bring home the bacon
The athlete worked hard every day so he could bring home the bacon in the Olympics.
achieve success; win
the elephant in the room
The company’s financial troubles were the elephant in the room at the board meeting.
a sensitive issue or problem that everyone is aware of but no one wants to discuss openly.
wear your heart on your sleeve
Your songs are laden with raw emotion - do you wear your heart on your sleeve?
openly show your emotions
plenty of fish in the sea
Don't cry over your ex-girlfriend - there are plenty of fish in the sea!
This is used to tell someone whose relationship has ended that there are many other people that they could have a relationship with
stop and smell the roses
Although I want to be an honor student, I have to remember to stop and smell the roses from time to time.
enjoy or appreciate what is often ignored.
half-baked
The world cannot afford another half-baked solution in the issue of global warming.
not fully thought through
butterflies in your stomach
Before her big speech, she had butterflies in her stomach.
to feel nervous or anxious, especially before a performance or event.
fall(ing) head over heels
Joe found himself falling head over heels with Jill from the moment they met.
to be extremely in love.
fan(ned) the flames
She already found him attractive, but his letters really fanned the flames.
intensify/stir up feelings
blow away the cobwebs
My sister and I regularly go to the gym to blow the cobwebs away.
to get rid of feelings of tiredness, usually with fresh air or exercise
like two peas in a pod
My aunt and mom are like two peas in a pod and think exactly alike.
very similar, especially in appearance:
a bull in a china shop
He was like a bull in a china shop during the negotiation at the board meeting, causing tensions to rise unnecessarily.
to be clumsy or careless in delicate or sensitive situations
bend over backwards
I would bend over backwards to help him, because I love him so much.
do everything possible to help someone
get off on the wrong foot
He got off on the wrong foot with my parents by arriving late to our family dinner.
kick one's feet up
After such a long week, all I wanted to do for the evening was kick my feet up.
to sit and relax: to not work or be active
in a pickle
We were in a pickle when we got lost last night.
in trouble
let the cat out of the bag
I accidentally let the cat out of the bag and told Sarah about the surprise party.
to reveal a secret or information that was supposed to be kept hidden
hit it off
My parents did not hit it off when they first met but they met again two years later and had a better meeting.
be naturally friendly or well-suited
down in the dumps
After the break-up, she was down in the dumps for weeks.
feeling sad, depressed, or in a low mood.
hit the sack
I've got three exams tomorrow and one report, so I think I'll hit the sack early.
to go to bed in order to sleep
have bigger fish to fry
I can't worry about her problems since I have bigger fish to fry.
have more important things to do
a frog in your throat
He couldn’t sing the solo at the concert because he had a frog in his throat.
to have difficulty speaking because your throat is dry or hoarse
see eye to eye
I am glad we see eye to eye when it comes to business issues.
agree fully or have a similar attitude.
between a rock and a hard place
She was between a rock and a hard place, having to choose between her job and her family.
facing a difficult choice between two equally challenging options.
throw caution to the wind
She decided to throw caution to the wind and tell him her true feelings.
stop being careful and do something that is dangerous or that might result in failure