A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

devil’s horse
(devil’s coachhorse)
die from something 
(die for something )
die in one’s boots 
(die on one’s feet)
die in the last ditch
(die in a ditch)
die on someone 
(be death on someone)
die out 
(die away)
die standing up
(die on one’s feet)
differ on something
(differ in some-
thing )
differ with someone 
(differ from some-
one)
dig one’s own grave 
(dig a hole for one-
self )
dig oneself in 
(dig one’s heels in)
dine off something 
(dine on something )
dine out on something
(dine on some-
thing )
dinner wagon 
(dining car)
direct something to someone
(direct
something at someone)
dirt-eating
(dirt-eater)
dirty money
(dirt money)
dirty pig
(dirty dog )
dirty room 
(clean room)
dirty work at the cross-roads 
(dirty
work)
disconnected with something
(discon-
nected from something )
dispense with something 
(dispense
something )
dispute something 
(dispute about
something )
distinguished for something 
(distin-
guished by something )
do a deep dive 
(be in deep waters)
do a show 
(make a show)
do execution 
(carry out an execution)
do justice to oneself 
(bring someone to
justice)
do justice to someone 
(bring someone
to justice)
do one’s best 
(do best)
do one’s bit 
(do a bit)
do one’s business 
(do business)
do one’s duty
(do duty)
do one’s housework 
(do one’s homework)
do one’s number
(do a number)
do oneself up 
(do oneself down)
do someone down 
(do someone up)
do someone good 
(do good to someone)
do something sight unseen 
(do some-
thing blindfolded)
do that small thing 
(little thing )
do the block
(do one’s block)
do the business
(do business)
do the dirty on someone 
(do the dirties
with someone)
do the Dutch 
(be in Dutch with some-
one)
do the honors
(do someone honor)
do the job
(do a job)
do the job for someone 
(do a job on
someone)
do the other thing
(do one’s thing )
do the running
(do a runner)
do the washing-up 
(do the washing )
do up a house
(do a house)
do well 
(do good)
do well by someone
(do someone well)
do well for oneself
(do oneself well)
do well out of something
(do well in
something)
doctor, lawyer, or Indian chief
(butcher, baker, candlestick maker)
dog days of summer, the
(every cloud
has a silver lining )
dog fight 
(cat fight)
dog it
(hog it)
dogfish 
(dog salmon)
dog’s breakfast 
(dingo’s breakfast)
dog’s home 
(dog-house)
dog’s life
(dog days, the)
dog’s show
(dog show)
dogsbody 
(dog’s body)
domesticated animals
(domestic ani-
mals)
Dominican Republic
(Dominica)
done up like a dog’s dinner
(done like
a dog’s dinner)
done up like a kipper 
(done like a dog’s
dinner)
donkey’s breakfast 
(dingo’s breakfast)
don’t ask me
(don’t ask)
don’t give it a second thought
(give it a
second thought)
don’t give it a thought
(don’t even
think of it)
Phrase Index
–
348 –

---

don’t give up the ship 
(don’t give up the
day job)
don’t mention the war 
(don’t mention
it)
don’t sweat the small stuff 
(don’t sweat
it)
don’t talk to me about it 
(don’t men-
tion it)
door swings both ways, the
(swing both
ways)
doorkeeper
(door holder)
double for someone 
(double as some-
one)
doubletalk 
(talk double Dutch)
down line 
(bottom line)
down the river
(up the creek)
down time 
(high time)
down to someone 
(down on someone)
down to the ground
(down to earth)
down under 
(down below)
down under world 
(lower world)
drag one’s foot
(drag one’s feet)
draw in one’s horns 
(draw in one’s
claws)
draw off
(draw away)
draw someone’s attention
(attract
someone’s attention)
draw the curtain on something 
(bring
down the curtain on something )
draw the line under something 
(draw
the line at something )
draw the short straw 
(get the short end
of the stick)
dreamy air
(dreamlike air)
dress someone up 
(dress someone down)
dressed up
(all dressed up)
drink hard liquor 
(drink hard)
drive one’s pigs to market 
(bring one’s
pigs to a bad market)
drive someone up the wall 
(drive
someone to the wall)
driver’s permit 
(driver’s license)
drop a brick 
(drop the ball)
drop behind
(drop back)
drop bombs
(drop a bomb)
drop-dead 
(drop dead)
drop from heaven
(be in heaven)
drop from the clouds
(be in the clouds)
drop names
(call names)
drop on someone
(drop in on someone)
drop one’s bundle 
(drop a bundle)
drop someone a line 
(give someone a
line)
drop the flag
(dip the flag )
dry bread
(dried bread)
dry run 
(go dry)
duck soup 
(chicken soup)
duck’s dinner 
(dog’s dinner)
due to something (due for something )
dumb as a stump 
(dumb as a fox)
dust devil
(devil’s dust)
dustbin
(dust bowl)
dustpan 
(dust bowl)
Dutch auction 
(Chinese auction)
duty call 
(call of duty)
dying wish
(death-wish)
each one 
(each and every one)
early man 
(early bird)
early on 
(earlier on)
East Indian 
(East Indiaman)
easy game 
(child’s game)
easy money 
(soft currency)
easy on someone
(easy about someone)
eat away from home
(eat away)
eat away something 
(eat away at some-
thing )
eat crow 
(crow eater)
eat dirt
(eat a peck of dirt)
eat out 
(eat away)
eat out of something 
(eat off some-
thing )
eat someone out of house and home
(eat someone out)
eat someone up
(eat someone alive)
eat someone’s head off 
(eat one’s head
off )
eat your heart out 
(eat one’s heart out)
economical system
(economic system)
electric motor car 
(electric car)
embark on something
(embark for
something )
embarrassed with something
(embar-
rassed at something )
Empire State of the South, the
(Empire State, the)
employment office
(employment agency)
end for end 
(end to end)
end of the land
(end of the earth)
end up with something 
(end up in
something )
end with something
(end in something )
enemy of the people
(enemy of
mankind)
engage with something 
(engage in
something )
engaged with someone
(engaged to
someone)
English Achilles, the
(Achilles of
England, the)
enlarge on something 
(enlarge into
something )
enough to make a cat speak
(enough
to make a cat laugh)
enter into religion 
(get religion)
enter something
(enter into something )
enter upon something 
(enter for some-
thing )
entrances and exits 
(comings and
goings)
equal with something
(equal to some-
thing )
equate something with something
(equate something to something )
escape prison
(escape from prison)
evade arrest 
(avoid arrest)
Eve with a moldy lid 
(Eve with a lid
on)
evening gown 
(evening dress)
every dog has its day
(every cloud has a
silver lining )
every man for himself 
(each to his
own)
every man is a king in his own house
(every man is a king )
every now and again 
(again and again)
every Tom, Dick and Harry 
(every
man Jack)
every way
(either way)
everyday 
(every day)
everyone
(every one)
evidence of something
(evidence for
something )
except something 
(except for some-
thing )
exchange words with someone
(exchange a few words with someone)
excuse someone from something
(excuse someone for something )
expand upon something
(expand into
something )
experience of something 
(experience in
something )
experiment with something
(experi-
ment on something )
expert in something
(expert at some-
thing )
extravagant with something
(extrava-
gant in something )
eye language
(eye dialect)
eye-shade
(eye shadow)
face up to someone 
(face someone down)
fact of the matter is, the
(as a matter
of fact)
facts of life
(fact of life)
faint from something
(faint at some-
thing )
fair copy
(correct copy)
fair of someone
(fair for someone)
fair play
(fair game)
fairy lamp 
(fairy lantern)
fall back on something 
(fall behind in
something )
fall behind
(fall back)