some cliches~ please be patient, thanx

[whisper]

1.drop in the bucket
2.dry behind the ears
3.fly off the handle
4.if and when
5.left holding the bag
6.lock, stock, and barrel
7.long arm of the law
8.look a gift horse in the mouth
9.skin of my teeth
10.tale of woe

[Tdol]

1.drop in the bucket = I say drop in the ocean, meaning making a very small difference.
2.dry behind the ears = I say wet behind the ears, meaning inexperienced.
3.fly off the handle = get very angry
4.if and when = It means that you think it will happen and have decided how you will respond.
5.left holding the bag =
6.lock, stock, and barrel = completely
7.long arm of the law = justice has great pwers that can dig people out
8.look a gift horse in the mouth = be ungrateful about the quality of something you are given
9.skin of my teeth = very nearly- I escaped by the skin of my teeth.
10.tale of woe = woe is misery, unhappiness

[Susie Smith]

1.drop in the bucket = I say drop in the ocean, meaning making a very small difference.
2.dry behind the ears = I say wet behind the ears, meaning inexperienced.
3.fly off the handle = get very angry
4.if and when = It means that you think it will happen and have decided how you will respond.
5.left holding the bag =
6.lock, stock, and barrel = completely
7.long arm of the law = justice has great pwers that can dig people out
8.look a gift horse in the mouth = be ungrateful about the quality of something you are given
9.skin of my teeth = very nearly- I escaped by the skin of my teeth.
10.tale of woe = woe is misery, unhappiness

5. be left holding the bag = to become responsible for something that someone else started

I think it's "be left holding the baby" in BE.

[Tdol]

Sorry,I missed that one- we do hold the baby in the UK.

[Susie Smith]

Sorry,I missed that one- we do hold the baby in the UK.

You could be left holding worse things.
:wink: :D

[RonBee]

• "Left holding the baby"

I'm going to have to remember that one. Maybe I can popularize it here.

:wink:

[Tdol]

It is a good one.

[Susie Smith]

It is a good one.

I like it a lot more than the American version.

:D

[Tdol]

In the American version, what's the bag?

[Susie Smith]

In the American version, what's the bag?

What's in the bag? We can imagine all sorts of things, can't we?
:wink: