3,215 English Idioms<

3,215 Idioms in English

Abbreviations:	To search for a word or phrase:
somebody = sn	1. Press ctrl-f.
someone = sn	2. Look at the bottom left corner of your browser.
something = sth	3. Type in a word or phrase to search for.
someone or something = sn/sth	4. Click on down arrow for each next occurrance.

$64,000 Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
$64,000 question	ť	A very important question.

1 O'clock sharp	ť	Exactly at 1 o'clock. (substitute 2 to 12 for different hours).

24/7	ť	Twenty-four hours a day; seven days a week; all the time; constantly.

800 pound gorilla	ť	The dominant force in an industry or situation. Very strong, powerful.

A baker's dozen	ť	Thirteen.

A barking dog seldom bites	ť	Sn(someone) who readily threatens other people doesn't often take action.

A big cheese	ť	An important or a powerful person in a group or family.

A big frog in a small pond	ť	Sn(someone) important or outstanding but in a small or unimportant group.
A bird i Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush	ť	What we have is worth way more than we give it credit for.

A bird's eye view	ť	A view from a very high place. Allows seeing a very large area. Panorama.

A bit much	ť	Way too much, over the top.

A bit under the weather	ť	Falling ill. Feeling sick.

A bitter pill	ť	A situation or information that is unpleasant but must be accepted.

A black sheep	ť	Scoundrel. A bad person.

A blessing in disguise	ť	A good thing that seemed bad at first.

A bolt from the blue	ť	Sth important or unusual that happens suddenly or unexpectedly.
A bone o Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
A bone of contention	ť	Sth(something) that people argue about a long time. Controversial issue.

A boon in disguise	ť	A benefit in loss.

A bottleneck	ť	Anything that cause delays. A narrowing that impedes the flow.

A bread and butter letter	ť	A thank you letter. A letter or note to follow up on a visit.

A bull in a China shop	ť	Sn(someone) who is awkward and recklessness.

A burnt child dreads the fire	ť	Avoid repeating a hurting experience again.

A cash cow	ť	An easy way to earn money regularly. Main source of corporate income.

A chain is no stronger than its weakest link	ť	An organization is only as strong as its weakest person.
A change Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
A change of heart	ť	A changed opinion.

A chip off the old block	ť	An offspring very similar to a parent or parents.

A chip on your shoulder	ť	Being angry about sth(something) that happened in the past. Holding a grudge.

A class act	ť	Sophisticated, above average.

A close call	ť	Sth(something) (usually bad) that almost happened.

A cock and bull story	ť	A story or explanation which is obviously not true. An absurd tale.

A couch potato	ť	A lazy person.

A cuckoo in the nest	ť	Sn in a group of people but not liked by them.
A curtai Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
A curtain lecture	ť	A private scolding of a husband by his wife.

A dark horse	ť	A little-known person or thing that rises to prominence.

A dead letter	ť	An argument or law not followed by anyone.

A dime a dozen	ť	Anything that is common, inexpensive, and easy to get and available any where. Cheap.

A dish fit for Gods	ť	Sth of very high quality.

A doubting Thomas	ť	A skeptic who needs actual evidence in order to believe sth.

A drop in the ocean/bucket	ť	Inconsequential, virtually nothing in comparison.

A far cry from	ť	Very different from.
A fat ca Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
A fat cat	ť	A wealthy person.

A feather in one's cap	ť	Sth to be proud of.

A fish out of water	ť	In a wrong place.

A fool and his money are soon parted	ť	It's easy for a fool to lose their money.

A fool's paradise	ť	In a state of happiness founded on vain hopes.

A gala day	ť	A day of festivity. A holiday with rejoicing.

A game of two equal halves	ť	A sudden change in circumstances.

A grey area	ť	Sth that is difficult to define.
A hard n Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
A hard nut to crack	ť	A difficult person or problem to deal with.

A henpecked husband	ť	A man habitually snubbed by his wife.

A Herculean task	ť	An extremely difficult or dangerous task.

A horse of a different color	ť	Sth completely different.

A hot potato	ť	An intense, controversial issue. A situation that is awkward or unpleasant to deal with.

A house divided against itself cannot stand	ť	Functioning together is a must or it will not work out.

A house of cards	ť	A poor plan. Unstable. Easily destroyed.

A leap in the dark	ť	A daring step or undertaking whose consequences are unpredictable.
A lemon Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
A lemon	ť	Sth defective or unsatisfactory.

A leopard can't change his spots	ť	You cannot change who you are.

A lion's share	ť	The biggest part of sth.

A litmus test	ť	A method which clearly proves sth. A clear determination.

A little birdie told me	ť	Said when revealing the source of info is not an option.

A little learning is a dangerous thing	ť	People who don't understand something fully are dangerous.

A losing battle	ť	Sth that cannot be accomplished.

A lot on my plate	ť	Very busy. Having a lot to do.
A man of Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
A man of straw	ť	Sn(someone) or idea that is weak and easy to defeat. A pushover.

A mare's nest	ť	False discovery, illusion, or deliberate hoax.

A million miles away	ť	Distracted. Daydreaming.

A necessary evil	ť	Sth unpleasant that must be done in order to achieve a goal or objective.

A nine day wonder	ť	Pleasure for a short time.

A penny for your thoughts	ť	A way of asking what someone is thinking.

A penny saved Is a penny earned	ť	By not spending money, you are saving money (little by little).

A perfect storm	ť	the worst possible situation.
A pictur Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
A picture is worth 1000 words	ť	Better to show than tell. A visual presentation is worth more than words.

A piece of cake	ť	A task that is simple or easy to accomplish.

A piece of the action	ť	Participation in an activity. Often related to gambling or business transactions.

A queer fish	ť	A strange person.

A red flag	ť	A warning signal.

A red herring	ť	A confusing factor or something that distracts. Throws someone off track.

A red letter day	ť	An auspicious day. An important day.

A rich man's joke is always funny	ť	People always suck up to rich people (and laugh at their jokes).
A safe b Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
A safe bet	ť	A good bet in all likelyhood. Will probably happen.

A short fuse	ť	A quick temper.

A shot in the dark	ť	A guess. An attempt to do something without knowing much about it.

A sight for sore eyes	ť	Saying that you are happy to see sn.

A slap on the wrist	ť	A very mild punishment.

A snake in the grass	ť	Hidden enemy.

A snowball effect	ť	Events have momentum and build upon each other.

A snowball's chance in hell	ť	No chance at all. No way.
A square Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
A square deal	ť	Justice.

A stick-in-the-mud	ť	Sn who has old-fashioned ideas. Does not want to try new activities.

A stitch in time saves nine	ť	Fix the problem now because it will get worse later.

A stone's throw	ť	Very near. A short distance.

A storm in a teacup	ť	A big fuss about a small problem.

A sweet tooth	ť	A liking for sweets.

A taste of your own medicine	ť	When you are mistreated the same way you mistreat others.

A thorn in one's side	ť	A constant source of annoyance.
A toss-u Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
A toss-up	ť	A result that is still unclear and can go either way. Photofinish.

A tough cookie	ť	A stubborn, strong person.

A trip to the sun	ť	Very unlikely. A task, activity or anything that is impossible.

A turn coat	ť	One who changes one's opinion or party.

A voice crying in the wilderness	ť	Expressing an idea that, for the most part, is not accepted by others.

A wake-up call	ť	An event or occurrence that should be taken as a warning.

A watched pot never boils	ť	An improper belief that something takes longer if you watch it.

A wet blanket	ť	A grumbling, depressing person.
A wild g Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
A wild goose chase	ť	An absurdly hopeless endeavor. Wasting time looking for something that can't be found.

A witch hunt	ť	An attempt to find and punish innocent people who are wrongly thought to be dangerous.

A worm's eye view	ť	Having very little knowledge about sth.

Above board	ť	All done in a legal and honest way.

Above the law	ť	They are not subject to the laws of a society.

Absence/distance makes the heart grow fonder	ť	To miss a loved one when they are not around.

Ace in the hole	ť	A hidden or secret strength, or unrevealed advantage.

Ace up (one's) sleeve	ť	To have an effective but hidden means to accomplish sth.
Achilles Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Achilles' heel	ť	One's weakness or the vulnerable spot in their character. A fatal weakness.

Acid test	ť	The most crucial or important test of worth.

Across the board	ť	Equally for everyone, for everything, or in all cases.

Act of God	ť	Earthquake or a tornado can be called an act of God. Beyond human origination.

Act together	ť	Greatly improves attitudes and performance in relation to work, or to life in general.

Actions speak louder than words	ť	What people do (actions) are more important than the things they say (words).

Add fuel to the fire	ť	To inflame or worsen a bad situation. To make something bad even worse.

Add insult to injury	ť	To make something already bad worse. To worsen an unfavorable situation.
Add up - Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Add up	ť	To make sense of sth. To figure something out.

Adding salt to the wound	ť	Saying or doing things that make the situation worse causing others to suffer more.

Afraid of one's own shadow	ť	To become easily frightened. A wimp.

After everything is said and done	ť	What it boils down to. The bottom line. End result. At the end of the day.

Against all (the) odds	ť	Sth accomplished, even with many hard problems, that didn't seem possible.

Against the clock	ť	To be in a hurry to do something before a particular time. Battling time.

Against the grain	ť	Contrary to natural inclination. To rub sn the wrong way. Irritate sn.

Against the tide	ť	Doing the opposite of what otjers are doing. Contrary to nateral inclination.
Agree to Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Agree to differ/disagree	ť	Accept they have differences and leave it at that.

Ahead of one's time	ť	In advance of current ideas and trends.

Ahead of the game	ť	Advantage(s) over your competitors. Like a head start.

Aiming/Gunning/Shooting for something	ť	Sth you hope for, want to get or is your goal to attain.

Air your/one's dirty laundry (in public)	ť	To make public something embarrassing that should be kept secret.

Albatross around (one's) neck	ť	Sth or someone that is a burden and difficult to get rid of.

All agog	ť	Excited, in high spirits; in eager expectation.

All at sea / at sea	ť	Puzzled, perplexed, confused about something and not sure what to do.
All bark Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
All bark and no bite	ť	Being threatening and/or aggressive but not willing to engage in a fight.

All bets are off	ť	Agreements that have been made no longer apply.

All day long	ť	The whole day. A long duration of time.

All ears	ť	Listening intently; fully focused or awaiting an explanation.

All fired up	ť	Excited; highly enthusiastic.

All geek and Latin	ť	Hard to understand.

All good things must come to an end	ť	A belief that good things don't last long enough. They are too short.

All Greek to me	ť	Meaningless, incomprehensible and unintelligible.
All hat Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
All hat and no cattle	ť	Sn in Texas who always wears a cowboy hat but has nothing to do with cattle.

All hell broke loose	ť	A situation suddenly became violent or chaotic.

All in the same boat	ť	When everyone is facing the same challenges.

All kidding aside	ť	Speaking seriously.

All over but the shouting	ť	It's already finished or done, finalized.

All over something	ť	Very fond of sth.

All set	ť	Being ready for an event. To be prepared for an occurrence.

All shook up	ť	Extremely excited, worried, or disturbed about sth.
All syst Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
All systems go	ť	Everything is ready. AOK.

All talk and no trousers	ť	Always talking about doing big important things but never takes any action.

All that and then some	ť	Even more than what has been mentioned.

All that jazz	ť	And everything else; et cetera; and so forth.

All the best	ť	A nice way to end a letter. Wishing a great amount of good things.

All the rage	ť	Very popular or it's in fashion at the moment.

All thumbs	ť	Uncoordinated, clumsy and awkward, especially with one's hands.

All wet	ť	Wrong to the point of being silly or unbelievable.
All-nigh Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
All-nighter	ť	Do something (for instance a study session) that lasts all night.

Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades	ť	In life "almost" isn't good enough.

Amateur hour	ť	Non-professionals acting as professional. People who don't really know what they are doing.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away	ť	Apples are good for you.

An arm and a leg	ť	Sth that is extremely expensive. A large amount of money.

An axe to grind	ť	Having a strong personal opinion about something you want people to accept.

An early bird	ť	Sn who gets up early in the morning.

An early bird gets the worm	ť	Getting up early has advantages.
An educa Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
An educated guess	ť	A guess which has some thought behind it. A smart guess.

An even break	ť	You get a fair opportunity to succeed in your ambition or to achieve your goals.

An eye-opener	ť	Realizing something you hadn't been aware of before.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure	ť	Preventing a problem is a lot easier then fixing a problem.

And so on/forth	ť	A list goes on and on. Saying: et cetera.

And what not	ť	And anything else you can imagine.

Angry as a bear/bull	ť	Extremely angry.

Another string to your bow	ť	Adding another way of making a living.
Answer t Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Answer the call of nature	ť	Go to the toilet.

Ants in your pants	ť	Anxious, can't wait. Agitated or excited, can't keep still.

Appear out of nowhere	ť	To appear suddenly without warning. Unexpected.

Apple of discord	ť	Anything causing trouble, discord, or jealousy.

Apple of my/one's eye	ť	Sn or thing that is precious, cherished or loved above all else.

Apple polisher	ť	A flatterer. Gets favours from those in authority through flattery. Seeking promotion or reward.

Arm and a leg	ť	A very high cost; a large amount of money.

Armed to the teeth	ť	Well-equipped with weapons.
Around t Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Around the clock	ť	Goes on all day and all night. 24 hours a day.

As different as chalk and cheese	ť	Two things to be completely different. Have nothing in common with each other.

As easy as one-two-three	ť	As simple as counting.

As high as a kite	ť	Drunk, loaded, high on drugs.

As rare as hen's teeth	ť	Very rare, even non-existent.

As right as rain	ť	Perfect.

As sharp as a marble	ť	Describes someone who isn't very smart or witty.

As the crow flies	ť	The shortest possible distance between two places. A straight line.
As thick Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
As thick as two short planks	ť	A dimwit, dolt, dumb, fool, idiot, nitwit, stupid, unintelligent person.

ASAP / As soon as possible	ť	Do something at the first possible opportunity.

Ask for the moon	ť	To ask for way too much. Pricing yourself out of the market.

Asking for trouble	ť	Doing something risky that could lead to a problem.

Asleep at the switch/wheel	ť	Not alert to an opportunity. Missed opportunity.

At (your) wits end	ť	At a loss about what to do next. Upset, in a state of frustration.

At a loose end / at loose ends	ť	Nothing to do. Between jobs. Unsettled, restless.

At a snail's pace	ť	Very slow moving. Taking too long.
At an ar Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
At an arm's length	ť	To keep at a distance.

At cross-purposes	ť	People talking about different things.

At daggers drawn	ť	At enmity or fighting.

At loggerheads	ť	In strong disagreement, in a quarrel; at an impasse.

At peace	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

At sea / all at sea	ť	Puzzled, perplexed, confused about something and not sure what to do.

At sixes and sevens	ť	In disorder, confused, uncertain. To be lost and bewildered.

At someone's beck and call	ť	To be always ready to serve.
At stone Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
At stone's throw	ť	Very close.

At the bottom of the ladder	ť	At the lowest level.

At the crack of dawn	ť	Very early in morning. Sun up.

At the drop of a dime/hat	ť	With no hesitation. A quick thing to get done. Instantly with no preparation.

At the eleventh hour	ť	Being very late, if not too late.

At the end of (one's) rope	ť	No longer able to deal with a bad situation. At the limit of one's patience.

At the end of the day	ť	After everything is said and done. What it boils down to. The bottom line. End result.

At the heels of	ť	To follow someone closely.
At the t Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
At the top of one's lungs	ť	In an extremely loud yell or scream. Hollering.

At the touch of a button	ť	Quickly and easily.

Ax to grind	ť	On a mission to prove sth. A score to settle with someone, a grudge. Chip on shoulder.

Back against the wall	ť	Trapped, no way out. Bad position.

Back room boys	ť	People who perform important work but have no contact with the public.

Back seat driver	ť	People who criticize from the sidelines. Giving unwanted advice from the back seat of a car.

Back stabber / Stabbing someone in the back	ť	To betray or hurt someone unexpectedly, breaking their trust.

Back stair influence	ť	By unfair means.
Back the Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Back the wrong horse	ť	Giving support to the weaker or losing side in sth.

Back to square one	ť	Forced to go back to the beginning; back to the drawing board. Start over.

Back to the (old) grind	ť	Back to the usual or routine, same old same old. Being like a slave.

Back to the drawing board	ť	Starting all over again on a new design from a previously failed attempt.

Back to the salt mines	ť	Back to something that you don't want to do. Being a slave.

Back(s) to the wall	ť	To be in a difficult or desperate situation.

Back-room boys	ť	People who perform important work but have no contact with the public.

Back-seat driver	ť	Sn who gives driving orders when he/she is not the driver.
Backed i Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Backed into a corner	ť	A difficult situation that will be hard to get out of.

Backhanded compliment	ť	A criticism that is phrased in such a way that it appears to be a compliment.

Bad blood	ť	Feelings of hate between two families or people.

Bad hair day	ť	A day when everything seems to be going wrong for you.

Bag and baggage	ť	With all one's belongings.

Bag of tricks	ť	Many techniques or methods for getting a job done or achieving a goal. Resourcefulness.

Baker's dozen	ť	Thirteen.

Ball is in your court	ť	It is up to you to make the next decision or step.
Ball of Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Ball of fire	ť	Active and energetic.

Ball(ed) up	ť	A mess. To muddle, confuse, or ruin sth.

Ballpark figure / in the ballpark	ť	An estimate or guess which should be close to the actual value.

Balls out	ť	Full steam ahead. All out effort. Maximum strength.

Balls to the wall	ť	Full throttle; at maximum speed. All out effort.

Balls up	ť	Horribly awry, a complete ruin or disaster. A blunder that causes disastrous results.

Bang for the buck	ť	Value; efficiency; return on investment.

Bang/beat head against (a brick) wall	ť	Very difficult problem and getting nowhere. Making no headway.
Bark(ing Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Bark(ing) up the wrong tree	ť	Looking in the wrong place. Accusing the wrong person.

Basket case	ť	One made powerless or ineffective, as by nerves, panic, or stress.

Bat a thousand	ť	Be very successful. 100%

Bat out of hell	ť	Extremely quick.

Bats in the belfry	ť	Sn who is crazy or eccentric.

Batten down the hatches	ť	To prepare for trouble. Get ready.

Be a catch	ť	Be someone worth marrying or having.

Be a good Samaritan	ť	To be kind and compassionate to someone in distress.
Be above Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Be above board	ť	To be honest and legal.

Be as clear as mud	ť	To be impossible to understand.

Be as dead as a doornail	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

Be at each other's throat	ť	Two people arguing angrily.

Be at one's beck and call	ť	Under one's absolute control.

Be bouncing off the walls	ť	Excited and full of nervous energy.

Be careful of what you wish for	ť	What you get may not be what you thought it would be.

Be chuffed to bits	ť	To be pleased and happy.
Be fadin Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Be fading away/fast	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

Be given the axe	ť	To lose job.

Be glad to see the back of	ť	Be happy when a person leaves.

Be hard up	ť	To be short of money.

Be in seventh heaven	ť	Extremely happy.

Be in the doldrums	ť	Not very successful or nothing new is taking place. Depressed.

Be like the bear with the sore head	ť	Powerful and arrogant.

Be off your chump/nut	ť	A birdbrain, dimwit, dolt, dumb, fool, idiot, nitwit, stupid, unintelligent person.
Be on cl Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Be on cloud nine	ť	Be very happy.

Be on the edge	ť	To be nervous or worried about sth.

Be on the horns of a dilemma	ť	To have a choice between two equal evils.

Be on the pig's back	ť	Being well off or lucky. Happy or content or in fine form.

Be on your deathbed	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

Be pushing up (the) daisies	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

Be quick/slow on the uptake	ť	A birdbrain, dimwit, dolt, dumb, fool, idiot, nitwit, stupid, unintelligent person.

Be six feet under	ť	To die. Dying or dead.
Be tailo Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Be tailor made	ť	To be completely suitable for sn. Custom fit.

Be tickled pink	ť	To be excited and happy. Delighted.

Be up in the air	ť	Things are uncertain or unsure; definite plans have not been made yet.

Bear in mind	ť	Remember; consider; take note.

Bear market	ť	Investors are pessimistic. Stock prices more likely to go down than up.

Bear the brunt	ť	You suffer more consequences than others do for a bad thing.

Bear the palm	ť	To win.

Beard the lion in his own den	ť	Confronting a powerful or dangerous adversary on their own territory.
Beat (so Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Beat (someone) to the punch	ť	To do something before someone else does it.

Beat a (hasty) retreat	ť	To run very fast in the opposite direction. To retire before the enemy.

Beat a dead horse	ť	To waste time doing something that is useless.

Beat around the bush	ť	Avoiding the main topic. Not speaking directly about the issue. A delay tactic.

Beat one's brains out	ť	To work hard.

Beat one's head against the wall	ť	To try to do something that is hopeless.

Beat the bushes	ť	To search exhaustively.

Beat the drum	ť	To speak eagerly about something you support.
Beat the Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Beat the rap	ť	Go scot free. Avoid being found guilty of a crime.

Beat(ing) a dead horse	ť	Continued effort is useless. Something without any hope of succeeding.

Beat(ing) around the bush	ť	Avoiding or missing the main topic. Not speaking directly about the issue.

Beats me	ť	I don't know; this puzzles me. No clue.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder	ť	People have different ideas about beauty. Not everyone agrees on beauty.

Beck and call	ť	Immediate compliance to sn. Always available to someone when needed. Like a maid or butler.

Bed of roses	ť	Sn rich. A very rich family. Easy and comfortable. No problems.

Bee in your bonnet	ť	Obsessed and on a mission. Being disturbed or excited over sth.
Bee's kn Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Bee's knees	ť	Sth outstanding or the best in its class. Height of excellence.

Beef something up	ť	To make something stronger.

Beeline for	ť	Straight to it. Heading there directly. Not waisting time. No hesitation.

Been around the block	ť	Have experience. Been there done that.

Been there done that	ť	Have experience. Been around the block.

Bees knees	ť	Small, insignificant or unimportant.

Before you know it	ť	Before you realize what's happening, in no time.

Beggars can't be choosers	ť	You can only take what's given. No demanding of what should be given.
Begin to Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Begin to see the light	ť	To begin to understand.

Behave yourself	ť	Act politely, properly.

Behind closed doors	ť	Done in secret.

Behind someone's back	ť	Doing it without letting them know about it.

Behind the eight ball	ť	In a difficult or dangerous position.

Behind the times	ť	Being old-fashioned and their ideas are out of date. Out of touch.

Believe it or not	ť	This is true no matter what you think.

Bell the cat	ť	To attempt a very dangerous, difficult or impossible task.
Below th Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Below the belt	ť	To act unfairly. Cheap shot. Low blow.

Bend over backwards	ť	Do whatever it takes to help. Willing to do anything.

Bend your/someone's ear(s)	ť	Lengthy talk becomes tiresome for listener. Trying to persuade someone of sth.

Bent on doing	ť	To be determined to do sth.

Beside oneself	ť	Distraught; very anxious and troubled.

Beside the point	ť	Having nothing to do with what's being talked about. Irrelevant.

Best of both worlds	ť	Win win situation. Enjoying two different opportunities. No disadvantage.

Best thing since sliced bread	ť	A good invention or innovation. A good idea or plan.
Bet (one Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Bet (one's) boots/bottom dollar	ť	To be very sure.

Bet on the wrong horse	ť	To misread the future.

Bet your bottom dollar	ť	Sth very certain or assured.

Better being a dog's head than a lion's tail	ť	Small time boss is better than being a peon of something big.

Better late than never	ť	Better to arrive late than not to never arrive at all.

Better than a (sharp) stick in the eye	ť	Said of sth that is only a little bit good.

Between a rock and a hard place	ť	Being faced with two difficult choices.

Between the devil and deep (blue) sea	ť	Choosing between two equally unpleasant or bad situations.
Between Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Between you and me and the cat's whiskers	ť	Don't tell anyone else. Mum's the word. Lips are sealed. A secret.

Beyond a shadow of a doubt	ť	No possibility at all that something is true.

Beyond the pale	ť	Beyond or outside the limits of morally or socially acceptable behavior.

Big cheese	ť	Sn important, powerful or influential.

Big deal	ť	Important thing. Sarcastic: so what?

Big fish	ť	Sn important. One with a lot of responsibility in a company or organisation.

Big fish in a small pond	ť	Sn important in an insignificant place or organisation.

Big shot	ť	Sn important, powerful, or influential.
Bigger f Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Bigger fish to fry	ť	To have more important or other thing(s) to do.

Bird brain	ť	Sn that is not too smart. A stupid or dumb person.

Bird in the hand is worth two in the bush	ť	An accomplishment is better than something that needs to be done.

Bird's eye view	ť	Superior view of sth. See the whole thing perfectly clear.

Bird-dog	ť	Following sn or sth very closely. Right with them. Closely monitoring.

Birds and the bees	ť	Teaching or talking about sex. Especially a parent to their child.

Birds of a feather flock together	ť	People with similar interests will come together.

Bite the bullet	ť	Give in and do what's needed or expected. Just do it, get it over with.
Bite the Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Bite the dust	ť	To break/fail/die/give out.

Bite your/one's tongue	ť	To stop oneself from speaking out.

Bite/bitten off more than he/she/one can chew	ť	Too much or too big. Something beyond what you are capable of.

Bits and bobs / Odds and ends	ť	Small, remnant articles and things. Scattered things. Miscellaneous.

Bitter pill to swallow	ť	An unpleasant fact that must be accepted.

Black and blue	ť	Full of bruises.

Black and white (1)	ť	Cop car. Police car.

Black and white (2)	ť	Written or printed word.
Black bo Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Black box	ť	A packaged electronic device (e.g. a flight recorder).

Black hole	ť	A place where things are lost never to be seen again. Solitary confinement in prison.

Black sheep	ť	An odd or disreputable member of a group.

Blackball	ť	Exclude socially. Vote against or reject a candidate.

Blacklist	ť	A list of people under suspicion or in disfavor.

Blacklisted	ť	Placing a suspected person on a black list.

Blackmarket	ť	Illegal buying and selling of goods. A place where illegal buying and selling is done.

Blacksheep (of the family)	ť	One who causes shame because of their deviation from the standards of the group.
Blessing Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Blessing in disguise	ť	Sth good or useful that did not initially seem that way.

Blew me away / Blown away	ť	When something blows you away, you're extremely impressed by it.

Blind as a bat	ť	Poor eyesight. Can't see anything.

Blind leading the blind	ť	Sn who does not understand something but tries to explain it to another.

Blood is thicker than water	ť	The family bond is closer than anything else.

Blood, sweat and tears	ť	Sth that requires a lot of effort and hard work.

Blow (something) out of proportion	ť	To overreact or exaggerate sth.

Blow a fuse	ť	Becoming very angry.
Blow off Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Blow off steam	ť	Doing something such as exercise to get rid of the stress.

Blow one's own trumpet	ť	To boast.

Blow someone's mind	ť	Excite sn. To be astonished.

Blow up in face	ť	A plan or project suddenly fails.

Blow your/one's own horn/trumpet	ť	To praise oneself. Brag or boast about yourself.

Blow(ing) smoke	ť	To deceive, con, or grossly exaggerate. No being serious. Smoking pot.

Blown away / Blew me away	ť	When something blows you away, you're extremely impressed by it.

Blue blood	ť	Belonging to high social class.
Blue in Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Blue in the face	ť	Exhausted and speechless.

Blue Moon	ť	A rare event or occurrence.

Blue-pencil	ť	Alter, abridge, or cancel, as in editing a manuscript.

Blue-ribbon	ť	Of superior quality or prominence.

Bolt from the blue	ť	Sth that happened without warning. A sudden and unexpected event. Complete surprise.

Bon appetit	ť	Enjoy your meal/food. Good appetite. Wishing one to have a hearty appetite.

Bone of contention	ť	Subject matter of the fight.

Booby prize	ť	Prize for the last place in a contest. Wooden spoon.
Bookmake Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Bookmaker or bookie	ť	Sn who collects bets before a race and pays the winners.

Born with a plastic spoon in one's mouth	ť	Born into a poor and/or unimportant family.

Born with a silver spoon in one's mouth	ť	Born into a rich and/or important family.

Bottom fell out	ť	A plan or project fails. The stock market, or a stock crashed.

Bottom line is	ť	The most basic or fundamental aspect. The most important thing.

Bought the farm	ť	Euphemism for dying or death.

Bow and scrap	ť	Try too hard to please someone in a position of authority.

Brass monkey (weather)	ť	Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey. Extremely cold.
Bread an Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Bread and butter	ť	It's your livelihood or the source of your income. Means of subsistence.

Break a leg	ť	A saying from the theatre that means "good luck".

Break open	ť	Force something open.

Break out in a cold sweat	ť	Become suddenly very nervous about sth.

Break out in tears	ť	Begin crying suddenly, usually in an exaggerated matter.

Break the back of (the beast)	ť	Reduce the power of sth. Overcoming a big obstacle.

Break the ice	ť	Initial effort to meet or talk to sn. Breaking down a social stiffness. Break the silence.

Break the mould	ť	What was made before the mould was broken is now unique, priceless. Stopping a repeat pattern.
Break up Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Break up	ť	Terminate or stop.

Break your heart	ť	To cause you excessive emotional pain. Ending a romance or by deeply hurting you another way.

Break(ing) wind	ť	Release gas from the anus. Flatulence, farting.

Breathe your last	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

Bring home the bacon	ť	To earn a salary or money to live.

Buck up	ť	To summon courage to do sth. Become encouraged or cheerful to some opposition. Chin up.

Buckle down	ť	Doing some hard work with determination and full attention.

Building castles in the air	ť	Making impossible plans.
Bull in Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Bull in a China shop	ť	Clumsy, uncoordinated, when they should be careful. Causing a lot of damage.

Bull market	ť	Investors are optimistic. To have high expectations that stock prices will go up.

Bull session	ť	Having an informal group discussion about sth.

Bull-headed	ť	Stubborn or inflexible. Head strong.

Burn a hole in one's pocket	ť	To spend money quickly.

Burn one's fingers	ť	To get into trouble.

Burn the candle at both ends	ť	Working too long and hard without enough rest or sleep. Over doing it.

Burn the midnight oil	ť	To work or study till late into the night.
Burn(ed) Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Burn(ed) bridges/boats	ť	Destroy relationships.

Burn(ed) out	ť	Dead tired. Can't do it anymore. To lose interest or desire, often due to over working.

Bury one's head in the sand	ť	To avoid reality. Ignore the facts of a situation. Refuse to face things.

Bury the hatchet	ť	To make peace. Two people make up and become friends again.

Bushman's holiday	ť	A holiday where do the same thing as you did during working days.

Business as usual	ť	Things are the same as usual.

Bust one's balls/ass	ť	Working extremely hard.

Bust someone's chops	ť	To say things intended to harass.
Busy as Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Busy as a bee/beaver	ť	Extremely busy. Having more work that you can handle.

Butter up (the boss)	ť	To flatter someone to get something in return. Being overly nice to get things.

Butterflies in your stomach	ť	A nervous and stressful feeling before an important event.

Button your/one's lip	ť	To stop speaking. To refrain from talking too much. To ask someone to be quiet.

Buy a lemon	ť	To purchase a vehicle that constantly gives problems or stops running after you drive it away.

Buy it	ť	To believe sth.

Buy/bought the farm	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

By a nose/whisker	ť	Barely manage to do sth. By the skin of your teeth.
By and l Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
By and large	ť	Generally.

By fits and starts	ť	Irregularly.

By hook or by crook	ť	By fair or foul means.

By leaps and bounds	ť	Very fast. Great strides.

By the book	ť	Strictly according to the rules or the official procedures.

By the seat of one's pants	ť	To achieve through instinct or do something without advance preparation.

By the skin of one's teeth	ť	Narrowly; barely. Usually used in regard to a narrow escape from a disaster.

By word of mouth	ť	Becoming well-known because people are telling each other about it.
Cabin fe Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Cabin fever	ť	Restlessness. Have to get out and do sth. Been cooped up too long.

Cake is not worth a candle	ť	Sth in which the result verses the amount effort are too small.

Call a spade a spade	ť	To speak the truth, even to the point of being blunt and rude.

Call it a day	ť	To finish working. Stop working on sth. To declare the end of a task.

Call it a night	ť	To go to bed to sleep.

Call it even	ť	To declare debts paid.

Call it quits	ť	To conclude; to quit or stop an activity.

Call off (the dogs)	ť	Suspend. To stop attacking or criticising sn.
Call som Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Call someone's bluff	ť	Make someone prove what they say.

Call the tune	ť	Make decisions; decide what is to be done.

Calm before the storm	ť	Sth bad is coming, but right now it's calm.

Camel's nose	ť	A small, seemingly harmless act that can have undesirable consequences.

Can of worms	ť	A difficult problem which produces additional problems.

Can't cut it / the mustard	ť	Cannot do it. Not able to compete, participate or do a good enough job.

Can't do something to save my life	ť	Completely inept at sth. Self-deprecating, indicating reluctance.

Can't fight City Hall	ť	Winning a fight with a large organization or government is next to impossible.
Can't ge Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Can't get a word in edge ways	ť	Not able to say anything because someone else is talking so much.

Can't have cake and the topping, too	ť	You can't have everything the way you want it.

Can't have your cake and eat it too	ť	You can't have everything the way you want it.

Can't hide elephants in mouse holes	ť	There are situations that must be dealt with that can't be ignored.

Can't judge a book by its cover	ť	Cannot judge something primarily on appearance.

Can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear	ť	Somethings can't be improved upon. You are stuck with them.

Can't make an omelet without breaking eggs	ť	Sometimes sacrifices have to be made to achieve great things.

Can't see the forest/wood for the trees	ť	Can't see the whole thing because of many small details in the way.
Can't st Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Can't stand (something)	ť	To dislike sth.

Can't take it with you	ť	Enjoy what you have now. When you die, someone else gets what you had.

Can't teach an old dog new tricks	ť	Older people are set in their ways. It's hard for them to change.

Can't tell/judge a book by its cover	ť	You can't tell what sn/sth is like from its outward appearance.

Can't un-ring a bell	ť	Some things are not reversible. Think about it first, before you do or say anything.

Can't win them all	ť	Said after loosing a contest or game.

Canary in a coal mine	ť	An early warning of danger.

Cap it all	ť	To finish.
Cap it o Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Cap it off	ť	To turn it off, to stop it.

Capital punishment	ť	Death sentence.

Cards are stacked against	ť	Up against overwhelming odds.

Carrot and sticks	ť	To use both awards as and punishments to make someone do sth. Incentives.

Carry by	ť	To lose control.

Carry coals to Newcastle	ť	To take sth to a place or person that has a lot of that same thing already.

Carry on	ť	To continue with sth. To proceed with a task to completion. Go back to what you were doing.

Carry the can	ť	Take the blame for something, even though you didn't do it or are not only partly at fault.
Carry th Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Carry the torch for	ť	Having strong feelings for someone who can not be yours.

Cart before the horse	ť	Wrong order, putting last thing first.

Carte blanche	ť	They have freedom to do whatever they want in a situation. Money is no object.

Cast a long shadow	ť	Casting shadow that has considerable influence on other people or events.

Cast in the same mould	ť	To be very similar. Book-ends.

Cast iron stomach	ť	Can eat or drink anything with no problems or ill affects.

Cat and dog life	ť	People that are always arguing.

Cat got your tongue	ť	Sn has nothing to say. Finding it hard to say anything. Speechless.
Cat nap Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Cat nap	ť	A short nap.

Cat on hot bricks	ť	Like a cat on a hot tin roof. Restless or skittish, unable to remain still, nervous.

Catch a tartar	ť	To deal with sn or sth that proves unexpectedly troublesome or powerful.

Catch on	ť	To understand; to realize.

Catch-22	ť	A no-win situation.

Catty corner / Kitty corner / Cat a corner	ť	Diagonally across an intersection.

Caught between a rock and a hard place	ť	Making a difficult decision between two things equally unpleasant.

Caught between two stools	ť	When someone finds it difficult to choose between two alternatives.
Caught r Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Caught red-handed	ť	Found in the very act of committing a crime. In possession of self-incriminating evidence.

Caught with one's pants down	ť	Caught doing something bad or forbidden. Or you are caught unprepared.

Chalk it/one up	ť	To attribute something to a particular cause. Give someone credit. Add one to the score.

Champ/chomp at the bit	ť	To show impatience or frustration when delayed.

Champagne on a beer budget	ť	Wanting expensive things that you can not afford.

Chance your arm	ť	Doing something risky in hopes of gaining sth.

Change horses in midstream	ť	To change plans.

Change one's mind	ť	To decide differently or have a different opinion than before.
Change y Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Change your tune	ť	Changing your opinion about something or your attitude towards sn.

Charley horse	ť	Stiffness in the leg. A leg cramp.

Chase your tail	ť	Inefficiency. Spending much time and energy but actually achieving very little.

Cheap as chips	ť	Inexpensive or good value.

Cheat on	ť	To be sexually unfaithful to.

Cheat sheet	ť	A paper containing facts. Written aid used to answer questions. Cheating if a closed book test.

Check it out	ť	Give something a longer look. Pay attention.

Chew someone out	ť	Verbally scold sn.
Chew the Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Chew the fat	ť	To chat informally with close friends. Gossip.

Chicken (out)	ť	Coward, afraid of or being very nervous and not doing sth.

Chickens are coming home to roost	ť	Suffering the unpleasant consequences of their bad actions in the past.

Chill to the marrow/bone	ť	To be very cold, scared or feel unpleasantly cold.

Chink in one's armor	ť	An area of vulnerability.

Chip off the old block	ť	Very similar in character to one of their parents, usually their father.

Chip on shoulder	ť	Angry today about something that occurred in the past.

Chomp at the bit	ť	Eager, ready to go. Impatient.
Chow dow Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Chow down	ť	To eat.

Clam up	ť	To refuse to talk or reply; refrain from divulging information.

Clean as a whistle	ť	Extremely clean. A perfect record and have never done anything illegal.

Clean up your act	ť	Improve your behavior. Make changes for the good.

Clear the air	ť	Discuss something that was causing people to feel upset.

Cloak and dagger	ť	Involving or characterized by secrecy or mystery.

Close but no cigar	ť	A narrowly missed attempt or guess. No prize.

Close call	ť	Sth just misses the target.
Close to Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Close to home	ť	It applies more to you rather than anyone else.

Cock and bull story	ť	An unbelievable tale.

Cold calling	ť	Unsolicited sales telephone calling.

Cold hearted	ť	Very cruel, unkind or uncaring person. Lacking warmth and affection. Rude, indifferent.

Cold shoulder	ť	To display aloofness and disdain. To treat someone in an unfriendly manner.

Cold turkey	ť	To stop an addiction all at once. Not gradually.

Come a cropper	ť	To fail, be struck by some misfortune. To fall headlong, especially from a horse.

Come clean about something	ť	Let people know about it after keeping it a secret. Confess.
Come ful Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Come full circle	ť	A process has been completed.

Come hell or high water	ť	No matter what happens. Any difficult situation or obstacle.

Come in handy	ť	Sth that might be useful.

Come in out of the rain	ť	Inviting someone into your home.

Come out ahead	ť	Gain an advantage after a series of events.

Come out of the closet	ť	To reveal that you are homosexual. To admit something that others might find a unusual.

Come out smelling like a rose	ť	Being unharmed or unscathed after a bad ordeal. In good shape after a mess.

Come out swinging	ť	To be confrontational and strongly defend yourself at the beginning of a debate.
Come rai Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Come rain or shine	ť	No matter what.

Come to a head/boil	ť	Reaching a crisis point and dealing with it can no longer be avoided.

Come to your senses	ť	To see things clearly and begin to act sensibly after a period of confusion.

Come to/meet a sticky end	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

Come up roses	ť	Successful end results even though there may be some initial problems.

Come up trumps	ť	Succeeding in something that you may not have been expected to succeed in.

Come/get to grips	ť	To deal with the problems or challenges it poses.

Comfort food	ť	Food that makes you feel better, because it reminds you of your childhood.
Comparin Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Comparing apples to oranges	ť	Comparing two things that cannot be compared.

Connect the dots	ť	Figure out the rest on your own. See the big picture.

Cook someone's goose	ť	Spoil sn's chances of success. To get back at sn.

Cook the books/accounts	ť	Purposefully keep inaccurate accounts for business, usually in order to pay less tax.

Cookie duster	ť	A mustache.

Cool as a cucumber	ť	Calm; not agitated.

Cool one's heels	ť	To wait for something to happen.

Cork up something	ť	Holding back and not expressing your emotions. To stop or hold back.
Cost the Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Cost the earth	ť	Charging the earth for it, super expensive.

Cost(s) an arm and a leg	ť	Be very expensive. Very costly.

Costs next to nothing	ť	Costs very little, or nearly nothing.

Couch potato	ť	A lazy person. Sn sitting and watching a lot of TV. Inactivity.

Couldn't care less	ť	Used to express total lack of interest in sth.

Couldn't find your way out of a phone booth	ť	Sn who gets lost easily.

Count on	ť	Can depend on someone or sth. To expect sth.

Cover your tracks	ť	Making sure no-one can find evidence of what you've done. No one can follow you.
Crack a Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Crack a book	ť	To open book to read and study.

Crack(s) me/someone up	ť	To be made to laugh. Something that's funny.

Crashed	ť	To stay (overnight) without formal notice.

Cream of the crop	ť	The best of a class of things or people.

Cried my eyes out	ť	Cried a lot.

Crocodile tears	ť	Fake tears or drama tears. Fake crying.

Cross that bridge when we come to it	ť	Deal with something at a more appropriate time. Postpone.

Cross the line	ť	To go too far; to violate accepted boundaries or rules.
Cross yo Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Cross your fingers	ť	To hope that something happens the way you want it to.

Cross(ing) a bridge before one comes to it	ť	No need to worry about the future in advance.

Crunch time	ť	The period of time just before a project has to be completed and everyone has to work hard.

Cry me a river	ť	Said to someone who constantly complains. Crying excessively in front of sn.

Cry over spilt milk	ť	It's useless to worry about things that already happened and cannot be changed.

Cry wolf	ť	To call for help when you don't need it.

Cup Of Joe	ť	A cup of Joe is an American nickname for a cup of coffee.

Curiosity killed a cat	ť	Being too inquisitive can lead you into an unpleasant situation.
Cut a ru Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Cut a rug	ť	To dance.

Cut and dried	ť	Ready-made. To the point.

Cut corners	ť	When something is done fast to save money. Minimizing, abbreviating.

Cut from the same cloth	ť	Two or more people are very alike or act in a very similar way.

Cut off your nose to spite your face	ť	Doing something that hurts yourself to get back at someone else.

Cut one's own throat	ť	Doing something that will cause your own failure.

Cut someone (some) slack	ť	To give someone a break, not to judge someone severely. To let off easy.

Cut the cheese/mustard	ť	To fart.
Cut the Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Cut the crap	ť	Stop goofing off. Stop giving bad reasons.

Cut the ground from under feet	ť	Doing something which weakens another's position. Undermining.

Cut the mustard	ť	To succeed. To measure up to expectations.

Cut to the chase	ť	Get to the point. Get to the action or good part.

Cut to the quick	ť	Hurting someone deeply or offending them.

Cutting corners	ť	Doing something poorly in order to save time or money.

Daft as a brush	ť	A birdbrain, dimwit, dolt, dumb, fool, idiot, nitwit, stupid, unintelligent person.

Daily grind	ť	The monotonous tasks of everyday work.
Damned i Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Damned if you do and damned if you don't	ť	No matter what one does, they'll be criticised for it.

Dances to the tune	ť	To always do what someone tells you to do.

Dancing on someone's grave	ť	Celebrating someone's demise.

Dark horse	ť	One who was previously unknown and is now prominent.

Dash it all!	ť	Very upset.

Davey Jones' locker	ť	Bottom of the sea or resting place of drowned sailors.

Dawn till dusk	ť	From morning till the evening. All day long.

Day to day	ť	Part of the usual daily routine. Common or normal occurrence.
De rigeu Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
De rigeur	ť	Necessary to have if you want to be fashionable or be accepted into a particular social scene.

Dead end	ť	A path or situation that leads nowhere or offers no prospects.

Dead in the water	ť	Plan or project that has ceased to function and is not expected to work again.

Dead ringer	ť	100% identical. A duplicate.

Dead to the world	ť	Sound asleep.

Dead wood	ť	People or things which are no longer useful or necessary. Employee of little value. Lazy or useless.

Deep down	ť	Basically; in essence; at the core. What sn feels deep inside.

Deep pockets	ť	Rich, having lots of money.
Deep-six Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Deep-six	ť	Dispose of or get rid of. Throw something in the ocean.

Deliver the goods	ť	Do what is expected or promised. Accomplish a task. To come through.

Depart this life	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

Devil in the details	ť	The details make something difficult or overwhelming.

Devil's advocate	ť	To present a counter argument.

Die down	ť	To fade; to gradually come to an end.

Die is cast	ť	Final decision has been made that will strongly affect a situation. Can't be reversed.

Dig in your heels	ť	To refuse to compromise or change your mind. To stand up or to take a stand.
Dig up d Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Dig up dirt	ť	Finding details from their past to make them look bad in the present.

Dig your own grave	ť	Doing something unwise that will result in your own failure or downfall.

Dime a dozen	ť	So easy to find, not so valuable. Cheap.

Dire straights	ť	Difficult financial situation.

Dirt cheap	ť	Costs very little money.

Discretion is the greater/better part of valour	ť	To be quiet about it after helping sn.

Do justice to	ť	An accurate portrayal. A correct assessment.

Do something at the drop of a hat	ť	Do sth quickly, without having planned beforehand.
Do the m Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Do the math	ť	Sth may actually add up.

Do the trick	ť	To work; to cause the desired results.

Do their dirty work	ť	Doing something unpleasant for them because they don't want to do it for themselves.

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you	ť	Treat people fairly. Also known as "The Golden Rule".

Do your best	ť	Doing something as well as you possibly can, or to the best of your ability.

Doesn't know which way is up	ť	No common sense, lacks understanding. Dumb, stupid.

Dog days of summer	ť	The hottest days of the summer season.

Dog in the manger	ť	Sn who doesn't want other people to have or enjoy things that are useless to themselves.
Don't be Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Don't be a stranger	ť	Please stop by whenever you can or want to.

Don't beat a dead horse	ť	Move on, this subject is over. Useless.

Don't count your chickens before they hatch	ť	Don't make plans for something that might not happen.

Don't cry over spilt milk	ť	There's no reason to fret about something that can't be fixed.

Don't get bent out of shape	ť	Keep your cool. Let it slide. Pay no attention to it.

Don't give me that cock and bull story	ť	Don't want to hear an unbelievable tale or story.

Don't give up your day job	ť	Stay with a good thing until a questionable thing is proven.

Don't have a cow	ť	Don't overreact.
Don't ho Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Don't hold your breath	ť	Don't wait too long because it might not happen.

Don't joke with me	ť	Are you serious? Don't mess with me.

Don't judge a book by its cover	ť	Don't make a decision based on a brief impression or outward appearance.

Don't know the worth of water till it's gone	ť	Taking it for granted. Not appreciating what you have.

Don't know what you've got till it's gone	ť	Taking things for granted. Not appreciating what you have.

Don't let your feathers get ruffled	ť	Keep your cool. Let it slide. Pay no attention to it.

Don't look a gift horse in the mouth	ť	Don't be ungrateful when you receive a gift.

Don't put all your eggs in one basket	ť	Don't put all your hopes or plans into one thing, diversify.
Don't sw Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Don't sweat it	ť	Don't worry about it. Dismiss it from you mind.

Don't sweat the small stuff	ť	Consider the most important things first.

Don't throw bricks if you live in a glass house	ť	Don't belittle actions that you, yourself do. Hypocrite.

Don't wash your dirty laundry in public	ť	People who argue in front of others.

Done deal	ť	Agreement or a decision that is final. It's over with.

Done for	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

Donkey work	ť	Any hard, boring work or task.

Doozy	ť	Sth outstanding.
Dot the Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Dot the i's and cross the t's	ť	Being very careful to make sure you haven't made any mistakes or omissions.

Down and out	ť	A boxing term. Someone who has become incapacitated or dejected. Broke and dejected.

Down for the count	ť	Tired; giving up; unable or unwilling to participate any longer.

Down in the dumps/mouth	ť	Feeling sad or very low. Blue.

Down the drain	ť	Wasted, lost.

Down the road	ť	In the future.

Down to earth	ť	Practical or humble; unpretentious. Realistic, sensible and pragmatic.

Down to the wire	ť	Sth that ends at the last minute or last few seconds.
Drag(gin Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Drag(ging) your feet/heels	ť	Doing something slowly. To deliberately hold back. You don't really want to do it.

Drama Queen	ť	Girl/woman who wants to be the center of attention and causes troubles all the time.

Drastic times call for drastic measures	ť	When you are extremely desperate you need to take drastic actions.

Draw a blank	ť	To suddenly forget. To fail to remember a piece of information.

Draw the line	ť	To stop; to know the point where something goes from okay to not okay.

Drawing a blank	ť	Can't remember. No response when you ask for sth. Searching with no results.

Dressed (up) to the nines	ť	Wearing very smart clothes for a special occasion. Highly fashionable.

Drink like a fish	ť	To drink alcohol very heavily.
Drive (m Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Drive (me) crazy/nuts/bonkers	ť	To disturb or irritate sn. To upset someone beyond simple annoyance.

Drive a wedge between	ť	To break relationship between the two.

Drive me/someone up the wall	ť	To irritate and/or annoy very much.

Driving me bananas	ť	Making me feel crazy.

Driving me round the bend	ť	Causing extreme exasperation and annoyance.

Drop a bombshell	ť	Announcing some very shocking news.

Drop a dime	ť	Make a telephone call; to be an informant.

Drop in sometime	ť	Come and visit.
Drop in Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Drop in the bucket/ocean	ť	Very small portion, hardly anything.

Drop me a line	ť	Write me a letter.

Drop out	ť	To leave school or a social group. To withdraw from competition.

Drop the ball	ť	Making a mistake. Lost concentration. Stop doing what was supposed to be done.

Drop the hammer	ť	To initiate work. Bringing a pending act to fruition.

Dropping like flies	ť	A large number of people either falling ill or dying.

Drum up business	ť	Influence people to buy sth.

Dry Run	ť	Rehearsal.
Each to Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Each to his own	ť	Everyone is entitled to his own individual opinion.

Eager beaver	ť	Ready, willing and able. Overly anxious and zealous.

Ear to the ground	ť	Eyes open, being aware of, paying attention. Staying on top of what's going on.

Early bird	ť	Sn who is an early riser. Usually early and on time, punctual.

Earn your stripes	ť	Proving that you have the skills or ability for a particular job or rank.

Earth shattering	ť	Very surprising.

Easier said than done	ť	Not as easy as it appears to be. Talk is cheap, actually doing something is harder.

Easy as pie	ť	Sth that is very easy. Simple.
Easy com Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Easy come, easy go	ť	To lose something that was easy to get

Easy does it	ť	Slow down. Be more careful. Don't be so reckless.

Easy money	ť	Money that someone gets without having to make much effort.

Easy on the eye(s)	ť	Pleasant to look at. Attractive; beautiful.

Eat (your/my) words	ť	To retract what they said. To admit that a statement made was wrong.

Eat crow	ť	Owning up to something after being proven wrong. Humiliating and embarrassing.

Eat humble pie	ť	To apologize humbly. Admitting you were wrong. To face humiliation.

Eat like a horse	ť	To eat a large quantity of food.
Eat like Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Eat like a pig	ť	To eat noisily, with one's mouth open; to eat a lot. Sloppy.

Eat my hat	ť	Having confidence in a specific outcome; being sure about sth.

Eat your words	ť	Admitting that something you said was wrong.

Eat your/one's heart out	ť	To suffer silently, bitterly.

Eat, sleep and breathe it	ť	Devoted, enthusiastic and passionate about sth. Thinking about it constantly.

Egg on your face	ť	Looking foolish, embarrassed or stupid.

Egg someone on	ť	To urge someone to do something that is usually negative.

Eighty Six	ť	A certain item is no longer available. To throw away.
Eighty-s Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Eighty-sixed	ť	Eject or get rid of them, or to refuse them service. Kick them out.

Elbow grease	ť	A lot of hard physical work.

Elbow room	ť	Freedom to move.

Elephant in the room	ť	A problem everyone knows very well but don't talk about because it is taboo.

Eleventh hour decision	ť	Decision that is made at the last possible minute.

Elvis has left the building	ť	The show has come to an end. It's all over.

End in itself	ť	Done for its own pleasure or benefit rather than for some other purpose like making money.

End in smoke	ť	To bear no result. To fail.
End of t Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
End of the day	ť	Make a final decision based on everything that went on before. Final analysis.

End result	ť	At the end of the day. After everything is said and done. What it boils down to. The bottom line.

Enough is enough	ť	To stop something that has gone on way too long. Done it too many times already.

Entering the 80th orbit	ť	Celebrating the 80th birthday.

Err on the side of caution	ť	Overly careful in your approach to sth.

Esprit de corps	ť	Pride and comradeship shared by members of a group such as a military unit or a sports team.

Ethnic cleansing	ť	Killing of a certain ethnic or religious group on a massive scale.

Even Steven	ť	Equal, fair. Paid up or paid back.
Every cl Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Every cloud has a silver lining	ť	Sth good can come from something bad. Be optimistic.

Every dog has his day	ť	Everyone gets a chance at least once.

Every now and then	ť	Happens occasionally, but not too often.

Every trick in the book	ť	Using any and every method available, even if it involves some deception.

Every/all walk(s) of life	ť	Different types of people from different backgrounds. Diversity.

Everything but the kitchen sink	ť	Almost everything and anything has been included.

Everything's coming up roses	ť	Everything is turning out very well. Hunky dory, great, fine.

Excuse my French	ť	Please forgive me for cussing.
Expand y Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Expand your horizons	ť	Broaden your outlook on life and its possibilities.

Explore all avenues	ť	Trying out every possibility to get a result.

Extend the olive branch	ť	A peace offering to an enemy or someone with whom you had a fallen out with.

Eye for an eye	ť	Retributive justice, where the punishment equals the crime.

Eye to eye	ť	Totally agreeing with sn. You see it they way they see it. In person, face to face.

Eyes are bigger than one's stomach	ť	They are greedy and take on more than they can consume or manage.

Eyes like a hawk	ť	Really good eyesight, they notice everything.

Face the music	ť	To confront the unpleasant consequences of one's actions.
Face to Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Face to face	ť	In person. Meet in person in the real world.

Fair and square	ť	Done in an honest and straightforward way, without cheating.

Fair enough	ť	What you recommend is OK.

Fair-weather friend	ť	Sn who will only be your friend when things are going well.

Fait accompli	ť	Certain to happen. Sure thing.

Fall from grace	ť	Doing something that results in a loss of respect and support. Loosing prominence.

Fall on deaf ears	ť	To be ignored or disregarded.

Fall on our feet	ť	To succeed in doing something where there was a risk of failure.
Fall on Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Fall on your sword	ť	One resigns or accepts the consequences of what they have done wrong. Take responsibility.

Fall through	ť	To fail.

Fall through the cracks	ť	To be missed or overlooked.

Fall(ing) out	ť	A disagreement. Lose one's position.

False flag (operation)	ť	False identity. Pretending to be sn or sth else in order to deceive people.

Familiarity breeds contempt	ť	To start disliking something when one gets to know it much better.

Far and few between	ť	Not many of them around. Rare.

Far cry from	ť	Very different from.
Far-fetc Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Far-fetched	ť	Unlikely to be true. A totally bizarre story. Unbelievable tale.

Fast track something	ť	Rating something higher on your priority list to achieve the desired result.

Fat/slim chance	ť	Little or no chance of something happening. Describes the impossibility of sth.

Faux pass	ť	Mistake.

Feather in one's cap	ť	An exceptional achievement. Something you achieved and are proud of.

Feather your own nest	ť	Using your position or your job illegally for personal gain.

Feeding frenzy	ť	An aggressive attack on someone by a group.

Feel blue	ť	Feel sad or depressed.
Feel fre Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Feel free	ť	Be my guest; be uninhibited about doing sth.

Feel the pinch	ť	Experience hardship. Being affected by a drop in income. A loss of sth.

Feel(ing) (a bit) under the weather	ť	Feeling slightly ill or sick.

Feel(ing) blue	ť	Being sad or depressed.

Feel/look like a million bucks/dollars	ť	Being in an excellent state of emotional or physical health.

Feeling a bit under weather	ť	Feeling slightly ill.

Feeling the pinch	ť	Finding it harder to survive on your income. Money is tight.

Fender bender	ť	Car accident. Very small, trivial damage
Ferret s Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Ferret something out	ť	To search out, discover, or bring to light.

Fever pitch	ť	When a feeling is very intense and exciting.

Few and far between	ť	Rare and scarce; occurring infrequently.

Field Day	ť	An enjoyable day or circumstance.

Fifteen minutes of fame	ť	Brief, superficial celebrity.

Fifty-fifty	ť	Dividing something equally.

Fight a losing battle	ť	Trying to do something but things are getting worse.

Fight fire with fire	ť	To retaliate with an attack that is similar to the attack used against you.
Figure o Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Figure of speech	ť	An expression that is not literal. Figurative, a metaphor or illustration.

Fill in the blanks	ť	Figure out the rest on your own.

Fill someone's shoes	ť	Replace the person and do what they do.

Filthy rich	ť	Extremely wealthy.

Final/finishing touch	ť	Last thing done. Something added to made it complete. A minor change.

Find(ing) a needle in a haystack	ť	Difficult search. Virtually impossible to find.

Find(ing) your feet	ť	To become more comfortable in whatever you are doing. Adjusting to something new.

Fine kettle of fish	ť	A mess; a very unsatisfactory situation.
Fine-too Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Fine-tooth comb	ť	Examining something carefully, without missing any details.

Finger in the pie	ť	To have an interest in sth. Something you are into.

Finger lickin' good	ť	A very tasty food or meal.

Fingers and thumbs	ť	Clumsy, uncoordinated or unskilled with your hands or feet.

Fire and fury	ť	With full enthusiasm.

Fire off	ť	To hastily write and send a message. To make statements or ask questions in rapid succession.

Firing on all cylinders	ť	On a roll, doing good. Work every possible way to succeed.

First (one) out of the gate	ť	Being the first one to make a start at sth. Fast start.
First co Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
First come first served	ť	People will be served in the order of arrival.

First things first	ť	Top priority to follow a sequence. First step in a series.

Fish out of water	ť	To be out of place. Being in a strange place, unknown to you.

Fit as a fiddle	ť	In good physical health.

Fit of anger/rage / have a fit	ť	To display a very bad temper. Screaming, throwing things etc.

Fit the bill	ť	To be suitable; to meet requirements. It is right or correct.

Fits and starts	ť	Irregular.

Five will get you ten	ť	In all likelihood. A 2:1 odds bet in favor of.
Five-fin Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Five-finger discount	ť	Shoplifting.

Fiver	ť	Five-dollar bill. A $5 spot.

Fixed in your ways	ť	Not willing or wanting to change from your normal way of doing sth.

Flap jaw	ť	Running at the mouth. Incessant talking.

Flash in the pan	ť	No staying power. Initially noticeable but doesn't last long.

Flat as a pancake	ť	Very flat.

Flea Market	ť	A type of bazaar where inexpensive goods are sold or bartered.

Flesh and blood	ť	Relatives, referring to someone's family members.
Flexing Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Flexing of muscles	ť	Show of force or strength.

Fling yourself into	ť	Doing something with a lot of energy and enthusiasm.

Flip the bird	ť	To raise your middle finger at sn.

Flunk out	ť	To be kicked out of school for not meeting academic standards.

Fly in the ointment	ť	The one tiny drawback that ruins it.

Fly off the handle	ť	Instantly angry about something, losing control and start screaming and shouting.

Fly on the wall	ť	Listen to conversation in room of important people without them knowing it.

Flying start	ť	Sth that is immediately successful. Quick start.
Foam(ing Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Foam(ing) at the mouth	ť	To be enraged and show it.

Follow your nose	ť	When giving directions, means that they should go straight ahead.

Food for thought	ť	An idea or subject to think about. Sth to think about.

Fool's gold	ť	Iron pyrite is a worthless mineral that resembles gold.

Fool's paradise	ť	False sense of happiness or success.

Foot in mouth	ť	Sn who said something embarrassing, inappropriate, wrong or stupid.

Foot in the door	ť	Small but good start with a possibility for a bright future.

For a song	ť	Almost free. Very cheap. Buy or sell it at a very cheap price.
For all Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
For all I know	ť	Based on what I know.

For donkey's years	ť	An awfully long time. (Donkey ears are long).

For God's sake	ť	A reaction of shock, annoyance, exasperation, frustration, or anger to sth said.

For good	ť	Permanently.

For kicks	ť	For pleasure or excitement; for fun.

For my money	ť	In my opinion. This is what I think.

For Peat's sake	ť	A reaction of shock, annoyance, exasperation, frustration, or anger to sth said.

For the birds	ť	Useless or worthless; not to be taken seriously.
For the Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
For the love of God/Pete	ť	A reaction of shock, annoyance, exasperation, frustration, or anger to sth said.

For the time being	ť	It will be that way for a limited period of time only. Could or will change later.

Forbidden fruit (is always the sweetest)	ť	To desire something that is not allowed. Something denied.

Foregone conclusion	ť	Everyone knows what it's going to be before it happens. Common knowledge.

Fork in the road	ť	A problem that needs a decision.

Fork money out	ť	Spend money on sth.

Fortune favours the bold	ť	People facing problems with determination and courage attain high levels of success.

Forty winks	ť	A short sleep, or a nap. Cat nap.
Four cor Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Four corners of the earth	ť	All the parts of the world (figurative).

Four-bagger	ť	A home run in baseball with bases loaded.

Four-eyes	ť	A mocking term for someone who wears eyeglasses.

Four-leaf clover	ť	An allusion to good luck.

Four-letter word	ť	An obscene or vulgar word, from the fact that several such words have four letters.

Freak out	ť	To become very angry, scared or excited.

Free for all	ť	Crazy, non-restricted activity. A group fight.

French kiss	ť	An open mouth kiss where tongues touch.
French l Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
French leave	ť	Absent without permission, to leave a gathering without saying goodbye. AWOL.

Fresh as a daisy	ť	Feeling good, energetic and lively. Invigorated.

Friends in high places	ť	You know people in powerful positions in business or government.

From A to Z	ť	Covering a complete range; comprehensively.

From cradle to grave	ť	During the whole span of your life.

From now on	ť	Now and into the distant future. Something taking effect now and will continue on.

From pillar to post	ť	Continuously moving from one place/project/task to another without reason.

From rags to riches	ť	To go from being very poor to being very wealthy.
From scr Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
From scratch / make from scratch	ť	From the very beginning, with no prior preparation.

From time to time	ť	You do it occasionally, but not very often. Now and then.

Fuddy-duddy	ť	An old-fashioned and foolish type of person.

Full Monty	ť	Can mean either, "the whole thing" or "complete frontal nudity".

Full of beans	ť	Full of nonsense; talking nonsense.

Full of it	ť	Speaking nonsense; lying, exaggerating, or boasting.

Full of piss and vinegar	ť	One brimming over with energy. Raring to go. Young, strong and energetic.

Full of yourself	ť	Thinking you're better or more important than you really are.
Funny fa Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Funny farm	ť	A mental institutional facility.

Gamble on thet	ť	Sth very certain or assured.

Game is up	ť	Illegal activity has been found out or has come to an end. It's over.

Garage/yard sale	ť	A sale to get rid of unwanted or unused things.

Get a grip (on yourself)	ť	Controlling your feelings to deal with a situation.

Get a handle on	ť	To obtain a basic level of understanding or control.

Get a life	ť	Try to be like a normal person. Pay attention to things that are important.

Get a look in	ť	You get a fair chance to do sth.
Get a ra Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Get a raw deal	ť	Not treated equally or fairly.

Get a second wind	ť	Have more energy after having been tired.

Get a taste of your own medicine	ť	Get treated the way you've been treating others (negative).

Get a word in edge ways	ť	Difficult to speak in a conversation with people who are very talkative.

Get away from it all	ť	Go somewhere to escape from your usual daily routine.

Get away with it	ť	Not caught. Get off scot free.

Get bent out of shape	ť	To take offense; to get worked up, aggravated, or annoyed.

Get carried away	ť	To overdo; to do to excess.
Get crac Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Get cracking!	ť	Hurry up! Get going. Get a move on. To do something faster.

Get down to brass tacks	ť	To become serious about sth.

Get ducks in a row	ť	Getting your things well organized.

Get even	ť	To get revenge.

Get foot in the door	ť	Start sth. To enter an organization.

Get hitched	ť	To get married.

Get into hot water	ť	To get into trouble.

Get it off your chest	ť	Owning up. Telling what's been bothering you.
Get it o Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Get it out of your system	ť	Doing something you've wanted to do for a long time. Don't postpone it any longer.

Get off on the wrong foot	ť	Start something poorly, or begin with a mistake.

Get off the hook	ť	Free from all obligations.

Get on one's nerves	ť	To annoy or irritate sn.

Get on someone's case	ť	To criticize, find fault, or lecture.

Get on the ball	ť	To get focused on the goal.

Get one's act together	ť	To become serious, organized.

Get one's feet wet	ť	To gain new experience. To start something new. To do something for the first time.
Get one' Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Get one's foot in the door	ť	To begin become established in an occupation or company.

Get out of hand	ť	Get out of control. Lose control of things.

Get out of here!	ť	Are you serious?

Get out of the wrong side of the bed	ť	Be in a bad mood for a long time.

Get out of town	ť	I don't believe you.

Get over it	ť	Forget about the past. To move beyond something that is bothering you.

Get something off your chest	ť	Expressing something that has been a bother for a long time. Owning up.

Get something out of your system	ť	Do the thing you've been wanting to do so you can move on.
Get some Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Get something straight	ť	To understand correctly; to clarify.

Get the axe / Getting axed	ť	To lose your job. Cut lose.

Get the ball rolling	ť	Start sth.

Get the green light	ť	Receive permission or authorization to do sth.

Get the hang of	ť	To become accustomed to. To learn how to do or use sth.

Get the point	ť	To understand the general or main idea.

Get the show on the road	ť	Putting a plan or idea into action. Get a move on. Let's go.

Get to the bottom of something	ť	Find out its real cause or the true story behind it.
Get to t Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Get to the point	ť	Don't beat around the bush. Leave out the details.

Get up on the wrong side of (the) bed	ť	To feel irritable and grouchy mood for no reason. A horrible day.

Get wind of (something)	ť	To discover or find out. Hear news of something new or secret.

Get your act together	ť	Get organized. Work better or leave.

Get your goat	ť	Sn does something that annoys you. To irritate sn.

Get your head around it	ť	To understand sth.

Get your walking papers	ť	Get fired from a job.

Get your wires crossed	ť	Misunderstand each other, especially when making arrangements.
Getting Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Getting axed / Get the axe	ť	To lose your job. Cut lose.

Getting goose bumps	ť	Getting excited.

Gift of (the) gab	ť	Natural ability to talk in a way that people find entertaining or persuasive. Eloquent.

Girl Friday	ť	A capable assistant. Temporary office help.

Give (it) your all	ť	Trying as hard as you can to succeed in sth.

Give a dog a bad name	ť	Prior convictions raise suspensions. A bad rap sheet is very difficult to overcome.

Give a hand	ť	To help sn.

Give a man a fish	ť	Better to teach a person how to do something than to always do that sn for them.
Give awa Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Give away the farm (1)	ť	Don't leak or give away information that may damage your business.

Give away the farm (2)	ť	Selling something way below market value.

Give cold shoulder	ť	To ignore.

Give him the slip	ť	To get away from. To escape. Disappear or hide.

Give it a go	ť	To try or attempt.

Give it a shot/whirl	ť	Doing something for the first time, usually for fun. Trial run.

Give it to me straight	ť	Please tell me straight forward.

Give me a break	ť	Don't expect me to believe or agree with that.
Give me Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Give me five	ť	A greeting. Hit your open hand against theirs as a way of congratulation.

Give someone a bird	ť	A raised middle finger.

Give someone a hand	ť	Help sn.

Give someone a hard time	ť	Bother them or make trouble for them.

Give someone a piece of you mind	ť	To tell someone off. To criticize them strongly and angrily.

Give someone the benefit of the doubt	ť	Trust what someone says.

Give someone the boot	ť	Kick them out. Dismiss or terminate sn.

Give someone the cold shoulder	ť	To ignore; to snub or reject sn.
Give som Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Give someone the green light	ť	Give permission for it to be done, or allow it to happen.

Give the benefit of the doubt	ť	Believe someone's statement, without proof.

Give them/him credit	ť	Acknowledge an achievement or contribution of a person.

Give two hoots about	ť	Low esteem or value.

Give up the ghost	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

Glass jaw	ť	A fist fighter who could throw punches but could not take one.

Glory hound	ť	Sn seeking popularity, fame and notoriety.

Go against the grain	ť	Contrary to natural inclination. To rub sn the wrong way. Irritate sn.
Go again Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Go against the tide	ť	Doing the opposite of what otjers are doing. Contrary to nateral inclination.

Go all out	ť	To spare no expense or effort. To put forth all possible effort or resources.

Go ape (over something)	ť	To be extremely enthusiastic about sth. Go crazy.

Go back to the drawing board	ť	Start over.

Go bananas	ť	Wildly excited, anxiety, or worry. Go crazy.

Go cold turkey	ť	To quit or stop addictive or dangerous behavior all at once.

Go down in flames	ť	To end or fail suddenly and spectacularly.

Go down like a lead balloon	ť	To be received badly by an audience. Failure.
Go downh Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Go downhill	ť	To worsen or deteriorate.

Go Dutch	ť	Splitting the bill, paying 50/50.

Go figure	ť	Who knows? Think about it.

Go for broke	ť	To risk it all, even if it means losing everything. To go all out.

Go for it	ť	By all means you should do it or try it.

Go great guns	ť	Being successful.

Go in one ear and out the other	ť	Not pay attention to something that has been instructed.

Go like a bomb	ť	To move fast.
Go on a Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Go on a wild goose chase	ť	To do something pointless.

Go out on a limb	ť	Putting yourself in a risky situation in order to gain sth. To hazard a guess.

Go over your head	ť	Going to one with more authority than you to get something that you would normally grant.

Go overboard	ť	Doing something too much or you do it with excessive enthusiasm. Overdoing it. Extravagant.

Go places	ť	To achieve progress or succeed.

Go tell it to birds	ť	Disbelief. Something that is not credible or is a lie.

Go the extra mile	ť	Going above and beyond whatever is required for the task at hand. To make an extra effort.

Go the whole hog	ť	Do something completely or to its limits. All the way.
Go throu Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Go through the motions	ť	Doing something without putting any real effort or thought into it.

Go to the dogs	ť	Getting comparably less successful than before.

Go under the hammer	ť	Sold in an auction.

Go up in smoke	ť	Sth that ends before getting a result.

Go with the flow	ť	Doing things like everyone else, trying not to stand out.

Go/come along for the ride	ť	To be present for an activity without taking part in it.

God helps those who help themselves	ť	Do nothing and God may do nothing. Work at it and God will help you.

Goes down a treat	ť	Great success and everyone enjoys it.
Goes out Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Goes out of business	ť	Chapter 11. Business failed. Belly up. Stops trading and closes down.

Goes over my/your head	ť	Beyond my understanding. Difficult to understand. Too complicated or intricate.

Going down	ť	Knowing what's happening in a situation.

Going great guns	ť	Doing really well in whatever you're doing.

Going nuts	ť	Going crazy or insane.

Going places	ť	Exhibiting talent and ability that will lead to a successful future.

Golden handshake	ť	Big sum of money given to sn when they leave a company or retire.

Gone fishing	ť	Not very aware of what is happening around them.
Gone off Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Gone off track	ť	Forgot about your future goal. Losing sight of goal.

Gone to the dogs	ť	Gone wrong badly and lost all the good things it had.

Good for nothing	ť	No good.

Good Samaritan	ť	Sn who helps others when they are in need out of the goodness of their heart.

Good things come in small packages	ť	Don't judge by the size of sth.

Good things come to those who wait	ť	Be patient.

Goody two-shoes	ť	A smugly virtuous person.

Got it	ť	I understood what you said.
Got it m Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Got it made	ť	Success, you've done well, well off. Easy street.

Got rocks in your/his head	ť	A dumb person. Lack of intelligence, stupid.

Got the slap on the wrist	ť	Got light punishment.

Got the wind up	ť	To be scared.

Got to be kidding	ť	You must be joking. I can't believe it.

Grab a bite	ť	Eat, have a quick meal.

Grab the bull by its horns	ť	To deal head-on or directly problem. Tackling a difficulty boldly.

Grasp the nettle	ť	To tackle a difficult problem in a bold manner. Go for it, just do it.
Grass is Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Grass is (always) greener on the other side	ť	Never satisfied. Believing other people have it better than you.

Graveyard shift	ť	Working hours from about 12 midnight to 8am.

Grease monkey	ť	An idiomatic term for a mechanic.

Grease someone's palm	ť	Pay them a bribe.

Greased lightning	ť	Very fast or quick.

Great minds think alike	ť	Intelligent people think like each other.

Green around the gills	ť	Having a sickly appearance; pale.

Green room	ť	The waiting room, especially for those who are about to go on a TV or radio show.
Green th Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Green thumb	ť	An exceptional talent for gardening or for growing plants successfully.

Green with envy	ť	Very jealous.

Green-eyed monster	ť	Jealousy.

Greenhorn	ť	An untrained, inexperienced, or naive person.

Grin and bear it	ť	Accepting a difficult situation and try not to let it upset you.

Grin like a Cheshire cat	ť	A very wide or big smile.

Groan inwardly	ť	A feeling where you want to express despair, disapproval or distress, but you keep quite.

Guess is as good as mine	ť	To have no idea, don't know the answer to a question or problem either.
Guinea p Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Guinea pig	ť	Taking part in an experiment and used in the testing.

Gut feeling	ť	A personal intuition. Especially when suspecting sth may not be right.

Hair of the dog	ť	An alcoholic drink as a way of getting rid of a hangover.

Half a loaf is better than none	ť	Having part of something is better than nothing.

Half-baked	ť	Hasn't been properly thought out or planned.

Hand it to	ť	To give someone credit or praise; to congratulate.

Hand me downs	ť	Second hand clothes or items. Used merchandise.

Hand to mouth	ť	Very poor, what little money they have all goes for expenses.
Hands ar Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Hands are tied	ť	Not being able to do anything about a situation. To be helpless, no existing options.

Hands down	ť	Unquestionably; without a doubt; without effort.

Hang by thread	ť	To be in a critical condition.

Hang in balance	ť	Undecidable situation.

Hang in there	ť	Be patient. Wait it out. Just keep what you are doing, don't give up.

Hang on	ť	Don't give up. Continue to hold on tightly. Wait for help or assistance. Stay on the phone. Wait.

Hang on a second	ť	Wait a moment please.

Hang on by fingernails	ť	Continuing to do something in a very difficult situation.
Hang out Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Hang out	ť	Spend time with a friend or frequent a certain location. A place you go to or spend time at often.

Hang ten	ť	A surfing challenge of hanging all one's toes over the front edge of the board.

Hang up	ť	Disconnect a phone call. Tired of waiting or talking.

Hangdog expression	ť	Sn is showing emotions very clearly, too clearly for your liking.

Hanged for a sheep as a lamb	ť	If being convicted of stealing a sheep you may as well steal a sheep.

Happy as a clam	ť	The state of being happy; feeling delighted.

Happy camper	ť	Sn who is content or satisfied.

Hard (pill) to swallow	ť	Difficult to believe or accept.
Hard as Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Hard as nails	ť	Sn without sentiments and sympathy for anyone.

Hard to come by	ť	Difficult to find. Not easy to get.

Has-been	ť	Once a productive citizen, but no present or future prospects now.

Hash something over	ť	To discuss something in great detail.

Haste makes waste	ť	You'll make mistakes if you rush through sth.

Hat trick	ť	When one player scores three goals in the same hockey game. Or three scores in another sport.

Hats off to	ť	To praise or acknowledge a good job or job well done.

Haul/pull in/up	ť	To bring before a judge. Arrest. Brought before sn of authority.
Haul/rak Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Haul/rake over the coals	ť	To sharply criticize sn. To scold or rebuke.

Have (a lot of) balls	ť	To have courage. Intestinal fortitude or guts.

Have a (good) head for	ť	Being well suited for sth. Having a special talent for sth.

Have a (good) mind to	ť	An intention toward doing sth. To consider doing. Probably will do sth.

Have a ball/blast	ť	Enjoy yourself. Have a good or wonderful time. Celebrate, joyous party.

Have a big head	ť	To be conceited. Overly proud. Thinking too highly of yourself.

Have a big mouth	ť	One who gossips more or tells secrets.

Have a bone to pick	ť	To have a grievance or complaint.
Have a b Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Have a bumpy time	ť	To run into trouble. To have problems or difficulties.

Have a bun in the oven	ť	To be pregnant. To be expecting a baby.

Have a chance of a fart in a whirlwind/windstorm	ť	No chance. An impossibility.

Have a corner on (the market)	ť	A monopoly. Having an overwhelming advantage over the competition.

Have a cow	ť	To have a fit; to get visibly upset.

Have a field day	ť	To enjoy success or a valuable opportunity. Have fun.

Have a fit / Fit of anger/rage	ť	To display a very bad temper. Screaming, throwing things etc.

Have a go at	ť	Giving sth a try. Give it a shot.
Have a g Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Have a good head on one's shoulders	ť	Being smart, brainy, intelligent. Well educated.

Have a good one	ť	Used when saying good-bye. Adios, farewell, so long, see ya. Have a good day.

Have a good thing going	ť	In a satisfying relationship with sn. Having a good well paying job.

Have a hand in	ť	To take part or have a part in sth. Partly responsible for sth.

Have a heart	ť	Not being mean. Being kind, empathetic, compassionate, sympathetic and generous.

Have a one track mind	ť	Thinking only of one thing.

Have a screw loose	ť	To be crazy; to be mentally unstable.

Have a snowball's chance in hell	ť	No chance. An impossibility. No way.
Have a s Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Have a soft spot	ť	Feel a warm affection for them. To like sn.

Have a word with	ť	To talk, speak, or discuss with.

Have a yellow streak	ť	Be cowardly.

Have an axe to grind	ť	To have something to dispute with sn.

Have an egg on the face	ť	Be embarrassed.

Have ants in your pants	ť	Not be able to keep still because you are very excited or worried about sth.

Have clean hands	ť	Be guiltless.

Have eyes bigger than stomach	ť	Desiring more food than one can eat.
Have eye Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Have eyes in the back of one's head	ť	One perceives things or events beyond their field of view. Hard to fool.

Have fits / Have/throw a fit	ť	Stiffness and/or jerking body movements. Become extremely mad or angry.

Have it all together	ť	Be very poised, successful, organized.

Have no truck with	ť	To refuse to get involved with it or them.

Have on the brain	ť	Thinking or talking about something all day long.

Have one's finger in too many pies	ť	Involved in too many things at the same time.

Have one's heart set on	ť	Possessing a determination to obtain sth.

Have one's nose in a book	ť	To be reading a book. Reading read books all the time.
Have oth Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Have other fish to fry	ť	To have other, or more important things to do.

Have stumbled upon	ť	To accidentally discover sth.

Have the blues	ť	To feel depressed or sad.

Have the guts	ť	Have courage.

Have the world by its tail	ť	Very successful person who can choose from a lot of opportunities.

Have too many irons in the fire	ť	Working with or processing too many projects or other things in hand.

Have your cake and eat it too	ť	To have the advantage of both alternatives. To get or have two good things.

Have your hands full	ť	Very busy.
Have you Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Have your head in the clouds	ť	Not be concentrating. Aloof. Daydreaming.

Have your heart in the right place	ť	Sn with good intentions. A good person.

Have your work cut out for you	ť	You know what you have to do. Knowing you have a difficult task ahead.

Have your/one's head screwed on (backwards)	ť	No common sense. Can't think straight. Confused.

Have your/one's head screwed on (right)	ť	A sensible, reasonable and realistic person. Intelligent.

Have/get/develop a crush on (someone)	ť	To be infatuated with sn.

Have/hold a beef/grudge against/on someone	ť	To have a complaint or problem with sn.

Have/throw a fit / have fits	ť	Stiffness and/or jerking body movements. Become extremely mad or angry.
Having a Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Having a whale of a time	ť	To enjoy very much.

Having second thoughts	ť	Doubts about a decision you've made or going to make.

Hay is for horses	ť	Telling children not to use the word 'hey' when addressing people.

He can't fight/punch his way out of a paper bag	ť	Sn who can't overcome even weak or trivial resistance. Wimp.

He has bigger fish to fry	ť	Having bigger or better things to take care of than what we are talking about now.

He lost his head	ť	Angry and overcome by emotions.

He lost it	ť	He lost his temper or lost control of something (like his car).

He who laughs last laughs loudest	ť	You laughed at me now I can laugh at you. I'll get you for what you did.
He's a c Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
He's a chip off the old block	ť	The son is like the father.

He's not playing with a full deck	ť	He's dumb.

He's off his rocker	ť	He's crazy.

He's sitting on the fence	ť	He can't make up his mind. Uncommitted.

He/she is a sandwich short of a picnic	ť	Sn who is lacking intelligence.

He/she/they have a lot of balls	ť	To have courage. Intestinal fortitude or guts.

He/she/they hold(s) the cards	ť	He/she/they controls the situation.

Head and shoulders above (the rest/the competition)	ť	Significantly better than everybody else in the field.
Head in Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Head in the clouds	ť	Aloof. Out of touch with the everyday world and can be unrealistic or naive as a result.

Head over heels	ť	Falling deeply in love with another person. Be-smitten, infatuated.

Head start	ť	Early beginning. Start before the official time to start. An early advantage.

Head-on	ť	Front-to-front collision. Direct confrontation with another party. Deal directly with a problem.

Heads up	ť	Used as an advanced warning. To become keenly or quickly aware.

Heads will roll	ť	People Will lose their jobs after making a mistake. Being fired.

Healthy as a horse	ť	Being very healthy.

Hear (something) through the grapevine	ť	To learn through rumor.
Hear som Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Hear something straight from the horse's mouth	ť	Hear sn from the originator.

Hear/heard (it) on/through the grapevine	ť	Learning about or hearing rumors about something or sn.

Heart and soul	ť	Put everything you've got into it. Your whole being, your life with maximum effort.

Heart goes out to	ť	Feel sympathy for someone when in distress. Show sympathy, feeling and compassion.

Heart in the right place	ť	Good natured. Doing the right thing or good things.

Heart isn't in it	ť	Doing something, you don't really want to do.

Heart missed a beat	ť	Very excited.

Heart-to-heart	ť	Honest talk and share your feelings with each other.
Heave-ho Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Heave-ho	ť	To synchronize effort of more than one person to accomplish a physical task.

Hedge your bet(s)	ť	To protect yourself in advance if you make a wrong choice or something goes wrong.

Hell in a hand basket	ť	Deteriorating and headed for complete disaster. Getting worse fast.

Herding cats	ť	To coordinate a very difficult situation. Managing many people doing different things.

Here you go	ť	Here it is, this is it. Being handed sth.

Hidden agenda	ť	Secret plan or motive for doing sth.

High and dry	ť	To be left behind; abandoned. Being in a helpless situation without a way to recover.

High five	ť	Slapping palms above each others heads as celebration gesture or greeting.
High on Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
High on the hog	ť	Living in excessive luxury. Maybe beyond your means.

High roller	ť	Spends money in a risky way. Gambles with lots of money. Risky ventures with large rewards.

High time	ť	It's about time something was done. It should have been done already, and is overdue.

High up	ť	Important standing in society. High ranking person in any organization. President, CEO.

Hill of beans	ť	Nothing. A bunch of nothing. Something that amounts to nothing.

Himalayan blunder	ť	A serious mistake.

Hit 'em where it hurts	ť	A painful blow. Possibly below the belt, in the testicles.

Hit a snag	ť	To encounter an unexpected problem or obstacle.
Hit belo Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Hit below the belt	ť	To act unfairly. Low blow.

Hit it off	ť	Getting along with someone new right away.

Hit the books	ť	To study hard or to begin to study. Especially for a test or exam.

Hit the bull's eye	ť	To be exactly right about something or to achieve the best result possible.

Hit the hay/sack/sheets	ť	Go to bed or go to sleep.

Hit the nail on the head	ť	Do or say something exactly right. Perfectly done.

Hit the road	ť	To leave.

Hit the road running	ť	Start performing immediately.
Hit the Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Hit the roof	ť	Lose their temper and show their anger.

Hit the spot	ť	To be particularly pleasing or appropriate. To be just right.

Hive of worker bees	ť	People working actively and cooperatively.

Hocus Pocus	ť	In general, a term used in magic or trickery. Smoke and mirrors.

Hog wash	ť	Nonsense.

Hold (down) the fort	ť	To look after a hone or business while the person who is normally in charge is away.

Hold all the aces	ť	Have all the advantages.

Hold on a second	ť	Just wait a moment.
Hold one Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Hold one's horses	ť	To wait; to be patient; to slow down.

Hold up	ť	Delay. Burglary.

Hold water	ť	A point of view or argument is sound, strong or logical.

Hold your head (up) high	ť	Feeling proud of sth.

Hold your own	ť	Successful as other people in a situation. As good as others at an activity.

Hold your/one's horses	ť	Be patient. Wait a minute, calm down, don't get excited.

Hold/bite tongue	ť	Keeping quiet when wanting to speak. Telling people not to speak.

Holy cow/smoke	ť	What a surprise! That's unbelievable! Astonishment.
Holy gra Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Holy grail	ť	A most important object or goal.

Honesty is the best policy	ť	Being forthright and up front is always good and fruitful advice.

Hook, line and sinker	ť	Gullible person falls for something or took the bait.

Hop in	ť	Get in the car quickly, jump in the car.

Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst	ť	Being optimistic but ready for hard times as well.

Hornets' nest	ť	A violent situation or one with a lot of dispute.

Horse feathers	ť	Nonsense.

Horse of a different color	ť	A different matter or separate issue altogether.
Horse tr Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Horse trading	ť	Negotiations, especially when they are difficult and involve a lot of compromise.

Hot air	ť	Meaningless or unimportant talk.

Hot stove (paradigm)	ť	Don't touch something or stay away from potential dangers.

Hot under the collar	ť	Feel angry or annoyed about sth.

Hour has come	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

House sitting	ť	To watch sn house while they're away.

Household name	ť	Being very popular. To be well known across a region. Being famous.

How the hog ate the cabbage	ť	Telling it like it is. Telling a truth that is not favorably heard.
How time Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
How time flies / Time flies	ť	Time seems to go by fast. Time can get away form us.

How's it going?	ť	How are you?

Hundred-to-one/million-to-one chance/shot	ť	Reference to a low probability of success.

Hundred/thousand and one	ť	Reference to an indeterminate but large number of reasons something may fail.

Hungry as a bear	ť	Being really hungry.

Hush money	ť	Money given as a bribe to hush or make one keep silent.

I beg to differ	ť	I'd rather take a different stance on this topic.

I bet (you are right)	ť	I agree. Of course, yes indeed. Sarcastic: yeah, sure.
I blew i Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
I blew it	ť	I wasted my chance, made a mistake. I failed.

I can/could eat a horse	ť	I am so hungry. Very hungry.

I don't buy it	ť	I don't believe it.

I don't get it	ť	I don't understand.

I had a second thought about it	ť	I changed my mind.

I owe you one	ť	You helped me, in return I'll help you do something in the future. Either good or bad.

I smell a rat	ť	A feeling that something is awry or not quite right.

I was knocked on my heels	ť	I was surprised
I'll be Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
I'll be a monkey's uncle	ť	Being very surprised, astonishment.

I'll take my chances	ť	Rejecting an offer, sn decides to go with their own plan.

I'll toss it around	ť	To casually suggest an idea to people. To talk sn over.

I'm feeling blue	ť	Feeling sad.

I'm hosed	ť	I am in a bad situation, screwed.

I'm on my way	ť	I just left.

I'm out	ť	I'm leaving or done.

I've got a bone to pick with you	ť	One wants to make a complaint against you. You made them mad.
Icing on Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Icing on the cake	ť	When you already have it good and get something on top of what you already have.

Idle hands are the Devil's tools/work shop	ť	More likely to get in trouble if you have nothing to do.

If all else fails	ť	If something doesn't work out then do something else. Go to plan B.

If I were you	ť	Giving advice to sn.

If it ain't broke don't fit it	ť	Don't mess around with things you don't know about. You could make it worse.

If it's not one thing, it's another	ť	When one thing goes wrong, then another, and another.

If it's the last thing I do	ť	Determination to achieve sth. A statement of intent to do sth.

If push comes to shove	ť	If something doesn't work out then do something else. Go to plan B.
If the s Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
If the shoe fits, wear it	ť	Sth that has been said might apply to a person.

If wishes were horses, beggars would ride	ť	Wishing or wanting sn is not the same as getting or having it.

if worse comes to worse	ť	If something doesn't work out then do something else. Go to plan B.

If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen	ť	Discontinue with a task if unable to cope with it.

if you connect the dots	ť	To form a clear picture. To look at the big picture. To come to a conclusion.

If you fly with crows, you get shot with the crows	ť	The company you keep brings on their own problems.

If you lie down with dogs, you'll get up with fleas	ť	Being with bad company, has negative consequences.

If you put the brakes on	ť	You stop it or slow it down.
If you s Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
If you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours	ť	A favour for a favour. Take care of someone taking care of you.

Ignorance is bliss	ť	Sometimes you're better off not knowing about sth.

Ill at ease	ť	Feeling tense or you can't relax in a situation.

In a bind/jam/fix	ť	In a bad or difficult situation.

In a dog's age	ť	For a very long time.

In a huff	ť	To be upset or angry behaving in a bad-tempered way.

In a jiffy	ť	To hurry. Very soon or suddenly.

In a nutshell	ť	In summary, briefly. The gist of it.
In a pic Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
In a pickle	ť	Being in a difficult predicament. In a mess. In an undesirable situation.

In a row	ť	Consecutive occurrences. Several times without a break. One after another.

In a sense that	ť	From a different perspective.

In a stew (about sn/sth)	ť	Bothered or upset about sn/sth.

In a tight corner	ť	A problem without any good options. A tight spot.

In and of itself	ť	By itself, all alone. Intrinsic or inherent without outside factors.

In any case	ť	No matter what. If something doesn't work out then do something else. Go to plan B.

In apple pie order	ť	In perfect order. Perfectly methodical arrangement. Very well organized. Neat.
In bad b Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
In bad books	ť	Not being pleased with you.

In black and white	ť	To give in writing.

In broad daylight	ť	Without trying to hide it. Brazen.

In cahoots with	ť	In a partnership usually for a dishonest reason.

In charge	ť	In the position of responsibility of leading or overseeing.

In cold blood	ť	Without compassion or mercy. Usually associated with ruthless murder. Deliberate.

In deep water	ť	In some sort of trouble or in a difficult situation.

In donkey's years	ť	For a very long time.
In dribs Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
In dribs and drabs	ť	In small amounts at a time.

In droves	ť	A lot happening at the same time or very quickly. A lot going on.

In good books	ť	They are pleased with you.

In high spirits	ť	In a cheerful mood.

In his/her/their wisdom	ť	A birdbrain, dimwit, dolt, dumb, fool, idiot, nitwit, stupid, unintelligent person.

In hot water	ť	In trouble with sn.

In like Flynn	ť	To be easily successful, especially when sexual or romantic.

In one's book	ť	In one's opinion.
In sn's Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
In sn's infinite wisdom	ť	A birdbrain, dimwit, dolt, dumb, fool, idiot, nitwit, stupid, unintelligent person.

In stitches	ť	Laughing so hard that your sides hurt. To double over from laughter.

In terms of X	ť	When X is evaluated.

In the air	ť	Being discussed. Generally obvious.

In the back of beyond	ť	Very far from towns or cities. Rural.

In the bag	ť	To have something secured. Will definitely happen. You are sure of it.

In the ballpark / ballpark figure	ť	An estimate or guess which should be close to the actual value.

In the black	ť	Assets are greater than debts. Good balance sheet.
In the b Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
In the blues	ť	Low spirited.

In the buff	ť	Nude.

In the catbird seat	ť	An advantageous or superior position.

In the clear	ť	Out of trouble.

In the cross hairs	ť	In a position where one might receive severe criticism. People are eager to criticize.

In the dark	ť	Something, you don't know about it.

In the doghouse	ť	In trouble or in disfavor. Man in trouble with his wife.

In the fast lane	ť	A life filled with excitement.
In the h Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
In the heat/spur of the moment	ť	Overwhelmed by what is happening in the moment.

In the long run	ť	Over a long period of time. Ultimately.

In the nick of time	ť	Almost too late. At the last possible moment.

In the pink	ť	In very good health and spirits.

In the red	ť	Losing money. Being in debt. Operating at a loss.

In the same boat	ť	Experiencing the same situation or condition.

In two minds	ť	Can't decide what to do, or you can't decide which option is the best.

In weal and woe	ť	In both good and bad times.
In your Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
In your face	ť	An aggressive and bold confrontation.

Ins and outs	ť	Full details. Knowing all the details about it and understand how it works.

Inside scoop	ť	Little known information or details

Iron fist in a velvet glove	ť	Sn who appears gentle, but is actually ruthless and uncaring.

It ain't over till the fat lady sings	ť	This isn't over yet.

It depends	ť	A different situation or circumstance could change the outcome.

It is a poor workman who blames his tools	ť	If you can't do the job, don't blame it on sth else.

It is always darkest before the dawn	ť	Things are going to get better.
It serve Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
It serves you right	ť	Getting what you deserve.

It takes one to know one	ť	You're just as bad as I am.

It takes two to tango	ť	Actions that need more than one person. A fight requires at least two.

It totally slipped my mind	ť	I totally forgot about it

It's (all) Greek to me	ť	When something is incomprehensible due to complexity; unintelligible.

It's a deal	ť	Yes, I agree to your offer.

It's a long story	ť	What you are asking me is a complicated matter. It'll take time to explain it.

It's a piece of cake	ť	It's very easy.
It's a s Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
It's a small world	ť	You frequently see the same people in different places. A coincidence.

It's all flooding back to me	ť	Beginning to remember something you once forgot,

It's all over but the shouting	ť	It's already finished or done, finalized.

It's better to be safe than sorry	ť	Being careful may keep away unpleasant situation.

It's high time	ť	Sth already overdue. Start immediately. Tight time to do sth. Now.

It's not all it's cracked up to be	ť	Failing to meet expectations. Not being as good as people say.

It's not brain surgery	ť	A task that's easy to accomplish, a thing lacking complexity.

It's not over till the fat lady sings	ť	To not speculate about sn until it is completed finalized.
It's not Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
It's not rocket science	ť	A task that's easy to accomplish, a thing lacking complexity. It's not complicated.

It's not the size of the dog, it's the fight in the dog	ť	Fierceness is not a matter of physical size.

It's on the tip of my tongue	ť	I can't think of it now but I'm on the verge of saying it.

It's raining cats and dogs	ť	It's raining hard.

It's written all over your face	ť	You are lying of hiding sth. Facial expression gives you away.

It's your dime	ť	You call the shot since you are paying for it.

Itchy feet	ť	Feeling the need to go somewhere different or do something different. Restless.

Its anyone's call	ť	A competition where the outcome is difficult to judge or predict.
Ivory to Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Ivory tower	ť	A place that separates them from everyday life, such as a university.

Ivy League	ť	8 universities: Columbia, Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth, Yale, Pennsylvania, Princeton, Harvard.

Jack frost	ť	Frozen in winter, then Jack Frost has visited.

Jack of all trades	ť	Having many skills and can do many different jobs.

Jack of all trades master of none	ť	Having many skills, but not being an expert in any of them.

Jack the lad	ť	A confident, not very serious young man, who doesn't think about other people.

Jam on your face	ť	Sn who is caught, embarrassed or found guilty.

Jam session	ť	Music. Playing whatever they feel like playing in an informal setting.
Jam tomo Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Jam tomorrow	ť	People promise good things for the future that will never come.

Jane Doe	ť	Name given to an unidentified female of interest who may be party to legal proceedings.

Jaws of death	ť	Being in a dangerous or very deadly situation.

Jaws of life	ť	A tool used by rescuers when they pry open a car to save the occupant.

Jaywalk	ť	Crossing the street (from the middle) without using the crosswalk.

Jazz (something) up	ť	To make something more interesting, lively or appealing.

Jekyll and Hyde	ť	A pleasant and a very unpleasant sides to one character.

Jersey justice	ť	Jersey justice is very severe justice.
Jet set Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Jet set	ť	Very wealthy people who travel around the world to attend parties and have fun are the jet set.

Jet-black	ť	To emphasise just how black something is, such as someone's hair.

Jewel in the crown	ť	Part of a group or set of similar things, and it's the best of them all.

Jig is up	ť	Illegal, secret or hidden activity was discovered. It's over. To be caught.

Job's comforter	ť	Sn who is supposed to comfort, but fails miserably. A nuisance.

Jobs for the boys	ť	Powerful people using their influence to give jobs to their friends or family.

Jockey for position	ť	Doing many different things to become the best candidate for an opportunity.

Joe public	ť	Typical, common, average person. John/Jane Doe.
Joe six- Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Joe six-pack	ť	The average man who likes to drink beer.

Jog my memory	ť	Saying words that will help someone to remember a thought, event, word, phrase, experience, etc.

John/Jane Doe	ť	Names given to unidentified people who may be of interest in sth.

Johnny come lately	ť	One who has recently joined or arrived, and wants to make unwelcome changes.

Johnny on the spot	ť	Sn who is always available. Ready, willing, and able to do what needs to be done.

Joie de vivre	ť	Feeling the joy of living.

Join the club	ť	Joining a group of people that are already doing what you do.

Join the ranks	ť	Become part of that group.
Joined a Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Joined at the hip	ť	Very closely connected. Thinking the same way. Bookends.

Joshing me	ť	Tricking or kidding me.

Judge, jury and executioner	ť	One in charge of every decision made, and has power over others

Judgment call	ť	The rules are not clear.

Juggle frogs	ť	Doing many things at once is very difficult.

Jump down someone's throat	ť	To criticise or chastise them severely.

Jump for joy	ť	Being very happy about sth.

Jump on the bandwagon	ť	Take a popular position. Join a group that has great popularity.
Jump out Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Jump out of your skin	ť	Sth suddenly shocks you and your whole body jumps. Startled.

Jump ship	ť	Leaving a company or institution because it is doing badly.

Jump the broom	ť	A wedding ceremony custom. Groom and/or bride jump over a broom.

Jump the shark	ť	A salient point where popularity begins to wane. The beginning of the end.

Jump the track	ť	Suddenly changing from one plan, activity or idea to another.

Jump through hoops	ť	Making great efforts and sacrifices for sn or some reason.

Jump to conclusion	ť	Making conclusions or generalizations too early or quickly.

Jump(ing) the gun	ť	To start doing something before the appropriate time. Start too soon.
Jump(s) Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Jump(s) all over you / Jump(s) down your throat	ť	Strongly criticise you or scold you.

Jumped out of my skin	ť	Surprised.

Jumping Judas!	ť	An expression of surprise or shock.

Jungle out there	ť	The situation is dangerous and there are no rules.

Junk food	ť	Poor quality food. Bad because it may contain harmful substances or too much salt or sugar.

Jury is out	ť	Final decision still hasn't been made.

Just around the corner	ť	It is expected to happen very soon or it's very near by.

Just coming up to	ť	Sth about to happen. Ready to start. Pending.
Just des Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Just deserts	ť	Receiving punishment or suffering what is felt they deserve.

Just for the heck of it	ť	They do it without a good reason.

Just for the record	ť	Official statement. A writen document. To be sure everyone knows sth.

Just in case	ť	Precaution. Preemptive action for a possible problem.

Just in the nick of time	ť	Just manage to do it in time, with only seconds to spare.

Just my luck!	ť	When sth goes wrong for you. When sth inconvenient happens.

Just my two cents	ť	Minor information sn has on the subject.

Just off the boat	ť	Sn who is naive and inexperienced.
Just shy Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Just shy of an amount	ť	Short of that amount.

Just the ticket	ť	The perfect thing. Exactly what's needed.

Just what the doctor ordered	ť	Exactly what was wanted or needed. Just the right thing at the right time.

Justice is blind	ť	Justice is impartial and objective.

Kangaroo court	ť	Fake or faulty courts that are a joke. Passing unjust, unfair verdicts.

Keel over	ť	To collapse/faint/die.

Keep (one's) eye on the ball	ť	Be ready for sth. Paying rapt attention.

Keep (something) at bay	ť	Keep something away. Avoid it. Staying away from it.
Keep (so Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Keep (something) in mind	ť	Remember some information or advice and consider it later.

Keep a lid on	ť	To keep something secret.

Keep a low profile	ť	Don't do anything that will draw attention or create interest in you.

Keep a stiff upper lip	ť	Fortitude, courage. To be brave in the face of adversity. Keep your emotions in check.

Keep abreast of something	ť	Up to date. Always know about the latest news and developments in relation to it.

Keep an eye on	ť	To watch intently, paying attention. Making sure things are safe and OK. To keep track of.

Keep body and soul together	ť	To earn a sufficient amount of money in order to keep yourself alive.

Keep in touch	ť	Keeping in contact
Keep it Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Keep it down	ť	To be quiet. Not being noisy.

Keep it under your hat	ť	Don't tell anyone. Keep it a secret.

Keep me in the loop	ť	Keep me posted, keep me updated

Keep on a short/tight leash	ť	Restricting what someone does. Tighten control. Pull in the reins.

Keep on truckin'	ť	To keep going, pressing forward; never stopping.

Keep one's head above water	ť	To keep out of difficult financial problems, to stay out of trouble.

Keep one's nose to the grindstone	ť	To work hard or focus heavily on work.

Keep one's word	ť	To do what you promise to do. To uphold one's promise.
Keep the Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Keep the wolf at bay	ť	Make enough money to avoid going hungry or falling heavily into debt.

Keep the wolf from the door	ť	Have enough money for food and the basic essentials.

Keep track	ť	Continue to know what's happening with sth. Stay on top of it.

Keep up appearances	ť	Maintaining an outward show of prosperity or well-being while hiding your difficulties.

Keep up with the Jones'	ť	People show that they're as successful as others (such as their rich neighbours).

Keep your chin up	ť	Encouragement to stay strong. To remain joyful in a tough situation.

Keep your cool	ť	Just stay calm. Don't become upset.

Keep your eye on the ball	ť	Stay alert and pay close attention to what is happening.
Keep you Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Keep your eyes peeled	ť	To be watchful; paying careful attention to sth. Keep on the lookout.

Keep your fingers crossed	ť	Continue to hope. Something you want could or may still happen.

Keep your fingers on the pulse	ť	Being constantly aware of the most recent developments.

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer	ť	Important to keep a keen eye on enemies to be safe.

Keep your nose clean	ť	To stay out of trouble. Don't do anything wrong.

Keep your shirt on	ť	Keeping calm, be patient. Said by sn who is trying to avoid making others upset.

Keep your word	ť	Do what you said and promised to do.

Keep your/one's hair on	ť	To request someone to stay calm and not get annoyed. Maintain cool and decorum.
Keep(ing Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Keep(ing my) fingers crossed	ť	Anticipating or hoping for the best outcome.

Keep/stay/be/get in touch	ť	To be in or remain in contact with sn.

Keeping up with the Jones'	ť	Doing things for show. If sn else has one they should have one.

Kettle of fish	ť	Sth new or different.

Key decision	ť	make an important decision.

Kick back	ť	To relax. To receive money under the table.

Kick in the teeth/balls	ť	Sth bad happens to you or you feel that you've been treated poorly.

Kick the habit	ť	Stop engaging in a habitual practice.
Kick up Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Kick up a row	ť	Make a great noise. To start a fight or to create a disturbance.

Kick up your heels	ť	To do things that you enjoy. Having fun.

Kick(s) the bucket	ť	Die. Euphemism for dying or death.

Kid around	ť	To engage in playful joking or teasing.

Kill the fatted calf	ť	A celebration, usually to welcome someone who's been away a long time.

Kill the goose that lays the golden egg	ť	To destroy something that has made you a lot of money.

Kill time	ť	Do something to amuse yourself while waiting for sth.

Kill two birds with one stone	ť	Do two different things at the same time.
Kiss and Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Kiss and make up	ť	Get over a disagreement and become friendly again. Make amends.

Kitty corner / Cat a corner / Catty corner	ť	Diagonally across an intersection.

Knee jerk reaction	ť	A quick and automatic response.

Knee-high to a grasshopper	ť	Sth from long ago, from childhood.

Knight in shining armour / knight on a white charger	ť	All-round-good-duy saving you from a difficult situation.

Knock down drag out	ť	A really bad fight.

Knock it off!	ť	Stop sn that's annoying you. You want them to stop it.

Knock on wood	ť	Knuckle tapping on wood in order to avoid some bad luck.
Knock yo Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Knock your socks off	ť	To be taken by surprise. Astonishment. Amazement.

Knocked over	ť	To push or strike sn/sth. To steal sth. Rob a bank or other business.

Know a hawk from a handsaw	ť	Able to distinguish things and assess them.

Know a trick/thing or two	ť	When one has an unorthodox solution to a problem.

Know all the angles	ť	Be very clever about sth.

Know it all	ť	Knows everything and lets everybody know that they know everything. Conceited, braggart.

Know one's onions	ť	To have a good knowledge about something one is supposed to know.

Know something inside out	ť	Know every detail, know by heart
Know the Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Know the ropes	ť	Having a familiarity or understanding of how something works.

Know what's what	ť	To have a lot of experience and you understand things well.

Know where you stand	ť	To know exactly where you fit in a social or work situation, or in someone's life.

Know which side one's bread is buttered on	ť	To know what is most advantageous for one.

Know which way is up	ť	Common sense. Understanding.

Know which way the wind blows	ť	To know how things are developing and be prepared for the future.

Know your stuff	ť	Being very good at what you do, and you know a lot about it.

Knuckle down	ť	Getting serious about sn. Applying oneself seriously to a job.
Knuckle Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Knuckle sandwich	ť	A punch in the face/chops/kisser/mouth.

Labour of love	ť	Work that's done for pleasure or for someone's benefit rather than for money.

Laid back	ť	Relaxed, calm and unpretentious.

Laid up with	ť	Confined to bed.

Lame duck	ť	An ineffectual or unsuccessful person or thing.

Landslide victory	ť	Overwhelming victory received by a candidate of political party at an election.

Lap dog	ť	Sn who submits to, seeks the favor of, or agrees with sn else.

Larger than life	ť	A flamboyant, gregarious person who is outlandish. Impressive.
Last but Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Last but not least	ť	The last mentioned item is not the least of the items mentioned.

Last hurrah(s)/hooray(s)	ť	A or the final act, performance, or effort.

Last in first out	ť	LIFO. Like a stack of dishes in a cafeteria.

Last shot	ť	Last chance.

Last straw	ť	The final problem in a series of problems that must now be taken care of.

Late in the day	ť	Too late, or almost too late.

Laughing all the way to the bank	ť	Making a lot of easy money, often because someone else has been stupid.

Laughter is the best medicine	ť	Laughter can help cure negative feelings such as stress, anger and worry.
Law unto Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Law unto themselves	ť	Doing things right or good in their own way, following their own ideas about living.

Lay a guilt trip on	ť	To make or try to make someone feel guilty.

Lay down the law	ť	Telling people what they should do in a forceful and stern way.

Lay down your life for sth	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

Lead the way	ť	Show others where to go or what to do.

Leading someone on	ť	Having someone believe something that isn't true.

Leads you astray	ť	Setting a bad example and then you behave badly also.

Leaf through	ť	To look through (a book, magazine, or newspaper) without reading it carefully.
Learn so Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Learn something by heart	ť	To memorize.

Learn the ropes	ť	Learn how to do a job properly. Learn how things work and how to get things done.

Learn to walk before you run	ť	To take baby steps initially. With experience you can go faster.

Learn your lesson	ť	Learn something about life from making a mistake.

Learning curve	ť	The rate of learning new skills. The rate of progress in achieving experience.

Leave a bad taste in one's mouth	ť	To create a bad feeling about sth.

Leave no stone unturned	ť	Look everywhere. Trying out every possibility to get a result. Thorough searching.

Leave one in lurch	ť	To desert in difficulty.
Leave/le Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Leave/let well enough alone	ť	Don't try to improve or change sth that's already good enough.

Left out in the cold	ť	Left unaided or unprotected. Uncared for.

Left to your/his own devices	ť	To decide for yourself what you do. Not being told or made to do sth.

Lend a hand	ť	Help someone out.

Lend me your ear	ť	To politely ask for someone's full attention.

Leopard can't change its spots	ť	People cannot change their character.

Lesser of two evils	ť	Sth that is bad but not as bad as something else.

Let (someone/something) slide	ť	Don't turn them in, let them go. Overlook sth. Turn a blind eye.
Let bygo Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Let bygones be bygones	ť	To forget about a disagreement or argument.

Let her rip	ť	Permission to start, or it could mean 'go faster!'. Start it, turn it on, let it go.

Let it ride	ť	To allow something to remain as it is. Continue on.

Let me put it this way	ť	Let me try to explain in different words.

Let nature take its course (1)	ť	Allow a situation or person to develop naturally.

Let nature take its course (2)	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

Let off steam	ť	Do something to release pent-up emotion or energy.

Let sleeping dogs lie	ť	Do not disturb a potential dangerous situation. It could cause trouble or complications.
Let slip Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Let slip through fingers	ť	Failing to obtain a good opportunity. Lost your chance.

Let someone off the hook	ť	To not hold someone responsible for sth.

Let the cat out of the bag	ť	To reveal a secret. Either inadvertently or purposefully.

Let the chips fall where they may	ť	To let something happen, no matter if it's good or bad.

Let your freak flag fly	ť	To let others see your uniqueness.

Let your hair down	ť	Enjoy yourself doing whatever you want, not worrying about what other people might think.

Let's boogie on out	ť	To leave.

Let's bounce	ť	To leave.
Let(ting Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Let(ting) the cat out of the bag	ť	To reveal a secret.

Level playing field	ť	A fair competition where no side has an advantage.

Lick one's wounds	ť	Trying to regain their confidence or boost up the spirits after a defeat.

Lickety Split	ť	To go at a quick pace; no delaying! Fast.

Lie through one's teeth	ť	To make outrageous false statements.

Life/soul of the party	ť	The liveliest and most entertaining person at a social gathering.

Light at the end of the tunnel	ť	The end is in sight. You can see some sign of the end of a difficult period.

Like (two) peas in a pod	ť	Very much alike; almost identical.
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Like a bat out of hell	ť	Extremely quick.

Like a beached whale	ť	Completely stuck somewhere and can't get away.

Like a bear with a sore head	ť	Complaining a lot and are unhappy about sth.

Like a bull at a gate	ť	Tackle a job very quickly, without any real thought about how to do it best.

Like a bull in a china shop	ť	Very awkward or clumsy.

Like a cat on hot bricks	ť	Very nervous or excited.

Like a cat that got the cream	ť	Content, pleased and happy.

Like a chicken with its head cut off	ť	To act in a frenzied manner.
Like a d Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Like a duck to water	ť	Having a natural talent for sth and enjoying it.

Like a fish needs a bicycle	ť	No need at all. Sth useless.

Like a fish out of water	ť	Out of one's proper or accustomed environment. Out of place and uncomfortable.

Like a hawk	ť	To watch sn/sth intently, very closely and carefully.

Like a headless chicken	ť	Move very fast all over the place, usually without thinking.

Like a moth to a flame	ť	Attracted to something that is deadly or dangerous.

Like a rat deserting a sinking ship	ť	Deserting a company or person that is about to have serious problems.

Like a shag on a rock	ť	Feeling lonely or isolated.
Like a s Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Like a sitting duck	ť	Totally unaware. Easily captured or killed.

Like clockwork	ť	With mechanical efficiency. Smooth, no glitches.

Like collecting frogs in a bucket	ť	A task that is difficult to control or coordinate.

Like father like son	ť	Resembling one's parents in terms of appearance or behavior.

Like lambs to the slaughter	ť	Going along easily, without any resistance.

Like riding a bicycle	ť	Sth you never forget how to do.

Like shooting fish in a barrel	ť	Extremely easy.

Like taking candy from a baby	ť	Very easy to achieve.
Like two Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Like two peas in a pod	ť	Very much alike. They're always together.

Like water off a duck's back	ť	Having little or no effect.

Line in the sand	ť	A boundary, that going beyond has consequences. Limit which has to be adhered to strictly.

Lion's share	ť	A major share. The biggest share or portion of sth.

Lips are sealed	ť	Don't tell anyone. It's a secret.

Liquor someone up	ť	To get someone drunk.

Live and learn	ť	Make improvements based on past mistakes.

Live beyond means	ť	Spending more money than you can afford.
Live fro Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Live from hand to mouth	ť	To live with great difficulty. Poverty.

Live high off the hog	ť	To living lavishly. Beyond your means.

Live in an ivory tower	ť	Living a lifestyle that saves you from the real world problems.

Live in fool's paradise	ť	In a false hope.

Live it up	ť	Enjoy yourself by doing things that cost a lot of money. Splurge.

Live on the breadline	ť	Having very little income.

Live on/by your wits	ť	Don't have a regular job but you survive by cleverly manipulating people or situations.

Loan shark	ť	Lender of money at very high rates of interest.
Loaves a Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Loaves and fishes	ť	Done for material benefits.

Lock horns	ť	Two people arguing or fighting about sth.

Lock the stable/barn door after the horse left	ť	There is no reason anymore to lock the stable.

Lock, stock and barrel	ť	Every single thing when you're talking about a collection of things. Total ownership.

Locked in	ť	To give full concentration too. Focused. Totally committed,

Lone wolf	ť	By themselves. Doing things by themselves. On their own or without help from other people.

Long in the tooth	ť	Old in age. Mainly used when referring to people or horses.

Look a gift horse in the mouth	ť	To find fault with something that has been received as a gift or favor.
Look bef Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Look before you leap	ť	Ensure everything is ready before doing something important. Take only calculated risks.

Look into	ť	To investigate.

Look like a million dollars/bucks	ť	A compliment to someone who looks great.

Look on the bright side	ť	View an unpleasant situation in a positive light.

Look through (rose) colored glasses	ť	To see things not as they are. Distorted view.

Look what the cat dragged in	ť	Arriving in a tattered condition or looking a mess or flustered and bothered.

Loose cannon	ť	Sn who is unpredictable and can cause damage if not kept in check or watched carefully.

Loose ends	ť	Leftover items; unfinished business.
Lord lov Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Lord love a duck	ť	A general exclamation of astonishment, surprise or dismay.

Lose face	ť	Status falls and you aren't respected as much as you were.

Lose one's mind	ť	To become crazy or insane.

Lose your cool	ť	To become upset.

Lose your life	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

Lose your touch	ť	To lose an ability or talent you once had.

Lose your/one's head	ť	To panic; To lose self-control. Become very angry about sth.

Lose your/one's marbles	ť	To go crazy; insane.
Lost for Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Lost for words	ť	So shocked or surprised by something that you can't think of anything to say.

Love at first sight	ť	To love someone from the first moment you see or meet them.

Love Birds	ť	Two people who have a shared love for each other. Lovey dovey.

Love me, love my dog	ť	Accepting everything about sn and the people they like.

Lovey dovey	ť	The affectionate stuff that people do when they are in love, such as kissing and hugging.

Low down	ť	To receive the full story. Inside scoop.

Lower than a snake's belly in a wagon rut	ť	Very low morals or moral standing. Unethical, amoral.

Lump in your throat	ť	A tight feeling in your throat because of an emotion like sadness or gratitude.
Mad as a Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Mad as a badger	ť	Sn crazy.

Mad as a cut snake	ť	One who has lost all sense of reason, is crazy, out of control.

Mad as a hatter	ť	Sn who is completely crazy.

Mad as a hornet	ť	Very angry.

Mad as a March hare	ť	Excitable and unpredictable. Someone who is crazy.

Mad as a wet hen	ť	Extremely angry.

Mad/daft as a bag of hammers	ť	Sn crazy or stupid.

Made in the shade	ť	An easy time in life or in a given situation. Finding things working to one's benefit.
Made of Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Made of money	ť	Having lots of money. Brass balls.

Mailed fist	ť	Someone who rules or controls sth. In absolute control and tolerates no dissent.

Major league	ť	A big deal. Sth very important.

Make a bee line for	ť	To go directly toward sth.

Make a better fist	ť	They do a better job.

Make a clean breast of	ť	To confess fully one's faults.

Make a clean sweep	ť	To get rid of everything or everyone and start anew.

Make a comeback	ť	To become successful again after having been away for a long time.
Make a d Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Make a dry face	ť	Show disappointment.

Make a face	ť	To show dislike or disappointment through facial expression.

Make a fool out of someone	ť	To trick someone and make them look bad.

Make a fuss	ť	To pay a lot of attention to someone or sth.

Make a go of (it)	ť	Succeeding in your enterprise.

Make a good fist	ť	To do sth well.

Make a killing	ť	To make a lot of money from a sale or a deal of some sort.

Make a living	ť	To earn enough income to support oneself.
Make a l Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Make a long face	ť	To look depressed.

Make a long story short	ť	Come to the point, leave out details. Tell something briefly.

Make a meal	ť	Spending too long doing sn. Make it look more difficult than it really is.

Make a mint	ť	Making a lot of money.

Make a monkey (out) of someone	ť	Making someone look foolish or stupid.

Make a mountain out of a molehill	ť	Make a small problem seem to be a much bigger problem. Exaggeration.

Make a name for oneself	ť	To become famous.

Make a pig's ear	ť	To make a mess of it.
Make a p Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Make a pitch	ť	Make a bid, offer or other attempt to get sn. A sales pitch.

Make a rod for your own back	ť	Make sth difficult for yourself.

Make a run for it	ť	To try to escape from a bad situation. Get out of bad weather quickly.

Make a scene	ť	To become very upset and vocal so that others notice you.

Make a song and dance	ť	Make a big deal out of, or a fuss over. Usually over sn that isn't too important.

Make a stink	ť	To complain loudly about sth.

Make a virtue out of necessity	ť	Make the best of a difficult or unsatisfactory situation.

Make an example of someone	ť	Do sth to sn so others will see they should not do what that person did.
Make an Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Make an exception	ť	To allow something that is usually not allowed.

Make believe	ť	To pretend.

Make bets in a burning house	ť	Addressing small problems while serious time-critical problems exist.

Make castles in the air	ť	Plans or hopes that have very little chances of happening.

Make do	ť	To survive or get by with what little is available.

Make ends meet	ť	To have just enough money to cover expenses. Barely meet expenses from paycheck to paycheck.

Make from scratch / from scratch	ť	From the very beginning, with no prior preparation.

Make fun of	ť	To joke at the expense of sn.
Make goo Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Make good on something	ť	To do something you have promised or feel you owe sn.

Make hay (while the sun shines)	ť	Take advantage of an opportunity. Go to work when you can, do not waste time.

Make headway	ť	Progress in what you are trying to achieve.

Make it snappy	ť	Hurry up. To do something quickly. Pronto.

Make light of something	ť	To joke about something serious.

Make money hand over fist	ť	Make a lot of money without any difficulty. Easy money.

Make my/someone's day	ť	Make someone happy.

Make no bones about it	ť	Being open and honest about sn. Showing no shame or embarrassment.
Make one Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Make ones bed and lie on it	ť	To be responsible for what you have done and accept the results.

Make or break	ť	A crucial decision. Sth that will determine success or failure.

Make out like a bandit	ť	Extremely successful in a venture. To get sth without working for it.

Make short work of something	ť	To finish sth quickly.

Make something up	ť	To invent sth that isn't true, to tell a false story.

Make sure	ť	To check or recheck to be certain.

Make the grade	ť	To reach the standard expected or required.

Make the most out of it	ť	Get as much as possible from it.
Make the Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Make the ultimate/supreme sacrifice	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

Make up one's mind	ť	To make a decision; to decide between different options.

Make waves	ť	To cause others trouble, often by complaining a lot.

Make you spit	ť	Very irritating, makes you angry.

Make your blood boil	ť	Very irritating, you very angry.

Make your day	ť	Pleases you or makes you very happy. The best thing that happened to you that day.

Make your hair stand on end	ť	Sn terrifies you.

Make your skin/flesh crawl/creep	ť	Sn really scares or revolts you.
Make you Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Make your toes curl	ť	Makes you feel very uncomfortable, shocked or embarrassed.

Make yourself at home	ť	Relax and feel comfortable in someone else's home or hotel.

Make yourself scarce	ť	Leave, go away. Being absent to avoid trouble. Can't be found.

Making a scene	ť	Make a public disturbance; drawing undue attention to oneself by being dramatic.

Man Friday / Right hand man	ť	An assistant or companion, usually a capable one.

Man in the street	ť	Ordinary person or people. Especially when talking about their opinions and ideas.

Man of few words	ť	Sn who does not speak a great deal. Sn who talks with as few words as possible.

Man Of God	ť	A clergyman.
Man of h Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Man of his word	ť	Sn who does what he says and keeps his promises.

Man of letters	ť	An expert in the arts and literature. Often a writer or journalist.

Man of means	ť	Sn wealthy.

Man of straw	ť	Sn weak that can easily be beaten, changed or controlled. A pushover.

Man of the cloth	ť	A priest.

Man upstairs	ť	God.

Manna from heaven	ť	Good fortune, out of nowhere.

Many a slip twixt cup and lip	ť	Many things can go wrong before something is achieved.
Many han Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Many hands make light work	ť	Task splitting. A crew can do more than one person.

Many happy returns	ť	Wish someone well in the future.

Many moons ago	ť	A very long time ago.

March to a different drummer	ť	To follow one's own ideas rather than being influenced by others.

March to the beat of your own drum	ť	To do things the way they want to.

Mark my words	ť	To lend an air of seriousness to what the speaker is saying.

Mark someone's card	ť	Correct sn in a forceful and prompt manner.

Marked man	ť	Sn being targeted by people who want to do them harm or cause them trouble.
Marriage Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Marriage of convenience	ť	Commitment made for financial, social or other benefit rather than love or affection.

Matter of life and death	ť	Extremely important and it could involve someone's survival.

May gamble on that	ť	Sth very certain or assured.

Mean(s) business	ť	Being very serious, dedicated. Talk turkey

Means to an end	ť	An intermediate step before accomplishing the end goal. Gas up a car before you can drive it.

Meat and potatoes	ť	The most important part of something. Nitty gritty.

Meet halfway	ť	A compromise. Each person gives a little bit so they can meet in the middle.

Meet ones Waterloo	ť	Meet ones final end.
Meet som Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Meet someone halfway	ť	Mutual acceptance of some ideas. Compromise and make concessions.

Meet your expectations	ť	To be satisfactory. To fit the bill.

Meet your maker	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

Meet your match	ť	Sn who can do as well as you, or better than you, in something that you're good at.

Meet/met your Waterloo	ť	Sn has been defeated or met their death.

Megaphone diplomacy	ť	Negotiations between countries or parties held through press releases and announcements.

Memory like a sieve	ť	Poor memory. Someone soon forgets things. A leaky memory.

Memory like an elephant	ť	He or she has a very good memory.
Mend (on Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Mend (one's) fences	ť	Improving bad relationships. Repair or restore friendships that have gone bad.

Mend your ways	ť	Improve your behaviour and stop doing things that cause trouble.

Mess with a bull, you get the horns	ť	Doing something stupid or dangerous, can get hurt you.

Method to my madness	ť	Seeming random or illogical actions, but actually has structure or thought to it.

Mexican standoff	ť	A deadlock. Neither side can do anything that will ensure victory.

Mickey Mouse	ť	Sth intellectually trivial. Not of a very high standard. Crummy.

Midas touch	ť	To make a lot of money out of any scheme tried.

Middle of nowhere	ť	A place far from major population centers. Rural, wilderness, boonies.
Middle o Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Middle of the road	ť	Appeal to the majority of people. Average, common or typical.

Might and main	ť	With all your effort and strength.

Mighty oaks from little acorns grow	ť	Big or great things start very small.

Mile a minute	ť	Fast. To do something very quickly.

Miles to go before I sleep	ť	A lot to do before you can rest. Or to complete something before you die.

Milk run	ť	An short ordinary or common trip. Stopping in a number of places.

Million-dollar question	ť	A very important question.

Millstone round your neck	ť	A problem that prevents you from doing what you want to do.
Mince wo Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Mince words	ť	Sn not saying what they really mean. Not being clear at all.

Mind over matter	ť	Using willpower to rise above adversity.

Mind the store	ť	Take care of something while the person who is in charge or responsible is away.

Mind your own beeswax	ť	Mind their own business and not interfere in other people's affairs.

Mind Your P's and Q's	ť	To be careful about the way you behave. Be polite and well behaved.

Mind your/one's own business	ť	Not interfering in the affairs of others. Not to be nosey.

Misery guts	ť	Sn always unhappy and tries to make others feel negative.

Miss is as good as a mile	ť	Failing, even by the smallest margin, is still a failure.
Miss the Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Miss the boat	ť	It's too late. Missed his or her last chance or opportunity.

Miss the point	ť	Not understanding what it really means.

Mixed blessing	ť	It seems to be good, but in fact has bad effects.

Mom and pop (store)	ť	Small family run business. Sth that is small scale.

Moment of truth	ť	Time when truth about sth is revealed. When an important choice or selection is made.

Monday morning quarterback	ť	Sn who, with the benefit of hindsight, knows what they should have done.

Money doesn't grow on trees	ť	Money must be earned. It's not that easily acquired.

Money for old rope	ť	Very easy way of making money.
Money la Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Money laundering	ť	Illegally made money becomes or is believed to be legitimate and above board.

Money pit	ť	A business or venture that costs a lot of money. Over budget.

Money talks	ť	People can be bought off or bribed. Money is power.

Money to burn	ť	Very rich. Can light a cigar with $100 bill.

Monkey around	ť	To behave in a silly or playful way. To waste time goofing off.

Monkey business	ť	Behaving naughtily or mischievously. Messing or fooling around.

Monkey see, monkey do	ť	Children learn their behaviour by copying what they see happening around them.

Moral fibre	ť	Inner strength to do what you believe to be right, even in difficult situations.
Moral hi Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Moral high ground	ť	One thinks their arguments and beliefs are morally superior to others.

More bang for your buck	ť	Delivering more value than other options.

More haste, less speed	ť	The faster you try to do something, the more likely you are to make mistakes.

More heat than light	ť	A discussion generating more questions than answers.

More often than not	ť	It happens quite often, but not all the time.

More than meets the eye	ť	It's more complex, important or interesting than it seems at first.

More than one way to skin a cat	ť	There are many different ways of achieving the same goal.

More than you can shake a stick at	ť	To have a lot of sth. An over abundance.
Mother w Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Mother wit	ť	Native intelligence, common sense.

Mountain out of a molehill	ť	To make a big deal out of sth small. Over blown. Exaggeration.

Mountain to climb	ť	Having to do a huge amount of work to achieve something.

Mouth watering	ť	Delicious; something that looks or tastes appetizing.

Move heaven and earth	ť	A determined intention of reaching a goal in spite of many obstacles they face.

Move mountains	ť	Put forth an incredible effort to achieve your aim.

Move up a gear/notch	ť	Start to perform in a clearly better way.

Movers and shakers	ť	Important, powerful people making decisions and running things.
Much ado Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Much ado about nothing	ť	A lot of fuss about something trivial.

Much of a muchness	ť	They are very similar to each other.

Muck or nettles	ť	All or nothing.

Mud in the fire	ť	Bad things in the past that we usually forget about.

Mud in your eye	ť	Cheers.

Mud-slinging	ť	Insulting someone and trying to damage that person's reputation.

Muddy the waters	ť	Sn makes a situation more complex or less clear.

Mum's the word	ť	To keep something secret. Don't tell anyone.
Mumbo ju Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Mumbo jumbo	ť	Nonsense or meaningless speech.

Murky waters	ť	People behaving in morally and ethically questionable ways.

Murphy's law	ť	If anything can go wrong, it will.

Music to my ears	ť	Good news; information that makes someone happy. Just what you want to hear.

Mutton dressed as lamb	ť	Middle-aged or elderly people trying to look younger.

My cup of tea	ť	Sn/sth that one finds to be agreeable or delightful.

My dogs are barking	ť	Their feet are hurting.

My ears are burning	ť	I think someone is or has been talking about me.
My hands Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
My hands are full	ť	I am busy.

My heart bleeds	ť	To feel genuine sympathy, compassion and sadness for them.

My lips are sealed	ť	Don't tell anyone, it's a secret.

My two cents	ť	That's my opinion. For what it's worth. My humble opinion.

My way or the highway	ť	People not doing what you say, will have to leave or quit.

Nail (something) down	ť	To precisely and firmly establish details of a plan. Finalize.

Nail in the coffin	ť	A problem or event that is a clear step towards an inevitable failure.

Name is mud	ť	People are angry with them, or they're no longer popular, because they've done something wrong.
Name of Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Name of the game	ť	The most important thing you need to know or to have in order to succeed at sth.

Narrow circumstances	ť	Days of poverty. Poor.

Narrow escape	ť	Barely surviving a dangerous situation. A close call.

Nature abhors a vacuum	ť	Empty or unfilled spaces are unnatural. They go against the laws of nature and physics.

Nature calls	ť	To go to the bathroom

Nature of the beast	ť	Basic characteristics of sth. An aspect of something that cannot be changed.

Near the knuckle	ť	Explicit or too close to the truth for comfort.

Necessary evil	ť	Sth you don't like but has to be accepted sometimes.
Necessit Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Necessity is the mother of invention	ť	When a need is recognized, people will invent a fix for it.

Neck and neck	ť	Two or more horses who are side by side in a race. Being evenly matched.

Neck of the woods	ť	A neighbourhood or a district, usually rural. Local area.

Need no introduction	ť	Sn very famous and already known to everyone.

Needle in a haystack	ť	Finding something very difficult, if not impossible.

Neither fish nor fowl	ť	Sth that doesn't fit into any one group. Unclassifiable.

Neither here nor there	ť	Not important, or not relevant.

Neither use nor ornament	ť	Something with no purpose and not aesthetically pleasing.
Nerves o Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Nerves of steel	ť	Very brave and not many things make you scared or nervous.

Nervous as long-tailed cat in room full of rocking chairs	ť	Nervous or jumpy for good reason.

Nervous Nellie	ť	Excessively worried or apprehensive.

Nest egg	ť	Savings set aside for future use.

Never a rose without the prick	ť	Good things have something bad as well.

Never bite the hand that feeds you	ť	Don't hurt anyone that helps you.

Never darken my door again	ť	Telling someone never to visit you again.

Never look a gift horse in the mouth	ť	Advice to be grateful for any gifts.
Never mi Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Never mind	ť	Don't worry about it. Forget it. Instead of doing sth, a change made it unnecessary.

Never never land	ť	Ideal best place. Pure fantasy.

Never say die	ť	Don't ever give up hope. Telling sn to keep trying because there's still a chance of success.

New brush sweeps clean	ť	Sn with a new perspective can make great changes.

New kid on the block	ť	Sn new to the group or area.

New lease of life	ť	Have a new enthusiasm for living.

New man	ť	A man who believes in complete equality of the sexes and shares domestic work equally.

New sheriff in town	ť	A new authority figure takes charge.
New York Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
New York minute	ť	A minute that seems to go by quickly, especially in a fast paced environment.

Nice as pie	ť	A very kind and friendly person.

Nickel/fifty-cent tour	ť	Showing you around a place.

Night on the town	ť	Go out on the town. Dinner, show, dance club and more.

Night owl	ť	Sn who goes to bed very late. Stays up late.

Nine lives	ť	Cats have 9 lives?

Nine times out of ten	ť	Almost always.

Nine-day wonder	ť	Famous or attention-getting person or thing.
Nine-to- Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Nine-to-five attitude	ť	An approach to work in which an employee does the minimum to remain employed.

Nine-to-five job	ť	Full-time employment during daytime hours. Conventional office employment.

Ninth circle of hell	ť	Center where the worst punishments are found. Sth that couldn't get any worse.

Nip and tuck	ť	A close contest where neither opponent seems to be gaining the advantage.

Nip at the bit	ť	Anxious to get sth done and don't want to wait.

Nip something in the bud	ť	To stop something at an early stage.

Nitty gritty	ť	The most essential part of sth.

No big deal	ť	It's not important. No need to worry.
No brain Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
No brainer	ť	An easy decision. No need to even think about it.

No can do	ť	They can't do whatever they are being asked to do.

No dice	ť	To not agree. To not accept a proposition. No way.

No dog in this fight	ť	Not concerned or affected either way by the outcome of sth.

No go	ť	Sn that will not work.

No good deed goes unpunished	ť	Life is unfair and people trying do good things may still end up in trouble.

No great shakes	ť	Not being good at sn.

No harm, no foul	ť	No problem when no harm or damage is done.
No holds Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
No holds barred	ť	Done without restriction, rules or restraint.

No horse in this race	ť	No vested interest in the outcome of a particular contest or debate.

No ifs ands or buts	ť	Finishing a task without making any excuses. Finality.

No laughing matter	ť	A very serious matter.

No love lost	ť	Strong enmity or hate between twp people and making no effort to conceal it.

No man is an island	ť	One person can't do everything. No one can be completely independent of all others.

No man's land	ť	Unoccupied land between two opposing armies at war.

No news is good news	ť	Most all news is bad like crime and disasters. So no news would be good news.
No pain, Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
No pain, no gain	ť	You have to work for what you want.

No questions asked	ť	A guarantee that you can do something and not be found out.

No room to swing a cat	ť	An unusually small or confined space.

No smoke without fire	ť	Evidence strongly suggesting sth has actually happened.

No spring chicken	ť	Not young. Older.

No strings attached	ť	No hidden stipulations or obligations. Exactly as advertised.

No sweat!	ť	Sure you can do it. Easy, no problem.

No two ways about it	ť	Express certainty or inflexibility.
No way - Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
No way	ť	It'll never happen. Strongly reject an offer, request, or suggestion.

Nobody's fool	ť	One who can take care of himself. A smart person.

None of your/my business	ť	Stay out of other's affairs. People have a right to some privacy.

Not a chance	ť	Absolutely not; not possible. No way.

Not a spark of decency	ť	No manners, immoral, amoral, corrupt.

Not all there	ť	A birdbrain, braindead, dimwit, dolt, dumb, fool, idiot, nitwit, stupid, unintelligent person.

Not cut out for	ť	Not suitable for sth. Can't handle it.

Not enough room to swing a cat	ť	Too small of an area, room or space.
Not give Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Not give a monkey's/rat's arse	ť	You don't care at all about it. Couldn't care less.

Not having a leg to stand on	ť	Not having proof. An unsubstantiatable claim.

Not hurt a fly	ť	Kind, gentle, not aggressive.

Not know beans (about something)	ť	To know nothing about sth.

Not let grass grow under feet	ť	Don't delay in getting something done.

Not long for this world	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

Not my cup of tea	ť	Sn or something that one finds to be unpleasant.

Not on my watch	ť	I won't let it happen while I'm in charge.
Not play Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Not playing with a full deck	ť	Sn who lacks intelligence.

Not the sharpest tool in the shed	ť	Not a very clever person. Mentally deficient, not very intelligent.

Not turn a hair	ť	Not exhibiting any emotion where it is expected.

Not worth a hill of beans	ť	Worthless.

Not your cup of tea	ť	Not what you like or what you're interested in.

Not/none/no (the) worst for wear	ť	Not perceptibly damaged by recent events. Still like new, not worn.

Nothing to it	ť	Easy; not difficult.

Nothing to sneeze at	ť	Not bad. Sth worthwhile. Better than it seems.
Nothing Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Nothing to write home about	ť	Ordinary; not exceptional; not especially good.

Now and then	ť	Sometimes, once in a while. Occasionally.

Now or never	ť	Sth has to be done now or it can't be done at all.

Now you're talking	ť	I agree with you. What you just said is better than the other things you said.

Null and void	ť	Not valid. Worthless, invalid.

Number is up	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

Nuts and bolts	ť	Details, nitty gritty.

Object lesson	ť	A warning.
Odd man Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Odd man out	ť	Not belong to a situation. To feel strange in a situation.

Odds and ends / bits and bobs	ť	Small, remnant articles and things. Scattered things. Miscellaneous.

Of all the nerve!	ť	Expression of anger at someone's rude behavior.

Of two minds	ť	Undecided.

Off (of) tune	ť	Not in agreement.

Off (the) track	ť	Derailed, going off in the wrong direction. A distraction preventing you from reaching a goal.

Off and on	ť	Occasionally.

Off colour	ť	Sn ill looking.
Off like Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Off like a dirty shirt	ť	To leave quickly.

Off like a shot	ť	To leave or get going quickly.

Off on one	ť	To get very angry.

Off on the wrong foot	ť	Getting a bad start on a relationship or task.

Off one's rocker/trolley/base	ť	Crazy, demented, lunatic, out of one's mind.

Off the beaten track	ť	Untraveled road. Path in a remote location.

Off the chart	ť	Far exceeding normal standards.

Off the cuff	ť	Spontaneous, sans preparation or planning.
Off the Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Off the grid	ť	Not connected to the rest of the world. Living outside society and its conventions.

Off the hook	ť	Avoiding punishment or criticism for sth. No longer having to deal with a tough situation.

Off the leash	ť	Unleashed. No longer restricted or controlled.

Off the mark	ť	In error, inaccurate or incorrect.

Off the rails	ť	Insane, lost track of reality.

Off the record	ť	Sth said in confidence that the one speaking doesn't want attributed to him/her. Unofficial.

Off the scale	ť	Beyond normal standards for sth.

Off the shelf	ť	A common or standard item, ready to use.
Off the Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Off the top of your/one's head	ť	Quickly, from memory, without checking beforehand.

Off the wall	ť	Sth unconventional or unusual. Unexpected, unlikely random event.

Off your chump	ť	Sn who is crazy or irrational.

Off your guard	ť	Not ready or unprepared. Not paying attention.

Off your own bat	ť	Doing without being asked to or told to.

Off your rocker	ť	Sn who is crazy.

Off-beat	ť	Unusual, not typical. Out of the ordinary.

Oh for God's/Pete's sake	ť	A reaction of shock, annoyance, exasperation, frustration, or anger to sth said.
Oh! Shoo Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Oh! Shoot	ť	Oh no!, Damn!

Old chestnut	ť	Sth done so many times that it has lost any impact.

Old flames die hard	ť	It's very difficult to forget old feelings. Including previous lovers.

Old friends and old wine are best	ť	People and things we know well are better than the unknown or unfamiliar.

Old hat	ť	Old fashioned and out dated. Being used to sth. Very common.

Old wives' tale	ť	An old proverb or saying thought to be true but may be false.

Older than dirt / the hills	ť	Sn/sth is extremely old.

Oldest trick in the book	ť	A well-known way of deceiving sn.
On a mis Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
On a mission	ť	Being determined and focused in doing sth. Bent on doing sth.

On a razor edge	ť	A risky situation, where the outcome is uncertain.

On a roll	ť	One good thing after another. Going from one success to another.

On a silver platter	ť	Sth handed to you free. To get sth without having to work for it.

On all fours	ť	On hands and knees. Crawling.

On board	ť	Sn who is supporting or working with a company or person.

On cloud nine	ť	Having strong feelings of happiness or satisfaction. Very happy.

On edge	ť	Sn who is anxious, tense, nervous, irritable or jumpy.
On fire Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
On fire	ť	Hot, doing really good.

On ice	ť	On hold. Delayed plans, no action.

On its last legs	ť	In a bad condition and will not last long. Sth old and falling apart. Wornout.

On my back	ť	People who are bothering, nagging or irritating you. Being pushed to get sth done.

On my watch	ť	Being in charge and responsible.

On one's toes	ť	Alert, prepared, ready, or attentive.

On pins and needles	ť	Worried, anxious or nervous, especially in anticipation of sth.

On tenterhooks	ť	Excitedly waiting impatiently for sth.
On the a Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
On the anvil	ť	Actively being talked about and worked on but is not ready yet.

On the back burner	ť	Not being worked on at present, but it might be completed in the future. On hold.

On the ball	ť	Alert, aware, paying attention and focused. Doing a good job.

On the bandwagon	ť	Doing something because others are also doing it.

On the blink	ť	Broken, out of order, inoperative (electronic or mechanical devices).

On the blower	ť	On the phone.

On the button	ť	Exactly, precisely.

On the carpet	ť	When you are called to the bosses office and not for a good reason, you are in trouble.
On the c Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
On the case	ť	Dealing with a problem.

On the cheap	ť	Frugal. Spend the least amount of money possible for sth.

On the chopping block	ť	Sn might lose their job. A project could be axed.

On the dole	ť	Sn receiving assistance while unemployed.

On the dot	ť	Exactly, precisely.

On the double	ť	In a hurry. Do sth immediately and quickly.

On the face of it	ť	The way a situation appears or looks. Summing up a problem.

On the fence	ť	Undecided. Uncommitted.
On the f Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
On the fiddle	ť	Sn stealing money from their employer.

On the flip side	ť	On the other hand. An alternative,

On the fly/hoof	ť	Live. Real time, as it happens. No preparation, off the cuff.

On the game	ť	A prostitute.

On the hook	ť	Being held responsible for sth.

On the house	ť	Free, wihout charge, gratis. Especially in a bar or restaurant.

On the knock	ť	Instalment buying.

On the lam	ť	Running and hiding from the police or authorities to avoid arrest or jail time.
On the l Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
On the level	ť	Honest, sincere and straightforward.

On the line	ť	At risk; in danger. Sn may lose their job.

On the make (1)	ť	Sn trying to make lots of money, probably illegally.

On the make (2)	ť	Looking for a sexual partner.

On the map	ť	A place widely known. Off the map is unknown.

On the money	ť	Being correct or right about sth.

On the never-never	ť	Buying on long term credit.

On the nod	ť	Sn who is asleep or falling asleep or at least resting.
On the n Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
On the nose	ť	Right on time. Sth very accurate.

On the off-chance	ť	Doing or trying sth in case it might work. There may be only a small chance.

On the one hand	ť	Before describing one of two contrasting ideas, options, or opinions.

On the other hand	ť	From a different point. Alternatively.

On the pig's back	ť	Sn successful and in a good situation.

On the rebound	ť	Emotional recovery after a terminated relationship.

On the right foot	ť	A good start.

On the rocks	ť	Sth is on shaky ground. A troubled relationship may come to an end.
On the r Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
On the ropes	ť	Being in a situation that looks to be hopeless! Doing terrible and you may fail.

On the run	ť	Avoiding arrest and hiding from the police.

On the same page	ť	Thinking alike or understanding something in a similar way with others. In sync.

On the same wavelength	ť	Two people having the same thoughts and opinions about sth. In sync.

On the shelf	ť	Being inactive, or on hold. Nothing is happening to it right now. Back burner.

On the skids	ť	Seriously declining or in trouble.

On the sly	ť	Doings sth furtively, secretly or behind closed doors.

On the spur of the moment	ť	At once. Spontaneous. Suddenly, without any planning
On the s Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
On the stroke	ť	Arrive exactly on time.

On the table	ť	A proposition now being discussed.

On the take	ť	Sn stealing from work. Sn in authority who is corrupt. To take money for doing sth illegal.

On the tip of your tongue	ť	Knowing a word but you just can't remember it at the moment.

On the trot	ť	One after another, in a row or consecutively.

On the up and up	ť	Doing very well in life. Things are hunkydory. Sn/sth is legitimate, honest and respectable.

On the uptake (either quick or slow)	ť	To understand something either quickly or slowly.

On the wagon	ť	Stopped drinking alcohol or taking illegal drugs.
On the w Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
On the wallaby track	ť	Unemployed.

On thin ice	ť	Sth risky or dangerous. A real possibility that sth bad can or will happen.

On top of the world	ť	Everything is going well.

On your high horse	ť	Being inflexible, arrogant and will not make any compromises.

On your last legs	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

On your soapbox	ť	Speaking passionately about a topic.

On your toes	ť	Alert, focused, paying attention and ready to go.

On/in the cards	ť	Sth is going to happen, pending. Nearly certain to happen.
Once and Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Once and for all	ť	Finally. At last. For the last time.

Once bitten, twice shy	ť	Sn having been hurt or wronged will be far more careful the next time.

Once in a blue moon	ť	Rarely. Something that hardly ever occurs.

One bad apple	ť	Sth bad. A bad person or policy.

One fell swoop	ť	All at once. A single period of activity.

One foot in the grave	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

One for the books	ť	A record-breaking or unbelievable act.

One for the road	ť	A last drink before leaving a pub or bar.
One good Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
One good turn deserves another	ť	After doing sth good, sth good will happen to them.

One hand washes the other	ť	People cooperating has benefits.

One in a million	ť	An exceptionally good person. Sth rare.

One in the eye	ť	Achieving sth may irritate sn because they didn't think you were capable of it.

One man's loss is another man's gain	ť	Sn's setback benefits sn else.

One man's meat is another man's poison	ť	Sn can like sth a lot, sn else can hate it.

One man's trash is another man's treasure	ť	Sth useless to one person might be valuable to sn else.

One nail drives out another	ť	A new pain or problem will stop you worrying or feeling bad about sth else.
One swal Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
One swallow does not make a summer	ť	One good or positive event does not mean that everything is all right.

One track mind	ť	Spend most of their time thinking about one subject.

One's bark is worse than one's bite	ť	Sn seems more aggressive and mean than they really are.

One's goose is cooked	ť	One is finished, has been found out and is in trouble.

One's hat is off to	ť	To praise or acknowledge a good job or job well done.

One's lips are sealed	ť	To keep a secret. Not revealing sth confidential.

One-man band	ť	One person does all the work or has all the responsibility for sth.

One-off	ť	A single occurrence not to be repeated. A one-time, unique or exceptional event.
One-tric Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
One-trick pony	ť	Sn who does one thing well, but is lacking in other areas.

Only the wearer knows where the shoe pinches	ť	Hard to know how or what sn else is feeling or thinking.

Only young once	ť	Persuasion to do sth while still young enough to do it.

Oops a daisy	ť	A surprise or small mistake.

Open all hours	ť	A convenient store or burger joint open 24/7. Or closing very late.

Open book	ť	An open person. Easy to know what they think or feel about sth.

Open old sores/wounds	ť	To go through the same problem(s) all over again.

Open Pandora's box	ť	To discover more problems.
Open sec Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Open secret	ť	A supposed secret that everyone knows about.

Open the floodgates	ť	Making sth possible that had been difficult, illegal or impossible before.

Open-and-shut	ť	Sth easily or quickly proved or settled.

Opening a can of worms	ť	Doing something that will or could cause a lot of problems.

Opportunity knocks but once	ť	Only one chance to achieve sth great.

Other fish to fry	ť	Having plenty of options or opportunities. Alternatives. Other things to do.

Other/flip side of the coin	ť	Sth different or an opposite view of a situation.

Out and about	ť	Away from the home.
Out and Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Out and out	ť	Totally.

Out in the sticks	ť	Out in the country, a ways from cities. Rural, boonies.

Out like a light	ť	KO'd - knocked out. Or fast asleep.

Out of both sides of your mouth	ť	Liar, saying different and contradictory things to different people.

Out of bounds	ť	Not permitted. Beyond a limit.

Out of date	ť	Old and therefore no longer useful or applicable.

Out of hand	ť	Out of control.

Out of left field	ť	Out of no where. Unexpected.
Out of l Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Out of line	ť	Inappropriate, improper, wrong.

Out of luck	ť	Unfortunate, unlucky.

Out of my hands	ť	There is nothing you can do about it. It's beyond or out of your control.

Out of my league	ť	Being inferior in some way to a person or group.

Out of nowhere	ť	Unexpected.

Out of order	ť	Broken, out of service.

Out of pocket	ť	Sth paid for with cash on hand, petty cash or from personal funds.

Out of sight, out of mind	ť	If you can't see something, you may not think about it.
Out of s Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Out of sorts	ť	Feeling a little upset and depressed.

Out of the blue	ť	Out of no where. Unexpected. Out of left field.

Out of the box	ť	Thinking in a new or creative way. Also used for products ready to use.

Out of the frying pan (and) into the fire	ť	Things are going from bad to worse.

Out of the gate running	ť	Starting up already at a fast pace.

Out of the goodness of your heart	ť	Doing sth nice or kind for sn. Because you are a good person, not for money.

Out of the mouths of babes	ť	Children unexpectedly say something very intelligent or wise.

Out of the question	ť	Can't be considered because it's impossible or it's not allowed.
Out of t Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Out of the woods	ť	Emerged from a bad or dangerous situation. In the clear, no problem.

Out of this world	ť	Sth fantastic, great or wonderful

Out of turn	ť	Not in the correct order.

Out of whack	ť	Malfunctioning, not working correctly. Broken.

Out of your depth	ť	Beyond your capability. Not enough experience or knowledge do sth.

Out of your mind/head	ť	A birdbrain, dimwit, dolt, dumb, fool, idiot, nitwit, stupid, unintelligent person.

Out of your own pocket	ť	You pay all the expenses involved.

Out on a limb	ť	When someone puts themself in a risky situation.
Out on t Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Out on the town	ť	To enjoy yourself by going out.

Out to lunch	ť	Crazy or out of touch. Not with it.

Out-and-out	ť	Complete or total.

Over a barrel	ť	A position where you have no choice but to accept what they want.

Over head and ears	ť	Completely trapped.

Over my dead body	ť	I won't let it happen while I'm still alive. Fight to the death.

Over my/your head	ť	Beyond my understanding. Difficult to understand. Too complicated or intricate.

Over the counter	ť	Non-prescription drugs. Anything sold that anyone can buy without any requirements.
Over the Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Over the hill	ť	An age that is a turning point, after which it's all down hill. Usually 30 years old.

Over the moon	ť	Happy, overjoyed.

Over the top	ť	To an excessive degree; beyond reasonable or acceptable limits. Extravagant.

Over your head	ť	Missed the point. Beyond your understanding. Too complex or difficult for you to comprehend.

Own goal	ť	To do sth accidentally against yourself or your own team. As in soccer.

Packed (in) like sardines	ť	Packed very tightly. Being enclosed in a tiny space.

Paddle your own canoe	ť	Doing things for yourself without outside help.

Page-turner	ť	A thrilling book. A book you can't put down or ignore. A great read.
Pain in Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Pain in the arse/neck	ť	Sth that irks you. You don't like it, you don't want to do it. An irritation.

Paint the town red	ť	Out on the town. Visit bars, nightclubs and other nightspots to have a good time.

Paint yourself into a corner	ť	Get yourself into a mess.

Painted Jezebel	ť	A scheming woman.

Pandora's box	ť	To do sth causing a lot of new problems unexpectedly.

Paper over the cracks	ť	To hide sth. Cover up. A poor remedy, band aid.

Paper tiger	ť	Sn, country or institution, that looks powerful, but is actually weak or toothless.

Par for the course	ť	What you would expect to happen; something normal or common. Expected.
Paradigm Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Paradigm shift	ť	A big change. A fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions.

Parrot fashion	ť	Learn and repeat it word for word. Possibly with no understanding. Memorize.

Part and parcel	ť	An essential and unavoidable part that has to be accepted.

Party animal	ť	Sn who likes partying.

Pass away	ť	To die. A better way of saying someone is dead.

Pass muster	ť	Meets the required standard. To be approved.

Pass the buck	ť	Transferring responsibility to sn else to take pressure off yourself.

Pass the hat	ť	Asking people to donate money.
Pass the Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Pass the time of day	ť	Doing things to occupy your time. Like watch a movie, read a book, walk in the park, etc.

Pat on the back	ť	Telling sn they've done something well, or done a good job. Commendation.

Patience of Job	ť	Great patience.

Pay it forward	ť	A favour received should be repaid or done to others.

Pay off old scores	ť	Taking revenge.

Pay on the nail	ť	Always paid promptly in cash.

Pay one back in one's own coin	ť	To treat in the same way as one has been treated.

Pay the piper/price	ť	Restitution. To pay or make up for the wrong you've done to sn.
Pay the Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Pay the ultimate price	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

Pay through the nose	ť	To pay way more for sth than you should have.

Pay your dues	ť	Earning your place or position.

Pecking order	ť	Order of importance or rank. General > Colonel > Major > Captain.

Pedal to the metal	ť	To go full speed, especially while driving a vehicle.

Peeping Tom	ť	Sn who looks through people's windows spying on them. A sexual pervert.

Pell Mell	ť	Fast, to run. In a hurry.

Pen is mightier than the sword	ť	Words and communication are more powerful than military armies.
Penny an Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Penny ante	ť	Sth that is not very important.

Penny pincher	ť	A person who is very frugal.

Penny wise, pound foolish	ť	Sn who is careful with small amounts of money, but wasteful with large sums.

People who live in glass houses should not throw stones	ť	Don't fault others for faults they have themselves.

Pep talk	ť	To build you up to help you accomplish something. Encouragement.

Per se	ť	By itself alone, necessarily. Only this/these.

Perish the thought	ť	You really hope sth will NOT happen.

Pet peeve	ť	A specific or particular irritation an individual has.
Phony as Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Phony as a three-dollar bill	ť	Reference to something patently fake or false.

Photo finish	ť	Two contestants (usually in a race) finish at exactly the same time.

Pick holes in another's coat	ť	To find fault with another.

Pick of the litter	ť	You get the best item in a group.

Pick someone to pieces	ť	To criticize sharply. To point out many flaws and mistakes someone made.

Pick someone's brains	ť	Ask them for detailed information or ideas about sth. Ask many questions.

Pick up the tab/bill	ť	You pay for yourself and your friends in a restaurant or a bar.

Pick up your ears	ť	To listen very carefully.
Pick-up Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Pick-up game	ť	Teams not chosen in advance, rather people join in a game as they chance by.

Picture paints a thousand words	ť	A visual presentation is far more descriptive than words.

Pie in the sky	ť	Pipe dreams that'll never happen. Ridiculous, unreal, preposterous, utterly impractical.

Piece of cake	ť	A job, task or activity that is extremely easy, simple or pleasant.

Pieces of the same cake	ť	Things that have the same characteristics or qualities.

Pig in a poke	ť	A deal that is made without first examining it. Find out later it was defective.

Pig in clover	ť	Very happy and pleased.

Pig out	ť	To eat a lot and eat it quickly.
Pigs get Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered	ť	Being satisfied with enough. Greediness or too ambitious will be your ruin.

Pigs might fly	ť	Sth that will never happen. Sth impossible.

Pin money	ť	Money earned from a job that is not necessary or really needed. Extra money.

Pinch/grain of salt	ť	Some people distort things, what they say should be doubted.

Pink slip	ť	A notice of dismissal from one's job.

Pipe down	ť	To shut-up or be quiet.

Pipe dream	ť	A plan or a dream for the future that could never come true or be achieved. Outlandish.

Piping hot	ť	Food served very hot, steaming.
Piss and Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Piss and vinegar	ť	One brimming over with energy.

Piss in one's cornflakes	ť	To annoy, upset, or disappoint through spiteful or irresponsible behavior.

Piss in the wind	ť	Do something that is ineffective or a waste of time. Useless.

Piss the night away	ť	Waisting time, all night long.

Pitch in	ť	To contribute or help with something or someone or to join in.

Place in the sun	ť	Having wealth, happiness or success or whatever you are looking for.

Plain as day	ť	Obvious; clear.

Plain as the nose on your face	ť	Sth obvious and very clear.
Plain Ja Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Plain Jane	ť	A woman who isn't particularly good looking.

Plain sailing	ť	Very easy to do and there are no problems to overcome.

Plan B	ť	If plane A fails then go to plane B. An alternate way to accomplish you goal.

Plastic smile	ť	Sn who appears to be happier than they actually are.

Play by ear	ť	To play music without looking at the notes. To make decisions as you go along. Not planed out.

Play devil's advocate	ť	To argue the opposite, just for the sake of argument.

Play fast and loose	ť	Irresponsible and not playing by the rules.

Play for keeps	ť	Being very serious. More than a game, they not fooling around.
Play for Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Play for time	ť	Delay sth because you are not ready or need more time.

Play hardball	ť	Being very aggressive in trying to achieve their aim.

Play havoc	ť	Creating disorder and confusion.

Play hooky	ť	Ditch school. Not attending school when they should. Truant.

Play into someone's hands	ť	Inadvertently do what sn was expecting you to do and they take advantage of you.

Play it by ear	ť	Spontaneous decision making. See how it goes. Using no predefined plan. To improvise.

Play one's cards right	ť	To make the right moves; to have a good strategy.

Play out of your skin	ť	Giving an outstanding performance.
Play sec Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Play second fiddle	ť	To be less important. Number two. To be a subordinate to sn.

Play the field	ť	Sn having several boyfriends or girlfriends at once.

Play with fire	ť	Taking foolish, dangerous risks.

Play/act the fool	ť	Silly behavior to make people laugh.

Playing for keeps	ť	Very serious. Playing as if your life depended on it.

Playing opossum	ť	Pretending to be dead, or to be deceitful about sth.

Playing to the gallery	ť	Say or do things to be popular, but only for the sake of being popular.

Playing with fire	ť	Involved in a dangerous activity that could blow up in your face.
Pleased Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Pleased as punch	ť	Very satisfied about something.

Plot thickens	ť	Story gets more serious or interesting due to new complexities or developments.

Plum job	ť	Desirable position which is well-paid and considered relatively easy. A cushy job.

Poacher turned gamekeeper	ť	Sn who gets a legitimate job which is the opposite of their previous one.

Poetry in motion	ť	Sth beautiful to watch.

Point blank	ť	To shoot at a very close range. Can't miss. Expressed in a blunt fashion.

Point the finger	ť	To accuse; to assign blame.

Pointy-heads	ť	Supposed intellectuals or experts, but they don't really know much.
Poison p Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Poison pill	ť	A drastic corporate strategy to prevent an unfriendly take over.

Poke fun at	ť	Making fun of something or someone, ridicule.

Poker face	ť	Showing no emotion or reaction, so people won't have a clue as to what cards they are holding.

Polish the apples	ť	Attempt to get a person's favor.

Polishing peanuts	ť	To work very hard at a low end job for little or no return. A McJob.

Pop the question	ť	To ask sn to marry them.

Pop your/one's clogs	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

Pork barrel	ť	Pouring money into sth to get political support rather than using the money for sth better.
Possessi Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Possession is nine-tenths of the law	ť	The notion that possession has a stronger legal claim.

Pot calling the kettle black	ť	Hypocrite. Criticising sn for something they themselves do.

Pot-luck	ť	Take whatever happens to be available at the time.

Pound of flesh	ť	To force sn to pay or give back sth owed. Though not needed, causing trouble for them.

Pound the pavement	ť	To walk the streets looking for a job.

Pour oil on troubled waters	ť	To do something to make people stop arguing and to calm down.

Powder your nose	ť	Euphemism for visiting the toilet.

Powers that be	ť	People who are in charge of sth.
Practice Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Practice makes perfect	ť	By constantly practicing, you will become better at sth.

Practise what you preach	ť	Doing, yourself, what you say other people should do.

Preaching to the choir	ť	Presenting a story/discussion/argument to someone who already agrees with it.

Presence of mind	ť	Sn behaving calmly and rationally in difficult situation.

Press the flesh	ť	Meet members of the public and shake their hands, kissing babies.

Pressed for time	ť	In a hurry or working against a very tight schedule. Short on time.

Prey on your mind	ť	Can't stop thinking about it or worrying about it.

Prim and proper	ť	Behaving in the correct manner, never breaking the rules of etiquette.
Primrose Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Primrose path	ť	A pleasurable lifestyle, but one that leads to unpleasantness and problems.

Prince charming	ť	The perfect man in the life of a woman.

Private dick	ť	Detective, private investigator.

Problem is thirty	ť	Problem is the person sitting 30 cm in front of the computer display.

Proclaim it from the rooftops	ť	To make known. Shouting from the rooftops can be heard a long way.

Prodigal son	ť	A young man who spends a lot of money lavishly.

Proof is in the pudding	ť	Sth can only be judged by it's results or by testing.

Pros and cons	ť	Two sides of an issue. What's good and bad about sth.
Proud as Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Proud as a peacock	ť	An extremely proud person.

Pull (it) out of the fire	ť	To save or rescue sth.

Pull a rabbit out of a/your hat	ť	To do something unexpected that may have seemed impossible.

Pull down	ť	To demolish any structure.

Pull in the reins	ť	To slow down or stop sth that has been out of control.

Pull no punches	ť	To hold nothing back.

Pull out all the stops	ť	To do everything humanly possible to achieve the desired result. All out.

Pull strings	ť	Use your contacts and connections to help to get what you want.
Pull tee Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Pull teeth	ť	To do something very difficult or unpleasant.

Pull the cover/wool over one's eyes	ť	To con, deceive, trick or fool sn.

Pull the fat from the fire	ť	To help someone in a with a difficult problem.

Pull the plug	ť	To end sth. To bring something to an end.

Pull up the shocks	ť	Do things in the right manner and correctly.

Pull wires	ť	To manage the show by secret influence.

Pull your chain	ť	Taking advantage of you or do sn to annoy you.

Pull your punches	ť	Not using the full power or authority that you have.
Pull you Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Pull your socks up	ť	Said to someone that should improve the way they are behaving.

Pull your weight	ť	To put forth your full share of effort, especially in work group.

Pull yourself together	ť	Calm down and behave normally. Get a grip on yourself.

Pull yourself up by your bootstraps	ť	Make the effort to better yourself.

Pull(ing) my/your leg	ť	To tease someone or make a joke by telling them a fib.

Punch above one's weight	ť	Performing beyond your ability.

Punching bag	ť	Sn who gets lots of unfair criticism.

Pup's chance	ť	No chance.
Puppy lo Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Puppy love	ť	Love between two very young people. Often a first love.

Purple prose	ť	Writing with obvious use of certain effects, as exaggerated sentiment or pathos.

Push comes to shove	ť	A situation has worsened and you are forced to do sth.

Push the envelope	ť	Go to the limits. To go beyond what has been done before.

Pushing up (the) daisies	ť	Euphemism for dying or death. Dead and buried.

Put a bug in your ear	ť	Plant a reminder or suggestion for sth in the future.

Put a sock/cork in it	ť	To be quiet; to stop talking.

Put all one's eggs in one basket	ť	To risk everything at once.
Put in a Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Put in a nutshell	ť	To say in a few words. To be concise.

Put in cold storage	ť	To forget or neglect sth.

Put lipstick on a pig	ť	Make superficial or cosmetic changes, hoping to make a product attractive or acceptable.

Put nose out of joint	ť	You upset them by not treating them with as much respect or consideration.

Put off	ť	To postpone.

Put on the back burner	ť	Leave it for later. Downgrade its priority.

Put one's foot down	ť	To take a firm stand; to insist, demand, or refuse.

Put one's mind to it	ť	To apply oneself; to channel one's effort toward a particular goal.
Put some Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Put some mustard on it!	ť	Tell sn to throw a ball really hard or fast.

Put somebody's nose out of joint	ť	Irritate sn or make them angry.

Put someone on a pedestal	ť	To admire sn greatly or to idolize them.

Put someone out to pasture	ť	Forced to resign or give up some activities.

Put something on ice	ť	Put a project on hold.

Put the cart before the horse	ť	Doing things in a wrong manner.

Put the cat among the pigeons	ť	To create a disturbance and cause trouble.

Put the kibosh on	ť	To stop sth or an end to sth.
Put the Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Put the pedal to the metal	ť	Step on it. Push the accelerator pedal down to the floor. To go faster.

Put to the sword	ť	To be killed or executed.

Put two and two together	ť	To reach a correct conclusion or solution.

Put up or shut up	ť	Either do sth you are talking about or stop talking about it any more.

Put wool over other people's eyes	ť	To deceive someone. Lead sn astray.

Put you in the picture	ť	To give information they need to know about sth.

Put your best foot forward	ť	Be on your best behavior. To do your best.

Put your cards on the table	ť	Make your thoughts, plans or ideas known, or very clear.
Put your Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Put your foot in your mouth	ť	Inadvertently saying sth stupid or embarrassing.

Put your hand on your heart	ť	Saying something and showing that you know it to be true.

Put your heads together	ť	Get together and talk. Exchange ideas about sth.

Put your mind to it	ť	To think very long and hard about sth.

Put your money where your mouth is	ť	To back up their words with action or betting money.

Put your own house in order	ť	Should solve their own problems before telling someone else how to solve theirs.

Put your thumb on the scales	ť	To influence the result of sth toward your own favour.

Put yourself in my place/shoes	ť	Presume that you are me. What if you were me? Empathy.
Put/get Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Put/get someone's back up	ť	To greatly annoy sn.

Put/keep you in mind	ť	Sn will remember and contact you if sth turns up.

Putting the cart before the horse	ť	Doing something the wrong way round, or wrong order.

Pyrrhic victory	ť	The winner suffers so much trying to win, that it's not worth winning.

Quaking in your boots	ť	Very scared and frightened.

Quality time	ť	Spending time doing things with others that enrich your lives and improve your relationship.

Quantum leap	ť	A major step in the development of something, or in the improvement of sth.

Quarrel with bread and butter	ť	Arguing with the boss. Quarreling with a higher-up may lose his job.
Queen be Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Queen bee	ť	A woman who holds the most important position in a place.

Queer as a three-dollar bill	ť	About something very peculiar.

Queer fish	ť	A very strange person.

Queer the pitch	ť	Destroy or ruin a plan.

Question mark over someone	ť	Some doubt about one's future or their ability to do sth.

Quick and dirty	ť	Remedied with great speed. Not the best fix, but a fast one.

Quick as a flash/wink/lightning	ť	Extremely fast.

Quick fix	ť	Fast and easy repair or solution, but usually short-term, solution to a problem.
Quick of Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Quick off the mark	ť	Quick to react to an event or an opportunity. No hesitation.

Quick on the trigger/draw	ť	Acting quickly when solving problems or answering questions.

Quick on the uptake	ť	You're smart and you can understand things quickly.

Quick study	ť	Fast learner. You can learn new things quickly.

Quid pro quo	ť	Doing something on the understanding that something will be done for you in return.

Quiet as a cat	ť	To make as little noise as possible. Being unnoticeable.

Quiet as a mouse	ť	To make absolutely no noise.

Quit while you're ahead	ť	Stop doing something that's rewarding but risky before something bad happens.
Quite a Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Quite a bit/lot (of something)	ť	You have a fairly large amount of it.

R.I.P.	ť	Abbreviation for "Rest In Peace".

Rack and ruin	ť	Utterly destroyed or wrecked.

Rack your brain(s)	ť	Hard to remember something or think of a solution to a problem or a puzzle.

Rags to riches	ť	Start out very poor and you become very rich.

Rain cats and dogs	ť	Raining very heavily.

Rain check	ť	An offer or deal that is declined right now but willing to accept later.

Rain on your/someone's parade	ť	To spoil sth. To ruin your pleasure or your plans.
Rain or Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Rain or shine	ť	Regardless of the weather. Stop at nothing.

Raining cats and dogs	ť	Raining really hard or very heavily. A downpour. Cloud burst.

Raise a stink	ť	To complain loudly; to make a fuss.

Raise the bar	ť	To raise standards or expectations.

Raising eyebrows	ť	Hard to believe or trust. Doing something risque.

Raison d'ętre	ť	Reason for living. The most important thing in your life.

Rake someone over the coals	ť	To criticize or scold them severely.

Rally the troops	ť	To gather friends together.
Rank and Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Rank and file	ť	Common man.

Raring to go	ť	Eager, full of energy. Can't wait to get started on whatever it is you are going to do.

Rat race	ť	Highly competitive, hectic and stressful world of work and business.

Raw deal	ť	You weren't treated fairly or as well as other people.

Ray of sunshine	ť	Bringing happiness to sn.

Reach for the moon/stars	ť	Aiming to achieve something great, or do something very challenging.

Read 'em and weep	ť	Finding out that you lost. Sn telling you they won and you lost.

Read between the lines	ť	To detect a meaning that is not stated explicitly.
Read som Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Read someone like a book	ť	To understand someone very well.

Real McCoy	ť	Genuine, and not a fake or a copy.

Recharge your batteries	ť	Regaining or replenishing your energy after a period of hard work.

Recipe for disaster	ť	A mixture of people and events that could only result in big trouble.

Red carpet (treatment)	ť	A special welcome showing your importance.

Red flag	ť	A warning sign that sn/sth is in danger or there is a problem.

Red herring	ť	A distraction from the real issues.

Red letter day	ť	A very important day. A very good day, when something special happens.
Red ligh Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Red light district	ť	Area of a town or city in which prostitutes work.

Red tape	ť	Excessive formality and paperwork required before official action can be taken.

Red-eye	ť	Late night airline flight arriving early in the morning.

Red-faced	ť	Blushing or flushed with embarrassment, anger, etc.

Red-hot	ť	Very hot; creating much excitement or demand. Intensely excited or enthusiastic; very fresh or new.

Reduce to ashes	ť	Burned, destroyed, demolished or made useless.

Reduce to tears	ť	Becoming so sad and unhappy that you start crying.

Ride 'em, cowboy!	ť	A cheer people yell at rodeos. When cowboys ride untamed bulls and wild horses.
Right ar Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Right around the corner	ť	Soon in time. Close in proximity.

Right as rain	ť	Needed, appropriate, essential, or hoped-for. Means perfect, absolutely right.

Right hand man / Man Friday	ť	An assistant or companion, usually a capable one.

Right off the bat	ť	Immediately, done in a hurry, without delay.

Right on the money	ť	Exact; precise; exactly right.

Right out of the gate	ť	Right from the beginning. From the start.

Right up your street/alley	ť	A perfect fit for you or ideal for your skills and interests.

Ring fencing	ť	Financial protection. Safeguard assets or funds. To lower tax liability.
Rings a Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Rings a bell / Ring any bells?	ť	Sounds familiar. Recalling a memory. To remember sth.

Rise and shine	ť	Wake up call. Time to get out of bed and get ready for work/school.

Rock bottom	ť	The lowest possible level.

Rock the boat	ť	Do or say something that will upset people or cause problems.

Rode hard and put away wet	ť	A very hard life. No proper care.

Roll the dice	ť	To gamble or take a chance on sth. Take a risk with the hope of gain.

Roll with the punches	ť	To tolerate, endure and continue through unexpected happenings.

Roller coaster (ride)	ť	Emotional highs and lows. Really good and bad times, alternating.
Rome was Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Rome was not built in a day	ť	Big projects or huge undertakings take time.

Root hog or die poor	ť	You must look out for yourself as no one's going to do it for you.

Rose colored glasses	ť	A distorted view. A cheerful or optimistic view of things, usually without valid basis.

Round the clock	ť	24 hours a day. All day and all night long.

Round the houses	ť	Doing something inefficiently when there was a quicker convenient way.

Round the twist	ť	Go crazy.

Round up	ť	To arrest. To gather things together.

RSVP	ť	Abbreviation for 'Please reply'.
Rub it i Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Rub it in	ť	Keep on talking about something that embarrasses or upsets sn.

Rub shoulders	ť	Meet and spend time with the powerful and famous. Up close and personal.

Rub the wrong way	ť	To tick someone off. To be rude, impolite or irritate sn.

Ruffle someone's feathers	ť	Doing something to upset or annoy them. On purpose or accidentally.

Rule of thumb	ť	A rough estimate. An unwritten rule. Common sense.

Run around like a chicken with its head cut off	ť	To do something in a frenzied manner.

Run for cover	ť	To seek shelter or protection quickly. Hurry to a warm dry place.

Run into	ť	Come across.
Run into Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Run into the ground	ť	To ruin something through over use, improper use.

Run into the sand	ť	Fail to achieve a result. Come to nothing.

Run like the wind	ť	Run fast.

Run of the mill	ť	Ordinary and nothing special.

Run out of steam	ť	To be completely out of energy.

Run rings/circles around someone	ť	Doing something much better than they do.

Running around like a headless chicken	ť	To carry on in a disorganised manner. A state of panic.

Running on fumes	ť	To continue to stay awake when feeling exhausted.
Runs dee Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Runs deep	ť	Entrenched, or ingrained.

Sacred cow	ť	Held in such respect that it cannot be criticised or attacked. Unassailable.

Safe and sound	ť	Not being harmed even though you may have been in danger. You're OK. All is well.

Sail through something	ť	Being successful in doing something without difficulty.

Sail under false colors	ť	False identity. Pretending to be sn or sth else in order to deceive people.

Salad days	ť	An especially happy period of your life.

Salt of/on the earth	ť	Fundamentally good people.

Salt something away	ť	To store something for future use.
Salty do Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Salty dog	ť	An experienced sailor.

Same old, same old	ť	Nothing has changed. It's the same old thing.

Sands of time	ť	Tiny amounts of time.

Save the day	ť	Do something to ensure success or to solve a serious problem.

Saved by the bell	ť	Saved by a last minute intervention. Saved at the last possible moment.

Saving for a rainy day	ť	Saving money for later.

Say what?	ť	Asking someone to repeat what they have said. An act of surprise.

Scapegoat	ť	Sn else who takes the blame.
Scarce a Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Scarce as hen's teeth	ť	Extremely rare or nonexistent.

Scared to death	ť	Extremely frightened.

Scattered to the four winds	ť	Widely dispersed.

Scope out	ť	To scout; to investigate; to check out. To case the joint.

Scot free	ť	Getting away from custody, punishment, or any type of risky situation. Escape. To go unpunished.

Scrape by	ť	Have just enough but not more.

Scrape the bottom of the barrel	ť	The very last, or the very worst. Nothing left.

Scratch the surface	ť	Examine only a part of sth. Uncover only a few facts about sth.
Screw th Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Screw the pooch	ť	To screw up; to fail in dramatic and ignominious fashion.

Sea change	ť	A big change in perspective. To undergo a complete transformation. A striking change.

Second thought	ť	I changed my mind.

See eye to eye	ť	To agree; to have similar views; to get along.

See red	ť	To become very angry; to be furious.

See the light	ť	I get it. To realise or understand sth. To suddenly understand sth.

See through rose-colored glasses	ť	See things as being better than they really are.

See which way the cat jumps	ť	Before acting or making a decision, see how things are developing.
Self exp Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Self explanatory	ť	Easy to understand without an explanation. No one needs to explain it to you.

Sell like hot cakes	ť	To sell fast. To be very popular and sought after.

Sell someone a pup	ť	Accept or believe something that turns out to be worthless.

Separate (the) sheep from (the) goats	ť	Sort out the good from the bad.

Set straight	ť	To correct with accurate information.

Set teeth on edge	ť	To irritate sn.

Set the world on fire	ť	Do something that creates a lot of excitement and makes you famous.

Set your sights on something	ť	Sth becomes the target of your ambition or the object of your attention.
Settle a Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Settle a score	ť	Sn who hurt or insulted you in the past. Get even. Revenge.

Seven-year itch	ť	A desire to cheat on one's spouse said to manifest after seven years of marriage.

Shades of grey	ť	Things are not clear. Things are vague or have very sketchy details. A state of uncertainty.

Shaggy dog story	ť	A joke which is a long story with a silly ending.

Shake a leg	ť	To go fast, hurry. Get with it.

Shanks's pony	ť	Walking, traveling by foot.

Shape up or ship out	ť	Either start performing better or leave.

Sharks are circling	ť	Sth is in danger and its enemies are getting ready for the kill.
Shed cro Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Shed crocodile tears	ť	To seem hypocritical and insincere. To look sad about something when one is not.

Shed light	ť	To explain sth. Make it easier to understand. To provide information.

Ships passing in the night	ť	A chance but brief one-time meeting between two people.

Shock and awe	ť	Shocking, impressive and intimidating tactics to achieve a certain reaction from others.

Shoestring budgets	ť	Characterized by a small amount of money.

Shoot for the moon	ť	Go for it, no matter how costly or difficult it might be.

Shoot from the hip	ť	To speak directly.

Shoot the breeze	ť	To chat idly or generally waste time talking. Gossip.
Shoot(in Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Shoot(ing) yourself in the foot	ť	Harming yourself by doing something stupid or making a silly mistake.

Shooting fish in a barrel	ť	Frivolously performing a simple task. Something easy of good value. Child's play.

Short end of the stick	ť	Getting the bad end of a deal. Receiving the least desirable outcome from sth.

Short horse soon curried	ť	A slight task soon completed. Something easy.

Shot in the arm	ť	Gives sn or an organisation renewed energy or enthusiasm. Encouragement.

Shot in the dark	ť	An attempt that has little chance for success.

*Shove it (up your #%)**	ť	Tell someone off severely (extremely rude).

Show (the) white feather	ť	To act like a coward.
Show you Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Show your true colours	ť	Show what you're really like, or you reveal your true character.

Showing the door	ť	Asking someone to leave.

Shrug off	ť	To disregard; to minimize the importance of sth.

Shut the barn door after the hours is gone	ť	Correcting a problem, when it's too late.

Shut the front door	ť	Sth astonishing, unbelievable.

Sick and tired of something	ť	Feeling bad about something that has been happening a long time.

Sick as a dog	ť	Very sick, violently vomiting. Flu, cold etc.

Sick as a parrot	ť	Unhappy, disappointed or depressed about sth.
Sight fo Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Sight for sore eyes	ť	Glad to see them.

Silence is golden	ť	It is often better to say nothing at all. Keeping your mouth shut can be a great virtue.

Silly goose	ť	They need to stop being nervous or childish and get the job done.

Silver lining	ť	Difficult situations have an advantage or something good about it.

Simmer down	ť	To become calmer and quieter.

Since day one	ť	For a long time. From the beginning.

Sing like a canary	ť	Tell everything they know about a crime or wrongdoing to the police. Spill(ing) your guts.

Sing the blues	ť	To be disappointed or disillusioned.
Sink or Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Sink or swim	ť	Fail or succeed.

Sink your teeth into	ť	Doing something with a lot of energy and enthusiasm.

Sinking fast	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

Sit tight	ť	To wait patiently. Take no action until you hear otherwise.

Sit(ting) on the fence	ť	To avoid taking sides; to be neutral. Undecided.

Sitting duck	ť	An easy target. To be vulnerable.

Sitting pretty	ť	To be in a good financial situation.

Sitting shotgun	ť	Riding in the front passenger seat of a car.
Six feet Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Six feet under	ť	Dead and buried.

Six of one and half a dozen of the other	ť	Little difference between two things.

Six ways from Sunday	ť	Every possible way.

Six-pack (1)	ť	Fit stomach muscles.

Six-pack (2)	ť	Six cans or bottles of beer.

Sixth sense	ť	A supposed paranormal sense that allows you to do uncanny things. ESP.

Skating on thin ice	ť	To do something quite dangerous or risky. A situation that can result in injury.

Skeleton crew	ť	The minimum number of people needed to keep a service or office operating.
Skeleton Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Skeleton in the cupboard/closet	ť	Have a secret in your past which could damage you if it became known.

Skid row	ť	The rundown area of a city where the homeless and drug users live.

Skin of your teeth	ť	Barely made it or just in time.

Sky's the limit	ť	No limit, unlimited.

Slap on the wrist	ť	A very mild punishment for wrong doing.

Sleep on it	ť	Think about it little more (overnight).

Sleep well, don't let the bedbugs bite	ť	Wishing someone a good night's sleep.

Sleep with the fishes	ť	Euphemism for dying or death.
Slip me Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Slip me five	ť	Shake my hand.

Slip of the tongue	ť	Make a small mistake when speaking.

Slip one's mind	ť	To forget or to overlook.

Slow and steady wins the race	ť	Reliability is more important than speed.

Slow as molasses (in January)	ť	Extremely slow.

Slow day	ť	A day in which not much happens. Low level of activity. A lazy day.

Slowly, slowly catchy monkey	ť	Eventually you will achieve your goal.

Sly as a fox	ť	Cunning and experienced, they can get what they want. Often being underhanded.
Small do Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Small dog, tall weeds	ť	Sn who lacks the ability or resources to handle a task or job.

Small fry	ť	Unimportant. The term is often used when the police arrest the less important criminals.

Smash hit	ť	Music, films or book sales which are very successful.

Smell a rat	ť	To know instinctively that sth is wrong or that someone is lying to you.

Smell something fishy	ť	Detecting that something isn't right and there might be a reason for it.

Smoking gun	ť	Indisputable incriminating evidence. Like being caught red handed.

SNAFU	ť	Situation normal, all fouled up.

Snake in the grass	ť	A hidden enemy. A conniving person.
Snake oi Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Snake oil	ť	Advice or medicine which is of no use.

Snake oil salesperson	ť	Sn who promotes something that doesn't work. A charlatan.

Snipe hunt	ť	Sn is tricked into searching for or chasing after something that does not exist.

Snowed under	ť	Very busy.

Snuff it	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

Snug as a bug in a rug	ť	Feeling very comfortable. Warm and cozy; content.

So be it	ť	Let it happen.

So far so good	ť	Things are going well so far.
So to sp Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
So to speak	ť	In other words. Similar to. Sort of.

Social butterfly	ť	Sn who can move easily within many different social groups.

Sold me out	ť	To snitch on someone, or let their secret out.

Someone has bought it	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

Something escapes you	ť	Can't remember it.

Something is rotten in Denmark	ť	Sth is strange or suspicious.

Something's fishy	ť	Sth is strange or suspicious.

Son of a gun	ť	A scamp. A worthless, mean or unpleasant person.
Song and Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Song and a dance	ť	An excuse. A long story or explanation that is not true or very exaggerated.

Sooner or later	ť	Eventually, one day. Sometime.

Sort of	ť	Kind of. Nearly, almost, similar to.

Sounds like a broken record	ť	Repeating the same things over and over.

Southpaw	ť	Sn who is left-handed.

Spanner/wrench in the works	ť	Roadblock preventing an activity. Deliberate sabotaging sth.

Speak of the devil	ť	The person we were just talking about showed up!

Speak too soon	ť	Say something and later having turn out to be wrong.
Speak up Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Speak up	ť	Raise your voice to talk very loudly or distinctly. To express your own opinion.

Speak volumes	ť	Expresses a reaction without words.

Speak your mind	ť	Saying what you really feel or think about something.

Speaking of which	ť	Sth in the conversation sparked another thought on the same subject.

Spill the beans	ť	Reveal someone's secret or planned surprise by accident or on purpose.

Spill your guts	ť	To tell everything the whole story. To sing like a canary.

Spin one's wheels	ť	Expend much effort for little or no gain.

Spine-tingling	ť	Sth very horrific or scary.
Spitting Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Spitting image	ť	The exact likeness or kind.

Split one's side	ť	To laugh a lot.

Split the whistle	ť	To arrive just on time.

Spoiler alert	ť	To prevent giving out the plot or punch line of a story, book or movie.

Sprat to catch a mackerel	ť	You make a small risk in the hope of a much greater gain.

Spread eagle	ť	Laid out. Arms and legs extended.

Spring chicken	ť	Very young, often inexperienced.

Spur of the moment	ť	Unplanned, ad hoc. To make a random decision right now.
Square p Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Square peg in round hole(s)	ť	No fit. People in the wrong jobs or places.

Squeaky clean	ť	Legitimate and proper.

Stabbing someone in the back / back stabber	ť	To betray or hurt someone unexpectedly, breaking their trust.

Stakes are high	ť	Sth very important. Betting a lot of money.

Stalking horse	ť	Sth used to conceal your intentions. Disguised, camouflage.

Stand on (one's) own two feet	ť	Be self-sufficient.

Stand one's ground	ť	To firmly maintain one's opinion or position.

Stands to reason	ť	Sth should be so if it seems reasonable. Logical.
Stands/s Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Stands/sticks out like a sore thumb	ť	Everyone notices them because they're different.

Start from scratch	ť	To do it all over again from the beginning.

State of the art	ť	The latest and best example of sth. Recent developments. Latest technology.

Status quo	ť	Current status of affairs. On par, a normal condition.

Stay on track	ť	To stay focused on the goal. Unwavering.

Stay up	ť	Not to sleep. To remain awake late into the night. To be awake past normal bed time.

Steal someone's thunder	ť	To take the credit for something someone else did.

Steer clear of something	ť	Don't go near it because it could harm you or cause you a problem.
Step on Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Step on it	ť	Speed things up. Hurry up. Go faster.

Step up to the plate	ť	Take a responsibility. Getting ready to do sth.

Step up your game	ť	To start performing better.

Stick to your guns	ť	To refuse to compromise or change your mind.

Stick with your goal/stick with it	ť	To continue doing sth.

Stick your nose into something	ť	To interfere. to be nosey.

Stir up a hornets' nest	ť	Create or start a disturbance or problem.

Stood to his guns/ground	ť	Maintained to his opinion. Not to give in, resist. Not giving an inch.
Straight Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Straight from the horse's mouth	ť	To hear or get something right from the original authoritative source.

Strain at the leash	ť	They really want to do something that they are prevented from doing at the moment.

Strain every nerve	ť	To try extremely hard to do sth.

Straw that broke the camel's back	ť	The last problem made one too many problems and causes a break down.

Strike a balance	ť	Find or arrive at a good balance of sth.

Strike while the iron is hot	ť	To take advantage of a situation. To get benefit from an existing condition.

Strong as an ox	ť	Exceedingly strong physically.

Strong like bull, dumb like stump	ť	Doing the job the hard way and not the smart way.
Struck s Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Struck several bad patches	ť	Had many professional difficulties.

Stubborn as a mule	ť	Not listen to other people's advice and won't change their way of doing things.

Summer friends	ť	Friends on good days only.

Sunny smile	ť	Very happy. Cheery.

Swallow one's pride	ť	Accepting something humiliating or embarrassing.

Swan song	ť	Farewell appearance; the last act of someone or sth.

Sweat like a pig	ť	They are perspiring (sweating) a lot. In a tough situation.

Sweet as sugar	ť	Very sweet or good-natured.
Swim/sle Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Swim/sleep with the fishes	ť	Dead, especially if they have been murdered.

Swinging for the fences	ť	Giving something your all.

Sword of Damocles	ť	Imminent and ever present danger.

T-boned	ť	Car accident, hard hit in side.

Tables are turned	ť	Situation has changed. Gaining or loosing the advantage.

Tail waging the dog	ť	Sth small or unimportant controlling a larger more important thing.

Take 'em/him out (of the picture)	ť	Eliminate someone for competing or interfering. To remove sn.

Take a back seat	ť	To decrease involvement. But it on the back burner. No longer a priority.
Take a b Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Take a break/breather	ť	Have a short rest. To pause and relax briefly.

Take a chance	ť	To risk sth.

Take a chill pill	ť	A way of telling someone to calm down. Take it easy, relax.

Take a crack at	ť	To attempt sth or to try.

Take a hike	ť	Just get away, get out of here. Leave me alone.

Take a rain check	ť	Postpone a plan.

Take a spill	ť	To fall or trip: to experience a sudden drop.

Take fancy	ť	Suddenly start to like something or sn.
Take fiv Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Take five	ť	Rest briefly or break.

Take for granted	ť	Assume it'll always be there for them, and they don't seem thankful for it.

Take into account	ť	Consider them when making a decision or making plans.

Take it easy	ť	Calm down, relax. Don't over do it. Take it down a notch. Slow down.

Take it on the chin	ť	Don't shy away from difficulty. Stand up for yourself. Face the music.

Take it with a grain of salt	ť	Don't take it too seriously. To strongly doubt sth.

Take part	ť	Join in or play a role in it.

Take someone under your wing	ť	To look after them while they are learning something or growing up. To foster.
Take som Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Take something the wrong way	ť	To misunderstand sn and think they're being critical when they aren't.

Take stock	ť	To think carefully about a situation. Re-evaluate.

Take the biscuit	ť	To be particularly bad, objectionable, or egregious.

Take the bull by (the) horns	ť	Face a problem head on.

Take the cake	ť	To be especially good or outstanding.

Take the cloth	ť	To become a priest.

Take the heat	ť	To endure the consequences, blame, anger, or scrutiny.

Take the plunge	ť	Decide to do something you really want to do even though it's risky and possibly dangerous.
Take to Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Take to (one's) heels	ť	To run away. To run very fast.

Take to task	ť	To scold sn.

Take up the gauntlet	ť	To accept the challenge.

Take up the reins	ť	To assume control of sth. To take over.

Take what someone says with a pinch of salt	ť	Regard something as exaggerated. Take something lightly.

Take your medicine	ť	To accept the consequences of something you have done wrong.

Take(s) no prisoners	ť	To kill the enemy rather than seize them as prisoners.

Taking off the gloves / the gloves are off	ť	People start to argue or fight in a more serious way.
Taking s Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Taking something for face value	ť	Accepting something as it really is. Not thinking more of it than necessary.

Taking the mickey out	ť	Making fun of them or copying their behaviour for a laugh.

Talk a blue streak	ť	Talk continuously, rapidly, or interminably.

Talk over	ť	To discuss.

Talk the hind legs off a donkey	ť	Excessively or extremely talkative. Persuasive.

Talk the talk	ť	Eloquence. Verbalizing support for yourself. To convince others.

Talk turkey	ť	To discuss a problem with a real intention to solve it. Frank and to the point.

Talk your/one's ear off	ť	A gabby talkative person. Gift of gab.
Talking Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Talking through your hat	ť	Talking about sth not knowing much about it. Claim a thing is true when it isn't.

Talking to a brick wall	ť	Talking to someone who is not or will not listen.

Tall order	ť	Sth hard to do or difficult to achieve.

Tall tale	ť	A greatly exaggerated story.

Tar someone with the same brush	ť	To believe that sn has the same bad qualities as others in a group.

Taste of your own medicine	ť	Sn receiving the same treatment, usually negative, that they give to others.

Tear-jerking/jerker	ť	A story that is sentimental. Something that evokes sadness.

Technically speaking	ť	In technical terms. Expressing the nitty gritty.
Teething Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Teething problems/troubles	ť	Having problems during the early stages of sth.

Tell (someone) a thing or two	ť	Scold.

Tell someone where they can go	ť	Tell someone off, in no uncertain terms!

Tell them where the dog died	ť	You strongly and sharply correct sn.

Tell things apart	ť	See they're not the same by spotting the differences between them.

Ten to one	ť	Introductory phrase to express one's believe that the odds of sth happening are favorable.

Ten-four	ť	Yes (from a radio code).

Ten-spot	ť	Ten-dollar bill.
Test(ing Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Test(ing) the waters	ť	Try sth out first before deciding whether to get involved with it. Trial assessment.

Thank goodness/heavens	ť	A very good thing happened. Being grateful.

That dog won't hunt	ť	An idea or excuse that won't work. It doesn't fly.

That makes two of us	ť	To agree sth is true with the speaker, writer or another person.

That ship has sailed	ť	It's too late.

That'll be the day	ť	It'll never happen. Or something that is highly unlikely.

That's the last straw	ť	My patience has run out.

That's the way the cookie crumbles	ť	Unfair situations must be accepted. There is nothing you ca do about it.
That's t Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
That's tight	ť	That's awesome. Cool.

The apple does not fall far from the tree	ť	Offspring grow up to be like their parents.

The ball is in your court	ť	It is your turn to make the decision. It's up to you.

The bare bones	ť	The main point. Striped down.

The best is yet to come	ť	Sth better is coming.

The best of both worlds	ť	The benefit of widely different situations, enjoyed at the same time.

The best thing since sliced bread	ť	A really good invention.

The bigger they are the harder they fall	ť	A bigger, stronger opponent when defeated hits the ground harder.
The boge Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
The bogeyman	ť	Ghostly, monstrous creature.

The bottom line	ť	End result. At the end of the day. After everything is said and done. What it boils down to.

The bubble has burst	ť	A previously positive situation has encountered a serious problem.

The buck stops here	ť	It is now my responsibility. Problems are resolved here.

The cat's meow	ť	It's great, excellent the best.

The devil is in the details	ť	It looks good from a distance, but a closer look reveals problems.

The early bird gets the worm	ť	The first people who arrive will get the best stuff.

The elephant in the room	ť	The big issue, the problem people are avoiding.
The elev Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
The eleventh hour	ť	At the very last minute before an event. The latest moment possible, before it is too late.

The fat is in the fire	ť	Serious trouble has broken out.

The gloves are off / Taking off the gloves	ť	People start to argue or fight in a more serious way.

The green-eyed monster	ť	The feeling of being jealous.

The holy grail	ť	The most important object or goal.

The icing on the cake	ť	Sth that turns good into great.

The last straw	ť	Last thing that causes everything to fail or fall apart.

The lights are on but no-body's home	ť	A stupid person. Not paying attention.
The monk Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
The monkey is on your back	ť	You now have a burden or problem.

The old one-two	ť	To get one up on sn. Throwing two bunches in quick succession.

The other day	ť	Recently, a few days ago, sometime in the near past.

The other side of the coin	ť	Another version of a story or event. Possibly a contradictory version.

The pen is mightier than the sword	ť	Ideas expressed in writing can be stronger than physical armies.

The pits	ť	A miserable or unpleasant situation.

The pot calling the kettle black	ť	Sn criticizing others for doing the same bad thing. Hypocrite.

The rank and file	ť	The ordinary members of an organization and not its leaders.
The sque Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
The squeaky wheel gets the grease/oil	ť	Speak up for what you want or need.

The stars have aligned	ť	The moment is right. Just in time. Something can be done now.

The tip of the iceberg	ť	To only see a very small part of a problem. To not have the full scope of an issue.

The ups and downs	ť	There are good times and bad times.

The very thing	ť	It's exactly what's needed.

The whole nine yards	ť	Everything. All of it. The whole ball of wax.

The worse for wear	ť	In a poor condition.

The worst is yet to come	ť	Sth worse is yet to come.
The year Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
The year one / Year dot	ť	Talking about a very, very long time ago.

Their bark is worse than their bite	ť	Angry, shouting and making threats, but doesn't do anything.

There are clouds on the horizon	ť	Trouble is coming.

There are many ways to skin a cat	ť	There are a lot of different ways of doing the same thing.

There are other fish in the sea	ť	It's OK to miss this opportunity. Others will arise.

There's a dead cat on the line	ť	Sth suspicious is happening.

There's a method to his madness	ť	He seems crazy but actually he's clever.

There's more than meets the eye	ť	More to it than known at first. Everything has not been told.
There's Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
There's more than one way to skin a cat	ť	Many different ways or methods to do the same thing.

There's no I in team	ť	Cooperation, team work, working together. Not working alone.

There's no place like home	ť	To have an affinity for one's home. Home sweet home.

There's no such thing as a free lunch	ť	Sth that seems free may have a charge levied in another form.

There's no time like the present	ť	Right now is the best time asks to do sth.

Thick and thin	ť	Including both good times and bad times.

Things are looking up	ť	Things are improving. Getting better all the time.

Think about it	ť	It'll dawn on you sooner or later.
Think be Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Think better of something	ť	Decide not to do it even though you'd made plans to do it.

Think on your feet	ť	Adjusting quickly to changes and making fast decisions.

Think outside the box	ť	Think differently. To think of unconventional and unusual solutions.

Think the world of someone	ť	Admire and respect them very much.

Think twice	ť	To reconsider sth. To consider very carefully before proceeding.

Third times a charm	ť	After no success the first two times, the third try is a lucky one.

This is baloney	ť	This is nonsense, over exaggeration.

Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones	ť	These people shouldn't criticize others.
Those wh Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Those whom the gods love die young	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

Thousand pound gorilla in the room	ť	The biggest problem in a relationship between two or more people.

Threaded his way out	ť	Walked carefully through.

Three cheers	ť	Praise.

Three hots and a cot	ť	Jails or prisons as a places where three hot meals and a bed are provided.

Three people can keep a secret if two of them are dead	ť	It's very hard to keep secrets.

Three R's	ť	Reading, writing, and arithmetic.

Three sheets to the wind	ť	Being drunk.
Three sq Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Three squares a day	ť	Three complete meals each day.

Three strikes	ť	Three chances before suffering a consequence.

Three-alarm fire	ť	Exciting as a major structural fire.

Three-ring circus	ť	Confused or noisy activity. Folly, a joke.

Through the roof	ť	Becoming very angry and mad. Also: suddenly and excessively high.

Through thick and thin	ť	Under all conditions, both good and bad times.

Throw a monkey wrench into the works	ť	Sth that causes failure. To ensure that sth doesn't succeed. Sabatage.

Throw an idea around	ť	Casually considered an idea in a group.
Throw ca Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Throw caution to the wind	ť	Take a risk.

Throw cold water (on)	ť	Discourage.

Throw in the towel	ť	Give up, quit, surrender.

Throw pearls to the pigs	ť	To give someone something better than they deserve or will appreciate.

Throw someone the deep end	ť	Give them a serious problem to deal with. Swim or sink.

Throw someone to the wolves	ť	They are abandoned and have to face trouble without any support.

Throw the baby out with the bathwater	ť	To remove something good while getting rid of something bad.

Throw the book at	ť	To charge or convict (someone) being as severe as possible.
Throw un Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Throw under the bus	ť	To betray or sacrifice someone for selfish reasons. Inconsiderate.

Thumb one's nose	ť	To express scorn or to disregard. Contempt.

Tickety-boo	ť	Everything is fine, no problems.

Tickled pink	ť	Greatly pleased.

Tie one on	ť	To get drunk.

Tie the knot	ť	To get married.

Tight-lipped	ť	Unwilling to speak about an event. Out of secrecy or privacy.

Tighten your belt	ť	Try to spend less money.
Till the Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Till the cows come home	ť	A very long time.

Time after time	ť	Doing something again and again, or repeatedly. Over and over.

Time flies / how time flies	ť	Time seems to go by fast. Time can get away form us.

Time flies when you're having fun	ť	You don't notice how long something lasts when it's fun.

Time is money	ť	Work quickly don't waste time.

Time will tell	ť	Sth that will not be proven until a later date. A question answered at a later date.

Tip of the iceberg	ť	The small easily visible part of a larger problem.

Tit for tat	ť	Retaliation, reprisal, counterattack, comeback or revenge. Eye for eye.
To be a Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
To be a good Samaritan	ť	To be kind and compassionate to someone in distress.

To be at one's beck and call	ť	Under one's absolute control.

To be born with a plastic spoon in one's mouth	ť	Born into a poor and/or unimportant family.

To be born with a silver spoon in one's mouth	ť	Born into a rich and/or important family.

To be dog cheap	ť	Very cheap.

To be hard up	ť	To be short of money. Also: in need of sex.

To be in the doldrums	ť	To feel sad and lack of energy to do sth.

To be on the horns of a dilemma	ť	To have a choice between two equal evils.
To be up Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
To be up in the air	ť	Things are uncertain or unsure. Definite plans have not been made yet.

To beat black & blue	ť	To beat mercilessly.

To beat the band	ť	Very much; very fast.

To bell the cat	ť	To take great risks. Some plans are ill advised or less feasible.

To bite the dust	ť	To break/fail/die/give out.

To blow a fuse	ť	Becoming very angry.

To blow one's own trumpet	ť	To boast or brag.

To break the back of	ť	To make anything weaker.
To burn Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
To burn one's fingers	ť	To suffer.

To bury the hatchet	ť	To forget about arguments and disagreements with sn.

To catch a tartar	ť	To deal with sn/sth that proves unexpectedly troublesome or powerful.

To crow over	ť	To exult your triumph over sn.

To cry over spilt milk	ť	To feel sorry for what has happened.

To cry wolf	ť	To cry or complain about something when nothing is really wrong.

To draw a blank	ť	To fail to remember sth. To get no response.

To draw the line	ť	To set limits. To separate one thing from another.
To each Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
To each their/his own	ť	Everyone is entitled to personal preferences. We all like different things.

To eat one's heart out	ť	To suffer silently, bitterly.

To egg someone on	ť	To urge someone to do something that is usually negative.

To end in smoke	ť	To fail.

To farm (something) out	ť	To have someone else do something. To send something away to have it done.

To fish in troubled waters	ť	Becoming involved in a difficult situation, hoping to gain some advantage.

To get bent out of shape	ť	To get upset.

To get into hot water	ť	To get into trouble.
To get o Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
To get over something	ť	To get past a difficult time. No longer worry about, no longer affects you.

To give someone the cold shoulder	ť	Unfriendly behavior toward sn.

To go against the tide	ť	To do the opposite of what other people are doing.

To go like a bomb	ť	To move fast.

To go to the dogs	ť	To be ruined.

To hang by thread	ť	To be in a critical condition or situation.

To have a bun in the oven	ť	To be pregnant. To be expecting a baby.

To have an axe to grind	ť	To have a selfish interest to serve.
To have Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
To have one's finger in too many pies	ť	Involved in too many things at the same time.

To have too many irons in the fire	ť	Working with or processing too many projects or other things in hand.

To hear something straight from the horse's mouth	ť	To hear something from the authoritative source.

To hit the nail on the head	ť	Doing or saying exactly the right thing. To do the right thing at the right time.

To hold water	ť	Reasonable. To be logical.

To kill two birds with one stone	ť	To do two things at the same time.

To let the cat out of the bag	ť	To reveal a secret.

To live from hand to mouth	ť	To live with great difficulty. Poverty.
To look Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
To look through colored glasses	ť	To see things not as they are. Distorted view.

To lose face	ť	To do something which makes other people stop respecting you.

To make a clean breast of	ť	To confess fully one's faults.

To make a fortune	ť	To become rich.

To make a long face	ť	To look depressed.

To make a long story short	ť	Cutting to the chase. Cutting the crap, getting to the point. Abbreviated.

To make matters worse	ť	Make a problem or situation worse.

To move heaven and earth	ť	To do everything possible to achieve the result.
To pick Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
To pick a hole in my coat	ť	To find a mistake with sth someone did or said.

To pitch in	ť	To contribute or help with sn/sth or to join in.

To play fast and loose	ť	To act in an unreliable way. Act carelessly or irresponsibly

To pour oil on troubled waters	ť	To do something to make people stop arguing and to calm down.

To pull off pieces	ť	To rebuke or scold.

To put in a nutshell	ť	To say in a few words. To be concise.

To put one's foot down	ť	To exert your authority to prevent something from happening.

To put the cart before the horse	ť	To do a thing in a wrong way or wrong order.
To read Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
To read between the lines	ť	To try to understand the full or hidden meaning.

To see eye to eye with	ť	Agree.

To show the white feather	ť	To act like a coward.

To steal someone's thunder	ť	To take credit for something someone else did.

To strain every nerve	ť	To try extremely hard to do sth.

To take the bull by horns	ť	To face difficulties boldly.

To take to one's heels	ť	To run very fast.

To take up the gauntlet	ť	To accept the challenge.
To the m Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
To the manner born	ť	Place of one's birth.

To touch base	ť	To contact sn. Bring someone up to date. Check in, check up, check on.

To turn a blind eye	ť	To refuse to acknowledge sth which you know to be true and real.

To turn one's back on	ť	To deny or reject or abandon.

To turn over a new leaf	ť	To change for the better. Start sth new.

To turn the corner	ť	To begin to improve.

To twist someone's arm	ť	Convincing someone what to do or think.

To water (something) down / Water down	ť	To make weaker; to dilute. Lessen the intensity. Dimminish.
To wet o Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
To wet one's whistle	ť	To take a drink, especially an alcoholic drink.

To/until my dying day	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

Tongue in cheek	ť	Not really meaning what one is saying or writing.

Tongue tied	ť	Difficulty in expressing yourself because of nervousness or embarrassment.

Too many cooks spoil the soup/broth/stew	ť	Too many people trying to manage something simply spoil it.

Toot/blow one's own horn	ť	To praise oneself; to brag or boast.

Top dog	ť	The most important or influential person, group, company or country.

Top drawer	ť	High quality, exceptional; something that's very good or valuable. The best.
Touch ba Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Touch base	ť	To contact sn. Bring someone up to date. Check in, check up, check on.

Tough as woodpecker lips	ť	Very strong, resilient and tough.

Tough(ing) it out	ť	To remain resilient even in hard times; enduring. Stick with it.

Treasure trove	ť	A priceless or valuable assortment. A store of precious or wonderful things.

Tricks of the trade	ť	Clever or expert way of doing sth. Learned from experience.

Trip the light fantastic	ť	To dance.

True-blue	ť	Unwaveringly loyal or faithful.

Tug of War	ť	A popular rope pulling game. A back and forth struggle of some sort. A struggle for authority.
Tune in Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Tune in	ť	To focus or concentrate on sth.

Tune out	ť	Ignore someone or sth.

Turn a blind eye	ť	To pretend not to have noticed. Purposefully ignoring or overlooking sth.

Turn back the clock	ť	Go back in time.

Turn one's back on	ť	To deny or reject or abandon.

Turn over a new leaf	ť	To forget the past and start again with the intention of doing better.

Turn turtle	ť	It turns upside down.

Turn up one's nose	ť	To reject. Snooty.
Turn you Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Turn your back on	ť	Give up on, or abandon.

Turned a deaf ear	ť	Disregarded. Ignored. Did nothing about something, took no action.

Twenty three skidoo	ť	To be turned away.

Twenty-four seven	ť	All the time, from the count of twenty-four hours and seven days per week.

Twentysomething	ť	In one's twenties (also thirtysomething, etc.).

Twist someone's arm	ť	Convincing someone to do or think sth.

Two a penny	ť	Orinary, common or widespread.

Two can play that game	ť	Possibility that one who has treated another badly may be treated that way in return.
Two cent Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Two cents' worth	ť	Advice.

Two down, one to go	ť	Two things are completed, a third is to be started and finished. Almost done.

Two heads are better than one	ť	Twice the brain power can solve more complex problems. More things accomplished.

Two left feet	ť	An awkward dancer. Uncoordinated.

Two of a kind	ť	A pair, twins.

Two peas in a pod	ť	Two people who are very similar.

Two shakes of a lamb's tail	ť	A very brief period of time.

Two strikes	ť	Said of sn/sth that is close to going out or ending. Nearly over.
Two wron Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Two wrongs don't make a right	ť	Doing something wrong in response to another wrong is not justified.

Two-timer	ť	Sn who cheats on a partner.

Ugly duckling	ť	A child showing little promise, but later develops into a real talent or beauty.

Um and ah	ť	You're having trouble deciding what to say. Having trouble telling someone sth.

Uncharted waters	ť	Unfamiliar situation. You have no experience of something and don't know what might happen.

Under a cloud	ť	Suspected of doing wrong. A cloud of suspicion.

Under fire	ť	Being severely attacked and criticized heavily.

Under lock and key	ť	Locked away, stored very securely. Heavily guarded.
Under my Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Under my thumb	ť	Under my control.

Under no circumstances	ť	Never do it, no matter what happens.

Under one's breath	ť	Softly spoken; in a whisper.

Under the gun	ť	Under pressure to perform or meet a deadline.

Under the radar	ť	Without attracting notice. Stealthy.

Under the table	ť	Done secretly, usually because it's illegal or unethical.

Under the weather	ť	Feel sick, not feeling good.

Under wraps	ť	Being kept secret.
Under yo Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Under your nose	ť	Unnoticed but right in front of you. Missing something really obvious.

Under your own steam	ť	Doing it without anybody's help.

Until my dying day	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

Until one is blue in the face	ť	For a hopelessly long time.

Until the last dog is dead/shot	ť	Never quit or surrender, continue to the bitter end. Persevere.

Up a blind alley	ť	A course of action that leads to a bad outcome.

Up a creek without a paddle	ť	In a bad or unfortunate situation. Unprepared, ill equipped.

Up a gum tree	ť	You're in trouble or have a serious problem.
Up again Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Up against a brick wall	ť	Very difficult problem and getting nowhere. Making no headway.

Up and coming	ť	Show signs of being successful in their profession.

Up and doing	ť	To be active.

Up and running	ť	Sth is now operational that you've been building or working on.

Up for grabs	ť	Available for anyone who wants to try to get it.

Up in arms	ť	Angry, being roused to the point that you are ready to fight.

Up in the air	ť	They still haven't been decided or settled yet. Unsettled, undecided.

Up the creek	ť	In trouble.
Up the c Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Up the creek without a paddle	ť	To be in a very difficult situation with no way to improve or rectify it.

Up the wall	ť	In a very bad situation; very upset or anxious.

Up to eleven	ť	To a great degree.

Up to no good	ť	They are doing something bad, or something wrong.

Up to scratch/snuff	ť	It's as good as it should be. As good as it needs to be.

Up to something	ť	Scheming or devising.

Up to the hilt	ť	Completely, fully or entirely.

Up to the mark	ť	To be good enough. As good as expected to meet a minimum standard of quality.
Up to th Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Up to the neck	ť	Deeply involved in something, especially when it's something wrong. To the hilt.

Up to your eyeballs	ť	Got too much of it and it's become a problem. A deep problem.

Up with the lark	ť	Getting up very early.

Uphill battle/struggle/task	ť	Difficult to do because of obstacles such as opposition from other people.

Upper crust	ť	A member of society's highest class.

Upper hand	ť	Have the advantage or you're in the stronger position in a contest or a conflict.

Ups and downs	ť	Good times and bad times. A sequence of good and bad happenings.

Upset the apple cart	ť	Creating difficulty. Upset the status quo. A mistake that angers others.
Use ever Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Use every trick in the book	ť	To use every method possible.

Use your loaf	ť	Use your head. Think smart.

User friendly	ť	Easy to use.

Vale of tears	ť	Suffering what life in the word brings.

Van Gogh's ear for music	ť	Tone deaf.

Vanish into thin air	ť	Disappears completely.

Variety is the spice of life	ť	The more experiences you try the more exciting you life will be.

Vent your spleen	ť	To release all their anger and pent up emotions about sth.
Verbal d Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Verbal diarrhoea	ť	Can't stop talking. Running of at the mouth. Flap jaw.

Very last	ť	The final remaining quantity just before it runs out.

Very well	ť	Agree to do sth. OK.

Vested interest	ť	Strong personal interest in it because you stand to gain from it.

Vicar of Bray	ť	Sn who changes their beliefs and principles to be popular with people.

Vice versa	ť	The opposite, or reverse, order. Turned around backwards.

Vicious circle/cycle	ť	A sequence of events that compound problems. Something keeps getting worse.

Villain of the piece	ť	They are the "bad" person in a situation.
Vim and Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Vim and vigor	ť	Have lots of energy and enthusiasm for life.

Vinegar tits	ť	A mean spirited women lacking in love or compassion.

Virgin territory	ť	Sth that hasn't been explored before. Unexplored territory.

Vis-a-vis	ť	In relation to.

Voice in the wilderness	ť	Expressing an opinion that no one believes or listens to.

Volte face	ť	To make a sudden and complete change in your stance or position over an issue. Flip-flop.

Vote of confidence	ť	Shows you're happy with the quality of something or pleased with someone or their work.

Vote with your feet	ť	Show your opinion of something by acting in a certain way.
Vultures Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Vultures are circling	ť	Sth is in immanent danger. Enemies are getting ready for the kill.

Wag the dog	ť	A diversion away from something of greater importance.

Wait for a raindrop in the drought	ť	Waiting or hoping for something that is extremely unlikely to happen.

Wait, what?	ť	Remark after someone said something unbelievable.

Waiting in the wings	ť	Waiting for an opportunity to take action, mostly to replace someone else in their job.

Wake up and smell the coffee	ť	To face reality; to stop deluding oneself; to become aware.

Wake up call	ť	An occurrence of sorts that brings a problem to someone's attention and realize it needs fixing.

Walk on eggshell(s)	ť	To be careful about one's words or actions around others.
Walking Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Walking on broken glass	ť	When a person is punished for sth. A dangerous situation.

War of words	ť	Having a long argument or dispute with them.

Warts and all	ť	Show it exactly as it is without trying to hide any of its faults or weaknesses.

Wary face	ť	Disappointed look.

Wash your hands	ť	Stop being involved in it after losing your interest or belief in it.

Waste not, want not	ť	Don't waste things and you'll always have enough.

Wasting your breath	ť	What you're saying is being ignored or having no effect.

Watch like a hawk	ť	To observe very closely.
Water do Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Water down / to water (something) down	ť	To make weaker; to dilute. Lessen the intensity. Dimminish.

Water off a duck's back	ť	Being resistant or immune to insults or criticism. Not affected at all.

Water under the bridge	ť	Anything from the past that isn't significant or important anymore. It's history.

Watery grave	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

Wave a white flag	ť	Give up; surrender; yield.

We'll cross that bridge when we come to it	ť	Let's not talk about that problem right now.

Weak at the knees	ť	Feel an emotion so strongly that it makes you feel unstable on your feet.

Weak in/at the knees	ť	To be overcome by a strong feeling.
Wear and Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Wear and tear	ť	Damage caused by using sth.

Wear your heart on your sleeve	ť	To openly and freely express your emotions. To be easily hurt emotionally.

Weasel (your way) out of	ť	Avoiding or evading an obligation, by clever persuasion or even by deception.

Weather a storm	ť	Survive a dangerous event or deal with a difficult situation.

Wee hours	ť	Dawn hours.

Weight is off your shoulders	ť	No longer have to worry about something or deal with something difficult.

Weight one's word	ť	Be careful of what one says.

Well begun is half done	ť	Getting a good start is important.
Wet behi Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Wet behind the ears	ť	Sn either very young or inexperienced. Novice, neophyte, newbie, rookie or greenhorn.

Wet one's whistle	ť	To take a drink, especially an alcoholic drink.

Whale of a time	ť	Activity of great enjoyment.

What a small world	ť	What a coincidence.

What am I, chopped liver?	ť	Sn who feels they've been given less consideration than other(s).

What can you expect from a hog but a grunt?	ť	People can't behave in ways that are not in their character.

What gives?	ť	What is the matter? What is the reason? What's going on?

What goes around comes around	ť	If you do something bad, something bad may happen to you.
What goe Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
What goes up must come down	ť	Things that go up must eventually return to the earth due to gravity.

What it boils down to	ť	The bottom line. End result. At the end of the day. After everything is said and done.

What's good for the goose is good for the gander	ť	To be treated the same way. No double standard.

What's up?	ť	How are you? What's going on?

Wheeling and dealing	ť	Involved in world of making deals and exchanging favours in business or politics, or both.

When all is said and done	ť	In the end; ultimately.

When in Rome, do as the Romans	ť	Copy popular culture. Respect and follow the customs of native people.

When it comes to X	ť	As far as something goes. What it boils down to.
When it Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
When it rains it pours	ť	Everything is going wrong at once.

When pigs (can) fly	ť	It'll never happen. Something very improbable or impossible. No way, never.

When the chickens come home to roost	ť	Sth bad one did in the past will catch up with them.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going	ť	Become tougher as the need arises. Never give up, persevere.

When the rubber hits the road	ť	Sth is about to begin or happen, get ready, get serious, this is it.

When you are in a hole, stop digging	ť	Don't make thing worse on yourself by continuing to do wrong.

Where there's a will, there's a way	ť	You can do something if you really want to. Willpower is strong.

Whets your appetite	ť	Makes you want something, or it stimulates your desire for sth.
Which ca Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Which came first the chicken or the egg?	ť	Not clear who or what caused sth.

While the cat's away, the mice will play	ť	When authority is absent, the underlings may do improper things.

White elephant	ť	An (unnecessary) expensive burden; costing far too much money to run and maintain.

White heat/hot	ť	Intense heat; a stage of intense activity, excitement, feeling, etc.

White lie	ť	A lie you consider to be small. Little white lie. A minor, polite, or harmless lie.

Whitewash	ť	Deceptive words or actions, used to cover up or gloss over faults, errors, or wrongdoing.

Whole bag of tricks	ť	Many clever means or things to achieve sth with.

Whole ball of wax	ť	Everything. All of it. The whole nine yards.
Whole ki Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Whole kit and kabootle	ť	Everything and more. Including the kitchen sink.

Whole nine yards	ť	Everything. All of it.

Whole shebang	ť	The entire thing; everything.

Why buy the cow when you can get free milk	ť	Men avoid marriage, and get 'benefits' without being married.

Why keep a dog and bark yourself?	ť	Don't do trivial things yourself when someone else can do it for you.

Wide of the mark	ť	Isn't true or accurate, or it misses the target.

Wild and woolly	ť	Uncultured and without laws.

Wild goose chase	ť	A frustrating or lengthy undertaking that accomplishes little. A waste of time.
Wild hai Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Wild hair up you arse	ť	Doing something uncommon or very unlikely for you.

Wilder than a peach orchard boar	ť	Sn who is out of control or running wild.

Win (something) hands down	ť	To win easily. Winning by a wide margin.

Wind up	ť	To complete or to bring to the end.

Wine and dine	ť	When someone is treated to an expensive or exceptional meal.

Wishful thinking	ť	Fanciful thinking what we want to happen. Day dreaming.

With a grain of salt	ť	To accept a statement with doubt as to its complete truth or veracity.

With bells on	ť	When you are delighted and eager to go somewhere.
With fly Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
With flying colors	ť	Exceptionally well. Surpassing. Pass test easily and get high marks.

With tongue in cheek	ť	Not really meaning what one is saying or writing. Not serious.

With your last/dying breath	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

Within a whisker	ť	Very nearly manage to do it, but don't succeed. Close but no cigar.

Without a doubt	ť	For certain.

Wolf in sheep's clothing	ť	Sn who conceals his evil intentions or character behind an innocent exterior.

Wooden spoon	ť	Prize for the last place in a contest. Booby prize.

Work like a dog	ť	Work very hard with small pay.
Work one Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Work one's butt/arse off	ť	To work very hard.

Work your fingers to the bone	ť	You work extremely hard on sth. Work like a dog or a slave.

Work your socks/tail off	ť	To work very hard.

Work/worked/works like a charm	ť	Works very well or has the desired effect.

World is your oyster	ť	Getting everything you want from life.

World of good	ť	Makes you feel a lot better.

Worm (out) information	ť	To persuade them to tell you something they wanted to keep from you.

Worm turns	ť	People stop accepting a bad situation and become hostile.
Worm's e Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Worm's eye view	ť	A view from below, either physically or socially.

Worse for wear	ť	Has been damaged by being used a lot. A person that doesn't feel well.

Worth its weight in gold	ť	Extremely valuable or extremely useful.

Worth one's salt	ť	Worth one's salary. Valuble.

Worth your while	ť	Benefits you more than the value, time or effort that it requires.

Wouldn't be caught dead	ť	Would never do something or a certain thing.

Wouldn't harm a fly	ť	Nonviolent; someone who is mild or gentle. Pacifist. Dove as opposed to hawk.

Wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot pole	ť	Assiduously avoiding sth.
Wrap it Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Wrap it up / that's a wrap	ť	Finished. Done. It's all over.

Wrap your head around something	ť	Understand something complicated.

Wrench in the works	ť	Monkey wrench thrown into the works, will ruin a plan or destroy sth.

Writing/handwriting is on the wall	ť	Signs sn or organization is in trouble and might soon fail. Warning.

X marks the spot	ť	Location of something valuable and hidden. A treasure on a map.

X(ing) (something) out / xed out	ť	To cross out or scribble over. To make illegible.

X-double minus	ť	Sth very poorly done. Bad, terrible.

X-factor	ť	Having a certain charismatic appeal and magnetic quality.
X-rated Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
X-rated	ť	Not suitable for children to see or learn about. Pornographic.

Xerox subsidy	ť	Using the office photocopier for personal use.

Xoxo	ť	Hugs and kisses.

Yada Yada Yada	ť	Notifying sn of what they're saying is predictable, boring or jabbering. Blah, Blah, blah.

Yak-yak / yakety-yak / yakib-yak	ť	Small talk. Jabbering about little things. A lot of unimportant talk.

Yank my chain	ť	Sn did sth to bother you.

Yard/garage sale	ť	A sale to get rid of unwanted or unused things.

Year dot / the year one	ť	Talking about a very, very long time ago.
Year in, Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Year in, year out	ť	Happens every year for many years in a row.

Yell bloody murder	ť	An angry and loud protest. A scream out of fear.

Yellow bell(y/ied)/livered	ť	A coward. Not brave. Very timid.

Yellow journalism/press	ť	Sensationalist stories are used to boost sales.

Yellow streak (down one's back)	ť	To be a coward.

Yellow streak	ť	A coward. Not brave. Chicken.

Yeoman's service	ť	To serve in an exemplary manner. Good service and assistance.

Yes siree bob	ť	Very positive but informal - Yes! Yes, absolutely!
Yes-man Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Yes-man	ť	Sn who always agrees with people in authority.

Yesterday's man/woman	ť	Sn whose career is over or on the decline.

Yoo-hoo	ť	A call to attract your attention.

You are what you eat	ť	In order to stay healthy you must eat healthy foods.

You asked for it!	ť	when you think someone deserves the punishment they're getting or the trouble they're in.

You bet / you bet your boots/life	ť	To strongly agree with a sth. That's for sure, of course.

You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar	ť	You csn get what you want by being nice.

You can choose your friends, but can't choose your family	ť	Make the best of what you are dealt in life.
You can Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
You can lead a horse to water, but can't make it drink	ť	You can't force someone to make the right decision.

You can say that again	ť	To agree strongly with what someone just said. Like saying 'amen brother'.

You can't fight City Hall	ť	Winning a fight with a large organization or government is next to impossible.

You can't have your cake and eat it too	ť	You can't have everything the way you want it.

You can't hide elephants in mouse holes	ť	There are situations that must be dealt with that can't be ignored.

You can't judge a book by it's cover	ť	You shouldn't make judgments based only on appearances.

You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear	ť	Somethings can't be improved upon. You are stuck with them.

You can't make an omelet without breaking eggs	ť	Sometimes sacrifices have to be made to achieve great things.
You can' Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
You can't take it with you	ť	Enjoy what you have now. When you die, someone else gets what you had.

You can't teach an old dog new tricks	ť	Older people are set in their ways. It's hard for them to change.

You can't tell/judge a book by its cover	ť	You can't tell what sn/sth is like from its outward appearance.

You can't un-ring a bell	ť	Some things are not reversible. Think about it first, before you do or say anything.

You can't win them all	ť	Said after loosing a contest or game.

You catch more flies with honey than vinegar	ť	Persuade people with politeness, flattery or kindness.

You could have knocked me down with a feather	ť	Sn being very shocked or surprised or caught off guard.

You could hear a pin drop	ť	Sth is said or happens and everyone in the room becomes quiet.
You coul Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
You couldn't hit water if you fell out of a boat	ť	When an athlete misses really easy opportunities to score.

You do not get a dog and bark yourself	ť	People in charge delegate tasks to other workers.

You don't say!	ť	Is that right? Is that a fact? Really? Remarkable. Tell me more.

You get what you pay for	ť	Lower priced items are usually of much lower quality. And the opposite is true.

You gotta be kidding me	ť	You must be joking. Are you serious? I can't believe it.

You know the drill	ť	You familiar with it and know how it is done.

You made it	ť	You succeeded, you arrived on time. You did it!

You made your bed now sleep in it	ť	You have to live with the consequences of your own doing.
You nail Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
You nailed it	ť	You completed the task perfectly.

You name it	ť	Anything related that you can imagine or think of.

You never know	ť	People are lousy at predicting things. We don't know what might happen at any time.

You pulled a fast one	ť	Tricking sn.

You reap what you sow	ť	Doing bad things to people, bad things will happen to you. Good things if you do good.

You rock!	ť	You are great.

You said it!	ť	Reinforcement of what was said. You agree completely.

You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours	ť	Do something for me, I'll return the favour.
You snoo Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
You snooze, you lose!	ť	Don't hesitate to do it. Get with the program pronto.

You sold me (on something)	ť	You convinced me of something, because you were persuasive.

You tell 'em	ť	To agree with sn. To encourage sn.

You what?	ť	Expression of surprise or disbelief at sth you have heard. Request to repeat what was just said.

You're kidding (me), right?	ť	Sn can't believe what they are hearing. This can't be right!

You're on!	ť	Accepting a challenge, a bet or an invitation.

You're only young once	ť	Persuading someone or yourself to do sth while you're still young enough to do it.

You're telling me!	ť	Yes! I totally agree with you.
You're t Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
You're toast	ť	You are in a lot of trouble. A has been.

You've got rocks in your head	ť	A dumb person. Lack of intelligence, stupid.

You've got to be kidding	ť	You must be joking. I can't believe it.

You've made your bed, you'll have to lie in it	ť	One must live the consequences of their own actions.

Young at heart	ť	Still feel young even though they're getting old.

Young blood	ť	Young people with new ideas and fresh approaches.

Young Turk	ť	A young person who is rebellious and difficult to control in a company, team or organisation.

Your call	ť	It's up to you to make a decision on the matter.
Your eye Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Your eyes are bigger than your stomach	ť	One takes on more responsibilities than they can handle.

Your foot in it	ť	Doing the wrong thing and usually making matters worse.

Your guess is as good as mine	ť	To have no idea, don't know the answer to a question or problem either.

Your hands are tied	ť	Prevented from doing sn that you'd normally have the power or authority to do.

Your hour has come	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

Your name is mud	ť	Sn's good reputation is lost.

Your number is up	ť	To die. Dying or dead.

Your sins will find you out	ť	Things you've done or do wrong will become known.
Yum yum Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Yum yum / yummy	ť	Children expressing great delight. Especially when eating tasty food.

Zebra crossing	ť	A crosswalk marked on the road with painted black and white stripes.

Zero hour	ť	Time when something important is to begin. Time of a military attack.

Zero in on (something)	ť	To focus on. To direct attention to. To close in on.

Zero time flat	ť	A very brief time. An extremely short duration.

Zero tolerance	ť	Nothing will be overlooked, no matter how small or trivial.

Zero-sum game	ť	Any gain by one side or person is canceled by the loss to another side or person.

Zigged before you zagged	ť	Wrong or reverse order of things.
Zip it! Copyrighted material Š 2018 JCS
Zip it!	ť	Telling you to shut up or stop talking about sn.

Zip past	ť	To move past sn/sth very fast. To move rapidly, a swift movement. Go by quickly.

Zip your lip	ť	Shut up or keep quiet about sth.

Zone defense	ť	A sports defense where each player is assigned a specific area to cover or play in.

Zonk out	ť	Falling asleep quickly. Crash.

Zonked out	ť	Extremely tired. No energy left to do anything.

Zoom in on	ť	To get closer to sth. To use a telephoto lens or binoculars.

By JCShook 5/29/2018