English Idioms

When something is figuratively put "on ice," it is preserved and protected, and out of sight. This combination can be used in go...

When someone is playing a guessing game, the person asking the question might say, "You're getting warmer." This means, a gues...

In a manner of speaking, "a stir" is the same thing as "a ruckus," "a scene," "a commotion," or any ...

A bandwagon is "an elaborately decorated wagon used to transport musicians in a parade." That is, musicians play while riding on t...

To "miss the boat" is to fail to take advantage of an opportunity.  The phrasal verb "to miss out" has a similar meaning...

To "be in the same boat" as other people is to share the same difficult circumstances with others. Example: John: "I'm...

Imagine you are choosing to ride a train. You have two choices: the fastest and most direct route to your destination, or the scenic route ...

To "make fun of something" is to treat something as a joke, something that ought to be laughed at. Making fun of things  is gener...

A  common line in dramas, this cannot be taken literally because everything  is a situation. The implication is that we have a bad  situatio...

If "Where's the beef?" is asking for substance  relating to an issue, "What's your beef?" is asking what  substa...

To "be in" is, figuratively speaking, to be present inside  a building.  This usually applies to a place of occupation or employme...

When something squeaks by,  it is narrowly passing between obstacles . There are objects that will literally squeak when they are squeezed b...

Idiomatically speaking, "in store"  means  something that is lying in wait for a person to encounter. Example: "Read on to ...

When I use the phrase, "for starters," I mean, as a starting/ beginning point, the first of a series. Example: "What kind ...

If someone says, keep X coming, this is an invitation to bring more of that thing. Example: Brian's boss is very pleased with the wor...

Literally, to force something into a suitcase (for example) would be to push and push to squeeze clothing into the suitcase. This is despite...

Figuratively speaking, to "turn the page" on something is to leave an event or series of events behind and continue on with life. ...

When words fail you, you are unable to find the proper words to fit a situation, often because the situation is so abnormal. Example: Lau...

To snatch away something is to a) grab onto something, b) take possession of it, c) take it out of reach of the original possessor. This i...

To "hang your head" is not to commit suicide; it is to lower your head in shame or embarrassment . You hang your head by tilting...