A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

be worth doing something • be worthy of doing
something
be worth doing something —be good enough to justify spend-
ing one’s time on: This book is worth reading, but keep in
mind the saying “you shouldn’t believe everything you read.”
be worthy of doing something —be of high level of excellence
to deserve smth.: I am still of the opinion that it is worthy of
reading by people who enjoy a good science fiction book.
be written in black and white • see something in
black and white
be written in black and white —be put down in writing (as
a proof of smth.): The fact that I am gay is written down in
black and white. I came out at teaching college and the fact
was put down in my personal file.
see something in black and white —see complex issues in sim-
ple terms of right and wrong: That is not, any more, an ac-
curate portrait of the society. People do not see these things
purely in black and white.
bear a resemblance to something • bear a sem-
blance of something
bear a resemblance to something —(also: have a resemblance to
something ) seem similar to smth., especially in external ap-
pearance: Both in the treatment of the face and in the pose of
the body the figure bears a resemblance to certain Kushan
sculpture.
bear a semblance of something —(also: have a semblance of
something ) have a slight, superficial and often deceptive sim-
ilarity to smth.: After many years, life here bears a semblance
of normality and farmers have had a bumper crop.
bear down on something • bear on something
bear down on something —move towards smth.; approach
smth. quickly: With the wind blowing strongly behind, the
boat bore down on the harbor.
bear on something —have relation to smth.; be connected with
smth.: That bears on what you were saying about the problem.