When her science experiment failed completely, Hailey knew it was time to go back to the drawing board.
To start something over again with a completely new idea
Lend me your ears
He is a social butterfly
I can tell Jenny is upset; she wears her heart on her sleeve.
I meant to do the laundry, but it totally slipped my mind.
To forget something
I have been bending over backwards to help you
We’re all in the same boat here; let’s help each other out and fix the problem.
To be in the same bad situation as other people
It was Allison’s first day at her new school, and she felt like a fish out of water.
Someone in an uncomfortable position or situation
Ms. Rodriguez told her students they could chat while they worked, as long as the noise level didn’t get out of hand.
To become difficult to control
She's a breath of fresh air and exactly what this school needs right now
I know you are nervous to try ice skating, but you should give it a shot
If you insult your boss when you resign, you’ll burn your bridges with that company.
To do something that makes it impossible to return to the way things were before
Don't cry over spilled milk!
Liza cut corners on her math homework so she could watch TV and ended up getting most of the answers wrong.
To do something quickly and badly in order to save time or money
Why are you giving me the cold shoulder?
“Nine o’clock!” said Mia’s dad. “It’s time to turn off the TV and hit the sack.”
to go to bed
Everything was going fine when out of the blue, Joey said he was really mad about something.
Suddenly and without warning
He's a bookworm
The teacher has eagle eyes
Don’t waste my time with silly little things today. I’ve got bigger fish to fry.
More important things to do
Standing on a spinny chair? That's a recipe for disaster!
You light up my life.
Her head was killing her.
He is a couch potato these days.
The sun smiled down on us.
Aisha said she’d make the poster for our project, but she forgot. She really dropped the ball on this one.
To make a mistake
Mr. Patel knew his students were eager to try out the new playground equipment, so he told them to go ahead and get it out of their system before they started class.
Do the thing you’ve been wanting to do so you can move on
No, the cafeteria isn’t really giving away free ice cream. I was just pulling your leg!
To tease someone or try to fool them
Cleaning up after the party was a bigger pain in the neck than I expected.
He's a jack of all trades
Those cheap pens are for the birds; they barely work at all.
Worthless or no good
Something's fishy here.
You’ve been quiet for a long time now. Penny for your thoughts?
What are you thinking about right now? What are your thoughts on the topic?
I picked chocolate ice cream at the store but then I started having second thoughts after we left.
My new coat fits like a glove
I think you and I are on the same page—we both agree that recycling is important.
Agree with someone
He made me so angry, but I stayed as cool as a cucumber.
Iv'e been a busy beaver today.
“That’s the last straw!” said Elena after her little brother’s ball landed in her cereal bowl. “Go play outside!”
The last in a series of events that causes someone to run out of patience
I’ve got a bone to pick with you! You need to stop leaving your junk all over my desk.
She said she'd help me move, but now she's bailing on me.
The traffic crawled along the congested highway.
Nick’s mom told him he could either join the basketball team or sign up for karate class, so he had to choose one. “The ball is in your court,” she said.
The decision or next step is up to you
We’re just running in circles here. We need a plan before we do any more work.
To try very hard but have little or no success
Charlotte wasn’t sure Amelia was really late because she missed the bus, but she decided to give her the benefit of the doubt.
To trust what someone says, even if you’re not entirely sure what they’re saying is true
Tai says he cares about the environment, but he’s always buying bottled water instead of using a reusable container. Actions speak louder than words.
Ever since I broke a glass, my parents keep an eagle eye on me when I’m washing dishes.
Close or careful watch on something
Tina is as gentle as a kitten.
You look like you’ve seen a ghost.
I'm a night owl.
I didn’t mean to step on your foot—there’s no need to get bent out of shape about it.
To get upset about something
No matter how long they argued, they couldn’t seem to see eye to eye about painting the room orange.
Agree with someone about something
The class was all ears when Ms. Ali mentioned a way to earn extra credit on the test.
I’ve never made a cake from scratch, but I’m willing to give it a whirl.
To try something
I know you are upset that your soccer game was canceled, but it might be a blessing in disguise since it is supposed to rain.
Sarah wanted to join the lacrosse team, but she was too late to sign up and missed the boat.
To be too late for something that’s already started or is over
Ms. Ramirez used to be opposed to allowing dogs at school, but she’s had a change of heart.
To change your opinion about something
Her stomach growled.
It was the holy grail of all video games
My memory is cloudy, I can't quite recall what happened.
I heard the news straight from the horse’s mouth.
When Mrs. Chen had to ask Ava and Noah to stop talking for the fourth time that day, she warned them both that they were on thin ice.
In a risky situation or position
We didn’t get a schedule in advance, so we’ll just have to play it by ear as the day goes along.
To figure things out as you go
When Wyatt learned he’d gotten a perfect score on both his math and science tests, he was on cloud nine for the rest of the day.
Extremely happy about something
Will and Jessica were mad at Emma, so they decided to give her the cold shoulder until she apologized.
To ignore someone, usually because you’re upset or angry with them
Don’t beat around the bush. Just tell me why you can’t come to my birthday party on Friday.
It’s hard to wrap your head around just how big the universe is.
To understand something complicated or surprising
She has a heart of gold.
On this beach, seashells are a dime a dozen, especially at low tide.
Very common
After a long day at the beach, Jayma slept like a log that night.
Sleep very soundly without waking
Logan was caught running in the hallway, but Ms. Walker let him off the hook because she knew he was late for the bus.
To not hold someone responsible for something
If you keep crying wolf, no one will believe you when you’re really hurt.
To lie about something to get attention or help
He was dying of boredom.
I’ve been sitting in traffic half my life!
Sophie and Chloe had been best friends since first grade, sticking together through thick and thin.
When things are good and also when they’re bad
Before joining the cross-country team, Melanie got her feet wet by running a few local 5K races.
To take a small step in an effort to learn or do something new
“I’m sorry you’re having a rough day,” Lucas told Olivia. “Hang in there. I’m sure things will be better tomorrow.”
Don’t give up, keep on trying
I can't trust that snake!
We might have a snow day on Monday, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.
If that problem comes up, we’ll deal with it then, not right now
I have done enough work, I'm calling it a day
Don't start playing video games - that's a slippery slope.
He's a wild card
I forgot it was her birthday yesterday, it completely slipped my mind.
Zari and Oscar love to travel; they often set off at the drop of a hat for somewhere new and exotic.
Life is a roller coaster.
It's no skin off my nose if you don't take my advice.
I’ve been bending over backward to plan this party at the last minute.
Joey was so angry that there was steam coming out of his ears.
Anna was a bit hit-or-miss when it came to remembering to take out the trash on Thursdays.
Something that might be good sometimes and bad other times; unreliable
She was late for work. She's in hot water with her boss
The living room is like an icebox!
She really went out on a limb with that hypothesis—the facts don't support it at all.
To take a risk for someone or something
When they heard the plans to cut down the old oak tree, the townspeople were up in arms.
Very angry about something
After working for three hours on her science fair project, Sofia decided to call it a day.
To stop working on something and plan to pick it up again later
His anger is all bottled up inside.
Somebody needs to step up to the plate and help solve the problem
My new shoes cost a fortune
“This pizza is the best food I ever ate!” exclaimed Mateo. “You can say that again!” Dylan agreed.
I completely agree with what you just said
Lend me a hand
“Do you know how to solve number four in our math homework?” Maria asked. “Your guess is as good as mine,” David replied, shrugging his shoulders.
When you have no idea what the answer is to a question or problem
She stood on the high diving board for almost 10 minutes, but in the end, Dionne chickened out and came back down the ladder instead of jumping.
To be too afraid to do something
When she saw the celebrity in real life, she was like a deer in headlights.
Stop beating around the bush! Get to the point!
Celia added fuel to the fire by accusing the opposing team of cheating.
I'm drowning at school these days.
After the third time he was late to class, Connor’s teacher told him he needed to get his act together and start showing up on time.
Behave properly, or organize your thoughts so you can do something successfully
Are we going to hang out today? Don't leave me hanging!
It costs an arm and a leg to go to college
Until we know if it’s going to rain or not, our weekend plans are up in the air.
uncertain or unsettled
It’s so stuffy in here. Can someone please crack a window for some fresh air?
Open a window slightly
We don't have any plans this weekend, I was just planning to play it by ear.
He is a bad apple.
I said I would make the entire Thanksgiving dinner all by myself. I have bitten off more than I can chew.
OK, since none of us have met before, let’s introduce ourselves and break the ice by sharing our favorite ice cream flavor.
To do or say something that will make people feel more comfortable
She's being a scaredy cat!
Did I miss anything? I just want to make sure I am covering all my bases.
I heard your first show is tonight! Break a leg!
Rohan knew he needed to start his research paper, but he just kept dragging his feet.
To be reluctant to do something
“Stop wriggling while I’m braiding your hair!” Kehlani’s mom said. “You have ants in your pants this morning.”
Can’t sit still
Miguel won’t be at the Scout meeting today because he’s feeling a little under the weather.
to be sick
We baked in the hot sun
Is your piano recital tonight? Well, break a leg!
That came out of the blue!
Everyone has the flu right now. We are all in the same boat.
That old car is about to kick the bucket.
I need to save more dough before I can afford to go on vacation.
Don't listen to him; he's just trying to wind you up.
I was blinded by the sun.
She shows up to help at the food pantry every single Saturday, come rain or shine.
No matter what
You're driving me up a wall today
Grace and Nora went the whole nine yards to make sure Hannah’s birthday party was really special.
Everything, all the way
Dani excels at basketball because she’s so good at thinking on her feet.
To react quickly in a tricky or fast-moving situation
I told you I’d mow the lawn this weekend—now get off my back!
Used to ask someone to stop bugging you about something
I know you are nervous to try ice skating, but you should take a stab at it
I don't trust him, he seems shady.
I thought we had plans for tonight, but it looks like he's bailing on me again.
I know you’re upset that your team lost the game, but you need to pull yourself together and go congratulate the winners.
To calm yourself down when you’re very upset
These bags I have to carry are so heavy that my arms are going to fall off!
If you have any good ideas, I'm all ears.
Cats and dogs don't usually see eye to eye.
After struggling with the project for weeks, he decided to throw in the towel and ask for help.
This show is going to knock your socks off
You left me high and dry when you ditched out plans!
I'm in a pickle, can you help me?
I almost missed my flight! I barely made it by the skin of my teeth!
Stop horsing around and finish your homework!
Hang on a second
She always wanted to be famous, but now that she is, she realizes it's not all it's cracked up to be—be careful what you wish for
Don't worry about him, he's a gentle giant
5am is for the birds.
His son has the same talent for music as he does; he's definitely a chip off the old block.
She's like a fish in the water.
Sorry I couldn't make it to your party last night; I hope there are no hard feelings.
That train has left the station.
Swallow your tears.
I’d love to play basketball after school, but I’ve got to go home to mow the lawn. Can I take a rain check?
To postpone a plan until another time
She is a walking dictionary.
It's raining cats and dogs outside.
Alice got all her homework done and practiced her clarinet before dinner. She’s really on the ball today!
To be quick and alert, dealing with things right away
She was the shining star of the show
All you have to do is put the books back on the right shelf. It’s not rocket science!
Used to describe something that isn’t complicated or difficult
Ask me anything, I'm an open book
That new pizza place in town is a rare gem
The new baby is as tiny as a mouse.
I have asked you a million times to clean up your room!
I want this project to work out, but I’ve got a gut feeling we’re doing things the wrong way.
A reaction based on an emotional response instead of reason
Headed to your audition? I’ll cross my fingers that you get the part you want!
To wish someone luck or hope for something to happen
We need to talk about the elephant in the room
Our school runs like a well-oiled machine
“Recess is over already?” said Ben. “I guess time flies when you’re having fun!”
When you’re having a good time, you don’t notice how quickly the time is passing
He's a free spirit
It's pretty expensive, but I'm going to bite the bullet and buy a new xbox
This assignment is impossible.
James thought Christopher was the one who broke the vase, but he was barking up the wrong tree.
This computer is a dinosaur, we should really replace it.
After running a marathon, I was as hungry as a horse!
She is an early bird, she always goes to bed by 7pm.
My brother and sister don't get along, they fight like cats and dogs.
That test was a piece of cake.
My backpack weighs a ton!
Waiting in line for hours was such a pain in the neck.
If I find out you were lying , you're toast!
The new flavors of ice cream is the bee's kee's
Minh went the extra mile and really impressed the selection committee.
To do more than you’re required to do
After starting off on the wrong foot, Robin and Hayden finally figured out how to work together.
To start a relationship or activity badly
You look like something the cat dragged in.
Her head was spinning from all the new information.
Learning she failed her science test on the same day her best friend moved away added insult to injury.
Kayden loves to play chess as much as his dad does. He’s a real chip off the old block.
A person who is similar to a parent in some way
Nico wished he could be a fly on the wall when his sister discovered the toad he’d left in her shoe!
To watch something happen without anyone knowing you’re there
Quinn thought she was too tired to go to the party after playing soccer all afternoon, but then she got a second wind.
A fresh burst of energy
Keiko studied hard for the test, but when it came time to answer the question, she drew a blank.
To fail to remember something