A
Idiom Meaning
A black look Giving someone a look of malice; "a dirty look"
A coon's age A long time (Note: This idiom is no longer in popular usage as it is mistakenly considered racist).
A dirty look A look of disapproval or malice.
A few X short of a Y Not possessing all of one's mental faculties; i.e., crazy or stupid. These phrases take the form "A few X short of a Y" where X is a common component of Y. In these phrases, Y represents full mental capacity, and the lack of a few X implies a lack of full mental capacity. Examples include:
1. A few fries short of a Happy Meal
2. A few sandwiches short of a picnic
3. Two bricks short of a load
4. A few syllables short of a Haiku
5. A couple of cans short of a six-pack.
6. A few pickles shy of a barrel
7. A few gunmen short a firing squad.
8. One enchilada short of a full meal deal
9. One nut short of a fruitcake.
10. A few tacos short of a combo plate.
A hard (or tough) nut to crack A difficult or troublesome problem. Alternatively, a person that is difficult to convince.
A little bit from column A, a little bit from column B An answer to an either/or question implying that both answers are correct
A little something something Going beyond one's expectations / achieving sexual intercourse
A tempest in a teapot (or: a storm in a teacup) A fuss being made about an insignificant matter.
All mouth and no trousers Said of someone who boasts in a macho way but cannot be trusted to achieve what he is clearly fond of talking about. Originating in the North of England. Compare variant "All fur coat and no knickers" said of posh people, implying that their airs and graces were a mask for moral laxity beneath the surface; or a Texas expression "Big hat and no cattle," said of someone with the ostentation of wealth without the actual means.
Any port in a storm An unfavourable option that is better than the alternative consequences
(to pay) Arm and a leg An extremely high price.
At sixes and sevens In a state of confusion about how to deal with a situation
At the end of the day, ... (x will happen.) Refers to the resultant outcome after all effectors related to a particular activity have concluded. A phrase roughly equivalent to 'when all is said and done', or 'when the smoke has cleared'. A heavily overused cliché, often associated with politicians and sportsmen in press interviews.
Axe to grind Most commonly used to indicate a grievance or resentment held by one party for another with an accompanying desire for revenge or resolution. The earliest (and still current) usage meant to have an ulterior motive. Anecdotally ascribed to an incident in which Benjamin Franklin was 'tricked' into sharpening an axe for an acquaintance who feigned interest in Franklin's new grinding wheel while conveniently having his own axe at hand.
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B
Idiom Meaning
Babe in arms A very young child, or a person who is very young to be holding a position.
Back burner If an issue is on the back burner, it is being given low priority.
Back in the day A long time ago, or in one's youth.
Back the wrong horse To give support to the losing side in something.
Back to square one Being forced to start at the beginning again. Variant: back to the drawing board.
Backseat driver An annoying person who is fond of giving advice to the person performing a task or doing something, especially when the advice is either wrong or unwelcome. Probably has its origins in people being told how to drive by a passenger, which is still the most common usage of this phrase.
Bad egg A person who cannot be trusted. Also bad hat.
Bad taste in one's mouth A feeling there is something wrong or bad about something.
Baker's dozen Thirteen of a particular item. An unlikely origin was the reported Middle Ages practice of including a 13th loaf of bread with an order of twelve to assure that the weight would be adequate and thus avoid severe penalties for short-weighting. The most likely origin has street retailers getting a 13th loaf from the baker to get around the English "Assize of Bread and Ale" law of 1266 which fixed the weight and price of bread. Bakers threw in the 13th loaf, effectively creating a wholesale price while still adhering to the law.
Ball and chain
1. An unhelpful burden that cannot be abandoned.
2. Husband or wife (pejorative, or sometimes satirically affectionate).
Ballpark figure A rough or approximate number (guesstimate) to give a general idea of something, like a rough estimate for a cost, etc.
Bar fly A person who spends a lot of time drinking in different bars and pubs.
Basket case A person who is too impaired to function. Originated as a phrase in World War I for soldiers who were so badly injured they had to be removed from the battle field on a wicker litter or basket. Has subsequently come to imply mental or emotional impairment ('she was a total basket case before the wedding'). Also used to refer to some non- or mal-functioning mechanism.
Bat out of Hell (like a) Very quickly (also implies haphazardly, frenetically or in a panic).
To bear fruit To come to a profitable conclusion or to produce some worthwhile thing.
Beat a dead horse To engage in pointless and repetitive discussion. Beating is more common in American idiom, while Flogging a dead horse is more common in Britain.
Beat around the bush Procrastinate or hesitate, mainly when one does not want to say something (circumlocution).
Beck and call Someone who does everything for you, no matter when you ask, is at your beck and call.
Bedroom eyes Someone who has a sexy look in their eyes.
(something is) the Bee's Knees (something is) excellent, superb; see also the Cat's Meow/Pajamas
Behind closed doors, behind hazel eyes Away from the public eye.
Behind the times Old-fashioned.
Being from Missouri Skeptical; requiring proof. Derived from "I'm from Missouri; you have to show me." (The state's unofficial slogan: "Show me" appears on their license plates).
Bells and whistles Attractive but unnecessary features; an often pejorative term often applied to features of a commercial product which are more useful in attracting customers than in performing the task which the product is designed to perform. See also form follows function#In product design.
Between a rock and a hard place In a very difficult jam, any foreseeable resolution of which will not be pleasant. The most likely origin of this idiom is the episode of Homer's Odyssey in which Odysseus and his crew is caught between Scylla and Charybdis. Another common form of this idiom is "between the Devil and the deep blue sea".
Bite the dust To die
Bite the bullet To accept unpleasant and unavoidable consequences as a result of some action. From the practice of biting a bullet slug to keep from crying out while having some field surgery performed without anesthesia. A less well accepted origin is from the necessity to bite off a paper portion of a bullet cartridge in order to fire it. Once the bullet had been bitten, the cartridge must be fired or discarded. The former is generally considered the true origin of the phrase, as bullets with teeth marks dating back to the Revolutionary war have been found on sites of known battlefields.
Black-hearted Someone with evil intentions.
Black sheep An ostracized or ill-fitting member of a family or group. ("Uncle Ned is the black sheep of the family.")
Bob's your uncle Easy from here on out. Everything is settled and will end in success.
Bone to pick An argument yet to be settled. ("I've got a bone to pick with him.")
Boot out To eject a person from a group or society against their wishes. Also: kick out.
(were you) Born in a barn/tent? Said to someone who fails to close an external door behind them on entering a building, thus causing a discomforting draught. There are regional variations, in Lincolnshire for instance, one will hear "Do you come from Bardney?" a reference to a windswept fenland village in that English county. Also said, more generally, of people with crass manners or personal habits.
Bottom line To come to a conclusion of a profit or loss.
Break a leg Used as a substitute for "good luck" to wish luck to stage performers before an opening. The "leg" mentioned is the mechanism used to open and close the stage curtains; the hope is that the performance will so well recieved that their bows will be so frequent and sustained that the leg breaks.
Bring a knife to a gunfight To arrive woefully underprepared.
Broken his/her duck (British), "scored for the first time", or more generally to have avoided complete failure. In British sports slang a "duck's egg" refers to a score of "zero" or "nought". (Similarly "goose eggs" can also mean "00" in American slang.) In the British game of Cricket scoring naught is getting a "duck" and a batter's first run scored is, therefore, "breaking his duck". Generally intended hopefully, as a harbinger of more success to follow. "He's out of his rut and starting to make progress."
Bull in a china shop A tactless person who upsets others or upsets plans; a very clumsy person.
Burning the candle at both ends Rising early and sleeping late and trying to fit a lot in between.
Burning the midnight oil Studying or working late into, or through, the night.
Bury the hatchet To make peace or end hostilities. The phrase originates with the literal practice among the Native Americans of the Iroquois federation and was described as early as 1680 by the Englishman Samuel Sewall. See [1] as well.
(the) Butt of jokes The object of a joke that ridicules or makes fun of someone or something.
Buy/Bought the farm To die (in reference to wartime pilot crashes causing forced purchases of farmland).
Butterflies in one's stomach A feeling of nervousness, usually queasiness in the abdomen.
Buying a pig in a poke To purchase something without inspection, thereby creating an opportunity for fraud. Canonical: unethical farmer places a barn-yard cat in a burlap bag (poke) and sells it sight-unseen to another, claiming it contains a piglet. Related to "the cat's out of the bag", below.
(doing something) By the numbers or By the book To do things precisely as instructed, or as perceived to be instructed.
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C
Idiom Meaning
Call it a day Decide to finish or end something - like a day's work
Call the badger a bishop This term derives from the practice of badger-baiting, in which a badger is put into a pit and made to fight dogs. To call the badger a bishop is to imply that the badger's overwhelmed condition somehow makes it virtuous, when it is, in fact, just a badger. So, the term means committing the fallacy of projecting virtue on to the oppressed or disadvantaged.
Came for the x, stayed for the y Being present for a specific cause and receiving a greater benefit
Can of corn Very easy - from the practice at grocers of placing corn (or other foods) on high up shelves. A can could be pulled down with a stick and the ease with which it could be caught was applied to easy-to-catch hits (pop-up flys) in baseball.
(open up a) Can of worms To create a situation that is hard to deal with, especially one that comes about unexpectedly and intractably. To "open a can of worms" is to get involved with something that is discomforting, hard to resolve, or not easily escaped (closing a container of worms, used as bait by fishermen, generally involves some tricky handling of the wriggling occupants)
Can't _____ oneself out of a wet paper bag / Can't_____ to save one's life Woefully unable to perform the task in hand
Can't see the forest (or wood) for the trees Losing sight of the big picture by getting mired down in details
Can't see your nose in front of your face Being oblivious to something in plain view
Cat amongst the pigeons Putting a cat amongst the pigeons involves some, usually premeditated, disruption. Such an act might simply be verbal, cutting across an apparent consensus, but will certainly disturb the equilibrium.
Cat got your tongue? Asked of someone rendered speechless to emphasize their inability to speak
Cat in the pan Betrayer, renegade, turnabout & turncoat;the same as "flopper".
Catch 22 From the eponymous book by Joseph Heller: a problem with a method of resolution that negates the conditions for resolution. In the book, for example, a soldier is considered insane and unfit for combat if he willingly continues to fly missions, but asking to be relieved from duty on the basis of insanity shows that he is mentally competent and must continue to serve.
(something is) the Cat's Meow/Pajamas (Something is) excellent, superb. Similar to "(something is) the Bee's Knees"
Caught red handed Derived from Medieval England where the King owned all the forests and all the game in them. The King had Game Wardens that policed the forest in search of poachers. When the wardens caught a poacher, it was usually when they were dressing and cleaning the kill. Thus they were "caught red handed."
Change horses in midstream Make new plans or choose a new leader in the middle of an important activity. Connotes an unwise, or at best risky, activity
Chuck a wobbly To act in an over emotional way to express sadness and anger. (Upper lip does not remain stiff, and wobbles)
Chip off the old block A person that is highly similar to a direct ancestor or predecessor.
Close the barn door after the horse gets out Refers to not taking action until after a problem has already occurred, usually when it's too late and should have been done sooner. "Closing the stable door after the horse has bolted" is the common British variant
Cold day in hell A very unlikely event or situation.
(To) come out of the closet When a person publicly reveals a secret about them selves. Often used in reference to homosexuality.
Cousin Michael A disparaging designation of the Germans as slow, heavy, unpolished and ungainly (Michel, in Old German, meaning "gross")
(To) cross all your T's and dot all your I's To take care of every single detail, including the minor ones.
Curiosity killed the cat The literal meaning of the phrase makes reference to the characteristic tendency of housecats to thoroughly investigate anything unfamiliar, perhaps to their detriment if something apparently benign turns out to be dangerous. The phrase is often used as an urge towards caution, an admonition to "leave well enough alone", or, less benevolently, to stop asking questions (lest the benign listener lose patience with the questioner).
Cut off your nose to spite your face To take rash or single-minded action that hurts your own cause in the end. Similar to "throwing the baby out with the bathwater"
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D
Idiom Meaning
Dark horse A surprise candidate, or competitor; someone who hides their talents or interests. From the metaphor: "He rode in as if on a dark horse in the night" or "No one saw him coming."
Dead and buried A settled issue. Something no longer needing consideration.
Dead as a doornail (or dodo) Useless, very distinctly dead. A doornail is the strikeplate for most door knockers. To hold it in place, after it was driven through the door, the pointed end was bent over and buried in the door, to prevent movement. This nail was unrecoverable, so was considered dead to future reclamation, which was apparently common before modern time.
Dead to rights Caught in the act ("The police had the burglars dead to rights when they arrived."), or at the mercy of someone ("The cavalry had the fleeing soldiers dead to rights.") Bang to rights is the UK version.
Deader than Julius Caesar Given the evidence of Julius Caesar's very definite demise in 44 B.C., this idiom expresses a person or concept irrevocably deceased.
(Got a) Deep pocket Have a lot of money.
Devil's advocate To argue a point of view that is not necessarily one's own for the sake of fairness. To play "the devil's advocate" in a debate is to ensure that some attempt was made to hear a side that might otherwise have gone unrepresented.
dicked up unkempt, sloppy, or similarly disorganized.
Dime [for] a dozen Very common and easy to get; very cheap; not special.
Dog and pony show A presentation which aims to persuade, generally a marketing presentation, especially one with lots of splashy glitz and little or no real informational content.
Dog in the manger Someone who denies others the use of a resource, even though they cannot possibly use the resource themselves. From Aesop's fable of the same name, The Dog in the Manger, about a dog preventing cows from eating the straw in a manger.
Dog's bollocks Excellent, awesome. Derived from the idea that a dog's bullocks must be the greatest thing since the dog keeps licking them all the time. Also, Mutt's nuts.
Dotting the I's and Crossing the T's Paying much attention to detail.
Driving me up the wall Agitating me to the point of great frustration.
Drop the ball Make a major mistake; often used when that mistake causes failure or setback of a larger event.
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E
Idiom Meaning
Eat crow To suffer humiliation and/or reluctantly admit defeat.
Eating out Ms. Hyams To be in an utterly undesirable situation. Similar to the phrase, ****** six ways to (or from) Sunday.
Egg on To provoke or encourage, sometimes in a sarcastic or derisive manner.
Egg on one's face To be embarrassed
Elephant in the room The problem or situation immediately obvious to all, but spoken of by none. Usually the topic in question is emotionally charged and so felt by most involved to be best ignored.
Every Tom, Dick, and Harry Everybody, everyone. Often used to indicate not special as in "Every Tom, Dick and Harry has one." Or "She handed them out to every Tom Dick and Harry."
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F
Idiom Meaning
Fall on (one's) sword
1. To take responsibility or blame for a negative outcome, especially if one's own idea
2. To sacrifice oneself
Originated in the Bible from: - Saul said to his armor-bearer, "Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and run me through and abuse me." But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it. When the armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died with him... 1 Samuel 31:4-5
Feather one's nest To make a profit only for oneself, especially by taking advantage of others or one's position (Ex: Many elderly people lost their money in bad investments, while CEOs feathered their nests.
Feel[ing] blue Feeling sad, down, or depressed
Figurehead One who possesses a title or office of authority yet whose actual purpose is primarily symbolic or ceremonial.
(with a) Fine toothed comb To examine or look over something very carefully
On fire To excel in performance. For example, "Joe's on fire today!"
First-come, first-served Indicates a policy of serving clients or customers in the order they arrived without other preferences.
Fish or cut bait (A variation is "**** or get off the pot.") A pragmatic expression which demands that an indecisive person either does a specific thing immediately, or steps aside and lets another person attempt it. [2]
Fish out of water A person in uncharted territory; in a confused state
(On a) fishing expedition Trying to find some evidence of something, often through improper methods and without a defined target. Sometimes used in court
Five finger discount To take without paying, to steal, also known as shoplifting
Flash in the pan A transient happening which results in no long-term effect. From a type of misfire of a flintlock gun.
Flip the bird (or flip (someone) off) To give someone the finger.
Fox in the henhouse To have trouble or mischief apparent.
****** six ways to (or from) Sunday To be utterly ruined, in every possible manner, by every imaginable method.
Full fathom five (From Shakespeare, The Tempest) Lost deep in the sea
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G
Idiom Meaning
Get hammered/smashed/trashed/wasted/shitfaced/trollied/battered Get excessively drunk
Get one's goat (that person really "got my goat!") To become irritated by something. (goats used to be put in with nervous horses to calm them down before a race, if you took away the goat the horse would become nervous)
(bird in a) Gilded cage In a pleasant situation, but trapped. For example, celebrities fear they are "prisoners in gilded cages", because despite their wealth and fame, every action they make is under intense scrutiny
Give up the ghost To die, expire, or otherwise come to an end. To end all things.
Go with the flow To conform or go along with whatever happens
Going off half-****** To do something, typically violent or disruptive, prematurely. From a term for premature firing of a flintlock. (incorrect) Flintlocks "safety" position was halfway between down and fully ******. This position was used for the loading of the weapon, since the gun would not fire from this position. Soldiers would forget to completly cock the weapon, resulting in the inability to fire when desired. Thus the phraze "Don't go off half ******!"
Take it with a grain of salt to approach a claim with appropriate skepticism
Graveyard dead Certainly dead. Emphatically dead.
Gravy Train An easy or comfortable endeavor.
The Great Unwashed (Masses) Derogatory term for the working/lower class.
to (give the) green light To give permission to proceed (example: "The project was given the green light", meaning the project was allowed to begin). Origins from traffic lights, where green means "go". Also used in negative "red light" meaning to deny permission to proceed.
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H
Idiom Meaning
Six of one, half dozen of the other Implying that both choices are equal.
Hanging by a thread In danger; must use more precise caution.
Have a cow e.g."He will have a cow, if he sees the mess you made."
Have a dog in the fight/race To have a stake in, or be exposed to the risks associated with, the outcome of some problem or dispute. Conversely, "I don't have a dog in that fight" is frequently used as a way to beg off and opt out of being expected to assist.
Have one's cake and eat it too To attempt to get all the positive aspects of something while avoiding any negative but usually occurring aspects
Hear (straight) from the horse's mouth To hear or get information through a direct source.
Herding cats Trying to elicit coordinated action from a group not inclined to do so. Doing something that is very difficult. Also, "Like stacking hard-boiled eggs."
Hit the ground running To begin an endeavor at full effectiveness, with no delay
Hit the hay To go to bed; also, can be said 'hit the sack.'
Hit the roof Became very angry
Hobson's choice A choice that is no real choice; a situation from which there is no escape; a problem in which any course of action is likely to result in undesirable consequences. Derives from the practice of Thomas Hobson, a Cambridge innkeeper, of allowing patrons to choose the horse nearest the door, or no horse at all. Similar to a "no-win situation" and Catch 22.
Hot potato In the common political usage the 'hot potato' represents an issue which is controversial and generally avoided. In a business setting it sometimes refers to a project or responsiblity that no one wants to assume, usually because the probability of failure is high.
From a children's game in which an object which represents (or actually is) a hot potato is passed around a circle of players while music plays (or time is kept). The loser - the one left holding the 'potato' when the music stops (or time is up) - is eliminated, until only one person is left. A variation (when using an actual very hot potato) is to eliminate anyone who drops the potato.
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I
Idiom Meaning
In a bad way British idiom describing a person as being injured or in some kind of predicament.
In a family way polite term to describe someone who is pregnant.
In the hopper readiness for dispensation.
In for a penny, in for a pound Said by someone realising that risks of failure are increasing, but still prepared to press onwards, maintaining their earlier efforts. Similar to the expression "no turning back"
In the limelight/spotlight Possessing large amounts of attention. Originating from Victorian times when spotlights in theatres were used by burning quicklime (Calcium oxide).
In (out of) the loop Kept informed (not informed), given feedback.
In the same boat Two or more parties in the same situation, especially a situation where what affects one party affects the other. Making a hole in the boat out of spite would drown the one and the other equally.
In the twinkle/blink of an eye / in a flash To happen very quickly
In this day and age The present, indicating vast differences between modern and old times
Iron out the difficulty To resolve an issue. It suggests the problem is minor but is something that will need work (as in smoothing wrinkles out of cloth with an iron).
Irreparable loss Someone who is dead whom you knew when they were alive
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J
Idiom Meaning
Juggling picked onions (or frogs) Carrying out a hazardous or difficult task. Both onions and frogs are slippery and so likely to be hard to juggle with ease.
jack-legged Done in a shoddy fashion by a non-professional for a few dollars; a jackleg is someone who has limited knowledge and limited skills but enough to do a patch job i.e. jack-leg mechanic; jack-leg electrician
Jack of all trades[, master of none] A person who is skilled at many things, who can do many different types of jobs; a person who knows a little about many jobs but isn't well skilled at any one job. (Ex: I'll have my son fix that plumbing problem for you. He's really a jack of all trades.)
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K
Idiom Meaning
Kangaroo loose in the top paddock Denoting a person who is a little crazy
Keep a stiff upper lip To exercise self-restraint in the expression of emotion, especially fear or grief
Kick the bucket To die. Derived from the slaughter of pigs, the wooden block a pig was hung from during slaughter was referred to as a buque. Thus in the process of killing the pig, it would inevitably kick it.
Killing two birds with one stone Achieving two desirable effects with one process or action
Knocking on wood/Touch wood (Knocking on wood) Knock on (or touch) unfinished wood to avert the bad luck evoked by making a confident statement (example: "I haven't been sick in twenty years, knock on wood." By 'knocking on wood', the speaker hopes to prevent their remarkable good health from suddenly ending because they've bragged about it). The custom comes from the hope of evoking the care of spirits that live in trees (dryads).
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L
Idiom Meaning
Last but not least Things are not necessarily in order of importance
Last straw A problem or obstacle that may be trivial in itself, but causes cataclysmic failure because it pushes the total array of problems or obstacles to an intolerable level. Also referred to as the Straw that broke the camel's back, after the original proverb: a straw by itself has an insignificant weight, but enough of them together can be a crushing weight.
Let me bounce this off you To present a scenario or idea for the purpose of receiving feedback or critique
Let the cat out of the bag Reveal a big secret, often unintentionally.
(the) Lights are on, but no one's home Said of a person that is lacking intellect and/or sanity, even if they may appear at first to possess full mental faculties. Like "two bricks short of a load", there are endless variations, based around the metaphor of a machine or a system that is not operating as it should ("His elevator doesn't stop at all floors.")
Like a moth to the flame Someone/something that is strongly attracted to someone/something else, regardless of likely negative consequence
Like herding cats (like pushing molasses up a hill) attempting something that is hopeless, or near impossible; a futile effort.
Like taking candy from a baby very easy to do
Living under a rock Ignorant of common knowledge or major events/trends ("Have you been living under a rock?").
Loan shark A predatory lender, usually one that charges inordinately high interest
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M
Idiom Meaning
Make hay To take advantage of a favorable opportunity. To work diligently toward a goal. Sometimes this idiom appears as "to make hay while the sun shines"
Make a mountain out of a molehill Interpret great significance (generally negative) from a (seemingly) minor event; to assume something is much worse than it actually is. This is most often used in criticism.
Mind one's Ps and Qs To be very careful and/or to behave correctly. It is tied to the fact that the lowercase letters "p" and "q" mirror each other. This is a term from typesetters in the printing industry. In the days of lead type, letters were set individually into a page, and they were placed one by one, upside down. They were pulled from a typecase, in which each letter had a designated space to reside. Problems came when pages were being taken apart and letters put away. If someone was in a hurry or was not paying attention to what he was doing, he could end up with p's and q's in the wrong slots in the typecase, which he wouldn't notice until the next time he was putting together a page, when he would unknowingly pick out the wrong letter. (This could also happen with b's and d's, but as they are more common than q's, typesetters were more accustomed to finding them, and they were mixed up less often.) Hence, pay attention to what you're doing now, so that you don't give yourself problems later on.
(there is) More than one way to kill (or skin) a cat Something can be achieved in several different ways. Often used upon the realization that one attempted method has failed or is about to fail (ie "this method has failed, but there's more than one way to skin a cat!").
Mum's the word The issue or topic at hand is of great secrecy and the speaker cannot reveal any more than they already have.
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N
Idiom Meaning
Nailing jelly to a wall/tree. A futile endeavor; impossible task
(that's) Neither here nor there It doesn't matter; said of something irrelevant to the topic under consideration.
Nip it in the bud To take action at the onset of a problem before it grows into an uncontrollable situation.
No-brainer .
No names, no pack drill Refusing to name a source of information for fear of getting them into trouble.
Nod off To fall asleep gradually, perhaps reflecting the boredom of a lecture or presentation
Non-rigged (see jacklegged) Done in a shoddy fashion. Usually referring to a repair or assembly
Not enough room to swing a cat/You couldn't swing a cat in here An extremely compact room. Sometimes used for the opposite meaning, "You could swing a cat in here".
(the opera's) Not over until the fat lady sings This phrase is similar in meaning to "you should not count your chickens till they are hatched", i.e. nothing is certain until the final conclusion. It is attributed to Yogi Berra and is probably a humorous jab at the girth of a stereotypical female opera singer, combined with the legitimate observation that such a woman will often sing the final notes of the performance.
Not playing with a full deck Someone who is eccentric, mad or wildly unconventional, bordering on crazy. See Two bricks short of a load on this page.
Not the X-est Y in Z Having comparatively diminished capacities, especially in reference to intelligence. Similar to "A few X short of a Y", but describing quality rather than quantity and often used for mock-humility.
1. Not the sharpest pencil of the bunch.
2. Not the sharpest knife in the drawer.
3. Not the sharpest tool in the shed.
4. Not the brightest [light] bulb on the [Christmas] tree.
5. Not the brightest crayon in the box.
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O
Idiom Meaning
On the same page Two or more parties understand a situation the same way and are operating accordingly
Only the tip of the iceberg A situation which is more complex than it first seems
Off (or below) the radar Beyond popular consciousness, less obvious or less mainstream
Off one's rocker Crazy
Off the wall Strange, odd, or unusual
Off the X Fairly recent slang expression, in which X is replaced by various nouns to make an expression with the general meaning of "great" or "wonderful". (e.g. Off the chains, Off the wall, etc.)
On a roll To have a continuous series of successes.
On cloud nine. To be extremely happy. Original connotation referred to a state of stupor or unconsciousness; possibly drug, alcohol, or 'knockout punch' induced. Popular usage may have originated from a 1950s American radio program 'Johnny Dollar' in which one character was regularly knocked out and transported to 'Cloud Nine'. A numbering system for clouds in which level 9 is ascribed to the (30-40,000 feet) cumulo-nimbus clouds was established in the 19th century. Its first known codification in 'International Cloud Atlas' was based on work by Luke Howard. These clouds are the white cottony, mountainous appearing clouds that look like one could lie down on them and rest comfortably.
On the ball To be prepared, especially in regard to anticipated future requests or instructions.
On the nod someone under the influence of heroin.
On the nose Exactly correct or correctly. When regarding screenwriting, "On the nose" is referred to dialogue and occurs when a character says something that's rather obvious.
Out of (from) left field Unexpected. Generally used to denote something being strange and/or random as well as unexpected.
Out of (from) nowhere Unexpected. Similar to "out of (from) left field", but without the 'strange/random' connotation.
Out of sorts Feeling poorly.
Out of touch To be unaware of current trends, news, or fashions, especially because of actual physical distance from others.
Over the hill To be past one's prime, old, a senior citizen. A person has reached his/her peak of physical or employment capabilities and is starting the downhill slide
Over the moon To be very happy
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P
Idiom Meaning
Pay through the nose (for something) pay too much or a lot of money for something
Penny Pinching Skimping with ones money
Penny wise, pound foolish Cautious with small amounts of money, but wasteful with large amounts of money. This expression is usually used when discussing short-sighted parsimony (example: "The manager's decision to save money by cutting the maintenance budget was penny wise, pound foolish.")
Piece of cake Something very easy.
to Piss into the wind To continue with an ineffective action, usually against the natural flow of things, when said action will have no useful result. An exercise in futility.
to Piss on your own feet To try to accomplish something beneficial to yourself but hurting yourself in the process so much that the original action is rendered worthless. (ex: Mark: "There's no way I could have stolen Bill's TV because I was at home doing heroin that whole night.")
Play second fiddle to To somehow play a subordinate role to another, to be upstaged
to Pocket To take something clandestinely. Can be literal, {ex:"He pocketed my candybar!"} or can allude to anything sneakily taken: {ex:"The corporation pocketed the millions set aside for the environmental cleanup"}
Pot calling the kettle black When person A accuses person B of something that person A is also guilty of. The idiom is usually used to imply or accuse someone of hypocrisy. From cooking over an open fire, when soot would get any cooking containers used dirty.
Pound salt Go away. Get out of here/leave me alone.
Pouring (or Raining) cats and dogs Raining very heavily.
Preach to the choir/Preaching to the converted To declare something with which those present already agree.
Pry To inappropriately ask about someones personal life, to request information that is none of your business: (ex:"I don't mean to pry, but aren't you getting a divorce?"}
to Pull [some] strings When someone uses their influence or personal connections to facilitate a favorable outcome, usually implies that the outcome would not have occurred otherwise
Pulling the strings A reference to those really in power limiting the discretion of those who appear to make decisions, an analogy to those who operate stringed puppets
Pulling one's leg Being facetious, or kidding around. Playfully lying.
Push the envelope To approach the limits of normal behavior, to be exceptional
Pushing up daisies To be dead. (example: He's pushing up daisies.) This comes from the Western cultural practice of burying the deceased in a cemetery or "memorial park" often with flowers or grass growing at the grave site.
Put the cart before the horse To start a task before you have everything you need. Or to jump to conclusions
Putting your foot in your mouth Saying something you regret, usually offensive to someone else.
put words into one`s mouth say without proof that another person has certain feelings or opinions (example: "My boss was putting words into my mouth when he told me what he thought that I wanted to do.")
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R
Idiom Meaning
Rain cats and dogs Rain heavily
Rake it in To make a high profit or earning a high salary (example: She's raking it in on that new line of products).
(read/in) between the lines Inferring additional information or nuances not explicitly stated, perhaps revealing a hidden agenda or true motive. The lines here refers to lines of printed text.
read (someone's) lips used to emphasize insistency, often indicating a slightly hostile bearing. Example: George H.W. Bush's famous 1988 promise "Read my lips: No new taxes", meaning he absolutely would not raise taxes.
Red Herring A false clue or issue intended to lead one astray or a fallacious argument (Ignoratio elenchi)
red light district Area of town or city with a high concentration of houses of prostitution or prostitutes. From the practice of displaying a red light in a window or over the door to notify potential customers of the activity available within. This originally came from the practice of Railroad Conductors or Brakemen to hang their Red Lanterns outside when they went in to do what they do.
Red tape Bureaucratic obstacles to a desired result. Derived from the Civil War-era practice of binding records and files with red tape.
Reinvent the wheel Duplicate a basic method or concept. Indicates the creation of a new solution to a problem for which an adequate one already exists. The new solution does not add value and implies a waste of time and/or money. Related to NIH (not invented here) in which a technician or artisan refuses to use an existing solution through the arrogant notion that only they can produce a 'correct' solution.
Right under your nose Something so obvious that it is easily overlooked
Rob Peter to pay Paul Solving a problem in a way that leads to a new problem; a quick solution with an obvious drawback (Peter and Paul being the disciples of Jesus).
Rock the boat Disturbing the social group. Breaking with tradition or going against custom or an apparent consensus, possibly with entirely benign motives - but perhaps out of selfishness
Run the table In sports or other competitions, to win every contest or series. ("To make the playoffs, the team will have to run the table."). Most often used in various games of pocket billiards meaning to shoot all (or sometimes the remainder of) balls off the table and winning the game without giving the opponent the opportunity to "shoot".
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S
Idiom Meaning
Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander If something is good for one person, it follows that it is good for everybody
Sawbones A physician, especially a surgeon.
Selling like hotcakes Selling very rapidly
Set the Thames on fire Perform an astonishing feat. This phrase is almost invariably used in the negative: "He'll never set the Thames on fire." Latin and German have similar idioms regarding the Tiber and the Rhine, respectively.
To travel by Shank's Pony To walk
To shift gears To talk about or work on a different subject or to change the speed at which one is working. Normally refering to speeding up. "Boy he sure shifted (into a higher) gear(s) when he saw that the end was in sight!
Six feet under Dead and buried (from a traditional depth for human graves)
Six of one, half a dozen of another / Six and two threes/ Sixes Two things that are essentially the same and so there is no real choice to be made
Six ways to (or from) Sunday In every possible manner; by every imaginable method
To have skeletons in the closet To have secrets from one's past that one would like to remain secret
Slower than molasses in January Excruciatingly slow; molasses is very thick and therefore would run slowly at any time of year, but is exaggerated here with the coldest month in many regions; often used to describe a person or an object ("My computer is running slower than molasses in January.")
Soup to nuts From beginning to end; etymologically, from the first course of a meal (soup) to the last course (nuts, which are often found in desserts)
Sour grapes To decide that the attainment of something you have been thwarted from getting is not worth it after all and probably inferior in quality anyway. (Aesop's Fables: The Fox and the Grapes)
To spin a yarn To tell a story, especially a long one with distorted truths or exaggerations
Speak of the devil (and he'll appear) Said aloud when someone who was being discussed in conversation enters the area of those conversing; from the belief that uttering the name of a demon could serve to summon it
Spill the beans To reveal a secret
Spirit of the law To interpret something as it is meant, not as explicitly stated
Squaring the circle Trying to do something which is impossible
Stalking horse A political candidate unlikely to succeed against an incumbent, standing to generate an election and to reveal disquiet with the incumbent's recent performance — possibly inducing other competitors for that post to declare their interest
Start with a clean slate/sheet (of paper) To completely start over, or to contemplate solving a problem without preconceptions
Stand in good stead To be extremely useful in the future
Steal someone's thunder Taking the credit for something positive occasioned largely by someone else, or simply to upstage someone. (From a stage thunder device by John Dennis.)
Stem the tide To stop or control the growth or increase of something, usually unpleasant
Stick (or stuck) in the mud An old-fashioned idea or concept, or someone who moves or adapts slowly. Also used to describe a person who does not want to participate in activities suggested by one or more people
Stiff Necked means stubborn. This is an example of METONOMY. A stubborn person frequently does not TURN TO LISTEN and appears STIFF IN THE NECK. Thus STIFF NECK and NOT TURNING are RELATED to STUBBORNESS. Hence by the rule of METONOMY, STIFF NECK means STUBBORN.
Straw that broke the camel's back From a proverb about loading up a camel beyond its capacity to move. This is a reference to any process by which catastrophic failure (a broken back) is achieved by a seemingly inconsequential addition (a single straw). This also gives rise to the phrase "the last straw"
Swan song A final appearance; a theatrical or dramatic farewell (from a legendary belief that a mute swan would sing its own dirge as it died)
Swim with the fishes To die, especially to be murdered and have your body disposed of, often in a body of water. (See also "sleep with the fishes"). It's presumed to be a bit of Mafia jargon
Swim with (the) sharks Taking a huge risk
Sword of Damocles The Sword of Damocles is a frequently used symbolic allusion to this myth, referring to the insecurity felt by those with great power due to the possibility of that power being taken away suddenly, or, more generally, any feeling of impending doom
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T
Idiom Meaning
Take a flyer To take a chance or risk
Take it on the chin accept a difficult situation without complaining
Take it with a pinch (or grain) of salt To be skeptical and cautious about whether what someone has told you is true, or is the complete story
Taken to the cleaners Defrauded, robbed, cheated, conned
Tall tale A (sometimes boastful) unrealistic story, often told in a humorous way
The cat's out of the bag A secret or hidden thing has been discovered. Also, "let the cat out of the bag", related to "buying a pig in a poke", above
The glass is half full / half empty To see the positive / negative side of a situation. From the belief that someone who refers to a glass as "half full" has an optimistic outlook on life, and someone who refers to a glass as half empty being pessimistic.
The more things change, the more they stay the same Despite the appearance of change, there is little fundamental difference between the past and the present
The jig is up Some activity that was supposed to remain secret (implied to be illegal, immoral or otherwise prohibited activity) is now exposed.
The Powers That Be Generic term for people who are in charge of something. Often used either derisively or when the actual people are not known. Usually capitalized.
((The) tail that) wag(s) the dog The reversal of a normal control-reaction relationship. Often used in reference to relationships of authority and subjugation. Normally a dog wags its tail, not the other way around.
To have misplaced priorities, with the less important part controlling the main thing. See also: putting the cart before (or in front of) the horse.
Third rail A topic or issue of such contention or sensitivity that any attempt to address it will result in deleterious consequenses for those who attempt to do so. From the electrified third rail used to power many subway systems, the touching of which will result in the death of the toucher (Example: Social Security reform is the third rail of American politics, anyone who brings it up is likely to find themself out of office).
This is not your father's ____ Despite similarities, there is a fundamental difference between the past and the present subject; usually implying a favorable updating. From an ad campaign for Oldsmobiles in the 1980s.
Three sheets to the wind Drunk, usually heavily inebriated.
Throw down the gauntlet To challenge
Throw the game/match/fight To intentionally lose the game/match/fight
To be catty To be antagonistic, usually applied to women
Too many cooks spoil the broth Too many people crowding a situation are bound to ruin it.
Too Much Something or someone unbelievable, incredible, or just generally exceptional. Can be negative or positive.
To the letter To interpret and follow instructions or rules in as literal a manner as possible, doing nothing that one is not explicitly instructed or told to do, often deliberately ignoring the implicit meaning of those instructions or rules.
To think one's head will burst To be extremely angry
To turn turtle To capsize
Touch base To briefly communicate with someone in order to allow each to assure each party that a situation or project is proceeding as all desire.
Toot your own horn/blow your own trumpet To brag about oneself, often downplaying the contributions of others
Toe the line To follow rules and regulations faithfully. To be careful to never commit any transgressions. To conform, particularly to conform to onerous or odious demands through loyalty. Frequently used pejoratively in reference to politicians who comform to their party's policy on an issue despite their stated personal beliefs ("toe the party line").
Treading water Sustaining the present situation, neither improving or worsening. Usually used to denote a negative situation or achieving the bare minimum above defeat. A person working very hard at his job but never receiving promotion would be "treading water"
Trip the light fantastic To dance nimbly.
Two (or ten) a penny Very common, cheap, not special
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U
Idiom Meaning
Under the weather Feeling ill.
Up a [****] creek without a paddle In an untenable position. Having no recourse or satisfactory course of action. Or "Up a creek with a hole in the boat."
up to one's neck neck-deep: deeply involved; "neck-deep in work"; "up to their necks in debt"
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W
Idiom Meaning
Wake up on the wrong side of the bed Be very grumpy. Usually used in response to discovering someone is very grumpy. "Whoa! Looks like you woke up on the wrong side of the bed today!"
Water under the bridge Something that has happened in the past and is no longer worth agonizing over. A dismissal of prior offenses or transgressions. Generally said after emotional conflicts.
What is coming down the pike/pipe Events or happenings expected to come to pass in the near future
What goes around comes around If a person does something bad something bad will happen to him. See: Karma
When the gloves are off After the polite negotiations have failed, when false posturing is no longer plausible. Similar to "when the chips are down" or "when push comes to shove"
Where there's smoke, there's fire If there is telltale evidence of some event, the event is probably occurring
Whistle past the graveyard To attempt to stay cheerful in a dire situation. To ignore an obvious hazard. To enter a situation with little or no understanding of the possible consequences. To proceed despite ignorance while hoping for a good outcome.
Whistle in the dark To speak of something despite having little knowledge of it.
Whole nine yards, The The entire amount, everything. Frequently "Going the whole nine yards" to indicate completion to surfeit, sparing nothing, or employing procedures reserved for only the most important events. The etymology is ambiguous, with explanations ranging from the 9 yard machine gun belts used in some WWII military aircraft to an older use of 9 yards in the textile industry for ceremonious saris, normal saris comprising only 6 yards, dating back to English introduction to Indian tailoring in the 18th century.
Another explanation is that the term is a sarcastic reference to American football, where ten yards is the length of a first down. With running nine yards being no real achievement, to say that someone ran 'the whole nine yards' would be to say that they almost achieved something. Like many words with ambiguous etymology, this phrase may have more than one derivation.[3]
Wing it To improvise; to invent a way to deal with a situation for which one is not prepared and/or has no knowledge.
Work one's tail off Work especially hard and energetically. (Ex: We worked our tails off to get this project done.)
Wrestling blancmange Attempting to grapple with an amorphous (hard to grasp) or almost insoluble issue.
Wrong (short) end of the stick Getting the worst part of a deal or decision. (Derived from sticks with cloth on one end used to clean toilets; grabbing hold of the wrong end of the stick meant you got excrement on your hand.)
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X
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Y
Idiom Meaning
Yellow(-bellied) Cowardly
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Z
Idiom Meaning
Zebra In the medical world, a case that has been diagnosed as an obscure or serious case when, in reality, the affliction is common. Derives from "when you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras." In professional sports, especially American Football, it is a term used to refer to referees, due to the comonality of black and white striped uniforms.