Idioms for daily use (C)

Call it a day
If you call it a day, you stop doing something for a while, normally at least until
the following day.
 

Call on the carpet
If you are called on the carpet, you are summoned for a reprimand by superiors
or others in power.
 

Call the dogs off
If someone calls off their dogs, they stop attacking or criticising someone.
 

Call the shots
If you call the shots, you are in charge and tell people what to do.
 

Call the tune
The person who calls the tune makes the important decisions about something.
 

Calm before the storm
A calm time immediately before period of violent activity or argument is the calm
before the storm.
 

Can of worms
If an action can create serious problems, it is opening a can of worms.
 

Can't dance and it's too wet to plow
(USA) When you can't dance and it's too wet to plow, you may as well do
something because you can't or don't have the opportunity to do anything else.
 

Can't do it for toffee
If you can't so something for toffee, you are incapable of doing something
properly or to any sort of standard.
 

Can't hack it
Unable to perform an act, duty, job etc. (example: I have to quit my job as a
computer technician; I just can't hack it.)
 

Can't hold a candle
If something can't hold a candle to something else, it is much worse.
 

Can't see the forest for its trees
If someone can't see the forest for its trees, they are too focused on specific
details to see the picture as a whole.
 

Canary in a coal mine
(UK) A canary in a coal mine is an early warning of danger.
 

Card up your sleeve
If you have a card up your sleeve, you have a surprise plan or idea that you are
keeping back until the time is right.

Chalk and cheese
Things, or people, that are like chalk and cheese are very different and have
nothing in common.
 

Champ at the bit
If someone is champing at the bit, they are very eager to accomplish something.
('Chomping at the bit' is also used.)
 

Champagne taste on a beer budget
Someone who lives above their means and likes things they cannot afford has
champagne taste on a beer budget.
 

Change horses in midstream
If people change horses in midstream, they change plans or leaders when they
are in the middle of something, even though it may be very risky to do so.
 

Change of heart
If you change the way you think or feel about something, you have a change of
heart.
 

Change tack
If you change tack, you use a different method for dealing with something.
 

Change your tune
If someone changes their ideas or the way they talk about them, they change
their tune.
 

Chaps my ass
When something/someone really annoys you, it chaps your ass.
 

Chapter and verse
When you know something very well, and can quote it, you know it chapter and
verse.
 

Charity begins at home
This idiom means that family members are more important than anyone else,
and should be the focus of a person's efforts.
 

Chase rainbows
If someone chases rainbows, they try to do something that they will never
achieve.
 

Chase your tail
If you are chasing your tail, you are very busy but not being very productive.
 

Cheap as chips
(UK) If something is very inexpensive, it is as cheap as chips.
Cheap at half the price
If something's cheap at half the price, it's very cheap indeed.
 

Cheap shot
A cheap shot is an unprincipled criticism.
 

Cheat death
If someone cheats death, they narrowly avoid a major problem or accident.
 

Cheek by jowl
If things or people are cheek by jowl, they are very close together.
 

Cherry pick
If people cherry pick, they choose things that support their position, while
ignoring things that contradict it.

Come to call
If someone comes to call, they respond to an order or summons directly.
 

Come to grips
If you come to grips with a problem or issue, you face up to it and deal with it.
 

Come to heel
If someone comes to heel, they stop behaving in a way that is annoying to
someone in authority and start being obedient.
 

Come up roses
If things come up roses, they produce a positive result, especially when things
seemed to be going badly at first.
 

Come up smelling of roses
(UK) If someone comes up smelling of roses, they emerge from a situation with
their reputation undamaged.
 

Come up trumps
When someone is said to have 'come up trumps', they have completed an activity
successfully or produced a good result, especially when they were not expected
to.
 

Come what may
If you're prepared to do something come what may, it means that nothing will
stop or distract you, no matter how hard or difficult it becomes.
 

Come with the territory
If something comes with the territory, it is part of a job or responsibility and just
has to be accepted, even if unpleasant.
 

Comes with the territory
If something comes with the territory, especially when undesirable, it is
automatically included with something else, like a job, responsibility, etc.('Goes
with the territory' is also used.)
 

Comfort zone
It is the temperature range in which the body doesn't shiver or sweat, but has an
idiomatic sense of a place where people feel comfortable, where they can avoid
the worries of the world. It can be physical or mental.
 

Connect the dots
When you connect the dots, you understand the connections and relationships.
 

Constitution of an ox
If someone has the constitution of an ox, they are less affected than most people
by things like tiredness, illness, alcohol, etc.
 

Cook someone's goose
If you cook someone's goose, you ruin their plans.
 

Cook the books
If people cook the books, they keep false accounts to make money illegally or
avoid paying tax.
 

Cook up a storm
If someone cooks up a storm, they cause a big fuss or generate a lot of talk
about something.