Idioms and Their Meanings

These flashcards cover a wide range of idioms along with their meanings to help with understanding and memorizing their usage.

get the sack

to be fired from one's job

on the rocks

experiencing a difficult time; likely to fail or collapse soon

method to one's madness

having a good reason for one's actions even though one seems to be acting foolishly

hot under the collar

very angry

bite the dust

to die

pound of flesh

a harsh payment or punishment for a debt

keep up with the Joneses

to do the same things to show that one is as good as other people

old hat

old-fashioned; boring

in hot water

in trouble

strange bedfellows

things or people that are not expected to be together; an unusual alliance

off the top of one's head

to say something without giving it much thought

lock, stock, and barrel

everything

not know someone from Adam

to not know someone

laugh all the way to the bank

to make money easily, usually by doing something that other people consider foolish

give someone the short end of the stick

to treat someone unfavorably

the straw that broke the camel's back

the last in a series of unpleasant things that is just too much

gravy train

an easy way to make a lot of money without much effort

like the cat that swallowed the canary

to look smug; to be satisfied for something that one has accomplished

get someone's dander up

to cause someone to become irritated or angry

buy something for a song

to obtain something cheaply

give a piece of one's mind

to express disapproval or to scold someone for behaving badly

play hardball

to behave aggressively or competitively; to do whatever is necessary to get what one wants

cold turkey

abruptly and completely (such as stopping a vice like smoking)

fly-by-night

unreliable; cannot be trusted (such as a business enterprise)

put the cart before the horse

to reverse the order of things; to do things in the wrong order

let sleeping dogs lie

to avoid disturbing a situation that could cause a problem

leave no stone unturned

to try everything that is possible, usually to find someone or something or to achieve something

hold one's horse

to pause; to be calm; to be patient

like water off a duck's back

to not upset or to not have any effect on someone

at the end of one's rope

reached the limit; can no longer handle a difficult situation

big fish in a small pond

a person who is important but only in a small group

get a second wind

to have renewed energy after being tired

hem and haw

to be indecisive; to pause and hesitate to say something

see through rose-colored glasses

to see only the good things, which is not realistic

pay the piper

to bear the consequences of one's indulgent actions

feather one's nest

to make a lot of money, usually through dishonest means

bury the hatchet

to settle the dispute

get down to the nitty-gritty

to focus on the basic and most important details

Pandora's box

something that causes a lot of unexpected problems

put one's money where one's mouth is

to spend money or take action to show that one believes in what one says

apple of one's eye

a person who is loved or favored

bring down the house

to receive applause or gain the approval of the audience

up the creek without a paddle

to be in a challenging situation, usually without an easy way out

red herring

something that distracts attention from the matter at hand

go against the grain

against someone's nature or disposition

put all eggs in one basket

to put all efforts into one thing; to not have any alternatives

ace in the hole

a hidden advantage

hit the spot

to satisfy something, such as a need or a craving

come from the wrong side of the tracks

to be from the poor part of town

hand to mouth

to be poor; to have just enough for basic needs

burn one's bridges

to do something that destroys all chances of going back

kick up one's heels

to enjoy

pass the buck

to shift the blame or responsibility to somebody else

hit below the belt

to treat someone unfairly

wear the pants in the family

to be the person who has the authority and who makes the major decisions in the household

boiling point

the point at which a person loses temper and becomes very angry

hit pay dirt

to find something valuable

pink slip

a document given to an employee to terminate employment

touch and go

uncertain or unpredictable

the lion's share

the biggest part

sell like hot cakes

to sell quickly; to sell a lot

open book

a person or thing without secrets; a person or thing that is easy to know or understand

leave someone high and dry

to abandon someone who is in a difficult situation

make a song and dance about something

to make a fuss about something; to make something seem more important than it actually is

fly the coop

to escape

give someone the sack

to fire someone from the job

a feather in one's cap

an achievement

pull the wool over someone's eyes

to deceive someone

fourth-rate

of low value or quality

skeleton in the closet

keeping secret something bad that happened in the past

dark horse

a lesser-known contender who is not expected to win by most people

put something on the back burner

to postpone; to give less priority

keep one's head above water

to stay afloat; to barely manage, especially when experiencing financial trouble

horse sense

common sense

pie in the sky

something good but not likely to happen

jump the gun

to act too soon; to do something before the right time

change horses in midstream

to change the plan or to choose another leader during a difficult or uncertain period

a piece of cake

something easy to accomplish

a fine kettle of fish

a messy or difficult situation

every Tom, Dick, and Harry

everyone

sour grapes

to pretend to dislike something that one wants but cannot obtain; to criticize or disapprove of something or someone because of jealousy

in seventh heaven

very happy

by word of mouth

passing information through oral communication

give someone the third degree

to interrogate someone; to ask a lot of questions

bite off more than one can chew

to accept more responsibility than one can manage

call the shots

to be in charge

raining cats and dogs

raining heavily

lame duck

a person who is weak or unsuccessful; a politician with little power or influence

water under the bridge

something that happened in the past that cannot be changed and that is no longer important

skate on thin ice

to be in a dangerous situation

eat humble pie

to accept that one was wrong

a dime a dozen

common; cheap

life of Riley

the good life; a life of comfort

leave someone holding the bag

to make someone bear the responsibility

ivory tower

to be in an isolated place or situation away from the realities of the world

born yesterday

naive

kill two birds with one stone

to accomplish two things with a single action

make a mountain out of a molehill

to overreact; to exaggerate; to blow something out of proportion

the real McCoy

genuine; authentic; original

be in a rut

to be stuck in a routine or situation that does not change