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 ENGLISH  IDIOMS  &  IDIOMATIC  EXPRESSIONS


ALPHABETICAL  LIST  -  F
 

 


 

Idiom

Meaning

F  Face like a bulldog chewing a
 wasp
  To say that someone has a face like a bulldog chewing a wasp
 
means that you find them very unattractive because they have a
  screwed-up ugly expression on their face.
  "Not only was he rude but he had a face like a bulldog chewing a
  wasp!
   Face like thunder   If someone has a face like thunder, they look very angry.
 
"
When Dad is really angry, he has a face like thunder!"
   Face like a wet weekend   If someone has a face like a wet weekend, they are wearing 
  a sad expression and look miserable.
  "What's wrong with Pete? He's got a face like a wet weekend."
   Face only a mother could love   This is a humoristic way of saying that someone is ugly or
  not attractive.
  "The poor guy has a face only a mother could love."
   Face that would stop a clock   Someone who has a face that would stop a clock has a
  shockingly unattractive face.
  "You'll recognize him - he's tall and thin, with a face that would stop
  a clock!"
   Face the music    If you have to face the music, you have to accept the unpleasant
  consequences of your actions.
 "He was caught stealing.  Now he has to face the music!"
   Face value   If you take something at its face value, you assume that it is
  genuinely what it appears to be.
  "The car seems to be in good condition, but don't take it at its face
  value; get a mechanic to check it out."
   Have a poker face   If you have a poker face, you show no emotion at all.
 
 "In spite of the repeated details of the events, the criminal kept a poker
  face."
   Keep a straight face   If you keep a straight face, you look serious although 
  you really want to laugh.
   Fair and square   If something is obtained or won fair and square, it is done in an
  honest and open manner, the rules are respected and there is no
  cheating or lying.
  "Peter won the competition fair and square - there was no doubt
  about the result."
   Fair hearing   When accused of wrongdoing, if someone gets a fair hearing, they
  get an opportunity to present evidence or give their side of the story,
  usually in court.
  "I can guarantee that you will get a fair hearing."
   Fair-weather friend   Someone who acts as a friend when times are good, and is not there
  when you are in trouble, is called a fair-weather friend.
  "I thought I could count on Bill, but I've discovered he's just
  a fair-weather friend."
   Fait accompli   This French term refers to something that has been done and cannot
  be changed.
  "He used his savings to buy a motorbike and then presented his
  parents with a fait accompli."
   Fall at the first hurdle   If you fall at the first hurdle, you fail to overcome the first difficulty
  encountered.
  "Scott fell at the first hurdle.  He didn't study enough and failed his first
  exam."
   Fall between two stools   If something falls between two stools, it is neither totally one
  thing nor another, and is therefore unsatisfactory.
  "The book didn't sell because it fell between two stools; it appealed
  neither to historians nor to the general public.
   Fall by the wayside   If something falls by the wayside, people fail to finish it or stop
  trying to do it.
  "Local residents protested so strongly that plans for a new motorway
  fell by the wayside."
   Fall from grace   To say that someone has fallen from grace means that they have
  done something wrong, immoral or unacceptable, and as a result
  have lost their good reputation.
  "The Finance Minister fell from grace as a result of a sex scandal."
   Fall into one's lap   If something good falls into your lap, it happens to you without any
  effort on your part.
  "
She's not making much effort to find work.  Does she think a job will
  fall into her lap?"
   Fall into place   When different elements fall into place, they fit well together or
  become organized so that progress can be achieved in a satisfactory
  manner.
  "The preparatory work was difficult but gradually everything fell into
  place and the project was finished on time."
   Fall on deaf ears   If something such as a suggestion or a request falls on deaf ears,
  it is ignored.
 
"I told him not to take risks but my advice fell on deaf ears."
   Fall on one's sword   If you fall on your sword, you take responsibility for, or accept the
  consequences of an unsuccessful or wrong action.
  "The organizer of the referendum resigned when the poor results
  were announced. It was said that he 'fell on his sword'."
   Fall off the back of a lorry   If you buy goods that have fallen off the back of a lorry, they are
  stolen goods.
  "Judging by the price of that camera, it must have fallen off the back
  of a lorry!"
   Fall over backwards   If you fall over backwards to accomplish something, you do
  everything you possibly can to please and impress.
  "Sally's mother fell over backwards to make her wedding reception
  a memorable event."
   Fall short of   If something proves inadequate or insufficient, or does not reach
  the required standard, it falls short of what is expected.
  "Sales of the new product  fell short of the company's expectations."
   False move   In a dangerous or risky situation, if you make a false move, you do
  something which may have unpleasant consequences.
  "He is under close surveillance. If he makes one false move he'll be
  arrested."
   False pretences   If you obtain something under false pretences, you deceive others
  by lying about your identity, qualifications, financial or social position,
  in order to obtain what you want.
  "She obtained the interview under false pretences."
   Far be it from me (to do something)   This expression means that the speaker does not feel in a position
  to say or do something.
  (Usually said before giving advice or expressing an opinion).
  "Far be it from me to chose your friends, but I think you should
  avoid that man."
   Farm something out   If something such as work is farmed out, it is sent out to be done
  by others.
  "We farmed out the packaging to another company."
   Fast and furious   If an activity is fast and furious, it is done quickly and with a lot of
  energy.
  "Eager to win the race, the competitors came fast and furious around
  the bend."
   Fast talker   A person who speaks quickly and easily but cannot always be
  trusted is called a fast talker.
 
"The salesman was a fast talker and persuaded the old lady to buy
  a new washing machine."
   Fast track something   If you decide to fast track something, such as a task or project,
  you give it high priority so that the objective is reached as quickly
  as possible.
 
"In view of the number of homeless, it was decided to fast track the
  construction of low-cost housing."
   Fat cat   To refer to a rich and powerful person as a fat cat means that
  you disapprove of the way they use their money or power.
  "The place was full of fat cats on their big yachts."
   Fat chance   The expression fat chance is used to indicate that something is
  not very likely to happen.
  "The boss is thinking of me for the job? Fat chance!"
   The fat hits the fire/
 the fat's in the fire
  When trouble breaks out or a situation deteriorates as a result
  of something said or done , it is said that the fat hits the fire.
 
"The situation was already tense, but the fat hit the fire 
  when Larry was accused of cheating."
   To a fault   To say that somebody has a good quality to a fault means that
  they have a lot, or even too much, of that quality.
 
"My aunt is generous to a fault, ready to help anyone to claims
   to be in need."
   Feast one's eyes on something   If you feast your eyes on something, you are delighted and gratified
  by what you see.

  "As he drove along the coast, he feasted his eyes on the beautiful
  scenery."
   A feather in one's cap   To describe someone's achievement as "a feather in their cap"
  means that it is something they can be proud of.
  "The overwhelming victory of the team was a "feather in the cap" for
  the new manager."
   Feather your nest   To say of someone that they are feathering their nest is to say that
  they are taking advantage of their position in order to obtain money
 
 so as to have a comfortable life.
   Feed the kitty   If you feed the kitty, you contribute to a collection of money called
  a "kitty" in order to help a good cause.

 
"Come on - every little helps. You can afford to feed the kitty for a
  good cause!"
   Feel on top of the world   If you feel on top of the world, you feel wonderful or ecstatic about
  something.
   "I've been feeling on top of the world since I got the results - I'm
  qualified!"
   Feel the pinch   When someone feels the pinch, they begin to suffer from a lack of
  money.
 
"With the drop in tourism, hotels and restaurants are beginning to
  feel the pinch."
   Back on your feet   If you are back on your feet,  after an illness or an accident,
  you are physically healthy again.
   Drag one's feet   If you say that a person is dragging their feet, you think they are
  unnecessarily delaying a decision which is important to you.
   Find your feet  To say that someone in a new situation is finding their feet means
  that they are learning  what to do and gaining self-confidence.
   Feet of clay   If someone who is admired is found to have a hidden weakness,
  fault or defect of character, they are said to have feet of clay.
  "
No one is perfect. Many successful people have feet of clay."
   Get cold feet   If you get cold feet about something, you begin to hesitate about
  doing it; you are no longer sure whether you want to do it or not.
   Have itchy feet   A person who has itchy feet is someone who wants to move
  somewhere new or do something different.
   Keep one's feet on the ground   A person who keeps their feet on the ground continues to act
  in a sensible and practical way, even if they become successful.
 

 Think on one's feet 

  A person who thinks on their feet is capable of making good
  decisions without previous thinking or  planning.
  "Good lawyers need to be able to think on their feet when
  pleading a case."
   Rushed off your feet.   If your are rushed off your feet, your are extremely busy.
  "I'd love to have lunch with you but we're rushed off our feet at the
   moment at the office."
   On the fence   When faced with a choice, a person who is on the fence has not
  yet reached a decision.
  "The candidates have such similar ideas that many electors are still
  on the fence."
   Fender bender   This expression refers to a minor car accident in which there is little
  damage and no injuries.
  "It's hard to believe that a small fender bender can cause a major
   traffic jam!"
   Fever pitch   If a situation or feeling reaches fever pitch, it becomes very intense
  and exciting.
  "Reaction to the affair has reached fever pitch all over the country."
   Few and far between   Items, places or events which are few and far between are rarely
  found or do not happen very often.
 
"Restaurants in this part of the country are few and far between."
   Fiddling while Rome burns   If you say that somebody is fiddling while Rome burns, you
  mean that they are doing unimportant things while there are serious
  problems to be dealt with
  "His visit to the trade fair was 'fiddling while Rome burns' according
  to the strikers."
   Field day   A field day refers to a day, period or time of great excitement and
  activity.
 
"Journalists will have a field day with the latest political scandal"
   Fifth wheel   This expression refers to a person who finds themselves in a situation
  where their presence is unnecessary and as a result they feel useless.
  "Everyone seemed to have a specific role except me. I felt like a fifth
   wheel."
   You can't fight the city hall   This expression means that it is useless to try to win a battle
  against a politician, establishment or bureaucracy in general.
  "Tom decided it was a waste of energy trying to obtain a tax refund -
  you can't fight the city hall!"
   Fight a losing battle    If someone is fighting a losing battle, they are trying to do
  something even when there is little chance of succeeding.
  "The headmaster is fighting a losing battle trying to ban mobile
  phones at school."
   Fight an uphill battle   A person faced with an uphill battle has to struggle against very
  unfavourable circumstances.
 
"After the terrible accident, his recovery was an uphill battle all the way."
   Fight/argue like cat and dog   Two people who fight or argue like cat and dog frequently have
  violent arguments, even though they are fond of each other.
  "They fight like cat and dog but they're still together after 30 years."
   Fight tooth and nail    If you fight tooth and nail for something, you fight with all your
  energy.
  "The Transport Minister fought tooth and nail to have to have the
  proposed road safety law accepted."
   Fight shy of something   If you fight shy of something, such as a task, a problem or a duty,
  you want to avoid doing it or you are unwilling to confront it.
  "He had money problems for years but fought shy of asking his
  children for help."
   A figment of one's imagination   To refer to something as a figment of one's imagination means
  that an appearance, event or incident is not considered to be real
 
but is only imaginary.
 
"Other people saw the car, so it's not a figment of Tom's imagination!"
   Fine-tooth comb   To go over something with a fine-tooth comb means to examine
  it closely and thoroughly so as not to miss any details.
  "The police are examining the scene of the accident with a
  fine-tooth comb."
   Fine tuning   Small changes to something to improve it or make it work better are
   called fine tuning.
 
"We are still fine tuning our new website and appreciate your patience."
   A finger in every pie   If someone has a finger in every pie,  they are involved in many
  activities
  "For information about the town development project, you should
  talk to John Brown. He has a finger in every pie."
   Fire away   If you tell someone to fire away, you encourage them to begin to
  talk or ask questions.
  "If you've got any questions, just fire away!"
   Firing line   Someone who is in the firing line is in a position to be criticized
  because of their responsibilities or the position they hold.
  "The managing director of the bank is in the firing line since the fraud
  was discovered."
   First and foremost   This expression is used to state what you consider to be more
  important than anything else.
 
"First and foremost I want to thank our hosts for their wonderful
   reception."
   First water   Something that is of the first water is of the finest or most
  exceptional quality (like being compared to a diamond).
  "The violinist gave a performance that was of the first water."
   First-hand/firsthand/at first hand   If you experience something yourself directly, without any intermediary,
  you experience it (at) first hand.
 "Getting to see the performance (at) first hand is much better than
  watching it on television."
   Fish in troubled waters   If you fish in troubled waters, you try to gain advantages for yourself
  from a disturbed state of affairs.
  "Between the declaration of independence and the first elections,
  some people were accused of fishing in troubled waters."
   Fish out of water   If you feel like a fish out of water, you  feel uncomfortable
  because of an unfamiliar situation or unfamiliar surroundings.
 
"As a non-golfer, I felt like a fish out of water at the clubhouse."
   Big fish in a small pond  This term is used to refer to an important or highly-ranked person in a
 small group or organization.
 
"He could get a job with a big company but he enjoys being a big fish
 in a small pond
."
   Have other fish to fry   If you have other fish to fry, you have more important things to do.
  "I don't think he'll attend the office party; he's got other fish to fry."
   Neither fish nor fowl   This is said to describe people or things that are difficult to classify,
  that are neither one thing nor another.
  "Interns are neither fish nor fowl
  They are neither students nor fully qualified practitioners."
   Fishing expedition   If someone is on a fishing expedition, they are trying to obtain
  information in any way possible.
  "The lunch invitation was clearly a fishing expedition to obtain
   information about his private life."
   Fishing for compliments   When someone is obviously waiting for you to say something  
  nice, they are fishing for compliments.
  "I  know why she invited us to visit her hew house - she's just
  fishing for compliments."
   Fit as a fiddle   A person who is as fit as a fiddle is in an excellent state of health
  or physical condition.

  "My grandfather is still fit as a fiddle at the age of 90."
   Fit like a glove   If something fits you like a glove, it fits you perfectly.
 
"I was lucky! The first skirt I tried on fitted me like a glove!"
   Fit the bill   If someone or something fits the bill, they are exactly right for for
  a particular situation.
 
"They wanted a quiet place for the week-end and the country inn just
  fitted the bill."
   Fit for purpose   Something that is suitable for a particular function and is fully
  operational is said to be fit for purpose.
  "The mayor promised that the new leisure centre would be fit for
  purpose."
   In fits and starts   If you do something in fits and starts, you do it in an irregular manner,
  often stopping and starting again.
 
"You'll never make progress in English if you work in fits and starts."
   Fit to be tied   Someone who is fit to be tied is extremely irritated, upset or angry.
 
"Harry was fit to be tied when his dog dug up the flowers he had
  planted."
   Five-finger discount   If somebody gets a five-finger discount, they take something without
  paying. In other words, they steal.
  "How could he afford that watch?"
  "Who knows - perhaps with a five-finger discount!"
   Five o'clock shadow   This expression refers to a patch of stubble on the face of a man
  who hasn't shaved for at least a day.
  "He looked tired and had a five o'clock shadow."
   Fixed in your ways   People who are fixed in their ways do not want to change their
  normal way of doing things.
  "My grandparents are very fixed in their ways."
   Flag of convenience   If a ship, boat or yacht sails under a flag of convenience, it is 
  registered in a foreign country in order to avoid regulations and
  taxes and reduce operating costs.
   Get/take flak   If you get or take flak, you receive severe criticism for something
  you have done.
  "He got a lot of flak for the way he handled the situation."
   Flea in one's ear   After an attempt at something, if you are sent away with a flea in
  your ear
, you are angrily reprimanded or humiliated.
  "When he tried to put the blame on Pete, he was sent away
  with a flea in his ear."
   There are no flies on him!   To say that there are no flies on someone means that
  they understand quickly and cannot be tricked or deceived easily.
  "It's better to tell him all the facts.  There are no flies on him."
   Flight of fancy   To refer to an idea or plan as a flight of fancy means that it is very
  imaginative but not at all practical or sensible.
  "He often comes up with good ideas but his latest proposal is just
   a flight of fancy!"
   Fling oneself into something   If you fling yourself into an activity, you do it with a lot of energy
  and enthusiasm.
  "Ever since she flung herself into the anti-pollution campaign, she
  rarely has a free moment!"
   Flog a dead horse   To say that someone is flogging a dead horse means that they
  are wasting time and effort trying to do or achieve something that is
  not possible. 
  "Mark is flogging a dead horse trying to get his money reimbursed. 
  The company has gone bankrupt!"
   Fly-by-night   A 'fly-by-night' person, business or venture is considered untrustworthy
  because they operate briefly and disappear overnight.
 "I bought it in one of those fly-by-night stores and now I can't exchange
   it. The place has closed down."
   On the fly   If you do something on the fly, you do it quickly, without thinking
  much about it, while doing something else.

  "I'm so busy I usually have lunch on the fly."
   Fly by the seat of your pants   If you fly by the seat of your pants, you do something without
  knowledge or experience, using only your instinct and hoping that
  you will succeed.
  "Without any formal training, he decided to fly by the seat of his pants
  and try his luck in New York."
   Fly in the face of   If an action or statement flies in the face of something, it is
  completely opposite to what is usual or expected.
  "His style of teaching flies in the face of the school's
  established methods."
   Fly in the ointment   The expression a fly in the ointment refers to a small problem or
  something that prevents a situation from being completely satisfactory.
  "Tony's poor English was a fly in the ointment when he applied for
   the job."
   Fly on the wall   This expression is used to describe a person who watches a situation
  without being noticed.
  "I'd like to be a fly on the wall when the management discusses
  my project."
   Fly off the handle   A person who flies off the handle becomes suddenly very angry.
  "Dad flew off the handle when I told him I had damaged his new car."
   It will never fly   To say that something will never fly means that it will not be successful.
 
"He's got incredible ideas, but none that will ever fly!"
   With flying colours   To achieve something with flying colours means to do it very
  successfully.
  "My daughter passed the entrance exam with flying colours. 
  I'm so proud of her!"
   Flying start   If something gets off to the flying start, it is immediately successful.
  "Sales of the book got off to a flying start and exceeded our
  expectations."
   Foam at the mouth   Someone who foams at the mouth is extremely angry about
  something.
 
"The director was foaming at the mouth when he saw a picture of his
  children in the newspaper."
   Follow one's nose   If you follow your nose, you go straight ahead.
  (Also: follow your instinct in life).
 
"The station is at the end of the road - just follow your nose."
   Follow in someone's footsteps   If you follow in someone's footsteps ( for example a parent),
  you lead a similar life or do the same job.
 
"Lily followed in her mother's footsteps and became a teacher."
   Follow suit   If you follow suit, you do the same as somebody else has just done.
  The first robber held up his hands.  The other two followed suit.
   Food for thought   If something gives you food for thought, it makes you think
  seriously about something.
  "The documentary on poverty in the world really gave me food for
  thought."
   Fool's errand   If you go on a fool's errand, you try to do something which is useless,
  unnecessary or has no chance of success.

  "
I realized it was a fool's errand to look for a bank in such an isolated
  region."
   Fool's paradise   If someone is living in a fool's paradise, they are in a state of
  contentment that will not last because their happiness is based on
  illusion or false hope.
  "Lisa is living in a fool's paradise if she thinks her boss is going to
  marry her."
   A foot in the door   If you say that someone has a foot in the door, you mean that they
  have a small but successful start in something and will possibly
  do well in the future.
  "With today's unemployment, it's difficult to get a foot in the door in
  any profession."
   My foot!   This expression is used to show that you do not believe something
  that  has just been said.
  "He said he had a summer home? My foot! I doubt if he owns a tent!"
   One foot in the grave   A person who is either very old or very ill and close to death is said
  to have one foot in the grave.
  "It's no use talking to the owner.  The poor man has got one foot in
  the grave."
   Put one's foot down   To put one's foot down means to exert authority to prevent 
  something from happening.
   Put one's foot in one's mouth    If you put your foot in your mouth, you  do or say something
  that offends, upsets or embarrasses someone else.
  "She really put her foot in her mouth when she mentioned the
  housewarming party - Andy hadn't been invited!"
   Get a foothold   If you get a foothold somewhere, you secure a position for yourself
  in a business, profession or organisation.
  "The contract got the firm a foothold in the local administration."
   Footloose and fancy-free    A person who is footloose and fancy-free has few responsibilities
  or commitments of any kind and feels free to do as they please.
  "John will never get married.  He says he prefers to be footloose
  and fancy-free."
   For the birds   If you think something is for the birds, you consider it to be
  uninteresting, useless, or not to be taken seriously.
  "As far as I'm concerned, his theory is for the birds!"
   Force of habit   When something is done out of force of habit, it has become
  automatic through frequent repetition.
 
"Why do I always park here?  It's force of habit I suppose."
   Force someone's hand   If you force someone's hand, you make them do something
  unwillingly or sooner than planned.
  "The interviewer forced his hand and made him reveal his relocation
  plans."
   Forewarned is forearmed    This expression means that if you know something is going to happen,
  you can be prepared for it.
  "The Chairman is going to attend the meeting tomorrow. 
  Your presentation had better be good.  Forewarned is forearmed.!"
   Forty winks   If you have forty winks, you have a short sleep or rest, generally
  during the day.
  "Dad likes to have forty winks after a game of golf."
   Foul one's own nest   If you act in a way that harms your own interests, your position
  or your reputation, you foul your own nest.
  "He fouled his own nest by wrongly accusing his boss."
   Fraught with danger   An activity or situation that is fraught with danger is full of risks or
  serious difficulties.
  "His journey across the mountains was fraught with danger."
   Free as a bird   If someone is free as a bird, they are completely free to do as they
  please.
  "My dad's very happy - he's free as a bird since he retired."
   A free-for-all   This term refers to an uncontrolled situation such as a discussion,
  argument or fight where everyone present can do or say what they like.

  "It started as a serious debate but turned into a free-for-all."
   A free hand   If you have a free hand, you have permission to make your own decisions,
  especially in a job.
 
"My boss has given me a free hand in the choice of agent."
   There's no such thing as a free lunch   This expression means that nothing is free. If somebody helps you, they
  always expect some form of payment.
  "If you accept his offer, he'll be forever asking you for a favour.
   There's no such thing as a free lunch!"
   A free ride   Someone who gets a free ride benefits from a collective activity without
  participating in it.
  "Only those who share the work can share the benefits - nobody gets
  a free ride!"
   Of your own free will   If you do something of your own free will, you do it voluntarily,
  without any pressure from others.
  "He decided to tell the truth, and he did it of his own free will."
   Freeze somebody out   If you deliberately isolate someone, or prevent them from participating
  in a social or business activity by treating them unfairly or harshly,
  you freeze them out.
  "Pablo was treated unfairly. He was frozen out of the project by the
  rest of the team."
   French leave   If you leave an official or social event without notifying the
  person who invited you, you take French leave.
 
"Is Bill coming back for the closing speech or has he taken
  French leave?"
   (As) fresh as a daisy   Someone who is as fresh as a daisy is lively and attractive,
  in a clean and fresh way.
 
"I met Molly the other day. She looked as fresh as a daisy!"
   Freudian slip   This refers to a mistake made by a speaker which is considered to
  reveal their true thoughts or feelings.
  "So you got the job - I'm so sad - sorry, I mean glad!"
   Friends in high places   If you know important or influential people in business or government,
  you have friends in high places.
  "He wouldn't have succeeded without help from friends in high places."
   Have a frog in one's throat   A person who has a frog in their throat is unable to speak clearly
  because their throat is sore, or because they want to cough.
   From the word go   The expression 'from the word go' means from the very beginning
  of an activity.
  "Right from the word go he was rejected by the rest of the group."
   Front runner   In a contest, race or election, the front runner is the person who
  seems most likely to succeed or win.
 
"Who are the front runners in the coming elections?"
   Out of the frying pan and
 into the fire.
  This expression means to go from one difficult situation to another,
  usually even worse.
  "The flight was delayed because of snow.  When the plane eventually
  took off,  it had to turn back because of engine trouble -
  out of the frying pan into the fire!
"
   Full of beans   A person who is full of beans is lively, active and healthy.
  "He may be getting old but he's still full of beans!"
   Full of hot air   A person who full of hot air is full of nonsense and talks a lot
 without saying anything worthwhile.
 "Don't listen to Tony. He's full of hot air!"
   Full of the joys of spring   If you are full of the joys of spring, you are  happy, enthusiastic
  and full of energy.
 
"Barbara is full of the joys of spring at the moment! Has she got
  a new boyfriend?"
   Full of piss and vinegar   People who are full of piss and vinegar are very lively, boisterous
  or full of youthful vitality.
  "I had to look after a group of kids full of piss and vinegar."
   In full swing   When something, such as an event, gets into full swing, it is at
  its busiest or liveliest time.
  "When we got back to the office, the Christmas party was in full swing."
   Full as a tick   If someone is as full as a tick, they have eaten or drunk too much.
  "The little boy ate biscuits and drank lemonade until he was as full as
   a tick."
   Funny business   An activity which is conducted in a deceitful, dishonest or unethical
  manner is called funny business.
  "I've got suspicions about that association.  I think they're up to some
   funny business."
   Fur coat and no knickers   A person who tries to appear distinguished but has no real class
  is referred to as "fur coat and no knickers".
 
"Don't let her impress you.  She's what we call 'fur coat and no knickers'!

 
 
 

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