| 201. |
critical
– the critical list
|
A list of hospital patients who are extremely ill or seriously injured and at risk of death |
| 202. |
cross
- at cross purposes
|
Mutual misunderstanding due to each side referring to a different matter |
| 203. |
cross
– cross a check
|
To draw or print two parallel lines across a check so that it can only be paid into a bank account. |
| 204. |
cross
- cross one’s fingers
|
Cross one finger with another as a sign of hope that a good or the wished-for thing will happen. |
| 205. |
cross
- cross one’s heart
|
Make a sign of the cross over one’s heart to emphasize what one is saying is true. |
| 206. |
cross
– cross one’s mind
|
Occur in one’s thought. |
| 207. |
cross
- cross swords with
|
To have an argument or dispute with someone. |
| 208. |
cross
- cross the floor
|
Walk over to join the opposing side in Parliament. |
| 209. |
cruel
- a cruel blow
|
A tragic event that is so unfair and occurs so suddenly. |
| 210. |
cry
- in full cry
|
In hot pursuit |
| 211. |
cudgel
– cudgel one’s brain
|
To think very hard about something. |
| 212. |
cudgel
- take up cudgels
|
To start to fight for or defend something one strongly believes in. |
| 213. |
curry
- curry favour with
|
To bring oneself into favour with someone by flattering or pleasing them. |
| 214. |
cut
- a cut above
|
Noticeably better than others. |
| 215. |
cut
- cut a dash
|
To appear attractive when one puts on particular clothes. |
| 216. |
cut
- cut and dried
|
(agreement, decision, etc.) reached and cannot be changed. |
| 217. |
cut
- cut and paste
|
In computing, remove text from one location to place it on another. |
| 218. |
cut
- cut and run
|
Withdraw from a situation that becomes difficult rather than attempt to cope with it. |
| 219. |
cut
- cut and thrust
|
Uncontrolled and rough environment. |
| 220. |
cut
- cut both ways
|
Have both good and bad sides |
| 221. |
cut
- cut in line
|
To jump queue. |
| 222. |
cut
- cut it out
|
Used to tell someone to stop saying or doing something. |
| 223. |
cut
- cut no ice
|
Will not be able to bring about change in someone. |
| 224. |
cut
- cut somebody free/loose
|
To set someone free by cutting the rope that binds them. |
| 225. |
cut
- cut somebody short
|
To stop someone from finishing what they are saying. |
| 226. |
cut
- cut someone dead
|
To deliberately ignore someone. |
| 227. |
cut
- cut the cord
|
To not continue depending on someone. |
| 228. |
cut
- cut the crap
|
Used to tell someone to stop wasting time on minor details and concentrate on the important ones. |
| 229. |
cut
- cut the mustard
|
To be good enough to reach certain standard. |
| 230. |
cute
- get cute with
|
To be mischievous. |
| 231. |
dagger
– at daggers drawn
|
With mutual hatred. |
| 232. |
damnedest
- do one’s damnedest
|
To try extremely hard to succeed or obtain something. |
| 233. |
damsel
– damsel in distress
|
A young woman who needs to be rescued. |
| 234. |
dark
– in the dark
|
In a state of ignorance. |
| 235. |
day
– day of reckoning
|
The time when someone has to face up to the consequences of their actions. |
| 236. |
dead
- be dead meat
|
To be in serious trouble. |
| 237. |
dead
– dead and buried
|
Over and finished, no longer worth considering. |
| 238. |
dead
– dead man’s shoes
|
Succeeding someone or inheriting his property is only possible on his death. |
| 239. |
dead
– dead on time
|
At the stated or agreed time. |
| 240. |
deal
- it’s a deal
|
Used to express one’s agreement to something. |
| 241. |
deal
- strike a deal
|
Mutually agree to do something for each other. |
| 242. |
death
– at death’s door
|
So ill that one may die soon. |
| 243. |
death
- on death row
|
To be kept in the area of a prison where prisoners awaiting execution are confined. |
| 244. |
declare
– declare an interest
|
To make known publicly that one holds an interest in something. |
| 245. |
decline
– someone’s declining years
|
Last years of one’s life when one experiences diminishing physical strength and good health. |
| 246. |
delusion
– delusions of grandeur
|
Possessing a very strong sense of self-importance. |
| 247. |
dice
– dice with death
|
To place oneself in a rather risky position. |
| 248. |
dish
– dish the dirt
|
To engage in casual conversation or idle gossip about other people. |
| 249. |
divide
– divide and rule
|
To maintain control over people, and provoke dissent between them to ensure they do not rise in opposition. |
| 250. |
do
– do or die
|
To persist in a course of action even if the outcome is death. |
| 251. |
do
- dos and don’ts
|
The things that one must and must not do in a given situation. |
| 252. |
do
– that does it!
|
Used to show that one can tolerate no more. |
| 253. |
dog
- a dog’s age
|
A very long time. |
| 254. |
dog
- dog eat dog
|
A situation in which people compete ruthlessly. |
| 255. |
dog
– going to the dogs
|
Deteriorating with no possibility of improving. |
| 256. |
doing
– take some doing
|
Involving hard work or much effort. |
| 257. |
domino
- the domino effect
|
A situation in which one event triggers similar events around it to happen successively. |
| 258. |
done
- a done deal
|
An agreed proposal or a completed business deal. |
| 259. |
done
- the done thing
|
To be socially acceptable. |
| 260. |
dot
– on the dot
|
Punctually. |
| 261. |
dot
– to a dot
|
Exactly; precisely. |
| 262. |
dotage
– in one’s dotage
|
In one’s old age. |
| 263. |
double
- at/on the double
|
Very quickly. |
| 264. |
drag
– drag one’s feet
|
To be deliberately slow to do something. |
| 265. |
drain
- down the drain
|
Entirely wasted. |
| 266. |
draw
- draw a blank
|
To be unsuccessful, especially after searching for something such as evidence, etc. |
| 267. |
draw
– draw someone’s eye
|
To make someone notice something. |
| 268. |
dress
– dress a salad
|
Add a mixture of additional ingredients onto a salad. |
| 269. |
dress
– dressed to kill
|
Quality clothes worn to make a striking impression. |
| 270. |
drop
– drop a bombshell
|
To suddenly reveal a shocking piece of news. |
| 271. |
drop
– drop a clanger/brick
|
To pass an embarrassing remark in a social environment. |
| 272. |
drop
– drop a hint
|
To convey something in an indirect way by what one says or does. |
| 273. |
drop
– drop one’s guard
|
To cease keeping careful watch for possible danger. |
| 274. |
drown
– drown one’s sorrows
|
To forget one’s problems by drinking a lot of alcohol. |
| 275. |
drum
– drum one’s fingers
|
To unconsciously display one’s anxiety. |
| 276. |
due
– in due course
|
At the appropriate time in the future. |
| 277. |
due
– pay one’s dues
|
Make regular payments to; fulfil one’s obligations. |
| 278. |
duff
- up the duff
|
Pregnant. |
| 279. |
dust
– dust and ashes
|
Something that causes great disappointment. |
| 280. |
early
- an early grave
|
Dying too soon. |
| 281. |
early
– it’s early days
|
Early in time for something to happen, etc. |
| 282. |
earn
– earn one’s keep
|
To do enough work to justify what one receives in return. |
| 283. |
earth
– go to earth
|
Go into hiding. |
| 284. |
eat
– eat humble pie
|
Admit one’s mistake and offer an apology. |
| 285. |
eat
- eat one’s words
|
Retract one’s statement, usually under pressure. |
| 286. |
economy
– economies of scale
|
To economic benefit of production of an item in large quantities. |
| 287. |
effect
- to that effect
|
Getting the desired outcome or meaning. |
| 288. |
empty
– empty your bowels
|
To defecate. |
| 289. |
end
– be the end
|
Be the limit of what one can tolerate. |
| 290. |
end
- days on end
|
Lasting many days. |
| 291. |
end
– end in itself (an)
|
Something that one really wants to do, and not for other reasons. |
| 292. |
end
– end it all
|
To kill own self; commit suicide. |
| 293. |
end
– end to end
|
Arrange things in a row with ends touching |
| 294. |
end
– in the end
|
Eventually; ultimately. |
| 295. |
end
– make ends meet
|
To live within one’s means. |
| 296. |
end
- to that end
|
To aim at or achieve something. |
| 297. |
end
– to this end
|
For this purpose. |
| 298. |
even
- get even with
|
To inflict harm or insult on someone just as much as they have harmed or insulted you. |
| 299. |
event
- in any event
|
Used to emphasize that an event will happen besides others that may happen. |
| 300. |
event
- in the event
|
Used to emphasize what actually happened or might happen in a given situation. |