above all

above all: mainly, especially

• Above all, don't mention the matter to Gerard; he's the last person should tell.
• Sheila does well in all her school subjects, but above all in mathematics. Her math scores are always over 95 percent.

a lost cause

a lost cause: a hopeless case, a person or situation having no hope of positive change

• It seems that Charles will never listen to our advice. I suppose it's a lost cause.
• The police searched for the missing girl for two weeks, but finally gave it up as a lost cause.
• People who have committed several crime and show no sorrow about their actions are generally lost causes.

to break in

to break in: gradually to prepare something for use that is new and stiff(S); to interrupt(for the second definition, also: to cut in); to enter illegally or by force

• It is best to break a new car in by driving it slowly for the first few hundred miles.
• While Carrie and I were talking, Bill broke in to tell me about a telephone call.
• Peter, it's very impolite to cut in like that while others are speaking.
• The thief was caught as he tried to break into our home.

fifty-fifty

fifty-fifty: divided into two equal parts

• Let's go fifty-fifty on the cost of a new rug for our apartment.
• The political candidate has a fifty-fifty chance of winning the election.

to turn down

to turn down: to reduce in brightness or volume(S); to reject, to refuse(S)

• Please turn down the radio for me. It's too loud while I'm studying.
• Lola wanted to join the military but the recruiting officer turned her application down because Lola is hard of hearing in one ear.

on the other hand

on the other hand: however, in contrast

• Democracies provide people many freedoms and privileges. On the other hand, democracies suffer many serious problems such as crime and unemployment.
• My sister takes after my father in appearance. On the other hand, I take after my mother.

to keep up with

to keep up with: to maintain the same speed or rate as

• Frieda works so fast that no one in the office can keep up with her.
• You'll have to walk more slowly. I can't keep up with you.

turn/go to mush

turn/go to mush

if your brains, heart etc turn to mush, you cannot think clearly or sensibly:

• If you watch too much TV, your brains will turn to mush.

senior citizen

senior citizen (noun)

someone who is over 60 years old or who is

perverse

perverse (adj): behaving in an unreasonable way, especially by deliberately doing the opposite of what people want you to do:

• He gets perverse satisfaction from embarrassing people.

— perversely adverb:

• Perversely, she was irritated by his kindness.