idioms (@)

out of storage

brass neck

a type of behaviour where someone is extremely confident about their own actions but does not understand that their behaviour is unacceptable to others:

She's got a brass neck to ask for a day off when we're so busy.

beard the lion (in his/her den)

to visit an important person in order to tell or ask them something unpleasant

down to the wire

until the last moment that it is possible to do something:

go down to the wire I think the election will go right down to the wire (= be won at the last moment).

batten down the hatches

1.to fasten the entrances to the lower part of a ship using wooden boards

2.to prepare for a difficult situation:

When you're coming down with flu all you can do is batten down the hatches and wait for it to pass.

be in a bad way

to be ill, unhappy, or in a bad state:

She was thin and tired-looking and generally in a bad way.

the bottom drops/falls out of the market

If the bottom drops out of the market of a product, people stop buying it:

The bottom has fallen out of the fur coat market.

the worse for wear

tired or in poor condition because of a lot of work or use:

After a month of journeying over rough roads, the drivers and their trucks were looking the worse for wear.

on spec

taking a chance, without being sure that you will get what you want:

We just turned up at the airport on spec, hoping that we'd be able to get tickets.

and all that jazz

used when speaking to mean "and other similar things": = and the like

They sell televisions and radios and all that jazz.

the last word in something

the best or most modern example of something:

In the 1990s these shoes were considered the last word in style.

born and bred

(also born and raised, born and brought up) used to say that someone was born and grew up in a particular place, and usually that they are a typical example of someone who lives there:

He's a Parisian born and bred.

I was born and bred in the country and all I know is farming.

anything like

used with negatives to say that someone or something is not at all similar to someone or something else:

The pictures on cereal boxes don’t look anything like the actual stuff you eat.

duke it out

to compete or argue against each other:

Smaller universities could lose out if they have to duke it out for funding.

knock someone for six

to shock or upset someone very much, or to make someone very ill:

The news of his death knocked me for six.

The experience had knocked him for six.

I had a bad case of flu that knocked me for six.

be full of the joys of spring

to be very happy:

He bounced into the office, full of the joys of spring.

be on your uppers

to be very poor

be looking over your shoulder

to feel worried that something unpleasant is going to happen to you

then and there

immediately:

I suggested he call his mother and he did it there and then.

at the end of your tether

(US usually at the end of your rope) having no strength or patience left:

By six o'clock after a busy day I'm at the end of my tether.

death knell

a warning of the end of something:

sound the death knell for The opening of the superstore will sound the death knell for (= cause the failure of) hundreds of small independent shops.

toll the death knell for The Suez Crisis tolled the death knell for British and French imperialism.

long shot

something you try although it is unlikely to be successful:

It's a long shot, but you could try phoning him at home.

call someone's bluff

to make someone prove that what they are saying is true, or to make someone prove that they will really do what they say, because you do not believe them

the lesser of two evils

the less unpleasant of two choices, neither of which is good:

But allowing a criminal to go free is perhaps the lesser of two evils if the alternative is imprisoning an innocent person.

come somebody’s way

if something comes your way, you get or experience it, especially by chance

somebody could do worse than do something

used to say that you think that someone should do something 

He could do worse than marry Eleanor.

kick something into touch

to decide not to do what you had planned to do:

Our plans to buy a new car have had to be kicked into touch now Kev's lost his job.

get a feel for something

to begin to understand how to do something well:

I practiced for a few hours before I really got a feel for the best way to do it.

keep your wig on

keep calm

as plain as a pikestaff

very clear and easy to understand

can't be doing with something

to be unable to bear something, or to have no patience with it:

I can't be doing with all this shouting and screaming.

no flies on someone

If you say there are no flies on someone, you mean that they cannot easily be deceived.

be no skin off someone's nose

(US also be no skin off someone's back) used when you want to say that it makes no difference to you what someone else does or thinks:

It's no skin off my nose if you don't take my advice.

ueer (someone's) pitch

to spoil or ruin something planned, arranged, or attempted

pull up stakes

to take all the things that you own and go and live in a different place:

This is the fourth time in five years that we've had to pull up stakes.

damp squib

FAILURE

on your marks, get set, go!

something called out to competitors at the beginning of a running race

that is to say ...

or more exactly:

Our friends, that is to say our son's friends, will meet us at the airport.

eat someone out of house and home

to eat a lot of the food someone has in their house

go through a bad/difficult/rough/sticky patch

to experience a lot of problems in a period of your life:

Andy's going through a rough patch at the moment - his wife wants a divorce.

be for the high jump

to be going to be punished for something you have done wrong

what the eye doesn't see, the heart doesn't grieve over

throw/put someone off the scent

to give someone false or confusing information to prevent them from discovering something that you do not want them to know about

not an ounce of fat (on somebody)

if there is not an ounce of fat on someone, they are thin and usually look healthy

(all) hot and bothered

worried or angry, and sometimes physically hot

wouldn't be seen dead

If someone wouldn't be seen dead in a particular place or doing a particular thing, they would never do it, usually because it would be too embarrassing:

wouldn't be seen dead I wouldn't be seen dead wearing a dress like that.

be pushing 50, 60, etc.

to be almost 50, 60, etc. years old:

He looks great and yet he must be pushing 60 by now.

hold your own (against somebody)

to successfully defend yourself or succeed in a difficult situation, competition etc

glass ceiling

a point after which you cannot go any further, usually in improving your position at work:

Various reasons are given for the apparent glass ceiling women hit in many professions.

pit of your stomach

the part of the body in which people say they feel fear or nervousness:

I got a sick feeling/a knot in the pit of my stomach when the news of the attack was announced.

marry in haste, repent at leisure

This means that if you marry someone without knowing him or her very well, you will later feel sorry that you got married.

fray around/at the edges

to start to become less effective or successful:

Without the unifying forces of the army and the monarchy, it seems, the nation would begin to fray at the edges.

that's the way the cookie crumbles

said when something slightly unlucky has happened that could not have been prevented and so must be accepted

catch/cop/get some z's

to sleep:

All I want to do is go home and catch some z's.

crack the whip

to use your authority to make someone else behave better or work harder:

We were two months behind schedule, so I decided it was time to crack the whip.

rack out

go to sleep

bite the dust

1. to fall so that your body hits the ground heavily:

   As they came around the bend several riders bit the dust.

2. to die

3. to end in failure:

   His career bit the dust when he lost his job.

square peg (in a round hole)

a person whose character makes them unsuitable for the job or other position they are in:

He never quite fitted in when he was working here - he was always a bit of a square peg.

be soft on someone

to love someone or like someone very much:

I think Matt must be soft on Tammy - he keeps sending her flowers and cards.

screw around

to waste time:

Stop screwing around and finish your work.

go to bat for someone

to support someone when the person needs help:

Senators will go to bat for companies that pay lots of taxes.

make eyes at someone

to look at someone with sexual interest:

She was making eyes at him all evening.

do a moonlight flit

to leave secretly, especially to avoid paying money that you owe:

When he discovered the police were after him, he did a moonlight flit.

knock spots off

to be much better than something or someone else

The student's top exam score knocked spots off the rest of the class, leaving the others in awe of her academic abilities.

be/stay/keep one jump ahead

to do something before other people do it:

The way to be successful in business is always to stay one jump ahead of your competitors.

send someone packing

to ask someone to leave immediately:

There were some kids at the door asking for money but I sent them packing.

cut loose

to behave in an uncontrolled, wild way:

Don't be too hard on them - they're just kids and they need to cut loose sometimes.

someone's heart is in their mouth

If someone's heart is in their mouth, they are feeling extremely nervous:

My heart was in my mouth when I opened the letter.

the milk of human kindness

good, kind qualities:

She's full of the milk of human kindness.

hook, line and sinker

completely:

I forged the note and the teacher fell for it hook, line, and sinker.

(Used when you are surprised or pleased that someone believed something that was intended to deceive them.)

have your head screwed

to be practical and wise:

Ask Lois to help - she's got her head screwed on the right way.

what's the drill for something

used to ask what the usual, correct way of doing or getting something is:

What's the drill for getting paid for my expenses?

over my dead body

If you say something will happen over your dead body, you mean that you will do everything you can to prevent it:

"Joe says he's going to buy a motorbike." "Over my dead body!"

catch someone with their pants/trousers down

1. to discover someone doing something that they want to keep secret, usually something sexual

2. to ask someone unexpectedly to do or say something that they are not prepared for

put a sock in it!

used to tell someone to be quiet or stop making so much noise:

Hey, put a sock in it, will you? I'm trying to work here.

corner the market

If a company corners the market in a particular type of product, it is more successful than any other company at selling the product:

They've more or less cornered the fast-food market - they're in every big city in the world.

tall/great oaks from little acorns grow

said about organizations or plans that start off very small or simple and become extremely large or successful

with a vengeance

with great force or extreme energy:

He's been working with a vengeance over the past few weeks to make up for lost time.

Flared trousers are back with a vengeance (= very popular again) this summer.

in high dudgeon

(old-fashioned, formal) in an angry or offended mood, and showing other people that you are angry

• He stomped out of the room in high dudgeon.

• She stormed out in high dudgeon.

(as) mad as a hatter/March hare

extremely silly or stupid

warts and all

describing or including all the bad qualities in a person's character, with no attempt to hide them:

He tried to paint the president as he really was, warts and all.

throw someone for a loop

to completely surprise someone:

When she told me she was married, it really threw me for a loop.

be seeing somebody

to be having a romantic relationship with someone

in/within the space of six weeks, three hours, etc.

during a period of six weeks, three hours, etc.:

It all happened in the space of ten minutes.

everything but the kitchen sink

almost all that you can imagine of something:

Here's a website that has everything but the kitchen sink.

a lick and a promise

a quick and careless act of cleaning or washing

as smooth as silk/a baby's bottom

Tom, Dick, and Harry

used to refer to an ordinary person or all ordinary people:

This was not information for every Tom, Dick, and Harry to have access to.

You'd better get an electrician to fix this - you don't want any Tom, Dick, or Harry messing around with your wiring.

I declare

used to express surprise:

Well, I declare!

on stream

Something in industry or business that is on stream is being produced or is available for use:

come on stream The company's increased sales were primarily a result of new stores coming on stream.

somebody’s gorge rises

somebody feels so angry about something that they feel physically sick

get this

especially American English used to draw attention to something surprising or interesting that you are about to mention

lord it over someone

to behave as if you are more important than someone and have a right to tell that person what to do:

He likes to lord it over his little sister.

raise the roof

(also raise the rafters)

to play or sing very loudly and enthusiastically, or to make a very loud noise:

With their last, triumphant piece, the musicians raised the roof.

Everyone sing along - let's see if we can raise the rafters.

butter wouldn't melt in someone's mouth

used when someone looks as if they would never do anything wrong, although you feel they might:

Tommy looked as if butter wouldn't melt in his mouth.

more often than not

(also as often as not) usually:

More often than not when I make the effort to visit her, I wonder why I even bothered.

under the heel of something/someone

completely controlled by something or someone:

This country would never submit to living under the heel of a foreign power.

under the pump

in a difficult situation or feeling a lot of pressure:

When his team are under the pump he generally comes up with a few good ideas.

I am feeling a little under the pump to lose weight before the wedding.

under the wire

If someone does something under the wire, they do it at the last possible moment:

They got in under the wire just before the entry requirements for the training program changed.

like lemmings

in a silly way, without thinking, and in large numbers:

People rushed like lemmings to invest in the company.

like a shag on a rock

completely alone