Can’t (or don’t) Judge a Book by Its Cover
You can’t judge a book by its cover means you should not make decisions or form opinions based solely on outward appearance without knowing more about someone or something. Both variants, using can’t and don’t are common.
“I know your first impression of Jonothan was not good, but don’t judge a book by its cover.”
Can’t See the Forest for the Trees
If you can’t see the forest for the trees, you are too focused on small details or parts and so you are missing something more important; you fail to understand the situation as a whole: You are missing the big picture.
“They’re asking if we have any suggestions for improvement when the program doesn’t work well at all. They really can’t see the forest for the trees.”
Can’t Stand Someone or Something
When you can’t stand someone or something, you strongly dislike them or it; be unable to tolerate being around someone or something.
“I can’t stand Jackie. He is the most obnoxious person I’ve ever met.”
A cardinal sin is a major sin or offense of some kind; a major breaking of established rules or procedures; or a significant violation of a principle or doctrine, especially in a profession.
“Long respected in his field, it was recently revealed that in his most important work, he had committed the cardinal sin of plagiarism.”
A cash cow is something, such as a product or business, that is a reliable source or profit; a dependable money-maker that contributes the most overall profits to a business.
“I was hesitant to invest in my brother-in-law’s business venture but it turned out to be a cash cow.”
This is usually expressed as a question to someone who is being unusually quiet or refusing to speak, as in “Has the cat got your tongue?”
“Well, aren’t you quiet today, Jane. What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?”
To catch fire means to be ignited; to start burning; to ignite and burn with flames; also, if an event, performance, artist, movement, idea, etc. catches fire, it becomes a subject of great interest and generates widespread enthusiasm and passion; to become very enthusiastic or passionate about something.
“This wood is just too wet to catch fire.”
To catch some rays means to go outside in the sun for some period of time, usually to sunbathe, or lay outside under the sun for the purposes of getting a suntan.
“I’m going to skip lunch today,” said John. “I think I’ll just take a walk to catch some rays and stretch my legs.”
To catch one’s breath is to resume normal breathing, or to struggle to resume normal breathing after becoming out of breath due to physical effort or vigorous exercise; to stop for a short time to rest or relax, especially to think about something or in order to be able to continue an activity; sometimes, to catch your breath is similar to ‘hold one’s breath,’ meaning to stop breathing momentarily, especially due to fear or a sudden shock or surprise.
“I have to catch my breath. I haven’t run this far in ages.”
To catch your death is an exaggerated way of saying to catch a severe cold. The idiom can be extended to any similar illness associated with cold weather, such as flu.
“It’s freezing out there. Don’t go out in short sleeves. You’ll catch your death.”
A cat nap is a short, light sleep during the day; a refreshing nap in the middle of the day. Also spelled cat nap.
“I was up way too late last night. I’m going to have to have a cat nap to get through the day.”
To be caught in the crossfire means to suffer harm because of a dispute between two other individuals or entities even though you yourself are not a part of the dispute.
“The union was fighting with management and the workers were caught in the crossfire.”
To be caught red-handed means to be caught while doing something wrong or illegal; to be caught committing a crime with all the evidence available.
“She was caught red-handed while shoplifting.”
Caught with Your Hand In The Cookie Jar
To be caught with one’s hand in the cookie jar means to be caught in the act of doing something wrong or forbidden, especially stealing money from one’s employer.
“I had to get rid of my assistant manager,” said Mr. Roberts, “he had his hand in the cookie jar.”
To be caught with your pants down means to be caught unawares in a situation to which you are completely unable to respond, react, etc. This expression means much the same as being a “deer in the headlights” except that the situation of the person caught with their pants down is highly embarrassing or potentially damaging, etc. This often involves a sexually compromising situation or something else one should not be doing. As well, it can simply mean that someone is unprepared to act and this lack of preparation is bad for their reputation, career, etc.
“After spending years shouting about morality and family values, the governor was caught with his pants down when a reporter asked him about his own affair.”
To chicken out means to refuse to do something because of fear or cowardice.
“We were both going to get tattoos last night but Mack chickened out.”
To chime in means to enter into a conversation other people are having, especially by interrupting to agree or repeat; to inject a comment or opinion into a conversation; to join a conversation to express agreement. In regards to music, to chime in means to join in by adding a harmony or in unison.
“Everybody in the room was chiming in to defend him.”
To chip in means to contribute some money to a cause, a business, or any other effort requiring money. It can also mean to contribute to an effort in any way, such as with physical help. This usually has the connotation of being a small amount of help or money, where each of a group of people are contributing something. Occasionally, the expression is used to mean the same as chime in such as with a remark during a discussion.
“I know it’s late, but if we all chip in we can get this place cleaned up in no time.”
To be a chip off the old block means to be similar to one of your parents, whether in traits, mannerisms, etc. This is similar to the idiom “the splitting image [of]” except that to be a chip off the old block does not have to mean physical appearance only. It is also similar to the expression, the apple does not fall far from the tree or like father, like son.
“It was strange meeting you after knowing your mother for so long. You’re such a chip off the old block.”
To have a chip on your shoulder is to blame someone else (or other people in general) for something that has happened to you or things that have gone wrong and to be continuously angry about it, resulting in negative behavior. Also, to be generally angry because you feel you have been treated unfairly, that you are not as good as other people, or haven’t had the same advantages as other people.
“That new guy at work sure has a chip on his shoulder.”
Clean as a whistle means extremely clean, squeaky clean, clear, spotless. There are other possible meanings that are less common in modern use.
“He wasn’t the greatest cook in the world, but he kept his kitchen as clean as a whistle.”
To clean up your (his/her) act means to improve your behavior and begin acting in a more acceptable way.
“You’ll have to clean up your act if you expect to keep living here,” said the landlady.
o clear the air is to talk openly and frankly about a situation, misunderstanding, disagreement, etc. in order to alleviate suspicion, tension, fear, confusion, worry, etc.
“When Frank found out that Warren was angry with him, he invited him to lunch to try to clear the air.”
To clock in is to record your time of arrival at work, usually by punching a time clock; to begin work. To clock out is to record your time of departure from work; to end work.
“I always clock in at nine o’clock on the dot. The one time I punched in five minutes late, my boss threw a fit.”
Close but no cigar is an interjection used to refer to an effort that comes very close to succeeding but does not succeed; a success that is narrowly missed.
“I almost broke the pool record for holding my breath today – close but no cigar.”
When something is said to be cold comfort, it is little or no consolation at all.
“The severance package was cold comfort after having worked for the company for twenty years.”
Cold, hard cash means actual money in the form of bills and coins as opposed to checks, credit, or any other form of payment; money that is readily available for payment.
“I deal only in cold, hard cash. You want to do business with me, don’t bring a checkbook!”
When referring to an object, to come apart at the seams means to fall apart; disintegrate. The expression does not require an object to actually be coming apart at the seams, but only to be falling apart in general.
“When Susan broke up with him, Mike seemed to come apart at the seams.”
The idiom ‘come full circle’ is similar to the idiom “what goes around comes around.” The expression describes a situation in which although a whole series of changes or events have taken place, conditions have returned to the original circumstances or position. There is usually a sense of inevitability implied, as if a cycle has been completed.
“Just when I thought we had agreed on a solution, we come full circle and end up back at the same old objections.”