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

Note: 
The expression does not correlate in meaning with the
phrase lay down the law— assert smth. positively; state or declare
smth. firmly: The new basketball coach can recruit, teach and
lay down the law, when necessary.
take the law into one’s own hands —get justice in one’s own
way, without involving the police: These men took the law
into their own hands. They killed a score of men who, they
said, were outlaws of various kinds.
be a little short of something • be little short of
something
be a little short of something —just barely fail to have the re-
quired amount of smth.: Mr. Rhodes was prevented from sail-
ing for Europe owing to the fact that he was a little short of
passage money.
be little short of something —(also: be nothing short of some-
thing ) be the same as smth.; be nothing less than smth.: A
mere look was enough to provoke him to anger that was little
short of madness.
be a long day coming • it’s going to be a long day
be a long day coming— said of smth. that has taken long to
materialize: The team’s achieving success by winning the di-
vision title has been a long day coming.
it’s going to be a long day —
1
. said of a day perceived as long
and boring: With nothing else to be done, and Steve’s not ar-
riving before seven, it was going to be a long day. 2. said of a
day that is going to be full of troubles: Jack overslept and was
stalled in a traffic jam. By the time he arrived at the office, he
knew it was going to be a long day.
be a man of character • be quite the character
be a man of character —be a man of good repute: He was a
man of character. He performed more acts of charity and kind-
ness than any of us will ever know of.
be quite the character —used as a mild form of reproof or
humorous admiration for a person showing independence in
thoughts or actions: She is quite the character and always
speaks her mind.