| Idiom | Meaning | Example |
| wheels fall off |
(See the wheels fall off)
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| when in Rome, do as the Romans do |
when you are a visitor do the same things as your hosts do
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When I visit an Asian country, I learn the customs, and do as the "Romans" do.
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| when it comes to |
when this is the topic, when we talk about this
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When it comes to cars, I like GM. I would buy a Chev or a Pontiac.
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| when it rains it pours |
when it comes we get too much, feast or famine
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"Tonight we don't have enough chairs for everybody."
"When it rains it pours!"
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| when push comes to shove |
when people fight, when the fighting begins, when the going gets tough
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The workers are demanding a fair wage. When push comes to shove, we may have to call the police.
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| when the chips are down |
when the right decision must be made, when you must win
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When the chips are down - when we are losing - we play better. We need to be challenged.
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| when the crunch comes |
when there is less money, when the economy fails
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When the crunch comes, we'll have our mortgage paid off!
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| when the dust settles |
when the fight is finished, when it is calm again, when the lights go on
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Abortion is a serious issue, but when the dust settles, women will be able to choose.
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| when the going gets tough |
when there are problems, when progress is difficult
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When the going gets tough, we need people with a good attitude.
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| where angels fear to tread |
where even the angels fear to go, where danger is
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They were using a ouija board - going where angels fear to tread!
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