Here are some idiomatic expressions formed around words beginning with letter C.<\/p>\n
Castles in the air<\/strong><\/p>\n Dreams or plans that will never be achieved<\/p>\n The cat\u2019s whiskers<\/strong><\/p>\n This is an informal expression used to refer to an excellent person or thing.<\/p>\n Let the cat out of the bag<\/strong><\/p>\n To let the cat out of the bag is to reveal a secret by mistake.<\/p>\n Put \/ set the cat among the pigeons<\/strong><\/p>\n To set the cat among the pigeons is to do something that will most probably cause trouble.<\/p>\n Stand on ceremony<\/strong><\/p>\n To stand on ceremony is to insist on formal behavior.<\/p>\n Separate the wheat from the chaff<\/strong><\/p>\n To separate the wheat from the chaff is to pick out what is valuable from what is worthless.<\/p>\n Cheer someone up<\/strong><\/p>\n To cheer someone up is to make them less miserable.<\/p>\n A chequered career<\/strong><\/p>\n To have a chequered career is to have successful and unsuccessful periods in one\u2019s career.<\/p>\n Keep your chin up<\/strong><\/p>\n To keep your chin up is to remain cheerful in difficult circumstances.<\/p>\n Take it on the chin<\/strong><\/p>\n To take it on the chin is to accept a difficult situation without complaining.<\/p>\n A chip off the old block<\/strong><\/p>\n This is an informal expression used to refer to someone who resembles their father or mother in character.<\/p>\n When the chips are down<\/strong><\/p>\n This is an informal expression used to mean that a very serious situation has arisen.<\/p>\n Chuck something away<\/strong><\/p>\n To chuck something away is to throw something away.<\/p>\n Churn something out<\/strong><\/p>\n To churn something out is to produce something in large quantities without worrying too much about their quality.<\/p>\n Come full circle<\/strong><\/p>\n When something comes to a full circle, they return to a previous position.<\/p>\n Clean someone out<\/strong><\/p>\n To clean someone out is to take all someone\u2019s money.<\/p>\n Clean up<\/strong><\/p>\n To clean up is to make a large profit.<\/p>\n Come clean \/ make a clean breast of it<\/strong><\/p>\n To make a clean breast of it is to fully confess something.<\/p>\n Clear the air<\/strong><\/p>\n To clear the air is to improve a tense situation by frank discussion.<\/p>\n In the clear<\/strong><\/p>\n When someone is in the clear, they are no longer under suspicion or in danger.<\/p>\n At close quarters<\/strong><\/p>\n Very near<\/p>\n Close-run<\/strong><\/p>\n This expression is used to refer to a contest won or lost by a very small margin.<\/p>\n Close shave \/ close call<\/strong><\/p>\n An expression used to refer to a narrow escape from danger or disaster.<\/p>\n Behind closed doors<\/strong><\/p>\n If something happens behind closed doors, it happens in private.<\/p>\n In the closet<\/strong><\/p>\n When someone is in the closet, they are not open about being homosexual. And when someone is out of the closet, they are open about being homosexual.<\/p>\n Have your heads in the clouds<\/strong><\/p>\n When you have your heads in the clouds, you are full of unrealistic ideas.<\/p>\n On cloud nine<\/strong><\/p>\n When you are on cloud nine, you are very happy.<\/p>\n Under a cloud<\/strong><\/p>\n When you are under a cloud, you are under suspicion of having done something wrong.<\/p>\n Haul someone over the coals<\/strong><\/p>\n To haul someone over the coals is to reprimand them severely.<\/p>\n The coast is clear<\/strong><\/p>\n When the coast is clear, there is no danger of being caught or seen.<\/p>\n On someone\u2019s coat-tails<\/strong><\/p>\n When you are on someone\u2019s coat-tails, you benefit from another person\u2019s success.<\/p>\n Warm the cockles of someone\u2019s heart<\/strong><\/p>\n To warm the cockles of someone\u2019s heart is to give them a feeling of contentment or happiness.<\/p>\n Get cold feet<\/strong><\/p>\n When you get cold feet, you lose your nerve.<\/p>\n Give someone the cold shoulder<\/strong><\/p>\n To give someone the cold shoulder is to treat them with deliberate unfriendliness.<\/p>\n In cold blood<\/strong><\/p>\n When someone is killed in cold blood, they are killed in deliberately cruel ways.<\/p>\n Collect yourself<\/strong><\/p>\n To collect yourself is to regain your self control.<\/p>\n Keep someone company<\/strong><\/p>\n To keep someone company is to spend time with them so that they wouldn\u2019t feel lonely or bored.<\/p>\n Conduct yourself well<\/strong><\/p>\n To conduct yourself well is to behave well.<\/p>\n In contention<\/strong><\/p>\n When you are in contention, you have a good chance of success in a contest.<\/p>\n Out of contention<\/strong><\/p>\n When you are out of contention, you have little chance of success in a contest.<\/p>\n Keep your cool<\/strong><\/p>\n To keep your cool is to stay calm and controlled. To lose your cool is to become angry and agitated.<\/p>\n Have the courage of your convictions<\/strong><\/p>\n To have the courage of your convictions is to act on your beliefs in spite of disapproval or danger.<\/p>\n Crack down on something<\/strong><\/p>\n To crack down on something is to take strong action against it.<\/p>\n At cross purposes<\/strong><\/p>\n When two people are at cross purposes, they misunderstand each other.<\/p>\n Cross something off<\/strong><\/p>\n To cross something off is to delete an item from a list.<\/p>\n Cross swords<\/strong><\/p>\n To cross swords is to have an argument or dispute.<\/p>\n Take up the cudgels<\/strong><\/p>\n To take up the cudgels is to defend someone or something strongly.<\/p>\n On cue<\/strong><\/p>\n If something happens on cue, it happens at the right moment.<\/p>\n Not someone\u2019s cup of tea<\/strong><\/p>\n If something is not your cup of tea, it is not what you like or enjoy.<\/p>\n It is curtains<\/strong><\/p>\n When it is curtains for something, it reaches a disastrous end.<\/p>\n Be cut out for<\/strong><\/p>\n When you are cut out for something, you have the exact qualities required for a role.<\/p>\n A cut above<\/strong><\/p>\n When you are a cut above, you are better than others.<\/p>\n Cut and dried<\/strong><\/p>\n If something is cut and dried, it is decided in advance.<\/p>\n Cut and run<\/strong><\/p>\n To cut and run is to make a quick departure from a difficult or dangerous situation.<\/p>\n Cut both ways<\/strong><\/p>\n If a point cuts both ways, it serves both sides of an argument or it has both good and bad effects.<\/p>\n Cut corners<\/strong><\/p>\n To cut corners is to compromise on quality with the objective of saving time or money.<\/p>\n Cut a dash<\/strong><\/p>\n If something cuts a dash, it is stylish or impressive.<\/p>\n Cut someone dead<\/strong><\/p>\n To cut someone dead is to ignore them completely.<\/p>\n Cut in<\/strong><\/p>\n To cut in is to interrupt someone.<\/p>\n Cut the mustard<\/strong><\/p>\n To cut the mustard is to reach the required standard.<\/p>\n Cut no ice<\/strong><\/p>\n If something cuts no ice, it has no effect or influence.<\/p>\n Cut someone out<\/strong><\/p>\n To cut someone out is to exclude them.<\/p>\n Cut up rough<\/strong><\/p>\n To cut up rough is to behave in an aggressive or awkward way.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Here are some idiomatic expressions formed around words beginning with letter C. Castles in the air Dreams or plans that will never be achieved The cat\u2019s whiskers This is an informal expression used to...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[186],"class_list":["post-1375","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-idioms","tag-idioms-2"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1375","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1375"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1375\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1376,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1375\/revisions\/1376"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1375"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1375"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1375"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}