Common American Expressions

absence makes the heart grow fonder The more we are apart from a person, the more we yearn for his or her company.


Ex: John waved goodbye to Linda without much sorrow because he believed that absence makes the heart grow fonder.



ace in the hole A powerful resource saved to rescue a situation.

Ex: Because his mother was CEO of the company, Jack felt he had an ace in the hole for job security.



actions speak louder than words What a person does is more meaningful than what a person says.

Ex: The boy did not trust the bully’s apology because actions speak louder than words.



add insult to injury To follow an action that has caused harm by another action that offends the injured party.

Ex: The speeding ticket Wilson received after his accident added insult to injury.



against the grain To go in a direction opposite to the prevailing direction.

Ex: Campaigning for liberal candidates in the conservative area was going against the grain of the community.



age before beauty To give honor or preference to a person's age before a person's physical attractiveness.

Ex: He held the door open for his older brother and joked about age before beauty.



ahead of the game At an advanced and advantageous position in comparison to expected or usual circumstances.

Ex: Having almost instant access to stock prices put the broker ahead of the game in managing her clients’ assets.



air one's dirty linen To tell others negative or shameful information about oneself or one's associates.

Ex: The coach warned the team not to air their dirty linen to the press.



albatross around one's neck To be perpetually doomed to misfortune.

Ex: The college degree she had purchased from a fly-by-night university proved to be an albatross around her neck for professional purposes.



all ears To be ready to listen intensely and receptively.

Ex: The children were all ears when their parents began to speculate about getting a pet.



all in a day's work Performance that is not out of the ordinary.

Ex: Driving two hours to and from the job site was all in a day’s work.



all over but the shouting The determining action has ended, although the reaction continues.

Ex: When the basketball score reached 80 to 56, we knew it was all over but the shouting.



all roads lead to Rome All alternatives produce the same end result.

Ex: In discussing the different approaches to selling, the speaker made the point that all roads lead to Rome.



almighty dollar Sole focus on the importance of money.

Ex: We tired of his ceaseless worship of the almight dollar.



all things to all men To attempt, usually futilly, to fulfill many different expectations.

Ex: The new employee made the mistake of trying to be all things to all men.



all work and no play Discouragement or depression resulting from devoting too much energy to work activities and too little to recreational activities.

Ex: Most successful executives have been guilty at some time of all work and no play.



ante up To put up a tangible or financial sign of one's commitment.

Ex: The politician asked her supporter to ante up so that television ads could be purchased.



(the) apple doesn't fall far from the tree One's personal characteristics can be attributed to one's parentage.

Ex: When the son was indicted along with the father, the whole community gossiped that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.



apple of one's eye One's favorite.

Ex: Harold loved all his children, but Jill was the apple of his eye.



armed to the teeth Equipped far beyond the usual level with weapons.

Ex: The survivalist was armed to the teeth as he guarded his remote cabin.



arms of Morpheus Asleep.

Ex: The long lecture caused students to drift into the arms of Morpheus.



artsy-craftsy Characterized by the more whimsical attitudes or skills of the artist or craftsman as opposed to those of the scientist.

Ex: He found the camp experience too artsy-craftsy for his taste.



as hard as nails Extremely difficult, unforgiving.

Ex: The new boss had a well-deserved reputation for being as hard as nails.



asleep at the switch Not alert in the area of one's responsibilities.

Ex: Someone was asleep at the switch when bills were mailed twice to the same customers.



as the crow flies In a straight line between two points.

Ex: The distance was about five miles as the crow flies.



at a snail's pace Very slowly.

Ex: The hand counting of ballots proceeded at a snail’s pace compared to computer processing of votes.



at arm's length Held at a distance in terms of relationship, influence, or association.

Ex: The bank president kept her nephew at arm’s length during his first six months as an employee in her company.



at each other's throats In active and bitter conflict with one another.

Ex: The old political enemies were at each other’s throats until they died.



at face value As a thing appears on the surface, not as it may be valued at a deeper level.

Ex: We took at face value her claim that she was once an actor.



at first blush In one's initial contact with or reaction to.

Ex: At first blush the police officer thought he had come upon a simple traffic accident.



at loose ends With no fixed or organized plan or purpose.

Ex: After a hectic semester, the students felt at loose ends during their vacation period.



at sixes and sevens At a point of indecision or confusion.

Ex: The manager was at sixes and sevens over whom to hire for the new position.



at wit's end At a point of ultimate frustration.

Ex: The harried teacher was at her wit’s end with the unruly youngsters.



at the drop of a hat Quickly, with little notice.

Ex: Always impulsive by nature, he would fly to Europe at the drop of a hat to meet friends.



average Joe Person (usually male) of unremarkable characteristics, typical of those possessed by the vast middle portion of a population.

Ex: Although rumored to be smart and rich, Alex turned out to be just your average Joe.



avoid like the plague Stay away from, as if from a life-threatening disease.

Ex: He vowed to avoid like the plague any job that required air travel.



ax to grind A problem to air or issue to dispute.

Ex: The persistent reporter apparently had an ax to grind with the candidate.



babe in the woods An innocent, unexperienced person.

Ex: Fresh from high school, the new pitcher was a babe in the woods compared to the veteran players who made up the rest of the big league team.



(on the) back burner Not urgent, positioned for later action or attention.

Ex: We assured school board that the proposal could be placed on the back burner until the members had time to consider it thoroughly.



back to square one To give up all progress and return to where one began.

Ex: The rocket explosion took the space program back to square one.



back to the salt mines To return to undesirable tasks, often said of work life.

Ex: After a long lunch, the workers joked that it was time to go back to the salt mines.



backseat driver One who is not positioned to be in control but who nevertheless gives advice to those who are in control.

Ex: Although he knew little about home design, he was glad to be a backseat driver to the architect hired to create blueprints for the project.



bag and baggage With all of one's possessions; entirely.

Ex: The eight distant relatives arrived bag and baggage at our door.



bald-faced lie An untruth presented without disguise.

Ex: His claim to be a former opera singer is a bald-faced lie.



(how the) ball bounces With the randomness and purposeless of chance experience.

Ex: We hated to see the outdoor picnic rained out, but that’s how the ball bounces.

ball is in one's court Responsibility for action or response has been given over to one party from another.

Ex: The ambassador told the foreign leader that the ball was in his court.



ball of fire A source, usually a person, characterized by a high level of seemingly inexhaustible energy.

Ex: The old chef was a ball of fire when it came to preparing holiday meals for the homeless.



ballpark estimate An approproximation.

Ex: Remodeling will cost $20,000, as a ballpark estimate.



bang-up job Excellent, praiseworthy performance or achievement.

Ex: The students did a bang-up job in decorating the gymnasium for the spring dance.



bang for the buck Value received for money (or other ____) invested.

Ex: Military leaders wanted to get as much bang for the buck as possible from their expenditures on new weapon systems.



baptism by fire A challenging, often painful initiation into a new experience, life stage, or membership.

Ex: Joining the running team without getting in shape first proved to be a baptism by fire.



bark up the wrong tree To pursue a search for clues or answers in the wrong direction.

Ex: Investigators began to bark up the wrong tree when they believed the convict’s imaginative alibi.



bark worse than one's bite One's verbal threats or protestations are far in excess of one's actions.

Ex: Although gruff at times, the boss was one of those people whose bark is worse than their bite.



basket case A situation or person characterized by almost complete disorientation, disorganization, or emotional upset.

Ex: After weeks of personal and professional stress, Linda was a basket case.



bated breath With suspense, as in holding one's breath.

Ex: We waited with bated breath to see if the hot air balloon would clear the high tension electric wires.



bat out of hell Moving with frantic speed.

Ex: He bolted from the starting line like a bat out of hell.



battle of nerves Tense interpersonal conflict or confrontation carried on at an emotional or intellectual level rather than a physical level.

Ex: The chess champions braced themselves for a prolonged battle of nerves.



be a fly on the wall Be an unseen observer.

Ex: I would like to be a fly on the wall when she opens the present.



bean-counter A person, often said of accountants, who pays attention to minute and often trivial items within a larger circumstance or experience.

Ex: The hiring committee resolved not to employ a bean-counter to lead the New Products division.



beat around the bush To speak or act in ways that are irrelevant to the main issue.

Ex: In a one-minute TV ad, the candidate had no time to beat about the bush.



beat the drum for To speak or act with enthusiasm on behalf of.

Ex: It was not difficult to find friends to beat the drum for Ellen’s nomination.



beat to the punch To take action before receiving the impact of a similar or related action.

Ex: One development team wanted to beat the other to the punch in delivering a prototype of the new product.



beating a dead horse To continue to advocate a lost or hopeless cause or issue.

Ex: Continuing to rehash political arguments from the 1980s was beating a dead horse.



beauty sleep Often said humorously of rest or sleep taken to perpetuate one's physical attractiveness.

Ex: She retired early with the explanation that she needed her beauty sleep.



bed of roses A soft, fragrant place of repose.

Ex: Camping our way across Africa was hardly a bed of roses.



beef (something) up To increase size, strength, durability, or influence.

Ex: The boat designer decided to beef up the hull.



behind the eight ball Not positioned advantageously in a game, process, or competition.

Ex: Entering school in the third week put Jackson behind the eightball in most of his classes.



(to go) belly up To go bankrupt, to fail.

Ex: The company went belly up after losing its three main clients.



belt it out To sing or speak with physical gusto.

Ex: The crowd cheered as the singer began to belt out the national anthem.



bend over backwards To make extraordinary, even self-sacrificing, efforts to accommodate someone else's will or preferences.

Ex: The service representative pledged to bend over backwards to please customers.



bent out of shape Angry, or otherwise distorted from a usual emotional state.

Ex: We were surprised that such a trivial incident would cause him to be bent out of shape.



best foot forward To make one's most advantageous attributes or appearances visible or prominent before less advantageous aspects.

Ex: Her advice was to put your best foot forward in job interviews.



best thing since sliced bread Usually said with purposeful exaggeration, a revolutionary new development or advancement

Ex: The on/off switch for the telephone seemed like the best thing since sliced bread.



better late than never Preferable to deliver or perform later than expected rather than not at all.

Ex: Cliff explained his career as a jazz pianist came better late than never.



between a rock and a hard place Faced with two equally undesirable choices or realities.

Ex: The washed out bridge and the tree-strewn highway left the travelers between a rock and a hard place.



between the devil and the deep blue sea Faced with two dangerous but somewhat seductive choices or realities.

Ex: In deciding whether to attend the party with Tom or Lance, Wendy felt she was choosing between the devil and the deep blue sea.





between the lines Finding the message hidden at a deeper level beneath the surface spoken or written words.

Ex: Reading between the lines, I felt that the company’s letter communicated a patronizing attitude toward its clientele.

beyond a doubt Indisputable.

Ex: Her friends are beyond a doubt the most unusual group of people I have ever met.



beyond the pale Outside the farthest boundaries of taste, belief, or convention.

Ex: Serving champagne at the church luncheon was beyond the pale for many congregation members.



big frog in a small pond One whose importance is large only due to the small environment in which he or she exists.

Ex: The professor felt that her six books made her a big frog in a small pond.



big league At the highest levels; of the utmost quality, skill, or expertise.

Ex: To solve our company’s financial woes, we need a big league consultant.



big picture The view that provides full context and perspective.

Ex: The news commentator failed to see the big picture in criticizing the tax reduction measure.



big shoes to fill Previous roles or activities were performed so well as to be intimidating to the next person to attempt those roles or activities.

Ex: When its Oscar-winning producer retired, the studio had big shoes to fill in finding her replacement.



big-time spender One who spends extravagantly and ostentaciously.

Ex: Uncle Evan turned into a big time spender whenever he visited Las Vegas.



birds of a feather flock together Those with similar attributes tend to seek and keep one another's company.

Ex: When the two psychiatrists married one another, their friends joked that birds of a feather flock together.



bite off more than one can chew Take on tasks or responsibilities that are beyond one's ability to fulfill them.

Ex: Taking more than four classes per semester may be biting off more than you can chew.



bite the bullet Brace oneself to endure pain or hardship in order to survive or directly confront a challenge or threat.

Ex: Rather than pay more for repairs, the superintendent decided to bite the bullet and replace the air conditioning system entirely.



bite the dust To die, to come to a less-than-heroic end.

Ex: We suspected that the hero of the cowboy movie would bite the dust in the end.



bite the hand that feeds you To reject, often spitefully, the help of a benefactor.

Ex: When they complained about government procedures, the manager warned the salespeople not to bite the hand that feeds them.



black sheep The ostracized group member who breaks conventions and taboos.

Ex: Two years in a reform school branded Jim as the black sheep of the family.



blank check A commitment without specified limits.

Ex: As an expression of her confidence in us, the director assured us of a blank check in making hotel and travel arrangements.



blaze a trail Create new access in such a way that it can be useful for others.

Ex: One member of the accounting group would have to blaze a trail through the dozens of boxes of old business receipts.



(down a) blind alley A direction of pursuit that leads nowhere.

Ex: Looking for clues among her personal possessions was going down a blind alley.



blind leading the blind Those without insight are in the undesirable role of showing the way to others without insight.

Ex: The idea of asking managers to lead training seminars for other managers is a case of the blind leading the blind.



blood in the eye Empassioned or angry to an extreme degree.

Ex: He faced his accusers with blood in his eye.



blood is thicker than water One is bound more deeply to one's relatives than to others.

Ex: We were surprised when Jeff resigned to move back to his parents’ city, but blood is thicker than water.



blow it To make a significant and often irremediable mistake.

Ex: The team had an early lead in the game and didn’t want to blow it.



blow one's cover To reveal one's true identity after attempting to hide it.

Ex: One spy wore a wig in an effort not to blow her cover.



blow one's own horn Boast about oneself and one's achievements or abilities.

Ex: The prize winner felt that making any kind of speech at the awards ceremony would be blowing her own horn.



blow one's stack Exhibit sudden, explosive anger.

Ex: The news of severe financial losses last quarter will cause the boss to blow his stack.



blow smoke To communicate in a way that tends to hide the truth or disguise one's ignorance.

Ex: Some of the students were blowing smoke in their attempts to complete the difficult essay question.



blow the whistle on Reports the misdeeds of someone.

Ex: For the sake of public safety, sometimes an employee must blow the whistle on his or her own company.



blue in the face To the limits of physical and emotional effort.

Ex: We argued with him until we were blue in the face, but to no avail.



bogged down Slowed almost to the stopping point.

Ex: The committee became bogged down in disagreements over procedures.



boggle the mind An encounter so surprising or outrageous as to throw the mind into confusion, amazement, or awe.

Ex: Two theories of an expanding universe will boggle the mind.



boils down to The final meaning or essence after extraneous aspects have been eliminated.

Ex: The entire proposition boils down to a simple moral choice.



bolt from the blue Sudden, lightning-like occurrence or inspiration.

Ex: The announcement of her accomplishment came like a bolt from the blue.



bone of contention Issue over which there is signficant disagreement.

Ex: Exactly which prescription drugs the health plan would pay for remained a bone of contention.



bone to pick A disputed issue to raise.

Ex: The coach had a bone to pick with the referee who had called the foul.



bored silly Extremely uninterested to the point of giddiness.

Ex: Most of the students appeared to be bored silly by the videotaped lecture.



born with a silver spoon Given advantages of wealth or position from an early age.

Ex: With a large trust fund in her name, Mary could rightly be said to be born with a silver spoon.



bottom dollar Last money one possesses.

Ex: We spent our bottom dollar for the home we wanted.



bottom fishing Attempting to capture less desirable objects or goals in less-than-ideal locations.

Ex: Probably the company should pay more for a qualified employee instead of bottom fishing for someone who will work for less.



bottomless pit A receptacle with seemingly limitless capacity.

Ex: The couple joked that their youngest daughter was a bottomless pit at a restaurant.



brain drain Relocation over time of the brightest minds.

Ex: Many less developed countries experience a brain drain as their citizens study abroad, then never return.



brave the elements Endure inclement weather.

Ex: Part of basic training was learning to brave the elements without becoming ill.



bread and butter One's main source of sustenance or financial gain.

Ex: Poor workmanship by the original builders was the carpenter’s bread and butter.



break the ice To achieve initial attempts to achieve social rapport.

Ex: The first awkward moments at the party were spent in unsuccessful efforts to break the ice.



breakneck pace At a speed so extreme as to approach the point of danger.

Ex: To prepare for the Christmas holidays, production line employees worked at a breakneck pace.



breathe down one's neck To supervise, oversee, or pursue a person in such a close way as to cause feelings of discomfort and resentment.

Ex: Frank didn’t mind his supervisor’s suggestions, but he did resent having someone breathe down his neck all day.



breathe fire To express oneself with extreme anger or hostility.

Ex: The previous dean would virtually breathe fire when faculty members requested smaller classes.

breathing room Sufficient emotional or physical distance, in time or space, to regain one's bearings and energy.

Ex: Telecommuting two days a week gave Sam the breathing room he needed to be a good employee and also a single parent.



bring home the bacon Get paid, achieve a financial goal.

Ex: She was eager to call on the new client and vowed to bring home the bacon.



brings it home Makes something real in familiar terms.

Ex: Reading about war leaves strong impressions, but talking to war veterans truly brings it home.



bright-eyed and bushy-tailed Wide awake and full of energy.

Ex: The volunteers arrived bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at 7 a.m. to begin work on the project.



brush up on Refresh one's knowledge or skills.

Ex: He decided to brush up on calculus before studying trigonometry.



build a better mousetrap Invent a more effective solution to a common problem.

Ex: The CEO urged us not to worry about price wars with competitors but instead to put our energy into building a better mousetrap.



build a fire under Motivate, with the suggestion of implied fear or pain.

Ex: Many citizens wanted to build a fire under the new police chief after the rash of burglaries.



bull in a china shop An unpredictable, destructive influence in a fragile environment.

Ex: The union organizer proved to be a bull in a china shop at the company picnic.



bull session A conversation where participants feel free to express opinions and stretch the truth freely.

Ex: The alumni enjoyed joining in a general bull session with the coach at the beginning and end of each season.



bum rap An unwarranted charge.

Ex: Richard faced a bum rap when the police charged him with a crime committed by his twin brother.



burn a hole in one's pocket Cause an almost irresistible desire to spend.

Ex: Unexpected cash always burned a hole in his pocket.



burn one's bridges Destroy social and professional links to previous people and organizations.

Ex: Be careful not to burn your bridges when leaving one employer for a new job.



burn the candle at both ends Spend one's energy at a level that proves depleting and self-destructive.

Ex: By working all day and going to school at night, Brenda felt she was burning the candle at both ends.



burn the midnight oil Work well past the usual quitting time.

Ex: Tax accountants usually must burn the midnight oil in the weeks just before April 15.



burr under one's saddle An irritant that continues to cause discomfort in some form.

Ex: The car’s noisy exhaust system was a perpetual burr under his father’s saddle.



bury one's head in the sand Purposely ignore facts and sensations that one finds unpleasant.

Ex: It often proves more useful to face problems directly rather than bury one’s head in the sand.



bury the hatchet Cease hostility, make peaceful arrangements.

Ex: The two feuding families agreed to bury the hatchet.



bust a gut Exert oneself to one's physical or emotional limits.

Ex: One reporter boasted he would bust a gut to get the first interview with the newly elected senator.



butterflies in one's stomach Symptoms of anticipatory anxiety.

Ex: On opening night, every actor felt butterflies in the stomach.



buy the farm To die.

Ex: The young pilot knew he had to regain control of the plane or else buy the farm.



buy a pig in a poke Make a purchase or accept a proposition without examining it carefully.

Ex: We knew that buying products by telephone risked buying a pig in a poke.



buy time To take action that provides additional time for achieving a goal.

Ex: The union strike allowed the company to buy time to assess its total financial picture.



call a spade a spade To speak in plain, unmistakable language.

Ex: In using the word “incompetent” on the performance evaluation, Barbara had decided to call a spade a spade.



call him on the carpet Summon a person for disciplinary action or accusation.

Ex: After Bob’s many mistakes, his boss reluctantly had to call him on the carpet.



call it a night Conclude a period of work or social engagement.

Ex: It’s been a great party, but now we have to call it a night.



call of nature The urge for elimination.

Ex: The hikers took a break to answer the call of nature.



calm before the storm Period of low stress or activity before a period of high stress or activity.

Ex: Their honeymoon proved to be the calm before the storm.



can't make heads or tails of Can discover no identifying or clarifying information about.

Ex: We read the instruction manual but could not make heads or tails of the assembly directions.



can't see the forest for the trees To fail to see the larger context of a situation or ideas because one focuses too narrowly on individual details.

Ex: In focusing too narrowly on local issues, our politicians are failing to see the forest for the trees.



can't stand (i.e., tolerate) Has no patience with, can't put up with.

Ex: I can’t stand his arrogance.



(tumbling down like a) card castle Sudden collapse involving all aspects of the structure or situation.

Ex: When the embezzlement became known, the company’s reputation came tumbling down like a card castle.



cards stacked against one Prevailing opinions, prejudices, or criteria are not in one's favor.

Ex: The cards are stacked against John for the job because he has so little experience.

carry (or have) a chip on one's shoulder Be especially sensitive to some issue to the point of striking out in anger or other strong emotion when someone mentions it.

Ex: One of the players still has a chip on her shoulder from the last game with the cross-city rivals.



carry a torch Have deep, often hidden affection for.

Ex: Even though he hasn’t seen her in years, Robert still carries a torch for Maria.



carry coals to Newcastle Make unnecessary and sometimes foolish efforts to provide what already exists.

Ex: We could sell heating units in Panama, but that seems like carrying coals to Newcastle.



carry the ball Bear primary responsibility or leadership for.

Ex: As our newly elected club president, now it’s your turn to carry the ball.



cart before the horse To reverse the appropriate order of importance.

Ex: Buying gifts before we’ve even met our new niece is putting the cart before the horse.



cast pearls before swine To waste valuable contributions on those who do not or cannot appreciate them.

Ex: Unable to quell the noisy crowd, the lecturer left abruptly, vowing never again to cast pearls before swine.



catch a wink Fall asleep for a brief period.

Ex: Let me catch a wink before taking my turn at night watch.



catch off guard Approach someone in an unexpected way or at an unexpected time.

Ex: The interviewer got candid answers from the candidate by catching her off guard.



catch 22 A situation that cannot turn out well not matter which alternatives are pursued.

Ex: Owing taxes but being unable to find work because of tax liens is the ultimate catch 22.



caught red-handed Apprehended in the midst of criminal or unprofessional activity.

Ex: Thanks to the surveillance camera, the thieves were caught red-handed.



chalk it up to experience Interpret an undesirable experience as necessary learning.

Ex: Signing a lease with the new renter without checking credit references proved to be unwise, but the landlord chalked it up to experience.



checkered past A history that contains a mixture of honorable and less-than-honorable experiences.

Ex: Surprisingly, the mayor had a checkered past in another city.



(something to) chew on Something to consider, usually in a ruminative way over a period of time.

Ex: Her comments about early childhood education gave the parents something to chew on.



chicken feed Relative worthless cost or compensation.

Ex: The contractor wanted the job but didn’t want to work for chicken feed.



chicken out To back away from an experience out of fear.

Ex: Two of the teenagers stood in line to ride on the rollercoaster, but they chickened out at the last minute.



chicken with its head cut off Frantic, short-lived flight or exertion with no purpose.

Ex: When he learned of the car fire, Jack ran around like a chicken with its head cut off.



child's play An easy activity or experience.

Ex: Programming the VCR was hardly child’s play.



chill out To relax deeply.

Ex: After her presentation to the board, Tina wisely decided to chill out for the rest of the afternoon.



chip in To contribute a share toward.

Ex: We should all chip in to buy her a going-away present.



chip off the old block A child with attributes similar to the parent's.

Ex: By beating his father’s long-standing track record, Juan proved to be a chip off the old block.



circle the wagons Position oneself and one's allies or associates defensively.

Ex: After the hostile article about the company appeared in the newspaper, the CEO told all employees to circle the wagons as far as the press was concerned.



circular file Trash can.

Ex: In a fit of rage, she threw the tabloid into the circular file.



classic case Typical case used to exemplify or support a concept or proposition.

Ex: His disappearance was a classic case of escaping after a crime.



clay pigeon A helpless victim with no power to avoid its own destruction.

Ex: No one wants to be a clay pigeon for Hilda’s verbal abuse.



clean bill of health A physician's or other professional's verdict showing no illnesses or problems.

Ex: The auditors gave the firm a clean bill of health.



clean his clock Take severe aggressive action against.

Ex: Victor promised to clean Trent’s clock if he stole fruit from the tree again.



clean one's act up Remove unsavory or unethical aspects from one's performance.

Ex: Before applying to graduate school, Ralph should clean his act up and learn some self-discipline.



clean slate A fresh beginning, without record of past events.

Ex: In spite of past problems, she agreed to give her secretary a clean slate.



clean someone out Exhaust someone else's financial resources.

Ex: The repair bills from the winter storms cleaned out our savings account.



clean-up batter Most powerful and most reliable performer.

Ex: They brought in Donna as their clean-up batter on the presentation team.



clear as mud Impenetrably obscure.

Ex: The so-called expert’s explanations were as clear as mud.



climb the ladder Rise step by step in the organization.

Ex: Some employees are content not to spend much energy trying to climb the ladder.



clock is ticking Time is passing toward an impending deadline.

Ex: The couple have waited for years to have children, but now the clock is ticking.



close only counts in horseshoes Performance that almost reaches a defined goal is still a failure.

Ex: He came within five percent of making his quota, but the sales manager told him close only counts in horseshoes.



close shave An encounter or experience that came dangerously close to producing undesirable results.

Ex: The two huge yachts passed within a few feet of one another--too close a shave for comfort!



cloud nine A state of euphoria, unfettered excitement and happiness.

Ex: The lottery winner was on cloud nine.



coin a phrase Invent a term or description.

Ex: We called the builder the “wizard of walls,” to coin a phrase.



cold hands, warm heart Physical signals of social aloofness (such as cold hands) mask the reality of good intentions.

Ex: It was obvious from her handshake that she was nervous--but cold hands, warm heart.



cold turkey Action that is taken suddenly, without transition.

Ex: Mr. Liu quit smoking cold turkey when he returned to Beijing.



come a long way Make significant progress.

Ex: Pet shows have come a long way since their first days in empty warehouses.



come apart at the seams Fail at the very points intended to keep the structure, organization, situation, or person intact.

Ex: After the entire executive staff resigned, the company began to come apart at the seams.



come down off one's high horse Stop the posturing of false pride.

Ex: We all wished the minister would come down off his high horse and relate more naturally to the congregation.



come full circle To return to a beginning point.

Ex: They knew things had come full circle when Gwen returned to work as doctor at the hospital where she was born.



come out in the wash To eventually be revealed for what it is.

Ex: The details may still be vague, but I’m sure they will all come out in the wash.



come out on top To win, surpass all others.

Ex: Few fans suspected that State University would come out on top.



come up for air Take a period of relaxation and re-energization after intense activity.

Ex: After working day and night preparing the proposal, the entire team needed to take a day to come up for air.



come unglued To disintegrate (often emotionally).

Ex: Stress from the storm seemed to cause the ship’s captain to come unglued.



come home to roost Problems that return to cause difficulty for the person or organization that attempted to banish these problems.

Ex: In spite of his efforts to forget, the early problems with his parents would come home to roost in his later years.



common ground Beliefs, ideas, or commitments held jointly.

Ex: The politician urged the various factions in the audience to find common ground.



company man An employee whose priorities and ethics are solely those of the firm.

Ex: The idea of resigning to start their own firm appealed to all the engineers except Frank, who was a company man through and through.



compare apples and oranges To make inaccurate comparisons between unlike categories.

Ex: Equating the high temperatures in one state to the amount of rain in another is comparing apples and oranges.



compare notes To share insights and records, with the goal of checking perceptions and accuracy.

Ex: Before leaving the convention, we compared notes on what we found most valuable.



cook one's goose To speak or take action in ways that lead to one's ultimate downfall.

Ex: Marilyn’s unannounced vacation cooked her goose with senior management.



(how the) cookie crumbles How things turn out, whether we like it or not.

Ex: The venture failed, but that’s how the cookie crumbles.



cool as a cucumber Emotionally controlled, without signs of nervous stress.

Ex: Throughout his trial, the defendant remained as cool as a cucumber.



cool customer An self-controlled, emotionally contained person (not necessarily a customer)

Ex: No matter what the pressures of his job, the customs official remained a cool customer.



cool one's heels To spend time in jail; more generally, to be placed unwillingly in confinement or restraint.

Ex: The driver had two days to cool his heels in the county jail before being released on bail.



cool one's jets To calm down, especially after a period of intense energy.

Ex: Five of the performers took time to cool their jets in Miami before continuing the whirlwind tour.



couch potato One who exercises little and spend a great deal of time lounging.

Ex: Many writers turn out to be couch potatoes.



count one's chickens before they're hatched Rely on anticipated gains or other positive developments before they have materialized.

Ex: Buying a new house before selling the old one seemed to be counting one’s chickens before they’re hatched.



count to ten To refrain from acting on the basis of strong emotion until a period of time has passed.

Ex: The next time the boss speaks harshly to you, count to ten before replying.



cover the waterfront To include in one's consideration a broad range of germane aspects of a topic area.

Ex: Believe me, we’ve covered the waterfront in planning security for the senator’s visit.



crack of dawn At dawn's first light.

Ex: The hunters rose at the crack of dawn.



crack the whip To motivate others by harsh measures.

Ex: Johnson had to crack the whip to get his employees to arrive on time.



crank something out To produce something in a way that emphasizes speed and de-emphasizes quality.

Ex: We don’t have time to research the topic thoroughly, but I’m sure we can crank something out by the deadline.



crap shoot An option that involves a high degree of chance.

Ex: Whether the space station is ever hit by space debris is a crap shoot.



cream of the crop The best of those available.

Ex: The selection interviewers only wanted to meet the cream of the crop from the graduating class.



cream puff Someone who lacks strength and can be easily manipulated or conquered.

Ex: Wilson proved to be something of a cream puff in labor negotiations.



cross one's fingers Hope for good luck.

Ex: Many of the horseracing fans crossed their fingers as the horses left the starting gate.



crocodile tears False signs of sorrow or remorse.

Ex: He shed crocodile tears over his boss’s forced retirement.



crunch time Period necessitating intense, sustained work if deadlines are to be met.

Ex: The designers had played with several ideas, but now it was crunch time.



cry over spilt milk Show regret over events that cannot be changed.

Ex: It made no sense to cry over spilt milk once the contract was lost.



(one's) cup of tea One's preferences.

Ex: Jogging may be good exercise, but it just wasn’t her cup of tea.



cut and dried Exact, beyond dispute, uncompromising.

Ex: No theories in astrophysics are actually as cut and dried as they appear in college textbooks.



cut and run Retreat suddenly, often with implication of cowardice, from a stressful situation or confrontation.

Ex: We feared that most of the volunteers would cut and run after the first negative polls appeared.



cut a swathe Make one's action or influence clearly visible or remarkable.

Ex: With her diamonds and Paris gown, she cut quite a swathe at the opening night.



cut off one's nose to spite one's face Act against one local irritant in a way that negatively impacts one's larger interests.

Ex: It seemed senseless to cut off one’s nose to spite one’s face by cancelling the entire engagement over a squabble.



cut teeth To get initial experience.

Ex: The ocean swimmer cut her teeth as a competitor in YWCA swim meets.



cut the mustard Perform at an expected standard.

Ex: The rock musician feared he couldn’t cut the mustard with true jazz musicians.



cut to the bone To make reductions to the absolute core.

Ex: The final budget reductions cut to the bone in the Human Resources division.



cut to the quick To speak or act in such a way as to cause intense pain to another.

Ex: She was cut to the quick by her neighbor’s unthinking remark.



cutting edge The latest, most advanced techniques or developments.

Ex: The computer manufacturer promised cutting edge technology in every aspect of the new laptop computer.



damned if you do, damned if you don't No available option will lead to desirable results.

Ex: In choosing one used car over another, you’re often damned if you do, damned if you don’t.



dark horse A competitor thought to be unlikely to win.

Ex: The candidate was certainly a dark horse in most polls.



dead as a doornail Unmistakably dead.

Ex: They spotted a mouse in the corner, but it was dead as a doornail.



dead duck A lost cause or person branded for failure.

Ex: The whole project was a dead duck once Susan’s transfer was announced.



dead ringer An exact replica or look-alike, usually for a person.

Ex: One of the older employees was a dead ringer for John Wayne.



denisons of the deep Mysterious deep-water sea creatures.

Ex: At the city aquarium we saw sharks and other denisons of the deep.



devil to pay Penalties or other very undesirable results from actions taken.

Ex: There will be the devil to pay if Dad’s car isn’t returned in good condition.



diamond in the rough Something precious hidden beneath an unattractive exterior.

Ex: The guide dog looked like a mutt but was in fact a diamond in the rough for his master.



die is cast The course of future events is determined and unchangeable.

Ex: No matter how many changes we may want to make in our tax system, the die is cast for years to come.



die with one's boots on End one's life, or otherwise conclude, while in the midst of one's lifework.

Ex: Retirement had little attraction for Nathan, who planned to die with his boots on.



different strokes for different folks People are not the same, hence their choices are not the same.

Ex: His son’s earring bothered George at first, but he finally reconciled himself to the fact that there are different strokes for different folks.



dig in one's heels Become stubborn, resist others' attempts to bring change.

Ex: The last thing we want is for the sellers to dig in their heels over trivial issues.



dime a dozen Inexpensive to the point of being almost meaningless in price.

Ex: Well-trained secretaries used to be a dime a dozen.



dirt cheap Extremely inexpensive.

Ex: Compared to surrounding properties, this lot is dirt cheap.



dish something out Present something, usually verbally, in an unrestrained and often gossipy way.

Ex: He hated criticism, but he could certainly dish it out.



dish some dirt Spread negative information through gossip about others.

Ex: She lost no opportunity to dish some dirt about her coworkers.



divide and conquer Win over one's foes or obstacles by attacking parts rather than the whole.

Ex: Probably the best way to cover the entire region is to divide and conquer.



do one's (own) thing Pursue one's own special interests.

Ex: The boss won’t get our best work until he frees each of us to do our own thing.



dog and pony show A presentation characterized by polished style, frequent use of visual aids, and high entertainment values.

Ex: At the trade show we expected to see a dog and pony show at almost every booth.



dog-earred pages Pages, the corners of which have been folded over (and hence resemble dogs' ears).

Ex: The child’s favorite book had dog-earred pages.



do a double take Take a sudden, second look after the surprise of an initial impression.

Ex: We did a double take after seeing the movie star in ordinary street clothes.



dog in the manger One who acts to prevent others from receiving advantages that he or she cannot have.

Ex: Because he didn’t receive the nomination, Irving played dog in the manger to anyone else seeking the office.



do a number on someone Act deceptively to someone's disadvantage.

Ex: I should have been more careful, but the salesperson did a number on me from the time I entered the showroom.



do-gooder A person who does good deeds, but often in ways that appear self-serving, naive, or manipulative to others.

Ex: They wished the do-gooders had been more practical in their approach to aiding the storm-damaged neighborhood.



do time To serve a prison sentence.

Ex: The judge warned that Henderson would do time if arrested and convicted again.



doctor's orders A physician's order to the patient; more generally, the instructions of an expert for the well-being of a project, organization, or individual.

Ex: The company president explained that layoffs were just following doctor’s orders in returning the company to profitability.



domino effect The chain reaction that occurs when one event causes the next in an unstoppable series.

Ex: When the currency of one nation is devalued, a domino effect often ensues in the region.



dose of one's own medicine To experience personally the results of proposed solutions or other advice given to others.

Ex: The coach should take a dose of his own medicine when it comes to the importance of daily exercise.



dot the "i's" and cross the "t's" Take excruciating care with every aspect of an undertaking.

Ex: We had to make sure to dot the “i’s” and cross the “t’s” on each aspect of the negotiation before recommending the final contract for approval.



down at the heel Visibly impoverished.

Ex: After six months without work, he looked and felt down at the heel.



down for the count Impacted negatively to such a degree that recovery is impossible.

Ex: Without its Asian suppliers, the small company was down for the count.



down in the dumps Melancholy, depressed.

Ex: Don’t be down in the dumps over events you can’t control.



down one's alley In keeping with one's special areas of experience or skill.

Ex: That job opportunity is right down your alley.



down on one's luck Experiencing a period of sustained misfortune.

Ex: Owen complained that he had been down on his luck ever since leaving Cincinnati.



down the hatch To drink in a few single gulps, with gusto.

Ex: With a hearty cry of “Down the hatch!,” the crew members toasted their victory.



down the tubes On an irreversible course to failure or destruction.

Ex: The travel plans were down the tubes after the hurricane turned south.



down to the wire The success or accomplishment of an undertaking will not be known until the very last minute.

Ex: Even with overtime, the team’s work on the report came down to the wire.





down with the ship The leader of an undertaking is committed to personal downfall if the undertaking fails.

Ex: Part of becoming a senior manager in the firm meant being willing to go down with the ship on projects assigned to you.



draw a bead on Take precise aim on.

Ex: For career success, draw a bead on your most desired personal goals.



draw a blank To search for an item of information but fail to find it.

Ex: I tried to remember his name, but I drew a blank.



dressed to kill Apparelled with an eye toward maximum desired impact on others.

Ex: She stepped from the limousine dressed to kill.



dressed to the nines Apparelled at the height of fashion.

Ex: He was dressed to the nines for the exhibition of ballroom dancing.



drink like a fish To drink excessively.

Ex: Jack would be more pleasant if he didn’t drink like a fish.



drop dead date The date after which no further extensions can be granted.

Ex: The editor expected the manuscript by April 1, but April 6 was actually the drop dead date.



drop in the bucket An extremely small contribution to an immense need.

Ex: His donation, unfortunately, was only a drop in bucket when it came to the organization’s true financial needs.



drop the ball To fail in one's duties or responsibilities.

Ex: We hoped Larry wouldn’t drop the ball again in arranging tours for our international guests.



drown one's sorrows To drink as a way of putting one's problems out of mind.

Ex: It wasn’t a good habit for the sales group to drown their sorrows each time they lost a client.



drunk as a skunk Extremely inebriated.

Ex: Allen appeared quiet and pale, but he was in fact drunk as a skunk.



(not) dry behind the ears Still in a new-born state; inexperienced.

Ex: Most of the new recruits didn’t seem dry behind the ears.



dry run A test that does not involve full deployment of operational resources.

Ex: Let’s schedule a dry run before putting the unit into full production.



duck soup Something that is very easy.

Ex: This assignment turned out to be duck soup.



(get one's) ducks in a row Organize the aspects of an undertaking under one's control.

Ex: Before discussing company reorganization, let’s make sure we have our present ducks in a row.



Dutch treat Payment equally shared by participants in a social event.

Ex: They felt most comfortable making their first date a Dutch treat.



Dutch uncle A person (usually older) who gives advice, often unasked for.

Ex: Pardon me for sounding like a Dutch uncle, but you really should check with your lawyer first.



eager beaver A person with boundless enthusiasm.

Ex: We need more eager beavers like Xavier on our squad.



eagle-eye One who watches developments closely and carefully.

Ex: You can trust Ramirez as the eagle-eye for approaching storms.



ear to the ground Listening for signs of future developments and events.

Ex: The rumors probably aren’t true, but keep your ear to the ground nonetheless.



early bird gets the worm The person who acts early in a competitive situation has a better chance of receiving the reward.

Ex: Especially when it comes to flea market shopping, the early bird gets the worm.



earn his/her stripes Perform in ways that qualify a person for organizational or public recognition.

Ex: He earned his stripes as an airline pilot before starting his own air commuting business.



easier said than done A task is easy to talk about than to do.

Ex: Staying focused on long-term goals is easier said than done.



(as) easy as 1, 2, 3 A task is as easy to accomplish as counting.

Ex: Learning to ski with Hans was as easy as 1, 2, 3.



easy come, easy go That which comes to us easily can also leave us just as easily.

Ex: We won $100 during our first night in Las Vegas, but easy come, easy go.



eat like a bird To eat very little.

Ex: The child ate like a bird, but the pediatrician told the parents not to be concerned.



eat like a horse To eat constantly and in large quantities.

Ex: Prepare extra food for Uncle Harold, who eats like a horse.



eat one's cake and have it too The untenable position of consuming while at the same time preserving for future consumption.

Ex: It’s difficult to enjoy shopping while also sticking to a strict budget; you can’t eat your cake and have it too.



eat one's heart out Self-inflicted internal suffering from conflicts involving jealousy, envy, and related emotions.

Ex: Bill secretly hoped his neighbor would eat his heart out when the new sports car arrived from the dealer.



eat one's words The humbling experience of having to take back or repudiate what one has said.

Ex: The sports commentator had to eat her words when the youngest skater finished first.



eat out of one's hand To have a bond of implicit trust with another person to such a degree that the person acts as you wish.

Ex: The auctioneer soon had the bidders eating out of his hand.



(something) eats at one Something irritates, nags at, or bothers one internally.

Ex: Memories of the argument continued to eat at Paul.



egg on one's face The result of a mistake is linked directly to the person responsible for the mistake.

Ex: If we don’t act quickly to solve this problem, we’re all going to have egg on our faces.



eggs in one basket All one's savings or hopes in one investment (with danger implied).

Ex: The investment counsellor warned not to put all our eggs in one basket.



elbow grease A substantial amount of manual work, such as scrubbing, polishing, or painting.

Ex: The apartment could be quite presentable with a little elbow grease.



eleventh hour The final opportunity for action.

Ex: You shouldn’t have waited until the eleventh hour to express your concern.



emperor wears no clothes That which others claim to exist does not in fact exist.

Ex: The professor’s reputation for brilliance was clearly a case of the emperor wearing no clothes.



every dog has its day Brief periods of success come to even the least deserving.

Ex: We hated to see Sam win yet another hand of poker, but every dog has its day.



eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth Revenge is exacted in proportion to the injury received.

Ex: The soldiers vowed an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth if they were attacked.



eye of the beholder That which is perceived depends on the perceiver, not the object itself.

Ex: How a person responds to the light show in the cathedral is definitely in the eye of the beholder.



eye-to-eye In accord and agreement.

Ex: Let’s see eye-to-eye on the problem before we begin to discuss possible solutions.



eyeball-to-eyeball In close personal confrontation, without intermediaries.

Ex: Furious, he demanded to meet his accusers eyeball-to-eyeball.



face the music Confront rather than retreat from punishment, difficulty, or challenge.

Ex: They enjoyed charging the entire vacation on credit cards, but when they came home it was time to face the music of bills, bills, bills.



facts of life Details of human sexuality; more generally, the way human existence proceeds.

Ex: It may seem unreasonable that large organizations often lose their competitive edge, but those are the facts of life.



fair-haired boy A favorite.

Ex: Collin was the fair-haired boy in the office after closing four major sales in one week.



fake someone out Deceive a person, usually by a sudden move or strategy.

Ex: Their stern looks are only an attempt to fake us out.



fall off the wagon Return to a vice such as drunkenness.

Ex: We never expected the iron-willed Martin to fall off the wagon.



fall on one's face Embarrass oneself by a highly visible failure.

Ex: No matter how much experience you’ve had in this business, it’s still possible to fall on your face.



fall on one's sword Commit suicide, real or symbolic.

Ex: Ignoring the client’s clear wishes was Mark’s way of falling on his sword as far as his professional life was concerned.



farm out To subcontract or distribute to others.

Ex: Perhaps we can farm out some of our marketing studies.



fast and loose Without regard for usual rules or morality.

Ex: I had the feeling the broker was playing fast and loose with our account.



fast buck Money earned quickly and often illegally or immorally.

Ex: He grew up believing that the fast buck was the best route to financial security.



fast talker A person adept at persuasive speaking but insincere and deceptive.

Ex: The musical featured a fast talker in a small Midwest town.



fast track A route to rapid progress or promotion.

Ex: Three new MBAs have been placed on the fast track in the company.



fate worse than death An unimaginably horrific consequence or destiny.

Ex: Some avid skiers think of ice storms as a fate worse than death.



fat is in the fire The most inflammatory or controversial aspect of a topic is at issue.

Ex: They tried to hide the candidate’s excesses from the press, but now the fat is in the fire.



feather in one's cap Sign of praiseworthy acts or accomplishments.

Ex: Receiving the mathematics medal during her senior year was a feather in Marlene’s cap.



fed up with Past the point of tolerance; exhaustion of patience.

Ex: Aren’t you fed up with his constant efforts to take over your job duties?



feel blue Experience sadness or melancholy.

Ex: We all feel blue from time to time.



feel no pain Inebriated or under the influence of drugs.

Ex: After his fifth glass of champagne, the groom was feeling no pain.



feel one's oats Experience high levels of energy and excitement.

Ex: It was a pleasure to see the senior citizens feeling their oats on the outing.



feet of clay Flawed aspects of character generally thought to be admirable.

Ex: The leader hid his feet of clay from all but his closest associates.



few and far between Scarce, rare.

Ex: Days of perfect weather are few and far between in Chicago.



fiddle while Rome burns Occupy oneself with trivial amusements while a tragedy or disaster is taking place.

Ex: The CEO’s lavish cocktail party for the board was a case of fiddling while Rome burns, given the problems the company faces.



fill the bill Satisfy the requirements.

Ex: That set of golf clubs should fill the bill.



filthy lucre Money in general; sometimes used to refer to ill-gotten gain.

Ex: One speaker decried our culture for its obsession with filthy lucre.



finger-pointing Accusation, blaming.

Ex: We’ve had enough finger-pointing; now it’s time for each of us to take personal responsibility for these problems.



first come, first served The first in order of arrival receives the first service.

Ex: The bakery advertised its Saturday sale on a first come, first served basis.



fish or cut bait Act or end one's participation.

Ex: Are you going to make an offer or not? It’s time to fish or cut bait.



fishing expedition Any exploration or investigation lacking a specific search targets but hoping nonetheless to make relevant discoveries.

Ex: The FBI’s investigation was more of a fishing expedition than a carefully planned search.



fit as a fiddle In good condition, often said of one's physical condition.

Ex: The octogenarian claimed to be fit as a fiddle.



five-finger discount Stealing by hand.

Ex: Three of the youngsters got candy by means of the five-finger discount.



flake out To shirk responsibility, prove unreliable.

Ex: Don’t let your people flake out when it comes to servicing what they sell.



flash in the pan Momentary, illusory sign of value or beauty.

Ex: Wendell’s early successes were merely a flash in the pan.



flat refusal Unequivocal rejection or denial.

Ex: The labor leader issued a flat refusal to compromise her position.



flesh and blood One's relatives, especially one's direct family.

Ex: How can you remain estranged from your own flesh and blood?



(to) flesh out To give substance to; to elaborate.

Ex: All that remains for this presentation is to flesh out some of the smaller points.



fly by the seat of one's pants To make decisions and base actions on intuition and impulse, not plan.

Ex: Especially during the first weeks on the job, you will feel that you are flying by the seat of your pants.



fly in the ointment A disruptive element in an otherwise acceptable situation, substance, or circumstance.

Ex: The fly in the ointment of the new benefits package is the absence of a dental plan.



fly off the handle Display sudden anger.

Ex: I really don’t understand why he flies off the handle whenever the subject of raises comes up.



fly the coop Suddenly leave a familiar place of residence or work.

Ex: Inevitably, children fly the coop to begin lives of their own.



food for thought Items worth considering.

Ex: Her talk gave us all food for thought.



fool's errand A task only a foolish person would be given, or would accept.

Ex: Trying to collect that bill from a bankrupt company is a fool’s errand.



fools rush in Rash people take impulsive actions that wiser people fear to take.

Ex: I don’t agree with the CEO’s decision to open an office in Prague, but fools rush in.



foot in the door A first stage or incursion in persuading or gaining access.

Ex: The free sample should give our company a foot in the door with the new client.



for all the tea in China For any amount of material wealth.

Ex: He said he wouldn’t budge for all the tea in China.



for peanuts For relatively little money.

Ex: We can’t ask college interns to work for peanuts.



for the birds Not worth a person's time or energy.

Ex: No matter what others say, I think this plan is for the birds.



forbidden fruit Taboo but seductive alurements.

Ex: Peter reached for the forbidden fruit of dating the boss’s daughter.



foot in one's mouth To make a glaring, embarrassing mistake in one's conversation or public speaking.

Ex: Her roommate couldn’t forgive herself for sticking her foot in her mouth when she first met Ted.



foot the bill Pay the charges.

Ex: The company will foot the bill.



fox is watching the henhouse Responsibility for guardianship has been given over to the prime predator.

Ex: Appointing Quentin as a financial auditor is like asking the fox to watch the henhouse.



freak out Experience sudden anxiety, panic, or disorientation, usually due to an unanticipated stimulus.

Ex: Don’t freak out when you see our VISA bill this month.



free for all An environment in which people act in the absence of rules or without regard for rules.

Ex: Bidding for the Kennedy artifacts turned out to be a free for all.



from hand to mouth Obtaining sustenance on a day-by-day or hour-by-hour basis.

Ex: Before returning to school, he had been living from hand to mouth as a handyman in Montana.



from scratch From nothing or from inauspicious beginnings.

Ex: Her mother built this company from scratch.



from the ground up From the earliest stages of growth.

Ex: We wanted to understand the development of the region from the ground up.



fudge factor An allowable marginal of error or forgiveness.

Ex: Fortunately, a fudge factor of about ten percent was secretly included in the deal.



(a) full plate Much to do.

Ex: The administrator has a full plate next week.



(in) full swing At the height of activity or involvement.

Ex: Seeing the debate program in full swing gave great joy to its founders.



gear up for Prepare for, become equipped for.

Ex: Now it’s time to gear up for winter weather.



get a fix on Clarify, define, obtain clear focus on, achieve understanding of.

Ex: Before we settle on a price, let’s get a fix on what competitors are asking.



get a grip Regain control of one's emotions.

Ex: Henry, you have to get a grip before going back into discuss your feelings with the boss.



get a kick out of Enjoy, find amusement or diversion in.

Ex: Grandparents always seem to get a kick out of even the simplest antics of their grandchildren.



get a move on Hurry.

Ex: We have to get a move on if we’re going to make our train.



get a rise out of Get a reaction, especially a spontaneous reaction.

Ex: What do we have to do to get a rise out of that lazy gardener?



get away with murder Avoid penalties or punishment for outrageous acts.

Ex: The town council let the mayor get away with murder in appointing friends and relatives to positions in city government.



get back on one's feet Regain one's health, financial stability, or professional standing.

Ex: Federal loans helped the victims of the flood get back on their feet.



get down to brass tacks Focus on basic issues.

Ex: After more than an hour of quibbling, the panelists finally got down to brass tacks.



get down to the nitty-gritty Focus on core matters, including practical details.

Ex: I understand your general plan, but now let’s get down to the nitty-gritty.



get in on the act Participate, become involved.

Ex: After seeing the company-sponsored softball team’s new uniforms, many employees wanted to get in on the act.





get in on the ground floor Be an early or founding participant or investor in a growing venture.

Ex: Those who got in on the ground floor of the computer company ended up quite wealthy.



get in the groove Put aside distractions and perform at one's best.

Ex: She usually plays tennis for an hour or so before she really gets in the groove.



get one's back (or dander) up Become irritated or angry.

Ex: The news of yet another relocation for company headquarters got Ted’s back up.



get one's feet wet Become experienced, not merely knowledgable.

Ex: You can’t get your feet wet from reading instruction manuals.



get one's goat Arouse feelings of frustration or anger in a person.

Ex: The favoritism practiced in this organization really gets my goat.



get out of hand Go beyond usual or expected boundaries or limits.

Ex: Don’t let entertainment expenses for guests get out of hand.



get the ax Be fired, terminated.

Ex: We heard that the last-hired employees would be the first to get the ax.



get to first base Reach an initial stage of success.

Ex: In planning a cross-country bike trip, we have to get to first base by locating reliable equipment.



get wind of Hear about, learn of.

Ex: Did you get wind of the governor’s opposition to smoking in public buildings?



gild the lily Attempt to make natural beauty more glamorous through artificial means.

Ex: Saying more about Linda’s many accomplishments would simply be gilding the lily.



give a hoot Care about, be concerned over.

Ex: Few of us give a hoot about reading the employee handbook.



give it the once over Consider something in a cursory way.

Ex: She handed him the broken part and he gave it the once over.



give no quarter Give an adversary no advantage or respite.

Ex: In developing a hard-hitting advertising campaign, we must give no quarter to our competitors.



give one the boot Fire, terminate, expel someone.

Ex: Unfortunately, we have to give one of the executives the boot before we can afford to hire more mid-level managers.



give one the brushoff Dismiss someone's attentions, often without courtesy.

Ex: She gave David the brushoff after learning that he had no authority to make a deal.



give one the nod Indicate preference for or choice of a person.

Ex: After an extensive search, the committee gave Paula the nod for the new position.



give the devil his due Give credit where deserved even to disreputable sources.

Ex: Although we all disliked Calvin’s management style, we had to give the devil his due in admitting that he achieved record production levels.



give the lie to Show or prove the falsity of.

Ex: Your expression gives the lie to your words.



give the shirt off one's back Be extraordinarily generous, to the point of self-sacrifice.

Ex: He is one of those rare people who will give you the shirt off his back.



give up the ghost Die, have one's soul leave one's body.

Ex: I’ve got to have a drink of water before I give up the ghost.



give up the ship Make the ultimate decision to let an enterprise or other situation fail.

Ex: Let’s not give up the ship simply because we’re experiencing a difficult period.



glaring falsehood. Gross untruth.

Ex: None of us expected a glaring falsehood from a public official.



glue factory Final, ignoble end (as in the case of horses sent at their death to the glue factory for processing)

Ex: If I can’t work and can’t play golf, I guess there’s nothing left for me but the glue factory.



glutton for punishment One who seems to seek out pain, discomfort, penalties, or stress.

Ex: By asking for the most difficult work assignments, Priscilla became known throughout the office as a glutton for punishment.



go down the drain Be irretrievably lost.

Ex: All our hard work went down the drain when the stock market crashed.



go Dutch Share the expense according to costs incurred by each.

Ex: Let’s go Dutch today, and I’ll treat tomorrow.



go fly a kite Get away, amuse oneself elsewhere.

Ex: She finally told the persistent door-to-door salesperson to go fly a kite.



go for a spin Take a short, usually pleasurable drive.

Ex: Are you interested in going for a spin in my new car?



go haywire Something or someone significantly malfunctions.

Ex: The central processing unit in the computer went haywire.



go in one ear and out the other Heard but not remembered.

Ex: Her parents’ advice went in one ear and out the other.



go into a tailspin Start a downward course leading to destruction.

Ex: A mere rumor caused the company’s stock to go into a tailspin.



go off half-cocked Leave as if for action with only partial information or some wrong impressions.

Ex: The thorough training sessions prevented us from going off half-cocked without knowing our new product line well.



go off the deep end Respond in an exaggerated, often destructive way.

Ex: Reacting with emotion is fine, but don’t go off the deep end.



go overboard To act excessively.

Ex: The neighbors went overboard in welcoming back the local hero.



go public To share private information with the public.

Ex: A former administrative assistant threatened to go public with negative information.



go the extra mile To perform beyond expectations, often in a selfless way.

Ex: Customers always remember the salesperson willing to go the extra mile.



go to one's head Increases one's egotism.

Ex: Don’t let this string of successes go to your head.



go to school on Learn from the observed experience of another.

Ex: One golfer went to school on another golfer’s putt.



go to town Become intensely active or involved.

Ex: Energized by the short vacation, company employees returned to work ready to go to town on the next project.



go underground Become secretive, private, or guarded, especially in a conspiratorial way.

Ex: After being publicly ridiculed for their ideas, Malcolm and his friends went underground with their social politics.



go with the flow Allow oneself to be influenced primarily by predominant movements, ideas, or social processes.

Ex: One way to avoid tension is to learn to go with the flow.



go without saying Something so obvious it need not be said.

Ex: It goes without saying that guests should be treated well in one’s own home.



going gangbusters Performing with great enthusiasm and bravado.

Ex: The factory was going gangbusters in the weeks just before Christmas.



golden opportunity An especially advantageous chance for action.

Ex: Speaking occasions can be a golden opportunity to gain recognition for one’s ideas.



golden parachute Provisions for payments, benefits, and other desirable features as part of a retirement, termination, or resignation plan. Ex: The CEO negotiated a golden parachute as part of her total compensation package.



goose egg Zero, failure to accomplish anything.

Ex: After bold promises, the new supervisor laid a goose egg in failing to increase quarterly profits.



grandstand play An action calculated to attract attention and maximize focus on the central participant(s), often in a manipulative way.

Ex: Working as a team means that none of us will resort to grandstand plays as individuals.



grasp at straws Seek unlikely solutions in a desperate way.

Ex: By raising such trivial issues, you are merely grasping at straws.



grass-roots level The lowest level of authority in a hierarchy, often said of the common population.

Ex: Campaign funding should come from the grass-roots level, if possible.



graveyard shift Work hours spanning all or most of the night.

Ex: No one wanted to work the graveyard shift.



gray area A portion of a topic, issue, or other matter that remains ambiguous, undecided, or intractable for analysis.

Ex: All moral decisions seem to involve some gray area.



grease one's palm Pay one for favorable treatment.

Ex: To get a good table at the restaurant, you may have to grease the owner’s palm.



greased lightning With extreme speed and suddenness.

Ex: She ran the sprint event like greased lightning.



(get, give the) green light Give the signal to proceed.

Ex: Don’t begin work until I give you the green light.



grin and bear it Hide one's feelings of disappointment or pain and endure what must be endured.

Ex: Even when a client is wrong, you may have to grin and bear it.



grind to a halt Come to a stop in a gradual, laborious way.

Ex: All progress on the project began to grind to a halt.



growing pains Discomfort or other undesirable sensations or reactions associated with growth, especially of an organization or person.

Ex: I think the company is merely experiencing growing pains, not severe problems.



gum up the works Act in such a way as to cripple or impede a process, machine, or other system.

Ex: Your efforts to help are gumming up the works.



gun shy Fearful of participation in activity which has previously caused one to be frightful.

Ex: He was gun shy after his initial failure as an account executive.



habit of mind Usual pattern of thinking.

Ex: Are you in the habit of mind of focusing on your successes or your failures?



hail fellow well met A spirit of hearty, enthusiastic greeting.

Ex: Rudy’s spirit of hail fellow well met worked well with new acquaintances, but became tiresome to old friends.



hair stand on end Feelings of terror.

Ex: The movie about space aliens made my hair stand on end.



hale and hearty Strong and healthy, often said of older people.

Ex: Her own father remained hale and hearty through his 80s.



half a mind A decision or idea not yet completed formed in one's mind.

Ex: I have half a mind to sell this car and buy a bicycle.



hammer out To produce with great effort and, often, implied conflict.

Ex: The negotiators worked all night to hammer out an acceptable agreement.



hand in the cookie jar Effort to steal from a tempting resource.

Ex: The embezzler was caught with her hand in the cookie jar at the company.



hand over fist With speed or intensity.

Ex: Gwen’s fruit stand made money hand over fist during the summer months.



hands down Without difficulty.

Ex: She won the competition hands down.



hands on In an experiential way.

Ex: I prefer hands on training to theoretical training.



hand that rocks the cradle The importance of early life influences, especially parental influence.

Ex: To explain her role as a stay-at-home mother, Hanna reminded us all of the hand that rocks the cradle.



handwriting on the wall The outcome or other information is apparent.

Ex: We saw the handwriting on the wall when company profits began to fall.



hang around Remain at a location without a specific purpose or being involved in a particular activity; spending leisure time.

Ex: Do you want to walk to the park or just hang around the house?



hang by a thread Almost entirely separated from the whole or one's source of security or sustenance.

Ex: His own job security hangs by a thread now that his boss has been fired.



hang in the balance Depends entirely upon.

Ex: The fate of the nation hangs in the balance.



hang on to your hat Brace oneself for physical or mental action or surprise.

Ex: When Foley takes over a project, hang on to your hat!



hang out one's shingle Advertise one's services.

Ex: Do you plan to hang out your shingle immediately after graduation?



hanky-panky Risque or sexually-oriented activity, especially in a work setting.

Ex: We all heard rumors of hanky-panky, but had no direct evidence.



happy hunting ground Good source for; or, paradise.

Ex: Fred found that swap meets were the happy hunting ground for used computer parts.



(play) hard ball Use blunt, forceful techniques or language.

Ex: It’s not necessary to play hard ball to get your point across.



hard core Uncensored and explicit, often said of pornography.

Ex: The Internet restricted access to hard core sex sites.



hard-hitting With substantial impact.

Ex: The journalist published a hard-hitting expose on political corruption.



hard-nosed Unrelenting, uncompromising.

Ex: Working for a hard-nosed boss taught us all the value of compassion.



hard row to hoe Difficult tasks or fate faced by one.

Ex: Lydia had a hard row to hoe from the time she was a girl in Memphis.



hard sell Use of pressure tacts in persuasion.

Ex: Using the hard sell can alienate customers.



(wouldn't) harm a fly Gentle, harmless.

Ex: In spite of his huge size, Jason wouldn’t harm a fly.



harp on a point Return to an issue again and again.

Ex: One city council member insists on harping on a point until he gets his way.



has-been One's time of importance has passed.

Ex: Morley is a has-been in business circles, but still exerts considerable influence socially.



haste makes waste Hurrying causes poor use of resources.

Ex: Even at times of company crisis we tried to remember that haste makes waste.



haul (or rake) over the coals Put one under painful or torturous scrutiny or punishment.

Ex: Thornton was called into the boss’s office to be hauled over the coals regarding the company dress code.



have a ball Enjoy thoroughly.

Ex: We want you to relax and have a ball.



have a blast Enjoy with great enthusiasm and energy.

Ex: The children plan to have a blast at the amusement park.



have a field day Enjoy with sensations of triumph.

Ex: Our competitors are going to have a field day with this news of our product failure.



have a good head on one's shoulders Wise, smart, possessed of good common sense.

Ex: Natalie is respected not only for her technical skills but also for having a good head on her shoulders.



have a leg up Possess an advantage due to help received.

Ex: Employees with degrees in computer science have a leg up on the rest of us in learning new computer languages.



have a mind of one's own Be an independent thinker, forming one's own opinions.

Ex: From her earliest years, Maddie definitely had a mind of her own.



have it made in the shade Attain success without much stress.

Ex: Thanks to the large inheritance, the young couple felt they had it made in the shade.



have money to burn Possess so much money that one can waste some of it without concern.

Ex: All the members of the exclusive club gave the impression that they had money to burn.



have someone dead to rights To demonstrate or prove a person's guilt, responsibility, or involvement with absolute certainty, allowing no excuse or appeal.

Ex: The thief thought he had a solid alibi, but the district attorney eventually had him dead to rights.



head over heels Completely, with abandon.

Ex: They were clearly head over heels in love with one another.



head-to-head Direct confrontation.

Ex: The Superbowl promised head-to-head combat between the country’s best teams.



heads up Alert, smart.

Ex: By locating the problem and stopping the assembly line, Jacob made a heads up play.



hear a pin drop Be in a very quiet environment.

Ex: It was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.



heart goes out to Empathize with.

Ex: My heart goes out to all those who lost relatives in the disaster.



heart of gold Consistently good intentions, with the implication of selflessness.

Ex: He has a gruff exterior but a heart of gold.



heart-to-heart (talk) Emotionally honest, with candid disclosure of true feelings.

Ex: We eventually had a chance to have a heart-to-heart talk with our family physician.



hellfire and brimstone Threats of impending punishment or pain.

Ex: Hellfire and brimstone preaching still holds large audiences spellbound and trembling.



hen-pecked Constantly criticized or reminded of obligations, especially domestic ones.

Ex: Hen-pecked husbands are no more common than hen-pecked wives.



here today, gone tomorrow Transitory nature of life.

Ex: Without any sign of serious illness, Victor was here today, gone tomorrow.



high and dry Out of one's element, without recourse.

Ex: The bankruptcy of the tour company left the tourists high and dry in Iceland.



high as a kite At an extreme level, often said of excitement or drunkenness.

Ex: Ben felt high as a kite after his first skydiving experience.



high roller One who gambles for large stakes.

Ex: His aunt dresses and acts like a high roller when she visits Atlantic City.



high sign The signal to take or cease action.

Ex. The foreman will give you the high sign before the truck begins to unload.



highway robbery Outrageous fees that seem tantamount to stealing.

Ex: Their prices are highway robbery compared to what we pay for the same meerchandise elsewhere.



hill of beans Something small and insignificant.

Ex: His objections didn’t amount to a hill of beans.



hint of trouble Sign or symptom of difficulty or problems.

Ex: At the first hint of trouble, take the car to a qualified mechanic.



hit or miss Extremely inconsistent.

Ex: Her tactics in marketing were hit or miss.



hit paydirt Reach the source of success or riches.

Ex: After filing more than twenty patents, Sally finally hit paydirt.



hit the books Study, with intensity implied.

Ex: Few of us will pass the examination unless we hit the books over the weekend.



hit the ceiling Show sudden anger.

Ex: When she saw the broken window, she hit the ceiling.



hit the deck Lie down quickly on one's stomach.

Ex: If bullets begin to fly, hit the deck.



hit the fan When problems impact others in a sudden way.

Ex: Problems were building in the office and finally hit the fan on a hot Friday afternoon.



hit the hay Go to bed.

Ex: After a bumpy flight, Hank opted to hit the hay early.



hit the nail on the head State an issue or other matter with precision.

Ex: Although he lacked technical vocabulary, the mechanic hit the nail on the head in describing the automotive problem.



hit the road Leave, with an emotional component or attitude implied.

Ex: Lauren told the visitor to hit the road.



hit the skids Experience a period of severe deterioration or misfortune.

Ex: By the end of the year, the company had hit the skids.



hit the spot Prove satisfying.

Ex: The cool water from the spring hit the spot on the warm afternoon.



hold a candle to Compare to.

Ex: His management skills can’t hold a candle to hers.



hold one's fire Cease aggression or action.

Ex: Hold your fire until we determine who’s at fault.



hold one's horses Stop forward motion, including mental functions such as planning.

Ex: Hold your horses if you see any sign that the children are becoming frightened.



hold one's tongue Remain silent when one is tempted to speak.

Ex: Brent had learned every business skill except how to hold his tongue.



hold on to your hat Prepare oneself for surprising experience of some kind.

Ex: If you haven’t seen today’s headline, hold on to your hat.



hold out an olive branch Offer compromise or extend overtures of peacemaking.

Ex: The ambassador agreed to hold out an olive branch to the foreign country if it would renounce the development of atomic weapons.



hold the bag Be given responsibility for or consequences of, often unwittingly.

Ex: Even though he wasn’t involved in planning the robbery, Oliver was left holding the bag.



hold (down) the fort Maintain the usual functioning and stability of a place during another's absence.

Ex: While we go shopping, you can hold down the fort here at home.



hold the line Allow no changes in.

Ex: The new budget cuts mean that we will all have to hold the line on spending.



hook, line, and sinker Entirely.

Ex: He accepted our ideas hook, line, and sinker.



horns of a dilemma Problematic choices or alternatives.

Ex: The new information about pollution control left the legislation on the horns of a dilemma.



hook or crook One way or another, irrespective of morality.

Ex: We have to find financing for the project by hook or by crook.



horse around Play, with the implication of spontaneity (without the rules of a game)

Ex: The older children began to horse around in the back yard while the younger children played in the nursery.



horse of a different color An entirely different matter.

Ex: Changing careers after fifty is a horse of a different color.



(from the) horse's mouth From the original source.

Ex: We heard it straight from the horse’s mouth.



hot off the press Recently published, just made known.

Ex: This news is hot off the press.



hot potato An item that will cause damage or pain if held too long, hence the temptation to give it to someone else.

Ex: The question of Mel’s eligibility for promotion was a political hot potato in the company.



hot under the collar Angry.

Ex: Her attitude made Martha hot under the collar.



hue and cry Loud objections, uproar.

Ex: The company president shouted for quiet above the hue and cry of questions.



if the shoe fits, wear it If an accusation against one is accurate, one should own up to it.

Ex: You may not be responsible for damage to the neighbor’s fence, but if the shoe fits, wear it.

in a jam In trouble.

Ex: I’m in a jam and need help immediately.



in a New York minute Right away, in a hurry.

Ex: I would take advantage of that opportunity in a New York minute.



in a nutshell In its most concise or abbreviated form.

Ex: Here’s the idea in a nutshell.



in bed together In collusion with, sharing with.

Ex: The mayor and the city council are in bed together on this issue.



in cahoots with In collusion with. sharing with.

Ex: The sheriff was in cahoots with two felons.



in cold blood Brutally, without sympathy or remorse.

Ex: He shot the man in cold blood.



in like Flynn Completely accepted or empowered.

Ex: After our introduction by the president of the company, we felt we were in like Flynn.



in seventh heaven In a state of ecstasy.

Ex: Her engagement ring made her feel as if she were in seventh heaven every time she looked at it.



in the bag Successfully concluded, no longer at risk.

Ex: Unless unforeseen problems develop, this deal is in the bag.



in the clouds Impractical, dreamy.

Ex: The professor knew her subject, but she seemed in the clouds to many students.



in the doghouse In trouble, usually due to domestic disputes.

Ex: Ralph found himself in the doghouse after forgetting an anniversary.



in the driver's seat In control.

Ex: Where a company goes depends in large part upon who’s in the driver’s seat.



in the know Included among those who have full or additional knowledge.

Ex: Only those in the know have taken advantage of this opportunity.



in the limelight With public attention focused upon one.

Ex: Placing oneself in the limelight often invites unexpected problems.



in the long run When considered over an extended period of time.

Ex: Her policies will probably prove wise in the long run.



in the neighborhood of Approximately.

Ex: We’re seeking a home in the neighborhood of $150,000.



in the nick of time At the last possible moment.

Ex: The car crossed the railroad tracks just in the nick of time before the train roared by.



in the red At a financial loss.

Ex: Company financial records showed two divisions to be in the red.



in the thick of At the most intense period or part of.

Ex: We stopped by our friends’ home and found them in the thick of an argument.



in the trenches In the most difficult, trying environment.

Ex: The struggle to gain market share will be won in the trenches of one-to-one selling.



including the kitchen sink Everything, down to the last item.

Ex: Jenson packed everything including the kitchen sink into his recreational vehicle before leaving for Arizona.



iron out difficulties Solve problems, smooth over differences.

Ex: I want to iron out any difficulties that may have occurred during my absence.



(too many) irons in the fire Over-extended in one's interests or commitments.

Ex: Some problems took place because Wilma had too many irons in the fire.



it never rains but it pours What comes too often arrives in overabundance.

Ex: As is usual with bad luck, it never rains but it pours.



it's Greek to me One doesn't understand.

Ex: I stared at the computer manual for an hour, but it was Greek to me.



it's six of one and a half dozen of the other Either of two options is equal in preferability, quantity, or importance.

Ex: Should we walk or ride bikes? It’s six of one and a half dozen of the other.



it takes two to tango Two parties, not one, are involved and responsible.

Ex: Before you blame Richard entirely, remember that it takes two to tango.



ivory tower An area removed from the real world and negatively characterized for its impractical influence.

Ex: He left his ivory tower in academia to take a difficult but profitable job in industry.



jack of all trades and master of none One who does many things, but none of them well.

Ex: The house bore shabby testimony to its construction by a jack of all trades, but master of none.



jig is up Deception or trickery is revealed.

Ex: Now that he has confessed, the jig is up.



(one's) John Hancock One's signature.

Ex: Please put your John Hancock on the dotted line.



John Q. Public The average citizen.

Ex: Politicians may view the problem one way, but John Q. Public sees it in an entirely different light.



Johnnie-come-lately One who arrives (often purposely) after important events or developments have taken place and tries nevertheless to reap the benefits of those events or developments.

Ex: Any well-publicized company success brings a Johnnie-come-lately eager to claim partial credit.



joined at the hip Very closely associated; loyal to one another.

Ex: He and his fraternity brothers are joined at the hip.



joy ride An automobile drive characterized by fun to point of wildness or recklessness.

Ex: The parents worried that their teenagers’ joy ride might end in tragedy.



jump-start (someone or something) Apply a burst of energy to motivate immediate action.

Ex: Company managers sought ways to jump-start the long-delayed supersonic jet project.



jump through a hoop Perform an unnecessary obligation or task.

Ex: The troopmaster was disliked because he made new troop members jump through hoops before allowing them to go on hikes.



junk food Snack or quick-meal food of low nutritional value.

Ex: Most of the students preferred junk food to cafeteria fare.



just fell off the turnip truck Naive, unacquainted with urban ways.

Ex: Even though I’m from the countryside, don’t think I just fell off the turnip truck.



keep a lid on Do not reveal, keep private.

Ex: I’ll tell you a secret if you promise to keep a lid on it.



keep a stiff upper lip Maintain one's courage.

Ex: The British are rightly famous for keeping a stiff upper lip through adverse times.



keep all balls in the air Do not let any of one's obligations be slighted or forgotten.

Ex: The office manager prided herself on keeping all balls in the air at the same time.



keep in touch with Remain in contact with.

Ex: Although we will be living in distant cities, I hope we will keep in touch with one another.



keep the peace Maintain friendly relationships.

Ex: At some family gatherings it becomes difficult to keep the peace.



keep the wolf from the door Provide sufficient income and other forms of support to sustain the home or other entity.

Ex: Especially in urban areas, economic conditions often require both husband and wife to work to keep the wolf from the door.



keys to the kingdom Access to available resources, with honor implied.

Ex: Based on the enthusiastic welcome by the president, you would think that the new executive vice president had been given the keys to the kingdom.



kick the bucket Die, with lack of respect implied.

Ex: The old fisherman finally kicked the bucket after a long and eventful life.



kick the habit Free oneself from a strong predeliction or addiction.

Ex: Substance abusers rarely have success in kicking the habit on the first try.



kick the tires Perform rudimentary tests on a product prior to purchasing it.

Ex: Before making any purchase, be sure to look it over carefully and kick the tires.



kick up one's heels Celebrate in a physically active way.

Ex: The monthly dances at the retirement home gave residents a chance to kick up their heels.



kill time Performing relatively purposeless activities in order to help time pass.

Ex: One way popular way to kill time is to watch day-time TV shows.



kill two birds with one stone Accomplish two purposes with one effort or action.

Ex: By buying a cat to rid the house of mice and to serve as a pet, we killed two birds with one stone.



king's ransom A vast amount of money.

Ex: Homes in that neighborhood must cost a king’s ransom.



knock on wood A wish to ward off misfortune and invite good luck.

Ex: Let’s hope we all have a healthy new year, knock on wood.



knockdown dragout fight A conflict characterized by brutal struggle.

Ex: Expect a knockdown dragout fight the next time our management committee tries to decide on a merit pay plan.



knuckle down Bear down intensely.

Ex: By knuckling down to our work, we can complete it well before the deadline.



knuckle under Give in, surrender to.

Ex: Mike would not knuckle under to Conrad’s unreasonable demands.



know which side one's bread is buttered on Know from what source one's benefits come.

Ex: She seems politically astute and knows which side her bread is buttered on.



labor of love Work done for the satisfaction one finds in it.

Ex: The sculpture was a labor of love, not a work for profit.



lame duck One still in service but whose removal from service has already been determined.

Ex: The Congressional representative remained on in Washington as a lame duck for almost a year.



land office business A high-volume, high-profit, and frenetic trading environment.

Ex: The garment outlet store did a land office business during tourist season.



land of milk and honey Paradise or paradise-like state.

Ex: In captivity, the people of Israel looked forward to their eventual journey to the land of milk and honey.



land on one's feet Recover from an upset without lasting damage.

Ex: One’s character can often be measured by the grace with which one lands on one’s feet after an unexpected upset.



land the job Be hired.

Ex: William celebrated after landing the job.



larger than life Exaggerated in characteristics and attributes.

Ex: Sandra’s voice, gestures, and expressions were all larger than life.



last roundup Moment of death, final time of accounting.

Ex: After the ten mile hike across the mountain, we felt we were headed toward the last roundup.



last straw Final event, irritation, or other stimulus that leads to a reaction.

Ex: Matthew’s sarcastic comment at the board meeting was the last straw for the president of the company.



laugh all the way to the bank Show no remorse (but, instead, glee) over the way in which one has obtained money, even in ways that others disapprove.

Ex: Fran has been criticized for her type of work, but she laughs all the way to the bank.



laugh up one's sleeve Hide the expression of one's amusement.

Ex: Georgia could not help but laugh up her sleeve as the consultant went on and on with promises of what he could do for the company.



laundry list A long list of items.

Ex: The coach had a laundry list of comments and criticisms after watching a videotape of the game.



lay an egg Fail, perform poorly.

Ex: After two previous failures, we can’t afford to lay an egg this time.



lay down the law Forcefully set forth unambiguous rules or commands.

Ex: Tough love sometimes means laying down the law to loved ones.



lay off Terminate one's job temporarily until such time as the person can be hired.

Ex: Two corporations pledged not to lay off employees without at least six months’ severance pay.



lead by the nose Be extremely overt and obvious in guiding a person to a particular conclusion or course of action.

Ex: You do not have to lead me by the nose to persuade me to buy your product.



lease on life Period for living.

Ex: The vitamins seemed to give Mindy a new lease on life.



leave in the lurch Abandon at a time of great need or urgency.

Ex: By quitting when he did, Trenton managed to leave us all in the lurch.



leave no stone unturned Investigate all clues, explore all options.

Ex: The police lieutenant ordered her troops to leave no stone unturned in looking for the lost child.



left-handed compliment Purported praise that contains an insult or criticism.

Ex: His comment about her one-of-a-kind hairstyle was a left-handed compliment.



(a) leg up on An advantage due to help received.

Ex: His solid background in electrical engineering gives Cal a leg up on others in the systems design department.



let off steam Vent one's anger or frustration.

Ex: It’s healthy to let off steam rather than letting anger smolder within.



let one's hair down Relax, become informal and comfortable.

Ex: After work, Mary’s boyfriend urged her to let her hair down and relax.



let the cat out of the bag Reveal a secret.

Ex: You spoiled her surprise party by letting the cat out of the bag.



let the chips fall where they may Allow the results of an action to occur, no matter what or whom is impacted.

Ex: His advice was to act honestly and openly, then to let the chips fall where they may.



level best One's best effort.

Ex: You will seldom go wrong by trying your level best.



life of the party One whose antics and humor makes a party particularly lively.

Ex: Nick was the life of the party until he fell into the swimming pool.



light of day Dawn, enlightenment generally.

Ex: We have talked and talked, but we can’t make him see the light of day.



lightning never strikes twice in the same spot An unusual occurrence, once experienced by a person, will not recur for that person.

Ex: The chances that Bob will have a repeat encounter with a bear are remote, since lightning never strikes twice in the same spot.



like a house on fire With great energy.

Ex: The carpenters were working like a house on fire in an effort to finish the roof before the rain storm arrived.



(a) likely story A story fabricated to serve one's interests.

Ex: Your alibi sounds like a likely story.



lip service Words spoken but not meant.

Ex: They all paid lip service to the value of teleconferencing, but few used it.



litany of excuses An extended list of reasons and explanations given as excuses.

Ex: We heard a litany of excuses on why Harold could not travel on weekends.



little black book A private directory of personal (often intimate) friends.

Ex: Jim’s little black book got him into trouble when it fell into the wrong hands.



live high off the hog Live an extravagant lifestyle.

Ex: When crops were good, the farming community lived high off the hog.



lock, stock, and barrel All possessions.

Ex: He sold the delicatessen lock, stock, and barrel.



long shot A choice, option, or alternative very unlikely to succeed.

Ex: His chances of becoming a corporate director are a long shot at best.



look a gift horse in the mouth Be unreceptive and ungrateful to one's benefactor.

Ex: In considering whether to accept the Employee of the Month bonus, don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.



look through rose-colored glasses View life in a way distorted by one's mindset or emotions.

Ex: Mabel viewed the world through rose-colored glasses and never seemed to recognize the seriousness of the problems all around her.



look you in the eye Confront one directly and frankly.

Ex: Can he look you in the eye and tell you he didn’t do it?



looking for a needle in a haystack Searching futily for a small item hidden in a large, obscuring environment.

Ex: Searching for a bug in the computer program is like looking for a needle in a haystack.



loose cannon Something or someone dangerous because of their unpredictability.

Ex: Barbara is highly skilled, but her unpredictable nature makes her a loose cannon in the company.



loose lips sink ships Revealing secrets can cause disasters.

Ex: Revealing proprietary information can be damaging; loose lips sink ships.



loosen (tighten) the purse strings Spend more (less) money.

Ex: The boss will have to loosen the purse strings if she expects real progress on this project.



lord it over Act superior in the presence of, or because of a particular triumph.

Ex: Jack has no reason to lord it over the rest of us, even though he did receive a larger bonus.



lose heart Give up courage and commitment.

Ex: Don’t lose heart when temporary conditions are not to your liking.



lose one's marbles Go insane.

Ex: Unrelieved stress can eventually cause one to lose one’s marbles.



lose one's shirt Sustain major financial losses.

Ex: Jackson lost his shirt in a particularly risky investment.



luck of the draw Fortune or misfortune based solely on chance.

Ex: By luck of the draw, he was selected for the trip to England.



lump in one's throat Sensation of strong emotion, as if about to cry.

Ex: The story of Marty’s problems brought a lump to my throat.



mad as a hatter Crazy, in a bizarre (but usually not dangerous) way.

Ex: We all liked Paul, but at the same time felt that he was mad as a hatter.



mad as a hornet Furious.

Ex: The marketing director burst out of the meeting room mad as a hornet.



magic bullet A miraculous solution to a problem.

Ex: Many employees consider the buy-out plan a magic bullet for saving their pensions.



make a clean breast of Disclose honestly and completely.

Ex: The simplest approach to conflict resolution is to make a clean breast of your own motives and actions.



make a killing Achieve extremely large financial gain or other successes.

Ex: Everyone wants to make a killing in the stock market, but few have the patience and skill to do so.



make a long story short To get right to the main points of a story.

Ex: To make a long story short, the hero returns to his tribe at the end of the movie.



make a monkey of Make a person look foolish.

Ex: If her comments were intended to make a monkey out of Underwood, they succeeded.



make a mountain out of molehill Give unwarranted significance to something trivial.

Ex: We would have fewer meetings if employees decided not to make mountains out of molehills.



make a splash Make a sudden, usually positive impression.

Ex: The new sports center attempted to make a splash by offering free memberships for 48 hours.



make both ends meet Spend no more money than one makes.

Ex: All members of the family contributed to help make both ends meet.



make hay while the sun shines Do purposeful activity while conditions permit.

Ex: We knew we had to make hay while the sun shines, especially because a strike action threatened to shut the factory down within a matter of weeks.



make no bones about it Without dissembling or unnecessary elaboration.

Ex: I will make no bones about it: the city manager has been accepting bribes.



make one's mark To achieve at a level that wins public notice.

Ex: Of the many ways to make one’s mark, law and medicine have traditionally been popular.



make waves To disturb an otherwise calm situation.

Ex: Sometimes it is necessary to make waves in order to call attention to an important problem.



makes one tick Explains one's nature and actions.

Ex: Nathan was widely admired, but none of us knew exactly what made him tick.



meet one's match Come up against a person who is as good as, and often better than, one is at a given activity or in particular qualities.

Ex: It’s not easy to remain confident once a person meets his or her match.



meet one's Waterloo Encounter an event that proves to be one's downfall.

Ex: In the Exxon Valdez disaster, more than one company executive met his or her Waterloo.



meeting of the minds Agreement among parties.

Ex: Before proceeding to the details of this settlement, let’s make sure we have a meeting of the minds on the salary issue.



mellow out Become relaxed and calm.

Ex: After a stressful day, the workers mellowed out by playing cards and drinking beer.



mending fences Repairing damaged relationships.

Ex: Mending fences quickly is never so important as when friendships have been damaged over misunderstandings.



mental giant Person of extraordinary intelligence.

Ex: Henderson was physically unimpressive but he had the well-deserved reputation of being a mental giant.



millstone around one's neck A seemingly inescapable personality feature, past event, obligation, or other experience that causes one perpetual misfortune in the present and future.

Ex: Gwendolyn felt that her parental obligations were a millstone around her neck when it came to renewing her career in ballet.



milk of human kindness Good deeds accompanied by the best of motives.

Ex: As terrible as the disaster was for many families, it nevertheless brought forth the milk of human kindness in many ways.



mind like a steel trap Quick-thinking.

Ex: The precocious child had a mind like a steel trap.



mind one's p's and q's Pay attention to all details, including aspects of one's behavior.

Ex: You have been given permission to enter the research facility, but mind your p’s and q’s in the laboratory areas.



miss one's bet Guess incorrectly.

Ex: Unless I miss my bet, Vicky will be chosen as our PTA president next year.



money doesn't grow on trees Money is not easy to get.

Ex: Her mother gave her $20, along with the admonition to spend it wisely because money doesn’t grow on trees.



money in the bank A reward or other gain that is assured and cannot be withheld.

Ex: His performance contract with Universal Bookings was money in the bank.



monkey on one's back An obligation, task, responsibility, or problem that belongs to a person, like it or not.

Ex: You shifted responsibility to me for the project, and now the monkey is on my back.



month of Sundays An impossible period of time.

Ex: He couldn’t lose that much weight in a month of Sundays.



more heat than light More emotional venting than enlightenment.

Ex: They debated for hours, with more heat than light.



more the merrier The more people in attendance, the happier the occasion.

Ex: Of course you can invite your friends--the more the merrier.



(a) mouthpiece for A spokesperson for.

Ex: The lawyer was notorious as a mouthpiece for organized crime.



mover and shaker One who is a major influence, especially in political, social, or business life.

Ex: For three generations, the family has been a mover and shaker in Seattle area.



muddy the waters Obscure the issue.

Ex: Your many examples are intended to clarify your point, but they end up muddying the waters.



nail someone to a cross Punish someone cruelly in a publicly visible way.

Ex: When problems occur in business, it does little good to nail any one person to a cross.



name in lights Attainment of fame, especially in the entertainment field.

Ex: With luck, she will see her name in lights soon.



necessary evil A bad component required for the success of a plan.

Ex: Weekend travel is a necessary evil for many executives.



neck of the woods Locale, area, neighborhood.

Ex: In this neck of the woods, we always hunt for food, never just for pleasure.



nip in the bud Stop something just as it begins.

Ex: You will definitely want to nip in the bud your dog’s tendency to bite.



no pain, no gain One cannot make progress without experiencing discomfort.

Ex: The dieters complained bitterly about the sparse menu, only to be counselled “no pain, no gain.”



nodding acquaintance Someone known casually but not as a friend.

Ex: She had a nodding acquaintance with the judge.



(have one's) nose out of joint Become irritated or angry.

Ex: There’s no reason to have your nose out of joint over an innocent remark.



not over until the fat lady sings Results cannot be called final until the very last moment.

Ex: We’re behind by three runs, but it’s not over until the fat lady sings.



not to be sneezed at Not to be treated lightly.

Ex: The pay offered for the position is not to be sneezed at.



not too shabby Impressive.

Ex: The interior of the yacht was not too shabby.



not worth a plugged nickel Worthless.

Ex: Those old stock certificates are not worth a plugged nickel.



note of concern Expression of caring or worry.

Ex: Do I detect a note of concern in your comments about Mother’s health?



nuggets of information Bits of especially valuable or titillating information.

Ex: The brief interview yielded valuable nuggets of information.



nurse a grudge Concentrate on and rehearse within the ill feelings one person has toward another who has wronged him or her.

Ex: Nursing a grudge consumes enormous emotional energy and pays few dividends.



odd duck Person with strange personality features.

Ex: Some of the world’s most famous people are odd ducks in their private lives.



off base Outside the rules or standards.

Ex: His comments were far off base with regard to David’s character.



off one's rocker Crazy, mentally imbalanced.

Ex: I believe he is off his rocker in his political opinions.



off one's chest Relief experienced from disclosure or confession.

Ex: It must be a relief to get those feeling off your chest.



off the bat Suddenly, right away.

Ex: He couldn’t give a firm opinion right off the bat.



off the beaten track In a locale or region that is not well known.

Ex: The village is a bit off the beaten track, but well worth the visit.



off the cuff Candidly, without preparation.

Ex: The remarks, which the speaker said were off the cuff, lasted more than an hour.



off the top of one's head First thoughts or words, without thorough consideration or preparation.

Ex: Just off the top of her head, the physician could not think of a reason why the skin rash should recur so soon.



off the wagon Back to a former state of drunkenness or other debilitating state.

Ex: We all felt discouraged when we heard that Richard had fallen off the wagon again.



off the wall Unexpected, original, unique.

Ex: This idea may strike you as off the wall, but hear me out nonetheless.

old college try With the effort and enthusiasm reminiscent of college sports.

Ex: By giving this project the old college try, we may be able to finish by the deadline.



old hat Stale, already done.

Ex: His ideas, no matter how well expressed, are still old hat.



once in a blue moon Rarely.

Ex: These opportunities arrive only once in a blue moon.



one fell swoop Immediately, in one dramatic or intense action.

Ex: He managed to hire away the competition’s best employees in one fell swoop.



on the fritz Not operating correctly.

Ex: This TV has been on the fritz for weeks.



on the lam Running from the authorities.

Ex: The felon is on the lam, but police feel they have clues as to his whereabouts.



on the wagon Recovering from a former state of drunkennes or other debilitation.

Ex: Sylvia is an excellent manager so long as she stays on the wagon.



one for the books Worth remembering, classic.

Ex: The announcer called the game “one for the books.”



one for the road A drink to prepare one for a journey.

Ex: I have to go soon, but let’s have one for the road.



one in a million Someone or something very special.

Ex: The whole family agreed that Aunt Rose was one in a million.



one-night stand A brief tryst, without a long-term relationship; by extension, any brief encounter.

Ex: When we sell to customers, we don’t want them to feel they have experienced a one-night stand.



on a shoestring On meager resources.

Ex: This company can’t survive more than six months if we continue to run it on a shoestring.



on one's coattails On someone else's accomplishments or reputation.

Ex: Bob felt that several coworkers were attempting to ride on his coattails after his Nobel Prize was awarded.



on the blink Not operating correctly.

Ex: The refrigerator has been on the blink since June.



on the chopping block Set for destruction or division.

Ex: One of our companies will be placed on the chopping block soon and massive layoffs will probably result.



on the dot Precisely.

Ex: She left work at 5 pm on the dot.



on the double Quickly.

Ex: After hearing the fire alarm, we all exited the building on the double.



on the fly Performed rapidly while engaged with another activity.

Ex: I can put together some figures for you, but they will be done on the fly.



on the mend Healing or recovering.

Ex: Richard’s wife is already out of the hospital and he, too, is on the mend.



on the Q.T. In secret, a private communication.

Ex: Strictly on the Q.T., I heard that one of our vice presidents is facing a major lawsuit.



on the sidelines Not a primary participant, someone awaiting the call to action.

Ex: He and his staff are on the sidelines for now, but just until our federal grant is renewed.



on the sly Secretly, in a stealthful way.

Ex: At their wedding, they admitted they had been dating on the sly much longer than any of us knew.



on the warpath In a mode of aggression, hostility, or anger.

Ex: The commander was on the warpath for soldiers who were off base without permission.



open door policy Open access provided by an authority figure as a means of obtaining feedback and other information from subordinates.

Ex: All senior administrators are required to maintain an open door policy from 1 pm to 5 pm on Friday afternoons.



open secret Something reputed to be secret, but in fact well-known.

Ex: It’s an open secret that no one ever gets fired at the post office.



opportunity knocks The chance for advantageous business action presents itself.

Ex: In this case, I truly believe that opportunity knocks, especially because so little risk is involved.



out of the blue Unexpectedly, from an unknown or unanticipated source.

Ex: The invitation to attend the inauguration came entirely out of the blue.



out of gas Depleted, exhausted.

Ex: Our venture started well but soon ran out of gas as its principals lost interest.



out of one's shell Overcoming one's shyness.

Ex: Games have a way of bringing people out of their shells at parties.



out of the frying pan into the fire From a bad situation to a worse one.

Ex: His lateral move from Accounting to Finance took him out of the frying pan into the fire.



out of thin air Appearing miraculously, unexpectedly, apparently without a known or anticipated source or origin.

Ex: Geniuses seem to have the ability to pull solutions to complex problems out of thin air.



out of this world Amazing, extraordinary, remarkable.

Ex: The food at the La Bomba Restaurant is out of this world.



out of touch Not current or up-to-date, not meaningfully connected.

Ex: The longer she served in her leadership role, the more out of touch she became with those she led.



out on a limb In a precarious and dangerous position.

Ex: Buying a second home puts us out on a limb financially.



out of the loop Not one with whom important information is shared.

Ex: Andrew said he wanted to participate more fully, but felt out of the loop.



out to lunch Strange in personality or behavior; imbalanced.

Ex: I’m fond of her aunt, but his uncle is definitely out to lunch.



out to pasture No longer active; retired.

Ex: Since the company can no longer afford him, perhaps it’s time to put him out to pasture.



over a barrel In a position necessitating concession or surrender.

Ex: The bargaining unit had management over a barrel when it came to the issue of on-site childcare arrangements.



over the long haul In the long term.

Ex: Mentoring in corporations pays its richest dividends over the long haul.



packed like sardines Positioned uncomfortably close to one another.

Ex: Even though the aircraft was new, the passengers felt packed like sardines in economy class.



paint oneself into a corner Leave oneself no options.

Ex: If you do not watch your words and actions carefully, you may end up painting yourself into a corner.



paint the town red Celebrate, especially by frequenting several bars and clubs in succession.

Ex: After hearing of her promotion, Inez and her friends went out to paint the town red.



pandemonium reigned An experience characterized by chaos and extreme social disorder.

Ex: In the movie, news of an approaching asteroid terrified the population and pandemonium reigned.



paper it over Cover up but not repair.

Ex: The minivan has some design flaws, but we can paper them over cosmetically.



paper tiger A harmless version of something to be feared.

Ex: The lawyer, together with all his threats, proved to be no more than a paper tiger.



par for the course That which is to be expected.

Ex: He earned $65,000 in commissions--about par for the course for junior salespeople.



pass muster Meet standards required for acceptance.

Ex: I wonder if the majority of high school graduates can pass muster in basic arithmetic.



pass the ball Give responsibility or opportunity to someone else.

Ex: You’re a natural leader but you still have to learn to pass the ball more.



pass the buck Shirk blame or responsibility by assigning it to another person.

Ex: When she asked Henderson to authorize the expenditure, he passed the buck to his boss.



pay one's dues Put in an accepted period of onerous work; experience an accepted degree of difficulty.

Ex: As one who has been with the company during its toughest times, you have certainly paid your dues.



pay the piper Give money or other tribute to one who has provided delight or entertainment.

Ex: We have all enjoyed ourselves, but now it’s time to pay the piper.



pedal to the metal Drive as fast as possible.

Ex: The physician drove her Mercedes pedal to the metal whenever she had the opportunity.



penny for one's thoughts A request to share what one is thinking.

Ex: You seem contemplative--here’s a penny for your thoughts.



penny wise and pound foolish Overly concerned with small expenditures but oblivious to large expenditures.

Ex: Buying plastic furniture for the cafeteria is being penny wise and pound foolish; it will hold up only a year or two.



peter(ed) out End by gradually becoming less and less.

Ex: The vein of gold looked promising, but petered out a few yards from where it was discovered.



photo finish Two competitors reach a goal at what appears to be the same time.

Ex: The two runners crossed the line in a photo finish after ten kilometers.



pick of the litter The best among several alternatives.

Ex: There are many to choose from, but I think you’ve selected the pick of the litter.



pick the brains of Solicit information or expertise from.

Ex: The company sent invitations to several renowned scientists in hopes of picking their brains at the annual company meeting.



pick up the tab Pay the bill.

Ex: The company will pick up the tab.



(a) picture is worth a thousand words It would take a great deal of language to create the same impact as one picture.

Ex: Include more graphics in your report; a picture is worth a thousand words.



pie in the sky A reward so remote that it can never be obtained.

Ex: Accepting stock options in place of salary turns out to be pie in the sky thinking for most workers.



piece of cake Something easy.

Ex: This exercise is a piece of cake.



pipe dream A fantasy unlikely to be made real.

Ex: I don’t think we want to base an entire design on one engineer’s pipe dream.



play cat and mouse with To tease.

Ex: Nick didn’t resist negotiation, but neither did he want the company to play cat and mouse with him.



play fast and loose Act in a deceptive, unethical way.

Ex: One used car salesperson in particular was well-known for playing fast and loose in his business practices.



play for keeps Act with firm resolve, as if for a final result.

Ex: She joked often about being a frustrated Olympian, but when it came to competitive swimming she played for keeps.



play games Behave manipulatively, insincerely, or deceptively.

Ex: Let’s quit playing games and get down to serious business.



play hard to get Show resistance toward.

Ex: I don’t know whether he sincerely does not want to accept this new position or is simply playing hard to get.



play it by ear Make decisions intuitively or moment-by-moment.

Ex: Instead of planning our every move, let’s play it by ear.



play one's cards right Make the right choices, given one’s options.

Ex: Rapid career advancement in the company is possible if you play your cards right.



play possum To pretend to be dead, inactive, or nonthreatening.

Ex: The cat was playing possum as a way of luring the bird into its grasp.



play second fiddle Take a subordinate position to.

Ex: Conrad resented playing second fiddle to anyone when it came to his knowledge of telecommunications.



play the Devil's advocate Purposely espouse the opposed sides of an issue.

Ex: Let me play the Devil’s advocate and give you another perspective on the issue.



play the field Extend one’s social or other contacts widely rather making single or narrow commitments.

Ex: Many college graduates continue to play the field in their dating habits rather than settling down to marriage and family as their parents did.



play with fire Do dangerous things.

Ex: Those who play with fire inevitably get burned, and deservedly so.



(not) playing with a full deck Not in possession of all one’s mental faculties; crazy.

Ex: The leader was ambitious and charismatic, but at the same time we all suspected he was not playing with a full deck.



plumb the depths Search for underlying issues or aspects.

Ex: The psychologist attempted to plumb the depths of the young man’s intense fear of elevators.



poker face A neutral or ambiguous facial expression.

Ex: By maintaining a poker face, she took maximum advantage of her opponent’s strategies.



polish the apple Seek favor through a compliment or complimentary behavior.

Ex: Now that you are an accepted and valued member of the team, you don’t have to polish the apple with the boss each day.



poor as a church mouse Extremely impoverished.

Ex: One of the most intelligent people I have ever met was as poor as a church mouse.



poor-mouth Representing oneself as more impoverished than one is.

Ex: His obvious attempts to poor-mouth his situation left even his best friends unsympathetic.



pop the question Make a sudden (usually important) inquiry, as in a marriage proposal.

Ex: Should he pop the question or should she?



power behind the throne The real authority or strength behind the ostensible leader

Ex: History is full of examples of little-known men and women who were, in fact, the power behind the throne.



(the) pot calling the kettle black As if ignorant of its own faults, one party accusing another party of flaws or guilt.

Ex: Criminals who call the police unnecessarily violent is often a case of the pot calling the kettle black.



pound of flesh Harsh terms demanded for revenge.

Ex: He backed away from open conflict for now, but he will no doubt return to demand his pound of flesh.



pound the pavement Work tediously by going door-to-door or other labor involving walking on city streets.

Ex: The marketing surveyors did not know their work would involve pounding the pavement so much and so long.



power broker One who acts as an intermediary and negotiator between influential parties.

Ex: She served for years as power broker to the rich, famous, and influential.



press the flesh Shake hands, often in a routine way.

Ex: The candidate was confident that he could win votes by pressing the flesh at malls and food stores.



pretty kettle of fish A problem or dilemma.

Ex: The woman stared at her uprooted plants and exclaimed, “This is a pretty kettle of fish!”



proof of the pudding is in the eating Experiencing something makes its value clear.

Ex: Don’t make a longterm commitment to a career until you have tried it for a few months; the proof of the pudding is in the eating.



pull one's punches With purposely withhold a portion of the impact of one’s influence or action.

Ex: At the meeting he didn’t pull any punches; we knew exactly what he wanted and why.



pull out all the stops Withhold nothing in one’s efforts.

Ex: To finish the project on time, every team member pulled out all the stops.



pull out of a hat Produce by surprise, as if by magic.

Ex: Somehow, the troubled couple expected the counsellor to pull the answer out of a hat.



pull someone's leg Tease someone.

Ex: Are you sure his comments were not just an awkward attempt to pull your leg?



pull something off Make something happen, often against unfavorable odds.

Ex: I’m confident that we can pull this plan off if we all give it our best effort.



pull the plug on Terminate.

Ex: Reluctantly, everyone had to admit that it was time to pull the plug on the plan to double the size of the state park.



pull the rug out from under Cause a sudden reversal or collapse by changing underlying rules or assumptions.

Ex: She expressed shock and dismay when her supervisor pulled the rug out from under her plan.



pull the wool over one's eyes To deceive.

Ex: You may be able to pull the wool over some people’s eyes, but you haven’t fooled me.



pull yourself up by your bootstraps Improve oneself or one’s situation by one’s own means.

Ex: It’s a confidence-building experience to pull yourself up by your own bootstraps at least once in life.



punch the clock Show up at work, with the implication of punctuality and routinization.

Ex: The workers filed in to punch the clock before the morning whistle blew.



pure gravy Unalloyed profit or benefit.

Ex: After the restaurant was paid off, everything they made after taxes was pure gravy.



push one's buttons Arouse someone’s emotions, especially anger.

Ex: An experienced manager doesn’t let others push his or her buttons.



push the envelope Approach, test, or extend the limits of.

Ex: The test pilot pushed the envelope in testing the new jet.



put a bandaid on Repair in a temporary way.

Ex: The legislation merely put a bandaid on the problem of illegal immigration.



put all one's eggs in one basket Invest in or rely upon on one source for one’s security or benefit.

Ex: The investment advisor counselled the couple not to put all their eggs in one basket.



put on airs Pretend to elevated status.

Ex: It was refreshing to see an actor who put on no airs in accepting an Oscar award.



put on the dog Dress or behave pretentiously.

Ex: She surprised her friends and gratified her enemies by putting on the dog.



put on the map Make visible or create notice or reputation for.

Ex: His fame put the his tiny hometown on the map.



put one's two cents in Give one’s opinion or advice.

Ex: When Grandfather asked for advice, everyone in the family put his or her two cents in.



put out fires Resolve problems.

Ex: The elementary school principal spent half her day putting out fires of one kind or another.



put your thinking cap on Begin intense mental work, as in problem-solving.

Ex: To think about the problem in a new way, put your thinking cap on and wait for inspiration.



put up or shut up Act or quit talking about action.

Ex: Now that all aspects of the deal have been defined, it’s time to put up or shut up.



quantum leap Significant progress.

Ex: The invention led to a quantum leap for the space program.



quick and dirty Something done rapidly and without attention to quality.

Ex: His sketch for the remodel was quick and dirty, but it sufficed to communicate our basic ideas to the architect.



quick study Fast learner.

Ex: After watching Jack master mah jong in one evening, we all realized he was a quick study.



quit while one is ahead Stop at a point of progress beyond the average or breakeven point.

Ex: One lesson never taught in school is how to quit while one is ahead.



rain on one's parade Bring negative influence, information, or events to one’s otherwise positive experience.

Ex: You have every right to complain about your problems, but please don’t rain on my parade.



raining cats and dogs Raining heavily.

Ex: The weather forecaster said it would be raining cats and dogs by sundown.



rainy day A time of misfortune or a time when one cannot work on behalf of one’s good fortune.

Ex: We tried to save a bit each month for a rainy day.



raise Cain Cause problems or uproar.

Ex: The neighbors raised Cain when a carpenter began constructing a fence along their property line.



raise eyebrows Produce surprise, particularly of a negative kind.

Ex: Susan’s harsh words about the mayor raised eyebrows at the party.



raise the roof Cause an uproar.

Ex: The guests at the graduation party raised the roof from midnight to the crack of dawn.



rats deserting a sinking ship Early and ignoble indications of coming destruction.

Ex: The rash of sudden resignations reminded us of rats deserting a sinking ship.



raw deal Unwelcome or undeserved result.

Ex: Larry received a raw deal in being forced to retire two years before his pension came due.



read one like a book Perceive a person’s thoughts or motives.

Ex: After many years together, the couple could read one another like a book, even with saying a word.



read the riot act Rebuke strongly or give stern admonition to.

Ex: The manager had to read the riot act to employees who insisted on taking two hour lunches.



red as a beet Flushed, usually with embarrassment or anger.

Ex: The coach was red as a beet with frustration and anger after losing the game.



red herring False issue introduced to obscure the real issue.

Ex: The issue of seat belts in school buses is a red herring in the larger debate over regulation of public transportation of children.



red in the face Flushed, usually with anger or embarrassment.

Ex: She was red in the face with embarrassment after calling her new boyfriend by her old boyfriend’s name.



red-letter day Special occasion.

Ex: The date of his safe return from Vietnam remained a red-letter day for John throughout his life.



rest assured Be confident that.

Ex: Rest assured that your life insurance will provide adequate funds for the needs of your survivors.



ride roughshod over Treat impolitely or without regard for feelings.

Ex: The boss had a bad habit of riding roughshod over the feelings and ideas of his subordinates.



right as rain True, unwavering.

Ex: In morality and character, Richard was right as rain.



right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing One entity acts without knowing the related actions of another entity.

Ex: Especially in the executive branch, the right hand doesn’t seem to know what the left hand is doing.



(a) roadmap to (for) A guide or unmistakable information for.

Ex: The Internet information was a virtual roadmap for creating various types of bombs.



rob Peter to pay Paul Take money or other benefit away from one deserving party to give it to another deserving party.

Ex: Taking money from education to give to crime prevention is robbing Peter to pay Paul.



rock bottom Nadir, absolute lowest point.

Ex: Henry’s personal life hit rock bottom after his divorce, job termination, and serious illness.



(don't) rock the boat Disturb the existing order.

Ex: If things are going smoothly in your career, don’t rock the boat.



(not a) rocket scientist Extraordinarily bright person, often used sarcastically.

Ex: Robert’s oldest son was not a rocket scientist, but he graduated with high marks due to his hard work.



rocky start Problem-plagued beginning.

Ex: Their relationship got off to a rocky start, especially during Evan’s three-month absence for military service.



roll out the red carpet Provide special treatment for.

Ex: The whole community rolled out the red carpet for its returning Olympic medalist.



rotten apple Person of poor character.

Ex: The morale of an entire workplace can be dragged down by the attitudes and actions of one rotten apple.



rotten to the core Flawed or spoiled not merely at the surface but throughout.

Ex: Although he liked to find good in everyone, Frank had to admit that Ricky seemed rotten to the core.



rough someone up Physically assault someone, but not to the point of inflicting life-threatening injuries.

Ex: The days are long past when a loan shark could physically rough someone up for not paying on time.



rub salt into one's wounds Make a bad situation or hurt feelings even worse.

Ex: Being criticized by her own parents for her marital problems rubbed salt into Linda’s wounds.



rub the wrong way To treat in an unwelcome or uncomfortable manner, or to perceive such treatment.

Ex: The way he gives orders without listening to my ideas rubs me the wrong way.



(the) rubber meets the road The point at which theoretical or untested matters become tested by reality.

Ex: When foreign officers arrive at their posts for the first time, the rubber meets the road as far as diplomacy is concerned.



rubberneck Gawk.

Ex: Dozens of cars slowed on the freeway as drivers rubbernecked to see what they could of the accident.



ruffled feathers Negative feelings, but not to an extreme degree.

Ex: His comments initially caused ruffled feathers, which were quickly smoothed by an apology.



rugged individualist Loner, independent thinker, with the implication of physical or intellectual strength.

Ex: Erik is a rugged individualist who claims to depend on no one and nothing but himself in difficult situations.



run-in Encounter, usually negative in implication.

Ex: After his run-in with the law, Thomas vowed to keep better company.



run it past (you) Give one a cursory view or summary of.

Ex: Let me run it past you before sending it on to the executive committee.



run for one's money Significant level of competition.

Ex: Barbara will give you a run for your money on the tennis court.



run of the mill Usual, average.

Ex: The quality of his work was run of the mill, but its quantity was prodigous.



run on empty Continuing to function, but at the end of one’s supply of energy; near depletion.

Ex: Weeks after the trying ordeal he still felt he was running on empty inside.



run the gamut Extends across the entire range of.

Ex: Our product line runs the gamut from sportswear to dress shoes.



saber rattling Threats of hostile action.

Ex: The president warned that saber rattling would not change the course of international events.



(on the) same page Similar or compatible mindsets, assumptions, or perception of information.

Ex: Fortunately, the entire collaborative writing team was on the same page when it came to their sense of purpose.



save for a rainy day Set aside for use at a time of misfortune or reduced means.

Ex: By putting aside some money each month, the couple was able to save for a rainy day.



scrape the bottom of the barrel Select the least attractive options.

Ex: In hiring Bentley, the company seems to be scaping the bottom of the barrel.



scratch one's back Perform a gratifying service in expectation of similar service in return.

Ex: Among the workers, a system of favors had developed in which one group scratched another group’s backs.



scratch the surface Deal with insignificant or elementary aspects of.

Ex: Scientists have just begun to scratch the surface of human genome research.



seat of the pants Intuitive or moment-by-moment, usually with negative implication.

Ex: Our last leader made decisions by the seat of the pants rather than by dialogue.



seeing is believing Witnessing something convinces one of its truth.

Ex: We all doubted that a fish could grow so large, but seeing is believing.



seeing pink elephants Hallucinating, as during or after inebriation.

Ex: Jason had been seeing pink elephants for weeks before seeking professional help.



sell one a bill of goods Deceive.

Ex: She felt her son had been sold a bill of goods by the greedy clerk.



selling like hotcakes Selling quickly.

Ex: Compact disks were selling like hotcakes compared to tapes.



send someone from pillar to post To dispatch someone from place to place, with the implication of frustration in result.

Ex: It makes little sense to send someone from pillar to post rather than giving clear directions in the first place.



separate the men from the boys Distinguish the most able from the least able.

Ex: The rope climb separates the men from the boys in basic physical training.



separate the sheep from the goats Distinguish a desirable set from an undesirable set.

Ex: One way to separate the sheep from the goats is to pose a moral dilemma and ask how each would respond.



set one's heart on Yearn for, look forward earnestly to.

Ex: The things one sets one’s heart on as a teenager are rarely the same things that one yearns for as an adult.



set one's house in order Arrange one’s affairs (financial, organizational, personal, etc.).

Ex: Prior to his trip abroad, Ben worked diligently to set his house in order in case he didn’t return.



set one's teeth on edge Irritate one, grate upon.

Ex: The grating sound from the transmission set one’s teeth on edge.



shaky ground Weak evidence or support.

Ex: You’re on shaky ground when you use medical information direct from the Internet without checking it out with a physician or other medical professional.



shape up or ship out Reform one’s behavior or leave.

Ex: The captain told crew members to shape up or ship out.



(one's) ship comes in Good fortune (often financial) arrives.

Ex: Living in expectation of one’s ship coming in can lead to frustration and missed opportunities.



shoe on the other foot Problem or circumstance associated with one person or side of an issue that becomes associated with another (usually opposed) person or side of an issue.

Ex: Paul enjoyed working as a carpenter on other people’s home, but now that he owns his own house, the shoe is on the other foot.



shoot from the hip Act or speak impulsively, without forethought.

Ex: We admired and feared Malcolm’s habit of shooting from the hip when confronted by reporters.



shoot oneself in the foot Act in a way that is detrimental one’s own interests.

Ex: No matter how much training we provided for the CEO, he continued to shoot himself in the foot in virtually every media interview he participated in.



shoot the breeze Chat.

Ex: Come in, relax, and shoot the breeze for a while.



shoot fish in a barrel Take advantage of an easy opportunity.

Ex: Selling laptop computers to college students was like shooting fish in a barrel.



short and sweet Concise and easy.

Ex: Her report was effective because it was short and sweet.



short end of the stick Least desirable aspect of a transaction or other interaction.

Ex: Ned got the short end of the stick when the company transferred him to Alaska.



short fuse Quick temper.

Ex: His short fuse was legendary in the company, especially among those who had been the objects of his temper.



short straw Least lucky; sign that one must accept duties that others have escaped by better luck.

Ex: George drew the short straw and got stuck paying for everyone’s meal.



(in) short supply Scarce.

Ex: Loyal workers are in short supply.



(a) shot in the arm Boost, motivator.

Ex: The lowering of interest rates gave a shot in the arm to company stock prices.



shouting match Heated verbal exchange.

Ex: Our senior managers have an unspoken agreement not to participate in shouting matches with one anothers.



show-stopper Highlight, with implication of avid approval from an audience.

Ex: Wendy’s multi-media presentation at the convention was a show-stopper.



shred of evidence Bit of supporting information.

Ex: The district attorney brought the case forward even though she did not have a shred of evidence.



sigh of relief Actual or metaphorical release of tension.

Ex: With a collective sigh of relief, the company directors signed the release of liability document ending the lawsuit.



silence is golden Quiet is highly valued.

Ex: In those quiet moments after children have fallen asleep, silence is golden.



silver lining Unanticipated good in an otherwise bad situation.

Ex: Even the darkest clouds seem to have some kind of silver lining.



sink or swim Alternatives of acting to survive or accepting destruction.

Ex: In evaluating the take-over offer, we faced the option whether to sink or swim as a company.



sit tight Take no action.

Ex: There are times when no action is the right action and it’s better simply to sit tight.



sit on the fence Be undecided.

Ex: The entire community wished that the neighborhood association would quit sitting on the fence in an effort to please everyone.



sitting pretty In an attractive or advantageous position.

Ex: We should be sitting pretty after receiving our share of the insurance settlement.



six feet under Buried; said of human burial.

Ex: The gunslinger was eventually buried six feet under in Tombstone, Arizona.



six of one, half dozen of the other One option is comparable to another.

Ex: Whether to fly or take the train doesn’t matter for such a short distance. It’s six of one, half dozen of the other.



skate on thin ice Endanger; act in reliance upon support that, in fact, cannot be trusted.

Ex: In trusting your legal records to an uninsured bank, you’re skating on thin ice.



skeleton in one's closet Negative personal information that one hides.

Ex: There’s probably at least one skeleton in each person’s closet, if you look hard enough.



(by the) skin of one's teeth Barely.

Ex: Our runners qualified for the race by the skin of their teeth.



(no) skin off one's nose (No) injury or effect.

Ex: Even though the problem may seem serious to you, it’s no skin off my nose.



(the) sky's the limit Boundless, limitless.

Ex: The sky’s the limit when it comes to buying equipment for the sailboat.



skyrocketing costs Rapidly rising expenses.

Ex: Skyrocketing costs for gasoline caused us to postpone our trip by car across the U.S.



slam dunk Strong, quick action that proves successful.

Ex: After receiving high test scores, Sam found it a slam dunk to be admitted to the college of his choice.



slip of the tongue Unintentional verbal mistake.

Ex: His slip of the tongue caused both embarrassment and financial loss.



slips through the cracks Is not attended to because of flaws in the usual system.

Ex: Too many of our orders have been slipping through the cracks at the supply warehouse.



slow as molasses Excruciatingly slow.

Ex: The pace of the meeting seemed slow as molasses to Alvin.



small potatoes Trivial matters; little money.

Ex: Working for small potatoes at her day job meant that Ellen had to find additional work in the evenings.



small talk Chat.

Ex: The interviewer made small talk for the first five minutes of the interview.



smell a rat Perceive the first signs of a problem.

Ex: The auditor reviewed the financial records with care and eventually smelled a rat.



smell the roses Enjoy life.

Ex: Hard work means little unless one also takes time to smell the roses.



smoke and mirrors Trickery.

Ex: The senator’s charismatic effect on audiences was largely a matter of smoke and mirrors.



smoking gun Undeniable evidence of one’s involvement, with negative implications.

Ex: The investigators found evidence that a crime had been committed but could not locate a smoking gun to tie Kelly to the crime.



smoke screen An intentional barrier set up to prevent enlightenment or discovery.

Ex: The board of review found it difficult to sort fact from fiction due to the smoke screen of abilis and excuses put forward by the defendant.



snowball's chance in hell No possibility.

Ex: We have no better than a snowball’s chance in hell of finding affordable tickets to the homecoming game.



solid ground Firm, well-supported basis.

Ex: You’re on solid ground when you base your argument on widely agreed-upon statistics.



something fishy Something amiss or suspicious.

Ex: In spite of appearances, we felt there was something fishy about Frieda’s sudden departure.



something rotten in Denmark Something wrong.

Ex: Her handwritten note convinced us that something was rotten in Denmark.



song and dance Activity that does not relate to or attempts to obscure the real issue.

Ex: After the introductory song and dance about product benefits, the sales manager began to discuss real applications and product problems.



sound off Express oneself assertively, often with emotion.

Ex: We all valued our right to sound off whenever necessary to prevent the company from making serious mistakes.



sounding board An audience on which to test an objection, proposal or other idea.

Ex: Two consultants served as sounding boards for the ideas put forward by our Advanced Design unit.



sour grapes Bitter feelings or actions based on such feelings experienced by one who does not win in a competition or faces other misfortune.

Ex: His angry complaints after the bowling tournament were nothing more than sour grapes.



sow one's wild oats Act recklessly, especially in one’s youth.

Ex: Sowing one’s wild oats does not mean hurting others for the sake of thrills.



speak of the devil Said when a person appears just after being referred to in conversation.

Ex: We were talking about Fred and, speak of the devil, he walked into the room.



speak volumes Reveals much about.

Ex: Your care with your garden speaks volumes about your character.



speak with a forked tongue Present contradictory and intentionally deceptive messages.

Ex: Some parents felt the principal spoke with a forked tongue in trying to appease both the community and the teachers’ union.



spin doctor One who attempts to influence how information will be perceived.

Ex: The administration called in a well-known spin doctor to help control damage and manage public perception.



split hairs Quibble.

Ex: I don’t mind discussing the issue, but let’s not waste time splitting hairs.



spread like wildfire Extend range and influence very quickly.

Ex: The illness spread like wildfire across three continents.



spread oneself too thin Have too many commitments.

Ex: It’s tempting to spread oneself too thin in an effort to please as many people as possible.



squeaky wheel gets the grease The one who complains gets attention.

Ex: The quick response James got to his terse memo proves that the squeaky wheel gets the grease.



stamping ground Home or native region.

Ex: It felt strange to return to her stamping ground after three decades of absence.



stand on ceremony Maintain formalities.

Ex: Please don’t stand on ceremony; we appreciate informal conversation here.



state of the art Latest form of development.

Ex: You are entering a state of the art biosphere protected entirely from the outside atmosphere.



steal one's thunder Act in such a way that another person’s subsequent action become anticlimactic.

Ex: Lydia accidentally stole her boss’s thunder by mentioning that the General Motors contract had just been signed.



stem to stern Entire, end-to-end.

Ex: The entire organization needed an overhaul, from stem to stern.



steer clear Avoid.

Ex: Steer clear of situations that may later be interpreted as sexual harassment.



step on it Hurry.

Ex: Our flight leaves in half an hour and we need to step on it.



sticking point Controversial issue, difficult item for negotiation.

Ex: Only one sticking point remained in the contract: the noncompetition clause for employees who quit the company.



stick to one's guns Maintain one’s purpose, commitment.

Ex: Walter knew how to stick to his guns without making others feel bullied.



stir up a hornet's nest Cause angry reactions.

Ex: The columnist’s assertions stirred up a hornet’s nest at the mayor’s office.



stone sober Not under the influence of any substance.

Ex: He appeared stone sober at his arraignment for drunk driving.



straight and narrow Strict, rigid, unwavering.

Ex: Following the straight and narrow may be safe but it also proves boring at times.



straighten matters out Clarify, resolve, make peace through mutual understanding.

Ex: If you will give just ten minutes of your time, I’m sure we can straighten matters out to your satisfaction.



straw in the wind Small but significant indicator of future trends.

Ex: The downturn in high-tech stocks was a straw in the wind for the direction of the entire stock market.



straw man A construct created to draw argument away from the central issue.

Ex: John’s remarks about sabotage of company equipment proved to be a straw man that kept us from seeing the larger problem.



strong, silent type A quiet, self-assured person, with implications of physical strength or strength of character.

Ex: Ernest thought of himself as the strong, silent type, although others perceived him as sullen and arrogant.



stick in one's craw Be unacceptable, irritating to embrace.

Ex: Wasting tax money on programs that don’t work continues to stick in my craw.



stick out like a sore thumb Be obvious to all observers.

Ex: That hat is going to stick out like a sore thumb at the party.



straight from the horse's mouth Direct from the source.

Ex: We trust the story because it came straight from the horse’s mouth.



straw that breaks the camel's back Final detail or aspect that causes a larger development to fall apart.

Ex: The budget item for chocolate bars proved to be the straw that broke the camel’s back and exhausted the patience of the school board.



strike while the iron is hot Act while circumstances are propitious.

Ex: Most advertising agencies recommend that their clients strike while the iron is hot in the marketplace.



string someone along Continue to entice someone’s involvement by deceptive representations.

Ex: We usually resent it when someone we trust strings us along for personal gain.



strings attached Other, unspecified obligations or entanglements associated with a transaction.

Ex: This deal comes with signficant strings attached, including provision for oversight by a court-appointed lawyer.



stuff the ballot box Unethically influence a vote toward one’s favor.

Ex: She got herself elected only by an concerted effort to stuff the ballot box.



sugar daddy A male, usually older, who obtains affection, especially child-like attention, from others through material gifts and lavish spending.

Ex: The drama students sought a sugar daddy to fund the production of their play.



swallow hook, line, and sinker Accept completely, often with deceptive intentions implied.

Ex: Against my better judgment, I swallowed his representations hook, line, and sinker.



sweet tooth Affection for sweets.

Ex: Dentists meet many people who have a sweet tooth.



sweeten the pot Make a deal or offer more attractive.

Ex: Before we can recommend this deal to our client, you must sweeten the deal by at least ten percent.



(don't) switch horses in midstream (Don’t) Change leadership at times of stress or crisis.

Ex: The president’s slogan for re-election was “Don’t switch horses in midstream.”



tail between one's legs Sign of cowardice or fearfulness.

Ex: After all his prior boasting, Fred left the chess match with his tail between his legs.



take a bath Experience extraordinary financial loss or other misfortune.

Ex: Some investors take a bath in the stock market, then sell before their stocks rebound in value.



take a gander Look at in a spontaneous, casual way.

Ex: If you want to see an example of superb vegetable gardening, take a gander over my fence.



take a page from someone's book Borrow ideas from another.

Ex: We should consider taking a page from our competitor’s book instead of trying to come up with our original approach to the market.



take a rain check Arrange for the same or similar opportunity at a later date.

Ex: May we take a raincheck for a time when we don’t face time conflicts?



take by storm Influence or capture in a sudden way.

Ex: The opera diva took New York by storm.



take for a ride Deceive through diversion.

Ex: It was obvious that we were being taken for a ride by the conman--but I must say that the ride was enjoyable.



take heart Become confident, hopeful.

Ex: Especially at times of discouragement you can take heart in the knowledge that you have friends who care about you.



take it from the top Begin at the beginning.

Ex: We’re not getting anywhere, so let’s take it from the top.



take it on the chin Receive a negative impact in a way that threatens one’s stability or survival.

Ex. The director of marketing admitted that the company took it on the chin last quarter from the competition.



take one to task Blame one for poor performance, admonish.

Ex: The coach had to take the player to task for poor study habits.



take pains to Be diligent through intense attention.

Ex: We wanted to take pains to appear customer-friendly.



take the bull by the horns Engage a problem directly and forcefully.

Ex: Above all, the company needed a leader who could take the bull by the horns.



take the fall Accept the blame and consequences.

Ex: After his brief stay in prison, Jake was sure he would be singled out to take the fall for other crimes committed in his neighborhood.



take the fifth Refuse to divulge information, especially information that may prove self-incriminating.

Ex: The secretary did not need a lawyer’s advice in deciding to take the fifth regarding any knowledge of the boss’s private life.



take stock Evaluate.

Ex: By taking stock of our current situation we can be prepare a plan for the coming fiscal year.



take the plunge Take action that, once begun, cannot be reversed.

Ex: There are times in life when one has to take the plunge rather than remain a spectator.



take the wind out of one's sails Remove the motivation, confidence, or energy from one’s actions.

Ex: The announcement of currency devaluations in Asia, our major market, took the wind out of our sails and sent our stock plummeting.



take to the cleaners Experience severe financial or other losses, with deception implied.

Ex: Clearly, he had been taken to the cleaners by professional con artists.



take under one's wing Care for in a maternal way.

Ex: Martha’s kind spirit motivated her to take the youngster under her wing.



take up the cudgels Prepare for hostile engagement.

Ex: It’s time to quit talking and to take up the cudgels to settle this matter once and for all.



take with a grain of salt Consider skeptically.

Ex: Venture capital firms are adept at taking the claims of inventors and entrepreneurs with a grain of salt.



talk in circles Speak in a repetitive way that leads to no conclusion.

Ex: He could talk in circles for hours without saying anything, but also without boring his audience.



talk through one's hat Speak without knowing what one is talking about.

Ex: When you begin to predict weather patterns a year in advance, we know you’re talking through your hat.



talk turkey Speak about central matters, especially beneficial matters.

Ex: Give us a call when you have checked with your boss and are ready to talk turkey.



tall in the saddle Positioned like a leader or hero.

Ex: The company executive rode tall in the saddle for his first six months on the job.



tall order Large and challenging expectation.

Ex: You’re presenting us with a tall order, but I’m sure we can meet the challenge.



team player One who is adept at interacting with others in an activity.

Ex: A team player pays attention not only to what others on the team are doing but also to what they are thinking and feeling.



tell it like it is Reveal the truth in plain, honest way.

Ex: Don’t rehearse your testimony too thoroughly; simply tell it like it is.



there's the rub The point at which controversy, disagreement, or discomfort arises.

Ex: Many companies envy our track record, but there’s the rub: we have eyes on us at all times.



thick as thieves With bonds of loyalty and collusion characteristic of thieves.

Ex: The governor and his construction industry cronies were as thick as thieves around election time.



think outside the box Imagine or consider aspects outside the usual frame of reference.

Ex: Learning to break the rules occasionally is a prerequisite for thinking outside the box.



thirty pieces of silver Ill-gotten financial gain from despicable acts.

Ex: The business broker received his thirty pieces of silver for negotiating the hostile takeover of our company.



three-ring circus Environment characterized by several types of energetic activity.

Ex: On any given day, their home is a three-ring circus of domestic and social activity.



throw a curve Present or deliver a deceptive, unexpected, or difficult-to-handle idea or action.

Ex: Your last set of ideas threw me a curve; please explain them in detail.



throw a wet blanket on Downplay, show no enthusiasm for.

Ex: We don’t want to throw a wet blanket on your plans, but there simply is no budget to fund them.



throw caution to the wind Act recklessly.

Ex: For his fiftieth birthday, Winston threw caution to the wind and took up rollerblading.



throw down the gauntlet Issue a challenge.

Ex: There was excitement in working for a company that did not hesitate to throw down the gauntlet to larger competitors.



throw in the towel Give up, surrender.

Ex: The team refused to throw in the towel even when they lagged behind by more than a dozen points on the scoreboard.



throw money at something Attempt to resolve a problem by spending large sums of money on it.

Ex: The solution clearly does not lie in simply throwing money at the problem.



throw off the scent Act to deceive a pursuer.

Ex: His faked memos and email messages were composed in an effort to throw investigators off the scent.



throw one's hat in the ring Enter a competition.

Ex: There is no time like the present to throw one’s hat in the ring and run for office.



throw one's weight around Use one’s influence aggressively or ostentaciously.

Ex: The mayor enjoys throwing his weight around within his own city.



throw the book at Give the maximum allowable punishment to.

Ex: The judge vowed to throw the book at the reckless driver if he was arrested again.



thumbnail sketch Quick, approximate representation.

Ex: Let me give you a thumbnail sketch of our plans and we can fill in the details later.



tie one on Become drunk.

Ex: Conrad foolishly decided to tie one on a few hours before his presentation to the executive committee.



tighten one's belt Commit to making do with fewer resources.

Ex: Smaller budgets mean that we will all have to tighten our belts and make resources stretch as far as possible.



till the cows come home Until the last moment.

Ex: You can complain until the cows come home but it will not change the situation.



tilt at windmills Take on unnecessary and foolish challenges.

Ex: Do you find pleasure in tilting at windmills, or do you really believe you are pursuing worthwhile activity?



tip of the iceberg The slight visible portion of a much larger problem, issue, or other matter.

Ex: The threat of food poisoning is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to owning a chain of restaurants.



tip the scales Weigh in.

Ex: The mammoth wrestler tipped the scales at more than 350 pounds.



top banana Person in charge.

Ex: Jack has been top banana at that company for more than ten years.



to the bitter end To the end, even when suffering and disappointment are involved.

Ex: We resolved to remain loyal to one another to the bitter end.



to the hilt To the maximum degree.

Ex: The newly-weds decided to take a cruise and enjoyed it to the hilt.



toe the line Remain in strict compliance with rules or standards.

Ex: New employees often feel undue pressure to toe the line, even when they are not sure where the line is.



tongue in cheek With ironic or teasing intent.

Ex: She spoke tongue in cheek, although her words were taken literally by some.



too big for one's britches Too egotistical for one’s true position and abilities.

Ex: One student in particular is getting too big for his britches and needs talking to.



too hot to handle Too hazardous or involved with potential problems to deal with.

Ex: This issue is too hot to handle without the involvement of attorneys.



top-drawer High quality or high importance.

Ex: We all considered her contribution top-drawer and told the boss so.



top-flight Best, most skilled.

Ex: Finding a top-flight mechanic is much harder than finding an expensive car to purchase.



topsy-turvy Confused, disordered, upside down.

Ex: The whole venture went topsy-turvy after Oliver’s sudden resignation.



touch (tag) all the bases Take care of all obligations in a process.

Ex: I know you’re eager to complete the project, but let’s take time to make sure we’ve touched all the bases first.



touchy-feely Characterized by subjective, emotional attributes.

Ex: Some of the training sessions were too touchy-feely to be useful in a practical way for the employees.



tough act to follow A performance so high in quality or approval that it intimidates subsequent performers.

Ex: Benson’s long and distinguished career with the company will be a tough act to follow.



tough sledding Difficult progress.

Ex: There’s probably tough sledding ahead for smaller colleges who cannot compete in scholarships and facilities with larger, richer schools.



train wreck Sudden disaster.

Ex: Hiring co-presidents to direct the company was a train wreck.



tried and true Proven successful through experience.

Ex: Young people tire of being told to practice tried and true techniques.



trigger-happy Too eager to release force.

Ex: Four of our clients are trigger-happy when it comes to suing competitors.



trust him as far as you can throw him Untrustworthy.

Ex: After his last display of ineptitude, I don’t trust him as far as I can throw him.



turn a deaf ear to Fail to pay attention to; refuse to listen to.

Ex: Please don’t turn a deaf ear to charities that invite and deserve your support.



turn over in one's grave Respond with revulsion even though one cannot influence the offending course of action.

Ex: Our company founder would turn over in her grave if she could see the way the company is being run today.



turn on a dime Turn in a small radius.

Ex: The sportscar will turn on a dime without losing traction.



turn one's stomach Cause a negative response comparable to nausea.

Ex: Some scenes in the movie almost turn one’s stomach.



turn the other cheek Forgive and overlook an insult or other offense.

Ex: I have an easier time turning the other cheek in personal relations than in business relations.



turn the tables Reverse position or relative advantage.

Ex: We eventually found a way to turn the tables on our adversary.



twist of fate Odd, unaccountable occurrence.

Ex: By an odd twist of fate, he worked at the same desk his grandfather had used fifty years before.



twist one's arm Coerce one.

Ex: The seller doesn’t want to leave the piano with the house, but you may be able to twist his arm to do so.

two-faced Duplicitous, deceptive.

Ex: The friend proved to be two-faced in the end.



two peas in a pod Virtually identical to one another and closely aligned.

Ex: Her two children nestled into bed together like two peas in a pod.



two strikes against one At a point at which past mistakes leave one few future chances for success.

Ex: Her past mistakes count as two strikes against her; a third will probably mean her termination.



under one's hat To oneself, privately.

Ex: Please keep this sensitive information under your hat.



under one's nose Obvious.

Ex: How could he ignore such actions happening right under his nose?



under the sun Everywhere.

Ex: We looked everywhere under the sun for those papers.



under one's thumb Under close control, with negative implications.

Ex: Eventually she grew tired of trying to survive under his thumb.



under the table Not through accepted or legal channels.

Ex: Some of the profits were passed under the table instead of through normal channels.



under the weather Ill, but not with life-threatening implications.

Ex: Our regular announcer is under the weather today.



under the wire Just in time.

Ex: We handed in our work just under the wire.



under wraps Held hidden, in secret.

Ex: It’s extremely important that we keep details about the project under wraps.



up and running Actually functioning as intended.

Ex: Believe it or not, we have a prototype of the invention up and running.



up for grabs Not under sole control, available to others.

Ex: The entire company will be up for grabs unless the employees decide to buy it.



up one's alley Appropriate for one’s special area of skill, interest, or expertise.

Ex: That topic is right up your alley and should be easy to write about.



(not) up to snuff (Not) Up to acceptable standards.

Ex: The physician’s records were not up to snuff as far as the IRS was concerned.



upper crust Elite.

Ex: He did not belong to the upper crust and did not aspire to.



upset the applecart Disturb an activity or the existing order.

Ex: Going public with this information will certainly upset the applecart at the company.



up the creek without a paddle In trouble without the means to extricate oneself.

Ex: When half the staff was laid off, the rest of us found ourselves up the creek without a paddle in our efforts to complete major projects.



up the wall To an extreme degree of frustration.

Ex: His attitude drives me up the wall, especially on days when everyone has to pitch in to get the work done.



waiting for the other shoe to drop After one event has occurred, expecting a companion event to also occur.

Ex: We listened to the many compliments directed toward us but also waited for the other shoe to drop.



wake up and smell the coffee Become alert to obvious signals or sensations.

Ex: If you do not think our workforce has motivational problems, you should wake up and smell the coffee.



walk a tightrope Pursue a dangerous course.

Ex: A good negotiator walks a tightrope between stubbornness and charm.



walk before you run Take on elementary matters before taking on more advanced matters.

Ex: Our early failures were due in large part to our refusal to walk before we ran.



walk on eggs Behaving with uncomfortable attention to propriety or sensitivity.

Ex: Staying with her in-laws made Gwen feel that she was walking on eggs each day.



walk the plank Be forced to take actions that will bring one’s destruction.

Ex: No executive will willingly walk the plank in public view.



walls have ears One may be overheard in unexpected ways.

Ex: Be careful what you say because the walls have ears around here.



wash one's hands of Abandon, disassociate oneself from.

Ex: It’s too late to wash our hands of our business associates; we have to help them reform their image.



water off a duck's back Matters that have no effect, prove inconsequential, have no impact upon feelings.

Ex: Ellis had an amazing ability to let criticism roll off him like water off a duck’s back.



watered-down Weakened in strength or quality.

Ex: You’ve read only the watered-down version of the document.



(a) way with words Verbally skillful.

Ex: We needed a public relations officer who had a way with words.



wear and tear Damage brought about by normal use.

Ex: The renters were not responsible for normal wear and tear sustained by the apartment.



wear one's heart on one's sleeve Show one’s emotions openly.

Ex: Jack’s gratitude was apparent; he wore his heart on his sleeve.



wear two hats Be responsible for performing two functions.

Ex: Most of us in the company wear at least two hats.



wet behind the ears Naive, not yet experienced.

Ex: The younger players seemed still wet behind the ears.



what goes around comes around A person’s negative actions toward others eventually return to negatively impact that person.

Ex: I try to be careful what I say about others, because what goes around comes around.



wheel and deal Negotiate and reach agreements quickly and with little regard for ordinary standards.

Ex: Be prepared to wheel and deal if you want to buy a used car at the best price.



when it counts At the most important or crucial time.

Ex: James isn’t always a top performer but he seems to come through when it counts.



white elephant An object one wishes to get rid of, but either will not or cannot.

Ex: He obtained the white elephant at a garage sale two years ago and has not been able to get rid of it.



whole ball of wax Entirety.

Ex: We asked her to be responsible for the whole ball of wax.



whole nine yards Entire amount or distance.

Ex: On Dayle’s fortieth birthday she wanted the party, the presents, and the whole nine yards.



wild goose chase Extensive, intense, but unproductive search.

Ex: Investigators found themselves on a wild goose chase carefully engineered by the guilty parties.



wild hair A person or organizational component characterized by nonconformist or incompatible opinions, actions, or ideas.

Ex: The boss valued the wild hair in the company for unusual and challenging perspectives on problems.



win hands down Succeed with ease and incontrovertably.

Ex: Lewis felt he could win hands down in a fair competition.



window dressing Visible attributes that give a partial and often overly positive impression of a core issue or item.

Ex: The core issues took only a page to describe; all the rest was window dressing.



wish list One’s collection of hoped-for items or occurrences.

Ex: The children left their wish list taped to the refrigerator for all to see.



witch-hunt An attempt to impose false charges on an innocent party through character assassination.

Ex: The so-called inquiry was in fact a witch-hunt, with the guilty parties predetermined by management.



with one's eyes closed Easily, without conscious effort.

Ex: Ted boasted he could find his way home through the woods with his eyes closed.



with one's eyes wide open Aware of all implications.

Ex: We all went into the deal with our eyes wide open.



world on a string A period of high spirits and good fortune.

Ex: In an enthusiastic mood, the youngsters felt they had the world on a string.



would not be seen dead Would absolutely avoid.

Ex: He said he would not be seen dead with his former roommate.



wrap something up Finish.

Ex: Although he could have written much more, it was time to wrap the project up.



wrapped up in oneself Overly concerned with one’s self-interest.

Ex: Even her best friends could not tell her that she was too wrapped up in herself.



wrath of Khan Extreme anger.

Ex: Employees felt the wrath of Khan from the boss whenever they forgot to punch their time cards.



written all over one's face Communicated nonverbally by one’s expression.

Ex: No matter what your words, the truth is written all over your face.



wrong side of the track Less prestigeous or socially acceptable neighborhood or background.

Ex: He came from the wrong side of the track and didn’t apologize for it.



yellow-bellied Cowardly.

Ex: Being timid was one thing, but being called “yellow-bellied” made Alvin furious.