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- 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 has reached a point in which it has exhausted its core intent and is introducing new ideas that are discordant with its original purpose
- 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
- 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
non-english:
- 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
some more that i already know/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 phone sth. in
- 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
- 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.
- (somebody) in the know
- a can do attitude
- to be on top of it
- smoke and mirrors
- to rock the boat
also see: favorite phrases
aug 3 2024 ∞
nov 28 2024 +
nov 28 2024 +