Place & Position: English Vocabulary List

to be occupied by a large number of things

"The small room was bursting at the seams."

"The small theatre was bursting at the seams with fans who wanted to see the show."

used to describe a very honest and moral person

"He is straight as arrow."

"My uncle is as straight as an arrow and has never told a lie in his entire honest life."

used of a secret that is now shared with others

"The secret is finally out in the open."

"After years of hiding their relationship, they finally decided to bring everything out in the open."

to forcefully make a path through a crowded or obstructed area

"He elbowed his way through the crowd."

"He elbowed his way through the crowded concert to get to the front of the stage."

enough space that enables people to move easily

"We need elbow room."

"The small apartment didn't offer much elbow room for entertaining guests."

in a place that is far away from cities, towns, or anywhere that is occupied by people

"In the middle of nowhere."

"Their remote cabin was located in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by dense forest."

an area that is near a place in which someone resides

"Welcome to my neck of the woods."

"We are planning to visit your neck of the woods next summer so we can finally meet up."

a small or confined room with very limited space for movement

"There is no room to swing a cat."

"The apartment is so small that there is hardly room to swing a cat in the living room."

all possible places, particularly those that are out of sight or reach

"We searched every nook and cranny."

"The children searched every nook and cranny of the house looking for the hidden Easter eggs."

without sufficient space for one to move freely

"We were packed like sardines."

"During the rush hour, commuters on the train were squashed in like sardines with barely enough room to breathe."

a familiar place or location, particularly one where someone often goes to or spends time in

"This is my ground."

"The old bookstore, with its cozy atmosphere and endless shelves, has always been my favorite stamping ground for literary adventures."

having just returned from a specific place

"I am fresh out."

"The bakery was fresh out of bread when I arrived because they had sold everything earlier in the morning."

(especially of someone in military or law enforcement) honest and following the rules without deviation

"He stands straight as a ramrod."

"The officer was as stiff as a ramrod and followed every rule without any deviation."

to be down on one's hands and knees

"The baby was on all fours."

"The toddler got down on all fours and started crawling around the living room floor looking for his lost toy."

completely direct and without any twists and deviations

"The road is straight as an arrow."

"The hiking trail followed the river, remaining as straight as an arrow for several miles."

in an environment that is not enclosed

"The cat is out in the open."

"After hiding for days, the fugitive was finally apprehended while out in the open."

(of one's posture) in a straight and rigid position

"He stood as straight as a ramrod."

"The drill sergeant commanded his recruits to stand as straight as a ramrod."