CLOWN AROUND To “clown around” is to have fun in an informal, playful way. When people “clown around,” they are not being serious or formal. They are not taking themselves too seriously. The term “clown around” is an idiomatic phrase which means “to behave in a silly or childish manner.” The phrase can have many…
CLIMB/JUMP ON THE BANDWAGON The idiom “jump on the bandwagon” advises people to get in on a trend that has already gone mainstream, instead of waiting until it’s too late. Doing this allows for a quicker and easier chance of gaining popularity and notoriety than if you were to wait and face competition. The term…
CLEAN (SOMEONE) OUT The term “clean someone out” refers to a person being robbed of all their possessions. This often involves a thief who steals a person’s credit card and then purchases items that she or he can easily resell for cash, such as electronics. If a person has a bank account and someone removes…
CHIP ON (ONE’S) SHOULDER A chip on one’s shoulder is an expression for perceived or imaginary insult, often seen as the result of a person’s own insecurity. The term comes from the military metaphor meaning to carry (and protect) one’s weapon (the shoulder) higher than usual because of the feeling that one needs to be…
CHICKEN The phrase “chicken” is likely to be used as a term for cowardice. It may also refer to someone playing the role of “chicken” in a game or activity, such as by agreeing to go first or last without flipping a coin. The word is also commonly used as an informal way of telling…
CHECKERED PAST Checkered past is a term used to describe someones life history of having been engaged in questionable behavior. The phrase was used as early as the 1700s and 1800s as a metaphor for “marked with some kind of pattern or spot, as if checkered. Having a checkered past is a colloquial way of…
CHANGE HORSES IN MIDSTREAM A common translation of this phrase is “changing one’s mind in the midst of a course of action.” However, this translation does not account for the nuances of the phrase and its usage. The original Greek proverb is “metaphorical and depicts a battle scene where a general would switch horses just…
CATCH (SOMEONE) RED-HANDED [GET CAUGHT-RED HANDED] Catching someone red handed is when you are caught in the act of committing a crime or doing something wrong. The term “red-handed” comes from the Ancient Rome custom that criminals are presumed guilty if they are caught with blood on their hands. If someone is not found guilty…
CARRY A TORCH (FOR SOMEONE) To “carry a torch” for someone means to have romantic feelings for them, but not acting on them. Carrying a torch can refer to having romantic feelings for someone you are not in a relationship with. It can also be used as an analogy for someone carrying the emotional baggage…
CALL A SPADE A SPADE This idiom is used when one wants to be straightforward about someone or something, in opposition to being euphemistic or avoiding the subject. The phrase has origins in ancient Rome, when spades were used in games including trump cards. A “spade” is a shovel used for digging. A spade can…