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.
go against the grain
to go against the natural direction or inclination.
You can’t expect me to help you cheat. That goes against the grain.
go back on one’s word
to break a promise which one has made.
I hate to go back on my word, but I won’t pay you £100 after all.
go begging
to be unwanted or unused. (As if a thing were begging for an owner or a user.)
There is still food left. A whole lobster is going begging. Please eat some more.
go broke
to run out of money and other assets.
This company is going to go broke if you don’t stop spending money foolishly.
go by the board
to get ruined or lost. (This is a nautical expression meaning to fall or be washed overboard.)
I hate to see good food go by the board. Please eat up so we won’t have to throw it out.
go down fighting
to continue the struggle until one is completely defeated.
I won’t give up easily. I’ll go down fighting.
go down in history
to be remembered as historically important.
Wellington went down in history as a famous general.
go down like a lead balloon
to fail, especially to fail to be funny.
Your joke went down like a lead balloon.
go downhill
[for something] to decline and grow worse and worse. (Also used literally.)
This industry is going downhill. We lose money every year.
go Dutch
to share the cost of a meal or some other event with someone.
I’ll go out and eat with you if we can go Dutch.
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 from bad to worse
to progress from a bad state to a worse state.
This is a terrible day. Things are going from bad to worse.
go haywire
to go wrong; to malfunction; to break down. (Informal.)
We were all organized, but our plans suddenly went haywire.
go in for something
to take part in something; to enjoy (doing) something.
John doesn’t go in for sports.
go in one ear and out the other
[for something] to be heard and then forgotten. (Informal.)
Everything I say to you seems to go in one ear and out the other. Why don’t you pay attention?
go it alone
to do something by oneself. (Informal.)
Do you need help, or will you go it alone?
go like clockwork
to progress with regularity and dependability.
The building project is progressing nicely. Everything is going like clockwork.
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 off at tangents
.)
Please stick to one subject and don’t go off at a tangent.
go off the deep end
to become angry or hysterical; to lose one’s temper. (Informal. Refers to going into a swimming-pool at the deep end—rather than the shallow end.)
Her father went off the deep end when she came in late.
go over someone’s head
[for the intellectual content of something] to be too difficult for someone to understand.
All that talk about computers went over my head.
go over something with a fine-tooth comb and go through something with a fine-tooth comb; search something with a fine-tooth comb
to search through something very carefully. (As if one were searching for something very tiny which is lost in some kind of fibre.)
I can’t find my calculus book. I went over the whole place with a fine-tooth comb.
go over the top
to do something in an exaggerated or excessive way; to overreact.
Jane really went over the top with the dinner she prepared for us. It took her hours to prepare.
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 sky-high
to go very high. (Informal.)
Prices go sky-high whenever there is inflation.
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 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.
go the whole hog
to do everything possible; to be extravagant. (Informal.)
Let’s go the whole hog. Order steak and lobster.
go through the motions
to make a feeble effort to do something; to pretend to do something.
Jane isn’t doing her best. She’s just going through the motions.
go through the proper channels
to proceed by consulting the proper persons or offices.
If you want an answer to your question, you’ll have to go through the proper channels.
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.
