| take a (heavy) toll on | Have a bad effect on (something / someone) |
| to rein in | To control, limit |
| to grapple with | To struggle with, to deal with |
| on the brink of | Near, at the edge, near the beginning, about to start (something bad) |
| at all costs / at any cost | Without worrying about the cost, no matter what |
| (his/her) bark is worse than (his /her) bite | What this person says is more frightening than their actions = they won't / can't harm you. |
| in thrall to | To be in someone's power, be controlled by someone |
| an uphill battle | Something that is very difficult to achieve |
| to have time on your side | Have a lot of time to do something. |
| to tackle a problem | To deal with an issue |