Phrases Beginning With H

Phrases Beginning With H

English Phrases, proverbs, and expressions are an important part of everyday English. They come up all the time in both written and spoken English. Because Phrases 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 Phrases is fun, especially when you compare English Phrases to the Phrases in your own language.

List of Phrases Beginning With H

Phrases Beginning With H with Meaning and Example

Here’s a list of “Phrases Beginning With H” in English:

Hit the ground running

• Meaning: To start something and proceed at a fast pace with enthusiasm.
• Example: When the new manager joined the team, she hit the ground running and immediately started making positive changes.

Hit the hay

• Meaning: To go to bed.
• Example: I’m exhausted, so I’m going to hit the hay early tonight.

Hit the jackpot

• Meaning: To achieve great success or a significant financial reward.
• Example: They hit the jackpot when their small startup was bought for millions.

Hit the nail on the head

• Meaning: To describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem.
• Example: You hit the nail on the head with your analysis of the problem.

Hit the road

• Meaning: To leave or start a journey.
• Example: We need to hit the road if we want to reach the campsite before dark.

Hit the sack

• Meaning: To go to bed.
• Example: I’m really tired; it’s time to hit the sack.

Hold a candle to

• Meaning: To compare favorably with someone or something.
• Example: No other singer can hold a candle to her talent.

Hold your horses

• Meaning: To be patient; to wait.
• Example: Hold your horses! The meeting starts in an hour, not now.

Hold your tongue

• Meaning: To remain silent or keep quiet.
• Example: He had to hold his tongue during the argument to avoid escalating it.

Home is where the heart is

• Meaning: A place you feel connected to emotionally.
• Example: No matter where I travel, home is where the heart is.

Honest to goodness

• Meaning: Genuine, sincere.
• Example: It’s an honest to goodness fact that he helped without expecting anything in return.

Hook, line, and sinker

• Meaning: To be completely deceived or fully believe something.
• Example: She fell for his story hook, line, and sinker.

Hope against hope

• Meaning: To hope for something even though it seems unlikely.
• Example: They continued to hope against hope that the missing child would be found safe.

Hot under the collar

• Meaning: Angry or agitated.
• Example: He got hot under the collar when his integrity was questioned.

House of cards

• Meaning: A structure or situation that is fragile and can easily collapse.
• Example: The company’s finances were a house of cards waiting to fall.

Hung out to dry

• Meaning: To be left unsupported or abandoned.
• Example: When the project failed, she felt hung out to dry by her colleagues.

Hunker down

• Meaning: To settle in and stay somewhere for a long time, typically to achieve something.
• Example: We need to hunker down and finish this report by the deadline.

Hurry up and wait

• Meaning: To be rushed to complete something quickly only to have to wait for the next step.
• Example: The military often operates on a hurry up and wait schedule.

Hands down

• Meaning: Without a doubt; easily.
• Example: She is hands down the best player on the team.

Happy as a clam

• Meaning: Very happy and content.
• Example: He’s as happy as a clam since he retired.

Hard pill to swallow

• Meaning: A difficult or unpleasant fact or situation to accept.
• Example: Losing the championship game was a hard pill to swallow.

Head over heels

• Meaning: Very much in love.
• Example: They are head over heels in love with each other.

Heads up

• Meaning: A warning to be prepared for something.
• Example: Just a heads up, the meeting has been moved to 2 PM.

High and dry

• Meaning: To be left in a difficult situation without help.
• Example: When the car broke down, we were left high and dry in the middle of nowhere.

Hindsight is 20/20

• Meaning: It’s easy to know the right thing to do after something has happened.
• Example: Looking back, she realized her mistake, but hindsight is 20/20.

Hit below the belt

• Meaning: To act unfairly or attack in an inappropriate way.
• Example: His comments about her personal life were really hitting below the belt.

Hit the books

• Meaning: To study hard.
• Example: With exams coming up, it’s time to hit the books.

Hit the ground running

• Meaning: To start something and proceed at a fast pace with enthusiasm.
• Example: When the new manager joined the team, she hit the ground running and immediately started making positive changes.

Hold your horses

• Meaning: To be patient; to wait.
• Example: Hold your horses! The meeting starts in an hour, not now.

Houston, we have a problem

• Meaning: A phrase used to indicate a serious issue or problem.
• Example: When the server crashed, the IT team said, “Houston, we have a problem.”

How do you like them apples?

• Meaning: A phrase used to boast or challenge someone.
• Example: After winning the race, he said, “How do you like them apples?”

Hung out to dry

• Meaning: To be left unsupported or abandoned.
• Example: When the project failed, she felt hung out to dry by her colleagues.

Hail to the Chief

• Meaning: A phrase used to show respect for someone in a position of authority.
• Example: The team members greeted their new CEO with “Hail to the Chief.”

Hair of the dog

• Meaning: Alcohol consumed to relieve a hangover.
• Example: After a night of heavy drinking, he had a hair of the dog to feel better.

Hand in glove

• Meaning: Working closely together in a harmonious way.
• Example: The marketing and sales teams work hand in glove on the new campaign.

Hand over fist

• Meaning: Quickly and in large amounts (usually related to money).
• Example: They’re making money hand over fist with their new product.

Hands are tied

• Meaning: Unable to act due to restrictions or constraints.
• Example: I’d love to help, but my hands are tied by company policy.

Hang in the balance

• Meaning: To be in a precarious situation.
• Example: The outcome of the negotiations hangs in the balance.

Hanky-panky

• Meaning: Dishonest or suspicious behavior.
• Example: There’s been some hanky-panky going on with the accounting.

Hard as nails

• Meaning: Very tough or not easily affected.
• Example: Despite the challenges, she’s hard as nails and never gives up.

Haste makes waste

• Meaning: Acting too quickly can lead to mistakes.
• Example: Take your time with the project; haste makes waste.

Hat trick

• Meaning: Achieving three successes in a row.
• Example: He scored a hat trick in last night’s game.

Have a ball

• Meaning: To have a great time.
• Example: They had a ball at the party last night.

Have a blast

• Meaning: To have a lot of fun.
• Example: The kids had a blast at the amusement park.

Have a heart

• Meaning: To be compassionate or kind.
• Example: Please have a heart and help those in need.

Have a hunch

• Meaning: To have an intuitive feeling about something.
• Example: I have a hunch that he’ll get the promotion.

Have an ax to grind

• Meaning: To have a personal stake in an issue.
• Example: She has an ax to grind with her former employer.

Have egg on your face

• Meaning: To be embarrassed or humiliated.
• Example: He had egg on his face after realizing his mistake.

Have it both ways

• Meaning: To try to get the benefits of two different things that are not compatible.
• Example: You can’t have it both ways; you need to choose one.

Have it made

• Meaning: To be in a very good or fortunate situation.
• Example: With his new job and a great salary, he has it made.

Have the last laugh

• Meaning: To ultimately be proved right or successful after others have laughed at or doubted you.
• Example: She had the last laugh when her startup became a huge success.

Have your cake and eat it too

• Meaning: To have or do two good things at the same time that are usually impossible to have or do at the same time.
• Example: He wants to have his cake and eat it too by keeping his job and traveling the world.

Head in the clouds

• Meaning: To be daydreaming or not paying attention.
• Example: She often has her head in the clouds during meetings.

Heart of gold

• Meaning: To be kind and good-natured.
• Example: She’s always helping others; she has a heart of gold.

Heavens to Betsy

• Meaning: An exclamation of surprise or shock.
• Example: Heavens to Betsy, I didn’t see that coming!

Heavy heart

• Meaning: To feel sad or sorrowful.
• Example: He left with a heavy heart after saying goodbye to his friends.

Hell or high water

• Meaning: Regardless of any difficulties or obstacles.
• Example: We’ll get the project done, come hell or high water.

Hidden agenda

• Meaning: A secret motive or intention.
• Example: I suspect he has a hidden agenda in offering to help.

High on the hog

• Meaning: To live in a luxurious or lavish manner.
• Example: Ever since the promotion, they’ve been living high on the hog.

Hit the books

• Meaning: To study hard.
• Example: With exams coming up, it’s time to hit the books.

Hit the ground running

• Meaning: To start something and proceed at a fast pace with enthusiasm.
• Example: When the new manager joined the team, she hit the ground running and immediately started making positive changes.

Hold your horses

• Meaning: To be patient; to wait.
• Example: Hold your horses! The meeting starts in an hour, not now.

Houston, we have a problem

• Meaning: A phrase used to indicate a serious issue or problem.
• Example: When the server crashed, the IT team said, “Houston, we have a problem.”

Download the Word of the day