1.

to hit the road: (informal) often used when you are about to leave a place and make your way home;
John looked at Jill. ‘It's time we hit the road,’ he said.
2. to hit roof: to lose your temper and become very angry;
She'll hit the roof if she finds out what you've done.
3. to play devil’s advocate: to pretend that you disagree with sth so as to make a more interesting
discussion;
I’ll play devil's advocate and disagree with the proposal.
4. to pick sb’s brains: to ask sb questions in order to get some information/help;
You know a lot about computers. Do you mind if I pick your brains about one or two things?
5. to push your luck: to take a big risk (because you have taken the same risk before and nothing bad
has happened to you);
You had a pay rise six months ago. It's pushing your luck to ask for another so soon.
6. to bend the rules: to change the rules slightly on one particular occasion;
The man behind the counter told us that, although it was past midnight, he would bend the rules and give us
something to eat.
7. to cost a bomb: to be very expensive;
You can't afford a car like that. They cost a bomb.
8. to jog sb's memory: to help sb remember sth;
Perhaps this letter will jog your memory.
9. to pin the blame on sb: to say that an innocent person is to blame for sth bad that has happened;
They pinned the blame for the crash on him.
10. to rack one's brain: to try very hard to think of sth or remember sth;
He racked his brains, trying to remember the caller's name.
11. to undermine sb's confidence: to make sb feel less confident;
It is his first ever performance. Don't be too critical; it will undermine his confidence.
12. to settle a bill: to pay a bill;
He called the waiter over and settled the bill.
13. to try sb's patience: to make sb feel impatient/annoyed;
He had been waiting to be served for over twenty minutes and it was beginning to try his patience.
14. to swallow your pride: to decide to do sth even though you think it will cause you to lose some
respect;
He would have to swallow his pride and admit his mistake.
15. to tackle a problem: to deal with and try to solve a problem;
The government has introduced these measures to tackle the growing problem of unemployment.
16. to wear thin: (i) an excuse or explanation that is beginning to wear thin has been used so often that
you are beginning not to believe it (ii) if sb's patience is wearing thin, they are beginning to feel
impatient/annoyed
He was late again; it was the same old excuse and it was wearing thin. / He'd been waiting for hours and his
patience was wearing thin.
17. to beat about the bush: to avoid or delay talking about sth embarrassing or unpleasant;
Oh, come on, stop beating about the bush and tell me what you think.
18. to follow in sb's footsteps: to do the same job as sb (e.g. a parent/grandparent, an elder brother or
sister);
My father was a doctor, as was my grandfather before him. Both my brother and I were expected to follow in
their footsteps.
19. to keep abreast of: to keep informed about the latest ideas/news/developments;
I buy the Daily Trader magazine to keep abreast of the latest developments in the stock market.
20. to have a sweet tooth: to love eating sweet things;
Both my children have got a sweet tooth and love cakes and sweets.
21. to be a vicious circle: a difficult problem which creates new problems which cause the original
problem to reoccur;
She couldn't get a visa because she couldn't get a job, but she couldn't get a job because she couldn't get a
visa. It was a vicious circle.