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.
get a black eye
to get a bruise near the eye from being struck. (Note: Get can be replaced with have. See the variations in the examples. Get usually means to become, to acquire, or to cause. Have usually means to possess, to be, or to have resulted in.)
I got a black eye from walking into a door.
get a clean bill of health
[for someone] to be pronounced healthy by a doctor. (Also with have. See the note at get a black eye. From the fact that ships were given a clean bill of health before sailing only after the absence of infectious disease was certified.)
Sally got a clean bill of health from the doctor.
get a lucky break
to have good fortune; to receive a bit of luck. (Informal. Also with have. See the note at get a black eye. )
Mary really got a lucky break when she got that job.
get a lump in one’s throat
to have the feeling of something in one’s throat—as if one were going to cry; to become emotional or sentimental. (Also with have. See the note at get a black eye. )
Whenever they play the national anthem, I get a lump in my throat.
get a tongue-lashing
to receive a severe scolding.
I really got a tongue-lashing when I got home.
get back on one’s feet
to become independent again; to become able to move around again. (Note the variations with own and two in the examples.)
He was sick for a while, but now he’s getting back on his feet.
get butterflies in one’s stomach
to get a nervous feeling in one’s stomach. (Informal. Also with have. See the note at get a black eye. )
Whenever I have to go on stage, I get butterflies in my stomach.
get cold feet
to become timid or frightened. (Also with have. See the note at get a black eye. )
I usually get cold feet when I have to speak in public.
get one’s fill of someone or something
to receive enough of someone or something. (Also with have. See the note at get a black eye. )
You’ll soon get your fill of Tom. He can be quite a pest.
get one’s foot in the door
to achieve a favourable position (for further action); to take the first step in a process. (People selling things from door to door used to block the door with a foot, so it could not be closed on them. Also with have. See the note at get a black eye. )
I think I could get the position if I could only get my foot in the door.
get one’s nose out of someone’s business
to stop interfering in someone else’s business; to mind one’s own business. (Informal.)
Go away! Get your nose out of my business!
get one’s second wind
(Also with have. See the note at get a black eye. ) 1. for one’s breathing to become stabilized after exerting oneself for a short time.
John was having a hard time running until he got his second wind.
get one’s teeth into something
to start on something seriously, especially a difficult task. (Informal.)
Come on, Bill. You have to get your teeth into your biology.
get someone’s number
to find out about a person; to learn the key to understanding a person. (Informal. Also with have. See the note at get a black eye. )
I’m going to get your number if I can. You’re a real puzzle.
get something off one’s chest
to tell something that has been bothering you. (Also with have. See the note at get a black eye. )
I have to get this off my chest. I broke your window with a stone.
get something under one’s belt
(Informal. Also with have. See the note at get a black eye. ) 1. to eat or drink something.
I’d feel a lot better if I had a cool drink under my belt.
get the hang of something
to learn how to do something; to learn how something works. (Informal. Also with have. See the note at get a black eye. )
As soon as I get the hang of this computer, I’ll be able to work faster.
get the last laugh
to laugh at or ridicule someone who has laughed at or ridiculed you; to put someone in the same bad position that you were once in. (Also with have. See the note at get a black eye. )
John laughed when I got a D on the final exam. I got the last laugh, though. He failed the course.
get the shock of one’s life
to receive a serious (emotional) shock. (Also with have. See the note at get a black eye. )
I opened the telegram and got the shock of my life.
get to one’s feet
to stand up, sometimes in order to address the audience.
On a signal from the director, the singers got to their feet.
get under someone’s skin
to bother or irritate someone. (Informal.)
John is so annoying. He really gets under my skin.
give one butterflies in one’s stomach
to cause someone to have a nervous stomach.
Exams give me butterflies in my stomach.
give one’s right arm (for someone or something)
to be willing to give something of great value for someone or something.
I’d give my right arm for a nice cool drink.
give oneself airs
to act in a conceited or superior way.
Sally is always giving herself airs. You’d think she had royal blood.
give someone a black eye
to hit someone near the eye so that a dark bruise appears.
John became angry and gave me a black eye.
give someone a clean bill of health
[for a doctor] to pronounce someone well and healthy.
The doctor gave Sally a clean bill of health.
give someone a tongue-lashing
to give someone a severe scolding.
I gave Bill a real tongue-lashing when he got home late.
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 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.
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.
