English Idiom

    Author: Unknown Genre: »
    Rating





    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.

    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.

    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".

    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.

    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 And 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.

    Admin:Kamarul Arnizam


    Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

copyright by Kamarul Arnizam