case the joint
To study the layout of a place one wishes to burglarize.
The hooded criminals carefully cased the joint before robbing the neighborhood bank.
To familiarize oneself with a potential workplace or vacation spot as a matter of preliminary planning.
"Hello Fred," he said. "Are you working here now?" "No, not yet," Fred answered. "I am merely casing the joint."
clip joint
tourist trap
A low-class night club or other business where people are cheated.
The man got drunk and lost all his money in a clip joint.
The angry woman said the store was a clip joint.
if you can't lick them, join them
If you cannot defeat an opponent or get him to change his attitude, plans, or ways of doing things, the best thing to do is to change your ideas, plans, etc.
"The small car manufacturers are winning over the big car makers," the president of an American car factory said. "If we want to stay in business, we must do as they do. In other words, if you can't lick them, join them."
join forces
join hands
To get together for the same aim; group together for a purpose; unite.
The students and the graduates joined forces to raise money when the gym burned down.
The American soldiers joined hands with the British in the war against Germany.
put one's nose out of joint
nose is out of joint
To make you jealous; leave you out of favor.
When Jane accepted Tom's invitation it put Jack's nose out of joint.
To ruin your plans; cause you disappointment.
Joe's mother put his nose out of joint by not letting him go to the movie.