pinch and scrape
To save as much money as possible by spending as little as possible.
They are trying to buy their first house so they are pinching and scraping every penny they can.
play cat and mouse with
To tease or fool (someone) by pretending to let him go free and then catching him again.
Уходить от ответа; дурачить; "играть в кошки-мышки".
Joe's uncle had fun playing cat and mouse with him.
The policeman decided to play cat and mouse when he saw the woman steal the dress in the store.
Please, stop playing cat and mouse with me; I want to know your intentions immediately.
Пожалуйста, перестань играть с "кошки-мышки" со мной, я хочу знать твои намерения сейчас же.
play fast and loose
To do as you please without caring what will happen to other people; act so carelessly or unfairly that people cannot depend on you; be very unreliable.
He played fast and loose with the girl's affections.
He played fast and loose with the company's good name.
play into one's hands
To be or do something that another person can use against you; help an opponent against yourself.
In the basketball game, Jerry's foul played into the opponents' hands.
Mary and Bobby both wanted the last piece of cake, but Bobby played into Mary's hands by trying to grab it.
pure and simple
Simply stated; basic. Follows the noun it modifies and is used for emphasis.
The problem, pure and simple, is finding a baby-sitter.
The question, pure and simple, is whether you will support me.
put one's hand to the plow
set one's hand to the plow
To start doing something of importance; give yourself to a big job.
We felt that he had put his hand to the plow, and we didn't like it when he quit.
put one's hand to
set one's hand to
turn one's hand to
To start working at; try to do.
Hal does a good job at everything mat he turns his hand to.
After Mr. Sullivan found farming unprofitable, he moved to town and turned his hand to carpentry.
put that in your pipe and smoke it
To understand something told you; accept something as fact or reality; not try to change it. Usually used as a command, normally only in speech, and often considered rude.
People don't vote against Santa Claus, and you might as well put that in your pipe and smoke it.
I am not going to do that and you can put that in your pipe and smoke it.