| No. | Item | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | a breath of fresh air | a welcome and refreshing change |
| 2. | a broken heart | deep emotional pain after loss |
| 3. | a double-edged sword | something having both benefits and drawbacks |
| 4. | a drop in the ocean | an insignificant amount within something vast |
| 5. | a fish out of water | someone uncomfortable in unfamiliar surroundings |
| 6. | a needle in a haystack | something extremely difficult to find |
| 7. | a ray of hope | a small encouraging sign |
| 8. | a slippery slope | a path likely to worsen progressively |
| 9. | a storm in a teacup | great fuss over a minor issue |
| 10. | a wolf in sheep’s clothing | a dangerous person appearing harmless |
| 11. | an uphill battle | a difficult struggle against strong opposition |
| 12. | back to square one | returned to the starting point |
| 13. | barking up the wrong tree | pursuing a mistaken idea or target |
| 14. | bend over backward | make an exceptional effort to help |
| 15. | bite the bullet | face something difficult with courage |
| 16. | blow off steam | release anger or emotional pressure |
| 17. | break new ground | do something innovative or pioneering |
| 18. | break the ice | ease tension in a social situation |
| 19. | burn the candle at both ends | overwork by staying active day and night |
| 20. | bury the hatchet | end a conflict and reconcile |
| 21. | cast a long shadow | have a powerful lasting influence |
| 22. | change of heart | a reversal of feelings or opinion |
| 23. | climb the ladder | advance to higher professional status |
| 24. | come out of your shell | become more confident and sociable |
| 25. | crack the whip | pressure people to work harder |
| 26. | crocodile tears | insincere expressions of sadness |
| 27. | cut from the same cloth | having very similar qualities |
| 28. | dead in the water | unable to progress or succeed |
| 29. | dig your own grave | cause your own failure through foolish actions |
| 30. | dodge a bullet | narrowly avoid danger or trouble |
| 31. | draw a line in the sand | set a firm boundary or limit |
| 32. | drop the ball | fail to handle a responsibility |
| 33. | fall through the cracks | be overlooked by an imperfect system |
| 34. | fan the flames | make conflict or emotion more intense |
| 35. | find your feet | become confident in a new situation |
| 36. | fly under the radar | avoid attracting attention or notice |
| 37. | food for thought | something worth careful consideration |
| 38. | get cold feet | become too nervous to proceed |
| 39. | get the ball rolling | start an activity or process |
| 40. | get your foot in the door | gain an initial opportunity or access |
| 41. | give the green light | grant permission to proceed |
| 42. | go against the grain | act contrary to usual expectations |
| 43. | go the extra mile | make more effort than expected |
| 44. | grasp at straws | try weak solutions in desperation |
| 45. | have skin in the game | have a personal stake in results |
| 46. | hit a brick wall | encounter an obstacle stopping progress |
| 47. | hit the nail on the head | describe something exactly correctly |
| 48. | in the same boat | sharing the same difficult circumstances |
| 49. | jump on the bandwagon | join a popular trend or cause |
| 50. | keep someone in the dark | withhold important information from someone |
| 51. | keep your head above water | barely manage financial or practical difficulties |
| 52. | kill two birds with one stone | achieve two goals with one action |
| 53. | life is a journey | life involves progress, choices, and change |
| 54. | mend fences | repair a damaged relationship |
| 55. | miss the boat | lose an opportunity by acting too late |
| 56. | move the goalposts | unfairly change rules or expectations |
| 57. | nip it in the bud | stop a problem before it develops |
| 58. | no strings attached | without hidden conditions or obligations |
| 59. | on thin ice | in a risky or precarious situation |
| 60. | open a can of worms | create many complicated new problems |
| 61. | open the floodgates | release something in overwhelming quantities |
| 62. | pass the torch | transfer responsibility to another person |
| 63. | pave the way | make future progress easier |
| 64. | play with fire | take a dangerous and unnecessary risk |
| 65. | pull the plug | stop an activity or project |
| 66. | push the envelope | extend accepted limits or boundaries |
| 67. | put down roots | establish a stable home or connection |
| 68. | read between the lines | find an unstated or hidden meaning |
| 69. | reinvent the wheel | needlessly recreate an existing solution |
| 70. | rise from the ashes | recover strongly after destruction or failure |
| 71. | rock the boat | disturb a stable situation |
| 72. | see the big picture | understand the overall situation |
| 73. | set the stage | create conditions for something to happen |
| 74. | shed light on | make something clearer or understandable |
| 75. | sink or swim | succeed independently or fail completely |
| 76. | sow the seeds | begin a process that develops later |
| 77. | spill the beans | reveal secret information |
| 78. | steal someone’s thunder | take attention or credit from someone |
| 79. | stir the pot | provoke conflict or controversy |
| 80. | take the bull by the horns | confront a difficult situation directly |
| 81. | the calm before the storm | quiet preceding trouble or intense activity |
| 82. | the elephant in the room | an obvious issue people avoid discussing |
| 83. | the final straw | the last problem causing patience to end |
| 84. | the heart of the matter | the central or most important issue |
| 85. | the tip of the iceberg | a small visible part of something larger |
| 86. | the writing on the wall | clear signs of approaching failure |
| 87. | throw in the towel | admit defeat and stop trying |
| 88. | time is money | time is a valuable resource |
| 89. | turn the tide | reverse the direction of events |
| 90. | uncharted territory | An unfamiliar situation lacking clear guidance |
| 91. | under someone’s wing | Protected and guided by someone experienced |
| 92. | under the microscope | receiving extremely close examination |
| 93. | wake-up call | A warning that prompts urgent action |
| 94. | walk a tightrope | balance carefully in a risky situation |
| 95. | water under the bridge | a past issue no longer important |
| 96. | weather the storm | survive a difficult period |
| 97. | web of lies | A complex network of connected falsehoods |
| 98. | window of opportunity | A limited time for taking action |
| 99. | wolf at the door | The immediate threat of poverty or hunger |
| 100. | your hands are tied | Circumstances prevent you from taking action |
