المساعد الشخصي الرقمي

مشاهدة النسخة كاملة : English Idioms


أنس جبارة
03-08-2010, 05:24 PM
A (http://learn-english-today.com/idioms/idiom-categories/alphabetical-list.htm#A)

Have an ace up your sleeve.
If you have an ace up your sleeve, it means that you have
something in reserve with which you can gain an advantage.

Hold all the aces
A person who holds all the aces is in a very strong position
because they have more advantages than anyone else.
"Given the high unemployment figures in some countries, employers hold all the aces."

Get your act together!
If you tell someone to get their act together, you mean
that they need to organize their affairs more effectively
in order to be more successful.

Much ado about nothing.
If people make "much ado about nothing", they make
a lot of fuss about something which is not important.

All ears
To say that you are all ears means that you are listening very attentively.
"Of course I want to know - I'm all ears!"

All hell broke loose
To say that all hell broke loose means that there was a sudden angry,
noisy reaction to something.
" All hell broke loose when it was announced that the plant was going to close down."

All thumbs/all fingers and thumbs
If you are all fingers and thumbs, you are awkward and clumsy and do things incorrectly.
"Would you mind wrapping this for me? I'm all fingers and thumbs!"

The apple of your eye.
If somebody is the apple of your eye, this means that you like
them very much :
"My grandson is the apple of my eye".

To upset the applecart
To upset (or to overturn) the applecart means to spoil a satisfactory plan or situation
"I hope Julie doesn't attend the meeting - she could upset the applecart!"

Give your right arm
If you say "I'd give my right arm for that", you mean that you want it a lot
and would do almost anything to obtain it.
"I'd give my right arm to have a apartment on Central Park."

Cost an arm and a leg
If something costs an arm and a leg, it is very expensive!
"The house cost us an arm and a leg, but we have no regrets."

To be up in arms
If you are up in arms about something, you are very angry.
"The population was up in arms over the demolition of the old theatre."

A rude awakening
If you get a rude awakening, you are forced to accept
the unpleasant truth.

Have an axe to grind
If you have an axe to grind, you have personal reasons for adopting
a particular attitude about something.
"It was decided that the best candidates would be selected by a recruitment agency
who had no axe to grind within the company."

B

Leave somebody holding the baby
If someone is left holding the baby, they are made responsible for a problem
that others don't want to deal with.
"When the angry customer started to complain,
my colleague disappeared and left me holding the baby."

Get off my back!
If you tell somebody to get off your back, you ask them to stop
finding faults or criticizing you.

In the back of beyonds
This expression is used to describe an isolated place located far from any town.
"It took us hours to find Jack's house. He lives in the back of beyonds!"

On the back burner
If you put a project or issue on the back burner, you decide to deal with it
at a later date because you do not consider it to be that urgent or important.
"When Julie was offered a promotion, she put her MBA plans on the
back burner."

Back to square one
To say that someone is back to square one, means that they have not succeeded
in what they were trying to do, and so they have to start again."When the plans were refused, it was back to square one for the architect."

Backseat driver
A backseat driver is a passenger in a car who gives unwanted advice to the driver. "I can't stand backseat drivers like my mother-in-law!"

A bad egg
To refer to someone as a bad egg means that they cannot be trusted.
"I don't want my son to be friends with Bobby Smith. Bobby's a bad egg."

Badger someone into doing something
If you badger someone into doing something, you persistently nag or
pester them until you obtain what you want.
"Sophie badgered her parents into buying her a new computer."

In the bag
If you think something is in the bag, you are almost certain it will be achieved.
"An hour before the polling stations closed, victory seemed in the bag for the
Conservative candidate."

In the balance
If something is in the balance, it means the situation is uncertain
and it is not clear what is going to happen.
"The future of the company is in the balance while the takeover bid
is being examined."

Be on the ball
If you are on the ball, you are aware of what is happening
and are able to react to the situation quickly.

Have a ball
If you have a ball, you enjoy yourself.
"The party was great. We had a ball."

Start the ball rolling
If you start the ball rolling, you start an activity in which other people will join.
"Let's start the ball rolling by calling on our first speaker."

Jump on the bandwagon
If a person or organization jumps on the bandwagon,
they decide to do something when it is already successful or fashionable.
"When organic food became popular, certain stores were quick
to jump on the bandwagon and promote it."

Bar fly
A bar fly refers to someone who spends a lot of time drinking in bars and pubs.
"You'll find Johnny down at the pub - he's a real bar fly!"

Bare one's heart (or soul)
If you bare your heart or soul to someone, you reveal your innermost
thoughts and feelings to them.
"John couldn't keep things to himself any longer. He decided to bare his soul
to his best friend."

His bark is worse than his bite
This expression is used to refer to a person who sounds much more severe
or angry than they really are.
"Don't be afraid of him - his bark is worse than his bite."

Bark up the wrong tree
A person who barks up the wrong tree is doing the wrong thing,
because their beliefs or ideas are incorrect or mistaken.

Have bats in the belfry
If you say that somebody has bats in the belfry, you are saying that
their ideas are completely mad.

Be full of beans
A person who is full of beans is lively, active and healthy.

Like a bear with a sore head
If someone is behaving like a bear with a sore head, they are very irritable
and bad-tempered.
"When his team lost the match, Brad was like a bear with a sore head."

At someone's beck and call
If a person is at somebody's beck and call, they are always
ready to do things for them or obey orders to please them.
"Parents should not be at the beck and call of their children."

Have a bee in one's bonnet
A person who has a bee in their bonnet has an idea
which constantly occupies their thoughts.
"She's got a bee in her bonnet about moving to New York."

The bee's knees
If you say that someone/something is the bee's knees,
you think they are exceptionally good.
If you say "Julie thinks she's the bee's knees", it means that
Julie has a high opinion of herself!

Been there, done that
This expression is used to indicate that the speaker is familiar with the
situation mentioned. It can also refer to an attitude which reflects a certain
boredom at the idea of repeating an experience that has lost its novelty.
"His suggestions produced a 'been there, done that' attitude which undermined
his enthusiasm."

Beggars can't be choosers.
This expression means that you should not reject an offer
if it is the only possibility you have. You have no choice.
"Beggars can't be choosers"!

Ring a bell.
If something rings a bell, it is vaguely familiar to you,
but you can't remember the exact details .
"John Bentley? The name rings a bell but I don't remember him."

Below the belt
An action or remark described as below the belt means that
it is considered unfair or cruel.
"Politicians sometimes use personal information to hit their rivals below the belt.'

Tighten your belt
If you need to tighten your belt, you must spend your money carefully.
"Another bill? I'll have to tighten my belt this month!"

Bend over backwards
If you bend over backwards, you try very hard to do something,
especially to please somebody.
"The manager bent over backwards to try to make Jack stay,
but Jack wouldn't change his mind."

Bend the truth
If you bend the truth, you say something that is not entirely true.
"OK, I bent the truth a bit; I told him it was my natural colour,
but I didn't say that my hairdresser helped me to keep it natural!"

The benefit of the doubt
If you give somebody the benefit of the doubt, you choose to believe that
that person is innocent, honest or telling the truth, because there is no evidence
to the contrary.
"Although he found it hard to believe Tom's explanation, the teacher decided
to give him the benefit of the doubt."

The best of both worlds
If a person has the best of both worlds, they have the benefits and advantages
of two different things.
"We live in the centre of town, but only 5 minutes from the beach.
We have the best of both worlds."

Better safe than sorry
It's better to be too cautious than to be careless and have regrets later.
"Let's book tickets in advance - better safe than sorry!"

Think better of something
If you think better of something, you decide not to do something
that you intended doing.
"I wanted to go shopping, but when I saw the crowded car park,
I thought better of it."

Between the devil and the deep blue sea
If you are between the devil and the deep blue sea, you are in a situation
where there are two equally unacceptable alternatives.
"When the new product didn't take off, the Marketing Director was caught
between the devil and the deep blue sea!"

It's beyond me
The expression "it's beyond me" means: "it's impossible for me to
understand"
"It's beyond me why Mary wants to marry John."

Bide your time
If you bide your time, you wait for a good opportunity to do something.
"He's not hesitating, he's just biding his time. He's waiting for the price to drop."

Clean bill of health
If a person has a clean bill of health, they have a report or certificate
declaring that their health is satisfactory.

Kill two birds with one stone.
If you kill two birds with one stone, you succeed in doing
two things at the same time.

Birds of a feather.
To say that two people are birds of a feather means that they
are very similar in many ways.

in/wearing one's birthday suit
This humorous expression means that you are wearing nothing!
"The bathroom door blew open, and there I was in my birthday suit!"

Bite off more than you can chew
If you bite off more than you can chew, you try to do something
that is too difficult for you, or more than you can manage.
"As soon as I started to translate the report, I realized that
I had bitten off more than I could chew."

Once bitten, twice shy.
This is said by a person who has had an unpleasant experience
which has made them cautious.
"I'm never going to get married again. Once bitten, twice shy."

A bitter pill to swallow
A bitter pill to swallow is something very difficult or unpleasant to accept.
"Losing his job after organizing the merger was a bitter pill to swallow."

In a black mood
To be in a black mood means to be irritable, angry or even depressed -
also : to be in a bad mood.

In the black
To say that a person or organizaion is in the black means that
they are financially sound, have a positive balance on their account,
and that they owe no money.

Black gold
Black gold refers to the black colour and high value of oil.

Black market
The black market refers to the illegal buying and selling
of goods or currencies.

Black out
If you black out, you lose consciousness.

Black sheep
The black sheep of the family is one who is very different from the others,
and least respected by the other members of the family,

A blank cheque
If you give someone a blank cheque, you authorize them to do
what they think is best in a difficult situation.
"Tom was given a blank cheque and told to negotiate the best deal possible."

A wet blanket
To refer to someone as a wet blanket means that they spoil other people's fun,
or make an event less enjoyable that it could have been
"Come on, Mike! Don't be such a wet blanket.You're spoiling the party!"

A blessing in disguise
This expression is used to refer to something which is unpleasant at first
but later turns out to have advantages.
"Missing the plane was a blessing in disguise - that's how he met his wife.
She was a hostess on the next flight!"

The blind leading the blind
This expression refers to a person with very little ability trying to help
or guide a person with no ability.
"Don't ask Sofia to translate it. She hardly speaks a word of English herself.
It would be the blind leading the blind".

Blow a fuse
If you blow a fuse, you suddenly lose your temper and become very angry.
"Charlie blew a fuse yesterday when he discovered that his ipod had been stolen."

Blow hot and cold
If you blow hot and cold about something, you constantly change your opinion about it.
"The boss keeps blowing hot and cold about the marketing campaign -
one day he finds it excellent, the next day he wants to make changes."

Feel blue
To feel blue means to have feelings of deep sadness or depression.

A bolt from the blue
To refer to something as a bolt from the blue means
that it happened completely unexpectedly.
"The chariman's resignation came as a bolt from the blue!"

Blue-eyed boy


A blue-eyed boy is somebody's favourite e.g. he's the director's blue-eyed boy!

Out of the blue
If something happens out of the blue, it happens unexpectedly.

Above board
If a situation or business is described as above board, it is open, honest and legal.
"There are no secret negotiations. Our dealings have always been above board."

The mind boggles
The expression "the mind boggles" is used as a reaction to
something you find amazing or difficult to understand.

Bold as brass
Someone who is bold as brass behaves without shame or embarrassment.
"Bold as brass, he refused the gift and handed it back to his mother-in-law."

Bone of contention
A bone of contention is a matter or subject about which there is a lot of
disagreement.
"The salaries have been agreed on, but opening on Sundays remains a bone
of contention."

Have a bone to pick with someone
To say that you have a bone to pick with somebody means that
you are annoyed with them and want to talk to them about it.

Make no bones about something
If you make no bones about something, you do not hesitate to
express your thoughts or feelings about it, even if it is embarrassing.

In somebody's good/bad books
If you are in somebody's good or bad books, you have their approval or
disapproval. "I'm in my wife's bad books at the moment because I forgot our wedding
anniversary!"

Lick someone's boots
To say that one person licks another person's boots means that
they are trying to please that person, often in order to obtain something.

Get too big for your boots (or britches)
To say that a person is getting too big for their boots means that you
think they are behaving as if they were more important that they really are.
"Tom's really getting too big for his boots since he got a promotion -
he hardly says hello any more!"

I wasn't born yesterday
This expression is used to indicate that you are not as foolish or as easily
deceived as some people seem to think.
"Stop inventing silly excuses. I wasn't born yesterday you know!"

Bow and scrape
To say that someone is bowing and scraping means that they are being
excessively polite or servile.
"The President was greeted with much bowing and scraping."

Brain like a sieve
Someone who has a brain like a sieve has a very bad memory and forgets
things easily.
"Oh, I forgot to buy bread - I've got a brain like a sieve these days!"

Have something on the brain
If you have something on the brain, you think or talk about it constantly.
"Stop talking about golf. You've got golf on the brain!"

Take the bread out of somebody's mouth
If you take the bread out of somebody's mouth, you take away their means
of earning a living.
"The decision to ban street vendors took the bread out of the mouths of many
people."

Break a leg!
This is a humorous way of wishing somebody good luck, especially among
stage performers.
"So tonight's the opening night? Break a leg!"

Bricks and mortar/ bricks and clicks
An established trading company (office/shop) is referred to as a
'brick-and-mortar' business.
'Click companies' refer to Internet-based operations.
Companies which do both are called 'bricks and clicks'.
"Click businesses are usually more flexible than brick-and-mortar operations."

Brown as a berry
To say that someone is brown as a berry means that they are very tanned.

Browned-off
To be browned off means to be bored, fed up or disheartened.
"Tom is browned off with his job."

The bubble has burst
To say that the bubble has burst means that the success of an idea,
a product or a situation has suddenly stopped.
"The video game was a phenomenal success but the bubble has burst."

Pass the buck
If you say that someone is passing the buck, you are accusing
them of not taking responsibility for a problem and expecting
someone else to handle it.

Kick the bucket.
To kick the bucket is a light-hearted way of talking about death.
"He will inherit when his grandfather kicks the bucket."

To nip something in the bud
If you nip a problem or a bad situation in the bud, you stop it
at an early stage, before it becomes worse.
"He wanted to be a clown, but his parents soon nipped that idea in the bud."

Build bridges
If a person builds bridges between opposing groups, they help
them to cooperate and understand each other better.

Take the bull by the horns
To take the bull by the horns means that a person decides to
act decisively in order to deal with a difficult situation or problem.

Bundle of nerves
If you describe somebody as a bundle of nerves, you mean that
they are very nervous, tense or worried.
"My son is doing his driving test today. Needless to say he's a bundle of nerves!"

Don't beat around the bush
This expression is used to tell somebody to say what they have to say,
clearly anddirectly, even if it's unpleasant.

Butter wouldn't melt in your mouth
If you say that somebody looks as if butter wouldn't melt in
their mouth, you are saying that they look completely innocent,
but that they are capable of doing unpleasant things.

C (http://learn-english-today.com/idioms/idiom-categories/alphabetical-list.htm#C)

A piece of cake
To refer to something as a piece of cake means that you consider it
to be very easy.
"The English test was a piece of cake!"

Have your cake and eat it
To say that someone wants to have their cake and eat it means that they
want the advantages of two alternative situations when only one is possible .
"Jack enjoys his comfort but is always complaining about the cost of things.
He can't have his cake and eat it!"

Sell like hot cakes
Things that sell like hot cakes sell quickly or in large quantities.

Call a spade a spade
A person who calls a spade a spade speaks openly and truthfully about
something, especially difficult matters.
"What I like about the new manager is that he calls a spade a spade -
it makes things so much easier for everyone."

Call the tune
The person who calls the tune is the one who makes all the important decisions
and is in control of the situation.
"He shows a lot of authority but in fact it's his wife who calls the tune."

Can of worms
To describe a situation as a can of worms means that it is complicated,
unpleasant and difficult to deal with.
"The discovery of the transfer of funds turned out to be a real can of worms."

Burn the candle at both ends
To say that some is burning the candle at both ends means
that they are trying to do too much and that they go to bed
very late and get up very early.

Paddle one's own canoe
If you paddle your own canoe, you do what you want to do
without help or interference from anyone.
"He decided to paddle his own canoe and set up his own company."

Can't see the wood for the trees
If someone can't see the wood for the trees, they are so concentrated on
the details that they can't see the situation as a whole.
"The new manager found the situation so complicated that
he couldn't see the wood for the trees."

Put on your thinking cap
If you tell someone to put their thinking cap on, you ask them
to find an idea or solve a problem by thinking about it.
"Now here's this week's quiz - it's time to put your thinking caps on!"

If the cap fits, wear it!
You say "if the cap fits wear it" to let someone know that
the critical remark they have just heard applies to them.
"Are you referring to me?" "If the cap fits wear it!"
(US : If the shoe fits ...)

Play your cards right
This means that you do all that is necessary in order to succeed.
"If we play our cards right, we'll get the contract.

put/lay one's cards on the table
If you put your cards on the table, you speak honestly and openly
about your feelings and intentions.
"Let's clear the air and put our cards on the table."

Carrot and stick
If you use a carrot-and-stick approach, you use the promise of reward
and the threat of punishment to make somebody work harder.
"Some parents use a carrot-and-stick approach to obtain good results
from their children."

Put the cart before the horse
A person who puts the cart before the horse is doing things in the wrong order.
"Building a school before knowing the age of the population
is putting the cart before the horse."

A fat cat
To refer to a rich and powerful person as a fat cat means that
you disapprove of the way they use their money or power.

Let the cat out of the bag.
If you let the cat out of the bag, you reveal a secret,
often not intentionally.

Play cat and mouse
To play cat and mouse with someone means to treat them
alternately cruelly and kindly, so that they do not know what to expect.

Catch 22
A catch 22 situation refers to a frustrating situation where you need to do one thing
before doing a second, and you cannot do the second before doing the first.
"I can't get a job without a work permit, and I can't get a work permit without a job.
It's a catch 22 situation!"

Catch somebody red-handed
If a person is caught red-handed, they are caught while they are doing
something wrong or illegal.
"The police arrived as the burglar was leaving the house.
He was caught red-handed."

Like chalk and cheese
(as different as chalk and cheese)
Two people who are like chalk and cheese are completely
different from each other.

A chance in a million
A chance in a million is a very small chance, or no chance at all, that
something will happen.

Chase rainbows
Someone who is chasing rainbows is trying to get something they will never
obtain.
"She's trying to get into Harvard but I think she's chasing rainbows."

Chew the fat
If you chew the fat with somebody, you chat in an informal way about
unimportant things.
"It's amazing the amount of time my grandparents can spend
chewing the fat with their neighbours."

Chicken out of something
If you chicken out of something, you decide not to do something because
you are afraid.
"He decided to join a karate class, but chickened out of it at the last minute!"

Too many chiefs, not enough Indians.
This expression refers to a situation where there are too many people
giving instructions and not enough people doing the work.
"The business wasn't successful.
There were too many chiefs and not enough Indians."

A chink in someone's armour
If someone has a chink in their armour, they have a weakness that can be
taken advantage of.
"The candidate's opponents are busy looking for chinks in his armour."

A chip off the old block
If you refer to a person as a chip off the old block, you mean that
they resemble one of their parents in appearance, character or behaviour.
"James is a chip off the old block - he reacts exactly the same way as his father."

A chip on your shoulder
If someone has a chip on their shoulder, they feel resentful because
they feel they are being treated unfairly, especially because of
their background, their *** or their colour.

Have had one's chips
To say that someone has had their chips means that they have completely
failed in what they set out to achieve.
"After the second set, it looked as though Agassi had had his chips."

When the chips are down
This expression refers to people's behaviour in a difficult or dangerous situation
when action must be taken.
"It's when the chips are down that Jack is at his best."

Off someone's Christmas card list
This expression means that you are no longer on friendly terms with someone.
"I've been off her Christmas card list since our dog messed up her garden!"

Close to home
If a remark or comment is close to home, it is so true, or it affects you
so directly, that you feel uncomfortable.
"Alan looks embarrassed. Bob's comment must have been close to home!"

A close shave
This expression is used to describe a situation where an accident or a disaster
nearly happened
"I almost hit the child who ran out in front of my car. It was a close shave."

Be on cloud nine
A person who is on cloud nine is very happy because
something wonderful has happened.
"When the boss announced my promotion, I was on cloud nine!"

Cock and bull story
This expression refers to a story, an excuse or an explanation that is
very difficult to believe.
"Instead of simply saying he was out of work, he invented some cock and bull
story about trekking in the desert!"

Off colour
If you are off colour, you are looking or feeling ill.

Collect one's thoughts
If you collect your thoughts, you try to think calmly and clearly
in order to prepare yourself mentally for something.
"Anne stopped to collect her thoughts before calling back the customer."

Come apart at the seams
To say that someoneis coming apart at the seams means that they are
extremely upset or under severe mental stress.
"Bob has had so many problems lately, he's coming apart at the seams."

Come clean.
To come clean about something means to tell the truth.

Come to grips with something
If you come to grips with a problem or situation, you start to understand
or deal with it properly
"After the initial shock, the patient began to come to grips with his illness."

Come/turn up trumps
To say that someone has come up trumps means that they have achieved
unexpectedly good results.
"Against all expectations, our team came up trumps in the cup final."

Cook the books
A person who cooks the books is one who changes the facts or figures in
their financial accounts, often in order to steal money.
"The actor discovered after a while that his agent was cooking the books."

Cook somebody's goose
To cook somebody's goose means to spoil that person's chance of
success.
"When the burglar saw the police car arriving, he realized his goose was
cooked."

That's the way the cookie crumbles!
To say 'that's the way the cookie crumbles' means
'that is the way things are and nothing can be done about it' -
that's life'!

Cool as a cucumber
A person who is as cool as a cucumber is a person who is
not anxious, but relaxed and non-emotional.

A couch potato
If you refer to someone as a couch potato, you criticize them for spending
a lot of time sitting and watching television.
"Don't be such a couch potato. There are better ways of spending your time
than in front of the TV."

On course (for something)
If someone is on course for something, they are likely to achieve it.
"Our team is on course for a victory in the national championship."

Till the cows come home
To say that a person could do something till the cows come home
means that they could do it for a long time.
"You can ask till the cows come home, but I'm not buying you a scooter!"

The cream of the crop
This expression is used to refer to the best people or things in a particular group.
"As usual, the cream of the crop of this year's graduates
were offered the best jobs."

On the crest of a wave
If you are on the crest of a wave, you are very successful in what you are doing.
"Our company is going from success to success.
We're on the crest of a wave right now."

Crocodile tears
To shed crocodile tears means to shed false tears or show insincere grief.
"Caroline pretended to be sad but we all knew her tears were crocodile tears."

Cross that bridge when we come to it
This is another way of saying " we will deal with that problem when it occurs
and not worry about it before".
"What will happen if we can't repay the loan?"
"We''ll cross that bridge when we come to it."

At cross purposes
If two people are at cross purposes, there is a misunderstanding as to
what each one is talking about.
"Look, we seem to be at cross purposes : you're talking about 'sailing' boats
but I'm talking about 'selling' boats."

As the crow flies
This expression refers to distance measured in a straight line.
"It's two miles from here to the station as the crow flies,
but of course it's much further by road."

A far cry from something
If one thing is a far cry from something else, it means that they
are very different from each other.

On cue
If something happens on cue, it happens at exactly the appropriate
or expected moment.
"My grandmother was blowing out the candles on her birthday cake
when, right on cue, the flowers arrived."

Cut and dried
To refer to a situation, a problem or a solution as cut and dried means that
it is considered clear and straightforward with no likely complications.
"When the new manager arrived, he didn't find the situation as cut and dried
as he had expected."

Cut corners
Cutting corners means not following the correct procedure in order
to save time, effort or money (often with unsatisfactory results)

D (http://learn-english-today.com/idioms/idiom-categories/alphabetical-list.htm#D)

Dance attendance (on somebody)
If you dance attendance on someone, you are constantly available
for that person and attend to their wishes.
"She's rich and famous and expects everyone to dance attendance on her."

in the dark
If someone is kept or left in the dark about something, they are not informed
about it .
"The personnel were kept in the dark about the merger until the last minute."

Call it a day.
A person who decides to "call it a day" decides to stop doing
or finish doing something, generally because they are tired.

Dead loss
Someone or something described as a dead loss is absolutely useless
or a complete failure.
"When it comes to gardening, my brother is a dead loss."

Dead wood
The term dead wood refers to people or things which are no longer
considered useful or necessary.
"The new manager wants to reduce costs by cutting out the dead wood."

A raw deal
If you say that someone has got a raw deal, you think they
have been treated unfairly or badly.

Off the deep end
A person who goes off the deep end becomes suddenly
very angry or emotional.

Out of your depth
If you are out of your depth, it means you are in a situation
which is too difficult for you, or which you know little about.

The devil makes work for idle hands
This expression means that people who do not have enough to do
are often tempted to do something wrong.
"It's not good for kids to have nothing to do at the week-end -
the devil makes work for idle hands!"

Speak of the devil!
Speak of the devil! This is said to refer to a person who appears
just when his/her name is mentioned.
"Speak of the devil! We were just talking about your invitation!"

A different kettle of fish
To describe a person, thing or situation as a different kettle of fish means
that it is completely different from what was previously mentioned.
"You may have good business relations, but living in the country is a different
kettle of fish."

Wash your dirty linen in public.
To wash one's dirty linen in public means to talk about
unpleasant or personal matters in the presence of others.

Do someone's dirty work
To do someone's dirty work means to do the unpleasant or
difficult work that the other person does not want to do.

Disappear into thin air
If someone or something disappears into thin air, they vanish in a mysterious
way.
" After being accused of embezzlement, the director disappeared into thin air."

A dog in the manger
A person referred to as a dog in the manger is someone who
stops others enjoying something he/she cannot use or doesn't want.

Give a dog a bad name
People who lose their reputation have difficulty regaining it because
others continue to blame or suspect them.
"Tom was suspected as usual. Give a dog a bad name!"

Go to the dogs
To say that a company, organization or country is going to the dogs means
that it is becoming less successful or efficient than before. "Some think the company will go to the dogs if it is nationalized."

Let sleeping dogs lie.
If you tell somebody to let sleeping dogs lie, you are asking them not
to interfere with a situation because they could cause problems.

Why keep a dog and bark yourself?
This expression means that if someone can do a task for you,
there's no reason to do it yourself.
"The shuttle stops in front of our house but my father continues to drive
to the airport. Why keep a dog and bark yourself!"

In the doghouse
If you are in the doghouse, somebody is angry with you
because you have done something wrong.
"Mark is in the doghouse because he damaged his father's car."

In the doldrums
To say that a person, a business or the economy in general is in the doldrums
means that the situation is gloomy and that nothing new is happening.
"Despite the recent measures, the economy remains in the doldrums."

Beyond a shadow of a doubt
This expression is used to express absolute certainty about something. "There wasn't a shadow of a doubt in our minds about Susan's sincerity."

Down the drain
To say that money, time or effort has gone down the drain, means
that it has been wasted or lost.
"His years of research went down the drain when the company
went bankrupt."

Drag one's feet
If you say that a person is dragging their feet, you think they are
unnecessarily delaying a decision which is important to you.

Dressed up to the nines
To describe someone as dressed up to the nines means
that they are wearing very smart or glamorous clothes.
"Caroline musts be going to a party - she's dressed up to the nines!"

Drink like a fish
A person who drinks like a fish is a heavy drinker or one who drinks a lot.
'I'm nervous if Joe drives when we go out because he drinks like a fish!"

Drive a hard bargain
A person who drives a hard bargain always makes sure they gain advantage
in a business deal.
"Be prepared for tough negotiations with Stuart - he drives a bard bargain."

Drop like flies
If people drop like flies, they fall ill or die in large numbers.
"There's an epidemic of flu at the moment. Senior citizens are dropping like
flies."

At the drop of a hat
If you do something at the drop of a hat, you do it immediately and without
hesitation
"I've got great friends. They're ready to help out at the drop of a hat."

A drop in the ocean
To refer to an amount as a drop in the ocean means that it is very small
compared to the amount needed or expected.
"The revenue from the proposed tax reform is a drop in the ocean
compared to the deficit."

A sitting duck
A sitting duck is an easy target, a person who is easy to deceive.
"The young girl was a sitting duck for the photographer."

Dull as ditchwater (also : dull as dishwater)
To refer to something as being as dull as ditchwater means that it is very
boring.
"The film was a dull at ditchwater. I nearly fell asleep."

Dumbing down
If something, such as a television programme or a film production, is dumbed
down, it is deliberately made less intelligent or less demanding, in order to
attract a larger audience.
"Some TV channels are dumbing down their programmes in an attempt to
increase their audience ratings."

Hit the dust
The expression hit the dust is a humourous way of referring to death.

Go Dutch
To go Dutch with somebody means to share the cost of something
such as a meal or a concert.

Above and beyond the call of duty
If a person does something which is above and beyond the call of duty,
they show a greater degree of courage or effort than is usually required or
expected in their job.
"The fire-fighter received a medal for his action which went above
and beyond the call of duty."

To be dying for something
If you are dying for something, you have a strong desire for it.
"I'm dying for a cup of tea!"

E

An eager beaver
The term eager beaver refers to a person who is hardworking and enthusiastic,
sometimes considered overzealous.
"The new accountant works all the time - first to arrive and last to leave
-a real eager beaver!"


In one ear and out the other
To say that information goes in one ear and out the other means
that it is immediately forgotten or ignored.
"I keep telling him about the risks but it goes in one ear and out the other.
He never listens to anyone!"

Keep your ear to the ground
If you keep your ear to the ground , you make sure that you
are aware of all that is happening and being said

Lend an ear
If you lend an ear to someone, you listen carefully and
sympathetically.

Music to your ears
To say that something is music to your ears, means that the
information you receive makes you feel very happy.

Turn a deaf ear
A person who turns a deaf ear to something such as a request
or a complaint refuses to pay attention to it.

Play it by ear
This expression means to improvise or act without preparation,
according to the demands of the situation.
Music : to play by remembering the tune, without printed music.

Easier said than done
To say that something is easier said than done means that
what is suggested sounds easy but it is more difficult to actually do it.
"Put the TV aerial on the roof? Easier said than done!"

Easy as pie
To say that something is easy as pie means that it is very easy to do.
"How did the English test go? - No problem - it was easy as pie!"

Eat one's words
If you eat your words, you have to admit that what you said before was wrong.
"After predicting disastrous results, he had to eat his words
with the success of the new product."

On edge
A person who is on edge is anxious or nervous.

Egg someone on
If you egg somebody on, you urge or strongly encourage them
to do something.
"She didn't really want to learn to drive but her children kept egging her on."

Have all your eggs in one basket
If you have all your eggs in one basket, you depend on one plan
or one source of income.
"If you invest your savings in one bank, you'll have all your eggs in one basket."

One over the eight
If a person has had one over the eight, they are slightly drunk.
"Don't listen to him. You can see he's had one over eight!"

Use elbow grease :
If you use elbow grease, you need energy and strength to do physical work
such as cleaning or polishing.
"It took a considerable amount of elbow grease to renovate the old house."

In one's element
When you are in your element, you are doing something that you do well
and you are enjoying yourself.
"My brother, who is an estate agent, was in his element house-hunting for our parents."

At the eleventh hour
If something happens at the eleventh hour,
it happens when it is almost too late, or at the last possible moment.
"Our team won after they scored a goal at the eleventh hour."

Make ends meet
If you find it difficult to make ends meet, you find it difficult to pay for
your everyday needs because you have very little money.
"Anne's salary is so low she finds it hard to make ends meet."

Every nook and cranny
Every nook and cranny refers to every possible part of a place.
"She searched every nook and cranny of the old town looking for antiques."

The apple of your eye
If somebody is the apple of your eye, this means that you like them
very much : "My grandson is the apple of my eye".

More than meets the eye
This expression means that something is more complicated or
more interesting that it first appears.
"They say it's just a little disagreement, but we think there's more
to it than meets the eye."

See eye to eye with someone
To see eye to eye with somebody means that you agree with them.

Turn a blind eye
If you turn a blind eye to something, you ignore it intentionally.

The eye of the storm
A person or organization who is in the eye of the storm is deeply involved
in a difficult situation which affects a lot of people
"The minister was often in the eye of the storm during the debate on the war in Iraq."

Keep one's eyes peeled :
To keep one's eyes peeled means to watch very carefully for something
"I mislaid my wedding ring at home, so I asked my children
to keep their eyes peeled."

Look someone in the eyes
If you look someone in the eye, or eyes, you look at them directly
so as to convince them that you are telling the truth, even though
you may be lying.

Not bat an eyelid
To say that sombody does not bat an eyelid means that they
do not seem shocked or surprised, nor are they nervous or worried.
They show no emotion.

F

Face the music
If you have to face the music, you have to accept the unpleasant
consequences of your actions.
"He was caught stealing. Now he has to face the music!"

Have a poker face.
If you have a poker face, you show no emotion at all.
In spite of the repeated details of the events, the criminal kept a poker face.

Keep a straight face
If you keep a straight face, you look serious although
you really want to laugh.

Fall from grace
To say that someone has fallen from grace means that they have
done something wrong, immoral or unacceptable, and as a result
have lost their good reputation.
"The Finance Minister fell from grace as a result of a *** scandal."

Fall off the back of a lorry
If you buy goods that have fallen off the back of a lorry, they are
stolen goods.
"Judging by the price of that camera, it must have fallen off the back of a lorry!"

Fall on one's sword
If you fall on your sword, you take responsibility for, or accept the consequences
of an unsuccessful action.
"The organizer of the referendum resigned when the poor results were announced.
It was said that he 'fell on his sword'."

A feather in one's cap :
To describe someone's achievement as "a feather in their cap" means
that it is something they can be proud of.
The overwhelming victory of the team was a "feather in the cap" for the new manager.

Feather your nest
To say of someone that they are feathering their nest is to say that
they are taking advantage of their position in order to obtain money
so as to have a comfortable life.

A foot in the door
If you say that someone has a foot in the door, you mean that they have a small
but successful start in something and will possibly do well in the future.
"With today's unemployment, it's difficult to get a foot in the door in any
profession."

Put one's foot down
To put one's foot down means to exert authority to prevent
something from happening.

Back on your feet
If you are back on your feet, after an illness or an accident,
you are physically healthy again.

Drag one's feet
If you say that a person is dragging their feet, you think they are
unnecessarily delaying a decision which is important to you.

Find your feet
To say that someone in a new situation is finding their feet means
that they are learning what to do and gaining self-confidence.

Get cold feet
If you get cold feet about something, you begin to hesitate about doing it;
you are no longer sure whether you want to do it or not.

Have itchy feet
A person who has itchy feet is someone who wants to move
somewhere new or do something different.

Keep one's feet on the ground
A person who keeps their feet on the ground continues to act
in a sensible and practical way, even if they become successful.

Think on one's feet
A person who thinks on their feet is capable of making good decisions
without previous thinking or planning.
"Good lawyers need to be able to think on their feet when pleading a case."

Rushed off your feet.
If your are rushed off your feet, your are extremely busy.
"I'd love to have lunch with you but we're rushed off our feet at the moment
at the office."

Fiddling while Rome burns
If you say that somebody is fiddling while Rome burns, you mean that
they are doing unimportant things while there are serious problems to be dealt with
"His visit to the trade fair was 'fiddling while Rome burns' according to the strikers."

Fight a losing battle
If someone is fighting a losing battle, they are trying to do something
even when there is little chance of succeeding.
"The headmaster is fighting a losing battle trying to ban mobile phones
at school."

Fight tooth and nail
If you fight tooth and nail for something, you fight with all your energy.
"The Transport Minister fought tooth and nail to have to have the proposed road
safety law accepted."

A finger in every pie
If someone has a finger in every pie, they are involved in many activities
"For information about the town development project, you should talk to John Brown.
He has a finger in every pie."

Fish out of water
If you feel like a fish out of water , you feel uncomfortable
because of an unfamiliar situation or unfamiliar surroundings.
"As a non-golfer, I felt like a fish out of water at the clubhouse."

Have other fish to fry
If you have other fish to fry, you have more important things to do.
"I don't think he'll attend the office party; he's got other fish to fry."

Neither fish nor fowl
This is said to describe people or things that are difficult to classify,
that are neither one thing nor another.
"Interns are neither fish nor fowl.
They are neither students nor fully qualified practitioners."

Fit as a fiddle
If you are fit as a fiddle, you are active and healthy.
"My grandfather is still fit as a fiddle at the age of 90."

In fits and starts
If you do something in fits and starts, you do it in an irregular manner,
often stopping and starting again.
"You'll never make progress in English if you work in fits and starts."

Five-finger discount
If somebody gets a five-finger discount, they take something without paying.
In other words, they steal.
"How could he afford that watch?"
"Who knows - perhaps with a five-finger discount!"

There are no flies on him!
To say that there are no flies on someone means that
they understand quickly and cannot be tricked or deceived easily.
"It's better to tell him all the facts. There are no flies on him."

Fly off the handle
A person who flies off the handle becomes suddenly very angry.
"Dad flew off the handle when I told him I had damaged his new car."

A fly on the wall
This expression is used to describe a person who watches a situation
without being noticed.
"I'd like to be a fly on the wall when the management discusses my project.

With flying colours
To achieve something with flying colours means to do it very successfully.
"My daughter passed the entrance exam with flying colours. I'm so proud of her!"

Follow one's nose
If you follow your nose, you go straight ahead (also: follow your instinct in life).
"The station is at the end of the road - just follow your nose."

Follow in someone's footsteps
If you follow in someone's footsteps ( for example a parent),
you lead a similar life or do the same job.
"Lily followed in her mother's footsteps and became a teacher."




Follow suit
If you follow suit, you do the same as somebody else has just done.
The first robber held up his hands. The other two followed suit.

Food for thought
If something gives you food for thought, it makes you think very hard
about something.
"The documentary on poverty in the world really gave me food for thought."

Get (or start) off on the right/wrong foot
This expression means to start a relationship well or badly.
'I was looking forward to working with Julie but we seem to have
started off on the wrong foot."

Footloose and fancy-free
A person who is footloose and fancy-free has few responsibilities
or commitments of any kind and feels free to do as they please.
"John will never get married. He says he prefers to be footloose and fancy-free."

Forewarned is forearmed
This expression means that if you know something is going to happen,
you can be prepared for it.
"The Chairman is going to attend the meeting tomorrow.
Your presentation had better be good. Forewarned is forearmed.!"

Have a frog in one's throat
A person who has a frog in their throat is unable to speak clearly
because their throat is sore, or because they want to cough.

Out of the frying pan and into the fire.
This expression means to go from one difficult situation to another, usually even worse.
"The flight was delayed because of snow. When the plane eventually took off,
it had to turn back because of engine trouble - out of the frying pan into the fire!"

In full swing
When something, such as an event, gets into full swing, it is at its busiest
or liveliest time.
"When we got back to the office, the Christmas party was in full swing."

G

The gift of the gab
To say that somebody has the gift of the gab means that they are able
to speak confidently and clearly.
"As a politician, not only is he competent, but he has the gift of the gab!"

Give the game away
If you give the game away, you reveal a secret or a plan, often
unintentionally.

Play the game
If you play the game, you accept to do things according to
the rules laid down by others.

Gatecrash
If someone gatecrashes, they attend a private social event without being invited.
"We need volunteers to to keep an eye out for gatecrashers tonight."

Get away with murder
To say that someone gets away with murder means that you think they can
do something unacceptable without being punished or criticized.

Get cracking
When you get cracking, you start doing something immediately.
"I'd better get cracking or I'll never get my homework done."

Get down to brass tacks
When people get down to brass tacks, they start to discuss the essential aspects
of a problem or situation.
"The situation was so serious that after a few polite exchanges,
they immediately got down to brass tacks."

Get off the hook
If you do something wrong and manage to get off the hook,
you avoid punishment or blame.
"Barry was questioned by the police but his lawyer managed
to get him off the hook."

Get the better of someone
If someone or something gets the better of you, they defeat you
"She went on a diet but it didn't last long - her love of chocolate
got the better of her!"

Get to the bottom of something
If you get to the bottom of a problem or mystery, you solve it by finding out
the true cause of it.
"We have a problem of goods disappearing during transport.
Hopefully the investigation will get to the bottom of it."

Give someone a run for their money
If you give someone a run for their money, you present strong competition
in circumstances where the other person expects to win easily.
"We didn't win the match but we gave the other team a run for their money."

Go against the grain
If something goes against the grain, it is difficult to accept because
it is very different from what is considered normal or natural.
"Having to import apples in an apple-growing region really goes against the grain!"

Go for a song
If something goes for a song, it is sold at an unexpectedly low price.
"I was able to buy the car simply because it going for a song."

Go through the motions
If someone goes through the motions, they do something
because they have to, but without enthusiasm.
"After his wife died, he tried to continue life as before,
but he just went through the motions."

Go with the flow
If you go with the flow, you follow the general tendency and go along with
whatever happens.
"When my colleagues organize an office party, I just go with the flow
when it comes to the details. "

Golden handshake
A golden handshake is a generous sum of money given to a person when they
leave a company or retire (sometimes given to encourage early retirement).

Golden opportunity
A golden opportunity is a favourable time or excellent occasion which
should not be missed.

Good walls make good neighbours
This expression means that respecting one another's privacy
helps create a good relationship between neighbours.

Have goose pimples
If you have goose pimples, you are so cold or so afraid that
your skin is temporarily raised into little lumps.
"I was so scared that I had goose pimples all through the film!"

A wild goose chase
If you say that you were sent on a wild goose chase, you mean that you wasted
a lot of time looking for something that there was little chance of finding.
"They tried to find out who sent the anonymous complaint,
but it turned out to be a wild goose chase."

Play gooseberry
If you play gooseberry, you join or accompany two people who have a romantic
relationship and want to be alone.
"They invited me to join them but I didn't want to play gooseberry."

Sour grapes
To say that someone's attitude is sour grapes means that
they are making complaints or accusations because they are jealous.

Grass roots
The term grass roots refers to the ordinary people who form the
main body of an organization.

Grease sombody's palm
If you accuse someone of greasing somebody's palm, you are accusing them
of giving money to someone in order to gain an unfair advantage,
or to obtain something they want.
"In some countries, it is common practice to grease government officials' palms."

Green fingers
To have green fingers means to be good at gardening.

Green with envy
Someone who is green with envy is a person who is very envious.

Grey area
To refer to something as a grey area means that it is not clear or easy
to define, and is therefore difficult to deal with.
"The law concerning email is still a grey area in some countries."

Grey existence
To have a grey existence is to lead a dull, monotonous life.

Grey matter (U.S.: gray)
Grey matter refers to the brain, or the grey colour of brain tissue.

Grin and bear it
When faced with a difficult or unpleasant situation, if you say that someone
will have to grin and bear it, you mean that they will have to accept it without
complaining.
"The only seat available is on a low-cost flight. You'll just have to grin and bear it!"

Grin from ear to ear
If somebody is grinning from ear to ear, they look very satisfied and happy.
"When we saw Paul grinning from ear to ear, we knew he had passed the exam."

Keep your nose to the grindstone
A person who keeps their nose to the grindstone is someone who
concentrates on working hard at his job.

Prepare the ground
To prepare the ground means that you try to make it easier
for a future event or action to happen.

Guinea pig
People who are used as guinea pigs are people on whom
new methods, treatment or ideas are tested.

H

Old habits die hard
This expression means that people are often reluctant to change the way
they do something, especially if they have been doing it for a long time.
"My grandfather refuses to use a mobile phone - old habits die hard!"

Get in someone's hair :
If you are getting in somebody's hair, you are annoying them so much
that they can't get on with what they're doing.
"I'd finish the report more quickly if my colleague wasn't getting in my hair all the time!"

Let one's hair down.
If you suggest that someone should let their hair down,
you are telling them to relax and enjoy themselves.
"Come on! We' re not in the office now. You can let your hair down!"

Split hairs
If you split hairs, you pay too much attention to differences
that are very small or not important.
"If we start splitting hairs, we'll never reach an agreement!"

In safe (good) hands
If something is in safe (or good) hands, it is being looked after by a reliable
person or organization, and is therefore at no risk.
"I'll look after Jamie while you go shopping. Don't worry - he'll be in safe hands."

The upper hand
If a person or organization gets or gains the upper hand, they take
control over something.

Get the hang of something
When you get the hang of an activity, you now know how to do it correctly.


Have your hands full.
If you have your hands full, you are very busy or you have a lot to do.

Have one's hands tied
If a person has their hands tied, something, such as an agreement or a rule,
is preventing them from doing what they would like to do.
"Mark deserves to earn more, but the manager's hands are tied
by the recent salary agreement."

A show of hands
A show of hands is a method of voting in which people give their opinion
by raising a hand.
"How many people agree? Could we have a show of hands please?"

Wash your hands off something.
If you wash your hands off a problem or situation, you refuse
to deal with it any longer.

Happy-go-lucky
If you are a happy-go-lucky person, you are cheerful and carefree all the time.
"He's a happy-go-lucky sort of guy - always in good humour."

Hard of hearing
If you are hard of hearing, you can't hear very well.
"You'll have to speak louder to Mr. Jones. He's a bit hard of hearing."

Hard as nails
A person who is hard (or 'tough') as nails is unsentimental and shows
no sympathy.
"Don't expect any sympathy from him. He's as hard as hails."

To be hard up
If you are hard up, you have very little money.
"We were so hard up we had to sleep in the car."

Hard and fast
Something which is hard and fast cannot be changed.
"Unfortunately there are no hard and fast rules related to English spelling"

Have a hangover
To have a hangover means to suffer from the unpleasant after-effects
of drinking too much alcohol.

Have your back to the wall
If you have your back to the wall, you are in serious difficulty.
" With his back to the wall, the supplier had to accept the deal."

Have you gone out of your mind?
If you ask someone if they've gone out of their mind,
you think they are crazy, foolish or insane.
"You're going to ask for a 100% increase in salary? Have you gone out of your mind?"

Have something on the brain
If you have something on the brain, you think or talk about it constantly.
"Stop talking about golf. You've got golf on the brain!"

Run with the hare and hunt with the hounds
This expression refers to someone who wants to stay on friendly terms
with both sides in a quarrel.
"Bob always wants to keep everyone happy, but I'm afraid he can't
run with the hare and hunt with the hounds this time - the issue is too important."

Keep something under one's hat
To keep something under one's hat means to keep a secret.
"My boss has promised me a promotion, but it's not official yet, so keep it under your hat."

Take one's hat off to somebody
You say this to express admiration for something someone has done.
"I take my hat off to the chef. The meal was wonderful."

Bury the hatchet :
The expression " bury the hatchet" is used when people who have had
a disagreement decide to forget their quarrel and become friends again.
"I don't get on well with my mother-in-law, but to keep my wife happy,
I decided to bury the hatchet."

Make hay while the sun shines
This expression is used as an encouragement to take advantage
of a good situation which may not last.
Successful sportsmen are advised to make hay while the sun shines.

Bury one's head in the sand
If you bury your head in the sand, you refuse to face the unpleasant reality
by pretending that it doesn't exist.
"It's no good burying your head in the sand. We've got a problem on our hands."

Off the top of your head
To say something off the top of your head means that you are
giving an immediate reaction and not a carefully considered opinion,
and so it might not be correct.

Keep one's head above water
To keep one's head above water means to try to survive
by staying out of debt, for example a small business.

Look the picture of health
To look the picture of health means to look completely or extremely healthy.

Heard it through the grapevine
If you hear of something through the grapevine, you learn about it informally,
for example through friends, colleagues or acquaintances.
"How did you hear that? Oh, through the grapevine as usual!"

Have one's heart in one's mouth
A person who has their heart in their mouth feels extremely anxious
or nervous faced with a dangerous or unpleasant situation.
"Emma had her heart in her mouth when she saw her 2 year-old son
standing in front of the open window."

Your heart misses a beat
If your heart misses a beat, you have a sudden feeling of fear or excitement.
"When the lights suddenly went out, her heart missed a beat."

Your heart sinks
If your heart sinks, you feel very unhappy and despondent
"My heart sank when I saw the amount of work waiting for me."

Help a lame dog over stile
If you help a lame dog over stile, you help someone who is in difficulty
or trouble.
"You can trust him - he always helps a lame dog over a stile."

Herding cats
This expression refers to the difficulty of coordinating a situation which involves
people who all want to act independently.
"Organizing an outing for a group of people from different countries
is like herding cats!

Neither here nor there.
Something which is neither here nor there is considered
irrelevant, or has no effect on the situation.

High and dry
If you are left high and dry, you find yourself in a difficult situation
without help or resources
"When her husband walked out on her, Amanda was left high and dry
with two kids to raise."

Hit the road
When you hit the road, you begin a journey.
"It's getting late and we've got a long way to go. Let's hit the road."

Hit the sack/hit the hay
To hit the sack or hit the hay means to go to bed.

Hold your breath
If someone is holding their breath, they are waiting excitedly or anxiously
for something to happen.
"I went for second interview today - now I'm holding my breath!"

Couldn't give a hoot!
To say that you don't or couldn't give a hoot, means that
you don't care at all about something.
"She wears eccentric clothes but she's couldn't give a hoot
about what others think."

A hop, skip and a jump
To say that a thing or place is only a hop, skip and a jump away from
another means that they are very close to each other.
"The school's just a hop, skip and a jump from our new house."

A dark horse
If you refer to a person as a dark horse, you mean that they
are secretive, or that little is known about them.

I could eat a horse.
To say that you could eat a horse means that you are very hungry.
"Let's get something to eat. I'm starving. I could eat a horse!"

Beat (or flog) a dead horse
To say that someone is beating a dead horse, you mean that
they are wasting time and effort trying to do or achieve something
that is not possible..
"Mark is beating a dead horse trying to get his money reimbursed.
The company has gone bankrupt!"

Straight from the horse's mouth
If you learn something straight from the horse's mouth, you hear about it
directly from a person closely connected with the source of the information.
"How do you know Jack has resigned?"
"I got it straight from the horse's mouth - he told me himself!"

Hot under the collar
If you get hot under the collar, you feel annoyed, indignant or embarrassed.
"If anyone criticizes his proposals, Joe immediately gets hot under the collar."

Hot potato
To refer to a subject as a hot potato means that it is
a very sensitive and controversial matter which is difficult to deal with.
"The new Prime Minister hasn't been confronted with any hot potatoes yet."

Get on like a house on fire
Two people who get on like a house on fire have similar interests
and quickly become good friends.

I

Break the ice
A person who breaks the ice is someone who does or says
something to make people relax in an uncomfortable situation.

Icing on the cake
If something is referred to as icing on the cake, it is an extra benefit
that makes a good situation even better.
"Good news! I get the job ... and the icing on the cake is that
I get a company car too."

Ins and Outs :
The ins and outs of a situation means all the details or facts.
"I know he was involved in a car accident, but I don't know the ins and outs of his injuries".

Add insult to injury
To add insult to injury means to make a bad situation worse by
upsetting or harming someone you have already harmed in some other way.
"Not only did he steal money from his best friend, he added insult to injury
by asking to borrow his car."

It takes two to tango
You say this when you think that a difficult situation or argument
cannot be the fault of one person alone
"OK, we've heard Jack's side of the story - but it takes two to tango!"

J (http://learn-english-today.com/idioms/idiom-categories/alphabetical-list.htm#J)

Jack of all trades
A "jack of all trades" is a person who can do many different things
but is not very good at any one of them.

Je ne sais quoi

This expression (from French "I don't know what") is used to refer to
a good quality that is difficult to describe.
"The place has a certain je ne sais quoi that really attracts me."

Join the club!
By saying to somebody "Join the club", you express sympathy for an
unpleasant experience that you have had too.
"Oh no! My wallet has been stolen!" "Join the club!"

You can't judge a book by its cover
This expression means that you should not form an opinion about something
from its appearance only.
"In spite of his fortune, he leads a very simple life - you can't judge a
book by its cover!"

Jump out of one's skin.
If you jump out of your skin, you are extremely surprised or shocked.
"Jane nearly jumped out of her skin when the horse put its head
through the window!"

K (http://learn-english-today.com/idioms/idiom-categories/alphabetical-list.htm#K)

Keep someone posted
If a person asks you to keep them posted, they want you to keep them
informed about a situation
"Our agent promised to keep us posted on developments in the negotiations."

Keep up with the Joneses
To say that somebody is trying to keep up with the Joneses means that
they are trying to have the same possessions or social achievements as someone else.
"First the Browns moved their children to an expensive school.
Now the Smiths have done the same. It's silly how some people feel
they have to keep up with the Joneses!"

Keep the lid on something
If you keep the lid on something, you hide it or control it to prevent people
from finding out about it.
"The company tried to keep a lid on the negotiations but word got out to the Press."

Keep a stiff upper lip
If a person keeps a stiff upper lip, they contain their emotion
and do not let other people see their feelings.
"When she heard the bad news, she kept a stiff upper lip."

Keep your fingers crossed
If you keep your fingers crossed, you hope that something will be successful.
"I'm doing my driving test tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed for me."

Kick yourself
If you feel like kicking yourself, you are angry with yourself for something
you have done or not done.
"I could have kicked myself for forgetting Julie's birthday."

Get a kick out of something
If you get a kick out of something, you get a feeling of enjoyment
or excitement from something.
"Tania is a bit strange - she gets a kick out of listening
to other people's phone messages."

Kill two birds with one stone
If you kill two birds with one stone, you succeed in doing two things
at the same time.
"By studying on the train on the way home every week-end,
Claire kills two birds with one stone."

Get your knickers in a twist.
If you get your knickers in twist, you are angry, nervous or upset
faced with a difficult situation
"Don't get your knickers in a twist! Everything is under control."

Cut the atmosphere with a knife
To say that you could cut the atmosphere with a knife
means that the atmosphere is extremely tense or unfriendly.

Under the knife
If a person goes under the knife, they have surgery.

Knock somebody down with a feather
To say "you could have knocked me down with a feather" emphasizes
the fact that you were extremely surprised.
"When I heard the name of the winner, you could have knocked me down
with a feather!"

L

Lead somebody up the garden path
If someone leads you up the garden path, they deceive you
by making you believe something which is not true.
"I still haven't got a promotion. I think my boss is
leading me up the garden path!"

Leave no stone unturned
If you try everything possible in order to achieve something or to find something,
you leave no stone unturned.
"The management left no stone unturned in their efforts to find a solution to the crisis."

Leave well alone
If you leave well alone, you decide not to interfere with or change something
that is acceptable or adequate.
"It would be hard to get a better deal. Let's just leave well alone."

The left hand doesn't know what
the right hand is doing
This expression means that communication within a group or organization
is so bad that people don't know what the others are doing.

Left to your own devices
If you leave someone to their own devices, you let them look after themselves,
without any help.
"When left to their own devices, many children watch TV and eat junk food."

Pull somebody's leg
If you pull somebody's leg, you tease them by telling them
something that is not true.
"Of course I'm not going to buy a sports car. I was just pulling your leg!"

Not have a leg to stand on
To say that someone doesn't have a leg to stand on means
that they can't prove what they say.
"Three people testified against him. He didn't have a leg to stand on."

On your last legs
If you are on your last legs, you are in a very weak condition or about to die.

Let me bounce this off you.
You say this when you present an idea or plan to someone in order to test
their reaction or obtain feedback.
"I think I've found a way of making money. Let me bounce this off you."

Tell a white lie
To tell a white lie means to say something which is not true
in order to protect someone or to avoid hurting their feelings.

Like a bat out of hell
If something moves like a bat out of hell, it moves very quickly.
"He grabbed the envelope and ran like a bat out of hell."

Like a cat on hot bricks
A person who is like a cat on hot bricks is very nervous or restless.
"The week before the results were published, she was like a cat on hot bricks."

Like death warmed up
If you look like death warmed up, you look very ill or tired.
" My boss told me to go home. He said I looked like death warmed up."

Like a dog with two tails
If somebody is like a dog with two tails, they are extremely happy.
"When Paul won the first prize, he was like a dog with two tails."

Bottom line
If you use the term bottom line in an explanation or discussion,
you refer to the most important or fundamental point.

Cross the line.
To cross the line means to go beyond the authorized limits
by doing something unacceptable.


Read between the lines.
To read between the lines means to understand a situation
without a clear explanation or full details.

Lip service
If you pay lip service to an idea or cause, you give verbal support or
approval but fail to actually do anything.
"In spite of promising equal pay for women, the management is suspected
of paying lip service to the promotion of women's rights."

Keep a stiff upper lip
If a person keeps a stiff upper lip, they contain their emotion
and do not let other people see their feelings.
"When she heard the bad news, she kept a stiff upper lip."

Live beyond one's means
If someone lives beyond their means, they spend more money
than they earn or can afford.
"The cost of living was so much higher in New York that he was soon
living beyond his means."

Living on borrowed time
This expression refers to a period of time after an illness or accident
which could have caused death.
" After heart surgery, some patients say they're living on borrowed time."

Lock, stock and barrel
This expression means 'everything'. "Julie found the apartment empty. David had taken everything
- lock, stock and barrel!"

At loggerheads
If you are at loggerheads with a person or organization, you disagree
very strongly with them. "Management and trade unions are at loggerheads over the decision
to close down the plant."

Look down your nose
If someone looks down their nose at a person or thing, they consider
that person or thing as inferior.
"Intellectuals often look down their noses at amusement parks and such."

Long in the tooth
A person who is long in the tooth is a bit too old to do something.
"She's a bit long in the tooth for a cabaret dancer isn't she?"

Lose one's touch
If you lose your touch, you no longer have the ability to do something.
"I used to be good at organizing trips but I've lost my touch!"

At a loss
If a person is at a loss, they don't know what to say or do in a particular
situation.
"Teachers are at a loss to know how to deal with the increase in violence in
schools."

No love lost
To say that there is no love lost between two people means that
they do not like each other at all.
"There is no love lost between the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party."

At a low ebb
A person or organization at a low ebb is not as strong or successful as usual.
"The recent political crisis has left the country at a low ebb."

A lump in your throat
If you have a lump in your throat, you have a tight feeling in your throat
because of a strong emotion such as sadness or gratitude.
"The speech was so touching that I had a lump in my throat."

M (http://learn-english-today.com/idioms/idiom-categories/alphabetical-list.htm#M)

Make an educated guess
This expression refers to an estimate or opinion based on facts, experience
and knowledge.
"I can't give you the exact results but I can make an educated guess."

Make ends meet
To make ends meet means to have enough money to live on.

Cannot make head or tail of something
If you can't make head or tail of something, you can't understand it at all.
" Julie's message was so confusing, I couldn't make head or tail of it! "

Make headway
If you make headway, you make progress in what you are trying to achieve.
"Investigators have made little headway in their search for the causes
of the catastrophe."

Make one's hackles rise
If someone makes your hackles rise, they make you angry.
"Her constant criticism really makes my hackles rise!"

Make a mountain out of a molehill
If someone makes a mountain out of a molehill, they make a small,
unimportant problem seem much more serious than it is.
"Stop making mountains out of molehills! It's not a major problem."

Make short work of something
If you make short work of something, you do or finish something quickly.
"The players were so hungry after the match that they made short work
of the food provided."

Make the best of things
If you make the best of things, you accept the situation and do what you can
in spite of the difficulties or disadvantages.
"The apartment was badly located, but the rent was low, so they decided to
make the best of things."

Make up for lost time
If you make up for lost time, you increase your efforts or work harder
to complete something or meet a deadline.
"Progress has stopped because of bad weather, but we are determined
to make up for lost time."

Make yourself scarce
If you make yourself scarce, you leave a place in order to avoid an
embarrassing situation.
"When Mark and Sally started to argue, I decided to make myself scarce."

Method in one's madness
This expression means that someone's behaviour is not as irrational as it seems. "He's efficient despite his strange way of working, so there's method in his
madness!"

Burn the midnight oil
A person who burns the midnight oil stays up very late at night
in order to finish a piece of work.

A chance in a million
A chance in a million is a very small chance, or no chance at all, that
something will happen.

Never in a million years
This expression means "absolutely never"
"I will never in a million years understand why Anne married Bob."

A millstone around your neck
Something described as a millstone around your neck refers to
a problem or responsibility that becomes a burden and a source of worry.
" The money he borrowed became a millstone around his neck"

Cross your mind.
If an idea "crosses your mind", you suddenly think of it.

The mind boggles.
The expression "the mind boggles" is used as a reaction to
something you find amazing or difficult to understand.

Miss the boat
If you miss the boat, you fail to take advantage of an opportunity because
you don't act quickly enough.
"I managed to get my order through before the end of the special offer -
but I nearly missed the boat!"

Have money to burn
People who have money to burn have so much money that
they can spend it on anything they want.

Put money where your mouth is
If you put money where your mouth is, you give financial support
to activities and causes that you believe are right.

Money talks
Money talks means that people with a lot of money have power
and influence.

More power to your elbow!
This is said to express praise or encouragement to someone for doing something.
"I've left my job and I'm going to work free-lance from now on."
"Well, more power to your elbow!"

All mouth and no trousers
This is said of someone who talks a lot about doing something
but never actually does it.
"He keeps saying he's going to resign and travel around the world,
but he's all mouth and no trousers!"

Butter wouldn't melt in your mouth
If you say that somebody looks as if butter wouldn't melt in their mouth,
you are saying that they look completely innocent, but that they are
capable of doing unpleasant things.

Muddy the waters
If you muddy the waters, you make something less clear
by giving confusing information
"I had difficulty understanding, but Alan's explanation just muddied the waters!"

Mum's the word
To say "Mum's the word" means that the subject or plan is a secret and
must not be revealed.
"We're organizing a surprise event on New Year's Eve so "Mum's the word" - OK?"

Get away with murder
To say that someone gets away with murder means that you think they can
do something unacceptable without being punished or criticized.

Music to your ears.
To say that something is music to your ears, means that the
information you receive makes you feel very happy.

To be off the mark.
If something is off the mark, it is incorrect or inaccurate.

Once in a blue moon
Something that happens once in a blue moon is something
that happens rarely or hardly ever.

N (http://learn-english-today.com/idioms/idiom-categories/alphabetical-list.htm#N)

Nailing jelly to the wall
To say that something is like nailing jelly to the wall, you mean that
it is extremely difficult to do, if not impossible.
"Keeping track of his movements is like nailing jelly to the wall."

A pain in the neck
If you refer to a person as a pain in the neck, you think they are
very irritating or annoying.

Neither here nor there
Something which is neither here nor there is unimportant or irrelevant.
"Why the problem wasn't discovered earlier is neither here nor there.
What's important now is to find a solution."

Never looked back
If you say that you have never looked back, you mean that after an event which
changed your life for the better, you continue to be happy with the situation.
"Since the day she decided to work from home, she has never looked back."

Next to nothing
The term next to nothing means a very small amount or almost nothing.
"My boots were a real bargain. I bought them for next to nothing in the sales."

Nice as pie
If a person is nice as pie, they are surprisingly very kind and friendly
"After our argument, she was nice as pie!"

In the nick of time
If something happens in the nick of time, it happens at the last minute,
when it is nearly too late.
"The child was standing in front of the open window. His mother arrived in the
nick of time."

Nine-day wonder
An event which is a nine-day wonder causes interest, surprise or excitement
for a short time, but it doesn't last.
"His sudden departure was a nine-day wonder but he was soon forgotten."

A no-go area
A no-go area is an area, particularly in a city, where it is dangerous to go.
"Tourists have been advised to avoid parts of the city which have become
no-go areas."

No great shakes
To say that something or someone is no great shakes means that
they are useless, ineffective or not very good.
"He's a good actor but his last film was no great shakes."

No hard feelings
If you have no hard feelings, you feel no resentment or bitterness
about something.
When Jack was promoted instead of Steve, he said to Steve :
"No hard feelings I hope."

No smoke without fire
If it is said by many people that something bad is happening,
there must be some truth in it.
"Although no proof was ever found, people say there's no smoke without fire."

Nose out of joint
If a person's nose is out of joint, they have been upset, embarrassed or
offended by somebody or something.
"When he discovered that he wasn't on the invitation list, that really put
his nose out of joint.'

Keep your nose clean
A person who keeps their nose clean behaves well and avoids trouble.

Keep your nose to the grindstone
A person who keeps their nose to the grindstone is someone who
concentrates on working hard at his job.

Look down your nose
To look down your nose at a thing or person, means that you treat
that thing or person with contempt, or consider them inferior.

Turn up your nose at something.
If you "turn up your nose" at something, you reject it because
it is not good enough for you.

Go nuts
To say that a person has gone nuts means that they have become completely
foolish, eccentric or mad.

In a nutshell.
You say in a nutshell when you give a brief summary of something.
"In a nutshell, we disagreed and I left the company."

O (http://learn-english-today.com/idioms/idiom-categories/alphabetical-list.htm#O)

At odds
If one person is at odds with another, they disagree.

Off colour
If you are off colour, you look or feel ill.
"What's the matter with you Tom? You look a bit off colour today."

Pour oil on troubled waters
If a person pours oil on troubled waters, they do or say something
to calm a tense situation.
"James is an good negotiator, and always manages to pour oil on troubled
waters."

On the cards.
Something which is on the cards is very likely to happen.
"A coalition between the two parties is still on the cards."
(US : in the cards)

On the level
If you say that somebody is on the level, you are referring to a truthful
and honest person.
"Tell me straight : Is he on the level on not?"

Once in a blue moon
If something happens once in a blue moon, it occurs very rarely.
"Bill has very little contact with his brother. They see each other
once in a blue moon."

One over the eight.
If a person has had one over the eight, they are slightly drunk
"Don't listen to him. You can see he's had one over eight!"

There are (plenty of) other fish in the sea
To say this means that that there are many other people just as good as
the one somebody failed to get.
"The candidate we chose refused the job? Never mind - there are other fish
in the sea!

Out on a limb
If you go out on a limb, you do something risky or unsupported by others,
which leaves you in a difficult position.
"Jack was really out on a limb with his proposal -
nobody supported his idea."

Out of this world
To refer to something as out of this world means that you think it is
extremely good or impressive
"The hotel was very comfortable and the food was out of this world!"

Over the moon
If you are over the moon, you are absolutely delighted.
"We were all over the moon when we heard the good news."

Go overboard
To go overboard means to be too excited or enthusiastic about something.

P (http://learn-english-today.com/idioms/idiom-categories/alphabetical-list.htm#P)

Packed like sardines
If a group of people are packed like sardines, they are pressed together tightly
and uncomfortably because there is not enough space.
"The bus was very crowded - we were packed like sardines!"

Paint (file:///C:/DOCUME~1/Kathleen/LOCALS~1/Temp/FrontPageTempDir/paint-the-town-red.html) the town red (file:///C:/DOCUME~1/Kathleen/LOCALS~1/Temp/FrontPageTempDir/paint-the-town-red.html)
If you paint the town red, you go out and enjoy a lively evening in bars,
night-clubs, etc.
"To celebrate the victory, the team's supporters painted the town red."

Paint oneself into a corner
If you paint yourself into a corner, you get yourself into a bad situation
that it is difficult or impossible to get out of.
"Andy painted himself into a corner by signing a contract with a friend who
turned out to be incompetent."

Paper over the cracks
To say that someone is papering over the cracks means that they are
concealing a problem rather than dealing with it effectively.
"The measures taken to reduce unemployment are just paper over the cracks."

Passing fancy
If you have a passing fancy for something, you become fond of it for a
short time.
"My father started collecting stamps a few years ago, but it was just
a passing fancy."

Like two peas in a pod
To say that two people are like two peas in a pod means that they are
very similar in appearance.
"It wasn't difficult to identify the brothers - they were like two peas in a pod!"

A square peg in a round hole
To say that a person is a "square peg in a round hole", means that
they are not suitable for the job they are doing or the situation they are in.

A pen pusher
To refer to someone as a "pen pusher" means you think that person
does work which requires little action, just office work, and they they
lack operating experience.

The pen is mightier than the sword
This expression means that words and communication have greater effect
than war and fighting.
"The treaty put an end to the hostilities - the pen is mightier than the sword!"

Pester power
This expression refers to the power children exert over their parents by
continually nagging or pestering them until they accept to buy advertised
toys or fashionable products.
"Pester power leads busy parents to buy more and more for their children."

Pick someone's brains
If you pick someone's brains, you ask questions about a particular subject
in order to obtain advice or information.
"Could we have lunch together? I'd like to pick your brains about something."

Pick up the tab
If you pick up the tab, you pay the bill or pay the cost of something.
"There was a celebration lunch for the group and Bill picked up the tab."

Pigs might fly
To say pigs might fly expresses disbelief, or the idea that miracles
might happen but are extremely unlikely.
"My grandmother buying a computer? ...Yeah! ...and pigs might fly!"

Make a pig of yourself
If you make a pig of yourself, you eat and drink too much.
"Watch what you eat - don't make a pig of yourself!"

Tickled pink.
If you say you are tickled pink, you are very pleased about something.

Have pins and needles
To have pins and needles is to have a tingling sensation in a part of the body
e.g. an arm or a leg, when it has been in the same position for a long time.

In the pipeline
If something is in the pipeline, it is in progress or being organized
at the moment.

Play for time
If you play for time, you try to delay or prevent something from happening
in order to gain an advantage.
"He decided to play for time in the hope that the price would decrease."

Play havoc
If someone or something plays havoc, they cause disorder and confusion.
"The floods played havoc with the construction work."

Play second fiddle
If you play second fiddle to somebody, you accept to be second in importance
to that person, or have a lower position.

Play into someone's hands
If you play into someone's hands, you do exactly what your opponent or
enemy wants you to do, so that they gain an advantage over you.
"When the leaders of the protest movement became violent,
they played right into the hands of the police."

Is the Pope Catholic?
A sarcastic way of answering a question in the affirmative
when the answer is obviously 'yes'.
"Do birds fly? Of course they do! Is the Pope catholic?"

The pot calling the kettle black
This expression is used to refer to a situation where
a person with a fault criticizes someone else for having the same fault.
"After being disqualified for not obeying the rules, the player accused another
competitor of cheating; it was a case of the pot calling the kettle black!"

Press (something) home
If you press something home, you insist on a point in a discussion or
argument.
"Her lawyer kept pressing home the fact that she was a single mother."

Keep a low profile
People who keep a low profile avoid doing things that
will draw attention to them.

Prolong the agony
If someone prolongs the agony, they make an unpleasant situation last
longer than necessary.
"Please don't prolong the agony. Just tell me whether I've been accepted or not."

The proof of the pudding is in the eating.
This expression means that something new can only be judged
after it has been tested.

Pull strings
If somebody pulls strings, they use influential friends in order to obtain
an advantage.
"David found a job easily - his Dad just pulled a few strings!"

Pull through
If you pull through, you recover from a serious illness.

If/when push comes to shove.
You use the expression if, or when, push comes to shove, to refer to
what you will do if the situation becomes critical and you have to make
a decision or take action.
"There should be enough room for everyone, but if push comes to shove
we can go to the hotel."

Pushing up the daisies
If you say of someone that they are pushing up the daisies,
you mean that they are dead.
"Old Johnny Barnes? He's been pushing up the daisies for over 10 years!"

Put one's foot in one's mouth
If you put your foot in your mouth, you do or say something that offends,
upsets or embarrasses someone else.
"She really put her foot in her mouth when she mentioned the housewarming
party - Andy hadn't been invited!"

Put your best foot forward
If someone puts their best foot forward, they do something as fast as they can.
"It's a long way to the station, but if I put my best foot forward I should catch
the next train."

Put a damper on something
If someone or something puts a damper on a situation or event,
they make it less successful or enjoyable.
"The party was going great until the neighbour's complaints put a damper on it."

Put somebody on the spot
If you put somebody on the spot, you put them in a difficult situation,
for example by asking embarrassing or difficult questions which they cannot avoid.
"When the reporter was asked to reveal his source, he was really put on the spot."

Q (http://learn-english-today.com/idioms/idiom-categories/alphabetical-list.htm#Q)

Have a quick temper
If you have a quick temper, you get angry very easily.
"He makes me nervous - he's got such a quick temper."

Call it quits.
If you say "I'm going to call it quits", this means that you are going
to stop doing something, or end what you are doing.

R (http://learn-english-today.com/idioms/idiom-categories/alphabetical-list.htm#R)

A race against time
If someone is in a race against time, they have to work very quickly
in order to do or finish something before a certain time.

Rack one's brains
If you rack your brains, you try very hard to think of something or to
remember something.
"Christmas is always a hassle for me. I have to rack my brains every year
to find ideas for presents."

From rags to riches
If you go from rags to riches, you start off being very poor and
become very rich and successful
"By renovating old houses in the right places, he went from rags to riches."

It never rains but it pours
This expression is used to comment on the fact that when something bad happens,
other bad things often happen too, and make the situation even worse.
"First he forgot his briefcase, then he lost his wallet, and when he reached
the car park, his car had been stolen - it never rains but it pours!"

Raining cats and dogs
If it's raining cats and dogs, it's raining very heavily.
"We'll have to cancel the picnic I'm afraid. It's raining cats and dogs."

Raise eyebrows
If you raise your eyebrows at something, you show surprise or disapproval
by the expression on your face.
"When the boss arrived in jeans, there were a lot of raised eyebrows."

Rake over the ashes
When people rake over the ashes, they discuss an unpleasant event
which took place in the past.
"My grandfather's business went bankrupt years ago
but he still rakes over the ashes from time to time."

Take the rap
If you take the rap for something, you accept blame or punishment for
something, even if you have not done it.
"The whole class had to the take the rap for the disorder."

Smell a rat
To say "I smell a rat" means that you suspect that something is
wrong, or that someone is doing something dishonest or incorrect.

Reach for the moon
If you reach for the moon, you are very ambitious and try to achieve something
even if it's difficult.

Set the record straight
To set the record straight means to correct a mistake or
misunderstanding.

In the red
If a person or organization is in the red, they owe money or have a
negative account.

See red
A person who sees red becomes very angry or annoyed.

Red tape
The term red tape refers to official rules and bureaucratic paperwork that
prevent things from being done quickly.
" If there wasn't so much red tape, the company would be up and running already."

Roll out the red carpet
To roll out the red carpet means to give special treatment to an important
or honoured visitor.

Catch someone red-handed
If a person is caught red-handed, they are caught while they are doing
something wrong or illegal.

Take someone for a ride
To take someone for a ride means to cheat or deceive them.

Hit the road.
To hit the road means to start a journey.

Rock the boat
If you tell someone not to rock the boat, you are asking them to do nothing
that might cause trouble or upset a stable situation.
"After the recent riots, it was decided not to rock the boat by introducing strict
measures."

Rocket science
It's not rocket science/You don't need to be a rocket scientist
This expression is used to emphasize that something presents no particular difficulty.
"Bob will explain how it works. Don't worry - it's not rocket science!"

When in Rome, do as the Romans.
This expression means that you should adopt the customs of the
people or country you are visiting, and behave in the same way.

Go through the roof
If someone goes through the roof, they become very angry
"His father went through the roof when Paul damaged his new car."

Learn the ropes
If you learn the ropes, you learn how to a particular job correctly.

Rub salt into the wound
If you are in a difficult or unpleasant situation, and somebody rubs salt
into the wound, they do or say something to make things worse.
"The separation was already difficult for Pete. Tom's comments
about Julie's new boyfriend just rubbed salt into the wound."

Sweep something under the rug.
If you sweep something under the rug (or carpet), you try
to hide it or ignore it because it is embarrassing.

Rule the roost
If you rule the roost, you are the most important and powerful person
in a group or community.
"Officially David runs the company, but it's his father who really rules the roost."

Run out of steam
If you say that a person, a process or an organized event is running out of
steam, you mean that there is a loss of impetus, energy or enthusiasm
"The anti-immigrant movement seems to be running out of steam."

Run round in circles
People who run round in a circles have difficulty in achieving things
because of lack of organization.
"Running round in circles will get us nowhere - we need to set up a plan."

Be run down
A person who is run down is in poor physical condition.

It runs in the family
This refers to a physical or moral characteristic that is common to many
members of a family
"Black hair and blue eyes - the combination runs in the family."

A running battle
If two people or groups have a running battle with each other, they argueor
disagree about something over a long period of time.
"There's been a running battle between the local authorities and the population
over the school bus route."

In a rut
If you are in a rut, you have a monotonous and boring way of life.
"If you feel you're in a rut, why don't you look for a new job?"

S (http://learn-english-today.com/idioms/idiom-categories/alphabetical-list.htm#S)

Sail through something
If you sail through something, for example a test or an exam,
you succeed in doing it without difficulty.

Take the wind out of someone's sails
If someone or something takes the wind out of your sails, they make you
feel less confident, by doing or saying something that you do not expect.
"The Chairman's rejection of our marketing strategy really took the wind out of our sails"

Take something with a grain of salt.
To say that certain information should be taken with a grain of salt
means that you doubt the accuracy of the information.

Salt of the earth
To refer to someone as the salt of the earth means that
you consider them to be honest and reliable.

What's sauce for the goose is sauce
for the gander
This expression means that if something applies to one person,
it should also apply to others
"Women should earn the same salary as men for the same job.
What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander!"


Save someone's bacon
If you save someone's bacon, you rescue them from a dangerous
or difficult situation.
"When Dave was a student, finding a room in return for dog-sitting
really saved his bacon!"

Saved by the bell.
If you are saved by the bell, something happens at the last minute
to rescue you from a difficult situation.
"Saved by the bell! A friend arrived just when I realized I had no money
for the parking metre!"

Scrape the bottom of the barrel
If you scrape the bottom of the barrel, you use the worst or the least
satisfactory ideas, things or people because you have no choice.
"When they started to recruit, they had to scrape the bottom of the barrel
because the best people had already found jobs elsewhere."

Not up to scratch
If something or somebody is not up to scratch, they are not as good
as they should be.

Have a screw loose
If someone has a screw loose, their behaviour is strange and they appear
slightly mad.
"She wears a fur coat in summer - she must have a screw loose!"

Play second fiddle
If you play second fiddle to somebody, you accept to be second in importance
to that person, or have a lower position.

Second nature
If something you do is second nature to you, it is something that you do easily
or automatically because you have done it so often or for so long.
"Skiing is second nature to Harry. He grew up in a ski resort."

Seeing is believing
This expression means that when you see something, you can be sure it exists,
or that what you have been told is really true.
"Mark says bananas grow in his garden, but seeing is believing!"

Send someone packing
If you send someone packing, you tell them to leave, in a very forceful and unfriendly way.
"When Amanda discovered that Jack had been unfaithful, she sent him packing."

Separate the sheep from the goats
If you separate the sheep from the goats, you examine a group of people and
decide which are good and which are not so good.
"Examining job applications is the first stage in separating the sheep from the goats.

Set the records straight
If you set or put the records straights, you provide facts or an explanation
of events in order to correct a mistake or misunderstanding.
"An interview on television enabled the actress to set the records straight
about her health."

Shape up or ship out
This expression is used to warn someone that if they do not improve,
they will have to leave their job.
"When Tom started neglecting the customers, he was told to shape up
or ship out."

In bad shape
A person who is in bad shape is in poor physical condition.

Get back into shape
To get yourself back into shape, you need to take exercise
in order to become fit and healthy again.

Come out of one's shell
To come out of one's shell means to become less shy,
more talkative and outgoing.

Like ships that pass in the night
This expression is used to refer to people who meet briefly and
are not likely to meet again.
"The two men met once, like ships that pass in the night, and never met again."

Keep your shirt on!
If you tell somebody to keep their shirt on, you are asking them to calm down.
"Keep your shirt on Bob. Just give your version of the story!"

Shoot yourself in the foot
If you shoot yourself in the foot, you do or say something which is
against your own interests.
" When Julie was asked at the interview if she had any weaknesses,
she really shot herself in the foot the way she answered."

Short and sweet
Something that is short and sweet is brief but pleasant.
"It didn't take us long to agree. Our conversation was short and sweet."

A chip on the shoulder
If someone has a chip on their shoulder, they feel resentful because
they feel they are being treated unfairly, especially because of their
background, their *** or their colour.

Give someone the cold shoulder
To give someone the cold shoulder means to deliberately
ignore someone.
"After giving my opinion, he gave me the cold shoulder."

Shut the stable door after the horse has bolted
If you shut the stable door after the horse has bolted, you try to prevent
something bad from happening when it is already too late.
"Jack decided to insure the contents of his apartment after it was burgled.
That's really shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted!"

A sight for sore eyes
This expression refers to a person or thing you are happy to see.
"Sam! You're a sight for sore eyes! Haven't seen you in a long time."

Sink one's teeth into something
If you sink your teeth into something, you do it with a lot of energy and
enthusiasm.
"When Julie got promoted, she immediately sank her teeth into her new job."

Sign on the dotted line
If you sign on the dotted line, you formally give your consent
to something by signing an official document.
"I consulted my lawyer before signing on the dotted line."

Signed, sealed and delivered
When an agreement, contract or treaty is signed, sealed and delivered,
all the legal documents have been signed.
"It is hoped that the agreement will be signed, sealed and delivered
before the end of the week."

Sit up and take notice
A person who sits up and takes notice becomes alert and attentive.
"The announcement of the winner made everyone sit up and take notice."

A sitting duck.
To refer to someone as a sitting duck means that they are
an easy target to criticize or attack.

Silver lining
A silver lining refers to the good or pleasant side-effects of an
unpleasant situation.
Every cloud has a silver lining means that there is a positive
or hopeful side to every unpleasant situation.

Born with a silver spoon in one's mouth.
To say that someone was born with a silver spoon in
their mouth means that their family is very rich and privileged.

Sink or swim
If somebody has to sink or swim, they have to do something alone,
and their success or failure depends entirely on their own efforts.
"The sink or swim attitude in the company can be very difficult for young recruits."

Skating on thin ice
If you are skating on thin ice, you are doing or saying something
that could cause disagreement or trouble.
"Don't mention that subject during the negotiations
or you could be skating on thin ice."

By the skin of your teeth
To do something by the skin of your teeth means that
you just manage to do it, but that you almost fail.

It's no skin off my nose
To use this expression means that you don't care if something happens.
"It's no skin off my nose if he doesn't accept the invitation -
I don't care one way or another."


All skin and bone
If someone is all skin and bone, they are very thin, or too thin
"After trekking in the Himalayas, he was all skin and bone."

The sky's the limit
To say "the sky's the limit" means that there is no limit to the possibility
of success or progress for someone or something.
"How successful do you think the project will be?
Who knows... the sky's the limit!"

Sling mud
To say that someone is slinging mud at another person means that they are
trying to damage that person's reputation by saying bad things about them.
"During election campaigns, candidates often sling mud at each other."

It slipped my mind
If something has slipped your mind, you have forgotten about it
"Oh dear! It had slipped my mind that the banks were closed today."

A snake in the grass
This expression refers to someone who pretends to be your friend
while actually betraying you.
"I thought I could trust my new colleague but he turned out to be
a snake in the grass."

Pull up one's socks
If you pull up your socks, you work harder in order to achieve something.
"You'll have to pull up your socks if you want to pass your exam."

Have a soft spot
If you have a soft spot for someone or something, you particularly like them.
"My grandfather has always had a soft spot for fast cars."

Sound hollow
If an explanation, apology or promise sounds hollow, it seems false or
insincere.
"I don't think he's sorry at all. His apology sounded hollow to me."

Speak off the cuff
If you say something off the cuff, you say it spontaneously,
without previous thought or preparation.
"Politicians are usually careful not to speak off the cuff."

Put a spanner in the works
To put a spanner in the works means to cause problems and
prevent something from happening as planned.
(In the US, the word wrench or monkey wrench is used instead of spanner)

Spill the beans
If you spill the beans, you reveal a secret or talk about something private.
"Come on! Spill the beans! What did he say?"

Spin doctor
A spin doctor is a press agent or public relations officer employed to promote
a favourable interpretation of events in business or politics.
"For a long time spin doctors lead us to believe that the situation was under
control."

Spur of the moment
If you do something on the spur of the moment, you do it as soon as
you think of it, without any planning.
"He decided on the spur of the moment to buy flowers for his wife."

Stand on your own two feet
If you stand on your own two feet, you are independent and need
no help from anyone.
"When young people leave home, they learn to stand on their own two feet."

Stand one's ground
If you stand your ground, you maintain your position and refuse to yield or give way.
"He claimed innocence and stood his ground in spite of the repeated accusations."

Steal someone's thunder
This expression means to take another person's idea or plan, and draw attention
and praise away from the originator by presenting or using it first.
"Bob had developed a plan to reduce production costs, but the plant manager
stole his thunder by announcing Bob's ideas at the regional meeting."

Steal the show
A person who steals the show gets more attention or praise than
the other participants.
"The Japanese competitor stole the show at the Olympic Games."

Let off steam
To let off steam means to say or do something to relieve
your feelings about something.

Stem the tide
If you stem the tide (of events), you stop the development of
something bad or undesirable.
"The authorities seem unable to stem the rising tide of violence in schools."

Step out of line
If you step out of line, you behave badly, do something unacceptable or
break the rules.
"It was made clear upon arrival that we would be dismissed if we
stepped out of line.

Stick to one's guns
If you stick to your guns, you show determination when faced with opposition.
"The government stuck to its guns in spite of the criticism."

Stick out like a sore thumb
If something sticks out like a sore thumb, it is very obvious or visible in an
unpleasant way.
"The modern building sticks out like a sore thumb among the old houses."

On a sticky wicket
If you find yourself on a sticky wicket, you are in a situation that is
difficult to deal with.
"They've refused to sign the contract so we're on a sticky wicket now!"

In stitches
When people are in stitches, they are laughing a lot.
"The story was so funny, everyone was in stitches."

Stop dead in one's tracks
If you stop dead in your tracks, you stop suddenly because you are
frightened or surprised.
"When Steve saw the snake, he stopped dead in his tracks."

A storm in a teacup
To refer to something as a storm in a teacup means that you think
that people are making a lot of unnecessary fuss or excitement about
something unimportant.

The eye of the storm
If you are in the eye of the storm you are deeply involved in a situation
which is difficult or controversial and affects a lot of people.

That's the last straw!
The expression means that this is the latest unpleasant event,
and that you cannot tolerate the situation any longer.

With no strings attached.
An offer with "no strings attached" is an offer made without
conditions, which requires nothing in return.


Sugar the pill
If you sugar the pill, you try to make some unpleasant news more acceptable
by saying something pleasant at the same time.
" When Tim's parents announced that he was going to boarding school, they tried
to sugar the pill by telling him he'd be home at the weekends.'

Get into the swing of things
If you get into the swing of something, you become involved in it or get used to it
and begin to enjoy it.

In full swing
When something, such as an event, gets into full swing, it is at its busiest
or liveliest time.
"When we got back to the office, the Christmas party was in full swing."

T (http://learn-english-today.com/idioms/idiom-categories/alphabetical-list.htm#T)

Take (someone) down a peg
To take someone down a peg means to make that person realize that
they are not as important as they think they are.
"He was too proud. Somebody had to take him down a peg."

Take sombody for a ride
If you are taken for a ride, you are deceived or cheated by someone.
"When my father was persuaded to invest in the new casino,
he was really taken for a ride."

Take something in your stride
When in a difficult situation, you take it in your stride, you deal with the
situation calmly and without any special effort.
"When the take-over was announced, Tom stayed calm and took it in his
stride."

Take to something like a duck to water
If you take to something like a duck to water, you do it naturally and easily,
without fear or hesitation.
"When Sophie first tried skiing, she took to it like a duck to water"

Take stock of a situation
If you take stock of a situation, you assess all the aspects in order to form
an opinion.
" He took time to take stock of the situation before making a suggestion."

Talk shop
If you talk shop, you talk about your work or business in a social situation with
someone you work with, and make the conversation boring for the others present.
"I never go out with my colleagues because we inevitably end up talking shop."

Talk the hind leg(s) off a donkey
This expression is used to describe a very talkative person.
"It's difficult to end a conversation with Betty. She could talk the hind leg off
a donkey!"

A tall story
A tall story is a statement or story which is difficult to believe because it sounds unlikely.
"What he said about a stolen invention sounds like a tall story to me."

A taste of one's own medicine
If you give someone a taste of their own medicine, you treat them
in the same unpleasant way that they have treated you.
"People who always arrive late should be given a taste of their own medicine."

Not for all the tea in China
To say that you would not do something for all the tea in China means that
you would not do it under any conditions.
"I wouldn't live there for all the tea in China."

By the skin of your teeth
To do something by the skin of your teeth means that you just manage
to do it, but that you almost fail.

On tenterhooks
A person who is on tenterhooks is in a state of anxious suspense
or excitement.

That makes my blood boil!
If something makes your blood boil, it makes you really angry.
"His condescending attitude made my blood boil!"

That's going too far!
If you go too far, you do something that is considered extreme or unacceptable.
"Stealing is bad, but stealing from a poor person is really going too far!"

That's the last straw!
To say 'that's the last straw' expresses exasperation at the last in a series of
unpleasant events which makes the situation intolerable.
"After a harassing day of negotiating, the traffic jam was the last straw!"

That takes the biscuit!
This expression refers to something very irritating or annoying.
"After waiting for an hour, we were told that there were no seats left.
That really took the biscuit!"

There for the taking
If something is there for the taking, it is easy to obtain.
"When our main competitor went out of business, the market was
there for the taking."

There wasn't a soul
To say that there wasn't a soul means that there was nobody.
"We thought the museum would be crowded but there wasn't a soul."

There's no accounting for taste
This expression is used to indicate surprise at another person's likes or dislikes.
"She fell in love with a guy who's short, fat, bald and poor ...
well, there's no accounting for taste!"

As thick as thieves
If two people are as thick as thieves, it means that they are
very good friends.

Thin end of the wedge
To refer to an event or action as the thin end of the wedge means that it is
thought to be the beginning of something that will become more serious
"According to the media, today's outsourcing is just the thin end of the wedge."

A thin line/ fine line
When there is a thin line between feelings or situations, there is a point
where it is difficult to distinguish between them.
"There's a thin line between showing concern and being indiscreet,
so don't overdo it!"

A thing of the past
This expression refers to something which no longer exists or is rarely used today.
"Few people use video cassettes today - they're becoming a thing of the past."

Think the world of someone
If you think the world of someone, you like or admire them very much.
"She's a wonderful grandmother - the children think the world of her."

A thorn in your side
If you say someone is a thorn in your side, you mean
that they continually irritate or annoy you.

At each other's throats
Two people who are at each other's throats are always fighting or arguing.
"The two candidates are constantly at each other's throats."

Ram something down someone's throat
This means to force someone to accept something against their will.

Through the grapevine
If you hear of something through the grapevine, you learn about it informally,
for example through friends, colleagues or acquaintances.
"How did you hear that? Oh, through the grapevine as usual!"

Throw caution to the wind
If you throw caution to the wind, you start taking risks and
stop worrying about the danger involved.
"I decided to throw caution to the wind and invest in my
best friend's new company."

Tie the knot
When two people tie the knot, they get married.
"Guess what! Tom and Sarah are finally going to tie the knot!"

Till the cows come home
If you say till the cows come home you mean for a long time or forever.
"You can ask till the cows come home but I'm not buying you a scooter!"

Time on your hands.
If you have time on your hands, you have a lot of free time, usually more
than you need or want.
"Since he retired, Bill has too much time on his hands. He should take up
a hobby!"

Time of your life
If you have the time of your life, you enjoy yourself very much.
"The kids had the time of their lives at Disneyland."

Tip of the iceberg
The tip of the iceberg is the part that is known of a problem or situation
which is thought to be much more serious.
"Journalists say that the report on corruption only examines the tip of the
iceberg."

Tit for tat
This expression refers to an injury or insult given in return for one received.
"He kicked me, so I kicked him - it was tit for tat!"

Truth will out
This expression means that despite efforts to conceal the facts,
the truth cannot be hidden forever.
"I don't know if the police gave the full details, but inevitably' truth will out'."

Take a turn for the worse
If a person who is ill takes a turn for the worse, their illness
becomes more serious.

Throw a tantrum
If a person, especially a child, throws a tantrum, they become very angry
and behave in an unreasonable way.
"My sister's little boy is always throwing tantrums - no wonder they don't have
many visitors!"

Throw in the towel
If you throw in the towel, you admit that you cannot succeed in doing
something or that you are defeated.
"After unsuccessfully competing in several championships, she decided
to throw in the towel and go back to college."

Tongue in cheek
If you describe a remark as tongue in cheek, you mean that it is not meant
to be taken seriously; it is meant to be funny or ironic.
"Peter's remark was taken more seriously than intended.
It was supposed to be tongue in cheek."

Toot (or blow) your own horn
If you toot your own horn, you like to boast about your abilities and achievements
"Jack is very discreet about his success. He doesn't go round tooting his own horn."

Toss-up
When there are two options or possibilities to chose from, and both are equally
good, the choice between the two is referred to as a toss-up (like tossing a coin).
"Both boxers are in excellent condition. It's a toss-up which of them will win the match."

Touch-and-go
If something is touch-and-go, the outcome or result is uncertain.
"Dave's life is out of danger now, but it was touch-and-go after the operation."

A tough cookie
A person who is a tough cookie is one who is self-confident and ambitious
and will do what is necessary to achieve what they want.
"I'm not worried about Jason's future. He's a tough cookie!"

Tricks of the trade
This expression refers to a clever or expert way of doing things,
especially in a job.
"He's a tough negotiator; he knows all the tricks of the trade."

Tug at the heartstrings
To say that something or someone tugs at the heartstrings means that they
cause others to feel a great deal of pity or sadness.
"The hospital's plea for donors tugged at the heartstrings of millions of viewers."

Like turkeys voting for Christmas
This expression is used to say that a particular option is unlikely to be chosen
because it would not be in the interest of the people concerned.
(In many countries people eat turkey at Christmas.)
"Expecting them to accept a decrease in salary would be
like turkeys voting for Christmas!"

Turn on/up the heat
If you turn on/up the heat on a person or organization,
you put pressure on them in order to obtain what you want.
"If the goods are not delivered this week, we'll have to turn on the heat."

Turn a deaf ear
If you turn a deaf ear to something, you refuse to listen.
"Sandy turned a deaf ear to the guide's advice and got lost in the mountains."

not turn a hair
If someone does not turn a hair, they show no emotion in circumstances
when a reaction is expected.
"When the police came to arrest him, he didn't turn a hair."

Turn over a new leaf
If a person decides to turn over a new leaf, they decide to change their
behaviour and lead a better life.
"When Charlie left prison, he was determined to turn over a new leaf."

Turn the tables
If you turn the tables on a person or organization, you reverse the situation
so as to be in a position of superiority.
"The success of our new product has turned the tables on our competitors."

Twiddle one's thumbs
A person who twiddles their thumbs is someone who has
nothing to do, or is doing nothing useful.

Keep someone on their toes
If you keep someone on their toes, you make them
stay alert and ready for action at any time.

Bite your tongue.
To "bite your tongue" means that you do not say what
you really want to say.

Tongue-tied
If you are tongue-tied, you have difficulty in expressing yourself
because you are nervous or embarrassed.
"At the start of the interview I was completely tongue-tied,
but little by little I relaxed."

On the tip of your tongue
To say that a word or an answer is on the tip of your tongue means
that you're sure you know it but have difficulty finding it.
"What's that actor's name? Wait ... I know it - it's on the tip of my tongue!"

Top dog
To say that a person, group or country is top dog means that
they are better or more powerful than others.
"She's top dog in cosmetics today."

Two can play at that game.
This expression is used to tell someone that you can behave towards them
in the same unpleasant way that they have been behaving towards you.

Two left feet
If you have two left feet, you are clumsy or awkward in your movements.

Two's company ... (three's a crowd)
This is said of two people, particularly lovers, who would prefer to be alone
together than to have someone else with them.
"Would you like to come to the cinema with us?"
"I'd rather not, thanks. Two's company..."

Put two and two together.
To "put two and two together" means to reach the correct
conclusion based on the information that you have.

Two-faced
Someone who is two-faced is deceitful or insincere; they will say
one thing to your face and another when you're not there
"I don't trust Jack. I find him two-faced."

U

Up for grabs
If something is up for grabs, it is available for anyone who wants to compete
for it.
"You should enter the competition - there are $20 000 in prizes up for grabs!"

V (http://learn-english-today.com/idioms/idiom-categories/alphabetical-list.htm#V)

Vanish into thin air
If something vanishes into thin air, it disappears completely
in a mysterious way.
"The diamonds vanished into thin air - nobody knows what happened to them."

Variety is the spice of life
This expression means that life is more interesting when you try to do
different things.
"Since they retired, my parents have been trying out all sorts of new activities.
Variety is the spice of life!"

Nothing ventured, nothing gained
This expression means that you cannot expect to achieve anything if you risk nothing.
"He's going to ask his boss for a promotion even though he has little chance of
obtaining satisfaction - nothing ventured, nothing gained!"

Take a dim view of something.
If you take a dim view of something, you don't approve of it.

Vote with one's feet
If you vote with your feet, you show your dislike or disapproval of something
by leaving.
"If the conference is boring, people will probably vote with their feet."

W (http://learn-english-today.com/idioms/idiom-categories/alphabetical-list.htm#W)

A waiting game
A person who plays a waiting game delays taking any action or making
any decisions because they prefer to wait and see how things develop,
usually in the hope that this will put them in a stronger position.

Walk into the lion's den
If you walk into the lion's den, you find yourself in a difficult situation
in which you have to face unfriendly or aggressive people.
"After the failure of the negotiations, he had to
walk into the lion's den and face the Press."

Walk a tightrope
If a person is walking a tightrope, they are in a difficult or delicate situation
where they must act carefully.
"The management is walking a tightrope in their efforts both to keep the costs
down and satisfy the trade unions. "

Walking papers
If you are given your walking papers, your contract or a relationship is ended.
"After causing a diplomatic incident, Carter got his walking papers."

Water off a duck's back
Criticism or comments which have no effect on someone is
referred to as being "like water off a duck's back".

On the same wavelength
To say that two people are on the same wavelength means
that they understand each other well because they share
the same interests and opinions.

Wear your heart on your sleeve
If you wear your heart on your sleeve, you allow others
to see your emotions or feelings.
"You could see she was hurt - she wears her heart on her sleeve."

Under the weather
If you are under the weather, you are not feeling very well.

Weather the storm
If you weather the storm, you succeed in surviving a difficult period or situation.
"Given the current recession, the company is weathering the storm
better than some others."

Pull your weight
If you pull your weight, you work as hard as everyone else
in a team, a group or a company.

A wet blanket
A person who is a wet blanket is so boring or unenthusiastic
that they prevent other people from enjoying themselves.
"Come on! Don't be such a wet blanket!"

White Christmas
A white Christmas is when it snows at Christmas and the ground is white.
"We haven't had a white Christmas in twenty years."

White as a ghost
A person who is as white as ghost looks very pale and frightened.

White lie
To tell a white lie means to tell a harmless lie in order to avoid hurting
somebody.

Win-win
The term win-win refers to a situation or proposition where both or all parties
benefit from the outcome.
"There were smiles all round when the contract was signed - it was a win-win
situation."

Get wind of something
If you get wind of something, you hear about something you were
unaware of, usually a private or secret matter.
"The chairman didn't want the press to get wind of the takeover
before the agreement was signed."

Wing it
To wing it means to improvise or to deal with a situation without any preparation.
"She didn't expect to be interviewed so she just had to wing it."

At your wits end.
If you are at your wits' end, you are very anxious or worried about
something and do not know what to do.
"When her son dropped out of school for the second time,
Susan was at her wits' end."

A wolf in sheep's clothing
To describe someone as a wolf in sheep's clothing means that although
the person looks harmless, they are really very dangerous

From the word go
From the word go means right from the start of an event or activity.

Work your fingers to the bone
A person who works their fingers to the bone is extremely hardworking.
"He deserves his success; he worked his fingers to the bone
when he started the business."

Out of this world.
Something that you describe as out of this world is
something that you think is extremely good or beyond compare.

The best of both worlds.
To have the best of both worlds means to have the benefits and
advantages of two different things or situations, without the problems.

The worse for wear
If someone or something is the worse for wear, they are in poor condition,
either worn, damaged or tired.
"He came back from New York rather the worse for wear."

Worth one's salt
This expression is used to say that a person who does their job well
would or would not do certain things.
"Any inspector worth his salt would have the checked the papers carefully."

Worth one's weight in gold
A person who is worth their weight in gold is someone who is extremely
helpful and useful, and therefore invaluable.

The whys and wherefores
To talk about the whys and wherefores means to talk about the reasons.
"We need to discuss the whys and wherefores of our failure/success."

Y

Your guess is as good as mine
When talking to another person, your guess is as good as mine means that
neither of you knows the answer.
"What happened between Bill and Harry?" "Your guess is as good as mine!"

Your wish is my command!
This is a humoristic way of saying that you are willing to do
whatever the other person asks.
"Breakfast in bed? Your wish is my command!"

مجد
03-08-2010, 08:04 PM
Much ado about nothing = نسمع جعجعة ولا نرى طحن
Your guess is as good as mine = مثلي مثلك
Out of this world = ماله مثيل

يا شباب كل واحد يختار حكمه ويترجمها. بس مو ترجمة نصية ... ترجمة المعنى والمقصود كالأمثلة السابقة