Phrases and Idioms List 101-200 (call – crime)

101. Call it a day: To decide or announce that one has finished the activity for the day.

102. Call it quits: To stop working on something; to give up.

103. Call the shots: To make key decisions and run things.

104. Call the tune: To be in charge and make decisions.

105. Call a spade a spade: To describe something as it really is, even if the truth is unpleasant.

106. Casting pearls before swine: To give something valuable to someone who does not understand that it is valuable.

107. Cat got your tongue: To be silent because you're too surprised or embarrassed to speak.

108. Cat nap: A short, light sleep; a doze.

109. Catch someone's eye: To attract someone's attention.

110. Catch-22: A dilemma from which there is no escape because of mutually conflicting rules or conditions.

111. Caught red-handed: To be caught while committing a misdeed or crime.

112. Change of heart: A reversal in one's feelings, opinion, or decision.

113. Chew the fat: To converse or talk informally, especially over a long period of time.

114. Chicken out: To decide not to do something out of fear.

115. Clear the air: To remove doubts or misunderstanding.

116. Climb the corporate ladder: To advance within a business or organization in terms of position and pay.

117. Close but no cigar: To fall just short of a successful outcome and get nothing for your efforts.

118. Cloud nine: A state of extreme joy.

119. Cock and bull story: An unbelievable tale.

120. Cold feet: To hesitate or back off when one is getting ready to commit to a task or decision.

121. Cold shoulder: To ignore or deliberately avoid someone.

122. Come hell or high water: No matter the difficulties or challenges.

123. Cost an arm and a leg: To be very expensive.

124. Crocodile tears: Fake or insincere tears.

125. Cry over spilled milk: To express regret about something that has already happened or cannot be changed.

126. Cry wolf: To give a false alarm.

127. Cut corners: To do something the cheapest or easiest way.

128. Cut the mustard: To meet the required standards, to succeed.

129. Dark horse: A candidate or competitor about whom little is known but who unexpectedly wins or succeeds.

130. Dead ringer: An exact or very close resemblance.

131. Devil's advocate: Someone who takes a position they do not necessarily agree with for the sake of debate or to explore the thought further.

132. Don't count your chickens before they hatch: Do not plan or rely on something good happening until it has actually happened.

133. Down in the dumps: Feeling unhappy or depressed.

134. Draw the line: To set a limit.

135. Drive someone up the wall: To irritate or annoy someone greatly.

136. Dime a dozen: Very common and of no particular value.

137. Drop in the bucket: A very small part of something big or whole.

138. Dressed to the nines: Very smartly or elegantly dressed.

139. Early bird catches the worm: One who arrives first has the best chance for success.

140. Easier said than done: More difficult than you think.

141. Elephant in the room: An obvious problem or risk no one wants to discuss.

142. Every cloud has a silver lining: There is a positive or hopeful side to most negative situations.

143. Eye for an eye: Retaliation in kind; getting revenge.

144. Face the music: Accept the unpleasant consequences of one's actions.

145. Feast or famine: Either too much or too little of something.

146. Feather in one's cap: A great achievement.

147. Fifth wheel: An unnecessary or extra person or thing.

148. Fish out of water: Someone in a situation that they are unsuited or unprepared for.

149. Fit as a fiddle: In good physical health.

150. Fly by the seat of one's pants: To do something by improvising, with no clear plans or rules.

151. Fly off the handle: To react in a wildly or hasty manner.

152. For the birds: Worthless or foolish.

153. Get the ball rolling: To start something, usually an event.

154. Get your act together: To organize yourself and get things done efficiently.

155. Give the cold shoulder: To ignore someone deliberately.

156. Go against the grain: To act in contradiction to the norms.

157. Go the extra mile: To make more effort than is expected.

158. Green thumb: A natural talent for growing plants.

159. Grin and bear it: To submit to a difficult situation with good humor.

160. Hair of the dog: A small amount of what has caused a hangover, supposed to cure the hangover.

161. Hand over fist: Quickly and in large amounts.

162. Hard pill to swallow: Unpleasant news or situation that is difficult to accept.

163. Have a blast: Have a great time or experience.

164. Head over heels: Completely, madly in love.

165. Hold your horses: Be patient.

166. Hot under the collar: Very angry or upset.

167. Jack of all trades: A person who is skilled in many different areas.

168. Jump the gun: To do something prematurely or too soon.

169. Keep an eye on: To watch, supervise, or care for.

170. Keep your chin up: Stay positive in a tough situation.

171. Kicked the bucket: To die.

172. Kill two birds with one stone: Get two tasks done with a single action.

173. Let the cat out of the bag: To accidentally reveal a secret.

174. Level playing field: A situation where all participants have a fair and equal chance of succeeding.

175. Make ends meet: To earn just enough money to live without getting into debt.

176. Miss the boat: To miss an opportunity.

177. Not playing with a full deck: To suggest someone is mentally deficient or crazy.

178. Off the hook: Free from responsibility.

179. Out of the frying pan and into the fire: When a situation goes from bad to worse.

180. Out of the blue: Completely unexpected.

181. Piece of cake: An easy task or job.

182. Pull the wool over someone's eyes: To deceive someone.

183. Put on the back burner: To postpone or delay.

184. Rain or shine: Regardless of the weather or circumstances.

185. Read between the lines: To infer or find out a hidden or implied meaning.

186. Red herring: A misleading clue or distraction.

187. Rule of thumb: A practical and approximate way of doing or measuring something.

188. See eye to eye: To agree fully.

189. Shake a leg: To hurry up.

190. Sink or swim: A situation where one must save themselves by their own means or fail by those same means.

191. Sit tight: To wait patiently.

192. Speak of the devil: The person we were just talking about shows up.

193. Steal someone's thunder: To take credit for something someone else did.

194. Take it with a grain of salt: Don't take what someone says too seriously.

195. The ball is in your court: It's up to you to make the next decision or step.

196. Through thick and thin: In both good and bad times.

197. Under the weather: Feeling ill or sick.

198. Up in the air: Undecided, uncertain, not resolved.

199. Wild goose chase: A futile and time-consuming pursuit.

200. You can't judge a book by its cover: You can’t make a decision based on outward appearance alone.