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be

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• (as) mad as a wet hen
• (as) mad as hops
• (if the) truth be known
• (if the) truth be told
• (I'll be) hanged if I know!
• (not) half the person/man/woman (one) used to be
• (one's) nerves are shot
• (something) be damned
• (well,) I'll be hanged!
• (well,) I'll be!
• (will there be) anything else?
• a force to be reckoned with
• acknowledge (one) to be right
• acknowledge to be right
• all in one piece
• all in, be
• all it's cracked up to be
• all things to all people, be
• and be done with it
• Appearances can be deceiving
• as to be
• at pains, be at
• at someone's feet, be
• be
• be (a bit) on the expensive side
• be (a bit) on the heavy side
• be (a bit) on the large side
• be (a/the) model of
• be (all) for (someone or something)
• be (all) of a piece
• be (all) part of life's rich pageant
• be (all) part of life's rich tapestry
• be (as) blind as a bat
• be (as) busy as a bee
• be (as) clean as a whistle
• be (as) cold as ice
• be (as) dead as a doornail
• be (as) easy as one-two-three
• be (as) easy as rolling off (of) a log
• be (as) flat as a pancake
• be (as) fresh as a daisy
• be (as) green as a gooseberry
• be (as) hard as nails
• be (as) mad as a hatter
• be (as) nutty as a fruitcake
• be (as) old as the hills
• be (as) pleased as punch
• be (as) pure as the driven snow
• be (as) quiet as a mouse
• be (as) right as rain
• be (as) sick as a dog
• be (as) silent as the grave
• be (as) snug as a bug in a rug
• be (as) sober as a judge
• be (as) solid as a rock
• be (as) sound as a dollar
• be (as) stiff as a board
• be (as) strong as an ox
• be (as) stubborn as a mule
• be (as) thick as a brick
• be (as) thick as a shit
• be (as) thick as a short plank
• be (as) thick as thieves
• be (as) thin as a rail
• be (as) tough as old boots
• be (as) ugly as sin
• be (as) white as snow
• be (batting) on a losing wicket
• be (down) on (one's) uppers
• be (flat) on (one's) back
• be (like) a bird in a gilded cage
• be (living) on another planet
• be (not) (one's) bag
• be (not) (one's) brother's keeper
• be (not) (one's) department
• be (not) a patch on
• be (not) a pretty sight
• be (not) all beer and skittles
• be (not) all fun and games
• be (not) all moonlight and roses
• be (not) as black as (someone/something) is painted
• be (not) backward in coming forward
• be (not) big on (something)
• be (not) comme il faut
• be (not) on speaking terms
• be (not) out of the woods
• be (of) no use to man or beast
• be (one's) for the asking
• be (one's) for the taking
• be (one's) last resort
• be (one's) own man/woman/person
• be (one's) own master
• be (one's) own worst enemy
• be (one's) pigeon
• be (one's/the) main squeeze
• be (out) on the piss
• be (out) on the razzle
• be (really) something
• be (right) on the money
• be (sitting) in the catbird seat
• be (sitting) on (one's) tail
• be (sitting) on top of the world
• be (someone's) call
• be (someone's) funeral
• be (someone's) huckleberry
• be (someone's) strong suit
• be (strictly) for the birds
• be (stuck) in a rut
• be (the) bomb
• be (the) devil's advocate
• be (walking) on thin ice
• be [glad etc.] to see the back of
• be a (something) in the making
• be a (something) through and through
• be a (something) to (one's) fingertips
• be a [athlete etc.] in the making
• be a [crisis etc.] in the making
• be a [Londoner etc.] through and through
• be a barrel of laughs
• be a bed of nails
• be a bit much
• be a blessing in disguise
• be a bundle of laughs
• be a bundle of nerves
• be a card-carrying member (of something)
• be a chapter of accidents
• be a closed book
• be a credit to
• be a crock of shit
• be a cut above
• be a dab hand
• be a dead cert
• be a dead loss
• be a dead ringer for
• be a different kettle of fish
• be a dime a dozen
• be a far cry from
• be a fate worse than death
• be a figment of (one's/the) imagination
• be a figment of imagination
• be a fine figure of a (man or woman)
• be a fine figure of a man
• be a force to be reckoned with
• be a fully paid-up member of
• be a game of two halves
• be a happy camper
• be a hard act to follow
• be a howling success
• be a huckleberry above (one's) persimmon
• be a huckleberry above a persimmon
• be a huckleberry over (one's) persimmon
• be a laugh a minute
• be a law unto
• be a law unto (one)self
• be a licence to print money
• be a license to print money
• be a load off (one's) mind
• be a load off mind
• be a long shot
• be a loud mouth
• be a man
• be a matter of opinion
• be a matter of record
• be a mixed blessing
• be a model of
• be a nasty piece of work
• be a no-no
• be a one-way street
• be a pain in the arse
• be a pain in the neck
• be a patch on
• be a piece of cake
• be a pretty sight
• be a recipe for (something)
• be a recipe for [disaster etc.]
• be a roaring success
• be a rough trot
• be a sight for sore eyes
• be a sign of the times
• be a slave to (something)
• be a sure thing
• be a tall order
• be a thing of the past
• be a thorn in (someone's) side
• be a thorn in flesh
• be a waste of space
• be a weight off (one's) shoulders
• be a weight off shoulders
• be a whole other kettle of fish
• be about
• be above board
• be absorbed by (something)
• be afraid of (one's) (own) shadow
• be afraid of own shadow
• be after
• be after (one's) blood
• be after blood
• be against
• be ahead
• be ahead of the game
• be ahead of the pack
• be alive and kicking
• be alive and well
• be alive with
• be all
• be all (the) one (to someone)
• be all beer and skittles
• be all brawn and no brain(s)
• be all brawn and no brains
• be all dressed up and nowhere to go
• be all ears
• be all eyes
• be all fingers and thumbs
• be all fun and games
• be all fur coat and no knickers
• be all heart
• be all in
• be all in (one's/the) mind
• be all in a day's work
• be all in the/ mind
• be all it's cracked up to be
• be all moonlight and roses
• be all mouth
• be all over
• be all over the shop
• be all smiles
• be all sweetness and light
• be all talk
• be all talk (and no action)
• be all that
• be all the rage
• be all there
• be all things to all men
• be all thumbs
• be all very well
• be all wet
• be along
• be along the lines of (something)
• be an [artist.] to fingertips
• be an apology for
• be an easy touch
• be an open book
• be another different kettle of fish
• be another matter
• be another of life's great mysteries
• be another thing
• be anybody's guess
• be armed to the teeth
• be around
• be as (something) as they come
• be as [crazy etc.] as they come
• be as [fast etc.] as all get out
• be as American as apple pie
• be as bald as a coot
• be as black as are is painted
• be as blind as a bat
• be as bright as a button
• be as brown as a berry
• be as busy as a bee
• be as clean as a whistle
• be as clear as crystal
• be as clear as day
• be as clear as mud
• be as cold as ice
• be as cool as a cucumber
• be as cute as a button
• be as daft as a brush
• be as dead as a dodo
• be as dead as a doornail
• be as deaf as a post
• be as dry as a bone
• be as dull as dishwater
• be as easy as abc
• be as easy as falling off a log
• be as easy as pie
• be as fit as a fiddle
• be as flat as a pancake
• be as fresh as a daisy
• be as full as a boot
• be as gentle as a lamb
• be as good as (one's) word
• be as good as dead
• be as good as gold
• be as good as gone
• be as good as new
• be as good as word
• be as happy as a sandboy
• be as happy as Larry
• be as happy as Larry sandboy
• be as hard as nails
• be as high as a kite
• be as honest as the day
• be as honest as the day is long
• be as keen as mustard
• be as light as a feather
• be as mad as a hatter
• be as mad as a hornet
• be as mad as a March hare
• be as nice as pie
• be as nutty as a fruitcake
• be as old as Methuselah
• be as old as the hills
• be as plain as the nose on (one's) face
• be as plain as the nose on your face
• be as pleased as Punch
• be as poor as church mice
• be as pure as the driven snow
• be as quiet as a mouse
• be as regular as clockwork
• be as right as rain
• be as safe as houses
• be as scarce as hen's teeth
• be as sharp as a tack
• be as sick as a dog
• be as sick as a parrot
• be as silent as the grave
• be as slippery as an eel
• be as snug as a bug in a rug
• be as sober as a judge
• be as solid as a rock
• be as sound as a bell
• be as sound as a dollar
• be as stiff as a board
• be as stiff as a ramrod
• be as straight as a die
• be as strong as an ox
• be as stubborn as a mule
• be as thick as thieves
• be as thick as two short planks
• be as thin as a rake
• be as thin as a stick
• be as tough as old boots
• be as ugly as sin
• be as white as a sheet
• be as white as snow
• be as/like oil and water
• be asking for trouble
• be asleep at the switch
• be asleep at the wheel
• be at
• be at (one's) beck and call
• be at (one's) wit's end
• be at a crossroads
• be at a loose end
• be at a loss
• be at beck and call
• be at daggers drawn
• be at death's door
• be at each other's throats
• be at half-mast
• be at home
• be at it
• be at it hammer and tongs
• be at loggerheads
• be at odds
• be at odds (with)
• be at odds with
• be at one
• be at pains
• be at peace with the world
• be at sea
• be at sixes and sevens
• be at the bottom of
• be at the bottom of (something)
• be at the end of (one's) rope
• be at the end of tether
• be at the helm
• be at the mercy of
• be at the mercy of (something)
• be at the receiving end
• be at the wheel
• be at wits' end
• be au fait with
• be away with the fairies
• be back in business
• be back in harness
• be back on the rails
• be backed into a corner
• be backward in coming forward
• be bad news
• be bag
• be bang on
• be banging head against a brick wall
• be barking mad
• be barking up the wrong tree
• be batting a thousand
• be baying for blood
• be beat
• be before (one's) time
• be before time
• be behind
• be behind the eight ball
• be behind the times
• be below par
• be below the belt
• be beside
• be beside (oneself)
• be beside the point
• be better off dead
• be beyond (one's) ken
• be beyond ken
• be beyond the pale
• be big of
• be big of (one)
• be big on
• be bitter and twisted
• be blasted to smithereens
• be blind to
• be blown away
• be blown to smithereens
• be bone dry
• be bone idle
• be bored to death
• be born with a silver spoon in mouth
• be born yesterday
• be bouncing off the walls
• be bound and determined
• be brain dead
• be bright and breezy
• be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed
• be broad in the beam
• be brother's keeper
• be brought down a notch (or two)
• be brought down a peg (or two)
• be brought in from the cold
• be brought to account
• be built like a brick shithouse
• be built like a tank
• be built on sand
• be bulging at the seams
• be bumping along the bottom
• be burnt to a crisp
• be busted
• be careful
• be carried out feet first
• be carved in stone
• be cast in cement
• be cast in concrete
• be cast in the same mould
• be caught in a time warp
• be caught in the crossfire
• be caught in the middle
• be caught napping
• be caught off (one's) guard
• be caught on the hop
• be caught short
• be caught with (one's) pants down
• be caught with pants down
• be center stage
• be centre stage
• be chafing at the bit
• be chalk and cheese
• be champing at the bit
• be chasing tail
• be chief cook and bottle washer
• be child's play
• be chilled to the bone
• be chilled to the marrow
• be chomping at the bit
• be cleaned out
• be climbing the walls
• be close to home
• be close to the bone
• be close to the mark
• be clued in
• be cocksure of (oneself)
• be coining it
• be cold comfort
• be coming apart at the seams
• be comme il faut
• be compos mentis
• be comprised of
• be conspicuous by (one's) absence
• be conspicuous by absence
• be cooked
• be cooked to a turn
• be cooking on gas
• be cup of tea
• be cut adrift
• be cut from the same cloth
• be cut to the bone
• be damned
• be damned if do and damned if don't
• be dead and buried
• be dead from the neck up
• be dead from the waist down
• be dead in the water
• be dead meat
• be dead on feet
• be dead on the vine
• be dead to the world
• be department
• be descended from
• be done
• be done in
• be done like a (dog's) dinner
• be done like a dinner
• be done to a turn
• be done to death
• be doped to the gills