Upload english_idioms.csv

english_idioms.csv

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+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'.