phrases, sayings, proverbs and idioms at The Phrase Finder A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush A bunch of fives A chain is only as strong as its weakest link A countenance more in sorrow than in anger A Daniel come to judgement A diamond in the rough A diamond is forever A different kettle of fish A dish fit for the gods A dog is a man's best friend A drop in the bucket A drop in the ocean A fate worse than death A feather in one's cap A fish rots from the head down A fish out of water A fly in the ointment A fool and his money are soon parted A fool's paradise A foot in the door A foregone conclusion A friend in need is a friend indeed A golden key can open any door A good man is hard to find A hard man is good to find A hiding to nothing - On A house divided against itself cannot stand A knight in shining armour À la carte À la mode A legend in one's own lifetime A leopard cannot change its spots A little bird told me A little knowledge is a dangerous thing A little of what you fancy does you good A load of cobblers A load of codswallop A man after my own heart A man who is his own lawyer has a fool for a client A millstone around one's neck A ministering angel shall my sister be A miss is as good as a mile A nation of shopkeepers A nest of vipers A no-brainer A nod is as good as a wink A norange A penny for your thoughts A picture is worth a thousand words A piece of the action A pig in a poke A place for everything and everything in its place A plague on both your houses A priori A red rag to a bull A riddle wrapped up in an enigma A rolling stone gathers no moss A rose by any other name would smell as sweet A rose is a rose is a rose A safe pair of hands A sea change A skeleton in the closet A sledgehammer to crack a nut A shot in the arm A sight for sore eyes A sorry sight A stitch in time saves nine A stone's throw A thing of beauty is a joy forever A tinker's damn A turn up for the books A watched pot never boils A wolf in sheep's clothing A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle A woman's place is in the home A word in edgeways A word in your shell-like A1 at Lloyds Abandon all hope ye who enter here Abide with me About face About turn Above board Abracadabra Absence makes the heart grow fonder Absent without leave Absolute power corrupts absolutely Accidentally on purpose Accidents will happen According to Hoyle Ace in the hole Achilles' heel Acid test Acronyms Across the board Act of God Act the giddy goat Action man Adam's ale Aga saga Against the grain Age before beauty Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety Agree to disagree Aid and abet Aide-mémoire Air kiss Air quotes Al fresco Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio Alike as two peas in a pod Alive and kicking All agog All at sea All fingers and thumbs All Greek to me All in all All intents and purposes All of a sudden All present and correct All publicity is good publicity All singing, all dancing All systems go All that glitters is not gold / All that glisters is not gold All the tea in China - Not for All things come to he who waits All things must pass All you can eat Alter ego Amber nectar An albatross around one's neck An apple a day keeps the doctor away An arm and a leg An axe to grind An Englishman's home is his castle An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth An ill wind An offer he can't refuse An Oxford scholar Anchors aweigh Angry young man Ankle biter Annus horribilis Another think coming Apple of my eye - The Apple pie order April fool Arm candy - see ear candy Arms akimbo Ars longa, vita brevis Arty-farty Asap - As soon as possible As X as Y As alike as two peas in a pod As bald as a coot As black as Newgate's knocker As brown as a berry As busy as a bee As cold as any stone As cool as a cucumber As cute as a bug's ear As daft as a brush As dead as a dodo As dead as a doornail As different as chalk and cheese As easy as pie As fast as greased lightning As fine as frog's hair As fit as a butcher's dog As fit as a fiddle As good as gold As good luck would have it As happy as... As happy as a clam As happy as a sandboy As happy as Larry As high as a kite As keen as mustard As mad as a hatter As mad as a March hare As nice as ninepence As old as Methuselah As old as the hills As pleased as Punch As pure as the driven snow As safe as houses As queer as a nine bob note As snug as a bug in a rug As straight as a die As the crow flies As thick as thieves Thick as two short planks As white as snow Ashes to ashes dust to dust Ask a silly question and you'll get a silly answer (Ask not) for whom the bell tolls (H)asta la vista, baby At loggerheads At one fell swoop At one's beck and call At one's wit's end At sixes and sevens Augur well Auld lang syne Away with the fairies Baby blues Baby boomer Baby father Back of beyond - The Back-seat driver Back the field Back to basics Back to square one Back to the drawing board Backroom boy Backward in coming forward Bacon - Bring home the Bad books Bad egg Bad hair day Badger to death Bag and baggage Baker's dozen Balance of power - The Balance of trade - The Bald as a coot Bale out/bail out Ball and chain Bandy words Bane of your life Bang on about Baptism of fire Barge-pole - Wouldn't touch with a Barking mad Barking up the wrong tree Barrel of laughs Basket case Bated breath Bats in the belfry Batten down the hatches Battle royal Be afraid, be very afraid Be enthralled Be still, my beating heart Beam ends - On your Bean counter Beast with two backs Beat a hasty retreat Beat around the bush Beat swords into ploughshares Beat the living daylights out of someone Beauty is in the eye of the beholder Beauty is only skin deep Beck and call Bed of roses Bee in your bonnet Beef and reef Beelzebub has a devil for a sideboard Been there, done that Beer and skittles Bee-line - make a bee-line for Bee's knees - The Beetle-browed Before you can say Jack Robinson Beg the question Beggar belief Beggars can't be choosers Behind every great man there's a great woman Behind the eight ball Bell, book and candle Bell the cat Belle of the ball Below the belt Below the salt Bells and whistles Belt and braces Belt up Best bib and tucker Best laid schemes of mice and men - The Bet your bottom dollar Better half Better late than never Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all Between a rock and a hard place Between the Devil and the deep blue sea Between two stools Between you, me and the bed-post Beware of Greeks bearing gifts Beware the Ides of March Beyond belief Beyond our ken Beyond the pale Biblical phrases Big Apple - The Big cheese - The Big Easy - The Big fish in a small pond - A Big wig (A) bigger bang for your buck Bill Stickers is innocent Billy-o - Like Billy no mates Binge drinking Bird in the hand is worth two in the bush - A Birds and the bees - The Birds of a feather flock together Bite the bullet Bite the dust Bitter end - The Black as Newgate's knocker Black-on-black Black sheep of the family Blast from the past - A Blaze a trail Blind leading the blind - The Blind-man's buff Bling-bling Blonde bombshell Blood and thunder Blood is thicker than water Blood toil tears and sweat Blood, sweat and tears Bloody-minded Blot on the landscape Blow a raspberry - see raspberry tart Blow your mind Blow your own trumpet Blown to smithereens Blue blood Blue moon (Once in a) Blue-plate special Bob's your uncle Bode well Bodice ripper Body - phrases related to the human body Body surfing Bog standard Bolt from the blue Bone dry Bone idle Bone up on Booby prize Booby trap Boogie-woogie To big for your boots Booze cruise Born again Born with a silver spoon in one's mouth Born within the sound of Bow Bells Boss eyed Bottle out Bottom drawer Bottom-up Bought the farm Bowled a maiden over Box and Cox Box-seat - in the Boxing Day Brand spanking new Brass monkey weather Brass tacks - get down to Bread always falls buttered side down Bread of life - The Break a leg Break the ice Bricks and clicks Bring home the bacon Broad in the beam Broke - if it ain't, don't fix it Brook no truck with Bronx cheer Brown as a berry Browned off Brownie points Brummagem screwdriver Brush - As daft as a Bubble and squeak Buck stops here - The Bucket list Buckle down Bugger Bognor! Buggins' turn Bullet - Bit the, Bite the Bums on seats Bun in the oven Bunch of fives - A Bunny boiler Burn the candle at both ends Burning the midnight oil Bury the hatchet Bury your head in the sand Busy as a bee Butt end of the stick - The Butter no parsnips - Fine words Butter side down Butter wouldn't melt in his mouth Butterfingers By and large By dint of By gum By hook or by crook By the board By the book By the short hairs By the skin of your teeth By your leave Bygones be bygones - Let Caesar Salad Call a spade a spade Call of the wild - The Camera cannot lie - The Can't be overestimated/can't be underestimated Can't hold a candle to Canteen culture Canterbury pace Carbon-copy Carbon footprint Card-sharp Carey Street - On Carpe diem Carry coals to Newcastle Cart before the horse - Put the Carte blanche Cash on the nail (Ne'er) cast a clout till May be out Cast the first stone Cat got your tongue? Cat may look at a king - A Cat out of the bag - Let the Catbird seat - In the Catch 22 Cat's Cradle Caught in a cleft stick Caught by the short hairs Caught red-handed Chain is only as strong as its weakest link - A Chaise lounge Chalk and cheese Champ at the bit Chance would be a fine thing Channel surfing Charity begins at home Charley horse Charm offensive Charmed life Cheap at half the price Cheek by jowl Cherchez la femme Chew the cud Chick flick Chickens come home to roost Children should be seen and not heard Chinese whispers Chinless wonder Chip off the old block Chip on your shoulder Chit-chat Chock-a-block Chop and change Chop-chop Chow down Christmas box - A Christmas card verses Clean breast - make a Clear blue water Cleft stick - In a Cliff-hanger Climb on the bandwagon Cloak and dagger Clod-hopper Clog up Close, but no cigar Close quarters Close your eyes and think of England Cloud cuckoo land Cloud nine Club sandwich Clue - don't have a Clutch at straws Coals to Newcastle - Carry Cobblers - A load of Cock-a-hoop Cock-sure Cock a snook Cock and bull story Cock-up Cockney rhyming slang Codswallop - a load of Cogito ergo sum Coin a phrase Cold as any stone Cold comfort Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey Cold feet Cold shoulder Cold turkey Collywobbles - The Colour up Come a cropper Come clean Come on down Come up trumps Come what come may Comes to the crunch - (When it) (Coming in) on a wing and a prayer Common sense Comparisons are odious Compassion fatigue Complete shambles Cook the books Cookie cutter Cool as a cucumber Cool Britannia Cop an attitude Copper-bottomed Cor blimey Cordon bleu Cost an arm and a leg Cotton on to Cotton-picking Countenance more in sorrow than in anger - A Counting sheep Country bumpkin Course of true love never did run smooth - The Crack of doom - The Crackpot Crapper - The Crocodile tears Crop up Crown jewels Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war Curate's egg Curiosity killed the cat Curry favour Customer is always right - The Cut and run Cut of your jib - The Cut off without a penny Cut off your nose to spite your face Cut the mustard Cut to the chase Cute as a bug's ear Daft as a brush Damp squib Dance attendance on Daniel come to judgement Darby and Joan Dark horse Darkest hour - The Darkest hour is just before the dawn - The Dark side - The Darling buds of May Dash to pieces Date rape Davy Jones' locker Daylight robbery Dead as a dodo Dead as a doornail Dead cat bounce Dead ringer Delusions of grandeur Derring-do Designer stubble Deus ex machina Devil and the deep blue sea Devil Incarnate - The Devil take the hindmost - The Devil to pay - The Devil's advocate Diamond in the rough Diamond is forever - A Dicky-bird - Not a Die-hard Die has been cast - The As different as chalk and cheese Different kettle of fish Differently abled Dirt bag Dish fit for the gods - A Do unto others as you would have them do to you Dock your pay Doesn't know shit from Shinola Doff your hat Dog days Dog in the manger Dog is a man's best friend Dog's bollocks Dog's breakfast Dog's dinner Doldrums - in the Dollars to doughnuts Done a runner Done to a turn Donkey's years Don't call us, we'll call you Don't change horses in midstream Don't count your chickens before they are hatched Don't die like I did Don't go there Don't have a clue Don't keep a dog and bark yourself Don't know shit from Shinola Don't let the bastards grind you down Don't look a gift horse in the mouth Don't shut the stable door after the horse has bolted Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater Don't try to teach your Grandma to suck eggs Doom and gloom Double cross Double Dutch Double entendre Double whammy Down at heel Down in the dumps Down to the wire Down the pan Down the tubes Drag race Dragged through a hedge backwards Draw a blank Draw your horns in Dreams of empire Dressed to the nines Drink like a fish Driving while black Drop-dead gorgeous Drop in the bucket - A Dropping like flies Drummed out of the army Ducks and drakes Dumb blonde Dust up Dutch - My old Dutch courage Duvet day Ear candy Early bird catches the worm - The Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise Ear-mark Easy as pie Eat drink and be merry Eat humble pie Eat my hat Eaten out of house and home Economical with the truth Eeny, meeny, miny, mo Egg on Eighty six Elbow-grease Elementary my dear Watson Elephant in the room Elvis has left the building Emperor's new clothes End of story Ends of the earth - The Enough is as good as a feast Enough is enough Englishman's home is his castle Eponymous Phrases Et tu, Brute Ethnic cleansing Euphemisms Even at the turning of the tide Every cloud has a silver lining Everybody out Exceedingly well read Exception that proves the rule - The Excuse me while I kiss this guy Excuse my French Extraordinary rendition Eye candy - see ear candy (An) eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth Eye of newt and toe of frog, wool of bat and tongue of dog Face that launched a thousand ships - The Face the music Faff about Fag end Failing to plan is planning to fail Faint-hearted Fair and square Fair dinkum Fair exchange is no robbery Fair play Fair to middling Fairy-tale ending Fait accompli Faith will move mountains Fall from grace Fall guy Fall off the back of a lorry Fall on your sword Famous for fifteen minutes Famous last words (dying statements of famous people - a list) Famous last words (the ironic phrase) Fancy free Fancy pants Fanny Adams - Sweet Far be it from me Far from the madding crowd Farmers Fashion victim The word fast, and phrases that derive from it. Fast and loose Fast asleep Fathom out (The) fat of the land Fate worse than death - A Feather in one's cap - A Fed up Feeding frenzy (It) fell off the back of a truck Fell swoop - At one Fellow traveller Female of the species is more deadly then the male - The Fend off Fiddlesticks Fiddling while Rome burns Fie, foh, fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman Field day Fifteen minutes of fame Fifth column Fight fire with fire Fight the good fight Filthy rich Finagle's Law Fine as frog's hair Fine words butter no parsnips Finger lickin good Fingers and thumbs First water First World Fish rot from the head down Fish or cut bait Fish out of water - A As fit as a butcher's dog Fit as a fiddle Fifth column Fifth estate Fits and starts Fits to a tee Five o'clock shadow Fixer-upper Flash in the pan Flat out Flavor of the month Flesh and blood Flogging a dead horse Floozie in the jacuzzi - The Flotsam and jetsam Fly by the seat of one's pants Fly in the ointment Fly off the handle Fly on the wall Foam at the mouth Fobbed off Folk Etymology - The Nonsense Nine Fool and his money are soon parted - A Fools rush in where angels fear to tread Fool's errand Fool's gold Fool's paradise - A Foot in the door - A Foot of our stairs - The For all intents and purposes For crying out loud For ever and a day For every thing there is a season For good measure For keeps For the birds For whom the bell tolls Forbidden fruit Foregone conclusion Forewarned is forearmed Forgive them for they know not what they do Forlorn hope Foul play Four by two Four corners of the earth Frailty, thy name is woman Freeze the balls off a brass monkey - cold enough to Freezing temperatures French phrases Friday afternoon car Friend in need is a friend indeed - A Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears Frog in the throat - A Frog's hair- as fine as From pillar to post From sea to shining sea From strength to strength Fruits of your loins Fuddy-duddy Full Monty - The Full of piss and vinegar Full tilt Full to the gunwales Funny farm Fuzzy wuzzy Gad zooks (or gadzooks) Game is afoot - The Game is up - The Game of two halves Gee whiz Generation X Genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration Get a word in edgeways Get down to brass tacks Get medieval Get off on the wrong foot Get off your high horse Get on my wick Get one's dander up Get over it Get the pip Get the sack Get the upper hand Get thee behind me Satan Get underway Get used to it Get your dander up Get your goat Giddy aunt Giddy goat Gild the lily Gilt off the gingerbread Ginned up Ginger Ginger up Give a man a fish and you will feed him for a day Give a wide berth Give no quarter Give the Devil his due Give up the ghost Glass ceiling Gloom and doom Go and boil your head Go berserk Go by the board Go by the book Go Dolally Go-faster Go for a burton Go haywire Go like the clappers Go off half-cocked Go out on a limb Go postal Go over like a lead balloon Going to hell in a handbasket Go pound sand Go the whole hog Go to pot Go to the dogs Go to the foot of our stairs Go to the mattresses Go whole hog God is dead God rot them Godfrey Daniel Going for a burton Golden key can open any door - A GOLF - Gentlemen only, ladies forbidden Gone for a burton Good as gold Good in parts Good man is hard to find - A Good measure - For Good men and true Good riddance Good Samaritan Goody, goody gumdrops Goody two-shoes Gordon Bennett Got my mojo working Grace of God - There but for ... (Take with a) grain of salt Grand slam Grandfather clock Granny dumping Grasp the nettle Grass up Graveyard shift Greased lightning Great balls of fire Great minds think alike Great unwashed - the Green eyed monster Gregory Peck Gridlock Grind to a halt Grinning like a Cheshire cat Grist to the mill Gry - Words ending in Guinea pig Gung ho Gussied-up Guts for garters Hair of the dog that bit you Hairy eyeball Halcyon days Half a loaf is better than no bread Half-cocked Half-hearted Half inch Hand over fist Handbags at ten paces Handle with kid gloves Hands down Hanged, drawn and quartered Hanky-panky Happy as a clam Happy as a sandboy Happy as Larry Happy clappy Happy slapping Harbinger of doom Hard and fast Hard cases make bad law Hard cheese Hard hearted Hard lines Hard man is good to find - A Hark, hark! the lark at heaven's gate sings Harp on Harvest moon Has the cat got your tongue? Hasta la vista, baby Haste makes waste Hat trick Have a Captain Cook Have a dekko Have an axe to grind Have an inkling Have no truck with Haven't got a clue Have your guts for garters He who can, does; he who cannot, teaches He who laughs last laughs longest He will give the Devil his due Head over heels Heads up Hear hear Heard it through the grapevine Heart's content Heavens to Betsy Heavens to Murgatroyd Heavy metal Heebie-jeebies - The Hedge your bets Hell in a handbasket Hell has no fury like a woman scorned Hell or high water Helter-skelter Here lies one whose name is writ in water Het up Hiding to nothing - On a Higgledy-piggledy High and dry High and mighty High as a kite High five High-flyer High horse - get off your High on the hog High time High, wide and handsome Hissy fit History is bunk Hit the ground running Hit the hay Hit the nail on the head Hither and yon Hobson's choice Hobby-horse Hocus pocus Hoi polloi Hoist with your own petard Hoity-toity (Can't) hold a candle to Hold your horses Homonyms Honesty is the best policy Hooray Henry Horse and cart Horse feathers Horse-sense Horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse - A Horse's mouth - straight from the Hot-blooded Hot off the press Hot on the heels House divided against itself cannot stand - A Household words Houston, we have a problem How are the mighty fallen? How do you do? How now brown cow? How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child Hugger-mugger Hung, drawn and quartered Hunky-dory Hunt and peck Hush puppies I bear a charmed life I have not slept one wink I have nothing to declare but my genius I have nothing to offer but blood toil tears and sweat I haven't got a clue I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips I spy with my little eye I told you is was ill I will swing for you I will wear my heart upon my sleeve Identity theft (Beware the) Ides of March If I had my druthers If it ain't broke, don't fix it If music be the food of love, play on If the cap fits If the mountain will not come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the mountain If the shoe fits If wishes were horses, beggars would ride If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen If you think that, you have another think coming Ill wind I'll be there with bells on I'll go to the foot of our stairs I'll have your guts for garters I'm stumped Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery In a cleft stick In a pickle In a pig's eye In a quandary In a nutshell In a trice In an interesting condition In for a penny, in for a pound In like Flynn In limbo In my minds eye In someone's bad books In spades In stitches In the bag In the box-seat In the buff In the cart In the catbird seat In the club In the doghouse In the doldrums In the limelight In the nick of time In the pink In the red In the same boat In your face Indian giver Indian summer Infra dig Innocent until proven guilty Inside out For all intents and purposes Iron hoof Is the Pope Catholic? Is the Pope Polish? Is this a dagger which I see before me? It ain't over till the fat lady sings It came like a bolt from the blue It is meat and drink to me It never rains but it pours It's all Greek to me It's all grist to the mill It's better to give than to receive It's better to light a candle than curse the darkness It's not rocket science It's that man again Ivory tower Jack in the box Jack of all trades, master of none Jack Palancing Jack - phrases that include the name Jack Jack Robinson - Before you can say Jack the lad Jam tomorrow Jerry built Jet-black Jimmy Horner Jimmy Riddle Jobs for the boys Join the colours Joined at the hip Johnny on the spot Jot or tittle Jump on the bandwagon Jump the gun Jump the shark Jury is still out Just deserts Just in time Kangaroo court Katy bar the door Keep a wide berth Keen as mustard Keep body and soul together Keep schtum Keep a stiff upper lip Keep at bay Keep it under your hat Keep the ball rolling Keep up with the Joneses Keep your chin up Keep your distance Keep your hands clean Keep your nose clean Keep your nose to the grindstone Keep your pecker up Keep your powder dry Keepy-uppy Kettle of fish Khyber pass Kick the bucket Kick your heels Kickin' - Alive and Kilroy was here King James' Version of the Bible Kiss and tell Kiss me Hardy (The whole) kit and caboodle Kith and kin Knee-jerk reaction Knick-knack Knight in shining armour Knock back Knock into a cocked hat Knock off Knock on wood Know the ropes Know your onions Know which side your bread is buttered Know which way the wind blows Knuckle down Knuckle under Kowtow to La-di-da La dolce vita Labour of love Lackadaisical Ladies' room Lager frenzy Laid out in lavender La-la land Lamb to the slaughter Lame duck Land of nod - The Lardy-dardy Lark about Last but not least Last straw - The Latin Phrases Laugh like a drain Laughing-stock Laurels - rest on one's The law is an ass Lay it on with a trowel Lead balloon - Go over like a Lead-pipe cinch Learn the ropes Left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing Left in the lurch Legend in one's own lifetime Leopard cannot change its spots - A Less is more Let a thousand flowers bloom Let bygones be bygones Let not poor Nelly starve Let not the sun go down on your wrath Let or hindrance Let sleeping dogs lie Let the cat out of the bag Let them eat cake Let there be light Let your hair down Let's roll Level playing field Lick and a promise Lick into shape Lickety-split Lie low Lies, damned lies and statistics Life begins at forty Life in the 1500s - folk etymologies Life of Riley Life's not all beer and skittles Life's too short Like a chicken with its head cut off Like a moth to a flame Like being savaged by a dead sheep Like billy-o Like it or lump it Like the clappers Like the Dickens Like two peas in a pod Lily-livered Little bird told me - A Little knowledge is a dangerous thing - A Little of what you fancy does you good - A Little pitchers have big ears Lions led by donkeys Live long and prosper Living daylights Living off the fat of the land Living on borrowed time Lo and behold Load of cobblers Load of codswallop Loaf of bread Local derby Lock stock and barrel Long in the tooth Look before you leap Loose cannon Loose lips sink ships Lose face Lose your marbles Love is blind Love that dare not speak its name - The Loved-up Lunatic fringe Mad as a hatter Mad as a March hare Magical realism Main chance Make a bee-line for Make a clean breast of it Make a pig's ear of Make a virtue of necessity Make haste Make hay while the sun shines Make him an offer he can't refuse Make my day Make no bones about Make your hair stand on end Mal de mer Man after my own heart - A Man does not live by bread alone Man who is his own lawyer has a fool for a client - A A dog is a man's best friend Man's inhumanity to man Many a little makes a mickle Many are called but few are chosen Many happy returns Many a true word is spoken in jest 'March' phrases Mare's nest Marital aid Market forces Marry in haste, repent at leisure May you live in interesting times McCoy - The real Mea culpa Meat and drink Meat and two veg. Meet your Waterloo Men in suits Mend fences Ménage à trois Men's evil manners live in brass; their virtues we write in water Merry Christmas Method in my madness Mexican wave Mickey Finn Middle for diddle Middle of the road Might and main (The pen is) mightier than the sword Mighty oaks from little acorns grow Milk of human kindness Minced oaths Minced words Mind your Ps and Qs Mind's ear Mind's eye Ministering angel shall my sister be - A Mint condition Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows Misquotes Miss is as good as a mile Moaning Minnie Mondegreens Montezuma's Revenge 'Money' phrases Money for old rope Monstrous regiment of women Monty - The full Moot point Morbid obesity More bang for your buck More fool you More haste, less speed More honoured in the breach than in the observance More light! Morning person Mother country Motley crew Mouth-watering Movable feast Movers and shakers Moving finger writes - The Moving the goalposts Much Ado about Nothing Much of a muchness Mud - your name is Mull (something) over Multitude of sins Mumbo jumbo Mum's the word Murphy's Law Music has charms to soothe the savage breast Mutt's nuts - The Mutt and Jeff Mutton dressed as lamb My bad My better half My cup of tea My cup runneth over My giddy aunt My husband and I My mind's eye My old china My old Dutch My salad days My stars and garters Nail your colours to the mast Namby-pamby Name and shame Name is mud Nasty, brutish and short Nation of shopkeepers - A Nautical phrases Near the knuckle Necessity is the mother of invention Ne'er cast a clout till May be out Ne'er do well Needs must Neither a borrower nor a lender be Neither fish nor flesh, nor good red herring Neither here nor there Nest-egg Nest of vipers - A Never give a sucker an even break Never knowingly undersold Never look a gift horse in the mouth Never-never land Never the twain shall meet New kid on the block Nice as ninepence Nice kettle of fish (In the) nick of time Night owl Nine days' wonder Nip and tuck Nip in the bud Nitty-gritty No-brainer No dice No holds barred No laughing matter No man is an island No more cakes and ale? No names: no pack-drill No quarter given No rest for the wicked No room to swing a cat No truck with No way, Jose Nod is as good as a wink - A Nod - The land of Norange - A Nosy parker Not a dicky-bird Not by a long chalk Not my cup of tea Not for all the tea in China Not playing with a full deck Not rocket science Not tonight Josephine Not worth a plugged nickel Not worth the candle Nothing is certain but death and taxes Nothing succeeds like success Nothing ventured, nothing gained Now is the winter of our discontent Nth degree Nul points Nutshell - In a O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo? O ye, of little faith Odds bodkins Off his own bat Off the record Off with his head Offing - In the Oh, my stars and garters Oh, they have slain the Earl of Moray and Lady Mondegreen Okay Okey-dokey Old as Methuselah Old as the hills Old chestnut Old codger Old hat Old lang syne - see auld lang syne On a hiding to nothing On a wing and a prayer On Carey Street On cloud nine On queer street On tenterhooks On the ball On the bubble On the button On the dole On the fiddle On the pig's back On the QT On the shoulders of giants On the side of the angels On the wagon On the warpath On with the motley On your beam ends On your tod Once in a blue moon Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more One-hit wonder One fell swoop - At One for the road One foot in the grave One good turn deserves another One over the eight One sandwich short of a picnic One small step for man One stop shop One swallow doesn't make a summer One's heart's content Oops-a-daisy Open season (The) order of the boot Ough - the many ways to pronounce Out of sight Out of sight, out of mind Out of sorts Out of the jaws of death Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings Out on a limb Over a barrel Over the moon Over the top Overpaid, oversexed, and over here Oxo cube Ps and Qs - Mind your Packed to the gunwales Paddle your own canoe Paint the town red Panic stations Paper tiger Parting shot / Parthian shot Pass over to the other side Pass the buck Paying guest - A P.D.Q. - pretty damn quick Pearls before swine Pears for your heirs Peeping Tom Peg out Pell-mell (The) pen is mightier than the sword Pennies from heaven Penny dreadful (The) penny drops Penny pinching Penny for your thoughts - A Penny saved is a penny earned - A Penny wise and pound foolish Pester power Peter out Petty cash Phrases that people get wrong Physician heal thyself Pick 'n' mix Picture is worth a thousand words - A Picture-perfect Pie - as easy as Pie in the sky Piece of cake - A Piece of piss Piece of the action Pig in a poke Pigeon-chested Pig's back - on the Pig's ear (In a) pig's eye Pig and whistle Piggyback Pigs might fly Pin money (Take with a) pinch of salt Pip - Get the/got the /have the Pipe down Pipe dream - A Piping hot Piss and vinegar - Full of Pitch black Pitch dark Place for everything and everything in its place - A Plague on both your houses - A Plain sailing Plates of meat Play by ear Play Devil's advocate Play ducks and drakes Play fast and loose Play it again Sam Play second fiddle Play silly buggers Play the giddy goat Play the race card Pleased as Punch Plug-ugly Plugged nickel Poetic justice Point-and-click Point Percy at the porcelain Politically correct Point-blank Point to point Pommy bashing Pomp and circumstance Pond life Pony and trap Pony up Pop goes the weasel Popular fallacies - The Nonsense Nine Pork pies POSH - Port out, starboard home Pot calling the kettle black - The Take potluck Pound of flesh Pour oil on troubled waters Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely Power dressing Powers that be - The Praying at the porcelain altar Preaching to the choir Preposterous Press into service Pretty kettle of fish Pretty penny - A Prick up your ears Prime time Primrose path Procrastination is the thief of time Proof of the pudding is in the eating - The Proverbs - A list of Pull in your horns Pull out all the stops Pull the other one, it's got bells on Pull the wool over your eyes Pull up stakes Pull your horns in Pull your finger out Pull yourself up by your bootstraps Pulling one's leg Punch above one's weight Pure as the driven snow Purple patch Push the boat out Push the envelope Put a damper on Put a sock in it Put a spanner in the works Put on the wooden overcoat Put on your thinking cap Put paid to Put the cart before the horse Put the mockers on Put the wood in the hole Put up your dukes Put your back up Put your best foot forward Put your nose out of joint Pyrric victory Quality time Quarter - Give no Queer as a nine bob note Queer Street Queer the pitch Quick and the dead - The Quicker than lager turns to piss Quid pro quo Quotations Rabbit and pork Rack and ruin Rag-and-bone man Rack your brains Rag, tag and bobtail Raining cats and dogs Raining stair-rods Raise Cain Rank and file Raspberry tart Raze to the ground Rat arsed Read between the lines Read the riot act Real McCoy Red-handed (caught) Red herring Red in tooth and claw Red-letter day Red rag to a bull - A Red sky at night ... Red tape Reduplicated phrases Religion is the opium of the people Rest on his laurels Revenge is a dish best served cold Rhyme nor reason Rhyming slang Richard of York gave battle in vain Richard the Third Riddle wrapped up in an enigma - A Riding shotgun Riff-raff Riley - the life of [That] Rings a bell Ring a ring o'roses, a pocketful of posies, atishoo, atishoo, all fall down Ring down the curtain Ring-fencing Ring the changes Rinky-dink Rise and shine Road less travelled - The Road apples Road rage Roasted to a turn Rob Peter to pay Paul Rock and roll It's not rocket science A rolling stone gathers no moss Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? Rose by any other name would smell as sweet - A Rose is a rose is a rose Rosie Lea Rough diamond Round Robin Route one Rub of the green Rule of thumb Rum do Rumpy-pumpy Run a mile Run amok Run of the mill Run out of steam Run rings around Run the gauntlet Sacred cow Safe as houses - As Safe pair of hands - A Safe sex Salad days Salt of the earth - The San fairy Ann Sandwich short of a picnic Save face Save one's bacon Saved by the bell Savoir faire Say cheese Say goodnight Gracie Scapegoat Scarper Scot-free Scott (Sir Walter - phrases coined by) Screw your courage to the sticking place 'Scuse me while I kiss this guy Sea change Sealed with a loving kiss Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness Second-guess Security blanket See a pin and pick it up, all the day you'll have good luck; see a pin and let it lie, bad luck you'll have all day See red Seen better days Send packing Senior citizen Sent to Coventry Separate the sheep from the goats Set one's cap at Set your teeth on edge Sex and shopping Seven-year itch Sexton Blake Shebang - The whole Shaggy dog story Shake a leg Shakers and movers Shakespeare (phrases and sayings of) Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Shambles Shanks' mare/shanks' pony Share and share alike Shilly-shally Ship shape and Bristol fashion Shit end of the stick - The Shit for brains Shiver my timbers Shoddy Short end of the stick - The Shot across the bows Shot heard 'round the world - The Shot in the arm Shot in the dark Shoot through Short shrift Show a leg - see shake a leg Show your mettle Shrinking violet Shuffle off this mortal coil Shut your cake-hole Siamese twins Sick puppy (A) Sight for sore eyes (A) Silly Billy Silly season Silver lining - every cloud has a Sir Walter Scott (phrases coined by) Silence is golden Silver bullet Similes Sitting pretty Sixes and sevens - At Skeleton in the closet Skid row Skin and blister (By the) skin of your teeth (The) sky's the limit Sledgehammer to crack a nut - A Sleep like a top Sleep on a clothesline Sleep tight Sleeveless errand Sloane Ranger Slush fund Smallest room in the house - The Smart casual Smoke and mirrors Snug as a bug in a rug So sue me Soap-dodger Sod's Law Sold down the river Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men, have mediocrity thrust upon them Someone is walking over my grave Something for the weekend sir? Something nasty in the woodshed Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue Son of a bitch Son of a gun Sorry sight Sound bite Sound out Sour grapes Space, the final frontier Spare the rod and spoil the child Speak of the Devil Speak softly and carry a big stick Special relationship Spelling-bee Spend a penny Spick and span Spill the beans Spin doctor Spitting feathers Spitting image Spoonerisms Spring forward, fall back Spruce-up Square meal Squeaky bum time Stand and deliver Stand up guy Standing on the shoulders of giants Star-crossed lovers Stark, raving mad Stars and garters - My Start from scratch Steal a march Steal my thunder Stick in the mud Sticks and stones may break my bones Sticky wicket Stiff upper lip Stiffen the sinews Stinking rich Stitch in time saves nine - A Stone the crows Stone's throw Stony-hearted Stool pigeon Storm in a teacup Straight as a die Straight from the horse's mouth Strain at the leash Strait-laced Strait and narrow Stranger danger Stranger than fiction - Truth is Strike while the iron is hot Stuff and nonsense Stump up Such is life Surf and turf Surfing the Net/surfing the Internet/surfing the Web Survival of the fittest Suspension of disbelief Swan song Sweet Fanny Adams Swing for you Swing the lead Tail wagging the dog - The Take a back seat Take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of themselves Take down a peg or two Take potluck Take the bit between your teeth Take the cake Take the gilt off the gingerbread Take the Mickey Take the upper hand Take umbrage Take with a grain of salt Taken aback Talk of the Devil Talk the talk Talk through one's hat Talk to the hand Tall story Tanstaafl - (there's no such thing as a free lunch) Tattoo phrases and sayings Tawdry Tea leaf Technicolor yawn Tell it to the marines Tempest in a teapot Test your mettle - see show your mettle That's all folks! That's all she wrote That's one small step for a man, a giant leap for mankind The ants are my friends, they're blowing in the wind The apple of my eye The back of beyond The balance of power The balance of trade The bane of my life The bee's knees The belle of the ball The best laid schemes of mice and men The Big Apple The Big Easy The birds and the bees The bitter end The blind leading the blind The bread of life The buck stops here The call of the wild The camera cannot lie The chickens come home to roost The collywobbles The course of true love never did run smooth The crack of doom The Crapper The customer is always right The cut of your jib The dark side The darkest hour is just before the dawn The Devil Incarnate The Devil is in the details The Devil makes work for idle hands to do The Devil take the hindmost The Devil to pay The die has been cast The early bird catches the worm The elephant in the room The emperor's new clothes The ends of the earth The exception which proves the rule The face that launched a thousand ships The fat of the land The female of the species is more deadly then the male The fifth estate The floozie in the jacuzzi The fly in the ointment The full monty The game is afoot The game is up The great unwashed The hair of the dog that bit you The hairy eyeball The heebie-jeebies The jury is still out The land of nod The last straw The law is an ass The life of Riley The living daylights The love that dare not speak its name The monstrous regiment of women The more the merrier The moving finger writes The mutt's nuts The nth degree The opera ain't over till the fat lady sings The pen is mightier than the sword The pip - Get/got/have The pot calling the kettle black The powers that be The proof of the pudding is in the eating The quick and the dead The real McCoy The road less travelled The road to hell is paved with good intentions The salt of the earth The seven-year itch The shoemaker always wears the worst shoes The short end of the stick The shot heard 'round the world The sky's the limit The smallest room in the house The straw that broke the camel's back The tail wagging the dog The toast of the town The third degree The triumph of hope over experience The upper hand The usual suspects The whole kit and caboodle The whole nine yards The whole shebang The writing is on the wall The wrong side of the blanket The year dot The Yellow Peril There is more than one way to kill a cat There are three kinds of lies... There but for the grace of God, go I There is no alternative There's an R in the month There's method in my madness There's no fool like an old fool There's no such thing as a free lunch (Tanstaafl) There's no such thing as bad publicity There's one (a sucker) born every minute They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance Thick and thin As thick as thieves Thin air - Vanish into Thing of beauty is a joy forever - A Things that go bump in the night Think outside the box Thinking cap Third degree - The Third time lucky Thomas Paine - The writings of Thorn in the flesh Thou shalt not kill Though this be madness, yet there is method in it Three score and ten Three sheets to the wind Three strikes and you are out Through thick and thin Throw in the towel Throw your hat into the ring Thumbs up Thus far into the bowels of the land Ticked off Tickle the ivories Tickled pink Tide over Tie the knot Till the cows come home Time and tide wait for no man Tinker's damn Tilting at windmills Tissue of lies Titfer Tit for tat Tits up To a T To all intents and purposes To be or not to be, that is the question To beggar belief To boldly go where no man has gone before To boot To cast the first stone To err is human; to forgive divine To gild refined gold, to paint the lily To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub To the manner born To the nth degree To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive Toast of the town Toe the line Toe-curling Toffee-nosed Tommy Atkins Tomorrow is another day Tomorrow is another day Tongue in cheek Too big for your breeches Too much of a good thing Toodle-oo Tooth and nail Top dog Top drawer Top notch Topsy-turvy Total shambles Touch and go Touch with a barge-pole - Wouldn't Touch wood Touchy-feely Tout de suite Tower of strength Train surfing Trick or treat Trip the light fantastic Trouble and strife True blue Truth is stranger than fiction Truth will out Tuckered out Turn a blind eye Turn of phrase Turn the tables Turn up for the books Turn up trumps Twelve good men and true Twenty three skidoo Twenty four seven Two cents worth Two heads are better than one Two peas in a pod Under the thumb Under your hat - Keep it Under the auspices of Get - underway Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown Union Jack The great - unwashed The - unkindest cut of all Up a blind alley Up a gum tree Up in arms Up shit creek without a paddle Up the apples and pears Up the duff Up the pole Up the wooden hill to Bedfordshire Up to snuff Upper crust Upper hand Up in arms Ups-a-daisy Upset the apple-cart Up the ante Upside down Urban myth Use your loaf Usual suspects - The Using a sledgehammer to crack a nut Valentine's Day Poems and Sayings Van surfing Vanish into thin air Veg out Verbosity leads to unclear, inarticulate things Vice versa Vicious circle Vis-a-vis Visit the ladies' room Vorsprung Durch Technik Walk free Walk the walk Walk the plank Walter Scott (phrases coined by) Warts and all Watch the birdie (A) watched pot never boils Watching brief Wave a red rag to a bull Wax lyrical Wax poetic We are a grandmother We are not amused We few, we happy few, we band of brothers We have seen better days We know where you live Weakest link - A chain is only as strong as its Wear the trousers Wear your heart on your sleeve Weasel words Wee-wee Well heeled Well read Wet behind the ears Wet blanket What a piece of work is man What are you like? What football is all about What God has joined together let no man put asunder What part of no don't you understand? What you see is what you get - wysiwyg What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet What's not to like? What's up Doc? When in Rome, do as the Romans do When it comes to the crunch When pigs fly When the shit hits the fan Where there's muck there's brass Whet your appetite Which is which? Which witch is which? While you live, tell truth and shame the Devil! Whip round Whipper snapper Whipping boy Whistle and flute Whistle blower Whistle down the wind White as snow White bread White elephant Whole kit and caboodle - The Whole-hearted Whole nine yards - The Whole shebang - The Whoops-a-daisy Why does bread always fall butter side down? Wick - you get on my Wide berth - Keep a Wild and woolly Wild goose chase Willy nilly Win hands down Win one for the Gipper (On a) wing and a prayer Wing it Winter drawers on Wish you were here With bells on Without let or hindrance Without so much as a by your leave Woe betide you Woe is me Wolf in sheep's clothing Woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle - A Woman's place is in the home - A Women and children first Wooden hill to Bedfordshire Word association football Word for word Word in edgeways - A Word in your shell-like - A Words ending in gry Worse for wear Worth one's salt Wotcher Wouldn't touch with a barge-pole Wreak havoc Writing is on the wall - The Wrong end of the stick - The Wrong side of the blanket - The Yada yada Year dot - The Yellow-belly Yellow Peril You are what you eat You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink You can lead a whore to culture but you can't make her think You can't get blood out of a stone You can't have your cake and eat it too You can't teach an old dog new tricks You get on my wick You look as if you've been dragged through a hedge backwards You'll wonder where the yellow went when you brush your teeth with Pepsodent Young turk Your money or your life Your name is mud You've never had it so good Zero tolerance