some phrases, idioms and collocations i've come across. also see: favorite phrases

• white elephant
  • an (unwanted) possession/gift that is troublesome to maintain
• white whale
  • sth. that one can pursue with little chance of success
• touch and go
  • of a (desired) outcome: possible but very uncertain. "it was touch-and-go whether she could reach the pram before it overturned"
• roided out
  • having a very muscular physique, especially one obtained from the use of performance-enhancing drugs
• to hedge one's bets
  • to support both sides in a competition to protect against loss
• out of sorts
  • slightly unwell, in low spirits
• shish kabobing
  • impaling
• pussyfooting around
  • act in a cautious or non-committal way
• jump the shark
  • used to argue that a creative work (usually tv show) has reached a point in which it has exhausted its core intent and is introducing new ideas that are discordant with its original purpose and loses quality
• the bee's knees
  • excellent, wonderful, cool
• to be a dead ringer
  • to look exactly like sb.
• to have a chip on one's shoulder
  • to feel inferior or as if been treated unfairly
• to go through the motions
  • to do sth. without making much effort to do it well (e.g. when sad)
• to tighten one's belt
  • to spend less money
• to pay through the nose
  • to pay too much
• a stitch in time saves nine
  • it's better to solve a problem right away, to stop it becoming a much bigger one
• to put one through one's paces
  • to test the ability/skill of a person/thing
• rat race
  • when eople compete with each other for power and money
• a raw deal
  • bad or unfair treatment
• to talk shop
  • to talk about your job with those you work with when not at work
• to spin a yarn
  • to tell an untrue but interesting story
• to have the ball in one's court
  • it is time for you to deal with a problem or make a decision, because other people have already done as much as they can
• to cast one's lot
  • to join or become associated with a person, group, or thing that one hopes will win or succeed
• the cat that got the canary
  • a person who appears self-satisfied or smug, especially while concealing something mischievous, prohibited, or privat
• three sheets to the wind
  • drunk
• up against the ropes
  • in a difficult situation
• to eke sth. out
  • to obtain or win something only with difficulty or great effort
• a shoo-in
  • a guaranteed winner
• take sth. on the nose
  • to endure or accept sth. negative, especially with stoicism or poise
• to jury rig sth.
  • set up / piece together sth. in a makeshift manner
• under the auspices of
  • with the help, support, or protection of
• to run sb. down
  • to criticize sb.
• lock, stock, and barrel
  • everything; all
• to MacGyver sth.
  • to make or repair something in an improvised or inventive way
• wigged out
  • nervous, frightened, anxious
• in shirtsleeves
  • wearing a shirt without a jacket or coat over it
• to have bats in the belfry
  • (belfry = bell tower) to act crazy or eccentric
• the salt of the earth
  • very good, honest, and reasonable, and not thinking you are special in any way
• to hum/hem and haw
  • to beat around the bush; to take a long time for a decision
• a little ways (in, on, ...)
  • a short distance
• to sandbag sb.
  • to treat unfairly or harshly; to coerce
• "oh my stars and garters!"
  • a jocular exclamation or expression of astonishment
• take the pains to do sth.
  • to try very hard to so something
• may-december (relationship)
  • a romantic relationship with a big age gap
• red tape
  • excessive bureaucracy or adherence to formalities
• coup de grâce
  • a final blow or shot given to kill a wounded person/animal/situation
• vis-à-vis
  • regarding/concerning; in the face of; face-to-face
• nom de plume
  • pseudonym, screen/stage/pen name
• to hold sway over sth.
  • to have power/influence over sth.
• hunky-dory
  • fine, satisfactory, okay
• in the doghouse
  • in trouble or in a situation where someone is upset or angry with you for some reason (e.g. a man who has angered his wife)
• dead ringer
  • someone or something that looks very similar to someone or something else
• on the fritz
  • (of a machine or device) not working properly
• the rank and file
  • the ordinary members of an organization (e.g. military) as opposed to its leaders
• to fly by the seat of your pants
  • to do something difficult without the necessary skill or experience
• take (one's) leave of sb.
  • to say goodbye to sb.
• (to) go fish
  • to go look somewhere else for what you asked
• (case of) sour grapes
  • attitude of resentment/bitterness because sb. can't have sth.
• to lampshade something
  • to acknowledge the artificiality of the medium; to purposefully point out how 'fake' an effect is
• out of/in left field
  • unexpected, odd, strange
• cloak and dagger
  • involving or characterized by mystery, intrigue, or espionage
• to live in squalor
  • to live in a dirty environment due to lack of money
• a sleeper hit
  • a piece of media that was unpromising on release but eventually became a surprise success
• to phone it in
  • to do something with low enthusiasm or effort
• to do sth. with abandon
  • to behave in a wild, uncontrolled way and not think or care about how one should behave
• pure as driven snow
  • morally unsullied, chaste
• to give sb. a run for their money
  • to be as good at something as someone who is extremely good
• in the throes of sth.
  • in the middle of experiencing something difficult/painful, busy doing it
• to mete sth. out
  • to distribute something (e.g. punishment, justice) to others
• ass over teakettle
  • to fall, to be in complete disarray
• cat's cradle
  • intricate/complicated/elaborate
• indian summer
  • a period of warm/mild weather in late autumn or early winter
• to be in clover
  • to live well and in luxury
• to take a gander
  • to take a glance at sth.
• to put the kibosh on sth.
  • to put an end to sth.
• to go for broke
  • to risk everything in an all-out effort
• the end-all be-all
  • the reason for / most important part of sth.
• by the skin of your teeth
  • just barely/narrowly
• up/out the wazoo
  • in large quantities
• to shoot the breeze
  • to have a casual conversation
• deep cut
  • something that is familiar only to passionate enthusiasts of a specified area, e.g. a little known song of an artist
• hail mary
  • a plan or project with little chance of success
• champing at the bit
  • be restlessly impatient to start doing something
• to get down to brass tacks
  • consider the basic facts or practical details
• to raise hackles
  • to make someone angry or annoyed
• arrested development
  • something failed to progress as it was expected to
• sleeper agent
  • a spy who is placed in a target country or organization, not to undertake an immediate mission, but rather to act as a potential asset if activated
• a catch-22
  • a paradoxical situation from which an individual cannot escape because of contradictory rules
• to get a leg up on sb.
  • to gain an advantage over sb, especially in a competitive situation
• litmus test
  • a test in which a single factor (such as an attitude, event, or fact) is decisive
• to get the 30,000 foot view
  • to see the bigger picture
• to hit the ground running
  • to seize an opportunity; to begin at full speed
• to light a fire under sb.
  • to stimulate (someone) to work or act more quickly or enthusiastically
• to take it offline
  • to move a conversation to a more private or appropriate time and place
• at any rate
  • whatever; (used to clarify or emphasize a statement)
• does a bear crap in the woods?
  • (to answer to a question of which the answer is obviously "yes")
• blocking and tackling
  • basic/fundamental skills/tasks/rules for sth.
• all in a day's work
  • (of something unusual or difficult) accepted as part of sb.'s normal routine
• to do sb. in
  • to kill sb. or make sb. very tried
• to fly the coop
  • to make one's escape
• to foot a bill
  • to pay the bill
• devil-may-care
  • easygoing, carefree
• to dipsy-doodle
  • a sudden change in direction
• charley horse
  • muscle cramp or stiffness, esp. in leg
• a toss-up
  • a situation in which two possibilities are equally likely
• dog in the manger
  • one who spitefully prevents others from having something for which one has no use
• up to bat
  • being called upon to perform a task, esp. if skill is required
• the few, the proud, the...
  • ...the Marines (slogan for the US marines)
• souped-up
  • enhanced, embellished
• to pencil sb in
  • to make an arrangement with sb. knowing that the time may need to be changed
• under duress
  • forced to do sth. because of threats

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some more that i already knew: ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍

• treading water
• war of attrition
• at length
• brace up
• the lapping (sound) of water
• in lieu of
• to cull the herd
• to dole out punishment
• x an y z not make
• to hit/strike pay dirt
• to get roped into sth.
• a knee-jerk reaction
• to mill about
• with false bravado
• to separate the wheat from the chaff
• to get one's hackles up
• to taper off
• to turn tail
• hot to trot for sb.
• by and by
• to not care for sth.
• to steer clear
• to make a pass on sb.
• to call a spade a spade
• the blahs
• dog eat dog world
• a mile a minute
• to break the seal
• jump the gun
• to take after sb.
• to be in a rut
• shipshape
• all walks of life
• to egg sb. on
• to go off the deep end
• to have it in for sb.
• to add insult to injury
• to be off one's rocker
• to be at each other's throats
• nothing to write home about
• like water off a duck's back
• to make a killing
• to make do with sth.
• not up to par / subpar / below par
• to have a go
• out on a limb
• to stick one's neck out for sb.
• not to have a snowball's chance in hell
• to take the cake
• to split hairs
• no love lost between them
• a crying shame
• to take the wind out of sb.'s sails
• to be dead set on sth.
• to play it by ear
• to harp on
• to face the music
• (not) to pull one's punches
• to put a sock in it
• to a t
• to mince one's words
• that's the way the cookie crumbles
• a penny for one's thoughts
• come hell or high water
• every cloud has a silver lining
• to have the markings of...
• par for the course
• holier-than-thou
• in one's birthday suit
• to come undone
• to know someone biblically
• peddle your wares
• to get your bearings
• to get hitched
• to be privy to sth.
• to fly too close to the sun
• to wreak havoc
• rug pulled from under you
• beyond reproach
• with pomp and circumstance
• the whole (kit and) caboodle
• to make as if to do sth.
• to fall into step with sb.
• to lock eyes
• (now we're) cooking with gas
• to hightail it
• close but no cigar
• to wax poetic
• in dire straits
• tepid laughter
• to run a tight ship
• to weigh x pounds soaking wet
• the land of milk and honey
• in one fell swoop
• no blood no foul
• cardinal sin
• to get an eyeful of sb.
• (sb.) in the know
• a can do attitude
• to be on top of it
• smoke and mirrors
• to rock the boat
• firing on all pistons
• keyed up
• to hazard a guess
• on the fringe
• to be a cakewalk
• to self-report
• to bare your teeth
• monkey see, monkey do
• case in point
• fish-belly white
• a fickle thing
• to root around in sth.
• to suss out sth./sb.
• to rub/add salt to a sound; to salt your wounds
• adding insult to injury
• pleased as the cat who got the cream
• "thar she blows!"
• to be able to dish it out but not take it
• hoping against hope
• a 'bricks and mortar' location
• a standing date
• at sb's behest
• dead as a doornail
• in a pinch
• no guts, no glory
• a can-do attitude
• to be slow on the uptake
• a valiant effort
• to rattle the cage
• to hear sth. through the grapevine
• strapped for sth. (cash/time/etc)
• smoke and mirrors
• to dig your heels in
• to hit the hay
• to eat a bullet
• to hold one's own
• raring to go
• dire straits
• coming into your own
• to hone in on sth.
• one's lot in life
• delusions of grandeur
• the world over
• a tall drink of water
• the seedy underbelly
• that tracks with me
• if/when push comes to shove
• everybody and their dog
• elbow grease
• to blaze the trail
• to dig into sb.
• to throw a curveball
• how the sausage is made
• to leg it
• up the wazoo
• my two cents
• to throw sb. under the bus
• to catch on like wildfire
• to give a heads-up
• to give sth. its due diligence
• bottom line
• to take it to the next level
• when in rome
• at the drop of a hat
• to have a bone to pick with sb.
• to pump the breaks
• to get sb. back
• no two ways about it
• to put the cart before the horse
• suck it up
• to try sth on for size
• breakneck speed
• case in point
• horsing around
• no worse for wear
• to up the ante
• to come into your own
• thrown for a loop
• highway robbery