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