English Idioms

Cheatsheet Content

### Idioms A #### 1. Idioms 1-50 - **All Greek:** incomprehensible - **Aboveboard:** open - **An axe to grind:** to make a personal profit out of a situation - **Ace in the hole:** a crucial resource that is hidden till its use is required - **All in a day's work:** something unusual or difficult accepted as part of someone's normal routine - **Add insult to injury / Add fuel to the fire:** to further a loss with mockery or to worsen an unfavorable situation - **Always a bridesmaid never a bride:** someone who always comes second - **All ears:** very attentive - **Actions speak louder than words:** what you do is more important than what you say - **At arm's length:** avoiding too much closeness - **Acid test:** definitive proof of truth or falsehood - **Ace up your sleeve:** a hidden advantage - **At one's wits end:** to get puzzled - **All agog:** amazed - **Achilles' heel:** a fatal weakness in spite of overall strength - **Apple of one's eye:** very dear - **At one's beck and call:** to be ready to obey someone's order - **Acting up:** behaving badly - **All-thumbs:** clumsy - **All our might and main:** full force - **All and sundry:** everyone without distinction - **All moonshine:** far from reality - **Assume airs:** pretend superiority - **Angle for:** to achieve something in an indirect way - **All hat and no cattle:** one who doesn't want to spend his own money - **Arm-chair critic:** someone who gives advice based on theory not practice - **Apples and Oranges:** two unlike things or people - **Alphabet Soup:** incomprehensible or confusing mix - **Alarums and Excursions:** confused activity and uproar - **Argus eyed:** observant - **Apple-pie order:** perfect order - **Away with the fairies:** not facing reality - **All in all:** everything - **Along in years:** long time - **Adam's ale:** water - **All mouth no trousers:** talking a lot without doing anything - **Against one's grain:** against one's nature - **At somebody's elbow:** to be near someone in order to help - **Armchair job:** an easy and comfortable job - **Arm and a leg:** an extremely high price to pay - **Ant in your pants:** restless - **At the drop of a dime/ At the drop of a hat:** something that can happen very fast without hesitation - **Arm twisting:** to pressurize someone to do something - **Against the clock:** in a great hurry, as fast as possible - **All in one piece:** without damage - **Appeal to Caesar:** appeal to the highest possible authority - **Armed to the teeth:** fully armed, having many weapons - **Apropos of nothing:** having no relevance to any previous discussion or situation - **All bark and no bite:** full of talk, but low on action - **All roads lead to Rome:** different routes to the same goal ### Idioms B #### 1. Idioms 1-25 - **Blood is thicker than water:** family relationships and loyalties are the strongest and most important ones - **Beating about the bush:** to avoid getting to the point of an issue - **By a long chalk:** majority - **Bell the cat:** to undertake a risky or impossible task - **Break the ice:** to initiate a social conversation or interaction - **Be in the black:** to make more than the expenditure - **Bread and butter:** main source of income - **Bury the hatchets:** end a conflict and become friendly - **Bed of thorns:** full of difficulties - **Back on one’s feet:** to be healthy again after sickness - **Bronx cheer:** to cheer sarcastically - **Beet red:** to be embarrassed or angry - **Blessing in disguise:** an apparent misfortune that eventually has good results - **Be glad to see the back of:** be happy when a person leaves - **Be under no illusions:** be fully aware of the true state of affairs - **Be in the red:** to be in a loss or debt - **Bend over backwards:** to try very hard to do something, especially for someone - **Best of both worlds:** enjoy different opportunities at a single time - **Backseat driving:** offering advice without responsibility - **Bee in your bonnet:** crazy/obsessed with one thing - **Bite the bullet:** to force yourself to do something unpleasant - **Be the Devil’s advocate:** to present a counter argument just for the sake of it - **Bed of roses:** an enjoyable state - **Be left in the lurch:** be deserted when one is in trouble - **Blow his top:** to become very angry #### 2. Idioms 26-50 - **Bolt from the blue:** an unexpected disaster - **Butterfly in the stomach:** being nervous - **Been nipped in the bud:** dropped at an early stage - **Be an old hat:** be outdated - **Be an open book:** one about whom it is easy to know everything - **Build castles in the air:** have unrealistic ideas - **Blow one’s own trumpet:** praise oneself - **Back to square one:** come to the original point - **Bring to light:** reveal clearly - **By and by:** gradually - **Blind alley:** a situation in which no further progress can be made - **By fits and starts:** irregularly - **Bear the palm:** to win - **Barking up the wrong tree:** looking in the wrong place - **Beat a dead horse:** to uselessly dwell on a subject far beyond its point of resolution - **Ball is in your court:** it is up to you to make the next decision or step - **Beyond the pale:** unacceptable - **Behind the eight ball:** at a disadvantage - **Bone to pick:** cause of quarrel - **Balloon goes up:** a situation turning unpleasant/serious - **Beef up:** to strengthen - **Blow hot and cold:** to be constantly changing - **Breath of fresh air:** someone or something new and refreshing - **Bring to book:** hold accountable - **Behind one's back:** in one's absence - **By the skin of one's teeth:** a very narrow margin - **Batten down the hatches:** prepare for a difficult situation - **Bad blood:** ill feeling - **Button one's lip:** stop talking - **Butt in:** to interrupt #### 3. Idioms 51-75 - **Beggar description:** cannot be described - **Brown study:** reverie - **Blue blooded:** of noble birth - **Burn your boats:** do something that makes it impossible to return to the previous situation - **Beside the mark:** not to the point - **Bark is worse than his bite:** threat is worse than the action taken - **Between the horns of a dilemma:** a difficult situation/choice - **Bald as a cue ball:** completely bald - **Bring the house down:** amused the audience greatly - **Bang for the buck:** more value for money - **Be at a loss for words:** not know what to say - **Bag and baggage:** with full luggage - **Back in saddle:** resume duty - **Back to the salt mines:** to return to unpleasant work - **Bank on something:** to rely on something - **Be down in the mouth:** to feel dejected - **Be built upon sand:** established on insecure foundations - **By dint of:** by means of - **Broken Reed:** support that failed - **Be green:** immature and inexperienced - **Black and Blue:** to beat very badly #### 4. Idioms 76-100 - **Bandy words:** to argue - **Back of beyond:** a remote place - **Be given the axe:** to lose job - **Be in the mire:** be in difficulties - **Bite the dust:** to be killed - **By fair means or foul:** in any way, honest or dishonest - **Boil the ocean:** try to do something difficult or impossible - **Bend one's ear:** to talk to one for a long time - **Born to the purple:** born into royalty - **By the seat of one's pants:** to do something using one's own experience and judgement - **Be in someone's shoes:** face the same situation as another person - **Bottom line:** the most important fact - **Break a leg:** good luck - **He burnt his fingers interfering in others' problems:** got into trouble - **Break fresh/new ground:** to do something that was not done before - **Be on the breadline:** be very poor - **Belly laugh:** a loud and unrestrained laugh - **Beside oneself:** almost out of one's senses - **By hook or by crook:** using whatever methods are necessary - **A bear garden:** a place of noise and disturbance - **Be hard hit:** severely affected by something unpleasant - **Be like chalk and cheese:** be absolutely different - **Be at a loose end:** to have nothing to do - **A black sheep:** a disgraceful person #### 5. Idioms 101-109 - **Better late than never:** better to arrive late than not to come at all - **Beating / Banging the drum:** to voice one's support - **Burn your bridges:** to eliminate the possibility of return or retreat - **Be my guest:** please do it - **Buy a lemon:** to buy something that is of much less value - **Break sweat:** to use a lot of energy or effort - **Between a rock and a hard place/ Between the devil and the deep blue sea:** stuck between two very bad options - **Bad iron:** bad luck - **Benjamin's portion:** largest share ### Idioms C - **Count on:** depend on - **Cut the mustard:** operate in a satisfactory manner - **Cat got your tongue:** speechless - **Chew the fat:** to chat or gossip for a long time - **Children should be seen and not heard:** children should not speak in the presence of adults - **Chicken out:** to decide not to do something because you are too frightened - **Come true:** to happen in the way you had hoped - **Catch red-handed:** apprehend someone in the course of wrongdoing - **Came to a head:** reached a crisis - **Carry the can:** accept the blame - **Chequered career:** a variety of jobs and experiences - **Carried off his feet:** was wild with excitement - **Carry a chip on one's shoulder:** entertaining a grudge over a past event - **Close shave:** a narrow escape - **Carried the day:** won a victory - **Cut to the quick:** hurt intensely - **Couch potato:** a person who watches too much television - **Costs an arm and a leg:** very expensive - **Come rain or shine:** whatever happens - **Cross the bridge:** deal with something only when necessary - **Chicken-hearted:** cowardly - **Come to the point:** to speak plainly about the real issue - **Cut and dried:** already decided - **Call it a day:** to declare the end of a task - **Cast a slur upon:** damaged or disgraced - **Cry in the wilderness:** an unheeded warning - **Cry over spilt milk:** to regret uselessly - **Cast iron stomach:** one who has no problems or complications with eating anything - **Clinched the issue:** decided - **Clear as mud:** confusing / not easy to understand - **Cock and Bull Story:** a story which is not true and which is difficult to believe, an explanation or excuse - **Cut a sorry figure:** made a poor impression - **Call in question:** challenge - **Cheek by jowl:** very close together - **Carry the ball:** be in charge - **Curry favour:** seek favourable attention - **Cap in hand:** in a respectful manner - **Catch a tartar:** to deal with a person who is more than one's match - **Cat nap:** to sleep briefly - **Chip of the old block:** someone similar in character to one's father - **Chapter and verse:** taught like a teacher - **Catch time by the forelock:** seize opportunity - **Cook the books:** to falsify financial records - **Clamp down on:** to act strictly to prevent something - **Catch on:** to become popular - **Cat's whiskers:** to be highly impressive - **Cast pearls before swines:** to offer something valuable to someone who does not recognize its truth - **Cut off without a shilling:** disinherited - **Cut no ice:** had no influence - **Carrot and stick policy:** reward and punishment - **Call names:** to abuse - **Cloven hoof:** the evil intention - **Cry for the moon:** to wish for something impossible - **Charley horse:** stiffness / cramp - **Cup of Joe:** a cup of coffee - **Can of worms:** most difficult issue - **Cold feet:** afraid - **Clear the air:** discuss openly - **Chicken feed:** a small amount of money - **Candle at both ends:** to exhaust oneself by working too much - **Chicken scratch:** very poor handwriting which is difficult to read - **Come unglued:** to lose one's composure and become angry - **Curiosity killed the cat:** being inquisitive about other people's affairs may get you into trouble - **Come to blows:** start fighting after a disagreement - **Crying wolf:** to ask for help when you don't need it - **Child's play:** something that is very easy to do - **Cast aside:** to reject - **Cudgel one's brain:** to think hard - **Come in handy:** be useful - **Cook someone's goose:** to spoil other's plan - **Cast someone adrift:** to leave someone without any support or purpose ### Idioms D - **Down in the mouth:** very depressed - **Devil's advocate:** someone who presents a counter-argument - **Die in harness:** die while still working - **Donkey's years:** a very long time - **Don't count your chickens before they hatch:** do not count on a good timing that has not yet happened - **Dark horse:** someone who unexpectedly succeeds - **Draw a blank:** be unsuccessful - **Dead heat:** close contest that ends in a tie - **Damp squib:** complete failure - **Dime a dozen:** something common - **Doubting Thomas:** a Sceptic - **Down to the wire:** denotes a situation whose outcome is not decided until the very last minute - **Dress down:** to scold - **Don't know the first thing about it:** to have no knowledge about something - **Drew on his fancy:** used his imagination - **Draw the line:** fix a limit - **Dog in the manger:** a person who prevents others from enjoying something useless to himself - **Drive home:** emphasise - **Do a roaring trade:** highly successful - **Daft as a brush:** silly or somewhat foolish - **Dog eat dog:** ruthlessly competitive - **Draw the line at something:** accept something up to a particular point - **Dead letter:** no longer effective - **Deaf ear:** paid no heed - **Die-hard:** persistent/determined - **Duck to water:** like easily and naturally speaking - **Deadwood:** people or things who are no longer useful - **Die is cast:** decision is made - **Did good turn:** did an act of kindness - **Dress the part:** to look suitable - **Down the road:** in future - **Dog's chance:** no hope at all - **Don't put all your eggs in the same basket:** don't concentrate all your resources in one place - **Double-talk:** speaking to confuse people and avoid truth - **Dead ringer:** an exact duplicate - **Devil is beating his wife:** the sun is shining while it rains - **Down the tubes:** failing completely - **Deadlock:** a state in which progress is impossible - **Dead men's shoes:** job that one takes over from somebody who has left unexpectedly or died - **Drastic times call for drastic measures:** when you are extremely desperate you need to take extremely desperate actions ### Idioms E - **Esprit de corps:** unity - **End in smoke:** to give no practical result - **Ease somebody's mind:** alleviate someone's anxiety - **Excuse my French:** used to apologize for swearing - **Eyebrow raising:** something which surprises, shocks, or offends people - **Easier said than done:** be more easily talked about than put into practice - **Every dog has its day:** everyone gets a chance eventually - **Eye-wash:** a deception - **Eat one's words:** retract what one has said - **Elbow room:** to give enough space to move or work in - **Every dark cloud has a silver lining:** every unpleasant situation has a positive side - **Every inch a gentleman:** entirely - **Explore every avenue:** to look for every possible means - **Elvis has left the building:** the show is over, go home - **Every trick in the book:** try every possible way - **Ever and anon:** occasionally - **Everyone and his brother:** a large number of people - **Elbow grease:** hard physical efforts - **Eye to eye:** agree with someone - **Ethnic Cleansing:** killing of a certain ethnic or religious group on a massive scale - **Eat humble pie:** admitting mistakes and apologizing - **Eager beaver:** someone who is excessively enthusiastic and eager to work or participate - **Early bird catches the worm:** those who arrive first get the benefit - **Elephant in the room:** an obvious problem or issue that everyone is avoiding or ignoring - **Egg on:** encourage or provoke someone to do something, often something risky or foolish - **Easy peasy:** a simple and straightforward task - **Eagle eyes:** an eye with sharp visual power - **Egg on your face:** being embarrassed or humiliated due to a mistake or failure - **Eat like a horse:** to eat a lot - **Every Tom, Dick, and Harry:** all ordinary people - **An eye for an eye:** a philosophy promoting retaliation in kind, seeking revenge proportional to an offense - **Everything but the kitchen sink:** including a wide variety of items, often unnecessary or excessive - **Eke out:** to obtain or make something with great effort - **Eye candy:** something or someone visually appealing or attractive but not useful - **Eat crow:** admitting a mistake and accepting humiliation or defeat - **Eat your heart out:** expressing jealousy or sorrow about someone else's success or happiness ### Idioms F - **Fall short of:** Have no effect - **Fabian policy:** A policy of delays and cautions - **Face the music:** to bear the criticism - **For a consideration:** Paid to do something - **Fair weather friend:** friendly only in good time - **Flogging a dead horse:** wasting time in useless efforts - **Full of hot air:** Talking nonsense - **Feel the pinch:** Having financial problems all of a sudden - **Feet of Clay:** Hidden faults - **Follow suit:** do the same as others - **Face up to:** To accept a difficult situation - **Fly into a passion:** To become angry suddenly - **Full of red herrings:** full of things to distract attention - **Far and wide:** Present everywhere - **Fall foul of:** Quarrel with - **Feast your eyes on:** Delight in the visual beauty of something - **Fizzle Out:** Gradually lose strength or interest - **Fly in the Ointment:** A minor irritation that spoils the success or enjoyment of something - **Faux Pas:** Social blunder or mistake - **Find Your Feet:** Establish yourself in a new situation - **Far and Away:** Distant and gone - **Frog in the Throat:** Hoarse or raspy voice - **Feeling Blue:** Emotionally sad or depressed - **Far cry from:** A significant difference - **Fit as a Fiddle:** In excellent health and physical condition - **Flea Market:** Outdoor market selling second-hand goods - **Fighting Like Cats and Dogs:** Constantly arguing or fighting - **Fat Cat:** Wealthy and influential person - **Feather in one's Cap:** Achievement or honor to be proud of - **Feather one's Nest:** Enrich oneself by dishonest means - **Fall Off the Wagon:** To start drinking alcohol after a long period of abstinence - **Fancy Someone:** Have a crush or romantic interest in someone - **Fifth Wheel:** An unnecessary or superfluous person or thing - **Fire in the Belly:** Strong determination or passion - **Fish for Compliments:** Seek praise or admiration from others - **Fish out of Water:** Feeling uncomfortable or out of place - **Flash in the Pan:** A brief success or moment of fame - **Flesh and Blood:** Human in physical, emotional and natural attributes - **Fly by the Seat of One's Pants:** Make decisions based on one's experience and judgement - **Fly off the Handle:** Lose one's temper suddenly - **Follow Your Heart:** Listen to your instincts and emotions - **For a Song:** At a very low cost - **French Leave:** Leave without any intimation - **From Pillar to Post:** Moving aimlessly from one place to another - **From Soup to Nuts:** From beginning to end ### Idioms G - **Grease someone's palm:** Bribe - **Green eyed friends:** jealous - **Get your walking papers:** Get fired from the job - **Get someone's goat:** To annoy someone - **Give cold shoulder:** Intentionally ignore someone - **Get the boot:** Get fired - **Give stick:** To criticize - **Get on somebody's nerves:** To be an irritant - **Going to the dogs:** Reaching a bad state - **Get a gold star:** to earn a merit point for doing well - **Get out of hand:** to become uncontrollable - **Get up on the wrong side of the bed:** Start the day in a bad mood, which continues all day long - **Get down to brass tacks:** start taking up the most important facts of a situation - **Go against the grain:** Something in conflict with one's value system - **Get a taste of your own medicine:** be given the same treatment that you have given to others - **Got the green light:** Got permission to go ahead with something - **Get your act together:** to be well organized and prepared - **Go down in flames:** fail completely - **Get the show on the road:** begin an activity that has been planned - **Green Thumb:** to have talent in gardening - **Gift of the gab:** have the talent to speak well - **Give a piece of one's mind:** To rebuke someone strongly - **Give somebody a ring:** Call someone on the telephone - **Get the message:** Understand what is implied by a remark or action - **Gnash your teeth:** Express rage - **Get the sack:** Dismissed from a job - **Give me a hand:** Help me with - **Gave the game away:** Gave out the secret - **Gone down the drain:** Was ruined or destroyed - **Go dutch:** Share the cost of something especially a meal - **Go for the jugular:** Attack or criticize someone strongly - **Give a wide berth:** keep away from - **Going places:** Talented and successful - **Gate Crasher:** An uninvited guest - **Get off on the wrong foot:** To begin a relationship badly - **Go to rack and ruin:** A state of despair - **Gall and wormwood:** Hateful - **God's acre:** A churchyard - **Go berserk:** To become very angry - **Go easy on something:** Use only a small amount of / to treat someone in a gentle way - **Grin from ear to ear:** to smile a lot because of happiness - **Go to the dogs:** Be ruined - **Get your money's worth:** to pay and get something of good value - **Great minds think alike:** said when two people have the same opinion or make the same choice - **Give up the ghost:** to stop working - **Go getter:** a real achiever - **Get one's feet wet:** To gain experience and become used to a new situation - **Go cold turkey:** To stop doing or using something - **Go to seed:** Become untidy due to a lack of care - **Graveyard shift:** a work shift that runs through the early morning hours or late at night - **Go by the book:** To follow rules exactly - **Go through fire and water:** To pass through all types of hardships - **Get on like a house on fire:** To become friends quickly - **Get a second wind:** To have renewed energy - **Get away:** To leave or escape - **Get one's dander up:** Lose one's temper - **Go back to the drawing board:** start planning again because earlier plans failed - **Get One's Ducks in a Row:** Have everything properly organized - **Greener pastures:** A better or promising situation - **God's ape:** Born fool - **Glass ceiling:** A point after which you cannot go any further, usually in improving your position at work - **Good grief:** An expression of surprise and frustration - **Gut Feeling:** A personal intuition you get especially when feel something may not be right - **Give and take:** Compromise, cooperation between people - **Get into a scrape:** Find oneself in a difficult situation ### Idioms H - **High and low:** everywhere - **High and dry:** isolated - **Have kittens:** be worried - **Hard of hearing:** deaf - **Held in camera:** not open to the public - **Hit the nail on the head:** say or do something exactly right - **Handle with kid gloves:** to treat someone with extreme care - **Had too many irons in the fire:** be involved in many activities - **Head in the clouds:** to daydream - **Hand in glove:** in partnership for something dishonest - **Have one's hands full:** to be very busy - **Hit the sack:** went to bed - **Hold water:** to be valid - **Hobson's Choice:** an apparently free choice where there is no real alternative - **Herculean task:** very difficult task - **Hadn't a leg to stand on:** to be in a situation where you cannot prove or justify something - **Hard-pressed:** in difficulties - **Halcyon days:** happy and peaceful days - **Has all his ducks in a row:** is well organised - **Hope against hope:** hope strongly in a hopeless situation - **Hale and hearty:** robust and healthy - **Hang by a thread:** in a very difficult situation - **Hair Splitting:** making petty or unnecessary distinctions - **Have a cow:** experience extreme anxiety or anger - **Hammer and tongs:** work with great energy and determination - **Hand to mouth:** barely having enough to survive - **Haul over the coals:** criticize severely or reprimand - **Have a blast:** enjoy oneself immensely - **Hatchet job:** a poorly done job or a severe criticism - **Hard on someone's heels:** happening very quickly or immediately after another - **Have a whale of time:** have a great time or a lot of fun - **Hair of the dog:** consuming alcohol to cure a hangover - **Hands are tied:** being unable to act freely - **Hard nut to crack:** a challenging problem or person - **Hit the jackpot:** winning a large sum of money or a big success - **Hold your horses:** be patient and wait - **Hit the books:** studying or reading intensively - **Hit the hay:** go to bed or go to sleep - **Hit the roof:** be extremely angry or upset - **Hit the road:** begin a journey or leave - **Head over heels:** deeply in love or very excited - **Hard head:** a stubborn or inflexible person - **Heads will roll:** everyone will be dismissed or punished severely - **Hit below the belt:** attack unfairly or inappropriately - **Has the cat got your tongue:** ask someone why he is not saying anything - **Hear it on the grapevine:** receive information through gossip or rumors - **Heebie-jeebies:** feeling nervous or uneasy - **High on the Hog:** living in luxury or abundance - **High and mighty:** to be arrogant - **Hot potato:** a controversial issue that is difficult to handle - **Hands down:** easily and unquestionably - **High five:** celebrating a successful achievement - **Hard and fast:** fixed and inflexible - **Hold someone's feet to the fire:** to pressurize someone to do something - **Hot air:** full of empty, exaggerated, or nonsense talk - **Hen pecked:** a man who is dominated or constantly criticized by his wife - **Hard as nails:** extremely tough and unyielding - **Hush money:** bribe paid to secure silence - **Have finger in the pie:** involvement in someone else's business or affairs - **Hue and cry:** a noisy commotion or angry protest - **Hole and corner policy:** a secretive or underhanded approach ### Idioms I - **In a fog:** confused and dazed - **In full swing:** at the height of activity - **In the cards:** likely to happen - **In the driver's seat:** to be in charge or in control of a situation - **In the black:** making a profit - **In the pipeline:** in the process of being planned or developed - **Iron out:** to resolve - **Itchy feet:** a compelling urge or desire to travel - **In the blink of an eye:** very quickly - **In lieu of:** in place of - **In the family way:** pregnant - **In vogue:** in fashion - **In cold blood:** deliberately - **In abeyance:** in suspension - **It takes two to tango:** actions and communications need more than one person - **Icing on the cake:** an attractive but inessential addition and enhancement - **In cahoots with:** in an alliance or partnership with - **It is high time:** the appropriate or overdue moment for something to happen - **In a flutter:** in a state of nervousness - **In a nutshell:** in short - **If it's not one thing, it's another:** when one thing goes wrong, then another, and another - **It's Greek to me:** incomprehensible - **In the pink:** in good health - **In the running:** contesting the seat - **In a pickle:** in trouble - **In the same boat:** in the same situation - **In a jiffy:** something that is done very quickly - **In bad taste:** not suitable or offensive - **In black and white:** very clear choice that causes no confusion - **It goes without saying:** something which is implied to be obvious - **In the wake of:** as a result of - **In the soup:** to be in trouble - **In the blues:** cheerless and depressed - **Ill at ease:** uneasy - **In harness:** in office - **In the nick of time:** just in time - **In tune with:** in agreement with - **In the red:** losing money - **In the teeth of:** in direct opposition to - **In double-quick time:** very quickly - **In for a penny, in for a pound:** to be firmly committed to a particular course of action - **In high dudgeon:** resentfully - **In high spirits:** cheerful - **In your birthday suit:** not wearing any clothes - **In queer street:** in debt - **In hot water:** in trouble - **In the dark:** in ignorance - **In the heat:** overwhelmed by what is happening at the moment ### Idioms J - **Jump out of one's skin:** To suddenly become extremely scared or surprised - **Jump on the bandwagon:** To support or follow a trend or popular opinion - **Jump off the page:** To be very noticeable or prominent - **Jump in feet first:** To enter a situation with enthusiasm and without hesitation - **Jack of all trades:** Someone who is skilled in many different areas - **Jog your memory:** To refresh one's memory - **Jump to conclusions:** To reach a decision quickly without enough evidence - **Jury is still out:** A situation where a decision has not yet been made or is undecided - **Jewel in the crown:** A valuable possession or asset - **Job out:** To mock or ridicule someone - **Jangle someone's nerves:** To annoy or irritate someone - **Just around the corner:** Something that is nearby or imminent - **Jaw drops:** To be shocked or surprised - **Jaundiced eyes:** To be prejudiced - **Jot down:** To write something quickly and informally - **Judas kiss:** A treacherous act of betrayal disguised as an act of friendship or loyalty - **Jump down your throat:** Scold/ speak angrily to someone - **Jump the gun:** Start something too soon or act hastily ### Idioms K - **Knuckle head:** A person who is foolish or stupid - **Kangaroo court:** A court that operates without proper justice or fairness - **Keep under your hat:** Hide something from others - **Keep your head down:** Remain calm and rational in difficult situations - **Keep body and soul together:** To earn sufficient amount of money for survival - **Keep an eye on:** Watching or monitoring something closely - **Keep under wraps:** Keep something secret or concealed - **Know the ropes:** to understand the details - **Kitty corner:** a place that is diagonally opposite to the given place - **Keep your chin up:** to stay cheerful in bad times - **Keep the wolf from the door:** avoid starvation - **Keep abreast of:** keep oneself updated - **Kill two birds with one stone:** to achieve two results with a single effort - **Kick the bucket:** to die - **Keep at bay:** to control something and prevent it from causing you problems - **Keep the pot boiling:** to maintain interest - **Keep count of something:** to remember or keep record of something - **Kith and kin:** relatives - **Kick up a row:** cause a disturbance - **Keep up appearances:** to pretend to be happier or richer so as to conceal the real situation - **Keep a civil tongue:** speak with great politeness - **Keep one's powder dry:** to be ready for the challenge with little warning - **Kettle of fish:** a real mess - **Knuckle sandwich:** a punch in the mouth - **Keep tabs on:** to keep under observation - **Knit one's brows:** to frown - **Keep your eyes peeled:** watch carefully ### Idioms L - **Leaps and bounds:** rapidly - **Left me in the lurch:** Abandoned me when I needed help - **Lump in the throat:** a highly emotional state - **Lay bare:** Expose - **Let the grass grow under one's feet:** to remain idle - **Level playing field:** A situation in which everyone has a fair and equal chance of succeeding. - **Like a fish out of water:** uncomfortable - **Leave no stone unturned:** Try every possible course of action in order to achieve something - **Lily livered:** Not brave - **Looking for a needle in a haystack:** Doing something impossible - **Left out in cold:** to be ignored - **Lend an ear:** to pay attention to - **Lock, stock and barrel:** completely - **Lead someone by the nose:** to dominate someone - **Late in the day:** too delayed to be of any use - **Left-handed compliment:** insulting remark appearing as praise - **Like a dying duck in a thunderstorm:** Dejected - **Look down upon:** To consider someone inferior - **Live from hand to mouth:** To have enough money to live on and nothing extra - **Learn by heart:** To memorize something - **Long in the tooth:** To be old - **Look one's goose:** to put an end to one's chances of success - **Lame duck:** An unsuccessful person or thing - **Lay our heads together:** work in consultation - **Let bygones be bygones:** To forget about a disagreement or conflict - **Lose one's head:** To become upset or angry - **Look out for number one:** To do something so that you will get all the benefit. - **Lick your wounds:** To go away and recover from a bad experience or defeat. - **Lead somebody to the altar:** To marry somebody - **Lion's share:** The greatest and most desirable portion of something - **Let your hair down:** to take it easy and relax - **Look before you leap:** Think carefully of the consequences - **Let sleeping dog lie:** Do not bring up an old controversial issue - **Lean and mean:** Using only what is necessary - **Let the cat out of the bag:** To reveal a secret - **Look sharp:** Make haste - **Lost in the clouds:** Confused - **Like a dog with two tails:** very happy - **Let off steam:** to show enthusiasm - **Light fingered person:** A person who is a thief. - **Lynch law:** law of the mob - **Life in the raw:** Life in its natural, unembellished state - **Let something slip through one's fingers:** to waste an opportunity to achieve something - **Like shooting fish in a barrel:** A very easy task - **Losing ground:** Becoming less acceptable - **Landslide victory:** Defeat someone by a large margin - **Lose count of:** forget the accurate total - **Loaves and fishes:** Material interests - **Left, right and centre:** Happening in a lot of places or to a lot of people - **Last straw:** Final problem in a series of problems - **Living in a fool's paradise:** To believe wrongly that your situation is good - **Lose your marbles:** To go insane - **Lost the plot:** Act in a disorganized or irrational manner - **Lock horns:** Fight with someone - **Like a cat on a hot tin roof:** Being in a state of agitation ### Idioms M - **Mind one's P's and Q's:** Pay attention to details and manners - **Movers and shakers:** Influential and powerful individuals - **To make ends meet:** To barely have enough money to survive - **Maiden speech:** The first speech by a newly elected official - **Make a fortune:** To have a lot of money - **Make no bones about:** To be straightforward - **Man of straw:** A weak or insignificant person - **Man of substance:** A person who is rich, important and influential - **Man of few words:** A person who is quiet - **Man of letters:** A person who is educated - **Much ado about something:** Make a big fuss over nothing - **Midas touch:** The ability to fix things easily - **Monkey business:** Behaviour that is dishonest or unacceptable - **Made A Mark:** Distinguished Himself - **Make up:** reconcile - **Make someone the scapegoat for something:** To make to bear the sins for others - **Making a mountain of a molehill:** Exaggerating - **Made a clean breast of:** confessed his crime - **Make a beeline for:** Go straight to - **Made off:** ran away with - **Make no headway:** unable to progress ahead - **Make short work of something:** dispose of quickly - **Make up one's mind:** To decide - **Make an ass out of:** Cause someone or oneself to look foolish or stupid - **Mealy-mouthed:** Afraid to speak frankly - **Make one's flesh creep:** To frighten someone - **Made no bones about:** Did not have any hesitation in - **Mare's nest:** Complicated situation - **Made light of:** Treated it lightly - **Mend your ways:** Improve one's behaviour - **Make ducks and drakes of:** To waste - **Melting pot:** different types of people blend together as one - **Move the needle:** to make a significant difference - **Merry as a cricket:** To be carefree - **Make a name for oneself:** To gain fame - **Meet one's waterloo:** Meet one's final end and get defeated - **Make mouth water:** Make someone hungry - **Making hay while the sun shines:** Taking advantage of a favourable opportunity - **Man in the street:** The ordinary man - **Make a killing in the stock market:** Make money quickly - **Miss the boat:** To lose an opportunity - **Might and main:** With all enthusiasm - **Make my flesh crawl:** Frightened - **Make big time:** Attain fame and success - **Milk and water:** Weak ideas - **Mumbo jumbo:** Nonsense or meaningless speech - **Method to my madness:** Strange or crazy actions that appear meaningless but in the end are done for a good reason. - **Memory like sieve:** Poor memory - **Mince matters:** To speak or act in a delicate or euphemistic way to avoid offending or upsetting others - **Man of parts:** A man who has multiple talents or abilities ### Idioms N - **Neck of the woods:** A neighbourhood - **No strings attached:** An agreement without conditions - **Not to mince matters:** To speak frankly - **Nine days' wonder:** a short-lived sensation - **No love lost:** intense dislike - **Nailed their colours to their mast:** Express one's opinion clearly - **Not have a leg to stand on:** To be in a situation in which you cannot prove something - **New kid on the block:** A newcomer - **Nose around:** to explore/ to search - **Next to nothing:** Hardly anything - **Name will be mud:** Bad reputation - **Not make head or tail:** not able to understand anything - **Nine times out of ten:** In most cases - **Neck and crop:** Totally and completely - **Nitty gritty:** The important aspects - **Nip something in the bud:** To address an issue in its initial stage - **Not one's cup of tea:** Not according to one's taste or interest - **Nuts and bolts:** The basic elements or practical details - **Nail in the coffin:** A final blow or action sealing failure - **Needle in a haystack:** Something small and difficult to find - **Neither fish nor fowl:** Something that is difficult to categorise and difficult to understand - **New lease of life:** To experience a significant change or improvement - **Nook and corner:** Everywhere - **Nick of time:** To arrive just on time or last possible moment - **Null and void:** Invalid - **Now and then:** Occasionally - **Nail down:** To succeed in reaching a decision or agreement ### Idioms O - **On the spur of the moment:** to act impulsively without thinking - **On tiptoe:** greatly excited - **Open Pandora's Box:** a source of great troubles and problems - **Out of the woods:** to have passed a dangerous phase successfully - **On the rocks:** likely to fail - **Over head and ears:** completely - **Off and on:** periodically - **On shank's mare:** on foot - **On thin ice:** in a precarious or risky situation - **Out of print:** a book no longer available from the publisher - **Once and for all:** now and for the last time; finally - **Out of date:** old-fashioned - **On the bum:** to live wandering life - **On the button:** precisely - **Of no avail:** useless - **Of his own accord:** voluntarily - **On good terms:** friendly - **One track mind:** always thinking of only one thing - **On the double:** at a fast pace - **Over one's head:** beyond one's capability to understand something - **Odds and ends:** mixture of different things - **Over egg the pudding:** to try so hard to improve something that you spoil it - **Old head on young shoulders:** to be wise at a young age - **Out of the blue:** completely unexpectedly - **On the wane:** on the decline - **On edge:** nervous and unable to relax - **On the brink of:** to be near to - **Of the first water:** of the best quality - **Off the track:** to lose focus from main topic - **Out of whack:** out of order/ not working properly - **Out and out:** totally - **Out of the top drawer:** of high social standing - **On the ball:** alert to new ideas, methods and trends - **Out at the elbows:** poor - **On tenterhooks:** anxious and tense - **On the back burner:** to temporarily not deal with some matter because it is not urgent - **On cloud nine:** extremely happy and excited - **Off one's rocker:** crazy, demented or out of one's mind - **On a roll:** prolonged spell of success - **One swallow does not make a summer:** a single fortunate event does not mean that what follows will also be good - **On the job:** working at a particular job - **On account of:** because of ### Idioms P - **Point-blank:** directly - **Paint the town red:** to celebrate or have a lively time - **Pros and cons:** for and against a thing - **Pull a long face:** look disappointed - **Pyrrhic victory:** victory at high cost - **Put off:** postponed - **Pass the buck:** to pass the blame - **Pulling someone's leg:** playing a joke with someone - **Prodigal son:** extravagant - **Put one's cards on the table:** to be honest - **Playing with fire:** taking a grave risk - **Put the cart before the horse:** do last things first - **Pull yourself together:** calm down - **Pass the hat:** to collect money - **Put your best foot forward:** try as hard as one can - **Pie in the sky:** something not possible - **Pull a fast one:** Trick someone - **Part and Parcel:** Important part - **Pass off:** Pretend - **Playing to the gallery:** Appeasing the masses - **Pillar to post:** One place to another - **Pull the plug:** Prevent something from continuing - **Play ducks and drakes:** Spent lavishly - **Put up the shutters:** To close business for the day or permanently - **Play truant:** Stay away from duty - **Pick to pieces:** Criticise strongly - **Put two and two together:** Reason logically - **Pale into insignificance:** Seemed less important - **Pat on the back:** Praise or approval for doing something good - **Plain as day:** Very simple and easy to do - **Put by:** Save - **Pipe down:** To ask someone to be quiet - **Pig in a poke:** To buy something without examining it first - **Palsy-walsy:** friendly - **Palmy days:** Prosperous - **Pay through his nose:** Pay an extremely high price - **Put in a word:** support - **Pell-mell:** In hurried disorder - **Person after my own heart:** exactly to one's own liking - **Put to the sword:** To be slain or executed - **Pardon my French:** Excuse my inappropriate language - **Pull for:** To encourage - **Pin back your ears:** To listen carefully to something - **Penny-wise and pound-foolish:** Careful about small amounts but careless about large amounts - **Put one's foot down:** to be firm about something - **Pain in the neck:** Someone or something that is very annoying - **Pocket an insult:** Tolerate insult without protest - **Provide a blueprint:** Give a detailed plan or scheme - **Pigeon-hearted:** Fearful - **Play it by ear:** To do something without special preparation ### Idioms Q - **Queer Fish:** strange person - **Quite the thing:** very fashionable and popular - **Queer somebody's pitch:** upset one's plan - **Quaking in one's boots:** to be frightened - **Quantum Leap:** a great improvement or development in something ### Idioms R - **Ride the high horse:** appear arrogant - **Rank and file:** common people - **Raw deal:** unjust treatment - **Rainy days:** unlucky time - **Run out of steam:** to lose impetus or enthusiasm - **Reading between the lines:** look for a meaning that is implied rather than explicitly stated - **Read the riot act:** to reprimand someone harshly - **Run helter-skelter:** a carelessly hurried situation - **Rift in the lute:** brought about disharmony - **Red tape:** excessive official formality - **Run around in circles:** to keep doing something without achieving much - **Red letter day:** a very special day - **Rule the Roost:** to make all the decisions - **Run into rough weather:** experience difficulties - **Rise like a phoenix:** to become successful again - **Rat race:** a way of life in which people are caught up in a fiercely competitive struggle for wealth or power - **Rose-coloured glasses:** a positive outlook on life - **Rises with the lark:** very early - **Rest on their laurels:** be complacent - **Reinventing the wheel:** wasting one's time for things that have already been understood - **Ride roughshod:** deal unkindly with/ignore the rights or opinions of others - **Raining cats and dogs:** to rain heavily - **Royal shaft:** bad or unfair treatment - **Rock the boat:** to upset the balance - **Run amok:** to behave without control in a wild way - **Raising eyebrows:** to show surprise/shock - **Rained on the new bride's parade:** to spoil a moment - **Rein in:** limit or control something - **Rub a person up the wrong way:** annoy or offend a person - **Run of the mill:** with no special or interesting features - **Rust bucket:** a vehicle that is old or almost broken - **Raise the bar:** to set higher goals - **Red Herring:** something to distract attention - **A red rag to a bull:** an object, utterance, or act which is certain to provoke someone ### Idioms S - **Stir up a hornet's nest:** create trouble - **Spick and Span:** neat and clean - **Sweeping statement:** generalized statements - **Sink or swim:** To live or die - **Spill the beans:** To tell people about someone's secrets - **See through the design:** be aware of the trick - **Swollen-headed:** conceited - **Speaks volumes:** gives enough proof or states clearly - **Smell a rat:** detect something wrong - **Sell like hot cakes:** to sell quickly - **See eye to eye:** Agree with someone - **Spin one's wheels:** Expel much effort for little or no gain - **Stand corrected:** To admit that one has been wrong - **Scapegoats:** Punished for others' misdeeds - **Steal the show:** Win everybody's praise - **Show the white feather:** Show signs of cowardice - **Sea change:** Drastic change - **Sow wild oats:** To waste time by doing foolish things - **Saved by the bell:** Saved at the last moment - **Stand on ceremony:** To expect that everything is done in the proper and very formal way - **Sum and substance:** summary - **Something up one's sleeve:** A secret plan - **Streak of bad luck:** Continuous unfortunate situations - **Swan-song:** Last work of a poet or musician before death - **Strain every nerve:** Work very hard - **Scot free:** Unpunished - **Seamy side:** The unpleasant aspects - **Square peg in a round hole:** Misfit - **Sail in the same boat:** Be in the same situation - **Sit on the fence:** Avoid making a decision - **See the light of day:** finally happen/to become publicly known - **Shades of grey:** Not clear if right or wrong - **Sharp practices:** Dishonest means - **Shake in shoes:** Tremble with fear - **Stand on his feet:** To be independent - **Stand-offish:** Indifferent - **Stave off an open battle:** Postpone - **Said a mouthful:** important and meaningful remark - **Sauce for the goose:** What is thought suitable pay for a man should also be for a woman - **Scream blue murder:** Make a great deal of noise and object vehemently - **Small talk:** light conversation - **Strike gold:** To have great success with something - **Salad days:** The period when one is young and inexperienced - **Scoop out:** To make a preliminary inspection - **Step up the plate:** Take a responsibility for doing something difficult - **Say your piece:** Express your opinion - **Set the tone for something:** To establish a particular mood or character - **Shed light on:** To explain a situation - **Separate the wheat from the chaff:** To separate the valuable from the worthless - **Second wind:** With renewed energy and vigour - **Snowed under:** Busy - **Salt of the earth:** A very good and honest person - **So far so good:** Things are going well so far - **Someone's heart is in the right place:** Someone is good even if they sometimes behave in a wrong manner - **Swim with the tide:** Agree with the popular opinion - **Sitting shotgun:** Riding in the front passenger seat of a car - **Save your breath:** To make an effort that will be futile - **Steal someone's thunder:** to take credit of someone else's work - **Snowball effect:** A situation in which something increases at a faster rate - **Scrape the barrel:** To be forced to use one's last and weakest resource ### Idioms T - **Take to heart:** seriously - **Turn a deaf ear:** to ignore - **Take to one's heels:** to run away - **To go for broke:** risk everything in an all-out effort - **To turn the tables:** change the situation completely - **Turn a blind eye:** pretend not to notice - **There's no such thing as a free lunch:** not possible to get something for nothing - **To put one's hand to plough:** take a difficult task - **Throw out of gears:** disturb working of existing system - **To quit on someone:** stop helping someone, especially when support is needed - **To gird up the loins:** prepare for hard work - **To hold a brief for:** support someone's cause - **Touch and go:** uncertain - **Too many irons in the fire:** be involved in many activities - **To be thrown in at the deep end:** learn difficult things too soon - **To blaze a trail:** initiate something new - **Through thick and thin:** under all circumstances - **Till the cows come home:** for a very long time - **Take French leave:** leave without any intimation - **Take up the gauntlet:** accept challenge - **To wrangle over an ass's shadow:** quarrel over trifles - **Throw up the sponge:** surrender or accept defeat - **Tempt providence:** take reckless risks - **Tide over:** support through a difficult period - **Trumped up:** concocted - **Take exception to:** object to - **To the letter:** exactly / precisely - **To cut the Gordian knot:** solve a difficult problem - **Talk through one's hat:** talk nonsense - **Take the wind out of another's sails:** discourage someone making them feel less enthusiastic or confident - **To take a leaf out of somebody's book:** copy/imitate someone - **Tall order:** unreasonable or difficult demand - **Turn turtle:** overturn - **Too many chiefs and not enough indians:** inefficient situation - **Take a cue from someone:** be strongly influenced by someone/behave same way as someone else - **Twiddling one's thumbs:** feeling bored - **To tread on someone's toes:** offend someone - **Teeth of tough resistance:** in direct opposition to - **Tongue -in -cheek:** speak in an insincere/ non serious way - **Teething problems:** problems encountered during initial part of a process - **Turn an honest penny:** make a legitimate living / earn money honestly - **Turns one's nose up:** refuse to accept - **Take a hike:** get lost or a rude way of telling someone to leave - **Throw in the towel:** accept defeat - **Thrust your nose in:** meddle officiously in - **Threw down the glove:** gave a challenge - **Thee at thy word:** truly believe you - **Token strike:** short strike held as a warning - **To talk turkey:** discuss something honestly and directly - **To take a leap in the dark:** do a hazardous thing without any idea of the result - **Threw cold water:** discouraged - **Think on feet:** have good ideas and make decisions quickly in a difficult situation - **Turncoat:** someone who deserts one group to join another - **Top-notch:** of highest possible quality - **To be on the wane:** be diminishing - **To take to one's bed:** lie in bed due to illness - **To take stock of:** assess - **Treading on eggshells:** be careful in speech and actions - **Two peas in a pod:** look very similar in appearance or character - **Take away your breath:** astonishing - **True colours:** real character - **Toffee-nosed:** a person who thinks he is of a high social class and looks down on people of lower class - **To the manner born:** do something as though it is coming naturally - **To have a nodding acquaintance:** know somebody/something slightly - **Tied in knots:** confused ### Idioms U - **Up a blind alley:** Following a course of action that is certain to lead to an undesirable outcome - **Uphill task:** difficult task - **Under a cloud:** under suspicion - **Up in arms:** to be angry - **Under the gun:** To be under pressure - **Up to your ears:** To be busy with or deeply involved in a thing - **Up and doing:** Active again - **Under the table:** Making or receiving payments surreptitiously - **Upset the apple-cart:** Spoil careful plans - **Under wraps:** Kept secret or hidden - **Up in the air:** Unknown or uncertain - **Under one's nose:** Right in front of someone - **Under the weather:** Feeling ill or unwell - **Until hell freezes over:** Never or not likely to happen - **Up a creek without a paddle:** Facing a difficult situation with no solution - **Ups and downs:** Periods of success and failure - **Until one is blue in the face:** Doing something for a long time without result - **Under one's belt:** A new skill or achievement - **Under one's thumb:** To be controlled or dominated by someone ### Idioms V - **Vote with one's feet:** To show one's displeasure by walking out - **Vested interest:** A personal interest or involvement in something - **Vicious circle:** A repeating cycle of events that lead to negative consequences - **Voice in the wilderness:** An unheeded warning - **Volte-face:** A complete change in opinion or decision - **Vanish into thin air:** To disappear suddenly and completely - **Vis-a-vis:** In relation to - **Vent one's spleen:** Expressing anger or frustration - **Vim and vigor:** Energy and enthusiasm - **Vale of years:** The declining years of life - **Vice versa:** The other way around or the opposite ### Idioms W - **White elephant:** costly but useless possession - **With might and main:** with full strength and power - **With bated breath:** in anxiety - **Wild goose chase:** futile search - **Work against the clock:** work in great hurry - **Walk the tight rope:** be very cautious - **With open arms:** warmly - **Will-o-the wisp:** something impossible to get or achieve - **Within an ace of:** very near to - **Whiter than white:** completely honest - **Wag the dog:** to divert attention from something of greater importance to something of lesser importance - **Water under the bridge:** past events are no longer important - **While away:** spend time in a relaxed way - **Weal and woe:** good times and bad times - **Wet behind the ears:** young and without much experience - **Whole bag of tricks:** make use of all the possibilities or techniques to achieve something - **Whole nine yards:** everything - **Want to curl up and die:** feel terribly ashamed and sorry - **Watch one's step:** walk or act carefully - **Work like a charm:** to work very well - **Wouldn't hurt a fly:** to be inoffensive and harmless - **Wing it:** to do something without a plan - **Word of mouth:** to spread by talking - **Well disposed to:** friendly with somebody/something - **Window shopping:** to look at things displayed but not buying them - **Waking up on the wrong side of the bed:** not agree with someone - **When the Church comes:** when the moment of decision arrives - **Wry face:** disappointed look - **Worth a jew's eye:** a possession of high value - **Whale of time:** to enjoy yourself very much - **What a small world:** what a coincidence - **Whistle in the dark:** pretend to be unafraid ### Idioms X - **X marks the spot:** the specific or exact location of something - **X Factor:** a unique quality or characteristic that sets someone apart ### Idioms Y - **Wear your heart on your sleeve:** to show your true emotions - **When it rains, it pours:** problems seem to happen together - **Yeoman's service:** excellent work - **Your sins will find you out:** your wrongdoings will be revealed eventually - **Yoke around one's neck:** a burden or responsibility - **You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink:** you can provide opportunities, but you can't force someone to take them - **You can't teach an old dog new tricks:** older individuals are resistant to change - **You can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs:** success often requires sacrifice or hardship - **Yellow-bellied:** coward - **You bet:** absolutely, without a doubt ### Idioms Z - **Zone out:** stop paying attention or losing concentration - **Zero hour:** the beginning or decisive moment of an event - **Zonk out:** to fall asleep suddenly or deeply - **Zip past:** move quickly - **Zip your lip:** to remain silent or keep a secret - **Zenith of career or life:** the highest point or peak of success or achievement