a bone of contention: something which people argue and disagree over.
Examples:
to have one’s way: to arrange matters the way one wants (especially whensomeone else doesn’t want to same way) (also: to get one’s way) Examples of TO HAVE ONE’S WAY My boss always insists that he has everything his way; he can’t compromise at all. You can have it your way, the fast-food chain advertised,…
to go up: to increase (also: to drive up); to be constructed, to be erected Examples of TO GO UP As a matter of fact, that’s more often the case than when earnings are going up. Not because rates are going up, but because they were under-insured in the past.
to put on: to gain (pounds or weight); to present, to perform Examples of TO PUT ON It sounds odd but I actually managed to put on weight during my five-day ordeal. It reminded me of a family reunion where some of the kids got up to put on show.
cut and dried: predictable, known beforehand; boring Examples of CUT AND DRIED For those who have never been seriously ill, treatment often seems cut and dried. In conversation, the director concedes that the issue is not so cut-and-dried.
let alone: and certainly not (also: not to mention, to say nothing of) Examples of LET ALONE He would never walk again let alone play golf. He doesn’t even speak his own language well, let alone French.
to make out: to do, to succeed, to progress Examples of TO MAKE OUT The bank robbers were hoping to make out with a lot more money than they got. I’m not able to make out exactly what you mean.