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.
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.
fly in the ointment
a small, unpleasant matter which spoils something; a drawback.
We enjoyed the play, but the fly in the ointment was not being able to find our car afterwards.
follow one’s heart
to act according to one’s feelings; to obey one’s sympathetic or compassionate inclinations.
I couldn’t decide what to do, so I just followed my heart.
from the word go
from the beginning. (Informal.)
I knew about the problem from the word go.
full steam ahead
forward at the greatest speed possible; with as much energy and enthusiasm as possible. (From an instruction given on a steamship.)
It will have to be full steam ahead for everybody if the factory gets this order.
get into the swing of things
to join in the routine or the activities. (Informal.)
Come on, Bill. Try to get into the swing of things.
get nowhere fast
not to make progress; to get nowhere. (Informal.)
I can’t seem to make any progress. No matter what I do, I’m just getting nowhere fast.
get one’s fingers burned
to have a bad experience. (Also used literally.)
I tried that once before and got my fingers burned. I won’t try it again.
get to the bottom of something
to get an understanding of the causes of something.
We must get to the bottom of this problem immediately.
gild the lily
to add ornament or decoration to something which is pleasing in its original state; to attempt to improve something which is already fine the way it is. (Often refers to flattery or exaggeration.)
Your house has lovely brickwork. Don’t paint it. That would be gilding the lily.
give something a lick and a promise
to do something poorly— quickly and carelessly. (Informal.)
John! You didn’t clean your room! You just gave it a lick and a promise.
give the devil his due and give the devil her due
to give your foe proper credit (for something). (This usually refers to a person who has acted in an evil way—like the devil.)
She’s generally impossible, but I have to give the devil her due. She’s always honest.
give the game away
to reveal a plan or strategy. (Informal.)
Now, all of you have to keep quiet. Please don’t give the game away.
go round in circles
to keep going over the same ideas or repeating the same actions, often resulting in confusion, without reaching a satisfactory decision or conclusion.
We’re just going round in circles discussing the problems of the fête. We need to consult someone else to get a new point of view.
go so far as to say something
to put something into words; to risk saying something.
I think that Bob is dishonest, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say he’s a thief.
go the whole hog
to do everything possible; to be extravagant. (Informal.)
Let’s go the whole hog. Order steak and lobster.
go to the limit
to do as much as is possible to do.
Okay, we can’t afford it, but we’ll go to the limit.
have a bone to pick (with someone)
to have a matter to discuss with someone; to have something to argue about with someone.
Look, Bill. I’ve got a bone to pick with you. Where is the money you owe me?
have a go (at something)
to give something a try. (Informal.)
I’ve never fished before, but I’d like to have a go at it.
have a say (in something) and have a voice (in something)
to have a part in making a decision.
I’d like to have a say in choosing the carpet.
have a snowball’s chance in hell
to have no chance at all. (A snowball would melt in hell. Use hell with caution.)
He has a snowball’s chance in hell of passing the test.
have an out
to have an excuse; to have a (literal or figurative) means of escape or avoiding something. (Informal.)
He’s very clever. No matter what happens, he always has an out.
have someone on a string
to have someone waiting for one’s decision or actions. (Informal.)
Sally has John on a string. He has asked her to marry him, but she hasn’t replied yet.
have something in hand
to be prepared to take action on something.
I have the matter in hand.
have something up one’s sleeve
to have a secret or surprise plan or solution (to a problem). (Refers to cheating at cards by having a card hidden up one’s sleeve.)
He hasn’t lost yet. He has something up his sleeve.
hit a snag
to run into a problem. (Informal.)
We’ve hit a snag with the building project.
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.
in a (tight) spot
caught in a problem; in a jam. (Informal. In can be replaced with into. See comment at in a jam and the examples below.)
Look, John, I’m in a tight spot. Can you lend me £20?
in clover
with good fortune; in a very good situation, especially financially. (Informal.)
If I get this contract, I’ll be in clover for the rest of my life.
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.
