IMPORTANT IDIOMS & PHRASES
IMPORTANT IDIOMS & PHRASES
What is an idiom?
§ An idiom (full
name is idiomatic expression) can be an expression, word, or phrase
that only has a meaning to the native speaker.
§ The
meaning of an idiom is totally different from the literal meaning of the idiom's
individual elements.
§ Idioms
do not mean exactly what the words say. They have a hidden meaning.
Example of idioms with their literal
meaning and idiomatic meaning
One of the more common idioms in the
English language is, “break a leg”.
Before Peter went on the stage for the
show, John told him to break a leg.
Literal meaning: I am telling
you to break a bone in your leg and then you will probably have to the hospital
afterwards to get a cast put on your leg.
Idiomatic meaning: Do your
best and good luck. A lot of actors and actresses tell each other to
“break a leg” as they are about to go on stage to perform it is deemed to be
good luck.
A idioms
§ A big
cheese- an important or a powerful person in a group or family
§ A bird’s
eye view- a view from a very high place which allows you to see a large
area
§ A bone
of contention- something that people argue for a long time
§ A cock
and a bull story- a story or an explanation which is obviously not true.
§ At the
crack of the dawn- very early in morning
§ A cuckoo
in the nest- someone in a group of people but not liked by them.
§ A litmus
test- a method which clearly proves something
§ As the
crow flies- measuring distance between two places in a straight line.
§ A dead
letter- an argument or law not followed by anyone.
§ At the
drop of the hat- u do something easily and without any preparation
§ An early
bird- someone who gets early in the morning
§ An
educated guess- a guess which was likely to get corrected
§ At the
eleventh hour- be too late.
§ A queer
fish- a strange person
§ A wakeup
call- an event done to warn someone
§ A worm’s
eye view- having very little knowledge about something
§ A witch
hunt- an attempt to find and punish those who have options that are
believed to be dangerous
§ At the
heels of- to follow someone
§ A dish
fit for Gods- something of very high quality
§ A game
of two equal halves- a sudden change in circumstances
§ Afraid of
one’s own shadow- to become easily frightened
§ Against
the clock- to be in a hurry to do something before a particular time
§ Air one’s
dirty laundry- to make public something embarrassing that should be kept
secret.
§ All
systems go- everything is ready.
§ An arm
and a leg- a large amount of money
§ Appear
out of now here- to appear suddenly without warning.
§ Apple of
someone’s eye- someone loved very much.
§ Ask for
the moon- to ask for too much.
§ Asleep at
the switch- not to be alert on opportunity
§ At sixes
and sevens- to be lost and bewildered
§ At
someone’s beck and call- to be always ready to serve
§ At the
bottom of the ladder- at the lowest level
§ A house
of cards- a poor plan
§ At an
arm’s length- to keep at a distance
§ At sixes
and sevens- in disorder
§ A boon
in disguise- a benefit in loss
§ A bull
in a China shop- an awkward person
§ A red
letter day- an important day
§ A nine
days wonder- pleasure for a short time
§ A bit
under the weather- falling ill
B idioms
§ Bad blood-
feelings of hate between two families
§ Bend your
ears- to talk to someone for a very long time about something boring
§ Bite your
tongue- to stop yourself from saying something because it would be
better not to
§ Black and
blue- full of bruises
§ Blue
blood- belonging to high social class
§ Be above
board- to be honest and legal
§ Be
bouncing off the walls- excited and full of nervous energy
§ Bow and
scrap- try too hard to please someone in a position of authority
§ Brass
monkey weather- extremely cold weather
§ Be tailor
made- to be completely suitable for someone.
§ Break the
ice- to make more comfort or relaxed with a person whom you have not
met earlier, to break the silence
§ Be as
clear as mud- to be impossible to understand
§ Be on
cloud nine- be very happy
§ Between
the devil and deep blue sea- a type of situation where u must choose
between two equally unpleasant situations
§ Be in the
doldrums- not very successful or nothing new is taking place
§ Beat the
drum- to speak eagerly about something you support
§ Be on the
edge- to be nervous or worried about something
§ Be in
seventh heaven- extremely happy
§ Be at
each other’s throat- two persons arguing angrily
§ Batten
down the hatches- to prepare for trouble
§ Back the
wrong horse- to support someone weak
§ Back to
square one- to reach again to the starting point
§ Back to
the salt mines- back to something that you don’t want to do
§ Ball of
fire- active and energetic
§ Beat
one’s head against the wall- to try to do something that
is hopeless
§ Bark up
the wrong tree- to make a wrong assumption
§ Batten
down the hatches- prepare for difficult times
§ Beat
one’s brain out- to work hard
§ Begin to
see the light- to begin to understand
§ Behind
closed doors- done in secret
§ Bet on
the wrong horse- to misread the future
§ Bent on
doing- to be determined to do something
§ Bite off
more than one can chew- to do more than one’s ability
§ Bite the
bullet- to face a difficult situation bravely
§ Bitter
pill to swallow- an unpleasant fact that must be accepted
§ Black
sheep of the family- worst member
§ Blessing
in disguise- something that turns out to be good which earlier appeared to be
wrong
§ Blind
leading the blind- someone who does not understand something but tries to explain
it to other
§ Blow
one’s own horn- to praise one
§ Blow
someone’s mind- excite someone
C idioms
§ Carrot
and sticks- You use both awards as well as punishments to make someone do
something.
§ Cloak and
dragger- when people behave in a very secret manner
§ Cards are
stacked against- luck is against you
§ Crack a
book- to open book to study
§ Cross a
bridge before one comes to it- worry about the future in
advance
§ Carry
coals to new castle- to take something to a place or a person that has a lot of that
thing already
§ Cast in
the same mould- to be very similar
§ Change
horses in midstream- to change plans
§ Cap it
all- to finish
§ Cried
with eyes out- cried a lot
§ Carry the
can- If you carry the can, you take the blame for something, even
though you didn't do it or are only partly at fault.
§ Cast
a long shadow- Something or
someone that casts a long shadow has
considerable influence on other people or events.
§ Cat and
dog life- If people lead a cat and dog life, they are always arguing.
D
idioms
§ Drive a
wedge between- to break relationship between the two
§ Dances to
the tune- to always do what someone tells you to do
§ Dressed
up to the nines- wearing fancy clothes
§ Dragging
its feet- delaying in decision, not showing enthusiasm
§ 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.)
§ Dancing
on someone's grave- If you will dance on someone's grave, you will
outlive or
§ Outlast
them and will celebrate their demise
§ Dog in
the manger- If someone acts like a dog in the manger, they don't want other
people to have or enjoy things that are useless to them
§ Don't cry
over spilt milk- When something bad happens and nothing can be
done to help it people say, 'Don't cry over spilt milk'
§ Don't
wash your dirty laundry in public- People, especially couples,
who argue in front of others or involve others in their personal problems
and crises, are said to be washing their dirty laundry in public; making public
things that are best left private.
§ Donkey
work- Donkey work is any hard, boring work or task.
§ Don't
throw bricks when you live in a glass house- Don't
call others out on actions that you, yourself do. Don't be a hypocrite.
E idioms
§ Entering
the 80th orbit- celebrating the 80th birthday
§ Eleventh
hour decision- decision that is made at the last possible minute
§ End in
smoke- to bear no result
§ Earth
shattering- not at all surprising
§ Eat
humble pie- to apologize humbly
§ Elephant
in the room- An elephant in the room is a problem that everyone knows very well
but no one talks about because it is taboo, embarrassing, etc.
§ Egg on
your face- If someone has egg on their face; they are made to look foolish or
embarrassed
§ Eye for
an eye- This is an expression for retributive justice, where the
punishment equals the crime.
§ Eyes are
bigger than one's stomach- If someone's eyes are
bigger than their stomach, they are greedy and take on more than they can
consume or manage.
F
idioms
§ From cradle
to grave- during the whole span of your life.
§ Face the
music-to accept punishment for something you have done.
§ Feel the
pinch- to have problems with money.
§ Fall on
your own sword- to be cheated by someone you trust.
§ Feather
in one’s cap- something that you achieve and proud of.
§ Firing on
all cylinders- work every possible way to succeed.
§ French
leave- absent without permission, to take French leave is to leave a
gathering without saying goodbye or without permission.
§ Fall on
our feet- If you fall on your feet, you succeed in doing something where
there was a risk of failure.
§ Fall on
your sword- If someone falls on their sword, they resign or accept
the consequences of what they have done wrong.
G
idioms
§ Get off
the hook- free from all obligations
§ Give-up
the ghost- to die
§ Got the
slap on the wrist- got light punishment
§ Give
someone a bird- make fun
§ Got the
wind up- to be scared
§ Get a raw
deal- not treated equally
§ Gift of
the gab- talent of speaking, if someone has the gift of the gab, they
speak in a persuasive and interesting way
§ Gives
cold shoulder- to ignore
§ Get your
wires crossed- If people get their wires cross, they misunderstand each other,
especially when making arrangements.('Get your lines crossed' is also used.)
H idioms
§ Have ants
in your pants- not be able to keep still because you are very excited or
worried about something.
§ Having a
whole of a time- to enjoy very much
§ Hold
one’s horse- be patient
§ Have a
big mouth- one who gossips more or tells secret
§ Himalayan
blunder- a serious mistake
§ Have a
one track mind- think only of one thing
§ Have
clean hands- be guiltless
§ Have an
egg on the face- be embarrassed
§ Have eyes
bigger than stomach- desiring more food than one can eat
I idioms
§ In dribs
and drabs- in small amounts at a time
§ In black
and white- to give in writing
§ In the
blues- low spirited
§ In cahoots
with- in a partnership usually for a dishonest reason
§ If the
shoe fits, wear it- This is used to suggest that something that has
been said might apply to a person
§ In
droves- When things happen in droves, a lot happen at the same time or
very quickly
§ In the
doghouse- If someone is in the doghouse, they are in disgrace and very
§ Unpopular
at the moment.
J idioms
§ Jack
Frost - If everything has frozen in winter, then Jack Frost has
visited.
§ 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.
§ Jack-of-all-trades- A
jack-of-all-trades is someone that can do many different jobs.
§ Jam on
your face - If you say that someone has jam on their face, they appear
to be caught, embarrassed or found guilty.
§ Jam tomorrow
- This idiom is used when people promise good things for the future
that will never come.
§ 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.
§ Jekyll
and Hyde - Someone who has a Jekyll and Hyde personality has a pleasant
and a very unpleasant side to the character.
§ Jersey
justice - Jersey justice is very severe justice.
§ Jet set - Very
wealthy people who travel around the world to attend parties or functions are
the jet set.
§ Jet-black
- To emphasize just how black something is, such as someone's
hair, we can call it jet-black.
§ Job's
comforter - Someone who says they want to comfort, but actually discomforts
people is a Job's comforter.
§ Jobs for
the boys - Where people give jobs, contracts, etc, to their friends and
associates, these are jobs for the boys.
§ Jockey
for position - If a number of people want the same opportunity and are
struggling to emerge as the most likely candidate, they are jockeying for
position.
§ Jog my
memory- If you jog someone's memory, you say words that will help someone
trying to remember a thought, event, word, phrase, experience, etc.
§ 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.
§ Joe
Public - Joe Public is the typical, average person.
§ 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.)
§ Johnny-come-lately
- A Johnny-come-lately is someone who has recently joined something
or arrived somewhere, especially when they want to make changes that are not
welcome.
§ Join the
club - Said when someone has expressed a desire or opinion, meaning
"That viewpoint is not unique to you". It can suggest that the
speaker should stop complaining since many others are in the same position.
Example: "If this train doesn't come, I'll be late for work!"
"Join the club!"
§ Joined at
the hip - If people are joined at the hip, they are very closely connected
and think the same way.
§ Judge,
jury and executioner - If someone is said to be
the judge, jury, and executioner, it means they are in charge of every decision
made, and they have the power to be rid of whomever they choose.
§ Juggle
frogs - If you are juggling frogs, you are trying to do something very
difficult.
§ Jump down
someone's throat - If you jump down someone's throat, you criticise or chastise
them severely.
§ Jump on
the bandwagon - If people jump on the bandwagon, they get involved in
something that has recently become very popular.
§ Jump ship
- If you leave a company or institution for another because it
is doing badly, you are jumping ship.
§ Jump the
broom - To jump the broom is to marry. (Jump over the broom, jump over the
broomstick, jump the broomstick are also used.)
§ Jump the
gun - If you jump the gun, you start doing something before the
appropriate time.
§ Jump the
track - Jumping the track is suddenly changing from one plan,
activity, idea, etc, to another.
§ Jump
through hoops - If you are prepared to jump through hoops for
someone, you are prepared to make great efforts and sacrifices for them.
§ Jump to a
conclusion - If someone jumps to a conclusion, they evaluate or
judge something without a sufficient examination of the facts.
§ Jumping
Judas! - An expression of surprise or shock.
§ 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.
§ Jury's
out - If the jury's out on an issue, then there is no general
agreement or consensus on it.
§ Just
around the corner- If something is just around the corner, then it is
expected to happen very soon.
§ Just
coming up to - If the time is just coming up to nine o'clock, it means that it
will be nine o'clock in a very few seconds. You'll hear them say it on the
radio in the morning.
§ Just
deserts - If a bad or evil person gets their just deserts, they get
the punishment or suffer the misfortune that it is felt they deserve.
§ Just for
the heck of it - When someone does something just for the heck of
it, they do it without a good reason.
§ Just for
the record - If something is said to be just for the record, the person
is saying it so that people know but does not necessarily agree with or support
it.
§ Just in
the nick of time - If you do something in the nick of time, you just
manage to do it just in time, with seconds to spare.
§ Just off
the boat - If someone is just off the boat, they are naive and
inexperienced.
§ Just what
the doctor ordered - If something's just what the doctor ordered, it is precisely
what is needed.
§ Justice
is blind - Justice is blind means that justice is impartial and
objective.
K idioms
§ Kick up a
row- to start a fight, to create disturbance
§ Keep ones
eye on the ball- be ready for something
§ keep
under one's hat: They tried to keep it under their hat but it soon became obvious
that she is pregnant.
§ keep at
bay: He always tries to keep his troubles at bay when he is on holiday.
§ Kangaroo
court- When people take the law into their own hands and form courts that
are not legal, these are known as kangaroo court
§ Keep body
and soul together- If you earn enough to cover your basic expenses, but nothing
more than that, you earn enough to keep body and soul together
§ Keep your
eye on the ball- If you keep your eye on the ball, you stay alert and
pay close attention to what is happening
§ Know
something inside out - I studied and studied for my drivings test
until I knew all the rules inside out.
§ Know
which way the wind blows- This means that you should know how things
are developing and be prepared for the future
L idioms
§ Loaves
and fishes- done for material benefits
§ Like a
shag on a rock- completely alone.
§ Let
someone slide- neglect something
§ Let the
cat out of the bag- reveal the secret
§ Let
nature take its course- to allow someone to live or die naturally.
§ Like a
sitting duck- totally unaware
§ Lion’s share- a major
share
§ Left to
your own devices- If someone is left to their own devices, they are not
controlled and can do whatever they want
M idioms
§ Make
castles in the air- plans or hopes that have very little chances of happening.
§ Make a
bee line for- to go directly towards something.
§ Make ones
bed and lie on it- to be responsible for what you have done and accept the results
§ Meet ones
waterloo- meet ones final end
§ Monkey
around- to waste time here and there
§ My hands
are full- I am busy
§ Make a
dry face- show disappointment
§ Make a
monkey of someone- If you make a monkey of someone, you make them
look foolish
§ Man of
his word- A man of his word is a person who does what he says and keeps
his Promises
§ Many
moons ago- A very long time ago
N idioms
§ Nobody’s
fool- one who can take care of himself
§ not
having a leg to stand for- not having proof
§ Never-never
land- ideal best place.
§ No love
lost between- dislike
§ Needle in
a haystack- If trying to find something is like looking for a needle in a
haystack, it means that it is very difficult, if not impossible to find among
everything around it
§ New brush
sweeps clean- 'A new brush sweeps clean' means that someone with a new
perspective can make great changes. However, the full version is 'a new brush
sweeps clean, but an old brush knows the corners', which warns that experience
is also a valuable thing
§ No smoke
without fire- This idiom means that when people suspect something, there is
§ Normally
a good reason for the suspicion, even if there is no concrete evidence.
('Where's there's smoke, there's fire' is also used.)
O idioms
§ Once in a
blue moon- very rarely
§ On the
bandwagon- doing something because others are also doing it
§ Open
Pandora’s box- to discover more problems
§ Over the
moon- being too happy
§ On its
last legs- in a bad condition and will not last long
§ Old flames
die hard- It's very difficult to forget old things
§ On pins
and needles- If you are on pins and needles, you are very worried about
something
§ On the
carpet- When you are called to the bosses office (since supposedly, they
are the only ones who have carpet) and its definitely not for a good reason,
i.e., you are in trouble, something has not gone
according to plan and either maybe
you are responsible and/or have some explaining to do
§ On the
hook- If someone is on the hook, they are responsible for something.
§ Only the
wearer knows where the shoe pinches- This means that it's hard
to know how much someone else is suffering.
P idioms
§ Pass
muster- to be approved
§ Pick
someone to pieces- to criticize sharply
§ Paper
over the cracks- to try to hide something
§ Put the
cart before the horse- doing things in a wrong manner
§ Pull up
the shocks- do things in the right manner and correctly
§ Parrot
fashion- If you learn something parrots fashion; you learn it word for word
§ Pay on
the nail- If you pay on the nail, you pay promptly in cash
§ Pen is
mightier than the sword- The idiom 'the pen is
mightier than the sword' means that words and communication are morepowerful
than wars and fighting
§ Pick
someone’s brains- If you pick someone's brains, you ask them for advice,
§ Suggestions
and information about something they know about
§ Pieces of
the same cake- Pieces of the same cake are things that have the same
§ Characteristics
or qualities
§ Play fast
and loose- If people play fast and loose, they behave in an irresponsible way
§ And don't
respect rules, etc.
§ Poker
face- Someone with a poker face doesn't show any emotion or reaction so
that
§ People
don't know what they are feeling
Q idioms
§ Quarrel
with bread and butter- Bread and butter, here,
indicate the means of one’s living. If a sub-ordinate in an organization is
quarrelsome or if he is not patient enough to bear the reprimand he deserves,
gets angry and retorts or provokes the higher-up, the top man dismisses him
from the job. So, he loses the job that gave him bread and butter. Hence we say,
he quarreled with bread and butter (manager or the top man) and lost his job
§ Quiet as
a cat- If somebody is as quiet as a cat they make as little noise as
possible and try to be unnoticeable
§ Quiet as
a mouse- If someone's as quiet as a mouse, they make absolutely no noise
§ Queer
fish- A strange person is a queer fish
R idioms
§ Round the
twist- go crazy
§ Read
between the lines- read hidden meanings
§ Rack and
ruin- If something or someone goes to rack and ruin, they are utterly
destroyed or wrecked
§ Rain on your
parade- If someone rains on your parade, they ruin your pleasure or your
plans
§ Rake
someone over the coals- If you rake someone over
the coals, you criticize or scold them severely
§ Recipe
for disaster- A recipe for disaster is a mixture of people and events that could
only possibly result in trouble
§ Red
carpet- If you give someone the red-carpet treatment, you give them a
special
§ Welcome
to show that you think they are important
§ Red
herring- If something is a distraction from the real issues, it is a red
herring
§ Red
letter day- A red letter day is a one of good luck, when something special
happens to you
§ Reduce to
ashes- If something is reduced to ashes, it is destroyed or made useless.
His infidelities reduced their relationship to ashes
§ Round the
houses- If you go round the houses, you do something in an inefficient way
when there is a quicker, more convenient way
§ Rub
shoulders- If you rub shoulders with people, you meet and spend time with
them,
§ Especially
when they are powerful or famous
§ Run into
the sand- If something runs into the sand, it fails to achieve a result
S idioms
§ Salt on
the earth- fundamental good people
§ Sands of
time- tiny amounts of time
§ Shake a
leg- to go fast, hurry
§ Spill the
beans- to expose a secret
§ Snake in
the grass- a hidden army
§ Salt on
the earth- fundamental good people
§ Sands of
time- tiny amounts of time
§ Shake a
leg- to go fast, hurry
§ Spill the
beans- to expose a secret
§ Snake in
the grass- a hidden army
§ Snake in
the shoes- to be in a state of fear
§ Stood to
his guns- maintained to his opinion
§ showing
the door- asking someone to leave
§ Song and
a dance- an excuse
§ Salad
days- Your salad days are an especially happy period of your life
§ Sail
under false colors- Someone who sails under false colors is
hypocritical or pretends to be something they aren't in order to deceive people
T idioms
§ Threaded
his way out- walked carefully through.
§ Take the
cloth- to become a priest.
§ Talk
turkey- to discuss a problem with a real intension to solve it.
§ Tit for
tat- an action done to revenge against a person who has done some
wrong to you
§ To crow
over- to triumph over someone
§ to blow a
fuse- to turn someone angry
§ though
thick and thin- under all conditions
§ to bell
the cat- to take great risks
§ To look
through colored glasses- to look the things not as they are
§ Taking to
a brick wall- taking with a no response
§ Turned a
deaf ear- disregarded
§ Take a
back seat- choose to decrease involvement
§ Tables
are turned- When the tables are turned, the situation has changed giving the
advantage to the party who had previously been at a disadvantage
§ Take
someone under your wing- If you take someone under
your wing, you look after them while they are learning something
§ Take your
medicine- If you take your medicine, you accept the consequences of something
you have done wrong
§ Talking
to a brick wall- If you talk to someone and they do not listen to
you, it is like talking to a brick wall
§ Taste of
your own medicine- If you give someone a taste of their own
medicine, you do something bad to someone that they have done to you to
teach them a lesson
§ The apple
does not fall far from the tree- Offspring grow up to be
like their parents
§ Through
thick and thin- If someone supports you through thick and thin, they support you
during good times and bad
U idioms
§ Upset the
apple cart- to create difficulty
§ Under a
cloud- If someone is suspected of having done something wrong, they are
under a cloud
§ Under
fire- If someone is being attacked and criticized heavily, they are
under fire
§ Under
your nose- If something happens right in front of you, especially if it is
surprising or audacious, it happens under your nose
§ Up for
grabs- If something is up for grabs, it is available and whoever is
first or is successful will get it
§ Up to the
neck- If someone's in something up to the neck, they are very involved
in it, especially when it's something wrong
§ Up a
river without a paddle- If you up a river without a paddle, you are in
an unfortunate situation, unprepared and with none of the resources to remedy
the matter
§ Uncharted
waters- If you're in uncharted waters, you are in a situation that is
unfamiliar to you, that you have no experience of and don't know what might
happen
§ Under
lock and key- If something is under lock and key, it is stored very securely
V idioms
§ Vale of
tears- This vale of tears is the world and the suffering that life
brings.
§ Velvet
glove - This idiom is used to describe a person who appears gentle,
but is determined and inflexible underneath. ('Iron fist in a velvet glove' is
the full form.)
§ Vent your
spleen - If someone vents their spleen, they release all their
anger about something.
§ Vicar of
Bray - A person who changes their beliefs and principles to stay
popular with people above them is a Vicar of Bray
§ Vicious
circle - A vicious circle is a sequence of events that make each
other worse- someone drinks because they are unhappy at work, then loses their
job... 'Vicious cycle' is also used.
§ Vinegar
tits - A mean spirited women lacking in love or compassion.
§ Virgin
territory - If something is virgin territory, it hasn't been explored
before.
§ Voice in
the wilderness - Someone who expresses an opinion that no one
believes or listens to is a voice in the wilderness, especially if proved right
later.
§ Volte-face
- If you do a volte-face on something, you make a sudden and
complete change in your stance or position over an issue.
§ Vultures
are circling - If the vultures are circling, then something is in danger
and its enemies are getting ready for the kill.
W idioms
§ Weight
one’s word- be careful to what one says
§ Wait for
a raindrop in the drought- When someone is waiting for
a raindrop in the drought, they are waiting or hoping for something that is
extremely unlikely to happen
§ Walking
on broken glass- When a person is punished for something
§ Wet
behind the ears- Someone who is wet behind the ears is either
very young or inexperienced
§ Whale of
a time- If you have a whale of a time, you really enjoy yourself
§ Work your
fingers to the bone- If you work your fingers to the bone, you
work extremely hard on something
§ Wrench in
the works- If someone puts or throws a wrench, or monkey wrench, in the
works, they ruin a plan
X idioms
§
X
factor
- The dangers for people in the military that civilians do not face, for
which they receive payment, are known as the X factor.
§
X
marks the spot
- This is used to say where something is located or hidden.
§
X-rated
- If
something is x-rated, it is not suitable for children.
Y idioms
§ Yah boo
sucks- Yah boo & yah boo sucks can be used to show that you
have no sympathy with someone.
§ Yank my
chain - If someone says this to another person (i.e. stop yanking my
chain) it means for the other person to leave the person who said it alone and
to stop bothering them.
§ Yell
bloody murder - If someone yells bloody murder, they protest angrily and
loudly, or scream in fear.
§ Yellow
press - The yellow press is a term for the popular and
sensationalist newspapers.
§ Yellow
streak- If someone has a yellow streak, they are cowardly about
something.
§ Yellow-bellied - A
yellow-bellied person is a coward.
§ Yen
- If you have a yen to do something, you have a desire to do it.
§ Yeoman's
service - To do yeoman's service is to serve in an exemplary
manner.
§ Yes-man
- Someone who always agrees with people in authority is a yes-man.
§ Yesterday's
man or Yesterday's woman - Someone, especially a politician or
celebrity, whose career is over or on the decline is yesterday's man or woman.
§ You are
what you eat - This is used to emphasize the importance of a good diet as
a key to good health.
§ You can
catch more flies with honey than with vinegar - This means that it
is easier to persuade people if you use polite arguments and flattery than if
you are confrontational.
§ You can
choose your friends, but you can't choose your family
- Some things you can choose, but others you cannot, so you have to try to
make the best of what you have where you have no choice.
§ You can
lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink
- This idiom means you can offer something to someone, like good advice,
but you cannot make them take it.
§ You can
say that again - If you want to agree strongly with what someone has said,
you can say 'You can say that again' as a way of doing so.
§ You can't
fight City Hall - This phrase is used when one is so cynical that one
doesn't think one can change their Representatives. The phrase must have
started with frustration towards a local body of government.
§ You can't
have cake and the topping, too - This idiom means that
you can't have everything the way you want it, especially if your desires are
contradictory.
§ You can't
have your cake and eat it - This idiom means that you can't have
things both ways. For example, you can't have very low taxes and a high
standard of state care.
§ You can't
hide elephants in mouse holes - means that some
issues/problems/challenges cannot be hidden/concealed but have to be faced and
dealt with.
§ You can't
make a silk purse out of a sow's ear - If something isn't very
good to start with, you can't do much to improve it.
§ You can't
make an omelette without breaking eggs - This idiom means that in order to
achieve something or make progress, there are often losers in the process.
§ You can't
take it with you - Enjoy life, enjoy what you have and don't worry about not
having a lot, especially money...because once you're dead, 'you can't take it
with you.' For some, it means to use up all you have before you die because
it's no use to you afterwards.
§ You can't
teach an old dog new tricks - It is difficult to
make someone change the way they do something when they have been doing it the
same way for a long time
§ You can't
un-ring a bell - This means that once something has been done, you have to
live with the consequences as it can't be undone.
§ You could
have knocked me down with a feather - This idiom is used
to mean that the person was very shocked or surprised.
§ You do
not get a dog and bark yourself - If there is someone in a
lower position who can or should do a task, then you shouldn't do it.
§ You get
what you pay for - Something that is very low in price is not
usually of very good quality.
§ You reap
what you sow - This means that if you do bad things to people, bad things
will happen to you, or good things if you do good things. It is normally used
when someone has done something bad.
§ You said
it!- Used to say you agree completely with something just said.
§ You
scratch my back and I'll scratch yours - This idiom means that if you do
something for me, I'll return the favour.
§ You what?
- This is a very colloquial way of expressing surprise or
disbelief at something you have heard. It can also be used to ask someone to
say something again.
§ You're
toast - If someone tells you that you are toast, you are in a lot of
trouble.
§ You've
got rocks in your head - Someone who has acted with a lack of
intelligence has rocks in their head.
§ You've
made your bed- you'll have to lie in it - This means that someone will have
to live with the consequences of their own actions.
§ Young
blood - Young people with new ideas and fresh approaches are young
blood.
§ Young
Turk - A Young Turk is a young person who is rebellious and
difficult to control in a company, team or organization.
§ Your
belly button is bigger than your stomach - If your
belly button is bigger than your stomach, you take on more responsibilities
than you can handle.
§ Your call
- If something is your call, it is up to you to make a decision on the
matter.
§ Your name
is mud - If someone's name is mud, then they have a bad reputation.
§ Your sins
will find you out - This idiom means that things you do wrong will become known.
Z idioms
§
Zero
hour- The
time when something important is to begin is zero hour.
§
Zero
tolerance - If
the police have a zero tolerance policy, they will not overlook any crime, no
matter how small or trivial.
§
Zigged
before you zagged
- If you did things in the wrong order, you zigged before you zagged.
§
Zip
it - This is
used to tell someone to be quiet.
Zip
your lips - If someone tells you to zip your lip, they want
to to shut up or keep quiet about something. ('Zip it' is also used.)
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