Idioms in spades blown out of all proportion

A lot of seemingly nonsensical expressions in English

A man may learn wit every day

There is always something new to learn + Never think you know it all — _.

Above board

Done in a legal and honest way + The minister claimed all the appointments were _.

Above the law

Not subject to laws of society + In a democracy, no-one is _ - not even a president.

Achilles’ heel

Weakness that could result in failure + She's a good manager, but her _ is her poor English.

Acid test

Something that shows the true worth or value of something or someone + The real _ for the new drug will come when it's tested in human beings.

Across the board

Affecting everyone or everything equally + The new tax applies _.

Actions speak louder than words

What you do is more important than what you say + She helped without telling anyone because _.

An act of God

(Formal) An event caused by natural forces beyond human control + The flood was declared _.

Add fuel to the fire

Make a bad situation worse + His comments only _.

"A" game

Someone’s best possible performance + He brought his _ to the match.

Add insult to injury

Make a bad situation even worse + She criticized him, which _.

Adrenaline junkie

Someone addicted to excitement + She’s an _ who loves extreme sports.

Against all odds

Despite very low chances + They succeeded _.

Agree to differ/disagree

Accept to have different opinions+ Why don't they just _ instead of arguing about it all the time?

Ahead of the game

To have an advantage over your competitors + We got _ by employing the best people in our research laboratories.

Ahead of time

Earlier than expected; in advance + We finished the project _.

Alive and kicking

Healthy and active + At 90, he is still _.

All at sea

Confused and not sure what to do + I'm _ with our new spreadsheet software. I just can't understand it.

All bark and no bite

Make threats but don’t act + He talks tough but _.

All cats are grey in the dark

At night, everything looks the same + I couldn't find her in the party, _.

All griefs with bread are less

Problems are easier to bear with food + Take this chocolate for your distress, _.

All hands on deck

A situation where everyone is needed to help + With the deadline tomorrow, it’s _.

All hell broke loose

(Informal) A situation suddenly becomes violent or chaotic + _ after a guy pulled out a gun.

All in good time

To wait patiently; things will happen when they should + You’ll get your chance — _.

All mouth and no trousers

Talks a lot but acts little + He promises but _.

All roads lead to Rome

There are many ways to reach the same goal + Whether by train or car, _.

All the rage

(Informal) Very popular or in fashion at the moment + When Hans was a kid, skate boards were _.

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy

Without a balance of leisure and relaxation, a person becomes both bored and boring + Her dad let her go party, arguing that _.

Along the lines of

Similar to something + I was thinking of something _ what you suggested.

Another string for your bow

To have another way of making a living + If you learned to teach English, you'd have _.

Answer the call of nature

Go to the toilet + Could we stop somewhere? I need to _.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree

Children resemble their parents + Her daughter soon showed her own musical talent, proving that _.

Arch-enemy

A person’s greatest opponent + Superman faced his _ once again.

Around the corner

Coming very soon + Exams are just _.

As dead as a dodo

Completely extinct + The species is _.

As free as a bird

Completely free and independent + After finishing exams, I felt _.

As quiet as a mouse

Very quiet + The kids were _ while watching the movie.

As right as rain

Healthy or fine + After resting, she felt _.

Asking for trouble

Doing something risky that could be problematic + You're _ if you drive your car after drinking alcohol.

At a click of a button

Easily or instantly + You can order online _.

At a loose end

To have nothing to do + Give me a call if you're _ and we'll go and do something.

At a loss

Confused, unable to understand + She was _ to explain what had happened.

At a rate of knots

Very quickly + The car was moving _ down the highway.

At cross-purposes (with someone)

To wrongly believe that you are talking about the same thing with someone + I was _ with an American guy talking about football.

At first glance

Initially or superficially + _ it seems easy.

At short notice

With little warning + They called the meeting _.

At the drop of a hat

Immediately, without hesitation + He’d move to London _ if offered the job.

At the top of the agenda

The most important issue to discuss + Environmental reform is _ for the government.

At your wits’ end

Frustrated because you've tried all you can think of to solve a problem + Programming always takes me _.

An axe to grind

A strong opinion you express repeatedly + Billy's had _ about globalisation recently and he's always going on about it.

Back-handed compliment

A remark that sounds like praise but is actually insulting + Saying she looks good “for her age” is _.

Back and forth

Moving repeatedly in two opposite directions + The argument went _ for hours.

Back to back

One after another without interruption + They scheduled meetings _ all afternoon.

Back to front

In the wrong order or reversed + You’re wearing your shirt _.

Back to square one

To start again after failing + The deal fell through, so we’re _.

Back to the drawing board

To start planning again from scratch + The idea didn’t work, so it’s _.

Backed into a corner

In a difficult and hard to flee from situation + When his shop failed, Gerry felt he'd been _ and with no way out.

A bad hair day

(Informal) A bad day + Poor Sue's in a terrible mood. I think she's having _.

Bag of tricks

Personal collection of methods to achieve something + I wonder what they will pull out of their _ to win the election.

The ball is in your court

It’s your responsibility + I’ve already done my part of the project, now _.

Ballpark figure

A rough numerical estimate + Can you give me _ for the renovation cost?

Bang for your buck

Value for the money you spend + This laptop offers great _.

Bark up the wrong tree

Mistakenly blame or pursue + She was _ about the theft.

Be a big cheese

Be an important or influential person + He became _ in the company.

Be a big fish

To be an important or influential person + He’s _ in the local business world.

Be a busybody

To be nosy or gossip about others + Don’t be such _ — mind your own business!

Be a cheapskate

To be unwilling to spend money + Don’t expect him to pay — he’s _.

Be a dime a dozen

Very common or easy to find + Examples of this kind of mistake _.

Be a go-getter

To be ambitious and proactive + She got promoted quickly — she’s such _.

Be a hard/bitter pill to swallow

Something difficult to accept + The news _.

Be ahead of the pack

To be better than competitors + Their technology keeps them _.

Be a know-it-all

To act as if you know everything + Nobody likes _ in class.

Be an item

To be a romantic couple + Everyone knows they’re _.

Be a pain in the neck

(Informal) Very annoying + That neighbor is _.

Be a people person

To be sociable and good with others + You’d make a great teacher — you’re such _.

Be a rough diamond

Good person despite rough appearance + He is _ once you get to know him.

Be as easy as pie

To be very easy + Fixing it was _.

Be as fit as a fiddle

Very healthy + He trains daily to be _.

Be at a loose end

To have nothing to do + I’m _ this weekend — any plans?

Bear the brunt

Suffer the worst of the impact of something + The driver _ of the crash because he was at the front of the bus.

Beat around the bush

Avoid getting to the point + He kept _ during the meeting.

Be a waste of space

Someone or something useless + That employee is _.

Be between a rock and a hard place

Be in a difficult situation with no easy solution + He was _ deciding between jobs.

Be blown out of all proportion

Exaggerated beyond reality + The media _ the incident.

Be born with a silver spoon in your mouth

Born into a wealthy family + She never had to worry about money because _.

Be bucketing down

To rain heavily + We stayed in because it was b_ outside.

Be dead set on

Completely determined + She was _ finishing the project.

Before your time

Too early or before something became popular + That song was _.

Be for the time being

To be true or valid temporarily + It’s fine _, but we’ll need a better solution later.

Beggars can't be choosers

You can't be picky when you depend on others + He accepted the old car knowing _.

Be in someone's shoes

Imagine yourself in someone else’s situation + To understand her choice, try _.

Be in someone’s bad books

To have fallen out of favor with someone + He's _ after forgetting their anniversary.

Be in the clouds

To be daydreaming or distracted + He’s been _ all day thinking about his trip.

Bend over backwards

Do everything possible to help + They _ to please the client.

Bend the truth

Alter facts slightly + He _ to protect feelings.

Benefit of the doubt

To trust someone’s explanation even without proof + I’ll give him the _ — maybe he’s telling the truth.

Be on good terms

To have a friendly relationship after conflict + They argued but are now _ again.

Be on the dole

To be unemployed and receiving benefits + He’s been _ for six months now.

Be on the mark

To be correct or accurate + Your prediction was right — you were _.

Be over the moon

Very happy + He was _ after winning the prize.