| 1 |
Tongue and cheek |
Means a statement or comment that is not meant to be taken seriously, but rather is made with insincerity, irony, or whimsical exaggeration, often to be humorous or to express a slightly mocking or playful tone |
| 2 |
More trouble than it’s worth |
Means something that requires a greater amount of effort, time, or resources than the benefit, usefulness, or reward it provides |
| 3 |
Come clean |
Be completely honest; keep nothing hidden |
| 4 |
All hands on deck |
Means that there is a crisis that needs everyone to help out |
| 5 |
All the rage |
Means something is currently very popular, fashionable, or a widespread trend |
| 6 |
Playing fast and loose |
Means to be recklessly irresponsible, unreliable, or deceitful |
| 7 |
Adding insult to injury |
Means to act in a way that makes a bad or displeasing situation worse |
| 8 |
You don’t have a leg to stand on |
Means you have no evidence, justification, or support for your argument or claim, making it impossible to defend your position |
| 9 |
Low blow |
Means an unfair, unscrupulous, or hurtful attack, criticism, or action that is intended to cause distress or embarrassment |
| 10 |
Low down |
Means the true facts or relevant information about something |
| 11 |
Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer |
Means to maintain strong bonds with friends for support while strategically monitoring enemies to anticipate their actions and mitigate threats |
| 12 |
Knock yourself out |
Means to tell someone to go ahead and do something |
| 13 |
As i live and breathe |
Used to emphasize the truth of a statement |
| 14 |
That was a masterstroke |
Means a masterly action or achievement; an extremely skillful or effective action |
| 15 |
A watched pot never boils |
Means time seems to pass much more slowly when you are anxiously waiting for something to happen, making the event feel like it takes forever |
| 16 |
Having second thoughts |
Means you are having doubts or uncertainty about a decision, opinion, or action you previously made, leading you to reconsider it |
| 17 |
Jump the shark |
Means that a creative work, most often a television series, has passed its peak quality and begun to decline, marked by a point where it resorts to outlandish, desperate, or far-fetched attempts to maintain audience interest |
| 18 |
Off pudding |
Means something that causes uneasiness, dislike, or annoyance |
| 19 |
Just like old times |
Means an experience or activity feels the same as it did in the past, evoking nostalgia or a return to a previous state |
| 20 |
No wiggle room |
Means there is no capacity or scope for negotiation or operation, especially in order to modify a previous statement or decision |
| 21 |
Nothing to sneeze at |
Means something is significant, worthwhile, or important enough to be taken seriously and not dismissed or ignored |
| 22 |
Lollygagging |
Means to waste time, dawdle, or spend time doing things that are not serious or useful |
| 23 |
Uphill climb |
Means a situation or task that is challenging, requires significant effort, and demands perseverance to achieve success |
| 24 |
All the time in the world |
Means that there is plenty of time to accomplish something or to take things at a leisurely pace |
| 25 |
That old chestnut |
Means a joke or story that has become tedious because of its age and constant repetition |
| 26 |
Coast is clear |
Means there is no danger of being observed or caught |
| 27 |
Off the rails |
Means to behave in a strange, abnormal, or wildly uncontrolled way |
| 28 |
Mind your p's and q's |
Means to be careful of your behavior and manners, especially in social situations |
| 29 |
Use your noodle |
Means to use your intelligence or brainpower to think about something carefully, especially to solve a problem or figure something out |
| 30 |
Bring it home |
Means a successful completion, a deeper understanding, or securing a win |
| 31 |
There is more than meets the eye |
Means that something is more complex, significant, or has hidden aspects that are not immediately obvious. |
| 32 |
Play one's cards close to one's chest |
Means to be extremely secretive and cautious about one's intentions |
| 33 |
Wear their feelings on their sleeves |
Means someone is openly and freely displaying their emotions, rather than hiding them |
| 34 |
Chickens come home to roost |
Means that the consequences of one's past actions, especially negative ones, will eventually return to affect them |
| 35 |
The game is afoot |
Means a challenge has been accepted or a new and exciting activity has begun |
| 36 |
Playing hardball |
Means using tough, uncompromising tactics to achieve a goal, often involving being harsh or unfair |
| 37 |
To look like death warmed over |
Used to describe someone who appears very ill, exhausted, or unwell |
| 38 |
Four sheets to the wind |
Means extremely drunk |
| 39 |
Curving |
Means to reject or ignore someone who is trying to initiate a romantic or physical relationship by delaying responses to messages or giving lame excuses for not agreeing to meet |
| 40 |
Hindsight is 20/20 |
Means it is easy to understand something after it has already happened |
| 41 |
Beggars can’t be choosy |
Means people who need something should be satisfied with what they get even if it is not exactly what they wanted |
| 42 |
Dot your i's and cross your t’s |
Means to be very meticulous and pay close attention to every detail, ensuring nothing is overlooked |
| 43 |
You never cease to amaze |
Used to express that one is consistently impressed or surprised by someone or something |
| 44 |
Not up to snuff |
Means not as good as it should be; not up to an acceptable standard |
| 45 |
Up to snuff |
Means to meet the required standard |
| 46 |
Hob·nob |
Means to mix socially |
| 47 |
S—t show |
Means a situation or event marked by chaos or controversy |
| 48 |
Moving at a glacier pace |
Means something is progressing or changing extremely slowly, like the movement of a glacier |
| 49 |
Water under the bridge |
Means something that's in the past and no longer relevant to the current situation |
| 50 |
Doing a 180 |
Means to make a complete about-face or change one's mind or direction, often in a sudden or dramatic way |
