Quick List of Idioms A blessing in disguise A bridge too far A chip on your shoulder A dime a dozen A drop in the bucket A list A little bird told me A lot on my plate A penny for your thoughts A watched pot never boils About face Above board Achilles heel Adam’s apple Add fuel to the fire Against the clock Ahead of the pack Alive and kicking All bark and no bite All ears All in a day’s work All that glitters is not gold All thumbs An old flame Apple of my eye Armed to the teeth As cold as ice As mad as a hatter At death’s door Baby boomer Back burner Back the wrong horse Back to square one Back to the drawing board Backseat driver Bad apple Bad blood Bad hair day Bad mouth Bad shape Bag of bones Bait and switch Balancing act Ballpark figure Bar fly Barefaced liar Barking up the wrong tree Barrel of laughs Basket case Bat an eyelid Batten down the hatches Batting a thousand Be all ears Be careful what you wish for Bean counter Beat a dead horse Beat around the bush Below the belt Bend over backwards Bet the farm Between a rock and a hard place Bimbo Bite your tongue Blaze of glory Blood is thicker than water Blow the whistle Blue moon Boil to the surface Brand new Break a leg Bright idea Bummed out Bun in the oven Buy a lemon Call a spade a spade Call it a day Call the shots Calm before the storm Can’t cut the mustard Can’t get a word in edgewise Can’t see the forest for the trees Carpetbagger Carrot and stick Case in point Cash cow Cash in your chips Cast a long shadow Cast a wide net Cast doubt on Cast iron stomach Castles in the air Cat burglar Catch hell Catch some z’s Catch-22 Caught red-handed Caught with your pants down Change of heart Change tack Charley horse Cheap shot Cheat death Cheer Up Chew someone out Chew the fat Chip off the old block Chip on your shoulder Chow down Clean bill of health Clean break Clean slate Clean sweep Clear as a bell Clear the air Close but no cigar Close call Close lipped Close shave Close the book Close to the heart Coast is clear Cold feet Cold sweat Cold turkey Come hell or high water Come of age Come out of your shell Come rain or shine Come to a head Come to grips Comfort zone Confirmed bachelor Cooking with gas Cover all the bases Crack down Crack of dawn Cream of the crop Cross swords Cross your fingers Crunch time Cry wolf Cup of Joe Curiosity killed the cat Cut and dry Cut from the same cloth Cut someone some slack Cut the mustard Cut to the chase Cute as a button Cutting edge Dancing on someone’s grave Day in the sun Days are numbered Dead end Dead from the neck up Dead ringer Dead to the world Dear John letter Death warmed over Deep pockets but short arms Deer in headlights Devil’s advocate Diamond in the rough Die down Die of boredom Dig deep Dilly Dally Dirt cheap Dish the dirt Dodge the bullet Dog days Don’t hold your breath Don’t put all your eggs in one basket Don’t quit your day job Don’t sweat the small stuff Don’t upset the apple cart Doozy Double whammy Doubting Thomas Down in the doldrums Down in the dumps Down the drain Down the hatch Down the hatch Down the pike Downer Drag your feet Dress someone down Dressed to the nines Drink like a fish Drive a hard bargain Drive a wedge Drive someone up the wall Drop a bombshell Drop someone a line Drop the ball Drop the subject Dropped like a hot potato Dropping like flies Drown one’s sorrows Dry as a bone Dry run Dry spell Ducks in a row Eager beaver Eagle eyes Earmark something Earn your stripes Easier said than done Easy as pie Easy come, easy go Easy does it Easy money Easy on the ear Easy on the eyes Eat (someone) out of house and home Eat dirt Eat humble pie Eat into one’s savings Eat like a bird Eat like a horse Eat my hat Eat one’s words Eat out of someones hand Eat someone alive Eat someone for breakfast Eat, sleep, and breathe (something) Economical with the truth Edge of one’s seat Egg on your face Egg someone on Ego trip Elbow grease Elbow room Elephant in the room Eleventh hour Even keel Every cloud has a silver lining Every dog has its day Every man for himself Every man has his price Every nook and cranny Every now and then Everybody and his cousin Everything but the kitchen sink Excuse my French Expand (someone’s) horizons Explore all avenues Eye candy Eye-opener Eyes are bigger than one’s stomach Face that could stop a clock Face the music Face to face Face value Fair and square Fall by the wayside Fall flat Fall from grace Fall in (someone’s) lap Fall on one’s sword Fall short Fall through the cracks Far-fetched Farm something out Father figure Feast your eyes on Feather in one’s cap Feather one’s own nest Feed the kitty Feeding frenzy Feel free Feel the pinch Fender bender Few and far between Fifth wheel Fight a losing battle Fight an uphill battle Fight fire with fire Fight tooth and nail Filthy rich Find one’s feet Find your feet Fine-tuning Finger on the pulse Fire away Firing on all cylinders First hand Fish out of water Fishing for compliments Fit as a fiddle Fit like a glove Fit the bill Flash in the pan Flea market Flyover country Fool’s errand For a song For good For the birds For the time being Forty winks Fresh pair of eyes Friends in high places From all walks of life From time to time Full of it Gain ground Game that two can play Gang up on (someone) Garbage in, garbage out Gas up Gear up for (something) Generous to a fault Get a break Get a foothold Get a grip on something Get a handle on Get a kick out of (something or someone) Get a word in edgewise Get back into shape Get carried away Get cracking Get even Get hitched Get on one’s nerves Get on someone’s case Get one’s foot in the door Get out of Dodge Get over it Get something straight Get the ball rolling Get the hang of Get the lead out Get the point Get to the bottom of Get up on the wrong side of the bed Gift of gab Give him the slip Give it a go Give me a hand Give someone the cold shoulder Give someone/something a wide birth Give-and-take Go down like a lead balloon Go downhill Go for Broke Go for it Go out on a limb Go the extra mile Go through the motions Go through with a find toothed comb Going places Going to hell in a hand basket Good Samaritan Graveyard shift Gut feeling Halcyon Days Hand it to Hang in there Happy camper Hard to swallow Have a bone to pick Have a cow Have a heart-to-heart Have a screw loose Have a soft spot for Have an ax to grind Have one’s hands full Have one’s head in the clouds Have one’s work cut out for him/her Have second thoughts Have the blues Head over heels Head start on (something) Hear it through the grapevine Heart of hearts High on the hog Hit a snag Hit it off Hit the bed Hit the hay Hit the nail on the head Hit the roof Hit the sack Hocus pocus Hold the fort Hot off the press Hot under the collar Icing on the cake If all else fails If worse comes to worst In a bind In a pickle In the bag In the buff In the doghouse In the red Ins and outs It’s high time It’s written all over (someone’) face Jaywalk Jibber jabber Joshing me Keep your chin up Kicked the bucket Kill time Knock on wood Knocked it out of the park Know the ropes Last but not least Last Legs Late bloomer Let bygones be bygones Let sleeping dogs lie Level the playing field Level-headed Lock, stock, and barrel Long in the tooth Loose cannon Lose (one’s) head Method to my madness Money doesn’t grow on trees Mum’s the word Mumbo Jumbo Nailed it Neck of the woods Nest egg New kid on the block New York minute Nip it in the bud No dice Nose to the grindstone Not playing with a full deck Off the Beaten Path Off the cuff Off the hook Off the record On the ball On the fast track On the fence On the firing line On the fritz On top of it On your toes One false move One false move Pack rat Pass the buck Pedal to the metal Pig out Pile it on thick Pipe down Pipe dream Pull the plug Pull up stakes Pulling your leg Push the envelope Rain cats and dogs Rain check Read between the lines Rise and shine Rule of thumb Run out of steam Saddle up Scot-free Second hand See eye to eye See red Shoo-in Sit shotgun Sixth sense Skid row Snake in the grass Soldier on Spill the beans Spitting image Squared away Take a spill Taking Flack The ball is in your (his/her) court The last straw The third times the charm The whole nine yards Three sheets to the wind Ticking time bomb Tie the knot Tongue in cheek Toss-up Turn the tables Under false pretenses Under the gun Under the weather Watch like a hawk Wear your heart on your sleeve When pigs fly Wine and Dine