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.
straight away
right away; immediately, without thinking or considering.
We’ll have to go straight away.
straight from the shoulder
sincerely; frankly; holding nothing back.
Sally always speaks straight from the shoulder. You never have to guess what she really means.
straw in the wind
an indication or sign of what might happen in the future.
The student’s argument with the lecturer was a straw in the wind in terms of student-teacher relations. The students are planning a strike.
stretch one’s legs
to walk around after sitting down or lying down for a time. (Informal.)
We wanted to stretch our legs during the theatre interval.
strike a bargain
to reach an agreement on a price (for something).
They argued for a while and finally struck a bargain.
strike a chord
to cause someone to remember [someone or something]; to remind someone of [someone or something]; to be familiar.
The woman in the portrait struck a chord, and I realized that she was my grandmother.
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.
strike the right note
to achieve the desired effect; to do something suitable or pleasing. (A musical reference.)
Meg struck the right note when she wore a dark suit to the interview.
strike while the iron is hot
to do something at the best possible time; to do something when the time is ripe.
He was in a good mood, so I asked for a loan of £200. I thought I’d better strike while the iron was hot.
stuff and nonsense
nonsense. (Informal.)
Come on! Don’t give me all that stuff and nonsense!
stumbling-block
something that prevents or obstructs progress.
We’d like to buy that house, but the high price is the stumbling-block.
sugar the pill and sweeten the pill
to make something unpleasant more pleasant. (From the sugar coating on some pills to disguise the bitter taste of the medicine.)
Mary’s parents wouldn’t let her go out and tried to sugar the pill by inviting some of her friends around.
suit someone to a T and suit someone down to the ground
to be very appropriate for someone.
This kind of employment suits me to a T.
survival of the fittest
the idea that the most able or fit will survive (while the less able and less fit will perish). (This is used literally as a part of the theory of evolution.)
In college, it’s the survival of the fittest. You have to keep working in order to survive and graduate.
swallow one’s pride
to forget one’s pride and accept something humiliating.
I had to swallow my pride and admit that I was wrong.
swallow something hook, line, and sinker
to believe something completely. (Informal. These terms refer to fishing and fooling a fish into being caught.)
I made up a story about why I was so late. They all swallowed it hook, line, and sinker.
swan around
to go around in an idle and irresponsible way. (Informal.)
Mrs. Smith’s swanning around abroad while her husband’s in hospital here.
swan-song
the last work or performance of a playwright, musician, actor, etc., before death or retirement.
His portrayal of Lear was the actor’s swan-song.
sweep something under the carpet and brush something under the carpet
to try to hide something unpleasant, shameful, etc., from the attention of others.
The boss said he couldn’t sweep the theft under the carpet, that he’d have to call in the police.
swim against the tide
to do the opposite of what everyone else does; to go against the trend.
Bob tends to do what everybody else does. He isn’t likely to swim against the tide.
tail wagging the dog
a situation where a small or minor part is controlling the whole thing.
John was just employed yesterday, and today he’s bossing everyone around. It’s a case of the tail wagging the dog.
take a leaf out of someone’s book
to behave or to do something in the way that someone else would; to use someone as an example.
Take a leaf out of your brother’s book and work hard.
take a stab at something
to make a try at something, sometimes without much hope of success. (Informal. Also with have. )
I don’t know if I can do it, but I’ll take a stab at it.
take leave of one’s senses
to become irrational.
What are you doing? Have you taken leave of your senses?
take one’s medicine
to accept the punishment or the bad fortune which one deserves.
I know I did wrong, and I know I have to take my medicine.
take someone down a peg (or two)
to reprimand someone who is acting in too arrogant a way. (Informal.)
The teacher’s scolding took Bob down a peg or two.
take someone to task
to scold or reprimand someone.
The teacher took John to task for his bad behaviour.
take someone under one’s wing
to take over and care for a person.
John wasn’t doing well at school until an older pupil took him under her wing.
take something as read
to assume something or regard something as being understood and accepted without reading it out, stating it, or checking it.
Can we take the minutes of the meeting as read, or should I read them?
take something in one’s stride
to accept something as natural or expected.
The argument surprised him, but he took it in his stride.
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.
