According to Rules, Defying Norms, Justice and 9 More Topics · English Idioms: Society Law Politics

used to say that one is free from suspicion or danger of wrongdoing

"After the test, I am in the clear."

"After the police found the real thief the innocent man was finally in the clear."

used to refer to the ability of the legal system and police to enforce justice and punish criminals

"The long arm of the law caught him."

"The long arm of the law eventually caught up with the criminal after ten years."

a tough and forceful way of questioning someone in order to make them reveal information or admit to something, often using harsh methods

"Mom gave me the third degree."

"My parents gave me the third degree when I came home late asking where I had been and with whom."

used to refer to someone who is imprisoned or serving time in prison

"The criminal is behind bars."

"The criminal is behind bars and will not be able to hurt anyone else for a long time."

to be in risk of receiving punishment or getting into trouble

"You are in for trouble."

"If the teacher finds out you cheated on the exam, you are in for a very serious punishment."

strictly adhering to established rules, procedures, or standardized practices

"He always does things by the book."

"The new manager does everything by the book and never breaks any rules at work."

rules that determine what one should or should not do in a particular situation

"Read the list of dos and don'ts first."

"The trainer explained the dos and don'ts of using the new software to all the employees."

a method or principle solely based on experience, which may not be completely accurate

"It is a rule of thumb."

"As a rule of thumb, it's generally a good idea to save at least ten percent of your income."

used to describe people who are easily targeted for criticism or are attracting significant negative attention

"The senator is in our crosshairs."

"The controversial politician found himself in the media's crosshairs after the scandal broke."

used to admit that the accusations or charges against one are true

"He stood up and said, guilty as charged."

"The defendant admitted that he was guilty as charged and apologised for his crime."

used to refer to a situation in which one is taking legal action to solve a problem or crime

"The detective is on the case."

"Do not worry about the broken computer because our IT expert is on the case."

to be in risk of receiving punishment or getting into trouble

"You are in for it."

"Given your repeated violations of company policy, you are certainly in for some serious disciplinary action."

approval to begin a project

"The company gave us the green light"

"The city council gave the green light for the new housing development project."

used to describe people who are easily targeted for criticism or are attracting significant negative attention

"He is in one's crosshairs."

"The investigative journalist placed the corrupt politician squarely in her crosshairs, determined to expose his misdeeds."

a statement indicating that something is safe and free of any defects or problems

"It got a clean bill of health."

"The thorough inspection revealed the old car to be in perfect working order, earning it a clean bill of health."

to do something that is not strictly according to rules, often by making exceptions

"The coach bent the rules to help his team."

"The coach bent the rules slightly by allowing an extra player to stay on the team."

in a situation where there is clear proof of one's crime or wrongdoing

"The police caught him dead to rights."

"The police caught the thief dead to rights with all the stolen items in his bag."

a situation in which one is responsible for the death of a person

"The dictator has blood on his hands."

"The ruthless dictator had blood on his hands from ordering the deaths of innocent people."

a piece of evidence that is used to prove someone's crimes or wrong deeds

"The email was the smoking gun."

"The email was the smoking gun and proved that the executive knew about the illegal scheme."

to confront someone very powerful or dangerous in their area of control and strength, where they hold the advantage

"He bearded the lion in his den."

"The journalist decided to beard the lion in his den by interviewing the dictator face to face."

to publicly oppose a group or party that one has been a member of

"She broke ranks with them."

"The senator decided to break ranks with her party and vote against the controversial new law."

to illegally punish someone in a way that one personally thinks is right or just, often by the use of violence

"Do not take the law into your own hands."

"When the police did nothing the angry villagers took the law into their own hands."

to ignore red traffic lights and move past them

"He jumped the light yesterday."

"The driver jumped the light and nearly caused a serious accident at the busy intersection."

used to refer to a situation in which people are willing to do whatever it takes to succeed

"In business, it is the law of the jungle."

"In the business world it is often the law of the jungle where only the strongest survive."

a place in which rules and laws are not followed or obeyed

"The town was bandit territory."

"The town was bandit territory and travelers avoided the area after dark for fear of robbery."

to try to unfairly move past a group of people lining up somewhere before one's turn arrives

"Don't jump the line."

"He was so impatient that he tried to jump the line at the busy ticket counter."

used for saying that a free or unreasonably cheap product is not obtained legally

"He bought it cheap."

"The police suspected the electronics were stolen and came off the back of a truck."

an unannounced and unauthorized absence from a job, workplace, or other commitment

"He took French leave today."

"She decided to take French leave from her job without telling anyone."

to secretly put a drug in a person's drink in order to make them unconscious

"He slipped him a Mickey."

"The criminal tried to slip the guard a Mickey Finn to escape from the prison easily."

a vivid and often bizarre hallucination that a person may experience, typically as a result of heavy drinking or drug use

"He saw pink elephants after drinking."

"He saw pink elephants after drinking and hallucinated wildly before passing out."

to try to unfairly move past a group of people lining up somewhere before one's turn arrives

"Don't jump the line."

"It is considered impolite and unfair to jump the line when queuing for services."

(of a person) not attending a place one was supposed to or leaving an obligation without any notice or permission

"He is awol."

"The soldier was reported awol after failing to report for duty at the designated time."

at a time when it is illegal to hunt an animal

"It is out of season."

"Hunting the majestic stag during its breeding season is strictly prohibited and therefore out of season."

a chance or opportunity given to a person equally as others

"Give me a fair shake."

"The new employee just wants a fair shake and the opportunity to prove himself to the management team."

to receive an unfortunate consequence or punishment that one truly deserves as a result of one's wrong behavior

"It serves him right."

"He cheated on the exam and got caught, which serves him right for being so dishonest all the time."

done honestly, justly, or without disobeying any rules

"She won the game fair and square."

"He won the chess match fair and square without cheating so nobody can complain about the result."

to blame the right person or thing

"Put the saddle on him."

"Before you accuse anyone, make sure you put the saddle on the right horse."

of the same level, status, or position, without any advantage or disadvantage for one person, thing, or group over the other

"We are all on an equal footing."

"The new law puts all citizens on an equal footing regardless of their wealth or background."

to acknowledge someone's positive qualities or actions, even if that person is generally unpleasant, evil, or disliked

"Give the devil his due."

"Even though he was a difficult opponent, I have to give the devil his due for his strategic brilliance."

in a transparent, honest, and lawful manner

"His business dealings are always above board."

"The businessman insisted that all his transactions be completely above board and legal."

a fair and honest treatment

"We want a square deal."

"Customers expect a square deal when they purchase goods or services from a reputable company."

a situation in which one believes that an unfortunate event that has happened to someone is well deserved

"Poetic justice rewards virtue punishes vice."

"The villain died in poetic justice when the bomb he planted on the plane exploded while he was still aboard."

to be able to do something wrong or illegal without receiving punishment or facing any consequences

"He gets away with it."

"It seems like the corrupt politician can get away with murder because of his powerful connections."

to try to unfairly move past a group of people lining up somewhere before one's turn arrives

"Don't jump the line."

"He was so impatient that he tried to jump the line at the busy ticket counter."

a situation where someone's personal stake or potential gain from a decision may hinder their ability to make an unbiased or fair choice

"The judge recused himself due to a conflict of interest."

"The judge removed himself from the case because he had a clear conflict of interest."

a treatment that is not fair or equal

"The workers feel they got a raw deal from management."

"The workers feel they got a raw deal from management and threaten to go on strike."

to unfairly assume that a person or thing is as same as someone or something that they are associated with

"Don't tar us all."

"You shouldn't tar all the employees with the same brush just because one person made a mistake."

a comment or statement that is cruel or unfair

"His comment was a cheap shot."

"His comment was a cheap shot and he insulted her when she could not defend herself."

to express a strong objection to something that is perceived as unfair or unjust

"They cried foul after losing."

"The players cried foul when the referee made a decision that clearly favored the opposing team."

an unofficial court that does not follow the rules and usually punishes people without giving them a fair trial

"The prisoners held a kangaroo court."

"The prisoners held a kangaroo court and sentenced their fellow inmate without any real evidence."

to receive special treatment or permission to avoid obligations, restrictions, or consequences

"Rich people often get a free pass."

"The famous actor got a free pass from the traffic police because of his celebrity status."

in a way that unfairly takes advantage of a person's weaknesses

"His insult was below the belt."

"Bringing up his past failures during the debate was below the belt and completely unfair."

a person or group who has unchecked power to make decisions, impose punishments, and carry out those punishments without due process or oversight

"He acted as judge, jury, and executioner."

"The corrupt sheriff acted as judge jury and executioner without any legal authority."

an unfavorable or disadvantageous position or outcome that one receives in a particular situation

"I always get the short end of the stick."

"The hardworking employees got the short end of the stick when the manager gave bonuses only to himself."

to unfairly try to do something when it is someone else's turn to do so

"He will jump the line."

"His aggressive tactics allowed him to jump the line and secure the promotion before his more deserving colleagues."

to protest or show one's opposition to something by one's actions, such as leaving an organization, not buying something, etc.

"She voted with her pocketbook."

"Many people voted with their pocketbook by refusing to buy products from that company."

to ruin the relationship of people or groups of people by causing them to disagree or hate each other

"He drove a wedge between them."

"The scandal drove a wedge between the two best friends who had been inseparable."

to remove or reduce the differences that keep people or things separated

"We need to bridge the gap."

"The new community centre aims to bridge the gap between different cultural groups in the city."

a person or group of people who are often employed by politicians, public figures, or the government in order to shape the public opinion in their favor

"The spin doctor tried to make the scandal sound less harmful."

"The politician hired a spin doctor to help the public view a scandal as a minor mistake rather than a serious character flaw."

to not allow people become united and pose a threat to one by keeping them busy through causing disagreement and argument between them

"The emperor used divide and conquer tactics."

"The general used a divide and conquer strategy to weaken the enemy army before attacking."

to eliminate a problem that threatens a political or business system such as corruption, terrorism, etc.

"The new mayor promised to drain the swamp."

"The new president promised to drain the swamp and remove corruption from the government."

used to refer to the attempt to introduce something new or innovative into an existing, outdated, or incompatible system, which may lead to problems or failure

"New ideas in old system."

"The company tried to sell new wine in an old bottle by repackaging their existing product."

something well-established, traditional, or unchanged presented as if it is new, innovative, or significantly different, often to make it more appealing or marketable

"Old ideas presented as new."

"The software update was just old wine in a new bottle with no real improvements."

to refuse to hold oneself responsible for something when one should and expect others to deal with it instead

"Do not pass the buck to me."

"The manager tried to pass the buck to his assistant when the customer complained about the poor service."

to display power or ability to scare or impress others

"He likes to flex his muscles."

"The new manager flexed his muscles by making big changes on the first day."

a source of advantageous opportunities, particularly political favors or privileges

"He found a plum tree."

"The senator's nephew was appointed to a lucrative position, a real plum tree in the government."

an ideal or perfect combination or pairing, especially in a political or professional context

"The pair formed a dream ticket."

"The pair formed a dream ticket and their popularity boosted the party's chances in the election."

to step up to deliver a convincing speech

"The senator took the floor to speak."

"The senator took the floor and gave a passionate speech about climate change."

(of a politician) trying to get political support by traveling around an area and giving speeches

"The candidate was on the stump all week."

"The candidate spent six months on the stump giving speeches in every small town."

to step up to deliver a convincing speech

"She took the floor."

"With confidence and poise, the new CEO stepped forward to take the floor and address the assembled shareholders."

a thing that is offered in the hope of restoring peace or friendly relations

"He extended an olive branch to his rival."

"He extended an olive branch to his rival and offered to end the long standing feud between them."

to begin to aim for peace instead of war

"They turned swords into plowshares after the war."

"After the war the country turned swords into plowshares and focused on farming instead of fighting."

a long argument between people

"The debate became a war of words."

"The war of words between the two celebrities continued on social media for several weeks without stopping."

the dividing line between opposing sides in a conflict or confrontation

"The battle line was clear."

"The two political parties drew a clear battle line on the issue of taxation."

used of a statement, remark, or piece of information that is not intended for public knowledge, or not to be attributed to the person making it

"He told me off the record."

"The politician made the comments off the record so the newspaper could not publish them."

a country with a weak economy that heavily relies on the export of a limited product, such as bananas, and may be influenced by foreign powers or investments

"The country was a corrupt banana republic."

"The country was a corrupt banana republic and the president was a puppet of foreign corporations."

a young member of a political party, organization, etc., who seeks to make changes in a previous establishment or system

"The young turk challenged the old rules."

"The young turk challenged the old rules and the senior members of the party were threatened by his ideas."

a politician or public office holder who is approaching the end of their term and will soon be replaced, usually due to failure to be re-elected or re-appointed

"He is a lame duck."

"The outgoing president, now a lame duck, found his influence significantly diminished as his term neared its end."

to give someone a mild warning or punish them in a way that is not harsh

"They only slapped him on the wrist."

"The judge just slapped him on the wrist with a small fine for the crime."

to make someone face the consequences or legal repercussions of their actions

"The criminal was brought to book."

"The police finally brought the serial killer to book after a ten year investigation."

to accept and confront the punishment or consequence of one's wrongdoings or irresponsible actions

"It is time to face the music."

"After cheating on the test he knew he would have to face the music when the teacher found out."

to be deserving of something that happens to one, particularly something that is unpleasant

"He had it coming to him."

"After all the lies he told, he had it coming when everyone found out."

to take the blame for another person's actions or accept full responsibility for a crime or wrongdoing that other people were also part of

"He took the fall for his boss."

"The innocent employee took the fall for the boss mistake and got fired unfairly."

something extremely hard that one goes through, often as a punishment

"The monk wore a hair shirt."

"The monk wore a hair shirt as penance and the rough fabric irritated his skin constantly."

in or to prison confinement

"They sent him up the river for ten years."

"The convicted criminal was sent up the river to serve twenty years in prison."

used for saying someone is being held, detained, or imprisoned indefinitely at the will of the ruling British monarch

"He is detained at His Majesty's pleasure."

"The dangerous criminal was detained at His Majesty pleasure in a maximum security prison."

to take legal action against someone and demand so much money and damages from them that it leaves them with nothing

"They will sue the pants off him."

"If the company doesn't compensate us fairly, we will sue the pants off them for negligence."

to officially punish someone by death

"The king put the traitor to death."

"The jury voted to put the murderer to death for his terrible crime."

to formally confront someone and demand an explanation for their conduct and actions, especially those in positions of authority who are deemed responsible

"The dictator will be brought to account."

"The shareholders brought the dishonest CEO to account for losing all their money."

used to refer to a punishment that is very harsh for a crime or wrong deed

"They wanted his head on a plate."

"The boss demanded his head on a platter after the project failed."

to give someone a mild punishment for a mistake or wrongdoing

"The teacher rapped him on the knuckles."

"The committee rapped them over the knuckles for breaking the rules."

a situation where there will be severe consequences or difficulties as a result of certain actions or events

"If we are late, there will be the devil to pay."

"If we miss the deadline there will be the devil to pay with our angry client."

a specific amount of money that is offered as a reward to anyone who captures or kills a particular person

"The rebel has a price on his head."

"The escaped prisoner had a price on his head for the murder he committed."

a prisoner who is sentenced to death and is about to be executed

"He is a dead man walking."

"The condemned prisoner, facing imminent execution, was described by the guards as a dead man walking."

to join with someone to achieve a common goal

"We should make common cause against the enemy."

"The environmental groups made common cause with the local community to protect the ancient forest from logging."

in one group together

"The staff resigned in a body."

"The angry workers acted in a body and went on strike together to demand better pay."

used for saying that being with other people makes a situation or activity less dangerous

"Go with a group — there is safety in numbers."

"The small businesses formed an alliance, knowing there is safety in numbers when dealing with larger competitors."

to act or think in the same way as the majority of people in a society

"He likes to go with tide."

"Instead of challenging the prevailing opinion, he chose to swim with the tide and avoid controversy."

someone who earns money by having sex with people

"She was laced mutton."

"The Victorian novel referred to the woman as laced mutton, a derogatory term used to describe prostitutes in that era."

an area in a city or town that is filled with strip clubs, brothels, and other sex oriented businesses

"The red-light district is dangerous."

"The red light district is dangerous at night and tourists are warned to avoid the area."

a situation in which highly intelligent or skilled people of a country move to another country so that they can live a better life

"Brain drain hurts poor countries."

"Brain drain refers to the emigration of highly educated professionals from a developing nation"

an invisible barrier or limitation that prevents certain groups, particularly women or minority individuals, from advancing to higher positions or achieving higher levels of success in a professional or organizational context

"She broke the glass ceiling."

"She broke through the glass ceiling and became the first female CEO of the company."

to no longer keep one's sexual preference or gender identity a secret

"He came out of the closet."

"My best friend finally came out of the closet and told his family he was gay."

to attempt to become popular or successful by doing something that is becoming fashionable

"They jumped on bandwagon."

"Many companies are trying to jump on the bandwagon of sustainable energy production."

to give a vote in an election

"It is time to go."

"Millions of citizens went to the polls to vote in the historic presidential election."

voting power held by older adults or senior citizens in elections

"The candidate targets gray vote."

"The candidate targets the gray vote and promises to protect pensions and healthcare for seniors."

something that shows how the society is like now, particularly how bad it is

"High prices are a sign."

"The decline of traditional bookstores is a sign of the times with the rise of ebooks."

with everyone expressing the same opinion

"They said no with one voice."

"The committee rejected the proposal with one voice because everyone agreed it was a bad idea."

to no longer keep one's sexual preference or gender identity a secret

"She will come out of the closet."

"After years of hiding her true identity, she bravely decided to come out of the closet and live authentically."

the ordinary people with a common interest who form the foundation of a movement, organization, or political party

"This is a grass roots movement."

"The campaign began as a genuine grass roots effort supported by local communities."

the people that are of the highest class in a society

"The party was for them."

"The party was for the upper crust and the guests arrived in limousines wearing designer gowns."

(of people) having a rank or position that is high or honorable

"He sits above the salt."

"In medieval times important guests sat above the salt meaning they were near the host."

an exaggerated or artificial display of superiority or elegance

"She displays airs and graces."

"The wealthy woman put on airs and graces as if she was better than everyone else."

someone who is born in a family that is of noble rank or social prominence

"The duke has blue blood."

"The duke has blue blood and his family ancestry can be traced back to the Norman conquest."

a person who is favored or treated with special privilege, often by someone in a position of authority

"He is the teacher's fair-haired boy."

"The young salesman was the fair haired boy of the company because he always met his targets."

privileged by birth or family background

"She was born to the purple."

"The prince was born to the purple and never had to work for anything in his life."

to be born into a wealthy or privileged family and having access to all the luxuries and comfort that comes with it

"Born with silver spoon."

"He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and never worked."

wealth that is inherited to one from a royal or very rich family

"He inherited a silver spoon."

"He was born with a silver spoon and never had to work for anything in his entire life."

intellectuals, commentators, or influencers who are frequently talking or writing about public issues and current events but who may lack practical experience or political power

"The chattering class spoke."

"The chattering class discussed the scandal endlessly but did nothing to help the victims."

a poor area in a town or city in which a lot of homeless or drunk people live

"The alcoholic ended up on skid row."

"The alcoholic ended up on skid row and slept in doorways after losing his job and his home."

a very safe and wealthy area in a city or town

"He lives right side tracks."

"His family lived on the right side of the tracks in the wealthy part of town."

a perspective that emphasizes the view or situation of someone with lower status or authority

"Gives a worm's eye view."

"The intern gave a worm eye view of the company problems from his low position."

a manner of speaking associated with wealth, social status, or formal education

"She has plum in mouth."

"His overly precise and enunciated speech gave him a plum in his mouth, suggesting a privileged background."

(of people) having a status, position, or reputation that is low

"He sits below salt."

"The servants sat below the salt at the long table far away from the host."

someone who expresses an opinion that others ignore or do not like

"A voice crying wilderness."

"The scientist warning about climate change was a voice crying in the wilderness for many years."

used to refer to something that is done in a way that is contrary to the usual customs, conventions, or the natural direction

"It goes against grain."

"Going against the grain of popular opinion can be difficult but sometimes it is necessary."

someone who does not behave according to rules or expectations of society

"He is law unto himself."

"The eccentric artist was a law unto himself, ignoring all conventional artistic norms and expectations."

(of a person's words or actions) not according to what is considered acceptable or polite

"His words beyond pale."

"The politician's racist remarks were considered beyond the pale by the majority of the electorate."

to act so differently that it changes traditional or previous methods or approaches

"She broke the mold."

"The innovative scientist decided to break the mold of traditional research methods to find new solutions."

to show a behavior that is unacceptable or improper

"He crossed the line."

"His constant personal insults clearly crossed the line during the heated debate."

to act in a way that is not in accordance with rules or socially accepted behavior

"You stepped out of line."

"If you step out of line again, you will face serious consequences from the principal."

an idea, custom, or institution considered immune from criticism or questioning

"That policy is a sacred cow."

"The company's long-standing tradition of mandatory overtime has become a sacred cow that no one dares to question."

a limit that makes clear what is considered right or accepted and what is not

"Draw a line in sand."

"The company drew a firm line in the sand regarding employee conduct after the incident."

to behave in a manner that is in contrast to the standards of a particular place

"They broke every rule."

"The rogue agent seemed to break every rule in the book to achieve his mission objectives."

the socially accepted or expected behavior or action in a particular situation

"It is the done thing."

"Bringing a small gift when invited to someone's home is generally considered the done thing."

a person's natural tendency or urge to conform to the standards or the behavior of others in a particular group or society

"They showed herd mentality."

"The stock market crash was partly attributed to widespread herd mentality among investors."

to do or think the exact opposite of what most people are doing or thinking

"She swims against the tide."

"He always chooses to swim against the tide, preferring his own unique perspective."

to do things according to the rules, customs, or in the way that is expected of one in order to achieve profit or success

"Play the game for profit."

"To get ahead in this industry, you really have to play the game and follow the established procedures."

to start behaving in a manner that ignores the expectations of society or an authority

"The soldier went rogue."

"After years of strict obedience, the normally compliant employee decided to go rogue and voice his dissent."

to act in a way that goes beyond the limits of what is allowed or accepted

"Don't overstep the line."

"His constant interruptions and personal insults clearly showed he had overstepped the mark during the debate."

beyond the limits of acceptable behavior

"That is out of bounds."

"His offensive remarks during the meeting were completely out of bounds and deeply inappropriate for the professional setting."

to begin to leave somewhere by running fast

"He took to his heels."

"When the angry dog started barking, the startled child immediately took to his heels and ran home."

said to mean that a person that one looks for has fled or left

"The bird has flown."

"We searched the entire house, but by the time we arrived, the bird had flown, leaving no trace."

to experience a sudden and significant decline, deterioration, or devaluation, often unexpectedly or rapidly

"The stock went south."

"After the unexpected scandal broke, the company's stock price began to go south at an alarming rate."

to suddenly disappear from sight, particularly in order to hide from someone

"The fox went to ground."

"After the robbery, the suspect managed to go to ground, making him incredibly difficult for the police to locate."

to escape in order to not get caught or not to be with someone

"He gave the slip."

"The clever thief managed to give the pursuing officers the slip by disappearing into the crowded marketplace."

to dance, particularly in a nice way

"Let's bust a move!"

"As soon as the DJ dropped the beat, everyone on the dance floor started to bust a move."

to start to leave a place to get to somewhere else

"Let's make a move."

"As the evening grew late and the party started to wind down, it was time to make a move towards home."

used to refer to a someone or something that suddenly disappears, particularly in a way that is mysterious or suspicious

"He vanished into thin air."

"The suspect managed to escape the police and disappear into thin air before they could apprehend him."

an instance of someone becoming impossible to find, particularly when they are needed, wanted, or in a difficult or unpleasant situation

"A disappearing act."

"When the bills arrived, the landlord performed a spectacular vanishing act, leaving his tenants with no recourse."

to leave a place secretly and as fast as one can, particularly in order to avoid paying one's debts

"They did a moonlight flit."

"The tenants, unable to pay their rent, decided to do a moonlight flit and escape their landlord's wrath."

to manage to escape from a prison

"He went over the wall."

"Despite the high security, two inmates managed to go over the wall and disappear into the night."

(of a soldier) having left one's military duty without being permitted to do so

"He went awol."

"The soldier was declared awol after failing to report for duty without any explanation."

to depart or leave a place, often with the intention of avoiding a difficult or uncomfortable situation

"They will go south."

"Fearing the escalating conflict, many residents decided to go south to find a safer and more peaceful environment."

moving from one place to another in an attempt to not get caught or arrested

"The thief is on the run."

"After the robbery, the suspects were on the run from the police for several days."

to leave somewhere, often hastily

"Let's bust a move."

"The sudden alarm caused everyone to bust a move and flee the building as quickly as possible."

to start to leave a place to get to somewhere else

"We must make a move."

"With the deadline rapidly approaching, it's time for us to make a move and begin the final preparations."

running away in an attempt not to get caught

"He is in the wind."

"After the scandal broke, the disgraced executive was nowhere to be found, seemingly in the wind."

a flashy or impressive event that lacks substance or meaning

"A dog and pony show."

"The politician's elaborate presentation turned out to be a mere dog and pony show, with no real solutions offered."

a person who lends money to people, typically under illegal conditions, at a very high rate of interest

"A loan shark charges high interest."

"The desperate businessman borrowed money from a loan shark who charged an extremely high interest rate."

the action of taking goods from a store without paying for them

"A five-finger discount."

"The security guard caught the teenager attempting to get a five-finger discount on a new video game."

any activity or behavior that is considered suspicious, dishonest, or deceptive, often intended to deceive or cheat others

"Stop the funny business."

"The detective suspected funny business when the suspect's alibi seemed too perfect and suspiciously fabricated."

the use of misleading accounting methods to present a company's financial position in a more favorable light

"Creative accounting."

"The auditors discovered that the company had been using creative accounting to hide its significant financial losses."

the process of concealing the origins, ownership, or destination of illegally obtained money by passing it through a legitimate financial institution or businesses

"Money laundering is a serious crime."

"Money laundering is a criminal scheme to disguise the illegal origin of cash by passing it through a complex sequence of legitimate banking transfers and businesses."

the act or practice of engaging in unethical or questionable business practices that are intended to gain an advantage over competitors or deceive customers

"Sharp practice."

"Selling expired goods at full price is a clear example of sharp practice that should be reported."

money that is offered to someone so that they do not share a piece of information or a secret with others

"Hush money."

"The celebrity's lawyer quickly offered hush money to the tabloid journalist to prevent the damaging story from being published."

an amount of money that is set aside to be used for dishonest or illegal activities

"A slush fund."

"Investigators uncovered evidence of a secret slush fund used by the company to bribe officials and secure contracts."

to defeat a person or a group thoroughly, often in a very humiliating manner

"They took us to cleaners."

"The experienced lawyer took the opposing counsel to the cleaners in court, winning a landslide victory."

money that one gains without much effort and often by dishonest means

"Easy money."

"He thought the online scheme would provide him with easy money, but it turned out to be a scam."

used to refer to a person, organization, etc. that uses dishonest or illegal methods to gain money

"He is on the fiddle with his taxes."

"The accountant was on the fiddle and stole thousands of dollars from the company over many years."

money earned quickly or with ease, particularly in a dishonest way

"He made a quick buck there."

"Some dishonest traders are only interested in making a quick buck without caring about the quality of their products."

to take someone's possessions by force or without the right to do so

"They will take us to the cleaners."

"The unscrupulous landlord threatened to take his tenants to the cleaners if they failed to pay the exorbitant rent increase."