Idioms (A)

List of English idioms that start with A.

A Bit Much: More than is reasonable; a bit too much

A Bite at The Cherry: A good opportunity that isn’t available to everyone

A Busy Bee: A busy, active person who moves quickly from task to task.

A Cat Has Nine Lives: Cats seem to get away with dangerous things

A Cat in Gloves Catches No Mice: You can’t get what you need if you’re too careful.

A Cat Nap: A short sleep during the day

A Cold Day In July: (Something that) will never happen

A Cold Fish: Someone who is not often moved by emotions, who is regarded as being hard
and unfeeling.

A Cut Above: Slightly better than

A Cut Below: Inferior to; somewhat lower in quality than

A Day Late And A Dollar Short: Too delayed and insignificant to have much effect

A Dog in The Manger: A person who selfishly prevent others from using, enjoying or
profiting from something even though he/ she cannot use or enjoy it himself.

A Few Sandwiches Short Of A Picnic: Abnormally stupid, not really sane

A Good Deal: To a large extent, a lot

A Great Deal: To a very large extent

A Guinea Pig: Someone who is part of an experiment or trial

A Hair’s Breadth: A very small distance or amount

A Home Bird: Somebody who prefers to spend his social and free time at home.

A Hundred And Ten Percent: More than what seems to be the maximum

A Lame Duck: A person or enterprise (often a business) that is not a success and that has to
be helped.

A Leg Up: An advantage, a boost

A Lemon: A vehicle that does not work properly

A Life Of Its Own: An independent existence

A Little Bird Told Me: I don’t wish to divulge where I got the information

A Little Bird Told Me: I got this information from a source I cannot reveal.

A Little from Column A, a Little from Column B: A course of action drawing on several
different ideas or possibilities

A Lone Wolf: Someone who is not very social with other people

A Lot on One’s Plate: A lot to do

A Million and One: Very many

A Notch Above: Superior to; higher in quality

A Penny for Your Thoughts: What are you thinking?

A Penny Saved is A Penny Earned: Every small amount helps to build one’s savings

A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words: A visual presentation can communicate something

very effectively

A Plum Job: An easy and pleasant job that also pays well

A Rare Bird: Somebody or something of a kind that one seldom sees.

A Scaredy-Cat: Someone who is excessively scared or afraid.

A Second Bite At The Cherry: A Second chance to do something

A Sight for Sore Eyes: Someone that you’re pleased to see

A Sitting Duck: A person or object in a vulnerable position that is easy to attack or injure.
A Snowball’s Chance in Hell: Little to no likelihood of occurrence or success

A Stitch in Time Saves Nine: Fix something quickly, because if you don’t, it will just get more
difficult to fix

A Stone’s Throw: A very short distance

A Storm in a Teacup: Unnecessary anger or worry about an unimportant or trivial matter

A Tall Order: A difficult task

A Week Is A Long Time In _____: In the field mentioned, the situation may change rapidly

About Time: Far past the desired time

About To: On the point of, occurring imminently

Above And Beyond: More than is expected or required

Above Board: Openly, without deceit. Honestly, reputably.

Above The Law: Exempt from the laws that apply to everyone else.

Above The Salt: Of high standing or honour

Above Water: Not in extreme difficulty. Especially said of finances

Accident Of Birth: Luck in something due to family good fortune

Accident Waiting To Happen: A dangerous way of setting up or organizing something

According To Hoyle: Properly, in accordance with established procedures

Ace In The Hole: A hidden advantage

Ace Up One’s Sleeve: A surprise advantage of which others are not aware.

Acid Test: A crucial event that determines the worth of something

Acknowledge The Corn: Admit to a mistake, especially a small one; point out one’s own
shortcomings, or another’s

Acquired Taste: Something one learns to appreciate only after trying it repeatedly

Across The Board: In relation to all categories, for everyone

Across The Pond: On or to the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.

Act High and Mighty: Be arrogant, presume that one is better than others

Act Of Congress: Hard to get, said of authorization

Act One’s Age: To be mature, not childish

Actions Speak Louder Than Words: One’s character and intentions are shown more
accurately by one’s actions than by one’s words.

Achilles’ Heel: The weak point of an otherwise powerful person or organization

Add Fuel To The Fire: Worsen already existing tension

Add Insult To Injury: Compound a defeat with humiliation or mockery

Add Insult to Injury: Humiliate someone in addition to doing damage to him or her

After One’s Own Heart: Similar in a pleasing way

After The Fact: Too late; after something is completed or finalized

After The Lord Mayor’s Show (UK): Anticlimactic; occurring after something impressive

Against The Clock: Forced to hurry to meet a deadline

Against the Clock: In a very limited amount of time; with a shortage of time being the main
problem

Against The Grain: Contrary to one’s natural inclinations

Against The Run Of Play: A typical of the way a game has been going

Age Before Beauty: Something said by a younger woman to an older one, for instance
allowing her to pass through a doorway

Agree To Disagree: Accept or set aside a disagreement

Agreement In Principle: In a negotiation, an agreement in which not all details have been
worked out
Aha Moment: Sudden realization, the point at which one suddenly understands something

Ahead Of One’s Time: Offering ideas not yet in general circulation; highly creative

Ahead Of The Curve: Innovative, devising new ideas in advance of others

Ahead Of The Curve: Offering ideas not yet in general circulation; highly creative

Ahead Of The Game: Making faster progress than anticipated; ahead of schedule

Air Rage: Angry behaviour inside an airplane

Airy Fairy: whimsical, nonsensical, impractical

Albatross Around One’s Neck: Something from one’s past that acts as a hindrance

Alive and Kicking: In good health despite health problems

All Along: For the entire time something has been happening

All And Sundry: Everyone (separately) Each one.

All Bark And No Bite: Tending to make verbal threats but not deliver on them

All Bets Are Off: What seemed certain is now unclear

All Dressed Up And Nowhere To Go: Prepared (with clothing or otherwise) for an event that
does not occur

All Ears: Listening willingly, waiting for an explanation

All Eyes And Ears: Attentive

All Eyes Are On: Watching alertly or attentively. Having prominent eyes. Everyone is paying
attention to
All Fur Coat And No Knickers: Superficially attractive, physically or otherwise

All Hands on Deck: Everyone must help.

All Hat And No Cattle: Pretentious, full of bluster

All Hell Breaks Loose: The situation becomes chaotic.

All In A Day’s Work (Excl.): That’s what I’m here for; although I have accomplished
something, it is part of what I’m expected to do

All In Good Time: Eventually; at a more favourable time in the future. This phrase encourages
one to be patient.

All in One Piece: Safely

All It’s Cracked Up To Be: As good as claims or reputation would suggest

All Mouth And No Trousers: Superficial, engaging in empty, boastful talk, but not of real
substance

All Over But The Shouting: Certain to end in a specific way

All Over Hell’s Half Acre: All over the place; everywhere.

All Over The Board: Everywhere, in many different locations

All Over The Map: Everywhere; in many different locations

All Over The Place: Everywhere; in many different locations

All Rights Reserved: Said of a published work; all reproduction rights are asserted by the
copyright holder

All Roads Lead to Rome: There is more than one effective way to do something; many
different methods will produce the same result
All Set: Ready, prepared, finished

All Sizzle And No Steak: Failing to live up to advance promotion or reputation

All Talk and No Trousers: Prone to empty boasts

All Told: With everything taken into consideration

All That Jazz: Similar things, similar qualities, et cetera

All The Marbles: The entire prize or reward

All The Rage: Very fashionable

All the Rage: Very much in fashion

All The Same: Anyway; nevertheless; nonetheless.

All The Tea In China: Great wealth, a large payment

All Things Being Equal: In the event that all aspects of a situation remain the same

All Things Considered: Taking all factors into consideration

All Thumbs: Clumsy

All Very Well: True to a certain extent

All Wet: Completely mistaken

Along The Lines Of: In general accordance with, in the same general direction as

Amateur Hour: A display of incompetence

Amber Gambler: Someone who accelerates to try to cross an intersection before a traffic
light turns red

Amber Nectar: Beer

American Dream (The): The belief among Americans that hard work leads to material
success

An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away: Eating healthy foods will keep one from getting
sick (and needing to see a doctor)

An Axe: To Grind A grievance, a disagreement with someone that justifies confrontation.

An Early Bird: A person who gets up early in the morning, or who starts work earlier than
others.

An Eye for an Eye: Justice in which reparation or vengeance exactly matches the harm caused
to the victim
An Offer One Can’t Refuse: An extremely attractive offer

Ancient History: Something, such as a disagreement, that happened long ago and ought to
be forgotten

And All That: Et cetera, and so on.

And Counting: And the number just mentioned is increasing (or decreasing)

And Change: And an additional amount of money that’s less than the next round number

And His Mother: An intensifier for an inclusive noun or phrase such as everyone, everybody

And So Forth: Indicates that a list continues in a similar manner, etc.

And So On: Indicates that a list continues in a similar manner, etc.

And The Like: And other similar items, etc.

And Then Some: And even more than what has just been mentioned

Another Nail In One’s Coffin: Something that leads to someone’s death, literally or
figuratively.

Answer Back: Respond impertinently; to talk back.

Ants In Your Pants: Restlessness

Any Port in a Storm: If you’re in trouble, you’ll turn to anything that improves the situation.

Any Tom, Dick or Harry: Any ordinary person

Angel’s Advocate: Someone who takes a positive outlook on an idea or proposal

Angle For: Aim toward something, try to obtain something, often indirectly or secretly

Apple of One’s Eye: A favourite person or thing, a person especially valued by someone

Apple of Someone’s Eye: The person that someone loves most of all and is very proud of

Apples and Oranges: Of two different classes, not comparable

Apples and Oranges: Of two different classes, not comparable

Arm Candy: An attractive woman accompanying a powerful or famous man at a social event

Armed to the Teeth: Carrying many weapons

Around the Clock: At all times

As American as Apple Pie: Very or typically American

As Far as I Can Throw (someone): Only slightly

As Fit as A Fiddle: To be healthy and physically fit

As Pale as A Ghost: Extremely pale

As Pale as Death: Extremely pale

As Poor as a Church Mouse: Very poor

As Red as A Cherry: Very red

Asleep at the Wheel (Switch): not paying attention to one’s work; not doing one’s job
diligently.

At Death’s Door: Very near death

At Each Other’s Throats: Constantly and strongly arguing

At Loggerheads: In a state of persistent disagreement

At Loggerheads: In a state of persistent disagreement.

At Sixes and Sevens: Someone is in a state of confusion or not very well organized.

At the Drop of a Hat: Spontaneously, suddenly

At the Eleventh Hour: It happens when it is almost too late.

At the End of One’s Rope (Tether): Running out of endurance or patience

At the End of the Day: In the final analysis; when all is said and done

At Wit’s End: Frustrated because all measures to deal with something have failed
Idioms (B)
List of English idioms that start with B.

Babe In Arms: A baby being carried

Babe In The Woods: An innocent, naive person

Babe Magnet: A man to whom women are attracted

Baby Blues: Blue eyes.

Baby Boomer: A person born in the years following World War II, when there was a
temporary marked increase in the birth rate

Babysitter Test: An evaluation of the ease of use of household appliances, especially remote
control devices
Back And Forth: Dialogue, negotiations

Back At You: Same to you (used to return a greeting or insult)

Back Burner (On The): Not urgent; set aside until later

Back Forty: Remote, inaccessible land

Back in the Day: Formerly, when I was younger, in earlier times

Back Of Beyond: A remote location

Back Office: Support services for a business

Back on One’s Feet: Physically healthy again

Back to Square One: Back to the start

Back to Square One: Forced to begin something again

Back to the Drawing Board: Forced to begin something again

Back to the Salt Mine(s): We have to go back to work.

Back to the Salt Mines: It’s time for me (us) to go back to work

Back the Wrong Horse: To support the losing side

Backing and Filling: Delaying a decision by making small changes or arguing about small
details

Backseat Driver: A passenger in a car who gives unwanted advice to the driver is called a
backseat driver.

Backseat Driver: Someone who likes to give (often annoying) advice to the driver of a car, or
the leader of some other enterprise
Bad Apple: A discontented, trouble making, or dishonest person

Bad Blood: Enmity or hatred that stems from something in the past

Bad Egg: Someone who is not to be trusted

Bad Taste In One’s Mouth: Unease, a feeling that something unspecified is wrong in a
situation

Bag of Tricks: A set of methods or resources

Bail Out: To rescue someone from a bad situation, to shield someone from the consequences
of his or her actions

Ball and Chain: 1. One’s spouse (derogatory but often affectionate); 2. an ongoing burden

Ballpark Figure: A rough estimate

Banner Year: A year marked by strong successes

Bang for Your Buck: Value for money

Bang for Your Buck: Value for your money

Bang One’s Head Against the Wall (Against a Brick Wall):Try repeatedly to do something
without making progress

Baptism by Fire: A difficult task given right after one has assumed new responsibilities

Bar Fly (or Barfly): Someone who spends much of his or her time in bars

Bare One’s Heart (Soul): To confess one’s deepest secrets

Bark Up the Wrong Tree: Pursue a mistaken approach or belief; be wrong in a course of
action
Basket Case: So upset or stunned that one is unable to function; in a hopeless condition

Bat/Play for Both Teams: To be bisexual.

Bat/Play for the Other Team: To be homosexual.

Batten Down the Hatches: Prepare for a storm

Batten Down the Hatches: Prepare for a storm

Be A Barrel of Laughs: To be fun, funny, and pleasant.

Be A Cold Day In Hell: (Something that) will never happen

Be An Item: Two people are an item when they are having a romantic relationship
Be Footloose and Fancy-Free: To be free of responsibilities, including romantic
commitments

Be Head Over Heels (In love): Be in love with somebody very much

Be in Seventh Heaven: Extremely happy

Be in Two Minds (about something): To not be certain about something, or to have

difficulty in making a decision

Be Like Chalk and Cheese: Things or people who are very different and have nothing in
common

Be Lovey – Dovey: Expressing your love in public by constantly kissing and hugging

Be on the Mend: Be improving after an illness

Be Snowed Under: Be extremely busy with work or things to do

Bean Counters: Accountants, finance professionals in an organization

Bean Counters: Accountants, finance professionals in an organization

Beat Around the Bush: To speak in a roundabout way in order to avoid confronting an
unpleasant topic

Beat Someone To The Draw: To accomplish or obtain something more quickly than
someone else

Beat Someone to the Punch: Do something before or faster than someone else

Beat the Drum for (Something): Speak in favour of something to try to generate support

Beauty Is Only Skin Deep: External appearance is a superficial basis for judging someone

Bed of Roses: A comfortable situation

Bedroom Eyes: An expression of the eyes that seems to invite sex

Bee in One’s Bonnet: Someone who has a bee in their bonnet has an idea which constantly
occupies their thoughts.

Beggar Thy Neighbour: To do something beneficial for oneself without worrying about how
it affects others

Behind the Eight (or 8) Ball: At a serious disadvantage

Behind the Scenes: In a way not apparent to the public

Behind the Times: Old-fashioned

Bell the Cat: Take on a difficult or impossible task

Bells And Whistles: Attractive but unnecessary features of a product

Belly Laugh: Loud, hearty laughter

Bend an Elbow: Drink alcoholic beverages at a tavern

Best (Greatest) Thing Since Sliced Bread: An innovative development

Best of Both Worlds: Combining two qualities that are usually separate

Bet One’s Bottom Dollar (On Something): Be certain that something will happen

Bet the Farm: Risk everything; spend all one’s money on something in hopes of success

Better late Than Never: It implies that a belated achievement is better than not reaching a
goal at all.

Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Caught between two undesirable options
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea: In a difficult position

Beyond the Pale: Too morally or socially extreme to accept

Beyond the Shadow of a Doubt: Absolutely certain

Big Apple: An informal name for New York City

Big Brother: Government, viewed as an intrusive force in the lives of citizens; government
spying

Big Cheese: An important person in a company or organization

Big Deal: An important event or accomplishment

Big Fish: An important person

Big Picture: A wide perspective; a broad view of something

Big time: If you do something big time, you do it to a great degree.

Birds of a Feather: People having similar characters, backgrounds, interests, or beliefs.

Bird’s-Eye View: A view from above; a broad perspective on something

Bite Off More Than You Can Chew: Try to do more than one is capable of doing

Bite the Bullet: To do something even though it involves pain, discomfort, or difficulty

Bite the Hand That Feeds You: Act badly toward someone who has helped you

Bitter Pill to Swallow: An unpleasant fact that one must accept

Black and White: A clear distinction between good and bad, positive and negative
Black Eye: A mark of shame

Black Sheep: A person who does not fit into a group, especially a family

Black-and-Blue: Bruised, showing signs of having been physically harmed

Blank Check: Permission to spend or do whatever one wishes; carte blanche

Blind Date: When two people who have never seen each other before go on a date

Blinded by Love: When a person is so madly in love with somebody that they can’t see the
person’s faults or negative characteristics

Blood and Thunder: A dramatic, spectacular performance

Blow Away the Cobwebs: If something blows away the cobwebs, it makes you feel more
lively and refreshes your ideas.
Blow Hot and Cold: Shift one’s level of enthusiasm repeatedly

Blow Off Steam: To express anger and frustration in a way that does no damage

Blow One’s Top: Lose one’s temper

Blow One’s Stack: To lose one’s temper and explode in anger

Blow the Cobwebs Away (or Out of Something): Make space for fresh ideas, encourage
something new

Blow the Whistle: Reporting an illegal or unacceptable activity to the authorities

Blow Up: Explode

Blow Your Own Trumpet: Brag; emphasize one’s own contributions

Blue Blood (adj. blue-blooded): Person of aristocratic background

Blue Eyed Boy: A person who is a favourite of those in authority; someone whose mistakes
are forgiven

Blue Light Special: 1. a temporary sale at a discount store. 2. a traffic stop by the police.

Bob’s Your Uncle: The rest is easy; you’re almost finished

Bolt From the Blue: Something completely unexpected

Bone Dry: Completely dry, totally without moisture

Born on The Wrong Side of the Blanket: Born to parents who were not married

Borrow Trouble: Take needless risks, invite problems

Bottom of the Barrel: Low-quality choices

Boy Toy: A young man who is the lover of an older, often wealthier woman (see toyboy)

Boys will be Boys: A phrase of resignation used when boys get into trouble or are
stereotypically reckless or rowdy

Brainstorm: To generate many ideas quickly

Break a Leg: Good luck! This is used for a stage performer-or for anyone else who is about to
give some kind of a performance, such as an important speech

Break Out in A Cold Sweat: To perspire from fever or anxiety

Break the Bank: Exhaust one’s financial resources

Break The Ice: To get something started, particularly by means of a social introduction or
conversation
Break up/ Split up (With Somebody): End the relationship

Bring Home the Bacon: Earn money for one’s family

Bringing a Knife to a Gunfight: Underequipped or unprepared

Brush Under the Carpet: Attempt to temporarily conceal a problem or error

Bucket List: Things you want to see or do before you die

Bull in a China Shop: A clumsy or tactless person

Bump in the Road: A temporary problem, a small setback

Bundle Up: Put on lots of warm clothing

Burn One’s Bridges: Leave a job or a relationship on such bad terms that one does not stay
in contact

Burn the Candle at Both Ends: To work too hard, with possible bad consequences for one’s
health

Burn the Candle at Both Ends: Work very long hours

Burn the Midnight Oil: To work late into the night

Burn the Midnight Oil: Working late into the night

Bury (Hide) One’s Head In the Sand: Ignoring something that’s obviously wrong, not facing
reality

Bury the Hatchet: Make peace, agree to end a dispute

Business as Usual: A normal situation (whether related to business or not), typically restored
after some change

Busman’s Holiday (UK): A working vacation

Busman’s Holiday: A vacation where you do the same thing you do at work, a working
vacation

Busted Flush: A failure, someone or something that seemed promising but did not develop
well

Butter Wouldn’t Melt in (Someone’s): Mouth This person is cool in manner, prim and
proper

Buy a Pig in a Poke: To buy something with no prior inspection

Buy Time: Cause a delay in something with the aim of improving one’s position
By a Whisker: By a very short distance

By All Means: Of course, certainly

By Hook or by Crook: By some possibly dishonest means

By the Skin of One’s Teeth: Barely escaping disaster

By Word of Mouth: Via personal communications rather than written media

Idioms (C)
List of English idioms that start with C.

Call a Spade a Spade: To speak frankly and directly about a problem

Call It a Day: Decide that one has worked enough on something for the day

Call It a Night: End an evening’s activities and go home

Call the Shots: Make the important decisions in an organization

Call the Tune: Making important decisions and controlling a situation.

Can’t See the Forest for the Trees: Is unable to maintain a wider perspective

Can’t Swing A Dead Cat In (Place): Without Hitting A (Thing) There are many examples of
[thing] in this [place].
Carrot-and-Stick (Approach): A tactic in which rewards are offered, but there is also the
threat of punishment

Carry a Torch (for): To continue to be in love with someone even after a relationship has
ended

Carry Coals To Newcastle: Supply something that is unneeded; engage in useless labor

Carry the Can: To take the blame for something one did not do

Cash In One’s Chips: 1. To take advantage of a quick profit 2. To die

Cash-Strapped: In need of money

Cast the First Stone: To be the first to criticize or attack someone

Castle in the Air: An impractical plan

Cat Fight: A fight between two women

Cat Got Your Tongue?: Don’t you have anything to say?

Cat on a hot tin roof: Be extremely nervous

Cat-and-Mouse (adj.): In a toying way; playful in an unpleasant way

Catch One’s Death of Cold: To become very ill (with a cold/flu etc.)

Catch Some Rays: To sit or lie outside in the sun

Catch Someone’s Eye: Attract someone’s attention

Catch-22: A difficult situation from which there is no escape because options for avoiding it
involve contradictions
Cat’s Paw: A person being used by someone else, a tool

Caught Red-Handed: Apprehended while committing a crime

Circle the Wagons: To prepare as a group to defend against attack, adopt a defensive
posture

Claim to Fame: Unusual feature or offering

Clean Up Nicely: Look good when one is dressed up. Usually said of women

Clear the Air: Defuse tension, be honest about conflict so as to reduce it

Clip Someone’s Wings: Reduce someone’s privileges or freedom

Close, But No Cigar: You are very close but not quite correct.
Cock and Bull Story: A far-fetched story, probably untrue

Cock-A-Hoop: Elated, excited

Cold Day in Hell: A condition for something that would be extremely unlikely to occur

Come By Something Honestly: Acquire something honestly, or inherit it

Come Clean: To confess; to admit to wrongdoing

Come Hell or High Water: No matter what happens

Come Out in the Wash: To be resolved with no lasting negative effect

Come Out of the Closet: Reveal a secret about oneself, usually that one is gay (homosexual)

Come Out Swinging: Respond to something very aggressively

Come Rain and Shine: Do regularly, whatever the circumstances

Come to Grips With: To acknowledge a problem as a prelude to dealing with it

Come to Terms With (Something): Feel acceptance toward something bad that has
happened

Coming Down the Pike: Likely to occur in the near future

Cook Someone’s Goose: To insure someone’s defeat, to frustrate someone’s plans

Cook Up a Storm: Cook a great deal of food

Cooking Up a Storm: Cooking a great deal of food

Cool as A Cucumber: Calm and composed even in difficult or frustrating situations; self-
possessed
Cool Cat: Someone who has the respect of their peers in a young, casual way.

Cool Your Heels: Wait

Couch Potato: A lazy person who watches a great deal of television

Crash a Party: To attend a party without being invited

Crickets: Silence

Cross to Bear: A problem one must deal with over a long time, a heavy burden

Crunch Time: A period of high pressure when one has to work hard to finish something

Crunch the Numbers: Do calculations before making a decision or prediction

Cry Over Spilt (USA: Spilled): Milk To waste energy moaning about something that has
already happened

Cry Wolf (verb): To issue a false alarm, to ask for help when none is needed

Cry Your Eyes Out: Cry hard for a very long time

Cry Your Eyes Out: Cry hard for a very long time

Curiosity Killed The Cat: Stop asking questions, don’t be too curious

Cut (Someone) To the Quick: To deeply hurt someone emotionally

Cut Corners: Economize by reducing quality; take shortcuts

Cut It Fine: To do something at the last moment

Cut Off Your Nose to Spite Your Face: To act in a proud way that ultimately damages your
own cause

Cut Someone Some Slack: Avoid treating someone strictly or severely

Cut to the Chase: Get to the point; explain the most important part of something quickly;
skip the preliminaries

Cut the Gordian Knot: To solve a complex problem in a simple way

Cut the Mustard: Do something adequately

Cut Your Teeth on Something: To learn basic skills in a field

Cutting-Edge: Very novel, innovative

Champagne taste on a beer budget: Expensive or extravagant tastes or preferences that are
beyond one’s economic means.
Change Horses in Midstream: Change plans or leaders in the middle of a process

Change of Heart: A change in one’s opinion or outlook

Change One’s Tune: To alter one’s opinion about something.

Changing of the Guard: A change in leadership at an organization

Chase Rainbows: To pursue unrealistic goals

Cheap Shot: An unfair attack; a statement that unfairly attacks someone’s weakness

Cherry-Pick: To present evidence selectively to one’s own advantage

Cherry-Pick: To select the best or most desirable

Chew the Fat: Chat for a considerable length of time

Chickens Come Home To Roost: The negative consequences of previous actions reveal
themselves

Child’s Play: A very easy task

Chill Out: Do something that helps them to calm down and relax for a while.

Chin Music: Meaningless talk

Chin Up/ Keep Your Chin Up: Cheer up; try to be cheerful and strong

Chip off the Old Block: Someone who resembles a direct ancestor, usually the father

Chomp (Champ) at the Bit: Be eager to do something

Chomp at the Bit: To be eager to do something

 Chop Chop: Quickly, without delay

Chop Shop: A shop where stolen cars are disassembled for parts

Chuck a Wobbly: To act in an emotional way

Idioms (D)
List of English idioms that start with D.

Da Man (Slang): An accomplished or skilful person. Generally used in the compliment “”You
da man!””

Dance to Someone’s Tune: Consistently follow someone’s directions or influence

Dance with the Devil: Knowingly do something immoral

Dark Horse: A surprise candidate or competitor, especially one who comes from behind to
make a strong showing

Darken Someone’s Door (Step): Make an unwanted visit to someone’s home

Dead Ahead: Directly ahead, either in a literal or a figurative sense

Dead as the Dodo: Completely extinct; totally gone

Dead Eye: A good shooter, a good marksman

Dead Heat: An exact tie in a race or competition

Dead of Winter: The coldest, darkest part of winter

Dead ringer: Very similar in appearance

Dead Run: Running as fast as possible

Dead Shot: A good shooter, a good marksman

Deep Pockets: The new owner has deep pockets, so fans are hoping the football team will
improve next year with new players

Deliver the Goods: Provide what is expected

Devil’s Advocate: Someone who argues a point not out of conviction, but in order to air
various points of view

Dirty Look: A facial manner that signifies disapproval

Do 12-Ounce Curls: Drink beer

Dodge a Bullet: To narrowly escape disaster

Doesn’t Amount to a Hill of Beans: Is unimportant, is negligible

Dog Days of the Summer: The hottest day of summer

Dog in the Manger: A person who prevents others from using something, even though the
person himself or herself does not want it

Dog-and-Pony Show: A flashy presentation, often in a marketing context

Dog-Eat-Dog: Intensely competitive

Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover: Don’t be deceived by looks; don’t rely on looks when
judging someone or something

Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk: Don’t worry about minor things.
Don’t Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth: Do not question the value of a gift. The expression
comes from the practice of determining the age and health of a horse by looking at its teeth.

Double-Dip: Improperly get income from two different sources

Double-Edged Sword: Something that can be helpful or harmful; something beneficial that
also has a downside

Down in the Dumps: Depressed, sad

Down the Road: In the future (in your lifetime)

Drag One’s Feet (or Heels): To do something reluctantly and slowly

Drag Your Feet: Do something very reluctantly; delay doing something

Drain the Lizard: Urinate

Draw a Blank: Be unable to remember something

Draw a Line in the Sand: Issue an ultimatum; specify an absolute limit in a conflict

Draw a Line Under (Something): To conclude something and move on to something else

Draw a Long Bow: Exaggerate, lie

Draw the Line: To set a limit to what one will accept

Dressed Up to the Nines: Someone is wearing very smart or glamorous clothes

Drink the Kool-Aid: Accept a set of ideas uncritically, often dangerous ones

Drive a Hard Bargain: To arrange a transaction so that it benefits oneself.

Drive a Hard Bargain: To negotiate effectively

Drive a Wedge Between: Try to split factions of a united group by introducing an issue on
which they disagree

Drive Someone Up the Wall: Deeply irritate someone

Drop a Line: To write a letter or send an email

Drop the Ball: Fail to fulfil one’s responsibilities; make a mistake

Dry Run: A practice execution of a procedure

Dutch Courage: Alcohol drunk with the intention of working up the nerve to do something

Dutch Uncle: A highly critical person

Dyed-In-The-Wool (adj.): Consistent in an affiliation or opinion over a long period;

inveterate
Idioms (E)
List of English idioms that start with E.

Eager beaver: The term eager beaver refers to a person who is hardworking and enthusiastic,
sometimes considered overzealous.

Eagle-Eyed: Having sharp vision

Early Bird [noun or adjective]: Someone who does something prior to the usual time, or
someone who gets up early.

Eat Crow: To admit one was wrong, and accept humiliation

Eat Humble Pie: To admit defeat or error, to accept humiliation

Eat Someone’s Lunch: Defeat someone thoroughly

Eat Your Heart Out!: (excl.) Go ahead, be jealous.

Eighty-Six (v.): 1) Discard, eliminate. 2) Throw someone out of a bar or store.

Elephant in the Room: A major problem that no one is talking about

Elevator Music: Pleasant but boring recorded music that is played in public places.

Elevator Pitch: A brief presentation of an idea, one short enough to be delivered in an

elevator

Eleventh Hour: The last minute

Even Steven: Owing nothing; tied (in a game)

Every Dog Has His (Its): Day Everyone has a moment of fame, power, or influence
 Every Man and His Dog: Many people

Every Man for Himself: Pursue your own interests; don’t expect help from others.

Excused Boots: Allowed to avoid mandatory tasks

Idioms (F)
List of English idioms that start with F.

Face the Music: Dealing with consequences of one’s actions

Face the Music: To accept judgment or punishment

Fall for Something: Hook, Line, and Sinker To be completely deceived

Fall in Love with Somebody: Start feeling love towards somebody

Fall Off the Wagon: To begin using alcohol (or another problem substance) after quitting

Fall on One’s Sword: To accept blame; to sacrifice oneself

Fall Prey to: Be victimized by; be harmed by; be vulnerable to

Fancy Someone (British English): To find someone very attractive

Farther (On) Down the Road: Later, at some unspecified time

Farther (On) Down the Road: Later, at some unspecified time

Fashion-Forward: Tending to adopt new styles quickly

Fat Cat: A highly placed, well-paid executive

Father Figure: A mentor, a person who offers guidance

Feast Your Eyes On: To take great pleasure in looking at someone or something

Feather in One’s Cap: An achievement for which one is recognized; a noteworthy

achievement

Feather One’s (Own) Nest: Use one’s influence or power improperly for financial gain

Feather One’s Nest: To take advantage of one’s position to benefit oneself

Fed Up With: Refusing to tolerate something any further; out of patience

Feel Like a Million Dollars: To feel great, to feel well and healthy.

Feel On Top of The World: To feel very healthy

Fell off a Truck: Probably stolen or illicitly obtained; said of something offered for sale to
avoid discussing its origins
Fell off the Back of a Lorry: Probably stolen or illicitly obtained; said of something offered
for sale to avoid discussing its origins

Fifteen Minutes of Fame: Temporary renown

Fifth Wheel: A superfluous person

Fight Fire with Fire: Use the same measures that are being used against you, even if they’re
stronger than you would usually use

Fight Like Cat and Dog: Continually arguing with each other

Find One’s Voice: Become more confident in expressing oneself

Find Your Feet: To adjust to a new place or situation

Finger-Pointing: Blame; a situation within a group where each member attempts to blame
others
Finger-Pointing: Blame; a situation within a group where each member attempts to blame
others

Fire in the Belly: strong ambition

First In, Best Dressed: The first people to do something will have an advantage

Fish for Compliments: Try to manipulate people into praising you

Fish or Cut Bait (usually an exclamation): Make a decision or give someone else a chance

Fish Out of Water: A person who is in unfamiliar, confusing surroundings

Five-Finger Discount: Shoplifting

Flash in the Pan: A one-time occurrence, not a permanent phenomenon

Flat Broke: Having no money at all

Flat Out Like a Lizard: Drinking Very busy

Flesh and Blood: Blood relatives, close relatives

Flew the Coop: Left, escaped

Flip-Flop (v. or n.): To vacillate between two choices, to be indecisive

Fly by the Seat of One’s Pants: To improvise, to make decisions without planning or
preparation

Fly High: Be very successful, especially temporarily

Fly Off The Handle: Lose one’s temper suddenly and unexpectedly
Fly off the Handle: To become suddenly enraged

Follow In Someone’s Footsteps (Tracks): Follow the example laid down by someone else;
supplant

Follow Your Heart: Rely on one’s deeper feelings and instincts when making a decision

Food for Thought: Something that makes you think carefully

For a Song: At very low cost

For a Song: At very low cost

For Crying Out Loud (excl.): An expression of extreme annoyance

For Xyz Reasons: For multiple reasons, not worth specifying individually
Foul Play: Crime, typically murder

Fourth Estate: The media and newspapers

Fox in the Henhouse (Chickenhouse): Someone who causes trouble

Freak Out: A wildly irrational reaction or spell of behaviour

French Leave: Absence without permission

Freudian Slip: Accidental use of an incorrect word; a revealing slip of the tongue

From Pillar to Post: From one place to another, in a forced, random way

From Scratch: From individual ingredients, not using a prepared mix

From Soup to Nuts: Everything; from beginning to end

 From the Bottom of One’s Heart: Sincerely and with deep feeling

FUBAR: Hopelessly ruined, not working, messed up.

Fu** (Or Screw) The Dog (Pooch): To make an embarrassing error

Full Fathom Five: Lost deep in the sea

Full of the Joys of Spring: Very happy, enthusiastic and full of energy

Idioms (G)
List of English idioms that start with G.
Game of Chicken: A conflict situation in which neither side will back down for fear of seeming
cowardly (chicken)

Get A Charley Horse: To develop a cramp in the arm or the leg

Get A Word In Edgewise: Be able to say something while someone else is talking a lot

Get Along (with Someone): To have a satisfactory relationship

Get Bent Out of Shape: Become angry, upset

Get Carried Away: Become overly enthusiastic

Get In on the Ground Floor: Invest in or join something while it is still small

Get in Shape: Undertake a program of physical conditioning; exercise regularly

Get Off Scot Free: Be accused of wrongdoing but pay no penalty at all

Get Off Scot Free: Be accused of wrongdoing but pay no penalty at all

Get One’s Ducks in a Row: Have everything organized; get oneself organized

Get One’s Hands Dirty: To do the unpleasant parts of a job

Get Someone’s Goat: To irritate someone deeply

Get To Grips With: To begin to understand and deal with something

Get the Ball Rolling: Do something to begin a process

Get the Picture: Understand what’s happening

Get the Runaround: Be given an unclear or evasive answer to a question

Get the Sack, Be Sacked: To be fired

Get the Third Degree: To be questioned in great detail about something

Get Wind of: Hear about

Get With the Program: Figure out what everyone else already knows. Often used
sarcastically, as a command

Go Along (With): Agree to something, often provisionally

Go Ape: Express wild excitement or anger

Go Ballistic: Fly into a rage

Go Bananas: To become irrational or crazy

Go Bananas: To become irrational or crazy

Go Belly Up: To go bankrupt

Go Berserk: To go crazy

Go Bonkers: To be or become wild, restless, irrational, or crazy; to act in such a way

Go Cold Turkey: Stop using an addictive substance suddenly, without tapering off

Go Down in Flames: Fail in a spectacular way

Go Mental: To suddenly become extremely angry

Go Nuclear: Use an extreme measure; because extremely angry

Go Nuts: To become crazy

Go Off Half-Cocked: To say or something prematurely, with a negative effect

Go Off the Deep End: To unexpectedly become very angry, especially without a good reason

Go Off The Rails: To go wrong, to begin acting strangely or badly

Go Out on a Limb: Assert something that may not be true; put oneself in a vulnerable
position

Go Pear-Shaped: To fail; to go wrong

Go See a Man About a Dog: Go to the bathroom (said as a euphemism)

Go to the Dogs: To become disordered, to decay

Go to the Mattresses: To go to into battle

Go the Extra Mile: Put forth greater-than-expected effort

Go Under the Knife: Undergo surgery

Go Viral: Begin To spread rapidly on the Internet

Go with the Flow: To accept the way things naturally seem to be going

Grab (Take) the Bull by the Horns: To begin forthrightly to deal with a problem

Grasp (Grab) at Straws: To take desperate actions with little hope of success

Grease Monkey: A mechanic, especially an auto mechanic

Grease the Wheels: Do something to make an operation run smoothly

Greasy Spoon: An inexpensive restaurant that fries foods on a grill

Green Around the Gills: To look sick

Green as Grass: Lacking training, naive; often said of young people in new jobs

Grind One’s Teeth: Be very annoyed or angry about something without being able to say
anything about it.

Guilty Pleasure: Enjoying something which is not generally held in high regard, while at the
same time feeling a bit guilty about it, is called a guilty pleasure.

Guinea Pig: A test subject, a person who is used as a test to see if something will work

Give and Take: Negotiations, the process of compromise

Give ’em Hell (often excl.): Express something passionately to a group

Give Lip Service to: Talk about supporting something without taking any concrete action
Give Lip Service: to Talk about supporting something without taking any concrete action

Give One’s Two Cents (That’s My Two Cents): Offer an opinion, suggest something

Give Someone a Holler: Contact someone

Give Someone a Piece of Your Mind: Angrily tell someone what you think

Give Someone a Run for Their Money: Compete effectively with the leader in a particular
field

Give Someone an Earful: angrily express an opinion to someone

Give Someone the Cold Shoulder: act hostile toward someone; to ignore, snub

Give Someone The Old Heave-Ho: Fire someone, remove someone from a group or team
 Give Something a Whirl: Attempt something without being totally familiar with it

Give the Green Light: Approve something; allow something to proceed

Idioms (H)
List of English idioms that start with H.

Hail Mary (n. or adj.): A desperate, last-ditch attempt

Hair of the Dog (That Bit You): A small amount of the alcoholic beverage that caused your
hangover

Hands are Tied: You are prevented from doing something. It is not within your power

Hands Down: Undoubtedly

Hang It Up: To retire, to end an activity one has pursued for a long time

Hang Tough: Maintain one’s resolve

Hanging by a Thread: In great danger of elimination or failure

Happy-Go-Lucky: If you are a happy-go-lucky person, you are cheerful and carefree all the
time.

Hard Nut to Crack: A difficult problem or a difficult person

Has the Cat Got Your Tongue?: Why are you not saying anything?

Hat Trick: Scoring three goals in hockey or soccer (football), or accomplishing three of
anything.

Hatchet Job: A strong attack on someone’s reputation; intentionally destructive criticism;

calumny
Haul Over the Coals: To scold someone severely

Have (one’s) head in the clouds: Not know what is happening around you or out of touch
with reality

Have A Ball: To have a very enjoyable time

Have a Bone to Pick (with Someone): To want to discuss something someone has done that
has angered or annoyed you.

Have a Bone to Pick (with Someone): To want to discuss something someone has done that
has angered or annoyed you.

Have a Chip on One’s Shoulder: To harbor resentment; to have an angry attitude

Have a Dog in the Hunt (Fight, Race): To support a certain person in a competition

Have a Lead Foot: A tendency to drive very fast

Have a Lot on One’s Plate: Be busy, be in the middle of many ongoing tasks

Have a Lot Riding On (Something): Be depending on the successful outcome or

development of something

Have a Nose for (Something): To have natural ability at something, a talent for finding
something

Have a Screw Loose: Be slightly unbalanced or crazy

Have a Tough Row to Hoe: Be faced with a task that is difficult because of unfavorable
conditions

Have A Whale of A Time: To enjoy yourself very much

Have an Ace Up One’s Sleeve: To have a hidden advantage

Have Bigger Fish to Fry: Have more important things to do

Have Egg on Your Face: They are made to look foolish or embarrassed

Have Foot-in-Mouth Disease: To embarrass oneself through a silly mistake

Have Hand of Aces/Hold All the Aces: To be in a very strong position in a competition

Have It Out with Someone: To have an argument with someone in order to settle a dispute

Have One Foot in The Grave: To be near death (usually because of old age or illness)

Have One Over the Eight: A person is slightly drunk.

Have One Too Many: Drink too much alcohol

Have One’s Cake and Eat It, Too: To want two incompatible things (usually used in the
negative)
Have Skin in the Game: Be risking something in an undertaking

Have Something in the Bag: Be certain to win

Have the Hots for (Somebody): To be (sexually) attracted to somebody

Have the Hots for Somebody: Finding somebody extremely attractive

Have The Time of Your Life: If you have the time of our life, you enjoy yourself very much.

Have the Time of Your Life: To have a very fun, exciting, or enjoyable time

Have Your Nose in the Air: Have a snobbish or disdainful attitude

Have Your Say: Express your opinion on something

Have Your Thumb Up Your Ass: Have nothing to do

He Who Laughs Last Laughs Best: Being victorious is often a matter of simply surviving a
conflict

He Would Put Legs Under A Chicken: He will talk your head off; he is very talkative

Head (Go) South: Decline, get worse

Head and Shoulders Above: Far superior to

Head and Shoulders: Above Far superior to

Head Start: An advantage over everyone else

Heads Up (excl.): Get ready! Be prepared

Heads Up!: Be careful!

Heads Will Roll (Are Going to Roll): People will be fired

Heads Will Roll (Are Going to Roll): People will be fired

Hear (Something) Through the Grapevine: To learn something via gossip

Heart and Soul: With all one’s energy or affection

Heavens Open: Start to rain heavily

Heavy Hitter: A powerful, influential person

Helicopter Parenting: Over attentive child-raising

Hell for Leather: Very fast, as fast as possible

High as a Kite: Strongly under the influence of drugs or intoxicants

Hightail It (Out of There): Flee

Highways and Byways: You take large and small roads to visit every part of the country.

Hit a Wall: suddenly stop making forward progress

Hit It Out of the Park: Succeed brilliantly

Hit the Books: To study (generally said of students

Hit the Ground Running: To begin a job or project with no learning or training period
needed

Hit the Hay: To go to bed

Hit the Jackpot: Do something that brings great success

Hit the Nail on the Head: To be absolutely correct (said of an utterance)

Hit the Road: To leave

Hit the Roof: Explode in rage; become extremely angry

Hit the Roof: To become very angry

Hit the Sack: To go to bed

Hit the Spot: Be very satisfying (said of something eaten)

Hive Mind: The knowledge of humans as a group

Hobson’s Choice: A choice among bad options

Hold One’s Liquor: Be able to drink a large amount without being affected
Hold One’s Peace: Be silent

Hold the Phone: Wait a moment (whether you’re on the phone or not)

Hold the Phone: Wait a moment (whether you’re on the phone or not)

Hold Your Horses (generally excl.): Stop; restrain yourself; don’t be so excited

Home Away from Home: A habitual hangout; a place one frequents often and where one
feels welcome

Home Truths: Honest, often painful criticism

Honour System: A system of payments that relies on the honesty of those paying

Hot Mess: Something or someone in a state of extreme disorder

 Hot on the Heels (of): In close pursuit

Hot on the Heels (of): In close pursuit

Hot Potato: A controversial subject or difficult project that is best avoided

Idioms (I)
List of English idioms that start with I.

I Wouldn’t Put It Past (Someone): I think it’s quite possible that [this person] would do this.

If It Had Been a Snake, It Would Have Bitten Me: It was very obvious, but I missed it.

If the Shoe Fits, Wear It: If this description of you is accurate, accept it.
I’m All Ears: You have my attention, so you should talk

In a Fog: Confused, not mentally alert

In a Heartbeat: Immediately. This is especially used in hypothetical situations

In a Jam: In need of help, in a difficult spot

In a New York Minute: Very quickly

In a Nutshell: Expressed in a few words

In a Pickle: In need of help, in a difficult spot

In a Rut: Confined by routine, bored and seeking new experiences

In Broad Daylight: When something occurs in broad daylight, it means the event is clearly
visible

In Clover: Benefiting from a positive financial situation

In For a Penny, In for a Pound: Committed to something even though the risks are
increasing

In Full Swing: When something, such as an event, gets into full swing, it is at its busiest or
liveliest time.

In His Cups: Drunk

In Hot Water: In need of help; in trouble

In One Fell Swoop: All at once, in a single action

In One’s Element: In a situation which is entirely suitable, familiar, or enjoyable.

In Someone’s Wheelhouse: In someone’s strongest area of competence or enthusiasm

In Touch: In contact

In the Blink of an Eye: Quickly, seemingly instantaneously

In the Cards: Likely; likely to occur

In the Crosshairs (Cross Hairs): Targeted for blame or criticism

In the Dark: Not informed

In the Dark: Unaware of something

In the Driver’s Seat: In a dominant position, in control

In the Hot Seat: Undergoing criticism or scrutiny; under pressure publicly

In the Interim: It denotes a period of time between something that ended and something
that happened afterwards

In the Limelight, In the Spotlight: Receiving large amounts of publicity or attention

In the Long Run: Over an extended period of time

In the Nick of Time: Just in time; with no time to spare

In the opinion of the speaker, a person has just spent money unnecessarily and is, therefore, a
fool.

In the Pipeline: Being prepared for the marketplace, being worked on

In the Red: Losing money; (of a market index) below a specified starting point

In the Same Boat: In a similar situation; similarly vulnerable

In the Toilet: In disastrous condition

In the Works: Under development; coming soon

Iron Out (Problems, Difficulties): To resolve

Is the Pope Catholic?: Isn’t the answer obvious?

It Never Rains but It Pours: Bad luck and bad things tend to happen at the same time

It Takes Two to Tango: When something goes wrong involving two people, it’s likely that
they share the blame; cooperation is necessary

It Takes Two to Tango: You say this when you think that a difficult situation or argument
cannot be the fault of one person alone.

It Won’t Fly: It won’t work; it won’t be approved.

Itchy Feet: A person who has itchy feet is someone who finds it difficult to stay in one place
and likes to travel and discover new places.

It’s a Wash: A positive and a negative development cancel each other out, so the situation
has neither improved nor gotten worse

It’s All Greek to Me: It is unintelligible, impossible to understand

It’s No Skin off My (Your) Nose (Back): The outcome will not affect me personally

It’s Not Over Till the Fat Lady Sings: Do not give up too soon; things may improve.

It’s Not Rocket Science: It’s not difficult to understand.

I’ve Had It Up to Here: My patience is almost exhausted.

Idioms (J)
List of common English idioms that start with J.

Jack of All Trades: A person with a wide variety of skills

Jam Session: Playing improvised music in an informal setting

Jim Crow: The system of racial segregation in the American South prior to the American civil
rights movement.

Join the Club (excl.): I feel sympathy for you because I have experienced something similar.

Jump in with Both Feet: Begin a new experience wholeheartedly

Jump on the Bandwagon: To follow a trend or craze

Jump on the Bandwagon: To follow a trend; follow the crowd

Jump the Gun: Start doing something too soon

Jump the Shark: To pass peak quality and begin to decline. Often used to describe television
programs or movie series.

Jump the Track: To shift suddenly from one activity or line of thought to another

Jump Through Hoops: Complete a series of tasks in order to satisfy someone

Just Around the Corner: Occurring soon

Just for the Record: I would like to make it clear that …

Just What the Doctor Ordered: Exactly the thing that is or was needed to help improve
something or make one feel better
Idioms (K)
List of common English idioms that start with K.

Kangaroo Court: A court of law where proper procedures are not followed at all; a sham
judicial proceeding

Keep (Something) at Bay: Maintain a distance from something or someone

Keep a Stiff Upper Lip: Control one’s emotions; not give in to fear or grief

Keep an Eye On: To keep an eye on something or someone is to watch it periodically, to keep
it under surveillance.

Keep an Eye Peeled: Be observant; watch out for something

Keep It Under Your Hat: Don’t tell anyone; don’t reveal this secret
Keep Someone at Arm’s Length: Avoid close interaction or cooperation

Keep Your Nose Clean: Avoid trouble or situations that compromise one’e honesty

Keep Your Powder Dry: Do not attack until you are ready.

Keeping One’s Nose to the Grindstone: Working hard on something repetitive or tedious

Kick Ass, Kick Butt: 1) Defeat badly; 2) be excellent or highly effective (only kick ass would be
used for 2)

Kick the Bucket: To die

Kick the Can Down the Road: Postpone an important decision

Kill a Fly With an Elephant Gun: Approach a problem with excessive measures
Kill Two Birds with One Stone: Act in such a way as to produce two desirable effects

Kill Two Birds with One Stone: Solve two problems with one move

Kill the Goose That Laid the Golden Egg: To destroy a source of ongoing profits or benefits

Kink in One’s Neck: A cramp in one’s neck that causes pain

King of the Hill: At the top of one’s field; the most influential person in a given field or area

Kiss and Make Up: Make peace after an argument

Kith and Kin: Family (collectively)

Knock on Wood; Touch Wood: Let’s hope I have good luck or continue to have good luck.
Knock Some Sense Into: To beat someone in order to teach him/her a lesson. May be used
figuratively.

Knock Someone’s Socks Off: Amaze someone

Knock Up: To impregnate a woman. Often used in the form knocked up.

Knockout: An extremely beautiful woman

Know (Something) Like the Back of One’s Hand: To be very familiar with something,
especially an area
Idioms (L)
List of common English idioms that start with L.

Larger Than Life: Conveying a sense of greatness, imposing

Last But Not Least: What I have just said does not reflect a ranking in importance.

Laughter is the Best Medicine: Laughing a lot is a very effective means of recovering from
physical or mental injury

Learn the Ropes: Become more familiar with a job or field of endeavour; be trained

Leave Someone in the Lurch: Abandon someone in a difficult situation

Lend an Ear: Listen

Let Bygones Be Bygones: Agree to forget about a past conflict

Let Bygones Be Bygones: Agree to forget about a past conflict

Let Off Steam: To express anger and frustration in a way that does no damage

Let One’s Hair Down: To relax and enjoy themselves.

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie: To avoid stirring up a problem; to leave things alone

Let the Cat Out of the Bag: Reveal a secret, usually a secret you or others are trying to keep

Let the Genie Out of the Bottle: Reveal something hitherto suppressed

Letter of the Law: The explicit meaning of a law, as opposed to the spirit of the law, the law’s
general intention

Lick One’s Wounds: Rest after a bad defeat

Life is A Bowl of Cherries: Life is wonderful or very pleasant

Light a Fire Under Someone: Inspire someone to work very hard

Light at the End of the Tunnel: A sign of hope after a long period of difficulties

Like a Kid in a Candy Store: To be so excited about one’s surroundings that one acts in a
childlike or silly way

Like a Moth to a Flame: Drawn to something or someone despite the dangers

Like Father, Like Son: Sons inherit their fathers’ traits and preferences, often even without
realizing it.

Like Shooting: Fish in a Barrel Very easy

Like Taking Candy from a Baby: Very easy

Like Two Peas in a Pod: Bearing a strong resemblance

Like The Cat That Got The Cream: Looking particularly self-satisfied, often to the annoyance
of others

Lion’s Den: Any dangerous or frightening place.

Lion’s Share: The largest part of something

Live Large: Have a luxurious lifestyle

Living in Cloud Cuckooland: Having unrealistic or foolish beliefs or plans.

Living on Borrowed Time: Following an illness or near-death experience, may people believe
they have cheated death

Living Under a Rock: Ignorant of important events. Usually used as a question: Have you
been living under a rock?
Loaded for Bear: Prepared for problems, well prepared for a challenge

Loan Shark: A predatory lender; one who makes high-interest loans to desperate people

Lock Horns: To lock horns is to argue, to come into conflict.

Long Shot: Something with little chance of success

Look the Other Way: Take no notice of violations of laws or rules, unofficially condone
something

Look What the Cat Dragged In: Someone unwelcome has arrived.

Loose Cannon: Someone out of control; someone who speaks or acts recklessly

Lose It: To suddenly become unable to behave or think in a sensible way

Lose One’s Touch: Suffer a decline in one’s skill at doing something

Lose Touch: To fall out of contact

Lose the Thread: Be unable to follow someone’s reasoning

Love at First Sight: Falling in love with somebody the first time you see them

Love Rat: Somebody who cheats on his/her partner

Love Someone With All of One’s Heart And Soul: To love someone completely

Lower the Boom: Implement a punishment; reprimand severely

Low-Hanging Fruit: Easy parts of a task; solutions easy to obtain

Idioms (M)
List of common English idioms that start with M.

Mad As A Box Of (Soapy) Frogs: extremely mentally unstable; psychotic; detached from
reality.

Mad as A Hatter: Mentally ill, psychotic

Main Squeeze: Committed romantic partner

Make a Break for It: Try to escape, run off

Make a Mountain out of a Molehill: To take something too seriously; to make too much of
something

Make a Silk Purse out of a Sow’s Ear: Turn something ordinary or inferior into something
refined and beautiful
Make Ends Meet: Have enough money to cover basic expenses

Make Hay (While the Sun Shines): To take advantage of an opportunity at the right time.

Make Love: To have sexual intercourse

Make Nice: Act cordial despite conflict

Make One’s Mark: Attain influence or recognition

Make Someone’s Day: Do something pleasing that puts someone in a good mood

Make Waves: Cause controversy, disturb a calm group dynamic

Man Cave: A part of the house, often the basement, that is left to the man of the household,
perhaps with a workshop, a television for watching sports, etc.
March to the Beat of Your Own Drum: When someone does things the way they want to,
without taking anybody else or anything else into consideration.

Match Made in Heaven: A relationship in which the two people are great together, because
they complement each other so well

May-December (adj.): Significantly different in age. Said of couples where one member is
much older. The most common usage is May-December romance.

May-December Marriage: A marriage between a younger and an older partner, typically a

young woman and an old man.

Me Time: Activities undertaken for one’s own enjoyment, free from responsibilities to others.

Meeting of the Minds: Strong instinctive agreement on something

Mend Fences: Improve relations after a dispute

Mind One’s P’s and Q’s: Be attentive to details; be on one’s best behaviour

Miss the Boat: Be too late for something; miss an opportunity

Monday Morning Quarterback: Someone who offers criticisms or comments after already
knowing the outcome of something

Month of Sundays: A long time, many months

More Fun Than A Barrel of Monkeys: A very good time; a pleasant occasion

Mother Nature: The natural world

Move Heaven and Earth: Take all possible steps in trying to accomplish something

Move the Needle: Have a measurable effect on something

Move Up in the World: Become more successful

Movers and Shakers: Influential people, especially in a particular field

Much Of A Muchness: Essentially equal, not significantly different (said of a choice)

Mum’s the Word: This is secret; don’t talk about this. Often used as an answer to a request
not to talk about something.

Music to My Ears: Good to hear; welcome news

Mutton Dressed Up as Lamb: A woman who dresses in a style appropriate to someone of a

younger age

My Dogs Are Barking: My feet hurt.

My Old Man, My Old Lady: My spouse

 My Way or the Highway: If you do not do things the way I want or require, then you can just
leave or not participate.

Idioms (N)
List of common English idioms that start with N.

Nail-Biter: A suspenseful event

Nailing Jelly/Jello/Pudding To A Wall/Tree: An impossible task

Neck and Neck: Very close in a competition, with neither of two entities clearly in the lead

Neck of the Woods: A region, especially one’s home region

Nest Egg: Retirement savings; wealth saved for a future purpose

Never in A Million Years: Absolutely never

Never Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth: It’s rude to examine a gift closely; accept gifts
politely.

New Wrinkle: A novel aspect to a situation, a new development

Nice Chunk of Change: A large amount of money

Nickel and Dime: To negotiate over very small sums; to try to get a better financial deal, in a
negative way

Nine Times Out of Ten: Almost always

Nine-to-Five Job: A routine job in an office that involves standard office hours

Nip (Something) In The Bud: Deal with a problem before it becomes large
No Holds Barred (usually adj., often hyphenated): Unrestricted, without rules

No Love Lost Between: There is a mutual animosity between two people

No Names, No Pack Drill: By not accusing anyone specifically, I may avoid trouble.

No Names, No Pack Drill: If no one can be identified, no one will be punished.

No Rhyme or Reason (to): Without logic or pattern

No Room to Swing A Cat: Very small, not big enough

No Shit, Sherlock: That’s very obvious!

No Tree Grows to the Sky: Growth cannot continue indefinitely.

Not Cut Out for (Something): Not naturally skilful enough to do something well
Not Enough Room to Swing a Cat: A very small space

Not Give A Fig: To not care at all about something

Not Have A Cat In Hell’s Chance: Have no possibility of succeeding, coming to pass, or
achieving something

Not Have a Prayer: Have no chance of success

Not Know Jack: Not know anything

Not Lift a Finger: Do nothing to help

Not Mince Words: Moderate or weaken a statement

Not One’s Cup of Tea: Not something one is interested in

Not Playing with A Full Deck: Stupid, mentally deficient or impaired

Not Ready for Prime Time: Not yet perfected; inexperienced

Not Sit Well with (Someone): Be difficult to accept; make someone uncomfortable

Nothing to Write Home About: Unspectacular, ordinary

Nuts and Bolts: Everyday details of something

Nutty as a Fruitcake: Crazy; idiotic; wacky.

Idioms (P)
List of common English idioms that start with P.

Pack Heat: Carry a gun

Paddle One’s Own Canoe: To be able to act independently.

Page-Turner: A page-turner is an exciting book that’s easy to read, a book that’s difficult to
put down.

Pain in the Ass; Pain in the Butt;

Pain in the Neck: Someone or something making your life difficult

Paint the Town Red: Go out drinking and partying

Par for the Course: What would normally be expected. This has a negative connotation.
Pass the Buck: Transfer a problem to someone else

Pass With Flying Colours: To succeed brilliantly, as on an exam or other test

Passing Fancy: A temporary interest or attraction

Pay Through the Nose (For Something): Pay a large amount of money

Peaches and Cream: A situation, process, etc., that has no trouble or problems

Pecking Order: Hierarchy, rank of importance

Pencil Something In: Make tentative arrangements

Penny-Pinching: Frugal, avoiding expenses whenever possible

Pep Talk: An encouraging speech given to a person or group

Perfect Storm: A rare combination of disastrous occurrences

Pet Peeve: A small thing that you find particularly annoying

Pick a Fight: Intentionally provoke a conflict or fight with someone

Pick Up the Slack: Do something that someone else is not doing; assume someone else’s
responsibilities

Pick Up the Tab: To pay a bill presented to a group, especially in a restaurant or bar

Pie in the Sky: Something that is unrealistic or that cannot be achieved

Piece of Cake: Very easily done

Pin Someone Down: Demand a decision or clear answer

Pinch Pennies: To be careful with money, to be thrifty

Pink Slip: A layoff notice; loss of a job, typically because of layoffs

Pipe Dream: An unrealistic hope, a fantasy

Piping Hot: Very hot (generally said of food)

Pipped to the Post: Defeated by a narrow margin

Pissing Contest: A meaningless argument or competition, typically between males

Play Ball: Cooperate, agree to participate

Play Cat And Mouse: Trying to trick someone into making a mistake so you can defeat them.

Play Hardball: Adopt a tough negotiating position; act aggressively

Play it by Ear: To play a piece of music without referencing sheet music or a recording

Play It by Ear: To respond to circumstances instead of having a fixed plan

Play the Percentages: Bet on or rely on what is most likely to happen

Play the Ponies: Bet on horse racing.

Play With Fire: Do something very risky

Play Your Cards Right: Exploit a situation to your best advantage

Point of No Return: A place from which it is impossible to go back to the starting point

Point the Finger At: Blame (someone)

Point the Finger: At Blame (someone)

Poison Pill (n): A provision or feature added to a measure or an entity to make it less
attractive, an undesirable add-on

Poison Pill: A provision or feature added to a measure or an entity to make it less attractive,
an undesirable add-on

Pop One’s Clogs: To die

Pop One’s Cork: To release one’s anger; to blow one’s top

Pop the Question: Propose marriage

Pot Calling the Kettle Black: Accusing someone of something of which you are also guilty;
being hypocritical

Pour (Rub) Salt into (on) the Wound (an open wound): Worsen an insult or injury; make a
bad situation worse for someone
Powder Keg: An explosive situation, a situation in which people are angry and ready to be
violent

Powder Keg: An explosive situation, a situation in which people are angry and ready to be
violent

Powder One’s Nose: To use the restroom (lavatory). This is used by women

Preach to the Choir, Preach to the Converted: To make an argument with which your
listeners already agree

Preaching to the Choir: Making arguments to those who already agree with you

Pretty Penny: A lot of money; too much money (when referring to the cost of something)

Price Yourself Out of the Market: Try to sell goods or services at such a high price that
nobody buys them.
Puddle Jumper: A small airplane, used on short trips

Pull Out All the Stops: Do everything possible to accomplish something

Pull Strings: Use influence that’s based on personal connections

Pull the Plug On: Terminate (something)

Pull Yourself Together: Control your emotions; recover from a strong emptional upset

Puppies And Rainbows: Perfect, ideal (usually used slightly sarcastically, in contrast with a
less ideal situation)

Puppy Dog Eyes: A begging look

Puppy Love: Adolescent love or infatuation, especially one that is not expected to last
Pure as the Driven Snow: To be innocent and chaste (frequently used ironically)

Push the Envelope: Go beyond common ways of doing something, be innovative

Pushing Up Daisies: Dead

Pushing Up Daisies: Dead and buried

Put a Thumb on the Scale: Try to influence a discussion in an unfair way, cheat

Put Down Roots: Establish oneself in a place; settle

Put in One’s Two Cents: Say your opinion

Put Lipstick on a Pig: Make cosmetic changes to something bad

Put one’s Face On: Apply cosmetics

Put Out Feelers: Make discreet, informal suggestions, ask around

Put Someone on the Spot: Force someone to answer a question or make a decision
immediately

Put That in Your Pipe and Smoke It: Accept and consider what I’m saying, even if you don’t
like it!

Put the Best Face On (Something): Emphasize the positive aspects of a bad situation

Put the Brakes On: Slow something down

Put the Cart Before The Horse: To do things in the wrong order

Put the Cart Before the Horse: To do things out of the proper order.

Put the Cat Among The Pigeons: Say or do something that causes trouble or controversy
Put the Genie Back in the Bottle: Try to suppress something that has already been revealed
or done

Put the Pedal to the Metal: Drive as fast as possible

Put Up with (Something): Tolerate, accept

Put Words Into Someone’s Mouth: Attributing an opinion to someone who has never stated
that opinion

Put Your Foot Down: Use your authority to stop negative behaviour

Put Your Foot In Your Mouth: Say something that you immediately regret

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is: Back up your opinions with a financial commitment
Idioms (Q)
List of common English idioms that start with Q.

Quake In One’s Boots: To be very frightened

Quarter Past: Fifteen minutes after the hour

Quarter To/Of: Fifteen minutes before the hour

Queer the Pitch: Interfere with someone’s plans; make something more difficult

Quick as a Flash: Very fast

Quick-and-Dirty: Approximate, hastily done

Quote Unquote: Ironically speaking; suggesting that if a phrase were written out, it would be
in quotation marks to convey sarcasm
Idioms (R)
List of commonly used English idioms that start with R.

Race Against Time: To rush to meet a deadline, to be forced to do something very quickly

Rain Cats And Dogs: Rain heavily

Rain Cats and Dogs: Rain very heavily

Rain on Someone’s Parade: Spoil someone’s plans

Raise (Someone’s) Hackles: Make someone angry and defensive

Raise One’s Voice: Talk loudly

Raise Red Flags: Warn of trouble ahead

Raise the Bar: Increase standards in a certain competition or area of endeavor

Raise the Roof: Make a great deal of noise (said of a crowd)

Rake (Someone) Over the Coals: To scold someone severely

Rake Over the Ashes: Restart a settled argument; examine a failure

Rake Someone Over the Coals: Scold severely

Rank and File: The ordinary members of an organization

Read Between the Lines: Perceive what is not explicitly stated

Read the Tea Leaves: Predict the future from small signs

Rear Its Ugly Head (said of a problem or something unpleasant): Appear, be revealed
Rearrange the Deck Chairs on the Titanic: Taking superficial actions while ignoring a much
larger and perhaps fatal problem

Red Flag: A warning; a sign of trouble ahead

Red Herring: A misleading clue; something intended to mislead

Red Meat: Political appeals designed to excite one’s core supporters; demagoguery

Red Tape: Bureaucracy; difficult bureaucratic or governmental requirements

Red-Light District: A neighbourhood with many houses of prostitution

Reinvent the Wheel: Devise a solution to a problem for which a solution already exists

Riding High: Enjoying success

Right as Rain: Absolutely correct

Right Under (One’s) Nose: In an obvious location, yet overlooked

Right-Hand Man: Chief assistant

Right-Hand Man: Chief assistant

Ring a Bell: Sound familiar

Ring a Bell: When something seems familiar

Rob Peter to Pay Paul: Pay off a debt with another loan; solve a problem in such a way that it
leads to a new problem

Rob the Cradle: To be sexually or romantically involved with someone who is very young
Rob the Cradle: To be sexually or romantically involved with someone who is very young

Rock Bottom: An absolute low point

Rock the Boat: Cause a disruption in a group. Often used in the negative: don’t rock the boat.

Roll the Dice On: Take a risk

Roll With the Punches: Deal with problems by being flexible

Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day: Complex projects take time

Rookie Mistake: An error made by an inexperienced person

Rotten to the Core: Entirely evil

Rub (Something) in Someone’s Face: Humiliate someone by repeating and criticizing his or
her mistake

Rub It In: Say something that makes someone feel even worse about a mistake

Rub Someone’s Nose in (Something): Humiliate someone by repeating and criticizing his or
her mistake

Rubber-Stamp (v.): Approve something without consideration, as a formality

Rule of Thumb: A general principle or guideline, not a specific formula

Run a Tight Ship: Manage an organization in a strict, well-regulated way

Run in the Family: Be inherited (as a trait) by multiple members of a family

Run in the Family: To be a common family characteristic

Run into a Buzz: Saw Encounter severe and unexpected problems

Run into a Buzz: Saw Encounter severe and unexpected problems

Run off at the Mouth: Talk a lot about unimportant things, talk incoherently

Run on Fumes: To be in a situation where one’s energy or resources is almost exhausted

Run Out of Steam: Lose momentum, become tired

Run the Table: Win every game or contest

Idioms (S)
List of commonly used English idioms that start with S.

Sacred Cow: An individual or organization that one cannot criticize

Saving Grace: Something that redeems a bad situation

Scare the Living Daylights Out of Someone: Frighten someone severely

Scorched Earth (Tactics, Policy, etc.): Ruthless, extremely destructive

Screw The Pooch: To make a serious error

School Of Hard Knocks: Difficult real-life experiences from which one has learned

Second Banana: A person in a subservient position

Second Stringer: A substitute player in a sport; a substitute for a job who is not the most
talented person

Second Wind: Renewed energy

See Eye to Eye: To concur, agree

See Something Out of the Corner of Your Eye: Use peripheral vision

Seize (Take) the Bull By the Horns: Attack a problem directly

Seize the Day: Take an opportunity

Sell (Someone) a Bill of Goods: Trick someone; be deceptive

Sell Like Hotcakes: Be sold very quickly

Selling Point: An attractive feature of something for sale

Set in Stone: Fixed; unchangeable

Set something to Music: To write a piece of music to accompany a set of words

Set the Bar (Too) High: To set a high standard for something

Set the Thames on Fire: Do something amazing. Usually used in the negative.

Set the World on Fire: Do something amazing; have a brilliant stretch in one’s career

Shake the Dust off Your Shoes (Feet): Make a clean break with a relationship or situation

Shape Up or Ship Out: Behave properly or leave the organization

Sharp as A Tack: Mentally agile

Shell Game: A method of deception in which you conceal your actions by moving something
frequently

Shift Gears: Change the subject, or change what one is doing

Shipshape And Bristol Fashion: Tidy, clean

Shit a Brick: Be extremely fearful.

Shoot from the Hip: Talk or act without consideration

Shoot Off One’s Mouth: Talk without considering one’s words

Shoot Oneself In The Foot: Do something that damages oneself or one’s own cause

Short Fuse: A quick temper; a tendency to anger quickly

Shot Across the Bow: A warning of more serious actions to come

Shoulder A Weight Off Your Shoulders: You no longer worry about something or deal with
something difficult

Show Me an X And I’ll Show You a Y: There is a consequence to X that you may not have
thought of.

Show One’s True Colours: Reveal one’s true nature

Show Your Cards: Reveal your resources or plans

Sick and Tired of: Extremely annoyed by something that occurs repeatedly

Sick as a Dog: Extremely ill.

Sick as a Parrot: Very disappointed

Sight for Sore Eyes: A sight that makes you happy

Silver Bullet: Something simple that resolves a difficult problem

Simmer Down: Become less angry; regain one’s composure

Sink or Swim: Fail or succeed

Sing a Different Tune: Change your opinion

Sit On (Something): Delay revealing or acting on something

Sit Tight: Wait and do not go anywhere

Sitting Duck: Something or someone easily attacked or criticized

Sitting Pretty: In a favourable situation

Six Feet Under: Dead and buried

Six Feet Under: Dead and buried

Six of One, a Half Dozen of the Other: The two choices have no significant differences.

Six Ways to (from) Sunday: In every possible way

Slam Dunk: An effort that is certain to succeed

Sleep Like a Baby: To experience a very deep and restful sleep; to sleep soundly

Sleep with the Fishes: Dead, often by murder

Slip Someone a Mickey: Add a drug to an alcoholic drink in order to knock someone out
Slippery Slope: A series of undesirable effects that, one warns, could result from a certain
action

Slower than Molasses: Exceptionally slow or sluggish; not fast at all.

Small Beer: Unimportant, insignificant

Small Fry: People or organizations with little influence; children

Small Potatoes: Unimportant, insignificant

Smell a Rat: Suspect deception

Smoking Gun: indisputable evidence of a crime

Snafu: A malfunction; a chaotic situation

Snake Oil: A useless medicine; a quack remedy; a product or measure promoted as a solution
that really does nothing to help

Snake Oil: Medicine of unproven value; fraudulent medicine

Sneak Peek: A sneak peek is an opportunity to view something in advance of its official
opening or debut

Soak Up the Sun: To enjoy the sun

Sold On (Something): Convinced of something

Some Eggs: Achieving a major goal requires the ability to tolerate some problems

Someone’s Fingerprints Are All Over (Something): Someone’s influence is evident

Something to Crow: About Something to be proud of, an accomplishment about which one
is justified in bragging
Son of a Gun: 1) A rogue. 2) An exclamation of surprise.

Sore Point: A sensitive topic for a particular person

Sour Grapes: Disparagement of something that has proven unattainable

Sour Grapes: Spiteful disparagement of a goal one has failed to achieve

Spare The Rod And Spoil The Child: It is necessary to physically punish children in order to
raise them right.

Speak of the Devil (and He Shall Appear): The person we have just been talking about has
entered.

Speak with A Plum in (one’s) Mouth: To speak in a manner that is indicative of a high social
class.

Spick and Span: Clean and neat

Spill the Beans: Reveal a secret

Spin A Yarn: Tell a story

Spin One’s Wheels: Engaging in activity that yields no progress; getting nowhere

Spit into The Wind: Wasting time on something futile

Spoiling for a Fight: Combative, wanting conflict, eager to argue or fight

Spoiling for a Fight: Combative, wanting conflict, eager to argue or fight

Square the Circle: Attempt an impossible task

Stab Someone in the Back: To betray (somebody)

Stalking Horse: Someone who tests a concept in advance of its application; a candidate who
enters a political race in order to test the strength of the incumbent

Stand (Someone) In Good Stead: Be useful in the future

Stand On One’s Own Two Feet: To be independent and self-sufficient

Stand One’s Ground: Refuse to back down; insist on one’s position

Start with a Clean Slate: To start (something) again with a fresh beginning; to work on a
problem without thinking about what has been done before

Steal Someone’s Thunder: Upstage someone

Stem the Tide: To stop or control the growth of something, usually something unpleasant.

Step Up One’s Game: Work to advance to a higher level of a competition

Step Up to the Plate: Prepare to take action, be the person in a group who takes action

Stick It to the Man: Do something that frustrates those in authority

Stick Your Nose into Something: Intrude into something that is not your affair

Sticker Shock: Surprise at the high price of something

Stick-in-the-Mud: A person who dislikes or adapts slowly to new ideas

Sticky Wicket: A difficult, tricky situation

Stiff-Necked: Stubborn; excessively formal

Storm in a Teacup: A commotion that dies down quickly, about something unimportant

Stormy Relationship: Relationship that has a lot arguments and disagreement

Stumbling Block: An obstacle, physical or abstract

Straight Arrow: An honest, trustworthy person

Strain at a Gnat and Swallow a Camel: To make a fuss over something unimportant while
ignoring larger issues

Strike A Chord: Used to describe something that is familiar to you, reminds you of something
or is connected to you somehow.

Sugar Daddy: A rich man who is generous with younger women in return for sexual favours

Sure-Fire: Certain to occur

Swan Song: A final appearance

Swan Song: This expression is used to describe a final act before dying or ending something.
Sweep Under the Carpet: Attempt to temporarily conceal a problem or error

Sweep Under the Rug: Attempt to temporarily conceal a problem or error

Sweet Dreams!: Sleep well!

Sweeten the Deal: Add something to an offer during a negotiation

Sweeten the Pot: Increase the amount of winnings potentially available in a game of chance,
especially poker

Swim Against the Tide: Do something contrary to a trend or usual opinion

Swim with Sharks: To take a major risk

Swim with the Fishes: Have been killed, especially with involvement of organized crime
 Swing for the Fences: Attempt to achieve the largest accomplishment possible

Swing for the Fences: Attempt to achieve the largest accomplishment possible

Sword of Damocles: Something that causes a feeling of constant threat.

Idioms (T)
List of useful English idioms that start with T.

Take (Someone) to the Cleaners: 1) Swindle; 2) defeat badly

Take a Deep Dive (Into): Explore something extensively

Take a Flyer: To take a rise; especially to make a speculative investment

Take a Gander: Go to take a look at something

Take a Hike: Go away

Take A Powder: To leave, especially in order to avoid a difficult situation

Take a Rain Check: Decline an invitation but suggest that you’ll accept it at a later time.

Take Five (Ten): Take a short break of five (ten) minutes

Take Five: To take one brief (about five minutes) rest period

Take It Easy: 1) Relax, rest; 2) (as a command) Calm down!

Take It Easy: Don’t hurry; relax; don’t get angry

Take It Easy: When you relax, or do things at a comfortable pace, you take it easy.
Take It on The Chin: Be attacked; suffer an attack

Take It or Leave It (command): You must decide now whether you will accept this proposal

Take Someone to Task: Reprimand someone strongly

Take Something with a Pinch (grain) of Salt: If you take what someone says with a pinch of
salt, you do not completely believe it.

Take the Cake: Be the most extreme instance

Take the Edge Off (of Something): To slightly improve something negative

Take the Fifth: Refuse to answer because answering might incriminate or cause problems for
you

Take the Gloves Off: Negotiate in a more aggressive way

Take the High Road: Refuse to descend to immoral activities or personal attacks

Take The Mickey (Piss) (Out Of Someone): Make fun of or ridicule someone

Take the Shine Off (Something): To do something that diminishes a positive event

Take the Starch out of (Someone): Make someone less confident or less arrogant

Take The Wind Out of Someone’s Sails: To reduce someone’s confidence, often by doing
something unexpected

Take Your Life in Your Hands: Undergo extreme risk

Take Your Medicine: Accept something unpleasant, for example, punishment, without
protesting or complaining

Take Your Time: Don’t hurry, work at a relaxed pace

Taste of Your Own Medicine: The same unpleasant experience or treatment that one has
given to others

Teach an Old Dog New Tricks: To change someone’s long-established habits. Usually used
in the negative: You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

Tear One’s Hair out: Be extremely worried or frustrated

Tear-Jerker: A film or book that makes you cry

Tee Many Martoonies: Too many martinis, scrambled to suggest drunkenness

Tell It to the Marines: I don’t believe you; you must think I’m gullible.

Tempest in a Teapot: A commotion about something unimportant

Ten a Penny: Ordinary, inexpensive

Ten to One: Something very likely

Test the Waters: Experiment with something cautiously

Test the Waters: Try something out in a preliminary way

Tie the Knot: Get married

Tighten the Screws: Increase pressure on someone

Tight-Lipped: secretive, unwilling to explain something

Til the Cows Come Home: For a very long time

Time is Money: time is valuable, so don’t waste it.

Tip of the Iceberg: A small, visible part of a much larger problem

Tip One’s Hand: Reveal one’s advantages; reveal useful information that one possesses

TLC: Tender Loving Care

To be A Peach: Someone or something that is extremely good, impressive, or attractive

To be Smitten With Someone: To be completely captivated by someone and feel immense

joy

To be someone’s One and Only: To be unique to the other person

To be the Apple of Someone’s Eye: To be loved and treasured by someone

To Bear Fruit: To develop in a profitable or positive way

To Bear Fruit: To develop in a profitable or positive way

To Carpool: To travel to the same place with a group of people in one car. e.g. work/school

To Each His Own: People have different tastes.

To Get Cold Feet: To experience reluctance or fear

To Have a Chip on One’s Shoulder: To be combative, to be consistently argumentative

To Have Butterflies In Your Stomach: To be nervous

To Have One For the Road: To have one last (alcoholic) drink before you go home

To Pay an Arm and a Leg: A very high cost

To Pop (one’s) Cherry: To do something for the first time

To Pull Someone’s Leg: Lie playfully

To Run Hot and Cold: To be unable to make up one’s mind

To the Letter: Exactly (said of instructions or procedures)

Toe the Line: Accept authority, follow the rules

Tone-Deaf: Not good at perceiving the impact of one’s words, insensitive

Tongue-in-Cheek: Said ironically; not meant to be taken seriously

Too Busy Fighting Alligators to Drain the Swamp: So occupied with multiple challenges
that one can’t keep the big picture in mind

Too Many Cooks Spoil the Broth: A project works best if there is input from a limited
number of people

Too Many Chiefs and Not Enough Indians: Everyone wants to be a leader, and no one
wants to do the actual work
Too Many To Shake A Stick At: A large number

Toot Your Own Horn: Brag; emphasize one’s own contributions

Top Banana: The boss, the leader

Toss a Wrench (Spanner) Into: Sabotage; cause a process to stop

Touch Base: Meet briefly with someone

Touch One’s Heart: Affect someone emotionally, be touching

Touch Water: Be launched. Said of a boat.

Tough Cookie: A very determined person

Tough Cookie: Someone who can endure hardship; especially: a strong negotiator
Tough Sledding: Difficult progress

Turn a Blind Eye: (to) Choose not to notice something

Turn on a Dime: Quickly reverse direction or position

Turn Someone Inside Out: To cause strong emotional turmoil; to completely change
someone

Turn Something on Its Head: Reverse something, cause something to be done in a new way

Turn Turtle: Capsize, turn over

Turn the Corner: To begin to improve after a problem

Turn the Tables: Reverse a situation

Turnabout Is Fair Play: If you suffer from the same suffering you have inflicted on others,
that’s only fair

Twenty-Four Seven: At any time

Twist the Knife (in Deeper): Make someone’s suffering worse

Twist the Knife (in Deeper): Make someone’s suffering worse

Two a Penny: Ordinary, inexpensive

Two Peas in A Pod: Two people who are very similar in appearance

Thank God It’s Friday (TGIF): Let’s be happy that the workweek is over!

That Ship Has Sailed: That opportunity has passed.

That’s Music to My Ears: I am very happy to hear this.

That’s a Stretch: What you are suggesting is very difficult to believe; I am very skeptical

That’s All She Wrote: That was the end of the story.

The Apple Never Falls Far From the Tree: Family characteristics are usually inherited

The Birds and the Bees: Human sexuality and reproduction

The Cat Is Out of the Bag: The secret has been revealed.

The Coast Is Clear: We are unobserved; it is safe to proceed.

The Cherry On the Cake: The final thing that makes something perfect

The Deck Is (The Cards Are): Stacked Against You Unfavourable conditions exist.
The Jig Is Up: A secret illicit activity has been exposed; your trickery is finished

The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same: Although something may seem
superficially new, it has not altered the basic situation.

The Only Game in Town: The sole option for a particular service.

The Powers That Be: People in charge, often used when the speaker does not want to
identify them.

The Real McCoy: A genuine item

The Story Has Legs: People are continuing to pay attention to the story.

The Time is Ripe: If you say that the time is ripe, you mean that it is a suitable point for a
particular activity

The Walls Have Ears We: may be overheard; be careful what you say
The Walls Have Ears: We may be overheard; be careful what you say

The Whole Enchilada: All of something.

The Whole Shebang: Everything, all the parts of something

The World Is Your Oyster: You have many opportunities and choices.

There But For The Grace Of God Go I: I could easily have done what that person did.

There’s More Than One Way to Skin a Cat: There’s more than one way of achieving a
certain goal.

There’s No Such Thing as a Free Lunch: Nothing is given to you without some expectation
of something in return.

Thin On The Ground: Rare, seldom encountered

Think Big: Consider ambitious plans; avoid becoming overly concerned with details

Think Outside the Box: Try to solve a problem in an original way; think creatively

Think Tank: A group of experts engaged in ongoing studies of a particular subject; a policy
study group

Think Tank: A group of experts engaged in ongoing studies of a particular subject; a policy
study group

Third Rail: A topic so sensitive that it is dangerous to raise. This is especially used in political
contexts

Third Time’s a Charm: Even if you fail at something twice, you may well succeed the third
time.

Thirty-Thousand-Foot View: A very broad or general perspective

This Has (Person X) Written All Over It: [Person X] would really like or be well suited to this.

This Is Not Your Father’s ____: This item has been much updated from its earlier versions.

Three Sheets to the Wind: Very drunk

Through the Grapevine: Via gossip

Through Thick and Thin: In good times and bad

Throw a Wet Blanket on (Something): Discourage plans for something

Throw a Wrench Into: To sabotage; to cause to fail

Throw Caution to the Wind: To act in a daring way, without forethought

Throw Down the Gauntlet: To issue a challenge

Throw Elbows: Be combative; be aggressive (physically or figuratively)

Throw in the Towel: To give up, admit defeat

Throw Someone for a Loop: Deeply surprise someone; catch someone off guard

Throw Someone Under the Bus: Sacrifice someone else’s interests for your own personal
gain

Throw the Baby Out with the Bath Water: Eliminate something good while discarding the
bad parts of something

Throw the Baby Out with the Bath Water: To discard something valuable or important
while disposing of something worthless

Throw The Book At: Prosecute legally as strongly as possible

Throw the Fight: Intentionally lose a contest, usually in collusion with gamblers
Throw the Game: Intentionally lose a contest, usually in collusion with gamblers

Throw the Match: Intentionally lose a contest, usually in collusion with gamblers

Thumbs-Up: Approval

Train Wreck: Anything that develops in a disastrous way

Trash Talk: Insults directed at one’s opponent in a sporting event or contest

Tread Water: Maintain a current situation without improvement or decline

Trial Balloon: A test of someone’s or the public’s reaction

Trip the Light Fantastic: Dance well; do ballroom dancing

Idioms (U)
List of useful English idioms that start with U.

U Turn: A complete change of opinion, direction, etc.

Ugly Duckling: An awkward child or young person who grows into a beautiful person

Under (Below) the Radar: Not generally perceived, below popular consciousness

Under Someone’s Spell: Fascinated, entranced by someone

Under the Impression: Believing something, perhaps mistakenly

Under the Table: Without being officially recorded

Under the Weather: Feeling ill

Under the Weather: Not feeling well

Under Wraps: Temporarily hidden, secret

University of Life: Difficult real-life experience, as opposed to formal education

Until the Cows Come Home: For a long time

Until You’re Blue in the Face: For a long time with no results

Up a Creek: In a very bad situation

Up for Grabs: Available

Up for Grabs: Available for anyone

Up in Arms: Angry, protesting (usually said of a group)

Up in the Air: Not yet decided

Up to One’s Neck: Nearly overwhelmed

Up to Scratch: Meeting a basic standard of competence or quality

Up to Snuff: Meeting a basic standard

Up the Ante: Raise the stakes; increase the importance of something under discussion

Up the Duff: Pregnant

Upset the Apple Cart: To disorganize or spoil something, especially an established

arrangement or plan

Use One’s Head: To think, to have common sense

Idioms (V)
List of useful English idioms that start with V.

Vale of Tears: The world in general, envisioned as a sad place; the tribulations of life

Vicious Circle: A situation in which an attempt to solve a problem makes the original problem
worse.

Victory Lap: Visible public appearances after a victory or accomplishment

Virgin Territory: Something that has never been explored, physically or intellectually

Vote with One’s Feet: To physically depart from something as a way of showing disapproval
Idioms (W)
List of useful English idioms that start with W.

Waiting in the Wings: Ready to assume responsibilities but not yet active, ready to become a
successor

Waka-Jumping: Change political parties (said of politicians themselves)

Wake Up and Smell the Coffee: Stop deluding yourself

Wake Up on the Wrong Side of the Bed: Be grumpy or ill-humored. Generally used in past
tense

Walk on Eggshells: To have to act very sensitively in order to avoid offending someone

Walk the Plank: Be forced to resign a position

Wandering Eye: A tendency to look at and desire women or men other than one’s committed
romantic partner

Wandering Eye: A tendency to look at and desire women or men other than one’s committed
romantic partner

Wash Your Hands of (Something): Decline to take further responsibility; refuse to be

involved with something anymore

Water Under the Bridge: Something in the past that’s no longer worth worrying about

Watering Hole: A place where alcoholic beverages are served, a bar

Weekend Warrior: Someone who has an office job but enjoys contact sports on weekends; a
member of a military reserve force (whose exercises are typically on weekends)

We’ll Cross That Bridge: When We Come to It We’ll deal with that problem if and when it
comes up
Welsh (Welch) on a Deal: Not observe the terms of an agreement

Wet Behind the Ears: inexperienced, immature, new to something

Wet Behind the Ears: Inexperienced, immature, new to something

Wet Blanket: Someone who dampens a festive occasion

Wet Your Whistle: Drink something

What Do You Make of (Him)?: What is your evaluation of this person?

What Goes Around Comes Around: The kind of treatment you give to others will eventually
return to you; things go in cycles

What’s Good for the Goose Is Good for the Gander: What’s OK for a man is OK for a
woman, too
When Hell Freezes Over: Never

When In Doubt, Leave It Out: When unsure about something, omit it.

When in Rome, Do as the Romans Do: When you visit a new place, follow the customs of
the people there

When It Rains, It Pours: Problems tend to come in groups.

When Pigs Fly: Never

When the Chips Are Down: When a situation becomes urgent or difficult

Where (When) the Rubber: Meets the Road In reality; where an idea meets a real-world test

Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way: If you have a strong desire to accomplish something,
you will achieve it even in the face of considerable odds.
Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire: If there is typical evidence of something, the most likely
explanation is that it is actually occurring.

Whisper Sweet Nothings (in Someone’s Ear): Speak meaningless romantic utterances

Whistle in the Dark: To be unrealistically confident or brave; to talk about something of

which one has little knowledge

Whistle Past the Graveyard: Remain optimistic despite dangers; be clueless

Whistling Dixie: Being unrealistically optimistic

White Elephant: An unwanted item that is difficult to sell or dispose of

Who’s She, the Cat’s Mother?: Why does she have such a high opinion of herself?

Wild Goose Chase: An impossible or futile search or task

Window Dressing: A misleading disguise intended to present a favourable impression

Window Shop: To look at merchandise in a store without intending to buy it

Witch Hunt: An organized attempt to persecute an unpopular group of people and blame
them for a problem.

With Bells On: Eagerly, willingly, and on time.

Work One’s Fingers to the Bone: Work very hard over an extended period

Worn to a Frazzle: Exhausted, completely worn out

Wouldn’t Be Caught Dead: Would absolutely not allow myself to do this

Writing (Handwriting) on the Wall: Hints of coming disaster

Idioms (Y)
List of useful English idioms that start with Y.

Year In, Year Out: Annually without change

You Can Lead a Horse to Water, but You Can’t Make It Drink: It’s very hard to force
someone to do something against his or her will.

You Can Say That Again!: I agree totally!

You Can Take It to the Bank: I absolutely guarantee this

You Can’t Judge a Book by Its Cover: You can’t know people (or things) well by their
external appearances.

You Can’t Make an Omelet (Omelette): Without Breaking

You Can’t Make Fish of One and Fowl of the Other: People must be treated equally.

You Know the Drill: You are already familiar with the procedure.

You Snooze, You Lose: If you delay or are not alert, you will miss opportunities

Young at Heart: Having a youthful outlook, regardless of age

Your Guess Is as Good as Mine: I don’t know; I have no idea

Your Mileage May Vary: You may get different results. This does not necessarily refer to a
car, although it may.

Your Number Is Up: You are going to die (or suffer some bad misfortune or setback)

You’re Driving Me Nuts: To make someone giddy or crazy

 Yours Truly: Me

Idioms (Z)
List of useful English idioms that start with Z.

Zero In On: Focus closely on something; take aim at something

Zig When One Should Be Zagging: To make an error; to choose an incorrect course

Zip One’s Lip: Be quiet

Idiom Examples
List of idioms categorized by different topics with meaning and example sentences.

Health Idioms Examples

 My grandfather was as pale as a ghost (extremely pale) when he entered the hospital.
 The sales manager was at death’s door (very near death) after his heart attack.
 My mother is back on her feet (healthy again) after being sick for two weeks.
 I have been feeling on top of the world (feel very healthy) since I quit my job.
 I’m going under the knife (undergo surgery) next month to try to solve my knee problems. Hope it helps!
 My colleague was looking a little green around the gills (sick) when he came to work today.
 My uncle is very sick and has one foot in the grave (near death).
 Did you have a good vacation? – Not really. I was sick as a dog (extremely ill) the whole time.
 My boss has been under the weather (not feeling well) all week and has not come to work during that time.
Clothes Idioms Examples
 A few years ago Uggs were all the rage (very fashionable), but now you don’t see them so much.
 Jacob is unpredictable. He won’t leave the office for weeks, but then he’ll take off for New York at the drop of a
hat (suddenly).
 Wait until you try the new Yamaha scooters. They’ll knock your socks off! (amaze you)
 The carmaker’s sales declined because many consumers found their designs old hat (old-fashioned).
Sports Idioms Examples
  A ballpark figure (a rough estimate) for the cost of the new stadium would be $150,000,000.
 Francesca hit it out of the park (succeed brilliantly) with her speech today. It was fabulous.
 Madrid won most of our matches during the season, but we kicked ass (defeat badly) in the playoffs.
 I’ll call you back in an hour. The speaker is almost finished, and I’m on deck (next).
 I thought I was totally exhausted after mile nine of the race. But then I got my second wind (renewed energy).
 I’ve helped him as much as I can in that class. Now he’s going to have to sink or swim (fail or succeed).
 Maybe you could take a hike (go away) while we discuss salaries.
 After losing his queen, the chess player threw in the towel (give up) and resigned.
 Our competitor’s model dominates the market, so ours is facing tough sledding (difficult progress).

Music Idioms Examples

 Can you guys please be quiet? Your chin music (meaningless talk) is distracting me from my work.
 News of the new president was music to my ears (good to hear) – she’s terrific.
 You may say you’re in love with your boyfriend, but you’ll be singing a different tune (change your opinion) when
you find out what he’s been up to.
 If you think you can get a ticket for under $200 at Christmastime, you’re whistling Dixie (unrealistically optimistic).

Time Idioms Examples

 The restaurant is open around the clock (at all times).
  Blackberry phones used to be extremely popular, but now many people think they’re behind the times (old-
fashioned).
 The boxer is ready to call time (end) on his long career.
 You all look tired. Let’s call it a day (stop working).
 Teamwork and training will carry the day (successful).
 Your days are numbered (will die soon) if you keep driving while drunk.
 I’d buy that car in a New York minute (very quickly) if I had the money.
 I had a beautiful family, a nice home, and lots of money. And then, in the blink of an eye (instantaneously), it was
all gone.
 Kevin says he was completely in the dark (unaware) about the CEO’s plans to sell the company.
 We were going to leave without you, but you got here just in the nick of time (just in time).
 I’m glad you dropped by! It’s been a month of Sundays (a long time) since I saw you last.
 When I said I would move to New York, she offered me the job on the spot (immediately).
 Once in a blue moon (very rarely) you see the Aurora here, but it’s not like farther north.
 I don’t want to live in the city, but I enjoy visiting once in a while (occasionally).
 We should seize the day (take an opportunity) while prices are low. That won’t last forever.
 Take your time (don’t hurry) on the exam. You don’t get a bonus for finishing quickly.
 If you have problems, call me twenty-four seven (at any time); it doesn’t matter if I’m sleeping.
 Our holiday party is such a bore. Year in, year out (annually without change) the owner makes the same dumb
jokes.

Number Idioms Examples

 I have a million and one (many) ideas.
  He got home from the party all in one piece (safely).
 The project failed, we’re back to square one (back to the start).
 I’ve been in seventh heaven (extremely happy) ever since I got engaged!
 You don’t have to do this totally by the book (follow instructions exactly).
 I can’t drive, I had one too many (drink too much alcohol).
 Never in a million years (absolutely never) did I think that I would actually win the lottery!
 Nine times out of ten (almost always) your first choice turns out to be the right one.
 I wouldn’t want a nine-to-five job (a routine job).
 When my mom bought me a computer, I was on cloud nine (very happy).
 I put in my two cents (say your opinion) at the meeting.
 Ten to one (very likely) I’m going to win.
 I can try, but completing the whole ad campaign by the end of the month is a tall order (a difficult task).
 The runner was far ahead for most of the race, but at the end she won only by a whisker (a very short distance).
Travel & Transport Idioms Examples
 I’m not really part of your group. If I come to the party I’ll just be a fifth wheel (a superfluous person).
 We better hit the road (leave) before traffic get seven worse.
 New Year’s Eve is just around the corner (occurring soon). Have you made party plans yet?
 My brother just spent a lot of money on really questionable stocks. I think he’s off his trolley (insane).
 I’ll eat dinner on the fly (while traveling) and meet you at 8.
 It’s too late for you to ask her to marry you – she’s involved with someone else now. That ship has sailed (that
opportunity has passed).
Car & Driving Idioms Examples
 Higher coal prices put the brakes on (slow down) industrial activities in the second quarter.
 I’m late for my best friend’s wedding. Put the pedal to the metal! (drive as fast as possible)
 After work I drove home hell for leather (very fast), but I still missed my daughter’s birthday party.
 It will take time to get the final cost, but a quick-and-dirty (approximate) estimate would be $45,000.
 I’ll have the order done quick as a flash (very fast) – probably by the time you get back to your office.

Technology Idioms Examples

 Sure, come into the office, and we can get the documents you need chop chop (Quickly).
 We’re going to pull the plug on (terminate) our operation in Taiwan. It’s just not succeeding.
 Passing this quiz will be like shooting fish in a barrel (very easy). I’ve studied a lot.
 Jim is a straight arrow (an honest, trustworthy person).

Home Idioms Examples

 I’ve locked the door. They’re as safe as houses (very safe).
 She said he’s out of the house of correction (prison).
 After struggling with my homework, I finally threw in the towel (give up) and went to bed.
 That’s a worthless investment. He’s throwing his money down the drain (waste money).
 When I found out Tom crashed my car, I hit the roof (become very angry).
  Jeff smokes like a chimney (smoke a lot). I worry about his health.
 His diet went out the window (disappear) during the holidays.
 Please come in and make yourself at home (make yourself comfortable).
 Cutting-edge (innovative) musical styles often originate in Britain.
 There are just a few difficulties to iron out (resolve), and then we’ll be ready to sign the contract.
Plant Idioms Examples
 You’re going to jump down from that ledge? Are you out of your gourd? (crazy)
 Life isn’t always going to be a bed of roses (comfortable situation). You have to learn to deal with adversity.
 There are a few problems with the new website, but they don’t amount to a hill of beans (unimportant). We did
it!
 As anyone who has experienced a hurricane knows, Mother Nature (the natural world) can be a frightening force.
 I’ll be pushing up daisies (dead) before my daughter decides to get married.
 I heard through the grapevine (via gossip) that Ivan and Amber are going out. Is it true?
 Two years ago we had the field to ourselves with this project. Now there are too many competitors to shake a stick
at (a large number).

Weather Idioms Examples

 It’ll be a cold day in July (never happen) when our team wins the championship. We’re terrible.
 If you think I’m going to climb that rickety ladder, you’re all wet! (completely mistaken!)
 I stayed up all night studying for that exam, and then it turned out to be a breeze! (very easy!)
 Come hell or high water (no matter what happens), we will be in New York for the meeting tomorrow morning.
  I listen to the music every day, come rain or shine (do regularly).
 Let’s come back soon before the heavens open! (start to rain heavily)
 I made a huge mistake. I stayed up all night studying, and I was in a fog (confused) when it came time to start the
exam.
 Old Man Winter (Winter) is hanging around this year-it’s the middle of March, and we still have a lot of snow.
 Cindy was on cloud nine (extremely happy) after her boyfriend proposed to her.
 It’s been raining cats and dogs (rain heavily) all day. I’m afraid the roof is going to leak.
 Once again, John is right as rain (absolutely correct). We should sell the Chicago office building.
 I’m sorry to rain on your parade (spoil someone’s plans), but the park is closed tomorrow, so we can’t have our
picnic there.
 Let’s go out and soak up some sun (enjoy the sun).
 If you keep asking him about his ex-girlfriend, you’ll be on thin ice (in a risky situation).
 Tom stole cameras when he worked here. I’ll hire him back when hell freezes over (never).

Appearance Idioms Examples

 She’s no spring chicken (young), but she’s still very good looking.
 She’s a dead ringer (similar in appearance) for her older sister.
 When Samantha was in her teens she looked ordinary, but in her early 20s she turned into a real knockout!
(an extremely beautiful woman).
 Let me just put my face on (apply cosmetics), and I’ll meet you at the restaurant in 15 minutes.
People Idioms Examples
 He never made a will, to the best of my knowledge (as far as you know).
 Don’t lend her money. I trust her about as far as I can throw (only slightly) her.
 My grandmother is 92 years old, but she’s still sharp as a tack (mentally agile).
 I’d tell you if you were going around the bend (crazy).

Daily Routines Idioms Examples

 OK, I’ll come to the party Friday. But Saturday it’ll be time to hit the books (study).
 I have to get up at 5 tomorrow morning. It’s time to hit the hay (go to bed).
 I’ll be out of town this weekend, but I’ll be in touch (in contact) when I get back Sunday night.
 Social media are great for finding old friends with whom you’ve lost touch (fall out of contact).
 You’re playing with fire (very risky) if you keep driving that car-the floor under the seat is almost completely rusted
out.
 The name Susan Thompson rings a bell (sound familiar). I think she worked here-let me look it up.

Social Life Idioms Examples

  I was just making a suggestion. Don’t get all bent out of shape (become angry) out it.
 I’d better work late at the office – my husband is on the warpath (very angry) because I put a big scratch in his new
car.
 Sophia acted like she was my friend. But then she stabbed me in the back (betray) and went out with my boyfriend.
 Bob is a 110-proof (very strong) Conservative – I’ve never seen him vote for a Labor candidate.
 The beer market used to be controlled by large companies, but now many small firms are producing the amber
nectar (beer).
 Don’t bother Joseph when he’s in his cups (drunk) – he’s very irritable.
 Give me a beer. I’m having one for the road (a final drink before leaving).
 I just finished my last exam. Let’s go out and paint the town red! (go out drinking and partying).
 You’ve been out in the sun for two hours. Come on in and wet your whistle! (drink something).
 The new engine design is our ace in the hole (a hidden advantage) – but we have to keep it secret from our
competitors.
 I don’t think a recession is in the cards (likely) this year. Consumer confidence is very strong.
 I’m going to roll the dice on (take a risk) the plant renovation. If the market collapses we’ll be in trouble, but I think
it’s needed.
 I like to go out to the bars with John-he’s a real babe magnet (a man to whom women are attracted), so I get to
meet lots of women too.

Happy Idioms Examples

 I always have so much fun when Katie’s around—she’s a barrel of laughs! (funny).
 You look full of the joys of spring (very happy, full of energy) this morning.
 The kids really had a ball (have a very enjoyable time) at the birthday party—they won’t stop talking about it!
  We had a whale of a time (enjoy very much) on holiday.
 Come on, Jim, this is a party! Let your hair down (relax and enjoy) and go a little wild!
 The circus was more fun than a barrel of monkeys (a very good time).
 It’s nice to slow down at the week-end and take it easy (relax).

Crazy Idioms Examples

 I think he’ll blow his top (lose his temper) when you give him the news.
 When I saw the look on Sarah’s face, I just know she’d blow up (explode).
 July will go ape (wild excitement or anger) if she ever hears about it.
 Mom will freak out (a wildly irrational reaction) when she found out we broke her vase!
 My parents went totally ballistic (fly into a rage) when they found out I’d wrecked the car!
 She went berserk (go crazy) and strangled her cat.
 I’ll end up going bananas (irrational or crazy) if I have to work in this cubicle for one more day!
 My parents are going to go mental (extremely angry) if they find out we had a party here!
 The noise caused all the neighbors to go nuts (become crazy).
 My parents are going to hit the roof (very angry) if they find out we had a party here!

Love Idioms Examples

 I didn’t know Chris and Sue were an item (having a romantic relationship). They didn’t even look at each other at
dinner.
  Have you heard? Sophia and Joseph have split up (end a relationship).
 I think I’m falling in love (start feeling love) with my best friend. What should I do?
 Don’t be angry! Yes, I was talking to that other girl, but you know you’re my main squeeze!( committed romantic
partner).
 An old flame (a former boyfriend or girlfriend) has come back into my life. I’m seeing her tomorrow night.
 When are you and Jenny going to tie the knot (get married)? – This year, but we haven’t set a date yet.

Feeling Idioms Examples

 Yoga pants are all the rage (very much in fashion) in North America right now, but in two years probably nobody
will be wearing them.
 Sure, you can invest a little money, but don’t get carried away (overly enthusiastic) – people lose lots of money on
the stock market.
 John’s suggestions in the meeting were ridiculous. Sometimes I think he’s not playing with a full deck (stupid).
 Sorry I was so quiet during the meeting. I’ve been out of sorts (slightly ill ) all day.
 Have you heard Dmitri is going to try to climb Mt. Rinjani in the rainy season? He must be off his rocker (crazy,
insane).
 John is on the ball (competent, alert). I think we can leave the office under his supervision for a few days.
 Gerald used to be one of the most logical people I know. Now he’s mad as a hatter (mentally ill).
  You’ve been down in the dumps (depressed) all week. Let’s go to the football game – that’ll cheer you up.
 Fans are cock-a-hoop (excited) about the team’s acquisition of the new striker.

Food Idioms Examples

 The problem of how to motivate employees can be a tough nut to crack (a difficult problem) sometimes.
 Fred had egg on his face (embarrassed) after claiming he could climb the tree but then having to give up.
 James will tell you all about his adventures in Africa, but take it with a grain of salt (be skeptical).
 My new girlfriend is very intelligent. That she’s beautiful is just icing on the cake! (a bonus).
 I can’t help you with your presentation right now. I have bigger fish to fry (have more important things to do).
 I just have a lot on my plate (a lot to do) right now while I’m finishing up my degree and doing this huge project for
work.
 I wouldn’t go out with him for all the tea in China! (great wealth).
 James is a bad egg (not to be trusted). Don’t trust him.
 Have you tried the new iPhone? It’s the greatest thing since sliced bread (an innovative development).
 My husband may not be the world’s most glamorous guy, but he brings home the bacon (earn money for the
family).
 Amazon started out as a bookseller, but now they offer everything from soup to nuts (everything).
 We went to Mark’s Midtown for lunch. I had a grilled chicken sandwich, and it really hit the spot (very satisfying).
 You should apply to the university now. There are lots of reasons, but in a nutshell, it will end up costing
 I’m really in a pickle (in need of help). I spent all the money I had saved, and I have no way to pay next semester’s
tuition bill.
 The kids are always nutty as fruitcakes (crazy) when they’ve had something sugary to eat.
 I’ve already done the difficult parts – finishing the presentation tonight will be a piece of cake (easily done).
  Nothing tastes better than fresh cinnamon rolls, served piping hot (very hot).
 Sam is rotten to the core (entirely evil). He steals, he lies, he’s violent. I’m glad he’s in prison.
 The new Honda is expected to sell like hotcakes (sold very quickly) after it’s released.
 We’re wasting our time on small potatoes (unimportant). Let’s get to the big news that made us have this meeting.
 We had planned this to be a surprise party for you, but Jason spilled the beans (reveal a secret).
 Our principal was a little lady, but she was one tough cookie! (a very determined person).

Fruit Idioms Examples

 You only get a bite at the cherry (good opportunity) in life.
 Her cheeks were as red as a cherry (very red).
 Baseball is as American as apple pie (typically American).
 Tom is really a bad apple (a trouble making or dishonest person).
 Only the top banana (boss, leader) can make a decision of that magnitude.
 Sarah’s surprise party went pear-shaped (fail) once she accidentally found out about it.
 Do whatever you want, I do not give a fig (not care).

Dog Idioms Examples

 Every man and his dog (many people) wanted to interview me after I on the race.
 Those two fight like cat and dog (continually arguing with each other), so please don’t put them together on the
project.
  I’ll be right back-I’ve got to go see a man about a dog (go to the bathroom).
 This has always been a nice hotel, but it’s going to the dogs (become disordered).
 At first my marriage was all puppies and rainbows (perfect), but then reality set in.
 I try to be strict with my daughter, but when she looks at me with those puppy dog eyes (a begging look), I buy her
candy.

Cat Idioms Examples

 I’m going to try to squeeze in a cat nap (short sleep during the day) before my next shift starts, or else I’ll be feeling
sluggish for the entire evening.
 Who will bell the cat (a difficult or impossible task) and take on the job of reducing corruption in this country?
 She’s waiting for the doctor to call with her test results, so she’s been like a cat on a hot tin roof all day (extremely
nervous).
 Inside, there is no room to swing a cat (very small), and everything you see is the most basic junk.

Animal Idioms Examples

 Talk to Jon. He’s the big fish (important person) in the organization. He can help you get things done.
 Picking out this item or that for criticism seems unsportsmanlike, like shooting fish in a barrel (very easy).
 That’s just a fish story (a big lie). Don’t try to fool me.
 This game will be the quarterback’s swan song (a final appearance) – he’s retiring after this season.
 I was sick as a parrot (very disappointed) after Man United lost last night.
  I almost didn’t go on stage and perform tonight because I had butterflies in my stomach (nervous).
 I think this is a wild goose chase (an impossible task). This library doesn’t have the books we need.
 Glen is a lone wolf (not social) and seldom joins in the activities of the neightbourhood.
 When we got married, we were both poor as a church mouse (very poor) and we had to live with my husband’s
parents.
 What happened when I asked for comments? Crickets (silence). So I assume you’re all satisfied with the proposal.
 My eagle-eyed (sharp vision) sister spotted the car in the parking lot before anyone else did.
 You’d better pay him more, or one day you’ll come to the office and find that he flew the coop (left).
 I’m afraid that if we don’t reduce staff, we’ll go belly up (go bankrupt) within a year.
 If you want to reach the island with the treasure, you’ve got to swim with sharks (take a major risk) for a while.
 You’re only 22-the world is your oyster (have many opportunities). Don’t feel you have to get married now.
 It may be very crowded in there. I’ll go and take a gander (take a look), and then I’ll send you a text message.
 If you wait for Jeb to finish his part of the project, you’ll be waiting till the cows come home (a long time).
 Sure, I’ll go out with Cynthia again. When pigs fly (never).

Family Idioms Examples

 I have a bun in the oven (pregnant) again! Sophia will have a baby sister.
 Children will be admitted to the concert, but sorry, no babes in arms (a baby being carried).
 After learning to drive a stick shift, driving with an automatic transmission is child’s play (a very easy task).
 The poor baby has a face only a mother could love (a very ugly face).
 Big Brother (Government) seems to grow more and more powerful as data about individuals is accumulated on
social networks.
 Just enter the update code, register the new software, and Bob’s your uncle (you’re almost finished).
  When you go on a trip, it’s important to buy souvenirs for your kith and kin (family) back home.
 Just watch. Getting her to go out with me will be like taking candy from a baby (very easy).
 I bought a ring, and I’m ready to pop the question (propose marriage) to Sophia.
 They hadn’t planned to get married, but Sophia found out she was up the duff (pregnant).

Body Idioms Examples

 You shouldn’t buy a new car until you’ve paid off the debt from your student loan. Use your head! (think).
 It’s too bad you didn’t get the job, but keep your chin up (cheer up) – another one will come along.
 OK, I’ll tell you the secret about Cynthia, but zip your lip about it! (be quiet).
 The presentation will begin at 8 on the nose (precisely). Don’t miss it.
 The team was all eyes and ears (attentive) as the coach explained the challenges ahead.
 I don’t see eye to eye (agree) with Frances on the workflow, but she’s the boss.
 I know John is bad for me, but when I get a look at his baby blues (blue eyes) I can’t resist him.
 Why did you delete the file I was working on? I’m all ears (Listening willingly).
 Lend an ear (Listen), and I’ll tell you what people said at the meeting yesterday.
 This is especially used in hypothetical situations. If Joe asked me, I’d marry him in a heart beat! ( immediately).
 I like to keep my vocabulary at hand (nearby).
 Are there enough people on hand (available) to hold a meeting?
 Employee absenteeism has gotten out of hand (out of control).
 She’ll give you the name of a place to stay – she knows the area like the back of her hand (very well).
 Could you lend me a hand (help) with this piano?
 Tom was hands-down (obviously) the best student at the university.
 Shareholders pointed the finger at (blame) the board of directors for the losses, and voted most of them out.
  The exam’s at two. Will you keep your fingers crossed (wish for good luck) for me?
 We agreed we’d meet at the mall at 3. But you left me cooling my heels (wait) for two whole hours.
 Don’t trust Jack around your expensive glassware – he’s all thumbs (clumsy).
 It really pleased me that the boss gave me a thumbs-up (approval) on my presentation.
 I worry about my son. He’s smart enough to succeed, but he doesn’t have the fire in the belly (strong ambition).
 There I was, in my birthday suit (nakedness), when the doorbell rang.
 Three months ago Jack seemed to be at death’s door, but now he’s fit as a fiddle (in very good health) What
happened?
 If you’re on a long drive, it’s helpful to stop and take forty winks (a short nap) every few hours if you can.

Business Idioms Examples

 At first I wasn’t ready to accept your offer for the house. But you drive a hard bargain (negotiate effectively).
 Jennifer’s presentation was on point (well done) – concise, relevant, and accurate.
 The election is up for grabs (available). Everything is still very chancy.
 The salary increase is still up in the air (not yet decided) – the boss favors it, but she hasn’t gotten approval from her
superiors.
 Sophia is in hot water (in trouble) with her department manager after she blew that sales presentation.
 I’ll be burning the midnight oil (working late ) tonight, but I guarantee I’ll finish the paper before class tomorrow at
9.
 I’ve been out of work (unemployed) since December. Hope I find a new job soon!