Usefulness & Value: English Vocabulary List

used to say that having a particular thing that is considered lesser or lower in quality or worth is more preferable than having nothing at all

"This old bike is better than nothing."

"The hotel gave us a free breakfast to apologise for the dirty room which was better than nothing but still not enough."

(of something valuable and desirable) extremely difficult to get, particularly due to a lot of people desiring it as well

"Tickets for the concert are like gold dust."

"Tickets for the final match are like gold dust and people are selling them for ten times the original price."

(of people) still alive and in good health

"My old dog is still alive and kicking."

"Despite the rumours my old professor is still alive and well and living in the countryside."

a thing or a set of things considered very dear or valuable to one

"The attic was a treasure trove."

"The attic was a treasure trove of old photographs and letters from her grandparents."

(of a person, animal, or plant) certainly not alive or in existence any longer

"That species is dead as a dodo."

"The once-common passenger pigeon is now as dead as a dodo, a cautionary tale of extinction."

undoubtedly no longer alive or in existence

"That fashion trend is dead as mutton."

"The idea of handwritten letters has become as dead as mutton in our age of instant digital communication."

no longer useful or fashionable

"This milk is out of date."

"This milk is out of date so please throw it away before someone accidentally drinks it."

(of an achievement) completely worth all the effort one puts in or all the trouble one goes through

"The effort was worth the candle."

"Despite the immense challenges, the successful completion of the project proved it was definitely worth the candle."

(of a thing) cannot happen or exist again in the future, due to being completely finished in the past

"That idea is dead and buried."

"The company's outdated business model is now dead and buried, replaced by more innovative strategies."

simple but good enough to fulfill a particular need or purpose

"The solution is rough and ready but it works."

"The campsite was rough and ready with no running water or electricity but we still had a wonderful time in nature."

complicated activities, rituals, or words that lack any real purpose

"I do not believe that mumbo jumbo."

"The self help book was filled with mumbo jumbo about energy fields and cosmic vibrations."

completely useless or ineffective for its intended purpose

"This phone is useful as a chocolate teapot."

"Trying to fix the leak with tape turned out to be as useful as a chocolate teapot, so we called a plumber instead."

a joke, story, or topic of discussion that has become repetitive and uninteresting

"That joke is an old chestnut."

"His repetitive complaints about the weather have become an old chestnut that nobody wants to hear anymore."

used to describe petroleum or oil due to its immense value and economic significance

"Oil is often called black gold."

"Oil is often called black gold because it is so valuable and essential for the modern economy of every country."

(of something) still successful, prosperous, or popular

"The band is alive and well."

"Despite the rise of streaming, vinyl records are still alive and well among collectors."

used to refer to something that is almost ready and can be put to use when needed

"The money is in hand."

"With the contract signed, the funds are now in hand and ready for immediate disbursement."

not as popular or interesting as before

"That trend is dead as a dodo."

"The once-popular social media platform is now as dead as a dodo."

not functional or in general use anymore

"This old phone is dead as mutton."

"The analog television broadcast system is now as dead as mutton."

done for a specific purpose or situation

"The committee is ad hoc."

"The ad hoc committee was formed to address the urgent problem and would disband after finding a solution."

good enough to meet a certain requirement or standard

"His work is up to the mark."

"Unfortunately, the candidate's qualifications were not quite up to the mark for this position."

the most important or the greatest part of something

"The goal was the crowning glory."

"Winning the championship was the crowning glory of their incredible season."

(of a thing) outdated or no longer relevant to current trends or technology

"That computer is behind the times."

"His outdated business practices clearly showed he was behind the times."

having reached the desired level of knowledge, understanding, or proficiency in a particular subject, skill, or task

"I am up to speed now."

"After the intensive training session, all new employees were up to speed on the company's procedures."