IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS - 2

Rack and ruin

If something or someone goes to rack and ruin, they are utterly destroyed or wrecked.

Rack your brain

If you rack your brain, you think very hard when trying to remember something. ('Rack your brains' is an alternative.)

Rags to riches

Someone who starts life very poor and becomes rich goes from rags to riches.

Rain on your parade

If someone rains on your parade, they ruin your pleasure or your plans.

Raining cats and dogs

When it is raining cats and dogs, it is raining very heavily.

Raise eyebrows

If something raises eyebrows, it shocks or surprises people.

Rake over old coals

(UK) If you go back to old problems and try to bring them back, making trouble for someone, you are raking over old coals.

Rake someone over the coals

(USA) If you rake someone over the coals, you criticize or scold them severely.

Zigged before you zagged

If you did things in the wrong order, you zigged before you zagged.

Zip your lip

If someone tells you to zip your lip, they want to to shut up or keep quiet about something. ('Zip it' is also used.)