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1- A bit much If something is excessive or annoying, it is a bit much.
2- A day late and a dollar short If something is a day late and a dollar short, it is too little, too late.
3- A fool and his money are soon parted This idiom means that people who aren't careful with their money spend it quickly.'A fool and his money are easily parted' is an alternative form of the idiom.
4- A little bird told me If someone doesn't want to say where they got some information from, they can say that a little bird told them.
5- A OK If things are A OK, they are absolutely fine.
6- A poor man's something Something or someone that can be compared to something or someone else, but is not as good is a poor man's version; a writer who uses lots of puns but isn't very funny would be a poor man's Oscar Wilde.
7- A1 If something is A1, it is the very best or finest.
8- Abide by a decision If you abide by a decision, you accept it and comply with it, even though you might disagree with it.
9- About face If someone changes their mind completely, this is an about face. It can be used when companies, governments, etc, change their position on an issue.
10- Above board If things are done above board, they are carried out in a legal and proper manner.
11- Absence makes the heart grow fonder This idiom means that when people are apart, their love grows stronger.
12- Achilles' heel A person's weak spot is their Achilles' heel.
13- Acid test An acid test is something that proves whether something is good, effective, etc, or not.
14- Across the board If something applies to everybody, it applies across the board.
15- Against the grain If doing something goes against the grain, you're unwilling to do it because it contradicts what you believe in, but you have no real choice.
16- Agony aunt An agony aunt is a newspaper columnist who gives advice to people having problems, especially personal ones.
17- Ahead of the pack If you are ahead of the pack, you have made more progress than your rivals.
18- Albatross around your neck An albatross around, or round, your neck is a problem resulting from something you did that stops you from being successful.
19- All along If you have known or suspected something all along, then you have felt this from the beginning.
20- All and sundry This idiom is a way of emphasising 'all', like saying 'each and every one'.
21- All ears If someone says they're all ears, they are very interested in hearing about something.
22- All fingers and thumbs If you're all fingers and thumbs, you are too excited or clumsy to do something properly that requires manual dexterity.'All thumbs' is an alternative form of the idiom.
23- All hat, no cattle When someone talks big, but cannot back it up, they are all hat, no cattle.
24- All hell broke loose When all hell breaks loose, there is chaos, confusion and trouble.
25- All mod cons If somehing has all mod cons, it has all the best and most desirable features. It is an abbreviation of 'modern convenience' that was used in house adverts.
26- All mouth and trousers Someone who's all mouth and trousers talks or boasts a lot but doesn't deliver.
'All mouth and no trousers' is also used, though this is a corruption of the original.
27- All over the place If something is completely disorganised or confused, it is all over the place.
28- All over the shop If something is completely disorganised or confused, it is all over the shop.
29- All road lead to Rome This means that there can be many different ways of doing something.
30- All skin and bone If a person is very underweight, they are all skin and bone, or bones.
31- All talk and no trousers Someone who is all talk and no trousers, talks about doing big, important things, but doesn't take any action.
32- All the tea in China If someone won't do something for all the tea in China, they won't do it no matter how much money they are offered.
33- All-singing, all-dancing If something's all-singing, all-dancing, it is the latest version with the most up-to-date features.
34- Alter ego An alter ego is a very close and intimate friend. It is a Latin phrase that literally means 'other self'.
35- Always a bridesmaid, never a bride If someone is always a bridesmaid, never a bride, they never manage to fulfill their ambition- they get close, but never manage the recognition, etc, they crave.
36- Ambulance chaser A lawyer who encourages people who have been in accidents or become ill to sue for compensation is an ambulance chaser.
37- Amen Some use 'Amen' or 'Amen to that' as a way of agreeing with something that has just been said.
38- An old flame An old flame is a person that somebody has had an emotional, usually passionate, relationship with, who is still looked on fondly and with affection.
39- Ants in your pants If someone has ants in their pants, they are agitated or excited about something and can't keep still.
40- Any port in a storm This means that in an emergency any solution will do, even one that would normally be unacceptable.
41- Apple of your eye Something or,more often, someone that is very special to you is the 'apple of your' eye.
42- Argue the toss If you argue the toss, you refuse to accept a decision and argue about it.
43- Arm and a leg If something costs an arm and a leg, it is very expensive.
44- Armed to the teeth If people are armed to the teeth, they have lots of weapons.
45- As a rule If you do something as a rule, then you usually do it.
46- As cold as ice This idiom can be used to describe a person who does not show any emotion.
47- As cool as a cucumber If someone is as cool as a cucumber, they don't get worried by anything.
48- As mad as a hatter This simile means that someone is crazy or behaves very strangely. In the past many people who made hats went insane because they had a lot of contact with mercury.
49- As neat as a new pin This idiom means tidy and clean.
50- As one man If people do something as one man, then they do it at exactly the same time or in complete agreement.
51- As the actress said to the bishop This idiom is used to highlight a sexual reference, deliberate or accidental.
52- As the crow flies This idiom is used to describe the shortest possible distance between two places.
53- Asleep at the switch If someone is asleep at the switch, they are not doing their job or taking their responsibilities very carefully'Asleep at the wheel' is an alternative.
54- Asleep at the wheel If someone is asleep at the wheel, they are not doing their job or taking their responsibilities very carefully'Asleep at the switch' is an alternative.
55- At a loose end If you are at a loose end, you have spare time but don't know what to do with it.
56- At death's door If someone looks as if they are at death's door, they look seriously unwell and might actually be dying.
57- At loggerheads If people are at loggerheads, they are arguing and can't agree on anything.
58- At loose ends If you are at a loose end, you have spare time but don't know what to do with it.
59- At odds If you are at odds with someone, you cannot agree with them and argue.
60- At sea If things are at sea, or all at sea, they are disorganized and chaotic.
61- At the coalface If you work at the coalface, you deal with the real problems and issues, rather than sitting in a office discussing things in a detached way.
62- At the drop of a hat If you would do something at the drop of a hat, you'd do it immediately.
63- At the end of your rope If you are at the end of your rope, you are at the limit of your patience or endurance.
64- At the end of your tether If you are at the end of your tether, you are at the limit of your patience or endurance.
65- At your wit's end If you're at your wit's end, you really don't know what you should do about something, no matter how hard you think about it.
66- Avowed intent If someone makes a solemn or serious promise publicly to attempt to reach a certain goal, this is their avowed intent.
67- Awe inspiring Something or someone that is awe inspiring amazes people in a slightly frightening but positive way.
68- AWOL AWOL stands for "Absent Without Leave", or "Absent Without Official Leave". Orignially a military term, it is used when someone has gone missing without telling anyone or asking for permission.
69- Axe to grind If you have an axe to grind with someone or about something, you have a grievance, a resentment and you want to get revenge or sort it out.
70- Babe in arms A babe in arms is a very young child, or a person who is very young to be holding a position.
71- Babe in the woods A babe in the woods is a naive, defenceless, young person.
72 Baby boomer A baby boomer is someone born during 1945-1965, a period when the population was growing fast.
73- Back burner If an issue is on the back burner, it is being given low priority.
74- Back foot If you are on your back foot, you are at a disadvantage and forced to be defensive of your position.
75- Back the wrong horse If you back the wrong horse, you give your support to the losing side in something.
76- Back to square one If you are back to square one, you have to start from the beginning again.
77- Back to the drawing board If you have to go back to the drawing board, you have to go back to the beginning and start something again.
78- Backseat driverA backseat driver is an annoying person who is fond of giving advice to the person performing a task or doing something, especially when the advice is either wrong or unwelcome.
79- Bad blood If people feel hate because of things that happened in the past, there is bad blood between them.
80- Bad egg A person who cannot be trusted is a bad egg.Good egg is the opposite.
81- Bad taste in your mouth If something leaves you with a bad taste in your mouth, you feel there is something wrong or bad about it.
82- Bad workers always blame their tools "A bad worker always blames their tools" If somebody does a job badly or loses in a game and claims that they were let down by their equipment, you can use this to imply that this was not the case.
83- Baker's dozen A Baker's dozen is 13 rather than 12.
84- Bald as a coot A person who is completely bald is as bald as a coot.
85- Ball is in your court If the ball is in your court, it is up to you to make the next decision or step.
86- Ballpark figure A ballpark figure is a rough or approximate number (guesstimate) to give a general idea of something, like a rough estimate for a cost, etc.
87- Banana republic Banana republic is a term used for small countries that are dependent on a single crop or resource and governed badly by a corrupt elite.
88- Bandit territory An area or an industry, profession, etc, where rules and laws are ignored or flouted is bandit territory.
89- Baptism of fire A baptism of fire was a soldier's first experience of shooting. Any unpleasant experience undergone, usually where it is also a learning experience, is a baptism of fire.
90- Bar fly A bar fly is a person who spends a lot of time drinking in different bars and pubs.
91- Barefaced liar A barefaced liar is one who displays no shame about lying even if they are exposed.
92- Bark is worse than their bite Someone who's bark is worse than their bite may well get angry and shout, but doesn't take action.
93- Barking up the wrong tree If you are barking up the wrong tree, it means that you have completely misunderstood something or are totally wrong.
94- Barrel of laughs If someone's a barrel of laughs, they are always joking and you find them funny.
95- Basket case If something is a basket case, it is so bad that it cannot be helped.
96- Bat an eyelid If someone doesn't bat an eyelid, they don't react or show any emotion when surprised, shocked, etc.
97- Be that as it may Be that as it may is an expression which means that, while you are prepared to accept that there is some truth in what the other person has just said, it's not going to change your opinions in any significant manner.
98- Be up the spout If a woman is up the spout, she is pregnant.
99- Bean counter A bean counter is an accountant.
100- Bear fruit If something bears fruit, it produces positive results.
101- Beard the lion in his own den If you confront a powerful or dangerous rival on their territory, you are bearding the lion in his own den.
102- Beat about the bush If someone doesn't say clearly what they mean and try to make it hard to understand, they are beating about (around) the bush.
103- Beat someone to the draw If you beat someone to the draw, you do someone before they do.
104- Beating a dead horse If someone is trying to convince people to do or feel something without any hope of succeeding, they're beating a dead horse.This is used when someone is trying to raise interest in an issue that no-one supports anymore; beating a dead horse will not make it do any more work.
105- Beauty is in the eye of the beholder Beauty is in the eye of the beholder means that different people will find different things beautiful and that the differences of opinion don't matter greatly.
106- Beauty is only skin deep This idiom means that appearances can be deceptive and something that seems or looks good may turn out to be bad.
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Beck and call Someone who does everything for you, no matter when you ask, is at your beck and call.
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Bedroom eyes Someone with bedroom eyes has a sexy look in their eyes.
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Bee in your bonnet If someone is very excited about something, they have a bee in their bonnet.
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Bee's Knees If something is the bee's knees, it's outstanding or the best in its class.
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Beeline for If you make a beeline for a place, you head there directly.
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Behind closed doors If something happens away from the public eye, it happens behind closed doors.
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Behind someone's back If you do something behind someone's back, you do it without telling them.
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Behind the times Someone that is behind the times is old-fashioned and has ideas that are regarded as out-dated.
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Believe in the hereafter A belief in the hereafter is a belief in the afterlife, or life after death. It is, therefore, associated with religions and the soul's journey to heaven or to hell, whichever way being just deserts for the person based on how they led their life.
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Bells and whistles Bells and whistles are attractive features that things like computer programs have, though often a bit unnecessary.
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Belly up If things go belly up, they go badly wrong.
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Below par If something isn't up to standard, or someone isn't feeling or doing very well, they are below par.
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Below the belt If someone says something that is cruel or unfair, it is below the belt, like the illegal punches in boxing.
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Best thing since sliced bread If something is the best thing since sliced bread, it is excellent.
('The greatest thing since sliced bread' is also used.)
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Bet your bottom dollar If you can bet your bottom dollar on something, you can be absolutely sure about it.
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Better late than never This idiom suggests that doing something late is better than not doing it at all.
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Better safe than sorry This idiom is used to recommend being cautious rather than taking a risk.
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Better the devil you know This is the shortened form of the full idion, 'better the devil you know than the devil you don't', and means that it is often better to deal with someone or something you are familiar with and know, even if th2ey are not ideal, than take a risk with an unkown person or thing.
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Between a rock and a hard place If you are caught between a rock and a hard place, you are in a position where you have to choose between unpleasant alternatives, and your choice might cause you problems; you will not be able to satisfy everyone.
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Between the devil and the deep blue sea If you are caught between the devil and the deep blue sea, you are in a dilemma; a difficult choice.
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Between the lines If you read between the lines, you find the real massage in what you're reading or hearing, a meaning that is not available from a literal interprtation of the words.
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Beyond a shadow of a doubt If something's beyond a shadow of a doubt, then absolutely no doubts remain about it.
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Beyond belief If people behave in such a way that you find it almost impossible to accept that they actually did it, then you can say that their behaviour was beyond belief.
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Beyond our ken If something's beyond your ken, it is beyond your understanding.
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Beyond the pale If something's beyond the pale, it is too extreme to be acceptable morally or socially.
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Big Apple The Big Apple is New York.
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Big bucks If someone is making big bucks, they are making a lot of money.
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Big cheese The big cheese is the boss.
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Big fish An important person in a company or an organisation is a big fish.
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Big fish in a small pond A big fish in a small pond is an important person in a small place or organisation.
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Big hitter A big hitter is someone who commands a lot of respect and is very important in their field.
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Big picture The big picture of something is the overall perspective or objective, not the fine detail.
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Big time This can be used to with the meaning 'very much'- if you like something big time, you like it a lot.
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Bigger fish to fry If you aren't interested in something because it isn't important to you and there are more important things for you to do, you have bigger fish to fry.
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Bird in the hand is worth two in the bush 'A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush' is a proverb meaning that it is better to have something that is certain than take a risk to get more, where you might lose everything.
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Bird's eye view If you have a bird's eye view of something, you can see it perfectly clearly.
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Bird-brain Someone who has a bird-brain, or is bird-brained, is stupid.
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Birds and the bees If a child is taught about the birds and the bees, they are taught about sex.
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Birds of a feather flock together This idiom means that people with similar interests will stick together.
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Birthday suit If you are in your birthday suit, you are naked.
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Bit between your teeth If you take or have the bit between your teeth, you take or have control of a situation. (Bit = piece of metal in a horse's mouth)
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Bit part If someone has a small or unimportant role in something, they have a bit part.
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Bit player A bit player has a small or unimportant role in something.
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Bite off more than you can chew If you bite off more than you can chew, you take on more responsibilities than you can manage. 'Don't bite off more than you can chew' is often used to advise people against agreeing to more than they can handle.
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Bite the bullet If you have to bite the bullet, you have to accept or face something unpleasant because it cannot be avoided.
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Bite the dust This is a way of saying that somebody has died, especially if they are killed violently like a soldier in battle.
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Bits and bobs Bits and bobs are small, remnant articles and things- the same as odds and ends.
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Bitter end If you do something to the bitter end, you do it to the very end, no matter how unsuccessful you are.
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Bitter pill to swallow A bitter pill to swallow is something that is hard to accept.
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Black and white When it is very clear who or what is right and wrong, then the situation is black and white.
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Black as Newgate's knocker If things are as black as Newgate's knocker, they are very bad. Newgate was an infamous prison in England, so its door knocker meant trouble.
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Black hole If there is a black hole in financial accounts, money has disappeared.
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Black sheep Someone who is the black sheep doesn't fit into a group or family because their behaviour or character is not good enough.
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Blessing in disguise If some bad luck or misfortune ultimately results in something positive, it's a blessing in disguise.
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Blind as a bat If you are in total darkness and can't see anything at all, you are as blind as a bat.
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Blink of an eye If something happens in the blink of an eye, it happens so fast it is almost impossible to notice it.
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Blood and thunder An emotional speech or performance is full of blood and thunder.
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Blood is thicker than water This idiom means that family relationships are stronger than others.
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Blood out of a stone If something is like getting blood out of a stone, it is very difficult indeed.
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Blood, sweat and tears If something will take blood, sweat and tears, it will be very difficult and will require a lot of effort and sacrifice.
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Blow a gasket If you blow a gasket, you get very angry.
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Blow hot and cold If you blow hot and cold on an idea, your attitude and opinion keeps changing; one minute you are for it, the next you are against.
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Blow off steam If you blow off steam, you express your anger or frustration.
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Blow out of the water If something, like an idea, is blown out of the water, it is destroyed or defeated comprehensively.
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Blow the cobwebs away If you blow the cobwebs away, you make sweeping changes to something to bring fresh views and ideas in.
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Blow your stack If you blow your stack, you lose your temper.
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Blue blood Someone with blue blood is royalty.
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Blue-eyed boy Someone's blue-eyed boy is their favourite person.
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Bolt from the blue If something happens unexpectedly and suddenly, it is a bolt from the blue.
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Bone of contention If there is an issue that always causes tension and arguments, it is a bone of contention.
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Bone to pick If you have a bone to pick with someone, you are annoyed about something they have done and want to tell them how you feel.
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Born with a silver spoon in your mouth If you are born with a silver spoon in your mouth, you are born into a rich family.
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Bottom line In accountancy, the bottom line is net income, and is used idiomatically to mean the conclusion.
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Box and dice Box and dice means everything.
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Box clever If you box clever, you use your intelligence to get what you want, even if you have to cheat a bit.
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Brass monkey If it's brass monkey weather, or cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey, it is extremly cold.
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Brass tacks If you get down to brass tacks, you get down to the real business.
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Break a leg This idiom is a way of wishing someone good luck.
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Break even If you break even, you don't make any money, but you don't lose any either.
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Break ground If you break ground, or break new ground, you make progress, taking things into a new area or going further than anyone has gone before.'Ground-breaking' is used an adjective.
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Break the ice When you break the ice, you get over any initial embarrassment or shyness when you meet someone for the first time and start conversing.
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Break your duck If you break your duck, you do something for the first time.
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Breathe your last When you breathe your last, you die.
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Brighten up the day If something brightens up your day, something happens that makes you feel positive and happy all day long.
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Bring a knife to a gunfight If someone brings a knife to a gunfight, they are very badly prepared for something.
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Bring someone to book If somebody is brought to book, they are punished or made to account for something they have done wrong.
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Bring the house down Something that brings the house down is acclaimed and praised vigorously.
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Broad church If an organisation is described as broad church, it is tolerant and accepting of different opinions and ideas.
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Broad strokes If something is described or defined with broad stokes, then only an outline is given, without fine details.
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Brown nose When someone tries to make themselves popular with somebody, usually in a position of authority, especially by flattering them, they are brown nosing.
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Brownie points If you try to earn Brownie points with someone, you do things you know will please them.
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Brush under the carpet If you brush something under the carpet, you are making an attempt to ignore it, or hide it from others.
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Bull in a China shop If someone behaves like a bull in a China shop, they are clumsy when they should be careful.
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Bun in the oven If a woman has a bun in the oven, she is pregnant.
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Burn the candle at both ends Someone who burns the candle at both ends lives life at a hectic pace, doing things which are likely to affect their health badly.
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Burn the midnight oil If you stay up very late working or studying, you burn the midnight oil.
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Burn your bridges If you burn your bridges, you do something that makes it impossible to go back from the position you have taken.
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Bury the hatchet If you bury the hatchet, you make peace with someone and stop arguing or fighting.
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Bury your head in the sand If someone buries their head in the sand, they ignore something that is obviously wrong.
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Busman's holiday A busman's holiday is when you spend your free time doing the same sort of work as you do in your job.
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Busted flush Someone or something that had great potential but ended up a useless failure is a busted flush.
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Butter wouldn't melt in their mouth If someone looks as if butter wouldn't melt in their mouth, they look very innocent.
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By a hair's breadth If a person escapes from some danger by a hair's breadth, they only just managed to avoid it. The breadth is the thickness of a hair, so they probably feel somewhat lucky because the margin between success and what could easily have been failure was so close.
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By a long chalk If you beat somebody by a long chalk, you win easily and comfortably.
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By a whisker If you do something by a whisker, you only just manage to do it and come very near indeed to failing.
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By hook or by crook If you are prepared to do something by hook or by crook, you are willing to do anything, good or bad, to reach your goal.
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By the back door If something is started or introduced by the back door, then it isn't not done openly or by following the proper procedures.
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By the book If you do something by the book, you do it exactly as you are supposed to.
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By the skin of your teeth If you do something by the skin of your teeth, you only just manage to do it and come very near indeed to failing.
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By word of mouth If something becomes known by word of mouth, it gets known by being talked about rather than through publicity or advertising, etc.
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Call a spade a spade A person who calls a spade a spade is one speaks frankly and makes little or no attempt to conceal their opinions or to spare the feelings of their audience.
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Call the shots If you call the shots, you are in charge and tell people what to do.
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Can of worms If an action can create serious problems, it is opening a can of worms.
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Can't hold a candle If something can't hold a candle to something else, it is much worse.
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Card up your sleeve If you have a card up your sleeve, you have a surprise plan or idea that you are keeping back until the time is right.
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Carpetbagger A carpetbagger is an opportunist without any scruples or ethics, or a politican who wants to represent a place they have no connection with.
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Carrot and stick If someone offers a carrot and stick, they offer an incentive to do something combined with the threat of punishment.
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Carry the can If you carry the can, you take the blame for something, even though you didn't do it or are only partly at fault.
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Cash in your chips If you cash in your chips, you sell something to get what profit you can because you think its value is going to fall. It can also mean 'to die'.
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Cast doubt on If you make other people not sure about a matter, then you have cast doubt on it.
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Cast your mind back If somebody tells you to cast your mind back on something, they want you to think about something that happened in the past, but which you might not remember very well, and to try to remember as much as possible.
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Castles in the air Plans that are impractical and will never work out are castles in the air.
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Cat among the pigeons If something or someone puts, or sets or lets, the cat among the pigeons, they create a disturbance and cause trouble.
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Cat nap If you have a short sleep during the day, you are cat napping.
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Cat's whiskers Something excellent is the cat's whiskers.
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Catch as catch can This means that people should try to get something any way they can.
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Chalk and cheese Things, or people, that are like chalk and cheese are very different and have nothing in common.
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Change horses in midstream If people change horses in midstream, they change plans or leaders when they are in the middle of something, even though it may be very risky to do so.
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Charity begins at home This idiom means that family members are more important than anyone esle, and should be the focus of a person's efforts.
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Chase rainbows If someone chases rainbows, they try to do something that they will never achieve.
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Cheap as chips If something is very inexpensive, it is as cheap as chips.
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Cherry pick If people cherry pick, they choose things that support their position, while ignoring things that contradict it.
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Chew the cud If you chew the cud, you think carefully about something.
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Chew the fat If you chew the fat with someone, you talk at leisure with them.
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Chickenfeed If something is small or unimportant, especially money, it is chickenfeed.
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Chinese walls Chinese walls are regulatory information barriers that aim to stop the flow of information that could be misused, especially in financial corporations.
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Chinese whispers When a story is told from person to person, especially if it is gossip or scandal, it inevitably gets distorted and exaggerated. This process is called Chinese whispers.
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Chip off the old block If someone is a chip off the old block, they closely resemble one or both of the parents in character.
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Cigarette paper If you cannot get or put a cigarette paper between people, they are so closely bonded that nothing will separate them or their positions on issues.
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Clapham omnibus The man on the Clapham omnibus is the ordinary man in the street.
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Clean as a whistle If something is as clean as a whistle, it is extremely clean, spotless. It can also be used to mean 'completely', though this meaning is less common nowadays.
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Clean bill of health If something or someone has a clean bill of health, then there's nothing wrong; everything's fine.
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Clean slate If you start something with a clean slate, then nothing bad from your past is taken into account.
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Clear as mud If something is as clear as mud, then it is very confusing and unclear.
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Cliffhanger If something like a sports match or an election is a cliffhanger, then the result is so close that it cannot be predicted and will only be known at the very end.
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Close but no cigar If you are close but no cigar, you are close to success, but have not got there.
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Close call If the result of something is a close call, it is almost impossible to distinguish between the parties involved and to say who has won or whatever.
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Close the stable door after the horse has bolted If people try to fix something after the problem has occurred, they are trying to close the stable door after the horse has bolted.
'Close the barn door after the horse has bolted' is alternative, often used in American English.
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Closed book to me If a subject is a closed book to you, it is something that you don't understand or know anything about.
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Cloud cuckoo land If someone has ideas or plans that are completely unrealistic, they are living on cloud cuckoo land.
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Cloud nine If you are on cloud nine, you are extremely happy.('cloud seven' is a less common alternative)
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Cloud of suspicion If a cloud of suspicion hangs over an individual, it means that they are not believed or are distrusted.
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Cloud on the horizon If you can see a problem ahead, you can call it a cloud on the horizon.
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Clutch at straws If someone is in serious trouble and tries anything to help them, even though their chances of success are probably nil, they are clutching at straws.
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Coals to Newcastle Taking, bringing, or carrying coals to Newcastle is doing something that is completely unnnecessary.
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Cock and bull story A cock and bull story is a lie someone tells that is completely unbelievable.
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Cold feet If you get cold feet about something, you lose the courage to do it.
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Cold fish A cold fish is a person who doesn't show how they feel.
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Cold light of day If you see things in the cold light of day, you see them as they really are, not as you might want them to be.
266
Cold sweat If something brings you out in a cold sweat, it frightens you a lot.
267
Cold turkey If someone suddenly stops taking drugs, instead of slowly cutting down, they do cold turkey.
268
Collateral damage Accidental or unintended damage or casualties are collateral damage.
269
Collect dust If something is collecting dust, it isn't being used any more.
270
Come a cropper Someone whose actions or lifestyle will inevitably result in trouble is going to come a cropper.
271
Come clean If someone comes clean about something, they admit to deceit or wrongdoing.
272
Come hell or high water If someone says they'll do something come hell or high water, they mean that nothing will stop them, no matter what happens.
273
Come rain or shine If I say I'll be at a place COME RAIN OR SHINE, I mean that I can be relied on to turn up; nothing, not even the vagaries of British weather, will deter me or stop me from being there.
274
Come to grips If you come to grips with a problem or issue, you face up to it and deal with it.
275
Come what may If you're prepared to do something come what may, it means that nothing will stop or distract you, no matter how hard or difficult it becomes.
276
Comfort zone It is the temperature range in which the body doesn't shiver or sweat, but has an idiomatic sense of a place where people feel comfortable, where they can avoid the worries of the world. It can be physical or mental.
277
Constitution of an ox If someone has the constitution of an ox, they are less affected than most people by things like tiredness, illness, alcohol, etc.
278
Cook someone's goose If you cook someone's goose, you ruin their plans.
279
Cook up a storm If someone cooks up a storm, they cause a big fuss or generate a lot of talk about something.
280
Corner a market If a business is dominant in an area and unlikely to be challenged by other companies, it has cornered the market.
281
Couch potato A couch potato is an extremely idle or lazy person who chooses to spend most of their leisure time horizontal in front of the TV and eats a diet that is mainly junk food.
282
Could eat a horse If you are very hungry, you could eat a horse.
283
Crash a party If you crash a party, or are a gatecrasher, you go somewhere you haven't been invited to.
284
Cream of the crop The cream of the crop is the best there is.
285
Crocodile tears If someone cries crocodile tears, they pretend to be upset or affected by something.
286
Cross to bear If someone has a cross to bear, they have a hevay burden of responsibility or a problem that they alone must cope with.
287
Cry wolf If someone cries wolf, they raise a false alarm about something.
288
Cry your eyes out If you cry your eyes out, you cry uncontrollably.
289
Cry-baby A cry-baby is a person who gets emotional and cries too easily.
290
Curate's egg If something is a bit of a curate's egg, it is only good in parts.
291
Curiosity killed the cat As cats are naturally curious animals, we use this expression to suggest to people that excessive curiosity is not necessarily a good thing, especially where it is not their business.
292
Curve ball If something is a curve ball, it is deceptive.
293
Cut and dried If something is cut and dried, then everything has already been decided and, in the case of an opinion, might be a little stale and predictable.
294
Cut down the tall poppies If people cut down the tall poppies, they criticise people who stand out from the crowd.
295
Cut it fine If you cut it fine, you only just manage to do something- at the very last moment.'Cut things fine' is the same. 'Cut it a bit fine' is a common variation.
296
Cut off your nose to spite your face If you cut off your nose to spite your face, you do something rash or silly that ends up making things worse for you, often because you are angry or upset.
297
Cut the Gordian knot If some cuts the Gordian knot, they solve a very complex problem in a simple way.
298
Cut the mustard If somebody or something doesn't cut the mustard, they fail or it fails to reach the required standard.
299
Cut to the chase If you cut to the chase, you get to the point, or the most interesting or important part of something without delay.
300
Cut to the quick If someone's cut to the quick by something, they are very hurt and upset indeed.
301
Cut your teeth on The place where you gain your early experience is where you cut your teeth.
302
Cutting edge Something that is cutting edge is at the forefront of progress in its area.
303
Daft as a brush Someone who is daft as a brush is rather stupid.
304
Damp squib If something is expected to have a great effect or impact but doesn't, it is a damp squib.
305
Dark horse If someone is a dark horse, they are a bit of a mystery.
306
Daylight robbery If you are overcharged or underpaid, it is a daylight robbery; open, unfair and hard to prevent. Rip-off has a similar meaning.
307
Dead and buried If something is dead and buried, it has all long been settled and is not going to be reconsidered.
308
Dead as a dodo If something's dead as a dodo, it is lifeless and dull. The dodo was a bird that lived the island of Mauritius. It couldn't fly and was hunted to extinction.
309
Dead as a doornail This is used to indicate that something is lifeless.
310
Dead duck If something is a dead duck, it is a failure.
311
Dead heat If a race ends in a dead heat, two or more finish with exactly the same result.
312
Dead in the water If something is dead in the water, it isn't going anywhere or making any progress.
313
Dead man walking A dead man walking is someone who is in great trouble and will certainly get punished, lose their job or position, etc, soon.
314
Dead men's shoes If promotion or success requires replacing somebody, then it can only be reached by dead men's shoes' by getting rid of them.
315
Dead to the world If somebody's fast asleep and completely unaware of what if happening around them, he or she's dead to the world.
316
Dear John letter A letter written by a partner explaining why they are ending the relationship is a Dear John letter.
317
Death of a thousand cuts If something is suffering the death of a thousand cuts, or death by a thousand cuts, lots of small bad things are happening, none of which are fatal in themselves, but which add up to a slow and painful demise.
318
Death warmed up If someone looks like death warmed up, they look very ill indeed. ('death warmed over' is the American form)
319
Demon weed Tobacco is the demon weed.
320
Derring-do If a person shows derring-do, they show great courage.
321
Devil finds work for idle hands When people say that the devil finds work for idle hands, they mean that if people don't have anything to do with their time, they are more likely to get involved in trouble and criminality.
322
Devil is in the detail When people say that the devil in the detail, they mean that small things in plans and schemes that are often overlooked can cause serious problems later on.
323
Devil's advocate If someone plays Devil's advocate in an argument, they adopt a position they don't believe in just for the sake of the argument
324
Die is cast If the die is cast, a decision has been made that cannot be altered and fate will decide the consequences.
325
Different kettle of fish If something is a different kettle of fish, it is very different from the other things referenced. 326
Discerning eye If a person has a discerning eye, they are particularly good at judging the quality of something.
327
Do a runner If people leave a restaurant without paying, they do a runner.
329
Do their dirty work Someone who does someone's dirty work, carries out the unpleasant jobs that the first person doesn't want to do. Someone who seems to enjoy doing this is sometimes known as a 'henchman'.
330
Dog and pony show A dog and pony show is a pesentation or some marketing that has lots of style, but no real content.
331
Dog days Dog days are very hot summer days.
332
Dog eat dog In a dog eat dog world, there is intense competition and rivalry, where everybody thinks only of himself or herself.
333
Dog in the manger If someone acts like a dog in the manger, they don't want other people to have or enjoy things that are useless to them.
334
Dog tired If you are dog tired, you are exhausted.
335
Dog's dinner Something that is a dog's dinner is a real mess.
336
Dog's life If some has a dog's life, they have a very unfortunate and wretched life.
337
Dog-eared If a book is dog-eared, it is in bad condition,with torn pages, etc.
338
Doggy bag If you ask for a doggy bag in a restaurant, they will pack the food you haven't eaten for you to take home.
339
Doldrums If a person is in the doldrums, they are depressed.If a project or something similar is in the doldrums, it isn't making any progress.
340
Don't judge a book by the cover This idiom means that you should not judge something or someone by appearances, but should look deeper at what is inside and more important.
341
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth This means that if you are given something, a present or a chance, you should not waste it by being too critical or examining it too closely.
342
Don't upset the applecart If you are advised not to upset the applecart, you are being told not to disturb the way things are done because it might ruin things.
344 Don't hold your breath If you are told not to hold your breath, it means that you shouldn't have high expectations about something.
345 Don't wash your dirty laundry in public People, especially couples, who argue in front of others or involve others in their personal problems and crises, are said to be washing their dirty laundry in public; making public things that are best left private. (In American English, 'don't air your dirty laundry in public' is used.)
346 Done to death If a joke or story has been done to death, it has been told so often that it has stopped being funny.
347 Donkey's years This idiom means 'a very long time'.
348 Doormat A person who doesn't stand up for themselves and gets treated badly is a doormat.
349 Double Dutch If something is double Dutch, it is completely incomprehensible.
350 Double take If someone does a double take, they react very slowly to something to show how shocked or surprised they are.
351 Double whammy A double whammy is when something causes two problems at the same time, or when two setbacks occur at the same time.
352 Double-edged sword If someone uses an argument that could both help them and harm them, then they are using a two-edged sword; it cuts both ways.
353 Down and out If someone is down and out, they are desperately poor and need help.
354 Down at heel Someone who is down at heel is short of money. ('Down in heel' is used in American English)
355 Down for the count If someone is down for the count, they have lost a struggle, like a boxer who has been knocked out.
356 Down in the doldrums If somebody's down in the doldrums, they are depressed and lacking energy.
357 Down in the dumps If someone's down in the dumps, they are depressed.
358 Down the pan If something has gone down the pan, it has failed or been ruined.
359 Down the tubes If something has gone down the tubes, it has failed or been ruined.
360 Down to the wire If something goes down to the wire, like a competition, then it goes to the very last moment before it is clear who has won.
361 Drag your feet If someone is dragging their feet, they are taking too long to do or finish something, usually because they don't want to do it.
362 Drag your heels If you drag your heels, you either delay doing something or do it as slowly as possible because you don't want to do it.
363 Draw a blank If you try to find something out and draw a blank, you don't get any useful information.
364 Draw a line in the sand If you draw a line in the sand, you establish a limit beyond which things will be unacceptable.
365 Draw a long bow If someone draws a long bow, they lie or exaggerate.
366 Draw the line When you draw the line, you set out limits of what you find acceptable, beyond which you will not go.
367 Draw the shortest straw If someone draws the shortest straw, they lose or are chosen to do something unpleasant.
368 Dressed to the nines If you are in your very best clothes, you're dressed to the nines.
369 Drink like a fish If someone drinks like a fish, they drink far too much alcohol.
370 Drive a wedge If you drive a wedge between people, you exploit an issue so that people start to disagree.
371 Drive someone up the wall If something or someone drives you up the wall, they do something that irritates you greatly.
372 Drop in the ocean A drop in the ocean implies that something will have little effect because it is small and mostly insignificant.
373 Drunk as a lord Someone who is very drunk is as drunk as a lord.
374 Dry as a bone If your lawn is as dry as a bone, the soil is completely dry.
375 Duck soup If something is duck soup, it is very easy.
376 Duck to water If you take to something like a duck to water, you find when you start that you have a natural affinity for it.
377 Dull as ditchwater If something is as dull as ditchwater, it is incredibly boring. A ditch is a long narrow hole or trench dug to contain water, which is normally a dark, dirty colour and stagnant (when water turns a funny colour and starts to smell bad). (In American English,'things are 'dull as dishwater'.)
378 Dunkirk spirit Dunkirk spirit is when people pull together to get through a very difficult time.
379 Dutch auction If something is sold by setting a price, then reducing it until someone buys it, it is sold in a Dutch auction. It can also mean that something is changed until it is accepted by everyone.
380 Dutch courage Dutch courage is the reckless bravery caused by drinking too much.
381 Dutch uncle A Dutch uncle is a person who gives unwelcome advice.
382 Dwell on the past Thinking too much about the past, so that it becomes a problem is to dwell on the past.
383 Dyed-in-the-wool If someone is a dyed-in-the-wool supporter of a political party, etc, they support them totally, without any questions.
384 Each to their own Different people have different preferences.
In American English, 'Each to his own' is more common.
385 Eager beaver A person who is extremely keen is an eager beaver.
386 Eagle eyes Someone who has eagle eyes sees everything; no detail is too small.
387 Early bath If someone has or goes for an early bath, they quit or lose their job or position earlier than expected because things have gone wrong.
388 Early bird catches the worm The early bird catches the worm means that if you start something early, you stand a better chance of success.
389 Easier said than done If something is easier said than done, it is much more difficult than it sounds. It is often used when someone advises you to do something difficult and tries to make it sound easy.
390 Easy as pie If something is easy as pie, it is very easy indeed.
391 Easy come, easy go This idiom means that money or other material gains that come without much effort tend to get spent or consumed as easily.
392 Eat crow If you eat crow, you have to admit that you were wrong about something.
393 Eat humble pie If someone apologises and shows a lot of contrition for something they have done,they eat humble pie.
394 Eat like a bird If someone eats like a bird, they eat very little.
395 Eat like a horse Someone who eats like a horse, eats a lot.
396 Eat like a pig If some eats like a pig, they either eat too much or they have bad table manners.
397 Eat someone alive If you eat someone alive, you defeat or beat them comprehensively.
398 Economical with the truth If someone, especially a politician, is economical with the truth, they leave out information in order to create a false picture of a situation, without actually lying.
399 Egg on your face If someone has egg on their face, they are made to look foolish or embarrassed.
400 Elbow grease If something requires elbow grease, it involves a lot of hard physical work.
401 Elbow room If you haven't got enough elbow room, you haven't got enough space.
402 Elephant in the room An elephant in the room is a problem that everyone knows very well but no one talks about because it is taboo, embarrassing, etc.
403 Eleventh hour If something happens at the eleventh hour, it happens right at the last minute.
404 Even keel If something is on an even keel, it is balanced.
405 Even Stevens If everything is equal between people, they are even Stevens.
406 Every cloud has a silver lining People sometimes say that every cloud has a silver lining to comfort somebody who's having problems. They mean that it is always possible to get something positive out of a situation, no matter how unpleasant, difficult or even painful it might seem.
407 Every man for himself If it's every man for himself, then people are trying to save themselves from a difficult situation without trying to help anyone else.
408 Every man jack If every man jack was involved in something, it is an emphatic way of saying that absolutely everybody was involved.
409 Every Tom, Dick and Harry If every Tom, Dick and Harry knows about something, then it is coomon knowledge.
410 Every trick in the book If you try every trick in the book, you try every possible way, including dishonesty and deceit, to get what you want.
411 Explore all avenues If all avenues are being explored, then every conceivable approach is being tried that could possibly get the desired result.
412 Eye for an eye This is an expression for retributive justice, where the punishment equals the crime.
413 F-word The F-word is a euphemism for 'fuck'.
414 Face like thunder If someone has a face like thunder, they are clearly very angry or upset about something.
415 Face the music If you have to face the music, you have to accept the negative consequences of something you have done wrong.
416 Face value If you take something at face value, you accept the appearance rather than looking deeper into the matter.
417 Facts of life When someone is taught the facts of life, they learn about sex and reproduction.
418 Fair and square If someone wins something fair and square, they follow the rules and win conclusively.
419 Fair crack of the whip If everybody has a fair crack of the whip, they all have equal opportunities to do something.
420 Fair shake of the whip If everybody has a fair shake of the whip, they all have equal opportunities to do something.
421 Fairweather friend A fairweather friend is the type who is always there when times are good but forgets about you when things get difficult or problems crop up.
422 Fall off the back of a lorry If someone tries to sell you something that has fallen of the back of a lorry, they are trying to sell you stolen goods.
423 Fall on your sword If someone falls on their sword, they resign or accept the consequences of some wrongdoing.
424 Familiarity breeds contempt This means that the more you know something or someone, the more you start to find faults and dislike things about it or them.
425 Fast and furious Things that happen fast and furious happen very quickly without stopping or pausing.
426 Fat chance! This idiom is a way of telling someone they have no chance.
427 Fat head A fat head is a dull, stupid person.
428 Fat hits the fire When the fat hits the fire, trouble breaks out.
429 Fat of the land Living off the fat of the land means having the best of everything in life.
430 Fate worse than death Describing something as a fate worse than death is a fairly common way of implying that it is unpleasant.
431 Feather in your cap A success or achievement that may help you in the future is a feather in your cap.
432 Fed up to the back teeth When you are extremely irritated and fed up with something or someone, you are fed up to the back teeth.
433 Feel at home If you feel relaxed and comfortable somewhere or with someone, you feel at home.
434 Feel free If you ask for permission to do something and are told to feel free, the other person means that there is absolutely no problem
435 Feel the pinch If someone is short of money or feeling restricted in some other way, they are feeling the pinch.
436 Feeling blue If you feel blue, you are feeling unwell, mainly associated with depression or unhappiness.
437 Feet on the ground A practical and realistic person has their feet on the ground.
438 Fiddle while Rome burns If people are fiddling while Rome burns, they are wasting their time on futile things while problems threaten to destroy them.
439 Fifth columnist A fifth columnist is a member of a subversive organisation who tries to help an enemy invade.
440 Fifth wheel A fifth wheel is something unneccesary or useless.
441 Fighting chance If you have a fighting chance, you have a reasonable possibility of success.
442 Fine tuning Small adjustments to improve something or to get it working are called fine tuning.
443 Fine words butter no parsnips This idiom means that it's easy to talk, but talk is not action.
444 Finger in the pie If you have a finger in the pie, you have an interest in something.
445 Fingers and thumbs If you are all fingers and thumbs, you are being clumsy and not very skilled with your hands.
446 Fire away If you want to ask someone a question and they tell you to fire away, they mean that you are free to ask what you want.
447 Fire on all cylinders If something is firing on all cylinders, it is going as well as it could.
448 First come, first served This means there will be no preferential treatment and a service will be provided to those that arrive first.
449 First out of the gate When someone is first out of the gate, they are the first to do something that others are trying to do.
450 First port of call The first place you stop to do something is your first port of call.
451 Fish out of water If you are placed in a situation that is completely new to you and confuses you, you are like a fish out of water.
452 Fishy If there is something fishy about someone or something, there is something suspicious; a feeling that there is something wrong, though it isn't clear what it is.
453 Fit as a fiddle If you are fit as a fiddle, you are in perfect health.
454 Fit for a king If something is fit for a king, it is of the very highest quality or standard.
455 Fit of pique If someone reacts badly because their pride is hurt, this is a fit of pique.
456 Fit the bill If something fits the bill, it is what is required for the task.
457 Flash in the pan If something is a flash in the pan, it is is very noticeable but doesn't last long, like most singers, who are very successful for a while, then forgotten.
458 Flat out If you work flat out, you work as hard and fast as you possibly can.
459 Fleet of foot If someone is fleet of foot, they are very quick.
460 Flesh and blood Your flesh and blood are your blood relatives, especially your immediate family.
461 Flogging a dead horse If someone is trying to convince people to do or feel something without any hope of succeeding, they're flogging a dead horse.This is used when someone is trying to raise interest in an issue that no-one supports anymore; beating a dead horse will not make it do any more work.
461 Flowery speech Flowery speech is full of lovely words, but may well lack substance.
462 Fly off the handle If someone flies off the handle, they get very angry.
463 Fly on the wall If you are able to see and hear events as they happen, you are a fly on the wall.
[B464 Fools rush in where angels fear to tread[/B] This idiom is used where people who are inexperienced or lack knowledge do something that more informed people would avoid.
465 Football's a game of two halves If something's a game of two halves, it means that it's possible for someone's fortunes or luck to change and the person who's winning could end up a loser.
466 For a song If you buy or sell something for a song, it is very cheap.
467 For donkey's years If people have done something, usually without much if any change, for an awfully long time, they can be said to have done it for donkey's years.
468 For kicks If you do something for kicks, or just for kicks, you do it purely for fun or thrills.
469 For my money This idiom means 'in my opinion'.
470 For the time being For the time being indicates that an action or state will continue into the future, but is temporary. I'm sharing an office for the time being.
471 Forbidden fruit Something enjoyable that is illegal or immoral is forbidden fruit.
472 Foregone conclusion If the result of, say, a football match is a foregone conclusion, then the result is obvious before the game has even begun.
473 Forest for the trees If someone can't see the forest for the trees, they get so caught up in small details that they fail to understand the bigger picture.
474 Foul play If the police suspect foul play, they think a crime was committed.
475 Fourth estate This is an idiomatic way of describing the media, especially the newspapers.
476 Freudian Slip If someone makes a Freudian slip, they accidentally use the wrong word, but in doing so reveal what they are really thinking rather than what they think the other person wants to hear.
477 From Missouri If someone is from Missouri, then they require clear proof before they will believe something.
478 From pillar to post If something is going from pillar to post, it is moving around in a meaningless way, from one disaster to another.
479 From rags to riches Someone who starts life very poor and makes a fortune goes from rags to riches.
480 From scratch This idiom means 'from the beginning'.
481 From soup to nuts If you do something from soup to nuts, you do it from the beginning right to the very end.
482 From the horse's mouth If you hear something from the horse's mouth, you hear it directly from the person concerned or responsible.
483 From the sublime to the ridiculous If something declines considerably in quality or importance, it is said to have gone from the sublime to the ridiculous.
484 From the word go From the word go means from the very beginning of something.
485 Full Monty If something is the Full Monty, it is the real thing, not reduced in any way.
486 Full of the joys of spring If you are full of the joys of spring, you are very happy and full of energy.
487 Full swing If a something is in full swing, it is going or doing well.
488 Fullness of time If something happens in the fullness of time, it will happen when the time is right and appropriate.
489 Game plan A game plane is a strategy.
490 ardening leave If someone is paid for a period when they are not working, either after they have given in their notice or when they are being investigated, they are on gardening leave.
491 Get along famously If people get along famously, they have an exceedingly good relationship.
492 Get on your soapbox If someone on their soapbox, they hold forth (talk a lot) about a subject they feel strongly about.
493 Get out of bed on the wrong side If you get out of bed on the wrong side, you wake up and start the day in a bad mood for no real reason.
494 Get the ball rolling If you get the ball rolling, you start something so that it can start making progress.
495 Get the green light If you get the green light to do something, you are given the necessary permission, authorisation.
496 Get to grips If you get to grips with something, you take control and do it properly.
497 Get up and go If someone has lots of et up and go, they are have lots of enthusiasm and energy.
498 Get your feet wet If you get your feet wet, you gain your first experience of something.
499 Get your hands dirty If you get your hands dirty, you become involved in something where the realities might compromise your principles.
500 Ghost of a chance If something or someone hasn't got a ghost of a chance, they have no hope whatsoever of succeeding.
501 Ghostly presence You can feel or otherwise sense a ghostly presence, but you cannot do it clearly only vaguely.
502 Gift of the gab If someone has the gift of the gab, they speak in a persuasive and interesting way.
503 Gilded cage If someone is in a gilded cage, they are trapped and have restricted or no freedom, but have very comfortable surroundings- many famous people live in luxury but cannot walk out of their house alone.
504 Give it some stick If you give something some stick, you put a lot of effort into it.
505 Give someone a piece of your mind If you give someone a piece of your mind, you criticise them strongly and angrily.
506 Give someone enough rope If you give someone enough rope, you give them the chance to get themselves into trouble or expose themselves.
507 Give someone stick If someone gives you stick, they criticise you or punish you.
508 Give up the ghost People give up the ghost when they die.
509 Give your eye teeth If you really want something and would be prepared to sacrifice a lot to get it, you would give your eye teeth for it.
510 Glass ceiling The glass ceiling is the discrimination that prevents women and minorities from getting promoted to the highest levels of companies and organisations.
511 Glutton for punishment If a person is described as a glutton for punishment, the happily accept jobs and tasks that most people would try to get out of. A glutton is a person who eats a lot.
512 Go against the grain A person who does things in an unconventional manner, especially if their methods are not generally approved of, is said to go against the grain. Such an individual can be called a maverick.
513 Go awry If things go awry, they go wrong.
514 Go bust If a company goes bust, it goes bankrupt.
516 Go Dutch If you go Dutch in a restaurant, you pay equal shares for the meal.
517 Go pear-shaped If things have gone wrong, they have gone pear-shaped.
518 Go round in circles If people are going round in circles, they keep dicussing the same thing without reaching any agreement or coming to a conclusion.
519 Go south If things go south, they get worse or go wrong.
520
Go spare If you go spare, you lose your temper completely.
521
Go the whole hog If you go the whole hog, you do something completely or to its limits.
522
Go with the flow If you go with the flow, you accept things as they happen and do what everyone else wants to do.
523
Golden handshake A golden handshake is a payment made to someone to get them to leave their job.
524
Golden rule The golden rule is the most essential or fundamental rule associated with something.
525
Gone for a burton If something's gone for a burton, it has been spoiled or ruined. If a preson has gone for a burton, they are either in serious trouble or have died.
526
Gone pear-shaped If things have gone pear-shaped they have either gone wrong or produced an unexpected and
unwanted result.
527
Gone to pot If something has gone to pot, it has gone wrong and doesn't work any more.
528
Gone to the dogs If something has gone to the dogs, it has gone badly wrong and lost all the good things it had.
529
Good antennae Someone with good antennae is good at detecting things.
530
Good egg A person who can be relied on is a good egg.
Bad egg is the opposite.
531
Good spell A spell can mean a fairly or relatively short period of time; you'll hear weather forecasts predict a dry spell. Sports commentators will say that a sportsperson is going through a good spell when they're performing consistently better than they normally do.
532
Good time If you make good time on a journey, you manage to travel faster than expected.
533
Good walls make good neighbours Your relationship with your neighbours depends, among other things, on respecting one another's privacy.
534
Goody two-shoes A goody two-shoes is a self-righteous person who makes a great deal of their virtue.
535
Grab the bulls by its horns If you grab (take) the bull by its horns, you deal head-on and directly with a problem.
536
Grasp the nettle If you grasp the nettle, you deal bravely with a problem.
537
Grass roots This idioms is often used in politics, where it refers to the ordinary people or voters. It can be used to mean
people at the bottom of a hierarchy.
538
Grass widow A grass widow is a woman whose husband is often away on work, leaving her on her own.
539
Graveyard shift If you have to work very late at night, it is the graveyard shift.
540
Gravy train If someone is on the gravy train, they have found and easy way to make lots of money.
541
Grease monkey A grease monkey is an idiomatic term for a mechanic.
542
Grease someone's palm If you grease someone's palm, you bribe them to do something.
543
Greased lightning If something or someone moves like greased lightning, they move very fast indeed.
544
Great guns If something or someone is going great guns, they are doing very well.
545
Great unwashed This is a term used for the working class masses.
546
Great white hope Someone who is expected to be a great success is a great white hope.
547
Greek to me If you don't understand something, it's all Greek to you.
548
Green fingers Someone with green fingers has a talent for gardening.
549
Green light If you are given the green light, you are given approval to do something.
550
Green thumb Someone with a talent for gardening has a green thumb.
551
Green-eyed monster The green-eyed monster is an allegorical phrase for somebody's strong jealousy
552
Greenhorn A greenhorn or someone who is described simply as green lacks the relevant experience and knowledge for their job or task
553
Grey area A grey/gray area is one where there is no clear right or wrong.
554
Grey matter Grey/gray matter is the human brain.
555
Grey pound In the UK, the grey pound is an idiom for the economic power of elderly people.
556
Grin like a Cheshire cat If someone has a very wide smile, they have a grin like a Cheshire cat.
557
Guinea-pig If you are a guinea-pig, you take part in an experiment of some sort and are used in the testing.
558
Gung Ho If someone is gung ho about something, they support it blindly and don't think about the consequences
559
Hair of the dog If someone has a hair of the dog, they have an alcoholic drink as a way of getting rid of a hangover, the unpleasant effects of having drunk too much alcohol the night before. It is commonly used as a way of excusing having a drink early on in the day.
560
Half-baked A half-baked idea or scheme hasn't not been thought through or planned very well.
561
Hammer and tongs If people are going at it hammer and tongs, they are arguing fiercely. The idiom can also be used
hen people are doing something energetically.
562
Hand in glove If people are hand in glove, they have an extremely close relationship.
563
Hand to mouth Someone who's living from hand to mouth, is very poorand needs the little money they have coming in to cover their expenses.
564
Handwriting like chicken scratch If your handwriting is very hard to read, it is like chicken scratch.
565
Hang in the balance If an outcome is hanging in the balance, there are at least two possibilities and it is impossible to predict which will win out.
566
Hang out to dry If you hang someone out to dry, you abandon them when they are in trouble.
567
Hangdog expression A hangdog expression is one where the person's showing their emotions very clearly, maybe a little too clearly for your liking. It's that mixture of misery and self-pity that is similar to a dog when it's trying to get something it wants but daren't take without permission.
568
Hanged for a sheep as a lamb This is an expression meaning that if you are going to get into trouble for doing something, then you ought to stop worrying and should try to get everything you can before you get caught.
569
Hard cheese Hard cheese means hard luck.
570
Hard of hearing Someone who's hard of hearing is a bit deaf.
571
Hard sell If someone puts a lot of pressure on you to do or buy something, they are hard selling it.
572
Haste makes waste This idiom means that if you try to do something quickly, without planning it, you're likely to end up spending more time, money, etc, doing it.
573
Hat trick Three successes one after the other is a hat trick.
574
Hatchet job A piece of criticism that destroys someone's reputation is a hatchet job.
575
Have a trick up your sleeve If you have a trick up your sleeve, you have a secret strategy to use when the time is right.
576
Having a gas If you're having a gas, you are having a laugh and enjoying yourself in company.
577
He'll rue the day He'll rue the day that he crossed me. This means that the person will one day bitterly regret what they
have done.
578
Head is in the clouds If a person has their head in the clouds, they have unrealistic, impractical ideas.
579
Head nor tail If you can't make head nor tail of something, you cannot understand it at all or make any sense of it.
580
Head on the block If someone's head is on the block, they are going to be held responsible and suffer the consequences for something that has gone wrong.
581
Head over heels in love When someone falls passionately in love and is intoxicated by the feeling has fallen head over heels in love.
582
Heads will roll If heads will roll, people will be punished or sacked for something that has gone wrong.
583
Headstrong A headstrong person is obstinate and does not take other people's advice readily.
584
Hear a pin drop If there is complete silence in a room, you can hear a pin drop.
585
Heart in your boots If you're heart is in your boots, you are very unhappy.
586
Heart of gold Somone with a heart of gold is a genuinely kind and caring person.
587
Heaven knows If you ask someone a question and they say this, they have no idea.
588
Heavenly bodies The heavenly bodies are the stars.
589
Heavy-handed If someone is heavy-handed, they are insensitive and use excessive force or authority when dealing with
a problem.
590
edge your bets If you hedge your bets, you don't risk everything on one opportunity, but try more than one thing.
591
Hell for leather If you do something hell for leather, especially running, you do it as fast as you can.
592
Hell in a handcart If something is going to hell in a handcart, it is getting worse and worse, with no hope of stopping the
decline.
593
Herding cats If you have to try to co-ordinate a very difficult situation, where people want to do very different things, you are herding cats.
594
Here today, gone tomorrow Money, happiness and other desirable things are often here today, gone tomorrow, which means that they don't last forever.
595
Hiding to nothing If people are on a hiding to nothing, their schemes and plans have no chance of succeeding.
'Hiding to nowhere' is an alternative.
596
High-handed If someone is high-handed, they behave arrogantly and pompously.
597
High-wire act A high-wire act is a dangerous or risky strategy, plan, task, etc.
598
Hit the bull's-eye If someone hits the bull's-eye, they are exactly right about something or achieve the best result possible."Bulls-eye" and "bullseye" are alternative spellings.
599
Hit the fan When it hits the fan, or, more rudely, the shit hits the fan, serious trouble starts.
600
Hit the ground running If someone hits the ground running, they start a new job or position in a very dynamic manner.
601
Hit the hay When you hit the hay, you go to bed.
602
Hit the mark If someone hits the mark, they are right about something.
603
Hit the nail on the head. If someone hits the nail on the head, they are exactly right about something.
604
Hit the roof If you lose your temper and get very angry, you hit the roof.
605
Hit the sack When you hit the sack, you go to bed.
607
Hoist with your own petard If you are hoist with your own petard, you get into trouble or caught in a trap that you had set for someone else.
608
Hold all the aces If you hold all the aces, you have all the advantages and your opponents or rivals are in a weak position.
609
Hold the baby If someone is responsible for something, they are holding the baby.
610
Hold the bag If someone is responsible for something, they are holding the bag.
611
Hold your horses If someone tells you to hold your horses. you are doing something too fast and they would like you to slow down.
612
Hollow victory A hollow victory is where someone wins something in name, but are seen not to have gained anything by winning.
613
Home stretch The home stretch is the last part of something, like a journey, race or project.
614
Home, James This is a cliched way of telling the driver of a vehicle to start driving. It is supposed to be an order to a chauffeur (a privately employed driver).
615
Honest truth If someone claims that something is the honest truth, they wish to sound extra-sincere about something.
616
Honours are even If honours are even, then a competition has ended with neither side emerging as a winner.
617
Hook, line, and sinker If somebody accepts or believes something hook, line, and sinker, they accept it completely.
618
Hope against hope If you hope against hope, you hope for something even though there is little or no chance of your
wish being fulfilled.
619
Hope in hell If something hasn't got a hope in hell, it stands absolutely no chance of succeeding.
620
Horns of a dilemma If you are on the horns of a dilemma, you are faced with two equally unpleasant options and have to choose one.
621
Horse of a different color If something is a horse of a different color, it's a different matter or separate issue altogether.
622
Horse trading Horse trading is an idiom used to describe negotiations, especially where these are difficult and involve a lot of compromise.
623
Horses for courses Horses for courses means that what is suitable for one person or situation might be unsuitable for another.
624
Hostile takeover If a company is bought out when it does not want to be, it is known as a hostile takeover.
625
Hot ticket A hot ticket is something that is very much in demand at the moment.
626
Hot water If you get into hot water, you get into trouble.
627
How come If you want to show disbelief or surprise about an action, you can ask a question using 'how come'. How come he got the job? (You can't believe that they gave the job to somebody like him)
628
How do you like them apples This idiomatic expression is used to express surprise or shock at something that has happened. It can also be used to boast about something you have done.
629
How long is a piece of string If someone has no idea of the answer to a question, they can ask 'How long is a piece of string?' as a way of indicating their ignorance.
630
Hue and cry Hue and cry is an expression that used to mean all the people who joined in chasing a criminal or villain. Nowadays, if you do something without hue and cry, you do it discreetly and without drawing attention.
631
I hereby give notice of my intention Hereby is used sometimes in formal, official declarations and statements to give greater force to the speaker' or the writer's affirmation. People will say it sometimes to emphasise their sincerity and correctness.
632
I should cocoa This idiom comes from 'I should think so', but is normally used sarcastically to mean the opposite.
633
I'll eat my hat You can say this when you are absolutely sure that you are right to let the other person know that there is no chance of your being wrong.
634
I've got a bone to pick with you If somebody says this, they mean that they have some complaint to make against the person they are addressing.
635
If you'll pardon my French This idiom is used as a way of apologising for swearing.
636
Ill-gotten gains Ill-gotten gains are profits or benefits that are made either illegally or unfairly.
637
In a cleft stick If you are in a cleft stick, you are in a difficult situation, caught between choices.
638
In a flash If something happens in a flash, it happens very quickly indeed.
638
In a heartbeat If something happens very quickly or immediately, it happens in a heartbeat.
639
In a jam If you are in a jam, you are in some trouble.
640
In a jiffy If something happens in a jiffy, it happens very quickly.
641
In a nutshell This idiom is used to introduce a concise summary.
642
In a pickle If you are in a pickle, you are in some trouble or a mess.
643
In a tick If someone will do something in a tick, they'll do it very soon or very quickly.
644
In all honesty If you say something in all honesty, you are telling the complete truth. It can be used as a way of introducing a negative opinion whilst trying to be polite; in all honesty, I have to say that I wasn't very impressed.
645
In an instant If something happens in an instant, it happens very rapidly.
646
In cold blood If something is done in cold blood, it is done ruthlessly, without any emotion.
647
In dire straits If you're in dire straits, you're in serious trouble or difficulties.
648
In donkey's years 'I haven't seen her in donkey's years.' - This means for a very long time.
649
In dribs and drabs If people arrivein dribs and drabs, they come in small groups at irregular intervals, instead of all
arriving at the same time.
650
In droves When things happen in droves, a lot happen at the same time or very quickly.
651
In for a penny, in for a pound If something is worth doing then it is a case of iIn for a penny, in for a pound, which means that when gambling or taking a chance, you might as well go the whole way and take all the risks, not just some.
652
In my bad books If you are in someone's bad books, they are angry with you. Likewise, if you are in their good books, they are pleased with you.
653
In my book This idiom means 'in my opinion'.
654
In my good books If someone is in your good books, you are pleased with or think highly of them at the momnent.
655
In one ear and out the other If something goes in one ear and out the other, you forget it as soon as you've heard it because it was too complicated, boring etc.
656
In over your head If someone is in over their head, they are out of the depth in something they are involved in, and may end up in a mess.
657
In rude health If someone's in rude health, they are very healthy and look it.
658
In stitches If someone is in stitches, they are laughing uncontrollably.
659
In tandem If people do things in tandem, they do them at the same time.
660
In the black If your bank account is in credit, it is in the black.
661
In the club If a woman's in the club, she's pregnant.
'In the pudding club' is an alternative form.
662
In the dock If someone is in the dock, they are on trial in court.
663
In the doghouse If someone is in the doghouse, they are in disgrace and very unpopular at the moment.
664
In the family way If a woman is in the family way, she is pregnant.
665
In the hot seat If someone's in the hot seat, they are the target for a lot of unwelcome criticism and examination.
667
In the long run This means 'over a long period of time', 'in the end' or 'in the final result'.
668
In the offing If something is in the offing, it is very likely to happen soon.
669
In the pink If you are in very good health, you are in the pink.
670
In the pipeline If something's in the pipeline, it hasn't arrived yet but its arrival is expected.
671
In the red If your bank account is overdrawn, it is in the red.
672
In the same boat If people are in the same boat, they are in the same predicament or trouble.
673
In the soup If you're in the soup, you're in trouble.
674
In the swim If you are in the swim, you are up-to-date with and fully informed about something.
675
In the twinkling of an eye If something happens in the twinkling of an eyeE, it happens very quickly.
676
In two minds If you are in two minds about something, you can't decide what to do.
677
In your face If someone is in your face, they are direct and confrontational. (It is sometime written 'in yer face'colloquially)
678
In your sights If you have someone or something in your sights, they are your target to beat.
679
Indian file If people walk in Indian file, they walk in a line one behind the other.
680
Indian giver An Indian giver gives something, then tries to take it back.
681
Indian summer If there is a period of warmer weather in late autumn, it is an Indian summer.
681
Into thin air If something vanishes or disappears without trace, it vanishes into thin air; no-one knows where it has gone.
682
Iron fist Someone who rules or controls something with an iron fist is in absolute control and tolerates no dissent. An
iron fist in a velvet glove is used to describe someone who appears soft on the outside, but underneath is very hard.
'Mailed fist' is an alternative form.
683
Irons in the fire A person who has a few irons in the fire has a number of things working to their advantage at the same time.
684
It ain't over till the fat lady sings This idiom means that until something has officially finished, the result is uncertain.
685
It cost an arm and a leg If something costs an arm and a leg, it is very expensive indeed.
686
It cost the earth If something costs the earth, it is very expensive indeed.
687
It's no use crying over spilt milk This idiom means that getting upset after something has gone wrong is pointless; it can't
be changed so it should be accepted.
688
Ivory tower People who live in ivory towers are detached from the world around them.
689
Jack Frost If everything has frozen in winter, then Jack Frost has visited.
690
Jack-of-all-trades A jack-of-all-trades is someone that can do many different jobs.
691
Jane Doe Jane Doe is a name given to an unidentified female who may be party to legal proceddings, or to an unidentied person in hospital, or dead. John Doe is the male equivalent.
692
Jersey justice Jersey justice is very severe justice.
693
Jet-black To emphasise just how black something is, such as someone's hair, we can call it jet-black.
694
Job's comforter Someone who says they want to comfort, but actually discomforts people is a Job's comforter.
(Job's is pronounced 'jobes', not 'jobs')
695
Jobs for the boys Where people give jobs, contracts, etc, to their friends and associates, these are jobs for the boys.
696
Jockey for position If a number of people want the same opportunity and are struggling to emerge as the most likely candidate,they are jockeying for position.
697
John Doe John Doe is a name given to an unidentified male who may be party to legal proceddings, or to an unidentied person in hospital, or dead. Jane Doe is the female equivalent.
698
John Q Public John Q Public is the typical, average person.
699
Johnny-come-lately A Johnny-come-lately is someone who has recently joined something or arrived somewhere, especially when they want to make changes that are not welcome.
700
B]Juggle frogs [/B] If you are juggling frogs, you are trying to do something very difficult.
701
Jump on the bandwagon If people jump on the bandwagon, they get involved in something that has recently become very popular.
702
Jump the gun If you jump the gun, you start doing something before the appropriate time.
703
Jump through hoops If you are prepared to jump through hoops for someone, you are prepared to make great efforts
and sacrifices for them.
704
Jungle out there If someone says that it is a jungle out there, they mean that the situation is dangerours and there are no rules.
705
Jury's out If the jury's out on an issue, then there is no general agreement or consensus on it.
706
Just coming up to If the time is just coming up to nine o'clock, it means that it will be nine o'clock in a very few seconds. You'll hear them say it on the radio in the morning.
707
Just deserts If a bad or evil person gets their just deserts, they get the punishment or suffer the misfortune that it is felt they deserve.
708
Just in the nick of time If you do somethingin the nick of time, you just manage to do it just in time, with seconds to spare.
709
Just off the boat If someone is just off the boat, they are naive and inexperienced.
710
Kangaroo court When people take the law into their own hands and form courts that are not legal, these are known as kangaroo court.
711
Keen as mustard If someone is very enthusiatic, they are as keen as mustard.
712
Keep abreast If you keep abreast of things, you stay informed about developments.
713
Keep at bay If you keep someone or something at bay, you maintain a safe distance from them.
714
Keep body and soul together If you earn enough to cover your basic expenses, but nothing more than that, you earn enough to keep body and soul together.
715
Keep mum If you keep mum about something, you keep quiet and don't tell anyone.
716
Keep posted If you keep posted about something, you keep up-to-date with information and developments.
717
Keep up with the Joneses People who try to keep up with the Joneses are competitive about material possessions and always try to have the latest and best things.
718
Keep your chin up This expresion is used to tell someone to have confidence.
719
Keep your ear to the ground If you keep your ear to the ground, you try to keep informed about something, especially if there are rumours or uncertainties.
720
Keep your eye on the ball If you keep your eye on the ball, you stay alert and pay close attention to what is happening.
721
Keep your fingers crossed If you are keeping your fingers crossed, you are hoping for a positive outcome.
722
Keep your hair on Keep your hair on is advice telling someone to keep calm and not to over-react or get angry.
723
Keep your head above water If you are just managing to survive financially, you are keeping your head above water.
724
Keep your nose clean If someone is trying to keep their Nose Clean, they are trying to stay out of trouble by not getting
involved in any sort of wrong-doing.
725
Keep your pecker up If someone tells you to keep your pecker up, they are telling you not to let your problems get on top of you and to try to be optimistic.
726
Keep your powder dry If you keep your powder dry, you act cautiously so as not to damage your chances.
727
Keep your shirt on! This idiom is used to tell someone to calm down.
728
Keep your wig on! This idiom is used to tell someone to calm down.
729
Keeping your options open Is someone's keeping her or his options open, they aren't going to restrict themselves or rule out any possible course of action.
730
Kettle of fish A pretty or fine kettle of fish is a difficult problem or situation.
731
Kick away the ladder If someone kicks away the ladder, they remove something that was supporting or helping someone.
732
Kick in the teeth Bad news or a sudden disappointment are a kick in the teeth.
733
Kick something into the long grass If an issue or problem is kicked into the long grass, it is pushed aside and hidden in
the hope that it will be forgotten or ignored.
734
Kick the bucket When someone kicks the bucket, they die.
735
Kid gloves If someone is handled with kid gloves, they are given special treatment and handled with great care.
736
Kill the goose that lays the golden egg If you kill the goose that lays the golden egg, you ruin something that is very
profitable.
737
Kill two birds with one stone When you kill two birds with one stone, you resolve two difficulties or matters with a single action.
738
Kindred spirit A kindred spirit is someone who feels and thinks the way you do.
739
Kiss of death The kiss of death is an action that means failure or ruin for someone, a scheme, a plan, etc.
740
Kith and kin Your kith and kin are your family; your next of kin are close relations you nominate to deal with your affairs in the event of your death on a document, like a passport.
741
Knee-jerk reaction A knee-kerk reaction is an instant, instinctive response to a situation.
742
Knock your socks off If something knocks your socks off, it amazes and surprises you, usually in a positive way.
743
Know full well When you know full well, you are absolutely sure that you know.
744
Know the ropes Someone who is experienced and knows how the system works know the ropes.
745
Know which side one's bread is buttered on If you know which side one's bread is buttered on, you know where your interests lie and will act accordingly to protect or further them.
746
Know your onions If someone is very well-informed about something, they know their onions.
747
Know your place A person who knows their place doesn't try to impose themselves on others.
749
Labor of love A labor of love is a project or task undertaking for the interest or pleasure in doing it rather than the reward, financial or otherwise.
750
Labour of love A labour of love is a project or task undertaking for the interest or pleasure in doing it rather than the reward, financial or otherwise.
751
Lame duck If something or someone is a lame duck, they are in trouble.
752
Land of nod If someone has gone to the land of nod, they have fallen asleep or gone to bed.
753
Lap of the gods If something is in the lap of the gods, it is beyond our control and fate will decide the outcome.
754
Larger than life If something is excessive or exaggerated, it is larger than life.
755
Last hurrah If an elderly person does something special before they die, it is a last hurrah.
756
Last straw The last straw is the final problem that makes someone lose their temper or the problem that finally brought
about the collapse of something. It comes from an Arabic story, where a camel was loaded with straw until a single straw placed on the rest of the load broke its back.
757
Last-ditch A last-ditch attempt is a desperate attempt that will probably fail anyway.
758
Law unto yourself If somebody's a law unto themselves, they do what they believe is right regardless of what is
generally accepted as correct.
759
Lay down the law If someone lays down the law, they tell people what to do and are authoritarian.
760
Lead someone up the garden path If someone leads you up the garden path, they deceive you, or give you false information that causes you to waste your time.'Lead someone down the garden path' is also used.
761
Leave no stone unturned If you look everywhere to find something, or try everything to achieve something, you leave no stone unturned.
762
Leave well alone If you leave something well alone, you keep a safe distance from it, either physically or metaphorically.
763
Left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing If the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing, then communication within a company, organisation, group, etc, is so bad that people don't know what the others are doing.
764
Left in the dark If you are left in the dark about something, you aren't given the information that you should have.
765
Legend in your own lunchtime Somebody who becomes a legend in their own lifetime acquires fame, but often only to a select or specialist audience, while they are still alive.
766
Lesser of two evils Something that is the lesser of two evils, is an unpleasant option, but not as bad as the other.
767
Let bygones be bygones If people decide to let bygones be bygones, they decide to forget old problems or grievances they have with each other.
768
Let sleeping dogs lie If someone is told to let sleeping dogs lie, it means that they shouldn't disturb a situation as it would result in trouble or complications.
769
Let the cat out of the bag If you accidentally reveal a secret, you let the cat out of the bag.
770
Let the devil take the hindmost This idiom means that you should think of yourself and not be concerned about other people; look after yourself and let the devil take the hindmost.
771
Level playing field If there's a level playing field everybody is treated equally.
772
Lie through your teeth Someone who is always lying, regardless of what people know, lies through their teeth.
773
Light years ahead If you are light years ahead of others, you are a long way in front of them in terms of development,
success, etc.
774
Lightning rod Someone or something that attracts a lot of negative comment, often diverting attention from other probolems, is a lightning rod.
775
Like a beached whale Once a whale is on a beach, it cannot get back into the easily, so if you are completely stuck somewhere and can't get away, you are stranded like a beached whale.
776
Like a cat that got the cream If someone looks very pleased with themselves and happy, they look like a cat that got the cream.
777
Like a duck to water If someone has a natural talent for something and enjoys it, they take to it like a duck to water.
778
Like a fish needs a bicycle If someone needs something like a Fish Needs a Bicycle, they do not need it at all, originally a feminist slogan: A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle.
779
Like a fish out of water If someone feels like a fish out of water, they are very uncomfortable in the situation they are in.
780
Like a rat deserting a sinking ship If people leave a company because they know that it's about to have serious problems, or turn their back on a person about to be in a similar situation, they are said to be like rats deserting a sinking ship.
781
Like lambs to the slaughter If somebody does something unpleasant without any resistance, they go like lambs to the slaughter.
782
Like taking candy from a baby If something is like taking candy from a baby, it is very easy to do.
783
Like the clappers If something is going like the clappers, it is going very fast.
784
Like there's no tomorrow If you do something like there's no tomorrow, you do it fast or energetically.
785
Lily-livered Someone who is lily-livered is a coward.
786
Lines of communication Lines of communication are the routes used to communicate by people or groups who are in
conflict; a government might open lines of communication with terrorists if it wished to negotiate with them.
787
Lip service When people pay lip service to something, they express their respect, but they don't act on their words, so the respect is hollow and empty.
788
Live wire A person who is very active, both mentally and physically, is a live wire.
789
Loan shark A loan shark lends money at very high rates of interest.
790
Lock the stable door after the horse has bolted If someone takes action too late, they do this; there is no reason to lock
an empty stable.
791
Lock, stock and barrel This is an expressions that means 'everything'; if someone buys a company lock, stock and barrel, they buy absolutely everything to do with the company.
792
Long in the tooth If someone is long in the tooth, they are a bit too old to do something.
793
Long time no see Long time no see means that the speaker has not seen that person for a long time.
794
Look after number 1 You are number one, so this idiom menas that you should think about yourself first, rather than worrying about other people.
795
Look before you leap This idiom means that you should think carefully about the possible results or consequences before doing something.
796
Look out for number one If you look out for number one, you take care of yourself and your interests, rather than those of other people.
797
Lose the plot If someone loses the plot, they have stopped being rational about something.
798
Lose your lunch If you lose your lunch, you vomit.
799
Lose your marbles If someone has lost their marbles, they've gone mad.
800
Lose your shirt If someone loses their shirt, they lose all their money through a bad investment, gambling, etc.
801
Lower the bar If people change the standards required to make things easier, they lower the bar.
802
Lower your sights If you lower your sights, you accept something that is less than you were hoping for.
803
Luck of the draw To have the 'Luck of the draw' is to win something in a competition where the winner is chosen purely by chance.
804
Mad as a badger If someone is as mad as a badger, they are crazy.
805
Mad as a hornet If someone is as mad as a hornet, they are very angry indeed.
806
Mad as a March hare Someone who is excitable and unpredictable is as mad as a March hare.
807
Mailed fist Someone who rules or controls something with a mailed fist is in absolute control and tolerates no dissent. A mailed fist in a velvet glove is used to describe someone who appears soft on the outside, but underneath is very hard.
'Iron fist' is an alternative form.
808
Major league Something major league is very important.
809
Make a better fist If someone makes a better fist of doing something, they do a better job.
810
Make a killing If you make a killing, you do something that makes you a lot of money.
811
Make a mint If someone is making a mint, they are making a lot of money.
812
Make a monkey of someone If you make a monkey of someone, you make them look foolish.
813
Make a mountain out of a molehill If somebody makes a mountain out of a molehill, they exagerate the importance or seriousness of a problem.
814
Make a pitch If you make a pitch for something, you make a bid, offer or other attempt to get it.
815
Make a request If you request something, or make a request, you are asking for something you want or need.
816
Make a song and dance If someone makes a song and dance, they make an unecessary fuss about something
unimportant.
817
Make an enquiry If you make an enquiry, you ask for general information about something.
818
Make bets in a burning house If people are making bets in a burning house, they are engaged in futile activity, while
serious problems around them are getting worse.
819
Make ends meet If somebody finds it hard to make ends meet, they have problems living on the money they earn.
820
Make hay If you make hay, or may hay while the sun shines, you take advantage of an opportunity as soon as it arises and do not waste time.
821
Make headway If you make headway, you make progress.
822
Make no bones about it If somebody make no bones about a scandal in their past, they are open and honest about it
and show no shame or embarrassment.
823
Make out like a bandit If someone is extremely successful in a venture, they make out like a bandit.
824
Make waves If someone makes waves, they cause a lot of trouble.
825
Make your blood boil If something makes your blood boil, it makes you very angry.
826
Make your hair stand on end If something makes your hair stand on end, it terrifies you.
827
Man in the street The man in the street is an idiom to describe ordinary people, especially when talking about their opinions and ideas.
828
Man of letters A man of letters is someone who is an expert in the arts and literature, and often a writer too.
829
Man of means A man, or woman, of means is wealthy.
830
Man of straw A weak person that can easily be beaten of changed is a man of straw.
831
Man of the cloth A man of the cloth is a priest.
832
Man's best friend This is an idiomatic term for dogs.
833
Man's man A man's man is a man who does things enjoyed by men and is respected by other men.
834
Many a slip twixt cup and lip There's many a slip twixt cup and lip means that many things can go wrong before something is achieved.
835
Mark my words Mark my words is an expression used to lend an air of seriousness to what the speaker is about to say
when talking about the future. You often hear drunks say it before they deliver some particularly spurious nonsense.
836
Marked man A marked man is a person who is being targetted by people who want to do them harm or cause them
trouble.
837
Matter of life and death If something is a matter of life and death, it is extremely important.
838
Mealy-mouthed A mealy-mouthed person doesn't say what they mean clearly.
839
Meet someone halfway If you meet someone halfway, you accept some of their ideas and make concessions.
840
Meet your expectations If something doesn't meet your expectations, it means that it wasn't as good as you had thought it was going to be; a disappointment.
841
Meet your match If you meet your match, you meet a person who is at least as good if not better than you are at
something.
842
Megaphone diplomacy If negotiations between countries or parties are held through press releases and announcements,
this is megaphone diplomacy, aiming to force the other party into adopting a desired position.
843
Memory like a sieve If somebody can't retain things for long in his or her memory and quickly forgets, he or she has a
memory like a sieve. A sieve has lots of tiny holes in it to let liquids out while keeping the solids inside.
844
Memory like an elephant 'An elephant never forgets' is a saying, so if a person has a memory like an elephant, he or she
has a very good memory indeed.
845
Mickey Mouse If something is Mickey Mouse, it is intellectually trivial or not of a very high standard.
846
Midas touch If someone has the Midas touch, they make a lot of money out of any scheme they try.
847
Mighty oaks from little acorns grow Big or great things start very small.
848
Millstone round your neck A millstone around your neck is a problem that prevents you from doing what you want to do.
849
Mind the gap Mind the gap is an instruction used on the Underground in the UK to warn passengers to be careful when leaving the tube or train as there is quite a distance between the train and the platform.
850
Mind Your P's and Q's If you are careful about the way you behave and are polite, you mind Your P's and Q's.
851
Mint condition If something is in mint condition, it is in perfect condition.
852
Misery guts A misery guts is a person who's always unhappy and tries to make others feel negative.
853
Miss is as good as a mile A miss is as good as a mile means that if you fail, even by the smallest margin, it is still a failure.
854
Miss the boat If you miss the boat, you are too late to take advantage of an opportunity.
855
Money laundering If people launder money, they get money made illegally into the mainstream so that it is believed to be legitimate and clean.
856
Money to burn If someone is very rich, they have money to burn.
857
Monkey business If children get up to monkey business, they are behaving naughtily or mischievously. This is the same as MONKEYING AROUND.
858
Moot point If something's a moot point, there's some disagreement about it; a debatable point.
859
More haste, less speed The faster you try to do something, the more likely you are to make mistakes that make you take longer than it would had you planned it.
860
More heat than light If a discussion generates more heat than light, it doesn't provide answers, but does make people angry.
861
More than one string to their bow A person who has more than one string to their bow has different talents or skills to fall back on.
862
Move the goalposts When people move the goalposts, they change the standards required for something to their advantage.
863
Mover and shaker A person who is a mover and shaker is a highly-respected, key figure in their particular area with a lot of influence and importance.
864
Mud in your eye This is a way of saying 'cheers' when you are about to drink something, normally alcohol.
865
Mud-slinging If someone is mud-slinging, they are insulting someone and trying to damage that person's reputation.
866
Muddy the waters If somebeody muddies the waters, he or she makes the situation more complex or less clear.
867
Murky waters Where people are behaving in morally and ethically questionable ways, they are in murky waters.
868
Music to my ears If something someone says is music to your ears, it is exactly what you had wanted to hear.
869
Mutton dressed as lamb Mutton dressed as lamb is term for middle-aged or elderly people trying to look younger.
870
My hands are full If your hands are full, you have so much to do that you cannot take on any more work, responsibilities and so on.
871
My hands are tied If your hands are tied, you are unable to act for some reason
872
Nail in the coffin A nail in someone or something's coffin is a problem or event that is a clear step towards an inevitable failure.
873
Nature abhors a vacuum This idiom is used to express the idea that empty or unfilled spaces are unnatural as they go
against the laws of nature and physics.
874
Neck and neck If two competitors or candidates, etc, are neck and neck, then they are very close and neither is clearly winning.
875
Neck of the woods If someone talks about their neck of the woods, they mean the area where they live.
876
Needle in a haystack If trying to find something is like looking for a needle in a haystack, it means that it is very difficult, if not impossible to find among everything around it.
877
Neither fish nor fowl Something or someone that is neither fish nor fowl doesn't really fit into any one group.
878
Nest egg If you have some money saved for the future, it is a nest egg.
879
Never a rose without the prick This means that good things always have something bad as well; like the thorns on the stem of a rose.
880
New blood If something needs new blood, it has become stale and needs new ideas or people to invigorate it.
881
New brush sweeps clean 'A new brush sweeps clean' means that someone with a new perspective can make great changes. However, the full version is 'a new brush sweeps clean, but an old brush knows the corners', which warns that experience is also a valuable thing. Sometimes 'broom' is used instead of 'brush'.
882
New lease of life If someone finds new enthusiasm and energy for something, they have a new lease of life.
883
New man A New man is a man who believes in complete equality of the sexes and shares domestic work equally.
884
New York minute If something happens in a New York minute, it happens very fast.
885
Newfangled People who don't like new methods, technologies, etc, describe them as newfangled, which means new but not as good or nice as the old ones.
886
Nick of time If you do something in the nick of time, you do it at the very last minute or second.
887
Ninth circle of hell In Dante's Inferno, the ninth circle of hell is the centre where the worst punishments are found, so it is
used idiomatically for something that couldn't get worse.
888
Nip it in the bud If you nip something in the bud, you deal with a problem when it is still small, before it can grow into something serious.
889
Nitty gritty If people get down to the nitty gritty, they concentrate on the most important and serious issues.
890
No bed of roses If something isn't a bed of roses, it is difficult.
891
No can do No can do means that the speaker can't do whatever it is that has been asked of him or her.
892
No great shakes If someone is no great shakes at something, they are not very good at it.
893
No holds barred If there are no holds barred, there are no rules of conduct; you can do anything.
894
No ifs or buts Ifs and Buts is a term used to describe the reasons people give for not wanting to do something. To show that you don't wish to accept any excuses, you can tell somebody that you wish to hear no ifs or buts Here IF & BUT have become nouns
895
No love lost If there is no love lost between two people they have a strong enmity towards or hate for the other and make no effort to conceal it.
896
No quarter This means without mercy. We can say no quarter given or asked.
897
No question This idiom means that something is certain or definite.
898
No questions asked If something is to be done and no questions asked, then it doesn't matter what methods are used or what rules are broken to ensure that it gets done.
899
No spring chicken If someone is no spring chicken, they aren't very young.
900
No time for If you have no time for an activity, you have absolutely no desire to spend or waste any time doing it. You can have no time for people, too.
901
No time like the present If people say that there's no time like the present , they believe that it is far better to do something now than to leave it for later, in which case it might never get done.
902
No time to lose If there's no time to lose, then it's time to get started otherwise it won't be finished on time.
903
Not all there If someone isn't all there, they are a little bit stupid or crazy.
904
Not cricket If something is not cricket, it is unfair.
905
Not enough room to swing a cat If a room is very small, you can say that there isn't enough room to swing a cat in it.
906
Not much cop Describing a film or something as not much cop is a way of saying that you didn't think much of it.
907
Not my cup of tea If something is not your cup of tea, you don't like it very much.
908
Not to be sneezed at If something is not to be sneezed at, it should be taken seriously.
909
Notch on your belt A success or achievement that might help you in the future is a notch on your belt.
910
Number cruncher A number cruncher is an accountant or someone who is very good at dealing with numbers and calculations.
911
Nuts and bolts The nuts and bolts are the most essential components of something.
912
Odds and ends Odds and ends are small, remnant articles and things- the same as bits and bobs.
913
Off colour If someone looks off colour/color, they look ill.
914
Off the chart If something goes off the chart, it far exceeds the normal standards, good or bad, for something.
915
Off the cuff If you do something off the cuff, you do it without any preparation.
916
Off the hook If someone is off the hook, they have avoided punishment or criticism for something they have done.
917
Off the mark If something is off the mark, it is inaccurate or incorrect.
918
Off the rails If someone has gone off the rails, they have lost track of reality.
919
Off the scale If something goes off the scale, it far exceeds the normal standards, good or bad, for something.
920
Off the wall Something that is off the wall is unconventional.
921
Off your rocker Someone who is off their rocker is crazy.
922
Off-hand Off-hand means without preparation. People say that they don't know the answer off-hand, meaning that they don't know it at that time.
923
Old hat If something's old hat, it seems rather old fashioned and dated.
924
Oldest trick in the book The oldest trick in the book is a well-known way of deceiving someone, though still effective.
925
Olive branch If you hold out or offer an olive branch, you make a gesture to indicate that you want peace.
926
On a fishing expedition If someone is on a fishing expedition, they are trying to get information, often using incorrect or
improper ways to find things out.
927
On Carey Street If someone is on Carey Street, they are heavily in debt or have gone bankrupt.
928
On hold If something is on hold, no action is being taken.
929
On ice If plans are put on ice, they are delayed and no action will be taken for the foreseeable future.
930
On tenterhooks This means that she is waiting impatiently and excitedly for something.
931
On the ball If someone's on the ball, they are well-informed and know what's going on in their area of responsibility or interest.
932
On the blink Is a machine is on the blink, it isn't working properly or is out of order.
933
On the blower If someone is on the blower, they are on the phone.
934
On the case If someone is on the case, they are dealing with a problem.
935
On the dot If someone says that they're leaving at seven on the dot, don't be late; they mean at exactly seven o'clock.
936
On the fiddle Someone who is stealing money from work is on the fiddle, especially if they are doig it by fraud.
937
On the fly If you do things on the fly, you do things without preparation, responding to events as they happen.
938
On the game A person who is on the game works as a prostitute.
939
On the ground Events on the ground are where things are actually happening, not at a distance.
940
On the hoof If you decide something on the hoof, you do it without planning, responding to events as they happen.
941
On the level If someone is honest and trustworthy, they are on the level.
942
On the line If somebody's job is on the line, they stand a very good chance of losing it.
943
On the map If a place becomes widely known, it is put on the map. A place that remains unknown is off the map.
944
On the never-never If you buy something on the never-never, you buy it on long-term credit.
945
On the nod Someone who has taken a lot of drugs and is barely conscious is on the nod.
946
On the right foot If you start something or set off on the right foot, you get off to a good start.
947
On the shelf If something like a project is on the shelf, nothing is being done about it at the moment.
948
On the sly If someone does something on the sly, they do it furtively or secretly.
949
On the stump When politicians are campaigning for support and votes, they are on the stump.
950
On the take Someone who is stealing from work is on the take.
951
On the tip of your tongue If a word is on the tip of your tongue, you know you know the word, but you just can't quite remember it at the moment.
952
On the trot This idiom means 'consecutively'; I'd saw them three days on the trot, which means that I saw them on three consecutive days.
953
On the up and up If you are on the up and up, you are making very good progress in life and doing well.
954
On the wagon If someone is on the wagon, they have stopped drinking alcohol.
955
On top of the world If you are on top of the world, everything is going well for you.
956
On your high horse When someone is on their high horse, they are being inflexible, arrogant and will not make any
compromises.
957
On your last legs If someone's on their last legs, they're close to dying.
958
Once bitten, twice shy If somebody is said to be once bitten twice shy, it means that someone who has been hurt or
who has had something go wrong will be far more careful the next time.
959
One bad apple The full form of this proverb is 'one bad apple spoils the barrel', meaning that a bad person, policy, etc, can ruin everything around it.
960
One fell swoop If something is done at one fell swoop, it is done in a single period of activity, usually swiftly and ruthlessly.
961
One man's meat is another man's poison This idiom means that one person can like something very much, but another can hate it.
962
One over the eight Someone who is one over the eight is drunk.
963
One-man band If one person does all the work or has all the responsibility somewhere, then they are a one-man band.
964
One-off A one-off event only happens once and will not be repeated.
965
Open all hours If a shop or suchlike is open all hours, it only closes, if at all, terribly late.
966
Open book If a person is an open book, it is easy to know what they think or how they feel about things.
967
Opening a can of worms If you open a can of worms, you do something that will cause a lot of problems and is, on
balance, probably going to cause more trouble than it's worth.
968
Opportunity knocks but once This idiom means that you only get one chance to achieve what you really want to do.
969
Out and about If someone is out and about, they have left their home and are getting things done that they need to do.
970
Out in the sticks If someone lives out in the sticks, they live out in the country, a long way from any metropolitan area.
971
Out like a light If you are out like a light, you fall fast asleep.
972
[BOut of pocket[/B] If you are out of pocket on a deal, you have lost money.
973
Out of sight, out of mind Out of sight, out of mind is used to suggest that someone will not think or worry about
something if it isn't directly visible or available to them.
974
Out of sorts If you are feeling a bit upset and depressed, you are out of sorts.
975
Out of the blue If something happens out of the blue, it happens suddenly and unexpectedly.
976
Out of the frying pan, into the fire If you get out of one problem, but find yourself in a worse situation, you are out of the frying pan, into the fire.
977
Out of your own pocket If someone does something out of their own pocket, they pay all the expenses involved.
978
Out on a limb If somebody's out on a limb, they are in a very exposed position and could get into difficulties.
979
Out to lunch If someone's out to lunch, they are crazy or out of touch.
980
Over a barrel If someone has you over a barrel, they have you in a position where you have no choice but to accept
what they want.
981
Over the counter Medicines and drugs that can be sold without a doctor's prescription are sold over the counter.
982
Over the moon If you are over the moon about something, you are overjoyed.
983
Over your head If something is over your head, or goes over your head, it is too complex or difficult for you to
understand.
984
Pain in the neck If someone is very annoying and always disturbing you, they are a pain in the neck.
985
Paint the town red If you go out for a night out with lots of fun and drinking, you paint the town red.
986
Paint yourself into a corner If someone paints themselves into a corner, they get themselves into a mess.
987
Paper tiger A paper tiger is a person, country, institution, etc, that looks powerful, but is actually weak.
988
Par for the course If something is par for the course, it is what you expected it would be. If it is above par, it is better, and if it is below par, it is worse.
989
Parrot fashion If you learn something parrot fashion, you learn it word for word. A parrot is a bird from South America that can talk.
990
Part and parcel If something is part and parcel of your job, say, it is an essential and unavoidable part that has to be accepted.
991
Pass muster If something passes muster, it meets the required standard.
992
Pass the buck If you pass the buck, you avoid taking responsibility by saying that someone else is responsible.
993
Pass the time of day If you pass the time of day with somebody, you stop and say hello, enquire how they are and other such acts of social politeness.
994
Patience of Job If something requires the patience of Job, it requires great patience.
995
Pay on the nail If you pay on the nail, you pay promptly in cash.
996
Pay through the nose If you pay through the nose for something, you pay a very high price for it.
997
Pecking order The pecking order is the order of importance or rank.
998
Pen is mightier than the sword The idiom 'the pen is mightier than the sword' means that words and communication are more powerful than wars and fighting.
999
Penny wise, pound foolish Someone who is penny wise, pound foolish can be very careful or mean with small amounts of money, yet wasteful and extravagant with large sums.
1000
Perfidious Albion England is known to some as perfidious Albion, implying that it is not trustworthy in its dealings with foreigners.
1001
Perish the thought Perish the thought is an expression meaning that you really hope something will not happen.
1002
Pick up the tab A person who pays for everyone picks up the tab.
1003
Pick-up game A pick-up game is something unplanned where people respond to events as they happen.
1004
Pie in the sky If an idea or scheme is pie in the sky, it is utterly impractical.
1005
Piece of cake If something is a piece of cake, it is really easy.
1006
Pig in a poke If someone buys a pig in a poke, they buy something without checking the condition it was in, usually finding out later that it was defective.
1007
Pigs might fly If you think something will never happen or succeed, you can say that 'pigs might fly' (or 'pigs can fly' and 'pigs will fly'- the idiom is used in many forms)
1008
Pin money If you work for pin money, you work not because you need to but because it gives you money for extra little luxuries and treats.
1009
Pink pound In the UK, the pink pound is an idiom for the economic power of gay people.
1010
Pipe dream A pipe dream is an unrealistic, impractical idea or scheme.
1011
Piping hot If food is piping hot, it is very hot indeed.
1012
Plain as a pikestaff If something is as plain as a pikestaff, it is very clear.
1013
Plain as the nose on your face If something is as plain as the nose on your face, it is very clear and obvious.
1014
Plain sailing If something is relatively easy and there are no problems doing it, it is plain sailing.
1015
Plastic Smile When someone is wearing a plastic smile, they are appear to be happier with a situation or events than they actually are. This is actually a description of the forced smile you might see in many photographs.
1016
Play hardball If someone plays hardball, they are very agressive in trying to achieve their aim.
1017
Play havoc Playing havoc with something is creating disorder and confusion; computer viruses can play havoc with your programs.
1018
Play it by ear If you play it by ear, you don't have a plan of action, but decide what to do as events take shape.
1019
Play out of your skin If someone plays out of their skin, they give an outstanding performance.
1020
Play second fiddle If you play second fiddle, you take a subordinate role behind someone more important.
1021
Play the field Someone who plays the field has sexual relationships with many people.
1022
Playing to the glallery If someone plays to the gallery, they say or do things that will make them popular, but which are
not the right things to do.
1023
Pointy-heads Pointy-heads are supposed intellectuals or experts, but who don't really know that much.
1024
Pop the question When someone pops the question, they ask someone to marry them.
1025
Pop your clogs When someone pops their clogs, they die.
1026
Pork barrel Pork barrel politics involves investing money in an area to get political support rather than using the money
for the common good.
1027
Pot-luck If you take pot-luck, you take whatever happens to be available at the time.
1028
Powder your nose If somebody goes to powder your nose, it is a euphemism for going to the lavatory (toilet).
1029
Powers that Be The Powers that Be are the people who are in charge of something.
1030
Primrose path The primrose path is an easy and pleasurable lifestyle, but one that ends in unpleasantness and problems.
1031
Proclaim it from the rooftops If something is proclaimed from the rooftops, it is made as widely known and as public as possible.
1032
Prodigal son A prodigal son is a young man who wastes a lot on money on a lavish lifestyle. If the prodigal son returns, they return to a better way of living.
1033
Pull in the reins When you pull in the reins, you slow down or stop something that has been a bit out of control.
1034
Pull no punches If you pull no punches, you hold nothing back.
1035
Pull someone's leg If you pull someone's leg, you tease them, but not maliciously.
1036
Pull strings If you pull strings, you use contacts you have got to help you get what you want.
1037
Pull the other one, it's got brass bells on This idiom is way of telling somebody that you don't believe them. The word
'brass' is optional.
1038
Pull the wool over someone's eyes If you pull the wool over someone's eyes, you deceive or cheat them.
1039
Pull up your socks If you aren't satified with someone and want them to do better, you can tell them to pull up their
socks.
1040
Pull your chain If someone pulls your chain, they take advantage of you in an unfair way or do something to annoy you.
1041
Pull your finger out! If someone tells you to do this, they want you to hurry up.
1042
Pull your punches If you pull your punches, you don't do something as hard as you could, or don't criticise someone as much as you could.
1043
Pull your punches If you pull your punches, you do not use all the power or authority at your disposal.
1044
Pull your weight If someone is not pulling their weight, they aren't making enough effort, especially in group work.
1045
Punching bag A punching bag (or punch bag) is a person who gets a lot of unfair criticism.
1046
Pup's chance A pup's chance is no chance.
1047
Push the envelope This means to go to the limits, to do something to the maximum possible.
1048
Pushing up the daisies If someone is said to be pushing up the daisies, they are dead.
1049
Put all your eggs in one basket If you put all your eggs in one basket, you risk everything on a single opportunity which,
like eggs breaking, could go wrong.
1050
Put or get someone's back up If you put or get someone's back up, you annoy them.
1051
Put somebody's nose out of joint If you put someone's nose out of joint, you irritate them or make them angry with you.
1052
Put your foot down When someone puts their foot down, they make a firm stand and establish their authority on an
issue.
1053
Put your foot in it If you put your foot in it, you do or say something embarrassing and tactless or get yourself into trouble.
1054
Putting the cart before the horse When you put the cart before the horse, you are doing something the wrong way round
1055
Pyrrhic victory A Pyrrhic victory is one that causes the victor to suffer so much to achieve it that it isn't worth winning.