• break his heart

• put on a brave front face

• brain drain

• all the rage

• straight talking

• a saving grace

• keep it for a rainy day

• be prey to it

• keep a tight rein

• a one-horse race

• raise one's voice

• raising Cain

• make-or-break

• break one's heart

• rack one's brains

• strange bird

• damn it with faint praise

• a jack-of-all-trades

• strangely enough

• as right as rain

• praise him to the skies

• a turn of phrase

• off the rails

• do a roaring trade

• break cover

• as thin as a rake

• a trick of the trade

• get it straight

• sour grapes

• make great strides

• straight out