english_idioms.csv

idioms,meaning
A bad break,1. A misfortune. 2. A serious bone fracture.
A bad hair day,A day on which everything seems to go wrong.
A bad workman always blames his tools,A proverb that suggests a poor workman tends to look for an excuse for his poor work.
A big ask,A favour which is a lot to ask of someone.
A bigger bang for your buck,Better value for your money.
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.
A bite to eat,"A small meal, possibly taken quickly when time is short."
A blessing in disguise,An apparent misfortune that works to the eventual benefit of the recipient.
A bull and cow,Cockney rhyming slang for a row or argument.
A bunch of fives,"A fist, as used in a fight."
A chip on your shoulder,A sense of inferiority characterized by a quickness to take offence.
A diamond in the rough,A person or thing having good underlying qualities while appearing to be coarse and unpolished.
A dime a dozen,So commonplace as to be of little consequence.
A doubting Thomas,A sceptic who won’t accept a widely believed truth until seeing the evidence in person.
A drop in the bucket,A very small part of a bigger whole.
A fate worse than death,The reputed opinion of sexual intercourse by prim Victorian ladies.
A feather in one's cap,A symbol of achievement.
A fish out of water,Someone in an unfamiliar circumstance.
A flash in the pan,Something that fails to deliver long-term benefit after an initial success.
A fly in the ointment,A small flaw that spoils the whole.
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.
A fool and his money are soon parted,A foolish person is very likely to lose his money.
A fool's paradise,A state of euphoria with no basis in reality.
A foot in the door,An initial inroad that may lead to greater influence in future.
A golden key can open any door,Money always has a telling influence.
A hot potato,A current issue which many people are talking about and which is controversial.
A house divided against itself cannot stand,Failure is certain if those on the same side argue amongst themselves.
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."
A leopard can't change his spots,You cannot change your innate self.
A little bird told me,I was told by an undisclosed source.
A load of cobblers,Nonsense.
A load of codswallop,Nonsense.
A lot on your plate,Having many responsibilities.
A man after my own heart,A kindred spirit. Someone who thinks as I do.
A miss is as good as a mile,Some endeavours either succeed or they don’t - to miss narrowly is still failure.
A penny for your thoughts,A way of asking what someone is thinking.
A penny saved is a penny earned,Anything you save has the same effect as adding to your income.
A picture paints a thousand words,Pictures are far more descriptive than words.
A piece of cake,A task that can be accomplished very easily.
A pig in a poke,A commodity that is bought without first examining it.
A place in the sun,An idealistic dream of a sunny hideaway.
A red rag to a bull,A deliberate provocation.
A safe pair of hands,"A reliable person, who can be trusted not to fail in a a task."
A sea change,A radical change.
A sight for sore eyes,A welcome sight that you weren’t expecting.
A skeleton in the closet,A secret and possibly ruinous source of shame.
A shot in the arm,A boost or encouragement.
A slap on the wrist,"A mild rebuke, often given when a more severe punishment might be expected."
A sledgehammer to crack a nut,The use of excessive resources to overcome a small problem.
A sorry sight,1. Something sadly neglected. 2. A person or thing of untidy appearance.
A stitch in time saves nine,A small effort made at the right time might save a calamity later on.
A stone's throw,A short distance.
A taste of your own medicine,Mistreatment you receive in retaliation to that you gave to others.
A thorn in my flesh,A persistent and difficult to ignore annoyance.
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."
A wolf in sheep's clothing,Someone who uses the pretence of kindliness to disguise their evil intent.
About face,1. A military command to turn when on parade. 2. A change from one’s previous position.
About time,1. Almost time. 2. High time.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder,Our feelings for people and things grows when we are apart from them.
Abso-bloody-lutely,A more emphatic version of ’Absolutely’.
Ace in the hole,"A saved, hidden advantage that can supply a victory when revealed."
Achilles' heel,A fatal weakness in an otherwise strong person or thing.
Across the board,Applying everywhere and to all classes of thing.
Act your age,Behave in a manner appropriate to your stage in life.
Actions speak louder than words,Actions show one’s character more than what you say.
Adam's ale,A reference to water - often used to emphasize the purity of water compared to other drinks.
Add fuel to the fire,Make a bad situation even worse than it is.
Add insult to injury,To further a loss. To make a bad situation worse.
Against the clock,In a great hurry to complete something before a set deadline.
Ain't my first rodeo,Said by someone who has experience of a situation.
Al fresco,In the open air.
Al desko,Eating one’s lunch while still working. (A Pun on ’Al fresco’.).
All at sea,"In a confused, disordered state."
All kidding aside,"Said when you want people to realise you are speaking seriously, when they might otherwise think you were joking."
All bark and no bite,Having lots to say but not willing to engage in a fight.
All Greek to me,"Incomprehensible, as Greek is to someone who cannot speak it."
All in all,On the whole - when everything is considered.
All in a day's work,Typical; a normal set of circumstances.
All set,Ready to go.
All the way,"Referring to something that is done fully, especially as a euphemism for full sexual activity."
All thumbs,Clumsy or physically inept.
All to cock,Ruined or shambolic.
All together now,Invitation to join in communal singing.
Alley cat,1. A cat that lives wild in a town. 2. Slang term for a prostitute.
Alpha Mom,An ambitious mother who aims to excel at work while raising children.
Alphabet soup,"A jumble of words or letters, often referring to organisations known by their initials, like CIA or BBC."
Amber nectar,A slang term for lager.
Amped up,Excited and ready for action.
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.
An arm and a leg,Very expensive. A large amount of money.
An axe to grind,A dispute with someone.
An open and shut case,A straightforward legal case in which the outcome is clear.
Ankle biter,A slang term for small child.
Apples and pears,Cockney rhyming slang for stairs.
As high as a kite,1. Very high up in the sky. 2. High on drugs or excitement.
At the drop of a hat,With no delay.
Away with the fairies,Not facing reality; in a dream world.
Baby brain,Confusion or forgetfulness caused by lack of sleep when caring for a new-born.
Baby bump,The protruding belly of a pregnant woman. Also used to describe the unborn child itself.
Baby snatcher,Someone who enters into an amorous relationship with a much younger person.
Back seat driver,Someone who criticizes from the side-lines without being directly involved.
Back to square one,Back to the beginning.
Back to the drawing board,Said when a plan fails and it's time to start again and make a new plan.
Bag lady,"A homeless woman, who carries all her possessions in shopping bags."
Baker's dozen,Thirteen.
Barking up the wrong tree,Responding to something which isn't the important issue.
Barnet Fair,Cockney rhyming slang for hair.
Basket case,"A person or thing that is no longer able to function effectively, either through disability or misfortune."
Bat from the pavilion end,Slang term for a homosexuality.
Be a sport,Be generous and/or sportsmanlike.
Be glad to see the back of,Be happy when a person leaves or when an unpleasant situation is ended.
Beach bum,"Someone, usually a youngster, who spends all their time hanging out at the beach surfing and partying."
Bean counter,A disparaging term for an accountant or anyone who compiles statistics.
Beat around the bush,Avoiding the main topic.
Beauty contest / Beauty parade,A political contest in which the result is influenced by personality and image more than by policy.
Bedroom tax,slang term for UK's removal of Spare Room Subsidy.
Bells and whistles,Attractive additional features or trimmings.
Bend over backwards,Make extravagant efforts to avoid bias.
Between a rock and a hard place,Between two unwelcome options.
Between the wars,The period between WWI and WWII.
Beyond price,To be so prized and valuable as to not be obtainable by money.
Big fish in a small pond,An important person but only so within a small area of influence.
Binge watch,Watch multiple episodes of a television programme in succession.
Bitch slap,An open-handed slap in the face intended to be humiliating.
Bite off more than you can chew,Take on a task that is more than one can manage.
Bite the dust,"Die, especially in a violent or sudden way."
Bite your tongue,Avoid speaking.
Blood blister,Cockney rhyming slang for sister.
Blood is thicker than water,Family loyalties are stronger than those to other people.
Blow a raspberry,Cockney rhyming slang for fart.
Blue plate special,A set meal provided at a reduced price.
Boat race,Cockney rhyming slang for face.
Bottle and glass,Cockney rhyming slang for arse.
Bought the farm,"Died, especially in a violent way which may give rise to an insurance claim."
Brahms and Lizst,Cockney rhyming slang for pissed.
Brass monkey weather,Extremely cold weather. The full expression is 'Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey'.
Brass tacks,Cockney rhyming slang for facts.
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."
Breast is best,Slogan of breastfeeding campaign.
Bricks and mortar,Cockney rhyming slang for daughter.
Brighton Pier,Cockney rhyming slang for queer (i.e. homosexual).
Bring your A game,Perform to the best of your ability.
Brown bread,Cockney rhyming slang for dead.
Brown out,1. A partial failure of the electricity supply. 2. The exposing of one's buttocks in public.
Brum brum,Child's play idiom expressing the sound of a vehicle.
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.
Burn the midnight oil,To work late into the night.
Bust a move,Dance in a stylish way.
Buy a lemon,Waste money by purchasing a car that is frequently faulty.
Calendar year,Twelve months beginning from the first of January.
Can't cut the mustard,Unable to meet the demands put upon you.
Canteen culture,Boorish behaviour by rank and file police or soldiers.
Carbon footprint,A measure of the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted during an industrial or domestic process.
Carpe diem,Latin expression meaning seize the day.
Cast iron stomach,Said to be possessed by someone who is able to eat anything with no ill effects.
Cat got your tongue?,A question addressed to someone who is inexplicably silent. The implication is that the person's tongue is missing.
Caught between two stools,Finding it difficult to choose between two alternatives.
Caught by the short hairs (or short and curlies),Trapped by an opponent in a situation you can't escape.
Chaise Lounge,The American spelling for the piece of furniture known elsewhere as a chaise longue.
Charley horse,Stiffness or cramp in the arm or leg.
Chasing tail,Of a man pursuing women.
Cheek by jowl,Side by side; close together.
Chicken feed,"Something of little importance, especially a small sum of money."
Cherry ripe,Cockney rhyming slang for pipe.
Chew someone out,Verbally scold someone.
Children should be seen and not heard,Old proverb suggesting that children should not impinge on the adult world.
China plate,Cockney rhyming slang for mate.
Chow down,Begin to eat.
City bike,A bicycle designing especially for urban riding.
Click bait,An eye catching word or image on a website.
Close but no cigar,Very near to success but falling short.
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.
Cock and bull story,An unbelievable tale.
Code monkey,Slang term for a computer programmer.
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'.
Come hell or high water,Despite any great difficult or obstacle.
Comfort women,women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese in WWII.
Company man,A worker especially loyal to the employer he works for.
Cop an attitude,Adopt an aggressive stance.
Corduroy road,A road that is ridged and furrowed like the fabric.
Country house hotel,An upmarket hotel located in a revamped rural mansion.
Crack someone up,Make someone laugh.
Cream crackered,"Cockney rhyming slang for knackered. - note, when this term was coined, cream crackers were a popular snack in the UK."
Cross that bridge when you come to it,"Deal with a problem if and when it becomes necessary, not before."
Cross your fingers,To hope that something happens.
Crunch time,The period of time just before a project has to be completed.
Cry wolf,Intentionally raise a false alarm.
Curiosity killed the cat,Being inquisitive can lead you into a dangerous situation.
Currant bun,Cockney rhyming slang for sun.
Cut corners,"Doing things in a slipshod way, to avoid expense or effort."
Cut to the chase,Leave out all the unnecessary details and get straight to the point.
Daily grind,The dull daily routine.
Daisy roots,Cockney rhyming slang for boots.
Date rape,The rape by a man of his partner on a date.
Day surgery,Minor surgery that does not require the patient to stay in hospital overnight.
Daylight saving time,The adjustment of clocks to provide longer evening daylight.
Dead ringer,An exact duplicate.
Dead white European male,Derogatory reference to someone who has an unjustified reputation.
Designated driver,Someone who agrees not to drink alcohol at a social event in order to be sober enough to drive others home.
Dial down,1. Adjust a device to reduce sound or temperature. 2. Reduce one's emotional reaction to something.
Dicky Dirt,Cockney rhyming slang for shirt.
Discussing Uganda,Euphemism for sex.
Dog and bone,Cockney rhyming slang for telephone.
Dog days of summer,The hottest days of the summer season.
Donkey's years,1. Cockney rhyming slang for ears. 2. A very long time.
Don't bite the hand that feeds you,Don't hurt someone that helps you.
Don't count your chickens before they hatch,Don't count on receiving some benefit until you actually have it.
Don't cry over spilt milk,Don't fret pointlessly about some mistake or loss when it can't be remedied.
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.
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.
Don't put all your eggs in one basket,Don't risk all your property on a single venture.
Double denim,Denim jeans worn with a denim shirt or jacket.
Double header,A sports expression denoting two events held at the same time.
Down to the wire,Not decided until the very last minute.
Dressed to the nines,"Very smartly dressed, in one's best clothes."
Drink like a fish,Drink very heavily.
Drive someone up the wall,Irritate or annoy very much.
Dropping like flies,Many people either falling ill or dying.
Dry run,A rehearsal.
Duvet day,A work day which an employee is allowed to spend at home relaxing.
Ear popping,Sound that is loud or that catches the attention.
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.
Eighty six,Referring to an item on a menu that is no longer available.
Elbow grease,"Energetic labour, especially in the polishing of household items."
Elephant's trunk,Cockney rhyming slang for drunk.
Elvis has left the building,The primary performer has left. There's no point waiting around.
Enhanced interrogation techniques,Euphemism for torture.
Ethnic cleansing,The singling out and killing of a specific ethnic group.
Every cloud has a silver lining,An encouragement to be optimistic. Even bad events have a good side to them.
Everything but the kitchen sink,Everything imaginable.
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."
Excuse my French,Please forgive me for swearing.
Eyebrow raising,Something that creates shock or surprise.
Face card,The jack queen or king in a set of playing cards.
Face the music,Accept he unwelcome consequences of one's own actions.
Factory farming,Rearing livestock under industrial conditions.
Fairytale ending,A happy simplistic ending to a story similar to those found in fairy tales.
Far cry from,Very different from.
Feeding frenzy,A frantic competition or exploitation - like a group shark attack.
Fell off the back of a lorry,A coy reference to an item that has been stolen.
Field day,A day noted for remarkable or exciting events.
Fiddlesticks,An exclamation meaning 1. Nonsense; rubbish. 2. An indication of mild annoyance.
Find your feet,To become conscious of and develop one's expertise.
Fire the imagination,Inspire with enthusiasm.
First among equals,The most senior person in a group of equal rank.
First footing,Making a round of visits at New Year.
First World problem,A relatively trivial problem only affecting the affluent.
First World,The industrialised affluent and wealthy nations.
Fixed in your ways,Unwilling to change from your habitual way of doing things.
Flea market,A market used to buy and sell inexpensive goods. The kind of place that might sell carpets infested with fleas.
Flea pit,A downmarket cinema - allegedly verminous.
Flesh and blood,1 - One's family. 2 - the bodily stuff we are made of.
Flip the bird,To aggressively raise your middle finger at someone as a sign of displeasure.
Flog a dead horse,To attempt to make progress with something that has no future.
Flotsam and jetsam,Assorted bits and pieces of rubbish; especially items that are found in the sea.
Foam at the mouth,To show vehement rage.
Food fight,Chaotic collective behaviour where items of food are thrown about wildly.
Fools' gold,"Something that appears valuable but really isn't, like iron pyrites - a worthless mineral that resembles gold."
Frock up,Wear a smart or formal dress for a special occasion.
Frog and toad,Cockney rhyming slang for road.
Fuddy-duddy,An old-fashioned and foolish type of person.
Full monty,Everything possible. The whole thing.
Full of bull,Talking hot air.
Funny farm,A mental hospital.
Gee gee,Childish term for a horse.
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."
George Raft,Cockney rhyming slang for daft.
Get a gold star,Earn a merit point for doing well.
Get down to brass tacks,Concern yourself with the basic and important realities.
Get off on the wrong foot,Make a bad start in a relationship or task.
Get on board,Accept and participate with an idea or project.
Get out of hand,Become chaotic and uncontrollable.
Get out of the wrong side of the bed,
Get over it,Move beyond something that is bothering you.
Get your head around,"Understand something, especially something difficult to comprehend because it is complex or surprising."
Ginger Beer,Cockney rhyming slang for queer.
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.
Give the benefit of the doubt,Decide to believe a statement which isn't proven.
Give the slip,To get away from. To escape.
Glass ceiling,An unacknowledged or unseen discriminatory barrier that prevents women and minorities from rising to positions of power.
Gnat's bollock,A very small (imaginary) unit of measurement.
Go ape shit,Become excessively agitated and excited.
Go belly (or tits) up,Become badly and permanently inoperative.
Go for broke,Put every resource into getting a particular result.
Go out on a limb,Take a risk to support someone or something.
Go the extra mile,Going beyond what is usually required. Make an extra effort.
Going to hell in a handbasket,Deteriorating and headed for complete disaster.
Good Samaritan,Someone who compassionately helps another who is in need.
Graveyard shift,Working hours that extend overnight.
Greasy spoon,A small cheap cafe selling fried food.
Great minds think alike,Said ironically when two people have matching thoughts.
Great scot,Exclamation of surprise.
Gregory Peck,Cockney rhyming slang for neck.
Gut feeling,"A personal intuition, based on feeling rather than fact."
Had a good war,To have been successful during a military campaign.
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."
Half inch,Cockney rhyming slang for pinch.
Happy sad,A bittersweet feeling combining both happiness and sadness.
Harry spankers,Brand spanking new.
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.
Haste makes waste,Doing things in a rush makes for a poor result.
Hat trick,A threefold feat in sports or some other activity.
Have a blast,Have an especially good time.
Have a Captain Cook,Cockney rhyming slang for look.
He makes my flesh (or skin) crawl (or creep),Said of someone who the speaker has a deep dislike of.
Head over heels,"Very excited, especially when in love."
Hear it on the grapevine,Hear rumors about something from an anonymous informal contact.
Heebie-jeebies,A state of nervous anxiety or fear.
Hell bent,Determined to achieve something at all costs.
Help yourself,Invitation to take something freely.
Hidden in plain sight,Something that defies apprehension by being too obvious.
High and mighty,Proud and arrogant.
High on the hog,Luxurious.
High season,The most popular time to visit a resort or attraction - when prices are highest.
Hit the books,"To study, especially for a test or exam."
Hit the hay,
Hit the nail on the head,Make the precise correct point.
Hit the sack,Retire to bed.
Hobson's choice,1. A choice forced upon someone. 2. Cockney rhyming slang for voice.
Hocus pocus,A term used to denote magic or trickery.
Hold your horses,Be patient.
Holy shit,An expression of extreme surprise or disbelief.
I can't be doing with it,I am unwilling to tolerate it.
I can't think straight,I'm overwhelmed and stressed and it is affecting my ability to think.
I'm good to go,I am ready to participate.
"If it's not one thing, it's another",Said after more than one thing goes wrong.
In cahoots with,"To be in a partnership with, often for unscrupulous purposes."
In a nutshell,In a few words. Concisely stated.
In like Flynn,"To be easily successful, especially concerning sex or romance."
In limbo,"In an uncertain situation, over which you have no control (a reference to the state of being outside both heaven and hell)."
In the bag,Something that is secured.
In the buff,Naked.
In the heat of the moment,"In an overwhelming situation, causing you to act rashly."
In the same boat,Jointly facing the same predicament.
In your face,Aggressive confrontation.
Inside job,A crime committed by or with the help of someone living or working in the place that it took place.
It never rains but it pours,When troubles come they often come together.
It takes two to tango,It takes two people to cause a problem between them.
It's a small world,"Said when people meet unexpectedly, away from their usual haunts."
It's all gone Pete Tong,Cockney rhyming slang for gone wrong.
It's not rocket science,Said of something that isn't complex or difficult to understand.
Ivy league,"The joint name given to Columbia, Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth, Yale, Pennsylvania, Princeton, and Harvard universities."
Jack Palancing,Cockney rhyming slang for dancing.
Jam jar,Cockney rhyming slang for car.
Jelly belly,An overweight person.
Jimmy Riddle,Cockney rhyming slang for piddle.
Joshing me,Tricking me.
Jump on the bandwagon,Join a popular trend.
Jump the shark,Introduce a ridiculous or unbelievable plot device into a TV series in order to boost flagging ratings.
Just deserts,The result which is deserved. A reward for what has been done - good or bad.
Keep an eye on,Observe carefully to make sure something bad isn't done.
Keep at bay,Keep something away.
Keep body and soul together,Earn sufficient money in order to keep yourself alive.
Keep your chin up,Remain positive in a tough situation.
Khyber pass,Cockney rhyming slang for arse.
Kick the bucket,Die.
Kill two birds with one stone,Accomplish two things with a single action.
Knee jerk reaction,A quick and automatic response.
Knee trembler,Sexual intercourse between two people standing up.
Knock on wood,Knuckle tapping on wood in order to avoid bad luck or to continue having good luck.
Know the ropes,To understand how to do something.
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."
Last but not least,"An introduction, intended to let the audience know that the last person mentioned is not the least important."
Last straw,"The last of a series of problems, which pushes one's endurance beyond its limits."
Lend me your ear,Politely ask for someones full attention.
Let bygones be bygones,Allow a disagreement or argument to be put in the past.
Let sleeping dogs lie,Avoid restarting a conflict.
Let the cat out of the bag,Share a secret that wasn't intended to be shared.
Let your hair down,Behave in a free an uninhibited manner. Usually applied to women.
Let's rewind,A suggestion that the thing under consideration has gone along unproductive lines and should be looked at again from the beginning.
Level playing field,Fair competition where no side has an advantage.
Like a chicken with its head cut off,In a frenzied manner.
Link rot,The tendency of WWW addresses to become out of date and point to unavailable pages.
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."
Liquor someone up,To supply or to drink alcoholic drink.
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."
Little fish in a big pond,Someone considered unimportant compared to their more significant peers.
Loaf of bread,Cockney rhyming slang for head.
Long in the tooth,Old.
Loose cannon,Someone who is unpredictable and can cause damage by being reckless.
Lord Fred,Cockney rhyming slang for bed.
Lose your head,Overcome by emotion and out of control.
Lose your touch,Lose an ability that you used to possess.
Magic mushroom,A type of mushroom with hallucinogenic properties - sometimes known as 'shrooms'.
Make a scene,Cause a disturbance.
Make no bones about,To state a fact so there are no doubts about it.
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.
Many happy returns,A toast given to someone on their birthday.
Mate's rates,A discount price offered to friends.
Mea culpa,I'm to blame.
Mellow yellow,"Dried banana peel, used as an intoxicant."
Men in suits,Conventionally minded and dressed men who hold positions of authority. Also called just 'suits'.
Method to my madness,Odd actions that appear meaningless but are done for a good reason.
Mince pies,Cockney rhyming slang for eyes.
Mind your language,An admonition not to swear.
Miss the boat,Missed the chance to take an opportunity.
Mrs. Mop,traditional English name for a cleaning woman.
Mumbo jumbo,Nonsense or meaningless speech.
Mum's the word,Keep quiet. Say nothing.
Mutt and Jeff,Cockney rhyming slang for deaf.
My old china,Cockney rhyming slang for mate.
My old Dutch,Cockney rhyming slang for duchess.
Nail it,To perform something particularly well.
Nest egg,Savings set aside for future use.
Never-never land,A utopian dreamland.
New arrival,Colloquial term for a new-born baby.
New kid on the block,Someone new to the group or area.
New York minute,A short space of time.
Nine to five,"A standard office day, between 9am and 5pm. Often used to denote the boring nature of the weekly working routine."
Nip slip,The inadvertent exposure of a womans nipple.
Nitty-gritty,The important aspects of a situation; the heart of the matter.
No dice,A refusal to accept a proposition.
No room to swing a cat,An awkward or confined space.
No rush,Said to someone to indicate that you aren't in a hurry for them to complete their task.
No saint,Someone who might claim to be of good behaviour but has in fact a sordid past.
No spring chicken,Said of people who are no longer young but may behave as though they were.
Nose around,Investigate in an off-hand manner.
North and south,Cockney rhyming slang for mouth.
Not all there,Not in possession of one's mental faculties.
Not playing with a full deck,Someone who lacks intelligence.
Off one's rocker,Crazy; out of one's mind.
Off the hook,No longer having to deal with something.
Off the record,Something said in confidence that the one speaking doesn't want repeated.
Old chestnut,A story that has been told repeatedly and which has lost any originality.
On a hiding to nothing,"Faced with a hopeless situation, even after making one's best efforts."
On a wing and a prayer,In a difficult situation and reliant on luck to get out of it.
On cloud nine,Blissfully happy.
On the ball,With a good understanding of a situation and a readiness to act.
On the fence,Unwilling to give one's view about which side you support.
On the record,Something said in confidence that the one speaking is happy to have repeated.
On the same page,Several people agreeing.
On your Tod,Cockney rhyming slang for alone.
Once in a blue moon,A rare occurrence.
Open warfare,Engaged in active fighting or dispute.
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'.
Out of the blue,Suddenly and unexpectedly.
Out on the town,Out enjoying oneself.
Over my dead body,Said when you absolutely refuse to allow something to happen.
Over the top,Excessive.
Paint the town red,Go on a boisterous or exuberant spree
Partner up,Find a companion.
Pass the buck,Avoid responsibility by giving it to someone else.
Pedal to the metal,"To go at full speed, when driving a vehicle."
Peachy keen,Excellent; wonderful.
Peeping Tom,Someone who covertly observes sexually active or naked people.
Peg out,"1. To die, especially to die of old age. 2. To complete a circuit of the board in the card game cribbage."
Pen and ink,Cockney rhyming slang for stink.
Perfect pitch,The ability to determine a musical note by ear.
Phone it in,Perform an act in an uncommitted disinterested manner.
Photo bomb,Spoil a photograph by unexpectedly appearing in the picture and taking the attention away from the intended subject - usually as a prank.
Pig out,To overeat in a slovenly manner.
Pig's ear,Cockney rhyming slang for beer.
Pigs might fly,Said when referring to something that is highly unlikely.
Pipe down,An instruction to shut-up or be quiet.
Plates of meat,Cockney rhyming slang for feet.
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."
Play the field,Indulge in a series of sexual relationships.
Play safe,Avoid risk.
Pommy bashing,Australian slang term for physical or verbal attacks on the English.
Porky pies,Cockney rhyming slang for lies.
Potatoes (or taters) in the mould,Cockney rhyming slang for cold.
Potty mouth,A foul mouthed person.
Practice makes perfect,Diligent practice leads to expertise.
Prick up your ears,Listen very carefully - like a dog or horse with erect ears.
Pull the plug,Bring something to an end.
Pull the wool over someone's eyes,Deceive someone.
Pull your horns in,Become less ambitious; curb your enthusiasm.
Pulling your leg,Tricking someone as a joke.
Put a sock in it,An instruction to a noisy person or a group to be quiet.
Quality time,"Time spent with a child, spouse or friend in an uninterrupted and attentive way."
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)"
Queer the pitch,Ruin a plan or undertaking.
Rabbit and pork,Cockney rhyming slang for talk.
Rags to riches,From poverty to wealth.
Raining cats and dogs,Raining very heavily.
Red letter day,"A significant, important or happy day."
Red tape,"Bureaucracy, especially in public business."
Rest up,Take a break from one's efforts.
Revenge porn,The malicious posting of sexual images online to harm the reputation of an ex partner.
Riding shotgun,Riding in the front passenger seat of a car.
Ring fencing,Earmarking funds to guarantee a specific project can go ahead.
Rise and shine,Instruction to get out of bed and get ready for work.
Rome was not built in one day,Major and important projects take time.
Rosie Lea,Cockney rhyming slang for tea.
Ruby Murray,Cockney rhyming slang for curry.
Rule of thumb,A rough estimate.
Run out of steam,Completely out of energy.
Sad-ass,A reference to an inept or undesirable person or thing.
Salad days,The days of one's youthful inexperience and enthusiasm.
Saved by the bell,Saved by a last minute intervention.
Scarper Flow,Cockney rhyming slang for go.
Scot-free,Without payment.
Scrape together,"To manage, with difficulty, enough of what is needed - especially money."
Scrub up,Make an effort to present oneself well dressed and smartly turned out.
See eye to eye,When two or more people agree.
Sexton Blake,Cockney rhyming slang for fake.
Shoot down in flames,Destroy an argument or theory.
Shoot straight,To talk or deal honestly.
Shoot through,To leave or abscond.
Shovel ready,A building project in which all the preliminaries have been arranged.
Side boob,The side of a female breast revealed by skimpy clothing.
Silver bullet,A simple and seeming effortless solution to a difficult problem.
Silver fox,A handsome grey-haired man.
Silver surfer,An older person who uses the World Wide Web.
Silver threads amongst the gold,Blonde hair that is turning grey.
Silver tongued,Eloquent or persuasive manner of speech.
Sit tight,Wait and take do nothing until the time is right for action.
Sixth sense,An imaginary intuitive facility.
Skid row,The rundown area of a city inhabited by the destitute.
Smell a rat,To begin to suspect that things aren't as they should be.
Smell something fishy,Detect that something isn't as it should be.
Sniff test,Sniff an item of clothing (or food) to check if it might be suitable to wear (or eat).
Son of a gun,A rogue.
Sparrow fart,Jokey term for the early morning.
Spitting image,The exact likeness.
Spoiler alert,"Said, or printed, as a warning that the following will give away the ending or important plot development of a drama."
Steal someone's thunder,Hurt someone who was close to us by betraying them secretly and breaking their trust.
Steal someone's thunder,Take the credit for something someone else did.
Step up to the mark,Mark yourself ready to take responsibility.
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."
Straight from the horse's mouth,Heard from the authoritative source.
Stranger things have happened,Said when the feasibility of some unlikely event is questioned.
Suck it up,Accept a bad situation.
Swing by,Drop in for a visit.
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."
Syrup of figs,Cockney rhyming slang for wig.
Take a butchers,Cockney rhyming slang for look.
Take a raincheck,An offer that is declined now but may be reconsidered later.
Take with a grain of salt,Don't take what someone says too seriously - the the implication that it isn't true.
Talk of the devil!,Said when someone that you have just been talking about arrives.
Tea leaf,Cockney rhyming slang for thief.
That Friday feeling,Anticipation of the weekend after a hard working week.
That sucks,1. An expression of sympathy. 2. Said of something that the speaker rates very lowly.
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.
The apple of my eye,Someone who is cherished above all others.
The author of your own misfortune,Be to blame for one's own problems.
The ball is in your court,It is your turn to make a decision.
The best of both worlds,The benefits available from two apparently conflicting options.
The best thing since sliced bread,An outstandingly good idea or plan.
The Big Pond,Nickname of the Atlantic Ocean between the UK and the USA.
The bull in the bowler hat,Jokey term for artificial insemination.
The empty chair,The perceived absense of someone who is recently deceased.
The fog of war,Confusion caused by the chaos of battle.
The glorious twelfth,The 12th of August - the start of the British grouse shooting season.
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."
Heebie-jeebies,A state of nervous anxiety or fear.
The God Squad,enthusiastic Christian believers.
The icing on the cake,Something that makes a good situation even better.
The last straw,"The last of a series of problems, which pushes one's endurance beyond its limits."
Nitty-gritty,The important aspects of a situation; the heart of the matter.
The sound of leather on willow,The sound of the ball on the bat in cricket.
The tail is wagging the dog,A small and usually insignificant factor (or person) dominates over one that is normally more powerful and influential.
The town bike,Promiscuous woman.
The whole nine yards,The full entirety of something.
The wheels have come off,Said when a previously promising enterprise goes irretrievably wrong.
Third time lucky,Said when trying something for the third time.
Third time's a charm,The third try is often successful.
Throw the towel in,"Give up, especially to avoid further punishment when facing certain defeat."
Tie the knot,Get married.
Til the cows come home,A long time to wait.
Titfer tat,Cockney rhyming slang for hat.
To cut a long story short,Said when a storyteller doesn't want to bore his audience with a long involved account.
Tongue in cheek,"Humorously, not to be taken seriously."
Top banana,"The leading, most important, person in a group or organisation."
Tour de force,A feat of strength power or skill.
Toy-boy,A woman's much younger male lover.
Trouble and strife,Cockney rhyming slang for wife.
Turn a blind eye,Refuse to acknowledge something that you know is genuine.
Twist someone's arm,Persuade someone to do something they don't really want to do.
Twenty three skidoo,Invitation to go away.
Two and eight,Cockney rhyming slang for state.
Uncle Dick,Cockney rhyming slang for sick.
Uncle Tom,A derogatory term for a black man who is servile towards white men.
Under the weather,Feeling ill.
Unlucky in love,Having been unable to find a long-term romantic partner.
Up a blind alley,On a fruitless course of action.
Up shit creek without a paddle,"In serious difficulty, with no hope of respite."
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)."
Us versus them,Denoting the enmity between two opposing groups.
Use your loaf,Think smart.
Van Gogh's ear for music,Tone deaf.
Variety is the spice of life,Increased experience makes for a more exciting life.
Vatican roulette,The rhythm method of birth control.
Wardrobe malfunction,Referring to an item of clothing slipping out of place to expose part of the body.
Washed up,"1. Deposited on a beach by the tide. 2. Finished and failed, with no further chance of success."
Water under the bridge,A past experience that you prefer not to affect your current life.
Wear your heart on your sleeve,Openly express your emotions.
Well hung,Said of a man with large genitals.
Wet behind the ears,"Young and naive, like a new-born baby."
Where there's muck there's brass,Dirt and muddle are evidence of products being manufactured and money (brass) being made.
Whipper snapper,A child or impertinent youth.
Whistle and flute,Cockney rhyming slang for suit.
White elephant,An object that appears magnificent but which is a burdensome financial liability.
Wild and woolly,Uncultured and lawless.
Wind someone up,Deliberately draw attention to something with the intention of causing trouble.
Wine and dine,Entertain in a high class restaurant.
Winter drawers on,British euphemistic joke.
Work out,1. Calculate using arithmetic. 2. Take exercise (also spelled 'workout').
Word for word,"An exact, precisely corresponding to, copy of another's words."
Worse for wear,"Either 1. Shabby and worn out, or 2. Drunk."
Would you Adam and Eve it?,Cockney rhyming slang for would you believe it?
Wouldn't be caught dead,Referring to something you absolutely refuse to do.
X marks the spot,Said of a location that indicates something significant - like a pirate's mark on a treasure map.
Yarn bombing,The adorning of public buildings with knitted or crocheted material - either for fun or to make a political point.
Yellow belly,A coward.
You are what you eat,What you eat affects you health.
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."
You can't judge a book by its cover,Decisions can't be made solely on appearance.
You can't teach and old dog new tricks,Once animals (and people) are set in their ways they struggle to assimilate new ideas.
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.
Your guess is as good as mine,I have no idea.
Your name is mud,You are discredited or in disgrace. The very mention of your name produces scorn.
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."
Zip your lip,Say nothing; keep your mouth shut. Often shortened to 'zip it'.