Idioms Beginning With N

Idioms Beginning With N

English idioms, proverbs, and expressions are an important part of everyday English. They come up all the time in both written and spoken English. Because idioms don’t always make sense literally, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with the meaning and usage of each idiom. That may seem like a lot of work, but learning idioms is fun, especially when you compare English idioms to the idioms in your own language.

List of Idioms Beginning With N

Idioms Beginning With N with Meaning and Example

Here’s a list of “Idioms Beginning With N” in English:

• Nail down – to determine precisely
  Example: We need to nail down the details of the contract.

• Name names – to identify people involved in something
  Example: He refused to name names during the investigation.

• Name of the game – the essential or most important thing
  Example: In business, efficiency is the name of the game.

• Navel-gazing – self-absorbed or introspective behavior
  Example: His constant navel-gazing prevents him from making decisions.

• Near miss – a narrowly avoided collision or failure
  Example: It was a near miss, but thankfully no one was hurt.

• Neck and neck – very close in a competition
  Example: The two runners are neck and neck as they approach the finish line.

• Need it yesterday – urgently needed immediately
  Example: The client wants the report; they need it yesterday!

• Needle in a haystack – something extremely difficult to find
  Example: Finding her lost earring in this field is like looking for a needle in a haystack.

• Neither fish nor fowl – something that doesn’t fit into established categories
  Example: His latest invention is neither fish nor fowl; it’s hard to classify.

• Nerves of steel – exceptional calmness and courage under pressure
  Example: She showed nerves of steel during the crisis.

• Nervous Nellie – someone who is overly anxious or nervous
  Example: Don’t be such a nervous Nellie; everything will be fine.

• Nest egg – savings set aside for the future
  Example: They’ve been building a nest egg for their retirement.

• Never say die – to keep trying despite difficulties
  Example: He’s a never say die kind of person; he never gives up.

• New kid on the block – someone who is new to a place or situation
  Example: He’s the new kid on the block in our department.

• New lease on life – a fresh start or renewed energy
  Example: Starting this new job feels like a new lease on life.

• Next to nothing – almost no value or importance
  Example: The repair costs were next to nothing; it was a minor fix.

• Nice as pie – very pleasant or agreeable
  Example: She seemed nice as pie when we met her.

• Nip and tuck – very close or competitive, often used in races
  Example: The race was nip and tuck right up to the last lap.

• No dice – no success or agreement
  Example: I tried to negotiate, but they said no dice.

• No love lost – no affection or friendship between people
  Example: There’s no love lost between them; they’ve always been rivals.

• No pain, no gain – you have to work hard for success
  Example: No pain, no gain—she believes in putting in the effort to see results.

• No rhyme or reason – without logical explanation
  Example: The decision seemed to have no rhyme or reason.

• No skin off my nose – it doesn’t bother or affect me
  Example: Whether he goes or stays is no skin off my nose.

• No stone unturned – to search thoroughly
  Example: They left no stone unturned in their search for the missing dog.

• No strings attached – without conditions or obligations
  Example: They offered us the loan with no strings attached.

• No sweat – no problem or difficulty
  Example: “Can you finish this by tomorrow?” “No sweat, I’ll get it done.”

• No-brainer – a decision that is very easy to make
  Example: Choosing the cheaper option was a no-brainer.

• Nodding acquaintance – a slight or superficial knowledge of someone
  Example: We’re just nodding acquaintances; I don’t really know her well.

• Nooks and crannies – small, hidden or obscure places
  Example: We explored all the nooks and crannies of the old house.

• Nose around – to snoop or pry into others’ affairs
  Example: She was nosing around in my desk drawers again.

• Nose in the air – acting superior or snobbish
  Example: She walked past us with her nose in the air.

• Not a hope in hell – no chance at all
  Example: He doesn’t have a hope in hell of winning this argument.

• Not a leg to stand on – no basis or justification
  Example: Without evidence, his case doesn’t have a leg to stand on.

• Not all it’s cracked up to be – not as good as expected
  Example: The movie wasn’t all it was cracked up to be; the reviews were misleading.

• Not by a long shot – not at all or by any means
  Example: He’s not ready for the promotion, not by a long shot.

• Not playing with a full deck – not mentally sharp or capable
  Example: He’s nice, but sometimes I think he’s not playing with a full deck.

• Not the end of the world – not a major or catastrophic event
  Example: It’s disappointing, but losing the game isn’t the end of the world.

• Not written in stone – not permanent or fixed
  Example: The schedule isn’t written in stone; it can be adjusted.

• Now and then – occasionally or from time to time
  Example: Now and then, she likes to visit her old neighborhood.

• Nuts and bolts – the practical details or basic facts of something
  Example: Let’s focus on the nuts and bolts of the project.

• Nail-Biter – a tense or suspenseful situation
  Example: The game was a real nail-biter, going into overtime.

• Nailing Jelly/Jello/Pudding To A Wall/Tree – attempting to do something that is extremely difficult or impossible.
  Example: Trying to teach my grandpa how to use a computer is like trying to nail jelly to a wall.

• Neck of the Woods – a specific area or neighborhood.
  Example: I haven’t seen him around this neck of the woods lately.

• Nest Egg – savings set aside for future needs or retirement.
  Example: He’s been building a nest egg for years to travel after retirement.

• Never in A Million Years – something that will never happen.
  Example: “Do you think he’ll apologize?” “Never in a million years!”

• Never Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth – to be ungrateful for something received at no cost.
  Example: Yes, it’s an old computer, but don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.

• New Wrinkle – a new and unexpected development or twist.
  Example: The new wrinkle in the plan caused some confusion.

• Nice Chunk of Change – a substantial amount of money.
  Example: Winning the lottery gave him a nice chunk of change to invest.

• Nickel and Dime – to accumulate small amounts of money over time.
  Example: They nickel and dimed their way to saving enough for a vacation.

• Nine Times Out of Ten – almost always, in most cases.
  Example: Nine times out of ten, she’s the first one to arrive at the meeting.

• Nine-to-Five Job – a regular job with typical work hours.
  Example: He used to have a nine-to-five job, but now he freelances.

• Nip (Something) In The Bud – to stop something at an early stage before it gets worse.
  Example: Addressing the issue now will nip the problem in the bud.

• No Holds Barred – without restrictions or limitations, often used in competitive contexts.
  Example: It was a no holds barred debate on the future of the company.

• No Love Lost Between – mutual dislike or animosity between people.
  Example: There’s no love lost between those two; they can’t stand each other.

• No Names, No Pack Drill – no punishment or consequence without specific identification of who is responsible.
  Example: No names, no pack drill; I won’t punish anyone unless I know who did it.

• No Rhyme or Reason (to) – without any logical explanation or pattern.
  Example: His actions seem to have no rhyme or reason.

• No Room to Swing A Cat – very little space.
  Example: The kitchen was so small, there was no room to swing a cat.

• No Shit, Sherlock – a sarcastic response to an obvious statement or observation.
  Example: “It’s raining outside.” “No shit, Sherlock.”

• No Tree Grows to the Sky – nothing can grow indefinitely or without limits.
  Example: Remember, no tree grows to the sky; there are always limits.

• Not Cut Out for (Something) – not suited or not naturally skilled for a particular task or role.
  Example: I realized I’m not cut out for sales; I’m better with numbers.

• Not Enough Room to Swing a Cat – very little space.
  Example: Their apartment is so small; there’s not enough room to swing a cat.

• Not Give A Fig – to not care at all.
  Example: He doesn’t give a fig about what others think of him.

• Not Have A Cat In Hell’s Chance – having no chance at all.
  Example: She didn’t have a cat in hell’s chance of winning the race.

• Not Have a Prayer – having no chance of success.
  Example: Without funding, our project doesn’t have a prayer.

• Not Know Jack – to have no knowledge or understanding of something.
  Example: He doesn’t know jack about computers; he’s always asking for help.

• Not Lift a Finger – to not make any effort to help or do something.
  Example: He didn’t lift a finger to assist us with the move.

• Not Mince Words – to speak directly and clearly, without trying to be polite.
  Example: She didn’t mince words when she told him what she thought of his proposal.

• Not One’s Cup of Tea – not something one prefers or enjoys.
  Example: Horror movies are not my cup of tea; I prefer comedies.

• Not Playing with A Full Deck – not mentally sharp or intelligent.
  Example: I suspect he’s not playing with a full deck; his decisions are often strange.

• Not Ready for Prime Time – not yet prepared or developed enough to be successful.
  Example: The prototype isn’t ready for prime time; it still has many flaws.

• Not Sit Well with (Someone) – to make someone feel uneasy or uncomfortable.
  Example: His comments didn’t sit well with the audience; they were offensive.

• Nothing to Write Home About – not particularly exciting or noteworthy.
  Example: The movie was okay, but nothing to write home about.

• Nuts and Bolts – the basic practical details of something.
  Example: Let’s go over the nuts and bolts of the plan to ensure it’s feasible.

• Nutty as a Fruitcake – eccentric or crazy.
  Example: Some of his ideas are as nutty as a fruitcake; I can’t take him seriously.

• Nail-Biter – a tense or suspenseful situation.
  Example: The game was a real nail-biter, going into overtime.

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