Index Of Idioms

Easy American Idioms » Index Of Idioms

a beauty
a beauty
A very good or vivid example of something; in this case, a really good example of a bad injury.
a catch
a catch
A drawback or negative quality that might not be obvious. In other contexts,“a catch” is a person who would be good to date.
a chick flick
a chick flick
A romantic or emotional movie, as opposed to an action movie or thriller, suggesting (chauvinistically) that these movies appeal mostly to women.
a chip off the old block
a chip off the old block
Said of children when they greatly resemble one of their parents in personality or behavior.
a crapshoot
a crapshoot
A chance or risk, named after the dice game.
a dream come true
a dream come true
Something wonderful, something so good it’s as though it came out of a dream.
a fish out of water
a fish out of water
Out of place, not in your naturalenvironment.
a piece of work
a piece of work
A complicated, interesting, or amusing person. Often said ironically.
a place to hang your hat
a place to hang your hat
A place to call home, a place to feel athome.
a play-by-play
a play-by-play
A moment to moment description of events,either as they happen or after the fact.
a security blanket
a security blanket
Something that makes someone feel safe, even if it does not actually provide safety.
a stick in the mud
a stick in the mud
A boring person. Someone who’s uptight andspoils the fun.
a surefire way to do something
a surefire way to do something
A way that will definitely have a certain outcome or result.
a take on something
a take on something
An opinion or interpretation of something.
a tall order
a tall order
An unusually difficult request.
a turnout
a turnout
The number of people at an event. Notice that there’s also the verb “to turn out.”
a weekend getaway
a weekend getaway
A place to go to for the weekend where youcan rest and relax.
at your fingertips
at your fingertips
Readily available.
at your wit’s end
at your wit’s end
Completely frustrated and confused abouthow to solve a problem.

bargain basement
bargain basement
The area of a store where older sale itemsare displayed for discount prices. This expression is also used to describe any cheap or low-quality clothing.
beats me
beats me
I don’t know. I have no idea.
bent out of shape
bent out of shape
Annoyed or bothered by something. Upset. Note that this expression suggests that the reason behind the emotion is insignificant or not worth being upset about.
blind spot
blind spot
A part of someone’s field of vision that is obstructed, so that things in this area cannot be seen.
bogged down
bogged down
Busy, involved in tedious details.
bookworm
bookworm
A person who loves to read.
bull
bull
Nonsense. Something untrue or unbelievable. Note that this is a shortened, more polite form of an expression containing a four-letter word.“Bull” on its own is not considered vulgar, though.
busy
busy
Describing something that is overly designed—clothes, patterns, wallpaper, art, etc.—or has too many elements.
by the way
by the way
This expression introduces an afterthought. It is used before saying something that is somehow related to what’s already been said.

cornered
cornered
Threatened. Feeling as if you don’t have many options left.
couch potato
couch potato
A person who sits around and does very little physical activity, often just watching TV.
culture shock
culture shock
Reaction to a very significant change in way of life.

fender bender
fender bender
A car accident that causes minimal damage,usually only to the front or back bumpers.
for crying out loud . . .
for crying out loud . . .
This expresses complete frustration about a situation.
from scratch
from scratch
Homemade, by hand,from basic rather thanprepackaged ingredients.

good old-fashioned
good old-fashioned
Traditional.
goody-goody
goody-goody
An unflattering name for someone who behavesvery well, is very responsible, and never gets into any kind of trouble. An expression that suggests that someone is afraid to do anything wrong.

hands down
hands down
Without a doubt.
hardheaded
hardheaded
Stubborn.
hit and run
hit and run
A car accident where the person responsible for the accident leaves the scene before the police arrive.
hold your horses
hold your horses
Wait. Move more slowly.
hot
hot
Physically attractive, sexually appealing.

in a nutshell
in a nutshell
Concisely and quickly explained.
in the meantime
in the meantime
While waiting. In the time that passesbetween one event and another.
in the nick of time
in the nick of time
Just in time, with no extra time to spare.
in the same boat
in the same boat
In the same situation.
it doesn’t leave much to the imagination
it doesn’t leave much to the imagination
Said of clothes that reveal a lot of skin, that are very tight, or that are nearly see through.
it figures
it figures
This expression is used, often ironically, to mean that some outcome is logical, expected, or unavoidable.
it will be a cold day in hell before something happens
it will be a cold day in hell before something happens
It is highly unlikely or improbable that something will happen.
it’s about time
it’s about time
To be the right time. This expression may also communicate the opinion that something should have been done a long time ago.
it’s all downhill from here
it’s all downhill from here
Everything is easy after this moment.
it’s very me
it’s very me
It’s typical of something I’d wear, do, or say. It’s representative of me.

keep your shirt on!
keep your shirt on!
Remain calm. Relax. Be patient.
knockoff
knockoff
A cheap and low-quality reproduction of something expensive.

like a bat out of hell
like a bat out of hell
Moving in a fast and almost crazy manner.
like a chicken with its head cut off
like a chicken with its head cut off
Moving around quickly and crazily, as if without reason or thought.
like a duck to water
like a duck to water
To act as if you’re in your natural environment. To be at ease doing something.
like looking for a needle in a haystack
like looking for a needle in a haystack
Looking for something that is very difficult to find.
like pulling teeth
like pulling teeth
Very difficult and tedious.
like talking to a wall
like talking to a wall
Communicating with someone who doesn’t understand or listen.
lined up at your door
lined up at your door
Eager and in large numbers.
look who’s talking!
look who’s talking!
An expression of disbelief or irony meaningthat someone is guilty of something he or she is blaming someone else for.
low-cut
low-cut
Describes clothing that is cut to reveal skin, to cover less of the body than usual.
low-key
low-key
Relaxed and quiet. Simple.

make a nice impression
make a nice impression
To give people a favorable idea of who you are.
mixed-up
mixed-up
Confused.

neither here nor there
neither here nor there
To not be the point. To not matter or beimportant in the current context.
nest egg
nest egg
A sum of money saved up and set aside.
no big deal
no big deal
Not important.
no skin off someone’s nose
no skin off someone’s nose
To be of no concern or importance to someone. To fail to affect someone. To say “it’s no skin off your nose” means that there’s an inconvenience only for the speaker, but none for the listener.

off the beaten track
off the beaten track
Remote,faraway, hard to get to, and not very well known. Notice that you can also say “off the beaten path.”
on a positive note
on a positive note
To talk about happier issues.
on the ball
on the ball
Ready, alert, highly prepared.
on the clock
on the clock
On a strict schedule, especially on working time.
one of a kind
one of a kind
Unique. Unlike anything else.
out of style
out of style
No longer in fashion or vogue.
out of this world
out of this world
Outstanding, incredibly good.

pain in the neck
pain in the neck
Annoying or bothersome.
pink slip
pink slip
Notification that you’ve been fired. The full expression is “to get a pink slip.”
poetry in motion
poetry in motion
Someone or something that moves gracefully.

r and r
r and r
Rest and Relaxation.

set on something
set on something
Fixated on something and determined to have it.
slacker
slacker
A lazy or irresponsible person. This expression is related to the verb “to slack off.”
something else
something else
An expression meaning “something noteworthy” or “something interesting or worth discussion.”
something to die for
something to die for
Something that is amazing or great.
something to sink your teeth into
something to sink your teeth into
Something of substance or depth. Also used in reference to non-food items.
step by step
step by step
One piece or part at a time, little by little.
stuffy
stuffy
Formal. Overly conservative in ceremony and style.
swamped
swamped
Very busy.

the boondocks
the boondocks
The country, the rural areas far away from cities or big towns. Note that this expression is often shortened to “the boonies.”
the clothes make the man
the clothes make the man
An expression meaning that people are judged by their appearance, including especially the clothes they choose to wear.
the devil’s in the details
the devil’s in the details
A saying that means that changes in seemingly small or minor elements can make a big difference in the outcome.
the locals
the locals
The people who live in a certain place. The local people.
the middle of nowhere
the middle of nowhere
A very remote place, especially someplace wild and far away from people or towns.
the proof is in the pudding
the proof is in the pudding
A saying that means that the true measure of how good something is can only be judged once it is made or done.
the rat race
the rat race
The total system of life centered around working hard—commuting, struggling to be successful and get ahead, dealing with the stresses of life, worrying about bills, etc.
the same old story
the same old story
The same explanation for a situation givenover and over again.
the secret’s in the sauce
the secret’s in the sauce
A saying that means that the secret that makes something special or valuable is hidden or not immediately visible.
the sticks
the sticks
The country. A rural area.
the straw that broke the camel’s back
the straw that broke the camel’s back
An event or thing that by itself is insignificant, but added to other problems is just enough to leave a big impact or cause a big change.
to baby someone or something
to baby someone or something
To treat very carefully and with great sensitivity.
to back something up
to back something up
To support, to lend evidence or strength to something.
to bail
to bail
To leave a person or quit a project earlier than expected. You can also say “to bail out on someone or something.”
to bark up the wrong tree
to bark up the wrong tree
To be seeking something from the wrong source. To be asking for something from a source that cannot or will not provide it.
to barrel out of somewhere
to barrel out of somewhere
To leave somewhere very quickly, usually with little attention to your surroundings. Notice that you may also hear barrel up, barrel down, barrel along, barrel in, etc.
to be “on” someone
to be “on” someone
To be someone’s responsibility, especiallyfinancially.
to be a drop in the bucket
to be a drop in the bucket
To be small in comparison to something else, to be a very small portion of some much larger total.
to be a match made in heaven
to be a match made in heaven
To be perfect together.
to be a pain in the neck
to be a pain in the neck
To be an annoyance, a difficulty, a hindrance.
to be a piece of cake
to be a piece of cake
To be very easy.
to be a pushover
to be a pushover
To be easily convinced or persuaded.
to be a shoo-in
to be a shoo-in
To be the best or most likely candidate forsomething.
to be a steal
to be a steal
To be a great bargain. To get a lot of value for your money.
to be a wake-up call
to be a wake-up call
To be something that changes your view of what is important or possible.
to be a weight off your shoulders
to be a weight off your shoulders
To no longer be a source of worry or concern for you.
to be all about something
to be all about something
To be very interested or active in something. To like something very much.
to be at someone’s throat
to be at someone’s throat
To be fighting with someone. To be aggressively attacking someone.
to be at something
to be at something
To engage or take part in something. Noticethat you can also say “keep at” something, meaning to continue to take part in something.
to be back in the saddle
to be back in the saddle
To return to your normal activities, especially after an illness or injury. To be back in control of your normal activities.
to be back on your feet
to be back on your feet
To recover from sickness, to feel healthyagain.
to be batting a thousand
to be batting a thousand
To be on a roll. To be performing very well. Note that this can also be used sarcastically to imply that someone is doing poorly.
to be beat
to be beat
To be exhausted.
to be between a rock and a hard place
to be between a rock and a hard place
To be in a position where you can’t do what you want to do because you’re caught between two options that are both difficult or disagreeable.
to be beyond someone
to be beyond someone
To be impossible to understand, to becompletely unbelievable.
to be bound to happen
to be bound to happen
To be extremely likely to happen, to be certain.
to be burned
to be burned
To be betrayed,fooled, or hurt, especially after expecting a positive outcome
to be bushed
to be bushed
To be very tired.
to be caught up in something
to be caught up in something
To be involved in something wrong, illegal, or unethical.
to be coming up
to be coming up
To be about to occur. To happen in the nearfuture.
to be cooking
to be cooking
To be on the right track,to be making very good progress, to be on a roll with ideas.
to be crazy about something
to be crazy about something
To like something a lot.
to be eating someone
to be eating someone
To bother, aggravate, or frustrate someone over a period of time.
to be green
to be green
To be new or inexperienced.
to be hanging in there
to be hanging in there
To handle something as well as can be expected, especially a very difficult situation.
to be hard on someone
to be hard on someone
To be strict or difficult with someone, tobe demanding, to be overly critical or disciplinary.
to be hard-pressed
to be hard-pressed
To be pressured by extreme necessity to dosomething.
to be hooked
to be hooked
To enjoy something very much, to be convinced of something. In the context of drugs or alcohol, “hooked” can also mean “addicted.”
to be hung up on something
to be hung up on something
To find fault with something, to identify a weakness or a drawback in something.
to be in seventh heaven
to be in seventh heaven
To feel wonderful, to be very happy.
to be in shape
to be in shape
To be in good physical condition. Note that you can also say “to get in shape, ”meaning“ to train your body and become physically fit.”
to be in someone’s shoes
to be in someone’s shoes
To be in someone else’s position orsituation.
to be in the market for something
to be in the market for something
To want to buy something, to be looking to buy something.
to be killing someone
to be killing someone
To be very painful.
to be looking at
to be looking at
To be in a position to expect something.
to be looking up
to be looking up
To seem positive, to suggest a positiveoutcome or improvement.
to be old hat
to be old hat
To be something someone is accustomed to.
to be on the back burner
to be on the back burner
To be put off, to not be taken care of immediately.
to be on the case
to be on the case
To already be working on a certain project, to have begun working to achieve a particular goal.
to be on your mind
to be on your mind
To be something you think a lot about.
to be one to do something
to be one to do something
This expression is used to communicate someone’s typical or characteristic behavior. Notice that this expression is most commonly used in the negative.
to be or get canned
to be or get canned
To be or get fired.
to be out of the question
to be out of the question
To be impossible to accomplish.
to be out of your mind
to be out of your mind
To be crazy,to be unreasonable or irrational. This expression is very often used in response to someone who proposes something completely unreasonable.
to be out the door
to be out the door
To leave. To be gone.
to be run-of-the-mill
to be run-of-the-mill
To be ordinary or typical. To be commonplace.
to be seeing someone
to be seeing someone
To date someone informally.
to be so hungry you could eat a horse
to be so hungry you could eat a horse
To be very hungry. Used humorously.
to be someone’s cup of tea
to be someone’s cup of tea
To be pleasing or interesting to someone. To fit someone’s tastes or interests.
to be spinning your wheels
to be spinning your wheels
To be putting forth an effort that is having no useful effect. To be working in vain.
to be the point
to be the point
To be the most important fact or consideration about a topic.
to be tied up with something or someone
to be tied up with something or someone
To be busy.
to be under the gun
to be under the gun
To be under pressure or stress.
to be up in the air
to be up in the air
To not have direction or definite shape.
to be up to one’s eyeballs in something
to be up to one’s eyeballs in something
To have a lot of or too much of something.
to be up to speed on something
to be up to speed on something
To know or have all the necessary information about something.
to be up to your neck in something
to be up to your neck in something
To have a lot of something to deal with, look after, or take care of.
to be wet behind the ears
to be wet behind the ears
To be inexperienced or new at something.
to be worth every dime
to be worth every dime
To be a reasonable match of value and cost.
to beat around the bush
to beat around the bush
To be indirect in approach in order to avoid confrontation.
to bend over backwards
to bend over backwards
To do more than is required or expected in order to help someone.
to bite off more than you can chew
to bite off more than you can chew
To commit yourself to more than you can handle.
to bite the bullet
to bite the bullet
To accept a disagreeable solution for adifficult situation.
to bite the dust
to bite the dust
To break. To be no more. To die.
to blow up at someone
to blow up at someone
To suddenly get very angry with someone and yell. To explode.
to break something down
to break something down
To divide something into smaller parts in order to explain it or understand it more easily.
to break the bank
to break the bank
To spend all your money on something, to empty your bank account to pay for something, to pay too much for something.
to break the ice
to break the ice
To put an end to a time of silence or lack of communication. To initiate a conversation or friendliness with someone.
to break up with someone
to break up with someone
To end a romantic relationship.
to bring something up
to bring something up
To start to talk about something, to introduce a topic in conversation.
to brush something off
to brush something off
To fail to take something seriously. To treat something as unimportant or inconsequential.
to buckle
to buckle
To be persuaded, to change your mind.
to buckle down
to buckle down
To dedicate yourself to an activity, to work very hard and seriously at something.
to bully someone into something
to bully someone into something
To force someone to do something.
to burn the midnight oil
to burn the midnight oil
To be awake and doing something late at night.
to burn through something
to burn through something
To use something very fast, with little care for future supplies.
to burst someone’s bubble
to burst someone’s bubble
To disappoint someone. To give someone disappointing news.
to buy the farm
to buy the farm
To die. This expression is usually used in alighthearted or joking way.
to call it a day
to call it a day
To decide that a project, event, or situation is over. To stop working on something for the day.
to call the shots
to call the shots
To make the important decisions.
to catch a bug
to catch a bug
To become sick with a cold or flu.
to catch a flick
to catch a flick
To see a movie.
to catch a flight
to catch a flight
To take a plane to somewhere, sometimes onshort notice.
to catch off-guard
to catch off-guard
To catch someone unprepared. To happenwithout expectation or by surprise.
to catch up
to catch up
To talk and share recent news after not having seen someone in a while.
to cave in
to cave in
To give in. To allow yourself to be persuaded or tempted.
to chat someone up
to chat someone up
To talk to someone, to show interest insomeone by making conversation.
to check in with someone
to check in with someone
To talk to or visit with someone for the purpose of saying hi, or letting someone know that you’re okay.
to check something out
to check something out
To see or find out about something.
to chomp at the bit
to chomp at the bit
To be very anxious or eager to dosomething.
to clean up
to clean up
To make a very large profit, to make a lot of money.
to come off as
to come off as
To give a certain impression, to suggest a certain attitude or style.
to come out of nowhere
to come out of nowhere
To seem to happen without any logical explanation or warning.
to come through
to come through
To happen, to materialize, to become a realevent.
to come up from behind
to come up from behind
To approach someone from behind. Notice that you can also say come up from the side, come up from below, etc.
to come up with
to come up with
To create something original.
to come upon
to come upon
To discover by accident.
to cost a pretty penny
to cost a pretty penny
To be expensive.
to cost an arm and a leg
to cost an arm and a leg
To be very expensive.
to cough something up
to cough something up
To find the means to provide something, especially money
to count on something
to count on something
To depend on something happening. To be sure something will happen.
to count your chickens before they hatch
to count your chickens before they hatch
To depend on a beneficial or positive future event as if it were certain, even though it may not happen.
to cover your back
to cover your back
To take steps that will protect you in thefuture. To be very shrewd and cautious in protecting yourself against being held responsible for potential problems.
to cut corners
to cut corners
To fail to spend the proper amount of money,effort, or time on something.
to cut someone off
to cut someone off
To pass in front of someone very closely andprevent them from moving ahead.
to cut someone some slack
to cut someone some slack
To give someone a break. To be understanding of someone’s situation.
to cut the cord
to cut the cord
To detach yourself from someone or somethingthat you used to have strong influence or control over. The image is of a baby being physically attached to his or her mother by the umbilical cord.
to do a 180
to do a 180
To change in a drastic way. To turn completely around.
to do a number on something
to do a number on something
To damage, destroy, or hurt something badly.
to drag someone somewhere
to drag someone somewhere
To convince someone to go or come somewhere they don’t want to be.
to dream up
to dream up
To invent or conceive of.
to drive someone up the wall
to drive someone up the wall
To annoy someone very much.
to drop by
to drop by
To visit someone.
to drop something
to drop something
To forget something, or to stop talkingabout something.
to dump someone
to dump someone
To stop being in a romantic relationshipwith someone.
to earn peanuts
to earn peanuts
To earn very little money.
to even the score
to even the score
To settle things, to make things even, to arrive at a fair resolution between two people.
to eye something up
to eye something up
To look at, examine, or consider visually.
to face the music
to face the music
To confront or accept unpleasant realities or consequences of bad actions.
to fall on deaf ears
to fall on deaf ears
To be pointless to mention, suggesting thatthe person you’d like to talk to won’t care about your complaint, opinion, or problem.
to fall through
to fall through
To not be accomplished. To not work out.
to feed someone a line
to feed someone a line
To tell someone something that is not genuine or truthful. To use a trite or clichéd expression instead of the truth.
to feel or be under the weather
to feel or be under the weather
To feel ill, to feel less than healthy.
to feel up to something
to feel up to something
To have the desire to do something.
to fill a slot
to fill a slot
To hire a person for an open or available position.
to fill someone in on something
to fill someone in on something
To inform someone of something he or she missed.
to fit someone like a glove
to fit someone like a glove
To fit someone perfectly, as if the thing that fits were made specifically for that person.
to flog a dead horse
to flog a dead horse
To do something that has no hope of succeeding or bringing about the desired result. Note that this idiom is often used with “beat” instead of “flog.”
to fly off the handle
to fly off the handle
To become extremely agitated, excited, or angry. To react too strongly to a situation.
to follow up on something
to follow up on something
To address or check on a situation later.
to freshen up
to freshen up
To wash up and relax. To tidy your appearance and overall condition after something tiring.
to get a break
to get a break
To be given an opportunity to do something you want to do.
to get along with
to get along with
To behave in an agreeable way with someone.
to get cold feet
to get cold feet
To be or become afraid to do something. To have second thoughts. Notice that you can also say “have cold feet.”
to get hitched
to get hitched
To get married. These days,this expression is an informal, humorous, and exaggerated way to say “to get married.”
to get in touch with
to get in touch with
To contact, to talk to someone.
to get off your high horse
to get off your high horse
To stop acting superior or selfrighteous.
to get on someone’s case
to get on someone’s case
To aggressively bother or nag someone about something.
to get on someone’s nerves
to get on someone’s nerves
To annoy or agitate someone.
to get on your feet
to get on your feet
To become stable financially, emotionally,socially, etc.
to get or have someone where you want him or her
to get or have someone where you want him or her
To maneuver someone into a position or situation that benefits you.
to get over something
to get over something
To no longer suffer the pain or discomfort of something. This expression can also mean, “to move on, to feel better after a difficult situation.”
to get something
to get something
To understand something.
to get something off your chest
to get something off your chest
To say something important that you’ve been thinking about a lot.
to get something on track
to get something on track
To make decisions and take actions about something that will lead to a favorable outcome.
to get something out in the open
to get something out in the open
To air a complaint or a grievance, to discuss something openly.
to get something squared away
to get something squared away
To tie up loose ends. To solve the various smaller problems of a larger troublesome situation.
to get the ball rolling
to get the ball rolling
To get started doing something.
to get the show on the road
to get the show on the road
To begin something. To start doing something.
to get used to something
to get used to something
To become accustomed to or familiar with something. Notice that this expression is similar to “to be used to something,” meaning to be accustomed to or familiar with something.
to get your feet wet
to get your feet wet
To get experience, to try something out.
to give it to someone straight
to give it to someone straight
To be direct and honest with someone.
to give it your best shot
to give it your best shot
To try the best that you can.
to give someone a bad name
to give someone a bad name
To give someone a bad reputation.
to give someone a break
to give someone a break
To hold back criticism, judgment, or effort against someone.
to give someone a piece of your mind
to give someone a piece of your mind
To give someone your opinion about him or her or something he or she has done. Usually it is a negative and harshly critical opinion.
to give someone the boot
to give someone the boot
To make someone leave, to send someone away. Here it is used to mean “lay someone off.”
to give someone the cold shoulder
to give someone the cold shoulder
To fail to be warm and welcoming to someone, to ignore someone, especially on purpose.
to give someone the runaround
to give someone the runaround
To avoid answering a question or giving someone help by treating them evasively or by misleading them.
to give something a jump start
to give something a jump start
To provide help, motivation, or incentive to start something.
to give something a rest
to give something a rest
To stop doing something, to pause or take a break from some kind of activity.
to give something a whirl
to give something a whirl
To give something a shot. To try something.
to go about something
to go about something
To handle, to act, or to perform in a situation or with a certain goal.
to go downhill
to go downhill
To become bad very quickly. To deteriorate.
to go in on something with someone
to go in on something with someone
To share the cost or expense of something with someone.
to go over someone’s head
to go over someone’s head
To not confront someone about a problem, but instead bring it up with another person who is higher in authority.
to go south
to go south
To go wrong. To end or stop because of problems.
to go through the roof
to go through the roof
With reference to money, price, value, itmeans “to become very high.” To have an extreme, angry reaction.
to go up
to go up
To increase, to become higher or larger.
to go with something
to go with something
To match something. To look nice together with another thing.
to go with the flow
to go with the flow
To take things as they come. To not worry ortry to anticipate the future.
to grab a bite
to grab a bite
To eat a snack or light meal, usually outside of the house.
to grow out of something
to grow out of something
To become too old for something, to stop having an interest in something that used to be interesting.
to hand it to someone
to hand it to someone
To acknowledge someone’s achievement.
to handle something
to handle something
To cope with or manage a situation.
to have a blast
to have a blast
To have a lot of fun, to have a great time.
to have a bone to pick with someone
to have a bone to pick with someone
To have a problem or complaint about someone.
to have a fit
to have a fit
To have a temper tantrum. To lose control of your emotions. To display your anger.
to have a foot in the door
to have a foot in the door
To be in a situation that could lead tobetter opportunities. Notice that you may also “get a foot in the door” or “give someone a foot in the door.”
to have a good mind to do something
to have a good mind to do something
To be inclined to do something. To have a strong desire to do something.
to have a rough time of it
to have a rough time of it
To experience difficulty dealing with a situation.
to have a screw loose
to have a screw loose
To be crazy. To be thinking unreasonably.
to have a taste of one’s own medicine
to have a taste of one’s own medicine
To be on the receiving end of behavior that one has subjected others to.
to have been down that road before
to have been down that road before
To have experienced or tried something before, especially if it was not helpful orpleasant.
to have had it with something or someone
to have had it with something or someone
To be fed up with. To not be able to handle any more of a situation or person.
to have one on the way
to have one on the way
To be pregnant. To be expecting a child.
to have someone wrapped around your finger
to have someone wrapped around your finger
To cause someone to be obedient to you. To influence someone very greatly, to exert far too much influence on someone.
to have someone’s name on it
to have someone’s name on it
To belong to someone, to be the logical or rightful property or achievement of a particular person.
to have something covered
to have something covered
To be responsible for something, to handle something.
to have something in mind
to have something in mind
To have an idea or conception about something.
to have two left feet
to have two left feet
To be ungraceful, to move in a clumsy orawkward way, especially while dancing.
to have your ducks in a row
to have your ducks in a row
To have everything orderly and planned out.
to have your eye on someone
to have your eye on someone
To watch or examine someone closely.
to have your fingers in too many pies
to have your fingers in too many pies
To be committed to too many goals or projects.
to have your hands tied
to have your hands tied
To be unable to do anything to help asituation.
to have your head in the clouds
to have your head in the clouds
To be a dreamer, to fail to be realistic or pay attention to realistic needs.
to hear something through the grapevine
to hear something through the grapevine
To learn of something through an unofficial channel.
to hit the nail on the head
to hit the nail on the head
To identify the important issue or main point of a situation with precision.
to hit the road
to hit the road
To begin to travel or move. To set off on a trip.
to hook someone up with something
to hook someone up with something
To arrange for someone to have something. To help someone obtain something or to give someone something.
to iron something out
to iron something out
To fix a problem, to correct a mistake in aprocess.
to jump down someone’s throat
to jump down someone’s throat
To overreact and attack someone verbally.
to jump the gun
to jump the gun
To do something too early, to act too quickly.
to keep a low profile
to keep a low profile
To do nothing that would draw attention to you or distinguish you from others.
to keep an eye on
to keep an eye on
To watch carefully.
to keep in mind
to keep in mind
To remember. To consider.
to keep up with something or someone
to keep up with something or someone
To go at the same speed or pace, to be aware of changes or current conditions.
to keep up with the trends
to keep up with the trends
To follow new fashions or trends very closely.
to kick off
to kick off
To begin something.
to knock someone’s socks off
to knock someone’s socks off
To shock or surprise someone in a pleasant or happy way by performing beyond expectation.
to lay out
to lay out
To arrange in a flat position, to spread out.
to lean on
to lean on
To rely or count on, to be dependent on someone else instead of being self-sufficient.
to leap at the chance
to leap at the chance
To be eager to do something, to be verywilling to accept an opportunity
to leave someone high and dry
to leave someone high and dry
To fail to do something that someone else was depending on. To bail on someone withoutwarning or trying to make up for it in some other way.
to lend a hand
to lend a hand
To help. Notice that “a hand” can be used tomean “help” in other expressions—to offer a hand, to ask for a hand, to need a hand, etc.
to let off some steam
to let off some steam
To release or let go of built-up energy,anxiety, or pressure.
to let someone off easy
to let someone off easy
To allow someone to get away with unacceptable behavior with only a light punishment. A similar expression is “to let someone off the hook.” This means to not hold someone responsible for something, or to not punish him or her for a mistake or misdeed.
to let your hair down
to let your hair down
To celebrate in a free and uninhibited way.
to let yourself go
to let yourself go
To allow yourself to be in bad physical condition because of diet or lack of exercise.
to lift a finger
to lift a finger
To offer help. To put forth effort to do some sort of physical work.
to lighten up
to lighten up
To take a more casual or relaxed attitude. To not be overly upset or angry about something.
to live paycheck-to-paycheck
to live paycheck-to-paycheck
To earn only enough money to meet weekly or monthly bills, to not be able to save or spend on nonessentials.
to live something down
to live something down
To be allowed to forget about an embarrassing situation. This is used in the negative—to never or not live something down. A common way you’ll hear this expression is the phrase “I’ll never live this down!”
to look around
to look around
To move through a place and observe without the intention of finding something in particular.
to look like a train wreck
to look like a train wreck
To be very messy or in terrible condition. To appear as if destroyed in some kind of accident.
to lose sleep over something
to lose sleep over something
To worry about something. To feel upset or guilty about something.
to lose your nerve
to lose your nerve
To lose courage.
to lose your shirt
to lose your shirt
To become financially ruined. To lose a lot of money.
to make a clean break
to make a clean break
To forget about something in the past, tostart fresh.
to make a mountain out of a molehill
to make a mountain out of a molehill
To exaggerate a situation, to turn a relatively minor situation into something much bigger or more important than it should be.
to make ends meet
to make ends meet
To earn enough money to pay for one’sexpenses.
to make it to an event
to make it to an event
To attend an event.
to make it up to someone
to make it up to someone
To compensate someone for something, especially something that you’ve done wrong. To do something in order to apologize.
to make small talk
to make small talk
To make insignificant conversation withsomeone, especially only to be polite.
to make someone’s day
to make someone’s day
To cause someone great happiness, joy,or pride.
to make up your mind
to make up your mind
To decide.
to make your own way in the world
to make your own way in the world
To support yourself, to be responsible for your own needs in life.
to make yourself scarce
to make yourself scarce
To leave, to move away from someone. Rude when said to someone else
to move on
to move on
To begin something else, to stop focusing on one person or thing and to start to think about someone or something else.
to mull something over
to mull something over
To think about something. To consider a situation.
to nail someone
to nail someone
To hit or do damage to someone.
to not be playing with a full deck
to not be playing with a full deck
To behave in an illogical or crazy way. To be crazy.
to not give a damn
to not give a damn
To not care. Note that some people considerthe word “damn” to be harsh and impolite, so an alternate expression is to not give a darn.
to not have a clue
to not have a clue
To not know about something at all.
to not have a prayer
to not have a prayer
To not have a chance or hope.
to not hold your breath
to not hold your breath
To not wait for something to happen with much hope.
to not see something coming
to not see something coming
To not expect something. To be surprised by something.
to outdo yourself
to outdo yourself
To do something very well. To do better thanyou normally do. Note that this expression is often used in a sarcastic way.
to pack up shop
to pack up shop
To prepare a place in order to leave it.
to pan out
to pan out
To be successful, to work out well.
to pass away
to pass away
To die.
to pass the buck
to pass the buck
To put the blame or responsibility on someone else.
to pass up for something
to pass up for something
To fail to consider for something or to grant a reward for something.
to pay the piper
to pay the piper
To suffer the consequences of your actions,after a long time of not suffering any consequences.
to pay through the nose
to pay through the nose
To pay a lot of money.
to pay your respects
to pay your respects
To visit the family of a deceased person inorder to show you care and tell them you are sorry.
to pick up someone’s slack
to pick up someone’s slack
To compensate for someone else’s shortcomings.
to pitch in
to pitch in
To assist, to share in a responsibility, such as housework or bill paying.
to play the field
to play the field
To date many different people.
to pop the question
to pop the question
To propose marriage to someone.
to pull over
to pull over
To drive one’s car to the side of the road in order to stop.
to pull through
to pull through
To overcome a temporary difficult situation,including a serious injury or illness.
to pull up
to pull up
To access a file or other information on a computer.
to push your luck
to push your luck
To try to get too much of a reward, to be greedy, to want too much.
to put in or give your two cents
to put in or give your two cents
To give your opinion or share your ideas about something.
to put something away
to put something away
To save something, such as money.
to put something off
to put something off
To delay something, to postponesomething, to procrastinate.
to put the cart before the horse
to put the cart before the horse
To do something out of logical order, to perform a step before its appropriate time.
to put your best foot forward
to put your best foot forward
To present your best attributes and qualities.
to raise eyebrows
to raise eyebrows
To bring attention to yourself, to cause people to notice you as someone different or unconventional. Notice that this expression is similar to “stick out like a sore thumb,” but there’s a hint of a moral judgment with “raise eyebrows.”
to reach out
to reach out
To extend a welcome to a person, to put forth an effort to communicate with someone.
to recharge the batteries
to recharge the batteries
To rest and regain physical and psychological strength.
to ride someone’s tail
to ride someone’s tail
To follow someone at an uncomfortably close or dangerous distance. Notice that this expression doesn’t necessarily have to be used for driving only.
to rubberneck
to rubberneck
To drive slowly past the scene of an accident while turning your neck to see what happened.
to run into somebody
to run into somebody
To meet somebody unexpectedly.
to screw up
to screw up
To make mistakes, to perform poorly.
to see eye to eye
to see eye to eye
To agree.
to sell out
to sell out
To betray your principles for money.
to settle down
to settle down
To grow comfortable and content in a routine or situation, especially in a relationship with another person. Often, this implies growing older and more responsible, or lessfun-loving and free, depending on how you look at it!
to settle on something
to settle on something
To decide something after discussion, consideration, or negotiation.
to shake off the dust
to shake off the dust
To rest and compose yourself after a longtrip, as if you had been walking for a long time and were covered in dust from the road.
to shell out
to shell out
To pay, usually a bit unwillingly.
to shoot something down
to shoot something down
To dismiss or reject something, such as an idea or a suggestion.
to show someone up
to show someone up
To try to appear better or more competentthan other people.
to show up
to show up
To arrive.
to sideswipe someone
to sideswipe someone
To hit someone with the side edge of something.
to sink or swim
to sink or swim
To be in a situation where you must eitherperform your best or fail.
to sit tight
to sit tight
To wait, to be patient.
to size someone up
to size someone up
To examine or evaluate someone, especiallyvisually.
to slam on the brakes
to slam on the brakes
To press the brake pedal in a car forcefullyand suddenly.
to sleep like a log
to sleep like a log
To sleep so well that you hardly move.
to slip someone’s mind
to slip someone’s mind
To be forgotten.
to snap out of it
to snap out of it
To recover after a state of confusion, sadness, or psychological fatigue.
to sneak up on somebody
to sneak up on somebody
To happen or be about to happen without someone’s realization or preparation. By the way, you’ll hear many people use the past form “snuck” as well.
to speed up
to speed up
To accelerate.
to spring something on someone
to spring something on someone
To give someone unexpected news with no preparation or warning.
to stand someone up
to stand someone up
To not show up for a date or appointmentwithout giving the other person advance warning.
to start from square one
to start from square one
To start again, to start a process from the very beginning.
to step up to the plate
to step up to the plate
To volunteer yourself, to act responsibly in a time of need.
to stew over something
to stew over something
To be quietly angry about something.
to stick out like a sore thumb
to stick out like a sore thumb
To be very visible or obvious, to draw attention to yourself because you are different in some noticeable way.
to stick to someone or something
to stick to someone or something
To stay with someone or something.
to stick to the ribs
to stick to the ribs
To be filling. To be substantial.
to strike while the iron’s hot
to strike while the iron’s hot
To take advantage of a favorable opportunity.
to swap information
to swap information
To exchange names, phone numbers, license plate numbers, and insurance company information, especially after a car accident.
to take a load off
to take a load off
To rest by sitting down.
to take a nosedive
to take a nosedive
To become worse very quickly. Notice that“nose-dive” is also a verb.
to take a toll on someone
to take a toll on someone
To have negative consequences for someone.
to take after
to take after
To have the same traits or characteristics as another person.
to take charge of something
to take charge of something
To become responsible for something and make active decisions about it.
to take it easy
to take it easy
To do things slowly and carefully, without tiring yourself.
to take off
to take off
To leave quickly.
to take off from something
to take off from something
To not attend your normally scheduled activity, such as work.
to take on
to take on
To make yourself responsible for something,o agree to an obligation.
to take on something
to take on something
To become responsible for something. To agree to a new responsibility.
to take someone to the cleaners
to take someone to the cleaners
To fight for economic compensation until the other person has no more money left.
to take something
to take something
To react to a situation emotionally. Torespond to something.
to take something out on someone
to take something out on someone
To direct anger or frustration about something at someone who is not responsible for it.
to take the bull by the horns
to take the bull by the horns
To approach a situation directly and with determination.
to take the plunge
to take the plunge
To follow through on a big or life-changing decision. On the invitation, it has a double meaning. It refers both to a “plunge” into water at the beach party and to the fact that Matt and Allison will be getting married.
to take the scenic route
to take the scenic route
Jokingly, to get lost and take a long time to reach a destination.
to take the wind out of someone’s sails
to take the wind out of someone’s sails
To take away someone’s enthusiasm or hope for something.
to take to
to take to
To find an interest in, to learn that you enjoy something.
to take your time doing something
to take your time doing something
To not rush. To do something slowly and carefully.
to talk a big game
to talk a big game
To exaggerate one’s abilities or powers.
to talk something over
to talk something over
To discuss carefully in order to come to adecision.
to talk something up
to talk something up
To praise something verbally. To speak highly of something or exaggerate its value.
to tear something to pieces
to tear something to pieces
To find fault with something or harshly criticize. To insult.
to throw in the towel
to throw in the towel
To quit. To stop doing something.
to throw on
to throw on
To put clothes on hastily and thoughtlessly.
to throw someone a bone
to throw someone a bone
To make a small or token gesture of support for someone, often in a patronizing way.
to throw someone for a loop
to throw someone for a loop
To surprise someone. To confuse someone with something unexpected.
to tie the knot
to tie the knot
To get married.
to total a car
to total a car
To inflict damages that, if repaired, would cost more than the value of the car.
to track someone down
to track someone down
To find someone by following clues.
to try one’s hand at something
to try one’s hand at something
To try something for the first time.
to try something on
to try something on
To wear a piece of clothing to see if it fits properly or looks nice on a person. Notice that you can extend this idiom to “try something on for size.” It can mean the same thing as to try an article of clothing on, or it can be used generally to mean to try something and see how it feels or works.
to turn heads
to turn heads
To be beautiful, to cause people to turn and look at you.
to turn in, or to turn in for the night
to turn in, or to turn in for the night
To go to bed.
to turn over a new leaf
to turn over a new leaf
To begin a new project or period in your life.
to turn someone on
to turn someone on
To be a turn-on. To cause an attraction, usually physical.
to turn someone or something down
to turn someone or something down
To say “no” to someone or something.
to turn up
to turn up
To appear or be found.
to turn your back on someone
to turn your back on someone
Literally, to turn away from or look the other way. Note that this expression can also be used figuratively, meaning to abandon or stop caring about someone.
to twiddle your thumbs
to twiddle your thumbs
To do nothing. Literally, to have your hands clasped and to move your thumbs in circles around each other.
to unwind
to unwind
To relax and free yourself from stress.
to wake up and smell the coffee
to wake up and smell the coffee
To acknowledge the reality of a situation.
to wake up on the wrong side of the bed
to wake up on the wrong side of the bed
To be in a bad mood.
to walk down the aisle
to walk down the aisle
To get married.
to weigh someone down
to weigh someone down
To make someone feel slow or tired. Said of something experienced as a weight—emotional,physical, psychological, etc
to whip up
to whip up
To prepare something, especially food, in a fast and improvised way.
to wing it
to wing it
To do something without following instructions or directions. To improvise.
to work your tail off
to work your tail off
To work very hard. To put forth great effort.
to zone out
to zone out
To stop thinking or become unaware of one’senvironment.
top-notch
top-notch
Of the highest quality.
tricks of the trade
tricks of the trade
Information that experienced people in afield know that makes their work easier or the product of their labor of a better quality.

up to something
up to something
Involved in some kind of mischief. Planningsomething.

wet blanket
wet blanket
Unenthusiastic or disagreeable, lacking theappropriate attitude or spirit for a particular situation.
when it comes to something
when it comes to something
Regarding, with regard to, or concerning something.
win-win, or a win-win situation
win-win, or a win-win situation
A situation that is beneficial to everyone concerned.
written in stone
written in stone
Fixed, firm, unchangeable.

you don’t say
you don’t say
An expression used to show mild surprise, like saying “really?” This can also be a sarcastic expression, to show that you don’t find something as interesting as someone else does.
you scratch my back, i’ll scratch yours
you scratch my back, i’ll scratch yours
Said about a situation in which two people can benefit from each other’s help. Each will do the other a favor in order to get what he or she wants from the other person.

zip
zip
Spiciness, flavor, tanginess. Not usually used with reference to sweet foods. Note that zing, bite, and kick are all used tomean the same thing.

Answer Key

Favorite Books

Speak English Like an American

If you already speak some English and now would like to speak more like a native, “Speak English Like an American” will help you. One of the keys to speaking like a native is the ability to use and understand casual expressions, or idioms. American English is full of idioms. Speak English Like an American will help you understand and use idioms better. It contains over 300 of today's most common idioms.

Speak Business English Like an American

Speak Business English Like An American covers over 350 idioms and expressions you're likely to encounter in today's business world. Familiarize yourself with all of them.

Speak English Around Town

English idioms, proverbs, and expressions are an important part of everyday English. They come up all the time in both written and spoken English. Because idioms don't always make sense literally, you'll need to familiarize yourself with the meaning and usage of each idiom. That may seem like a lot of work, but learning idioms is fun, especially when you compare English idioms to the idioms in your own language.

English the American Way: A Fun ESL Guide to Language and Culture in the U.S.

English the American Way: A Fun ESL Guide to Language and Culture in the U.S. is your very own ... well, guide, to... yes, American language and culture . You’ll find tons (a lot!) of vocabulary, all of it used in real-life ways.

illustrated Everyday Expressions with Stories 1

The purpose of the Illustrated Everyday Expressions with Stories series is to introduce English language learners to common idioms through humorous examples and illustrations. The lessons in this book will both entertain and enlighten students while providing exposure to how each idiom can be used in a variety of contexts.

illustrated Everyday Expressions with Stories 2

Everyday Conversations: Learning American English

Everyday Conversations is intended for sixth- and seventh-grade students of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) or English as a Second Language (ESL). Students can listen to and/or read dialogues in English. Topics of the conversations include introductions and small talk, shopping, asking for directions, hobbies, and giving advice.

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