| No. | Item | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | a penny drops | sudden understanding occurs |
| 2. | a wake-up call | warning that prompts awareness |
| 3. | an eye-opener | something surprising and revealing |
| 4. | assume the worst | expect a bad outcome |
| 5. | at your fingertips | readily available knowledge |
| 6. | back to square one | return to the start |
| 7. | back to the drawing board | start over after failure |
| 8. | bear in mind | remember and consider |
| 9. | bottom line | the essential point |
| 10. | break it down | explain in simpler parts |
| 11. | break the habit | stop a repeated behavior |
| 12. | catch on | begin to understand |
| 13. | change your mind | decide differently |
| 14. | chew it over | think about it thoroughly |
| 15. | clear things up | make something understandable |
| 16. | commit to memory | memorize something |
| 17. | connect the dots | see the overall pattern |
| 18. | cut to the chase | get to the main point |
| 19. | dead on | exactly correct |
| 20. | dumb it down | make simpler for understanding |
| 21. | educated guess | informed estimate |
| 22. | face the facts | accept the truth |
| 23. | find your feet | become comfortable in new role |
| 24. | food for thought | something to think about |
| 25. | fresh out of school | newly educated and inexperienced |
| 26. | from the bottom up | starting at the lowest level |
| 27. | from the ground up | from the beginning |
| 28. | get the hang of it | learn to do something |
| 29. | get the picture | understand the situation |
| 30. | get wise to | realize the truth |
| 31. | get your bearings | understand where you are |
| 32. | give it a think | consider it briefly |
| 33. | give it some thought | consider it |
| 34. | go back to basics | return to fundamentals |
| 35. | have a change of heart | change your opinion |
| 36. | have a go | try to do something |
| 37. | have it down pat | know perfectly |
| 38. | have it nailed down | have it settled clearly |
| 39. | hazard a guess | make a tentative guess |
| 40. | hit the nail on the head | be exactly right |
| 41. | in a nutshell | in brief |
| 42. | inside and out | thoroughly and completely |
| 43. | it stands to reason | it is obvious |
| 44. | jog your memory | help someone remember |
| 45. | jump to conclusions | decide without enough evidence |
| 46. | keep in mind | remember while thinking |
| 47. | know by heart | remember perfectly |
| 48. | know inside out | know thoroughly |
| 49. | know the ins and outs | know all details |
| 50. | know the ropes | be familiar with procedures |
| 51. | learn by heart | memorize exactly |
| 52. | learn the hard way | learn through bad experience |
| 53. | learn the ins and outs | learn all details |
| 54. | learn the ropes | learn how something works |
| 55. | learn your lesson | learn from a mistake |
| 56. | live and learn | keep learning from life |
| 57. | make assumptions | believe without proof |
| 58. | make sense of | understand something confusing |
| 59. | make up your mind | decide after thinking |
| 60. | miss the point | fail to understand |
| 61. | mull it over | think about it carefully |
| 62. | old habits die hard | habits are hard to change |
| 63. | on the right track | thinking correctly |
| 64. | on the tip of your tongue | almost remembered |
| 65. | on the wrong track | thinking incorrectly |
| 66. | open someone’s eyes | make someone realize |
| 67. | open your eyes | become aware of truth |
| 68. | pick it up | learn something quickly |
| 69. | piece it together | reconstruct from clues |
| 70. | practice makes perfect | repetition improves skill |
| 71. | put two and two together | infer from the facts |
| 72. | put your mind to it | focus on doing something |
| 73. | put your thinking cap on | start thinking seriously |
| 74. | rack your brains | think very hard |
| 75. | read between the lines | find a hidden meaning |
| 76. | refresh your memory | help yourself remember |
| 77. | right on the money | exactly correct |
| 78. | ring a bell | seem familiar |
| 79. | school of hard knocks | life experience as teacher |
| 80. | see the light | finally understand |
| 81. | set your mind to | decide firmly to do |
| 82. | show someone the ropes | teach someone the basics |
| 83. | size it up | assess quickly |
| 84. | sleep on it | decide after waiting |
| 85. | soak it up | absorb knowledge easily |
| 86. | start from scratch | begin with nothing prepared |
| 87. | take it in | absorb information |
| 88. | take it on board | accept and understand advice |
| 89. | take note | pay attention and remember |
| 90. | take stock | review the situation |
| 91. | think better of it | decide not to do |
| 92. | think twice | reconsider before acting |
| 93. | trial and error | learning by trying repeatedly |
| 94. | turn it over in your mind | think about it repeatedly |
| 95. | unlearn bad habits | stop wrong learned behavior |
| 96. | use your head | think carefully |
| 97. | weigh it up | consider pros and cons |
| 98. | wet behind the ears | inexperienced and naive |
| 99. | wise up | become better informed |
| 100. | wrap your head around | understand something complex |
