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| id | category | idiom | description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2201 | Transport & Travel | Sunday driver | A Sunday driver drives very slowly and makes unexpected manoeuvres. |
| 2202 | Transport & Travel | Take for a test drive | If you take something for a test driver, you try something to see if you like it. |
| 2203 | Transport & Travel | That ship has sailed | A particular opportunity has passed you by when that ship has sailed. |
| 2204 | Transport & Travel | There's never a road without a turning | No situation in life stays the same forever. |
| 2205 | Transport & Travel | Throw someone under the bus | To throw someone under the bus is to get the person in trouble either by placing blame on that person or not standing up for him. |
| 2206 | Transport & Travel | Tight ship | If you run a tight ship, you control an organization or business firmly to maximise performance. |
| 2207 | Transport & Travel | Traffucked | If you are traffucked, you are stuck in heavy traffic and get where you need to be. |
| 2208 | Transport & Travel | Train of thought | A train of thought is a sequence of thoughts, especially when you are talking to someone and you forget what you were going to say. |
| 2209 | Transport & Travel | Whatever floats your boat | When people say this, they mean that you should do whatever makes you happy. |
| 2210 | Transport & Travel | Wheels fall off | When the wheels fall off something, it goes wrong or fails. (Wheels come off is an alternative.) |
| 2211 | Transport & Travel | Where the rubber meets the road | (USA) Where the rubber meets the road is the most important point for something, the moment of truth. An athlete can train all day, but the race is where the rubber meets the road and theyll know how good they really are. |
| 2212 | Transport & Travel | You can't get there from here | (USA) US expression used in the New England area (most frequently in Maine) by persons being asked for directions to a far distant location that cannot be accessed without extensive, complicated directions. |
| 2213 | War and conflict | Act of war | An act of war is a action that is either intended to start a war or that is interpreted as being sufficient cause for a war. |
| 2214 | War and conflict | All's fair in love and war | This idiom is used to say that where there is conflict, people can be expected to behave in a more vicious way. |
| 2215 | War and conflict | Arrow in the quiver | An arrow in the quiver is a strategy or option that could be used to achieve your objective. |
| 2216 | War and conflict | At daggers drawn | If people are at daggers drawn, they are very angry and close to violence. |
| 2217 | War and conflict | Axe to grind | If you have an axe to grind with someone or about something, you have a grievance, a resentment and you want to get revenge or sort it out. In American English, it is ax. |
| 2218 | War and conflict | Battle of nerves | A battle of nerves is a situation where neither side in a conflict or dispute is willing to back down and is waiting for the other side to weaken. (A war of nerves is an alternative form.) |
| 2219 | War and conflict | Beat swords into ploughshares | If people beat swords into ploughshares, they spend money on humanitarian purposes rather than weapons. (The American English spelling is plowshares) |
| 2220 | War and conflict | Beat the tar out of | When you want to beat the tar out of someone, you want to beat them up badly. |
| 2221 | War and conflict | Been in the wars | (UK) If someone has been in the wars, they have been hurt or look as if they have been in a struggle. |
| 2222 | War and conflict | Bite the bullet | If you have to bite the bullet, you have to accept or face something unpleasant because it cannot be avoided. |
| 2223 | War and conflict | Bring a knife to a gunfight | If someone brings a knife to a gunfight, they are very badly prepared for something. |
| 2224 | War and conflict | Bury the hatchet | If you bury the hatchet, you make peace with someone and stop arguing or fighting. |
| 2225 | War and conflict | Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades | This phrase is used to say that if you come close to success without succeeding, it is not good enough |
| 2226 | War and conflict | Cross swords | When people cross swords, they argue or dispute. This expression is used when some groups accuse each other for non-adherence to norms. Actually no sword is used but the tempo of the argument is high enough to cause worsening of the already bad situation. It is a tussle (vehement struggle without use of arms) between the parties to establish supremacy. |
| 2227 | War and conflict | Dodge the bullet | If someone has dodged a bullet, they have successfully avoided a very serious problem. |
| 2228 | War and conflict | Don't mention the war | This means that you shouldnt speak about things that could cause an argument or tension.This idiom was used in a classic episode of the much-loved British comedy series Fawlty Towers. As a consequence if you use this phrase in Britain, listeners will understand you to be referring to Germans, or just start laughing. |
| 2229 | War and conflict | Don't shoot the messenger | This phrase can be used when breaking some bad news to someone and you dont want to be blamed for the news. (Dont kill the messenger is also used.) |
| 2230 | War and conflict | Double-edged sword | If someone uses an argument that could both help them and harm them, then they are using a double-edged sword sword; it cuts both ways. |
| 2231 | War and conflict | Drop a bombshell | If someone drops a bombshell, they announce something that changes a situation drastically and unexpectedly. |
| 2232 | War and conflict | Fight an uphill battle | When you fight an uphill battle, you have to struggle against very unfavourable circumstances. |
| 2233 | War and conflict | Get the axe | If you get the axe, you lose your job.? (Get the ax is the American spelling.) |
| 2234 | War and conflict | Great guns | If something or someone is going great guns, they are doing very well. |
| 2235 | War and conflict | In your sights | If you have someone or something in your sights, they are your target to beat. |
| 2236 | War and conflict | Keep your powder dry | If you keep your powder dry, you act cautiously so as not to damage your chances. |
| 2237 | War and conflict | Knight in shining armour | A knight in shining armour is someone who saves you when you are in great trouble or danger. |
| 2238 | War and conflict | Lay waste | To lay waste to something is to destroy it. |
| 2239 | War and conflict | Lock and load | This is a military term meaning "be ready and prepared". |
| 2240 | War and conflict | Long shot | If something is a long shot, there is only a very small chance of success. |
| 2241 | War and conflict | Loose cannon | A person who is very difficult to control and unpredictable is a loose cannon. |
| 2242 | War and conflict | Lower your sights | If you lower your sights, you accept something that is less than you were hoping for. |
| 2243 | War and conflict | Mailed fist | Someone who rules or controls something with a mailed fist is in absolute control and tolerates no dissent. A mailed fist in a velvet glove is used to describe someone who appears soft on the outside, but underneath is very hard. Iron fist is an alternative form. |
| 2244 | War and conflict | More than one string to their bow | A person who has more than one string to their bow has different talents or skills to fall back on. |
| 2245 | War and conflict | Off your guard | If you catch someone off their guard, they are not ready or prepared when you do or say something.(Take somoene off their guard is also used.) |
| 2246 | War and conflict | Open old wounds | If you open old wounds, you revive a quarrel or problem that caused a lot of trouble in the past. |
| 2247 | War and conflict | Over the top | If something is over the top, it is excessive or unnecessary.? It refers to the moment a soldier leaves the trenches. |
| 2248 | War and conflict | Pull the trigger | The person who pulls the trigger is the one who does the action that closes or finishes something. |
| 2249 | War and conflict | Put to the sword | If someone is put to the sword, he or she is killed or executed. |
| 2250 | War and conflict | Pyrrhic victory | A Pyrrhic victory is one that causes the victor to suffer so much to achieve it that it isnt worth winning. |
| 2251 | War and conflict | Quick on the trigger | Someone who is quick on the trigger acts or responds quickly. |
| 2252 | War and conflict | Rank and file | The rank and file are the ordinary members of a company, organisation, etc, excluding the managers and directors. |
| 2253 | War and conflict | Ride shotgun | If you ride shotgun, you protect or guard something when it is being transported. |
| 2254 | War and conflict | Run the gauntlet | If somebody is being criticised harshly by a lot of people, they are said to run the gauntlet. |
| 2255 | War and conflict | Set your sights on | If you set your sights on someone or something, it is your ambition to beat them or to achieve that goal. |
| 2256 | War and conflict | Shoot down in flames | If someone demolishes your argument, it (and you) have been shot down in flames. |
| 2257 | War and conflict | Shoot from the hip | Someone who shoots from the hip talks very directly or insensitively without thinking beforehand. |
| 2258 | War and conflict | Shot across the bow | A shot across the bow is a warning to tell someone to stop doing something or face very serious consequences. |
| 2259 | War and conflict | Slap leather | (USA) This is used as an instruction to tell people when to draw their guns. |
| 2260 | War and conflict | Smoking gun | A smoking gun is definitive proof of someones guilt. |
| 2261 | War and conflict | Speak softly and carry a big stick | If you speak softly and carry a big stick, you make your case quietly but can back it up forcefully if necessary. |
| 2262 | War and conflict | Spike your guns | If you spike someones guns, you ruin their plans. |
| 2263 | War and conflict | Stare down the barrel of a gun | If someone is staring down the barrel of a gun, theres a high risk of something very bad happening. |
| 2264 | War and conflict | Stick to your guns | If you stick to your guns, you keep your position even though people attack or criticise you. |
| 2265 | War and conflict | Straight as an arrow | A person who is as straight as an arrow is extremely honest and genuine. |
| 2266 | War and conflict | Take the flak | If you take the flak, you are strongly criticised for something.(Take flak is also used.) |
| 2267 | War and conflict | Tell it to the marines | People use this expression when they dont believe someone. |
| 2268 | War and conflict | Two-edged sword | If someone uses an argument that could both help them and harm them, then they are using a two-edged sword; it cuts both ways. |
| 2269 | War and conflict | Under the gun | If youre under the gun, youre under pressure to do something. |
| 2270 | War and conflict | War chest | A war chest is a fund that can be used to finance a campaign like and election or for use in emergencies or unexpected times of difficulty. |
| 2271 | War and conflict | War of words | A war of words is a bitter argument between people or organisations, etc. |
| 2272 | Weather | Any port in a storm | This means that in an emergency any solution will do, even one that would normally be unacceptable. |
| 2273 | Weather | Blue skies | A overly enthusiastic outlook or disposition. The sales team had blue skies projections for their deals, although not many of those deals were signed. |
| 2274 | Weather | Bolt from the blue | If something happens unexpectedly and suddenly, it is a bolt from the blue. |
| 2275 | Weather | Brighten up the day | If something brightens up your day, something happens that makes you feel positive and happy all day long. |
| 2276 | Weather | Calm before the storm | A calm time immediately before period of violent activity or argument is the calm before the storm. |
| 2277 | Weather | Chase rainbows | If someone chases rainbows, they try to do something that they will never achieve. |
| 2278 | Weather | Cloud nine | If you are on cloud nine, you are extremely happy. (cloud seven is a less common alternative) |
| 2279 | Weather | Cloud of suspicion | If a cloud of suspicion hangs over an individual, it means that they are not believed or are distrusted. |
| 2280 | Weather | Cloud on the horizon | If you can see a problem ahead, you can call it a cloud on the horizon. |
| 2281 | Weather | Cold light of day | If you see things in the cold light of day, you see them as they really are, not as you might want them to be. |
| 2282 | Weather | Colder than a witch's tit | If it is colder than a witchs tit, it is extremely cold outside. |
| 2283 | Weather | Come rain or shine | If I say Ill be at a place come rain or shine, I mean that I can be relied on to turn up; nothing, not even the vagaries of British weather, will deter me or stop me from being there. |
| 2284 | Weather | Doldrums | If a person is in the doldrums, they are depressed. If a project or something similar is in the doldrums, it isnt making any progress. |
| 2285 | Weather | Down in the doldrums | If somebodys down in the doldrums, they are depressed and lacking energy. |
| 2286 | Weather | Dry spell | If something or someone is having a dry spell, they arent being as successful as they normally are. |
| 2287 | Weather | Every cloud has a silver lining | People sometimes say that every cloud has a silver lining to comfort somebody whos having problems. They mean that it is always possible to get something positive out of a situation, no matter how unpleasant, difficult or even painful it might seem. |
| 2288 | Weather | Face like thunder | If someone has a face like thunder, they are clearly very angry or upset about something. |
| 2289 | Weather | Fairweather friend | A fairweather friend is the type who is always there when times are good but forgets about you when things get difficult or problems crop up. |
| 2290 | Weather | Get wind of | If you get wind of something, you hear or learn about it, especially if it was meant to be secret. |
| 2291 | Weather | Go down a storm | To say that something has been enjoyable or successful, you can say that it has gone down a storm. Eg. Last nights party went down a storm, it was incredible. |
| 2292 | Weather | Greased lightning | If something or someone moves like greased lightning, they move very fast indeed. |
| 2293 | Weather | Head is in the clouds | If a person has their head in the clouds, they have unrealistic, impractical ideas. |
| 2294 | Weather | Hit rough weather | If you hit rough weather, you experience difficulties or problems. |
| 2295 | Weather | In a fog | If youre in a fog, you are confused, dazed or unaware. |
| 2296 | Weather | Into each life some rain must fall | This means that bad or unfortunate things will happen to everyone at some time. |
| 2297 | Weather | It never rains but it pours | It never rains but it pours means that when things go wrong, they go very wrong. |
| 2298 | Weather | Jack Frost | If everything has frozen in winter, then Jack Frost has visited. |
| 2299 | Weather | Know which way the wind blows | This means that you should know how things are developing and be prepared for the future. |
| 2300 | Weather | Made in the shade | One has an easy time in life or in a given situation. Finding things working to ones benefit. |
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