American English idioms beginning with the letter A

Idiom about time absent minded according to Hoyle across the board add up ahead of time air one's dirty laundry all along all at once all day long all ears all in all all of a sudden all right all the time all thumbs Definition more than long enough forgetful Strictly by the rules Usage It's about time that you returned that book to me. She is really absent minded. According to Hoyle, you are not allowed to enter this room. The employees received a salary increase across the board. His excuse didn't seem to add up. We started the meeting ahead of time. She began to air his dirty laundry at the party.

which included everyone be reasonable early reveal his embarrassing secrets the entire time I knew you were seeing someone else all along. Suddenly All at once, the fans rushed onto the field. the entire day She has been waiting for the mail to arrive all day long. listening to You can tell me your story now because I am all everything ears. After considering All in all, the meeting was a success. everything Suddenly All of a sudden, the tornado hit the small town. okay continually clumsy
She said that it would be all right for me to come to the party.

an arm and a a lot of money leg apple of one's favorite

eye

She asks for money all the time. He is all thumbs when it comes to fixing things around the house. His new car must have cost him an arm and a leg. His youngest daughter is the apple of his eye. As a rule I usually get up at 8:00 AM every morning. As far as I know he will be here in a few minutes. He is asking for trouble if he misses another class. He missed the chance to apply for the job because he was asleep at the switch. As long as you promise to be careful you can

as a rule as far as asking for trouble asleep at the switch as long as

Usually To the extent probably going to have a problem not alert to the opportunity Provided that

as the crow flies as usual as well as as yet at a loss

at an end at cross purposes at fault at first

Taking the most direct route most of the time in addition to Until now for less than the company paid for them over have opposite ways to do something to blame At the beginning

borrow my car. As the crow flies it is about 8 kilometers to my house. She forgot to bring her book to class as usual. You should bring paper as well as a pen. As yet, she has not told me about her plans. The cars were sold at a loss.

The long career of the company's president appears to be at an end. They are at cross purposes and are always arguing about what to do. The truck driver was at fault in the accident.
At first she did not want to go but later she changed her mind.

at first blush When first seen at heart at home at last at loggerheads at odds basically in the house finally opposing each other in disagreement

at one's beck ready to serve him and call at the end of at the limit of his one's rope ability to cope at wit's end frustrated and upset He seems to be at wit's end after spending over two hours trying to solve the math problem. attend to take care of The clerk decided to attend to another customer firs

At first blush he seemed like a good worker but he is actually lazy. She is a very nice person at heart although many people dislike her. Her shoes are at home. I was waiting all morning for her call and at last it came. We have been at loggerheads over the new business plan. He has been at odds with his boss for many weeks now. His eldest daughter is always at his beck and call. He is at the end of his rope with this situation.

American English idioms beginning with the letter B

Idiom Definition back on one's recovered feet back out withdraw from Usage He is back on his feet after his company went out of business. The company tried to back out of the agreement.

back to the drawing board bail out

back to the beginning Since the project was unsuccessful, the company and start over had to go back to the drawing board.

provide assistance to The government has decided to bail out the troubled bank. bank on trust You can bank on anything the company promises. bark is worse attitude is worse than Even when he is angry, his bark is worse than than one's his actions his bite. bite barking up making incorrect The police are barking up the wrong tree in the wrong assumptions their investigation. tree beat was faster than him She beat him to the draw and arrived at the someone to interview first. the draw beat was faster than him She beat him to the punch and arrived at the someone to interview first. the punch beating speaking indirectly Stop beating around the bush and give us around the your final decision. bush bent out of become upset Don't get so bent out of shape. shape bite to eat some food After the show, let's get a bite to eat. black and writing When making a deal you should get everything in white black and white. blow a fuse lose your temper Hey, don't blow a fuse. blow one's become angry Calm down. Don't blow your cool. cool blown away really impressed I was blown away by his donation of a million dollars. breaking a tired I'm not even breaking a sweat. sweat break it up Stop Break it up, or I will call the police. bring down depressing The news of the tsunami was a bring down. If you don't slow down, you're going to buy it in a car buy it die
accident.

American English idioms beginning with the letter C

Idiom calculated risk Definition
an action that may fail but has a good chance

Usage Investing in that stock is a calculated risk.

to succeed
call a spade a spade

speak bluntly

I think that you should call a spade a spade. She wants to call it quits and go home. He is answering the call of nature.

call it quits finish call of nature need to go to the toilet call off cancel call on visit

They had to call off the game because of rain. She was planning to call on her friend when she got into town. call on request participation The teacher likes to call on students sitting in of the back. call the shots make the decisions The new boss likes to call the shots. captain of top corporation The company president is a captain of industry officer industry. carry over delay The store decided to carry over the sale until next week. carry over transfer They had to carry over the budget deficit to next year. carry the day be successful The new product should carry the day. She thought It would be best to carry through with carry through continue
her plans.

cash or credit catch some rays catch some Z's catch you later check it out check out chow down close out

cash or credit card get some sunshine sleep see you later

Will that be cash or credit? I'm going to lie on the beach and catch some rays. I decided to catch some Z's before going back to the college. Yeah, catch you later. Hey, check it out. We can check out the babes at the park. I need to find a place to chow down. The store had a close out sale and sold everything. The company will close the books at the end of the fiscal year. She had to cold call for the entire day. Salespeople usually come on strong when trying to sell their product.

look look at eat a lot discontinued merchandise close the end a bookkeeping books period cold call call persons she has never seen or met come on overwhelm with strong excessively strong language or personality company man person who always works hard company town dominated by

The manager is a company man. This is really a company town.

town cool down crack open cut out cut back on cut corners cut off

one company calm down open leave reduce reduce expenses cut off

Things should cool down in a day or two. Let's crack open a bottle for his birthday. It is late. I have to cut out. The company needs to cut back on expenses. The department tried to cut corners to save money. The telephone conversation was cut off because of the storm.

American English idioms beginning with the letter D

Idiom Definition dancing to a acting differently different tune dark horse unknown dash off dawn on day and night day in and day out dead ahead
dead as a doornail

Usage Now that she has money, she seems to be dancing to a different tune. This election proves that even a dark horse candidate can win. I need to dash off to the store to get a few things. It began to dawn on her as to why he was angry. We worked day and night to finish the project. He goes to that restaurant day in and day out. There was a truck dead ahead of our car. The bug was dead as a doornail after hitting the car. She was able to hit the target dead center. He is a dead duck.

leave quickly become clear to continually regularly directly in front definitely dead

dead center dead duck dead end dead set against dead tired dead to the world deal with decked out deep-six

exactly in the middle person in a hopeless situation an impasse The negotiations have come to a dead end. completely opposed to She is dead set against getting a new car. exhausted completely asleep be involved with dressed in fancy clothes dispose of

She was dead tired when she got home from work. She was dead to the world for the entire car ride. I really didn't wanna deal with it. She was decked out for the party. They decided to deep-six the office printer.

deep water

She will be in deep water unless she has a better explanation. deliver the succeed in doing what He knows how to deliver the goods. goods is expected die down grow weaker The noise from the crowd began to die down. die off die one after another The flowers began to die off because of the cold air. die out disappear slowly The dinosaurs began to die out millions of years ago. dig in begin eating Everyone dig in while the food is hot. dime a dozen common These books are a dime a dozen. dirty look look that shows dislike The girl gave him a dirty look. or disapproval dish out serve She began to dish out the food as soon as the guests arrived. dish out give He likes to dish out criticism to others. do a snow job deceive Don't try to do a snow job on me.
on

trouble

down with okay with double check close to the due date
down to the wire

recheck

Hey, I'm down with taking an easy class. They had to double check the balance sheet again. The project is down to the wire. The manager will probably drop the ball this month too.

drop the ball fail to do something

American English idioms beginning with the letter E

Idiom Definition each and absolutely every every eager beaver person willing to do extra
work

Usage I want each and every one of you to bring your textbooks tomorrow. At work, he is an eager beaver. He kept his ear to the ground and knew about the changes before everyone else.

ear to the ground ease off

easy come, easy go

paid attention to everything reduce unimportant Slowly relaxed lenient when grading

The president was asked to ease off some of the new company rules.
For him, losing his job was easy come, easy go.

easy does it easy-going easy grader

Easy does it is the best way to learn to drive a car. She has a very easy-going management style. My friends said she's an easy grader.

easy mark eat away at eat away at eat crow eat dirt eat humble pie eat like a bird eat like a horse eat like a pig eat one's words eat out eating someone egg someone on eke out

likely victims bother destroy admit to the mistake accept insults admit to the mistake and apologize very little a lot a lot admit he was wrong eat in a restaurant bothering push him just barely make

The elderly are an easy mark because they usually carry cash. The problem really began to eat away at him. The mildew began to eat away at the window frame. He was forced to eat crow. He made the senior manager eat dirt because of the way he was mistreated. He was forced to eat humble pie. I know that you usually eat like a bird. I know that you usually eat like a horse. I know that you usually eat like a pig.
He was forced to eat his words after his boss found the mistake.

She like to eat out three or four times a week. I do not know what is eating her today. She likes to egg him on to fight more when they have an argument. He was able to eke out a living with the restaurant. You need to use a lot of elbow grease to get the kitchen cleaned. They moved to the country in order to have a little more elbow room. For some people traveling is an end in itself and the destination is not important. He is at the end of his rope regarding what to do about his job. I knew that she would end up at the dessert counter. He always works hard but even so he has no money saved. You should know that every dog has his day. She has to work every other Saturday evening. You should send email every so often. He is not the same as every Tom, Dick and Harry.

elbow grease effort and strength elbow room end in itself end of one's rope end up even so every dog has his day every other every so often every Tom, Dick and Harry space the main purpose or goal last of his ideas finally be nevertheless everyone will have a chance or turn on each alternate occasionally the average person

eyes are bigger than one's stomach eyes in the back of one's head eyes pop out

desire for the food is greater than what she can actually eat the ability to know what is happening behind her surprise

Every time she orders food, her eyes are bigger than her stomach.

She has eyes in the back of her head.

Watch her eyes pop out when she sees all this money.

American English idioms beginning with the letter F

Idiom face down face off face the music face up to face value face value Definition defeat confrontation accept reality accept Usage They were able to face down their competitors. The two sides were headed for a nasty face off. He is going to have to face the music sooner or later. You must face up to the fact that you cannot be an artist. He gave me the old coins at face value. You have to take what she says at face value.

the official value possibly less than the truth facts of life birth, marriage and sex He seems to be too young to know about the facts of life. fair and using proper conduct The American team won the game fair and square square. fair game desirable and available The house is fair game for potential buyers. fair play proper conduct He believes in fair play and is an asset to the team. far out great This music is really far out. figure out solve It would be nice to figure out the answer to this problem. fill the bill be what is needed The new desks should fill the bill for the office. finger in the involvement The boss wants to have his finger in the pie in pie every department. first out of first The company was first out of the gate with the gate the new design. flip out lose control He would flip out every time he saw his exgirlfriend. What kind of music do you have on the flip side of flip side other side
the tape?

freaked out

lost control

I kinda freaked out because it was so crowded and went home.

fumble

make a mistake

The company lost money and cannot afford to fumble anymore.

American English idioms beginning with the letter G

Idiom gain ground game plan gang up on gas up get a break get a fix on Definition make progress strategy harass as a group fill up the gas tank get a good deal Usage The company began to gain ground in their effort to sell more products. The boss will talk about the new game plan at the next office meeting. The school children tried to gang up on the boy but he ran away. We should gas up tonight before we leave. She wanted to get a break when she bought the car. We were able to get a fix on the distant star.

obtain an accurate location of get a grip get control You need to get a grip of yourself and relax. get a kick out lot of enjoyment out of I think she will get a get a kick out of of watching the show. get a load of Take a look at Get a load of that old car. get a move hurry You had better get a move on or you are on going to be late. get a rise out make him angry She was able to get a rise out of him when of someone she laughed at his new pants. get a wiggle hurry You had better get a wiggle on or you are on going to be late. get a word in find the chance to say He could not get a word in while talking with something the manager. get a word in manage to break into She could not get a word in edgewise. edgewise the conversation get across explain She had a hard time trying to get across the idea. get ahead be successful She really works hard at her job in order to get ahead. get after urge You should get after her to do her homework. get along manage He is able to get along on very little money. get along leave I think we should get along now. get along have a good She does not get along with him. with someone relationship with someone get around go to different places She sure does get around more than most people.

get around to find the time for get at get away

all

imply succeed in leaving get away from it go on a vacation get away with murder get away with something get back

The apartment manager was finally able to get around to fixing the bath. I know what you are trying to get at. He was able to get away from work early. We want to get away from it all this summer.

do something bad The students were able to get away with without being caught or murder. punished cheat and not get He could get away with cheating. caught return

We might get back sooner than originally planned. get back at get revenge on She is planning to get back at him. get behind lag behind If you get behind in the homework you will not be able to pass the course. get behind support They decided to get behind the president. get by live He is able to easily get by on his salary. get canned fired If he doesnt work harder, hes probably going to get canned. get cold feet become afraid at the He will probably get cold feet and cancel his last minute plans to go to China. get cracking get started We will have to get cracking on this project. get down to begin to You should get down to work now. get down to begin discussing the We should get down to brass tacks brass tacks essential matters immediately. get even get revenge He plans to get even. get-go beginning She did not like her job from the get-go. get going leave I think that we should get going. get hold of obtain Please try to get hold of a dictionary for class. get hold of contact She tried to get hold of him for one month. get in on the begin at the lower level She was able to get in on the ground floor of ground floor the new company. get in touch contact I want you to get in touch with me next with someone month. get in the become part of the Try to get in the swing of things and have swing of situation fun. things get it understand it I listened to the joke twice, but I still don't get it. get it get control You need to get it together before the exam. together

get it understand through one's head get lost go away get mixed up become confused get off exit get off the begin ground get off on the have a bad beginning wrong foot get off my leave me alone back get off one's become busy butt get off one's not act so arrogant high horse get off the begin ground get on enter get on in get older years get on one's act arrogant high horse getting on irritating me my nerves get your angry dander up get one's feet begin her experience wet get one's annoy him goat get one's own get people to do what way you want get one's rear hurry in gear get out from escape from doing under get out of have an awful bed on the beginning of the day wrong side get out of lose control hand get out of the avoid

Try to get it through your head.

I want you to get lost. I think that she will get mixed up about the dates. She really wanted to get off the train. The new company will get off the ground next week. Try not to get off on the wrong foot with the new boss. I think that you should get off my back. You should get off your butt. He made mistakes and should get off his high horse. The new movie should get off the ground in about a week. She really wanted to get on the train. She is beginning to get on in years. He tends to get on his high horse at these office meetings. Recently you are getting on my nerves. Try not to get your dander up. She recently managed to get her feet wet in fashion design. She usually knows the way to get his goat. You always try to get your own way. You need to get your rear in gear. She would like to get out from under all that work. Did you get out of bed on the wrong side again today? The students often get out of hand every Friday afternoon. She tried to get out of the way of the

way of get over get ready get rid of get set

get someone down

overcome prepare dispose of prepare make her unhappy complete the difficult assignment is excited and angry be fired begin

oncoming traffic. She will have a difficult time to get over the relationship. She has to get ready for work now. He thought that she should get rid of the car. They are trying to get set for the engagement party. Her job has begun to get her down. He wants to get the difficult assignment over with first. If he gets going he will never stop complaining. She thought that he would get the ax from the company this week. It is time to get the ball rolling.

get something over with gets going get the ax get the ball rolling get the better of get the feel of get the goods on get the message get the sack get the show on the road get the worst of get this over with get through get through to get to get to first base get to the bottom of get under one's skin

gain an advantage over Try to get the better of your opponent. and defeat become accustom to Try to get the feel of this new car. find out information about understand the meaning be fired begin She is trying to get the goods on her boss. Maybe he is too stupid to get the message. She thought that he would get the sack from the company this week. It is time to get the show on the road.

suffer most because of She will probably get the worst of the flu. be finished with this successfully complete be understood by Let's get this over with.

She really needs to get through this class. He talked a lot but could not get through to her. have the opportunity to She did not get to see him last week. succeed He wanted to meet the boss but could not get to first base. find out the cause of The manager tried to get to the bottom of the increased expenses. irritate her He is beginning to get under her skin.

get up get-up-andgo get up on the wrong side of the bed get up the nerve get what's coming to one get wind of get wise to get with it get with it give it another shot give the green light go for it go public with go through with good for you got into got that right grades on a curve

get out of bed energy have an awful beginning of the day get enough courage

She decided to get up early. He has a lot of get-up-and-go. Did you get up on the wrong side of the bed again today?

She was finally able to get up the nerve to talk to her boss. get what she deserves She is going to get what's coming to her.

get knowledge of learn about do what is required hurry up try again give permission

He tried to get wind of the new business plan. This week he was able to get wise to the office gossip. You need to get with it if you want to keep your job. If you don't get with it, we will never finish this work. We have to go back and give it another shot.

The boss will give the green light today to begin the new project. try Lets go for it. sell shares to the public The company is expected to go public with of their stock next week. proceed as planned We have to go through with the purchase of with the new building. okay with you Is that good for you? became interested in I got into gardening in high school. are correct You got that right. computes grades Yeah, I heard she grades on a curve. based on class averages

American English idioms beginning with the letter H

Idiom had better Usage should You had better go now or you will be late for class. hair stand on She became frightened Her hair would stand on end every time she end watched a horror movie. Definition

hale and hearty half-baked half the battle hammer out

My uncle is a hale and hearty fellow who never gets sick. foolish She did not really like his half-baked idea. difficult Getting them to come to the meeting will be half the battle. agree to The union and managers were able to hammer out a new plan. hand down arrange to give after She plans to hand down her jewelry to her death daughter. hand in submit I went to the company early to hand in my job application. hand it to give credit to You have to hand it to her because she worked hard and was successful. hang a left Make a left turn Hang a left at the next corner hang a right Make a right turn Hang a right at the next corner hang in there continue despite She plans to hang in there even though she is difficulties taking eight classes this semester. hang loose relax Just hang loose for another few days. hang out come to Do you always hang out at this park? hang tough stick with We need to hang tough on our decision. hang up quit I have decided to hang up my teaching job. hard sell pressure The used car salesman used a hard sell to get us to purchase this car. have a buzz was slightly intoxicated I had a buzz on after the third martini. on have good feel good about I have good vibes about our new secretary. vibes have it all feel mentally all there Recently I don't have it all together. together heads will people will be punished Some heads will roll when the boss looks at roll the costs this month. hole up hide I had to hole up for three days because my boyfriend was looking for me. home free a definite success The new promotion plan is home free.

well and strong

American English idioms beginning with the letter I

Idiom if worst comes to worst ill at ease Definition If the worst scenario occurs uncomfortable Usage If worst comes to worst we must cancel our vacation. He appeared to be ill at ease during the interview.

in a bind in a family way in a fog in a haze in a hole in a hurry in a jam in a nutshell

in trouble pregnant confused confused in trouble rushed in trouble briefly

in a pig's eye Unlikely that in a pinch temporarily in a rush in a rut in a spot in a hurry
always doing the same thing

They will really be in a bind if they cannot sell their house. Our new secretary is in a family way and plans to quit work soon. He is always in a fog and never seems to know what is going on. He is always in a haze and never seems to know what is going on. He really is in a hole now that he has problems at work. I am in a hurry and cannot talk now. He is really in a jam at work. Please explain the problem to the group in a nutshell. In a pig's eye he is gonna show up on time. This tool will do in a pinch if you cannot find another one. They were in a rush to get to the party. She is depressed an in a rut again.

in a difficult situation He will be in a spot if he cannot pass the entrance exams. in a way somewhat I would like to go with you in a way. in a word Briefly In a word, I think that you need to study more. in a world of thinking and unaware She always seems to be in a world of her own. one's own of her surroundings in advance ahead of time They bought the tickets in advance so that they could get good seats. in and out coming in and going The boss has been in and out of his office the out entire day. in any case Absolutely In any case, we can meet at the coffee shop. in any event Absolutely In any event, we can meet at the coffee shop. in charge of in control of The new employee will be in charge of production. in deep deeply involved They are really in deep with each other. less than the amount in short These days the amount of oil is in short supply. needed supply in stock available The new paints are in stock. in the bag settled Everything is in the bag. There is nothing to worry about. in the black making money The company has been in the black since last year. in the long over time The company lost money but should be okay in

run the long run. in the market looking for and ready She is in the market for a new car. for to buy in the red losing money The company has been in the red since last year. in the works being planned The new line of products is in the works.

American English idioms beginning with the letter J

Idiom jack-of-alltrades jack up jam on the brakes jam-packed jazz up jerking someone around jockeying for position John Doe John Hancock Definition someone who can do many things increase stop the car suddenly crowded brighten up causing me trouble Usage That guy is a jack-of-all-trades. Stores typically jack up prices during the holidays. Because of the cow on the road she had to jam on the brakes. This club is really popular and always jampacked. We need to jazz up this boring room. Recently it seems like everyone is jerking me around.

maneuvering to get an The candidates for the presidency were advantage jockeying for position. unknown person Another John Doe was driving while intoxicated. signature Please put your John Hancock on the application form. John Henry signature Please put your John Henry on the application form. Johnny-come- newcomer He is a Johnny-come-lately at this company. lately Johnny-onin the right place at He always seems to be Johnny-on-the-spot. the-spot the right time jump all over scold me For no reason, he began to jump all over me. someone jump at quickly accept She knew that he would jump at the chance to go to Japan. jump down yell at him She began to jump down his throat over one's throat being late. jump on scold The boss would jump on him for even a small someone mistake. jump on the join in Everyone wants to jump on the bandwagon bandwagon now that the Internet site is a success.

jump out of be badly frightened one's skin jump the gun act too soon jump through a hoop jump to conclusions jumping-off place just about just now just off the boat just so obey any order make quick conclusions starting point nearly this very moment naive close to perfect

She looked as if she would jump out of her skin while she was watching the horror movie. He decided to jump the gun and ordered to many tickets. He is always ready to jump through a hoop for his boss. You should not jump to conclusions until you know all the facts. We gathered at the jumping-off place for our trip to the mountains. I waited just about one hour for her to come. The movie began just now. He acts like he is just off the boat. She always makes sure that her hair is just so before she goes out. I told her not to come early but just the same she came early anyway. The extra day off from work was just what the doctor ordered.

just the same nevertheless just what the exactly what was doctor needed ordered

American English idioms beginning with the letter K

Idiom kangaroo court keel over keel over keep a secret keep a stiff upper lip keep after keep an eye on keep at keep body Definition self-appointed group faint and fall over Usage They were convicted by a kangaroo court and did not agree with the decision.
He thought that he was going to keel over because of the heat.

tip over The boat looked like it was going to keel over. not tell others You should keep a secret about your new job. face the situation with The team could keep a stiff upper lip even pride though they were defeated. keep reminding You should keep after her to do her homework. Watch Keep an eye on my bicycle while I order some coffee. continue He has decided to keep at his studies at the university. survive It was very cold during the winter but somehow

and soul together keep books

she was able to keep body and soul together. keep records of money She used to keep books for a small company. gained and spent keep down control The students were told to keep down the noise. keep from refrain from I could not keep from eating all that cake. keep good accurately report the My watch does not been keep good time time time lately. keep house look after household She likes to keep house more than working for a company. keep in touch stay in contact I have always tried to keep in touch with my friends. keep on continue She will keep on making the same mistakes. keep one's continue and not quit Try and keep your chin up.
chin up

keep one's cool keep one's eye on the ball keep one's fingers crossed keep one's head keep one's head above water keep one's mouth shut keep one's nose clean keep one's nose to the grindstone keep one's own counsel
keep one's shirt on

remain calm

He was able to keep his cool when his house burned down. be watchful and ready You should keep your eye on the ball or you will make a mistake. wish for good results Please keep your fingers crossed that I will pass the exam. He is a very good leader and is always able to keep his head. He cannot seem to keep his head above water since his salary has decreased. She was very angry and told him to keep his mouth shut. He has been managing to keep his nose clean since he moved to the new town. He is really able to keep his nose to the grindstone. He always seems to keep his own counsel. Try and keep your shirt on. Although there was a fire in the building he was able to keep his wits about him. She never can keep her word.

stay calm when there is trouble or danger be able to pay his debts be quiet stay out of trouble work very hard

keep ideas and plans to himself calm down stay calm

keep one's wits about one keep one's word

fulfill her promise

keep pace with keep quiet keep the books keep track of keep your eye on the ball kick out of knocked up

go as fast as

It was difficult to keep pace with the other students. remain silent Please keep quiet and listen to the instructor. keep records of money The head of the accounting department will gained and spent keep the books this year. record The company will keep track of the money spent on paper this month. stay focused Try to keep your eye on the ball and finish the project. enjoyment from pregnant I get a kick out of watching him paint. My dog gets knocked up once a year.

American English idioms beginning with the letter L

Idiom labor of love Definition Usage project done for The book that he wrote was a labor of love. personal pleasure and not for money man who some women The man in the movie was a lady killer.
find very charming and attractive

lady killer lady's man laid back laid up

man who is popular with women calm and relaxed confined to bed

He is a lady's man and always seems to have a lot of women interested in him. You need to be more laid back.

He has been laid up for a few days because of a cold. lame duck public official who has He is a lame duck so it is difficult for him to get a short time left to things accomplished. serve in office and therefore has less power than before land on one's come out of a bad He always manages to land on his feet. feet situation successfully lap up drink with his tongue The dog began to lap up the milk that was given to him. lap up take in eagerly He could lap up the praise that his boss gave him. He began to lash out at the man who was sitting lash out verbally abuse
next to him.

last minute lose weight

there is no more time become thinner

I usually put off writing my papers until the last minute. I really need to lose weight this year.

luck out

are fortunate

If you luck out in Las Vegas, you can make a lot of money.

American English idioms beginning with the letter M

Idiom Definition mad as a very angry hornet made a hit was popular make a go directly and quickly beeline make a make a lot of money bundle make a day of stay the entire day it make a dent make progress make a change anything difference make a go of achieve success in make a killing make a living make a mistake make a mountain out of a molehill make a name for oneself make a pass at someone make a point of make a run for it make away with make believe make do with make ends meet make a lot of money make enough money make an error make a big problem out of a small one become famous make romantic advances to him have the intent of leave quickly leave with a pretend game substitute make enough money Usage He was mad as a hornet when I saw yesterday. Her cake made a hit at the party. She will probably make a beeline to the travel section. He could make a bundle on the stock market this year. We decided to make a day of it at the park. It seemed like we did not even make a dent towards completing the project. It does not seem to make a difference if we talk or not. He is trying to make a go of the business even though he is losing money. You can make a killing in Las Vegas. You cannot make a living at your present job. Try not to make a mistake on the exam. Try not to make a mountain out of a molehill. She is trying to make a name for herself in the field of literature. She tried to make a pass at him and lost her job. You should make a point of doing your homework every night. I think that she will make a run for it as soon as the class finished. The bank robber tried to make away with the money. The children were playing make believe. You have to make do with milk instead of cream. You cannot make ends meet at your present job.

make waves main drag maxed out means business mellow out munch out

cause trouble Try not to make waves around the office. most important street The best hotels in Las Vegas are located on the main drag. exhausted I am maxed out at my work and need to rest. The boss means business when he says to finish is serious
the project.

relax eat a lot

You need to mellow out and enjoy life.

I think that we should munch out at the buffet.

American English idioms beginning with the letter N

Idiom nail down named after name is mud name of the game narrow escape neck and neck neck of the woods needle in a haystack neither fish nor fowl neither here nor there nervous Nellie nest egg never mind new blood new deal new person nice out nick of time Definition make certain of given the name of reputation is ruined main objective barely avoided nearly equal area close to impossible Usage I want to nail down the exact time that we will meet tomorrow. She was named after one of her cousins. Your name is mud now that you were caught cheating on the exam. The name of the game is to make money for the company. She had a narrow escape from injury when she fell off her bike. The two teams were neck and neck in the game. She has never been to my neck of the woods.

Finding your earrings in this field is like a needle in a haystack. not in a definite group This report is neither fish nor fowl and I am not sure where it should be filed. off the topic What he is saying is neither here nor there. nervous person amount of money saved Do not bother fresh energy complete change
better

Try not to be such a nervous Nellie. He has a good nest egg in the bank. Never mind, I can do the laundry.
The new employee sure has added new blood to this company.

This business plan is certainly a new deal. person who has become Since she lost weight she is a new person. nice weather last possible moment It sure is nice out today. He got to work in the nick of time.

nip and tuck nip it in the bud no bed of roses no cigar no deal no dice no doubt no end no end to no go no great shakes no love lost no matter no picnic no problem no show no sweat no sweat no way no wonder

evenly matched prevent it in the beginning not easy not agreed to not agreed to no no uncertainty continually no finish point not happening average ill will regardless of difficult okay absent okay easily accomplished not possible not surprising

The two teams were nip and tuck until the end. Try to nip it in the bud before it becomes a bigger problem. Trying to work at two jobs is no bed of roses.
He almost bought the car but in the end the sale was no cigar. He almost bought the car but in the end the sale was no deal.

He wanted to borrow some money but she said no dice. There is no doubt which team will win this year. She cried no end after she lost her job. There appears to be no end to this project. The plans for this weekend are no go. The restaurant was no great shakes. There is no love lost between them. He cannot get good grades no matter how much he studies. This new job assignment is no picnic. It's no problem if you bring your friend to the party. I think that she will be a no show. It's no sweat to finish the report on Monday. Installing the new light in the kitchen was no sweat. No way to fit all those things in that purse. Since he stayed up all night, it is no wonder that he is tired. If you talk to him you will realize that nobody's home. She is nobody's fool. The secretary tries to nose about his desk when he is out. The secretary tries to nose around his desk when he is out. I would not give her the time of day.

nobody's the attention is home elsewhere nobody's fool an intelligent and independent person nose about look for something kept private nose around look for something kept private not give not give her any someone the attention time of day nothing doing not possible nothing if not certainly

Nothing doing. I am not working late tonight. He is nothing if not punctual.

nothing to sneeze at not much of a not on your life not so hot not touch something with a tenfoot pole now and then number cruncher number one nurse a grudge nuts about nutty as a fruitcake

something that should be taken seriously not a good definitely not

The new business plan is nothing to sneeze at. It is not much of a car, but it works. You want to borrow the car. Not on your life.

not good She has been feeling not so hot lately. not want involvement I would not touch that car with a ten-foot with that car pole.

occasionally

She likes to go to that restaurant now and then. person who works with The owner of the company has always been a numbers good number cruncher. oneself Always looking out for number one is not the best idea. keep a feeling of She will probably nurse a grudge towards her dislike old boss for years. enthusiastic She is really nuts about watching movies. crazy The woman who lives next door to us is as nutty as a fruitcake.

American English idioms beginning with the letter O

Idiom odds and ends of age of age of course off again, on again off and on off base off beat off center off color off duty Definition various items old enough for certain privileges fully developed Certainly uncertain intermittently inaccurate unconventional misaligned inappropriate and offensive not working Usage We made games for the students using odds and ends from around the house. When he became of age we had a big party for him to celebrate. Cars became of age many years ago. Of course you can use my car if you want to. The plans for the party were off again, on again. It has been raining off and on since this morning. He was really off base on his estimate of the budget. The movie was very off beat. The picture looks good on that wall but it's a little off center. He likes to tell off color jokes at work. The police officer was off duty when the

off guard by surprise off one's back away and not bother me off one's stated and discussed chest off one's out of his possession hands off one's crazy rocker off the beam incorrect off the beaten path off the beaten track off the cuff off the hook not well known not well known without thinking out of trouble

incident occurred. The request caught her a little off guard. I wish he would stay off my back. She was able to get the problem off her chest. He was able to get that car off his hands. She must be off her rocker to pay that much for that dress. His comment about the business plan is off the beam. This restaurant is certainly off the beaten path. This restaurant is certainly off the beaten track. His rude comments were really made off the cuff. He is off the hook now that they realized it was not his mistake. He told the reporters to keep the information off the record. She could recite all fifty United States off the top of her head. He is off the wagon.

off the record private off the top of from memory one's head off the wagon drinking alcohol again after stopping for awhile old hat boring and unchanging on a diet trying to lose weight on a with very little money shoestring on again, off uncertain again on and off intermittently on and on on an even keel on behalf of on call tediously running smoothly representing

Her job has become old hat. Are you on a diet or something? He started the new company on a shoestring. The plans for the party were on again, off again. It has been raining on and off since this morning. The meeting continued on and on until the evening. The department is finally on an even keel. The lawyer went to the meeting on behalf of his client. The technician was on call the entire night. She has been on cloud nine ever since she got

ready and available to work on cloud nine very happy

married. on credit using a credit card She decided to buy the table on credit. on easy financially comfortable He has been on easy street since he sold his street business. on edge nervous and irritable He has really been on edge because of his new job. on end continuously We worked for hours on end last night. on faith without question She took his excuse on faith and decided to stay with him. on guard wary He is staying on guard for any possible security problems. on hand available The coffee shop had extra pastries on hand. on hand nearby Please keep your dictionary on hand in case you need it. on hand present The speaker will be on hand after the lecture if you have questions. on ice aside for later The plans for the new stadium were put on ice. on its last at the end of its The television is on its last legs. legs usefulness on one's back bothering him She has been on his back all week to get a new job. on one's feet recovered She was on her feet after a long illness. on one's his responsibility The mistakes made in the department were on shoulders his shoulders. on one's toes alert The students were expected to stay on their toes. The players were on pins and needles waiting for on pins and excited and nervous the game to begin. needles on purpose intentionally I think that she spilled the drink on purpose. on shaky not secure His position at the company is on shaky ground ground. on the air broadcasting That television program has been on the air for awhile. on the ball intelligent He is really on the ball. on the block for sale The office building is on the block. participating in the same Now everyone is on the bandwagon. on the thing because of the bandwagon
actions of others

on the beam on the blink on the button on the coat tails of

correct not working exactly on time because of the previous actions of

What she said was on the beam. The television is on the blink. She usually arrives at work on the button. The actor got the part on the coat tails of his famous brother.

on the dole on the dot on the edge of one's seat on the go

receiving assistance exactly on time excited and nervous busily moving around

The area is very poor and there are many people on the dole.

on the house free on the level honest on the loose wandering around on the make on the mend on the move on the nose on the other hand on the road trying to take advantage feeling better going to many places correct in contrast

She usually arrives at work on the dot. She was on the edge of her seat waiting for the contest to begin. He has been on the go since early this morning. The room at the hotel was on the house. This repair shop is really on the level. Some of the animals at the zoo were on the loose. He is on the make and will attempt to take your money. She is on the mend after the car accident last week.
She is traveling and has been on the move for many months.

His estimate was on the nose. She is intelligent but on the other hand she is very lazy. traveling Some truck drivers are almost always on the road. on the rocks with ice Would you like your whiskey on the rocks? on the rocks unstable Their relationship appears to be on the rocks. on the same thinking the same way We have been on the same wavelength for wavelength months. on the sly secretly We went to the restaurant on the sly. on the spot in an embarrassing She really put him on the spot. situation on the spur of suddenly They decided to go to Los Angeles on the spur the moment of the moment. on the tip of not able to be recalled The answer was on the tip of her tongue. one's tongue on the up and honest The company seems to be on the up and up. up on the wagon not drinking alcohol He is on the wagon. on the very angry He is on the warpath today. warpath on the whole in general On the whole I think it is a good idea. on time at the scheduled time Our train arrived right on time. on top in the lead The home team was on top for most of the game. on top of in addition to On top of everything else she wants more

on top of on top of once and for all once in a blue moon once in a while once or twice once-over out of control out of the book over one's limit

managing aware of absolutely rarely occasionally a few times quick look chaotic directly from the book
exceeded your spending limit

jewelry. We are able to keep on top of our work. She is usually on top of the latest fashion trends. She told him once and for all that she would not take the new job. She only goes to that restaurant once in a blue moon.
We go to that restaurant once in a while to eat Japanese food.

We went to that restaurant once or twice. She gave the book a once-over before deciding to buy it. Yeah, but it was out of control. The exams are all out of the book. It appears you are over your limit.

American English idioms beginning with the letter P

Idiom pad the bill pain in the ass pain in the ass pain in the neck pain in the neck paint oneself into a corner paint the town red palm off pan out par for the course part and Definition add false expenses annoying bothersome Usage He always tries to pad the bill when he goes on a business trip. My girlfriend's best friend is a pain in the ass.

Dealing with my neighbor is always a pain in the ass. annoying My girlfriend's best friend is a pain in the neck. bothersome Dealing with my neighbor is always a pain in the neck. put yourself into a bad Try not to paint yourself into a corner at situation work today. have a good time We decided to go out and paint the town red after work. lie about and dispose He tried to palm off his old television set as of new and reliable. become reality I hope that your plans to go back to school pan out. what is expected He was late for work again which has become par for the course. an important part The house he bought was part and parcel of a

parcel pass away pass muster pass off pass on pass on pass out

die be adequate claim give away die faint

pass the buck shift responsibility to others pat on the praise back patch up fix pay attention focus on and listen pay off pay off pay off pay-off pay through the nose pick someone up piece of cake piece of the action reduce the balance owed to zero on be successful bribe monetary reward pay a lot of money come and get you easy share in the activity

much larger piece of land. The old leader is expected to pass away soon. Tell me if you think the report will pass muster. The salesperson tried to pass off that the diamond was real. She tries to pass on her old clothes to her younger sister. The old leader is expected to pass on soon. She is going to pass out if she drinks any more sake. He usually tries to pass the buck when there is a problem. Try to do good work without expecting a pat on the back. We have been trying to patch up this relationship. You should pay attention to what the teacher is saying. The homeowner was able to pay off the loan early. The business plan began to pay off and the profits of the company increased. The company tried to pay off the politician. The company is expecting a big pay-off from this new product. She had to pay through the nose for her textbooks. What time do you want me to pick you up? My friends said her tests are a piece of cake. The investors knew the company would make money and they all wanted a piece of the action. He plays a mean violin. It is my turn to pop for the doughnuts. The players are really psyched up for the game on Friday. The players are really pumped up for the game. II am going to push off now. Yeah, I usually put off doing homework until

plays a mean performs well on pop for buy something psyched up mentally ready pumped up push off put off excited and ready leave delay

put on put the moves on

deception seduce

the last minute. It was an elaborate put on which I almost believed. You should give up trying to put the moves on her.

American English idioms beginning with the letter Q

Idiom quick and dirty Definition fast but inadequate Usage The mechanic did a quick and dirty repair on her car.

American English idioms beginning with the letter R

Idiom rack one's brains rain check rain check Definition think hard free ticket permission Usage She had to rack her brains for one hour to get the answer. He received a rain check to the baseball game after it was cancelled because of the rain. The store gave her a rain check to purchase the product for the same price at a later date since it was sold out today. It has been raining cats and dogs all morning. The woman at the restaurant chose to raise a fuss when her meal arrived late. She will never raise a hand to help her friends.
They began to raise Cain at the dance and were asked to leave.

raining cats and dogs raise a fuss raise a hand raise Cain

raining very hard complain do something create a disturbance

raise cause surprise eyebrows rake in the make a lot of money money ran out of gas lost momentum
ream someone yell at him out

red ink rip off rip off rough time

debt overpriced item steal hard time

These crazy clothes should raise eyebrows at the office tomorrow. She should be able to rake in the money with that new product. The politician ran out of gas during the campaign. The boss decided to ream him out for his bad report. The company has been in red ink from the beginning. This car was really a rip off. Someone tried to rip off her car last night.
We have had a rough time this winter.

run short

not have enough

If we dont order supplies now, we will probably run short.

run the show make the decisions running off at talking too much the mouth

It seems as if the boss really likes to run the show. He is always running off at the mouth.

American English idioms beginning with the letter S

Idiom
saddled with debt

Definition burdened with debt

said something of great importance

Usage The company has been saddled with debt.

said a mouthful sail into

He really said a mouthful at the office meeting. scold As soon as I came in the door she began to sail into me for being late. salt away save She was able to salt away a few thousand dollars from her new job. save face protect his reputation The manager was able to save face when he showed that the loss of money was outside of his control. save one's remain silent You should save your breath because I do not breath believe you anyway. save one's avoid trouble He quit the company during the scandal in neck order to save his neck. save one's avoid trouble He quit the company during the scandal in skin order to save his skin. save the day brought about success She saved the day for her company. screw around waste time Do not screw around at work. screw up make a mistake If you screw up one more time, I will fire you. screw up person who makes You are such a screw up. mistakes selling like selling very quickly The new product is so cheap, its selling like hotcakes hotcakes. sell out sell completely Our best products seem to sell out very quickly. shape up or improve or leave You have the lowest production in this ship out department so you better shape up or ship out. shell out pay Time to shell out some money. shoot some play basketball After school, let's shoot some hoops. hoops short on low on money I am kind of short on funds now. funds

shot down slim to none steamed up strike while the iron is hot

disagreed with almost impossible

Everyone shot down my idea. I think our chances of getting in are slim to none. angry Don't get so steamed up over the issue. take advantage of this The stocks price is a good deal so we should opportunity strike while the iron is hot.

American English idioms beginning with the letter T

Idiom tail between one's legs take a back seat take a crack at take a dim view of take a hike take a leak take a nosedive take a powder take a shine to take a stand on take a trip take advantage of take after take back take care of take care of take down take down Definition Usage feeling ashamed and Because of the scandal, he quit the company beaten with his tail between his legs. accept a lower position I had to take a back seat for the benefit of the company. attempt She decided to take a crack at the entrance exam. disapprove of Our company will always take a dim view of dishonest people. I am tired of all your complaining. You should take a leave
hike.

urinate decrease in value leave quickly like be decisive on go benefit from resemble revoke give attention to deal with write dismantle

He stopped at the side of the road to take a leak. The stock price is expected to take a nosedive soon after it is sold to the public. She decided to take a powder after the meeting. He began to take a shine to the cute girl in the class. The President decided to take a stand on the tax issue. We plan to take a trip to Japan in July. Take advantage of the beautiful weather and go to the beach. He tries to take after his brother and wears the same type of clothes. He had to take back what he said about his boss. You should take care of your health. She had to take care of the paperwork. Please take down many notes during the lecture. We had to take down our tent because of the

take in a show take on take over take roll take stock take the company public taken for taking care of business team player the inside track throw cold water on throw more money at tight spot

watch a movie hire take control of check attendance

count the items of merchandise or supplies in stock

rain. Maybe I'm gonna take in a show tonight. The company is expected to take on more employees next year. The larger bank is expected to take over the smaller bank. I'm going to take roll now. The store usually has to take stock every three months. The owner needed more money and decided to take the company public. He was taken for all his money at the casino. I have been taking care of business. He is really a team player. He knows the manager so he has the inside track for getting the new job. The manager decided to throw cold water on the plans to leave early for the weekend. The product may do better in the market if we throw more money at it. The new product is not selling as well as expected and has put the company in a tight spot. I am going to try to move on Joan next Saturday. She took a bath on the stock market last year.
His brother really took a beating on the stock market recently.

sell shares of the company to the general public cheated out of doing what I have to do someone who works well with others the advantage over others forbid try to solve the problem by spending more money on difficult situation

to move on took a bath took a beating tool around turn off turn over

to seduce experienced great losses lost money drive around repulsive thing rate of sale

I don't want to tool around all night. It is time to go home. The awful language that he uses is a turn off. The new product turn over has been incredible.

American English idioms beginning with the letter U

Idiom Definition Usage

ugly duckling unattractive under a cloud under suspicion under a cloud depressed under cover under fire under one's belt under one's belt under one's breath under one's nose under one's own steam under one's thumb under one's wing under the counter under the hammer under the table under the weather under wraps unearthly hour until hell freezes over up against up for grabs up against in disguise being scrutinized completed in his stomach quietly in an obvious place without assistance under his control under his care secretly up for sale at an auction in secret and illegally

She was an ugly duckling when she was a child. The politician has been under a cloud over the possibility of taking bribes. He has been under a cloud since he lost his job.
The detective went under cover to look for the drug dealers.

The owner is under fire for poor working conditions at the factory. He already has enough experience as a manager under his belt. After he has a big breakfast under his belt, he is ready for work. He was talking under his breath in the library. He found his wallet under his nose. He completed the project under his own steam. He is only a salesman but he has his boss under his thumb. He took the new employee under his wing. The drugs are being sold under the counter.

The painting went under the hammer and sold for a very high price. He paid some money under the table in order to get his product exported into the country. ill He is feeling under the weather so he is going to bed early tonight. not allowed to be seen The new car was still under wraps when the auto show started. absurdly early We got up at an unearthly hour this morning so we could get ready to go camping. for an eternity He said that he would not talk to his friend again until hell freezes over. in contact with The ladder was standing up against the tree in the yard. available This is a good sale. Everything is up for grabs. He was up against a lot of problems when he went confronted with
to university.

up and about recovered

She is now up and about after her injury.

up front up in arms up in the air

honest
very angry and ready to fight

He was up front about the condition of the car. The villagers were up in arms over the proposal.
It is still up in the air whether or not she will attend college.

undecided

up one's alley something he is good at up one's something kept secret sleeve upper crust most famous and important people upper hand advantage ups and downs
upset the applecart

Computer programming is up his alley. He probably has something up his sleeve. The upper crust of the city are members of this country club.
The union members have the upper hand in the negotiations.

moments of good and bad fortune ruin the situation in trouble

He is having a few ups and downs but generally he is doing well. Try not to upset the applecart.

up the creek up the creek without a paddle up the river without a paddle up to up to up to

She is up the creek now that she has lost her homework. in trouble and unable She is up the creek without a paddle now to do anything about it that she failed the class. in trouble and unable She is up the river without a paddle now to do anything about it that she failed the class. as high as secretly planning the decision of The snow was up to her waist. She was trying to figure out what he was up to. It is up to his wife whether or not they purchase the house. They were not sure if he was up to it or not. They were not sure if he was up to the job or not. She had not been to Japan up to this year. She had not been to Japan up till this year. She had not been to Japan up until this year. She is up to her ears with the project.
His work was not up to par and he was asked to quit his job. His work was not up to scratch and he was asked to quit his job. His work was not up to snuff and he was asked to quit his job. His work was not up to the mark and he was asked to quit his job.

up to it able to do it up to the job able to do it up to up till up until up to one's ears up to par until until until very busy at the usual level

up to scratch at the usual level up to snuff up to the at the usual level at the usual level

mark up to someone up to the chin used to use one's head use one's bean use one's noodle use one's noggin use up

her decision deeply involved accustomed to think think think think completely use

It is up to her when it is time to leave. He has been up to the chin in the project. She is not used to living in such a big city. You should use your head a little more. You should use your bean a little more. You should use your noodle a little more. You should use your noggin a little more. They had to use up the paper before ordering more.

American English idioms beginning with the letter V

Idiom Definition very well Okay vicious circle unbroken sequence of cause and effect voted down defeated Usage Very well, you can leave work early. Drinking alcohol, becoming depressed and then drinking even more is an example of a vicious circle. The election results showed the governor was voted down.

American English idioms beginning with the letter W

Idiom wade into Usage join in The football player decided to wade into the fight to protect his teammates. serve his wife in every He likes to wait on his wife hand and foot. possible way Definition

wait on someone hand and foot wait up for not go to bed and wait The woman decided to wait up for her for daughter to come home. waiting serving food He spent the summer waiting tables at the tables resort. walk all over control and take She is always trying to walk all over him. advantage of walk away steal Someone tried to walk away with the office with computer.

walk in the easy park walk of life social level walk off with steal walk on air walk out walk out be happy go on strike leave suddenly

This class is gonna be a walk in the park. People from every walk of life came to event. Someone tried to walk off with the office computer. She is going to walk on air when he gives her the diamond ring. Many workers at the factory decided to walk out today. They decided to walk out in the middle of the meeting. She will usually walk the floor when she is nervous.
The manager of the department was forced to walk the plank.

walk the floor walk back and forth across the floor walk the resign plank walking dismissal papers waltz off with take warm up to warm up wash one's hands of washed up waste one's breath watch it watch one's P's and Q's water down water under the bridge way off base become friendly with practice abandon no longer successful speak pointlessly be careful be well-behaved make weaker in the past way off base

She was given her walking papers from his company last week. The home team was able to waltz off with the championship again. She could easily warm up to the new student. The baseball team began to warm up before the game. You should wash your hands of this problem. The player was all washed up and had to retire. Do not waste your breath trying to change her mind. I think you should watch it if you travel to that city. The teacher told him to watch his P's and Q's. You need to water down the new office policies. The situation is water under the bridge and you should move on. The plan to redesign the office was way off base. The vacation plans will depend on which way the wind blows. She put a lot of wear and tear on her car. The face on the coin began to wear away. The river proceeded to wear down the rocks

way the wind situation occurs blows wear and tear damage as a result of ordinary use wear away disappear wear down deteriorate

wear down wear off wear on wear out wear out wear out one's welcome wear thin wear thin wears the pants weed out weigh on weigh upon weigh one's words well-off well-to-do

exhaust disappear annoy deteriorate exhaust stay too long

over time. Try not to wear down the employees with a long speech. The face on the coin began to wear off. She was really beginning to wear on him. The shoes began to wear out after only one week. Try not to wear out the employees with a long speech. Try not to wear out your welcome at the party. The face on the coin began to wear thin. Her excuses have begun to wear thin. I think she wears the pants in that family. She needs to weed out the clothes she does not want anymore. The upcoming college entrance exam began to weigh on her. The upcoming college entrance exam began to weigh upon her. You should weigh your words before you tell her. The owner of the restaurant is certainly welloff. The owner of the restaurant is certainly wellto-do. It went through this time. It is well and good that he wants to discuss the problem. The owner of the restaurant is certainly wellheeled. The new employee is wet behind the ears. She is a wet blanket so we never invite her to any parties. She was tired from hiking and needed to wet her whistle. She really wants to know what's cooking.
She really wants to know what's doing.

disappear be less believable is the boss sort and dispose of concern and worry concern and worry think about what you will say wealthy wealthy

went through was okay well and good good well-heeled wet behind the ears wet blanket wealthy inexperienced person who discourages others from having fun drink something is happening is happening

wet one's whistle what's cooking what's doing

what's up what's up with what's with what's the big idea what's what wiped out work out work out write off

is happening She really wants to know what's up. what is happening with Hey, what's up with the manager today. what is happening with Hey, what's with the manager today. what were you thinking Hey, what's the big idea using the car without asking? one thing from another It is hard to tell what's what at an auction. tired I was really wiped out after looking at those lines. exercise She likes to work out at the gym. develop They needed to work out the plans of the new product. remove the expense of They were able to write off the money spent on entertainment.

American English idioms beginning with the letter X

Idiom None Definition None None Usage

American English idioms beginning with the letter Y

Idiom year-round Definition the entire year without closing yellow-bellied cowardly yellow streak cowardly tendencies you bet Of course you bet your Of course boots you bet your Of course life Usage The supermarket is now open year-round. He is a yellow-bellied person. He has a yellow streak. You bet I am angry with you. You bet your boots I am angry with you.
You bet your life I am angry with you.

American English idioms beginning with the letter Z

Idiom Definition zero balance no money was owed zero hour the scheduled time zeroed in on focused on Usage My credit card statement showed a zero balance. The computer was installed at zero hour. Our boss quickly zeroed in on the problem.