IDIOMS AND PHRASES

IDIOMS AND PHRASES

         To make clean breast of            -          To confess without of reserve

To keeps one's temper              -         To be in good mood

To catch a tartar                        -           To catch a dangerous person

To drive home                           -         To emphasise

To have an axe to grind             -           A private end to serve

To cry wolf                                 -         To give false alarm

To end in smoke                         -          To ruin oneself

To be above board                     -          To be honest in any business deal

To put one's hand to plough       -          To take a difficult task

To pick holes                             -           To criticise someone

To leave someone in the lurch   -          To desert someone in his difficulties
To play second fiddle                 -           To support the role and view of another person
To beg the question                   -            To take for granted

A black sheep                           -           Odd or disreputable member of a group, especially within a family. A man of straw                          -           A man of no substance To smell a rat                             -          To suspect foul dealings To hit the nail right on the head   -         To do the right thing To set one's face against            -          To oppose with determination  Tip off                                        -          Give advance information          A Bone to Pick                           -           Someone who wants to discuss a disagreement A bad apple spoils the whole barrel     -       one corrupt person can cause all the others to go bad if you don't remove the bad one At sea                                    -               lost or not understanding something Bad Egg                               -                Someone who was not a good person Barking at a knot                  -               Meaning that your efforts were as useless as a dog barking at a knot. Bee in your bonnet               -             To have an idea that won't let loose Been through the mill            -            Had a rough time of it Between hay and grass           -          Not a child or an adult Blinky                                        -             Between sweet and sour as in milk Calaboose                                 -        A jail Cattywampus                           -         Something that sits crooked such as a piece of furniture sitting at an angle Dicker                                        -         To barter or trade Feather In Your Cap                 -         To accomplish a goal. Hold your horses                      -         Be patient. I reckon                                      -         I suppose Jawing                                       -           Talking or arguing Kit and caboodle                         -         The whole thing Madder than an old wet hen       -          Really angry Needs taken down a notch or two   -      Like notches in a belt usually a young person who thinks too highly of himself and needs a lesson No Spring Chicken                          -        Not young anymore Pretty is as pretty does                  -         Your actions are more important than your looks Scalawag                                          -          A rascal or unprincipled person Scarce as hen's teeth                        -     Something difficult to obtain Straight From the Horse's Mouth    -         Privileged information from the one concerned Stringing around, gallivanting around, or piddling     -          Not doing anything of value Tie the Knot                                -               To get married Too many irons in the fire         -    To be involved in too many things