COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
hair was dripping
▪
Her boots were muddy and her hair was dripping .
honeymoon was over
▪
By 1987, the honeymoon was over .
I was forgetting ... (= said when you have just remembered or been reminded about something ) spoken
▪
Oh yes, I was forgetting she was pregnant.
It was a tough call (= a difficult decision )
▪
It was a tough call , but we had to cancel the game because of the weather.
it was abnormal
▪
My parents thought it was abnormal for a boy to be interested in ballet.
it was announced that
▪
At the end of their meeting, it was announced that an agreement had been reached.
It was decent of
▪
It was decent of you to show up today.
it was hopeless
▪
I kept on struggling forward, even though I knew it was hopeless .
It was mean of
▪
It was mean of him not to invite her.
(it was) nice meeting you (= used to say goodbye politely to someone you have just met for the first time )
it was nip and tuck
▪
We made it to the airport, but it was nip and tuck .
It was no bother (= used to emphasize that you were happy to help someone )
▪
‘Thanks for your help.’ ‘ It was no bother at all.’
It was noticeable that
▪
It was noticeable that many of them avoided answering the question.
It was sleeting
▪
It was sleeting so hard we could barely see for 30 yards.
It was stupid of me
▪
It was stupid of me to lose my temper.
it was too late
▪
He shouted a warning but it was too late .
It was unbelievable that
▪
It was unbelievable that we were expected to pay twice.
It was unlucky...that
▪
It was unlucky for Stephen that the boss happened to walk in just at that moment.
it was worth it
▪
It was a lot of hard work, but it was worth it .
It was...dark (= was night )
▪
It was still dark when we boarded the train.
it was...foreseeable that
▪
The judge found that it was not foreseeable that the fuel would catch fire.
It was...rash of
▪
It was rather rash of you to lend them your car.
It was...terrifying
▪
It was absolutely terrifying .
never had/did/was etc
▪
Never had she been so confused.
old though it is/tired though he was etc
▪
Strange though it may seem, I like housework.
that...was a...doozy
▪
I’ve heard lies before, but that one was a real doozy !
the converse was true
▪
Some teachers welcomed the change; but for the majority of teachers, the converse was true .
the odd thing was
▪
What she did was unforgivable, but the odd thing was he didn’t seem to mind.
there is/was a call
▪
There was a phone call for you.
there was (a) panic
▪
When the shooting started, there was panic.
There was...pandemonium
▪
There was complete pandemonium in the kitchen.
was a blast
▪
The concert was a blast .
was a complete mess
▪
When I got home, the house was a complete mess .
was beneath...dignity (= was something she thought she was too important to do )
▪
Arguing was beneath her dignity .
was dragged kicking and screaming
▪
The London Stock Exchange was dragged kicking and screaming into the 20th century.
was in short supply (= not enough of it was available )
▪
Gasoline was in short supply after the war.
was out of puff (= had difficulty breathing )
▪
I was out of puff .
was plastered all over the papers (= was the main story in the newspapers )
▪
The news of the wedding was plastered all over the papers .
was tinged with sadness (= he also felt rather sad )
▪
His relief was tinged with sadness .
was under no illusion that
▪
She was under no illusion that he loved her.
was wise in the ways of (= knew a lot about )
▪
As a manager, Sanford was wise in the ways of company politics.
was...touched by (= doubt affected him )
▪
He was often touched by doubt .
what all the fuss was about (= why people liked it so much )
▪
Until I heard her sing I couldn’t see what all the fuss was about .
what was left of (= used when very little is left )
▪
He pointed to what was left of the house .
When I was young
▪
When I was young , I wanted to be a model.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
(since sb was) in short pants
I was wondering if/whether
▪
I was wondering if you could babysit tomorrow night.
▪
We were wondering if you'd like to come with us.
▪
Actually, I was wondering if I could paint the room?
▪
I guess I was wondering if people would still call me a hippie if I cut my hair off, you know.
▪
Next weekend. I was wondering if you fancied coming along for the ride.
▪
We were finally talking about bodies. I was wondering whether he would ever make a move.
I/we was robbed!
as is/was/does etc
▪
And as is the way of things in nature, given sufficient heat and hammering, the result is forged steel.
▪
For his contemporaries, Gloucester clearly filled a double role, as is illustrated by his dealings with the city of York.
▪
In fact, as is clearly illustrated by this data, inequalities are relatively consistent throughout childhood.
▪
It is as unique in its way as was the original White Paper.
▪
It was a small, intimate gathering that was assembled, as was the custom among nice Atchison families.
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Now he desires, as is but right, that my dowry should be returned with me.
▪
The classic Sinatra phrasing remains intact, as does that easy-breeze delivery.
▪
The human was now seen as a biomechanical machine, as was the entire universe.
how was I to know?/how did I know?
if ever there was one
▪
A crazy notion if ever there was one.
▪
An obstinate fellow, if ever there was one, and a very elusive one too.
▪
Exercise is the original fountain of youth if ever there was one.
▪
He is a product of the system if ever there was one.
▪
Here is a time warp if ever there was one.
▪
My favourite Caithness loch is Heilen, near Castletown; an expert's loch if ever there was one.
▪
My son, however, is a sports fanatic if ever there was one.
it was all I could do to do sth
▪
I followed one up the motorway just yesterday and it was all I could do to not retch.
▪
When pro golfer Tiger Woods won the Masters two weeks ago, it was all I could do to suppress a yawn.
it was as much as sb could do to do sth
it was nothing/think nothing of it
it's time I was moving/we ought to get moving etc
my heart was in my mouth
once is/was enough
sb always was lucky/untidy etc
sb was (just) minding their own business
▪
I was just walking along, minding my own business , when this guy ran straight into me.
sb was all ...
sb was never meant for sth/to be sth
some friend you are/some help she was etc
sth was meant to be/happen
▪
Designed by Robert Von Hagge, it was meant to be hard.
▪
Imprinted with cell bars, the first Tricky Envelope was meant to be festooned with the Richard Nixon stamp.
▪
It was meant to be some kind of joke.
▪
Our protest was meant to be purely symbolic.
▪
Perhaps it's because none of this was meant to happen.
▪
She was meant to be illustrating a new book for children, a fantasy story by a well-known author.
▪
Technically he was meant to be in bed.
▪
The fit crew was meant to be Merrill Lynch.
there I was/there they were etc
time was (when)
▪
Time was when you could buy a new car for less than $500.
▪
A few minutes of television time was so precious.
▪
It was a sweet life, but Gore at the time was reinventing government and saving the Earth.
▪
It was comfortable with its premature senescence but at the same time was wired with a wildness and youthful energy.
▪
The besetting sin of the time was drunkenness, and a couple of notorious drunks lived near Richard Baxter.
▪
The election was not settled until close to the inauguration, so not much time was available to plan the festivities.
▪
The paper ran a page-one correction, noting that the time was right for Hawaii.
▪
Unfortunately, although a good time was had by all, a number of the team picked up a strange flu bug.
▪
Within the political mainstream, the spirit of these times was consensual.
was/were to do sth
what was all that about?
▪
And what was all that about sending him your regards?