 a bad workman blames his tools

said when someone has blamed a mistake or failure on the things that they use to work

 a close call
something bad that almost happened

 a conflict of interest
a situation in which someone cannot make a fair decision because they will be affected by the
result

 a credit to someone/something
to be so good or successful that the people or things that made you successful should be
mentioned

 a cry for help

a way of saying that you need help

 a damsel in distress
a young woman who is in trouble and needs a man's help

 a fifty-fifty chance
a result is equally likely to happen or not happen

 a figure of speech
an expression that uses words to mean something different than what they usually mean

 a heart of gold
a kind and generous character

 a heavy heart
a feeling of unhappiness

 a hundred/thousand/million and one

very many

 a leap of faith
an act of believing something that is not easily believed

 a long way to go
a lot of work to do or improvements to make
  a magic touch
a special ability to do something very well

 a man of action
a man who prefers to do things rather than think about and discuss them

 a man/woman of his/her word

someone who keeps their promises

 a matter of life and death

a situation that is extremely serious

 a matter of something
only; just

 a means to an end
something that you do because it will help you to achieve something else

 a mine of information
someone who has a lot of knowledge

 an ace up your sleeve

secret knowledge or a secret skill that will give you an advantage

 a needle in a haystack
something that is impossible or extremely difficult to find, especially because the area you
have to search is too large

 an elephant in the room

If you say there is an elephant in the room, you mean that there is an obvious problem or
difficult situation that people do not want to talk about.

 an eye for an eye (and a tooth for a tooth)

said to show that you believe if someone does something wrong, that person should be
punished by having the same thing done to them

 anything but
used to mean the opposite of the stated quality
  anything like
used with negatives to say that someone or something is not at all similar to someone or
something else

 anything's possible
anything could happen

 a/one hundred percent

completely

 a place in the sun

a good or lucky position

 a roaring success
something that is very successful

 a roof over your head

a place to live

 a shot in the dark

an attempt to guess something when you have no information or knowledge about the subject
and therefore cannot possibly know what the answer is

 a shoulder to cry on
someone who is willing to listen to your problems and give you sympathy, emotional support,
and encouragement

 a sigh of relief
a feeling of comfort after worrying about something

 a skeleton in the closet

a secret that would cause embarrassment if it were known

 a slip of the tongue

a mistake made when what someone says is different from what was meant

 a snowball effect
a situation in which something increases in size or importance at a faster and faster rate

 a step backward
going back to a worse or less developed state

 a step forward
an improvement or development

 a sure thing
something that is certain to happen

 at all cost(s)
If something must be done or avoided at all costs, it must be done or avoided whatever
happens

 at a price
for a lot of money

 at a time
during any one period

 at first
in or at the beginning

 at first glance
when first considering something, before having a chance to look at it carefully

 at heart
used to say what someone is really like

 at peace
a gentle way of saying that someone is dead

 at stake
If something that is valuable is at stake, it is in a situation where it might be lost

 back and forth

moving first in one direction and then in the opposite one

 back to basics
returning to the simple and most important things

 bad/hard/tough luck!
said to express sympathy with someone when something bad has happened to them

 be a hard/tough act to follow

to be so good that it is not likely that anyone or anything that comes after will be as good

 be ahead of the game

to know more about the most recent developments in a particular subject or activity than the
people or companies you are competing against

 be all ears
to be waiting eagerly to hear about something

 be all eyes
to watch someone or something with a lot of interest

 be all over it
to be very involved or interested in something

 be an artist, professional, etc. to your fingertips

to be a perfect or typical example of something

 be another/a different kettle of fish

to be completely different from something or someone else that has been talked about

 be (as) solid as a rock

to be very strong

 be (as) thick as thieves

to be very close friends and share secrets, etc.

 be at a crossroads
to be at a stage in your life when you have to make a very important decision

 be at a loose end
to have nothing to do

 be a thing
to exist, especially when this is surprising

 be at odds
to disagree

 be at peace with the world

to be feeling calm and happy because you are satisfied with your life

 be at the top of your game

to be performing extremely well in a sport, job, etc. so that you could not perform any better

 be a victim of your own success

to have problems because of your success

 be back on your feet

to be healthy again after a period of illness

 be big of sb
If an action is big of someone, it is kind, good, or helpful. This phrase is usually used
humorously or angrily to mean the opposite

 be dying for/to do sth

to be extremely eager to have or do something

 be glued to sth
to be unable to stop watching something

 be good to go
to be prepared and ready to do something

 be/have something to do with sth

to be related to something or a cause of something but not in a way that you know about or
understand exactly

 be here for sb
to be available to provide help and support for someone

 be ill at ease
to be worried and not relaxed

 be in a different league
to be much better than something or someone else
  be in a mood for sth/to do sth
to want to do or have something

 be in for sth
to be going to experience something unpleasant very soon

 be in good shape
to be prepared and ready to do something

 be in sb's DNA/be part of sb's DNA

to be an important part of who someone is

 be (living) in a dream world

to have hopes and ideas that are not practical or possible

 be lost for words

to be so shocked, surprised, full of admiration, etc. that you cannot speak

 be miles away
to not be conscious of what is happening around you because you are thinking about
something else

 be music to sb's ears

to be something that you are very pleased to hear

 be no better than (a) sth

If you say that someone is no better than a person who is unpleasant or unkind, you mean that
they have behaved in a similar way to this type of person

 be nothing less than sth

used to emphasize how important, special, or attractive something is

 be not in your right mind

to be not thinking clearly or to be mentally ill

 be (of) (any/some) use

to be useful

 be (of) no use
to not be useful, helpful, or possible
  be of service (to sb)
to help someone

 be on cloud nine
to be extremely happy and excited

 be one in a million
to be a very special person

 be (only) a matter of time

If it is (only) a matter of time until something happens, it is certain to happen but you do not
know when it will happen

 be on the move
to be physically active

 be out of sorts
to be slightly ill or slightly unhappy

 be out of the question

to be an event that cannot possibly happen

 be out of your league

to be too good or too expensive for you

 be over the moon

to be very pleased

 be (right) under your nose

to be in a place that you can clearly see

 be rotten to the core

If a person or organization is rotten to the core, they behave in a way that is not honest or
moral

 be that as it may
used to mean that you accept that a piece of information is true but it does not change your
opinion of the subject you are discussing
  be up to no good
to be behaving in a dishonest or bad way

 beyond your wildest dreams

to a degree or in a way you had never thought possible

 break someone’s heart

to make someone very sad

 break the internet

to post (= publish) something on the internet that causes a very large amount of interest,
shock, or excitement, with a large number of people sharing or reacting to what you have
posted

 break the news

to tell someone about some important new information

 bring something to the table

to provide something that will be a benefit

 by accident
without intending to, or without being intended

 by all means
used to give permission

 by definition
because of the nature of someone or something

 by far
by a great amount

 by no means
not at all

 by word of mouth
in speech but not in writing

 change/shift/switch gears
to suddenly do something in a different way
  change your mind
to form an opinion or make a decision about something that is not the same as the one you
first had

 come first
to be the most important person or thing to someone

 come in handy
to be useful

 come into play

If something comes into play, it starts to have a use or an effect in a particular situation, and if
it is brought into play, it is given a use or an effect

 come to an end
to stop or end

 come what may

whatever happens

 cross sb's path/cross paths with sb

to meet someone, especially by chance

 cross the line

to start to behave in a way that is not socially acceptable

 crystal clear
very easy to understand

 cut sb some slack

to not judge someone as severely as you usually would because they are having problems at
the present time

 do a number on sb
to injure someone or something, or to hurt or embarrass someone

 do justice to someone/something
to be accurate or fair by representing someone or something as that person or thing truly is
  do me/us a favor!
something you say in answer to a stupid and impossible suggestion

 dos and don’ts

rules about how people should and should not behave

 do sb proud
to make someone proud of you by doing something very well

 do something, nothing, etc. for/to sb

to (not) have a strong and positive effect on someone, or to (not) be something that someone
likes or enjoys

 down the road

in the future

 eat sb for breakfast

to be able to very easily control or defeat someone

 even so
although it is true

 every inch of something

all of something

 (every) now and then

sometimes but not very often

 every once in a while

sometimes, but not regularly

 every single
each

 fall in line
If a person in an organization falls in/into line, he, she, or it starts to follow the rules and
behave according to expected standards of behaviour

 fall in love
to be very attracted to someone and begin to love them
  fall into the trap of doing something
to make a bad decision

 fall short
to fail to reach an amount or standard that was expected or hoped for, causing
disappointment

 find a way
to discover how to achieve or deal with something

 find it in your heart to do sth

to be willing and able to do something unpleasant or difficult

 find (the) time

have enough time

 fresh start
an opportunity to begin something again

 from A to Z
including everything

 from memory
If you say something, such as a poem, or sing a song from memory, you speak or sing without
looking at any words or music.

 from scratch
from the beginning, without using anything that already exists

 from/since the year one

for an extremely long time

 from the bottom of your heart

very sincerely

 from time to time

sometimes, but not regularly

 get a grip (on yourself)

to make an effort to control your emotions and behave more calmly

 get ahead of yourself

to do something too early, or before you are ready or prepared

 get cold feet

to suddenly become too frightened to do something you had planned to do, especially
something important such as getting married

 get off on the right foot

to make a successful start

 get over something

US
to accept an unpleasant fact or situation after dealing with it for a while

 get rid of someone

to find a way to make someone leave because you do not want the person to be with you any
longer

 get rid of something

to remove something that you do not want any longer

 get something off your chest

to express something that has been worrying you and that you have wanted to say

 get something out of your system

to do something enough so that you do not want to do it any longer

 get somewhere
to make progress toward a goal

 get the better of someone

to defeat someone

 get to the bottom of something

to discover the real but sometimes hidden reason that something exists or happens

 get under your skin

to make you annoyed or angry
  get your head down
to direct all your efforts into the particular task you are involved in

 get your mind around sth

to succeed in understanding something difficult or strange

 (give a/the) thumbs up

a sign of approval or support

 give sb a hard time

to make things difficult or unpleasant for someone

 give someone a hand

to give someone help

 give someone an inch and they'll take a mile

said about someone who has been given a small amount of power or freedom to do
something, and then has tried to get a lot more

 go above and beyond (sth)

to do more or better than would usually be expected of someone

 go a long way
If you say that someone will go a long way, you mean that they will be very successful.

 go (around) in circles
to do a lot or seem very busy without achieving anything

 go by the book/do sth by the book

to do something exactly as the rules tell you

 go easy on someone
to treat someone in a gentle way, esp. when you want to be or should be more severe

 go native
If a person who is in a foreign country goes native, they begin to live and/or dress like the
people who live there.

 go out of your way

to try very hard to do something, especially for someone else

 go places
to be likely to be successful in the future

 go public (with something)

to make something known that was secret before

 go steady on sth
to not use too much of something

 go the extra mile

to make more effort than is expected of you

 go toe to toe
to be willing or able to compete or fight with someone in a strong, forceful, determined way

 go too far
to behave in a way that upsets or annoys people

 go to pieces
to become unable to think clearly and control your emotions because of something unpleasant
or difficult that you have experienced

 go up in flames
to be damaged or destroyed

 go/walk down the aisle

to get married

 go with the flow

to do what other people are doing or to agree with other people because it is the easiest thing
to do

 go your own (sweet) way

to do what you want without considering other people

 have a card up your sleeve

to have an advantage that other people do not know about
  have a chip on your shoulder
to seem angry all the time because you think you have been treated unfairly or feel you are
not as good as other people

 have an eye for something

to have an ability to notice something

 have a sharp tongue

to be someone who often criticizes and speaks in a severe way

 have butterflies (in your stomach)

to feel very nervous, usually about something you are going to do

 have come a long way

to have advanced to an improved or more developed state

 have friends in high places

to know important people who can help you get what you want

 have (got) only yourself to blame

to be responsible for something bad that has happened

 have (got) sb's back

to be ready to protect or defend someone

 have (got) your heart set on something

to want something very much, so that you would be very disappointed if you do not get it

 have had it (up to here) with

to have suffered because of someone or something and to be no longer able to bear him, her,
or it

 have inner resources

to have the ability to help yourself manage or achieve something

 have it both ways

to get advantages from two opposing things

 have it coming (to you)

infml to deserve what happens to you, esp. something bad
  have nerves of steel
to be very brave

 have seen better days

to be old and in bad condition

 have something in common

to share the same interests or have similar characteristics

 have something in mind

to have a plan or intention

 have sth on your plate

to have something, usually a large amount of important work, to deal with

 have the last laugh

to finally get an advantage from an argument or disagreement, when it seemed that you
would not

 have the last word on something

to be the person who makes a decision without asking anyone else

 have to do with something

to be about something

 have what it takes (to do something)

to have the qualities or character needed to be successful

 have your (fair) share of sth

to have a lot or more than enough of something bad

 have your feet on the ground

to be practical and able to take care of yourself

 hedge your bets

to protect yourself against loss by supporting more than one possible result or both sides in a
competition

 he who laughs last, laughs longest/best

said to emphasize that the person who has control of a situation in the end is most successful,
even if other people had seemed originally to have an advantage

 hit the books

to study

 hit the jackpot

to suddenly get or win a lot of money

 (I) beg your pardon

could you please repeat what you just said

 I bet
said to show that you understand why someone has a particular opinion or feels a particular
way

 I can't think
I do not know

 I might have known

said when you are not surprised at a situation or someone's behaviour, because you expected
it

 (I'm) pleased to meet you

a polite way of greeting someone when you meet them for the first time

 I must say
I must admit

 in advance
before a particular time, or before doing a particular thing

 in a flash
quickly or suddenly

 in a heartbeat
very quickly, without needing to think about it

 in all honesty/seriousness/truthfulness
said when expressing your opinion honestly, seriously, or truthfully
  in a nutshell
very briefly, giving only the main points

 in any case
whatever happens or happened

 in a way
considered in a particular manner

 in charge (of something/someone)

responsible for something or someone

 in fact
actually

 in full swing
at a stage when the level of activity is at its highest

 in good faith
If something is done in good faith, it is done sincerely and honestly

 in good hands
managed or cared for with great attention

 in hand
being worked on or dealt with now

 in hot water
in a difficult situation in which you are likely to be punished

 in limbo
in a situation where you do not know what will happen or when something will happen

 in line with something

similar to

 in memory of sb
as a way of remembering someone who has died
  in order for something to happen
if you want a particular result

 in person
by meeting with someone rather than talking on the phone, e-mailing, or writing to the person

 in respect of sth
in connection with something

 in someone’s debt
grateful for something someone did for you

 in the air
If something is in the air, you feel that it is happening or about to happen

 in the back of your mind

held as an idea in your mind, but not thought about frequently

 in the blink of an eye

extremely quickly

 in the event of something

if something should happen

 in the fast lane

in a way that is exciting and slightly dangerous

 in the (grand) scheme of things

considering everything

 in (the) light of
because or as a result of

 in the long run

at a time that is far away in the future

 in the making
If something was a period of time in the making, it took that amount of time to make

 in the middle of something

busy doing something

 in the short run

at a time that is near in the future

 in the vicinity of
approximately

 in use
being used

 in view of something
because of, or considering something

 I shudder to think
said when you are worried about something unpleasant that might happen or might have
happened

 I take it
said if you think that what you say is likely to be true, although it is not proved

 it doesn't hurt/never hurts to do sth

it is useful or helpful to do or have something

 it doesn't take a rocket scientist

used to say that you do not think that something is very difficult to do or to understand

 it goes without saying

used to mean that something is obvious

 I think not
a formal way of disagreeing or saying no

 it's no use crying over spilled milk

said to emphasize that it is not useful feeling sorry about something that has already
happened

 I/we'll (have to) see

used to say that you will make a decision about something later
  keep from doing sth
to manage to prevent yourself from doing something

 keep it down
to be quieter

 keep it up
used to encourage someone to continue doing something

 keep sb in the picture

to make sure someone knows all the facts about a changing situation

 keep someone posted

to make sure someone knows what is happening, esp. in a situation that is quickly changing

 keep something from someone

to prevent someone from learning about something

 keep something to yourself

US
do not tell anyone about something

 keep track (of someone/something)

to continue to be informed or know about someone or something

 keep up with the Joneses

to always want to own the same expensive objects and do the same things as your friends or
neighbours, because you are worried about seeming less important socially than they are

 keep your head above water

to just be able to manage, especially when you have financial difficulties

 keep your options open

to wait before making a choice

 knock on wood
said in order to avoid bad luck, either when you mention good luck that you have had in the
past or when you mention hopes you have for the future

 know best
to be the most suitable person to have responsibility and make important decisions

 know better (than to do sth)

to be wise or moral enough not to do something

 lay the basis/foundations for sth

to prepare for or start an activity or task

 lightning never strikes twice

said to show that it is unlikely that something bad or unusual will happen to the same person
twice

 like a streak of lightning

extremely quickly

 like a thief in the night

secretly or unexpectedly and without being seen

 like nothing on earth

very strange, unusual, or unpleasant in appearance, sound, or taste

 like rats leaving a sinking ship

used to refer to people leaving a place, organization, activity, etc. very quickly and in large
numbers, because it is failing in some way

 like there is/was no tomorrow

If someone does something like there is/was no tomorrow, they do it very fast, in large
amounts and without thinking carefully

 live it up
to have an exciting and very enjoyable time with parties, good food and drink, etc.

 live (on) in the memory

If something lives (on) in the memory, it has such an effect that it is remembered for a long
time.

 live out your dreams/fantasies

to do something that you really wanted but did not think was possible

 live your own life

to spend your life doing what you want, usually because something is no longer stopping you
from doing so

 long story short

used when you do not tell all the details

 look/feel like a million dollars

to look or feel extremely good, often because you are wearing something that costs a lot of
money

 look like/as though you've seen a ghost

to look very shocked

 look on the bright side

to find good things in a bad situation

 made for each other

perfectly matched

 make a (big) difference

to improve a situation or condition in an important way

 make a fool (out) of someone

to do something that makes someone, esp. yourself, seem ridiculous

 make a habit of something

to begin to do something regularly, often without thinking about it

 make a name for yourself

to become famous or respected by a lot of people

 make an honest living

to earn money by working hard at a job

 make an impression on sb
to cause someone to notice and admire you

 make a noise about sth

to talk about or complain about something a lot
  make (a) nonsense of sth
to make something appear stupid or wrong, or to spoil something

 make a point of doing something

to always do something or take particular care to do it

 make a virtue (out) of sth

to use something, especially a bad situation, to your advantage

 make conversation
to say things to someone who you do not know well, in order to be polite

 make do
to manage to live without things that you would like to have or with things of a worse quality
than you would like

 make do (with something)

to use what is available although it is not enough or what you wanted

 make ends meet

to have just enough money to pay for the things that you need

 make fun of someone

to be unkind to someone and laugh at or cause others to laugh at the person

 make history
to do something important that has not been done before and will be recorded publicly and
remembered for a long time

 make it (to the top)

to be very successful

 make it up to sb
to do something good for someone you have upset, in order to become friends with them
again

 make matters worse

to make the situation even more unpleasant or difficult

 make no apologies
to believe that what you have done is right or acceptable

 make no difference
to not change or improve a situation

 make sb look small

to show that someone is wrong in a way that makes them appear stupid

 make sb's day

to make someone happy

 make sb's heart flutter

If someone makes your heart flutter, you find that person very physically attractive and you
feel excited when you see or talk to them

 make sense
to be clear and easy to understand

 make sure
to take special care to do something

 make the most of something

to use or enjoy something as much as possible

 make time
to make certain you have some time when you are not busy in order to do something you
think you should do

 make your way

to be successful and make progress in your life and work

 man of the world

someone who has a lot of experience of life and can deal with most situations

 miles from anywhere/nowhere

a long distance from other houses or a town

 miss the boat

to lose an opportunity to do something by being slow to act
  miss the point
to not understand something correctly or what is important about it

 never look back

to continue to be successful after doing something with a good result

 never mind
used to tell someone not to worry about something because it is not important

 never put off until tomorrow what you can do today

said to emphasize that you should not delay doing something if you can do it immediately

 no big deal
infmlnot important

 no doubt
certainly

 no good
morally bad

 no less than
used to show your surprise at a large number

 no matter what, when, why, etc.

used to emphasize that something is always true, or that someone must do something

 not anywhere near

very much less

 not anywhere to be found

impossible to see or find

 not at any price

used to say that you would never do something

 not believe your eyes

to be very surprised

 not believe your luck

to be very surprised and very pleased

 not be sb's cup of tea

If something is not your cup of tea, it is not the type of thing that you like

 not be sb's day

If it is not your day, you are having a difficult or unpleasant day

 not be the end of the world

If something is not the end of the world, it will not cause very serious problems

 not be thinking straight

to not be thinking clearly or using good judgment

 not by any manner of means

not in any way

 not by any stretch of the imagination

even if you try, it is still difficult to accept

 not (do something) for anything (in the world)

infml to not do something under any conditions

 not for a moment

used to say that you do not think or do something at all

 not half as
not nearly as

 not have a clue/have no clue

to be completely unable to guess, understand, or deal with something

 not have a penny to your name

to be very poor

 not in the same league

not nearly as good as something or someone else

 not know the first thing about

to know nothing about something
  not know what hit you
to feel shocked or confused because something bad has happened to you suddenly when you
were not expecting it

 not know where to put yourself

to feel very embarrassed

 not know whether to laugh or cry

to not know how to react in a particular situation

 not lift a finger

to not make any effort

 not miss a beat

to not pause or show any uncertainty, usually when this is surprising

 not move a muscle

to stay completely still

 not take your eyes off sb/sth

to not stop looking at someone or something

 not that I know of

used when answering a question to mean that, judging from the information you have, the
answer is no

 not think straight

to be unable to use your mind in an effective way

 not to mention (someone/something)

and something else, even more than the first thing

 no way
used to tell someone that something is impossible

 on a first-name basis
knowing someone well enough that you call each other by your first names

 on and off
If something happens on and off during a period of time, it happens sometimes

 on a roll
infml experiencing a period of success or good luck

 on behalf of someone
done for another person’s benefit or support, or because you are representing the interests of
that person

 on demand
at any time that someone wants or needs something

 on its way
happening or arriving soon

 on/off sb's radar

If someone or something is on your radar, you are/are not aware of them or have/have not
thought about them.

 on one level...on another level

something that you say when you are speaking about two opposite ways of thinking about or
reacting to a situation

 on point
as good as it could be; perfect

 on sb's account
If something is said to be on someone's or something's account, it is because of that person or
thing

 on standby
ready to work or be used if necessary

 on the fence
not able to decide something

 on the go
very busy

 on the house
If you have something on the house, it is given to you free by a business

 on the one hand ... on the other hand

used when you are comparing two different facts or two opposite ways of thinking about a
situation

 on the receiving end of something

suffering from something unpleasant when you have done nothing to deserve it

 on the right track

doing something correctly or well

 on the table
If a plan or suggestion has been put/laid on the table, it has been made available for people to
hear, read, or discuss.

 on the verge of something

very near to doing or experiencing something

 on the wrong track

not correct about something

 on top of something
in control of a situation and aware of changes

 on your own
alone

 (out) in the middle of nowhere

in a place that is far from where most people live

 out loud
If you say or read something out loud, you say or read it so that other people can hear you

 out of hand
out of control

 out of luck
not having the success or good opportunities you wanted
  out of the blue
If something happens out of the blue, it is completely unexpected

 out of the picture

not important to or not involved in a situation

 out of the question

not possible or not allowed

 out of touch
not informed or not having the same ideas as most people about something, so that you make
mistakes

 out of your mind

unable to behave or deal with things normally because something has made you very worried,
unhappy, or angry

 pass the hat (around)

to try to collect money by asking people or organizations

 pay someone a visit

to visit someone

 pay the price

to experience the bad result of something you have done

 pay your respects

to visit someone in order to welcome or talk to them

 pick a fight/quarrel/argument
to start a fight/quarrel/argument with someone

 pick up the pieces

to try to return to a satisfactory situation

 pick yourself up off the floor

to make improvements to your life after a bad period

 play a joke/trick on sb
to confuse someone or cause problem for them
  play fair
to act in a fair and honest way

 play (it) safe

to be careful and not take risks

 pull a stunt
to do something silly and dangerous

 pull strings
to secretly use the influence you have over important people in order to get something or to
help someone

 put sth behind you

UK
US
If you put a bad experience or your own bad behaviour behind you, you do not let it affect
your life now

 put sth out of its misery

to kill an animal because it is in great pain, so that it does not have to suffer any more

 put sth out of your mind

to force yourself not to think about something

 put sth under the microscope

to examine or think about a situation very carefully

 put the finishing touches to

to add the final improvements to something so that you are satisfied with it or certain that it is
complete

 put their heads together

If two or more people put their heads together, they plan something together

 put words in someone’s mouth

to say that someone means one thing when the person really meant something else

 put your best foot forward

to try as hard as you can

 put your heart and soul into sth

to make a lot of effort to do something

 put your money where your mouth is

to show by your actions and not just your words that you support or believe in something

 put yourself in sb's place/position/shoes

to imagine how someone else feels in a difficult situation

 relax your grip/hold

to start to control something less

 (right) here and now

in this place at this time

 rise and shine!

said to tell someone to wake up and get out of bed

 rise to the occasion/challenge

to show that you can deal with a difficult situation successfully

 rolled into one

If someone or something has several qualities rolled into one, the person or thing has all of
those qualities

 round about
approximately

 rules are made to be broken

used to say that it is good and acceptable to not obey a rule

 save face
to keep your reputation and avoid others losing respect for you

 save your breath

used to say that it is not worth talking to someone because they will not listen to you

 say a lot about something/someone

to clearly show or express something about someone or something

 sb could do sth with one arm/hand tied behind his/her back

If someone could do something with one arm/hand tied behind their back, they can do it very
easily

 sb's hands are tied

If your hands are tied, you are not free to behave in the way that you would like

 sb's jaw drops (open)

If someone's jaw drops (open), they look very surprised

 scratch beneath the surface

to look further than what is obvious

 send a message
to make someone understand that a particular thing is right or true, or to make someone
understand what your attitude is

 set foot in (some place)

to enter a place

 set something in motion

to begin something

 set sth/sb on fire

to cause something or someone to start burning

 set the scene

to describe a situation where something is about to happen

 settle a score
to punish someone for something wrong that they did to you in the past and that you cannot
forgive

 set your mind to something

to be determined to do or have something

 shoot questions at sb
to ask someone a lot of questions very quickly, one after the other
  shy away from something
to move away from or try to avoid something

 sit on the fence

to delay making a decision

 so be it
used to say that it is necessary to accept the situation as it exists

 so far
at this particular time

 so long as
only if

 somehow or other
in a way that you do not know or understand

 someone is no stranger to something

someone is familiar with something, esp. something difficult or unpleasant

 someone may as well do something

there is no reason you should not do something

 someone's true colors

the kind of person someone really is rather than what the person seems to be

 something goes without saying

something is obviously true

 something hangs over your head

something makes you unable to relax or enjoy yourself

 something is like looking for a needle in a haystack

something is extremely difficult to find

 something rings a bell

something, esp. a name, is familiar to you
  something runs in someone’s family
a skill or quality is present in many of your relatives

 something slips through your fingers

an opportunity to achieve or have something is wasted

 something speaks for itself

something is clear and needs no further explanation

 something sticks in your mind

you remember something

 somewhere along the line

at some moment during a relationship or process

 so much for
that is the end of

 so to speak
used to explain that what you are saying is not to be understood exactly as stated

 squeeze (sb/sth) in/squeeze (sb/sth) into sth

to succeed in getting someone or something into a small space or object, often by pushing or
forcing

 take a deep breath

to pause

 take advantage of someone

to use someone's weakness to improve your situation

 take advantage of something

to use an opportunity to achieve results, sometimes in an unfair way

 take a hint
to understand or do something that is communicated indirectly

 take a rain check (on sth)

used to tell someone that you cannot accept an invitation now, but would like to do so at a
later time
  take a/the fall for sb
to accept the blame for something another person did

 take care of someone/something

to be responsible for someone or something

 take charge (of something)

to accept responsibility for something and have control over it

 take it one day at a time/take each day as it comes

to deal with things as they happen, and not to make plans or to worry about the future

 take its toll

to cause harm or suffering

 take it/things easy

to relax and not use too much energy

 take matters into your own hands

to deal with a problem yourself because the people who should have dealt with it have failed
to do so

 take part in something

to be actively involved in something with other people

 take place
to happen

 take sb's breath away

to be extremely beautiful or surprising

 take sb's mind off sth

to stop you from worrying or thinking about a problem or pain, often by forcing you to think
about other things

 take sb's word for it

to believe that what someone says is true

 take sb under your wing

If you take someone under your wing, you start to protect and take care of them

 take something for granted

to never think about something because you believe it will always be available or stay exactly
the same

 take something into account

to consider or remember something when judging a situation

 take sth as it comes

to deal with something as it happens, without planning for it

 take the edge off sth

to make something unpleasant have less of an effect on someone

 take the heat off sb

If someone or something takes the heat off you, he, she, or it reduces the amount of criticism
you have to deal with

 take the initiative

to be the first one to do something, esp. to solve a problem

 take the time to do something

to spend enough time to do something well or carefully

 talk some sense into someone

to help someone to think about a situation in a reasonable way

 talk your way out of sth

to avoid doing something or to get out of a difficult situation by giving someone good reasons
why you should not do it

 teach someone a lesson

to show someone, as a result of experience, what should not be done in the future

 that is to say ...

or more exactly

 that's my story and I'm sticking to it

used after you have given an explanation that you know is not really true
  that will do
said to mean that you do not want any more of something

 the big/bigger picture

the most important facts about a situation and the effects of that situation on other things

 the days/week(s)/year(s) to come

the following or next days/week(s)/year(s)

 the early bird catches the worm

said to advise someone that they will have an advantage if they do something immediately or
before anyone else does it

 the last thing you want, need, etc.

something that you certainly do not want, need, etc.

 the last word in something

the best or most modern example of something

 the law of the jungle

the idea that people who care only about themselves will be most likely to succeed in a society
or organization
 the least sb can/could do
something someone should do

 the more the merrier

used to say an occasion will be more enjoyable if a lot of people are there

 the naked eye

If something can be seen with the naked eye, it can be seen without the help of an instrument

 the next thing I knew

used to talk about part of a story that happens in a sudden and surprising way

 there are plenty of fish in the sea

used to tell someone whose relationship has ended that there are many other people that they
could have a relationship with

 there's a time and a place (for everything)

said when someone is behaving in a way that you do not think is suitable for the situation they
are in

 there's no rest for the wicked

said when you must continue with your work or other activity although you are very tired

 there's no smoke without fire

If unpleasant things are said about someone or something, there is probably a good reason for
it

 there's no time like the present

said to encourage someone to take action immediately instead of waiting

 there you go again

a way of emphasizing that an action is often repeated

 the school/university of life

all the bad and good experiences that you have and that you learn from; used especially to talk
about someone who is wise but not highly educated

 throw a party
to have a party

 throw shade
to criticize someone publicly and show that you do not respect him or her

 thumbs down
used to show disapproval of something

 thumbs up
used to show approval of something

 tighten your belt

to spend less money than you did before because you have less money

 time after time

again and again; repeatedly

 time's a great healer

said to mean that a painful or difficult situation will seem less bad as time passes
  to a/some degree
partly

 to begin with
used to give the first important reason for something

 to compare apples and/with oranges

used to say that two things are completely different and it is not sensible to compare them

 to my eye
used when giving your opinion about the appearance of something or someone

 to my mind
in my opinion

 too good to be true

so good that it is hard to believe, or seeming very good but not real

 to put it mildly
used for saying that something is much more extreme than your words suggest

 to say the least

used to show that what you are describing is in fact much more serious or important than you
have suggested

 to sb's face
If you say something unpleasant to someone's face, you say it to them directly, when you are
together

 to start with
first

 to tell (you) the truth

I have to admit

 to the best of my recollection

from what my memory tells me

 to the core
in every way

 to the point
expressing something very important or suitable for the subject being discussed

 to top it all
If you have been describing bad things that happened, and then say that to top it all something
else happened, you mean that the final thing was even worse

 try someone’s patience

to makes someone less patient

 try your luck

to try to achieve something although you know you might not succeed

 turn (sth) upside down

to (cause something to) change completely and in a bad way

 turn the tables

to change from being in a weaker position in relation to someone else to being in a stronger
position

 turn to dust
to become worth nothing

 under oath
having legally promised to tell the truth

 under the counter

Things bought under the counter are bought secretly and illegally

 under the same roof

in the same building

 wait your turn

to wait until it is really your turn to do or get something

 wake up to something
to become aware of something
  way of life
the manner in which a person lives

 what's more
used to add something surprising or interesting to what you have just said

 will not take no for an answer

to not allow someone to refuse what you have offered

 with (all due) respect

used to express polite disagreement in a formal situation

 with all my heart

completely

 with flying colors

If you do something such as pass an exam with flying colors, you do it very successfully.

 with open arms

in a very friendly way

 with your bare hands

without using any type of tool or weapon

 with your eyes closed

very easily

 work your way around to sth

to prepare yourself slowly for doing something

 work your way up/to the top

to make progress in a process or structure

 worth it
enjoyable or useful despite the fact that you have to make an effort

 wouldn't have it any other way

used to say that you would not want a situation to be different, even though it has problems
connected with it
  wouldn't hurt a fly
If you say that someone wouldn't hurt a fly, you mean they are gentle and would not do
anything to injure or offend anyone.

 you can't judge a book by its cover

said to show that you cannot know what something or someone is like by looking only at that
person or thing's appearance

 you can't make an omelet without breaking eggs

it is hard to achieve something important without causing unpleasant effects

 you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear

used to mean that you cannot make something good out of something that is naturally bad

 you could cut the atmosphere with a knife

used to describe a situation in which everyone is feeling very angry or nervous and you feel
that something unpleasant could soon happen

 you live and learn

said when you hear or discover something that is surprising

 you never know

said to mean there is a possibility that something good might happen, even if it is slight

 young at heart
thinking and behaving as if you are younger than you really are

 you owe it to yourself to do something

you deserve to do something