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To rabbit on is slang. It means to talk for a long time, or to go on and on about something. He rabbits on about computers all the time. This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:Who else at 69 except a novelist gets asked to rabbit on about what their obsessions are and people listen tolerantly? at any time; whatever happens; in any weatherRain or shine, I have to go to work every weekday. This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:Rain or shine I love sleeping. what ever the weather or circumstances are like; in any conditionsMy brother goes to the football rain, hail or shine. This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:We've got 700 members on our database already and they're our prime shoppers. They're the ones that turn up rain, hail or shine because they understand that if they don't their market might not be here. caused surprise; caused disapprovalHis habit of smoking in the office has raised eyebrows. This is how the expression is used in one of our stories.At first, these boys-only dance classes raised eyebrows in the schoolyard and staff room of Melbourne's St Kilda Park Primary. enjoy the advantagesThousands of people will reap the benefits of this new power station. This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:Jason Gulbin is the national talent search co-ordinator for the Institute of Sport. He'll be one of the people who'll reap the benefits of the genetic research. A recipe is a set of instructions, something that tells you all the right ingredients. A recipe for disaster is a situation that has all the ingredients for a disaster - it’s likely to go wrong.Your idea sounds like a recipe for disaster. This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:Generally chefs enjoy a reputation for volatility matched only by dynamite, so a real-time battle of wits between precociously talented egotists from across the culinary and cultural spectrum might well be a recipe for disaster, right? official rules and processes that make doing things slow and frustratingI'd like to start a business, but there's too much red tape involved. This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:Everything takes a long time. There was a lot of red tape to go through. We had to go to meetings, counselling sessions. poverty; a polite way of saying someone has very little moneyI found her living in reduced circumstances in a boarding house on the seedy side of the city. This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:Just after her 90th birthday she died and that was in 1975, and at that time she had been living for many years in a corrugated iron shed. She was living in very reduced circumstances. To rein in is to control something, or make it go more slowly.You'll have to rein in your spending or you'lll go broke. This expression is used literally in Last Bullocky 18/4/05.Sandy Richards learnt how to rein in a bullock team when he was just a boy. is not yet known; has not been determinedIt remains to be seen if you have the job or not. This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:What remains to be seen is how opera audiences will react to the story which so divided the nation 20 years ago. be forced to useWe'll have to resort to using candles if there is a power outage. This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:It has restored water supplies to the village of Tilpa and many other communities along the Darling, which were facing critical shortages or had already been forced to resort to poor-quality bore water to meet household needs. change what has been happeningWe need to reverse the trend and start making money instead of losing it. This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:But Monash University is trying to reverse the trend by creating opportunities. Something that is rich in something has a lot of it.Cheese is rich in saturated fat. This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:It's rich in Aboriginal history and home to endangered flora and fauna. cheated; defraudedI was ripped off by the car salesman. This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:For the past decade, investors throughout Australia have been ripped off by a Queensland property scam worth hundreds of millions of dollars. (informal) arrive; turn upWhat time are you going to rock up tonight? This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:You can basically rock up, eat your meal and go away and you know that someone's cooked it for you and someone's going to clean up after you - it's great. difficult time; not easyIt’s been a rocky road, but I’ve finally earned my degree. This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:Despite being one of the most prestigious jobs in the Australian art world, it's been a rocky road for all three. continueThings roll on in the same way. This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:The everyday contact that tunes out the rest of the word and helps community life roll on. arrivedOur first guests rolled up at 6 o'clock. This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:On the Friday night after, the week after the fires we had a get together here and we put on a barbeque and everybody rolled up we had two or three hundred people here. basic causes; fundamental causesThe root cause of your problems is drinking too much. This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:It was all too easy in the past just to throw $100,000 here and there, paper over problems, without actually tackling them at their root causes and getting sustainable solutions for the future, and that's why the problems never went away. A rotten apple or a bad apple is one bad person who harms the reputation of others in a group.Some teachers are rotten apples. Something that is as rough as guts is crudely made or done without much attention to detail.His painting is rough as guts - he hasn't even bothered to do the edges carefully. This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:And then they started to say, 'Well, you know we can make these things not quite like a horse drawn dray that's rough as guts to drive in and make them more into a car', whereas these days the 4WD station wagon is as comfortable as anything. A rough trot is a difficult period of time.I had a rough trot when I lost my job. A rude shock is a sudden unpleasant surprise.I got a rude shock when I realised that I didn't have the key. This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:I would say I wasn't very prepared to start living in a different country away from home, away from all the creature comforts and I had quite a few rude shocks like coming to Adelaide for the first time. One of them was actually walking on the tarmac like from the plane I actually had to walk on the tarmac and there was sky, and there was just no tunnel at all, just walking in open air. To give something a run for its money is to provide strong competition.I don' t think the top team will be beaten, but this week they should get a run for their money. A good run for your money can also mean getting a lot of satisfaction from something.I've had a good run for my money with this car. This expression is used in the first sense in Roo Paper 20/9/05.Do you think you would give the pulp mill a run for its money? To run out of steam is to lose enthusiasm or energy.Halfway through the race she ran out of steam. ordinary; commonplaceHe lives a very run-of-the-mill sort of life. This is how the expression is used in one of our stories:Giant kelp isn't just your run-of-the mill seaweed. It can grow up to 35 metres tall.
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Common Expressions