Idioms by Category

Idioms by Category
In this book I will split the common idioms into categories so it will be easier to you
to study them.
Enjoy!
Mr. Doody
Animal Idioms
Animals
ahead of the pack
- to be more successful than other people who are doing the same thing as you (a pack
is a group of animals like dogs or wolves who live together)
The girl studied hard all summer and was ahead of the pack when she returned to
school in the autumn.
alley cat
- a stray cat
I began to feed the alley cat and now it comes to my house every day.
as awkward as a cow on roller skates
- very awkward
The little girl was as awkward as a cow on roller skates when she first began riding
her bicycle.
1 Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com
as blind as a bat
- blind
The man is as blind as a bat and cannot see more than a small distance ahead.
as busy as a beaver
- very busy
I have been as busy as a beaver all morning trying to finish my work.
as clean as a hound's tooth
- very clean
The classroom was as clean as a hound's tooth when the students finished cleaning it.
as conceited as a barber's cat
- very conceited, vain
My friend became as conceited as a barber's cat after she won the award at school.
as crooked as a dog's hind leg
- dishonest
The politician is as crooked as a dog's hind leg and everybody dislikes him.
as drunk as a skunk
- very drunk
The man was as drunk as a skunk when he walked into the restaurant.
as fat as a pig
- very fat
The woman in the supermarket was as fat as a pig.
as gentle as a lamb
- very gentle
The girl is as gentle as a lamb when she is with her little sister.
as gruff as a bear
- gruff, unsociable
Our neighbor is as gruff as a bear when we meet him in the morning.
as hungry as a bear
- very hungry
I was as hungry as a bear when I arrived home from work.
as innocent as a lamb
- having no guilt, naive
The little girl is as innocent as a lamb and everybody loves her.
as meek as a lamb
- quiet, docile, meek
The secretary was as meek as a lamb when she went to ask her boss for a salary
increase.
as nervous as a cat
- very nervous
The man was as nervous as a cat when he talked to the woman.
as poor as a church mouse
- very poor
My cousin is as poor as a church mouse and never has any money to spend.
as quiet as a mouse
- very quiet, shy
I was as quiet as a mouse when I left my house early this morning.
as scared as a rabbit
- very scared
I was as scared as a rabbit when I entered the empty room.
as sick as a dog
- very sick
My friend was as sick as a dog when he left the restaurant last night.
as sly as a fox
- smart and clever
The manager of our apartment is as sly as a fox.
as strong as a horse/lion/ox
- very strong
The man was as strong as an ox and easily helped us move the sofa.
as stubborn as a mule
- very stubborn
My friend is as stubborn as a mule and you can never make her change her mind.
as weak as a kitten
- weak, sickly
The girl is as weak as a kitten and cannot carry the pile of books.
as wild as a tiger
- very wild
The little boy was as wild as a tiger when we were trying to look after him.
back the wrong horse
- to support someone or something that cannot or does not win or succeed
We backed the wrong horse when we supported the new candidate for mayor.
badger (someone)
- to get someone to do something by repeated questions or by bothering them
I always have to badger my friend in order to make him return my computer games.
one's bark is worse than one's bite
- one's words are worse than one's actions
You should not worry about her. Her bark is worse than her bite and she is really a
very nice person.
bark up the wrong tree
- to choose the wrong course of action, to ask the wrong person (a hunting dog may
make a mistake when chasing an animal and bark up the wrong tree)
My boss is barking up the wrong tree. I did not cause the computer problem because I
was away at the time.
the best-laid plans of mice and men
- the best thought-out plans that anyone can make
The best-laid plans of mice and men could not prevent the problems that we had with
our travel plans.
bet on the wrong horse
- to misread the future, to not choose the winning person or solution
He is betting on the wrong horse if he supports the other city in their bid for the
Olympic games.
the black sheep of the family
- the worst or the most unpopular/disliked member of a family
My cousin is the black sheep of the family and nobody likes to talk about him.
bright-eyed and bushy-tailed
- to be very cheerful and eager (like a squirrel with bright eyes and a bushy tail)
The children were bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when they got up in the morning.
a bull in a china shop
- a tactless person who upsets others or upsets plans, a very clumsy person
The boy is like a bull in a china shop so you should be careful if you invite him to
your house.
buy a pig in a poke
- to buy something without seeing it or knowing if it will be satisfactory
You can buy the used computer but it will be like buying a pig in a poke if you do not
look at it first.
by shank's mare
- by foot
I came to the meeting by shank's mare.
call the dogs off
- to stop threatening/chasing/hounding someone
The police decided to call the dogs off and stop hunting for the man.
a cash cow
- a product or service that makes much money
Our new business is a cash cow. We are making a lot of money now.
cast pearls before swine
- to waste something on someone who will not be thankful or care about it
Giving the jewellery to the woman will be casting pearls before swine. She will not
appreciate it at all.
cat gets one`s tongue
- one cannot speak because of shyness
The cat got the woman's tongue and she could not say anything at all.
a cat nap
- a short sleep taken during the day
I had a cat nap in the afternoon so that I would feel refreshed in the evening.
a cat on a hot tin roof
- full of lively activity
The boy was jumping around like a cat on a hot tin roof and we could not make him
be quiet.
champ/chomp at the bit
- to be ready and anxious to do something (a bit is put into a horse's mouth for control
of the horse)
Everyone was chomping at the bit to get started on their holiday.
change horses in midstream
- to make new plans or choose a new leader in an activity that has already begun
They have decided to change lawyers but I told them that they should not change
horses in midstream.
a cock-and-bull story
- a silly story that is not true
Our neighbor gave us a cock-and-bull story about how our window was broken.
a copycat
- someone who copies another person`s work etc.
The boy is a copycat according to the other students in the class.
cry wolf
- to give a false alarm, to warn of a danger that is not there
The man is crying wolf. There is no danger that the electrical system will cause a fire.
curiosity killed the cat
- being too nosy may lead a person into trouble
"You should not worry about what your friend is doing. Remember, curiosity killed
the cat."
a dark horse
- a candidate who is little known to the general public
The candidate was a dark horse in the race to be the next mayor until he gave some
good speeches on TV.
dog and pony show
- something that you disapprove of because you think that it has only been organized
to impress you (like a dog and pony show in a circus)
We had serious questions about the project but we only got a dog and pony show
when we asked for answers from our business partners.
dog-eat-dog
- ready or willing to fight and hurt others to get what one wants
It is a dog-eat-dog world in our company.
dog in the manger
- someone who prevents others from doing what they themselves do not want to do
(in Aesop's Fables a dog that cannot eat hay lays in the hayrack and prevents the other
animals from eating the hay)
My friend always acts like a dog in the manger and often tries to prevent us from
enjoying ourselves.
donkey's years
- a very long time
I talked to my friend for a long time because I had not seen her in donkey's years.
a dumb bunny
- a stupid or gullible person
"He really is a dumb bunny. I cannot believe that he does such stupid things."
eager beaver
- a person who is always eager to work or do something extra
The woman is an eager beaver and I am sure that she will do very well in this
company.
eat high on/off the hog
- to eat good or expensive food
We were eating high off the hog during our ocean cruise.
eat like a horse
- to eat a lot
My brother eats like a horse.
every dog has his day
- everyone will have his chance or turn, everyone will get what he deserves
"Don`t worry about him. Every dog has his day and he will eventually suffer for all
the bad things that he is doing."
ferret (information or something) out of (someone)
- to get something from someone by being persistent
I worked hard to ferret the time and place of the party out of my friend.
fight like cats and dogs
- to argue and fight with someone (usually used for people who know each other)
The two children were fighting like cats and dogs when we entered the room.
flog/beat a dead horse
- to continue fighting a battle that has been won, to continue to argue a point that has
been settled
My friend was flogging a dead horse when she would not stop arguing about the
mistake on her paycheck.
a fraidy-cat
- someone who is easily frightened (usually used by children)
The little boy called his friend a fraidy-cat because his friend would not climb the
tree.
get (someone`s) goat
- to annoy someone
My friend is always complaining about the way that I do things which gets my goat.
get off one`s high horse
- to begin to be humble and agreeable
I wish that she would get off her high horse and begin to think about how other people
feel about things.
get on one`s high horse
- to behave with arrogance
My friend is always getting on her high horse and telling people what to do.
go ape (over someone or something)
- to become highly excited or angry about someone or something
Our teacher will go ape if he sees that you have not finished the work that was due
today.
go hog-wild
- to behave wildly
The young soccer fans went hog-wild when they arrived in the city for the game.
go to the dogs
- to deteriorate, to become bad
Many things in our city have gone to the dogs during the last ten years.
go whole hog
- to do everything possible, to be extravagant
We went whole hog in our effort to make sure that the convention was a success.
the hair of the dog that bit one
- a drink of alcohol that one takes when recovering from a hangover
The man woke up and had the hair of the dog that bit him before he ate breakfast.
have a cow
- to become very angry and upset about something
Our teacher had a cow when he discovered that nobody had prepared for the class.
have a whale of a time
- to have an exciting and interesting time
We had a whale of a time at the party last night.
have bats in one's belfry
- to be a little bit crazy
I think that our neighbor has bats in her belfry.
hit the bulls-eye
- to reach the main point of something
I think that our manager hit the bulls-eye when he talked about the real problems in
the company.
hold one`s horses
- to wait, to be patient
"Hold your horses for a moment while I make a phone call."
Holy cow
- used to express strong feelings of astonishment/pleasure/anger
"Holy cow," the man said when he saw the car that had hit the street lamp.
hoof it
- to walk or run (a hoof is the foot of a horse/sheep/cow etc.)
I decided to hoof it when I came downtown this morning.
horse around
- to play around (in a rough way)
The teacher told the children not to horse around while they were getting ready for
class.
a horse of a different color
- something totally separate and different
Changing locations is a horse of a different color. It was never mentioned in any of

our meetings.
horse sense
- common sense, practical thinking
The boy does not have much horse sense and sometimes he makes the wrong
decision.
horse trade
- to bargain in a hard and skillful way
We had to do some horse trading but finally we reached a deal to buy the new house.
to hound (someone)
- to pursue/chase someone, to harass someone
The manager is always hounding the younger members of her staff to make sure that
they work hard.
in a pig`s eye
- unlikely, not so, never
In a pig`s eye will my friend be able to save enough money to go to Mexico for the
winter.
in the doghouse
- in disgrace or disfavor, in trouble
The man is in the doghouse with his wife because he came home late last night.
in two shakes of a lamb's tail
- very quickly
I promised that I would meet my friend in two shakes of a lamb's tail.
kangaroo court
- an illegal court formed by a group of people to settle a dispute among themselves
The military court in the small country was like a kangaroo court that permitted the
military to do whatever they wanted.
keep the wolf from the door
- to maintain oneself at the most basic level
My friend's part-time job is enough for him to keep the wolf from the door.
keep the wolves at bay
- to fight against some kind of trouble
The university students were angry and the administration had to work hard to keep
the wolves at bay.
kill the fatted calf
- to prepare an elaborate banquet for someone
We decided to kill the fatted calf and have a big feast for my parents.
lead a dog`s life
- to lead a miserable life
The man is leading a dog`s life since he married the woman who everyone told him
not to.
a leopard can't change its spots
- you cannot change someone's basic human nature or bad qualities
The manager wrote a letter of apology to the customer but a leopard can't change its
spots and I do not believe that the manager has changed and the letter does not mean
anything.
let sleeping dogs lie
- to not make trouble if you do not have to
You should let sleeping dogs lie and not ask our boss any questions about the dispute.
let the cat out of the bag
- to tell something that is supposed to be a secret
The teacher let the cat out of the bag when she began talking about the plans for the
new school.
like a bat out of hell
- with great speed and force
I ran like a bat out of hell to get the bus.
like a deer caught in the headlights
- like someone who is very confused and does not know what to do
The boy looked like a deer caught in the headlights when we discovered him in the
room that was supposed to be locked.
like lambs to the slaughter
- quietly and without complaining about the dangers that may lie ahead
Our football team went like lambs to the slaughter to meet the best football team in
the country.
lion's share of (something)
- the larger part/share of something
We found the lion's share of the lost tickets but some are still missing.
live high on/off the hog
- to have the best of everything
My friend has been living high on the hog since he changed jobs.
loaded for bear
- very angry
The man was loaded for bear when he went in to see the supervisor.
lock horns with (someone)
- to get into an argument with someone
I locked horns with my neighbor yesterday morning.
lock the barn door after the horse is gone
- to try to deal with something after it is too late
Now my friend wants to fix his house but it is like locking the barn door after the
horse is gone. There was a flood and the damage is already done.
a lone wolf
- someone who prefers to spend time alone and has few friends
The boy was a lone wolf and spent most of his time alone.
look a gift horse in the mouth
- to complain if a gift is not perfect
The girl should not look a gift horse in the mouth and should be happy that she
received a present from her friends.
look like something the cat dragged in
- to look tired/worn out/dirty
I was very tired and I am sure that I looked like something the cat dragged in.
look like the cat that swallowed/ate the canary
- to look smug and self-satisfied, to look as if you have just had a great success
"You look like the cat that swallowed the canary. What happened?"
make a monkey out of (someone)
- to make someone look foolish
My friend made a monkey out of me when he started arguing with me in front of my

boss.
make a mountain out of a molehill
- to make something that is unimportant seem important
You are making a mountain out of a molehill when you talk about the mistake.
make a silk purse out of a sow's ear
- to create something of value from something of no value
You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear and there is no point in trying to teach
the woman manners.
monkey around with (someone or something)
- to play with or waste time with someone or something
The father and son spent the morning monkeying around with the old radio.
monkey business
- unethical or illegal activity, mischief
The boy should stop the monkey business and try to do the job the correct way.
a monkey on one's back
- a serious problem that stops someone from being successful at something
The time without scoring a goal was a monkey on the back of the famous soccer
player.
monkey see, monkey do
- someone copies something that someone else does
It is always monkey see, monkey do for the boy. He copies everything that his friend
does.
more fun than a barrel of monkeys
- very funny, fun
The children love the man because he is more fun than a barrel of monkeys and makes
everybody laugh.
not enough room to swing a cat
- not very much space
There was not enough room to swing a cat in the small apartment.
on horseback
- on the back of a horse
We rode out to the old red barn on horseback.
a paper tiger
- a person or organization that is supposed to have a lot of power but actually is very
weak
The manager was a paper tiger and did not really have any power in the company.
piggy bank
- a small bank (sometimes in the shape of a pig) for saving money
The boy has been putting money into his piggy bank to save for a bicycle.
piggyback
- sitting or being carried on someone`s back and shoulders
The boy was riding piggyback on his father`s shoulders.
play cat and mouse with (someone)
- to tease or fool someone, to change between different types of behavior when

dealing with someone
The man is playing cat and mouse with his company about his plans to quit or not.
play possum
- to pretend to be inactive/asleep/dead
I think that the man is playing possum and is not really sleeping.
put on the dog
- to dress or entertain in a luxurious and extravagant manner
We put on the dog for my parents when they came to visit us.
put (someone or something) out to pasture
- to retire someone or something (just as you would put a horse that is too old to work
out to pasture)
We finally decided to put our old car out to pasture and buy a new one.
put the cart before the horse
- to do things in the wrong order
I think that buying a ticket before we make our holiday plans is putting the cart before
the horse.
put the cat among the pigeons
- to cause trouble
Sending the bad supervisor to talk to the angry workers was like putting the cat
among the pigeons.
rain cats and dogs
- to rain very hard
It has been raining cats and dogs all day.
rat on (someone)
- to report someone's bad behavior to someone
The little boy ratted on his friend at school.
rat out on (someone)
- to desert or betray someone
The boy ratted out on his friends and now they won`t talk to him.
rat race
- a rushed and confusing way of living that does not seem to have a purpose
My uncle is tired of being in the rat race every day and he plans to quit his job soon
and do something else.
ride herd on (someone)
- to watch closely and strictly supervise someone (as a cowboy would supervise a
herd of cattle)
The manager has been riding herd on his employees so that he can get the job done
quickly.
a road hog
- a car driver who uses more than his share of the road
The person in front of me on the highway was a road hog but I tried not to get angry.
rub (someone/someone's fur) the wrong way
- to irritate someone (just as you would irritate a dog or cat if you rub their fur the
wrong way)
The woman who I work with rubs me the wrong way when I speak to her.
a sacred cow
- a person or thing that is never criticized or changed even if it should be (from a cow
which is sacred in India)
The school lunch program is a sacred cow which they will never change.
a scaredy-cat
The children called their friend a scaredy-cat because she would not go into the empty
house.
see a man about a dog
- to leave for some unmentioned purpose (often to go to the washroom)
I left the table in the restaurant to go and see a man about a dog.
separate the sheep from the goats
- to divide people into two groups
We had to separate the sheep from the goats when we began to make selections for
the school choir.
serve as a guinea pig
- to allow some kind of test to be performed on someone
I was not happy that I had to act as a guinea pig for the managers who were testing the
new training material.
a shaggy dog story
- a long and often pointless story that is told as a joke and often ends in a very silly or
unexpected way
My friend told me a shaggy dog story about how he lost his bicycle.
smell a rat
- to be suspicious, to feel that something is wrong
I smell a rat. There is something wrong with the offer of a free credit card.
squirrel (something) away
- to hide or store something
My niece likes to squirrel away as much money as possible from her part-time job.
straight from the horse`s mouth
- directly from the person who said something, directly from a dependable source
I heard it straight from the horse`s mouth that our supervisor will be leaving the
company next week.
the straw that broke the camel`s back
- a small final trouble or problem which follows other troubles and causes everything
to collapse or something to happen
The supervisor accusing me of not working hard enough was the straw that broke the
camel`s back and I asked for a transfer to another section of the company.
one's tail between one`s legs
- feeling beaten or humiliated (like a frightened or defeated dog as it walks away)
The man left the meeting with his tail between his legs after he was criticized by the
company president.
the tail wagging the dog
- a situation where a small part controls the whole thing
When the small group of managers began to run the large company, it was like the tail
wagging the dog.
take the bull by the horns
- to take decisive and direct action
My aunt decided to take the bull by the horns and begin preparations for the family
reunion.
there is more than one way to skin a cat
- there is more than one way to do something
I knew that there was more than one way to skin a cat so I did not worry about the
rules and time limit of my project.
throw (someone) to the lions
- to permit someone to be blamed or criticized for something without trying to help or

protect him or her
The company threw the manager to the lions and made him take responsibility for the
problem that he had caused.
throw (someone) to the wolves
- to send someone into danger without protection, to sacrifice someone
The salesman decided to throw his co-worker to the wolves when he asked him to
meet the angry customer.
top dog
- the most important person in an organization
My uncle is the top dog in his company.
turn tail
- to run away from trouble or danger
We decided to turn tail and leave the restaurant before there was an argument.
until the cows come home
- until very late, for a long time
We can talk until the cows come home this weekend.
weasel out of (something)
- to get out of something or not have to do something (like a weasel which can move
through small openings)
My friend was able to weasel out of going to the store for his mother.
when the cat's away, the mice will play
- when you are not watching someone they may get into trouble
When the cat's away, the mice will play and when the teacher left the classroom the
students began to move around.
a white elephant
- something that is not useful and costs a lot of money to maintain
The airport was a white elephant and nobody liked to use it.
wild horses could not drag (someone away)
- there is nothing that will force someone to go somewhere or do something
Wild horses could not drag me away from my favorite TV show last night.
a wildcat strike
- a strike spontaneously arranged by a group of workers
There was a wildcat strike at the factory and over 100 people stopped work.
wolf down (something)
- to gulp down something, to eat something quickly
I wolfed down my dinner and left the house for the movie.
a wolf in sheep`s clothing
- a person who pretends to be good but really is bad
"Be careful of that man. He is a wolf in sheep`s clothing."
work like a horse
- to work very hard
My grandfather worked like a horse when he was a young man.
you can lead a horse to water (but you can't make it drink)
- you can give someone the opportunity to do something but you cannot force him or
her to do it if they do not want to
You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink and no matter how hard we
try to help my cousin get a job he will not make any effort when we introduce him to
someone who knows about a job.
you can't teach an old dog new tricks
- it is difficult for older people to learn new things
You can't teach an old dog new tricks and I don't think that my father will ever change
his eating habits.
cat Idioms
alley cat
- a stray cat
I began to feed the alley cat and now it comes to my house every day.
as conceited as a barber's cat
- very conceited, vain
My friend became as conceited as a barber's cat after she won the award at school.
as weak as a kitten
- weak, sickly
The girl is as weak as a kitten and cannot carry the pile of books.
cat gets one`s tongue
- one cannot speak because of shyness
The cat got the woman's tongue and she could not say anything at all.
a cat nap
- a short sleep taken during the day
I had a cat nap during the afternoon so that I would feel refreshed in the evening.
a cat on a hot tin roof
- full of lively activity
The boy was jumping around like a cat on a hot tin roof and we could not make him
be quiet.
a copycat
- someone who copies another person`s work etc.
The boy is a copycat according to the other students in the class.
curiosity killed the cat
- being too nosy may lead a person into trouble
"You should not worry about what your friend is doing. Remember, curiosity killed
the cat."
a fraidy-cat
The little boy called his friend a fraidy-cat because his friend would not climb the
tree.
let the cat out of the bag
- to tell something that is supposed to be a secret
The teacher let the cat out of the bag when she began talking about the plans for the
new school.
look like something the cat dragged in
- to look tired/worn out/dirty
I was very tired and I am sure that I looked like something the cat dragged in.
look like the cat that swallowed/ate the canary
- to look smug and self-satisfied, to look as if you have just had a great success
"You look like the cat that swallowed the canary. What happened?"
not enough room to swing a cat
- not very much space
There was not enough room to swing a cat in the small apartment.

put the cat among the pigeons
- to cause trouble
Sending the bad supervisor to talk to the angry workers was like putting the cat
among the pigeons.
rain cats and dogs
- to rain very hard
It has been raining cats and dogs all day.
wrong way)
a scaredy-cat
The children called their friend a scaredy-cat because she would not go into the empty
house.
I knew that there was more than one way to skin a cat so I did not worry about the
rules and time limit of my project.
cow Idioms
as awkward as a cow on roller skates
- very awkward
The little girl was as awkward as a cow on roller skates when she first began riding
her bicycle.
a bull in a china shop
- a tactless person who upsets others or upsets plans, a very clumsy person
The boy is like a bull in a china shop so you should be careful if you invite him to
your house.
a cash cow
- a product or service that makes much money
Our new business is a cash cow. We are making a lot of money now.
have a cow
- to become very angry and upset about something
Our teacher had a cow when he discovered that nobody had prepared for the class.
hit the bulls-eye
- to reach the main point of something
I think that our manager hit the bulls-eye when he talked about the real problems in
the company.
Holy cow
- used to express strong feelings of astonishment/pleasure/anger
"Holy cow," the man said when he saw the car that had hit the street lamp.
a sacred cow
- a person or thing that is never criticized or changed even if it should be (from a cow
which is sacred in India)
The school lunch program is a sacred cow which they will never change.
take the bull by the horns
- to take decisive and direct action
My aunt decided to take the bull by the horns and begin preparations for the family
reunion.
until the cows come home
- until very late, for a long time
We can talk until the cows come home this weekend.
dog Idioms
as clean as a hound's tooth
- very clean
The classroom was as clean as a hound's tooth when the students finished cleaning it.
as crooked as a dog's hind leg
- dishonest
The politician is as crooked as a dog's hind leg and everybody dislikes him.
as sick as a dog
- very sick
My friend was as sick as a dog when he left the restaurant last night.
one's bark is worse than one's bite
- one's words are worse than one's actions
You should not worry about her. Her bark is worse than her bite and she is really a
very nice person.
bark up the wrong tree
- to choose the wrong course of action, to ask the wrong person (a hunting dog may
make a mistake when chasing an animal and bark up the wrong tree)
My boss is barking up the wrong tree. I did not cause the computer problem because I
was away at the time.
call the dogs off
- to stop threatening/chasing/hounding someone
The police decided to call the dogs off and stop hunting for the man.
dog and pony show
dog-eat-dog
- ready or willing to fight and hurt others to get what one wants
It is a dog-eat-dog world in our company.
dog in the manger
- someone who prevents others from doing what they themselves do not want to do
(in Aesop's Fables a dog that cannot eat hay lays in the hayrack and prevents the other
animals from eating the hay)
My friend always acts like a dog in the manger and often tries to prevent us from
enjoying ourselves.
every dog has his day
- everyone will have his chance or turn, everyone will get what he deserves
"Don`t worry about him. Every dog has his day and he will eventually suffer for all
the bad things that he is doing."
go to the dogs
- to deteriorate, to become bad
Many things in our city have gone to the dogs during the last ten years.
the hair of the dog that bit one
- a drink of alcohol that one takes when recovering from a hangover
The man woke up and had the hair of the dog that bit him before he ate breakfast.
to hound (someone)
- to pursue/chase someone, to harass someone
The manager is always hounding the younger members of her staff to make sure that
they work hard.
in the doghouse
- in disgrace or disfavor, in trouble
The man is in the doghouse with his wife because he came home late last night.
lead a dog`s life
- to lead a miserable life
The man is leading a dog`s life since he married the woman who everyone told him
not to.
let sleeping dogs lie
- to not make trouble if you do not have to
You should let sleeping dogs lie and not ask our boss any questions about the dispute.
put on the dog
- to dress or entertain in a luxurious and extravagant manner
We put on the dog for my parents when they came to visit us.
wrong way)
see a man about a dog
- to leave for some unmentioned purpose (often to go to the washroom)
I left the table in the restaurant to go and see a man about a dog.
a shaggy dog story
- a long and often pointless story that is told as a joke and often ends in a very silly or
unexpected way
My friend told me a shaggy dog story about how he lost his bicycle.
one's tail between one`s legs
- feeling beaten or humiliated (like a frightened or defeated dog as it walks away)
The man left the meeting with his tail between his legs after he was criticized by the
company president.
the tail wagging the dog
- a situation where a small part controls the whole thing
When the small group of managers began to run the large company, it was like the tail
wagging the dog.
top dog
- the most important person in an organization
My uncle is the top dog in his company.
turn tail
- to run away from trouble or danger
We decided to turn tail and leave the restaurant before there was an argument.
you can't teach an old dog new tricks
- it is difficult for older people to learn new things
You can't teach an old dog new tricks and I don't think that my father will ever change
his eating habits.
horse Idioms
as strong as a horse/lion/ox
- very strong
The man was as strong as an ox and easily helped us move the sofa.
as stubborn as a mule
- very stubborn
My friend is as stubborn as a mule and you can never make her change her mind.
- to support someone or something that cannot or does not win or succeed
We backed the wrong horse when we supported the new candidate for mayor.
- to misread the future, to not choose the winning person or solution
He is betting on the wrong horse if he supports the other city in their bid for the
Olympic games.
by shank's mare
- by foot
I came to the meeting by shank's mare.
champ/chomp at the bit
- to be ready and anxious to do something (a bit is put into a horse's mouth for control
of the horse)
Everyone was chomping at the bit to get started on their holiday.
change horses in midstream
- to make new plans or choose a new leader in an activity that has already begun
They have decided to change lawyers but I told them that they should not change
horses in midstream.
a dark horse
- a candidate who is little known to the general public
The candidate was a dark horse in the race to be the next mayor until he gave some
good speeches on TV.
dog and pony show
donkey's years
- a very long time
I talked to my friend for a long time because I had not seen her in donkey's years.
eat like a horse
- to eat a lot
My brother eats like a horse.
flog/beat a dead horse
- to continue fighting a battle that has been won, to continue to argue a point that has
been settled
My friend was flogging a dead horse when she would not stop arguing about the
mistake on her paycheck.
get off one`s high horse
- to begin to be humble and agreeable
I wish that she would get off her high horse and begin to think about how other people
feel about things.
get on one`s high horse
- to behave with arrogance
My friend is always getting on her high horse and telling people what to do.
hold one`s horses
- to wait, to be patient
"Hold your horses for a moment while I make a phone call."
hoof it
- to walk or run (a hoof is the foot of a horse/sheep/cow etc.)
I decided to hoof it when I came downtown this morning.
horse around
- to play around (in a rough way)
The teacher told the children not to horse around while they were getting ready for
class.
a horse of a different color
Changing locations is a horse of a different color. It was never mentioned in any of

our meetings.
horse sense
- common sense, practical thinking
The boy does not have much horse sense and sometimes he makes the wrong
decision.
horse trade
- to bargain in a hard and skillful way
We had to do some horse trading but finally we reached a deal to buy the new house.
lock the barn door after the horse is gone
- to try to deal with something after it is too late
Now my friend wants to fix his house but it is like locking the barn door after the
horse is gone. There was a flood and the damage is already done.
look a gift horse in the mouth
- to complain if a gift is not perfect
The girl should not look a gift horse in the mouth and should be happy that she
received a present from her friends.
on horseback
- on the back of a horse
We rode out to the old red barn on horseback.
put (someone or something) out to pasture
- to retire someone or something (just as you would put a horse that is too old to work
out to pasture)
We finally decided to put our old car out to pasture and buy a new one.
put the cart before the horse
- to do things in the wrong order
I think that buying a ticket before we make our holiday plans is putting the cart before
the horse.
ride herd on (someone)
- to watch closely and strictly supervise someone (as a cowboy would supervise a
herd of cattle)
The manager has been riding herd on his employees so that he can get the job done
quickly.
straight from the horse`s mouth
- directly from the person who said something, directly from a dependable source
I heard it straight from the horse`s mouth that our supervisor will be leaving the
company next week.
wild horses could not drag (someone away)
- there is nothing that will force someone to go somewhere or do something
Wild horses could not drag me away from my favorite TV show last night.
work like a horse
- to work very hard
My grandfather worked like a horse when he was a young man.
you can lead a horse to water (but you can't make it drink)
- you can give someone the opportunity to do something but you cannot force him or
her to do it if they do not want to
You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink and no matter how hard we
try to help my cousin get a job he will not make any effort when we introduce him to
someone who knows about a job.
monkey Idioms
go ape (over someone or something)
- to become highly excited or angry about someone or something
Our teacher will go ape if he sees that you have not finished the work that was due
today.
make a monkey out of (someone)
- to make someone look foolish
My friend made a monkey out of me when he started arguing with me in front of my

boss.
monkey around with (someone or something)
- to play with or waste time with someone or something
The father and son spent the morning monkeying around with the old radio.
monkey business
- unethical or illegal activity, mischief
The boy should stop the monkey business and try to do the job the correct way.
a monkey on one's back
- a serious problem that stops someone from being successful at something
The time without scoring a goal was a monkey on the back of the famous soccer
player.
monkey see, monkey do
- someone copies something that someone else does
It is always monkey see, monkey do for the boy. He copies everything that his friend
does.
more fun than a barrel of monkeys
- very funny, fun
The children love the man because he is more fun than a barrel of monkeys and makes
everybody laugh.
mouse Idioms
- very poor
My cousin is as poor as a church mouse and never has any money to spend.
as quiet as a mouse
- very quiet, shy
I was as quiet as a mouse when I left my house early this morning.
the best-laid plans of mice and men
- the best thought-out plans that anyone can make
The best-laid plans of mice and men could not prevent the problems that we had with
our travel plans.

pig/hog Idioms
as fat as a pig
- very fat
The woman in the supermarket was as fat as a pig.
buy a pig in a poke
- to buy something without seeing it or knowing if it will be satisfactory
You can buy the used computer but it will be like buying a pig in a poke if you do not
look at it first.
cast pearls before swine
- to waste something on someone who will not be thankful or care about it
Giving the jewellery to the woman will be casting pearls before swine. She will not
appreciate it at all.
- to eat good or expensive food
We were eating high off the hog during our ocean cruise.
go hog-wild
- to behave wildly
The young soccer fans went hog-wild when they arrived in the city for the game.
go whole hog
- to do everything possible, to be extravagant
We went whole hog in our effort to make sure that the convention was a success.
in a pig`s eye
- unlikely, not so, never
In a pig`s eye will my friend be able to save enough money to go to Mexico for the
winter.
live high on/off the hog
- to have the best of everything
My friend has been living high on the hog since he changed jobs.
- to create something of value from something of no value
You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear and there is no point in trying to teach
the woman manners.
piggy bank
- a small bank (sometimes in the shape of a pig) for saving money
The boy has been putting money into his piggy bank to save for a bicycle.
piggyback
- sitting or being carried on someone`s back and shoulders
The boy was riding piggyback on his father`s shoulders.
a road hog
- a car driver who uses more than his share of the road
The person in front of me on the highway was a road hog but I tried not to get angry.
rat Idioms
rat on (someone)
- to report someone's bad behavior to someone
The little boy ratted on his friend at school.
rat out on (someone)
- to desert or betray someone
The boy ratted out on his friends and now they won`t talk to him.
rat race
- a rushed and confusing way of living that does not seem to have a purpose
My uncle is tired of being in the rat race every day and he plans to quit his job soon
and do something else.
smell a rat
- to be suspicious, to feel that something is wrong
I smell a rat. There is something wrong with the offer of a free credit card.
sheep/goat Idioms
as gentle as a lamb
- very gentle
The girl is as gentle as a lamb when she is with her little sister.
as innocent as a lamb
- having no guilt, naive
The little girl is as innocent as a lamb and everybody loves her.
as meek as a lamb
- quiet, docile, meek
The secretary was as meek as a lamb when she went to ask her boss for a salary
increase.
the black sheep of the family
- the worst or the most unpopular/disliked member of a family
My cousin is the black sheep of the family and nobody likes to talk about him.
get (someone`s) goat
- to annoy someone
My friend is always complaining about the way that I do things which gets my goat.
- very quickly
I promised that I would meet my friend in two shakes of a lamb's tail.
like lambs to the slaughter
- quietly and without complaining about the dangers that may lie ahead
Our football team went like lambs to the slaughter to meet the best football team in
the country.
separate the sheep from the goats
- to divide people into two groups
We had to separate the sheep from the goats when we began to make selections for
the school choir.
wolf Idioms
cry wolf
- to give a false alarm, to warn of a danger that is not there
The man is crying wolf. There is no danger that the electrical system will cause a fire.
- to maintain oneself at the most basic level
My friend's part-time job is enough for him to keep the wolf from the door.
keep the wolves at bay
- to fight against some kind of trouble
The university students were angry and the administration had to work hard to keep
the wolves at bay.
a lone wolf
- someone who prefers to spend time alone and has few friends
The boy was a lone wolf and spent most of his time alone.
throw (someone) to the wolves
- to send someone into danger without protection, to sacrifice someone
The salesman decided to throw his co-worker to the wolves when he asked him to
meet the angry customer.
wolf down (something)
- to gulp down something, to eat something quickly
I wolfed down my dinner and left the house for the movie.
a wolf in sheep`s clothing
- a person who pretends to be good but really is bad
"Be careful of that man. He is a wolf in sheep`s clothing."
Arm, Hand
& Finger Idioms
Arm/Hand/Finger
all hands on deck
- everyone must work together because they have a lot of work to do
The captain called for all hands on deck as the storm became stronger and stronger.
all thumbs
- to be awkward and clumsy, a difficulty in fixing things or working with one's hands
The janitor is all thumbs and he can never fix something without making it worse.
arm in arm
- linked together by the arms
The couple walked along the beach arm in arm.
armpit of (somewhere)
- a place that is the ugliest or worst place in a particular area
The small city is the armpit of the country and nobody wants to go there to work.
at hand
- easy to reach, nearby
There were no tools at hand so I was unable to fix the stove.
at one's fingertips
- something is within one's reach
I always have my address book at my fingertips.
at the hands of (someone or something)
- something bad happens because of someone/something else
We were at the hands of nature as we waited for the severe windstorm to end.
bite one's nails
- to bite one's fingernails because you are nervous or anxious
The girl was biting her nails as she waited for the speech contest to begin.
bite the hand that feeds (someone)
- to harm someone who does good things for you
The girl will bite the hand that feeds her if she abuses the help that her parents give
her.
bound hand and foot
- to have one's hands and feet tied up
The bank manager was bound hand and foot by the three bank robbers.
burn one`s fingers
- to suffer from a bad experience
My father burned his fingers in the stock market and he does not want to invest
money there again.
by the handful
- by the amount that one can measure in one handful
We were able to pick strawberries by the handful in the small field.
cannot see one's hand in front of one's face
- to be unable to see very far (usually because of darkness or fog)
I could not see my hands in front of my face because of the heavy rain.
catch (someone) red-handed
- to catch someone in the act of doing something wrong
The teacher caught the boys red-handed when they wrote on the school wall.
caught with one's hand in the cookie jar
- to be caught doing something wrong or illegal
The woman was caught with her hand in the cookie jar when we saw her stealing
office supplies.
change hands
- to be sold or given to someone else
The small corner store has changed hands many times recently.
close at hand
- within reach, handy
There were no restaurants close at hand when we decided to go out for dinner.
closefisted (with money)
- to be stingy with money
My uncle is very closefisted with money.
come/go away empty-handed
- to return without anything, to go away without anything
We returned from the department store empty-handed.
control (someone) with an iron fist
- to have strict and complete control over someone or a group of people
The manager controls the staff with an iron fist.
cost an arm and a leg
- to cost much money
My father paid an arm and a leg for his car and he loves driving it.
cross one`s fingers
- to cross two fingers of one hand to hope or wish for good luck
I crossed my fingers that I would get the job that I had applied for.
cross (someone's) palm with silver
- to give money to someone for a service
We crossed the hotel clerk's palm with silver to get a good room.
dirty one`s hands
- to hurt one's character or good name, to do a bad or shameful thing
The politician dirtied his hands when he became involved in the land deal.
dismiss/reject (something) out of hand
- to immediately decide not to accept an idea/argument/plan without thinking about it
The company dismissed the union's offer to settle the dispute out of hand.
do (something) by hand
- to do something with one's hands rather than a machine
The washing machine was broken so we had to do everything by hand.
eat out of (someone's) hand
- to do what someone else wants
I usually can get my supervisor to eat out of my hand.
elbow (someone) out of (something)
- to force or pressure someone out of something (an office or position)
The new manager got his new position by elbowing many others out of the way.
everything one can lay/get his or her hands on
- to use everything of a particular type that you can find
We used everything that we could lay our hands on to build the small storage
building.
fall/get into the wrong hands
- something secret/dangerous is discovered by someone who may use it in a way that

harms people
The government is being very careful that the new weapons do not fall into the wrong
hands.
(someone's) fingerprints are on (something)
- an action/piece of work is typical of a particular person and they must have been
involved in it
Many police officers believe that the criminal's fingerprints are on the recent crime.
a firm hand
- strict control of someone or something
The company uses a firm hand in managing their financial resources.
first hand
- to see/experience/learn about something by direct personal experience
We learned about the car accident first hand when we were driving down the
highway.
fold one's hands
- to bring one's hands together so that they are palm to palm with the fingers
interlocking
The students folded their hands and sat quietly on their chairs.
force (someone's) hand
- to force a person to reveal his or her plans/strategies/secrets
Our lawyer forced the hand of the opposing lawyer.
from hand to hand
- from one person to another person
We passed the dictionaries from hand to hand until everybody had one.
get one's hands on (someone or something)
- to find someone or something (that may be difficult to find)
I am trying hard to get my hands on a new gas tank for the camping stove.
get out of hand
- to become difficult or impossible to control
The party got out of hand and the school authorities asked everyone to go home.
give one`s right arm (for someone or something)
- to give something of great value for someone or something
I would give my right arm to be able to go to Florida with my friend next month.
give (someone) a big hand
- to clap your hands for a speech/play/performance
The audience gave the musicians a big hand when they finished their performance.
give (someone) a free hand
- to allow someone to do something in the way that they choose
The senior managers give their employees a free hand to make their own work
schedule.
give (someone) a hand with (something)
- to help someone with something
I gave my friend a hand when he moved into his new apartment.
give (someone or something) the thumbs up
- to be in favor of someone or something
The city gave the music festival organizers the thumbs up to have the music festival.
glad hand (someone)
- to give someone a friendly handshake, to give a warm greeting to someone
The politician spent all day glad handing the crowd at the shopping center.
go away empty-handed
- to depart with nothing
The woman went away empty-handed from the job interview.
go hand in hand (with something)
- to be closely related and must be considered together
The change in school hours goes hand in hand with the new policy of decreasing class
sizes.
grease (someone`s) palm
- to pay a person for something done or given, to bribe someone
We had to grease the palm of the customs agent at the border to get our goods into the
country.
green thumb
- a talent for gardening, the ability to make things grow
My sister's husband has a green thumb and has a very beautiful garden.
hand in glove (with someone)
- very close to someone
The new company policy goes hand in glove with the new manager.
hand in hand
- holding hands
The young couple walked hand in hand along the beach.
hand over fist
- fast and in large amounts
We have been making money hand over fist in our new store.
hand over hand
- moving one hand after the other
We climbed hand over hand up the side of the mountain.
(one's) hands are tied
- to be prevented from doing something
My hands are tied at the moment and I cannot help my friend.
hands down
- easily, unopposed
I won the election hands down for the position of class president.
hands off (something)
- to leave something alone, to not interfere with something
I took a hands-off approach while dealing with the new employee.
hang on by one's fingernails
- to continue or manage to do something in a difficult situation
The man is continuing at his job but he is only hanging on by his fingernails.
hard on (someone's) heels
- to be following someone very closely
The dog was hard on the young boy's heels.
have a finger in the pie
- to be involved in something, to have a role in something
The waitress has a finger in the pie of the new restaurant.
have a free hand (to do something)
- to be granted complete control to do something
The teacher had a free hand to choose new textbooks for the course.
have a hand in (something)
- to be involved or play a part in (doing something)
The new teacher has a hand in the recent changes to the cafeteria rules.
have clean hands
- to be guiltless
The man claims to have clean hands in the affair regarding the stolen goods.
have one's finger in too many pies
- to be involved in too many things (so you cannot do any of them well)
Our supervisor has her finger in too many pies and she is not able to do her job well at
all.
have/keep one's finger on the pulse
- to be aware of recent changes/developments in a particular situation or activity
The manager has her finger on the pulse of the company and she knows what
everybody is doing.
have one's hand in the till
- to be stealing money from a company or organization
The sales clerk has had her hand in the till since she first started her job.
have one's hands full (with someone or something)
- to be busy/occupied with someone or something
The woman has her hands full with her three children.
have (someone's) blood on one's hands
- to be responsible for someone's death
The driver has the bicycle rider's blood on his hands.
have (someone) eating out of (the palm of) your hand
- someone is willing to do whatever you want them to do
The woman has her supervisor eating out of the palm of her hand.
have (someone or something) on one's hands
- to be burdened with someone or something
I do not want to have the cancellation of the party on my hands.
have (something) at one's fingertips
- something is nearby and ready to be used
I always have a dictionary at my fingertips when I am reading a book.
have (something) in one's hands
- to have control of or responsibility for something, to possess something
"When I have the documents in my hands I will call you."
heavy hand (of something)
- the great power that someone or something has over people
The heavy hand of the law is usually able to find those who commit a crime.
high-handed
- disregarding other's feelings, overbearing
The employees took a high-handed approach to the negotiations and they were not
successful.
hold (someone's) hand
- to help someone in an unfamiliar or frightening situation
The man held his son's hand as they watched the scary movie.
in good hands
- in the safe and able care of someone
The stolen purse was in good hands after the police found it.
in hand
- under control
After several hours the riot police had the problems with the crowd in hand.
in hand
- in one's possession
The man arrived at the border crossing with much cash in hand.
in safe hands
- under the care of someone or an organization that you can trust and who will help
you
The little girl is in safe hands now that she has arrived at her grandmother's house.
in the hands of (someone)
- a person or organization has control over something and decides what will happen
The court decision is now in the hands of the jury.
iron fist in a velvet glove
- kind and gentle on the outside but determined and ruthless on the inside
The government committee used an iron fist in a velvet glove to get the information
that they wanted.
itchy/itching palm
- to be greedy, to have a desire for money/tips
The police officer had an itching palm and took much money from criminals before
he was arrested.
join hands
- to hold hands so that one person is holding the hands of another person
All of the children joined hands as they crossed the road.
keep one's finger's crossed
- to wish for good luck
"I will keep my fingers crossed that you are able to get the new job that you have
applied for."
keep one's hand in (something)
- to retain one's control of something, to practice something so that you do not forget
it
The animal trainer is trying to keep his hand in his work even though he has retired.
keep one's hands off (someone or something)
- to refrain from touching/handling someone or something
The man was told to keep his hands off his neighbor's dog.
know (someone or something) like the back/palm of one's hand
- to know someone or something very well
The taxi driver knows the city like the back of his hand.
lay a finger on (someone or something)
- to touch or bother someone or something
The teacher told the students not to lay a finger on the new textbooks.
lay one's hands on (someone or something)
- to find someone or something (that may be difficult to find)
If I can lay my hands on a screwdriver I will fix the broken table.
leave (someone or something) in (someone's) hands
- to give someone control of someone or something
I plan to leave the party organizing in my friend's hands.
lend (someone) a hand
- to help someone with something
I will ask my friend to lend me a hand when I move.
lift/raise a finger/hand
- to do something to help someone
My niece will never lift a finger to help anyone.
live from hand to mouth
- to live on very little money
My friend has been living from hand to mouth since he lost his job.
long arm of the law
- the police and laws are so powerful that no matter where you are you will be found
and punished
The criminal was sought by the long arm of the law until he was finally captured.
lose one's grip
- to lose control of a situation
The young teacher seems to be losing her grip on the situation in her classroom.
Many hands make light work
- a lot of help will make a job seem easy
Many hands make light work and lots of people helped to make the job easy.
near at hand
- easy to reach, nearby
If there is a grocery store near at hand I will buy some milk.
off one`s hands
- no longer in one's care or possession
I would like to get my old refridgerator off my hands so that I can buy a new one.
old hand at (doing something)
- someone who is experienced and very good at doing something
Our boss is an old hand at fixing computer problems.
on hand
- nearby, available, in one's possession
We did not have a screwdriver on hand so we could not fix the stove.
on hand
- present
Our teacher is always on hand when we need someone to help us.
on the one hand
- from one side of an issue, from one point of view
On the one hand I like my supervisor but on the other hand sometimes I dislike her a
lot.
on the other hand
- from another point of view, from the other side of an issue
I am very tired but on the other hand I must do some work tonight.
out of hand
- out of control
The party got out of hand so we called the police.
out of hand
- immediately and without consulting anyone, without delay
Our teacher dismissed our excuses out of hand.
palm off (something)
- to sell or give something away by pretending that it is more valuable than it is
I think that the man palmed off a television set that does not work.
pay an arm and a leg (for something)
- to pay a lot of money for something
We paid an arm and a leg for our new sofa.
pay (someone) a back-handed/left-handed compliment
- to give someone a false compliment that is actually an insult
The speaker paid the host of the party a back-handed compliment.
play into (someone`s) hands
- to do something that another person can use against you or can use to his or her
advantage
If you become angry at the man's extreme actions it will only play into his hands.
point the finger (of blame) at (someone)
- to blame someone for doing something wrong, to identify someone as being guilty
The waitress pointed the finger of blame at the cook when the police began to
investigate the murder.
put one's finger on (something)
- to locate something precisely, to identify something as very important
I was able to put my finger on the problem and find someone to help me fix it.
put one's hand to the plow
- to begin to do a big and important task
I put my hands to the plow in order to get my essay finished before the weekend.
put one's hands on (something)
- to locate and acquire something
I have not been able to put my hands on a good cookbook yet.
put/lay the finger on (someone)
- to accuse someone of doing something, to identify someone as the one who did
something
The police put the finger on the young man as the main suspect for the crime.
putty in (someone's) hands
- very willing to do what someone else thinks or wants
The woman was putty in our hands and we were able to get everything that we wanted
from her.
raise a hand
- to do something, to do one's share, to help
I am angry at my friend because he did not raise a hand to help me clean up the mess
in the kitchen.
rap (someone's) knuckles
- to punish someone slightly
The judge decided to rap the young boy's knuckles for his crime.
read the handwriting on the wall
- to guess/anticipate what will happen by observing small hints and clues
I read the handwriting on the wall and began to believe that soon I would have no job.
receive (someone) with open arms
- to greet someone eagerly
The employees received their new boss with open arms.
the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing
- there is not good communication in an organization so one part of the organization

does not know what the other part is doing
The assistant manager knew nothing about what the manager was doing in the
company. It seems like the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing.
rub elbows (with someone)
- to work closely or associate with someone
I have been rubbing elbows with some very interesting people at work recently.
rub shoulders (with someone)
- to work closely or associate with someone
The sales manager rubs shoulders with some of the top business people in the city.
rule of thumb
- a basic or accepted pattern or rule
It is a rule of thumb in our company that workers with the most seniority get bigger
offices.
rule (someone) with an iron fist
- to have strict and complete control over someone or a group of people
The leader of the small country rules the citizens with an iron fist.
shake hands on (something)
- to shake someone's hand as a sign of agreement about something
The politicians shook hands on the agreement to build a new hospital.
shake hands with (someone)
- to greet someone by clasping his or her hand and shaking it
The two men shook hands when they met for the first time.
a shot in the arm
- something inspiring, something that gives someone energy
The latest opinion polls were a shot in the arm for the mayor's re-election campaign.
a show of hands
- a vote for something which is done by people raising their hands
The students voted by a show of hands to go to the park after school.
show one's hand
- to reveal one's intentions to someone
I tried hard not to show my hand during the discussions about my new job.
sit on its/their hands
- an audience refuses to applaud
The members of the audience sat on their hands after the performance by the singer.
sit on one's hands
- to do nothing, to fail to help
Our supervisor sat on his hands and refused to help us with our problem.
a slap on the wrist
- a light punishment for doing something wrong
The young man received a slap on the wrist for his crime.
slip through (someone's) fingers
- to get away from someone, to lose track of someone or something
The job opportunity slipped through my fingers which was very disappointing.
stick out like a sore thumb
- to be obvious and visible
The man sticks out like a sore thumb when he wears his orange hat.
sticky fingers
- the habit of stealing things
Everyone thinks that the new woman at work has sticky fingers because many things
have been stolen recently.
take a hand in (something)
- to help plan or do something
I have decided to take a hand in the building of the new cafeteria.
take (someone or something) in hand
- to try to take control of a situation and improve it or deal with it
Our teacher quickly took the situation in hand when the class became too noisy.
take (someone or something) off (someone's) hands
- to remove or look after someone or something so that the other person does not have
to deal with it
My friend decided to take the old sofa off my hands.
take the law into one's own hands
- to act as a judge and jury for someone who has done something wrong
The soldiers took the law into their own hands when they entered the town.
throw one's hands up in horror
- to be shocked, to raise one's hands in fright
The girl threw her hands up in horror when she saw the injured dog on the road.
thumb/hitch a ride
- to get a ride from a passing motorist, to ask for a ride from a passing motorist by
putting your thumb in the air
We thumbed a ride when our car had a flat tire.
thumb/leaf through (something)
- to look quickly through a book/magazine/newspaper
I thumbed through the garden catalogue at the bookstore.
thumbnail sketch
- a short or small picture or description
The police produced a thumbnail sketch of the bank robber.
thumbs up on (someone or something)
- to be in favor of someone or something
I waited to hear if it would be thumbs up on our plan to change the holiday policy at
work.
tie (someone's) hands
- to prevent someone from doing something
The principal tied our hands and we were not able to start on the project this year.
tightfisted (with money)
- to be stingy with money
My friend is very tightfisted with money and he never likes to buy anything.
throw up one`s hands (in despair/frustration)
- to give up trying, to admit that one cannot succeed
I threw up my hands in frustration when I was unable to complete the telephone call.
try one`s hand (at something)
- to make an inexperienced attempt at something, to try something
I tried my hand at golf last summer but I did not like it.
turn one's hand to (something)
- to start to do something that is different from what you usually do
After we finished cleaning the kitchen we turned our hand to the other rooms.
turn thumbs down (on something)
- to disapprove or reject something, to say no to something
The building committee turned thumbs down on our plans to make the office larger.
twiddle one`s thumbs
- to do nothing, to be idle
The girl twiddled her thumbs all year and is now unable to pass her school exams.
twist (someone`s) arm
- to force someone to do something, to threaten someone to make him or her do

something
I had to twist my friend's arm to get him to let me borrow his car.
under one`s thumb
- to be obedient to someone, to be controlled by someone
The woman has her husband under her thumb and she never gives him any freedom at
all.
up in arms
- to be very angry and wanting to fight, to be equipped with guns or weapons and
ready to fight
The students were up in arms over the school's plan to make them wear uniforms.
(get/gain/have) the upper hand (on someone)
- to get into a position that is superior or more advantageous than someone else
The union has the upper hand in their negotiations with the company.
use some elbow grease
- to use some effort
The dirty kitchen could use some elbow grease to get it clean again.
wash one`s hands of (someone or something)
- to withdraw from or refuse to be responsible for something, to stop one's association

with someone
I decided to wash my hands of the problem with the new secretary and let someone
else deal with it.
welcome (someone) with open arms
- to greet someone eagerly
We welcomed the new teacher with open arms.
win (something) hands down
- easily, without a doubt
The new mayor won the election hands down.
with hat in hand
- with humility
The boy went to his father with hat in hand to ask to borrow some money.
with one hand/both hands tied behind one's back
- easily, even under a severe handicap
The job was very hard to do because I had to operate with one hand tied behind my
back.
with open arms
- warmly, eagerly, glad to see someone
The author was welcomed with open arms when he came to visit the city.
work hand in hand (with someone)
- to work closely together with someone in order to achieve something
The government is working hand in hand with the police department to solve the road
problems.
work one`s fingers to the bone
- to work very hard
The woman worked her fingers to the bone in order to make enough money to feed
her children.
wrap (someone) around one`s little finger
- to have complete control over someone, to manipulate someone
My sister has her boss wrapped around her little finger and she can do anything that
she wants.
wring one's hands
- to worry and be upset about something and not be doing anything about it
The woman stayed up most of the night wringing her hands while she waited for her
son to come home.
wring (someone's) hand
- to hold someone's hand tightly when you greet or say good-bye to him of her
The man stood wringing my hand for a long time when I met him.
you've got to hand it to (someone)
- someone has done something well (although you may not approve of other things
that they have done)
"You've got to hand it to our friend. He is always able to raise enough money for his
projects."
Bird Idioms
Birds
an albatross (around someone's neck)
- a problem that prevents someone from succeeding
The man's lack of a university degree was an albatross around his neck and prevented
him from being promoted.
as a duck takes to water
- easily and naturally
The little boy started to swim just as a duck takes to water.
as bald as a coot
- completely bald
The man in the gas station was as bald as a coot.
as crazy as a loon
- crazy
Our neighbor is as crazy as a loon.
as dead as a dodo
- dead, no longer in existence
The dog was as dead as a dodo after the accident.
as easy as duck soup
- very easy, requiring no effort
Convincing the man to buy the car was as easy as duck soup.
as free as a bird
- carefree, completely free
I was as free as a bird after I finished my last school exam.
as graceful as a swan
- very graceful
The figure skater was as graceful as a swan.
as happy as a lark
- very happy and cheerful
The boy was as happy as a lark when he received his birthday present.
as hoarse as a crow
- very hoarse
The professor was as hoarse as a crow when he finished the lecture.
as mad as a wet hen
- angry
The nurse was as mad as a wet hen when the patient tried to bite her.
as naked as a jaybird
- naked
The little boy was as naked as a jaybird when he finished his bath.
as proud as a peacock
- very proud, haughty
The father was as proud as a peacock of his young son.
as scarce as hen's teeth/scarcer than hen's teeth
- very scarce or nonexistent
Cheap hotels in this city are as scarce as hen's teeth.
as silly as a goose
- very foolish, very silly
My aunt acted as silly as a goose last evening.
as soft as down
- very soft to the touch (down is the soft/fine feathers from a goose or duck)
The fur on the little dog was as soft as down.
as the crow flies
- by the most direct way, along a straight line between two places
As the crow flies it is about six kilometers between my house and downtown.
as wise as an owl
- very wise
My grandfather is as wise as an owl and he seems to know everything.
a bat out of hell
- very fast (bats are not birds but are mammals that can fly)
The man left here like a bat out of hell. I do not know why he was in such a hurry.
bats in the belfry
- crazy, eccentric (bats are not birds but are mammals that can fly)
I think that my boss has bats in the belfry. His ideas are absolutely crazy.
bird brain
- someone who you think is stupid
The man is a bird brain and he is always making mistakes at work.
a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
- something that is certain is better than something that is not certain
"You should keep the prize money and not try to win more. Remember that a bird in
the hand is worth two in the bush."
birds and the bees
- the facts about sex and birth and life
The boy learned about the birds and the bees in his health education class at school.
birds-eye view
- a general view from above
"Let`s go up to the roof and get a birds-eye view of the surrounding area."
birds of a feather flock together
- people who are similar become friends or join together
"Do not complain about your friends. Remember that birds of a feather flock together.
They are just like you."
chicken and egg situation
- two things happen together and it is difficult to see which one of them caused the
other
It was a chicken and egg situation and it was difficult to know who caused the
problems with the computer.
chicken feed
- a small sum of money
The money that I spent last night was chicken feed and I am not worried about it at
all.
chicken-livered
- cowardly, easily scared
The boy called his friend chicken-livered which made him very angry.
chicken out of (doing something)
- to stop doing something because of fear
My friend was planning to come with us but he chickened out at the last moment.
chickens come home to roost
- someone`s words or actions come back to cause trouble for him or her
The man was very mean to other people when he was supervisor. Now his chickens
have come home to roost and people are very unkind to him.
clip (someone`s) wings
- to limit or hold someone back, to bring someone under control
We plan to clip the supervisor's wings as he is becoming too aggressive when dealing
with other people.
cock-and-bull story
- a silly story that is not true
The student told her teacher a cock-and-bull story about why she was absent.
cock of the walk
- someone who thinks that he or she is more important than others in a group
The supervisor thinks that he is cock of the walk and can do anything that he wants.
cold turkey
- abruptly and without medical aid (used when someone stops taking addictive drugs
or tries to stop a bad habit)
The government program helped the drug addicts stop using heroin cold turkey.
cook (someone`s) goose
- to destroy someone`s future chances or reputation
The woman cooked her goose when she fought against her employer and lost.
count one`s chickens before they`re hatched
- to depend or think that you will get something before you actually have it
"Don`t count your chickens before they`re hatched. Remember that you may not get
the job that you expect and you should not spend too much money."
dead duck
- someone in a hopeless situation or condition
The man is a dead duck. When the police catch him he will have to go to jail.
duck soup
- a task that does not require much effort
The exam was duck soup. I am sure that I did very well.
eagle eye
- an intently watchful eye
The boy has an eagle eye and he never misses anything.
early bird
- someone who arrives someplace early or starts something early
I am an early bird and I like to arrive early at work every morning.
the early bird catches the worm
- a person who gets up early in the morning has the best chance of success
"Let`s leave at six o`clock in the morning. Remember, the early bird catches the
worm."
eat crow
- to admit that you are mistaken or defeated
Our boss was forced to eat crow when he discovered that what he had said was totally
wrong.
eat like a bird
- to eat very little
The boy must be sick. He has been eating like a bird recently.
feather in one`s cap
- something to be proud of, an honor
Winning the speech contest was a feather in my son's cap and we are very proud of
him.
feather one`s nest
- to look after one`s own financial interests - especially while holding public office
The politician was feathering his nest for many years until he was replaced in the
election.
fly the coop
- to escape, to leave (like a chicken escaping from a chicken coop)
The two boys wanted to fly the coop when the school bell rang.
for the birds
- not interesting, something that you do not like, worthless
The movie was for the birds so we left early and went to eat.
foul one's own nest
- to harm one's own interests, to bring discredit to one's family
I do not want to foul my own nest so I try to be very honest in all of my dealings with
others.
get one's ducks in a row
- to put one's affairs or something in order
When I get my ducks in a row I will be able to make a decision about a new career.
go to bed with the chickens
- to go to bed as the sun is setting, to go to bed very early
My grandfather always goes to bed with the chickens because he works on a farm.
a gone goose
- someone or something that has departed or run away
The boy is a gone goose. He will not be returning today.
goose bumps
- a prickly or bumpy feeling on one's skin because of cold/fear/excitement (like the

skin of a goose or chicken)
I got goose bumps as I watched the horror movie.
one's goose is cooked
- one has been discovered to have done something wrong and he or she is now in
trouble
My goose is cooked. Soon my friend will discover that I lost her bicycle.
in fine feather
- in good humor
My friend is in fine feather today and he has been laughing all morning.
kill the goose that lays the golden egg
- to spoil/destroy something that is beneficial or makes a lot of money
My friends sold part of their business but it is the most profitable part. I think that
they have killed the goose that lays the golden egg.
kill two birds with one stone
- to succeed in doing two things by only one action
"Let`s have the meeting when we come to town to go shopping so that we can kill two
birds with one stone."
lame duck
- a politician who has little time left in office and therefore has little power
The politician is a lame-duck leader and he is not effective at all.
lay an egg
- to give a bad performance
The performer laid an egg at the concert last night.
like water off a duck`s back
- without any effect, easily
Criticism falls away from my father like water off a duck`s back and he never worries
about anything.
a little bird told me
- something is learned from a mysterious and secret source who you do not want to
name
A little bird told me that my friends will have a surprise party for me next week.
look like the cat that swallowed the canary
- to look very self-satisfied, to look as if you have just had a great success
The boy looked like the cat that swallowed the canary after he won the relay race.
lovely weather for ducks
- rainy weather
I commented to the wet letter carrier that it was lovely weather for ducks today.
neither fish nor fowl
- something that does not belong to a definite group
The manager's idea was neither fish nor fowl. Nobody knew what to do with it.
night owl
- someone who likes to stay up very late at night
My friend is a night owl and he loves to stay up late at night.
pecking order
- the way that people are ranked in relation to each other
I have not worked at my company very long so I do not understand the pecking order
yet.
play chicken
- to do something dangerous in order to see who becomes frightened first and stops
The two boys were playing chicken in the schoolyard.
rare bird
- someone who is unusual
The woman is a rare bird and she has done many interesting things in her life.
ruffle its feathers
- a bird points its feathers outward
The bird sat in the tree and ruffled its feathers.
ruffle (someone's) feathers
- to upset or annoy someone
I am usually very careful not to ruffle my supervisor's feathers.
rule the roost
- to be the boss or manager somewhere but often at home (a roost is a place where
birds can perch/sit)
My grandfather ruled the roost in his family.
run around like a chicken with its head cut off
- to run around frantically and with no aim or purpose
I ran around like a chicken with its head cut off all morning as I prepared for my trip.
sitting duck
- an unsuspecting person who is easily fooled - as if waiting to be attacked
The soldier should move away from the window. He is like a sitting duck for the
enemy.
spread one's wings
- to begin to be independent and try new things
My uncle's friend is beginning to spread his wings and try many new things.
no spring chicken
- not young anymore
I do not know how old my aunt is but she is no spring chicken.
swan song
- the last work or performance by an artist before death or retirement
The actor's swan song was his magnificent performance in his recent movie.
take (someone) under one's wings
- to begin to look after and care for a person
The teacher took the young boy under her wings when he first came to the school.
talk turkey
- to talk frankly, to talk business
I went to see my friend because I knew that it was time to talk turkey with him.
try out one's wings
- to try to do something that you have recently learned or become qualified to do
I plan to try out my wings at golfing now that my lessons have finished.
ugly duckling
- an ugly or plain child (who grows up to be pretty)
The girl was an ugly duckling when she was a child but now she is quite beautiful.
under the wings of (someone)
- to be under the care/control/protection of someone
The new teacher is now under the wings of the principal of the school.
watch (someone or something) like a hawk
- to watch someone very carefully
The mother watched her young child like a hawk.
what's good/sauce for the goose is good/sauce for the gander
- what is good for one person should be good for another person as well
What's good for the goose is good for the gander and if the food is good enough for
me, then it is good enough for the other members of the basketball team.
wild goose chase
- a chase that is futile or worthless
The motorcycle riders led the police on a wild goose chase.
wing it
- to do the best in a situation that one is not prepared for
I forgot to study so I had to wing it on the test.
Body Idioms
Body
able to breathe easily/freely again
- able to relax after a busy and stressful time
I was able to breathe easily again when I knew that I would not miss my flight.
as broad as a barn door
- very broad/fat
The flight attendant at the airport was as broad as a barn door.
as dry as a bone
- very dry
The river bed was as dry as a bone at the end of the summer.
as soft as a baby's bottom
- very soft and smooth
My new silk pajamas are as soft as a baby's bottom.
at each other's throats
- fight/argue all the time
The two boys were at each other's throats as soon as they entered the room.
at the top of one`s lungs
- with a very loud voice
I yelled at the top of my lungs to get the man's attention.
back-to-back
- next to each other and touching backs
The students were sitting back-to-back as they did their exercises for the gym class.
bad blood (between people)
- anger or a bad relationship due to past problems with someone
There has always been a lot of bad blood between the two supervisors.
bare bones (of something)
- the most basic and important parts of something
The company had to restructure and most services were cut to the bare bones of the
operation.
behind one`s back
- do something when one is absent or without one's knowledge, secretly
I don't like people who talk behind my back.
(go/be) belly up
- (a company) fails or goes bankrupt
The small video store near my house went belly-up last month.
blood is thicker than water
- family members are closer to one another than to others
Blood is thicker than water and people usually support and help their family in times
of trouble.
blood runs cold
- one is terrified or horrified
My blood ran cold when I saw the poison spider on my bed.
blood, sweat, and tears
- great personal effort
We put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into fixing our old house.
blue blood
- the blood (family line) of a noble or aristocratic family
Many blue bloods attended the opening of the new opera series.
a body blow
- something that causes something to be badly damaged or destroyed
The small food store was hit with a body blow when the large supermarket moved in
next door.
a bone of contention
- something that people disagree about
The issue of working on Saturday evenings is a bone of contention between the store
and the workers.
break into a cold sweat (about something)
- become nervous or frightened about something
I broke into a cold sweat when I went to tell my teacher what I had done wrong.
break one`s back/neck (to do something)
- do all one possibly can, work very hard to do something
I broke my neck to try and get the report finished on time.
a breath of fresh air
- someone brings new ideas/new energy/new ways of doing something to a situation
The new manager is a breath of fresh air around those who never like to change
anything.
not breathe a word (about someone or something)
- keep a secret about someone or something
"Please don't breathe a word about my new job to my supervisor."
breathe down (someone`s) neck
- watch someone closely (often by standing right behind them), pressure someone to
do something
My boss has been breathing down my neck all day to try and get me to finish the
report.
breathe easy/easier
- relax after a busy and stressful time
I could breathe easy when I finished my essay and gave it to my teacher.
breathe one's last
- to die, breathe one's last breath before dying
The elderly man breathed his last late yesterday evening.
broad in the beam
- wide hips or large buttocks
The woman is broad in the beam but she doesn't worry about it at all.
a bundle of nerves
- someone who is very nervous and anxious
I was a bundle of nerves after I finished studying for my exams.
bust a gut (to do something)
- work very hard, strain oneself to do something
I had to bust a gut to get my work done before the weekend.
by the sweat of one's brow
- by one's hard work or effort
The restaurant owner built his business by the sweat of his brow.
can't stomach (someone or something)
- dislike someone or something very much
I can't stomach the new woman who I have to work with.
carry one's (own) weight
- do one's share of something
Everyone in the group had to carry his or her own weight during the project.
carry the weight of the world on one's shoulders
- appear to be dealing with all the problems in the whole world
My friend has a lot of stress and thinks that he is carrying the weight of the world on
his shoulders.
catch one's breath
- return to normal breathing after breathing very hard
I stopped at the top of the stairs to catch my breath.
chilled to the bone
- very cold
I was chilled to the bone when I came out of the cold lake.
close to the bone
- something (a story/remark) that is embarrassing or upsetting
The remarks of my boss hit close to the bone when he began to criticize my work
habits.
contemplate one's navel
- spend a lot of time thinking about one's own problems rather than being concerned
about more important things
I spent the summer contemplating my navel and didn't do a thing.
cover one's back
- do something to protect yourself from criticism or future blame
I was very careful to cover my back when dealing with the lawyers.
a crick in one's back/neck
- a painful cramp in one's back/neck
I woke up this morning with a crick in my neck.
curdle (someone's) blood
- frighten someone
The sight of the accident scene curdled my blood.
cut a fine figure
- dress and look good
I cut a fine figure as I walked through the doors to interview for the job.
cut/slit one`s (own) throat
- experience certain failure, do something that will cause problems now or in the
future
He is cutting his own throat if he doesn't make an effort to find a new job quickly.
cut/pare (something) to the bone
- cut down severely (on something)
The company had no money so all of the extra expenses were cut to the bone.
dead from the neck up
- very stupid
My boss seems to be dead from the neck up.
difficult to stomach (someone or something)
- be unable to accept someone, be unable to accept something that you think is

unpleasant or wrong
It is difficult to stomach my friend when she begins to complain about her apartment.
Don't hold your breath.
- Don't stop breathing to wait for something (because it will never happen).
"Don't hold your breath," I said when my friend asked when he would be able to
borrow our friend's car.
down to the bone
- entirely, to the core
The rain and snow chilled me right down to the bone.
draw blood
- make a wound that bleeds
The older boxer was the first to draw blood during the boxing match.
drop/dump (something) in (someone's) lap
- give a problem that you have to someone else to solve
My supervisor dumped some extra work in my lap just before I was going to go
home.
eyes are bigger than one's stomach
- take more food than one can eat
My eyes were bigger than my stomach when I went to the buffet table and put too
much food on my plate.
fall/drop into one's lap
- an opportunity or chance comes to you by chance and good luck and without any
effort on your part
The chance to go on the training course dropped into my lap suddenly last weekend.
feel (something) in one's bones
- sense something, have an intuition about something
I feel it in my bones that I am not going to get the job that I want.
(one's) flesh and blood
- a close relative (father,daughter,brother etc.), a living human body
The man's own flesh and blood refused to help him when he needed money.
flex one's muscles
- do something that shows that you have power and intend to use it
The new president of our company was flexing his muscles when he threatened to
close one of the factories.
get/have a frog in one's throat
- get soreness in your throat that prevents you from talking well
I got a frog in my throat just as I answered the phone to talk to my professor.
get/have a lump in one's throat
- feel like there in something in your throat as if you were going to cry
I got a lump in my throat as I listened to the tragic story of the woman's family.
get off (someone`s) back
- stop criticizing or nagging someone
I wish that my mother would get off my back about trying to find a better job.
get on (someone's) nerves
- irritate someone
The constant complaints of my coworkers get on my nerves.
get (someone's) back up
- make someone become angry
I got my friend's back up when I again asked her to borrow her notes from school.
get (something) off one's chest
- tell something that has been bothering you
I talked to my parents and I was able to get some things that were bothering me off
my chest.
get (something) out of one's system
- eliminate some food or medicine out of one's body, get rid of the desire to do
something (usually by doing what you want to do)
My friend went travelling last year and finally got travelling out of her system. Now
she is happy to stay home and work.
get the cold shoulder (from someone)
- be ignored, be rejected
Yesterday, one of the women who I work with gave me the cold shoulder all day.
get under (someone`s) skin
- bother/irritate someone
She is beginning to get under my skin with her constant complaining about the noise.
gird up one's loins
- get ready to do something that will be difficult
I got ready to gird up my loins and begin to work on some of my problem accounts.
give (someone) the cold shoulder
- ignore someone, reject someone
The office staff gave me the cold shoulder when I did not go to the farewell party.
give (someone) the shirt off one's back
- be very generous to someone
My friend is the most generous person that I know and he will be happy to give you
the shirt off his back.
go for the jugular
- attack someone in a way that you know will harm them most (the jugular is a large
vein in the neck)
As soon as the political candidate was having problems the other candidates decided
to go for the jugular and attack.
goose bumps
- the bumpy skin (like a goose) that one gets because of excitement or fear
I got goose bumps when the woman began to talk about her sick child.
grab (someone) by the throat
- a performance/book/idea makes one feel very interested/excited/frightened
The ballet performance grabbed the audience by the throat and everyone left the
auditorium speechless.
grate on (someone's) nerves
- annoy/bother someone
The woman who I work with grates on my nerves. She is very irritating.
a gut feeling/reaction/response
- a personal/intuitive feeling and response
I had a gut feeling that my friend was not going to come to our meeting place at the
right time.
hard to stomach (someone or something)
- be unable to accept something or do something that you think is unpleasant or wrong
I find some of my classmates and their attitude to studying hard to stomach.
hardly have time to breathe
- be very busy
I hardly had time to breathe while I was preparing for the summer barbecue.
hate (someone's) guts
- hate someone very much
I think that my neighbor hates my guts. He will never say hello to me.
have a chip on one's shoulder
- have a tendency to try to get in a conflict with others
Our supervisor has a chip on his shoulder and is not an easy person to work with.
have broad shoulders
- have the ability to work hard and take on responsibilities and accept criticism
(because you are strong with broad shoulders)
The man has broad shoulders and does much more than his share of work in our
company.
have/get butterflies in one`s stomach
- have/get a feeling of fear or anxiety in one's stomach
The little boy had butterflies in his stomach when he had to give the speech in front of
the class.
have one's back to the wall/up against the wall
- be in a defensive position
I have my back to the wall at work and I must decide how to deal with the criticism
that I am receiving.
- be responsible for someone's death
The driver of the car who was going too fast had the passengers' blood on his hands
after two people were killed in an accident.
have (someone's) hide
- scold or punish someone (a hide is the skin of an animal)
The woman promised to have the little boy's hide if he didn't behave well.
not have the stomach for (something)
- have no desire to do something because you think that it is unpleasant or wrong
I do not have the stomach to talk with my friend about his work and financial
problems.
head and shoulders above (someone or something)
- be superior to someone or something
Our soccer coach is head and shoulders above the other coaches in the city.
hold one`s breath
- stop breathing for a moment, stop doing something and wait until something
happens
I held my breath and waited to see if my name had been called for an interview with
the movie company.
huff and puff
- breathe very hard
I was huffing and puffing when I reached the top of the stairs.
in cold blood
- without feeling
The family was murdered in cold blood by a group of criminals.
(all) in one breath
- something spoken rapidly without stopping to breathe
I told my friend all in one breath what had happened at the party.
in one's blood
- built into one's personality or character
My cousin has music in her blood and she has always been very good at it.
in the flesh
- really present, in person
I finally was able to see my favorite movie actor in the flesh.
in the same breath
- almost at the same time
My friend was complaining about her teacher but in the same breath she said that she
wanted to continue with the class.
joined at the hip
- two people spend all their time together
The two boys are joined at the hip and never spend any time apart.
jump down (someone`s) throat
- suddenly become very angry at someone
The man's wife jumped down his throat when he came home late for the third day in a
row.
jump out of one`s skin
- be badly frightened, be very surprised
I almost jumped out of my skin when I saw my boyfriend at the movie theater with
another girl.
keep body and soul together
- keep alive, survive
He has been working very hard to try and keep body and soul together after his
illness.
a kink in one's neck
- a cramp in one's neck that causes pain
I have a kink in my neck and it hurts every time that I turn my head.
know (something) in one's bones
- know and sense something, have an intuition about something
I know it in my bones that I am not going to pass my English exam.
know where all the bodies are buried
- know all the important details and secrets about something
Our new boss knows where all the bodies are buried in our company and knows how
to keep a secret well.
land in one's lap
- additional work comes to you and you now have to deal with it
Several resignations from our company landed in the lap of the personnel director last
Friday.
like getting blood out of a stone
- very difficult to get something from someone or something
It is like getting blood out of a stone to try and ask my friend for anything.
look over one's shoulder
- be worried that something dangerous or bad may happen to you
I always look over my shoulder when I am walking next to a construction site.
make a clean breast of (something)
- get something off one's chest, confess something
I talked to my supervisor and I tried to make a clean breast of my past problems at the
company.
make no bones about (something)
- make no mistake about something, do not doubt something
"Make no bones about it, I am not going to lend my friend any more money."
make (someone's) blood boil
- make someone very angry
It makes my blood boil to think about what the supervisor did to one of the
employees.
make (someone's) blood run cold
- shock or horrify someone
It made my blood run cold when I saw the little boy run into the road.
make (someone's) flesh crawl
- become frightened so that your skin feels funny or you get goose bumps
The movie was very weird and from the beginning it made my flesh crawl.
a millstone around (someone's) neck
- a burden or handicap for someone
My parents' condominium is a millstone around their neck and I hope that they can
sell it.
not move a muscle
- do not move at all
I did not move a muscle when the large dog approached me on the street.
neck and neck
- exactly even in a race or contest
The two horses were running neck and neck at the end of the race.
new blood
- new members brought into a group, new workers in a company
We have got lots of new blood in our club recently.
No sweat!
- No problem! No difficulty!
It was no sweat for me to finish work early and then drive my friend to the airport.
off one`s back
- not bother someone, remove someone or something as an annoyance
I wish my boss would get off my back and stop bothering me.
off one`s chest
- remove something so it doesn't bother one anymore
I talked to my friend for a long time and was able to get some problems off my chest.
on (someone`s) back
- constantly criticizing someone, pressuring someone
My sister is always on her daughter's back to clean up her room.
on (someone's) shoulders
- someone's responsibility
I don't want to have the failure of the project on my shoulders.
out for blood
- be very determined to defeat/punish someone, be very angry at someone
My boss was out for blood when he discovered that someone had deleted some files
on his computer.
out of breath
- breathing fast and hard
I was out of breath when I ran to catch the train.
over my dead body
- not if I can stop you
I told my friend that I will lend him money only over my dead body.
a pain in the neck
- an annoying or bothersome person or event
The customer is a pain in the neck and is always complaining about something.
a pat on the back
- praise, congratulations, encouragement
The man was given a pat on the back for his efforts to stop pollution in the river.
play one's cards close to one's chest
- negotiate in a careful and private manner
I played my cards close to my chest when I went to talk to my supervisor about

changing jobs.
press the flesh
- (a politician) shakes hands with people in order to become more popular
The politician spent most of the weekend pressing the flesh in the shopping mall.
pull one's (own) weight
- do one's share of something
The woman at the bank never pulls her own weight so nobody likes her.
put flesh on (something)
- add details to something so that it becomes clearer and more detailed
I worked all weekend to try and put flesh on my ideas for a new company education
committee.
put one's back into (something)
- use great physical or mental energy to do something
We put our backs into trying to move the freezer out of the basement.
put one's shoulder to the wheel
- get busy and do some work
We must put our shoulders to the wheel and get our work done on time.
risk one's neck (to do something)
- risk harm in order to do something
The fireman risked his neck to save the young child.
rub elbows/shoulders with (someone)
- be in the same place as others, meet and mix with others
We went to the party in order to rub shoulders with some interesting artists.
save one`s breath
- keep silent because talking will not do any good
"You can save your breath and not bother talking to him. He never listens to anyone."
save (someone`s) neck/skin
- save someone from danger/trouble/embarrassment
The worker tried to save his own neck without thinking of any other people.
say (something) under one's breath
- say something so softly that almost nobody can hear it
I think that the clerk in the store said something under her breath about me.
scratch (someone`s) back
- do a favor for someone in the hope that they will do something for you
If you scratch the supervisor's back he will help you when you need help.
shoot from the hip
- speak directly and frankly, fire a gun that is held at one's side and against one's hip
The manager always shoots from the hip and everyone likes her because of that.
a shoulder to cry on
- someone who you can tell about your problems and ask for sympathy and advice
I gave my friend a shoulder to cry on when I met him at the coffee shop.
shoulder to shoulder
- side by side, with a shared purpose
The children were standing shoulder to shoulder during the exercise class.
shove/force/ram (something) down (someone`s) throat
- force someone to do or agree to something that they don't want or like
The workers were angry because the boss tried to shove the new regulations about
uniforms down their throats.
a skeleton in the closet
- a hidden and shocking secret
The politician had a skeleton in the closet that he did not want anyone to know about.
skin and bones
- a person or animal that is very thin/skinny
The dog was skin and bones after his owner stopped giving him food.
skin-deep
- only on the surface, not having any deep or honest meaning
I believe that the speaker's interest in the environment is only skin-deep.
smell blood
- realize that you have to defeat or harm an opponent and be eager to try and do this
The reporters could smell blood when they began to investigate the politicians and the
scandal.
soaked to the skin
- one's clothing is wet right through to the skin
I was soaked to the skin after walking in the rain for only a few minutes.
split one's sides (with laughter)
- laugh so hard that one's sides almost split
I split my sides with laughter when I heard the story about my friend.
stab (someone) in the back
- betray someone
My friend stabbed me in the back although I made an effort to help him get a job.
stick in (someone's) throat/craw
- an idea or situation is difficult for you to accept and irritates or displeases you
The customer's attitude sticks in my throat and I am always happy to see him leave.
stick one`s neck out (for someone or something)
- do something dangerous or risky for someone
My friend will never stick his neck out to try and help other people.
stick to one's ribs
- food that lasts a long time and fills one up
The rice and beans stuck to my ribs and I wasn't hungry for a long time.
straight from the shoulder
- an open and honest way of speaking
He was speaking straight from the shoulder when he told the workers about the
possible factory closing.
sweat blood
- be very anxious and tense
I began to sweat blood when I heard that some of our staff would be transferred to
another city.
sweat it out
- wait patiently until something bad or unpleasant ends
We had to sweat it out in a small town with no food while our car was being repaired.
take (someone's) breath away
- overwhelm someone with beauty or grandeur, cause someone to be out of breath
The beauty of the mountain lake took my breath away.
take (someone's) pulse
- measure the frequency of the beats of a person's pulse
The ambulance driver took the pulse of the woman in the car accident.
tan (someone's) hide
- spank/beat someone
The angry mother threatened to tan her child's hide.
taste blood
- be able to harm an opponent and therefore want to try to do even more harm
I could taste blood when I discovered the weak points of the supervisor who I hated.
tear/rip (someone) limb from limb
- attack someone in a violent way
The dogs attacked the cat and tore it limb from limb.
thick-skinned
- insensitive, not easily upset or hurt
You really must be thick-skinned if you decide to get involved in politics.
thin-skinned
- easily upset or hurt, very sensitive
My friend is rather thin-skinned and is always upset about something that someone
may have said to her.
a thorn in (someone's) side
- a constant bother or annoyance to someone
The teacher is a thorn in the principal's side and is always complaining about
something.
throw one's weight around
- give orders, attempt to boss people around
The new supervisor likes to throw his weight around the company.
time to catch one's breath
- enough time to relax or behave normally
I didn't have time to catch my breath while I was getting ready for the convention.
to the bone
He was wet to the bone after staying out in the rain for two hours.
too rich for (someone's) blood
- be too expensive for someone
The holiday in the very expensive resort was too rich for our blood so we didn't go.
touch/hit/strike a raw nerve
- upset someone by talking about a subject that upsets or embarrasses them
The criticism from the supervisor touched a raw nerve in the woman at our office.
turn one`s back on (someone or something)
- refuse to help someone in trouble or need
The woman turned her back on her friend when the friend asked her for some money.
turn (someone`s) stomach
- make one feel sick, disgust someone
The sight of the dead dog on the road turned my stomach.
up to one's neck/ears/eyeballs (in something)
- having a lot of something, much involved/busy with something
I am up to my neck in work at the moment and won't be able to attend the dinner
tonight.
vent one's spleen
- get rid of one's feelings of anger by attacking someone or something
I went for a coffee with one of my coworkers and she spent the whole time venting
her spleen about her job.
wait with bated breath
- wait anxiously for something
I waited with bated breath for the results of my exams.
warts and all
- including all one's faults and disadvantages
I opened my heart to my friend and told him everything - warts and all.
waste one's breath
- waste one's time talking, talk in vain
I think that I will be wasting my breath to try and ask my parents to use the car this
weekend.
wet one's whistle
- have a drink (one's whistle is one's throat)
I stopped at a small cafe near the beach in order to wet my whistle.
with every (other) breath
- saying something repeatedly or continually
My friend always tells me with every other breath that he does not like my girlfriend.
words stick in one's throat
- one can hardly speak because he or she is so overcome by emotion
I tried to ask the girl in my class out for a date but the words stuck in my throat and I
couldn't say a thing.
wring (someone's) neck
- be extremely angry at someone
I plan to wring my friend's neck for breaking my new laptop computer.
yellow-bellied
- extremely timid, cowardly
Everyone thinks that the new boss handled the matter in a yellow-bellied manner.
a yoke around (someone's) neck
- a burden, something that oppresses people
The legal problems of my friend were a yoke around his neck which he wanted to deal
with.
You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.
- You do a favor for me and I'll do a favor for you.
"You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours," I said to my customer as we tried to
reach a new sales agreement for our product.
Back Idioms
back-to-back
- next to each other and touching backs
The students were sitting back-to-back as they did their exercises for the gym class.
behind one`s back
- do something when one is absent or without one's knowledge, secretly
I don't like people who talk behind my back.
cover one's back
- do something to protect yourself from criticism or future blame
I was very careful to cover my back when dealing with the lawyers.
get off (someone`s) back
- stop criticizing or nagging someone
I wish that my mother would get off my back about trying to find a better job.
get (someone's) back up
- make someone become angry
I got my friend's back up when I again asked her to borrow her notes from school.
give (someone) the shirt off one's back
- be very generous to someone
My friend is the most generous person that I know and he will be happy to give you
the shirt off his back.
have one's back to the wall/up against the wall
- be in a defensive position
I have my back to the wall at work and I must decide how to deal with the criticism
that I am receiving.
off one`s back
- not bother someone, remove someone or something as an annoyance
I wish my boss would get off my back and stop bothering me.
on (someone`s) back
- constantly criticizing someone, pressuring someone
My sister is always on her daughter's back to clean up her room.
a pat on the back
- praise, congratulations, encouragement
The man was given a pat on the back for his efforts to stop pollution in the river.
put one's back into (something)
- use great physical or mental energy to do something
We put our backs into trying to move the freezer out of the basement.
scratch (someone`s) back
- do a favor for someone in the hope that they will do something for you
If you scratch the supervisor's back he will help you when you need help.
stab (someone) in the back
- betray someone
My friend stabbed me in the back although I made an effort to help him get a job.
turn one`s back on (someone or something)
- refuse to help someone in trouble or need
The woman turned her back on her friend when the friend asked her for some money.
You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.
- You do a favor for me and I'll do a favor for you.
"You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours," I said to my customer as we tried to
reach a new sales agreement for our product.
Blood Idioms
bad blood (between people)
- anger or a bad relationship due to past problems with someone
There has always been a lot of bad blood between the two supervisors.
blood is thicker than water
- family members are closer to one another than to others
Blood is thicker than water and people usually support and help their family in times
of trouble.
blood runs cold
- one is terrified or horrified
My blood ran cold when I saw the poison spider on my bed.
blue blood
- the blood (family line) of a noble or aristocratic family
Many blue bloods attended the opening of the new opera series.
curdle (someone's) blood
- frighten someone
The sight of the accident scene curdled my blood.
draw blood
- make a wound that bleeds
The older boxer was the first to draw blood during the boxing match.
(one's) flesh and blood
- a close relative (father,daughter,brother etc.), a living human body
The man's own flesh and blood refused to help him when he needed money.
go for the jugular
- attack someone in a way that you know will harm them most (the jugular is a large
vein in the neck)
As soon as the political candidate was having problems the other candidates decided
to go for the jugular and attack.
- be responsible for someone's death
The driver of the car who was going too fast had the passengers' blood on his hands
after two people were killed in an accident.
in cold blood
- without feeling
The family was murdered in cold blood by a group of criminals.
in one's blood
- built into one's personality or character
My cousin has music in her blood and she has always been very good at it.
like getting blood out of a stone
- very difficult to get something from someone or something
It is like getting blood out of a stone to try and ask my friend for anything.
make (someone's) blood boil
- make someone very angry
It makes my blood boil to think about what the supervisor did to one of the
employees.
make (someone's) blood run cold
- shock or horrify someone
It made my blood run cold when I saw the little boy run into the road.
new blood
- new members brought into a group, new workers in a company
We have got lots of new blood in our club recently.
out for blood
- be very determined to defeat/punish someone, be very angry at someone
My boss was out for blood when he discovered that someone had deleted some files
on his computer.
smell blood
- realize that you have to defeat or harm an opponent and be eager to try and do this
The reporters could smell blood when they began to investigate the politicians and the
scandal.
sweat blood
another city.
taste blood
- be able to harm an opponent and therefore want to try to do even more harm
I could taste blood when I discovered the weak points of the supervisor who I hated.
too rich for (someone's) blood
- be too expensive for someone
The holiday in the very expensive resort was too rich for our blood so we didn't go.
Bone Idioms
as dry as a bone
- very dry
The river bed was as dry as a bone at the end of the summer.
bare bones (of something)
- the most basic and important parts of something
The company had to restructure and most services were cut to the bare bones of the
operation.
a bone of contention
- something that people disagree about
The issue of working on Saturday evenings is a bone of contention between the store
and the workers.
chilled to the bone
- very cold
I was chilled to the bone when I came out of the cold lake.
close to the bone
- something (a story/remark) that is embarrassing or upsetting
The remarks of my boss hit close to the bone when he began to criticize my work
habits.
cut/pare (something) to the bone
- cut down severely (on something)
The company had no money so all of the extra expenses were cut to the bone.
down to the bone
The rain and snow chilled me right down to the bone.
feel (something) in one's bones
- sense something, have an intuition about something
I feel it in my bones that I am not going to get the job that I want.
know (something) in one's bones
- know and sense something, have an intuition about something
I know it in my bones that I am not going to pass my English exam.
make no bones about (something)
- make no mistake about something, do not doubt something
"Make no bones about it, I am not going to lend my friend any more money."
a skeleton in the closet
- a hidden and shocking secret
The politician had a skeleton in the closet that he did not want anyone to know about.
skin and bones
to the bone
He was wet to the bone after staying out in the rain for two hours.
Breathe/Breath Idioms
able to breathe easily/freely again
- able to relax after a busy and stressful time
I was able to breathe easily again when I knew that I would not miss my flight.
at the top of one`s lungs
- with a very loud voice
I yelled at the top of my lungs to get the man's attention.
a breath of fresh air
- someone brings new ideas/new energy/new ways of doing something to a situation
The new manager is a breath of fresh air around those who never like to change
anything.
not breathe a word (about someone or something)
- keep a secret about someone or something
"Please don't breathe a word about my new job to my supervisor."
do something
report.
breathe easy/easier
- relax after a busy and stressful time
I could breathe easy when I finished my essay and gave it to my teacher.
breathe one's last
- to die, breathe one's last breath before dying
The elderly man breathed his last late yesterday evening.
catch one's breath
- return to normal breathing after breathing very hard
I stopped at the top of the stairs to catch my breath.
Don't hold your breath.
- Don't stop breathing to wait for something (because it will never happen).
"Don't hold your breath," I said when my friend asked when he would be able to
borrow our friend's car.
hardly have time to breathe
- be very busy
I hardly had time to breathe while I was preparing for the summer barbecue.
hold one`s breath
- stop breathing for a moment, stop doing something and wait until something
happens
I held my breath and waited to see if my name had been called for an interview with
the movie company.
huff and puff
- breathe very hard
I was huffing and puffing when I reached the top of the stairs.
(all) in one breath
- something spoken rapidly without stopping to breathe
I told my friend all in one breath what had happened at the party.
in the same breath
- almost at the same time
My friend was complaining about her teacher but in the same breath she said that she
wanted to continue with the class.
out of breath
- breathing fast and hard
I was out of breath when I ran to catch the train.
save one`s breath
- keep silent because talking will not do any good
"You can save your breath and not bother talking to him. He never listens to anyone."
say (something) under one's breath
- say something so softly that almost nobody can hear it
I think that the clerk in the store said something under her breath about me.
take (someone's) breath away
- overwhelm someone with beauty or grandeur, cause someone to be out of breath
The beauty of the mountain lake took my breath away.
time to catch one's breath
- enough time to relax or behave normally
I didn't have time to catch my breath while I was getting ready for the convention.
wait with bated breath
- wait anxiously for something
I waited with bated breath for the results of my exams.
waste one's breath
- waste one's time talking, talk in vain
I think that I will be wasting my breath to try and ask my parents to use the car this
weekend.
with every (other) breath
- saying something repeatedly or continually
My friend always tells me with every other breath that he does not like my girlfriend.
Neck Idioms
do something
report.
dead from the neck up
- very stupid
My boss seems to be dead from the neck up.
a kink in one's neck
- a cramp in one's neck that causes pain
I have a kink in my neck and it hurts every time that I turn my head.
a millstone around (someone's) neck
- a burden or handicap for someone
My parents' condominium is a millstone around their neck and I hope that they can
sell it.
neck and neck
- exactly even in a race or contest
The two horses were running neck and neck at the end of the race.
a pain in the neck
- an annoying or bothersome person or event
The customer is a pain in the neck and is always complaining about something.
risk one's neck (to do something)
- risk harm in order to do something
The fireman risked his neck to save the young child.
stick one`s neck out (for someone or something)
- do something dangerous or risky for someone
My friend will never stick his neck out to try and help other people.
up to one's neck/ears/eyeballs (in something)
- having a lot of something, much involved/busy with something
I am up to my neck in work at the moment and won't be able to attend the dinner
tonight.
wring (someone's) neck
- be extremely angry at someone
I plan to wring my friend's neck for breaking my new laptop computer.
a yoke around (someone's) neck
- a burden, something that oppresses people
The legal problems of my friend were a yoke around his neck which he wanted to deal
with.
Shoulder Idioms
carry the weight of the world on one's shoulders
- appear to be dealing with all the problems in the whole world
My friend has a lot of stress and thinks that he is carrying the weight of the world on
his shoulders.
get the cold shoulder (from someone)
- be ignored, be rejected
Yesterday, one of the women who I work with gave me the cold shoulder all day.
give (someone) the cold shoulder
- ignore someone, reject someone
The office staff gave me the cold shoulder when I did not go to the farewell party.
have a chip on one's shoulder
- have a tendency to try to get in a conflict with others
Our supervisor has a chip on his shoulder and is not an easy person to work with.
have broad shoulders
- have the ability to work hard and take on responsibilities and accept criticism
(because you are strong with broad shoulders)
The man has broad shoulders and does much more than his share of work in our
company.
- be superior to someone or something
Our soccer coach is head and shoulders above the other coaches in the city.
look over one's shoulder
- be worried that something dangerous or bad may happen to you
I always look over my shoulder when I am walking next to a construction site.
on (someone's) shoulders
- someone's responsibility
I don't want to have the failure of the project on my shoulders.
put one's shoulder to the wheel
- get busy and do some work
We must put our shoulders to the wheel and get our work done on time.
rub elbows/shoulders with (someone)
- be in the same place as others, meet and mix with others
We went to the party in order to rub shoulders with some interesting artists.
a shoulder to cry on
- someone who you can tell about your problems and ask for sympathy and advice
I gave my friend a shoulder to cry on when I met him at the coffee shop.
shoulder to shoulder
- side by side, with a shared purpose
The children were standing shoulder to shoulder during the exercise class.
straight from the shoulder
- an open and honest way of speaking
He was speaking straight from the shoulder when he told the workers about the
possible factory closing.
Skin Idioms
as soft as a baby's bottom
- very soft and smooth
My new silk pajamas are as soft as a baby's bottom.
get under (someone`s) skin
- bother/irritate someone
She is beginning to get under my skin with her constant complaining about the noise.
goose bumps
- the bumpy skin (like a goose) that one gets because of excitement or fear
I got goose bumps when the woman began to talk about her sick child.
jump out of one`s skin
- be badly frightened, be very surprised
I almost jumped out of my skin when I saw my boyfriend at the movie theater with
another girl.
skin and bones
skin-deep
- only on the surface, not having any deep or honest meaning
I believe that the speaker's interest in the environment is only skin-deep.
soaked to the skin
- one's clothing is wet right through to the skin
I was soaked to the skin after walking in the rain for only a few minutes.
thick-skinned
- insensitive, not easily upset or hurt
You really must be thick-skinned if you decide to get involved in politics.
thin-skinned
- easily upset or hurt, very sensitive
My friend is rather thin-skinned and is always upset about something that someone
may have said to her.
Stomach Idioms
- dislike someone or something very much
I can't stomach the new woman who I have to work with.
contemplate one's navel
- spend a lot of time thinking about one's own problems rather than being concerned
about more important things
I spent the summer contemplating my navel and didn't do a thing.
difficult to stomach (someone or something)
- be unable to accept someone, be unable to accept something that you think is

unpleasant or wrong
It is difficult to stomach my friend when she begins to complain about her apartment.
- take more food than one can eat
My eyes were bigger than my stomach when I went to the buffet table and put too
much food on my plate.
hard to stomach (someone or something)
- be unable to accept something or do something that you think is unpleasant or wrong
I find some of my classmates and their attitude to studying hard to stomach.
have/get butterflies in one`s stomach
- have/get a feeling of fear or anxiety in one's stomach
The little boy had butterflies in his stomach when he had to give the speech in front of
the class.
not have the stomach for (something)
- have no desire to do something because you think that it is unpleasant or wrong
I do not have the stomach to talk with my friend about his work and financial
problems.
turn (someone`s) stomach
- make one feel sick, disgust someone
The sight of the dead dog on the road turned my stomach.
Sweat Idioms
break into a cold sweat (about something)
- become nervous or frightened about something
I broke into a cold sweat when I went to tell my teacher what I had done wrong.
by the sweat of one's brow
- by one's hard work or effort
The restaurant owner built his business by the sweat of his brow.
sweat blood
another city.
sweat it out
- wait patiently until something bad or unpleasant ends
We had to sweat it out in a small town with no food while our car was being repaired.
Throat Idioms
at each other's throats
- fight/argue all the time
The two boys were at each other's throats as soon as they entered the room.
cut/slit one`s (own) throat
- experience certain failure, do something that will cause problems now or in the
future
He is cutting his own throat if he doesn't make an effort to find a new job quickly.
get/have a frog in one's throat
- get soreness in your throat that prevents you from talking well
I got a frog in my throat just as I answered the phone to talk to my professor.
get/have a lump in one's throat
- feel like there in something in your throat as if you were going to cry
I got a lump in my throat as I listened to the tragic story of the woman's family.
grab (someone) by the throat
- a performance/book/idea makes one feel very interested/excited/frightened
The ballet performance grabbed the audience by the throat and everyone left the
auditorium speechless.
jump down (someone`s) throat
- suddenly become very angry at someone
The man's wife jumped down his throat when he came home late for the third day in a
row.
shove/force/ram (something) down (someone`s) throat
- force someone to do or agree to something that they don't want or like
The workers were angry because the boss tried to shove the new regulations about
uniforms down their throats.
stick in (someone's) throat/craw
- an idea or situation is difficult for you to accept and irritates or displeases you
The customer's attitude sticks in my throat and I am always happy to see him leave.
wet one's whistle
- have a drink (one's whistle is one's throat)
I stopped at a small cafe near the beach in order to wet my whistle.
words stick in one's throat
- one can hardly speak because he or she is so overcome by emotion
I tried to ask the girl in my class out for a date but the words stuck in my throat and I
couldn't say a thing.
Business Idioms
Business
across the board
- including everyone or everything
The computer company decided to give the workers an across-the-board increase in

their salary.
adjourn a meeting
- to end a meeting
We adjourned the meeting until the next day.
at a loss
- at less than the cost, at a financial loss
Everything was on sale but at a loss so the prices were very low.
bail a company out
- to help or rescue a company that has financial problems
The government bailed out the bank in order to maintain stability in the economy.
ball park figure/estimate
- a rough estimate or figure
The contractor gave us a ball park figure for the cost of repairing the new building.
bang for the buck
- value for the money spent
We were able to get much bang for our buck when we advertised on the Internet.
banker's hours
- short work hours (similar to when a bank is open)
My sister's husband owns his own company and works banker's hours most days.
bankroll someone
- to supply someone with money, to finance someone
The movie actor bankrolled his son while the son was producing his first movie.
bean counter
- an accountant
We asked the bean counters to look at the figures in the new budget.
big cheese/gun/wheel
- an important person, a leader
The new director was a big wheel in his previous company but he is not so important
now.
bigwig
Some of the bigwigs of our company came to visit our factory.
bottom drops/falls out of (something)
- a collapse occurs and prices fall below an earlier low price
When the bottom fell out of the coffee market many companies had to stop doing
business.
bottom line
- the total, the final figure on a balance sheet, the results (of a business)
After we examined the bottom line of the company we decided not to invest in it.
bottom line
- the central issue of a discussion, the main point
My friend wants to open a restaurant but the bottom line is that if we do not do more
research I do not want to invest any money.
bottom out
- to reach the lowest or worst point
The value of the stock has begun to bottom out and it should soon begin to increase in
value.
bounce a check
- to write a check in which you do not have enough money in your bank account
The young man bounced a check when he tried to pay his rent.
boys in the backroom
- a group of men making decisions behind the scenes
The boys in the backroom told us that the factory will close next year.
break even
- to have expenses equal to profits
After only three months the company was able to break even and begin to make a
profit.
budget crunch/squeeze
- a situation where there is not enough money in the budget
There is a severe budget squeeze at our company and we must stop wasting money.
buy a stake in (something)
- to buy part ownership of a company or other enterprise
The large bank is planning to buy a stake in the small stock trading company.
buy off (someone)
- to use a gift or money to divert someone from their duty or purpose (similar to a
bribe and sometimes illegal)
The land developer tried to buy off the politician but he was not successful.
buy out (someone or something)
- to buy the ownership or a majority share of something
The large company decided to buy out the small textile company.
buy (something) on credit
- to buy something without paying cash
My friend had no money so he decided to buy some furniture on credit.
by a long shot
- by a big difference
The soap company beat out the bids of the other companies by a long shot.
a calculated risk
- an action that may fail but has a good chance to succeed
The company took a calculated risk when they put the new computer screen on the
market.
call a meeting to order
- to start a meeting
Our supervisor called the meeting to order when everyone arrived in the conference
room.
captain of industry
- a top corporation officer
The president of our company was a captain of industry and when he retired he was
appointed to many government boards.
carry a motion
- to support or win acceptance for a motion/proposal/idea in a meeting
I was able to carry a motion to cancel the activities for next week.
carry over figures/numbers/costs
- to transfer a figure/number/cost from one column or time to another
Our company has financial problems and we must carry over last year's losses to this
year.
carry over (something)
- to save or postpone something for another time
The department store will carry over their sale until after the national holiday.
carry the day
- to win complete support
The manager's new idea carried the day and everyone supported him with enthusiasm.
carry through with (something)
- to put something into action, to do something
The steel company carried through with their plan to restructure operations.
circulate the agenda
- to distribute a list or other information about what will be discussed in a meeting
We circulated the agenda for the meeting one week before the meeting.
close out (something)
- to sell the whole of something, to sell all the goods
The company decided to close out the store and sell the remaining stock very cheap.
close the books
- to stop taking orders, to end a bookkeeping period
The company will close the books at the end of December.
close up shop
- to stop doing business (for a variety of reasons - not only financial reasons)
The university bookstore had to close up shop when their rent was increased.
come down in price
- to lower the price of one's product, to become cheaper
We were forced to come down in price in order to sell our target number of cars for
the month.
come on strong
- to overwhelm others with very strong language or personality
The salesman came on strong at the meeting and angered the other members of the
team.
company man
- a person who always works hard and agrees with his employers or company
My father was a company man and he always put in an extra effort for his company.
company town
- a town dominated by one industry or company
When the coal mine closed, the company town faced severe economic times.
crunch numbers
- to do mathematical calculations
Our accountant loves to crunch numbers and he is one of the top managers in our
company.
cut a deal
- to make a business arrangement or contract
I was able to cut a deal with the contractor and we paid very little for our new kitchen.
cut back
- to use fewer or less of something
The company has been cutting back on entertainment expenses recently.
cut corners
- to economize, to try to spend less money
We have been forced to economize on expenses during these severe economic times.
cut off (someone or something)
- to interrupt or stop someone or something
The speech by our manager was cut off when the electricity went off in the building.
cut one's losses
- to do something in order to stop losing additional money or time etc.
We should sell the old machinery soon and try to cut our losses.
defeat a motion
- to defeat an idea or proposal in a meeting
Our opponents easily defeated the motion to change the hours for next year's
convention.
deliver the goods
- to succeed in doing a good job of something
The new manager is not very popular but he is able to deliver the goods.
double check (something)
- to check something again to confirm that it is correct
We plan to double check the price of the new product before the price list is printed.
draw up a contract
- to make/draft a contract
The lawyer spent several hours drawing up a new contract.
face value (of something)
- the official value or worth of something
Although the face value of the postage stamp was very low it sold at the auction for
much money.
fair play
- justice, equal and correct action toward someone
The company has a reputation for fair play when they are bargaining with their
employees.
figure out (something)
- to find an answer by thinking about something
Everyone is trying to figure out what our boss is going to do with the new equipment.
fill the bill
- to be just what is needed
The new machine should fill the bill for what we need to finish the job.
float (someone) a loan
- to loan someone money
I asked the bank to float me a loan so that I could buy a new car.
gain ground
- to go forward, to make progress
Our company is gaining ground in its attempt to be the best in the industry.
get a break
- to get an opportunity or good deal
We were able to get a break on the price of the paint and we saved much money.
get a raise
- to get an increase in one's salary
My sister works hard and she recently got a raise in her new job.
get off the ground
- to make a successful beginning
We were unable to get the new product off the ground but we will try again next year.
give (someone) the green light
- to give someone permission to go ahead with a project
Our boss gave us the green light to begin work on the new sales campaign.
go belly up
- to go out of business because of financial problems
The small computer company went belly up several months ago.
go over the books
- to check and analyze the accounting records of a company
We hired an outside accountant to go over our books.
go public
- to become a public company and to sell the company stock to the public
The stock of the Internet company rose very quickly after the company went public.
go through with (something)
- to do something as planned or as agreed, to finish something
We will not go through with our plans to build the new product until we solve several
problems.
hang out one's shingle
- to open one's own business (usually as a professional in some field)
My friend decided to hang out his shingle as a dentist soon after he finished school.
a hard sell
- a way of selling something that is very aggressive and uses much pressure
The car salesman gave us a hard sell so we went to another car dealer.
have a stake in (something)
- to have part ownership of a company or other business
The large oil company has a stake in the new oil exploration company.
have one's finger in the pie
- to be involved in something, to receive money for something
The new manager has his finger in the pie of many small businesses.
have the floor
- to have permission to speak in a meeting
The president had the floor for almost an hour during the meeting.
heads will roll
- someone will be punished
Heads will roll when our boss learns about the money that we have lost.
hold a meeting
- to conduct a meeting
We plan to hold a meeting next week to discuss the problems with our new product.
in black and white
- in writing
The company refused to deal with the customer's complaints until they were in black
and white.
in charge of (someone or something)
- to be in control of someone or something, to be responsible for someone or

something
My sister has been in charge of buying supplies at her company for many years.
in short supply
- to not have enough of something, to be less than the amount or number needed
Experienced computer programmers are in short supply in our company.
in stock
- available or ready to sell or use
The store does not have any printer ribbons in stock.
in the black
- to be successful, to be making money, to be profitable
The new company has been in the black for many years now.
in the long run
- over a long period of time
The company has been losing money recently but in the long run they should make a
profit.
in the loop
- to be involved or to take part in a job or in information sharing with one's colleagues

etc.
I began to work in the evenings and I was no longer in the loop at our company.
in the market for (something)
- to be ready to buy something, to want to buy something
We have been in the market for a new computer for a long time.
in the red
- to be losing money, to be unprofitable
The company has been in the red since the price of oil began to rise rapidly.
in the works
- to be in preparation, to be in the process of being planned or developed
The camera company has a new camera in the works but nobody knows about it.
jack up the price of (something)
- to make a price higher
The steel company decided to jack up the price of steel at the beginning of the year.
keep books
- to keep records of money that is gained or spent
The new sales manager does not know how to keep books and he has made many
mistakes.
keep track of (something)
- to keep a count or record of something, to stay informed about something
We have been making a great effort to keep track of the number of visitors to our
store.
a kickback
- an amount of money that is paid illegally for favorable treatment
The construction company was giving kickbacks to the local politicians.
knock down the price of (something)
- to lower the price of something
I bargained hard so that I could knock down the price of the stereo.
land an account
- to acquire an account
The salesman landed a large account on his first day of work.
lay (something) on the table
- to present a matter for discussion
I went to the meeting and laid my concerns about the new product on the table.
lead time
- the time available to prepare for an event or put a product on the market to sell
The lead time to get a book published is very long.
line of products
- a group/category of products that are similar to each other
Our company will introduce a new line of products in the autumn.
liquid assets
- property or belongings that can easily be converted into cash
The company had to sell some of its liquid assets in order to raise cash.
make a cold call
- to visit or telephone a potential but unknown customer from a list of people
When he first started to work at his company the salesman was asked to make cold
calls from the telephone book.
make a go of (something)
- to produce good results, to succeed at something
Although the man works very hard in his small business he cannot make a go of it and
may soon go out of business.
make a motion
- to make a suggestion or proposal at a meeting
The manager made a motion to finish the meeting early and continue the next
morning.
make an offer
- to make a financial proposal for a product or service
We want to buy the house and we plan to make an offer on Saturday.
make money hand over fist
- to make a lot of money
The small ice cream shop has been making money hand over fist since it first opened.
mean business
- to be serious
Our boss means business when he tells everyone to work harder.
move to (do something)
- to propose to do something (usually at a meeting)
I moved to have another meeting next week when we can discuss the problem.
a number cruncher
- an accountant, someone who works with numbers
Our president is a good number cruncher and he understands the finances of our
company.
on credit
- without paying cash
We usually buy most of our furniture on credit.
on hand
- to be in one's possession, to be ready
We did not have enough supplies on hand and were unable to finish the job.
on the block
- to be for sale, to go on sale
After we bought the company we began to put some of the equipment on the block.
out-of-pocket expenses
- the direct expenses that one must personally pay
My out-of-pocket expenses were very high during the business trip.
out of stock
- not available for immediate sale
The toys are out of stock and we will have to wait several weeks before we get them.
out of the loop
- to not be involved or taking part in a job or in information sharing with one's

colleagues etc.
I was out of the loop during the negotiations and did not know what was going on.
outsource (something)
- to use outside sources rather than those within a company or its facilities
The manufacturing company outsourced many of their products.
overnight (something)
- to send a document or package somewhere for delivery the next day
We decided to overnight the new contract to our supplier.
pay off
- to succeed, to yield good results
I hope that our plans for the new business will pay off.
pay off a debt/loan
- to finish paying back the money that one has borrowed from a bank/store etc.
The furniture manufacturer was unable to pay off their loan so they went out of
business.
piece/slice of the action
- a share in the activity or the profits of something
The inventor wanted a piece of the action from the new computer that he had
invented.
plug a product
- to promote a product
The soccer star makes a lot of money when he agrees to plug a product.
preferred customer
- a customer who does much business with you and who you give special discounts to
The man is a preferred customer and he always receives his products soon after he
orders them.
put one's nose to the grindstone
- to work diligently/hard
I put my nose to the grindstone and finished the job before the weekend.
put (someone) on hold
- to disconnect someone temporarily from the telephone
I phoned the bank but they put me on hold before someone spoke to me.
put (something) on hold
- to postpone a project
The construction company put the project on hold while they researched the problem
with the bridge.
put (someone) through
- to transfer someone to someone else's telephone
I phoned the credit card company and they quickly put me through to a supervisor.
red ink
- debt (the red ink on a financial statement)
The automobile company has much red ink because of the bad economic conditions.
red tape
- rules and regulations that seem unnecessary (often from the government)
There is a lot of red tape when you try to start up a new business.
rule (someone) out of order
- to rule that someone is not following the rules of a meeting
The chairwoman ruled the salesman out of order when he began to speak at the
meeting.
run a meeting
My boss is not able to run a meeting very well.
run an ad
- to place/put an advertisement in a publication
The government decided to run an ad to tell the public about the new gas tax.
run short
- to not have enough of something
They ran short of gasoline at the gas station and had to close early.
saddled with debt
- to be burdened with debt
Our company is saddled with debt and must do something about it quickly.
second a motion
- to agree with a proposal
I seconded the motion where we decided to start one hour early every morning during
the summer.
sell like hotcakes
- to sell very quickly
The children's toys were selling like hotcakes at the end of the year.
sell out
- to sell all of a product
Every year our company is able to sell out most of our summer goods.
sell (something) at a loss
- to sell something and lose money
We were forced to sell the computers at a loss.
set up a meeting
- to make arrangements for a meeting
I am trying to set up a meeting with the manager of our department.
strike while the iron is hot
- to take advantage of an opportunity
I decided to strike while the iron was hot and apply for the job as soon as I heard
about it.
sweetheart deal
- a deal made between friends/businesses so that both may receive a benefit
We made a sweetheart deal with our landlord to have our rent reduced.
table a discussion
- to postpone a discussion until a later time
We tabled the discussion about the salary issue until the next meeting.
take a nosedive
- to collapse, to decrease in value
The stock market took a nosedive when the earnings of the oil company decreased.
take a pay cut
- to accept a decrease in one's salary
The telephone workers were forced to take a pay cut after the strike.
take minutes
- to write down the proceedings of a meeting
I usually take minutes at the monthly club meetings.
take on (an employee)
- to give a job to someone, to hire someone
The company took on many new workers during the busy holiday season.
take over (something)
- to take control or possession of something, to take charge or responsibility of

something
The government decided to take over the bank after it declared bankruptcy.
take (a company) public
- to sell shares of a company to the general public
We decided to take our company public in order to raise money to expand our factory.
take (something) at face value
- to take something that is said on its surface
I took my friend's comments at face value.
take stock
- to count the items of merchandise or supplies in stock, to take inventory
The department store closes for three days every March in order to take stock.
throw cold water on (something)
- to discourage or forbid something
The manager threw cold water on our plan to close the factory for one week in
August.
throw money at (something)
- to try to solve a problem by spending money on it
The president of our company is willing to throw much money at a problem to try and
solve it.
tight spot
- a difficult situation
The computer company has been in a tight spot since the shortage of computer chips
appeared.
turn a profit
- to make a profit
The supermarket has been turning a profit since it opened.
turn over
- to do business to a certain amount of money/product
We turned over most of our stock last month.

The company turns over much money every month.
turnover
- the rate at which a product is sold and replaced
The turnover of drinks is very high in the store.
turnover
- the rate at which employees join and leave a company
The turnover of workers in the new restaurant business is very high.
work out
- to have a specific result
I do not believe that the new plan is going to work out.
work out (a problem)
- to solve a problem, to provide the details of something
I spent the weekend trying to work out the budget estimates for next year.
work overtime
- to work more than one's regular hours
I had to work overtime every Friday last month.
write off (a loan/debt)
- to remove a loan/debt from a business record, to cancel a debt
It was impossible for the bank to collect the money so they were forced to write off
the loan.
accounting Idioms
bean counter
- an accountant
We asked the bean counters to look at the figures in the new budget.
bottom line
- the total, the final figure on a balance sheet, the results (of a business)
After we examined the bottom line of the company we decided not to invest in it.
break even
- to have expenses equal to profits
After only three months the company was able to break even and begin to make a
profit.
budget crunch/squeeze
- a situation where there is not enough money in the budget
There is a severe budget squeeze at our company and we must stop wasting money.
carry over figures/numbers/costs
- to transfer a figure/number/cost from one column or time to another
Our company has financial problems and we must carry over last year's losses to this
year.
close the books
- to stop taking orders, to end a bookkeeping period
The company will close the books at the end of December.
crunch numbers
- to do mathematical calculations
Our accountant loves to crunch numbers and he is one of the top managers in our
company.
figure out (something)
- to find an answer by thinking about something
Everyone is trying to figure out what our boss is going to do with the new equipment.
go over the books
- to check and analyze the accounting records of a company
We hired an outside accountant to go over our books.
in the black
- to be successful, to be making money, to be profitable
The new company has been in the black for many years now.
in the red
- to be losing money, to be unprofitable
The company has been in the red since the price of oil began to rise rapidly.
keep books
- to keep records of money that is gained or spent
The new sales manager does not know how to keep books and he has made many
mistakes.
a number cruncher
- an accountant, someone who works with numbers
Our president is a good number cruncher and he understands the finances of our
company.
red ink
- debt (the red ink on a financial statement)
The automobile company has much red ink because of the bad economic conditions.
saddled with debt
- to be burdened with debt
Our company is saddled with debt and must do something about it quickly.
write off (a loan/debt)
- to remove a loan/debt from a business record, to cancel a debt
It was impossible for the bank to collect the money so they were forced to write off
the loan.
advertising Idioms
bang for the buck
- value for the money spent
We were able to get much bang for our buck when we advertised on the Internet.
plug a product
- to promote a product
The soccer star makes a lot of money when he agrees to plug a product.
run an ad
- to place/put an advertisement in a publication
The government decided to run an ad to tell the public about the new gas tax.
banking Idioms
bail a company out
- to help or rescue a company with financial problems
The government bailed out the bank in order to maintain stability in the economy.
banker's hours
- short work hours (similar to when a bank is open)
My sister's husband owns his own company and works banker's hours most days.
bankroll someone
- to supply someone with money, to finance someone
The movie actor bankrolled his son while the son was producing his first movie.
bounce a check
- to write a check in which you do not have enough money in your bank account
The young man bounced a check when he tried to pay his rent.
buy a stake in (something)
- to buy part ownership of a company or other enterprise
The large bank is planning to buy a stake in the small stock trading company.
a calculated risk
- an action that may fail but has a good chance to succeed
The company took a calculated risk when they put the new computer screen on the
market.
float (someone) a loan
- to loan someone money
I asked the bank to float me a loan so that I could buy a new car.
have a stake in (something)
- to have part ownership of a company or other business
The large oil company has a stake in the new undersea oil exploration company.
meeting Idioms
adjourn a meeting
- to end a meeting
We adjourned the meeting until the next day.
call a meeting to order
- to start a meeting
Our supervisor called the meeting to order when everyone arrived in the conference
room.
carry a motion
- to support or win acceptance for a motion/proposal/idea in a meeting
I was able to carry a motion to cancel the activities for next week.
circulate the agenda
- to distribute a list or other information about what will be discussed in a meeting
We circulated the agenda for the meeting one week before the meeting.
defeat a motion
- to defeat an idea/proposal in a meeting
Our opponents easily defeated the motion to change the hours for next week's
convention.
have the floor
- to have permission to speak in a meeting
The president had the floor for almost an hour during the meeting.
hold a meeting
We plan to hold a meeting next week to discuss the problems with our new product.
lay (something) on the table
- to present a matter for discussion
I went to the meeting and laid my concerns about the new product on the table.
make a motion
- to make a suggestion or proposal at a meeting
The manager made a motion to finish the meeting early and continue the next
morning.
move to (do something)
- to propose to do something (usually at a meeting)
I moved to have another meeting next week when we can discuss the problem.
rule (someone) out of order
- to rule that someone is not following the rules of a meeting
The chairwoman ruled the salesman out of order when he began to speak at the
meeting.
run a meeting
My boss is not able to run a meeting very well.
second a motion
- to agree with a proposal
I seconded the motion where we decided to start one hour early every morning during
the summer.
set up a meeting
- to make arrangements for a meeting
I am trying to set up a meeting with the manager of our department.
table a discussion
- to postpone a discussion until a later time
We tabled the discussion about the salary issue until the next meeting.
take minutes
- to write down the proceedings of a meeting
I usually take minutes at the monthly club meetings.
sales Idioms
come down in price
- to lower the price of one's product, to become cheaper
We were forced to come down in price in order to sell our target number of cars for
the month.
a hard sell
- a way of selling something that is very aggressive and uses much pressure
The car salesman gave us a hard sell so we went to another car dealer.
- to lower the price of something
I bargained hard so that I could knock down the price of the stereo.
land an account
- to acquire an account
The salesman landed a large account on his first day of work.
line of products
- a group/category of products that are similar to each other
Our company will introduce a new line of products in the autumn.
make a cold call
- to visit or telephone a potential but unknown customer from a list of people
When he first started to work at his company the salesman was asked to make cold
calls from the telephone book.
make an offer
- to make a financial proposal for a product or service
We want to buy the house and we plan to make an offer on Saturday.
preferred customer
- a customer who does much business with you and who you give special discounts to
The man is a preferred customer and he always receives his products soon after he
orders them.
sell like hotcakes
- to sell very quickly
The children's toys were selling like hotcakes at the end of the year.
Business Negotiation Idioms
Negotiations
at stake
- something that can be gained or lost
There was much at stake during the negotiations between the nurses and the
government.
back down
- to yield in one's position during negotiations, to not follow up on a threat
The government backed down on their threat to stop giving money to the school
district.
back out (of something)
- to get out of an agreement, to fail to keep a promise
The property developer backed out of the plan to build the new city hall.
ball is in (someone's) court
- it is the decision of another person/group to do something
The ball was in the union's court after the company made their final offer.
beat around the bush
- to talk about something without giving a direct answer
The manager was beating around the bush and never really said anything important.
bog down
- to slow to a stop
The negotiations bogged down over the issue of part-time workers.
bone of contention
- the subject or reason for a fight/dispute
The size of the project was a bone of contention during the talks between the city and
the developer.
break down
- to fail, to stop
The negotiations broke down last night when both sides refused to compromise.
break off
- to stop or end suddenly
The government decided to break off talks about extending the trade agreement.
break through
- to be successful after overcoming a difficulty
We were able to break through in our efforts to find a solution to the problem.
breakthrough
- a success that comes after overcoming a difficulty
There was a breakthrough in the talks aimed at ending the teacher's strike.
bring (something) off
- to achieve something
We were unable to bring off a deal to buy the new computer system for our company.
bring (someone) to terms
- to make someone agree or do something
It seemed impossible for the two sides to settle their dispute but we were finally able
to bring them to terms.
bring up (something)
- to begin a discussion about something, to mention something
I tried to bring up the subject of sales commissions during the meeting.
call off (something)
- to stop/quit/cancel something
We called off the meeting because everybody was busy with other business.
call (someone's) bluff
- to try to make someone prove that they can actually do what they say they can
The government called the union's bluff when the union threatened to go on strike.
call the shots
- to be in charge
During the meeting the vice-president was calling the shots.
cave in to (someone or something)
- to weaken and be forced to give up
The company was forced to cave in to the demands of the workers for more money.
close a deal
- to end a negotiation successfully
We had to work hard but we were finally able to close the deal.
close ranks
- to unite and fight together
During the meeting we closed ranks and refused to compromise on any issue.
come back with an offer
- to return to negotiations with a new offer
We came back with a new offer and the negotiations continued smoothly.
come down in price
- to lower the price of one's product
We decided to come down in price and try and sell our products quickly.
come in low
- to offer a low amount of money for a product or service
The company came in low with an offer for our product.
come to terms
- to reach an agreement
After negotiating all night the government and the company came to terms on an
arrangement for the new water system.
come up in a discussion
- to become a subject in a discussion
Nothing related to the issue of quality came up during the meeting.
come up with (an idea or something)
- to produce or find a thought/idea/answer
I was praised by my boss when I came up with some good ideas during the meeting.
common ground
- shared beliefs or interests
There was no common ground between the two sides and the negotiations did not go
well.
continue down to the wire
- to near a deadline, to have little time remaining
The negotiations continued down to the wire but they finally ended successfully.
cover ground
- to talk about the important facts and details of something
The number of questions seemed endless and we were unable to cover much ground
during the meeting.
cut a deal
- to make an agreement, to make a deal/arrangement
We cut a deal and left the meeting in a positive mood.
cut (someone) off
- to stop someone from saying something, to interrupt someone
My friend cut me off when I was speaking.
down to the wire
- near a deadline, with little time remaining
They were down to the wire but the two sides finally agreed to a new contract.
drag on
- to be prolonged, to continue for a long time
The talks between the company and the lawyers dragged on for several weeks.
drag one's heels
- to act slowly or reluctantly
The government dragged their heels in talks with the union about the new contract.
draw the line
- to set a limit about what will be done or discussed
The union was willing to compromise on the salary issue but they drew the line at
talking about health benefits.
draw up (something)
- to put something (a contract or a plan) in writing
The lawyers drew up a contract for the new housing development on the government
land.
drive a hard bargain
- to bargain hard and try to make an agreement to one's advantage
The sales manager drives a hard bargain and it is difficult to negotiate with him.
drive at (something)
- to mean something, to want to say something
I could not understand what the other negotiators in the meeting were driving at.
face down (someone)
- to confront someone boldly
The government decided to face down the striking transportation workers.
fall through
- to fail, to be ruined, to not happen
The deal for the new machinery fell through and we will have to look for another
supplier.
fifty-fifty
- equally, evenly
We shared the profits with the other company fifty-fifty.
follow through on/with (something)
- to finish an action, to keep a promise
Our boss said that wages would improve soon but he never followed through with his
promise.
force (someone's) hand
- to make someone do something that they do not want to do at that time
We decided to force the hand of our opponents because we wanted to finish the
negotiations quickly.
get behind (a person or idea)
- to support a person or idea
Although we did not agree with the manager we got behind his proposal at the
meeting.
get down to brass tacks
- to begin the work or business that must be done
"Let's get down to brass tacks and begin talking about the new contract."
get down to business
- to start working or doing the business at hand
We decided to get down to business and try to finish our work quickly.
get the ball rolling
- to start/begin an activity or action
I want to get the ball rolling and begin the meeting at once.
get the message
- to understand clearly what is meant by someone
I do not think that the opposite side got the message regarding the direction that the
negotiations were heading.
get to first base
- to make a good start, to succeed
We have not been able to get to first base with anyone regarding the terms of the new
contract.
get to the bottom of (something)
- to find out the real cause of something
It was very difficult to get to the bottom of the financial problems in the company.
get to the heart of (something)
- to find the most important facts or central meaning of something
We spent the morning trying to get to the heart of the problem with the computer
supplier.
give a little
- to compromise during a negotiation
We know that we will be forced to give a little if we want to complete the

negotiations.
give and take (give-and-take)
- to share, to give up part of what you want in order to make an agreement
After much give and take we reached an agreement regarding the property transfer.
give ground
- to move back or retreat from one's position
We bargained hard but the other sales representatives refused to give ground.
give in to (someone)
- to do what another person wants rather than to fight and argue against him or her
After eight weeks of negotiations we gave in and agreed to sell the machinery at a
discount.
go back on (something)
- to not be faithful or loyal to one's word or an agreement
The company directors went back on their word to give the employees a salary
increase.
go back to square one
- to go back to the beginning
The meeting was a failure and we were forced to go back to square one.
go back to the drawing board
- to go back and start something from the beginning
The negotiations failed so we had to go back to the drawing board and start over.
go down to the wire
- to near a deadline, to have little time remaining
The negotiations went down to the wire last night.
go for broke
- to risk everything on one big effort, to try as hard as possible
After going for broke at the meeting we finally reached an agreement.
go over like a lead balloon
- to fail to generate a positive response
The sales manager's proposal went over like a lead balloon at the meeting
go over well
- to be liked or successful
My idea to increase the number of employee evaluations went over well with the new
manager.
hammer out (an agreement or a deal)
- to negotiate a deal or agreement by discussion and debate
The negotiations lasted all night but finally we were able to hammer out an
agreement.
hang in the balance
- to have two equally possible results, to be uncertain
The outcome of the election was hanging in the balance after the top candidates had
an equal number of votes.
hard-nosed
- to be very strict, to be stubborn, to be uncompromising
The negotiatiors were hard-nosed during the talks for a new contract.
have a card up one's sleeve
- to hide something of value
I thought that the negotiations would be unsuccessful but my boss had a card up his
sleeve that we did not know about.
have a poker face
- to not show any reaction or emotion
Our boss had a poker face when he told us that our office would soon close.
hold all the aces/cards/trumps
- to have all of the advantages
The management group was holding all the cards during the meeting with the union.
hold out for (something)
- to keep resisting or refuse to give up until you get the desired results
The union is holding out for a better deal and they do not plan to end their strike.
hold out on (someone)
- to refuse information or something to someone who has a right to it
The new manager has been holding out on the company and he will not tell anyone
his plans.
horse-trade
- to make a business agreement/deal after careful bargaining and compromise
After several hours of horse-trading we reached an agreement to buy the new

computers.
in the bag
- to be certain
The contract for the new insurance policy is in the bag.
iron (something) out
- to solve a problem
We spent several hours ironing out the final details of the contract.
- to decrease a price
The department store has knocked down the price of many of their products.
lay one's cards on the table
- to be open and honest about one's intentions
Our boss laid his cards on the table during the meeting.
make an offer
- to make a financial or other proposal for a product or service
I plan to make an offer and try to buy the house that I like.
make headway
- to make progress
We have been bargaining hard all week and we are making headway with the new
agreement.
meet (someone) halfway
- to compromise with someone
The asking price for the chemicals was too high but we met the salesman halfway and
made an agreement.
nail (something) down
- to make certain or sure
We nailed down an agreement to finish the staff room as quickly as possible.
off the record
- to be not published or revealed, to be a secret
I told my boss off the record that I would probably not return after the summer
holiday.
paint oneself into a corner
- to get into a bad situation that is difficult or impossible to escape
The negotiations became easier when the other side painted themselves into a corner
over the old insurance policy.
play hardball (with someone)
- to act strong and aggressive with someone
The union played hardball during the contract talks.
play into (someone's) hands
- to do something that another person can use against you
Our manager played into the hands of the other side during the meeting when he
became angry.
play one's ace
- to use one's best resources (the ace is the most powerful card), to use all of one's
power
I played my ace when I asked my boss for more money.
- to be secretive and cautious about something
My colleague was playing his cards close to his chest when he began to talk to our
competitor.
pull (something) off
- to succeed in doing something difficult or impossible
The contract seemed impossible to win but we pulled it off through our skillful
negotiating.
pull (something) out of a hat
- to get something as if by magic, to invent something, to imagine something
The problem was difficult but somehow we were able to pull a solution out of a hat.
put one's cards on the table
- to be open and honest about one's intentions
We put our cards on the table and tried to solve the problem.
raise the ante
- to increase what is at stake or under discussion in a dispute or conflict
The small country raised the ante in the trade dispute with the other countries.
a raw deal
- treatment that is not fair
The sales manager received a raw deal when he was forced to give up his former
position.
reach a stalemate
- to arrive at a position where no progress is being made
The talks to buy the new computers have reached a stalemate and it will be difficult to
start them again.
reach first base
- to make a good start, to succeed
We were unable to reach first base in the discussions.
read between the lines
- to understand the meaning of something by guessing what is not said
The salesman did not say that no products were available but we could read between
the lines and knew that there were none.
rock-bottom offer
- the lowest price that one can offer to buy something
The buyer made a rock-bottom offer to buy our product.
a setback
- a delay or handicap
The bad weather was a setback in our efforts to get the material delivered on time.
smooth (something) over
- to make something seem better or more pleasant
We tried to smooth over the problems between the two managers.
stack the deck (of cards) against (someone)
- to trick someone, to arrange things unfairly
The manager stacked the deck against his opponent when he went into the meeting.
stand one's ground
- to maintain and defend one's position
Although the other negotiating team was very aggressive we stood our ground and
bargained hard.
start the ball rolling
- to start/begin an activity or action
I will start the ball rolling by making some telephone calls to my co-workers.
stick to one's guns
- to defend an action or opinion despite an unfavorable reaction
We stuck to our guns during the meeting and asked for more time to consider the
proposal.
take sides
- to join one group against another in a debate or quarrel
I did not take sides in the discussion about buying a new computer.
talk (someone) into (something)
- to get someone to agree to something, to persuade someone to do something
We were unable to talk the other members of our team into delaying the meeting until
next week.
talk (someone) out of (something)
- to persuade someone not to do something
I tried to talk our sales manager out of offering a price that was too low.
talk (something) over
- to discuss something
We asked for some time during the meeting to talk over the new proposal.
throw (someone) a curve
- to mislead or deceive someone
The purchasing manager threw us a curve when he said that he would not need any of
our products until next year.
to the letter
- exactly, nothing done wrong or left undone, perfectly
The union representative followed the contract agreement to the letter.
trump card
- something that is kept back to be used to win success if nothing else works
Although we appeared weak during the negotiations we had some new information to
use as our trump card.
turn thumbs down on (something)
- to reject something
The other negotiating team turned thumbs down on our wish to postpone the meeting
until tomorrow.
under the wire
- at the very last moment
We finished the documents and sent them to the lawyer right under the wire.
undercut (someone)
- to sell your product for less than a competitor
The new discount store is trying hard to undercut other stores in the area.
up the ante
- to increase what is at stake or under discussion in a dispute or conflict
The union upped the ante in their dispute with the company.
water (something) down
- to change and make something weaker
The manager tried to water down our proposal for the new quality control system.
wheel and deal
- to negotiate, to buy and sell something
The salesman likes to wheel and deal with his customers.
wind up
- to end, to finish, to stop
The meeting wound up at midnight and we were able to go home.
wrap up
- to finish (a job)
We wrapped up the meeting and went home for the weekend.
Card Playing
Idioms
Cards
above board
- honest, not secret (originally players showed their honesty by keeping their hands
above the board when playing a game)
The real estate agent was always above board when dealing with people who were
trying to buy a house.
according to Hoyle
- according to the rules (Hoyle wrote a well-known book about card games)
According to Hoyle we were not permitted to enter the convention site but in reality
we were able to enter easily.
an ace in the hole
- something that you can use to gain an advantage (when playing cards an ace is face
down so the other players in a card game can't see it)
The team had an ace in the hole and decided to use it when they brought out their star
goalkeeper to play.
ante up
- produce or pay a necessary amount of money
We all had to ante up quickly in order to collect the money for our holiday.
call a spade a spade
- call a person or thing a name that is true, speak in plain language
I decided to call a spade a spade and tell our supervisor what was wrong with our
workplace.
call someone's bluff
- challenge someone to show that they are not being deceptive and can actually do
what they say they can do (from poker where one makes an opponent show his or her
cards to show that they are weaker than they are pretending them to be)
My girlfriend always said that she didn't want to get married so I called her bluff and
asked her to marry me. She said yes.
cash in one's chips
- to die (the chips in many gambling games are changed into cash at the end of a
game)
After an honorable and fruitful career the judge cashed in his chips at the age of
ninety years.
come/turn up trumps
- have a better performance or outcome than is expected (trumps are the playing cards
that are chosen to be ranked higher than the others)
We entered the contest with little hope of success but our performance came up
trumps which was a big surprise to everyone.
deal someone in
- include someone
I hope that my friend will deal me in on his new computer business.
be dealt a bad hand/deal someone a bad hand
- receive or give someone bad cards in a card game, receive disadvantages in

something
The boy was dealt a bad hand when he was a child and always was at a disadvantage
in his life.
follow suit
- play a card of the same suit, follow the example of another
The small university followed suit with the other universities and decided to raise
their tuition fees.
force someone's hand
- make someone do something that they don't want to do at that time
The man threatened to quit his job so the company decided to force his hand and
make him either continue or quit.
have an ace up one's sleeve
- something that you can use to gain an advantage (in a card game the ace is often the
most valuable card and a cheater could have an ace up their sleeve to use against an
opponent)
When the football players were ready to go on strike, the team owners had an ace up
their sleeve and offered more money and stopped the strike.
have a card up one's sleeve
- have a reserve plan or a secret advantage
The man had a card up his sleeve when he went to the bank to ask for more money for
his business.
hold all the aces
- have all the advantages (from the ace which is the most valuable card in many card
games)
The employer held all the aces when they began to negotiate with the small union.
hold all the cards
- be in a strong or advantageous position (like a winning hand in a card game)
The company held all the cards when the union decided to go on strike to achieve
their goals.
hold all the trumps
- have the best chance of winning, have all the advantages
The striker holds all the trumps and should easily be elected as captain of the football
team.
house of cards
- a poorly thought out plan, something that is badly put together and easily knocked
over
The large company was like a house of cards and when there were financial problems
in one area the whole business was hurt.
in spades
- as much or more than you could want (spades are the highest ranking cards in the
game of bridge)
The sick child was hoping to receive some cards when he was in the hospital but
when the radio talked about his illness he received them in spades.
in the cards
- possible or likely (as in using playing cards or tarot cards to tell the future)
Although the airport expansion was in the cards nobody knew exactly when it would
begin.
lost in the shuffle
- be overlooked in a confused or crowded situation
When we moved to a new office all of our sales receipts were lost in the shuffle of the
move
not playing with a full deck
- mentally deficient (like a deck of playing cards with some cards missing)
The student told unlikely stories about his life which made us believe that he was not
playing with a full deck.
play one's ace
- use one's best resources (like an ace in cards)
The lawyer played his ace when he showed the judge the new information.
- be extremely secretive and cautious about something (holding playing cards close to
your chest so the other players can't see them)
My boss always plays his cards close to his chest when he is negotiating with another
company.
play one's cards right
- make the best use of your opportunities or what you have
I told my friend that if he plays his cards right he will be able to go on the business
trip to Europe.
poker face
- a face with no expression (done in the game of poker so that nobody knows if you
have good cards or not)
The politician had a poker face when he tried to defend himself against the scandal.
put (lay) one's cards on the table
- be open and honest about one's intentions or resources
I put my cards on the table and told my boss about my plans to return to school and
study economics.
raise the ante
- increase what is at stake or under discussion in a dispute or conflict (an ante is the
amount of money that you put on the table before beginning a card game)
The government raised the ante when they decided to cancel the contract of the health
care workers.
show one's hand
- reveal one's plans
I didn't want to show my hand but I was forced to tell my family about my plans to go
overseas to study.
shuffle the cards/deck
- change policy
The government was in the middle of an economic crisis so they did not want to
shuffle the deck and cause any more uncertainity.
stack the deck
- unfairly arrange things for or against someone so that a person has an unfair
advantage or disadvantage
The league stacked the deck against the new team so that the older, more established
teams could advance to the playoffs.
trump card
- something that you hold back to use to win success if nothing else works (a trump
card is a card that is chosen to temporarily be stronger than the other cards)
The boxer's trump card in his desire for another fight was his great popularity with the
fans.
up the ante
- increase what is at stake or under discussion in a dispute or conflict (an ante is the
amount of money that you put on the table before beginning a card game)
The actor upped the ante in his dispute with the movie studio when he refused to
appear for the movie preparation.
when the chips are down
- when one is in a difficult or serious situation (chips are used in gambling), when the
winner or loser of a card game or a bet is decided
The man is a good manager and when the chips are down he is always able to
overcome his difficulties.
Clothes Idioms
Clothes
air one`s dirty linen in public
- to discuss one`s private quarrels or problems in the presence of others
The man does not like his wife to air his dirty linen in public when they are with
friends.
at the drop of a hat
- without waiting or planning, immediately, promptly
Our boss will stop working and help someone at the drop of a hat.
bet one`s boots
- to bet everything that one has
I will bet my boots that my friend will not have enough money to go to Greece this
winter.
birthday suit
- complete nakedness
The little boy was running through the park in his birthday suit.
buckle down to (do something)
- to give one's complete attention or effort to do something
The teacher told the girl that she must buckle down and begin to work harder than
before.
burn a hole in one`s pocket
- to stimulate someone to spend money quickly
My money is burning a hole in my pocket and I will probably spend it quickly.
burst at the seams
- to be too full or too crowded
The train station was bursting at the seams as everyone waited to leave for their
holidays.
catch (someone) with their pants down
- to surprise someone in an embarrassing situation or doing something that they

should not be doing
The sales manager was caught with his pants down when he was asked for the sales
figures but did not have them.
come into fashion
- to become fashionable
Recently the mini-skirt has come into fashion again.
decked out in (something)
- to be dressed in fancy clothes
The actress was decked out in a beautiful silk dress at the ceremony.
die with one`s boots on
- to die while still active in one`s work or doing a job
The man worked hard all his life and died with his boots on when he had a heart
attack and died in the factory.
dressed to kill
- to wear one`s finest clothes
The woman was dressed to kill when I saw her at the sales convention.
dressed to the nines/teeth
- to be dressed elegantly, to be dressed very well
The couple were dressed to the nines when they went to the opening of the new
theater production.
dress up
- to wear one`s best clothes
I decided to dress up to go to dinner on Saturday night.
feather in one`s cap
- something to be proud of, an honor
Winning the speech contest was a feather in the boy's cap and the greatest honor that
he has ever won.
fill (someone`s) shoes
- to take the place of another and do as well as he or she would
It will be difficult for the woman to fill the shoes of the previous supervisor.
fine-tooth/toothed comb
- great care, careful attention so as not to miss anything
We went over the room with a fine-tooth comb but we were unable to find the lost
credit card.
fit like a glove
- to fit perfectly
The woman's new dress fit like a glove so she was very happy.
fly by the seat of one`s pants
- to do something by instinct rather than by knowledge or logic
I was forced to fly by the seat of my pants when my computer broke and I had to try
and fix it.
handle (someone) with kid gloves
- to treat someone very gently and carefully
You must handle the new employee with kid gloves because he is very sensitive.
a hand-me-down
- a piece of clothing that is given to someone after another person does not need it
My father wore many hand-me-down clothes when he was a child.
have a bee in one`s bonnet
- to have a fixed idea that stays in one's mind
The woman has a bee in her bonnet about starting a new business.
have a card up one`s sleeve
- to have a reserve plan or a secret advantage
I do not know the manager's plans but I think that he has a card up his sleeve and he
will soon make an important announcement.
have ants in one`s pants
- to be restless, to be nervous
The teacher told the little boy that he was moving around like he had ants in his pants.
have (something) up one`s sleeve
- to have a secret plan or solution for something, to be ready for a time when
something is needed
I do not know what my friend has up his sleeve but I am sure that he is planning to
say something at the meeting.
hit (someone) below the belt
- to do something in an unfair or cowardly way
My friend was hitting below the belt when he criticized me after I told him my true
feelings on the matter.
if the shoe fits wear it
- if what is being said in general describes you then it probably means you
You should not criticize others for something that you would do yourself. Remember,
if the shoe fits wear it.
in (someone`s) shoes
- in another person's place or position
I would hate to be in my cousin's shoes now that he has lost his job.
keep one`s shirt on
- to keep from losing one`s temper or getting excited, to be calm/patient
"Keep your shirt on. You shouldn`t get so excited about such a small problem."
keep (something) under one`s hat
- to keep something secret
I plan to keep my plans to look for a new job under my hat.
lose one`s shirt
- to lose all or most of one`s money
The man lost his shirt gambling and now he is in serious financial difficulty.
off-the-cuff
- without preparation
Our boss made a great off-the-cuff speech at the party last night.
old hat
- to be not new or different, to be old-fashioned
We have been using the new computer program for many months. It is old hat now.
on a shoestring
- on a very low budget, with very little money
We went to Europe on a shoestring and we enjoyed it very much.
on (someone`s) coat-tails
- as a result of someone else doing something
The woman was elected to city council on her husband`s coat-tails.
pull (something) out of a hat
- to produce something as if by magic, to invent something
At first the lawyer said that she did not have the information but then she suddenly
pulled it out of a hat.
pull up one`s socks
- to make a greater effort
"It is time that you pull up your socks and begin to work hard and take this job
seriously."
put on one`s thinking cap
- to think hard and long about something
I will put on my thinking cap and try to find a solution to the problem by next week.
roll up one`s sleeves
- to get ready for a hard job, to prepare to work hard or seriously
"Let`s roll up our sleeves and begin to work so that we can finish early."
shoe is on the other foot
- the opposite is true, places are changed
For a long time my friend laughed at my problems at work. Now the shoe is on the
other foot and he also has serious problems.
stuffed shirt
- a person who is too rigid or too formal
I do not want to invite my neighbor to come with us because he is a stuffed shirt and
not very interesting to spend time with.
take one`s hat off to (someone)
- to admire/respect/praise someone
You have to take your hat off to my neighbor. He started a small business and now it
is very successful.
talk through one`s hat
- to say something without knowing or understanding the facts
Our supervisor is talking through his hat again and he does not know what he is
talking about.
tighten one`s belt
- to live on less money than usual
If we want to go on a holiday to Europe this year we will have to tighten our belts and
begin to save some money.
too big for one`s boots/breeches
- to think that you are more important than you really are
Our manager is too big for his breeches and needs someone to make him realize that
he is not so important.
under one`s belt
- in one`s experience or possession, gained by effort and skill
Now that I have some job experience under my belt I will have more chances to apply
for a better job.
wear one`s heart on one`s sleeve
- to show one`s feelings openly
The girl is wearing her heart on her sleeve and everyone knows that she is having
problems with her boyfriend.
wear the pants in one`s family
- to be the boss of a family or household
The woman wears the pants in her family and she is always telling her husband what
to do.
wolf in sheep`s clothing
- a person who pretends to be good but is really bad
The man is a wolf in sheep's clothing and someone that you should be very careful
around.
You bet your boots!
- most certainly, yes indeed, absolutely
You can bet your boots that I am going to go and apply for my passport as early as
possible.
Color Idioms
Color
as black as a skillet
- very black
My hands were as black as a skillet when I finished working on the car engine.
as black as a stack of black cats
- very black
The little boy was as black as a stack of black cats after playing outside all day.
as black as a sweep
- very dirty/black (a chimney sweep cleans chimneys and becomes very black)
My friend was as black as a sweep after he finished cleaning the basement.
as black as coal
- very black
My friend's cat is as black as coal.
as black as night
- very dark and black
The old house was as black as night when we entered it.
as black as pitch
- very black
My face was as black as pitch after cleaning the stove all morning.
as black as the ace of spades
- very black
The horse in the parade was as black as the ace of spades.
as red as a cherry
- bright red
The car was as red as a cherry after its new paint job.
as red as a poppy
- bright red
The mark on my arm was as red as a poppy.
as red as a rose
- intensely red
The morning sunrise was as red as a rose.
as red as a ruby
- deep red
The office assistant was wearing lipstick that was as red as a ruby.
as red as blood
- deep red
The stain on the carpet was as red as blood.
as white as a ghost
- very pale because of fear/shock/illness
My sister became as white as a ghost when she saw the man at the window.
as white as a sheet
- very pale
I felt terrible this morning and in the mirror I looked as white as a sheet.
as white as the driven snow
- very white
The fur on the dog was as white as the driven snow.
black and blue
- bruised
My shoulder was black and blue after I fell down the stairs.
black and white
- either good or bad, either one way or the other way but not in between
Our boss sees everything in black and white although he knows this is impossible.
black box
- an electronic device such as a flight recorder that can be removed from an aircraft as
a single package
The investigators searched for a long time in order to find the black box of the
airplane.
black eye
- a bruise near one's eye which makes it appear black
The man received a black eye when he bumped into the closed door.
black market
- the place where goods/money are illegally bought and sold
We sold some cigarettes on the black market during our travels.
black out
- to darken a room or building by turning off the lights
During the war people in the cities were forced to black out their windows so nobody
could see them.
black out
- to lose consciousness
The man blacked out during the parade and he had to sit down and rest.
black sheep (of a family)
- a person who is a disgrace to a family or group
The man is the black sheep in his family and has not made a success of his life.
blackball (someone)
- to exclude/ostracize someone socially, to reject someone
The businessman was blackballed in the industry because of his bad business
practices.
blacklist (someone)
- to exclude/ostracize someone, to write someone's name on a list if they break some

rules
The sports federation blacklisted the swimmer because he was using steroids.
blackmail (someone)
- to extort/take money from someone by threatening him or her
The photographer tried to blackmail the famous actress with some photographs that he
had taken.
blackout
- a temporary situation where you do not release some information
The government decided to have a blackout regarding the information related to the
political prisoner.
black-tie event/affair
- a formal event where guests wear semi-formal clothes with men wearing black bow
ties with tuxedos or dinner jackets
The award ceremony for the movie awards was a black-tie affair.
blue blood
- the blood of a noble/aristocratic family
Many of the blue bloods of the town went to the opening of the opera.
blue in the face
- to be very angry or upset, to be excited and very emotional
I argued with my supervisor until I was blue in the face.
blue-ribbon
- of superior quality or distinction, the best of a group
A blue-ribbon panel of experts were asked to suggest a new policy for the city.
brown bag it
- to take a lunch to work
I must brown bag it this week because the company cafeteria is closed.
carte blanche
- the freedom or permission to do what you want (blanche/blanc means white in

French)
The new manager was given carte blanche to change the policies in her department.
- to catch someone in the middle of doing something wrong
The woman was caught red-handed when she tried to steal some cosmetics.
chase rainbows
- to try to get or achieve something that is difficult or impossible
My old school friend is always chasing rainbows and he never achieves anything.
dyed-in-the-wool
- permanent, always (like wool that is dyed a certain color)
My father is a dyed-in-the-wool conservative and he will probably never change.
ears are red
- one's ears are red from embarrassment
My ears were red after hearing what the teacher said about me.
get/have gray hair
- to have one's hair turn gray from stress
Our teacher is getting gray hair from all the stress.
get/have the blues
- to become sad or depressed
The dull cloudy weather has caused me to get the blues.
get/have the green light
- to receive a signal to start or continue something
We got the green light to begin a study of the security problems at our school.
- to give someone permission to proceed with a project
We were given the green light to begin the new project.
grass is always greener on the other side
- a place that is far away or different seems better than where we are now
The man realized that the grass is greener on the other side when he saw that his new
job had many problems too.
a gray area
- a question that is not clearly defined and may have a broad or more than one answer,
neither black or white
The issue of the tax on children's toys was a gray area for the accountant.
gray matter
- brains, intelligence
I wish that my friend would use his gray matter more effectively when he is making
his crazy plans.
green
- to be inexperienced or immature
The young man is rather green and does not have enough experience to drive the large
piece of machinery.
green around the gills
- looking sick
My friend looked green around the gills after the long bus ride.
green belt
- an area of fields and trees around a town
Our city has a policy to increase the green belt around the city.
green-eyed monster
- jealousy
The woman was consumed by the green-eyed monster and it was affecting her life.
green thumb
My neighbor has a green thumb and she is able to grow one of the best gardens in our
neighborhood.
green with envy
- to be very jealous, to be full of envy
I was green with envy when I heard that my cousin would be going to London for a
week.
greenhorn
- an untrained/inexperienced/naive person
The young man was a greenhorn and he had much to learn about his new job.
have a yellow streak
- to be cowardly
The man has a yellow streak and he will not defend you if you are having a problem.
horse of a different color
I know that our boss would like to discuss that issue now but it is a horse of a
different color and we should discuss it at another time.
in black and white
- in writing, officially
I put down my complaint in black and white.
in (someone's) black books
- to be in disgrace or out of favor with someone
The boy is in his girlfriend's black books because he was late for their date.
in the black
- to be successful or profitable
Our company has been in the black since they began to cut costs.
in the pink (of condition)
- in very good health
My grandmother was in the pink of condition when I saw her.
in the red
- to be in debt, to be unprofitable
The company has been in the red for three years now.
lend color to (something)
- to provide something extra to accompany something
The music in the play helped to lend color to the performance of the actors.
like waving a red flag in front of a bull
- what you are doing will definitely make someone angry or upset
Talking about the city mayor with my father is like waving a red flag in front of a
bull. He does not like the city mayor.
local color
- the traditional features of a place which give it its own character
The weekend vegetable market added much local color to the small town.
look at/see the world through rose-colored glasses
- to see only the good things about something, to be too optimistic
My friend always looks at the world through rose-colored glasses and he does not
believe that some people are dishonest.
off-color
- in bad taste, rude
The man told an off-color joke at the party which made his wife very angry.
off-color
- not the exact color
We painted our kitchen in an off-color of white.
once in a blue moon
- very rarely
We only go out for Italian food once in a blue moon although we enjoy it very much.
out of the blue
- without any warning, by surprise (like coming out of a blue sky)
Out of the blue my friend decided to quit his job and go to Europe.
out of the red
- out of debt
Our company is finally out of the red and we are now making money.
paint the town red
- to go out and party and have a good time
When my cousin came to visit us we decided to go out and paint the town red.
pink slip
- a termination notice from a job
I received my pink slip last week and I am now looking for a new job.
pitch-black
- very black, as black as pitch
The road was pitch-black and we could not see anything.
pot calling the kettle black
- the person who criticizes/accuses someone else is as guilty as the person he or she
criticizes/accuses
My friend criticized me for not changing jobs but that is like the pot calling the kettle
black. She will not change jobs either.
put (something) down in black and white
- to write the details of a contract or something on paper
I asked the buyer to put the offer to buy my car down in black and white.
raise/wave a white flag
- to indicate that you have been defeated and you want to give up
The soldiers raised a white flag and gave themselves up to the enemy.
red-carpet treatment
- to receive special/royal treatment
I always receive the red-carpet treatment when I go and visit my aunt.
red-eye
- an airplane flight that leaves late at night and arrives early in the morning
We caught the red-eye flight last night and we are very tired today.
a red flag
- a signal that something is not working properly or correctly
The fallen trees along the road raised a red flag for the safety inspectors.
red herring
- an unimportant matter that draws attention away from the main subject
Talking about the other issue was a red herring and did not do anything to deal with
today's problem.
red-hot
- very hot, creating much excitement or demand
The new video game is red-hot and many people are waiting to buy one.
red in the face
- embarrassed
I became red in the face when the teacher began talking about me.
red-letter day
- a day that is memorable because of some important event
It was a red-letter day when my sister received her graduation diploma.
red tape
- excessive formalities in official business
Many businesses complain about the red tape that they must deal with in order to get
anything done with the government.
roll out the red carpet
- to greet a person with great respect, to give a big welcome to someone
The government rolled out the red carpet when the politician came to visit.
sail under false colors
- to pretend to be something that one is not (a pirate ship used to disguise itself as an
ordinary ship by using a false flag)
The head of the company is sailing under false colors and he does not really know
how the company operation works.
see pink elephants
- to see things which are not really there because they are only in your imagination
The man was seeing pink elephants according to those who listened to his story.
see red
- to become very angry
My boss saw red when I told him that I would not be coming to work today.
see the color of (someone's) money
- to prove that someone has enough money for something
The car dealer would not let me take the car until he saw the color of my money.
show one`s true colors
- to show what one is really like or really thinking
I thought that the woman likes me but she showed her true colors when she began
yelling at me on the telephone.
talk a blue streak
- to talk very much and very rapidly
The woman beside me on the bus talked a blue streak for most of the journey.
talk until one is blue in the face
- to talk until one is exhausted
I talked until I was blue in the face but I could not change my teacher's mind about
my essay.
tickled pink
- to be very pleased or delighted by someone or something
"My mother was tickled pink that you visited her when you were in town."
white elephant
- a useless possession (that often costs money to maintain)
The new airport is a white elephant and nobody wants to use it.
white lie
- a harmless or small lie told to be polite or to avoid hurting someone's feelings
I told my supervisor a white lie yesterday and said that I was sick when actually I was
not.
white sale
- the selling of towels or sheets at a reduced price
We went to the white sale at the department store to buy some new sheets.
white-tie event/affair
- an event that requires guests to wear formal dress such as men wearing white bow
ties with formal evening dress
I attended a white-tie dinner in honor of the president of our university.
whitewash (something)
- to cover up or gloss over faults/errors/wrongdoing
The government was accused of trying to whitewash the scandal about the illegal
money.
with flying colors
- with great or total success
My friend passed the course with flying colors and she now wants to go out and
celebrate.
yellow-bellied
The man is yellow-bellied and is never willing to fight for what is right.
black Idioms
- very black
My hands were as black as a skillet when I finished working on the car engine.
as black as a stack of black cats
- very black
The little boy was as black as a stack of black cats after playing outside all day.
as black as a sweep
- very dirty/black (a chimney sweep cleans chimneys and becomes very black)
My friend was as black as a sweep after he finished cleaning the basement.
as black as coal
- very black
My friend's cat is as black as coal.
as black as night
- very dark and black
The old house was as black as night when we entered it.
as black as pitch
- very black
My face was as black as pitch after cleaning the stove all morning.
as black as the ace of spades
- very black
The horse in the parade was as black as the ace of spades.
black and blue
- bruised
black and white
black box
- an electronic device such as a flight recorder that can be removed from an aircraft as
a single package
The investigators searched for a long time in order to find the black box of the
airplane.
black eye
- a bruise near one's eye which makes it appear black
The man received a black eye when he bumped into the closed door.
black market
- the place where goods/money are illegally bought and sold
We sold some cigarettes on the black market during our travels.
black out
- to darken a room or building by turning off the lights
During the war people in the cities were forced to black out their windows so nobody
could see them.
black out
- to lose consciousness
The man blacked out during the parade and he had to sit down and rest.
black sheep (of a family)
- a person who is a disgrace to a family or group
The man is the black sheep in his family and has not made a success of his life.
blackball (someone)
- to exclude/ostracize someone socially, to reject someone
The businessman was blackballed in the industry because of his bad business
practices.
blacklist (someone)
- to exclude/ostracize someone, to write someone's name on a list if they break some

rules
The sports federation blacklisted the swimmer because he was using steroids.
blackmail (someone)
- to extort/take money from someone by threatening him or her
The photographer tried to blackmail the famous actress with some photographs that he
had taken.
blackout
- a temporary situation where you do not release some information
The government decided to have a blackout regarding the information related to the
political prisoner.
black-tie event/affair
- a formal event where guests wear semi-formal clothes with men wearing black bow
ties with tuxedos or dinner jackets
The award ceremony for the movie awards was a black-tie affair.
in black and white
in (someone's) black books
- to be in disgrace or out of favor with someone
The boy is in his girlfriend's black books because he was late for their date.
in the black
- to be successful or profitable
Our company has been in the black since they began to cut costs.
pitch-black
- very black, as black as pitch
The road was pitch-black and we could not see anything.
pot calling the kettle black
- the person who criticizes/accuses someone else is as guilty as the person he or she
criticizes/accuses
My friend criticized me for not changing jobs but that is like the pot calling the kettle
black. She will not change jobs either.
blue Idioms
black and blue
- bruised
blue blood
- the blood of a noble/aristocratic family
Many of the blue bloods of the town went to the opening of the opera.
blue in the face
- to be very angry or upset, to be excited and very emotional
I argued with my supervisor until I was blue in the face.
blue-ribbon
- of superior quality or distinction, the best of a group
A blue-ribbon panel of experts were asked to suggest a new policy for the city.
get/have the blues
- to become sad or depressed
The dull cloudy weather has caused me to get the blues.
out of the blue
- without any warning, by surprise (like coming out of a blue sky)
Out of the blue my friend decided to quit his job and go to Europe.
talk a blue streak
- to talk very much and very rapidly
The woman beside me on the bus talked a blue streak for most of the journey.
I talked until I was blue in the face but I could not change my teacher's mind about
my essay.
gray Idioms
get/have gray hair
- to have one's hair turn gray from stress
Our teacher is getting gray hair from all the stress.
a gray area
- a question that is not clearly defined and may have a broad or more than one answer,
neither black or white
The issue of the tax on children's toys was a gray area for the accountant.
gray matter
I wish that my friend would use his gray matter more effectively when he is making
his crazy plans.
green Idioms
get/have the green light
- to receive a signal to start or continue something
We got the green light to begin a study of the security problems at our school.
- to give someone permission to proceed with a project
We were given the green light to begin the new project.
grass is always greener on the other side
- a place that is far away or different seems better than where we are now
The man realized that the grass is greener on the other side when he saw that his new
job had many problems too.
green
- to be inexperienced or immature
The young man is rather green and does not have enough experience to drive the large
piece of machinery.
green around the gills
- looking sick
My friend looked green around the gills after the long bus ride.
green belt
- an area of fields and trees around a town
Our city has a policy to increase the green belt around the city.
green-eyed monster
- jealousy
The woman was consumed by the green-eyed monster and it was affecting her life.
green thumb
My neighbor has a green thumb and she is able to grow one of the best gardens in our
neighborhood.
green with envy
- to be very jealous, to be full of envy
I was green with envy when I heard that my cousin would be going to London for a
week.
greenhorn
- an untrained/inexperienced/naive person
The young man was a greenhorn and he had much to learn about his new job.
pink Idioms
in the pink (of condition)
- in very good health
My grandmother was in the pink of condition when I saw her.
look at/see the world through rose-colored glasses
- to see only the good things about something, to be too optimistic
My friend always looks at the world through rose-colored glasses and he does not
believe that some people are dishonest.
pink slip
- a termination notice from a job
I received my pink slip last week and I am now looking for a new job.
see pink elephants
- to see things which are not really there because they are only in your imagination
The man was seeing pink elephants according to those who listened to his story.
tickled pink
- to be very pleased or delighted by someone or something
"My mother was tickled pink that you visited her when you were in town."
red Idioms
as red as a cherry
- bright red
The car was as red as a cherry after its new paint job.
as red as a poppy
- bright red
The mark on my arm was as red as a poppy.
as red as a rose
- intensely red
The morning sunrise was as red as a rose.
as red as a ruby
- deep red
The office assistant was wearing lipstick that was as red as a ruby.
as red as blood
- deep red
The stain on the carpet was as red as blood.
- to catch someone in the middle of doing something wrong
The woman was caught red-handed when she tried to steal some cosmetics.
ears are red
- one's ears are red from embarrassment
My ears were red after hearing what the teacher said about me.
in the red
- to be in debt, to be unprofitable
The company has been in the red for three years now.
like waving a red flag in front of a bull
- what you are doing will definitely make someone angry or upset
Talking about the city mayor with my father is like waving a red flag in front of a
bull. He does not like the city mayor.
out of the red
- out of debt
Our company is finally out of the red and we are now making money.
paint the town red
- to go out and party and have a good time
When my cousin came to visit us we decided to go out and paint the town red.
red-carpet treatment
- to receive special/royal treatment
I always receive the red-carpet treatment when I go and visit my aunt.
red-eye
- an airplane flight that leaves late at night and arrives early in the morning
We caught the red-eye flight last night and we are very tired today.
a red flag
- a signal that something is not working properly or correctly
The fallen trees along the road raised a red flag for the safety inspectors.
red herring
- an unimportant matter that draws attention away from the main subject
Talking about the other issue was a red herring and did not do anything to deal with
today's problem.
red-hot
- very hot, creating much excitement or demand
The new video game is red-hot and many people are waiting to buy one.
red in the face
- embarrassed
I became red in the face when the teacher began talking about me.
red-letter day
- a day that is memorable because of some important event
It was a red-letter day when my sister received her graduation diploma.
red tape
- excessive formalities in official business
Many businesses complain about the red tape that they must deal with in order to get
anything done with the government.
roll out the red carpet
- to greet a person with great respect, to give a big welcome to someone
The government rolled out the red carpet when the politician came to visit.
see red
My boss saw red when I told him that I would not be coming to work today.
white Idioms
as white as a ghost
- very pale because of fear/shock/illness
My sister became as white as a ghost when she saw the man at the window.
as white as a sheet
- very pale
I felt terrible this morning and in the mirror I looked as white as a sheet.
as white as the driven snow
- very white
The fur on the dog was as white as the driven snow.
black and white
carte blanche
- the freedom or permission to do what you want (blanche/blanc means white in

French)
The new manager was given carte blanche to change the policies in her department.
in black and white
raise/wave a white flag
- to indicate that you have been defeated and you want to give up
The soldiers raised a white flag and gave themselves up to the enemy.
white elephant
- a useless possession (that often costs money to maintain)
The new airport is a white elephant and nobody wants to use it.
white lie
- a harmless or small lie told to be polite or to avoid hurting someone's feelings
I told my supervisor a white lie yesterday and said that I was sick when actually I was
not.
white sale
- the selling of towels or sheets at a reduced price
We went to the white sale at the department store to buy some new sheets.
white-tie event/affair
- an event that requires guests to wear formal dress such as men wearing white bow
ties with formal evening dress
I attended a white-tie dinner in honor of the president of our university.
whitewash (something)
- to cover up or gloss over faults/errors/wrongdoing
The government was accused of trying to whitewash the scandal about the illegal
money.
yellow Idioms
have a yellow streak
- to be cowardly
The man has a yellow streak and he will not defend you if you are having a problem.
yellow-bellied
The man is yellow-bellied and is never willing to fight for what is right.
Court & Judge
Idioms
Court & Judge
abide by a decision
- follow the orders that a court/judge has given
The company was forced to abide by the decision of the judge.
as sober as a judge
- alert and completely sober, not drunk, very formal
My father is always as sober as a judge when he gets into his car to drive.
at the mercy of (the court/someone)
- having no defense against the court/someone
My friend was at the mercy of the court when he went before the judge.
beat the rap
- escape conviction and punishment for a crime
The man hired a good lawyer and was able to beat the rap easily.
cast doubt on (someone or something)
- cause someone or something to be doubted
The evidence presented at the trial cast doubt on the truthfulness of the woman's
testimony.
clear (someone's) name
- prove that someone is not guilty of a crime
The woman went to court to clear her name of the false charges.
come down hard on (someone)
- scold/punish someone severely, attack someone vigorously
The judge came down hard on the boy who had been arrested for breaking into a
house.
cop a plea
- plead guilty to a crime or decide not to fight against a charge in order to try and
receive a light punishment, the same meaning as plea bargain (usually done in a
negotiation between the defendant and his or her lawyer and the prosecutor)
The man copped a plea and went to hear what the judge would decide regarding his
case.
cross-examine (someone)
- question a suspect or a witness in a trial
The lawyer was very careful when he began to cross-examine the witness.
a cut-and-dried (case/decision)
- fixed, determined beforehand
The case was cut-and-dried and it ended in less than an hour.
decide in favor of (someone)
- determine that someone is not guilty or is the winner of something
The court decided in favor of the government in their dispute with the striking
workers.
face the music
- receive punishment or judgement for something wrong or illegal that you have done
The young man was forced to face the music for the crimes that he had committed.
fair and impartial
- a fair and unbiased look at something
The judge made a fair and impartial decision in the case against the small store.
find (someone) guilty
- decide that someone is guilty in a court of law
The judge found the young man guilty of breaking and entering a small store.
find (someone) innocent
- decide that someone is innocent in a court of law
The woman went to court but the judge found her innocent of all charges.
for the record
- say something so that there will be a record of a particular fact
I was told, for the record, that my case had very little chance of succeeding in a court
of law.
get a slap on the wrist
- get light punishment for a crime or wrongdoing
The boy got a slap on the wrist for causing the damage to the public washroom.
get a tongue-lashing
- get a severe verbal scolding for doing something wrong
The girl got a tongue-lashing from the judge over her role in the crime.
get down to the facts
- begin to discuss things that matter, get to the truth
As soon as the trial began the lawyers began to get down to the facts of the case.
get off (easy/lightly)
- receive very little or no punishment for something
The young man got off easy and did not have to go to jail for his crime.
get one's knuckles rapped
- receive punishment for something
The boy got his knuckles rapped after a stern lecture from the judge.
get (something) out in the open
- stop hiding a fact or a secret
The lawyers were able to quickly get things out in the open during the trial.
get the benefit of the doubt
- receive a judgement in your favor when the evidence is neither for you nor against
you
The girl got the benefit of the doubt and was not found guilty of the crime.
give (someone) a fair shake
- give someone fair treatment
The man did not believe that the judge would give him a fair shake at his trial.
give (someone) a slap on the wrist
- give someone light punishment
The young offender was given a slap on the wrist by the judge but was required to do
some community work as compensation for his crime.
give (someone) the benefit of the doubt
- make a judgement in someone's favor when the evidence is neither for nor against
the person
The police gave the man the benefit of the doubt and did not arrest him as a suspect
for the crime.
give (someone) their freedom
- set someone free
The court decided to give the man his freedom because of his good behavior in prison.
go by the book
- follow the rules exactly
The court clerks always go by the book when they are dealing with court matters.
go easy on (someone or something)
- be kind or gentle with someone or something
The judge wanted to go easy on the young man but his bad attitude made it difficult to
try and help him.
go scot-free/get off scot-free
- go unpunished or be acquitted of a crime
The lawyer was able to get off scot-free in the case involving his illegal transactions.
a grain of truth
- the smallest amount of truth
There was only a grain of truth in what the witness said during the trial.
hand a verdict/decision down (to someone)
- announce or deliver a legal decision or verdict in a court
The court clerk announced that the judge would hand the verdict down in the
morning.
hang in the balance
- be in an undecided state
The future of the criminal was hanging in the balance as he waited for the judge's
decision.
have/get one's day in court
- have an opportunity to say or explain something or give your opinion in court
The business executive had his day in court and was cleared of any suggestion of
wrongdoing.
a hung jury
- a jury that is divided and unable to agree on a verdict
The trial ended in a hung jury which made another trial necessary.
in absentia
- when someone is absent from a court etc.
The judge looked at the evidence and sentenced the man in absentia.
in contempt of court
- disobedience of the orders and authority of the court, disrespect for the court process
The man refused to answer the questions of the judge and was found to be in
contempt of court.
in defiance of (someone or something)
- in resistence to someone or someone's orders
The union was in defiance of the court order and was given a large fine.
in session
- a court is operating or functioning
The court was in session when we arrived at the courthouse.
in (someone's) favor
- to someone's advantage
The judge ruled in the our favor in our dispute with the hospital.
judge (someone or something) on its/their own merit(s)
- judge or evaluate someone or something on their own achievements and virtues
We judged the man on his own merits and not by what other people were saying about
him.
jump to conclusions
- judge or decide something without having all the facts
The manager had jumped to conclusions when she accused the employee of stealing
from the company.
the jury is still out (on someone or something)
- a decision has not been reached on someone or something (used often and in a
casual manner when one has not made a decision about something)
The jury is still out on whether or not we will move or not.
a kangaroo court
- an illegal court formed by a group of people to settle a dispute among themselves
There was a kangaroo court in the movie where the ranchers decided to make their
own court.
keep one's own counsel
- not tell other people about one's thoughts and plans
Our lawyer was keeping his own counsel about how to proceed with our defense.
laugh (something) out of court
- dismiss something as ridiculous
The lawyer wanted to sue the man for hitting the dog but the judge laughed the case
out of court.
a leading question
- a question to a witness that is designed to suggest or produce the reply that is wanted
by the questioner
The judge reprimanded the lawyer for continuing to ask leading questions during the
trial.
let (someone) off (easy)
- release someone without punishment
The judge let the man off easy in spite of the strong case against him.
a miscarriage of justice
- a wrong or mistaken decision made in a court of law
The trial was a miscarriage of justice and nobody was happy with the result.
the moment of truth
- the point at which someone has to face the reality of a situation
The moment of truth in the trial came when the lawyer presented the last piece of
evidence.
not hold water
- make no sense, be illogical
The argument by the lawyer did not hold water.
on the bench
- a judge is sitting and directing a session of court
There was no indication by the court of who would be sitting on the bench during the
important trial.
on trial
- being tried in court
The man is on trial for stealing money from his company.
an open-and-shut case
- a legal matter that is simple and uncomplicated
It was an open-and-shut case after the lawyer presented the evidence to the judge.
pick holes in an argument
- find all the flaws in an argument
The experienced lawyer found it very easy to pick holes in the argument of the main
witness.
plea bargain
- plead guilty to a crime or decide not to fight against a charge in order to try and
receive a light punishment (usually done in a negotiation between the defendant and
his or her lawyer and the prosecutor)
The man decided to plea bargain in order not to have to endure a long trial with an
uncertain result.
poetic justice
- the appropriate but chance reward or punishment by someone who deserves it
It was poetic justice when the supervisor who was harassing the workers lost his job
because the president did not want him to work for the company anymore.
raise an objection (to/about someone or something)
- make an objection about someone or something
The defense lawyer stood up during the trial to raise an objection about the testimony
of the witness.
the responsible party
- legally or morally obliged to do something or accept the blame for something
The judge determined that the man was the responsible party for the damage and must
pay a large penalty.
send (someone) up the river
- send someone to prison
The judge sent the man up the river for three years.
settle (something) out of court
- reach an agreement without having to go through a court of law
It was very difficult but we were finally able to settle the dispute out of court.
sit in judgement of (someone)
- make a judgement of someone
The tribunal members were sitting in judgement of the group involved in the trade
dispute.
to stand trial
- to be tried in court
The man had to stand trial for stealing the credit cards.
swear on a stack of bibles
- pledge to tell the truth about something (in a court of law someone may swear to tell
the truth by placing his or her hand on a bible or other religious text)
The man swore on a stack of bibles that he had never seen the accused criminal
before.
take an oath
- make an oath, swear to something
Before the trial began I had to take an oath and promise to tell the truth.
take the Fifth
- in the United States a witness at a trial has the right to refuse to incriminate him or
herself because of the protection of the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution of the
United States
The business executive decided to take the Fifth rather than give testimony at the trial.
take the stand
- sit in the witness chair in a courtroom
The main witness at the trial took the stand after the other witnesses were finished.
throw oneself at the mercy of the court
- ask a judge for mercy when being sentenced for a crime
The man knew that he had no excuse for what he had done so all that he could do was
throw himself at the mercy of the court and hope for a light sentence.
throw the book at (someone)
- charge or convict someone of as many crimes or for as much time as possible
The criminal showed almost no remorse so the judge decided to throw the book at
him.
a travesty of justice
- a legal action that is an insult to the system of justice
The trial was a travesty of justice and nobody was happy with the result.
under oath
- to take and be bound by an oath
The man explained what had happened at the scene of the crime while he was under
oath at the trial.
Ear, Eye
and Nose Idioms
Ear/Eye/Nose
able to (do something) with one's eyes closed/shut
-to be able to do something very easily
The car mechanic was able to fix my car with his eyes closed.
all ears
-to be eager to hear something, to be very attentive
My sister was all ears last night when I talked about starting a home business.
all eyes
- to be watching very closely, to be wide-eyed with surprise
My friend is all eyes when he goes to a basketball game.
all eyes are on (someone or something)
- everyone is waiting eagerly for someone to appear or something to happen
All eyes were on the singer when he walked onto the stage.
apple of (someone`s) eye
- someone's favorite person or thing
The young girl is the apple of her father`s eye.
as blind as a bat
-blind, unable to see
The man was as blind as a bat and he could not see anything at all.
as plain as the nose on one's face
-clearly evident, obvious
The explanation for the problem was as plain as the nose on my face.
assault the ears
- to be very loud or persistent
The music was very loud and it assaulted our ears.
(not) bat an eye/eyelid
- to show no surprise or reaction even when something bad happens
Our boss did not bat an eye when we told him that we were going home early today.
believe one`s ears
- to believe what one is hearing, to become sure of something
I could not believe my ears when I heard that I had won a holiday to Mexico.
believe one`s eyes
- to believe what one is seeing
We could not believe our eyes when we saw the three bears on the highway.
bend (someone's) ear
-to talk to someone (usually in an annoying/persistent manner)
I met my co-worker this morning and she bent my ear for almost an hour about her
problems at work.
blind leading the blind
-someone who does not know how to do something themselves tries to explain it to
other people
It was like the blind leading the blind when I tried to help my friend fix his car. I do
not know anything about cars.
blow one's nose
-to use the air from one's lungs to clear one's nose
I took some tissue from my pocket and blew my nose.
can't see beyond the end of one's nose
-to be able to see beyond what concerns one at the present time only
My friend cannot see beyond the end of his nose and he has no idea about what is
happening around him.
cast a (critical/professional) eye over (someone or something)
- to look at something in a particular way
The movie director cast a critical eye over the movie script from the writer.
cast an eye over (something)
- to read or look at something quickly
I cast an eye over the report before I went to the meeting.
catch (someone`s) eye
- to attract someone`s attention
I tried to catch my friend`s eye at the movie theater but he did not notice me.
close one's eyes to (something)
-to ignore something, to pretend that something is not really happening
My father closed his eyes to the problems that were happening in his company.
count noses
-to count people
The teacher stopped to count noses before the students got on the bus.
cry one's eyes out
-to cry very hard
The little girl cried her eyes out when she lost her favorite doll.
cut off one`s nose to spite one`s face
- to make things worse for oneself by trying to harm someone/something else
The man cut off his nose to spite his face when he became angry and quit his job.
deaf and dumb
-unable to hear or speak
The young man is deaf and dumb and he has trouble understanding what is happening
around him.
eagle eye
-a very careful watchful eye (like the eye of an eagle)
The woman has an eagle eye and she never misses a thing.
ears are burning
- someone is talking about you when you are not there
My ears are burning and I am sure that someone is talking about me.
ears are ringing
- one hears a ringing sound because of a very loud sound
My ears were ringing after the three fire trucks passed me.
ears become red
- one's ears become red from embarrassment
My ears became red when our teacher asked me a question.
evil eye
- the power to harm people just by looking at them (as some people believe)
The man seemed to give me the evil eye when I met him at the ceremony.
eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth
- a system of punishment where you punish someone in a similar way that they hurt
you
Some people call for an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth when they hear of a
terrible crime.
eye of the storm
- at the center of a storm/controversy
The company scandal is stressful for everybody and at the moment we are right in the
eye of the storm.
eyeball-to-eyeball
-face to face
I had an eyeball-to-eyeball encounter with an angry dog at the park.
eyes are bigger than one`s stomach
- one takes more food than one can eat
My eyes were bigger than my stomach when I went to the restaurant and ordered too
much food.
eyes pop out (of one's head)
- one is very surprised
My eyes popped out of my head when I saw the new computer that I got for my
birthday.
fall on deaf ears
-to have one's talk or ideas ignored by the person that they are intended for
My complaints to the apartment manager usually fall on deaf ears and nothing is ever
done.
feast one's eyes on (someone or something)
-to look at someone or something with pleasure/enjoyment
We stopped at the top of the hill to feast our eyes on some of the best scenery that we
have ever seen.
flea in (someone`s) ear
- an idea or answer that is not welcome
The idea about changing the schedules is a flea in the supervisor`s ear.
follow one's nose
-to go straight ahead, to follow a smell to its source
I followed my nose to the place where they were baking the bread.
four eyes
- an expression (often used by children) for someone who is wearing glasses
The children called their friend with the glasses four eyes.
get a black eye
-to get a bruise near one's eye from being hit, to have one's reputation harmed
The little boy got a black eye when he bumped into the door.
get an eyeful (of someone or something)
-to see everything, to see a shocking or surprising sight
We really got an eyeful when we saw the accident on the highway.
get one`s nose out of (something)
- to become uninvolved in something or in someone else's business
I wish that our secretary would get her nose out of my business.
get the eye from (someone)
- to be looked at by someone in a hostile/unfriendly way
We got the eye from the manager of the restaurant when we entered in our old
clothes.
give one's eye teeth (to do something)
- to want to do something very much
I would give my eye teeth to go to London with my cousin.
give (someone) a black eye
-to hit someone near their eye so it becomes dark, to hurt someone's reputation
The boy gave his friend a black eye.

The scandal gave the company a black eye.
give (someone) an earful
-to talk to someone in order to criticize or complain about something
I met my supervisor on the weekend and I decided to give her an earful about my job.
give (someone) the eye
- to look at someone in a hostile/unfriendly way
I gave the woman in the restaurant the eye but she ignored me.
go into (something) with one's eyes (wide) open
- to do something or make a choice knowing the problems that are involved and
having all the necessary information
The city went into the construction contract with their eyes wide open.
go into (something) with one's eyes closed/shut
- to do something or make a choice not knowing the problems that are involved and
not having all the necessary information
The young woman went into her marriage with her eyes closed but still the marriage
was very successful.
grin from ear to ear
- to have a big grin on one's face
The man was grinning from ear to ear after he found the money.
hard-nosed
- to be not weak or soft, to be stubborn
The union took a hard-nosed position in the contract negotiations.
hard of hearing
- unable to hear well, partially deaf
My grandfather is hard of hearing.
have a good eye for (something)
- to be able to judge something correctly, to have good taste in something
The woman has a good eye for color and her apartment is beautiful.
have a nose for (something)
- to have the talent for finding something
My friend has a nose for finding cheap items at weekend flea markets.
have an ear for (something)
- to have the ability to learn music or languages
The girl has an ear for languages and she can learn them very fast.
have an ear out for (something)
- to listen carefully for something
I have an ear out for any business opportunities that may appear.
have an eye for (something)
- to be able to judge something correctly, to have good taste in something
My father has an eye for ceramic plates and he has a large collection of them.
have an eye on (someone or something)
- to watch someone or something carefully, to take care of someone or something, to

want something
I have my eye on a nice camera that I would like to buy.
have eyes in the back of one`s head
- to have the ability to know what is happening behind one's back
Our teacher has eyes in the back of her head and she always knows what is going on
in the classroom.
have nothing between the ears
- to be stupid, to have no brains/intelligence
The young man has nothing between the ears and he is always making stupid
mistakes.
have one's ear to the ground
- to listen carefully in the hope of getting advance warning of something
I have my ear to the ground to see if any changes are planned for my company.
have one's eye on (someone or something)
- to want someone or something and hope that you will be able to get it
The woman has her eye on a new job in the company and she is working very hard to
get it.
have one's eyes glued to (something)
- to watch something very carefully and not look away from it
Everybody in the airport lobby had their eyes glued to the television screen.
have one's nose in a book
-to be reading a book
The girl had her nose in a book during the long journey.
have one's nose in (something)
- to have unwelcome interest in something, to have impolite curiosity about

something
My boss always has his nose in the business of other people so he is not very well-
liked.
have one's nose in the air
- to be conceited or aloof
The girl has had her nose in the air ever since she won the speech contest.
have one`s nose to the grindstone
- to work hard or keep busy at something
My friend has his nose to the grindstone and he is studying hard at school.
have (someone's) ear
-to be able to get someone to listen to you (usually someone who has the power or
ability to help you)
Our supervisor has the company president's ear and he is able to talk to him anytime.
have (something) coming out of one's ears
- to have much of something
We have towels coming out of our ears and we do not need any more.
have stars in one`s eyes
- to have an appearance or feeling of very great happiness, to be obsessed with show

business
The girl had stars in her eyes when she won first prize in the speech contest.
Here's mud in your eye.
- Drink up! (used as a toast)
"Here's mud in your eye," I said as I had a drink with my old friend.
hit (someone) right between the eyes
- to make a strong impression on someone, to surprise someone greatly
The news about the accident hit us right between the eyes and really shocked us.
hold one's nose
- to accept that you have to do something that you do not want to do
I had to hold my nose and sign the legal contract which I did not want to sign.
in a pig's eye
- never
I will never in a pig's eye drive with my friend to visit her family.
in one ear and out the other
-a piece of information is heard and then quickly forgotten
Everything that the teacher said went in one ear and out the other and I did not
remember a thing.
in one`s mind`s eye
- in one`s imagination
I tried to relax and in my mind`s eye pretend that I was on a beautiful island.
in the public eye
- visible to all, in public
Very often the wife or husband of a politician does not like to be in the public eye.
in the twinkling of an eye
- very quickly
I went into the store and in the twinkling of an eye I lost my money.
keep an ear out for (something)
- to listen carefully for something
I plan to keep an ear out for any information about a new job for my friend.
keep an eye on (someone or something)
- to watch someone or something carefully, to take care of someone or something
I asked my aunt to keep an eye on our apartment when we went away for our holiday.
keep an eye out for (someone or something)
- to watch for the arrival or appearance of someone or something
I have been keeping my eye out for my grandparents all morning.
keep one's ear to the ground
- to continue to listen carefully in the hope of getting advance warning of something
I am keeping my ear to the ground to see what is going to happen with the new
owners of this company.
keep one's eye on the ball
- to remain alert to what is happening around one, to watch or follow the ball carefully
while playing a game
I try hard to keep my eye on the ball during a meeting.
keep one's eyes open
- to remain alert and watchful, to notice what is happening around you
I always try to keep my eyes open when I am walking downtown at night.
keep one's eyes peeled for (someone or something)
- to remain alert and watchful for someone or something
I stood at the corner and kept my eyes peeled for my friend and his car.
keep one`s nose clean
- to stay out of trouble
The judge told the young man that he must keep his nose clean in order not to go to
jail in the future.
keep one`s nose out of (something)
- to not become involved in something or in someone else's business
I wish that our secretary would keep her nose out of my personal affairs.
keep one`s nose to the grindstone
- to continue to work hard or keep busy at something
My friend is keeping his nose to the grindstone so that he can save enough money to
buy a new car.
lay one's eyes on (someone or something)
- to see/find someone or something
"If you lay your eyes on my keys please tell me."
lead (someone) around by the nose
- to make someone do what you want
My sister has been leading her husband around by the nose since they got married.
lend (someone) an ear
- to listen to someone or to what they are saying
I asked my friend to lend me an ear and listen to my problems.
listen to (someone) with half an ear
- to not listen carefully to someone
I listened to my friend with half an ear while the news was on the radio.
look at (someone) cross-eyed
- to do something or look at someone in a way that may provoke anger
If you look at the man cross-eyed he will usually become angry.
look down one`s nose at (someone)
- to look at someone with contempt or dislike, to feel that you are better than someone
else
The girl looks down her nose at people who she thinks are not as smart as she is.
look (someone) (right/straight) in the eye
- to face and look at someone directly
I looked at the salesman right in the eye and told him not to bother me again.
- to create something of value out of something of no value
The girl is a terrible singer and she will never become better. You cannot make a silk
purse out of a sow's ear.
make eyes at (someone)
- to try to attract someone, to flirt with someone
The woman in the restaurant is always making eyes at the customers.
make oneself heard
- to speak loudly so that you can be heard
The speaker tried very hard in order to make himself heard.
more to (someone or something) than meets the eye
- more interesting/intelligent/complicated than it seems
The problem appeared to be very simple but there was more to it than meets the eye.
naked eye
- the human eye (with no microscope/binoculars/telescope etc.)
It was difficult to see the star with the naked eye.
nose about/around (something)
- to look for something private or secret, to investigate something
The reporters spend a lot of time nosing around the business of famous people.
nose (someone) out
- to push someone away, to exclude someone
The older boy nosed the younger boy out of the line.
not a dry eye in the house
- everybody in an audience feels sad or emotional or cries
There was not a dry eye in the house when the manager gave her farewell speech.
not see farther than or past the end of one's nose
- not to care about anything that is happening to other people or someplace else
My friend cannot see past the end of her nose and she does not know about anything
that is happening around her.
on the nose
- in exactly the right place/amount, at exactly the right time
I arrived at 3:00 on the nose.
only have eyes for (someone)
- to be loyal or interested in only one person
The man only has eyes for the woman who works in his office.
open (someone's) eyes to (something)
- to become aware of something
The documentary on television opened our eyes to the problems of the homeless in
our city.
out of earshot
- too far from a sound/voice to hear it
I was out of earshot when my friends began to talk about me.
out of the corner of one's eye
- with a quick glance at something
I saw the big truck coming toward me out of the corner of my eye.
out on one's ear
- to be forced to (unwillingly) leave one's job/organization/home
The man did not pay his rent for two months and he was quickly out on his ear.
pay through the nose for (something)
- to pay too much for something
My mother paid through the nose for her new dress and she is very happy with it.
play by ear
- to play a musical instrument by remembering the tune and not by reading the music
My sister learned to play the piano by ear when she was a child.
play it by ear
- to decide what to do in a certain situation when you encounter the situation, to not
plan in advance for something
I do not know what time I will be back on Sunday so we should play it by ear to find a
good time to meet.
poke one's nose into (something)
- to interfere with something, to be nosy about something
My aunt always pokes her nose into the business of other people.
powder one's nose
- a woman goes to the restroom to put powder on her nose
The singer went to the dressing room to powder her nose before the performance.
prick up one's ears
- to listen more carefully to something (like an animal that moves its ears up to hear
better)
When I heard my friends talking about me I quickly pricked up my ears.
pull the wool over (someone`s) eyes
- to deceive someone, to fool someone, to trick someone
The girl tried to pull the wool over her mother`s eyes when she said that she had been
studying all weekend.
put a bug in (someone`s) ear
- to give someone an idea
I put a bug in my friend's ear when I said that I would like to go for a holiday with
him.
put one's nose to the grindstone
- to keep busy doing one's work
I put my nose to the grindstone and began to work on my final essay for my history
class.
put (someone's) eye out
- to puncture or harm someone's eye causing blindness
The man put his eye out when he had the accident with the metal rod.
put (someone's) nose out of joint
- to offend someone, to cause someone to feel insulted
I put my friend's nose out of joint when I asked him to give back the money that he
had borrowed from me.
raise eyebrows
- to cause surprise or disapproval, to shock people
I raised eyebrows when I arrived at work two hours late this morning.
rub (someone's) nose in (something)
- to remind someone of something that they have done wrong
The girl's supervisor always rubs the girl's nose in it when she makes a mistake.
see eye to eye (with someone)
- to agree with someone, to have the same opinion as someone else
I never see eye to eye with my friend about which television program to watch.
set one's eyes on (someone or something)
- to see someone or something for the first time
I have not set my eyes on the new car model yet.
set (something) on its ear
- to cause a group/organization to be excited and interested in something
The new plan set most of the company on its ear. Everyone was very excited.
a sight for sore eyes
- a welcome sight
The man was a sight for sore eyes when he came home from his trip.
(no) skin off (someone`s) nose/teeth
- to be of no interest/concern/trouble to someone
It is no skin off my nose as to whether or not I go to the party.
smile from ear to ear
- to have a big smile on one's face
The little boy was smiling from ear to ear after he scored the goal.
spit in (someone's) eye
- to insult or annoy someone
The comments by my supervisor were as if someone had spit in my eye.
stick one's nose into (something)
- to interfere with something, to be nosey about something
I wish that my neighbor would stop sticking his nose into my business.
talk (someone's) ear off
- to talk to someone and bore them
The man beside me on the train talked my ear off during the journey.
thumb one`s nose at (someone or something)
- to look with disfavor or dislike at someone or something, to refuse to obey someone
My friend thumbed his nose at me when I asked him to stop talking so loud.
a tin ear for (something)
- the inability to judge the value of music etc.
The woman has a tin ear for music and she is not a good singer at all.
to the naked eye
- as something is seen exactly as you look at it
To the naked eye it looked like there was little damage to the car but actually there
was much damage.
turn a blind eye to (someone or something)
- to ignore someone or something troublesome and pretend not to see it
Our teacher sometimes turns a blind eye to the bad behavior of the students in the
class.
turn a deaf ear to (someone)
- to pretend not to hear someone, to not pay attention to someone
The supervisor turned a deaf ear to our complaints about the heat.
turn one`s nose up at (someone or something)
- to reject someone or something, to express scorn for someone or something
My sister turned up her nose at the chance to go to nursing school.
under (someone`s) nose
- easily found by someone, right in front of someone
I thought that I had lost my house keys but I found them right under my nose.
up to one's ears/eyeballs/neck in (something)
- to have a lot of something, to be much involved/busy with something
I have been up to my ears in work for several weeks now.
Walls have ears
- Someone may hear us.
"Walls have ears and you should think carefully about what you say when you are
talking about your co-workers."
wet behind the ears
- to be young and inexperienced, to be new in a job or place
The man is still wet behind the ears and does not know very much about his company.
win by a nose
- to win by a very small amount
The young horse won by a nose in the horse race.
with a jaundiced eye
- with a prejudiced or distorted way of seeing something
My friend is very smart but he always looks at everything with a jaundiced eye.
with an eye to (doing something)
- with the intention of doing something
The community center built their new building with an eye to renting it to other
agencies in order to make money.
without batting an eye
- casually, without showing alarm/response/thought
The wealthy man gives much money to charity without batting an eye.
Education & School Idioms
Education and School
A for effort
- recognize that someone tries hard to do something even though they may not be
successful
The students received an A for effort for their work on the class project.
above average
- better or higher than average
The boy received above average marks in all subjects except history.
as easy as ABC
- very easy
Learning how to use a computer was as easy as ABC for the children.
back to basics
- an approach in education which uses traditional ideas or methods that have been
successful in the past
The teacher believed that back to basics was important in her classroom and the
parents were happy with the results.
below average
- worse or lower than average
Most members of the class were below average in the math test.
bookworm
- someone who reads a lot
My sister is a bookworm and is always reading a book.
brainstorm something
- try to develop an idea or think of new ideas
The students got into groups to brainstorm ideas for the school play.
call the roll
- call the names of students on a roll and usually expect them to answer if they are
there
Every morning before the class started the teacher called the roll.
cap and gown
- the special cap called a mortarboard and the robe that is worn during academic
ceremonies such as graduation
All of the students wore a cap and gown to the graduation ceremony.
catch up to (someone or something)
- move fast or work hard to reach someone or something that is ahead of you
After my illness I had to study very hard to catch up to the rest of the class.
copycat
- someone who copies the work of another
The children called the girl a copycat when they discovered that she had copied part
of the test from another student.
count noses
- count the number of people
The teacher stopped to count noses several times during the field trip.
cover a lot of ground
- complete a lot of material in a class or course
We covered a lot of ground during the first month of the science class.
cow college
- a school where farming/agriculture is studied
My cousin plans to go to a cow college when he finishes high school.
crack a book
- open a book to study (usually used in the negative)
I did very well in the course even though I didn't crack a book until the last week of
classes.
crank out a paper
- write out a paper in a mechanical way
I had to crank out a paper almost every week to pass the course.
cut class
- not go to class
I decided to cut class in order to study for my geography test.
draw a blank
- get no response from someone when you ask them a question
The teacher drew a blank when she asked about the boy's plans for the weekend.
drop out of school
- stop attending school
My friend dropped out of school when he was seventeen and began to drive a truck.
eager beaver
- someone who works very hard and is very enthusiastic
The young girl was an eager beaver and always came to class before the other
students.
fill in the blanks
- supply the missing words or information on a test or other exercise
We had to fill in the blanks for most of the questions on the test.
flunk out
- fail a course or fail out of school
The boy was very smart but he always flunked out of his language class.
from the old school
- having ideas that were popular in the past but which are no longer popular or
common
My grandmother was from the old school and always made her children make their
own lunches and walk to school.
get credit for (a course)
- receive official recognition and credits after passing a course
I was able to get credit for the course even though I had taken a similar course before.
get through (a course or set of material)
- finish (a course or set of material)
The boy was a very good student and quickly got through every course that he started.
goof off
- waste time
My sister spent most of the week goofing off and was not prepared for her test.
have one's nose in a book
- be reading a book
The boy loves to read and always has his nose in a book.
higher education
- education after graduating from high school - usually college or university
The government has recently invested a lot of money in higher education.
hit the books
- begin to study hard
After playing all weekend I had to hit the books on Sunday evening.
honor roll
- a list of people/students with exceptional achievements
My neighbor was on the honor roll during his last year in high school.
in pen
- written or signed with a pen
The teacher asked the students to make sure that they wrote the essay in pen.
in pencil
- written or signed with a pencil
I wrote the test in pencil so that I could erase my mistakes easily.
Ivy League
- a small group of older and famous eastern United States colleges and universities
such as Harvard, Yale and Princeton
Several of the company executives had gone to an Ivy League school.
know one's ABCs
- know the alphabet or the most basic things about something
The students worked hard and had a good teacher and soon everyone knew their
ABCs very well.
learn by heart
- memorize something so you can repeat it without thinking
The children learned all of the songs by heart for the school play.
learn by rote
- learn or memorize something without thinking about it
We learned many verbs by rote in the foreign language class.
live in an ivory tower
- not be aware of the realities of everyday life
The university professors lived in an ivory tower and had no idea what was going on
around them.
make the grade
- be satisfactory and of an expected level
My final assignment didn't make the grade and I was forced to do it again.
meet the requirements (for something)
- fulfill the requirements (for something)
The young woman was unable to meet the requirements to enter medical school.
off campus
- at a different location than the grounds of a college or university
Most of the students went to a restaurant off campus when they had the chance.
old boy network
- the situation where people (usually men) who went to the same school help each
other get good jobs
It was an old law firm and being part of an old boy network was necessary to get a job
there.
on campus
- located on the grounds of a college or university
There was a small bank on campus which many of the students used.
pass with flying colors
- pass something easily and with a high score
I was able to pass the science test with flying colors.
play hooky
- not go to school when you should
The boys played hooky and went to the video game center for the afternoon.
publish or perish
- university professors often have to publish books or articles in journals or they will
not be successful in their jobs at the university
As a university professor his father wrote many scientific papers. He was forced to
publish or perish.
put one's thinking cap on
- start thinking in a serious manner
The boys put on their thinking caps and tried to think of a new name for the school
newspaper.
read out loud
- read something so that other people can hear you
The students each had a chance to read out loud from the book of poems.
read to oneself
- read without saying anything so that other people cannot hear you
I spent the morning in the library reading to myself.
read through something
- read all of something
I read through the test briefly before I started to answer any questions.
school of hard knocks
- the ordinary experience of learning from work and daily life
She left school early and began to learn about life in the school of hard knocks.
school of thought
- a particular way or a philosophy of thinking about something
There are many schools of thought related to the different ways to learn a foreign
language.
show-and-tell
- in the lower grades of school children bring something interesting to show to the rest
of the class
The little girl brought in a turtle shell from her holiday to show-and-tell at school.
show of hands
- raise hands in a classroom or other group to vote or see what people think about
something
After a show of hands the class voted to go on a field trip the next week.
(in) single file
- stand in a line with one person behind the other
The students lined up in single file before they entered the auditorium.
take attendance
- record the names of persons who are attending school or something similar
After our teacher took attendance we began to do our math lesson.
take the roll
- call the names of students in an attendance book and expect them to answer if they
are there
The teacher took the roll and then we started the lesson.
teach one's grandmother to suck eggs
- try to tell or teach someone who knows more than you do how to do something
Teaching some of the children how to use a computer is like teaching my

grandmother to suck eggs. Many of them know more than I do.
teach someone a lesson
- do something to someone in order to punish them for their bad behavior
My friend was always late so I taught her a lesson and left our meeting place before
she had arrived.
teacher's pet
- the teacher's favorite student
My sister was always the teacher's pet when she was in the first grade at school.
the three R's
- the three basic skills for a basic education - reading, (w)riting, and (a)rithmetic
My father studied in a small country school where they studied the three R's and
almost nothing else.
town-and-gown
- the relations (often bad) between a town and its people and the university and
university students who are located in that town
There were town-and-gown conflicts every year around graduation time when many
parties were held for the new graduates.
university of life
- learning from daily life and work rather than going to university
My grandfather began to work on the family farm when he was fourteen and learned
everything from the university of life.
work one's way through college
- work at a job to help pay for your college or university expenses
My brother worked his way through college at the local supermarket.
Fish, Insect
and Reptile Idioms
Fish, Insects, Reptiles
as busy as a bee
- very busy
I was as busy as a bee all weekend.
as calm as a toad in the sun
- very calm and content
The girl was as calm as a toad in the sun during the speech contest.
as crazy as a bedbug
- crazy
My neighbor is as crazy as a bedbug.
as full/tight as a tick
- very full of food or drink
I was as full as a tick after the large meal at the restaurant.
as gaudy as a butterfly
- gaudy, colorful
The woman was as gaudy as a butterfly when she left for the concert.
as happy as a clam
- happy and content
The little girl was as happy as a clam as she played with her toys.
as mad as a hornet
- very angry, in a fighting mood
Our boss was as mad as a hornet when he came to work this morning.
as merry as a cricket
- cheerful
I felt as merry as a cricket as I waited for my friend to arrive at the airport.
as red as a lobster
- very red
The girl was as red as a lobster after sitting in the sun all day.
as slippery as an eel
- undependable, devious, cannot be trusted
That sales person is as slippery as an eel and you should be careful when you talk to
him.
as snug as a bug in a rug
- cozy and snug
The children were as snug as a bug in a rug as they read a book in the big bed.
as ugly as a toad
- very ugly
The man was as ugly as a toad and very difficult to look at.
big fish in a small pond
- an important person in a small place
The man was not so important in the city but in the small town he was a big fish in a
small pond.
birds and bees
- the facts about sex and birth
The woman told her daughter about the birds and the bees during the summer
holidays.
bitten by (some kind of) bug
- to become interested and excited about a particular activity and want to start doing it
The man has been bitten by a gold bug and he only thinks about gold.
bug-eyed
- to be wide-eyed with surprise
The little boy was bug-eyed when he got a new bicycle for his birthday.
bug (someone)
- to annoy or irritate someone
My friend is beginning to bug me with his endless questions.
clam up
- to stop talking, to refuse to talk (like a clam closes its shell)
I had to clam up during the meeting so my boss would not become angry with me.
cold fish
- a person who is unfriendly or does not mix with others
The man is a cold fish and he has very few friends.
cry/shed crocodile tears
- to have a show of sorrow that is not sincere, to pretend that one is crying
The boy was asked to apologize for his wrongdoing but he cried crocodile tears which
were not sincere.
drink like a fish
- to drink alcohol to excessive amounts
The man drank like a fish at the party and he had to go home by taxi.
a fine kettle of fish
- a situation that is not satisfactory, a mess
"This is a fine kettle of fish. Now I will be late for the next meeting."
fish for a compliment
- to try to get someone to say something nice about you
The man is fishing for a compliment about his new Italian suit.
fish for (something)
- to try to get information from someone
The lawyer was fishing for information from the woman.
fish in troubled waters
- to involve oneself in a difficult/confused or dangerous situation in order to get

something
The woman was fishing in troubled waters when she began to ask questions about the
crime.
fish or cut bait
- to either do what you are supposed to do or quit and let someone else do it
It was time to fish or cut bait so I decided to let someone else handle the problem.
fish out of water
- someone who does not fit in, an uncomfortable or awkward feeling
The woman felt like a fish out of water when she went to the party in her formal dress
while everyone else was wearing jeans.
fishy
- to be suspicious or unlikely
"Something is fishy with these numbers. There are too many people on this list."
I put a flea in our supervisor's ear when I told him about the computer problems.
flea market
- a place where antiques and secondhand goods and other cheap items are sold
We go to the flea market every weekend to look for old photographs.
fly in the ointment
- something small that spoils one`s fun
The complaints about the food were a fly in the ointment and gave everyone a bad
feeling about the gathering.
go on a fishing expedition
- to attempt to discover information
The lawyer went on a fishing expedition to try and discover the facts of the case.
My friend has a bee in her bonnet and she will not stop talking about moving to a new
apartment.
have a frog in one's throat
- to get a tickle or soreness in one's throat which makes it difficult to speak until you
cough and clear your throat
I had a frog in my throat and it was difficult to talk on the telephone.
have ants in one`s pants
- to be nervous and restless
The teacher asked the little boy if he had ants in his pants when he kept moving
around in his seat.
have butterflies in one`s stomach
- to have a feeling of fear or anxiety in one's stomach
I had butterflies in my stomach on the day that I received the award.
have other/bigger fish to fry
- to have other more important things to do, to have other opportunities
I have other fish to fry and I do not plan to spend any more time talking about my
friend's problems.
hive of activity
- somewhere where things are very busy (like the activity around a beehive)
The wedding hall was a hive of activity while everyone got ready for the wedding.
Holy mackeral!
- an expression used to express a strong feeling of surprise
"Holy mackeral! Look at the size of that motorcycle."
knee-high to a grasshopper
- to be very young, to be short and small (like a child)
I have been playing the piano since I was knee-high to a grasshopper.
like shooting fish in a barrel
- one side in a competition is so weak that they have no chance at all of winning
The contest was like shooting fish in a barrel. It was very easy to win.
live in a fish bowl
- to live where many people know about your life and personal business
The small town was like living in a fish bowl. Everybody knew what I was doing.
louse up
- to make a mess of something, to spoil something
"Please try not to louse up the computer again. It was working fine this morning."
make a beeline for (someone or something)
- to go straight toward someone or something (like bees when they fly in a straight
line)
Whenever my friend goes to a football game he makes a beeline for the food stand.
- something that does not belong to a definite group/category
I do not know what you should call the strange food. It is neither fish nor fowl.
no flies on (someone)
- very fast or busy (too fast or busy for a fly to stay on someone)
There are no flies on my friend. He is always moving or going somewhere.
none of (someone's) beeswax
- none of someone's business
It was none of my beeswax so I did not ask my friend about his problems.
not hurt a flea
- to not hurt anything or anyone (not even a small insect like a flea)
Our dog is very gentle and he will not hurt a flea.
open up a can of worms
- to create unnecessary complications or problems
The company opened up a can of worms when they decided to talk about the union
contract.
packed in like sardines
- packed very tightly, very crowded
We were packed in like sardines during the morning commute in the train.
pale/blue/green around the gills
- to be looking sick
The man looked pale around the gills when he left the boat.
- give someone a hint or an idea about something
My friend put a bug in my ear about going to France and I cannot stop thinking about
it.
put (something) in mothballs
- to put something into storage
The old navy ship was put into mothballs by the government.
red herring
- some information or a suggestion that is used to draw attention away from the real
facts of a situation (orginally used as a strong fish smell from a smoked fish that was
used to confuse hunting dogs when they were hunting and following something)
The tax issue is a red herring and it is not what the news reporters wanted to talk
about.
rise to the bait
- to be attracted by some kind of bait (just as a fish is attracted to bait)
The politician did not rise to the bait and argue with the news reporter.
a shark
- a ruthless or dishonest person
"The salesman is a shark. Don't do business with him."
small fry
- unimportant people, children (small fry are young newly-hatched fish)
The police were only able to catch some of the small fry in the organized crime gang.
snail`s pace
- very slowly
We went away for the weekend but the cars were moving at a snail`s pace when we
came home on Sunday.
snake in the grass
- a low and dishonest person
The man is a snake in the grass and nobody likes him.
snake oil salesman
- someone who tries to sell you something that does not work
The carpet seller is like a snake oil salesman. His carpets are no good at all.
stir up a hornet`s nest
- to make people angry, to create trouble or difficulties
I stirred up a hornet`s nest when I went to the meeting and started talking about the
work schedule.
swallow (something) hook, line and sinker
- to believe something completely, to be tricked by something
The teacher swallowed the student's excuse hook, line and sinker.
there are plenty of other fish in the sea
- there are other choices, there are other people to choose
There are plenty of other fish in the sea and when my sister lost her boyfriend she did
not worry too much.
turn turtle
- to turn upside down
The car went off the road in the storm and turned turtle.
a whale of (something)
- an exceptionally good or large something
Everybody had a whale of a time at the birthday party.
world is one`s oyster
- someone can get anything that he or she wants, someone will have great
opportunities
"When you graduate from university the world will be your oyster so don`t worry
about the future."
worm one's way out of (something)
- to squeeze or wiggle out of a problem or a responsibility
My friend was easily able to worm her way out of the problem at work.
Bee Idioms
as busy as a bee
- very busy
I was as busy as a bee all weekend.
birds and bees
- the facts about sex and birth
The woman told her daughter about the birds and the bees during the summer
holidays.
My friend has a bee in her bonnet and she will not stop talking about moving to a new
apartment.
hive of activity
- somewhere where things are very busy (like the activity around a beehive)
The wedding hall was a hive of activity while everyone got ready for the wedding.
make a beeline for (someone or something)
- to go straight toward someone or something (like bees when they fly in a straight
line)
Whenever my friend goes to a football game he makes a beeline for the food stand.
none of (someone's) beeswax
- none of someone's business
It was none of my beeswax so I did not ask my friend about his problems.
- cozy and snug
Bug Idioms
as crazy as a bedbug
- crazy
My neighbor is as crazy as a bedbug.
- cozy and snug
bitten by (some kind of) bug
- to become interested and excited about a particular activity and want to start doing it
The man has been bitten by a gold bug and he only thinks about gold.
bug-eyed
- to be wide-eyed with surprise
The little boy was bug-eyed when he got a new bicycle for his birthday.
bug (someone)
- to annoy or irritate someone
My friend is beginning to bug me with his endless questions.
- give someone a hint or an idea about something
My friend put a bug in my ear about going to France and I cannot stop thinking about
it.
Butterfly Idioms
as gaudy as a butterfly
- gaudy, colorful
The woman was as gaudy as a butterfly when she left for the concert.
have butterflies in one`s stomach
- to have a feeling of fear or anxiety in one's stomach
I had butterflies in my stomach on the day that I received the award.
Fish Idioms
big fish in a small pond
- an important person in a small place
The man was not so important in the city but in the small town he was a big fish in a
small pond.
cold fish
- a person who is unfriendly or does not mix with others
The man is a cold fish and he has very few friends.
drink like a fish
- to drink alcohol to excessive amounts
The man drank like a fish at the party and he had to go home by taxi.
a fine kettle of fish
- a situation that is not satisfactory, a mess
"This is a fine kettle of fish. Now I will be late for the next meeting."
fish for a compliment
- to try to get someone to say something nice about you
The man is fishing for a compliment about his new Italian suit.
fish for (something)
- to try to get information from someone
The lawyer was fishing for information from the woman.
fish in troubled waters
- to involve oneself in a difficult/confused or dangerous situation in order to get

something
The woman was fishing in troubled waters when she began to ask questions about the
crime.
fish or cut bait
- to either do what you are supposed to do or quit and let someone else do it
It was time to fish or cut bait so I decided to let someone else handle the problem.
fish out of water
- someone who does not fit in, an uncomfortable or awkward feeling
The woman felt like a fish out of water when she went to the party in her formal dress
while everyone else was wearing jeans.
fishy
- to be suspicious or unlikely
"Something is fishy with these numbers. There are too many people on this list."
go on a fishing expedition
- to attempt to discover information
The lawyer went on a fishing expedition to try and discover the facts of the case.
have other/bigger fish to fry
- to have other more important things to do, to have other opportunities
I have other fish to fry and I do not plan to spend any more time talking about my
friend's problems.
Holy mackeral!
- an expression used to express a strong feeling of surprise
"Holy mackeral! Look at the size of that motorcycle."
like shooting fish in a barrel
- one side in a competition is so weak that they have no chance at all of winning
The contest was like shooting fish in a barrel. It was very easy to win.
live in a fish bowl
- to live where many people know about your life and personal business
The small town was like living in a fish bowl. Everybody knew what I was doing.
- something that does not belong to a definite group/category
I do not know what you should call the strange food. It is neither fish nor fowl.
- packed very tightly, very crowded
We were packed in like sardines during the morning commute in the train.
pale/blue/green around the gills
- to be looking sick
The man looked pale around the gills when he left the boat.
red herring
- some information or a suggestion that is used to draw attention away from the real
facts of a situation (orginally used as a strong fish smell from a smoked fish that was
used to confuse hunting dogs when they were hunting and following something)
The tax issue is a red herring and it is not what the news reporters wanted to talk
about.
a shark
- a ruthless or dishonest person
"The salesman is a shark. Don't do business with him."
small fry
- unimportant people, children (small fry are young newly-hatched fish)
The police were only able to catch some of the small fry in the organized crime gang.
there are plenty of other fish in the sea
- there are other choices, there are other people to choose
There are plenty of other fish in the sea and when my sister lost her boyfriend she did
not worry too much.
Flea Idioms
I put a flea in our supervisor's ear when I told him about the computer problems.
flea market
- a place where antiques and secondhand goods and other cheap items are sold
We go to the flea market every weekend to look for old photographs.
not hurt a flea
- to not hurt anything or anyone (not even a small insect like a flea)
Our dog is very gentle and he will not hurt a flea.
Frog/Toad Idioms
as calm as a toad in the sun
- very calm and content
The girl was as calm as a toad in the sun during the speech contest.
as ugly as a toad
- very ugly
The man was as ugly as a toad and very difficult to look at.
have a frog in one's throat
- to get a tickle or soreness in one's throat which makes it difficult to speak until you
cough and clear your throat
I had a frog in my throat and it was difficult to talk on the telephone.
Food Idioms
Food
acquire a taste for (something)
- to develop a liking for some kind of food or drink or something
My friend has recently acquired a taste for classical music.
- someone or something that one likes a lot
The little girl is the apple of her grandfather`s eye.
- very black
The bottom of the little boy's feet were as black as a skillet.
as busy as popcorn on a skillet
- very active
The children were as busy as popcorn on a skillet when the teacher entered the
classroom.
as cool as a cucumber
- to be calm, to be not nervous or anxious
The man is as cool as a cucumber and never worries about anything.
as easy as apple pie
- very easy
The test that I wrote yesterday was as easy as apple pie.
- very easy
It was as easy as duck soup to find the book that I wanted in the library.
as flat as a pancake
- very flat
The child's toy was as flat as a pancake after the car drove over it.
as hungry as a bear
- very hungry
I was as hungry as a bear when I returned home from work yesterday.
as nutty as a fruitcake
- silly, crazy
The man in the supermarket was as nutty as a fruitcake.
as red as a cherry
- bright red
My new sweater is as red as a cherry.
as slow as molasses in January
- very slow
The little boy is as slow as molasses in January and he never gets his work finished on
time.
as sour as vinegar
- sour and disagreeable
The old man next door is as sour as vinegar.
as sweet as honey/sugar
- very sweet
The retired librarian is as sweet as honey and everybody loves her.
as thick as pea soup
- very thick (can be used with fog as well as with liquids)
The fog was as thick as pea soup when we walked along the beach.
as warm as toast
- very warm and cozy
Our house was as warm as toast when we went in from the rain.
at one sitting
- at one time, during one period
We ate most of the cake at one sitting.
back to the salt mines
- to go back to work (this is a humorous expression to express going back to

unpleasant work)
"Lunch is over so let`s go back to the salt mines for the afternoon."
bad/rotten apple
- a bad person
The boy is a bad apple and he is always in some kind of trouble.
bad egg
- a bad person, a bum
My neighbor is a bad egg and you should avoid him if you can.
bear fruit
- to yield or give results
The woman's hard work at her business finally began to bear fruit when she started to
make money.
best bib and tucker
- one's best clothes
I put on my best bib and tucker for the wedding reception.
big cheese
My uncle is a big cheese in his company so you should be very nice to him.
big enchilada
- the biggest and most important thing or person
The new accounting manager is the big enchilada in our company.
binge and purge
- to overeat and then to vomit
The young woman had eating problems and she would often binge and purge her
food.
bite off more than one can chew
- to try to do or eat more than you can manage
I bit off more than I could chew when I began to work at the store in the evening.
bite the hand that feeds one
I do not want to make my company angry because I do not want to bite the hand that
feeds me.
bitter pill to swallow
- something unpleasant that one must accept
It was a bitter pill to swallow when I learned that I would not get the job that I thought
I would.
born with a silver spoon in one's mouth
- to be born to a wealthy family with many advantages
The boy was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and he never has to work very
hard.
Bottoms up!
- everybody should drink now (this expression is used at the end of a drinking toast)
"Bottoms up," our host said at the beginning of the dinner.
bread and butter
- one's income/job to buy the basic needs of life like food/shelter/clothing
The voters are worried about bread-and-butter issues like jobs and taxes.
bread and water
- the most basic meal that is possible (just as you would get in prison)
The prisoners were fed bread and water for several days last winter.
bring home the bacon
- to earn your family`s living
Recently, I have been working very hard to bring home the bacon. I have no time to
do anything else.
burn (something) to a crisp
- to burn something very badly
I burned the eggs to a crisp when I left the stove on while I was talking on the
telephone.
butter (someone) up
- to flatter someone in order to get his or her favor or friendship
The man spends much time trying to butter up his boss so that he will not have to
work so hard.
- to dislike or hate someone or something
I can't stomach the idea of meeting my old girlfriend.
carrot and stick
- the reward for someone if they do what you want or the punishment if they do not do
what you want
The government took a carrot-and-stick approach to remove the people who were
protesting against the construction of the dam.
cheese (someone) off
- to annoy/irritate/anger someone
I cheesed off my neighbor when I borrowed his ladder without telling him.
cheesed off
- to be bored/depressed/annoyed
I was cheesed off when I heard that I would not be able to go away for the weekend.
chew the fat with (someone)
- to chat with someone
We stayed up very late last night chewing the fat about our university days.
chips and dip
- potato chips and something to dip them into before eating them (potato chips are
called crisps in the United Kingdom)
We bought some chips and dip for the party.
clear the table
- to remove the dishes and other eating utensils from a table after eating
We had to clear the table before we could eat our dessert.
coffee break
- a break from work to rest and drink coffee/tea
We usually have a coffee break every morning at 10 o`clock.
Come and get it!
- Dinner is ready. Come and eat.
"Come and get it," my mother called after she made dinner.
compare apples and oranges
- to compare two things that are not similar and should not be compared
It was like comparing apples and oranges when we compared our new boss to our old
one.
cook (someone's) goose
- to damage or ruin someone
I think that I cooked my goose when I made a mistake at work today.
cook (something) to perfection
- to cook something perfectly
The chef always cooks the food to perfection at the small restaurant.
cook (something) up
- to cook something, to make some kind of plan
I do not know what my girlfriend is cooking up for the weekend but we will probably
do something interesting.
couch potato
- someone who spends a lot of time on a couch watching television
My cousin is a couch potato and he never wants to leave his house.
cream of the crop
- the best of a group, the top choice
Our company is a very good place to work and is always able to hire the cream of the
crop of university graduates.
a cream puff
- a person who is easily influenced or beaten
The boy is a cream puff and is always a victim of other people's insults.
cry over spilled/spilt milk
- to cry or complain about something that has already happened
You should not cry over spilled milk. The past is past and you cannot do anything to
change it.
(not one's) cup of tea
- something that one does not enjoy or do well (usually used in the negative)
Going to art galleries is not my cup of tea so I think that I will stay home this evening.
cut the mustard
- to succeed, to do adequately what needs to be done
The young man was not able to cut the mustard and he had to leave the army after
only one year.
dine out
- to eat a meal at a restaurant
I love to dine out at nice restaurants.
done to a T/turn
- to be cooked just right (just as one would cook a steak perfectly)
The steaks were done to a T when my friend cooked them on the barbecue.
down the hatch
- something is swallowed
My drink was down the hatch before I could order another one.
drop (someone/something) like a hot potato
- to suddenly stop being involved with someone or with some kind of a problem
The advertisers dropped the basketball star like a hot potato when he became involved
in a scandal.
duck soup
"It was like duck soup. I was able to finish my school project last night."
eat and run
- to eat a meal and then quickly leave
I had to eat and run in order to be on time for my evening class.
eat crow
- to admit that one is mistaken or defeated, to take back a mistaken statement
I was forced to eat crow and apologize for the things that I had said about my co-
worker.
eat dirt
- to act humble, to accept another person's insults or bad treatment
We made the boy eat dirt after he accused us of lying.
- to eat expensive and high quality food
My uncle has been eating high on the hog since he got his new job.
eat humble pie
- to be humbled, to admit one`s error and apologize
Our boss was forced to eat humble pie after he made the wrong budget estimate for
next year.
eat like a bird
- to eat only a small amount of food
The girl eats like a bird and is very slim.
eat like a horse
- to eat a large amount of food
I usually eat like a horse after I work hard all day.
eat one`s cake and have it too
- to use or spend something and still keep it, to have something both ways
The man refuses to give up anything and he always wants to eat his cake and have it
too.
eat one's heart out
- to be envious of someone or something
I ate my heart out when I saw my friend and his new bicycle.
eat one`s words
- to take back something that one has said, to admit that something is not true
I told my boss that I would soon quit my job but later I had to eat my words and tell
him that I wanted to stay.
eat out
My aunt and uncle eat out often at very nice restaurants.
eat out of (someone's) hands
The young secretary is always eating out of her bosses hands.
eat (someone) for breakfast
- to defeat someone easily
The young wrestler can eat the older wrestler for breakfast.
eat (someone) out of house and home
- to eat a lot of food in someone's house
The young boy is eating his parents out of house and home.
eat (something) up
- to enjoy/absorb/appreciate something
The students were eating up the comments by their professor.
egg (someone) on
- to encourage someone to do something (often something bad/wrong/dangerous)
The boys egged their friend on to jump into the water.
either feast or famine
- either too much or not enough of something
Either I have too much time or too little time. It is either feast or famine..
everything from soup to nuts
- almost everything that one can think of
We brought everything from soup to nuts for our weekend holiday.
- the amount of food that one takes is greater than what one could possibly eat
My eyes were bigger than my stomach and I took too much food at the buffet dinner.
fat is in the fire
- a situation is bad or a person has serious problems
The fat is in the fire now that the deadline is fast approaching for the court case.
feed one's face
- to eat
I stopped at a small restaurant after the game to feed my face.
fine kettle of fish
- a mess, an unsatisfactory situation
It was a fine kettle of fish that I was in when I lost the keys to my apartment.
food for thought
- something to think about
The advice from the bank manager was food for thought when I made my financial
plan.
for peanuts
- for very little money, for almost nothing
I was able to buy a used computer for peanuts.
forbidden fruit
- something that one finds attractive partly because it is illegal/immoral/prohibited
Entering the old building was forbidden fruit for the young boys.
fruits of one's labor
- the results of one's work
My father is retired now and he is finally enjoying the fruits of his labor.
full of beans
- to feel energetic, to be in high spirits
My aunt is full of beans tonight and she does not want to stop talking.
get oneself into a stew over (someone or something)
- to be worried or upset about someone or something
I try hard not to get myself into a stew over some of the rude remarks of my
supervisor.
go bananas
- to become highly excited, to behave in a crazy way
The boy's girlfriend went bananas when he forgot to buy her a birthday present.
go/turn beet-red
- to become red in the face because you are embarrassed
The girl turned beet-red when her friend asked her about her boyfriend.
go on a binge
- to eat/do too much of something
My friend went on a binge and ate too much chocolate recently.
good egg
- a good person
The man is a good egg and everybody likes him a lot.
(one's) goose is cooked
- one has been found out and is now in trouble
I told a lie to my company and now my goose is cooked and I am in much trouble.
grab a bite to eat
- to get/have something to eat (usually quickly)
I will grab a bite to eat after the game today.
gravy train
- a job or some work that pays more than it is worth
For many years my father's job was a gravy train but now the company has become
very strict about paying extra money.
greatest thing since sliced bread
- the greatest thing that there has ever been
My mother believes that the microwave oven is the greatest thing since sliced bread.
grist for the mill
- something that can be used to bring advantage or profit
The information that we got on the Internet was grist for the mill of our company's
operations.
half a loaf is better than none
- a proverb that says that having part of something is better than having nothing at all
Half a loaf is better than none and I would rather work part-time than have no job at
all.
half-baked
- to be not thought about or studied carefully
Our friend has a half-baked idea about starting a new business but most of us think
that it will fail.
hand (something) to (someone) on a silver platter
- to give a person something that has not been earned
The father handed everything to the boy on a silver platter and now he is very spoiled
and selfish.
hard nut to crack
- a difficult person or thing to deal with
My friend is a very serious person and she is a very hard nut to crack.
have a lot on one's plate
- to have a lot of things to do or deal with
I have a lot on my plate this week and I am very, very busy.
have a pick-me-up
- to eat or drink something stimulating
I wanted to have a pick-me-up so I stopped at a small shop for a coffee.
have a sweet tooth
- to have a desire to eat sweet foods
I have a sweet tooth and I love chocolate bars.
have a taste for (something)
- to have a desire for a food/drink/experience
The opera singer has always had a taste for classical music.
have bigger fish to fry
- to have other more important things to do
I have bigger fish to fry and I do not want to spend every evening doing extra work
for my company.
have egg on one`s face
- to be embarrassed (because of an obvious error)
The man has egg on his face now that he has admitted that he was wrong about his
boss.
have one's cake and eat it too
I wanted to have my cake and eat it too when I wanted more holidays and more
responsibility at work.
- to be involved in something
The man has his finger in the pie of everything at his workplace.
- to be involved in too many things so that you cannot do any of them well
Our supervisor has her finger in too many pies to really do her job well.
Here's mud in your eye!
- Drink up! (a drinking toast)
"Here's mud in your eye," I said as we drank a toast to my new job.
hit the sauce
- to drink alcohol (usually regularly)
I think that the woman began to hit the sauce after her husband lost his job.
hot potato
- a question or argument that is controversial and difficult to settle
The issue of building the nuclear power plant is a hot potato for the local town
council.
icing on the cake
- something that makes a good situation or activity even better
I was able to find a good job and the fact that I can work where I want is the icing on
the cake.
in a nutshell
- briefly, in a few words
We went to the meeting and they told us in a nutshell about the plans for our
company.
in a pickle
- to be in trouble, to be in a mess
The boy was in a pickle when he lost the keys to the school cupboard.
in a stew about/over (someone or something)
My father is in a stew over the fact that his order of car parts has not arrived.
in one's salad days
- to be in one's youth
My aunt was a beautiful woman in her salad days.
in the soup
- in serious trouble, in a bad situation
The woman is in the soup now. She told her boss that she was sick but he saw her
downtown shopping.
kill the fatted calf
- to prepare an elaborate banquet in honor of someone
We killed the fatted calf for my cousin when she returned from her trip abroad.
know which side one's bread is buttered
- to know what is most advantageous for you
My aunt knows which side her bread is buttered when she visits her sister.
lay an egg
- to give a bad performance of something
The singer laid an egg during her performance last evening.
life is a bowl of cherries
- only good things happen in life
Ever since my father retired from his job he has believed that life is a bowl of
cherries.
like taking candy from a baby
- something is very easy to do
I asked the department store to refund the money for my goods and they quickly
agreed. It was like taking candy from a baby.
like two peas in a pod
- to be very close or intimate with someone
The sisters are like two peas in a pod and they do everything together.
live high off/on the hog
- to live well and eat good food
The woman is able to live high on the hog when she goes away on a business trip.
live off the fat of the land
- to grow one's own food, to live on the resources of the land
The family is able to live off the fat of the land on their small farm.
make a meal of (something)
- to eat enough/much of one kind of food for one meal
We made a meal of the fish that we caught in the lake.
make mincemeat/hamburger out of (someone or something)
- to beat up or destroy someone or something
The older boxer made mincemeat out of the young boxer.
make one`s mouth water
- to make someone hungry, to make someone want to eat or drink something very
much
The restaurant is wonderful and when I see the menu it makes my mouth water.
make (someone) eat crow
- to cause someone to admit an error or retract a statement
We made our boss eat crow when we discovered the mistake that he made with our
work schedule.
meal ticket
- a thing or person that someone uses to get the money that they need to live
The woman's nursing degree is her meal ticket to a flexible and good life.
meat and potatoes
- basic simple and good food, simple tastes
The man is a meat-and-potatoes person who enjoys the simple pleasures of life.
melt in one's mouth
- to taste very good
The pastry melted in my mouth.
milk of human kindness
- the natural kindness and sympathy that is shown to others
The woman at the community center is full of the milk of human kindness.
milk (someone) for (something)
- to pressure someone into giving information or money
The man was trying to milk the elderly lady for much of her money.
- not in any recognizable category
The movie was neither fish nor fowl and I did not know what category to put it into.
not for all the tea in China
- not for anything
I will not for all the tea in China lend my friend any more money.
not know beans about (someone or something)
- to know nothing about someone or something
I do not know beans about repairing a car.
not worth a hill of beans
- worthless
The man is a liar and what he says is not worth a hill of beans.
on a diet
- to be trying to lose weight by eating less food
I have been on a diet for two months now.
one man's meat is another man's poison
- something that one person likes may be disliked by someone else
One man's meat is another man's poison and while my friend hates coffee, I love it.
out of the frying pan and into the fire
- to go from something bad to something worse
The woman jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire when she quit her job. Now
her problems are much worse.
out to lunch
- to be crazy, to be uninformed
The woman is out to lunch and you should never believe what she tells you.
out to lunch
- to be eating lunch away from one's work
The bank manager was out to lunch when I went to see him at the bank.
- to be packed in very tightly
The commuters were packed in like sardines in the subway car.
pie in the sky
- an idea or plan that you think will never happen
My cousin's plans are usually pie in the sky and will never happen.
piece of cake
- a task that is easily accomplished
The small job was a piece of cake. I had everything done before lunch this morning.
polish the apple
- to flatter someone
Nobody likes the girl because she is always trying to polish the apple with her teacher.
put all one's eggs in one basket
- to risk everything at once
I do not want to put all my eggs in one basket and only invest money in real estate.
put on the feed bag
- to eat a meal (like a horse would)
We put on the feed bag immediately after we got home.
put weight on
- to gain weight
The basketball player is putting weight on now.
rotten to the core
- to be completely worthless (like a rotten apple)
The political organization was rotten to the core and everybody knew that they must
change.
rub salt in (someone's) wound
- to try to make someone's unhappiness or misfortune worse
I did not mention the car accident to my friend because I did not want to rub salt in his
wound.
salt of the earth
- good/basic/honest/ordinary people
Our new neighbors are the salt of the earth. They are good, basic, honest people.
salt (something) away
- to save money or some other item
I am salting away much money from my new job.
save (someone's) bacon
- something helps you from failing or having trouble
My friend at work saved my bacon when he came to help me with the job that I could
not do.
sell like hotcakes
- to sell quickly or easily
The new CD has only been released for one week but already it is selling like
hotcakes.
sink one's teeth into (something)
- to take a bite of some kind of food, to get really involved in something
I am trying hard to sink my teeth into the project at work.
slice of the cake/pie
- a share of something
The government wants a slice of the cake of the money from the new casinos.
small potatoes
- something that is not very big or important compared with other things or people
The amount of money for the stadium is small potatoes compared to the total cost of
the Olympics.
so clean you can eat off the floor
- very clean
My mother's kitchen is so clean you can eat off the floor.
soup up (something)
- to make something faster or more powerful by changing or adding something (this

expression is often used for a car)
My neighbor decided to soup up the car that he recently bought.
spill the beans
- to tell a secret to someone who is not supposed to know about it
"Please do not spill the beans about my plans to quit work and return to school next
year."
spoon-feed (someone)
- to help or care for someone too much when you are trying to teach him or her
something
We had to spoon-feed the new employee when we were teaching him about the new
computer system.
square meal
- a good filling meal
I was very busy at work last week and I did not have time for a square meal until
Saturday.
stew in one`s own juice
- to suffer from something that you yourself have caused to happen
The man is the one who caused the problem for himself and he is now being forced to
stew in his own juice.
stick to one's ribs
- to last a long time and to fill one up (used for food)
The meal that my grandmother made stuck to my ribs.
take (something) with a grain of salt
- to accept or believe something with much doubt, to not give much credit or
importance to something that was said
"You should take everything that the supervisor says with a grain of salt because he
likes to exaggerate things."
take the cake
- to be the best or worst of something
The behavior of the young girl takes the cake. It is terrible.
- to try to tell someone who has more knowledge than you how to do something
I tried to teach my friend something about computers but he is a computer expert. It

was like teaching my grandmother to suck eggs.
teething problems
- difficulties/problems that happen in the early stages of a project/activity
The new project which we were trying to start had many teething problems.
that's the way the cookie crumbles
- that's life, those things happen
That's the way the cookie crumbles, I thought when I learned that I would not get the
new job.
there is no such thing as a free lunch
- you cannot get something without working for it or paying for it
There is no such thing as a free lunch and you must work hard if you want to get
something in life.
too many cooks spoil the broth/stew
- too many people trying to do something will cause problems
Too many cooks spoil the broth and we decided to have less people work on the
project because having too many people was making it difficult to do anything.
top banana
- the person who is the boss or the top person in a group or organization
The famous actor in the movie was the top banana in the story.
toss a salad
- to mix a salad with the dressing
I quickly tossed a salad and we ate dinner.
tub of lard
- a fat person
The young boys always call the chubby boy a tub of lard.
tuck into (something)
- to eat something with energy and enjoyment
We tucked into our dinner as soon as we sat down at the table.
upset the applecart
- to ruin a plan or event by surprise or accident
Everything was going well at the company picnic until our boss arrived and upset the
applecart.
variety is the spice of life
- differences and changes make life interesting
Variety is the spice of life and I enjoy doing different things in my free time.
walk on eggs
- to be very cautious
I must walk on eggs when I ask my friend to do something for me.
what's good/sauce for the goose is good/sauce for the gander
- what is good for one person should be good for another person as well
"What's good for the goose is good for the gander and you should not ask your child
to take the cough medicine if you will not take it yourself."
whet (someone's) appetite
- to cause someone to be interested in something and want to learn more about it
The introduction to playing a musical instrument helped to whet my appetite to learn

more about music.
whole enchilada
- everything, all of something
I decided to buy the whole enchilada when I looked at the set of dishes and kitchen
goods.
wine and dine (someone)
- to treat someone to an expensive meal, to entertain someone in a lavish manner
My uncle often has to wine and dine his important business clients.
worth one`s salt
- to be a good worker, to be worth what one is paid
The man has only been working here for a month but quickly he is proving that he is
worth his salt.
you can't make an omelette without breaking the eggs
- you cannot do something without causing some problems or having some effects
"You can't make an omelette without breaking the eggs and if you want to change the
work schedules, then you are going to cause problems."
apple Idioms
- someone or something that one likes a lot
The little girl is the apple of her grandfather`s eye.
- very easy
bad/rotten apple
- a bad person
The boy is a bad apple and he is always in some kind of trouble.
compare apples and oranges
- to compare two things that are not similar and should not be compared
It was like comparing apples and oranges when we compared our new boss to our old
one.
polish the apple
- to flatter someone
Nobody likes the girl because she is always trying to polish the apple with her teacher.
rotten to the core
- to be completely worthless (like a rotten apple)
The political organization was rotten to the core and everybody knew that they must
change.
upset the applecart
- to ruin a plan or event by surprise or accident
Everything was going well at the company picnic until our boss arrived and upset the
applecart.
bean Idioms
full of beans
- to feel energetic, to be in high spirits
My aunt is full of beans tonight and she does not want to stop talking.
not know beans about (someone or something)
- to know nothing about someone or something
I do not know beans about repairing a car.
not worth a hill of beans
- worthless
The man is a liar and what he says is not worth a hill of beans.
spill the beans
- to tell a secret to someone who is not supposed to know about it
"Please do not spill the beans about my plans to quit work and return to school next
year."
bread Idioms
as warm as toast
- very warm and cozy
Our house was as warm as toast when we went in from the rain.
bread and butter
- one's income/job to buy the basic needs of life like food/shelter/clothing
The voters are worried about bread-and-butter issues like jobs and taxes.
bread and water
- the most basic meal that is possible (just as you would get in prison)
The prisoners were fed bread and water for several days last winter.
greatest thing since sliced bread
- the greatest thing that there has ever been
My mother believes that the microwave oven is the greatest thing since sliced bread.
grist for the mill
- something that can be used to bring advantage or profit
The information that we got on the Internet was grist for the mill of our company's
operations.
half a loaf is better than none
- a proverb that says that having part of something is better than having nothing at all
Half a loaf is better than none and I would rather work part-time than have no job at
all.
half-baked
- to be not thought about or studied carefully
Our friend has a half-baked idea about starting a new business but most of us think
that it will fail.
know which side one's bread is buttered
- to know what is most advantageous for you
My aunt knows which side her bread is buttered when she visits her sister.
cake Idioms
too.
icing on the cake
- something that makes a good situation or activity even better
I was able to find a good job and the fact that I can work where I want is the icing on
the cake.
piece of cake
- a task that is easily accomplished
The small job was a piece of cake. I had everything done before lunch this morning.
a slice of the cake
The government wants a slice of the cake of the money from the new casinos.
take the cake
- to be the best or worst of something
The behavior of the young girl takes the cake. It is terrible.
cooking Idioms
- very black
The bottom of the little boy's feet were as black as a skillet.
burn (something) to a crisp
- to burn something very badly
I burned the eggs to a crisp when I left the stove on while I was talking on the
telephone.
cook (someone's) goose
- to damage or ruin someone
I think that I cooked my goose when I made a mistake at work today.
cook (something) to perfection
- to cook something perfectly
The chef always cooks the food to perfection at the small restaurant.
cook (something) up
- to cook something, to make some kind of plan
I do not know what my girlfriend is cooking up for the weekend but we will probably
do something interesting.
done to a T/turn
- to be cooked just right (just as one would cook a steak perfectly)
The steaks were done to a T when my friend cooked them on the barbecue.
(one's) goose is cooked
- one has been found out and is now in trouble
I told a lie to my company and now my goose is cooked and I am in much trouble.
out of the frying pan and into the fire
- to go from something bad to something worse
The woman jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire when she quit her job. Now
her problems are much worse.
too many cooks spoil the broth
toss a salad
- to mix a salad with the dressing
I quickly tossed a salad and we ate dinner.
drink Idioms
Bottoms up!
- everybody should drink now (this expression is used at the end of a drinking toast)
"Bottoms up," our host said at the beginning of the dinner.
coffee break
- a break from work to rest and drink coffee/tea
We usually have a coffee break every morning at 10 o`clock.
cry over spilled/spilt milk
- to cry or complain about something that has already happened
You should not cry over spilled milk. The past is past and you cannot do anything to
change it.
(not one's) cup of tea
- something that one does not enjoy or do well (usually used in the negative)
Going to art galleries is not my cup of tea so I think that I will stay home this evening.
down the hatch
My drink was down the hatch before I could order another one.
have a pick-me-up
- to eat or drink something stimulating
I wanted to have a pick-me-up so I stopped at a small shop for a coffee.
Here's mud in your eye!
- Drink up! (a drinking toast)
"Here's mud in your eye," I said as we drank a toast to my new job.
hit the sauce
- to drink alcohol (usually regularly)
I think that the woman began to hit the sauce after her husband lost his job.
milk of human kindness
- the natural kindness and sympathy that is shown to others
The woman at the community center is full of the milk of human kindness.
milk (someone) for (something)
- to pressure someone into giving information or money
The man was trying to milk the elderly lady for much of her money.
not for all the tea in China
- not for anything
I will not for all the tea in China lend my friend any more money.
wine and dine (someone)
- to treat someone to an expensive meal, to entertain someone in a lavish manner
My uncle often has to wine and dine his important business clients.
eating Idioms
acquire a taste for something
- to develop a liking for some kind of food or drink or something
My friend has recently acquired a taste for classical music.
as hungry as a bear
- very hungry
I was as hungry as a bear when I returned home from work yesterday.
at one sitting
- at one time, during one period
We ate most of the cake at one sitting.
binge and purge
- to overeat and then to vomit
The young woman had eating problems and she would often binge and purge her
food.
- to try to do or eat more than you can manage
I bit off more than I could chew when I began to work at the store in the evening.
bite the hand that feeds one
I do not want to make my company angry because I do not want to bite the hand that
feeds me.
- something unpleasant that one must accept
It was a bitter pill to swallow when I learned that I would not get the job that I thought
I would.
- to dislike or hate someone or something
I can't stomach the idea of meeting my old girlfriend.
clear the table
- to remove the dishes and other eating utensils from a table after eating
We had to clear the table before we could eat our dessert.
Come and get it!
- Dinner is ready. Come and eat.
"Come and get it," my mother called after she made dinner.
eat and run
- to eat a meal and then quickly leave
I had to eat and run in order to be on time for my evening class.
eat crow
- to admit that one is mistaken or defeated, to take back a mistaken statement
I was forced to eat crow and apologize for the things that I had said about my co-
worker.
eat dirt
- to act humble, to accept another person's insults or bad treatment
We made the boy eat dirt after he accused us of lying.
- to eat expensive and high quality food
My uncle has been eating high on the hog since he got his new job.
eat humble pie
next year.
eat like a bird
- to eat only a small amount of food
The girl eats like a bird and is very slim.
eat like a horse
- to eat a large amount of food
I usually eat like a horse after I work hard all day.
too.
eat one's heart out
- to be envious of someone or something
I ate my heart out when I saw my friend and his new bicycle.
eat one`s words
- to take back something that one has said, to admit that something is not true
I told my boss that I would soon quit my job but later I had to eat my words and tell
him that I wanted to stay.
eat out
My aunt and uncle eat out often at very nice restaurants.
eat out of (someone's) hands
The young secretary is always eating out of her bosses hands.
eat (someone) for breakfast
- to defeat someone easily
The young wrestler can eat the older wrestler for breakfast.
eat (someone) out of house and home
- to eat a lot of food in someone's house
The young boy is eating his parents out of house and home.
eat (something) up
- to enjoy/absorb/appreciate something
The students were eating up the comments by their professor.
either feast or famine
- either too much or not enough of something
Either I have too much time or too little time. It is either feast or famine..
- the amount of food that one takes is greater than what one could possibly eat
My eyes were bigger than my stomach and I took too much food at the buffet dinner.
feed one's face
- to eat
I stopped at a small restaurant after the game to feed my face.
go on a binge
- to eat/do too much of something
My friend went on a binge and ate too much chocolate recently.
grab a bite to eat
- to get/have something to eat (usually quickly)
I will grab a bite to eat after the game today.
have a lot on one's plate
- to have a lot of things to do or deal with
I have a lot on my plate this week and I am very, very busy.
have a sweet tooth
- to have a desire to eat sweet foods
I have a sweet tooth and I love chocolate bars.
have a taste for (something)
- to have a desire for a food/drink/experience
The opera singer has always had a taste for classical music.
make a meal of (something)
- to eat enough/much of one kind of food for one meal
We made a meal of the fish that we caught in the lake.
- to make someone hungry, to make someone want to eat or drink something very
much
The restaurant is wonderful and when I see the menu it makes my mouth water.
make (someone) eat crow
- to cause someone to admit an error or retract a statement
We made our boss eat crow when we discovered the mistake that he made with our
work schedule.
meal ticket
- a thing or person that someone uses to get the money that they need to live
The woman's nursing degree is her meal ticket to a flexible and good life.
melt in one's mouth
- to taste very good
The pastry melted in my mouth.
on a diet
- to be trying to lose weight by eating less food
I have been on a diet for two months now.
out to lunch
- to be crazy, to be uninformed
The woman is out to lunch and you should never believe what she tells you.
out to lunch
- to be eating lunch away from one's work
The bank manager was out to lunch when I went to see him at the bank.
put on the feed bag
- to eat a meal (like a horse would)
We put on the feed bag immediately after we got home.
put weight on
- to gain weight
The basketball player is putting weight on now.
sink one's teeth into (something)
- to take a bite of some kind of food, to get really involved in something
I am trying hard to sink my teeth into the project at work.
spoon-feed (someone)
- to help or care for someone too much when you are trying to teach him or her
something
We had to spoon-feed the new employee when we were teaching him about the new
computer system.
square meal
- a good filling meal
I was very busy at work last week and I did not have time for a square meal until
Saturday.
stick to one's ribs
- to last a long time and to fill one up (used for food)
The meal that my grandmother made stuck to my ribs.
there is no such thing as a free lunch
- you cannot get something without working for it or paying for it
There is no such thing as a free lunch and you must work hard if you want to get
something in life.
tuck into (something)
- to eat something with energy and enjoyment
We tucked into our dinner as soon as we sat down at the table.
whet (someone's) appetite
- to cause someone to be interested in something and want to learn more about it
The introduction to playing a musical instrument helped to whet my appetite to learn

more about music.
egg Idioms
bad egg
- a bad person, a bum
My neighbor is a bad egg and you should avoid him if you can.
egg (someone) on
- to encourage someone to do something (often something bad/wrong/dangerous)
The boys egged their friend on to jump into the water.
good egg
- a good person
The man is a good egg and everybody likes him a lot.
have egg on one`s face
- to be embarrassed (because of an obvious error)
The man has egg on his face now that he has admitted that he was wrong about his
boss.
lay an egg
- to give a bad performance of something
The singer laid an egg during her performance last evening.
put all one's eggs in one basket
- to risk everything at once
I do not want to put all my eggs in one basket and only invest money in real estate.
- to try to tell someone who has more knowledge than you how to do something
I tried to teach my friend something about computers but he is a computer expert. It

was like teaching my grandmother to suck eggs.
walk on eggs
- to be very cautious
I must walk on eggs when I ask my friend to do something for me.
you can't make an omelette without breaking the eggs
- you cannot do something without causing some problems or having some effects
"You can't make an omelette without breaking the eggs and if you want to change the
work schedules, then you are going to cause problems."
fish Idioms
fine kettle of fish
- a mess, an unsatisfactory situation
It was a fine kettle of fish that I was in when I lost the keys to my apartment.
have bigger fish to fry
- to have other more important things to do
I have bigger fish to fry and I do not want to spend every evening doing extra work
for my company.
- not in any recognizable category
The movie was neither fish nor fowl and I did not know what category to put it into.
- to be packed in very tightly
The commuters were packed in like sardines in the subway car.
fruit Idioms
as nutty as a fruitcake
- silly, crazy
The man in the supermarket was as nutty as a fruitcake.
bear fruit
- to yield or give results
The woman's hard work at her business finally began to bear fruit when she started to
make money.
forbidden fruit
- something that one finds attractive partly because it is illegal/immoral/prohibited
Entering the old building was forbidden fruit for the young boys.
fruits of one's labor
- the results of one's work
My father is retired now and he is finally enjoying the fruits of his labor.
nut Idioms
for peanuts
- for very little money, for almost nothing
I was able to buy a used computer for peanuts.
hard nut to crack
- a difficult person or thing to deal with
My friend is a very serious person and she is a very hard nut to crack.
in a nutshell
- briefly, in a few words
We went to the meeting and they told us in a nutshell about the plans for our
company.
pie Idioms
- very easy
eat humble pie
next year.
- to be involved in something
The man has his finger in the pie of everything at his workplace.
- to be involved in too many things so that you cannot do any of them well
Our supervisor has her finger in too many pies to really do her job well.
pie in the sky
- an idea or plan that you think will never happen
My cousin's plans are usually pie in the sky and will never happen.
slice of the pie
The government wants a slice of the pie of the money from the new casinos.
potato Idioms
couch potato
- someone who spends a lot of time on a couch watching television
My cousin is a couch potato and he never wants to leave his house.
drop (someone/something) like a hot potato
- to suddenly stop being involved with someone or with some kind of a problem
The advertisers dropped the basketball star like a hot potato when he became involved
in a scandal.
hot potato
- a question or argument that is controversial and difficult to settle
The issue of building the nuclear power plant is a hot potato for the local town
council.
meat and potatoes
- basic simple and good food, simple tastes
The man is a meat-and-potatoes person who enjoys the simple pleasures of life.
small potatoes
- something that is not very big or important compared with other things or people
The amount of money for the stadium is small potatoes compared to the total cost of
the Olympics.
salt Idioms
back to the salt mines
- to go back to work (this is a humorous expression to express going back to

unpleasant work)
"Lunch is over so let`s go back to the salt mines for the afternoon."
rub salt in (someone's) wound
- to try to make someone's unhappiness or misfortune worse
I did not mention the car accident to my friend because I did not want to rub salt in his
wound.
salt of the earth
- good/basic/honest/ordinary people
Our new neighbors are the salt of the earth. They are good, basic, honest people.
salt (something) away
- to save money or some other item
I am salting away much money from my new job.
take (something) with a grain of salt
- to accept or believe something with much doubt, to not give much credit or
importance to something that was said
"You should take everything that the supervisor says with a grain of salt because he
likes to exaggerate things."
worth one`s salt
- to be a good worker, to be worth what one is paid
The man has only been working here for a month but quickly he is proving that he is
worth his salt.
soup Idioms
- very easy
It was as easy as duck soup to find the book that I wanted in the library.
as thick as pea soup
- very thick (can be used with fog as well as with liquids)
The fog was as thick as pea soup when we walked along the beach.
duck soup
"It was like duck soup. I was able to finish my school project last night."
in the soup
- in serious trouble, in a bad situation
The woman is in the soup now. She told her boss that she was sick but he saw her
downtown shopping.
soup up (something)
- to make something faster or more powerful by changing or adding something (this

expression is often used for a car)
My neighbor decided to soup up the car that he recently bought.
too many cooks spoil the broth
stew Idioms
get oneself into a stew over (someone or something)
I try hard not to get myself into a stew over some of the rude remarks of my
supervisor.
in a stew about/over (someone or something)
My father is in a stew over the fact that his order of car parts has not arrived.
stew in one`s own juice
- to suffer from something that you yourself have caused to happen
The man is the one who caused the problem for himself and he is now being forced to
stew in his own juice.
too many cooks spoil the stew
Head & Mind Idioms
Head & Mind
a head
- for one person, for one individual (used for counting people or some animals like
cattle)
"The tickets were only a few dollars a head."
able to (do something) standing on one's head
- to be able to do something very easily and quickly
The man is able to do his job standing on his head.
absent-minded
- to be forgetful
Our neighbor is very absent-minded and he often forgets his keys.
all in (someone's) mind
- to imagine a situation or problem that does not actually exist
The problem that my aunt has with her neighbor is all in her mind. It does not exist.
as bald as a baby's backside
- completely bald
The man who works in the post office is as bald as a baby's backside.
as bald as a coot
- completely bald
The man in the store was as bald as a coot.
at one's wit's end
- to be in a worrying or stressful situation where you have no idea about what to do

next
I was at my wit's end about what to do for my sister's wedding.
bad hair day
- a day when everything seems to go wrong (just like when you cannot make your hair
look attractive)
Yesterday was a bad hair day and everything went wrong for me.
bang/beat one`s head against a (brick) wall
- to not succeed at something after trying very hard, to waste one's time trying to do
something that is hopeless
I am beating my head against the wall trying to understand what my boss wants.
bear (someone or something) in mind
- to remember and think about someone or something
"Please keep the starting time for the concert in mind so that we can arrive early."
beat one`s brains out
- to tire oneself by thinking too much
I have been beating my brains out all day trying to remember where I put my
notebook.
beat (something) into (someone`s) head
- to force someone to learn something by repeating it over and over
The teacher tried to beat the material into the student's head.
bite (someone's) head off
- to speak to someone in an angry way
I went to speak with my supervisor but she bit my head off.
black out
- to faint or pass out
The man suddenly blacked out while he was waiting for the bus.
blow one's stack/top
My father will blow his top if he learns that I failed my course.
blow (someone`s) mind
- to overwhelm or excite someone
My friend told me that the new book would blow my mind.
blow up in (someone`s) face
- to end abruptly/unexpectedly, to be ruined while you are working on it, to explode

suddenly in front of you
The plan to have a party for our boss blew up in our face when he decided not to
come.
blue in the face
- to be very angry or upset, to be excited and emotional
The man argued with the supervisor until he was blue in the face.
boggle one's mind
- to confuse someone, to overwhelm someone, to be hard to imagine
It boggles my mind to think how quickly the Internet has changed people's lives.
bonehead
- an unusually dense or stupid person
The boy is a bonehead. He never understands what other people are trying to tell him.
bored out of one's mind/skull
- to be very bored
The little boy was bored out of his mind and wanted to return home.
brain drain
- the loss of talented and educated people from one place/country to other
places/countries where conditions are better
There is a brain drain from many poor countries to wealthy countries where
conditions are better.
brain (someone)
- to strike a person on the head
The spectator was brained in the middle of the match with a tennis ball.
brain teaser
- a problem for which it is hard to find the answer
My father likes to look in the newspaper for interesting brain teasers.
brains behind (something)
- the person/people who thought of and developed a successful

plan/system/organization
The president of our company is the brains behind the plans to develop the new audio
product.
brainchild
- an idea that one has thought of without any help from others
The idea for building the new swimming pool was the brainchild of our boss.
brainless
- to be stupid
The woman is brainless and she has no idea what she is doing.
brainstorm (something)
- to try to develop an idea
The club members gathered to try and brainstorm some ideas for a spring festival.
brainwash (someone)
- to make someone believe something that is not true by repeating it again and again
The people were brainwashed into thinking exactly what their leader wanted them to
think.
bring (something) to a head
- to cause a situation with problems to reach the point where something must be done
to solve/deal with the problems
The union brought the issue of working hours to a head when they threatened to go on
strike.
bury one's head in the sand
- to ignore a problem or hide from some obvious danger, to refuse to see or face
something
My uncle buried his head in the sand and tried not to talk about the problem.
butt heads with (someone)
- to argue with someone about a particular subject/problem
I do not want to butt heads with the manager of our department.
by a hair's breadth
- just barely, by a very small distance
I got to the concert in time to see the beginning but only by a hair's breadth.
by a whisker
- just barely, by a very small distance
I won the race by a whisker.
by the sweat of one`s brow
- by hard work
The man built up his business by the sweat of his brow.
change (someone's) mind
- to cause a person to think differently about something
I tried hard to change my friend's mind about going on a holiday with me.
cheek by jowl
- side by side, close together
The boxes were placed in the room cheek by jowl and nothing else could fit in.
collect one's wits
- to make an effort to control one's thoughts and feelings after something shocking or
unexpected happens
I stopped at a small coffee shop after the job interview in order to collect my wits.
come face to face with (someone or something)
- to meet someone or something in person, to deal with someone immediately
I was walking through the forest when I came face to face with a black bear.
come to mind
- to enter into one's consciousness (used for an idea)
It came to mind last night that I had only two more weeks to work before my holiday.
come to one's senses
- to wake up, to begin to think clearly
The man came to his senses and finally stopped spending his money as soon as he
receives it.
commit (something) to memory
- to memorize something
The new manager was able to quickly commit the names of his staff to memory.
count heads
- to count people
The teacher always counts heads in the morning.
crack a smile
- to smile a little
I tried not to crack a smile during the speech.
cross (someone`s) mind
- to be a sudden or passing thought, to occur to someone (an idea)
It suddenly crossed my mind that the store would be closed all day on Monday.
curl (someone`s) hair
- to shock/frighten/horrify someone
The movie is very realistic and many of the scenes will curl your hair.
drum (something) into (someone's) head
- to keep telling someone something until they cannot forget it
The teacher worked hard to drum the mathematics material into the heads of the
students.
enter (someone's) mind
- to come into someone's mind (used for an idea or thought)
It never entered my mind that my friend would leave his job.
exercise one's brain
- to exercise one's intelligence
I always do puzzles in order to exercise my brain.
face-to-face
- in person, in the same location
The soccer star had a face-to-face meeting with his new team yesterday.
fall flat on one's face
- to be completely unsuccessful
I fell flat on my face when I tried to make a speech at the wedding.
fall head over heels
- to fall down (and maybe roll over)
The little boy fell head over heels down the hill.
fall head over heels in love with (someone)
- to fall deeply in love with someone
The girl fell head over heels in love with the boy on the basketball team.
feed one's face
- to eat
I stopped at a small restaurant to feed my face.
fly in the face of (something)
- to ignore something
The explanation by the criminal flies in the face of any common sense that someone
would have.
from head to toe
- from the top of one's head to one's feet
The woman was dressed in her best clothes from head to toe.
get a head start
- to get an advantage when you start doing something or going somewhere
We woke up early in the morning in order to get a head start on our holiday.
get a load off one's mind
- to talk about what is troubling you
I wanted to get a load off my mind so I passed the evening talking with a friend.
get gray hair
- to have your hair turn gray because of stress
The father said that he was getting gray hairs from his son.
get in (someone's) hair
- to bother or irritate someone
The little boy often gets in his mother's hair.
get into (someone's) head
- to understand what someone thinks and feels so that you can communicate well with
them
I am having a difficult time to get into the principal's head and understand what he is
really doing.
get it into one's head to (do something)
- to decide to do something even though there may not be a good reason to do it
The girl got it into her head to learn to swim this winter.
get out of (someone's) face
- to go away or leave someone
I wish that my friend would get out of my face.
get (someone) out of one's hair
- to stop someone from annoying or bothering you
The woman tried hard to get the little boy out of her hair.
get (someone or something) out of one's head/mind
- to stop thinking about or wanting someone or something, to forget someone or

something
My friend is trying hard to get his former girlfriend out of his mind.
get (something) into/through (someone`s) head
- to make someone understand or believe something
It was difficult to get it through the bank manager's head that I did not want a credit
card.
get (something) through (someone's) thick skull
- to manage to get someone (including oneself) to understand something
The salesman cannot get it through his thick skull that I do not want to talk to him.
give (someone) a piece of one`s mind
- to scold someone angrily, to say what one really thinks of someone (especially when
they have behaved badly)
I gave the store manager a piece of my mind when I told him about the bad product.
give (someone) a swelled head
- to make someone conceited
The girl's high test scores are giving her a swelled head.
go head to head with (someone)
- to compete in a direct and determined way with another person or group
We plan to go head to head with the other team in order to win the city championship.
go over (someone's) head
- to be too difficult for someone to understand
The reasons for the decision went over my head. I could not understand why.
go to one's head
- to make one dizzy
The drink quickly went to the man's head and he had to sit down and rest.
go to (someone`s) head
- to make someone too proud, to make a person think that he or she is too important
The man's new job has gone to his head and he thinks that he is better than everyone
else.
gray matter
The young man seems to be lacking in gray matter.
great minds think alike
- someone has the same idea or says the same thing as you do and at the same time
Great minds think alike and just as I suggested that we go to a movie, my friend
suggested the same thing.
hang by a hair/thread
- to be in an uncertain position and depend on something not substantial
The results of the election are still undecided and are hanging by a hair.
hanging over (someone's) head
- to be worrying someone and be something that you will eventually have to deal with
The court case has been hanging over my friend's head for many months.
have a big head
- to think that you are better than everyone else, to be conceited
My friend has a big head now that he has won the speech contest at university.
have a brainstorm
- to suddenly have a very good idea
I had a brainstorm last night and I now have some very good ideas for next year's
party.
have a brainwave
- to have a sudden clever idea
Last night I had a brainwave and had some great ideas about what to do at my job.
have a clean/clear conscience (about someone or something)
- to be free of guilt about someone or something
I have a clear conscience about what happened to my father's car in the accident.
have a closed mind (about something)
- to be unwilling to change one's ideas or opinions about something
My aunt has a closed mind and she is not flexible about most things.
have a good head for (something)
- to have the mental ability for something, to find it easy to learn something
My uncle has a good head for numbers.
have a good head on one's shoulders
- to be sensible and intelligent
The supermarket manager has a good head on his shoulders and he should be able to
solve the problem.
have a good mind to (do something)
- to be tempted to do something, to be almost ready to do something
I have a good mind to go and tell my boss that I am planning to look for another job.
have a head start
- to have an advantage when you start doing something or going somewhere
The boy had a head start and he easily won the race.
have a lot on one's mind
- to have many things to worry about
I have a lot on my mind with my new job and new apartment.
have a mind like a steel trap
- to have a very sharp and quick mind
The man has a mind like a steel trap and he never forgets a thing.
have a mind of its own
- a machine/vehicle does not do what you want it to do
Sometimes my car seems to have a mind of its own and it will not do anything that I
want.
have a mind of one's own
- someone does/thinks what they want to do/think instead of doing/thinking what they
are told
The little boy has a mind of his own and he always wants to do what he wants.
have a notion to do (something)
- to have a desire to do something
I have a notion to go to the beach for my holidays.
have a one-track mind
- to have a mind that thinks only about one thing
The boy has a one-track mind and he only thinks about car racing.
have a price on one's head
- to be wanted by the authorities who have offered money for your capture
The criminal has a price on his head and should soon be captured by the police.
have a stroke
- to suddenly become (partially or totally) paralyzed because of an interruption in the

blood supply to the brain
The truck driver had a stroke just before the accident on the highway.
have an open mind about (something)
- to be flexible and willing to listen to other people's opinions and change your own
ideas
I usually have an open mind and I am willing to listen to what other people say about
something.
have bats in one's belfry
- to be slightly crazy
The woman has bats in her belfry. She is a little crazy.
have egg on one's face
- to become embarrassed because of something that is obvious to everyone or after

you make a mistake
I had egg on my face after I learned that I had suggested the wrong day for the
wedding.
have half a mind to do (something)
- to have almost decided to do something
I have half a mind to take my new television set back to the store because I do not like
it.
have keen wits
- to have the ability to think quickly
The man has keen wits and he can make smart decisions very fast.
have one's head in the clouds
- to be unaware of what is going on
The store clerk usually has his head in the clouds and makes many mistakes.
have one's head screwed on right/straight
- to be sensible and make good decisions
The woman has her head screwed on right. She always makes good decisions.
have rocks in one`s head
- to be stupid/silly/crazy, to not have good judgement
My friend must have rocks in his head if he thinks that I am going to lend him more
money.
have second thoughts about (someone or something)
- to have doubts about someone or something
We are beginning to have second thoughts about going camping on our holiday.
have (someone or something) on one's mind
- to be thinking a lot about someone or something
My friend has many school problems on his mind.
have (something) hanging over one's head
- to have something bothering or worrying you, to have a deadline to worry about
I have had the final essay hanging over my head for many weeks now.
have (something) in mind
- to be thinking of something in particular, to have an idea in your mind
"What do you have in mind for the meeting next week?"
have (something) on the brain
- to be obsessed with something, to never stop thinking or talking about something
The boy has cars and trucks on the brain and he does not think of anything else.
have the presence of mind to (do something)
- to have the calmness and ability to act sensibly in a difficult situation
The farmer had the presence of mind to close the barn door after the fire started.
have the wits to do (something)
- to have the intelligence or understanding to do something
The man had the wits to quickly phone the police when he saw the accident.
- to be superior to someone or something
The new principal is head and shoulders above those who have come before.
a head case
- to be crazy
The apartment manager is a head case. She is crazy.
head is buzzing
- to be thinking of something or many things at the same time
My head was buzzing after I left the meeting last night.
head-on
- with the head or front pointing at something, with the front facing something
There was a head-on car crash last night near our house.
head over heels
- upside down, head first
The little boy fell head over heels down the steep hill.
head over heels in debt
- to be deeply in debt
My cousin has been head over heels in debt for many years.
head over heels in love with (someone)
- to be very much in love with someone
The young man is head over heels in love with the girl in his swimming club.
head shrinker
- psychiatrist
When I was a child my next door neighbor was a head shrinker.
Heads up!
- Raise your head and be careful about some nearby danger!
"Heads up," the construction worker yelled at the other worker.
heads will roll
- serious trouble is coming, someone will lose his or her job
Heads will roll if we do not make some progress in fixing the accounting problem.
headhunt
- to search for qualified individuals to fill certain positions
The company is now headhunting in order to find a new president.
hide one's face in shame
- to cover one's face because of shame or embarrassment
The manager of the company hid his face in shame when he was fired for stealing
company money.
hide one`s head in the sand
- to ignore a problem or hide from some obvious danger, to refuse to see or face
something
The man likes to hide his head in the sand and he never wants to deal with any
problem.
hold one's head up
- to keep or display one's dignity
The accounting manager was totally honest during the investigation into the scandal
and when it was over he was able to hold his head up and be proud of himself.
in a positive frame of mind
- to be happy and in a good mood
Our teacher has been in a positive frame of mind this week.
in one`s hair
- to be bothering someone, to be always annoying someone
My sister's small son is always in her hair when she is making dinner.
in one's mind's eye
- in one's mind
In my mind's eye I cannot imagine what happened to my friend in the accident.
in one's right mind
- to be sane, to be sensible
The man who hit the dog was not in his right mind.
in over one's head
- to be having more difficulties than one can manage
The electrician seems to be in over his head and he does not know how to fix the
electrical problem.
in the face of (something)
- in spite of the fact that there may be problems/difficulty/danger
In the face of many problems, my cousin was still able to raise wonderful children.
in two minds about (something)
- to be undecided about something
I am in two minds about going to a movie tonight.
keep a cool head
- to keep calm in a difficult and stressful situation
The bank manager kept a cool head during the bank robbery.
keep a straight face
- to not smile or laugh
It was hard to keep a straight face during the comedy movie.
keep an open mind about (something)
- to be flexible and willing to listen to other people's opinions and change your own
ideas
I tried to keep an open mind and was willing to listen to what others said about the
problem.
keep one`s chin up
- to be brave, to be determined, to face trouble with courage
My brother is trying to keep his chin up even though he has no job.
keep one`s head
- to stay calm when there is trouble or danger
Everyone tried to keep their head during the fire at the hotel.
keep one's head above water
- to keep out of difficult financial problems, to stay out of trouble
My brother has been having a hard time keeping his head above water since he lost
his job.
keep one's head down
- to quietly do your work without causing any problems and causing other people to
notice you
I knew that there was a problem at work so I kept my head down all morning.
keep one's wits about one
- to keep one's mind operating clearly in a time of stress
Firefighters must always keep their wits about them when they are fighting a large
fire.
keep (someone or something) in mind
- to remember and think about someone or something
I tried to keep my cousin in mind when I was inviting people to the dinner party.
keep (someone) out of one's hair
- to keep someone from annoying or bothering you
We tried hard to keep the little boy out of our hair while we were preparing for the
wedding.
knit one's brow
- to wrinkle one's brow (by frowning)
The ticket agent knit his brow when I began to ask questions about the airline routes.
knock some heads together
- to scold some people to get them to do what they are supposed to be doing
The principal felt that it was time to knock some heads together and begin to get
things done in the school.
knock (someone's) block off
- to strike someone hard in the head
The young boy said that he was going to knock his friend's block off.
know one's own mind
- to be very sure of what one's opinions are and what you want to do
My friend knows his own mind and it is difficult to convince him that he is wrong.
last thing on (someone's) mind
- the last thing that someone is thinking about
Going to a movie was the last thing on my mind yesterday evening.
laugh one's head off
- to laugh a lot and for a long time
I laughed my head off during the movie.
let one`s hair down
- to act freely and naturally, to relax
We were able to let our hair down at the party and have a good time.
a long face
- a sad or disappointed look
The man had a long face after he was fired from his job.
lose face
- to be embarrassed or ashamed by an error or failure, to lose self-respect
The manager lost face when the person who she hired was a terrible worker.
lose one's head over (someone or something)
- to become confused or obsessed over something
The woman lost her head during the investigation into the company problems.
lose one's marbles/mind
- to go crazy, to go out of one's mind
I think that the man next door is beginning to lose his marbles.
lose one's train of thought
- to forget what one was talking about or thinking about
I lost my train of thought during my meeting with my boss.
make a face (at someone)
- to twist one's face into a strange expression in order to show dislike etc.
The boy made a face at the girl in the hall.
make chin music
- to talk, to chatter
The two old friends spent the morning making chin music.
make heads or tails (out) of (something)
- to find meaning in something, to understand something
I was unable to make heads or tails out of our company's plans to restructure our
department.
make (someone's) hair curl
- to surprise or shock someone (used for a story or experience)
The horror movie made my hair curl.
make (someone's) hair stand on end
- to cause someone to become frightened
The movie made my hair stand on end.
make (someone's) head spin/swim
- to confuse or overwhelm someone, to make someone dizzy
The speed of the day's events made my head spin.
make up one`s mind
- to choose what to do, to decide something
I have not been able to make up my mind about going to the party or not.
meeting of minds
- complete agreement
We were able to achieve a meeting of minds at the meeting and everybody was happy.
mind goes blank
- to be suddenly unable to remember something
My mind went blank when I tried to remember the woman's name.
mind is buzzing
- to be thinking of something or many things at the same time
My mind was buzzing after I left the theater last night.
mind is in the gutter
- someone is thinking or talking about a subject that offends and shocks people
The man's mind is often in the gutter and I do not like to talk to him.
mind is on (something)
- someone is thinking about and giving attention to something
My mind has been on my summer holidays all week.
mind over matter
- if you really want to you can do something that is very difficult or even impossible
"It is mind over matter. If you really want to succeed with your project you will be
able to do it."
mind-boggling
- overwhelming, startling
The choices of evening classes at the university are mind-boggling.
mind-numbing
- to be extremely boring
The speech was so boring that it was mind-numbing.
(something)-minded
- to be thinking about something, to focus on something
The girl is very sports-minded and she loves to participate in any kind of sport that
she can.
narrow-minded
- to be unwilling to accept or understand new ideas
My uncle is very narrow-minded and he is not flexible at all about anything.
need one's head examined
- to make remarks or do actions that are wrong or stupid
My teacher needs her head examined. It will be impossible to finish the project before
Monday.
need (something) like a hole in the head
- to not need something at all
My friend needs a new stereo system like he needs a hole in the head.
neither hide nor hair (of someone or something)
- no sign or indication of someone or something
I have seen neither hide nor hair of the girl in my geography class.
nobody in his/her right mind would do (something)
- it would be very stupid or unreasonable to do something
Nobody in his right mind would drive his car when the roads are so terrible.
no-brainer
- to be easy to do or understand and not need much intelligence
It is a no-brainer that if you do not study then your marks will not be good.
not beyond the wit of (someone)
- to not be too difficult for someone to do
It would not be beyond the wit of my cousin to enter the best school in the country.
not just a pretty face
- to be intelligent and capable and not just good-looking or pretty
The woman is not just a pretty face. She is very smart.
not show one's face
- to not appear somewhere
The hero of the movie did not show his face for most of the movie.
of one mind
- to have the same opinion about something, to agree on something with someone else
The finance committee was of one mind when they made this year's budget.
of the same mind
- to have the same opinion about something, to agree on something with someone else
I was of the same mind as my friend when we made our decision about our holiday.
of two minds
- to be unable to decide what to do or what you think about something
I am of two minds about going to the movie tonight. I am very busy but I also want to
see the movie very much.
off the top of one`s head
- without thinking about something very much
I was unable to remember the name of the restaurant off the top of my head.
on one's mind
- occupying one's thoughts, currently being thought about
Recently I have had many things on my mind.
on/upon (someone`s) head
- on one's own self
The little boy brought the anger of his parent's upon his head.
on the face of it
- on the surface of an issue or a problem
On the face of it, it is very easy to see who caused the problem with our schedules.
out of one`s hair
- to get rid of an annoying person or thing
My sister is trying to get her daughter out of her hair.
out of one's mind/head/senses
- to be crazy/irrational/silly
The woman is out of her mind and she is always doing something crazy.
out of sight, out of mind.
- if you do not see something then you will not think about it
The chocolates were out of sight, out of mind and nobody thought about them.
out of the mouths of babes
- something that a child says shows that they understand more about a situation than
you thought that they did
The statement was right out of the mouths of babes. The little boy knew everything
that was going on.
over one`s head
- to be/go beyond one's ability to understand, to be too difficult
The mathematics lectures went over my head during the first few weeks.
pass through (someone's) mind
- to occur to someone, to think about something briefly
The idea passed through my mind briefly but then it was gone.
pay (someone or something) no mind
- to ignore someone or something
I was told by the policeman to pay the traffic lights no mind while the accident was
being cleaned up.
per head
- for one person, for one individual (used for counting people or animals like cattle)
The tickets cost only a small amount of money per head.
pick the brains of (someone)
- to talk to someone in order to get some information about something
We picked the brains of the official who was sent to talk about the pollution problem.
pit one's wits against (someone)
- to challenge someone over something to see who wins
The best students in our school decided to pit their wits against the best students in the
city.
pull one's hair out
- to be angry/upset/worried about something
My friend began to pull her hair out when she discovered that she had no nice clothes
for the party.
put hair on one's chest
- to be good for someone (something that you eat or drink)
I told my friend that vegetable juice will put hair on his chest.
put ideas into (someone's) head
- to suggest something to someone
The girl's best friend is always putting ideas into her head.
put on a brave face
- to try to appear happy or satisified even though you are faced with serious problems
The man put on a brave face after he was fired from his job.
put one's face on
- to put make-up on one's face
The woman spent a long time putting her face on.
put one's head in a noose
- to say or do something that could harm you or your image
The man put his head in a noose when he became angry and criticized his boss at the
meeting.
put one's head in the lion's mouth
- to put oneself in a dangerous or difficult situation
I put my head in the lion's mouth when I went to the meeting with my boss.
put one's head on the block for (someone or something)
- to take great risks or to go to a lot of trouble for someone or something
I love my boss and I would be happy to put my head on the block for her.
put one's heads together
- to discuss/talk about something with someone or a group of people and try to solve a
problem
We put our heads together with the other members of the department to try and find a
solution to the problem.
put one's mind to (something)
- to give one's complete attention to something
I put my mind to making the party as successful as possible.
put (someone or something) out of one's head/mind
- to try to forget someone or something
I was forced to put my holidays out of my head when we had the emergency problems
at our company.
rack one`s brain
- to try one's best to think about something, to make a great mental effort
I racked my brain for over an hour to try and decide what to do about the new
computer.
raise a hand against (someone or something)
- to threaten to strike someone or something
The teacher never raises a hand against her students.
raise its (ugly) head
- a problem or bad situation appears or happens after not happening for a period of
time
The problem between the two managers raised its ugly head again after many months
of calm.
raise one's voice to (someone)
- to speak loudly or shout at someone in anger
The child was told not to raise his voice to his parents.
read (someone's) mind
- to guess what someone is thinking (as if one has special powers to see someone's
thoughts)
The girl told her boyfriend that she cannot read his mind and that he must tell her
what he wants.
rear its ugly head
- to appear after being hidden (usually something unpleasant)
The problem between the two sisters rears its ugly head at the beginning of every
year.
red in the face
- embarrassed
The clerk was red in the face after she heard the comment by the customer.
save face
- to save one's good reputation or dignity when something has happened to hurt him
or her
The government was unable to save face after they failed to deal with the crisis
properly.
say (something) right to (someone's) face
- to say something unpleasant or important directly to someone
I said that the man was not telling the truth right to his face.
scratch one's head
- to be confused or perplexed
I was left scratching my head after the speech by our department manager.
scream one's head off
- to scream a lot and for a long time
The girl screamed her head off after the accident.
should have one's head examined
- to behave as if you are mentally ill or crazy
My sister is crazy to buy that car. She should have her head examined.
show one's face
- to appear
I do not think that my friend will show his face tonight.
shut one's face/trap
- to be quiet, to shut up
"Please sit down and shut your trap."
sixth sense
- the ability to know or feel things that are beyond the five basic senses of
sight/hearing/smell/taste/touch
The woman has a sixth sense and she knows everything that is happening around her.
a slap in the face
- an insult
The terrible candidate who won the city election was a slap in the face to the voters.
slip one's mind
- to forget something
It slipped my mind that I need to phone my dentist soon.
slow-witted
- to be not very smart
The girl is slow-witted and she has trouble doing simple things.
speak one's mind
- to say frankly what one thinks about something
My father plans to speak his mind at the school meeting this evening.
split hairs
- to find and argue about small and unimportant differences
My boss always splits hairs when I talk to him about something important.
stand head and shoulders above (the rest/someone/something)
- to be much better than anyone or everything else in the same group
Our new principal stands head and shoulders above the one who we had before.
stand on one's head (to do something)
- to make a great effort to do something
I did everything but stand on my head to help my friend get a job.
stand (something) on its head
- to show that an idea or argument is wrong and means the opposite of what it first
seemed to mean, to change the way that people think about something
We stood the argument on its head with our intelligent argument against it.
stare (someone) in the face
- to be very likely to happen, to be clear and easy to recognize
Defeat was staring the runner in the face right from the beginning of the race.
stick in (someone's) mind
- to not forget something
The date of my friend's wedding stuck in my mind for many years.
stick one's head in a noose
- to say or do something that could harm you or your image
I stuck my head in a noose when I mentioned that I wanted to find another job.
stuff one's face
- to eat a lot in a short time
I stuffed my face in the restaurant last night.
swelled head
- a feeling that one is very important or more important than one really is
My sister has had a swelled head since she got her new job.
take it into one's head to do (something)
- to decide to do something that does not seem sensible to others
The young woman took it into her head to go to China and she did.
take it on the chin
- to be badly beaten or hurt, to get into trouble
My friend took it on the chin when he fought with the man at the store.
take leave of one's senses
- to become irrational/crazy
I believe that the woman in the store is beginning to take leave of her senses.
take one's mind off (something)
- to stop from worrying or thinking about a problem
I went to a movie to take my mind off my problems at work.
take (something) at face value
- to accept something as the truth and with no hidden meaning
I was forced to take what my boss said at face value.
take (something) on the chin
- to experience and endure a blow or hardship
The man is able to take things on the chin and quickly move on with his life when he
has a problem.
talk (someone's) head off
- to speak too much
The woman beside me in the bus talked my head off during our journey.
I talked until I was blue in the face but my friend would still not change his mind.
tear one's hair out
- to be anxious/frustrated/angry
The mother was tearing her hair out as she waited for her daughter to return home.
tell (someone) to his or her face
- to tell something to someone directly
I told my friend to her face that I did not like her constant complaining.
thin on top
- bald or balding
My uncle is a little thin on top but he is very handsome.
throw (something) back in (someone's) face
- to use something that someone has said previously to harm or upset him or her
I immediately threw the question back in the lawyer's face.
to (someone's) mind
- in someone's opinion
"To my mind I believe that both opinions are valid."
tongue in cheek
- jokingly, insincerely, mockingly, not really meaning something
The remark was made tongue in cheek and the man did not mean it.
touched (in the head)
- to be crazy
My neighbor is touched in the head. He is really crazy.
trouble one's head about (someone or something)
- to worry about someone or something
"Please do not trouble your head about the arrangements for the party. I will do
everything."
turn (someone's) head
- to distract someone, to make someone notice you
The woman's beautiful dress turned everybody's head. It was beautiful.
turn (something) on its head
- to show that an idea or argument is wrong and means the opposite of what it first
seemed to mean, to change the way that people think about a subject
The lawyer was able to easily turn the argument on its head.
turn (something) over in one's mind
- to think about something continuously
I could not sleep last night because I was turning my situation at work over in my
mind.
turn the other cheek
- to ignore someone's abuse or insult, to not hit back when someone hits you
The children were told that they should turn the other cheek when they were attacked
by someone.
up to one's chin in (something)
- to be very busy with something, to be working hard at something, to have

much/many of something
The woman is up to her chin in work and has no free time.
use one`s head/noggin/noodle
- to use one's brain or mind, to use one's own common sense
Sometimes I think that the manager of the video store never uses her head when I ask
her a question.
wag one's chin
- to chat with someone
I stopped at the coffee shop to wag my chin with an old friend.
weigh on (someone's) mind
- to be in someone's thoughts, to be bothering someone
The decision about selling my car or not was weighing on my mind.
within a whisker of (doing something)
- almost do something
I came within a whisker of quitting my job but I decided to continue working there.
written all over (someone's) face
- to be shown clearly what someone is thinking/feeling or if they are guilty by the

look on his or her face
The fact that the little boy took the cookies was written all over his face.
Heart Idioms
Heart
aching heart
- a feeling of sadness that one has when love has been lost or has faded
The young woman spent the weekend alone with her aching heart.
after one`s own heart
- to be well-liked for agreeing with one`s own feelings/interests/ideas
My new boss loves to go fishing. He is a man after my own heart.
at heart
- basically, essentially, what one really is rather than what one seems to be
The man seems to be angry all the time but actually he is a very gentle person at heart.
bleeding heart
- someone who feels too much sympathy for people such as poor people or criminals
etc.
The man is a bleeding heart and he is always asked by other people for money to help
others.
break (someone`s) heart
- to make someone feel sad or hopeless (usually from love or a similar loss)
It broke my heart to see the boy who had just lost his dog.
close/near to (someone's) heart
- an idea or something that is important to you and that you care about
The plan to improve the downtown area was very close to the mayor's heart.
cross one`s heart and hope to die
- to say or promise that what you have said is true (often used by children)
"I promise that I will meet you tomorrow. Cross my heart and hope to die."
die of a broken heart
- to die of emotional distress, to suffer from emotional distress (from a failed

romance)
The man almost died of a broken heart several times when he was a teenager.
do (someone's) heart good
- to make someone feel good, to make someone healthy
It does one's heart good to get a reasonable amount of exercise every day.
do (something) in a heartbeat
- to do something almost immediately if you have the chance
I would change jobs in a heartbeat if I had the chance.
eat one`s heart out
- to suffer from excessive longing or envy
"You can eat your heart out but I will not give you a piece of this chocolate cake."
find it in one's heart to (do something)
- to have the courage or compassion to do something
I could not find it in my heart to tell the young woman that she could not continue to
work at the company.
follow one's heart
- to act according to one's feelings
The boy followed his heart and decided to study music at school.
from the bottom of one`s heart
- with great feeling, sincerely
My sister thanked the man from the bottom of her heart for saving her dog`s life.
from the heart
- sincerely, honestly
The speech by the politician was right from the heart.
get to the heart of (something)
- to understand the most important/essential thing about something
It took a long time but we finally got to the heart of the problem with the new
computer.
go (somewhere) in a heartbeat
- to go somewhere almost immediately if you have the chance
I would go camping in the mountains in a heartbeat if I had the chance.
have a big heart
- to be very kind/generous/helpful
The man has a big heart and he will always try to help other people.
have a change of heart
- to change the way one feels/thinks about something
I had a change of heart and I decided to go to the movie with my friend.
have a heart
- to be a generous and forgiving person
I wish that our boss would have a heart and try to help other people.
Have a heart!
- Don't be unkind or do something mean or cruel!
"Have a heart," I told my supervisor when he said that I must work during the
weekend.
have a heart of gold
- to be kind/generous/friendly
My grandmother has a heart of gold and she is always willing to help a stranger.
have a heart of stone
- to be cold and unfriendly
The man who murdered his wife and children has a heart of stone.
have a heart-to-heart talk with (someone)
- to have a sincere and intimate talk with someone
I had a heart-to-heart talk with my girlfriend last evening.
have a soft spot in one's heart (for someone or something)
- to be fond of someone or something
My grandfather always had a soft spot in his heart for his youngest daughter.
have one`s heart set on (something)
- to want something very much
The little boy has his heart set on getting a dog for his birthday.
heart and soul
- the core or total person
The girl loved her boyfriend heart and soul.
heart bleeds for (someone)
- to feel sympathy for someone
My heart bleeds for the family who lost their father in the accident.
heart goes out to (someone)
- to feel great sympathy for someone
My heart goes out to the victims of the recent hurricane.
heart is dead set against (something)
- to be totally against something
My mother's heart is dead set against my plan to go to art school.
heart is in one's mouth
- to feel very nervous or frightened or have strong emotions about something
My heart was in my mouth when I saw the little boy standing on the ladder.
heart is in the right place
- to be kindhearted/sympathetic, to have good intentions (even if the results may be

bad)
Although the girl makes a lot of mistakes her heart is in the right place.
heart is not in (something)
- to not really want to do what you are doing
The boy's heart was not in the swimming club so he quit the team.
heart is set against (something)
- to be totally against something
Our principal is set against expanding the music program in our school.
heart is set on (something)
- to want something very much
The little boy's heart is set on getting a dog for his birthday.
heart misses/skips a beat
- to be startled or excited from surprise/joy/fright
My heart skipped a beat when I heard my name on television.
heart stands still
- to be very frightened or worried about something
My heart stood still when the truck on the highway almost hit our car.
heart to heart
- candid, intimate
Our conversation was heart to heart and we both felt very good afterwords.
heartbeat away from (something)
- to be the next person to take over someone's position if they die
The young prince is a heartbeat away from becoming the next king of his country.
heavy heart
- a feeling of being weighed down with sorrow, a sad feeling
We left the meeting with a heavy heart when we heard that our boss would soon leave
the company because of illness.
in one's heart of hearts
- to know something is true although you may not want to admit it or believe it
In my heart of hearts I knew that I would soon have to change jobs although I did not
want to.
know (something) by heart
- to know something perfectly, to have memorized something
The little boy knows many stories by heart.
learn (something) by heart
- to memorize something
The children were forced to learn the poem by heart.
lose heart
- to feel discouraged because of failure, to lose the hope of success
I tried not to lose heart even though I had failed my driver`s exam for the second time.
not have the heart to do (something)
- to be unwilling to say or do something that may hurt or upset others
I did not have the heart to tell the woman that soon she may lose her job.
open one`s heart to (someone)
- to talk about one`s feelings honestly, to confide in someone
The woman suddenly opened her heart to me when I began talking to her on the bus.
pour one's heart out (to someone)
- to tell all of one's hopes/fears/feelings to someone
My friend poured her heart out to me when we went to the coffee shop last evening.
search one`s heart/soul
- to study one`s reasons and acts, to try to discover if one has been fair and honest
about something
I searched my soul to try and discover why my girlfriend had left me.
set one's heart against (something)
- to turn against something, to become totally against something
From the beginning my friend set his heart against my proposal for having a birthday
party for our teacher.
set one's heart on (something)
- to select something as one's goal
The young runner set his heart on winning the marathon.
sick at heart
- very sad or upset about something
The woman was sick at heart over the illness of her cat.
strike at the heart of (something)
- to do something that damages or destroys the basic idea or way of doing something
that is very important to someone or to a group
The decision to change the zoning laws struck at the heart of the citizen's ideas of how
they wanted to live.
take heart
- to be encouraged, to be brave
The father took heart in the fact that his son was still going to university even though
he was failing most of his courses.
take (something) to heart
- to be strongly affected by something that someone says to you so you take it

seriously or are upset by it
I did not expect my friend to take my criticism to heart when I complained that he was
always late.
to one's heart's content
- as much as one wants
The little boy was able to play in the water to his heart's content.
tug at (someone's) heartstrings
- to make someone feel very sad or feel great sympathy for someone else
Seeing the young boy and his little dog tugged at my heartstrings.
warm the cockles of (someone's) heart
- to make someone feel warm and happy
The beautiful ending of the movie warmed the cockles of my heart.
way to (someone's) heart
- the best way to please someone or make them like you
The way to my grandfather's heart was through his stomach as he always liked good
food.
wear one`s heart on one`s sleeve
- to show one`s feelings openly
The man wore his heart on his sleeve when he talked about his sick son.
win (someone's) heart
- to do nice things for someone to make him or her love you, something
(music/book/art) has the qualities to make you like it
The young man won the girl's heart by his kind and caring attitude toward her.
with all one`s heart (and soul)
- with all one's energy and feeling
I tried with all my heart to get my friend a job at my company.
young at heart
- to do things that usually younger people enjoy doing (usually used for an older
person)
The older couple were young at heart and they had much fun together.
Initials
Initials
AA
- Alcoholic's Anonymous - a group that helps people recover from alcohol abuse
My boss has been going to AA meetings for over a year.
AD
- Anno Domini - used to mark time that comes after the commonly accepted
beginning of the Christian era
The ancient city was founded in 125 AD.
AGM
- Annual General Meeting - the annual meeting of an organization
My sister attended the AGM of the condominium owners last night.
AI
- Artificial Intelligence - used for robots etc.
Several professors at our university have been researching AI for many years now.
AIDS
- Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome - a disease of the immune system
Recently the number of AIDS patients has been increasing rapidly in many countries.
AM
- Amplitude Modulation - a type of radio frequency
We don't listen to AM radio much because we don't like the songs that they play.
AOB
- Any Other Business - used in meetings etc.
The organizer of the meeting wrote AOB at the bottom of the meeting information
sheet.
AOK
- great, doing well
He said that he was feeling AOK even after the truck had hit him.
APB
- All Point's Bulletin - used by the police when looking for a criminal
The police put out an APB on the men who had robbed the bank.
ASAP
- As Soon As Possible
Please finish the first draft of the letter and give it to me ASAP.
AWOL
- Absent Without Leave - often used in the military
The military police were searching the area for the soldier who had gone AWOL.
BA
- Bachelor of Arts - from a university
My brother has received a BA in economics from his university.
B&B
- Bed and Breakfast - a small inn or hotel that serves breakfast
My sister wants to open a small B&B when she quits her job.
B&E
- Break and Enter - a criminal act of breaking into a house or building to steal
something
When I was going to university there was a B&E in my apartment.
BLT
- Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato - a type of sandwich
We went into the restaurant and ordered a BLT sandwich.
BO
- Body Odor - smell of sweat from the human body
The BO from the man in the elevator was very bad.
BS
- Bullshit - lies or other information that is false
We heard a lot of BS at the meeting last night which nobody believed.
BSc
- Bachelor of Science - from a university
My cousin has just received a BSc in computer science from his university.
BYOB
- Bring Your Own Bottle - used for a party or dinner where each person must bring
something to drink
I decided to have a dinner party at my house next week and told everyone that it was
BYOB.
CA
- Chartered Accountant
We went to see a CA in order to get our income tax finished on time.
CD
- Compact Disc
The price of CDs has recently begun to decrease.
CEO
- Chief Executive Officer
My uncle was the CEO of a large computer company.
CIA
- Central Intelligence Agency - US spy and security organization
The CIA was involved in the efforts to free the hostage air force pilot.
C/O
- Care Of - used when you want to send something to someone at the address of
another person
I didn't know my friend's address so I sent a letter to him C/O another friend of mine.
COD
- Cash On Delivery - used when a delivery person receives cash when they deliver
something
I decided to send away for some video cassettes and the company said that they would
send them to me COD.
CPA
- Certified Public Accountant
The woman in our accounting department has been studying for her CPA exams for
three months.
DIY
- Do-It-Yourself
I went to a DIY store and bought the materials to build a bed.
DJ
- Disc Jockey
My cousin worked in the summer as a disc jockey while he was going to university.
DNA
- Deoxyribonucleic Acid - main constituent of the chromosomes of all organisms
The large university has spent a lot of money in the study of DNA.
DUI
- Driving Under the Influence
The man was sent to jail for several months on a charge of DUI.
DVD
- Digital Video Disc
The sales of DVDs is increasing every year in most video stores.
ECG
- Electrocardiogram - an electronic test of a person's heart
My father was asked to take an ECG test by his doctor.
eg
- Exempli Gratia - the Latin which means for example
The company has hundreds of small factories around the world - eg Italy, Mexico,
Thailand and Korea.
ER
- Emergency Room - the place in a hospital which deals with emergency situations
The victims of the accident were quickly taken to the ER.
ESL
- English as a Second Language
The ESL classes at the college have been held for almost ten years now.
ESP
- Extrasensory Perception
The movie was about a small boy who had the ability of ESP.
ETA
- Estimated Time of Arrival
What will your ETA be when you return home next month?
FBI
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
The killers were found in a nationwide search by the FBI.
FM
- Frequency Modulation - a type of radio signal
The radio station that we listen to regularly is an FM station.
FYI
- For Your Information
I wrote FYI on the information bulletin and sent it to the other members of the staff.
GI
- Government Issue - stamped on US military equipment and often means US soldier
The man went to the store and bought a GI Joe doll for his son.
GMT
- Greenwich Mean Time - a place in England used as the standard for time around the
world
The rocket will be launched at 10:00 AM tomorrow GMT.
GNP
- Gross National Product - the total value of goods and services produced by a country
in one year
The GNP of the country that I visited last year has been decreasing for several years.
GP
- General Practitioner - a general doctor
I went to see a GP when I broke my leg last summer.
HIV
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus
The rate of HIV infection among drug users is very high.
HQ
- Headquarters
The HQ of the company is located in a small town in Korea.
IMF
- International Monetary Fund - an international agency that works to stabilize

currencies etc.
The IMF imposed very strict currency guidelines that many people were opposed to.
IOU
- I Owe You - a signed paper saying that you owe money to someone
I gave my friend an IOU when I bought his stereo.
IQ
- Intelligence Quotient - a measure of a person's intelligence
The IQ of the new student is very high.
JP
- Justice of the Peace
They went to a JP when they decided to get married.
KO
- Knockout
The boxer won the match in the fifth round by a KO.
LLB
- Bachelor of Laws
My brother received his LLB and will begin to practice law next week.
LP
- Long-Playing Record
I recently decided to give all of my old LPs to a charity.
LPG
- Liquid Petroleum Gas
The truck carrying LPG was in an accident on the highway last night.
MA
- Master of Arts
My cousin's wife has recently decided to study for her MA in economics.
MIA
- Missing In Action
According to some people in the United States there are still some MIA soldiers in
Vietnam.
MC
- Master of Ceremonies
My cousin was the MC for my sister's wedding.
MD
- Doctor of Medicine
She received her MD when she was 26 years old and has been practicing medicine
since then.
MP
- Member of Parliament - used in the United Kingdom and Canada etc.
There were several MPs at the restaurant where we had dinner.
MP3
- MPEG-1 audio layer 3 - a method to compress digital audio
The three students listened to their MP3 players as they worked in the computer lab.
MSc
- Master of Science
The woman has an MSc in computer science and has been able to find a job easily.
NASA
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration - the US space organization
According to a spokesperson for NASA the rocket will be launched next week.
NATO
- North Atlantic Treaty Organization
The members of NATO are gathering for an important meeting next month in
Brussels.
NB
- Nota Bene - Latin for take notice or note well
Our teacher told us to memorize the information in our text that is marked NB.
OAP
- Old Age Pensioner
At first I could not understand why I couldn't get the discount that was for OAPs only.
Later I realized it was for senior citizens.
OAU
- Organization of African Unity
The OAU is working very hard to promote free trade between its various countries.
OD
- Overdose - on drugs
The man died because of a drug OD.
OR
- Operating Room - in a hospital
Before entering the OR the doctors carefully washed their hands.
PA
- Public Address System
Every morning the children listened to the latest school information over the PA.
PC
- Politically Correct - language that is not harmful or insulting to others
The university had a very strict policy that says that all material published in the
school newspaper must be PC.
PC
- Personal Computer
The PC industry has been growing rapidly in recent years.
PE
- Physical Education
My PE class was held indoors during the winter months.
Phd
- Doctor of Philosophy
After receiving his Phd in history my friend was able to get a job at a university.
PLO
- Please Leave On - used when you want to leave something on a blackboard or

whiteboard
Although the teacher wrote PLO on the blackboard the information was erased during
the lunch break.
PM
- Post Meridiem - Latin for after noon
The meeting started at exactly 1:00 PM.
POW
- Prisoner of War
The negotiations regarding POWs continued for many years after the Vietnam war.
PR
- Public Relations
With good PR the politician was able to easily gain the support of many people.
PS
- Postscript - written at the end of a letter when you want to add some extra
information
After finishing the main part of the letter I wrote PS to include something very
important that I had forgotten.
PTA
- Parent-Teacher Association
We got home late last night after attending our son's PTA meeting.
PTO
- Please Turn Over - written on a piece of paper to tell someone to look at the other
side
I wrote PTO on the last page of my essay to make sure that the professor would look
at the last page.
RCMP
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police - Canada's national police force
The movie was about the RCMP and it took place in northern Canada.
RIP
- Requiescat In Pace (from the Latin) or Rest In Peace- used when talking about
someone who is dead and sometimes written on a gravestone
At the end of the movie RIP was written on the gravestone of the character who had
been killed.
RSVP
- Respondez S'il Vous Plait - French for please reply
The invitation said RSVP so I quickly sent off a note to say that I would be able to
attend the party.
SOB
- Son Of a Bitch - a swear word used in anger or when you want to insult someone
The man called me a SOB when I drove in front of him in the parking lot.
SOS
- international code signal of distress, call for help
The sinking ship had been sending out an SOS signal but still nobody was able to
come to their rescue.
TA
- Teaching Assistant
After leaving university he was able to get a job as a TA at the junior college.
TB
- Tuberculosis
For various reasons the number of TB cases has been increasing around the world
recently.
TBA
- To Be Announced - used when something will be announced later
I looked in the television guide to see what the 7:00 movie would be but it only said
TBA.
TGIF
- Thank Goodness (God) It's Friday
The restaurant had a large TGIF sign on the door and all drinks were half price.
TKO
- Technical Knockout
Although the boxer didn't appear to win the fight he was awarded a TKO and won the
boxing match.
TLC
- Tender Loving Care
With lots of TLC the house plants did very well under my sister's care.
TP
- Toilet Paper
I went to the store and bought several rolls of TP.
UFO
- Unidentified Flying Object
The number of UFO sightings has increased dramatically recently.
UV
- Ultraviolet - a type of light ray
We used lots of sunscreen in order to protect ourselves from UV rays.
VCR
- Video Cassette Recorder
We bought a new VCR after our old one began to have problems.
VDU
- Video Display Unit
The VDU at work was beginning to cause problems with my eyes so I went to an eye
doctor.
VHF
- Very High Frequency
The television wasn't working because of a problem with the VHF connection.
VIP
- Very Important Person
The football player was given the VIP treatment when he went to visit his hometown.
VP
- Vice-President
After serving faithfully as vice-president for many years my father was appointed to
the position of company president.
VTR
- Video Tape Recorder
The VTR in the classroom was missing because someone was using it for a meeting.
WC
- Water Closet - toilet
As soon as we entered the park we went directly to the sign that said WC.
YMCA
- Young Men's Christian Association
The English classes at the YMCA were recommended to the students last year.
YWCA
- Young Women's Christian Association
My friend stayed at the YWCA when she visited New York City last summer.
Leg & Foot Idioms
Leg & Foot
Achilles' heel (of someone or something)
- the weak part of a person/place/system/argument which can easily be attacked or

criticized
The lack of skilled workers was the Achilles' heel of the government's plans to
prepare for the Olympics.
at one`s heels
- close behind someone
The large car was at my heels during my drive into town.
back on one`s feet
- to recover from sickness or trouble, to become independent again
Our teacher was back on her feet shortly after her accident.
balls of one's feet
- the bottom of the feet just under the toes
The balls of my feet were very sore after walking around all day.
bound hand and foot
- to have one's hands and feet tied up
The bank manager was bound hand and foot by the three bank robbers.
Break a leg!
- Good luck! (an expression that is used in theater performances)
"Break a leg!" the director called to the lead actor.
bring (someone) to heel
- to make someone obey you or pay attention to you again after they have stopped
doing this
The new supervisor quickly brought her employees to heel.
bring (someone or something) to its/their knees
- to have a negative effect or destroy someone or a group of people, to defeat

someone/something
The strike by the teachers quickly brought the school to its knees.
charley horse
- a cramp in one's arm or leg from straining oneself
I got a charley horse after running this morning.
cool one`s heels
- to be forced to wait by someone in power or authority
I was forced to cool my heels in the lobby for an hour while I waited for the job
interview.
- to cost much money
My father paid an arm and a leg for his car and he loves driving it.
dead on one's feet
- very tired, worn out
I was dead on my feet when I returned from shopping all day.
dig in one's heels
- to refuse to change one's mind or course of action
The man decided to dig in his heels and refuse to accept the offer to settle the dispute.
dip one's toe in the water
- to slowly start to do something new to see if you like it or if other people will
approve of it
I am doing some volunteer work at the hospital to try and dip my toe in the water of
working in the medical field.
down-at-the-heels
- poorly dressed, looking poor
A man who looked down-at-the-heels came to the small cafe for dinner.
drag one`s feet/heels
- to act slowly or reluctantly
Our company is dragging their feet in making a decision to hire new workers.
fall head over heels
- to fall down (and maybe roll over)
The little boy fell head over heels when he fell down in the park.
fall head over heels in love (with someone)
- to fall deeply in love with someone
The young man fell head over heels in love with the girl in his English class.
feet of clay
- a hidden fault or weakness in a respected person
The new manager has feet of clay and may not last very long in his new position.
find one's feet
- to become used to a new situation or experience
I was able to easily find my feet when I started my new job.
follow in (someone's) footsteps
- to do what someone else has done (especially to do the same job as one's father or
mother)
The young man followed in his father's footsteps and decided to become an
accountant.
footloose and fancy-free
- able to do whatever you want without any obligations
The couple have no children and they are footloose and fancy-free.
from head to toe
- from the top of one's head to one's feet
I dressed warmly from head to toe before I went outside.
get a foothold (somewhere)
- to get an initial position of support, to reach a starting point
The small company was able to get a foothold in the breakfast cereal market.
get a toehold (somewhere)
- to get an initial position of support, to reach a starting point
We were able to finally get a toehold in the textbook market.
get cold feet
- to become timid or afraid to do or try something
I wanted to go to Europe with my cousin but he got cold feet and decided not to go.
get off on the wrong foot
- to make a bad start to a relationship or something else
Unfortunately my relationship with my new teacher got off on the wrong foot.
get one`s feet wet
- to begin to do something for the first time
We do not have to finish this job today but at least we can get our feet wet and start.
get one's foot in the door
- to take the first step in doing something
I hope that I can get my foot in the door and join the new company.
get one's sea legs
- to become accustomed to a ship moving at sea, to become accustomed to something

in general
After a few days at the new job I was able to get my sea legs.
get to one's feet
- to stand up
The audience got to their feet at the end of the concert.
go down on one's knees/on bended knee
- to show a lot of emotion when you are asking someone for something
I was forced to go down on my knees and ask my supervisor for some free time from
work.
go toe-to-toe with (someone)
- to try hard to beat someone in a fight/competition/argument
Our lawyer went toe-to-toe with the lawyer from the other side.
have a foot in both camps
- to have an interest in or to support each of two opposing groups of people
The new mayor has a foot in both camps of the development dispute.
have a hollow leg
- to be able to eat or drink a lot
I think that my friend has a hollow leg. He never stops eating.
have a lead foot
- to drive too fast
My friend has a lead foot and he has received many speeding tickets.
have a leg to stand on
- to have no support/excuse/evidence for something
The criminal does not have a leg to stand on in his defense of his actions.
have a leg up on (someone)
- to have an advantage in your job/education etc. because someone gives you help or
money
The boy went to summer school which should give him a leg up on the other students
in his class.
have cold feet
- to become timid or afraid to do or try something
I think that my friend has cold feet and will not go to the party with me.
have foot-in-mouth disease
- to embarrass oneself by a silly mistake
I think that my friend has foot-in-mouth disease. She is always making very stupid
statements.
have legs
- (for an idea/plan/topic) to be likely to succeed or to continue
The news story has legs. We will be talking about it for a long time.
have one foot in the grave
- to be near death
Our neighbor has one foot in the grave and I do not expect him to live past this winter.
have one's feet (planted firmly) on the ground
- to have an understanding of what can be done in a certain situation, to have sensible

ideas
The new manager seems to have his feet on the ground and should have a sensible
solution to our problems.
have two left feet
- to move in a very awkward way when you dance
The man has two left feet and he is a very bad dancer.
keep on one's toes
- to stay alert and watchful
The students were forced to keep on their toes by their new teacher.
keep one's feet (firmly) on the ground
- to remain firmly established
The man is trying hard to keep his feet firmly on the ground with his new job and new
apartment.
kick up one`s heels
- to have a good time, to celebrate
We kicked up our heels last night and had a great time at the party.
knee-high to a grasshopper
- not very tall/old (usually used for a child)
My grandfather told me many stories when I was knee-high to a grasshopper.
knock (someone) off their feet
- to surprise or shock someone so much that they do not know what to do, to
overwhelm someone
The singer's voice was so beautiful that it knocked me off my feet.
land on one's feet
- to come out of a bad situation successfully
I was able to land on my feet even though our company had recently gone bankrupt.
let the grass grow under one`s feet
- to be idle, to be lazy, to waste time
My friend is never content to let the grass grow under his feet. He is always busy.
light on one's feet
- to be able to move quickly and gracefully
The boxer is light on his feet and he wins many boxing matches.
make one's toes curl
- to make one feel uncomfortable
The story of my friend's car accident made my toes curl.
My foot!
- I do not believe it (said after someone says something that you do not believe and
you repeat the statement with the expression "My foot!")
"My foot!" the man exclaimed when he learned that he would not be able to attend the
meeting.
on bended knee
- with great humility
I went to my neighbor on bended knee to ask him if I could borrow some tools.
on foot
- by walking
We decided to go to the stadium on foot.
on one's feet
- standing up
I was on my feet for several hours yesterday.
on one`s heels
- close behind, as a constant follower or companion
The dog was on the heels of the small rabbit.
on one`s toes
- alert, ready to act
The speaker kept the audience on their toes by asking many interesting questions.
on (something's) last legs
- something is almost worn out or finished
My car is on its last legs and I will soon have to buy a new one.
on the heels of (something)
- soon after something
There was a large rain storm on the heels of the wind storm.
on tiptoe
- standing or walking on the front part of the feet
I stood on tiptoe to look into the construction site.
pay an arm and a leg (for something)
- to pay a lot of money for something
The woman paid an arm and a leg for her new coat.
play footsie (with someone)
- to attract someone's attention by touching his or her foot under the table, to flirt with
someone
The couple at the restaurant were playing footsie under the table.
pull (someone`s) leg
- to fool someone with a humorous account of something, to trick or joke with

someone
The man was pulling my leg when he said that I could not enter the movie theater
after the movie had started.
put one's best foot forward
- to try and make a good impression, to act one's best
I tried to put my best foot forward during the job interview.
put one's foot down (about something)
- to object to something strongly, to refuse to do something, to refuse to allow

something to happen
My sister finally put her foot down and stopped paying for the gas for her daughter's
car.
put one's foot in one's mouth
- to say something that is the wrong thing to say in a situation
I put my foot in my mouth and said that I did not like fish just before my friend served
me fish at the dinner party.
put one's toe in the water
- to slowly start to do something new to see if you like it or if other people will
approve of it
I plan to put my toe in the water to see if the new job is suitable for me.
regain one's feet
- to stand up again after falling, to become independent after financial difficulties
I quickly regained my feet after almost falling on the sidewalk.
set foot (somewhere)
- to go or enter somewhere
The chef has not set foot in her restaurant for several months now.
set one back on one's heels
- to surprise/shock/overwhelm someone
The announcement on the school's loudspeaker set everyone back on their heels.
shake a leg
- to go fast, to hurry
"Please try and shake a leg. We are already late for the concert."
shoe is on the other foot
- the opposite is true, places are changed
My friend always has problems at school but now the shoe is on the other foot and I
am the one who is having problems.
shoot oneself in the foot
- to make a mistake or a stupid decision that makes a situation worse
The man shot himself in the foot when he refused to work the extra hours that his boss
wanted him too.
sit at (someone's) feet
- to admire someone greatly, to be taught by someone
I would love to sit at the feet of the famous painter.
six feet under
- dead (buried six feet under the ground in a grave)
The criminal lives a bad life and if he does not change he will soon be six feet under.
stand on one's own two feet
- to be independent and self-sufficient
My sister needs to do something to make her daughter stand on her own two feet.
start off on the wrong foot
- to begin something by doing something wrong
I started off on the wrong foot and I have been unable to do my job well since.
step/tread on (someone`s) toes
- to do something that interferes with or offends someone else
I do not want to tread on my supervisor's toes because he is not in a good mood today.
stretch one's legs
- to walk around after sitting down or lying down for a period of time
The airplane passenger decided to stand up and stretch her legs.
sweep (someone) off his or her feet
- to overwhelm someone (with love etc.), to knock someone down
The woman was swept off her feet when she met the young man at the party.
tail between one`s legs
- feeling beaten or humiliated (like a frightened dog as it walks away)
The salesman was forced to leave the company with his tail between his legs after he
lied about his sales figures.
take a load off one's feet
- to sit down and relax
I sat down for awhile to take a load off my feet.
take to one's heels
- to run away
The little boys took to their heels when the older boys approached.
think on one's feet
- to think/reason/plan while one is talking or doing something
I had to think on my feet when the flood waters began to approach my house.
throw oneself at (someone's) feet
- to behave in a very humble manner
I threw myself at my friend's feet and asked for forgiveness for the problems that I
had caused.
toe the line/mark
- to follow the rules, to do what one is expected to do
The team members were forced to toe the line when the new coach arrived.
turn on one`s heel
- to turn around suddenly
The dog suddenly turned on his heel and ran away.
under (someone's) feet
- to annoy or interrupt someone when they are working
The children were under the mother's feet while she was cooking dinner.
vote with one's feet
- to express one's dissatisfaction with something by leaving or walking away
The students were voting with their feet when they began to withdraw from the
science course.
wait on (someone) hand and foot
- to serve someone in every possible way, to do everything for someone
I always wait on my sister hand and foot when she comes to visit me.
with one's tail between one's legs
- feeling beaten or humiliated like a frightened or defeated dog as it walks away
The saleswoman left the sales meeting with her tail between her legs because she did
not meet the sales target.
Legal & Law
Idioms
Legal & Law
after the fact
- after something (a crime etc.) has occurred
We were told, after the fact, that the company would not pay compensation to the fire
victims.
an act of God
- an event or accident due to natural causes for which no human is responsible and
which could not have been avoided by planning ahead (a storm, an earthquake, a
volcano etc.)
The insurance company refused to pay the money because they said that the forest fire
was an act of God.
assemble a case (against someone)
- gather the evidence needed to make a legal case against someone
The prosecution was unable to assemble a case against the man.
assume liability
- accept the responsibility for paying the cost of something
The business refused to assume liability for the dangerous products.
at arms length
- at a distance, a transaction in which each person (who is not related to you) acts in
their own self-interest
We purchased the property at arm's length and were not involved in any management
decisions.
bail (someone) out
- pay a sum of money that allows someone to get out of jail while waiting for a trial
The family of the accused criminal paid much money to bail him out.
beyond a reasonable doubt
- a legal phrase meaning that something is almost certain
The judge sent the man to jail because he believed, beyond a reasonable doubt, that he
had committed the crime.
bona fide
- "in good faith" (from Latin), without any element of dishonesty or fraud
The mediator asked the two sides in the dispute to make a bona fide effort to solve the
dispute.
a breach of promise
- the breaking of a promise which may also be a breach of contract
The couple was accused of breach of promise when they broke the contract to buy the
condominium.
a breach of the peace
- causing a disturbance, violent or disorderly behavior
The man was charged with breach of the peace when he began fighting with the store
clerk.
break the law
- fail to obey the law
The woman was forced to quit her job after it was discovered that she had broken the
law.
build a case (against someone)
- gather the evidence needed to make a legal case against someone
The legal team was working hard to build a case against the suspected car thief.
burden of proof
- the necessity to prove a disputed fact as required by the laws of evidence
The burden of proof during the trial fell on the man who had accused his employee of
theft.
(do something) by the book
- follow all the rules when you do something
Our lawyer is very good and he does everything by the book.
a case of mistaken identity
- incorrectly identify someone
The young man was arrested in a case of mistaken identity.
causing a disturbance
- an offence committed by fighting/screaming/shouting/swearing or being drunk in

public
Several of the fans were arrested for causing a disturbance after the football game.
caveat emptor
- "let the buyer beware" (from Latin), a buyer of something is responsible to examine
the goods that he or she has purchased
Caveat emptor is a good concept to remember when you are buying a used car.
to cease and desist
- a legal phrase which means to stop doing something and not start again - often used
in the form of a cease and desist order
The woman's husband was given a cease and desist order to stop bothering her.
circumstantial evidence
- indirect evidence
My court case was difficult to win as most of my evidence was circumstantial

evidence.
citizen's arrest
- an arrest which may be made by somebody without a warrant when somebody

commits a crime
The local politician tried to make a citizen's arrest of the violent beggar.
civil action
- legal action that deals with private or civil matters
The couple decided to take civil action over their complaints about their neighbor's
dog.
civil law
- the area of the law which deals with civil/private matters such as violations of
contracts (different from criminal law)
The lawyer had much experience in civil law and almost none in criminal law.
class action lawsuit
- a lawsuit on behalf of a group of persons in a similar situation or who have suffered

a similar wrong
The workers filed a class action lawsuit against the company for damage to their
health.
come by (something) honestly
- get something honestly
The woman came by a large amount of money honestly but many people wondered
where it had come from.
come clean (with someone/about something)
- be completely honest with someone or confess something to someone
The man decided to come clean with the police and he confessed everything about the
crime.
commercial law
- the area of law that governs commerce/trade/merchandising
The lawyer has specialized in commercial law since he first became a lawyer.
common law
- the law that is not written in statutes but is based on custom and court decisions of
the past (most often with its origin in the old unwritten law of England)
Through research into previous cases of common law we were able to make a
decision on how to proceed with our case.
common property
- real property owned by a group of tenants in a condominium or subdivision which

everyone has the right to use, land that is owned by the government which everyone
can use
The bicycles were common property and anyone in the apartment complex could use
them.
community property
- property belonging jointly to a married couple or acquired during their marriage
The couple decided to divide some of their community property and give it to their
children before they left to do volunteer work overseas.
comparitive negligence
- in a civil lawsuit where the fault (negligence) of the two parties is taken into account
in assessing damages
The judge determined that it was a case of comparative negligence and the landlord
and the tenant were both forced to pay damages.
conclusive evidence
- evidence that is so strong that it proves the point in question beyond reasonable
doubt
The witness offered conclusive evidence that led to the conviction of the criminal.
conditional sale
- a contract where the title to the goods being sold will not go to the purchaser until a
certain condition is fulfilled
The sale of the house was a conditional sale and I had to talk to my bank manager
before the deal was complete.
consecutive sentences
- sentences that are given to someone and which run one immediately after another
The criminal was given three consecutive sentences for the murder of the young girls.
contempt of court
- disobedience of the orders and authority of the court, disrespect for the court process
The judge ordered the man to be held in contempt of court when he was several hours
late for the trial.
crack down on (someone or something)
- enforce a rule or law more strictly
The police recently decided to crack down on speeding cars.
criminal law
- the law that is concerned with crimes by people against the state/society with the
function to punish the offender
The university law department had one of the best criminal law libraries in the
country.
dangerous offender
- a person who has been convicted of a violent or sexual crime and is a continuimg
threat to others
Several dangerous offenders escaped from the prison last week.
disorderly conduct
- disturbing the peace
The football fans were charged with disorderly conduct after the fight during the
game.
disturbing the peace
- disorderly/violent /threatening conduct, an interruption of the peace and tranquillity

of the community
Two men were arrested for disturbing the peace when they got into a fight in front of
the shopping mall.
draw up an agreement/contract
- put something into writing, prepare a written statement
I spent several hours with my lawyer trying to draw up an agreement to buy the small
business.
due process (of law)
- the rights that each individual has to be protected by the law
Although the man was accused of theft by his employer, he knew that he was entitled
to due process of law and would have no problems proving his innocence.
examination for discovery
- an oral examination that is taken under oath in which each side to a lawsuit has the
right to examine the other side's witnesses before a trial or hearing
The man spent several hours in an examination for discovery session in connection
with his case.
expert witness
- an expert or specialist whose opinions are used as evidence in a trial or hearing
The lawyer called in an expert witness to discuss the handwriting of the accused man.
extenuating circumstances
- special circumstances that explain an irregular or improper way of doing something
Because of extenuating circumstances, the man was able to avoid going to jail for
stealing the money.
false arrest
- unlawful physical detention
It was a case of false arrest when the man was arrested as a suspect in the robbery.
false pretenses
- intentionally misrepresent facts to cheat or defraud someone
The woman was acting under false pretenses when she went to the bank and asked for
a loan.
false witness
- a person who deliberately offers inaccurate evidence
The man was accused of being a false witness after he testified at the trial.
fee simple
- absolute title or ownership of real estate
The property was sold fee simple by the woman.
for cause
- reasons which the law accepts as justified
The man was fired from his job for cause after several violations of his contract.
free and clear
- own something fully with no money owed or other restrictions on the item or
property
My parents own their home free and clear.
give notice
- inform an employer, employee, landlord or tenant that a contractual agreement will

end
The woman gave notice that she will leave her job next month.
go into effect
- a law or rule becomes effective or in use
The new parking law will go into effect at midnight.
go legit
- begin a legitimate (honest) business after having been operating an illegal business
The brothers decided to go legit and get the proper licenses for their small business.
go on record
- make an official statement rather than an informal one
The mayor of the city plans to go on record as being opposed to the new convention
center.
goods and chattels
- personal property (as opposed to land and buildings)
All of the goods and chattels of the man were seized by the bank to pay for the bad
loan.
grace period
- a period of time (often about 30 days) after the due date for something
I was given a 30-day grace period in which to pay the speeding ticket.
gray area
- an area of a subject that is not clearly defined
Smoking outside of public buildings is a gray area that the smoking law does not deal
with.
grounded in fact
- based on facts
The decisions that were made during the legal discussions were grounded in fact.
grounds for (something)
- a cause or reason for legal action such as a lawsuit
The fact that the woman had lied to her employer was grounds for her being quickly
fired from the company.
have a brush with the law
- have a brief experience or encounter with the law
The man had a brush with the law when he was a teenager.
have a case (against someone)
- have lots of evidence that can be used against someone
The police do not have a case against the young woman.
(do not) have a leg to stand on
- do not have the facts to support or win an argument or a legal charge that is made
against you (usually used in the negative)
The apartment manager tried to evict the young family but he didn't have a leg to
stand on and he lost the case in court.
have a run-in with (the law/someone)
- have a bad or unpleasant encounter with the law/someone
The couple had a run-in with the law when they were on their holiday.
have (someone) dead to rights
- prove someone absolutely guilty
The police had the man dead to rights when they videotaped him stealing the car.
have (someone) in one's pocket
- have control over someone
The businessmen have the mayor of the city in their pocket.
have the right to (do something)
- have the freedom or legal right to do something
The lawyer did not have the right to ask personal questions during the trial.
a hung jury
- a jury that is divided and unable to agree on a verdict
There was a hung jury after the trial of the pop star.
implicate (someone) in (something)
- suggest that someone is involved in something
The president of the company was implicated in the scandal over the expense account.
in abeyance
- the temporary suspension of an activity or a ruling
My grandfather's estate settlement was in abeyance while the lawyers looked at his
will in more detail.
in accordance with (something)
- conforming to something
The new contract was written in accordance with the new employment law.
in arrears
- late or overdue (usually for bills and money)
My account at the department store was in arrears so the manager phoned me.
in bad faith
- insincerity, with bad or dishonest intentions, the intention to deceive someone
The manager was acting in bad faith when she refused to give the documents to the
other department.
in consideration of (something)
- after thinking about something
In consideration of the amount of time that I had spent on the case I charged a lot of
money for my services.
in/have custody of (someone or something)
- being guarded or protected by someone or some group
The police put the man in custody last night.
in debt
- owing money
The woman is in debt to the furniture store.
in dispute
- something that is in disagreement
Most parts of the agreement are not in dispute.
in effect
- a law that is necessary to obey
The new law has been in effect for three months now.
in favor of
- in agreement with
The members of the panel voted in favor of postponing the meeting.
in good faith
- with good and honest intentions
I went to the mediation session in good faith to try and resolve the dispute.
in kind
- in goods rather than in money
We were paid in kind for our time planning for the convention.
in lieu of (something)
- instead of something
In lieu of being paid for our overtime work we were given extra time off.
in perpetuity
- forever, eternally
The man was promised by the city that he would receive a discount on his water bill
in perpetuity.
in person
- personally, yourself
The man was asked to appear in the courtroom in person.
in plain English/language
- in simple and easy to understand language
The legal contract was written in plain English so that we could easily understand it.
in private
- secretly, not openly or in public
The discussion between the two judges took place in private.
in public
- openly so others can see, not secretly
The new smoking law does not permit smoking in public.
in receipt of (something)
- having received something
My lawyer was already in receipt of the documents when he phoned me.
in reference to (something)
- concerning/regarding/about something
The letter was in reference to my earlier request for legal advice.
in (someone's) name
- in someone's ownership, as someone's property
We put the property in my name so that it would be easier to get a loan on it.
in the act of (doing something)
- while doing something
The man was arrested in the act of stealing money from the cash register in the store.
in the right
- on the legal or moral side of an issue, not guilty
I believed that I was in the right so I decided to take the case to court.
in the wrong
- on the illegal or wrong side of an issue, guilty
The man was in the wrong and was easily found guilty by the court.
in trouble with the law
- due to be punished by the law
The teenager has often been in trouble with the law.
in trust of (someone)
- under the responsibility or care of someone
The money was given to the child in trust of his grandparents.
invasion of privacy
- the act of doing something so that someone loses his or her privacy
Some people think that it is an invasion of privacy when there are video cameras in
public places.
invest someone with the power or legal right to (do something)
- give someone the power or right to do something
The police were invested with the power to enforce the decision of the court.
jump bail
- fail to appear in court and therefore give up the money that you paid for bail
The criminal jumped bail and went to another city to hide.
last will and testament
- one's will (especially its latest edition) - a will is the legal term to describe what a
person wants to do with his or her property after they die
I went to a lawyer in order to write my last will and testament.
law-abiding
- obeying the law
The couple were law-abiding citizens who never had any problems with the law.
a law unto oneself
- someone who makes his or her own laws or rules
The manager was a law unto herself and thought that she could do whatever she liked.
lay down the law
- state firmly what the rules or laws are for something
We decided to lay down the law regarding time off from work without pay for our
employees.
a leading question
- a question to a witness designed to suggest or produce the reply desired by the

questioner
The lawyer asked the witness a leading question but she didn't answer it in the way
that the lawyer had expected.
legal age
- the age when a person can do things such as buy cigarettes or when they are
responsible for their actions
The young men were not of legal age and were unable to buy any cigarettes.
let (someone) go
- free someone from prison or from an arrest
The courts decided to let the man go because there was no evidence to keep him in
prison.
lodge a complaint (against someone)
- make a complaint against someone
The man decided to lodge a complaint against the company that had built the
apartment building.
a matter of record
- a fact or event that is kept officially as a legal record
It was a matter of record how much the mayor had spent on the foreign trip.
mineral rights
- the right to take minerals or money from the minerals on one's property
The farmer owned all of the mineral rights on his property.
moral turpitude
- behavior that is contrary to accepted rules of behavior
The judge accused the lawyer of moral turpitude after his questionable tactics to
defend his client.
next of kin
- someone's closest relative or relatives
The police notified the next of kin of the woman who was killed in the car accident.
null and void
- worthless, canceled
The check which was written by the company was null and void.
of one's own free will/accord
- by one's own choice
The woman signed the contract to buy the car of her own free will.
off the record
- unofficial, informal
The judge told the lawyers off the record what they could expect the lawsuit to settle
for.
offensive weapon
- any weapon capable of being used to cause physical injury or harm
The young man with the knife was charged with carrying an offensive weapon.
on condition that
- providing that
The man was not sent to prison on condition that he do volunteer work in the
community.
on probation
- serving a period of probation - probation is when a person who is guilty of a crime is

allowed to be free but is supervised by the government
The man was on probation for robbing a small store last year.
on record
- an official recorded statement or fact that everyone may know
The businessman was on record as having refused to accept any illegal money.
out on bail
- released from jail after you pay the bail bond money - the bail bond is the money
that you must pay to guarantee that you will appear in court
The man was out on bail while he was waiting for his trial.
out on parole
- out of jail but being supervised by the police
While the criminal was out on parole he was forced to meet with a social worker
every two weeks.
pay one's debt (to society)
- serve a sentence for a crime (usually in prison)
The man was forced to pay his debt to society by going to prison for three years.
a peeping Tom
- someone who looks into someone's window (usually a woman) and watches them
There were several reports of a peeping Tom near our apartment building.
penalty clause
- a section in a contract specifing an amount to be paid if the contract is not fulfilled
There is a penality clause in our apartment rental agreement if we decide to move out
early.
post mortem
- a medical examination of a body made after death to determine the cause of death
The authorities performed a post mortem on the dead man to try and determine the
cause of his death.
power of attorney
- a legal document granting authority for one person to act as another's representative
The woman was given power of attorney over her mother's business.
a preliminary hearing
- a hearing before a judge to determine if there is enough evidence to charge someone

with a crime
The man appeared at a preliminary hearing to determine the nature of the crime.
prima facie
- "at first view" (from Latin), someting is assumed to be true in the absence of
evidence to the contrary
Prima facie it appeared that the man had enough evidence to take legal action against
his employer.
privy to something
- have unique or special knowledge about something
I was not privy to the conversation regarding the new business plan so I was unable to
comment on it.
punitive damages
- extra damages awarded to someone in order to punish them and to deter others
The patient was awarded a large amount of money as punitive damages in his lawsuit
against the hospital.
- write something down, make or draw up a contract
I put my strategy for the meeting down in black and white.
quid pro quo
- "something for something" (from Latin), mutual concessions made by the parties in
a transaction
The government and the teachers gave up some of their contract demands in a quid
pro quo effort to solve their dispute.
the responsible party
- the party that is legally or morally obliged to do something or accept the blame for
something
The responsible party was forced to compensate the victims of his crimes.
run afoul of the law
- get into trouble with the law
The young man ran afoul of the law and was taken into police custody.
serve notice on (someone)
- deliver a legal announcement or document to someone
The company served notice on the union that they would be closing their factory next
year.
set (someone) free
- release someone from prison or captivity
The police set the man free when they decided that there was not enough evidence to
keep him in prison.
to show cause
- to give a reason or explanation for something
The lawyer was asked to show cause as to why the man was guilty of the crime.
to show good faith
- to demonstrate good intentions or good will
We always show good faith when we meet the opposing side in our contract
negotiations.
to sign on the dotted line
- to put your signature on a contract or other important document
We went to the lawyer's office to sign on the dotted line of the contract to start the
new business.
signed, sealed and delivered
- formally and officially sign something
The contract was signed, sealed and delivered before we went home for the evening.
to skip bail
- to fail to appear in court and therefore give up the money that you paid for bail
The amount of bail was set very high so the accused criminal would not skip bail.
small/fine print
- the part of a document or contract that may contain important information but is not
easily noticed because the print is small
It is a good idea to read the small print before you buy most products.
stand one's ground
- stand up for one's rights
I stood my ground and refused to do anything that was not honest and the right thing
to do.
the straight and narrow
- a straight and law-abiding route through life
The young man was back on the straight and narrow after his discussions with the
police officer and social worker.
to stretch the truth
- to misrepresent the truth (a little)
The witness was stretching the truth when she told the judge her excuse for the crime.
subject to (something)
- depending on something
The sale of the house is subject to our getting a report from the housing inspector.
take effect
- a law or rule becomes effective or in use
There is a new law related to Internet advertising that will soon take effect.
take the law into one's own hands
- try to administer the law on your own
The transit supervisor was taking the law into his own hands when he tried to arrest
the man.
take precedence over (someone or something)
- have the right to come before someone or something else
The protection of children and the family takes precedence over the laws regarding
evicting people from an apartment after they have a baby.
to the letter
- precisely, exactly
The lawyer always suggests that his clients follow the judge's decisions to the letter.
trumped-up
- false and exaggerated, invented by fraud or criminal deception
The business owner was arrested on trumped-up charges.
turn a blind eye to (someone or something)
- pretend not to see someone or something that may be troublesome
The police often turn a blind eye to people when they cross the street on a red light.
(to be) under a cloud (of suspicion)
- to be suspected of doing something wrong or illegal
The manager of the coffee shop was fired from her job under a cloud of suspicion.
under age
- below the legal age to do something
The boy was under age and was not able to buy any cigarettes.
under arrest
- arrested by the police before being charged with a crime
The man was placed under arrest for stealing a car.
vicarious liability
- the liability of one person through the act of another
It was a case of vicarious liability when the man was charged because of his friend's
behavior.
with impunity
- without risk of punishment
The man was able to continue to abuse his position and clients with impunity.
with no strings attached
- with no obligations attached
The man was forced to agree to the terms of the agreement with no strings attached.
Medical Idioms
Medical
at death's door
- very near death
The sales manager was at death's door after having a heart attack.
back on one's feet
- to be physically healthy again
My mother is back on her feet after being sick for two weeks.
black out
- to lose consciousness, to faint, to pass out
The football player blacked out after being hit by the other player.
break out in (something)
- to begin showing a rash or other skin disorder
I broke out in a terrible rash after eating the raw shrimp at the restaurant.
breathe one's last
- to die
The man breathed his last after a long illness.
bring (someone) around
- to restore someone to health or consciousness, to cure someone
The medical workers were able to bring the man around after the accident.
bring (someone) to
- to restore someone to consciousness from sleep/anesthesia/hypnosis/fainting
We tried hard to bring the woman to after the car accident.
catch a cold
- to get a cold
I caught a bad cold last week and had to miss three weeks of work.
catch one's death of cold
- to become very ill (with a cold/flu etc.)
The little boy was told to be careful in the rain or he would catch his death of cold.
check-up
- an examination of a patient by a doctor
I went to have my annual check-up last week.
clean bill of health
- a report or certificate that a person or animal is healthy
The doctor gave me a clean bill of health when I visited him last month.
come down with (something)
- to become sick with something, to catch something
My niece came down with a bad cold and was unable to visit me last week.
couch doctor
- a psychoanalyst who puts his patients on a couch
The man was sent to see a couch doctor because of his his problems at work.
a dose/taste of one's own medicine
- the same treatment that one gives to others (usually a negative meaning)
Our boss got a taste of his own medicine when people began to treat him badly like he
treats others.
draw blood
- to make someone bleed, to get blood from someone
The doctor decided to draw blood from the patient to check his blood sugar level.
fall ill
- to become sick or ill
The man fell ill last winter and has not recovered yet.
feel on top of the world
- to feel very healthy
I have been feeling on top of the world since I quit my job.
flare up
- to begin again suddenly (an illness or a disease)
My mother's skin problem flared up when she started to use the new laundry soap.
a flare-up
- a sudden worsening of a health condition
My father's arthritus flares up every winter.
go under the knife
- to be operated on in surgery
The woman went under the knife at the hospital last evening.
hang out one's shingle
- to give public notice of the opening of a doctor's office etc.
The doctor decided to hang out his shingle as soon as he finished medical school.
have a physical (examination)
- to get a medical check-up
Our company sent all the employees to have a physical last week.
head shrinker
- a psychiatrist
The man went to see a head shrinker after his recent problems at work.
just what the doctor ordered
- exactly what is needed or wanted
A nice hot bath was just what the doctor ordered after the long day at work.
look the picture of health
- to be in good health
My uncle looked the picture of health when I saw him last week.
on the mend
- healing, becoming better
My grandfather is on the mend after he broke his leg last week.
out cold
- to be unconscious, to be in a faint
When the patient entered the operating room he was out cold because of the
anesthesia.
over the worst
- to be recovering from an illness
My brother is over the worst since his skiing accident last month.
pull through
- to recover from a serious illness
The car accident was very bad and I do not think that the driver will pull through.
run a fever/temperature
- to have a higher than normal body temperature
The little boy is running a temperature and should stay in bed all day.
run down
- to be in poor condition
My father worked very hard last month and has become run down.
run some tests
- to do some medical tests on a patient
The doctor decided to run some tests on the patient.
splitting headache
- a severe headache
I have been suffering from a splitting headache all morning.
take a turn for the worse
- to become sicker
My aunt took a turn for the worse last week and she is still in the hospital.
take (someone's) temperature
- to measure someone's body temperature
The nurse took my temperature when I went to the hospital yesterday.
throw up
- to vomit
The woman threw up several times after eating the bad shellfish.
under the weather
- to be not feeling well
My boss has been under the weather all week and has not come to work during that
time.
Money Idioms
Money
above par
- more than average, above normal, more than the face value of a bond/stock/currency
The currency was selling above par at the small exchange shop.
almighty dollar
- money when it is viewed as more important than anything else
The man spent most of his life chasing the almighty dollar.
ante up
- to pay money, to produce a necessary amount of money
I had to ante up a lot of money to get my car fixed.
as phony as a three-dollar bill
- phony, not genuine
The man who was asking for donations for the charity was as phony as a three-dollar
bill.
- very poor
The young mother is as poor as a church mouse and she has little money to feed her
family.
as sound as a dollar
- very secure and dependable
The company president believes that his business is as sound as a dollar.
at a premium
- at a higher price than usual because of something special
The tickets for the final basketball game were selling at a premium.
at all costs
- at any expense of time/effort/money
We plan to send our child to a good school at all costs.
back on one`s feet
- to return to good financial health
My sister is back on her feet after losing her job last year.
balance the books/accounts
- to make sure that all money is accounted for by using generally accepted accounting
methods
The small business owner works very hard to balance the books of her company.
below par
- lower than average, below normal, less than the face value of a bond/stock/currency
The government bonds were selling at a price that was below par.
bet one`s bottom dollar
- to bet all that one has on something because you are sure that you will win
I would bet my bottom dollar that the accounting manager will be late again today.
- to base one`s plans on a wrong guess about the results of something
The businessman is betting on the wrong horse if he continues to support the other
candidate for mayor.
beyond one's means
- more than one can afford
The young man was living beyond his means before he got his first job.
born with a silver spoon in one`s mouth
- to be born to wealth and comfort, to be born rich
The new student in our class was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and he has
never worked in his life.
bottom dollar
- one`s last dollar
The man spent his bottom dollar on some new clothes to wear for his job interview.
bottom line
- the line in a financial statement that shows net income or loss
The bottom line in the company's financial statement was much worse than expected.
bottom line
- the final result, the main point
The bottom line was that we were unable to attend the conference because of our busy
schedule.
bottom out
- to reach the lowest point
The value of the company's stock has recently appeared to bottom out.
bread and butter
- one's income, the source of someone's food
The man's business is his bread and butter and he works very hard to make it
successful.
break even
- to have income equal to expenses
Our company was able to break even after only six months of operation.
break the bank
- to win all the money at a casino gambling table, to use all of one's money
The man broke the bank at the casino and walked away with a lot of money.
bring home the bacon
- to earn the family living, to earn a salary
I have been working hard all month bringing home the bacon for my family.
burn a hole in one`s pocket
- to stimulate someone to spend money quickly
The money was burning a hole in the man's pocket when he decided to go to the
casino.
buy off (someone)
- to give money to someone to stop them from doing their duty
The man tried to buy off the politician but he refused to agree to the plan.
buy (something) for a song
- to buy something cheaply
I was able to buy my first house for a song.
by check
- by using a check
I paid for the hotel room by check.
can take (something) to the bank
- a statement is true, something is guaranteed to be successful
I believe that we can take the new business plan to the bank.
cash-and-carry
- selling something for cash only and with no delivery
We were able to get a good price on a sofa in a cash-and-carry deal at the furniture
store.
cash in (something)
- to exchange coupons or bonds for their value in money
I cashed in a large number of my savings bonds in order to get some money to buy a
car.
cash in on (something)
- to make money from an opportunity
The former basketball player cashed in on his popularity to open a very successful
restaurant.
cash in one`s chips
- to exchange or sell something to get some money (from the chips used in a poker
game)
I decided to cash in my chips and go back to school.
cash on the barrelhead
- money paid in cash when something is bought
I gave the salesman cash on the barrelhead for the used car.
caught short
- to not have enough money when you need it
I was caught short and had to borrow some money from my father last week.
cheapskate
- a person who will not spend much money, a stingy person
My friend is a cheapskate and will not even go to a movie with me.
chicken feed
- a small amount of money
The amount of money that I paid for the used car was chicken feed.
chip in (money)
- to contribute money for something, to pay jointly for something
Everybody in our office chipped in some money to buy a wedding present for our
boss.
chisel (someone) out of (something)
- to cheat someone to get money or something
The criminal tried to chisel the small business owner out of much money.
clean up
- to make a lot of money, to make a big profit
I cleaned up at the horse races last year and I still have some of the money left.
cold hard cash
- cash/coins/bills
I paid for the stereo in cold hard cash.
control the purse strings
- to be in charge of the money in a business or a household
My sister controls the purse strings in her family.
cook the books/accounts
- to illegally change information in the accounting books in a company, to write down

false numbers in the accounting books in a company
The accountant was cooking the books for more than one year before he was caught.
cost a pretty penny
- to cost a lot of money
It is going to cost a pretty penny to get my car fixed.
My new stereo system cost an arm and a leg.
cross (someone's) palm with silver
- to give money to someone in payment for a service
We had to cross the apartment manager's palm with silver in order to rent the
apartment quickly.
cut one's losses
- to reduce one's losses of money or something else
The owners decided to sell the soccer team in order to cut their losses.
cut (someone) a check
- to write a check (usually used for a company which automatically produces a check
with a computer)
The company cut me a check to pay me for my extra work.
cut (someone) off without a penny
- to stop giving someone a regular amount of money, to leave someone no money in a

will
The wealthy businessman cut his son off without a penny when the young man
refused to work hard.
cut-rate
- a price that is lower than usual
We went to a cut-rate furniture store to buy some new furniture for our apartment.
deadbeat
- a person who never pays the money that he or she owes
Recently, the government is trying to solve the problem of deadbeat dads who do not
support their families.
a dime a dozen
- easy to get and therefore of little value
Used computers are a dime a dozen and have very little value.
dirt cheap
- extremely cheap
The land in the country was dirt cheap when we bought it.
dollar for dollar
- considering the cost
Dollar for dollar the new hotel is the best bargain in this city for tourists.
down-and-out
- having no money
My friend was down-and-out for many years before he got a job and began to make
money.
draw interest
- (for money) to earn interest while it is on deposit at a bank
We put the money into our bank account so that it would draw interest.
Dutch treat
- a situation where each person pays his or her own share of the expenses
The movie was a Dutch treat so I did not have to pay for my date.
easy money
- money that you do not need to work hard to get
I was able to make some easy money from my job during the summer.
face value
- the value or price printed on a stamp/bond/note/paper money
The face value of the stamp was very low but it was worth a lot of money.
a fast buck
- money that is earned quickly and easily (and sometimes dishonestly)
The company tried to make a fast buck on the property but actually they lost a lot of
money.
feed the kitty
- to contribute money to a special collection
Everybody had to feed the kitty in order to collect money for the party.
feel like a million dollars/bucks
- to feel wonderful, to feel well and healthy
Although I have been sick for a few weeks I feel like a million dollars today.
flat broke
- to have no money at all
I am flat broke and do not have enough money to pay my rent.
float a loan
- to get a loan, to arrange for a loan
I decided to float a loan to get some money to buy a new car.
a fool and his money are soon parted
- if a person acts unwisely with money he or she will soon lose it
A fool and his money are soon parted and when the young man got the money from
his father he soon spent it.
foot the bill
- to pay for something
My sister will foot the bill for her daughter's education if she decides to go to
university.
for a song
- at a low price, cheaply
We bought the car for a song and will use it on our holidays.
(not) for love or money
- not for anything, not for any price (usually used in the negative)
I would not want to have that man's job for love or money.
for my money
- used before you say something to show that it is your opinion
"For my money, I believe that the new company policy will not be successful."
for peanuts
- for very little money
The man had no money and was willing to work for peanuts.
fork money out (for something)
- to pay for something
I had to fork much money out to get my car fixed.
fork over (some money)
- to pay money for something
I forked over much money for the painting that is hanging on my wall.
free and clear
- (to own something) completely and without owing any money
Our neighbor owns his house free and clear.
from rags to riches
- from poverty to wealth
The man went from rags to riches with his hard work and effort.
get a run for one's money
- to receive a challenge, to receive what one deserves
The man got a run for his money when he decided to volunteer for the cleaning
project.
get along on a shoestring
- to be able to live on very little money
The woman was forced to get along on a shoestring when she was a student.
get one's money's worth
- to get everything (or even a little more) that one has paid for
We got our money's worth when we were able to spend the day at the water park.
give (someone) a blank check
- to let someone act as they want or as they think is necessary (like a check that has
the amount left blank)
The police department gave the new committee a blank check to try and solve the
homeless problem.
give (someone) a run for their money
- to give someone a challenge, to give someone what they deserve
The young candidate for the city park board gave the more experienced candidates a
run for their money during the election.
go broke
- to lose all one`s money, to become bankrupt
My uncle started a company last year but it quickly went broke.
go Dutch
- to share in the cost of a meal or some other event
We decided to go Dutch when we went to the restaurant for dinner.
go to the expense (of doing something)
- to pay the cost of doing something
I did not want to go to the expense of buying a new sofa for our apartment.
going rate
- the current rate
The going rate for used bicycles is not very much.
gravy train
- a job or some work that pays more than it is worth
The job was a gravy train and I made a lot of money when I worked there.
grease (someone`s) palm
- to pay for a special favor or for extra help, to bribe someone
We had to grease the palm of the hotel manager to get a room.
a handout
- a gift of money (usually from the government)
The bus company has received many handouts from the government.
hard up
- to not have much money
The man is always hard up for money and he often wants to borrow some.
have an itchy/itching palm
- to ask for tips or money
The hotel clerk has an itchy palm and he is always asking for money.
have one's hand in the till
- to be stealing money from a company or an organization
The clerk had her hand in the till so we decided to fire her.
have money to burn
- to have very much money, to have more money than is needed
My aunt has money to burn and she is always travelling somewhere.
have sticky fingers
- to be a thief
The new employee has sticky fingers and many things in the store have disappeared.
have the Midas touch
- to have the ability to make money easily (King Midas turned everything that he
touched into gold)
My uncle has the Midas touch and every business that he starts makes a lot of money.
(not) have two cents to rub together
My friend does not have two cents to rub together and he is usually broke.
He who pays the piper calls the tune
- the person who pays for something has control over how the money is used
He who pays the piper calls the tune and the owner of the sports team can decide who
will play on the team.
head over heels in debt
- to be deeply in debt
My cousin is head over heels in debt and has no money at all.
heads or tails
- the face of a coin or the other side of the coin
The referee threw the coin to see if it would be heads or tails.
highway robbery
- the charging of a high price for something
The amount of money that the company is charging for its services is highway
robbery.
hit pay dirt
- to make a valuable discovery, to find the dirt in which much gold is found
We hit pay dirt when we got the rights to distribute the new product.
hit the jackpot
- to make a lot of money suddenly (usually from gambling)
We hit the jackpot at the casino and came home with a lot of money.
honor (someone's) check
- to accept someone's personal check
The bank refused to honor my check for the apartment rent.
ill-gotten gains
- money acquired in a dishonest or illegal manner
The ill-gotten gains of the politician were the subject of a large government inquiry.
in clover
- in a very good financial situation
My aunt and uncle have been in clover since my uncle got his new job.
in debt
- owing money
The man is in debt and owes much money to many people.
in kind
- in goods rather than money
I paid for the work on my car in kind rather than with actual cash.
in the black
- to be profitable, to make money
Our company has been in the black since it started.
in the chips
- with much money, wealthy
My grandfather was in the chips after they discovered oil on his farm.
in the hole
- to be in debt, to owe money
I think that we are now in the hole and our business is having trouble.
in the money
- to be wealthy, to suddenly get a lot of money
I am in the money now that I won the lottery.
in the red
- to be unprofitable, to be losing money, to be in debt
The company has been in the red for several months now and will soon go bankrupt.
jack up (the price)
- to raise the price of something
The store jacked up the prices of their summer stock at the beginning of the summer.
keep books
- to keep records of money that is earned and spent
Our accountant is keeping careful books of all the transactions in the company.
- to earn enough money to maintain oneself at a minimal level of existence
The job does not pay very well but it is enough to keep the wolf from the door.
kickback
- money paid illegally for favorable treatment
The politician received several illegal kickbacks and he was forced to resign.
last of the big spenders
- a humorous way to describe someone who spends a lot of money for something
(although he or she may not want to spend it)
The man is pretending to be the last of the big spenders as he spends money on his
family.
lay away money
- to save money
I am trying hard to lay away enough money to buy a car.
lay out (money)
- to spend/pay money
I had to lay out a lot of money to get my car fixed so now I do not have much money.
layaway plan
- a plan in which one pays some money as a downpayment and then pays a little more
when one is able and the store holds the goods until the full price is paid
We bought our furniture on the layaway plan at the store.
let the buyer beware
- let the person who buys something check to see if the product is in good condition or
has no problems
Consumers of electronic products should remember the motto of "let the buyer
beware," when they buy something.
live beyond one's means
- to spend more money than you can afford
The girl is living beyond her means and will soon have some serious financial
problems.
- to live on little money
My friend has been living from hand to mouth and is now using his savings from his
previous job.
live high off the hog
- to have the best of everything, to live in great comfort
My mother and father have been living high off the hog since they won the lottery.
live within one's means
- to spend no more money than one has
I try very hard to live within my means so that I do not have any financial pressure.
loaded
- to have lots of money
My uncle is loaded and he has lots of money.
look like a million dollars
- to look very good
The woman looked like a million dollars when she went to accept the award.
lose one`s shirt
- to lose all or most of one`s money
I lost my shirt in a small business and now I have no money.
(not) made of money
- to not have a lot of money (usually used in the negative to say that you do not have
enough money for something)
My friend is not made of money and he has difficulty paying for his children's
education.
make a bundle/pile
I made a bundle on the stock market and decided to buy a house.
make a check out to (someone)
- to write a check with someone's name on it
I made a check out to the man who repaired my bathroom.
make a fast/quick buck
- to make money with little effort
The young man is very lazy and he is always trying to make a fast buck.
make a killing
- to make a large amount of money
My sister made a killing when she worked overseas in the oil industry.
make a living
- to earn enough money to live
The man works hard to make a living and support his family.
make ends meet
- to have enough money to pay one`s bills
I have been having trouble making ends meet because the rent for my apartment is
very high.
make good money
- to earn a large amount of money
My friend makes good money at his new job.
make/spend/lose money hand over fist
- to make/spend/lose money fast and in large amounts
My cousin has been making money hand over fist with her business.
money burns a hole in (someone's) pocket
- someone spends money very quickly, someone is stimulated to spend money quickly
The money was burning a hole in my pocket so I went downtown to spend it.
money doesn't grow on trees
- money is valuable and you should not waste it
Money doesn't grow on trees and it is necessary to work hard and manage it well.
money is no object
- it does not matter how much something costs
Money is no object and I plan to stay in the best hotels during my holiday.
(one's) money is on (someone)
- you think that someone will win a competition/sports event etc.
My money is on the young horse that is racing for the first time today.
money is the root of all evil
- money causes most problems/wrongdoings in life
Many people believe that money is the root of all evil and that it causes people many
problems.
money talks
- money gives one the power to get or do what he or she wants
Money talks and when I go to a restaurant with my rich uncle we always get a very
good table.
nest egg
- the money that someone has saved up
I made a nest egg when I was working and I am now able to go to school.
nickel and dime (someone)
- to charge many small amounts of money (which eventually equal a large amount of
money)
The small repairs on my car are beginning to nickel and dime me.
not for love nor money
- not for anything (no matter what the amount/price)
I will not meet with that woman for love nor money.
on a dime
- in a very small space
I had to turn my car on a dime when I entered the parking lot.
on a shoestring
- with little money to spend, on a very low budget
My cousin started his business on a shoestring but now it is very successful.
on credit
- to buy something using credit
I bought the new stereo on credit.
on sale
- for sale at a discounted price
The DVD's were on sale when I bought them.
on the house
- paid for by the owner of a business
We went to the restaurant and all of the drinks were on the house.
on the money
- exactly the right place/time/amount of something, exactly the right idea
Our supervisor's estimate of next year's budget is right on the money.
on the take
- to be accepting bribes
The agent at the border crossing seems to be on the take.
out-of-pocket expenses
- the actual amount of money that someone spends for something
My out-of-pocket expenses for the business trip were very low.
pad the bill
- to add false expenses to a bill
The plumber who was fixing our plumbing system was padding the bill so we got a
new plumber.
pass the buck
- to make another person decide something, to put the responsibility or blame on

someone else
Our supervisor always passes the buck and he will never take responsibility for what
he does.
pass the hat
- to collect money for something (sometimes by passing a hat around to put the
money into)
We passed the hat to collect some money for the party.
pay a king's ransom (for something)
- to pay a great deal for something
I had to pay a king's ransom for a ticket to the final basketball game.
pay an arm and a leg for (something)
- to pay a high price for something
I paid an arm and a leg for my car but I am not very happy with it.
pay as you go
- to pay for things as they occur (rather than on credit)
I will have to pay as I go if I go to graduate school next year.
pay in advance
- to pay for something before you get/use it
I must pay in advance for the bus company to deliver my boxes.
pay off (someone)
- to pay someone a bribe for something
The owner of the store had to pay off the gang who were threatening him.
pay off (something)
- to pay the final payment for something
I paid off my student loan after one year of work.
pay one's own way
- to pay the costs for something yourself
The young girl paid her own way through college.
pay the piper
- to face the results of one's actions, to receive punishment for something
I was forced to pay the piper when I realized that I had been late with my university
essay.
pay through the nose
- to pay a very high price, to pay too much
I paid through the nose when I had to buy gasoline in the small town.
pay up
- to pay now
I had to pay up my parking tickets or I would lose my driving license.
payoff
- a bribe
The mayor received a payoff and was forced to resign from his position.
pennies from heaven
- money that you do not expect to get
The money that I received from the government was like pennies from heaven and I
was very happy.
penny for one`s thoughts
- a request to tell someone what he or she is thinking about
"I will give you a penny for your thoughts," I said to my friend who was looking out
of the window.
a penny saved is a penny earned
- saving money by not spending it is the same as getting money from working
A penny saved is a penny earned and it is better to be thrifty sometimes than to only
work more hours.
penny-wise and pound foolish
- to be careful or thrifty in small expenditures but careless or wasteful in large ones
My friend is penny-wise and pound foolish and she economizes on small things but
wastes all of her money on big things.
pick up the tab/check
- to pay the bill for something
I picked up the tab for my sister and her three children at the restaurant.
piggy bank
- a small bank/container for saving money that is sometimes in the shape of a pig
The small boy saved much money in his piggy bank.
pinch pennies
- to be careful with money, to be thrifty
My grandmother always pinches pennies and never spends her money foolishly.
play the market
- to invest in the stock market
My father likes to play the market and he sometimes makes a lot of money.
pony up
- to pay
I had to pony up a lot of money to get my car repaired.
pour money down the drain
- to waste money
The man is pouring money down the drain by always repairing his old car.
put in one`s two cents (worth)
- to add one's comments or opinion to a discussion
I stood up in the meeting and put in my two cents worth before I was asked to sit
down.
put one's money where one's mouth is
- to stop talking about something and do it, to stop talking and make a bet on
something
I was forced to put my money where my mouth is and go to Europe or stop talking
about it.
put the bite on (someone)
- to try to get money from someone
The boy often puts the bite on his father before the weekend.
quick buck
- some money earned quickly and easily
The small company is only interested in making a quick buck and is not interested in
product quality.
quote a price
- to say in advance how much something will cost
I asked the salesman to quote a price for the new product.
rain check
- a promise to repeat an invitation at a later date
I decided to take a rain check and will go to the restaurant with my friend another
time.
raise/up the ante
- to increase your demands or the amount that you spend for something (the ante is the
amount of money each player puts on the table before starting a game of cards/poker)
The union raised the ante with the company when they said that they were going to go
on strike.
rake in the money
We have been raking in the money at our restaurant since it opened.
rake off (some money)
- to steal a portion of a payment/money
The cashiers were raking off some of the money from the store.
red cent
I would not give a red cent for my neighbor's car.
rolling in money
- to have lots of money
The man is rolling in money and he always has much money to spend.
salt away (money)
- to save money
My uncle salted away thousands of dollars before he died.
save up (for something)
- to save money in order to buy something
I am saving up for a new television set.
scrape (something) together
- to gather small amounts of money (usually with some difficulty) for something
We scraped together some money and bought a present for my mother.
scrimp and save
- to spend little money in order to save for something
The woman has been scrimping and saving to buy a new car.
see the color of (someone's) money
- to make sure that someone has enough money for something
I will not give the man the product until I see the color of his money.
set (someone) back
- to cost a certain amount of money
My friend asked me how much my new coat had set me back.
shake (someone) down
- to blackmail or extract money from someone
The gang tried to shake down the owner of the small store.
shell out (money)
- to pay money for something
My father shelled out a lot of money to get his house painted.
sitting on a goldmine
- to own something very valuable (and often not realize this)
My sister is sitting on a goldmine with her collection of antiques.
smart money is on (something)
- people who know about money or business think that something is a good idea
The smart money is on the government to introduce the new law this week.
sock away (some money)
- to save or store some money
I am trying to sock away some money for my holiday.
splurge on (something)
- to spend more money than one might ordinarily spend
We decided to splurge and go to a nice restaurant for dinner.
square accounts with (someone)
- to settle one's financial accounts with someone
I went to the small store to square accounts with the owner.
squirrel away (some money)
- to save or keep some money
I was able to squirrel away much money from my previous job.
stone broke
- to have no money, to be penniless
My friend is stone broke and will not be able to come to the movie with us.
strapped for cash
- to have little or no money available
I am strapped for cash at the moment so I will not be able to go with you on a holiday.
strike gold
- to find or do something that makes you rich
The company was able to strike gold with their new product.
strike it rich
- to suddenly become rich or successful
My grandfather struck it rich when he was young but when he died he had no money.
take a beating
- to lose much money
My friend took a beating on the stock market and has now stopped buying stocks.
take the money and run
- to accept what is offered to you before the offer is gone
I plan to take the money and run as I do not believe that I will get any more money for
the settlement of my car accident.
take up a collection
- to collect money for something
We plan to take up a collection for the wife of the dead manager.
throw good money after bad
- to waste additional money after already wasting money on something
I do not want to throw good money after bad so I will not pay any more money to fix
my car.
throw money around
- to spend a lot of money without worrying if you are wasting it
The government is throwing much money around as they prepare for the large
exhibition.
throw money at (something)
- to spend a lot of money for a project or something without thinking about how the
money should be spent
The city plans to throw a lot of money at the project to fix the stadium roof.
tidy sum of money
- a rather large amount of money
I was able to get a tidy sum of money from the sale of my business.
tighten one`s belt
- to live on less money than usual
We decided to tighten our belt and try to save up some money for a holiday.
tightfisted/closefisted (with money)
- to be very stingy with money
My uncle is very tightfisted with money and does not want to spend any at all.
time is money
- time is valuable so do not waste it
Time is money and I do not want to waste time talking to our supervisor because she
always wants to argue with me.
turn on a dime
- to turn in a very tight turn, to change directions/circumstances in a short time
The small car is very flexible and is able to turn on a dime.
two bits
- twenty-five cents, a quarter of a dollar
The newspaper cost only two bits a copy.
two cents (worth)
- one's comments or opinion
I gave my two cents worth when my supervisor asked me for my opinion.
(not) worth a cent/dime/a red cent/a plugged nickel/two cents
- to be not worth anything, to be not of any value
The antique desk is not worth a dime although everyone thinks it is very valuable.
worth its weight in gold
- to be very valuable
The new secretary is very smart and she is worth her weight in gold.
worth one`s salt
- to be worth what one is paid
Our secretary is worth her salt and is a great asset to our company.
cash Idioms
cash-and-carry
- selling something for cash only and with no delivery
We were able to get a good price on a sofa in a cash-and-carry deal at the furniture
store.
cash in (something)
- to exchange coupons or bonds for their value in money
I cashed in a large number of my savings bonds in order to get some money to buy a
car.
cash in on (something)
- to make money from an opportunity
The former basketball player cashed in on his popularity to open a very successful
restaurant.
cash in one`s chips
- to exchange or sell something to get some money (from the chips used in a poker
game)
I decided to cash in my chips and go back to school.
cash on the barrelhead
- money paid in cash when something is bought
I gave the salesman cash on the barrelhead for the used car.
cold hard cash
- cash/coins/bills
I paid for the stereo in cold hard cash.
strapped for cash
- to have little or no money available
I am strapped for cash at the moment so I will not be able to go with you on a holiday.
check Idioms
cut (someone) a check
- to write a check (usually used for a company which automatically produces a check
with a computer)
The company cut me a check to pay me for my extra work.
give (someone) a blank check
- to let someone act as they want or as they think is necessary (like a check that has
the amount left blank)
The police department gave the new committee a blank check to try and solve the
homeless problem.
honor (someone's) check
- to accept someone's personal check
The bank refused to honor my check for the apartment rent.
make a check out to (someone)
- to write a check with someone's name on it
I made a check out to the man who repaired my bathroom.
rain check
- a promise to repeat an invitation at a later date
I decided to take a rain check and will go to the restaurant with my friend another
time.
dime Idioms
a dime a dozen
- easy to get and therefore of little value
Used computers are a dime a dozen and have very little value.
nickel and dime (someone)
- to charge many small amounts of money (which eventually equal a large amount of
money)
The small repairs on my car are beginning to nickel and dime me.
on a dime
- in a very small space
I had to turn my car on a dime when I entered the parking lot.
turn on a dime
- to turn in a very tight turn, to change directions/circumstances in a short time
The small car is very flexible and is able to turn on a dime.
(not) worth a dime
dollar Idioms
almighty dollar
- money when it is viewed as more important than anything else
The man spent most of his life chasing the almighty dollar.
The man who was asking for donations for the charity was as phony as a three-dollar
bill.
as sound as a dollar
- very secure and dependable
The company president believes that his business is as sound as a dollar.
bet one`s bottom dollar
- to bet all that one has on something because you are sure that you will win
I would bet my bottom dollar that the accounting manager will be late again today.
bottom dollar
- one`s last dollar
The man spent his bottom dollar on some new clothes to wear for his job interview.
dollar for dollar
- considering the cost
Dollar for dollar the new hotel is the best bargain in this city for tourists.
feel like a million dollars/bucks
- to feel wonderful, to feel well and healthy
Although I have been sick for a few weeks I feel like a million dollars today.
- to look very good
The woman looked like a million dollars when she went to accept the award.
penny/cent Idioms
cost a pretty penny
It is going to cost a pretty penny to get my car fixed.
cut (someone) off without a penny
- to stop giving someone a regular amount of money, to leave someone no money in a

will
The wealthy businessman cut his son off without a penny when the young man
refused to work hard.
(not) have two cents to rub together
My friend does not have two cents to rub together and he is usually broke.
pennies from heaven
- money that you do not expect to get
The money that I received from the government was like pennies from heaven and I
was very happy.
penny for one`s thoughts
- a request to tell someone what he or she is thinking about
"I will give you a penny for your thoughts," I said to my friend who was looking out
of the window.
a penny saved is a penny earned
- saving money by not spending it is the same as getting money from working
A penny saved is a penny earned and it is better to be thrifty sometimes than to only
work more hours.
penny-wise and pound foolish
- to be careful or thrifty in small expenditures but careless or wasteful in large ones
My friend is penny-wise and pound foolish and she economizes on small things but
wastes all of her money on big things.
pinch pennies
- to be careful with money, to be thrifty
My grandmother always pinches pennies and never spends her money foolishly.
put in one`s two cents (worth)
- to add one's comments or opinion to a discussion
I stood up in the meeting and put in my two cents worth before I was asked to sit
down.
red cent
I would not give a red cent for my neighbor's car.
two cents (worth)
- one's comments or opinion
I gave my two cents worth when my supervisor asked me for my opinion.
(not) worth a cent/a red cent/two cents
Mouth & Teeth Idioms
Mouth & Teeth
acquire a taste for (something)
- to develop a liking for a particular food/drink/or something
Recently my friend has acquired a taste for expensive neckties.
armed to the teeth
- to be fully armed, to have many weapons
The robbers were armed to the teeth when they robbed the bank.
as scarce as hen's teeth
- very scarce or nonexistent
Cheap apartment rentals are as scarce as hen's teeth in this city.
bad-mouth (someone or something)
- to say bad things about someone or something
The football player began to bad-mouth his coach.
bigmouth
- a noisy/boastful/foolish talker
The man is a bigmouth and he is always talking about what he is planning to do.
- to try to do more than you can deal with
I am trying not to bite off more than I can chew so that I do not overwork myself.
bite one's tongue
- to try hard not to say something that you want to say
I always bite my tongue when I am talking with my sister so that I do not say the
wrong thing.
bite (someone's) head off
- to speak to someone in an angry way
My sister bit my head off when I asked her a question.
- an unpleasant fact that you must accept
It was a bitter pill to swallow but the fact is that we lost the legal case.
born with a silver spoon in one`s mouth
- to be born to wealth and comfort, to be born rich
The boy was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and he has never worked in his
life.
button one`s lip
- to stop talking, to be quiet
"Please button your lip so we can hear what the speaker is saying."
by the skin of one`s teeth
- by a narrow margin, barely
We were able to catch the train but only by the skin of our teeth.
by word of mouth
- orally, from person to person by speaking
I learned about the holiday next week by word of mouth.
cat get`s one`s tongue
- one is not willing to talk because of shyness
The cat got the woman's tongue and she was not able to say anything.
cause tongues to wag
- to give people something to gossip or talk about
The actions of our boss are causing tongues to wag.
chew (someone) out
- to scold someone
The girl began to chew her boyfriend out in the supermarket.
chew the fat/rag
- to chat or talk informally with one's friends
I stopped to chew the fat with an old friend from high school.
clam up
- to close one's mouth, to shut up
The students clammed up when they saw the teacher.
cough (something) up
- to produce something (information/money) that someone is trying to force you to

produce
We asked our friend to cough up some money for the restaurant meal.
cut one's eyeteeth on (something)
- to have much experience with something, to have done something since one was
very young
My cousin cut his eyeteeth on fixing computers and now he is an expert at it.
cut one's (own) throat
- to experience certain failure
The man cut his own throat when he suddenly quit his job.
down in the mouth
- depressed and unhappy
My friend looked down in the mouth after he finished work yesterday.
down the hatch
The cough medicine went down the hatch as soon as I gave it to my little boy.
eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth
- a system of punishment where you punish someone in the same way that they hurt
you
The citizens wanted an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth when they learned about
the child's murder.
fight (someone or something) tooth and nail
- to fight against someone or something with great energy
The citizens fought the government tooth and nail over the government plans for the
new airport.
find one's tongue
- to be able to talk
The man could not find his tongue when he was asked to speak at the banquet.
foam at the mouth
- to be very angry (a sick dog foams at the mouth)
The girl's father was so angry that he was almost foaming at the mouth.
force (something) down (someone's) throat
- to force someone to do or agree to something that he or she does not want
I wish that my friend would not force her ideas down my throat.
give one's eye teeth (to do something)
- to want to do something very much
The little boy would give his eye teeth to have a little puppy.
give (someone) a tongue-lashing
- to give someone a severe scolding
The mother gave her daughter a tongue-lashing when she got home from school.
give voice to (something)
- to speak out about something
The small organization gives voice to many of the poor people in the city.
gnash one's teeth
- to grind one's teeth
I often gnash my teeth when I am sleeping.
grit one's teeth
- to grind one's teeth together in anger or from stress or determination
I grit my teeth and began to clean up after the students' party.
guard one's tongue
- to be careful of what one says
I always have to guard my tongue when I am speaking with my friend's parents.
have a big mouth
- to be a person who gossips or tells secrets
The woman has a big mouth and can never keep a secret.
have a say/voice (in something)
- to have a part in making a decision
I want to have a say in the decision of whether or not we must begin to work in the
evenings.
have a sweet tooth
- to like to eat sweet foods
The girl has a sweet tooth and she loves chocolate.
hold one`s tongue
- to be silent, to not talk
"Please hold your tongue," the teacher said to the young boy.
keep a civil tongue
- to speak decently and politely
I tried to keep a civil tongue during my argument with the store clerk.
keep a stiff upper lip
- to be brave, to face trouble bravely
We tried to keep a stiff upper lip when the company announced that they would close
our office.
keep one`s mouth shut
- to be/stay silent
I tried hard to keep my mouth shut during the boring speech.
laugh out of the other side of one's mouth
- to change from being happy to being sad
The woman was laughing out of the other side of her mouth when she learned that she
would not be promoted.
leave a bad taste in one`s mouth
- to leave a bad feeling or memory with someone
The way that the company treated us left a bad taste in our mouth.
lick one's chops
- to show one's eagerness to do something or eat something (by licking one's lips)
The salesman began to lick his chops when he saw the potential customers at the
business convention.
lick one's lips
- to show eagerness to do something or eat something
The little boy began to lick his lips when he saw the candy in the window.
lie through one's teeth
- to lie in a bold manner
The man in the restaurant began to lie through his teeth during the criminal
investigation.
like pulling teeth
- to be very difficult to do
It was like pulling teeth to try and get the boy to lend us his bicycle.
lips are sealed
- one will not tell a secret
My lips are sealed and I will not tell anybody the secret.
- to live in poor circumstances, to have little money
The man has been living from hand to mouth for many years now.
long in the tooth
- old
The man was feeling a little long in the tooth and he did not have much energy.
loosen (someone's) tongue
- to relax someone and make them say something that they normally would not say
I went to the coffee shop with my friend where I tried to loosen his tongue.
loudmouth
- a noisy/boastful/foolish talker
My friend is a loudmouth and he is always making plans but he never does anything
with them.
lower one's voice
- to speak more softly
The teacher asked the student to lower his voice.
- to make someone want to eat or drink something that one sees or smells
The smell of the fish cooking in the restaurant made my mouth water.
melt in one`s mouth
- to taste very good, to be very tender (for meat)
The pasta served at the new restaurant melted in our mouths.
no skin off (someone's) teeth
- of no interest/concern/trouble to someone
It is no skin off my teeth whether my friend come's to the restaurant with us or not.
not open one's mouth
- to not say anything at all
The man in the movie theater was told not to open his mouth at all.
on everybody's lips
- many people are talking or thinking about the same thing
The wedding scandal with the famous actress is on everybody's lips.
on the tip of one`s tongue
- almost able to remember something that you have forgotten
My former teacher's name is on the tip of my tongue and I will soon remember it.
pay lip service to (someone or something)
- to support someone or something by words but not by actions
The politician paid lip service to the proposal to build a new subway system but he
did not really want one.
pull (someone's) tooth out
- to take someone's tooth out (usually done by a dentist)
I went to the dentist so he could pull my tooth out.
put one`s foot in one`s mouth
- to get into trouble by saying something embarrassing or rude
My colleague put his foot in his mouth when he told everyone that he did not like the
new manager.
put one's money where one's mouth is
- to stop saying that you will do something and actually do it
The man always talks about helping other people but he never does anything. We
finally told him to put his money where his mouth is and do something.
put some teeth into (something)
- to increase the power of something
The government finally put some teeth into the new law.
put the bite on (someone)
- to try to get money from someone
I plan to put the bite on my friend in order to get some money for the weekend.
put words into (someone`s) mouth
- to speak for another person without permission
My boss put words into my mouth when he told me what he thought I wanted to do.
ram (something) down (someone's) throat
- to force someone to do or agree to something that they do not want
The lawyer rammed the settlement down my throat even though I was not happy with
it.
read (someone's) lips
- to listen carefully and believe what someone is saying
The supervisor told everybody to read his lips and listen carefully to what he was
saying.
run off at the mouth
- to talk excessively
The girl is always running off at the mouth when she is with her friends.
say a mouthful
- to say something of great importance or meaning, to say a lot
The little boy said a mouthful when he talked about the history material.
set one's teeth on edge
- to be unpleasant and to give one an uncomfortable feeling
The idea that we would have to leave our apartment immediately set my teeth on
edge.
set tongues wagging
- to cause people to start gossiping
The things that the woman does during her free time always sets tongues wagging at
the office.
a sharp tongue
- a way of talking/speaking to others that is unkind/bad/critical
The woman has a sharp tongue and she says some very unkind things to others.
shoot one's mouth off
- to talk too much, to boast, to tell someone's secrets
The young man began to shoot his mouth off in the supermarket.
shove (something) down (someone`s) throat
- to force someone to do or agree to something that is not wanted
I do not like him because he is always trying to shove his ideas down my throat.
show one's teeth
- to show one's anger or strength as a warning to someone not to argue or fight with
you
Our supervisor showed his teeth when I began to argue with him about my job.
Shut your mouth!
- Please be quiet and close your mouth!
"Shut your mouth," I said to the man talking loudly in the library.
sink one`s teeth into (something)
- to have something real or solid to think about or struggle with, to take a bite from
some kind of food
I was finally able to sink my teeth into the problem and find a solution.
I sank my teeth into the apple and took a bite.
slip of the tongue
- a mistake of saying something that one did not want to say, an error of speech
I made a slip of the tongue when I told the unpopular woman that we will have a party
soon.
speak with a forked tongue
- to tell lies, to try to deceive someone
The man speaks with a forked tongue and you cannot believe what he says.
straight from the horse's mouth
- direct from a source that has authority and is dependable
I heard about the party straight from the horse's mouth.
take the words out of (someone`s) mouth
- to say what someone else was just going to say
My friend took the words out of my mouth when he said that he wanted to get
something to eat.
teething problems
- difficulties and problems experienced in the early stages of a project/activity
The project has many teething problems that we must deal with.
throw one's voice
- to project one's voice so that it appears to be coming from some other place
The performer likes to throw his voice when he entertains children.
tongue in cheek
- jokingly, insincerely, mockingly, not really meaning something
The comment by our teacher was tongue in cheek and she did not mean it.
tooth and nail
- fiercely, (fighting) as hard as possible
We fought tooth and nail to build the new wing of the hospital.
watch one's mouth/tongue
- to not say something, to not be rude
The boy was told by his teacher to watch his tongue.
zip one's lip
- to not talk, to not tell a secret
I told my friend to zip his lip and stop arguing with me.
Number Idioms
Numbers
all-in-one
- combined, all the necessary features of something in one unit
Many DVD players have a recording and playing function all-in-one.
all in one breath
- spoken rapidly while one is very excited
I told my friend about the accident all in one breath.
all in one piece
- safely, without damage
The piano arrived at its destination all in one piece.
all rolled up in one
- combined in one person or thing
The man is president and vice-president all rolled up in one.
as busy as a one-armed paperhanger
- very busy
I was as busy as a one-armed paperhanger during the last two weeks.
as one
- as if a group were one person
The crowd stood as one and began to cheer during the game.
The woman's excuses are as phony as a three-dollar bill and I do not believe any of
them.
at first
- initially, at the beginning
At first we had no plans for the weekend but finally we decided to go to a movie.
at one time
- at a time in the past
At one time the man had no money but now he is very rich.
at one with (someone)
- to share the same view as others, to be in agreement with others
The members of the committee are at one with me over my decision to cancel the
meeting.
at sixes and sevens
- in a state of confusion
The workers were at sixes and sevens after the announcement that the company was
going out of business.
at the eleventh hour
- at the last possible moment
At the eleventh hour the city and the garbage collectors settled their contract dispute.
back to square one
- back to where one started
We were forced to go back to square one in our efforts to change the name of the
company.
bat a thousand
- to be extremely successful at something
Recently, I have been batting a thousand in my attempts to sell the new product.
by the dozen
- twelve at a time, in a group of twelve
The children were eating the donuts by the dozen.
by the dozens
- many, by a large number
The fans came by the dozens to see the famous athlete.
cast the first stone
- to be the first to criticize or attack someone
I told my friend that he should be careful not to cast the first stone in an argument.
catch forty winks
- to take a nap, to get some sleep
I drove all night until I was very tired so I decided to stop and catch forty winks.
cut both/two ways
- to be capable of having two opposite effects, to produce advantages and

disadvantages
My decision to complain to our boss could cut two ways and cause him to be happy or
angry with me.
deep-six (someone or something)
- to get rid of or dispose of someone or something
I decided to deep-six some of the old comics that I had collected.
dime a dozen
- cheap and common, lots of something
Used paperback books are a dime a dozen at the used bookstore.
divide (something) fifty-fifty
- to divide something into two equal parts
We decided to divide the money that we earned fifty-fifty.
do a number on (someone or something)
- to damage or harm someone or something
The young man did a number on the car that he borrowed from his uncle.
do (someone) one better
- to do something superior to what someone else has done
I decided to do my friend one better and volunteer for three weeks rather than two
weeks.
dressed to the nines
- to be dressed in one's best clothes
The woman at the concert was dressed to the nines.
eleventh-hour decision
- a decision that is made at the last possible minute
The sport's federation made an eleventh-hour decision about suspending the star
player.
every once in a while
- occasionally, infrequently
Every once in a while I try and play tennis with my friend.
feel like a million (bucks/dollars)
- to feel great, to feel well and healthy
I feel like a million dollars today and I plan to go swimming.
(I/you/he) for one
- as one example, even if the only one
I for one do not believe that our boss will change the company policy related to new
staff.
for one thing
- for one reason (among others)
"It is not possible to use the old building. For one thing it will not pass a fire
inspection."
forty winks
- a short sleep during the day
When I arrived home I lay down and had forty winks.
get (someone's) number
- to find out someone's telephone number
I plan to get the man's number from one of his friends.
get the third degree
- to be questioned in great detail about something
When the boy returned from school he got the third degree from his mother.
Give me five!
- Hit me with your hand to show that you are happy about something.
"Give me five!" I said after I scored a goal in the game.
give (someone) the third degree
- to question someone in great detail about something
The policeman gave the young man the third degree when they saw him on the street.
give three cheers for (someone)
- to give praise or approval to someone who has done well
The crowd gave three cheers to the team after they won the final game.
go fifty-fifty (on something)
- to divide the cost of something in half
I decided to go fifty-fifty on a new camera with my friend.
have one too many
- have too much alcohol to drink
The man had one too many so his friends would not let him drive home.
have (someone's) number
- to get the key information to be able to understand someone
"I have that man's number. He is a liar and cannot be trusted."
have two strikes against (someone)
- to have a number of things that are working against you and where success becomes
more difficult (in baseball you are finished batting after three strikes)
The man already had two strikes against him when he went to apply for the job.
hole in one
- a golf ball that is hit into the hole with only one shot
The golfer got a hole in one during his first round of golf.
hundred and one
- very many
I can think of a hundred and one reasons why the new employee is not capable of
doing his job.
hundred to one chance/shot
- a small chance that is not likely to bring success
My friend only has a hundred to one shot at getting the job that he has applied for.
- ignored, not listened to or not heard
The teacher told the students about their homework but it went in one ear and out the
other.
in one fell swoop
- in one incident, as one event
In one fell swoop my friend got a new car, a new job and a new girlfriend.
in round figures/numbers
- an estimated number, a number that has been rounded off to an easier/shorter

number
The mechanic told us in round figures how much it will cost to fix our car.
My niece is in two minds about whether or not she will visit me this summer.
- very quickly
"Wait one minute. I will help you in two shakes of a lamb's tail."
it takes two to tango
- if a problem or an argument involve two people then both people are responsible for
the problem
It takes two to tango and my friend should not blame me for all of our problems.
- to achieve two aims with one effort or action
If I take the course now I may be able to kill two birds with one stone and receive
credit for it in the future as well.
know a trick or two
- to know a special way to deal with a problem
My father knows a trick or two about making model boats.
lesser of the two
- the smaller of two things, the one with the least amount
I ordered the food and when the two plates arrived I took the lesser of the two.
lesser of two evils
- the less bad thing of two bad things
I did not want to take the job but it was the lesser of two evils because having no job
was even worse.
- very close or intimate, very similar
The two girls are like two peas in a pod and are very good friends.
look after number one
- to only look after or think about oneself
My neighbor only looks after number one and he will not help me at all.
- look very good
My mother looked like a million dollars when she left the hospital.
million and one
- very many
There were a million and one things to do at the festival.
million dollar question
- an important but difficult question
The million dollar question is whether we should buy a new computer or not.
million miles away
- to not be paying attention to something, to be distracted and daydreaming
I was a million miles away and I did not hear anything that the teacher said.
nine-day wonder
- someone or something who briefly attracts a lot of attention
The man was a nine-day wonder but he was soon forgotten by most people at his
former company.
nine times out of ten
- almost always
Nine times out of ten if you have a computer problem it is something small that can
be easily fixed.
nine-to-five attitude
- an attitude towards work where someone does not do anything beyond the minimum
that is required of him or her
The man has a nine-to-five attitude and he is not doing very well as a salesperson in
his company.
nine-to-five job
- a routine job in an office that involves standard office hours (usually 9:00 AM until
5:00 PM)
My father always worked at a nine-to-five job.
no two ways about (something)
- no alternative, certain
The manager said that there are no two ways about it and the worker must improve or
he will be fired.
not give two hoots about (someone or something)
- to not care at all about someone or something
I do not give two hoots if my friend comes to visit me or not.
not one iota
- not even a tiny bit
"I do not like him - not one iota."
not touch (someone or something) with a ten-foot pole
- to not want to be involved with someone or something under any circumstances
I would not touch that problem with a ten-foot pole.
a number of (things or people)
- some things, some people
A number of people complained about the food in the restaurant.
number one
- oneself
My friend only thinks about number one and never about anybody else.
on all fours
- on one's hands and knees
The man was on all fours looking for his car keys.
on cloud nine
- very happy about something
My sister has been on cloud nine since she won the money in the contest.
on the one hand
- from one point of view or opinion
On the one hand I do not want to go to the conference but on the other hand I really
must go.
once in a while
- occasionally, infrequently
We only go to that small Mexican restaurant once in a while.
one after another
- one thing or person follows another
The customers came one after another to look at the new computer operating system.
one and all
- everyone
One and all were invited to the party.
one and only
- the only person or thing, unique
Our university has the one and only medical imaging system in the country.
one and the same
- exactly the same
Doing my job at home or at the company is one and the same to me and to my
company.
one at a time
- individually
The children went to the front of the classroom one at a time.
one by one
- individually, one at a time
The children entered the school building one by one.
one for the (record) books
- a record-breaking act
The athlete's performance in the race was one for the record books.
one for the road
- one last drink (usually of alcohol) before one leaves for home
We decided to stay at the party and have one for the road before taking a taxi home.
one good turn deserves another
- if someone helps you then you should help them in return
One good turn deserves another so I was happy to help my friend move after he had
helped me.
one heck/hell of a (someone or something)
- the emphasis that someone or something is very good or very bad
The man is one heck of a runner and he has won many races.
one in a hundred
- one among one hundred of something
About one in a hundred of the products are defective.
one in a million
- unique, one of a very few
Our coach is one in a million. He is fantastic.
one in a thousand
- one out of one thousand
The chance of getting the job is about one in a thousand.
one jump/step ahead of (someone or something)
- one step in advance of someone or something
My boss is always one jump ahead of the rest of the employees.
One man's meat is another man's poison.
- something that one person likes may not be liked by another person
One man's meat is another man's poison and everybody dislikes the food that my
friend likes.
a one-night stand
- an activity that lasts only one night
The rock band played several one-night stands last month.
One person's trash is another person's treasure.
- something that one person considers of no value may be considered valuable by

somebody else
One person's trash is another person's treasure and my friend likes to look at my old
things before I put them in the garbage.
one of the boys
- an accepted member of a group
Our boss tries to be one of the boys but actually nobody likes him.
one of these days
- soon, before long, someday
One of these days they plan to open a new movie theater but we have already been
waiting many years.
one of those days
- a bad day where many things go wrong
It was one of those days and from early morning things went wrong.
one of those things
- something is unfortunate but it must be accepted
My aunt's sudden illness is one of those things and there is nothing we can do about it.
one or two
- a few, a small number
There were only one or two people at the meeting so it was postponed until later.
one sandwich short of a picnic
- not very smart
The janitor is one sandwich short of a picnic and he makes many mistakes.
the one that got away
- a fish that you did not catch, an opportunity that you missed
My father said that he has caught many fish but the biggest one was the one that got
away.
one thing leads to another
- doing one thing or one event will set the stage for something else
One thing led to another and suddenly it was too late to catch the bus home.
one to a customer
- each person can receive only one of something
The items were sold at only one to a customer.
one up on (someone)
- to have an advantage over someone
I am one up on my friend because he is still looking for a job while I have already
found one.
one way or another
- somehow
One way or another I will phone my friend this evening.
one's days are numbered
- someone is facing death or dismissal from something
The salesman has made many mistakes and his days are numbered at work.
one's lucky number comes up
- someone is lucky or has good fortune
My lucky number finally came up and I was chosen to go to Los Angeles to represent
our company at the conference.
one's number is up
- something bad will happen to someone
I think that the manager's number is up and he will soon be fired from his job.
one's opposite number
- someone who has the same position as oneself in another company or organization
I spoke with my opposite number in the other company but we could not finalize the
sale.
put in one's two cent's (worth)
- to add one's comments to a discussion
I decided not to put in my two cents worth to the discussion about money.
put two and two together
- to make a correct guess, to figure something out from the information that you have
We were able to put two and two together and discover who was sending the
unwanted messages.
quick one
- a single drink of alcohol taken before one does something else
We stopped for a quick one on the way home from work.
round off a number
- to change a number to the next higher or lower whole number
The number was 4.4972 but we rounded it off to 4.5.
seventh heaven
- a situation of great happiness
The woman has been in seventh heaven since she moved to the new department.
six feet under
- dead and buried
My uncle has been six feet under for over five years now.
six of one and half a dozen of the other
- there is little difference between two things/situations
"Whatever you do is no problem for me. It is six of one and half a dozen of the other."
sixth sense
- a power to know or feel that things are beyond the five senses of
sight/hearing/smell/taste/touch
The woman has a sixth sense and she seems to know what everyone is thinking.
split (something) fifty-fifty
- to split/divide something into two equal parts
We split the profits from our business fifty-fifty.
The boy learned early how to stand on his own two feet.
a stitch in time saves nine
- any damage or mistake should be corrected immediately in order to prevent it from

getting worse
"You should repair your car before it becomes worse. Remember, a stitch in time
saves nine."
take care of number one
- to only think about or take care of oneself
The man takes care of number one and never thinks about anyone else.
take five
- to take one brief (about five minutes) rest period
The city workers stopped to take five after working hard all morning.
tell (someone) a thing or two (about something)
- to scold someone, to become angry at someone
I plan to tell my neighbor a thing or two about his dog when I see him.
ten to one
- very likely
I think that ten to one our secretary will come to work late again today.
That makes two of us.
- The same thing is true for me.
"I do not want to go to the meeting."

"That makes two of us," I replied.
There is more than one way to skin a cat and my friend and I decided to solve the
problem in two different ways.
think twice (before doing something)
- to consider carefully whether one should do something
I told my cousin to think twice before he decides to quit his job.
thousand and one
- very many
I can think of a thousand and one reasons why I do not want to travel with my friend.
three R's
- the three basic skills in school - reading, (w)riting, (a)rithmetic
Many people believe that teaching the three R's is the most important role for schools.
three sheets to the wind
- drunk
The man walked down the street with three sheets to the wind.
two bricks shy of a load
- to be not very smart or clever
The man is two bricks shy of a load and he is very hard to deal with.
two can play that game
- you can treat another person in the same way as they have treated you
The man told his boss that two can play that game and if the boss was too strict then
he would be inflexible as well.
two heads are better than one
- two people working together can achieve better results than one person working
alone
Two heads are better than one when you are trying to solve a difficult problem.
two of a kind
- people or things that are of the same type or are similar in character/attitude etc.
The boys are two of a kind and they love to spend time together.
two-time (someone)
- to cheat on one's partner by seeing someone else
The couple separated when the man began to two-time his wife.
two wrongs don't make a right
- you cannot justify doing something wrong or bad just because someone else did the
same thing to you
Two wrongs don't make a right and if someone does something bad you should not try
and hurt them as well.
two's company, three's a crowd
- two people (usually a couple on a date) are happier when nobody else is around
My friend wanted to come with my girlfriend and I but I told him that two's company
and three's a crowd so he stayed home.
one Idioms
all-in-one
- combined, all the necessary features of something in one unit
Many DVD players have a recording and playing function all-in-one.
all in one breath
- spoken rapidly while one is very excited
I told my friend about the accident all in one breath.
all in one piece
- safely, without damage
The piano arrived at its destination all in one piece.
all rolled up in one
- combined in one person or thing
The man is president and vice-president all rolled up in one.
as busy as a one-armed paperhanger
- very busy
I was as busy as a one-armed paperhanger during the last two weeks.
as one
- as if a group were one person
The crowd stood as one and began to cheer during the game.
at one time
- at a time in the past
At one time the man had no money but now he is very rich.
at one with (someone)
- to share the same view as others, to be in agreement with others
The members of the committee are at one with me over my decision to cancel the
meeting.
back to square one
- back to where one started
We were forced to go back to square one in our efforts to change the name of the
company.
do (someone) one better
- to do something superior to what someone else has done
I decided to do my friend one better and volunteer for three weeks rather than two
weeks.
(I/you/he) for one
- as one example, even if the only one
I for one do not believe that our boss will change the company policy related to new
staff.
for one thing
- for one reason (among others)
"It is not possible to use the old building. For one thing it will not pass a fire
inspection."
have one too many
- have too much alcohol to drink
The man had one too many so his friends would not let him drive home.
hole in one
- a golf ball that is hit into the hole with only one shot
The golfer got a hole in one during his first round of golf.
hundred and one
- very many
I can think of a hundred and one reasons why the new employee is not capable of
doing his job.
hundred to one chance/shot
- a small chance that is not likely to bring success
My friend only has a hundred to one shot at getting the job that he has applied for.
- ignored, not listened to or not heard
The teacher told the students about their homework but it went in one ear and out the
other.
in one fell swoop
- in one incident, as one event
In one fell swoop my friend got a new car, a new job and a new girlfriend.
million and one
- very many
not one iota
- not even a tiny bit
"I do not like him - not one iota."
on the one hand
- from one point of view or opinion
On the one hand I do not want to go to the conference but on the other hand I really
must go.
one after another
- one thing or person follows another
The customers came one after another to look at the new computer operating system.
one and all
- everyone
One and all were invited to the party.
one and only
- the only person or thing, unique
Our university has the one and only medical imaging system in the country.
one and the same
- exactly the same
Doing my job at home or at the company is one and the same to me and to my
company.
one at a time
- individually
The children went to the front of the classroom one at a time.
one by one
- individually, one at a time
The children entered the school building one by one.
one for the (record) books
- a record-breaking act
The athlete's performance in the race was one for the record books.
one for the road
- one last drink (usually of alcohol) before one leaves for home
We decided to stay at the party and have one for the road before taking a taxi home.
one good turn deserves another
- if someone helps you then you should help them in return
One good turn deserves another so I was happy to help my friend move after he had
helped me.
one heck/hell of a (someone or something)
- the emphasis that someone or something is very good or very bad
The man is one heck of a runner and he has won many races.
one in a hundred
- one among one hundred of something
About one in a hundred of the products are defective.
one in a million
one in a thousand
- one out of one thousand
The chance of getting the job is about one in a thousand.
one jump/step ahead of (someone or something)
- one step in advance of someone or something
My boss is always one jump ahead of the rest of the employees.
One man's meat is another man's poison.
- something that one person likes may not be liked by another person
One man's meat is another man's poison and everybody dislikes the food that my
friend likes.
a one-night stand
- an activity that lasts only one night
The rock band played several one-night stands last month.
One person's trash is another person's treasure.
- something that one person considers of no value may be considered valuable by

somebody else
One person's trash is another person's treasure and my friend likes to look at my old
things before I put them in the garbage.
one of the boys
- an accepted member of a group
Our boss tries to be one of the boys but actually nobody likes him.
one of these days
- soon, before long, someday
One of these days they plan to open a new movie theater but we have already been
waiting many years.
one of those days
- a bad day where many things go wrong
It was one of those days and from early morning things went wrong.
one of those things
- something is unfortunate but it must be accepted
My aunt's sudden illness is one of those things and there is nothing we can do about it.
one or two
one sandwich short of a picnic
- not very smart
The janitor is one sandwich short of a picnic and he makes many mistakes.
the one that got away
- a fish that you did not catch, an opportunity that you missed
My father said that he has caught many fish but the biggest one was the one that got
away.
one thing leads to another
- doing one thing or one event will set the stage for something else
One thing led to another and suddenly it was too late to catch the bus home.
one to a customer
- each person can receive only one of something
The items were sold at only one to a customer.
one up on (someone)
- to have an advantage over someone
I am one up on my friend because he is still looking for a job while I have already
found one.
one way or another
- somehow
One way or another I will phone my friend this evening.
quick one
- a single drink of alcohol taken before one does something else
We stopped for a quick one on the way home from work.
number one
- oneself
ten to one
- very likely
I think that ten to one our secretary will come to work late again today.
There is more than one way to skin a cat and my friend and I decided to solve the
problem in two different ways.
thousand and one
- very many
I can think of a thousand and one reasons why I do not want to travel with my friend.
alone
two Idioms
cut two ways
- to be capable of having two opposite effects, to produce advantages and

disadvantages
My decision to complain to our boss could cut two ways and cause him to be happy or
angry with me.
have two strikes against (someone)
- to have a number of things that are working against you and where success becomes
more difficult (in baseball you are finished batting after three strikes)
The man already had two strikes against him when he went to apply for the job.
My niece is in two minds about whether or not she will visit me this summer.
- very quickly
"Wait one minute. I will help you in two shakes of a lamb's tail."
it takes two to tango
- if a problem or an argument involve two people then both people are responsible for
the problem
It takes two to tango and my friend should not blame me for all of our problems.
know a trick or two
- to know a special way to deal with a problem
My father knows a trick or two about making model boats.
lesser of the two
- the smaller of two things, the one with the least amount
I ordered the food and when the two plates arrived I took the lesser of the two.
lesser of two evils
- the less bad thing of two bad things
I did not want to take the job but it was the lesser of two evils because having no job
was even worse.
- very close or intimate, very similar
The two girls are like two peas in a pod and are very good friends.
no two ways about (something)
- no alternative, certain
The manager said that there are no two ways about it and the worker must improve or
he will be fired.
not give two hoots about (someone or something)
- to not care at all about someone or something
I do not give two hoots if my friend comes to visit me or not.
one or two
put in one's two cent's (worth)
- to add one's comments to a discussion
I decided not to put in my two cents worth to the discussion about money.
put two and two together
- to make a correct guess, to figure something out from the information that you have
We were able to put two and two together and discover who was sending the
unwanted messages.
The boy learned early how to stand on his own two feet.
tell (someone) a thing or two (about something)
- to scold someone, to become angry at someone
I plan to tell my neighbor a thing or two about his dog when I see him.
That makes two of us.
- The same thing is true for me.
"I do not want to go to the meeting."

"That makes two of us," I replied.
two bricks shy of a load
- to be not very smart or clever
The man is two bricks shy of a load and he is very hard to deal with.
two can play that game
- you can treat another person in the same way as they have treated you
The man told his boss that two can play that game and if the boss was too strict then
he would be inflexible as well.
alone
two of a kind
- people or things that are of the same type or are similar in character/attitude etc.
The boys are two of a kind and they love to spend time together.
two-time (someone)
- to cheat on one's partner by seeing someone else
The couple separated when the man began to two-time his wife.
two wrongs don't make a right
- you cannot justify doing something wrong or bad just because someone else did the
same thing to you
Two wrongs don't make a right and if someone does something bad you should not try
and hurt them as well.
three Idioms
The woman's excuses are as phony as a three-dollar bill and I do not believe any of
them.
give three cheers for (someone)
- to give praise or approval to someone who has done well
The crowd gave three cheers to the team after they won the final game.
three R's
- the three basic skills in school - reading, (w)riting, (a)rithmetic
Many people believe that teaching the three R's is the most important role for schools.
three sheets to the wind
- drunk
The man walked down the street with three sheets to the wind.
five Idioms
Give me five!
- Hit me with your hand to show that you are happy about something.
"Give me five!" I said after I scored a goal in the game.
his company.
nine-to-five job
5:00 PM)
take five
- to take one brief (about five minutes) rest period
The city workers stopped to take five after working hard all morning.
six Idioms
at sixes and sevens
- in a state of confusion
The workers were at sixes and sevens after the announcement that the company was
going out of business.
deep-six (someone or something)
- to get rid of or dispose of someone or something
I decided to deep-six some of the old comics that I had collected.
six feet under
- dead and buried
My uncle has been six feet under for over five years now.
six of one and half a dozen of the other
- there is little difference between two things/situations
"Whatever you do is no problem for me. It is six of one and half a dozen of the other."
nine Idioms
dressed to the nines
- to be dressed in one's best clothes
The woman at the concert was dressed to the nines.
nine-day wonder
- someone or something who briefly attracts a lot of attention
The man was a nine-day wonder but he was soon forgotten by most people at his
former company.
nine times out of ten
- almost always
Nine times out of ten if you have a computer problem it is something small that can
be easily fixed.
his company.
nine-to-five job
5:00 PM)
on cloud nine
- very happy about something
My sister has been on cloud nine since she won the money in the contest.
a stitch in time saves nine
- any damage or mistake should be corrected immediately in order to prevent it from

getting worse
"You should repair your car before it becomes worse. Remember, a stitch in time
saves nine."
million Idioms
feel like a million (bucks/dollars)
- to feel great, to feel well and healthy
I feel like a million dollars today and I plan to go swimming.
- look very good
My mother looked like a million dollars when she left the hospital.
million and one
- very many
million dollar question
- an important but difficult question
The million dollar question is whether we should buy a new computer or not.
million miles away
- to not be paying attention to something, to be distracted and daydreaming
I was a million miles away and I did not hear anything that the teacher said.
one in a million
number Idioms
do a number on (someone or something)
- to damage or harm someone or something
The young man did a number on the car that he borrowed from his uncle.
get (someone's) number
- to find out someone's telephone number
I plan to get the man's number from one of his friends.
have (someone's) number
- to get the key information to be able to understand someone
"I have that man's number. He is a liar and cannot be trusted."
in round figures/numbers
- an estimated number, a number that has been rounded off to an easier/shorter

number
The mechanic told us in round figures how much it will cost to fix our car.
a number of (things or people)
- some things, some people
A number of people complained about the food in the restaurant.
number one
- oneself
one's days are numbered
- someone is facing death or dismissal from something
The salesman has made many mistakes and his days are numbered at work.
one's lucky number comes up
- someone is lucky or has good fortune
My lucky number finally came up and I was chosen to go to Los Angeles to represent
our company at the conference.
one's number is up
- something bad will happen to someone
I think that the manager's number is up and he will soon be fired from his job.
one's opposite number
- someone who has the same position as oneself in another company or organization
I spoke with my opposite number in the other company but we could not finalize the
sale.
round off a number
- to change a number to the next higher or lower whole number
The number was 4.4972 but we rounded it off to 4.5.
Relationship & Love
Idioms
Relationships & Love
ask for someone's hand in marriage
- ask someone to marry you
After dating his girlfriend for several years he finally asked for her hand in marriage.
attracted to (someone)
- feel a physical or emotional attraction to someone
I was attracted to the woman at the party from the moment that I first met her.
blind date
- a date where the two people have never met before
I went on a blind date in university but it did not work out very well.
break someone's heart
- cause someone emotional pain
The man broke his girlfriend's heart when he told her that he was no longer in love
with her.
break up
- end a relationship
They broke up after dating for more than three years.
crazy about (someone)
- think that another person is wonderful
My cousin has been crazy about the bank manager for many months now.
date someone
- go on or have a date with someone
My sister has been dating her boyfriend for over two years now.
dig someone
- like someone a lot (dig someone is not a commonly used idiom now)
She really digs the boy in her chemistry class.
double date
- a date where two couples get together to do something
It was a good idea to go on the double date even though everybody wanted to do
something different.
dump someone
- end a relationship by telling someone that you don't want to see him or her
The woman dumped her boyfriend after they began to have many fights.
fall for (someone)
- fall in love with someone
She always seems to fall for the wrong person and is never happy.
fall in love (with someone)
- begin to feel love for someone
He fell in love with a woman from his university class and they got married several
months later.
find Mr. Right
- find the right or perfect person
She is always hoping to find Mr. Right but so far she hasn't had any luck.
first love
- the first person that one falls in love with
Her first love was with a boy in her high school art class.
get along with someone
- have a good friendly relationship with someone
The woman gets along with her friends very well.
get back together
- return to a relationship or marriage after breaking up
The man got back together with his girlfriend after separating for several months last
winter.
get engaged
- decide to marry someone
He got engaged to his wife several years before they actually got married.
get hitched
- get married
My sister and her boyfriend surprised everyone by suddenly getting hitched last
weekend.
get serious
- a relationship becomes serious and long-term
The two students dated for several months before they began to get serious.
give someone (or something) a second chance
- try to save a relationship by forgiving and welcoming the other person back
The girl's boyfriend left her for several months but when he wanted to come back she
was happy to give him a second chance.
go dutch
- a date where each person pays half of the expenses
In university many of the students had little money so they often went dutch when
they were on a date.
good together
- two people who get along well with each other
They are very good together and nobody has ever seen them argue.
go out with someone
- go on a date or be dating someone
I have been going out with a woman from my hiking club for several months now.
go steady
- date one person regularly (not so common recently but at one time used often by
teenagers)
The two students have been going steady for three years now.
have a crush (on someone)
- have strong feelings of love for someone (often for a short time and with no results)
The young girl had a crush on her teacher in junior high school but of course it was an
impossible situation.
have a thing for (someone)
- be attracted and care a lot about someone
She seems to have a thing for the new guy who just started to work at her company.
head over heels in love with someone
- be very much in love with someone
My friend is head over heels in love with the accountant in his new company.
hit it off (with someone)
- get along well with someone (usually from the beginning)
I hit it off with a woman in my photography class and we have been dating for several
months now.
hung up on someone
- be obsessed with another person
The young woman has been hung up on a member of her tennis club for many months
now.
interested in (someone)
- have a romantic interest in someone and possibly want to date that person
My sister has been interested in one of the students in her university biology class for
many months now.
kiss and makeup
- become friends again after a fight or argument
After they have a fight the couple is always very quick to kiss and make up.
leave someone for someone else
- end a relationship with your partner and start a relationship with someone else
The man left his wife for his secretary but soon discovered that his life was worse
than before.
love at first sight
- fall in love with someone (or something) the first time that one sees him or her
When I saw the woman at the party it was love at first sight and I knew that I wanted
to meet her.
made for each other
- two people who get along extremely well
Although we had some differences we got along very well together and seemed to be
made for each other.
make eyes at someone
- look at someone in a way that makes it clear that you like that person and find them
attractive
The man became angry when he thought that his girlfriend was making eyes at
someone else at the party.
make up
- when two people forgive each other after an argument or begin to see each other
again after ending a relationship
The couple had a big fight at the restaurant but they quickly made up and things
quickly got back to normal.
a match made in heaven
- a couple who get along perfectly
When the two people finally got together it was a match made in heaven and everyone
thought that they would stay together forever.
meet/find the right girl/guy
- find the right partner, the one to marry
When she moved to Madrid she joked that she would never return home if she met the
right guy.
on the rocks
- a relationship or a marriage that is experiencing problems
They are experiencing many problems at the moment and their relationship appears to
be on the rocks.
the one (for someone)
- the right partner, the one to marry
As soon as I introduced my girlfriend to my mother she said that she was probably the
one for me.
one and only
- the only person that one loves
She was his one and only and he felt lost when the relationship ended.
patch up a relationship
- repair a broken relationship
Although the couple had been fighting and wanted to separate they managed to patch
up their relationship and are now very happy together.
perfect couple
- two people who appear to get along perfectly
Our neighors have always seemed to be the perfect couple.
pop the question
- ask someone to marry you
He put much thought into his possible wedding before he actually decided to pop the
question.
puppy love
- infatuation (strong feelings of love) between school-age children or teenagers
The two teenagers thought that their love was the greatest in the world but everyone
knew that it was only puppy love.
say "I do"
- get married (during a wedding ceremony it is common to say "I do" when you agree
to marry your partner)
He loved the woman very much and was hoping that she would say "I do" as soon as
they could make the wedding arrangements.
seeing someone
- be dating someone on a regular basis
The woman was not seeing anyone when she met a man who she liked at the party.
set a date
- decide on a date for a wedding
After thinking about marriage for a long time they have finally decided to set a date.
settle down
- establish a regular routine after getting married
After dating dozens of women the young man finally decided to settle down.
split up
- two people in a relationship decide to end their relationship
My sister's daughter and her boyfriend decided to split up after being together for
seven years.
steal someone's heart
- cause someone to fall in love with you
She quickly stole the heart of the man who was working beside her at her office.
take one's vows
- get married and take your wedding vows (promises)
They were taking their vows down at the county courthouse when I came for a visit.
those three little words
- the words "I love you"
After several months of dating the young man finally said those three little words to
his girlfriend.
tie the knot
- get married
After dating for several years the young couple suddenly decided to tie the knot.
true love
- a genuine feeling of romantic love
It seemed like true love until we began to fight all of the time.
unrequited love
- love that is not returned, one-way love
The woman was in love with the president of her company but from the beginning it
was a case of unrequited love.
walk down the aisle together
- get married (in this case in a Christian church where many weddings take place and
where the bride walks down the aisle to the altar)
They get along very well and they have finally decided to walk down the aisle and
begin their life together.
walk out on
- abandon your partner and end a relationship
The man walked out on his wife and their small baby and nobody knew the reason
why.
whisper sweet nothings in someone's ear
- romantic, intimate talk
The movie was rather romantic and most of the scenes had the actor whispering sweet
nothings in the ear of the actress.
Sports Idioms
Sports
across the board
- applying to all (in horse racing a bet where an equal amount of money is placed on a
horse to finish in any top winning position)
The workers received an across the board wage increase and most of them were
happy.
arrow in one's quiver
- have a number of resources or strategies that one can follow
His ability with languages was another arrow in his quiver and helped him in his
business life.
at this stage of the game
- at some point, at some time during an activity
At this stage of the game I don't think that we should spend more money on the
project.
- make the wrong choice, support the wrong thing (from horse racing)
The students backed the wrong horse in the election for school president and were
very surprised at the winner.
ball is in someone's court
- it is that person's turn to act next (from tennis or a similar game)
We made an offer to buy the business and now the ball is in the owner's court to
accept our offer or not.
ballpark estimate/figure
-a guess in a certain area or range
We were given a ballpark estimate as to how much it would cost to buy the business.
bat a thousand
- be successful in everything that you do
The salesman was batting a thousand during his sales trip to Europe.
beat the gun
- do something before the ending signal of a game etc.
We were able to beat the gun and applied before the final deadline to get the free
basketball tickets.
behind the eight ball
- at a disadvantage (from the black ball which is numbered eight in the game of pool)
Our friend was behind the eight ball when he discovered that he was last in line to
register for his classes.
beyond one's depth
- in water that is too deep, do something that is too difficult
The executives appeared to be beyond their depth when they chose to pick a fight
with the unions.
blow the whistle on someone
- reveal information about someone (from sports where the referee blows a whistle
when someone does something wrong)
The secretary blew the whistle on her boss for his responsibility in wasting much
money in his department.
bounce something (an idea) off someone
- test someone's reaction to an idea
I bounced my idea for the new restaurant off my friend.
call the shots
- control something, make the rules (from calling the shots in billiards/pool)
My friend has been calling the shots in his company for several years now.
carry the ball
- be in charge (from carry the ball in American football)
The director decided to let his assistant carry the ball on the assignment for the new
sale's contract.
clear a hurdle
- overcome an obstacle (from a hurdle in a race)
We finally cleared a major hurdle in our effort to get a license to sell our products.
come out of left field
- be completely unexpected
His idea about going to Turkey came right out of left field.
cover all of one's bases
- thoroughly prepare for or deal with a situation
He covered all of his bases before going to the job interview and performed very well.
(be) cricket
- fair play, gentlemanly conduct (usually used in the negative)
The way that the government treated the union leaders was not cricket.
dive right into something
- begin to do something without hesitating
When university started some of the students decided to dive right into their studies.
down/out for the count
- defeated, unconscious (in boxing a boxer who is on the ground must get up before
the count of ten or he will lose)
The political candidate seemed to be down for the count when no major figures
supported him.
down to the wire
- at the very last minute (from the wire at the end of a horse race)
The election went down to the wire but in the end the President was re-elected to
another term in office.
draw first blood
- the first point or advantage gained in a contest (often in boxing or fighting with
swords)
The heavyweight champion drew first blood in the boxing match but in the end was
defeated by his opponent.
drop the ball
- make an error or mistake, handle things badly
The government dropped the ball on their decision to expand the airport runway
without consulting the local residents.
first out of the gate
- be the first person to begin a project
He was first out of the gate in the effort to raise money for the new concert hall.
first past the post
- winning a race by being the first to reach the finishing line (in a horse race)
The young horse was first past the post and won a large amount of money in the race.
get off to a flying start
- have a very successful beginning
The meeting got off to a flying start when the company directors announced that they
had won a large contract.
get one's feet wet
- start a new project cautiously
Before getting my feet wet I spent many months studying the plans for the new
project.
get the ball rolling
- begin
We got up early to get the ball rolling on our project.
get to (reach) first base with someone or something
- make an advance with someone or in some undertaking (from first base in baseball)
I spent several hours talking about changing my work hours but I wasn't able to get to
first base with my boss.
get two/three strikes against someone
- get several things against one, be in a situation where success in unlikely (in baseball
a batter is finished after three strikes)
His absence from work and being late were serious problems. He now had two strikes
against him. Any more problems and he would have to be fired.
go to bat for someone
- support or help someone (in baseball you sometines substitute one batter for
another)
The young woman's teacher went to bat for her when she was having problems with
the school administration.
go to the mat
- argue strongly on behalf of someone or something
The coach would always go to the mat for his players when they were having
problems.
hand the torch/baton to someone
- hand over a particular duty or responsibility to someone (from the baton or torch that
is passed from one runner to the next in a relay race)
The president of the company handed the torch to his son when he decided to retire.
hard to call
- hard to decide or determine something (referees in sports sometimes have to make

difficult decisions)
The election was hard to call and nobody knew who was going to win.
have had a good innings
- have enjoyed a long period of positive action or opportunity (from cricket where an
innings is the time that a team spends batting and a good innings is when they score a
lot of runs)
The team had a very good innings and won the match easily.
have the inside track
- have an advantage (if you have the inside track in running a race you have an
advantage)
I had the inside track when I applied for the job at the bank.
hit someone below the belt
- unfair, not following the rules (from hitting low in boxing)
It was a case of hitting someone below the belt when the girl stole her best friend's
boyfriend from her.
hit the bull's-eye
- achieve your goal perfectly
We hit the bull's-eye when our sales target was met for the year.
in full swing
- full capacity, greatest activity
The basketball season was in full swing when we decided to buy season's tickets.
in someone's corner
- on someone's side, supporting someone (in a boxing match each boxer has his own
corner)
The young man gained confidence when he realized that there were many people in
his corner.
in the ballpark
- in a particular area or range (from a baseball field)
The value of my business was not in the same ballpark as what I had been offered so I
decided not to sell it.
in the bullpen
- a baseball player is in a special area getting ready to pitch in a game
The new pitcher practiced in the bullpen while he waited for a chance to enter the
game.
in the homestretch
- be close to completion
The project to build the new bridge is now in the homestretch.
in the running
- to be a candidate (from horse racing when two horses are running evenly)
The lawyer is in the running for a job on the city school board.
in the same league as someone
- be at the same level as someone
The boys soccer team was not in the same league at their opponents.
jockey for position
- try to put yourself in a better position at the expense of others (as a jockey would do
in a horse race)
The salesmen started to jockey for position as soon as they learned that the sales
manager was leaving the company.
jump the gun
- start before the starting signal or before you should start (as in a race)
My friend jumped the gun and applied for the job before applications were being
accepted.
keep one's eye on the ball
- remain alert, keep one's attention focused on the ball or the matter at hand
He was told that during the meeting he must keep his eye on the ball and concentrate
on the matter at hand.
keep the ball rolling
- maintain the momentum of an activity
My friend is always able to keep the ball rolling when we are gathered for dinner and
everyone becomes silent.
kick off
- kick the ball and start the game in American football, begin, start
They kicked off the campaign to raise money for the hospital with a large fund raising
event at a restaurant.
know the score
- know the facts about something
The new secretary doesn't really know the score about how the company operates.
level playing field
- a situation where everyone has an equal chance at success
We were able to achieve a level playing field with the other schools when the
government made some new rules regarding the competition.
make it to first base
- successfully taking the first step with someone or when doing something
I was not able to make it to first base in my attempt to have my boss change my work
schedule.
make the cut
- meet or come up to a required standard (from golf where a player must do equal or
better than a certain score to continue)
The young player did not make the cut and was unable to join the team that year.
meet one's match
- encounter one's equal
The boxer finally met his match when he was offered the fight with the other wrestler.
miss the cut
- fail to come up to or meet a required standard (from golf where a player must do
equal or better than a certain score to continue)
After several successful tournaments the golfer missed the cut and could not enter the
next tournament.
move the goalposts
- unfairly change the conditions or rules of something that you are doing
Although we followed the rules when applying for the license, the government
officials moved the goalposts and our application was rejected.
neck and neck
- exactly even (as in a horse race)
The two candidates were running neck and neck in the election until the last ballots
were counted late in the evening.
nip and tuck
- almost even or tied
The two horses were running nip and tuck for most of the race but finally the younger
horse won the race.
not in the same league
- much inferior to someone
Our soccer team was not in the same league as the Brazilian players who we met at
the tournament.
odds are against one
- there is little chance that you will succeed
The odds were against the boy joining the team but he tried very hard anyway.
off and running
- make progress in something from the beginning (from horses who run quickly from
the start of a race)
The two candidates were off and running in the race to become mayor of the city.
off base
- wrong, unrealistic
The general was off base with his estimate about how many soldiers were needed for
the battle.
off to a running start
- start with a good fast beginning
Everyone was off to a running start when the campaign to collect money for the new
hospital began.
on a par with
- equal in importance or quality to something or someone (par is the usual number of

strokes that are needed to get around a golf course)
The recent scandal involving steroids in sports was on a par with other major scandals
of several decades ago.
on side
- supporting or part of the same team as someone else
We finally got the directors on side in our bid to host the local basketball
championships.
on the ropes
- in a desperate situation or near defeat (from boxing where the losing boxer is forced
back against the ropes)
The boxer was on the ropes and it seemed impossible for him to win the match.
on your marks
- used to tell runners in a race to get into the correct starting position
The race began as soon as the judge yelled, "on your marks, get set, go."
out in left field
- offbeat, unusual (as in the back and left side of a baseball field)
Our teacher's ideas are usually out in left field and everyone is surprised to hear them.
out of one's league
- not equal to or in the same class as someone (a league is a group of sports teams that
compete against each other)
The artist was totally out of his league when he went to Paris and tried to enter the art
world.
out of the running
- eliminated from a contest, no longer being considered
Our friend was out of the running for the director's job so she decided to return to
school and continue her education.
paddle one's own canoe
- do something alone, be independent
The company director was left to paddle his own canoe when the other members of
the company resigned their positions.
par for the course
- what is normal or expected in a given situation (in golf par is the usual number of
strokes needed to go around a golf course)
A bad attitude at work is par for the course for that supervisor and it is something that
management must deal with.
pass the torch/baton to someone
- hand over a particular duty or responsibility to someone (from the baton or torch that
is passed from one runner to the next in a relay race)
The head of the soccer association passed the torch to his director after spending
many years in the sport.
play ball (with someone)
- cooperate with someone
The young men refused to play ball with the police and were taken to the police
station for questioning.
play by the rules
- follow the generally accepted rules of something
The team members refused to play by the rules so they were asked to leave the
tournament.
play fair
- avoid cheating
The boxer was an honorable athlete and always played fair when he was in the boxing
ring.
play hardball with someone
- behave in an extremely determined way to get what you want (hardball and softball
are from the game of baseball)
The owners of the football club decided to play hardball when they began negotiating
with the top player.
pump iron
- exercise with weights
Her brother has been pumping iron for more than two years now.
put in one's oar
- give help, give advice without being asked
We were doing very well until our supervisor came along and put in his oar. We
would have done better without him.
rally around someone or something
- join together to support someone or something
The city rallied around the basketball team when they went to the national
championships.
rest on one's oars
- relax one's efforts
The negotiating team decided to rest on their oars and wait until their partners had a
chance to consider the offer.
right off the bat
- at the very beginning, immediately (like the ball leaving a baseball or cricket bat)
After arriving at the resort, we were told right off the bat that we would have to pay
extra to use the pool and the training room.
roll with the punches
- adapt to difficult circumstances (from boxing where a boxer moves away or rolls
from a punch to lessen its impact)
My sister is able to roll with the punches and can handle the many problems in her
work very well.
run interference
- intervene on behalf of someone to protect them from something (from American

football)
They ran interference on their top salesman to protect him from the scandal.
safe bet
- a certainty (a horse that is expected to win a race)
It was a safe bet that we would win the large contract if we bid for it.
saved by the bell
- rescued from a bad situation at the last minute (as in the bell at the end of each round
in a boxing match)
We were saved by the bell when the meeting ended before we had to deliver our badly
prepared presentation.
score points with someone
- gain the favor of someone
The salesman always worked extra hours in order to score points with his boss.
send someone to the showers
- send a player off the field and out of a game
The referee sent the top player to the showers after he refused to stop arguing.
set the pace
- establish the speed or pace of something
The runner set the pace for the other runners during the marathon.
smooth sailing
- something is working out well and has no problems
After we left the city it was smooth sailing on the highway until we got to our
destination.
sporting chance
- some possibility of success
The tennis player was not given a sporting chance to win the tournament but still she
tried very hard to win.
sport of kings
- horse racing
Horse racing has been the sport of kings for many years.
steal a base
- sneak from one base to another in baseball
The young baseball player won an award for stealing the most bases in one year.
sticky wicket
- an awkward situation (from cricket where rain has made it difficult to bat on the
field)
The rain had made a sticky wicket out of the field and neither side was able to play
very well.
strike out
- fail
The criminal struck out in his attempt to change the punishment that he had received
from the judge.
tackle a problem
- attack a problem with much effort (from American football where one player tackles
another player)
All of the members of the sales team gathered to tackle the problem of decreasing
sales.
take one's eye off the ball
- fail to keep one's attention focused on the ball or the matter at hand
He took his eye off the ball for only a second and the other team quickly scored a
goal.
take the chequered flag
- finish first in a race (from the flag that is used in car racing when the winner finishes
the race)
The Brazilian driver took the chequered flag for the third time this year.
take the wind out of one's sails
- become discouraged and lose one's enthusiasm
It took the wind out of his sails when he was told that he was not doing a good job.
team player
- someone who works well with others to achieve some goal
The man is a team player and works well with all of the other members of the staff.
test the water
- check to see if a plan will work before you start
The fruit juice company tested the water before they began to sell the lemon fruit
juice.
"That's the way the ball bounces."
- that's life, there is nothing you can do about something
The man replied, "That's the way the ball bounces", when he told his friend about the
job that he had lost.
throw in the towel/sponge
- admit defeat, stop fighting (in a boxing match a towel is thrown into the ring to
admit defeat)
The candidate threw in the towel early in the evening of the election when it became
impossible for her to win.
throw one's hat into the ring
- be willing or decide to enter a contest or take up a challenge
The young woman decided to throw her hat into the ring for the election for school
president.
throw/pitch someone a curve
- pitch a curve in baseball, confuse someone by doing something unexpected
My friend threw me a curve when he changed the dates of our plan to go on a holiday
together.
too close to call
- so evenly balanced that it is not possible to predict the outcome (in a contest, race,
election)
The game was too close to call until the last few minutes of the game.
toe the line
- accept the authority or policies of a particular group (competitors in a race line up

with their toes on the starting line)
The worker refused to toe the line and was fired from his job.
touch base with someone
- briefly meet or make contact with someone
I touched base with my uncle before he left on his trip to Mexico.
two strikes against someone
- do two things that are wrong or bad and have only one more to do to cause you
serious trouble ( from baseball where a batter is finished after three strikes)
The young boy had two strikes against him when he went to hear the judge's decision
about his crime.
up to par
- at an expected or usual level or quality (par in golf is the usual number of strokes
used to get around a golf course)
The product was not up to par and was sent back to the factory for further
improvement.
whole new ball game
- a new set of circumstances (from a new game of baseball)
The election had become a whole new ball game when the main candidate quit
because of a scandal.
win by a neck
- succeed by a small amount (in horse racing a horse may win by the length of its head
only)
The race was very close but at the end the young horse pulled ahead and won the race
by a neck.
win by a nose
- win by a very small amount (the narrowest margin that a horse can win in a horse
race)
There was a dispute as to who won the horse race but the judges settled the matter and
declared that one of the horses had won the race by a nose.
This book was collected and printed through the internet, I just introduced it!
For more information send me an email at:
Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com
Copyright © 2009 by Mr. Doody. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be
reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the
written permission from Mr. Doody.

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ahead of the pack

as awkward as a cow on roller skates

I have been as busy as a beaver all morning trying to finish my work.

as clean as a hound's tooth

as conceited as a barber's cat

- very conceited, vain

as crooked as a dog's hind leg

The woman in the supermarket was as fat as a pig.

Our neighbor is as gruff as a bear when we meet him in the morning.

I was as hungry as a bear when I arrived home from work.

- having no guilt, naive

The little girl is as innocent as a lamb and everybody loves her.

- quiet, docile, meek

The man was as nervous as a cat when he talked to the woman.

as poor as a church mouse

- very quiet, shy

I was as quiet as a mouse when I left my house early this morning.

I was as scared as a rabbit when I entered the empty room.

- smart and clever

The manager of our apartment is as sly as a fox.

back the wrong horse

- to support someone or something that cannot or does not win or succeed

- to get someone to do something by repeated questions or by bothering them

one's bark is worse than one's bite

- one's words are worse than one's actions

bark up the wrong tree

the best-laid plans of mice and men

- the best thought-out plans that anyone can make

- to misread the future, to not choose the winning person or solution

the black sheep of the family

- the worst or the most unpopular/disliked member of a family

bright-eyed and bushy-tailed

a bull in a china shop

buy a pig in a poke

- to buy something without seeing it or knowing if it will be satisfactory

I came to the meeting by shank's mare.

- to stop threatening/chasing/hounding someone

- a product or service that makes much money

cast pearls before swine

- to waste something on someone who will not be thankful or care about it

cat gets one`s tongue

- one cannot speak because of shyness

- a short sleep taken during the day

a cat on a hot tin roof

- full of lively activity

Everyone was chomping at the bit to get started on their holiday.

change horses in midstream

- a silly story that is not true

- someone who copies another person`s work etc.

The boy is a copycat according to the other students in the class.

- to give a false alarm, to warn of a danger that is not there

curiosity killed the cat

- being too nosy may lead a person into trouble

- a candidate who is little known to the general public

dog and pony show

It is a dog-eat-dog world in our company.

dog in the manger

- a very long time

- a stupid or gullible person

- a person who is always eager to work or do something extra

eat high on/off the hog

- to eat good or expensive food

eat like a horse