold, but do you think we could ______ in a quick meeting before lunch?

-There's something I have to tell you. You see...I...I...I...

-Come on, _____ it out. I haven't got all day.

The discussion didn't solve any of our problems, but at least it _____ the air.

If the door has jammed, there's no point in trying to force it open. You'll probably just _____ the handle off!

-So how did he react when you told him you wanted a divorce?

-He didn't _____ an eyelid.

-Alan's a bit serious, isn't he?

-That's true. He's not exactly a _______.

That girl was nothing but trouble when she stayed with us. We were both glad to see the _____ of her.

That fellow couldn't change a light bulb, ______ rewire the whole house.

The first half of the novel is rather heavy _____, but after that it's gripping.

If our competitors lower their prices, we shall have no choice but to follow ______.

When Marston comes back from sick leave, you’ll have to ______ on what’s been happening in his absence.

I didn't tell her Dick had left, but she'd noticed that his car was gone and had put ______ together. "Where has Dick gone?" she asked.

I play golf ______, which makes about 25 or 26 times a year. It's hardly excessive.

He lay in the hospital bed with a multitude of tubes and wires going in and out of his body. He was clearly in a bad ______.

Don't be too hard on yourself. Just ______ it up to experience and don't do it again!

People used to take the______ out of Jean-Pierre because of his funny accent.

Why should we ______ until we're 65 and then get nothing but a miserable little pension that is impossible to live on?

His pathological shyness was the major ______ block in his career. If it hadn't been for that, he could have done anything.

It is estimated that _____ 10% of the population goes to university.

I ______ the interview by saying all the wrong things.

The special offer proved very popular. Hundreds of shoppers swallowed the ______-.

I was surprised when I looked out the window and saw fog everywhere. It was not fog, however, but smoke, and very thick smoke _____.

What exactly are you ______ at?

They had ________ that it was invisible from the road.

Why don't you have a night out? It would take your _____ off your troubles.

There were too many people involved in the project, too many cooks spoiling the ______.

__________________, I haven't seen Catherine all day.

I don't know what her husband did wrong but, whatever it was, he's in the __________.

Every time the teacher turned her back, Trevor would make funny _____ at me.

The two brothers fight continually, mainly _____ jealousy.

Reverend O'Brian was a charming young Irishman. Like many of his countrymen, he was blessed with the gift of the _____.

The newspaper was ordered to pay the pop star $ 150,000 ______ for printing a libelous story about her.

You needn't show me the way, thanks. I can ______ myself out.

I'm sorry to ____ from your computer, but I need your help.

What is the reason for this extraordinary behavior? What on Earth do you think you're _____?

Look at her putting on airs and _______. What makes her think she's better than us?

I was looking for _____ more expensive book than this. It's for a present, you see.

Vast areas of arable ground have, _______, been sacrificed to ethanol production.

The answer is no. That's all ______.

He often arrives in the office like a _____ with a sore head.

Before deciding on a project of this importance, I want to _____ our legal advisor first.

Before your children start spending most of their free time in front of the television or computer, _______. Encourage them to read!

He's a dead _____ for Charlie Chaplin.

Our proposal has been rejected. So it's back to the drawing ______, I'm afraid. Maybe we can come up with something better.

You look incredibly like someone I knew years ago. It's quite _____ !

This job should be right up your _______, Bill. You'll be working with all those little electronic gadgets you like so much.

You don't have to be frightened of her. Her ______ a lot worse than her bite.

He said he was going to do the parachute jump, but just at the last moment he ___________.

the little goldfish was floating belly-up on the surface of the tank. Clearly, it was as dead as a _____.

Americans are almost alone in the industrialized world _____ religion seriously.

I'm thinking of ____ in for the marathon.

I'm thinking of _____ in for the marathon.

The energy minister had to run the ____ of angry anti-nuclear protesters.

This isn't the moment to start behaving like a six-year-old. Come on, get a ______ on yourself.

She's hopeless at making decisions. She even ________ over which toothpaste to paste.

He ______ that one day he would be sharing a cell with the most famous bank robber in Britain.

Thieves got away with a ________ of jewelry worth millions of pounds.

Parents seem to be taking less responsibility for the behavior of their children, preferring to pass the _____ to teachers and the school system in general.

It's one of those TV quizzes where they ask things like which actor plays ______ a character in some film or other.

The shop assistant took ______ ten per cent because the item was damaged.

Most of the patients knew they were dying and could even joke about it. There was plenty of ______ humour.

You could ______ a haircut, Morris. You're starting to look like a superannuated hippie.

I need a blowtorch to ______ these two pieces of metal together.

Jobs are _____ on the ground than ever.

As the election approaches, the terrorists seem to be _____ causing as much death and destruction as possible.

Della is an unreliable witness. A good lawyer would make _____ out of her in court.

Nothing, _______ massive cuts in state spending and wages, will help the country pull through the present crisis.

- What do you think of my new hairstyle?

- _______, my dear, it's a disaster.

Every time the government proposes to change the immigration laws, it is accused of ______ to right-wing extremists.

Come on, Doris, _____ out of it! Things aren't as bad as all that.

The ______ of our business is done on the internet, not through physical stores.

Because of the strong euro, French and German exporters are finding _____ a lot rougher than during the late 1980s.

Critics consider Roth to be the greatest living American novelist ____ none.

There was a lot of trouble in the office last month, but fortunately, it's all ______ now.

In the spring the snow begins to _______.

Look, are you sure your parents won't mind me spending another day or so here? I don't want to _____ my welcome!

The bus driver had apparently ______ at the wheel. Police were waiting for him to regain consciousness.

Unfortunately, during the Christmas holidays, her carefully planned diet went to _______.

She went to the evening class regularly until Easter, but after that, her enthusiasm began to_____.

many of the preset working population lost out _____ education and training in the past.

Don't _____ to any conclusions before you know the full facts of the matter.

How many people understand the _____ of high finance? Even the experts admit they don't know it all.

I won't tell anyone. My lips are ____.

aking a wrong turn, the patrol ______ into a group of heavily-armed enemy soldiers.

There was a lot of talk about reforming the financial system, but in the end, governments around the world simply _______ to pressure from bankers and financiers.

Our business relationship had been going from bad to worse.. Finally, we decided to call it ______ and ensure the partnership.

We've had some _____ with the machines.

The guards were instructed to _____ out harsh punishment to troublemakers.

Ok, you two, it's bedtime. Get your pajamas on and make it _____.

I can't go out wearing something like that. I'd be the _____ of the neighborhood.

Federer had been making a habit of winning Wimbledon. Then Nadal arrived and Federer finally met his _____.

There has been a _____ in the sales of new houses since mortgages became more difficult to obtain.

Once Jim takes a drink or two, he has a tendency to get on his _______ about the evils of capitalism.

When he retired, Hedges had _____ up 40 years of service with the company.