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ABCDEFGHIKLMNOPRSTUW

A

all hell to pay

all wet

at (one’s) wits’ end

at the end of (one’s) rope

B

beat about/around the bush

beat around the bush

bet (one’s) boots

bet (one’s) bottom dollar

between a rock and a hard place

between the devil and the deep blue sea

bigwig

bite off more than (one) can chew

bite the bullet

blow (one’s) stack

blue

both feet on the ground

bottom line

bug

bury the hatchet

by the skin of (one’s) teeth

C

chew (someone) out

chew it over

chip off the old block

close shave

clown around

cock and bull story

come along for the ride

con job

cry over spilled milk

cry uncle

D

damn with faint praise

down in the dumps

down in the mouth

down to earth

down to the wire

E

eleventh hour

F

face the music

fill/fit the bill

fish out of water

fix (someone’s) wagon

flash in the pan

flat broke

fly off the handle

fool around

fooling around

for crying out loud

for heaven’s sake

force to be reckoned with

G

get (someone’s) dander up

get (someone’s) goat

get (something) on the nose

get a hold of (oneself)

get by

get to the point

give (someone) a piece of (one’s) mind

give (someone) a taste of his own medicine

go along for the ride

go bananas

go broke

go whole hog

grin and bear it

H

hair’s breadth

hard pill to swallow

have a screw loose

have second thoughts

head honcho

head in the clouds

hell to pay

hem and haw

hit below the belt

hold (one’s) horses

hold/lose (one’s) temper

horse around

hot under the collar

I

in (one’s) element

in a bind

in a bind/fix/jam

in a jam

in Dutch

in hot water

in over (one’s) head

in the doghouse

in the nick of time

K

keep (one’s) cool

keep (one’s) shirt on

keep (one’s) wits about (oneself);

keep one’s head above water

knuckle under

L

laugh all the way to the bank

lay an egg

learn the ropes

leave (someone) in the lurch

leave no stone unturned

let the cat out of the bag

lightweight

like water off a duck’s back

long and short of it

lose (one’s) cool

lose (one’s) temper

M

make (one’s) blood boil

make (someone’s) blood boil

make ends meet

make the grade

make tracks

monkey around

monkey business

N

nitty gritty

nothing to write home about

O

off one’s rocker

old hat

on a treadmill

on the ball

or goodness’ sake

out of (one’s) depth

out of (one’s) depth/league

out of (one’s) element

out to lunch

over a barrel

P

Pandora’s box, open a

pay through the nose

pink slip

play it by ear

pull out all the stops

pull out all the stops;

pull the rug out from under (someone)

pull the wool over (someone’s) eyes

put (one’s) finger on it/(something)

R

rake (someone) over the coals

read (someone) the riot act

roll with the punches

rub (someone) the wrong way

run (something) into the ground

run circles around (someone)

S

sales pitch

scared out of (one’s) wits

see red

see the light

set (one’s) teeth on edge

set (someone’s) teeth on edge

shake a leg

snow job

something to crow about

song and dance

speak (one’s) piece

spill the beans

spitting image

spring something on (someone)

square deal

stand (one’s) ground

start from scratch

step on it

stick to (one’s) guns

stonewall

straight from the horse’s mouth

strapped for cash

strike it rich

swallow (one’s) pride

T

take (something) in stride

take the bull by the horns

talk a blue streak

talk through one’s hat

talk turkey

tickle (someone’s) fancy

tit for tat

treat

turn a deaf ear

turn over a new leaf

turn up (one’s) nose at (someone/something)

U

under the wire

use (one’s) wits

W

wet behind the ears

whole nine yards

wing it

wits

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