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It´s like water off a duck´s back means that no
matter what you say it has no effect on the person spoken to.
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When you hear something on the grapevine you have
heard it in casual conversation or in secret and you do not want to disclose
your source.
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When someone is too big for his boots he is too proud and pleased with
himself.
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He's as drunk as a lord = he's very drunk.
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If you kill two birds with one stone you manage to
achieve two things in a single action
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If someone one is dressed (up) to the nines it means
they are wearing stylish and fashionable clothes
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If you do something (like pass an exam, catch a train) by the skin of your teeth you just manage to do it but nearly fail.
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What´s been eating you lately? What´s bothering or worrying you?
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Stop beating about the bush. Stop playing for
time and dodging the issue. Give a straightforward answer to the question.
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Everything is at sixes and sevens this week. Everything is confused and badly organized (eg because people are ill).
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When you get up on the wrong side of the bed, you
wake up in a bad mood.
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He´s still not out of the woods: He´s still not
out of danger and difficulty yet (although he is well on his way to
recovering from his bout of flu)
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If you pay through the nose for something you
give more money for it than it is worth
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Let´s hit
the hay means let's go to bed.
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If you bend over backwards to
do something, you try very hard.
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If someone bites
the dust (e.g. in a competition), he goes down in defeat.
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If you put something on ice
(like
a report) you stop working on it and set it aside for later.
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If you sell someone short you
underestimate him and does not give him the credit he deserves.
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If someone leaves you high and dry,
he or she abandons you and leaves you alone to do the work without any help.
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If you string someone along
you deceive that person.
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You ask someone to
get off your back, he is bothering you and you ask him to stop that.
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If you don´t have a leg to stand on,
you have no good defense for your opinions or actions.
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If
you ask someone to shake a leg, you
urge them to hurry.
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If someone (e.g. a child making a lot of noise) gets
in your hair, he or she upsets you and makes you very angry.
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If you decide to
take the bull by the horns you take decisive action in a
difficult situation.
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If something like a house has gone to the dogs,
it has become run-down and is in serious need of repair.
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If you think something fishy
is going on, you think something strange and suspicious is occurring.
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If someone has kicked the bucket,
he has died. (informal expression)
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To pick someone´s brains means to talk to someone about a problem in order to make use of his or her knowledge or
ideas.
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If
you scratch my back, I´ll scratch
yours, means that if you help me, I´ll return the favour
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To be up in arms about/over something means to be very angry or to protest strongly about it.
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To live from hand to mouth means that you spend all your money as soon as you get it and never save for the future.
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He´s dressed up like a dog´s dinner
means: he´s dressed in a smart a showy way.
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You take
someone for a ride if you don't tell him the truth.
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If you get butterflies in your stomach
for an exam, you are very nervous about it.
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Our company keeps open house next
Saturday means that visitors are welcome without special invitation
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If something is on the house it
is provided free of the charge by the owner.
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He´s burning the midnight oil
means he´s staying up very late to study or to work.
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Mind your
p´s and q´s means be very careful not to say
anything impolite.
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If you hit the roof you are very angry.
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If someone sits on the fence he
avoids supporting any side in a discussion or argument.
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If you are on cloud nine you
are very happy and excited.
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If you put your foot in it,
you cause embarrassment by doing or saying something tactless. (AM E: to
put one´s foot in one´s mouth)
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An Indian summer : a period
of warm weather during the autumn, something to dream about in winter...;-)
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If you are at the end of your tether you
are so worried or tired because of your problems that you have no strength
or patience left and do not know what to do anymore. (After a hard day
at work and a long evening quarrelling with two stubborn teenagers, I´m
at the end of my tether.).
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You´re a sight for sore eyes
is an informal way of saying ‘ I´m very pleased to see you’.
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If you describe something as the thin end of
the wedge, you mean that it seems to be unimportant at the
moment but that you think it is the beginning of an unpleasant or serious
situation. (All this reform talk is the thin end of the wedge.)
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She feels/looks like a million dollars
: she feels/looks wonderful.
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If you spill the beans you tell
a secret. (Who has spilt the beans about his affair with Monica?)
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To talk shop means
talking about your job with colleagues when not at work. (Even over Christmas
dinner they had to talk shop.)
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When something is double Dutch
to you, you cannot understand it. The relationship between England and
The Netherlands was never a hearty one, so expressions with Dutch are hardly
ever positive .. (All this talk about hypertext and computer networks sounds
like double Dutch to me).
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If you pass an exam (or an interview) with
flying colours you have done really well.
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To take a raincheck on something is
to do something later. I´m afraid I have too much on to join you
for a drink tonight, but can I take a rain check on it?
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If you are " all fingers and thumbs"you
are very clumsy.
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You "clutch or grasp at straws"when
you are willing to try anything to improve a difficult situation, even
if it has little chance of success.
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