Tracy Crump’s List of Clichés Sayings, homilies, maxims, truisms, old saws, proverbs, aphorisms, euphemisms, figures of speech, adages, axioms. . .

Whatever you want to call them, clichés are the everyday expressions we've grown up with and express exactly the right sentiment for the occasion. They are familiar and comforting, like an old bathrobe, and I love them. Unfortunately, editors don't. (Read To Cliché or Not to Cliché to see why.)

Nevertheless, I made my own collection of clichés over the past few years, accumulated bit by bit from my reading, experience, family, and even television. Most of them are old, but a few have cropped up more recently. I've amassed over 1600 (with a little help from my friends) and posted them here for your enjoyment.

I once started a list of common sayings from the Bible and was surprised by how much of our everyday speech stems from Scripture. You will see Scripture references next to those I've found. Most come from the King James Version, and some may be derived from the meaning of the text rather than an exact quote.

If you enjoy these, you may want to visit other cliché sites. The best I’ve found is ClicheSite.com, which includes each cliché’s meaning and in some cases, its origin. The Cliché Finder is another excellent source of clichés.

A Apple of my eye Above all else April showers bring May flowers Above board [He would] argue with a fence post Absence makes the heart grow fonder [He’s been] around the block [He's an] accident waiting to happen As American as apple pie According to the letter of the law As bald as a billiard ball Ace in the hole As bald as an egg Actions speak louder than words As black as coal Act your age, not your IQ As black as night Add insult to injury As black as pitch Add the finishing touches As blind as a bat After while, crocodile As big as a mountain Against all odds As bright as day Agree to disagree As broad as a barn All done in As busy as a beaver All downhill from there As busy as a bee [I’m] all ears As busy as Grand Central Station All is vanity (Ecclesiastes 1:2 and others) As clean as a whistle [In] all kinds of weather As clear as mud All’s fair in love and war As clumsy as an ox All’s well that ends well As comfortable as old shoes All talk and no action As cool as a cucumber All that glitters is not gold As crazy as a Bessie bug [He's] all thumbs As crazy as a loon All tuckered out As crooked as a dog's hind leg Alright already As cute as a bug Always a bridesmaid, never a bride As cute as a button And neither the twain shall meet As cute as a bug Ants in his pants As dead as a doornail Anyone with a lick of sense As different as night and day Apple a day keeps the doctor away As dry as a bone Apple never falls far from the tree As drunk as a skunk Tracy Crump’s List of Clichés As dumb as a box of rocks As sharp as a tack As dumb as a doornail As shiny as a new dime As easy as pie As silent as the grave As excited as a kid at Christmas As skinny as a rail (pole, beanpole) As far as the east is from the west As slick as glass (Psalm 103:12) As slippery as an eel As fast as greased lightning As slow as Christmas As fat as a pig As slow as molasses in winter As fine as frog's hair As sly as a fox As fit as a fiddle As smart as a whip As flat as a pancake As smooth as glass As full as a tick As soft as a baby’s bottom As gentle as a lamb As sour as a lemon As good as dead (Hebrews 11:12) As strong as an ox As green as grass As sweet as honey As happy as a clam As sweet as sugar As happy as a lark As snug as a bug in a rug As happy as a pig in mud (2 Peter 2:22) As stiff as a board As hard as a rock As still as a statue As heavy as lead As stubborn as a mule As high as a kite As sure as you’re born As high as a mountain As the crow flies As honest as the day is long As thick as thieves As hungry as a bear As tough as nails As hungry as a horse As weak as a kitten As if your life depended on it As welcome as the flowers in May Ask me no questions, I'll tell you no lies As white as a ghost As limp as a dishrag As white as a sheet As light as a feather As white as snow As loose as a goose As wild as a banshee As luck would have it As wise as an owl As mad as a hatter As you may have guessed by now As mad as a hornet At death's door As mad as a wet hen At every turn As mean as a junkyard dog At face value As mean as a snake At his beck and call As nervous as a long-tailed cat in a At my wit’s end (Psalm 107:27) room full of rocking chairs At the drop of a hat As nutty as a fruitcake At the end of my rope As old as dirt Avoid it like the plague As plain as day As plain as the nose on your face B As playful as a kitten Babes in the woods As pleased as punch Back by popular demand As poor as a churchmouse Back in the groove As pretty as a peach Back off As pretty as a picture Back to full steam As proud as a peacock Back to square one As quick as a flash Back with a vengeance As quick as a fox Bad hair day As quick as a wink Bad news travels fast As quiet as a mouse Bad things come in threes As red as a beet Bad to the bone As right as rain Bald-faced lie As sharp as a razor [My] ball and chain Tracy Crump’s List of Clichés Ball’s in your court Birds and the bees [A] banner year Birds of a feather flock together Bare facts Bite your tongue Bare minimum Bit off more than he could chew Barking up the wrong tree Bit the dust Bark is worse than his bite Blanket of snow Barrel of fun Blessed be the ties that bind [He has] bats in his belfry Bless his heart Beat him hands down [A] blessing in disguise Beat him to a pulp Blew his top Beat him to the punch Blondes have more fun [I could] beat him with one hand tied Blood is thicker than water behind my back Blood will tell Beat their swords into plowshares Blow-by-blow account (Isaiah 2:4) Blows my mind Beat them at their own game Blow the socks off him Beat the odds Bolt from the blue [I could] beat the sock off him Bone of contention Beauty is only skin deep [I have a] bone to pick with you Became abundantly clear Boob tube Been there; done that; bought the t-shirt Booby prize Before my very eyes Boot him out Before you can say, “Jack Robinson” Bored silly Beginner’s luck Bored to tears Beginning to get the picture Born with a silver spoon in his mouth Behind every great man is a woman Bosom buddies [I’m] being framed Bottomless pit Be my guest Bottom line is . . . [I] bent over backwards for him Bought the farm [Let me] bend your ear Bouncing off the walls Benefit of the doubt Boxed his ears Be of good cheer (Matthew 9:2 and others) Bragging rights Be of good courage (Psalm 27:14) Break a leg Be on the lookout Breathed his last Best is yet to come Breathing down my neck Best laid plans of mice and men [He's a] brick shy of a load (or any variation) Best of both worlds Broke my heart Best thing since sliced bread Brought him to his knees Best things in life are free [You've been] buffaloed Be swift to hear and slow to speak (Psalm Buck stops here 90:12) Build a better mousetrap Be there with bells on [Just a] bump in the road [My] better half Burned to a crisp Better late than never Burning the midnight oil Better safe than sorry Burst my bubble Better to run away and live to fight another day Bury the hatchet [I'd] bet the farm on it Busting my chops Between a rock and a hard place Butter wouldn't melt in his mouth [You] bet your (blue) bloomers By all means [You can] bet your life on it By and far Beyond a shadow of a doubt By and large Bide your time By any stretch of the imagination Big fish in a little pond By George, I think he's got it Bird in the hand is worth two in the bush By leaps and bounds

Tracy Crump’s List of Clichés By the same token Close but no cigar By the skin of my teeth (Job 19:20 NIV) Clothes make the man By the scruff of his neck Coldhearted Come clean C Comes in handy Called out on the carpet Come what may Calm before the storm Coming down the pike Calm, cool and collected Coming into the home stretch Came out smelling like a rose Coming of age Can I get an amen? Coming out of the woodwork Can't fight his way out of a paper bag Cool your heels Can’t keep a good man down Cost me an arm and a leg (Proverbs 24:16) Costs a pretty penny Can’t see past the end of his own nose Couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn Can’t see the forest for the trees Couldn't hold a candle to him Can’t take no for an answer Couldn’t leave well enough alone Can we talk? (BP) Couldn’t put my finger on it [He’s a] carbon copy of . . . Count the cost (Luke 14:28) Carries more clout Count your blessing Carrying the weight of the world on his Cover all the bases shoulders Crack the whip Case in point Crazy like a fox Cast your bread upon the waters Cream of the crop (Ecclesiastes 11:1) Creatures of habit Cast your pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6) Cross your heart and hope to die; stick Catch as catch can a needle in your eye Catch my drift? [We’ll] cross that bridge when we come to it Catch ya later [My] cross to bear (Luke 9:23; Luke 14:27) Cat got your tongue? [A] crowd pleaser Cat’s out of the bag Cry uncle Caught between a rock and a hard place Cry wolf [A] chain is only as strong as its weakest link Curiosity killed the cat Change with the times Cuss a blue streak Caught red-handed [He] cusses like a sailor Caught with his hand in the cookie jar Cut and dried Cave in Cut and run Caught with his pants down Cut from the same cloth Changed his tune Cut his teeth on it Charley horse in my leg Cut it out [That’s a] cheap trick Cut off your nose to spite your face Cheaters never prosper Cutting corners Check it out [On the] cutting edge Cheek to jowl Cut to the chase [Let’s] chew the fat Chickens have come home to roost D Chief cook and bottle washer Dancing with the devil [It's] child's play Dangle a carrot in front of his nose Chill out Day in and day out Chip off the ol’ block Day late and a dollar short Choose the lesser of two evils [His] days are numbered Civility costs nothing Dead as a doornail Cleanliness is next to godliness Dead duck Climbing the corporate ladder Dead in the water [She's a] clinging vine Dead on [The] clock is ticking Dead set against it Tracy Crump’s List of Clichés Dead to the world Don’t major on the minors Dead weight Don't mention it [He has a] death wish Don’t muddy the waters [The] deck is stacked against you Don’t overstay your welcome [A] defining moment Don’t pull any punches Den of thieves (Luke 19:46) Don’t put all your eggs in one basket Depend on it Don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today [The] devil is in the details Don’t put the cart before the horse Did me a world of good Don’t rain on my parade Didn’t bat an eyelash Don’t rock the boat Didn't know him from Adam Don't shoot till you see the whites of their eyes [I] didn't just fall off the turnip truck Don’t sit there like a bump on a log Didn’t sleep a wink Don’t spill the beans Digging my own grave Don’t spit in the wind Different strokes for different folks Don’t sugar coat it Dime a dozen Don’t sweat the small stuff Dirt cheap Don’t think twice about it Dirty work afoot Don’t throw good money after bad [He can] dish it out but he can’t take it Don’t throw out the baby with the bath water Divide and conquer Don't wear out your welcome Do as I say, not as I do Dot your i’s and cross your t’s Doesn't amount to a hill of beans Doubting Thomas (John 20:25) Doesn’t have a leg to stand on Do unto others as you would have them Doesn’t have enough sense to get in out of do unto you (Matthew 7:12) the rain Do what I say, not what I do Doesn’t have two nickels to rub together Down and out Doesn’t know when to come in out of the rain Down in the dumps Doesn’t stand a chance Down in the mouth Dog and pony show Down on his luck Dog days of summer Down the drain Dog eat dog world Down the hatch [It's a] dog's life Down to earth Doing time Do your own thing Do it well or not at all Drama queen Do it with all your might (Ecclesiastes 9:10) Draw a line in the sand Do not give the devil a foothold Dream big (Ephesians 4: 27 NIV) [You] drive a hard bargain Don’t beat around the bush Drive me nuts Don’t bite the hand that feeds you Drive me up the wall Don't borrow trouble (JU) [A] drop in the bucket Don’t burn your bridges behind you [He] dropped the ball Don’t bury your head in the sand Don’t count your chickens before they’re E hatched Each and every Don't get bent out of shape Early bird gets the worm Don't kick a man when he's down Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man [I] don't give a flip healthy, wealthy, and wise Don't go to bed angry (Ephesians 4:26) Earn your keep Don't hold your breath Earth shattering Don’t judge someone until you’ve walked Easier for a camel to go through the eye a mile in his shoes of a needle (Matthew 19:24) Don’t jump the gun Easier said than done Don’t know what to make of it Easy come, easy go Don’t let him get your goose Eat crow Don't look a gift horse in the mouth Tracy Crump’s List of Clichés Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we Fishing for compliments shall die (Luke 12:19-20) Fish or cut bait Eats like a bird Fits like a glove Eats like a pig Fits like an old shoe Elbow room Fit to be tied [The] elephant in the room Flash in the pan Elvis has left the building [It] floored me End of discussion Flotsam and jetsam Enjoy the ride Fly by the seat of my pants Enough said Fly in the ointment (Ecclesiastes 10:1) Err on the side of caution Follow in his footsteps Every cloud has a silver lining Food for thought Everyday heroes Fool's gold Every dog has its day For all I know Every jot and tittle (Luke 16:17) For all he was worth Every man for himself For all intents and purposes Everything came to a grinding halt Force of habit Everything's coming up roses Force to be reckoned with Every tub sits on its own bottom For crying out loud Eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth Forewarned is forearmed (Matthew 5:38) Forgive and forget [The] eye is the window of the soul For good measure [His] eyes were bigger than his stomach Fork in the road Eyes wide open For Pete’s sake [This is] for the birds F For the love of Mike Face only a mother could love For the sake of argument Face that could stop a clock For your own good Face to face Foxes are guarding the henhouse Facts of life Frog in my throat Fame is fleeting From here to kingdom come Fair and square From sea to shining sea Fair to middlin' From start to finish Faith as a grain of mustard seed From your mouth to God's ear (Matthew 17:20) Front and center Faith strong enough to move mountains Full steam ahead (Matthew 17:20) Familiarity breeds contempt G [That’s a] far cry from . . . Gather ye roses while ye may Far fetched Gave me the go ahead Farthest thing from my mind Get a grip Fat chance Get a life Fate worse than death Get a move on Feast or famine Get a rise out of him [A] feel for the lay of the land Get 'er done Fences make good neighbors Get in on the ground floor Fiddling around Get it up and running Fight fire with fire Get off my back Fighting a losing battle Get on the ball Fight like cats and dogs Get on the stick Finders keepers, losers weepers Get on with it Fine and dandy Get out of my face Fire and brimstone Gets in your blood First impressions count [That] gets my goat First things first Get some shut-eye Tracy Crump’s List of Clichés [He] gets under my skin Go the distance Get to the point Go the extra mile (Matthew 5:41) Get the hang of it Got himself into hot water Get the lead out Got his wires crossed Get the show on the road Got it down pat Get the skinny on it Got off scot free Getting down to the wire Go to great lengths [I want to] get this off my chest Got the gist of it Get with the program Got up on the wrong side of the bed Get your act together Go with the flow Get your beauty sleep Grace under fire Get your ducks in a row Grace under pressure Get your feet wet Grasping at straws Get your foot in the door Grass is always greener on the other side Get your head in the game Greater love hath no man than to lay Get your mind out of the gutter down his life for his friend. (John 15:13) Get your money’s worth Great minds think alike Give credit where credit is due Green around the gills Give him an inch, he’ll take a mile Green-eyed monster Give him a piece of my mind [He has a] green thumb Give it a go Grin and bear it Give it up Give it your best shot H Give me a break [They] had a falling out Give me a leg up Hail, hardy and well-met Give me a rundown Hair-raising experience [I’d] give my eye teeth for . . . Half-baked idea Give the devil his due Hand in hand Give up the ghost Hand over fist Give you a fat lip Hand picked [A] glimmer of hope Hard-hitting journalism Go back to the drawing board Hard to come by God forbid! (Romans 6:2 and many others) Harebrained idea God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7) [He] has an ax to grind [They that] go down to the sea in ships Has the world by the tail (Psalm 107:23) Haste makes waste [That’s the] God’s honest truth Have a go at it Goes above and beyond the call of duty [He wants to] have his cake and eat it, too Goes against the grain [I'll] have his hide Goes without saying Having a field day Go for it Having fun at my expense Going down for the count Head and shoulders above the rest Going ninety to nothing Head over heels in love Gold digger Head start Going to hell in a handbasket Heads up Good deed for the day Heard it through the grapevine [The] good ol’ days [He has a] heart of gold Good riddance [My] heart skipped a beat Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37) Heaven forbid Good things come to those who wait Heavy-handed Good to go Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned [My] goose is cooked Help yourself Go out on a limb Here today, gone tomorrow Got a bum rap He who laughs last, laughs best [I've] got bigger fish to fry He who lives by the sword dies by the sword Tracy Crump’s List of Clichés Hindsight is 20/20 If you can’t stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen His day is coming (Psalm 37:13) If you lie down with dogs, you’ll wake up with fleas History in the making If you play your cards right History is doomed to repeat itself If you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours Hit a brick wall If you want something done right, do it yourself Hit a nerve Ignorance is bliss Hit close to home I’ll be a monkey’s uncle Hit me like a ton of bricks I'll believe it when I see it Hit me with your best shot I’ll grant you that Hit rock bottom I’ll give him a piece of my mind [Let’s] hit the hay I'll take your word for it Hit the nail on the head In a nutshell Hit the road In a pinch Hit the roof I never dreamed this would happen Hitting below the belt In fits and starts (or spurts) Hold his feet to the fire In for a rude awakening Holding his own In full swing Hold your horses In hog heaven Holy cow! In hot pursuit Home sweet home In like Flynn Hone in Ins and outs Hook, line and sinker In seventh heaven [Just a] hop, skip and a jump away [He has the] inside track Horse of a different color In the blink of an eye Hot potato In the doldrums Hotter than a firecracker In the know House of cards In the long run Hugs and kisses xxoo In the meantime (Luke 12:1) Hung on for dear life In the same boat [She] hung onto his every word Into the wild, blue yonder [The] hurrier I go the behinder I get In your face Is the Pope Catholic? I It didn’t happen overnight I beg to differ It just so happens Ice water in his veins In one ear and out the other [The] icing on the cake It’s all Greek to me Idle hands are the devil’s workshop It's beyond me [An] idle mind is the devil’s workshop It's just the booze talking If anything can go wrong, it will It's no skin off my nose If at first you don't succeed, try, try again It’s not what you know but who you know If God had wanted us to fly, He would It's the nature of the beast have given us wings (or any variation) It’s the thought that counts If I had a dime (nickle) for every time I... It will all come out in the wash If . . . I’ll eat my hat I wish I could be a fly on the wall If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing that If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well I wouldn’t have it if they handed it to me If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand on a silver platter times... I wouldn’t wear that to a dog fight If looks could kill If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy J If the shoe fits, wear it [That's] Jim dandy If wishes were horses, beggars would ride Johnny on the spot If you can’t run with the big dogs, stay Join the crowd on the porch Judge not that you be not judged (Matthew 7:1) Tracy Crump’s List of Clichés Juggling too many plates at one time [That’s the] last straw Jump at the chance Later, gator Jump from the frying pan into the fire Laugh and the world laughs with you; cry and Jump in head first you cry alone Jump on the bandwagon Laughter is the best medicine (Proverbs 17:22) Jump through hoops Laying low Just between you and me and the lamppost Lay it to rest Just blowing smoke Lay the groundwork Just do it [The] lead dog has the best view Just goes to show Leading a dog's life Just the facts, ma'am Leave him in a lurch Just what I need Leave no stone unturned Just what the doctor ordered Leaves me lying awake at night Led me down the primrose path K Left a bad taste in my mouth Keep a weather eye out Leopard doesn’t change its spots Keep both feet on the ground Lesser of two evils Keep him in line Less is more Keeping things on a even keel Let bygones be bygones Keeps coming back, like a bad penny Let he who is without sin cast the first stone Keep the sunny side up (John 8:7) Keep this under your hat Let me make this perfectly clear Keep your britches on Let nature take its course Keep your shirt on Let sleeping dogs lie Keep your nose to the grindstone Let the chips fall where they may [That’s a] kick in the pants Liar, liar, pants on fire! Kicks like a mule [He doesn’t have a] lick of sense Kick the bucket Life goes on Kill two birds with one stone Life has its ups and downs Kissing cousins Life is just a bowl of cherries Kiss of death Life is like a box of chocolates Kiss that one goodbye Life is not a bed of roses Kith and kin Life isn’t always fair Knee high to a grasshopper Life is short; eat dessert first Knee-jerk reaction Life's ebb and flow [My] knees were as weak as water (Ezekiel 7:17) [I can see the] light at the end of the [A] knock down, drag out fight tunnel Knock ‘em dead Lighthouse in a storm Knock his lights out [The] light just came on [That will] knock his socks (hat) off [The] light's on but nobody's home Knowing full well Like a breath of fresh air Knowledge is power Like a breath of spring [You are] known by the friends you keep Like a bull in a China closet (shop) [I] know which side my bread is buttered on Like a cat on a hot tin roof Like a dog returning to its vomit L (Proverbs 26:11 and others) Laid back Like a father to me [I haven’t] laid eyes on you since . . . Like a fox in the henhouse Laid to rest Like a fine wine, he gets better with age Lamebrained idea Like a fish out of water Lame duck Like a hand in a glove Land o' Goshen Like a lamb to the slaughter Land of milk and honey (Exodus 3:8 Like a loose cannon and many others) Like a month of Sundays Language of love Like a mother to me Tracy Crump’s List of Clichés Like a port in a storm Loosey goosey Like a sack of potatoes [He's] lost his marbles Like a sitting duck Lost his shirt Like a swarm of flies Loud enough to wake the dead Like a wolf in sheep’s clothing Love at first sight Like babes in the woods Love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8 and Like beating a dead horse others) Like beating your head against a wall Love him like a brother Like father, like son Love is blind Like flies to honey Love is in the eye of the beholder Like it’s going out of style [He's the] love of my life Like kids in a candy store Love thy neighbor (Matthew 22:39) Like looking for a needle in a haystack Love wholeheartedly Like moths around a flame Lower than a snake’s belly Like music to my ears Lower the boom Like pulling teeth [Let’s] lower your ears Like rats leaving a sinking ship Luck of the Irish Like rubbing salt in a wound Lucky duck Like ships that pass in the night Lying through his teeth Like shooting fish in a barrel Like talking to a brick wall M Like two peas in a pod Made a mint Like the blind leading the blind (Matthew 5:14) Made me a deal I couldn’t refuse Like water off a duck’s back Made my day Like white on rice Make a bee line Limping along on three wheels Make hay while the sun shines Line drawn in the sand [You can] make a killing Lions, tigers and bears. Oh, my! Makes my blood boil Little bird told me (Ecclesiastes 10:20) Make my day Little did I know Makes life worth living Little pitchers have big ears Make yourself right at home Little things mean a lot Make you sit up and take notice Live and learn Making up for lost time Live and let live Man does not live by bread alone (Matthew 4:4) [He] lived to a ripe old age [A] man for all seasons [You’ll] live to regret it Man hungry Live within your means [He's a] man of few words Living hand to mouth Many hands make light work Living high on the hog Marching to the beat of a different drummer Living on borrowed time Marvelous to behold Living on the edge [A] match made in heaven Lo and behold [He's having a] meltdown Locked up tighter than a steel drum Meet your maker Lock him up and throw away the key [He has a] memory like an elephant Long and short of it Mend your fences Long odds Met his match Look alive [The] Midas touch Look before you leap Middle-age spread Look down your nose Might makes right Looked like a lost child Milk it for all it’s worth [He] looks like death warmed over [My] mind is made up [He] looks like something the cat drug in Mind like a steel trap [He] looks like the cat that ate the canary Mind over matter Look who’s talking Mind your own business Loose cannon Mind your p’s and q’s Tracy Crump’s List of Clichés Misery loves company Nip it in the bud Missed it by a mile [It’s a] no brainer Missed the boat No good deed goes unpunished Missed the mark No holds barred [A] miss is as good as a mile [He’s] no longer in the picture Money doesn't grow on trees No more Mr. Nice Guy Money is burning a hole in his pocket No news is good news [The love of] money is the root of all evil No place to lay your head (Matthew 8:20, (1 Timothy 6:10) Luke 9:58) Money talks No questions asked Monkey see, monkey do No rest for the weary Morally bankrupt Nosebleed section [It's] more blessed to give than to receive Not a Chinaman's chance (Acts 20:35) Not a cloud in the sky More fun than a barrel of monkeys Not a dry eye in the house More than I bargained for Not a friend in the world More than meets the eye Not a happy camper More than the hairs of my head Not a minute’s peace [The] more, the merrier Not a penny to his name Mortal enemies [He’s] not a spring chicken any more Mug shot Not by a long shot Mule-headed Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin Mum’s the word Not everything it's cracked up to be Murphy's law Nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9 NIV) Music to my ears [That’s] nothing to shake a stick at Music hath charms to soothe the savage beast [That’s] nothing to sneeze at (breast) Nothing ventured, nothing gained My cup runneth over (Psalm 23:5) No time like the present My bad Not on my watch My hands are tied Not on your life My lips are sealed [We’re] not out of the woods yet My one and only [He’s] not the brightest crayon in the box (or any My stars variation) My way or the highway [You’re] not the only pebble on the beach (or any variation) N Not up to snuff [That’s the] name of the game Not whether you won or lost that counts, but Nature abhors a vacuum how you played the game Nearly jumped out of my skin Not worth a plug nickel Necessity is the mother of invention Not worth his salt [The] need for speed No way, José Need-to-know basis Neither a borrower nor a lender be O [That’s] neither here nor there Off the charts [He] never met a stranger Off-color remark Never the twain shall meet Off the deep end New day is dawning Oh, man! New-fangled thing Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we [Here’s a] news flash practice to deceive Next to impossible Old enough to know better Next to nothing Old habits die hard Nice guys finish last [That’s] old hat Nice going [My] old stomping grounds [In the] nick of time Offer you can’t refuse Nip and tuck On a wing and a prayer Tracy Crump’s List of Clichés [He’s] on board with us Pearls of wisdom Once begun is half done Pen is mightier than the sword Once in a blue moon Pennies from heaven Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity Penny for your thoughts One bad apple spoils the barrel Penny saved is a penny earned On edge Penny wise and pound foolish [In] one fell swoop People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw One good turn deserves another stones One hand washes the other [He's the] picture of health One last-ditch effort Pie in the sky One picture is worth a thousand words Pig in a poke One-track mind Pine away (Ezekiel 24:23) On his last leg Plain and simple Only time will tell Play by the rules [We're] on the same wavelength Play devil’s advocate Only two things are sure—death and taxes Play it by ear [Sitting] on the edge of my seat Plenty of fish in the ocean [This one’s] on the house Plunk down On the lookout Poetry in motion On the other hand Point blank On the right track Point of no return On the same page Pouring it on thick On the verge of tears Power of the pen On top of his game Powers that be Opinions are like noses; everybody has one Practice makes perfect [The] other side of the coin Preaching to the choir [An] ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure Pressed for time Out in left field Pretty is as pretty does Out of my league [The] price is right Out of the blue (out of a clear blue sky) Pride goes before a fall (Proverbs 16:18) Out of the mouth of babes (Psalm 8:2) [He] prides himself in . . . Out of pocket Promised me the moon Out of sight, out of mind Proof positive Out of the question [The] proof is in the pudding Out-of-the-way place [He] pulled the rug out from under me Over the hill Pulled the wool over my eyes Over the long haul [You're] pulling my leg Over the top Punch drunk Punch your lights out P Purrs like a kitten Pace yourself Pushing the envelope Pack it in Pushing up daisies Painted himself into a corner Put a burr under his saddle Pales in comparison Put a cork in it Paralyzed by fear Put a sock in it [It’s all] part of the package Put him through the ringer Party animal Put him out of his misery Passed with flying colors Put it on the back burner Passing the mantle Put my foot in my mouth Past comes back to haunt you Put on your game face Passing the buck [He] puts his pants on one leg at a time [He has the] patience of Job Put something aside for a rainy day Patience is a virtue Put that in your pipe and smoke it Pat yourself on the back Put the monkey on his back Pay through the nose [You’re] putting me on Tracy Crump’s List of Clichés Putting on a long face [A] rolling stone gathers no moss Put up or shut up Roll with the punches Put your best foot forward Root, hog, or die Put your money where your mouth is Roped and tied Put your shoulder to the wheel [A] rose by any other name would smell as Put your thinking cap on sweet Rub salt into the wound Q Rub your face in it Queen for a day Ruled it out [The] quick and the dead (1 Peter 4:5) Rule of thumb Quit yer bellyachin' Rumor has it Run him out of town on a rail R Running around like a chicken with its [The] race is not to the swift nor the head cut off battle to the strong (Ecclesiastes 9:11) Run it up the flagpole and see who salutes Raining cats and dogs Run like the wind Raised a ruckus Runs me ragged Raises a red flag [I want to] run something by you Raising cain Run the gamut Raked me over the coals Rushing willy nilly Ran for his life Ran smack dab into it S Ratchet it up Sadder but wiser Rattle his cage Sad sack Read me the riot act Sad to say Read my lips Safe and sound Ready to roll Safety in numbers [The] real scoop Salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13) [You] reap what you sow (Galatians 6:7) Same old sixes and sevens Red sky at morning, sailors take warning. Sands of time Red sky at night, sailors' delight [He] sang like a canary Reinvent the wheel Santa Claus is watching you Render unto Caesar the things which are Saved by the bell Caesar’s (Matthew 22:21) Saved the best for last Rest assured Save for a rainy day Rest on his laurels Saw the light Ride off into the sunset Say cheese [He knows the] right buttons to push Say what you mean and mean what you say Right off the bat Say when Right on target Scapegoat Right on the dot Scared the living daylights out of me Right on the money Scared to death Right on the nose School of hard knocks Right out of the shoot Scraping the bottom of the barrel Right up my alley Scream bloody murder Righty tighty, lefty loosey Second guessing myself Ringing off the wall Second nature Ripe for the picking Seeing is believing Rise and shine Seemed like an eternity [The] road less traveled See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil [The] road not taken See you later, alligator [The] road to hell is paved with good Seize the day intentions Selling like hotcakes Robbing Peter to pay Paul Sell out [He looks like he was] rode hard and put up wet Send up a balloon Tracy Crump’s List of Clichés Send up a smoke signal So far so good Set his teeth on edge (Jeremiah 31:30) So hot you could fry an egg on the sidewalk Set the world on fire So hungry I could eat a horse Set the world on its head So mad I could spit nails Sitting on pins and needles Son of a gun Shake a leg So quiet you could hear a pin drop Shaking in my boots So to speak Shaking like a leaf Soul mates Sharper than a two-edged sword [My] sources dried up She's a dish Sour grapes Shirttail relatives Sowing his wild oats [The] shoe is on the other foot now Spare the rod, spoil the child (Proverbs 13:24) [A] shoe in Speak for yourself Shooting the breeze [You’re] speaking my language Shoot yourself in the foot Speak with forked tongue Short and sweet Spells disaster Short end of the stick Spinning like a top [The] shorter, the better Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak Short-sighted (Matthew 26:41) [A] shot across the bow Spit and polish Shot in the dark [He’s the] spitting image of . . . Shot up like a beansprout [You’re just] splitting hairs Showed his true colors Spoiling for a fight Show me the money Spoke too soon Shut your (pie) hole (trap) Squeaky wheel gets the grease [A] sign of the times Squirrel it away Silence is golden Stabbed me in the back Simple minds, simple pleasures [I’d] stake my reputation on it Sings like a canary Standing room only Sink or swim Stand in the gap (Ezekiel 22:30) Sit tight Stand on your own two feet Sitting duck Stands to reason Sitting on cloud nine Stand the test of time Six feet under Stand your ground Six of one and half dozen of the other [That’s a] star in your crown Skin and bones Start the ball to rolling Sky’s the limit Stay out of my hair Sleep it off Steer clear of that Slept like a baby Step up to the plate Slept like a log Stick in the mud Slim chance Sticks and stones may break my bones, Slipped him a mickey but words will never hurt me Slippery slope Sticks like glue [On a] slow boat to China Sticks out like a sore thumb Slow and steady wins the race Stiffnecked (Exodus 32:9 and many others) Slow poke [A] still small voice (1 Kings 19:12) [He’s one] smart cookie Still waters run deep Smarty pants Stinks to high heaven Smiling like a Chesire cat Stop and smell the roses Snail mail [He's a] straight shooter Snake in the grass Strain at a gnat and swallow a camel Snooping around Straw that broke the camel’s back Snowjob Streetwalker Soar like an eagle Strength in number So close yet so far [A] stitch in time saves nine Tracy Crump’s List of Clichés Stood the test of time That’s the pot calling the kettle black Stop on a dime That's the way the cookie crumbles Stopped him cold That’s water under the bridge Stopped me in my tracks There ain't no such thing as a free lunch Straighten up and fly right (TANSTAAFL) Strike while the iron is hot There's something fishy about this Stringing me along There's something rotten in Denmark Stuck like glue There’s the rub Stupid is as stupid does Things are coming to a head Such as it is Things are looking up Suck him dry Things were touch and go Suffer in silence Think it over Sugar and spice and all things nice Think it will fly? Suits me just fine Think outside the box Sure as you’re born Third time’s a charm Sure enough This, too, shall pass Survival of the fittest [He’s a] thorn in my side (2 Corinthians 12:7) Sweep it under the rug Thought I’d lose my mind Sweet! Three's a charm Threw me for a loop T Threw me off track Take a shot at it Threw the book at me Take center stage Through rose-colored glasses Take him to task Throw a wrench into the works Take it like a man Throw caution to the wind Take it one day at a time Throw your hat in the ring Take it or leave it Throw in the towel Take it to heart Thumb your nose Take it with a grain of salt Tick a lock Takes one step forward and two steps back Tickled my fancy Takes its toll Tickled pink Takes my breath away Tickled to death (to pieces) [That] takes the cake Tied the knot Takes the edge off [We'll have to] tighten our belts Take the bull by the horns Tighter than a tick Take the wind out of his sails Tight-lipped Talked til I was blue in the face Til the cows come home Talking through your hat Time and chance happens to all (Ecclesiates 9:11) Talk is cheap Time and tide wait for no man Talks like he has marbles in his mouth Time flies when you're having fun Talks out of both sides of his mouth Time heals all wounds Talk to the hand Time is money Tall, dark and handsome Timing is everything Tanked [On the] tip of my tongue Tar and feather him Tip-top shape Tearjerker To beat the band Testing his wings To each his own Test the waters To err is human; to forgive, divine Thank your lucky stars Toe to toe That’ll be the day [She] told him how the cow ate the cabbage That's above my pay grade To make a long story short That’s a bunch of hogwash Tongue in cheek That’s all she wrote Too close for comfort That's all well and good but . Took me under his wing That's a load off my mind (back, shoulders) Took to his bed Tracy Crump’s List of Clichés Took to it like a duck to water Unequally yoked (2 Corinthians 6:14) Too little too late Until the wee hours Too many cooks spoil the broth [He's] up and down like a yoyo Too many chiefs and not enough Indians Up close and personal Too much of a good thing [It’s an] uphill climb Too much on my plate Up in arms Too smart for his own good Up a creek without a paddle Tooting your own horn Up to date Top knotch To say the least V To the nth degree Vanity, thy name is woman To this day Variety is the spice of life [That’s a] tough row to hoe [A] viper in my bosom [The] train has left the station [A] voice crying in the wilderness Train of thought (Matthew 3: 3, John 1:23) Trapped like rats Trickle down effect W [A] treat (or anything) and a half Waiting for the other shoe to drop Tried and true Walk by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7) True blue [He thinks he can] walk on water Truer words were never spoken Walk the line [I'd] trust him as far as I can throw him Walk the straight and narrow (Matthew 7:13-4) [The] truth hurts [She’s a] wallflower Truth is stranger than fiction [I] want it so bad I can taste it [The] truth will set you free (John 8:32) [He] wants to have his cake and eat it, too Try as I may Wash your mouth out with soap Trying to keep too many balls in the air [I] wasn't born yesterday Try this on for size Waste not, want not Try your hand at it Watched me like a hawk Tuck tail and run Watched pot never boils Tuned out [It’s all] water under the bridge Tunnel vision [The] wave of the future Turnabout is fair play Wave the white flag Turn back the clock Wear and tear Turning point Wears his heart (feelings) on his sleeve Turn over a new leaf [It] weighs heavy on my mind Turn over in his grave We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it Turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:39) Well, I never! Turn up your nose Went through it with a fine-toothed comb Twiddle my thumbs Wet your whistle [A] twinkle in your mother’s eye Whatever floats your boat Twisted my arm What goes around comes around [My] two cents’ worth What in the Sam Hill happened? Two heads are better than one What in the world? Two’s company; three’s a crowd What part of no do you not understand? Two sheets to the wind What's done is done Two thumbs up What's good for the goose is good for the gander Two-timer What's on your mind? Two wrongs don’t make a right What's up? (Wassup?) What would Jesus do? U Way back when Uncharted waters [The] wheels are turning [He got that] under his belt We'll see who is naughty and who is nice Under the radar When all is said and done Under the table When in doubt Tracy Crump’s List of Clichés When in Rome, do as the Romans do Y When it rains, it pours You are my sunshine When life hands you lemons, make lemonade You are what you eat When my ship comes in You betcha When pigs fly You can catch more flies with honey When push comes to shove than you can with vinegar When the cat's away, the mice do play You can fill in the blanks When the dust settled You can lead a horse to water, but you When the going gets tough, the tough can't make him drink get going You can say that again When the time comes You can take that to the bank [That’s] where the game is won or lost You can’t get blood from a turnip Where there's a will, there's a way You can't get there from here Where the sun don't shine You can’t judge a book by its cover Where the rubber meets the road You can't take it with you (Job 1:21) Where's the beef? You can’t teach an old dog new tricks Whet your appetite You get the gist Which came first—the chicken or the egg? You get what you pay for Whistle while you work You hit the nail on the head [My] whole life flashed before my eyes You leave me no choice Whole nine yards You little stinker [That’s a] whole other ballgame You made your bed; now lie in it Why are you in such an all fired hurry? You never have a second chance to make a first Wild goose chase impression Will wonders never cease? You’re a better man than I Winners never quit, and quitters never win You’re breaking my heart With a little help from my friends You're getting on my last nerve With friends like that, who needs enemies? You're only young once With his tail tucked between his legs You’re putting me on Woe is me (Isaiah 6:5) Your mother doesn't live here Wolf in sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15) You snooze, you lose Wonder of a child You take the high road, and I’ll take the low road Won’t cost you a red cent [That] won’t cut it Z Won’t see the light of day Zip it Won’t take it lying down [His] words were smoother than butter (Psalm 55:21) [A] word to the wise is sufficient [The] world is your oyster World’s worst Worried to death Worth his weight in gold Wound tighter than a spring Word of mouth Wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy Wrapped him around her little finger

X X'd out (crossed out) X marks the spot