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

boil the ocean 
(burn the water)
boil up 
(boil down)
bold as an Essex lion 
(bold as a lion)
bold as brass
(bold as a lion)
bona fides
(bona fide)
boob tube 
(US) (boob tube [UK])
book-keeper
(book-holder)
book someone 
(book someone in)
booking agent
(book agent)
books of the Four Kings, the
(Books
of Kings, the)
border something 
(border on something )
bother oneself about someone
(be
bothered about someone)
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Phrase Index

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bother with something 
(bother about
something )
bottom of the line 
(bottom line)
bottoms up
(bottom up)
bound up with something
(bound up
in something )
bow out
(bow oneself out)
Boxing Day
(Box Day)
boys in blue 
(blue boys)
boy’s toy 
(boy toy)
boys will be boys 
(boy, oh boy)
brain someone 
(pick someone’s brains)
branch out 
(branch off )
branding iron
(brand-iron)
brave new world, the 
(New World,
the)
breach of arrestment 
(breach of arrest)
break into a house 
(be housebroken)
break it up
(break it down)
break off 
(break away)
break off an agreement
(break an
agreement)
break out 
(break away)
break out of camp 
(break camp)
break something off 
(break something
away)
break something out 
(break something
away)
break something up 
(break something
down)
break the bank 
(break into a bank)
break the silence
(break one’s silence)
break up 
(break down)
break wind
(break the wind)
bridal party
(bridal banquet)
bright as a new pin
(bright as a but-
ton)
bright as a two-watt bulb 
(bright as a
button)
bright-eyed and bushy-tailed
(bright
in the eye)
bring home the silver 
(bring home the
bacon)
bring one’s pigs to a fine market
(bring one’s pigs to a bad market)
bring someone back out 
(bring some-
one back)
bring someone down a peg 
(bring
someone down)
bring someone to book
(book someone
in)
bring someone to grass 
(lay someone out
in lavender)
bring someone to oneself
(put someone
out of oneself )
bring someone to the ground
(bring
someone down to earth)
bring someone under one’s control
(bring someone under control)
bring someone up short
(bring some-
one up)
bring something out of someone
(bring something out in someone)
bring something to a head 
(bring one’s
mind to something )
bring something to mind
(bring one’s
mind to something )
bring something to pass
(bring some-
thing to a pretty pass)
bring something to the boil 
(boil some-
thing down)
British Isles, the 
(Great Britain)
broken-down car
(breakdown car)
broken time
(break time)
broken-winded 
(break the wind)
buddy up with someone
(buddy up to
someone)
build up to something
(build up some-
thing )
bull market 
(bear market)
bully someone 
(bully for someone)
bum rush something 
(give someone a
rush)
bumboat man 
(boat man)
burn bridges with someone 
(build
bridges with someone)
burn out
(burn away)
burn someone 
(fire someone)
burn someone at the stake 
(build a fire
under someone)
burn someone out 
(burn someone down)
burn someone up 
(burn someone down)
burn up
(burn down)
burst the boiler
(blow one’s boiler)
Bushboy
(bush baby)
Bushman
(Bush Negro)
busman
(bus boy)
bust someone’s balls 
(bust one’s balls)
busy as a beehive
(busy as a bee)
butter one’s bread on both sides
(burn the candle at both ends)
buy someone out
(buy someone off )
by any means 
(by all means)
by chance
(by any chance)
by halves
(by half )
by rule and line
(by rule)
by the by 
(by and by)
by the day 
(by day)
by the hour 
(by the clock)
by the skin of one’s teeth 
(by the seat
of one’s pants)
by the time 
(by the clock)
calf-lick
(cat’s lick)
call box 
(US) (call box [UK])
call-button girl
(call girl)
call man 
(call boy)
call of the wild 
(call of nature)
call on someone
(call in on someone)
call shotgun 
(call one’s shots)
call someone into question 
(put a ques-
tion to someone)
call someone up 
(call someone down)
call someone’s attention 
(call someone
to attention)
call something down to someone
(call
something down on someone)
call something into question
(bring
something into question)
call the question
(bring something into
question)
call the shots
(call one’s shots)
called within the Bar 
(called to the
Bar)
candy striper
(candy stripe)
care for something 
(care about some-
thing )
career woman
(career man)
careers teacher
(career teacher)
caregiver 
(care-taker)
careless with something
(careless of
something )
carry coals to Newcastle 
(carry coals)
carry-on 
(US) (carry-on [UK])
carry on like a pork chop 
(pork chop)
carry on with someone 
(carry on at
someone)
carry the ball 
(drop the ball)
carry the load
(carry a load)
carry the torch 
(carry light)
carry weight
(carry one’s weight)
cash in one’s chips 
(call in one’s chips)
cash in something
(cash in on some-
thing )
cast a shadow over something
(cast a
long shadow over something )
cast its skin 
(jump out of one’s skin)
cast one’s mind back to something
(be at the back of one’s mind)
cast someone out
(cast someone off )
cast something into the shade 
(cast a
shade over something )
casualty ward 
(casual ward)
cat house 
(dog-house)
cat-lick 
(cat’s lick)
catch an eel by the tail 
(catch a tiger by
the tail)
catch on with someone
(catch on to
someone)
catch someone dead 
(catch one’s death)
catch someone on the hop 
(be on the
hop)
catch someone up on something
(catch someone up in something )
catch someone with his pants down
(keep one’s pants on)
catch someone’s look 
(catch someone’s
eye)
catch the eye
(catch a look)
catch up to something 
(catch on to
something )
catch up with someone
(catch up on
someone)
catch up with something (catch up on
something )
cat’s whiskers
(cat’s whisker)
cause of something
(cause for some-
thing )
c’est la guerre 
(à la guerre comme à la
guerre)
chair warmer 
(bench warmer)
chairman of the boards 
(chairman of
the board)
chalk one up for someone 
(chalk it up
to someone)
challenge someone to something
(challenge someone on something )
chance something
(chance on some-
thing )
change something to something
(change something for something )
change the scenes
(change the scene)
changes of life
(change of life)
Channel Islands, the 
(US) (Channel
Islands, the [UK])
charge like a wounded bull 
(charge
like a bull at a gate)
Phrase Index
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346 –

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charge someone up for something
(charge someone for something )
charge someone with something
(charge someone for something )
charge something up to someone
(charge something down to someone)
check something 
(check on something )
check up on someone 
(check someone
up)
chessman
(chess player)
chew the cheese 
(chew the cud)
chew the fat
(chew the cud)
chief cook and bottle washer 
(butcher,
baker, candlestick maker)
child of God 
(babe in Christ)
childlike behavior 
(childish behavior)
child’s play
(child’s game)
Chinese restaurant syndrome
(China
syndrome)
chosen people 
(chosen few)
Cicero of the British Senate, the
(British Cicero, the)
citizen of the world 
(man of the world)
City Editor 
(US) (City Editor [UK])
city man 
(City man)
City of God 
(City of Angels)
City of Saints
(City of Angels)
clasp one’s hands
(clasp hands)
classical play 
(classic play)
clean as a whistle 
(clean as a new pin)
clean-handed
(clean-fingered)
clean someone’s clock 
(stop someone’s
clock)
clean up on someone 
(clean someone
out)
cleanly animals 
(clean animals)
clear a ship for action
(clear a ship)
clear as a bell 
(clear as crystal)
clear as mud 
(clear as crystal)
clear off 
(clear away)
clear something out 
(clear something
off )
clear the land
(clear land)
clever with something
(clever at some-
thing )
climactic period 
(climacteric period)
clip the King’s English 
(clip one’s
words)