idioms:

be as slippery as an eel someone who is as slippery as an eel cannot be trusted.

You'd be mad to go into business with him. He's as slippery as an eel.

snake in the grass someone who pretends to be your friend while secretly doing things to harm you.

It's upsetting to learn that someone you once viewed as a good colleague is in fact a snake in the grass.

a wolf in sheep's clothing someone who seems to be pleasant and friendly but is in fact dangerous or evil.

My next boss, on the surface very warm and charming, proved to be something of a wolf in sheep's clothing.
tie /cut apron strings.too much under the influence or control of a woman, especially one's mother or wife

At this age also he is tied to the apron strings of his mother.

He's an only child and still hasen't cut the apron strings He's an only child and still hasen't cut the apron strings


copycat - someone who copies the words or behavior of another

stand on (one's) own /two feet To be independent and responsible for oneself

keep a stiff upper lip To be courageous or stoic in the face of adversity.

put /lay (one's) cards on the table To make frank and clear revelation, as of one's motives or intentions.

call names To speak to or about another in offensive terms.


hit the ceiling/roof (informal) to become very angry and start shouting.

If I'm late again he'll hit the roof.

hot under the collar (informal) if someone is hot under the collar, they are angry.

He got very hot under the collar when I suggested that he might be mistaken.

The issue of waste disposal is getting a lot of people hot under the collar.

The criticisms seemed unfair to me and I got pretty hot under the collar when I thought about them later.

see red to become very angry.

When he laughed in my face, I just saw red.

hang (on) in there (informal) to continue to try to do something although it is very difficult.continue despite difficulties.

All relationships go through rough times. You just have to hang in there.

Just hang on in there. The physical training is tough but it's worth it.

Our store isn't making a ton of money, but we're hanging in there. Parents of teenagers shouldn't be too strict or too easy — they just need to hang in there and wait.

stick with someone/something to continue to be closely involved with someone or something.

Stick with me, and we'll do lots of interesting things. Once Stephen takes up a hobby, he sticks with it.

sweat out something to anxiously wait for something.

I sent in my application and now I have to sweat out the two months until I get an answer. We really had to sweat it out because it wasn't clear until the end that we would actually win.

let sleeping dogs lie to not talk about things which have caused problems in the past, or to not try to change a situation because you might cause problems.

His parents never referred to the shoplifting incident again. I suppose they thought it best to let sleeping dogs lie. It wasn't that we didn't want to improve the school - it was more a case of letting sleeping dogs lie.

Miss the mark meaning "be mistaken," as

in The minister missed the mark when he assumed everyone would contribute to the supper

make waves Slang To cause a disturbance or controversy.