Clichés
Sayings, homilies, maxims, truisms, old saws, proverbs, aphorisms, euphemisms, figures of speech, adages, axioms
Whatever you want to call them, clichés are the everyday expressions we've grown up with and express exactly the right sentiment for the occasion. They are familiar and comforting, like an old bathrobe, and I love them. Unfortunately, editors don't. (Read The Write Life Nov. 2008 to see why.)
Nevertheless, I made my own collection of clichés over the past couple of years, accumulated bit by bit from my reading, experience, family, and even television. Most of them are old, but a few have cropped up more recently. I've amassed over 1500 (with a little help from my friends) and posted them here for your enjoyment.
I once started a list of common sayings from the Bible and was surprised by how much of our everyday speech stems from scripture. You will see scripture references next to those I've found. Most come from the King James Version, and some may be derived from the meaning of the text rather than an exact quote.
If you enjoy these, you may want to visit other cliché sites. The best I've found is ClicheSite.com, which includes each cliché's meaning and in some cases, its origin. The Cliché Finder is another excellent source of clichés.
Please let me know if you run across any misspellings, repeated clichés, or lines out of order, or if you spot a cliché for which I need to include a scripture reference. ENJOY!
A
Above all else (GS)
Above board
Absence makes the heart grow fonder
Ace in the hole (JET)
Actions speak louder than words
Act your age, not your IQ (BP)
Add insult to injury
Add the finishing touches
After while, crocodile (SH)
Agree to disagree
All done in (GS)
All downhill from there
[I’m] all ears
All is vanity (Ecclesiastes 1:2 and
others) (JU)
[In] all kinds of weather
All’s fair in love and war
All’s well that ends well
All talk and no action
All that glitters is not gold (JU)
[He's] all thumbs (JU, GS)
Alright already (LK)
Always a bridesmaid, never a bride
And neither the twain shall meet
Ants in his pants
Anyone with a lick of sense
Apple a day keeps the doctor away
Apple never falls far from the tree
Apple of my eye
April showers bring May flowers (ASC)
[He would] argue with a fence post (JU)
[He’s been] around the block
As American as apple pie
As bald as a billiard ball
As bald as an egg
As black as coal
As black as night
As blind as a bat
As big as a mountain
As bright as day
As broad as a barn (JET)
As busy as a beaver (JET, JU))
As busy as a bee
As clean as a whistle (JET)
As clear as mud
As clumsy as an ox (GS)
As comfortable as old shoes (JET)
As cool as a cucumber
As crazy as a Bessie bug (JU)
As crazy as a loon (JET)
As crooked as a dog's hind leg
As cute as a bug (ASC)
As cute as a button
As cute as a bug
As dead as a doornail
As dry as a bone
As drunk as a skunk
As dumb as a box of rocks (JU)
As dumb as a doornail (GS)
As easy as pie (JET)
As excited as a kid at Christmas (JET)
As far as the east is from the west
(Psalm 103:12)
As fast as greased lightning
As fat as a pig (JET)
As fine as frog's hair (JU)
As fit as a fiddle (JET)
As full as a tick
As gentle as a lamb
As good as dead (Hebrews 11:12)
As green as grass (JET)
As happy as a clam
As happy as a lark (LK)
As happy as a pig in mud (2 Peter 2:22)
(BP, LK)
As hard as a rock
As heavy as lead
As high as a kite
As high as a mountain
As honest as the day is long (JU)
As hungry as a bear (JET)
As hungry as a horse
As if your life depended on it
Ask me no questions, I'll tell you no lies
(BP)
As limp as a dishrag
As light as a feather
As loose as a goose
As luck would have it
As mad as a hatter
As mad as a hornet
As mad as a wet hen
As mean as a junkyard dog
As mean as a snake
As nervous as a long-tailed cat in a
room full of rocking chairs (JU)
As nutty as a fruitcake (JET, JU)
As old as dirt
As plain as day
As plain as the nose on your face
As playful as a kitten
As pleased as punch
As poor as a churchmouse (JU, BP)
As pretty as a peach (JET)
As pretty as a picture
As quick as a flash (JET)
As quick as a fox
As quick as a wink (JET, JU)
As quiet as a mouse
As red as a beet
As right as rain
As sharp as a razor
As sharp as a tack
As shiny as a new dime (BL)
As silent as the grave
As skinny as a rail
As slick as glass (JU)
As slippery as an eel
As slow as Christmas
As slow as molasses in winter
As sly as a fox
As smart as a whip
As smooth as glass (GS)
As soft as a baby’s bottom
As sour as a lemon
As strong as an ox
As sweet as honey
As sweet as sugar (JET)
As snug as a bug in a rug
As stiff as a board
As still as a statue
As stubborn as a mule
As sure as you’re born
As the crow flies (BP)
As thick as thieves
As tough as nails
As weak as a kitten
As welcome as the flowers in May
As white as a ghost
As white as a sheet (JET)
As white as snow
As wild as a banshee
As wise as an owl (JET)
As you may have guessed by now
At every turn
At face value
At his beck and call
At my wit’s end (Psalm 107:27)
At the drop of a hat
At the end of my rope
Avoid it like the plague
B
Babes in the woods
Back by popular demand
Back in the groove
Back off
Back to full steam
Back to square one
Back with a vengeance
Bad hair day (GS)
Bad to the bone
Bald-faced lie
[My] ball and chain (JET)
Ball’s in your court
[A] banner year
Bare facts (GS)
Bare minimum
Barking up the wrong tree
Bark is worse than his bite
Barrel of fun
[He has] bats in his belfry (JET)
Beat him hands down
Beat him to a pulp
Beat him to the punch
[I could] beat him with one hand tied
behind my back
Beat their swords into plowshares
(Isaiah 2:4) (JU)
Beat them at their own game
Beauty is only skin deep
Been there; done that; bought the t-shirt
(BL)
Before my very eyes
Before you can say, “Jack Robinson”
Beginner’s luck
Beginning to get the picture
Behind every great man is a woman
[I’m] being framed
Be my guest (BL)
[I] bent over backwards for him
[Let me] bend your ear
Benefit of the doubt
Be of good cheer (Matthew 9:2 and
others)
Be of good courage (Psalm 27:14)
Be on the lookout
Best is yet to come
Best of both worlds
Best thing since sliced bread
Be swift to hear and slow to speak (Psalm 90:12)
Be there with bells on
[My] better half (JET)
Better late than never
Better safe than sorry
Better to run away and live to fight another day
[I'd] bet the farm on it
Between a rock and a hard place
[You] bet your (blue) bloomers (JET)
[You can] bet your life on it
Beyond a shadow of a doubt (JET)
Bide your time
Big fish in a little pond
Bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
Birds and the bees
Birds of a feather flock together
Bite your tongue
Bit off more than he could chew
Bit the dust
Blanket of snow
Bless his heart (BP)
Blondes have more fun (JET)
Blood is thicker than water
Blood will tell
Blow-by-blow account
Blows my mind
Blow the socks off him
Bolt from the blue
Bone of contention
[I have a] bone to pick with you
Boob tube (GS)
Booby prize
Boot him out (GS)
Bored silly (GS)
Bored to tears
Born with a silver spoon in his mouth
Bosom buddies
Bottomless pit (JU)
Bottom line is . . .
Bought the farm
Bouncing off the walls
Boxed his ears (JU)
Break a leg
Breathed his last
Breathing down my neck
[He's a] brick shy of a load (or any
variation) (JU)
Broke my heart
Brought him to his knees
[You've been] buffaloed (JET)
Buck stops here
Build a better mousetrap
[Just a] bump in the road
Burned to a crisp
Burning the midnight oil
Burst my bubble
Bury the hatchet (JU)
Busting my chops
By all means
By and far
By and large
By any stretch of the imagination
By leaps and bounds
By the same token
By the skin of my teeth (Job 19:20 NIV)
By the scruff of his neck
C
Called out on the carpet
Calm before the storm
Calm, cool and collected (JET)
Came out smelling like a rose
Can I get an amen? (SH)
Can’t keep a good man down
(Proverbs 24:16)
Can’t see past the end of his own nose
Can’t see the forest for the trees
Can’t take no for an answer
Can we talk? (BP)
[He’s a] carbon copy of . . .
Carries more clout
Carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders
Case in point
Cast your bread upon the waters (Ecclesiastes 11:1)
Cast your pearls before swine
(Matthew 7:6)
Catch as catch can
Catch my drift?
Catch ya later (SH)
Cat got your tongue?
Cat’s out of the bag
Caught between a rock and a hard place
[A] chain is only as strong as its
weakest link
Change with the times
Caught red-handed (JET, ASC)
Caught with his hand in the cookie jar
Cave in (GS)
Caught with his pants down (LK)
Charley horse in my leg (JU)
[That’s a] cheap trick
Cheaters never prosper
Check it out
Cheek to jowl
[Let’s] chew the fat
Chickens have come home to roost (BP,
LK)
Chill out
Chip off the ol’ block
Choose the lesser of two evils
Civility costs nothing
Cleanliness is next to godliness
Climbing the corporate ladder
[She's a] clinging vine (BL)
[The] clock is ticking
Close but no cigar
Clothes make the man
Coldhearted
Come clean
Comes in handy
Come what may
Coming down the pike
Coming into the home stretch
Coming of age
Coming out of the woodwork
Cool your heels
Cost me an arm and a leg (LK)
Costs a pretty penny (GS)
Couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn
Couldn't hold a candle to him
Couldn’t leave well enough alone
Couldn’t put my finger on it
Count the cost (Luke 14:28)
Count your blessing
Cover all the bases
Crack the whip
Crazy like a fox (JU)
Cream of the crop (JET)
Cross your heart and hope to die; stick
a needle in your eye
[We’ll] cross that bridge when we come to it
[My] cross to bear
(Luke 9:23; Luke 14:27)
[A] crowd pleaser
Cry uncle
Cry wolf
Curiosity killed the cat
[He] cusses like a sailor
Cut and dried
Cut and run
Cut from the same cloth
Cut his teeth on it
Cut it out
Cut off your nose to spite your face
Cutting corners
[On the] cutting edge (JET)
Cut to the chase
D
Dancing with the devil
Dangle a carrot in front of his nose
Day in and day out
Day late and a dollar short
[His] days are numbered
Dead as a doornail
Dead duck (BL)
Dead in the water
Dead set against it
Dead to the world
[He has a] death wish
[A] defining moment
Den of thieves (Luke 19:46)
Depend on it
[The] devil is in the details
Did me a world of good
Didn’t bat an eyelash
Didn't know him from Adam (GS)
Didn’t sleep a wink
Digging my own grave
Different strokes for different folks
Dime a dozen
Dirt cheap
Dirty work afoot
[He can] dish it out but he can’t take it
Divide and conquer
Do as I say, not as I do
Doesn't amount to a hill of beans
Doesn’t have a leg to stand on
Doesn’t have enough sense to get in out of the rain
Doesn’t have two nickels to rub together
Doesn’t know when to come in
out of the rain
Doesn’t stand a chance
Dog and pony show
Dog days of summer
Dog eat dog world
[It's a] dog's life (GS)
Doing time (GS)
Do it well or not at all
Do it with all your might
(Ecclesiastes 9:10)
Do not give the devil a foothold
(Ephesians 4: 27 NIV)
Don’t beat around the bush
Don’t bite the hand that feeds you
Don't borrow trouble (JU)
Don’t burn your bridges behind you
Don’t bury your head in the sand
Don’t count your chickens before they’re
hatched
[I] don't give a flip (JET)
Don't go to bed angry (Ephesians 4:26)
(JU)
Don't hold your breath (GS)
Don’t judge someone until you’ve walked
a mile in his shoes
Don’t jump the gun
Don’t know what to make of it
Don’t let him get your goose
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth
Don’t major on the minors
Don’t muddy the waters
Don’t overstay your welcome
Don’t pull any punches
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
Don’t put off til tomorrow what you can
do today
Don’t put the cart before the horse
Don’t rain on my parade
Don’t rock the boat
Don’t sit there like a bump on a log
Don’t spill the beans
Don’t spit in the wind
Don’t sugar coat it
Don’t sweat the small stuff
Don’t think twice about it
Don’t throw good money after bad
Don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater
Dot your i’s and cross your t’s
Doubting Thomas (John 20:25) (JU)
Do unto others as you would have them
do unto you (Matthew 7:12)
Do what I say, not what I do
Down and out
Down in the dumps
Down in the mouth
Down on his luck
Down the drain
Down the hatch
Down to earth (JET)
Do your own thing (JU)
Drama queen
Dream big
[You] drive a hard bargain
Drive me nuts
Drive me up the wall (GS)
[He] dropped the ball
E
Each and every
Early bird gets the worm
Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man
healthy, wealthy, and wise
Earn your keep
Earth shattering
Easier for a camel to go through the eye
of a needle (Matthew 19:24)
Easier said than done
Easy come, easy go (JET)
Eat crow
Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we
shall die (Luke 12:19-20)
Eats like a bird
Eats like a pig
Elbow room
Elvis has left the building (ASC)
End of discussion
Enjoy the ride
Enough said
Err on the side of caution
Every cloud has a silver lining
Everyday heroes
Every dog has its day
Every jot and tittle (Luke 16:17)
Every man for himself
Everything came to a grinding halt
Everything's coming up roses
Every tub sits on its own bottom (JU)
Eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth
(Matthew 5:38)
[The] eye is the window of the soul
[His] eyes were bigger than his stomach
Eyes wide open
F
Face only a mother could love (BP)
Face that could stop a clock
Face to face
Facts of life
Fame is fleeting
Fair and square
Fair to middlin' (BP)
Faith as a grain of mustard seed
(Matthew 17:20)
Faith strong enough to move mountains
(Matthew 17:20)
Familiarity breeds contempt
[That’s a] far cry from . . .
Far fetched
Farthest thing from my mind
Fat chance
Fate worse than death
Feast or famine
[A] feel for the lay of the land
Fences make good neighbors (JET)
Fiddling around (JET)
Fight fire with fire
Fighting a losing battle
Fight like cats and dogs
Fine and dandy
Fire and brimstone
First impressions count
First things first
Fish or cut bait
Fits like a glove
Fits like an old shoe
Fit to be tied
Flash in the pan
[It] floored me
Fly by the seat of my pants
Fly in the ointment (Ecclesiastes 10:1)
Follow in his footsteps
Food for thought
Fool's gold (GS)
For all I know
For all he was worth
For all intents and purposes
Force of habit
Force to be reckoned with
For crying out loud
Forewarned is forearmed
For good measure
Fork in the road (JET)
For Pete’s sake
[This is] for the birds
For the love of Mike
For the sake of argument
Foxes are guarding the henhouse
Frog in my throat (JU)
From here to kingdom come (JET)
From sea to shining sea (ASC)
From start to finish
Front and center
G
Gave me the go ahead
Get a life
Get a move on
Get a rise out of him
Get 'er done (SH)
Get in on the ground floor
Get it up and running
Get off my back
Get on the ball (JET)
Get on the stick
Get on with it
Get out of my face
[That] gets my goat
Get some shut-eye
[He] gets under my skin (JET)
Get to the point
Get the hang of it
Get the lead out (BP)
Get the show on the road
Get the skinny on it
Getting down to the wire
[I want to] get this off my chest
Get with the program
Get your act together
Get your beauty sleep
Get your ducks in a row
Get your feet wet
Get your foot in the door
Get your head in the game
Get your money’s worth
Give credit where credit is due
Give him an inch, he’ll take a mile
Give him a piece of my mind
Give it a go (SH)
Give it up
Give it your best shot
Give me a break (ASC)
Give me a leg up (GS)
Give me a rundown
[I’d] give my eye teeth for . . .
Give the devil his due
Give up the ghost
God forbid!
(Romans 6:2 and many others)
God loves a cheerful giver
(2 Corinthians 9:7)
[They that] go down to the sea in ships
(Psalm 107:23)
[That’s the] God’s honest truth
Goes above and beyond the call of duty
Goes without saying
Go for it
Going down for the count
Going ninety to nothing
Gold digger (GS)
Gone through the ringer
Going to hell in a handbasket (JET)
Good deed for the day
[The] good ol’ days
Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37)
Good things come to those who wait
[My] goose is cooked
Go out on a limb
[I've] got bigger fish to fry
Go the distance
Go the extra mile (Matthew 5:41)
Got himself into hot water
Got his wires crossed
Got it down pat
Got off scot free
Go to great lengths
Got the gist of it
Got up on the wrong side of the bed
Go with the flow
Grace under fire
Grace under pressure
Grasping at straws
Grass is always greener on the other
side
Greater love hath no man than to lay
down his life for his friend.
(John 15:13)
Great minds think alike
Green around the gills
Green-eyed monster
[He has a] green thumb (JET)
Grin and bear it
H
[They] had a falling out
Hail, hardy and well-met (JET)
Hair-raising experience
Hand in hand
Hand over fist
Hand picked
Hard-hitting journalism
Hard to come by
Harebrained idea
[He] has an ax to grind
Has the world by the tail
Haste makes waste (JET)
Have a go at it
[He wants to] have his cake and eat it,
too
Having a field day (JET)
Having fun at my expense
Head and shoulders above the rest
Head over heels in love
Head start
Heads up
Heard it through the grapevine
[He has a] heart of gold (BP)
[My] heart skipped a beat
Heaven forbid
Heavy-handed
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned
Help yourself (BL)
Here today, gone tomorrow
He who laughs last, laughs best
He who lives by the sword dies by the sword
Hindsight is 20/20
His day is coming (Psalm 37:13)
History in the making
History is doomed to repeat itself
Hit a brick wall
Hit a nerve
Hit close to home
Hit me like a ton of bricks
Hit me with your best shot (SH)
[Let’s] hit the hay
Hit the nail on the head
Hit the road (JET)
Hitting below the belt
Hold his feet to the fire
Holding his own
Hold your horses
Holy cow! (BP)
Home sweet home
Hone in
Hook, line and sinker
[Just a] hop, skip and a jump away (JU)
Horse of a different color
Hot potato (GS)
Hotter than a firecracker
House of cards
Hugs and kisses xxoo (ASC)
Hung on for dear life
[She] hung onto his every word (BP)
[The] hurrier I go the behinder I get (JU)
I
I beg to differ
Ice water in his veins
[The] icing on the cake
Idle hands are the devil’s workshop
[An] idle mind is the devil’s workshop
If anything can go wrong, it will
If God had wanted us to fly, He would
have given us wings (or any variation)
If I had a dime (nickle) for every time I...
(BP)
If . . . I’ll eat my hat
If it sounds too good to be true, it
probably is
If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well
If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times... (BP)
If looks could kill
If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy
If the shoe fits, wear it
If wishes were horses, beggars would
ride
If you can’t run with the big dogs, stay
on the porch
If you can’t stand the heat, stay out of
the kitchen
If you lie down with dogs, you’ll wake
up with fleas
If you play your cards right
If you scratch my back, I'll scratch
yours
If you want something done right, do it
yourself
Ignorance is bliss
I’ll be a monkey’s uncle
I’ll grant you that
I’ll give him a piece of my mind
I'll take your word for it
In a nutshell
In a pinch
I never dreamed this would happen
In fits and starts (or spurts)
In for a rude awakening
In full swing
In hog heaven
In hot pursuit
In like Flynn
Ins and outs
In seventh heaven
[He has the] inside track
In the doldrums (JET)
In the know
In the long run
In the meantime (Luke 12:1)
In the same boat
Into the wild, blue yonder
In your face
Is the Pope Catholic? (JET)
It didn’t happen overnight
It just so happens
In one ear and out the other
It’s all Greek to me
It's beyond me
It's just the booze talking (JET)
It's no skin off my nose
It’s not what you know but who you
know
It’s the thought that counts
It will all come out in the wash
I wish I could be a fly on the wall
I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing that
I wouldn’t have it if they handed it to me
on a silver platter
I wouldn’t wear that to a dog fight
J
[That's] Jim dandy (JET)
Johnny on the spot
Join the crowd
Judge not that you be not judged
(Matthew 7:1) (JU, SH)
Juggling too many plates at one time
Jump at the chance
Jump from the frying pan into the fire
Jump in head first (GS)
Jump on the bandwagon
Jump through hoops (BP)
Just between you and me and the
lamppost (BP)
Just blowing smoke
Just do it
Just the facts, ma'am (BP)
Just what I need
K
Keep a weather eye out (JET)
Keep both feet on the ground
Keeping things on a even keel
Keeps coming back, like a bad penny
Keep the sunny side up (JET)
Keep this under your hat
Keep your britches on
Keep your shirt on
[That;s a] kick in the pants (LK)
Kicks like a mule (JU)
Kick the bucket
Kill two birds with one stone
Kissing cousins (JET)
Kiss of death
Kiss that one goodbye (BP)
Kith and kin (JET)
Knee high to a grasshopper
Knee-jerk reaction
[My] knees were as weak as water
(Ezekiel 7:17)
[A] knock down, drag out fight (JET)
Knock ‘em dead
Knock his lights out
[That will] knock his socks (hat) off
(JET)
Knowing full well
Knowledge is power
L
Laid back (GS)
[I haven’t] laid eyes on you since . . .
Laid to rest
Lamebrained idea
Lame duck (BL)
Land o' Goshen (JET)
Land of milk and honey (Exodus 3:8
and many others)
Language of love (BP)
[That’s the] last straw
Later, gator (SH)
Laugh and the world laughs with you; cry and you cry alone
Laughter is the best medicine
(Proverbs 17:22)
Laying low (GS)
Lay it to rest
Lay the groundwork
[The] lead dog has the best view (BP)
Leading a dog's life (JET)
Leave him in a lurch
Leave no stone unturned
Leaves me lying awake at night
Led me down the primrose path
Left a bad taste in my mouth
Leopard doesn’t change its spots
Lesser of two evils
Less is more
Let bygones be bygones
Let he who is without sin cast the first
stone (JU)
Let me make this perfectly clear (BP)
Let nature take its course
Let sleeping dogs lie
Let the chips fall where they may (JET)
Liar, liar, pants on fire! (SH)
[He doesn’t have a] lick of sense
Life has its ups and downs
Life is just a bowl of cherries
Life is like a box of chocolates
Life is not a bed of roses (JU)
Life isn’t always fair
Life is short; eat dessert first
[I can see the] light at the end of the
tunnel
Lighthouse in a storm
Like a breath of fresh air
Like a breath of spring
Like a bull in a China closet (shop)
Like a cat on a hot tin roof
Like a dog returning to its vomit
(Proverbs 26:11 and others) (LK)
Like a father to me
Like a fox in the henhouse
Like a fish out of water
Like a hand in a glove
Like a lamb to the slaughter
Like a loose cannon (JET)
Like a mother to me
Like a sack of potatoes
Like a sitting duck
Like a swarm of flies
Like a wolf in sheep’s clothing
Like babes in the woods
Like beating a dead horse
Like beating your head against a wall
Like father, like son (JET)
Like flies to honey
Like it’s going out of style
Like kids in a candy store (GS)
Like looking for a needle in a haystack
(JU)
Like moths around a flame (JET)
Like music to my ears
Like pulling teeth
Like rats leaving a sinking ship
Like ships that pass in the night
Like talking to a brick wall
Like two peas in a pod (GS, LK))
Like the blind leading the blind
(Matthew 5:14)
Like water off a duck’s back
Like white on rice
Limping along on three wheels (JU)
Lions, tigers and bears. Oh, my!
Little bird told me (Ecclesiastes 10:20)
Little did I know
Little pitchers have big ears
Little things mean a lot
Live and learn (JU)
Live and let live (JET, JU)
[He] lived to a ripe old age
[You’ll] live to regret it
Live within your means
Living hand to mouth
Living high on the hog (JET)
Living on borrowed time
Living on the edge
Lo and behold
Locked up tighter than a steel drum
Long and short of it (LK)
Look alive
Look before you leap (BP)
Look down your nose
Looked like a lost child
[He] looks like the cat that ate the
canary
Look who’s talking
Loose cannon (LK)
Loosey goosey (LK)
[He's] lost his marbles (JU)
Lost his shirt
Loud enough to wake the dead
Love at first sight
Love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter
4:8 and others)
Love him like a brother (BP)
Love is blind
Love is in the eye of the beholder (ASC)
[He's the] love of my life (ASC)
Love thy neighbor (Matthew 22:39)
Love wholeheartedly
Lower than a snake’s belly
Lower the boom
[Let’s] lower your ears
Luck of the Irish
Lucky duck (BL)
Lying through his teeth
M
Made a mint
Made me a deal I couldn’t refuse
Made my day
Make a bee line
Make hay while the sun shines
[You can] make a killing
Makes my blood boil
Make my day
Makes life worth living
Make yourself right at home
Make you sit up and take notice
Man does not live by bread alone
(Matthew 4:4)
Man hungry
Marching to the beat of a different
drummer (JU)
Marvelous to behold
[A] match made in heaven
[He's having a] meltdown
Meet your maker
[He has a] memory like an elephant
(JET, JU)
Met his match
[The] Midas touch
Middle-age spread
Might makes right (JU)
Milk it for all it’s worth
[My] mind is made up (JU)
Mind like a steel trap (JU)
Mind over matter (JET)
Mind your p’s and q’s
Misery loves company
Missed it by a mile (BP)
Missed the boat
Missed the mark
[A] miss is as good as a mile
Money doesn't grow on trees (BP)
Money is burning a hole in his pocket
[The love of] money is the root of all evil
(1 Timothy 6:10) (JET, JU)
Money talks
Monkey see, monkey do (BP)
Morally bankrupt
[It's] more blessed to give than to
receive (Acts 20:35) (JU)
More fun than a barrel of monkeys
More than I bargained for
More than meets the eye
More than the hairs of my head
(Psalm 69:4)
[The] more, the merrier
Mortal enemies
Mug shot (GS)
Mule-headed
Mum’s the word
Murphy's law (GS)
Music to my ears
My cup runneth over (Psalm 23:5)
(JET, JU)
My bad
My hands are tied
My one and only (ASC)
My stars (JET)
My way or the highway
N
[That’s the] name of the game
Nearly jumped out of my skin
Need-to-know basis
Neither a borrower nor a lender be
[That’s] neither here nor there
[He] never met a stranger
Never the twain shall meet
New day is dawning
New-fangled thing (JET)
[Here’s a] news flash
Next to impossible
Next to nothing (GS)
Nice guys finish last
Nice going
[In the] nick of time
Nip and tuck (JET)
Nip it in the bud
[It’s a] no brainer
No good deed goes unpunished
No holds barred
[He’s] no longer in the picture
No more Mr. Nice Guy
No news is good news
No place to lay your head
(Matthew 8:20, Luke 9:58)
No rest for the weary
Not a Chinaman's chance (JET)
Not a cloud in the sky (JET)
Not a dry eye in the house
Not a friend in the world
Not a happy camper
Not a minute’s peace
Not a penny to his name
[He’s] not a spring chicken any more
Not by a long shot
Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin
(JET)
Not everything it's cracked up to be
Nothing new under the sun
(Ecclesiastes 1:9 NIV)
[That’s] nothing to shake a stick at
[That’s] nothing to sneeze at
Nothing ventured, nothing gained
No time like the present
Not on my watch (BP)
Not on your life
[We’re] not out of the woods yet
[He’s] not the brightest crayon in the box (or any variation)
[You’re] not the only pebble on the
beach (or any variation)
Not up to snuff
Not whether you won or lost that
counts, but how you played the game
Not worth a plug nickel
Not worth his salt (GS)
Not worth his salt (JET)
No way, José
O
Off the charts
Off-color remark
Off the deep end
Oh, man! (SH)
Oh, what a tangled web we weave
when first we practice to deceive
Old enough to know better
Old habits die hard
[That’s] old hat
[My] old stomping grounds
Offer you can’t refuse
On a wing and a prayer
One bad apple spoils the barrel
[He’s] on board with us
Once begun is half done
Once in a blue moon
Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
On edge
[In] one fell swoop
One good turn deserves another
One hand washes the other
One picture is worth a thousand words
One-track mind
On his last leg
Only time will tell
[We're] on the same wavelength
Only two things are sure—death and
taxes
[Sitting] on the edge of my seat
[This one’s] on the house
On the lookout
On the other hand
On the right track
On the same page
On the verge of tears
On top of his game
Opinions are like noses; everybody has
one (JU)
[The] other side of the coin
[An] ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
Out in left field
Out of my league
Out of the blue (out of a clear blue sky)
Out of the mouth of babes (Psalm 8:2)
Out of pocket
Out of sight, out of mind
Out of the question
Out-of-the-way place
Over the hill
Over the long haul
Over the top
P
Pace yourself (JU)
Pack it in
Painted himself into a corner
Pales in comparison
Paralyzed by fear
[It’s all] part of the package
Passed with flying colors
Passing the mantle (JU)
Past comes back to haunt you
Passing the buck
[He has the] patience of Job
Pat yourself on the back
Pay through the nose
Pearls of wisdom
Pen is mightier than the sword
Pennies from heaven (JET)
Penny for your thoughts
Penny saved is a penny earned
People who live in glass houses
shouldn’t throw stones
[He's the] picture of health
Pie in the sky
Pig in a poke
Pine away (Ezekiel 24:23)
Plain and simple
Play by the rules
Play devil’s advocate
Play it by ear (JET)
Plenty of fish in the ocean
Plunk down (GS)
Poetry in motion
Point blank
Point of no return
Pouring it on thick
Power of the pen
Powers that be
Practice makes perfect
Preaching to the choir
Pretty is as pretty does
[The] price is right (JU)
Pride goes before a fall (Proverbs 16:18)
[He] prides himself in . . .
Promised me the moon
Proof positive
[The] proof is in the pudding
[He] pulled the rug out from under me
[You're] pulling my leg
Punch your lights out (GS)
Purrs like a kitten (JET)
Pushing the envelope
Pushing up daisies
Put a burr under his saddle
Put a cork in it (GS)
Put a sock in it
Put him through the grinder
Put him out of his misery
Put it on the back burner
Put my foot in my mouth
[He] puts his pants on one leg at a time
Put something aside for a rainy day
Put that in your pipe and smoke it
Put the monkey on his back
[You’re] putting me on
Putting on a long face
Put up or shut up
Put your best foot forward
Put your money where your mouth is
Put your thinking cap on
Q
Queen for a day (JU)
[The] quick and the dead (1 Peter 4:5)
Quit yer bellyachin'
R
[The] race is not to the swift nor the
battle to the strong (Ecclesiastes 9:11)
Raining cats and dogs
Raises a red flag
Raising cain (JU)
Ran smack dab into it
Ratchet it up (JET)
Rattle his cage (LK)
Read me the riot act
Read my lips (JET)
Ready to roll
[The] real scoop (LK)
[You] reap what you sow (Galatians 6:7)
Red sky at morning, sailors take
warning. Red sky at night, sailors'
delight (JU)
Reinvent the wheel
Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s (Matthew 22:21)
Rest assured
Ride off into the sunset
[He knows the] right buttons to push
Right off the bat
Right on target
Right on the dot
Right on the money
Right on the nose
Right out of the shoot
Right up my alley
Righty tighty, lefty loosey (BP)
Ringing off the wall
Ripe for the picking
Rise and shine
[The] road less traveled
[The] road not taken (JET)
[The] road to hell is paved with good
intentions
Robbing Peter to pay Paul (JET)
[He looks like he was] rode hard and put
up wet (JU)
[A] rolling stone gathers no moss
Roll with the punches
Root, hog, or die (JU)
Roped and tied
[A] rose by any other name would smell as sweet
Rub salt into the wound
Rub your face in it
Ruled it out
Rule of thumb
Rumor has it
Run him out of town on a rail
Running around like a chicken with its
head cut off (JU)
Run it up the flagpole and see who salutes
Run like the wind
Runs me ragged
[I want to] run something by you
Run the gamet
Rushing willy nilly
S
Sadder but wiser
Sad sack (JET)
Sad to say (BL)
Safe and sound
Safety in numbers
Salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13)
Same old sixes and sevens (JU)
Sands of time
[He] sang like a canary (BP)
Santa Claus is watching you (JU)
Saved the best for last
Save for a rainy day
Saw the light
Say cheese
Say what you mean and mean what you
say
Say when
Scared the living daylights out of me
Scared to death
School of hard knocks
Scream bloody murder
Second guessing myself
Second nature
Seeing is believing
Seemed like an eternity
[I can] see the light at the end of the
tunnel
See you later, alligator (JET)
Selling like hotcakes
Sell out (GS)
Send up a balloon
Send up a smoke signal
Set his teeth on edge (Jeremiah 31:30)
Set the world on fire
Set the world on its head
Shake a leg
Shaking in my boots
Shaking like a leaf
Sharper than a two-edged sword (JU)
She's a dish (GS)
[The] shoe is on the other foot now
[A] shoe in
Shooting the breeze
Shoot yourself in the foot
Short and sweet
Short end of the stick
Short-sighted
[A] shot across the bow
Shot in the dark
Shot up like a beansprout
Showed his true colors
Show me the money
Shut your (pie) hole (JET)
[A] sign of the times (JU)
Silence is golden
Simple minds, simple pleasures
Sings like a canary (JET, GS)
Sink or swim
Sit tight
Sitting duck (BL)
Sitting on cloud nine
Six feet under
Six of one and half dozen of the other
Sky’s the limit
Sleep it off (GS)
Slept like a baby
Slept like a log
Slim chance (JET)
Slippery slope
[On a] slow boat to China
Slow and steady wins the race
Slow poke (JU)
[He’s one] smart cookie
Smarty pants
Smiling like a Chesire cat (LK)
Snail mail (JU)
Snake in the grass
Snooping around (GS)
Soar like an eagle (JET)
So close yet so far (JU)
So far so good
So hot you could fry an egg on the
sidewalk
So hungry I could eat a horse (BP)
So mad I could spit nails
Son of a gun
So quiet you could hear a pin drop
Soul mates
[My] sources dried up
Sour grapes
Sowing his wild oats
Spare the rod, spoil the child
(Proverbs 13:24)
Speak for yourself
[You’re] speaking my language
Speak with forked tongue (JET)
Spinning like a top
Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak
(Matthew 26:41)
Spit and polish
[He’s the] spitting image of . . .
[You’re just] splitting hairs
Spoiling for a fight
Squeaky wheel gets the grease
Squirrel it away (JU)
[I’d] stake my reputation on it
Standing room only
Stand in the gap (Ezekiel 22:30)
Stan on your own two feet
Stand the test of time
Stand your ground
[That’s a] star in your crown
Start the ball to rolling
Stay out of my hair
Steer clear of that
Step up to the plate
Stick in the mud
Sticks and stones may break my
bones, but words will never hurt me
(JU)
Sticks out like a sore thumb (JET)
Stiffnecked (Exodus 32:9
and many others)
[A] still small voice (1 KIngs 19:12)
do(JET)
Still waters run deep
Stinks to high heaven
Stop and smell the roses
[He's a] straight shooter (BP)
Strain at a gnat and swallow a camel
(JU)
Straw that broke the camel’s back
Streetwalker (JET)
Strength in number
[A] stitch in time saves nine
Stood the test of time
Stop on a dime (JU)
Stopped me in my tracks
Straighten up and fly right
Strike while the iron is hot
Stringing me along (JU)
Stuck like glue (BL)
Stupid is as stupid does (GS)
Suffer in silence
Sugar and spice and all things nice
(ASC)
Suits me just fine
Sure as you’re born
Sure enough
Survival of the fittest
Sweep it under the rug
Sweet! (SH)
T
Take a shot at it
Take center stage
Take it like a man
Take it one day at a time (BL)
Take it or leave it
Take it to heart
Take it with a grain of salt
Takes one step forward and two steps
back
Takes its toll
Takes my breath away
[That] takes the cake
Takes the edge off
Take the bull by the horns
Take the wind out of his sails
Talked til I was blue in the face
Talking through your hat
Talk is cheap
Talks like he has marbles in his mouth
(GS)
Talks out of both sides of his mouth
Talk to the hand (ASC)
Tanked (JET)
Tar and feather him
Tearjerker
Testing his wings
Test the waters
Thank your lucky stars
That’ll be the day
That's above my pay grade (BP)
That’s a bunch of hogwash
That’s all she wrote
That's all well and good but . . .
That’s the pot calling the kettle black
That’s water under the bridge
There ain't no such thing as a free lunch
(TANSTAAFL) (BL)
There's something fishy about this (BP)
There's something rotten in Denmark
There’s the rub
Things are coming to a head
Things are looking up
Things were touch and go
Think it over
Think it will fly?
Think outside the box
Third time’s a charm
This, too, shall pass
[He’s a] thorn in my side
(2 Corinthians 12:7)
Thought I’d lose my mind
Threw me for a loop
Threw me off track
Threw the book at me
Through rose-colored glasses
Throw caution to the wind
Throw it down (GS)
Throw your hat in the ring
Throw in the towel
Thumb your nose
Tickled my fancy (BP)
Tickled pink
Tickled to death (to pieces) (JET)
Tied the knot
[We'll have to] tighten our belts
Tighter than a tick (JU)
Tight-lipped
Til the cows come home
Time and chance happens to all
(Ecclesiates 9:11)
Time and tide wait for no man (JET)
Time flies when you're having fun (JU)
Time heals all wounds
Time is money
Timing is everything
[On the] tip of my tongue (JET)
Tip-top shape
To beat the band
To each his own
To err is human; to forgive, divine
Toe to toe
[She] told him how the cow ate the
cabbage
To make a long story short
Tongue in cheek
Too close for comfort (BP)
Took me under his wing
Took to his bed
Took to it like a duck to water
Too little too late (BP)
Too many cooks spoil the broth
Too many chiefs and not enough Indians
(SH)
Too much of a good thing
Too much on my plate
Too smart for his own good
Tooting your own horn
To say the least
To the nth degree
To this day
[That’s a] tough row to hoe
[The] train has left the station (BP)
Train of thought
Trapped like rats
Trickle down effect
[A] treat (or anything) and a half
Tried and true
True blue (JET)
Truer words were never spoken (JET)
[I'd] trust him as far as I can throw him
(BP)
[The] truth hurts (BP)
Truth is stranger than fiction
[The] truth will set you free (John 8:32)
Try as I may (GS)
Trying to keep too many balls in the air
Try your hand at it
Tuck tail and run
Tuned out (GS)
Tunnel vision
Turnabout is fair play
Turning point
Turn over a new leaf (LK)
Turn over in his grave
Turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:39)
Turn up your nose
Twiddle my thumbs (GS)
[A] twinkle in your mother’s eye
[My] two cents’ worth
Two heads are better than one
Two’s company; three’s a crowd
Two sheets to the wind (LK)
Two thumbs up (JET)
Two-timer
Two wrongs don’t make a right
U
Uncharted waters
[He got that] under his belt
Under the radar (JET)
Under the table
Unequally yoked (2 Corinthians 6:14)
(JU)
Until the wee hours
Up close and personal
[It’s an] uphill climb
Up in arms
Up the river without a paddle
Uptight (JET)
Up to date
V
[A] viper in my bosom
[A] voice crying in the wilderness
(Matthew 3: 3, John 1:23)
W
Waiting for the other shoe to drop
Walk by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7)
[He thinks he can] walk on water (BP)
Walk the line
Walk the straight and narrow
(Matthew 7:13-4)
[She’s a] wallflower
[I] want it so bad I can taste it
[He] wants to have his cake and eat it,
too
Waste not, want not
Watched me like a hawk
Watched pot never boils
[It’s all] water under the bridge
[The] wave of the future
Wave the white flag
Wear and tear
Wears his heart (feelings) on his sleeve
[It] weighs heavy on my mind
We’ll cross that bridge when we come
to it
Well, I never! (SH)
Went through it with a fine-toothed comb
Wet your whislte (JU)
Whatever floats your boat
What goes around comes around
What in the Sam Hill happened?
What in the world?
What part of no do you not understand?
What's done is done
What's good for the goose is good for the gander (JU)
What's on your mind? (JET, GS)
What's up? (Wassup?) (JET)
What would Jesus do?
Way back when (JET)
[The] wheels are turning
We'll see who is naughty and who is
nice (JET)
When all is said and done
When in doubt
When in Rome, do as the Romans do
When it rains, it pours
When life hands you lemons, make lemonade
When my ship comes in
When pigs fly (BP)
When push comes to shove
When the cat's away, the mice do play
(JU)
When the dust settled
When the going gets tough, the tough
get going
When the time comes
[That’s] where the game is won or lost
Where there's a will, there's a way
Where the sun don't shine (LK)
Where the rubber meets the road
Where's the beef? (JET)
Whet your appetite
Which came first—the chicken or the egg?
Whistle while you work (ASC)
[My] whole life flashed before my eyes
(BL)
Whole nine yards
[That’s a] whole other ballgame
Why are you in such an all fired hurry?
Will wonders never cease?
Winners never quit, and quitters never
win (BP)
With a little help from my friends
With friends like that, who needs
enemies? (JU, BP))
Woe is me (Isaiah 6:5)
Wolf in sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15)
Wonder of a child
Won’t cost you a red cent
[That] won’t cut it
Won’t see the light of day
Won’t take it lying down
[His] words were smoother than butter (Psalm 55:21)
[A] word to the wise is sufficient
[The] world is your oyster
World’s worst
Worried to death
Worth his weight in gold
Wound tighter than a spring
Word of mouth
Wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy
(SH)
Wrapped him around her little finger
(JET)
X
X'd out (crossed out) (JU)
X marks the spot (JU)
Y
You are my sunshine (ASC)
You are what you eat
You betcha (BP)
You can catch more flies with honey
than you can with vinegar
You can fill in the blanks
You can lead a horse to water, but you
can't make him drink
You can say that again
You can take that to the bank
You can’t get blood from a turnip
You can’t judge a book by its cover
You can't take it with you (Job 1:21) (JU)
You can’t teach an old dog new tricks
You get the gist
You get what you pay for
You hit the nail on the head
You leave me no choice
You little stinker (JU)
You made your bed; now lie in it
You never have a second chance to make a first impression
You’re a better man than I
You’re breaking my heart
You're getting on my last nerve (JU)
You're only young once (JU)
You’re putting me on
Your mother doesn't live here (JET)
You take the high road, and I’ll take the low road
Z
Zip it (GS)
| ||||||
2009 Cliché Contest
Winner
James E. Tate
With 113 eligible entries
James received Chicken Soup for the Soul: What I Learned from the Dog
Thank you to all who participated in the
2009 Cliché Contest
Accepted submissions are listed below with the contributers' initials
To search cliché list, press control (Ctrl) F to bring up a search box.
Initials indicate cliché submitted in 2009 Cliché Contest.
