Apples And Pears
Meaning: Cockney rhyming slang for Stairs.
Use in sentence: Time for bed jimmy get yourself up the apples and pears.

At The Drop Of A Hat
Meaning: With no delay.
Use in sentence: They were always ready to help just say the word and theyd be there at the drop of a hat.

Away With The Fairies
Meaning: Not facing reality; in a dream world.
Use in sentence: She says she is going to star in Johnny Depps next movie if you ask me she's away with the fairies.

Baby Brain
Meaning: Confusion or forgetfulness caused by lack of sleep when caring for a new-born.
Use in sentence: I put baby julies bottle of milk away in the oven today must be baby brain.

Back Seat Driver
Meaning: Someone who criticize from the side-lines without being directly involved.
Use in sentence: She's always ready to be a back seat driver and tell people what to do but she never does anything herself.

Back To Square One
Meaning: Back to the beginning.
Use in sentence: He had nearly climbed the cliff before he slipped off now It's back to square one.

Back To The Drawing Board
Meaning: Said when a plan fails and It's time to start again and make a new plan.
Use in sentence: That battery hovercraft was a nice idea but it just didnt work I guess It's back to the drawing board.

Bag Lady
Meaning: A homeless woman who carries all her possessions in shopping bags.
Use in sentence: It's a shame about edith she had a home and family this time last year and now she's divorced and living on the streets as a bag lady.

Baker's Dozen
Meaning: Thirteen.
Use in sentence: Theres got to be at least twelve in each box better just pack a bakers dozen to be sure.

Barking Up The Wrong Tree
Meaning: Responding to something which isn't the important issue.
Use in sentence: The government is blaming the immigrants for the banking crisis but theyre barking up the wrong tree there.

Barnet Fair
Meaning: Cockney rhyming slang for Hair.
Use in sentence: Im not sure about that new hairdresser he cut my barnet much too short.

Basket Case
Meaning: A person or thing that is no longer able to function effectively either through disability or misfortune.
Use in sentence: The greek economy took a nosedive after the 008 world financial meltdown to the point of becoming a total economic basket case.

Be A Sport
Meaning: Be generous and/or sportsmanlike.
Use in sentence: Sorry mr jones our ball is in your rose bed again be a sport and throw it back over the fence.

Be Glad To See The Back Of
Meaning: Be happy when a person leaves or when an unpleasant situation is ended.
Use in sentence: He came for two days and stayed a month to be honest I was glad to see the back of him when he finally left.

Beach Bum
Meaning: Someone usually a youngster who spends all their time hanging out at the beach surfing and partying.
Use in sentence: Shane Warne was well on his way the becoming a beach bum until he found his calling in sport now He's a cricketing legend.

Bean Counter
Meaning: A disparaging term for an accountant or anyone who compiles statistics.
Use in sentence: It's a shame jim was a first rate pure mathematician but the bank offered him so much money to be their bean counter he decided to take it.

Beat Around The Bush
Meaning: Avoiding the main topic.
Use in sentence: If you want jill to go out with her Don't beat around the bush ask her.

Beauty Contest / Beauty Parade
Meaning: A political contest in which the result is influenced by personality and image more than by policy.
Use in sentence: These republican tv debates are just PR stunts nothing more than beauty parades.

Bell's And Whistles
Meaning: Attractive additional features or trimmings.
Use in sentence: It was expensive to get all the optional extras for my new car but I decided that I wasnt going to get another for a few years so why not go for all the bells and whistles?.

Bend Over Backwards
Meaning: Make extravagant efforts to avoid bias.
Use in sentence: Everyone assumed the commentators would prefer their own team they had to bend over backwards to show that they were being fair.

Between A Rock And A Hard Place
Meaning: Between two unwelcome options.
Use in sentence: The only choices I have are poverty or a boring job im between a rock and a hard place.

Between The Wars
Meaning: The period between WWI and WWII.
Use in sentence: My parents were married in 1930 im not really a war baby more a between the wars baby.

Beyond Price
Meaning: To be so prized and valuable as to not be obtainable by money.
Use in sentence: Getting in to the school hall for the annual nativity play cost us $5 but seeing little angie in the lead role was beyond price.

Big Fish In A Small Pond
Meaning: An important person but only so within a small area of influence.
Use in sentence: Alison is the queen of the post room she's a big fish in a small pond though no one in the rest of the company know's who she is.

Binge Watch
Meaning: Watch multiple episodes of a television programme in succession.
Use in sentence: We started off just planning to watch an episode of the sopranos but ended up binge-watching the whole series.

Bitch Slap
Meaning: An open-handed slap in the face intended to be humiliating.
Use in sentence: He wasnt worth the respect of a punch bitch-slapping was more humiliating.

Bite Off More Than You Can Chew
Meaning: Take on a task that is more than one can manage.
Use in sentence: You should never have challenged usain bolt to a race youve really bitten off more than you can chew there.

Bite The Dust
Meaning: Die especially in a violent or sudden way.
Use in sentence: Butch cassidy and the sundance kid bit the dust at the end of the movie.

Bite Your Tongue
Meaning: Avoid speaking.
Use in sentence: I knew his wife wasnt faithful but I didnt like to say I thought it best to bite my tongue.

Blood Blister
Meaning: Cockney rhyming slang for Sister.
Use in sentence: There were five of us at home three brothers and two blood blisters.

Blood Is Thicker Than Water
Meaning: Family loyalties are stronger than those to other people.
Use in sentence: It was just me and his son in the job interview I had no chance blood is thicker than water you know.

Blue Plate Special
Meaning: A set meal provided at a reduced price.
Use in sentence: We were hungry but broke the blue plate special was our only option.

Boat Race
Meaning: Cockney rhyming slang for Face.
Use in sentence: Stupid am i! look into my boat and say that again!.

Bottle And Glass
Meaning: Cockney rhyming slang for Arse.
Use in sentence: He slipped on those wet leaves by the gate legs in the air and landed on his bottle.

Bought The Farm
Meaning: Died especially in a violent way which may give rise to an insurance claim.
Use in sentence: Henrys parachute failed at 0000 feet he really bought the farm.

Brass Monkey Weather
Meaning: Extremely cold weather the full expression is cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey.
Use in sentence: The weatherman says minus 10 degrees and strong winds for tomorrow that's brass monkey weather.

Brass Tacks
Meaning: Cockney rhyming slang for Facts.
Use in sentence: Im telling you brass tacks mate florida is bigger than england.

Break A Leg
Meaning: A superstitious way to wish good luck to an actor before a performance while avoiding saying good luck out loud which is considered unlucky.
Use in sentence: People often said break a leg to olivier but he didnt really need it.

Bricks And Mortar
Meaning: Cockney rhyming slang for Daughter.
Use in sentence: The girls got into trouble but her mother and I still love them they are our bricks and mortars after all.

Bring Your A Game
Meaning: Perform to the best of your ability.
Use in sentence: The cup game tomorrow is the biggest in the clubs history everyone in the team needs to bring his a game.

Brown Bread
Meaning: Cockney rhyming slang for Dead.
Use in sentence: That bird just landed on the live power cable He's brown bread for sure.

Brum Brum
Meaning: Childs play idiom expressing the sound of a vehicle.
Use in sentence: Mummy my toy train goes chuff chuff chuff and my car goes brum brum.

Bucket List
Meaning: A list of things you plan to do before you kick the bucket (die) often a list of fanciful ideas rather than of concrete plans.
Use in sentence: Ive always wanted to go to japan I guess ill add that to my bucket list.

Burn The Midnight Oil
Meaning: To work late into the night.
Use in sentence: Sorry I Can't come to the pub this reports due at 9am and ill need to burn the midnight oil if I am going to get it finished.

Bust A Move
Meaning: Dance in a stylish way.
Use in sentence: That new cheerleader is amazing sHe's really busting some moves.

Buy A Lemon
Meaning: Waste money by purchasing a car that is frequently faulty.
Use in sentence: I thought that my new vw was top of the range but It's never out of the repair garage a real lemon.

Calendar Year
Meaning: Twelve months beginning from the first of January.
Use in sentence: The tax report shows our earnings for a full calendar year.

Can't Cut The Mustard
Meaning: Unable to meet the demands put upon you.
Use in sentence: He got that promotion too soon he Can't really cut the mustard.

Canteen Culture
Meaning: Boorish behaviour by rank and file police or soldiers.
Use in sentence: The place was full of bikini pin-ups no wonder that female recruit didnt feel comfortable in that canteen culture environment.

Carbon Footprint
Meaning: A measure of the amount of carbon dioxide (co) emitted during an industrial or domestic process.
Use in sentence: I just Can't junk my ford mustang I know It's a gas guzzling muscle car but ill try to improve my carbon footprint some other way.

Carpe Diem
Meaning: Latin expression meaning seize the day.
Use in sentence: Rise and shine kids the sun is shining carpe diem!.

Cast Iron Stomach
Meaning: Said to be possessed by someone who is able to eat anything with no ill effects.
Use in sentence: Nine burgers in one sitting! he must have a cast iron stomach.

Cat Got Your Tongue?
Meaning: A question addressed to someone who is inexplicably silent the implication is that the persons tongue is missing.
Use in sentence: All you have to do is tell us who attacked you and we will arrest them why so quiet? has the cat got your tongue?.

Caught Between Two Stools
Meaning: Finding it difficult to choose between two alternatives.
Use in sentence: Id like to go to the game and stay in for the birthday party im between two stools.

Caught By The Short Hair's (Or Short And Curlies)
Meaning: Trapped by an opponent in a situation you can't escape.
Use in sentence: I knew he had been stealing but he was the bosss son if I said anything he would get me sacked he had me by the short and curlies.

Chaise Lounge
Meaning: The american spelling for the piece of furniture known elsewhere as a chaise longue.
Use in sentence: You must be tired why Don't you lie down on the chaise lounge?.

Charley Horse
Meaning: Stiffness or cramp in the arm or leg.
Use in sentence: He was just on the verge of scoring his first hundred and then got a charley horse and couldnt hold the bat.

Cheek By Jowl
Meaning: Side by side; close together.
Use in sentence: It looks as though barry and freda are an item they were certainly cheek by jowl in the club all last evening.

Chicken Feed
Meaning: Something of little importance especially a small sum of money.
Use in sentence: The newsagent is really ripping off the kids who deliver the papers for him He's paying them chicken feed.

Cherry Ripe
Meaning: Cockney rhyming slang for Pipe.
Use in sentence: Get me twenty cigarettes while you are out would you? and some tobacco for my cherry ripe.

Chew Someone Out
Meaning: Verbally scold someone.
Use in sentence: Little jimmy ran out right in front of that car his mother really chewed him out for that.

Children Should Be Seen And Not Heard
Meaning: Old proverb suggesting that children should not impinge on the adult world.
Use in sentence: Grandma is a bit strict we shouldn't judge her though things were tougher in her childhood she was expected to be seen and not heard.

Chow Down
Meaning: Begin to eat.
Use in sentence: Okay boys I know youre hungry so chow down.

City Bike
Meaning: A bicycle designing especially for urban riding.
Use in sentence: It's more comfortable in a car but in london you get around much quicker on a city bike.

Click Bait
Meaning: An eye catching word or image on a website.
Use in sentence: Those half-price ads that keep popping up are annoying they are intended as click bait to draw you into their website but they just put me off.

Close But No Cigar
Meaning: Very near to success but falling short.
Use in sentence: Ten hIt's in a row gets you a prize nine for you jack sorry close but no cigar.

Cloud Cuckoo Land
Meaning: An imaginary idealistic state where everything is perfect it is usually used with reference to someone who has an overly optimistic and unrealistic belief.
Use in sentence: If you think you can get a managerial job without any qualifications or experience you are living in cloud cuckoo-land.

Cock And Bull Story
Meaning: An unbelievable tale.
Use in sentence: She said that she went to school with George Clooney but she's only twenty two I think It's a cock and bull story.

Code Monkey
Meaning: Slang term for a computer programmer.
Use in sentence: He might be just the code monkey who programmed the app but he's ended up earning the company more than anyone else.

Come Hell Or High Water
Meaning: Despite any great difficult or obstacle.
Use in sentence: Im going to get to cornwall by nightfall come hell or high water.

Company Man
Meaning: A worker especially loyal to the employer he works for.
Use in sentence: Jacks been with us for thirty years and hardly missed a day He's our number one company man.

Cop An Attitude
Meaning: Adopt an aggressive stance.
Use in sentence: The whole gang stood there defiantly glaring they really copped an attitude.

Corduroy Road
Meaning: A road that is ridged and furrowed like the fabric.
Use in sentence: This road Can't have been resurfaced since the 1980's It's all patches a real Corduroy Road.

Country House Hotel
Meaning: An upmarket hotel located in a revamped rural mansion.
Use in sentence: We wanted to go somewhere special for our anniversary and jim booked us into a lovely country house hotel in the cotswolds.

Crack Someone Up
Meaning: Make someone laugh.
Use in sentence: He's hilarious he cracks me up.

Cream Crackered
Meaning: Cockney rhyming slang for knackered note when this term was coined cream crackers were a popular snack in the UK.
Use in sentence: Thats an hour on the exercise bike I Can't do any more im crackered.

Cross That Bridge When You Come To It
Meaning: Deal with a problem if and when it becomes necessary not before.
Use in sentence: My pension might not be enough to live on when im retired but ill cross that bridge when I come to it.

Cross Your Fingers
Meaning: To hope that something happens.
Use in sentence: Cross your fingers ive put 500 in number 9.

Crunch Time
Meaning: The period of time just before a project has to be completed.
Use in sentence: The exam is tomorrow and I need to pass It's crunch time for me.

Cry Wolf
Meaning: Intentionally raise a false alarm.
Use in sentence: Now Billy there's no point crying wolf just to stay up a bit later we all know that there are no witches in your bedroom.

Curiosity Killed The Cat
Meaning: Being inquisitive can lead you into a dangerous situation.
Use in sentence: I heard a noise outside and went to have a look it turns out I should have ignored it it was a bear curiosity killed the cat they say.

Currant Bun
Meaning: Cockney rhyming slang for Sun.
Use in sentence: It's rained every day for ages I Can't remember the last time I saw the currant bun.

Cut Corners
Meaning: Doing things in a slipshod way to avoid expense or effort.
Use in sentence: We should be using best butter for this recipe but hes cutting corners and using oil.

Cut To The Chase
Meaning: Leave out all the unnecessary details and get straight to the point.
Use in sentence: Okay thats enough sales talk let's cut to the chase what does it cost?.

Daily Grind
Meaning: The dull daily routine.
Use in sentence: Monday morning again time to get to work and start the daily grind."]