1. Come out of the blue

To happen unexpectedly. She seemed so surprised by the news that it must have come out of the blue. You need to work hard—opportunities don’t just come out of the blue.

  1. Do a double take

To look twice due to surprise or disbelief. Everyone did a double take at his shiny new sports car as he drove by. Men and women alike did a double take when they saw him in his tuxedo.

  1. My jaw dropped when I saw it.

  2. If you say you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink or make it drink,

you mean that you can give someone the opportunity to do something, but you cannot force them to do it if they do not want to.

  1. Kick it into high gear.

To begin doing something at a higher speed, intensity, or level of enthusiasm. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between “kick” and “into.”

  1. You’d better take it down a notch!

  2. Take it up a notch = Crank it up

  3. Have fun burning the midnight oil.

If someone is burning the midnight oil, they are staying up very late in order to study or do some other work. Chris is asleep after burning the midnight oil trying to finish his article.

  1. at the top of (one’s) game

At one’s best or most skillful.

  1. off the top of your head

from the knowledge you have in your memory 凭已有知识；不假思索地

  1. feed the beast

1) In politics, to fund or supplement governmental spending, especially through increased tax revenue. Primarily heard in US. 2) To devote or contribute an undue amount of resources, time, or energy to a self-perpetuating pursuit, situation, behavior, or desire.

  1. Way to go! 很好，真棒

  2. quit while you’re ahead This phrase can be used to express the idea that one should stop doing something that’s rewarding but risky before something bad happens.

  3. go with it

  4. To nonchalantly engage in a situation without trying to change it or assert control over it.

Can you relax for even five minutes? Just go with it, OK?

  1. To follow along with someone or something; to act in accordance with another’s actions, especially when their motive or goal is unknown.

If the cops show up at the house because the party’s too loud, I’ll come up with some logical excuse, and you just go with it. I’m going to play a prank on Jenny when she walks in. Just go with it, OK?

  1. for what it is worth

said when you are giving someone a piece of information and you are not certain if that information is useful or important

  1. twiddle your thumbs （等待之际）无所事事； 抱手旋弄大拇指

  2. get your act together 有条不紊地行事

  3. win hands down 轻松取胜

  4. a dog’s dinner 乱七八糟 willy-nilly

  5. The ins and outs 详情，细节

  6. a doddle 轻而易举的事

  7. smash it 给予他人鼓励，希望他人获取成功或赢得胜利

  8. double down 加倍努力做某事，用比以前更坚定的方式继续做某事，更有决心去完成一件事

  9. at/on a double 迅速，马上

  10. tell me about it 同感