IdiomDaily Life
English
Englishmake a killing
Meaning: To make a lot of money quickly.
Example: “They bought the building for almost nothing and made a killing when the neighborhood took off.”
Origin: American slang of the 1880s, first used of a big win at gambling or on the stock market. "Killing" had long meant a striking success, possibly after a hunter's successful kill.
Equivalents in other languages
French: Faire ses choux gras Literally: To make one's cabbages fat
Danish: At score kassen Literally: To score the cash box
Finnish: Lyödä rahoiksi Literally: To strike it into money
More English idioms
- worm something out of someone To get information from someone gradually and persistently.
- 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.
- 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.
Explore another collection: Tongue Twisters
Tricky phrases to practice out loud, from languages around the world.
- Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. A relentless 'p' plosive drill; a peck is an old dry measure of about nine litres.
- Unique New York. Three words that jam the 'y/n/k' sequence together — repeat it and it collapses into 'you…
- Pad kid poured curd pulled cod. Alternating repetition — the consonants swap at the start of every other word, which is w…
Keep exploring