As a matter of the fact - in fact, in reality; to be exact, really
1. Haven't you finished? - As a matter of fact, we haven't begun. (A. Cronin)
2. Do you happen to have any cigarettes, by any chance? - No, I don't, as a matter of fact. (J. Salinger)
3. I've been meaning to have a word with you as a matter of fact. (Gr. Greene)

To put up with - to bear, to endure, to tolerate
1.If only he could be happy again she could put up with it. (J. Galsworthy)
2.She's my sister. We put up with each other. (I. Murdoch)
3.I want to know how long this state of things between us is to last? I have put up with it long enough. (J. Galsworthy)

To be all for – strongly in favor of, to want it to be so, definitely to want something
For example:
1. Mother, I’m all for Hurbert sending his version to the papers. (J. Galsworthy)
2. I’m ready to welcome what you call half the truth – the facts. – So am I. I’m all for it. (J. Prietsley)
3. Anthony was all for the open fields and his friends, Steve on the other hand took little notice of other children. (G. Gordon)

Not to care two pins about (not to care a hang, fig, hoot, etc.) – not care nothing
For example:
1. I don’t care two pins if you think me plain or not. (W.S. Maugham)
2. Caroline does not care a hang for woods at any time of the year. (A. Christie) …a laugh you couldn’t trust, but a laugh which made you laugh and agree that in a crazy world
3. like this all sorts of things didn’t matter a hang. (Or. Creene)

To slip (ouy of) one's mind (memory) - to forget
1. Perhaps you really have a friend called Merde and it slipped your mind. (J. Wain)
2. ... that the main purpose of my visit had slipped from his failing memory. (A. Cronin)

All along - from the very first, from the very begin-ning (it impliest 'over a period of time' or 'during that period')
1. Miss Boland is the daughter of a close friend. Thus, all along, he regarded her as his own responsibility. (A. Cronin)
2. Savina realized now that all along she had felt a secret superiority to Edna. (M. Wilson)
3. That's what I suppose I intended doing all along. (M.Wilson)

To make a fuss about (over) - to complain or be angry about unimportant things.
1. Don't make such a fuss, Mother, he whispered, on the plant-form, after she had kissed him. I've only been away a short time. (G. Gordon)
2. Fella, darling, he said, just don't make a fuss. If there's one thing T cannot stand it's women making fuss. (I. Murdoch)
3. But nobody's going to make a_fuss about lifting a pair of boots from one of the toffs. (K. Prichard)

At heart - in one's heart; in one's heart of hearts; in one secret heart; in one's inmost self
1. The trouble with you, Bill, said Nan, is that for all your noisy Labour Party views you're a snob at heart. (I Murdoch)
2. He went home, uneasy and sore at heart, for this concerned two people of whom he was very fond, and he could see no issue that was not full of suffering to both (J. Galsworthy)
3. Short of the most convincing proofs he must still refuse to belive for he did not wish to punish himself. And all the time at heart - he did believe. (J. Galsworthy)

The fat is in the fire – a step has been taken, something done, which commits to further action, or will produce excitements, indignation etc.
1. He rose. Well, fat’s in the fire. If you persist in your willfulness, you’ll have yourself to blame.
2. Then the fat’s was in the fire! Dear Mamma took up the tale. (R. Aldington)
3. Yes, murmured Sir Lawrence, watching her. The fat is in the fire, as old Forsyte would have said. (J. Galsworthy)

In the long run – eventually; before all is over; finally; after many changes of fortune; successes and failures.
1. He filled a pipe and tired his best to fell that, after all, in the long run Dinny would be happier unmarried to him. (J. Gals - worthy)
2. Naturally I don’t approve of them, said Emery, stll uncertain whether he felt more annoyed or pleased at Clayton’s insistence that in the long run they were both good fellows more or less on the same side. (J. Lindsay)
3. Hospital meant charring as far as work went but in its social atmosphere it meant something more interesting, more romantic, and, in the long run, more respectable. (J. Wain)

1. I felt a sharp anger against him for the predicament in which he had placed me. (A. Cronin)
2. ..he had not realized, what circumstances were soon to teach him, that his predicament was not on that could improved by thinking. (J. Wain)
3. To them he narrated Veronica’s predicament and they immediately offered to adopt the child as soon as it was born – or say a month after. (A. Coppard)

To let oneself in for– to be persuaded to do something

1. I let myself in for several hours’ boredom every day, Dixon. A couple more won’t break my back. (K. Amis)
2. Oh, God, Christine, you don’t want to come to that, you’ll be bored stiff. How have you ket yourself in for it (A. Christie)

What’s up? – what is going on? What’s the matter?

1. “What’s up?” said Andrian to a policeman. (J. Galsworthy)
2. “What’s up, lad?” – “You made me think of my mother.” (J. Braine)
3. You’d better wait here. And I’ll go in first and pretend I haven’t seen you, otherwise she’ll guess there’s something up. (D. Cusack)

To let the cat out of the bag - to disclose a secret.
1. From the warmth of her embrace he probably divined that he had let the cat out of the bag, for he rode off at once on irony. (J. Galsworthy)
2. I shouldn't have let the cat out. But there it is - it's a lucky start for you, my dear fellow. (A. Cronin)

To sit up late (to keep late hours) - not to go to bed at the usual hours.
1. Alf and Morris swore they could not sleep. They wanted to sit up all night in order to get down to the wagon on time. (K. Prichard)
2. Bless you! Don't sit up too late. Anne's rather in the dumps. (J. Galsworthy)

it is no use crying over spilt milk (to cry over spilt milk) - to spend time uselessly regretting unfortunate events
1. Well, I judge there's no use crying over spilt milk. Command me in any way. I am your very faithful servant. And turning round, he went out. (J. Galsworthy)
2. "Oh, dear me!" exclaimed Carrie. Then she settled back with a sigh. "There is no use crying over spilt milk," she said. "It's too late!" (Th. Dreiser)
3. And the grass - those great places had no grass, he believed! The blossom, too, was late this year - no blossom before they left! Well, the milk was spilled! (J. Galsworthy)

it serves you right - you have got just about what you deserve for your behaviour or actions
1. You took money that ought to have fed starving children. Serve you right! If I had been the father of one of those children, I'd have given you something worse than the sack. (B. Shaw)
1. "Served him right," said Drouet afterward, even in view of her keen expiation of her error. "I haven't any pity for a man who would be such a chump as that." (Th. Dreiser)
3. And as to confiscation of war profits, he was entirely in favour of it, for he had none, and "serve the beggars right!" (J. Gals-worthy)

to be beside oneself - to be wildly excited, mad, out of one's senses
1. Charles stared about him, almost beside himself. He actually felt tears of rage and humiliation forcing themselves up. (J. Wain)
2 Stroeve had always been excitable, but now he was beside himself; there was no reasoning with him. (W. S. Maugham)
3. So you can imagine how embarrassing it all is. I'm simply beside myself. (I. Murdoch)

to set one's mind on something - to be intent on; to be determined about
1. It was true that he had his ways. When he set his mind on something, that was that.
2. I may as well tell you that I should have thrown it up, only, I'm not in the habit of giving up what I've set my mind on. (J. Galsworthy)

into the bargain - beyond what has been stipulated; extra; besides; in addition
1. "I know it's a bit thick to rob you of a cheroot and then grill you with personal questions into the bargain," he began. (J. Wain)
2. To break up a home is at the best a dangerous experiment, and selfish into the bargain. (J. Galsworthy)
3. She is an excellent teacher and a good housewife into the bargain.

somehow or other - by some means; in some way that is not mentioned or explained
1. ... and somehow or other we're going to swim. (J. Gals- worthy)
2. Somehow or other he had heard of a box-kite... and the idea appealed to him at once. (W. S. Maugham)
3. At last, somehow or other, it (the tent) does get up, and you land the things. (Jerome K. Jerome)

to talk shop - to speak of business matters; to talk of the business that concerns one; to talk about one's everyday work with someone who also does the same job
1. As they walked up the street together they began to talk shop. (A. Cronin)
2. 1 hope you weren't talking shop. I hate talking shop. (J. Braine)
3. ... two other assistants who had withdrawn to a corner to talk shop. (M. Wilson)

to lose one's temper - to lose control of oneself in a moment of anger; to get angry or impatient
1. She frowned. I shall lose my temper. You'll make me lose my temper. Why do you hide so much from me? (J. Wain)
2. He did not propose to lose his temper, but merely to be persistent and agreeable, and by a few questions bring a mild under- standing of some sort. (Th. Dreiser)
3. He had an exasperating sense of discomfiture, and added to it the wretched suspicion that he had behaved badly in losing his temper while she had so admirably controlled hers. (A. Cronin)

to keep an eye on - to watch carefully; to look after; to observe (from a distance) so that the party under observa-tion is unaware of being observed
1. There, old Monty and Ma Buggins were always at hand and could keep an eye on her. (K. Prichard)
2. My store in Sharp Town, that does fine because I am there to keep an eye on it. (Gr. Greene)
3. I'd like to know more about her. That girl's got something. Just keep your eye on her. (J. Lindsay)

in (by) fits and starts - in sudden outbursts of energy, not lasting for a long time
1. Youth only recognizes age by fits and starts. (J. Galsworthy)
2. She told him what it was all about in wry, broken sentences, muddling it up and speaking in fits and starts, but he got the main thread.

to get on - (a) to succeed; to rise in life; (b) to make progress, to improve; © to get older
to get on with somebody - to like and naturally agree with somebody
1. The uncle had been a hearty drunken old fellow who had wanted his nephew to get on in the world. (J. Lindsay)
2. But Herbert got on very well at school. He was a good work- er and far from stupid. His reports were excellent. It turned out that he had a good head for figures. (W. S. Maugham)
3. "Hello, Max," he said pleasantly. "You're getting on in years." (M. Wilson)

all to the good - as a balance on the right side; as a profit, beneficial
1. Now you've had industrial experience, that's all to the good. (M. Wilson)
2. Don't be silly, dear! If he chooses to make a public apology for any reason, even such a bad one, isn't it all to the good? (J. Galsworthy)
3. It's just that I think if you can make them rest completely when they first come in it's all to the good. Letter-writing is such a strain. (D. Cusack)

all over - typical of
1. That was Paddy all over. Sharp as needle and fighting back. (K. Prichard)
2. "That's the men all over, dearie," Mrs. Fogarty exclaimed. (K. Prichard)
3. And that was just like Lally, that was Lally all over: the gas, the nobs of sugar in his tea, the way she ... and the ... О dear, dear! (A. Coppard)

to have the nerve (cheek, face, guts) to do some- thing - to put a bold face upon; to act boldly, as if there was nothing to be ashamed of; to dare to do something
1. Men whom he had regarded as friends among the alluvial diggers looked straight through him when they met, spat as he pas-sed, exclaiming contemptuously. Alf never had the nerve to resent it. (K. Prichard)
2. If I'd known, 1 shouldn't have had the cheek to ask you to lunch without him. (J. Galsworthy)
3. At the last moment I found 1 hadn't got the face to carry the child in my arms: I thought of what the street-boys would call out after me. (Jerome K. Jerome)

to take the rough with the smooth - to accept things as they come; be prepared to meet the hardships of life, as well as the easy part; to accept the good as well as the bad
1. What I'm trying to do now is take the rough with the smooth. (K. Amis)
2. But she has to bear with disagreeables and take the rough with the smooth, just like a nurse in a hospital or anyone else. (B. Shaw)