Close to home
To be close to someone`s personal feelings or wishes or interests. My statement about the woman's work habits hit close to home and she became... Read more →
Close the books (on someone or something)
To put an end to something (like closing the books in accounting records). The city closed the books on the idea of building a new stadium.
Clear out (of somewhere)
To leave, to get out (usually quickly or abruptly). We cleared out of the building when our class was finished.
Clear of (something)
To be not touching something. We checked that the ladder was clear of the electrical wires before we painted the house.
Chip on one’s shoulders
A tendency to try to argue or get into a conflict with others. The man has a chip on his shoulders and wants to fight with everybody.
Close ranks
To come together for fighting, to unite and work together. The political parties closed ranks and stopped arguing among themselves.
Close one’s eyes to (something)
To ignore something. The teacher closed her eyes to the misbehavior of the students.
Clear sailing
To be an easy situation. It was clear sailing after we finished work and began our holiday.
Clear out (something) or clear (something) out
To clean somewhere, to remove something. We cleared out the room before we started to paint.
Choke (someone) up or choke up (someone)
To make someone cry or become overemotional and speechless. The story of the boy's illness choked the woman up.