1 Sacred cow Something that is a sacred cow is held in such respect that it cannot be criticised or attacked.
2 Safe and sound If you arrive safe and sound, then nothing has harmed you on your way.
3 Safe as houses Something that is as safe as houses is very secure or certain.
4 Safe bet A proposition that is a safe bet doesn't have any risks attached.
5 Safe pair of hands A person who can be trusted to do something without causing any trouble is a safe pair of hands.
6 Safety in numbers If a lot of people do something risky at the same time, the risk is reduced because there is safety in numbers.
7 Saigon moment (USA) A Saigon moment is when people realise that something has gone wrong and that they will lose or fail.
8 Sail close to the wind If you sail close to the wind, you take risks to do something, going close to the limit of what is allowed or acceptable.
9 Sail under false colours Someone who sails under false colours (colors) is hypocritical or pretends to be something they aren't in order to deceive people.
10 Salad days Your salad days are an especially happy period of your life.
11 Salt in a wound If you rub salt in a wound, you make someone feel bad about something that is already a painful experience. 'Pour salt on a wound' is an alternative form of the idiom.
12 Salt of the earth People who are salt of the earth are decent, dependable and unpretentious.
13 Salty dog A salty dog is an experienced sailor.
14 Same old, same old When nothing changes, it's the same old, same old.
15 Save face If someone saves face, they manage to protect their reputation.
16 Save someone's bacon If something saves your bacon, it saves your life or rescues you from a desperate situation. People can also save your bacon.
17 Save your skin If someone saves their skin, they manage to avoid getting into serious trouble.
18 Saved by the bell If you are saved by the bell, you are rescued from a danger or a tricky situation just in time.
19 Saving grace If someone has some character defects, but has a characteristic that compensate for their failings and shortcomings, this is their saving grace.
21 Say when People say this when pouring a drink as a way of telling you to tell them when there's enough in your glass.
22 Say-so If you do something on someone else's say-so, you do it on the authority, advice or recommendation.
23 Saying is one thing; doing is another It's harder to do something than it is to say that you will do it.
24 Scales fall from your eyes When the scales fall from your eyes, you suddenly realise the truth about something.
26 Scarlet woman This idiom is used as a pejorative term for a sexually promiscuous woman, especially an adulteress.
27 Scattered to the four winds If something's scattered to the four winds, it goes out in all directions.
28 Scent blood If you can scent blood, you feel that a rival is having difficulties and you are going to beat them.
29 Schoolyard pick When people take it in turns to choose a member of a team, it is a schoolyard pick.
30 Scot free If someone escapes scot free, they avoid payment or punishment. 'Scot' is an old word for a tax, so it originally referred to avoiding taxes, though now has a wider sense of not being punished for someone that you have done.
31 Scotch Mist The phrase 'Scotch mist' is used humorously to refer to something that is hard to find or doesn't exist - something imagined.
32 Scraping the barrel When all the best people, things or ideas and so on are used up and people try to make do with what they have left, they are scraping the barrel.
33 Scream blue murder If someone shouts very loudly in anger, or fear, they scream blue murder.
34 Screw loose If someone has a screw loose, they are crazy.
35 Screwed if you do, screwed if you don't This means that no matter what you decide or do in a situation, there will be negative consequences.
36 Sea legs If you are getting your sea legs, it takes you a while to get used to something new.
37 Seamy side The seamy side of something is the unpleasant or sordid aspect it has.
38 Searching question A searching question goes straight to the heart of the subject matter, possibly requiring an answer with a degree of honesty that the other person finds uncomfortable.
39 Second thoughts If some has second thoughts, they start to think that an idea, etc, is not as good as it sounded at first and are starting to have doubts.
40 Second wind If you overcome tiredness and find new energy and enthusiasm, you have second wind.
41 See eye to eye If people see eye to eye, they agree about everything.
42 See red If someone sees red, they become very angry about something.
43 See the elephant If you see the elephant, you experience much more than you wish to; it is often used when a soldier goes into a warzone for the first time.
44 See the light When someone sees the light, they realise the truth.
45 See which way the cat jumps (AU) If you see which way the cat jumps, you postpone making a decision or acting until you have seen how things are developing.
46 See you anon (UK) If somebody says this when leaving, they expect to see you again soon.
47 See you later A casual way of saying to friends I'll see you again, sometime, (without a definite date or time having been set) - this is often abbreviated to 'Later' or 'Laters' as an alternative way of saying goodbye.
48 See you on the big drum A good night phrase to children.
49 Seed money Seed money is money that is used to start a small business.
50 Seeing is believing This idiom means that people can only really believe what they experience personally.
51 Seen better days If something's seen better days, it has aged badly and visibly compared to when it was new. The phrase can also be used to describe people.
52 Sell down the river If you sell someone down the river, you betray their trust.
53 Sell like hot cakes If a product is selling very well, it is selling like hot cakes.
54 Sell like hotcakes If something is selling like hotcakes, it is very popular and selling very well.
55 Sell your birthright for a mess of pottage If a person sells their birthright for a mess of pottage, they accept some trivial financial or other gain, but lose something much more important. 'Sell your soul for a mess of pottage' is an alternative form.
56 Sell your soul If someone sells their soul, their betray the most precious beliefs.
57 Send someone packing If you send someone packing, you send them away, normally when they want something from you.
58 Send someone to Coventry (UK) If you send someone to Coventry, you refuse to talk to them or co-operate with them.
59 Separate the sheep from the goats If you separate the sheep from the goats, you sort out the good from the bad.
60 Separate the wheat from the chaff When you separate the wheat from the chaff, you select what is useful or valuable and reject what is useless or worthless.
61 Serve time When someone is serving time, they are in prison.
62 Serve your country When someone is serving their country, they have enrolled in the military.
63 Set in stone If something is set in stone, it cannot be changed or altered.
64 Set the Thames on fire If you do something remarkable, you set the Thames on fire, though this expression is used in the negative; someone who is dull or undistiguished will never set the Thames on fire.
65 Set the wheels in motion When you set the wheels in motion, you get something started.
66 Set your sights on If you set your sights on someone or something, it is your ambition to beat them or to achieve that goal.
67 Seven sheets to the wind If someone is seven sheets to the wind, they are very drunk.
68 Seventh heaven If you are in seventh heaven, you are extremely happy.
69 Shades of meaning Shades of meaning is a phrase used to describe the small, subtle differences in meaning between similar words or phrases; 'kid' and 'youth' both refer to young people, but carry differing views and ideas about young people.
70 Shaggy dog story A shaggy dog story is a joke which is a long story with a silly end.
71 Shake a leg If you shake a leg, you are out of bed and active. It can be used to tell someone to hurry up.
72 Shanks's pony (UK) If you go somewhere by Shanks's pony, you walk there.
73 Shape up or ship out If someone has to shape up or ship out, they have to improve or leave their job, organisation, etc.
74 Sharp as a tack (USA) If someone is as sharp as a tack, they are very clever indeed.
75 Sharp cookie Someone who isn't easily deceived or fooled is a sharp cookie.
76 Sharpen your pencil (USA) If someone says this when negotiating, they want the other person to make a better offer, a lower price.
77 She'll be apples (AU) A very popular old Australian saying meaning everything will be all right, often used when there is some doubt.
78 Shed light If you shed light on something, you make it clearer and easier to understand.
79 Shifting sands If the sands are shifting, circumstances are changing.
80 Shilly-shally If people shilly-shally, they can't make up their minds about something and put off the decision.
81 Ship came in If your ship has come in, something very good has happened to you.
82 Shipshape and Bristol fashion If things are shipshape and Bristol fashion, they are in perfect working order.
83 Shoe is on the other foot If the shoe is on the other foot, someone is experiencing what they used to make others experience, normally negative things.
84 Shoestring If you do something on a shoestring, you try to spend the absolute minimum amount of money possible on it.
85 Shoot down in flames If someone demolishes your argument, it (and you) have been shot down in flames.
86 Shoot from the hip Someone who shoots from the hip talks very directly or insensitively without thinking beforehand.
87 Shoot the breeze When you shoot the breeze, you chat in a relaxed way.
88 Shoot your wad When you have shot your wad, you have expended everything and have no more to say or do about a matter.
89 Shoot yourself in the foot If you shoot yourself in the foot, you do something that damages your ambition, career, etc.
90 Shooting fish in a barrel If something is like shooting fish in a barrel, it is so easy that success is guaranteed.
91 Shop floor 'Shop floor' refers to the part of an organisation where the work is actually performed rather than just managed.
92 Short end of the stick If someone gets the short end of the stick, they are unfairly treated or don't get what they deserve.
93 Short horse soon curried A convenient and superficial explanation that is normally unconvincing is a short horse soon curried.
94 Short shrift If somebody gives you short shrift, they treat you rudely and brusquely, showing no interest or sympathy.
95 Short-change If you are short-changed, someone cheats you of money or doesn't give you full value for something.
96 Shot across the bow A shot across the bow is a warning to tell someone to stop doing something or face very serious consequences.
97 Shot in the dark If you have a shot in the dark at something, you try something where you have little hope of success.
98 Shotgun marriage A shotgun marriage, or shotgun wedding, is one that is forced because of pregnancy. It is also used idiomatically for a compromise, agreement or arrangement that is forced upon groups or people by necessity.
99 Show me the money When people say this, they either want to know how much they will be paid for something or want to see evidence that something is valuable or worth paying for.
100 Show someone a clean pair of heels If you show someone a clean pair of heels, you run faster than them when they are chasing you.
101 Show someone the ropes If you show someone the ropes, you explain to someone new how things work and how to do a job.
102 Show your true colors To show your true colors is to reveal yourself as you really are.
103 Shrinking violet A shrinking violet is a shy person who doesn't express their views and opinions.
104 Sick and tired If you are sick and tired of something, it has been going on for a long time and you can no longer tolerate it.
105 Sick as a dog If somebody's as sick as a dog, they throw up (=vomit) violently.
106 Sick as a parrot If someone's sick as a parrot about something, they are unhappy, disappointed or depressed about it.
107 Sick to death If you are sick to death of something, you have been exposed to so much of it that you cannot take any more.
108 Sight for sore eyes Someone or something that is a sight for sore eyes is a pleasure to see.
109 Sight to behold If something is a sight to behold, it means that seeing it is in some way special, either spectacularly beautiful or, equally, incredibly ugly or revolting, etc.
110 Signed, sealed and delivered If something's signed, sealed and delivered, it has been done correctly, following all the necessary procedures.
111 Silence is golden It is often better to say nothing than to talk, so silence is golden.
112 Silly season The silly season is midsummer when Parliament is closed and nothing much is happening that is newsworthy, which reduces the press to reporting trivial and stupid stories.
113 Silver bullet A silver bullet is a complete solution to a large problem, a solution that seems magical.
114 Silver screen The silver screen is the cinema.
115 Silver surfer A silver surfer is an elderly person who uses the internet.
116 Since time immemorial If something has happened since time immemorial, it's been going on for such a long time that nobody can remember a time without it.
117 Sing for your supper If you have to sing for your supper, you have to work to get the pay or reward you need or want.
118 Sing from the same hymn sheet If people are singing from the same hymn sheet, they are expressing the same opinions in public.
119 Sing like a canary If someone sings like a canary, they tell everything they know about a crime or wrongdoing to the police or authorities.
120 Sink or swim Of you are left to sink or swim, no one gives you any help and it's up to you whether you fail or succeed.
121 Sit on the fence If someone sits on the fence, they try not to support either side in a dispute.
122 Sit pretty Someone who's sitting pretty is in a very advantageous situation.
123 Sit well with If something doesn't sit well with you, it doesn't please you or is not acceptable to you.
124 Sitting duck A sitting duck is something or someone that is easy to criticise or target.
125 Six feet under If someone is six feet under, they are dead.
126 Six of one and half-a-dozen of the other This is an idiom used when there is little or no difference between two options.
127 Sixes and sevens If something is all at sixes and sevens, then there is a lot of disagreement and confusion about what should be done.
128 Sixty-four-thousand-dollar-question The sixty-four-thousand-dollar-question is the most important question that can be asked about something.
129 Skate on thin ice If someone is skating on thin ice, they are taking a big risk.
130 Skeleton in the closet If someone has a skeleton in the closet, they have a dark, shameful secret in their past that they want to remain secret.
131 Skin and bones If someone is skin and bones, they are very underweight and look bad.
132 Skin in the game A person who has skin in the game has invested in the company they are running.
133 Skin someone alive If someone skins you alive, they admonish and punish you hard.
134 Skunkworks An unauthorised, or hidden program or activity, often research-oriented, and out of the bureaucratic chain of command is known as a 'skunkworks'.
135 Sky is the limit When people say that the sky is the limit, they think that there are no limits to the possibilities something could have.
136 Slap leather (USA) This is used as an instruction to tell people when to draw their guns.
137 Slap on the wrist If someone gets a slap on the wrist, they get a very minor punishment when they could have been punished more severely.
138 Sleep like a baby If you sleep very well, you sleep like a baby.
139 Sleep like a log If you sleep like a log, you sleep very soundly.
140 Sleep well- don't let the bedbugs bite This is a way of wishing someone a good night's sleep.
141 Sleight of hand Sleight of hand is the ability to use your hands in a clever way, like a magician performing tricks you can't see.
142 Slim chance A slim chance is a very small chance.
143 Sling your hook This is used as a way of telling someone to leave or go away.
144 Slip of the tongue If you say something accidentally, it is a slip of the tongue.
145 Slip through one's fingers If something slips through one’s fingers it escapes or is lost through carelessness.
146 Slippery customer A person from whom it is difficult to get anything definite or fixed is a slippery customer.
147 Slippery slope A slippery slope is where a measure would lead to further worse measures.
148 Slough of despond If someone is very depressed or in despair, they're in a slough of despond.
149 Slow and steady wins the race This expression means that consistency, although progress may be slow, will eventually be more beneficial than being hasty or careless just to get something done.
150 Slow boat to China This idiom is used to describe something that is very slow and takes a long time.
151 Slow but sure If something or someone is slow but sure, they may take their time to do something, but they are reliable.
152 Slower than molasses going uphill in January (USA) To move extremely slowly. Molasses drips slowly anyway but add January cold and gravity, dripping uphill would be an impossibility, thereby making the molasses move very slowly indeed!
153 Slowly, slowly catchy monkey This means that eventually you will achieve your goal.
154 Sly as a fox Someone who is as sly as a fox is cunning and experienced and can get what they want, often in an underhand way.
155 Smack in the face If something is a smack in the face, it is a shock, usually one that impedes progress.
156 Small beer If something is small beer, it's unimportant.
157 Small dog, tall weeds This idiom is used to describe someone the speaker does not believe has the ability or resources to handle a task or job.
158 Small fry If someone is small fry, they are unimportant. The term is often used when the police arrest the less important criminals, but are unable to catch the leaders and masterminds.
159 Small-time If a person or a thing is called 'small-time' it means they're inconsequential, not worth much, don't play in the 'big leagues', as in 'a small-time operator'.
160 Smart Alec A smart Alec is a conceited person who likes to show off how clever and knowledgeable they are.
161 Smart as a whip A person who is smart as a whip is very clever.
162 Smarty pants A smarty pants is someone who displays the intelligence in an annoying way.
163 Smell a rat If you smell a rat, you know instinctively that something is wrong or that someone is lying to you.
164 Smoke and mirrors An attempt to conceal something is smoke and mirrors.
165 Smoke like a chimney Someone who smokes very heavily smokes like a chimney.
166 Smoke the peace pipe If people smoke the peace pipe, they stop arguing and fighting.
167 Smokestack industry Heavy industries like iron and steel production, especially if they produce a lot of pollution, are smokestack industries.
168 Smoking gun A smoking gun is definitive proof of someone's guilt.
169 Smooth as a baby's bottom If something is smooth as a baby's bottom, it has a regular, flat surface.
171 Snake in the grass Someone who is a snake in the grass betrays you even though you have trusted them.
172 Snake oil Advice or medicine which is of no use.
173 Snake oil salesperson A person who promotes something that doesn't work, is selling snake oil.
174 Snug as a bug in a rug If you're as snug as a bug in a rug, you are feeling very comfortable indeed.
175 So it goes This idiom is used to be fatalistic and accepting when something goes wrong.
176 So on and so forth And so on and so forth mean the same as etcetera (etc.).
177 Sod's law Sod's law states that if something can go wrong then it will.
178 Soft soap someone If you soft soap someone, you flatter them.
179 Some other time If somebody says they'll do something some other time, they mean at some indefinite time in the future, possibly never, but they certainly don't want to feel obliged to fix a specific time or date.
180 Something nasty in the woodshed Something nasty in the woodshed means that someone as a dark secret or an unpleasant experience in their past.
181 Sound as a bell If something or someone is as sound as a bell, they are very healthy or in very good condition.
182 Sound as a pound (UK) if something is as sound as a pound, it is very good or reliable.
183 Sour grapes When someone says something critical or negative because they are jealous, it is a case of sour grapes.
184 Sow the seeds When people sow the seeds, they start something that will have a much greater impact in the future.
185 Sow your wild oats If a young man sows his wild oats, he has a period of his life when he does a lot of exciting things and has a lot of sexual relationships. for e.g. He'd spent his twenties sowing his wild oats but felt that it was time to settle down.
186 Spanish practices Unauthorized working methods that benefit those who follow them are Spanish practices.
187 Spanner in the works (UK) If someone puts or throws a spanner in the works, they ruin a plan. In American English, 'wrench' is used instead of 'spanner'.
188 Spare the rod and spoil the child This means that if you don't discipline children, they will become spoilt.
189 Speak of the devil! If you are talking about someone and they happen to walk in, you can use this idiom as a way of letting them know you were talking about them.
191 Speak volumes If something speaks volumes, it tells us a lot about the real nature of something or someone,even though it may only be a small detail.
193 Spend a penny (UK) This is a euphemistic idiom meaning to go to the toilet.
194 Spend like a sailor Someone who spends their money wildly spends like a sailor.
195 Spice of life The spice of life is something that makes it feel worth living.
196 Spick and span If a room is spick and span, it is very clean and tidy.
197 Spill the beans If you spill the beans, you reveal a secret or confess to something.
198 Spin a yarn If someone spins a yarn, they tell a story, usually a long or fanciful one.
199 Spinning a line When someone spins you a line, they are trying to deceive you by lying.
200 Spinning a yarn When someone spins you a yarn, they are trying to deceive you by lying.
201 Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak If the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, someone lacks the willpower to change things they do because they derive too much pleasure from them.
202 Spirit of the law The spirit of the law is the idea or ideas that the people who made the law wanted to have effect.
203 Spit blood If someone is spitting blood, they are absolutely furious.
204 Spit it out People say this when someone has something to say but is too embarrassed, shy, etc, to say it.
205 Spit the dummy Reference to an infant spitting out their dummy (or pacifier) in order to cry. 'To spit the dummy' is to give up.
207 Split hairs If people split hairs, they concentrate on tiny and unimportant details to find fault with something.
208 Split the blanket If people split the blanket, it means they get a divorce or end their relationship.
209 Spoil the ship for a ha'pworth of tar (UK) If someone spoils the ship for a ha'pworth (halfpenny's worth) of tar, they spoil something completely by trying to make a small economy.
210 Spot on If something is spot on, it is exactly right.
211 Sprat to catch a mackerel If you use a sprat to catch a mackerel, you make a small expenditure or take a small risk in the hope of a much greater gain.
212 Spring to mind If something springs to mind, it appears suddenly and unexpectedly in your thoughts.
213 Spur of the moment If you do something on the spur of the moment, you do it because you felt like it at that time, without any planning or preparation.
214 Sputnik moment A Sputnik moment is a point where people realise that they are threatened of challenged and have to redouble their efforts to catch up. It comes from the time when the Soviet Union launched the first satellite, the Sputnik 1, and beat the USA into space.
215 Square meal A square meal is a substantial or filling meal.
216 Square Mile (UK) The Square Mile is the City, the financial area of London.
217 Square peg in a round hole If somebody's in a situation, organisation, etc, where they don't fit in and feel out of place, they are a square peg in a round hole.
218 Square the circle When someone is squaring the circle, they are trying to do something impossible.
220 Squeaky clean If something is squeaky clean, it is very clean indeed- spotless. If a person is squeaky clean, they have no criminal record and are not suspected of illegal or immoral activities.
221 Squeaky wheel gets the grease (USA) When people say that the squeaky wheel gets the grease, they mean that the person who complains or protests the loudest attracts attention and service.
222 Squeeze blood out of a turnip (USA) When people say that you can't squeeze blood out of a turnip, it means that you cannot get something from a person, especially money, that they don't have.
223 Stalking horse A stalking horse is a strategy or something used to conceal your intentions. It is often used where someone put themselves forwards as a candidate to divide opponents or to hide the real candidate.
224 Stand in good stead If something will stand you in good stead, it will probably be advantageous in the future.
225 Stars and stripes The stars and stripes is the American flag.
226 Stars in your eyes Someone who dreams of being famous has stars in their eyes.
227 Start from scratch When you start something from scratch, you start at the very beginning.
228 State of the art If something is state of the art, it is the most up-to-date model incorporating the latest and best technology.
229 Status quo Someone who wants to preserve the status quo wants a particular situation to remain unchanged.
230 Steal a march This expression indicates the stealthiness of a person over another to gain advantage of the situation. For instance, if two persons are offered some jobs which are vacant, they resolve to go together next day at an agreed time, but one of them, without telling the other, goes earlier than the other and secures the better of the two jobs, he is said to steal a march on the other person.
231 Steal someone's thunder If someone steals your thunder, they take the credit and praise for something you did.
232 Steer clear of If you steer clear of something, you avoid it.
233 Stem the tide If people try to stem the tide, they are trying to stop something unpleasant from getting worse, usually when they don't succeed.
234 Step on it This idiom is a way of telling someone to hurry up or to go faster.
235 Step on someone's toes If you step on someone's toes, you upset them, especially if you do something that they should be in charge of.
236 Step up to the plate If someone steps up to the plate, they take on or accept a challenge or a responsibility.
237 Stew in your own juices If you leave someone to stew in their own juices, you leave them to worry about the consequences of what they have done wrong or badly.
238 Stick in your craw If someone or something really annoys you, it is said to stick in your craw.
239 Stick out like a sore thumb If something sticks or stands out like a sore thumb, it is clearly and obviously different from the things that are around it.
240 Stick to your guns If you stick to your guns, you keep your position even though people attack or criticise you.
241 Stick your neck out If you stick you neck out, you take a risk because you believe in something.
242 Stick-in-the-mud A stick-in-the-mud is someone who doesn't like change and wants things to stay the same.
243 Sticking point A sticking point is a controversial issue that blocks progress in negotiations, etc, where compromise is unlikely or impossible.
246 Sticky wicket (UK) If you are on a sticky wicket, you are in a difficult situation.
248 Stiff upper lip (UK) If you keep your emotions to yourself and don't let others know how you feel when something bad happens, you keep a stiff upper lip.
249 Stiff-necked A stiff-necked person is rather formal and finds it hard to relax in company.
250 Still in the game If someone is still in the game, they may be having troubles competing, but they are not yet finished and may come back.
251 Still waters run deep People use this idiom to imply that people who are quiet and don't try to attract attention are often more interesting than people who do try to get attention.
252 Stir the blood If something stirs your blood, it arouses feelings or passions,.
253 Stitch in time saves nine A stitch in time saves nine means that if a job needs doing it is better to do it now, because it will only get worse, like a hole in clothes that requires stitching.
254 Stone dead This idiom is a way of emphasizing that there were absolutely no signs of life or movement.
255 Stone deaf Someone who is stone deaf is completely deaf.
256 Stone's throw If a place is a stone's throw from where you are, it is a very short distance away.
257 Stool pigeon (USA) A stool pigeon is a police informer.
258 Stop cold To stop suddenly out of surprise.
259 Storm in a teacup If someone exaggerates a problem or makes a small problem seem far greater than it really is, then they are making a storm in a teacup.
260 Straight face If someone keeps a straight face, they remain serious and do not show emotion or amusement.
261 Straight from the shoulder If someone talks straight from the shoulder, they talk honestly and plainly.
262 Strain every nerve If you strain every nerve, you make a great effort to achieve something.
263 Strange at the best of times To describe someone or something as really weird or unpleasant in a mild way.
264 Straw man A straw man is a weak argument that is easily defeated. It can also be a person who is used as to give an illegal or inappropriate activity an appearance of respectability.
265 Straw poll A straw poll is a small unofficial survey or ballot to find out what people think about an issue.
266 Straw that broke the camel's back The straw that broke the camel's back is the problem that made you lose your temper or the problem that finally brought about the collapse of something.
267 Streets ahead If people are streets ahead of their rivals, they are a long way in front.
268 Strike a chord If strikes a chord, it is familiar to you, reminds you of something or is connected to you somehow.
269 Strike while the iron is hot If you strike while the iron is hot you do something when things are going well for you and you have a good chance to succeed.
271 Strong as an ox Someone who's exceedingly strong physically is said to be as strong as an ox.
272 Stubborn as a mule Someone who will not listen to other people's advice and won't change their way of doing things is as stubborn as a mule.
273 Stuffed to the gills If someone is stuffed to the gills, they have eaten a lot and are very full.
275 Sunday driver A Sunday driver drives very slowly and makes unexpected manoeuvres.
276 Sure as eggs is eggs These means absolutely certain, and we do say 'is' even though it is grammatically wrong.
278 Swansong A person's swansong is their final achievement or public appearance.
279 Swear like a sailor Someone who is foul-mouthed and uses bad language all the time, swears like a sailor.
280 Swear like a trooper Someone who is foul-mouthed and uses bad language all the time, swears like a trooper.
281 Sweat blood If you sweat blood, you make an extraordinary effort to achieve something.
282 Sweat like a pig If someone is sweating like a pig, they are perspiring (sweating) a lot.
283 Sweep off your feet If you are swept off your feet, you lose control emotionally when you fall in love or are really impressed.
284 Sweep things under the carpet If people try to ignore unpleasant things and forget about them, they sweep them under the carpet.
285 Sweet as a gumdrop This means that something or someone is very nice or pretty.
286 Sweet tooth If you have a sweet tooth, you like eating food with sugar in it.
288 Swim with the fishes If someone is swimming with the fishes, they are dead, especially if they have been murdered. 'Sleep with the fishes' is an alternative form.
290 Swimmingly If things are going swimmingly, they are going very well.
291 Swing the lead If you swing the lead, you pretend to be ill or do not do your share of the work.
292 Swinging door This idiom refers to something or someone that can go in two conflicting or opposite directions.
293 Swings and roundabouts If something's swings and roundabouts, it has about as many disadvantages as it has advantages.