English Idioms and Expressions 

Idioms: Efficiency and Competence-3
from:  'leave no stone unturned'  to: 'work like a charm'

• leave no stone unturned
  • If you try everything possible in order to achieve or to find something, you leave no stone unturned.
    "The management left no stone unturned in their efforts to find a solution to the crisis."
    
    
• like clockwork
  • To say that something goes, runs or behaves like clockwork means that something happens exactly as expected, with extreme regularity or at exactly the planned time.
    "The transport service is wonderful. Buses run like clockwork!"
    
    
• make light work of (something)
  • If a person makes light work of something, they do it very easily or with little effort.
    "The boys made light work of the cleaning up. The house was spotless in no time."
    
    
• make a meal of something
  • If someone makes a meal of something, they spend more time or energy doing something than is necessary, or they make it look more difficult than it really is.
    "A brief summary of the main points is sufficient. Don’t make a meal of it!"
    
    
• mean business
  • If someone means business, they are serious about what they announce.
    "The boss says that in future any missing material will be reported to the police, and he looks as though he means business."
    
    
• ahead of the pack
  • If a person or organisation is ahead of the pack, they are better or more successful than their rivals.
    "Our products will have to be more innovative if we want to stay ahead of the pack."
    
    
• play your cards right
  • When you play your cards right, you make intelligent decisions or use your skills and resources wisely In order to succeed or obtain what you want.
    "If we play our cards right, we'll get the contract."
    
    
• run a taut ship
  (also: 'run a tight ship')
  • When a group or organisation is run in a well-ordered and disciplined manner, the person in charge runs a taut (or tight) ship.
    "The director of the scout camp runs a taut ship."
    
    
• sail through something
  • If you sail through something, for example a test or presentation, you succeed in doing it without difficulty.
    "Demonstrating the new product was no problem for Pedro. He sailed through it."
    
    
• sell ice to Eskimos
  • This expression is used to describe a person who has the ability to persuade someone to accept something totally unnecessary or useless.
    "It's not surprising Mark was named 'salesman of the year'. He could sell ice to Eskimos!"
    
    
• spread yourself too thin
  • If you spread yourself too thin, you take on more than you can handle effectively or try to do too many things at the same time. As a result, nothing is done well.
    "Don't spread yourself too thin or you'll get nowhere."
    
    
• strike while the iron is hot
  • If someone tells you to strike while the iron is hot, they are advising you to do something immediately because now is the ideal time to do it and you should not miss the opportunity.
    "The price of property has dropped. It's a good time to buy. You should strike while the iron is hot."
    
    
• take matters into your own hands
  • If you take matters into your hands, you take action yourself rather than waiting for others to intervene.
    "When Susan saw the lack of progress, she decided to take matters into her own hands."
    
    
• tricks of the trade
  • This term refers to a clever or expert way of doing things, especially in a job.
    "He's a tough negotiator; he knows all the tricks of the trade."
    
    
• tried and tested
  • If a method has been tried and tested, it can be trusted because it has been used successfully in the past and is known to work.
    "There's no risk involved. The method has been tried and tested."
    
    
• walk and chew gum
  • If you can walk and chew gum (at the same time), you are able to do more than one thing at a time.
    "Why did you hire that guy? He can't walk and chew gum at the same time!"
    
    
• ways and means
  • To say that there are ways and means of achieving something means that there are several methods which will produce the desired result.
    "All ways and means wil be used to provide assistance to the survivors."
    
    
• work like a charm
  • If something such as a product, an action or method works like a charm, it functions very well or has the desired effect.
    "I tried cleaning it with vinegar and it worked like a charm!"