More Idioms

I am just having a time getting started this morning. I have looked all over the net for something interesting to share.. and nothing leapt at me and said "Me! Me! Pick me!"
So I fall back to idioms. I feel in a horsey mood:



across the board

- applying to all (in horse racing a bet where an equal amount of money is placed on a horse to finish in any top winning position)
The workers received an across the board wage increase and most of them were happy.
I would sign this with #A-L-L


first out of the gate
- be the first person to begin a project
He was first out of the gate in the effort to raise money for the new concert hall.
Eh, just emphasize FIRST


in the homestretch
- be close to completion (used often to describe the last furlongs of a horse race)
The project to build the new bridge is now in the homestretch.
I would modify CLOSE with a cs grammar marker.


These came from the website called "The Idiom Connection"

If you are not sure of the signs I use, try the green books, "American Sign Language" by Cokely and Baker-Schenk. I try to use their transcritpion system wherever possible.