SET 1
To turn over a new leaf – To change completely one’s course of action.
A fair crack of the whip – A period of importance.
To talk ones head off – To talk excessively.
To hold someone in leash – To restrain.
To play fast and loose – To be undependable.
All agog – Restless
To frame a person – To make one appear guilty.
To keep one’s head off – too keep calm
To cross words – To fight.
Hobson’s choice – Accept or leave the offer.
To snap one’s fingers – To become contemptuous of
A pipe dream – An impracticable plan.
To have and easy time of it – To live in a quit and comfort.
To stand to one’s guns – To preserve when hardship press.
To loose one’s head – To become confused and over excited.
By this skin of the teeth – Only just.
To throw up the sponge – To surrender or give up.
Harp on – To keep on talking.
To catch somebody on the hop – To catch somebody off guard.
To bring one’s eggs to a bad market – To foul one’s plan because one goes to wrong people for help.
To get cold feet – To be afraid.
To take in leap in the dark – To do a hazardous thing
To give/get the bird – To send away/
To split hours – To indulge in over refined argument.
A lady’s man – A lover of women company.
SET 2
To be rolling in money – Very rich
To get into a scrape – To find oneself in an awkward predicament.
To fly off the handle – To loose one temper.
To blaze a trail – To initiate work in movement.
To flog a dead horse – To waste one’s effort.
Hush Money – Bribe paid to secure silence.
To pay one’s back in the same coin – To retaliate.
A tall order – A difficult task to perform
To draw a bead upon – To take aim at
To turn the tables – To change the sorry schemes.
To keep the ball rolling – To keep conversation going.
All and sundry – Everyone without distinction.
To disabuse one’s mind – To remove misapprehension.
A storm in the tea cup – Much excitement over trivial.
To play fast and loose – To play with someone’s feelings
To tempt providence – To take reckless risks.
To haul over the coals – To put to task.
To give currency – To make publicly known.
To have brush with – To have a slight encounter.
To loose face – To avoid disgrace.
To turn the other cheek – To respond violence with non-violence
To pull one’s socks up – To try hard.
To bite one’s lips – To be angry.
Within an Ace of – Narrowly.
To blow hot and cold – To be inconsistent.
SET 3
A beggar’s description – Beyond one’s power to describe adequately.
Soar in the mouth – To be in extreme hatred.
Adam’s ale – Water.
Tall order – Too much.
To fight to the bitter end – To carry on a contest regardless of consequences.
To give false coloring – To misrepresent.
Queer somebody’s pitch – Upset one’s plan.
To make the grade- To come out successful.
To push somebody to the wall – To defeat him.
To be in two minds – To be uncertain.
Leave one to sink or swim – Not to help one.
To rip up old scores- To revenge.
Square peg in a round hole – A person unsuited the position.
To carry off the bell – To bag the first position.
To live in clover – To live in a great comfort.
Pin money – Allowance made to a lady for her expense.
In a double quick of time – Very quickly.
A sop to Cerberus – Ransom to an enemy.
In a double quick time – Very quickly.
To have full hands – To be fully occupied.
Run a muck – To run about in frenzy.
A bull in china shop – A person who is rough and clumsy where skill and care are require.
Hard pressed – In difficulties.
To be old as hills – To be very Ancient.
To show one’s teeth – To adopt a threatening attitude.
SOME VERY IMPORTANT
To be lost in the clouds – confused
To be ill at ease – uncomfortable
To be born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth – to be born in a rich family
To be up and doing – active
To be fit to hold a candle to – match for, equal in quality
To be under a cloud – to be under suspicion
To be at daggers drawn- To be bitter enmity
To be at large – abscond, to keep unchained
To eat humbug pie – to apologize
To be bot worth one;s salt – not deserving
To make both ends meet – to live within one;s means
To lose ground – fail to keep position
With open arms – Cordially, warmly
To play fast and loose – repeatedly change’s one attitude
To take to task – punish, ask for explanation, to scold
To turn a deaf year – not to pay attention to, refuse to listen
Hold water – sound, tenable
By hook or crook – by one means or another
Hand together – support one another
Flesh and blood – human nature
To be at sea – applied to a person confused
In a fair way- hopeful
To be in fix – In a dilemma
To be in the good books – to be in favor with a person
To be on the carpet – to be under consideration
to eat one’s words – take a statement back
To gain ground – to succeed slowly & steadily
To be on its last legs – about to collapse
To be out of sorts – to be unwell
To be at loggerheads – to be hostile
To be in tune – in a mood
To bear the brunt of – to bear the main shock of
to bell the cat – to take first step at personal risk
Bid defiance – to ignore
To blow one’s trumpet – to praise oneself
To break the news – to give bad news
To burn candle at both ends – squander
To burn hole’s on one’s pocket – money spent quickly
To bury the hatchet – to make peace
To carry matters with a high hand – to deal with a person strictly
To pour oil on troubled waters – to pacify the matter
To clip one’s wings- to weaken the power
To come home to – to understand
To come to a standstill come to a sudden stop
To come off with flying colors – to come out successfully
To cross one’s mind – to occur to oneself
To cry for the moon- to wish for some thing impossible
To curry favor with – win favor of somebody
To dig the grave – to tarnish to destroy
Off hand – without preparation or delay
To draw the long bow – exaggerate
To end in smoke – come to nothing
To add fuel to the flame or fire – to make matter worse
To pay off old scores – to take revenge
To sit on the fence – not to commit oneself
Mend one’s fences -to make peace
Beside oneself – to feel excessively
At sixes and sevens – in disorder
To hope against hope – hope in spite of disappointment
To have an axe to grind – to have a selfish interest
To have gift of the gab – art of speaking
To throw out of gear – not working properly
To take to heels – to run away
Bad blood – bitter relations
Black and bone – to beat mercilessly
At one’s wot’s end – perplexed
At one’s fingertip- complete knowledge
To beat about the bush – circumlocution
Beat the air – to make useless efforts
To build castles in the air – to make visionary schemes
To break the ice – to speak first after prolonged silence
To bring to book – to punish, to call to account
To be at bottom of – to be mainly responsible for
To call a spade a spade – to speak plainly
To carry the day – to win a victory
To cut a sorry figure – to give a poor show
To carry over the split milk – to repent
To cut one’s coat according to one’s cloth – to live within one’s means
To fish in troubled waters- to take advantage of the trouble of others
To follow suits- to act in a like manner
To get off Scot free – to escape without punishment
To grease the palm of – bribe
To gird up the loins – to prepare for the hard work
To hit below the belt – to strike unfairly
To hold one’s tongue – to keep quiet
To keep body and soul together – to maintain life
To keep at an arms length – to keep at a distance
To keep the wolf from the door – to avoid distance
To laugh in one’s sleeves – to laugh secretly
To leave no stone un turned – to make all possible efforts
In the lurch – to leave a friend in difficulties
A leap in the dark – to take a risk deliberately
To look sharp – to make haste
To make a clean breast – to confess
To make amends – to give compensation
To make the most of – to utilize time
To move heaven and earth – to try utmost
To make sure – to ascertain
To make neither head nor tail – not to understand
To be nipped in the bud – to destroy in the very beginning
To play second fiddle to – to play a subordinate part
To rise to the occasion – to act as the occasion demands
To run short of – shortage
To smell a rat – to be suspicious
To shed crocodile tears – to show false sorrow
To split hair – to indulge in over refined arguments
To stand in good stead – to be helpful in need
To show white feather – to show cowardice
Herculean task – very difficult
To throw cold water- to discourage
To turn over a new leaf – to be entirely changed
To turn the table – to reverse the condition
To win laurels – to win distinction
To be at loss – to be unable to decide
To breathe one’s last – to die
To call names – to abuse
To die in harness – to die while on the post
To fall flat – have no effect
To go to the dogs – to ruin
To haul over the coals – to take to task
To fight shy of – to attempt to avoid a thing or person
To fly in the face of – to defy
To get oneself into mess – to drift into trouble
To give a wide birth – to avoid
To have one’s finger in everyone’s pie
To let the cat out of the bag- to disclose
To read between the lines – to understand the hidden meaning
To rule the roost – to dominate
To see eye to eye – to agree
To set store by – to value
To snap one’s fingers at – to show contempt
To speak volumes for – to have abundant proof
To steal a march – to get ahead secretly
To steer clear of – to avoid
To take up the cudgels – to support or defend
To turn up one’s nose – to take lightly with contempt
To turn the corner – to pass a critical stage
Back stairs influence – by unfair means
To have blue blood – aristocratic blood
Curtain lecture – a reproof by wife to her husband
Fabian policy – policy of delaying decisions
The Fourth Estate – the press
The halcyon days – peaceful days
To have an iron will – strong will
To pull a long face – to look sad
To hold out an olive branch – offer of peace
Palmy days – prosperous, affluent days
Queer fish – strange fish
The swan song- last creation
Tall talk – exaggerate the matters.
