a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
a chain is only as strong as its weakest link
a change is as good as a rest
a countenance more in sorrow than in anger
a Daniel come to judgement
a diamond is forever
a dish fit for the gods
a drop in the bucket
a finger in many pies
a fool and his money are soon parted
a foot in the door
a friend in need is a friend indeed
a good beginning makes a good ending
a good head on his shoulders
a good man is hard to find
a hard man is good to find
a head for figures
a head for heights
a head like a sieve
a healthy mind in a healthy body
a heart of gold
a heart to heart talk
a heart-warming experience
a horse a horse my kingdom for a horse
a house divided against itself cannot stand
a house is not a home
a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
a kick in the teeth
a leopard cannot change its spots
a little knowledge is a dangerous thing
a little of what you fancy does you good
a man after his own heart
a man's got to do what a man's got to do
a miss is as good as a mile
a multitude of sins
a new broom sweeps clean
a nod's as good as a wink to a blind horse
a nose for crime
a nose for trouble
a pain in the arse
a penny saved is a penny earned
a person is known by the company he keeps
a picture paints a thousand words
a place for everything and everything in its place
a plague on both your houses
a price on his head
a problem shared is a problem halved
a prophet is not recognized in his own land
a rolling stone gathers no moss
a rose by any other name would smell as sweet
a shot in the arm
a smack on the wrist
a small step for man a giant leap for mankind
a stitch in time saves nine
a strong stomach
a thing of beauty is a joy forever
a thorn in the flesh
a volunteer is worth twenty pressed men
a watched pot never boils
a well turned calf
a woman's place is in the home
a woman's work is never done
above my head
absence makes the heart grow fonder
absolute power corrupts absolutely
actions speak louder than words
after your own heart
age cannot wither her nor custom stale her infinite variety
all corners of the world
all good things come to he who waits
all I want for Christmas is my two front teeth
all mouth and trousers
all my eye and betty martin
all present and correct
all that glisters is not gold
all the world loves a lover
all things must pass
all things to all men
all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
all you need is love
all's fair in love and war
all's well that ends well
always have your nose in a book
am I my brother's keeper
an affair of the heart
an albatross round his neck
an ample bosom
an apple a day keeps the doctor away
an army marches on its stomach
an ear bashing
an ear for music
an Englishman's home is his castle
an eye for a bargain
an eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth
an ill-favoured thing sir but mine own
an iron fist in velvet glove
an old head on young shoulders
an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
and thereby hangs a tale
april is the cruellest month
arm in arm
armed to the teeth
arse about face
arse over tit
as bald as a coot
as busy as a one legged arse kicker
as cold as a well digger's arse
as cold as any stone
as crooked as a dog's hind leg
as dead as a dodo
as far as the eye can see
as good luck would have it
as long as my arm
as merry as the day is long
as old as Methuselah
as old as the hills
as plain as the nose on your face
as pleased as punch
as pure as snow
as pure as the driven snow
as scarce as hen's teeth
as stiff as a poker
as the saying goes
as tight as a duck's arse
as useless as tits on a boar
as you sow so shall you reap
ashes to ashes dust to dust
ask no questions and hear no lies
at his wits end
at one fell swoop
at the end of his tether
athlete's foot
attack is the best form of defence
bad hair day
bag and baggage
banging your head against a brick wall
bare one's teeth
barking dogs seldom bite
be it on your head
be still my quiet heart
bear arms
beast with two backs
beat swords into ploughshares
beauty is in the eye of the beholder
beauty is only skin deep
beggars can't be choosers
behind every great man there's a great woman
bend your ear
bend your elbow
better late than never
better safe than sorry
better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick
better the devil you know than the devil you don't
better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all
between two stools
beware of Greeks bearing gifts
beware the ides of march
bird's eye view
birds of a feather flock together
bite someone's head off
bite the dust
bite the hand that feeds you
bite your head off
bite your lip
bite your tongue
blast from the past
blessed are the peacemakers
blood is thicker than water
blow winds and crack your cheeks
body and soul
born with a silver spoon in his mouth
bound hand and foot
boys will be boys
bring to a head
brothers in arms
bury your head in the sand
butter wouldn't melt in her mouth
butterflies in my stomach
button your lip
by the hairs on my chinny chin chin I'll blow your house down
by the skin of your teeth
by the sweat of his brow
can't make head or tail of it
can't see beyond the end of your nose
cap in hand
case the joint
cast an eye over
caught with your hand in the till
change of heart
change your spots
charity begins at home
cheek by jowl
chin wag
chip on his shoulder
cleanliness is next to godliness
coat of many colours
coin a phrase
cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey
cold hands warm heart
come the three corners of the world in arms
come what come may
comparisons are odorous
condemned out of hand
contemplate my navel
cost an arm and a leg
couldn't make head or tail of it
count you blessings
countenance more in sorrow than in anger
cross my heart and hope to die
cross my palm with silver
cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war
cry your heart out
cut off your nose to spite your face
cut throat competition
cut your coat to suit your cloth
dancing cheek to cheek
dead from the neck up
discretion is the better part of valour
do as you would be done by
do the shake and vac
do unto others as you would have them do unto you
doesn't know his arse from his elbow
don't bite the hand that feeds you
don't bother your pretty little head about it
don't burn your bridges behind you
don't change horses in midstream
don't count your chickens before they are hatched
don't cross the bridge till you come to it
don't keep a dog and bark yourself
don't let the bastards grind you down
don't look a gift horse in the mouth
don't put all your eggs in one basket
don't put new wine into old bottles
don't rock the boat
don't spoil the ship for a ha'pworth of tar
don't try to teach your grandma to suck eggs
don't try to walk before you can crawl
don't upset the apple-cart
doubt is the beginning not the end of wisdom
down in the mouth
easy come easy go
eat drink and be merry
eat your heart out
eaten out of house and home
eating out of someone's hand
enough is as good as a feast
enough is enough
et tu brute
even at the turning of the tide
every dark cloud has a silver lining
every dog has his day
every man has his price
every stick has two ends
everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die
extend the hand of friendship
eyes in the back of your head
failing to plan is planning to fail
faint heart never won fair lady
faith will move mountains
fall from grace
familiarity breeds contempt
fancy free
fed up to the back teeth
fie foh and fum I smell the blood of a English man
fifteen men on a dead man's chest
fight the good fight
fight tooth and nail
finders keepers losers weepers
finger lickin' good
first things first
fish and guests smell after three days
flattery will get you nowhere
foam at the mouth
follow your nose
fools rush in where angels fear to tread
for ever and a day
for everything there is a season
forewarned is forearmed
forgive them for they know not what they do
fortune favours the brave
friends Romans countrymen lend me your ears
frog in the throat
from strength to strength
from the bottom of my heart
gentleman at arms
get it in the neck
get it into your head
get it off your chest
get off on the right foot
get off on the wrong foot
get off your arse
get out of hand
get out of the wrong side of the bed
get the bit between your teeth
get the upper hand
get thee behind me satan
get up your nose
get your finger out
get your teeth into
get your tongue round it
give him an offer he can't refuse
give one's eye teeth for
give one's right arm for
give up the ghost
given the elbow
glass chin
gnash your teeth
go and boil your head
go boil your head
go cap in hand
go down on bended knee
go for the throat
go out on a limb
go the way of all flesh
go to see a man about a dog
go to your head
god helps those who help themselves
going to powder my nose
gone tits up
good fences make good neighbours
good men and true
good things come to those who wait
got it on the brain
got my eye in
got my eye on
got to hand it to you
got your head screwed on
got your heart set on
grate on the ear
grease one's palm
great minds think alike
green eyed monster
grin from ear to ear
grit your teeth
hair of the dog
handsome is as handsome does
hard work never did anyone any harm
harden your heart against
hark hark the lark at heaven's gate sings
haste makes waste
have a heart
have an axe to grind
he makes my flesh creep
he wears his heart on his sleeve
he who can does he who cannot teaches
he who hesitates is lost
he who laughs last laughs longest
he who lives by the sword shall die by the sword
he who pays the piper calls the tune
he will give the devil his due
head over heels in love
hell has no fury like a woman scorned
here's mud in your eye
his beard was as white as snow
history repeats itself
hit the nail on the head
hoist by your own petard
hold your tongue
holding your cards close to your chest
home is where the heart is
how are the mighty fallen
hung drawn and quartered
I bear a charmed life
I have nothing to offer but blood toil tears and sweat
I spy with my little eye
I will wear my heart upon my sleeve
if a job is worth doing it is worth doing well
if at first you don't succeed try try and try again
if god had meant us to fly he'd have given us wings
if I said you had a beautiful body would you hold it against me
if music be the food of love play on
if wishes were horses beggars would ride
if you can't beat 'em join 'em
if you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen
imitation is the sincerest form of flattery
in my heart of hearts
in one ear and out the other
in out in out shake it all about
in over your head
in the beginning was the word
in the kingdom of the blind the one-eyed man is king
in the twinkling of an eye
into every life a little rain must fall
is the pope Catholic
is this a dagger which I see before me
it beggar'd all description
it came like a bolt from the blue
it fell off the back of a lorry
it goes without saying
it is meat and drink to me
it never rains but it pours
it takes a thief to catch a thief
it takes one to know one
it will be all right on the night
it's all grist to the mill
it's an ill wind that blows no one any good
it's better to give than to receive
it's better to light a candle than curse the darkness
it's better to travel hopefully than to arrive
it's never too late
it's no skin off my nose
it's no use locking the stable door after the horse has bolted
it's not worth crying over spilt milk
it's the early bird that gets the worm
it's the empty can that makes the most noise
it's the squeaky wheel that gets the grease
I've got my eye on you
just a glint in his father's eye
keep a cool head
keep a stiff upper lip
keep a weather eye open
keep body and soul together
keep your chin up
keep your ear to the ground
keep your eye on the ball
keep your finger on the pulse
keep your hair on
keep your hand in
keep your head above water
keep your head down
keep your nose out
keep your nose to the grindstone
keep your powder dry
keep your shoulder to the wheel
kill the fatted calf
knee high to a duck
knee high to a grasshopper
knock it on the head
know which way the wind blows
lamb to the slaughter
last will and testament
laugh and the world laughs with you weep and you weep alone
laugh your head off
laughter is the best medicine
lay it on with a trowel
lead by the nose
lead with the chin
learnt off by heart
lend a helping hand
lend an ear
let bygones be bygones
let not the sun go down on your wrath
let sleeping dogs lie
let the punishment fit the crime
let there be light
let your hair down
let's shake hands on it
lie through your teeth
life begins at forty
life is what you make it
life's not all beer and skittles
lightening never strikes twice in the same place
like a chicken with its head cut off
like being savaged by a dead sheep
like father like son
like the Dickens
little pitchers have big ears
live for today for tomorrow never comes
living off the fat of the land
living on borrowed time
long in the tooth
look before you leap
look death in the eye
look down your nose
lose your heart
loud mouth
love is blind
love of money is the root of all evil
love thy neighbour as thyself
lying through his teeth
make a good fist of it
make love not war
makes your hair stands on end
man after his own heart
man does not live by bread alone
man's inhumanity to man
many are called but few are chosen
marry in haste repent at leisure
melts in the mouth
mighty oaks from little acorns grow
milk of human kindness
ministering angel shall my sister be - a
misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows
misery loves company
money doesn't grow on trees
money makes the world go round
money talks
more haste less speed
more honoured in the breach than in the observance
more power to your elbow
more than meets the eye
more than you can shake a stick at
much ado about nothing
mum's the word
music has charms to soothe the savage breast
my cup runneth over
my husband and I
my salad days
nail your colours to the mast
nature abhors a vacuum
nature red in tooth and claw
near and dear to my heart
near the knuckle
necessity is the mother of invention
neither here nor there
neither hide nor hair
never judge a book by its cover
never put off until tomorrow what you can do today
never the twain shall meet
no man is an island
no more cakes and ale
no rest for the wicked
not a dry eye in the house
not worth a tinker's dam
nothing is certain but death and taxes
nothing succeeds like a parrot with no teeth
now is the winter of our discontent
O Romeo Romeo wherefore art thou Romeo
O ye of little faith
off the top of my head
off with his head
off your head
oil and water don't mix
old soldiers never die they just fade away
on bended knee
on the back foot
on the one hand
on the other hand
on the tip of my tongue
on your own head be it
once more unto the breach dear friends once more
one foot in the grave
one good turn deserves another
one in the eye
one toe over the line
only fools and horses work
onward Christian soldiers
open your big mouth
opportunity only knocks once
out of sight out of mind
out of the jaws of death
out of the mouths of babes and sucklings
out of your head
out on your ear
over my dead body
overpaid oversexed and over here
pay lip service
paying an arm and a leg
peace be with you
people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones
physician heal thyself
point percy at the porcelain
pop your clogs
possession is nine tenths of the law
power corrupts absolute power corrupts absolutely
practise makes perfect
pressing the flesh
pride comes before a fall
procrastination is the thief of time
pull your finger out
pull your hair out
pull yourself up by your bootstraps
punching above his weight
put a spanner in the works
put words into someone's mouth
put your best foot forward
put your foot down
put your foot in it
put your foot in your mouth
put your head into the lion's mouth
put your head on the block
put your money where your mouth is
put your nose out of joint
put your nose to the grindstone
read the riot act
red sky at night shepherds' delight
red sky in the morning shepherds' warning
religion is the opiate of the masses
revenge is a dish best served cold
rhyme nor reason
Richard of York gave battle in vain
ring out the old and ring in the new
roll off the tongue
Rome wasn't built in a day
rub someone's nose in it
rub your nose in it
rule of thumb
rule with an iron fist
sailing under false colours
seeing eye to eye
set your heart on something
set your teeth on edge
shaken not stirred
shall I compare thee to a summer's day
shoot your mouth off
shoot yourself in the foot
shove it down someone's throat
shuffle off this mortal coil
sick to the stomach
sink your teeth into it
skeleton in the cupboard
sleight of hand
slip of the tongue
smiling from ear to ear
smiling like a Cheshire cat
smooth runs the water where the brook is deep
sob your heart out
soft in the head
sold down the river
something is rotten in the state of Denmark
spare the rod and spoil the child
speak softly and carry a big stick
star crossed lovers
stick your neck out
sticks in your throat
sticks out like a sore thumb
still waters run deep
straight from the horse's mouth
straining at the leash
strong in the arm and thick in the head
stupid is as stupid does
such stuff as dreams are made on
take it on the chin
take the bit between your teeth
take the words out of my mouth
take your hand in marriage
talk is cheap
talking over your head
tear your hair out
that which does not kill us makes us stronger
that's the short and the long of it
the apple of his eye
the black sheep of the family
the blind leading the blind
the body politic
the boot's on the other foot
the boy is father to the man
the bread of life
the business at hand
the cobbler always wears the worst shoes
the course of true love never did run smooth
the crack of doom
the darkest hour is just before the dawn
the devil finds work for idle hands to do
the die has been cast
the early bird catches the worm
the ends justify the means
the exception which proves the rule
the fruits of your loins
the game is afoot
the game is up
the gospel truth
the hand is quicker than the eye
the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world
the head of the family
the heart has its reasons
the king is dead long live the king
the lady doth protest too much methinks
the live-long day
the long arm of the law
the longest journey starts with a single step
the love that dare not speak its name
the more things change the more they stay the same
the moving finger writes
the pen is mightier than sword
the powers that be
the proof of the pudding is in the eating
the quality of mercy is not strained
the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing
the root of the matter
the salt of the earth
the scales have fallen from my eyes
the shoe's on the other foot
the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune
the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak
the sun is over the yard arm
the truth shall set you free
the wages of sin is death
the way of all flesh
the way to a man's heart is through his stomach
the whole nine yards
the writing is on the wall
there are none so blind as those that will not see
there but for the grace of god go I
thereby hangs a tale
there's always more fish in the sea
there's method in my madness
there's more than one way to skin a cat
there's no fool like an old fool
there's no place like home
there's no smoke without fire
there's no such thing as a free lunch
there's no such thing as bad publicity
there's no time like the present
there's none so deaf as they that will not hear
this is the short and the long of it
this is very midsummer madness
this neck of the woods
those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it
thou shalt not kill
though this be madness yet there is method in it
three strikes and you are out
time and tide wait for no man
time is a great healer
to be or not to be that is the question
to cast the first stone
to err is human to forgive divine
to the victor goes the spoils
to travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive
tomorrow never comes
too many cooks spoil the broth
truth is stranger than fiction
turn a blind eye
turn the other cheek
turn up your nose
twist around your little finger
two heads are better then one
two shakes of a lamb's tail
two wrongs don't make a right
uneasy lies the head that wears a crown
up to your neck in trouble
warms the cockles of my heart
wash your mouth out with soap and water
waste not want not
we few we happy few we band of brothers
we have seen better days
wear your heart on your sleeve
we've arrived and to prove it we're here
what a cheek
what a piece of work is man
what god has joined together let no man put asunder
when the cat's away the mice will play
where the bee sucks there suck I
where there's a will there's a way
while you live tell truth and shame the devil
white man speak with forked tongue
who wooed in haste and means to wed at leisure
with a jaundiced eye
without a leg to stand on
woe is me
worrying never did anyone any good
would you adam and eve it
you can't get blood out of a stone
you can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear
you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs
you can't make bricks without straw
you can't teach an old dog new tricks
you can't tell a book by its cover
you look as if you've been dragged through a hedge backwards
youth is wasted on the young