Idiomatic expressions are common in all languages, and they abound in English. Idiomatic expressions often do not follow the normal rule structures governing English usage or grammar--they are relatively fixed and stereotypical expressions that must be learned individually through usage. What follows is a list of common idioms found in either American or British English. They are a kind of chunking of meaning in English that facilitates expression and speech among native speakers, but can provide a barrier to communication with non-native speakers.

 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

 A (little) bird told me.

Babe in the woods

Call a meeting

Call a spade a spade

Call for something (someone)

Call it a day (a night)

Call it quits

Call of nature

Call someone down

Call someone names

Call someone on the carpet

Call someone or something in

Call someone (something) into question

Call someone (something) off

Call someone up

Call someone's bluff

Call off the dogs

Call the meeting to order

Call the shots

Call the tune

Close call

Cancel something out

Can't holda candle to someone (something)

Can't carry a tune

Can't do anything with someone (something)

Can't hold a candle to someone (something)

Can't make heads or tails (out) of someone (something)

Can't see beyond the end of one's nose

Can't see one'shand in front of one's face

Can't stand (the sight of) someone (something)

Can't stomach someone (something

Can't see the forest for the trees

Cap and gown

Could (n't) care less

Call someone onthe carpet

Can't carry a tune

Carried away

Carry (a lot of ) weight (with someone or something)

Carry a torch (for someone)

Carry coals to Newcastle

Carry on (about someoneor something)

Carry on somehow

Carry on (with someone, something)

Carry one's cross

Carry one's own weight

Carry over

Carry something off

Carry something out

Carry something over

Carry the ball

Carry the day

Carry the torch

Carry the torch (for someone)

Carry the weight of the world on one's shoulders

Carry through (on something)

Cash-and -carry

Carte blance

Case in point

Cash in (on something)

Cash in one's chips

Cash on the barrelhead

Cash or credit

Cash something in

Cold, hard cash

Cast about for someone (something)

Cast around for someone (something)

Cast doubt (on someone, something)

Cast in the same mold

Cast one's lot in with someone

Cast (one's) pearls before swine

Cast the first stone

Cat got your tongue?

Curiosity killed the cat

Catch-as-catch-can

Catchy cold

Catch forty winks

Catch hell

Catch it

Catch (on) fire

Catch on (to someone, something)

Catch one off one's guard

Catch one with one's pants down

Catch one' breath

Catch one's death (of cold)

Catch sight of someone or somethign

Catch some Z's

Catch someone in the act (of doing something)

Catch someone napping

Catch someone off-balance

Catch someone off guard

Catch someone red-handed

Catch someone's eye

Catch the devel

Catch up (with or to someone, something)

Caught in the act

Caught in a cross fire

Caught in the middle

Caught red-handed

Caught short

Cause a commotion

Cause a stir

Cause (some) eyebrows to aise

Cause (some) tongues to wage

 Cave in

Cease and desist

Chalk something up

Champ at the bit

Chance (upon) something (someone)

Change hands

Change horses in the middle of the stream

Change someone's mind

Change someone's tune

Change the subject

Chapter and verse

Charege someone (something) up

Charged up

Charge it

Charm the pants off (of) someone

Cheat on someone

Check in (on someone, something)

Check into (someone, something)

Check it out

Checks and balances

Cut (someone) a check

Cheek by jowl

Cheer someone up

Cheesed off

Chew someone out

Chew the fat

Chew the rag

Chick out (of something)

Count one's chickens before they hatch

Child's play

Chilled to the bone

Chime in (with someone, something)

Chink in one's armour

Cash in one's chips

Chip in (on something)

Chip in something on something

Chiup off the old block

Chip something in (on something)

Chips and dip

Choke someone up

Choke something off

Church and state

Come full circle

Clamp down on someone (something)

Clap eyes on someone (something)

Cut class

Clean as a whistle

Clean bill of health

Clean (something or someone) out

Clean up (on someone, something)

Clean up one's act

Come clean (with someone, something)

Clean slate

Crystal clear

Clear as a crystal

Clear as mud

Clear out

Clear sailing

Clear something (someone) up

Clear someone's name

Clear the air

Clear the decks

Clear the table

Clear up

Climb on the bandwagon

Climb the wall(s)

Clip someone's wings

Cloak and dagger

Close in (on someone, something)

Close one's eyes to something

Close ranks (behind someone, something, to someone, something)

Close something (someone) down

Close the books (on something, someone)

Close the door on someone (something)

Close to home

Close to someone

Close to ship

Closefisted (with money)

Come out of the closet

Cloud up

Clue someone in (on something)

Clut at straws

Carry coals to Newcastle

Coast-to-coast

(the) Coast is clear

Coat and tie

Cock-and-bull story

Cock of the walk

C.O.D

Coffee and Danish

Coffee-table

Coffee, tea or milk

Coffee Klatsch

Coffee break

Catch one's death (of cold)

Catch cold

Cold comfort

Cold, hard cash

Cold feet

Comethrough something with flying colors

Come a cropper

Come about

Come again?

Come and get it?

Come and gone

Come apart at the seams

Come (a) round

Come away empty-handed

Come by something

Come by something honestly

Come clean (with someone)

Come down

Come down hard on someone (something)

Dome down in the world

Come down to earth

Come down to something

Come from far and wide

Come fullcircle

Come hell or high water

Come home (to roost)

Come home to someone

Come in a body

Come in for something

Come in handy

Come in out of the rain

Come into one's (its) own

Come into something

Come of age

Come off

Come off it!

Come off second-best

Come on

Come on like gangbusters

Come on somehow

Come on to someone

Come on the scene

Comeout

Come out ahead

Come out behind

Come out for someone (something)

Comeoutin the wash

Come out of nowhere

Come out of right field

Come out of one's shell

Come out of the blue

Come out of the closet

Comeout with something

Come over

Come on over

Come someone's way

Comethrough

Come through something with flying colors

Come to

Come to a bad end

Come to a dead end

Come to a head

Come to a pretty pass

Come to a standstill

Come to an end

Come to an untimely end

Come to blows (over something)

Come to grief (over something)

Come to grips with something

Come to life

Come to light

Come tomind

Come to naught

Come to nothing

Come to one's senses

Come to pass

Come to rest

Come to terms (with something, someone)

Come to the fore

Come to the point

Come to the same thing

Come to think of it

Come true

Come unglued

Come up

Come up in the world

Come up smelling like roses

Come up with someone or something

Come what may

Come with the territory

Come within an ace (inch) of doing something

Cros a bridge before (when) one comes to it

Come true

Creature comforts

(as) Comfortable as an old shoe

Commit something to memory

Common cause

Cause a commontion

Confide in (to) someone (about something)

Conk out

Conniption fit

Clear (clean) conscience

Conspicuous by one's absence

Contradiciton in terms

Control the purse strings

Cook someone's goose

Cook something up

Cook the accounts

Cooking with gas

Cool as a cucumber

Cool down

Cool it!

Cool off

Cool one's heels

Cool someone down (off)

Cop a plea

Cop out

Cut corners

Cost a pretty penny

Cost an arm and a leg

Cough something up

Could do with someone (something)

Could (n't) care less

Count noses

Count on someone (something)

Count one's chickens before they hatch

Count someone in (on something)

Count someone out (of something)

Cover a lot of ground

Cover for someone

Cover up someone's tracks

Cover something up

Cover (the) territory

Cover the waterfront

Coze up (to someone, something)

Crack a book

Crack a joke

Crack a smile

Crack down (on someone, something)

Crack open a bottle

Crack someone (something) up

Crack up

Cramp someone's style

Crank something out

Crashing down (around someone)

Crash and burn

Crazy as a loon

Crazy about someone (something)

Cream of the crop

Create a scene

Create a stink (about something)

Create an uproar

Creature comforts

Cry crocodile tears

Come a cropper

Carry one's cross

Cross a birdge before (when) one comes to it

Cross-examine someone

Cross one's fingers

Cross one's heart (and hope to die)

Cross something (someone) iup

Cross someone's mind

Cross someone's palm with silver

Cross swords (with someone) (on something)

Cross the Rubicon

Cross-purposes

Crushed by something

Crux of the mater

Cry beforeone is hurt

Cry bloody murder

Cry one'seye's out

Cry over spilled milk

Cry wolf

Crying need for someone (something)

Crying shame

Cue someone in

Curl someone's hair

Curl up and die

Curry favor (with someone)

(it's) Curtains on (for) (someone, something)

Cut a big (wide) swath

Cut a fine figure

Cut above someone (something)

Cut across something

Cut-and-dry (dried)

Cut and past

Cut and run

Cut back (on something)

Cut both ways

Cut class

Cut corners

Cut loose (from, with someone, something)

Cut off

Cut off one's nose to spite one's face

Cut one's eyeteeth on something

Cut one's losses

Cut one's (own) throat

Cut out (of somewhere)

Cut it out!

Cut out for something

Cut out the deadwood

Cut out to be something

Cut (someone) a check

Cut someone dead

Cut someone down (to size_

Cut someone in (on something)

Cut someone out (of something)

Cut someone off (without a penny)

Cut someone (something) to the bone

Cut someone (something) up

Cut someone to the quick

Cut teeth

Cut the the ground out from someone

Cut up