Summary
Highlights
To 'run amok' means to be chaotic, out of control, or crazy. The example given is an operation where people are quitting and computers are breaking down, making it impossible to meet a deadline. Another example is cows running amok, destroying things on a farm.
The idiom 'no such animal' means that nothing like the thing mentioned exists. For instance, explaining to a grandmother that a cassette tape player is difficult to buy because 'no such animal' is made today. Another example uses 'honest thief' to illustrate that such a concept doesn't genuinely exist.
To 'cap off' something means to finish or complete it. This is explained by a manager 'capping off' a meeting with good advice, similar to putting a cap back on a tube of toothpaste to finish it. Another example is a wife 'capping off' dinner with a great homemade dessert.
To 'come apart at the seams' means something is approaching failure, similar to 'run amok'. When things fall apart, failure is usually imminent. An example is a project failing because 'everything has been coming apart at the seams'. Another illustration is a company that was 'coming apart at the seams' until a new CEO improved its situation.
To be 'under the gun' means to be under intense pressure to meet a deadline. The example given is a city 'under the gun' to repair a bridge before the rainy season. Another instance describes a boss who is 'under the gun' to finish a new software product before the next month.