come under fire | be sharply criticised | |
foot the bill | pay for sth | |
count the cost | suffer the consequences of some foolish action | |
on the other hand | however | |
break the bank | leave sb withou money | |
a drop in the ocean | a very small amount compared to what is needed | |
toe the line | obey rules | |
go up in smoke | result in failure | |
pay lip-service | voice agreement on sth without actually supporting it | |
a step in the right direction | positive action, step towards solution | |
a breath of fresh air | sth refresingly new and different | |
put sb on the spot | put sb in a difficult situation | |
bring to light | make known | |
a clean bill of health | statement tha sth/sb is in good condition | |
a clean as a whistle | very clean | |
a rude awakening | sudden understanding of sth unpleasant | |
burn to a crisp | burn sth completely | |
pitch-black | very dark/black | |
bury one's head in the sand | ignore trouble by pretending it doesn't exist | |
at loggerheads (with sb) | in strong disagreement | |