A
a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
a bitter pill
a chip off the old block
a day late and a dollar short
about face
ace in the hole
according to Hoyle
Achilles' heel
a dime a dozen
albatross around ones neck
all that glitters isn't gold
apple of one's eye
at a loose end
at the drop of a hat
a whip-round
B
bad blood
baker's dozen
banker's hours
basket case
be a tall order
beat around the bush
bees knees
between the devil and the deep blue sea
beg the question
birdbrain
birds and the bees
bite off more than one can chew
bite the bullet
bite the dust
black sheep
black market
break a leg
break the bank
break the mold
bull in a china shop
bump on a log
bun in the oven
by the seat of one's pants
C
cat got your tongue
cat's pajamas
caught between a rock and a hard place
caught red handed
c'est la vie
cold turkey
cold shoulder
crocodile tears
crying over spilt milk
cry wolf
cut the cheese
cut the mustard
D
dead as a doornail
devil's advocate
diamond in the rough
dickens to pay
don't drink the Kool-Aid
Doubting Thomas
down the tubes
Dutch courage
E
easy does it
eat, drink, and be merry (for tomorrow we die)
F
fiddle while Rome burns
fight fire with fire
fit as a fiddle
Five-by-Five
five-finger discount
flash in the pan
flight of fancy
fox in the hen house
for a song
from scratch / to make from scratch
from A to Z
G
get a grip
get the lead out
get under one's skin
give them an inch and they'll take a mile
gone south
go for broke
go the distance
go to hell in a handbasket
going to pot
good as gold
gra** is always greener on the other side of the fence
glutton for punishment
H
happy as a clam
hard pill to swallow
have a bone to pick with someone
have no truck (with)
have one's head on backwards
his bark is worse than his bite.
hit the nail on the head
hold one's horses
I
in left field
in like Flynn
in the doghouse
in the limelight
in the nick of time
it ain't over till the fat lady sings
it ain't rocket science
it takes one to know one
J
jack-of-all-trades
jump the shark
jump to conclusions
just deserts
K
Katy, bar the door!
kick the bucket
king of the hill
L
let me off the hook
let the cat out of the bag
let the chips fall where they may
like a bat out of hell
like two peas in a pod
lion in winter
lesser of two evils
like moths to a flame
M
make a mountain out of a mole hill
make ends meet
mind one's Ps and Qs
monkey see, monkey do
N
no rest for the wicked
no spring chicken
O
off one's rocker
old wives tale
one foot in the grave
on one's last legs
out to lunch
out of my league
over the hill
over the moon
over the top
P
paint the town red
paper trail
party pooper
pay the piper
piece of cake
play possum
politically correct
poster child
pull someone's leg
put the cat among the pigeons
put the roses in somebody's cheeks
Q
quiet as a church mouse
R
rabbit hole
raining cats and dogs
raise the bar
red herring
right as rain
rob Peter to pay Paul
rob the cradle
rose-colored gla**es
rule of thumb
S
sail under false colors
shake a leg
shoot the moon
shot in the dark
shoulder to cry on
show your true colors
slap on the wrist
sleep on a clothesline
speak of the devil
spill the beans
stay out of my hair
stop on a dime
T
take a chill pill
take it on the chin
take the biscuit
take the cake
take the high road
talk of the town
the devil's in the details
the early bird gets the worm
the oldest trick in the book
the road to hell is paved with good intentions
the pot calling the kettle black
throw the book at someone
throw under the bus
the best thing since sliced bread
thick as thieves
time flies
tongue in cheek
two left feet
U
under the gun
under the weather
until the cows come home
up in smoke
up the creek (without a paddle)
V
vanilla
W
water off a duck's back
water under the bridge
wear your heart on your sleeve
wet behind the ears
what's good for the goose is good for the gander
with a grain of salt
witch hunt
when hell freezes over
when pigs fly
white elephant
white whale
work one's fingers to the bone
wound too tight
wrong/other side of the tracks
Y
yank one's chain
you can't polish a turd