We’re back again with TOEFL idioms! Excited about this because now I’ve been teaching a lot of TOEFL iTP, so it’s time to start catering to my TOEFLers, too. Get ready!
Today’s Idioms
Come back – (1) return.
Dr Bradford may not be able to come back to the office before his surgery this afternoon.
(2) remember, recall.
Even events that people consider long forgotten can come back to them in the right circumstances.
(3) return to popularity.
Have you noticed that platform shoes are coming back for the fall?
Come to / come down to – (1) grow to, gradually achieve enough familiarity to do something.
While some linguists disdain statistics as a mere manipulation of members, others may come to appreciate it as a powerful means to prove one’s point.
(2) amount to.
The more we learn about human behaviour; the more it comes down to heredity being a predominant factor.
Cut down on – reduce, decrease, lessen.
Cutting down on high calorie foods may lead to a substantial weight loss over an extended period of time.
Do over – do again.
His essay was so poorly written that he had to do it over.
Do with –
(1) profit/benefit from, use to advantage.
I am cold and hungry; I could do with a cup of hot soup.
(2) be familiar with, associate with, work with.
How should I know where the computer manual? I don’t have anything to do with it.
Do without – manage without having.
The structure of American cities is such that urban dwellers cannot do without private transportation.
Drop by / in – visit informally, for a short period of time.
Whenever you are in town, please feel free to drop by anytime.
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