Idioms and Phrases

 

IDIOMS AND PHRASES

 

An idiom is a phrase or expression that typically presents a figurative, non-literal meaning attached to the phrase; but some phrases become figurative idioms while retaining the literal meaning of the phrase. Categorized as formulaic language, an idiom's figurative meaning is different from the literal meaning.

 

Here is a list of idioms listed out from A to Z

 

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.

 

A Windfall:

a sum of money that you win or receive from someone unexpectedly or from a bank that floats on the stockmarket.

 

Actions Speak Louder Than Words:

 What you do is more meaningful than what you say.

 

Add Fuel To The Fire:  & Add fuel to the flame

 To worsen the situation.

 

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.

 

Blue Moon:

 A rare event or occurance.

 

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 running after you drive it away.

 

 

 

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.

 

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.

 

 

 

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.

 

Down To The Wire:

 Something that ends at the last minute or last few seconds.

 

Drastic Times Call For Drastic Measures:

 When you 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.

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

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".

 

Funny Farm:

 A mental institutional facility.

 

 

 

 

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.

 

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.

 

 

 

 

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.

 

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.

 

 

 

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.

 

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.

 

 

 

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.

 

Over My Dead Body:

 When you absolutely will not allow something to happen.

 

Over the Top:

 Very excessive.

 

 

 

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.

 

Snake in the Grass:

 A person who betrays.

 

Sentence - Those who are snakes in the grass never help their friends whenever they are in a fix.

 

 

Son of a Gun:

 A scamp.

 

Southpaw:

 Someone who is left-handed.

 

Spitting Image:

 The exact likeness or kind.

 

Square peg in a round hole

 Unusual individualist who could not fit into his/her society

 

 

 

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 big or small will be overlooked.

 

Zip your lip:

 To Keep Secret.