1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47
| id | category | idiom | description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1701 | Numbers | That makes two of us | A speaker says "that makes two of us" to indicate agreement with what another speaker just said. For example, I can say, "I wish I would win the lottery." A listener who says "That makes two of us" is indicating the he or she wants to win the lottery, too. |
| 1702 | Numbers | Third degree | If someone is given the third degree, they are put under a great deal of pressure and intimidation to force them to tell the truth about something. |
| 1703 | Numbers | Watch your six | (USA) This idiom means that you should look behind you for dangers coming that you cant see. |
| 1704 | Numbers | Whole nine yards | The whole nine yards means means everything that is necessary or required for something. |
| 1705 | Numbers | Zero tolerance | If the police have a zero tolerance policy, they will not overlook any crime, no matter how small or trivial. |
| 1706 | Persons name | Achilles' heel | A persons weak spot is their Achilles heel. |
| 1707 | Persons name | Adam's apple | The Adams apple is a bulge in the throat, mostly seen in men. |
| 1708 | Persons name | Any Tom, Dick or Harry | If something could be done by any Tom, Dick or Harry, it could be done by absolutely anyone. |
| 1709 | Persons name | Barkus is willing | This idiom means that someone is willing to get married. |
| 1710 | Persons name | Before you can say Jack Robinson | The term Jack Robinson represents a short amount of time. When you do something before you can say Jack Robinson, you do it very quickly. |
| 1711 | Persons name | Benjamin of the family | The Benjamin of the family is the youngest child. |
| 1712 | Persons name | Buggles' turn | (UK) If it Buggles turn, someone gets promotion through length of service rather than ability, especially in the British civil service. |
| 1713 | Persons name | Davey Jones' locker | Davey Jones locker is the bottom of the sea or resting place of drowned sailors.(Davy Jones locker is an alternative spelling.) |
| 1714 | Persons name | Do a Lord Lucan | (UK) If someone disappears without a trace or runs off, they do a Lord Lucan.? (Lord Lucan disappeared after a murder) |
| 1715 | Persons name | Even Stevens | If everything is equal between people, they are even Stevens. |
| 1716 | Persons name | Every Tom, Dick and Harry | If every Tom, Dick and Harry knows about something, then it is common knowledge. |
| 1717 | Persons name | For Pete's sake | This is used as an exclamation to show exasperation or irritation. |
| 1718 | Persons name | For the love of Pete | Usually used in exasperation, as in Oh, for the love of Pete! |
| 1719 | Persons name | Freudian Slip | If someone makes a Freudian slip, they accidentally use the wrong word, but in doing so reveal what they are really thinking rather than what they think the other person wants to hear. |
| 1720 | Persons name | Going Jesse | (USA) If something is a going Jesse, its a viable, successful project or enterprise. |
| 1721 | Persons name | Great Scott | An exclamation of surprise. |
| 1722 | Persons name | Happy as Larry | When youre as happy as Larry, youre very happy indeed. |
| 1723 | Persons name | Heath Robinson | (UK) If a machine or system is described as Heath Robinson, it is very complicated, but not practical or effective, named after a cartoonist who drew very complicated machines that performed simple tasks. |
| 1724 | Persons name | Hobson's choice | A Hobsons choice is something that appears to be a free choice, but is really no choice as there is no genuine alternative. |
| 1725 | Persons name | Home, James | (UK) This is a cliched way of telling the driver of a vehicle to start driving. It is supposed to be an order to a chauffeur (a privately employed driver).? The full phrase is Home, James, and dont spare the horses. |
| 1726 | Persons name | In like Flynn | Refers to Errol Flynns popularity with women in the 40s. His ability to attract women was well known throughout the world.? (In like flint is also used.) |
| 1727 | Persons name | Is Saul also among the prophets? | Its a biblical idiom used when somebody known for something bad appears all of a sudden to be doing something very good. |
| 1728 | Persons name | Jack the Lad | A confident and not very serious young man who behaves as he wants to without thinking about other people is a Jack the Lad. |
| 1729 | Persons name | Jack-of-all-trades | A jack-of-all-trades is someone that can do many different jobs. |
| 1730 | Persons name | Jane Doe | Jane Doe is a name given to an unidentified female who may be party to legal proceedings, or to an unidentified person in hospital, or dead. John Doe is the male equivalent. |
| 1731 | Persons name | Jekyll and Hyde | Someone who has a Jekyll and Hyde personality has a pleasant and a very unpleasant side to the character. |
| 1732 | Persons name | Job's comforter | Someone who says they want to comfort, but actually discomforts people is a Jobs comforter. (Jobs is pronounced jobes, not jobs) |
| 1733 | Persons name | John Doe | John Doe is a name given to an unidentified male who may be party to legal proceedings, or to an unidentified person in hospital, or dead. Jane Doe is the female equivalent. |
| 1734 | Persons name | John Hancock | (USA) John Hancock means a signature- his signature on the engrossed copy of the Declaration of Independence is very prominent. |
| 1735 | Persons name | John Q Public | (USA) John Q Public is the typical, average person. |
| 1736 | Persons name | Johnny on the spot | A person who is always available; ready, willing, and able to do what needs to be done.(Johnny-on-the-spot is also used.) |
| 1737 | Persons name | Jumping Judas! | An expression of surprise or shock. |
| 1738 | Persons name | Mickey Mouse | If something is Mickey Mouse, it is intellectually trivial or not of a very high standard. |
| 1739 | Persons name | Midas touch | If someone has the Midas touch, they make a lot of money out of any scheme they try. |
| 1740 | Persons name | Nervous Nellie | Someone excessively worried or apprehensive is a nervous Nellie (or Nelly). |
| 1741 | Persons name | Painted Jezebel | A painted Jezebel is a scheming woman. |
| 1742 | Persons name | Pandora's box | If you open a Pandoras box, something you do causes all sorts of trouble that you hadnt anticipated. |
| 1743 | Persons name | Patience of Job | If something requires the patience of Job, it requires great patience. |
| 1744 | Persons name | Peeping Tom | A peeping Tom is someone who tries to look through other peoples windows without being seen in order to spy on people in their homes. |
| 1745 | Persons name | Raise Cain | (USA) If someone raises Cain, they make a big fuss publicly, causing a disturbance. |
| 1746 | Persons name | Real McCoy | Something thats the real McCoy is the genuine article, not a fake. |
| 1747 | Persons name | Rich as Croesus | Someone who is as rich as Croesus is very wealthy indeed. |
| 1748 | Persons name | Rip van Winkle | Rip van Winkle is a character in a story who slept for twenty years, so if someone is a Rip van Winkle, they are behind the times and out of touch with whats happening now. |
| 1749 | Persons name | Smart Alec | A smart Alec is a conceited person who likes to show off how clever and knowledgeable they are. |
| 1750 | Persons name | Take the Mickey | (UK) If you take the Mickey, you tease someone. (Take the Mick is also used.) |
| 1751 | Persons name | Uncle Sam | (USA) Uncle Sam is the government of the USA. |
| 1752 | Persons name | Vicar of Bray | (UK) A person who changes their beliefs and principles to stay popular with people above them is a Vicar of Bray |
| 1753 | Place name | All roads lead to Rome | This means that there can be many different ways of doing something. |
| 1754 | Place name | Big Easy | (USA) The Big Easy is New Orleans, Louisiana |
| 1755 | Place name | Coals to Newcastle | (UK) Taking, bringing, or carrying coals to Newcastle is doing something that is completely unnecessary. |
| 1756 | Place name | Crossing the Rubicon | When you are crossing the Rubicon, you are passing a point of no return. After you do this thing, there is no way of turning around. The only way left is forward. |
| 1757 | Place name | Cut the Gordian knot | If someone cuts the Gordian knot, they solve a very complex problem in a simple way. |
| 1758 | Place name | Down the Swanee | If a plan or scheme, etc, goes down the Swanee, it goes wrong or fails. |
| 1759 | Place name | Dunkirk spirit | (UK) Dunkirk spirit is when people pull together to get through a very difficult time. |
| 1760 | Place name | From Missouri | (USA) If someone is from Missouri, then they require clear proof before they will believe something. |
| 1761 | Place name | Himalayan blunder | A Himalayan blunder is a very serious mistake or error. |
| 1762 | Place name | Man on the Clapham omnibus | (UK) The man on the Clapham omnibus is the ordinary person in the street. |
| 1763 | Place name | More front than Brighton | (UK) If you have more front than Brighton, you are very self-confident, possibly excessively so. |
| 1764 | Place name | New York minute | (USA) If something happens in a New York minute, it happens very fast. |
| 1765 | Place name | On Carey Street | (UK) If someone is on Carey Street, they are heavily in debt or have gone bankrupt. |
| 1766 | Place name | Road to Damascus | If someone has a great and sudden change in their ideas or beliefs, then this is a road to Damascus change, after the conversion of Saint Paul to Christianity while heading to Damascus to persecute Christians. |
| 1767 | Place name | Rome was not built in a day | This idiom means that many things cannot be done instantly, and require time and patience. |
| 1768 | Place name | Saigon moment | (USA) A Saigon moment is when people realise that something has gone wrong and that they will lose or fail. |
| 1769 | Place name | Send someone to Coventry | (UK) If you send someone to Coventry, you refuse to talk to them or co-operate with them. |
| 1770 | Place name | Set the Thames on fire | If you do something remarkable, you set the Thames on fire, though this expression is used in the negative; someone who is dull or undistiguished will never set the Thames on fire. |
| 1771 | Place name | Shipshape and Bristol fashion | If things are shipshape and Bristol fashion, they are in perfect working order. |
| 1772 | Place name | When in Rome, do as the Romans do | This idiom means that when you are visiting a different place or culture, you should try to follow their customs and practices. |
| 1773 | Plants & Flowers | A rolling stone gathers no moss | People say this to mean that an ambitious person is more successful than a person not trying to achieve anything. Originally it meant the opposite and was critical of people trying to get ahead. |
| 1774 | Plants & Flowers | Barking up the wrong tree | If you are barking up the wrong tree, it means that you have completely misunderstood something or are totally wrong. |
| 1775 | Plants & Flowers | Beat about the bush | If someone doesnt say clearly what they mean and try to make it hard to understand, they are beating about (around) the bush. |
| 1776 | Plants & Flowers | Bouquet of orchids | Id someone deserves a bouquet of orchids, they have done something worthy of praise. |
| 1777 | Plants & Flowers | Broken reed | If something or someone fails to give you the support you were hoping for, they are a broken reed. |
| 1778 | Plants & Flowers | Can't see the forest for its trees | If someone cant see the forest for its trees, they are too focused on specific details to see the picture as a whole. |
| 1779 | Plants & Flowers | Clutch at straws | If someone is in serious trouble and tries anything to help them, even though their chances of success are probably nil, they are clutching at straws. |
| 1780 | Plants & Flowers | Come up roses | If things come up roses, they produce a positive result, especially when things seemed to be going badly at first. |
| 1781 | Plants & Flowers | Come up smelling of roses | (UK) If someone comes up smelling of roses, they emerge from a situation with their reputation undamaged. |
| 1782 | Plants & Flowers | Cut down the tall poppies | (AU) If people cut down the tall poppies, they criticise people who stand out from the crowd. |
| 1783 | Plants & Flowers | Demon weed | Tobacco is the demon weed. |
| 1784 | Plants & Flowers | Draw the shortest straw | If someone draws the shortest straw, they lose or are chosen to do something unpleasant. |
| 1785 | Plants & Flowers | Easy as falling off a log | Something very easy or simple to do is as easy as falling off a log. |
| 1786 | Plants & Flowers | Flowery speech | Flowery speech is full of lovely words, but may well lack substance. |
| 1787 | Plants & Flowers | Forest for the trees | (USA) If someone cant see the forest for the trees, they get so caught up in small details that they fail to understand the bigger picture. |
| 1788 | Plants & Flowers | Gild the lily | If you gild the lily, you decorate something that is already ornate. |
| 1789 | Plants & Flowers | Go to seed | If someone has gone to seed, they have declined in quality or appearance. |
| 1790 | Plants & Flowers | Grasp the nettle | (UK) If you grasp the nettle, you deal bravely with a problem. |
| 1791 | Plants & Flowers | Grass roots | This idioms is often used in politics, where it refers to the ordinary people or voters. It can be used to mean people at the bottom of a hierarchy. |
| 1792 | Plants & Flowers | Hit the hay | When you hit the hay, you go to bed. |
| 1793 | Plants & Flowers | In the tall cotton | A phrase that expresses good times or times of plenty and wealth as tall cotton means a good crop. |
| 1794 | Plants & Flowers | Jungle out there | If someone says that it is a jungle out there, they mean that the situation is dangerous and there are no rules. |
| 1795 | Plants & Flowers | Just as the twig is bent, the tree?s inclined | Things, especially education, that affect and influence us in our childhood shape the kind of adult we turn out to be. (There are various versions of this, like As the twig is bent, the trees inclined and As the twig is bent, so the tree inclines, As the twig is bent so is the tree inclined) |
| 1796 | Plants & Flowers | Kick something into the long grass | If an issue or problem is kicked into the long grass, it is pushed aside and hidden in the hope that it will be forgotten or ignored. |
| 1797 | Plants & Flowers | Knock on wood | This idiom is used to wish for good luck. (Touch wood is also used.) |
| 1798 | Plants & Flowers | Last straw | The last straw is the final problem that makes someone lose their temper or the problem that finally brought about the collapse of something. It comes from an Arabic story, where a camel was loaded with straw until a single straw placed on the rest of the load broke its back. |
| 1799 | Plants & Flowers | Lead someone up the garden path | If someone leads you up the garden path, they deceive you, or give you false information that causes you to waste your time. Lead someone down the garden path is also used. |
| 1800 | Plants & Flowers | Let the grass grow round your feet | If you let the grass grow round your feet, you delay doing things instead of taking action. |
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47