Idioms · 77 entries
1. A misfortune. 2. A serious bone fracture.
1. USA 2. UK.
The United Kingdom.
Biblical.
The United Kingdom. An allusion to a cricket fielder who had a reputation for reliably making catches.
USA, initially alluding to a shot of drugs but now used without that connotation.
The United Kingdom - 18th century.
The United Kingdom.
The United Kingdom - 19th century.
Britain, 19th century. A variant of the 16th century expression ‘each finger was a thumb’.
USA, mid-20th century. Often mistakenly thought to be related to the high cost of painting full-length portraits.
USA, 19th century.
Britain. Early (pre 1000AD) English, in the form of hold or keep one’s tongue.
USA, 20th century.
Britain, late 19th century. People assume this expression has a vulgar origin but, in fact, when coined the hairs referred to were those on the back of the neck.
USA, late 19th century.
Britain - 16th century.
Britain, 18th century.
USA, early 20th century.
Britain, late 17th century.
USA and Britain, early 20th century.
Britain, 16th century.
Britain, especially Scotland, from 19th century onward.
Britain, 10th century, from a biblical source.
USA, mid 20th century.
Britain, from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar.
USA, late 19th century.
Britain, 20th century.
Britain, 20th century. The allusion is to fish floating dead in the water.
Britain, 19th century.
Britain, 15th century.
Britain, 18th century.
Britain, 17th century. Derived from the name of the carrier Thomas Hobson.
Britain. From Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors.
USA, 1970s.
Britain, late 19th century.
Britain, 16th century.
Britain, 17th century.
USA, late 19th century.
Britain, 19th century. Driving from the medical test involving tapping the knee.
Britain, 19th century.
Britain. From Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar.
Britain, circa 1800. From the writings of Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
USA, mid 20th century.
Britain, 16th century.
USA, 19th century.
Britain - 19th century.
USA, 19th century.
Britain, 1600s. Not, as is often thought, derived from the size of stick a man was permitted to beat his wife with.
Britain, 17th century. Ultimately deriving from the Bible.
Britain, late 20th century.
Britain, 16th century.
First seen in James Joyce’s Ulysees, 1922.
Britain, 9th century - making it one of the oldest phrases in the language that is still in regular use in its original form.
Britain, early 19th century. Most probably directly related to Nelson’s refusal to view an unwelcome signal.
Britain, mid-20th century.
Britain, mid-20th century.
An ironic joke alluding to Van Gogh’s celebrated loss of his ear, coined in Britain in the late 20th century. The source idiom ‘ear for music’ has been used in Britain since the 18th century.
The idiom might be thought to be fairly modern but, in fact, its first use was in Britain in the 17th century. Before being applied to humans the expression was used to refer to dogs that had large ears.
Britain, 1910s
Britain, late 18th century.
USA, 1940s. Deriving from the allusion to closing a garment with a zipper.
Entry 1
Meaning 1. A misfortune. 2. A serious bone fracture.
Usage 1. USA. 2. Widely used.
Example
Pronunciation
Entry 2
Meaning A day on which everything seems to go wrong.
Usage Predominantly in the USA but also more widely.
Example
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Entry 3
Meaning A fist, as used in a fight.
Usage Mostly in the UK, but occasionally elsewhere too.
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Entry 4
Meaning A sense of inferiority characterized by a quickness to take offence.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 5
Meaning An initial inroad that may lead to greater influence in future.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 6
Meaning A kindred spirit. Someone who thinks as I do.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 7
Meaning A reliable person, who can be trusted not to fail in a a task.
Usage Worldwide, but more in the UK than elsewhere.
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Entry 8
Meaning A boost or encouragement.
Usage Worldwide, very commonly used.
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Entry 9
Meaning A welcome sight that you weren’t expecting.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 10
Meaning A secret and possibly ruinous source of shame.
Usage Worldwide, although the British now use ’cupboard’ and the USA still uses ’closet’.
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Entry 11
Meaning A mild rebuke, often given when a more severe punishment might be expected.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 12
Meaning A fatal weakness in an otherwise strong person or thing.
Usage Worldwide, but more commonly amongst the older generation.
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Entry 13
Meaning Clumsy or physically inept.
Usage Worldwide, more used by the older generations.
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Entry 14
Meaning Very expensive. A large amount of money.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 15
Meaning A slang term for small child.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 16
Meaning Cockney rhyming slang for hair.
Usage Mostly Britain.
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Entry 17
Meaning Avoid speaking.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 18
Meaning Cockney rhyming slang for face.
Usage Mostly Britain.
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Entry 19
Meaning Cockney rhyming slang for arse.
Usage Mostly Britain.
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Entry 20
Meaning A superstitious way to wish 'good luck' to an actor before a performance while avoiding saying 'good luck' out loud, which is considered unlucky.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 21
Meaning Slogan of breastfeeding campaign.
Example
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Entry 22
Meaning Said to be possessed by someone who is able to eat anything with no ill effects.
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Entry 23
Meaning Trapped by an opponent in a situation you can't escape.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 24
Meaning Stiffness or cramp in the arm or leg.
Usage Little-known outside the USA.
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Entry 25
Meaning Side by side; close together.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 26
Meaning To hope that something happens.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 27
Meaning Don't hurt someone that helps you.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 28
Meaning Sound that is loud or that catches the attention.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 29
Meaning Energetic labour, especially in the polishing of household items.
Usage Britain, mostly by the older generation.
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Entry 30
Meaning Something that creates shock or surprise.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 31
Meaning To become conscious of and develop one's expertise.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 32
Meaning Making a round of visits at New Year.
Usage Mostly Scotland but has travelled with Scots throughout the world.
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Entry 33
Meaning 1 - One's family. 2 - the bodily stuff we are made of.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 34
Meaning To aggressively raise your middle finger at someone as a sign of displeasure.
Usage Mostly USA.
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Entry 35
Meaning To show vehement rage.
Usage Worldwide.
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Pronunciation
Entry 36
Meaning Make a bad start in a relationship or task.
Usage Worldwide.
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Pronunciation
Entry 37
Meaning Understand something, especially something difficult to comprehend because it is complex or surprising.
Usage Mostly Britain.
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Entry 38
Meaning Become badly and permanently inoperative.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 39
Meaning Said ironically when two people have matching thoughts.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 40
Meaning Cockney rhyming slang for neck.
Usage Mostly Britain.
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Entry 41
Meaning A personal intuition, based on feeling rather than fact.
Usage Worldwide.
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Pronunciation
Entry 42
Meaning Said of someone who the speaker has a deep dislike of.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 43
Meaning Very excited, especially when in love.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 44
Meaning 1. A choice forced upon someone. 2. Cockney rhyming slang for voice.
Usage Worldwide, although mostly amongst the older generation.
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Entry 45
Meaning Naked.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 46
Meaning Aggressive confrontation.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 47
Meaning An overweight person.
Usage Worldwide, but not common everywhere. Most used in Britain and Australia.
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Entry 48
Meaning Observe carefully to make sure something bad isn't done.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 49
Meaning Earn sufficient money in order to keep yourself alive.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 50
Meaning Remain positive in a tough situation.
Usage Although derived in the USA this idiom is more commonly heard now in Britain.
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Entry 51
Meaning A quick and automatic response.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 52
Meaning Sexual intercourse between two people standing up.
Usage Mostly Britain.
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Entry 53
Meaning Politely ask for someones full attention.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 54
Meaning Cockney rhyming slang for head.
Usage Mostly Britain.
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Entry 55
Meaning Said when you absolutely refuse to allow something to happen.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 56
Meaning Cockney rhyming slang for feet.
Usage Mostly Britain.
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Entry 57
Meaning A foul mouthed person.
Usage Worldwide, but not particularly common.
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Entry 58
Meaning Listen very carefully - like a dog or horse with erect ears.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 59
Meaning Deceive someone.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 60
Meaning Become less ambitious; curb your enthusiasm.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 61
Meaning Tricking someone as a joke.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 62
Meaning A rough estimate.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 63
Meaning When two or more people agree.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 64
Meaning The side of a female breast revealed by skimpy clothing.
Usage Worldwide, amongst the younger generations.
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Entry 65
Meaning Blonde hair that is turning grey.
Usage Worldwide, but rather old-fashioned.
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Entry 66
Meaning Eloquent or persuasive manner of speech.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 67
Meaning Hurt someone who was close to us by betraying them secretly and breaking their trust.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 68
Meaning Someone who is cherished above all others.
Usage Worldwide.
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Pronunciation
Entry 69
Meaning Refuse to acknowledge something that you know is genuine.
Usage Worldwide.
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Pronunciation
Entry 70
Meaning Persuade someone to do something they don't really want to do.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 71
Meaning Think smart.
Usage Worldwide, but most commonly in Britain.
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Entry 72
Meaning Tone deaf.
Usage Mostly Britain and not a common idiom.
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Entry 73
Meaning Openly express your emotions.
Usage Worldwide, although somewhat old-fashioned.
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Entry 74
Meaning Said of a man with large genitals.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 75
Meaning Young and naive, like a new-born baby.
Usage Worldwide.
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Entry 76
Meaning A coward.
Usage Worldwide.
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Pronunciation
Entry 77
Meaning Say nothing; keep your mouth shut. Often shortened to 'zip it'.
Usage Worldwide, but most common in the USA.
Example
Pronunciation