90 Idioms Based On

8/12/2019 90 Idioms Based On

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90 Idioms based on Body

(have) egg on your faceInformal

You have egg on your face if you've said or

done something wrong, and it's made you feel

embarrassed or stupid.

(your) hands are tied

You can say your hands are tied if you'reprevented from doing something that you'd

normally have the power or the authority to do.

(your) heart goes out to (someone)

If your heart goes out to someone, you feel

great sympathy for them.

(your) heart is in the right place

If your heart is in the right place, you try to do

the right thing, even if things don't always work

out for the best.

(your) heart isn't in it

If your heart isn't in something you're doing,

you don't really want to do it.
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a bad hair dayInformal

If you're having a bad hair day, everything

seems to be going wrong for you.

a gut feeling

If you have a gut feeling, you sense something

about a person or a situation, without knowing

why, but you're sure what you sense is true.

a head start

If you have a head start, you start something

ahead of others or with an advantage over

others.

a kick in the teeth

If you get a kick in the teeth, something bad

happens to you or you feel that you've been

treated poorly.

a knuckle sandwichInformal

If you give someone a knuckle sandwich, you

punch them.
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a pain in the neckInformal

You can say someone is a pain in the neck if

they annoy you, or something is a pain in the

neck if you don't like doing it.

a pat on the back

You've given someone a pat on the back if

you've told them they've done something well,

or done a good job.

a shot in the armInformal

You can say something is a shot in the arm if it

gives a person or an organisation renewedenergy or enthusiasm.

a sight for sore eyesInformal

If something or someone is a sight for sore

eyes, you are glad to see them.

a skeleton in the cupboard | closet

If you have a skeleton in the cupboard, or in the

closet, you have a secret in your past which
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could damage you if it became known.


a slap on the wrist

If someone gives you a slap on the wrist, they

give you a mild punishment for making a

mistake or doing something wrong.

a slip of the tongue

If you make a slip of the tongue, you make a

small mistake when speaking.

a weight off your shoulders

You can say a weight is off your shoulders if you

no longer have to worry about something ordeal with something difficult.

Achilles' heel

An Achilles' heel is a weakness that could result

in failure.

an eye-opener

You can say something's an eye-opener if it's

made you realize something you hadn't been
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aware of before.


behind someone's back

If you do something behind someone's back,

you do it without letting them know about it.

bite your tongue | hold your tongue

If you bite your tongue, or hold your tongue,you force yourself not to say something you

really want to to say.

break your heart

If someone breaks your heart, they cause you a

lot of emotional pain by ending a romanticrelationship, or by deeply hurting you in some

other way.

by word of mouth

If something becomes well-known by word of

mouth, it becomes well-known because people

are telling each other about it, and not because

of advertising or other marketing tools.
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caught red-handed

If someone is caught red-handed, they are

caught in the act of doing something wrong

such as cheating or stealing.

come to your senses

If you come to your senses, you see things

clearly and begin to act sensibly after a period

of confusion and unwise behaviour.

dig your heels in

If you dig your heels in, you stubbornly resist

something or refuse to change.

drag your feet | drag your heels

If you drag your feet, or drag your heels, you do

something slowly because you don't really want

to do it.

ear to the groundInformal

If you have your ear to the ground, you know

what's really going on in a situation.
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easy on the eye

If something is easy on the eye, it is pleasant to

look at.

elbow grease

If something needs elbow grease, it needs a lot

of hard physical work.

eyes like a hawk

If someone has eyes like a hawk, they have very

good eyesight and they notice everything.

face to face

If people meet face to face, they meet inperson in the real world.

feel the pinch

If you are feeling the pinch, you're finding it

harder to survive on your income.

find your feet

If you're still finding your feet, you're still

adjusting to a new place or a new situation.
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get it off your chest

If you get it off your chest, you tell somebody

about something that's been bothering you and

you've been thinking about a lot.

get off on the wrong foot

If you get off on the wrong foot, you start

something poorly, or begin with a mistake.

go over your head

If someone goes over your head, they go to

someone with more authority than you in order

to get something that you would normallygrant, possibly because they think you won't

give it to them.

grease someone's palmInformal

If you grease someone's palm, you pay them a

bribe.

hard to swallow

Something that someone has said is hard to
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swallow if it's difficult to believe.


have a heart-to-heart

If you have a heart-to-heart with someone, you

have an honest talk and share your feelings

with each other.

have your hands full

If you have your hands full, you're busy.

have your head in the clouds

If someone has their head in the clouds, they

are out of touch with the everyday world and

can be unrealistic or naive as a result.

heads will roll

You can say "heads will roll" if people are going

to lose their jobs after making a mistake.

hold your head high | hold your head up high

You can hold your head high, or hold your head

up high, if you feel proud of something.
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suddenly shocks you and your whole body

jumps.


keep an eye on

If you keep an eye on someone, you make sure

you know what they're doing.

keep your nose clean

If you keep your nose clean, you stay out of

trouble by making sure you don't do anything

wrong.

lend someone a hand

If you lend someone a hand, you help them.

let your hair down

If you let your hair down, you enjoy yourself by

doing whatever you feel like doing and not

worrying about what other people might think.

lose face

If you lose face, your status falls and you aren't

respected as much as you were.
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lose your head

If you lose your head, you become very angry

about something.

more than meets the eye

You can say there's more to something thanmeets the eye if it's more complex, more

important or more interesting than it seems at

first.

music to your ears

If something is music to your ears, it's just whatyou want to hear.

neck and neck

If two competitors are running neck and neck in

a race, they are almost level.

nerves of steel

If you have nerves of steel, you are very brave

and not many things make you scared or
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nervous.


off the top of your headInformal

If you give someone information off the top of

your head, you do so from memory, without

checking beforehand.

on the one hand | on the other hand

You can say "on the one hand" before

describing one of two contrasting ideas,

options, or opinions, and then say "on the

other hand" before describing the other one.

on your last legs | on its last legsInformal

If you say you're on your last legs, it can mean

you're close to exhaustion, or it can mean

you're close to death. If a thing is on its last

legs, it's close to breaking or wearing out.

pay through the noseInformal

If you pay through the nose for something, you

pay more than the usual price for it.
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pick somebody's brains

If you pick somebody's brains, you ask them for

detailed information or ideas about something.

play it by ear

If you play it by ear, you don't plan ahead but

you do whatever seems best at the time

depending on the situation.

pull someone's legInformal

If you pull someone's leg, you play a joke on

them by saying something that isn't true.

put someone's nose out of jointInformal

If you put someone's nose out of joint, you

upset them by not treating them with as much

respect or consideration as they think they

deserve.

put your foot in it

If you put your foot in it you say or do the

wrong thing and usually make matters worse.
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put your foot in your mouth

If you put your foot in your mouth you say or

do the wrong thing and usually make matters

worse.

rack your brains | rack you brain

If you rack your brains, or rack you brain, you

try hard to remember something or think of a

solution to a problem or a puzzle.

see eye to eye

If you see eye to eye with someone, you totally

agree with them about something.

shoot yourself in the foot

If you shoot yourself in the foot, you harm

yourself in some way by doing something

stupid or making a silly mistake.

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stick out like a sore thumb | stand out like a

sore thumb

If someone sticks out like a sore thumb, or

stands out like a sore thumb, everyone notices

them because they're not the same as the

people around them.

teething problems | teething troubles

If someone or something is having teething

problems, or teething troubles, they're having

problems during the early stages of something.

the gift of the gab | the gift of gab

If you've got the gift of the gab, or the gift ofgab, you have the natural ability to talk in a way

that people find entertaining or persuasive.

the upper hand

If you have the upper hand, you have the

advantage or you're in the stronger position ina contest or a conflict.

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up in arms

If you are up in arms, you are angry about

something that you think is unfair or wrong.

up to your neck | up to your eyeballs

If you're up to your neck in something, or up to

your eyeballs in something, you've got too

much of it and it's become a problem.

vent your spleen

If you vent your spleen, you express your anger.

vote with your feet

If you vote with your feet, you show your

opinion of something by acting in a certain way,such as by buying something if you like it, or by

not buying it if you don't like it.

warts and all

If you show something warts and all, you show

it exactly as it is without trying to hide any of its

faults or weaknesses.

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wash your hands of something

If you wash your hands of something that you

were involved in, you decide to stop beinginvolved in it after losing your interest or belief

in it.

weak at the knees

If you go weak at the knees, you feel an

emotion so strongly that it makes you feelunstable on your feet.

wear your heart on your sleeve

If you wear your heart on your sleeve, you

show your emotions openly and you don't try

to hide your feelings.

wet behind the earsInformal

If someone is wet behind the ears, they don't

have much experience of life.

work your socks off | work your tail offIf you work your socks off, or work your tail off,

you work very hard.

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yellow-bellied

If someone is yellow-bellied, they are not

brave, or they are cowardly.

young at heart

Someone is young at heart if they still feel

young even though they're getting old.

young bloodIf you say "young blood", you mean young

people who have fresh, new ideas and lots of

energy.


a new lease of lifeIf someone has a new lease of life, they have a new enthusiasm for living.

a pain in the neckInformalYou can say someone is a pain in the neck if they annoy you, or something is a painin the neck if you don't like doing it.

a shot in the armInformalYou can say something is a shot in the arm if it gives a person or an organisationrenewed energy or enthusiasm.
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do you the world of goodIf something does you the world of good, it makes you feel a lot better.

fresh as a daisyIf you feel as fresh as a daisy, you feel energetic and lively.

ill at easeIf you're ill at ease, you feel tense or you can't relax in a situation.

junk foodFood that is bad for us because it contains large amounts of harmful substances likeartificial colouring, preservatives, salt, refined sugar, and so on.

just what the doctor orderedInformalYou can say something was just what the doctor ordered when it was exactly whatwas needed.

kick the habitIf you kick the habit, you manage to stop doing something that has become a badhabit.

on your last legs | on its last legsInformalIf you say you're on your last legs, it can mean you're close to exhaustion, or it canmean you're close to death. If a thing is on its last legs, it's close to breaking orwearing out.

recharge your batteriesYou recharge your batteries if you do something to regain your energy after aperiod of hard work.

sick as a dogIf you're as sick as a dog, you're very sick.

stick out like a sore thumb | stand out like a sore thumbIf someone sticks out like a sore thumb, or stands out like a sore thumb, everyonenotices them because they're not the same as the people around them.

teething problems | teething troublesIf someone or something is having teething problems, or teething troubles, they'rehaving problems during the early stages of something.

under the weatherIf you are under the weather, you're not feeling well.

verbal diarrhoeaInformalIf someone has verbal diarrhoea, they can't stop talking.

vim and vigor
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If you have vim and vigor, you have lots of energy and enthusiasm for life.

warts and allIf you show something warts and all, you show it exactly as it is without trying tohide any of its faults or weaknesses.

weak at the kneesIf you go weak at the knees, you feel an emotion so strongly that it makes you feelunstable on your feet.

You are what you eat.You can say "you are what you eat" when you want to point out the connectionbetween food and health.

above board

If something is above board, it's been done in a legal and honest way.

above the lawIf someone is above the law, they are not subject to the laws of a society.

Achilles' heelAn Achilles' heel is a weakness that could result in failure.

across the boardIf something is across the board, it relates to all without exception.

add fuel to the fire

If you add fuel to the fire, you do something to make a bad situation even worse.

add insult to injurySomeone adds insult to injury if they say or do something to upset you a secondtime, after you've already been upset somehow.

against all odds | against all the oddsIf you do something against all odds, or against all the odds, you do it even thoughthere were many problems and it didn't seem possible to do.

agree to differ | agree to disagree

If two people agree to differ, or agree to disagree, they accept that they havedifferent opinions about something and stop trying to change each other's opinion.

ahead of the gameYou are ahead of the game if you have an advantage over your competitors in anyactivity in which you try to do better than others, such as in business, academia,sports, etc.

all hell broke looseInformal
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You can say "all hell broke loose" if a situation suddenly became violent or chaotic.

all the rageInformalIf something is all the rage, it's very popular or it's in fashion at the moment.

an acid testAn acid test is something that shows the true worth or value of something orsomeone.

an act of GodFormalSomething like an earthquake or a tornado can be called an act of God.

an ax to grind (1)If you have an ax to grind with someone, you have a problem with them, or acomplaint against them, which you'd like to discuss.

an axe to grind (2)

If you have an axe to grind, you have a strong opinion about something and youexpress this opinion whenever you can.

another string to your bowIf you have another string to your bow, you have another way of making a living.

answer the call of natureIf you answer the call of nature, you go to the toilet.

around the clockIf something occurs around the clock, it goes on all day and all night.

as soon as possible | asapIf you do something as soon as possible (sometimes abbreviated to "asap"), you doit at the first possible opportunity.

asking for troubleIf someone is asking for trouble, they're doing something risky that could lead to aproblem.

at a loose endIf you're at a loose end, you have nothing to do.

at cross-purposesIf you're at cross-purposes with someone, you think you're both talking about thesame thing but you're actually talking about different things.

at loose endsIf you're at loose ends, you feel restless and unsettled because you don't haveanything to do.

at sea | all at sea
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If you're at sea, or all at sea, you're confused about something and not sure whatto do.

at the drop of a hatIf you do something at the drop of a hat, you do it immediately, withoutpreparation or planning.

at your wits' endIf you're at your wits' end, you're upset and frustrated because you've triedeverything you can think of to solve a problem, and nothing has worked.

(your) bread and butterYour bread and butter is your livelihood or the source of your income.

a bad hair dayInformal

If you're having a bad hair day, everything seems to be going wrong for you.

a bag of tricksSomeone's bag of tricks is their collection of techniques or methods for getting a

job done or for achieving a goal.

a ballpark figure | a ballpark estimateIf you give a ballpark figure or a ballpark estimate, you give a number which youthink is fairly close to the actual one.

a blessing in disguiseYou can say something is a blessing in disguise if it appears to be bad at first, but it

results in something very good in the end.

back to square oneIf you have to go back to square one, you have to stop and start again, usuallybecause something isn't working as well as expected.

back to the drawing boardYou can say "back to the drawing board" when a plan or a design has failed, andyou decide to begin all over again.

backed into a corner

If you're backed into a corner, you're in a difficult situation that will be hard to getout of.

bark up the wrong treeInformalIf you're barking up the wrong tree, you're looking for something in the wrongplace or going about something in the wrong way.

bear the bruntIf you bear the brunt of something, you suffer the worst of its impact or its effects.
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beat around the bush | beat about the bushIf you beat around the bush, or beat about the bush, you don't say somethingdirectly, usually because you don't want to upset the person you're talking to.

beat the rap Informal

If someone beats the rap, they avoid being found guilty of a crime.

behind someone's backIf you do something behind someone's back, you do it without letting them knowabout it.

behind the eight ball InformalIf you're behind the eight ball, you're in a difficult or dangerous position.

behind the timesIf someone is behind the times, they are old-fashioned and their ideas are out ofdate.

beside the pointYou can say something is beside the point if it has nothing to do with what's beingtalked about or with the reason something is being done.

beyond a shadow of a doubtSomething is true "beyond a shadow of a doubt" if there is no possibility at all thatit isn't true.

bite your tongue | hold your tongueIf you bite your tongue, or hold your tongue, you force yourself not to saysomething you really want to to say.

blow your own horn | blow your own trumpetIf you blow your own horn, or blow your own trumpet, you proudly boast aboutyour own talents and successes.

break the iceIf you break the ice you say or do something to create a more relaxed atmospherewhen meeting people for the first time.

break your heartIf someone breaks your heart, they cause you a lot of emotional pain by ending a

romantic relationship, or by deeply hurting you in some other way.

burn your bridges | burn your boatsYou have burned your bridges, or burned your boats, if you were in a situation andyou then left it after doing something that made it impossible to go back there.

by the bookIf you do something by the book, you do it strictly according to the rules or the
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official procedures.

by word of mouthIf something becomes well-known by word of mouth, it becomes well-knownbecause people are telling each other about it, and not because of advertising orother marketing tools.

the back of beyond | the back of the beyond You can say a place is in the back of beyond, or the back of the beyond, if it's veryfar from towns or cities.

the ball's in your courtIf someone you're negotiating with says "the ball's in your court", they think it'syour turn to make a move or make an offer.

a chip off the old blockSomeone can be described as a chip off the old block if they are very similar incharacter to one of their parents, usually their father.

a couch potatoYou can say someone's a couch potato if they're very lazy and they spend a lot oftime sitting around watching TV and eating junk food.

call a spade a spadeIf you call a spade a spade, you tell the truth in a straightforward and direct way,even if the truth is not pleasant.

call it a dayInformalIf you call it a day, you stop doing something that's usually related to work.

can of wormsInformalIf you say a situation or an issue is a can of worms, you think that getting involvedin it could lead to problems.

can't see the forest for the treesIf you can't see the forest for the trees, you can't see the whole situation clearlybecause you're looking too closely at small details, or because you're too closelyinvolved.

can't see the wood for the treesIf you can't see the wood for the trees, you can't see the whole situation clearlybecause you're looking too closely at small details, or because you're too closelyinvolved.

carte blancheFormalIf you give someone carte blanche, you give them freedom to do whatever theywant in a situation.
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caught red-handedIf someone is caught red-handed, they are caught in the act of doing somethingwrong such as cheating or stealing.

change your tune

If you change your tune, you change your opinion about something or your attitudetowards someone.

chew the fat | chew the ragIf you chew the fat, or chew the rag, you have a long, friendly chat with someone.

chickens come home to roostIf chickens are coming home to roost, someone is suffering the unpleasantconsequences of their bad actions in the past.

clean as a whistleIf something is as clean as a whistle, it's extremely clean, or for a person it can

mean they have a perfect record and have never done anything illegal.

come a cropper InformalIf you come a cropper, you fall over, or you make a mistake which has seriousconsequences for you.

come cleanIf you come clean about something, you let people know about it after keeping it asecret.

come in handyInformalYou can say something might come in handy if you think it might be useful.

come to a headYou can say a situation or a problem comes to a head if it reaches a crisis point anddealing with it can no longer be avoided.

come to grips with | get to grips withIf you come to grips with something, or get to grips with something, you deal withthe problems or challenges it poses.

come to your sensesIf you come to your senses, you see things clearly and begin to act sensibly after a

period of confusion and unwise behaviour.

come up trumpsIf you come up trumps, you succeed in something that you may not have beenexpected to succeed in.

cook the books | cook the accountsIf someone cooks the books, or cooks the accounts, they keep inaccurate accounts
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for a business, usually in order to pay less tax.

cost the earth | charge the earthIf something costs the earth, or they charge the earth for it, it's very expensive.

couldn't care lessInformalYou can say "I couldn't care less" when you don't care about something, or itdoesn't matter to you.

cover your tracksIf you cover your tracks, you make sure no-one can find evidence of what you'vedone.

cross that bridge when we come to it You can say "we'll cross that bridge when we come to it" if someone mentions aproblem that might occur in the future, but you want them to think about what'shappening now instead.

cut to the chaseInformalIf you tell someone to cut to the chase, you want them to get straight to the mainpoint of what they are saying.

the cream of the cropIf something or someone is in the cream of the crop, they are among the best of aclass of things or people.

a done deal InformalA done deal is an agreement or a decision that is final.

a drop in the bucketIf an amount is a drop in the bucket, it's a very small portion of the amount that'sneeded.

a drop in the oceanIf an amount is a drop in the ocean, it's a very small portion of the amount that'sneeded.

damned if you do and damned if you don'tIf you say "damned if you do and damned if you don't" you're saying that no matterwhat someone does, they'll be criticised for it.

day to dayIf something happens day to day, it's part of the usual daily routine.

de rigeurFormalIf something is de rigeur, it is necessary to have if you want to be fashionable or beaccepted into a particular social scene.

dead in the water
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If something is dead in the water, it has no chance of succeeding or of making anyprogress.

dead to the worldInformalIf you're dead to the world, you are sound asleep.

deep pocketsYou can say a person or an organisation has deep pockets if they have lots ofmoney.

dig one's own graveIf you dig your own grave, you do something unwise that will result in your ownfailure or downfall in the future.

dig up dirtIf you dig up dirt on someone, you try to find details from their past to make themlook bad in the present.

dig your heels inIf you dig your heels in, you stubbornly resist something or refuse to change.

dirt cheapYou can say something is dirt cheap if it costs very little money.

do someone's dirty workIf you do someone's dirty work for them, you do something unpleasant for thembecause they don't want to do it for themselves.

do you the world of good

If something does you the world of good, it makes you feel a lot better.

do your bestIf you do your best, you do something as well as you possibly can, or to the best ofyour ability.

dot the i's and cross the t'sIf you dot the i's and cross the t's, you do something very carefully to make sureyou haven't made any mistakes.

down in the dumps | down in the mouthInformal

If you're down in the dumps, or down in the mouth, you're feeling sad.

down to earthIf someone is down to earth, they are practical and sensible.

drag your feet | drag your heelsIf you drag your feet, or drag your heels, you do something slowly because youdon't really want to do it.
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draw a blankInformalIf you draw a blank, you get no response when you ask for something, or get noresults when you search for something.

dressed (up) to the ninesInformal

If you are dressed to the nines, or dressed up to the nines, you are wearing verysmart clothes for a special occasion.

drink like a fishInformalIf someone drinks like a fish, they drink a lot of alcohol.

drop a bombshellIf you drop a bombshell, you announce some shocking news.

the die is castWe can say the die is cast after a decision has been made that will strongly affect asituation, and it can't be reversed.

(have) egg on your faceInformalYou have egg on your face if you've said or done something wrong, and it's madeyou feel embarrassed or stupid.

(something) escapes youIf you say something escapes you, it means you can't remember it.

an end in itselfIf something is an end in itself, it's done for its own pleasure or benefit rather thanfor some other purpose like making money.

an even breakIf you get an even break, you get a fair opportunity to succeed in your ambition orto achieve your goals.

an eye-openerYou can say something's an eye-opener if it's made you realize something youhadn't been aware of before.

each to their ownYou can say "each to their own" when you want to point out that we're all differentand we all like different things.

ear to the groundInformalIf you have your ear to the ground, you know what's really going on in a situation.

earn your stripesIf you earn your stripes, you do something to prove that you have the skills orability for a particular job or rank.

easier said than done
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