5. List of idioms

Idiom	Meaning
To have one foot in the grave	To be close to dying because of old age or illness
A bit much	More than is reasonable
A bite at the cherry	A good opportunity that isn't available to everyone
A busy bee	A busy, active person who moves quickly from task to task
A cat has nine lives	Someone getting away with dangerous things
A cat in gloves catches no mice	You can't get what you need if you're too careful
A cat nap	A short sleep during the day
A couch potato	A lazy and inactive person
A cut below	Inferior to
A day late and a dollar short	Too delayed and insignificant to have much effect
A dog in the manger	A person who selfishly prevent others from enjoying or profiting from something even though they cannot enjoy it themselves
A few sandwiches short of a picnic	Abnormally stupid, not really sane
A great deal	To a very large extent
A Guinea Pig	Someone who is part of an experiment or trial
A hair's breadth	A very small amount or margin
A home bird	Somebody who prefers to spend his social and free time at home
A hundred and ten percent	More than what seems to be the maximum
A lame duck	A person or enterprise that is not a success and that has to be helped
A leg up	An advantage or boost
A lemon	A vehicle that does not work properly
A life of its own	An independent existence
A little bird told me	I got this information from a source I cannot reveal
A little from column A, a little from column B	A course of action drawing on several different ideas or possibilities
A lone wolf	Someone who is not very social with other people
A lot on one's plate	A lot to do
A million and one	Very many
A notch above	Superior in quality
A penny for your thoughts	What are you thinking?
A penny saved is a penny earned	Every small amount helps to build one’s savings
A picture is worth a thousand words	A visual presentation can communicate something very effectively
A plum job	An easy and pleasant job that also pays well
A rare bird	Somebody or something of a kind that one seldom sees
A scaredy-cat	Someone who is excessively scared or afraid
A second bite at the cherry	A second chance to do something
A sight for sore eyes	Someone that you're pleased to see
A sitting duck	A person or object in a vulnerable position that is easy to attack or injure
A snowball effect	Something that can continue to get out of control
A snowball's chance in hell	Little to no likelihood of occurrence or success
A stitch in time saves nine	Fix something quickly, because if you don't, it will just get more difficult to fix
A stone's throw	A very short distance
A storm in a teacup	Unnecessary anger or worry about an unimportant or trivial matter
A tall order	An unreasonable or difficult demand
About time	Far past the desired time
About to	On the point of, occurring imminently
Above and beyond	More than is expected or required
Above board	In a legitimate, honest, and open way
Above the law	Exempt from the laws that apply to everyone else
Above the salt	Of high standing or honor
Above water	To just be able to manage, especially when you have financial difficulties
Accident of birth	Luck in something due to family good fortune
Accident waiting to happen	A dangerous way of setting up or organizing something
A cut below	Inferior to
According to Hoyle	Properly, in accordance with established procedures
Ace up one's sleeve	A surprise advantage of which others are not aware
Achilles’ heel	The weak point of an otherwise powerful person or organization
Acid test	A crucial event that determines the worth of something
Acknowledge the corn	To admit to the truth of the point at issue or to a mistake
Acquired taste	Something one learns to appreciate only after trying it repeatedly
Across the board	In relation to all categories, for everyone
Across the pond	On or to the other side of the Atlantic Ocean
Act high and mighty	Be arrogant, presume that one is better than others
Act of Congress	Hard to get, said of authorization
Act one's age	To be mature, not childish
Actions speak louder than words	One’s character and intentions are shown more accurately by one’s actions than by one’s words
After one's own heart	Similar in a pleasing way
After the fact	After something is completed or finalized
Against the clock	In a great hurry, as fast as possible
Against the grain	Contrary to one’s natural inclinations
Against the run of play	Contrary to the pace or flow of a game or situation
Age before beauty	A phrase said to allow older people to go before younger ones
Agree to disagree	Accept or set aside a disagreement
Agreement in principle	In a negotiation, an agreement in which not all details have been worked out
Aha moment	Sudden realization, the point at which one suddenly understands something
Ahead of one's time	Innovative and radical by the standards of the time
Ahead of the game	In a position or situation in which one is likely to succeed or win
Air rage	Angry behavior inside an airplane
Airy Fairy	Impractical and foolishly idealistic
Albatross around one's neck	Something from one’s past that acts as a hindrance
Alive and kicking	In good health despite health problems
All along	For the entire time something has been happening
All and sundry	Everyone
All bark and no bite	Tending to make verbal threats but not deliver on them
All bets are off	What seemed certain is now unclear
All dressed up and nowhere to go	Prepared (with clothing or otherwise) for an event that does not occur
All ears	Listening willingly, waiting for an explanation
All eyes and ears	Attentive
All eyes are on	Everyone is paying attention to
All fur coat and no knickers	Superficially attractive, physically or otherwise
All hands on deck	Everyone must help
All hell breaks loose	The situation becomes chaotic
All in a day's work	Accepted as part of someone's normal routine or as a matter of course
All in good time	Eventually; at a more favorable time in the future
All in one piece	Safely
All it's cracked up to be	As good as claims or reputation would suggest
All over but the shouting	Certain to end in a specific way
All over hell's half acre	Everywhere
All rights reserved	Said of a published work; all reproduction rights are asserted by the copyright holder
All roads lead to Rome	There is more than one effective way to do something
All set	Ready, prepared, finished
All sizzle and no steak	Failing to live up to advance promotion or reputation
All that jazz	Similar things or similar qualities
All the marbles	The entire prize or reward
All the rage	To be very popular at a particular time
All the same	Anyway; nevertheless
All the tea in China	Great wealth, a large payment
All things being equal	In the event that all aspects of a situation remain the same
All things considered	Taking everything into account
All thumbs	Clumsy
All told	With everything taken into consideration
All very well	It is fairly useful or good in some situations but not excellent and not useful in every situation
All wet	Completely mistaken
Along the lines of	In general accordance with or in the same general direction as
Amateur hour	A display of incompetence
Amber gambler	Someone who accelerates to try to cross an intersection before a traffic light turns red
Amber nectar	Beer
An apple a day keeps the doctor away	Eating healthy foods will keep one from getting sick and needing to see a doctor
An axe to grind	A grievance or disagreement with someone that justifies confrontation
An eye for an eye	Justice in which reparation or vengeance exactly matches the harm caused to the victim
An offer one can't refuse	An extremely attractive offer
Ancient history	Something, such as a disagreement, that happened long ago and ought to be forgotten
And change	And an additional amount of money that’s less than the next round number
And counting	And the number just mentioned is increasing (or decreasing)
And his mother	An intensifier for an inclusive noun or phrase such as everyone, anyone, each someone or all someone's
And so forth	Indicates that a list continues in a similar manner
And then some	And even more than what has just been mentioned
Angel’s advocate	Someone who takes a positive outlook on an idea or proposal
Angle for	Aim toward something, try to obtain something, often indirectly or secretly
Another nail in one's coffin	Something that makes it more likely that someone or something will fail or be destroyed
Answer back	Respond impertinently; to talk back
Ants in your pants	Restlessness
Any port in a storm	If you're in trouble, you'll turn to anything that improves the situation
Apple of the eye	Someone very precious or dear
Arm candy	An attractive woman accompanying a powerful or famous man at a social event
Armed to the teeth	Carrying many weapons
Around the clock	At all times
As American as apple pie	Very or typically American
As far as I can throw someone	Complete distrust towards a person
As pale as a ghost/death	Extremely pale
As poor as a church mouse	Being penurious
As red as a cherry	Extremely flushed and red in the face
Asleep at the wheel	Not paying attention to problems or something that's important or failing to fulfill one's duties
At death's door	They are very ill indeed and likely to die
At each other's throats	Constantly and strongly arguing
At sixes and sevens	Someone is in a state of confusion or not very well organized
At the eleventh hour	It happens when it is almost too late
At the end of one's tether	Running out of endurance or patience
At the end of the day	In the final analysis; when all is said and done
At wit's end	Frustrated because all measures to deal with something have failed
Babe in arms	A person who is gullible, naïve, or lacks experience in a specific situation
Babe magnet	A man to whom women are attracted
Baby Boomer	A person born during a baby boom following World War II between the years of 1946 and 1964
Back and forth	Moving first in one direction and then in the opposite one
Back at you	Same to you
Back forty	Remote or inaccessible land
Back on one's feet	Physically healthy again
Back to square one	Back to the start
Back to the salt mines	Resume work, usually with some reluctance
Back the wrong horse	To support the losing side
Backing and filling	Keep changing the opinion or failing to make a decision
Backseat driver	A passenger in a car who gives driving advice to the driver
Backseat driver	Someone who gives unwanted advice or who tries to control
Bad apple	A discontented, trouble making, or dishonest person
Bad blood	Enmity or hatred that stems from something in the past
Bad taste in one's mouth	Unease, a feeling that something unspecified is wrong in a situation
Bag of tricks	A set of methods or resources
Bail out	To rescue someone from a bad situation, to shield someone from the consequences of his or her actions
Ball and chains	Something that limits one's freedom or ability to do things
Ballpark Figure	A rough estimate
Bang for one's buck	Value for money
Bang one's head against the wall	To do, say, or ask for something repeatedly but to be unable to change a situation
A cut below	An especially good year
Baptism by fire	A very difficult first experience of something
Bare one's heart/soul	Reveal one's innermost secrets and feelings to someone
Barfly	Someone who spends much of his or her time in bars
Basket case	Someone who is extremely nervous or anxious and is therefore unable to organize their life
Bat/Play for both teams	To be bisexual
Batten down the hatches	Prepare for a difficulty or crisis
Be a barrel of laughs	To be fun, funny, and pleasant
Be an item	Two people are an item when they are having a romantic relationship
Be footloose and fancy-free	To be free of responsibilities, including romantic commitments
Be head over heels	Be in love with somebody very much
Be in a tight corner	Being in a difficult situation
Be in two minds about something	To not be certain about something, or to have difficulty in making a decision
Be like chalk and cheese	Things or people who are very different and have nothing in common
Be on the mend	Recovering after an illness
Be snowed under	Be extremely busy with work or things to do
Bean counters	Accountants, finance professionals in an organization
Beat someone to the draw	To accomplish or obtain something more quickly than someone else
Beat the drum for something	Speak in favor of something to try to generate support
Beauty is only skin deep	External appearance is a superficial basis for judging someone
Bed of roses	A comfortable situation
Bee in one's bonnet	When someone is obsessed with it and can't stop thinking about it
Beggar thy neighbor	To do something beneficial for oneself without worrying about how it affects others
Behind the scenes	In a way not apparent to the public
Behind the times	Old-fashioned
Bells and whistles	Attractive but unnecessary features of a product
Belly laugh	Loud, hearty laughter
Bend an elbow	Drink alcoholic beverages at a tavern
Best thing since sliced bread	An innovative development
Bet one's bottom dollar on something	Be certain that something will happen
Between the devil and the deep blue sea	Caught between two undesirable options
Beyond the pale	Too morally or socially extreme to accept
Beyond the shadow of doubt	Absolutely certain
Big apple	An informal name for New York City
Big brother	Government, viewed as an intrusive force in the lives of citizens; government spying
Big cheese	An important person in a company or an organization with a lot of influence
Big deal	An important event or accomplishment
Big picture	A wide perspective; a broad view of something
Big time	The state of being famous or successful
Big time	Doing something to a great degree
Bite off more than you can chew	Try to do more than one is capable of doing
Bite the hand that feeds you	Act badly toward someone who has helped you
Bitter pill to swallow	An unpleasant fact that one must accept
Black and white	A clear distinction between good and bad, positive and negative
Black eye	Bad reputation
Black sheep	A person who does not fit into a group, especially a family
Black-and-Blue	Badly bruised emotionally or physically
Blank check	Permission to spend or do whatever one wishes
Blinded by love	When a person is so madly in love with somebody that they can't see the person’s faults or negative characteristics
Blood and thunder	Violence and uproar
Blow away the cobwebs	Enliven or refresh oneself
Blow hot and cold	Shift one’s level of enthusiasm repeatedly
Blow off steam	To express anger and frustration in a way that does no damage
Blow one's top/stack	Lose one’s temper
Blow the whistle	Reporting an illegal or unacceptable activity to the authorities
Blow your own trumpet	Brag and emphasize one’s own contributions
Blue blood	Person of aristocratic background
Blue eyed boy	A person who is a favorite of those in authority; someone whose mistakes are forgiven
Blue light special	A discount or bargain
Bob’s your uncle	The rest is easy; you're almost finished
Bolt from the blue	Something completely unexpected
Born on the wrong side of the blanket	Born to parents who were not married
Born with a silver spoon	Born into a wealthy family
Borrow trouble	To worry about anything needlessly or before one has sufficient cause
Bottom of the barrel	Low-quality choices
Brainstorm	To generate many ideas quickly
Break out in a cold sweat	A state of extreme worry and fear
Break the bank	Exhaust one’s financial resources
Bring home the bacon	Earn money for one’s family
Bringing a knife to a gunfight	Underequipped or unprepared
Brush under the carpet	To hide a problem or try to keep it secret instead of dealing with it
Bump in the road	A temporary problem, a small setback
Bundle up	To wear enough clothing to keep very warm
Burn bridges	Do something which makes it impossible to return to an earlier state
Burn the candle at both ends	To work too hard, with possible bad consequences for one’s health
Bury one's head in the sand	Ignoring something that’s obviously wrong, not facing reality
Bury the hatchet	Make peace, agree to end a dispute
Business as usual	A normal situation, typically restored after some change
Busman’s holiday	A working vacation
Busted flush	Something or someone that began successfully but later fails
Butter wouldn't melt in someone's mouth	Although someone looks completely innocent, they are capable of doing something bad
Buy a pig in a poke	To buy something with no prior inspection
Buy time	Cause a delay in something with the aim of improving one’s position
By all means	Of course, certainly
By word of mouth	Via personal communications rather than written media
Call a spade a spade	To speak frankly and directly about a problem
Call the shots	Make the important decisions in an organization
Calm before the storm	An unnatural peace before a disturbance or crisis
Can't see the forest for the trees	Is unable to maintain a wider perspective
Carrot and stick approach	A tactic in which rewards are offered, but there is also the threat of punishment
Carry a torch for	Secretly admire them or love someone
Carry the can	To take the blame for something one did not do
Cash in one’s chips	To take advantage of a quick profit
Cash in one’s chips	To quit or die
Cash-strapped	In need of money
Cast the first stone	To be the first to criticize or attack someone
Cat fight	An intense fight or argument especially between two women
Cat got your tongue?	Don’t you have anything to say?
Cat-and-Mouse	In a toying way; playful in an unpleasant way
Cat’s paw	A person being used by someone else, a tool
Catch one’s death of cold	To become very ill
Catch some rays	To sit or lie outside in the sun
Catch someone’s eye	Attract someone’s attention
Catch-22	A difficult situation from which there is no escape because it involves mutually conflicting or dependent conditions
Caught red-handed	Apprehended while committing a crime
Champagne taste on a beer budget	Expensive or extravagant tastes or preferences that are beyond one’s economic means
Change horses in midstream	Change plans or leaders in the middle of a process
Change of heart	To alter one’s opinion about something
Cheap shot	A statement that unfairly attacks someone’s weakness
Cherry-pick	To select the best or most desirable or To present evidence selectively to one’s own advantage
Chew the fat	To talk with someone in an informal and friendly way
Chickens come home to roost	The negative consequences of previous actions reveal themselves
Child’s play	A very easy task
Chin music	Idle talk
Chomp (Champ) at the bit	Be eager to do something
Circle the wagons	To prepare as a group to defend against attack, adopt a defensive posture
Claim to fame	A reason for being regarded as unusual or noteworthy
Clean up nicely	To appear presentable after grooming oneself
Clear the air	To get rid of bad feelings between two people or groups
Clip someone’s wings	To limit someone's ability to do or say things
Close, but no cigar	You are very close but not quite correct
Cock and bull story	A far-fetched story, probably untrue
Cock-a-hoop	Extremely and obviously pleased, especially about an achievement
Come by something honestly	Acquire something honestly, or inherit it
Come clean	To confess; to admit to wrongdoing
Come hell or high water	No matter what happens
Come out in the wash	To be resolved with no lasting negative effect
Come out swinging	Respond to something very aggressively
Come to grips/terms with	To acknowledge a problem as a prelude to dealing with it
Coming down the pike	Likely to occur in the near future
Cook someone’s goose	To do something that spoils someone's plans and prevents them from succeeding
Cook up a storm	To make a big fuss, generate a lot of unnecessary talk or activity
Cool as a cucumber	Calm and composed even in difficult or frustrating situations
Cool your heels	Be kept waiting
Crash a party	To attend a party without being invited
Crickets	An awkward silence
Cross to bear	A problem one must deal with over a long time, a heavy burden
Crunch the numbers	To process numerical data
Crunch time	A period of high pressure when one has to work hard to finish something
Cry wolf	To issue a false alarm, to ask for help when none is needed
Cry your eyes out	Cry hard for a very long time
Crying over spilt milk	Complaining about what is done in the past
Curiosity killed the cat	Being inquisitive about other people's affairs may get you into trouble
Cut corners	Doing something in an easier less expensive manner
Cut it fine	To do something at the last moment
Cut off your nose to spite your face	To do something that is meant to harm someone else but that also harms the person who does it
Cut someone to the quick	To hurt someone's feelings a lot
Cut the Gordian knot	To solve a complex problem in a simple way
Cut the mustard	To reach or surpass the desired standard or performance
Cut to the chase	Come to the point
Cut your teeth on something	To learn basic skills in a field
Cutting-Edge	An advantage due to superior skill, ability, or resources
Dance to someone’s tune	Consistently follow someone’s directions or influence
Dance with the devil	Knowingly do something immoral
Dark horse	A surprise candidate or competitor, especially one who comes from behind to make a strong showing
Darken someone’s door	Make an unwanted visit to someone’s home
Dead ahead	Right in front
Dead as a Dodo	Completely extinct
Dead eye	A sharp shooter, a good marksman
Dead heat	An exact tie in a race or competition
Dead of winter	The coldest, darkest part of winter
Dead ringer	Very similar in appearance
Dead run	Running as fast as possible
Deep pockets	Have a lot of money
Deliver the goods	Provide what is expected
Dirty look	A facial manner that signifies disapproval
Do 12-ounce curls	Drink beer
Dodge a bullet	To narrowly escape disaster
Doesn't amount to a hill of beans	Is unimportant and negligible
Dog days of the summer	The hottest day of summer
Dog-and-Pony show	A flashy presentation, often in a marketing context
Dog-eat-dog	Intensely competitive
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth	Do not question the value of a gift
Don’t judge a book by Its cover	Don't rely on outward appearance when judging someone or something
Double-dip	Improperly get income from two different sources
Double-edged sword	Something that has or can have both favorable and unfavorable consequences
Down in the dumps	Feeling very sad
Down the road	In the future in your lifetime
Drag one’s feet/heels	To do something reluctantly and slowly
Draw a blank	Be unable to remember something
Draw a line under (something)	To conclude something and move on to something else
Draw a long bow	To exaggerate or lie
Draw the line	To set a limit to what one will accept
Dressed up to the nines	To be wearing fashionable or formal clothes for a special occasion
Drink the kool-aid	Accept a set of ideas uncritically, often dangerous ones because of potential high rewards
Drive a hard bargain	To negotiate effectively
Drive a wedge between	Try to split fractions of a united group by introducing an issue on which they disagree
Drive someone up the wall	Deeply irritate someone
Drop a line	To write someone a letter, especially a short informal one
Drop the ball	To make a mistake
Dry run	A practice exercise or rehearsal
Dutch courage	Strength or confidence gained from drinking alcohol
Dutch uncle	A highly critical and blunt person
Dyed-in-the-wool	Consistent in an affiliation or opinion over a long period or inveterate
Eager beaver	A hardworking and enthusiastic person, sometimes considered overzealous
Eagle-eyed	Having sharp vision
Early bird	Someone who does something prior to the usual time, or someone who gets up early
Eat crow	To admit one was wrong, and accept humiliation
Eat your heart out	To feel overwhelming sorrow, jealousy, or longing
Elevator pitch	A brief presentation of an idea, one short enough to be delivered in an elevator
Every dog has its day	Everyone has a moment of fame, power, or influence
Every man and his dog	Many people
Every man for himself	Pursue your own interests; don't expect help from others
Excused boots	Allowed to avoid mandatory tasks
Face the music	Dealing with consequences of one’s actions
Fall for something	To be tricked into believing something that is not true
Fall off the wagon	To begin using alcohol or another problem substance after quitting
Fall on one’s sword	To take responsibility for something that has gone wrong
Fall prey to	Be vulnerable to
Fancy	Start liking a person or thing, usually for no understandable reason
Fashion-forward	Tending to adopt new styles quickly
Fat cat	A highly placed, well-paid executive
Father figure	A mentor, a person who offers guidance
Feast your eyes on	To take great pleasure in looking at someone or something
Feather in one’s cap	A noteworthy achievement
Feather one's own nest	To make money for oneself in an opportunistic or selfish way
Fed up with	Refusing to tolerate something any further
Feel like a million dollars	To feel great, to feel well and healthy
Fell off a truck	To come into a person's possession through illegal or otherwise dubious means
Fifth wheel	A superfluous person
Find one’s voice	Become more confident in expressing oneself
Find your feet	To adjust to a new place or situation
Finger-pointing	Blame others
Fire in the belly	Strong ambition
First in, best dressed	The first people to do something will have an advantage
Fish for compliments	Try to manipulate people into praising you
Fish or cut bait	Either commit to doing something productive or step aside and stop wasting time
Fish out of water	A person who is in unfamiliar, confusing surroundings
Fit as a fiddle	In good health
Five-finger discount	Shoplifting
Flash in the pan	A one-time occurrence, not a permanent phenomenon
Flat broke	Having no money at all
Flesh and blood	Blood relatives, close relatives
Flew the coop	To escape or flee
Follow in someone’s footsteps	Follow the example laid down by someone else
Follow your heart	Rely on one’s deeper feelings and instincts when making a decision
Food for thought	Something that makes you think carefully
For a song	At very low cost
Foul play	Refers to any treacherous dealing especially involving murder
From pillar to post	From one place to another, in a forced, random way
From soup to nuts	From beginning to end
From the bottom of one’s heart	Sincerely and with deep feeling
Full fathom five	Lost deep in the sea
Game of chicken	A conflict situation in which neither side will back down for fear of seeming cowardly
Get A charley horse	To develop a cramp in the arm or the leg
Get a word in edgewise	Have an opportunity to speak
Get along with someone	To have a satisfactory relationship
Get carried away	Become overly enthusiastic
Get in on the ground floor	Invest in or join something while it is still small
Get in shape	To become strong or fit
Get off scot free	Be accused of wrongdoing but pay no penalty at all
Get one’s ducks in a row	Have everything organized or well prepared for something that is about to occur
Get one’s hands dirty	To do hard work, often manual labor
Get something out of one's system	Get rid of a wish or emotion, especially a negative one by allowing oneself to express it
Get the ball rolling	Do something to begin a process
Get the runaround	To delay, dodge, or frustrate someone, especially by providing useless information or directions
Get the sack	To be fired
Get the third degree	To be questioned in great detail about something
Get wind of	To hear a piece of information that someone else was trying to keep secret
Get with the program	To conform or fall in line with what is expected
Give and take	Negotiations, the process of compromise
Give lip service	To say that you agree with something but do nothing to support it
Give one’s two cents	Someone's opinion about something, esp. when it was not asked for or wanted
Give someone a holler	Any communication to get somebody's attention
Give someone a piece of your mind	Angrily tell someone what you think
Give something a whirl	Attempt something without being totally familiar with it
Give the green light	Approve something or allow something to proceed
Go ape	Express wild excitement or anger
Go cold turkey	To quit or stop addictive or dangerous behavior
Go down in flames	A miserable failure
Go off half-cocked	To say or something prematurely, with a negative effect
Go on a wild goose chase	To do something pointless
Go out on a limb	To do something risky or extreme, which puts you in a position of weakness
Go the extra mile	To make an extra effort
Go to the dogs	To become disordered, to decay
Go to the mattresses	To go to into battle
Go under the knife	Undergo surgery
Go with the flow	To accept the way things naturally seem to be going
Grab the bull by the horns	To begin forthrightly to deal with a problem
Grease monkey	A mechanic, especially an auto mechanic
Grease the wheels	Do something to make an operation run smoothly
Greasy spoon	An inexpensive restaurant that fries foods on a grill
Green around the gills	To look sick
Guilty pleasure	Enjoying something which is not generally held in high regard, while at the same time feeling a bit guilty about it
Hail Mary	A desperate, last-ditch attempt
Hair of the dog	A small amount of the alcoholic beverage that caused your hangover
Hands are tied	It is not within your power
Hands down	Undoubtedly
Happy-Go-Lucky	You are cheerful and carefree all the time
Hard/Tough nut to crack	A person or a situation that is difficult to deal with, understand or influence
Hatchet job	A strong attack on someone’s reputation
Haul over the coals	To scold someone severely
Have a bone to pick	To want to discuss something someone has done that has angered or annoyed you
Have a chip on one’s shoulder	To have an angry or unpleasant attitude caused by a belief that one has been treated unfairly in the past
Have a dog in the hunt	To support a certain person in a competition
Have a lot riding on	To depend on a particular situation or result in order to survive or succeed
Have a nose for	To have natural ability at something, a talent for finding something
Have a tough row to hoe	Something that is difficult to do or deal with
Have egg on Your face	They are made to look foolish or embarrassed
Have one too many	Drink too much alcohol
Have one’s cake and eat it, too	To have or do two good things at the same time that are impossible to have or do at the same time
Have skin in the game	Be risking something in an undertaking
Have something in the bag	Be certain to win
Have your nose in the air	The way someone behaves when they think they are better than other people and do not want to speak to them
Have your say	Express your opinion on something
He would put legs under a chicken	A very talkative person
Head / Go south	Decline, get worse
Head in the clouds	Not know what is happening around you or out of touch with reality
Head start	An advantage over everyone else
Heads up	Be prepared
Heads will roll	Be severely punished
Hear (something) through the grapevine	To learn something via gossip
Heavy hitter	A powerful, influential person
Helicopter parenting	Over Attentive child-raising
Hell for leather	As fast as possible
High as a kite	Strongly under the influence of drugs or intoxicants
Highways and byways	You take large and small roads to visit every part of the country
Hit a wall	Suddenly stop making forward progress
Hit it out of the park	Succeed brilliantly
Hit the books	To study
Hit the jackpot	Do something that brings great success
Hit the nail on the head	Saying something exactly right
Hit the road	To leave
Hit the spot	Be very satisfying (said of something eaten)
Hive mind	The opinions or thoughts of a group of people, especially internet users, considered together
Hobson’s choice	A choice of taking what is available or nothing at all
Hold all the aces	To have a strong advantage over
Hold one’s liquor	Be able to drink a large amount without being affected
Hold one’s peace	Be silent
Hold the phone	Wait a moment
Hold your horses	Don't be so excited
Home away from home	A place one frequents often and where one feels welcome
Home truths	Honest, often painful criticism
Hot mess	Something or someone in a state of extreme disorder
Hot on the heels	In close pursuit
I wouldn't put it past someone	I think it’s quite possible that this person would do this
I've had it up to here	My patience is almost exhausted
If it had been a snake, it would have bitten me	It was very obvious, but I missed it
If the shoe fits, wear it	If this description of you is accurate, accept it
In a fog	Confused, not mentally alert
In a heartbeat	In a very brief time
In a nutshell	Expressed in a few words
In a rut	Confined by routine, bored and seeking new experiences
In broad daylight	The event was clearly visible
In clover	Benefiting from a positive financial situation
In for a penny, in for a pound	Committed to something even though the risks are increasing
In full swing	When something, such as an event, gets into full swing, it is at its busiest or liveliest time
In one fell swoop	All at once, in a single action
In one’s element	In a situation which is entirely suitable, familiar, or enjoyable
In someone’s wheelhouse	In someone’s strongest area of competence or enthusiasm
In the cards	Likely to occur
In the dark	Unaware of something
In the driver’s seat	In a dominant position, in control
In the hot seat	Undergoing criticism or scrutiny
In the limelight / In the spotlight	Receiving large amounts of publicity or attention
In the long run	Over an extended period of time
In the pipeline	Being prepared for the marketplace, being worked on
In the red	Spending more money than you earn
In the same boat	In a similar situation
In the works	Under development
In touch	In contact
Iron out	To resolve
Is the Pope catholic?	Isn't the answer obvious?
It never rains but It pours	Bad luck and bad things tend to happen at the same time
It takes two to tango	When something goes wrong involving two people, it’s likely that they share the blame
It won't fly	It won't be approved
It's not rocket science	It's not as difficult as you might think
It’s a wash	Something is equal and that one side does not have an advantage
It’s all greek to me	It is impossible to understand
Itchy feet	To start to want to travel or do something different
Jack of all trades	A person with a wide variety of skills
Jam session	Playing improvised music in an informal setting
Join the club	I feel sympathy for you because I have experienced something similar
Jump in with both feet	Begin a new experience wholeheartedly
Jump the gun	Start doing something too soon
Jump the shark	To pass peak quality and begin to decline
Jump the track	To shift suddenly from one activity or line of thought to another
Jump through hoops	To have to do a lot of things that seem difficult or unnecessary in order to achieve something
Just around the corner	Occurring soon
Just for the record	I would like to make it clear that
Just what the doctor ordered	Exactly what is wanted or needed
Kangaroo court	A court of law where proper procedures are not followed at all
Keep a stiff upper lip	Control one’s emotions and not give in to fear or grief
Keep an ear to the ground	Staying informed and updated about everything
Keep an eye on	To watch it periodically, to keep it under surveillance
Keep at bay	To control something and prevent it from causing you problems
Keep it under your hat	Don’t reveal this secret
Keep your chin up	Cheer up; try to be cheerful and strong
Keep your nose clean	Avoid trouble or situations that compromise one’s honesty
Keep your powder dry	To be prepared to act with little advance notice
Keeping one’s nose to the grindstone	Working hard on something repetitive or tedious
Kick the bucket	To die
Kick the can down the road	Postpone an important decision
Kill a fly with an elephant gun	Approach a problem with excessive measures
Kill the goose that laid the golden egg	To destroy a source of ongoing profits or benefits
King of the hill	At the top of one’s field
Kink in one’s neck	A cramp in one’s neck that causes pain
Kith and Kin	People you are connected with, especially by family relationships
Knock some sense into	To cause someone to stop thinking or behaving foolishly
Knock someone’s socks off	Amaze someone
Know like the back of one’s hand	To be very familiar with something, especially an area
Larger than life	Conveying a sense of greatness, imposing
Last but not least	What I have just said does not reflect a ranking in importance
Laughter is the best medicine	Laughing a lot is a very effective means of recovering from physical or mental injury
Learn the ropes	Become more familiar with a job or field of endeavor
Leave no stone unturned	To do everything you can to achieve a good result, especially when looking for something
Leave someone in the lurch	Abandon someone in a difficult situation
Lend an ear	To listen to someone with sympathy
Let bygones be bygones	Agree to forget about a past conflict
Let one’s hair down	To relax and enjoy themselves
Letter of the law	The explicit meaning of a law
Lick one’s wounds	Rest after a bad defeat
Life is a bowl of cherries	Life is wonderful or very pleasant
Light a fire under someone	Inspire someone to work very hard
Light at the end of the tunnel	A sign of hope after a long period of difficulties
Like a kid in a candy store	To be so excited about one’s surroundings that one acts in a childlike or silly way
Like a moth to a flame	Drawn to something or someone despite the dangers
Like the cat that got the cream	Looking particularly self-satisfied, often to the annoyance of others
Like two peas in a pod	Bearing a strong resemblance
Lion’s den	Any dangerous or frightening place
Lion’s share	The largest part of something
Live large	Have a luxurious lifestyle
Living on borrowed time	Following an illness or near-death experience, may people believe they have cheated death
Loaded for bear	Prepared for problems, well prepared for a challenge
Loan shark	A predatory lender
Long shot	Something with little chance of success
Look the other way	Take no notice of violations of laws or rules, unofficially condone something
Look what the cat dragged in	Someone unwelcome has arrived
Loose cannon	Someone out of control
Lose it	To suddenly become unable to behave or think in a sensible way
Lose one’s touch	Suffer a decline in one’s skill at doing something
Lose the thread	Be unable to follow someone’s reasoning
Love rat	Somebody who cheats on his/her partner
Low-hanging fruit	Easy parts of a task
Lower the boom	Implement a punishment
Main squeeze	Committed romantic partner
Make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear	Turn something ordinary or inferior into something refined and beautiful
Make ends meet	To just have enough money to cover essential expenses
Make hay while the sun shines	To take advantage of an opportunity at the right time
Make nice	Act cordial despite conflict
Make one’s mark	Attain influence or recognition
Make someone’s day	Do something pleasing that puts someone in a good mood
Make waves	To be very active so that other people notice you, often in a way that intentionally causes trouble
March to the beat of your own drum	To do things in one's own way regardless of societal norms and conventional expectations
Match made in heaven	An extremely well-suited pairing of people or things; a match that will result in a particularly positive or successful outcome
May-December	Said of couples where one member is much older
Me time	Activities undertaken for one’s own enjoyment, free from responsibilities to others
Meeting of the minds	Strong instinctive agreement on something
Improve relations after a dispute	Mend Fences
Mind one’s P’s and Q’s	To be careful about behaving in a polite or proper way
Monday morning quarterback	A person who acts like they have all the answers to a problem, especially in hindsight, usually without having any experience in that area
Month of sundays	A very long time
Move the needle	To change a situation to a noticeable degree
Much of a muchness	Of two or more things, having little difference of any significance between them
Music to my ears	Good to hear or welcome news
Mutton dressed up as lamb	A woman who dresses in a style appropriate to someone of a younger age
My dogs are barking	My feet hurt
My old man / My old lady	My spouse
My way or the highway	If you do not do things the way I want or require, then you can just leave or not participate
Nail-biter	A suspenseful event
Neck of the woods	A region, especially one’s home region
Nest egg	A sum of money that has been saved or kept for a special purpose
New wrinkle	A novel aspect to a situation, a new development
Nice chunk of change	A large amount of money
Nickel and dime	To negotiate over very small sums
Nine times out of ten	Almost always
Nine-to-Five job	A routine job in an office that involves standard office hours
Nip something in the bud	Deal with a problem before it becomes large
No holds barred	Unrestricted, without rules
No names, no pack drill	If no one can be identified, no one will be punished
No rhyme or reason	Without logic or pattern
No room to swing a cat	Very small, not big enough
No skin off my nose	The outcome will not affect me personally
No tree grows to the sky	Growth cannot continue indefinitely
Not cut out for	Not naturally skillful enough to do something well
Not give a fig	To not care at all about something
Not have a prayer	Have no chance of success
Not know jack	Not know anything
Not lift a finger	Do nothing to help
Not mince words	To speak very bluntly and directly, without regard for someone else's feelings
Not one's cup of tea	Not what one likes or interested in
Not playing with a full deck	Not very bright or intelligent; dimwitted
Not ready for prime time	Not yet perfected; inexperienced
Not sit well with someone	Be difficult to accept
Nothing to write home about	Unspectacular, ordinary
Nuts and bolts	Everyday details of something
On cloud nine	Being very happy
On the back burner	Not urgent; set aside until later
On thin ice	In a precarious or risky situation
Pack heat	Carry a gun
Packed like sardines	Positioned very close together so that they cannot move
Paddle one’s own canoe	To be able to act independently
Page-turner	An exciting book that’s easy to read, a book that’s difficult to put down
Pain in the neck	Someone or something making your life difficult
Paint the town red	Go out drinking and partying
Par for the course	What would normally be expected
Pass with flying colors	To succeed brilliantly, as on an exam or other test
Pay through the nose	To pay too much money for something
Peaches and cream	A situation, process, etc., that has no trouble or problems
Pencil something in	Make tentative arrangements
Penny-pinching	Frugal, avoiding expenses whenever possible
Pep talk	An encouraging speech given to a person or group
Perfect storm	A rare combination of disastrous occurrences
Pet peeve	A small thing that you find particularly annoying
Pick a fight	Intentionally provoke a conflict or fight with someone
Pick up the slack	Do something that someone else is not doing
Pick up the tab	To pay a bill presented to a group, especially in a restaurant or bar
Pin someone down	Demand a decision or clear answer
Pink slip	A layoff notice
Piping hot	Very hot food
Pipped to the post	Defeated by a narrow margin
Play ball	Cooperate, agree to participate
Play the ponies	Bet on horse racing
Play with fire	Do something very risky
Play your cards right	Exploit a situation to your best advantage
Poison pill	A provision or feature added to a measure or an entity to make it less attractive, an undesirable add-on
Pop the question	To ask someone to marry you
Pot calling the kettle black	Accusing someone of something of which you are also guilty; being hypocritical
Powder keg	An explosive situation, a situation in which people are angry and ready to be violent
Preach to the choir	Making arguments to those who already agree with you
Price yourself out of the market	Try to sell goods or services at such a high price that nobody buys them
Puddle jumper	A small airplane, used on short trips
Pull out all the stops	Do everything possible to accomplish something
Pull strings	Use influence that’s based on personal connections
Pull the plug on	Terminate (something)
Puppies and rainbows	Perfect, idea often used sarcastically
Puppy dog eyes	A begging look
Puppy love	Adolescent love or infatuation, especially one that is not expected to last
Pure as the driven snow	To be innocent and chaste
Push the envelope	Go beyond common ways of doing something, be innovative
Put a thumb on the scale	Try to influence a discussion in an unfair way, cheat
Put down roots	Establish oneself in a place
Put lipstick on a pig	Make cosmetic changes to something bad
Put one’s face on	Apply cosmetics
Put out feelers	Make discreet, informal suggestions, ask around
Put someone on the spot	Force someone to answer a question or make a decision immediately
Put that in your pipe and smoke it	Accept and consider what I'm saying, even if you don't like it
Put the best face on	Emphasize the positive aspects of a bad situation
Put the brakes on	Slow something down
Put the cart before the horse	To do things in the wrong order
Put the cat among the pigeons	Say or do something that causes trouble or controversy
Put the genie back in the bottle	Try to suppress something that has already been revealed or done
Put the pedal to the metal	Drive as fast as possible
Put up with	Tolerate, accept
Put words into someone’s mouth	Attributing an opinion to someone who has never stated that opinion
Put your foot down	Use your authority to stop negative behavior
Put your money where your mouth is	Back up your opinions with a financial commitment
Quake in one’s boots	To be very frightened
Queer the pitch	To spoil or ruin something planned, arranged, or attempted
Quick-and-dirty	Approximate, hastily done
Quote Unquote	Suggesting that if a phrase were written out, it would be in quotation marks to convey sarcasm
Raining cats and dogs	To rain very heavily
Raise red flags	Warn of trouble ahead
Raise someone's hackles	Make someone angry and defensive
Raise the bar	Increase standards in a certain competition or area of endeavor
Raise the roof	Make a great deal of noise
Rake over the ashes	Examine a failure
Rank and file	The ordinary members of an organization
Read between the lines	Understanding the real message behind something
Read the tea leaves	Predict the future from small signs
Rear its ugly head	Appear, be revealed
Rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic	Taking superficial actions while ignoring a much larger and perhaps fatal problem
Red herring	A misleading clue
Red meat	Political appeals designed to excite one’s core supporters
Red tape	Difficult bureaucratic or governmental requirements
Reinvent the wheel	Devise a solution to a problem for which a solution already exists
Riding high	Enjoying success
Right under the nose	To be in a place that you can clearly see
Ring a bell	Sounds familiar
Rob Peter to pay Paul	Pay off a debt with another loan
Rob the cradle	To marry or become romantically involved with a much younger person, especially one from a younger generation
Rock bottom	An absolute low point
Rock the boat	You do or say something that will upset people or cause problems
Roll with the punches	Deal with problems by being flexible
Rookie mistake	An error made by an inexperienced person
Rotten to the core	Entirely evil
Rub something in someone’s face	Humiliate someone by repeating and criticizing his or her mistake
Run a tight ship	Manage an organization in a strict, well-regulated way
Run around in circles	To put effort into something while making little or no progress
Run in the family	To be a common family characteristic
Run into a buzz	Encounter severe and unexpected problems
Run off at the mouth	Talk a lot about unimportant things
Run on fumes	To be in a situation where one’s energy or resources is almost exhausted
Run the table	Win every game or contest
Saving grace	Something that redeems a bad situation
School of hard knocks	Difficult real-life experiences from which one has learned
Scorched earth	Ruthless, extremely destructive
Screw the pooch	To make a serious error
Second banana	A person in a subservient position
Second stringer	A substitute in a sport or job
Second wind	Renewed energy
See something out of the corner of your eye	Use peripheral vision
Seize the day	Take an opportunity
Sell like hotcakes	Be sold very quickly
Sell someone a bill of goods	Trick someone
Set in stone	Fixed; unchangeable
Set the thames on fire	To do something which brings great public acclaim
Shake the dust off your shoes	Make a clean break with a relationship or situation
Sharp as a tack	Mentally agile
Shell game	A method of deception in which you conceal your actions by moving something frequently
Shift gears	Change the subject, or change what one is doing
Shipshape and Bristol fashion	Tidy, clean
Shoot from the hip	Talk or act without consideration
Shot across the bow	A warning of more serious actions to come
Shoulder a weight off your shoulders	You no longer worry about something or deal with something difficult
Show one’s true colors	Reveal one’s true nature
Silver bullet	Something simple that resolves a difficult problem
Simmer down	Become less angry; regain one’s composure
Sing a different tune	Change your opinion
Sink or swim	Fail or succeed
Sit tight	Wait and do not go anywhere
Sitting pretty	Be in a good situation
Six of one, a half dozen of the other	The two choices have no significant differences
Six ways to (from) Sunday	In every possible way
Slam dunk	An effort that is certain to succeed
Sleep like a baby	To experience a very deep and restful sleep
Sleep with the fishes	Dead, often by murder
Slip someone a mickey	Add a drug to an alcoholic drink in order to knock someone out
Slippery slope	A series of undesirable effects that, one warns, could result from a certain action
Slower than molasses	Exceptionally slow or sluggish
Small beer	Unimportant, insignificant
Smell a rat	Suspect deception
Smoking gun	Indisputable evidence of a crime
Sneak peek	An opportunity to view something in advance of its official opening or debut
Something to crow	An accomplishment about which one is justified in bragging
Sore point	A sensitive topic for a particular person
Sour grapes	A person is angry because they have not got or achieved something that they wanted
Spare the rod and spoil the child	It is necessary to physically punish children in order to raise them right
Spin a yarn	Tell a story
Spit into the wind	Wasting time on something futile
Stab someone in the back	To betray a close person
Stand In good stead	To be useful or helpful to someone or something
Start with a clean slate	To start (something) again with a fresh beginning; to work on a problem without thinking about what has been done before
Steal someone’s thunder	Upstage someone
Stem the tide	To stop or control the growth of something, usually something unpleasant
Step up one’s game	Work to advance to a higher level of a competition
Step up to the plate	Take action in response to an opportunity or crisis
Stick it to the man	Do something that frustrates those in authority
Stick-in-the-mud	Someone who is considered boring, often due to unpopular or outdated beliefs
Sticker shock	Surprise at the high price of something
Sticky wicket	A difficult, tricky situation
Storm in a teacup	A commotion that dies down quickly, about something unimportant
Stormy relationship	Relationship that has a lot arguments and disagreement
Strike a chord	Cause someone to feel sympathy, emotion, or enthusiasm
Stumbling block	An obstacle, physical or abstract
Sure-fire	Certain to occur
Swan song	A farewell appearance or final act or pronouncement
Sweeten the deal	Add something to an offer during a negotiation
Swim against the tide	Do something contrary to a trend or usual opinion
Swing for the fences	Attempt to achieve the largest accomplishment possible
Sword of Damocles	Something that causes a feeling of constant threat
Take a deep dive	Explore something extensively
Take a flyer	To take a chance
Take a gander	Go to take a look at something
Take a rain check	Postpone a plan
Take it on the chin	Be attacked; suffer an attack
Take it or leave it	You must decide now whether you will accept this proposal
Take something with a pinch of salt	If you take what someone says with a pinch of salt, you do not completely believe it
Take the cake	Be the most extreme instance
Take the edge off	To slightly improve something negative
Take the gloves off	Negotiate in a more aggressive way
Take the high road	Refuse to descend to immoral activities or personal attacks
Take the shine off	To do something that diminishes a positive event
Take the wind out of someone’s sails	To reduce someone’s confidence, often by doing something unexpected
Taste of your own medicine	The same unpleasant experience or treatment that one has given to others
Teach an old dog new tricks	To change someone’s long-established habits
Tear-jerker	A film or book that makes you cry
Tell It to the marines	I don't believe you; you must think I'm gullible
Ten a penny	Ordinary, inexpensive
Test the waters	Experiment with something cautiously
That ship has sailed	That opportunity has passed
The American dream	The belief among Americans that hard work leads to material success
The cherry on the cake	The final thing that makes something perfect
The coast is clear	We are unobserved it is safe to proceed
The elephant in the room	An obvious problem that no one wants to discuss
The jig is up	A secret illicit activity has been exposed
The more things change, the more they stay the same	Although something may seem superficially new, it has not altered the basic situation
The only game in town	The sole option for a particular service
The real McCoy	A genuine item
The story has legs	People are continuing to pay attention to the story
The time is ripe	A suitable point for a particular activity
The walls have ears	We may be overheard; be careful what you say
The world is your oyster	You have many opportunities and choices
Thin on the ground	Rare, seldom encountered
Think outside the box	Think creatively
Think tank	A group of experts engaged in ongoing studies of a particular subject
Third time’s a charm	Even if you fail at something twice, you may well succeed the third time
Through thick and thin	In good and bad times
Throw in the towel	To give up, admit defeat
Throw someone under the bus	Sacrifice someone else’s interests for your own personal gain
Throw the baby out with the bath water	To discard something valuable or important while disposing of something worthless
Tie the knot	Get married
Tight-lipped	Secretive, unwilling to explain something
Tighten the screws	Increase pressure on someone
Til the cows come home	For a very long time
Tip of the iceberg	A small, visible part of a much larger problem
To be smitten with someone	To be completely captivated by someone and feel immense joy
To get cold feet	To experience reluctance or fear
Tom, Dick and Harry	Any ordinary person
Too many cooks spoil the broth	A project works best if there is input from a limited number of people
Too many to shake a stick at	A large number
Top banana	The boss, the leader
Touch wood	Let’s hope I have good luck or continue to have good luck
Tough cookie	Someone who can endure hardship
Train wreck	Anything that develops in a disastrous way
Tread water	Maintain a current situation without improvement or decline
Trial balloon	A test of someone’s or the public’s reaction
Trip the light fantastic	Dance, in particular engage in ballroom dancing
Turn a blind eye	Pretend not to notice
Turn someone inside out	To completely change someone
Turn the corner	To begin to improve after a problem
Turn the tables	Reverse a situation
Under someone’s spell	Fascinated, entranced by someone
Under the impression	Believing something, perhaps mistakenly
Under the radar	Not generally perceived, below popular consciousness
Under the table	Without being officially recorded
Until you're blue in the face	For a long time with no results
Up a creek	In a very bad situation
Up for grabs	Available for anyone
Up in the air	Not yet decided
Up to one’s neck	Nearly overwhelmed
Up to scratch	Meeting a basic standard of competence or quality
Use one’s head	To think, to have common sense
Vicious circle	A situation in which an attempt to solve a problem makes the original problem worse
Victory lap	Visible public appearances after a victory or accomplishment
Virgin territory	Something that has never been explored, physically or intellectually
Vote with one’s feet	To physically depart from something as a way of showing disapproval
Waiting in the wings	Ready to assume responsibilities but not yet active
Wake up and smell the coffee	To tell someone that they are wrong about a particular situation and must realize what is really happening
Wake up on the wrong side of the bed	Be grumpy or ill-humored
Walk the plank	Be forced to resign a position
Wandering eye	A tendency to look at and desire women or men other than one’s committed romantic partner
Wash your hands of something	Refuse to be involved with something anymore
Water under the bridge	Something in the past that’s no longer worth worrying about
Wet blanket	Someone who dampens a festive occasion
What do you make of someone	What is your evaluation of this person?
What goes around comes around	The kind of treatment you give to others will eventually return to you; things go in cycles
What’s good for the goose Is good for the gander	What’s OK for a man is OK for a woman, too
When in Rome, do as the Romans do	When you visit a new place, follow the customs of the people there
When it rains it pours	Everything happens at once
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire	If there is typical evidence of something, the most likely explanation is that it is actually occurring
Whisper sweet nothings	Speak meaningless romantic utterances
Whistling dixie	Being unrealistically optimistic
White elephant	An unwanted item that is difficult to sell or dispose of
Window shop	To look at merchandise in a store without intending to buy it
Witch hunt	An organized attempt to persecute an unpopular group of people and blame them for a problem
With bells on	Eagerly, willingly, and on time
Work one’s fingers to the bone	Work very hard over an extended period
Worn to a frazzle	Exhausted, completely worn out
Wouldn't be caught dead	Would absolutely not allow myself to do this
Writing handwriting on the wall	Hints of coming disaster
Year in, year out	Annually without change
You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink	t’s very hard to force someone to do something against his or her will
You can take it to the bank	I absolutely guarantee this
You can't make fish of one and fowl of the other	People must be treated equally
You know the drill	You are already familiar with the procedure
You snooze, you lose	If you delay or are not alert, you will miss opportunities
Young at heart	Having a youthful outlook, regardless of age
Your mileage may vary	You may get different results
Zero in on	Focus closely on something; take aim at something
Zig when one should be zagging	To move in a particular direction when one should move in a different direction in order to avoid some obstacle or impediment
Zip one’s lip	Be quiet
Zero hour	The particular time when any crucial act supposed to take place
Zoom off	To be in a hurry
Zone out	To stop paying attention and think about something else or nothing
Zenith of career/life	The highest pinnacle of a person's career or life
Zonk out	To fall asleep very promptly
Zero-sum game	To be in a situation where the outcomes can either be to win or to lose
Bog-Standard	Something that is very ordinary or basic, nothing special
Eat a horse	To be extremely hungry
Finger in every pie	To be involved or have influence in many things
Glad to see the back of	To be happy that you no longer have to deal with someone
Green Fingers	To be good at gardening, able to make plants grow
No-Brainer	An easy decision, something you don't need to think too hard about
Waste not, Want not	If you use what you have to the full, then you won't desire or need more

6. Cheatsheet

An analogy is a comparison between two or more words. Questions on analogies are in the following formats:

(1) A pair of words will be provided along with another pair of words in the options. You need to select the pair (C & D) which showcases the same relationship as the pair in the question.

i.e., A : B :: __C___ : ___D___

(2) This is similar to the first type, except that there could be three words (D, E & F) instead of two.

i.e., A : B : C :: __D___ : ___E___ : ___F___

(3) A pair of words will be provided, along with another word. Each option will have a single word, and you need to select the word (D) which has the same relationship with the third standalone word as the first pair in the question.

i.e., A : B :: C : D_

(4) There will be a table with two columns, and you have to match the words in either column based on a common relationship.

Common relationships between the words:

1) Cause and effect - one word is the cause of another (e.g. heat : sweat; cold : shivering)

2) Degree of intensity - the two words are similar in meaning or effect, but one is stringer or more intense than the other (e.g. warm : scalding, hungry : ravenous)
Another aspect is context, where the words differ in context (e.g. interested : prying)

3) Synonymous or antonymous words - usually with difficult words

4) Function or activity - one words uses the other to perform something (e.g. pen : ink or car : driver)

5) Member of a class, typically for animals (e.g. herd : sheep)

6) Relationship - male and female, parent and baby (e.g. buck : doe, cheetah : cub respectively)

Additionally, you might get idioms or symbols. Please read through the common ones given in the lesson.

CAT 2025 Lesson : Analogies - Introduction

Analogies