| No. | Item | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | a dime a dozen | very common and cheap |
| 2. | a drop in the bucket | a very small amount |
| 3. | a fish out of water | uncomfortable in new surroundings |
| 4. | a leopard can’t change spots | people don’t change easily |
| 5. | a penny for your thoughts | tell me what you’re thinking |
| 6. | a piece of cake | very easy |
| 7. | a shot in the dark | a wild guess |
| 8. | a stitch in time | fix problems early |
| 9. | a stone’s throw | a very short distance |
| 10. | a watched pot never boils | waiting makes time feel slow |
| 11. | ace up your sleeve | a hidden advantage |
| 12. | across the board | for everyone; overall |
| 13. | add fuel to the fire | make a bad situation worse |
| 14. | against the clock | in a hurry |
| 15. | all bark and no bite | tough talk, no action |
| 16. | all ears | listening closely |
| 17. | all in the same boat | sharing the same problem |
| 18. | all thumbs | clumsy with hands |
| 19. | an arm and a leg | very expensive |
| 20. | apple of my eye | someone dearly loved |
| 21. | as luck would have it | by chance; fortunately |
| 22. | at the drop of a hat | immediately, without warning |
| 23. | at your wits’ end | out of ideas |
| 24. | back to square one | back to the start |
| 25. | backseat driver | someone who gives unwanted advice |
| 26. | bad blood | lasting hostility |
| 27. | bail out | rescue from trouble |
| 28. | ballpark figure | rough estimate |
| 29. | bark up the wrong tree | blame the wrong person |
| 30. | beat a dead horse | waste effort on the past |
| 31. | beat around the bush | avoid saying it directly |
| 32. | behind the eight ball | in a difficult position |
| 33. | bend over backwards | try very hard to help |
| 34. | best of both worlds | two advantages together |
| 35. | better late than never | late is better than not |
| 36. | beyond the pale | unacceptable behavior |
| 37. | big fish in a small pond | important in a small place |
| 38. | bite off more than you can chew | take on too much |
| 39. | bite the bullet | face something unpleasant |
| 40. | blow off steam | release anger or stress |
| 41. | blow your top | get very angry |
| 42. | blue in the face | to no effect |
| 43. | break the ice | ease social tension |
| 44. | bring home the bacon | earn money for family |
| 45. | bring to the table | contribute something useful |
| 46. | broke the mold | one of a kind |
| 47. | bull in a china shop | clumsy and careless person |
| 48. | burn the midnight oil | work late into night |
| 49. | call it a day | stop working for now |
| 50. | call the shots | be in control |
| 51. | can’t hold a candle to | not as good as |
| 52. | cat got your tongue | why are you silent |
| 53. | catch some Zs | get some sleep |
| 54. | catch-22 | no-win situation |
| 55. | caught red-handed | caught in the act |
| 56. | chase rainbows | pursue unrealistic dreams |
| 57. | chew the fat | chat casually |
| 58. | chip on your shoulder | a resentful attitude |
| 59. | dead as a doornail | completely dead |
| 60. | dead in the water | unable to proceed |
| 61. | devil’s advocate | argue the opposite side |
| 62. | dig your heels in | refuse to change |
| 63. | dog-eat-dog | ruthlessly competitive |
| 64. | don’t count your chickens | don’t assume success early |
| 65. | don’t cry wolf | don’t give false alarms |
| 66. | don’t judge a book | don’t judge by appearance |
| 67. | down in the dumps | feeling sad |
| 68. | down the hatch | drink it |
| 69. | easy does it | go slowly and carefully |
| 70. | eat humble pie | admit you were wrong |
| 71. | eat your words | take back what you said |
| 72. | elephant in the room | obvious issue ignored |
| 73. | every cloud has a silver lining | good can come from bad |
| 74. | face the music | accept consequences |
| 75. | fair and square | honestly and legally |
| 76. | fall through the cracks | be overlooked |
| 77. | feather your nest | enrich yourself unfairly |
| 78. | feel under the weather | feel sick |
| 79. | few and far between | rare |
| 80. | fight fire with fire | use same tactics back |
| 81. | find your feet | become comfortable |
| 82. | fish or cut bait | decide now |
| 83. | fit as a fiddle | very healthy |
| 84. | fly by the seat of your pants | improvise without planning |
| 85. | for the birds | worthless or silly |
| 86. | from rags to riches | from poor to wealthy |
| 87. | get a kick out of | enjoy a lot |
| 88. | get cold feet | lose courage |
| 89. | get off your high horse | stop acting superior |
| 90. | get the ball rolling | start something |
| 91. | get the hang of it | learn how to do it |
| 92. | get the short end | receive unfair treatment |
| 93. | get your act together | be more organized |
| 94. | get your ducks in a row | prepare and organize |
| 95. | give it a shot | try it |
| 96. | give someone the cold shoulder | ignore someone deliberately |
| 97. | hair of the dog | drink to cure hangover |
| 98. | hand over fist | rapidly and in large amounts |
| 99. | hang in there | keep going |
| 100. | have a bone to pick | have a complaint |
