English-language idioms

A list of idioms can be useful, since the meaning of an idiom cannot be deduced by knowing the meaning of its constituent words.

For example, someone might know perfectly well what a bucket is and also understand the meaning of the verb "to kick" completely. However, unless they had already encountered the meaning of the phrase or were able to tell from the context the phrase appears in, they would not know that to kick the bucket is one of the many colorful idioms in the English language meaning to die.

What is not an idiom

An idiom is a phrase whose meaning comes from standard usage rather than from its individual words. Apply this quadruple test before listing an idiom here: (1) is it obscure? (2) is poetic? (3) is standard? (4) is it unchangeable?

Idioms are obscure, meaning that they don't translate literally. The phrase "enough money to choke a horse" isn't an idiom, because it translates just fine. In this same way, aphorisms and proverbs, like "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush," aren't idioms.

Idioms are poetic. There are examples of similes, metaphors, analogies, allegories, allusions, jargon, slang, euphemisms, colloquialisms and other figures of speech that pass (1), but lack meter and color. Terms of art, for instance, don't translate well, but they certainly aren't well-metered and colorful. It's tough to prove this quality, but if the phrase resists varied stresses and rhythms, and if it paints a picture, consider (2) satisfied.

If changing a word doesn't void the meaning of a phrase, then the phrase is probably not an idiom. For example, changing "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" to "a bird in the hand is worth two in the tree," leaves the meaning substantially intact, and so it's not an idiom. But changing even an article in "there's more than one way to skin a cat," upsets and even nullifies the meaning of the phrase, as in "there's more than one way to skin the cat." Test another change: "there is more than one method for skinning a cat." A careful reader would be baffled by these modifications, wondering what the author meant by the recast. This total sensitivity of phrasing led one writer to caution, "Tamper with idiom at your peril."

By these four criteria, "a little something something" is not an idiom. It possesses, meagerly, (2) and (3), but it translates without contortion, and even dramatic modification leaves the sense unharmed. Reworking the phrase as "a little you-know-what," or "a bit of wink wink" doesn't harm the meaning one jot. It still means "an easy gift" or "sexual relations." Further, it's not in any dictionaries, and so it's non-standard, or at least, non-noteworthy. Similarly, "a little bit from column A, a little bit from column B" and "bring a knife to a gunfight" aren't troubled by major reworking and aren't to be found in dictionaries--and are therefore not idioms.

Most often, phrases mistakenly called idioms lack (1) or (4), as above. But consider "to give flak," which meets (3), (4), and modestly (1), but isn't particularly colorful. It may be an artifact of poetry, but the vivid image of raining shrapnel just isn't conjured, and so this phrase misses (2). Finally, Rhythm and blues does a great job of generating novel idioms which are bright, well-metered, and famously obscure--such as "brush your shoulders off," which means "remove yourself from a situation"--but time has yet to tell which of these will work their way into popular usage. For now, other references are better suited to defining these phrases than the list below.

Contents:	A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z - See also - External link

A

Idiom	Meaning
A black look	Giving someone a look of malice; "a dirty look"
A coon's age	A long time (Note: This idiom is no longer in popular usage as it is mistakenly considered racist, as 'coon' is offensive slang for an African American).
A dirty look	A look of disapproval or malice.
A few X short of a Y	Not possessing all of one's mental faculties; i.e., crazy or stupid. These phrases take the form "A few X short of a Y" where X is a common component of Y. In these phrases, Y represents full mental capacity, and the lack of a few X implies a lack of full mental capacity. Examples include: A few fries short of a Happy Meal. A few sandwiches short of a picnic. Two bricks short of a load. A few syllables short of a Haiku. A couple of cans short of a six-pack. A few pickles shy of a barrel. A few gunmen short a firing squad. One enchilada short of a full meal deal. One nut short of a fruitcake. A few tacos short of a combo plate. A few clowns short of a circus. One Excedrin tablet short of a full medicine cabinet.
A hard (or tough) nut to crack	A difficult or troublesome problem, or a person who is difficult to convince.
A little bit from column A, a little bit from column B	An answer to an either/or question implying that both answers are correct
A little something something	Going beyond one's expectations / achieving sexual intercourse
A tempest in a teapot (or: a storm in a teacup)	A large fuss about an insignificant matter.
All downhill from here	Things will go easily from here on out. (Alternatively, things will be more difficult from here on out.)
All mouth and no trousers	Said of someone who boasts in a macho way but is not likely to be able to back up his boasts. The phrase originated in the North of England. Compare variant "All fur coat and no knickers" said of posh people, implying that their airs and graces were a mask for moral laxity beneath the surface; or a Texas expression "Big hat and no cattle," said of someone of meager finances trying to create the appearance of wealth.
Any port in a storm	Unfavourable option which might well be avoided in good times but which nevertheless looks better than the alternatives at the current time.
Apples and oranges	Two things (persons, places, situations) are completely different; there is no common ground on which to compare them
(To pay an) arm and a leg	An extremely high price; to pay too much for something, sometimes out of a sense of desperation
At sixes and sevens	In a state of confusion about how to deal with a situation
At the end of the day ... (x will happen.)	Refers to the resultant outcome after all effectors related to a particular activity have concluded. A phrase roughly equivalent to 'when all is said and done', or 'when the smoke has cleared'. A heavily overused cliché, often associated with politicians and sportsmen in press interviews.
Axe to grind	Most commonly used to indicate a grievance or resentment held by one party for another with an accompanying desire for revenge or resolution. The earliest usage meant to have an ulterior motive. This less commonly used meaning is anecdotally ascribed to an incident in which Benjamin Franklin was 'tricked' into sharpening an axe for an acquaintance who feigned interest in Franklin's new grinding wheel while conveniently having his own axe at hand.

B

Idiom	Meaning
Babe in arms	A very young child, or a person who is very young to be holding a position (similar to 'wet behind the ears')
(On the) back burner	Not requiring immediate attention; not urgent or high priority
Back in the day	A long time ago, or in one's youth; in a relatively idolized time period
Back the wrong horse	To give support to the losing side in something
Back to square one	Being forced to start at the beginning again. Variant: back to the drawing board.
Backseat driver	An annoying person who is fond of giving advice to the person performing a task or doing something, especially when the advice is either wrong or unwelcome. Probably has its origins in people being told how to drive by a passenger, which is still the most common usage of this phrase
Bad egg	A person who cannot be trusted. Also bad hat
Bad taste in one's mouth	A feeling there is something wrong about a person or situation
Baker's dozen	Thirteen of a particular item. An unlikely origin was the reported Middle Ages practice of including a 13th loaf of bread with an order of twelve to assure that the weight would be adequate and thus avoid severe penalties for short-weighting. The most likely origin has street retailers getting a 13th loaf from the baker to get around the English "Assize of Bread and Ale" law of 1266 which fixed the weight and price of bread. Bakers threw in the 13th loaf, effectively creating a wholesale price while still adhering to the law
Ball and chain	An unhelpful burden which cannot be abandoned Husband or wife (pejorative, or sometimes satirically affectionate)
Ballpark figure	A rough or approximate number (guesstimate) to give a general idea of something, like a rough estimate for a cost, etc.
Baptism by fire	An ordeal forced upon an unskilled person which would be difficult for even a skilled person. E.g., A new recruit forced into the Battle of Normandy.
Bar fly	A person who spends a lot of time drinking in different bars and pubs
Bark up the wrong tree	To blame someone for what another person has done
Basket case	A person who is too impaired to function. Originated as a phrase in World War I for soldiers who were so badly injured they had to be removed from the battle field on a wicker litter or basket. Has subsequently come to imply mental or emotional impairment ('she was a total basket case before the wedding'). Also used to refer to some malfunctioning mechanism.
(Like a) bat out of Hell	Very quickly (also implies haphazardly, frenetically or in a panic)
To bear fruit	To come to a profitable conclusion or to produce something worthwhile
Beat a dead horse	To engage in pointless and repetitive discussion. Beating is more common in American idiom, while Flogging a dead horse is more common in Britain
Beat around the bush	Procrastinate or hesitate, mainly when one does not want to say something (circumlocution)
(At one's) beck and call	Fulfilling any requests, no matter how tedious or frequent
Bedroom eyes	Someone who has a sexy look in their eyes
The bee's knees	Excellent, superb; see also the cat's meow/pajamas. May originate from the expression "sweeter than bees' knees," which means adorably small and cute
Behind closed doors	Away from the public eye
Behind the times	Old-fashioned
Being from Missouri	Skeptical, requiring proof. Derived from "I'm from Missouri; you have to show me." (The state's unofficial slogan: "Show me" appears on their license plates)
Bells and whistles	Attractive but unnecessary features; an often pejorative term often applied to features of a commercial product which are more useful in attracting customers than in performing the task which the product is designed to perform. See also form follows function#In product design
Between a rock and a hard place	In a very difficult jam, any foreseeable resolution of which will not be pleasant. The most likely origin of this idiom is the episode of Homer's Odyssey in which Odysseus and his crew is caught between Scylla and Charybdis. Another common form of this idiom is "between the Devil and the deep blue sea"
Bite the dust	To die
Bite the bullet	To accept unpleasant and unavoidable consequences as a result of some action. From the practice of biting a bullet slug to keep from crying out while having some field surgery performed without anesthesia. A less well accepted origin is from the necessity to bite off a paper portion of a bullet cartridge in order to fire it. Once the bullet had been bitten, the cartridge must be fired or discarded. The former is generally considered the true origin of the phrase, as bullets with teeth marks dating back to the Revolutionary war have been found on sites of known battlefields
Black-hearted	Someone with evil intentions
Black sheep	An ostracized or ill-fitting member of a family or group. ("Uncle Ned is the black sheep of the family.")
Bob's your uncle	(British) Easy from here on out. Everything is settled and will end in success. Originates from the 19th Century, where "Bob" was Robert Cecil, Marquess of Salisbury who, as the Prime Minister of Britain, nepotistically appointed his nephew Arthur Balfour to be Chief Secretary for Ireland. Balfour became Prime Minister in 1902
Bone to pick	An argument yet to be settled. ("I've got a bone to pick with him.")
Boot out	To eject a person from a group or society. Also: kick out
(Were you) born in a barn?	Said to someone who fails to close an external door behind them on entering a building, thus causing a discomforting draught. There are regional variations, in Lincolnshire for instance, one will hear "Do you come from Bardney?" a reference to a windswept fenland village in that English county. Also said, more generally, of people with crass manners or personal habits.
Bottom line	To come to a conclusion of a profit or loss
Break a leg	Used as a substitute for "good luck" to wish luck to stage performers before an opening. The "leg" mentioned is the mechanism used to open and close the stage curtains; the hope is that the performance will so well received that their bows will be so frequent and sustained that the leg breaks. Also attributed to theater superstition that the opposite of a wish or curse will befall a performer (thus 'good luck' is a curse and 'break a leg' is a blessing)
Bringing a knife to a gunfight	Woefully underprepared
Broken his/her duck	(British), "scored for the first time", or more generally to have avoided complete failure. In British sports slang a "duck's egg" (or "duck") refers to a score of "zero" or "nought". (Similarly "goose eggs" can also mean "00" in American slang.) In the British game of Cricket scoring naught is getting a "duck" and a batter's first run scored is, therefore, "breaking his duck". Generally intended hopefully, as a harbinger of more success to follow. "He's out of his rut and starting to make progress."
Bulge the (old) onion bag; put a bulge in the onion bag	(British) In soccer, to score a goal. Refers to the bulging of the net when the ball hits it.
Bull in a china shop	A tactless person who upsets others or upsets plans; a physically or socially clumsy person
Burning the candle at both ends	Rising early and retiring late and trying to fit a lot in between. This originates from the Romans, who literally burned candles at both ends
Burning the midnight oil	Studying or working late into, or through, the night
Bury the hatchet	To make peace or end hostilities. The phrase originates with the literal practice among the Native Americans of the Iroquois federation and was described as early as 1680 by the Englishman Samuel Sewall. See [1] as well
Busman's holiday	To combine work with a vacation, or to take a vacation that resembles one's employment - from the notion of a bus-driver going on a bus-tour.
(The) butt of a joke	The object of a joke that ridicules or makes fun of someone or something
Buy the farm	To die (in reference to wartime pilot crashes causing forced purchases of farmland)
Butterflies in one's stomach	A feeling of nervousness, usually queasiness in the abdomen
Buying a pig in a poke	To purchase something without inspection, thereby creating an opportunity for fraud. Canonical: unethical farmer places a barn-yard cat in a burlap bag (poke) and sells it sight-unseen to another, claiming it contains a piglet. Related to "the cat's out of the bag", below
(Doing something) by the numbers or by the book	To do things precisely as instructed, or as perceived to be instructed

C

Idiom	Meaning
Call it a day	Decide to finish or end something, like a day's work
Call the badger a bishop	This term derives from the practice of badger-baiting, in which a badger is put into a pit and made to fight dogs. To call the badger a bishop is to imply that the badger's overwhelmed condition somehow makes it virtuous, when it is, in fact, just a badger. So, the term means committing the fallacy of projecting virtue on to the oppressed or disadvantaged
Came for the X, stayed for the Y	Being present for a specific cause and receiving a greater benefit
Can of corn	Very easy - from the practice at grocers of placing corn (or other foods) on high up shelves. A can could be pulled down with a stick and the ease with which it could be caught was applied to easy-to-catch hits (pop-up flys) in baseball
(Open up a) can of worms	To create a situation that is hard to deal with, especially one that comes about unexpectedly and intractably. To "open a can of worms" is to get involved with something that is discomforting, hard to resolve, or not easily escaped (closing a container of worms, used as bait by fishermen, generally involves some tricky handling of the wriggling occupants)
Can't _____ oneself out of a wet paper bag / Can't_____ to save one's life	Woefully unable to perform the task in hand
Can't see the forest (wood) for the trees	Losing sight of the big picture by getting mired down in details
Can't see your nose in front of your face	Being oblivious to something in plain view
Carrying coals to Newcastle	Engaging in useless labour (Newcastle is a famous coal-mining district of England
Cat amongst the pigeons	Putting a cat amongst the pigeons involves some, usually premeditated, disruption. Such an act might simply be verbal, cutting across an apparent consensus, but will certainly disturb the equilibrium
Cat got your tongue?	Asked of someone rendered speechless to emphasize their inability to speak
Cat in the pan	Betrayer, renegade, turnabout and turncoat; the same as "flip-flopper"
Catch 22	From the eponymous book by Joseph Heller: a problem with a method of resolution that negates the conditions for resolution. In the book, a soldier is considered insane and unfit for combat if he willingly continues to fly missions. However, asking to be relieved from duty on the basis of insanity shows that he is mentally competent. Consequently, he must continue to serve
The cat's meow/the cat's pajamas	Something excellent, superb. Similar to "the bee's knees"
Caught red-handed	Caught in the middle of the crime; discovered in a situation where your guilt is obvious. Derived from medieval England where the King owned all the forests and all the game in them. The King had Game Wardens that policed the forest in search of poachers. When the wardens caught a poacher, it was usually when they were dressing and cleaning the kill. Thus they were "caught red handed"
Change horses in midstream	Make new plans or choose a new leader in the middle of an important activity. Connotes an unwise, or at best risky, activity
Chuck a wobbly	To act in an overly emotional way to express sadness and anger. (One's upper lip does not remain stiff, and wobbles)
Chip off the old block	A person who is highly similar to a direct ancestor or predecessor
Close the barn door after the horse gets out	Refers to not taking action until after a problem has already occurred, usually when it's too late and should have been done sooner. "Closing the stable door after the horse has bolted" is the common British variant
Cold day in hell	A very unlikely event or situation (also "about as much chance as hell freezing over")
(To) come out of the closet	When one publicly reveals a secret about oneself, usually an important or embarrassing secret. Often used in reference to homosexuality
Cousin Michael	A disparaging designation of the Germans as slow, heavy, unpolished and ungainly. ('Michel,' in Old German, means 'gross')
(To) cross all your T's and dot all your I's	To take care of every detail, including the minor ones
Curiosity killed the cat	The literal meaning of the phrase makes reference to the characteristic tendency of housecats to thoroughly investigate anything unfamiliar, perhaps to their detriment if something apparently benign turns out to be dangerous. The phrase is often used as an urge towards caution, an admonition to "leave well enough alone", or, less benevolently, to stop asking questions (lest the benign listener lose patience with the questioner)
(You have) cut me to the quick	The literal meaning is to cut deeply through the skin to the "living flesh" (quick); perhaps referring to the raw flesh under the fingernails. The phrase is used to express emotional hurt arising from a disparaging comment
Cut off your nose to spite your face	To take rash or single-minded action that hurts your own cause in the end. Similar to "throwing the baby out with the bathwater"

D

Idiom	Meaning
Dark horse	A surprise candidate or competitor; someone who hides their talents or interests. From the metaphor: "He rode in as if on a dark horse in the night" or "No one saw him coming."
(Your) days are numbered	Used to indicate that someone or something is beyond its years or will not exist for much longer; also for the purpose of evoking a pessimistic view about the future and/or current state of affairs due to repetitious monotony
Dead and buried	A settled issue. Something no longer needing consideration
Dead as a doornail (or dodo)	Useless, very distinctly dead. A doornail is the strikeplate for most door knockers. To hold it in place, after it was driven through the door, the pointed end was bent over and buried in the door, to prevent movement. This nail was unrecoverable, so was considered dead to future reclamation, which was apparently common before modern time
Dead to rights	Caught in the act ("The police had the burglars dead to rights when they arrived."), or at the mercy of someone ("The cavalry had the fleeing soldiers dead to rights.") 'Bang to rights' is the UK version
Deader than Julius Caesar	Given the evidence of Julius Caesar's very definite demise in 44 B.C., this idiom expresses a person or concept irrevocably deceased
(Having) deep pockets	Rich and/or generous
Devil's advocate	One who argues a point of view that is not necessarily one's own for the sake of fairness. To play "the devil's advocate" in a debate is to ensure that some attempt was made to hear a side that might otherwise have gone unrepresented
Dicked up	Unkempt, sloppy, or similarly disorganized
Dime a dozen	Very common and easy to get; very cheap; not special
Dog and pony show	A presentation which aims to persuade by overwhelming the senses or appealing to fancy; generally a marketing presentation which offers little or no real informational content. May also refer to anything with more style than substance
Dog in the manger	Someone who denies others the use of a resource, even though they cannot possibly use the resource themselves. From Aesop's fable of the same name, The Dog in the Manger, about a dog preventing cows from eating the straw on which it is lying
Dog's bollocks	Excellent, awesome. Derived from the idea that a dog's bullocks must be the greatest thing since the dog keeps licking them all the time. Also, Mutt's nuts
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth	Don’t question the value of a gift. It comes from the practice of determining the age of a horse by looking at its teeth
Dotting the I's and Crossing the T's	Paying much attention to detail
Driving one up the wall	Agitating to the point of great frustration
Drop the ball	Make a major mistake; often used when that mistake causes the failure or setback of a larger event

E

Idiom	Meaning
Eat crow	To suffer humiliation and/or reluctantly admit defeat
Egg on	To provoke or encourage, sometimes in a sarcastic or derisive manner
(To have) egg on one's face	To be embarrassed
Elephant in the room	The problem or situation immediately obvious to all, but spoken of by none. Usually the topic in question is emotionally charged and so felt by most involved to be best ignored
Every Tom, Dick, and Harry	Everybody, everyone. Often used to indicate not special as in "Every Tom, Dick and Harry has one." Or "She handed them out to every Tom Dick and Harry."

F

Idiom	Meaning
Face-to-Face	To confront that person.
Fall off the wagon	To return to a previous bad practice one is trying to overcome (usually alcoholism); to revert to undesireable behavior after a period of attempted reform
Fall on (one's) sword	To take responsibility or blame for a negative outcome, especially if one's own idea To sacrifice oneself Originated in the Bible: - Saul said to his armor-bearer, "Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and run me through and abuse me." But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it. When the armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died with him... 1 Samuel 31:4-5
Feather one's nest	To make a profit only for oneself, especially by taking advantage of others or one's position (Ex: "Many elderly people lost their money in bad investments, while CEOs feathered their nests."
Feel(ing) blue	Feeling sad, down, or depressed
Figurehead	One who possesses a title or office of authority yet whose actual purpose is primarily symbolic or ceremonial.
(With a) fine-tooth comb	Very carefully; usually used with a 'searching' or 'looking' verb (e.g. she examined the room with a fine tooth-comb.) It derives from the use of combs with close-set teeth. The Oxford English dictionary dates the figuarive usage to 1891 ("...go through this town like a fine-tooth comb...").
On fire	To excel in performance (e.g. "Joe's on fire today!")
Fish or cut bait (A variation is "shit or get off the pot")	A pragmatic expression which demands that an indecisive person either do a specific thing immediately, or step aside and let another person attempt it [2]
Fish out of water	A person in uncharted territory; in a confused state due to lack of experience with a situation
(On a) fishing expedition	Trying to find some evidence of something, often through improper methods and without a defined target. Sometimes used in court
Five-finger discount	To take something without paying, to steal, also known as shoplifting
(To give someone) flak	To give someone a hard time, not cooperating, or creating resistance. Originated from WWII aircraft receiving deadly flak (anti-aircraft fire, from German fliegerabwehrkannonen) from German air defenses (AAA)
Flash in the pan	A transient happening which results in no long-term effect. From a type of misfire of a flintlock gun. Occasionally attributed to gold mining (i.e. a tiny speck of gold causing a glint in a mining pan even if there is no vein nearby). In either case, the flash is deceptive
Flip the bird (or flip (someone) off)	To give someone the finger
Fox in the henhouse	Trouble or mischief is apparent
Fucked six ways to (or from) Sunday	To be utterly ruined, in every possible manner, by every imaginable method
Fucking the dog	Said of someone who is wasting his or her time or procrastinating by doing something useless
Full fathom five	(From Shakespeare, The Tempest) Lost deep in the sea

G

Idiom	Meaning
Get hammered/smashed/trashed/ wasted/shitfaced/trollied/battered/sloshed/plastered/crocked/sozzled/soused	Get excessively drunk
Get one's goat	To become irritated by something. Goats used to be put in with nervous horses to calm them down before a race, if you took away the goat the horse would become nervous
Get over it	To mentally progress beyond a specific situation ("You're still upset about that? Get over it!")
Get your panties in a bunch	To get upset ("Pam got her panties in a bunch over the traffic ticket.")
(Bird) in a gilded (or golden) cage	In a pleasant situation but suffering a loss of freedom. For example, celebrities fear they are "prisoners in gilded cages", because despite their wealth and fame, every action they make is under intense scrutiny
Give up the ghost	To die, expire, or otherwise come to an end. To end all things
Go into hock	To go into a situation of financial strain or debt in order to make a payment for or purchase something. ("I don't want to have to go into hock just to buy tickets to the game.") Likely originates from the term hock referring to pawning items for quick cash.
Go off the deep end	Go crazy
Go with the flow	To conform or go along with whatever happens
Going HAL	Derived from the movie/book 2001: A Space Odyssy. It describes something, usually a computer program, going crazy, and possibly hurting someone.
Going off half-cocked	To do something, typically violent or disruptive, prematurely. From a term for premature firing of a flintlock. (incorrect) Flintlocks "safety" position was halfway between down and fully cocked. This position was used for the loading of the weapon, since the gun would not fire from this position. Soldiers would forget to completely cock the weapon, resulting in the inability to fire when desired. Thus the phrase "Don't go off half cocked!"
Take it with a grain of salt	To approach a claim with appropriate skepticism
To grab/grasp at straws	To make final attempts at reaching an end, especially in a moment of desperation and especially using means that otherwise would be known to be futile. Refers to a drowning person grabbing at straws floating in the water in the effort to stay afloat. If the threat of drowning wasn't so imminent, that person wouldn't bother grabbing at the straws, knowing they would be of no help
Graveyard dead	Certainly dead. Emphatically dead
Gravy Train	An easy endeavor which guarantees a comfortable life
The Great Unwashed (Masses)	Derogatory term for the working/lower class
(To give the) green light	To give permission to proceed (example: "The project was given the green light", meaning the project was allowed to begin). Origins from traffic lights, where green means "go". Also used in negative "red light" meaning to deny permission to proceed
(To) grow like Topsy	To increase rapidly in size. Usually said of an organization or business. Derived from a character in Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel Uncle Tom's Cabin, who claimed she "just growed."

H

Idiom	Meaning
Six of one, half dozen of the other	Implies that both options are equal
Hanging by a thread	In danger; must use more precise caution
Have a cow	To be dramatically upset or angry, e.g. "He will have a cow if he sees the mess you made"
Have a dog in the fight/race	To have a stake in, or be exposed to the risks associated with, the outcome of some problem or dispute. Conversely, "I don't have a dog in that fight" is frequently used as a way to beg off and opt out of being expected to assist
Have one's cake and eat it too	To attempt to get all the positive aspects of something while avoiding any negative but usually occurring aspects
Heard through the grapevine	To obtain information via public transfer or gossip
Hear (straight) from the horse's mouth	To hear or get information through a direct source
(Going to) Hell in a handbasket	Going wrong with alarming speed and ease. Said of a situation, e.g. 'This meeting is going to Hell in a handbasket'
Herding cats	Trying to elicit coordinated action from a group not inclined to do so. Doing something that is very difficult. Also, "Like stacking hard-boiled eggs"
Hit the ground running	To begin an endeavor at full effectiveness, with no delay
Hit the hay	To go to bed; also 'hit the sack'
Hit the roof	Became very angry
Hobson's choice	A choice that is no real choice; a situation from which there is no escape; a problem in which any course of action is likely to result in undesirable consequences. Derives from the practice of Thomas Hobson, a Cambridge innkeeper, of allowing patrons to choose the horse nearest the door, or no horse at all. Similar to a "no-win situation" and Catch 22
Hot potato	In the common political usage the 'hot potato' represents an issue which is controversial and generally avoided. In a business setting it sometimes refers to a project or responsiblity that no one wants to assume, usually because the probability of failure is high From a children's game in which an object which represents (or actually is) a hot potato is passed around a circle of players while music plays (or time is kept). The loser - the one left holding the 'potato' when the music stops (or time is up) - is eliminated, until only one person is left. A variation (when using an actual very hot potato) is to eliminate anyone who drops the potato

I

Idiom	Meaning
In a bad way	British idiom describing a person as being injured or in some kind of predicament
In a family way	Polite term to describe someone who is pregnant.
In the hopper	readiness for dispensation.
In for a penny, in for a pound	Said by someone realising that risks of failure are increasing, but still prepared to press onwards, maintaining their earlier efforts. Similar to the expression "no turning back"
In the limelight/spotlight	Possessing large amounts of attention. Originating from Victorian times when spotlights in theatres were used by burning quicklime (Calcium oxide)
In the loop/Out of the loop	Informed or not informed of key information, respectively
In the same boat	Two or more parties in the same situation, especially a situation where what affects one party affects the other. Making a hole in the boat out of spite would drown the one and the other equally
In the twinkle/blink of an eye / in a flash	To happen very quickly
In this day and age	The present, indicating vast differences between modern and old times
Iron out the difficulty	To resolve an issue. It suggests the problem is minor but is something that will need work (as in smoothing wrinkles out of cloth with an iron)
Irreparable loss	Someone who is dead whom you knew when they were alive

J

Idiom	Meaning
Juggling picked onions (or frogs)	Carrying out a hazardous or difficult task. Both onions and frogs are slippery and so likely to be hard to juggle with ease.
Jack-legged	Done in a shoddy fashion by a non-professional for a few dollars; a jack-leg is someone who has limited knowledge and limited skills but enough to do a patch job i.e. jack-leg mechanic; jack-leg electrician
Jack of all trades (master of none)	A person who is skilled at many things, who can do many different types of jobs; a person who knows a little about many jobs but isn't skilled at any one job. (Ex: "I'll have my son fix that plumbing problem for you. He's really a jack of all trades.")
Jack up	In basketball, to shoot quickly and questionably ("Marbury just jacked up a shot every time he got the ball.")
Jacked up	Messed up; in disarray ("After walking home in the rain, Janice's new haircut was all jacked up.")

K

Idiom	Meaning
Kangaroo loose in the top paddock	Denotes a person who is a little crazy
Keep a stiff upper lip	To exercise self-restraint in the expression of emotion, especially fear or grief
Kick the bucket	To die. Derived from the slaughter of pigs, the wooden block a pig was hung from during slaughter was referred to as a buque. Thus in the process of killing the pig, it would inevitably kick it
Killing two birds with one stone	Achieving two desirable effects with one process or action
Knock on wood/Touch wood (Knocking on wood)	Knock on (or touch) unfinished wood to avert the bad luck evoked by making a confident statement (example: "I haven't been sick in twenty years, knock on wood.") By 'knocking on wood', the speaker hopes to prevent their remarkable good health from suddenly ending because they've bragged about it. The custom comes from the hope of evoking the care of spirits that live in trees (druids)

L

Idiom	Meaning
Last but not least	Things are not necessarily in order of importance. Often introduces the strongest point in an argument, the last point of a message, or the last person to be formally introduced. Sometimes spitefully or facetiously reversed (e.g. "Last and definitely the least")
Last straw	A problem or obstacle that may be trivial in itself, but causes cataclysmic failure because it pushes the total array of problems or obstacles to an intolerable level. Also referred to as the Straw that broke the camel's back, after the original proverb: a straw by itself has an insignificant weight, but enough of them together can be a crushing weight
Let me bounce this off you	To informally present a scenario or idea for the purpose of receiving feedback or critique
Let the cat out of the bag	Reveal a big secret, often unintentionally
(The) lights are on, but no one's home	Said of a person that is lacking intellect and/or sanity, even if they may appear at first to possess full mental faculties. Like "two bricks short of a load", there are endless variations, based around the metaphor of a machine or a system that is not operating as it should ("His elevator doesn't stop at all floors.")
Like a moth to a flame	Strongly attracted to something, regardless of likely negative consequence
Like taking candy from a baby / Like shooting fish in a barrel	Very easily done
Living under a rock	Ignorant of common knowledge or major events/trends ("Have you been living under a rock?")
Loan shark	A predatory lender, usually one that charges inordinately high interest.

M

Idiom	Meaning
Make hay	To take advantage of a favorable opportunity. To work diligently toward a goal. Sometimes this idiom appears as "to make hay while the sun shines"
Make a mountain out of a molehill	Interpret great significance (generally negative) from a (seemingly) minor event; to assume something is much worse than it actually is. This is most often used in criticism
Mind one's Ps and Qs	To be very careful and/or to behave correctly. It is tied to the fact that the lowercase letters "p" and "q" mirror each other. This is a term from typesetters in the printing industry. In the days of lead type, letters were set individually into a page, and they were placed one by one, upside down. They were pulled from a typecase, in which each letter had a designated space to reside. Problems came when pages were being taken apart and letters put away. If someone was in a hurry or was not paying attention to what he was doing, he could end up with p's and q's in the wrong slots in the typecase, which he wouldn't notice until the next time he was putting together a page, when he would unknowingly pick out the wrong letter. (This could also happen with b's and d's, but as they are more common than q's, typesetters were more accustomed to finding them, and they were mixed up less often.) Hence, pay attention to what you're doing now, so that you don't give yourself problems later on. In England this phrase is also associated with "p'ease" and "'k you" baby talk for 'Please' and 'Thank you', hence "Mind your P's and Q's" is sometimes used to mean "Remember to say 'Please' and 'Thank you.'"
(There is) more than one way to kill (or skin) a cat	Something can be achieved in several different ways. Often used upon the realization that one attempted method has failed or is about to fail (e.g. "This method has failed, but there's more than one way to skin a cat!")
Mum's the word	The issue or topic at hand is of great secrecy and one cannot reveal any more than one already has

N

Idiom	Meaning
Nailing jelly to a wall/tree	A futile endeavor; impossible task
(That's) neither here nor there	It doesn't matter; said of something irrelevant to the topic under consideration
Nip it in the bud	Taking action at the onset of a problem before it grows into an uncontrollable situation. A bud that is pinched will not bloom
No-brainer	A problem that is especially easy to solve, if not outright obvious
No names, no pack drill	Refusing to name a source of information for fear of getting them into trouble
No skin off one's nose	To be indifferent to the outcome of a situation because it does not affect one personally
Nod off	To fall asleep gradually, perhaps reflecting the boredom of a lecture or presentation
(Having one's) nose to the grindstone	Working very hard, especially at a tedious task
Non-rigged (see jack-legged)	Done in a shoddy and/or amateur fashion. Usually referring to a repair or assembly
Not enough room to swing a cat/You couldn't swing a cat in here	An extremely compact room. Sometimes used for the opposite meaning, "You could swing a cat in here."
(The opera's) not over until the fat lady sings	This phrase is similar in meaning to "Don't count your chickens before they hatch," i.e., nothing is certain until the final conclusion. It is attributed to Yogi Berra and is probably a humorous jab at the girth of a stereotypical female opera singer, combined with the legitimate observation that such a woman will often sing the final notes of the performance
Not playing with a full deck	Someone who is eccentric, mad or wildly unconventional, bordering on crazy. See Two bricks short of a load on this page
Not the X-est Y in Z	Having comparatively diminished capacities, especially in reference to intelligence. Similar to "A few X short of a Y", but describing quality rather than quantity and often used for mock-humility Not the sharpest pencil of the bunch. Not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Not the sharpest tool in the shed. Not the brightest [light] bulb on the [Christmas] tree. Not the brightest crayon in the box.

O

Idiom	Meaning
On a wing and a prayer	To rely mostly on hope to get through a desperate situation. Originating from a WWII era song depicting badly damaged aircraft limping back home after a bombing raid
On point	Describing someone or something as extremely effective or very well prepared. See also 'On the ball'
On the fence	Undecided between two options; vacillation between two ideas or choices
On the rag	Someone who is cranky, especially a woman exhibiting symptoms of PMS or menstrual cramps
On the same page	Two or more parties understand a situation the same way and are operating accordingly
Only the tip of the iceberg	A situation which is more complex than it first seems. Only a small fraction of an iceberg is visible above the surface
Off (or below) the radar	Beyond popular consciousness, less obvious or less mainstream
Off one's rocker	Mentally imbalanced, crazy
Off the wall	Strange, odd, or unusual
Off the X	Fairly recent slang expression, in which X is replaced by various nouns to make an expression with the general meaning of "great" or "wonderful". (e.g. Off the chain, off the wall, off the hook, etc.)
On a roll	Enjoying a continuous series of successes
On cloud nine	To be extremely happy. Original connotation referred to a state of stupor or unconsciousness; possibly drug, alcohol, or 'knockout punch' induced. Popular usage may have originated from a 1950s American radio program 'Johnny Dollar' in which one character was regularly knocked out and transported to 'Cloud Nine'. A numbering system for clouds in which level 9 is ascribed to the (30-40,000 feet) cumulo-nimbus clouds was established in the 19th century. Its first known codification in 'International Cloud Atlas' was based on work by Luke Howard. These clouds are the white cottony, mountainous appearing clouds that look like one could lie down on them and rest comfortably
On the ball	Prepared for the situation, especially in regard to anticipated future requests or instructions
On the dot	Precisely, punctually. Exactly at the expected interval. Refers to time (e.g. every three months on the dot)
(The situation) on the ground	The practical reality of common, everyday experience, as opposed to what theory or idealism says it could/should be. Sometimes used to mildly disparage an opponent's position as failing to pay sufficient attention to what is actually the case
On the nod	Under the influence of heroin
On the nose	Exactly correct. When regarding screenwriting, "on the nose" is referred to dialogue and occurs when a character says something that's rather obvious
Out of (from) left field	Unexpected. In conversation, a topic or idea coming out of left field is one with no obvious logical connection to what has just been said, a non-sequitur. Generally used to denote anything strange and/or random as well as unexpected
Out of (from) nowhere	Unexpected. Similar to "out of (from) left field", but without the 'strange/random' connotation
Out of sorts	Feeling poorly
Out of the frying pan, into the fire	Escaping a serious predicament only to end up in a worse one
Out of touch	To be unaware of current trends, news, or fashions, especially because of actual physical distance from others
Over the hill	To be past one's prime, old, a senior citizen. A person has reached his/her peak of physical or employment capabilities and is starting the downhill slide
Over the moon	Very happy, giddy

P

Idiom	Meaning
Pay through the nose (for something)	Pay an unusually large amount of money for something
Penny pinching	Being frugal with one's money, avoiding unnecessary expenses (can also mean stingy)
Penny wise, pound foolish	Cautious with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts. This expression is usually used when discussing short-sighted parsimony (example: "The manager's decision to save money by cutting the maintenance budget was penny wise, pound foolish.")
Piece of cake	Something done very easy
To spit/piss into the wind	To continue with an ineffective action, usually against the natural flow of things, when it is clear that said action will have no useful result. An exercise in futility
To piss on one's own feet	To try to accomplish something beneficial to yourself but hurting yourself in the process so much that the original action is rendered worthless. (e.g. "There's no way I could have stolen Bill's TV because I was at home doing heroin that whole night.") Similar in meaning to 'shoot oneself in the foot'
Play second fiddle (to)	To play a subordinate role to another; to be upstaged
To pocket	To take something clandestinely. Can refer to literal or figurative theft, (e.g. "He pocketed my candy bar!" or "The corporation pocketed millions set aside for environmental cleanup.")
Point well taken	?
Pot calling the kettle black	Accusing someone else of something of which one is also guilty; to betray one's own hypocrisy. From the practice of cooking over an open fire, where soot would blacken any cooking containers so used
Pound salt (or sand)	Go away. Get out of here/leave me alone
Preach to the choir	To declare something with which those present already agree
Pry	To inappropriately ask about someones personal life, to request information that is none of your business: (ex: "I don't mean to pry, but aren't you getting a divorce?")
To pull strings	Using influence or personal connections to facilitate a favorable outcome. Usually implies that the outcome would not occur without said intervention
Pulling the strings	Refers to the practice of those really in power limiting the authority of those who appear to be. An analogy to marionettes, which have the illusion of life because unseen puppeteers manipulate their limbs
Pulling one's leg	Being facetious, or kidding around. Playfully lying
Push the envelope	To approach the limits of normal behavior, to be exceptional
Pushing up daisies	Dead and buried. This comes from the Western cultural practice of burying the deceased in a cemetery or memorial park, often with flowers or grass growing at the grave site
Put the cart before the horse	To start a task without adequate preparation or forethought. Alternately, to jump to conclusions
Putting one's foot in one's mouth	Saying something which is quickly regretted, usually offensive to someone else. Connotes speaking in ignorance or without appropriate forethought
Putting one's money where one's mouth is	Backing up one's opinions with practical action
Putting words into one`s mouth	Asserting that another person has certain feelings or opinions which the other person has not stated or confirmed (example: "My boss was putting words into my mouth when he told me what he thought that I wanted to do.")

R

Idiom	Meaning
Raining/pouring cats and dogs	Raining heavily
Rake it in	To make a high profit or earning a high salary (example: She's raking it in on that new line of products). Humorous exaggeration which suggests the quantity of money is so great that it must be handled with yard implements
(Having a) ramrod up one's spine	Being stubborn or strong willed. A ramrod is a stiff pole which does not bend easily
(Read/in) between the lines	Inferring additional information or nuances not explicitly stated, perhaps revealing a hidden agenda or true motive. The lines here refers to lines of printed text
Read my lips: _____	Used to emphasize the statement or promise which immediately follows, often with slight aggression or beligerence. Example: George H.W. Bush's famous 1988 promise "Read my lips: No new taxes", meaning he absolutely would not raise taxes
Red Herring	A false clue or issue intended to lead one astray or a fallacious argument (Ignoratio elenchi)
Red-light district	Area of town or city with a high concentration of houses of prostitution or prostitutes. From the practice of displaying a red light in a window or over the door to notify potential customers of the activity available within
Red tape	Bureaucratic obstacles to a desired result. Derived from the Civil War-era practice of binding records and files with red tape
Reinvent the wheel	Duplicate a basic method or concept; create a new solution to a problem for which an adequate one already exists. The new solution does not add value and implies a waste of time and/or money. Related to NIH (not invented here) in which a technician or artisan refuses to use an existing solution through the arrogant notion that only they can produce a 'correct' solution
Right under your nose	Something so obvious that it is easily overlooked
Rob Peter to pay Paul	Solving a problem in a way that leads to a new problem; a quick solution with an obvious drawback (Peter and Paul being the disciples of Jesus); robbing Peter to pay Paul was used at least as far back as the 14th century, when theologian John Wycliff asked, "How should God approve that you rob Peter, and give this robbery to Paul in the name of Christ?" (courtesy of Merriam-Webster Online [3])
Rock the boat	Disturbing the social group. Breaking with tradition or going against custom or an apparent consensus, possibly with entirely benign motives - but perhaps out of selfishness
Run the table	In sports or other competitions, to win every contest or series. ("To make the playoffs, the team will have to run the table."). Most often used in various games of pocket billiards meaning to shoot all (or sometimes the remainder of) balls off the table and winning the game without giving the opponent the opportunity to "shoot"

S

Idiom	Meaning
Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander	If something is good for one person, it follows that it is good for everybody
Sawbones	A physician, especially a surgeon
Selling like hotcakes	Selling very rapidly
Set the Thames on fire	Perform an astonishing feat. This phrase is almost invariably used in the negative: "He'll never set the Thames on fire." Latin and German have similar idioms regarding the Tiber and the Rhine, respectively
Shake One's Booty	To dance vigorously
Shake the dust off your shoes/feet	Make a clean break from a (bad) former situation. Derived from the gospel of S. Matthew, ch. 10 v. 14: "And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet."
Shanks' pony (or mare)	One's own feet. To travel someplace by Shanks' pony is to walk there
To shift gears	To talk about or work on a different subject or to change the speed at which one is working. Normally referring to speeding up. "Boy he sure shifted (into a higher) gear(s) when he saw that the end was in sight!"
Shoot up	To inject drugs intravenously
Six feet under	Dead and buried (from a traditional depth for human graves)
Six of one, half a dozen of another / Six and two threes/ Sixes	Two options which are essentially the same so there is no real choice to be made
Six ways to (or from) Sunday	In every possible manner; by every imaginable method
Skeletons in the closet	Secrets from one's past that one would like to conceal
Sleep with the fishes	To be dead, often murdered. "X knew to much. Now he is sleeping with the fishes"
Slower than molasses in January	Excruciatingly slow; molasses is very thick and therefore would run slowly at any time of year, but is exaggerated here with the coldest month in many regions. Often used to describe a person or an object ("My computer is running slower than molasses in January.")
Small talk	Chitchat; light conversation
Soup to nuts	From beginning to end; etymologically, from the first course of a meal (soup) to the last course (nuts, which are often found in desserts)
Sour grapes	To decide that an out-of-reach prize was probably not worth having. Spitefully belittling another's success when one has failed. (Aesop's Fables: The Fox and the Grapes)
To spin a yarn	To tell a story, especially a long one with distorted truths or exaggerations
Speak of the devil (and he shall appear)	Said aloud when someone who was being discussed in conversation enters the area of those conversing; from the belief that uttering the name of a demon could serve to summon it
Spill the beans	To reveal a secret
Spirit of the law	To interpret something as it is meant, not as explicitly stated. The 'spirit' of the law is often contrasted with the 'letter' of same, which is its explicit statement
Squaring the circle	Trying to do something which is impossible
Stalking horse	A political candidate unlikely to succeed against an incumbent, standing to generate an election and to reveal disquiet with the incumbent's recent performance — possibly inducing other competitors for that post to declare their interest. Refers to American Indian hunting practice of approaching a herd of wild animals while mostly concealed by a tame mount
Start with a clean slate/sheet (of paper)	To completely start over, or to contemplate solving a problem without preconceptions
Stand in good stead	To be extremely useful in the future
Steal someone's thunder	Taking the credit for something positive occasioned largely by someone else, or simply to upstage someone. From a stage thunder device by John Dennis
Stem the tide	To stop or control the growth or increase of something, usually unpleasant. In a strictly nautical sense, the "stem" of a ship is the bow, prow, head, or front. The stern is the after end of the ship. Thus the term "from stem to stern". To "stem the tide" is to drop anchor and swing the ship into the tide so the stem meets the rush of the tide and is not carried away by it. To stop the tide is fanciful and irrational. However, to be anchored in truth and reality and thus not be swept away by the tide practical and sane.
Stick (or stuck) in the mud	An old-fashioned idea or concept, or someone who moves or adapts slowly. Also used to describe a person who does not want to participate in activities suggested by one or more people
Stick it to the Man	To perform an action that is against the wishes of 'The Man.' Defined below
Sticky wicket	A tough situation; for example, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, maneuvering his way through the sticky wicket of the Middle East, wanted to stress the need to maintain an international coalition. -- William Safire; Fog of War: Von Clausewitz Strikes Again; The New York Times Magazine; Nov 18, 2001. The term comes from the parlance of cricket, and describes a situation in which rain has dampened the pitch. This makes the path of the ball more unpredictable thus making the job of defending the stumps that much more difficult.
Stiff-necked	Stubborn. This is an example of metonymy. A stubborn person frequently does not turn his head to listen and appears stiff in the neck. Thus having a stiff neck and not turning both imply stubbornness; by the rule of metonymy, 'stiff necked' means stubborn
Straw that broke the camel's back	From a proverb about loading up a camel beyond its capacity to move. This is a reference to any process by which catastrophic failure (a broken back) is achieved by a seemingly inconsequential addition (a single straw). This also gives rise to the phrase 'the last straw'
Suck it up	To ignore pain or a painful situation so as to continue to progress ("Your girlfriend dumped you? Suck it up and get back in the game!")
Swan song	A final appearance; a theatrical or dramatic farewell, from a legendary belief that a swan would sing its own dirge as it died
Swim with the fishes	To die, especially to be murdered and have your body disposed of, often in a body of water. (See also "sleep with the fishes"). It's presumed to be a bit of Mafia jargon
Swim with (the) sharks	Taking a huge risk
Sword of Damocles	The Sword of Damocles is a frequently used symbolic allusion to this myth, referring to the insecurity felt by those with great power due to the possibility of that power being taken away suddenly, or, more generally, any feeling of impending doom

T

Idiom	Meaning
Take a flyer	To take a chance or risk
Take a powder	To leave. Especially: to leave unexpectedly and without a firm (or any) intention to return. Often used to describe the actions of a man who abandons family or other obligations when conditions no longer suit him
Take it on the chin	Accept a difficult situation without complaining
Take it with a pinch (or grain) of salt	To be sceptical and cautious about whether what someone has told you is true, or is the complete story
Taken to the cleaners	Defrauded, robbed, cheated, conned
Tall tale	A (sometimes boastful) unrealistic story, often told in a humorous way
The cat's out of the bag	A secret or hidden thing has been discovered
The door swings both ways	The same principle applies to two or more situations. Typically used to attack hypocratic statements or actions, e.g. "What you do to me, I can do to you."
The ends justify the means	A good result will (or should) atone for any unethical actions which were taken to get there
The glass is half full/half empty	A phrase illustrating that 'good' or 'bad' is often a matter of perspective. From the belief that someone who refers to a glass as "half full" has an optimistic outlook on life, and someone who refers to the same glass as half empty has a pessimistic one
The more things change, the more they stay the same	Despite the appearance of change, there is little fundamental difference between the past and the present
The jig is up	Some activity that was supposed to remain secret (implied to be illegal, immoral or otherwise prohibited activity) is now exposed
The Man	Any government, company, boss, or set of rules that hold power over a person's behavior; often used in the abstract. Similar to 'The Powers That Be'
The Powers That Be	Generic term for people who are in charge. Often used either derisively or when the actual people are not known. Usually capitalized
((The) tail that) wag(s) the dog	The reversal of a normal control-reaction relationship. Often used in reference to relationships of authority and subjugation. Normally a dog wags its tail, not the other way around To have misplaced priorities, with the less important part controlling the main thing. See also: putting the cart before (or in front of) the horse
Third rail	A topic or issue of such contention or sensitivity that any attempt to address it will result in deleterious consequences for those who attempt to do so. From the electrified third rail used to power many subway systems, the touching of which will result in death. (Example: Social Security reform is the third rail of American politics, anyone who brings it up is likely to find himself out of office)
This is not your father's ____	Despite similarities, there is a fundamental difference between the past and the present subject; usually implying a favorable updating. From an ad campaign for Oldsmobile in the 1980s
Three sheets to the wind	Drunk, usually heavily inebriated. 'Sheets' are ropes used to attach a sail; if three of them are unattached ('to the wind'), the sail will not sit correctly and the ship will lurch and wobble
Throw down the gauntlet	To challenge
Throw the game/match/fight	To intentionally lose the game/match/fight
To be catty	Antagonistic about trivial matters, usually applied to women
Too many cooks spoil the broth	Too many people crowding a situation are bound to ruin it; alternately, consulting a large number of people for a solution will inevitably result in confusing or self-contradictory advice
Too much	Something or someone unbelievable, incredible, or just generally exceptional. Can be negative or positive
To the letter	To interpret and follow instructions or rules in as literal a manner as possible, doing nothing that one is not explicitly instructed or told to do, often deliberately ignoring the implicit meaning of those instructions or rules. To follow the letter of the law to the detriment of the spirit in which it was written
To think one's head will burst	To be extremely angry
To turn turtle	To capsize
Touch base	To briefly communicate with someone in order to ascertain that a shared situation or project is proceeding as it should
Toot your own horn/blow your own trumpet	To brag about oneself, often downplaying the contributions of others
Toe the line	To follow rules and regulations faithfully. To be careful to never commit any transgressions. To conform, particularly to conform to onerous or odious demands through loyalty. Frequently used pejoratively in reference to politicians who comform to their party's policy on an issue despite their stated personal beliefs ("toe the party line")
Treading water	Sustaining the present situation, neither improving or worsening. Usually used to denote a negative situation or achieving the bare minimum above defeat. A person working very hard at his job but never receiving promotion would be "treading water"
Trip the light fantastic	To dance nimbly
Twenty-four-seven	Available at all times
Two (or ten) a penny	Very common, cheap, not special. Similar in meaning to 'a dime a dozen'

U

Idiom	Meaning
Under the weather	Feeling ill
Up a [shit] creek without a paddle	In an untenable position. Having no recourse or satisfactory course of action. Or "Up a creek with a hole in the boat"
Up to eleven	As high, loud, or powerful as possible...and then some. One more than the standard 'ten'. From the famous mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap
Up to one's neck	neck-deep: deeply involved; "neck-deep in work"; "up to their necks in debt"

W

Idiom	Meaning
Wake up on the wrong side of the bed	Be very grumpy. Usually used in response to discovering someone is very grumpy. "Whoa! Looks like you woke up on the wrong side of the bed today!"
Walking on eggshells	An idiomatic expression used to convey sensitivity in conversations. Originating from expressions such as "walking on thin ice.". 1800 Old english usage of eggshells being easily broken.
Water under the bridge	Something that has happened in the past and is no longer worth agonizing over. A dismissal of prior offenses or transgressions. Generally said after emotional conflicts
Wet behind the ears	Inexperienced because of youth, practically a newborn. A humorous exaggeration
What is coming down the pike	Events or happenings expected to come to pass in the near future
What goes around comes around	If a person does something bad, something bad will eventually happen to him. See: karma
What's good for the goose is good for the gander	Generally speaking, that which benefits the individual benefits society as a whole
When the gloves are off	After the polite negotiations have failed, when false posturing is no longer plausible. Similar to 'when the chips are down' or 'when push comes to shove'
Where there's smoke, there's fire	If there is telltale evidence of some event, the event is probably occurring
Whistling past the graveyard	To attempt to stay cheerful in a dire situation. To ignore an obvious hazard. To enter a situation with little or no understanding of the possible consequences. To proceed despite ignorance while hoping for a good outcome
Whistle in the dark	To speak of something despite having little knowledge of it
The whole nine yards	The entire amount, everything. Frequently "Going the whole nine yards" to indicate completion to surfeit, sparing nothing, or employing procedures reserved for only the most important events. The etymology is ambiguous, with explanations ranging from the 9 yard machine gun belts used in some WWII military aircraft to an older use of 9 yards in the textile industry for ceremonious saris, normal saris comprising only 6 yards, dating back to English introduction to Indian tailoring in the 18th century. Another explanation is that the term is a sarcastic reference to American football, where ten yards is the length of a first down. With running nine yards being no real achievement, to say that someone ran 'the whole nine yards' would be to say that they almost achieved something. Like many words with ambiguous etymology, this phrase may have more than one derivation.[4]
Wild goose chase	To send someone on a task that is impossible or completely irrelevant as a distraction to keep them occupied, out of your way, or away from something else.
Wing it	To improvise; to invent a way to deal with a situation for which one is not prepared and/or has no knowledge
Work one's tail off	Work especially hard and energetically, e.g. "We worked our tails off to get this project done."
(The) Worm has turned	Circumstances have changed
Wrestling blancmange	Attempting to grapple with a hard to grasp or almost insoluble issue
Wrong end of the stick	Getting the wrong idea about something
(To get the) short end of the stick	Getting the worse part of a deal or situation

X

Idiom	Meaning
(To) xerox	To photocopy

Y

Idiom	Meaning
Yellow(-bellied)	Cowardly

Z

Idiom	Meaning
Zebra	In the medical world, a case that has been diagnosed as an obscure or serious case when, in reality, the affliction is common. Derives from "when you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras." In professional sports, especially American Football, it is a term used to refer to referees, due to the comonality of black and white striped uniforms.
Zone out	To lose concentration or attentiveness

See also

• Idiom
• Idiom dictionary
• Wiktionary Idioms category