Idioms and phrases exercise 4-5-6.docx

Under-the-table payment

A secret, hidden action / transaction

Under a cloud

Under suspicion due to a serious mistake

Under construction

In the process of being built

Under fire

Being criticized or held responsible

Under new management

Controlled by a different person than before

Under canvas

Living in a tent

Under arms

Provided with weapons

Under duress

Under threat or force

Under age

Minor, not of legal age

Under investigation

Under interrogation due to charges

Red-letter day

An important day

Red tape

Excessive or unnecessary rules

Caught red-handed

To discover someone while doing something illegal

Red herring

Something that distracts from the real problem

Like a red rag to a bull

Certain to produce an angry reaction

Made me see red

To become very angry

Show the white feather

To show cowardice

White elephant

Something that costs a lot of money

White lie

A small lie told to avoid hurting someone

Black sheep

The outcast

Get out of bed on the wrong side

To be in a bad mood for the day

Hit the nail on the head

To be exactly right

See eye to eye

To come to the same opinion

Kill two birds with one stone

Achieving two aims at once

Put your foot in something

To embarrass someone unintentionally

Finger in too many pies

Being involved in too many things

Bone to pick with somebody

To be annoyed with someone and want to talk

Feel something in your bones

To believe something strongly without explanation

Put the cart before the horse

To do something in the wrong order

Get your teeth into something

To become fully involved

Keep an open mind

To wait for all facts before judgement

Take the law into your own hands

To punish instead of waiting for legal action

Turn the tables on somebody

To cause a complete reversal of circumstances

Pay somebody back (in his own coin)

To treat someone as they treated you

Put all your cards on the table

To not hide anything and be honest

In a person's good or bad books

If you are in a person’s good book they are pleased with you if you are in their bad book they are not pleased with you

Give somebody a wide berth

To avoid or stay away from someone

Get more than you bargained for

Receiving something unexpected, usually worse

Make short work of something

To finish something quickly and easily

Be out of step with somebody

To have different beliefs or opinions.