To take a leaf out of somebody’s book

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

To be a good Samaritan

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

Get down to brass tacks

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

She rejected his proposal of marriage point blank.

To show one’s teeth

To talk shop

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

To be in two minds

To hang up one’s hat

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

To give a rap on the knuckles

To break the ice

Hard-pressed

To go to each other hammer and tongs

Rahul fought tooth and nail to save his company.

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

In double-quick time

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

To live fast

To change colour

The doctor says the patient has turned the corner.

We should guard against our green-eyed friends.

He rides the high horse because of his high connection.

To show the white feather

A man of weight

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

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

A cock and bull story

Once in a blue moon

To pay off old scores

He works by fits and starts.

Spick and span

To oil the knocker

To set the thames on fire

Pell-mell

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

To cut the Gordian knot

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

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

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

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

To speak daggers

A square peg in a round hole

To be at one’s finger’s ends

Leave one to sink or swim

To have one’s heart in one’s boots

He has made his mark in politics.

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

To ride hell for Leather

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

To pour oil in troubled water

To make a shot

He is in the habit of fishing in troubled waters.

The pros and cons

To cut the cackle

To rip up old sores

To cool one’s heels

Be in the mire

To look sharp

To keep the wolf away from the door

To hold somebody to ransom

To give one a long rope

He is a person after my own heart.

To play on a fiddle

To beat the air

To put somebody in his place

To bear the palm

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

To take somebody for a ride

A sop to cerberus

To get the hang of a thing

The aroma from the kitchen makes my mouth water.

A bull in a china shop

By fair means or foul

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

To put one on one’s mettle

Whenever I meet him he pulls a long face.

There is no love lost between the two neighbours.

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

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

To mind one’s P’s and Q’s

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

The casting vote of the chairman clinched the issue.

I won’t mind even if he goes to dogs.

To look down one’s nose at

To strike one’s colours

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

To hit the nail on the head

It goes to his heart to see so much misery.

To keep one’s head above water

To leave no avenue unexplored

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

To give one’s ears

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

To hold a brief for

The mealy-mouthed politician succeeded in influencing the voters.

To let the cat out of the bag