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| Much ado about nothing. |
If people make much ado about nothing, they make a lot of fuss about something which is not important. |
| All hell broke loose |
To say that all hell broke loose means
that there was a sudden angry, noisy reaction to something. " All hell broke loose when it was announced that the plant was going to close down." |
| Get off my back! | If you tell somebody to get
off your back, you ask them to stop finding faults or criticizing you. |
| The battle lines are drawn | This expression is used to say that opposing groups are ready to
defend the reason behind the conflict. "The battle lines have been drawn between those who accept the changes and those who are against the proposed reforms." |
| Battle of wills | A conflict, argument or struggle where both sides
are determined to win is described as a battle of wills. "When they separated, neither party would make concessions - it was a battle of wills." |
| Blamestorming | A discussion among a group of people, who try to determine who
or what is to blame for a particular mistake, failure or wrongdoing, is called 'blamestorming'. "A blamestorming session took place following the unfavourable reviews in the press." |
| Bone of contention |
A bone of contention is a matter or subject about which there
is a lot of disagreement. "The salaries have been agreed on, but opening on Sundays remains a bone of contention." |
| Have a bone to pick with someone |
To say that you have a bone to pick
with somebody means that you are annoyed with them and want to talk to them about it. |
| In somebody's good/bad books |
If you are in somebody's good or bad books, you have their
approval or disapproval. "I'm in my wife's bad books at the moment because I forgot our wedding anniversary!" |
| Bury the hatchet | The
expression " bury the hatchet" is used when people who have had
a disagreement decide to forget their quarrel and become friends again. "I don't get on well with my mother-in-law, but to keep my wife happy, I decided to bury the hatchet." |
| Call someone's bluff | If you call someone's bluff, you challenge them to do what they
threaten to do (while believing that they will not dare to do it). "After the neighbour's threats to demolish the fence, when Jack decided to call his bluff, there were no more complaints." |
| Cat-and-dog life | This term refers to a life in which partners are constantly or
frequently quarrelling. "They lead a cat-and-dog life. I don't know why they stay together." |
| Clear the air | If you decide to clear the air, you try to remove the causes of
fear, worry or suspicion by talking about them openly. "The atmosphere had become so unpleasant that he decided it was time to clear the air." |
| Dead set against something |
If you are dead set against something, you are strongly
opposed to it. "My father wanted a dog, but my mother was dead set against the idea." |
| Hammer and tongs | If people are going at it hammer and tongs, they are arguing
fiercely, with a lot of energy and noise. "Our neighbours are going at it hammer and tongs again. They're constantly arguing!" |
| Let bygones be bygones |
If you let bygones be bygones, you decide to forget about past disagreements. "When Charlie's son was born, he decided to let bygones be bygones and contacted his parents." |
| At loggerheads | If you are
at loggerheads with a person or
organization, you disagree very strongly with them. "Management and trade unions are at loggerheads over the decision to close down the plant." |
| Lock horns | If you
lock horns with somebody, you argue or fight with them about something. "If there is another incident like that in the building, the occupants will be locking horns!" |
| No love lost | To say that there is no love lost between two
people means that they do not like each other at all. "There is no love lost between Amanda and Sarah. They're always quarrelling." |
| Make a mountain out of a molehill | If someone
makes a mountain out of a molehill,
they make a small, unimportant problem seem much more serious than it is. "Stop making mountains out of molehills! It's not a major problem." |
| A moot point | A subject which gives rise to argument or debate is called a
moot point. "Whether Bach composed it himself or not is a moot point among musicians." |
| Nothing doing! | This
expression is used to say that
there is no way
you would accept to do what is proposed. . "Work on Sunday? Nothing doing!" |
| At odds | If one person is at odds with another, they disagree with each other. |
| Olive branch | If a person or organization
holds out an olive branch to another, they show that they want to end a disagreement and make peace. "The protesters finally accepted the olive branch extended to them." |
| Out of the question | Something which is out of the question is impossible and is
therefore not worth discussing. "Buying a new car is out of the question - we can't afford it." |
| Over my dead body | This expression is used when you absolutely refuse to allow someone to do something. "Mum, can I get my nose pierced?" "Over my dead body!" |
| Pick holes | If someone picks holes in something such as
a plan, an idea or an argument, they criticize it or try to find fault with it. "Why don't you make a suggestion instead of picking holes in all my ideas!" |
| Press (something) home |
If you press something home, you insist on a point in a
discussion or argument. "Her lawyer kept pressing home the fact that she was a single mother." |
| A running battle |
If two people or groups have a running battle with each other, they
argue or disagree about something over a long period of time. "There's been a running battle between the local authorities and the population over the school bus route." |
| Send someone packing |
If you send someone packing, you tell them to leave, in a very forceful
and unfriendly way. "When Amanda discovered that Jack had been unfaithful, she sent him packing." |
| Settle a score |
To settle a score means to retaliate against someone or take
revenge for a past wrong. "Jack has made an appointment with his lawyer - he has a score to settle with someone." |
| Keep your shirt on! | If you tell somebody to keep their shirt on, you
are asking them to calm down. "Keep your shirt on Bob. Just give your version of the story!" |
| Sink their differences |
If people or organizations sink their differences, they decide to
forget their disagreements. "We must sink our differences and build a peaceful community." |
| Sit on the fence |
If you sit on the fence, you avoid taking sides in a discussion
or argument. "It's an important issue. You can't continue to sit on the fence!" |
| Skating on thin ice | If you are skating on thin ice, you are doing or
saying something that could cause disagreement or trouble. "Don't mention that subject during the negotiations or you could be skating on thin ice." |
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