An idiom
is a structured expression and with a fixed meaning, irrespective of the
meanings of the words in it.
A
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.
B
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.
C
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
occured 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.
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.
D
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
arguement. 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.
E
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 optomistic, 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.
Cock
and Bull Story:
An unbelievable tale.
Cock
and Bull Story:
An unbelievable tale.
F
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".
G
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 Balloon:
To be received badly by an
audience.
Go
For Broke:
To gamble everything you have.
H
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.
I
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.
J
Jaywalk:
Crossing the street (from the
middle) without using the crosswalk.
Joshing
Me:
Tricking me.
K
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.
L
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
arguement.
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.
M
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.
N
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 unsually small or confined
space.
Not
Playing With a Full Deck:
Someone who lacks intelligence.
O
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.
P
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.
Q
Queer
the pitch:
Destroy or ruin a plan.
R
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:
Seperated 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.
S
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 somone 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.
T
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.
Til
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-in-cheek:
humor, 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.
U
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.
V
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.
W
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
X
marks the spot:
A phrase that is said when
someone finds something he/she has been looking for.
Y
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.
Z
Zero
Tolerance:
No crime or law breaking bi g or
small will be overlooked
