chickens come home to roost

If chickens are coming home to roost, someone is suffering the unpleasant consequences of their bad
actions in the past.

drink like a fish

If someone drinks like a fish, they drink a lot of alcohol.

eyes like a hawk

If someone has eyes like a hawk, they have very good eyesight and they notice everything. kill two birds
with one stone

If you kill two birds with one stone, you achieve two things with the one action.

let the cat out of the bag

If you let the cat out of the bag, you let someone know a secret.

like a fish out of water

You feel like a fish out of water if you're surrounded by people who are different to you, and it's making
you feel a little uncomfortable.

(like) water off a duck's back

You can say an insult or criticism is like water off a duck's back if it doesn't upset you.
a night owl
You're a night owl if you like to stay up and do things late at night.
a queer fish
If someone's a queer fish, they are a bit strange and can sometimes behave in an
unusual way.
a whale of a time
If you have a whale of a time, you have a great time and really enjoy yourself.
a wolf in sheep's clothing
A wolf in sheep's clothing is someone who seems to be a good person but is really a
bad person.
can of worms
If you say a situation or an issue is a can of worms, you think that getting involved in it
quiet as a mouse

If you're as quiet as a mouse, you're very quiet.

sick as a dog

If you're as sick as a dog, you're very sick.

take the bull by the horns

If you take the bull by the horns, you deal with a problem or a challenge in a direct and fearless way.

talk turkey

If you talk turkey, you discuss something seriously, usually to do with business or money.

the lion's share

You can say something is the lion's share if it's the biggest share or portion of something.

the rat race

The rat race is the highly competitive and stressful world of work and business.

an ivory tower

You can say someone's in an ivory tower if they're in a place that separates them from everyday life,
such as a university.

hit the roof

You can say someone hits the roof if they lose their temper and show their anger.

make yourself at home

If you make yourself at home, you relax and feel comfortable in someone else's home.

nothing to write home about

If you say something is nothing to write home about, you mean it isn't very important or it isn't very
good.

run-of-the-mill

Something is run-of-the-mill if it is ordinary and nothing special.

the writing | handwriting is on the wall

If the writing is on the wall, or the handwriting is on the wall, there are signs that a person or
organization is in trouble and might soon fail.

waiting in the wings

If you're waiting in the wings, you're ready to take over a role or a position when you have the chance to
do so.
at the drop of a hat

If you do something at the drop of a hat, you do it immediately, without preparation or planning.

deep pockets

You can say a person or an organisation has deep pockets if they have lots of money.

earn your stripes

If you earn your stripes, you do something to prove that you have the skills or ability for a particular job
or rank.

fill somebody's shoes

If you can fill somebody's shoes, you can replace them and do what they do.

hot under the collar

If you are hot under the collar, you feel angry or annoyed about something.

keep it under your hat

If someone tells you a secret and you keep it under your hat, you don't tell anyone.

knock your socks off

If something knocks your socks off, it amazes you and surprises you.

off the cuff

If you speak off the cuff, you speak without planning what you will say beforehand.

talk through your hat

If you're talking through your hat, you're talking about something without knowing much about it, or
you claim something is true when it isn't.

tighten your belt

If you tighten your belt, you try to spend less money.

wear your heart on your sleeve

If you wear your heart on your sleeve, you show your emotions openly and you don't try to hide your
feelings.

a yellow streak

If someone has a yellow streak, they can sometimes act in a cowardly way and not be very brave.

caught red-handed

If someone is caught red-handed, they are caught in the act of doing something wrong such as cheating
or stealing.
give the green light

If you give something the green light, you give permission for it to be done, or allow it to happen.

in the dark

If you're in the dark about something, you don't know about it.

once in a blue moon

If something happens once in a blue moon, it happens very rarely.

out of the blue

If something happens out of the blue, you're not expecting it to happen and you're surprised when it
does.

paint the town red

If you paint the town red, you visit bars, nightclubs and other nightspots to have a good time.

see red

If you see red, you become extremely angry.

see through rose-coloured glasses | rose-colored glasses

If someone sees things through rose-coloured glasses, they see things as being better than they really
are.

yellow journalism

Journalism in which sensational stories are used to boost sales, or biased reporting is used to change the
reader's views on an issue. Both of these are unethical.

(have) egg on your face

You have egg on your face if you've said or done something wrong, and it's made you feel embarrassed
or stupid.

(your) bread and butter

Your bread and butter is your livelihood or the source of your income.

a couch potato

You can say someone's a couch potato if they're very lazy and they spend a lot of time sitting around
watching TV and eating junk food.

a flash in the pan

You can say something or someone is a flash in the pan if they're popular or effective for a short time
only.

a piece of cake If you say that something is a piece of cake, you mean that it is extremely easy.
a recipe for disaster

Something is a recipe for disaster if it's going to cause trouble or serious problems.

chew the fat | chew the rag

If you chew the fat, or chew the rag, you have a long, friendly chat with someone.

easy as pie | easy as abc

If something's as easy as pie, or easy as abc, it's very easy.

eat your words

If you eat your words, you admit that something you said was wrong.

go down a treat

If something goes down a treat, it's a great success and everyone enjoys it.

grease someone's palm

If you grease someone's palm, you pay them a bribe.

half-baked

If something is half-baked, it hasn't been properly thought out or planned.

hard to swallow

Something that someone has said is hard to swallow if it's difficult to believe.

in a nutshell

You can say "in a nutshell" if you're about to describe something as briefly as possible, or you're going to
sum something up.

not your cup of tea

If something is not your cup of tea, it's not what you like or what you're interested in.

on the back burner

If a plan or a project is on the back burner, it isn't being worked on at present, but it might be completed
in the future.

put all your eggs in the one basket

If you put all your eggs in the one basket, you put all your efforts or resources into one person, one thing
or one plan, and if things don't work out, you lose everything.

take with a grain of salt | take with a pinch of salt

If you take what someone says with a grain of salt, or with a pinch of salt, you have doubts about the
truth or accuracy of what they say.

a vested interest

If you have a vested interest in something, you have a strong personal interest in it because you stand to
gain from it.

easy money

You can say "easy money" to describe money that someone gets without having to make much effort.

feather your own nest

If you feather your own nest, you use your position or your job illegally for personal gain.

feel the pinch

If you are feeling the pinch, you're finding it harder to survive on your income.

for my money

You can say "for my money" to mean the same as "in my opinion".

go out of business

If a company goes out of business, it stops trading and closes down.

made of money

If you are made of money, you have lots of money.

make a killing

If you make a killing, you make a lot of money from a sale or a deal of some sort.

make ends meet

If you make ends meet, you earn just enough to pay for a place to live and your daily expenses.

pay the price

You pay the price for doing something when you experience the unpleasant results of doing it.

pay through the nose Informal

If you pay through the nose for something, you pay more than the usual price for it.

pick up the tab | pick up the bill Informal

If you pick up the tab, or pick up the bill, you pay for yourself and your friends in a restaurant

under the table

If something is done under the table, it's done secretly, usually because it's illegal or unethical.
wheeling and dealing

If you're wheeling and dealing, you're involved in the complex world of making deals and exchanging
favours in business or politics, or both.

worth its weight in gold

If something is worth its weight in gold, it's extremely valuable or extremely useful.

a whale of a time

If you have a whale of a time, you have a great time and really enjoy yourself.

around the clock

If something occurs around the clock, it goes on all day and all night.

behind the times

If someone is behind the times, they are old-fashioned and their ideas are out of date.

day to day

If something happens day to day, it's part of the usual daily routine.

for the time being

If something will be the way it is "for the time being", it will be that way for a limited period of time only.

in the long run

If you talk about something "in the long run", you mean over a long period of time.

it's high time

If you say it's high time something was done, you think it should have been done already, and is
overdue.

kill time

You kill time when you do something to amuse yourself while waiting for something.

year in, year out

If something has happened year in, year out, it's happened every year for many years in a row.

All in a day's work

If something is all in a day's work, it is nothing special.

Baker's dozen

A Baker's dozen is 13 rather than 12.

Bean counter
A bean counter is an accountant.

Beggars can't be choosers

This idiom means that people who are in great need must accept any help that is offered, even if it is not
a complete solution to their problems.

Game plan

A game plan is a strategy.

Glass ceiling

The glass ceiling is the discrimination that prevents women and minorities from getting promoted to the
highest levels of companies and organisations.

Good offices

Good offices is help and support, especially in mediating in a dispute.

Have your work cut out

If you have your work cut out, you are very busy indeed.

Movers and shakers

Dynamic, important people who can get things done quickly and are influential are the movers and
shakers.

Number cruncher

A number cruncher is an accountant or someone who is very good at dealing with numbers and
calculations.

On the line

If somebody's job is on the line, they stand a very good chance of losing it.

Pointy-heads

Pointy-heads are supposed intellectuals or experts, but who don't really know that much.

Real trouper

A real trouper is someone who will fight for what they believe in and doesn't give up easily. (People
often use 'Real trooper' as the two words sound the same.)

Speak to the organ grinder not the monkey

Talk to the boss not the subordinate

Swear like a sailor

Someone who is foul-mouthed and uses bad language all the time, swears like a sailor.
Teacher's pet

The teacher's favorite pupil is the teacher's pet, especially if disliked by the other pupils.

The shoemaker's son always goes barefoot

A skilled or knowledgeable person often fails to use their skills for the benefit of their family and people
close to them.

Top brass

In the army or in other organizations, the top brass are the people in the highest positions

Tread the boards

When someone treads the boards, they perform on stage in a theatre.

Trick of the trade

A trick of the trade is something used by people experienced in an area that helps them.

Work the system

If people work the system, they exploit the state or similar setup to their advantage.

Verb + preposition or adverb which creates a meaning different from the original verb.

Ex.

1. I was brought up in an adventurous home (bring up - raise).

2. This seminar brought out my adventurous streak (bring out – elicit).

3. A string of bizarre domestic events brought about my adventurous streak (bring about – cause).

Types

I. Separable – the object can separate the verb from the preposition

Ex.

1. I turned off the light.

2. I turned the light off.

3. You have to do this paint job over.

II. Intransitive – cannot be followed by a direct object.

Ex.

1. He suddenly showed up.

2. The children promised to come over, but they never do.

3. When we visited Paris, we loved eating out in the sidewalk cafes.

III. Inseparable – the phrasal verb must always go together.

Ex.

1. The situation called for a series of urgent solutions.

2. Carlos ran into his English professor in the hallway.

3. I got over the flue, but I don’t know if I’ll ever get over my broken heart

IV. Three – Word Phrasal Verbs

1. The boys promised to check up on the conditions of the summer house from time to time.

2. After years of giving nothing, the old parishioner was able to come up with a thousand dollar
donation.

3. I found it hard to get along with my brother when we were young.

4. The citizens tried to get rid of their corrupt mayor in the recent election.

5. I always look forward to the beginning of a new setter.