VOCABULARY - IDIOMS

A Bit Much

Meaning: More than is reasonable; a bit too much

A Bite at The Cherry

Meaning: A good opportunity that isn’t available to everyone

A Busy Bee

Meaning: A busy, active person who moves quickly from task to task.

A Cat Has Nine Lives

Meaning: Cats seem to get away with dangerous things

A Cat in Gloves Catches No Mice

Meaning: You can’t get what you need if you’re too careful.

A Cat Nap

Meaning: A short sleep during the day

A Cold Day In July

Meaning: (Something that) will never happen

A Cold Fish

Meaning: Someone who is not often moved by emotions, who is regarded as being hard and (unfeeling.

A Cut Above

Meaning: Slightly better than

A Cut Below

Meaning: Inferior to; somewhat lower in quality than

A Day Late And A Dollar Short

Meaning: Too delayed and insignificant to have much effect

A Dog in The Manger

Meaning: A person who selfishly prevent others from using, enjoying or profiting (from something even though he/ she cannot use or enjoy it himself.

A Few Sandwiches Short Of A Picnic

Meaning: Abnormally stupid, not really sane

A Good Deal

Meaning: To a large extent, a lot

A Great Deal

Meaning: To a very large extent

A Guinea Pig

Meaning: Someone who is part of an experiment or trial

A Hair’s Breadth

Meaning: A very small distance or amount

A Home Bird

Meaning: Somebody who prefers to spend his social and free time at home.

A Hundred And Ten Percent

Meaning: More than what seems to be the maximum

A Lame Duck

Meaning: A person or enterprise (often a business) that is not a success and that has to be (helped.

A Leg Up

Meaning: An advantage, a boost

A Lemon

Meaning: A Lemon is an idiom used to describe something, typically a product (like a car), that is of poor quality, defective, or unsatisfactory. It implies that the item is unreliable or disappointing.

A Life Of Its Own

Meaning: An indepdendent existence

A Little Bird Told Me

Meaning: I got this information from a source I cannot reveal.; I don’t wish to divulge where I got the information

A Little Bird Told Me

Meaning: I got this information from a source I cannot reveal.; I don’t wish to divulge where I got the information

A Little from Column A a Little from Column B

Meaning: A course of action drawing on several different ideas or possibilities

A Lone Wolf

Meaning: Someone who is not very social with other people

A Lot on One’s Plate

Meaning: A lot to do

A Million and One

Meaning: Very many

A Notch Above

Meaning: Superior to; higher in quality

A Penny for Your Thoughts

Meaning: To know what someone is thinking, especially if they seem deep in thought or quiet.

A Penny Saved is A Penny Earned

Meaning: Every small amount helps to build one’s savings

A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words

Meaning: A visual presentation can communicate something very (effectively

A Plum Job

Meaning: A very desirable or well-paid job

A Rare Bird

Meaning: Somebody or something of a kind that one seldom sees.

A Scaredy-Cat

Meaning: Someone who is excessively scared or afraid.

A Second Bite At The Cherry

Meaning: A Second chance to do something

A Sight for Sore Eyes

Meaning: Someone or something that is extremely pleasing or comforting to look at, especially after a long absence or a difficult time. It’s often used to express relief or happiness upon seeing something that brings joy or comfort.

A Sitting Duck

Meaning: A person or object in a vulnerable position that is easy to attack or injure.

A Snowball’s Chance in Hell

Meaning: Little to no likelihood of occurrence or success

A Stitch in Time Saves Nine

Meaning: Fix something quickly, because if you don’t, it will just get more (difficult to fix

A Stone’s Throw

Meaning: A very short distance

A Storm in a Teacup

Meaning: Unnecessary anger or worry about an unimportant or trivial matter

A Tall Order

Meaning: A difficult task

A Week Is A Long Time In _____

Meaning: In the field mentioned, the situation may change rapidly

About Time

Meaning: Far past the desired time

About To

Meaning: On the point of, occurring imminently

Above And Beyond

Meaning: More than is expected or required

Above Board

Meaning: Openly, without deceit. Honestly, reputably.

Above The Law

Meaning: Exempt from the laws that apply to everyone else.

Above The Salt

Meaning: Of high standing or honor

Above Water

Meaning: Not in extreme difficulty. Especially said of finances

Accident Of Birth

Meaning: Luck in something due to family good fortune

Accident Waiting To Happen

Meaning: A dangerous way of setting up or organizing something

According To Hoyle

Meaning: Properly, in accordance with established procedures

Ace In The Hole

Meaning: A hidden advantage

Ace Up One’s Sleeve

Meaning: A surprise advantage of which others are not aware.

Acid Test

Meaning: A crucial event that determines the worth of something

Acknowledge The Corn

Meaning: Admit to a mistake, especially a small one; point out one’s own (shortcomings, or another’s

Acquired Taste

Meaning: Something one learns to appreciate only after trying it repeatedly

Across The Board

Meaning: In relation to all categories, for everyone

Across The Pond

Meaning: On or to the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.

Act High and Mighty

Meaning: Be arrogant, presume that one is better than others

Act Of Congress

Meaning: Hard to get, said of authorization

Act One’s Age

Meaning: To be mature, not childish

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Meaning: One’s character and intentions are shown more accurately by one’s actions than by one’s words.

Achilles’ Heel

Meaning: The weak point of an otherwise powerful person or organization

Add Fuel To The Fire

Meaning: Worsen already existing tension

Add Insult To Injury

Meaning:

• Compound a defeat with humiliation or mockery
• Humiliate someone in addition to doing damage to him or her
• To make a bad situation worse
• Compounding an already bad situation by doing something to make it even worse in some way.
• To make a bad situation worse by doing or saying something offensive or hurtful.

Add Insult to Injury

Meaning:

• Compound a defeat with humiliation or mockery
• Humiliate someone in addition to doing damage to him or her
• To make a bad situation worse
• Compounding an already bad situation by doing something to make it even worse in some way.
• To make a bad situation worse by doing or saying something offensive or hurtful.

After One’s Own Heart

Meaning: Similar in a pleasing way

After The Fact

Meaning: Too late; after something is completed or finalized

After The Lord Mayor’s Show (UK)

Meaning: Anticlimactic; occurring after something impressive

Against The Clock

Meaning: Forced to hurry to meet a deadline

Against the Clock

Meaning: In a very limited amount of time; with a shortage of time being the main problem.

Against The Grain

Meaning: Contrary to one’s natural inclinations

Against The Run Of Play

Meaning: A typical of the way a game has been going

Age Before Beauty

Meaning: "Age before beauty" is a phrase used to humorously or politely give precedence to someone older than oneself, implying respect for their age and experience. It acknowledges the societal value of respecting elders while also often being said with a touch of irony or light-heartedness.

Agree To Disagree

Meaning: Accept or set aside a disagreement

Agreement In Principle

Meaning: In a negotiation, an agreement in which not all details have been (worked out

Aha Moment

Meaning: Sudden realization, the point at which one suddenly understands something

Ahead Of One’s Time

Meaning: Offering ideas not yet in general circulation; highly creative

Ahead Of The Curve

Meaning: Innovative, devising new ideas in advance of others

Ahead Of The Curve

Meaning: Offering ideas not yet in general circulation; highly creative

Ahead Of The Game

Meaning: Making faster progress than anticipated; ahead of schedule

Air Rage

Meaning: Angry behavior inside an airplane

Airy Fairy

Meaning: whimsical, nonsensical, impractical

Albatross Around One’s Neck

Meaning: Something from one’s past that acts as a hindrance

Alive and Kicking

Meaning: In good health despite health problems

All Along

Meaning: For the entire time something has been happening

All And Sundry

Meaning: Everyone(separately) Each one.

All Bark And No Bite

Meaning: Tending to make verbal threats but not deliver on them

All Bets Are Off

Meaning: What seemed certain is now unclear

All Dressed Up And Nowhere To Go

Meaning: Prepared (with clothing or otherwise) for an event that does not occur

All Ears

Meaning: Listening willingly, waiting for an explanation

All Eyes And Ears

Meaning: Attentive

All Eyes Are On

Meaning: Watching alertly or attentively. Having prominent eyes. Everyone is paying (attention to

All Fur Coat And No Knickers

Meaning: Superficially attractive, physically or otherwise

All Hands on Deck

Meaning: Everyone must help.

All Hat And No Cattle

Meaning: Full of big talk but lacking action, power, or substance

All Hell Breaks Loose

Meaning: The situation becomes chaotic.

All In A Day’s Work (Excl.)

Meaning: That’s what I’m here for; although I have accomplished something, (it is part of what I’m expected to do

All In Good Time

Meaning: Eventually; at a more favorable time in the future. This phrase encourages one to be patient.

All in One Piece

Meaning: Safely

All It’s Cracked Up To Be

Meaning: As good as claims or reputation would suggest

All Mouth And No Trousers

Meaning: Superficial, engaging in empty, boastful talk, but not of real substance

All Over But The Shouting

Meaning: Certain to end in a specific way

All Over Hell’S Half Acre

Meaning: All over the place; everywhere.

All Over The Board

Meaning: Everywhere, in many different locations

All Over The Map

Meaning: Everywhere; in many different locations

All Over The Place

Meaning: Everywhere; in many different locations

All Rights Reserved

Meaning: Said of a published work; all reproduction rights are asserted by the (copyright holder

All Roads Lead to Rome

Meaning: There is more than one effective way to do something; many different (methods will produce the same result

All Set

Meaning: Ready, prepared, finished

All Sizzle And No Steak

Meaning: Failing to live up to advance promotion or reputation

All Talk and No Trousers

Meaning: Prone to empty boasts

All Told

Meaning: With everything taken into consideration

All That Jazz

Meaning: Similar things, similar qualities, et cetera

All The Marbles

Meaning: The entire prize or reward

All The Rage

Meaning: Very fashionable

All the Rage

Meaning: Very much in fashion

All The Same

Meaning: Anyway; nevertheless; nonetheless.

All The Tea In China

Meaning: Great wealth, a large payment

All Things Being Equal

Meaning: In the event that all aspects of a situation remain the same

All Things Considered

Meaning: Taking all factors into consideration

All Thumbs

Meaning: Clumsy

All Very Well

Meaning: True to a certain extent

All Wet

Meaning: Completely mistaken

Along The Lines Of

Meaning: In general accordance with, in the same general direction as

Amateur Hour

Meaning: A display of incompetence

Amber Gambler

Meaning: Someone who accelerates to try to cross an intersection before a traffic light (turns red

Amber Nectar

Meaning: Beer

American Dream

Meaning: The belief among Americans that hard work leads to material success

An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

Meaning: Eating healthy foods will keep one from getting sick (and (needing to see a doctor)

An Axe

Meaning: To Grind A grievance, a disagreement with someone that justifies confrontation.

An Early Bird

Meaning: A person who gets up early in the morning, or who starts work earlier than (others.

An Eye for an Eye

Meaning: Justice in which reparation or vengeance exactly matches the harm caused to (the victim

An Offer One Can’t Refuse

Meaning: An extremely attractive offer

Ancient History

Meaning: Something, such as a disagreement, that happened long ago and ought to be

And Counting

Meaning: And the number just mentioned is increasing (or decreasing)

And Change

Meaning: And an additional amount of money that’s less than the next round number

And His Mother

Meaning: An intensifier for an inclusive noun or phrase such as everyone, everybody

And So Forth

Meaning: Indicates that a list continues in a similar manner, etc.

And So On

Meaning: Indicates that a list continues in a similar manner, etc.

And The Like

Meaning: And other similar items, etc.

And Then Some

Meaning: And even more than what has just been mentioned

Another Nail In One’s Coffin

Meaning: Something that leads to someone’s death, literally or (figuratively.

Answer Back

Meaning: Respond impertinently; to talk back.

Ants In Your Pants

Meaning: Restlessness

Any Port in a Storm

Meaning: When faced with a difficult or desperate situation, any available solution or option is acceptable, no matter how undesirable it may seem under normal circumstances.

Any Tom, Dick or Harry

Meaning: Any ordinary person

Angel’s Advocate

Meaning: Someone who takes a positive outlook on an idea or proposal

Angle For

Meaning: Aim toward something, try to obtain something, often indirectly or secretly

Apple of One’s Eye

Meaning: A favorite person or thing, a person especially valued by someone

Apple of Someone’s Eye

Meaning: The person that someone loves most of all and is very proud of

Apples and Oranges

Meaning: Of two different classes, not comparable

Apples and Oranges

Meaning: Of two different classes, not comparable

Arm Candy

Meaning: An attractive woman accompanying a powerful or famous man at a social event

Armed to the Teeth

Meaning: Carrying many weapons

Around the Clock

Meaning: At all times

As American as Apple Pie

Meaning: Very or typically American

As Far as I Can Throw (someone)

Meaning: Only slightly

As Fit as A Fiddle

Meaning: To be healthy and physically fit

As Pale as A Ghost

Meaning: Extremely pale

As Pale as Death

Meaning: Extremely pale

As Poor as a Church Mouse

Meaning: Very poor; extremely poor

As Red as A Cherry

Meaning: Very red

Asleep at the Wheel (Switch)

Meaning: not paying attention to one’s work; not doing one’s job diligently.

At Death’s Door

Meaning: Very near death

At Each Other’s Throats

Meaning: Constantly and strongly arguing

At Loggerheads

Meaning: In a state of persistent disagreement

At Loggerheads

Meaning: In a state of persistent disagreement.

At Sixes and Sevens

Meaning: In a state of confusion or disorder

At the Drop of a Hat

Meaning: Spontaneously, suddenly

At the Eleventh Hour

Meaning: It happens when it is almost too late.

At the End of One’s Rope (Tether)

Meaning: Running out of endurance or patience

At the End of the Day

Meaning: In the final analysis; when all is said and done

At Wit’s End

Meaning: Frustrated because all measures to deal with something have failed

at cross purposes

Meaning: With aims or goals that conflict or interfere with one another.