Idioms are a powerful tool in any language, but I find myself stumbling over them all the...
american english idioms
I’ve heard countless stories about how a simple English phrase can be misinterpreted or misunderstood. It’s one...
I’m always looking for ways to improve my writing, but I’ve never been able to find an...
I recently started working with an American friend. I’ve noticed that he’s got some strong opinions about...
GOLDEN AGE The Golden Age is the age in which people are most actively productive. This phrase...
GO UP IN SMOKE This idiom means to be lost, wasted, or destroyed. It usually refers to...
GO TO POT/SEED The phrase “GO TO POT” is used in the sense of the phrase “going...
GO OVERBOARD The idiom to go overboard typically means to take an action that’s excessive. For example,...
GET OFF THE DEEP END The phrase “get off the deep end” is an idiom that typically...
GO HAYWIRE The idiom “go haywire” translates to “to go wrong” or “to malfunction”. The term is...
GO BANANAS [DRIVE (SOMEONE) BANANAS] The idiom “go bananas” is a colloquial way of saying to go...
GIVE (SOMEONE) THE SHIRT OFF (ONE’S) BACK The idiom “give someone the shirt off one’s back” means...
GIVE (SOMEONE) A TASTE OF (HIS/HER) OWN MEDICINE Giving someone a taste of their own medicine is...
GIVE (SOMEONE) A RING If someone is giving someone a ring, it can mean they are proposing...
GIVE (ONE’S) RIGHT (BODY PART) FOR/TO DO (SOMETHING) The idiom “give (one’s) right body part” to do...
GET/LEND (SOMEONE) A HAND Many people have the idiom “to lend someone a hand” meaning to lend...
GET/GIVE (SOMEONE) THE SHORT END OF THE STICK The idiom “give someone the short end of the...
GET/GIVE (SOMEONE) THE GO-AHEAD To give someone the go-ahead is to show approval for an idea or...
GET UP ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE BED Getting up on the wrong side of the...
GET TO THE BOTTOM OF (SOMETHING) To get to the bottom of something is to understand its...
GET OFF (ONE’S) HIGH HORSE This idiom typically means to stop being arrogant or haughty, and it...
GET CAUGHT/BE LEFT HOLDING THE BAG [LEAVE (SOMEONE) HOLDING THE BAG] In the context of this idiom,...
GET (A) HOLD OF (SOMEONE) The idiom “to get a hold of” means to interact with someone....
FULL STEAM AHEAD The idiom “full steam ahead” typically refers to the idea that something should be...
FOURTH-RATE Fourth-rate refers to a lower class or grade. The term is used to refer to public...
FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE For heaven’s sake is an idiom that refers to the intensity of one’s emotions....
FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH, A A force to be reckoned with is a powerful and significant...
FOOL’S GOLD Fool’s gold is a term that can be defined as something that fools people into...
FOLLOW IN (SOMEONE’S) FOOTSTEPS The idiom “to follow in someone’s footsteps” is to be subjected to the...
FLY IN THE OINTMENT The fly in the ointment idiom refers to an unpleasant or unexpected element...
FLAT BROKE The phrase “flat broke” is an idiom used to describe someone who has no money...
FITS AND STARTS When someone is progressing in an erratic manner, they are making progress in fits...
FIRST-RATE First-rate is typically used to indicate that something is of the highest quality. It can be...
FILTHY RICH Filthy rich is an idiom that describes someone wealthy. It can also be used to...
FIELD DAY A field day is a way to show off what one has achieved. It is...
FEATHER (ONE’S) NEST The idiomatic expression “feather one’s nest” is often used to mean that one has...
FAR CRY FROM (SOMETHING) The phrase “far cry from” is an idiomatic expression meaning “very different.” For...
FALL FOR (SOMEONE) Falling for someone is a figure of speech that refers to developing strong feelings...
FAIR-WEATHER FRIEND A fair weather friend is someone who only hangs around you when you are doing...
FAIR AND SQUARE The idiom “fair and square” has its origins in the rule of law. Prior...
