English Idioms

Alphabetical Index of Idioms

Browse our complete collection of 1500+ English idioms from A to Z

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

B (101)

Butter someone up Bring someone around Between you and me / Between you, me, and the lamppost Brainstorm Bad egg Big cheese Bread and butter Bring home the bacon Backseat driver Bend the rules Between the devil and the deep blue sea Blow your own trumpet / Toot your own horn Bolt from the blue Burn your bridges Bury your head in the sand Basically.. Blimey! Bingo! Bite me Big deal Been there, done that Barefaced lie Back to the drawing board Baptism by fire Bring up (a topic/child) Believe it or not.. Bread and circuses Bet your bottom dollar Beyond a shadow of a doubt Bona fide Bye Be good Blow a gasket Bummer Butterflies in your stomach Boom Bam Bored to tears Boss move Blessing in disguise Barking up the wrong tree Beat a dead horse Black sheep (of the family) Bite your tongue Bend someone’s ear Break a leg By the skin of your teeth Before you know it Beat the clock Better late than never Bandwidth Ballpark figure Back to the drawing board Bring to the table Bottom line Behind the scenes Break the back of something Break the bank Burn a hole in your pocket Bring home the bacon Busted Bury the hatchet Bite someone's head off Butt heads Burn bridges Butterflies in your stomach Between a rock and a hard place Bite off more than you can chew Bit of a situation Bite the bullet Bail Bullshit / BS Bite the dust Buy the farm Between jobs Burn out Black out Beta test Bite the bullet Back and forth By the way (BTW) Basically.. Be careful Better safe than sorry Bloody hell Bob's your uncle Bloke Ballpark figure Bail Barbie Bogan Boss move Blessing in disguise Burn the candle at both ends Behind closed doors Bend over backwards Blow off steam Be on the ball Break the ice Butter someone up Between you and me

C (102)

Connect the dots Can't make heads or tails of it Cry wolf Chew the fat Cool as a cucumber Cream of the crop Cry over spilt milk Cup of tea Call it a day Can't judge a book by its cover Chase rainbows Chip off the old block Come hell or high water Cross that bridge when you come to it Cut corners Crikey! Catch-22 Call someone's bluff Come clean Come up roses Cut your losses Call it quits Carry out (a task/plan) Check out (something/someone) Come across (as...) Call off (an event) Cut back on (spending/sugar) Crossing the Rubicon Catch-22 Common knowledge carte blanche Can't complain Cool Cool beans Couldn't agree more Catch you later Cut the crap Crap Cold feet Can you...? / Could you...? Could you do me a favor? Come clean Can I jump in here? Could you repeat that? Come again? (Informal) Could you explain that further? Call someone out Chew someone out Cost an arm and a leg Control freak Cold fish Clock-watcher Chip on shoulder Clusterfuck Caught red-handed Cost an arm and a leg Cold feet Crunch time Circle back Cut corners Climb the ladder Cover your ass (CYA) Cost an arm and a leg Cost a bomb Cash cow Catch feelings Clingy Cool Chill Crash Chillax Cut it out Cap / No cap Cancel culture Clusterfuck Cash in your chips Collateral damage Come down with something Clickbait Call bullshit Carpe diem Cold feet Cut to the chase Chuffed Cheers Chuck a sickie Crack the shits Crush it Call the shots Cross the line C'est la vie Carpe diem Can't see the forest for the trees Cut the crap Come again? Chickens come home to roost Connect the dots Cut through the red tape Cut the mustard Crank up Carry on Cut someone some slack

G (106)

Guilt trip Get the message Get your head around it Get the gist Get to the bottom of something Go back to square one Get cold feet Guinea pig Gravy train Get something off your chest Go against the grain Go down in flames Go the extra mile Graveyard shift Gesundheit! Get real Give me a shout / Give me a buzz / Hit me up Give it a rest Get off my case Go belly up Get something off the ground Go the distance Give it the old college try Get along (with someone) Give up (doing something/hope) Go over (details/plans) Get away with (something) Give in Granted.. Goodness gracious! / Good heavens! Gordian Knot Get your foot in the door Good morning Good afternoon Good evening G'day Gotcha Great Give me a break Get on my nerves Give me a break Good grief Get out of here! (Expressing disbelief) Get out of town Gutted Give a holler Go on Good job Groovy Give someone a piece of your mind Game changer Green with envy Golden opportunity Get something off your chest Gut feeling Get your head around it Get off my back Give someone the cold shoulder Golden hour Get the ball rolling Game changer Go Dutch Go way back Give someone the cold shoulder Get under someone's skin Get on someone's nerves Go ballistic Get lucky Go all the way Get back on your feet Get through it Get your act together Go the extra mile Get a grip Get a move on Go bananas Ghosting Go viral Go to hell Get lucky Go all the way Get your shit together Get in a tizzy Grin and bear it Go viral Glitch Gig economy Get lost Go for it Go for broke Gobsmacked Gutted G'day Good on ya Glass half full Glass half empty Give someone the benefit of the doubt Get the picture Go down a rabbit hole Go out on a limb Get wind of Get around something Give it your all Give a hoot Get off the line Give someone the lowdown

I (91)

It dawned on me Iron out (the kinks/wrinkles) In a pickle In the heat of the moment In the same boat It takes two to tango I mean.. I second that In your dreams I take your point, but.. I see where you're coming from, but.. I'm not so sure about that It depends I'll keep that in mind I can imagine I know what you mean If there's anything I can do.. I have mixed feelings about.. I'm torn It's a double-edged sword It figures If anything.. In any case. It's anyone's guess In limbo I'm good, thanks I'm fine It's all good I see I agree I'm all for it I feel you I'm with you I get it I hear you I got you I disagree I don't think so I'm not sure about that I'm not buying it I beg to differ I've had it up to here I'm shocked, shocked! (Often quoting Casablanca, can be ironic) It is what it is I couldn't care less In seventh heaven I was wondering if.. I'd appreciate it if.. I'm all ears I'm listening I'm afraid I can't I'll pass I apologize I owe you one It's not you, it's me If I could just say something.. I'm sorry, I didn't catch that I can't make heads or tails of it I think.. In my opinion.. If you ask me.. I don't like it It's not my cup of tea In the blink of an eye It's a breeze In a nutshell In a pickle Itchy feet In the nick of time In no time In the twinkling of an eye In a nutshell In the red In the black It's complicated In hot water It's giving. I feel seen In the family way Influencer I mean.. I should get going I'll let you go If I were you.. I'll be back It's my way or the highway I got this It is what it is Ivory tower In the cards In broad daylight

P (90)

Plant a seed Play devil's advocate Play the [something] card Pick up on something Pick up what someone is putting down Play your cards right Put our heads together Pay an arm and a leg Point the finger Put your foot down Puppy love Piece of cake Pass the buck Picture is worth a thousand words Play hardball Pull yourself together Put all your eggs in one basket Put your foot in your mouth PDA (Public Display of Affection) Point taken Pull the wool over someone's eyes Pass with flying colors Put the kibosh on something Pull out all the stops Put off (a task/meeting) Pass out Put up with (someone/something) Pshaw! Pandora's Box Pyrrhic victory Par for the course Pressing issue Pleasure to meet you Peace out Please Pardon me Pissed off Phew Pumped Pick up what someone is putting down Personally, I feel.. Pain in the ass/neck Penny-pincher Piece of cake Play it by ear Pull someone's leg Pain in the neck/ass Put your foot in your mouth Put on the back burner Procrastinate Put a pin in it Put all your eggs in one basket Pull the plug Put your nose to the grindstone Pull your weight Penny-pincher Pay through the nose Partners in crime Play hard to get Put someone on a pedestal People person Pull yourself together Power through Piece of cake Pipe down Pissed off Powder one's nose Pass gas Pass away Push up daisies Put to sleep Pre-owned Phishing Preach Pull the trigger Put your money where your mouth is Proceed with caution Plead the Fifth Piece of cake Put your foot down Pull no punches Payback's a bitch Push the envelope Pull strings Play the hand you're dealt Pull out all the stops Pull a fast one Put your best foot forward Plant a seed Play the [something] card

S (127)

Sweet talk Size someone up Schmooze Save face See the light Sleep on it Second guess yourself See eye to eye Skin in the game Sweet tooth Straight from the horse's mouth Salt of the earth Sell like hotcakes Sour grapes Spill the beans Save for a rainy day Scratch someone's back See red Sit on the fence Skate on thin ice Smell something fishy Steal someone's thunder Stick to your guns Sort of / Kinda Sounds like a plan Sort of / Kinda Six of one, half a dozen of the other Spare me the details Stretch the truth Smoke and mirrors See through someone/something Sink or swim Show up / Turn up Stand out Sword of Damocles Safe bet Second wind Short end of the stick Sign of the times Small talk State of the art Status quo Sup Sure thing Sweet Sounds good Spot on See ya So long See you around Sorry Shoot Son of a bitch Screw that Shit happens Seriously? So what? Scared to death Sweet! Slip my mind Sorry to interrupt, but.. Speak your mind Straight up Solid gold Sick Scared to death Starving Smart cookie Stand-up guy/gal Shit hit the fan Slippery slope Smell a rat Straight from the horse's mouth See red Stick your neck out See eye to eye Saved by the bell Sleep on it Shoot the shit Splash out Skint See eye to eye Spit venom Shoot your shot Spark Sleep together Sink or swim Stick it out Suck it up Screw up Salty Spill the tea Send it Sliding into DMs Shit-faced / Hammered / Wasted / Blotto / Soused / Tight Shit happens Spend a penny Sleep together Swallow your pride Sick as a dog Sliding into DMs Side hustle Seal the deal Sleep on it Second thoughts Speaking of which.. So.. Show me the money! Shake it off Skint Shoot the breeze Spill the beans She'll be right Servo Stand your ground Speak your mind Silver lining Step back and see the big picture School of thought Step up to the plate Stroke of luck Steal the show Sit tight Skate by Shoot from the hip Shape up Smooth sailing

T (134)

Twist someone's arm Talk someone into/out of something Take a hint Test the waters The penny dropped Think outside the box Troubleshoot Take stock Thin-skinned Tongue-in-cheek Turn a blind eye Take the bull by the horns The world is your oyster Take it with a grain of salt Take a rain check Take with a grain of salt The ball is in your court Throw in the towel Tie the knot Turn over a new leaf Twist someone's arm True dat Touch base Take five / Take ten The usual TMI (Too Much Information) To some extent Tentatively That must be tough/difficult/hard Tell me about it Take something at face value The whole truth and nothing but the truth The beginning of the end That's all folks! Trial and error Throw money at the problem Take after (a parent) Take up (a hobby/space) Turn down (an offer/volume) Take off (clothes/airplane/career) That being said.. To make a long story short.. Tut-tut / Tsk-tsk Toss-up Tempest in a teapot / Storm in a teacup Take it or leave it Think tank Throw someone for a loop Totally That's true That's a stretch Tell me about it Take care Talk to you later Take it easy Thank you Thanks Thanks a lot That's annoying That's the last straw That's bullshit Thank God That's a relief That's too bad That sucks Thrilled to bits Thanks, but no thanks The way I see it.. To be honest. To put it bluntly.. To be fair.. That's great/awesome/cool/sweet That's not right Take someone to task Through the roof To death Tons of.. Thick-skinned The icing on the cake That ship has sailed The elephant in the room Take the bull by the horns Tickled pink True colors Turn a blind eye Time flies The moment of truth Take a rain check Touch base Think outside the box Throw under the bus Talk shop Tighten your belt Thick as thieves Third wheel Take the bull by the horns Throwing shade This is my villain origin story Trolling To stan Take it on the chin Trolling Tell me about it That's bullshit Talk to the hand Take the plunge Torn Test the waters To be honest. The point is. Touch base later That's all she wrote That's a wrap Take it from me.. Tread carefully To infinity and beyond! Taking the piss Take a hike Thongs Take no prisoners Take it with a grain of salt Them's fighting words There's more to it than meets the eye The writing's on the wall Throw in the towel Take a backseat Touch wood Throw your weight around Throw caution to the wind Test the limits The bottom line Twist someone's arm Take a hint Tip of the iceberg

W (81)

Water under the bridge Win someone over Wrap your head around something Wing it Weigh the pros and cons Wash your hands of something Wet behind the ears Wild goose chase Walk on eggshells Water under the bridge Wear your heart on your sleeve When pigs fly Whole nine yards Wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot pole Well.. Whoops / Whoopsie Word up Whatever floats your boat Whatchamacallit / Thingamajig / Doohickey With all due respect.. We'll see Work out (a problem/at the gym) Waterloo Walk a tightrope White elephant Word of mouth Written in stone What's up? What’s new? What’s going on? Word What a pain What the hell? (WTH) What the fuck? (WTF) (Very strong) Wow What on earth? Well, I'll be damned Well, I never Weight off my shoulders What a shame Whatever Would you mind...? Would you like...? When pigs fly What do you mean? What are you talking about? With all due respect. Well done Way to go What were they thinking? Waiting forever World's worst Wet blanket Wears heart on sleeve Wild goose chase Warts and all White lie Wash your hands of something Work your fingers to the bone Water under the bridge Walking on eggshells Wallflower When it rains, it pours Weather the storm What's the catch? What the fuck? (WTF) / What the hell? (WTH) Work-life balance Well.. Wrap this up Word to the wise.. Watch out! / Look out! Watch your back Winter is coming What doesn't kill you makes you stronger Whinge What's the scoop? When one door closes, another opens Who do you think you are? What goes around comes around Wing it With flying colors