Idioms beginning with C
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Meaning: To grab at any idea or plan, no matter how flimsy or unlikely it is to work, simply because you are desperate and have almost nothing else left to try.
Example: After months of job hunting with nothing but silence, Mike started to clutch at straws and applied for roles he knew he was nowhere near qualified for, just hoping something might work out. Read more ➺
Meaning: Something that is partly good and partly bad.
Example: The concert was a curate's egg — the band sounded great, but the sound system kept cutting out. Read more ➺
Meaning: Hurt someone so sharply it feels personal, usually from words or bad news.
Example: Sarah's quiet remark about the divorce cut like a knife, and Mike went silent for the rest of the evening. Read more ➺
Meaning: to put scattered facts or clues together until the whole story suddenly makes sense
Example: After reading the old emails and checking the bank records, Sarah finally connected the dots and understood why the project had fallen apart. Read more ➺
Meaning: Something or someone that shines for a moment but is weak and can be wiped out at any time.
Example: After the bigger company entered the deal, Jake knew his small shop was a candle in the wind. Read more ➺
Meaning: To think something through carefully and patiently instead of rushing into an answer.
Example: She poured another cup of tea and began to chew over the job offer, turning each detail slowly in her mind. Read more ➺
Meaning: When you just barely succeed at something, usually because you left almost no time or room for anything to go wrong.
Example: We left the house with only ten minutes to spare and really cut it close, sliding into our seats just as the movie trailers started rolling. Read more ➺
Meaning: The slow way a material gradually changes shape when it's kept under constant pressure or stress, even at fairly low temperatures.
Example: Under constant load the metal slowly began to bend—cold creep was clearly at work. Read more ➺
Meaning: To suddenly lose control of your emotions, especially by becoming extremely angry or upset.
Example: He tends to crash out whenever he feels pushed too far. Read more ➺
Meaning: A life-changing experience that shapes a person's character or future.
Example: Failing his first driving test became a canon event that made him a more careful driver. Read more ➺
