From here to the office, it's about 20 miles as the crow flies, but it's more like 30 miles by car since you have to wind around the mountain.
2) Litmus Test-a test used to determine someone's true intentions or beliefs-
I used his reaction to my favorite movie as a litmus test to determine if he was worth dating.
3) Mark My Words-something that you say when you tell someone about something that you are certain will happen in the future-
Mark my words, Penny will be glad she made this decision one day.
4) Sound The Death Knell-to cause or signal the impending end or ruin of something, especially a business, organization, or activity-
The expansion of the Internet and digital media has sounded the death knell for countless print-based businesses around the world.
5) Be Set In Your Ways-to do the same things every day and to not want to change those habits-
As people get older, they often become set in their ways.
6) Dollars To Doughnuts-used to emphasize one's certainty-
I'd bet dollars to doughnuts he's a medical student.
7) Hit The Sack-go to bed-
I've got a busy day tomorrow, so I think I'll hit the sack.
8) Chow Down-to eat, often quickly or enthusiastically-
The puppy started chowing down the minute I set down his food bowl.
9) Ward Off Someone/something-to keep someone or something away or prevent something from happening or harming you-
He used his umbrella to ward off the fierce sun.
10) Give Something A Shot-to try something, often for the first time as a means of forming an opinion about it-
I don't usually like hot tea, but it's so cold out that I gave it a shot today.
11) Fed Up-annoyed, unhappy, or bored, especially with a situation that has existed for a long time-
Residents are fed up with the disturbance caused by the nightclub.
12) Keep An Open Mind-to wait until you know all the facts before forming an opinion or making a judgment, be willing to change your opinion-
I don't usually like musicals, but I'm keeping an open mind.
13) On The One Hand/on The Other Hand-used when you are comparing two different facts or two opposite ways of thinking about a situation-
On the one hand I'd like a job that pays more, but on the other hand I enjoy the work I'm doing at the moment.
14) Gray Area-a concept or topic that is not clearly defined or that exists somewhere between two extreme positions-
There's a large grey area regarding whether the use of the new surveillance technology is lawful.
15) Get The Ball Rolling-cause something to start happening-
We have to get the ball rolling on this project soon and show the client some progress.
16) Come Short-fail to reach a goal or standard-
We're so close to getting the job done, but we keep coming up short.
17) Red Flag-a sign or signal indicating potential, incipient, or imminent danger or trouble-
Didn't the fact that your accountant used to be a drug dealer raise a red flag or two when you started doing business with him?
18) White As A Ghost-extremely pale, as if frightened-
Marilyn turned as white as a ghost when the policeman told her that her son had been in a car wreck.
19) Live On Borrowed Time-to continue living after a point at which you might easily have died, to continue to exist longer than expected-
It is unlikely that serious decisions will be made by a CEO living on borrowed time.
20) Can't See The Forest For The Trees-cannot see, understand, or focus on a situation in its entirety due to being preoccupied with minor details-
The way he's obsessing over one doorknob when we're renovating the entire house makes me think that he can't see the forest for the trees.
