Learn to protect yourself and others from perilous situations by mastering idioms related to danger and risk.
9 topics155 words
Cautiousness16 words
to [throw|cast|fling] caution to the [wind]phraseto start acting in a risky way without caring about its consequences
easy does itsentenceused to advise someone to proceed with caution or be careful with something
to [look] before {sb} [leap]phraseto consider all the possible outcomes of one's action before doing it
on the lookout for {sb/sth}phraseconstantly paying attention to a person or thing to prevent a problem, danger, etc.
to [play] (it|) safephraseto act in a careful manner to prevent any possible risks from happening
to [keep|have] (all|) {one's} wits about {sb}phraseto be prepared to handle things properly in case of danger or unpleasant events
to [walk|be] on eggshellsphraseto be extra cautious about how one behaves or talks to avoid making someone offended or upset
to [keep] an eye on {sb/sth}phraseto closely watch a person or thing, particularly in order to make sure they are safe
to [keep] {sb} on {one's} toesphraseto make a person be constantly worried about or ready for any possible danger or threat
to [tiptoe] around {sth}phraseto decide not to deal with a problem directly out of the fear that it may make things worse
to [tiptoe] around {sb}phraseto pay close attention to how to talk to someone or behave toward them because they can become offended or upset easily
to [drop] {sb/sth} like a hot (potato|brick)phraseto stop being involved with a person or thing that might cause problems for one
to [kick] the tiresphraseto closely examine or assess the condition of something, particularly a vehicle or machinery
to [hedge] {one's} betsphraseto support both sides in a competition or conflict in order to protect oneself against loss
on noticephraseused to indicate that someone has been warned or informed about something
eagle eyenounan observation that is done very carefully
Posing a Risk19 words
to [walk|tread] a tightropephraseto be in a situation where one has to be careful about every decision they make because even one mistake can pose a great risk
a roll of the dicephraseused for referring to a risky action that may fail or succeed
house of cardsphrasea situation, plan, system, etc. that is not stable enough to continue succeeding and can easily fail or get out of control
thrills and (spills|chills)phrasethe kind of excitement that comes from engaging in activities that are dangerous
dangerous (ground|territory)phrasea situation in which someone's words or actions must be chosen carefully or else they may cause serious problems
to [hang] by a (thread|hair)phraseto be in a state or situation so critical that even a minor mistake can lead to a failure or disaster
on a razor's edgephrasein a very critical situation where the outcome is uncertain and any sort of mistake can lead to serious consequences
on a knife-edgephrasein a very dangerous or difficult situation in which a small change can lead to a failure
bear gardennouna place or situation marked by confusion or chaos
to [lie] in waitphraseto secretly wait for the right time to catch or attack an enemy or prey
leap of faithphrasean action that involves taking the risk to believe or trust something that may not be true or reliable
to [lay] {sth} on the linephraseto put something valuable or important at risk, often with the intention of assisting or helping someone
to [run] the risk of {sth}phraseto be in or to get oneself into a situation that may result in an unpleasant or dangerous outcome
in harm's wayphrasein a situation where there is potential danger or risk to one's safety or well-being
to [swim] with sharksphraseto be involved with very dangerous or cunning people
to [spell] disasterphraseto predict a severe, harmful or catastrophic event or outcome
in the fast lanephrasein a way that involves danger yet is full of excitement and adventure
touch and gophraseinvolving risk and uncertainty
lie in waitphraseto secretly wait for the right time to catch or attack an enemy or prey
Out of Danger17 words
close shavenounused for referring to a situation in which something dangerous is avoided just before it is too late for it to happen
to [get] out of Dodgephraseto hastily leave a place, usually because of a possible danger or threat
(as|) safe as housesphrasenot causing or involving any danger at all
to [save] {one's} [skin|neck|hide|bacon]phraseto help a person get out of a situation that involves danger or difficulty
on the safe sidephraseas carefully as possible in order to avoid any risk
to [make|beat] a (hasty|) retreatphraseto escape or withdraw from a situation that is dangerous or unpleasant
to [be] out of the woodsphraseto be out of a situation that is full of danger, trouble, or hardship
to [save] {sb} by the bellphraseto unexpectedly provide someone with help when they face a danger or difficulty
in (good|safe) handsphrasein the process of being taken care of or dealt with by someone who has the skill or experience
to [dodge] a bulletphraseto narrowly avoid a dangerous or undesirable situation
the coast [is] clearsentenceused to say that everything is safe and someone can proceed to do something
to [live] to tell the talephraseto survive a danger or difficulty and be able to tell others about it
out of harm's wayphrasein a place or position that is safe from danger or damage
to [keep|hold] {sb/sth} at bayphraseto maintain control or prevent someone or something from advancing, causing harm, or becoming a threat
close callnouna situation where one avoids a danger just before it is too late
off the hookphraseno longer facing a difficulty, danger, or punishment
in good handsphraseused when a person or thing is being looked after by a trustworthy and capable individual
Taking Too Much Risk14 words
too (close|near) for comfortphrasein a distance so short that may cause danger, problems, or annoyance
to do or diephraseto put in great effort and take great risks to succeed or to fail trying
to [go] for brokephraseto put everything at risk in order to achieve a particular goal
out on a limbphrasein a situation that involves a lot of risk and little support or evidence, especially one that arouses negative reactions in others
to [risk|sacrifice] life and limbphraseto do something that has the risk of death or serious injury
to [stick] {one's} neck outphraseto say or do a thing that can put one in trouble or danger
to [walk|skate|tread] on thin icephraseto be doing something that may get one into serious trouble or danger at any moment
to [take] {one's} [life] into {one's} (own|) handsphraseto do something so risky that a person may lose their life because of it
at {one's} own riskphraseby accepting the responsibility for all potential dangers and risks involved
to [up|raise] the antephraseto increase the price of something
to [lay] down {one's} [life]phraseto sacrifice one's life so that someone or something can continue to exist
to [dice] with deathphraseto take great risks that could result in one's own death
to [tempt] (fate|providence)phraseto push the limits of safety or good fortune by doing something that may result in harm or disaster
up the antephraseto add to the risks or demands of a competition, dispute, etc. that will lead to either more benefits or losses
Danger & Threat13 words
to [set|sound|ring] (the|) alarm bellsphraseto cause fear or concern by showing a warning sign
all hell [break] (loose|out)phraseused when a situation suddenly becomes very intense or chaotic
to [bring] {sth} to a headphraseto worsen a situation to a point that it requires immediate action
to [come] to a headphraseto become very dangerous or problematic in a way that demands immediate action
on the hookphraseused to refer to a situation in which someone is forced or committed to fulfill a responsibility, often due to prior agreements or expectations
to [sleep] with the fishesphraseto be killed or dead, typically conveying the body has been disposed of by being thrown into water
to [burn] {sth} to a (crisp|cinder)phraseto cause significant damage or destruction to something by subjecting it to intense heat or fire
in {one's} crosshairsphraseused to describe people who are easily targeted for criticism or are attracting significant negative attention
on the linephraseused when someone or something is subjected to a serious threat or danger
on the rocksphrase(in reference to a business or relationship) in a difficult or troubled state, and may be at risk of falling apart
burn something to a crispphraseto cause significant damage or destruction to something by subjecting it to intense heat or fire
or elsephraseused to threaten someone or seriously warn them
in one's crosshairsphraseused to refer to someone who is being targeted by another person or thing for a specific action, often with the intent to catch, arrest, stop, or harm
Asking for Trouble11 words
to [bell] the catphraseto be the one who shows courage and does something risky that benefits all members of a group
(leap|jump) in the darkphrasea risk or brave act taken without considering the consequences
to [push] {one's} luckphraseto continue to take risks because one has not faced any consequences so far
to [sail] close to the windphraseto do something that is dangerous, improper, or possibly illegal
a mug's gamephrasean action that is not beneficial to one in any way
to [roll] the dicephraseto rely on chance in doing something
to [play] with firephraseto do something dangerous, risky, or foolish
to [have] a death wishphraseto behave in a way that is risky, dangerous, or reckless
to [ask] for troublephraseto do something that is very likely to result in trouble or difficulty
to [be] cruising for a bruisingphraseto knowingly do what can get one into trouble
to [live] on the edgephraseto have a life that involves one facing a lot of danger and taking great risks
Conflict & War16 words
to [hit] the dirtphraseto suddenly fall on the ground, often as a way of avoiding danger
armed to the teethphraseequipped with several weapons
to [bust] a capphraseto shoot bullets from a gun
eat (hot|my|) leadsentencesaid to an enemy before shooting them dead with a gun
sitting ducknounsomeone or something that lacks enough defense or protection and is easy to be targeted
on the offensivephrasein the position or state of readiness for answering any attack or criticism
late unpleasantnessnounused for referring to a recent war or conflict
to [put] {sb} to the swordphraseto use a sword in order to murder or execute someone
to [die] with {one's} boots onphraseto die while actively engaged in one's work, often in a heroic or dedicated manner
to [blow] {one's} brains outphraseto become really annoyance to the point where one might do something stupid to get rid he anger or frustration
to [let] loose {sth}phraseto discharge a large number of bullets or explosives
to [stand] at bayphraseto fight one's enemies or attackers that pursue one
to [duke] it outphraseto argue or fight until a disagreement is resolved
red zonenounan area that is dangerous or not allowed for people to use for a particular purpose
blow one's brains outphraseto shoot someone in their head and kill them
duke it outphraseto engage in a physical fight, typically using one's fists
Violence24 words
to [beat|bash] {one's} brains (in|out)phraseto hit a person in the head so much that they die or get seriously injured
to [take] {sb} for a ridephraseto deliberately kill a person
to [lay] a (finger|hand) on {sb/sth}phraseto try to hurt a person physically or damage something in any slight way
knuckle sandwichnounused to refer to a punch that is hit in a person's mouth
to [knock] {one's} block offphraseto severely beat someone, often said as a threat
to [have] a gophraseto make an attempt to achieve or do something
to [clean] {one's} clockphraseto defeat someone soundly or thoroughly in a competition or argument, often with the implication that the opponent had no chance of winning
to [beat] {sb} to a pulpphraseto keep hitting a person to the point of severe injury
to [beat] the (pants|socks) off {sb}phraseto easily win over an opponent or badly defeat them in a competition or contest
to [whale] on {sb/sth}phraseto violently or forcefully hit a person or thing many times
to [trade] punchesphrase(of people) to use their fists in order to hit each other during a fight or competition
to [come] to blowsphrase(of two or more people) to get into a serious verbal argument or begin attacking each other physically because of a prior disagreement
to [make] mincemeat (out|) of {sb/sth}phraseto completely defeat or win against someone or something in a convincing and overwhelming manner, whether it be in a competition, argument, game, or other activity
to [beat|knock] the (living|) daylights out of {sb}phraseto thoroughly beat someone, particularly in a contest
to [lay] a glove on {sb/sth}phraseto physically hit someone, particularly while wearing boxing gloves
to [be] in the warsphraseto sustain injuries as the result of an accident or fight
take somebody for a ridephraseto deliberately kill a person
have a gophraseto attack a person or place in order to kill or destroy them
clean one's clockphraseto hit a person harshly during a fight or conflict
whale on somebody or somethingphraseto violently or forcefully hit a person or thing many times
trade punchesphrase(of people) to use their fists in order to hit each other during a fight or competition
make mincemeat (out) of somebody or somethingphraseto strongly beat and overcome someone or something through physical force
beat the (living) daylights out of somebodyphraseto physically attack someone with a great deal of force, causing them harm or injury
lay a glove on somebody or somethingphraseto physically hit someone, particularly while wearing boxing gloves
Death25 words
to [bite] the dustphraseto die or no longer exist
to [kick] the bucketphraseto die, used humorously
(as|) dead as a dodophrase(of a person, animal, or plant) certainly not alive or in existence any longer
(as|) dead as a (doornail|herring)phrasedead without a doubt
(as|) dead as muttonphraseundoubtedly no longer alive or in existence
to [buy] the farmphraseto cease to be alive
to [die] in harnessphraseto die before a person retires from their job
to [give] up the ghostphraseto put an stop to an activity one knows has very little or no chance of achieving success
one foot in the gravephrasethe state of being close to death due to old age or a fatal sickness
to [lay] {sb} to restphraseto put the body of a person who has died in a tomb or grave during a funeral
to [meet] {one's} Makerphraseto die, used in a humorous way
to [put] {one's} affairs in orderphraseto complete one's unfinished business, such as clearing debts, etc., especially because one is about to die
get {one's} ticket punchedsentenceto lose one's life
to [be] done forphraseto be certain to fail because of being in an awful situation
at death's doorphraseused to describe someone who is about to die
to [live] on borrowed timephraseto be expected to die soon because of a serious illness, terrible accident, etc.
to [drop|fall|die] like fliesphrase(of a large number of people or animals) to die or get sick rapidly
to [cash] in {one's} chipsphraseto die, often after a long life or struggle
to [pop] {one's} clogsphraseto stop being alive
to [be] pushing up (the|) daisiesphraseto no longer be alive
bite the dustphraseto die or no longer exist
(as) dead as a dodophrase(of a person, animal, or plant) certainly not alive or in existence any longer
(as) dead as muttonphraseundoubtedly no longer alive or in existence
give up the ghostphraseto stop living
be done forphraseto be in a very dangerous situation that one may face death at any moment
Learn all 155 words in this list with spaced repetition