1970s

Question 1

Carry Out

Answer 1

accomplish, bring to a conclusion

Question 2

Taken Over

Answer 2

Assume control, management or possession of

Question 3

Bring about

Answer 3

Cause

Question 4

Beat out

Answer 4

Knock into shape by beating

She managed to beat out all the dents in the fender.

Question 5

Bear with

Answer 5

Put up with, make allowance for

Question 6

To fall back on something, fall back upon

Answer 6

Rely on, have recourse to

Question 7

To fall through

Answer 7

Fail, miscarry

Question 8

Vested Interests

Answer 8

A personal stake in something

Question 9

Meaningful dialogue

Answer 9

Serious and important debate

Question 10

Turn to account

Answer 10

Use for one’s benefit

Question 11

To beat the air / beat the wind

Answer 11

Continue to make futile attempts, fight to no purpose

Question 12

To break a lance with

Answer 12

To engage in a competition, battle, confrontation, usually with someone or something

Question 13

To foul of (foul play)

Answer 13

Unfair or treacherous action

Question 14

To keep open house

Answer 14

To entertain friends at all times, to be hospitable

Question 15

Out of countenance

Answer 15

Uneasy, ashamed

Question 16

Got up to

Answer 16

Get up to be involved in (typically something suspicious)

Question 17

To have a finger in the pie

Answer 17

Have an interest in or meddle in something

Question 18

When all is said and done / after all is said and done

Answer 18

When everything is taken into account

Question 19

Have an axe to grind

Answer 19

Have a private reason for doing or being involved in something

Question 20

Turn a new leaf

Answer 20

Make a fresh start, change one’s conduct or attitude for the better

Question 21

Burn the candle at both ends

Answer 21

Exhaust one’s energies or resources by leading a hectic life

Question 22

Leave in the lurch

Answer 22

Desert or leave alone and in trouble, refuse to help or support someone

Question 23

Goes without saying

Answer 23

Be self-evident, a matter of course

Question 24

Like a red rag to a bull

Answer 24

To make a person or group very angry

Question 25

Not have a leg to stand on

Answer 25

Have no facts or sound reasons to support one’s argument or justify one’s actions

Question 26

Under the thumb of

Answer 26

Controlled or dominated by someone

Question 27

The writing is on the wall / handwriting on the wall

Answer 27

Clear signs that something is going to happen

Question 28

To sow one’s wild oats

Answer 28

Behave foolishly, immoderately or promiscuously when young

Question 29

A storm in a teacup

Answer 29

Great outrage or excitement about a trivial matter

Question 30

To keep late hours

Answer 30

Stay awake until late at night

Question 31

To throw cold water on

Answer 31

To discourage, to remove hope, deter

Question 32

A cock and bull story

Answer 32

An unbelievable tale that is intended to deceive; a tall tale

Question 33

To bear brunt of

Answer 33

Put up with the worst of some bad circumstance

Question 34

Tied to apron strings

Answer 34

Too much under someone’s influence and control

Question 35

To move heaven and earth

Answer 35

Exert the utmost effort

Question 36

To rest on one’s laurels

Answer 36

Rely on one’s past achievements, especially as a way of avoiding the work needed to advance one’s status

Question 37

Point-blank

Answer 37

Close enough to go directly to a target

Question 38

In the doldrums

Answer 38

Showing no activity or development

Question 39

On the dole

Answer 39

Registered as unemployed and receiving benefit from the government

Question 40

At cross purposes

Answer 40

With aims or goals that conflict or interfere with one another

Question 41

Cheek by jowl

Answer 41

In close intimacy, side by side

Question 42

Succinctly

Answer 42

Characterised by clear, precise expression in a few words; concise and terse

Question 43

Plain sailing

Answer 43

Smooth and easy progress

Question 44

To beat the brunt of

Answer 44

Put up with the worst of some bad circumstance

Question 45

To call a spade, a spade

Answer 45

To say exactly what you think without trying to hide your opinion

Question 46

To fight shy of

Answer 46

Avoid meeting or confronting someone

Question 47

To cry over the spilt milk

Answer 47

To waste time worrying about something that has happened that you cannot do anything about

Question 48

To burn the candle at both ends

Answer 48

Exhaust one’s energies or resources by leading a hectic life

Question 49

To rob Peter to pay Paul

Answer 49

To take money from one thing to use for something else

Question 50

To the bull by the horns

Answer 50

To face a difficult or dangerous situation directly and with courage.

Question 51

Play to the gallery

Answer 51

To say what you think people want to hear in order to gain popularity

Question 52

Holding out the olive branch

Answer 52

Something you say or do to show you wish to make peace with somebody

Question 53

To make out

Answer 53

To see, hear, understand someone or something with difficulty.

Question 54

Acid test

Answer 54

A way of deciding whether something is successful or true

Question 55

Bad hat

Answer 55

A scoundrel

Question 56

In a blue funk

Answer 56

Very frightened

Question 57

To die in a harness

Answer 57

Expire while working, keep working to the end

Question 58

Dead as a door nail / dead as a dodo

Answer 58

Completely dead

Question 59

To raise cain

Answer 59

Create trouble or a commotion

Question 60

To carry the day

Answer 60

Win, prevail

Question 61

Take down a peg

Answer 61

To make somebody realise that they are not as good, important as they think they are

Question 62

To monkey around with something

Answer 62

To touch, change or treat something in a careless or harmful way

Question 63

In hot water

Answer 63

To be in trouble

Question 64

Petticoat government

Answer 64

Dominance of women at home or in politics

Question 65

To pull yourself together

Answer 65

To take control of your feelings and behave in a calm way

Question 66

To rise from the ranks / through the ranks

Answer 66

Work one’s way to the top

Question 67

To rub shoulders with

Answer 67

Come in contact with