GoEnglish.com Idioms & Phrases keyword page"The" Idioms & Phrases with "The"
keyword: The A Babe In The Woods » (young; innocent; not experienced; vulnerable...) A Bird In The Hand Is Worth Two In The Bush » (don't risk losing what you have by trying to get more; it is better to value what you have than to try to get more...) A Chip Off The Old Block » (the child who is similar to his parent...) A Diamond In The Rough » (a wonderful thing whose value is not seen easily at first look...) A Drop In The Bucket » (it does not matter; it is a small amount; it seems like a very small amount...) A Drop In The Ocean » (it seems like a very small amount...) A Flash In The Pan » (an early success which later becomes a failure...) A Night On The Town » (that person will go out to have fun at different public places...) A Pain In The Neck » (this person causes problems; one who makes life difficult...) A Piece Of The Action » (wanting to participate...) A Shot In The Arm » (something which gives you confidence and strength; it gives you strength and encourages you...) A Shot In The Dark » (a guess at something when one does not know the answer...) A Skeleton In The Closet » (things from ones past that are shameful or embarrassing...) A Slap In The Face » (an intentional insult...) A Slap On The Wrist » (a slight punishment...) A Slip Of The Tongue » (it was said accidentally...) A Snake In The Grass » (a sneaky person that wants to trick or steal from; deceitful...) A Struggle To The Death » (one spends all of one's life energy on a fight, and dies...) A Word To The Wise » (good advice; you will listen to this advice if you are smart...) Above And Beyond The Call Of Duty » (one does more work than is required...) Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder » (the time spent apart makes you care for a person even more...) Ace In The Hole » (with this, one is expected to win...) Across The Board » (it will apply to all; all will be affected by it...) Add Fuel To The Fire » (do something which makes a bad situation even worse...) After The Fact » (after the thing already happened...) Against The Clock » (in a hurry; needing to be done before a certain time...) Ahead Of The Game » (things are going very well...) All For The Best » (the result will be good...) All In The Family » (only for members of our family...) All In The Same Boat » (facing the same challenges and needing to work together...) All Over But The Shouting » (the competition is over; it has been decided...) All The Rage » (it is very popular right now; everyone is talking about it...) Amount To The Same Thing » (the two are equal; there is no difference between them...) And The Like » (and things like that...) Answer The Door » (go to the door and ask who is there or let them in...) Arguing For The Sake Of Argument » (the person does not have a reason to disagree; the person is being disagreeable...) Armed To The Teeth » (has lots of weapons...) Around The Block » (been to different places and done different things...) Around The Clock » (during any hour of the day; 24 hours...) At The Crack Of Dawn » (the moment in the morning when one first sees sunlight...) At The End Of One's Rope » (one cannot be patient any longer; one is ready to become very angry...) At The Mercy Of Someone » (that person has power over one; that person will decide what happens to one...) At The Present Time » (now; right now; for now...) Back The Wrong Horse » (choose to support the one who will not win...) Back To The Drawing Board » (make new plans and start again from the very beginning...) Balance The Books » (make sure the money spent is not more than the money earned...) Barking Up The Wrong Tree » (look for it in the wrong place...) Batten Down The Hatches » (prepare for a big storm...) Be Off On The Wrong Foot » (got a bad start; started in a bad way...) Be The Case » (is true...) Be The Spitting Image Of Someone » (the one looks exactly like the other...) Be The Straw That Broke The Camel's Back » (the last thing that happened after which one said "no more"...) Beat The Clock » (do it before a certain time...) Beating Around The Bush » (one wants to say something but won't say it directly...) Beginning Of The End » (things will get worse...) Behind The Eight Ball » (slow; not doing well; falling behind...) Behind The Scenes » (done by people who could not be seen...) Behind The Times » (slow; late; old-fashioned...) Belaboring The Point » (continue talking about it...) Beside The Point » (different from what one is talking about...) Beyond The Call Of Duty » (more than is expected or required by a job...) Beyond The Shadow Of A Doubt » (definitely true; certain...) Bite The Bullet » (wait when it is hard to wait...) Bite The Dust » (fall down...) Biting The Bullet » (patiently waiting when you do not want to wait...) Biting The Hand That Feeds You » (hurt the one who has been helping you...) Blowing The Whistle » (telling the authorities about some illegal action that is happening...) Break The Tie » (to finally determine a single winner...) Breaking The Bank » (spending more money than you have...) Breaking The Ice » (making people feel more comfortable...) Breaking The News » (being the first to tell a news story...) Bring Home The Bacon » (make money to support the family...) Bringing Home The Bacon » (earning money and taking it home for the family...) Bringing Up The Rear » (the last one; in last place...) Build Castles In The Air » (tell unreal stories and make plans based on fantasy...) Burn The Candle At Both Ends » (too busy working late at night and not getting sleep...) Burn The Midnight Oil » (work lated at night...) Burning The Candle At Both Ends » (working for many hours without getting enough rest...) Burning The Midnight Oil » (up late at night working hard...) Call The Dogs Off » (tell your people to stop attacking...) Call The Meeting To Order » (officially begin the meeting with everyone following the rules...) Call The Roll » (read out the names of people who should be present...) Call The Shots » (make the decisions for oneself and others...) Can Take It To The Bank » (you can trust, expect and rely on it...) Can't Cut The Mustard » (not good enough to participate...) Can't Stand The Sight Of Someone Or Something » (dislike that person strongly...) Carry A Secret To The Grave » (not tell a secret during one's entire life...) Cast In The Same Mold » (built similarly to the other...) Cast The First Stone » (be the first to attack in a fight...) Caught In The Act » (caught while doing the wrong thing...) Caught In The Middle » (not able to go the one way or the other way...) Champ At The Bit » (eager to begin...) Change The Subject » (talk about something different...) Chew The Fat » (talk casually and make conversation...) Chilled To The Bone » (very cold; one feels the cold very deeply...) Chomp At The Bit » (one shows that one is eager to begin...) Clear The Table » (move dirty things off of the table so it can be clean and ready for use...) Clearing The Air » (talking about the thing people are thinking about...) Climbing On The Bandwagon » (joining in what the others are doing...) Coming To The Crunch » (now is the busy time...) Cooking The Books » (changing the accounting numbers to lie about income...) Delivering The Goods » (give them what they paid money to get...) Do Not Have A Care In The World » (carefree; without problems; acting like nothing bothers one...) Doing The Honors » (be the one to do the ceremonial thing...) Doing The Job » (succeed at doing what you want to do...) Doing The Right Thing » (do the thing that you should do...) Doing The Sights » (visit the tourist places...) Doing The Trick » (fix the problem...) Don't Put The Cart Before The Horse » (certain things will fail if they are not done in the correct order...) Down For The Count » (one is not able to continue, like a fighter who has fallen and cannot get up...) Down In The Dumps » (upset, bothered, sad; feeling sad, low, depressed...) Down The Drain » (it has disappeared and it gone; it is lost...) Down The Hatch » (drink that drink now; swallow the entire thing now...) Down The Street » (nearby to where one is; on the same street that one is located...) Down The Tubes » (it is lost and gone; the thing got ruined...) Down To The Wire » (it is close to the finish; there is little time left; we do not yet know who will win...) Downhill All The Way » (easy, comfortable, and not requiring a lot of effort...) Everything But The Kitchen Sink » (one brought everything one could bring...) Facing The Music » (receiving a punishment for what one has done...) Far And Away The Best » (much better than any others...) Far Into The Night » (until very late...) Feed The Kitty » (you must put money into the "kitty" if you want to gamble while playing cards...) Feel The Pinch » (one has less money to spend because of hard times...) Feeling On Top Of The World » (feeling great, like a winner...) Fill The Bill » (have what is needed to do something...) Filled To The Brim » (so full that no more can be added without spilling...) Find Something Out The Hard Way » (one learned it by making a mistake...) First Thing In The Morning » (the first thing done on a new day...) Fit The Bill » (it is what you are looking for; it is what you wanted...) Flash In The Pan » (a sudden success that disappears quickly...) Flirt With The Idea Of Doing Something » (consider the possibility of doing it...) Fly In The Face Of Someone Or Something » (goes against what is known...) Fly Off The Handle » (become angry and start yelling; lose one's temper...) Fly The Coop » (escape from prison; escape...) Flying Off The Handle » (getting upset and going out of control...) Follow The Crowd » (walk in the same direction as the group; do what the others do...) Foot The Bill » (pay for it...) For The Duration » (during the time while it is happening...) For The Heck Of It » (less rude way to say: for no reason; not for any good reason...) For The Hell Of It » (overly casual: for no reason; not for any good reason...) For The Moment » (this is the plan for now, but it may change...) For The Record » (so you can tell other people that I said this...) For The Time Being » (it will happen this way until something changes...) Force Someone To The Wall » (force a person to make a decision that they did not want to make...) From The Bottom Of One's Heart » (one feels the emotion very deeply and truthfully...) From The Cradle To The Grave » (during one's whole life; from one's earliest days of ones life, until one dies...) From The Heart » (said or done in an honest and caring way...) From The Horse's Mouth » (told by the person who was there...) From The Old School » (this is way things used to be done; the traditional way...) From The Outset » (from the very start...) From The Top » (from the very beginning of the song...) From The Word Go » (as soon as we began...) Full Of The Devil » (being playfully bad; acting mischievously...) Get A Slap On The Wrist » (receive a very mild or light punishment...) Get At The Heart Of The Matter » (do or talk about the thing that is most important...) Get Down To The Facts » (talk about what really happened; stop wasting time talking about opinions...) Get Down To The Nitty Gritty » (work on the small details of the project; think and talk about the many small details...) Get In On The Ground Floor » (join a project at the very beginning; invest early...) Get Into The Act » (join in on what the others are doing...) Get Into The Swing Of Things » (feel comfortable participating in what is going on...) Get Off On The Wrong Foot » (have a bad start; start badly; the two did not like each other when they met...) Get On The Good Side Of Someone » (that person likes you and will do nice things for you...) Get One's Foot In The Door » (get an opportunity or introduction with that person or place...) Get The Blues » (feel sad...) Get The Brush Off » (be ignored...) Get The Creeps » (it makes you feel nervous and uncomfortable...) Get The Day Off » (have a day without working...) Get The Drift Of Something » (you understand the general idea...) Get The Facts Straight » (one is clear about what has happened; one knows the information...) Get The Feel Of Something » (feel comfortable doing something...) Get The Final Word » (say the last thing said in an argument...) Get The Floor » (have the opportunity to speak in front of the group...) Get The Go Ahead » (it is okay to begin; one has permission to do what one wanted to do...) Get The Goods On Someone » (have information that someone did something wrong...) Get The Hard Sell » (one is trying to force someone to buy something...) Get The Last Word » (one is the last person to speak in an argument...) Get The Lead Out » (move ones body, so one is more comfortable moving...) Get The Message » (understand what someone is trying to tell you...) Get The Nod » (get permission to do something; be allowed to enter the game...) Get The Old Heave Ho » (be fired from a job or thrown out of some event...) Get The Picture » (understand what one is trying to communicate...) Get The Red Carpet Treatment » (be welcomed grandly with a very special treatment...) Get The Sack » (get fired; one is forced to leave one's job...) Get The Shock Of One's Life » (one was surprised in the most extreme possible way...) Get The Short End Of The Stick » (be the one who gets a bad deal or a worse deal than the others...) Get The Slip » (the person one was following has escaped...) Get The Upper Hand On Someone » (be in a position of strength over that person...) Get The Willies » (get a very gross or uncomfortable feeling...) Get The Word » (start believing in the God and bible of Christianity...) Get The Works » (get all of the extras with your order...) Get The Worst Of Something » (this one was effected most badly by what happened...) Get To The Bottom Of Something » (find out the truth about what has happened...) Get To The Point » (talk about the important thing; say what you intended to say...) Get To The Root Of The Problem » (discover the cause of the problem...) Get Up The Nerve To Do It » (gain the confidence to do it...) Give Him The Slip » (to escape from that person...) Give Him The Third Degree » (tell that person what not to do...) Give Someone A Slap On The Wrist » (give that person a mild punishment for what they did wrong...) Give Someone The Runaround » (give that person excuses and false answers...) Go Back To The Drawing Board » (start over again...) Go In One Ear And Out The Other » (the person did not hear what was said; one is acting as if one did not hear...) Go The Distance » (last for the entire match without quitting or being knocked out...) Go Through The Motions » (do it even though one is not excited to do it...) Go Through The Roof » (go very high; go too high...) Going Against The Grain » (making things difficult by acting against the wishes of others...) Going All The Way » (continuing and succeeding until the very end...) Icing On The Cake » (a second great thing happens in addition to the first...) Idle Hands Are The Devil's Tools » (when you have nothing to do you are more likely to get into trouble...) If The Shoe Fits, Wear It » (if what people are saying is true, let's agree that it is true; it is a fair and good description; it is that way and it cannot be denied...) If You Can't Stand The Heat, Get Out Of The Kitchen » (if you want to be responsible then you must face difficulties...) In The Act » (doing that thing at that time...) In The Affirmative » (yes...) In The Dark » (you did not know about it...) In The Heat Of The Moment » (overwhelmed bythe experience of that moment...) In The Market For That » (looking to buy that thing...) In The Meantime » (until it happens; while you are waiting; the time before thing...) In The Middle Of Nowhere » (a place that is far from anything important to you...) In The Money » (have a lot of money; become rich...) In The Near Future » (very soon; it will happen soon; the time for it will be soon...) In The Nude » (not wearing any clothes...) In The Open » (not hidden; it can be seen...) In The Public Eye » (where everyone can see you; people you don't know may be watching...) In The Short Run » (soon; for now; for a short period of time...) In The Spotlight » (visible; where others can see one; others are watching...) In The Wrong » (the incorrect one; wrong; mistaken; the one who did the wrong thing...) Johnny On The Spot » (one arrives just in time; without delay; on time but not early...) Join The Club » (the same thing happened to us, too...) Jump At The Chance » (take the opportunity to do it; quickly do it as soon as one can; one wants to do it...) Jump On The Bandwagon » (join everyone else in what they are doing...) Jump The Gun » (start before it is time to begin; cheat in a race by starting early...) Jumping On The Bandwagon » (start doing or saying the same as the others...) Keeping One's Nose To The Grindstone » (working away and not letting oneself be distracted...) Laughing All The Way To The Bank » (one is happy because one got a lot of money...) Laying Down On The Job » (acting lazy; not work when one should be working...) Laying Down The Law » (make the rules that others must follow; be strict; say what the others must do...) Laying Your Cards On The Table » (let the other person see your plans...) Letting The Cat Out Of The Bag » (sharing a secret...) Like Ships That Pass In The Night » (a casual and coincidental meeting...) Look Like Something The Cat Dragged In » (looking terrible as if one has been through a very bad experience...) Look Someone In The Eye » (be direct with that person; do not hide; do not turn away when that person looks at you...) Look Someone In The Face » (face the danger; do not hide; do not run away; accept the problem...) Looking A Gift Horse In The Mouth » (questioning the value of something you have received for free...) Money Is The Root Of All Evil » (wanting more money causes people do very bad things...) Mum's The Word » (we won't tell anyone; keep it a secret...) Necessity Is The Mother Of Invention » (you find a way to do what you need to do...) Nip Something In The Bud » (stop it just when it is beginning...) None The Wiser » (they don't know...) Of The Old School » (done in old way; done the way people used to do it...) Off On The Wrong Foot » (starting off badly...) Off The Beaten Track » (not in the usual, ordinary way; differently...) Off The Cuff » (one just thought it up and said it; without preparation...) Off The Hook » (free from a difficult situation...) Off The Record » (not official; what one says is not to be repeated...) Off The Subject » (not connected to what people are talking about...) Off The Top Of One's Head » (one thinks it up quickly and easily; without help or preparation...) Old As The Hills » (aged; very old; historic...) On The Fence » (you are still undecided...) On The Rocks » (fighting with each other; not communicating...) On The Same Page » (different people are looking at an issue in the same way, as when reading from the same page...) One For The Road » (one more, then I am leaving...) Out Of The Frying Pan (And Into The Fire) » (to get out of a bad situation and end up in one that is even worse...) Over The Hill » (old; not young...) Over The Hump » (past the most difficult part...) Par For The Course » (that naturally happens while doing that; it is natural...) Pass The Buck » (blame what happened on someone else...) Paying The Price » (suffering for what was happened...) Pick Up The Tab » (pay for it...) Pie In The Sky » (a big idea which is impossible to make real...) Possession Is Nine Tenths Of The Law » (holding the thing implies ownership of that thing by law...) Preaching To The Choir » (trying to make believers out of people who already believe...) Put The Cart Before The Horse » (you must do the one thing before you do the other thing; the order cannot be changed...) Riding The Gravy Train » (getting money from...) Roll Out The Red Carpet » (to give a grand welcome to an important guest...) Running The Table » (making all of your shots and winning...) Scratch The Surface » (beginning to discover something that is bigger and more extensive...) See Someone To The Door » (walk with that person to the door as they are leaving...) Settle The Score With Someone » (get revenge on that person; hurt a person who hurt you...) Show Someone The Ropes » (teach a person how to do that thing; share ones skill with another...) Sign On The Dotted Line » (sign a form; write one's name on an official piece of paper...) Sit On The Fence » (be unsure of which choice to make; not decide...) Sitting On Top Of The World » (one is feeling great; one is feeling like one's life is going great...) Six Of One And Half A Dozen Of The Other » (either way, it is the same; both possibilites are equal; two ways of saying the same thing...) Six Of One, A Half Dozen Of The Other » (they are the same thing...) Skeletons In The Closet » (secrets from your past which you try not to show to other people...) Spill The Beans » (tell the secret...) Split Down The Middle » (the results are exactly the same on both sides...) Split The Difference » (share the amount that is extra...) Stare Someone In The Face » (look directly at that thing; see it clearly...) Start Off On The Wrong Foot » (have a bad start; begin with bad feelings...) Steal The Spotlight » (be the one that everyone looks at...) Take A Turn For The Better » (the situation has recently gotten better...) Take A Turn For The Worse » (the situation has recently gotten worse...) Take It On The Chin » (accept the blow or the insult without quitting, like a boxer who gets hit on the chin but keeps fighting...) Take Someone To The Cleaners » (take all of that person's money...) Take The Bull By The Horns » (take strong action and gain control of the situation...) The Apple Of Your Eye » (the one you love the most...) The Ball Is In Your Court » (it is your turn to do something...) The Be All And The End All » (the only thing that one cares about; the only thing that one cares about...) The Best Laid Plans Of Mice And Men » (good plans can go bad...) The Best Laid Schemes Of Mice And Men » (good plans can go bad; big plans that people make and fill with hopes and dreams...) The Best Of Both Worlds » (to get the best of both choices...) The Big Moment » (The time that you have been waiting for...) The Bigger They Are (The Harder They Fall) » (we can beat this larger opponent...) The Bottom Line » (the thing on which you will base your decisions...) The Daily Grind » (the hard work that one does every day...) The Devil Is In The Details » (the difficult part is in the many small details...) The Early Bird (Catches The Worm) » (being early leads to success...) The Ends Justify The Means » (our actions are called for by this situation...) The First Step Is Always The Hardest » (Everything is easier once you have already started; getting started is the hardest part...) The Game Is Afoot » (the chase has begun...) The Grass Is Always Greener On The Other Side Of The Fence » (we tend to want things that belong to other people...) The Jury Is Out » (it is still being decided...) The Nuts And Bolts Of Something » (the details of how the thing works...) The Pot Calling The Kettle Black » (accusing others of doing the same thing you do...) The Pros And Cons » (the reasons for and against it; the good and bad aspects...) The Road To Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions » (meaning to do the right thing is no good excuse if you did the wrong thing anyway...) The Sky Is The Limit » (the possibilities are endless...) The Squeaky Wheel Gets The Oil » (you have to make noise if you want to get things done...) The Squeeky Wheel Gets The Oil » (you have to make noise if you want to get things done...) The Stars Were All Lined Up » (a number of things happened which were needed for the perfect result...) The Straw That Broke The Camel's Back » (one last thing that finally made the you upset...) The Writing On The Wall » (the signs of a coming change...) Think Inside The Box » (thinking in old, outdated ways; not original...) Think Outside The Box » (Think without following traditional rules...) Think The World Of Someone Or Something » (think that one is one of the most important in the world...) Thinking Inside The Box » (thinking in familiar old ways...) Thinking Outside The Box » (thinking in creative new ways...) Those Were The Days » (things were good at that time; i have a good memory of those days...) Three Sheets To The Wind » (very drunk; wildly drunk; so drunk one is stumbling while walking...) Throw In The Towel » (quit the match; give up in a game; one does not have the strength to continue...) Tie The Knot » (get married; two people promise they will stay together in marriage...) Tip The Scales At Something » (increase the chance that it will happen...) Under The Gun » (under a lot of pressure to get something done...) Until The Cows Come Home » (for a very long time...) Waiting In The Wings » (one is waiting close-by and ready to participate...) Wee Hours Of The Night » (very late at night, close to morning...) Wet Behind The Ears » (New at something; with little practical experience...) What's The Good Of Something? » (There seems to be no reason to do that...) When In Rome, Do As The Romans Do » (it is best to do as the people do who are from that place; when visiting a foreign place it is best to do things the way those people do...) When The Cat's Away, The Mice Will Play » (when the person of authority is away, the others act less responsibly...) When The Chips Are Down » (When things are not going well; how one feels when one is losing...) When The Time Is Ripe » (it will happen at the right time, not sooner...) Wide Of The Mark » (incorrect...) Win The Day » (Be successful on this day...) With Your Back Up Against The Wall » (restrained from acting as you would like...) Wither On The Vine » (Die or fail visibly where it should be growing and thriving...) Work One's Fingers To The Bone » (Working so much that one is physically sore...) Work Out For The Best » (It will have a good result; the result will be the best possible conclusion...) X Marks The Spot » (This is the exact location...) Yield The Right Of Way » (Stop or slow and wait while another crosses or moves ahead...) You Beat Me To The Punch » (you were quicker; you got there first...) You Have To Take The Good With The Bad » (accept that everything has a bad as well as a good side...) You Scared The Crap Out Of Me » (rude speech, crass: you frightened me...) You Scared The Hell Out Of Me » (What you did scared me and I still get a bit upset when I remember it; what you did frightened me very suddenly...) You Scared The Pants Off Of Me » (I was not prepared for what happened and it frightened me...) You're In The Mood For It » (you feel like having it; you want it...) You're In The Mood To Do It » (feel like doing that; want to do it...) A Blessing In Disguise » (it seemed like a bad thing at first, but the result was surprisingly good; it appeared to be a bad thing but turned out to be a good thing...) A Change Of Pace » (doing it differently from the way it was done before...) A Chip On Your Shoulder » (angry because of what happened in the past...) A Cold Fish » (someone who gives the feeling of cold and deadness...) A Copycat » (one who thoughtlessly copies the work of another; one who copies the work or actions of another...) A Credit To Someone Or Something » (it happened because of the good qualities of that person...) A Crick In One's Back » (a soreness or pain felt in the person's back...) A Crick In One's Neck » (a soreness or pain felt in the person's neck...) A Cut Above » (better than the others...) A Dose Of One's Own Medicine » (the bad thing one does to others happens to oneself...) A Far Away Look » (a look in ones eyes when one is not focused on the present moment; the way a person looks when they are thinking of other times or places...) A Few Cards Short Of A Deck » (something is lacking in that person; the person is being described as crazy or stupid...) A Few Cards Shy Of A Full Deck » (something is lacking in that person; the person is being described as crazy or stupid...) A Final Fling » (the last time two people get together for romance...) A Game That Two Can Play » (you will do to that person the wrong that they did to you...) A Harbinger Of Things To Come » (it shows us what will happen in the future...) A Hole In One » (one is successful on the first try at something very difficult...) A Kind Of A Something » (it is like that thing; it fits into the same category as that thing...) A Kink In My Neck » (a soreness or stiffness in the neck...) A Mecca For Someone » (the place you dream of going...) A Nine To Five Job » (a job with regular hours from nine in the morning to five in the evening...) A Place To Call Your Own » (a place to live or work where you are the owner...) A Portent Of Things To Come » (a demonstration of what will happen in the future...) A Pretty State Of Affairs » (a cynical way to say that the situation has gotten bad...) A Shotgun Wedding » (a wedding where one of the two is being forced to get married...) A Sign Of Things To Come » (the thing that happened will happen more often in the future...) A Sporting Chance » (the chance to win if one tries hard...) A Storm Is Brewing » (something is preparing to happen, like the way clouds gather and the weather changes before a storm...) A Taste Of Things To Come » (some knowledge of what the future will be like...) A Taste Of Your Own Medicine » (a lesson where other people treat you the same way you treat them in order to teach you that you are acting badly...) A Toss-Up » (the results have not been decided...) A Tough Act To Follow » (that performance was so good that the next one will seem weak...) A Wild Goose Chase » (one is running around looking in many places but will not find the thing...) Able To Breathe Easily Again » (feel comfortable again because the danger is gone...) Acid Test » (a test to see if the thing really works...) Acquire A Taste For Something » (begin to enjoy the taste of a food; begin to like doing something...) Actions Speak Louder Than Words » (to do the thing is more difficult and important than to just talk about it; doing things is much more difficult and important than just talking about things...) Address Him As Your » (speak to someone in the manner that is expected...) After Hours » (the time after the place is closed...) All Day Long » (during the length of the entire day...) All Gone » (there are no more; none are left; the last one is gone...) All In Good Time » (no need to rush; it will happen at the right time...) All Night Long » (it happened during the entire evening; it did not stop happening during the night...) All Out War » (the two sides are attacking each other with all of their power...) All Over Again » (it happened again, just like the first time...) All That Glitters Is Not Gold » (some things are not as valuable as the appear to be...) All Told » (here is the number; we counted them all and we have the number...) All Year Round » (it happens during all of the months of the year...) All's Well That Ends Well » (the name of a play written by Shakespeare; as long as the ending is good, what happened before is good too...) An About Face » (turn around and face the opposite direction...) An Aching Heart » (one feels the pain of loss or want; one is pained by losing or wanting something...) Apples And Oranges » (the two things are totally different; they cannot be counted in the same way...) As An Aside » (I will say this even though it is not the main topic...) At Half Mast » (it is placed only halfway up the post...) At Home » (the place where one lives; comfortable...) At Sea » (in a boat on the open ocean...) At Someone's Service » (one is ready to help that person; the reason one is there is to help...) Back And Forth » (moving in one direction then turning and moving in the opposite direction...) Back East » (said by a person from the East when talking about the East...) Back To Back » (one thing happens immediately after the other thing...) Back To Square One » (must start again from the very beginning; must begin again...) Bait And Switch » (the thing they showed you when you paid was different from the thing they gave you...) Ball And Chain » (one's punishment; the burden that one must carry...) Bathed in Light » (glowing from the light...) Beating Him At His Own Game » (doing the thing that the other person does well, but doing it better and winning...) Behind Schedule » (late; later than the time planned...) Blood Is Thicker Than Water » (relations with family are the most important thing...) Blood Runs Thicker Than Water » (relations between family members are the most important...) Bottoms Up » (drink the whole glass...) Breaking Even » (getting back the same amount of money that you spend...) Built To Order » (the product is made to meet the needs of one customer...) Bump Into » (one's body accidentally hits another; one did not plan to meet the other...) Burned To A Crisp » (the thing is so burned or overcooked that it is dry and flaky...) Burning Your Bridges Behind You » (treating people badly so they won't want to help you in the future...) Call A Spade A Spade » (say clearly and directly that the thing is what it seems to be...) Call It A Day » (end the day's work; finish working for the day...) Call Of Nature » (one needs to go to the bathroom...) Calling Your Bluff » (you guess that person is not telling the truth...) Can't Hold A Candle To Someone » (not even close to the other in ability...) Cap And Gown » (the outfit one wears at a formal ceremony such as a college graduation...) Carry A Secret To One's Grave » (dies without telling the secret...) Cast One's Lot In With Someone » (join that person and have the same result that they have...) Coming Clean » (telling the truth and confessing what you did...) Coming Out On Top » (as the match is ending, you are the winner...) Cooking With Gas » (cooking by using the flame from gas to heat the food...) Crossing Swords With You » (the two are having a fight or struggle...) Dead Ahead » (directly in front of you in the direction you are facing...) Die A Natural Death » (one's death did not happen as the result of an accident or tragedy...) Digging Your Own Grave » (the thing you are doing will surely cause your failure; you are doing things which will cause you to fail...) Divide And Conquer » (make sure that one's enemy is not able to organize, then defeat the disorganized opponents...) Do A Double Take » (look at something, look away, then look back at the thing a second time...) Do An About Face » (turn around to face the opposite direction; change one's position completely...) Do One's Bit » (one participates in the project and does what was expected...) Do One's Part » (participate in order to help the team succeed...) Do So » (do the thing that was just talked about...) Do Someone Good » (do something which makes the world better...) Do Someone's Heart Good » (doing that will make the person feel better...) Do Something For A Living » (the work you do to earn the money to pay your expenses...) Doing As You're Told » (doing the thing that you were told to do by an authority...) Doing Your Bit » (do your part of the work...) Doing Your Level Best » (try hard and do the best you can...) Door To Door » (to find customers by going to people's houses, knocking on the door and introducing oneself...) Down South » (the southern part of the country...) Draw A Blank » (one is thinking or remembering but does not find the answer...) Dropping Names » (saying the names of important people so people will think you are important...) Early To Bed, Early To Rise, Makes A Man » (waking up early is the key to becoming successful...) Easier Said Than Done » (talking about it is easier than doing it; to do the thing takes a lot of work; it is easier to talk about it than to actually do it...) Eat One's Cake And Have It Too » (an impossible wish; one wants to use something but still have the thing available for use...) Ebb And Flow » (movement which is like the rise and fall of tide water...) Even Steven » (children's saying which means both have the same amount...) Every Nook And Cranny » (in every little place where the thing could be...) Expecting A Child » (the woman is pregnant so they are expecting that a baby will born...) Expense Is No Object » (do not worry about the cost; I can pay a lot of money for it...) Expressing Your Anger » (communicate in a way that allows the other to see that one is angry...) Extenuating Circumstances » (something unusual happened which changed the situation...) Eyeball To Eyeball » (the two are standing close looking right into each other's eyes...) Fair And Fair Alike » (the same rules should apply evenly to all...) Fall In » (join the group of people standing in an organized way...) Falling From Grace » (losing popularity and not the favorite any more...) Faster And Faster » (the speed keeps increasing...) Feel Out Of Place » (feel strange, awkward, unfamiliar, like you don't know the rules...) Feel Up To Something » (feel strong, prepared, and have the energy to do it...) Find Fault With Someone Or Something » (one discovers something wrong in what the other...) Find Someone Guilty » (decide that one is guilty, after looking at the evidence...) Find Someone Innocent » (decide that one is innocent, after looking at the evidence...) Find Someone Or Something Out » (learn the secret that they are hiding...) Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers » (children's saying: the one who finds the thing should be allowed to keep it; the one who found the thing should be allowed to keep it...) Fire A Gun » (shoot a gun; pull the trigger of a gun so that there is an explosion and a bullet comes flying out...) Firing On All Cylinders » (the machine is working very smoothly; everything is now going as we want it to...) First And Foremost » (the number one most important think that needs to be done...) First Come, First Served » (people will be helped in the order that they arrive; the first one to arrive will be served first, etc....) First Of All » (the first thing i want to tell you is.....) First Off » (the first thing to say is.....) First Things First » (the most important thing should always be done first...) Follow In Someone's Footsteps » (do something that another has done, and try to do it the way they did it...) Follow One's Heart » (do what you feel is the right thing to do...) Follow Suit » (act the same way as the other...) Following In His Footsteps » (doing the same thing that the other did...) For Life » (for the length of one's life...) For Starters » (the first thing i will say about this is...) Fresh As A Daisy » (feeling fresh and clean; the way one feels after bathing...) From Dawn To Dusk » (all day, from the moment the sun comes up until the moment it goes down...) From Door To Door » (by going to peoples houses, knocking on the door and introducing oneself...) From Head To Toe » (the persons entire body, including all of their skin...) From Overseas » (from a place on the other side of an ocean...) From Side To Side » (moving to one side, then to the other side...) From Start To Finish » (during the entire race; from the beginning to the end...) From Tip To Toe » (the whole length of the person's body...) From Top To Bottom » (from the very top of the thing to the very bottom of it...) Full Blast » (the engine is going at full speed...) Gas Up » (put gasoline in the car; get fuel for a trip; slang: eat a lot of food...) Get A Clean Bill Of Health » (a doctor or specialist says that the body has no problems...) Get A Dirty Look From Someone » (the person has an expression which shows they are angry or upset with you...) Get A Fix On Something » (learn the place where it is...) Get A Head Start On Someone Or Something » (begin running the race before the other one...) Get A Jumpstart » (begin before all of the others begin; start before the others...) Get A Raw Deal » (one was cheated; the agreement turned out bad for one...) Get A Taste Of One's Own Medicine » (the bad thing one does to others has now happened to oneself...) Get A Word In Edgeways » (one wants to speak but the other one will not stop talking...) Get A Word In Edgewise » (one wants to speak but the other one will not stop talking...) Get Along Without Someone Or Something » (one is able to continue after the other is gone...) Get Another Think Coming » (what will happen is not what you are expecting; the result is not going to be good for you...) Get Ants In One's Pants » (the feeling that one needs to move one's legs...) Get Around To Doing Something » (you finally take the time to do that thing...) Get Around To Something » (you finally take the time for that thing...) Get Butterflies In One's Stomach » (one has a nervous or excited feeling in the stomach area...) Get Down To Business » (talk about a formal or official matter; doing the most important thing...) Get In On Something » (join in on what the others are doing...) Get It » (understand the thing...) Get Sidetracked » (focusing on some thing which is not the most important thing...) Get Something Out Of One's System » (do something that you feel the need to do; say something in order to feel better...) Get Something Under One's Belt » (get the experience of doing that thing...) Get To First Base With Someone Or Something » (kiss that person on the mouth...) Give A Blank Check To Someone » (give someone the freedom to spend as much money as they think they need...) Give Credit Where Credit Is Due » (recognize the person who is responsible for the success...) Give Someone A Ring » (call him or her on the telephone...) Go Into Detail » (explain the thing in more detail...) Go Into Orbit » (the satellite is circling around the earth...) Go It Alone » (be the only one; do it or go there without anyone else...) Go Straight » (no longer break the law or do something wrong...) Go Through Channels » (talk to the people responsible to make the decision...) Hands Down » (easily; clearly; it is easy to say that one is better than the others...) Haul Someone In » (pull it in the way one pulls fish into a fishing boat...) Have A Blowout » (one has lost the tire of ones car, bike or motorcycle...) Have A Chip On One's Shoulder » (one is upset about something that happened in the past...) Have A Glass Jaw » (can be stopped easily with one good punch to the jaw...) He Backed Out » (did not do the thing that was planned and promised...) He Got A Black Eye » (the area around his eye is colored from a bruise after being hit...) I Don't Belong Here » (I am not like the others at this place; I should not be here; I am not comfortable here because i am different...) In A Rut » (stuck doing the same thing...) In A Vicious Circle » (the same bad thing keeps happening...) In A World Of One's Own » (that person is not connected to others; not relating to the people nearby...) In Denial » (pretending it did not happen; one says that the truth is untrue...) In Detail » (including all of the small details...) In Effect » (the same as; with the result that...) In Over Your Head » (the situation is too difficult for you...) In Season » (the time of the year for that thing...) In Session » (they are meeting right now; the session has begun...) In So Many Words » (that is what the person said; the person said that...) In Surgery » (the person is in the room where the doctor is operating on a patient...) In Your Right Mind » (thinking and acting the way you usually do...) In(s) And Out(s) » (the knowledge gained from experience...) Incumbent Upon Someone To Do Something » (one thing must happen in order for the other thing to happen...) It's A Small World » (you see the same people in different places...) Its Anyone's Call » (it is difficult to judge the outcome of a competition...) Jack It Up » (lift it up in the air; use a lever to raise that thing...) Join Hands » (holding each other by the hands...) Jump Bail » (one has given money to the court to get out of jail temporarily, then one runs away...) Line One's Own Pockets » (keep the money for oneself...) Lock, Stock, And Barrel » (the whole thing; all parts included...) Look Good On Paper » (it seems like a good plan; we are not yet certain that the plan will work...) Making A Mistake » (doing some thing in the wrong way; making an error...) Night Owl » (one who stays up late; one who prefers the night hours...) Off And Running » (the race has begun; the contestants have started...) Off Season » (this is not the official time of the year for that...) On A Lark » (unplanned; just for fun; not for any reason; the decision was made quickly and casually...) On Active Duty » (in the military or diplomatic service right now; not on vacation...) On Approval » (if and when it is approved; if the request is not rejected...) On Board » (on the ship; one agrees with the plan...) On Campus » (on the grounds where the school is...) On Credit » (paid for by borrowing money; one buys the thing now and will pay later...) On Deck » (the person who is waiting to go next; in baseball: the one who will bat next...) On Good Terms With Someone » (the two people are friendly towards each other...) On Schedule » (arriving at the correct time...) On Your Last Leg » (the end is near...) On Your Mind » (the thing you are thinking about...) Out Of Line » (not standing in line; not correct; not doing the right thing...) Out Of Order » (not doing things in the right way...) Out Of Season » (it is not the right time of the year to get that...) Out Of Sight » (one cannot see it; slang from the '60s: cool, interesting...) Owing To » (the reason was...) Practice Makes Perfect » (the more you practice, the better you will become...) Practice What You Preach » (do things the way you tell others to do them...) Prime Mover » (the one who makes that thing happen...) Round About » (a way that is not the most direct...) Rub Salt In An Old Wound » (to intentionally bring back the pain of an past experience...) Same Here » (I did too; I have the same idea; the same thing applies to me...) Save Something For A Rainy Day » (don't act on it now; it will be useful in the future...) Save Up For Something » (save money for the future...) Say Uncle » (quit; give up; say that you lost; admit that you are the loser...) Scale Something Down » (make the plan smaller; do something less difficult...) See Red » (become so angry that one can only feel the anger and is not able to think...) Settle A Score With Someone » (get revenge on that person; hurt the one who hurt you...) Shell Something Out » (give the thing even though one does not want to give it...) Shipping And Handling » (the cost of mailing a package from one place to another...) Shirk One's Duty » (not do the work that one should do...) Show One's Hand » (let the other one know what you have...) Sick In Bed » (the person is sick so is resting in bed...) Side Against Someone » (join on the side that is against one...) Signed, Sealed, And Delivered » (the talk has been completed...) Single File » (a line with each person following the person in front of him...) Sit In For Someone » (take the place of that person...) Sit In On Something » (attend as a person watching the event...) Sit Through Something » (one stays seated during the whole time...) Slated For Something » (planned for that; that is the plan...) Sleep In » (sleep until late in the morning; not wake early...) Slip One's Mind » (one cannot remember it; forget the thing...) Split One's Sides With Laughter » (laughing so hard one feels a pain in the gut...) Split Something Fifty Fifty » (share so that both get the same amount...) Squirrel Something Away » (save for the future...) Stand Out » (look different from the others...) Start From Scratch » (begin from the very beginning; build something from the most basic parts...) Start Over With A Clean Slate » (forget about the past and begin again...) Stick em Up » (put your hands up in the air, I am going to take your money...) Swallowing It Hook Line And Sinker » (completely tricked by the lie...) Take A Backseat To Someone » (let the other person be the leader...) Take A Nosedive » (suddenly go down very quickly, like when a crashing airplane heads to the grown nose first...) Take A Spill » (fall down so that one hits the ground and continues rolling or tumbling...) Take Attendance » (look at the list of names to be sure everyone is there...) Take Charge Of Someone Or Something » (become the leader or responsible one in that situation...) Take It Or Leave It » (this is the last offer; either accept or reject this proposal because there will be no more adjustments...) Take It Upon Oneself To Do Something » (accept the responsibility to get it done...) Take Off » (leave some place, the way a ship or an airplane leaves...) Take One's Break » (take the regular rest period during work...) Take Root » (the beginnings of it were formed...) Take Shape » (the form of something is determined...) Take Sides » (choose which team one is on; to join one against the other...) There's More Than One Way To Skin A Cat » (There are different ways to get the thing done...) There's No Accounting For Taste » (The differences in peoples tastes are not easily understood...) They Don't Make Them Like They Used To » (Products are not built as well today as they were in the past...) Things Are Looking Up » (the situation is getting better...) Think Someone Or Something Fit For Something » (believe that one is good enough to do the job...) Think Something Over » (consider the different aspects of some problem...) Third Wheel » (the extra person...) Thumb A Ride » (hitchhike; ask strangers for a car ride; put one's thumb in the air to ask others to drive one somewhere...) Thunder » (the sound that comes from big clouds in the sky, often after flash of lightning or during rain...) Tied To One's Mother's Apron Strings » (the child is afraid to go away from the mother...) Time Is Money » (time is valuable; wasting time has the same result as wasting money...) Time Will Tell » (after some time passes, we will know; we will find out in the future...) Vice Versa » (the same thing also applies to the other...) We Aim To Please » (the goal is too make customers happy...) Weather Permitting » (If the weather is as we hope...) What Comes Around Goes Around » (the things you do to others will happen to you...) What For » (Why? What is the reason for it?...) What Makes Someone Tick » (What motivates that person? What are the reasons that person does what he does?...) What's Up? » (Casual greeting like 'hello', asking the other person about what they have been doing lately...) When All Is Said And Done » (After people are done talking and we can see the result...) When Least Expected » (At the time when one is most surprised...) Where One Is Coming From » (with an understanding of the other persons situation and needs...) Who Do You Think You're Talking To? » (You are talking to me as if I don't understand the situation...) Whole New Ball Game » (there has been a shift in power and the other side now has an advantage...) Why Put Off Until Tomorrow What You Can Do Today » (don't delay; do the things you need to do as soon as possible...) Will Not Hear Of Something » (The answer is 'No' and one will not even consider the possibility of 'Yes'...) With Everything On It » (including all of the additional options...) With Hat In Hand » (the person came begging for help...) Within Bounds » (Allowed within the rules...) Within Hailing Distance » (close enough to gain the attention of another ship...) Word For Word » (Write something down exactly the same...) Words To That Effect » (That captures the idea of what was said in different words...) Work Someone Or Something In » (Find the time to include it...) Work Something Out » (Find a resolution to the problem...) Work Through Channels » (Communicate with the people who are responsible for it...) Worth Someone's While » (One will gain a lot from the effort of doing that...) Year Round » (It happens all during the year; it does not stop during any part of the year...) Years Running » (the same thing has happened for consecutive years) non-stop...) You Can't Please Everyone » (It is not possible for one's actions to make everyone happy all of the time...) You Just Don't Get It » (You are not understanding the situation...) You Know » (said to gain agreement by the listener, sometimes said out of habit with no significant meaning besides asking agreement from listeners...) You Reap What You Sow » (what you get is the result of what you do...)
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