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.
right up someone’s street
ideally suited to one’s interests or abilities. (Informal.)
Skiing is right up my street. I love it.
rooted to the spot
unable to move because of fear or surprise.
Joan stood rooted to the spot when she saw the ghostly figure.
rub salt in the wound
deliberately to make someone’s unhappiness, shame, or misfortune worse.
Don’t rub salt in the wound by telling me how enjoyable the party was.
rub someone up the wrong way
to irritate someone. (Informal.)
I’m sorry I rubbed you up the wrong way. I didn’t mean to upset you.
ruffle someone’s feathers
to upset or annoy someone. (A bird’s feathers become ruffled if it is angry or afraid.)
You certainly ruffled Mrs. Smith’s feathers by criticizing her garden.
see red
to be angry. (Informal.)
Whenever I think of the needless destruction of trees, I see red.
shake in one’s shoes and quake in one’s shoes
to be afraid; to shake from fear.
I was shaking in my shoes because I had to go and see the manager.
show one’s teeth
to act in an angry or threatening manner.
We thought Bob was meek and mild, but he really showed his teeth when Jack insulted his girlfriend.
show the white feather
to reveal fear or cowardice. (From the fact that a white tail-feather was a sign of inferior breeding in a fighting cock.)
Jim showed the white feather by refusing to fight with Jack.
stew in one’s own juice
to be left alone to suffer one’s anger or disappointment. (Informal.)
John has such a terrible temper. When he got angry with us, we just let him go away and stew in his own juice.
strike a happy medium
to find a compromise position; to arrive at a position half-way between two unacceptable extremes.
Ann likes very spicy food, but Bob doesn’t care for spicy food at all. We are trying to find a restaurant which strikes a happy medium.
take something to heart
to take something very seriously.
John took the criticism to heart and made an honest effort to improve.
thick-skinned
not easily upset or hurt; insensitive.
Tom won’t worry about your insults. He’s completely thick-skinned.
thin-skinned
easily upset or hurt; sensitive.
You’ll have to handle Mary’s mother carefully. She’s very thin-skinned.
throw a fit
to become very angry; to put on a display of anger.
Sally threw a fit when I showed up without the things she asked me to buy.
throw the book at someone
to charge someone with, or convict someone of, as many crimes as possible; to reprimand or punish someone severely.
I made the police officer angry, so he took me to the station and threw the book at me.
tie someone in knots
to make someone confused or upset. (Informal.)
The speaker tied herself in knots trying to explain her difficult subject in simple language.
toe the line
to do what one is expected or required to do; to follow the rules. (Informal.)
You’ll get ahead, Sally. Don’t worry. Just toe the line, and everything will be okay.
tongue-in-cheek
insincere; joking.
Ann made a tongue-in-cheek remark to John, and he got angry because he thought she was serious.
touch a sore spot and touch a sore point
to refer to a sensitive matter which will upset someone. (Also used literally.)
I seem to have touched a sore spot. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.
try someone’s patience
to do something annoying which may cause someone to lose patience; to cause someone to be annoyed.
Stop whistling. You’re trying my patience. Very soon I’m going to lose my temper.
turn the other cheek
to choose not to respond to abuse or to an insult.
When Bob got angry with Mary and shouted at her, she just turned the other cheek.
upset the applecart
to spoil or ruin something.
Tom really upset the applecart by telling Mary the truth about Jane. Now the two women are no longer friends.
vent one’s spleen
to get rid of one’s feelings of anger caused by someone or something by attacking someone or something else.
Because Jack didn’t get the job, he was angry, and he vented his spleen by shouting at his wife.
walk on air
to be very happy; to be euphoric.
Ann was walking on air when she got the job.
warm the cockles of someone’s heart
to make someone feel pleased and happy.
It warms the cockles of my heart to hear you say that.
water under the bridge
[something] past and forgotten.
Please don’t worry about it any more. It’s all water under the bridge.
weep buckets
to weep a great many tears. (Informal.)
The girls wept buckets at the sad film.
whistle for something
to expect or look for something with no hope of getting it. (Informal.)
I’m afraid you’ll have to whistle for it if you want to borrow money. I don’t have any.
wish someone joy of something
to express the hope that someone will enjoy having or doing something, usually while being glad that one does not have to have it or do it.
I wish you joy of that old car. I had one just like it and spent a fortune on repairs for it.
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.
