idioms challenge - Play and Learn

Let me grasp the nettle and tell you that it is still sometimes difficult for me to find my feet in French-language conversations, even with friends, because it is so easy for me to drop the ball.

Although I try to concentrate, I have a tendency to miss a word or an idea, and then I lose the plot. And if people start slinging mud, rolling around on the floor, or making snide remarks, the going gets really tough! As a result, my next comments are not quite on the ball, and some people then think I have a screw loose!

It sometimes drives me off my nut! ... out of my mind!
But I won't throw in the towel. I just try to keep a stiff upper lip.

Idioms challenge:

Glossary of idioms and expressions (read articles first please)

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to be keen on something	to like or appreciate it very much	to have a weakness for something	to be unable to resist it
at cockcrow	"when the cock crows" = at dawn	an early bird	a person who gets up early
burn the candle at both ends	to work very late in the night and get up very early	all at sea	feeling lost (or muddled or confused)
at the top of their voices	very loudly	record-breaking	extraordinary - i.e. very long
a lie-in	when you lie in your bed late in the morning	as fit as a fiddle	in very good shape/health
tired out	completely (totally) tired	motto	slogan or principle to live by
a wink	a wink of sleep	a way of life	life-style
to beat about the bush	to speak without getting to the point [ALT: to beat about the bush]	the best of both worlds	le beurre et l'argent du beurre
to burn the midnight oil	stay up (working) very late	the best thing since sliced bread	a wonderul invention/idea
to bite off more than one can chew	to try to do something that is too difficult	to rise to a challenge	to accept it; to take it up
to stuff	to fill up completely [from the French étoffer]	to grasp the nettle	to do something difficult or painful
to lose the plot	to lose track of things/events/ideas	on the ball	relevant and timely
to sling (to throw) mud	to criticise/insult	to roll aruond on the floor	to be very amused (perhaps laughing loudly)
to make snide remarks	to make disparaging/insinuating remarks	the going gets tough	things become difficult
to have a screw loose	to be a little crazy/mad	out of my mind	crazy/mad; angry
off my nut	crazy/mad	to let a cat out of a bag	to reveal (let out; tell) a secret
intelligence failure	failures of the intelligence and security services (secret services) in a country	to have added force	to be stronger
to be convicted of a crime	to be found guilty of a crime	crime	délits et crimes
to be plugged into	to be a(n active) member of	to drop the ball	[from rugby - or perhaps cricket] to fail in some way when one should be concentrating
to spot	to see, to identify

please first read the articles before reading the glossary - click here >> hide the glossary

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Staying on the Ball ...!