| No. | Item | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | a blessing in disguise | a good result from trouble |
| 2. | a necessary evil | something bad but unavoidable |
| 3. | a stitch in time | fix early to prevent worse |
| 4. | add fuel to the fire | make a problem worse |
| 5. | all talk and no action | no real effort to solve |
| 6. | an uphill battle | a very difficult struggle |
| 7. | at a crossroads | facing a crucial decision |
| 8. | at one’s wits’ end | out of ideas or patience |
| 9. | back to square one | return to the start |
| 10. | bail out | rescue from serious trouble |
| 11. | bark up the wrong tree | pursue the wrong solution |
| 12. | beat around the bush | avoid the main issue |
| 13. | bend over backwards | try extremely hard to help |
| 14. | between a rock and a hard place | stuck between two bad choices |
| 15. | bite off more than you can chew | take on too much |
| 16. | bite the bullet | face something painful bravely |
| 17. | carry the can | take the blame |
| 18. | cast a wide net | search broadly for answers |
| 19. | catch-22 | a no-win situation |
| 20. | change tack | try a different approach |
| 21. | clear the air | resolve tension by talking |
| 22. | close ranks | unite to face trouble |
| 23. | clutch at straws | try hopeless solutions |
| 24. | come clean | admit the truth to resolve |
| 25. | dead in the water | unable to proceed or succeed |
| 26. | dig yourself into a hole | make your situation worse |
| 27. | do damage control | limit harm after a mistake |
| 28. | do the trick | work as an effective solution |
| 29. | drop the ball | make a careless mistake |
| 30. | eleventh hour | the last possible moment |
| 31. | end of the road | no more options left |
| 32. | every cloud has a silver lining | good can come from bad |
| 33. | face the music | accept consequences of actions |
| 34. | fall apart at the seams | break down completely |
| 35. | fall between the cracks | be overlooked and not handled |
| 36. | fall on deaf ears | be ignored despite requests |
| 37. | fight fire with fire | counter attack with similar tactics |
| 38. | find a way out | discover an escape or solution |
| 39. | fine-tooth comb | very careful detailed search |
| 40. | first things first | deal with priorities before others |
| 41. | fit the bill | be exactly what is needed |
| 42. | from scratch | starting over from the beginning |
| 43. | get a grip | control yourself and cope |
| 44. | get back on track | return to progress after trouble |
| 45. | get down to business | start dealing with the issue |
| 46. | get it off your chest | relieve worry by confessing |
| 47. | get out of hand | become uncontrollable |
| 48. | get the ball rolling | start the process |
| 49. | hammer it out | work out details by discussion |
| 50. | hard nut to crack | a difficult problem or person |
| 51. | have a lot on your plate | have many problems to handle |
| 52. | have bigger fish to fry | have more important matters |
| 53. | have your hands full | be very busy dealing with issues |
| 54. | head off trouble | prevent a problem early |
| 55. | in a bind | in a difficult situation |
| 56. | in hot water | in trouble or disfavor |
| 57. | in over your head | involved beyond your ability |
| 58. | in the same boat | sharing the same problem |
| 59. | iron out the wrinkles | solve small problems in a plan |
| 60. | keep a lid on | prevent something from escalating |
| 61. | keep at bay | hold off a problem |
| 62. | keep your chin up | stay hopeful despite trouble |
| 63. | keep your cool | stay calm under pressure |
| 64. | keep your head above water | manage to survive difficulties |
| 65. | kick the can down the road | delay dealing with a problem |
| 66. | kill two birds with one stone | solve two problems at once |
| 67. | knock heads together | force people to cooperate |
| 68. | last-ditch effort | final attempt to solve |
| 69. | leave no stone unturned | search everywhere for answers |
| 70. | let sleeping dogs lie | avoid restarting old trouble |
| 71. | light at the end of the tunnel | hope after a long problem |
| 72. | like herding cats | very hard to organize people |
| 73. | live and learn | learn from mistakes |
| 74. | lock horns | argue or clash strongly |
| 75. | make ends meet | manage financially with difficulty |
| 76. | make headway | make progress on a problem |
| 77. | make it up as you go | improvise a solution |
| 78. | make the best of it | cope well with bad circumstances |
| 79. | meet halfway | compromise to solve conflict |
| 80. | mop up | deal with remaining problems |
| 81. | nip it in the bud | stop a problem early |
| 82. | not out of the woods | still in danger or trouble |
| 83. | off the hook | freed from blame or duty |
| 84. | on borrowed time | continuing despite impending end |
| 85. | on the back burner | postponed for later attention |
| 86. | on the brink | close to a bad outcome |
| 87. | on thin ice | in a risky situation |
| 88. | open a can of worms | create many new problems |
| 89. | paper over the cracks | hide problems without fixing |
| 90. | pass the buck | shift responsibility to others |
| 91. | pay the piper | face consequences later |
| 92. | pick up the pieces | recover after a setback |
| 93. | play it by ear | improvise as things develop |
| 94. | play with fire | take a risky action |
| 95. | pull out all the stops | use every possible effort |
| 96. | put a band-aid on it | apply a temporary fix |
| 97. | put out fires | handle urgent problems quickly |
| 98. | put the cart before the horse | do things in the wrong order |
| 99. | under the gun | under pressure to act quickly |
| 100. | up in the air | not yet decided or settled |
