extends: existence message: "Try to avoid using clichés like '%s'." ignorecase: true level: warning tokens: - a chip off the old block - a clean slate - a dark and stormy night - a far cry - a fine kettle of fish - a loose cannon - a penny saved is a penny earned - a tough row to hoe - a word to the wise - ace in the hole - acid test - add insult to injury - against all odds - air your dirty laundry - all fun and games - all in a day's work - all talk, no action - all thumbs - all your eggs in one basket - all's fair in love and war - all's well that ends well - almighty dollar - American as apple pie - an axe to grind - another day, another dollar - armed to the teeth - as luck would have it - as old as time - as the crow flies - at loose ends - at my wits end - avoid like the plague - babe in the woods - back against the wall - back in the saddle - back to square one - back to the drawing board - bad to the bone - badge of honor - bald faced liar - ballpark figure - banging your head against a brick wall - baptism by fire - barking up the wrong tree - bat out of hell - be all and end all - beat a dead horse - beat around the bush - been there, done that - beggars can't be choosers - behind the eight ball - bend over backwards - benefit of the doubt - bent out of shape - best thing since sliced bread - bet your bottom dollar - better half - better late than never - better mousetrap - better safe than sorry - between a rock and a hard place - beyond the pale - bide your time - big as life - big cheese - big fish in a small pond - big man on campus - bigger they are the harder they fall - bird in the hand - bird's eye view - birds and the bees - birds of a feather flock together - bit the hand that feeds you - bite the bullet - bite the dust - bitten off more than he can chew - black as coal - black as pitch - black as the ace of spades - blast from the past - bleeding heart - blessing in disguise - blind ambition - blind as a bat - blind leading the blind - blood is thicker than water - blood sweat and tears - blow off steam - blow your own horn - blushing bride - boils down to - bolt from the blue - bone to pick - bored stiff - bored to tears - bottomless pit - boys will be boys - bright and early - brings home the bacon - broad across the beam - broken record - brought back to reality - bull by the horns - bull in a china shop - burn the midnight oil - burning question - burning the candle at both ends - burst your bubble - bury the hatchet - busy as a bee - by hook or by crook - call a spade a spade - called onto the carpet - calm before the storm - can of worms - can't cut the mustard - can't hold a candle to - case of mistaken identity - cat got your tongue - cat's meow - caught in the crossfire - caught red-handed - checkered past - chomping at the bit - cleanliness is next to godliness - clear as a bell - clear as mud - close to the vest - cock and bull story - cold shoulder - come hell or high water - cool as a cucumber - cool, calm, and collected - cost a king's ransom - count your blessings - crack of dawn - crash course - creature comforts - cross that bridge when you come to it - crushing blow - cry like a baby - cry me a river - cry over spilt milk - crystal clear - curiosity killed the cat - cut and dried - cut through the red tape - cut to the chase - cute as a bugs ear - cute as a button - cute as a puppy - cuts to the quick - dark before the dawn - day in, day out - dead as a doornail - devil is in the details - dime a dozen - divide and conquer - dog and pony show - dog days - dog eat dog - dog tired - don't burn your bridges - don't count your chickens - don't look a gift horse in the mouth - don't rock the boat - don't step on anyone's toes - don't take any wooden nickels - down and out - down at the heels - down in the dumps - down the hatch - down to earth - draw the line - dressed to kill - dressed to the nines - drives me up the wall - dull as dishwater - dyed in the wool - eagle eye - ear to the ground - early bird catches the worm - easier said than done - easy as pie - eat your heart out - eat your words - eleventh hour - even the playing field - every dog has its day - every fiber of my being - everything but the kitchen sink - eye for an eye - face the music - facts of life - fair weather friend - fall by the wayside - fan the flames - feast or famine - feather your nest - feathered friends - few and far between - fifteen minutes of fame - filthy vermin - fine kettle of fish - fish out of water - fishing for a compliment - fit as a fiddle - fit the bill - fit to be tied - flash in the pan - flat as a pancake - flip your lid - flog a dead horse - fly by night - fly the coop - follow your heart - for all intents and purposes - for the birds - for what it's worth - force of nature - force to be reckoned with - forgive and forget - fox in the henhouse - free and easy - free as a bird - fresh as a daisy - full steam ahead - fun in the sun - garbage in, garbage out - gentle as a lamb - get a kick out of - get a leg up - get down and dirty - get the lead out - get to the bottom of - get your feet wet - gets my goat - gilding the lily - give and take - go against the grain - go at it tooth and nail - go for broke - go him one better - go the extra mile - go with the flow - goes without saying - good as gold - good deed for the day - good things come to those who wait - good time was had by all - good times were had by all - greased lightning - greek to me - green thumb - green-eyed monster - grist for the mill - growing like a weed - hair of the dog - hand to mouth - happy as a clam - happy as a lark - hasn't a clue - have a nice day - have high hopes - have the last laugh - haven't got a row to hoe - head honcho - head over heels - hear a pin drop - heard it through the grapevine - heart's content - heavy as lead - hem and haw - high and dry - high and mighty - high as a kite - hit paydirt - hold your head up high - hold your horses - hold your own - hold your tongue - honest as the day is long - horns of a dilemma - horse of a different color - hot under the collar - hour of need - I beg to differ - icing on the cake - if the shoe fits - if the shoe were on the other foot - in a jam - in a jiffy - in a nutshell - in a pig's eye - in a pinch - in a word - in hot water - in the gutter - in the nick of time - in the thick of it - in your dreams - it ain't over till the fat lady sings - it goes without saying - it takes all kinds - it takes one to know one - it's a small world - it's only a matter of time - ivory tower - Jack of all trades - jockey for position - jog your memory - joined at the hip - judge a book by its cover - jump down your throat - jump in with both feet - jump on the bandwagon - jump the gun - jump to conclusions - just a hop, skip, and a jump - just the ticket - justice is blind - keep a stiff upper lip - keep an eye on - keep it simple, stupid - keep the home fires burning - keep up with the Joneses - keep your chin up - keep your fingers crossed - kick the bucket - kick up your heels - kick your feet up - kid in a candy store - kill two birds with one stone - kiss of death - knock it out of the park - knock on wood - knock your socks off - know him from Adam - know the ropes - know the score - knuckle down - knuckle sandwich - knuckle under - labor of love - ladder of success - land on your feet - lap of luxury - last but not least - last hurrah - last-ditch effort - law of the jungle - law of the land - lay down the law - leaps and bounds - let sleeping dogs lie - let the cat out of the bag - let the good times roll - let your hair down - let's talk turkey - letter perfect - lick your wounds - lies like a rug - life's a bitch - life's a grind - light at the end of the tunnel - lighter than a feather - lighter than air - like clockwork - like father like son - like taking candy from a baby - like there's no tomorrow - lion's share - live and learn - live and let live - long and short of it - long lost love - look before you leap - look down your nose - look what the cat dragged in - looking a gift horse in the mouth - looks like death warmed over - loose cannon - lose your head - lose your temper - loud as a horn - lounge lizard - loved and lost - low man on the totem pole - luck of the draw - luck of the Irish - make hay while the sun shines - make money hand over fist - make my day - make the best of a bad situation - make the best of it - make your blood boil - man of few words - man's best friend - mark my words - meaningful dialogue - missed the boat on that one - moment in the sun - moment of glory - moment of truth - money to burn - more power to you - more than one way to skin a cat - movers and shakers - moving experience - naked as a jaybird - naked truth - neat as a pin - needle in a haystack - needless to say - neither here nor there - never look back - never say never - nip and tuck - nip it in the bud - no guts, no glory - no love lost - no pain, no gain - no skin off my back - no stone unturned - no time like the present - no use crying over spilled milk - nose to the grindstone - not a hope in hell - not a minute's peace - not in my backyard - not playing with a full deck - not the end of the world - not written in stone - nothing to sneeze at - nothing ventured nothing gained - now we're cooking - off the top of my head - off the wagon - off the wall - old hat - older and wiser - older than dirt - older than Methuselah - on a roll - on cloud nine - on pins and needles - on the bandwagon - on the money - on the nose - on the rocks - on the spot - on the tip of my tongue - on the wagon - on thin ice - once bitten, twice shy - one bad apple doesn't spoil the bushel - one born every minute - one brick short - one foot in the grave - one in a million - one red cent - only game in town - open a can of worms - open and shut case - open the flood gates - opportunity doesn't knock twice - out of pocket - out of sight, out of mind - out of the frying pan into the fire - out of the woods - out on a limb - over a barrel - over the hump - pain and suffering - pain in the - panic button - par for the course - part and parcel - party pooper - pass the buck - patience is a virtue - pay through the nose - penny pincher - perfect storm - pig in a poke - pile it on - pillar of the community - pin your hopes on - pitter patter of little feet - plain as day - plain as the nose on your face - play by the rules - play your cards right - playing the field - playing with fire - pleased as punch - plenty of fish in the sea - point with pride - poor as a church mouse - pot calling the kettle black - pretty as a picture - pull a fast one - pull your punches - pulling your leg - pure as the driven snow - put it in a nutshell - put one over on you - put the cart before the horse - put the pedal to the metal - put your best foot forward - put your foot down - quick as a bunny - quick as a lick - quick as a wink - quick as lightning - quiet as a dormouse - rags to riches - raining buckets - raining cats and dogs - rank and file - rat race - reap what you sow - red as a beet - red herring - reinvent the wheel - rich and famous - rings a bell - ripe old age - ripped me off - rise and shine - road to hell is paved with good intentions - rob Peter to pay Paul - roll over in the grave - rub the wrong way - ruled the roost - running in circles - sad but true - sadder but wiser - salt of the earth - scared stiff - scared to death - sealed with a kiss - second to none - see eye to eye - seen the light - seize the day - set the record straight - set the world on fire - set your teeth on edge - sharp as a tack - shoot for the moon - shoot the breeze - shot in the dark - shoulder to the wheel - sick as a dog - sigh of relief - signed, sealed, and delivered - sink or swim - six of one, half a dozen of another - skating on thin ice - slept like a log - slinging mud - slippery as an eel - slow as molasses - smart as a whip - smooth as a baby's bottom - sneaking suspicion - snug as a bug in a rug - sow wild oats - spare the rod, spoil the child - speak of the devil - spilled the beans - spinning your wheels - spitting image of - spoke with relish - spread like wildfire - spring to life - squeaky wheel gets the grease - stands out like a sore thumb - start from scratch - stick in the mud - still waters run deep - stitch in time - stop and smell the roses - straight as an arrow - straw that broke the camel's back - strong as an ox - stubborn as a mule - stuff that dreams are made of - stuffed shirt - sweating blood - sweating bullets - take a load off - take one for the team - take the bait - take the bull by the horns - take the plunge - takes one to know one - takes two to tango - the more the merrier - the real deal - the real McCoy - the red carpet treatment - the same old story - there is no accounting for taste - thick as a brick - thick as thieves - thin as a rail - think outside of the box - third time's the charm - this day and age - this hurts me worse than it hurts you - this point in time - three sheets to the wind - through thick and thin - throw in the towel - tie one on - tighter than a drum - time and time again - time is of the essence - tip of the iceberg - tired but happy - to coin a phrase - to each his own - to make a long story short - to the best of my knowledge - toe the line - tongue in cheek - too good to be true - too hot to handle - too numerous to mention - touch with a ten foot pole - tough as nails - trial and error - trials and tribulations - tried and true - trip down memory lane - twist of fate - two cents worth - two peas in a pod - ugly as sin - under the counter - under the gun - under the same roof - under the weather - until the cows come home - unvarnished truth - up the creek - uphill battle - upper crust - upset the applecart - vain attempt - vain effort - vanquish the enemy - vested interest - waiting for the other shoe to drop - wakeup call - warm welcome - watch your p's and q's - watch your tongue - watching the clock - water under the bridge - weather the storm - weed them out - week of Sundays - went belly up - wet behind the ears - what goes around comes around - what you see is what you get - when it rains, it pours - when push comes to shove - when the cat's away - when the going gets tough, the tough get going - white as a sheet - whole ball of wax - whole hog - whole nine yards - wild goose chase - will wonders never cease? - wisdom of the ages - wise as an owl - wolf at the door - words fail me - work like a dog - world weary - worst nightmare - worth its weight in gold - wrong side of the bed - yanking your chain - yappy as a dog - years young - you are what you eat - you can run but you can't hide - you only live once - you're the boss - young and foolish - young and vibrant