| a bone of contention | a sensitive issue that causes argument |
| go round in circles | argue about sth repeatedly without finding a solution |
| in a nutshell | in few words |
| fight a losing battle | struggle against sth with no hope ofsuccess |
| rack one's brains | think hard about sth in order to find a solution |
| put our/your heads together | discuss sth especially to solve a problem |
| start the ball rolling | start a conversation/activity |
| put one's thinking cap on | start thinking about sth especially problem |
| the bare bones | the most important parts of sth |
| rock the boat | ruin a good relation |
| talk shop | discuss work matters when not at work |
| get on one's nerves | annoy sb |
| pass the buck | transfer responsibility to someone else |
| not mince one's words | speak frankly |
| get a grip | take control of sth/spmeone |
| throw sb off balance | confuse sb |
| hold one's tongue | keep silent |
| drive home | make sb fully aware |
| clear the air | relieve tension between people by saying sth |
| ring hollow | sound false |
