Come hell or high water is an alliterative dyad which means “no matter what happens or how difficult it is.” This idiom is used to refer to a goal or intention that will be achieved at whatever cost.
“I’m going to pass this exam come hell or high water.”
To come in handy is to be useful or convenient.
“I know you don’t think you need to bring a heavy coat with you but trust me, it will come in handy where you’re going.”
To come to a head means to reach a point of crisis or climax so that it becomes absolutely necessary that a decision must be made or something must be done.
“The food company’s quality issues came to a head when two people died from food poisoning.”
Apples and oranges metaphorically refer to objects or persons that are not alike; things that are quite different even though they may fall into the same category. When we say two things are apples and oranges or that is comparing apples and oranges, we are saying that two things are completely different and it makes no sense to compare them.
“You’re considering a BMW and a Honda? That’s comparing apples to oranges.”
To conk out means to suddenly stop functioning or to fail, as a mechanical or electronic device; to fall asleep; faint or collapse suddenly; to die.
“My TV conked out in the last quarter of the game last night. Who won?”
To be cool as a cucumber means to be very calm; in control of your emotions; to have great self-control; to be self-possessed.
“Bruce is the guy you want around during a crisis. He’s as cool as a cucumber.”
A couch potato is a physically inactive person who spends much of their time sitting and watching television and eating junk food. A couch potato does not exercise or engage in regular physical activity. “You’ve turned into a real couch potato,” said Ella.
“Remember when we used to go hiking every weekend?”
Couldn’t Agree More (I, somebody)
When someone says ‘I couldn’t agree more’ it means they agree very strongly; to completely agree; to share someone’s opinion.
“I couldn’t agree more. That was a really silly movie.”
To count your blessings means to be grateful for what you have in life and not to dwell on what you do not have.
“Stop complaining about your job and count your blessings. In this economy, you’re lucky to be working.”
To crack up means to go insane or have an emotional or mental breakdown; cause damage to or wreck a vehicle; to be in a vehicular crash; to laugh heartily or cause someone to laugh.
“Mitchell is hysterical. He cracks me up every time I see him.”
Cross my heart is an emphatic pledge that one is telling the truth, sometimes said while using one hand to make an imaginary X over the heart. The full version of this idiom is ‘Cross my heart and hope to die.’
“I won’t tell the teacher I helped do your homework,” said Sally. “Cross your heart?” said Billy. “Cross my heart and hope to die,” replied Sally.
A crying shame is a very unfortunate situation; a more emphatic way of saying ‘a real shame.’
“It’s a crying shame Suan’s father died just before her wedding.”
To curry favor means to try to gain an advantage or to seek someone’s approval flattery and sycophantic and servile behavior.
“Some students try to curry favor with the professor by feigning excessive interest or passion for the subject.”
When something is cut and dried it is simple, clear, and unambiguous; fixed, and definite; already decided; predictable and usual.
“The law is cut and dried,” said the lawyer, “but that doesn’t mean we don’t have a case.”
To cut and run means to depart suddenly or quickly to avoid an awkward or dangerous situation; to run away as quickly as possible.
“When faced with the certainty of criminal charges, the wealthy businessman decided to cut and run rather than face the music.”
To cut corners is to do something in the quickest, cheapest, or easiest way, using less effort, money, time, or resources than necessary so that the end result is low quality or perhaps, illegal.
“If you cut corners on the buildings you will endanger people’s lives.”
To be cut from the same cloth means to be very similar; of the same kind; of a similar nature; to have similar characteristics, viewpoints, values, opinions, attitudes etc.
“My brother and I are definitely cut from the same cloth. We even have the same job.”
When something is a day late and a dollar short, it is too late and too little; delayed too long and ineffective; waiting too long to do something and being unprepared to do it effectively.
“Mike’s apology was a day late and a dollar short. There is just too much water under the bridge for me to ever forgive him.”
The daily grind is the boring, monotonous routine of each day, most often referring to a person’s job.
“Tired of the daily grind, he decided to move to the country and become a farmer.”
A dark horse is a person, in regards to a certain field, sport, political race etc., whose experience and abilities are unknown but who could unexpectedly win or achieve success over others; an unknown and unexpected winner of a race or other contest.
“Having never won a race, she was a dark horse to win the Gold Medal in the 100 meters.”
When something is day in and day out, it is happening repeatedly over time; occurring every day; continuously.
“I’m tired of the same routine day in and day out. I need a long vacation.”
Something that is dead and buried is completely ended; gone and forever in the past; no longer in use.
“Many people think slavery is dead and buried but it still goes on in some parts of the world.”
To be as dead as a doornail means to be completely and truly dead, never to live again or able to be used again; finished.
“The cops found a guy in the alley nearby. He was dead as a doornail.”
When something is dead easy it is extremely easy.
“That exam is dead easy. You’ll pass it with no problem.”
A road or other passage that is blocked at one end and thus does not lead anywhere; a situation, job, etc. which does not allow one to make progress; an impasse.
“Turn right to get to the main road. Just don’t use the first right because that’s a dead-end street.”
To be dead on your feet means to be very tired. Exhausted. Synonyms are dead tired, dog tired, and worn out.
“I have to get some sleep, I worked two shifts and I’m dead on my feet.”
A dead ringer is a person or thing that resembles another person or thing perfectly or almost perfectly; someone who looks very similar to another person; an exact or near-exact likeness or duplicate.
“That lawyer is a dead ringer for Robert Redford, right down to his hair color.”
To be dead set against something means completely or utterly opposed.
“My parents were dead set against my becoming an artist. So, that is exactly what I did.”
To be dead wrong means to be completely wrong.
“I thought he was the right choice for the job but I was dead wrong.”
Someone who plays devil’s advocate (or the devil’s advocate) is arguing against a popular or familiar view or is simply arguing for the sake of arguing.
“I like red as much as the next guy, but, just to play devil’s advocate, let’s say we choose a neutral color, instead.”
When we call someone or something ‘a diamond in the rough’ we mean that their good qualities are hidden. The idiom describes a person who is good but is perhaps uncouth, unkempt, rude, socially awkward, etc. With a little work, this person’s good qualities could shine through.
“The new player seemed hopeless at first, but the coach could tell right away that he was a diamond in the rough.”
When something is dirt cheap it is very inexpensive.
“Fifteen dollars a month for such a great service is dirt cheap.”
To dish out something is to give out something (advice, praise, favors, insults, criticism, information, etc.) in large amounts. The idiom is normally used in a critical sense and it is often negative things that are “dished out.” To dish it out is to dispense insults or abuse. Although the idioms dish out and dish it out have similar meanings, the meaning and use of the latter is more specific.
“He’s one of those investors who will dish out advice for hours but will never write a check.”
“All you have to do is stand up to Tom. He can dish it out but he can’t take it.”
A situation that is dog eat dog is one where people are in fierce and ruthless competition and willing to do anything to gain the advantage; anything goes.
“It’s a dog eat dog world, but that doesn’t mean you have to play the game.”
To be dog tired means to be extremely tired, exhausted, worn out; to be so tired you go right to sleep as soon as you get in bed.
“I’d love to play video games with you but it’s been a long day and I’m dog tired.”
Don’t Bite The Hand That Feeds You
To bite the hand that feeds you is to attack, harm, show ingratitude toward, or otherwise turn against someone who is helping you.
“I cannot stand this client, said Ed, I’m going to tell him to stop being such a pain!” “Don’t bite the hand that feeds you,” said Chris.
Don’t cry over spilt (or spilled) milk means don’t be upset about something that has happened and cannot be changed, undone, or rectified.
“I’m sorry you didn’t make the team but there’s no use crying over spilt milk. Just practice hard and try again next year.”
We say “don’t get me started” when someone brings up a topic about which we have a lot to say and are passionate about, usually in a negative way. Not to be taken literally, the idiom is more of an expression of strong feelings, whether negative or positive. More often, the intent is negative and the expression is used to express exasperation or strong dislike, etc. There may an element of warning in it: If I start talking about this, I’ll never stop!
“Jim hasn’t done any work all day,” said Seth. “Don’t get me started!” replied Charlie.
The idiom ‘Don’t give up your day job’ is used in a humorous way to tell someone you do not think they are very good at something.
“I’ve only been playing guitar for a few days! What do you think? asked Larry.
“Don’t give up your day job,” replied Russell.
Don’t I know it is a response to someone telling you something that you already know quite well, or a way of expressing your awareness of a certain fact or situation. Often, it means “Unfortunately, I’m aware” or “I’m all too aware of it.” Other times, it is an expression of simple agreement or acknowledgment.
“It must be a hundred degrees out there,” said Vince.
“Don’t I know it!” said Bobby.
The expression ‘don’t mind me‘ is used to tell another person in the same room with you to not pay any attention to you and to not let you interrupt them or distract them from what they are doing. The expression is a polite but informal one. However, it can sometimes be used sarcastically to indicate annoyance at being ignored or treated rudely.
“Don’t mind me, I just need to make a quick copy.”
Don’t start is an expression used to tell someone not to complain, lecture, or scold you. Usually, the idiom is reserved for those who often annoy you with criticisms or complaints.
“Don’t start, Mary! I know what you’re going to say.”
Saying “don’t you dare” is a way of telling someone not to do something, and if they do, you will be angry or annoyed at them.
“Don’t you dare track mud into this house,” said mom.
A doubting Thomas is a person who is almost always doubtful and refuses to believe anything without strong proof or evidence; a skeptic.
“Growing tired of Walter’s pessimism, Christina said to him, ‘Don’t you get tired of being a doubting Thomas all the time?’”
The idiom down the road has a literal meaning and a figurative one. Literally, down the road means farther along this same road. Up the road is a synonym except up the road has no figurative meaning. Figuratively, down the road means in the future; at a certain point in the future.
“Don’t worry, there’s a gas station just down the road.”
(To be brought or to come) down to Earth means to be brought back to reality; to become realistic or alert to the actual events going on around one. (To be) down to Earth means to be realistic, practical, and straightforward; to not be pretentious or shallow.
“Mr. Harold was so down to Earth during the interview, it made Sarah’s butterflies subside.”
Down to the wire means the very last possible moment or to the very end.
“I’m always down to the wire with my Thanksgiving cooking. I never even have time to freshen up before the family arrives.”
Draw a Blank: To try to find something, obtain something, accomplish something, etc. and fail; to try to think of something and fail; to get no result or response.
“I tried to get some friends to help me move but I drew a blank.”
To draw fire is to attract criticism or hostility, often from a more powerful person or organization or a large group.
“The President draws fire from conservatives for his social positions.”
To draw the line is to set a definite limit on what one is willing to do, accept, etc. and to state emphatically that one will stop short of this limit. The idiom can also mean to separate one thing from another or to accept, recognize, or admit the difference between two things.
“I’m willing to let my wife pick the movie, but a draw the line at romantic comedies.”
To draw the short straw, used metaphorically, means to get chosen to do some unpleasant or disagreeable task. The idiom does not mean that straws were actually drawn, only that someone who didn’t want to do it was chosen. This person could be said to have gotten the short end of the stick, another related idiom.
“I drew the short straw at the restaurant today and had to clean the bathroom.”