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

fall behind on something
(fall behind
in something )
fall down
(drop down)
fall in
(drop in)
fall in with something
(fall in for
something )
fall into someone’s hands
(fall into
someone’s arms)
fall off
(drop off )
fall off one’s perch
(come off one’s
perch)
fall off the turnip truck 
(fall off a
truck)
fall off the wagon
(fall off a truck)
fall on someone
(drop in on someone)
fall on someone’s ears
(fall about
someone’s ears)
fall out
(drop out)
fall outside something 
(fall out of
something )
fall short of the mark
(be beside the
mark)
fall through 
(fall through the cracks)
fall through the floor 
(fall through the
cracks)
fall to the ground 
(drop from the skies)
fall under something 
(fall below some-
thing )
fallen man 
(fall guy)
fallout 
(dropout)
familiar with someone
(familiar to
someone)
– 349 –
Phrase Index

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famous last words 
(last word, the)
fancy Dan 
(fancy man)
fantasy man
(fancy man)
far and wide
(far and away)
far-off day
(day off )
farewell 
(fare well)
fast track 
(fast lane)
fat is in the fire, the 
(bun is in the
oven, the)
fateful accident 
(fatal accident)
father-in-church
(father of the chapel)
feather-bedding
(feather bed)
feed on something 
(feed off something )
feed someone with something
(feed
someone on something )
feed the chicken 
(chicken feed)
feed the chicks
(chicken feed)
feed the fishes 
(feed the fish)
feed the goldfish
(feed the fish)
feed the kitty
(feed one’s pussy)
feel faint from something
(feel faint at
something )
feel for something 
(have a feel for some-
thing )
feel one’s old self again 
(feel like a new
man)
feel strongly
(feel strong )
feel the draft
(feel a draft)
feel the pulse of something
(feel some-
thing on the pulse)
feel uneasy at something
(feel uneasy
about something )
feel up to doing something 
(feel like
doing something )
feel well
(feel good)
Festival of Lights, the
(Festival of
Lanterns, the)
fiddle about 
(be on the fiddle)
field telegraph
(bush telegraph)
fifth quarter 
(fifth wheel)
fight over something
(fight for some-
thing )
figure on something
(figure in some-
thing )
figure someone out
(figure someone
in)
fill one’s boots 
(be too big for one’s
boots)
fill someone in
(fill in for someone)
fill someone’s shoes
(be in someone’s
shoes)
find one’s legs 
(not have a leg to stand
on)
fine as fivepence
(fine as a fiddle)
finish off something 
(finish off with
something )
finish with something
(finish off with
something )
finishing school
(higher school)
fire back
(back-fire)
fire office
(fire department)
fire someone up 
(fire someone)
fire-water
(sea-fire)
fireboat
(fire ship)
firefighting
(fire fight)
firing-iron
(fire-irons)
first floor 
(US) (first floor [UK])
first-generation Americans 
(first
Americans)
first of all 
(at first)
first or last
(first and last)
first time round 
(first time)
first woman, the
(first lady, the)
fish in murky waters
(be in murky
waters)
fishy story
(fish story)
fit someone in 
(fit in with someone)
fit to be tied
(fit to be hung )
fit to kill 
(fit to be hung )
fix is in, the 
(be in a fix)
fix someone up with someone 
(fix it
up with someone)
fix someone with something 
(fix some-
one up with something )
flapjack 
(US) (flapjack [UK])
flashlight
(flashing light)
flea-bitten 
(flea bite)
fling something off
(fling something
away)
flog the clock 
(beat the clock)
floor woman 
(floor girl)
Flowery Nation
(Flowery Land)
fly low 
(fly high)
fly on the wheel 
(break a fly upon the
wheel)
fly one’s kite high
(be high as a kite)
fly-sheet 
(fly paper)
fly the wrong flag 
(fly the flag )
flying boat 
(fly boat)
flying camp
(fly camp)
flying deck
(flight deck)
flying fish
(flyfish)
flying mare
(flying horse)
Flying Scotchman, the
(Flying Dutch-
man, the)
flying sea-horse 
(flying horse)
flying squadron
(flying squad)
flyman
(flyboy)
flyweight
(flying weight)
fold one’s hands
(fold one’s arms)
follow up with something 
(follow
through with something )
foot-dragging
(drag one’s feet)
foot it (get cold feet)
for good 
(for the good)
for good effect 
(for effect)
for kicks
(for a kick-off )
for my money 
(for money)
for now 
(as of now)
for one thing
(for one)
for one’s life
(for life)
for quite a bit
(for a bit)
for security
(as security)
for show
(in show)
for the first time 
(first time)
for the future 
(in future)
for the moment
(for a moment)
for the present
(at present)
for the world
(for all the world)
for this once
(for once)
for what it’s worth 
(for all it’s worth)
forget it
(don’t you forget it)
forget to do something 
(forget doing
something )
fortunate man 
(gentleman of fortune)
foul mouth 
(bad mouth)
four-by-four 
(five-by-five)
foxy man 
(foxy lady)
free-handed 
(have a free hand)
free of something 
(free in something )
free trip
(free ride)
free with something
(free in some-
thing )
freehand 
(have a free hand)
freeze on to someone 
(freeze someone
out)
fresh as a rose
(fresh as a daisy)
fresh blood 
(bad blood)
friend of the court
(friend at court)
from A to Z
(from A to B)
from China to Peru
(from Dan to
Beersheba)
from end to end 
(end to end)
from first to last
(first and last)
from head to foot 
(from nose to tail)
from Land’s end to John o’ Groat’s
(from Dan to Beersheba)
from mouth to mouth 
(from hand to
mouth)
from space to space
(from out to out)
from the first 
(at first)
from the ground up
(from the bottom
up)
from the top
(from the floor)
from the zenith to the nadir 
(from top
to bottom)
from top to toe
(from top to bottom)
front runner 
(front man)
frontsman
(front man)
frown on something (frown at some-
thing )
full stop 
(US) (full stop [UK])
full time
(at full time)
fur-lined coat 
(fur coat)
fuss over someone 
(fuss at someone)
fuss someone out 
(fuss someone)
gain ground with someone
(gain
ground on someone)
gain on something
(gain in something )
gain one’s point
(gain a point)
gamble in something
(gamble at some-
thing )
gamble with something 
(gamble at
something )
gatekeeper 
(door holder)
gay as a lark 
(gay as a goose)
Gem State, the 
(Diamond State, the)
General Certificate of Secondary
Education
(General Certificate of
Education)
general knowledge
(common knowl-
edge)
General of the Army
(General of the
Armies)
Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod
(Gentleman Usher)
German Cicero, the
(Cicero of Ger-
many, the)
get a fix on something 
(get a fix of
something )
get a good run for one’s money 
(get a
good bang for one’s buck)
get a grasp of something 
(get a grip on
something )
get a hand with something
(get a hand
for something )
Phrase Index
–
350 –

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get a handle on something 
(fly off the
handle)
get a head start 
(get a start)
get a kick in the teeth
(get a kick)
get a lift 
(get a raise)
get a load on
(get a load of some-
thing )
get a rise 
(get a raise)
get a rush on something 
(get a rush
from something )
get a ticket 
(get one’s ticket)
get across someone
(come across some-
one)
get an even break
(break even)
get an eyeball on someone
(eyeball
someone)
get around to something 
(get around
something )
get away from it all
(end it all)
get away with it 
(get on with it)
get back to someone
(get back at some-
one)
get by with something 
(get by on some-
thing )
get caught up on something 
(get
caught doing something )
get credit
(gain credit)
get full marks in something 
(get full
marks for something )
get hot under the collar
(get hot and
bothered)