| No. | Item | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | a long shot | unlikely to succeed |
| 2. | a tough nut to crack | a difficult problem to solve |
| 3. | across the board | applying to everyone or everything |
| 4. | add fuel to the fire | make a bad situation worse |
| 5. | all hands on deck | everyone must help |
| 6. | all in | fully committed |
| 7. | all talk, no action | promises without follow-through |
| 8. | at the eleventh hour | at the last moment |
| 9. | at your fingertips | easily available |
| 10. | back burner | lower priority for now |
| 11. | back to square one | return to the start |
| 12. | back to the drawing board | start over with a new plan |
| 13. | bad blood | ongoing hostility |
| 14. | ballpark figure | rough estimate |
| 15. | baptism by fire | learning under intense pressure |
| 16. | behind the eight ball | in a difficult position |
| 17. | bite the bullet | face something unpleasant bravely |
| 18. | break the ice | ease initial awkwardness |
| 19. | burn the midnight oil | work late into the night |
| 20. | call it a day | stop working for now |
| 21. | call the shots | be in control |
| 22. | can of worms | a complex troublesome issue |
| 23. | catch your breath | pause to recover |
| 24. | catch-22 | no-win situation |
| 25. | caught off guard | surprised unexpectedly |
| 26. | change of pace | something different from usual |
| 27. | circle back | return to a topic later |
| 28. | close the loop | finish by confirming completion |
| 29. | cut to the chase | get to the main point |
| 30. | dead in the water | unable to proceed |
| 31. | devil is in the details | small parts cause big problems |
| 32. | dig in your heels | refuse to change your mind |
| 33. | do a deep dive | examine something in detail |
| 34. | do the heavy lifting | handle the hardest work |
| 35. | dot the i’s and cross t’s | be very thorough |
| 36. | down to the wire | at the last possible moment |
| 37. | drop the ball | make a mistake or fail |
| 38. | elephant in the room | obvious issue being ignored |
| 39. | end of the day | ultimately; when all is considered |
| 40. | even the playing field | make conditions fairer |
| 41. | face the music | accept the consequences |
| 42. | fall through the cracks | be overlooked or missed |
| 43. | fast track | speed up approval or progress |
| 44. | feather in your cap | an achievement to be proud of |
| 45. | few and far between | rare |
| 46. | fill in the blanks | provide missing details |
| 47. | find your feet | become comfortable in a role |
| 48. | fire drill | sudden urgent task |
| 49. | first things first | prioritize the most important |
| 50. | fly by the seat of your pants | improvise without planning |
| 51. | for the time being | temporarily |
| 52. | from the get-go | from the start |
| 53. | game plan | strategy for success |
| 54. | get a foot in the door | gain an initial opportunity |
| 55. | get down to business | start working seriously |
| 56. | get on board | agree to participate |
| 57. | get out of hand | become uncontrollable |
| 58. | get the ball rolling | start something moving |
| 59. | get the hang of it | learn how to do it |
| 60. | get your ducks in a row | get organized |
| 61. | give it a shot | try it |
| 62. | give someone a heads-up | warn or inform in advance |
| 63. | hammer out | work out details through discussion |
| 64. | hands are tied | unable to act freely |
| 65. | hard stop | a firm end time |
| 66. | have a lot on your plate | have many responsibilities |
| 67. | have your hands full | be very busy |
| 68. | head in the clouds | not paying attention |
| 69. | heads will roll | people will be punished |
| 70. | hit a snag | encounter a problem |
| 71. | hit the ground running | start fast and effectively |
| 72. | in a bind | in a difficult situation |
| 73. | in hot water | in trouble |
| 74. | in the same boat | in the same situation |
| 75. | iron out | resolve small problems |
| 76. | jump the gun | act too soon |
| 77. | jump through hoops | do many required steps |
| 78. | keep it under your hat | keep it secret |
| 79. | keep the lights on | maintain basic operations |
| 80. | keep the wheels turning | keep things running |
| 81. | keep your eye on the ball | stay focused on the goal |
| 82. | kick the can down the road | delay dealing with a problem |
| 83. | kill two birds with one stone | achieve two goals at once |
| 84. | knock it out of the park | do extremely well |
| 85. | know the drill | know the routine |
| 86. | lay it on the line | speak frankly and honestly |
| 87. | learn the ropes | learn how things work |
| 88. | leave no stone unturned | search thoroughly |
| 89. | let the cat out of the bag | reveal a secret |
| 90. | light a fire under | motivate urgently |
| 91. | lion’s share | the largest portion |
| 92. | lose steam | lose energy or momentum |
| 93. | low-hanging fruit | easy wins |
| 94. | move the needle | make a noticeable impact |
| 95. | on the same page | in agreement or aligned |
| 96. | raise the bar | set higher standards |
| 97. | think outside the box | be creative and unconventional |
| 98. | touch base | make brief contact |
| 99. | under the gun | under pressure or deadline |
| 100. | up to speed | fully informed and current |
