| No. | Item | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | a blessing in disguise | something good that seemed bad |
| 2. | a double-edged sword | something with pros and cons |
| 3. | a far cry from | very different from |
| 4. | a fish out of water | someone out of place |
| 5. | a flash in the pan | brief success that fades |
| 6. | a foregone conclusion | an outcome already decided |
| 7. | a hard nut to crack | a difficult problem or person |
| 8. | a hot potato | a controversial issue |
| 9. | a leopard can’t change spots | people rarely change |
| 10. | a level playing field | a fair, equal situation |
| 11. | a long shot | an unlikely attempt |
| 12. | a needle in a haystack | something very hard to find |
| 13. | a red herring | a misleading distraction |
| 14. | a rude awakening | a sudden unpleasant realization |
| 15. | a shot in the dark | a guess without evidence |
| 16. | a slap on the wrist | a mild punishment |
| 17. | a stitch in time saves nine | fix problems early |
| 18. | a stone’s throw | a very short distance |
| 19. | a storm in a teacup | a big fuss over little |
| 20. | a tall order | a difficult request |
| 21. | a taste of your own medicine | treated as you treated others |
| 22. | a thorn in one’s side | a persistent annoyance |
| 23. | a wolf in sheep’s clothing | danger disguised as harmless |
| 24. | above and beyond | more than expected |
| 25. | ace up one’s sleeve | a hidden advantage |
| 26. | add fuel to the fire | make a bad situation worse |
| 27. | add insult to injury | make things worse after harm |
| 28. | all bark and no bite | tough talk, little action |
| 29. | all ears | listening attentively |
| 30. | all in the same boat | sharing the same problem |
| 31. | all talk and no action | promises without follow-through |
| 32. | all that glitters isn’t gold | appearances can deceive |
| 33. | all thumbs | clumsy with hands |
| 34. | an arm and a leg | very expensive |
| 35. | an uphill battle | a difficult struggle |
| 36. | as luck would have it | by chance, fortunately or not |
| 37. | at a crossroads | facing an important choice |
| 38. | at face value | accepting without deeper analysis |
| 39. | at the drop of a hat | immediately, without hesitation |
| 40. | at the end of the day | ultimately; when all considered |
| 41. | avoid like the plague | avoid completely |
| 42. | back against the wall | in a difficult position |
| 43. | back the wrong horse | support the losing side |
| 44. | back to square one | return to the start |
| 45. | back to the drawing board | start over with a new plan |
| 46. | ball is in your court | it’s your turn to act |
| 47. | bark up the wrong tree | pursue the wrong idea |
| 48. | beat around the bush | avoid saying it directly |
| 49. | beat the odds | succeed despite low chances |
| 50. | behind the eight ball | in a difficult situation |
| 51. | bend over backwards | try very hard to help |
| 52. | call it a day | stop working for now |
| 53. | call the shots | be in control |
| 54. | can’t hold a candle to | not as good as |
| 55. | cast a wide net | search broadly |
| 56. | catch someone off guard | surprise someone unexpectedly |
| 57. | catch-22 | a no-win situation |
| 58. | chase rainbows | pursue unrealistic goals |
| 59. | chew the fat | chat casually |
| 60. | chip on one’s shoulder | a resentful attitude |
| 61. | close but no cigar | nearly succeeded but failed |
| 62. | dead in the water | unable to proceed |
| 63. | devil’s advocate | argue the opposite for testing |
| 64. | dig your heels in | refuse to change your mind |
| 65. | dime a dozen | very common and cheap |
| 66. | do a double take | look again in surprise |
| 67. | do the trick | work successfully |
| 68. | don’t count your chickens | don’t assume success too early |
| 69. | don’t cry wolf | don’t raise false alarms |
| 70. | don’t hold your breath | don’t expect it soon |
| 71. | down in the dumps | feeling sad |
| 72. | easy come, easy go | gains are quickly lost |
| 73. | eat crow | admit you were wrong |
| 74. | elephant in the room | an obvious unspoken issue |
| 75. | every cloud has a silver lining | good can come from bad |
| 76. | face the music | accept consequences |
| 77. | fall by the wayside | be abandoned or fail |
| 78. | fall on deaf ears | be ignored |
| 79. | feather in one’s cap | an achievement to be proud of |
| 80. | feel under the weather | feel slightly ill |
| 81. | fifth wheel | an unwanted extra person |
| 82. | fight tooth and nail | fight very fiercely |
| 83. | find your feet | become comfortable in a new role |
| 84. | fish for compliments | seek praise indirectly |
| 85. | fit as a fiddle | very healthy |
| 86. | fly in the ointment | a small but serious problem |
| 87. | follow suit | do the same as others |
| 88. | for the birds | worthless or silly |
| 89. | from scratch | from the beginning |
| 90. | get cold feet | lose courage at the last moment |
| 91. | get down to business | start working seriously |
| 92. | get out of hand | become uncontrollable |
| 93. | get the ball rolling | start an activity |
| 94. | get the hang of it | learn how to do it |
| 95. | get the short end | receive an unfair disadvantage |
| 96. | under the gun | under pressure; rushed |
| 97. | up in the air | not yet decided |
| 98. | up the ante | raise the stakes |
| 99. | up to speed | fully informed; current |
| 100. | vanish into thin air | disappear completely |
