• much greatly to his surprise

• made to measure

• be all things to all men

• go through it with a fine-toothed comb

• out to do something

• bring pressure to bear on him

• backs to the wall

• give vent to it

• lick it into shape

• to and fro

• none too

• to tell the truth

• so to speak

• according to schedule

• not to be able to call one's soul one's own

• lay him to rest

• not to be his scene

• to the full

• come to nothing

• not to be able to take one's eyes off it

• a heart-to-heart

• dressed up to the nines

• I would like to be a fly on the wall

• get into out of the way of doing it

• pay lip-service to it

• below par up to par

• knock it into a cocked hat

• have other fish to fry

• help oneself to it

• kill two birds with one stone

• two ticks