His most trusted friend proved to be a snake in the grass.

To get into a scrape

His boss was always <u><em>breathing down his neck</em></u>.

The arrival of the mother-in-law in the family proved a <u><em>rift in the lute</em></u>.

I <u><em>raked my brains</em></u> to solve this difficult problem.

As our army attacked, the enemy retreated <u><em>pell-mell</em></u>.

Be in the mire

At one's beck and call

The old father <u><em>brought home</em></u> the moral of unity by asking each of his sons to bre…