| 701. |
past
- A shady past
|
A past that one had committed a criminal or immoral act and is best kept secret. |
| 702. |
pay
– pay one’s respects
|
Show one’s polite consideration by calling or visiting. |
| 703. |
pay
– pay one’s way
|
To finance one’s own cost or expenses. |
| 704. |
payment
– payment in kind
|
Using goods or services instead of money as settlement |
| 705. |
peace
– hold one’s peace
|
Remain silent, even under provocation. |
| 706. |
peace
– keep the peace
|
To maintain law and order. |
| 707. |
peace
– make one’s peace
|
Restore friendly relations with someone after a personal dispute. |
| 708. |
peace
– rest in peace
|
Used in funeral service as part of a prayer. |
| 709. |
per
- as per usual
|
As usual. |
| 710. |
pick
– pick a fight
|
Force a fight. |
| 711. |
pick
– pick a lock
|
Use something other than the key to open a lock. |
| 712. |
pick
– pick holes in
|
Criticize adversely; find fault with. |
| 713. |
pick
– pick one’s nose
|
To remove mucus from one’s nose with one’s finger. |
| 714. |
pick
– pick one’s teeth
|
To remove bits of food from one’s teeth with something pointed. |
| 715. |
pick
– pick someone’s pocket
|
To steal secretly from someone’s pocket. |
| 716. |
pity
- for pity’s sake
|
Used to show one’s growing irritation. |
| 717. |
plate
– on a plate
|
Getting something without working for it. |
| 718. |
plate
– on one’s plate
|
Having so much to occupy one’s time. |
| 719. |
play
– come into play
|
To have significant effect. |
| 720. |
play
– out of play
|
When a ball goes out of the allowed area of play. |
| 721. |
play
– play for time
|
To gain time by employing delaying tactics. |
| 722. |
play
– play it cool
|
To behave in a relaxed or unconcerned manner. |
| 723. |
play
– play it safe
|
Avoid taking unnecessary risks. |
| 724. |
play
– play on words
|
To make use of ambiguous words to amuse or confuse. |
| 725. |
play
– play second fiddle
|
Play a subordinate role. |
| 726. |
play
– play the fool
|
Acting in a silly way. |
| 727. |
play
– play with fire
|
Do something that could have serious consequences. |
| 728. |
plunge
– take the plunge
|
To finally commit oneself to doing something after much hesitation. |
| 729. |
point
- belabour the point
|
Discuss at length. |
| 730. |
point
- beside the point
|
Irrelevant; not important. |
| 731. |
point
– case in point
|
An example used to clarify the topic being discussed. |
| 732. |
point
– point the finger
|
To openly accuse, blame or implicate someone. |
| 733. |
poke
– poke fun at
|
Make fun of or ridicule someone. |
| 734. |
pole
- be poles apart
|
Entirely different from each other. |
| 735. |
poor
– the poor man’s …..
|
An inferior or cheaper substitute for someone or something as mentioned. |
| 736. |
pop
- pop the question
|
To propose marriage to someone. |
| 737. |
pot-luck
- take pot-luck
|
Be willing to take or eat whatever is available. |
| 738. |
pound
– pound of flesh
|
Something that’s one’s entitled but which will make them to suffer to demand. |
| 739. |
practice
– practice makes perfect
|
Perfection comes from habitual doing of something. |
| 740. |
premium
– at a premium
|
Not readily available; at a higher than usual price. |
| 741. |
press
– go to press
|
To get something printed. |
| 742. |
press
– at the press
|
In the process of printing. |
| 743. |
press
– off the press
|
Printed; issued. |
| 744. |
press
– press the flesh
|
To shake hands with people |
| 745. |
press
– send to press
|
Send to be printed. |
| 746. |
pressed
– pressed for time
|
Not having enough time. |
| 747. |
price
– at any price
|
Regardless of the risk involved or what may happen. |
| 748. |
prick
– prick of conscience
|
Feeling of deep regret or guilt for a wrong committed. |
| 749. |
print
– appear in print
|
Have one’s work published. |
| 750. |
print
– out of print
|
No longer available in printed form. |
| 751. |
proportion
– out of proportion
|
More than what it should be; exaggerated. |
| 752. |
proportion
– sense of proportion
|
The ability to judge the relative importance of things. |
| 753. |
puck
– pluck a pigeon
|
To rob a foolish or gullible person. |
| 754. |
pull
– pull one’s face
|
Change one’s facial expression to reflect one’s feelings. |
| 755. |
pull
– pull one’s punches
|
To be less forceful, harsh, etc. than one is capable. |
| 756. |
pull
– pull one’s rank
|
Abuse one’s senior position to exact obedience, etc. |
| 757. |
pull
– pull someone’s leg
|
To playfully cause someone to believe something that is not true. |
| 758. |
pull
– pull the plug
|
Prevent something from continuing. |
| 759. |
pure
– pure and simple
|
Absolutely by itself, nothing short of. |
| 760. |
push
- at a push
|
With difficulty but can be done. |
| 761. |
push
– push one’s luck
|
To assume one will continue to be successful. |
| 762. |
quite
- not quite
|
Not completely or totally. |
| 763. |
rack
– rack and ruin
|
Deteriorate due to neglect. |
| 764. |
raise
– raise the dust
|
To cause a disturbance. |
| 765. |
rank
– rank and file
|
Ordinary members of an organization. |
| 766. |
ransom
- a king’s ransom
|
A huge amount of money. |
| 767. |
rate
- at this rate
|
If things continue to happen in this way |
| 768. |
raw
– in the raw
|
In its realistic state; naked. |
| 769. |
read
- a good read
|
Something that people enjoy reading. |
| 770. |
ready
- at the ready
|
Available to put into immediate service. |
| 771. |
record
- for the record
|
For something to be recorded and remembered. |
| 772. |
record
– off/on the record
|
Not made/made as official record. |
| 773. |
red
- in the red
|
To have no money in one’s account. |
| 774. |
red
– red letter day
|
A special day that makes you very happy. |
| 775. |
red
- the red planet
|
Mars |
| 776. |
regard
– in this regard
|
Connected with something mentioned previously or just said. |
| 777. |
regard
– with regard to
|
Referring to something one is speaking or writing about. |
| 778. |
rein
– take the reins
|
Take over the responsibility. |
| 779. |
reinvent
– reinvent the wheel
|
To waste time in devising what is already in existence. |
| 780. |
respect
– in respect of
|
Concerning; with reference to; in relation to. |
| 781. |
respect
– with respect to
|
Referring to. |
| 782. |
rest
– rest on oars
|
Rest after a spell of labour. |
| 783. |
rest
– rest one’s case
|
End one’s presentation of evidence in a court of law. |
| 784. |
ride
– be riding high
|
Successful and popular. |
| 785. |
ride
– ride herd on
|
Keep watch over. |
| 786. |
ride
– ride roughshod over
|
Treat someone without consideration of their feelings. |
| 787. |
right
– as of right
|
It is one’s right. |
| 788. |
right
- right-hand man
|
An important assistant. |
| 789. |
right
– the right stuff
|
The necessary or required qualities. |
| 790. |
rise
– give rise to
|
Cause something to happen. |
| 791. |
rise
– on the rise
|
Increasing in value, success, prices, etc. |
| 792. |
rise
– rise and shine
|
Get out of bed early and quickly. |
| 793. |
risk
– risk one’s neck
|
To do something that involves the possibility of being killed. |
| 794. |
risk
– run the risk
|
Expose to the possibility of something dangerous or unpleasant happening. |
| 795. |
rock
– on the rocks
|
Fraught with problems and is likely to fail. |
| 796. |
rock
– rock the boat
|
To disrupt the existing situation. |
| 797. |
root
- put down roots
|
To become settled in a place. |
| 798. |
rope
– know the ropes
|
Know all of something through experience |
| 799. |
rough
– a rough diamond
|
A person who is of good character but lacks good manners. |
| 800. |
rough
– in the rough
|
In a natural or difficult state |