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1
+ idioms,meaning
2
+ A bad break,1. A misfortune. 2. A serious bone fracture.
3
+ A bad hair day,A day on which everything seems to go wrong.
4
+ A bad workman always blames his tools,A proverb that suggests a poor workman tends to look for an excuse for his poor work.
5
+ A big ask,A favour which is a lot to ask of someone.
6
+ A bigger bang for your buck,Better value for your money.
7
+ A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush,It’s better to have a lesser but certain advantage than the possibility of a greater one that may come to nothing.
8
+ A bite to eat,"A small meal, possibly taken quickly when time is short."
9
+ A blessing in disguise,An apparent misfortune that works to the eventual benefit of the recipient.
10
+ A bull and cow,Cockney rhyming slang for a row or argument.
11
+ A bunch of fives,"A fist, as used in a fight."
12
+ A chip on your shoulder,A sense of inferiority characterized by a quickness to take offence.
13
+ A diamond in the rough,A person or thing having good underlying qualities while appearing to be coarse and unpolished.
14
+ A dime a dozen,So commonplace as to be of little consequence.
15
+ A doubting Thomas,A sceptic who won’t accept a widely believed truth until seeing the evidence in person.
16
+ A drop in the bucket,A very small part of a bigger whole.
17
+ A fate worse than death,The reputed opinion of sexual intercourse by prim Victorian ladies.
18
+ A feather in one's cap,A symbol of achievement.
19
+ A fish out of water,Someone in an unfamiliar circumstance.
20
+ A flash in the pan,Something that fails to deliver long-term benefit after an initial success.
21
+ A fly in the ointment,A small flaw that spoils the whole.
22
+ A fly on the wall,1. An unperceived observer - able to see and hear but not be seen or heard. 2 - A form of cinema in which events are recorded without direction.
23
+ A fool and his money are soon parted,A foolish person is very likely to lose his money.
24
+ A fool's paradise,A state of euphoria with no basis in reality.
25
+ A foot in the door,An initial inroad that may lead to greater influence in future.
26
+ A golden key can open any door,Money always has a telling influence.
27
+ A hot potato,A current issue which many people are talking about and which is controversial.
28
+ A house divided against itself cannot stand,Failure is certain if those on the same side argue amongst themselves.
29
+ A knight in shining armour,"A person who comes to the aid of another when other hopes have faded, like the knights in romantic stories."
30
+ A leopard can't change his spots,You cannot change your innate self.
31
+ A little bird told me,I was told by an undisclosed source.
32
+ A load of cobblers,Nonsense.
33
+ A load of codswallop,Nonsense.
34
+ A lot on your plate,Having many responsibilities.
35
+ A man after my own heart,A kindred spirit. Someone who thinks as I do.
36
+ A miss is as good as a mile,Some endeavours either succeed or they don’t - to miss narrowly is still failure.
37
+ A penny for your thoughts,A way of asking what someone is thinking.
38
+ A penny saved is a penny earned,Anything you save has the same effect as adding to your income.
39
+ A picture paints a thousand words,Pictures are far more descriptive than words.
40
+ A piece of cake,A task that can be accomplished very easily.
41
+ A pig in a poke,A commodity that is bought without first examining it.
42
+ A place in the sun,An idealistic dream of a sunny hideaway.
43
+ A red rag to a bull,A deliberate provocation.
44
+ A safe pair of hands,"A reliable person, who can be trusted not to fail in a a task."
45
+ A sea change,A radical change.
46
+ A sight for sore eyes,A welcome sight that you weren’t expecting.
47
+ A skeleton in the closet,A secret and possibly ruinous source of shame.
48
+ A shot in the arm,A boost or encouragement.
49
+ A slap on the wrist,"A mild rebuke, often given when a more severe punishment might be expected."
50
+ A sledgehammer to crack a nut,The use of excessive resources to overcome a small problem.
51
+ A sorry sight,1. Something sadly neglected. 2. A person or thing of untidy appearance.
52
+ A stitch in time saves nine,A small effort made at the right time might save a calamity later on.
53
+ A stone's throw,A short distance.
54
+ A taste of your own medicine,Mistreatment you receive in retaliation to that you gave to others.
55
+ A thorn in my flesh,A persistent and difficult to ignore annoyance.
56
+ A toss up,"1. The flip of a coin to decide on something. 2. A result, usually between two courses of action, which is uncertain and could go either way."
57
+ A wolf in sheep's clothing,Someone who uses the pretence of kindliness to disguise their evil intent.
58
+ About face,1. A military command to turn when on parade. 2. A change from one’s previous position.
59
+ About time,1. Almost time. 2. High time.
60
+ Absence makes the heart grow fonder,Our feelings for people and things grows when we are apart from them.
61
+ Abso-bloody-lutely,A more emphatic version of ’Absolutely’.
62
+ Ace in the hole,"A saved, hidden advantage that can supply a victory when revealed."
63
+ Achilles' heel,A fatal weakness in an otherwise strong person or thing.
64
+ Across the board,Applying everywhere and to all classes of thing.
65
+ Act your age,Behave in a manner appropriate to your stage in life.
66
+ Actions speak louder than words,Actions show one’s character more than what you say.
67
+ Adam's ale,A reference to water - often used to emphasize the purity of water compared to other drinks.
68
+ Add fuel to the fire,Make a bad situation even worse than it is.
69
+ Add insult to injury,To further a loss. To make a bad situation worse.
70
+ Against the clock,In a great hurry to complete something before a set deadline.
71
+ Ain't my first rodeo,Said by someone who has experience of a situation.
72
+ Al fresco,In the open air.
73
+ Al desko,Eating one’s lunch while still working. (A Pun on ’Al fresco’.).
74
+ All at sea,"In a confused, disordered state."
75
+ All kidding aside,"Said when you want people to realise you are speaking seriously, when they might otherwise think you were joking."
76
+ All bark and no bite,Having lots to say but not willing to engage in a fight.
77
+ All Greek to me,"Incomprehensible, as Greek is to someone who cannot speak it."
78
+ All in all,On the whole - when everything is considered.
79
+ All in a day's work,Typical; a normal set of circumstances.
80
+ All set,Ready to go.
81
+ All the way,"Referring to something that is done fully, especially as a euphemism for full sexual activity."
82
+ All thumbs,Clumsy or physically inept.
83
+ All to cock,Ruined or shambolic.
84
+ All together now,Invitation to join in communal singing.
85
+ Alley cat,1. A cat that lives wild in a town. 2. Slang term for a prostitute.
86
+ Alpha Mom,An ambitious mother who aims to excel at work while raising children.
87
+ Alphabet soup,"A jumble of words or letters, often referring to organisations known by their initials, like CIA or BBC."
88
+ Amber nectar,A slang term for lager.
89
+ Amped up,Excited and ready for action.
90
+ An act of God,Some event that is considered to be outside human control. Commonly used in insurance policies to refer to events that the insured cannot be held responsible for.
91
+ An arm and a leg,Very expensive. A large amount of money.
92
+ An axe to grind,A dispute with someone.
93
+ An open and shut case,A straightforward legal case in which the outcome is clear.
94
+ Ankle biter,A slang term for small child.
95
+ Apples and pears,Cockney rhyming slang for stairs.
96
+ As high as a kite,1. Very high up in the sky. 2. High on drugs or excitement.
97
+ At the drop of a hat,With no delay.
98
+ Away with the fairies,Not facing reality; in a dream world.
99
+ Baby brain,Confusion or forgetfulness caused by lack of sleep when caring for a new-born.
100
+ Baby bump,The protruding belly of a pregnant woman. Also used to describe the unborn child itself.
101
+ Baby snatcher,Someone who enters into an amorous relationship with a much younger person.
102
+ Back seat driver,Someone who criticizes from the side-lines without being directly involved.
103
+ Back to square one,Back to the beginning.
104
+ Back to the drawing board,Said when a plan fails and it's time to start again and make a new plan.
105
+ Bag lady,"A homeless woman, who carries all her possessions in shopping bags."
106
+ Baker's dozen,Thirteen.
107
+ Barking up the wrong tree,Responding to something which isn't the important issue.
108
+ Barnet Fair,Cockney rhyming slang for hair.
109
+ Basket case,"A person or thing that is no longer able to function effectively, either through disability or misfortune."
110
+ Bat from the pavilion end,Slang term for a homosexuality.
111
+ Be a sport,Be generous and/or sportsmanlike.
112
+ Be glad to see the back of,Be happy when a person leaves or when an unpleasant situation is ended.
113
+ Beach bum,"Someone, usually a youngster, who spends all their time hanging out at the beach surfing and partying."
114
+ Bean counter,A disparaging term for an accountant or anyone who compiles statistics.
115
+ Beat around the bush,Avoiding the main topic.
116
+ Beauty contest / Beauty parade,A political contest in which the result is influenced by personality and image more than by policy.
117
+ Bedroom tax,slang term for UK's removal of Spare Room Subsidy.
118
+ Bells and whistles,Attractive additional features or trimmings.
119
+ Bend over backwards,Make extravagant efforts to avoid bias.
120
+ Between a rock and a hard place,Between two unwelcome options.
121
+ Between the wars,The period between WWI and WWII.
122
+ Beyond price,To be so prized and valuable as to not be obtainable by money.
123
+ Big fish in a small pond,An important person but only so within a small area of influence.
124
+ Binge watch,Watch multiple episodes of a television programme in succession.
125
+ Bitch slap,An open-handed slap in the face intended to be humiliating.
126
+ Bite off more than you can chew,Take on a task that is more than one can manage.
127
+ Bite the dust,"Die, especially in a violent or sudden way."
128
+ Bite your tongue,Avoid speaking.
129
+ Blood blister,Cockney rhyming slang for sister.
130
+ Blood is thicker than water,Family loyalties are stronger than those to other people.
131
+ Blow a raspberry,Cockney rhyming slang for fart.
132
+ Blue plate special,A set meal provided at a reduced price.
133
+ Boat race,Cockney rhyming slang for face.
134
+ Bottle and glass,Cockney rhyming slang for arse.
135
+ Bought the farm,"Died, especially in a violent way which may give rise to an insurance claim."
136
+ Brahms and Lizst,Cockney rhyming slang for pissed.
137
+ Brass monkey weather,Extremely cold weather. The full expression is 'Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey'.
138
+ Brass tacks,Cockney rhyming slang for facts.
139
+ Break a leg,"A superstitious way to wish 'good luck' to an actor before a performance while avoiding saying 'good luck' out loud, which is considered unlucky."
140
+ Breast is best,Slogan of breastfeeding campaign.
141
+ Bricks and mortar,Cockney rhyming slang for daughter.
142
+ Brighton Pier,Cockney rhyming slang for queer (i.e. homosexual).
143
+ Bring your A game,Perform to the best of your ability.
144
+ Brown bread,Cockney rhyming slang for dead.
145
+ Brown out,1. A partial failure of the electricity supply. 2. The exposing of one's buttocks in public.
146
+ Brum brum,Child's play idiom expressing the sound of a vehicle.
147
+ Bucket list,A list of things you plan to do before you 'kick the bucket' (die). Often a list of fanciful ideas rather than of concrete plans.
148
+ Burn the midnight oil,To work late into the night.
149
+ Bust a move,Dance in a stylish way.
150
+ Buy a lemon,Waste money by purchasing a car that is frequently faulty.
151
+ Calendar year,Twelve months beginning from the first of January.
152
+ Can't cut the mustard,Unable to meet the demands put upon you.
153
+ Canteen culture,Boorish behaviour by rank and file police or soldiers.
154
+ Carbon footprint,A measure of the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted during an industrial or domestic process.
155
+ Carpe diem,Latin expression meaning seize the day.
156
+ Cast iron stomach,Said to be possessed by someone who is able to eat anything with no ill effects.
157
+ Cat got your tongue?,A question addressed to someone who is inexplicably silent. The implication is that the person's tongue is missing.
158
+ Caught between two stools,Finding it difficult to choose between two alternatives.
159
+ Caught by the short hairs (or short and curlies),Trapped by an opponent in a situation you can't escape.
160
+ Chaise Lounge,The American spelling for the piece of furniture known elsewhere as a chaise longue.
161
+ Charley horse,Stiffness or cramp in the arm or leg.
162
+ Chasing tail,Of a man pursuing women.
163
+ Cheek by jowl,Side by side; close together.
164
+ Chicken feed,"Something of little importance, especially a small sum of money."
165
+ Cherry ripe,Cockney rhyming slang for pipe.
166
+ Chew someone out,Verbally scold someone.
167
+ Children should be seen and not heard,Old proverb suggesting that children should not impinge on the adult world.
168
+ China plate,Cockney rhyming slang for mate.
169
+ Chow down,Begin to eat.
170
+ City bike,A bicycle designing especially for urban riding.
171
+ Click bait,An eye catching word or image on a website.
172
+ Close but no cigar,Very near to success but falling short.
173
+ Cloud cuckoo land,An imaginary idealistic state where everything is perfect. It is usually used with reference to someone who has an overly optimistic and unrealistic belief.
174
+ Cock and bull story,An unbelievable tale.
175
+ Code monkey,Slang term for a computer programmer.
176
+ Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey,Extremely cold weather. The full expression is 'Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey'.
177
+ Come hell or high water,Despite any great difficult or obstacle.
178
+ Comfort women,women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese in WWII.
179
+ Company man,A worker especially loyal to the employer he works for.
180
+ Cop an attitude,Adopt an aggressive stance.
181
+ Corduroy road,A road that is ridged and furrowed like the fabric.
182
+ Country house hotel,An upmarket hotel located in a revamped rural mansion.
183
+ Crack someone up,Make someone laugh.
184
+ Cream crackered,"Cockney rhyming slang for knackered. - note, when this term was coined, cream crackers were a popular snack in the UK."
185
+ Cross that bridge when you come to it,"Deal with a problem if and when it becomes necessary, not before."
186
+ Cross your fingers,To hope that something happens.
187
+ Crunch time,The period of time just before a project has to be completed.
188
+ Cry wolf,Intentionally raise a false alarm.
189
+ Curiosity killed the cat,Being inquisitive can lead you into a dangerous situation.
190
+ Currant bun,Cockney rhyming slang for sun.
191
+ Cut corners,"Doing things in a slipshod way, to avoid expense or effort."
192
+ Cut to the chase,Leave out all the unnecessary details and get straight to the point.
193
+ Daily grind,The dull daily routine.
194
+ Daisy roots,Cockney rhyming slang for boots.
195
+ Date rape,The rape by a man of his partner on a date.
196
+ Day surgery,Minor surgery that does not require the patient to stay in hospital overnight.
197
+ Daylight saving time,The adjustment of clocks to provide longer evening daylight.
198
+ Dead ringer,An exact duplicate.
199
+ Dead white European male,Derogatory reference to someone who has an unjustified reputation.
200
+ Designated driver,Someone who agrees not to drink alcohol at a social event in order to be sober enough to drive others home.
201
+ Dial down,1. Adjust a device to reduce sound or temperature. 2. Reduce one's emotional reaction to something.
202
+ Dicky Dirt,Cockney rhyming slang for shirt.
203
+ Discussing Uganda,Euphemism for sex.
204
+ Dog and bone,Cockney rhyming slang for telephone.
205
+ Dog days of summer,The hottest days of the summer season.
206
+ Donkey's years,1. Cockney rhyming slang for ears. 2. A very long time.
207
+ Don't bite the hand that feeds you,Don't hurt someone that helps you.
208
+ Don't count your chickens before they hatch,Don't count on receiving some benefit until you actually have it.
209
+ Don't cry over spilt milk,Don't fret pointlessly about some mistake or loss when it can't be remedied.
210
+ Don't give up the day job,Said to someone who is a poor performer at a task - suggesting that they wouldn't be able to succeed at it professionally.
211
+ Don't look a gift horse in the mouth,When you receive a gift accept it with good grace and don't find fault with it.
212
+ Don't put all your eggs in one basket,Don't risk all your property on a single venture.
213
+ Double denim,Denim jeans worn with a denim shirt or jacket.
214
+ Double header,A sports expression denoting two events held at the same time.
215
+ Down to the wire,Not decided until the very last minute.
216
+ Dressed to the nines,"Very smartly dressed, in one's best clothes."
217
+ Drink like a fish,Drink very heavily.
218
+ Drive someone up the wall,Irritate or annoy very much.
219
+ Dropping like flies,Many people either falling ill or dying.
220
+ Dry run,A rehearsal.
221
+ Duvet day,A work day which an employee is allowed to spend at home relaxing.
222
+ Ear popping,Sound that is loud or that catches the attention.
223
+ Easy-peasy,Something that is extremely easy. Often used by children. Sometimes used by adults to demote an achievement that was accomplished with little apparent effort.
224
+ Eighty six,Referring to an item on a menu that is no longer available.
225
+ Elbow grease,"Energetic labour, especially in the polishing of household items."
226
+ Elephant's trunk,Cockney rhyming slang for drunk.
227
+ Elvis has left the building,The primary performer has left. There's no point waiting around.
228
+ Enhanced interrogation techniques,Euphemism for torture.
229
+ Ethnic cleansing,The singling out and killing of a specific ethnic group.
230
+ Every cloud has a silver lining,An encouragement to be optimistic. Even bad events have a good side to them.
231
+ Everything but the kitchen sink,Everything imaginable.
232
+ Evil twin,"An imaginary double, humorously referred to in order to explain the uncharacteristic bad behaviour of a normally moral person. Usually used light-heartedly. The expression formed as an allusion to plots in films involving actual evil twins."
233
+ Excuse my French,Please forgive me for swearing.
234
+ Eyebrow raising,Something that creates shock or surprise.
235
+ Face card,The jack queen or king in a set of playing cards.
236
+ Face the music,Accept he unwelcome consequences of one's own actions.
237
+ Factory farming,Rearing livestock under industrial conditions.
238
+ Fairytale ending,A happy simplistic ending to a story similar to those found in fairy tales.
239
+ Far cry from,Very different from.
240
+ Feeding frenzy,A frantic competition or exploitation - like a group shark attack.
241
+ Fell off the back of a lorry,A coy reference to an item that has been stolen.
242
+ Field day,A day noted for remarkable or exciting events.
243
+ Fiddlesticks,An exclamation meaning 1. Nonsense; rubbish. 2. An indication of mild annoyance.
244
+ Find your feet,To become conscious of and develop one's expertise.
245
+ Fire the imagination,Inspire with enthusiasm.
246
+ First among equals,The most senior person in a group of equal rank.
247
+ First footing,Making a round of visits at New Year.
248
+ First World problem,A relatively trivial problem only affecting the affluent.
249
+ First World,The industrialised affluent and wealthy nations.
250
+ Fixed in your ways,Unwilling to change from your habitual way of doing things.
251
+ Flea market,A market used to buy and sell inexpensive goods. The kind of place that might sell carpets infested with fleas.
252
+ Flea pit,A downmarket cinema - allegedly verminous.
253
+ Flesh and blood,1 - One's family. 2 - the bodily stuff we are made of.
254
+ Flip the bird,To aggressively raise your middle finger at someone as a sign of displeasure.
255
+ Flog a dead horse,To attempt to make progress with something that has no future.
256
+ Flotsam and jetsam,Assorted bits and pieces of rubbish; especially items that are found in the sea.
257
+ Foam at the mouth,To show vehement rage.
258
+ Food fight,Chaotic collective behaviour where items of food are thrown about wildly.
259
+ Fools' gold,"Something that appears valuable but really isn't, like iron pyrites - a worthless mineral that resembles gold."
260
+ Frock up,Wear a smart or formal dress for a special occasion.
261
+ Frog and toad,Cockney rhyming slang for road.
262
+ Fuddy-duddy,An old-fashioned and foolish type of person.
263
+ Full monty,Everything possible. The whole thing.
264
+ Full of bull,Talking hot air.
265
+ Funny farm,A mental hospital.
266
+ Gee gee,Childish term for a horse.
267
+ Gender bender,"A person who adopts a deliberately androgynous appearance, by use of uni-sex make-up, hair-style and clothing. Probably influenced by 'bender' being an earlier slang term for homosexual."
268
+ George Raft,Cockney rhyming slang for daft.
269
+ Get a gold star,Earn a merit point for doing well.
270
+ Get down to brass tacks,Concern yourself with the basic and important realities.
271
+ Get off on the wrong foot,Make a bad start in a relationship or task.
272
+ Get on board,Accept and participate with an idea or project.
273
+ Get out of hand,Become chaotic and uncontrollable.
274
+ Get out of the wrong side of the bed,
275
+ Get over it,Move beyond something that is bothering you.
276
+ Get your head around,"Understand something, especially something difficult to comprehend because it is complex or surprising."
277
+ Ginger Beer,Cockney rhyming slang for queer.
278
+ Give him an inch and he'll take a mile,allow someone a small concession and they will take advantage and try to take more.
279
+ Give the benefit of the doubt,Decide to believe a statement which isn't proven.
280
+ Give the slip,To get away from. To escape.
281
+ Glass ceiling,An unacknowledged or unseen discriminatory barrier that prevents women and minorities from rising to positions of power.
282
+ Gnat's bollock,A very small (imaginary) unit of measurement.
283
+ Go ape shit,Become excessively agitated and excited.
284
+ Go belly (or tits) up,Become badly and permanently inoperative.
285
+ Go for broke,Put every resource into getting a particular result.
286
+ Go out on a limb,Take a risk to support someone or something.
287
+ Go the extra mile,Going beyond what is usually required. Make an extra effort.
288
+ Going to hell in a handbasket,Deteriorating and headed for complete disaster.
289
+ Good Samaritan,Someone who compassionately helps another who is in need.
290
+ Graveyard shift,Working hours that extend overnight.
291
+ Greasy spoon,A small cheap cafe selling fried food.
292
+ Great minds think alike,Said ironically when two people have matching thoughts.
293
+ Great scot,Exclamation of surprise.
294
+ Gregory Peck,Cockney rhyming slang for neck.
295
+ Gut feeling,"A personal intuition, based on feeling rather than fact."
296
+ Had a good war,To have been successful during a military campaign.
297
+ Hair of the dog,"An alcoholic drink, intended to cure a hangover. It is mistakenly believed that a small measure of the same drink that made a person drunk will sober them up and cure the drinks ill effects. The expression is also used in other contexts, whenever an additional dose of whatever caused a problem is thought to be an appropriate remedy."
298
+ Half inch,Cockney rhyming slang for pinch.
299
+ Happy sad,A bittersweet feeling combining both happiness and sadness.
300
+ Harry spankers,Brand spanking new.
301
+ Has the cat got your tongue?,A question addressed to someone who is inexplicably silent. The implication is that the person's tongue is missing.
302
+ Haste makes waste,Doing things in a rush makes for a poor result.
303
+ Hat trick,A threefold feat in sports or some other activity.
304
+ Have a blast,Have an especially good time.
305
+ Have a Captain Cook,Cockney rhyming slang for look.
306
+ He makes my flesh (or skin) crawl (or creep),Said of someone who the speaker has a deep dislike of.
307
+ Head over heels,"Very excited, especially when in love."
308
+ Hear it on the grapevine,Hear rumors about something from an anonymous informal contact.
309
+ Heebie-jeebies,A state of nervous anxiety or fear.
310
+ Hell bent,Determined to achieve something at all costs.
311
+ Help yourself,Invitation to take something freely.
312
+ Hidden in plain sight,Something that defies apprehension by being too obvious.
313
+ High and mighty,Proud and arrogant.
314
+ High on the hog,Luxurious.
315
+ High season,The most popular time to visit a resort or attraction - when prices are highest.
316
+ Hit the books,"To study, especially for a test or exam."
317
+ Hit the hay,
318
+ Hit the nail on the head,Make the precise correct point.
319
+ Hit the sack,Retire to bed.
320
+ Hobson's choice,1. A choice forced upon someone. 2. Cockney rhyming slang for voice.
321
+ Hocus pocus,A term used to denote magic or trickery.
322
+ Hold your horses,Be patient.
323
+ Holy shit,An expression of extreme surprise or disbelief.
324
+ I can't be doing with it,I am unwilling to tolerate it.
325
+ I can't think straight,I'm overwhelmed and stressed and it is affecting my ability to think.
326
+ I'm good to go,I am ready to participate.
327
+ "If it's not one thing, it's another",Said after more than one thing goes wrong.
328
+ In cahoots with,"To be in a partnership with, often for unscrupulous purposes."
329
+ In a nutshell,In a few words. Concisely stated.
330
+ In like Flynn,"To be easily successful, especially concerning sex or romance."
331
+ In limbo,"In an uncertain situation, over which you have no control (a reference to the state of being outside both heaven and hell)."
332
+ In the bag,Something that is secured.
333
+ In the buff,Naked.
334
+ In the heat of the moment,"In an overwhelming situation, causing you to act rashly."
335
+ In the same boat,Jointly facing the same predicament.
336
+ In your face,Aggressive confrontation.
337
+ Inside job,A crime committed by or with the help of someone living or working in the place that it took place.
338
+ It never rains but it pours,When troubles come they often come together.
339
+ It takes two to tango,It takes two people to cause a problem between them.
340
+ It's a small world,"Said when people meet unexpectedly, away from their usual haunts."
341
+ It's all gone Pete Tong,Cockney rhyming slang for gone wrong.
342
+ It's not rocket science,Said of something that isn't complex or difficult to understand.
343
+ Ivy league,"The joint name given to Columbia, Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth, Yale, Pennsylvania, Princeton, and Harvard universities."
344
+ Jack Palancing,Cockney rhyming slang for dancing.
345
+ Jam jar,Cockney rhyming slang for car.
346
+ Jelly belly,An overweight person.
347
+ Jimmy Riddle,Cockney rhyming slang for piddle.
348
+ Joshing me,Tricking me.
349
+ Jump on the bandwagon,Join a popular trend.
350
+ Jump the shark,Introduce a ridiculous or unbelievable plot device into a TV series in order to boost flagging ratings.
351
+ Just deserts,The result which is deserved. A reward for what has been done - good or bad.
352
+ Keep an eye on,Observe carefully to make sure something bad isn't done.
353
+ Keep at bay,Keep something away.
354
+ Keep body and soul together,Earn sufficient money in order to keep yourself alive.
355
+ Keep your chin up,Remain positive in a tough situation.
356
+ Khyber pass,Cockney rhyming slang for arse.
357
+ Kick the bucket,Die.
358
+ Kill two birds with one stone,Accomplish two things with a single action.
359
+ Knee jerk reaction,A quick and automatic response.
360
+ Knee trembler,Sexual intercourse between two people standing up.
361
+ Knock on wood,Knuckle tapping on wood in order to avoid bad luck or to continue having good luck.
362
+ Know the ropes,To understand how to do something.
363
+ Lame duck,"A person or thing that is no longer properly able to function. Also, more specifically, a person in authority, for example a president or prime minister, in their final period of office after a successor has already been elected."
364
+ Last but not least,"An introduction, intended to let the audience know that the last person mentioned is not the least important."
365
+ Last straw,"The last of a series of problems, which pushes one's endurance beyond its limits."
366
+ Lend me your ear,Politely ask for someones full attention.
367
+ Let bygones be bygones,Allow a disagreement or argument to be put in the past.
368
+ Let sleeping dogs lie,Avoid restarting a conflict.
369
+ Let the cat out of the bag,Share a secret that wasn't intended to be shared.
370
+ Let your hair down,Behave in a free an uninhibited manner. Usually applied to women.
371
+ Let's rewind,A suggestion that the thing under consideration has gone along unproductive lines and should be looked at again from the beginning.
372
+ Level playing field,Fair competition where no side has an advantage.
373
+ Like a chicken with its head cut off,In a frenzied manner.
374
+ Link rot,The tendency of WWW addresses to become out of date and point to unavailable pages.
375
+ Link farm,"A website that exists primarily to display links to another website, with the intention of improving the search status of the second site."
376
+ Liquor someone up,To supply or to drink alcoholic drink.
377
+ Little devil,"An exclamation of surprise and annoyance, directed at someone who has behaved badly or performed some kind of prank. Often applied to children."
378
+ Little fish in a big pond,Someone considered unimportant compared to their more significant peers.
379
+ Loaf of bread,Cockney rhyming slang for head.
380
+ Long in the tooth,Old.
381
+ Loose cannon,Someone who is unpredictable and can cause damage by being reckless.
382
+ Lord Fred,Cockney rhyming slang for bed.
383
+ Lose your head,Overcome by emotion and out of control.
384
+ Lose your touch,Lose an ability that you used to possess.
385
+ Magic mushroom,A type of mushroom with hallucinogenic properties - sometimes known as 'shrooms'.
386
+ Make a scene,Cause a disturbance.
387
+ Make no bones about,To state a fact so there are no doubts about it.
388
+ Man cave,A shed or some other retreat that men decorate in the way they choose (with or without their male friends) and use to relax in traditional male pursuits.
389
+ Many happy returns,A toast given to someone on their birthday.
390
+ Mate's rates,A discount price offered to friends.
391
+ Mea culpa,I'm to blame.
392
+ Mellow yellow,"Dried banana peel, used as an intoxicant."
393
+ Men in suits,Conventionally minded and dressed men who hold positions of authority. Also called just 'suits'.
394
+ Method to my madness,Odd actions that appear meaningless but are done for a good reason.
395
+ Mince pies,Cockney rhyming slang for eyes.
396
+ Mind your language,An admonition not to swear.
397
+ Miss the boat,Missed the chance to take an opportunity.
398
+ Mrs. Mop,traditional English name for a cleaning woman.
399
+ Mumbo jumbo,Nonsense or meaningless speech.
400
+ Mum's the word,Keep quiet. Say nothing.
401
+ Mutt and Jeff,Cockney rhyming slang for deaf.
402
+ My old china,Cockney rhyming slang for mate.
403
+ My old Dutch,Cockney rhyming slang for duchess.
404
+ Nail it,To perform something particularly well.
405
+ Nest egg,Savings set aside for future use.
406
+ Never-never land,A utopian dreamland.
407
+ New arrival,Colloquial term for a new-born baby.
408
+ New kid on the block,Someone new to the group or area.
409
+ New York minute,A short space of time.
410
+ Nine to five,"A standard office day, between 9am and 5pm. Often used to denote the boring nature of the weekly working routine."
411
+ Nip slip,The inadvertent exposure of a womans nipple.
412
+ Nitty-gritty,The important aspects of a situation; the heart of the matter.
413
+ No dice,A refusal to accept a proposition.
414
+ No room to swing a cat,An awkward or confined space.
415
+ No rush,Said to someone to indicate that you aren't in a hurry for them to complete their task.
416
+ No saint,Someone who might claim to be of good behaviour but has in fact a sordid past.
417
+ No spring chicken,Said of people who are no longer young but may behave as though they were.
418
+ Nose around,Investigate in an off-hand manner.
419
+ North and south,Cockney rhyming slang for mouth.
420
+ Not all there,Not in possession of one's mental faculties.
421
+ Not playing with a full deck,Someone who lacks intelligence.
422
+ Off one's rocker,Crazy; out of one's mind.
423
+ Off the hook,No longer having to deal with something.
424
+ Off the record,Something said in confidence that the one speaking doesn't want repeated.
425
+ Old chestnut,A story that has been told repeatedly and which has lost any originality.
426
+ On a hiding to nothing,"Faced with a hopeless situation, even after making one's best efforts."
427
+ On a wing and a prayer,In a difficult situation and reliant on luck to get out of it.
428
+ On cloud nine,Blissfully happy.
429
+ On the ball,With a good understanding of a situation and a readiness to act.
430
+ On the fence,Unwilling to give one's view about which side you support.
431
+ On the record,Something said in confidence that the one speaking is happy to have repeated.
432
+ On the same page,Several people agreeing.
433
+ On your Tod,Cockney rhyming slang for alone.
434
+ Once in a blue moon,A rare occurrence.
435
+ Open warfare,Engaged in active fighting or dispute.
436
+ Out of sight,Still used with its literal meaning of 'beyond the range of sight' but more commonly used in its hippie-era meaning of 'excellent; extraordinary'.
437
+ Out of the blue,Suddenly and unexpectedly.
438
+ Out on the town,Out enjoying oneself.
439
+ Over my dead body,Said when you absolutely refuse to allow something to happen.
440
+ Over the top,Excessive.
441
+ Paint the town red,Go on a boisterous or exuberant spree
442
+ Partner up,Find a companion.
443
+ Pass the buck,Avoid responsibility by giving it to someone else.
444
+ Pedal to the metal,"To go at full speed, when driving a vehicle."
445
+ Peachy keen,Excellent; wonderful.
446
+ Peeping Tom,Someone who covertly observes sexually active or naked people.
447
+ Peg out,"1. To die, especially to die of old age. 2. To complete a circuit of the board in the card game cribbage."
448
+ Pen and ink,Cockney rhyming slang for stink.
449
+ Perfect pitch,The ability to determine a musical note by ear.
450
+ Phone it in,Perform an act in an uncommitted disinterested manner.
451
+ Photo bomb,Spoil a photograph by unexpectedly appearing in the picture and taking the attention away from the intended subject - usually as a prank.
452
+ Pig out,To overeat in a slovenly manner.
453
+ Pig's ear,Cockney rhyming slang for beer.
454
+ Pigs might fly,Said when referring to something that is highly unlikely.
455
+ Pipe down,An instruction to shut-up or be quiet.
456
+ Plates of meat,Cockney rhyming slang for feet.
457
+ Play Devil's advocate,"A person who takes a contrary position from the one being presented, either for the sake of argument or to test the validity of the opposing point of view."
458
+ Play the field,Indulge in a series of sexual relationships.
459
+ Play safe,Avoid risk.
460
+ Pommy bashing,Australian slang term for physical or verbal attacks on the English.
461
+ Porky pies,Cockney rhyming slang for lies.
462
+ Potatoes (or taters) in the mould,Cockney rhyming slang for cold.
463
+ Potty mouth,A foul mouthed person.
464
+ Practice makes perfect,Diligent practice leads to expertise.
465
+ Prick up your ears,Listen very carefully - like a dog or horse with erect ears.
466
+ Pull the plug,Bring something to an end.
467
+ Pull the wool over someone's eyes,Deceive someone.
468
+ Pull your horns in,Become less ambitious; curb your enthusiasm.
469
+ Pulling your leg,Tricking someone as a joke.
470
+ Put a sock in it,An instruction to a noisy person or a group to be quiet.
471
+ Quality time,"Time spent with a child, spouse or friend in an uninterrupted and attentive way."
472
+ Queer street,"The imaginary location of people who have major problems in their life, especially debt. (Note: not a real place, nor connected to homosexuality)"
473
+ Queer the pitch,Ruin a plan or undertaking.
474
+ Rabbit and pork,Cockney rhyming slang for talk.
475
+ Rags to riches,From poverty to wealth.
476
+ Raining cats and dogs,Raining very heavily.
477
+ Red letter day,"A significant, important or happy day."
478
+ Red tape,"Bureaucracy, especially in public business."
479
+ Rest up,Take a break from one's efforts.
480
+ Revenge porn,The malicious posting of sexual images online to harm the reputation of an ex partner.
481
+ Riding shotgun,Riding in the front passenger seat of a car.
482
+ Ring fencing,Earmarking funds to guarantee a specific project can go ahead.
483
+ Rise and shine,Instruction to get out of bed and get ready for work.
484
+ Rome was not built in one day,Major and important projects take time.
485
+ Rosie Lea,Cockney rhyming slang for tea.
486
+ Ruby Murray,Cockney rhyming slang for curry.
487
+ Rule of thumb,A rough estimate.
488
+ Run out of steam,Completely out of energy.
489
+ Sad-ass,A reference to an inept or undesirable person or thing.
490
+ Salad days,The days of one's youthful inexperience and enthusiasm.
491
+ Saved by the bell,Saved by a last minute intervention.
492
+ Scarper Flow,Cockney rhyming slang for go.
493
+ Scot-free,Without payment.
494
+ Scrape together,"To manage, with difficulty, enough of what is needed - especially money."
495
+ Scrub up,Make an effort to present oneself well dressed and smartly turned out.
496
+ See eye to eye,When two or more people agree.
497
+ Sexton Blake,Cockney rhyming slang for fake.
498
+ Shoot down in flames,Destroy an argument or theory.
499
+ Shoot straight,To talk or deal honestly.
500
+ Shoot through,To leave or abscond.
501
+ Shovel ready,A building project in which all the preliminaries have been arranged.
502
+ Side boob,The side of a female breast revealed by skimpy clothing.
503
+ Silver bullet,A simple and seeming effortless solution to a difficult problem.
504
+ Silver fox,A handsome grey-haired man.
505
+ Silver surfer,An older person who uses the World Wide Web.
506
+ Silver threads amongst the gold,Blonde hair that is turning grey.
507
+ Silver tongued,Eloquent or persuasive manner of speech.
508
+ Sit tight,Wait and take do nothing until the time is right for action.
509
+ Sixth sense,An imaginary intuitive facility.
510
+ Skid row,The rundown area of a city inhabited by the destitute.
511
+ Smell a rat,To begin to suspect that things aren't as they should be.
512
+ Smell something fishy,Detect that something isn't as it should be.
513
+ Sniff test,Sniff an item of clothing (or food) to check if it might be suitable to wear (or eat).
514
+ Son of a gun,A rogue.
515
+ Sparrow fart,Jokey term for the early morning.
516
+ Spitting image,The exact likeness.
517
+ Spoiler alert,"Said, or printed, as a warning that the following will give away the ending or important plot development of a drama."
518
+ Steal someone's thunder,Hurt someone who was close to us by betraying them secretly and breaking their trust.
519
+ Steal someone's thunder,Take the credit for something someone else did.
520
+ Step up to the mark,Mark yourself ready to take responsibility.
521
+ Stitch up,"1. Put someone in difficulty, often by making it appear that they are to blame for a misdemeanour. 2. Repair with needle and thread."
522
+ Straight from the horse's mouth,Heard from the authoritative source.
523
+ Stranger things have happened,Said when the feasibility of some unlikely event is questioned.
524
+ Suck it up,Accept a bad situation.
525
+ Swing by,Drop in for a visit.
526
+ Swipe right,"(On the dating app Tinder) to indicate that you find someone unattractive by dragging one's finger to the right, across their screen image."
527
+ Syrup of figs,Cockney rhyming slang for wig.
528
+ Take a butchers,Cockney rhyming slang for look.
529
+ Take a raincheck,An offer that is declined now but may be reconsidered later.
530
+ Take with a grain of salt,Don't take what someone says too seriously - the the implication that it isn't true.
531
+ Talk of the devil!,Said when someone that you have just been talking about arrives.
532
+ Tea leaf,Cockney rhyming slang for thief.
533
+ That Friday feeling,Anticipation of the weekend after a hard working week.
534
+ That sucks,1. An expression of sympathy. 2. Said of something that the speaker rates very lowly.
535
+ The acid test,1. A scientific test to distinguish between gold and base metals. 2. A conclusive test to determine the validity of a claim.
536
+ The apple of my eye,Someone who is cherished above all others.
537
+ The author of your own misfortune,Be to blame for one's own problems.
538
+ The ball is in your court,It is your turn to make a decision.
539
+ The best of both worlds,The benefits available from two apparently conflicting options.
540
+ The best thing since sliced bread,An outstandingly good idea or plan.
541
+ The Big Pond,Nickname of the Atlantic Ocean between the UK and the USA.
542
+ The bull in the bowler hat,Jokey term for artificial insemination.
543
+ The empty chair,The perceived absense of someone who is recently deceased.
544
+ The fog of war,Confusion caused by the chaos of battle.
545
+ The glorious twelfth,The 12th of August - the start of the British grouse shooting season.
546
+ The hair of the dog,"An alcoholic drink, intended to cure a hangover. It is mistakenly believed that a small measure of the same drink that made a person drunk will sober them up and cure the drinks ill effects. The expression is also used in other contexts, whenever an additional dose of whatever caused a problem is thought to be an appropriate remedy."
547
+ Heebie-jeebies,A state of nervous anxiety or fear.
548
+ The God Squad,enthusiastic Christian believers.
549
+ The icing on the cake,Something that makes a good situation even better.
550
+ The last straw,"The last of a series of problems, which pushes one's endurance beyond its limits."
551
+ Nitty-gritty,The important aspects of a situation; the heart of the matter.
552
+ The sound of leather on willow,The sound of the ball on the bat in cricket.
553
+ The tail is wagging the dog,A small and usually insignificant factor (or person) dominates over one that is normally more powerful and influential.
554
+ The town bike,Promiscuous woman.
555
+ The whole nine yards,The full entirety of something.
556
+ The wheels have come off,Said when a previously promising enterprise goes irretrievably wrong.
557
+ Third time lucky,Said when trying something for the third time.
558
+ Third time's a charm,The third try is often successful.
559
+ Throw the towel in,"Give up, especially to avoid further punishment when facing certain defeat."
560
+ Tie the knot,Get married.
561
+ Til the cows come home,A long time to wait.
562
+ Titfer tat,Cockney rhyming slang for hat.
563
+ To cut a long story short,Said when a storyteller doesn't want to bore his audience with a long involved account.
564
+ Tongue in cheek,"Humorously, not to be taken seriously."
565
+ Top banana,"The leading, most important, person in a group or organisation."
566
+ Tour de force,A feat of strength power or skill.
567
+ Toy-boy,A woman's much younger male lover.
568
+ Trouble and strife,Cockney rhyming slang for wife.
569
+ Turn a blind eye,Refuse to acknowledge something that you know is genuine.
570
+ Twist someone's arm,Persuade someone to do something they don't really want to do.
571
+ Twenty three skidoo,Invitation to go away.
572
+ Two and eight,Cockney rhyming slang for state.
573
+ Uncle Dick,Cockney rhyming slang for sick.
574
+ Uncle Tom,A derogatory term for a black man who is servile towards white men.
575
+ Under the weather,Feeling ill.
576
+ Unlucky in love,Having been unable to find a long-term romantic partner.
577
+ Up a blind alley,On a fruitless course of action.
578
+ Up shit creek without a paddle,"In serious difficulty, with no hope of respite."
579
+ Ups a daisy,"A saying, usually to a child, after a stumble or fall, to encourage them to get up. (ups is a variant of whoops)."
580
+ Us versus them,Denoting the enmity between two opposing groups.
581
+ Use your loaf,Think smart.
582
+ Van Gogh's ear for music,Tone deaf.
583
+ Variety is the spice of life,Increased experience makes for a more exciting life.
584
+ Vatican roulette,The rhythm method of birth control.
585
+ Wardrobe malfunction,Referring to an item of clothing slipping out of place to expose part of the body.
586
+ Washed up,"1. Deposited on a beach by the tide. 2. Finished and failed, with no further chance of success."
587
+ Water under the bridge,A past experience that you prefer not to affect your current life.
588
+ Wear your heart on your sleeve,Openly express your emotions.
589
+ Well hung,Said of a man with large genitals.
590
+ Wet behind the ears,"Young and naive, like a new-born baby."
591
+ Where there's muck there's brass,Dirt and muddle are evidence of products being manufactured and money (brass) being made.
592
+ Whipper snapper,A child or impertinent youth.
593
+ Whistle and flute,Cockney rhyming slang for suit.
594
+ White elephant,An object that appears magnificent but which is a burdensome financial liability.
595
+ Wild and woolly,Uncultured and lawless.
596
+ Wind someone up,Deliberately draw attention to something with the intention of causing trouble.
597
+ Wine and dine,Entertain in a high class restaurant.
598
+ Winter drawers on,British euphemistic joke.
599
+ Work out,1. Calculate using arithmetic. 2. Take exercise (also spelled 'workout').
600
+ Word for word,"An exact, precisely corresponding to, copy of another's words."
601
+ Worse for wear,"Either 1. Shabby and worn out, or 2. Drunk."
602
+ Would you Adam and Eve it?,Cockney rhyming slang for would you believe it?
603
+ Wouldn't be caught dead,Referring to something you absolutely refuse to do.
604
+ X marks the spot,Said of a location that indicates something significant - like a pirate's mark on a treasure map.
605
+ Yarn bombing,The adorning of public buildings with knitted or crocheted material - either for fun or to make a political point.
606
+ Yellow belly,A coward.
607
+ You are what you eat,What you eat affects you health.
608
+ You can lead a horse to water,"You can encourage someone to to do something but, in the end, what they do is their own choice."
609
+ You can't judge a book by its cover,Decisions can't be made solely on appearance.
610
+ You can't teach and old dog new tricks,Once animals (and people) are set in their ways they struggle to assimilate new ideas.
611
+ You can't take it with you,Suggestion that you should spend money and live life now as it will be no use to you after you die.
612
+ Your guess is as good as mine,I have no idea.
613
+ Your name is mud,You are discredited or in disgrace. The very mention of your name produces scorn.
614
+ Your number is up,"It is now your turn. For instance, if 1. You are about to die. or 2. You have won a lottery."
615
+ Zip your lip,Say nothing; keep your mouth shut. Often shortened to 'zip it'.