Idioms List

Idioms Starting with the Letter C

CALL IT A DAY

To stop an activity for the day.

We've done enough work today. Let's call it a day.

CALL IT A NIGHT

To go to bed to sleep.

I'm tired. I'm going to have to call it a night.

CALL IT EVEN

To declare debts paid.

You save my life five years ago, and I saved your life just now. Let's call it even.

CALL IT QUITS

To conclude; to quit or stop an activity.

I think everyone is very tired right now; let's call it quits for now and try again tomorrow.

CAN OF WORMS

A difficult problem which produces additional problems.

Max couldn't tell Mary the truth. He knew it would open a can of worms.

CARRY ON

To continue or proceed.

I'll be gone for a couple weeks. I'm sure you can carry on without me.

CATCH ON

To understand; to realize.

Max took a little extra time to catch on, but eventually he understood the situation.

CHANGE ONE'S MIND

To decide differently or have a different opinion than before.

I know I said that I wanted vanilla, but I changed my mind; I want chocolate.

CHEAT ON

To be sexually unfaithful to.

John asked for a divorce when he found out that Mary was cheating on him.

CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR

A narrowly missed attempt or guess.

Nice try. Close but no cigar. Guess again.

COLD TURKEY

To stop an addiction all at once, not gradually.

Max quit smoking cigarettes cold turkey.

CROSS THAT BRIDGE WHEN ONE COMES TO IT

To not deal with a situation until one is actually in the situation.

I'm not sure what we'll do if he says no. I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

CROSS THE LINE

To go too far; to violate accepted boundaries or rules.

Max really crossed the line when he ate Mary's last donut.

CUT (SOMEBODY) SOME SLACK

To be flexible or lenient with somebody.

Cut Max some slack. He didn't mean to be rude. He just had a very difficult day.

CUT TO THE CHASE

To get to the main point; to state something directly.

Let me cut to the chase. I quit. As of tomorrow, I no longer work here.