24-letter words containing i, l, h

the last of the mohicans — a historical novel (1826) by James Fenimore Cooper.
the least i could/can do — You use expressions like 'that's the least that I can do' to mean that you are very willing to do it, or to acknowledge someone's thanks.
the netherlands antilles — two groups of islands in the Caribbean, in the Lesser Antilles: a former constituent country of the Netherlands (since 2010 each island has had a separate status), consisting of the S group of Curaçao, Aruba, and Bonaire, and the N group of Saint Eustatius, Saba, and the S part of Saint Martin; economy based on refining oil from Venezuela. Pop: 222 000 (2004 est). Area: 996 sq km (390 sq miles)
the official secrets act — an act of Parliament that covers the protection of information relating to state security
the realm of possibility — If you say that something is not beyond the realms of possibility, you mean that it is possible.
the second international — an international association of socialist parties and trade unions that began in Paris in 1889 and collapsed during World War I. The right-wing elements reassembled at Berne in 1919
the villain of the piece — If you say that someone is the villain of the piece, you are saying in a slightly humorous way that they are seen by some people as the cause of all the trouble in a particular situation.
the whole shooting match — everything; the whole lot
the world is your oyster — If you say that the world is someone's oyster, you mean that they can do anything or go anywhere that they want to.
think (all) the world of — to admire or love greatly
thorn in your side/flesh — If you describe someone or something as a thorn in your side or a thorn in your flesh, you mean that they are a continuous problem to you or annoy you.
thousand island dressing — a seasoned mayonnaise, often containing chopped pickles, pimientos, sweet peppers, hard-boiled eggs, etc.
three-spined stickleback — a small teleost fish, Gasterosteus aculeatus, of the family Gasterosteidae, of rivers and coastal regions, having three spines along the back and occurring in cold and temperate northern regions
to be in black and white — of an image, only using shades of black, white, and grey
to burn the midnight oil — If someone is burning the midnight oil, they are staying up very late in order to study or do some other work.
to fight a losing battle — If you are fighting a losing battle, you are trying to achieve something but are not going to be successful.
to join the retired list — to retire
to lay something to rest — If you lay something such as fears or rumours to rest or if you put them to rest, you succeed in proving that they are not true.
to light the touch paper — if someone lights the touch paper or lights the blue touch paper, they do something which causes anger or excitement
to play your cards right — If you say that someone will achieve success if they play their cards right, you mean that they will achieve success if they act skilfully and use the advantages that they have.
to rise to the challenge — If someone rises to the challenge, they act in response to a difficult situation which is new to them and are successful.
to strike a blow for sth — If you strike a blow for a particular cause or principle, you do something that supports it or makes it more likely to succeed.
transcendental aesthetic — (in Kantian epistemology) the study of space and time as the a priori forms of perception.
trip the light fantastic — a journey or voyage: to win a trip to Paris.
ultra low sulphur diesel — a type of diesel fuel that has a low sulphur content
until the cows come home — the mature female of a bovine animal, especially of the genus Bos.
variable pitch propeller — a propeller in which the angle of the blades with regard to air flow can be adjusted while it is in operation
virtual home environment — (VHE) A tool for using NFS on HP UX.
voluntary aid detachment — (in World War I) an organization of British women volunteers who assisted in military hospitals and ambulance duties
what are you playing at? — If you ask what someone is playing at, you are angry because you think they are doing something stupid or wrong.
which way the wind blows — air in natural motion, as that moving horizontally at any velocity along the earth's surface: A gentle wind blew through the valley. High winds were forecast.
wolf in sheep's clothing — any of several large carnivorous mammals of the genus Canis, of the dog family Canidae, especially C. lupus, usually hunting in packs, formerly common throughout the Northern Hemisphere but now chiefly restricted to the more unpopulated parts of its range.
work/go/run like a charm — If you say that something worked like a charm, you mean that it was very effective or successful.

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