a bolt from the blue

a fi sh out of water

a storm in a teacup

 

add fuel to the fire

at a snail’s pace

at the eleventh hour

 

break the ice

call a spade a spade

get out of bed on the wrong side

 

in the pipeline

jump the gun

let the cat out of the bag

 

once in a blue moon

start from scratch

throw in the towel