A flash in the pan
A chef's technique for igniting alcohol in a dish
A sudden explosion
A small but bright light
Something that starts well but fails quickly
A feather in one’s cap
A sign of weakness
A symbol of rank in 16th-century European duels
An achievement to be proud of
A hat decoration
A fly on the wall
A hidden spy camera
An insect stuck to a window
A medieval punishment for nosy eavesdroppers
Someone who watches without being noticed
A wolf in sheep’s clothing
A very confused person
A leader in disguise
A reference to an ancient Norse folktale about Loki
Someone who pretends to be good but is bad
Barking up the wrong tree
Chasing animals up trees
Talking too loudly
An old hunting term for dogs misidentifying prey
Pursuing the wrong course of action
Dead in the water
A sailing term for ships stuck without wind
No longer able to succeed
A fish that has stopped swimming
A floating corpse
Down to the wire
A close horse race
A term from 19th-century telegraph messages arriving late
A situation decided at the last moment
A dangerous electrical job
In a pickle
In a difficult situation
A reference to sailors preserving food in brine for long voyages
Feeling sour
Holding too many pickles
Like riding a bicycle
A skill that, once learned, is never forgotten
Moving very quickly
A reference to early circus performers balancing on tightropes
Cycling effortlessly
On tenterhooks
Hanging on hooks
In suspense or anxiety
Sitting uncomfortably
A term from fabric-making, where cloth was stretched tightly to dry
Out of the woods
Lost in the forest
Unable to see trees
A reference to medieval travelers who feared robbers in forests
No longer in trouble
Skating on thin ice
Taking a risky action
A phrase from Dutch winters when frozen canals became unstable
Learning to ice skate
Moving very carefully
The apple of one’s eye
An old belief that the pupil of the eye was a solid apple-like object
A favorite fruit
A sign of intelligence
Someone cherished above all
Thrown in at the deep end
Being trapped underwater
A phrase from swimming lessons where beginners were tested by being thrown into deep water
Falling into a pool
Given a difficult task with no help
Burning the candle at both ends
A wasteful way to light a room
Overworking yourself
Holding something dangerously
A phrase from the 17th century referring to people who used expensive candles excessively
