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Right up your alley
Right up your alley means something that is perfectly suited to a person's interests, skills, or tastes.The expression comes from bowling. In bowling, the ball rolls down a long narrow lane called an alley, so something that goes right up your alley fits exactly where it should.
If you like puzzles and mysteries, this book will be right up your alley.
Run like clockwork
To run like clockwork means that something happens very regularly.The phrase comes from mechanical clocks, which were designed to keep steady, precise time using gears and springs. Because a well made clock runs in a predictable way, this idiom became a way to describe anything that happens on a predictable timeframe.
Every morning at exactly six o'clock, the rooster started crowing like clockwork.
Set in stone
Something is set in stone if it is fixed and almost impossible to change.The phrase comes from carving words into stone. Once carved, they are hard to alter.
The schedule is not set in stone yet, so we can still make changes.
So far, so good
So far so good means that everything has been going well up to now. This idiom is used when a task or situation is working out as planned so far.The expression has been used in English since at least the 1800s. It reflects the idea that although the result is not known yet, the progress until now has been successful.
The cakes are baking nicely and have not burned yet, so far so good.
Stick out like a sore thumb
Something sticks out like a sore thumb if it is very obviously different from the things around it. This idiom came from how you would hold out an injured thumb so you don't hurt it even more.She wore a bright shirt to work, and stuck out like a sore thumb in the office.
Sticks and stones may break my bones
"Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me" is a saying used to show that insults should be ignored. The speaker refuses to be affected.The saying has been used for many years, especially by children. It encourages resilience by separating physical harm from spoken words.
When the teasing started, she shrugged and said sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.
The best of both worlds
You have the best of both worlds if you are benefiting from two completely different situations at the same time.You have a garden but you still live right by the city? Wow, that's the best of both worlds!
The cat's pajamas
The cat's pajamas is a slang way of saying something is excellent.My new shoes are just the cat's pajamas!
The lesser of two evils
The lesser of two evils means choosing the option that is less bad when both choices are unpleasant. Both choices still have drawbacks.The phrase has been used in English for many centuries, to talk about situations where a perfect solution does not exist.
He chose the cheaper repair as the lesser of two evils.
The more the merrier
The more the merrier means that a situation becomes more enjoyable when more people join in. It is often said when welcoming others to take part in an activity, gathering, or event.The saying has been used in English for hundreds of years and reflects the idea that shared company brings more fun and happiness. It became a common friendly expression when inviting others to join a group.
When another cat jumped onto the couch beside the others, she laughed and said the more the merrier.
Thick as two short planks
If someone is as thick as two short planks, it means they are very slow to understand things or seem quite foolish. The phrase is usually used in a joking or slightly rude way to say that someone is not very clever.The idiom compares a person's thinking to two pieces of wood, suggesting there is not much going on in their head. People often say it in a playful or sarcastic tone when someone misses something obvious.
I had to explain the instructions three times before he admitted he felt thick as two short planks.
To each their own
To each their own means that everyone has different tastes or preferences, and people should be free to like what they like. This idiom is often used when someone chooses something that others might not like.The phrase has been used in English for many years as a way to accept differences in opinion or lifestyle.
I don't like coffee, but to each their own.
Too close for comfort
The idiom too close for comfort means a situation feels uncomfortably near or risky. It is used when something almost goes wrong or when danger or trouble comes closer than someone would like.The expression has been used since the early 1900s. It likely developed from the simple idea that being too near to something unpleasant can make people feel uneasy.
That car swerved past us on the narrow road and it was too close for comfort.
Too good to be true
The idiom too good to be true means something seems so good that it is likely not as it appears, and there is probably some kind of hidden catch.The phrase has been used in English for many years. It reflects the idea that unusually good offers often hide a problem.
The deal looked too good to be true, so she checked the details carefully.
Two's company, three's a crowd
Two's company, three's a crowd means that two people often enjoy privacy together, while a third person can interrupt that closeness. The phrase is often used when a pair would rather be alone.The saying appeared in English in the 1600s. It reflects the long-standing idea that couples prefer time without others around.
When their friend tried to join them at the quiet table, he laughed and said two's company, three's a crowd.
Up in the air
To be left up in the air means that something has not been decided yet or is still uncertain. Plans or outcomes that are up in the air may change because no final decision has been made.The phrase comes from the image of something floating or hanging in the air without a clear place to land. Because it has not settled anywhere, it became a way to describe situations that are still unresolved.
Our travel plans are still up in the air.
Walk a mile in their shoes
To walk a mile in someone's shoes means really trying to understand another person's situation before judging them.The saying appeared in English in the 1800s. It uses the image of wearing another person's shoes and traveling their path to represent understanding their life.
Before criticizing her decision, try to walk a mile in someone's shoes.
You're on thin ice
The phrase you're on thin ice, or you're walking on thin ice or even you're skating on thin ice means you are in a risky situation. One more mistake could cause trouble. This idiom refers to walking on a frozen lake or river, where you might fall through the thin layer of ice on the surface if you are not careful.After missing two deadlines in a row, he knew he was on thin ice with his manager.