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Roll up your sleeves
to prepare for hard work
Below the belt
something, for example, a remark, that is very insulting and unfair. The expression comes from boxing, where it is illegal to hit an opponent below the belt
An ace up your sleeve
a secret plan, idea, or advantage that can be used if and when it is needed. The expression comes from card games, where the “ace” is usually the highest card
Caught with your pants down
to be completely surprised by something because you are not prepared for it. The idiom is similar to “caught red-handed”
Dressed to the nines/dressed to kill
wearing nice clothes for a special occasion. Another idiom with a similar meaning is “dolled up”, or “gussied up”
Fine-tooth comb
if you go through something with a fine-tooth comb, you examine it very carefully
Kid gloves
if you treat someone with kid gloves, you deal with them very gently or carefully
Birthday suit
if you are in your birthday suit, you are not wearing any clothes. This refers to the fact that people are naked when they are born
Walk a mile in someone’s shoes
you should try to understand someone before criticising them. The full idiom is: Before you judge someone, walk a mile in their shoes
Tighten your belt
to spend less money than you did before
Dirty laundry
questionable activities that one wants to keep secret. “To wash your dirty laundry/linen in public” or to “air your dirty laundry/linen in public”
Hot under the collar
very angry about something
Off the cuff
if you speak off the cuff, you say something without having prepared or thought about your words first
Hat / cap in hand
being very humble, usually asking for a favour or apologising for something bad you have done
Thinking cap
if you put on your thinking cap, you think seriously about something
