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