Idioms help you sound more natural in English. They make your speaking clear, strong, and confident. This dictionary is made for idioms learners. You can search any idiom easily. You can also learn idioms from A to Z. Topics are simple too, such as daily life, work, money, time, emotions, relationships, health, travel, nature, and weather.
Each idiom has a simple meaning. It also has a clear definition. You will also see an easy sentence for real conversation. The goal is not to memorize everything at once. Learn a few idioms daily. Read the sentence. Understand the meaning. Then try to use the idiom when you speak.
This dictionary helps you build better vocabulary. It also helps you understand English expressions faster. Use it daily and improve your idioms step by step.
fish for compliments
to try to get someone to pay you a compliment. (Informal.)
When she showed me her new dress, I could tell that she was fishing for a compliment.
fish in troubled waters
to involve oneself in a difficult, confused, or dangerous situation, especially with a view to gaining an advantage.
Frank is fishing in troubled waters by buying more shares in that firm. They are supposed to be in financial difficulties.
flog a dead horse
to try to continue discussing or arousing interest in something that already has been fully discussed or that is no longer of interest.
Stop arguing! You have won your point. You are just flogging a dead horse.
foam at the mouth
to be very angry. (Informal. Related to a “mad dog”—a dog with rabies—which foams at the mouth.)
Bob was furious—foaming at the mouth. I’ve never seen anyone so angry.
give someone or something a wide berth
to keep a reasonable distance from someone or something. (Originally referred to sailing ships.)
The dog we are approaching is very bad-tempered. Better give it a wide berth.
give voice to something
to express a feeling or an opinion in words; to speak out about something.
The bird gave voice to its joy in the golden sunshine.
go for someone or something
to attack someone or something; to move or lunge towards someone or something.
The dog went for the visitor and almost bit him.
go off at half cock
to proceed without proper preparation; to speak (about something) without adequate knowledge. (Informal.)
Their plans are always going off at half cock.
go the distance and stay the distance
to do the whole amount; to play the entire game; to run the whole race. (Informal. Originally sports use.)
That horse runs fast. I hope it can go the distance.
grin and bear it
to endure something unpleasant with good humour.
There is nothing you can do but grin and bear it.
hair of the dog (that bit one)
an alcoholic drink taken when one has a hangover. (Informal.)
Oh, I have a terrible hangover. I need a hair of the dog.
hard on someone’s heels
following someone very closely. (Informal.)
I ran as fast as I could, but the dog was still hard on my heels.
have a bee in one’s bonnet
to have an idea or a thought remain in one’s mind; to have an obsession.
She has a bee in her bonnet about table manners.
have a chip on one’s shoulder
to feel resentful; to bear resentment.
What are you angry about? You always seem to have a chip on your shoulder.
have ants in one’s pants
to become restless; to fidget. (Informal.)
Sit still! Have you got ants in your pants?
have other fish to fry
to have other things to do; to have more important things to do. (Informal. Other can be replaced by bigger, better, more important, etc.)
I don’t have time for your problems. I have other fish to fry.
hell for leather
moving or behaving recklessly. (Informal.)
They took off after the horse thief, riding hell for leather.
hit the bull’s-eye
to hit the centre area of a circular target.
The archer hit the bull’s-eye three times in a row.
Hobson’s choice
the choice between taking what is offered and getting nothing at all. (From the name of a stable owner in the seventeenth century who offered customers the hire of the horse nearest the door.)
We didn’t really want that holiday cottage, but it was a case of Hobson’s choice. We booked very late and there was nothing else left.
horse of another colour and horse of a different colour
another matter altogether.
I was talking about trees, not bushes. Bushes are a horse of another colour.
horse sense
common sense; practical thinking.
Jack is no scholar but he has a lot of horse sense.
horse-play
physically active and frivolous play. (Informal.)
Stop that horse-play and get to work.
in a stew (about someone or something)
upset or bothered about someone or something. (Informal. In can be replaced with into. See comment at in a jam and the examples below.)
I’m in such a stew about my dog. She ran away last night.
inch along (something)
to move slowly along something little by little.
The cat inched along the carpet towards the mouse.
keep the wolf from the door
to maintain oneself at a minimal level; to keep from starving, freezing, etc.
I don’t make a lot of money, just enough to keep the wolf from the door.
kick up a fuss and kick up a row
to become a nuisance; to misbehave and disturb (someone). (Informal. Row rhymes with cow. )
The customer kicked up such a fuss about the food that the manager came to apologize.
lame duck
someone or something that is helpless, useless, or inefficient.
Jack is always having to help his brother, who is a lame duck.
lead a dog’s life
to lead a miserable life.
Poor Jane really leads a dog’s life.
let the cat out of the bag and spill the beans
to reveal a secret or a surprise by accident. (Informal.)
When Bill glanced at the door, he let the cat out of the bag. We knew then that he was expecting someone to arrive.
like a fish out of water
awkward; in a foreign or unaccustomed environment.
At a formal dance, John is like a fish out of water.
How To Use Idioms Dictionary
- You can use this dictionary in different ways. Start with the idioms you hear often in movies, conversations, or online posts. Search them here and understand their real meaning. Then read the example sentence and try to speak your own sentence.
- You can also learn idioms by topic. Choose daily life idioms for normal conversation. Choose work and business idioms for office English. Choose money, time, emotion, relationship, health, travel, nature, and weather idioms to improve your topic-based vocabulary.
- A good way to learn is to save your favorite idioms in a notebook. Write the idiom, its meaning, and your own sentence. Review them after a few days. This will help you remember them better.
- Do not use idioms everywhere. Use them only when they fit the situation. The goal is to sound natural, not forced.
- Keep learning slowly. A few useful idioms daily can improve your English speaking a lot.
Here’s a separate section for kids: 100 Common Idioms for Kids
FAQs about Idioms Dictionary
An idiom is a group of words with a special meaning. You cannot always understand it by translating each word.
Type the full idiom or any main word in the search box. The dictionary will show matching idioms with meaning and sentence.
Start with a few idioms daily. Read the meaning, understand the sentence, and try to make your own sentence.
Yes. You can learn idioms by topics like daily life, work, money, time, emotions, relationships, health, travel, nature, and weather.
Yes. The meanings and sentences are written in simple English, so beginners can understand and practice easily.
Idioms help you sound more natural in English. Use them in the right situation to make your speaking more confident.
No. Use idioms only when they fit the situation. The goal is to sound natural, not forced.
