Read Common American Phrases in Everyday Contexts Online
Authors: Richard Spears
city
(You) can't fight city hall.
clean
You clean up good.
clean
You clean up well.
clear
Clear the way!
clear
Do I make myself (perfectly) clear?
clear
Have I made myself clear?
clear
(I) read you loud and clear.
climb
Go climb a tree!
close
Close, but no cigar!
close
Close enough for government work.
close
(It's) close enough for government work.
club
Join the club!
cold
(Is it) cold enough for you?
come
Come again.
come
Come and get it!
come
Come back when you can stay longer.
come
Come in and make yourself at home.
come
Come in and take a load off your feet.
come
Come off it!
come
Come on!
come
Come (on) in.
come
Come right in.
come
Could I come in?
come
Everything's coming up roses.
come
How come?
come
(I'm) glad you could come.
come
It'll all come out in the wash.
come
They must have seen you coming.
come
(We're) glad you could come.
come
What goes around, comes around.
come
What's the world coming to?
come
What's this world coming to?
come
You've got another think coming.
comedy
Cut the comedy!
comment
No comment.
complain
Can't complain.
complain
(I) can't complain.
complain
(I have) nothing to complain about.
complain
Nothing to complain about.
concern
(as) far as I'm concerned
concern
far as I'm concerned
consider
all things considered
continue
Could we continue this later?
contrary
on the contrary
conversation
I'm not having this conversation.
conversation
open a conversation
cook
Now you're cooking (with gas)!
cook
What's cooking?
cookie
That's the way the cookie crumbles.
cool
(Have you) been keeping cool?
cool
I'm cool.
cool
Keeping cool.
count
(I) wouldn't count on it.
course
Of course.
cow
(I'm so hungry) I could eat a cow!
credit
Cash or credit (card)?
crocodile
After while(, crocodile).
crumble
That's the way the cookie crumbles.
curdle
curdle someone's blood
cut
Cut it out!
damage
What's the damage?
damn
I'll be damned!
damn
I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't.
dance
Care to dance?
dance
(Would you) care to dance?
dare
You wouldn't dare ((to) do something)!
day
a day late and a dollar short
day
from day one
day
Make my day!
day
There aren't enough hours in the day.
deal
deal someone in
deal
Like it's such a big deal!
deal
No big deal!
deal
What's the deal?
dear
Dear me!
death
You'll be the death of me (yet).
declare
I (do) declare!
definitely
Definitely!
definitely
Definitely not!
delighted
Delighted to have you.
delighted
Delighted to make your acquaintance.
delighted
(I'm) delighted to have you (here).
delighted
(I'm) delighted to make your acquaintance.
delighted
(We're) delighted to have you.
denial
in denial
depend
That (all) depends.
devil
Speak of the devil.
difference
(It) makes me no difference.
difference
(It) makes no difference to me.
difference
Makes me no difference.
difference
Makes no difference to me.
dig
Dig in!
dig
Dig up!
diggety
Hot diggety (dog)!
dinner
Dinner is served.
distance
within walking distance
Dixie
You ain't just whistling Dixie.
doctor
You're the doctor.
dog
Hot dog!
dollar
a day late and a dollar short
door
check something at the door
doubt
I doubt it.
doubt
I doubt that.
doubt
no doubt
doubt
No doubt about it.
doubt
(There is) no doubt about it.
doubt
without a doubt
down
Anything new down your way?
down
(Are) things getting you down?
down
Do sit down.
down
Don't let someone or something get you down.
down
Don't let the bastards wear you down.
down
down the drain
down
Down the hatch!
down
down to the wire
down
Let's get down to business.
dozen
It's six of one and half a dozen of another.
dozen
It's six of one and half a dozen of the other.
drag
Look (at) what the cat dragged in!
drag
Looks like something the cat dragged in.
drag
(Someone) looks like something the cat dragged in.
drain
down the drain
dream
Dream on.
drift
Get my drift?
drill
What's the drill?
drink
Buy you a drink?
drink
(Could I) buy you a drink?
drink
(Could I) get you something (to drink)?
drink
Drop by for a drink (sometime).
drink
Get you something (to drink)?
drink
I'll drink to that!
drink
What would you like to drink?
drive
Drive safely.
drive
drive something home