Idioms - C Here are some idiomatic expressions formed around words beginning with letter C. Castles in the air Dreams or plans that will never be achieved The cat s whiskers This is an informal expression used to refer to an excellent person or thing. Let the cat out of the bag To let the cat out of the bag is to reveal a secret by mistake. Put / set the cat among the pigeons To set the cat among the pigeons is to do something that will most probably cause trouble. Stand on ceremony To stand on ceremony is to insist on formal behavior. Separate the wheat from the chaff To separate the wheat from the chaff is to pick out what is valuable from what is worthless. Cheer someone up To cheer someone up is to make them less miserable. A chequered career To have a chequered career is to have successful and unsuccessful periods in one s career. Keep your chin up To keep your chin up is to remain cheerful in difficult circumstances. Take it on the chin To take it on the chin is to accept a difficult situation without complaining. A chip off the old block This is an informal expression used to refer to someone who resembles their father or mother in character. When the chips are down This is an informal expression used to mean that a very serious situation has arisen.
Chuck something away To chuck something away is to throw something away. Churn something out To churn something out is to produce something in large quantities without worrying too much about their quality. Come full circle When something comes to a full circle, they return to a previous position. Clean someone out To clean someone out is to take all someone s money. Clean up To clean up is to make a large profit. Come clean / make a clean breast of it To make a clean breast of it is to fully confess something. Clear the air To clear the air is to improve a tense situation by frank discussion. In the clear When someone is in the clear, they are no longer under suspicion or in danger. At close quarters Very near Close-run This expression is used to refer to a contest won or lost by a very small margin. Close shave / close call An expression used to refer to a narrow escape from danger or disaster. Behind closed doors If something happens behind closed doors, it happens in private. In the closet When someone is in the closet, they are not open about being homosexual. And when someone is out of the closet, they are open about being homosexual.
Have your heads in the clouds When you have your heads in the clouds, you are full of unrealistic ideas. On cloud nine When you are on cloud nine, you are very happy. Under a cloud When you are under a cloud, you are under suspicion of having done something wrong. Haul someone over the coals To haul someone over the coals is to reprimand them severely. The coast is clear When the coast is clear, there is no danger of being caught or seen. On someone s coat-tails When you are on someone s coat-tails, you benefit from another person s success. Warm the cockles of someone s heart To warm the cockles of someone s heart is to give them a feeling of contentment or happiness. Get cold feet When you get cold feet, you lose your nerve. Give someone the cold shoulder To give someone the cold shoulder is to treat them with deliberate unfriendliness. In cold blood When someone is killed in cold blood, they are killed in deliberately cruel ways. Collect yourself To collect yourself is to regain your self control. Keep someone company To keep someone company is to spend time with them so that they wouldn t feel lonely or bored. Conduct yourself well To conduct yourself well is to behave well. In contention
When you are in contention, you have a good chance of success in a contest. Out of contention When you are out of contention, you have little chance of success in a contest. Keep your cool To keep your cool is to stay calm and controlled. To lose your cool is to become angry and agitated. Have the courage of your convictions To have the courage of your convictions is to act on your beliefs in spite of disapproval or danger. Crack down on something To crack down on something is to take strong action against it. At cross purposes When two people are at cross purposes, they misunderstand each other. Cross something off To cross something off is to delete an item from a list. Cross swords To cross swords is to have an argument or dispute. Take up the cudgels To take up the cudgels is to defend someone or something strongly. On cue If something happens on cue, it happens at the right moment. Not someone s cup of tea If something is not your cup of tea, it is not what you like or enjoy. It is curtains When it is curtains for something, it reaches a disastrous end. Be cut out for When you are cut out for something, you have the exact qualities required for a role. A cut above When you are a cut above, you are better than others.
Cut and dried If something is cut and dried, it is decided in advance. Cut and run To cut and run is to make a quick departure from a difficult or dangerous situation. Cut both ways If a point cuts both ways, it serves both sides of an argument or it has both good and bad effects. Cut corners To cut corners is to compromise on quality with the objective of saving time or money. Cut a dash If something cuts a dash, it is stylish or impressive. Cut someone dead To cut someone dead is to ignore them completely. Cut in To cut in is to interrupt someone. Cut the mustard To cut the mustard is to reach the required standard. Cut no ice If something cuts no ice, it has no effect or influence. Cut someone out To cut someone out is to exclude them. Cut up rough To cut up rough is to behave in an aggressive or awkward way. Idioms beginning with A
A bit of fluff A bit of fluff is an attractive woman. He was spotted yesterday with a bit of fluff. A breath of fresh air A breath of fresh air is a person or thing that brings about a change that feels good. The advertising industry needs a breath of fresh air. My niece is so lovely and cheerful. She is like a breath of fresh air. A clean bill of health When the doctor gives you a clean bill of health, they are stating that you are healthy and in good condition. The doctor gave him a clean bill of health. A dime s worth If something is a dime s worth, its value is insignificant. Why is he hogging all the limelight? He only made a dime s worth of contribution to the project. A fact of life If something is a fact of life, it is an unpleasant reality that you cannot change. Substance abuse among teens has become a fact of life. A fool and his money are soon parted This expression is used to mean that stupid people spend too much money without thinking about its consequences and lose their wealth soon enough. He leads a lavish lifestyle. I won t be surprised if he becomes a pauper soon. After all, a fool and his money are soon parted. A life-saver This expression is used to mean something or someone that saves you in a difficult situation. I am in a difficult situation. Can you throw a life-saver? A little bird told me Use this expression when you don t want to reveal the source of information. How did you know that we are getting married? A little bird told me.
A lost ball in the weeds If someone is a lost ball in the weeds, they are totally confused or lost. He is a lost ball in the weeds. I don t think that he will be able to solve this problem. Some idiomatic expressions Abandon yourself to To abandon yourself to something is to give in to it completely. The kids abandoned themselves to the joys of summer vacation. The dancers swung their bodies with wild abandon. Be of no account If something is of no account to you, it is of no importance to you. Money was of no account to them. Act on behalf of someone To represent the interests of someone I am standing here on behalf of my countrymen. Act of God This expression is used to refer to an event caused by natural forces beyond the control of human beings. Floods are an act of God. Be angling for To try to get something by indirectly prompting someone to offer it She was angling for his support. The apple of your eye A person you are extremely fond of.
She is the apple of her father s eye. Upset the apple cart To upset the apple cart is to spoil a plan. Now don t upset the apple cart by raising silly objections. Idioms you must know This lesson deals with the most common idioms in English. Each idiom is followed by its definition or meaning and example sentences. I couldn t agree with you more = I entirely agree with you People are obsessed with celebrities. Don t you think it is funny? I couldn t agree with you more. The government must ban all tobacco products. I couldn t agree with you more. Tobacco causes cancer. I don t understand why the government doesn t ban them. I m sick of it If you are sick of something, you don t like it anymore. I m sick of her rude behaviour. Susie is a very mean. I m getting sick of her starry attitude and temper tantrums. I m sick of eating the same stuff for lunch every day. You made it big To make it big is to become highly successful. I can t believe that she earns a six figure salary. She s made it big! Man, you have made it big. Your mom has every reason to be proud of you. Back to the grind To be back to the grind is to get back to work. I ve to finish this assignment by tomorrow. If that s the case, you had better get back to the grind. OK everybody, lunch break is over. Now get back to the grind. I blew it = I missed my opportunity Did you get that job? No mate, I blew it.
So did you go on a date with her? No. She seemed interested, but I guess in the end I blew it. Pie in the Sky = an unrealistic dream Her dreams of becoming a famous writer ended up just being a pie in the sky. A hidden agenda When somebody has a hidden agenda, they have a secret motive for doing something. It would be foolish of us to trust her. I really suspect that she has a hidden agenda. Half-baked If something is half-baked, it hasn t been properly thought out or planned. It was a half-baked plan, so nobody was surprised when it failed. Hang in there / hang on in there This expression is used to encourage people who are in a difficult situation. Hang in there. Things should get better soon. Hard to come by If something is hard to come by, it is difficult to find. Artists of his caliber are hard to come by. Hot under the collar If you are hot under the collar, you are angry or annoyed about something. She was hot under the collar when she heard that they had lost that contract. Bored to death When you are bored to death you are so bored. I ve nothing to do. I m bored to death. His speech bored me to death. You ve got to be kidding = you must be joking Mom, can I wear this short skirt to the party? You ve got to be kidding baby. You re fifteen. You shouldn t wear clothes of that kind. Sick and Tired When you are sick and tired of something, you no longer find it interesting or exciting. I m sick and tired of eating the same thing for dinner every day. I m sick and tired of my old car. I should buy a new one.
I m sick and tired of my job. I must find something better. Call it a day To call it a day is to stop working. It s already 10 pm. Let s call it a day. We ve finished everything for the day. Let s call it a day then. Get on one s nerves To get on somebody s nerves is to annoy them. Your radio is starting to get on my nerves. You had better it turn it down. Her constant nagging is getting on my nerves. Couch potato A person who sits in front of the TV all day long If you don t want to get a big fat belly, you must stop being a couch potato. I don t think he will come with you. He is a couch potato. Get foot in the door / have foot in the door To get your foot in the door is to accept even a small job hoping that you would be able to get a promotion before long. It s not easy to find a job in these troubled financial times, so I m considering even a lower position. At least, I ll have my foot in the door. Give somebody a hard time To give somebody a hard time is to make it difficult for them. Be realistic and stop giving me a bad time. I can t do anything about it. Make up one s mind To make up one s mind is to come to a decision. I can t make up my mind. Can you help me decide which necklace I should buy? If you can t make up your mind, ask your Mom to choose a good dress for you. Go/sell like hot cakes When something sells like hot cakes, it sells really well. Her latest book is selling like hot cakes. Sell someone short
To sell somebody short is to describe them as less impressive than they really are. He tends to sell himself short and that is his main fault.