a steal

a steal: very inexpensive, a bargain

This idiom is often used in an exclamation using what.

• I can't believe that I paid only $4000 for this three-year-old car. What a steal!
• Scott considered it a steal when he bought a complete bedroom set for only %300.

to step on it

to step on it: to go faster, to work more quickly

• We're going to be late for the movies. You'd better step on it!
• If I want to finish this assignment by the end of the day, I really need to step on it.

to step down

to step down: to retire or leave a top position, to resign

• Next May the principal will step down after thirty-five years of service to the school.
• The angry shareholders wanted the company president to step down because of the stock scandal.

to step in

to step in: to become involved or concerned with something; to enter a place for a brief time (also: to step into)

• When the children started fighting on the playground, a teacher had to step in and stop the fight.
• The supervisor asked one of the employees to step into her office for a moment.

to cut short

to cut short: to make shorter, to interrupt (S)

• The moderator asked the speaker to cut short his talk because there wasn't much time remaining for questions from the audience.
• We were very unfortunate when we received bad news from home that forced us to cut our trip short.

to waste one's breath

to waste one's breath: to speak uselessly

This idiom is used when someone is wasting time trying to convince another person.

The idiom to save one's breath is related and means not to waste effort trying to convince someone.

• Don't argue with Frank any longer. You are wasting your breath trying to get him to agree with you.
• I have already decided what I'm going to do. You can't change my mind, so save your breath.

on edge

on edge: nervous, anxious; upset, irritable

• Cynthia was on edge all day about the important presentation she had to give to the local citizens group.
• I don't like being around Jake when he's on edge like that. Someone should tell him to calm down and relax.

to break loose

to break loose: to become free or loose, to escape

• During the bad storm, the boat broke loose from the landing and drifted out to sea.
• One bicyclist broke loose from the pack of racers and pulled ahead towards the finish line.

to get the better of

to get the better of: to win or defeat by gaining an advantage over someone

• Jim doesn't seem very athletic at tennis, but if you're not careful, he'll get the better of you.
• Lynn gets frustrated when Bruce gets the better of her in arguments. No matter what she says, he always has a clever response.

to stand up

to stand up: to withstand use or wear; to fail to appear for a date or social engagement (S)

• My old car has stood up well over the years. I haven't had any major problems at all.
• Janet was very angry because her new boyfriend stood her up on their second date. She waited over an hour for him before returning home.