cha Idiom
a chunk of change
a large amount of money, a few grand, big bucks I bet that condo cost him a chunk o' change - 300 grand at least.
a fighting chance
a fair chance, a good chance If I can get a job interview, I'll have a fighting chance.
a ghost of a chance
a poor chance, not likely to happen That car doesn't have a ghost of a chance. It's too slow!
a slim chance
very little chance, not likely to happen """Is it going to rain today?"" ""Maybe. There's a slim chance."""
a snowball's chance in hell
little or no chance to succeed If I write the test now, I won't have a snowball's chance in hell.
a wild goose chase
a waste of time, a long chase without results Oil exploration is sometimes a wild goose chase. It's uncertain.
chain letter
a letter that is copied and sent to other people This letter says I will have bad luck if I break the chain.
chain of command
order of those in power, line of authority If you are a lieutenant, the chain of command goes up and down.
chain reaction
one event causing a sequence of events Abe sold his shares, causing a chain reaction in the market.
chain smoker
a person who smokes one cigarette after another, smokes like a furnace """Do all chain smokers die of emphysema?"" ""No, but most of them do."""
chairman of the boards (hockey)
a player who controls play along the boards In the 1970s Doug was chairman of the boards for the Hawks.
chalk one up for you
you have earned a point, you won that point/game Good shot! I'll chalk one up for you.
chances are
it is quite possible, it may be Chances are they're lost, and that's why they're late.
change for the better
improve, become better My attitude has changed for the better. I'm more positive now.
change hands
change owners, be sold or traded That condo changed hands three times in one year - three owners!
change horses in mid stream
change plans/methods after you have begun a competition or business We're in the furniture business, not clothing. We can't change horses in mid stream.
change horses in midstream
make new plans or choose a new leader in the middle of an important activity They have decided to change lawyers but I told them that they shouldn
change of heart
a change in the way one feels about something I had a change of heart about not going to Europe for my holiday and finally decided to go.
change one's mind
decide to do something different from what had been decided
change your mind
choose a different plan, change your decision Please change your mind about leaving home. Please don't go.
change your tune
change your attitude, change your mind If the price of a barrel of oil goes down, he'll change his tune.
character assassination
saying things that ruin a person's reputation, muckrake """What did they say about him?"" ""It was mainly gossip and character assassination."""
character density
number of dense people, number of dummies If I join your company, the character density will decrease.
charge it
buy or purchase on credit, put it on the bill "The clerk said, ""If you don't have cash, you can charge it."""
charity begins at home
"first help the needy in your own community; then help others" If you want to help the poor, remember that charity begins at home.
chaser
a soft drink to follow a hard drink, a weaker drink The old man drank coffee as a chaser for the Irish whisky.
chasing rainbows
trying to achieve an impossible goal Many young actors are chasing rainbows - hoping for fame.
chat her up
talk to her about a date, talk romantically to her If you like Mila, chat her up. Say nice things to her.
chunk of change
(See a chunk of change)
cut to the chase
tell the exciting part, get to the point George, please, cut to the chase. We're tired of the story already.
drop charges
withdraw complaints, not press charges I realized it was an accident, so I dropped the charges.
fat chance
very little chance, not likely Me? Type 100 words per minute? Fat chance!
fighting chance
(See a fighting chance)
get a charge out of
enjoy, is amused by Ming gets a charge out of Pam's memos. They're humorous.
give chase
chase or run after someone or something The police gave chase to the man who robbed the store.
go through changes
be involved in changing circumstances She has been going through many changes since her divorce.
gotcha (got you)
tricked you, defeated you "When I don't know the answer, he says, ""Gotcha!"""
grab a chair
sit down, have a seat, take a load off your feet "After I introduced everybody, I said, ""Grab a chair and sit down."""
have a chair
please sit down on a chair, have a seat """Please have a chair,"" my aunt said, and the man sat down."
hundred to one shot/chance
a small chance not likely to bring success He only has a hundred to one shot at getting the job that he has applied for.
in character
as usual, typical, in the way that a person usually behaves Supporting the other members of the staff is in character with her usual actions.
in charge
responsible for, in control Who's in charge here? Who is the manager or supervisor?
in charge of
in control of, responsible for My sister has been in charge of buying supplies at her company for many years.
in the charge of
under the care or supervision of She has been in the charge of her grandmother since her mother and father died.
jump at the chance
be ready to try if you have the opportunity If I was asked to play with their band, I'd jump at the chance.
lead a merry chase
delay or escape capture by someone, make a person work hard He led the investigators on a merry chase before they finally arrested him.
musical chairs
the transfer of a number of officers in an organization into different jobs - especially each other
no chancy
there is no chance of it, it cannot be done "When I asked Bill for a loan, he said, ""No chancy."""
press charges
ask the police to charge someone with a crime The police asked her if she wanted to press charges against the thief.
Prince Charming
the perfect man, the ideal mate Colin is not Prince Charming, but I love him and he loves me.
