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.
pack someone off (to somewhere)
to send someone away to somewhere, often with the suggestion that one is glad to do so.
His parents packed him off to boarding-school as soon as possible.
plain sailing
progress made without any difficulty; an easy situation.
Once you’ve passed that exam, it will be plain sailing.
play devil’s advocate
to put forward arguments against or objections to a proposition—which one may actually agree with—purely to test the validity of the proposition. (The devil’s advocate was given the role of opposing the canonization of a saint in the mediaeval Church to prove that the grounds for canonization were sound.)
I agree with your plan. I’m just playing devil’s advocate so you’ll know what the opposition will say.
play on something
to make use of something for one’s own ends; to exploit something; to manage something for a desired effect. (The on can be replaced by upon. )
The shop assistant played on my sense of responsibility in trying to get me to buy the book.
play the fool
to act in a silly manner play safe to amuse other people.
The teacher told Tom to stop playing the fool and sit down.
play up to someone
to try to gain someone’s favour; to curry someone’s favour; to flatter someone or to pretend to admire someone to gain favour.
Bill is always playing up to the teacher.
play with fire
to do something very risky or dangerous.
The teacher was playing with fire by threatening a pupil.
pull one’s socks up
to make an effort to improve one’s behaviour or performance.
If you don’t want to be expelled from school, you’ll have to pull your socks up.
pull out all the stops
to use all one’s energy and effort in order to achieve something. (From the stops of a pipe-organ. The more that are pulled out, the louder it gets.)
You’ll have to pull out all the stops if you’re going to pass the exam.
put one through one’s paces
to make one demonstrate what one can do; to test someone’s abilities or capacity.
The teacher put the children through their paces before the exam.
put paid to something
to put an end to something; to prevent someone from doing something; to prevent something from happening. (From the practice of book-keepers of writing “paid” in the account book when a bill has been settled.)
Jean’s father’s objections put paid to John’s thoughts of marrying her.
put someone through the wringer
to give someone a difficult or exhausting time. (Informal.)
They are really putting me through the wringer at school.
put someone to the test
to test someone; to see what someone can achieve.
I think I can jump that far, but no one has ever put me to the test.
put something on paper
to write something down.
You have a great idea for a novel. Now put it on paper.
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.
