In stitches

In a stew When someone is in a stew about something, they are worried and agitated.

“When she was organizing the wedding reception, Laura got into a stew over the seating arrangements.”

Stew in your own juice If you let somebody stew in their own juice, you leave them to worry about the consequences of their own actions.

“Jack spent last night in prison for starting a fight - let him just stew in his own juice!”

Stick in one’s throat (or craw) If a situation, or someone’s attitude, sticks in your throat (or craw), it is difficult to accept and makes you angry or resentful. “The way he treats women really sticks in my throat!”

Stick out like a sore thumb If something sticks out like a sore thumb, it is very obvious or visible in an unpleasant way.

“The modern building sticks out like a sore thumb among the old houses.”

Stick something out If you stick something out, you continue to the end in spite of the difficulties or unpleasant aspects of the situation.

“Life is difficult here, but he is going to stick it out because he is determined to succeed.”

Stick out a mile If something sticks out a mile, it is very obvious or very easy to see.

“You can see she’s had a facelift - it sticks out a mile!”

Stick to one’s guns If you stick to your guns, you show determination when faced with opposition. “The government stuck to its guns in spite of the criticism.”

Sticky fingers Someone who has sticky fingers has a tendency to steal.

“Items have been disappearing from the stock recently. Do any of the employees have sticky fingers?”

Stir up a hornet’s nest If you stir up a hornet’s nest, you do something which causes a commotion and provokes criticism and anger.

“His letter to the Board stirred up a real hornet’s nest.”

In stitches When people are in stitches, they are laughing a lot.

“The story was so funny, everyone was in stitches.”

A stone’s throw away To say that something is a stone’s throw away means that it is just a short distance away.

“It’s a residential area but the shops are just a stone’s throw away.”

Stop dead in one’s tracks If you stop dead in your tracks, you stop suddenly because you are frightened or surprised.

“When Steve saw the snake, he stopped dead in his tracks.”