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.
lead someone up the garden path
to deceive someone.
Now, be honest with me. Don’t lead me up the garden path.
leave someone holding the baby
to leave someone with the responsibility for something, especially something difficult or unpleasant, often when it was originally someone else’s responsibility. (Informal. Note passive use in the examples.)
We all promised to look after the house when the owner was away, but I was left holding the baby on my own.
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 cat out of the bag and spill the beans
to reveal a secret or a surprise by accident. (Informal.)
When Bill glanced at the door, he let the cat out of the bag. We knew then that he was expecting someone to arrive.
lick one’s lips
to show eagerness or pleasure about a future event. (Informal. From the habit of people licking their lips when they are about to enjoy eating something.)
The children licked their lips at the sight of the cake.
like one of the family
as if someone (or a pet) were a member of one’s family. (Informal.)
We treat our dog like one of the family.
load off one’s mind
relief from something which has been worrying one. (Informal.)
It will be a load off Jane’s mind when her mother leaves hospital.
lock, stock, and barrel
everything.
We had to move everything out of the house—lock, stock, and barrel.
look up to someone
to view someone with respect and admiration.
Bill really looks up to his father.
lord it over someone
to dominate someone; to direct and control someone.
Mr. Smith seems to lord it over his wife.
love at first sight
love established when two people first see one another.
Bill was standing at the door when Ann opened it. It was love at first sight.
lucky dip
a situation in which one is given no choice in what one is given, what happens, etc. (From the name of a fairground sideshow in which children choose a parcel at random from a tub of bran.)
The allocation of jobs is a lucky dip. You can’t choose.
maiden speech
a first public speech, especially a British Member of Parliament’s first speech to the House of Commons.
The new MP makes his maiden speech tonight.
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 oneself at home
to make oneself comfortable as if one were in one’s own home.
Please come in and make yourself at home.
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 the fur fly and make the feathers fly
to cause a fight or an argument. (Informal.)
When your mother gets home and sees what you’ve done, she’ll really make the fur fly.
mend (one’s) fences
to restore good relations (with someone). (Also used literally.)
I think I had better get home and mend my fences. I had an argument with my daughter this morning.
middle-of-the-road
half-way between two extremes, especially political extremes.
Jane is very left-wing, but her husband is politically middle-of-the-road.
millstone around one’s neck
a continual burden or handicap.
This huge and expensive house is a millstone around my neck.
mixed bag
a varied collection of people or things. (Refers to a bag of game brought home after a day’s hunting.)
The new pupils are a mixed bag—some bright, some positively stupid.
near the bone and near the knuckle
(Informal.) 1. coming too close to mentioning something which should not be mentioned, for example because it might hurt or offend someone.
Jack’s remark about prisons was a bit near the bone. Jane’s father is on trial just now.
night-owl
someone who usually stays up very late. (Informal.)
Ann’s a real night-owl. She never goes to bed before 2 a.m. and sleeps until midday.
not set foot somewhere
not to go somewhere.
I wouldn’t set foot in John’s room. I’m very angry with him.
not to darken someone’s door and never darken my door again
to go away and not come back.
The heroine of the drama told the villain not to darken her door again.
nothing to write home about
nothing exciting or interesting. (Informal.)
I’ve been busy, but nothing to write home about.
odour of sanctity and air of sanctity
an atmosphere of excessive holiness or piety. (Derogatory.)
I hate their house. There’s such an odour of sanctity, with Bibles and holy pictures everywhere.
off the beaten track
in an unfamiliar place; on a route which is not often travelled.
Their home is in a quiet neighbourhood, off the beaten track.
old enough to be someone’s mother and old enough to be someone’s father
as old as someone’s parents. (Usually a way of saying that one person is much older than the other, especially when the difference in age is considered inappropriate.)
You can’t go out with Bill. He’s old enough to be your father!
on one’s (own) head be it
one must take the responsibility for one’s actions.
On your head be it if you set fire to the house.
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.
