Idioms 1
to kick the bucket
To die or to be killed
to push someone's buttons
to deliberately say something in order to make someone angry or upset
I try not to get mad, but he knows exactly how to push all my buttons.
throw/put a spanner in the works
to do something that suddenly stops a process or plan
Her criticisms really threw a spanner in the works.
to be on the same wavelength
to understand the way that another person thinks because you often have the same ideas and opinions as they do
I feel like you and I are really on the same wavelength.
to grease/oil the wheels
make things go smoothly, especially by paying the expenses.
in donkey's ears
an extremely long time
I haven’t been swimming in donkey’s years.
to pig out
to eat a lot or too much:
We pigged out on all the delicious cakes and pastries.
to bite the bullet
to force yourself to do something difficult or unpleasant that you have been avoiding doing
We’ll just have to bite the bullet and get on with it.
to reinvent the wheel
To do something in a wholly and drastically new way, often unnecessarily. (Usually used in negative constructions.)
The film doesn't reinvent the wheel for action films, but it adds enough clever twists on the genre to still feel fresh andnew.
to make someone tick
the feelings and ideas that make someone behave the way that they do
an interviewer who is determined to find out what makes her subjectstick
to spill the beans
to tell someone something, often something that should be kept secret; to tell or reveal a secret or secrets
bells and whistles
special features that are added to a product or system to attract more buyers:
Manufacturers still build luxury cars with all the bells and whistles.
to cut the mustard
to reach the expected or necessary standard; to be good enough or as good as expected
He just can’t cut the mustard any more.
Kith and Kin
Friends and Family
When you go on a trip, it’s important to buy souvenirs for your kith and kinback home.
to chew the fat
to have a friendly conversation, often for a long time
We chewed the fat until the early hours of the morning.
to be all fingers and thumbs
be clumsy or awkward in one's actions.
to pull the plug
to do something that prevents an activity from continuing:
If the viewing figures drop much more, the TV network will probably pull the plug on the whole series.
to be in the pink
in extremely good health and spirits.
to be a Jekyll and Hyde
a person with two very different sides to their personality, one good and the other evil:
The professor was a real Jekyll and Hyde - sometimes kind and charming, and at other times rude and obnoxious.
to put your foot down
to refuse very firmly to do or accept something; to be very strict and insist on something
Things can’t carry on like this; you’ll have to put your foot down.
to paint the town red
go out and enjoy oneself flamboyantly.
"you want to have a good time and paint the town red this weekend"
give (someone) (a lot of) stick
To criticize, judge, or disapprove of someone (for something).
My parents gave me a lot of stick for my decision tostudy art in college, instead of law or medicine.
to be wet behind the ears
lacking experience; immature.
"he's a nice young fellow but a bit wet behind the ears"
Small Fry
People or organizations with little influence; children
We’re still small fry compared to the major companies in the field.
to have your tongue in your cheek
If you say something tongue in cheek, you intend it to be understood as a joke, although you might appear to be serious.
I suspect he wrote that with tongue in cheek.