Idiom Begins with "C"

C	Idiom	Meaning
C	In cahoots with someone	If one person is in cahoots with another, they are working in close  partnership, usually conspiring to do something dishonest.  "There was a rumour that the Mayor was in cahoots with a chain of supermarkets."
	A piece of cake	To refer to something as a piece of cake means that you consider it to be very easy.  "The English test was a piece of cake!"
	Slice/share of the cake (or pie)	When people feel entitled to a share of the benefits or profits, they want a (larger) slice of the cake.   "Since profits are higher this year, the workers feel they deserve a bigger slice of the cake."
	Have your cake and eat it	To say that someone wants to have their cake and eat it means that they want the advantages of two alternative situations when only one is possible. "Jack enjoys his comfort but is always complaining about the cost of things.  He can't have his cake and eat it!"
	Sell like hot cakes	Things that sell like hot cakes sell quickly or in large quantities.
	The cake/the game is not worth  the candle	To say that the cake (or the game) is not worth the candle means that the advantages to be gained from doing something are not worth the effort involved.  "He recorded an album but sold very few copies; the cake wasn't worth the candle!"
	Calculated risk	A calculated risk is a risk taken with full knowledge of the dangers involved. "The company took a calculated risk when they hired Sean straight out of college."
	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."
	Call it quits	When people temporarily stop doing something or put an end to an activity, they call it quits.   "OK. We're all exhausted, so let's call it quits for today."
	Call a spade a spade	A person who calls a spade a spade speaks openly and truthfully about something, especially difficult matters. "What I like about the new manager is that he calls a spade a spade -  it makes things so much easier for everyone."
	Call the tune	The person who calls the tune is the one who makes all the important decisions and is in control of the situation. "He shows a lot of authority but in fact it's his wife who calls the tune."
	Can of worms	To describe a situation as a can of worms means that it is complicated, unpleasant and difficult to deal with.   "The discovery of the transfer of funds turned out to be a real can of worms."
	Burn the candle at both ends	To say that some is burning the candle at both ends means that they are trying to do too much and that they go to bed very late and get up very early.
	Paddle one's own canoe	If you paddle your own canoe, you do what you want to do without help or interference from anyone.   "He decided to paddle his own canoe and set up his own company."
	Can't hold a candle  (to someone or something)	If a person (or thing) cannot hold a candle to another, they are much less competent or do not perform as well as the other."John is very intelligent but he can't hold a candle to his brother Michael when it comes to sports."
	Can't make an omelette   without breaking eggs	This expression means that it is impossible to make important changes without causing some unpleasant effects. "Some people will lose their jobs after the merger, but you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs."
	Can't see the wood for the trees	If someone can't see the wood for the trees, they are so concentrated on the details that they can't see the situation as a whole."The new manager found the situation so complicated that he couldn't see the wood for the trees."
	Cap in hand	If you do something cap in hand, you ask for something in a very respectful manner. "They went to the teacher, cap in hand, and asked for more time    to complete their project."
	Put on your thinking cap	If you tell someone to put their thinking cap on, you ask them to find an idea or solve a problem by thinking about it. "Now here's this week's quiz - it's time to put your thinking caps on!"
	If the cap fits, wear it!	You say "if the cap fits wear it" to let someone know that the critical remark they have just heard applies to them. "Are you referring to me?" "If the cap fits wear it!"    (US : If the shoe fits ...)
	Play your cards right	This means that you do all that is necessary in order to succeed. "If we play our cards right, we'll get the contract.
	Put/lay one's cards on the table	If you put your cards on the table, you speak honestly and openly about your feelings and intentions.   "Let's clear the air and put our cards on the table."
	Carrot and  stick	If you use a carrot-and-stick approach, you use the promise of reward and the threat of punishment to make somebody work harder."Some parents use a carrot-and-stick approach to obtain good results from their children."
	Carry the can (for someone else)	If you carry the can for another person, you accept blame or take responsibility for something that goes wrong, even if it is not your fault or only partly.    "The author didn't turn up for the interview and his agent had to carry the can."
	Carry the torch	If you carry the torch, you have strong feelings for someone with whom you do not or cannot have a relationship.. "He's been carrying the torch for Julie since their college days, before she married Ted."
	Carry weight	If a person or organization carries weight, they are influential or important. "I'm glad she's on our side - her opinion carries a lot of weight."
	Put the cart before the horse	A person who puts the cart before the horse is doing things in the wrong order. "Building a school before knowing the age of the population is putting the cart before the horse."
	Carve out a niche	A person or company who carves out a niche focuses on a particular segment of the market, to which they supply a product or service, and develop their expertise in that area."In today's competitive market it's better to carve out a niche and try to become the best in that area."
	Case in point	This term refers to an example which serves to illustrate, support or prove a point which is currently under discussion. "The latest incident is a case in point for the parents' association."
	A cash cow	A product or service which is a regular source of income for a company is called a cash cow.   "His latest invention turned out to be a real cash cow."
	Cash in your chips	If you cash in your chips, you sell something, especially shares, either because you need the money or because you think the value is going to fall.   "Andy cashed in his chips as soon as business started to slow down."
	Cast a wide net	When trying to find something, if you cast a wide net, you cover an extensive area or use a wide range of sources. "The hospital will have to cast a wide net in their search for compatible donors."
	Cast iron stomach	If you can eat all sorts of food and drink what you like, without any indigestion, discomfort or bad effects, it can be said that you have a cast iron stomach.  "I don't know how you can eat that spicy food.  You must have a cast iron stomach!"
	A cat in gloves catches no mice	This expression means that if you are too careful and polite, you may not obtain what you want."Negotiate carefully, but remember: a cat in gloves catches no   mice!"
	A cat can look at a king.	This expression means that nobody is so important that an ordinary person cannot look at them or be curious about them.
	A fat cat	To refer to a rich and powerful person as a fat cat means that you disapprove of the way they use their money or power.
	A cat nap	If you have a short sleep during the day, you have a cat nap."My dad often has a cat nap on a Sunday afternoon."
	Let the cat out of the bag.	If you let the cat out of the bag, you reveal a secret,    often not intentionally.
	Cat's whiskers  (also: the cat's pyjamas)	This expression refers to someone who considers themselves to be better than others in a particular area - beauty, competence, intelligence, sport, etc.,    "Ever since she got a promotion, she thinks she's the cat's whiskers!"
	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."
	Play cat and mouse	To play cat and mouse with someone means to treat them alternately cruelly and kindly, so that they do not know what to expect.
	Catch-as-catch-can	This expression means that you try to get something in any way possible "It's difficult to get much sleep with the new baby - it's catch-as-catch-can these days!"
	Catch 22	A catch 22 situation refers to a frustrating situation where you cannot do one thing without doing a second, and you cannot do the second before doing the first.   "I can't get a job without a work permit, and I can't get a work permit without a job. It's a catch 22 situation!"
	Catch somebody's  eye	If someone catches your eye, you find them attractive.  "The pretty girl near the door caught his eye."
	Catch somebody red-handed	If a person is caught red-handed, they are caught while they are doing something wrong or illegal.   "The police arrived as the burglar was leaving the house. He was caught red-handed."
	Caught in the crossfire	If you are caught in the crossfire, you suffer the effects of an argument between two people or groups.   "When the two taxi drivers started to argue, their passengers were caught in the crossfire."
	Wouldn't be caught/seen dead	If someone says that they wouldn't be caught or seen dead in a particular place or doing something, they mean that they would be too ashamed or embarrassed.   "My seven-year-old son thinks he's a big boy; he wouldn't be caught dead holding my hand!"
	Caught unawares	If someone is caught unawares, they are surprised and unprepared for what happens. "The security guard moved so silently that the thief was caught    unawares"
	Cause a stir	If something causes a stir, it creates an atmosphere of excitement or great interest. "The arrival of the actress caused quite a stir in the village."
	Throw caution to the wind	If someone throws caution to the wind, they stop caring about the possible dangers and start taking risks.   "The weather was so good; he threw caution to the wind and went sailing alone."
	Like chalk and cheese   (as different as chalk and cheese)	Two people who are like chalk and cheese are completely different from each other.
	Champ at the bit	Someone who is champing at the bit is ready and eager to start an activity, and is showing impatience at being delayed.    "The press conference was delayed for such a long time that the journalists were champing at the bit."
	Champagne taste on a beer budget	Someone who likes expensive things that they cannot afford has champagne taste on a beer budget.    Eva borrows money to buy expensive designer clothes-  champagne taste on a beer budget!
	Chance in a million	A chance in a million is a very small chance, or no chance at all, that something will happen.
	Change of heart	If someone has a change of heart, they change their attitude or feelings, especially towards greater friendliness or cooperation. "He was against charity, but he had a change of heart when he saw the plight of the homeless."
	Chase rainbows	Someone who is chasing rainbows is trying to get something they will never obtain. "She's trying to get into Harvard but I think she's chasing rainbows."
	Chase your (own) tail	Someone who is chasing their (own) tail is spending a lot of time  and energy doing many things but achieving very little. "He's been chasing his tail all week collecting data but the report is still not ready."
	Cheek by jowl	When people are cheek by jowl, they are crammed uncomfortably close together "The refugees are living cheek by jowl in a temporary camp."
	Cheesed off	If someone is cheesed off with something, they are annoyed, bored or frustrated. "Julie is absolutely cheesed off with her job.
	Old chestnut	A story, a joke or an idea that has been repeated so often that it has lost its novelty is referred to as an old chestnut."The story about his boat capsizing has become an old chestnut!"
	Chew the fat	If you chew the fat with somebody, you chat in an informal way about unimportant things.   "It's amazing the amount of time my grandparents can spend chewing the fat with their neighbours."
	Chicken feed	An amount of money considered small or unimportant is called chicken feed."I got a job during the holidays but the pay was chicken feed."
	Chicken out of something	If you chicken out of something, you decide not to do something because you are afraid. "He decided to join a karate class, but chickened out of it at the last minute!"
	Too many chiefs, not enough Indians.	This expression refers to a situation where there are too many people giving instructions and not enough people doing the work."The business wasn't successful.     There were too many chiefs and not enough Indians."
	Child's play	If something is referred to as child's play, it is considered to be very simple or easy to do.   "Using this new computer is child's play compared to the old one.'"
	Chime in	If you chime in, you interrupt or join a conversation, especially to repeat or agree with something. "As I explained to the bus driver what had happened, the other passengers chimed in and gave their version. "
	Chinese whispers	This term refers to a process by which a message or piece of information (especially gossip, rumours or scandalous news) is passed on from one person to another, and changes along the way, so that the final version is often very different from the original.
	Have a chinwag	If you have a chinwag with someone, you have an opportunity to chat with each other. "How about having lunch together on Friday?”OK, good idea, we can   have a good old chinwag!"
	A chink in someone's armour	If someone has a chink in their armour, they have a weakness that can be taken advantage of.   "The candidate's opponents are busy looking for chinks in his armour."
	A chip off the old block	If you refer to a person as a chip off the old block, you mean that they resemble one of their parents in appearance, character or behaviour."James is a chip off the old block - he reacts exactly the same wayas his father."
	A chip on your shoulder	If someone has a chip on their shoulder, they feel resentful because they feel they are being treated unfairly, especially because of  their background, their sex or their colour.
	Have had one's chips	To say that someone has had their chips means that they have completely failed in what they set out to achieve. "After the second set, it looked as though Agassi had had his chips."
	When the chips are down	This expression refers to people's behaviour in a difficult or dangerous situation when action must be taken. "It's when the chips are down that Jack is at his best."
	Useful as a chocolate teapot	Something which is of no practical use at all is about as useful as a chocolate teapot.   "When there are no roads, a car is about as useful as a chocolate teapot."
	Chop and change	If you chop and change, you constantly change your opinion, plans or methods and often cause confusion.    "Don't chop and change all the time - just make up your mind!"
	Christmas comes but once a year	This expression means that Christmas is a time of celebration that only happens once a year, and that we should mark the occasion  by being kind and generous to others, especially the less fortunate.
	Off someone's Christmas card list	This expression means that you are no longer on friendly terms with someone. "I've been off her Christmas card list since our dog messed up her garden!"
	You can't fight the city hall	This expression means that it is useless to try to win a battle against a politician, establishment or bureaucracy in general."Tom decided it was a waste of energy trying to obtain a tax refund -  you can't fight the city hall!"
	Class act	To say that someone, for example an athlete or an entertainer, is a class act means that they are very good at what they do. "Her career is just beginning but she's already a class act."
	Claw one's way back	In a situation which has deteriorated, if you claw your way back, you gradually regain your former position through determination, energy and hard work.   "After a serious accident, the Olympic gold medallist clawed his way back to the top, to the admiration of all."
	Clean slate	A clean slate is a record of your work or actions that does not show past mistakes and allows you to make a fresh start. "He was able to rebuild his life with a clean slate."
	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."
	Clear the way	If you clear the way, you allow something to happen by removing what was preventing it. "Opening universities to women cleared the way for them to have a career and participate actively in today's society."
	Clinch a deal	In a business relationship, if you clinch a deal, you reach agreement on a proposal or offer. "Tom's final argument enabled us to clinch the deal."
	Clip someone's wings	If you clip someone's wings, you do something to restrict their freedom. "Taking away his credit card is a sure way to clip his wings!"
	Like clockwork	To say that someone or something goes, runs or behaves like clockwork means that everything happens exactly as expected. "Meals are always served on time.  In their home everything runs like clockwork."
	Close but no cigar	This expression refers to an effort to do something which was a good attempt but not quite good enough to succeed. "The ball touched the goal post - close but no cigar!"
	Close call	If something happens, or is avoided or missed, with very little margin, it is called a close call. "She won the election with 0.5% of the votes - it was a close call!"
	Close to home	If a remark or comment is close to home, it is so true, or it affects you so directly, that you feel uncomfortable.   "Alan looks embarrassed.  Bob's comment must have been close to home!"
	A close shave	This expression is used to describe a situation where an accident or a disaster nearly happened   "I almost hit the child who ran out in front of my car.     It was a close shave."
	Be on cloud nine	A person who is on cloud nine is very happy because    something wonderful has happened. "When the boss announced my promotion, I was on cloud nine!"
	Not have a clue	If you don't have a clue about something, you don't know anything about it. "My wife's grandmother's maiden name? I don't have a clue!"
	The coast is clear	To say that the coast is clear means that there is no danger in sight or that nobody can see you.   "OK. The dog has gone inside. The coast is clear."
	Cold calls	If you make cold calls, you telephone potential customers from a list of people you do not know.   "In my first job I had to make cold calls using the telephone directory."
	Cold turkey	This term means to immediately and completely stop an addictive substance, a regular activity or a behavioural pattern, instead of ending it gradually.   "When Dave decided to stop smoking, he did it cold turkey on January 1st."
	Collect dust	If something is collecting dust, it hasn't been touched or used for  a long period of time. "My dad doesn't play golf any more. His clubs are just collecting dust  now."
	Collect one's thoughts	If you collect your thoughts, you try to think calmly and clearly in order to prepare yourself mentally for something. "Anne stopped to collect her thoughts before calling back the customer."
	Off colour	If you are off colour, you are looking or feeling ill.   "You should get some rest.  You look a bit off colour."
	Come apart at the seams	To say that someone is coming apart at the seams means that they are extremely upset or under severe mental stress. "Bob has had so many problems lately; he's coming apart at the seams."
	Come clean	To come clean about something means to tell the truth.
	Come to grief	If someone or something comes to grief, they have an accident, are destroyed or end in failure.   "Their plans for a golf course came to grief when it was decided to build a motorway."
	Come in handy	To say that something may come in handy means that it may be useful some time or other. "Don't throw away those old shelves; they may come in handy."
	Come into one's own	When you come into your own, you receive the credit or recognition you deserve. "It's when there's an important presentation that Sarah really comes   into her own."
	Come out in the wash	This expression is used to tell someone not to worry about a mistake or problem because it won't have any serious effect and everything will work out all right.   "Yes, he was furious when it happened - but don't worry - it'll all come out in the wash."
	Come out of the woodwork	When things, or people, come out of the woodwork, they appear or emerge unexpectedly, as if from nowhere, and usually in large numbers.   "As soon as we added the swimming pool, our children had "friends" coming out of the woodwork."
	Come rain or shine	If a person does something come rain or shine, they do it regularly, whatever the circumstances. "He goes to the gym club every day, come rain or shine."

	Come to a bad end	If someone comes to a bad end, their actions lead to disastrous consequences which are sometimes deserved or predictable. "If that boy doesn't change his ways, he'll come to a bad end!"
	Come to blows	If two or more people come to blows, they start to fight. "The debate was so intense; the participants almost came to blows."
	Come to the crunch	To talk about what to do if or when a situation comes to the crunch, means when it becomes difficult or critical and a decision has to be made. "If it comes to the crunch, I'll sell my car."
	Come to a head	If a problem or difficult situation comes to a head, it reaches a point where action has to be taken.    "The problem came to a head yesterday when rioting broke out in the streets."
	Come to your senses	If you come to your senses, you start to think clearly and behave sensibly. "She finally came to her senses and realized that public transport was faster than driving."
	Come to grips with something	If you come to grips with a problem or situation, you start to understand or deal with it properly "After the initial shock, the patient began to come to grips with   his illness."
	Come/turn up trumps	To say that someone has come up trumps means that they have achieved unexpectedly good results.   "Against all expectations, our team came up trumps in the cup final."
	Come with the territory	To say that something comes with the territory means that it has to be accepted as part of a job or responsibility, even if it is unpleasant. "A successful actor has to expect intensive media coverage - it comes with the territory!"
	Come what may	To say that you will do something come what may means that you will do it whatever the consequences may be. "Come what may, I'm going to tell my mother-in-law what I think of her attitude!"
	Common ground	This expression refers to an area of shared beliefs, interests or mutual understanding between people or groups who often have disagreements. "Any common ground among the Mediterranean countries will   contribute to future unity."
	Common knowledge	When information is well-known to everyone (particularly in a community or group), it is called common knowledge. "You didn't know the intern was Jack's son? I thought it was common knowledge."
	Comeuppance/  get one's comeuppance	When someone gets their comeuppance, they receive the treatment they deserve (usually punishment or retribution) for their behaviour or actions.   "The pupils who are bullying the newcomers will soon get their comeuppance."
	Cook the books	A person who cooks the books is one who changes the facts or  figures in their financial accounts, often in order to steal money. "The actor discovered after a while that his agent was cooking  the books."
	Cook somebody's goose	To cook somebody's goose means to spoil that person's chance of success. "When the burglar saw the police car arriving, he realized his goose was cooked."
	That's the way the cookie crumbles!	To say 'that's the way the cookie crumbles' means    that is the way things are and nothing can be done about it' - that's life'!
	Cool as a cucumber	A person who is as cool as a cucumber is a person who is not anxious, but relaxed and non-emotional.
	Cool one's heels	If you are left to cool your heels, someone keeps you waiting. "After rushing to be on time for my appointment, I was left to cool my heels in the waiting room for an hour."
	Copper-bottomed	To describe something such as a plan, a contract or a financial arrangement as 'copper-bottomed' means that it is completely safe or reliable. "He has signed a copper-bottomed agreement with a distributor."
	Cork something up	If you cork something up (feelings, emotions), you fail to show or express them. "It would be better for her if she showed her grief and didn't cork up her feelings."
	<<="" font=""> Corner a market	If a company dominates an area of business, and leaves no room for competition, it is said to have cornered the market. "By importing large quantities and selling at low prices, they have    cornered the market."
	The corridors of power	This term refers to the higher levels of government or administration where important decisions are made.   "The matter is the subject of much discussion in the corridors of power at the present time. "
	Cost an arm and a leg	If something costs an arm and a leg, it is very expensive! "The house cost us an arm and a leg, but we have no regrets."
	Cost the earth	If something costs the earth, it is very expensive indeed.  "She wears designer clothes that must cost the earth!"
	At all costs	If you are determined to obtain or achieve something at all costs, you want it regardless of the expense, effort or sacrifice involved. "The journalist was determined at all costs to get a report from the war zone."
	A couch potato	If you refer to someone as a couch potato, you criticize them for  spending a lot of time sitting and watching television. "Don't be such a couch potato.  There are better ways of spending your time than in front of the TV."
	Cough up (something)	If you have to cough up something, such as money or information, you give it reluctantly or unwillingly.    "He refused to say who attacked him until his father made him cough up the names."
	Count your blessings	If you count your blessings, you focus your thoughts on all the good things in your life rather than on the negative ones. "Whenever anyone in the family starts to complain, my mother  always advises us to count our blessings."
	Take your courage in both hands	If you take your courage in both hands, you make yourself do something very brave. "When I saw the child in the burning house, I took my courage in both hands and ran inside."
	On course (for something)	If someone is on course for something, they are likely to achieve it. "Our team is on course for a victory in the national championship."
	Cover your tracks	If you cover your tracks, you conceal or destroy evidence of what you have done or where you have been. "Charlie was sorry he hadn't covered his tracks better when his wife discovered he had been unfaithful.'
	Cover/hide a multitude of sins	If something covers or hides a multitude of sins, it prevents people from seeing the less pleasant reality.   "Loose-fitting clothes can cover a multitude of sins!"
	Till the cows come home	To say that a person could do something till the cows come home means that they could do it for a long time.   "You can ask till the cows come home, but I'm not buying you a scooter!"
	Crack the whip	If you crack the whip, you use your authority to make someone obey you or work more efficiently, usually by threatening them. "Every so often I've got to crack the whip to make sure we meet the deadline."
	Crack down on something	If the authorities decide to crack down on something, they enforce the law by taking severe measures to restrict undesirable or criminal actions. "To reduce road accidents, it was decided to crack down on speeding."
	Crash course	If you do a crash course, you do an intensive training course in order to obtain quick results. "Before going to Tokyo, he did a crash course to learn Japanese."
	Cramp someone's style	If you cramp someone's style, you limit them by preventing them from behaving or expressing themselves freely. "The dress code imposed at school cramped her style."
	Crank into gear  (also: get into gear)	When a person or activity cranks into gear, they start to work or become effective. "Immediately after the announcement, a group of protesters cranked into gear."
	The cream of the crop	This expression is used to refer to the best people or things in a particular group. "As usual, the cream of the crop of this year’s graduates was offered the best jobs."
	Cream rises to the top	This expression means that someone or something exceptionally good will eventually attract attention, or stand out from the rest, just as cream rises to the top in coffee or tea . "I knew you'd succeed.  As the saying goes, "cream rises to the top!"
	Creative accounting	This term refers to the presentation of a company's results in a way that, although generally legal, glosses over the problems and makes the results appear better than they are. "It was suggested that some creative accounting might help to attract investors."
	Creature comforts	This expression refers to modern conveniences (such as hot water or central heating) that make life comfortable and pleasant. "I need my creature comforts.  I don't know how I'd survive without   air-conditioning in this climate!"
	On the crest of a wave	If you are on the crest of a wave, you are very successful in what you are doing. "Our company is going from success to success. We're on the crest of a wave right now."
	Crocodile tears	To shed crocodile tears means to shed false tears or show insincere grief. "Caroline pretended to be sad but we all knew her tears were crocodile tears."
	Crooked as a dog's hind leg	To say that someone is as crooked as a dog's hind leg means that they are very dishonest indeed. "He can't be trusted - he's as crooked as a dog's hind leg."
	Cross to bear	A person who has a cross to bear has a serious problem or heavy responsibility that they must accept because they cannot change it. "Alzheimer's is a cross to bear for the whole family."
	Cross that bridge when we come   to it	This is another way of saying " we will deal with that problem when it occurs and not worry about it before".   "What will happen if we can't repay the loan?"   "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
	Cross the line	If you cross the line you go beyond the authorized limits and do something which is not acceptable.   "He has an unpleasant habit of telling jokes that really cross the line."
	Cross your mind	If an idea or thought crosses your mind, you suddenly think of it. "It has just crossed my mind that the shops are closed today."
	At cross purposes	If two people are at cross purposes, there is a misunderstanding as to what each one is talking about    "Look, we seem to be at cross purposes: you're talking about 'sailing' boats, but I'm talking about 'selling' boats."
	As the crow flies	This expression refers to distance measured in a straight line. "It's two miles from here to the station as the crow flies, but of course it's much further by road."
	Cry wolf	To cry wolf is to call for help when you are not really in danger. As a result, nobody believes you when you really need help."There's Mary screaming again!  Does she really have a problem or is she just crying wolf again?"
	A far cry from something	If one thing is a far cry from something else, it means that they are very different from each other.
	A crying need	When there is a great lack of something which is urgently needed, there is a crying need for it.  "Hospitals claim that there is a crying need for nurses."
	For crying out loud	This expression is used to show irritation, exasperation or anger."For crying out loud! Turn that television off!"
	It's no use crying over spilt milk	This expression means that it is useless to complain or have regrets about something that is done and cannot be changed.  "Sometimes I regret not accepting the offer, but it's no use crying over spilt milk."
	On cue	If something happens on cue, it happens at exactly the appropriate or expected moment. "My grandmother was blowing out the candles on her birthday cake when, right on cue, the flowers arrived."
	Off the cuff	If you speak off the cuff, you say something without any previous thought or preparation. "He handles off-the-cuff interviews very well."
	A cut above	Someone or something which is a cut above the others is better or of higher quality. "The articles in this magazine are a cut above the others."
	Cut the cackle	If you tell a group of people to cut the cackle, you ask them to stop talking aimlessly and start dealing with more important or serious matters. "OK. It's time to cut the cackle and get down to business."
	Cut and dried	To refer to a situation, a problem or a solution as cut and dried means that it is considered clear and straightforward with no likely complications. "When the new manager arrived, he didn't find the situation as   cut and dried as he had expected."
	Cut from the same cloth	If two people are cut from the same cloth, they are very similar in character or behaviour. "Although the brothers look alike, they are not cut from the same    cloth. They each have their own personality."
	Cut corners	Cutting corners means not following the correct procedure in order to save time, effort or money (often with unsatisfactory results)
	Cut the ground from under  somebody's feet	When someone cuts the ground from under another's feet, they do something which weakens their position or spoils their plans. "When we launched the new product, we cut the ground from under our competitors' feet."
	Cut no ice (with somebody)	If something cuts no ice, it has no effect or makes no impression on someone. "Her explanation cut no ice with the teacher who said he would tolerate no more unjustified absences."
	Cut it/things fine	If you cut it/things fine, you leave barely enough time to do something. "You're counting just an hour between the airport and the train station - that's cutting things a bit fine isn't it?"
	Cut it out!	If you say cut it out to someone, you are telling them to stop doing something. "I've had enough of your insinuations, so just cut it out!"
	Not cut out for something	If you are not cut out for something, you are not the sort of person to succeed or be happy in a particular activity. "I started studying medicine but I quickly realized I wasn't cut out for it."
	Cut someone some slack	If you relax a rule, treat a person less severely or allow someone to do something which is normally not permitted, you cut them some slack.   "Our parents are very strict; I wish they'd cut us some slack now and then."
	Cut to the quick	If you cut someone to the quick, you hurt their feelings or offend them deeply. "Alan was cut to the quick when Jack expressed doubts about his sincerity."
	Cutting edge	This expression refers to the newest, most advanced stage in the development of something.  "The company is at the cutting edge of aeronautics."