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

jump on someone 
(jump at someone)
jump on something
(jump at some-
thing )
jump over the wall 
(jump over the
fence)
jump someone
(give someone the
jumps)
jump the track 
(jump the traces)
junk food 
(academic junk food)
just off the boat 
(first time out of the
box)
just out of a bandbox
(first time out of
the box)
just what the doctor ordered
(doctor’s
orders)
keen on something 
(keen of something )
keep a record of something
(hold a
record for something )
keep an account 
(keep accounts)
keep an appointment
(hold an
appointment)
keep back
(hold back)
keep bad time
(keep bad hours)
keep books
(hold book)
keep good time
(keep good hours)
keep house
(keep a house)
keep in with someone
(keep in touch
with someone)
keep it up 
(keep it down)
keep on
(hold on)
keep on to someone 
(hold on to some-
one)
keep one’s chin up 
(keep one’s head)
keep one’s cool 
(cool it)
keep one’s feet on the ground 
(keep
one’s feet)
keep one’s hair on
(keep one’s hair)
keep one’s hands off (keep one’s hand
in)
keep one’s head above water 
(keep
one’s head)
keep one’s head down 
(hold one’s head
down)
keep one’s head up 
(keep one’s head)
keep one’s mind on something 
(keep
something in mind)
keep one’s seat
(keep the seat warm)
keep oneself together
(keep body and
soul together)
keep open house
(keep a house)
keep out 
(hold out)
keep out of something 
(keep away
from something )
keep shop
(keep a shop)
keep someone company
(keep company
with someone)
keep someone in the dark 
(keep oneself
dark)
keep someone on the boil 
(make some-
one’s blood boil)
keep someone out of something 
(keep
someone away from something )
keep someone to something 
(keep
someone in something )
keep someone up
(hold someone up)
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Phrase Index

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keep someone’s feet to the fire 
(build a
fire under someone)
keep something in
(hold something in)
keep something in one’s head
(keep
something in mind)
keep something off 
(keep off some-
thing )
keep something on
(hold something on)
keep something to oneself 
(keep some-
thing for oneself
keep someone under 
(keep someone
down)
keep something under one’s hat
(have
something under one’s hat)
keep something up
(hold something up)
keep straight 
(keep a straight face)
keep the balance 
(keep one’s balance)
keep the field
(hold the field)
keep the flag flying 
(fly the flag )
keep the home-fires burning 
(keep the
ball rolling )
keep the lid on someone 
(keep one’s lid
on)
keep the peace 
(keep one’s peace)
keep the pot boiling 
(keep the ball
rolling )
keep the run of something 
(have a run
of something )
keep the wolf at bay 
(keep someone at
bay)
keep track of someone 
(keep someone
on track)
keep up
(hold up)
keep up with someone
(keep in touch
with someone)
keep up with something
(keep on with
something )
keep with something
(hold with some-
thing )
key-holder
(key man)
kick something 
(kick against some-
thing )
kick up one’s heels
(kick one’s heels)
kill the rabbit 
(kill an elephant)
kill time
(kill the clock)
kill two birds with one stone
(chase
two rabbits)
killing time
(kill-time)
kind of, a 
(of a kind)
King Charles’s head 
(King Charles)
king of birds
(king bird)
king of day, the
(king for a day)
king of the sea 
(king of waters)
kinghead 
(King Charles)
king’s bird
(king bird)
kiss off 
(kiss it off )
kitchen dresser 
(dressing table)
kitchen maid 
(dinner lady)
knight of the pencil
(knight of the pen)
knock it out of the ball park 
(be out
of the ball park)
knock someone dead 
(knock oneself
dead)
knock someone down
(give someone a
knockdown)
knock someone off his feet 
(knock
someone off )
knock someone out
(knock someone
off )
knock someone up 
(US) (knock some-
one up [UK])
knock someone’s head off 
(knock
someone on the head)
knock someone’s socks off 
(beat the
socks off someone)
knock something out
(knock something
off )
knock yourself out 
(don’t knock yourself
out)
knocked out of the box 
(out of one’s
box)
know all the answers 
(know a thing or
two)
know all the tricks of the trade 
(know
a trick or two)
know better 
(know best)
know in one’s heart 
(know by heart)
know it all 
(be a know-all)
know of someone 
(know about some-
one)
know one’s own mind 
(have a mind of
one’s own)
know one’s way around 
(not know
which way to look)
know the time of day
(give someone the
time)
know which way the wind blows
(know on which side one’s bread is
buttered)
knuckle under to something 
(knuckle
down to something )
lack in something
(lack for something )
ladies’ man 
(ladies’ maid)
land in someone’s lap
(drop into some-
one’s lap)
Land of 10,000 Lakes, the 
(Great
Lakes State, the)
land of milk and honey, the 
(land of
fruit and nuts, the)
land someone with something 
(land
someone in something )
landed man 
(landed immigrant)
landman 
(water boatman)
landowner 
(landlord)
land’s end
(Land’s End, the)
landsman 
(groundsman)
language of flowers 
(flowery language)
large game 
(big game)
large shot 
(big shot)
larger than life
(large as life)
lash out on something
(lash out at
something )
last days, the
(Last Day, the)
last time 
(for the last time)
last words
(last word, the)
late in the day
(at the end of the day)
latency time 
(latency period)
latent period
(latency period)
later on in life 
(late on in life)
latest thing , the
(last thing, the)
laugh all the way to the bank
(cry all
the way to the bank)
law of the jungle 
(law of nature)
Lawful Day
(Law Day)
lay an egg
(go lay an egg )
lay cash on the line 
(lay cash on the
barrelhead)
lay challenge to something
(bring
something into challenge)
lay down the law 
(be a law unto one-
self )
lay in something 
(inlay something )
lay it on the line 
(lay cash on the bar-
relhead)
lay one’s finger on something
(lay a
finger on something )
lay one’s hands to something 
(lay one’s
hands on something )
lay out money 
(lay away money)
lay person 
(lay figure)
lay someone low 
(bring someone low)
lay someone off 
(put someone away)
lay something on the table 
(US) (lay
something on the table [UK])
lay the first stone
(cast the first stone)
lay the land 
(lay of the land)
lay weight on something
(lay a weight
on something )
lead a dog’s life
(lead a cat and dog
life)
lead the dance
(lead someone a dance)
lead up to something
(lead to some-
thing )
leader of an orchestra 
(US) (leader of
an orchestra [UK])
leading lady, the 
(first lady, the)
leaf fall 
(fall leaf )
lean towards something
(lean on some-
thing )
learn one’s lesson 
(do one’s homework)
leave school 
(finish school)
leave someone hanging 
(hang someone
out to dry)
leave someone holding the sack 
(give
someone the sack)
leave someone out 
(leave someone cold)
leave someone out in the cold
(leave
someone cold)
leave someone stew in one’s own
juice 
(leave someone stew)
leave someone the field
(leave someone
a clear field)
leave someone to it
(leave it to someone)
leave someone to oneself (leave some-
one alone)
leave something with someone
(leave
someone with something )
leave well alone
(leave alone)
lecture on something
(lecture in some-
thing )
lecture someone
(lecture at someone)
lecture to someone 
(lecture at someone)
left-handed 
(left-hand)
left-handed man 
(left-hand man)
left on the shelf 
(laid on the shelf )
left to the tender mercies of someone
(left at the mercy of someone)
leg man
(footman)
leg work 
(footwork)
lend color to something 
(off color)
lend credibility to something 
(give
credence to something )
lending library 
(US) (lending library
[UK])
let go with something
(let go of some-
thing )
Phrase Index
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358 –

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