Concept: Idioms & Phrases

CONTENTS

 

IDIOMS & PHRASES

  • A bone of contention
    Meaning: a subject of dispute 

  • A far cry
    Meaning: a long way off; no easy transition 

  • A gift of the gab
    Meaning: a talent for speaking 

  • A hard nut to crack
    Meaning: a difficult problem to solve 

  • A man of his words
    Meaning: a trustworthy man 

  • A man of straw
    Meaning: a man of no substance or consequence 

  • A wild-goose chase
    Meaning: a foolish and fruitless search 

  • A wolf in sheep's clothing
    Meaning: a hypocrite 

  • Abide by
    Meaning: to act in accord with, agree with 

  • Account for
    Meaning: to answer explaining one's 

  • Achilles' heel
    Meaning: the one weak spot in someone's circumstance or character 

  • Act as someone/something
    Meaning: to perform the actions or functions of (a specified person or thing) 

  • Act for someone
    Meaning: to stand in as substitute for them 

  • Act on/upon someone/something
    Meaning: to have an effect or influence on them or it 

  • Act on/upon something
    Meaning: to follow (advice, etc); to obey (instructions, etc) 

  • Act something out
    Meaning: to express (one's feelings, fears, etc) in one's behaviour, usually unconsciously 

  • Act up
    Meaning: 1. said of a machine, etc;  to fail or function erratically; 2. to behave badly 

  • Add fuel to the fire
    Meaning: worsen an already bad situation 

  • After a fashion
    Meaning: to a certain degree; not satisfactorily 

  • An ugly customer
    Meaning: formidable person to deal with 

  • Ask after
    Meaning: to ask about the state of health or condition 

  • Asked for
    Meaning: to look for trouble 

  • At a person's beck and call
    Meaning: having constantly to obey a person's orders 

  • At daggers drawn
    Meaning: have strained relations 

  • At the drop of a hat
    Meaning: given the slightest excuse 

  • At the first blush
    Meaning: at the first sight 

  • Attend to
    Meaning: to look into and solve; pay 

  • Backlash
    Meaning: a strong or violent reaction 

  • Be eaten up with something
    Meaning: to be consumed by (jealousy, etc) 

  • Bear a grudge
    Meaning: to harbour a feeling of ill-will or resentment 

  • Bear down
    Meaning: quell, put down 

  • Bear down on / upon someone / something
    Meaning: to move threateningly towards them or it 

  • Bear on something
    Meaning: to affect, concern or relate to it 

  • Bear someone/something out
    Meaning: to support or confirm them or it 

  • Bear the brunt
    Meaning: receive the main force or impact 

  • Bear up
    Meaning: to remain strong or brave under strain or difficult circumstances 

  • Bear up
    Meaning: to endure; face hardship bravely 

  • Bear with
    Meaning: be patient with 

  • Bear with someone
    Meaning: to be patient with them 

  • Bears out
    Meaning: confirms, corroborates, justifies 

  • Black sheep
    Meaning: bad character(s), scoundrel(s) 

  • Blue moon
    Meaning: occurring over a very long time 

  • Blue-blooded
    Meaning: belonging to the nobility or aristocracy 

  • Bolt from the blue (or bolt out of the blue)
    Meaning: a sudden and entirely unexpected event 

  • Book in
    Meaning: 1. to sign one's name on the list of guests at a hotel; 2. to report one's arrival at a hotel or conference reception desk, airport

  • Book someone in
    Meaning: to reserve a place or room for them in a hotel, etc. 

  • Book something up
    Meaning: to fix and reserve in advance the tickets and other arrangements for (a holiday, show, meal, etc) 

  • Bore away
    Meaning: won, took away 

  • Brave the elements
    Meaning: to encounter inclement weather 

  • Break the ice
    Meaning: to make a beginning 

  • Bring forth
    Meaning: cause 

  • Bring out
    Meaning: show, decipher the meaning 

  • Bring something to bear
    Meaning: to apply or exert (especially pressure or influence) or bring something into operation 

  • Bringing him round
    Meaning: converting him, influencing him 

  • Brings in
    Meaning: yields 

  • Broke down
    Meaning: failed, wept 

  • Broke into
    Meaning: to enter by force 

  • Broke off
    Meaning: to stop abruptly 

  • Brought about
    Meaning: produced, caused 

  • Brought forward
    Meaning: something pertinent or conclusive, adduced 

  • Brought out
    Meaning: published 

  • Brought up
    Meaning: raised, reared 

  • Buckle under
    Meaning: to surrender or yield, 

  • Build one's hopes upon
    Meaning: believe 

  • Butt in
    Meaning: to intrude into someone's conversation 

  • By fits and starts
    Meaning: irregularly; capriciously 

  • By hook or by crook
    Meaning: by any means - fair or foul 

  • Call in
    Meaning: summon, send 

  • Call out
    Meaning: reveal, draw forth 

  • Call up
    Meaning: remember, recollect 

  • Called for
    Meaning: demanded or needed 

  • Called on
    Meaning: to pay a brief or short visit 

  • Came about
    Meaning: Happened 

  • Came to
    Meaning: totalled 

  • Came up
    Meaning: open to discussion or debate 

  • Carried off
    Meaning: killed (especially in large numbers) 

  • Carried on
    Meaning: Managed to take over and run something 

  • Carry on
    Meaning: 1. to continue; to keep going; 2. to make a noisy or unnecessary fuss 

  • Carry on with someone
    Meaning: to have a love affair with them 

  • Carry out
    Meaning: execute, accomplish 

  • Carry someone through
    Meaning: to help them to survive a difficult period, etc 

  • Carry something forward
    Meaning: to transfer (a number, amount, etc) to the next column, page or financial period 

  • Carry something off
    Meaning: 1. to manage (an awkward situation, etc); 2. to win (a prize, etc); 3. to take something away by force 

  • Carry something out
    Meaning: to accomplish it successfully 

  • Carry something over
    Meaning: 1. to continue it on the following page, etc; to carry forward; 2. to postpone it 

  • Carry something through
    Meaning: to complete or accomplish it 

  • Carry weight
    Meaning: be influential or important 

  • Cast away
    Meaning: wrecked; rejected, discarded 

  • Cast down
    Meaning: to lower someone's spirits; saddened, depressed; humbled 

  • Close fisted
    Meaning: miserly or parsimonious 

  • Cold feet
    Meaning: a loss or lack of courage or confidence 

  • Come around
    Meaning: revive; visit 

  • Come by
    Meaning: get, find or come across 

  • Come off
    Meaning: happen, take place; to be successful 

  • Come out
    Meaning: reveal or become known 

  • Come round/around
    Meaning: change one's opinion, especially to agree with another 

  • Come what may
    Meaning: no matter what happens 

  • Could do with something/someone
    Meaning: would benefit from having them or it 

  • Crack down on someone/something
    Meaning: to take firm action against them or it 

  • Crack up
    Meaning: to suffer an emotional breakdown 

  • Cry off
    Meaning: to cancel an engagement or agreement 

  • Cry out
    Meaning: to protest 

  • Cry out for something
    Meaning: to be in obvious need of it 

  • Cry someone or something up
    Meaning: to praise them or it 

  • Cry something down
    Meaning: to be critical of it 

  • Cut across something
    Meaning: 1. to go against (normal procedure, etc); 2. said of an issue, etc;  to be more important than, or transcend (the barriers or divisions between parties, etc); 3. to take a short cut through it, eg a field, etc 

  • Cut back on something
    Meaning: to reduce spending, etc 

  • Cut down
    Meaning: decrease 

  • Cut down on something
    Meaning: to reduce one's use of it; to do less of it 

  • Cut in
    Meaning: 1. to interrupt; 2. (said of a vehicle) to overtake and squeeze in front of another vehicle 

  • Cut into someone
    Meaning: (said of the driver or a vehicle) to drive in front of (another vehicle) in a dangerous manner 

  • Cut off
    Meaning: to stop suddenly; to disinherit; to interrupt; to separate; to expire 

  • Cut one up
    Meaning: to be deeply affected by 

  • Cut out
    Meaning: suited for 

  • Cut out
    Meaning: 1. (said of an engine, etc) to stop working; 2. (said of an electrical device) to switch off or stop automatically, usually as a safety precaution 

  • Cut someone off
    Meaning: to disconnect them during a telephone call 

  • Cut something down
    Meaning: to fell a tree, etc 

  • Cut something off
    Meaning: 1. to separate or isolate it; 2. to stop (the supply of gas, electricity, etc); 3. to stop it or cut it short 

  • Cut something out
    Meaning: 1. to remove or delete it; 2. to clip pictures, etc out of a magazine, etc; 3. to stop doing it; 4. to exclude from consideration; 5. to block out the light or view 

  • Dampener on
    Meaning: something that restrains or depresses 

  • Die down
    Meaning: to subside or fade slowly 

  • Do away with someone / something
    Meaning: to abolish; to murder 

  • Do oneself up
    Meaning: to dress up 

  • Do or die
    Meaning: persist regardless of danger 

  • Do someone / something down
    Meaning: to speak of them or it as if unimportant or not very good 

  • Do someone in
    Meaning: to kill them 

  • Do someone out of something
    Meaning: to deprive them of it especially by trickery 

  • Do something up
    Meaning: to repair, clean or improve the decoration of a building 

  • Do without something
    Meaning: to manage without it 

  • Dog in the manger
    Meaning: a person who prevents others from using something, although he has no use for it 

  • Done for
    Meaning: finished, ruined 

  • Dos and Don'ts
    Meaning: rules of behaviour 

  • Draw a person's fire
    Meaning: attract hostility, criticism etc. away from a more important target 

  • Draw back
    Meaning: to retreat; to recoil 

  • Draw in
    Meaning: said of nights; to start earlier, making days shorter 

  • Draw in one's horns
    Meaning: become less assertive or ambitious 

  • Draw on something
    Meaning: to make use of assets from a fund or source, draw on reserves of energy 

  • Draw oneself up
    Meaning: to lift oneself into an upright position; to straighten up 

  • Draw someone out
    Meaning: to encourage them to be less shy or reserved 

  • Draw something up
    Meaning: to plan and write (a contract or other document) 

  • Draw up
    Meaning: to come to a halt 

  • Dressing down
    Meaning: to scold or reprimand 

  • Drop off
    Meaning: to decline, to fall asleep 

  • Eat in
    Meaning: to eat at home rather than in a restaurant, café, etc 

  • Eat into/through something
    Meaning: 1. to use it up gradually; 2. to waste it; 3. to destroy its material, substance or form, especially by chemical action; to corrode it 

  • Eat out
    Meaning: to eat at a restaurant, café, etc rather than at home 

  • Eat something away or eat away at something
    Meaning: 1. to gnaw it; 2. to eat into it 

  • Eat something up
    Meaning: 1. to finish (one's food); 2. to destroy it; 3. to absorb; to listen with real interest

  • Eat up
    Meaning: to finish one's food 

  • Egg on one's face
    Meaning: an embarrassing situation caused by saying or doing something foolish 

  • Fall about
    Meaning: to be helpless with laughter 

  • Fall apart
    Meaning: 1. to break into pieces; 2. to fail; to collapse 

  • Fall away
    Meaning: 1. (said of land) to slope downwards; 2. to become fewer or less; 3. to disappear 

  • Fall back
    Meaning: to move back; to retreat 

  • Fall back on something
    Meaning: to make use of it in an emergency 

  • Fall behind or fall behind with something
    Meaning: 1. to fail to keep up with someone, with one's work, etc; 2. to be late in paying instalments, rent, etc 

  • Fall down (on)
    Meaning: perform poorly 

  • Fall for someone
    Meaning: to become infatuated with them, or fall in love with them 

  • Fall for something
    Meaning: to be deceived or taken in by it; to be conned by it 

  • Fall foul of
    Meaning: come into conflict with 

  • Fall in
    Meaning: 1. (said eg of a roof) to collapse; 2. said of a soldier, etc

  • Fall in with
    Meaning: is suited for; meets 

  • Fall in with someone
    Meaning: to chance to meet or coincide with them 

  • Fall in with something
    Meaning: to agree to it; to support it 

  • Fall into place
    Meaning: begin to make sense 

  • Fall off
    Meaning: to decline in quality or quantity; to become less 

  • Fall on/upon someone
    Meaning: 1. to attack them; 2. to embrace them passionately 

  • Fall out
    Meaning: 1. said of soldiers

  • Fall out with someone
    Meaning: to quarrel with them, and then not talk to them or have contact with them for a period of time 

  • Fall through
    Meaning: (said of a plan etc) to fail; to come to nothing 

  • Fall to someone
    Meaning: something that becomes one's job 

  • Fallen off
    Meaning: declined 

  • Fallen out
    Meaning: to part ways in an acrimonious manner 

  • Fallen through
    Meaning: not succeeded 

  • Far and away
    Meaning: by a very large amount 

  • Fell back
    Meaning: retreated 

  • Flash in the pan
    Meaning: short-lived success 

  • Fly off on a tangent
    Meaning: to start talking about an unrelated topic 

  • For want of something
    Meaning: in the absence of it 

  • Gave away
    Meaning: distributed; handed over 

  • Gave himself up
    Meaning: to surrender or to give up 

  • Gave way
    Meaning: broke 

  • Get about/around
    Meaning: 1. to travel; to go from place to place; 2. said of a rumour, etc

  • Get ahead
    Meaning: to make progress, to be successful 

  • Get along with someone
    Meaning: to be on friendly terms with them 

  • Get at
    Meaning: to suggest; to reach 

  • Get at something
    Meaning: 1. to reach or take hold of it; 2. to suggest or imply it 

  • Get away
    Meaning: 1. to leave or be free to leave; 2. to escape; 3. an exclamation

  • Get away with something
    Meaning: to commit (an offence or wrongdoing etc) without being caught or punished 

  • Get back at someone
    Meaning: to take revenge on them 

  • Get by
    Meaning: 1. to manage to live; 2. to be just about acceptable 

  • Get Carried away
    Meaning: lose self-control 

  • Get down to something
    Meaning: to apply oneself to (a task or piece of work) 

  • Get in with someone
    Meaning: to become friendly with them, often for selfish reasons 

  • Get into something
    Meaning: to develop a liking or enthusiasm for it 

  • Get off
    Meaning: to be let off lightly; to escape; to leave 

  • Get off something
    Meaning: to stop discussing or dealing with (a subject) 

  • Get off/get someone off
    Meaning: 1. to escape, or cause them to escape, with no punishment or with only the stated punishment; 2. to fall asleep or send (eg a child) to sleep. 

  • Get on
    Meaning: to make progress; to be successful 

  • Get on (get along)
    Meaning: to be in harmony with 

  • Get on at/someone
    Meaning: to pester or criticize them continually 

  • Get on to someone
    Meaning: 1. to make contact with them; 2. to begin dealing with them 

  • Get on to something
    Meaning: 1. to find out the truth about it; 2. to start dealing with a matter 

  • Get on with someone
    Meaning: to have a friendly relationship with them 

  • Get oneself up
    Meaning: to get dressed up 

  • Get out of
    Meaning: avoid or escape (a duty etc) 

  • Get out of
    Meaning: said of information

  • Get out of something
    Meaning: to avoid having to do it 

  • Get over someone/something
    Meaning: to be no longer emotionally affected by them or it, to recover from something (an illness, disappointment, etc.) 

  • Get round
    Meaning: (said of information, a rumour, etc) to become generally known 

  • Get round someone
    Meaning: to persuade them or win their approval or permission 

  • Get round to
    Meaning: deal with (a task) in due course 

  • Get round to something/someone
    Meaning: to deal with it or them eventually 

  • Get round/around
    Meaning: successfully coax especially to secure a favour 

  • Get someone down
    Meaning: to make them sad or depressed 

  • Get someone through
    Meaning: to help someone pass (a test, etc) 

  • Get someone up
    Meaning: to make them get out of bed 

  • Get something across
    Meaning: to make it understood 

  • Get something down
    Meaning: 1. to manage to swallow it; 2. to write it down 

  • Get something in
    Meaning: 1. to gather or harvest it; 2. to succeed in doing or making it before something else occurs 

  • Get something out
    Meaning: 1. to manage to say it, usually with difficulty; 2. to publish it 

  • Get something over
    Meaning: to explain it successfully; to make it understood 

  • Get something over with
    Meaning: to deal with (something unpleasant) as quickly as possible 

  • Get something up
    Meaning: 1. to arrange, organize or prepare it; 2. to learn it by deliberate effort; 3. to increase and maintain (speed) 

  • Get the worst of it
    Meaning: be defeated 

  • Get through
    Meaning: pass or assist in passing 

  • Get through something
    Meaning: 1. to complete (a task, piece of work, etc); 2. to use it steadily until it is finished; 3. to pass (a test, etc) 

  • Get through to someone
    Meaning: 1. to make contact with them by telephone; 2. to make them understand 

  • Get together
    Meaning: to assemble, especially for a specified purpose 

  • Get up to something
    Meaning: to do or be involved in it, especially when it is bad, unwelcome or not approved of 

  • Give in
    Meaning: submit; surrender

  • Give off
    Meaning: to give forth or release 

  • Give out
    Meaning: to become exhausted 

  • Give up on
    Meaning: lose hope; stop believing 

  • Go ballistic
    Meaning: to be overwrought with emotion 

  • Go by
    Meaning: decipher; judge from 

  • Go down
    Meaning: to be believed; to decrease or descend; to be defeated 

  • Go into
    Meaning: to inspect or scrutinize carefully; to take up as study or work 

  • Go through
    Meaning: to inspect; to experience; to use up 

  • Go through
    Meaning: experienced a lot of distress and suffering 

  • Golden handshake
    Meaning: a special incentive to an older employee to induce early retirement. 

  • Got through
    Meaning: passed 

  • Hang about or around with someone
    Meaning: to spend a lot of time in their company 

  • Hang about/around
    Meaning: 1. to waste time; to stand around doing nothing; 2. to stay or remain 

  • Hang back
    Meaning: to be unwilling or reluctant to do something 

  • Hang on
    Meaning: 1. to wait; "I'll hang on for a bit"; 2. to carry on bravely, inspite of problems or difficulties 

  • Hang on something
    Meaning: 1. to depend on it. Eg. It all hangs on the weather; 2. to listen closely to it. Eg. Hanging on her every word 

  • Hang on to something
    Meaning: to keep a hold or control it 

  • Hang out
    Meaning: 1. to lean or bend (eg of a window, etc); 2. (said of clothes) to hang up outside to dry; 3. to frequent a place. Eg. He hangs out in local bars 

  • Hang over someone
    Meaning: (said of an unresolved problem, decision, etc) to overshadow or threaten them 

  • Hang over something
    Meaning: to project over or lean out from it 

  • Hang something on someone
    Meaning: to blame them for it 

  • Hang something out
    Meaning: to hang up (washing) outside to dry 

  • Hang something up
    Meaning: to hang something on a hook, hanger, etc 

  • Hang together
    Meaning: make sense 

  • Hang together
    Meaning: 1. (said of two people) to be united and support each other; 2. (said of ideas etc), to be consistent 

  • Hang up
    Meaning: to finish a telephone conversation by replacing the receiver 

  • Head over heels
    Meaning: completely 

  • Heads I win, tails you lose
    Meaning: in any case I will be the winner 

  • Hit the ceiling
    Meaning: to be enraged 

  • Hobson's choice
    Meaning: no choice at all 

  • Hoist with (or by) one's own petard
    Meaning: affected adversely by one's schemes against others 

  • Hold out
    Meaning: resist; refuse to give up 

  • Hold over
    Meaning: postponed 

  • Hold up
    Meaning: to be stopped at gunpoint by force with the purpose of robbery; to delay 

  • Hot air
    Meaning: empty and verbose talk 

  • In black and white
    Meaning: in writing 

  • In cold blood
    Meaning: deliberately done in a calculated manner and not in a moment of passion 

  • In kind
    Meaning: in the same way; in the same measure 

  • In one's blood
    Meaning: inherent in one's character 

  • In the air
    Meaning: prevalent, found everywhere 

  • In the long run
    Meaning: eventually; ultimately 

  • In the nick of time
    Meaning: just at the right moment; opportunely 

  • In the palm of one's hand
    Meaning: under one's control or influence

  • In the palm of one's hand
    Meaning: in one's power 

  • In the pink
    Meaning: in the best of health 

  • In the same vein
    Meaning: along similar lines 

  • In want of something
    Meaning: needing it 

  • It is all one to me
    Meaning: just the same without any difference 

  • Keep a stiff upper lip
    Meaning: to show no emotion or worry when faced with difficulties 

  • Keep back
    Meaning: conceal 

  • Keep one's head above water
    Meaning: to remain solvent

  • Kick about/around
    Meaning: 1. to lie around unused and neglected; 2. to be idle; to go about aimlessly 

  • Kick in
    Meaning: to take effect 

  • Kick off
    Meaning: 1. to start, or restart, a football game by kicking the ball away from the center 

  • Kick someone/around
    Meaning: to treat them badly or roughly 

  • Kick someone/something out
    Meaning: to dismiss or get rid of them or get rid of it, especially using force 

  • Kick something about/around
    Meaning: to discuss (an idea, etc) informally among several people 

  • Kick something off
    Meaning: to begin (a discussion, etc) 

  • Knock about with someone
    Meaning: to associate or go about with them 

  • Knock about/around
    Meaning: 1. to wander about (a place) in a casual and aimless way; to lie about unused; to die knocking about the streets; 2. to travel about, roughing it and having varied experience. Eg. He knocked; about Europe for the summer 

  • Knock into someone
    Meaning: to meet them by chance or unexpectedly 

  • Knock into someone/something
    Meaning: to collide with them 

  • Knock off
    Meaning: 1. to finish work; 2. strike off with a blow 

  • Knock someone about/around
    Meaning: to treat them roughly; to hit or batter them 

  • Knock someone back
    Meaning: 1. to cost them (a specified amount) Eg. Knocked me back 500 quid; 2. surprise, dismay, or disappoint them; 3. to rebuff or reject them; to turn them down 

  • Knock someone down
    Meaning: to strike them to the ground, knocked down by a car 

  • Knock someone out
    Meaning: 1. to make them unconscious, especially by hitting them; 2. boxing to make them unconscious or render them incapable of rising in the competition; 3. to amaze them; to impress them greatly 

  • Knock someone sideways
    Meaning: to come as a severe shock to them; to devastate or disconcert them 

  • Knock someone up
    Meaning: 1. to wake them by knocking; 2. to exhaust them; 3. coarse slang to make them pregnant 

  • Knock something down
    Meaning: 1. to demolish (a building); 2. to reduce its price 

  • Knock something into someone
    Meaning: to teach it to them forcefully 

  • Knock something off
    Meaning: 1. to produce it or them at speed or in quick succession, apparently quite easily; 2. to deduct (a certain amount); 3. to rob or steal it; 4. to copy and distribute illegally; 5. (often in commands) to stop it 

  • Knock something together
    Meaning: to make it hurriedly 

  • Knock together
    Meaning: put together hastily 

  • Knock up
    Meaning: to exchange practice shots with one's opponent before a match 

  • Knocked down
    Meaning: sold (especially in an auction) 

  • Knocked up
    Meaning: Tired 

  • Know a thing or two
    Meaning: be experienced or shrewd 

  • Know the ropes
    Meaning: to understand the particulars of a subject 

  • Laid up
    Meaning: confined indoors 

  • Laid/Lay down
    Meaning: to surrender or submit; to assert firmly 

  • Lap up
    Meaning: receive very eagerly 

  • Lay a charge
    Meaning: make an accusation 

  • Lay hands on
    Meaning: seize or attack 

  • Lay into something
    Meaning: to eat it quickly and with enthusiasm 

  • Lay off someone
    Meaning: to leave them alone 

  • Lay someone off
    Meaning: to dismiss (an employee) when there is no work available 

  • Lay someone out
    Meaning: 1. to knock them unconscious; 2. to prepare (a dead body) for burial 

  • Lay someone up
    Meaning: to force them to stay in bed or at home 

  • Lay something aside
    Meaning: 1. to put it to one side, especially for later use or treatment; 2. to discard or abandon it 

  • Lay something by
    Meaning: to put away for future use 

  • Lay something down
    Meaning: 1. to put it on the ground or some other surface; 2. to give it as a deposit, pledge, formulate or device; 3. to give up or sacrifice (life); 4. to formulate or device (law); 5. to store (wine) in a cellar; 6. to begin to build (a ship or railway); 7. to put (music) onto tape, CD, etc 

  • Lay something in
    Meaning: to get and store a supply of it 

  • Lay something on
    Meaning: to provide a supply of it 

  • Lay something out
    Meaning: 1. to plan and arrange (especially land or natural features); 2. to spread it our or display it; 3. to spend it 

  • Lay something up
    Meaning: 1. to keep or store it; 2. to put (a ship) out of use, especially for repairs 

  • Lay waste
    Meaning: ravage 

  • Leave a person cold
    Meaning: not impress or excite a person 

  • Let into
    Meaning: given the details of; allowed to participate; allowed entrance 

  • Let off
    Meaning: leniently or lightly punished 

  • Let off
    Meaning: let go without punishment 

  • Let someone in for something
    Meaning: to involve them in something difficult or unpleasant 

  • Let someone in on something
    Meaning: to share a secret, etc with them 

  • Let someone or something down
    Meaning: to disappoint or fail to help them at a crucial time. 

  • Let someone/something off
    Meaning: to release them or it from work, duties, etc 

  • Let up
    Meaning: to stop or to become less strong or violent Eg. The rain let up at last 

  • Lock, stock and barrel
    Meaning: the whole of a thing 

  • Look daggers at
    Meaning: to look angrily 

  • Look into
    Meaning: examine 

  • Look up
    Meaning: search for, find 

  • Look up to
    Meaning: respect, revere 

  • Looked on (looked upon)
    Meaning: to consider or regard 

  • Looking up
    Meaning: improving scenario 

  • Looks down on/upon
    Meaning: to be contemptuous of 

  • Make a virtue of necessity
    Meaning: derive some credit or benefit from an unwelcome obligation 

  • Make do
    Meaning: inferior substitute 

  • Make light of
    Meaning: to see something as unimportant 

  • Make out
    Meaning: decipher 

  • Move heaven and earth
    Meaning: to make a supreme effort 

  • Nip in the bud
    Meaning: to make it fail before it could mature 

  • Not fit to hold a candle
    Meaning: not to be named in comparison with 

  • Not to be in one's line
    Meaning: not to be in one's province or area of activities

  • Not to mince matters/words
    Meaning: to speak unreservedly and frankly 

  • Not worth his salt
    Meaning: quite worthless 

  • Of a kind
    Meaning: of the same type 

  • Of flesh and blood
    Meaning: human nature 

  • Off and on (sometimes used as "on and off")
    Meaning: now and then; occasionally 

  • On the brain
    Meaning: constantly in the thoughts 

  • On the carpet
    Meaning: to earn a rebuke or reprimand for one's actions before a superior authority. 

  • On the rest of a wave
    Meaning: at the most favourable moment in one's progress 

  • Over the heads of
    Meaning: above the comprehension of 

  • Paint the town red
    Meaning: to celebrate boisterously and noisily 

  • Palm something off on someone/palm someone off with something
    Meaning: to give them something unwanted or unwelcome, especially by trickery 

  • Pass by (someone/something)
    Meaning: move past 

  • Pass muster
    Meaning: be adequate or pass a superficial inspection 

  • Pass muster
    Meaning: accept as satisfactory 

  • Passed (someone/something) by (pass over)
    Meaning: ignored or overlooked 

  • Passed himself off
    Meaning: to pretend to be someone else 

  • Pick a quarrel
    Meaning: start an argument or fight deliberately 

  • Pick at something
    Meaning: 1. to eat only small quantities of (one's food); 2. to keep pulling at (a scab, etc) with one's fingernails 

  • Pick on
    Meaning: to find faults 

  • Pick on someone
    Meaning: 1. to blame them unfairly; 2. to bully them; 3. to choose them for an unpleasant job 

  • Pick on something
    Meaning: to choose it 

  • Pick over
    Meaning: select the best from 

  • Pick someone out
    Meaning: 1. to select them from a group; 2. to recognize or distinguish them among a group or crowd 

  • Pick up
    Meaning: said of a person, a person's health, or a situation

  • Pick up or pick something up
    Meaning: to resume 

  • Picked out
    Meaning: chose, selected

  • Picking up
    Meaning: regaining or recovering; improve; lift; learn; accelerate 

  • Play about/around
    Meaning: to behave ineffectively or irresponsibly 

  • Play about/around with someone
    Meaning: to behave irresponsibly towards them, their affections, etc 

  • Play about/around with something
    Meaning: to fiddle or meddle with it 

  • Play along with someone
    Meaning: to co-operate with them for the time being; to humour them 

  • Play at something
    Meaning: 1. to make a pretence of it, especially in play, eg., play at being cowboys; 2. to indulge in it trivially or flippantly, eg. play at politics; 3. (ironic) to try to achieve it, eg. what are they playing at? 

  • Play off
    Meaning: 1. to replay a match, etc after a draw; 2. (golf) to play from the tee 

  • Play on something
    Meaning: 1. to exploit (someone's fears, feelings sympathies, etc) for one's own benefit; 2. to make a pun on it. eg. played on the two meanings of 'batter' 

  • Play one person off against another
    Meaning: to set them in rivalry, especially for one's own advantage 

  • Play out/across something
    Meaning: (said of light, facial expression, etc), to flicker over, across, etc (a surface, etc) 

  • Play someone along
    Meaning: to manipulate them, usually for one's own advantage 

  • Play something back
    Meaning: to play (a film or sound recording) through immediately after making it 

  • Play something down
    Meaning: to represent it as unimportant, to minimize, make light of or discount it 

  • Play something on someone
    Meaning: to perpetrate (a trick or joke) against them 

  • Play something out
    Meaning: to act out in real life a part, scene, etc that is so predictable that it could have come from a play 

  • Play something up
    Meaning: to highlight it or give prominence to it 

  • Play up
    Meaning: 1. to behave unco-operatively; 2. to cause one pain or discomfort, e.g., His stomach is playing up again; 3. (said of a machine etc) to function faultily; 4. to try one's hardest in a game, match, etc 

  • Play up to someone
    Meaning: to flatter them; to ingratiate oneself with them 

  • Play with someone
    Meaning: 1. said especially of children;  to spend time in recreation with them; 2. to joke with them at their expense 

  • Play with something
    Meaning: to contemplate (an idea, plan, etc), e.g., played with the idea of becoming a writer 

  • Pull down
    Meaning: demolish; lower 

  • Pull someone's leg
    Meaning: make fun of; tease 

  • Pull through
    Meaning: get over with some difficulty; survive 

  • Pull together
    Meaning: Cooperate 

  • Pulled up
    Meaning: censured; rebuked; come to a stop 

  • Push to the wall
    Meaning: to push someone into a situation where there is only one choice to make 

  • Put off
    Meaning: to postpone or defer 

  • Put on
    Meaning: feign; wear (clothes) 

  • Put out
    Meaning: angered; annoyed 

  • Put out
    Meaning: to extinguish 

  • Put through
    Meaning: to complete; to bring about; to let go by, pass 

  • Put up with
    Meaning: to tolerate or endure 

  • Rub (someone) the wrong way
    Meaning: to irritate or annoy a person 

  • Run into
    Meaning: to incur or incite; to crash into; to meet without planning 

  • Run out
    Meaning: to have ended 

  • Run over
    Meaning: to repeat; to hit and knock over 

  • Run someone down
    Meaning: to disparage or mock; to chase; to peruse; to stop working 

  • Run up
    Meaning: grown or increased; incur 

  • Rundown
    Meaning: weak and feeble 

  • Running over
    Meaning: flow over, inundate, to overflow 

  • See him off
    Meaning: accompany him at for his departure 

  • See through
    Meaning: detected, found, find out 

  • Set aside
    Meaning: reject; abolish; cancel; reserve 

  • Set off
    Meaning: begin; depart 

  • Set upon
    Meaning: to assault 

  • Show one's true colours
    Meaning: true character or personality 

  • Sight for sore eyes
    Meaning: a welcome sight

  • Sit on the fence
    Meaning: to remain neutral; to lack the courage to take a stand 

  • Sit pretty
    Meaning: be in a comfortable position 

  • Size up
    Meaning: to estimate or appraise 

  • Sow one's wild oats
    Meaning: to be reckless and promiscuous before marriage. 

  • Speak of
    Meaning: insignificant, not worth mentioning 

  • Speak out
    Meaning: speak fearlessly and freely 

  • Spill the beans
    Meaning: to reveal a secret and ruin a surprise 

  • Stand by
    Meaning: Support 

  • Stand in for
    Meaning: to substitute 

  • Standing up for
    Meaning: for supporting, championing 

  • Strike off
    Meaning: deleted, removed 

  • Swan song
    Meaning: the last act of someone 

  • Take after
    Meaning: to resemble or be similar to 

  • Take in
    Meaning: understand, decipher; permit to enter; to include; to alter (clothing); to deceive 

  • Take on
    Meaning: to challenge or contend with 

  • Take the wind out of one's sails
    Meaning: to shock or stun with bad news. 

  • Take to
    Meaning: to be habituated or addicted to something 

  • Take up
    Meaning: occupy, fill up 

  • Talk into
    Meaning: persuade or convince someone 

  • Talk nineteen to the dozen
    Meaning: talk continuously 

  • Talk one over
    Meaning: to convince him through persuasion; discuss thoroughly 

  • Talk the hind leg off a donkey
    Meaning: talk continuously 

  • Talk through one's hat
    Meaning: 1. talk nonsensically; 2. exaggerate 

  • Tell upon
    Meaning: influencing or affecting 

  • The ins and outs of
    Meaning: the full details of 

  • The long and short of it
    Meaning: the eventual outcome 

  • The long and the short of it
    Meaning: the simple fact; the whole matter in a few words 

  • The order of the day
    Meaning: the prevailing state of things 

  • Throw caution to the winds
    Meaning: to act in a rash manner

  • Throw out
    Meaning: rejected or nullified 

  • Thrown away
    Meaning: wasted, useless 

  • To a fault
    Meaning: excessively 

  • To a man
    Meaning: everyone without exception 

  • To a nicety
    Meaning: exactly 

  • To agree to differ
    Meaning: to give up trying to convince each other 

  • To all intents and purpose
    Meaning: practically; virtually 

  • To be a dead letter
    Meaning: to be no longer in force 

  • To be a mare's nest
    Meaning: a worthless thing 

  • To be all ears
    Meaning: to pay deep attention 

  • To be all eyes
    Meaning: to eagerly watch 

  • To be as good as
    Meaning: practically 

  • To be as good as gold
    Meaning: to be very good 

  • To be as good as one's word
    Meaning: to keep one's promise 

  • To be at cross purposes
    Meaning: to misunderstand each other 

  • To be at issue
    Meaning: to be in dispute 

  • To be at one with
    Meaning: to be of the same opinion 

  • To be at wit's ends
    Meaning: to be quite puzzled; not knowing what is to be done 

  • To be beside oneself
    Meaning: to lose self-possession 

  • To be beside the mark
    Meaning: not to the point; irrelevant 

  • To be born with a silver spoon in the mouth
    Meaning: to be born into wealth and luxury 

  • To be carried off the feet
    Meaning: wild with excitement 

  • To be every inch
    Meaning: entirely; completely 

  • To be Greek and Latin
    Meaning: something that is not understood 

  • To be hand and glove (also hand in glove)
    Meaning: to be deeply involved (negative connotation) on very intimate terms 

  • To be hard of hearing
    Meaning: slightly deaf 

  • To be head and shoulders above
    Meaning: be much above 

  • To be ill at ease
    Meaning: uncomfortable; uneasy; anxious 

  • To be in bad books of one
    Meaning: to be out of favour with one 

  • To be in bad odour
    Meaning: to be out of favour; in bad repute 

  • To be in character with
    Meaning: in keeping with 

  • To be in full swing
    Meaning: very active 

  • To be in hand
    Meaning: to be under control 

  • To be in high spirits
    Meaning: to be cheerful; joyful 

  • To be in hot water
    Meaning: to be in trouble 

  • To be in the good books
    Meaning: to be in favour with 

  • To be led by the nose
    Meaning: to follow submissively 

  • To be left holding the baby
    Meaning: to be burdened; to be left with the responsibility suddenly 

  • To be neither here nor there
    Meaning: irrelevant; 

  • To be on last legs
    Meaning: on the verge of ruin 

  • To be on the alert
    Meaning: to be on guard; to be ready to act 

  • To be on the cards
    Meaning: not improbable; probably 

  • To be on the wrong side of sixty
    Meaning: to be more than sixty years of age 

  • To be out of date
    Meaning: obsolete 

  • To be out of pocket
    Meaning: to have no money 

  • To be out of spirits
    Meaning: gloomy; sad 

  • To be out of the question
    Meaning: not to be thought of, impossible 

  • To be out of the way
    Meaning: strange; eccentric; abnormal 

  • To be over head and ears
    Meaning: to be deeply immersed or involved 

  • To be under the thumb of
    Meaning: to be completely under the influence or control of 

  • To be up-to-date
    Meaning: modern; recent 

  • To be well-balanced
    Meaning: to be reasonable; moderate 

  • To be with open arms
    Meaning: to be ready for a warm welcome 

  • To be within an ace of
    Meaning: on the point of, within the reach of 

  • To bear a charmed life
    Meaning: to be invulnerable 

  • To bear fruit
    Meaning: to be productive 

  • To bid fair
    Meaning: to seem likely 

  • To bleed someone white
    Meaning: to deprive someone/ entity of all his/its resources 

  • To blow one's own trumpet
    Meaning: to praise oneself 

  • To bring down the house
    Meaning: call forth general and loud applause 

  • To bring to light
    Meaning: to disclose 

  • To burn one's fingers
    Meaning: to cause oneself trouble or harm 

  • To burn the candles at both ends
    Meaning: overtaxing the energies 

  • To bury the hatchet
    Meaning: to make peace; to cease fighting 

  • To carry all before
    Meaning: to be completely successful; successful in convincing an audience 

  • To cast the gorge at
    Meaning: to reject with loathing 

  • To catch / clutch / grasp at a straw
    Meaning: resort in desperation to an utterly inadequate expedient 

  • To catch red-handed
    Meaning: to catch at the moment of committing the crime 

  • To change colour
    Meaning: to turn pale 

  • To change hands
    Meaning: to go in some other's possession 

  • To coin money
    Meaning: to make money very quickly 

  • To come of age
    Meaning: to reach adult status 

  • To come to a head
    Meaning: to reach a crisis 

  • To come to grief
    Meaning: to fail; to ruin 

  • To come to the front
    Meaning: to attain prominence; to become conspicuous 

  • To cook the accounts
    Meaning: to prepare false accounts 

  • To create bad blood
    Meaning: to create ill-feeling, bitterness 

  • To crow over
    Meaning: to triumph over; to gloat over 

  • To curry favour
    Meaning: to ingratiate oneself 

  • To cut a poor figure
    Meaning: to make a poor impression 

  • To cut off without a shilling
    Meaning: to disinherit 

  • To cut one's own throat
    Meaning: to ruin oneself 

  • To cut short
    Meaning: to interrupt 

  • To die in harness
    Meaning: to continue to the last in business or profession 

  • To do the handsome thing by somebody
    Meaning: to behave in a magnanimous manner towards somebody 

  • To do yeoman service
    Meaning: to do an excellent service

  • To draw one out
    Meaning: to elicit information out from one 

  • To draw the line
    Meaning: to fix the limits 

  • To eat a humble pie
    Meaning: to apologize humbly 

  • To eat one's words
    Meaning: to take back what one has said 

  • To end in smoke
    Meaning: to end without any result 

  • To fall flat
    Meaning: to produce no effect; to cause no interest; to become a fiasco 

  • To fall foul of
    Meaning: to quarrel with 

  • To fall short of expectations
    Meaning: to disappoint 

  • To feather one's own nest
    Meaning: to make money unfairly 

  • To feel like a fish out of water
    Meaning: to be in a strange situation; like one out of his element 

  • To fight shy of
    Meaning: dislike; to avoid 

  • To fight tooth and nail
    Meaning: with all the power 

  • To foot the bill
    Meaning: to pay for it 

  • To gain ground
    Meaning: to become more widely influential 

  • To get into hot water
    Meaning: to get into trouble 

  • To get it into one's head
    Meaning: firmly believe or maintain 

  • To get the better of
    Meaning: to gain advantage over 

  • To get the better of one
    Meaning: to overcome someone 

  • To give a cold shoulder
    Meaning: to treat in a cold and distant manner 

  • To give a false colouring
    Meaning: to misrepresent 

  • To give a handle to
    Meaning: to furnish an occasion for 

  • To give a person in charge
    Meaning: to hand a person over to police 

  • To give a piece of one's mind to
    Meaning: to scold 

  • To give chapter and verse
    Meaning: full and precise reference to authority 

  • To give oneself airs
    Meaning: to behave arrogantly 

  • To go back on one's word
    Meaning: to fail to keep up one's word 

  • To go hard with
    Meaning: to suffer severely; to prove a serious matter 

  • To go home to one
    Meaning: to have the desired impact, to deeply affect 

  • To go off the deep end
    Meaning: become overwrought emotionally 

  • To go out of hand
    Meaning: to lose control; to go out of control 

  • To go out of the way
    Meaning: to take special trouble 

  • To go to heart
    Meaning: to touch deeply 

  • To hang fire
    Meaning: be slow in taking action or in progressing 

  • To hang in the balance
    Meaning: to be undecided

  • To hang on somebody's lips/words
    Meaning: to listen eagerly to somebody's words; to give close admiring attention to somebody 

  • To hang together
    Meaning: to be consistent; to keep united 

  • To harp on the same string
    Meaning: dwell tediously on the same subject 

  • To have a bone to pick with
    Meaning: to have a cause for quarrel 

  • To have a hand
    Meaning: to be involved in or concerned with 

  • To have an axe to grind
    Meaning: a personal interest in some matter; private ends to serve 

  • To have an eye to the main chance
    Meaning: have the main objective of making money 

  • To have an old head on young shoulders
    Meaning: to be wise beyond one's age 

  • To have at one's finger's ends
    Meaning: to know thoroughly 

  • To have one's hands full
    Meaning: to be very busy 

  • To have one's heart in the right place
    Meaning: be of a kindly and sympathetic disposition 

  • To have the blood run cold
    Meaning: to be horrified 

  • To have too many irons in the fire
    Meaning: to engage oneself into many works at the same time 

  • To heap coals of fire on the head of enemy
    Meaning: to return good for evil and make the enemy ashamed of enmity. 

  • To hit the nail on the head
    Meaning: to state the truth exactly 

  • To hold good
    Meaning: to be valid; to remain deliberation 

  • To hold water
    Meaning: to stand scrutiny 

  • To hope against hope
    Meaning: to hope even when the result seems to be futile. 

  • To keep a good table
    Meaning: to provide luxurious food 

  • To keep at arm's length
    Meaning: to keep at a distance 

  • To keep in the dark
    Meaning: to keep in ignorance; to hide 

  • To keep in touch with
    Meaning: to have knowledge of 

  • To keep on tenterhooks
    Meaning: to keep in a state of suspense and anxiety 

  • To keep one's head above water
    Meaning: to keep out of debt 

  • To keep one's own counsel
    Meaning: to preserve a discreet silence; not sharing details of one's plans with others 

  • To keep pace with
    Meaning: to progress at an equal rate (speed) 

  • To keep the wolf from the door
    Meaning: to keep away from starvation 

  • To keep up appearances
    Meaning: to keep an outward show of prosperity 

  • To kick up a row
    Meaning: to make a great noise 

  • To know a thing or two
    Meaning: to be wise or cunning 

  • To know what one is about
    Meaning: to be far-sighted and prudent 

  • To lay at the door
    Meaning: to impute blame 

  • To lay hands on
    Meaning: to catch hold of 

  • To leave for good
    Meaning: to leave permanently 

  • To leave no stone unturned
    Meaning: to adopt all possible means 

  • To leave one in the lurch
    Meaning: to desert one in difficulties; to leave one in a helpless condition 

  • To let the grass grow under one's feet
    Meaning: to remain idle; to procrastinate 

  • To lie in the bed that one has made
    Meaning: to take the consequences of one's own acts; suffer for one's misdeeds 

  • To live by one's wits
    Meaning: to live by deceit or fraud 

  • To live from hand to mouth
    Meaning: satisfying only one's immediate needs 

  • To look as if butter won't melt in one's mouth
    Meaning: to act as if one was not guilty, to act very innocent 

  • To lord over
    Meaning: to dominate 

  • To lose ground
    Meaning: to become less powerful or acceptable 

  • To make a clean breast of
    Meaning: to confess without reserve 

  • To make a pile
    Meaning: to make a fortune 

  • To make both ends meet
    Meaning: to live within one's income 

  • To make common cause with
    Meaning: to side with and give support 

  • To make ducks and drakes of
    Meaning: to squander 

  • To make good the loss
    Meaning: to compensate the loss 

  • To make light of
    Meaning: to treat lightly without taking serious note of 

  • To make neither head nor tail
    Meaning: to make nothing of 

  • To make one's mark
    Meaning: to be of the same opinion 

  • To make over
    Meaning: to transfer the possession of (a thing) to a person 

  • To make shift
    Meaning: to get along as best as one can 

  • To make the blood creep
    Meaning: to fill with horror (anger) 

  • To make the flesh creep
    Meaning: to horrify 

  • To make the most
    Meaning: to use to the best advantage 

  • To make up one's mind
    Meaning: to decide; to resolve 

  • To mean business
    Meaning: to be in earnest 

  • To meet half-way
    Meaning: to compromise 

  • To move heaven and earth
    Meaning: to make every possible effort 

  • To nail one's colours to the mast
    Meaning: refuse to surrender or climb down 

  • To pay back in one's own coin
    Meaning: to treat one in the same way he has treated 

  • To pay off old scores
    Meaning: to take revenge 

  • To play false
    Meaning: to deceive; to betray 

  • To play fast and lose
    Meaning: to say one thing and do another; be unreliable 

  • To play with fire
    Meaning: to trifle with matters liable to cause trouble 

  • To pocket affront
    Meaning: to receive or submit to something without protest

  • To put a finger in the pie
    Meaning: to do something with the affair; to mix up in the affair 

  • To put a good face on
    Meaning: to bear up courageously 

  • To put a spoke in the wheel
    Meaning: to thwart; to stop 

  • To put heads together
    Meaning: to consult one another 

  • To put on one's mettle
    Meaning: to rouse a person to do his best 

  • To put on the market
    Meaning: to offer for sale 

  • To put one's foot down
    Meaning: to take a resolute stand 

  • To put one's foot down
    Meaning: to remain firm (at one decision) 

  • To put one's foot in something
    Meaning: to blunder 

  • To put one's hand in one's pocket
    Meaning: to give money in charity 

  • To put one's heart in the right place
    Meaning: be faithful and true-hearted 

  • To put the screw on
    Meaning: to bring pressure to bear on 

  • To put two and two together
    Meaning: to reason logically; to draw correct inference 

  • To sink one's teeth into
    Meaning: to do something with great enthusiasm 

  • To sweep under the carpet
    Meaning: to hide some unpleasant fact 

  • To the backbone
    Meaning: in every way; to the last bit; completely 

  • To the letter
    Meaning: exactly with adherence to every detail 

  • To the point
    Meaning: relevant or relevantly 

  • To wash one's dirty linen in public
    Meaning: discussing unpleasant private matters before strangers 

  • To wash one's hands off something
    Meaning: refuse to be involved any more 

  • To win one's laurels
    Meaning: to acquire glory 

  • To win one's spurs
    Meaning: to make reputation or to gain distinction 

  • Too close to call
    Meaning: too narrow a margin to predict a winner

  • Turn against
    Meaning: to go against and be hostile to 

  • Turn out
    Meaning: to be proven or confirmed as 

  • Turn out
    Meaning: produces, manufactures 

  • Turn up
    Meaning: to make an appearance 

  • Turn up
    Meaning: occur; appear 

  • Under false pretences
    Meaning: by giving a deliberately misleading impression

  • Under one's nose
    Meaning: in the very presence of one 

  • Up to the mark
    Meaning: quite satisfactory 

  • Upto the eyes
    Meaning: completely; to its full extent 

  • Upto the mark
    Meaning: in excellent health; completely prepared or fit 

  • Walk on eggs
    Meaning: to walk or act cautiously

  • Warm to someone
    Meaning: to gain in affection or approval from them 

  • Wash one's hands of
    Meaning: renounce responsibility 

  • Well heeled
    Meaning: Rich 

  • Which way the wind blows
    Meaning: tendency or probability to 

  • Whistle in the dark
    Meaning: pretend to be unafraid 

  • White elephant
    Meaning: an item that is expensive to maintain 

  • Wink at
    Meaning: to deliberately ignore something 

  • With a high hand
    Meaning: oppressively; having some power 

  • With bag and baggage
    Meaning: completely with all belongings 

  • With one voice
    Meaning: unanimously 

  • Within a stone's throw
    Meaning: at a short distance from 

  • Without reserve
    Meaning: fully; implicitly 

  • Work on
    Meaning: influence or convince 

  • Work out
    Meaning: solved; found; find the answer to 

  • Work up
    Meaning: incite, provoke 

  • Work upon
    Meaning: to influence

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