| A Bird In The Hand Is Worth Two In The Bush: Having something that is certain is much better than taking a risk for more, because chances are you might lose everything. A Blessing In Disguise: Something good that isn't recognized at first. A Chip On Your Shoulder: Being upset for something that happened in the past. A Dime A Dozen: Anything that is common and easy to get. A Doubting Thomas: A skeptic who needs physical or personal evidence in order to believe something. A Drop in the Bucket: A very small part of something big or whole. A Fool And His Money Are Easily Parted: It's easy for a foolish person to lose his/her money. A House Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand: Everyone involved must unify and function together or it will not work out. A Leopard Can't Change His Spots: You cannot change who you are. A Penny Saved Is A Penny Earned: By not spending money, you are saving money (little by little). A Picture Paints a Thousand Words: A visual presentation is far more descriptive than words. A Piece of Cake: A task that can be accomplished very easily. A Slap on the Wrist: A very mild punishment. A Taste Of Your Own Medicine: When you are mistreated the same way you mistreat others. A Toss-Up: A result that is still unclear and can go either way. Actions Speak Louder Than Words: It's better to actually do something than just talk about it. Add Fuel To The Fire: Whenever something is done to make a bad situation even worse than it is. Against The Clock: Rushed and short on time. All Bark And No Bite: When someone is threatening and/or aggressive but not willing to engage in a fight. All Greek to me: Meaningless and incomprehensible like someone who cannot read, speak, or understand any of the Greek language would be. All In The Same Boat: When everyone is facing the same challenges. An Arm And A Leg: Very expensive. A large amount of money. An Axe To Grind: To have a dispute with someone. Apple of My Eye: Someone who is cherished above all others. As High As A Kite: Anything that is high up in the sky. At The Drop Of A Hat: Willing to do something immediately. B Back Seat Driver: People who criticize from the sidelines, much like someone giving unwanted advice from the back seat of a vehicle to the driver. Back To Square One: Having to start all over again. Back To The Drawing Board: When an attempt fails and it's time to start all over. Baker's Dozen: Thirteen. Barking Up The Wrong Tree: A mistake made in something you are trying to achieve. Beat A Dead Horse: To force an issue that has already ended. Beating Around The Bush: Avoiding the main topic. Not speaking directly about the issue. Bend Over Backwards: Do whatever it takes to help. Willing to do anything. Between A Rock And A Hard Place: Stuck between two very bad options. Bite Off More Than You Can Chew: To take on a task that is way to big. Bite Your Tongue: To avoid talking. Blood Is Thicker Than Water: The family bond is closer than anything else. Blue Moon: A rare event or occurrence. Break A Leg: A superstitious way to say 'good luck' without saying 'good luck', but rather the opposite. Buy A Lemon: To purchase a vehicle that constantly gives problems or stops running after you drive it away. C Can't Cut The Mustard : Someone who isn't adequate enough to compete or participate. Cast Iron Stomach: Someone who has no problems, complications or ill effects with eating anything or drinking anything. Charley Horse: Stiffness in the leg / A leg cramp. Chew someone out: Verbally scold someone. Chip on his Shoulder: Angry today about something that occured in the past. Chow Down: To eat. Close but no Cigar: To be very near and almost accomplish a goal, but fall short. Cock and Bull Story: An unbelievable tale. Come Hell Or High Water: Any difficult situation or obstacle. Crack Someone Up: To make someone laugh. Cross Your Fingers: To hope that something happens the way you want it to. Cry Over Spilt Milk: When you complain about a loss from the past. Cry Wolf: Intentionally raise a false alarm. Cup Of Joe: A cup of coffee. Curiosity Killed The Cat: Being Inquisitive can lead you into a dangerous situation. Cut to the Chase: Leave out all the unnecessary details and just get to the point. D Dark Horse: One who was previously unknown and is now prominent. Dead Ringer: 100% identical. A duplicate. Devil's Advocate: Someone who takes a position for the sake of argument without believing in that particular side of the arguement. It can also mean one who presents a counter argument for a position they do believe in, to another debater. Dog Days of Summer: The hottest days of the summer season. Don't count your chickens before they hatch: Don't rely on it until your sure of it. Don't Look A Gift Horse In The Mouth: When someone gives you a gift, don't be ungrateful. Don't Put All Your Eggs In One Basket: Do not put all your resources in one possibility. Doozy: Something outstanding. Down To The Wire: Something that ends at the last minute or last few seconds. Drastic Times Call For Drastic Measures: When you are extremely desperate you need to take extremely desperate actions. Drink like a fish: To drink very heavily. Drive someone up the wall: To irritate and/or annoy very much. Dropping Like Flies: A large number of people either falling ill or dying. Dry Run: Rehearsal. E Eighty Six: A certain item is no longer available. Or this idiom can also mean, to throw away. Elvis has left the building: The show has come to an end. It's all over. Ethnic Cleansing: Killing of a certain ethnic or religious group on a massive scale. Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining: Be optomistic, even difficult times will lead to better days. Everything But The Kitchen Sink: Almost everything and anything has been included. Excuse my French: Please forgive me for cussing. Cock and Bull Story: An unbelievable tale. Cock and Bull Story: An unbelievable tale. F Feeding Frenzy: An aggressive attack on someone by a group. Field Day: An enjoyable day or circumstance. Finding Your Feet: To become more comfortable in whatever you are doing. Finger lickin' good: A very tasty food or meal. Fixed In Your Ways: Not willing or wanting to change from your normal way of doing something. Flash In The Pan: Something that shows potential or looks promising in the beginning but fails to deliver anything in the end. Flea Market: A swap meet. A place where people gather to buy and sell inexpensive goods. Flesh and Blood: This idiom can mean living material of which people are made of, or it can refer to someone's family. Flip The Bird: To raise your middle finger at someone. Foam at the Mouth: To be enraged and show it. Fools' Gold: Iron pyrites, a worthless rock that resembles real gold. French Kiss: An open mouth kiss where tongues touch. From Rags To Riches: To go from being very poor to being very wealthy. Fuddy-duddy: An old-fashioned and foolish type of person. Full Monty: This idiom can mean either, "the whole thing" or "completely nude". Funny Farm: A mental institutional facility. G Get Down to Brass Tacks: To become serious about something. Get Over It: To move beyond something that is bothering you. Get Up On The Wrong Side Of The Bed: Someone who is having a horrible day. Get Your Walking Papers: Get fired from a job. Give Him The Slip: To get away from. To escape. Go Down Like A Lead Balloon: To be received badly by an audience. Go For Broke: To gamble everything you have. Go Out On A Limb: Put yourself in a tough position in order to support someone/something. Go The Extra Mile: Going above and beyond whatever is required for the task at hand. Good Samaritan: Someone who helps others when they are in need, with no discussion for compensation, and no thought of a reward. Graveyard Shift: Working hours from about 12:00 am to 8:00 am. The time of the day when most other people are sleeping. Great Minds Think Alike: Intelligent people think like each other. Green Room: The waiting room, especially for those who are about to go on a tv or radio show. Gut Feeling: A personal intuition you get, especially when feel something may not be right. H Haste Makes Waste: Quickly doing things results in a poor ending. Hat Trick: When one player scores three goals in the same hockey game. This idiom can also mean three scores in any other sport, such as 3 homeruns, 3 touchdowns, 3 soccer goals, etc. Have an Axe to Grind: To have a dispute with someone. He Lost His Head: Angry and overcome by emotions. Head Over Heels: Very excited and/or joyful, especially when in love. Hell in a Handbasket: Deteriorating and headed for complete disaster. High Five: Slapping palms above each others heads as celebration gesture. High on the Hog: Living in Luxury. Hit The Books: To study, especially for a test or exam. Hit The Hay: Go to bed or go to sleep. Hit The Nail on the Head: Do something exactly right or say something exactly right. Hit The Sack: Go to bed or go to sleep. Hocus Pocus: In general, a term used in magic or trickery. Hold Your Horses: Be patient. I Icing On The Cake: When you already have it good and get something on top of what you already have. Idle Hands Are The Devil's Tools: You are more likely to get in trouble if you have nothing to do. If It's Not One Thing, It's Another: When one thing goes wrong, then another, and another... In Like Flynn: To be easily successful, especially when sexual or romantic. In The Bag: To have something secured. In The Buff: Nude. In The Heat Of The Moment: Overwhelmed by what is happening in the moment. In Your Face: An aggressive and bold confrontation. It Takes Two To Tango: A two person conflict where both people are at fault. It's A Small World: You frequently see the same people in different places. Its Anyone's Call: A competition where the outcome is difficult to judge or predict. Ivy League: Since 1954 the Ivy League has been the following universities: Columbia, Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth, Yale, Pennsylvania, Princeton, and Harvard. J Jaywalk: Crossing the street (from the middle) without using the crosswalk. Joshing Me: Tricking me. K Keep An Eye On Him: You should carefully watch him. Keep body and soul together: To earn a sufficient amount of money in order to keep yourself alive . Keep your chin up: To remain joyful in a tough situation. Kick The Bucket: Die. Kitty-corner: Diagonally across. Sometimes called Catty-Corner as well. Knee Jerk Reaction: A quick and automatic response. Knock On Wood: Knuckle tapping on wood in order to avoid some bad luck. Know the Ropes: To understand the details. L Last but not least: An introduction phrase to let the audience know that the last person mentioned is no less important than those introduced before him/her. Lend Me Your Ear: To politely ask for someone's full attention. Let Bygones Be Bygones: To forget about a disagreement or arguement. Let Sleeping Dogs Lie: To avoid restarting a conflict. Let The Cat Out Of The Bag: To share a secret that wasn't suppose to be shared. Level playing field: A fair competition where no side has an advantage. Like a chicken with its head cut off: To act in a frenzied manner. liquor someone up: To get someone drunk. Long in the Tooth: Old people (or horses). Loose Cannon: Someone who is unpredictable and can cause damage if not kept in check. M Make No Bones About: To state a fact so there are no doubts or objections. Method To My Madness: Strange or crazy actions that appear meaningless but in the end are done for a good reason. Mumbo Jumbo: Nonsense or meaningless speech. Mum's the word: To keep quiet. To say nothing. N Nest Egg: Savings set aside for future use. Never Bite The Hand That Feeds You: Don't hurt anyone that helps you. New kid on the block: Someone new to the group or area. New York Minute: A minute that seems to go by quickly, especially in a fast paced environment. No Dice: To not agree. To not accept a proposition. No Room to Swing a Cat: An unsually small or confined space. Not Playing With a Full Deck: Someone who lacks intelligence. O Off On The Wrong Foot: Getting a bad start on a relationship or task. Off The Hook: No longer have to deal with a tough situation. Off the Record: Something said in confidence that the one speaking doesn't want attributed to him/her. On Pins And Needles: Anxious or nervous, especially in anticipation of something. On The Fence: Undecided. On The Same Page: When multiple people all agree on the same thing. Out Of The Blue: Something that suddenly and unexpectedly occurs. Out On A Limb: When someone puts themself in a risky situation. Out On The Town: To enjoy yourself by going out. Over My Dead Body: When you absolutely will not allow something to happen. Over the Top: Very excessive. P Pass The Buck: Avoid responsibility by giving it to someone else. Pedal to the metal: To go full speed, especially while driving a vehicle. Peeping Tom: Someone who observes people in the nude or sexually active people, mainly for his own gratification. Pick up your ears: To listen very carefully. Pig In A Poke: A deal that is made without first examining it. Pig Out : To eat alot and eat it quickly. Pipe Down: To shut-up or be quiet. Practice Makes Perfect: By constantly practicing, you will become better. Pull the plug: To stop something. To bring something to an end. Pulling Your Leg: Tricking someone as a joke. Put a sock in it: To tell noisy person or a group to be quiet. Q Queer the pitch: Destroy or ruin a plan. R Raincheck: An offer or deal that is declined right now but willing to accept later. Raining Cats and Dogs: A very loud and noisy rain storm. Ring Fencing: Seperated usual judgement to guarantee protection, especially project funds. Rise and Shine: Time to get out of bed and get ready for work/school. Rome Was Not Built In One Day: If you want something to be completely properly, then its going to take time. Rule Of Thumb: A rough estimate. Run out of steam: To be completely out of energy. S Saved By The Bell: Saved at the last possible moment. Scapegoat: Someone else who takes the blame. Scot-free: To escape and not have to pay. Sick As A Dog: To be very sick (with the flu or a cold). Sitting Shotgun: Riding in the front passenger seat of a car. Sixth Sense: A paranormal sense that allows you to communicate with the dead. Skid Row: The rundown area of a city where the homeless and drug users live. Smell A Rat: To detect somone in the group is betraying the others. Smell Something Fishy: Detecting that something isn't right and there might be a reason for it. Son of a Gun: A scamp. Southpaw: Someone who is left-handed. Spitting Image: The exact likeness or kind. Start From Scratch: To do it all over again from the beginning. T The Ball Is In Your Court: It is your decision this time. The Best Of Both Worlds: There are two choices and you have them both. The Bigger They Are The Harder They Fall: While the bigger and stronger opponent might be alot more difficult to beat, when you do they suffer a much bigger loss. The Last Straw: When one small burden after another creates an unbearable situation, the last straw is the last small burden that one can take. The Whole Nine Yards: Everything. All of it. Third times a charm: After no success the first two times, the third try is a lucky one. Tie the knot: To get married. Til the cows come home: A long time. To Make A Long Story Short: Something someone would say during a long and boring story in order to keep his/her audience from losing attention. Usually the story isn't shortened. To Steal Someone's Thunder: To take the credit for something someone else did. Tongue And Cheek: humor, not to be taken serious. Turn A Blind Eye: Refuse to acknowledge something you know is real or legit. Twenty three skidoo: To be turned away. U Under the weather: Feeling ill or sick. Up a blind alley: Going down a course of action that leads to a bad outcome. Use Your Loaf: Use your head. Think smart. V Van Gogh's ear for music: Tone deaf. Variety Is The Spice Of Life: The more experiences you try the more exciting life can be. W Wag the Dog: A diversion away from something of greater importance. Water Under The Bridge: Anything from the past that isn't significant or important anymore. Wear Your Heart On Your Sleeve: To openly and freely express your emotions. When It Rains, It Pours: Since it rarely rains, when it does it will be a huge storm. When Pigs Fly : Something that will never ever happen. Wild and Woolly: Uncultured and without laws. Wine and Dine: When somebody is treated to an expensive meal. Without A Doubt: For certain. X X marks the spot: A phrase that is said when someone finds something he/she has been looking for. Y You Are What You Eat: In order to stay healthy you must eat healthy foods. You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover: Decisions shouldn't be made primarily on appearance. You Can't Take it With You: Enjoy what you have and not what you don't have, since when you die you cannot take things (such as money) with you. Your Guess Is As Good As Mine: I have no idea. Z Zero Tolerance: No crime or law breaking big or small will be overlooked. |
