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packet

packet {n.}

1. A large sum of money (earn a packet).

2. A nasty surprise (catch a packet).

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Source: British slang (Wikipedia)

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catch one's breath

[catch one's breath] {v. phr.} 1. To breathe in suddenly with fear or surprise. * /The beauty of the scene made him catch his breath./ Compare: [TAKE ONE'S BREATH AWAY]. […] A Dictionary of American Idioms

nasty-nice

[nasty-nice] {adj.} Unkind in a polite way; disagreeable while pretending to be gracious. * /The bus driver has a nasty-nice way of showing his dislike./ A Dictionary of American Idioms

catch-as-catch-can

[catch-as-catch-can] {adj. phr.} Using any means or method; unplanned; free. * /Rip van Winkle seems to have led a catch-as-catch-can life./ * /Politics is rather a catch-as-catch-can business./ Compare: [HIT-OR-MISS]. […] A Dictionary of American Idioms

make a killing

[make a killing] {v. phr.} To earn or suddenly win a very large sum of money. * /Herb bought a lot of soybean stock when the price was low and […] A Dictionary of American Idioms

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an expression "whose meaning is not predictable from the usual meanings of its constituent elements… or from the general grammatical rules of a language"

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