| air one`s dirty linen in public |
tell about one`s private
quarrels or problems where others can hear |
| ants in one`s pants |
restlessness, nervousness |
| at the drop of a hat |
without waiting, immediately,
promptly |
| bee in
one`s bonnet |
an idea that seems strange or
crazy |
| below the
belt |
in an unfair or cowardly way |
| bet one`s
boots |
bet everything that one has |
| birthday suit |
complete nakedness |
| buckle down |
give complete attention or effort
to do something |
| burn a hole
in one`s pocket |
money likely to be quickly spent |
| burst at the seams |
too full or too crowded |
| card up one`s sleeve |
another plan or argument kept back
and produced if needed |
| catch
with one`s pants down |
surprise someone in an
embarrassing situation or a guilty act |
| come into
fashion |
become fashionable |
| decked out |
dressed in fancy
clothes |
| die
with one`s boots on |
die while still active in one`s
work |
| dressed to kill |
wear one`s finest clothes |
| dressed to the nines (teeth) |
dressed elegantly |
| dress up |
put on one`s best clothes |
| feather in
one`s cap |
something to be proud of, an honor |
| fill
one`s shoes |
take the place of another and
do as well |
| fine-tooth
comb |
great care, careful attention so as
not to miss anything |
| fit like a glove |
fits perfectly |
| fly by the
seat of one`s pants |
do something by instinct rather
than by knowledge or logic |
| handle with kid gloves |
treat very gently and carefully |
| if the shoe fits wear it |
that what is said in general
can also be said of an individual person |
| in one`s
shoes |
in another`s place or position |
| keep one`s shirt
on |
calm down, keep from losing one`s
temper or getting excited |
| keep
(something) under one`s hat |
keep something secret |
| lose one`s shirt |
lose all or most of one`s money |
| off the cuff |
without preparation |
| old hat |
not new or different, old-fashioned |
| on a shoestring |
on a very low budget, with little
money to spend |
| on one`s
coat-tails |
as a result of someone else
doing something |
| pull out of a hat |
get something as if by magic, invent,
imagine |
| pull up one`s
socks |
make a greater effort |
| put on one`s thinking cap |
think hard and long about
something |
| roll up one`s sleeves |
get ready for a hard job, prepare to
work hard or seriously |
| shoe is on the
other foot |
the opposite is true, places
are changed |
| stuffed shirt |
a person who is too rigid or
too formal |
| take one`s hat off to someone |
admire, respect, praise |
| talk through one`s hat |
say something without knowing or
understanding the facts |
| tighten one`s belt |
live on less money than usual |
| too big for one`s breeches/boots |
think that you are more important
than you really are |
| under one`s
belt |
in one`s experience or possession;
gained by effort and skill |
| up one`s sleeve |
kept secretly ready for the right
time or for a time when needed |
| wear one`s heart
on one`s sleeve |
show one`s feelings openly |
| wear the
pants in one`s family |
be the boss of a family or
household |
| wolf in sheep`s clothing |
a person who pretends to be good but
really is bad |
| you bet your
boots |
most certainly, yes indeed |
| hand-me-down |
clothing that is given away after
another person doesn't need it |
