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.
keep a civil tongue (in one’s head)
to speak decently and politely.
Please, John. Don’t talk like that. Keep a civil tongue in your head.
keep a straight face
to make one’s face stay free from laughter or smiling.
It’s hard to keep a straight face when someone tells a funny joke.
keep a weather eye open
to watch for something (to happen); to be on the alert (for something); to be on guard.
Some trouble is brewing. Keep a weather eye open.
keep an eye out (for someone or something)
to watch for the arrival or appearance of someone or something. (The an can be replaced by one’s. )
Please keep an eye out for the bus.
keep body and soul together
to feed, clothe, and house oneself.
I hardly have enough money to keep body and soul together.
keep one’s eye on the ball
to remain alert to the events occurring around one. (Informal.)
If you want to get along in this office, you’re going to have to keep your eye on the ball.
keep one’s hand in (something)
to retain one’s control of something.
I want to keep my hand in the business.
keep one’s head above water
to stay ahead of one’s problems; to keep up with one’s work or responsibilities. (Also used literally. Also with have.)
I can’t seem to keep my head above water. Work just keeps piling up.
keep one’s mouth shut (about someone or something)
to keep quiet about someone or something; to keep a secret about someone or something. (Informal.)
They told me to keep my mouth shut about the problem or I’d be in big trouble.
keep one’s nose out of someone’s business
to refrain from interfering in someone else’s business.
Let John have his privacy, and keep your nose out of my business, too!
keep one’s nose to the grindstone
to keep busy doing one’s work. (Also with have and get, as in the examples.)
The manager told me to keep my nose to the grindstone or be sacked.
kiss of death
an act that puts an end to someone or something. (Informal.)
The mayor’s veto was the kiss of death for the new law.
knock someone dead
to put on a stunning performance or display for someone. (Informal. Someone is often replaced by ’em from them. )
This band is going to do great tonight. We’re going to knock them dead.
know something by heart
to know something perfectly; to have memorized something perfectly.
I know my speech by heart.
land a blow (somewhere)
to strike someone or something with the hand or fist.
Bill landed a blow on Tom’s chin.
land on one’s feet and land on both feet
to recover satisfactorily from a trying situation or a setback. (Informal.)
Her first year was terrible, but she landed on both feet.
lead someone by the nose
to force someone to go somewhere (with you); to lead someone by coercion. (Informal.)
John had to lead Tom by the nose to get him to the opera.
learn something by heart
to learn something so well that it can be written or recited without thinking; to memorize something.
The director told me to learn my speech by heart.
leave a bad taste in someone’s mouth
[for something] to leave a bad feeling or memory with someone. (Informal.)
The whole business about the missing money left a bad taste in his mouth.
lend (someone) a hand
to give someone some help, not necessarily with the hands.
Could you lend me a hand with this piano? I need to move it across the room.
let the grass grow under one’s feet
to do nothing; to stand still.
Mary doesn’t let the grass grow under her feet. She’s always busy.
lie through one’s teeth
to lie boldly. (Informal.)
I knew she was lying through her teeth, but I didn’t want to say so just then.
live from hand to mouth
to live in poor circumstances; to be able to get only what one needs for the present and not save for the future. (Informal.)
When both my parents were out of work, we lived from hand to mouth.
look as if butter wouldn’t melt in one’s mouth
to appear to be very innocent, respectable, honest, etc.
Sally looks as if butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth, but she is going out with a married man.
lose face
to lose status; to become less respectable.
John is more afraid of losing face than losing money.
lose heart
to lose one’s courage or confidence.
Now, don’t lose heart. Keep trying.
make a beeline for someone or something
to head straight towards someone or something. (Informal.)
Billy came into the kitchen and made a beeline for the biscuits.
make eyes at someone
to flirt with someone.
Tom spent all afternoon making eyes at Ann.
make someone’s blood boil
to make someone very angry. (Informal.)
It just makes my blood boil to think of the amount of food that gets wasted in this house.
make someone’s blood run cold
to shock or horrify someone.
The terrible story in the newspaper made my blood run cold.
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.
