In a difficult situation. For Example: “When Mary told me I had to choose between her or my career, I really found myself in a tight corner.”

To become tempermental or nervous. For Example: “When the store clerk told Bill they were out of beer, he lost his cool and shouted that he would never return to the store again.”

To remain calm in an adverse situation. For Example: When someone keeps their cool, they don’t become emotionally upset or distracted in a scenario where most people might.

An underdog whose determination usually results in success. For Example: “No one thought Mark stood a chance in that fight, but he is one tough cookie and proved everyone wrong.”

A phrase that indicates the phrase you’re using to describe something is being used with sarcasm. For Example: You might say, “Bill thinks one day he’s going to ‘save the company’ in inverted commas.” What you’re implying is that you don’t believe Bill genuinely intends to save the company.

With great success. For Example: If Sarah needed to score 80% to pass a test and she scored 97% on the test, you would say “she passed the test with flying colors.”

Failing to include someone as part of an activity. For Example: “The government’s health care policy leaves seniors out in the cold.”

To see things from a different, opposing perspective. For Example: “let’s look at the other side of the coin for a minute and contemplate what will happen if we don’t go forward with this plan.”

Try to understand or pay attention to something. For Example: If someone said “wake up and smell the coffee,” they’re trying to get you to see things from their perspective.

Predictable or reliable. The statement implies that something will happen as sure as another second on the clock will tick by. For Example: If an employee is never late to work, her boss might compliment her by saying, “you are like clockwork when it comes to showing up to work […]

To recreate things as they were at an earlier time. For Example: If a couple is having some troubles in their relationship, one of them could say to the other, “let’s turn back the clock and just go back to when things were simpler.”

All day and all night. For Example: If someone were to say “I’ve been working round the clock,” they are saying they’ve been working non stop.

To avoid something. For Example: “I would recommend steering clear of that road, there’s a lot of construction going on right now.”

Not guilty of an offense or unobstructed by something undesirable. For Example: If someone is worried they might have their taxes audited but the date by which they expected to be audited comes and goes, they might say, “phew, I think I’m in the clear.”

Completely clean. When used in reference to a person it means they are very honest or good-hearted. For Example: “Jim would never steal from the company, he’s a squeaky clean sort of guy.”