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.
shades of someone or something
reminders of someone or something; reminiscent of someone or something.
When I met Jim’s mother, I thought “shades of Aunt Mary.”
shipshape (and Bristol fashion)
in good order; neat and tidy. (A nautical term. Bristol was a major British port.)
You had better get this room shipshape before your mother gets home.
shot-gun wedding
a forced wedding. (Informal. From the bride’s father having threatened the bridegroom with a shot-gun to force him to marry.)
Mary was six months pregnant when she married Bill. It was a real shot-gun wedding.
sixth sense
a supposed power to know or feel things that are not perceptible by the five senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch.
My sixth sense told me to avoid going home by my usual route. Later I discovered there had been a fatal accident on it.
spick and span
very clean. (Informal.)
I have to clean up the house and get it spick and span for the party on Friday night.
spoon-feed
to treat someone with too much care or help; to teach someone with methods that are too easy and do not stimulate the learner to independent thinking.
The teacher spoon-feeds the pupils by dictation notes on the novel instead of getting the children to read the books themselves.
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.
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.
thin-skinned
easily upset or hurt; sensitive.
You’ll have to handle Mary’s mother carefully. She’s very thin-skinned.
tied to one’s mother’s apron-strings
dominated by one’s mother; dependent on one’s mother.
Tom is still tied to his mother’s apronstrings.
till the cows come home
for a very long time. (Cows are returned to the barn at the end of the day. Informal.)
We could discuss this until the cows come home and still reach no decisions.
tuck into something
to eat something with hunger and enjoyment. (Informal.)
The children really tucked into the icecream.
turn the tables (on someone)
to cause a reversal in someone’s plans; to reverse a situation and put someone in a different position, especially in a less advantageous position.
I went to Jane’s house to help get ready for a surprise party for Bob. It turned out that the surprise party was for me! Jane really turned the tables on me!
up and doing
active and lively.
The children are always up and doing early in the morning.
vent one’s spleen
to get rid of one’s feelings of anger caused by someone or something by attacking someone or something else.
Because Jack didn’t get the job, he was angry, and he vented his spleen by shouting at his wife.
vexed question
a difficult problem about which there is a lot of discussion without a solution being found.
The two brothers quarrelled over the vexed question of which of them should take charge of their father’s firm.
well up in something
having a great deal of knowledge about something.
Jane’s husband is well up in computers.
with every other breath
[saying something] repeatedly or continually.
Bob was out in the garden raking leaves and cursing with every other breath.
work one’s fingers to the bone
to work very hard.
I worked my fingers to the bone so you children could have everything you needed. Now look at the way you treat me!
worn to a shadow
exhausted and thin, often from overwork.
Working all day and looking after the children in the evening has left Pam worn to a shadow.
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.
