VOCABULARY - IDIOMS

Kangaroo Court

Meaning: A court of law where proper procedures are not followed at all; a sham judicial proceeding

Keep (Something) at Bay

Meaning: Maintain a distance from something or someone

Keep a Stiff Upper Lip

Meaning: Control one’s emotions; not give in to fear or grief

Keep an Eye On

Meaning: To keep an eye on something or someone is to watch it periodically, to keep it under surveillance.

Keep an Eye Peeled

Meaning: Be observant; watch out for something

Keep It Under Your Hat

Meaning: Don’t tell anyone; don’t reveal this secret

Keep Someone at Arm’s Length

Meaning: Avoid close interaction or cooperation

Keep Your Nose Clean

Meaning: Avoid trouble or situations that compromise one’e honesty

Keep Your Powder Dry

Meaning: Do not attack until you are ready.

Keeping One’s Nose to the Grindstone

Meaning: Working hard on something repetitive or tedious

Kick Ass, Kick Butt

Meaning: A) Defeat badly, B) be excellent or highly effective

Kick the Bucket

Meaning: To die

Kick the Can Down the Road

Meaning:

• To postpone dealing with a difficult situation or decision.
• To delay taking action on a problem, often by finding temporary solutions.
• To avoid responsibility for a problem by passing it on to someone else or to the future.

Kill a Fly With an Elephant Gun

Meaning: To use excessive force or resources to accomplish a simple task.

Kill Two Birds with One Stone

Meaning: Act in such a way as to produce two desirable effects

Kill Two Birds with One Stone

Meaning: Solve two problems with one move

Kill the Goose That Laid the Golden Egg

Meaning: To destroy a source of ongoing profits or benefits

Kink in One’s Neck

Meaning: A cramp in one’s neck that causes pain

King of the Hill

Meaning: At the top of one’s field; the most influential person in a given field or area

Kiss and Make Up

Meaning: Make peace after an argument

Kith and Kin

Meaning: Family (collectively)

Knock on Wood; Touch Wood

Meaning: Let’s hope I have good luck or continue to have good luck.

Knock Some Sense Into

Meaning: To beat someone in order to teach him/her a lesson. May be used figuratively.

Knock Someone’s Socks Off

Meaning: Amaze someone

Knock Up

Meaning: To impregnate a woman. Often used in the form knocked up.

Knockout

Meaning: An extremely beautiful woman

Know (Something) Like the Back of One’s Hand

Meaning: To be very familiar with something, especially an area