English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions 

DESCRIPTION of PLACES, THINGS and EVENTS, page 5

from:  'middle of the road'   to:  'the pits'

• middle of the road (MOR)
  • This term refers to anything moderate, unadventurous or inoffensive that avoids extremes and appeals to the majority of people.
    "It's a middle-of-the-road restaurant that's ideal for families."
    
    
• mixed blessing
  • Something pleasant which also has disadvantages is called a mixed blessing.
    "He inherited as 18th century mansion but the maintenance costs make it a mixed blessing."
    
    
• name written on it
  • If something has someone's name (written) on it, it is intended for that person or it is ideally suited to them.
    "That dress would be perfect for you - your name's written on it!"
    
    
• next best thing
  • If you can't have exactly what you want, the next best thing is the best alternative possible.
    "The camera I wanted was far too expensive so I opted for a cheaper one that was the next best thing."
    
    
• no-go area
  • A  no-go area is an area, particularly in a city, where it is dangerous to go.
    "Tourists have been advised to avoid parts of the city which have become no-go areas."
    
    
• no great shakes
  • To say that someone or something is no great shakes means that they are useless, ineffective or not very good.
    "He's a good actor but his last film was no great shakes."
    
    
• not a patch on
  • If something or someone is not a patch on an other, they are not nearly as good.
    "His second conference wasn't a patch on the first one."
    
    
• not in the same league
  • If something is not in the same league, it is of much lower standard than something else.
    "He had a good voice but he wasn't in the same league as Pavarotti."
    
    
• not up to par
  • If something is not up to par, it does not meet the required standard.
    "He didn't get the job because his English wasn't up to par."
    
    
• not up to scratch
  • Something which isnot up to scratch fails to reach the expected standard.
    "The quality of the material is not up to scratch. We'll have to change our suppliers."
    
    
• nothing to write home about
  • If you refer to something as nothing to write home about, you mean that you find it ordinary or unexciting, having nothing special or noteworthy.
    "The new restaurant gets good reviews, but as far as I’m concerned it’s nothing to write home about!"
    
    
• a notch above
  • Something that is a notch above something else is a little better in every way.
    "His rendering of the song was a notch above the others."
    
    
• odds and ends
  • Odds and ends are small articles, or bits and pieces of all sorts, usually of little value.
    "I keep my odds and ends in this drawer."
    
    
• one horse town
  • A place referred to as a one-horse town is a small, dull or uninteresting town with few or poor facilities or attractions where nothing much ever happens.
    "I wish my grandparents didn't live in that one-horse town. It's such a boring place!"
    
    
• out of whack
  • If something is out of whack, it is not working properly or is not in good order.
    "The dishwasher is making a funny noise. Something must be out of whack."
    
    
• out of this world
  • To refer to something as out of this world means that you think it is extremely good or impressive.
    "The hotel was very comfortable and the food was out of this world."
    
    
• over the top (OTT)
  • Something which is over the top is totally excessive or not suitable for the occasion.
    "Her dramatic speech was way over the top."
    
    
• pie in the sky
  • If an idea or project is pie in the sky, it is completely unrealistic or unlikely to be achieved.
    "The promise of low-cost housing for everyone turned out to be pie in the sky."
    
    
• the pits
  • If something is referred to as the pits, it is considered to be absolutely the worst.
    "That magazine is the pits!"