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TO COME IN HANDY
Don't throw that away - it might come in handy some day.
I'm so glad that I studied Spanish - it really came in handy when I visited Mexico.
TO PUT SOMETHING ON THE MAP
The governor has managed to put his sleepy state on the map.
TO STEP BACK FROM THE BRINK
This is a really risky moment. I think you should step back from the brink and think about consequences.
GO IT ALONE
He has decided to leave the band and go it alone as a singer.
I have had enough of this company. I'm going to go it alone and become freelance.
GO COLD TURKEY
Six years ago she went cold turkey on a three-pack-a-day smoking habit.
SICK AS A PARROT
He was sick as a parrot when his team lost the match.
SWEEP UNDER THE RUG / CARPET
You can't just sweep these issues under the carpet.
PULL YOUR LEG
She's just pulling your leg - she doesn't really expect you to do all the cooking.
You have a pet lion? Pull the other one!
GO TO TOWN ON SOMETHING
They really went to town on the christmass decoration.
OFF TO TOP OF YOUR HEAD
Off the top of my head, I’d say we have about 200 members.
GET YOUR FOOT IN THE DOOR
She got her foot in the door working as a researcher on a TV show.
DRAW / GET THE SHORT STRAW
My department drew the short straw on re-location and from tomorrow we get to work in Earlsfield in the London borough of Wandsworth for seven weeks.
PULL YOUR SOCKS UP
We'll have to pull our socks up and get back to what we know we can do.
You need to pull your socks up and start taking your studies a bit more seriously.
STRIKE A CHORD WITH SOMEONE
/kɔːd/
His writing was funny and touched a chord with millions of people.
DEB HAND
He was also a keen pool player and a dab hand at cards.
FEATHER ONE'S NEST
The people simply don't believe that politics has much changed, and regard the entire lot of politicians as corrupt species out to feather their own nest.
TURN THE CORNER
After nine months of poor sales we've finally turned the corner.
PULL OUT ALL THE STOPS
It is a very serious offence and we are pulling out all the stops to trace them.
The manufacturers are pulling out all the stops to get it completed as soon as possible.
BARE YOUR SOUL
On that day I bare my soul, make myself vulnerable to friends and family by expressing my feelings.
STRIKE A CHORD
1. AS CLEAR AS DAY
The reason for Peter's evasiveness was suddenly as clear as day
2. AS CLEAR AS MUD
What this really means, of course, is still as clear as mud.
RUFFLE SOMEONE'S FEATHERS
I would appear to have ruffled Mr Jonson's feathers in my letter of May 20.
AT THE END OF THE DAY
My parents want me to become a doctor, but at the end of the day - it's my decision.
TO DO THINGS BY THE BOOK
He always tried to do everything by the book.
RUN FOR YOUR LIFE
There is a fire! Run for your life!
We thought we saw a shark so we run for our lives.
