1.
busman's holiday: holiday spent in an activity the same as, or similar to, one's occupation, as a bus driver who takes his family for a Sunday drive
2.
come home to roost: have disagreeable repercussions; boomerang
3.
Dutch treat: meal or entertainment for which each participant pays his or her own treat
4.
eat crow: be forced into a humiliating or extremely disagreeable situation
5.
fish or cut bait: proceed wholeheartedly or drop out altogether; stop procrastinating or temporizing
6.
French leave: unauthorized, hasty, or secret departure
7.
have an ax to grind: have a selfish motive or ulterior purpose to promote
8.
hold a candle to: compare favorably with
9.
hold water: remain sound, logical, or consistent; stand up
10.
lame duck: elected official who remains in office for a brief period after a successor has been elected
11.
pay the piper: suffer the unfavorable consequences of one's actions
12.
play possum: pretend to be dead or asleep; dissemble
13.
play the devil's advocate: uphold the wrong side of a cause for the sake of argument
14.
poker face: expressionless face, as that of an experienced poker player
15.
red herring: something used to distract attention from the real issue
16.
roll out the red carpet: show impressive courtesy
17.
stick in one's craw: be intolerable and unacceptable to one
18.
stick to one's last: keep to one's own trade or field
19.
whistle in the dark: put on a show of confidence in the face of impending danger or defeat; try to keep up one's courage
20.
white elephant: possession entailing expense and trouble far greater than its usefulness to the owner