English Idioms

A curated set of 1566 idioms in English — literal translations, real meanings, and where each one comes from.

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The last straw that broke the camel's back — The final small burden that causes a total collapse.
To have a frog in your throat — To have difficulty speaking due to hoarseness.
It's raining cats and dogs — It's raining extremely heavily.
To have butterflies in your stomach — To feel nervous excitement.
Bob's your uncle — And there you have it; simple as that.
take the biscuit — to be the most outrageous or remarkable thing; to win or excel.
beat around the bush — to avoid addressing the main point; to speak indirectly.
give someone the cold shoulder — to deliberately treat someone with indifference or ignore them.
let the cat out of the bag — to reveal a secret inadvertently.
pull your punches — to hold back; to be less forceful than you could be.
spill the tea — to reveal gossip or scandalous information.
go belly up — to fail completely; to go bankrupt.
wear your heart on your sleeve — to display emotions openly; to be transparent about feelings.
mad as a box of frogs — completely crazy; chaotic and unpredictable.
bark up the wrong tree — to pursue a wrong course; to blame the wrong person.
have the wool pulled over your eyes — to be deceived or fooled.
not worth your salt — incompetent; not deserving of wages or respect.
get your ducks in a row — to organize yourself; to prepare systematically.
in a pig's eye — absolutely not; never; expressing strong disagreement.
stick your oar in — to interfere in someone else's affairs; to meddle.
lower your guard — to relax defenses; to become vulnerable.
bring home the bacon — to provide income; to succeed in earning money.
like a fish out of water — uncomfortable or awkward in a situation; out of one's element.
come hell or high water — no matter what obstacles arise; with absolute determination.
run rings around someone — to easily surpass someone; to be far superior in ability.
bury the hatchet — to make peace; to settle a dispute.
a storm in a teacup — excessive fuss over something trivial; tempest in a teapot.
get the ball rolling — to start something; to initiate a process.
as tough as old boots — very strong; enduring; difficult to break.
head honcho — the person in charge; the leader.
up the creek without a paddle — in a difficult situation without means to escape.
paint the town red — to celebrate wildly; to party extensively.
get the short end of the stick — to receive unfair treatment; to get the worse deal.
fit as a fiddle — in excellent physical condition; healthy.
no love lost — mutual dislike; bad relations between people.
take the plunge — to commit to something risky; to make a decisive move.
a nose for something — a talent for finding or recognizing something; keen instinct.
throw in the towel — to give up; to concede defeat.
keep your chin up — to remain optimistic; to stay courageous during difficulty.
pitter-patter of little feet — the sound of children running; anticipation of having babies.
be in someone's shoes — to understand someone's perspective; to experience their situation.
the real McCoy — the genuine article; something authentic and high quality.
cry over spilled milk — to regret something past; useless to grieve over unchangeable events.
white as a sheet — extremely pale; shocked or frightened.
go pear-shaped — to go wrong; to develop badly; to become misshapen.
hard pill to swallow — difficult to accept; unpleasant truth or reality.
be on cloud nine — to be extremely happy; in a state of bliss.
get a kick out of something — to enjoy something greatly; to find something amusing.
sharp as a tack — intelligent; quick-witted; keen-minded.
run it up the flagpole — to test an idea; to present something for approval or feedback.
knock on wood — to seek good fortune; to ward off bad luck.
pull someone's leg — To joke or tease someone by telling them something untrue.
Mad as a hatter — Completely eccentric or unhinged.
To steal someone's thunder — To take credit for another's idea or upstage their big moment.
To turn a blind eye — To deliberately ignore something you know is wrong.
Hair of the dog — A morning drink taken to cure a hangover.
To bite the bullet — To face something painful with gritted courage.
To go cold turkey — To quit a habit abruptly and completely.
To cut the mustard — To meet the required standard; to succeed.
To chew the fat — To chat idly and at length.
By the skin of your teeth — By the narrowest possible margin.
To rain on someone's parade — To spoil someone's plans or happy moment.
To have a chip on your shoulder — To harbor a grudge or a defensive sense of grievance.
To cost an arm and a leg — To be extremely expensive.
To burn the midnight oil — To work late into the night.
Once in a blue moon — Very rarely.
To break the ice — To ease the initial tension in a social situation.
To throw a spanner in the works — To sabotage or disrupt a plan.
A skeleton in the closet — A shameful secret kept hidden.
To read the riot act — To reprimand someone sternly.
To give a wide berth — To keep well away from someone or something.
To pull out all the stops — To make every possible effort.
To have egg on your face — To look foolish or embarrassed.
To jump on the bandwagon — To join something only once it becomes popular.
To bury your head in the sand — To refuse to face an obvious danger.
To bite off more than you can chew — To take on more than you can handle.
Caught between a rock and a hard place — Stuck between two equally bad options.
To show your true colors — To reveal your real character at last.
blow off steam — To release pent-up anger, energy or stress harmlessly.
To face the music — To confront the unpleasant consequences of your actions.
To add insult to injury — To make a bad situation worse by a further offense.
To butter someone up — To flatter someone to win their favor.
Russian roulette — Any high-risk activity undertaken needlessly, where disaster may strike without warning.
pull back the curtain — To expose a hidden truth or reality behind an appearance.
present company excepted — These remarks do not apply to anyone currently present in this conversation.
on sufferance — Tolerated reluctantly and only because one has no better choice.
set in stone — Unchangeable and permanent, fixed beyond modification.
friend of Bill W. — A recovering alcoholic, especially one in Alcoholics Anonymous.
wear out one's welcome — To overstay one's time as a guest until one's presence becomes unwelcome or burdensome.
nothing short of — Absolutely; entirely; completely—nothing less than the full extent of what is stated.
give up the ghost — To die, or to cease functioning entirely.
live in the past — To be preoccupied with previous events and unable to move forward in life.
hammer and tongs — With great vigor and force; in a determined and vigorous manner.
in black and white — Stated explicitly and in writing; absolutely clear and unambiguous.
strings attached — Hidden conditions or requirements that make something less advantageous than it first appears.
rhyme or reason — Any logical sense or reasonable explanation.
drop in the bucket — A contribution or action so small it is negligible compared to a massive problem.
bed of roses — A situation or life that is entirely easy, comfortable, and free from hardship.
made in the shade — Assured of comfort, success, or an effortless, favorable position.
blow up in one's face — To fail spectacularly or cause a plan to collapse in an embarrassing way.
back up the truck — To make a large purchase by taking advantage of a favorable price.
haul someone over the coals — To scold or reprimand someone severely for wrongdoing.
make a fist of — To accomplish something with reasonable competence or success.
tilt at windmills — To waste effort fighting against imaginary enemies or pursuing hopeless causes.
welcome to my world — You are now experiencing something unpleasant that the speaker knows well and has dealt with many times.
one is a poet and doesn't know it — Someone has unintentionally created a rhyme or spoken in verse without realizing it.
hash slinger — A cook or server in a cheap restaurant, often regarded as rude or inattentive.
built different — Uniquely talented or operating by a different standard than ordinary people.
turn up the heat — To make a situation more intense, uncomfortable, or urgent.
on blast — Being publicly shamed or criticized, especially on social media.
train wreck — A spectacular, inevitable disaster that is witnessed by many people.
chase a rainbow — To pursue something that is impossible or unrealistic to attain.
rock the boat — To disrupt the status quo or challenge established conventions and rules.
body English — Subtle body movements a person makes to coax a moving object toward a desired direction, as if willing it through physical effort.
above the salt — Of high social rank, importance, or honor.
break the bank — To win or spend so much money that a casino or financial institution loses its entire available funds.
break the mold — To abandon convention and do something radically new or different.
hoist by one's own petard — To be harmed or destroyed by one's own trap or scheme meant to injure someone else.
sleep with the fishes — To be dead, with one's body disposed of in the ocean or a large body of water.
Augean stables — An extremely filthy, corrupt, or morally decayed place or situation that seems impossible to clean up.
on eternal patrol — Lost or missing at sea, presumed dead.
play with house money — To take risks when one has nothing personal to lose, or to act recklessly because the stakes feel low.
all mouth and trousers — Full of loud boasting and empty talk, lacking substance or follow-through.
turn on one's heel — To suddenly depart or walk away, often in a dramatic or dismissive manner.
sugarcoat the pill — To make something unpleasant more palatable or easier to accept.
ace up one's sleeve — A hidden advantage or secret resource kept in reserve to use when needed.
what's eating you — What is bothering or irritating you?
old flame — A former romantic partner, especially one whose memory still stirs affection.
old fogey — An elderly person with old-fashioned or reactionary views.
were you born in a tent — An admonishment to someone who has carelessly left a door open.
rip it up — To perform with energy, excitement, and conspicuous success.
anything goes — There are no rules, restrictions, or moral limits.
bash into shape — To shape, repair, or train something or someone by vigorous, rough, or direct methods.
in the same boat — In a shared predicament or situation; facing the same difficulties or circumstances together.
go along for the ride — To accompany someone passively, without taking an active role or responsibility.
at a pinch — In an urgent or difficult situation, when no better alternative is available or when resources are scarce.
at latter Lammas — Never; at a time that will never come.
go overboard — To exceed reasonable limits; to do something to an excessive, unrestrained, or reckless degree.
straight from the horse's mouth — Information received directly from the original source, without intermediaries.
thin the herd — To reduce the size of a group by removing members, typically the weakest or least productive.
I have a bridge to sell you — A sarcastic way of saying that someone is gullible or easily deceived.
swallow one's pride — To set aside one's pride and accept a humbling situation or apology.
fall into place — To become suddenly clear and fully understood when separate elements finally align.
raise hell — To cause a major disturbance or create considerable trouble and chaos.
flavor of the week — A person or thing that receives intense attention or popularity for a brief period before being forgotten.
stars align — Circumstances or events combine in a fortunate way, often unexpectedly or after a long period.
put the pedal to the metal — To accelerate a vehicle to maximum speed, or more figuratively, to exert maximum effort.
donkey's ears — A very long time; ages.
soft underbelly — A point of vulnerability or weakness in something otherwise strong or well-defended.
long fuse — A personality trait of being slow to anger; patience before losing one's temper.
long pork — Human flesh, especially as food.
bow out — To resign or withdraw from a situation while preserving one's dignity and reputation.
long shot — Something unlikely to succeed or happen; a bet or venture with very poor odds.
see with half an eye — To perceive something obvious with very little effort or attention.
mugged by reality — To experience a sudden, brutal confrontation with harsh truth after living in comfortable ignorance.
plow the sands — To expend great effort on something completely futile or worthless.
loaded for bear — Fully prepared and equipped, mentally and materially, to face a difficult challenge or confrontation.
have someone's guts for garters — To punish someone severely, especially with angry or violent reprimand.
spin one's wheels — To work hard without making any real progress toward a goal.
Lord willing and the creek don't rise — Used to express contingency on circumstances beyond one's control, especially minor natural obstacles.
until the cows come home — For an indefinitely long time; forever or seemingly forever.
land in someone's lap — Something desirable comes to someone without effort or expectation on their part.
wet one's whistle — To have a drink.
out of spoons — Exhausted of energy or resources, usually mental or emotional.
bad apple — A person of bad character whose presence corrupts or damages others or a group.
thrash out — To discuss and resolve a contentious issue thoroughly through frank dialogue.
play Cupid — To act as a matchmaker by trying to bring two people together romantically.
bad blood — Persistent hostility or deep resentment between people.
pull teeth — To accomplish something with great difficulty, requiring much effort and persistence.
cut a rug — To dance with energy and style, particularly in early twentieth-century jazz or swing styles.
stumbling block — An obstacle or barrier that impedes progress or causes difficulty.
hang upon — To be deeply absorbed in or emotionally dependent on someone or something.
cut above — Superior in quality or ability; better than most.
feet first — Dead, or in the manner of a corpse.
of the same leaven — Of the same nature, character, or type; alike.
as the crow flies — Directly or in a straight line, without roads.
beat a dead horse — To argue or pursue a point or topic without the possibility of success.
big fish in a small pond — A person who is considered important primarily because the place or setting is small.
black sheep — An outcast.
bull in a china shop — Insensitive to delicate situations; to be so clumsy that one breaks things inadvertently.
chicken out — To become too frightened to do something; to lose one's nerve.
clam up — To not say anything.
cock-and-bull story — A story that is too unlikely to be believed.
cook someone's goose — To ruin someone's plans.
crocodile tears — False, exaggerated tears.
cry wolf — To raise a false alarm or exaggerate so often that one is no longer believed.
dark horse — A competitor who is little-known by most people but who is expected to win by someone more knowledgeable.
dog-eared — Well-worn.
dog-eat-dog — Ruthless, competitive, and fast-paced.
dog days of summer — Very hot days.
eat crow pie — To humble oneself because one has been proved wrong.
fat cat — A rich but usually lazy person.
fine kettle of fish — A terrible mess.
fly-by-night — Undependable; untrustworthy.
fly in the face of something — To go against something; to show disrespect for something or someone.
fly in the ointment — An unpleasant element in an otherwise pleasant situation.
fly off the handle — To suddenly become very angry.
fly the coop — To escape.
get off one's high horse — To stop acting superior.
get someone's goat — To irritate or annoy someone.
go whole hog — To spare nothing; to do something with maximum enthusiasm.
grin and bear it — To accept or endure a bad situation.
horse around — To play a little roughly.
horse of another color — A situation or plan which represents a change from what was expected or assumed.
horse sense — Common sense or practical shrewdness.
lame duck — A person who holds an office but has little real influence because he or she has not been reelected.
not look a gift horse in the mouth — To find fault with a gift or to refuse a gift, usually because one is suspicious of the giver's motives.
look like the cat that swallowed the canary — To have a knowing and self-satisfied smile on one's face; to be pleased with oneself, often because one has done something which one knows was wrong but which was very enjoyable.
lucky dog — A lucky person.
monkey around — To play like a monkey, i.e., climb on or examine things with curiosity.
monkey business — Suspicious, dishonest or mischievous activity.
pass the buck — To redirect the blame or responsibility for something (usually a decision) to someone else.
put the cart before the horse — To reverse the necessary or expected order of two things; to put a later step first.
sacred cow — An idea or thing that cannot be altered.
something to crow about — An exceptional accomplishment; an achievement that is worth bragging about.
take the bull by the horns — To take action in a difficult or unpleasant situation.
talk turkey — To talk seriously, usually about a business deal.
white elephant — An item that no one wants to buy or that is difficult to get rid of; a costly but useless possession.
wild-goose chase — A useless or difficult search.
wolf in sheep's clothing — Someone who presents himself as a harmless person, but who has intentions that are not honorable.
apple of one's eye — A person or thing that is precious or loved above all else.
big cheese — An important, powerful or influential person.
bite the dust — To be destroyed or ruined beyond repair; slang for "to die".
bitter pill to swallow — A difficult or unpleasant reality to deal with.
chew someone out — To scold someone harshly.
chew something over — To think slowly and carefully about something.
cook up — To invent or plan.
couch potato — A person who sits for long periods of time on the couch, usually eating snack foods and watching television.
flash in the pan — A temporary or passing fancy; a fad or attraction that will fade quickly.
forbidden fruit — Something that one cannot have.
give someone a taste of his or her own medicine — To treat someone the same way they treat others (especially when they are strict, unfair, or unkind).
go to pot — To fall into disrepair; to deteriorate from lack of attention.
good egg — A person who is basically good or sound, but who may be slightly peculiar or idiosyncratic.
gravy train — An effortless time or job; a life of luxury.
not know beans about something — To know very little about something; to speak without authority on some topic.
lay an egg — To do something embarrassing.
not one's cup of tea — Not to suit someone; not to one's liking.
not worth a hill of beans — Worthless.
out to lunch — Absent-minded, confused or out of touch with reality.
pie in the sky — Something that is unrealistic or that cannot be achieved.
a piece of cake — Something that is easy to do.
the salt of the earth — A very dependable and unpretentious person.
salt something away — To save, store, or hoard something (usually something highly valued and in danger of being stolen).
sixth sense — A feeling, intuition or premonition not based on one of the five senses: sight, hearing, taste, touch, or smell.
spill the beans — To reveal a secret.
square meal — Full and well-balanced meal.
take the cake — To outdo; to exceed normal behavior; metaphorically, to win the prize.
upset the apple cart — To disturb the status quo; to shake up the existing situation.
albatross around one's neck — Something or someone that is a burden and difficult to get rid of.
armed to the teeth — Well-equipped with weapons.
go back to square one — Return to the beginning.
go back to the drawing board — Return to the planning stage of a project.
have one's back to the wall — To be in a difficult or desperate situation.
back-seat driver — A person who gives driving orders when he/she is not the driver.
bend someone's ear — To talk to someone for a long time.
bird's-eye view — A broad view or overview of something or someplace.
blue-blood — A person (or animal) that is an aristocrat or from a noble family.
a bone of contention — A topic of dispute.
a bone to pick — A dispute.
burn one's bridges — To take a course of action that makes it impossible to go back.
by word of mouth — The informal, verbal passing of information from one person to another.
catch someone's eye — To attract someone's visual attention.
change of heart — A reversal of attitude.
cold feet — Too scared to do something.
cut off one's nose to spite one's face — To injure oneself in the process of seeking revenge or attempting to punish someone.
do an about-face — To change one's behavior or mind abruptly and (often) apparently without reason.
down in the mouth — Unhappy.
eat one's heart out — To suffer silently in a hopeless situation.
eat out of someone's hand — To be submissive; to have someone eating out of one's hand means to get someone to be submissive.
fight tooth and nail — To fight fiercely; to fight with everything you have.
fine-tooth comb — An imaginary device one uses to look for something very carefully.
get a leg up — To make a good start on some activity or project.
get it in the neck — To receive something unpleasant, such as criticism or punishment.
get something off one's chest — To disclose or talk about something that is bothering or worrying one.
get something on the nose — To do or understand something perfectly.
get something through one's head — To understand something that is difficult, especially because it is a shock, unwanted, or unexpected.
give someone a hand — To help someone.
give one's right arm to do something — To want something very much.
give someone the shirt off one's back — To give (figuratively) someone all one's possessions; to be very generous.
gray matter — Brain tissue and, by extension, intelligence.
green around the gills — Sick to one's stomach; nauseated.
green thumb — Natural ability to grow plants.
hand in glove — Close or intimate.
hand over fist — Extremely quickly.
hand to mouth — To live in poor conditions from day to day; to be impoverished.
head and shoulders above — At a much higher level.
have one's head in the clouds — To be impractical or absent-minded; to be unaware of what is going on around one.
head over heels in love — Very much in love; uncontrollably in love.
heart to heart — Serious and intimate.
hit the nail on the head — To come to the right conclusion.
not hold one's breath — To not wait for something to happen because it probably won't happen soon, if at all.
hold one's tongue — To refrain from speaking.
huff and puff — To breathe heavily; or to bluster and make empty threats.
in over one's head — Involved in something beyond one's ability to handle.
it's no skin off someone's nose — It has no effect on someone or it is of no concern to someone.
keep one's head above water — To just barely manage, especially financially or with one's workload.
keep one's nose to the grindstone — To work hard without rest.
knee-high to a grasshopper — Very young.
laugh all the way to the bank — To be proved right or successful in the face of scorn, particularly as regards money.
lead someone around by the nose — To dominate someone; to force someone to do something.
lend someone an ear — To listen to someone.
like water off a duck's back — Having no effect on someone.
look down one's nose at someone or something — To be snobbish about someone or something.
make one's blood boil — To cause someone to become extremely angry.
make one's mouth water — To make one salivate in anticipation of something good.
millstone around one's neck — A burden or handicap, or a source of worry or concern.
more than meets the eye — Some hidden aspect to a situation.
neck of the woods — An area; a place.
need something like one needs a hole in the head — To have absolutely no need for something.
the nitty-gritty — The heart of the issue; the most important part of the discussion; the essential points.
not have a leg to stand on — To be in an indefensible situation or to have no support for an argument or case.
off the top of one's head — To say something without much advance preparation.
put something on the back burner — To decrease the amount of energy spent on some activity; to delay or postpone action on some activity.
on the nose — Exactly.
on the tip of one's tongue — Almost remembered; about to be said.
pay someone back — To respond to somebody's behavior with similar behavior.
pay through the nose — To pay a great amount; to pay too much.
pick someone's brain — To get information from someone, usually by questioning the person carefully and in great detail.
play it by ear — To go along with a situation as it develops before deciding what to do; to do something without prior planning.
poker face — An expressionless face; a face that reveals nothing of one's feelings or thoughts.
put one's best foot forward — To try to make the best possible impression.
put one's finger on it — To identify or understand something properly.
put one's foot down — To be firm and unyielding about something.
put one's money where one's mouth is — To back up one's words with money or action.
rack one's brain — To search through one's mind intensively; to try very hard to think of something.
rule of thumb — A rough guide; an unwritten or customary rule based on experience or practice.
save face — To avoid humiliation and keep one's dignity or reputation.
see eye to eye — To agree.
set someone's teeth on edge — To irritate.
shake a leg — To hurry.
shot in the arm — Something that stimulates, boosts, or renews people's interest.
stand on one's own two feet — To be independent and self-supporting.
stick one's neck out — To take a risk.
stick one's nose in — To try to find out about someone else's private business.
stick out like a sore thumb — Not to blend in; to be obvious and prominent or easily seen.
sweat blood — To put out a great deal of effort; to work very, very hard.
sweep someone off their feet — To overwhelm someone, often causing him or her to fall in love.
talk someone's ear off — To bore someone with one's unending talk.
toe the line — To follow the rules; to do what is expected of one.
tongue-in-cheek — Joking or sarcastic.
turn a deaf ear — To ignore someone.
turn the other cheek — Not to retaliate; not to pay back bad behavior with more bad behavior.
turn up one's nose at something or someone — To scorn, snub, or reject something.
under someone's thumb — Under someone's control.
with bated breath — Hardly breathing at all because of fear, excitement, or other strong emotion.
when hell freezes over — Never.
beat the bushes — To search exhaustively.
between the devil and the deep blue sea — Facing two difficult outcomes for the same situation.
down to earth — Practical and rational; unpretentious.
fair-weather friend — A person who is loyal in good times but not when times are difficult.
field day — A wild and uncontrolled time; a time of especially pleasant or exciting action.
get one's second wind — To get a second burst of energy.
give someone a snow job — To give someone a description of something or someone that is unrealistically attractive and positive.
hold water — To be credible or sound; to stand up to scrutiny; to make sense.
in hot water — In trouble.
kill two birds with one stone — To accomplish two objectives with one action.
leave no stone unturned — To search everywhere.
make a mountain out of a molehill — To exaggerate the importance of something; to react more strongly to a situation than is reasonably called for.
move heaven and earth — To try very hard to do something.
put something on ice — To put something (an excess of some item) in reserve for later use.
on the rocks — Unstable; likely to collapse. When referring to alcoholic beverages, it means with ice cubes.
skate on thin ice — In an unsafe or risky position.
out of a clear blue sky — Without warning.
play with fire — To invite disaster by doing something foolish, dangerous, or risky.
see which way the wind blows — To determine what stance to take based on what others want, even though such actions or words may not be what one sincerely wants to do or say.
shoot the breeze — To chat or to pass time by chatting; to talk idly.
stick-in-the-mud — Someone who is seen as never wanting to take part in fun activities.
take a rain check — To decline an invitation for now, with the idea of accepting it another time.
take something by storm — To win great success or popularity very quickly.
take the wind out of someone's sails — To deflate someone's confidence or spoil their high expectations.
too many irons in the fire — Too many activities demanding one's time.
turn over a new leaf — To change one's bad ways and begin to lead a better life.
under a cloud — Less than entirely trustworthy; suspected of some wrongdoing.
under the weather — Unwell; ill.
water under the bridge — Past and finished; over and done with.
the wave of the future — A strong, growing trend.
ace in the hole — A hidden but effective means of winning a conflict.
Achilles' heel — A person's weakness or the vulnerable spot in his or her character.
acid test — The most crucial or important test of worth.
across the board — Equally for everyone, for everything, or in all cases.
all kidding aside — Speaking seriously.
all thumbs — Uncoordinated and awkward, especially with one's hands.
all wet — Wrong to the point of being silly or unbelievable.
at loggerheads — In strong disagreement, in a quarrel; at an impasse.
at one's wits' end — At a loss about what to do next; in a state of frustration.
at the drop of a hat — On any pretext; without needing an excuse or reason.
at the end of one's rope — No longer able to deal with a bad situation.
ax to grind — A hidden reason for wanting something or for not liking someone or something.
backhanded compliment — A criticism that is phrased in such a way that it appears to be a compliment.
have bats in one's belfry — Harmlessly crazy or eccentric.
beat a hasty retreat — To run very fast in the opposite direction.
beat someone to the punch — To do something before someone else does it.
behind the eight ball — In a difficult situation or position.
hit someone below the belt — To act unfairly.
beside oneself — Distraught; very anxious and troubled.
beside the point — Irrelevant.
bet one's boots — To be sure.
bet one's bottom dollar — To be sure.
beyond the pale — Beyond or outside the limits of morally or socially acceptable behavior.
big shot — An important, powerful, or influential person.
big wheel — An important, powerful, or influential person.
black and blue — Discolored from a bruise; injured in a fight either physically or verbally.
black out — To lose consciousness temporarily.
toot one's own horn — To boast or brag.
blow one's stack — To become suddenly very angry.
blow hot and cold — To have mixed or inconsistent feelings about something.
feel blue — To feel sad or low.
blue ribbon — First-rate or renowned; also, a first prize.
boiling point — The point at which one loses one's temper.
born yesterday — Naive.
the bottom line — The net result; the essential point or undeniable truth.
bottom of the barrel — The least able member of a group; the least desirable items from a collection.
bottoms up! — A call to drink; to empty one's glass.
box someone in — To trap someone, physically or in a situation, leaving no room to maneuver.
bring the house down — To be a great success.
give someone the brush-off — To be dismissed casually and almost cruelly.
give someone a bum steer — To give someone bad advice or wrong directions.
burn rubber — To accelerate with tires so quickly from a stopped position that the rubber tires make a loud squealing noise and leave a black mark on the street; slang expression meaning to hurry.
burn the candle at both ends — To overwork oneself.
burned out — Lacking enthusiasm due to overexposure or too much of the same thing; completely used up; worn out.
burning question — A question that deserves or demands discussion.
butt in — To interrupt or interfere; to push in.
buy something for a song — To buy something very cheaply.
by hook or by crook — By one way or another; by any means possible.
go by the book — Operate according to the rules.
do something by the seat of one's pants — To accomplish something by luck and instinct rather than skill.
call someone on the carpet — To confront or hold someone responsible for some misdeed.
call someone's bluff — To challenge someone to carry out a threat or prove the truth of a statement.
call a spade a spade — To speak plainly or call something by its right name, even if it is unpleasant.
call the shots — To be in control or to give orders.
open a can of worms — A situation that contains many unexpected and unwanted problems and consequences.
carry a torch for someone — To be in love with someone, usually someone who does not love in return.
carry the ball — To take on work or responsibility in order to keep a project moving forward.
cast pearls before swine — To offer something to someone who cannot appreciate it.
catch someone red-handed — To catch someone in the act of committing some offense.
catch someone's fancy — To appeal to someone.
change horses in midstream — To change plans or leaders in the middle of some action or event.
lead a charmed life — To be lucky or avoid danger.
checkered past — A personal history that includes both successes and failures, or ethical and unethical behavior.
a chip off the old block — Very much like one's parent(s).
clean slate — A new beginning, with past mistakes or debts forgiven.
clean someone out — To take or steal everything someone has.
clear the air — To resolve hidden resentment or uncover hidden thoughts.
climb the walls — To be uneasy or restless.
close shave — A narrow escape.
come full circle — To return (figuratively) to a point where one has been before.
come home to roost — To return to cause trouble.
clown around — To act silly.
come off it! — Stop pretending or exaggerating; I don't believe you.
come out of one's shell — To stop being shy.
come out smelling like a rose — To avoid blame that one deserves; to seem innocent.
cool one's heels — To wait.
cream of the crop — The best.
cross one's fingers — To hope for luck.
cry uncle — To admit defeat.
cut and dried — Already settled; routine or clear-cut.
cut corners — To do things poorly or incompletely in order to save money.
cut someone to the quick — To hurt or wound someone deeply.
damn someone with faint praise — To criticize in such a way that one appears to be praising when in fact one is condemning or disapproving.
dawn on someone — To realize something that was perhaps already apparent to others.
someone's days are numbered — There is only a short time before something ends.
dead to the world — Fast asleep.
deal someone in — To include someone in something, especially a card game.
diamond in the rough — An unpolished or unsophisticated person that has potential.
divide the spoils — To give portions of the goods captured during a war to the winners of the war.
do or die — To make a final, all-out effort, whatever the risk.
do someone a good turn — To do someone a favor without having been asked and without expecting a favor in return.
dot the i's and cross the t's — To be very careful and attentive to detail.
down and out — Poor.
down in the dumps — Depressed.
down to the wire — To the deadline.
draw a blank — To get no result; or to be unable to remember something.
draw the line at something — To not allow something beyond a certain acceptable point.
dressed to kill — Dressed to make a strong impression, usually in fancy or stylish clothes.
drum someone out of the corps — To expel someone from a group or organization.
dyed in the wool — Having a trait that is thoroughly ingrained or basic to one's nature.
eager beaver — A person who is very excited and enthusiastic about pursuing some activity.
eat one's hat — To do something unpleasant in the case of being proven wrong.
eleventh hour — Late or last-minute.
eternal triangle — A situation in which two men love the same woman or two women love the same man.
every Tom, Dick and Harry — Everyone.
fair and square — Honest(ly).
give someone a fair shake — To give someone or something a chance to prove itself.
fair to middling — Average; neither good nor bad.
fall by the wayside — To drop out of the situation.
fall for something — To be deceived or believe an unlikely story.
fall for someone — To be in love with a person.
fall off the wagon — To lose control of oneself and engage in a compulsive behavior.
fall on deaf ears — To be heard but ignored, or to be heard but to have no effect.
feather one's nest — To build up one's wealth, often quietly or dishonestly.
far cry from something — Much less than what was expected or anticipated.
feel something in one's bones — To sense something without being able to see, hear or feel it; to have a premonition.
feel the pinch — To have less money than one used to have, and less than one feels is necessary.
feather in one's cap — An exceptional achievement.
fill the bill — To suit or satisfy a need.
filthy rich — Extremely wealthy.
fits and starts — In short bursts of motion or effort.
fix someone's wagon — To return an irritation caused by a person through some form of mild revenge.
flat broke — Have absolutely no money.
follow in someone's footsteps — To follow the same career or lifestyle as someone else.
food for thought — Something to think about.
fool around — To play, or to not be serious about an activity.
fool's gold — Something that appears to have great value but is in fact a cheap imitation.
footloose and fancy-free — Able to go anywhere and do anything that one wants; carefree.
a force to be reckoned with — Something or someone whose influence or power must be considered.
for crying out loud — An exclamation of exasperation or impatience.
for goodness' sake — A mild exclamation of annoyance, surprise or urgency.
for heaven's sake — An exclamation of impatience, surprise or pleading.
for the birds — A waste of time; mixed up or confused.
forty winks — A short sleep, usually during the day.
from day one — From the beginning; from the outset.
from the word go — From the beginning.
full steam ahead — To proceed with maximum power and speed.
get a handle on something — To find a way to deal with a problem or difficult situation.
get a hold of oneself — To get control of oneself; stop being emotional.
get a hold of someone — To contact someone or communicate with someone, usually by telephone.
get a hold of something — To acquire or obtain something.
get a move on — To hurry.
get a word in edgewise — To insert a word or sentence into an otherwise one-sided conversation.
get by — To just barely manage, with money or with one's responsibilities.
get down to brass tacks — To get serious or practical about something.
get off scot-free — To escape the proper or expected punishment; to be acquitted of a crime.
get one's act together — To get control of oneself mentally or physically; to get organized.
get someone's dander up — To irritate or anger moderately.
get the go-ahead — To receive or grant permission to proceed.
get the message — To understand something that is only hinted at, perhaps because it is unpleasant.
get this show on the road — To get started.
get to the point — To speak or write concisely and directly.
get-up-and-go — Physical energy.
get up on the wrong side of the bed — To be in a bad mood from the beginning of the day.
give someone or something short shrift — To make quick work of something or to give little time to someone.
give someone the green light — To get or give permission to proceed.
give someone the sack — To be fired from one's job.
give someone the third degree — To be questioned in great detail.
get something down pat — To do something repeatedly until one knows how to do it without a mistake; to perfect an activity.
the gift of gab — The ability to speak easily and well.
give in — To surrender.
give someone a hard time — To be difficult with someone; to give someone unnecessary difficulty.
give someone a piece of one's mind — To confront someone who has behaved badly.
give someone a ring — To call someone on the telephone.
give someone a song and dance — To give someone an overly dramatic or unbelievable excuse.
go against the grain — To be contrary to someone's nature.
go around in circles — To be confused or lost; to make no progress.
go bananas — To go crazy; to no longer be able to cope with a situation. To drive someone bananas means to annoy or irritate someone.
go broke — To run out of money completely; to become penniless.
go for broke — To risk everything.
go haywire — To malfunction; to break down.
go it alone — To travel some path or do some activity by oneself, often something dangerous or risky.
go off half-cocked — To do or say something in haste or without adequate planning or preparation.
go off the deep end — To become deeply involved with someone or something before one is ready; to go crazy.
go out on a limb — To take a risk.
go over with a bang — To be extremely successful.
go over like a lead balloon — To be completely unsuccessful, contrary to expectations; to fail.
go to pieces — To fall apart physically or emotionally; to lose one's self-control.
go to the dogs — To fall into disrepair; to deteriorate.
go up in smoke — To disappear; to be ruined.
go with the flow — To take a relaxed attitude towards life.
golden age — A time when something is at its best.
good grief! — An expletive that means "This is ridiculous!" or "I've had enough!".
good Samaritan — A person who helps someone in trouble without thought of personal gain.
grasp at straws — To act in desperation with little hope of success.
grim reaper — Death.
hair's breadth — A very narrow amount.
half a mind to do something — Inclined or disposed to do something; to have almost decided to do something.
half-baked — Poorly planned or thought out.
half the battle — Half the work or effort.
handle someone with kid gloves — To treat someone cautiously or gently because he or she is easily hurt or angered.
hanky panky — Sexual misconduct, mischief, or suspicious dealings.
have the last laugh — To outsmart or get revenge on someone who thinks he or she has been clever.
happy-go-lucky — Carefree.
hard act to follow — A person or thing that is so good that the person or thing that follows may not measure up to the same standard.
hard row to hoe — A difficult task.
have it made — To have no problems; to have achieved success.
hear something through the grapevine — To hear a rumor that may or may not be true.
hem and haw — To hesitate to say something directly.
hit or miss — Unplanned or random; equally likely to succeed or fail.
hit pay dirt — To find something of great value.
hit the jackpot — To get rich or find something of value.
hit the sack — To go to bed.
hit the spot — To satisfy in just the right way.
hitch a ride — To solicit a ride in someone's (a stranger's) car; to hitchhike.
not hold a candle to someone — Not equal to someone or something; when two persons or things are compared, the first one is clearly inferior to the second one.
hold one's horses — To stay calm or be patient when someone wants to hurry.
hold one's own — To be able to withstand opposition or attack; to do just as well as other people.
hold someone or something at bay — To prevent someone or something that is threatening or attacking from being able to advance.
hold the fort — To take care of a place or to keep an activity going while someone is away.
fall for something hook, line, and sinker — To believe something completely, usually in the sense of being fooled.
hopping mad — Very angry.
hot under the collar — Very angry.
if push comes to shove — If the situation becomes serious.
in a bind — In a difficult situation or position.
in a nutshell — Concisely; in a few words.
in a pinch — In an emergency; if necessary.
in a rut — In a boring routine.
in Dutch with someone — In trouble.
in full swing — At the peak of activity or intensity.
in one's element — In one's most comfortable or favorite environment.
have someone in stitches — To make someone laugh very hard.
in the bag — A sure thing; success is assured.
in the black — Making a profit.
in the chips — Having lots of money.
in the doghouse — In someone's bad graces; in trouble.
in the loop — Informed.
in the nick of time — At the last moment, just before something bad happens.
in the pink — In good health or good condition.
in the red — Losing money; not making a profit.
in the mainstream — In the group that represents the majority; out of the mainstream means on the edge of the majority.
it's all Greek to me — Incomprehensible or unintelligible.
ivory tower — An isolated environment where one is out of touch with everyday reality; a place of retreat where one concentrates on intellectual rather than everyday matters.
jack of all trades — A person who knows a little about a lot of different subjects or activities, but not a lot about any one of them.
John Hancock — One's signature.
johnny-come-lately — A newcomer.
jump the gun — To do something prematurely; to start early, before all the preparations have been made.
jumping-off point — A starting place or inspiration.
kangaroo court — A court set up outside the regular legal system; staged trial where the outcome is set from the beginning.
keep one's cool — To stay calm under stress; not to become angry.
keep one's eyes peeled — To be alert and watchful; to look very carefully for something or someone.
keep one's fingers crossed — To hope for something; to wish for luck.
keep one's shirt on — To stay calm or be patient when someone wants to hurry.
keep one's wits about one — To pay attention and be ready to react.
keep someone at arm's length — To keep someone at a distance emotionally.
keep something under one's hat — To keep something secret.
keep the ball rolling — To maintain momentum; to keep some process going.
keep up with the Joneses — To have the same standard of living as one's friends and neighbors do.
keyed up — Full of nervous anticipation; anxious; tense.
kick the bucket — To die.
kick up one's heels — To have a lively and fun time, usually at a party or dance.
knock someone for a loop — To shock, surprise, or astound someone.
not know if one is coming or going — To be confused and disoriented.
not know someone from Adam — To be unable to recognize someone because the person is a stranger.
know the ins and outs — To be familiar with the details and hidden meanings of an activity or situation.
know the ropes — To be familiar with a task or situation.
knuckle down — To do one's work seriously; to apply oneself fully; to get busy.
knuckle under — To submit or give in to pressure.
labor of love — Something done out of affection or great interest.
live in the lap of luxury — To be very comfortable because one is well-off financially.
last but not least — The final item on a list, but not the least important.
last-ditch effort — A very strenuous final attempt.
lay down the law — To set rules and regulations.
lay one's cards on the table — To be open and honest; to reveal everything.
learn the ropes — To become familiar with a task or situation.
leave someone in the lurch — To abandon someone to a difficult situation, forcing him or her to take all the responsibility.
leave someone out in the cold — To shun someone; to exclude someone from a place or activity.
leave someone high and dry — Abandoned or stranded; helpless.
leave someone holding the bag — To leave someone else with the blame or responsibility.
leave well enough alone — To accept a situation as it is; to avoid trying to improve a situation one's actions might make it worse.
letter perfect — Exactly right.
the life of Riley — The good life; a comfortable life.
the lion's share — The greater part; most.
lock, stock and barrel — Everything; the entirety.
the long and short of it — The outcome; the point.
look like death warmed over — To look/feel ill or exhausted.
look sharp — To look neat and stylish; also, to hurry or be alert.
lose one's cool — To become angry.
lose one's temper — To become suddenly angry. To hold one's temper means to remain calm when irritated.
low man on the totem pole — The person of lowest rank.
make a clean breast of it — To admit and explain some wrongdoing; to confess something.
make a long story short — To summarize; to tell only the main points.
make ends meet — To manage financially; to have enough money for one's basic needs.
make heads or tails of something — To understand something.
make or break — To be the deciding factor in whether something succeeds or fails.
make something from scratch — To make something by putting together the separate basic components, rather than using a mix or kit or buying something pre-made.
make the grade — To meet standards; to be satisfactory.
make tracks — To leave, usually quickly.
mark time — To wait out one's time by doing the minimum and without progressing.
method to one's madness — Explanation; forethought or logic.
the Midas touch — The ability to make money or to be successful at everything one becomes involved in.
mind one's own business — To not inquire about, become involved in, or interfere with other people's affairs.
miss the boat — To miss an opportunity because one is too late.
money to burn — Extra money; money to spend however one likes.
more something than one bargained for — More than one expected.
nip something in the bud — To stop something before it becomes big or involved; to stop something before it gets much of a start.
nix something — To cancel an idea or plan; to reject or forbid something.
none of one's business — Private; not for anybody else to know.
nothing to write home about — Ordinary; so-so; not especially good or important.
not worth a dime — Worthless.
not worth a plugged nickel — Worthless.
not worth a red cent — Worthless.
not worth the paper it's printed on — Worthless.
odd man out — The person who is left out; the person who doesn't fit in.
odds and ends — Small items that are left over, don't match, or are missing a mate.
off one's rocker — Out of one's mind; slightly crazy.
off the beaten path — Off the road or way that is most often chosen by other people.
off the cuff — Without much advance preparation; spontaneously.
off the wall — Unusual; peculiar.
old-boy network — The male connections that a man acquires, usually while in college or the military, later used to disseminate jobs and information.
old fuddy-duddy — A person who is old-fashioned and not open to new technology or ideas.
old hat — Old-fashioned, or so familiar as to be boring.
on the warpath — Looking for a fight; very angry and upset with someone or something.
put something on hold — To postpone something; on the phone, to make someone wait without hanging up.
on a treadmill — In a dull and boring routine.
on one's last legs — About to die, fail, or collapse.
on the ball — Mentally sharp or alert; well-prepared; efficient.
on the blink — Not working correctly.
on the fritz — Not working correctly.
on the go — Constantly busy; very active.
on the level — Honest and without deception.
on the spot — In an awkward position; or immediately and right there.
on the up and up — Honest; ethical; fair.
on the wagon — To abstain from drinking alcoholic beverages because one cannot control oneself.
one fell swoop — One quick, sweeping action.
open book — A person who hides nothing about themselves.
keep an open mind — To be willing to listen to and consider all sides of an issue; not to have made up one's mind in advance.
out of circulation — Removed from the public; no longer available for use or social interaction.
out of one's depth — Beyond one's capability.
out of one's element — In a situation that one is unprepared for or unfamiliar with.
out of the blue — Suddenly and unexpectedly.
out of the woods — Out of danger; out of a very difficult situation.
over the top — Beyond expectations; outside normal or accepted boundaries; exaggerated.
over a barrel — In a difficult situation or position.
over the hill — Too old to be of much value.
paint someone a picture — To explain something in very great detail.
Pandora's box — A situation that contains many unexpected and unwanted problems and consequences.
par for the course — Usual or to be expected; typical.
past one's prime — Too old to be of much value.
the patience of Job — Unlimited patience; the willingness to endure hardship patiently.
pay the piper — To pay for one's mistakes; to live with the consequences of one's (wrong) actions.
pencil pusher — An office worker; a bureaucrat who routinely does his or her paperwork job without any desire to advance.
penny pincher — A person that doesn't like to spend money.
peter out — To disappear gradually.
pinch pennies — To be very careful with one's money; to be concerned about how one spends every penny.
pink slip — Notice that one has been fired from one's job.
play hardball — To work or act aggressively, competitively, or ruthlessly, as in business or politics.
play one's cards right — To do all the right things and make all the right moves in order to achieve some end.
play second fiddle — To be in a subordinate position; to have a lower rank or standing than someone else.
pop the question — To ask someone to get married.
pound of flesh — A (figuratively) painful payment of a debt.
pull oneself up by one's bootstraps — To improve oneself (usually economically) without help from others.
pull rank — To take advantage of one's superior position (one's rank).
pull something off — To accomplish something that had appeared difficult to finish or achieve.
pull strings — To use one's influence.
pull the rug out from under someone — To abruptly ruin someone's plans or expectations.
pull the wool over someone's eyes — To deceive or fool someone.
pull up stakes — To collect one's household belongings and leave one's house or property; to move to another place.
put all one's eggs in one basket — To invest all one's hopes or plans in only one possible outcome.
put someone on the spot — To put someone in a difficult situation or to present someone with a difficult choice; to embarrass someone.
put the squeeze on — To apply pressure on someone to do something; to force or coerce someone.
raise Cain — To cause a disturbance, often because one is extremely angry; to make trouble.
rake someone over the coals — To reprimand or criticize someone harshly.
rank and file — The non-management workers in a company or the non-leadership members of a political party.
read something into something — To give some meaning to something that is not justified; to imagine some significance that doesn't exist.
red herring — Something used to divert someone's attention from the real or important issue; something used to send a searcher in the wrong direction.
red-letter day — An important day; a day to remember.
red tape — The unnecessary paperwork and procedures of a complicated bureaucracy.
rest on one's laurels — To be so satisfied with what one has already accomplished that one no longer works very hard.
ring a bell — To stir something in one's memory; to cause someone to remember something.
roll with the punches — To adjust to bad fortune; to take a relaxed attitude towards life and its problems.
see someone or something through rose-colored glasses — To see something in a falsely good way; not to see something objectively.
rub elbows with someone — To associate with someone; to come into contact with someone.
rub someone the wrong way — To irritate someone.
run amok — To run around in a frenzied or disorderly way.
run circles around someone — To outperform someone by a wide margin; to be better than someone.
run its course — To follow a natural progression without interference.
run-of-the-mill — Ordinary or usual.
run something into the ground — To belabor something beyond reason; to go too far with something.
sales pitch — A speech or presentation designed to persuade someone to buy or do something.
save something for a rainy day — To save something, usually money, for a possible future need.
say a mouthful — To say something important or true; often said in agreement.
scared out of one's wits — So afraid that one is unable to think clearly.
have a screw loose — To be harmlessly crazy.
second-guess — To dispute or try to understand someone's reason for doing something.
have second thoughts — To begin to have doubts; to question and reexamine a decision.
see red — To get angry.
see something through — To finish something one has started.
see the light — To understand something clearly.
see through something or someone — To not be fooled by a false front or disguise that someone presents in order to mislead; to understand the true nature of someone or something.
sell like hotcakes — To sell quickly.
sell someone a bill of goods — To deceive someone, especially by selling them something worthless or making them believe something untrue.
in seventh heaven — Blissfully happy.
ships that pass in the night — Two people whose paths cross only briefly.
shot in the dark — A guess, often wild or based on little information.
sit tight — To wait quietly and patiently, often in an anxious situation.
sitting pretty — In a good or advantageous situation; living comfortably.
sleep like a log — To sleep so soundly that noise doesn't wake the person.
let someone or something slip through someone's fingers — To lose something because one takes too much time to consider the situation.
slow burn — To be quietly angry.
slow off the mark — Slow to understand or react.
snowball's chance in hell — No chance at all.
sour grapes — A situation where a person criticizes something or someone out of jealousy.
sow one's wild oats — To do foolish or wild things, usually as a youth.
speak of the devil — An expression used when someone who is being talked about has just appeared.
speak one's mind — To tell someone how one feels or what one thinks.
speak one's piece — To say what one has come to say, especially in one uninterrupted turn.
spitting image — An exact likeness.
split hairs — To argue about some detail that is not important.
spring something on someone — To surprise someone with something.
on the spur of the moment — Suddenly or spontaneously; without advance planning.
square deal — A fair arrangement, fair treatment, or a fair price.
stand one's ground — To refuse to retreat or back down.
stand out in a crowd — To be distinguishable from others in a group; distinctive.
start from scratch — To begin again from nothing.
step on it — To hurry.
stew in one's own juices — To suffer the consequences of one's own actions.
stick to one's guns — To be firm in one's resolve or not to alter one's position.
straight and narrow — The path of correct social or ethical behavior that society approves of.
strange bedfellows — People or things that one does not normally expect to find together.
strapped for cash — Not having quite enough money.
street smarts — The knowledge one needs to live on the streets; less literally, it means knowledge of the way things work in the real world.
stretch the truth — To be truthful technically, but to distort the truth so that others are led to believe something that is not true.
strike it rich — To become rich or successful suddenly.
string someone along — To make someone believe something that is not true.
stuffed shirt — A pompous, self-important and humorless person.
suit someone to a T — Perfectly; exactly.
take a shine to someone or something — To like someone spontaneously.
take it easy — To relax.
take off — To leave quickly; or to become suddenly successful or popular.
take potluck — To accept whatever is available.
take someone to the cleaners — To steal or cheat someone out of all of his or her money.
take something in stride — To accept and adjust to bad fortune or trouble.
talk a blue streak — To talk fast and at length.
talk through one's hat — To speak without authority on some topic; to talk nonsense.
talk to someone like a Dutch uncle — To give someone frank, firm advice, as a caring relative would.
tall order — Something difficult to accomplish.
tan someone's hide — To spank a child's bottom as punishment.
through thick and thin — In good times and bad times; steadfastly and loyally.
throw down the gauntlet — To challenge someone to fight or argue.
throw the book at someone — To give someone the harshest penalty or punishment allowed by law, or to impose any severe sentence or punishment.
throw one's hat into the ring — To announce one's candidacy for elected office.
tickle someone's fancy — To please or amuse someone in a light-hearted way.
tickled pink — Thoroughly pleased; very happy.
tied to one's mother's apron strings — Emotionally or physically attached to one's mother beyond what is considered appropriate and normal.
tie the knot — To get married.
tighten one's belt — To spend less money than one did previously.
have time on one's hands — To have free time with nothing to do.
have time to kill — To have a period of time to pass while waiting for some future event.
just the tip of the iceberg — The smallest, evident part of something that is much greater but hidden from view; more to a situation than one can see at the moment.
tit for tat — An action in exchange for another equal action.
to beat the band — In an exaggerated manner; with a lot of effort or to the extreme.
the top of the line — The best quality.
to the hilt — To be fully committed to something; to do something completely.
too big for one's britches — To be sassy or arrogant, or to act or speak disrespectfully or inappropriately for one's age or position.
touch and go — Precarious or uncertain.
track record — A history of performance.
train of thought — A course of reasoning; a succession of connected ideas.
treat someone to something — To buy something for another person.
troubled waters — Emotionally rough times or an unsettled situation.
true blue — Loyal and steadfast.
turning point — A critical point.
under the table — Secretly or illegally.
under the wire — Just in time before a deadline.
up in arms — Angry or upset.
up in the air — Unsettled or undecided.
upper crust — The highest level of society, i.e. people who are separated from ordinary people as being elite either by economic or social position, or both.
up to snuff — Meeting the minimum standard requirements; as good as is required.
use one's wits — To use one's intelligence, knowledge, or wisdom.
wait for one's ship to come in — To wait for good fortune, especially sudden wealth.
walking on air — Blissfully happy.
wash one's hands of something or someone — To put something out of one's life or to stop claiming responsibility for something.
wear the pants in the family — To make the major decisions and have the greatest amount of power in a family.
wet behind the ears — Young and inexperienced.
wet blanket — A person who is seen as never wanting to take part in fun activities; a person who ruins a good time.
not what it's cracked up to be — Not as good as its reputation; not as good as it is supposed to be.
when the chips are down — When the situation is critical; when things are going badly.
whip someone or something into shape — To mold or assemble something into its proper shape quickly.
white lie — A minor, polite, or harmless lie.
the whole kit and caboodle — The entire amount; the whole lot.
go the whole nine yards — To do something completely, holding nothing back.
wing it — To improvise; to do something without planning or preparation.
wipe the slate clean — To set a situation right or erase something bad.
with flying colors — Triumphantly; victoriously.
come from the wrong side of the tracks — The poor part of town.
Look for a needle in a haystack — To search for something you have almost no chance of finding, because the thing is tiny and the place holding it is vast.
Know where the shoe pinches — To know exactly where the real trouble lies.
Take the wrong sow by the ear — To go after the wrong target, or blame the wrong person.
have the blues — To feel sad or depressed.
stand someone up — To fail to show up for a date or appointment, leaving the other person waiting.
have bigger fish to fry — To have more important things to deal with.
tell tall tales — To tell exaggerated or untrue stories.
navel-gaze — To be absorbed in oneself and one's own concerns to an excessive degree.
that ship has sailed — It is too late; the opportunity has passed.
be a pain in the neck — To be very annoying.
have one's cake and eat it too — To want two things that cannot both be had.
muddy the waters — To make a situation confusing, often on purpose.
be bone idle — To be extremely lazy.
like pulling teeth — Extremely difficult, especially when trying to get someone to cooperate.
have the wind in one's sails — To be doing well and moving forward with confidence and momentum.
put one's foot in it — To say something tactless or embarrassing.
talk behind someone's back — To say unkind things about someone when they are not present.
add fuel to the fire — To make a bad situation worse.
have pins and needles — To feel a prickling, tingling sensation in a limb that has gone numb.
be on pins and needles — To be very anxious while waiting for something.
make a killing — To make a lot of money quickly.
worm something out of someone — To get information from someone gradually and persistently.
lie low — To stay out of sight and avoid attention.
eat one's words — To admit that something one said was wrong.
have a big head — To be conceited; to think too highly of oneself.
get lucky — To succeed in having a sexual encounter.
shout it from the rooftops — To tell everyone about something, openly and loudly.
have itchy feet — To feel a restless urge to travel or move on.
wait on someone hand and foot — To do everything for someone, attending to their every need.
bare one's teeth — To show hostility and a readiness to fight.
one's eyes are bigger than one's stomach — To take more food than one can eat; more broadly, to want more than one can handle.
have a memory like an elephant — To remember things, especially slights, for a very long time.
have a sharp tongue — To speak in a harsh, cutting way.
be in the thick of it — To be in the busiest or most intense part of an activity.
cut one's teeth — To gain one's first experience of something.
be scared stiff — To be so frightened that one cannot move.
have stars in one's eyes — To be dazzled or dreamily idealistic, especially about love or fame.
hit a snag — To run into an unexpected problem.
something fishy is going on — Something suspicious is happening.
take French leave — To leave without saying goodbye or asking permission.
dress to the nines — To dress very smartly or elaborately.
with one hand tied behind one's back — Very easily; or, when forced on someone, at a great disadvantage.
have friends in high places — To know influential people who can help one.
get to the bottom of it — To discover the real cause or truth of a matter.
be taken for a ride — To be cheated or deceived.
have a heart of gold — To be very kind and generous.
have a short fuse — To lose one's temper easily.
be full of beans — To be lively and full of energy.
not to give a hoot — Not to care at all.
have a blast — To have a very good time.
set alarm bells ringing — To make someone suspect that something is wrong.
get back on one's feet — To recover after an illness or a setback.
throw the baby out with the bathwater — To discard something valuable while getting rid of what is unwanted.
the pot calling the kettle black — Said when someone criticizes another person for a fault they have themselves.
keep one's cards close to one's chest — To keep one's plans or intentions secret.
not sleep a wink — To not sleep at all.
work oneself into a lather — To become very agitated, anxious or angry.
be all the rage — To be extremely fashionable or popular for a time.
avoid like the plague — To stay as far away as possible from someone or something.
lay it on thick — To exaggerate, especially praise or flattery, far too much.
stake one's life on it — To be absolutely certain that something is true.
welcome with open arms — To greet or accept someone with great warmth and enthusiasm.
count on the fingers of one hand — To be very few in number, five or fewer.
chase skirts — To pursue women constantly and flirtatiously.
give someone an earful — To scold someone at length, or tell them angrily what one thinks.
not know which way to turn — To be so overwhelmed or confused that one does not know what to do.
one's eyes pop out of one's head — To be astonished, often at something striking or desirable.
turn one's stomach — To make someone feel sick, physically or with disgust.
have eyes in the back of one's head — To notice everything, even what happens behind one's back.
watch one's step — To be careful how one behaves, to avoid trouble.
have a lot on one's plate — To have many tasks or problems to deal with.
mend fences — To repair a damaged relationship after a disagreement.
play one's last card — To make a final attempt, using the last resource one has.
take potshots at — To criticize someone in a casual, unfair or opportunistic way.
go underground — To go into hiding or begin operating in secret.
not believe one's ears — To be so surprised by what one hears that it seems impossible.
the knives are out — People are openly hostile and ready to attack someone, usually to bring them down.
cross the Rubicon — To take an irreversible step.
like a bear with a sore head — In a very bad, irritable mood.
dead on one's feet — To be utterly exhausted.
lay it on with a trowel — To flatter or exaggerate very heavily and without subtlety.
fall flat on one's face — To fail completely and embarrassingly.
burst someone's bubble — To destroy someone's illusion or happy belief.
prick up one's ears — To suddenly start listening closely.
rise from the ashes — To be reborn or rebuilt after destruction or failure.
one's blood runs cold — To be filled with sudden fear or horror.
stir up a hornet's nest — To cause a lot of trouble or anger, often by provoking people.
poke one's nose into — To pry or interfere in matters that do not concern one.
rot one's brain — To dull one's mind through mindless activity.
put someone back on their feet — To help someone recover, financially, physically or emotionally.
go down fighting — To keep struggling until the very end, even when defeat is certain.
none of your beeswax — A playful way of saying "none of your business."
that's all she wrote — That is the end of it; there is nothing more.
the butt of the joke — The person everyone laughs at or makes fun of.
Aunt Flo is visiting — A euphemism for having one's menstrual period.
roll in the hay — To have casual sex.
thick as a brick — Very stupid.
shed light on — To help explain something or make it clearer.
pull an all-nighter — To stay up all night, usually to study or work.
the gospel truth — Something absolutely true.
laugh one's head off — To laugh very loudly and for a long time.
blow a gale — Of the wind: to blow extremely hard.
drunk as a skunk — Extremely drunk.
know someone in the biblical sense — To have had sex with someone.
in one's birthday suit — Completely naked.
throw caution to the wind — To stop being careful and take a risk.
a last stand — A final, determined effort to resist, usually when defeat is likely.
you could hear a pin drop — It was completely silent.
just to be on the safe side — As an extra precaution, even if it is probably unnecessary.
perfidious Albion — A mocking name for England or Britain as treacherous and untrustworthy.
the die is cast — A decision has been made and cannot be undone.
the be-all and end-all — The most important thing, or the only thing that matters.
sell one's soul to the devil — To give up one's principles in exchange for money, power or success.
eat humble pie — To admit one was wrong and apologize humbly.
year in, year out — Continually, every year without change.
sign one's own death warrant — To do something that will cause one's own ruin.
child's play — Something very easy to do.
at death's door — Very close to dying, or feeling extremely ill.
play devil's advocate — To argue against something, not out of belief, but to test the argument.
every which way — In all directions, in disorder.
a Tower of Babel — A noisy scene where many people speak different languages, or a confusion of voices.
long time no see — A friendly greeting to someone one has not seen for a long time.
a Judas kiss — An act of apparent friendship that hides betrayal.
the ball is in your court — It is now your turn to act or decide.
all hands on deck — Everyone is needed to help right now.
a banana republic — A small, politically unstable country dominated by a corrupt elite or foreign business.
pick holes in — To find small faults in something, often unfairly.
go under the knife — To have a surgical operation.
take someone down a peg — To make an arrogant person more humble.
go to Canossa — To humble oneself and submit to an opponent.
a captain of industry — A powerful business leader who runs a major company.
a day late and a dollar short — Too late and not enough to be useful.
a whipping boy — Someone who is blamed or punished for the faults of others.
the life of the party — A lively, fun person who makes a gathering enjoyable.
kick against the pricks — To resist authority or fate in a way that only hurts oneself.
hell for leather — As fast as possible.
buy a pig in a poke — To buy something without examining it first.
not a soul — Absolutely nobody.
a Trojan horse — Something that seems harmless but hides a threat inside.
drain the cup to the dregs — To endure a hardship or humiliation to the very end.
the icing on the cake — An extra good thing added to something already good.
neither fish nor fowl — Something that fits into no clear category.
only have eyes for — To be interested in or attracted to one person only.
lose sleep over — To worry a lot about something.
like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic — Doing something pointless while a disaster happens.
shoot oneself in the foot — To damage one's own interests through a foolish action.
make a pass at — To make a sexual or romantic advance toward someone.
overstep the mark — To go beyond what is acceptable.
come down on someone like a ton of bricks — To criticize or punish someone very severely.
shoot down in flames — To reject or destroy an idea or argument completely.
set tongues wagging — To cause people to gossip.
rough around the edges — Lacking polish or refinement, though basically good.
smoke the peace pipe — To make peace after a quarrel.
seize the day — Make the most of the present moment.
bow and scrape — To behave in an overly humble or flattering way toward someone powerful.
give free rein — To give someone complete freedom to act.
jump ship — To abandon a group or cause, often for a rival.
left on the shelf — To be considered too old to marry; more generally, to be passed over.
take with a grain of salt — To be skeptical about something; not to take it entirely at face value.
the game is not worth the candle — The effort or cost is greater than the reward.
be a third wheel — To be an unwanted extra person with a couple.
like a bat out of hell — Extremely fast.
have a seat at the table — To be included in the discussions where decisions are made.
find Mr. Right — To find the ideal romantic partner.
a snake-oil salesman — A swindler who sells fake remedies or worthless solutions.
shut up shop — To close a business, either for the day or for good.
it doesn't take a rocket scientist — Something is easy to understand; no special intelligence is needed.
do a moonlight flit — To leave one's home secretly at night, usually to avoid paying rent or debts.
pipped at the post — To be beaten at the very last moment.
twiddle one's thumbs — To do nothing while waiting or out of boredom.
a nest of vipers — A group of people who scheme against or betray each other.
I could eat a horse — I am extremely hungry.
give someone a leg up — To help someone make progress or get started.
earn one's spurs — To prove one's ability and gain recognition.
born with a silver spoon in one's mouth — Born into a wealthy, privileged family.
meet someone halfway — To make a compromise with someone.
have a free hand — To have freedom to act as one sees fit.
wear sackcloth and ashes — To show public regret or repentance.
take a load off someone's mind — To relieve someone of a worry.
a bottomless pit — Something that uses up endless money or effort; also a person who is always hungry.
in the middle of nowhere — In a very remote place, far from towns.
out of thin air — Appearing from nowhere, as if by magic.
be at a low ebb — To be in a poor or weak state.
sit on the fence — To avoid taking sides.
take an ax to — To cut something drastically, especially spending or jobs.
the four corners of the earth — Every part of the world.
in the crosshairs — Targeted for attack, criticism or scrutiny.
hand in hand — Closely together; in close association.
butter wouldn't melt in someone's mouth — Someone looks innocent or proper, but probably is not.
raise a hue and cry — To make a loud public protest.
have the inside track — To have an advantage over others.
a horn of plenty — An abundant source of something.
a Sophie's choice — An agonizing choice between two terrible options.
kicking and screaming — Very reluctantly, protesting all the way.
at someone's beck and call — Always ready to obey someone's orders.
hands down — Easily; without question.
like a bolt from the blue — Completely unexpected, usually of bad news.
set one's cap at — To try to attract someone as a romantic partner (dated).
the big leagues — The highest, most competitive level of an activity.
rich as Croesus — Extremely wealthy.
everyone's a critic — A wry reply to unwanted criticism: it is easy to find fault.
a road to Damascus moment — A sudden, life-changing realization or conversion.
the sword of Damocles — A constant threat of disaster hanging over someone.
the deck is stacked — The situation is unfairly arranged so that someone will lose.
after me, the deluge — I don't care what happens after I am gone.
lie through one's teeth — To lie openly and shamelessly.
slow on the uptake — Slow to understand.
kiss something goodbye — To accept that one has lost something or will never get it.
set one's sights on — To decide to try to get or achieve something.
God forbid — Used to say that one hopes something bad will not happen.
kill them all and let God sort them out — A grim or joking call to act ruthlessly without distinguishing innocent from guilty.
a little bird told me — I learned it from a secret source I won't name.
put one's feet up — To relax and rest.
blow a gasket — To lose one's temper completely.
hearts and flowers — Excessive sentimentality.
play hooky — To skip school or work without permission.
sing someone's praises — To praise someone enthusiastically.
the power behind the throne — Someone with no official title who secretly controls a leader.
born in a trunk — Raised in a family of traveling performers and in the business from childhood.
against all odds — Despite great difficulty or opposition.
fall into someone's lap — To come to someone without any effort.
cold hard cash — Actual money in coins and bills, not credit or promises.
cherchez la femme — There is probably a woman behind this situation.
throw money down the drain — To waste money.
fire in the belly — Strong ambition and drive.
all fired up — Very excited or enthusiastic.
the oldest trick in the book — A very familiar trick that should not fool anyone.
a slippery slope — A small step that leads to worse and worse consequences.
snug as a bug in a rug — Very warm and comfortable.
breathe down someone's neck — To watch someone too closely, or to be close behind them.
champ at the bit — To be impatient to start.
at cross purposes — To misunderstand each other or work toward conflicting goals.
a Bible thumper — A person who is aggressively or tiresomely religious.
walk into the lion's den — To go deliberately into a dangerous or hostile place.
an old sea dog — An experienced old sailor.
have eyes like a hawk — To have very sharp eyesight, or to notice every detail.
be a doormat — To let others treat one badly without protest.
thick as thieves — Very close friends who share secrets.
separate the wheat from the chaff — To distinguish what is valuable from what is worthless.
a whole different ball game — A completely different situation.
elbow grease — Hard physical work, especially scrubbing or polishing.
not mince one's words — To speak frankly, even bluntly.
have a heavy heart — To feel sad or burdened.
in one's heart of hearts — In one's deepest private feelings.
promise the moon — To promise something impossible to deliver.
thick and fast — Rapidly and in large numbers.
Indian summer — A period of warm weather in autumn; also a late, happy period in life.
an old hand — Someone with long experience at something.
one thing led to another — A series of events happened, each causing the next, often with a hint that something embarrassing followed.
Ariadne's thread — Something that guides one through a complicated problem.
sweet-talk — To persuade someone with flattery.
get on the wrong side of — To make someone angry or hostile toward you.
play to the gallery — To behave in a way meant to win popular approval.
a pie-crust promise — A promise that is easily broken.
drag someone's name through the mud — To damage someone's reputation publicly.
get one's hooks into — To get a firm hold or control over something or someone.
as old as the hills — Extremely old.
behind closed doors — In private or in secret.
a low blow — An unfair or cruel attack.
it's all fun and games until someone loses an eye — Rough play may seem harmless but can end in injury.
the judgment of Solomon — A wise decision that cleverly settles a difficult dispute.
six of one, half a dozen of the other — Two options are essentially the same.
a dab hand — Someone very skilled at something.
to the letter — Exactly and precisely, following every detail.
get the boot — To be dismissed from a job or thrown out.
not the sharpest tool in the shed — Not very intelligent.
the honeymoon period — The early, happy stage of a new relationship or arrangement, before problems appear.
for donkey's years — For a very long time.
since time immemorial — For longer than anyone can remember.
cry one's eyes out — To cry very hard and for a long time.
make sheep's eyes at — To look at someone in a lovesick, foolish way (dated).
much ado about nothing — A lot of fuss about something unimportant.
a rare bird — An unusual person or thing.
follow the herd — To do what everyone else does without thinking.
all grist to the mill — Everything can be turned to use or advantage.
in a pickle — In a difficult situation.
have one's work cut out — To face a difficult task.
mum's the word — Keep this secret; say nothing.
hale and hearty — Healthy and strong, especially in old age.
find one's sea legs — To get used to a boat's movement; to grow comfortable in a new situation.
break a leg — Good luck, said to a performer before going on stage.
hey presto — Said when something happens suddenly, as if by magic.
search me — I don't know.
set the cat among the pigeons — To say or do something that causes trouble or uproar.
storm clouds are gathering — Trouble is coming.
be rolling in it — To be very rich.
be worth one's weight in gold — To be extremely valuable or useful.
all bark and no bite — Threatening or boastful but not actually dangerous.
the flip side of the coin — The opposite, usually less pleasant, aspect of something.
the eighth wonder of the world — Something extraordinary, often said ironically.
a den of thieves — A place full of dishonest people.
in the arms of Morpheus — Asleep.
take someone at their word — To believe someone, or to act on exactly what they said.
talk the hind legs off a donkey — To talk endlessly.
cut the Gordian knot — To solve a complicated problem with a bold, simple action.
pick a fight — To deliberately start an argument or fight.
in someone's good books — In favor with someone.
an eye for an eye — Punishment should match the injury; revenge in kind.
scream blue murder — To protest very loudly.
send someone packing — To dismiss someone abruptly.
money burns a hole in someone's pocket — Someone cannot keep money without spending it.
jump through hoops — To go through many difficult or pointless steps to get something.
a parting shot — A final sharp remark made while leaving.
grease someone's palm — To bribe someone.
set the record straight — To correct a mistaken account or misunderstanding.
a damp squib — Something expected to be impressive that turns out a disappointment.
no contest — Said when one side is clearly better and there is no real competition.
don't shoot the messenger — Don't blame the person who brings bad news.
go by shanks' mare — To walk; to travel on foot.
as old as Methuselah — Extremely old.
like a duck to water — Naturally and easily, as if born to it.
kill the goose that lays the golden eggs — To destroy a source of profit out of greed.
with one's tail between one's legs — Humiliated and defeated.
have a foot in both camps — To be involved with two opposing sides at once.
a workhorse — A person or machine that does a large amount of hard, reliable work.
deaf as a post — Completely deaf.
ugly as sin — Very ugly.
terra firma — Solid ground, as opposed to the sea or the air.
the sandman is coming — It's time to sleep; someone is getting sleepy.
bite the hand that feeds you — To harm or insult someone who helps you.
soaked to the skin — Completely wet.
cash on the nail — Payment made immediately.
move the needle — To make a noticeable difference.
in two shakes of a lamb's tail — Very quickly.
have a few tricks up one's sleeve — To have secret plans or resources in reserve.
a Procrustean bed — A rigid standard forced on everything, whatever the damage.
a Sisyphean task — An endless, futile task.
so near and yet so far — Close to something one wants but unable to reach it.
jam tomorrow — A promise of good things in the future that never arrive.
have one foot in the grave — To be close to death.
cast the first stone — To be the first to condemn someone.
steal a march on — To gain an advantage by acting before someone else.
the bee's knees — Something or someone excellent.
throw someone under the bus — To betray or blame someone to save oneself.
take stock — To review a situation carefully before deciding what to do.
with pomp and circumstance — With great ceremony and display.
reinvent the wheel — To waste effort creating something that already exists.
protect one's turf — To defend one's area of control or responsibility against others.
chase rainbows — To pursue something unrealistic.
a Pyrrhic victory — A win that costs so much it is almost a defeat.
go to rack and ruin — To fall into a state of decay through neglect.
on one's toes — Alert and ready to react.
left high and dry — Stranded or abandoned without help.
an old wives' tale — A traditional belief, especially about health, that is not true.
a pen-pusher — A clerk or bureaucrat doing dull paperwork.
a word to the wise — A hint or warning that a sensible person will heed.
a shot across the bow — A warning of more serious action to come.
at a snail's pace — Very slowly.
no picnic — Not easy or pleasant.
a witch hunt — A campaign to find and punish people, driven by fear or suspicion rather than evidence.
the lean years — A period of hardship and scarcity.
worship the golden calf — To value money and wealth above everything.
a poisoned chalice — Something that seems attractive but brings trouble to whoever accepts it.
at the top of one's lungs — As loudly as possible.
Captain Obvious — A mocking name for someone who states the obvious.
think the moon is made of green cheese — To be very gullible.
ants in one's pants — Restless, unable to sit still.
blistering barnacles — A comic exclamation of surprise or anger.
let's hit the road — Let's leave; let's get going.
gone with the wind — Gone forever, vanished without a trace.
without fanfare — Quietly, without any publicity.
a Herculean task — An extremely difficult job requiring huge effort.
on the sidelines — Not taking an active part; left out.
a stab in the back — A betrayal by someone one trusted.
the light at the end of the tunnel — A sign that a long, difficult period is ending.
at full tilt — At full speed or with full force.
my bad — My mistake; sorry.
freeze one's butt off — To be extremely cold.
drive someone up the wall — To annoy someone intensely.
be in clover — To live in comfort and luxury.
right up one's alley — Exactly suited to someone's interests or skills.
go downhill — To get steadily worse.
have the luck of the devil — To be extraordinarily lucky.
hightail it — To leave in a great hurry.
diddly-squat — Nothing at all.
take a hike — Go away; get lost.
have a nerve — To be rude or bold in a way that shocks others.
nobody's fool — A sensible person who is not easily tricked.
you could have knocked me down with a feather — I was extremely surprised.
swing the lead — To avoid work, especially by pretending to be ill.
get on someone's nerves — To annoy someone.
a fat lot of good that does me — That is of no use to me at all.
knock someone's socks off — To impress or amaze someone greatly.
no sweat — No problem; that's easy.
dumb as a box of rocks — Very stupid.
without a penny to one's name — With no money at all.
feed someone a line — To tell someone something untrue to deceive them.
a smart aleck — An annoying person who shows off how clever they are.
what have you been smoking? — Said to someone whose idea sounds crazy.
let things ride — To let a situation continue without interfering.
throw one's weight around — To use one's power or importance in an overbearing way.
don't push your luck — Don't risk ruining a good situation by asking for more.
on the house — Free, paid for by the business.
make a song and dance about — To make an unnecessary fuss about something.
yada yada yada — And so on; skipping boring details.
swap spit — To kiss passionately (slang).
wide of the mark — Inaccurate or irrelevant.
hit the wall — To suddenly run out of energy.
grab a bite — To eat something quickly.
like a rat in a trap — Trapped with no way to escape.
like the cat that got the cream — Very pleased with oneself.
work for peanuts — To work for very little pay.
sit on one's hands — To do nothing when action is needed.
flat out — As fast or as hard as possible.
can't carry a tune in a bucket — Sings very badly.
a smash hit — To be a huge success.
beat someone to a pulp — To beat someone very severely.
firing on all cylinders — Working at full power and efficiency.
by the bucketload — In large quantities.
trouble in paradise — Problems in a relationship or situation that seemed perfect.
no ifs, ands, or buts — Without any excuses or exceptions.
strong as an ox — Very strong.
fall on hard times — To become poor or suffer misfortune.
a nasty piece of work — An unpleasant, cruel or dishonest person.
holy cow! — An exclamation of surprise.
good riddance — Said when one is glad to be rid of someone or something.
go through the wringer — To go through a very hard experience.
go off on a tangent — To wander away from the subject being discussed.
strike out — To fail completely, especially in an attempt to attract someone.
clear as day — Completely obvious.
nothing doing — Refusal; there is no chance of that happening.
be in the know — To have information that most people do not have.
have had it up to here — To be completely fed up.
be off one's game — To perform worse than usual.
be miles away — To be lost in thought and not paying attention.
sly as a fox — Very cunning.
walk a tightrope — To be in a situation where one small mistake would be disastrous.
take one's ball and go home — To quit in a sulk and spoil the activity for everyone else.
a spare tire — A roll of fat around the waist.
count one's chickens before they hatch — To rely on something good before it has actually happened.
give and take — Mutual compromise, where each side concedes something.
on the sly — Secretly, so as not to be seen.
small potatoes — Something unimportant or trivial.
a dog's breakfast — A complete mess.
not a peep — Not a sound, or not a word from someone.
bail someone out — To rescue someone from trouble, especially by paying.
a double-edged sword — Something with both good and bad consequences.
blow the lid off — To expose a scandal or secret.
be ahead of the game — To be in a better position than one's rivals.
get out of hand — To become impossible to control.
there are no two ways about it — The matter admits no doubt or alternative.
a dime a dozen — So common as to be worth very little.
fire the starting gun — To signal the official start of something.
come what may — Whatever happens.
bang one's head against a brick wall — To keep trying something with no result.
have a whale of a time — To enjoy oneself enormously.
get off on the right foot — To make a good start.
turn one's back on someone — To abandon or refuse to help someone.
have plenty left in the tank — To still have energy or resources in reserve.
willy-nilly — Whether one wants it or not; also, in a disorganized way.
make oneself scarce — To leave quickly, or to keep out of the way.
no holds barred — With no rules or restraints.
one's heart sinks — To feel sudden disappointment or dread.
jump at the chance — To accept an opportunity eagerly and at once.
a matter of life and death — Something of the greatest possible seriousness.
shoulder to shoulder — Side by side, working together.
rough and ready — Crude but good enough for the purpose.
keep up appearances — To behave as if nothing is wrong, to protect one's reputation.
grow like wildfire — To spread very fast.
at the stroke of a pen — By one quick official decision.
not on your life — Absolutely not.
tread carefully — To act with great caution in a delicate situation.
pull the other one — Said to someone telling an obvious lie.
make a clean break — To end something completely rather than gradually.
a bit on the side — A secret lover; an affair.
use someone as a cat's paw — To get someone else to do one's dirty work.
look out for number one — To put one's own interests first.
lose one's marbles — To go crazy.
with only the clothes on one's back — With no possessions at all.
well, I never! — An exclamation of surprise or disbelief.
luck out — To have unexpected good luck.
the heart of the matter — The most important part of an issue.
put in one's two cents — To give one's opinion, whether or not it was asked for.
play cat and mouse — To toy with someone one has power over.
crunch time — The decisive moment, when there is no more time left.
blow me down — An exclamation of complete surprise.
get things back on track — To bring a situation back under control after it has gone wrong.
be in for a rude awakening — To be about to discover an unpleasant truth.
carry coals to Newcastle — To do something completely unnecessary.
hunky-dory — Perfectly fine.
be over the moon — Absolutely delighted.
the morning after the night before — A hangover, and the regret that comes with it.
rub salt in the wound — To make someone's pain or humiliation worse.
tread on someone's toes — To offend someone, especially by interfering in what they see as their business.
behind the scenes — Out of public view, where the real work or decisions happen.
get under someone's feet — To be in the way while someone is trying to work.
kick up a fuss — To complain loudly and cause a commotion.
cry at the drop of a hat — To burst into tears very easily.
been there, done that — Said of an experience one already knows well, often with a shrug.
think outside the box — To find an unconventional solution.
not get off the ground — To fail to make any progress at all.
green with envy — Extremely jealous.
do nothing by halves — To commit fully to whatever one does.
keep someone on a short leash — To keep someone under close control.
not for all the tea in China — Under no circumstances.
shut someone up — To force someone to stop talking.
a pack of lies — A story that is entirely untrue.
rein someone in — To bring someone under control.
keep one's feet on the ground — To stay realistic and unaffected by success.
be pocket change — To be a trivial amount of money for the person paying.
become second nature — To become so familiar that one does it without thinking.
be a known quantity — To be someone whose character or ability is already understood.
take the rap — To accept blame or punishment, often for someone else.
you can't win them all — Said to console someone after a small failure.
right on cue — At exactly the right moment.
smell a rat — To sense that something dishonest is going on.
a hard nut to crack — A difficult problem, or a person who is hard to deal with.
have a finger in every pie — To be involved in many different things at once.
go off without a hitch — To happen smoothly, with no problems.
lose one's shirt — To lose all one's money.
get the wrong end of the stick — To misunderstand something completely.
have a bee in one's bonnet — To be obsessed with one idea.
put down roots — To settle somewhere permanently.
on tenterhooks — In anxious suspense.
start off on the wrong foot — To begin something badly.
take one's breath away — To astonish someone with beauty or surprise.
go away empty-handed — To get nothing at all.
on the ropes — Close to defeat or collapse.
hit rock bottom — To reach the lowest possible point.
work one's fingers to the bone — To work extremely hard.
watch one's back — To stay alert to hidden threats.
move with the times — To keep up with change instead of clinging to old ways.
beat the drum for something — To promote something loudly and publicly.
set someone's heart racing — To excite or alarm someone.
forget one's own head — To be extremely forgetful.
any old how — Carelessly, with no attention to doing it properly.
take to one's heels — To run away.
where the sun doesn't shine — Somewhere hidden; also a rude way of naming the body.
without a fight — With no resistance at all.
pave the way — To prepare the ground so that something can happen later.
catch someone off guard — To surprise someone who is not prepared.
all at once — Suddenly, with no warning.
do more harm than good — To make matters worse while trying to help.
drag one's feet — To delay deliberately.
go through the motions — To do something without care or real effort.
be tone-deaf — To be unable to tell musical notes apart; also, to have no sense of how others feel.
throw dust in someone's eyes — To mislead someone by distracting them.
when pigs fly — Never.
mark my words — Remember what I am telling you; it will turn out to be true.
lead someone up the garden path — To deceive someone, keeping them hopeful along the way.
packed like sardines — Crowded very tightly together.
give someone the runaround — To put someone off with excuses instead of a straight answer.
pin the blame on someone — To make someone take responsibility for a fault, often unfairly.
let the grass grow under one's feet — To waste time and miss opportunities.
go through fire and water — To face any danger or hardship for someone or something.
a closed book — Something one knows nothing about, or someone impossible to understand.
up to one's ears in debt — Deeply in debt.
hand on heart — Said when swearing that something is completely true.
you'll live — Said to someone making a fuss over a small injury or setback.
with an iron fist — With harsh, absolute control.
a trump card — A decisive advantage kept in reserve.
not turn a hair — To show no reaction at all.
all brawn and no brain — Physically strong but not clever.
hide one's light under a bushel — To keep one's talents hidden.
two men and a dog — A very small crowd.
has the cat got your tongue? — Said to someone who stays silent when they should speak.
a load of nonsense — Something completely untrue or silly.
all or nothing — With no middle way; everything is risked on one outcome.
until one is blue in the face — For as long as one likes, with no result.
an accident waiting to happen — Someone or something very likely to cause trouble or harm.
on a wing and a prayer — Only just managing, with luck rather than means.
welcome to the club — Said to someone who has just joined you in a shared situation, usually an unwelcome one.
tell me another one — Said to someone whose story is obviously untrue.
go off the rails — To lose control of one's life or behavior.
there's nothing for it — There is no other choice.
on the back of an envelope — Roughly worked out, without proper tools or care.
a scapegoat — Someone blamed for others' faults.
truth be told — To be honest about it.
for the life of me — However hard I try.
kick the can down the road — To put off dealing with a problem, leaving it for later.
away with the fairies — Daydreaming, or not quite in touch with reality.
drop the ball — To make a mistake, especially by failing to do something one was responsible for.
come out of the closet — To tell people openly that one is gay or lesbian; more broadly, to reveal something kept secret.
neither here nor there — Not relevant to the matter being discussed.
something is rotten in the state of Denmark — Something is seriously wrong, often something being hidden.
at this stage of the game — At this point in a process, usually when it is late to change things.
get the hang of something — To learn how to do something.
the eye of the storm — The center of a crisis; sometimes a brief calm in the middle of it.
poor as a church mouse — Extremely poor.
go all out — To make the greatest possible effort.
at the end of the day — When everything is taken into account; in the end.
tough luck — Said when nothing can be done about a disappointment, often without much sympathy.
cut to the chase — To get straight to the point.
be lost for words — To be so surprised or moved that one cannot speak.
know the score — To understand the real situation, including its less pleasant facts.
go down the drain — To be wasted or lost, or to fail completely.
of the old school — Holding traditional values or ways of doing things.
cherry-pick — To choose only the best or most convenient items.
keep one's eye on the ball — To stay focused on what matters.
be cut out for something — To have the right qualities for something.
go to bat for someone — To support or defend someone.
pull the plug — To put a stop to something, especially by cutting off its support.
clean house — To get rid of unwanted people or practices in an organization.
kick it up a notch — To increase effort, intensity or excitement.
take matters into one's own hands — To act oneself because others have failed to.
fight fire with fire — To respond to an attack with the same methods.
under lock and key — Securely locked away.
all in one's head — Imagined rather than real, or a matter of attitude.
stink to high heaven — To smell terrible; also, to seem very dishonest.
on a silver platter — Given to someone without any effort on their part.
above board — Honest and open, with nothing hidden.
stake a claim — To declare that something is yours, or that you have a right to it.
dig one's heels in — To refuse stubbornly to change one's mind.
the scales fall from one's eyes — To suddenly see the truth after being deceived.
feet of clay — A hidden weakness in someone or something admired.
raze to the ground — To destroy a building or town completely.
get to grips with something — To start dealing seriously with a problem.
the law of the jungle — A situation where the strongest or most ruthless win.
get one's hands on something — To obtain something, often with difficulty.
dig one's own grave — To cause one's own downfall.
wouldn't hurt a fly — Is very gentle and harmless.
in borrowed plumes — Pretending to qualities or achievements that belong to someone else.
come in handy — To be useful when needed.
like two peas in a pod — Very similar in looks or character.
put someone in their place — To remind someone firmly that they are not as important as they think.
play for high stakes — To take part in something where a great deal can be won or lost.
take liberties — To behave too freely or presumptuously.
cool as a cucumber — Very calm, especially under pressure.
in broad daylight — Openly, during the day, when anyone could see.
not my circus, not my monkeys — It's not my problem, so I'm staying out of it.
give someone what for — To scold or punish someone severely.
like talking to a brick wall — Speaking to someone who does not listen or respond.
have a thing for someone — To be attracted to someone.
a vicious circle — A situation where one problem causes another, which makes the first worse.
wish the ground would swallow one up — To feel so embarrassed that one wants to disappear.
have one's head screwed on — To be sensible and practical.
a ballpark figure — A rough estimate.
a bird-brain — A silly or scatterbrained person.
toss one's cookies — To vomit.
put on a brave face — To look cheerful or confident while feeling otherwise.
throw up one's hands — To show that one gives up, in despair or frustration.
make someone's life hell — To make someone very unhappy for a long time.
sweep something under the rug — To hide a problem instead of dealing with it.
push up daisies — To be dead and buried.
lose one's head — To stop thinking clearly because of panic, anger or passion.
manna from heaven — Something good that arrives unexpectedly just when it is needed.
lose face — To lose respect or be humiliated in public.
play for time — To delay deliberately in the hope of improving one's position.
shoulder the burden — To take on a heavy responsibility.
gild the lily — To spoil something already perfect by adding to it.
borrow trouble — To worry about problems that may never happen.
act like one owns the place — To behave with arrogant disregard for others.
once in a lifetime — So rare that it will probably happen only once.
cook the books — To falsify figures, especially accounts.
out of one's league — Too good, attractive or expensive for someone to have a chance with.
no room to swing a cat — A very small or cramped space.
a snake in the grass — A treacherous person who pretends to be a friend.
give one's eyeteeth for something — To want something very badly.
a stroke of luck — A sudden, unexpected piece of good fortune.
like chalk and cheese — Completely different, though perhaps similar at first glance.
blush to the roots of one's hair — To go very red with embarrassment.
not see beyond the end of one's nose — To have a narrow outlook and ignore anything beyond one's immediate concerns.
word gets around — News and rumors spread quickly from person to person.
shut the stable door after the horse has bolted — To take precautions only after the harm is done.
kick the cat — To take out one's anger on someone weaker or innocent.
right under one's nose — Very close, yet unnoticed.
bend over backwards — To make a great effort to help or please someone.
be afraid of one's own shadow — To be very timid and easily frightened.
a blessing in disguise — Something that seems bad at first but turns out well.
teach your grandmother to suck eggs — To give advice to someone who knows far more than you.
big deal — Said sarcastically to mean something is not important at all.
play into someone's hands — To act in a way that unintentionally helps an opponent.
make a hash of something — To do something very badly.
play dumb — To pretend not to know or understand something.
all hell breaks loose — Chaos and disorder suddenly erupt.
make short work of something — To deal with or finish something quickly.
be put out to pasture — To be retired or set aside as no longer useful.
an uphill battle — A long, difficult struggle.
have all one's marbles — To be of sound mind.
thumb one's nose at — To show contempt or mockery for someone or something.
saw off the branch one is sitting on — To harm one's own position or interests.
go around the houses — To take a needlessly long or roundabout way.
do the heavy lifting — To do the hardest part of a job.
ask for trouble — To behave in a way likely to cause problems for oneself.
worth the price of admission — So entertaining that it would be worth paying to watch.
pull a long face — To look sad, sulky or disappointed.
rushed off one's feet — Extremely busy.
out of this world — Wonderful; extraordinarily good.
the pits — The worst; extremely bad.
sleep on it — To delay a decision until the next day to think it over.
it'll all come out in the wash — Things will work out in the end.
the penny drops — Someone finally understands something.
change one's tune — To change one's opinion or behavior, usually suddenly.
call someone every name under the sun — To insult someone furiously with every abusive word one can think of.
live beyond one's means — To spend more money than one earns.
thin-skinned — Easily offended or hurt by criticism.
right-hand man — Someone's most trusted and useful helper.
use a sledgehammer to crack a nut — To use far more force than a small problem needs.
a monkey's wedding — A sunshower, when rain falls while the sun shines.
off one's trolley — Crazy or foolish.
as scarce as hen's teeth — Extremely rare.
have a big mouth — To talk too much, especially about things that should be kept secret.
come down hard on someone — To punish or criticize someone severely.
like a headless chicken — In a frantic, disorganized way.
a bundle of nerves — A very anxious or nervous person.
light-fingered — Tending to steal.
Wrap your head around something — To manage to understand or accept something that is complicated, surprising, or hard to believe.
if ifs and buts were candy and nuts — A retort to someone dwelling on what might have been: wishing and hypothesizing change nothing.
if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle — A crude retort to pointless speculation: change enough facts and anything becomes true, so the hypothesis proves nothing.
cast a pall over — To make a gathering or occasion suddenly gloomy or subdued, usually because of bad news or a tactless remark.
cast an eye over — To look at something quickly, usually to check it.
and that's not the half of it — Said after listing troubles or surprises to signal that there is even more, often worse, still untold.
dead as a doornail — Completely dead, or completely finished, with no chance of revival.
be in for it — To be certain to get into trouble or be punished.
the exception that proves the rule — A case that breaks a general rule, said as if it showed that the rule normally holds; often used loosely to dismiss a counterexample.

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