A Babe In The Woods
"What do you know? You are just a babe in the woods."

A Bed Of Roses
"Working here is no bed of roses."

A Big Fish In A Small Pond
"He's just a big fish in a small pond."

A Big Frog In A Small Pond
"He's just a big frog in a small pond"

A Bird's Eye View
"This photo, taken from an airplane, gives you a bird's eye view."

A Bitter Pill To Swallow
"Spending a week in the psychiatric hospital was a bitter pill to swallow, but Jake really needed to do it."

A Blessing In Disguise
"When I first lost that job, I was upset. But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise."

A Breath Of Fresh Air
"I love having this new student in my class. His positive attitude is a breath of fresh air."

A Bundle Of Nerves
"I have to give a speech tomorrow, and I am a bundle of nerves."

A Card
"My uncle Bob is a real card."

A Case In Point
"Jane called. She will be late for this morning's meeting." Reply: "Case in point. We really cannot rely on her."

A Case Of Mistaken Identity
"Are you sure you are not Don Johnson?" Reply: "Really, I am not. It must be a case of mistaken identity."

A Change Of Pace
"What would you like me to make for dinner?" Reply: "Let's have sushi, for a change of pace."

A Change Of Scenery
"I just got back from Florida." Reply: "That must have been a change of scenery."

A Chip Off The Old Block
"Did you meet Bill's son at the picnic yesterday? He's just like Bill!" Reply: "He's a chip off the old block."

A Chip On Your Shoulder
"He lost his game this morning, and now he has a chip on his shoulder."

A Copycat
"Stop copying my answers. You copycat!" (rude)

A Cut Above
"I love this restaurant. It is a cut above."

A Den Of Iniquity
"I don't want you going over to that house. It is a den of iniquity."

A Devil Of A Job
"I cleaned your car for you, and it was a devil of a job."

A Diamond In The Rough
"Have you spoken with Jean before? Isn't she a diamond in the rough."

A Dream Come True
"Becoming a movie star was a dream come true."

A Fan Of His
"Are you a Dodgers' fan?" Reply: "No, I don't like baseball."

A Fool And His Money Are Easily Parted
"How is it that you left home with 20 dollars but you come home with nothing? A fool and his money are easily parted!"

A Foregone Conclusion
"I knew they would lose. It was a foregone conclusion."

A Friend In Need Is A Friend Indeed
"Hey buddy, how's it going? You look good. I love your jacket. Do you think you can give me a ride home?" Reply: "A friend in need is a friend indeed."

A Game That Two Can Play
"She told the teacher what I did, but that's a game that two can play."

A Gas
"Did you have a good time at the party?" Reply: "It was a gas."

A Ghost Of A Chance
"Do you think he has a chance to win?" Reply: "He doesn't have a ghost of a chance."

A Given
"I always knew that we would get married. It was a given."

A Hearbeat Away
"If the president dies, who becomes the new president?" Reply: "The vice president. He's a heartbeat away from the presidency."

A Heartbeat Away
"If the president dies, who becomes the new president?" Reply: "The vice president. He's a heartbeat away from the presidency."

A Kind Of A Something
"You know, the 'do-do'. It's a kind of a bird."

A Kink In My Neck
"I slept in my car last night, so I have a kink in my neck."

A Known Fact
"That guy is a gangster? Are you sure?" Reply: "Of course I'm sure. It's a known fact."

A Labor Of Love
"You don't mind taking care of that dog?" Reply: "It is a labor of love."

A Last Ditch Effort
"I thought for sure we would lose but we made one last ditch effort and tied the game."

A Leading Question
"That is a leading question. I am not going to answer it."

A Lick Of Work
"He was born wealthy, and he has never done a lick of work in his life."

A Little Bit
"Are you hungry?" Reply: "A little bit. You?"

A Lost Cause
"My uncle Bob fails at everything he does. He is a lost cause."

A Pack Of Lies
"He's the one who took the money. I saw him." Reply: "That's a pack of lies!"

A Pain In The Neck
"I don't want to work with him. He's a pain in the neck."

A Past Master At Something
"You've heard of Jack Nicklaus, right? He's a past master at golf."

A Penny Saved Is A Penny Earned
"You need to stop wasting money. A penny saved is a penny earned."

A Piece Of Cake
"Can you finish your homework in ten minutes?" Reply: "It will be a piece of cake."

A Piece Of The Action
"I heard you guys are going to play a joke on Jim. I want a piece of the action."

A Piercing Scream
"I was walking down Broad Street when suddenly I heard this piercing scream."

A Pillar Of Strength
"My mother is a pillar of strength."

A Pipe Dream
"I've always had this pipe dream to start my own coffee shop."

A Place To Call Your Own
"After renting for all these years, I really want a place to call my own."

A Play By Play Description
"Bob Jenkins will be announcing this game. He does the play-by-play."

A Prelude To Something
"Everything we did that evening was a prelude to a kiss."

A Ripe Old Age
"At the ripe old age of 45, I feel like I am just starting my life."

A Ripple Of Excitement
"On election day you could feel a ripple of excitement."

A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss
"Why don't you get married and have a family?" Reply: "A rolling stone gathers no moss."

A Rule Of Thumb
"I don't invite people to my home unless I know them well, as a rule of thumb."

A Shot In The Arm
"We were really falling apart, but that goal gave us a shot in the arm."

A Show Of Hands
"Students, lets have a show of hands from everyone who would like to go to the museum."

A Slap In The Face
"They took away all of my responsibilities, then the fired me. It was a real slap in the face."

A Slap On The Wrist
"He should be in jail for what he did, but he got off with just a slap on the wrist."

A Slip Of The Tongue
"Oops, I did not mean to tell you that. It was a slip of the tongue."

A Standing Offer
"You have a standing offer to join us for dinner whenever you like."

A Struggle To The Death
"He got cancer, and it was a struggle to the death."

A Taste Of Your Own Medicine
"Did you see those two people cutting in front of us in line just now? Let's cut in front of them and give them a taste of their own medicine!"

A Vote Of Confidence
"I thought you would like to lead the meeting tomorrow." Reply: "Thank you for the vote of confidence."

A Word To The Wise
"Here's a word to the wise: Do not go down that street at night."

Abide By Something
"I am your father. You must abide by my words."

Above And Beyond The Call Of Duty
"What that police officer did to save her life was above and beyond the call of duty."

Above Average
"Are you a very good tennis player?" Reply: "I'm above average."

Above Suspicion
"In this case, no one person is above suspicion. Not even the president."

Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder
"Does it bother you that your husband goes away on long business trips?" Reply: "No. The time we have spent apart has been good for us. Absence makes the heart grow fonder."

Acknowledge Receipt Of It
"As soon as you get the package, please call me to acknowledge receipt."

Across The Board
"We will have a 10 percent pay cut across the board."

Act As Someone
"Clean yourself up. Don't expect me to act as your maid."

Act High And Mighty
"What are you acting so high and mighty about."

Act One's Age
"I want you kids to stop fooling around and act your age."

Act Something Out
"Here is how the game works: I give you a word, then you act it out."

Add Insult To Injury
"First he drives into my car. Then, to add insult to injury he says I'm parked in the wrong spot."

Address Him As Your
"I'm not one of your college friends. Address me as your father."

Advise Against Something
"Do you recommend that I talk with the boss?" Reply: "I would advise against it."

After Hours
"Sorry, we don't see patients after hours."

After The Fact
"Did you tell her what you wanted her to do?" Reply: "Yes, but it was after the fact."

Ahead Of Schedule
"My software project is ahead of schedule."

Ahead Of Time
"The game starts at seven. Shall we meet ahead of time?"

Alive And Kicking
"How is your grandfather doing?" Reply: "He is alive and kicking."

All Bark (And No Bite)
"That new manager threatened to fire me again, but I know he won't do it. He's all bark and no bite."

All Dressed Up
"Don't you look nice all dressed up."

All For Something
"Would you like to go to the show?" Reply: "I'm all for it."

All For The Best
"Did you hear they broke up?" Reply: "It is probably all for the best. They were not getting along well."

All Gone
"Are there any more cookies?" Reply: "All gone."

All Greek
"Can you read these instructions?" Reply: "No. It's all Greek to me."

All In One Piece
"Be careful. I want you home all in one piece."

All In The Family
"I'm going to tell you about your uncle, but let's keep this all in the family."

All In The Same Boat
"We can't fight against each other. We need to work together. We're all in the same boat!"

All Kidding Aside
"All kidding aside, I really do like her."

All Night Long
"The baby was up crying all night long."

All Out War
"It used to be they occasionally fired a missile. Now it's all out war."

All Over
"Is the game still on?" Reply: "No, it's all over."

All Over Again
"Do you remember Berlin? This is the same thing all over again."

All Set
"Are you all set for the big game?"

All Skin And Bones
"Have you seen Karen? She is all skin and bones."

All Systems Are Go
"Are you ready?" Reply: "All systems are go."

All Talk And No Action
"John promised he would be here." Reply: "He is all talk and no action."

All The Rage
"Do you like this scarf? It is all the rage."

All Told
"How much money is missing?" Reply: "All told, 300 dollars."

An About Face
"If you ever discover that you are walking down a dangerous street, it is best to do an about face and walk in the other direction."

An Arm And A Leg
"How much did you pay for that watch?" Answer: "An arm and a leg."

An Axe To Grind
"Tell your brother that I have an axe to grind with him!"

Arm In Arm
"The young lovers walked though the park, arm in arm."

Armed And Dangerous
"The bank robber has escaped. He is armed and dangerous."

Around The Block
"Don't think you can fool me so easily: I have been around the block."

Around The Clock
"We are open around the clock."

As An Aside
"As an aside: Is anyone hungry?"

As Drunk As A Skunk
"Don't go out drinking with Henry. He'll get you as drunk as a skunk."

At Stake
"You would be worried if your life were at stake."

At The Present Time
"Are you hiring new people?" Reply: "Not at the present time."

At This Juncture
"Are you going to buy the ABC company?" Reply: "No. Not at this juncture."

At Wit's End
"Can you help me to solve this problem? I'm at wit's end."

Back And Forth
"What fun could it be playing tennis? They just hit the ball back and forth all day."

Back Down From
"If I were you, I would back down. It is not worth fighting about."

Back East
"We just can't wait to move back east."

Back In Circulation
"John, where have you been? It is good to see you back in circulation."

Back Me Up
"I told my mom we were at the baseball game last night. Back my up."

Back Off
"I guess I made her angry. She told me to back off and leave her alone."

Back Order Them
"We don't have them in your size today. But I would be glad to back order them for you."

Back The Wrong Horse
"Who did you bet on in the superbowl?" Reply: "Arizona." Answer: "Ouch. You backed the wrong horse."

Back To Back
"We have had back to back losses and we need to play better."

Back To Square One
"After all that work, they decided not to hire me." Reply: "Back to square one."

Bad As All That
"I've heard it is the worst place to go to school." Reply: "It's not as bad as all that."

Bad Blood Between People
"My brother and I haven't spoken since childhood. There is a lot of bad blood between us."

Bad Mouthing You
"You are one of my best friends. I would never bad mouth you."

Bail Me Out
"He got thrown in jail for drunk driving, but his father bailed him out."

Bait And Switch
"I thought I was buying a new watch." Reply: "It looks like they gave you the bait and switch."

Ball And Chain
"I am in medical school now, so that's my ball and chain."

Bank On Something
"I will be there. You can bank on it."

Barking Up The Wrong Tree
"If you are looking for someone to lend you money, don't talk to me. You're barking up the wrong tree."

Bathed In Light
"There she stood by the window, bathed in light."

Batten Down The Hatches
"A big rain storm is coming. We need to batten down the hatches."

Battle It Out
"I really don't mind where we go. I'll let you two battle it out."

Be Curtains For Someone Or Something
"If you lose one more point, it's curtains for you."

Be Sick
"Is it true that you mother has cancer?" Reply: "Yes, she has been sick for three months."

Be So
"Is that so?" Reply: "Yes it is."

Be Swimming In Something
"Do you have any ketchup left?" Reply: "We are swimming in it."

Be The Spitting Image Of Someone
"People say I am the spitting image of my mother."

Be Too
"You're no good at cards." Reply: "I am too."

Be Used To Something
"Does it bother you that the toilet stops working like that?" Reply: "No, I'm used to it."

Bear A Grudge Against Someone
"I really do feel bad it happened." Reply: "Don't worry. She won't bear a grudge."

Bear Fruit
"Did your meeting bear fruit?"

Bear In Mind
"Would you like to order dinner?" Reply: "Bear in mind that I do not speak French."

Bear With Someone
"Bear with me for a moment as I write that down."

Beating A Dead Horse
"I'd like to talk with you again about what happened." Reply: "Oh, come on. Let's not beat a dead horse."

Beating A Path To Your Door
"I don't see anyone beating a path to your door."

Beating Around The Bush
"Did he ask you to marry him?" Reply: "No, but he has been beating around the bush."

Beating Him At His Own Game
"She was the star of our school's tennis team, and I still beat her." Reply: "You beat her at her own game."

Before You Know It
"Enjoy your freedom! Before you know it, you'll be married and settling down with children."

Beg To Differ
"You think I am old? I beg to differ."

Behind The Times
"My grandfather wears black socks with his shorts." Reply: "He is so behind the times."

Behind Your Back
"Those two went to the boss, and they did it behind my back."

Belaboring The Point
"I know we've talked about this already, and I hate to belabor the point, but I still don't think you are understanding me."

Bend Over Backwards
"We bent over backwards to help him, and he never even thanked us!"

Better Late Than Never
"Here is my final paper. Sorry it is so late." Reply: "Better late than never."

Better Safe Than Sorry
"Should I bring my umbrella?" Reply: "Better safe than sorry." Answer: "Okay. I'll go get it."

Bite Your Head Off
"I'm sorry you had a bad day, but you don't have to bite my head off."

Bite Your Tongue
"I wanted to tell her what I really thought of her dress, but I just bit my tongue."

Biting Off More Than You Can Chew
"I thought I could finish this report within a month, but I bit off more than I could chew."

Biting The Bullet
"Hurry mom, I really have to go to the bathroom." Reply: "We won't be there for another 20 minutes. Bite the bullet."

Blowing The Whistle
"When Brian found out that his company was hiding the truth, he blew the whistle."

Blowing Your Own Trumpet
"Is Deb still talking about the deal she made?" Reply: "Yes, she's blowing her own trumpet."

Blowing Your Top
"Steve is in our office and he just found out about the deal." Reply: "I can hear him blowing his top."

Break In
"They broke in to my apartment when I was gone, and they took everything!"

Break The Tie
"Whoever wins inFlorida will have enough votes to break the tie."

Breaking Even
"Sell that stock now, while you are still breaking even."

Breaking New Ground
"No one in our family has ever married a foreigner. You are breaking new ground."

Breaking The Bank
"You really should not be buying this ring. You are breaking the bank."

Breaking The Ice
"This was an awful party until John showed up and broke the ice."

Breaking The News
"It is the goal of every great reporter to break the news."

Bring Home The Bacon
"I go to work every day to bring home the bacon."

Bringing Home The Bacon
"You work a lot of hours at this job." Reply: "I have to. I am bringing home the bacon."

Bringing It Home
"Taking care of my grandfather is really bringing home the importance of good health care."

Bringing Up The Rear
"There you are again Schmidt, bringing up the rear."

Brushing Up On
"Are you going to brush up on your Spanish before you go to Mexico?"

Buck Up
"Buck up. It will be okay."

Bugging You
"My brother is bugging me."

Building You Up
"Do you really mean that? or are you just building me up?"

Bump Into
"I saw you with Jane at the supermarket." Reply: "Yes, we just bumped into each other."

Burning The Candle At Both Ends
"Would you like to go to a party tonight?" Reply: "I can't. I'm way too tired. I've been burning the candle at both ends all week."

Burning The Midnight Oil
"I could see the light in your window last night. It looks like you have been burning the midnight oil."

Call A Meeting
"If I call a meeting for Thursday, will you be there?"

Call A Spade A Spade

"You can call him a nice guy if you want to but I am calling a spade a spade; that guy is a jerk.

Call It A Day
"It's time to go home. Let's call it a day."

Call It A Night
"You guys are going to another bar? Not me. I'm calling it a night."

Call It Off
"How did your party go?" Reply: "Oh. We had to call it off."

Call The Dogs Off
"I already gave you your money. Call the dogs off."

Call The Meeting To Order
"Everyone quiet down so we can call this meeting to order."

Call The Roll
"Everyone be quiet. I'm going to call the roll."

Call The Shots
"I'm calling the shots here. You will do what I say."

Calling It Off
"I thought you had a date tonight?" Reply: "I did, but we called it off."

Calling People Names
"You are a jerk!" Reply: "You don't have to call me names."

Calling Your Bluff
"They say they will fire me if I skip work today, but I am calling their bluff."

Can I Get A Rain Check?
"He was going to take me to the park, but it rained, so I got a rain check."

Can You Imagine?
"This car only cost me $500. Can you imagine?"

Can't Carry A Tune
"Sing with us!" Reply: "Sorry. You wouldn't want me to. I can't carry a tune."

Can't Cut The Mustard
"Did you hear that Williams got fired?" Reply: "Yes. He couldn't cut the mustard."

Can't Do Anything With Someone Or Something
"Your teacher is frustrated. She says she can't do anything with you."

Can't Help But Do Something
"When she said that, I couldn't help but laugh."

Can't Hold A Candle To Someone
"You are a good tennis player. But you can't hold a candle to my sister."

Can't Make Heads Or Tails Out Of Someone Or Something
"I'm looking at your computer program right now, but I can't make heads or tails out of it."

Cannot Help Doing Something
"When she said that, I couldn't help laughing."

Cap And Gown
"I love this photo of you and your friends in cap and gown."

Capable Of Doing Something
"Did you hear about the farmhouse murders?" Reply: "Who could be capable of such a thing?"

Carried Away
"You cleaned everything. Even the dog." Reply: "Yes. I got kind of carried away."

Carry A Secret To One's Grave
"Please, you must not tell anyone what happened." Reply: "I will carry your secret to my grave."

Carry A Secret To The Grave
"Please, you must not tell anyone what happened." Reply: "I will carry it to the grave."

Carry On Without Someone Or Something
"If anything ever happens to me, I want you to carry on without me."

Carry Weight
"What I say carries weight around here."

Carrying It A Bit Too Far
"It is okay to make jokes during class, but you are carrying it a bit too far."

Cash And Carry
"Sorry but there is nowhere to eat here. It is cash and carry."

Caught In The Act
"You kids were going to take those cookies, weren't you?" Reply: "Yes, we were caught in the act."

Cause A Stir
"Do you need to talk so loudly? You're causing a stir."

Cease And Desist
Police officer says: "Sir, I want you to cease and desist from what you are doing."

Change Someone's Mind
"I thought you didn't like her?" Reply: "Well, I changed my mind."

Changing Your Tune
"She always said she would never get married, but now she's the one getting married." Reply: "She has changed her tune."

Clear The Table
"Everyone is done eating. Would you like to clear the table?"

Clearing The Air
"You've been living here for two months and you still don't have a job. We need to clear the air."

Climbing On The Bandwagon
"Look who's climbing on the bandwagon."

Coming Clean
"You ate that piece of cake I was saving, didn't you? Come clean."

Coming In Handy
"I'm glad you brought your knife." Reply: "Yes, it really comes in handy."

Coming To Terms With It
"I was upset that I was transfered to the other unit. But I am coming to terms with it."

Coming To The Crunch
"We have had three weeks to write this paper. Now we are coming to the crunch."

Cross Your Fingers
"I don't know what I will get for my birthday, but I am crossing my fingers that it will be a bicycle."

Crying Over Spilled Milk
"We came so close. Really. We almost won that game!" Reply: "There's no use crying over spilled milk."

Crying Wolf
"Mom, Dad! Can you come to my room? I think there is something under my bed!" Reply: "Son, you just go back to bed, and stop crying wolf."

Cutting Corners
"They cut a lot of corners when they built this house. Now have so many problems to fix."

Cutting Your Losses
"I bought this stock at 50 dollars a share, and it is down to 40. I am going to cut my losses."

Dart In And Out
"Is Jean around the office?" Reply: "Yes, she has been darting in and out all day."

Digging Your Own Grave
"Talking to the boss like that, you are digging your own grave."

Dirty Work
"You want me to fire her for you? Hey, do your own dirty work."

Do An Errand
"Right now I am doing some errands, but I can meet you in a few hours."

Do One's Own Thing
"My brother has always been like that. He does his own thing."

Do One's Part
"Hey, I did my part."

Do So
"I would like to take a break." Reply: "Now is a good time. Do so."

Doing As You're Told
"I want to stay up. I am not tired." Reply: "Do as you are told and go to bed right now."

Doing The Honors
"Who cuts the turkey at Thanksgiving dinner at your house?" Reply: "My father does the honors."

Doing The Job
"I can't stop the water from coming out." Reply: "Turn that switch over there, and that will do the job."

Doing The Trick
"My motorcycle is not running well." Reply: "Try replacing the oil. That might do the trick."

Doing Wonders
"We hired her to clean our house once a week and she has done wonders."

Doing Your Homework
"John is an excellent lawyer. He always does his homework."

Doing Your Stuff
"There are five minutes left in this game. John, it is time for you to do your stuff."

Don't Burn Your Bridges
"On his last day on the job he got in a huge fight with his boss." Answer: "Why would he want to go burning his bridges like that? Someday he might want to work there again."

Don't Count Your Chickens (Until They've Hatched)
"Do you think that Bill is going to offer you a promotion this month?" Reply: "I won't count my chickens until they have hatched."

Don't Put All Your Eggs In One Basket
"My father is a very careful investor; he never puts all of his eggs in one basket."

Don't Put The Cart Before The Horse
"Hey! First we attach it, then we put on the chains. Don't put the cart before the horse."

Down On Someone Or Something
"You have been down on me all day!"

Down South
"These are my friends from down south."

Down The Hatch
"You want me to drink this whole thing?" Reply: "That's right. Down the hatch!"

Down The Street
"Where does your grandmother live?" Reply: "She's just down the street."

Down The Tubes
"What happened to your plans for tonight?" Reply: "Down the tubes."

Down To Earth
"Your brother is great. He's so down to earth."

Down To The Wire
"What a close race." Reply: "It's down to the wire."

Down With Some Disease
"I can't come to work today. I'm down with the flu."

Drag One's Feet
"I've wanted to start yoga for months. I've just been dragging my feet."

Drastic Times Call For Drastic Measures
"Sales have been slow and we had to let go three of our employees; drastic times call for drastic measures."

Draw A Blank
"Do you remember how to say that word in Spanish?" Reply: "I'm drawing a blank."

Draw Blood
"Ouch! I cut myself." Reply: "Let me see. Did it draw blood?"

Drawing Attention
"He dresses like that because he likes to draw attention."

Driving A Hard Bargain
"Twenty thousand dollars is a lot of money. You drive a hard bargain."

Dropping A Brick
"The boss came in and dropped a real brick. He said they are planning to close our office."

Dropping Names
"I dated an actress in New York who was constantly dropping names." Reply: "Oh no, I can't stand name-dropping."

Drunk As A Skunk
"Did you see Jean last night?" Reply: "Yeah. She was as drunk as a skunk."

Dry Spell
"We've been having quite a dry spell lately; it hasn't rained in over two weeks."

Early To Bed, Early To Rise, Makes A Man Healthy, Wealthy, And Wise
"All of his life, my grandfather went to bed early and got up with the sun." Reply: "Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy wealthy and wise."

Earn One's Keep
"You did a lot of work today." Reply: "I'm just earning my keep."

Earning Your Keep
"Hey, look who is washing the dishes." Reply: "I have to earn my keep."


Ease Off On It
"Ease off on the breaks a little. You're pushing down too hard."

Ease Up On Her
"Ease up on your mother. She's had a hard day."

Easier Said Than Done
"We should dig a garden in the back yard. That would be great." Reply: "Easier said than done."

Easy To Come By
"At this time of year, fresh fruit is not easy to come by."

Eat A Meal Out
"I've been cooking way too often. Tonight, let's eat a meal out."

Eat And Run
"Hey, I'm sorry to have to eat and run, but I have a meeting in 10 minutes."

Eat Like A Horse
"How was lunch?" Reply: "Great. I ate like a horse."

Eating Away At You
"What she said this morning has really been eating away at me."

Every Nook And Cranny
"I looked all over my apartment for your earring." Reply: "Did you check every nook and cranny?"

Every Time You Turn Around
"Every time I turn around, she is watching me."

Everything But Kitchen Sink
"Wow, your suitcase is huge. What do you have in there? Everything but the kitchen sink?"

Everything's Coming Up Roses
"Everything's coming up roses!" (from a famous song sung by Ethel Mermin)

Excuse Yourself
"If anyone has to leave early, feel free to excuse yourself."

Expecting A Child
"My wife and I are expecting our first child." Reply: "Congratulations!"

Expense Is No Object
"This year I want the company party to be fantastic. Expense is no object."

Explain It Away
"People must have been curious when they found out." Reply: "No, they just explained it away."

Explain Yourself
"Please listen. I am trying to explain myself."

Expressing Your Anger
"I would like to express my anger about what happened last night."

Extending Credit
"I want that couch, but I really cannot afford it." Reply: "We will extend you credit."

Extending Our Sympathy
"I would like to extend my sympathy for the recent death of your mother." Reply: "I appreciate that very much."

Facing The Music
"We are two hours late and mom is waiting for us." Reply: "It is time to face the music."

Fair And Fair Alike
"Peter is getting two candies but I am only getting one!" Answer: "You had two candies earlier today, so now you are even; fair and fair alike."

Fair And Square
"You cheated!" Reply: "I did not! I beat you fair and square."

Fair Game
"Ryan is getting out of the car here, so the front seat is fair game."

Fair Weather Friend
"Peter may seem like your best friend today, but you will find that he is a fair weather friend."

Fall In With
"At a very young age, John fell in with the drug crowd."

Falling Flat On Your Face
"How did your first day of class go?" Reply: "I fell flat on my face."

Falling For You
"We have only been dating for a week, but I am really falling for you."

Falling From Grace
"You ask the boss, she loves you." Reply: "No way. I fell from grace with her a long time ago."

Falling Ill
"Where's Janice?" Reply: "She fell ill over the weekend."

Familiarity Breeds Contempt
"Those two have been living together for too long. They don't speak a word to each other." Reply: "Familiarity breeds contempt."

Feel Like It
"Why are you taking off your shirt?" Reply: "Because I feel like it."

Field Questions
"After the presentation, we are going to field questions."

Figure On It
"You didn't figure on that, did you?"

Figure Someone Or Something Out
"Stop trying to figure me out."

Fill Someone In On Someone Or Something
"Who can fill me in on what happened last night?"

Fill Someone's Shoes
"If you are taking Bill Johnson's job, you have big shoes to fill."

Filled To The Brim
"Put some water in this pot for me, and fill it to the brim."

Find A Happy Medium
"Sometimes we listen to my music, and sometimes we listen to her music. We have found a happy medium."

Find Fault With Someone Or Something
"Why do you find fault with everything I do?"

Find It In One's Heart To Do Something
"Could you find it in your heart to give me a dollar?"

Find One's Way Around
"You may feel lost at first, but you will find your way around."

Find Oneself
"When Jane went to India instead of enrolling in college, she said she wanted to find herself."

Find Someone Guilty
"The judge found him guilty of murder."

Find Someone Innocent
"At the end of a long trial, he was found innocent."

Find Something Out The Hard Way
"I told him not to stand in the doorway, but he wouldn't listen, so he found out the hard way."

Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers
"Hey! That's my Five dollar bill you have there." Reply: "Finder's keepers, losers weepers."

Finding Your Feet
"I've only been at this job for a few months. I'm just finding my feet."

Fine And Dandy
"How are you feeling today, Veronica?" Reply: "Just fine and dandy, thank you."

Fire A Gun
"Have you ever fired a gun?"

Firing On All Cylinders
"What a great game tonight. We were firing on all cylinders."

Fish For Something
"You keep asking where I was last night. What are you fishing for?"

Fixed In Your Ways
"I tried many different things when I was young, but I'm older now and more fixed in my ways."

Flash In The Pan
"That was a great paper you wrote. Was it just a flash in the pan? or are you going to be able to do it again and again?"

Float A Loan
"Come on, I really want to buy that car. Please, float me a loan."

Following In His Footsteps
"My dad was a doctor, and I am following in his footsteps."

For Crying Out Loud
"She is a swimsuit model, for crying out loud. Of course they are going to stare at her."

For Days On End
"Sometimes he doesn't sleep for days on end."

For Free
"I think we can get in to that concert for free."

For Life
"Did you know that wolves mate for life?"

For No Good Reason
"And for no good reason, she walked out the door."

For The Time Being
"How long are we going to do it this way?" Reply: "For the time being."

Forbidden Fruit
"The boss's daughter may be pretty, but remember that she is forbidden fruit."

Form An Opinion
"What do you think about Joan?" Reply: "I don't know. I haven't formed an opinion about her, yet."

Fresh Out Of Something
"Sorry, but we are fresh out of tomatoes."

From Overseas
"You have a nice accent. Are you from overseas?"

From Tip To Toe
"I was covered in dust, from tip to toe."

Gang Up On Someone
"The two of us were walking home alone when they ganged up on us. There were at least six of them."

Gas Up
"It is a long drive so be sure to gas up before you go."

Gathering A Case Against You
"My wife has a lawyer gathering a case against me right now."

Gearing Myself Up For It
"My dad wants to go skiing when he gets to town, so gear yourself up for it."

Generous To A Fault
"My grandfather's was generous to a fault. He gave away all of his money." Reply: "But he did help a lot of people."

Gentle As A Lamb
"Our dog is big and looks frightening, but she is as gentle as a lamb."

Get A Big Send Off
"Tomorrow is Jan's last day at work, and we are giving her a big send off."

Get A Charley Horse
"I hit my leg on the table and it gave me this charley horse."

Get A Checkup
"How are you feeling? You don't look so good." Reply: "Yes, I need to get a check up."

Get A Clean Bill Of Health
"I saw my doctor, and he gave me a clean bill of health."

Get A Crush On Someone
"Have you seen that new nurse? I really have a crush on her."

Get A Dirty Look From Someone
"Are you sure she isn't bothered about something? She just gave me a dirty look."

Get A Feel For Something
"How is your art class coming along." Reply: "Good. I'm starting to get a feel for painting."

Get A Life
"Are you still here? Why don't you get a life?"

Get Around
"It is only two weeks since his operation, but your father is getting around very well."

Get At The Heart Of The Matter
"I asked him to stop wasting time and get at the heart of the matter."

Get Over It
"I was very sick yesterday, but I have gotten over it."

Get The Works
"I'll have your biggest hamburger, with the works."

Give Him The Slip
"Quick- there is a police car behind us; let's give him the slip!"

Give Him The Third Degree
"That judge really gave that guy the third degree, didn't she?"

Go Back To The Drawing Board
"It looks like my plan to kill the weeds in the garden has failed. Back to the drawing board."

Go Fly A Kite
"Oh- not you again!" Reply: "Hey, why don't you go fly a kite

Go Into Effect
"When does the new policy go into effect?"

Go On A Binge
"Sorry about all of the empty pizza boxes. We went on a binge."

Go Overboard
"It is okay to make jokes. But don't go overboard."

Go Scot Free
"How could he kill someone, and then go scot free?"

Go Sky High
"Have you seen the price of milk lately? It has gone sky high."

Go Stag
"Who are you going to invite to the big dance." Reply: "We're going stag."

Go Straight
"Is your brother still getting in trouble with the police." Reply: "No. He went straight."

Going Against The Grain
"Why can't you just do it the way everyone else does? Why do you always have to go against the grain?"

Going All The Way
"The Bears have a good team this year, but do you think they can go all the way?"

Got A Bang Out Of It
"Did you like the show?" Reply: "Sure! I got a bang out of it."

Got A Bee In Her Bonnet
"She was so angry today. She really got a bee in her bonnet."

Got A Charge Out Of It
"Did your grandfather enjoy my kids." Reply: "Yes! He said he really got a charge out of them."

Great Minds Think Alike
"I was just thinking to call you, then the phone rang and it was you calling me." Reply: "Great minds think alike."

Hands Down
"That was hands down the best movie I have seen all year."

Hang A Left
"Should I go straight at this intersection?" Reply: "No. Hang a left."

Hang On To It
"You're lucky to have Laura as a girlfriend. Hang on to her."

Hang On Your Every Word
"When you tell a story, Jean hangs on your every word."

Hang Out With Me
"I really like hanging out with you."

Hanging On To Your Coattails
"Doesn't it bother you to have someone like that hanging on to your coattails?"

Have A Close Call
"Did you see? She almost got hit by that bus." Reply: "That was a close call."

Have A Clue About Something
"Jane doesn't have a clue about the surprise party we are planning for her."

Have A Conniption Fit
"When Anne finds out, she'll have a conniption fit."

Have A Go At Something
"Would you like to play goalie today?" Reply: "Sure, I'll have a go at it."

Have A Good Command Of Something
"My brother has an excellent command of the German language."

Have A Good Head On One's Shoulders
"Your son has a good head on his shoulders."

Have A Green Thumb
"My grandmother has a green thumb. You should see her garden."

Have No Idea
"What time is it?" Answer: "I have no idea."

Have Something Down Pat
"Did you memorize the speech?" Reply: "I''ve got it down pat."

He Backed Out
"Didn't Bob say he was coming?" Reply: "Yes, He backed out."

He Bailed Out
"Did the pilot die in the crash?" Reply: "No. He bailed out, and lived."

He Got A Black Eye
"Dan got a black eye at school today." Reply: "Did he get in a fight?" Answer: "Yes."

Head Over Heels
"He was running so fast that when he jumped and got hit he went head over heels."

I Don't Belong Here
"This is a high school dance and I am 25 years old. I don't belong here."

I Guess
"Why is that dog eating that stick?" Reply: "He's hungry, I guess."

I'd Give My Right Arm For That
"I would give my right arm for a car like that."

I'll Have To Give You A Rain Check On That
"He was going to take me to the park, but it rained, so he gave me a rain check."

I'm All Ears
"Would you like to hear what I did today." Reply: "I'm all ears."

I'm Game
"Do you want to see a movie?" Reply: "I'm game."

I'm Off
"Have a good day, you guys. I'm off." Reply: "Goodbye."

Icing On The Cake
"Today I was promoted to head of the department! And they decided to raise my pay!" Answer: "Wow! Icing on the cake!"

Idle Hands Are The Devil's Tools
"My mother taught me that children should always be kept busy; idle hands are the devil's tools!"

If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It
"You think Tiger Woods should change his golf swing? Are you kidding? If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

If It's Not One Thing, It's Another
"First the car broke down, and now I can't find my keys! If it's not one thing, it's another!"

If You Can't Beat Them, Join Them
"When did you change teams?" Reply: "Hey: If you can't beat them, join them."

If You Can't Stand The Heat, Get Out Of The Kitchen
"I wanted this job at first, but now I don't know if I can handle it." Reply: "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen."

In A Pinch
"Take this 20 dollars. Use it in a pinch."

In A Stupor
"We walked home in a drunken stupor."

In A Word
"Are you happy to be there?" Reply: "In a word: Yes."

In Awe Of Him
"I am in awe of you."

In Defiance Of Someone Or Something
"I am your mother. How could you act in defiance of me?!"

In Denial
"Losing your house in a fire.. you must feel awful." Reply: "I am still in denial."

In Detail
"If you have any serious health problems, please write them out in detail."

In Disguise
"Did that octopus just change color?" Reply: "Yes. He's in disguise."

In Drag
"What a crazy party. Everyone was dressed in drag."

In Due Time
"I can't wait until our vacation." Reply: "Son, you focus on your studies. Summer will be here in due time."

In Earnest
"Did you say that just to hurt me?" Reply: "No. I meant that in earnest."

In One's Element
"Living in the big city, my brother is in his element."

In Over Your Head
"Go ahead and lead the meeting today; I'll help you out if you get in over your head."

In Season
"Excuse me, waitress. Is the shrimp in season?"

In Session
"Sorry, the senator cannot be interrupted right now. Congress is in session."

In Storage
"Hey, do you know where my skis are?" Reply: "They are in the basement, in storage."

In Style
"With a car like this, you'll be driving in style."

In Surgery
"My father is in surgery right now for a tumor on his neck." Reply: "I hope it goes well."

In The Act
"I was just in the act of going to the bathroom, when you knocked on the door."

In The Affirmative
"Did he say yes or no?" Reply: "He answered in the affirmative."

In The Dark
" Did you understand question number three?" Answer: "Not at all, I was totally in the dark."

In The Heat Of The Moment
"You never really know for sure what you will do in the heat of the moment."

In The Meantime
"You can start working full-time as soon as you get your license. In the meantime, you are welcome to start training."

In The Middle Of Nowhere
"You are 30 minutes late and I have been standing here waiting for you in the middle of nowhere."

In The Money
"Now he's a professional basketball player." Reply: "He's in the money."

In The Near Future
"Don't worry. I will be there in the near future."

In The Public Eye
"When you are the mayor of a large city, you live your life in the public eye."

In Your Hair
"You're not going to wear that, are you?" Reply: "Hey, why don't you get out of my hair?"

In Your Mind's Eye
"Yes, it was such a beautiful place." Reply: "You described it so well. I can picture it in my mind's eye."

In Your Opinion
"In my opinion, you should go to college."

In Your Prime
"You should have seen her in her prime."

In Your Spare Time
"What do you do in your spare time?"

In(s) And Out(s)
"I've been in this business for 30 years. I know it in and out."

It Burns You Up
"Did you hear what what she did? That really burns me up."

It Fell On Deaf Ears
"I told them the truth about what happened, but it fell on deaf ears."

It Takes Two To Tango
"He hit me first; it wasn't my fault!" Answer: "It takes two to tango."

It's A Small World
"Hey, it's funny seeing you here." Reply: "It's a small world."

Its Anyone's Call
"Who do you think will win this election?" Answer: "Its anyone's call."

Johnny On The Spot
"We are just ready to start the meeting, and here you are." Reply: "Johnny on the spot."

Join Forces With Me
"If we join forces, nothing can stop us."

Join Hands
"Let's all join hands and say a prayer before we eat."

Join The Club
"Our car was broken into, and the radio was stolen." Reply: "Join the club. Five cars were broken into last night, including mine."

Jump At The Chance
"I would jump at the chance to work at that company."

Jump Bail
"What happened to the guy who stole all that money?" Reply: "They arrested him, but he jumped bail."

Jump Through A Hoop
"What do I have to do to get a date with you? Jump through a hoop?"

Jump Through Hoops
"Why haven't you opened your restaurant yet?" Reply: "They have us jumping through hoops to get the license."

Jump To Conclusions
"They are never going to let me move over to the other unit." Reply: "You are jumping to conclusions."

Jumping On The Bandwagon
"My grandfather jumped on the bandwagon and got himself an email account."

Just Because
"Why are you doing that?" Reply: "Just because."

Keep A Stiff Upper Lip
"No matter what happens, I want you to keep a stiff upper lip."

Keep An Eye On Him
"Would you keep an eye on my son for me while I am gone?" Reply: "Sure."

Keep Him At Arm's Length
"You can work with him if you want, but I would keep him at arms length."

Keeping A Straight Face
"I don't trust him because I don't know what he's feeling. He always keeps a straight face."

Labor Of Love
"They always want to pay me for the work I do at the hospital, but I will never accept their money. I do it because it is a labor of love." #"Labor" is work that we do and we don't always care for our work, but a labor of love is labor we do because we love dong it, or we do it for someone we love.

Laid Up
"Bob wasn't able to come today?" Reply: "No. He's laid up in bed."

Lend Me Your Ear
"Could you lend me your ear for a minute? I need to talk with you about something."

Let's Call It Quits
"It is getting dark outside, and we can't see the tennis balls anymore. Let's call it quits."

Letting The Cat Out Of The Bag
"Bob didn't want anyone to know he was sick, but his wife let the cat out of the bag."

Like Two Peas In A Pod
"He and his sister are like two peas in a pod."

Looking A Gift Horse In The Mouth
"This shirt you gave me is not my favorite brand." Reply: "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth! That was the best they had."

Looking For Trouble
"If you leave your glass on the edge of the table like that, you are looking for trouble."

Losing Streak
"We are on a five game losing streak." Reply: "Losing five games in a row is not good."

Lost His Head
"I got so angry yesterday. I completely lost my head."

Making A Mistake
"I'm not good at cooking because I am too afraid of making a mistake."

Method To My Madness
"Give me a moment to explain; there is method to my madness."

Misery Loves Company
"She's not happy, so she wants the rest of us to suffer too!" Reply: "Misery loves company."

Money Does Not Grow On Trees
"Why are you buying such expensive presents? Money does not grow on trees, you know!"

Necessity Is The Mother Of Invention
"You will find a way to do it. When you have to, you do." Reply: "Necessity is the mother of invention."

Neither A Borrower, Nor A Lender Be
{from Hamlet by William Shakespeare; Polonius speaking: "Neither a borrower, nor a lender be; For loan oft loses both itself and friend"} @"Could you lend me twenty dollars?" Answer: "Sorry, neither a borrower nor a lender be."

Never Been So Lucky
"I got off the bus in West Seattle, turned around, and you were there. I've never been so lucky."

No Ifs, Ands, Or Buts About It
"You are going to bed right now. No ifs, ands or buts about it."

No Pain, No Gain
"To play at that level, you are going to have to practice all of the time, you know." Reply: "No pain, no gain."

Nose Out Of Joint
"What's wrong with him?" Answer: "His nose is out of joint because we forgot to invite him to the party."

Not A Chance
"Do you think you will be able to finish your report by five o'clock today?" Answer: "Not a chance. I'll be busy in meetings all day."

Off Again, On Again
"With this rain today, our baseball game has been off again, on again."

Off And On
"Do you play tennis much?" Reply: "Off and on. It depends on the weather."

Off And Running
"The race is just about ready to begin.. and now: They're off and running."

Off Duty
"See that guy? He's an off duty policeman."

Off Like A Shot
"The race started, and you were off like a shot."

Off Limits
"We can play anywhere we like, except my father's office. That's off limits."

Off On The Wrong Foot
"Tomorrow is our first meeting with this client so let's not get off on the wrong foot."

Off One's Rocker
"I've decided I'm going to fight him." Reply: "Are you off your rocker? He'll kill you!"

Off Season
"We should go fishing." Reply: "We can't. Fishing is off season."

Off The Cuff
"Bob, could you come up here and make a few remarks off the cuff."

Off The Hook
"We've caught you again, but this time you won't get off the hook so easily!"

Off The Record
"Off the record, I think he's guilty."

Off The Subject
"I know this is off the subject, but does anyone want to order some food? I'm hungry."

Old As The Hills
"I love your grandfather's house. It's as old as the hills."

Old Enough To Be Someone's Father
"Don't you talk to me like that. I'm old enough to be your father."

Old Hat
"Keith can show you how to do it. He's an old hat."

On A Diet
"Let's have a pizza for dinner." Reply: "I can't. I'm on a diet."

On A First Name Basis With Someone
"Do you know John Roberts?" Reply: "Well, I know him. But we are not on a first name basis."

On A Lark
"They went to Hawaii, on a lark." Reply: "Wow. They must be rich."

On Active Duty
"Isn't your brother in the army?" Reply: "He is, but he is not on active duty."

On Board
"I don't want to go ahead with this project unless everyone is on board."

On Call
"We have an emergency. Do you know which doctor is on call tonight?"

On Cloud Nine
"Did you hear that Jean is getting married?" Reply: "Yes. She's been on cloud nine all week."

On Edge
"I've been on edge all week, with this trouble at work."

On One's Own
"Bob has been on his own since his wife died two years ago."

On One's Person
"Where did you leave your plane ticket?" Reply: "It's on my person."

On Order
"Did they fix your motorcycle?" Reply: "Not yet. We are waiting for the tires. They are on order."

On The Fence
"Which school do you prefer?" Answer: "I don't know; I'm on the fence."

On The Same Page
"Before we make any decisions today, I'd like to make sure that everyone is on the same page."

On Your Last Leg
"Our old family dog is on her last leg (meaning tired, near death).

On Your Mind
"That tennis match is still on my mind."

On Your Toes
"In ice hockey you have to be agressive and stay on your toes."

One For The Road
"Come on, let's play one more game of pool for the road."

Out Of Print
"Why is it so hard to find this book?" Reply: "It is out of print."

Out Of Service
"I would like an ice cream, please." Reply: "Sorry, but the ice cream machine is out of service."

Out Of The Frying Pan (And Into The Fire)
"I worked too hard on that last project. But on this new project I am working even harder!" Reply: "Out of the frying pan and into the fire."

Out Of Your Element
"I often feel out of my element when traveling in a non-English speaking country."

Over My Head
"Did you get that last question on the test?" Reply: "No, it was over my head."

Over The Hill
"Face it, Dad. You're over the hill."

Pack A Punch
"Don't fight with him. He can really pack a punch."

Pass Away
"I was so sorry to to learn that your grandfather passed away."

Paying The Price
"If you drink and drive, you will pay the price."

Penny-Wise, Pound-Foolish
"We've worked so hard to save money that if we took a vacation now it would be penny-wise, pound-foolish."

People Who Live In Glass Houses Should Not Throw Stones
"Look at that shirt you are wearing! Did you buy that back in the '80s?!" Answer: "Hey, you're not so young yourself; people who live in glass houses should not throw stones!"

Pin Something On Someone
"The coffee machine is broken again." Reply: "I didn't touch it, so don't pin it on me."

Practice Makes Perfect
"See how fast you are getting better at the piano? Practice makes perfect."

Practice What You Preach
"You keep telling me how to hit the ball. Why don't you practice what you preach?"

Preaching To The Choir
"I agree with you entirely; you are preaching to the choir."

Protest Too Much
"You do like that girl, don't you?" Answer: "No! I don't! Not at all! Why do you think so?" Reply: "You protest too much." #"Protest too much" comes from Hamlet by William Shakespeare; the Queen speaking: "The lady doth protest too much, methinks." (Note: people do not usually use the word "methinks" when they are speaking English today.) To "protest too much" is to insist so passionately about something not being true that people suspect the opposite of what you are saying.

Pulling Your Leg
"Look; your shoes are untied... Ha! Just pulling your leg."

Put Your Best Foot Forward
"This week the division manager will be in town. I want each of you to putting your best foot forward."

Put Your Foot In Your Mouth
"Last night I was telling a joke, and I really put my foot in my mouth. I had no idea I was talking about Rob's wife."

Raise Cain
"Have you two boys been out raising cain again?"

Roll Out The Red Carpet
"Our most important client will be in town tomorrow, so let's all roll out the red carpet and take him out to dinner."

Rome Was Not Built In One Day
"Are you still working on that same painting?" Answer: "Hey! Rome was not built in one day!"

Round About
"That taxi ride was a bit round about, don't you think?"

Rub Salt In An Old Wound
"Hey- do you remember that time you were giving a speech and you dropped your laptop computer?" Answer: "Oh please, let's not rub salt in old wounds!"

Running The Table
"She shot first, and she ran the table, so I never had a chance."

Same Here
"I got a 100 on my test!" Reply: "Really? Same here!"

Saving Grace
"It was a horrible day. But at least I met you." Reply: "That was the saving grace."

Second Nature
"She started playing the piano when she was very young; now it is like second nature to her."

Second Rate
"That restaurant last night was really second rate." Reply: "Oh, that's too bad."

See Double
"What's wrong with your grandfather?" Reply: "He feel down, and now he is seeing double."

Set One's Heart On Something
"I had my heart set on getting into Harvard."

Set Someone Back Some Amount Of Money
"Nice suit! How much did that set you back?"

Set Someone Or Something On Fire
"What set him on fire?" Reply: "I don't know. He's been this way all morning."

Set Someone Or Something Straight
"You seem to think that everyone is against you. I want to set you straight..."

Shake A Leg
"The party is starting in ten minutes. Shake a leg!"

She Balled Me Out
"I asked her if she could stay late, and she bawled me out."

She Spoke Highly Of You
"I met your teacher. He speaks highly of you."

Shouting Match
"Two players were having a shouting match, so we had to stop the game."

Side Against Someone
"I thought Jenny was my best friend. Now I find she has sided against me."

Side With Someone
"In that war, America sided with England."

Sign On The Dotted Line
"Here is your credit card back, sir. And I just need you to sign on the dotted line."

Sign On With Someone
"What year did Michael Jordan sign on with the Bulls?"

Sit In On Something
"Do you mind if I sit in on your class?"

Sit On The Fence
"So which movie would you like to see?" Reply: "I'm still sitting on the fence."

Sit Something Out
"Let's play another game." Reply: "I'm going to sit this one out."

Sit Through Something
"How was the concert?" Reply: "Great. The kids were able to sit through the whole thing."

Sit Up And Take Notice
"After I read my paper for the class. That is when everyone sat up and took notice."

Sit Up With Someone
"How was our patient last night. The nurses sat up with him all night."

Sitting Pretty
"If we can win next week's match, we will be sitting pretty."

Six Of One, A Half Dozen Of The Other
"I say she's a stewardess. She says she's a flight attendant. It's six of one, a half-dozen of the other."

Sixth Sense
"How did you know they would come?" Reply: "I don't know. I just have a sixth sense."

Skeletons In The Closet
"He's a very popular senator but he will never be elected president; he has too many skeletons in the closet."

Skin And Bones
"Have you seen Jennifer, lately?" Reply: "Yes, she is all skin and bones."

Slated For Something
"I have you slated for tomorrow at 8AM. Is that time okay for you?"

Sleep In
"I won't be at the early meeting tomorrow. I'm sleeping in."

Sleep Like A Baby
"How was last night?" Reply: "Fine. I slept like a baby."

Slow As Molasses In January
"Would you hurry up and get ready? You are as slow as molasses in January."

So Long
"So long. See you guys tomorrow."

Split Down The Middle
"The election is split down the middle with no clear winner at the moment."

Split Up
"Did you hear that Jim and Judy split up?"

Swallowing It Hook Line And Sinker
"I told him we were going to the zoo." Reply: "Did he believe you?" Answer: "He swallowed it hook, line and sinker."

Tag Along
"Sure, I'd love to go to a movie tonight. Do you mind if my brother tags along?"

Take A Bath
"Did you see how much our stock price dropped?" Reply: "Yes, I really took a bath."

Take A Look At That
"Take a look at that car. Isn't it beautiful?"

Take A Look For It
"Have you seen my watch?" Reply: "I haven't seen it, but I will take a look for it around my house."

Take A Nap
"Every day after lunch my grandfather takes a nap."

Take A Rain Check On That
"We were planning to go to the park, but it rained, so we took a rain check."

Take Effect
"I took two sleeping pills but they haven't taken effect."

Take Exception To Something
"I take exception to what you said last night."

Take It On The Chin
"John totally attacked her during that presentation, but she just took it on the chin."

Take Off On Something
"I was walking the dog and he just took off on me."

Take Off One's Hat To Someone
"Nice job on the presentation, Bill." Second person: "Yes, Bill. I really take my hat off to you."

Take Office
"The president will take office on January 20th, at noon."

Take One At One's Word
"Do you really believe that?" Reply: "I am going to take him at his word."

Take One's Break
"There is not much going on right now. It would be a good time to take your break."

Take One's Time
"You are going to be late. Why are you taking your time?"

Take Place
"When did that take place?" Reply: "Yesterday."

Take Someone To The Cleaners
"Don't buy a car there. They will take you to the cleaners."

Take Someone Under One's Wings
"This new gal at the office is doing so well, now that Terry has taken her under her wings."

Take The Bull By The Horns
"That was a tough situation. Thanks for taking the bull by the horns."

Talk Turkey
"When you meet my cousin, don't pay too much attention to what he says. He talks a lot of turkey."

The Apple Of Your Eye
"He sure does love his little girl." Reply: "She's the apple of his eye."

The Ball Is In Your Court
"The seller has offered us the house for $250,000; the ball is in our court. What should we do?"

The Be All And The End All
"You will have more and better jobs in your career. This company is not the be all and end all."

The Best Of Both Worlds
"You can either get up early tomorrow and get a lot of work done, or you can stay out late tonight and have fun with your friends, but you can't have the best of both worlds."

The Bigger They Are (The Harder They Fall)
"Are you worried that he might be too strong?" Reply: "No, I'm not. He may be big, but the bigger they are, the harder they fall."

The Bottom Line
"We have no money left. That is the bottom line."

The Devil Is In The Details
"I thought I would be able to write that article in two hours, but it ended up taking me five. The devil was in the details."

The Early Bird (Catches The Worm)
"I always come early to work. The early bird catches the worm!"

The Ends Justify The Means
"I would prefer to do things differently, but in this situation, the ends justify the means."

The First Step Is Always The Hardest
"I have always wanted to write a novel, but I can never decide on a topic." Reply: "The first step is always the hardest."

The Game Is Afoot
"Jim just saw a beautiful girl he wants to meet." Reply: "The game is afoot."

The Grass Is Always Greener On The Other Side Of The Fence
"I wish our house were as big as theirs." Reply: The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence."

The Jury Is Out
"Its hard to say if what we did was the right thing. The jury is still out on it."

The Pros And Cons
"Should we do it or not?" Answer: "First let's look at the pros and cons."

The Road To Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions
"Really, I never meant to hurt anybody..." Reply: "The road to hell is paved with good intentions."

The Sky Is The Limit
"For people who work hard at this company, the sky's the limit."

The Squeaky Wheel Gets The Oil
"Every time that baby cries, they just run around and give him whatever he wants." Reply: "The squeaky wheel gets the oil."

The Squeeky Wheel Gets The Oil
"Every time that baby cries, they just run around and give him whatever he wants." Reply: "The squeeky wheel gets the oil."

The Stars Were All Lined Up
"That she and I were both at that busstop on that day and met like that.. the stars were all lined up."

The Straw That Broke The Camel's Back
"You broke a lot of rules and we tried to ignore it. But stealing money from us was the straw that broke the camel's back. We're sending you home to your parents."

The Writing On The Wall
"At that point, the writing was on the wall; we all knew the company was going out of business."

There's No Place Like Home
"It feels so good to be home." Reply: "There's no place like home."

They Ate It Up
"How did they like the spaghetti I made?" Reply: "They ate it up."

They Had A Falling Out
"After my grandfather died, my mom and her brother had a falling out."

They Jumped All Over Me
"I was just trying to say what I thought, and they jumped all over me."

Think The World Of Someone Or Something
"How could you talk about your mother that way? She thinks the world of you!"

Third Wheel
"You two go on ahead without me. I don't want to be the third wheel."

Three Sheets To The Wind
"What a crazy party that was. My grandfather was three sheets to the wind."

To Err Is Human, To Forgive Divine
"I am still angry about what my manager did yesterday!" Answer: "It is best to just let it go; to err is human, to forgive divine."

Tooth And Nail
"That woman fought tooth and nail during the war to protect her children."

Tooting Your Own Horn
"Oh there you go again, tooting your own horn."

Truer Words Were Never Spoken
"I find that the earlier I get up, the better the day I have." Reply: "Truer words were never spoken. The morning hours are definitely the best hours of the day."

Turning Up Your Nose
"We invited them to dinner but they just turned up their nose at us."

Two Heads Are Better Than One
"Come on, we can figure out a way to do this! Two heads are better than one."

Two Wrongs Don't Make A Right
"That boy pushed me yesterday and I am going to get him back today!" Answer: "No you are not! Two wrongs do not make a right."

Under Age
"What are those kids doing smoking cigarettes? They are under age."

Under The Gun
"Everyone at the office has been under the gun since this new manager arrived."

Up Against
"You are up against a tough team. How do you feel about that?"

Up To No Good
"You see those kids on the corner? They're up to no good."

Vice Versa
"If he calls you, let me know. And vice versa: If he calls me, I'll tell you."

Waiting In The Wings
"She may be dating Peter now, but I am waiting in the wings."

Wasting Your Breath
"You can tell him not to do it, but you are just wasting your breath. He will do it anyway."

Wear More Than One Hat
"What is your job here?" Reply: "Actually, I wear more than one hat.."

Wear Your Heart On Your Sleeve
"She is kind of player who never hides how she's feeling. One look at her and you know if she's winning or losing." Reply: "She wears her heart on her sleeve."

Weather Permitting
"We are planning to go to the beach this weekend, weather permitting."

Wee Hours Of The Night
"When do you find the time to work on your book?" Reply: "In the wee hours of the night."

Weed Someone Or Something Out
"We need to find which programs are wasting more money, and weed them out."

Welcome You With Open Arms
"You should definitely go visit my parents. They will welcome you with open arms"

Well Off
"Is your uncle rich?" Reply: "Well, let's just say he is well off."

Well To Do
"Our country club caters to the well to do."

Well Up In Years
"Your grandfather was born before the war?" Reply: "Yes, he's well up in years."

Wet Behind The Ears
"Bob may be a little bit wet behind the ears, but he'll make a great salesman someday."

Wet Blanket
"Let's not bring John to the party. He is such a wet blanket."

Wet Someone's Whistle
"You have been working in the yard all weekend

What Are You Up To?
"So what have you been up to lately?"

What Comes Around Goes Around
"He lied to his girlfriend for years. Now she is lying to him." Reply: "What comes around goes around."

What Makes Someone Tick
"For someone te be as successful as you are, I want to know: What makes you tick?"

What They Don't Know Won't Hurt Them
"Don't tell your father what happened; what he doesn't know won't hurt him."

What's Done Is Done
"The turkey is ruined. What's done is done. Let's just go out to dinner and forget about it."

What's Keeping You?
"Hey you are 20 minutes late. What's keeping you?"

What's New?
"Hi bob. What's new?"

What's The Good Of Something?
"What's the good of fixing it if it is just going to break again, anyway?"

What's Up?
"What's up, Jay?" Reply: "Not much."

What's With Someone?
"What's with Bob?" Reply: "His wife left him." Answer: "Oh, that's too bad. I could tell something was bothering him."

Wheel And Deal
"My brother likes to wheel and deal. That's just how he is. He sold his first company when he was 23."

When It Rains, It Pours
"It hadn't rained for over two months. Now it has started raining and it has been raining for a week straight." Reply: "When it rains, it pours."

When Pigs Fly
"Do you think you will ever work at that company again?" Reply: "When pigs fly!"

Why Put Off Until Tomorrow What You Can Do Today
"Just do it now, so you don't have to do it on the weekend. Why put of 'till tomorrow what you can do today?"

Wine And Dine
"How was your business trip?" Answer: "Great- they wined and dined us all week."

With Everything On It
"I'll have a double cheeseburger with everything on it."

With Your Back Up Against The Wall
"I'm sorry I can't help you; I've got my back up against the wall."

Without A Doubt
"Are you going to watch the game tomorrow?" Answer: "Without a doubt!"

Word Of Mouth
"How did you hear about this party?" Reply: "Word of mouth."

Work Out
"Let's go to the gym and work out."

Work Out All Right
"Don't worry. It will work out all right."

Work Out For The Best
"I didn't win this election, but still I feel that things will work out for the best."

Work Someone Or Something In
"Can you meet with me on Wednesday?" Reply: "I am quite busy Wednesday, but this is important. I can work you in."

Work Someone Over
"I heard your brother was robbed." Reply: "Yes, and they worked him over before they took his wallet."

Work Something Off
"If you can't pay for your meal, you'll have to work it off washing dishes."

Year After Year
"Year after year, you say you are going to move."

Year Round
"Do they close for the winter?" Reply: "No, they're open year round."

Years Running
"He has been the mayor of this town for ten years running."

Yield The Right Of Way
"The law says that even if the light are green, drivers must yield the right of way to pedestrians."

You Are Caving In
"The kids wanted to stay up late, and I caved in. Now I can't get them to bed."

You Bet Your Boots
"Are you going to tell him what you think?" Reply: "You bet your boots I am."

You Can Bet On It
"Are you guys going to win?" Reply: "You can bet on it."

You Can Lead A Horse To Water, But You Can't Make It Drink
"I told her exactly what to do, but she didn't listen to me." Reply: "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink."

You Can Say That Again
"Great tennis match. That was exhausting." Reply: "You can say that again."

You Can't Be All Things To All People
"Public relations is a tough job. I have to be all things to all people."

You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover
"He dresses in plain clothes and drives an old car. Who would know he is the richest man in town?" Reply: "You can't judge a book by its cover."

You Can't Please Everyone
"Jen is quite upset that she did not get the job." Reply: "Well, you can't please everyone."

You Can't Teach An Old Dog New Tricks
"I have been trying to teach my dad to use the computer, but he is never going to get it." Reply: "You can't teach an old dog new tricks."

You Have To Take The Good With The Bad
"I love living in this city, but it is rather polluted." Reply: "You have to take the good with the bad."

You Reap What You Sow
"He has been treating other people like that for years. Now it happens to him." Reply: "You reap what you sow."

You Scratch My Back And I'll Scratch Yours
"I would really appreciate it if you introduce me to him... You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours."

You're In The Mood For It
"I am in the mood for pizza. Are you?"

You're In The Mood To Do It
"I'm in the mood to play tennis." Reply: "Let's play."

You're Into It
"You don't want to sing this song?" Reply: "I'm not into it right now."

Zonked Out
"It was a long day, and I'm really zonked out. Let's just go to bed."