ABOUT

 partly/mainly/all about
 do something about: to take action in order to deal with a situation
 about time: (spoken) used for showing that you are annoyed because something has happened
later than it should; used for saying that someone should do something soon
 be about to do something: to be going to happen or do something very soon

ACCESS
 (have/gain/provide) access to
 Internet access
 wheelchair access

ACCIDENT
 a riding/climbing/hunting accident
 bad/fatal/horrific/minor/nasty/serious/tragic accident
 an accident of birth: a situation caused by who your family is rather than by anything you do
 an accident waiting to happen: a situation that is likely to cause an accident
someone who behaves in a way that is likely to cause trouble
 be (involved) in an accident:
 by accident: by chance, without being planned or intended
 have an accident: to urinate or excrete (= pass solid waste) when you do not intend to
 it is no accident: used for saying that something was planned, perhaps for dishonest reasons

ACCOUNT
 an overdrawn account: one from which you have taken more money than you have put in
 bring/call/hold someone to account: to make someone explain publicly why they made a
mistake or committed a crime, especially so that they can be criticized or punished for it
 by/from all account: according to what people say
 by your own account: according to what you yourself have said
 eyewitness account: a description of the details of an event given by someone who saw them
 give a good account of yourself: to behave or perform very well
 give an account of something: provide a written or spoken report about sth that has happened
 of no account/of little account: not or not very important
 on account: if you buy something on account, you take it now and pay for it later
if you pay an amount of money on account, you pay part of what you owe now and
you pay the rest later
 on account of: because of someone or something
 on someone’s account: if you do something on someone’s account, you do it because you think
they want you to
 on no account/not on any account: used to say in a strong and definite way that something
must not happen or be done
 on this/that account: used when giving the reason for something
 on your own account: by yourself or for yourself rather than with or for someone else
 open an account: start having an account
 settle an account: pay the money that you owe
 settle an account/settle accounts: to end a disagreement or argument with someone by
defeating them
 take account of something/take something into account: to consider something when you
are trying to make a decision

ACT
  act of violence/vandalism/terrorism/kindness/bravery/desperation etc.
 unlawful/criminal/wrongful/illegal etc. act
 act in good/bad faith: believe that you are acting honestly
 act out of necessity/desperation/love/compassion/curiosity etc.
 act the part/role of: to perform in plays or films
 act on somebody’s advice/orders/behalf
 balancing/juggling act: a situation in which someone has to do several different things at the
same time
 be a hard/tough act to follow: (informal) to do something so well that others who do it after you
do not feel very confident about being successful
 be in the act of doing something: to be doing something at a particular moment, especially
when something else happens or when someone interrupts you
 catch someone in the act (of doing something): to find someone and interrupt them when
they are doing something wrong
 put on an act: to behave or speak in a false or artificial way
 get in on the act: (informal) to take part in an activity that someone else is doing, in order to gain
some of the advantages for yourself
 get your act together: (informal) to organize your life or work in a better way, especially by
having clear goals and a plan for achieving them

ADVANCE
 in advance: if you do something in advance, you do it in preparation for a particular time or event
in the future

ADVANTAGE
 be at an advantage: have an advantage
 give someone an advantage
 have an advantage over sth/sb
 take advantage of someone: to unfairly get what you want from someone who is easily
persuaded to help you, trust you, or do things for you
 take (full) advantage of something: to use a situation or opportunity to get what you want
 to someone’s advantage: making you more likely to succeed
 to good/best advantage: using or showing the best features of someone or something

AGE
 act/be your age: used for telling someone that they are behaving in a stupid way, as if they were
much younger than they really are
 age bracket (n, count.): the range between two particular ages
 age limit (n, count.): the oldest or the youngest age at which you are allowed to do something
 age gap (n, count.): the difference in age between two people
 age group (n, count.): all the people between two particular ages, considered as a group
 at/from the age of
 at/from an early age = at/from a very young age
 at your/his/her etc. age: because of how young or old someone is
 be someone’s age/be the same age as someone: to be as old as someone
 come of age: to reach the age when you are legally an adult
to become accepted and respected by most people
 difference in age
 feel your age: to realize that you are becoming older and less able or willing to do things that
younger people do
 for your/his/her age: used for saying that something is surprising, considering how old someone is
  in this day and age: in the present or modern times
 of all/different ages
 raise/lower the age of someone
 reach the age of
 someone’s advancing years/age: used for saying that someone is getting older
 the spirit of the times/age: the ideas, beliefs, and style of a particular period of time
 under age: too young by law to do something
 with age
 years of age

AGREEMENT
 be in agreement: to have the same opinion, or to have made the same decision
(formal) to agree with a policy or decision
 come to an agreement: make a decision after a lot of discussion
 reach an agreement
 seal a victory/deal/agreement: to make a victory/deal/agreement etc certain or complete
 there is general/wide agreement that: = most people agree that

AHEAD
 ahead of somone’s/something’s time: too modern to be accepted or understood
 ahead of the game: in a situation that is likely to lead to success as the result of good planning,
advice, luck etc
 ahead of time: at an earlier time than people expected
 ahead of time/schedule: at an earlier time than was planned or arranged
 be ahead of the pack/lead the pack: to be more successful than other people that you are
competing with
 be/stay one jump ahead (of someone): to do something before someone else or more
successfully than someone else
 full steam ahead: making a lot of progress
 get ahead: to make progress in your work and become successful
 get/keep/stay ahead (of the game): to react quickly so that you gain/keep an advantage
 lie ahead/before/in store: if something lies ahead, it is going to happen to you in the future
 look/think/plan ahead: to think about the future or plan for the future
 streets ahead: (informal) much better than other people or things
 the way ahead: the way that things will happen or be done in the future
 well ahead: = winning easily

AMOUNT
 amount in controversy: the amount of money that is being disputed in a civil court case
 amount/come to the same thing: to have the same meaning or effect as something else
 no amount of something: used for saying that something will never be enough to have an effect
 not amount to a hill of beans: (informal) to not be important at all
 not amount to much/a great deal: to not be very impressive

ANSWER
 answer a need: to provide what is needed
 answer charges/criticisms: to explain your actions to someone who has accused you of sth
 answer someone’s prayers
 answer the description of: to look like the person or thing described
 answer to somebody
  fit/match/answer someone’s description: to look the same as a person or thing that someone
has described
 give somebody an answer
 (have a lot to) answer for
 in answer to
 something’s answer to: someone or something that is similar to a more famous person or thing
from a different place
 stuck for an answer: not knowing how to solve a problem, or answer a question that someone
asks you
 won’t take no for an answer: used for saying that someone is very determined that you should
do what they want, especially that you should accept their offer or invitation

APPOINTMENT
 by appointment
 keep an appointment: go to an appointment that you have arranged
 make/have/break an appointment

APPROVAL
 meet with someone’s approval: be approved of by someone
 on approval: if you buy something on approval, you can send it back within a particular time if
you are not satisfied with it
 someone’s approval rating: a measure of people’s approval of a political leader
 subject to someone’s approval: needing to be approved by them
