Idioms and Expressions: List 4

He allowed his librarian carte blanche with regard to shelves and binding. Reed, Talbot Baines

“Leaving no tip would be a faux pas,” she says. Washington Post (Sep 5, 2018)

In a field known for prima donnas, Noseda appears to be widely loved. Washington Post (Jan 7, 2016)

The most logical explanation is that the wrestlers made a quid pro quo agreement: you let me win today, when I really need the victory, and I’ll let you win the next time. Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything

People tended to reconcile themselves to the status quo, declaring that ‘this is how it always was, and this is how it always will be’. Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

Her underlying aim was to explore the idea—derived from John Locke—of the newborn as a tabula rasa, whose character is determined by experience rather than innate qualities. Economist (Feb 15, 2018)

If something is not alive, then it’s dead, and vice versa. The Sense of Style

Suddenly I twist, and for a split second I'm free. Legend

The efforts required to bond with young families aren’t on many lists of fun ways to spend an evening, but so often it’s worth it in the long run. Washington Post (Oct 21, 2015)

It was scrapped this week at the eleventh hour when the government removed it from parliament moments before it was due to be voted into law. BBC (May 27, 2011)

Switzerland’s grassroots democracy allows any Swiss citizen to object to any project proposed anywhere in the country, obliging the developer to respond. Forbes (Sep 5, 2013)

She couldn’t bear hearing high-flown talk she didn’t understand. In the Time of the Butterflies

I’m on the fence as to what your plan of action should be. The Guardian (Feb 5, 2017)

The bottom line is, if you stay home, your message stays home with you. Proud

“We like it very clear that everything we do as a company is aboveboard and legal,” he said. New York Times (Jun 4, 2014)

We are also working to determine any accomplices or known associates who may still be at large. Love, Hate & Other Filters

By the end of senior year, he was finally single, and our friendship evolved into full-fledged coupledom. Americanized

“Get to the point,” they say in the middle of a particularly long-winded tale. New York Times (Aug 29, 2020)

The slapdash structure definitely hurts the movie as much as the plodding script. Salon (Mar 15, 2019)

It definitely helps since the other day I got a little bit of food poisoning and was feeling under the weather. Washington Times (Sep 30, 2018)