| No. | Item | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | a blessing in disguise | a good thing that seemed bad |
| 2. | a dime a dozen | very common and not special |
| 3. | a drop in the bucket | a very small amount |
| 4. | a feather in your cap | something to be proud of |
| 5. | a fish out of water | someone uncomfortable in a situation |
| 6. | a leopard can’t change spots | people don’t change their nature |
| 7. | a little bird told me | I heard it from someone |
| 8. | a penny for your thoughts | tell me what you’re thinking |
| 9. | a piece of cake | very easy to do |
| 10. | a stitch in time | fix problems early to prevent worse |
| 11. | ace in the hole | a hidden advantage |
| 12. | across the board | applying to everyone equally |
| 13. | actions speak louder | deeds matter more than words |
| 14. | add fuel to the fire | make a bad situation worse |
| 15. | against the grain | in an unusual or opposing way |
| 16. | ahead of the curve | more advanced than others |
| 17. | all bark no bite | tough talk without action |
| 18. | all ears | listening very carefully |
| 19. | all in the same boat | sharing the same problem |
| 20. | all talk and no action | promises without doing anything |
| 21. | all that glitters | appearances can be deceiving |
| 22. | all thumbs | clumsy with your hands |
| 23. | an arm and a leg | very expensive |
| 24. | an old flame | a former romantic partner |
| 25. | apple of my eye | someone dearly loved |
| 26. | as luck would have it | by chance, fortunately or not |
| 27. | at a loss | unable to think what to do |
| 28. | back to square one | return to the beginning |
| 29. | backseat driver | someone who gives unwanted advice |
| 30. | bark up the wrong tree | pursue the wrong idea |
| 31. | beat a dead horse | waste effort on something finished |
| 32. | beat around the bush | avoid saying it directly |
| 33. | behind the eight ball | in a difficult situation |
| 34. | bend over backwards | try extremely hard to help |
| 35. | best of both worlds | advantages of two choices |
| 36. | better late than never | doing it late is better |
| 37. | big fish in a small pond | important in a small group |
| 38. | call it a day | stop working for now |
| 39. | call the shots | be in control |
| 40. | can’t hold a candle | not as good as someone |
| 41. | cast a wide net | search broadly for results |
| 42. | cat got your tongue | why aren’t you speaking |
| 43. | catch-22 | no-win situation with rules |
| 44. | caught red-handed | caught in the act |
| 45. | chasing rainbows | pursuing an impossible dream |
| 46. | chip off the old block | very similar to a parent |
| 47. | chomping at the bit | eager to start |
| 48. | dark horse | unexpected winner or success |
| 49. | dead as a doornail | completely dead |
| 50. | devil is in the details | small details cause problems |
| 51. | diamond in the rough | good but unpolished person |
| 52. | do or die | must succeed or fail badly |
| 53. | don’t count your chickens | don’t assume success too early |
| 54. | don’t judge a book | don’t judge by appearance |
| 55. | down in the dumps | feeling very sad |
| 56. | down to the wire | at the last possible moment |
| 57. | draw the line | set a firm limit |
| 58. | eat humble pie | admit you were wrong |
| 59. | eat your words | take back what you said |
| 60. | elephant in the room | obvious issue being ignored |
| 61. | every cloud has a silver lining | good can come from bad |
| 62. | face the music | accept consequences |
| 63. | fair and square | honestly and without cheating |
| 64. | fall head over heels | fall deeply in love |
| 65. | feel under the weather | feel slightly ill |
| 66. | few and far between | rare and uncommon |
| 67. | fifth wheel | unneeded extra person |
| 68. | fish or cut bait | decide and act now |
| 69. | fit as a fiddle | very healthy |
| 70. | fly off the handle | suddenly lose your temper |
| 71. | follow your nose | go straight ahead |
| 72. | for the birds | worthless or silly |
| 73. | from rags to riches | from poor to wealthy |
| 74. | get a kick out of | enjoy something a lot |
| 75. | get cold feet | become nervous and back out |
| 76. | get off your high horse | stop acting superior |
| 77. | get the ball rolling | start something happening |
| 78. | get the hang of it | learn how to do it |
| 79. | get your act together | become organized and responsible |
| 80. | give someone the boot | fire or dismiss someone |
| 81. | go back to the drawing board | start over with a new plan |
| 82. | go for broke | risk everything for success |
| 83. | go the extra mile | do more than required |
| 84. | hair of the dog | more alcohol to cure hangover |
| 85. | hand over fist | rapidly, especially money |
| 86. | hang in there | keep going; don’t give up |
| 87. | hard pill to swallow | difficult to accept |
| 88. | have a ball | have a great time |
| 89. | have a chip on your shoulder | be easily offended or resentful |
| 90. | have a heart of gold | be very kind |
| 91. | have bigger fish to fry | have more important things |
| 92. | have your cake and eat it | want two incompatible things |
| 93. | hit the hay | go to bed |
| 94. | in a nutshell | in a few words |
| 95. | in hot water | in trouble |
| 96. | it takes two to tango | both sides share blame |
| 97. | jump on the bandwagon | join because it’s popular |
| 98. | jump the gun | start too soon |
| 99. | keep your chin up | stay positive despite trouble |
| 100. | keep your eyes peeled | watch carefully |
