| No. | Item | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | add fuel to the fire | Make a bad situation worse |
| 2. | at your wits’ end | Unable to cope anymore |
| 3. | back to the drawing board | Start over with a new plan |
| 4. | bark up the wrong tree | Pursue the wrong idea |
| 5. | be on pins and needles | Wait anxiously |
| 6. | be your own worst enemy | Hurt yourself with your actions |
| 7. | beat yourself up | Blame yourself too much |
| 8. | between a rock and a hard place | Stuck between two bad choices |
| 9. | bite your nails | Be very anxious |
| 10. | blow it out of proportion | Make something seem bigger |
| 11. | borrow trouble | Worry about future problems |
| 12. | burn the midnight oil | Work late into the night |
| 13. | can’t see the wood for the trees | Miss the big picture |
| 14. | cast a shadow over | Spoil something with worry |
| 15. | cat got your tongue | Can’t speak from nervousness |
| 16. | caught between two stools | Fail by choosing neither |
| 17. | chase your tail | Do pointless busywork |
| 18. | chew it over | Think about it carefully |
| 19. | cold feet | Sudden fear before acting |
| 20. | cry over spilled milk | Regret what can’t be changed |
| 21. | dither and dawdle | Waste time indecisively |
| 22. | fret yourself sick | Worry until you feel ill |
| 23. | get in your own head | Overanalyze and self-sabotage |
| 24. | get stuck in your head | Keep thinking about something |
| 25. | get worked up | Become overly upset |
| 26. | go down a rabbit hole | Get lost in details |
| 27. | have a lot on your plate | Have many responsibilities |
| 28. | have butterflies in your stomach | Feel nervous anxiety |
| 29. | have too much on your mind | Be mentally overloaded |
| 30. | hold your breath | Wait in suspense |
| 31. | jump to conclusions | Decide without enough facts |
| 32. | keep your cool | Stay calm |
| 33. | keep your eyes peeled | Watch carefully |
| 34. | kick yourself | Feel strong regret |
| 35. | leave no stone unturned | Search everywhere for answers |
| 36. | let it go | Stop dwelling on it |
| 37. | let it sink in | Take time to absorb it |
| 38. | let sleeping dogs lie | Don’t revive old issues |
| 39. | look before you leap | Think before acting |
| 40. | look for a needle in a haystack | Search for something hard to find |
| 41. | look over your shoulder | Feel watched or threatened |
| 42. | lose sleep over it | Worry so much you can’t sleep |
| 43. | make a big deal out of it | Treat it as too important |
| 44. | make your head spin | Cause mental overload |
| 45. | miss the forest for the trees | Lose the big picture |
| 46. | more than meets the eye | Not as simple as it seems |
| 47. | much ado about nothing | A lot of fuss over little |
| 48. | not out of the woods | Still in danger |
| 49. | not the end of the world | Not as bad as it seems |
| 50. | on thin ice | In a risky situation |
| 51. | on your mind | Occupying your thoughts |
| 52. | out of your depth | In over your head |
| 53. | overthink it | Think too much about it |
| 54. | paint yourself into a corner | Trap yourself by choices |
| 55. | paralysis by analysis | Overthinking prevents action |
| 56. | pick your battles | Choose what to fight over |
| 57. | play devil’s advocate | Argue the opposite side |
| 58. | play it by ear | Decide as you go |
| 59. | pull your hair out | Feel extreme frustration |
| 60. | put a pin in it | Pause the discussion |
| 61. | put two and two together | Figure something out |
| 62. | put your head in the sand | Ignore an unpleasant truth |
| 63. | put your mind at ease | Reassure and calm you |
| 64. | raise a red flag | Signal a warning |
| 65. | read between the lines | Infer hidden meaning |
| 66. | read too much into it | Find meaning that isn’t there |
| 67. | ring alarm bells | Cause suspicion or worry |
| 68. | run in circles | Make no real progress |
| 69. | run it by someone | Ask for their opinion |
| 70. | run the numbers | Calculate to decide |
| 71. | second-guess yourself | Doubt your own decisions |
| 72. | see the bigger picture | Focus on overall meaning |
| 73. | see the writing on the wall | Sense what will happen |
| 74. | set your mind at rest | Stop worrying |
| 75. | shake like a leaf | Tremble with fear |
| 76. | shoot yourself in the foot | Harm yourself by mistake |
| 77. | sit on the fence | Avoid choosing a side |
| 78. | sleep on it | Decide after waiting |
| 79. | split hairs | Argue over tiny differences |
| 80. | sweat the small stuff | Worry about minor things |
| 81. | take a deep breath | Calm yourself down |
| 82. | take a step back | Pause to gain perspective |
| 83. | take it personally | Assume it’s about you |
| 84. | take it the wrong way | Misinterpret someone’s meaning |
| 85. | take it to heart | Be deeply affected |
| 86. | think twice | Reconsider before acting |
| 87. | tie yourself in knots | Worry until confused |
| 88. | turn it over in your mind | Think about it repeatedly |
| 89. | under the gun | Under pressure |
| 90. | up in the air | Not decided yet |
| 91. | walk a tightrope | Be in a risky balance |
| 92. | walk on eggshells | Act very cautiously |
| 93. | watch your back | Be careful of betrayal |
| 94. | weigh your options | Consider choices carefully |
| 95. | when it rains, it pours | Problems come all at once |
| 96. | with bated breath | In anxious anticipation |
| 97. | work yourself into a lather | Get overly upset |
| 98. | worry your head off | Worry excessively |
| 99. | your heart sinks | You feel sudden disappointment |
| 100. | your mind is playing tricks | You’re imagining things |
