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.
(as) fit as a fiddle
healthy and physically fit. (Informal.)
In spite of her age, Mary is as fit as a fiddle.
(as) sound as a bell
in perfect condition or health; undamaged.
The doctor says the old man’s heart is as sound as a bell.
(as) thin as a rake
very thin; too thin.
Mary’s thin as a rake since she’s been ill.
above someone’s head
too difficult or clever for someone to understand.
The children have no idea what the new teacher is talking about. Her ideas are way above their heads.
all ears (and eyes)
listening eagerly and carefully. (Informal.)
Well, hurry up and tell me! I’m all ears.
all thumbs
very awkward and clumsy, especially with one’s hands. (Informal.)
Poor Bob can’t play the piano at all. He’s all thumbs.
apple of someone’s eye
someone’s favourite person or thing.
Tom is the apple of Mary’s eye. She thinks he’s great.
armed to the teeth
heavily armed with weapons.
The bank robber was armed to the teeth when he was caught.
at death’s door
near death. (Euphemistic.)
I was so ill that I was at death’s door.
at sixes and sevens
disorderly; completely disorganized. (Informal.)
Mrs. Smith is at sixes and sevens since the death of her husband.
beard the lion in his den
to face an adversary on the adversary’s home ground.
I went to the solicitor’s office to beard the lion in his den.
bend someone’s ear
to talk to someone at length, perhaps annoyingly. (Informal.)
Tom is over there bending Jane’s ear about something.
bite someone’s head off
to speak sharply and angrily to someone. (Informal.)
There was no need to bite Mary’s head off just because she was five minutes late.
bite the hand that feeds one
to do harm to someone who does good things for you.
I’m your mother! How can you bite the hand that feeds you?
blow up in someone’s face
[for something] suddenly to get ruined or destroyed while seeming to go well.
All my plans blew up in my face when she broke off the engagement.
blue blood
the blood [heredity] of a noble family; aristocratic ancestry.
The earl refuses to allow anyone who is not of blue blood to marry his son.
bone of contention
the subject or point of an argument; an unsettled point of disagreement.
We’ve fought for so long that we’ve forgotten what the bone of contention is.
born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth
born with many advantages; born to a wealthy family; born to have good fortune.
Sally was born with a silver spoon in her mouth.
break someone’s heart
to cause someone emotional pain.
It just broke my heart when Tom ran away from home.
breathe down someone’s neck
to keep close watch on someone, causing worry and irritation; to watch someone’s activities, especially to try to hurry something along. (Informal. Refers to standing very close behind a person.)
I can’t work with you breathing down my neck all the time. Go away.
breathe one’s last
to die; to breathe one’s last breath.
Mrs. Smith breathed her last this morning.
bring something to a head
to cause something to come to the point when a decision has to be made or action taken.
The latest disagreement between management and the union has brought matters to a head. There will be an all-out strike now.
burn the candle at both ends
to exhaust oneself by doing too much, for example by working very hard during the day and also staying up very late at night.
No wonder Mary is ill. She has been burning the candle at both ends for a long time.
bush telegraph
the informal, usually rapid spreading of news or information by word of mouth.
The bush telegraph tells me that the manager is leaving.
by the skin of one’s teeth
just barely; by an amount equal to the thickness of the (imaginary) skin on one’s teeth. (Informal.)
I got through that exam by the skin of my teeth.
by word of mouth
by speaking rather than writing.
I learned about it by word of mouth.
can’t make head nor tail of someone or something
unable to understand someone or something. (Also with cannot. )
John is so strange. I can’t make head nor tail of him.
can’t see beyond the end of one’s nose
unaware of and uncaring for the things which might happen in the future; not far-sighted. (Also with cannot. )
John is a very poor planner. He can’t see beyond the end of his nose.
can’t see one’s hand in front of one’s face
unable to see very far, usually owing to darkness or fog. (Also with cannot. )
It was so dark that I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face.
Cat got your tongue?
Why don’t you speak?; Speak up and answer my question! (Informal.)
Answer me! What’s the matter, cat got your tongue?
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.
