Idioms

bad-mouth: say unkind, unflattering, embarrassing (and probably untrue) things about someone.

A: "I don't believe what Bob said. Why is he bad-mouthing me?"
B: "He's probably jealous of your success."

be fed up with (with someone or something): be out of patience (with

someone or something);
be very tired of someone or something.

"Bill, you're too careless with your work. I'm fed up with
apologizing for your mistakes!"

IDIOM

roll out the red carpet" = give very special treatment to welcome guests

"The nice thing about the hotel is that they always roll out the red carpet for their guests."

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"24-7" = twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week

"The front desk is open 24-7 in case you need assistance."

IDIOMS

catch one's eye" = attract one's attention

"She was planning on renting a compact car, but a nice sports car caught her eye, and she left the parking lot with it."

 

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"pay through the nose" = pay a great deal for something, sacrifice for

"You'll pay through the nose to rent a car during the holiday season."

Idioms and expressions

hot under the collar" = get angry

"Many of the passengers got really hot under the collar when they found out the plane would be delayed another two hours."

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"strike up" = begin a conversation

"He struck up a conversation with another passenger and found out that they attended the same high school."

Idioms and expressions

foot someone a loan" = loan someone money

"Uh, I was wondering if you could foot me a loan until I can get to the bank tomorrow."

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"fork over" = give up something like money

"Hey, fork over cash you owe me! I don't want a check."

ّIdiom

'to swallow the dictionary' / 'to swallow a dictionary'

Meaning: to use long and unnecessarily complicated words and expressions, especially in normal conversation.

Example: "He talks like he has swallowed a dictionary, I can't understand half of what he says."

Idioms and Expressions - All

All-nighter

Definition: do something (for instance a study session) that lasts all night

We pulled an all-nighter to get ready for the exam.
The graduation party was an all-nighter.

All over something

Definition: very fond of something

He's all over the latest fashions.
Peter's all over antique furniture.

All right (!)

Definition: Yes, okay, fine

That's all right by me!
All right! I got an A+ on my term paper.

All shook up

Definition: extremely excited, worried, or disturbed about something

He's all shook up about his mother's illness.
Wow! I'm all shook up about Alice.

All that and then some

Definition: even more than what has been mentioned

He did all that and then some to get the new job.
Yes, that's right. All that and then some!

All the way (with go)

Definition: do something completely

He's going all the way for the scholarship.
We went all the way to California on our vacation.

Dash it all!

Definition: expression used when very upset

Dash it all! I didn't do very well.
Dash it all! She can't come this weekend.

For all I know

Definition: based on what I know (usually expressing displeasure)

For all I know, he'll come and win the prize.
They've decided to hire Jack for all I know.

Free for all

Definition: crazy, non-restricted activity (generally a fight)

It was a free for all! Everyone went crazy!
They stepped in to break up the free for all.

Have it all together

Definition: be very poised, successful

He has it all together. The house, the wife, the kids, the great job - everything!
I was very impressed with the candidate. She seemed to have it all together.

Hold all the aces

Definition: have all the advantages

Unfortunately, Tom holds all the aces right now. You'll have to do what he says.
I'm holding all the aces so I can do whatever I want.

Know all the angles

Definition: be very clever about something

Jack knows all the angles. Be careful!
The salesman knew all the angles, and by the end of our talk I had bought a new computer!

Not all there

Definition: not intelligent, not completely focused on an activity

I'm afraid Peter is not all there. He needs some help badly.
Unfortunately, I was not all there and lost the final match.

Of all the nerve!

Definition: expression of anger at someone's behavior

Of all the nerve! Did you see how that woman treated me?
Of all the nerve! She took me seat!

Once and for all

Definition: finally (usually putting an end to something)

I'm going to stop his behavior once and for all!
Let's get this over once and for all.

Pull out all the stops

Definition: make every possible effort to do something

He pulled out all the stops on the exam.
We're going to pull out all the stops on our presentation.

You can't win them all.

Definition: expression of acceptance after a loss or disappointment

Well, you can't win them all. Let's go home.
You did your best. You can't win them all

Idioms and Expressions - Around

around the bend

Definition: crazy

Tom's going round the bend with all the new responsibilities.
She's a little around the bend if you ask me!

(to have been) around the block

Definition: be very experienced

You can trust Jerry. He's been around the block once or twice.
She's been around the block. She knows what she is doing.

blue around the gills

Definition: feeling nauseous

I can't come in to work today I'm feeling blue around the gills.
You should stay at home. You look blue around the gills.

bum around

Definition: waste time

Let's go downtown and bum around.
I wish he'd stop bumming around and get to work!

clown around

Definition: joke, play games and have fun

Stop clowning around and get to work!
Let's take a break and clown around a bit.

drive someone around the bend

Definition: make someone crazy

I think I'm driving my mother-in-law around the bend.
Stop that noise! You're going to drive me around the bend.

goof around

Definition: have fun, make jokes

Stop goofing around and get back to work!
I love goofing around on Saturdays.

hang around

Definition: waste time, stay in one place

Let's hang around the bar tonight.
We've been hanging around here for much too long.

horse around

Definition: be active (usually in a negative way)

Stop horsing around! I can't concentrate.
Come on, I'm just horsing around.

jerk around

Definition: waste someone's time

He's jerking me around on the new deal.
I wish they'd make a decision and stop jerking me around.

kick around

Definition: consider

Let's kick around the new proposals.
Do you have any ideas we can kick around?

mess around with someone or something

Definition: treat poorly

I think Tony is messing around with you.
Stop messing around with that porcelain.

mope around

Definition: act depressed

Janet's just sitting at home moping around. She needs to get out.
I can't stand seeing him mope around like that.

pal around with someone

Definition: spend a lot of time together

I pal around with a lot of people from New York.
Who did you pal around with when you stayed there?

pussyfoot around

Definition: not make a decision

Stop pussyfooting around and get to it!
He's still pussyfooting around. He just can't decide one way or the other.

stick around

Definition: stay

Could you stick around after the show so we can talk?
I think I'll stick around here for a while.

tool around

Definition: drive around

We spent the afternoon tooling around downtown.
Let's get in the car and tool around.

Idioms and Expressions - Put

Put a cork in it!

Definition: Be quiet

Could you please put a cork in it?!
Tom, put a cork in it! I can't hear what Mary is saying.

Put down

Definition: criticize someone

Jack put him down and he hasn't been the same since.
Don't put me down!

Put (stick) one's nose in

Definition: interfere in someone's business

I wish he wouldn't put his nose in where it's not wanted.
Mary is putting her nose in their affairs.

Put on the Ritz/dog

Definition: make everything special for someone else

They really put on the Ritz for us last weekend.
Let's put on the dog for the Wilson's.

Put some distance between someone and someone / something

Definition: move far away from

He put some distance between himself and his ex-wife.
Let's put some distance between us and the school.

Put someone away

Definition: put in prison

They put him away for twenty years.
Jason was put away for life in prison.

Put someone on

Definition: fool, tease someone

He put Jerry on about his new job.
I don't believe anything you say. You're putting me on!

Put someone up

Definition: provide accommodation

We put them up last week as they couldn't find a hotel.
Could you put me up for the night?

Put something away

Definition: eat or drink something

He put the whole pizza away in fifteen minutes!
We put away six beers.

Put that in your pipe and smoke it!

Definition: Phrase meaning: You see! Take that!

You're wrong! Now put that in your pipe and smoke it!
I don't agree with you. Put that in your pipe and smoke it!

Put the bite on someone

Definition: try to get money from someone

I put the bite on Tim but he didn't have any money.
She put the bite on me for $50.

Put the finger on someone

Definition: identify someone

The victim put the finger on the criminal.
She put the finger on her boss for the crime.

Put the heat / screws on someone

Definition: pressure someone to do something

He's putting the heat on me to finish the report.
Janet's really putting the screws on her husband to get a new car.

Put the moves on someone

Definition: try to seduce someone

He was putting the moves on Mary last night.
Hey! Are you trying to put the moves on me

Once

Idioms and Expressions - Like

eat like a horse

Definition: usually eat a lot of food

Tom eats like a horse! Make sure to grill three hamburgers for him.
He doesn't usually eat like a horse.

eat like a bird

Definition: usually eat very little food

She eats like a bird, so don't make too much for dinner.
He weighs 250 pounds even though he eats like a bird.

feel like a million

Definition: feel very good and happy

I'm feeling like a million today. I just got a new job!
After his promotion, he felt like a million.

fit like a glove

Definition: clothes or apparel that fit perfectly

My new shoes fit like a glove.
Her jeans fit like a glove after she went on a diet.

go like clockwork

Definition: to happen very smoothly, without problems

The presentation went like clockwork.
Her plans went like clockwork and she was able to join the company.

know someone or something like the back of one's hand

Definition: know in every detail, understand completely

She knows me like the back of her hand.
I know this project like the back of my hand.

like a bat out of hell

Definition: very fast, quickly

He left the room like a bat out of hell.
They drove off like a bat out of hell.

like a bump on a log

Definition: not moving

Don't sit there like a bump on a log!
She sits around all day like a bump on a log.

like a fish out of water

Definition: completely out of place, not belonging at all

He looks like a fish out of water on the football field.
The boss felt like a fish out of water in San Francisco.

like a sitting duck

Definition: be very exposed to something

He felt like a sitting duck and moved to cover his position.
Your investments have left you like a sitting duck in this market.

out like a light

Definition: fall asleep quickly

He went out like a light.
I hit the pillow and was out like a light.

read someone like a book

Definition: understand the other person's motivation for doing something

She can read me like a book.
I know you don't mean that. I can read you like a book.

sell like hotcakes

Definition: sell very well, very quickly

The book sold like hotcakes.
The iPhone initially sold like hotcakes.

sleep like a log

Definition: sleep very deeply

I was tired and slept like a log.
She went home and slept like a log.

spread like wildfire

Definition: an idea that gets known very quickly

His solution to the problem spread like wildfire.
Her opinions spread like wildfire.

watch someone like a hawk

Definition: keep a very close eye on someone, watch very carefully

Don't make any mistakes because I'm watching you like a hawk.
She watches her son like a hawk whenever he goes outside to play.

Color Idioms

as black as a skillet

- very black

My hands were as black as a skillet when I finished working on the car engine.

as black as a stack of black cats

- very black

The little boy was as black as a stack of black cats after playing outside all day.

as black as a sweep

- very dirty/black (a chimney sweep cleans chimneys and becomes very black)

My friend was as black as a sweep after he finished cleaning the basement.

as black as coal

- very black

My friend's cat is as black as coal.

as black as night

- very dark and black

The old house was as black as night when we entered it.

as black as pitch

- very black

My face was as black as pitch after cleaning the stove all morning.

as black as the ace of spades

- very black

The horse in the parade was as black as the ace of spades.

as red as a cherry

- bright red

The car was as red as a cherry after its new paint job.

as red as a poppy

- bright red

The mark on my arm was as red as a poppy.

as red as a rose

- intensely red

The morning sunrise was as red as a rose.

as red as a ruby

- deep red

The office assistant was wearing lipstick that was as red as a ruby.

as red as blood

- deep red

The stain on the carpet was as red as blood.

as white as a ghost

- very pale because of fear/shock/illness

My sister became as white as a ghost when she saw the man at the window.

as white as a sheet

- very pale

I felt terrible this morning and in the mirror I looked as white as a sheet.

as white as the driven snow

- very white

The fur on the dog was as white as the driven snow.

black and blue

- bruised

My shoulder was black and blue after I fell down the stairs.

black and white

- either good or bad, either one way or the other way but not in between

Our boss sees everything in black and white although he knows this is impossible.

black box

- an electronic device such as a flight recorder that can be removed from an aircraft as a single package

The investigators searched for a long time in order to find the black box of the airplane.

black eye

- a bruise near one's eye which makes it appear black

The man received a black eye when he bumped into the closed door.

black market

- the place where goods/money are illegally bought and sold

We sold some cigarettes on the black market during our travels.

black out

- to darken a room or building by turning off the lights

During the war people in the cities were forced to black out their windows so nobody could see them.

black out

- to lose consciousness

The man blacked out during the parade and he had to sit down and rest.

black sheep (of a family)

- a person who is a disgrace to a family or group

The man is the black sheep in his family and has not made a success of his life.

blackball (someone)

- to exclude/ostracize someone socially, to reject someone

The businessman was blackballed in the industry because of his bad business practices.

blacklist (someone)

- to exclude/ostracize someone, to write someone's name on a list if they break some rules

The sports federation blacklisted the swimmer because he was using steroids.

blackmail (someone)

- to extort/take money from someone by threatening him or her

The photographer tried to blackmail the famous actress with some photographs that he had taken.

blackout

- a temporary situation where you do not release some information

The government decided to have a blackout regarding the information related to the political prisoner.

black-tie event/affair

- a formal event where guests wear semi-formal clothes with men wearing black bow ties with tuxedos or dinner jackets

The award ceremony for the movie awards was a black-tie affair.

blue blood

- the blood of a noble/aristocratic family

Many of the blue bloods of the town went to the opening of the opera.

blue in the face

- to be very angry or upset, to be excited and very emotional

I argued with my supervisor until I was blue in the face.

blue-ribbon

- of superior quality or distinction, the best of a group

A blue-ribbon panel of experts were asked to suggest a new policy for the city.

brown bag it

- to take a lunch to work

I must brown bag it this week because the company cafeteria is closed.

carte blanche

- the freedom or permission to do what you want (blanche/blanc means white in French)

The new manager was given carte blanche to change the policies in her department.

catch (someone) red-handed

- to catch someone in the middle of doing something wrong

The woman was caught red-handed when she tried to steal some cosmetics.

chase rainbows

- to try to get or achieve something that is difficult or impossible

My old school friend is always chasing rainbows and he never achieves anything.

dyed-in-the-wool

- permanent, always (like wool that is dyed a certain color)

My father is a dyed-in-the-wool conservative and he will probably never change.

ears are red

- one's ears are red from embarrassment

My ears were red after hearing what the teacher said about me.

get/have gray hair

- to have one's hair turn gray from stress

Our teacher is getting gray hair from all the stress.

get/have the blues

- to become sad or depressed

The dull cloudy weather has caused me to get the blues.

get/have the green light

- to receive a signal to start or continue something

We got the green light to begin a study of the security problems at our school.

give (someone) the green light

- to give someone permission to proceed with a project

We were given the green light to begin the new project.

grass is always greener on the other side

- a place that is far away or different seems better than where we are now

The man realized that the grass is greener on the other side when he saw that his new job had many problems too.

a gray area

- a question that is not clearly defined and may have a broad or more than one answer, neither black or white

The issue of the tax on children's toys was a gray area for the accountant.

gray matter

- brains, intelligence

I wish that my friend would use his gray matter more effectively when he is making his crazy plans.

green

- to be inexperienced or immature

The young man is rather green and does not have enough experience to drive the large piece of machinery.

green around the gills

- looking sick

My friend looked green around the gills after the long bus ride.

green belt

- an area of fields and trees around a town

Our city has a policy to increase the green belt around the city.

green-eyed monster

- jealousy

The woman was consumed by the green-eyed monster and it was affecting her life.

green thumb

- a talent for gardening, the ability to make things grow

My neighbor has a green thumb and she is able to grow one of the best gardens in our neighborhood.

green with envy

- to be very jealous, to be full of envy

I was green with envy when I heard that my cousin would be going to London for a week.

greenhorn

- an untrained/inexperienced/naive person

The young man was a greenhorn and he had much to learn about his new job.

have a yellow streak

- to be cowardly

The man has a yellow streak and he will not defend you if you are having a problem.

horse of a different color

- something totally separate and different

I know that our boss would like to discuss that issue now but it is a horse of a different color and we should discuss it at another time.

in black and white

- in writing, officially

I put down my complaint in black and white.

in (someone's) black books

- to be in disgrace or out of favor with someone

The boy is in his girlfriend's black books because he was late for their date.

in the black

- to be successful or profitable

Our company has been in the black since they began to cut costs.

in the pink (of condition)

- in very good health

My grandmother was in the pink of condition when I saw her.

in the red

- to be in debt, to be unprofitable

The company has been in the red for three years now.

lend color to (something)

- to provide something extra to accompany something

The music in the play helped to lend color to the performance of the actors.

like waving a red flag in front of a bull

- what you are doing will definitely make someone angry or upset

Talking about the city mayor with my father is like waving a red flag in front of a bull. He does not like the city mayor.

local color

- the traditional features of a place which give it its own character

The weekend vegetable market added much local color to the small town.

look at/see the world through rose-colored glasses

- to see only the good things about something, to be too optimistic

My friend always looks at the world through rose-colored glasses and he does not believe that some people are dishonest.

off-color

- in bad taste, rude

The man told an off-color joke at the party which made his wife very angry.

off-color

- not the exact color

We painted our kitchen in an off-color of white.

once in a blue moon

- very rarely

We only go out for Italian food once in a blue moon although we enjoy it very much.

out of the blue

- without any warning, by surprise (like coming out of a blue sky)

Out of the blue my friend decided to quit his job and go to Europe.

out of the red

- out of debt

Our company is finally out of the red and we are now making money.

paint the town red

- to go out and party and have a good time

When my cousin came to visit us we decided to go out and paint the town red.

pink slip

- a termination notice from a job

I received my pink slip last week and I am now looking for a new job.

pitch-black

- very black, as black as pitch

The road was pitch-black and we could not see anything.

pot calling the kettle black

- the person who criticizes/accuses someone else is as guilty as the person he or she criticizes/accuses

My friend criticized me for not changing jobs but that is like the pot calling the kettle black. She will not change jobs either.

put (something) down in black and white

- to write the details of a contract or something on paper

I asked the buyer to put the offer to buy my car down in black and white.

raise/wave a white flag

- to indicate that you have been defeated and you want to give up

The soldiers raised a white flag and gave themselves up to the enemy.

red-carpet treatment

- to receive special/royal treatment

I always receive the red-carpet treatment when I go and visit my aunt.

red-eye

- an airplane flight that leaves late at night and arrives early in the morning

We caught the red-eye flight last night and we are very tired today.

a red flag

- a signal that something is not working properly or correctly

The fallen trees along the road raised a red flag for the safety inspectors.

red herring

- an unimportant matter that draws attention away from the main subject

Talking about the other issue was a red herring and did not do anything to deal with today's problem.

red-hot

- very hot, creating much excitement or demand

The new video game is red-hot and many people are waiting to buy one.

red in the face

- embarrassed

I became red in the face when the teacher began talking about me.

red-letter day

- a day that is memorable because of some important event

It was a red-letter day when my sister received her graduation diploma.

red tape

- excessive formalities in official business

Many businesses complain about the red tape that they must deal with in order to get anything done with the government.

roll out the red carpet

- to greet a person with great respect, to give a big welcome to someone

The government rolled out the red carpet when the politician came to visit.

sail under false colors

- to pretend to be something that one is not (a pirate ship used to disguise itself as an ordinary ship by using a false flag)

The head of the company is sailing under false colors and he does not really know how the company operation works.

see pink elephants

- to see things which are not really there because they are only in your imagination

The man was seeing pink elephants according to those who listened to his story.

see red

- to become very angry

My boss saw red when I told him that I would not be coming to work today.

see the color of (someone's) money

- to prove that someone has enough money for something

The car dealer would not let me take the car until he saw the color of my money.

show one`s true colors

- to show what one is really like or really thinking

I thought that the woman likes me but she showed her true colors when she began yelling at me on the telephone.

talk a blue streak

- to talk very much and very rapidly

The woman beside me on the bus talked a blue streak for most of the journey.

talk until one is blue in the face

- to talk until one is exhausted

I talked until I was blue in the face but I could not change my teacher's mind about my essay.

tickled pink

- to be very pleased or delighted by someone or something

"My mother was tickled pink that you visited her when you were in town."

white elephant

- a useless possession (that often costs money to maintain)

The new airport is a white elephant and nobody wants to use it.

white lie

- a harmless or small lie told to be polite or to avoid hurting someone's feelings

I told my supervisor a white lie yesterday and said that I was sick when actually I was not.

white sale

- the selling of towels or sheets at a reduced price

We went to the white sale at the department store to buy some new sheets.

white-tie event/affair

- an event that requires guests to wear formal dress such as men wearing white bow ties with formal evening dress

I attended a white-tie dinner in honor of the president of our university.

whitewash (something)

- to cover up or gloss over faults/errors/wrongdoing

The government was accused of trying to whitewash the scandal about the illegal money.

with flying colors

- with great or total success

My friend passed the course with flying colors and she now wants to go out and celebrate.

yellow-bellied

- extremely timid, cowardly

The man is yellow-bellied and is never willing to fight for what is right.

black Idioms

as black as a skillet

- very black

My hands were as black as a skillet when I finished working on the car engine.

as black as a stack of black cats

- very black

The little boy was as black as a stack of black cats after playing outside all day.

as black as a sweep

- very dirty/black (a chimney sweep cleans chimneys and becomes very black)

My friend was as black as a sweep after he finished cleaning the basement.

as black as coal

- very black

My friend's cat is as black as coal.

as black as night

- very dark and black

The old house was as black as night when we entered it.

as black as pitch

- very black

My face was as black as pitch after cleaning the stove all morning.

as black as the ace of spades

- very black

The horse in the parade was as black as the ace of spades.

black and blue

- bruised

My shoulder was black and blue after I fell down the stairs.

black and white

- either good or bad, either one way or the other way but not in between

Our boss sees everything in black and white although he knows this is impossible.

black box

- an electronic device such as a flight recorder that can be removed from an aircraft as a single package

The investigators searched for a long time in order to find the black box of the airplane.

black eye

- a bruise near one's eye which makes it appear black

The man received a black eye when he bumped into the closed door.

black market

- the place where goods/money are illegally bought and sold

We sold some cigarettes on the black market during our travels.

black out

- to darken a room or building by turning off the lights

During the war people in the cities were forced to black out their windows so nobody could see them.

black out

- to lose consciousness

The man blacked out during the parade and he had to sit down and rest.

black sheep (of a family)

- a person who is a disgrace to a family or group

The man is the black sheep in his family and has not made a success of his life.

blackball (someone)

- to exclude/ostracize someone socially, to reject someone

The businessman was blackballed in the industry because of his bad business practices.

blacklist (someone)

- to exclude/ostracize someone, to write someone's name on a list if they break some rules

The sports federation blacklisted the swimmer because he was using steroids.

blackmail (someone)

- to extort/take money from someone by threatening him or her

The photographer tried to blackmail the famous actress with some photographs that he had taken.

blackout

- a temporary situation where you do not release some information

The government decided to have a blackout regarding the information related to the political prisoner.

black-tie event/affair

- a formal event where guests wear semi-formal clothes with men wearing black bow ties with tuxedos or dinner jackets

The award ceremony for the movie awards was a black-tie affair.

in black and white

- in writing, officially

I put down my complaint in black and white.

in (someone's) black books

- to be in disgrace or out of favor with someone

The boy is in his girlfriend's black books because he was late for their date.

in the black

- to be successful or profitable

Our company has been in the black since they began to cut costs.

pitch-black

- very black, as black as pitch

The road was pitch-black and we could not see anything.

pot calling the kettle black

- the person who criticizes/accuses someone else is as guilty as the person he or she criticizes/accuses

My friend criticized me for not changing jobs but that is like the pot calling the kettle black. She will not change jobs either.

put (something) down in black and white

- to write the details of a contract or something on paper

I asked the buyer to put the offer to buy my car down in black and white.

blue Idioms

black and blue

- bruised

My shoulder was black and blue after I fell down the stairs.

blue blood

- the blood of a noble/aristocratic family

Many of the blue bloods of the town went to the opening of the opera.

blue in the face

- to be very angry or upset, to be excited and very emotional

I argued with my supervisor until I was blue in the face.

blue-ribbon

- of superior quality or distinction, the best of a group

A blue-ribbon panel of experts were asked to suggest a new policy for the city.

get/have the blues

- to become sad or depressed

The dull cloudy weather has caused me to get the blues.

out of the blue

- without any warning, by surprise (like coming out of a blue sky)

Out of the blue my friend decided to quit his job and go to Europe.

talk a blue streak

- to talk very much and very rapidly

The woman beside me on the bus talked a blue streak for most of the journey.

talk until one is blue in the face

- to talk until one is exhausted

I talked until I was blue in the face but I could not change my teacher's mind about my essay.

gray Idioms

get/have gray hair

- to have one's hair turn gray from stress

Our teacher is getting gray hair from all the stress.

a gray area

- a question that is not clearly defined and may have a broad or more than one answer, neither black or white

The issue of the tax on children's toys was a gray area for the accountant.

gray matter

- brains, intelligence

I wish that my friend would use his gray matter more effectively when he is making his crazy plans.

green Idioms

get/have the green light

- to receive a signal to start or continue something

We got the green light to begin a study of the security problems at our school.

give (someone) the green light

- to give someone permission to proceed with a project

We were given the green light to begin the new project.

grass is always greener on the other side

- a place that is far away or different seems better than where we are now

The man realized that the grass is greener on the other side when he saw that his new job had many problems too.

green

- to be inexperienced or immature

The young man is rather green and does not have enough experience to drive the large piece of machinery.

green around the gills

- looking sick

My friend looked green around the gills after the long bus ride.

green belt

- an area of fields and trees around a town

Our city has a policy to increase the green belt around the city.

green-eyed monster

- jealousy

The woman was consumed by the green-eyed monster and it was affecting her life.

green thumb

- a talent for gardening, the ability to make things grow

My neighbor has a green thumb and she is able to grow one of the best gardens in our neighborhood.

green with envy

- to be very jealous, to be full of envy

I was green with envy when I heard that my cousin would be going to London for a week.

greenhorn

- an untrained/inexperienced/naive person

The young man was a greenhorn and he had much to learn about his new job.

pink Idioms

in the pink (of condition)

- in very good health

My grandmother was in the pink of condition when I saw her.

look at/see the world through rose-colored glasses

- to see only the good things about something, to be too optimistic

My friend always looks at the world through rose-colored glasses and he does not believe that some people are dishonest.

pink slip

- a termination notice from a job

I received my pink slip last week and I am now looking for a new job.

see pink elephants

- to see things which are not really there because they are only in your imagination

The man was seeing pink elephants according to those who listened to his story.

tickled pink

- to be very pleased or delighted by someone or something

"My mother was tickled pink that you visited her when you were in town."

red Idioms

as red as a cherry

- bright red

The car was as red as a cherry after its new paint job.

as red as a poppy

- bright red

The mark on my arm was as red as a poppy.

as red as a rose

- intensely red

The morning sunrise was as red as a rose.

as red as a ruby

- deep red

The office assistant was wearing lipstick that was as red as a ruby.

as red as blood

- deep red

The stain on the carpet was as red as blood.

catch (someone) red-handed

- to catch someone in the middle of doing something wrong

The woman was caught red-handed when she tried to steal some cosmetics.

ears are red

- one's ears are red from embarrassment

My ears were red after hearing what the teacher said about me.

in the red

- to be in debt, to be unprofitable

The company has been in the red for three years now.

like waving a red flag in front of a bull

- what you are doing will definitely make someone angry or upset

Talking about the city mayor with my father is like waving a red flag in front of a bull. He does not like the city mayor.

out of the red

- out of debt

Our company is finally out of the red and we are now making money.

paint the town red

- to go out and party and have a good time

When my cousin came to visit us we decided to go out and paint the town red.

red-carpet treatment

- to receive special/royal treatment

I always receive the red-carpet treatment when I go and visit my aunt.

red-eye

- an airplane flight that leaves late at night and arrives early in the morning

We caught the red-eye flight last night and we are very tired today.

a red flag

- a signal that something is not working properly or correctly

The fallen trees along the road raised a red flag for the safety inspectors.

red herring

- an unimportant matter that draws attention away from the main subject

Talking about the other issue was a red herring and did not do anything to deal with today's problem.

red-hot

- very hot, creating much excitement or demand

The new video game is red-hot and many people are waiting to buy one.

red in the face

- embarrassed

I became red in the face when the teacher began talking about me.

red-letter day

- a day that is memorable because of some important event

It was a red-letter day when my sister received her graduation diploma.

red tape

- excessive formalities in official business

Many businesses complain about the red tape that they must deal with in order to get anything done with the government.

roll out the red carpet

- to greet a person with great respect, to give a big welcome to someone

The government rolled out the red carpet when the politician came to visit.

see red

- to become very angry

My boss saw red when I told him that I would not be coming to work today.

white Idioms

as white as a ghost

- very pale because of fear/shock/illness

My sister became as white as a ghost when she saw the man at the window.

as white as a sheet

- very pale

I felt terrible this morning and in the mirror I looked as white as a sheet.

as white as the driven snow

- very white

The fur on the dog was as white as the driven snow.

black and white

- either good or bad, either one way or the other way but not in between

Our boss sees everything in black and white although he knows this is impossible.

carte blanche

- the freedom or permission to do what you want (blanche/blanc means white in French)

The new manager was given carte blanche to change the policies in her department.

in black and white

- in writing, officially

I put down my complaint in black and white.

put (something) down in black and white

- to write the details of a contract or something on paper

I asked the buyer to put the offer to buy my car down in black and white.

raise/wave a white flag

- to indicate that you have been defeated and you want to give up

The soldiers raised a white flag and gave themselves up to the enemy.

white elephant

- a useless possession (that often costs money to maintain)

The new airport is a white elephant and nobody wants to use it.

white lie

- a harmless or small lie told to be polite or to avoid hurting someone's feelings

I told my supervisor a white lie yesterday and said that I was sick when actually I was not.

white sale

- the selling of towels or sheets at a reduced price

We went to the white sale at the department store to buy some new sheets.

white-tie event/affair

- an event that requires guests to wear formal dress such as men wearing white bow ties with formal evening dress

I attended a white-tie dinner in honor of the president of our university.

whitewash (something)

- to cover up or gloss over faults/errors/wrongdoing

The government was accused of trying to whitewash the scandal about the illegal money.

yellow Idioms

have a yellow streak

- to be cowardly

The man has a yellow streak and he will not defend you if you are having a problem.

yellow-bellied

- extremely timid, cowardly

The man is yellow-bellied and is never willing to fight for what is right.

Bird Idioms

an albatross -around someone's neck

- a problem that prevents someone from succeeding

The man's lack of a university degree was an albatross around his neck and prevented him from being promoted.

as a duck takes to water

- easily and naturally

The little boy started to swim just as a duck takes to water.

as bald as a coot

- completely bald

The man in the gas station was as bald as a coot.

as crazy as a loon

- crazy

Our neighbor is as crazy as a loon.

as dead as a dodo

- dead, no longer in existence

The dog was as dead as a dodo after the accident.

as easy as duck soup

- very easy, requiring no effort

Convincing the man to buy the car was as easy as duck soup.

as free as a bird

- carefree, completely free

I was as free as a bird after I finished my last school exam.

as graceful as a swan

- very graceful

The figure skater was as graceful as a swan.

as happy as a lark

- very happy and cheerful

The boy was as happy as a lark when he received his birthday present.

as hoarse as a crow

- very hoarse

The professor was as hoarse as a crow when he finished the lecture.

as mad as a wet hen

- angry

The nurse was as mad as a wet hen when the patient tried to bite her.

as naked as a jaybird

- naked

The little boy was as naked as a jaybird when he finished his bath.

as proud as a peacock

- very proud, haughty

The father was as proud as a peacock of his young son.

as scarce as hen's teeth/scarcer than hen's teeth

- very scarce or nonexistent

Cheap hotels in this city are as scarce as hen's teeth.

as silly as a goose

- very foolish, very silly

My aunt acted as silly as a goose last evening.

as soft as down

- very soft to the touch (down is the soft/fine feathers from a goose or duck)

The fur on the little dog was as soft as down.

as the crow flies

- by the most direct way, along a straight line between two places

As the crow flies it is about six kilometers between my house and downtown.

as wise as an owl

- very wise

My grandfather is as wise as an owl and he seems to know everything.

a bat out of hell

- very fast (bats are not birds but are mammals that can fly)

The man left here like a bat out of hell. I do not know why he was in such a hurry.

bats in the belfry

- crazy, eccentric (bats are not birds but are mammals that can fly)

I think that my boss has bats in the belfry. His ideas are absolutely crazy.

bird brain

- someone who you think is stupid

The man is a bird brain and he is always making mistakes at work.

a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

- something that is certain is better than something that is not certain

"You should keep the prize money and not try to win more. Remember that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."

birds and the bees

- the facts about sex and birth and life

The boy learned about the birds and the bees in his health education class at school.

birds-eye view

- a general view from above

"Let`s go up to the roof and get a birds-eye view of the surrounding area."

birds of a feather flock together

- people who are similar become friends or join together

"Do not complain about your friends. Remember that birds of a feather flock together. They are just like you."

chicken and egg situation

- two things happen together and it is difficult to see which one of them caused the other

It was a chicken and egg situation and it was difficult to know who caused the problems with the computer.

chicken feed

- a small sum of money

The money that I spent last night was chicken feed and I am not worried about it at all.

chicken-livered

- cowardly, easily scared

The boy called his friend chicken-livered which made him very angry.

chicken out of (doing something)

- to stop doing something because of fear

My friend was planning to come with us but he chickened out at the last moment.

chickens come home to roost

- someone`s words or actions come back to cause trouble for him or her

The man was very mean to other people when he was supervisor. Now his chickens have come home to roost and people are very unkind to him.

clip (someone`s) wings

- to limit or hold someone back, to bring someone under control

We plan to clip the supervisor's wings as he is becoming too aggressive when dealing with other people.

cock-and-bull story

- a silly story that is not true

The student told her teacher a cock-and-bull story about why she was absent.

cock of the walk

- someone who thinks that he or she is more important than others in a group

The supervisor thinks that he is cock of the walk and can do anything that he wants.

cold turkey

- abruptly and without medical aid (used when someone stops taking addictive drugs or tries to stop a bad habit)

The government program helped the drug addicts stop using heroin cold turkey.

cook (someone`s) goose

- to destroy someone`s future chances or reputation

The woman cooked her goose when she fought against her employer and lost.

count one`s chickens before they`re hatched

- to depend or think that you will get something before you actually have it

"Don`t count your chickens before they`re hatched. Remember that you may not get the job that you expect and you should not spend too much money."

dead duck

- someone in a hopeless situation or condition

The man is a dead duck. When the police catch him he will have to go to jail.

duck soup

- a task that does not require much effort

The exam was duck soup. I am sure that I did very well.

eagle eye

- an intently watchful eye

The boy has an eagle eye and he never misses anything.

early bird

- someone who arrives someplace early or starts something early

I am an early bird and I like to arrive early at work every morning.

the early bird catches the worm

- a person who gets up early in the morning has the best chance of success

"Let`s leave at six o`clock in the morning. Remember, the early bird catches the worm."

eat crow

- to admit that you are mistaken or defeated

Our boss was forced to eat crow when he discovered that what he had said was totally wrong.

eat like a bird

- to eat very little

The boy must be sick. He has been eating like a bird recently.

feather in one`s cap

- something to be proud of, an honor

Winning the speech contest was a feather in my son's cap and we are very proud of him.

feather one`s nest

- to look after one`s own financial interests - especially while holding public office

The politician was feathering his nest for many years until he was replaced in the election.

fly the coop

- to escape, to leave (like a chicken escaping from a chicken coop)

The two boys wanted to fly the coop when the school bell rang.

for the birds

- not interesting, something that you do not like, worthless

The movie was for the birds so we left early and went to eat.

foul one's own nest

- to harm one's own interests, to bring discredit to one's family

I do not want to foul my own nest so I try to be very honest in all of my dealings with others.

get one's ducks in a row

- to put one's affairs or something in order

When I get my ducks in a row I will be able to make a decision about a new career.

go to bed with the chickens

- to go to bed as the sun is setting, to go to bed very early

My grandfather always goes to bed with the chickens because he works on a farm.

a gone goose

- someone or something that has departed or run away

The boy is a gone goose. He will not be returning today.

goose bumps

- a prickly or bumpy feeling on one's skin because of cold/fear/excitement (like the skin of a goose or chicken)

I got goose bumps as I watched the horror movie.

one's goose is cooked

- one has been discovered to have done something wrong and he or she is now in trouble

My goose is cooked. Soon my friend will discover that I lost her bicycle.

in fine feather

- in good humor

My friend is in fine feather today and he has been laughing all morning.

kill the goose that lays the golden egg

- to spoil/destroy something that is beneficial or makes a lot of money

My friends sold part of their business but it is the most profitable part. I think that they have killed the goose that lays the golden egg.

kill two birds with one stone

- to succeed in doing two things by only one action

"Let`s have the meeting when we come to town to go shopping so that we can kill two birds with one stone."

lame duck

- a politician who has little time left in office and therefore has little power

The politician is a lame-duck leader and he is not effective at all.

lay an egg

- to give a bad performance

The performer laid an egg at the concert last night.

like water off a duck`s back

- without any effect, easily

Criticism falls away from my father like water off a duck`s back and he never worries about anything.

a little bird told me

- something is learned from a mysterious and secret source who you do not want to name

A little bird told me that my friends will have a surprise party for me next week.

look like the cat that swallowed the canary

- to look very self-satisfied, to look as if you have just had a great success

The boy looked like the cat that swallowed the canary after he won the relay race.

lovely weather for ducks

- rainy weather

I commented to the wet letter carrier that it was lovely weather for ducks today.

neither fish nor fowl

- something that does not belong to a definite group

The manager's idea was neither fish nor fowl. Nobody knew what to do with it.

night owl

- someone who likes to stay up very late at night

My friend is a night owl and he loves to stay up late at night.

pecking order

- the way that people are ranked in relation to each other

I have not worked at my company very long so I do not understand the pecking order yet.

play chicken

- to do something dangerous in order to see who becomes frightened first and stops

The two boys were playing chicken in the schoolyard.

rare bird

- someone who is unusual

The woman is a rare bird and she has done many interesting things in her life.

ruffle its feathers

- a bird points its feathers outward

The bird sat in the tree and ruffled its feathers.

ruffle (someone's) feathers

- to upset or annoy someone

I am usually very careful not to ruffle my supervisor's feathers.

rule the roost

- to be the boss or manager somewhere but often at home (a roost is a place where birds can perch/sit)

My grandfather ruled the roost in his family.

run around like a chicken with its head cut off

- to run around frantically and with no aim or purpose

I ran around like a chicken with its head cut off all morning as I prepared for my trip.

sitting duck

- an unsuspecting person who is easily fooled - as if waiting to be attacked

The soldier should move away from the window. He is like a sitting duck for the enemy.

spread one's wings

- to begin to be independent and try new things

My uncle's friend is beginning to spread his wings and try many new things.

no spring chicken

- not young anymore

I do not know how old my aunt is but she is no spring chicken.

swan song

- the last work or performance by an artist before death or retirement

The actor's swan song was his magnificent performance in his recent movie.

take (someone) under one's wings

- to begin to look after and care for a person

The teacher took the young boy under her wings when he first came to the school.

talk turkey

- to talk frankly, to talk business

I went to see my friend because I knew that it was time to talk turkey with him.

try out one's wings

- to try to do something that you have recently learned or become qualified to do

I plan to try out my wings at golfing now that my lessons have finished.

ugly duckling

- an ugly or plain child (who grows up to be pretty)

The girl was an ugly duckling when she was a child but now she is quite beautiful.

under the wings of (someone)

- to be under the care/control/protection of someone

The new teacher is now under the wings of the principal of the school.

watch (someone or something) like a hawk

- to watch someone very carefully

The mother watched her young child like a hawk.

what's good/sauce for the goose is good/sauce for the gander

- what is good for one person should be good for another person as well

What's good for the goose is good for the gander and if the food is good enough for me, then it is good enough for the other members of the basketball team.

wild goose chase

- a chase that is futile or worthless

The motorcycle riders led the police on a wild goose chase.

wing it

- to do the best in a situation that one is not prepared for

I forgot to study so I had to wing it on the test.

Chicken Idioms

as mad as a wet hen

- angry

The nurse was as mad as a wet hen when the patient tried to bite her.

as scarce as hen's teeth/scarcer than hen's teeth

- very scarce or nonexistent

Cheap hotels in this city are as scarce as hen's teeth.

chicken and egg situation

- two things happen together and it is difficult to see which one of them caused the other

It was a chicken and egg situation and it was difficult to know who caused the problems with the computer.

chicken feed

- a small sum of money

The money that I spent last night was chicken feed and I am not worried about it at all.

chicken-livered

- cowardly, easily scared

The boy called his friend chicken-livered which made him very angry.

chicken out of (doing something)

- to stop doing something because of fear

My friend was planning to come with us but he chickened out at the last moment.

chickens come home to roost

- someone`s words or actions come back to cause trouble for him or her

The man was very mean to other people when he was supervisor. Now his chickens have come home to roost and people are very unkind to him.

count one`s chickens before they`re hatched

- to depend or think that you will get something before you actually have it

"Don`t count your chickens before they`re hatched. Remember that you may not get the job that you expect and you should not spend too much money."

go to bed with the chickens

- to go to bed as the sun is setting, to go to bed very early

My grandfather always goes to bed with the chickens because he works on a farm.

play chicken

- to do something dangerous in order to see who becomes frightened first and stops

The two boys were playing chicken in the schoolyard.

run around like a chicken with its head cut off

- to run around frantically and with no aim or purpose

I ran around like a chicken with its head cut off all morning as I prepared for my trip.

no spring chicken

- not young anymore

I do not know how old my aunt is but she is no spring chicken.

Crow Idioms

as hoarse as a crow

- very hoarse

The professor was as hoarse as a crow when he finished the lecture.

as the crow flies

- by the most direct way, along a straight line between two places

As the crow flies it is about six kilometers between my house and downtown.

eat crow

- to admit that you are mistaken or defeated

Our boss was forced to eat crow when he discovered that what he had said was totally wrong.

Duck Idioms

as a duck takes to water

- easily and naturally

The little boy started to swim just as a duck takes to water.

as easy as duck soup

- very easy, requiring no effort

Convincing the man to buy the car was as easy as duck soup.

dead duck

- someone in a hopeless situation or condition

The man is a dead duck. When the police catch him he will have to go to jail.

duck soup

- a task that does not require much effort

The exam was duck soup. I am sure that I did very well.

get one's ducks in a row

- to put one's affairs or something in order

When I get my ducks in a row I will be able to make a decision about a new career.

lame duck

- a politician who has little time left in office and therefore has little power

The politician is a lame-duck leader and he is not effective at all.

like water off a duck`s back

- without any effect, easily

Criticism falls away from my father like water off a duck`s back and he never worries about anything.

lovely weather for ducks

- rainy weather

I commented to the wet letter carrier that it was lovely weather for ducks today.

sitting duck

- an unsuspecting person who is easily fooled - as if waiting to be attacked

The soldier should move away from the window. He is like a sitting duck for the enemy.

ugly duckling

- an ugly or plain child (who grows up to be pretty)

The girl was an ugly duckling when she was a child but now she is quite beautiful.

Goose Idioms

as silly as a goose

- very foolish, very silly

My aunt acted as silly as a goose last evening.

cook (someone`s) goose

- to destroy someone`s future chances or reputation

The woman cooked her goose when she fought against her employer and lost.

a gone goose

- someone or something that has departed or run away

The boy is a gone goose. He will not be returning today.

goose bumps

- a prickly or bumpy feeling on one's skin because of cold/fear/excitement (like the skin of a goose or chicken)

I got goose bumps as I watched the horror movie.

one's goose is cooked

- one has been discovered to have done something wrong and he or she is now in trouble

My goose is cooked. Soon my friend will discover that I lost her bicycle.

kill the goose that lays the golden egg

- to spoil/destroy something that is beneficial or makes a lot of money

My friends sold part of their business but it is the most profitable part. I think that they have killed the goose that lays the golden egg.

what's good/sauce for the goose is good/sauce for the gander

- what is good for one person should be good for another person as well

What's good for the goose is good for the gander and if the food is good enough for me, then it is good enough for the other members of the basketball team.

wild goose chase

- a chase that is futile or worthless

The motorcycle riders led the police on a wild goose chase.

Owl Idioms

as wise as an owl

- very wise

My grandfather is as wise as an owl and he seems to know everything.

night owl

- someone who likes to stay up very late at night

My friend is a night owl and he loves to stay up late at night.

Swan Idioms

as graceful as a swan

- very graceful

The figure skater was as graceful as a swan.

swan song

- the last work or performance by an artist before death or retirement

The actor's swan song was his magnificent performance in his recent movie.

 

Animal Idioms

ahead of the pack

- to be more successful than other people who are doing the same thing as you (a pack is a group of animals like dogs or wolves who live together)

The girl studied hard all summer and was ahead of the pack when she returned to school in the autumn.

alley cat

- a stray cat

I began to feed the alley cat and now it comes to my house every day.

as awkward as a cow on roller skates

- very awkward

The little girl was as awkward as a cow on roller skates when she first began riding her bicycle.

as blind as a bat

- blind

The man is as blind as a bat and cannot see more than a small distance ahead.

as busy as a beaver

- very busy

I have been as busy as a beaver all morning trying to finish my work.

as clean as a hound's tooth

- very clean

The classroom was as clean as a hound's tooth when the students finished cleaning it.

as conceited as a barber's cat

- very conceited, vain

My friend became as conceited as a barber's cat after she won the award at school.

as crooked as a dog's hind leg

- dishonest

The politician is as crooked as a dog's hind leg and everybody dislikes him.

as drunk as a skunk

- very drunk

The man was as drunk as a skunk when he walked into the restaurant.

as fat as a pig

- very fat

The woman in the supermarket was as fat as a pig.

as gentle as a lamb

- very gentle

The girl is as gentle as a lamb when she is with her little sister.

as gruff as a bear

- gruff, unsociable

Our neighbor is as gruff as a bear when we meet him in the morning.

as hungry as a bear

- very hungry

I was as hungry as a bear when I arrived home from work.

as innocent as a lamb

- having no guilt, naive

The little girl is as innocent as a lamb and everybody loves her.

as meek as a lamb

- quiet, docile, meek

The secretary was as meek as a lamb when she went to ask her boss for a salary increase.

as nervous as a cat

- very nervous

The man was as nervous as a cat when he talked to the woman.

as poor as a church mouse

- very poor

My cousin is as poor as a church mouse and never has any money to spend.

as quiet as a mouse

- very quiet, shy

I was as quiet as a mouse when I left my house early this morning.

as scared as a rabbit

- very scared

I was as scared as a rabbit when I entered the empty room.

as sick as a dog

- very sick

My friend was as sick as a dog when he left the restaurant last night.

as sly as a fox

- smart and clever

The manager of our apartment is as sly as a fox.

as strong as a horse/lion/ox

- very strong

The man was as strong as an ox and easily helped us move the sofa.

as stubborn as a mule

- very stubborn

My friend is as stubborn as a mule and you can never make her change her mind.

as weak as a kitten

- weak, sickly

The girl is as weak as a kitten and cannot carry the pile of books.

as wild as a tiger

- very wild

The little boy was as wild as a tiger when we were trying to look after him.

back the wrong horse

- to support someone or something that cannot or does not win or succeed

We backed the wrong horse when we supported the new candidate for mayor.

badger (someone)

- to get someone to do something by repeated questions or by bothering them

I always have to badger my friend in order to make him return my computer games.

one's bark is worse than one's bite

- one's words are worse than one's actions

You should not worry about her. Her bark is worse than her bite and she is really a very nice person.

bark up the wrong tree

- to choose the wrong course of action, to ask the wrong person (a hunting dog may make a mistake when chasing an animal and bark up the wrong tree)

My boss is barking up the wrong tree. I did not cause the computer problem because I was away at the time.

the best-laid plans of mice and men

- the best thought-out plans that anyone can make

The best-laid plans of mice and men could not prevent the problems that we had with our travel plans.

bet on the wrong horse

- to misread the future, to not choose the winning person or solution

He is betting on the wrong horse if he supports the other city in their bid for the Olympic games.

the black sheep of the family

- the worst or the most unpopular/disliked member of a family

My cousin is the black sheep of the family and nobody likes to talk about him.

bright-eyed and bushy-tailed

- to be very cheerful and eager (like a squirrel with bright eyes and a bushy tail)

The children were bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when they got up in the morning.

a bull in a china shop

- a tactless person who upsets others or upsets plans, a very clumsy person

The boy is like a bull in a china shop so you should be careful if you invite him to your house.

buy a pig in a poke

- to buy something without seeing it or knowing if it will be satisfactory

You can buy the used computer but it will be like buying a pig in a poke if you do not look at it first.

by shank's mare

- by foot

I came to the meeting by shank's mare.

call the dogs off

- to stop threatening/chasing/hounding someone

The police decided to call the dogs off and stop hunting for the man.

a cash cow

- a product or service that makes much money

Our new business is a cash cow. We are making a lot of money now.

cast pearls before swine

- to waste something on someone who will not be thankful or care about it

Giving the jewellery to the woman will be casting pearls before swine. She will not appreciate it at all.

cat gets one`s tongue

- one cannot speak because of shyness

The cat got the woman's tongue and she could not say anything at all.

a cat nap

- a short sleep taken during the day

I had a cat nap in the afternoon so that I would feel refreshed in the evening.

a cat on a hot tin roof

- full of lively activity

The boy was jumping around like a cat on a hot tin roof and we could not make him be quiet.

champ/chomp at the bit

- to be ready and anxious to do something (a bit is put into a horse's mouth for control of the horse)

Everyone was chomping at the bit to get started on their holiday.

change horses in midstream

- to make new plans or choose a new leader in an activity that has already begun

They have decided to change lawyers but I told them that they should not change horses in midstream.

a cock-and-bull story

- a silly story that is not true

Our neighbor gave us a cock-and-bull story about how our window was broken.

a copycat

- someone who copies another person`s work etc.

The boy is a copycat according to the other students in the class.

cry wolf

- to give a false alarm, to warn of a danger that is not there

The man is crying wolf. There is no danger that the electrical system will cause a fire.

curiosity killed the cat

- being too nosy may lead a person into trouble

"You should not worry about what your friend is doing. Remember, curiosity killed the cat."

a dark horse

- a candidate who is little known to the general public

The candidate was a dark horse in the race to be the next mayor until he gave some good speeches on TV.

dog and pony show

- something that you disapprove of because you think that it has only been organized to impress you (like a dog and pony show in a circus)

We had serious questions about the project but we only got a dog and pony show when we asked for answers from our business partners.

dog-eat-dog

- ready or willing to fight and hurt others to get what one wants

It is a dog-eat-dog world in our company.

dog in the manger

- someone who prevents others from doing what they themselves do not want to do (in Aesop's Fables a dog that cannot eat hay lays in the hayrack and prevents the other animals from eating the hay)

My friend always acts like a dog in the manger and often tries to prevent us from enjoying ourselves.

donkey's years

- a very long time

I talked to my friend for a long time because I had not seen her in donkey's years.

a dumb bunny

- a stupid or gullible person

"He really is a dumb bunny. I cannot believe that he does such stupid things."

eager beaver

- a person who is always eager to work or do something extra

The woman is an eager beaver and I am sure that she will do very well in this company.

eat high on/off the hog

- to eat good or expensive food

We were eating high off the hog during our ocean cruise.

eat like a horse

- to eat a lot

My brother eats like a horse.

every dog has his day

- everyone will have his chance or turn, everyone will get what he deserves

"Don`t worry about him. Every dog has his day and he will eventually suffer for all the bad things that he is doing."

ferret (information or something) out of (someone)

- to get something from someone by being persistent

I worked hard to ferret the time and place of the party out of my friend.

fight like cats and dogs

- to argue and fight with someone (usually used for people who know each other)

The two children were fighting like cats and dogs when we entered the room.

flog/beat a dead horse

- to continue fighting a battle that has been won, to continue to argue a point that has been settled

My friend was flogging a dead horse when she would not stop arguing about the mistake on her paycheck.

a fraidy-cat

- someone who is easily frightened (usually used by children)

The little boy called his friend a fraidy-cat because his friend would not climb the tree.

get (someone`s) goat

- to annoy someone

My friend is always complaining about the way that I do things which gets my goat.

get off one`s high horse

- to begin to be humble and agreeable

I wish that she would get off her high horse and begin to think about how other people feel about things.

get on one`s high horse

- to behave with arrogance

My friend is always getting on her high horse and telling people what to do.

go ape (over someone or something)

- to become highly excited or angry about someone or something

Our teacher will go ape if he sees that you have not finished the work that was due today.

go hog-wild

- to behave wildly

The young soccer fans went hog-wild when they arrived in the city for the game.

go to the dogs

- to deteriorate, to become bad

Many things in our city have gone to the dogs during the last ten years.

go whole hog

- to do everything possible, to be extravagant

We went whole hog in our effort to make sure that the convention was a success.

the hair of the dog that bit one

- a drink of alcohol that one takes when recovering from a hangover

The man woke up and had the hair of the dog that bit him before he ate breakfast.

have a cow

- to become very angry and upset about something

Our teacher had a cow when he discovered that nobody had prepared for the class.

have a whale of a time

- to have an exciting and interesting time

We had a whale of a time at the party last night.

have bats in one's belfry

- to be a little bit crazy

I think that our neighbor has bats in her belfry.

hit the bulls-eye

- to reach the main point of something

I think that our manager hit the bulls-eye when he talked about the real problems in the company.

hold one`s horses

- to wait, to be patient

"Hold your horses for a moment while I make a phone call."

Holy cow

- used to express strong feelings of astonishment/pleasure/anger

"Holy cow," the man said when he saw the car that had hit the street lamp.

hoof it

- to walk or run (a hoof is the foot of a horse/sheep/cow etc.)

I decided to hoof it when I came downtown this morning.

horse around

- to play around (in a rough way)

The teacher told the children not to horse around while they were getting ready for class.

a horse of a different color

- something totally separate and different

Changing locations is a horse of a different color. It was never mentioned in any of our meetings.

horse sense

- common sense, practical thinking

The boy does not have much horse sense and sometimes he makes the wrong decision.

horse trade

- to bargain in a hard and skillful way

We had to do some horse trading but finally we reached a deal to buy the new house.

to hound (someone)

- to pursue/chase someone, to harass someone

The manager is always hounding the younger members of her staff to make sure that they work hard.

in a pig`s eye

- unlikely, not so, never

In a pig`s eye will my friend be able to save enough money to go to Mexico for the winter.

in the doghouse

- in disgrace or disfavor, in trouble

The man is in the doghouse with his wife because he came home late last night.

in two shakes of a lamb's tail

- very quickly

I promised that I would meet my friend in two shakes of a lamb's tail.

kangaroo court

- an illegal court formed by a group of people to settle a dispute among themselves

The military court in the small country was like a kangaroo court that permitted the military to do whatever they wanted.

keep the wolf from the door

- to maintain oneself at the most basic level

My friend's part-time job is enough for him to keep the wolf from the door.

keep the wolves at bay

- to fight against some kind of trouble

The university students were angry and the administration had to work hard to keep the wolves at bay.

kill the fatted calf

- to prepare an elaborate banquet for someone

We decided to kill the fatted calf and have a big feast for my parents.

lead a dog`s life

- to lead a miserable life

The man is leading a dog`s life since he married the woman who everyone told him not to.

a leopard can't change its spots

- you cannot change someone's basic human nature or bad qualities

The manager wrote a letter of apology to the customer but a leopard can't change its spots and I do not believe that the manager has changed and the letter does not mean anything.

let sleeping dogs lie

- to not make trouble if you do not have to

You should let sleeping dogs lie and not ask our boss any questions about the dispute.

let the cat out of the bag

- to tell something that is supposed to be a secret

The teacher let the cat out of the bag when she began talking about the plans for the new school.

like a bat out of hell

- with great speed and force

I ran like a bat out of hell to get the bus.

like a deer caught in the headlights

- like someone who is very confused and does not know what to do

The boy looked like a deer caught in the headlights when we discovered him in the room that was supposed to be locked.

like lambs to the slaughter

- quietly and without complaining about the dangers that may lie ahead

Our football team went like lambs to the slaughter to meet the best football team in the country.

lion's share of (something)

- the larger part/share of something

We found the lion's share of the lost tickets but some are still missing.

live high on/off the hog

- to have the best of everything

My friend has been living high on the hog since he changed jobs.

loaded for bear

- very angry

The man was loaded for bear when he went in to see the supervisor.

lock horns with (someone)

- to get into an argument with someone

I locked horns with my neighbor yesterday morning.

lock the barn door after the horse is gone

- to try to deal with something after it is too late

Now my friend wants to fix his house but it is like locking the barn door after the horse is gone. There was a flood and the damage is already done.

a lone wolf

- someone who prefers to spend time alone and has few friends

The boy was a lone wolf and spent most of his time alone.

look a gift horse in the mouth

- to complain if a gift is not perfect

The girl should not look a gift horse in the mouth and should be happy that she received a present from her friends.

look like something the cat dragged in

- to look tired/worn out/dirty

I was very tired and I am sure that I looked like something the cat dragged in.

look like the cat that swallowed/ate the canary

- to look smug and self-satisfied, to look as if you have just had a great success

"You look like the cat that swallowed the canary. What happened?"

make a monkey out of (someone)

- to make someone look foolish

My friend made a monkey out of me when he started arguing with me in front of my boss.

make a mountain out of a molehill

- to make something that is unimportant seem important

You are making a mountain out of a molehill when you talk about the mistake.

make a silk purse out of a sow's ear

- to create something of value from something of no value

You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear and there is no point in trying to teach the woman manners.

monkey around with (someone or something)

- to play with or waste time with someone or something

The father and son spent the morning monkeying around with the old radio.

monkey business

- unethical or illegal activity, mischief

The boy should stop the monkey business and try to do the job the correct way.

a monkey on one's back

- a serious problem that stops someone from being successful at something

The time without scoring a goal was a monkey on the back of the famous soccer player.

monkey see, monkey do

- someone copies something that someone else does

It is always monkey see, monkey do for the boy. He copies everything that his friend does.

more fun than a barrel of monkeys

- very funny, fun

The children love the man because he is more fun than a barrel of monkeys and makes everybody laugh.

not enough room to swing a cat

- not very much space

There was not enough room to swing a cat in the small apartment.

on horseback

- on the back of a horse

We rode out to the old red barn on horseback.

a paper tiger

- a person or organization that is supposed to have a lot of power but actually is very weak

The manager was a paper tiger and did not really have any power in the company.

piggy bank

- a small bank (sometimes in the shape of a pig) for saving money

The boy has been putting money into his piggy bank to save for a bicycle.

piggyback

- sitting or being carried on someone`s back and shoulders

The boy was riding piggyback on his father`s shoulders.

play cat and mouse with (someone)

- to tease or fool someone, to change between different types of behavior when dealing with someone

The man is playing cat and mouse with his company about his plans to quit or not.

play possum

- to pretend to be inactive/asleep/dead

I think that the man is playing possum and is not really sleeping.

put on the dog

- to dress or entertain in a luxurious and extravagant manner

We put on the dog for my parents when they came to visit us.

put (someone or something) out to pasture

- to retire someone or something (just as you would put a horse that is too old to work out to pasture)

We finally decided to put our old car out to pasture and buy a new one.

put the cart before the horse

- to do things in the wrong order

I think that buying a ticket before we make our holiday plans is putting the cart before the horse.

put the cat among the pigeons

- to cause trouble

Sending the bad supervisor to talk to the angry workers was like putting the cat among the pigeons.

rain cats and dogs

- to rain very hard

It has been raining cats and dogs all day.

rat on (someone)

- to report someone's bad behavior to someone

The little boy ratted on his friend at school.

rat out on (someone)

- to desert or betray someone

The boy ratted out on his friends and now they won`t talk to him.

rat race

- a rushed and confusing way of living that does not seem to have a purpose

My uncle is tired of being in the rat race every day and he plans to quit his job soon and do something else.

ride herd on (someone)

- to watch closely and strictly supervise someone (as a cowboy would supervise a herd of cattle)

The manager has been riding herd on his employees so that he can get the job done quickly.

a road hog

- a car driver who uses more than his share of the road

The person in front of me on the highway was a road hog but I tried not to get angry.

rub (someone/someone's fur) the wrong way

- to irritate someone (just as you would irritate a dog or cat if you rub their fur the wrong way)

The woman who I work with rubs me the wrong way when I speak to her.

a sacred cow

- a person or thing that is never criticized or changed even if it should be (from a cow which is sacred in India)

The school lunch program is a sacred cow which they will never change.

a scaredy-cat

- someone who is easily frightened (usually used by children)

The children called their friend a scaredy-cat because she would not go into the empty house.

see a man about a dog

- to leave for some unmentioned purpose (often to go to the washroom)

I left the table in the restaurant to go and see a man about a dog.

separate the sheep from the goats

- to divide people into two groups

We had to separate the sheep from the goats when we began to make selections for the school choir.

serve as a guinea pig

- to allow some kind of test to be performed on someone

I was not happy that I had to act as a guinea pig for the managers who were testing the new training material.

a shaggy dog story

- a long and often pointless story that is told as a joke and often ends in a very silly or unexpected way

My friend told me a shaggy dog story about how he lost his bicycle.

smell a rat

- to be suspicious, to feel that something is wrong

I smell a rat. There is something wrong with the offer of a free credit card.

squirrel (something) away

- to hide or store something

My niece likes to squirrel away as much money as possible from her part-time job.

straight from the horse`s mouth

- directly from the person who said something, directly from a dependable source

I heard it straight from the horse`s mouth that our supervisor will be leaving the company next week.

the straw that broke the camel`s back

- a small final trouble or problem which follows other troubles and causes everything to collapse or something to happen

The supervisor accusing me of not working hard enough was the straw that broke the camel`s back and I asked for a transfer to another section of the company.

one's tail between one`s legs

- feeling beaten or humiliated (like a frightened or defeated dog as it walks away)

The man left the meeting with his tail between his legs after he was criticized by the company president.

the tail wagging the dog

- a situation where a small part controls the whole thing

When the small group of managers began to run the large company, it was like the tail wagging the dog.

take the bull by the horns

- to take decisive and direct action

My aunt decided to take the bull by the horns and begin preparations for the family reunion.

there is more than one way to skin a cat

- there is more than one way to do something

I knew that there was more than one way to skin a cat so I did not worry about the rules and time limit of my project.

throw (someone) to the lions

- to permit someone to be blamed or criticized for something without trying to help or protect him or her

The company threw the manager to the lions and made him take responsibility for the problem that he had caused.

throw (someone) to the wolves

- to send someone into danger without protection, to sacrifice someone

The salesman decided to throw his co-worker to the wolves when he asked him to meet the angry customer.

top dog

- the most important person in an organization

My uncle is the top dog in his company.

turn tail

- to run away from trouble or danger

We decided to turn tail and leave the restaurant before there was an argument.

until the cows come home

- until very late, for a long time

We can talk until the cows come home this weekend.

weasel out of (something)

- to get out of something or not have to do something (like a weasel which can move through small openings)

My friend was able to weasel out of going to the store for his mother.

when the cat's away, the mice will play

- when you are not watching someone they may get into trouble

When the cat's away, the mice will play and when the teacher left the classroom the students began to move around.

a white elephant

- something that is not useful and costs a lot of money to maintain

The airport was a white elephant and nobody liked to use it.

wild horses could not drag (someone away)

- there is nothing that will force someone to go somewhere or do something

Wild horses could not drag me away from my favorite TV show last night.

a wildcat strike

- a strike spontaneously arranged by a group of workers

There was a wildcat strike at the factory and over 100 people stopped work.

wolf down (something)

- to gulp down something, to eat something quickly

I wolfed down my dinner and left the house for the movie.

a wolf in sheep`s clothing

- a person who pretends to be good but really is bad

"Be careful of that man. He is a wolf in sheep`s clothing."

work like a horse

- to work very hard

My grandfather worked like a horse when he was a young man.

you can lead a horse to water (but you can't make it drink)

- you can give someone the opportunity to do something but you cannot force him or her to do it if they do not want to

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink and no matter how hard we try to help my cousin get a job he will not make any effort when we introduce him to someone who knows about a job.

you can't teach an old dog new tricks

- it is difficult for older people to learn new things

You can't teach an old dog new tricks and I don't think that my father will ever change his eating habits.

cat Idioms

alley cat

- a stray cat

I began to feed the alley cat and now it comes to my house every day.

as conceited as a barber's cat

- very conceited, vain

My friend became as conceited as a barber's cat after she won the award at school.

as weak as a kitten

- weak, sickly

The girl is as weak as a kitten and cannot carry the pile of books.

cat gets one`s tongue

- one cannot speak because of shyness

The cat got the woman's tongue and she could not say anything at all.

a cat nap

- a short sleep taken during the day

I had a cat nap during the afternoon so that I would feel refreshed in the evening.

a cat on a hot tin roof

- full of lively activity

The boy was jumping around like a cat on a hot tin roof and we could not make him be quiet.

a copycat

- someone who copies another person`s work etc.

The boy is a copycat according to the other students in the class.

curiosity killed the cat

- being too nosy may lead a person into trouble

"You should not worry about what your friend is doing. Remember, curiosity killed the cat."

fight like cats and dogs

- to argue and fight with someone (usually used for people who know each other)

The two children were fighting like cats and dogs when we entered the room.

a fraidy-cat

- someone who is easily frightened (usually used by children)

The little boy called his friend a fraidy-cat because his friend would not climb the tree.

let the cat out of the bag

- to tell something that is supposed to be a secret

The teacher let the cat out of the bag when she began talking about the plans for the new school.

look like something the cat dragged in

- to look tired/worn out/dirty

I was very tired and I am sure that I looked like something the cat dragged in.

look like the cat that swallowed/ate the canary

- to look smug and self-satisfied, to look as if you have just had a great success

"You look like the cat that swallowed the canary. What happened?"

not enough room to swing a cat

- not very much space

There was not enough room to swing a cat in the small apartment.

play cat and mouse with (someone)

- to tease or fool someone, to change between different types of behavior when dealing with someone

The man is playing cat and mouse with his company about his plans to quit or not.

put the cat among the pigeons

- to cause trouble

Sending the bad supervisor to talk to the angry workers was like putting the cat among the pigeons.

rain cats and dogs

- to rain very hard

It has been raining cats and dogs all day.

rub (someone/someone's fur) the wrong way

- to irritate someone (just as you would irritate a dog or cat if you rub their fur the wrong way)

The woman who I work with rubs me the wrong way when I speak to her.

a scaredy-cat

- someone who is easily frightened (usually used by children)

The children called their friend a scaredy-cat because she would not go into the empty house.

there is more than one way to skin a cat

- there is more than one way to do something

I knew that there was more than one way to skin a cat so I did not worry about the rules and time limit of my project.

when the cat's away, the mice will play

- when you are not watching someone they may get into trouble

When the cat's away, the mice will play and when the teacher left the classroom the students began to move around.

cow Idioms

as awkward as a cow on roller skates

- very awkward

The little girl was as awkward as a cow on roller skates when she first began riding her bicycle.

a bull in a china shop

- a tactless person who upsets others or upsets plans, a very clumsy person

The boy is like a bull in a china shop so you should be careful if you invite him to your house.

a cash cow

- a product or service that makes much money

Our new business is a cash cow. We are making a lot of money now.

have a cow

- to become very angry and upset about something

Our teacher had a cow when he discovered that nobody had prepared for the class.

hit the bulls-eye

- to reach the main point of something

I think that our manager hit the bulls-eye when he talked about the real problems in the company.

Holy cow

- used to express strong feelings of astonishment/pleasure/anger

"Holy cow," the man said when he saw the car that had hit the street lamp.

a sacred cow

- a person or thing that is never criticized or changed even if it should be (from a cow which is sacred in India)

The school lunch program is a sacred cow which they will never change.

take the bull by the horns

- to take decisive and direct action

My aunt decided to take the bull by the horns and begin preparations for the family reunion.

until the cows come home

- until very late, for a long time

We can talk until the cows come home this weekend.

dog Idioms

as clean as a hound's tooth

- very clean

The classroom was as clean as a hound's tooth when the students finished cleaning it.

as crooked as a dog's hind leg

- dishonest

The politician is as crooked as a dog's hind leg and everybody dislikes him.

as sick as a dog

- very sick

My friend was as sick as a dog when he left the restaurant last night.

one's bark is worse than one's bite

- one's words are worse than one's actions

You should not worry about her. Her bark is worse than her bite and she is really a very nice person.

bark up the wrong tree

- to choose the wrong course of action, to ask the wrong person (a hunting dog may make a mistake when chasing an animal and bark up the wrong tree)

My boss is barking up the wrong tree. I did not cause the computer problem because I was away at the time.

call the dogs off

- to stop threatening/chasing/hounding someone

The police decided to call the dogs off and stop hunting for the man.

dog and pony show

- something that you disapprove of because you think that it has only been organized to impress you (like a dog and pony show in a circus)

We had serious questions about the project but we only got a dog and pony show when we asked for answers from our business partners.

dog-eat-dog

- ready or willing to fight and hurt others to get what one wants

It is a dog-eat-dog world in our company.

dog in the manger

- someone who prevents others from doing what they themselves do not want to do (in Aesop's Fables a dog that cannot eat hay lays in the hayrack and prevents the other animals from eating the hay)

My friend always acts like a dog in the manger and often tries to prevent us from enjoying ourselves.

every dog has his day

- everyone will have his chance or turn, everyone will get what he deserves

"Don`t worry about him. Every dog has his day and he will eventually suffer for all the bad things that he is doing."

fight like cats and dogs

- to argue and fight with someone (usually used for people who know each other)

The two children were fighting like cats and dogs when we entered the room.

go to the dogs

- to deteriorate, to become bad

Many things in our city have gone to the dogs during the last ten years.

the hair of the dog that bit one

- a drink of alcohol that one takes when recovering from a hangover

The man woke up and had the hair of the dog that bit him before he ate breakfast.

to hound (someone)

- to pursue/chase someone, to harass someone

The manager is always hounding the younger members of her staff to make sure that they work hard.

in the doghouse

- in disgrace or disfavor, in trouble

The man is in the doghouse with his wife because he came home late last night.

lead a dog`s life

- to lead a miserable life

The man is leading a dog`s life since he married the woman who everyone told him not to.

let sleeping dogs lie

- to not make trouble if you do not have to

You should let sleeping dogs lie and not ask our boss any questions about the dispute.

put on the dog

- to dress or entertain in a luxurious and extravagant manner

We put on the dog for my parents when they came to visit us.

rub (someone/someone's fur) the wrong way

- to irritate someone (just as you would irritate a dog or cat if you rub their fur the wrong way)

The woman who I work with rubs me the wrong way when I speak to her.

see a man about a dog

- to leave for some unmentioned purpose (often to go to the washroom)

I left the table in the restaurant to go and see a man about a dog.

a shaggy dog story

- a long and often pointless story that is told as a joke and often ends in a very silly or unexpected way

My friend told me a shaggy dog story about how he lost his bicycle.

one's tail between one`s legs

- feeling beaten or humiliated (like a frightened or defeated dog as it walks away)

The man left the meeting with his tail between his legs after he was criticized by the company president.

the tail wagging the dog

- a situation where a small part controls the whole thing

When the small group of managers began to run the large company, it was like the tail wagging the dog.

top dog

- the most important person in an organization

My uncle is the top dog in his company.

turn tail

- to run away from trouble or danger

We decided to turn tail and leave the restaurant before there was an argument.

you can't teach an old dog new tricks

- it is difficult for older people to learn new things

You can't teach an old dog new tricks and I don't think that my father will ever change his eating habits.

horse Idioms

as strong as a horse/lion/ox

- very strong

The man was as strong as an ox and easily helped us move the sofa.

as stubborn as a mule

- very stubborn

My friend is as stubborn as a mule and you can never make her change her mind.

back the wrong horse

- to support someone or something that cannot or does not win or succeed

We backed the wrong horse when we supported the new candidate for mayor.

bet on the wrong horse

- to misread the future, to not choose the winning person or solution

He is betting on the wrong horse if he supports the other city in their bid for the Olympic games.

by shank's mare

- by foot

I came to the meeting by shank's mare.

champ/chomp at the bit

- to be ready and anxious to do something (a bit is put into a horse's mouth for control of the horse)

Everyone was chomping at the bit to get started on their holiday.

change horses in midstream

- to make new plans or choose a new leader in an activity that has already begun

They have decided to change lawyers but I told them that they should not change horses in midstream.

a dark horse

- a candidate who is little known to the general public

The candidate was a dark horse in the race to be the next mayor until he gave some good speeches on TV.

dog and pony show

- something that you disapprove of because you think that it has only been organized to impress you (like a dog and pony show in a circus)

We had serious questions about the project but we only got a dog and pony show when we asked for answers from our business partners.

donkey's years

- a very long time

I talked to my friend for a long time because I had not seen her in donkey's years.

eat like a horse

- to eat a lot

My brother eats like a horse.

flog/beat a dead horse

- to continue fighting a battle that has been won, to continue to argue a point that has been settled

My friend was flogging a dead horse when she would not stop arguing about the mistake on her paycheck.

get off one`s high horse

- to begin to be humble and agreeable

I wish that she would get off her high horse and begin to think about how other people feel about things.

get on one`s high horse

- to behave with arrogance

My friend is always getting on her high horse and telling people what to do.

hold one`s horses

- to wait, to be patient

"Hold your horses for a moment while I make a phone call."

hoof it

- to walk or run (a hoof is the foot of a horse/sheep/cow etc.)

I decided to hoof it when I came downtown this morning.

horse around

- to play around (in a rough way)

The teacher told the children not to horse around while they were getting ready for class.

a horse of a different color

- something totally separate and different

Changing locations is a horse of a different color. It was never mentioned in any of our meetings.

horse sense

- common sense, practical thinking

The boy does not have much horse sense and sometimes he makes the wrong decision.

horse trade

- to bargain in a hard and skillful way

We had to do some horse trading but finally we reached a deal to buy the new house.

lock the barn door after the horse is gone

- to try to deal with something after it is too late

Now my friend wants to fix his house but it is like locking the barn door after the horse is gone. There was a flood and the damage is already done.

look a gift horse in the mouth

- to complain if a gift is not perfect

The girl should not look a gift horse in the mouth and should be happy that she received a present from her friends.

on horseback

- on the back of a horse

We rode out to the old red barn on horseback.

put (someone or something) out to pasture

- to retire someone or something (just as you would put a horse that is too old to work out to pasture)

We finally decided to put our old car out to pasture and buy a new one.

put the cart before the horse

- to do things in the wrong order

I think that buying a ticket before we make our holiday plans is putting the cart before the horse.

ride herd on (someone)

- to watch closely and strictly supervise someone (as a cowboy would supervise a herd of cattle)

The manager has been riding herd on his employees so that he can get the job done quickly.

straight from the horse`s mouth

- directly from the person who said something, directly from a dependable source

I heard it straight from the horse`s mouth that our supervisor will be leaving the company next week.

wild horses could not drag (someone away)

- there is nothing that will force someone to go somewhere or do something

Wild horses could not drag me away from my favorite TV show last night.

work like a horse

- to work very hard

My grandfather worked like a horse when he was a young man.

you can lead a horse to water (but you can't make it drink)

- you can give someone the opportunity to do something but you cannot force him or her to do it if they do not want to

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink and no matter how hard we try to help my cousin get a job he will not make any effort when we introduce him to someone who knows about a job.

monkey Idioms

go ape (over someone or something)

- to become highly excited or angry about someone or something

Our teacher will go ape if he sees that you have not finished the work that was due today.

make a monkey out of (someone)

- to make someone look foolish

My friend made a monkey out of me when he started arguing with me in front of my boss.

monkey around with (someone or something)

- to play with or waste time with someone or something

The father and son spent the morning monkeying around with the old radio.

monkey business

- unethical or illegal activity, mischief

The boy should stop the monkey business and try to do the job the correct way.

a monkey on one's back

- a serious problem that stops someone from being successful at something

The time without scoring a goal was a monkey on the back of the famous soccer player.

monkey see, monkey do

- someone copies something that someone else does

It is always monkey see, monkey do for the boy. He copies everything that his friend does.

more fun than a barrel of monkeys

- very funny, fun

The children love the man because he is more fun than a barrel of monkeys and makes everybody laugh.

mouse Idioms

as poor as a church mouse

- very poor

My cousin is as poor as a church mouse and never has any money to spend.

as quiet as a mouse

- very quiet, shy

I was as quiet as a mouse when I left my house early this morning.

the best-laid plans of mice and men

- the best thought-out plans that anyone can make

The best-laid plans of mice and men could not prevent the problems that we had with our travel plans.

play cat and mouse with (someone)

- to tease or fool someone, to change between different types of behavior when dealing with someone

The man is playing cat and mouse with his company about his plans to quit or not.

when the cat's away, the mice will play

- when you are not watching someone they may get into trouble

When the cat's away, the mice will play and when the teacher left the classroom the students began to move around.

pig/hog Idioms

as fat as a pig

- very fat

The woman in the supermarket was as fat as a pig.

buy a pig in a poke

- to buy something without seeing it or knowing if it will be satisfactory

You can buy the used computer but it will be like buying a pig in a poke if you do not look at it first.

cast pearls before swine

- to waste something on someone who will not be thankful or care about it

Giving the jewellery to the woman will be casting pearls before swine. She will not appreciate it at all.

eat high on/off the hog

- to eat good or expensive food

We were eating high off the hog during our ocean cruise.

go hog-wild

- to behave wildly

The young soccer fans went hog-wild when they arrived in the city for the game.

go whole hog

- to do everything possible, to be extravagant

We went whole hog in our effort to make sure that the convention was a success.

in a pig`s eye

- unlikely, not so, never

In a pig`s eye will my friend be able to save enough money to go to Mexico for the winter.

live high on/off the hog

- to have the best of everything

My friend has been living high on the hog since he changed jobs.

make a silk purse out of a sow's ear

- to create something of value from something of no value

You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear and there is no point in trying to teach the woman manners

piggy bank

- a small bank (sometimes in the shape of a pig) for saving money

The boy has been putting money into his piggy bank to save for a bicycle

piggyback

- sitting or being carried on someone`s back and shoulders

The boy was riding piggyback on his father`s shoulders

a road hog

- a car driver who uses more than his share of the road

The person in front of me on the highway was a road hog but I tried not to get angry

rat Idioms

rat on (someone)

- to report someone's bad behavior to someone

The little boy ratted on his friend at school

rat out on (someone)

- to desert or betray someone

The boy ratted out on his friends and now they won`t talk to him

rat race

- a rushed and confusing way of living that does not seem to have a purpose

My uncle is tired of being in the rat race every day and he plans to quit his job soon and do something else

smell a rat

- to be suspicious, to feel that something is wrong

I smell a rat. There is something wrong with the offer of a free credit card

sheep/goat Idioms

as gentle as a lamb

- very gentle

The girl is as gentle as a lamb when she is with her little sister

as innocent as a lamb

- having no guilt, naive

The little girl is as innocent as a lamb and everybody loves her

as meek as a lamb

- quiet, docile, meek

The secretary was as meek as a lamb when she went to ask her boss for a salary increase

the black sheep of the family

- the worst or the most unpopular/disliked member of a family

My cousin is the black sheep of the family and nobody likes to talk about him

get (someone`s) goat

- to annoy someone

My friend is always complaining about the way that I do things which gets my goat

in two shakes of a lamb's tail

- very quickly

I promised that I would meet my friend in two shakes of a lamb's tail

like lambs to the slaughter

- quietly and without complaining about the dangers that may lie ahead

Our football team went like lambs to the slaughter to meet the best football team in the country

separate the sheep from the goats

- to divide people into two groups

We had to separate the sheep from the goats when we began to make selections for the school choir

wolf Idioms

cry wolf

- to give a false alarm, to warn of a danger that is not there

The man is crying wolf. There is no danger that the electrical system will cause a fire

keep the wolf from the door

- to maintain oneself at the most basic level

My friend's part-time job is enough for him to keep the wolf from the door

keep the wolves at bay

- to fight against some kind of trouble

The university students were angry and the administration had to work hard to keep the wolves at bay

a lone wolf

- someone who prefers to spend time alone and has few friends

The boy was a lone wolf and spent most of his time alone

throw (someone) to the wolves

- to send someone into danger without protection, to sacrifice someone

The salesman decided to throw his co-worker to the wolves when he asked him to meet the angry customer

wolf down -something

- to gulp down something, to eat something quickly

I wolfed down my dinner and left the house for the movie

a wolf in sheep`s clothing

- a person who pretends to be good but really is bad

"Be careful of that man. He is a wolf in sheep`s clothing"

 

Idioms and expressions

all in a day's work

Definition: nothing special, part of the routine

Don't worry about it. It's all in a day's work.
Cooking is all in a day's work.

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

Definition: Idiom meaning that you need to have fun in order to be a happy, healthy person

Go home! Remember: All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
I'm worried about him. He hasn't yet understood that all work and no play makes jack a dull boy.

dirty work

Definition: Necessary, but uninteresting, or difficult work

He did the dirty work on that project.
Have you got around to doing the dirty work yet?

get down to work

Definition: Stop relaxing, focus on important task

Hey, let's get down to work here!
Sorry, I've got to get off the phone and get down to work.

get worked up over something

Definition: become angry or annoyed about something

He got all worked up over the last exam.
Don't get worked up over the garden. I'll take care of it tomorrow.

make short work of something

Definition: do something quickly

I made short work of the assignment and moved on to the next job.
Give it to John. He'll make short work of it.

work like a horse

Definition: work a lot, work very hard

Janet works like a horse!
Why don't you ask Tom. He works like a horse.

work out for the best

Definition: eventually finish well

Don't worry about your problems. Everything will work out for the best.
The divorce worked out for the best for the whole family.

work something off

Definition: lose weight

I'm going running to work dinner off.
She went to the gym to work off a few pounds.

throw a monkey wrench in the works

Definition: cause a disturbance in something that seems clear and understandable

I hate to throw a monkey wrench in the works, but don't you think we should ask Andy to help.
Everything was set to go when Jack threw a monkey wrench in the works!

Idioms: Personal Feelings and Opinions

It's really difficult to figure out what you mean if you don't explain yourself. Figure out: to understand after consideration

I'd like to apologize for last weekend. I feel guilty about not having telephoned to say I wouldn't be able to come. Feel guilty: to feel bad about something you have done.

He is dying to go to the Red Hot Chili Pepper's concert next week. Be dying to: be very eager or keen to do something.

I just can't stand listening to him lecture. He is so boring! Can't stand: despise or hate something.

They're not sure that want to get married. I think they are getting cold feet. Get cold feet: become unsure about an important decision.

He really did poorly on the test. When it came to take it, he went blank and couldn't answer anything. Go blank: not remember anything - happens often on tests!

Jason is having a hard time getting over the death of his cat. Get over: recover from an illness or very bad news.

He must be kidding! He can't really mean what he says. Be kidding: be joking, not serious.

When you think really hard, you should always be able to know what you feel deep down. Feel deep down: your true feelings about something.

Unfortunately, he is having second thoughts about the car he just bought. It seems that it doesn't get very good mileage. Have second thoughts: be unsure of something you have already done - very similar to get cold feet, only that, in this case, the action has already been completed.

Color Idioms

Many people feared that the new millennium would cause black outs because of problems with electricity production. Black out: loss of electricity

What a beautiful car! I'm green with envy. Be green with envy: very, very jealous of another person's property

Don't rely on him under pressure in battle. He's yellow. Be yellow: be a coward

There is so much red tape that needs to be completed before adopting a baby. Red tape: bureaucracy

Jack Thomas was put on Hollywood's black list during the McArthy era. Black list: list of unwanted people

She was such a difficult child that her family always treated her like a black sheep. Black sheep: a minority in a small group, often considered "bad" by the majority of the group

Mr. Jackson is very important to the success of this program. Make sure to roll out the red carpet when he arrives. Roll out the red carpet: give the best treatment

We're looking for a new home in the green belt. Green belt: the countryside around a city

It's not quite as black and white as you think. Black and white: simple, clear and understandable

Try to cheer Susan up. She is feeling rather blue these days. Feel blue: depressed

I had to tell a white lie in order to get accepted into the program. White lie: small, insignificant lie

Jack gave me the green light on the project. Give the green light: approve a project or request

today's idiom Anger _ irritation

To be up in arms	If you are up in arms about something, you are very angry.   "The population was up in arms over the demolition of the old theatre."
Get off my back!	If you tell somebody to get off your back, you ask them to stop   finding faults or criticizing you.
Like a bear with a sore head	If someone is behaving like a bear with a sore head, they are very   irritable and bad-tempered.   "When his team lost the match, Brad was like a bear with a sore head."
Bite someone's head off	If you bite someone's head off, you criticize them strongly   (and perhaps unfairly).   "I worked 10 hours a day all week and my boss bit my head off for   not doing my share of the work!"
Blow a fuse	If you blow a fuse, you suddenly lose your temper and become   very angry.   "Charlie blew a fuse yesterday when he discovered that his ipod   had been stolen."
Have a bone to pick with someone	To say that you have a bone to pick with somebody means that   you are annoyed with them and want to talk to them about it.
In somebody's good/bad books	If you are in somebody's good or bad books, you have their approval   or disapproval.   "I'm in my wife's bad books at the moment because I forgot our wedding    anniversary!"
For crying out loud	This expression is used to show irritation, exasperation or anger.   "For crying out loud! Turn that television off!"
Drive up the wall	If somebody or something drives you up the wall, they do something   that greatly annoys or irritates you.   "I can't concentrate with all the noise - it's driving me up the wall!"
Flea in one's ear	After an attempt at something, if you are sent away with a flea in   your ear, you are angrily reprimanded or humiliated.   "When he tried to put the blame on Pete, he was sent away with   a flea in his ear."
Fly off the handle	A person who flies off the handle becomes suddenly very angry.   "Dad flew off the handle when I told him I had damaged his new car."
Foam at the mouth	Someone who foams at the mouth is extremely angry about   something.   "The director was foaming at the mouth when he saw a picture of his   children in the newspaper."
Get your knickers in a twist.	If you get your knickers in twist, you are angry, nervous or upset   faced with a difficult situation   "Don't get your knickers in a twist!  Everything is under control."
Get in someone's hair	If you are getting in somebody's hair, you are annoying them so   much that they can't get on with what they're doing.   "I'd finish the report more quickly if my colleague wasn't getting in   my hair all the time!"
Go through the roof	If someone goes through the roof, they become very angry   "His father went through the roof when Paul damaged his new car."
Good riddance!	This expression is used to express relief at becoming free of an   unpleasant or unwanted person or thing.   "Our horrible neighbour has moved house, and all I can say is 'good    riddance'!"
Hot under the collar	If you get hot under the collar, you feel annoyed, indignant or   embarrassed.   "If anyone criticizes his proposals, Joe immediately gets hot   under the collar."
Look daggers at someone	Someone who looks daggers at another looks at them very angrily.   "David looked daggers at Paul when he invited his new girlfriend to dance."
Make one's hackles rise	If someone makes your hackles rise, they make you angry.   "Her constant criticism really makes my hackles rise!"
More heat than light	If a discussion or debate generates more heat than light, it causes   anger or intense reaction but doesn't clarify anything.   "The meeting that was held to discuss the problem generated more   heat than light."
Kick yourself	If you feel like kicking yourself, you are angry with yourself for   something you have done or not done.   "I could have kicked myself for forgetting Julie's birthday."
Like a red flag to a bull	To say that a statement or action is like a red flag to a bull means   that it is sure to make someone very angry or upset.   "Don't mention Tom's promotion to Mike.  It would be like a red flag   to a bull!"
Like a ton of bricks	If somebody comes down on you like a ton of bricks,   they criticize you severely because you have done something wrong.
Have a quick temper	If you have a quick temper, you get angry very easily.   "He makes me nervous - he's got such a quick temper."
Rant and rave	If you rant and rave about something, you protest noisily and forcefully.   "The old man ranted and raved about the new waste collection system,   but he had to accept it."
Road rage	Aggressive driving habits sometimes resulting in violence against other  drivers.  "A number of car accidents today are a result of road rage."
د                See red	If someone sees red, they suddenly become very angry or annoyed   about something.   "Discrimination of any kind makes me see red!"
Smooth somebody's ruffled       feathers	If you smooth somebody's ruffled feathers, you make that person   feel less angry or offended.   "Tom took the criticism badly, but James managed to smooth his   ruffled feathers"
That makes my blood boil!	If something makes your blood boil, it makes you really angry.   "His condescending attitude made my blood boil!"
That's going too far!	If you go too far, you do something that is considered extreme or   unacceptable.   "Stealing is bad, but stealing from a poor person is really going too far!"
That takes the biscuit!	This expression refers to something very irritating or annoying.   "After waiting for an hour, we were told that there were no seats left.   That really took the biscuit!"
That's the last straw!	The expression means that  this is the latest unpleasant event,   and that you cannot tolerate the situation any longer.
Wink of sleep	If someone doesn't get a wink of sleep, they don't sleep at all.   "It was so noisy in the hotel, I didn't get a wink of sleep."

ََََAnimal Idioms

alley cat

- a stray cat                                                     گربه خیابانی

I began to feed the alley cat and now it comes to my house every day.

as awkward as a cow on roller skates

- very awkward                                        خیلی خجالتی

The little girl was as awkward as a cow on roller skates when she first began riding her bicycle.

as blind as a bat                                     نابینا

- blind

The man is as blind as a bat and cannot see more than a small distance ahead.

as busy as a beaver

- very busy                           گرفتار بودن _ پر مشغله

I have been as busy as a beaver all morning trying to finish my work.

as clean as a hound's tooth

- very clean                                        خیلی تمیز و پاکیزه بودن                                                                     

The classroom was as clean as a hound's tooth when the students finished cleaning it.