Much ado about nothing.

If people make much ado about nothing, they make a lot of fuss about
something which is not important.


All hell broke loose

To say that all hell broke loose means that there was a sudden

angry, noisy reaction to something.

" All hell broke loose when it was announced that the plant was

     going to close down.



Get off my back!

If you tell somebody to get off your back, you ask them to stop

finding faults or criticizing you.




Blamestorming

A discussion among a group of people, who try to determine who

or what is to blame for a particular mistake, failure or wrongdoing,

is called 'blamestorming'.

"A blamestorming session took place following the unfavourable

     reviews in the press.



Bone of contention

A bone of contention is a matter or subject about which there is a

lot of disagreement.

"The salaries have been agreed on, but opening on Sundays remains

     a bone of contention.Have a bone to pick with someone

To say that you have a bone to pick with somebody means that

you are annoyed with them and want to talk to them about it.


In somebody's good/bad books

If you are in somebody's good or bad books, you have their approval

or disapproval.

"I'm in my wife's bad books at the moment because I forgot our wedding

     anniversary!

Bury the hatchet

The expression " bury the hatchet" is used when people who have had

a disagreement decide to forget their quarrel and become friends again.

"I don't get on well with my mother-in-law, but to keep my wife happy,

     I decided to bury the hatchet.

Call someone's bluff

If you call someone's bluff, you challenge them to do what they

threaten to do (while believing that they will not dare to do it).

"After the neighbour's threats to demolish the fence, when Jack decided

to call his bluff, there were no more complaints.
Clear the air

If you decide to clear the air, you try to remove the causes of fear,

worry or suspicion by talking about them openly.

"The atmosphere had become so unpleasant that he decided it was time

     to clear the air.

At loggerheads

If you are at loggerheads with a person or organization, you disagree

very strongly with them.

"Management and trade unions are at loggerheads over the decision

     to close down the plant.

No love lost

To say that there is no love lost between two people means that

they do not like each other at all.

"There is no love lost between Amanda and Sarah. They're always

     quarrelling.

Make a mountain out of a molehill

If someone makes a mountain out of a molehill, they make a small,

unimportant problem seem much more serious than it is.

     "Stop making mountains out of molehills! It's not a major problem.

At odds

If one person is at odds with another, they disagree with each other.


Press (something) home

If you press something home, you insist on a point in a discussion or

argument.

     "Her lawyer kept pressing home the fact that she was a single mother.

A running battle

If two people or groups have a running battle with each other, they

argue or disagree about something over a long period of time.

"There's been a running battle between the local authorities and the

     population over the school bus route.

Send someone packing

If you send someone packing, you tell them to leave, in a very forceful

and unfriendly way.

"When Amanda discovered that Jack had been unfaithful, she sent him

     packing.

Settle a score

To settle a score means to retaliate against someone or take revenge

for a past wrong.

"Jack has made an appointment with his lawyer -

     he has a score to settle with someone.

Keep your shirt on!

If you tell somebody to keep their shirt on, you are asking them to

calm down.

     "Keep your shirt on Bob. Just give your version of the story!

Skating on thin ice

If you are skating on thin ice, you are doing or saying something

that could cause disagreement or trouble.

"Don't mention that subject during the negotiations

or you could be skating on thin ice."