# Clichés — tired phrases to avoid.
# Source: words/no-cliches (https://github.com/words/no-cliches) — MIT.
# Bundled list is a representative subset; the full list is too long to bundle
# without bloating the binary. Covers the most common ~250 entries.
# Format: one lowercase phrase per line.
a chip off the old block
a cut above the rest
a dime a dozen
a drop in the bucket
a fate worse than death
a far cry
a grain of salt
a little bird told me
a no-brainer
a perfect storm
a piece of cake
a pretty penny
a shot in the arm
a shot in the dark
a stone's throw
above and beyond
absence makes the heart grow fonder
acid test
after all is said and done
against all odds
against the clock
ahead of the curve
ahead of the pack
all bark and no bite
all bets are off
all in a day's work
all in good time
all in the same boat
all intents and purposes
all is well that ends well
all roads lead to rome
all that glitters is not gold
all the bells and whistles
all walks of life
all's well that ends well
an axe to grind
apple of my eye
apples to apples
armchair quarterback
as easy as pie
as good as gold
as luck would have it
as right as rain
as the crow flies
at a loss for words
at the drop of a hat
at the end of the day
avoid like the plague
awesome
back against the wall
back to square one
back to the drawing board
bad apple
bad egg
baptism by fire
baptism of fire
barking up the wrong tree
basic necessities
be all and end all
be that as it may
beat a dead horse
beat around the bush
beauty is in the eye of the beholder
beg the question
beggars can't be choosers
behind the eight ball
believe me
believe you me
benefit of the doubt
best laid plans
better late than never
between a rock and a hard place
between you and me
beyond the pale
bide your time
big fish in a small pond
bird's-eye view
birds of a feather flock together
bite the bullet
bite the dust
bite the hand that feeds you
bitten by the bug
blessing in disguise
blood is thicker than water
blow off steam
blue in the face
boils down to
bolt from the blue
bone of contention
bone to pick
born and bred
born with a silver spoon
bottom of the barrel
bought the farm
brain-child
brain-dead
brand new
break a leg
break the ice
breath of fresh air
bright and early
bring home the bacon
bring to the table
broad strokes
build a better mousetrap
bull by the horns
bull in a china shop
bumpy ride
burn the candle at both ends
burn the midnight oil
burning question
burst at the seams
burst his bubble
business as usual
butter wouldn't melt
butterflies in my stomach
by hook or by crook
by leaps and bounds
by the book
by the same token
by the skin of one's teeth
can of worms
cannot be overstated
caught between a rock and a hard place
caught red-handed
champing at the bit
chomping at the bit
circle the wagons
clean as a whistle
clear as a bell
clear as crystal
clear as day
clear as mud
climb the ladder
close to the vest
coast is clear
cog in the machine
cold as ice
cold feet
cold shoulder
cold turkey
come full circle
come hell or high water
come out of the woodwork
come to a head
come to grips with
come what may
costs an arm and a leg
couch potato
count your blessings
countless hours
counting chickens
crack of dawn
crash and burn
cream of the crop
crocodile tears
cross that bridge when we come to it
crunch time
cry over spilled milk
crystal clear
curiosity killed the cat
cut and dried
cut from the same cloth
cut the mustard
cut to the chase
dark horse
dawn of a new day
day in and day out
dead as a doornail
dead in the water
dead to the world
deer in the headlights
devil is in the details
different strokes for different folks
don't count your chickens before they hatch
don't hold your breath
don't judge a book by its cover
dog and pony show
dog-eat-dog world
dot the i's and cross the t's
down and dirty
down and out
down in the dumps
down the drain
down the rabbit hole
down to the wire
drop in the bucket
dyed in the wool
each and every
early bird gets the worm
easier said than done
easy as pie
easy come easy go
egg on your face
eleventh hour
every cloud has a silver lining
every dog has its day
every fiber of my being
every nook and cranny
every step of the way
everything but the kitchen sink
exception that proves the rule
eye for an eye
face the music
fair and square
fall on deaf ears
falling through the cracks
famous last words
fancy free
far and wide
far be it from me
few and far between
field day
fight tooth and nail
final nail in the coffin
first and foremost
first come first served
fit as a fiddle
flash in the pan
flat as a pancake
flesh and blood
food for thought
fool's paradise
for all intents and purposes
for the long haul
for what it's worth
foregone conclusion
forest for the trees
free and clear
free as a bird
from time immemorial
full circle
full of beans
gain ground
game plan
get a grip
get a leg up
get the ball rolling
get the upper hand
give 110 percent
give and take
give it the old college try
give it your all
give up the ghost
go down the drain
go the distance
go the extra mile
go with the flow
going against the grain
golden opportunity
gone but not forgotten
good as gold
good clean fun
good things come to those who wait
grain of salt
grease the wheels
great minds think alike
green light
green with envy
grin and bear it
hand over fist
happy as a clam
hard and fast
hard as nails
hard nut to crack
hat in hand
have a nice day
have a ton of
head over heels
heart of gold
hit below the belt
hit the ground running
hit the nail on the head
hit the road
hold your horses
hook line and sinker
hot potato
if looks could kill
if the shoe fits
in a nutshell
in black and white
in no time flat
in spades
in the blink of an eye
in the end
in the nick of time
in the same boat
in this day and age
it is what it is
it never rains but it pours
it takes two to tango
it's a long story
it's a small world
it's all downhill from here
it's always darkest before the dawn
it's not brain surgery
it's not rocket science
ivory tower
jack of all trades
jockey for position
jog your memory
jump on the bandwagon
jump the gun
jump the shark
just for kicks
just the tip of the iceberg
keep it real
keep your chin up
keep your eyes peeled
keep your nose to the grindstone
kick the bucket
kill two birds with one stone
knee-jerk reaction
knock on wood
know the ropes
knuckle down
land of the living
last but not least
last straw
laugh out loud
lay down the law
lay of the land
leaps and bounds
leave no stone unturned
let the cat out of the bag
level playing field
life is short
lift a finger
light at the end of the tunnel
like a boss
like a broken record
lion's share
live and let live
living the dream
loaded for bear
long story short
loose cannon
lost cause
lost in the shuffle
low-hanging fruit
make a long story short
make ends meet
make it or break it
make no bones about it
make the grade
method to my madness
mind over matter
miss the boat
moment of truth
money doesn't grow on trees
more than meets the eye
move the goalposts
much ado about nothing
my bad
nail in the coffin
neat as a pin
neck of the woods
needle in a haystack
never in a million years
never say die
never say never
new kid on the block
new lease on life
nip it in the bud
no holds barred
no ifs, ands, or buts
no pain no gain
no stone left unturned
no stone unturned
no time like the present
none the wiser
nose to the grindstone
not by a long shot
not my cup of tea
not to put too fine a point on it
on cloud nine
on the face of it
on the fence
on the same page
once in a blue moon
one for the books
one in a million
open and shut case
open secret
opposite sex
out of left field
out of pocket
out of the blue
out of the box
out of the frying pan
over a barrel
over the hump
over the moon
overturn every stone
pain in the neck
par for the course
passing fad
passing fancy
pave the way
pedal to the metal
pie in the sky
piece of cake
play devil's advocate
play hardball
play it by ear
play second fiddle
play your cards right
plot thickens
point of no return
pot calling the kettle black
powers that be
prick up your ears
pros and cons
pull the wool over your eyes
pull your weight
push the envelope
put a cork in it
put the cart before the horse
put two and two together
put your best foot forward
put your foot down
quick as a wink
quick on the draw
raining cats and dogs
read between the lines
reality check
reap the rewards
rest on your laurels
ride out the storm
right as rain
ring a bell
road to hell
road to recovery
rock and a hard place
rock the boat
roll with the punches
rome wasn't built in a day
run circles around
running on empty
sanity check
save face
scared stiff
second nature
see eye to eye
see the light
seize the day
selling like hotcakes
set in stone
shape up or ship out
short and sweet
shot in the dark
silent as the grave
sink or swim
sixth sense
skate on thin ice
skin in the game
slippery slope
smooth sailing
snug as a bug in a rug
sour grapes
speak of the devil
speak volumes
spill the beans
spread like wildfire
square peg in a round hole
stand the test of time
start from scratch
state of the art
steal someone's thunder
stick in the mud
stiff upper lip
straight from the horse's mouth
stretched thin
string along
stubborn as a mule
sweet as pie
take it with a grain of salt
take the bull by the horns
take the high road
take the lead
take the plunge
tell it like it is
the ball is in your court
the bottom line
the early bird catches the worm
the elephant in the room
the end of an era
the last nail in the coffin
the path of least resistance
the pot calling the kettle black
the real deal
the time of my life
the tip of the iceberg
the whole nine yards
the whole shebang
the world is your oyster
think outside the box
thorn in my side
through thick and thin
throw caution to the wind
throw in the towel
throw under the bus
tie the knot
time flies
time is money
time is of the essence
time will tell
tip of the iceberg
to each his own
toe the line
too many cooks in the kitchen
tough as nails
tried and true
tried and tested
turn a blind eye
turn over a new leaf
twelve o'clock shadow
two sides of the same coin
under the weather
up in the air
up to par
up to speed
up to the task
uphill battle
walking on eggshells
waste not want not
water under the bridge
what goes around comes around
when all is said and done
when pigs fly
when the cat's away
when the chips are down
when the rubber hits the road
where there's smoke there's fire
whole nine yards
wild goose chase
win-win situation
with all due respect
with bated breath
with flying colors
with open arms
without a hitch
without further ado
without rhyme or reason
worth its weight in gold
you bet your bottom dollar
you can't have it both ways
you can't have your cake and eat it too
you can't judge a book by its cover
you can't win them all
