Shweta might scream blue murder, but I feel Ritu should get the promotion since she is better qualified for the job.

To take a leaf out of somebody’s book

It was such a messy affair but Manish somehow managed to wash his hands of the entire affair.

To set the thames on fire

To oil the knocker

To keep one’s head above water

Mr. Roy is known as a shop lifter in the city commercial centre.

To keep the wolf away from the door

To mind one’s P’s and Q’s

He works by fits and starts.

To pay off old scores

At Christmas, even the elderly fathers paint the town red.

To be a good Samaritan

To cool one’s heels

The robbery was committed in the wee hours of the day.

To get the hang of a thing

In double-quick time

To hold a brief for

To show one’s teeth

The boy turned a deaf ear to the pleadings of all his well-wishers.

To put one on one’s mettle

To give one’s ears

Things are progressing well. Don’t do anything to rock the boat.

To look down one’s nose at

To cut the cackle

To talk shop

Get down to brass tacks

To go to each other hammer and tongs

She rejected his proposal of marriage point blank.

To live fast

He is a plain, simple and sincere man. He will always call a spade a spade.

To take somebody for a ride

He threw cold water over the project that the secretary had prepared.

Hard-pressed

To leave no avenue unexplored

Harassed by repeated acts of injustice, he decided to put his foot down.

Rahul fought tooth and nail to save his company.

The parliamentary inquiry into the Bofors deal has not brought to light any startling facts.

To hit the nail on the head

Whenever I meet him he pulls a long face.

A man of weight

To be at one’s finger’s ends

It goes to his heart to see so much misery.

To play on a fiddle

The speaker’s observations on the subject were beside the mark.

To rip up old sores

A bull in a china shop

A cock and bull story

To let the cat out of the bag

To look sharp

He has made his mark in politics.

Once in a blue moon

To put somebody in his place

The young heir to his father’s huge estate made ducks and drakes of his patrimony.

Sumit had to look high and low before he could find his scooter key.

To speak daggers

To show the white feather

To hang up one’s hat

The doctor says the patient has turned the corner.

Be in the mire

He is at loggerheads with his assistants about the management of the concern.

To bear the palm

To break the ice

To hold somebody to ransom

By fair means or foul

It is difficult to keep a level head in these days of mounting prices.

To make a shot

To beat the air

The casting vote of the chairman clinched the issue.

To ride hell for Leather

I sent him about his business as I could stand his insolence no longer.

To pour oil in troubled water

To give a rap on the knuckles

We should guard against our green-eyed friends.

In parliament, every member can have the floor with the permission of the speaker.

The aroma from the kitchen makes my mouth water.

He rides the high horse because of his high connection.

It is a moot point whether we should stop work or struggle on.

A sop to cerberus

I am ambitious and never want to rest on my laurels.

The pros and cons

To change colour

A square peg in a round hole

Spick and span

In almost every party, my friend tries to rule the roost.

This place affords a bird’s eye view of the green valley below.

To be in two minds

Leave one to sink or swim

To strike one’s colours

To have one’s heart in one’s boots

There is no love lost between the two neighbours.

I won’t mind even if he goes to dogs.

He is a person after my own heart.

His father advised him to be fair and square in his dealings lest he should fall into trouble.

To cut the Gordian knot

The mealy-mouthed politician succeeded in influencing the voters.

He is in the habit of fishing in troubled waters.

Rajeev achieved success by resorting to a hole and corner method.

Pell-mell

To give one a long rope