Idioms and Phrases



Idioms and Phrases
A dog in the manager: A person who prevents others from enjoying something that is useless to him.
A sitting duck: A person or thing that is an easy target to attack.
A Bird in the Hand is Worth Two in the Bush: Having something that is certain is much better than taking a risk for more, because chances are you might lose everything.
A Blessing in Disguise: Something good that isn’t recognized at first.
A Chip On Your Shoulder: Being upset for something that happened in the past.
A Dime a Dozen: Anything that is common and easy to get.
A Doubting Thomas: A skeptic who needs physical or personal evidence in order to believe something.
A Drop in the Bucket: A very small part of something big or whole.
A Fool and his Money are Easily Parted: It’s easy for a foolish person to lose his/her money.
A House Divided against itself cannot Stand: Everyone involved must unify and function together or it will not work out.
A Leopard Can’t Change his Spots: You cannot change who you are.
A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned: By not spending money, you are saving money (little by little).
A Picture Paints a Thousand Words: A visual presentation is far more descriptive than words.
A Piece of Cake: A task that can be accomplished very easily.
A Slap on the Wrist: A very mild punishment.
A Taste of Your Own Medicine: When you are mistreated the same way you mistreat others.
A Toss-Up: A result that is still unclear and can go either way.
Actions Speak Louder Than Words: It’s better to actually do something than just talk about it.
Add Fuel to the Fire: Whenever something is done to make a bad situation even worse than it is.
Against the Clock: Rushed and short on time.
All Bark and no Bite: When someone is threatening and/or aggressive but not willing to engage in a fight.
All Greek to me: Meaningless and incomprehensible like someone who cannot read, speak, or understand any of the Greek language would be.
All in the Same Boat: When everyone is facing the same challenges.
An Arm and a Leg: Very expensive. A large amount of money.
An Axe to Grind: To have a dispute with someone.
Apple of My Eye: Someone who is cherished above all others.
As High as a Kite: Anything that is high up in the sky.
At the Drop of a Hat: Willing to do something immediately.
Black and Blue: To beat mercilessly.
Back Seat Driver: People who criticize from the sidelines, much like someone giving unwanted advice from the back seat of a vehicle to the driver.
Back to Square One: Having to start all over again.
Back to the Drawing Board: When an attempt fails and it’s time to start all over.
Baker’s Dozen: Thirteen.
Barking up the Wrong Tree: A mistake made in something you are trying to achieve.
Beat a Dead Horse: To force an issue that has already ended.
Beating around the Bush: Avoiding the main topic. Not speaking directly about the issue.
Bend Over Backwards: Do whatever it takes to help. Willing to do anything.
Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Stuck between two very bad options.
Bite Off More Than You Can Chew: To take on a task that is way to big.
Bite Your Tongue: To avoid talking.
Blood is Thicker Than Water: The family bond is closer than anything else.
Blue Moon: A rare event or occurrence.
Break a Leg: A superstitious way to say ‘good luck’ without saying ‘good luck’, but rather the opposite.
Buy a Lemon: To purchase a vehicle that constantly gives problems or stops runnings after you drive it away.
Close shave: A narrow escape.
Can’t Cut the Mustard: Someone who isn’t adequate enough to compete or participate.
Cast Iron Stomach: Someone who has no problems, complications or ill effects with eating anything or drinking anything.
Charley Horse: Stiffness in the leg/A leg cramp.
Chew someone out: Verbally scold someone.
Chip on his Shoulder: Angry today about something that occurred in the past.
Chow Down: To eat.
Close but no Cigar: To be very near and almost accomplish a goal, but fall short.
Cock and Bull Story: An unbelievable tale.
Come Hell or High Water: Any difficult situation or obstacle.
Crack Someone Up: To make someone laugh.
Cross Your Fingers: To hope that something happens the way you want it to.
Cry Over Spilt Milk: When you complain about a loss from the past.
Cry Wolf: Intentionally raise a false alarm.
Cup of Joe: A cup of coffee.
Curiosity Killed the Cat: Being Inquisitive can lead you into a dangerous situation.
Cut to the Chase: Leave out all the unnecessary details and just get to the point.
Dark Horse: One who was previously unknown and is now prominent.
Dead Ringer: 100% identical. A duplicate.
Devil’s Advocate: Someone who takes a position for the sake of argument without believing in that particular side of the argument. It can also mean one who presents a counter argument for a position they do believe in, to another debater.
Dog Days of Summer: The hottest days of the summer season.
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch: Don’t rely on it until your sure of it.
Don’t Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth: When someone gives you a gift, don’t be ungrateful.
Don’t Put all Your Eggs in One Basket: Do not put all your resources in one possibility.
Doozy: Something outstanding.
Down to the Wire: Something that ends at the last minute or last few seconds.
Drastic Times Call for Drastic Measures: When your are extremely desperate you need to take extremely desperate actions.
Drink like a fish: To drink very heavily.
Drive someone up the wall: To irritate and/or annoy very much.
Dropping Like Flies: A large number of people either falling ill or dying.
Dry Run: Rehearsal.
Eighty Six: A certain item is no longer available. Or this idiom can also mean, to throw away.
Elvis has left the building: The show has come to an end. It’s all over.
Ethnic Cleansing: Killing of a certain ethnic or religious group on a massive scale.
Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining: Be optimistic, even difficult times will lead to better days.
Everything But The Kitchen Sink: Almost everything and anything has been included.
Excuse my French: Please forgive me for cussing.
French Leave: Absence without permission.
Feeding Frenzy: An aggressive attack on someone by a group.
Field Day: An enjoyable day or circumstance.
Finding Your Feet: To become more comfortable in whatever you are doing.
Finger lickin’ good: A very tasty food or meal.
Fixed in Your Ways: Not willing or wanting to change from your normal way of doing something.
Flash in the Pan: Something that shows potential or looks promising in the beginning but fails to deliver anything in the end.
Flea Market: A swap meet. A place where people gather to buy and sell inexpensive goods.
Flesh and Blood: This idiom can mean living material of which people are made of, or it can refer to someone’s family.
Flip the Bird: To raise your middle finger at someone.
Foam at the Mouth: To be enraged and show it.
Fools’ Gold: Iron pyrites, a worthless rock that resembles real gold.
French Kiss: An open mouth kiss where tongues touch.
From Rags to Riches: To go from being very poor to being very wealthy.
Fuddy-duddy: An old-fashioned and foolish type of person.
Full Monty: This idiom can mean either, “the whole thing” or “completely nude.”
Funny Farm: A mental institutional facility.
Get Down to Brass Tacks: To become serious about something.
Get Over it: To move beyond something that is bothering you.
Get Up on the Wrong Side of the Bed: Someone who is having a horrible day.
Get Your Walking Papers: Get fired from a job.
Give him the Slip: To get away from. To escape.
Go Down Like a Lead Ballon: To be received badly by an audience.
Go for Broke: To gamble everything you have.
Go Out on a Limb: Put yourself in a tough position in order to support someone/something.
Go the Extra Mile: Going above and beyond whatever is required for the task at hand.
Good Samaritan: Someone who helps others when they are in need, with no discussion for compensation, and no thought of a reward.
Graveyard Shift: Working hours from about 12:00 am to 8:00 am. The time of the day when most other people are sleeping.
Great Minds Think Alike: Intelligent people think like each other.
Green Room: The waiting room, especially for those who are about to go on a tv or radio show.
Gut Feeling: A personal intuition you get, especially when feel something may not be right.
Haste Makes Waste: Quickly doing things results in a poor ending.
Hat Trick: When one player scores three goals in the same hockey game. This idiom can also mean three scores in any other sport, such as 3 homeruns, 3 touchdowns, 3 soccer goals, etc.
Have an Axe to Grind: To have a dispute with someone.
He Lost His Head: Angry and overcome by emotions.
Head Over Heels: Very excited and/or joyful, especially when in love.
Hell in a Handbasket: Deteriorating and headed for complete disaster.
High Five: Slapping palms above each others heads as celebration gesture.
High on the Hog: Living in Luxury.
Hit the Books: To study, especially for a test or exam.
Hit the Hay: Go to bed or go to sleep.
Hit the Nail on the Head: Do something exactly right or say something exactly right.
Hit the Sack: Go to bed or go to sleep.
Hocus Pocus: In general, a term used in magic or trickery.
Hold Your Horses: Be patient.
Icing on the Cake: When you already have it good and get something on top of what you already have.
Idle Hands are the Devil’s Tools: You are more likely to get in trouble if you have nothing to do.
If it’s not one Thing, it’s another: When one thing goes wrong, then another, and another...
In Like Flynn: To be easily successful, especially when sexual or romantic.
In the Bag: To have something secured.
In the Buff: Nude.
In the Heat of the Moment: Overwhelmed by what is happening in the moment.
In Your Face: An aggressive and bold confrontation.
It Takes Two to Tango: A two person conflict where both people are at fault.
It’s a Small World: You frequently see the same people in different places.
Its Anyone’s Call: A competition where the outcome is difficult to judge or predict.
Ivy League: Since 1954 the Ivy League has been the following universities: Columbia, Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth, Yale, Pennsylvania, Princeton, and Harvard.
Jaywalk: Crossing the street (from the middle) without using the crosswalk.
Joshing Me: Tricking me.
Keep an Eye on Him: You should carefully watch him.
Keep body and soul together: To earn a sufficient amount of money in order to keep yourself alive.
Keep your chin up: To remain joyful in a tough situation.
Kick the Bucket: Die.
Kitty-corner: Diagonally across. Sometimes called Catty-Corner as well.
Knee Jerk Reaction: A quick and automatic response.
Knock on Wood: Knuckle tapping on wood in order to avoid some bad luck.
Know the Ropes: To understand the details.
Last but not least: An introduction phrase to let the audience know that the last person mentioned is no less important than those introduced before him/her.
Lend Me Your Ear: To politely ask for someone’s full attention.
Let Bygones be Bygones: To forget about a disagreement or argument.
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie: To avoid restarting a conflict.
Let the Cat out of the Bag: To share a secret that wasn’t suppose to be shared.
Level playing field: A fair competition where no side has an advantage.
Like a chicken with its head cut off: To act in a frenzied manner.
Liquor someone up: To get someone drunk.
Long in the Tooth: Old people (or horses).
Loose Cannon: Someone who is unpredictable and can cause damage if not kept in check.
Make no Bones About: To state a fact so there are no doubts or objections.
Method to My Madness: Strange or crazy actions that appear meaningless but in the end are done for a good reason.
Mumbo Jumbo: Nonsense or meaningless speech.
Mum’s the word: To keep quiet. To say nothing.
Nest Egg: Savings set aside for future use.
Never Bite the Hand that Feeds You: Don’t hurt anyone that helps you.
New kid on the block: Someone new to the group or area.
New York Minute: A minute that seems to go by quickly, especially in a fast paced environment.
No Dice: To not agree. To not accept a proposition.
No Room to Swing a Cat: An unusually small or confined space.
Not Playing with a Full Deck: Someone who lacks intelligence.
Off on the Wrong Foot: Getting a bad start on a relationship or task.
Off the Hook: No longer have to deal with a tough situation.
Off the Record: Something said in confidence that the one speaking doesn’t want attributed to him/her.
On Pins and Needles: Anxious or nervous, especially in anticipation of something.
On the Fence: Undecided.
On the Same Page: When multiple people all agree on the same thing.
Out of the Blue: Something that suddenly and unexpectedly occurs.
Out on a Limb: When someone puts themself in a risky situation.
Out on the Town: To enjoy yourself by going out.
Over my Dead Body: When you absolutely will not allow something to happen.
Over the Top: Very excessive.
Pass the Buck: Avoid responsibility by giving it to someone else.
Pedal to the metal: To go full speed, especially while driving a vehicle.
Peeping Tom: Someone who observes people in the nude or sexually active people, mainly for his own gratification.
Pick up your ears: To listen very carefully.
Pig in a Poke: A deal that is made without first examining it.
Pig out: To eat alot and eat it quickly.
Pipe Down: To shut-up or be quiet.
Practice Makes Perfect: By constantly practicing, you will become better.
Pull the plug: To stop something. To bring something to an end.
Pulling Your Leg: Tricking someone as a joke.
Put a sock in it: To tell noisy person or a group to be quiet.
Queer the pitch: Destroy or ruin a plan.
Raincheck: An offer or deal that is declined right now but willing to accept later.
Raining Cats and Dogs: A very loud and noisy rain storm.
Ring Fencing: Separated usual judgement to guarantee protection, especially project funds.
Rise and Shine: Time to get out of bed and get ready for work/school.
Rome was not Built in one Day: If you want something to be completely properly, then its going to take time.
Rule of Thumb: A rough estimate.
Run out of steam: To be completely out of energy.
Saved by the Bell: Saved at the last possible moment.
Scapegoat: Someone else who takes the blame.
Scot-free: To escape and not have to pay.
Sick as a Dog: To be very sick (with the flu or a cold).
Sitting Shotgun: Riding in the front passenger seat of a car.
Sixth Sense: A paranormal sense that allows you to communicate with the dead.
Skid Row: The rundown area of a city where the homeless and drug users live.
Smell a Rat: To detect someone in the group is betraying the others.
Smell Something Fishy: Detecting that something isn’t right and there might be a reason for it.
Son of a Gun: A scamp.
Southpaw: Someone who is left-handed.
Spitting Image: The exact likeness or kind.
Start from Scratch: To do it all over again from the beginning.
The Ball is in Your Court: It is your decision this time.
The Best of Both Worlds: There are two choices and you have them both.
The Bigger they are the Harder they Fall: While the bigger and stronger opponent might be alot more difficult to beat, when you do they suffer a much bigger loss.
The Last Straw: When one small burden after another creates an unbearable situation, the last straw is the last small burden that one can take.
The Whole Nine Yards: Everything. All of it.
Third times a charm: After no success the first two times, the third try is a lucky one.
Tie the knot: To get married.
Till the cows come home: A long time.
To Make a Long Story Short: Something someone would say during a long and boring story in order to keep his/her audience from losing attention. Usually the story isn’t shortened.
To Steal Someone’s Thunder: To take the credit for something someone else did.
Tongue and Cheek: Humour, not to be taken serious.
Turn a Blind Eye: Refuse to acknowledge something you know is real or legit.
Twenty three skidoo: To be turned away.
Under the weather: Feeling ill or sick.
Up a blind alley: Going down a course of action that leads to a bad outcome.
Use Your Loaf: Use your head. Think smart.
Van Gogh’s ear for music: Tone deaf.
Variety is the Spice of Life: The more experiences you try the more exciting life can be.
Wag the Dog: A diversion away from something of greater importance.
Water Under the Bridge: Anything from the past that isn’t significant or important anymore.
Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve: To openly and freely express your emotions.
When it Rains, it Pours: Since it rarely rains, when it does it will be a huge storm.
When Pigs Fly: Something that will never ever happen.
Wild and Woolly: Uncultured and without laws.
Wine and Dine: When somebody is treated to an expensive meal.
Without a Doubt: For certain.
X marks the spot: A phrase that is said when someone finds something he/she has been looking for.
You are What You Eat: In order to stay healthy you must eat healthy foods.
You can’t Judge a Book by its Cover: Decisions shouldn’t be made primarily on appearance.
You can’t Take it With You: Enjoy what you have and not what you don’t have, since when you die you cannot take things (such as money) with you.
Your Guess is as Good as Mine: I have no idea.
Zero Tolerance: No crime or law breaking big or small will be overlooked.