colloquial phrase

collocation in English

meaningsofcolloquialandphrase

These words are often used together. Click on the links below to explore the meanings. Or,see other collocations withphrase.
colloquial
adjective
uk
/kəˈləʊ.kwi.əl/us
/kəˈloʊ.kwi.əl/
(of words and expressions) informal and more suitable for use in speech than ...
See more atcolloquial
phrase
noun[C]
uk
/freɪz/us
/freɪz/
language
a group of words that is part of, rather than the whole of, ...
See more atphrase

(Definition ofcolloquialandphrasefrom theCambridge English Dictionary© Cambridge University Press)

Examplesofcolloquial phrase

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
In any case, thecolloquialphraseis "duty to obey the law" and not "duty to obey our law," which to this writer's ear has an ominously cabalistic ring.
From theCambridge English Corpus
If book publishers were to behave in that way, then in thecolloquialphrasethey would be taken to the cleaners and quite rightly so.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Much of the coastal trade is carried on foreign vessels—in "foreign bottoms", according to thecolloquialphrase.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Take the case of an ambassador abroad who, to use thecolloquialphrase, "robs the till" and comes back to this country.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
If he were eliminated—to use acolloquialphrase—all would be roses in the garden; higher wages, shorter hours, everybody richer, everybody happier.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
To use acolloquialphrase, there may be some "passing the buck".
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
To use acolloquialphrase, why cannot we leave them on their own bottoms.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
I should not like to use acolloquialphrasein regard to that, but it is really so much nonsense.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
There must be no excuses when things go wrong; no one must be allowed, in thecolloquialphrase, to "pass the buck".
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
In thecolloquialphrase, there could be no ping-pong.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
The new clause uses—unusually—the morecolloquialphraseas long as the business continues to be carried on.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
I think that it could have been argued that in the fairly recent past the state of our charities was, to use acolloquialphrase, in a mess.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
It is a fact that planning units are here, there and everywhere, both at home and abroad, many of them, in thecolloquialphrase, taking in each other's washing.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
I am using thecolloquialphrase.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
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Go to the definition ofcolloquial
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