A rough estimate within acceptable bounds.
Two months after the fire, the construction company gave us a ballpark figure on how much it would cost to rebuild our home.
Value; efficiency; return on investment.
I'm not sure which car to buy. I'm trying to figure out which gives the greatest bang for the buck.
Pursue the wrong thing; to take the wrong approach.
Don't ask me for a pay raise. You're barking up the wrong tree. I have no authority to give anybody a pay raise.
Remember; consider; note.
Bear in mind that money is not the most important thing in life.
To continue or persist talking about a topic or issue beyond normal interest.
I don't mean to beat a dead horse, but could we go over the plan just once more?
To talk about a topic too indirectly or cautiously; to take a long time getting to the main point or idea.
Please stop beating around the bush and get to the point!
I don't know; this puzzles me.
Do you have any idea why Mary was upset? Beats me!
To make a great effort; to go to great lengths.
Max bent over backwards to make sure that his boss was happy.
Irrelevant, off the topic.
The color of the car is beside the point. What kind of gas mileage does it get?
Having the choice between two difficult or unacceptable options.
Max was between a rock and a hard place. He could fight in the war, which he didn't believe in, or go to prison.
To stop oneself from speaking out.
Max quit his job because he was tired of biting his tongue every time his boss announced one of his stupid ideas.
To overreact or exaggerate something.
Let's not blow the problem out of proportion. If we break it down, we'll see that it is really not that complicated.
To believe something.
Max told Mary that he was sorry, but she didn't buy it.
