| No. | Item | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | a blessing in disguise | hidden benefit in misfortune |
| 2. | a breath of fresh air | refreshing change |
| 3. | a can of worms | complex troublesome matter |
| 4. | a double-edged sword | thing with mixed effects |
| 5. | a drop in the bucket | very small amount |
| 6. | a feather in your cap | notable achievement |
| 7. | a fish out of water | person out of place |
| 8. | a foregone conclusion | result already certain |
| 9. | a house of cards | fragile unstable system |
| 10. | a labor of love | work done from devotion |
| 11. | a level playing field | fair conditions for all |
| 12. | a matter of time | certain to happen eventually |
| 13. | a means to an end | tool for another goal |
| 14. | a needle in a haystack | something hard to find |
| 15. | a perfect storm | worst possible combination |
| 16. | a race against time | urgent effort before deadline |
| 17. | a recipe for disaster | sure cause of failure |
| 18. | a shot in the arm | boost of energy |
| 19. | a sign of the times | symptom of current era |
| 20. | a slippery slope | path to worsening consequences |
| 21. | a step in the right direction | helpful initial progress |
| 22. | a storm in a teacup | small issue exaggerated |
| 23. | a tough pill to swallow | hard truth to accept |
| 24. | a wake-up call | warning prompting action |
| 25. | a wolf in sheep’s clothing | danger disguised as harmless |
| 26. | at the end of the day | ultimately; when all is considered |
| 27. | at this point in time | now; at present |
| 28. | back against the wall | under severe pressure |
| 29. | back to square one | returned to the beginning |
| 30. | baptism by fire | difficult first experience |
| 31. | behind closed doors | in private or secrecy |
| 32. | burning the candle at both ends | overworking with little rest |
| 33. | by and large | generally; on the whole |
| 34. | clear as mud | very confusing |
| 35. | come hell or high water | no matter what happens |
| 36. | cut to the chase | get to the main point |
| 37. | devil is in the details | small parts cause problems |
| 38. | down to the wire | until the very last moment |
| 39. | first and foremost | most importantly |
| 40. | for all intents and purposes | effectively; practically |
| 41. | game changer | something with major impact |
| 42. | grasping at straws | trying desperate weak options |
| 43. | if push comes to shove | if forced to act |
| 44. | in the final analysis | after full consideration |
| 45. | in the same boat | in the same situation |
| 46. | in this day and age | in modern times |
| 47. | it goes without saying | it is obvious |
| 48. | it is what it is | must be accepted as given |
| 49. | jumping through hoops | meeting many pointless demands |
| 50. | kill two birds with one stone | achieve two aims at once |
| 51. | last but not least | finally, but still important |
| 52. | leave a lot to be desired | be inadequate or disappointing |
| 53. | leave no stone unturned | search every possibility |
| 54. | let the dust settle | wait for things to calm |
| 55. | low-hanging fruit | the easiest option or gain |
| 56. | move the needle | make a meaningful difference |
| 57. | needless to say | obviously; without saying |
| 58. | on the same page | in agreement or understanding |
| 59. | on thin ice | in a risky position |
| 60. | open the door to | create possibility for |
| 61. | out of the frying pan | from bad to worse |
| 62. | par for the course | normal for the situation |
| 63. | part and parcel | essential component |
| 64. | pushing the envelope | testing accepted limits |
| 65. | read between the lines | infer hidden meaning |
| 66. | reinvent the wheel | needlessly duplicate existing work |
| 67. | room for improvement | possibility of becoming better |
| 68. | the acid test | decisive trial or proof |
| 69. | the ball is in your court | it is your turn |
| 70. | the best of both worlds | advantages of two options |
| 71. | the bigger picture | broader overall view |
| 72. | the bitter end | the very end |
| 73. | the bottom line | the essential point or result |
| 74. | the calm before the storm | quiet before trouble |
| 75. | the cold hard truth | harsh reality |
| 76. | the elephant in the room | obvious unspoken problem |
| 77. | the fact of the matter | the truth of the situation |
| 78. | the jury is still out | decision remains uncertain |
| 79. | the last straw | final intolerable problem |
| 80. | the lesser of two evils | less harmful choice |
| 81. | the lion’s share | the largest portion |
| 82. | the moral of the story | main lesson |
| 83. | the name of the game | main aim or activity |
| 84. | the path of least resistance | easiest course |
| 85. | the point of no return | stage beyond reversal |
| 86. | the powers that be | those in authority |
| 87. | the road less traveled | uncommon choice or path |
| 88. | the root of the problem | basic cause of issue |
| 89. | the whole nine yards | everything possible |
| 90. | the writing on the wall | clear sign of trouble |
| 91. | think outside the box | be creative in a conventional way |
| 92. | tip of the iceberg | small visible part of larger issue |
| 93. | under fire | being heavily criticized |
| 94. | under scrutiny | being carefully examined |
| 95. | under the microscope | being closely examined |
| 96. | under the radar | without attracting notice |
| 97. | up in the air | still undecided |
| 98. | up to speed | fully informed or prepared |
| 99. | uphill battle | difficult struggle |
| 100. | when all is said and done | after everything is considered |
