a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step »
even the longest and most difficult ventures have a starting point
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be there for »
To be available to provide comfort and support for someone, especially in a period of difficulty.
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beat around the bush »
To delay or avoid talking about something difficult or unpleasant.
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big deal »
Something very important, difficult, or of concern.
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bitter end »
The end of a long and difficult process.
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bogged down »
Stuck; mired, as in detail, difficulty; delayed or made slower.
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bring off »
To succeed in doing something considered to be very difficult.
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can of worms »
A troublesome situation; an issue whose resolution is difficult or contentious, but not necessarily complex.
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come out in the wash »
Of problems or difficulties, to work out, resolve, or become understood eventually and naturally.
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daily grind »
The difficult, routine, or monotonous tasks of daily work.
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deep water »
A difficult or embarrassing situation.
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do the hard yards »
To perform a difficult task or tasks.
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drag »
To pull along a surface or through a medium, sometimes with difficulty.
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elephant in the room »
A problem or difficult issue that is very obvious, but is ignored for the convenience or comfort of those involved.
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fight a losing battle »
To try to do something so difficult that it will probably end in failure.
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fight tooth and nail »
To use every means possible to overcome a difficult opposition.
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fine line »
A difference, albeit vague and difficult to discern.
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frog in one's throat »
Any temporary physical difficulty in speaking.
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game face »
The expression of one who is prepared for or is facing a lot of difficult and/or undesirable work, especially when it is imminent.
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get »
A difficult return or block of a shot.
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get out of Dodge »
To leave; in particular to leave a difficult or dangerous environment with all possible haste.
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go the distance »
To have the endurance to see a difficult sustained challenge to its natural end without faltering.
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hard of hearing »
Having difficulty hearing; somewhat deaf.
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hard pressed »
Having or likely to have difficulty or to find a task almost impossible.
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hash out »
To work through the details of something; especially to work through difficulties.
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have it made »
To have accomplished all there is to do; to have no further work or difficulty; to have achieved a lifestyle characterized by good fortune and comfort.
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have someone by the short hairs »
To have someone in a difficult situation in which he or she is without alternatives and can be controlled.
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in a bind »
In a difficult situation, usually of one's own making; having a dilemma; faced with a problem or a set of problems for which there is no easy solution.
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in a pinch »
In an urgent or difficult situation; when no other solution is available.
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kick someone when they are down »
To make it worse for someone who is going through a difficult time.
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land on one's feet »
To be lucky, or successful, often in difficult situations.
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leave somebody in the lurch »
To abandon somebody; especially, to abandon somebody and leave him or her in a difficult situation.
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long row to hoe »
A difficult or arduous task.
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magic bullet »
A simple remedy to a difficult or complex problem, especially a cure for a disease.
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make a virtue of necessity »
To make the best of a difficult situation; to recast or portray an action or situation in which one has no alternatives as an action or situation which was deliberately chosen on its merits.
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make no bones about »
To see no difficulty in, have no objection to.
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may the Force be with you »
Used to wish someone luck with a difficult endeavor.
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morning person »
A person whose who wakes up without difficulty early each morning and who is alert and active during the first part of the day.
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needle in a haystack »
Something that is difficult or impossible to locate; something impossibly complex or intractable.
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nose test »
An inspection of the nasal passages or a trial of their function, as for breathing difficulties.
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pickle »
A difficult situation, peril.
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pound of flesh »
Something which is owed and which will be hurtful or difficult to provide; a debt owed to someone who is merciless and demanding.
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problem child »
A child who is particularly difficult to raise or educate, especially due to a lack of self-control and disruptive and antisocial behavior.
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problem child »
Someone or something persistently difficult or vexing; a frequent source of trouble or annoyance.
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pull off »
To achieve; to succeed at something difficult.
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pull teeth »
To do something that is especially difficult or effortful.
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queer one's pitch »
To make a task more difficult for the speaker.
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rainy day »
A difficult period of need, when things do not go right.
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ride out »
To tackle a difficult problem and survive.
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rough sledding »
A difficult period of time.
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rough trot »
A series of difficult circumstances.
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run for one's money »
A difficult challenge for the person indicated, especially one involving a competitive situation.
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run for one's money »
A reasonable opportunity to succeed, perform acceptably, or escape harm, especially in a difficult situation.
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scrape together »
To collect, assemble or gather small amounts , from various sources, with some difficulty.
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sell down the river »
To betray, especially in a manner which causes serious difficulty for the one betrayed.
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size up »
To evaluate; to estimate or anticipate the magnitude, difficulty, or strength of something.
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slam dunk »
A task expected to present no difficulty.
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smoking gun »
Evidence, particularly of a crime, that is difficult or impossible to dispute.
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soldier on »
To continue or persist, despite adversity or difficulty.
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take the bull by the horns »
To confront a difficulty, rather than avoiding it.
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tall order »
A big job; a difficult challenge.
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that which doesn't kill you makes you stronger »
Used to express the sentiment that hardship or difficult experiences build moral character.
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thorn in the flesh »
A persistent difficulty or something very annoying that will not go away.
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throw smoke »
To consistently pitch fastballs that are difficult to hit.
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tiger team »
An engineering or other group assembled to tackle especially difficult or critical problems, often outside the normal chain of command.
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tight spot »
A difficult position.
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tough call »
A choice or judgment which is difficult to make, especially one involving only two alternatives.
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tough nut to crack »
A difficult or sticky problem.
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tough row to hoe »
A difficult or arduous task.
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up a creek »
In trouble; in a difficult situation.
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up a creek without a paddle »
In a difficult situation, without any help. Superlative form of up a creek: most up a creek.
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up the creek without a paddle »
In a difficult situation with no means of rectifying it.
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uphill battle »
difficult struggle
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water down »
To simplify or oversimplify; to make easier; to make less difficult.
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weather the storm »
To reach the end of a very difficult situation without too much harm or damage.
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what doesn't kill you makes you stronger »
Used to express the sentiment that hardship or difficult experiences build moral character.
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when push comes to shove »
When the pressure is on; when the situation is critical or urgent; when the time has come for action, even if it is difficult.
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when the going gets tough, the tough get going »
in difficult times, it is the strong-willed who take action.
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winkle out »
To acquire something or someone with difficulty.
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yak shaving »
Any apparently useless activity which, by allowing you to overcome intermediate difficulties, allows you to solve a larger problem.
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