English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
Alphabetical List of Idioms - C, page 8
from: 'chocolate teapot'
to: 'clip wings'
- as useful as a chocolate teapot
- Something which is of no practical use at all is about as useful as a chocolate teapot.
"When there are no roads, a car is about as useful as a chocolate teapot."
- Something which is of no practical use at all is about as useful as a chocolate teapot.
- chop and change
- If you chop and change, you constantly change your
opinion, plans or methods and often cause confusion.
"Don't chop and change all the time - just make up your mind!"
- If you chop and change, you constantly change your
opinion, plans or methods and often cause confusion.
- Christmas comes but once a year
- This expression means that Christmas is a time of
celebration that only happens once a year, and that we should mark the occasion by
being generous to others, especially the less fontunate.
"I know I spend too much on presents, but Christmas comes but once a year, so let's enjoy it all!"
- This expression means that Christmas is a time of
celebration that only happens once a year, and that we should mark the occasion by
being generous to others, especially the less fontunate.
- off someone's Christmas list
- This expression means that you are no longer on friendly terms with someone.
"I've been (crossed) off her Christmas list since our dog messed up her garden!"
- This expression means that you are no longer on friendly terms with someone.
- not my circus, not my monkeys
- This expression means that something does not concern you in any way. It’s neither your problem
nor your responsibility and you don’t want to become involved.
"My two colleagues were having a heated argument about something, but I didn’t want to be dragged into it. I said to myself: ‘Not my circus, not my monkeys’!"
- This expression means that something does not concern you in any way. It’s neither your problem
nor your responsibility and you don’t want to become involved.
- can't fight the city hall
- To say that you can't fight the city hall means that it is
useless to try to win a battle against a politician, establishment or bureaucracy in general.
"Brian decided it was a waste of energy trying to obtain a tax refund - you can't fight the city hall."
- To say that you can't fight the city hall means that it is
useless to try to win a battle against a politician, establishment or bureaucracy in general.
- clap eyes on
- If you clap eyes on someone or something, you actually see them.
"I've heard of him but I've never clapped eyes on him."
- If you clap eyes on someone or something, you actually see them.
- class act
- To say that someone, for example an athlete or entertainer,
is a class act means that they are very good at what they do.
"Her career is just beginning but she's already a class act."
- To say that someone, for example an athlete or entertainer,
is a class act means that they are very good at what they do.
- claw one's way back
- In a situation which has deteriorated, if you claw your way back, you gradually regain your former position
through determination, energy and hard work.
"After a serious accident, the Olympic champion clawed his way back to the top, to the admiration of all."
- In a situation which has deteriorated, if you claw your way back, you gradually regain your former position
through determination, energy and hard work.
- clean bill of health
- If a person is given a clean bill of health, they have a
report or certificate declaring that their health is satisfactory.
"All candidates for the position must prsent a clean bill of health."
- If a person is given a clean bill of health, they have a
report or certificate declaring that their health is satisfactory.
- clean slate
- A clean slate is a record of your work or actions that
does not show past mistakes and allows you to make a fresh start.
"He was able to rebuild his life with a clean slate."
- A clean slate is a record of your work or actions that
does not show past mistakes and allows you to make a fresh start.
- clean up your act
- The expression ‘clean up your act’ means to improve your behaviour and act in a more acceptable manner.
“You’ll have to clean up your act and comply with company rules if you want to keep your job!”
- The expression ‘clean up your act’ means to improve your behaviour and act in a more acceptable manner.
- clean as a whistle
- Something as clean as a whistle is extremely clean.
This can also mean that a person's criminal record is clean.
"Bob spent the afternoon washing and shining his car until it was as clean as a whistle."
- Something as clean as a whistle is extremely clean.
- clear the air
- If you decide toclear the air, you try to remove
the causes of fear, worry or suspicion by talking about the problem openly.
"The atmosphere had become so unpleasant that he decided it was time to clear the air."
- If you decide toclear the air, you try to remove
the causes of fear, worry or suspicion by talking about the problem openly.
- clear the way
- If you clear the way, you allow something to
happen by removing what was preventing it.
"Opening universities to women cleared the way for them to have a career and participate actively in today's society."
- If you clear the way, you allow something to
happen by removing what was preventing it.
- clinch a deal
- In a business relationship, if you clinch a deal,
you reach agreement on a proposal or offer.
"Paul's final argument enabled us to clinch the deal."
- In a business relationship, if you clinch a deal,
you reach agreement on a proposal or offer.
- clip someone's wings
- If you clip someone's wings, you do something to restrict their freedom.
"Taking away his credit card is a sure way to clip his wings."
- If you clip someone's wings, you do something to restrict their freedom.
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