Above and beyond 
– more than what is normally
required. The off-duty policeman chased and caught
the bag snatcher; his action was above and beyond
what was expected of him since he was not on duty
at that  plea for help.
time.
Beyond the call of duty – in addition to what is
required in the normal course of performing one’s
job.  The fireman went back to the burning house to
rescue the cat; he acted beyond his call of duty.
Above suspicion – having a reputation for honesty
that no one would suspect you of wrongdoing. The
teacher was elected club treasurer 
because she is known to be completely above
suspicion.
Ace in a hole – something or someone held in
reserve to turn things around later. The new recruit
is the team’s ace in the hole to improve  expressed remorse for his crime after the fact.
their standing in the sports competition this year.
Acid test – a test whose result is considered to be
conclusive or  agreement or consent. You cannot force him to join
beyond doubt. The DNA result will be the acid test
that will determine if the authorities caught the real
culprit in the crime.
Across the board – Shared equally by everyone. The
company management decided to give salary
increases to the employees  Babe in the woods – an inexperienced or naïve
across the board.
Act as someone –  to act or perform, temporarily or
permanently, in the capacity of someone else. I’ll act
as your interim trainer until your regular trainer
comes back from his business trip in the province.
Act of God – an event for which no person is
responsible for; a natural event such as typhoon,
earthquake, volcanic eruption, lightning, and similar
acts of nature. The insurance company did not pay
for the damage to their properties because it was
caused by an act of God.
Act of war – an intentional act of hostility or violence
so severe that war is considered to be an
appropriate response. The attack on the
Twin Towers in New York was considered by the
Americans as an act of war by the terrorists.
Add fuel to the fire – to do something that makes a
bad situation worse. The customer is already
agitated so do not add fuel to the fire by ignoring his
Afraid of one’s own shadow – easily suspicious or
frightened. Since you told him of the hair-raising
urban legend above the jail escapee he has become
afraid of his own shadow.
After all is said and done – when everything is
discussed and acted on. After all is said and done,
everyone went home satisfied with the result of the
town meeting.
After hours – after the regular or normal time. Jim
and Tom hang around the cocktail lounge after
hours.
After the fact – after an incident has occurred. Jake
Against someone’s will – to do something without a
person’s 
your activities against his will.
Against the clock – in a race with time; to get
something done with urgency.  The doctors operated
on the accident victim against the clock
person. Benjie might be an expert mason but he is
still a babe in the woods when it comes to carpentry.
Back to square one – To start again at the beginning
(as in a board game.)  The proposal was rejected by
the customer so the vendor was back to square one.
Back to the drawing board  -  To start and try
another plan or course of action when the first one
did not work out as expected. The customer was not
happy with the building plan so the engineering
consultant was back to square one.
Bad blood – feeling of animosity between two
persons or among a group of people. There is bad
blood between the two families.
Bad-mouth someone – to say unpleasant or bad
things about 
someone. Leo and Tess are bad-mouthing each other
since their relationship broke up.
Bait and switch - a deceptive practice of advertising
a product to make people to go to the store but
once inside the store the customer is enticed to buy
a more expensive item. The saleslady told me that
the 
advertised cell phone is sold out but I think the item
was just a bait and switch.
Give someone the benefit of the doubt – to make a
favorable judgment or impression to an individual
when the evidence or proof is unclear as to being in
favor or against that individual. I know him as
an honest person so I gave him the benefit of the
doubt.

Bark up the wrong tree – to ask or argue with the Have the time of his/her life – to have a very good
wrong person. Nothing will come out of your time or most exciting moment in one’s life. The bride
complain because you’re barking up the wrong tree. was having the time of her life during the wedding
reception.
Cast the first stone - to be the first one to criticize or
accuse. The crowd burst into sudden uproar when
the thief was caught that it was hard to tell who cast Look to one's laurels -  to be on guard against rivals.
the first stone. You need to look at one's laurels to stay ahead of the
competition.
Catch someone red-handed – to catch someone in
the act of doing something wrong that one cannot Luck out –  to get lucky; be fortunate. The new hire
deny doing it. The barangay tanod caught the pick-
lucked out because he was not among those
pocket red-handed.
employees who get laid off.
Catch someone’s eye – to have eye contact with
someone or to attract someone’s attention. The lady Over the long haul – over a long period of time. Your
in red dress caught someone’s eye at the party. training will be hard but it will improve your stamina
over the long haul.
Come what may – no matter what may happen, or
what the 
Over the short haul – over a short period of time.
consequence may be. I’m not joining your game,
come what may. The business plan looks unprofitable but only in the
short haul.
Come with the territory – to be expected to happen
under the  Pad the bill – to include miscellaneous unnecessary
circumstances. The heckling by some people in the items to increase the amount of a bill or invoice. The
audience comes with the territory when you are a
employee got into trouble for padding the bill when
politician.
he submitted his travel expenses.
Commit something to memory – to memorize
something. I didn’t have a pen and paper at that Pain in the neck – bothersome, annoying. His new
time so I have to commit to my memory her phone roommate is a pain in the neck.
number.
Rest on one's laurels - to stop striving for further
Cool it! – To calm down or to pacify. Tell the guys in
success or accolade. Do not rest on your laurels if
the audience to cool it and stop heckling the
speaker. you want to be successful in life.

Dog-eat-dog – a situation in which someone has to Roll the sleeves up – To start getting some work
act ruthlessly to survive or get ahead of other done. Let’s roll our sleeves up before our manager
people. It’s a dog-eat-dog in the world of  walks in.
politics when election time comes.
Rough someone up – to harm someone physically. Be sure you read and understand the small print in
The thugs rough someone up so we had to call the the contract before you accept and sign it.
police.

Rule of thumb – a rough guide; an approximation for Smell a rat – to be suspicious that something is
making quick estimate. As a rule of thumb one wrong or someone is about to commit a
should do warm up exercises for 5 minutes before wrongdoing. The onlooker smelled a rat so
starting to jog. he walked away from the crowd in the plaza.

Safe and sound – unharmed and in good shape

physically – The ship ran into some rough waters but
we arrived at the harbor safe and sound.
Sail under false color – to pretend to be different to
mislead somebody. I don’t trust the candidate
because I have a feeling he is sailing under false
color.
Save the day – to do something that results
positively when the 
opposite results has been expected all along. Many
in the audience taught that we will lose the game
but our team captain saved the day  because the workers followed the
for us.
Too good to be true – so good that it is hard to
believe. The teachers got a hefty pay raise; it was too
good to be true.
To put it mildly – to understate something in an
attempt to be polite or courteous. To put it mildly,
the guest speaker came in unprepared for his
speech.
To the letter – precisely; to do exactly according to
written instructions. The installation was perfect
 
instructions to the letter.

See the writing on the wall – to become aware that

something is about to happen; to be clear about
something. You need to study harder in your history
subject or you’re going to fail in the exams. Can’t you
see the writing on the wall?

Small fry – insignificant things; unimportant persons.

The policemen raided the hideout of the suspected
robbers but all they caught were the small fry.

The term small fry refers to small fish. "You go after

the big fish, and ignore the small fry."

Small print – that part of a document that easily gets

unnoticed because it is printed in smaller print than
the rest of document but it contains important
information that someone should be aware of.